SRI'S Blog

  Happy New year Wishes 2025   Having finished the intermediate exams of the Chartered Accountancy course, it opened up avenues to additional learning opportunities that would suit my career ambitions. One could move in and do what is called Industrial Training with a Corporate rather than be with the CA firm for the last year of the three year training. I was never inclined to start a practice of my own and this made my decision easier (I think my father was not happy with this decision of mine). I decided to move out from my current employer and look out for Industrial training opportunities. Again, thanks to Kumar Anna, I got myself into a company with a rich heritage and legacy. The group was known for its passion, integrity and the respect that it gave all its stakeholders and how they ran their business. It has a presence in several segments but I got my training at their Abrasives division. What an experience it was …? Outstanding!  During the training period ,...

    Post joining my articleship, the next 12-14 months passed quite fast. I continued to relish my day job and the evening college. Weekdays were action packed - Office from 10 AM to 5 PM and College from 5:30 till 8:30 PM .Saturday had only office (what a relief it was get home early rather than 10 PM daily) and Sunday was about all play and no work. I used to be an active cricketer and so there would a match for sure. As time passed like this so joyfully, it was time to face the intermediate exams of the Chartered Accountancy Course in Nov 1985 and that meant curtailment of all sorts. Once again, my Principal Mr. B Gopalakrishan granted me two months leave to prepare. However, I had to go to  college every day during the study leave. There were three of us who prepared for this exam, gratitude to K C Narasiman (Natchu) who took on the role of guiding us through the journey. Preparation was intense. My schedule was just crazy - get up at 4 AM , follow the ti...

  I completed 40 years of being employed  continously recently - That was a long period of time and many others  like me would have crossed this milestone in their careers. I wanted to use this milestone to thank so many people who have helped, provided me with opportunities, supported me, trusted me and wholeheartedly wanted me to do well.  My first thanks of course goes to the Almighty for his abundant blessings. My first full time employment started in Aug 1984 enrolling myself as a Articled Assistant to pursue my Chartered Accountancy (CA). Before getting to this point, my whole career was shaped up by one of my mother’s cousins who I took as a role model  and got in to  Commerce Stream - V S Kumar or Kumar Anna to me was the guiding force for me to get into the commerce stream. He spoke to me a lot in my younger days, in deciding what one wants to be and what your liking was and was fierce in advising me to make decisions on my own. ...

    The two finalists had a very different path getting in the finals South Africa They   struggled , narrow victories but they got there with a clean slate. However they had one tag to defend – they were the team “ that never crosses fhe final hurdle “   -- In the semis , they just ran over the Afgans who did incredibly well to get to the semis. SA   was a balanced side and except their captain everyone was contributing. India They   went in to the finals without any defeat – They were mostly unchallenged and except for brief periods against the Aussies and the English , they were in command . One worry was   from the last final ( ODI World cup finals )—they came in undefeated but lost steam in the finals –Again a balanced side and they has three left arm spinners who used the   conditions in US and the West Indies extremely final . They loved batting first , setting up a target and defending it successfully.   Everyone was contri...

  This Sunday ( 3/2/24 ) , I was at a Federation that supports the needs of People with Disabilities ( Diverse abilities ). It was their District conference and I went there to make connections for my organization and leverage their federation .  While the meeting went on desired lines   and as it was about to close formally , a young man who had lost both his hands got up on stage – He insisted that he had to speak – I did not recognize him instantly but as I stared at him . a little more intently , i told myself—Wow – I know this   person.   I rushed up on to stage and gave him a tight hug .           now   wind back seven or eight years back ……. ------------------------------------------------ Flash back but no music as in movies--------------- Venkatesan the person who lost both his hands in an accident was the person on stage. I got to know him through a Rotary event.   I took an instant liking for him ....

  I post this on the eve of the start of the Fourth test between India and England ,   knowing fully well that England is not going to change its approach to playing test cricket away from the Baz ball approach .   Having gone one up in the series   in the first test with a win that was possible due to the   aggressive approach to go after the bowling , England suffered two reverses in the following tests . While the test at Vizag was fought closely , the one at Rajkot , England lost the match by well over400 runs ( 434 to be precise ) .. That is like being beaten hollow to say the least. Now what caused this heavy defeat ?   To me , it was playing the way they did without understanding the match situation and being relevant in the approach that led to Eng losing by such a huge margin. India scored 445 runs in its first knock and England responded with 319 – Not bad at all – But close to 50 % came from the bat of one player..   Ben Duckett – Du...

  To a sports lover , this   entire   day could have been spent just following some intense but exciting sports action in the field of Cricket and Tennis. First , West Indies Cricket team did the unthinkable in the second test being played in Australia—In the first test   , West Indies were outplayed   and that was expected . But there was some light .. An unknown Shamar Joseph emerged . He bowled well , picked up a test wicket of the first ball he bowled and ended with five wickets in the first innings he bowled.. Nothing to be excited   but Shamar let everyone know he existed.   The second test turned on its head for the Aussies. And everyone knows the Pink Ball does its bit in the way the entire match goes. It   was a low scoring match ( I am sure we all remember the 36 India made ) and   the Aussies had   just 215 to chase down to win the series 2-0 . However Shamar Joseph with a sensational spell of fast bowling   ( Consist...

  When someone looks at this topic, it is a project assignment for a primary school student at a private school. But bear with me and read on. I was traveling earlier this week, and if someone asked me, : What is on your mind? My response would have been "Nothing ". Such was my state.  But suddenly,  my thoughts went back to July of 1986, when I flew for the first time in my life, and it was a pretty incident-packed journey to get on the flight. I had just joined as an Intern (under the Chartered Accountancy program) and was asked to go to the newly established plant at Hosur and help in "closing the books of Accounts " The company followed an August-to-July timeline for its book closure. I traveled by an overnight bus to Hosur (close to Bengaluru) and reported to the Plant Accounts Officer (a fine gentleman by the name of Noronha).  My assignment was to get the closing stock valued. Little did I realize what an overwhelming job it would turn out to be. Lack...

  Vijay, a seven-year-old boy from Cuddalore, went in for his cardiac surgery on May 25, 2023. His surgery was a little more complicated than regular cardiac surgery. He underwent the surgery and is now doing well. So what is special about this patient, May 25th, and this surgery?   It is a big milestone for the Little Hearts Project, a project that is run by the Rotary Club of Madras South with support from Rotary International, the Rotary Club of Pasadena, and funding support from the Chief Minister’s Insurance Scheme of the State Government of Tamilnadu, very kind sponsors (including a significant contributions from Ford), and Soorya Hospital,   who have been performing the surgeries with the support of Doctors and their support system.   While reaching the milestone of 500 surgeries calls for celebration, I was thinking through this journey and how we were able to get to this number. Saving lives and giving them back their regular lifestyle is n...

  The news of Gitanjali Aiyar Newsreader  Doordarshan passing away took me back ages – Those were the days , when entertainment through Televisions were sparce – In fact Telecasts itself would commence in the evening by 6 and probably run for a couple of hours. And I do not want to talk about the topics that were telecast.. They would interest no one but the TV set would be on.   What was of great interest to many of us was the English News at 9 PM everyday that would run for 30 minutes and the personalities that hosted it. They were supremos in their own right and had lot of influence doing what they did Watching the news was a Big education   -- it is like watching the   Learning videos   of today Our teachers encouraged us to watch the News   for two things : Get our Pronunciation right   and watch the flow Improve our Current Affairs Knowledge And we were warned not to watch any other program since they could be diversions t...

  It was one of those most patience  testing finals… Finally it did end after three days !! Yes , with a Rain washed match day forcing the use of the reserve day which it turn had  its halts due to rain and then finally CSK running out deserved winners on Tuesday early morning.   MSD Dhoni won the toss and with rain predictions , took the option to bowl first. Little would have MSD expected a poor bowling and fielding display from his team.   Gill should have been a goner at the start, but Chahar spilled one of Tushar and then Chahar dropped Saha of his own bowling. At this level, these catches should have been taken , With the reprieves , the GT openers got off to their rollicking start with Saha being the aggressor of the two. They tonked the bowling merrily and it required the super speed reaction of MSD to have Gill stumped. MSD was too good behind the wickets. And I hear that he does not practice wicketkeeping !   Sai Sudarshan is a solid player....

  Will start with the  table bottom  Finishers   SRH This franchisee always does well at the Auction – They go after in Form players   and get them too.   But what happens to the form of these players at the time of the actual tournament is anyone’s guess… The team got off to a bad start with their captain Markaram joining in late   post his National duty and by that time, the team was already struggling.. Their hot buy Harry Brooks –( although he scored a century ) was a big letdown.. Chopping and changing the team and unable to get the right balance they finished bottom of the league.. Mind you , they have heavyweights in their Coaching team.. Brian Lara , Muthiah Muralidharan , Dale Steyn to boot.. And decent players too    But if you cannot get your combination right , you are   a gonner   Delhi Capitals   If SRH had their high power coaching team , DC would beat them hollow in terms of their line up – Ricky Ponting...