Saturday, April 22, 2006

23rd April is marked for World Book Day. This reminds me of the rich literature we use to learn in earlier schooling days. Today's generation are aware of 'Shakespeare' but ask them to recite a poem or narrate a story - Who's got the time to read! I think, schools should make Literature a compulsory subject.

Well, here's a Shakespeare Poem and I remember too well, Makrant Shukla (Kash movie child artist) use to recite this poem and children just called for a 'Re-repeat' as he always had a flair of reciting so unique with an expression to match what the poet said.

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms;
Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel And shining morning face,
creeping like snail Unwillingly to school.
And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad,
Made to his mistress' eyebrow.
Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth.
And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lin'd, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part.
The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side, His youthful hose, well sav'd, a world too wide For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble,pipes
And whistles in his sound.
Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion; Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans every thing.



Hmmm...An English Poet and Playwright, Shakespeare wrote 38 plays, a collection of sonnets and variety of Poems. The kids in my class recently did a Literature Project - Aayushi, Shaimi, Aashini, Gucci and Parav. Each selected their own Author Profile:William Wordsworth, Robert Browning, Percy B Shelley, John Keats and Lord Alfred Tennyson. It's an effort to motivate but nevertheless, its creating awareness to jumpstart for an action.


- ilaxi

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Last week, I went for the Book Launch of Desi Dream Merchants by A.G.Krishnamurthy at Crosswords, Mithakhali.(9th April 2006) Among the present was the guest, Mr. Vimal Ambani. This Mudra Leader launched his first book 'The Invisible CEO' last year as Mudra completed 25 years. What impressed me was the speech of Krish, as he spoke of the team spirits of Mudra. The Desi Dream Merchants Back cover begins "Management theorists have opined that leaders need followers. And having a dream team is one of the latent desires of all managers and leaders." Rightly said 'Krish' but than the 'Boss is the speed of the Team', I would say:-)

Krishnamurthy conveyed a message at the end of his speech to the new Generation to "Keep the Faith in your own-self and believe in your own Dreams - If you dream and work hard, sooner or later, success is at your own door-step", he quipped.

Mudra as an agency has been quintessentially Indian. The logo with those two artistic hands in a striking dance posture and the ability to think in Indian languages, to appeal to the Indian consumer still remains. If you visit the Mudra website, it sure has the classic appeal with the Indian music notations being played 'Sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni sa or you call it 'Do, re, me..' The agency was understandably proud of its Indian roots - carrying the tagline “Made in India”. And whilst it had multinational clients, it had a wide range of clients who respected and valued its uniqueness and if one may add indianness. Brands like Vimal, Rasna, Binnies, Nutrine, Dhara, and Symphony were happy clients of the agency for years on end.

In Desi Dream Merchants, AG Krishnamurthy, the Mudra Man, in sequeal to The Invisible CEO reveals the inside story of Mudra - a desi ad agency catering to the needs of the Indian Business. In his amiable style, the author enlivens the book involving the team spirits with anecdotes and stories of the team. The book also has extracts of AGK Speak column in Business standard. Krish speaks of his bygone days, remembering Dhirubhai Ambani, who way back in 1980 handed Krish the mandate to begin the Mudra Ad Agency and create the best textile advertising in India with a minimum Rs.35,000/-. Dhirubhai put a lorry load of Trust and enough fuel to last till the nearest petrol pump, Krish says as he got to task, the right people and who obviously 'walked English, talked English and Advertised English.

The book is the Making of Mudra and is worth a story to be read from the Mudra Founder, A.G.Krishnamurthy and his team. Desi Dream Merchants is a veritable treat to leaders, would-be leaders, advertising and marketing professionals.

- ilaxi