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Quality Bites India was independent. The Sahibs were gone and the coolies or brown Sahibs or neo Sahibs gained access to the upper echelons of management. It was the uncultured bandwagon that was giving shape to modern India. Thus shot into prominence is the chalta hai and jugad aka the great Indian jugad of managing the masses in India. From my experiences being associated with the administrative setups of many a State in the country, the hierarchy or patterns of administrative functions in place are more generic than scientific. Nonetheless, these generic or assumed pattern of paths of governance, modified as per needs of local governance centered along well defined paradigms that fulfilled the need of the hour. But its continuance in this form may not be beneficial for which, the country is witnessing loss of harmony in the governance sector. A major upheaval is needed so that the States responds to a single command from the Centre. This needs the basics of normalis

The last winter, I visited the southern state of Kerala – God’s own country! The very thought of going there was too exciting as I had read about the state being showered with nature’s bounties for which it’s called so. I got up early as our flight to Kochi was early. The previous night was hectic with last minute packing and, putting all things that would accompany us, in place. It was shivering cold when we set off but inside the airport and the aeroplane, it was warm. Had to take off all our protection against the chill of Kolkata and tuck them neatly inside the hand baggage. We were in for a rude shock when we got out at Kochi. It was 29 th December 2013 and the temperature outside read 35 o C. We were ferried to our hotel in a car that was running AC and Girish Uncle was our chauffer cum guide.                                                 In the evening, we went to the Portuguese Synagogue and the Spice Market. This Synagogue is the oldest in India. The sea side was

After many years' relationship with Cellone , it was decided that both my spouse and I would shift to Vodafone due to poor connectivity and services of the provider. The mobile number porting facility was a boon to be used and was done. The agile agent from Vodafone arrived at my residence with prior appointment. Documents necessary to facilitate porting were arranged and after our signatures, the agent left. Within 24 hours, the shifting from Cellone to Vodafone was affected and effected. The network was excellent with a few hiccups at times but overall, the experience was too good except that the monthly bills kept on rocketing. After 120 days into the beautiful experience that was slowly burning a hole into my pocket, both of us decided that we go back to Cellone as our requirements were limited usage of mobile phone. Process of initiation began with an SMS to the porting server. Upon calling up BSNL Customer Care, it was announced that both of us had to visit our

Hills Ahoy! It was 12 th April 2014 and, I filled up the tank of my Palio MJD from the COCO where I religiously ensure to get the purest fuel in the city, checked all oil levels and tyre pressures. The next day, we'd get up too early to set off for Siliguri. Though the distance is a mere 585 kilometres, the cratered National Highway (NH) 34 is an endurance for both the vehicle and the driver. Google maps says, one can reach in 10 hours and 44 minutes. I have been through this road in 2010 and the experience wasn't that good. Perhaps Google has to take into account the moon craters on this NH. I was excited by the fact that it would be first drive to the hills. Everyone else were dead scared but Darjeeling, Pelling and Gangtok in their minds mooted their spirits. For me, this was a precursor and learning trip before I drive up my Palio to Leh. The alarm rang at exactly 3:30AM for my wife Tamali to pack up some snacks for my ever hungry son Kajo. Everyone calls him K

You do not need to thank us for doing our job – Marzin R Shroff In the Service Sector, that one should be too obliged to serve, doesn't stand as a conscription in this country. Rather, the already chastised customers are treated in a manner that makes no sense of justification of God's ways to man or man's ways to ease the pain of others! Customers are perhaps treated like dogs. Once the comfort levels are created, the sales volumes increased, they are then shunned like stray dogs who become demanding and more. Riddled with high prices of each and every commodity is a shortchanged and gullible consumer who pays more than the most probable price of a commodity. Integrated with it is the escalated cost of warranties and service. In many a sector, the customer is an object of ridicule – a bitter pill to swallow in absence of quick redressal of grievances. Moreover, bitter pills are more difficult to swallow where there exist no choice. A spate of events re