Patriotism in BPO Industry

From the Archives-2: Recovered this manuscript that was written six years ago on this day...

A Mini India

Kya batt hai aaj 15 August hai aur aap office ja

raheho...?! Quipped my confused and disturbed landlady as the cab had come to pick me up for office. All my efforts to explain her about the functioning of a BPO industry and that we were equally patriotic since we celebrate Independence Day in office turned out to be futile! I guess many of us too must have experienced similar situations while coming to office on this day.

Most BPO organizations functions 24x7 servicing clients from different parts of the world and therefore, have to work according to the respective country's local office timings. Hence, because of the time zone difference, work is largely in the night shifts or early morning. Similarly, holidays too are based as per the national listed holidays of the respective countries.

It is due to such reasons that here in India BPO employees have to work on all major festivals. Whether it is Holi, Independence Day, Dusshera, Deepawali, Eid or Republic Day, one has to report to office unless the day coincides with  a public holiday of  the (business process) out sourced country or it falls on a weekly off day of the employee!

EXL Chairman Vikram Talwar

But that does not mean one is deprived of such celebrations. Keeping the sentiments of all individuals and to bridge the gap, BPO organisations often make all major festivals happen within the floor in a unique way. Whether you are picking up a call or busy in transaction of a back-end office, the Human Resource team ensures that fun is reached to every individual in between the calls and transactions. Usually exciting programmes are chalked out thus, energizing the employees to look forward for the day to come to office with attendance in full strength.

Over the years EXL service.com has gained the reputation of being a perfect "fun at work place" which has been increasingly envied in the BPO industry. While speaking to a cross section of ex-EXLites who are presently working at Steria (formerly Xanza), Patni Computers, HCL and CSC reinforces this point. The organization's vibrant logo - X-man (if we can call it) truly portrays the personality and philosophy of its founder Chairman Vikram Talwar, particularly after analyzing between the lines of his interview that had recently appeared in The New York Times!

Vikram Talwar & Rohit Kapoor(CEO) at EXL C4 Barista outlet

At EXL festivals such as Independence Day,Dusshera, Deepawali, and Christmas just to name a few are celebrated with great pomp and show. For example, during Dusshera the entire floor looks

spectacular with executives wearing headgears and attired depicting various epics from the Indian mythology. Deepawali is marked where all turn up to office wearing ethnic dresses, special food is served including various games such as lucky-dip, wheel of fortune, housie, etc. During Deepawali, Christmas and New Year all EXL centres are tastefully decorated and buildings are specially illuminated.

Coming back to the Independence Day celebration at EXL, the efforts from the HR

team is so spontaneous that it naturally creates an ambience of patriotism in all the centres. Inspite of heavy dose of cross-culture exposure, the spirit of patriotism gets so high on this day that can make any government organisation or a common man in the street to blush!

The entire floor is decorated with little tri-colour national flags while different teams come out with various collages and posters depicting the freedom struggle among others. Singing the national anthem too is a major event where all employees take an active part. Quiz competition and kite flying are also held to mark the occasion. On this day every employee is expected to come to office in ethnic or regional dress. Not to be left behind, the caterers too at the cafeteria gets a little trendy by presenting certain food items decorated in the symbolic tri-colour. All these make each one of us happy on such a special day.

It may be mentioned here that the BPO and IT sector employ a large number of Indians thus, shouldering the perennial burden of educated unemployment of the government to a certain extent. These two sectors have been significantly contributing to the government's exchequer in terms of foreign exchange. But the recent rising inflation in the US economy and its impact in the rest of the world have been causing anxiety for a while. Though such situation is a temporary phase but many IT and BPO firms are in the verge of pressing the panic button. Let us keep our fingers crossed and wait for the sunshine days to return soon. 

To conclude, BPO organisations like EXL in particular can be best described as

'Mini India' since employees constitutes of all cultures, religion, caste and creed including physically challenged drawn from every nook and corner of the country. It is a perfect place of unity in diversity. Today if we look at the explosive situation in the north, secessionist threat in the north-east and the recent terrorist attack in the south and west can only dampen the spirit of a true citizen. As members of this 'Mini India', there is a crying need to spread the message of peace, love, tolerance and respect of Mother India! 

Jai Hind!
An appreciation Email from EXL Chairman Vikram Talwar:

The videos below can cause one to walk down through the memory lane...

My Mercedes Benz

Umbrella With Premium Insignia!

It was a perfect day to leisure around due to a public holiday on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. I woke up a little late, and after a quick breakfast and a glance through the newspapers, I

decided to get my wardrobe organised. You know, a thrilling way to spend a holiday.

Suddenly, behind heaps of clothes, I came across a fourteen-inch-long barrel wrapped neatly with several layers of

newspapers that appeared almost like a grandmother's parcel! Curiously, I unpacked the stuff and discovered it was the Mercedes-Benz pocket umbrella which I had hidden from sight ever since I bought it at the eleventh Auto Expo held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, in January 2012.

The reason for keeping it off from public view was primarily due to the guilt of purchasing it at a prohibitive price

unknowingly, which I realised only after scrutinising the bill and the SMS on the transaction sent to my mobile by my bank upon reaching home. Ah, the joys of impulse buying! 

For the first time, I took a close look at it and examined it from every angle. The two-fold telescopic umbrella is definitely made of high-quality spokes, designer waterproof fabric, and an elegant polished wooden handle. Who knew umbrellas could be so fancy?

The wooden handle sports a black square metallic button on the side that enables the umbrella to open up with a press and a big logo of Mercedes-Benz at the tip. Holding the umbrella gives a premium feel and appears to have been manufactured with utmost precision, just like its range of automobiles. It's almost as if I'm holding a miniature version of their luxury cars, without the risk of a fender bender.

At the Auto Expo, there were several pavilions set up by almost all major global automobile manufacturers. The Mercedes-Benz pavilion was one of the topmost attractions, drawing

maximum footfalls. During the seven-day event, I made several attempts to visit this pavilion but gave up due to the serpentine lines. It was like trying to get into a popular nightclub, but instead of bouncers, there were shiny cars.

On the final day, I decided to arrive at the venue early in the morning and squeeze in some time to visit this pavilion in particular. To add extra spice to the event, dozens of international models were flown in, each standing beside different Mercedes variants on display. It was like a car show and a fashion show had a glamorous baby.

After viewing a variety of sedans, off-roaders, sports cars, hybrids, and concept cars, I moved across to a stall selling Mercedes-Benz memorabilia. From cufflinks, tie pins, caps, keychains, badges, bags, jackets, umbrellas—everything had the Mercedes-Benz logo on it. The counter was crowded with fashionable young men and women, and a couple of models walked past, encouraging me to do some quick photography. Who knew buying a souvenir could feel like attending a celebrity meet-and-greet?

I spotted an umbrella and asked the price. The salesperson responded with an accent and a smile, "Sir, this is 378/-..." Although I thought it was slightly expensive compared to such

varieties found in the open market, I felt it was fine considering I was buying it at an event like this. Plus, I would hardly get time to go shopping for an umbrella. I mean, who needs practicality when you can have prestige?

Having made up my mind, I flaunted my debit card at the counter, and within seconds, the amount was debited, and the umbrella, inserted into an elegant paper bag, became my new possession. It was only after reaching home late in the evening

that I realised the blunder I had made—the original price quoted for the umbrella was in four digits, and I had missed the last one! This drove me to hide the umbrella completely from public view, the best way to forget about the episode. Out of sight, out of mind, right? 

But today, I realized that this is a wonderful piece and a remembrance of my visit to one of the world's best premium car manufacturer's pavilions. Even if I can never own a four-set of wheels of this brand in my life, who cares—I have at least a Mercedes-Benz umbrella. Let the Delhi monsoon rains start, and I am surely going to flaunt it! I might even start a trend with my stylish rain gear, becoming the envy of every pedestrian caught in a downpour. Plus, it’s a great conversation starter—who wouldn’t be curious about an umbrella with such a backstory? Now, every time it rains, I’ll have a reason to smile, knowing I have a piece of automotive luxury right in my hand. 

So, here's to hidden treasures in wardrobes and the joy of rediscovering them. Next time I feel the urge to tidy up, who knows what other forgotten luxuries I will uncover!

Video clips related to the Auto Expo:

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The Coded Valentine Letter

Since time immemorial, romantic tales have enthralled people by their sweetness, pathos, and tragedy. Today, lovers search for special ways to express on Valentine's Day. Here is a unique coded letter written by a gentleman to his ladylove.

I first read this piece while organising my library, in a book shared decades ago in pre-internet days by one of my good friends - the late Debabrata Singh who passed away recently.

According to legend, the young lady had a very inquisitive and over-protective father who compelled her to show him all her letters. The suspicious father read it without alarm, yet the young lady, armed with a clue, got the real message. Lets see if you can!

Madam,

The great love I have hitherto expressed for you
is false, and I find that my indifference, toward you
increases daily; the more I see of you, the more
you appear in my eyes an object of contempt, -
I feel myself every way disposed and determined to
hate you. Believe me, I never had an intention to
offer you my hand. Our last conversation has 
left a tedious insipidity, which has by no means
given me the most exalted idea of your character;
your temper would make me extremely unhappy,
and if we are united, I shall experience nothing but
the hatred of my parents, added to their everlasting dis-
pleasure in living with you. I have, indeed, a heart 
to bestow, but I do not wish you to imagine it is
at your service; I could not give it to any one more
inconsistent and capricious than yourself, and less
capable to do honour to my choice and to my family.-
Yes, Madam, I trust you will be persuaded that
I speak sincerely; and you will do me a favour
to avoid me. I shall excuse your taking the trouble 
to answer this. Your letters are always full of
impertinence, and you have not the least shadow of
wit or good sense. Adieu! Adieu! believe me, I am
so averse to you that it is impossible for me ever to be
your affectionate friend and ardent lover. 

Did you get it? If you didn't, try reading the first line and then, every alternate line!

Bose SoundLink Mini: Review

Revolution in Portable Speakers!

Bose SoundLink Mini

The revolution in portable high fidelity sound was marked with the innovation of 'Walkman' series in the 1980s by Sony Corporation of Japan. For almost two decades Sony Walkman ruled the market in personal music entertainment space, although other major brands such as Panasonic, Aiwa, Hitachi, Sanyo, Marantz etc too came out with similar products later.

Then were the portable compact disc players like the Sony Dicman which could play both WAV as well as MP3 audio files. And finally, now in the digital age, the iPod of Apple Inc - capable of playing both audio and video files, has been ruling the global market what Sony Walkman was once upon a time. Today the market is flooded with several genres of iPod-type players rolled out by various brands.

The Mini Connected to a MacBook Air via Bluetooth

In general, to experience a hi-fi sound from these devices, one has to plug in-ear phones, headphones or noise cancellation in-ear/head phones to enjoy music from your iPod, smartphone, tablet or other device.

Using the headphones at times can be quite tiring and one would prefer to have a similar quality belting out from speakers which can be carried easily on-the-go.

Portable speaker technology has advanced dramatically in recent years as evidenced by the ready availability of features like Bluetooth connectivity and amazing audio output. 

Over the past couple of months I had visited several retail outlets, shopping malls and tested various portable speakers of many brands. I had loaded few good as well as low quality audio tracks in my cell phone to make an honest comparison.

Bose SoundLink Mini docked in its charging  cradle

Some of the outlets had a small auditioning room but it did not hamper for those which did not have. Infact, winter had something special - listen to any of your favourite audio track and discover incredible sense of soothing magic to the ears... Mozart would have loved most songs, as each chord and note on the harp sounds so clear and perfect since there is less of ambient noise associated with coolers, fans, air conditioners etc that affects audio experience dramatically.

I tried the Bose SoundLink Mini at Croma - an electronics mega store. For the size, the sound quality is incredible. There were a number of other speakers including JBL Flip, JBL Charge, Jambox mini, Jambox Party, Logitech Boom Box, Jabra Solemate, even Bose SoundLink Bluetooth mobile II.

Cradle and charging adapter 

Seriously, the Mini blew them all away! I think it is a revolution in portable music - astounding bass, mids and high. I was hearing things in songs which I never noticed before. The Mini is not intended for outdoor party screaming-volume, but listen to it at normal level - quality is really outstanding with deep and powerful bass and pretty smooth mids. Only treble could sparkle a bit more!

At 0.6 kg, it is small enough to fit in your palm or tuck it inside your bag. The speaker has a range of about 30 feet which pairs easily with smartphones, iPad or any Bluetooth devices without wires.

The retractable prongs charging adapter

The speaker features power and volume buttons -  you control all other functions from your Bluetooth device. And it remembers the most six devices you've used, so reconnecting is even simpler. The speaker circuitry is built on Bose proprietary innovative transducer and dual passive radiator technology which enhances the sound clarity. I had watched Casino Royale movie by connecting the speakers to the laptop which was simply mind blowing.

Bose seems to have done a thorough market research before deciding to do away with the hands-free speaker phone option, an add-on facility, which comes with most Bluetooth speakers. In reality, I have found that several people who owned such speakers with the hands-free option rarely used it, but the psyche of an average buyer would naturally like to have all such options loaded since the price they would be paying for the device. 

An interesting point to note -  Earlier Bose used to make its gadgets solely compatible to Apple devices, but now it seems to cater to a wider market like Android, Windows phone and all kinds of Bluetooth products.

The SoundLink Mini strives to reproduce the musical sounds as closely as possible to those of the original performance. And Bose strive to avoid flashy sounds such as those associated with accentuated bass and / or treble frequencies. While those sounds may be attractive to the novice, but they are not enduring.

Its single-piece aluminium casing is both attractive, durable and some critics have commented that if the big 'Bose' logo was not mentioned in front of its grill, people would have thought it may have been another product rolled out from Apple Inc!

The Mini comes along with a charging cradle where the unit can be docked on top of it when indoors. However, the charger adapter can be also directly connected to the unit while on travel. A full charge would give seven hours playback time. The one I tested was for five hours and still had enough juice. It has also an aux input for devices which are not Bluetooth enabled.

Unlike other speakers, this unit cannot be charged from the laptop via a USB cable - probably it may be due to a higher input (12 volt) voltage requirement. At the bottom of the unit there is a mini USB socket which is only meant for Bluetooth firmware upgrades.

Universal conversion plugs

The charging adapter deserves a special mention. Bose has thoughtfully made prongs of the charger retractable for convenience of travelling. Besides, it has also included five conversion plugs for global usage as per the country specific AC mains.

Additionally, leather covers in black and magenta and soft covers in blue, green and orange are available separately. A trendy travel bag too is available at some of the stores.

Dr. Amar Gopal Bose

The final verdict: You might not expect sound this rich from a speaker this small and don't have to sacrifice performance for portability! After all it is a premium product from Bose Corporation - a company founded by India-born US citizen, Late Dr. Amar Gopal Bose who was also a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He was an electrical and sound engineer who devoted his life to investigating our psychological and physiological responses to sound.

Bose charges a premium for quality and workmanship. They are worth every penny to me over all the plastic speakers flooded in the market these days. It comes at Rs 16,200/- which is pricy indeed!

WORLD OF BACKUPS

Laugh it out!

It was indeed nice to get recharged after a cool weekend. The weather was truly great but if I said ‘cool’, then you must be the extra lucky ones with the air-conditioners and air-coolers at top speed and uninterrupted power supply.

Well, I was not all that fortunate as I stay on the top floor of a three storied building. I was forced into a sauna bath as the locality was plunged into darkness several times during the prime hours of the evening – courtesy, Delhi power supply! And thanks to them for retaining my slim figure!

However, within minutes most houses in the neighbourhood came back to life with a variety of roaring as well as silent gen-sets.

As I came out to the terrace to feel the cool evening breeze, a zany old man from the opposite balcony noticed beads of sweat trickling down from my forehead and asked me, “Son, why don’t you get a backup for your room…?” Well, the word ‘Backup’ got me so obsessed that I kept on wondering the whole night until I went into a deep slumber!

The next morning I woke up but realized I could not get the hang of that word. Backup here, backup there, backup everywhere and that’s how I came up with this scrap!

The lexicon meaning of backup is to give support, help or encouragement to. Initially, essential services such as radio stations, television stations and hospitals were equipped with a backup power supply to provide seamless services.

Gradually with the change in times, such backup systems came to dominate in the business establishments, educational institutions, offices and domestic sectors.

Whether in Hollywood or Bollywood there is another version of ‘backups’. Here we have backup dancers, backup actors and backup singers.

Similarly, several organisations have adopted backup trainers, backup quality control analysts (QCA) and backups of all hues.

At our office we have the high-tech power backup systems to take care whenever the power distribution companies (DISCOMS) plays prank! There is a dedicated power supply for the lights and cooling systems while another specialized backup to power the central server for ensuring continuous internet connectivity at all workstations.

Keeping such logic in mind, a thought came up and was wondering if this could be taken a step further!? How about backup spouses, backup fiancés, backup boy friends and girl friends!!??

Hey there, if I sound nutty please excuse me but I am sane. Just find out which backup suites you the best!

IS INDIAN MEDIA DIFFERENT FROM UK MEDIA?

Tips on what’s the Indian media like – is it different from the UK media?

Well, yes, to a large extent. While media anywhere in the world likes a good story, the one difference of the Indian media is that we are not as specialised as the UK media.

So, while in India there are technical, automotive or healthcare publications, they are not as widespread as in the UK. On the other hand, in India we have seen a media explosion and that explosion actually means that we have a resource crunch. Sometimes, rookie reporters meet you, leading to mistakes in the articles.

Delhi media has numerous newspapers, television channels and radio stations. There are several popular TV channels operated out of Delhi such as NDTV, India TV and Doordarshan. The newspapers that enjoy high readership in Delhi are The Times of India, Hindustan Times and Indian Express. Hindi dailies such as Dainik Jagaran, Amar Ujala, Hindustan and Punjab Kesri are some of the other important ones.

According to the Indian Readership Survey (IRS), Hindustan Times tops the readership in Delhi, while Times of India dominates in Mumbai. While speaking to journalists, overseas companies venturing into the Indian market must talk about innovations and out-of-the-box ideas that it has implemented. They should also bring out the technology aspect of the idea and talk about the USP or how is it different from other companies and start-ups in the same sector. This will help in generating interest of journalists towards start-ups.

Delhi media would love to know how the mission companies will support the political initiatives of the government. They will be interested in knowing how technology interventions can support meeting some of the socio-economic challenges of the country such as education, healthcare, mobile commerce etc.

While speaking to the journalists it is very critical for the spokesperson to stick to key messages that needs to be sent to stake holders. This should be preferably backed by statistics and figures of the relevant industry. ‘Off-the-record’ statements should be completely avoided. There is no off-the-record scenario with any journalist at any point of time. One can stick to simple statements and avoid jargons. And, if jargons are used, it is important to explain.

That’s why business communication organisations like Avian Media are there to help the journalists write the right things or at least give them the right material so that they can write correct stories and consequently help clients to achieve their objectives.

Below is a video clip:

REMEMBERING JOHN LENNON

Imagine there's no heaven...

32 years ago on this day,  legendary singer John Lennon of the famous Beatles group was killed on 08 December 1980 by a crazy gunman at New York while returning from a recording studio.

I was a kid then at a hill station and connecting to the outer world for news and entertainment was through the traditional good-old radio. Television had not penetrated in most parts of India, except in few metropolitan cities while FM radio station was not there at that time.

Those were the days when I used to tune on to the short wave bands for popular radio stations which used to belt out best western music such as Band Box of All India Radio (AIR) Calcutta, BBC Radio (T- Shirt Programme), Radio Australia, Radio Ceylon/Sri Lanka (English Service), Radio Bangladesh (English/External Service), Radio Burma (English/External Service), etc. 

All these radio stations paid special tribute to Lennon by continuously airing his songs. And, so were my friends in the neighbourhood who were equally emotionally charged repeatedly played his numbers - 'Imagine' and 'Happy Christmas' in their record players and radiograms. Since then, Lennon's typical round spectacles frame or Gandhi glasses including cowboy hats and boots had become a super fashion trend within  my friends!

More than three decades have passed but Lennon's contribution to the world will never be forgotten. He wanted world peace which he advocated through his writings and songs. He has inspired countless people worldwide for decades and continues to inspire them to this day.

'Imagine' - This song penned and sung by Lennon, has a strong political message that is sugarcoated in a beautiful melody. Lennon realised that the softer approach would bring the song to a wider audience, who hopefully would listen to his message.


In the video, Lennon is dressed as a cowboy and his Japanese wife, Yoko Ono is attired in a white gown with a band around her forehead. Perhaps, this could be a kind of message of all cultures getting along.

The lyrics of the song are so powerful that today it is considered as a universal anthem worldwide.


Below is the video.

Another great song of his which goes with the current festive season is - 'Happy Christmas'. This is a world Christmas song and in the video there is a short interview where Lennon talks his mind on global peace.

Below is the video.

Finally, John Lennon will always be with us - his music, his humanity, his love...because legends never die!

Avian Media: The Corporate Anthem!

· We dare to dream…

The growing popularity of corporate anthems has become an integral part of several organizations across the globe. It has the unique power to create a company’s image by imbibing  messages of its core values and vision through the lyrics thereby, fostering a deeper bond among its employees.

Given a situation of any special celebrations or an emotional achievement, such anthems are sung in chorus by its employees  to  show utmost respect for the organization.

From pop, rock, rap to hip-hop, various companies adopt different genres of music to make a statement. 

If PriceWaterhouseCooper’s anthem is of hip-hop track, Ernst & Young’s gospel tune, so is computer security giant Symantec’s motivational rap music, while a wonderful pop tune of KPMG’s power ballad strategy. (it’s a must listen track -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXUhQnOYR54).

Not to be left behind, business communication leader, Avian Media too joined the bandwagon of creating its own anthem which was hurriedly penned just before the Award’s Night at Corbett last October and sung by its members.

With lyrics such as “We trudge that extra mile/To bring that extra mile”, Avian’s We dare to Dream has the polished turn-of –phrase which can be improved by padding a specific genre music and having it recorded at a professional studio.

Check out the video clip below:

Cheers!

                                         

                                     

Cab Inferno at Gurgaon

                     
              ·       Escape from jaws of death

May 15 was yet another hot sunny Tuesday. It was business as usual and was on my weekly visit to our client’s office located at Delhi – Jaipur road NH-8, Gurgaon. I was the only occupant of a chauffeur-driven steel grey saloon cab which was racing to my destination via Chhatarpur, M G Road amidst frequent traffic snarls.

Ranjan, the person behind the steering wheels appeared to have a trying time negotiating the beeline traffic since there was more of waiting and less of movement of vehicles. So did I took out my black box (laptop), connected the data card and got engrossed with work meeting deadlines. Suddenly, the car came to a halt and when I looked outside, it was the place where I had to be.  

After dropping me Ranjan parked the car around 100 yards away in the service lane, adjacent to a makeshift dhaba. It was 12:00 pm and little did I realize that in another 20 minutes a catastrophe would have occurred.

The car which was stationery with its ignition switched off went up on flames with thick black smokes bellowing from the bonnet. By the time people and fire tenders could make out what was happening, the vehicle had been charred completely. Ranjan and several bystanders, rushed to the spot with buckets of water to douse flames but were unsuccessful to salvage anything. 

This incident has indeed left a mixed impression in my mind – a feeling of guilt, achievement and an escape from the jaws of death! Had we were still inside the car for the next twenty minutes we would have been roasted alive and perhaps, today’s dailies would have carried an obituary.

Hei, I am still alive… Thank you Almighty for saving our lives!

Avian Media CEO’s Message to New Inductees

Programme on Seed

New Delhi: Business communication leader Avian Media  organized a unique week-long training programme for its new inductees drawn from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) including other reputed institutes.

The programme, nick named ‘Seed’, means “seeding into the culture imbibing work and engaging the vision of the company”, according to the company’s CEO, Nitin Mantri.

Mantri who had a prior client engagement at Chandigarh and Mumbai (formerly Bombay) on the day of commencement of Seed, for the first time addressed the new inductees in a video message.

“We have a vision, we want you to be a part of it, we want to be the most reputed agency over the next three years; And you (new inductees) are going to help to take us there”, Mantri said.

The training programme was conducted by internal resources from Avian Media’s Mumbai, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) and New Delhi offices that culminated with the company's eight years anniversary celebrations.

Check out the video clip below:

                                              
                                             

AVIAN OFFICE PIZZA PICNIC!

New Delhi: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! And with this proverb in mind, Friday, the 13^th January 2012 shall remain a spectacular day to remember when our Delhi office decided to take a short timeout in the afternoon.

With clear skies above and the winter sun at its best coupled with occasional chilling breeze from the north, it was a perfect day for an office picnic at the magnificent sprawling grounds of Lodhi Garden.  

Dressed in smart casuals, Avianites headed to this venue situated near the famous Safdarjung Tomb. Earlier known as Lady Willington Park, the Lodhi Garden boasts of splendidly landscaped lawns, small water bodies, fountains, jogging track, among others. It is also a bird watchers paradise where one can see exotic birds like babblers, hornbills, kingfishers, mynahs, etc.

Crazy cricket, volley ball, football, flying saucer and blind-fold-eye games kept all to pump extra bit of adrenaline. In the heat of the moment, it was amazing to watch all rank and files burry their egos and focus on the games – thus, projecting the real child in each person within!

While many lazily basked under the sun sipping cokes and breezers, others strolled or sat around enjoying the nature and some ventured to explore the Bara and Sheesh Gumbads – tombs of rulers of the Sayyid Dynasty which are adorned with facades and turrets.

Yes, it was also a great forum for all to loosen up and enjoy themselves – particularly the new team members to rub shoulders with senior management and network with other co-workers which turned out a true morale booster of the organization. In general it was a good bonding experience for everyone.

Finally, a quick delivery of variety of mouth-watering pizzas kept the energy level high of all.

Check out the video clip and stills below.

Cheers!

Sandeep Acharya

 

                                    The jerky-video clip...

                                            The laugh out...