वक़्त और चेहरे—दोनों का रंग बदलते देखे ..

इस गुजरते साल ने बहुत कुछ समझा दिया,

कुछ मतलबी चेहरों ने तो कुछ अपनों ने खुद का रंग दिखा दिया

अब आने वाले साल में थोड़ा संभलकर चलना है,
हाथ तो सबसे मिलाना है… मगर हर किसी को गले नहीं लगाना है

A Tribute to India’s Most Inspirational Scientist & Visionary President

“Dream, dream, dream. Dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts result in action.” – Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

A tribute to the man who taught India to dream fearlessly.

Why Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Is Called the Missile Man of India

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam earned the title “Missile Man of India” for his leading role in the development of India’s ballistic missile and space technology programs. His groundbreaking contributions to the Agni and Prithvi missile projects placed India firmly on the global defense and space map.

A Leader Who Rose From Simplicity

Born into a humble family in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, Dr. Kalam’s journey from delivering newspapers as a child to becoming one of India’s most admired scientists is nothing short of extraordinary. His life stands as a testament to the power of determination, discipline, and lifelong learning.

His Achievements That Shaped India

• Key architect of India’s missile programs (Agni & Prithvi)
• Integral contributor to ISRO’s SLV‑3, India’s first satellite launch vehicle
• Played a key role in the Pokhran‑II nuclear tests (1998)
• Served as the 11th President of India (2002–2007)
• Inspiration to millions through his books like Wings of Fire and Ignited Minds

A Visionary Who Inspired Generations

Dr. Kalam believed that children are the future of India, and he dedicated much of his life to educating and motivating young minds. His speeches, books, and interactions continue to spark curiosity, ambition, and patriotism in people across the world.

How I Handle LinkedIn Connection Requests — My Personal Approach

You logged in to your LinkedIn account and you find your inbos filled with invitations to connect to your network. Linkedin being aprofessional network its usual for all professionals but in my case i get mostly candidates who are looking for jobs or willing to swich from their existing jobs. Also from many recruitment vendors, HRMS consultants and many recruitment agencies. 

What do i do ?

1. Categorize Requests Before You Act

Just like you do, I also start by mentally grouping people:

• Job seekers / professionals exploring opportunities
• Recruitment consultants / HR vendors / service providers
• Peers from the industry
• Random or unclear profiles

This simple act of categorization reduces 70% of the mental load.

2. Job Seekers → Generally Accept

If someone is a job seeker, my default approach is similar to yours:

• They benefit from expanding their network.
• They may need guidance, visibility, or mentorship.
• They are not likely to spam or pitch services.

Accepting these requests creates goodwill and builds a reputation as someone approachable and helpful

3. Consultants / Agencies → Be Selective

This is where caution actually pays off. Before accepting, I check:

• What service are they offering?
• Is it relevant to my role or my company’s needs?
• Do they have a track record of creating value?
• Are they likely to pitch aggressively?

If they seem overly sales‑driven, outdated, or unrelated to my domain, I skip. This helps keep the inbox (and the feed) clean.

4. Check Activity Levels & Intent

Activity reveals intent.

• Active posters with meaningful insights → possible value.
• Overly promotional profiles → likely to pitch services.
• Dormant profiles → low value to your network.

This quick scan tells me why they might be reaching out.

5. A Clean Feed Is a Productive Feed

Accepting everyone dilutes the quality of what appears on your LinkedIn feed.
Being selective ensures:

• You get relevant content.
• You avoid spammy posts.
• You maintain a professional online environment.

6. My Personal Rule of Thumb

Here’s how I act:

• If the person adds value to my network → Accept
• If I can add value to them → Accept
• If neither applies → Politely ignore

This keeps the network purposeful instead of crowded

LinkedIn works best when connections are intentional, not random. It’s not about how many connections you have — it’s about how many meaningful ones you maintain.

बुरे वक़्त

तेरे दिन अच्छे है तो मुझसे किनारा करले 

हम बुरे लोग हैं बुरे वक़्त मैं काम आते  हैं 

ବର୍ଷ ବିତିଗଲା, ଋଷିକୂଲ୍ୟା ନଦୀରେ ବହୁତ ପାଣି ବହିଗଲା, କିନ୍ତୁ ବାପାଙ୍କର ସ୍ନେହ, ତ୍ୟାଗ ଆଜି ବି ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ...

"ଜିତୁ ଦେଖେ ଏବେ ବି ଟାଇମ ଅଛି, ତୁ ଗ୍ରାଜୁଏସନ କରିଛୁ ପିଜି କି ଏମ୍ବିଏ କରିବୁ ବ୍ରହ୍ମପୁରରେ ନ ହେଲେ ପାଖାପାଖି କୋଠେ ହେଲେ. ଆଉ ତା ପରେ କୋ ହେଲେ କଲେଜେର ଲେକଚେର ହେଇପାରିବୁ ଦେଖେ ଗାଡି ଆସିଲାଣି, ହିଁ କହିଲେ ରାତି ଗାଡିରେ ପଳେଇବା ବରହମପୁର" 

ମୁଁ ତ ସେତେବେଳେ ଗୋଟେ ମରୀଚିକା ପଛରେ ପଡିଯାଇଥିଲି ଆଉ ମତେ ସେ ନିଶା ଭିତରେ ବାବାଙ୍କ ମନଟାକୁ ଆକଳନ  କରିବାକୁ ସମୟ ମିଳିଲାନି କି ତା ପଛରେ ଥିବା ବାପାର ସ୍ନେହ ଆଉ ଚିନ୍ତା ବି ଦିଶିଲାନି . ୨୦ ବର୍ଷ ବୟସରେ ମୁଁ ଜୀବନକୁ ଜାଣିଥିଲି ମାତ୍ର ଏତିକି ଯେ ସମାଜ ସାଥିରେ ତାଳ ଦେଇ ଆଗକୁ ବଢିବାକୁ ପଡିବ ଆଉ କିଛି କରିବାକୁ ପଡିବ. ତେଣୁ ମୁଁ ଆଗକୁ ବଢିଗଲି.

ଆଜି ବାବା ନାହାନ୍ତି ମାତ୍ର ମୋ ଜୀବନକୁ ସରସ କରି ଗଢ଼ିଥିବା ମଣିଷଟିକୁ ଆଉ ତାଙ୍କର ପ୍ରତିଟି କଥା କୁ ଭୁଲି ପାରୁନି ମୁଁ. ସତେ ଯେମିତି କାଲି ପରିକା ଲାଗୁଚି ମତେ ଯେମିତି ସେ ଫୋନେ କରିକି ପଚାରିବେ " ଜିତୁ, ଅଫିସରୁ ଆସିଲୁନି କି ରେ, ଏତେ ଲେଟ କଣ କରୁଛୁରେ, ଜଲଦି ବାହାରି ଯା" 

.

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ସତରେ ଆଉ ସେ ଫୋନ କଲ ଆସିବନି କେବେବି  

ଆଜି ୨୫ ବର୍ଷ ବିତି ଯାଇଛି. ଋଷିକୂଲ୍ୟା ନଦୀରେ ବି ବହୁତ ପାଣି ବହିଯାଇଛି, ରହିଯାଇଛି କହିଲେ ଖାଲି କିଛି ମନଛୁଆଁ ଅଭୁଲା ଅନୁଭବ. ଆଉ ସେ ସବୁକୁ ମୁ ସଜେଇ ରଖିଛି  ମୋ ମନରାଇଜରେ ସ୍ମୃତି ପରି. 

ଜୀବନ ଜଂଜାଳ ଭିତରେ ବୁଡିରହିଥିବା ମଣିଷ ମୁଁ ଚାହିଁଲେ ବି କିଛି ଫେରାଇ ଆଣିପାରିବି ନାହିଁ,  ମାତ୍ର ଯିଏ ମୋ ଜୀବନରେ ଏତେ ପରିବର୍ତନ କରି ମତେ ଗଢିବାରେ ନିଜର ସର୍ବସ୍ବ ସ୍ୱାହା କରିଦେଇଛି ତାଙ୍କୁ ଭୁଲିବାର ଅକ୍ଷମଣୀୟ ଅପରାଧ କରିପାରିବି ନାହିଁ.  

(ବାପାଙ୍କର ବୈକଲ୍ପିକ ଉଚ୍ଚଶିକ୍ଷା ଓ କାରିଆର ପାଇଁ ଦିଆ ସୁପରିଶକୁ ଏଡାଇ ଦେଇ ୨୦ ବର୍ଷ ବୟସରେ ସ୍ବପ୍ନ ପଛରେ ଦୌଡିଥିଲେ ଲେଖକ। ୨୫ ବର୍ଷ ପରେ, ବାପାଙ୍କୁ ହରେଇ ତାଙ୍କର ସ୍ମୃତି, ତ୍ୟାଗ ଓ କଥାଗୁଡିକୁ ଭୁଲିପାରୁନାହାନ୍ତି। ଜୀବନର ଜଂଜାଳ ମଧ୍ୟରେ କିଛି ଫେରାଇ ଆଣିପାରିବାରେ ଅସମର୍ଥ ଲେଖକ, ବାପାଙ୍କୁ ଭୁଲିବା ଅକ୍ଷମଣୀୟ ଅପରାଧ ବୋଲି ମନେ କରୁଛନ୍ତି।)

A Journey That Began in Delhi

Back in October 2001, during the rush hours at ITO Chowk in Delhi, I was with my Bada Mama to attend the Management Aptitude Test (MAT). Both of us were chasing our career aspirations and appeared for the exam together—and we cleared it too!

For him, after completing M.Com and LLB and being poised for a rewarding career, an MBA was the next step to accelerate his growth. For me, it was an exciting new experience—seeing the world through my own eyes and stepping into something completely new.

The following year, I secured admission to Guru Nanak Institute of Management for a two-year full-time Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management. This was the first time I stepped out of home and stayed in a hostel.

For a boy from a small village in Odisha, moving to the capital city of Delhi—and that too to a Sikh-dominated area like Punjabi Bagh—felt like entering a completely new world. Our batch had 60 students, most from Delhi, while around 20 of us came from different parts of the country—UP, Bihar, Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Himachal, Haryana, Assam, and more.

It was a journey of learning, adapting, and growing—personally, mentally, and most importantly, professionally.

Time flies. Even today, when I look back, I see myself in the middle of the roundabout near Gole Market in Connaught Place, trying to get down from a bus to attend CAT coaching at St. Columba’s School with IMS Learning. I still feel the butterflies in my stomach and the same level of excitement about life.

Twenty-five years have passed, yet my love for Delhi and the spirit of doing something meaningful in life remain unchanged. Looking forward to seeing you again, Delhi—the city that reformed me and taught me invaluable life lessons.

To Bada Mama and New Delhi—accept my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for inspiring me and being there for me. Without you, I would not have been here

One from the old album.

 

खराब वक़्त मैं इज़्ज़त रखे संभाले हुए 

कभी ना रखे जेब मैं सिक्के उछाले हुए, 

डसा हुआ हूँ मगर इलाज़ जानता हूँ 

यह  सांप भी है तो मेरे आस्तीन के  पाले  हुए. 

                                - मशर अफरीदी