Heathrow and Jet Airways

I was away to UK/ USA as part of my Honeywell Meeting. Some information on that. I flew via London Heathrow to Manchester, Spent a day and then proceeded to Chicago and was back home after a week stay.

Did you know that London Heathrow airport in the only international airport which has separate immigration counter for transit passengers even for Domestic travel within UK and you don't have to clear customs physically. In my case when I landed in Heathrow, I was asked to move to the terminal to which the connecting flight was proceeding, got my boarding pass for my Manchester flight from British midland flight counter and then went thro immigration. Thus I avoided 100s of Indians / passengers who otherwise would have gone thro immigration.(we were just two of us) This saved lot of time. The baggage arrived at Manchester. The only condition is that your baggage should be thro checked to your final destination.
Not even US ports offer this facility, you need to clear customs and put the baggage in to the domestic flight conveyor. This was great saved lot of time and hassle with immigration.
UK Immigration has also introduced IRIS scan for frequent travelers to UK, just register yourself, after registering just get your IRIS scanned and it is stored in data base. When you visit UK, just walk thro camera and a comparison is made and the gates open to let you out. This is available only at present in Heathrow and Manchester.

JET Airways:-
I am amazed at the service provided by Jet Airways, I flew Jet Airways Bombay-Heathrow- Bombay. The service is world class, so is the new Airbus A-340-400-E with the state of the art digitization. Being a day flight to Heathrow, I flew economy the food and services were outstanding. 3 times they serve lunch and snacks as well as always on call. The alchol flowed like River Ganges, on demand, knowing our guys. There was not a single sullen face in the crew.(Jet guys never do I can vouch after clocking 300,000 Miles with them over time) The inflight movies and sound systems are world class. Moreover, the seating is 2-4-2 so that no person is more than one seat from aisle. This was in sharp contrast to the US carrier I flew Manchester- Chicago and back. Service below average as well as delays.
While returning Heathrow- Bombay, I used my upgrade voucher for Business class (3 vouchers)as the flight leaves Heathrow at 2130 Hrs. The seating and 180 Deg flat bed is state of the art, you sleep like a baby. Besides the seat have massage provisions to relax your back. The cuisine was delecious were world class and stewards no more than a minute away to your requirement. The toilet kit is collectors item, you dont feel like using it. Coincidentally the stewards were the same crew who flew a week back so had a lot of catchup on things happening. Jet will definitely will give every other airline a run for the money soon. This was service to customer at its best and outstanding. The baggage were out in a flash in BBY and British airways which arrived 30 minutes early in to Bombay, BA passengers were looking at us with envy as we moved out thro customs in Bombay. The only place where they can improve is at the transfer / transit check in counter at Heathrow,(I flew in to Heathrow from Manchester) the United Airlines staff help them and they struggle a lot with Indian names, passport details, admin procedures etc. I am sure Jet will maintain and may even improve as they go forward.

Wonderful Mementos and Celebrations

This week was full of travel and Mementos in view of my moving out.

The Bellary Seeds site in south India which was the first Monsanto site I worked on to set up ESH systems in 2000. I was out there for the Global safety award celebrations that the site had won this year (Only site in Asia Pacific and one of 18 sites to have won the global award from 150 sites). My boss Jolanta Paull, flew in from Melbourne for this memorable occaions.She was the guest of Honor.
After the ceremony and special Lunch, there was my farewell celebrations as I would have made my last visit to the site. I got a memorable Memento of Lord GANESH(Pic). This is an apt one as I feel that I need his blessings to take new challenges and responsibility.
There was more surprise in store, I got my long term service award, (5years), this was due in 2005 and I thought Monsanto Had missed the event, So it was a pleasant surprise to receive the Titan watch. It was great feeling.
More, today I had a farewell Lunch with Jolanta, back in Bangalore, and the climax was complete When she handed me A CITIZEN ECO DRIVE WATCH. My wife always wanted to get me one on Birthdays/ wedding day, and I refused. So it was great feeling that the Two cancerian women in my life (Lalitha and Jolanta in Photos) planned and fulfilled it. The only sad part the 3rd cancerian women in Michelle couldnt make it. We all Missed you Michelle.
It couldn't have been a better week in my life, The feeling is great.


Karthik.

Ostrich and My move out of Monsanto.

This week Was very eventful for some things to happen.

My announcement about Moving out of Monsanto was released. It was a tough decision I tell you, in my 21 year career. Seven years just went by, the fact that I will be out of Monsanto in about 4 weeks time in sinking in. Ofcourse, as I will continue to be based in Bangalore for the Honeywell Transportation systems Assignment as Global HSE Manager, without affecting the family interest is a sense of satisfaction that you can go without compromising the needs of the dear and near.

This week, I happen to see live "Ostrich" moving around in the restaurant I had lunch while traveling from Aurangabad to Pune. This place is 20 Kms after Ahmednagar (95 Kms from Pune)and the Place is called "Smile Stone". The food was also very good and so the time to see and feed Ostrich. It relaxes you a lot esply on a long highway journey. See the photos.

See the Profile of the man who downed Brasil. Henry (pronounced Aannrie) master tactician who rose to the demanding occasion. For him,This would also heal some wounds after the European championship final, were Arsenal were given a raw deal by the refree.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thierry_Henry
Also go thro Erin Pavlina website lot of good information.

www.erinpavlina.com

Have a good week ahead.
Regards
Karthik

Good websites

Ok, good to be back again,Some intersting websites.

• A good article on Mentoring and coaching, I feel this is critical to develop people who work with you.
• http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=110055&d=789&h=788&f=785
• Today in History, (Today Rajeev Gandhi was assassinated, So I was curious to know what else happened today).
• http://www.historychannel.com/tdih/tdih.jsp?category=leadstory
  
• Google has come out with Google Suggest, as you type letters it will guess as to what you are typing and come out with results
• http://www.google.com/webhp?complete=1&hl=en
• Gmail is with 2 GB storage space, ofcourse, you need invitation to open an account, I can send you if you wish.
• https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=mail&passive=true&rm=false&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2F%3Fui%3Dhtml%26zy%3Dl&ltmpl=yj_blanco&ltmplcache=2
• Download offline Dictinory Sage, you can refer to anyword without connected to internet
• http://www.sequencepublishing.com/thesage.html#download
• Finally from Steve Pavlina, Overcoming fear, 40 minutes of absorbing speech.
• http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/12/stevepavlinacom-podcast-008-overcoming-fear/

So Have a great week ahead take care and Take it easy.

Karthik.

karaikudy@gmail.com.

Chennai Trip

This week I had been to Chennai for a Upanayanam of my Sandoz colleague Vijay's Son, Kailash. Vijay and me commenced our professional careers around the same time in the late 80s. We got married , children and moved out Ankleshwar around the same time. Vijay moved to Bombay with Sandoz Pharma finance, I moved to Astra Zenecca for I wanted to relocate to South. Vijay came all the way for my Son's Thread ceremony at my home town last year.

The event gave me an opportunity to meet Sandoz colleagues as well as other Friends who had come for the event and we caught up on happenings. Some of them I met after 12 years. The discussions lead to some astounding results. This was also confirmed when I met guys from other cos who were present.

• Come what may, You need to be in the inner circle in the organizations to get fast track growth.
• You need to Manage perception too along with performance, to have career progression.
• Long term employments are becoming thing of the past. Every one wants fast track growth and rewards that show external signs of growth and prosperity.
• People at very senior levels are capable to project that " after Me its deluge" and enhance their importance.

I think you all will agree with this, I guess.

By the way, Madras hot and humid and the family managed it. The kids got a feel for the Shatabdi train experience, they liked it; thought the train was 1 Hr late.

Have a great week ahead and enjoy the Mother' day. I fulfilled a long time dream to get something for my mother as Mother's day gift, when she is around and managed to get some jewelry for her. My wife made the selection.

Karthik

Hotel Gururaj, Adoni.

Yesterday, Saturday, I took my mother to Mantralayam, the sage town of Raghavendra swamy. She had not been to that place, and I combined the visit with my plant trip to Bellary.(120 Kms from Mantralayam).
We had a good darshan and she was satisfied. We are back in Bangalore this morning.
I must though, let you know about Hotel Gururaj at Adoni. You may think that this a star hotel or a great outfit. You will be disappointed, it is a thatched roof structure run by a family. The breakfast they serve is as good as the home stuff. The idli, vada, Dosa, Upma and Puri are delicious stuff. The Chutney and sambar will go in gallons. This makes you feel that you don't have be great cities to get great stuff.
The bill Rs 54 for 4 of us (Myself, mother, my daughter and driver). I, of course stumbled up on this hotel last year when I visited Mantralayam last year with family. This time I had forgotten the name of the hotel, and remembered the route so managed to find the way. Hence the blog so that I wont forget.
The hotel is located after crossing the flyover bridge near the Railway crossing as you come from Bellary on the Alur road, take the first right after Railway level crossing, and go inside about 300 mts, and ask for Hotel Gururaja. I am sure you will enjoy the food and will have a great trip to Mantralayam.

Story of Sudha Murthy on How infosys was born:-

http://www.vijayv.org/wwwvijayvorg/Articles/HowInfoSysWasBorn.php


Have a great week
Karthik.

Steve Pavlina

Hi there,
Nice to be back on blog almost after 5 months,

Great Sites on Personal development

http://www.managementhelp.org/prsn_dev/assess.htm

http://www.soulbusiness.com/101.htm

Steve Pavlina's site is a fantastic site, you may do contribution in the form of donation too to the author, it is all stuff for free. Too good I feel this is a best site and is in top 500 Blogs out of millions.

http://www.stevepavlina.com/


This is also a grat site,
http://www.nightingale.com/twww_main_uk.asp

Listen to Earl Nightingale on the talk on positive attitude, this is too good this talk sold Million copies and was the only golden disk on non music cassette.

http://www.markvictorhansen.com/strangest_secret.php


Something on History: (Pearl Harbour)
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/18arizona/18facts1.htm

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/18arizona/18visual2.htm

Have a good time and have a great week.
Karthik.

Shravan, Karthik, Lalitha and Radha in 2005 

Karthiks talk

Hai,
had a great 4 days Holidays (Sat to Tue) for Diwali went shopping and bought a Sony DVD player for Kids.
Saw movie Walt Disney's "Finding Nemo" and "Last Samurai" both were too good. After years watched a movie without fast forward, pause. Tom Cruise at his best.

Gott to start work from Wed and then 3 days Holidays.
Keep in touch
Karaikudy@gmail.com

New Member

I am Karthik from Bangalore, working as Safety lead for US MNC covering South Asia and Indonesia based out for Bangalore.


Intrest anything and everything around web. Would look forward to receive comments and interaction. Cheers and take care