US Visa Interview

I've been to foreign countries before, but this is the first time I am facing a visa interview. Of course, the country has to be USA in this case.

I was well prepared for the visa interview, as I was told it's a serious business. One session from our travel manager and another one from the operations manager had given me a feeling that any slight mistakes in following what they have told will result in the rejection of my visa application. 'Be confident', 'Look at the eyes of the officer', 'Don't lean on the desk', 'Do not disclose anything more than they ask', etc. were among the few mantras that kept on ringing in my ears when I reached the Chanakyapuri area in New Delhi.

I didn't expect US Embassy to be like it appeared. All I could see was walls and security guards. I reached an hour before my appointment and there was a small gathering of people who had come very earlier than their appointment time. While they were waiting their turns, the guard let me proceed after checking my papers and frisking the body. He directed me to a queue in front of Gate No:6 and an Indian officer verified my papers for accuracy. She gave them back writing some numbers and affixing a red smiley sticker on my passport. After entering the embassy, I had to undergo one more security check and all my documents were also scanned through an X-Ray machine.

The first thing to do was to scan the finger prints. The mantra 'Any slight problems in your index fingers will result in rejection' was haunting me at that time, as my finger skins were slightly peeling off due to cold weather. I pressed my left index finger on the small scanner hardly to make sure that the impression is well captured, until the officer inside the counter asked to me to press not so hard. Things went fine and the prints of both my index fingers were scanned.

Next was the visa interview. There were a lot of people waiting in queue in front of the visa interview counters. When I noticed that most of the people's passport in that queue is not having the red smiley on them, I approached a clerk asking the meaning of it. She said I've got the priority status (still don't know why!), and directed me to the empty priority lane. Soon, visa officer invited me to the counter for the interview.

"How are you, sir?" was first question, smiling at me with a welcome notion. He looked cheerful and energetic and more questions followed after collecting my documents. "How long have you been with this company?", What is your total experience in this field?", "What kind of project you will be working for?", "Who is your client?", "How long you intend to stay in US?", etc were the questions. He suffixed a 'sir' with all and was going through my papers all the time. Finally, he declared: "I have approved your visa, sir! Your passport will be couriered to you within three days". "Thank you, sir!", I replied happily and left the counter. All I spent at the embassy for the whole process was less than half an hour.

Bryan Adams in Bangalore

Since I started listening to those pops and rocks, it was my secret ambition to attend one of those live concerts. I had to wait for long. I missed a chance when MLTR visited Bangalore recently. So this time, the plans were made well ahead and the enthusiasm of my friends helped a lot.

The Bryan Adams' Third Time Lucky concert at Palace Grounds was the first show of its kind I was attending. Watching him live, singing my favorite songs like "Summer of 69" and "Please Forgive me" with his magical guitar works was more than what I had asked for. The 15000 plus crowd, singing along with him with overwhelming excitement was an experience I'll never forget. His deep and touching voice made the show special and the scene of thousands swaying their hands in air with lit screen mobile phones, instead of candles, singing along Adams, was breath taking.


Many a times, Adams was swept over by seeing the crowd's response, and he said "You guys are just great. This is absolutely fantastic. I just don't know what to say!” More than two hours and 25 songs later, crowd was still hesitant to part with him and kept on asking for more, till he said a sudden good-bye and disappeared behind the stage.

Cameras were not allowed inside the venue. So we had to catch our excitement from the room, after the show (See the photo above). One of the photographers from "The Hindu" knew my feelings ;) and captured a photo of mine among the crowd, though my gloomy face (wondering how to get into the first row, for a better sight of the stage) is barely visible (first photo, left most, second row).

Cochin : Traffic Police In The City

It was a sunday... I was in a hurry to drop my family members at North Railway Station as we were already late for the train... some how we made it just in time... and was coming back from station towards the North over bridge... I saw few motor bikes and auto rikshaws taking the right turn to get on to the over bridge easily to go towards Trichur side... I also followed them in my car... suddenly the cop appeared and asked me to stop... while I was wondering what went wrong, he made it clear... "it's a no-entry road for vehicles other than two and three wheelers"... ooops! I said I didn't know that... he said there is a big board saying that... oops again! what to do... i wanted to get back to the room as soon as possible... and the police man started getting all my information like name and address... finally he asked the liscence and made sure everything i said was correct... I was still looking for a way to escape and the police man seems to be looking for an alternate way to settle this situation.. he told me i will have to appear before the circle inspector of police in Kochi and will have to pay a heavy fine.. and any absence on the said date will result in serious consequences and all....I said I am moving out of this city soon and it will be difficult for me to appear for the case here... then he had this naughty look on his face... I knew what he meant and took my wallet out from pocket... he said... "but you can't do that from here... its a crowded place and people are watching... these days its a big issue..." huh... what to do... i looked at him helplessly... again he said "don't worry.. you park the car first here.... i will be standing there... and give me the cash". he went away from the car and started controlling the traffic over there.... keeping an eye on me... I parked car there and alas.... there was no cash in my wallet... all i had was credit cards.... after a hectic search in all small pockets of wallet, i got a 100 Rs note and went to the police man with that... when i was about to give him that he got tensed and said "hey... what are you doing... don't give it to me now.. people will be watching.. u stand on that side.. and i will come over there..." i waited on the road side with 100 Rs note folded in my hand.... after a while, he came towards me... and I gave it to him... "No no.... not like this... i will keep my hands behind... and you give it to me.. without letting others notice this..." huh.... it's not easy... I waited there watching others around there... all were busy with their own things and nobody was watching us... cool... then this police man kept is hands behind.... and I carefully approached him again.. as if am just passing by and tried to put the note in his hand... "No no wait... let that bus go.... people from that will be watching..." huh... I didn't know that a bus has just stopped near by us, as I was in a hurry to end this deal and go.... finally.. the bus went off.... and there was this police man... fully ready with his arms behind.. but fingers open and a tensed look at his face... everything went smooth then... i kept the note in this hand and he asked me to be carefull while taking my car... as that junction was heavy with traffic.. I ran towards my car with a relaxed smile... but the car again got stuck in the mid road, as I was in a hurry to leave the place.... this police man came into help.. he stopped all other vehicles and let me go smoothely....

Well... I was feeling a bit of guilty after this incident... I shouldn't have done this... a responsible citizen should never bribe a police officer... the situation forced me to do this... but that's no excuse....

After few days... I was driving near by marine drive with my friends... wanted to pick one specs from a shop... when we were near the shop, the car parked in front of that, just moved out.. and we said.. we are lucky to get parking space just in time... but i was bit worried... so I asked my friends to make sure that this is not a 'No Parking' area... they looked all around and give me the signal to park there.... after few minutes, we got back in to the car after getting the specs from the shop and as soon as we took the car out from there, two police men asked us to stop... hu hooo.... I parked the car aside and approached them with all papers in hand... and politely asked..."Did I do something wrong, sir?".... "Yes... it's a no parking zone!"... "But I have'nt seen any signs... more over, I was parking away from road.. near the shop and spent just few minutes to get one thing from the shop....". The officer showed me the 'No Parking' sign board... well away from the place we parked... no one by any sense, will think that board will be applicable to this place... but I didn't go for an argument.... I said "I am sorry... I didn't notice that... I shouldn't have parked there... will never do that again... am so sorry.." Officer collected my details and startted writing the slip... while found time to update me how the city will get crucnched if they are not vigilant on traffic rule violators.... I agreed totally with him and appreciated their work to keep the city traffic moving without hassles... finally he said... "Since you didn't argue back to me.. and since you agreed to what I said.... am not charging you a big amount... only the minimum possible fine... Rs:100/-... otherwise I could have fined you upto 500!". Huh.... imagine the cost of an argument with police officers..... am lucky... I said thanks and paid the fine, got the receipt and left the place.. washing off my guilty feelings of last event..

My First Personal Blog

"Blogs get people excited. Or else they disturb and worry them. Some people distrust them. Others see them as the vanguard of a new information revolution."

That was some quote about blogs....

"But blogging is a powerful tool of freedom of expression that has enthused millions ofordinary people. Passive consumers of information have become energetic participants in a new kind of journalism – what US blog pioneer Dan Gillmor calls “grassroots journalism… by the people, for the people” "

So here I am.... excited to find a place to dump my random and often insane thoughts... Disturbed and worried a bit, about what people who know me think about my thoughts... but believing a lot in this powerful tool of freedom of expression...

and my favourite quote is...

"Do what you want, Be who you are, Say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter, don't mind!"