Turning 30 on 30, with 30 beliefs instead of candles

Now that it’s time to leave my 20’s and enter into the 30’s, a lot of my well-wishers have wished me Healthy Birthday, instead of Happy Birthday. Seems like things have already started changing (for good) since the beginning of this year and I have already been blessed by the best ever gift – my wife Tasha.

 

There are a lot of things that come to my mind when I notice that I’m turning 30 on 30 (July 30^th), maybe it’s a good time to think about all the things that have made me a strong believer. So, here I am sharing 30 things (read candles on my healthy cake above) I believe in, from the bottom of my heart. Some of these may have been heard before, but as they say, truth is universal and it’s already known by all.

 

I believe,

that BIRTH is not the beginning of existence, it's another chance to prepare for the event called DEATH.

that the beat of my HEART is the tick of my clock, it helps to keep me ahead of TIME.

that the purpose of my LIFE is not the beautification of my BODY, it's the beautification of my SOUL.

that the sun doesn't shine for just giving me LIGHT, it shines to make me realise the expanse of its ENERGY.

that ANGER and HATE are not just emotions, they help me realise the importance of HAPPINESS and LOVE.

that LOVE is not just a thing I give or take, it's the feeling that defines every moment of my life.

that every ACTION of mine, will in some point of time, impact every single entity in the UNIVERSE.

that WORDS heard, read or spoken, have no meaning until they are understood.

that DREAMS are countless, just like STARS in the sky, appearing only when they ought to.

that TRUTH is not to be proven, it is known by all.

that real STRENGTH need not be shown physically, it can be felt through THOUGHTS and ACTIONS.

that it takes only a few ordinary people, to do extraordinary things that can CHANGE the world.

that DARKNESS is as important as LIGHT, it prepares me to face the most challenging times.

that my COMPETITION is fair, when I am racing with the speed of LIGHT.

that HISTORY is not just a subject, it is a series of events which repeat themselves through a degree of transformation.

that IMAGINATION is not much different from REALITY, it is the first step towards creating REALITY.

that BEAUTY is best understood when it is felt with the HEART.

that SMILE is the most important skill and asset to develop and possess.

that CARE is best shown when it is unconditional.

that ART is something that answers the most complex questions of my life.

that I am and will always be the biggest source of INSPIRATION for myself.

that FAILURE is the biggest MOTIVATION that drives me to achieve my goals.

that a FRIEND is not always a person whom I've seen or met, it can be someone who is unknowingly doing good for me.

that a PRAYER should not only go for the known and loved ones, it should be for all the beings, known and unknown.

that HAPPINESS and SATISFACTION are never felt alone, they are felt with the people you love the most.

that HARDWORK is not really hard to do, it comes by itself when you do something you like.

that DEATH is not a road to HEAVEN or HELL, it is the biggest event of my LIFE, it is the freedom of my SOUL.

that whatever I do, wherever I go, in the END, it will not really matter.

All that matters will be just one question - Was my LIFE worth it?

I believe, that my answer will be "YES".

And this adventure won't end there, because I believe that I'll die once to live forever!!!

Why can't HAPPINESS become a habit? (2nd Anniversar​y Blog)

As I celebrate Christmas this year, I'm asking myself a question, just like every year and you are the one who gets the pleasure of knowing about it. This question may have also come atleast once in your mind but never really cared about it much in this hectic life.
If festivals are the time for spreading HAPPINESS all around, then why not have the festivals go on all year round. This is the thought that triggered the Question.

Here it goes – Why can't HAPPINESS become a habit?

HAPPINESS can come from a BEAUTIFUL scenery, a EXCELLENT work of art, a WONDERFUL thought, an AMAZING act of NATURE...

Really, if u want to be happy, there will always be a million ways...
No matter where you are...the Sun will always SHINE and make every thing in your life BRIGHT.

The Stars will always TWINKLE from far far away to remind you that even in the extreme darkness of space, there are dots of LIGHT you will always choose to see and point to...and wish upon one of them to make you HAPPY.
Like the Stars, there is so much HOPE that we can have a countless reasons to SMILE, the choice is ours, which reason to choose at each moment.
Every single moment of HAPPINESS is much more than a SMILE, it's a million atoms SMILING at each other to transfer the most BEAUTIFUL feeling one can imagine.

Have you ever thought of the people who work for us every day?
They too CELEBRATE, maybe with much more HAPPINESS but with much less in their hands.

A dad driving your car..
A mom washing your dishes..
A son repairing your sewer..
A daughter cleaning your house..
A brother picking your garbage..
A sister serving as your waitress..

They are just like us, the only difference being that they have much simpler reasons to be HAPPY.

Just THINK about them and the least we can do for them is to share a SMILE with them whenever we see them.
As they say - Random acts of KINDNESS, one at a time, every time!
Ever thought what made us HAPPY when we were small children?

A pencil with an eraser attached on top..
A soft toy which was always smiling..
A candy which was sweeter than any other thing..
A pat on our back from our teacher..
A smile from our childhood friend..
A lovely hug from our parents..

What do all these mean to us today?
Well we'll say, we've grown up to care less about these small things. But then, no one ever asked us to make it harder to be HAPPY.

One of the most BEAUTIFUL questions I've ever been asked by someone is -
"Why doesn't my shadow SMILE back?"

Just so that you have one less thing to wonder - this someone was a 5 year old girl.

It's not every day that you expect such a question from a 5 year old. And my answer after a brief pause was - "Why doesn't your shadow cry when you do?
It's because it is your only FRIEND which will always be there with you, trying to make you HAPPY.
So if you SMILE again now and try to see clearly, you'll see your shadow SMILING back at you."

And her reply to this was - "Yes! I can see her smiling back now."

It's all about being HAPPY...both from inside and outside!!!

BE HAPPY, KEEP SMILING :)

Heppeee da burthde to meeeeeee!

heppee da burthde to me!
heppee da burthde to me!
heppee da burthde to dear me!
heppee da burthde to meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

they say i'm 29 years old
i say it feels special as gold

dad says he got married at 29
i say i haven't even tasted wine

mom says she was a mother of 2 at 29
i say i haven't even grown beyond 9

bro was desperate to marry at 29
i say let all the girls stand in line

grandma was her very best at 29
i say i'm yet to see the best of mine

frends say i luk older than 29
i say i'm just doing very fine

i wish there are more things i can see
i know there will be much more i can be

heppee da burthde to me!
heppee da burthde to me!
heppee burthde to dear me!
heppee burthde to meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
gonnaa hurreeeyyyyy uppppp....i'm reaching 30!!!

Waheguru! tera shukar hai (Thanks to God for everything)

It’s a day something doesn’t feel right

I can feel the pain in the hearts of might

Crying are each of my loved ones

Cause they are badly missing some one

I wonder if I should cry or pray

Or just trust in life and its way

There’ll be no tears filling my eyes

There’ll be no fear closing my eyes

It will be the same prayer for each day and night

That has forever filled my life with light

This will not be a loss for me

It will be another cause for me

To realize the truth and move on

To complete this journey with the One

I felt the presence of the One in him the most

He made me realize that the body is just a host

Truth, Respect and Love for All

Was what he told me in our last call

No my Grandpa didn’t die today

His soul was freed from every tie today

And if I was with him this day as each day

I know what he would have said all the way

‘Waheguru! tera shukar hai’

‘Waheguru! tera shukar hai’
(Thanks to God for everything)

Who is my Santa Claus? (First Anniversary Blog)

As I celebrate Christmas this year, I have one question in mind which I can’t resist sharing. This question has been there since my childhood but I never really cared more than the gifts I was expecting. If Santa is real, he must be a child, with dreams and fantasies as vivid
as the ones I used to have when I was a kid. Else how'll he know about all my wishes.

Here it goes – Who is my Santa Claus? Can he be a child?

A name that fills up the heart of every child with joy, who else could it be but not a child. So, did Santa get all the gifts he wished for, if he is really a child?

There are gifts that people all around the world are giving to us every day, through their prayers, blessings and love. We just don’t know about them until the time comes. So what we have and what we are, is a gift from the Santa in every living being. That Santa for me is the child inside all of us who wants to share everything and in return wants just one thing as a token of gratitude – A Big Smile!

This Smile is the gift Santa wishes for, all the time. So the next time someone does something for you, consider it as your Christmas gift and feel grateful to the one who gave you that gift. I’m sure this will motivate you to give more gifts to others and become their Santa. And if you are looking for gift suggestions, here are a few of them.

To your enemy, forgiveness and respect.

To your opponent, tolerance and a fair chance.

To your close ones, gratefulness in the form of love.

To your customer, the best service.

To everyone else, your prayers.

And to yourself, belief!

I completely agree with the words of Mary Ellen Chase –

“Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind.”

This is the state of mind we should be in, all the time and not just one day. So, what I’ve realized this Christmas has helped me enhance my last year’s statement (read “My First Blog”).

If life is a box of gifts, and all of them are within me, then the sole purpose of my life is to open those gifts and share them with everyone. And the best way to share them is to gift them, because the more I’ll give, the more I’ll get. As long as I do this, I’ll be able to satisfy him - the child within me!

The One!

This is a tale of its own kind

With energy that completely took over my body and mind,

The moment when all lies reflected back as truth

And I saw someone with a unique fire-filled look,

Vanquishing all evil and sparking a new life

Angels, Gods and all Divine beings alike,

It was the day I saw someone else in the mirror

It was the day I met Him Face to Face forever!





Of all the generations and millenniums

Of all the people and religions,

Omnipotence, Omniscience, Omnipresence

It was an instant when it all made sense,

This was the moment and this was the place

When my every birth flashed upon my face,

It was the day I saw someone else in the mirror

It was the day I met Him Face to Face forever!





The clouds and skies with their thunder and lightning

The nightingales and peacocks with their singing and dancing,

The oceans and springs playing and clapping with water all around

The mountains and hills joining hands to bless the world surround,

The stars, galaxies, nebulae across universe

All twinkling and shining in the rhythm of a verse

It was the day I saw someone else in the mirror

It was the day I met Him Face to Face forever!





I could see blossomed flowers of every color

A light bringing upon a wave of new fervor

The heaven and the hell, all merged as one

I could see everything without any lights on

All the troubles gave way to a mysterious smile

I could feel the wind of change blowing from a mile

It was the day I saw someone else in the mirror

It was the day I met Him Face to Face forever!





I then realized…that it was never about what I could,

It was always about what I should!

And all I’ve been searching for, my only goal

Is Peace and Happiness within my Heart, Mind and Soul.

It was the day I cried the most

It was the day I laughed the most,

It was the day I saw someone else in the mirror

It was the day I met Him Face to Face forever!



It is my belief that there are some unfilled promises and unseen miracles that have been assigned to each one of us. Every birth, we try to accomplish some of them as per the will of the One. It’s our duty to submit to this will and understand the purpose of this life. The Mantra is within us, known only to the One within us.

Let’s try to connect with ourselves, with the ENERGY that has been creating and driving our soul through eternity.

Let’s try to learn from the lessons we’ve learnt across ages.

We are all One and will always be One. Our Lives are not just to be lived, they are to be lived for………. the One within!

Fossils...The memories remain!

Date: 24-August-2000
Time: 9 AM IST
Venue: Lecture Gallery
Event: Induction Ceremony for the 2000-2004 batch

This is how it all began. This was the beginning of countless dreams for around three hundred and fifty students. And NITR (then RECR) waited in silence to welcome the batch with which she was to begin the first session of the Millennium. She watched as disparate lives got entwined over jibes made and secrets shared as they passed under her wings. She looked on stoically as innocence got lost and carefree laughter was snatched away by the grim battle for that elusive place in the Sun.

"The Summer of 69...those were the best days of my life"

Can we say we never liked this song?

No Man! No Way! Coz we've experienced a life...which people who've actually lived it, would love to live forever. Yeah! our college and hostel life!

Four Golden Years of our Life...memories both good and bad ones. The former we'll miss and cherish forever, the latter we'll always use as valuable experience for our future.

We came to this institute with dreams, countless. We always believed that everyone on earth is nice and understanding, that this world is full of sincere and honest people. Goshh! how wrong we were. Still, we carried on, experiencing all that people of our age group can do or become. And this helped us make decisions on our own.

Then came duties and responsibilities in our department, our class, our hostel, etc. We were expected to take decisions maturely and instantaneously. The status of our class, our department and our institute depended on us. This brought out the many talents that we were always afraid to show to the world and even those which we were unaware of.

And then we were complimented by our family, friends and relatives back home for our achievements. From being a representative of our family at the time of admission, we became a representative of our college, our state and our country now.

And the hostel life?

Yaar! hope those days never ended.

We were the heart and soul of our class or our group of friends, whom we'll never forget. Those late night discussions and masti. And we can never say that we hated anyone cause during all those years, we saw some quality or the other in everyone, which we can't deny. And this made us realise that nobody is bad, everyone's is good. It's just that some people are exceptionally good.
And then came the day when these birds had to set out on their journey into the unknown with the message -

'Go Conquer the World! But if ever your weary soul cries for respite, do come back. I'll still be there, stronger yet more beautiful, waiting with the same eagerness with which I had taken you into my finds that day, four years ago.'

And we like Fossils, will always be there with our Alma Mater, with our laughter, our yelling, our ecstasy imprinted on to the steel, the bricks and the woods. All our memories will remain with you, with us...forever!

Here we are, applying all this knowledge and adding shine to the reputation of our institute and our nation. And as I write this message, I'm feasting on Maggi with peanuts (my favourite backpost dish), watching fours being hit in the Warriors vs Wayamba Elevens Champions League match. Everytime I see a ball going for four, I remember my class of 2004.

This is a modified abstract from the Souvenir of 2004 batch which is relevant for each one of us, especially for my 2004 batchmates, as we complete a decade of our friendship, learning and growing together. The photos section in Classof2k4 Yahoo Group are waiting to be revisited and for new additions!

God Bless our friendship, we owe it to our Alma Mater. God bless NITR. We are with you as you complete 50 Golden Years of learning and contribution to India’s progress.


Proud to be from NITR (RECR)

Avneet Singh Bhatia
Class of 2004 - B.Tech Electrical

Note:
National Institute of Technology, Rourkela (NIT) formerly known as Regional Engineering College, (REC) is one of the premier national level institutions for technical education in the country and is funded by the Government of India. Its foundation stone was laid by the then Prime Minister Of India Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961. NIT Rourkela was ranked as the best NIT in India by TEQIP for the year 2009. It has been featuring in the top 25 best engineering colleges in India for the past 5 years, as per India Today & Business Week surveys. In 2002, the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, decided to upgrade, in phases, all 17 Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs), renaming them National Institutes of Technology (NITs), on the lines of the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). These institutes are rated just next to the IITs in terms of student quality, research and placements. There are currently 20 NITs, the latest being NIT, Agartala. The Cabinet, at a meeting presided over by Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh, approved the proposal to introduce the National Institutes of Technology (NIT) Bill 2006 in parliament to bring 19 such institutions within the ambit of the act. Their locations are deliberately scattered throughout the country with the government norm of an NIT in every major state of India for regional development. The individual NITs after the introduction of the NIT Act function as autonomous technical universities and hence draft their own curriculum and functioning policies.