A Very Simple Concept for Crowd Control

As you get off Indore aiport you will neither hear any whistling nor will you see any cops. Granted the airport is small but the tendency to grow a crowd during departures and arrivals is very much possible. When I was being dropped off at the airport the cab driver was stopped to pickup an entry ticket into the airport. Owing to natural tendencies I quipped at it instantly, "Now they will charge you to even enter an aiport?". To this my fellow passengers corrected me saying that if the driver doesn't exit within 4 minutes he will have to pay Rs 100 as a parking fee.

It is such a brilliant idea for crowd control. The driver wouldn't wait even for a second after he dropped our bags. If you observe the rut that is created at the Pune airport, you will empathize how irritating it is to navigate the car around.

This is the first time that a government agency has ever surprised me. I haven't seen such a system even in the US.

Kudos!

24th Feb 2012: An Amazing Day for Sokrati

It is 25th of Feb around 02:00 in the afternoon and I am now on my way out of Indore to Hyderabad. Just a day ago as I was flying to Indore reeling from the party for my wife's birthday, which was on 23rd, I realized how different our life ahead is going to be! We are pregnant and expecting our new born to arrive the first week of May. I am guessing henceforth our birthdays would be on the back-burner. All my complaints of 'you forgot my b'day!' would no longer be even entertained. We now have to remember our lineage's events that we are now creating! My wife and I were going over those petty fights (mostly started by me) in the last 7 years and how it means nothing anymore. And it hit us again, we have been married now for 7 years!

As I land in Indore with the immense heat lashing over me and my thoughts playing ping pong with my brain, I tried to concentrate on the day at hand. Indore a city I visited about 20 years ago, is now a host to a grand event! If you asked me 1 year ago I would have said I will have kids before Anubhav Sonthalia gets married. The dude who always looked agitated and had a phone stuck to his ear, like it was sutured, looked so calm and composed through-out his whole procession! With occasional wholesome smiles and periodic whispers and gesticulations, he looked so much like a person in control for the years to come. His composure and the whole matrimonial atmosphere let us forget for a day all our anxieties. And when we finally went to meet him and take a picture with his newly wed bride, the only thing I could say was 'Dude I never knew this day would come'. It may sound bitter, but trust me I only had happiness in mind. I speak from experience when I say, I know henceforth his life would be more planned and tranquil!

It was about this time when Kaushik SMSed us that Sokrati has been awarded 'India's Top 20 Startups'. My ecstasy knew no bounds! I SMSed and ran around telling folks whomever I met whether I knew them or not. Three years of unrelenting hard-work and sleepless nights by us 50+, has now been recognized! We had just celebrated turning 50 and now we have another reason to bring our party-hats out!

(from right: Mohit Bansal, Kaushik Paranjape from Sokrati)

It is moments like these that help us define and enforce purpose to life. Each and every individual associated with Sokrati has a giant share in contributing to the success so far. Whether you are part of the company or were a part, you have helped Sokrati carve an existence! I thank you all for giving me an opportunity to be a part of such a fantastic enterprise.

I am yet to meet all but the only thing that comes to mind, in our own Sokrati style, 'Cake! Cake! Cake!' and '+1'.