THE ENTERPRENUERS OF OUR NUKKADS!!

You will have definitely heard about these women! I have also seen them at almost every corner of the lanes of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai in the evenings. Yes, I have seen these women selling vadapav with the helpers in tow. Basically coming from lower middleclass families, these women are out for this business to make both ends meet.

Adversity may sometimes become a chance call on diversity. We all know, when the earnings of our families are not enough, women of the house take an extra effort to increase the earnings in still many more ways by doing multiple errands. These lower middleclass families are no exception, who mostly have hand -to -mouth existence. The situation becomes more grim when the earning member or the head of such families loses his job or any such untoward incident only adds fuel to the problems. These adversities may well bring these women of the house to work for an additional or regular source of income.

The business of selling vadapav has turned into a blessing for them, considering the fact that not only these vadas satiate the taste buds and hunger, but also are affordable to all, be a student or a officegoer. We often spot these women who take charge of this business of selling vadapav at the nukkads of our lanes in the evenings.

We Mumbaikars, love everything about Mumbai. From street food, to small eateries, to Udipi restaurants, to Irani cafes, to the plush five course restaurants, Mumbai has everything. You ask any diehard fan of Mumbai about his favourite street food famously known as 'CHAT', 'VADA PAV' will top the list. I haven't met anyone who has stayed in Mumbai and haven't tasted it. These women have smartly explored our taste and they serve us with those affectionately prepared yummy vadas with mouthwatering green and red chatnis.

This is not to give the impression that these ladies do not consider other options of work during the day. I have a met few who at times work as maids and as I have mentioned earlier in this post some of them do the various stuff like stitching falls to the sarees during the day. But, all the same, evenings are meant for this business.

Kudos to these small enterpreneurs! who sell these vadas at the prime location, like railway stations, near office hub, near colleges, and our nukkads. It is not uncommon to see a Mumbaikar, after a hard day, taking a halt to grab a bite of this vadapav before heading towards his long tiring return journey to his home.

This might be a very limited snapshot, but, when I see these ladies, I see strength of character, smartness and a seamless bond between the literate women enterpreneurs and these women selling the delicious vadapav at every nook and corner of our gullies.

COMPOUNDERS, ASSISTANTS OF FAMILY DOCTORS

• Gone are the days when there were compounders who assisted Doctors. These terms 'COMPOUNDER AND FAMILY DOCTOR' are familiar to the earlier generation, they are the ones who will at once relate themselves with Compounders and with those typical glass bottles with bitter medicines.
  
• Those born roughly after 1980's would not be able to relate to the 'Assistant of Doctors who were called Compounders.' Though Family Doctors are still playing an important role in establishing a lasting relationship with the patients, compounders have disappeared today.
• Compounders?  Who were they?
• Actually compounding is a process of mixing one ingredient into another thus to prepare a drug. The person who involves in this process is called compounder.
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• In the earlier times, at the clinic of a doctor often known as a General Practitioner or a Physician, there would be an assistant who did the job of giving the medicines as per the physician's instructions. The assistant did this job in a small section of the clinic itself that separated from the checkup area of the clinic, where the doctor examined the patients. The medicines were given to the patients by the assistant through a small window or across a counter in those typical glass  bottles and the tablets powdered and wrapped in tiny packets. These assistants were called as Compounders. 
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• Nowadays with the advent of modern pharmaceutical development, the process of compounding disappeared thus compounders also. Today, In modern medication system, there are well qualified professionals who deal with modern medicines are called Pharmacists.
• The earlier generation is very much familiar with FAMILY DOCTOR,  one who does not specialise in any particular area of medicine, but who has a medical practice in which he treats all types of illnesses.
  
• A family Doctor, often a General Practitioner looked after the health of the entire family. He followed the lifecycle of all the members of family, he treated the toddlers, teens, middle aged adults, retirees and people well into their 90's. In the long term, the family built a lasting relationship with him and building such a relationship meant he knew the personal and family history. 
  
• When a doctor treats you for years he gets to know your medical history inside and out, that helps him to make accurate diagnosis, watch for red flags regarding medications and monitor changes in your health through the years.
• Seeing multiple generations of a family can help a family doctor record an accurate in -depth family health history. Whenever a specialist  is needed for any serious concerns like heart disease, cancer a family Doctor helps to find someone who fits your specific needs and personality. 
• Another aspect that was very common was HOMEVISIT. It is still very much there mostly in rural practice setting and in older patients.
  
•  The relationship of  a family with its family Doctor is not only lasting but often it's emotional also. No wonder he is spotted in family function like marriages of the family members.
• To conclude,  I would say though Family Doctors are still playing the major role and can be the right answers for most healthcare situations of a family, COMPOUNDERS assisting them and giving bitter liquid medicinal doses in those typical and  peculiar shaped glass bottles with markings as per the Doctor's instructions have disappeared!!! 
• On that note, All those who may not relate with Compounder, may ask their parents, who will have their own memories of compounder to share with you!!!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

A TWIST TO THE INCENTIVE REWARD PROGRAM...WITH MY FURRY PET

• Getting my furry pet, merely 20 days old, a lovely female labrador, a bundle of  joy, overflowing with energy meant adding an extra dose of happiness to our already happy family.
  
• She is really a bright spark. Within no time she grasped all the basic commands we taught her. Thanks to the training given by a brilliant dog trainer.
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• At the drop of the hat, she follows the basic commands of SIT, LIE DOWN, UP, STOP, STAY, NO, COME, DROP IT, FETCH, SHAKE HAND, LEASH WALKING.
• But one aspect that needed attention was the behaviour in respect of pee training. 
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• On the very first day of her arrival, being just twenty days old puppy, we had trained her to use a mat that lay at the door of washroom to relieve herself, fearing that if she is allowed to go inside, she would harm herself being a tiny tot and also due to puppy excitement fiddling with the things.
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• Alas! we made a mistake!! Yes, we made a big mistake!!! The responsibility of solving any behavioral problem in puppies /dogs solely lies on its owner. The experts and the trainers guide us to solve it. But applying proper obedience training at an early stage is very essential. Had we allowed her to step inside the washroom, there would not have been any mess.
• A puppy is just like a newborn human baby who needs to relieve almost ten times in a day which gradually reduces as it grows. So with that rate, it became increasingly difficult for me to wash/dispose off the soiled mats. 
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• All my efforts to cajole her with treats  to go inside the washroom and not at its entrance to perform the desired act went pear shaped. She was determined to follow what she was taught initially. 
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• TREATS. 
  

• They are powerful training tools like rewards given to reinforce any behaviour in dogs. If the desired behaviour is achieved, dogs are given their favourite treats with lavish praises. 
• It is like stepping in the shoes of the corporate world of incentive reward programme. 
• No amount of tempting treats to lure my brat to go inside the washroom was helping.
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• My furry pooch religiously used the space at the entrance of the washroom to relieve herself though we started keeping the mat inside the washroom. 
• Reading almost every Web page about  how to bring a change in the behaviour pattern of a dog, implementing them did not yield the desired change.
• In my search for the solution,
•    I decided to put the cart before the horse, by giving a twist to the
•  INCENTIVE REWARD PROGRAMME knowing that I was grasping at straw. 
• Yes I started giving rewards before the act. The moment I sensed my puppy rushing towards the washroom door I use to give her some treat.
•  VOILA!!!!! 
• The desired performance was achieved. 
• Eventually, my pooch started stepping inside the washroom to relieve herself only after a treat. 
• I knew I was taking a risk of encouraging a wrong behaviour in my pooch as the reward preceded the act,  but in any case I was glad that there were no more soiled mats.
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• Reversing the programme worked
• Yes, it did. 
• Each dog is unique. There are exceptions to the rule as well.
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• In a matter of few days.. However... To my surprise....My super intelligent brat soon  learnt the tricks of the trade. I think she knew that she had to set the incentive reward programme right.
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• At last,..
• She eventually learnt that she should not be asking a treat beforehand!!
• HOORAY!!!! 
• Finally me and my furry succeeded. Joint Effort indeed.
  
• EVERY VISIT OF MY POOCH TO THE WASHROOM MEANT PERFORMING THE DESIRED ACT INSIDE THE WASHROOM THEN RUNNING TOWARDS ME AFTER THE PERFORMANCE WITH THAT TARGET ACHIEVED TWINKLE IN EYES WITH DROOL FOR A REWARD!!!!! 
  
• No more worries of giving the rewards before hand. We were back to the normal incentive reward programme!!!
• I have realised that, to bring a positive change in the behaviour of a pooch is not a piece of cake.
•  A lot of patience, perseverance and my furry's trait of grasping things finally cut the mustard.
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• A LITTLE TWIST TO THE INCENTIVE REWARD PROGRAM WORKED, 
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•     IT WAS THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD!!!!! 
•     I can't believe I ever worked without it. 

•  As of today, my puppy has grown into a disciplined, lovely female dog, who does not require any treats to use the washroom. 
• On that note that I would say...... 
• All Pet lovers and pet parents, you all will agree with me that our furry pets are one of the biggest blessings in our life and they have the capacity for the kind of unconditional love that is seen otherwise only between a human and it's offsprings.
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CORPORATE WOMAN, YOU ARE INDISPENSABLE!!!

• International Women's Day falls on March 8 every year, this year it is on coming Thursday. The original aim of this day was to achieve gender equality for women. It is the day to celebrate women's achievements throughout history and across nation.
• All the same, I take this opportunity to dedicate my post today to the CORPORATE WOMAN OF INDIA and the three important challenges that she has to handle on the personal front.
  
   
• Today, surviving in a corporate world is not everyone's cup of tea, it is all the more difficult if you are a career oriented woman who aspires to reach the top or the senior position in the organisation. 
• The three most important challenges a woman has to win are.... 
• MOBILITY,
• MARRIAGE, 
• MOTHERHOOD 
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• The first and the foremost challenge of mobility. Many ladies silently drop out of an organisation, if workrelated travelling or moving is in.  
• Moreover, in every organisation, there is at least one very good lady that an organisation loses to marriage. Be that as it may be, these two challenges are won by almost every woman. 
• But the more complicated of all the three is Motherhood. Most ladies continue at their jobs almost into the last week cheerfully. The problem starts when they resume work after the Maternity leave. The important task of childrearing!!! 
• If a woman is very fortunate to have support of her parents or parents-in-laws, then she is relieved to some extent, as external support system comes with its own pros and cons leaving her at the threshold of choosing between the two important aspects of her life. 
• Only a mother knows how difficult it is to leave her baby and resume the work in a corporate sector with its long working hours.
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• Today, Many organisations are in the news on a subject that should bring cheer to young ladies embarking on a career. Some have come up with the announcement of six months of paid Maternity leave, followed upto few months flexible working. Many companies allow women to work from home also. WORK FROM HOME IS THE NEW AND THE ACCEPTED THING WHICH IS IN. Such organisations do not want to lose their valuable assets. Such measures are important building blocks towards correcting the GENDER DIVERSITY ratio in senior and top roles. 
• GENDER EQUALITY OR ALSO KNOWN AS GENDER DIVERSITY IS HELPING TODAY'S WOMAN TO ACHIEVE HER GOALS DESPITE THE CHALLENGES!!!
  
• Gender diversity, a fair representation between genders is vital to any workplace,  as it relates to a work environment where men and women are hired at the same rate, paid equally for equal work and promoted at the same rate.
• It goes without saying that today, there are many many women, who have been there, done it all and have contributed more than meaningful to the organisations where they work. 
  
• It is true that we have come a long way, but we are still a very long way from achieving true gender diversity and equality in the workplace.
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• Many Companies are realising the value of having a diverse work force. Earlier,achievements of companies were mostly attributed to men's team work. The scenario is changing gradually since companies have started realizing the fact that to reap benefits and success, it is very important to have a diverse workforce, as women leaders are perceived as being more trusted,and terrific mentors with a better problem solving ability.
  
• It is a welcome and a positive change in the Corporate sector where in companies are striving hard to get more women in leadership positions, they are also recognising and responding with creative options that help to build the women numbers in senior and top roles, thus enabling the women to successfully beat the challenges. 
• Organisations are taking efforts and are coming up with more liberal policies regarding Maternity leave and facilities that would help the corporate women to beat the important challenge of motherhood. 
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• SO,  
• YOUNG CORPORATE LADIES, RISE ABOVE THESE CHALLENGES as the corporate sector is realizing that your contribution towards the company is indispensable and is more than happy to help you with its creative policies to achieve your dreams and..... 
• BE AT THE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS OF YOUR ORGANISATION!!!!