Get over the mindset of networking with an agenda – Uncle Bala!

For Great Lakers, he is Uncle Bala. For the world, He is a Padma Shri awardee who sits on board of companies like Godrej and Crisil and is a consultant to a long list of companies like TCS, SAP. Bala V Balachandran, distinguished professor at the Kellogg School of Management, Chicago is also a dean at the Chennai-based Great Lakes Institute of Management. He shuttles between the US and India juggling both jobs, spending three months every year in India. Great Lakes, alongside ISB is the second private B-school that has been set up with a very strong linkage with top global B-schools. Mr Balachandran talks about the state of Bschools in India, the challenges that lie ahead for professional education in India and the Great Lakes Institute. Following is an excerpt from an interview to Economic Times.

Indian way of showing affection – Eat, Eat, Eat, Eat, Eat, Eat, Eat, Eat, Eat, Eat and Eat

Most Indian women pride themselves in being great cooks! Actually, unfortunately, a lot of women (even today) are responsible for only taking care of the house. So, whenever there is an occasion in the house, or a party, their forte comes into play.

They get going and prepare the entire meals by themselves, with very little help from anybody, even the family members. Its quite remarkable, how they are able to whip up absolutely delicious dishes and that too sooooooo many!! 😀

So, when you are invited, and you admire the delicacies lined in front of u, there is (sadly) a limited amount of food that your stomach can accomodate. And, then you have dear Auntie, telling you that your diet has gone down from bad to worse, and that you are not eating anything (Its only you and your stomach that knows the reality) – rest all the aunties around are complaining!! How children today do not know how to eat!

So, you can rest prepared, that never in the next one hour will your plate be empty! If you deny saying you are full, it will not be taken well and it will be assumed that you did not like the food (which IS an insult), so my dear friend, get ready for more! A little more rice beta, see you have grown so thin. You dont get enough food at your place kya!?? (hehehe… the thin part actually makes u snigger)

Indians pride themselves in their cooking and more so in their hospitality! They may remain hungry, but will absolutely make sure that you are stuffed, until you are ready to puke 😉 It is a very innocent and well-meant gesture, but it kind of scares me if I am to visit several relatives in a day, coz then that would mean sooooo many more dishes to be finished off at every place 🙂

U guys also faced this ever!?