suhas katti's blog

Challenges and Opport 4 online learning prgm’s success in India - Suhas Katti

2010-04-11T16:55:00.004+05:30

Online learning in India has taken off in a big way in the past few years. This popularity can be attributed to a large number of working professionals and students; who have found it a highly convenient tool to upgrade their learning curve; without having to disrupt their regular activities. A professional or student living in a small town can easily get access to the best course materials, faculty expertise of the various prestigious institutions like IIMs, XLRI, IIITs among others.
This boom in online learning has seen the market grown by approx $ 200 million to an estimated $ 1 billion by the end of 2010; according to Business Week, a business magazine. This has attracted well known names like IITs, IIMs, Sikkim Manipal University and private online learning companies like NIIT, Educomp Solutions and TutorVista. Even, foreign universities are not far behind to be a part of India’s booming online learning business. It is reported that Carnegie Mellon University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cornell University are also exploring tie-ups in India to offer courses in engineering, finance, management and human resource to Indian students.
The India growth story has seen a boom in several sectors like retail, real estates, financial services and a subsequent talent crunch; since the demand & supply for talent in these sectors is largely skewed in favor of demand. This has created a lot of demand for online learning catering to these sectors. The end users are typical working professionals who feel the need to enhance their skills and learning curve with best possible learning to further their careers.
Educational institutions, too are taking to online education in a big way. Quite often they are understaffed and their courses are in great demand by students & professionals who want to access their quality education. This puts a constraint on the universities resources. Online learning is only the way out.

The challenges facing online learning in India are:
1. Infrastructural bottlenecks seriously, hamper the growth of online learning to small towns and ‘tier three‘ cities; where there is an entire market waiting to be tapped. The power shortages along with poor bandwidth connectivity are the major impediments.
2. Online degrees are perceived poorly by general public as compared to the regular full time degrees. This perception needs to be changed in order to make online educational successful in India and this is happening slowly & steadily.

3. The course fees are prohibitively expensive as compared to regular courses. Also, banks refuse to give educational loans for online courses. There is a need to make them more affordable to attract more users.

4. Several of the online courses are autonomous; not recognized by the universities or regulatory authorities. There is a need to make these courses widely acceptable and recognized by educational authorities & the industry.

5. The course content is not standardized; especially in case of autonomous courses. This is again one of the reasons for lack of recognisation by industry.

The above challenges notwithstanding; several opportunities abound for growth of online learning business. Large population of young professionals and students, who are interested in upgrading their skills, present an opportunity. Lack of infrastructure in terms of quality education, colleges; especially in small towns are also blessing in disguise for the spread of online learning. Several PE & VC firms are showing interest in online learning business; thus indicating widespread opportunities in online learning business.

Suhas Katti - Blog on BrightFuse - A Talent Community

2010-01-31T16:11:00.000+05:30

Suhas Katti - Blog on BrightFuse - A Talent Community

my poems - suhas katti

2010-01-14T23:52:00.004+05:30

Hey everybody...
I was going thru my old files & came across my amateurish attempts in writing poetry.

The below poem was written; while waiting for a friend on a date..This was written as a dedication to her. The person is long gone & was spared the agony of being in a relationship with me !! :)

Ever since I met you;
you've cured my blues.
you set my heart on fire;
you are the woman I desire....
*****************************

Time weighs heavy on my mind,
when you are away from me
That I pine for your return any one can see,
Oh dear !! come back soon;
release me from my gloom .....
*************************************

Being a typical Geminian; one of my weak points is that i get bored real fast & this makes me restless & fidgety.During one such moments,the below poem was created.
Travel is something that i really enjoy..

Give me life ; Give me freedom ..
Unshackle me from these chains of boredom,
I wish to fly ; fly in the deep blue skies,
exploring the world to my heart's desire,
oh Lord ! Put an end to my discontent !! Let me fly to my hearts content !!

suhas katti

.The Devil's Dictionary -- Financial Edition by MATTHEW ROSE - Suhas Katti

2009-11-28T17:58:00.002+05:30

Hi Guys ,
Came acros a funny dictionary by MATTHEW ROSE while surfing Wall Street Journal..
Hopefully, the Financial Crisis is behind us - Dubai debacle notwithstanding.. & i thought to share this funny article with you all..

Enjoy reading !!! :)

****************************************************************************************
MATTHEW ROSE
Just as the financial crisis has morphed into a daily grind instead of a daily fire drill, its peculiar argot has found its way into everyday conversations. This is probably an unwelcome surprise to those not conversant with the narrow byways of Wall Street. So, in the spirit of Ambrose Bierce -- whose "Devil's Dictionary," originally published in 1906 as "The Cynic's Word Book," provided a guide to the political and cultural language of the day -- here is a Wall Street Journal Baedeker to acronyms, neologisms and bastardizations that shape the popular understanding of the pickle in which we remain one full year after the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

Journal Community
Discuss: What's on your financial crisis word list?
.AAA, n., obsolete. A rhetorical device used to dupe buyers into purchasing securities backed by shacks dressed as houses, and to secure the highest possible spot in telephone directories. Common usage: AAA Septic Drainage and Mortgage Backed Security Services.

ADVERSE FEEDBACK LOOP, n. See FEEDBACK LOOP.

BAILOUT, n. First known use: Noah. Novel regressive taxation scheme whereby vast sums of capital are transferred from those citizens who didn't participate in the illusory Bacchanalia of the housing bubble to those who did and weren't clever enough to get out in time.

BANK, GOOD, n., archaic. Sober, conservative, risk-averse institutions designed to midwife customers' capital and enable prudent lending to deserving businesses and consumers. See Capra, F., the Bailey Building & Loan Association.

BANK, BAD, n. 1. Everyone else. 2. Especially Goldman Sachs.

BANK FAILURE, n. 1. A process by which towns across America are denuded of their feckless local bankers, paving a way into the market for feckless private-equity investors. 2. An increasingly common Twitter tag that spikes on Friday afternoons. See #bankfail, #wheresmymoney, #runitsthefdic.

BORROWERS, n. For liberals, the unwitting dupes of unscrupulous bankers and lenders whom one shouldn't blame for the crisis. For conservatives, irresponsible graspers with a credit-busting taste for cathedral-ceilinged entryways and 70-inch flat-screen televisions whom one should absolutely blame for the crisis.

CHRYSLER, v.t. To torch all pre-existing contractual obligations. Entered dialect after Truman's seizure of U.S. steel mills. Reference spotted in 1952 editions of obsolete periodical "Steel and Steelmen," under the "News You Can Smelt" section: "We just got Chryslered!"

CREDIT-DEFAULT SWAP, n. loose translation from the original Latin "ubi mel ibi apes," or "where there's honey there are bees." 1. A complex financial instrument vital to the functioning of a modern economy in the way it spreads risk among consenting parties. (Greenspan, A., pre-Sept. 2008.) 2. A complex financial instrument that nearly destroyed modern capitalism (Greenspan, A., post-Sept. 2008).

CREDIT LINE, n. A set amount of borrowed money available only to those who don't need it.

CREDIT-RATING FIRMS, n. Firms that do scant rating of people with scant credit.

DEFICIT, n. For the party in power, at worst a minor irritant and at best a precondition for economic growth. For the minority, the gravest threat to the stability of the Republic.

DEFLATION, n. The state of being when confronting unified theories of the financial crisis with grand names -- The Great Contraction, The End to Moderation, The Bubble Era -- that don't, in fact, explain much more than our continuing inability to agree why we are in such a deep hole.

FEEDBACK LOOP, n. Process by which the significance of an event is amplified by constant repetition. Orig: CNBC. See ADVERSE FEEDBACK LOOP.

GREEN SHOOTS, n. 1. The first signs of spring, often clobbered by summer's heat and autumn's rain. 2. A sign the economy is falling apart more slowly than previously thought. Related: DAISIES, PUSHING UP. See also THINKING, WISHFUL.

LIGHT TOUCH, n., obsolete. Theory of regulation in which financial companies recycle profits to lawmakers as campaign contributions, prompting them to relax the rules until the banks inevitably mess it up, at which point the dominant theory switches to "heavy hand," prompting years of economic contraction and the cycle to repeat.

PPIP, or PUBLIC-PRIVATE INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP, v.t. Orig: Gladys Knight. To use a form of hypnotism in which merely saying you intend to fix a problem has the effect of making everyone forget about the problem. Usage: "We really peepipped Congress on those AIG bonuses." See ASSETS, TOXIC.

QUANTITATIVE EASING, n. A regulatory approach based on the point in Western movies when the sheriff, having fired all available bullets, in an act of final desperation throws his gun at the bad guys. See also INFLATION, HYPER.

RESET, v.t. A process by which an initial expectation is altered to another expectation, as in mortgage payments, or deficits or personal fulfillment. As in, "I have reset my views of financial regulation."

RISK MANAGEMENT, n. Until recently, the process by which banks make giant bets with other people's money before persuading someone else to take the fall. Currently known as "federal supervision."

SECURED CREDITORS, n. In modern American capitalism, the parties last in line for repayment after a company's failure. The others in line include the government, unions, sundry suppliers, friends of the union, friends of the government, unsecured creditors and people vaguely familiar with the matter.

STIMULUS, n. An indeterminate sum of taxpayer money used to generate violent debate. Previously known as "government spending."

STRESS TEST, n. 1. A measure of arterial blood flow to the head. 2. Alchemic process by which struggling, undercapitalized banks are transformed into paragons of modern finance. (See BANKS, GOOD.) Also known as the "Timothy F. Geithner Seal of Approval," which some bankers insist is good until it isn't anymore. (See BANKS, BAD.)

SUBPRIME, adj. A measure of diminished intellectual capacity and increased financial mendacity.

TANGIBLE COMMON EQUITY, n. unknown origin. Definition unknown; purpose unknown; how it's calculated, unknown; what federal regulators think it means, unknown. Usages: "Macbeth," Shakespeare, W., Act II, Scene (i): "Is this TCE which I see before me...I have thee not, and yet I see thee still."

TARP, n. acronym. 1. A synthetic device designed to cover up an unsightly mess, or to protect perishable goods (firewood, banks) from the ravages of the elements, typically costing somewhere between $12.99 and $700 billion. 2. Prime example of how governments use otherwise anodyne acronyms, abbreviations and sports metaphors to disguise matters of controversy. See also TALF, TLGP, TURF, FHFA, BACKSTOP, WRAP, OFHEO and SPECTRE.

TOO BIG TO FAIL, idiom. Banks, insurance companies, car companies, presidential approval ratings, Fed chairmen seeking second terms, other people who think they should be Fed chairman, the reputations of people who'd be responsible for letting things fail. Antonym: TOO BORING TO SAVE.

TOXIC ASSETS, n. 1. A collection of bad loans and other botched financial bets that caused big losses for banks, prompted a credit crunch and sank the economy (Sept. 2008 to May 2009). 2. Long-term investments that will pay handsomely when the housing market recovers (June 2009 onward).

U-SHAPED RECOVERY, n . An opportunity for economists to incorrectly predict the timing and nature of the recession's end just as successfully as they incorrectly predicted its inception, depth and duration. Variants include V-shaped recovery, L-shaped recovery and :-( shaped recovery.

Another of my fave movie - Serendipity : Suhas Katti

2009-09-23T12:01:00.003+05:30

Hey people !!
The other day on PIX movie channel ; i happened to see the movie " Serendipity" again fter a long time. This must be the 8th or 9th time i must have watched the movie again. never tire of watching the reruns.. mainly because of its unique story line.. For those who have missed it, strongly recommend watching the movie.. The short synopsis is for your reference; with the hope it entices you to watch the movie :)

SYNOPSIS
New York City, just before Christmas. The last pair of black cashmere gloves in Bloomingdale's is on its way to the counter. As the gloves arrive, Sara (Kate Beckinsale) and Jonathan (John Cusack) claim them simultaneously. And so it begins--Sara and Jonathan go to a little coffee shop, named Serendipity, to decide who gets the gloves. They skate in Central Park. They look at the stars--the Cassiopeia constellation has the same pattern as the freckles on Sara's forearm. She writes her phone number in a book, saying she'll sell it to a random bookstore tomorrow. Jonathan writes his number on a five-dollar bill and she gives it to a street vendor. If destiny means them to be together, the book will find him, and the five-dollar bill will find her. Several years later--in New York--Jonathan is about to marry Hally (Bridget Moynahan). On the West Coast, Lars (John Corbett) proposes to Sara. Both Jonathan and Sara remember their delightful night. Jonathan sets out with friend Dean (Jeremy Piven) to find the book. Sara, with her friend Eve (Molly Shannon), flies to New York looking for Jonathan. Crisp direction from Peter Chelsom, a witty script by Marc Klein, and beautiful performances by John Cusak and Kate Beckinsale, make SERENDIPITY a delightful romantic comedy.

Below is another favourite part from the movie..

Jonathan Trager's Obituary

Prominent television producer for ESPN, died last night from complications of losing his soul mate and his fiancee. He was 35 years old. Soft-spoken and obsessive, Trager never looked the part of a hopeless romantic. But, in the final days of his life, he revealed an unknown side of his psyche. This hidden quasi-Jungian persona surfaced during the Agatha Christie-like pursuit of his long reputed soul mate, a woman whom he only spent a few precious hours with. Sadly, the protracted search ended late Saturday night in complete and utter failure. Yet even in certain defeat, the courageous Trager secretly clung to the belief that life is not merely a series of meaningless accidents or coincidences. Uh-uh. But rather, its a tapestry of events that culminate in an exquisite, sublime plan. Asked about the loss of his dear friend, Dean Kansky, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and executive editor of the New York Times, described Jonathan as a changed man in the last days of his life. "Things were clearer for him," Kansky noted. Ultimately Jonathan concluded that if we are to live life in harmony with the universe, we must all possess a powerful faith in what the ancients used to call "fatum", what we currently refer to as destiny.

Hope you all enjoy watching the movie..

suhas katti

school memories - suhas katti

2009-05-09T17:39:00.006+05:30

Since past few weeks ; i have been reconnecting with my friends from school days.. It has been more than a decade since i last met them.. Thanks to the wonderful tool called Internet; reconnecting with people who used to be a part of my teen life has been easy. Meeting them was like a trip down the memory lane.. adolescence crushes; birthday parties, classroom mischiefs, school picnics and other pleasant memories came out unleashed.. It struck me that in this mad rat race quest to achieve wealth & success; we often fail to realise the little pleasures of life...

suhas katti

PS: The guy in the top row (8th from the left) is me. This is my IInd class pic.Hard to believe i had a huge mop of hair :)

"When Harry met Sally" - why this movie is one of my faves!! Suhas Katti

2009-03-28T11:03:00.003+05:30

"When Harry met Sally" has been one of my most fave movies till date. The script was great & so was the acting by Billy Crystal & Meg Ryan. It just shows that true love is eternal & if it is in your destiny; you shall alwayz meet your true love!!! A "Must see" movie for all the romantic movie fans!!! There was a Hindi movie " Hum Tum" *ing Saif & Rani "inspired from When Harry Met Sally. Although the Hindi movie was a poor copy; it was much better by Hindi movie standards & also a "must see" But I strongly recommend you to see the Hollywood original!!!
suhas katti

Ps: Check out wiki linkto know more about the flick !!!

Is Mumbai hitting the saturation point? - suhas katti

2009-03-26T14:28:00.002+05:30

Traffic jams, noise, air & water pollution, overcrowded trains, long commuting hours, concrete jungle,dirt & grime all around, hawkers on the footpath... I am sure that this is a common scenario in any of India's metros.. but it is felt more acutely in Mumbai - the city of dreams as it is rightly called..This magnet that attracts people is also one of the reasons for it's slow degradation. The continous influx of people has highlighted lack of foresight on the part of city planners in terms of developing infrastructure.All talks of turning Mumbai in to world class city is going to to be a distant dream!!! Mumbaites have also to be blamed for this state of affairs..Totally unconcerned; we carry on our normal activities; hoping that someone else will raise the issues.. we need to collectively fight to improve the image of Mumbai.. Few groups/ individuals are slowly getting involved in improving their immmediate locality. It is important to sustain & increase this momentum..
suhas katti

satyam

2009-03-06T14:45:00.004+05:30

Despite two months have past sice the scam broke out; Satyam still has good talent within the company & except the so called board (just about handful of men) swindled the company with the connivance of outside people; rest all were genuine.
Satyam has been in business for the last two decades & till otherday; it carried out its responsibilities splendidly. They paid their taxes, paid their employees well. They had a good brand image & had some of the world’s blue-chip companies as their clients. Till date; they have cleared their employee’s salaries (including Feb 2009). Add to this, they added about six new customers in Jan / Feb 2009, inspite of all the bad image.
What it means? It means that the core is still strong & the plaster has peeled off due to negligence & fraud aided & abetted by the system.
Satyam received approval from Securities and Exchange Board of India to kickstart a process to sell a 51% stake, in a move likely to attract more bidders.
The company said in a statement, it expects to invite expressions of interest from qualified investors, with more than $150 million in net assets, under a global bidding process [livemint Posted: Fri, Mar 6 2009.]
It is important that Satyam finds a good & credible strategic buyer immediately; otherwise there will be a severe erosion of goodwill, talent & business prospects
suhas katti

IF by Rudyard Kipling

2009-02-23T16:23:00.003+05:30

The poem IF by Rudyard Kipling has always been one of my favourite poems till date. The poem is truly inspirational ; particularly even more so in these testing gloomy times of economic depression.
I wish to share this poem with you & hope that it continues to inspire you too!!

****************IF************
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!
--Rudyard Kipling

why????

2009-02-23T15:50:00.000+05:30

why do we:
- gloat on other's misfortunes?
- dont practice what we alwayz preach?
- keep cribbing instead of being agents of change?
- not let go of the past & fail to look forward to new beginings?
- get swayed by religious & ethnocentric bigots?
- not have the courage to speak up & instead turn a blind eye?
The list goes on..