Voyaging Towards Excellence 8

 Extract No. 08

Page No. 84  [Lines, “After this ……… thinking big.” ]

Read the first activity, read the extract and do all the activities that follow.

A1. Complete : (02)

Complete the table by writing down necessary information from the extract,

NO SUBJECT/TOPIC NAME OF THE BOOK

a Autobiography musafir

b Psychology Manat

c science kimayagar

d management boardroom

After this, I have written about 34 books in Marathi. Most of them have become bestsellers with tens of thousands of copies sold for each. However, it is not the sales or the money that is important to me as much as the fact that these books have brought about very good changes in the lives of thousands of readers. After reading my autobiography ‘Musafir’ and a book on Psychology ‘Manat’, hundreds have come out of depression and more than a dozen have given up thoughts of committing suicide and decided to start all afresh. There are hundreds who tell me that they understood the theory of relativity or Big Bang after reading my book on Science ‘Kimayagar’. My book ‘Boardroom’ on Management has created at least 20 successful entrepreneurs. Then there are hundreds who tell me that they now can understand Economic Times or NDTV Profit after reading my book on economics ‘Arthat’. Many have turned to Mathematics after reading my book on Mathematics ‘Ganiti’. The same is true about my books on Indian Music (Nadvedh), English Literature (Zapoorza), Painting (Canvas), Western Films (Limelight) and Western Music (Symphony) or books such as ‘Genius’ series, ‘Rakta’ or ‘Vitamins’ or ‘Anartha’. It is these reactions of thousands of readers and the feeling that I am touching the hearts of thousands, if not lakhs, of my readers that keeps me going.

Why am I telling you my story? When I look back, there are a number of lessons and values that I cherish and keep learning about even today. Some of these are: Thirst for knowledge, Curiosity, Humility, Humanity, Rationality, Equality, Team work, Quest for excellence, Never say die, Thinking big...

A2. Describe : (02)

Describe how the author touch the hearts of the readers.

A3. Give reasons : (02)

The writer says that it is not the sales or the money that is important to me because ………

A4. Personal response : (02)

The hunger for knowledge and thirst for learning should be never ending. Do you agree with the view. justify your answer with examples.

A5. Language study : (02)

a)  I have written about 34 books.  (identify the tense used here)

Present Perfect Tense.

b) I am touching the hearts of thousands. 

(Rewrite the sentence using present perfect Continuous tense)

I have been touching the hearts of thousands.

A6. Vocabulary : (02)

Find out words from the extract which mean the following.

a) Sale of books in large numbers = best sellers

b) Creative businessman = entrepreneurs

c) Treasure lovingly = cherish

d) Logically = rationality

Activities with expected answers by

TUSHAR J BAGWE

K J SOMAIYA COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND COMMERCE VIDYAVIHAR EAST MUMBAI 77

Mobile :9820928141

E Mail ID : tushar@somaiya.edu

Voyaging Towards Excellence 7

 Extract No. 07

Page No. 83   [Lines, “ I passed ………  began..”]

Read the first activity, read the extract and do all the activities that follow.

A1. Choose : (02)

Choose the correct option and rewrite the sentences.

a) After passing out from IIT,the writer joined a non-violent movement for tribal called……

1.Non –co operation.      2. Azad andolan

3. Quit India 4.Sarvodya.

b) The writer settled his career on………………………………………………..

1.Information Technology

2. Scientist

3. Professor 4. Businessman.

c) The writer believes that Nothing is impossible without  ………………………

1. Ego 2. Arrogance

3. Team work 4.Attitude

d) The writer’s first love was…………….

1. His wife.      2.To read and write.

3. His lucrative job. 4. Money

I passed from IIT, joined a non-violent social movement for tribals with Sarvodaya, participated in a peaceful satyagraha, went to jail for 10 days, came back to Mumbai, was jobless for a while, worked for Rs. 125/- month to supervise workers at the night shift in a mechanical workshop, changed 13 houses in Mumbai, and finally settled on Information Technology as my career. I spent 32 years in Information Technology out of which I was a Chief Executive Officer or MD or the software head for 23 years for large global multinational software companies with thousands of software professionals worldwide and 6 offices in the US, 3 in Europe, 1 in Japan and 1 in Australia. I had to travel all over the globe around 150 times for business. During this period, I had also written 4 books with 500-700 pages each on Information Technology published by Tata McGraw-Hill and then translated into Chinese for global distribution.

I learnt a lot of things when I was running these large companies. The first one was the importance of team work. In today’s world, nothing is possible without team work. You cannot be successful if you are a loner and an egoistic person. Secondly, you need to lead from the front by setting a good example in front of your staff. Third was that you need to treat your subordinates and your colleagues as friends. In my career, I made a few mistakes, but learnt a lot about motivation, being a good listener, target setting and the art of delegation which forms such an important part of today’s management.

After working for all these software companies for so many years, I wanted to return to my first love i.e. to read and write on various subjects concerning human life and existence. Therefore, I gave up two offers of around 3 crore rupees per annum to become a writer. This is how my second innings as a writer in Marathi began.

A2. Find out : (02)

Find out the statements that shows the struggles faced by the writer to  become a famous person.

a) After passing IIT, I participated an agitation and went to jail for 10 days.

b) I was  jobless for a while.

c) I worked for Rs. 125/- Month to supervise workers at night shift in a mechanical shop.

d) Changed 13 houses in Mumbai.

A3. Compare : (02)

Complete the table comparing two different phases of life of the writer as an MD Or chief Executive officer and an activist of Sarvodaya Movement.

MD Or Chief Executive Officer.

Activist of  Sarvodaya Movement.

Head of the company for 23 years.

Participated in a peaceful satygraha.

Thousands of software professionals worked under him.

He went to jail for 10 days

6 offices in the 3 in Europe 1 in japan and 1 in Australia.

He came to Mumbai, jobless for a while.

A4. Personal Response : (02)

Do you think that Team work, Listening ability, Target setting, True leadership qualities are essential to become a successful businessman.

A5. Language study : (02)

a) I spent 32 years in Information Technology. (Rewrite using past perfect tense)

I had spent 32 years in information Technology.

b) Nothing is impossible.  (Make it Affirmative)

Everything is possible.

c) I made a few mistakes, but learnt a lot about motivation. 

(Rewrite the sentence beginning with, “Though/Although…..”)

Though/ Although I made a few mistakes I learnt a lot about motivation.

A6. Vocabulary : (02)

Find out words from the extract which mean the following.

a) World = globe 

b) Per year = per Annum

c) Having branches in many nations = multinational

d) Unemployed = jobless

Activities with expected answers by

TUSHAR J BAGWE

K J SOMAIYA COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND COMMERCE VIDYAVIHAR EAST MUMBAI 77

Mobile :9820928141

E Mail ID : tushar@somaiya.edu

Vovaging Towards Excellence 6

Extract No 06

 Page No. 82 / 83  [Lines, “Coming back  ………  religion..”]

Read the first activity, read the extract and do all the activities that follow.

A1. True or false : (02)

State whether the following statements are True or false.

a) The writer thought that passing the examination of life is more important than passing IIT Exam.   (T)

b) The writer did not believe in discrimination.  (T)

c) The writer’s group was interested in science and Technology only.  (F)

d) Music, Literature, Painting were the regular subjects in the curriculum Of IIT (F)

Coming back to my groups in IIT, my friends were not only more intelligent than me, but they were very well-read. They had interest in all the subjects like Science, Technology, Sociology, Psychology, Economics, Philosophy, Anthropology, Archeology, Political Science etc. Our group was interested in all of these branches apart from all the fine arts such as music, literature, painting …. In short, our group was interested in almost anything under the sun and which concerned human life and existence. I was immediately attracted to the group and developed immense and deep interest in all these branches of knowledge. None of these subjects were part of our curriculum at IIT, but again, I never studied for scoring marks in any examination. Here was a sea of knowledge in front of me which I thought was necessary to pass the ‘examination of life’ which was far more important than just passing IIT examination. It is very difficult to become a master or an expert in all these subjects, but it was very important for me to understand at least the basic principles of most of these subjects. Any of us could easily top the GRE examination and migrate to the US. However, that thought never even touched our minds. To understand the world and how it works and serving India and her people was far more important to us. 

Therefore, I plunged into all these branches of knowledge. It was a period of renaissance for me. We used to discuss about relativity, Big Bang, aesthetics, literature, philosophy, economics and many other subjects every day until late into the nights. My cupboard was full of books on a variety of topics. It is only because of the human curiosity that we have been able to make such a great progress in science and technology, and social sciences. I have a number of limitations, but one thing I am proud of is the curiosity, humility and humanity, i.e., concern for our fellow human beings. I learnt these values during my IIT days. I also became a firm believer in rationalism and equality for all the castes, creeds, races, genders and religions. I started treating Nature as God and humanity as religion.

 

A2:Find out : (02)

Find out the expressions that show that the writer did not believe in scoring marks in the exam.

1. I never studied for scoring marks in any exam.

2. Here was a sea of knowledge.

3. I thought it was necessary to pass the examination of life which was far more important than just passing IIT exam.

4. It was very important for me  to understand at least the basic principles of most of these subjects.

A3. Give Reasons : (02)

Curiosity and humanity are important because……..

It is only because of the human curiosity that we have been able to make such a great progress in  science and technology and social sciences.................

A4. Personal Response : (02)

The world is a sea of knowledge. Do you agree with the writer’s view? Explain with suitable examples.

A5. Language study : (02)

a) It is very difficult to become an expert.  (Make it Negative)

It is not easy to become an expert.

b) All of us could easily top the GRE exam.  (Use "be able to" and Rewrite it.)

All of us were able to top the GRE exam easily.

c) I learnt these values during my IIT days.

(Rewrite the sentence using past perfect tense)

I had learnt these values during my IIT days.

A6. Vocabulary : (02)

Find out words from the extract which mean the following.

a) Study of human biological and psychological character = Anthropology

b) Study of human civilisation by excavation = Archaeology

c) A set of nature and appreciating the beauty =  Aesthetic

d) Study of human mind and behaviour = psychology.

Activities with expected answers

Prepared by

TUSHAR J BAGWE

K J SOMAIYA COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND COMMERCE VIDYAVIHAR EAST MUMBAI 77

Mobile : 9820928141

E Mail ID : tushar@somaiya.edu