Tsunamis. Prior to last December’s tragedy I personally
would have thought of a Tsunami as something that might
have appeared on a Geography test, never quite
appreciating what
it truly meant. Needless to say, my learning in this
regard has been painfully accelerated. World Bank
reports indicate that in addition to the several hundred
thousand lives that have been claimed, the ability of
645,000 families to make a living has been affected and
the impact to local economies is of the order of several
billion dollars.
But inasmuch as our proclivity to wage
senseless wars often frustrates me, our ability to bond
together in the face of shared adversity never ceases to
amaze me. The relief efforts have been global, the
international community generous and the concern,
genuine. On a more personal note, I believe that BITS
Pilani did not just teach us to develop algorithms or
solve equations but also instilled in us the ethical and
moral foundations of outstanding global citizenship.
This belief was reaffirmed in the incredible
unselfishness and sense of initiative demonstrated by
everyone on the BITSunami team and by the members of
BITSAA chapters around the world in assisting with
rehabilitation efforts.
Gut-wrenching change has been thrust upon
those affected by the Tsunami. But for all of us change
is the order of the day, the norm. It’s hard to turn a
corner without butting heads with the many forms of
change that induce transitions in our lives – our
families, our careers, our industries and all else.
Joseph Schumpeter’s idea of Creative Destruction and
continuous churn within capitalist structures is
increasingly relevant given current socio-economic
trends in the world.
In this issue we bring you the first in a
series – Transitions. Each of us, at different stages in
our lives, is posed with choices. While we alone can
decide what is in our best interest it is often
beneficial to gain another’s perspective. This issue’s
Transitions focuses on a clichéd, trite yet perpetually
debatable issue of immigration and the associated pros
and cons. As the Sandpaper team interviewed BITS Pilani
alumni and raised the question, the responses evoked a
great deal of emotion and debate even within the team.
Anytime people express their views emphatically, it’s
usually a pretty good indicator that they care enough
and that caring was motivation enough for us to publish
the story.
And finally, let’s all learn to be
thankful. Thankful for what we have, for the people we
know, for the opportunities that we’re privileged to be
provided with every day. So does thankfulness imply
respect for and a willingness to accept status quo?
Sacre bleu! Not at all! For all progress is predicated
on a certain innate sense of dissatisfaction with status
quo that is healthy, indeed desirable. The intent is to
learn to appreciate and be thankful for all that we have
and then set audacious goals and dare mighty things.
Acceptance of modest goals and constrained dreams
characterize too many lives. In framing the audacity of
your goals, use your own benchmarks and definitions of
success within businesses, academic institutions,
communities or even within your own homes.
Our predecessors within the BITS alumni
community are trailblazers and our goal at BITSAA is to
tell you their stories, to inspire you and to provide
complete and unequivocal support for your goals by
facilitating the creation of the world’s best knit, most
collaborative alumni network.
Sandeep Mukherjee (’95 Phy Mech)
Chief
Editor
April
7, 2005
