Van Chitgough- The Art of Life

cocky as it sounds...that was the connotation being used for the lucky individual that would take my place in the UNFPA/AIESEC Switzerland national office split role.

not anymore. after a selection process that has been longer and more intense than any other similiar post in the organization (at any level), the chosen one is Kenoma.

congratulations mate. you're entering into one of the most challenging and rewarding roles one can hope to have in @ and I truly hope you get the perfect balance of learning and value-addition to 2 phenomenal global organizations....if you think you've been there and done that, think again. once you're done- think some more:) it'll help- you're on your way to switzerland.

carry the flag high....
p.s you can congratulate him at : kenomaagbamu(at)gmail.com

Posted by chitgo at 5/31/2006 10:35:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

so india got thrashed 4-1. somewhere someone had said = 'these days anyone can beat anyone". and yeah the indian team is playing so much cricket, drawing any sort of conclusion and creating any likelyhood of consistent performance is virtually impossible.
true sport lovers are beginning to question, what is the greatest prize in world cricket? if india wins the world cup next year, would it mean 'weaklings' (?) like the west indies wouldnt beat it 4 weeks later with a young side that now boasts of how well they bowl slower deliveries?
its frickin laughable i tell u. fricking laughable.

da vinci code was worth it. i mean, u know whats going to happen if you've read the book, but the imagery that ron howard brings to life from dan brown's literary horror (but factual thriller) deserves appreciation. i heard a lot of criticism on tom hanks' acting; but come on- if u read the book; robert langdon is anything BUT a superhero. the fact that hanks was wooden and nothing over the ordinary- marks his brilliance (im guessing he did it on purpose)

on other news, trent arrives this friday night. the world cup fever is going over the roof and schmumacher finished 5th in monaco. im rooting for switzerland in the world cup btw... i know im going to look a bit foolish sitting in one of the loud delhi sports bars with crazed punjabis shouting England and brazil when they dont even know the damn players names' and little ol' me crouched in a corner with my swiss flag, tie, baseball cap and t-shirt shouting hoppschwitz! - nonetheless. we all have our loyalties!

what else? team to team transition is on in good old eigerstrasse 55. the young bucks are getting their initiation into the job of a lifetime and we will know of my successor at the UNFPA in the coming days. much anxiety must prevail...

neha is in paris this next week fulfilling her life long dream of seeing the luevre (gosh i hope i spellt that right, and even if i didnt , smart alec comments are not welcome..:)), KS returns to the motherland in the 3rd week of the month and prabs is a few weeks away from rocking michigan..i should call him.

on other news, im figuring out a way to get to pakistan in the 3rd week of july as ive been invited to chair a national conference there...lets c if that works out- would be a magical experience to see karachi.

besides that , nothing much else is really going on...the good life is the good life....
over and out..

Posted by chitgo at 5/29/2006 06:20:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

well first of all, da vinci code tonight! after the idiotic protests by religious groups against the production, im finally going to get to see it 1 week after its scheduled release. :) the reviews will be released right here tonight!

hmm secondly, my chiller bro trent the big mac aussie is coming down to my pad over the weekend.
(me and trent in prague ny 05-06)
trent (who was with me in agra working for the greatest show of them all-the international congress 05) is heading to bangalore for a traineeship with kpmg .... i will be honored with his presence and the chance for hospitality at its finest upon his arrival.
trent, dont fool yourself...im not gonna treat u that good:)..promise u a great time with loads of catching up and reminiscing though mate.

what else? interviews in this upcoming week promise to lend more clarity to next steps in the van chitgough saga, besides which more reunions and nostalgia...mumbai countdown has begun...t-10 days.

hmmmm...the heat wave is back in full flow in delhi. not that i mind...there is a certain pleasure in an extremity that only madmen can appreciate:)....

Posted by chitgo at 5/28/2006 03:33:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

for an organization that loves to emboss names into history on pretty much every conceivable accessory known to man.....
this one will fall in the all time favorites category. (thanks bee)

i mean i have worn a heck of a lot of what can now be called fairly valuable memorabilia, but this one is a classic.
taken the night before i left the swissness....
photographer : niharika
models: i think you guys can read, or are you just here for all the pretty pictures?

Posted by chitgo at 5/25/2006 11:56:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

now this pic was taken with a mobile phone camera so it aint the best imagery, (thats me , shikul and sethi btw- 2 of my closest friends from university)


ive got to say it was downright righteous to meet friends from across the generations:). reunions rule

thanks to everyone that came down. each of you is making it extremely hard for me to decide on a course of action that requires me to leave home soil...
irrespective, much loud music and classic delhi chaos ensued. niharika is watching da vinci code as i write this and i hope its as fantastic as the book. im going to be watching it this weekend....

hmmm...mom tapped into my poetic side today (on hearing that i was having bouts of insomnia)...she prescribed this classic piece of poetry to soothe those tired (yet weary eyes)

Acquainted with the Night


I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
A luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.

Robert Frost

Posted by chitgo at 5/25/2006 01:52:00 AM | Permalink | Comments   

memories of a time gone by.
but a time so fresh and pure..
i can still feel the breeze
the swiss cheese...:)

the pictures below...the street corner of eigerstrasse 55 in bern and my office in the beautiful city of geneva.

the corner:)


my unfpa office



and now im back, in the vibrant, fast paced, dynamic and diverse city of delhi. the last 4 days have been a reinitiation to the city and country that i love. reintegration and reverse culture shock in smaller doses, the happiness of seeing old and familiar faces, the smell of delhi in the morning and a crowded market place brimming with gulab jamuns and chinese noodles that share the same 4x4 meter space.
the loud cackle of sethi and mr seth showering me with hindi abuses - a form of affection people still can't understand to this day. a form of affection i've come to love so much.
yuvraj just completed shooting for his first bollywood flick. shucks, a movie star...

coming to the point, it has been a tough decision making process, and im not through yet. i didn't know it was going to be this difficult. the mental notes had inscribed a path quite clear and strategic, the return has rekindled the adoration for home. was bound to happen though wasnt it ? the story unfolds. plus ive realized i like to make everything sound quite dramatic :)

enough deep thought. Turquoise cottage tonight. for my international readers, one of my favorite bar/pubs in delhi - good music, good food and most of the time- good people. an old hang out. getting together homies from across the ages. school time buddies to @ eb mates and MC successors. college gang to the colony mafia...should be a hoot. much reminiscing is in order....
im sure at some point, im also going to remember my favorite bar back in my second home (many many miles away from me now) - eclipse.
speaking of which, ck, bro...i think its time for a skype chat.

Posted by chitgo at 5/24/2006 01:03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

12:15 at night. the AC is humming softly behind me.
just had a huge dinner. the chinese is rumbling inside me.
emails sent. my friends are rocking all around me.
the dark and noisy delhi night, my country embraces me tightly.

parents asleep. my conscious reminds me to thank the lord. thank you.
met 2 of my closest friends. they are healthy and wiser then ever before. thank you once again.

waiting for her to come online. the wait is endless but lovely...

nida posted a wonderful little piece on her blog about age. totally worth reading. certainly made my day.
a quote from there- 'life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.'

pure bliss is in the little things. its the pain of seperation and the beauty of reunision. pure bliss is the sound of her voice and a friend's smile.
let me introduce u to pure bliss. its all around. yours to create, yours to imitate, yours to receive, yours to share.

Posted by chitgo at 5/22/2006 12:18:00 AM | Permalink | Comments   

and yes im back home:)....what a perfect return it was as well. after a long and rather tiring second half of the flight from dubai to delhi, i landed pleasingly enough to delhi in 28 degrees celcius ( i was to learn later that there had been some nice thunderstorms last couple of days leading to the decrease in temperature)

been chilling the whole day....kickass to see my parents and generally get spoilt to high heaven with the most delicious food one can imagine. .... its been a fiesta and siesta all roled into one. actually not really a siesta cos ive hardly slept. even went and shot some hoops at the good ol basketball court (or makeshift court:)) ..still the swishmaster although i need a lot of work....

fixed my moms ipod so she is going to be rocking to her favorite tunes in those daily walks and even got a haircut to soothe the maniacal curves...its all sounding a bit domestic isnt it? too bad...the thrill of paying 1 CHF for a haircut of a life time including a head and shoulder massage is worth mentioning :P

speaking of the glory that is the indian motherland, reunion 2006 aka me and sam in bombay 9th-12th june countdown officially begins. what makes the celebration extra deserving is KS' new scene, congratulations bro....amits gushing about it here:)

phone calls have gone out to a few close friends randomly and yes the brilliant efficiency (dad:)) saw my laptop get taken for repairs, a new cell phone purchase and general structuring of thoughts that are streaming through my brain regarding next steps.
its all quite exciting really:) for the others that dont know..IM IN DELHI...also, my new cell number is +91-98911-74491..

i even got a welcome cake from my parents...its a bit mauled considering my basic tendency to attack anything with a bread base that is loaded with sugar and cream. my swiss homies would know what im talking about.


india's batting is going to start soon so im going to head off to watch them hopefully annihilate the windies once again.
missing the gang back home...
missing u the most. call me.

Posted by chitgo at 5/21/2006 12:11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments   

i guess that happens when its time to put an intense and crazy experience behind you. the last 1 week has seen for me some amazing times.

the party at eclipse with all my closest friends rocked beyond possible comprehension. thanks to everyone who came....its a long long list!:)...i will treasure the gifts. forever.

sunday morning saw some insane soul cleaning (literally) and i reinstated my belief in pure hard physical labour. the balcony in eigerstrasse 55 is now spotless enough to have a ballroom dance on.
it was worth it. the day was spent with close friends who have made my time in switzerland much more than just the cliche that we call an 'international experience' these days. it was pure, solid, truthful words- honest to a country with integrity seeping in its every action.

i spent the last 3 days with my team. bee, rob, zuzka, sabi- what can i say that hasnt already been said. neuchatel proved to be the perfect spot for our reminiscing. I realized that after the gazillion sugar cubes shared through conferences in these past 8 months - 4 special notes were all I had and all I needed to tell you how I feel.

I sit here now, at 8pm on the 18th of may..packing like a maniac, trying desperately to reduce the amount of 'knick-knacks' that I have acquired...yet I know I just cant leave them behind.

20 kgs? hahahah fat chance... its a bit unfair when you think of it. every badge, every picture, every book, every ticket has a memory for me. when im 40 and chilling over a glass of wine with a journalist from TIME questioning me about my initial impressions of western european society in the early 10's...where will i dig up the evidence from ?:)

huge congratulations for my brother for another mother:) CK...he is going to be the latest grandmasta to take up the post of Assistant to the CEO at DPWN DHL Singapore. I could not be more proud or happy for a friend .... proof to be found here:) (and i dont think ive written an impromptou song lasting over 6 minutes for anyone else before :)

on other path breaking career news, my main man Trentina aka Trent aka the aussie master from down under returns to the country where I know he belongs- India !:). a traineeship with KPMG in his back pocket. ...we will relive the old memories in delhi/bombay again soon tmb:)

jaj has got a blog and pani must be in her last phase of preparation for singy. caro just came in and the gang is all eating dinner together. tomorrow , same time, ill be flying somewhere over the middle east ready to make my descent into dubai.....jesus.

friends shall now disperse to different corners of the planet. thank god for the beauty of the blog , ill be following the lives of a german in columbia, a brit in bangkok, a slovakian in pretty much all over europe:), a swiss in singapore and a whole bunch of others ready to embark on eventful journeys. this is what they must call the magnificence of youth....

huge chunks of warm clothing get put into unsightly plastic bags which shall be shipped across to India, pictures get downloaded from team days next to a lake in neuchatel. speaking of which, ive uploaded some in my flickr, so feast your eyes on a place so serene you could literally hear the grass grow. rob taught me how to play poker:) and it was brilliant fun, although sabi kept eating the 'chips'. our last travel together was accompanied by a mad run- how fitting is that....

words fail me.
they continue to fail me.

Posted by chitgo at 5/18/2006 11:27:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

so (embarassingly enough), bee uploaded a video from my little tribute to her and her escapade (i just like that word- its not really an escapade, she is going to be working full time for the national office of AIESEC in Columbia as the vice president for learning programs and projects. Sound fancy? you damn right it is)

the lyrics are quite deep ofcourse -
columbia, im coming to ya? bob dylan would be proud...

lol, alternative occupational possibilities are always a good idea.

i predict much more tribute style singing in the coming few days for the loved ones...
poor guys...i really need singing lessons:)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
but here's a guy who can really sing. xavier naidoo.., this one goes out to the ones i love...you know who you are:

Ich könnte tagelang von
Dir erzählen / Ohne deinen
Namen auch nur einmal
Zu erwähnen / Unter
Schmerzen oder
Unter Tränen / würde dein
Name als meine
Linderung dienen / Jede
Deiner Bewegungen sind
Erstrebenswert / Und
Jede Stunde mit dir ist
So
Lebenswert.

Nichts ist vergleichbar mit
Dem was du gibst / Mit
Dem was du zeigst uns wie du lebst, wie du liebst.

Ich kenne nichts,
Ich kenne nichts,
Das so schön ist wie du...

Schöne Tage mit dir sind kostbar,
So kostbar wie der Weg zum Morgenstern.
Ich zelebriere sie wie einen Festtag,
An dem ich immer wieder neues von Dir lern.

Im Moment ist das das schönste dich zu kennen.
Dich zu kennen ist wie das Beste das ich hab.
Verzeih mir aber dieses sag ich nochmal:
Deinen Namen zu nennen ist wohl das Schönste was ich sag!

Ich kenne nichts,
Ich kenne nichts,
Das so schön ist wie du...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by chitgo at 5/15/2006 03:17:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

hey guys...now before i delve into just how brilliant the last weekend has been from the ckdc party that rocked to the amazing conversations ive had to the gifts ive received (more thoughtful and emotion evoking than you can imagine) right down to the mc transition party with some of the closest friends ive made...

I need the pictures from saturday! at sometime around 11pm i know i was in a certain state of happiness that i know many of you know well and remember taking a lot of cool pictures...unfortunately not a single one was from my camera.

So, please email them to me (the ones that im in only :)) dhruv.chitgo(at)gmail.com at your earliest convenience. which basically means right now cos i know none of you are that busy to send them immediately!

thanks a ton!
the reminiscing has already begun. delhi in T-5 days.

Posted by chitgo at 5/15/2006 03:46:00 AM | Permalink | Comments   

saturday the 13th - 8:30 pm (swiss time)
venue: the eclipse bar lounge, bern
the CKDC goodbye/birthday party.

are you partying swindian style or wondering what swindian means?
and yes, it is upto you.

see you there!

Posted by chitgo at 5/11/2006 11:52:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

read this excellent article on the current situation of the swiss football team leading up to the world cup:) ...what do my swiss homies out there think?



and i know that's johann vogel :)

Posted by chitgo at 5/09/2006 10:33:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

that's the only word. the only word.
am back from my last @ conference, ever. I could not have asked for a more powerful, more fulfilling, more wonderful, more inspiring environment and set of people to share my curtain call.

and i can't fricking believe its over. ever had a moment in your life when you want to cry out of the pure intensity of a situation, but dont because tears dont do justice ?
they dont do justice to the thrill of 'living'

its raining in bern today.
i hear its raining in geneva as well.
sooth the raging infernos.
calm the ignited sparks.
for the journey is long and the challenges are mighty...
tread along.
heavy..
for this feeling is yours
and mine
rightfully.

no post, no poem, no prose, no pictures, no expression known to man today could help me emote just what the last 8 months have been. i pray for the ability to tell the people i have met here just how much they mean to me....
but i doubt if id be blessed with that boon.

i relax now. stuffing some heavy sweaters into a bag....its time. slowly, the physicaltraces of my 'being' - shall be removed.

When you work with someone long enough- you tend to read their every thought. You tend to empathise with their every mistake and lend a shoulder, critical or otherwise for them to lean on.
when they succeed and get their true worth- you rejoice and celebrate as if it was your very own.
Zuzka - congratulations :) you deserve it. the new conference manager for the western europe and north american region.
Rob - congratulations :) the new country coach for @ in Thailand. Bangkok just became a fricking cool place.

bee should be at home, chillin with her lovely parents in dusseldorf right now. i hope she's smiling as she reads this :). hi bee. ill c u on thursday. good columbia be any luckier?


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
nicole bohl is in delhi. im afraid i might attack her considering she is going to be my very lifeline for everything 'swiss' on my return to the country. rest assured my friend - you will be my partner in nostalgia...

delhi is 7 degrees above the normal temperature. a random neighbour of mine just got married - supposedly she was much older then the average and hence the families were quite worried. good for her. ...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

for everyone I met in the last 5 days, old and new. these are the only words i pay tribute to. for you. for me. for the generations ahead of us.

intensity. imprint. life.

One step I make an imprint
Two steps it's a commitment
Three steps I'm not done yet
Draw my other leg up and the pace is set

Gotta believe in what's real
You gotta go with what you know
You can leave here with a good feeling
You let them know you told them so
Jesus Christ
And heaven's always been there

Gotta believe in what's real
You gotta go with what you know
One step I make an imprint
Two steps it's a commitment
Three steps I'm not done yet
Draw my other leg up and the pace is set
...............

-From the song 'imprint' by doubledrive.

Posted by chitgo at 5/08/2006 04:08:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

and it finally hit me today. all it took was a tele-con and MSN chat. as i showed the foreigners im working with around my beautiful city late this evening, Aida's comment "Dhruv giving a guided tour of Bern (and how strange that was) hit me like a ton of bricks.

really, its my last 16 days here. the days fly by like you could not even imagine.
and thats the funny thing you know...at times, I feel almost guilty for the overwhelming happiness I have for going home- because I never want to even dare undermine the last 8 months of my short 22 years of existence. I know it doesn't , but still, my conscious screams at me not to even whisper it...
Im going to miss it and yet now is now the time to dwell.

it is in parting that the stay, the vist - derive their purest meaning, its most resounding impact.

fiesch tomorrow:) once again.

Posted by chitgo at 5/03/2006 03:52:00 AM | Permalink | Comments   

george getting a double to make fun of himself infront of the entire American Public and Media?

Gujju rap which is literally rocking the nation! More importantly - its actually good and has some soul searching questions in it...kickass:)
P.S> Check out the video from 'blood brothers' (above link) - its brilliant.
(P.P.S. thanks neha for sending me this)

Posted by chitgo at 5/01/2006 05:04:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

From software services to auto parts and generic drugs, Indian companies are becoming increasingly confident in their ability to manage global enterprises. Led by a new breed of Indian executive, they are embarking on an overseas shopping spree, snapping up dozens of small and midsize companies around the world, and sounding the death knell of the protectionist Bombay Club.

So far this year, Indian companies have announced 47 overseas acquisitions valued at about $2.2 billion, putting them on track to surpass the record $3.7 billion in Indian foreign acquisitions in 2005, when 134 deals were announced. They hope to gain expertise, build brands and add scale to set themselves up not only for business abroad but also for increasing competition at home as India continues to liberalize its economy.

Many of those leading the charge overseas are educated at Western management schools, trained at multinationals, global in outlook and eager to take care of their shareholders. As Peter Wonacott and Henny Sender write, their approach marks a radical departure from tradition. For decades, an informal group of Indian industries, known as the Bombay Club, used its lobbying clout with the government to oppose any market-opening moves -- even as rival China was well along the path to a market economy.

Now, some of the same companies support proposals that would open India's economy wider -- such as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent call for his government to draw up a blueprint for a freely convertible currency, which could further fuel overseas acquisitions.

The only thing I care about for India in this coming decade is Education and Infrastructure. If we can get the ball rolling and get some killer FDI flow directed towards these 2 areas...it's going to mean sustainability in the long haul...
MMS has his work cut out for him...but what a job I say.

Posted by chitgo at 5/01/2006 01:58:00 PM | Permalink | Comments