Amitabh

I was introduced to him on a hot afternoon in '92 watching Khuda Gawah at Dadar's Plaza Cinema.  Even though Amitabh first started making family-friendly movies (Anand & Bombay to Goa), he really touched a nerve as the Angry Young Man - faced with poverty and crime often in a broken family (Deewar & Zanjeer).  From those heights, Khuda Gawah, was hardly his best moment.

India too was having a mid-life crisis in the late 80s and early 90s.  The inflation and emergency in the 70s had given way to stagnation.  Politics was marred with corruption and communalism.  The same Plaza Cinema was destroyed in a series of blasts within a few months of my outing.  India had opened up its economy just a year earlier and the IT boom was just getting started; both trends globalizing India quickly in the following years.

My mind plays his deep baritone voice when narrating the story of India.  No one contextualized the subsequent changes India went through as well as he did

• ABCL grew too fast too quickly; but still paid his debts his full. 
• As TV channels went from 2 to 200, he became the country's top TV host at KBC; but still deferred to the 'Computer-Ji'.  
• He was one of the first to associate with Gujarat government (led by a then pariah Modi). 
• He is the most prolific social media star; but tweets in Hindi more often than not.  
• He owned(?) the first mobile phone in the country but still played a rural postman.

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Amitabh carried India's conscious through these changes. 

So it was with much concern to learn that Amitabh, now 77, tested positive for Corona.  ~40 years after the nation prayed hard for him to recover, we are joining together again in sincerely wishing he fights COVID and recovers.  His successful recovery will buoy the morale of lakhs currently diagnosed with it.  His is the voice we need!!

Old lands; New Friends

I feel a tinge of sadness when realizing that I only have a handful of new 'friends' even after being in the US for 7 years. The recent #BLM movement as well as (overdue) discussion on diversity and inclusion has really driven the point home.
A big part of the reason was context and setup —

• I had numerous close friends in the NY - DC belt when I first moved to the US.  This was undoubtedly fortunate; and better to the alternative of not having friends by a mile.
• Even after Wharton, I moved to the Bay Area which is more diverse than the rest of the US but also granted me a zone of comfort.
• Having family in the Bay Area meant I inherited my brother's friends.  Again, a good thing.

However, I could have done more to get to know a more diverse group of people. 

Building friendships is a two way street of give & take; of lowering-your-defenses & being-open-to-changing-your-beliefs.  It requires you to intentionally leave your comfort zone and take risks, be vulnerable and be patient about the results. 
I had the best success when I was left with little choice ;-)
a. On a Wharton development venture trip sailing around Grenada; I bonded with my shipmates.  And even though I have hardly stayed in touch with them since, for a week I didn't have any pretense and built genuine relationships
b. Working at Fundbox, over the years I made friends with the team by being consistent, reliable and patient for months. 
Starting Prodigal has not really afforded that opportunity.  I am largely socially distant from the team long before the pandemic :) and its hard to lower your guard as a CEO. 
As H2 2020 begins, that will be my #1 goal for the remainder of the year. Here is what I will do

1. Each week ping one person who I have had good conversations in the past
2. Learn about what they have been upto; be curious about what is up in their lives; identify common ground
3. Schedule 5min calls. Folks are busy but see if you find a connection; if there is more to talk about or you can help each other!