INDIA: A Real Jewel in the Crown!

INDIA on the Occasion of its 66 years of Independence from British Rule & Going Strong!

INDIA: Well known to the British Raj as ‘THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN’ & so it was.

Great Britain had many colonies around the world; however, among all the colonies it ruled, no other Colony embraced its Language: ENGLISH so whole-heartedly and put it to great use to accomplish and achieve as great heights as INDIANS have done. INDIA’s immense ongoing success is in no small measure due to its embracing of education in the English Language.

INDIA truly is a land of Astronomy, Spirituality, Mathematics, Philosophies and Great Men of Letters & Great Accommodating Spirit, since times immemorial.

Cutting down to more recent yester year & contemporary times as a tribute to the Great Nation of India let me list a few Great Men & Women of India who used the English Language very well and astounded the Western World towards Accomplishments in their endeavors and callings:

1. Swami Vivekananda http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swami_Vivekananda
2. Rabindranath Tagore http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabindranath_Tagore
3. Mahatma Gandhi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi
4. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehru
5. Dr. V K Krishnamenon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V._K._Krishna_Menon
6. Dr. S Radhakrishnan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarvepalli_Radhakrishnan
7. Maulana Azad http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abul_Kalam_Azad
8. Pandita Rama Bai http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandita_Ramabai
9. Dr. Vijay Lakshmi Pandithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijaya_Lakshmi_Pandit
10. Dr. Abdul Kalam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._P._J._Abdul_Kalam
11. Atal Behari Vajpayee http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atal_Bihari_Vajpayee
12. P.V. Narasimha Rao http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._V._Narasimha_Rao
13. Jidu Krishnamurthy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiddu_Krishnamurti
14. Verghese Kurien http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verghese_Kurien
15. Dr. Sashi Tharoor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shashi_Tharoor
16. Prof. Amartya Sen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amartya_Sen

The above is a sampling of a list of Men of Letters, Courage, Conviction and Visionaries from India (past & contemporary) apart from many distinguishing others too.

MEN OF LETTERS, is who should make up the Parliament of India. It’s the Vision & contributions of such & many other men & women of letters that have led India thus far. It also speaks of the Strength & Continuous Might of India.

Can we find as many in today’s Polity….is a poignant and rhetorical question I ask today, as I continue to celebrate INDIA in my own way too. I LOVE & am Passionate about INDIA. Jai Hind!

(note: the above are all men & women i.e. mortals with flaws just like us as is known to mankind. However what distinguishes them is their Vision, Mission, Passion and Commitment to The Great Nation of INDIA AND it Indeed Reflected in their Thought, Word & Actions….Jai Hind!)

Aaare Bhai, its me! These days "A Now & Then blogger"

OH BOY!  Today I am in one heck of a writing mood!  Wanting to write is at times almost like a drunken stupor for me (mind you, I am not an Alcoholic, though).  Writing is meant to be an unrestrained pursuit, even much to the chagrin of my dear wife, who stoically amidst protests, amusingly puts up with me. (I love her Very Much).

I believe if you do not pen it down, the flow never returns for those specific thoughts racing through the forefront on your mind, right then!

One of my dear friends queried with me recently, genuinely: “why do you have to write so much and tell the world?”, "don’t you have better things to do? & that too on fb???, who reads what you have to say any way on dumb fb?  Why don’t you blog on LinkedIn or a blog site instead????’….I smiled and determined to stay quiet & give my answer through this note on 'dumb fb'.

FRIENDS, Yes, I do blog and do put stuff on LinkedIn & Twitter too now and then.  But it’s the thrill of an instant quip from someone over fb (+ve or –ve) that ekes out mirth in me and keeps me Young Hearted.

I have discovered that for myself, unlike many who hold disparaging views about posting on fb, I do not subscribe to that. Do I have tons to do, other than fb, sure YES, but for the Joy of remaining Young Hearted….well never let that Spirit Go!

To me its Writing among other pursuits, to someone else its music, to yet another, its Golf or Cooking…..I say go for it! Never kill Passion!

Would I dare to do stuff like this back in time when I was with E&Y or PwC or other Multinationals, SURELY NOT!  I would see the reflections of doing so on a Performance Appraisal to follow!

THIS privilege of living life ‘foot loose and fancy free’ is the exclusive preserve of An Entrepreneur or one who is in His/Her own business.  A Business Man get to move schedules around to let the creative juices flow until they ebb…just kidding…..have a Joyous Day folks, whichever Hemisphere you are in!

REMEMBER: NEVER KILL PASSION for doing stuff! It sustains you and is your identity, above all KEEPS YOU TICKING! Adios, Au Revoir, Namaste, Cheers!!!

My hopes dashed! An Episode in my life today about 'Murgh Musallam'!

I had an interesting experience at an Indian Restaurant in the Bay Area today.  Permit me to describe it.  I saw "Murgh Musallam" on the menu & my mind went back to Daryaganj, Delhi & a wonderful restaurant called Moti Mahal (which now is a franchise and all over Delhi and elsewhere too, check out the web link I have included in this blog later below). A place often frequented during my Delhi days.  So when I read that on the menu at Paradise Biryani Pointe, I got all super charged & excited....slurp, slurp with rivulets breaking all over my tongue imagining I am going to get to eat that dish after so many decades….Reminiscence is a wonderful thing, until hopes get dashed L!

Well the dish arrived & I kept staring at it!

The prominent egg was missing, no sign of raisins or cashew or the rich chicken gravy & the unique smell & the presence of a Shahi Dish!  Where was all that at what was set before me??? I wondered & blinked!  Not once, but twice & thrice!

Instead I am greeted by what looks like an ordinary South Indian chicken curry with fried Curry Leaves & all the other usual trappings of the ubiquitous South Indian Chicken Curry.

I call the Waiter and ask him, where is the Murgh Musallam & he points at the chicken curry I described and says “here sir”.  I say “No, this is not Murgh Musallam”.

He says, “Yes, sir, this is it.  See sir, Murg means Chicken and Musallam is Curry" and gives me a broad smile and a grin and looks on for my approval.  By now you can imagine my predicament!

Also, the choicest cuss words and pet negative words came to my mind in Hindi & in Urdu....but I bit my tongue hard and did not want to embarrass myself in front of my wife & kid and all the other guests.  So I grinned back at him too!  Its funny how the human mind works.  I never thought I could remember so many Hindi/Urdu choice words for this guy as I did.  Stuff I had forgotten eons back....tells you what a different personality I was once upon a time....:-)

From a High Point of Imagination and taste buds all ready to bite into a chunk of Murgh Musallam, belied I thought to myself…..what kind of a Joke is this?

Well in the Bay Area, eating at an Indian Restaurant can be a surprising and amusing experience too!

What else can I say J Good Night Folks!  Enjoy the humor of this Musallam Blog!

If you ever get to visit Delhi and you are a foody, then the Pilgrimage to Moti Mahal in Daryaganj is worth it!  http://motimahal.in/about/our-story/

                                                                                                                                    

BTW, some of our Bay Area Andhra Cousins are rating Paradise Biryani Pointe a 5, they are doing it for sentimental reasons.  Realistically this place is a 2 in my view.  If for nothing else, lack of Authenticity & the cheek to include many great North Indian dishes on their menu and to bely expectations, of people who visit the place with discernment!  Will I voluntarily visit Paradise Biryani Pointe, Bay Area again?  NO!

President Asif Ali Zardari: A revamped view on the man....possible???

India and Pakistan have been officially engaged in four wars and several diplomatic initiatives at peaceful co-existence since acrimony ever broke out between the two neighbors.

Every General in power or People's government from Pakistan has made overtures towards India and India has played along with suspicions intact and done its fair share of Tap Dances with each of those Pak leaders over time and come away bruised and disenchanted time and again.

Lasting peace is dreamed of by both sides ad-infinitum and that cherished dream is an expansionist ambition with subtle & strong under currents and Sabre rattling now and then & in the present too as this blog expresses itself.

That will always remain as long as Azad Kashmir and other bones of contention remain unresolved.

Well...time to take an inventory & focus on some positives:

1. Culturally the two nations have great interests in each other. What with many a former Bolly wood actor or actress of India having Pakistani Roots & vice versa a Begum Akthar or Suriya melody and classical queens of yesteryears gone by from Pak. Who can ever forget Late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and his tremendous vocals. All endearing indeed!

2. Many Prominent North Indian Politicians were also born in Undivided India, now part of Pakistan.

3. The Pakistani Cuisine.....aha....that's a delectable topic....and lip smacking and mouth watering indeed for me, at all times.

When ever I imagine Pakistani Cuisine I can feel the great Pakistani Rivers: Ravi, Beas, Sutlej and Jhelum rivulets & tributaries breaking out on my tongue.

AND then there is ….

4. Cricket & who can forget those turf wars and passions running wild!

5. Urdu poetry is another favorite topic of mine.

6. The people of both nations especially the non heretic people i.e. the educated and culturally elite of Pakistan are a treat to hear and talk to. No denying that.

I am sure by now every one reading & who ever is deeply interested in the subcontinent is wondering what is Koshy up to via this blog and what is new?

Well...so here I go....

I think a new chapter indeed has been opened with a New Lady Foreign Minister: Hina Rabbani Khar being sworn in & appointed by President Asif Ali Zardari, via his shadow PM. I may be quick to state this but let me hazard it any way, its perhaps so far a masterful Pièce de résistance diplomatic initiative by the Pak President himself for his beloved nation.

He by back ground is an entrepreneur, albeit of a shady kind as has been amply demonstrated by his overtures now and then and his acquired nick names from the past with added %age points and upward trajectory.

In-fact it baffles me that he has stayed on in power so far, despite many a rumblings all around him. The “Gods” do favor him.

He may be the current reigning slick willy of the Indian Subcontinent among its politicians in the midst of several political land mines.

There-in is my appreciation for his new masterful attempt at co-existence democracy with India & to broker peace with the World.

In-fact I should like to think he borrowed many leaves from Shashi Tharoor (former UN Diplomat and Indian Politician from my State of Kerala) in that he has put into practice: “Soft Power” as Shashi often talks off & believes in about India. Well Pak cannot match India in many vistas of its developments when ever they look across the border at India. However ….hey there is no caveat on borrowing a good idea for Diplomacy to work! So this Entrepreneur President works out this charming inoculation and hey presto the world gets to see Hina Rabbani Khar!

India with its Suave & seasoned S M Krishna, its very brilliant, tactical new US Ambassador and former Indian Foreign Secretary: Her Excellency Nirupama Rao & in the Era of Hillary Clinton world wide, You Mr. President do see a perfect crucible and an opportunity to roll the dice and viola what do we have: Hina Rabbani Khar!!!

Great move President Zardari. You have managed to stitch up an amalgam & left every one gaping and wondering: “Yes Pakistan indeed wants to soften its rough, sullied and battered image..... although baby steps, its a bold commendable initiative, given the fact that much water has flowed under the bridge in the neighborhood and internationally too.

I applaud your diplomatic initiative for friendly co-existence with ever friendly neighbor: Hindustan/Bharat/India and also a brave attempt to create a positive impact about Pak with an untried rookie as yet @ Diplomacy. So far you have pulled off a Soft Power coup d'état of sorts....

Genuine Best wishes, Salaam and Aadab!

These wishes come your way from a sincere genuine well-wisher of friendly neighboring ties with India and also to see the best for Pak....better days & years ahead.....Jai Hind, Congrats & Bravo! You do deserve the Kudos!

I should like to think even Quaid-e-Azam is lauding your most recent initiative from some where up above!

XXX-XXX

Will Pak just remain a nation as the best place from where the best lip smacking Tandoori & Kababs are made...or???

I Believe, much water has flowed under the bridge since 09/11.  There are only three ways in which the Pakistan Nation can redeem itself from the abyss it has fallen into:

1. Hand over Ayman Zawahiri and Mullah Omar to the US |

2. Hand over the 26/11 perpetrators to the Indian Army |

3. Publicly renounce covert/overt support of "Jammat-Ud-this and Jaish-e-that" etc.

All three to be done ASAP, Sans Recourse & Period! and so says this freedom loving individual in this blog, along with countless others!

Do it Gen Ashfaq Kayani and no more sabre rattling. Your nation's millions of  innocents demand it of you, as does the world.

Please do your bit to make the world a better place.  It will undo plenty of perpetrated evils over decades and time by Pak. You will indeed go down in history as a Great Military General if you along with some others of your group cease clandestine and cloak and dagger stuff AND come clean on all this!.  Jai Hind! Bravo!

As I write this blog, I nurture a positive hope that Pakistan will transform itself to be a part of the Free World and part of the Comity Of Nations and not sink even further into a deeper abyss as a "Rouge Nation".  Miracles do happen.  I pray a miracle indeed will happen for the Long Suffering nation of Pakistan.

Finally, I have tasted a variety of Kabobs and Tandoori chicken & other such cuisine from many South Asian Restaurants, in many parts of the world.  BUT the absolute best ones are those that are made by a Pakistani Chef or Pakistani cook, hands down and kudos for their culinary skills!  They have warmed us to their great food.  They can transform themselves into a Freedom Loving Nation too!  

Inshallah, Jai Hind, God Bless Pakistan, God Bless America and God Bless This Troubled World!

A Special Salute & Tribute to all the Social Networking Sites: LinkedIn |Twitter |facebook....to name a few.

I believe and Proscribe as a Practising CPA, that Every Practising US Based CPA should whole heartedly embrace Powerful Contemporary IT, The Cloud and every other available tool to harness and provide the most optimum Professional Services that he or she can offer, for the benefit of their respective clients.

Your Practice is not just limited to the 25 mile radius your office is situated in!
Your Practice is out there on WWW.  Get innovative and Go Get It!

Linked In | Twitter | face book | Blogging | Put these to good use and you will find clients reaching out to you from far flung places of the world to pay Uncle Sam their due respect.

Your client wants to know who you are behind all the legal mania.  Paradigms have changed.  Don't live in the past & in remorse.  Re-tool and Adapt.  That's the name of the game.  Not just in the CPA profession, but I BELIEVE....it absolutely extends to every other business too.

I share my thoughts in the interest of World Commerce.  We need more on the Band Wagon!

Yet there are many who still think these Social Networking Sites are a waste of time and a time pass....excuse me Global Fortune 1000s' don't think so!  What makes you toe a different line.....the gap is widening, even as I type these thoughts.....its a new world order, rising up from the ashes of upheavals.   I say a prayer for Japan and its Great People, as I know that great Nation along with good will from all around the world, will begin to look up yet again!

Thanks for taking time to read the expressed thoughts above....

best,

Koshy P.George, CISA, CPA
Certified Public Accountant

Should you visit with a Practicing CPA or Chartered Accountant & seek his or her counsel/guidance???

Dear Friend,

I thank you for stopping by and taking time to read this blog.  It has been written to create interest and wide awareness about the Noble Profession of CPAs' here in the US.

As a Practitioner CPA, I am inspired to put up this blog on this topic and more so ever since being in my own practice for close to two years, here in the United States of America.

Let me begin by answering my own rhetorical question in the title by saying an unequivocal: YES!

If you are in the market to entrust the care of your Tax, Accounting, Payroll, Business Advisory Matters & Audits, then consider doing so with a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Here are a few pertinent profound reasonings for my above open statement and I encourage you to read on:

The vast repository & intricacies of ever changing Tax Laws & Accounting Policy and matters (combined) are best assimilated, understood & handled by a CPA, than any other person or professional out there!

I say this not just because I happen to be a Practitioner CPA. Its a time tested fact over the decades: be it in the life of an Individual in pursuit of economic life or Business or Non Business Entity, Governments & Economies world wide!

Ask any world leader or President or CEO of a Company or Non Profit Org: Small, Medium or Large and they will agree without battling an eyelid.

I also hasten to add that in every Profession there are unscrupulous elements & bad apples. That is a fact of life too!

Then again, I also wish to add that it has shocked me to find a certain degree of ignorance about the CPA profession in the US among many educated & ordinary people. Many such folks suppose that any one who does their taxes or accounting is a 'cpa'...If some one is designated as a 'financial analyst' in a company, then that person is a cpa??? How bizzare and what a poignant lack of awareness this is, here in the US??? Hence many a 'wannabe' and 'so called accountants and charlatans' set up shop in respectable places and are delighted to thrive off the public's ignorance and 'taking for granted cpa status'???  Again another fact of life!

The US being a vast Free Country with the absolute reality of pretenders to get away due to prevailing rampant public ignorance, presumptions and presuppositions, in as much as there is no cognizable offence involved and no locus standi or legal means of reigning in such pretenders and all this to the detriment of the Scoiety-at-large that vicariously suffers. Such parasites thrive off your lack of awareness and ignorance about quality Professional Services.

But if you are a reader of this blog and have been a victim of such smoke screens and continue in ignorance then, perhaps you forget that there are potential risks to you: The Individual or Small Business in entrusting your personal, business and confidential information to 'charlatans and wannabees' in the guise of being 'supposed cpas'.

The above described scenarios should not deter you from wanting to genuinely seek the counsel of a Licensed CPA in any of the 50 States of our Great Nation. That is a crux point I wish to educate and emphasize via this blog.

Truly the onus is on you to seek out a Licensed Professional in any discipline for your professional services!

The Profession of CPAs' is a prestigious and distinguished group of responsible Professionals proud to be in Public Service as Accountants! They have acquired their licenses going through a tough rigour, curriculum and practical training as well as a Code of Conduct and Pursuit of Ethical Practices and can be held accountable for wrong actions/conduct by a State Board Of Accountants.

Check out www.aicpa.org for more info.

SO, do yourself a favor: genuinely and sincerely seek out and come and see a CPA this upcoming Tax and Accounting Season. You are doing yourself a good turn by doing so!

A true CPA is a responsible friend to his/her client.

I believe in what I am saying and many of my clients across the spectrum & the Nation: Individuals, LLCs', C-Corps, S-Corps & NPOs' do too!

In My Practice I service clients across the United States and the reason I experience interests in my CPA Practice is primarily due to my own client referrals based off what they have come to experience and expect of me as a Professional.

In the light of the above mentioned living truths, I encourage you to see a CPA for any of the needs sighted above.

BTW it need not be me. Our nation is full of brimming, bright and talented CPAs' practicing in many different areas of the Financial and Tax Spectrum.

However, If you are interested in having me on board as your CPA, then I am most delighted to step in and serve in that capacity and answer that call!

For more details please feel very welcome to check out my web site and connect with me, at will!

With warm regards,

Your friendly local & global CPA & CA

('cause I believe 'The World is Flat'....courtesy www)

Koshy P.George, CPA

www.kpgcpa.net      email: koshy@kpgcpa.net

BTW: for the benefit of those who may not be aware, A CPA 'Certified Public Accountant' in the US is the equivalent of a CA 'Chartered Accountant' in many parts of the rest of the world including Canada, UK, India and other nations.

I am both: A licensed CPA  and a CA.