I’ve joined the League

After nearly 15 years of having a mobile phone, finally I have joined the League of people whose mobile phone has been stolen!

It happened in Kolkata last Monday, and I admire the person’s guts. He stole it from right under my nose – the phone was kept by my side, along with my tie and glasses. And within less than a minute, the phone was switched off.

I immediately went to the nearest Vodafone Store and got a replacement SIM card. The executive assured me that it would be activated within 4 hours. We then went to the Nokia Store to block the phone using the IMEI number.

And here’s a lesson, folks. The IMEI number blocking is a sham!

The store owner himself said that it would be worthless blocking the phone, because the thief would walk up to the grey market and erase the IMEI number, making the phone usable all over again!

I said a prayer, got a temporary old handset, and life continued.

At night, I checked the phone. The SIM was not activated yet.

In the morning, I checked it again. Nope, no activation yet. I was with a colleague, so that made matters easy. At about 10, another colleague called up, saying that he tried calling me up, and the thief had picked up the call. He was using my number.

And that led us on a wild goose chase for about 45 minutes. We called the thief, who said that he would return the phone, but kept giving wayward directions, before I finally gave up and decided to go to the police. My worry was not so much about the phone, but about the possible numbers the thief may have called. Nowadays, you never can be sure...

We stopped over again at the Vodafone Store, where the same executive was about as helpful as a clerk in a Government Office. He had sent the e-mail to Mumbai, and that was the best he could do, etc.

So unlike Vodafone Mumbai!

After finishing my client meetings, at around lunch time, I called up Pallavi, our Vodafone Relationship Manager in Mumbai. In less than one hour, the old SIM was inactivated and my new SIM was on. Thanks, Pallavi!

We then went to Shakespeare Sarani Police Station, who said that while the place where the theft took place, though closer to their station, was in another jurisdiction. Upon hearing that I was a visitor to their city, they went out of their way to be helpful, coming along with me to the crime scene, and then escorting me to the Beniapukur Police Station, under whose jurisdiction the theft took place, in their vehicle. The Sub-Inspector at this Police Station was even more helpful, as well as extremely apologetic about a visitor having to face this problem in his city. He helped us in writing the proper report, and got it logged in very quickly.

Thank you, Mr. Vaibhav Shroff of Shakespeare Sarani Police Station and Mr. Nazrul Islam of Beniapukur Police Station!

Anyway, now I am still using the temporary old handset. Still undecided on which handset to buy!

What next?

Just read in today’s daily that the Mumbai Police have booked a woman who blew the lid off her husband’s misdeeds. The reason given – she did not go the police earlier, therefore, she must be abetting him.

Wondering what will they do next? Will they book a citizen who reports a crime in his neighbourhood for not calling them while the crime was being conducted? They could make him an accomplice in the crime because he let the criminals get away before calling them.

And it happened on the same day that they removed Borude from his job!

To use a tennis terminology – Mumbai Police has scored a winner and hit an unforced error!

Let’s give of what we can

One year to possibly the most horrendous attack on Mumbai! I wanted to do something, and also get people involved.

Not the usual candle light marches or the concerts etc., where people would come, join, leave and forget about it.

I wanted something more meaningful...where people would give something that would make them more involved, and hopefully therefore it would be a proper commemoration of the events of 26/11 and the people who gave their lives.

Hence, with the support of my organisation and a few like-minded people and organisations who are giving their time and space, we’re organising a blood donation drive in Mumbai. Comprising lots of blood donation camps across railway stations and malls, we intend to have this drive from Nov 26 for around a fortnight.

Coincidentally, while this drive was being organised, I read last week that Mumbai’s blood banks are nearly running dry, to the extent that surgeries are being postponed. And I thought – what an apt time to do this.

By the way, did you know that donation by one person does not mean that this blood will be given to only one person? One person’s donation will actually save maybe three or four lives – as the blood donated by us is separated into parts - usually red blood cells and plasma, since most recipients need only a part and not all the blood.

Hopefully, Mumbai will show its spirit once again, and we’ll be able to collect a lot of blood.

Keeping my fingers crossed. Will keep updating you with more details. And I hope some of you will also contribute by walking up to the nearest railway station or mall and help save some lives.

My first blog - with thanks

Hi there everyone!

After weeks of deliberating, here's my first blog. Just an introduction about myself and what my blogs are going to be all about -

I'm pretty bad at introducing myself, but still, here goes.

Mubin Khan, 41 years old, stay in Navi Mumbai, work in Mumbai in Media Sales. Also have worked as a media planner and media buyer, and dabbled in research. Like my field of work (media), like cricket (most Indians do - yawn!), passionate about Islam and about religions (have studied comparative religions - Hinduism and Christianity). Get hugely irritated about a lot of things that one sees on the streets daily - and you'll soon know what I mean by this.

Enough of I, me, myself. Here's what my blogs are going to be about-

I'm going to write about topics that concern me - and make me the person I am. Also, about things that bug me, and things that hopefully I can do something about - change for the better, hopefully. These would mainly cover my country, city, religion, work and passions. So there you are - my blogs would cover India, Mumbai/Navi Mumbai, Islam, Media (planning, buying, selling and research) and training and coaching.

It is an accepted fact that people generally like to inaugurate any new venture at the hands of some VIP or the other; whether a film star or a politician. And then there are all the "Thank You" speeches. So why should I be different? Let me also inaugurate this blog with none other than the Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra. And here's my "Thank You" speech...

Thank You, Mr. CM, for giving us a dream - a dream of the city of the 21st century! And thanks for giving us such amazing reasons in the last century to convince me to move here - lock, stock and two smoking barrels!

Thanks, Mr. CM - for giving us this amazing city, where there is no electricity for 3 hours daily. Thanks for preparing our children for the harsh world that awaits them.

Thanks Sir, for giving us training for the Moto GP through the dug up roads. The road between Sectors 5 and 6, Koparkhairane is dug for the past 2 months, ostensibly to put in a new water pipeline. I'm not exaggerating - 2 tankers have nearly overturned, 1 truck had its load thrown off, a lady broke her leg, and the road is not repaired yet! Hutments have sprung up, local goons have already broken the pipeline and started stealing water - and all this within 300 meters from the Ward Office, and the Ward Officers do not know!

Thank You for the video parlour and liquor store within 20 meters from a school (I thought there was some law about it somewhere?). Makes life so easy for all of us, na!

And we are seeing this daily and grinning and bearing it! Thank You, Mr. CM, for teaching us patience!

Thank You Sir, for the unruly auto rickshaw drivers who stop as they wish, using 3/4th of the road (no jokes!!!) leaving less than a lane for traffic at Teen Tanki, right outside the police chowky, while there is not a single policeman to be seen!

Thank You Sir, for the 90 minute drive from office weaving through trucks and tourist buses who make it a point to use 2 lanes on the right side at Vashi Bridge, while there is a police van standing right at the start of the bridge.

And lastly, Thank You Sir, for charging me Rs.30 everytime I have to go into Mumbai and Rs.30 everytime I return home (which is daily), just for the privilege of staying in this wonderful city of the 21st century.

(Disclaimer: This is not a personal note to the present CM. He was not even in politics when I was swayed to move to this city. And also, despite all the above, Navi Mumbai is a lovely place to be in - just get used to sharing your living space with stray dogs and mosquitoes - that's all!)