Back in Action!

Well it's been quite sometime since I've had a few hours to sit down and spend sometime on the blog, but...I've missed doing it and have lots to share so here goes!

In the last 6 - 7 months the PDC has gone from a 7 day / week, 3 shifts / day operations scrambling to learn the business and meet our customers need, to where we are at today, a young business much closer to our customers and stakeholders as well as being able to much better meet the needs of the customer.

With this the team has had the ability to chill a little bit and enjoy a little downtime. Most nights at IPDC it's just me, Pathi and the remaining stragglers of CGL resources left, rather than a bustling office til 9,10,11 p.m. as had been the scene over the last several months.  Just Pathi, me, Chandeep and the IPDC "night owl"

It's been a really grueling, but rewarding experience and to celebrate the teams success we hosted the 2012 NRPI Family Day in Phaltan last Saturday. We had nearly 1000 employees, spouses and parents at the event and it was a very special evening. Seeing all our young DMC students so proud to be part of Cummins and how comfortable their parents were with their children working for us nearly brought tears to my eyes (I'm getting old). 


Here are some of our DMC students, who performed dances featuring all the different regional styles of India, getting into costume....
 

And now the performances!

And it wasn't just our DMC students who performed, the management team did as well and I even gave a small speech in Hindi!

I just hope Samarjit puts the same "pizzazz" into reducing our supplier past dues with our SMG team as he did with his performance....

It's too bad most of our CGL visiting resources where gone by the time we had this chance to celebrate.  While they are gone, they are not forgotten....

Prantik on his last day:

Sriram the morning of our first DBU inventory review, full of optimism (note the rainbow):

Sriram MOMENTS before the DBU inventory review starting to tense up and changed into his inventory reduction uniform:

Immediately after the review :-(

Here's Praveen the EXACT moment he found out that his stay in Phaltan was being extended:

Asides from CGL visitors we've also had several new friends at the PDC lately as well:

And a super creepy and sandal resistant "visitor" at my bungalow as well:

l

In the next 16 months all these visitors will have a more comfortable place to call home after the office: we broke ground for a new 3 STAR HOTEL in Phaltan!!!!!!  Amazing how exciting the prospect of a 3 star hotel makes me so excited, but with the current selection, beggars can't be choosers....

The pooja for the ground breaking:

My festive post-pooja look at the office:

At the end of June I turned 30.  I would have never guessed that I'd be turning 30 in a small village in rural India, but that's where I was placed this year.  Fortunately I was surrounded by great friends and Reetika cooked an enormous feast of grilled cheese, bacon and Moet so it was certainly a memorable experience.  

Here I am celebrating with Sriram's birthday gift he brought, Macallan 18:

And our feast:

Last, but not least, after 2 years of being out here in Asia I'm coming back to the US for a visit!  Mid-August I will leave for Cincinnati and I'm so excited.  I can't wait to see all the flying cars and teleporting that I'm sure is there in the US now.  As you can see I haven't lost my love for the Reds and generally rock my Reds cap on the weekends here.  Not sure how well I'll be able to follow "America's Pastime" since I'm now an official cricket follower, but I'm sure willing to figure it out again!