Diwali with Some Unexpected Guests…

First of all Happy Diwali to the readers…. Hope you are enjoying this beautiful festival of lights…
This time we had a bunch of unexpected guests at our home for the Lakshmi Pujan. Here are their photographs…

I know our houses are always frequented by the mosquitoes; Yet I was surprised, due to their extended meeting time. Usually, it’s difficult to have them at a single spot for more than a few seconds, but this time almost 30 of them patiently seated on a wall for more than three hours… I wonder if they were enjoying their diwali get-together or were kind of hibernating to protect themselves from the smoke/noise of crackers…

Putting Chance to Work….

“Statistics and Truth – Putting Chance to work ” , a book which is on my “To be read ” list since long. Today is the day when world honours this chance for the work it has done for the betterment of the human race. Probably, the most widely discussed example of this leads us to Prof. Paul Meier, who died just two months ago. His randomization of trials was really a breakthrough in the way the treatments worked and has changed the lives of many terminally ill patients.

This science of uncertainty has conquered almost all the areas of our lives – from the proverbial rocket science to the daily chatter of a layman which involves many guesstimates. A look at the Google NGram shows how the usage of the word Statistics increased over the years… That’s mainly because of the vast amount of data we are continuously being bombarded with. In today’s age of information explosion, we have become more and more thirsty for the knowledge. This is because,

Knowledge is what we know
Also, what we know we do not know.
We discover what we do not know
Essentially by what we know.
Thus knowledge expands.
With more knowledge we come to know
More of what we do not know.
Thus knowledge expands endlessly. 

Moreover what we know is simply the data is not a knowledge. In fact ,

Uncertain knowledge + Knowledge of the amount of uncertainty in it = Usable knowledge 

That’s why the world has now started realizing the importance of this science of uncertainty. This tool, which once had a dubious distinction of giving fallacious conclusions is now an integral part of each and every field, as people have started believing in C R Rao’s words,

All knowledge is, in final analysis, history.
All sciences are, in the abstract, mathematics.
All judgments are, in their rationale, statistics. 

and without the judgments , we cannot move an inch further. Someone wisely anticipated this inevitable and ever growing need of Statistics and UN started celebration the 20th day of October as the World Statistics Day since 2010.

So, in the end my hearty wishes to the Statisticians, on the eve of 2nd World Statistics day. In fact all of us are statisticians as we are always trying to choose an optimal life-path by predicting the future outcomes on the basis of the past data, keeping in mind the constrains that we have. Still for the so-called nonstatisticians, what better day to start for the growth of the statistical component of your brain, so that the numbers can help us become efficient citizens because, as H G Wells has said,

“Statistical thinking will one day be as necessary for efficient citizenship as the ability to read and write”.

कोजागरीचा पाऊस

वाटलंही नव्हतं की एकाच पावसाळ्यात दोनदोनदा पावसावर post लिहावी लागेल म्हणून. पावसाच्या स्वागताला त्याच्या आठवणींची post लिहिली आणि आता आजच्या आठवणीची त्या पर्जन्यस्मृतीकोशात भर पडणार असं दिसतंय … आजकाल पावसाला माणसाशी मैत्री फारच आवडायला लागलीये असं दिसतंय …. मागच्या वर्षीही त्याचा पाय निघता निघत नव्हता… अगदी दिवाळीत फराळालाही तो आपल्यासोबत होताच … यंदाही एप्रिलमध्येच सुरु होऊनसुद्धा अजूनही तो रेंगाळतोय …

ऑक्टोबर महिना सुरु झालाय हे खरं गेल्या २ - ३ दिवसात चांगलंच जाणवायला लागलं होतं. ऑक्टोबर heat च्या प्रभावामुळे विद्यापीठातल्या रात्रीसुद्धा बोचऱ्या थंडीऐवजी घामेजलेल्या व्हायला लागलेल्या . आजचीही दुपार काही वेगळी नव्हती . वर्तमानपत्रात मात्र मॉन्सून परतला तरी आणखी २ - ३ दिवस पाऊस पडणार असं वेधशाळावाल्यांचं भाकीत आलेलं… पण अर्थात हवामान अंदाजात पाऊस पडणार असं सांगितलं की खुशाल छत्र्या / रेनकोट घरी ठेवायचे असं मानणारे आपण भारतीय . त्यामुळे पाऊस बिऊस येईल असं काही कुणाच्या गावीही नव्हतं …पण साऱ्यांना तोंडघशी पाडणार नाही तो पाऊस कसला …. गेल्या तीन वर्षात पुणेरी माणसांपेक्षाही पुणेरी पावसाचा विचित्र स्वभाव जास्त अनुभवायला मिळालाय . बहुदा शिवाजीमहाराजांच्या संगतीत त्यानं गनिमीकावा शिकलेला असावा . त्यामुळंच शत्रूला गाफील ठेवून मोक्याच्या क्षणी त्याच्यावर आक्रमण करून त्याला खिंडीत कसं गाठायचं हे त्याला पक्कं ठाऊक झालंय…

संध्याकाळी ४ ते ५ तर तो मनसोक्त बरसलाच , पण त्यानं पोट भरलं नाही म्हणून की काय … त्याची ७ च्या सुमारास सुरु झालेली 2nd inning अजूनही सुरूच आहे . आणि शिवाय त्याला साथ विजेची . खरं तर दोन्ही विजांची … मानवनिर्मित वीज जणू आपला पाठिंबा देण्यासाठी संपावर गेलीये तर त्याची सखी वीज त्याच्या इतक्याच जोरात प्रकट होऊन त्याला इमाने - इतबारे साथ देतीये . मेणबत्तीही आता संपत आलीये …. वीज चमकल्यानं क्षण्भरापुरती उजळून निघणारी झाडं , पाठोपाठ बहिरं करून सोडणारा ढगांचा गडगडाट , पावसाचा आणि वाऱ्याचा प्रचंड आवाज , हे सगळं अंधाऱ्या खोलीच्या खिडकीतून एकट्यानं अनुभवताना अगदी चित्रपटात किंवा कादंबरीत प्रवेश केल्यासारखं वाटतंय ….

आत्ताच आईच्या फोनमुळे मला असं कळलंय , की आज कोजागरी आहे . इतकावेळ ते मला माहीतही नव्हतं . चंद्र दिसला असता तर कदाचित आठवण झाली असती …. पण नभ मेघांनी आक्रमिल्यामुळे, शरदाच्या पिठूर चांदण्याऐवजी laptop च्याच प्रकाशात समाधान मानतीये. अनेकांच्या दुधाच्या आनंदावर विरजण घालायचं ठरवलेलं दिसतंय या पावसानं . hostel पासून चालायच्या अंतरात कुठंच आटवलेलं दूध न मिळाल्यानं रात्री बारा वाजता icecream खाऊन कोजागरी साजरी केल्याची आठवण आत्ताच एका मित्रानं फोनवर सांगितली , पण आज तर सगळ्याच नियोजित / उत्स्फूर्त कार्यक्रमांवर पावसाचं पाणी फिरणार असं वाटतंय … किंवा कदाचित यंदा त्यालाही लक्ष्मीला भेटायची इच्छा झाली असावी … म्हणून मग आज रात्री १२ पर्यंत कार्यरत राहून ‘को जागर्ति ?’ ला उत्तर द्यायचं ठरवलं असावं त्यानं …विजयादशमीला कुबेरानं रघुराजाच्या राज्यात पाडलेला सुवर्णमुद्रांचा पाऊस किंवा आजकाल माणसांच्या तोंडी असणारा पैशांचा पाऊस ह्या काय भानगडी आहेत ते बहुतेक लक्ष्मीकडून जाणून घ्यायचं असावं त्याला ….

Moment

Last week was a pretty hectic one. It all started last Friday. As I was working over a recently started problem, something struck my mind. There was a thing I could use to solve my long standing problem which I was about to wind up as it hadn’t moved an inch further in the last seven-eight months. This was a problem which we encountered in September 2010. We struggled over it for nearly three months but to no avail. We could neither prove nor disprove the result we were interested in. Finally, in December we decided to put it off indefinitely. But somewhere at the back of our mind, we had a feeling that the result must be true. So, I continued to have a look at it in-between. We were almost convinced that no existing techniques could solve this problem. So, I tried to develop something new to cater to this situation. But of course, it’s not a child’s play and that’s why I couldn’t progress much in that direction, though I used to work over it at least twice a week.

And then, last Friday the thought came that I could mould the things to fit in the existing setup. And on Sunday, the eureka moment came. I was thrilled to see the solution. Things fitted in so nicely as if it was just a jigsaw puzzle, made to give you a correct picture once you get a trick to fix it. I was experiencing something which Erdos would call a proof from THE BOOK; more elegant than we could have ever imagined. Over the next few days, the process of refining the arguments continued, to make the things more rigorous. And now, we have an almost surely correct proof for the almost sure convergence we were looking for.

That was a moment, when I could experience the joy of creation. Artistically, I have never been much creative nor do I have much of an aesthetic sense. But I used to enjoy making things when the directions were given. That’s why I think I love Mathematical things…. you can create something new even when you are restricted by the existing rules and regulations . Here’s the latest instance of my effort of creating something - the 3D model car made from the fevicol box (which contained the guidelines) with the measly accessories. (Blue and black pens to substitute for the colours. What else a doctoral student in Statistics can have, especially while staying in a hostel ? )

But now, I think I need to form a new set of rules for myself. I couldn’t resist the temptation of completing this car, when I saw the picture and wasted more than an hour in it. Right now also I am writing this post when I should have been working on the three assignments that I am expected to submit this week apart from my regular research work. Enough of the celebration for the newly discovered result; off to work now….

The Last Lecture

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand”.

 – Randy Pausch 

We cannot decide the length of our life, but surely, the height that we attain. This is exactly what Randy Pausch does and inspires us to do. For unacquainted, Randy Pausch was a professor in Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon. Born in a typical middle class family, this person went on to create an Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon, and later on became well-known for his legendary last lecture, which is available for future generations in the form of a video and a book.

Born with the winning ticket, as far as parents were concerned, he was lucky enough to live out his childhood dreams. Surely, he would love to cherish the dreams of his children and empower them to realize them, but for a terminal pancreatic cancer, which attacked him almost in the middle of his life. Then started the earnest attempts of a father, to give his children the fullest. The Last Lecture is also a part of this endeavor.

Most of the book is autobiographical, involving the incidents from his childhood to this last lecture, peppered with words of wisdom. But what I loved most is, this is not a traditional self-help stuff. This is a book which gives you insight into your life. Here is somebody with flesh and blood, giving down-to-earth tips to enrich your lives, though not in the materialistic sense. This journey of an inconsiderate but a passionate kid keeps us hooked till end. It’s just like one of us, narrating his experiences of fulfilling the dreams, some of which, even we have relished. And this journey is made more meaningful by the people who come across and leave their imprint.

From seemingly petty thing like answering “Park is open until 8 pm” to a question “When does the park close?”, Randy succeeds in changing our attitude. We are elated at the successes that he gets in achieving his dreams. Especially, his encounters with Disney World at various stages of his life are worth reading. The next in line is his gratitude towards the folks who shaped his life through their good deeds. And not to forget, that all this is written, when the death is waiting for you at the next turn.

He just sets an example, of how to live your life fully and enjoy every moment of whatever short span you are left with without whining about the fate. Then only you will be the richest one to die, as satisfaction is the wealth that you have with you on the deathbed.

So, get set go, on the life’s race, which is full of hurdles, waiting to be conquered, because, once again in Randy’s words, “Brick walls are there for a reason. ”

पाहुणा पाऊस

पाऊस! सगळ्याच लेखक - कवींचा आवडता विषय... मीही त्याला अपवाद नाही. पावसाच्या आठवणींचा जणू एक खजिनाच आपल्या पोतडीत असतो.

माझ्या आठवणीतला पहिला मुसळधार पाऊस पडला तेव्हा मी चार वर्षांची होते. माझ्या तर गुडघ्याच्याही वरपर्यंत पाणी आलेलं. त्यापूर्वी एकदा म्हणे आमची आख्खी बस पाण्यात वाहून जाता जाता वाचलेली असं आई-बाबा सांगतात. पण तेव्हा मी बहुदा फारच छोटी होते... नंतर तर नवा रेनकोट/ छत्री वापरायला मिळावं म्हणून पाऊस यावा असं वाटायचं...

नंतरचा आठवणारा पाऊस मी पाचवीत असतानाचा. आम्ही मैत्रिणी शाळेतून घरी येत होतो. वाटेत एक ओढा लागायचा. त्या पुलाच्या वरून पाणी वाहायला लागलेलं. तशा परिस्थितीत त्याच पुलावरून नाचत - उड्या मारत आम्ही घरी आलो. कारण रस्ता दिसत नाहीये तर आपण वाहून जाऊ शकू हा विचार तेव्हा डोक्यातच आला नव्हता. एक नवा thrilling experience एवढंच आमच्या लेखी त्याचं स्थान होतं.  एक दुसरा रस्ता पण होता, पण जरासा दूरचा. त्यामुळे घरी गेल्या गेल्या शिव्यांच्या पावसात भिजावं लागलं...

केवळ बाहेरच हा पाऊस भिजवतो असं नाही हं, आजवर दोन-तीनदा तर आमच्या घरातही त्यानं प्रवेश केलाय. एकदा खूप लहानपणी... आमचं घर एका उतरणीच्या पायथ्याशी होतं. त्यामुळे पाण्याचे लोंढेच्या लोंढे  घरात घुसले. अचानक झालेल्या या माऱ्यानं आम्ही गडबडलो. मला पलंगावर बसवून आईनं पाणी उपसायला सुरुवात केली.  रात्री ९ ते २-२.३०  हाच कार्यक्रम चालला होता. नंतर तर एका घरात दरवाजाखालच्या फटीत एक छोटासा धबधबाच तयार झाला होता. आणि मग घर म्हणजे त्या धबधब्यानं निर्माण झालेला जलाशय. मग दुसऱ्या दिवशीच त्या फटीचा बंदोबस्त केला गेला... त्या वर्षीचा पावसाळा मग निर्विघ्नपणे पार पडला. पुढल्या वर्षी मी एका खोलीत अभ्यासाला बसले होते. बाहेर पाऊस सुरु होता. पण यंदा तर काही कोणती फट मोकळी नाही अशा गोड गैरसमजात मी होते. थोड्या वेळानं फोन वाजला म्हणून मी बाहेरच्या खोलीत आले, तर "अवघा जीवनमय  संसार " अशी परिस्थिती होती.

आता मात्र बऱ्याच दिवसात हा पाहुणा आमच्या घरी आलेला नाही. आता आमची गाठ बाहेरच पडते आणि गप्पा होतात त्याही  खिडकीतूनच.... 

Lucky and Unlucky

It was Saturday. One of my friends had come to university to attend the weekend course work lectures. We are among the ones who are never short of a topic to discuss about. This has been the case since our M.Sc. days, when we used to stay in the same hostel. Now that we are at two different places, countless things are there to ponder about when we meet, because of two simple reasons – first, we meet once in a while and secondly, each one of us has her own set of incidents to narrate. As a result, when we are together, we are completely lost in our own world. This, clubbed with the absent mindedness, which both of us are gifted with (probably, being born Pisceans) leads to some unexpected events. The same thing happened that Saturday. We left the department and reached my room, with our hands full of our belongings. So, to open the lock I had to put her laptop near the door. We entered the room completely overlooking the laptop, latched the room from inside and continued with our chatter. After about 25 minutes, we came out of the room and were astounded at seeing the laptop there… The very first reaction was thanking the God… anybody could have easily stolen it… But thankfully, we were spared…

The similar kind of thing happened with my cell phone also. After having lunch, I forgot it in front of the department, went upstairs and got engaged in some work. Suddenly, my friend got a call from my mom. She informed me that someone from the Geography department had got my cell and called up my mom to inform about it. I was unaware of the fact that I had lost my cell when I got news of it being safe… Once again I thanked the God and this time saluted the honesty of that person as well…

But not on all days you are so lucky… Today, I was having a usual post-dinner stroll with my friend. Generally, we keep our water-bottles on the nearby katta. Because of rainy weather, today, the water bottles were replaced by umbrellas. It takes about two minutes to reach the other end of the hostel compound and then we turn around. During one such round, we realized that our umbrellas were missing. We searched for them, but couldn’t locate. Certainly, somebody had picked them up within the span of two minutes, when we were headed in the opposite direction. So, there are souls like these also…

But still, I am glad at the fact that it was just an umbrella… It’s unthinkable to imagine the appearance such a soul in the two prior incidences…


PS: This reminds me of a lesson in our 6th standard Marathi textbook “Pavsala”, which mentioned that the only reason that you have to buy a new umbrella is it’s lost (forgotten / stolen). You never buy a new one just because the old one is worn out. Mine was also pretty sick… with many aberrant bends, but I had no plans to part with it…But now, I am forced to buy a new one, considering the ceaseless showers and the fact that it’s just the beginning of this rainy season. L