untold / unheard story from Ananda Vikatan

இந்தியாவிலும் ஒரு 'முள்வேலி'!
உலகம் முழுக்க 'அவதார்’ மெகா ஹிட். பண்டோரா கிரகத்து வளத்தைக் கொள்ளையடிக்கச் செல்லும் மனிதர்களை எதிர்க்கிறார்கள் அந்தக் கிரக வாசிகளான நவிக்கள். மனிதர்களை எதிர்க்கும் நவிக்களுக்காக உலகமே பரிதாபப்பட்டு கண்ணீர் சிந்துகிறது. ஆனால், நிஜத்தில் 'அவதார்’ படத்தைக் காட்டிலும் கொடூரங்கள் அரங்கேறிக்கொண்டே இருக்கின்றன இந்தியாவில். அரங்கேற்றுவது இந்திய அரசாங்கம்!




கிட்டத்தட்ட நான்கு ஆண்டுகளாக ஓர் உள்நாட்டு யுத்தம் நடந்துகொண்டு இருக்கிறது இங்கே. 644 கிராமங்களை எரித்து சுமார் 70 ஆயிரம் மக்களை முகாம்களில் அடைத்து, மூன்று லட்சத்துக்கும் அதிகமான பழங்குடி மக்களைக் காடுகளுக்குள் துரத்தி அடித்திருக்கிறோம். அந்த பாவப்பட்ட மக்களின் போராட்டத்தை ஒடுக்குவதற்காகச் சுமார் இரண்டரை லட்சம் ராணுவத்தினர் இறக்கிவிடப்பட்டுள்ளனர். (ஆப்கன் போரின்போதுகூட 50 ஆயிரம் படையி னரைத்தான் இறக்கியது அமெரிக்கா!). கொலைகள், கற்பழிப்புகள், அத்துமீறல்கள், துப்பாக்கிச் சூடுகள் என இவை அனைத்துக்கும் இந்திய அரசு வைத்திருக்கும் பெயர் 'ஆபரேஷன் பசுமை வேட்டை’(Operation green hunt) .

என்னதான் பிரச்னை?

ஜார்கண்ட், சட்டீஸ்கர், ஒரிஸ்ஸா, மத்தியப் பிரதேசம், மேற்கு வங்கம் உள்ளிட்ட மத்திய இந்திய மாநிலங்களின் எல்லைகளைத் தொட்டுச் செல்லும் தண்டகாரண்யா காட்டுப் பகுதி முழுக்க பாக்ஸைட், நிலக்கரி, தங்கம், வைரம், கிரானைட், இரும்புத் தாது என ஏராளமான தாதுப்பொருட்கள் நிறைந்திருக் கின்றன. பல லட்சம் கோடி ரூபாய் மதிப்புள்ள இந்தத் தாதுக்களை வெட்டி எடுப்பதற்கு ஒட்டுமொத்த மலைப் பகுதியையும் குத்தகைக்கு எடுக்க மெகா நிறுவனங்கள் துடிக்கின்றன. 'வேதாந்தா’ என்ற பன்னாட்டு நிறுவனத்துக்கு ஒரிஸ்ஸா அரசு குத்த கைக்கு அளித்துள்ள மலையில் கொட்டிக்கிடக்கும் பாக்ஸைட் தாதுக்களின் மதிப்பு 200 லட்சம் கோடி ரூபாய். ஆனால், இதற்காக இந்திய அரசுக்கு அந் நிறுவனம் அளிக்கும் ராயல்டி தொகை வெறும் 7 சதவிகிதம். உலகச் சந்தையில் 10 ஆயிரம் ரூபாய் விலை போகும் ஒரு டன் இரும்புத் தாதுவை ஜிண்டால், எஸ்ஸார் போன்ற நிறுவனங்களுக்கு வெறும் 27 ரூபாய்க்குத் தருகிறது அரசு.

இந்த சுற்றுச்சூழல் சுரண்டல்களை எதிர்க்காமல், 'சரிங்க எஜமான்’ என மண்ணின் பூர்வகுடிகள் அடி பணிந்து சென்றிருந்தால், எந்தப் பிரச்னையும்இல்லை. ஆனால், அந்தப் பழங்குடி மக்கள் வீரத்தோடு எதிர்த் துப் போரிடத் தொடங்கவே பிரச்னை விஸ்வரூபம் எடுத்தது. பழங்குடியினருக்கு ஆதரவாக மாவோயிஸ்ட் டுகள் ஆயுதங்களைப் பிரயோகித்தனர். உடனே, இரு தரப்பினரையும் 'உள்நாட்டுப் பாதுகாப்புக்கு எதிரான சக்திகள்’ என்று வரையறுத்தது அரசு. வெடித்தது யுத்தம். 7,300 கோடி ரூபாய் செலவில் 'உள்நாட்டுப் பாதுகாப்பு’ என்ற பெயரில் இந்தப் போர் நடத்தப் பட்டாலும், உண்மையாக இந்த யுத்தம் யாருக்காக நடத்தப்படுகிறது என்பதைச் சில மாதங்களுக்கு முன் பிரதமர் மன்மோகன் சிங், நாடாளுமன்றத்திலேயே பகிரங்கமாக அறிவித்தார். 'நாட்டின் கனிம வளம் மிகுந்திருக்கும் பகுதிகளில் இடதுசாரித் தீவிரவாதம் தலைதூக்குவது, முதலீட்டுச் சூழலைப் பாதிக்கும்!’ என்பது பிரதமர் வாக்கு. 2004&ம் ஆண்டிலேயே பழங்குடி மக்களின் போராட்டங்களை நசுக்க 'சல்வா ஜூடும்’ என்ற பெயரில் கூலிப் படை ஒன்றை உருவாக்கியது சட்டீஸ்கர் அரசு. 'அன்அஃபீஷியலா’க அரசிடம் சம்பளம் பெறும் இவர்களும் பழங்குடிமக்கள் தான். மலையின் இண்டு இடுக்குகளும் மக்களின் பழக்கவழக்கங்களும் இவர்களுக்குத் தெரியும் என்பதால், இவர்களைவைத்தே பழங்குடி மக்களைக் காடுகளுக்குள் விரட்டுகிறது ராணுவம். இந்த அரசக் கூலிப் படை மூன்று வயது பிஞ்சுக் குழந்தையின் விரல்களை வெட்டுவது, 70 வயது மூதாட்டியின் மார்பகங்களை அறுத்துக் கொலை செய்வது என அரக்கத்தனமாகச் செயல்படுகிறது.

இலங்கை முள்வேலி முகாம்களில் வாழும் தமிழ் மக்களைப்போலவே சட்டீஸ்கரில் சுமார் 70 ஆயிரம் பழங்குடிகள் முகாம்களில் அடைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர். சட்டீஸ்கர் மாநில டி.ஜி.பி. விஸ்வரஞ்சன், 'இலங்கை ராணுவத்தின் இறுதி வெற்றிதான் எங்கள் வழிகாட்டி’ என்று அறிவித்திருக்கிறார். 'அரசாங்கம் ஒரு சாலை அமைத்தால், உடனே அதை மாவோயிஸ்ட்டுகள் குண்டுவைத்துத் தகர்த்துவிடுகிறார்கள். பிறகு எப்படி வளர்ச்சித் திட்டங்களை அமல்படுத்துவது?’ என்று கேட்கிறார் மத்திய உள்துறை அமைச்சர் ப.சிதம்பரம். ஆனால், 'அந்தச் சாலை, மக்களுக்காக அல்லாமல் நிறுவனங்களின் வசதிக்காக அமைக்கப்பட்டால், அதை அழிப்பதில் என்ன தவறு?’ என்று கொதித்துஎழுகிறார்கள் மாவோயிஸ்ட்டுகள்.

காஷ்மீர், வடகிழக்கு போன்ற இடங்களில் நடப்பவை தனிநாடு கோரும் போராட்டங்கள். ஆனால், மத்திய இந்தியாவின் பழங்குடி மக்கள், தங்களின் இயற்கை வளங்களைப் பன்னாட்டு நிறுவனங்கள் கொள்ளையடிக்க அனுமதிக்க மாட்டோம் என்று எதிர்த்து நிற்கிறார்கள். 'மக்கள் நல அரசு’ என்று தன்னை அறிவித்துக்கொண்ட இந்திய அரசு, தன் சொந்த மக்களுக்கு ஆதரவாகத்தானே

Muru - from frankfurt to Chicago - part -3

Frankfurt, I have heard about this name every time when one of my friend goes to onsite or coming back from onsite. I have created an imagination of
my own. The flight landed.Vow. nice feeling. But definitely not better than the joy rides in Wonderland.

I looked around, it was dark and there were so many lights.Big buildings. Now plane stopped and I stood in the queue to move out.
Yeahhhhh, this time, there are steps from the plane. With foot steps placed like "boom, boom", imagining like Obama getting
down from his aircraft, I came down. "Ivhhhh","Hsss hhuhubbsdf"

I was shivering. I have not been any climate like this. Quickly, I put on my jerkin, gloves.. Got in to the airport bus.
Frankfurt, Germany. yes, Now I am in Germany. Here afterwards, I will also tell that I went to US via frankfurt. My first trip to outside India. I did not feel
like thanking anyone. But when I boarded the plane in chennai.I recollected an incident,

"Hey,, what happened?", Me to another friend.

"Boring da.. every time he comes, he talks about US stories....
how long we will keep hearing.", another friend to me.

I made a resolve, unless and untill if somebody ask specifically and persistently about US experience, I am not going to tell.
For God sake, it is just another country, anyways. And I am here like anybody else. There are lakhs of Indians how have already come here
even before software revolution.

So, there is no point in comparing India and US and weigh against each other.atleast discuss with in friends..


The bus took several twists and turns and stopped at a inside airport.I came outside like everybody else. I took my next boarding pass,
it displayed "Gate number - C16 "

For assurance, I asked an Indian-cum-tamilian over there (just a positive guess),that whether I need to take my luggages once again or will it automatically transferred to this flight.
He said, since your next flight is also from Lufthansa, they will do it..carry on!.

I was about to ask, if my next flight is from different company, should I need takeout and check in once again? Muru-- grow up. This is not a class and discussion to ask doubts.
you find out yourself later..

I started walking at 7:30 AM in the morning towards gate C16.This time I want to be extra careful, nothing that of chennai should happen.
The flight was at 10:45 AM.

I walked, walked, walked!!!!!! for 45 minutes..upon watching the sign boards. It is good that they have placed numerous clear sign boards for every 10 feet.
Without that, I felt, it would be very difficult.

I can now understand the length and breadth of the size of the airport. But there was less crowd. Finally I stood in a queue for another immigration check.

Thank God!!. If I just waving around in this airport, I would have definitely missed it. This time, its a lady. she took my passport, observed my photographs..
gave different reactions using her chubby cheeks, eyes and lips.

"Oh. where is moustache?", she asked me.


"Haha.., its gone", as if I am advertising for Amrutanjan. I know that was not the right reply with correct tone. I should have replied
with some more fun. But you know. these shy tamilians are always bad in making good jokes with aliens. Ok. Hereditary problem.

I walked another 10 minutes, and finally reached C15 gate. Appada...I kept my bag in the chairs and went inside rest room.

I pissed. "Oh my god, I forgot, I thought of pissing while inside aeroplane, I missed it". Ok. next flight I should not.

I washed my hands and that time I noticed, that the other Indian guy was brushing. Cool, Ouch. I did not keep my brush in my carry bag.

I came outside and looked at news paper stand. There were 3-4 german newspapers and 3-4 English news papers. I took "USA today"
and started reading it. US Insurance bill, etc.. no news about India.

I took my laptop and started reducing the size of my MBA essay for "National Technological University". when I was about to finalise it,
the laptop power got off.

Then I waited for another 10 minutes and the announcement came to board the flight to Chicago.

After entering the flight.."Oppsmmm whats this"- the flight was so cramped, small, full of people.

I was not sure how I can travel another 12 hours by sitting in just one place.

...Noww I understood, even international flights can be small.

Meeet you in Chicago------:)

முரு டு america - பார்ட் 2

When I woke up, the beautiful airhostess was distributing headphones to all
vow, I have got a phone. I switched on my entertainment system and started
exploring it. Here I need to tell my opinion.

In the Air Travel industry, I do not understand why or who introduced
that the crew should be beautiful or handsome. From the college days
it looks absurd to me. Either in India or any where, do we choose boarding a train
or any public transport or personal tax based on skin beauty of the
drivers or for that matter any helpers. We dont right. Then who
set the rules that airhostess should be beautiful. That too white skinned
most of the times.

Ok. Forget it. Coming to my story. In the small tv, there were
english movies like "UP", "Julia.." etc.. Also there were music albums
and popular TV shows. I chose a movie, whose name I forgot, and started
watching it. After about 1 hour, I could not continue, I switched off
and went to bed once again.

In the morning (as per IST), the crew started giving the 'Cheesy white cloth'.
This time I was looking around to see whether someone else is going to make
any fun out of it. Mmm nothing of that sort happened. The chief crew announced
that they have two options for food. 'Asian Vegetarian' and 'Chicken blah blah.'
I was interested in tasting something different. But now no way.
I need to choose "Av"

But still the food was excellent. Pudina chutney, white rice,
cabbage, chees, dal, etc..

"I need... blah.. blah. vodka...blah.blah... with two Ice".
The lady turned to me. She asked me what I need for drink.
I can't ask her "what do you have?" because everything was out there
and I just have to name it.

"Mummy - I dont know what to say, I cant say no as I dont want to miss the opportunity".
Lot of drinks in different color, red (assuming red wine), something in orang, etc..
Atleast to hold the glass stylishly, I need to say some thing.
Ah!! finally the rescuer has come..

I told her "Coke". "Excuse me!!", she said. My face became pale,"I was not sure
whether thats a coke or some other drink filled in coke labeled bottle".
"C..K..". I told her just uttering two letters..

Now this time, she smiled and said "Ok. Coke", Adi Paavi
atha thaandi munnadye sonnen..

Here my mind suddenly thought of my friend from Bharatuday Mission
who never drinks Coke or Pepsi products, including Lays, (No can eat just one!!)
But I know someone who never eats.What do you say?

Ok coming back.I guessed that I would have travelled some 8-10 hours
by this time. Watched another movie, another documentary.
Finally, plot announced that he has reached "Frankfurt".
Some of the people felt really happy. "Face is the index of mind"

Lot of times, I could not figure out why people greet , "Safe journey",
when you travel in aeroplane. Another absurdity to me.
As if, when they travel in bike or car, they are 100% sure they
will be alive. Man, people has so much fear for death.
Ofcourse I do have. But not to the death arrived through plane crash.

--Meet you in frankfurt airport

Muru to US - Part 1:

Muru to US - Part 1:

After a loooooonnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggg struggle of 4 years, and each struggle is backed by an interesting story worth for an interesting screen play, finally I received an onsite opportunity to Northbrook, a village 25 miles away from Chicago.

After succesfully checking in the luggages, I called my parents, standing inside Chennai international airport. I asked them buy airport tickets and asked them come in. After waiting for 0.5 hour, they came inside. My sister's daughter and son were literally sleeping. The time was 12:00 midnight. I am happy that nobody is emotional so far and I am sure they wouldn't till I board. I spoke with them for 0.5 hour and asked them to leave.

I came back with my carry bag and found to my surprise there is an immigration counter. I thought this will be the last queue. The immigration officer checked my passport details and asked me to walk straight. I strolled down and took an elevator. Ooops, there is another long queue and I have only 0.5 hour to my flight.

I waited in the queue and there were 2 counters to x-ray carry bag and body. While there is 20 more minutes to flight, I took my laptop out from carry bag , put it in a tray and passed it behind by carry bag in to x-ray machine. I was asked to stand in another queue for body check. After the body check, I quickly grabbed my bag and speeded towards the gate. I was imaging of steps to the plane but to my surprise, there is no steps and I walked down straight in to the plane.

Meanwhile I realised that my body is cool and bag is of less weight. I ran behing informing the plane crew that I missed to take my laptop and ran to the counter. I took my laptop and crossed a police officer and was about to say thank you the plane crew. That time ! shit! I realised that I have not taken my jerkin.My 2200 rupees jerkin. May be my single largest investment in a single attire so far. I ran behind saying sorry to the police officers and crew.
They were kind enough to take my time and reach flight. While I was wearing my jerkin, I stopped my mind for few seconds and thought whether I missed anything else. I checked my purse, cellphone. Ok Done.

I am amazed by the Lufthansa flight. It was very spacious and cooool !. I looked for my seat number, thrown by carry bag in the dock, sat and relaxed.
Sometimes, when we look for somethings for years, that thing will cross the life in just few moments. Some times we fail to even notice that. One more important thing here, the flight was A340, which means AIRBUS A340, for naives, this is the flight to which I worked for in my first project in Wipro. I assumed that AIRBUS would have done rigorous testing on the software than what I did !


I noticed that the seats are alternatively occupied. There is a one seat gap between two. One lady on the window seat, uncovered all her extra clothes, shoes and used both seats for her body and started sleeping horizontally. Unluckily, I did not window seat. Yeh, now the monkey mind has come, if one thing has come, it will look for next!. yeh. whats wrong in that. I was not sure whether I can also sleep like her. But there is another person who started sleeping vertically on the seat itself. I decided to stay awake sometime and observe. After 5 minutes, the flight crew started announcing in the common TV about safety precautions.

To my next surprise I noticed that, there is a small TV infront of every seat. Hate my first manager. He told me that this IFE (Inflight Entertainment) system will be present only for First class passengers. But he is wrong. I can right now see that IFE is for every passenger even in economy class.
Ok, lets forgive him. I just tried to operate it but was wondering how people can simply watch without sound. I decided to read Mahabharata book in the morning. Because the first flight journey will be for 15 hours.

After few seconds, I noticed that the airhostess with the thick blue skirt started giving some white thin sheets to every one. Before I analyze what is it, she came near to me. Believe me!, at first I thought its a freshly baked white Cheese. When I received it in my palms. Oh.oouuch..its hot. Again believe me, I thought how can people eat with so much hot.

Then the person next-next to me started wiping his hands and face with this. I came back from my imagination and realizing it to be a neat thin white cloth. I did the same and dozed off. When I woke up after few minutes, I could see the people finishing off their dinner. Oh Shit!.. mommy, I missed the dinner food in plane. :(

------------------------

Tanjore temple specialities - unknown information:

Coutesy - Ananda Vikatan

By 2010, Tanjore temple will reach its 1000th year. An unbeatable achievement by any temple in India. A challenge to the modern architects. Lets know some information about this massive structure

1. Started in 1004 and completed by 1010.
2. Till 100 years back, people believed that it was built by Karikazha chozhan, Kaaduvetti
chozhan. Only by 1896, a german archaelogist read entire stone scripts and informed the
world that it was world by Raja Raja Chozhan.

3. The most notable thing is it is entirely built using rocks from hills. But there are no mountains or hills in the near by areas of Tanjore today or even 1000 years back.

4. The rocks are unearthed from Naartha hills and Kundraadar temple from Pudukottai district.

5. Kunjara Mallan is the name of the Chief Architect

6. Including TajMahal, several marvels in India are constructed with prisoners. Rather this temple was entirely built by religious devotees.

7. The belief that the shadow will not cast down on the floors is NOT TRUE.
It will. Same is the case with the 216ft tomb structure.

8. The main linga has following features

3ft height, 55 ft diameter and 6ft tomb face is constructed using single rock weighing 500 tonnes. This rock must have been unearthed from a mountain and moved to this temple.

9. This temple has seen chola, vijaynagara, nayakkar, Maratian and English dynasties and holds paintings of each of them.

No place in India has seen so much dynasties.

Encounter of 4rd Bribe:

Encounter of 4rd Bribe:

After coming to Bangalore, this is my 3rd enounter of bribery.
All are related to traffic violations. During 1st time, I went to Nandhi hills along with
some of my friends, and for one of the bike, we did not have any documents, and my friend gave away
some amount to police.

I said to myself - thank god!, my friend did not ask me to share - (how luck struck to save my money from bribing?)

Second time, I went to a hotel for lunch on a good sunday after noon. This time again
police sidelined us, my friend's purse was having just 50 and i was having close to 200 or 300.
The traffic police was not ready to accept 50. My friend turned to me and asked me to give some amount
I lied him saying i was not having some amount. I did this with the intention of two things

- to prevent my oney to be used for bribery
- anther way to force the police to accept only 50.

Finally my friend made me as a mortgage ! and drove to an ATM, and the rest is an easy guess.

Third time, I was mere a spectator, again I was with one of my friend after having my dinner.
We were strolling on the road. Meanwhile a police jeep on the opposite side stopped,
an employee of the hotel informed the owner. The owner gave a signal along with some amount.
The employee took the ready dinner packet, ran to the police vehicle and give both to him.
I am not sure why this happened.

On the earlier 2 cases, the mistake was on my side. Ofcourse my friend's side, but still
I am also part of it knowingly or unknowingly. The bribe was paid to cover up the mistake.
But in the 3rd case, I was not sure whether the hotel owner is obliged to bribe the police for saving from
any future troubles or for something else?


Here comes the 4th incident. We, 3 friends, riding on a single motor vehicle.
We went to a theater but found that the screening started 1 hour earlier. We returned on the same route.
While we were few feet away from our house, my friend asked me whether the police is following us or not.
I was replying that i dont know. In a fraction of second, I heard a sound on my back asking us to stop the vehicle.

This time I made up my mind to resolve to pay fine as it our mistake. Police came to us and there were ususal
threats of taking the vehicle to police station. We said, ok lets go there, we will pay fine.
He became furious and asked my friend, where he was working, my friend lied that he is searching for a job.
Then he turned me and asked where i am ? I told him , i am working in Infy (???? - why did I say like that??)

Then the police repeating several times, we should not argue with him as he was doing his duty.
My friend said, he is not arguing, he is ready to pay fine. But the police started asking where you guys are from?
We said TamilNadu, he replied, this is not tamilnadu, this is karnataka. You must know to obey police
I was spectating an about to raise political problem. Soon, my friend replied, why he is bringing states issue in to this
problem. The police again furiously replied, he should not argue, just obey.

I interrupted and told them, we are ready to pay fine, please give me the receipt. He said, "oh you need receipt,
then come to police station" . On my mind, I was both happy and scared. I was happy because first time i am going to
a police station. I was scared whether, they will give us a fake receipt in the police station.
Because nobody knows whether the fine paid is taken as a true fine or not.

There were so many talks between my friend and the police. Finally the police asked my friend to sit behind the vehicle.
Sorry forgot to tell you, there were two police.

One police drove my friend's vehicle along with him. My friend, before they were about to leave, told me ,
"Please bring 1500 to police station". I told myself, "Oh my God, this time really my money is going to bribed",
"I told myself that i will not take more than 200 rupees to police station". i will take the money only to pay fine.
Because through one of my office mail's forward I came to know that the fine is not more than 200 rupees as per law.


On my way to follow them, some one from road side told me to take help from my house owner.
Since he is doctor, i thought he might give morale support. did i need a morale support? I dont know.
My imagination of police station is a shabby building with lots of wooden tables
and papers. Few rapes on the side and few bars behind that there will be few human faces.
I walked directly to my house.

Suddenly the vehicle vrooooomed across me and it was none other than my friend. He told me
that he gave the money to him which he kept for watching the movie. I was happy but at the same
time, again weared my ugly face of being non-patriotic with the mask of incapability.

I told myself, what is the use of reading "A better india, a better world" by Narayana murthy now?
and the most ugliest thing that can ever happe is
just few hours back I was watching the movie "Indian" (tamil,telugu) / "Hindustani" (Hindi) on the same day?

Openness in Layoffs

Hi,

Indian companies are far from this openness shown by MNCs, In this case, Microsoft. I was stunned by the view suggested in the book “Good to Great” that if you think eliminating employees is the only option you have, do it as quickly as possible. The reason being is after the elimination, there is no doubt that the employees will weal around questioning “Why me?” but it will help both employees and the organization to sit and brain storm what next they can do.

This will be a driver for increased focus among individuals to choose right direction. At the same time, it will offer the organization to decide on their future. When Gates quoted what has happened to DEC in early 60s of this century in his book “Road Ahead”, I did not take notice of it, but on seeing Satyam and Sun saga I realize no one can say he is non-volatile.

Indian companies learned lot of things from MNCs. In the same way I wish they would add this item also in this list in future course of recession




Mail sent by Steve Ballmer.


Microsoft's layoff email to employees



Employees

Subject: Update: Realigning Resources and Reducing Costs

In January, in response to the global economic downturn, I announced our plan to adjust the company’s cost structure through spending reductions and job eliminations. Today, we are implementing the second phase of this plan.

This is difficult news to share. Because our success at Microsoft has always been the direct result of the talent, hard work, and commitment of our people, eliminating positions is hard.

Today’s action includes positions in the United States and in a number of countries around the world. In the US, affected employees will be notified directly by their managers today. In other countries, local leadership teams will provide more specific information about the impact to their organizations.

With this announcement, we are mostly but not all done with the planned 5,000 job eliminations by June 2010. We are moving quickly to reach this target in response to consistent feedback from our people and business groups that it’s important to make decisions and reduce uncertainty for employees as quickly as possible, and so that organizations can concentrate their efforts and resources on strategic objectives.

As we move forward, we will continue to closely monitor the impact of the economic downturn on the company and if necessary, take further actions on our cost structure including additional job eliminations.

For those of you directly affected by today’s announcement, I want to thank you for your contribution to Microsoft and assure you that we will continue to provide support as we did during the previous job eliminations.

And for everyone across the company, I want to reemphasize how much I appreciate the way you have pulled together to help the company respond to this difficult economic environment. There’s no doubt that these are very challenging times. But together, we are making the right choices to ensure that we will continue to deliver great products and position ourselves for strong future growth and profitability.

Thank you for your continued hard work, commitment, and focus.












Regards and thanks,
Muruganandan

--Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.