"Collecting is like eating peanuts. You just can't stop". True to the saying, no matter how much top level executives are burdened by work, or meetings, they master the art of time management. Anyhow, they find the time to get back to things they want to pursue.

Nidhi Jain chatted up director and COO of Graphiti Multimedia Pvt Ltd, Munjal Shroff, a person whose brain is forever floating around fantasies of ideas in animation.

Our motivation... must always be to please yourself. Follow your intuition and buy what sings to you. The objects you acquire should give you pleasure and fellowship. -Richard Faletti

As a kid I had a lot of pen friends from all over the world and I was quite fascinated by the different stamps that I used to get from different countries. This is what got me started with my first collection - Stamps.

But my biggest fascination was comics. It was an addiction. I possessed lots of comics, collections which I preserved as bound volumes. Volumes of Mandrake, Phantom, Tintin, Archies and even Jetsons. Though now I have donated most of them to an orphanage.

Now I have collectibles from movies such as Matrix. My prized possession is The Matrix - Platinum Limited Edition DVD Collector's Set which includes an actual frame Senitype 35 mm film strip from the movie and 8 original limited edition lobby card prints. I collect limited edition DVDs of animated films as well.
I also have a lot of 'making-of' books related to my work such as Making of Toy Story, Jurassic park, Bug's Life. I also have many wonderful books called Illusion of life.

Collectors become obsessive and then addicted. You become addicted to art and you can't live without it. - Eli Broad

I like to collect paintings from different painters, especially unique folk paintings. I am an impulsive collector. Since now the biggest constraint is space, purchasing has slowed down, and also all collectors items require good care. I travel extensively to the countries that are rich culturally. I like buying favourites from street painters & underground music from street musicians in countries like France.

Recently I incorporated a collection of music by a streetband from Paris called 'Cenizas'. I have a vast and eclectic collection of music, especially instrumental. The collection ranges from Masai Drums from Africa to Uilleann pipes - from the Celtic region.

The cornerstone of great art for me is a work that makes one person exclaim "That's fabulous!" and another ask, "How can you have that hanging in your house?" - Gordon Sondland

I like my collected stuff to have personality and am very choosy and fussy. I always have had a love for art. During one of my visits to Cannes I had a day to myself. Some locals told me about a small town called Antibes and the Picasso museum there. Since the museum was to open after a couple of hours I decided to walk around this picturesque town. I came across an antique shop run by an old British gentleman. He had an amazing collection of antique maps and lithographs from the 18th century. These lithographs had an amazing amount of detail and were painstakingly hand painted using delicate water colors. The 4" x 6" artworks were stunning. I picked a couple and then the gentlemen gifted me one beautiful rendition of Hotel de Ville - Paris.

"Its not that collecting is more noble than the other pursuits of man, its just a lot more fun". - Norman McClean

It's very interesting to take time out of something which is close to one's heart. Book reading is common with any person who has achieved a mark. Nidhi Jain met up with Ashish kaul, sr. vice president, corporate brand development, Essel Corporate Resources Limited, and got to know his likes and dislikes when it comes to books.

Kind of Book Collection you have:
Not much of a collection as I don't believe in gathering books and knowledge. Usually I pass them on for others to know and learn

Taste in Books:
The book has to be rare and genuine in thought process and most importantly, relevant to me. I will not read a book just because someone big has written it or it has become a rage. Popularity of the writer is of no significance to me.

On favorite authors and well written books:
"My God Died Young" is an autobiography worth dying for! The sincerity and honesty of Sasthi Brata is amazing. It is very rare that you read an autobiography and feel connected with each and every word and incident. Irving Wallace is another magician that I am deeply impressed with. You can "see" the story unfold in front of your eyes.

Do you find interesting things in every book? How do you choose books you read?
It takes great effort in choosing a book and often its is after serious discussions with friends who have read them before. I am not adventurous when it comes to choosing books.

What do you think of self help books?
I think it is the biggest literary racket of our times. It is a big disappointment to see people reaching out to such books. It only indicates that people are losing belief in their own abilities in an era of creative famine.

Money and time you spend on books
Hardly any.

Your reading pace
Amazingly fast.

Your first book
My God Died Young.

Browsing and e-reading
Only when required.

Currently you are reading
The Almighty (for the third time).

Books that do not hold you
Academic.

About the Author - Ashok V. Desai is the consulting editor of The Telegraph. He also writes for the Business World. Before becoming a columnist and commentator, he was advisor to the then Indian finance minister Manmohan Singh in the early 1990s, when India embarked on economic reforms. In the 1980s, Desai coordinated a large project on energy research across the world, the results of which were published in a 15 volume study. Desai speaks fluent German and once wrote a thesis on German wages in the nineteenth century.

India has evolved with the passage of time and so has its telecommunications industry. More than a decade back in 1992, the Indian telecommunication industry was totally monopolised by the government, but now with the advent of new technology, it is growing at a rapid pace and seeing more and more private players.

In the 1990s, the government of India appointed regulators as an alternative to the direct control of industries such as telecommunications, banking, capital markets, insurance, hydrocarbons and electricity. But in spite of tremendous efforts, it seemed to go in vain and was by and large ineffective.

The book takes holistic look at the industry's past, incumbent and future trail. The author creates an atmosphere for the readers and provides a detailed view of the technical world. Through the book, Desai attempts to bring forth arguments as to why regulation does not work in India.

India's Telecommunications Industry showcases the birth and growth of the industry. Desai throws light on the industry from the time of DoT to internet telephony.

He also talks about the impact technology has on the telecommunications industry. He divulges a well known fact, which is understood by all in fast paced world --- the importance of networking and staying connected.

Who can do without a mobile or a personal phone in today's world? And to top it all, with increasing competition, the calling rates too are lowering day by day. With the advent of more and more channels of communication, the need seems to be unending.

India's Telecommunications Industry had been written in a lucid manner and is also packed with a punch. It is an essential read for policy makers, economists and industry watchers. The book will also be of interest to students of industrial economics and management.

"Just as one thinks that one has reached the full stop, something happens that renders an entire chapter out of date," says Desai. As a result, this book is a result of four drafts spread over a year coupled with a whole lot of effort on the author's behalf.

"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense" - Thomas Edison 

Meet Sharad Devrajan co-founder, CEO and publisher of the recently formed Virgin Comics LLC and Virgin Animation Pvt Ltd and of Gotham Entertainment Group. He has established a leading south Asian publishing company, he has been featured as CNN fn's 'Maverick in the morning". He shares the knowledge and his understanding of the industry he has grown up in, till he became a leader, while speaking to Nidhi Jain.

Lessons learnt
--The biggest thing about leadership is that there is an opportunity to dream and have a vision of the future but also align my people to what their future is. For me, it's the biggest challenge and biggest obstacle. There are lot of great managers who can do a great job but great leaders can set a vision into reality.

Method to pacify madness
--I do believe in a philosophy that in a creative company we have to develop a culture of 'people tough on problems but not on the people'. There should be a healthy conflict so there should be ultimate goal of either writer, creator or anybody to make a property which will transcend. It's about challenging each other, not challenging personally.

People that have influenced
--My father being the biggest influence, amazing mentor in my life whom I was fortunate to have. While working at MTV was Tom Freston, an amazing leader to work with who founded it, a voice for that generation of the 80's, 90's. I worked with leaders who had a great understanding of the global market, media. Now I am working with Richard Branson, who's the greatest Maverick in the world, who has provided home for young creators.

"I would tell young people to start where they are with what they have and that the secret of a big success is starting with a small success and dreaming bigger and bigger dreams, I would tell them also that a young Black woman or a young Black man can't dream too much today or dare too much if he or she works hard, perseveres and dedicates themselves to excellence." - John H. Johnson

Strategic Alliance

--I believe in tapping young talent and giving them the best of experience, creating and executing product simultaneously. People need to be motivated beyond money, living their life to the fullest.

Changing rules of work
--Moving from a logical to a creative mind, we should not have technicians, we should have artists. Personally, to me it's about managing time, organizing efficiently each hour for shipping my meeting schedule to do business oriented processes so that there is no lost track.

Ensuring that team delivers
--In a creative company, it's important to deliver within deadlines. Therefore, we believe there has to be a balancing act with what they would be 10 years down the line, execute the best job in a limited time frame. They have to be as good as the best.

Best part of your business
--Before collecting my degrees I was a fine artist. I have always been surrounded by creative people. The idea is to lead to imaginative discoveries and make them reality.

This verse is inscribed on a stone tablet next to a polo ground in Skardu Pakistan, north of Kashmir, near the fabled Silk Route. In one ancient sentence, it epitomises the feelings of many polo players today.

Many scholars believe that polo, in its antiquated form, originated among the Iranian tribes some time before Darius of Persia and his cavalry extended the Achaemenid dynasty rule to the greater Persian Empire.

Throughout Asian antiquity, from Japan to Egypt, from India to the Byzantine Empire, Polo and its variants were the nearest equivalents to a "national sport". However, as the great Eastern empires decayed and collapsed in the Middle Ages following their decimation by the Mongol hordes, so too disappeared the glittering court life of which polo was so important a part; and, the game itself was preserved only in remote villages.

The contemporary sport
Polo is now an active sport in 77 countries, and although its tenure as an Olympic sport was limited to 1900 -1939, in 1998 the International Olympic Committee recognized it as a sport with a bona fide international governing body, the Federation of International Polo.
Polo is, however, played professionally in only a few countries, notably Argentina, England, Pakistan, India, Australia, and the United States. Polo is unique among team sports in that amateur players, often the team patrons, routinely hire and play alongside the sport's top professionals.
Argentina dominates the professional sport, as its polo team has been the uninterrupted world champion since 1949 and is today the source of most of the world's 10-goal (i.e., top-rated) players.

The game

Rules
Polo requires two teams of players mounted on horseback to play the game. When playing outdoors each team has four players, whereas arena polo is restricted to three players per team. The object of the game is to score the most goals by hitting the ball through the goal.
A game is divided into periods, called chukkas-since 1898, from Hindi chakkar from Sanskrit chakra "circle, wheel", compare chakka -of 7 minutes, and depending on the rules of the particular tournament or league, a game may have 4, 6 or 8 chukkas; 6 chukkas are most common. Games are often played with a handicap in which the sums of the individual players' respective handicaps are compared. The team with the larger handicap is given free points before the start of the game.
The game begins with the two teams of four lined up each team in line forming two rows with the players in order 1, 2, 3, 4 facing the umpire in the center of the playing field. There are two mounted umpires on the field and a referee standing on the sidelines. At the beginning of a game, one of the umpires bowls the ball in hard between the two teams.

Player positions
Each position assigned to a player has certain responsibilities:
" Number One is usually the novice or weakest player on the team, but the position is one of the most difficult to play. Number One's job is to score goals as well as neutralize the opponents Number Four (defensive) player.
" Number Two needs a fast pony, a keen eye, and high maneuverability as his job is to get hold of the ball.
" Number Three is the tactical leader and must be a long powerful hitter to feed balls to Number Two and Number One as well as maintaining a solid defense. The best player on the team is usually the Number Three player.

" Number Four is the primary defense player and though he can move anywhere on the field, he often tries to prevent scoring.

Polo ponies
The term pony is purely traditional and the mount is actually a full-sized horse. A good pony should have docility, speed, endurance, and intelligence. It is said that the pony is 60 to 75 percent of the player's skill. Thoroughbreds were originally the only breeds used, but in the contemporary sport mixed breeds are common. Many of the best polo ponies are bred in Argentina and United States. Polo training begins at age four and lasts from about six months to two years. Ponies reach their peak at around age 10; but without any accidents, polo ponies may have the ability to play until they are 18 to 20 years of age.

Equipment
The basic dress of a player is a protective helmet, riding boots to just below the knees, and a colored shirt bearing the number of the player's position. Optional equipment includes knee pads and spurs, face mask, and a whip. The outdoor polo ball is made of plastic, but was formerly made of either bamboo or willow root. The indoor polo ball is leather-covered and inflated and is about 4? inches (11.4 cm) in diameter. The outdoor ball is about 3? inches (8.3 cm) in diameter and weighs about four ounces (113.4 g). The polo mallet has a rubber-wrapped grip and a webbed thong, called thumb sling, for wrapping around the hand. The shaft is made of bamboo-cane with a bamboo head 9? inches in length. The whole mallet weighs about 7 ounces and varies in length from 48 to 53 inches. The ball is struck with the side of the mallet rather than the edge.
Polo saddles are English-style similar to jumping saddles. The legs of the pony are bandaged from below the knee to the ankle to prevent injury. The pony's mane is clipped, and its tail is braided to prevent interference with the rider's swing.

Facts about polo
" The oldest royal polo square is the 16th century Maidan-Shah in Isfahan , Iran .
" The oldest polo club in the world still in existence is the Calcutta Polo Club .
" The highest polo ground in the world is on the deosai Plateau Baltistan, Pakistan at 4307 meters (14,000 ft).
" Polo must be played right handed. Left handed play was ruled out in 1975 for safety reasons. To date, only 3 players on the world circuit are left-handed.
" The most prestigious international Polo Tournament in the world is the Palermo Polo Open, held annually in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

" The most prestigious Polo Tournament in the USA is the US Open Polo Championship held in Wellington, Florida in April where the top players in the world compete.
" Argentina has been the uninterrupted world champion since 1949 and is today the source of most of the world's 10 goal (i.e., top-rated) players.

Related sports
" Buzkashi involves two teams of horsemen, a dead goat and few rules. It is the national game of Afghanistan and a possible precursor of polo.
" Horseball is a game played on horseback where a ball is handled and points are scored by shooting it through a high net. The sport is a combination of polo, rugby, and basketball.
" Kokpar is a Kazakh game similar to Buzkashi.
" Polocrosse is another game played on horseback, a cross between polo and lacrosse .
" Pato was played in Argentina for centuries, and may be the reason Argentines excel at polo.

Polo variants
Polo is not played exclusively on horseback. Such polo variants are mostly played for recreational or touristic purposes; they include canoe polo , cycle polo , camel polo, elephant polo, Segway polo and yak polo .

"The purity of a person's heart can be quickly measured by how they regard animals," even if they are not real, believes animal collector Meenakshi Madhvani , Founder & Managing Partner Spatial Access Solutions in conversation with Correspondent Nidhi Jain .

Love animals --- as a child always had pets. Dogs, cats, chickens, a pig and even a pet snake. Unfortunately a flat is Bombay is not the right environment for animals and I have not had a pet for a long, long time! There was something missing and I decided to fill the gap with a surrogate. It all began by my buying a big bronze pig! He was followed by a papier mache frog, then a pair of marble dogs I found in Chor Bazaar...

Collecting animals-- for the last 5 years. I am not too concerned about the material they are made off. But they need to appeal to me.

My husband jokes that I have a meenagerie! My family & friends indulge me by adding to my collection. A stone Hippo was carried back from Africa by a friend. My brother-in-law got back a wonderful Giraffe from South Africa carved out of a single block of wood. Another Brother-in-law gave me a crystal cat & mouse!

Bit crazy -- when it comes to my animals? I like seeing them every day and move them around the house to new locations (almost like giving them a fresh view of their living quarters every once in a while!

I know that one of these days I will have a place in the country and will be able to have my animal friends around me once again.