ANAND - a true leader - future of Arts & music in safe hands.

ANAND - a true leader - future of Arts & music in safe hands.

This week some of us were lucky enough to have skipped the urge to take hot summer holidays away from UAE. Six finalists from Amrita TV's Super Star Global programme visited Abu Dhabi to perform at the National Theatre. They arrived on 30th July and the show was held on 1st August. It turned out to be a huge success for the organisers Kerala Social Centre. A big surprise - more because of the facts that many fans/families were out of town due to summer holidays and the three day national holiday.

What made me write this article is the way these boys and girls conducted amongst themselves, with the fans and the crowd during their visit with their excellent behaviour and public relations.

Anand - I had watched him many times while performing for SSG and then his exit speech was one which set out to be an example for all the contestants of Reality shows. It didn't end there. He moved on to something new surprising all his fans and became the anchor of the Let's Dance show. How is he going to manage this - was one question which came to my mind at the beginning and had written off this programme - Let's Dance - with many other ordinary shows happening around. A casual watching of the show on one night during its re-telecast time here in Abu Dhabi changed my mind. It made me extend my TV watching time after the late night Middle East news.

My mind said, hey, this is someone whom I have to focus for my TQM values - a person who really views positive out of every situation and personalities.

I never thought I will be meeting him this fast. There comes a phone call from a friend of mine from KSC Abu Dhabi. The boys and girls whom you criticised and promoted are coming down to Abu Dhabi for a performance. Would it be possible to work out something extra for them elsewhere in other Emirates. Why not? It was a Wednesday afternoon and I was left with Thursday and the week from Sunday to Wednesday to arrange this. A few phone calls here and there and I was explained in detail by several organisers about the lack of time and difficulties in getting approvals, selling the tickets, finding organisers, venues etc.

Ok, leave it for now. We will make their visit memorable here. Checked with all the newspaper/media friends to give maximum coverage. Now, what? - wait for them to arrive here.

All of them arrived in Dubai and after a long immigration que/clearance they all came out of the airport and then what a welcome they got! It was a dusty and sandy evening. What would normally take a 2 hours trip down to Abu Dhabi from Rashmi's home, it took them almost 5 hours to reach Abu Dhabi.

The dust and sandstorm portrayed also the mindset of these talented youngsters and the organisers - how the venue will be, how the audience will be and finally the auditorium - is it going to be empty, half full or full??. Several questions and question marks hovered around all of us.

We didn't relax a bit during this time - worked door to door and camps to camps to announce their arrival and opportunity to meet them in real. Fingers did not stop dialling numbers from the mobiles of everyone involved.

Did not contact them till later part of Thursday allowing them to rest and relax. And in the afternoon went to meet them at the Kerala Social Centre. Knocked the door of the meeting room where they were doing their practise session. Someone opened and all of them very serious about their jobs. Introduced myself and then the seriousness melts down. May be they expected someone different in looks.

Roopa, Ratheesh, Praveen, Latha, Rashmi and Anand. But, one person stood really high above all of them - Anand. First glimpse itself I could make out the capabilities behind this power pack of talents. Cool, concise and clear about what he is talking when questioned and focussed and optimistic. Relaxing with each one of them but at the same time taking control whenever it is required. During the show and after, even during their two day holiday period in UAE, he proved it again and again. He is the man in control and one who can really get along with everyone.

All of them were excellent and captured the heart and soul of everyone during this visit.

It also proved me one thing - many of our finer talents are short in physical stature but TALL above everyone in their Quality output. Look at P. Jayachandran etc etc. And Anand has joined their bandwagon. Like one of my close friend from media - a very famous personality - who is also short, had said earlier - if I had a few inches more to my height - I would have ruled the media world. For Anand, I firmly believe this few inches are not at all necessary as he has shown sparks during his visit here to the UAE that a whole world of achievement and success awaits him ahead. He can do it, that is my belief and it has never let me down.

Boys and girls from Let's Dance, do utilise him to the best of your abilities. It is an opportunity to be amongst him and extract the nuances of his management, artistic and more than anything else interpersonal skills. That "MIND" inside him is thinking in 200 different directions at the same time. If you observe him and follow him, you will automatically see yourself in a higher platform of performance and personal conduct.

God bless and have a great future ahead.

Ramesh Menon
04082008