Fitness Fest and my Friends



पापान्निवारयति योजयते हिताय

गुह्यंच गुहति गुणान् प्रगटी करोति।

आपद्गतं जहाति ददाति काले

सन्मित्र लक्षणमिदं प्रवदन्ति सन्ता: ।।

 भावार्थअपने मित्र को पाप से बचाना, अच्छे कार्य में लगाना, उसकी गोपनीय बातों को छिपाना और अच्छे गुणों को प्रकट करना, दु: में मित्र का साथ छोड़ना, समय पर सहायता करना आदि मित्र के उत्तम लक्षण सन्तों ने बताये हैं।

( Courtesy https://sharekaro.com)

English Translation: A true friend is one who ensures that his friend is free from all vices, makes sure he is engaged in good deeds. A true friend always hides the secrets of a friend and reveals good points . He never leaves his friend in difficult times and always go extra mile to to help him. So said the great sages)


We were told to memorise few Shlokas in class 7 because reproducing the same will fetch you full marks. It was Mathematics and Sanskrit which were highly scoring subjects , therefore I memorised many other shlokas . However this remained my favorite.

 At that tender age, probably I was not able to appreciate the meaning till I came across a group of people called EliteCISOs , who qualified all the attributes of a True Friend mentioned above . All extremely good in their profession, fun loving and with no hidden agenda . Courtesy the group leader ,we all faced the difficult times in Pandemic smilingly and converted the disadvantage to a great advantage for our  professional development , philanthropy , good reading and fitness.

Job of a CISO ( whether in Corporate or in Government) or for that matter any Security personnel  is quite thankless, in the sense that he will ensure the protection of  organisation 364  days out of 365 in a year but his evaluation is done on the basis of one Fateful day.  The old saying of Security "Defender has to be Lucky all the time whereas attacker has to be lucky only once" is easily forgotten. Therefore continuous job pressure doesn't allow him to keep pace with the development on the professional front . The continued stress takes a heavy toll on his/her health . By the time it is realised , it is too late in most of the cases. Good health is  great gift of God to us , but we realise its value only after it is lost. Continuous stress, irregular eating habits ( comes naturally to this profession) are the root cause of the health issues amongst IT professionals . 

Going back to where we started , a true friend created the platform wherein we are  engaged in

  1.  Continuous training programme ( through hands on workshops , podcasts, webinars to name a few) , 
  2. Book reading 
  3. Continuous Fitness regime
  4. Lots of Philanthropic work ( donations to orphanage , to NGOs working towards protection of Nature)
With the initiatives mentioned above,  we relearned few things which were forgotten due to most of us got into Rat Race.  Having read a few book on spirituality, I experienced that nothing is coincidental in this life. Nature helps souls seeking the same goal come together and achieve it. 

Knowledge , Fitness and Happiness under same umbrella.

Heil EliteCISOs


 


Comments

  1. This is absolutely true sir. I became member of the same group 2 years back after seeing Mr. Satish papnoi's article in one CIO magazine. Though I don't participate in all the social events but whenever I have attended it, it has been a fantastic experience. After joining the Runner group, I came across one of best fitness freaks who are doing so well in their Professional careers. Though I am a member of CIO group too but the elite CISO group has helped me a lot in keeping myself fit as well as updating my professional knowledge. Yourself, Vikas sir, Satish sir, sundar sir, alok sir, I mea n there is abundance of great people in this group and they all are amazing. Kudos to the elite CISO group..... And you are the biggest inspiration sir.... Regards, sameer

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    1. Thanks for the kind words Sameer Bhai. Every person in the group is a Gem

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    2. Thank you Sameer ji. Actually we all motivate each other..

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  2. bang on Ashok sir! been a really good journey with the group and to see everybody's enthusiasm and knowledge! the power of the group!

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  3. Very rightly said Ashok ji, it's a Group of Gems..

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  4. Ashok Sir.. that's right from your heart....love to learn from your experience.

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  5. Awesome .....beautifull write up... direct from heart...I agree our EliteCiso fitness fans grp & it's members zeal is Amazing

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  6. Well put , Ashok ji! Security is indeed a very highly demanding and intense pressure job. And the pandemic with all the WFH has made life even tougher. In this period, the joy of meeting, learning from, exchanging notes and motivation to stay sharp and fit has been indeed one of the bright points in life.

    Kudos to Vikas and all the group members for the enthusiasm and support!

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  7. Dear Ashokji,

    What a beautiful piece you have written. I second every word of it. I've been associated with the group for a little over 3 years, but I feel I have known everyone for a lifetime. I admire everyone in this group for their liveliness, zest for life, love for fitness and their self-determination. My passion for running and love for fitness has grown manifold with such encouraging friends. I cherish these beautiful relationships and wish everyone a healthier and happier life, always.

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  8. Sir what you said above is simply experience. People should realise the value of relationships and show gratitude.

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    1. Yes Brother we should learn to count our blessings

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  9. Fantastic sir
    You are the epitome of a true friend.
    Hats of to your sagacity about many things🙏
    I admire the way you open up with everyone and make people feel comfortable. I feel you are God gifted 🙏
    Proud to have you in our lives 🙏🙏

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    1. Dear Satish Bhai , Really blessed to be part of this group and have friends like you

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  10. Very well narrated Ashok ji. You are an inspiration. There are many who are already benefitting from your efforts. Hats off to your determination - a lot to learn from your rich experience. Regards, Parminder.

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    1. Thanks Parminder Sir for the kind words. Really humbled

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  11. A good start of blog with Sanskrit shloka followed by briefing of the journey of a CISO, thank you Ashok ji.

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    1. Dear Manoj Ji Thanks for appreciation . Tried to bring out my experience as a service provider and his appreciation by the user. Admiration of my writing will inspire me to share more and more of my experience.

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    2. Very well articulated and so true.

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