buy cheapest Air Tickets to India - Desicow.com Thursday, November 13, 2008

After a long time a website targeted to Desi people [Indians in USA] has caught my attention. I've been following this website called DesiCow.com url - http://www.DesiCow.com/ ever since I got an email from a friend recommending this website. Its a great service that they are providing, taking the pain out of buying an air ticket to India.

It works like this
1) Submit your trip request
2) Travel Agents offer quotes
3) Buy tickets directly from agent of your choice

No more calling up tens of Indian travel agents (Desi travel agents), and following up and digging through emails for quotes from travel agents. When I saw www.DesiCow.com, i was reminded of my own misery of a few months ago, hunting for the best deal on air tickets from New York to Mumbai.

Clearly this site is a refreshing change from other "desi" websites. Very clean user interface, crisp and clear content are its highlights. It still does have some issues with some inner pages, and with some pages in sign up process. But hey, its a new website, give it some time and I'm sure www.DesiCow.com will become one of the most visited websites for people wanting to go to India. Till next time then, wish you happy ticket hunting at http://www.DesiCow.com

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posted by DesiCrunch @ 10:40 AM, ,

IT jobs will drop in 2009 Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Came across this article on Computer World talking about drop in jobs in 2009. IT contractors to bear the brunt of cuts.

I am sure this will impact the rate at which Software Contractors are hired too. The best strategy for time is:
1) Learn the latest skills/stuff in your technology
2) try to be all rounder. Not just software developer or database admin, but try to be good at multiple things.
3) try to build good relations with your client
4) looking at present market, Technology companies have enough money to spend in near future, financial companies are out of money. If you have choice try to select good client with enough budget to keep you on work.
5) a long vacation to India ?
6) join a full time job[again stable company]

Other piece of advice, keep enough money to run your house for 6 months ,if you loose job(Bench Period).


Please add more points to comments below, which can help Desi Consultants in bad time.

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posted by DesiCrunch @ 10:22 AM, ,

Top 200 H-1B Visas - The Biggest Users [abusers?] Monday, May 26, 2008

Businessweek listed biggest users of H1b visa.
http://www.businessweek.com/table/08/0305_h1b.htm

Desicrunch.com has reviews on almost all consulting companies listed in the list.

Some of our observations:

1) Indian companies like Infosys, Wipro, Satyam and many others, which are based in India are biggest users.

2) There are lot of universities hiring on H1b visa.[may be these are for teaching jobs?]

3) Any idea if H1b filed by universities fall in to 65k quota?

4) What will happen if United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) finds out that most consulting companies from top 200 list have been reviewed negatively on websites like Desicrunch.com and goolti.com?[Harshalx, your thoughts?]

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posted by DesiCrunch @ 9:52 PM, ,

Bura na mano holi hai.... Tuesday, February 27, 2007

I remember when i was back in India working for software company in Mumbai, everyone including myself use to always desire to go onsite. We always worked hard, tried impressing our Managers that we are the best, and if sent to onsite, we will do unbelievable things.

I even remember, I had argued with my Manager's manager when he selected some senior person from team to go onsite, just because he had more years of experience. Things are different back home. Number of years and age makes lot of difference. I always argued(positively) with my manager that in software industry number of years doesn't matter. Its completely different setup as compared to any other engineering field.

My manager was quite frank and a good friend. I even once told him that every company should adopt Extreme programing wherein the important people in company/team are those who do coding and managers should be out of job. My manager was kind enough to allow me to raise such comments. I am sure any other manager would have got offended.

Its been more than 4 years now, I still keep in touch with this Manager on mails. I am sure if anytime I plan to go back to India, I want to join his team and work for him.

In Indian software industry I have surely realized that its absolutely small world. So never ever get in to bad books of any manager or team lead. If you quit the job and think that you have escaped, you might find same person as your new manager's close friend.




This weekend is Holi. Holi signifies to get reed of bad things and celebrate goodness.
Do you have any bad thing around you ?

It could be some physical thing or thought or relation or past act or differences ..anything that you now think should have not happened. Pick up something this Holi and get reed of it. Life is too short to waste in silly things. I will be at Sunnyvale temple playing with colors and they also arrange for Bhang..yes BHANG...

If you are in some small city in USA and dont have such grand celebration, atleast get together with few desi friends to have fun..Happy Holi and take care...

posted by DesiCrunch @ 10:52 PM, ,

How does Desi techie think while in India. Tuesday, February 13, 2007

In one of the recent article "How to keep your consulting contract entended", writer has very nicely jot down points which can help not just consultants but any one at work place.

I got few more thoughts when in end writer has raised a point that, once COnsultants or that matter most of Desi techies start earning good salary they stop upgrading themself with latest stuff.

Is this true only for many Desi techies in USA or this is an universal issue ?

lets try to look at picture where a decent techie is working in India for some software house. What are usual goals in his/her mind ?

Many want to go Onsite.
Many want to switch job and get may be 50-70% hike
Many want to switch for better brand.

Woring conditions while in India are completely different from what do we have here in USA.

While i was working In India, I had to work at least 12 hours. It was very common to work hard and long hours. Most companies have a trend that only if you work lonf hours you work well.

Indian Managers are also responsible for whole set up. They come up with task goals which perhaps has less resource or less time factor. They give motivation to techies by promising either onsite or hikes. these promise comes true many times(not always).

Indian software industry is all about service industry. We want more billable work from some client. And to bid these new contracts or to get more work outsource they come up with goals or estimates which makes life tough for all people at lower level.


Theres one Big question i want to ask to all Desi techies.

Have we ever tried to find out where does all earnings go ?

If a company gets a contract worth 1 million dollar (around 4.5 crore rupees) which happens within 1 years time. And there is team of 20-30 people working on it(most of them in India, few in USA).

Who gets how much money.

I am sure non of us working for some software company knows who gets how much.

Do you think its important to know about it ?

I am not sure if you will ever get to know about how these finance gets distributed, how much is profit, how much of it comes to you.

I just want to raise a thought that while we are working late nights and worrying about some onsite trips or next appraisals, why not try to find out how these finance works.

Next time you are giving interview for some new job and interviewer or H.R asks you "if you have any questions?"

Ask them can you give some idea about how finance gets distributed. If they dont have answer, ask them why should not eevryone know about it. Why should only top 10-15 people know who makes most of money from it.

If Infosys makes revenue of billion dollars and profit of millions of dollars, and I get salary of 30 thousand rupees(around 600 dollars). How many people get how much money ?

Is it illegal to know how is finance/earning distributed ?

I dont think so, if you work hard to reain business for a company, you want to know how things work all the way up.

Only reason you dont know the answer for all these questions or will never bother to know about it is, because as soon as we get next raise or promise for onsite trip we forget about everything else and remain as it is.

If you have any points for me, leave me a comment

posted by DesiCrunch @ 11:11 AM, ,

Jonathan Clement's advice Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Stay out of Debt.
I regularly read Jonathan Clements column in Wall street. Have a look one of the favorite one, where he is advising to keep out of debt and not to hurry in buying house or investing in 401k while you are in 20s.

Jonathan clement's advice

posted by DesiCrunch @ 9:57 PM, ,

We like DesiNotes.com !!! Tuesday, January 30, 2007

"I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday." thats a feeling you will realize when you keep reading blog of our Desi friend at desinotes.com

I personally visit desinotes.com, to get some tips on how to do amazing things on internet. You will read all simple things from day to day life, with some thought provoking advices coming in between at regular intervals.

desinotes.com is best example of what perseverance can do.
Have a look at how popular is this blog

posted by DesiCrunch @ 2:33 PM, ,

Its green everywhere Monday, January 22, 2007

I just came back from vacation in india. I was there for about 3 weeks. I had a great time, as was expected. I had a chance to talk to some of my friends and cousins in india, who are working professionals. They work for different sectors - IT, construction, automobile, pharma, etc. They mentioned to me about the number of jobs currently available in the indian market across all these sectors. I was very pleased to hear that the demand is great. In fact, the demand outstrips the supply. What that has caused is good pays for the qualified people. It is really a great thing that the indian market is booming like crazy!
But this has caused the attrition rate to increase and I read that the companies are troubled with this fact. My friends, almost all of them have had at least 2-3 jobs in the past 2 years - jumping from one job to another because the new employer offers a good pay packet or they get to learn something new at the new place, etc. I hope this trend stabilizes in the future.
But currently its great to see people having a decent amount of money - to buy houses, cars, etc. I cannot generalize this, because I don't know if this prosperity is touching everyone(rural areas, etc). I think it isn't. I hope it does in the future. I hope there is inclusive growth in the country touching the lives of the entire population.
The government needs to have strong regulators in place to ensure fairness in the system. Regulators for real estate market, financial market (SEBI is doing a great job with the new chief M Damodaran), Insurance market, Telecom market( I don't know what exactly the domains of the regulator TRAI and DOT - dept of telcommn are? ).
Right to Information act (RTI) is a great law that was passed in 2005 by the Central govt. It is yielding some results and I hope it slowly cleans up the system, in the years to come.
More later...
- desiblogger

posted by Abhee @ 12:47 PM, ,

Techie on H1B: 90k & Housewife on H4 : $125k Tuesday, January 16, 2007

You have to show this link to your wife,
Housewife worth

posted by DesiCrunch @ 3:53 PM, ,

Dr. DC is here to help !

We are on verge of launching, long awaited forum.

We have teamed up with Expert Dr.DC to answer your questions.

Dr. DC is pakka Desi Consultant.
Dr. DC works on 70/30 ratio for Desi consulting company.
Dr. DC drives second hand Toyota.
Dr. DC promises to answer, your question in max 12 hours..alright make that 24 hrs..

forum with Dr. DC, coming soon...

posted by DesiCrunch @ 3:38 PM, ,