I’m JP Rangaswami. 51 years old, married (my wife’s called Shane), three children (Orla, 23, Isaac, 17 and Hope, 11 ). I was born in Calcutta and lived there for nearly half my life before emigrating to the UK in 1980. Much of that time was spent at St Xavier’s Collegiate School and College; I was there from 1966 to 1979. Originally an economist and financial journalist, I’ve been an accidental technologist for over a quarter of a century. I’ve spent most of my adult life working in that strange space where finance meets technology, for a number of very large firms. Since 2006 I work for BT, as part of BT Design.
I’m passionate about the things that interest me. My family. My local church and community. A retarded hippie at heart, I listen primarily to music made in the mid sixties to early seventies. CSNY, Traffic, Grateful Dead, Doobie Brothers, Joni Mitchell, The Band, America, The Who, The Beatles, that sort of thing. I read voraciously and collect books as well, but only in specific genres. Detective fiction, as in Nero Wolfe. Caper fiction, as in Donald E Westlake. The Raj and Empire, as in Warren Hastings or Robert Clive. Mathematics as in Hardy or Ramanujan. Management as in Peter Drucker or Max de Pree. Information and Technology as in John Seely Brown. Humour as in Ogden Nash or PG Wodehouse.
I’m passionate about my profession(s), both planned and accidental. A Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and a Fellow of the British Computer Society. A Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists. More and more my interests have moved towards education, I keep thinking of setting up a school from scratch. Which is partly why I’m chairman of The School Of Everything.
I’m passionate about work (!) , particularly with reference to how work is changing: the paradigms created by globalisation, disintermediation and the web; the implications of virtualisation, service orientation and commoditisation; why publishing and search and fulfilment and conversation are the only “applications” we may need; how telephony becoming software and the wireless internet interact with mobile devices; the terrors of poorly thought out IPR and DRM; the need to avoid walled gardens of my own making; how children now teach me about work; the socialising of information, how it creates value by being shared, how it is enriched, how it is corrupted. How information behaves and what I can learn from it. Which is partly why I’m chairman of Ribbit.
I’m passionate about education. When I retire from normal work I will build a school. A school that is built for the 21st century, with the requisite connectivity, hardware and software infrastructure. A school that’s willing to borrow teachers rather than own them, as long as the teachers see what they do as their calling, their vocation. A school where students are encouraged to use the web in class, where critiquing the teacher is accepted. Where critiquing students is also accepted. Where the focus is on equality of opportunity rather than outcome; where diversity is celebrated. Where learning takes place. Which means mistakes get made. Where making mistakes is encouraged.
Ever since I read The Cluetrain Manifesto I have believed in the “markets are conversations” theme, and have had the good fortune to meet and spend time with the Cluetrain gang discussing their views and values.
Which naturally makes me passionate about opensource as well. In democratised innovation. In emergence theories a la Steven Johnson. None of which should surprise the reader, given that my thoughts on opensource were probably more driven by Jerry Garcia than by Raymond or Stallman or Torvalds et al.
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John, I’m delighted to welcome you to the conversation. Anytime I can help you guys, just ask.
Hi JP, I was wondering if you could help. I found your site when I was having a look online for any information about my father’s Anglo-Indian family, also from Calcutta. It seems his uncle taught you at school (Fr Cecil Leeming). You have a lovely photo of the teachers, including Cecil, on this post here http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2008/04/07/unintended-consequences/ and I was wondering whether it would be possible to have a copy. I’m really interested in finding out everything I can about the family’s time in India, as I am fairly obsessed with the country. As it happens I’m going to be in Calcutta for work next month – fourth visit to India.
anyway, please let me know if it’s possible to dig it out. Cheers, Ciara
Hi Ciara, Fr Leeming was definitely around when I was at St Xavier’s between 1966 and 1979, I remember him reasonably well. Let me have a word with my contemporaries and see what we can dig up. Regards JP
J. P. Rangaswami – just found your page-Shakher Sagar has asked for Dilip Balakrishnan’s music, please inform all your friends that his music will be launched on the 4th. of April and wil be available at all music stores — the album is called ” HIGH AGAIN”
Wow. I came across your blog rather randomly, but can’t help say ‘Hello’ after reading of an ex(?)-economist reading up Hardy and Ramanujan!
(well, I am guilty of reading graduate economics myself.. I make up for that by doing a little math on the side..)
thanks for dropping by, Vishal. The best economists are ex economists. Let us assume that ….
Came across your blog from http://srirambala.com/?cat=6
I like the blog title …
Recently left Kolkata … within 3 months of work exp. …there
I am bengali..but belive me the mid sized organizations there…………. just SUCK and they suck badly…
Companies have no Corporate Culture…but have bad …. bad politics (the whole WB state is famous for it…) pathetic…experience.. I have worked in Delhi & Noida…and its learning all aorund …
Kolkata city is dying of options…
it seems to be cursed…after it lost being the Capital of the contry…
Sorry all this doesn’t belong here may be..but just came out because of the lovely title that smells to me as if some one not liking the “City of Joy” from work or livelyhood prespective….only.
hi,
Personally i dont realy bother about what the blog is talking but i was interesed in the way the about me section was written. and that helped me in writing my about me. also i really liked the idea of the school, and sincerely i realy want that this dream of yours will b a reality.. hmm i think thats all..lol. hope that my words are a motivation for you..
bye
Read about your interest to start a radical, new school for the 21st century.
I thought this might interest you.
http://www.ciid.dk
Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design
Thanks a lot, Priya. rgds
Hi,
I’m the publisher of Desicritics.org, a leading online magazine on global South Asian issues. I’ve visited your site and find it to be quite interesting. I’d like to invite you to write for Desicritics. More information on being a Desicritic can be found here: http://desicritics.org/2006/01/25/205846.php
Please let me know and I’ll set you up and send you posting guidelines, etc.
I came across you through a blog of Chris Brogan, read this one blog and I am hooked, like opening the first page of a book and experiencing the delight of knowing that this is going to be a wonderful read. Looking forward to it. Thank you
Hello
just a few years behind you in St. Xavier’s school Calcutta ‘81 and then college from Xavier’s college ‘86. IT professional – means a vagabond with no home, live on project to project… in this country since 96 with a lot of classmates but over the years have left. Settled in Berkshire , Bracknell for last 9 years. I have met you at Green IT conference, was very impressed at your views. But never knew you are a Xaverian ………… Good to know a fellow school-mate.
Just went through your blog,would like to add it to my blogrole with your consent.
Regards,
Vijaysaradhi samavedam
you don’t need my consent. you’re welcome.
Hi JP It’s Sagar here again. Thanks to you and Rajan Advani for the info….I have managed to get hold of the album ‘High Again’, and so here I am listening to those great songs by Dilip Balakrishnan and High as I write this post. I am also arguing with my 11 year old boy about how it’s not cool to have song files stored on a laptop and that owning an LP is the REAL thing…….keep grooving everybody.
Hi JP!
I reached your blog on Christmas Day and I think it was just meant to be. Interestingly, I was tracking down on the web a man who quite literally changed my life – Tommy Vianna (he was my class teacher in 1966 in the corner classroom 8D, on the far end of the second floor), when I was directed to your blog. I learned unfortunately that he has passed on about 3 years ago.
Apart from the common Xaverian experience, I think it is interesting that you also enjoy Jerry Garcia’s music.
I could totally relate to your report on Fr. Bouche’s creative solutions to mundane problems. I was delighted in scanning the1969 group shot of the St. Xavier’s jesuits, thanks to your links. I knew almost all those faces. It brought back memories from forty years ago! Thanks for memorializing for posterity a part of our past.
I live in New York city and while nearing retirement I was quite attracted to your School of Forever concept. What a marvelous goal to devote an entire life in planning for!
I am a firm believer that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Peace and joy to you in all your endeavors!
Hi JP,
I am from Mumbai, India. I had chance to read your blog, thru my colleague. It is very interesting & gives headstart to face the 21st century. Excited about your dream of building School for future. May God fulfill your dream.
I would like be in your network, kindly include my details in your list.
V.Arul