LD Blues

As I am soon going to leave for Jamshedpur, back to college, yesterday I turned nostalgic about those wonderful college days. Also, as J & S, my best friends were at my place and the semifinal match between Australia and South Africa literally being a one-sided contest, we took off on nostalgia highway to cherish those dream moments till early morning. Some interesting events…..

A blitzkrieg 9 ball 27 run innings in the LD cricket cup finals in 2003 by the worst ever batsman of our team. We went on to win the finals from a dead situation.

Leaflets written in spectacular rhetoric derogatory English by some highly sick idiots and pasted all over the college from classrooms and drawing halls, to library, cricket ground and even toilets alleging my link with a drug racket (oops…) and a former Miss LD, and then the drive undertaken by my friends to remove all of them within a couple of hours.

The petty fights between hostel blocks for some mundane reasons.

The legal battle we 50 odd students, fought against our professors, university, AICTE, and principal in the High Court and lost and finally the celebrations when the H’ble SC altered the ruling in our favour.

The football match in which I broke the arm of one of my best buddies. His falling down almost unconscious, regaining consciousness and uttering ‘ yeh haath katana padega’, and we scoffing at him.

“Managing’ about 2 lakhs of sponsorship for annual culfest from a cold drink company, and finally giving rights of canteen to its competitor.

Having stalls selling 33 paise water pouches at 2 rupees each and then spending the entire amount (about 20 K ) on parties within a month.

Our HOD calling me to testify that K was a student of the college during final year viva. His I-card being not granted as a sufficient proof.

Calling a strike, because a pro gave too much assignments.

A pro getting infuriated at me for reading ‘Business World’ in Material Lab, and challenging me to explain “Hardening Treatment for SS” to the batch, followed by self giving a two hours lecture and professor later borrowing books from me on Heat Treatment.

The three hours in which we initiated and completed our final year project for 100 marks, and the same project being submitted by four of us under different titles. The project report was actually a study report by a diploma student, and the only effort we took was to get Xerox copies and printing the first page. (and yaa, I got 88 marks)

I writing poems for a friend, so he can impress his 143rd ‘true love’.

Launching a website and conceptualizing a grand function for the same, fund raising, space selling, hosting, event management, and despite internal fights successfully completing the function. My first touch with management.

J whistling at a new hottie on campus only to find her taking our HMT lab later in the day.

Weekly trips to R-world to catch a movie at 20 bucks and in the process spending 50 bucks on petrol.

Think I had the most wonderful batchmates...Can't write more...Effusively sentimental.....did I say sentimental...uhhh..!

A Tribute

Did I entertain you ? He asked. And the audience responded with a resounding yes. The prince of Caribbean – Brian Charles Lara, one of the foremost epic batsman opted to hang his boots. His arrival to the international arena was characterized by a weakening West Indies side yet he did hold the mantle all alone by his charismatic batting. This lone ranger was infallible in his day, the issues recuperating with Caribbean cricket, not withstanding. His ravenous appetite for runs and big scores could only be surpassed by him, himself. With his ability to create magical moments, his artistic blend of flurry and defence, his ravishing cover drives, his ballerina footwork, this flight footed gentle giant devastated many a bowling greats on the cricket field. We would miss those magical wave of his wand, he so naturally, so effortlessly made while sending the ball over the fence. We would miss his ‘natraja’ pose while hitting the ball in near impossible gaps over square, his penchant for fighting it out, ‘all- out’, his unprecedented backlift, his artful sweeps, his flirtatious hits behind point, his deft placement, we will miss the artist of a genre above class. In this era of macho hitters, he kept the bastion of classic cricket alive, and we are fortunate to be part of generation that got entertained by this uncrowned prince. What else could be a more fitting tribute than a poster on the field during his last match that read ‘God doesn’t retire, then why does Lara?’

What Uncle Sam Really Wants

Yesterday night I read Noam Chomsky’s ‘What Uncle Sam really wants’, and I am really repentant why I didn’t read it before. Chomsky goes in details, no words minced to highlight the duality of US bid to remain the only dominant superpower serving its elites. Build around solid historical facts, it successfully articulates the deeper intentions and actions of the world’s superpower to usher ‘equality, liberty and fraternity’ around the globe. The devilishness of US to ring in a ‘New World Order’ is hideously bizarre. The author’s statement that almost all US presidents could be blamed for political genocide pretty much sums up the essence.

Though I am comfortable with the fact, that every nation has the right to further its own selfish interest, the means to which the ‘powerful’ at the White House resorted can only be termed ‘UGLY’.

PS : If you want me to send a soft copy of the book, drop in a mail.

Back to skool

This is my second last week with Alstom. Soon, I’ll be leaving Gujarat to join one of the ‘top’ rated B schools, and would be spending two long years of my life over there. After four years in corporate life, working for two corporates, I would be back to school. Back to books. Back to lectures. Back to submissions. Back to ‘mock projects’. There aren’t any butterflies in my stomach, but I still feel a bit anxious.

Whether I would be able to sit for long lectures ?. Some miscreant said attendance is compulsory. Poor me. Whether I would be able to read academic books. ? A few years back, I was attending L&T’s highly rated Management Development Programme for about a week at Lonawala and was truly bored to the core. The ‘self made genius” that I am, found the course too slow and contents too basic. I decided to leave the lectures midway and had a trip around Lonawala in the rain.

After gaining some limited experience in various business areas ranging from Project Management, Marketing, Sales, Biz. Dev., Strategic Planning, Project Finance for various multi billion projects, whether I would be able to survive when someone starts giving fundas on ‘Segmentation’ or talks about ‘NPV / IRR’ or ‘Supply Chain Management’. I think I need to empty my cup beforehand to gain some fresh tea, to relearn something in a better and structured manner. Anyways, for the record, I prefer black tea without sugar.

Metamorphosis

A few days back, I was a part of the audience at 2 day business enclave, where the topic under scrutiny was “Metamorphosis of Indian Industry. Is it for real ?” The dignitaries present to express their views included a motley of famed personalities from academia and industry. The list included CMD of GEB, MDs of GACL, GSFC, Director of L&T, CFO of Suzlon, CEOs from Thermax, Microinks and prominent IIM professors. All the speakers from the industry gave an elaborate account of the turnaround of their respective organizations and sounded very optimistic on the coming of age of the Indian Industry in general. Bottlenecks in infrastructure, government policies /intervention (read interference) and lack of sufficient talent pool notwithstanding. Having a chance to witness the flow of such positive vibes from corporate chieftains gave me a high.

I was enchanted by the title of the subject discussion, specifically the term ”Metamorphosis”, and I tried to delve deeper into it. So, what is Metamorphosis ? The dictionary gives the definition of the subject term as “ a transformation, as by magic or sorcery” and “a marked change in appearance, condition, form and character”. The most oft quoted examples of Metamorphosis are the changing of tadpole into a frog and caterpillar into a butterfly. But, what about the transformation of a small seed into a giant tree. Is it not metamorphosis? What about a spark of heat energy turning into a fire? Is it not metamorphosis? What about the transformation of a thug called “Valiya” to Valmiki rishi? Is it not metamorphosis ?
At times, this transformation, literally and metaphorically is chaotic and sudden. Sometimes, it is silent and long drawn. But usually, it is painful. The caterpillar turns blind, loses its limbs to emerge more beautiful. Is corporate India ready to take the dare of undergoing massive radical transformation. I believe Yes. The pain and risk of exploring unchartered territories abroad, optisizing, rejuvenating business models, aiming sky high and giving an all out effort to achieve those has been the storyline of many Indian corporate over last decade. But still, I feel the party is yet to begin and there is some time for champagne to flow. Cheers to Corporate India..!

Pandora's Box

Life has always posed unexpected endeavours for me and thankfully has given me the strength to undertake them and cherish them in my stride. However, I am not sure what lies unearthed in the Pandora’s box.

Never wanted to opt for science. Preferred Wordsworth to Watt. But took science as a relatively more career savvy option.

Got into a mechanical engineering in a herd mentality.

Thought of making some engineering innovations, when secured a job at L&T. Never thought, life had plans for taking me into marketing.

Never thought I would leave L&T

Never thought I would compromise on ethics, and finally toss them out for a spin.

Never thought I would make some life lasting special friends in Baroda especially after putting 18 hours in office daily.

Never thought I would have to leave them so soon, and the very thought of leaving them would turn me into tears.

I wonder what the future holds,
How successful I would be,
Whether I’ll live some other life,
Or a life where I’ll be free.