Musings from the Land of Blue Hills and Red Rivers

Desertation on Friends

2008-03-18T02:44:00.000-07:00

Since currently i am living a "not much happening" life, the only time pass which is happening is with friends. Quality TP indeed and varied experiences too. So while was getting bossed around in office, which is not uncommon given that you are the rung just above the dirt, i lost myself to the recent good times i have had enjoyed . The common thread was they were all with somebody or some bodies .
"Friends" rang out a holy voice in the back of my mind. Momentarily for the loud u r sh*t monologue was still haranguing my senses. But that was enough. Like a drowning man clutches at straw, I went retrospected on this aspect of my long life. Friends of all shades and colors of characters. So I decided to do some productive work, which for me turns out to be doing something thoroughly useless. "Friends" will vouch for that and drink to that too if i pick up the tab.
Dissertations Initiated <>
1. Good friends - Office Variety - Very common in today's world. Fills most of the void. In some cases the only option. From cribbing about the bad pay and sad job environment to relieving stress and cracking jokes to going out for lunches they are your main stay in life. Some go on and get promoted to real friends category. Generally they get replaced / out of touch when they or you change your job.
2. Friends - Hi hello variety - They exists but you dont really get along with them. You run into them in the office corridor or in the local market. Some common link like same office or locality or college. But you do share a cup of tea sometimes and call them your friends in discussions with other ppl. You always promise those ppl "Lets meet up for lunch next weekend"
3. Friends - Over telephone - Friends produced by new age tech. A single meeting in a train or concert or seminar and gtalk and mobile keeps u in touch with them. Good TP for 1 hour every month.
4. Old Friends - Colony where you grew up, school where you studied, similarly college ... places where we have spent considerable amount of time and honed relationships. However future studies/ transfers/ careers have taken us away from them. its a pleasure to meet them anytime even after years. After the initial introduction and hugging is over, old memories and tales takes over. When 2 such friends meet, its total entertainment for the third party present. Many secrets sometimes are revealed to partners by the old friend. You feel good and refreshed when you meet one of these type of friends
5. Last yet not the least - Lifelines - They were part of your gang, maybe you met them at the bar and got to know slowly, but slowly they have become your backbone. They will help you even if you contact them after a lapse of years. Silence speaks for them. Maybe good news might not be shared with them, but come hale and storm you will run to them. In front of them you are your fat ugly uncouth self. No formalities. Even if you have 5 of these friends collected over your lat 20-30 years you are very lucky.
Dissertation Over and Out <>

Wishing you to be surrounded by friends and never a lonely moment may haunt you. Sayonara

Status Update : Life circa - 2007 Dec

2007-12-22T21:26:00.000-08:00

Hi

It seems life has been busy lately and I have not got the time to be here. Or is it??
So decided to take stock on my life. The Dashboard* of my life as on MTD* is below:

* These words in office allow me to do less of real work. Half the world is obsessed with control over their domain even if it is illusionary at best. And nothing like a Dashboard or MTD report to bolster them.

Note: +1 for +ve & -1 for -ve per event. I decide whats good.

1. Friends:
a) Roommate: 1
b) Office: 1
c) College: 1
d) New friends: 1

2. Work:
a) Travel: 1
b) Quality of work: -1
c) Work atmosphere: -1
d) Tea vending m/c: 1

3. Passions:
a) Travel: -1 (Suffering due to work BIGTIME)
b) Bike aka HUNK: 1
c) Gaming: 1
d) Novels: 1
e) Bakar: -1
f) Movies: 1
g) Hanging Out: -1

4. Family:
a) Guwahati: 1
b) Delhi: 1

5. Household chores
a) Room Cleanliness: -1
b) Kitchen: 1
c) Landlord relation: 1
d) Get my license: -1
e) Small chores: -1

6. Peace of Mind: -1

7. Who am I: -1

8. Good Intentions: 1

A summary of the Status Report 12/07:
+ves: 15
-ves: 10
Net: 5 +ves

Overall life is teethering on the edge with the sunny side up even in this morbid cold :)

Reason for saying cheers

CHEERS

Gurgaon ... Mera Gaon

2007-01-25T15:57:00.000-08:00

Shifted to Gurgaon .. for a special project.. now it seems I will here for another 6 months.. exciting stuff happening on the Rural front.. special content for rural consumers.. Poor chaps crave to contact the outside world and the only way is to travel to the nearest feeder town. Hopefully I can change that. Fingers crossed.

Life has been pretty good after my shift to Delhi. Went out on various trips

3 day tour of Udaipur, Chittorgarh and Jaipur in christmas hols
New Year in mumbai
bihu in guwahati (thats the assames fest in place of makar sakranti/pongal)
a surprise trip to jaipur to catch up on some of the places i had missed

In all the above, my friend circles were different. SOme I were meeting after 2 and a 1/2 years.

Also in office I have a few good friends. They are yet to be tested under fire but i believe atleast 1 of them will come through. Answers a question can you have a good friend at work? I think you just might. I didn't think so earlier.

Unlike Siliguri stint, here i can catch up on movies and weekends means some visit to a friends place.

PS: For an earlier post i didnt complete. I will leave it like that. Still enjoyed siliguri. the postpaid sales team was a bachelor group. So we used to freak out and roam the streets till 1 am seeing probable outlets. Learning was immense. Also saw how closeness to powerful clients affect good ppl. Best part was a feed back from my ex CEO that the distributor with whom i worked was interested in doing business and was lamenting my transfer. For the last 2 years he had only cribbed. Had gone home from there on diwali and durga puja after 5 years. Ya i miss that feeling of a team. here at HQ its a diff story altogether. High society ppl. Diff life style and poorer working / relating skills. Here in the midst of all the ppl in the company sometimes i feel lonely. Outside it life is gr8 :))

Band of Brothers

2006-11-08T01:04:00.000-08:00

Sales - Siliguri - Upcountry location - Postpaid - Retail channel

<under construction :D>

They are humans too

2006-10-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

Am back from a nice break from my home. Enjoyed staying there and getting the attention of being the newest bread winner in the family now. But am now back in my rented flat in Salt Lake Kolkata. I have started liking it and making it more personalised with each passing day. Now I cook my own food. A good thing about Salt Lake area is that you get maids (bai's in local lingo) in abundance. Their charges are also very low. Rs 300-500 depending on whether they only clean your floor or even cook your food. So you get a life of "aaram".

When we had taken the flat, we had started looking around for a Bai. First three we got knew only Bengali, no Hindi. We couldn't communicate to each other what we wanted. Worst negotiations ever in my life. (Later i would face the same problem with retailers in remote corners of Bengal). We had given ourselves up of availing the help of Bais'. Then came Anjali

She knew quite a bit of Hindi. Broken though it was, she seemed liked a god given gift. Not only did she understand us, her timings were perfect. Morning 8am we fixed her time. She will clean and wipe the floor, wash our clothes and also dust our furniture. After the initial negotiations she could have become just another domestic help. She would come, do her work, go away and we would crib about how shabbily she cleaned the house. The normal routine.

But there were a few differences. She does her work with a smile on her face. No grumpiness or indifference as you see on other maids faces. With a smile. And its a genuine one. It has never wavered in the last 4 months. She cleans very well. No corners left, the floor underneath the beds are swept too and even out long staircase. And consistent performance. There were a few days when she stooped to normal Bai level. But very few.

The behaviour has got me puzzled. So i thought about it.

Perhaps it was her monthly payout. All friends had advised us that for the amount of work she was doing for us MAX 300 bucks. She asked 500. We pushed it down to 400. But we didnt go further, which was what she had expected.

We take 3 newspapers in our house, a different one for each of us. So we have a untidy heap of them at the end of the month. We could sell them for 60 bucks. Not much for guys who go to INOX and wear Peter England. But lots to a Bai. So we gave them to her to sell. When we told her she could keep the money from it, the smile of gratitude which she gave made us feel like kings. The process has been standardised. We are on our way to heaven. Its so easy.

We ask her help in other things. E.g. What do we call the household things around us in Bengali? Some announcements made in Bengali on loud speakers is translated by her to us. We take her advice on how to manage the house better. We talk to her with proper respect.

She had asked for a Durga Puja bonus. Others, we found out gave a MAX of 50. We gave her 150 coz we could afford it and we wanted to thank her for her work. Again she didn't expect it.

Maybe i will dare go on to suggest maybe she likes (I wont say loves) her job. A rarity, but not an impossibility. Butlers, drivers, cleaners are known to love their chores which we term as low level manual work. But even these require diligence and concentration.

So the question is: Any real benefits from all this?

We sleep without a care in the world while she cleans the room. Till date nothing has been lost. Infact money from our pant pockets and from below the bed is found back on top of our table when we wake up. Its such an advantage that its enough to being good to her.

When I had gone home, a junior of mine from REC had come and slept in my room. I came back to see my bedsheets and pillowcase washed and laid out on my bed. Customer delight. Speechless??

I just have to tell her to clean something and she does it promptly and well. Our clothes are cleaned very well. No dirt left on collar corners or cuffs.

Perhaps its the little bit of extra money which is the root cause. Definately money is a factor. And why not? It matters to us. But I believe its more than just money. How do you explain her behaviour, her attitude, her consistency, her SMILE? Does our salary alone make us happy? Dont we love it when our boss and colleagues treat us fairly and with respect. It makes our job enjoyable. I hope our behaviour is the cause of her behaviour. Its also an exercise of trusting a class of workers we have been historically been taught to be beware off. If she is genuine, future theifery from other maids will not destroy my faith in the labour class.

I pray that all these thoughts of mine are true. For if they are, it means I am, atlast becoming a HUMAN.

Happy Durga Puja

2006-09-27T22:36:00.001-07:00

A hearty Puja wish to one and all. May you all have the power and courage to fight all the ills in your lives. Enjoy the next few days.

I will be going home for Puja after 5 years. After 1st year in engg, this is my 2nd time after i have left home. Have bought Kurtas and bengali cotton (TANT) sarees for relatives. A pair of titan watches for parents + darjeeling tea + a pair of bronze teal from tibet called lima metal in tibetan lingo.

Gotta rush. Will complete it later. A few things to wrap up before i leave... bye.

New timepass for guys

2006-09-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

I am joining the new age male race. The male of the Indian middle class who is in touch with his more softer side. A race hailed by lifestyle magazines to marketing gurus to retail chains to cosmetic companies to agony aunts. Except for the fact that they dont have periods or cant bear kids they are no different than the fairer sex. Before you shout bullshit, i do agree there are differences, but these differences lie in insignificant details. A girl goes for scooty, a guy goes for pulsar, but point is that both enjoy the freedom of riding a two wheeler. A Getz and a Scorpio. A menz section and a womenz section in a store. A fair and lovely and a fair and handsome. A HR/FIN/IT/MKT head (leave sales and high technical field out of it). Army and priests are domains where both excel perhaps in slightly different roles. From pubbing to bowling to hanging out to "having a nice time" to shopping, the patterns of both the sexes are same. And here starts my story. Shopping.

There was a time when I hated the word shopping. Still do, but the prefix window shopping has got added. Otherwise I love the colors, textures, models and new offerings. The reasons are simple. It's the flow of money now that I have a job. It's the free time I have on weekends with nothing to do. It's the new malls offering all those tempting goodies. It's the desire to look smart. It's with the whole package of movies + food + shopping in one place.

I hate to look around just for the sake of it. I go mostly when i know what i want. Sometimes I go and buy on impulse. This impulse thing means I am changing.

So i decided to analyse my own behaviour. Came out with these. Girls you are free to disagree with my definations.

1. Traditional: You go in the role of principal bread earner. You wrinkle your nose at the fussy way your wife/GF/friend/relative is going about as if she owns the store. You just pay and go away or rather carry the packets. You can never take this role away from any guy. This mindset will always exist.

2. Enthusiastic: You want a shirt. You are hell bent on getting one. You might visit one or maybe 10 stores (common all guys are not same) but what is common is that he will have his shirt and wear it that same day. Generally this buyer sticks to his preferred tastes and doesn't experiment. The taste can be plain cotton shirt or a cargoes with lots of pockets. That taste defines the guy.

3. Adventurous: He goes because he wants to experiment. Perhaps he doesn't have anything to go with his new ponytail or he wants to change his party wear. Perhaps he wants a office wear with bolder designs or colors. Perhaps he can just afford new styles of clothing or gizmos. However he wants he opinions of near and dear ones before he would adopt this new style.

4. Impulse: This is what makes the guys same as girls now. You go around gawking at girls or gossiping about the new action flick when suddenly you see that belt which makes your mind goes blank. Or you feel the sudden itch to check the new line of giordino watches. Whatever be the initiator you end up with a package which leaves you with a feeling of contentment.

THE GUYS HAVE ARRIVED!

PS: Special thanx to an old friend in bangalore who mailed me and asked what have I bought in the last few days? voila all of a sudden i was thinking about shopping and why it has got us guys hooked without even us realising it.

Disclaimer: I am 100% hetero and as macho as guys come.

@ Office (What's Different)

2006-09-07T04:30:00.000-07:00

Joined Airtel West Bengal circle. Been here for 3 months. 3 long months. Lonnnnnnnnng months.

Got a few mails, scraps and comments about me not updating my blog. Then read a few posts of friends, juniors and batchmates. Made me senti about the days gone by. Heady carefree days they were. The only way to break out of this reverie is by taking stock of the present. I am about to do that.

All across India, in it across industries, in them across verticals, in them across functionalities... in other words everywhere my friends are cribbing. Even i am not free from it. People have shifted jobs, searching for greener pastures. Pastures of money, of interest areas, of better work or even places. How can such a plight fall upon our lot? We who did not have a care in the world, we who ruled our world, we who did what we wanted, bole toh, we were people who knew how to live life to the fullest.

The main reason I believe no matter how good our job we miss the freedom we had in IIMI. The Freedom from the outside world and its incessant worries.

Elaboration:

1. In IIMI we all were friends. People we did not like we could easily avoid. @work the people you do not like are your colleagues or worse boss. You can't avoid them or pick up an argument.

2. Earlier among friends you could give vent to frustrations, share jokes, make plans. Infact the whole group had more or less the same passions. Not here. There are the few who are as carefree as you are but only a few. These people have not just passed out of an engg or a bcom college, raring to explore and easily making friends. They are people who have worked for sometime and have their set preferences of likes and dislikes. So you hold back your feelings. You cant even shout MC at the top of your voice like in hostel. You cant avail of that therapy here.

3. The reality of the workplace. In 2 yrs, work ex guys and freshers alike knew what heaven was. Work which we did was exciting anf fun and voluntary. Now its dull, forced upon and time bound.

4. Loss of freedom to do things your style. Customization is possible but to a slight degree. Boss is always right. His style is our style.

5. Frustrations: Of dream position not given. Of choice location not given. Of working under i dont care boss. (Note: a bad boss gives you a way out. You hate him. So you complain or leave company. With a i dont care/ know u exist types, you dont know what to do with your frustration). Of having no friends around. Of having no means of doing Time Pass. Of having bad room mates. Of not having your GF/BF around.

6. Newer Opportunities: Outside you see a whole lot of companies who do the same work as you do but better pay or work or working style. You never had access to this before so you want it.

Basically its an issue of adjusting. Some are lucky, most aren't. It takes time. In 2 years we would have adjusted to our new career lifes. Believe me. By then we will remember these 2 years with fondness but with no regrets.

PS: When I started writing this post, I wanted to complain abt my life here, but I ended it with something totally different. Thats how life is right. So it doesn't matter.

Back from oblivion, sela pass, convocation into a new life

2006-06-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks and a bigger Hi to my blog Had neglected it for quite some time. Feels nice to be back. Well what have i been upto in these past 6 months... mmm .... a lot started this year with the feeling that i was enjoying the last 2 months of a glorious 2 yr journey called IIMI... never have i enjoyed and discovered myself as i have in these 2 yrs... from frnds to taking decisions and getting projects done broke up with my 6 yr ol gf or 4 yr ol gf in feb... but ended the month on a high note.. got some gr8 offers from top notch companies... beyond my own expectations ... tore off my hair while agonising over pepsi or airtel or reliance .. the other offers didnt stand a chance infront of these.. but all were my dream jobs... boy was it fun having to face the problem of plenty

post mba went with a few very close frnds on a 15 day trip across north east india.. gangtok, meghalaya, assam and arunachal... it was an unforgetable journey... i love my country's people, frontiers and the majestic natural beauty. even now all 8 of us remember it and become senti.. i know that all our future encounters will contain nostalgic references to these heady romantic days symbolising our youthful, carefree and adventurous days.

visited my village in nalbari district.. and saw how a proud race has degraded it self.. how people with gr8 natural wealth in their background are letting it slip by... a race who has forgotten about hard work and how it feels to excel... moved me... question is what can i do for it?

well then went to my convocation .. it was a joyous reunion.. each of us knew that it was our last 2 days to relive the life we had led for the last 2 yrs... boy these 2 yrs went very super duper fast .... visited a nearby heritage site with my mom.... we took her bowling... also did a parents get together ... we wanted to give them a common platform to express their frustrations of raising us for the last quarter of the century :)

then got a wisdom tooth pulled out ans was home and bed ridden for 2 weeks.. it was a real painful and center of attraction of the whole family experience.. lazed around and ate and gained 5 kgs ... never would i again get such a long and lazy holiday.... those were the best days of my life

then i went to a 5 star in delhi to join airtel.... my first stay in such a hotel and it was fun... a learning experience in itself.. ..gr8 pool, gym, jacuzzi, food, bed, tv , name it and it was g8... the top honcjos spoke to us.. it felt good.. it felt as if i had arrived..... then they send me to calcutta.... got in touch with the people who actually run the show for the guys in delhi.... then went on a field trip to haldia... opened my eyes to the challenges that lay in front of me... i am ready to face my fears and overcome them and make a mark in the company.

Sorry for the abstract way i have written here... i intend to elucidate oneach one of them later.. but fact is if we wait for the perfect moment nothing gets done generally... in this case a few more months would go before i write in my blog...

NOTE: I have written about all these incidents because they have changed me in one way or another. If i am able to bring them out later, i would have justified the existence of my blog.

Sayonara

What Am I Made For?

2006-01-24T23:28:00.000-08:00

MBA's are supposed to be decisive. They know what they want and nothing can stop them the moment they fix their goal. blah blah blah ... And thereby the myth about MBAs keep on building.

Some of it is true. When they go after something they will get it. They can best exploit a situation. India owes it resurgence to quite a degree to MBAs. So on and so forth. There is truth in the myth.

So what is this wet behind the ear MBA cribbing about?

Well. He knows he will conquer the world and all that part. But he doesn't know which kingdom to attack first. Is ERP the right attack strategy? I have heard you become a very specific domain expert in IT. It scared me.... No variety. So FMCG. Well 2 years in the sun and God only knows what cuisine can kill me. And only sales ... Noooooooooooooo. In future (read 2-3 years) I want to handle Brands. And can I sell? I think so. So why not a sunrise sector like BPO, Media, etc? Well what if doesnt enhance my skill set? what if I get stuck there?

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Really its a tough call. Choices can be your undoing. REC had only IT companies. You went ther happily. Now there are so many choices .. I just dont now.

Will tell you what I have gone for by March. Till then Pray for me. Amen

Ciao

Work Culture

2006-01-20T20:18:00.000-08:00

Some serious stuff atlast. A night out (due to movies and planning for a NE trip) embellished with a heavy breakfast gets you going along this track. You think of all the work you have put in for your institute. Selfless, dedicated back breaking work. Atleast thats how i would like to think of it. Some important questions arise for a guy like me which are not easily answered. Lets pen them down.

1. Is working for your institute necessary?

A: Mmmmmmmmm...... Why not just study hard? Work is time and effort diverted from studies. Get grades and get into a great company (Assumption: I banks and companies which look at marks are great places to work in). 2 reasons: Most companies except I banks and Consultancy firms look at attitude and extra currics while recruiting. They just dont want muggers. And the worker guys do get decent jobs. The more important one is that later in life when people recall how they contributed in making this insti what it is today and the fun they had while doing it, I wonder what the I banker will have to say. Success, career and money all of us will make in the long term (may be in varying degree but no doubt in the positive direction) but the chance to do these running around jobs with no bosses around and at your own pace will never come again.

2. Now say you are a worker. How much work is good for you?

A: The above question can be rephrased. Do i work for my CV or do I work because I like it? Well there are 3 types of people. Type 1: Do diverse work for CV. Effort put into each: very little. Type 2: Some study till they think they are in a safe position or more study doesnt help them (e.g. 2 nd year marks dont count in placements so why study then. But in 1st year mug mug mug). Type 3: What is studying? Cant do it so work all the time.

The Type 1 are the worst. Because they dont work they boast the most. But others know the truth and laugh at them(including their own types). Type 2 are sensible. They want good jobs and enjoy life without compromising on their main objectives. Mostly are people who think low grades are a bane. They work because they feel that Type 3 people are actually enjoying life and want to taste that. In the heydays of their stay in their institute they start working. But its too late as greater roles dont land up as they dont have a name for working in the "market". Type 3: Wannabe politicians, Bossy types are the ones which give Type 3 the bad name. Thankfully they are very few in my batch in the insti. These fun loving, happy go lucky types, work their ass off for no tangible benefits. They are people who I believe really know how to live and enjoy life. People who build nations. Cant help even if you feel I am biased.

3. Last 1. Do you want appreciation for your work or want it to be recognised? Or you work without thinking about either?

A: Personally and I believe for most people even in type 3, they want their contribution to be recognised. Thats plain human nature. Some people are lucky in the sense that their work is highly visible to the common man. Recognition easily comes their way. Backend guys might need to tell the common man about his work. His "boss" will surely recognise his work. But respect of the common man for his work is what drives true workers. There are a few who work without any desires. Hats off to them. But honestly I am not one of them. Neither are most guys.

Thats it for the day. My NE plan is almost done. Gangtok, Kazinranga, Cherrapnji, Bomdila, Bhalukpung here we come. We need the rest after 2 years of hard work.

Ciao

The new year

2006-01-20T16:07:00.000-08:00

My posts are becoming more and more psycho with each passing day/post. If you beg to differ, I thank you for the compliment.

Its been a good year. For one, I got placed. ERP consultant thats who I am in the venerable Infy firm. Went to Chikaldhara for another. A tiger reserve thrown in for customer delight. Hours of roaming and you do get to go wild over a Sambhar deer butt. Ok. let me be honest. The view points were decent and we saw herds of bison and deer. Oh and tiger pug marks too. Am now planning a trip to NE. Sikkim, Arunachal, Meghalaya and Assam. The tourists are all innocent and gullible folks from delhi, calcutta and bombay. They don't know whats in store for them. By the time they realise, it will be too late :D.

Well the best part of the new year is that i learnt that trust can be broken by the most trusted ones. Kings, emperors, gandhis and hitlers have tasted the frustration from it. So have I. But the best thing is that I will still trust people. I will not change just because some people are not gentlemen. TRUST and LOVE are very delicate possessions. Be careful with them. For once you loose them, all the riches of the world can't make you HAPPY.

Ciao

About New Things and Expectations

2005-12-30T21:24:00.000-08:00

Well, its that time of the year again. The fag end. The promise of a new unknown year infront of us. Is it the only time we feel the excitement and apprehension of going for something NEW? Are there other events which each time we do, is new? Full of the same excitement and apprehension
Lets see.........

For me the first and foremost are train journeys... Not the metros nor flights.. these sojourns are too short to know others. I journey from Indore to Guwahati which takes 3 days. Earlier it was from Surat which took 4 days. In such travels you get to know the others in your neighbourhood pretty well. Well enough to like them your hate them. I worst fear is that of a family. More so a Marwari or Gujrati family. Not only do they bring all their possessions in suitcases, they even have food festivals in that small space. You end up haggling for space for your 1 travel bag and suffocate on stench of the food which was spilled. Or sometimes you meet these reformers and dreamers and braggers. They go on and on about the degradation in soceity due to MTV or their achievements (I showed the rickshawala whos the BOSS). Or the quiet, live, eat, sleep in berth during the whole journey types. But yes once a while you meet nice people. Army officers and jawans, corporate types, friendly girls (one even made my bed/berth whatever :D) or some learned person. They make it worth it to expect nice people the next time you board a train.

You would definitely have bought a nice new dress (jeans/tops/sweaters etc). A costly one. You know that it looks good on others. But what about on you? After shuffling through a warehouse, after umpteen assurances from companions, after numerous looks in the mirror you are still not convinced that you look good in it. That first comment from friends or "target audience" is so critical. Each time, time after time, the excitement and apprehension is there.

Think about it. Lots of mundane things always feel new.

Exams. 19 years (till post graduation). 100s of them. Except a handfulll of them, they make you question the very futility of the life you are leading. That is till the exams are over. Then "Life is beautiful" again. That is till result time.

Haggling. From rickshaw fare to tomatoes to the roadside belt vendor we haggle. (Somehow we dont haggle with stores which charge 700 bucks for a shirt). No matter how many times we do it, the excitement of getting the better of the other guy or apprehension of him getting the better of you eggs you on. End result: Generally you dont know who won. Each war is a new one. Different scenarios.

So when was the last time you did something new? Or what is new? Well, its not some stupid trip to Timbuctoo or riding your bike at 120. Its about living every moment of our life with your senses attuned to all that is happening around us. Every moment is new.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Life is Beautiful

2005-11-16T00:17:00.000-08:00

This post is dedicated to the inhabitants of IIM Indore.

Life has been busy for the last few weeks. In these hectic weeks, I have learnt a lot about myself and the people around me in this place. Time to put the learnings on my blog.

It all started a long time ago with the summer placements of our juniors. A logistics nightmare spiced up with pressure to place as many as possible, cater to the whims of corporates and handle emotions of all and sundry. It was supposed to be 3 days of total chaos. It turned out to be an ideal example of well planned out SCM. An operational beauty. PGPII pulled it off in what can truly be called an inspirational display of teamwork and camaraderie. Placement people handled an explosive situation in a very mature and diplomatic way. In the end, our bodies were aching but our spirits were flying.

Then came IRIS. The world could see for once what IIMI stood for. From vacating the rooms for external participants, to getting the largest spons ever, to the variety of games been developed in all spheres of management, to getting eminent speakers on campus and the media coverage, to bringing a large no. of participants from outside and ensuring the highest level of hospitality, to designing and making the beautiful displays and website, to dancing away in the EUPHORIC night and jiving in the parties, the spirit of IIM Indore was there for all to see. Team work was no longer an academic term. Not only going without food and water, but going beyond the call of duty was the norm of the day. Making all run with clock work precision. Though problems arose, the show still went on. One never felt tired because all those you see around you were still full of energy even after giving their 100% day after day. Praises were showered by all who came. In the end IIMI won. We won.

My own take on IRIS. Developed the marketing game Marksman. 4 juniors. Sandhya, Cijin, Vimal and Arun. They made the game. All I have to say is that as long as we have people like them on our side, the only way IIMI can go is up. Hats of to them for their dedication and enthusiasm. A more happy go lucky and hard working (seems like a paradox buts its true) team cannot be found. And when the game got hiccups, they handled it like true professionals.

Same goes for Entrepid. Creativity and bed rock fundas from the world of the entrepreneur formed the basis of the game. Another team that rocked from its core. Come to think of it, was there any team in IIMI that didn't rock!!! Hell NO.

As of now I can get a few days of rest! Alumni Meet and a few bloody projects are next on my agenda as is my trying to get my BE certificate. Missed 2 convo dates. The best part is that I have my room back. For the last few weeeks 11 people slogged away at food and drink and slept in this hole which would have put to shame the filthiest of sweat shops. Its now clean and I watch movies by myself. Diablo is back. Problem is I dont know how soon will I get bored with my new found freedom.

With final placements around the corner, I cant help but get a little apprehensive. But thats all I am doing towards that end.

Cheers to all those who have been here, who are here and who will be here. They are ultimately those who make this place great. I love you IIM Indore.

Talk the Walk

2005-10-23T02:28:00.000-07:00

Our campus is on top of a hill. Winding lanes. Fresh air. Beautiful sunset. 2 kms of open artery. So its a setting perfect for walks. Nothing beats a good walk. Almost everyone has taken one. So in a moment of inspiration (??), I thought about the type of walks people take. Heres a comprehensive list.

Health Walk: You walk because you believe it's good for health. Real reason is that you are too lazy to jog, pr play baddy or volley. And when you walk, the speed, distance and direction (up hill or down hill) depends on you. Way to go.
Post Dinner Walk: Burp!!! The food here is too good for our own good. Nothing like a walk to digest it. Post Dinner amblers, of which there are quite a few including yours truly, jam pack the streets. Helps you to be that bit late for the post dinner group meeting.
Romantic Walk: Hmmmmmmm. The true followers of this path are less than a handful. This is not because of high moral fiber of the IIMI participants but due to demand supply constraints. However many fighters do follow this path in search of the illusive elixir. The divide between the have and have nots are very much evident here.
Photograph Walk: The proliferation of digi cams has lead to this type of walk. From insects to clouds to buildings to people nothing escapes the roving eye. A good fallout is that there are enuf pics to capture all your memories on this campus.
Follow the girls Walk: No lovers or fighters here. Pukka engg grads with algorithms, laws and hydraulic juices running in their veins take these walk. Its more of a nostalgic fall back to old college days when girls were non existent. You followed any creature who more or less resembled the opposite sex. Oh those days !!!!
Intellectual Walk: With a mutitude of MBAs on a small campus each with an opinion or view to express, these walks are inevitable. Whether the forex rate of Timbuktoo is stable or Hariya or Bhatta is better or the way events are held or the backgrounds of different people all MBAs feel at home. Heated arguments with saliva spewing and 100 decibels all thrown in send the nocturnal creatures scurrying to their holes. Who says our country lacks global orators?
Walk to Sit Walk: You are in a mood to do bakar. But the same old hostel rooms cramp your style and there are too many off you. So off you go on a walk. Find and lounge in a place where the wind blows steady. Spend the next few hours gossiping about anything and everything under the sky (literally). Heres a heated(?) discussion on how Nagas behead their victims is taking place.
Compulsory Walk: You have a class to attend. The classroom is on top of the hill. No bike. No time to get a bike. You walk in the hot sun swearing at the whole education system in India.
Time Pass Walk: Basically done mostly in 2nd year and free days. With all avenues of entertainment exploited and money over, this is a much sought after exercise. You admire the view on some days, on other days you talk utter nonsense. Nothing is outside the purview of this walk. You set out with no purpose in mind and come back with nothing achieved.

Enough of walking.. I mean talking. Hopefully one day, we will "walk the talk" in our lifes.

Happy walking!

Last few days

2005-10-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

Well, nothing monumental or earth shattering has happened. Instead the chaotic and queer have reigned supreme.

A list so as not to forget

Alumni newsletter and room
Veg and Non-veg Rajshahi
Jogging
Badminton
IRIS
Diet
Rs 1200/-
My room (Its the thought that counts)
Rangoli
FIN GOdSWAMI
AOE

Alumni is on a roll. New Office at last. Barso ki tapasya ka fal. Hats off to Loo. Doesnt matter that the fans dont work or there is no AC. The comp does and only that mattters. Plans afoot for making the Annual Alumni Meet a grand success. Our brand new newsletter, named In Touch (how appropriate and touching), for the month of October is ready. The cover page looks awesome. Our alumni should love it.

One more exploit of the MAX group. We were dying to eat chicken. So solution: Lets eat out. A qualis was hired and we set out. Prasad suggested Rajshahi for both veg and non-veg. We reached the great place after a lot of advice. Samples:
Q1: Where is Rajshahi??
A: Please go to choraha and then take a U-Turn. Then ask anybody. (We didnt get it why he was asking us to take a U-turn and come back to him)
Q2: (To a Yo Man Cool Guy types) Where is Rajshahi??
A: Take a left turn (all the while he pointed to the right hand side turning)
Atlast after a lot of prayers and wrong turns we reach the place only to "find" the place was VEG. @#$& words were pelted on Prasad. Our much oppressed veggies Ni and Sharma had a ball. Nice Dinner. The coup-de-grace was dealt when we found out that the nonveg restaurant was one floor above. @#$%& to you Prasad.

Next. Well though young at heart and age-wise, my body has been assumed the figure of a prosperous middle aged guy whose fav dish is ghee and butter roti. My thick skin was immune to subtle hints from my "friends" like fatty or pregnant guy or exclamations like "GOD, look at that!!!" or a soft pat on my tummy. Result: Operation Schwarz Abs. Jog (till now 1 day only) and diet. Diet translates into have bananas for lunch (1 whole basket of it), light tea and then gorge yourself during dinner. Am praying that Schawarz Bhai suddenly develops an affinity to ghee and butter, so that his and mine abs(??) match. There lies the key to success of my operation.

Was woken up one fine day (as usual at 12pm) to hear that I have to pay Rs1200/-. Warning bells start ringing. Fined?? By whom?? Pani or Encounter specialist Suhaag Surana? From bits of info which I gathered by my foggy brain, I realised with shock that my "friends" had entered my name into a GLOBAL competition. To participate each one pays Rs1200/-. Words fail me when I want to scream at them. Bloody gamblers playing with my money. Down the drain, my money flows...tra la la la

Only silver linings are my AOE and baddy which are improving. Kida aka Prasad and me are set to rock the boat by writing a paper in FIN. The GODS have arrived.

Signing off my rantings with a good news. MA DURGA smiled on us and we won the Rangoli contest. We cud never have come first. It was a no contest. With Ni and Basu in the first team and the judges been who they were, we cudnt hav won. But our Ma Durga was better than even Monalisa.

About my(??) Room, well later!

Cheeeeeeeers and Sayonara

Mess Vultures

2005-10-05T01:05:00.000-07:00

As more and more birds and animals across India inch closer to Extinction, a new species is thriving in a remote corner of the country. Heres a small introduction to this unique species.

Name: Mess Vulture (Gyps Messindicus). No cousin of the lowly Indian Vulture (Gyps Indicus)
Habitat: Isolated caves on top Mount Hanuman Tekri
Diet: Anything found in the mess.

This species has a unique advantage in finding its food. From far in C blk, it becomes alert whenever any prey enters the mess. It swoops down to the mess in 10 secs flat. No concrete blocks or tempest like winds can throw it off its prey. With a friendly smile it approaches the unsuspecting prey. THERE IS NO ESCAPE FOR THE PREY.

The modus operandi of the vulture is a form of art. Given below is an extract of this art.
Protagonists 1. Wannabe Rock star aka Kurt Cobain 2. Mr Vulture

Situation: KC has ordered a plate of Maggi and it has just been served.

V: Hi (32 teeth smile)

KC: Hi (Warmed by such a greeting after all those brick bats)

V: How did the audition go? (Eyes on the plate of Maggi)

KC: OK

V: Coooooooooooool (One hand silently moves towards a fork). I heard you guys were great.

KC: Really........ Thanks man. (Little does he suspect the attack)

V: Your crooning will leave the girls gasping for breath. (Thumps KC on the back leaving him gasping for breath. Other hands scoops a ton of maggi leaving only a few strands on the plate)

KC: Can you come you review our performance tomorow?

KC looks around. There is no V and no maggi. KC is left thinking that it was all an illusion. He comes to the conclusion that he had neither met V nor had he ordered maggi. KC doesn't know.

Meanwhile, yours truly, who was watching this act unfold, finds half his Thumbs Up half empty. I must have drunk it myself I think. I cant remember it though. I had been attacked by the vulture. Every single PGPII mess goer has been attacked at one time or another. Problem is, they can't recollect. The con act is executed flawlessly.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the mess vulture for you. A slick creature which has adapted itself to the nocturnal habits of the inhabitants of the IIMI jungle. It has no self respect and knows no shame. Chase it away 100 times and it will be back 101 times. You give in ultimately. You are happy with those few morsels left for you. On a normal night, after 3 hours of hunting/scavenging, the list reads like this: 4 plates of parantha, 3 plates of maggi, 5 plates of bhurji/half fry and a few chocolates. To digest it, 3/4 glasses of cold coffee and 5 bottles of cold drinks are thrown in.

So fellow sufferers, the question of the hour is "How long can the ecosystem bear them?". As of now they rule the ROOST.

Dial M for ........

2005-10-01T05:46:00.000-07:00

Last 2 days I have slogged more than I have done in my first year. Why???? Ok Let me tell you a tale.

My whole world revolves around M

M for Marksman
M for Marketing module of Entrepid
M for Markstrat
M for MADNESS
M for Murder

In what is an example of divine intervention, our own Pope George told me to develop our in-house marketing game. Being the "quintessential" manager in the making, i agreed. Didnt know what i was getting into. Think about converting subjective marketing gyaan into equations. As of know I know more about equations then Einstein himself!!! And JAM yes, I am trying to make the game reflect the Star wars theme.

Same enthusiasm, got me into the marketing module of Entrepid. With a Sahai screaming at 100 decibels, navigating demand supply curves are next to impossible. Ended up with a formula to determine price whose main component is that price itself!!! Write Rewrite, thats the mantra.

Now the father of All Ms. Yes the Hindi M word comes to mind when I think about it. MARKSTRAT. Developing a marketing plan for a MNC to enter India. From package to price to MR to channels to FGDs to in-depth interviews all were part of the deal. Name a marketing funda and we were doing it here. Target segment: Women! (Dont be envious.... The going rate is one KitKat per interview. A bit heavy on your small pocket) Outcome: 2 days and 2 night outs later, the final report is taking shape. When we dispatch the report tomorrow, there will be a collective sigh of relief. Two free riders of repute, Kida and me, staying up and doing work. Actual work!!! :) Perks: Photo shoot with "Chicken".

Therefore, the feeling at 5am in the morning is the last 2 Ms. And my room....... well thats a different story altogether. Subject for next post.

But to tell the truth these Ms have been a pleasure. I have been working with some of the best people in 1st and 2nd year. The enthu of PGPI people is really contagious. Bodes well for the future of IIMI.

I know what all these will add upto...... M for gr8 MEMORIES !!!

2005-09-25T14:46:00.000-07:00

May the force be with you. Marksman

Marksman – May the force be with you!

2005-09-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

My last few days and all my coming days till 10th of NOV have been devoted to a challenging task. The job is to make and get the marketing game of our institute up and running.

NAME : Marksman
DOMAIN : Marketing
ARENA : IRIS 2005
SHOW DOWN : 10th - 13th NOV 2005
THEME : Star Wars
CONTESTANTS : Any MBA worth his salt

Read on to get a flavour of the game!!!

“Marksman” brings to you the strike between the ‘light side’ and the ‘dark side’. Defend yourself from the dark forces; be prepared for your competitors every move. The dark sides will deceit you into falling for their traps, but the challenge is to save yourself and come out victorious. To be successful in the galaxy, it is important to keep your defenses up and senses alert. Understand your potential, set your targets, evaluate all your options and go all out to woo your market. Of course for ultimate success you need the right mix of intuition and creativity.

With “Marksman” you play the ultimate simulation game. We assure you this is as close to reality as you can get. We will take you through a journey which every brand manager is well verse with. Starting from the yester years of brand monopolies and protectionism, to the present arena of competition we take you till the final stage of saturated markets where your only hope for growth is the much neglected rural sector. The end is ultimately determined by the means you choose.

Battle Plan:

The game is spread over 20 years and takes into account the dynamic market situations. The saga unfolds in the following way:

Stage 1: A long time ago (India - Pre 1991)

A long long time ago there was a beautiful world with abundant resources. People were just awakening to varied demands.

Get your brain cells buzzing and come up with an out of box solution for cleaning needs. Your challenge was to break old habits and create a soap which will establish you as a strong player in the market.

Stage 2: Phantom Menace (India – 1991-1995)

Before you get too comfortable, beware of the Phantom! These are MNC’s which have broken loose on your land. Suddenly your empire is under threat. Your customers are excited about the ‘Phoren’ brands, and they are becoming more demanding.

To gain an edge over the MNC’s you have to come up with differentiaion and value offerings which are distinct and desirable.

Stage 3: Attack on the Clones (India – 1996-2000)

Once again you find yourself fighting the clones, in an India no longer divided by Licence Raj, this multitude of competitiors are fast moving in your territory.

The Jedi warrior believes “There is no chaos, there is harmony”. At this stage the true test is in harmony and support of your channel partners.

Stage 4: Revenge of the Sith (India – 2001-2005)

The “Sith” aka the rural sector has long since been neglected. There is an uprising and a call for revenge.

Adapt yourself to this new challenge make yourself more the most preferred mass player.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do come and join in the fun..... Lets have a ball and show Kotler whos the BOSS :D

Cheers
Angshuman Goswami
TEAM MARKSMAN
IIMI
www.iimi-iris.com

CHANGE.........

2005-09-21T22:55:00.000-07:00

We talk about change as if it happens elsewhere or in the past. Rarely do we notice that it's happening around us. I am not a tech savvy guy nor an early adopter of products. Yet today while using GoogleTalk it just flashed. In my tiny span of 20 years of mega existence, the we communicate has totally changed. Flashback aka hindi movie style.

Late 1980s (when i can safely say that i became aware of whats happening around me) the way to communicate was the letter or the phone in my grandparents house. No TV but a radio. Then came a B&W. Doordarshan used to rock. Cricket, Mahabharat, Hum Log wow.

Switch to 1990s. Then I saw DD Metro with lots of cartoon shows (my perspective of a good program at that time :D) was heaven sent. Lots of persuasion, cajoling, cribbing forced my pop to install a special DD2 antennae. I was in 7th heaven. Then came a philips tape recorder. It looked so sleek compared to the old panasonic. (Its still in our house) Tape music...Bon Jovi, Sultans of Rock, Channel V Hits... awesome cassettes.....they were my prized possessions then... now cassettes are an head ache...where to play them , no "deck" to play them wagera wagera

I remember a time after my class 12 xams, when my uncle told me to email him.. i told him that he gave me a wrong link. There was no" .com" after his name!!! So much for a future comp engg.
ATMs where cash used to come out when you put in a card seemed magical. I used to dream of being a important man who would insert a card into slots in a wall and money would come out..whole thick wads of it. Talk about style and sophistication :D

Then came cable. Class X xams a month away and it came. Blame for poor results in X and XII is squarely on it. Initially it was 11 channels only. In 2 years time they went over 50. Sometimes I think its a headache. You keep surfing but you dont watch anything. You gotta surf coz you payed for them all. All 50 of them. DD Metro rocks. But then I remember the dead DD news which you were forced to watch as well as those bland talk shows. and you think GOD sent the cable.

Yours truly started to surf in his engg days. Websites to send cards and chatting became a rage. But chatting was costly at 40 bucks per hour. But to call your parents you still had to cycle 2 kms to a std booth. The mobile existed only in metros. By the time i was in final year, a few had mobiles to show off. You could take their lifes but not their mobiles. Per hour internet cafe charges had come down to 10 bucks. Floppies, the quintessential part of an comp enggs life, gave way to CDs. Digital cams were being seen on the horizon. The winds were changing fast.

Enter IIM Indore. The techies paradise. 24X7 broadband connection. You dont need a phone to connect to near and DEAR ones. Skpe, GoogleTalk, Yahoo Talk.... take your pick. You dont need CDs to watch movies. Just download them from the net or a ftp server run by a kind soul. Mobiles are common things unless you have a PDA or a very high end Model. Lappies . Oh they are just computers. Everyone has one. Ipod and what else is to come?

The future is open to your imagination. But the things which are coming will defy them. Bet on it.

To what religion I belong ??? The answer has been found

2005-09-21T01:48:00.000-07:00

You scored as Satanism. Your beliefs most closely resemble those of Satanism! Before you scream, do a bit of research on it. To be a Satanist, you don't actually have to believe in Satan. Satanism generally focuses upon the spiritual advancement of the self, rather than upon submission to a deity or a set of moral codes. Do some research if you immediately think of the satanic cult stereotype. Your beliefs may also resemble those of earth-based religions such as paganism.

Satanism

88%

Buddhism

71%

Paganism

58%

Hinduism

58%

Christianity

54%

Islam

54%

atheism

46%

Judaism

42%

agnosticism

25%

Which religion is the right one for you? (new version)

HAHA I am the DEVIL

About Good things

2005-09-21T01:29:00.000-07:00

Life rocks when you have

GOOD food
GOOD friends
GOOD weather
GOOD free time
GOOD bike
GOOD mood
GOOD ol money

And when you put them together, you get Heaven. 1 + 1 = 11. Cascading effect. Sum total is more than the total of all the inputs (HR crap)....

Yes it makes for a nice evening. Keema parantha to dal makni tastes awesome in Nafeez. The intellectual level of a small group of people, called the macro max group, is beyond any doubt the best that exists on this campus. A full moon and empty roads with the wind in your hair is my idea of a good ride. 135 bucks and 2 hours later I feel like GOD. I feel Happy.

God exists. Thank u GOD and thank you all. IIM till date is THE two years of my life.

Amen

Big Mess and Good Intentions

2005-09-20T01:14:00.000-07:00

Well what a mess !!! I refer to The room....My room..... Why a mess???

At a glance you can see

fresh copies of ET lying around untouched .....
washed clothes scattered around
dirty clothes scattered around
erstwhile pressed clothes lying around
CDs, phamlets and medicines
Books and spirals , the "quintessential" possessions of any MBA worth his salt, in all kinds of positions.... lying, standing, slanting, sliding, under the bed,
water bottles
kulfi caps, speaker and headphone packagings, bhujia packs (empty ones) .... thanx to frnds]
shoes, chappals polythene bags
a cupboard which is full and in which u cant find anything
somebody's dictionary(???)

what u cant see at a glance in my room

the bed under all those clothes
the door with all those clothes hanging
the table which ia the official dustbin of my room
space in the cupboard
AND THINGS THAT YOU ARE SEARCHING

So Operation Reengineering has been started to achieve TQM and make the process of finding things to run with 6 Sigma efficiency......

But as often repeated the success of these programs depends on the CEO...... his motivation and dedication to these programs is vital for getting them implemented. Statistics say room cleaning operations fail 99.9% of the time.

So all said and done.......... it remains to be seen what happens..... but no one can deny my good intentions....

Amen

First Post....Bingo

2005-09-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

Well.................

Nothing sentimental nor monumental
Nothing fundoo nor wacky
Nothing philosophical nor depressing

Hopefully not rubbish

Hope you enjoy it as much I will...

So I start my blog at this moment when the world sleeps and India rises to a new dawn
more egg-jactly at 1am 20/09/2005

OM Shanti..........OM Shanti..........OM
(Signifies the continuity and tranquility of life which I hope to capture in this blog)...... WOW

PS: Phew.... wasnt tuf...was it?? :D