The WIMWI dream

Sometimes you dream. Day in Day out. You work hard. But it so happens that your dreams do not fructify. For whatever reasons.

So what next? You either persevere and try hard one more time to let your dreams materialize or else you seek the escape route and aspire for something else.

Getting into the top B schools in the country has always been my dream. After the CAT fiasco last year, I decided not to give CAT again – CAT dumped me once and so I told myself that I hated it. But in actuality, I lost all belief that I could clear CAT and was just seeking the escape route.

But then again, we can never really be the master of our own destiny -- Can we?. Certain circumstances made me rethink my stance. I pushed myself to give CAT again this year. I started preparing in earnest. The resentment towards it easily sobered. Somewhere still, there was this doubt implanted in my mind frame that said I still wouldn’t be able to clear it. Yet, I just egged myself on. I persevered.

There is this amazing quote attributed to Paulo Coelho which goes “When you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true”.

I really wanted to clear CAT. And I gave it my all. The result was a GD/PI call from each of the 6 IIM’s.

Admittedly, the GD/PI scene was an altogether different ball game. A New Arena. Still I held the same mantra. Desire + Hardwork + Perseverance.

After a struggle through the interview season, I now stand with admits from all the IIMs save K. I Finally stand Vindicted.

A dream that has been long in the making has finally been brought to fruition. It still all feels like a hazy dream and the feeling is yet to sink in.

With the choice I had in hand, I wasn’t amazingly spoilt for choice. It had always been about a single entity – IIM A. I knew my destiny. I knew where I'd be going.

IIM A. My destiny. My dream.

So Vastrapur!!! Here I come to live my dream. :)


PS : 1) Dream and then work hard. Nothing is unattainable.

2) WIMWI stands for Well Known Institute of Management in Western India.i.e IIM A

3) GD/PI = Group Discussions/Personal Interview.

Virtual Spaces and Reality!!!

"With you around me(in virtual space, yeah) life was so much easy, so much fun, so much to look forward to.
Now that you are no more near(in soul perhaps) I miss you, I miss the very thought of you."

P.S : Wow!!! There it goes, off my chest!!!
Never thought I'd ever express it, let alone feel that way. Life can get so filmy, duh.

Down Memory Lane

RK Hall, Main Building, Dost Log(Couldn't get all in one),Mech Dep

As 4 years of IIT draw to a close (and as the final end sems draw near), it feels apt to take a trip down nostalgia lane. 4 years ago, I set foot into IIT with starry eyes and lofty ambitions. Will that 'ME' be satisfied with the 'ME' that is all set to roll out of this place??? So much has happened over the course of 4 years that I feel it should all be chronicled.

Had fun. Had mastooo fun. Awesome Section 8 in the first year. Made great friends. Bunked a lot of classes. Nasty NCC camp. Movie sessions in my room. Learnt cards games (Rummy and Bluff). Helped friends copy during exams. Supercool Darjeeling Trip. Steeled the rigorous OP period. Watched tonnes and tonnes of movies. Lost track of time playing QuizRoom1 -- Jumble + Trivia. Basketball. Exacting Mech dep courses. Put fight for a girlfriend -- No Luck. Vizag Steel Plant Intern. Gajuwaka Theaters rounded off. Lonely Hyundai Internship. Quizzed a lot. Won a number of prizes Quizzing. Made great, great friends (re emphasis). Sweated out hard for grades. Kshitij rocked. Intern Rocked. 'Twas Mall Time at Bangalore. Mysore-Ooty Trip was fun. Gobbled dozens of novels. SitComs on the Lan. BTP Toil. Spent Endless hours in QuizRoom2 -- Guess the Word. Flunked CAT. Landed a Job. Hosted Friends at home. Kalingapatnam beach trip rocked. Treats and Treats and Treats. Had fun. Put fight for a girlfriend -- No Luck. Farewells. Best outgoing Techie. Respect, perhaps. BTP Load again. Awaiting the future.
(to follow....... Last End sems, Grand Viva, B Tech Project presentation)
(in chronological order)

I've laughed and I've cried at times over the years here.
I've consoled and I've been pacified.
I've vented my ire and at times have been at the recieving end of it.
I've felt down and out at times and I've felt exuberant too.
I've worked hard and have also lazed a lot.
I've experienced success as well as failure in equal doses.
But, I've loved every moment of my stay here at IIT, Kharagpur and all that this place has thrown at me and taught me along the way. I wouldn't want to imagine these 4 years having gone by any other way.

Vindication

April 2005
RK HALL TEA PARTY FOR THE INCOMING BATCH

Screaming Seniors. Their unending devotion for the hall showing. Devotion, teetering on the edge of Jingoism. Endless Gyaan. Speeches and unending Homilies concerning the General Championships, Hall Traditions and Hall Tempo. Chaos and Hullaballoo.

Amidst all this, I can't help but notice the Awards boards perched alongside a portrait of Dr.RadhaKrishnan. And what a difference these boards made to the ambience of the entire place. The entire foyer though rustic, seemed awe-inspiring. I remember standing there reading a few names immortalized on those boards for posterity and I quietly wondered.......

Circa April 2008
RK HALL FAREWELL TO THE OUTGOING BATCH

Best Outgoing Technology Student.
Surprise, Elation, Satisfaction.

A 3 year old dream come true.

It's been one hell of a ride in RK Hall. Thanks for the accolade, mates and this award also futher vindicates my belief that if we discharge our duties to the best of our abilities, the recognition and the adulations will automatically follow.

The plaque besides my Lappy :)

"Whenever a door closes, there's a new one that opens."

It's upto you to find out which one and where. Period.

Placement Chronicles

November 4

Huge B’day Bash. (Check Flickr for pics) CAT Prep reaching a crescendo.

Your's truly..... :P

November 4 -- SIMShock by IMS

Shocked to the core. Miss the cut offs in all 3 sections by a small margin.

Shivers down the spine. Frustration sets in. Whole CAT preparation appears to be in shambles.

November 13 -- Last SIMCAT
After almost giving up on CAT, this one provides a small ray of hope. Score 40% in each section and end up at 99.5 percentile.

Boosts the morale and lifts up the sagging spirits.

November 20 -- CAT @ Kolkata
The Grand Debacle. Seemed like the worst nightmare. Forget to mark a few answers on the OMR sheet

November 20^th night
2 End Semester Exams the next day and about 10 hours on hand to recuperate from the CAT shock and prepare for them after a rigorous train journey and to catch sleep in the said duration as well.

November 21^st
Abysmal performance in the Systems and Control paper. (Later to be “awarded” my first 'P' grade in Kgp) All the people around me keep scribbling away while I find it hard to navigate the 3 hours time.

Recede into a shell of despair and helplessness. Unable to face myself, my parents and all dreams lie shattered. Self-doubts begin to rise before I quash some of my fears and resolutely decide to get on with LIFE.

December 1^st
Placements get underway at the other IIT’s – Bombay and Chennai. Stats and updates from friends at the other institute augments expectations and creates new apprehensions.

December 2^nd
The day before D-day. Placements to start the next day. Seven companies on Day One. Didn’t apply for Schlums, McKinsey(Sure that I wouldn’t be shortlisted). Couldn’t get through Deutsche Bank’s Written test and Capital One’s written test too (This one was a surprise). Not shortlisted in Lehmann Brothers. (Most still can’t fathom why they didn’t get shortlisted) That left me shortlisted in ITC(CG based) and Procter & Gamble (After a written test followed by an online Psychometric Analysis). Assure myself that I can do well and that the fewer companies would mean lesser pressure.

December 3^rd D-Day
ITC GD starts at 12. Perform reasonably well in the GD. Was a relatively straightforward Case Study. 2 females in my group keep snubbing the others and are very keen to voice their opinions. I raise a few valid points and come out quite satisfied with my performance.

P&G calls me for the first interview at 2:00. 45 minutes of HR interview. Was asked endless experiences to quote – like situations where I worked in a group, solved inter personal problems, where my idea was applauded, my this and my that. The interviewer appears mighty pleased with my answers and I can see a smile across his face. Just get the feeling that P&G might actually........

Not shortlisted for ITC interviews. Justified given that they were looking at the whole package and having about 4 people ahead on the CG scale from the same branch didn’t help either. Still had one more interview to go, at P&G and I wanted to concentrate on that.

4 hours since my first interview at P&G and I’m still not called on for my 2^nd while I can see people who’ve come after me finish both their interviews and leave. Why I wasn't called etc. aren't the stuff meant for open discussion and the reasons are best left unsaid.

Reach my room – dead tired and exhausted – and I take a quick nap. Suddenly I get a call from P&G calling me for my 2^nd interview. A new hope glimmers. I suddenly get dressed into my formals and rush on my cycle. The first interviewer was visibly pleased seeing me and I’m sure he was the one that called me back. The 2^nd interview was drag – It was the last interview of day one and the interviewers had to abandon their dinner and interview me. Even I was drowsy and dazed & by that time I was visibly displeased with P&G. I did not expect to make it through P&G nor did I actually want to be placed there.

End of Day Zero

December 4^th Day One
DE Shaw, ZS Associates, Inductis and Fair Isaac.

DE Shaw test early in the morning. S/W section was hardcore. The algorithm section and Math were a breeze.

ZS Group Discussion at 11. With the risk of sounding too preposterous, I felt that I was the best participant in the group and easily deserved to be through.

I move over to Fair Isaac where I get to know I was shortlisted for Quality Assurance Profile. So I decide to take off from there.

Inductis interviews start. Hardcore Puzzles and Probability – Not my cuppa tea. Yet I do reasonably well. Each interview takes one and a half hour. Its 4:00 by the time two interviews are up.

Get to know ZS ditched me. (Maybe I shouldn’t have told them I had 3 other companies that day) On expected lines, DE Shaw doesn’t shortlist me either.

I get a call from FAIR ISAAC and with me running out of options, I move there and 4:30 begins my first interview. The interviewer asks me to describe about myself and I do well. He then peruses my resume and asks me about my role in Quizzing at Kgp. Then he proceeds to ask me a few questions –similar to a rapid fire round with 15 questions hurled at me in just over a minute. I answer them all.

Nokia’s country of Origin. It’s earlier business. History behind the name Adidas, Motorola. About Puma. About IBM. The next question I get -- “What’s your IQ???”

That instant I knew I was through. I asked for a change in the profile, (I’m glad I asked that) which he obliged. Then a few more questions on algorithms and puzzles. Then another small interview with algos and puzzles.

I move back to Inductis and again make the cardinal sin of informing the interviewer that I was almost through FI. This time the interview gets real real hard. The interviewer is sure I would ditch his company over FI and instead, he dumps me.

So finally I’m down to the end of day one and I’ve Fair Isaac offering me a software job. I call up home and they want me to take the first job offered to me.

I move over to FI and complete my other 2 interviews which were mere formalities and proceed to accept their offer.

Still in a daze and tired from the 2 day strain, I head back to my room. News trickles to my wingies that I’m placed. Congratulatory messages all around. It wasn’t how I’d expected it to be.

No triumphant displays of victory. No heart warming celebrations. No howling. No joyous screams. No sense of Accomplishment. Just Listlessness. Languor. Totally Energy Sapped. Just a bundle of relief. A huge sense of relief that I don't have to get my formals washed again, better, not wear them again for some time.

2 harrowing days. Zillions of lessons learnt. A Huge Humbling Experience. With a bittersweet ending.

I just inform my parents and my best friend that I’m placed. Only 2 or 3 days after the feeling seeps in, I call up all my friends and inform them.

December 8^th – January 2^nd
Festive atmosphere at home. Some of my dearest friends from KGP come over to my place and we have a gr8 time.

Dad & Mom take great pride in announcing the news to the World. But I’m already looking forward to the CAT results and prepare my parents to accept the worst.

January 8^th -- CAT results
As expected, my marks aren’t anywhere near the cut offs. But then surprisingly – mostly to my surprise—I take the results particularly well. No bad feelings. Just learning from my mistakes and hope to do well the next time I give CAT. Also decide to give my GMAT.

Life balances everything, I guess.
Victories and Defeats.
Joys and Sorrows.

How intriguing is the Flow of Life. We just need to go along with it. Right now, I'd like to believe whatever is bestowed upon us by LIFE is what actually is best suited for us. Period.

The 8RF Game...

I've been tagged by Twilight Fairy....

Here are the rules:

1.Players start with 8 random facts about themselves.
2.Those who are tagged should post these rules and their 8 random facts.
3.Players should tag 8 other people and notify them they have been tagged.

Now that I have had my fill of "lazing and relaxing" after the rigours of the last fortnight of my intern, it's time to return to the usual mode of life. Any more lazing around and I will just be boring myself to death. So here goes 8 random facts about me.

1. Last 7 days Liquid Consumption Stats

Aerated Drinks (Coke/Thums Up/Appy Fizz) -- 22 bottles (500ml each or is it 600???)
(Just back after counting the bottles heap in the kitchen)
Water -- Hardly 2 such bottles.

Me on a lonely island with an unlimited supply of softdrinks -- I'm sure I can make it through.
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2. I seriously believe that my favourite sporting heroes are jinxed when I watch them live.
Like the only ball of the 2003 cricket WC tournament that I watched live, Sachin Tendulkar was out to Shoaib Akhtar. I sauntered to the television room when he was on the verge of his century and then it was all over!!! :(
Federer lost the French Open 2006 while I watched it live and Schumi's engine blew in the Japanese GP last year denying him his rightful title.
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3. I suppose I am low on self esteem. I deride myself a huge deal in front of others. I seriously do not know if I consider myself a weaker earthling than the person(s) in front or if the derision I heap on myself is a result of my insecurity and fear of failure.
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4. I am a loner. Being an only child, I have no idea as to what it feels like having a brother or a sister. I long to be pampered. I wish to pamper someone and feel protective about that person. I seriously wish I had a brother or a sister. But then again, being an only child always comes attached with lots of goodies -- and so I'm not complaining too much.
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5. I don't know if this is normal. But I have never had any crushes all my life -- be it cine stars, classmates or whoever whatever.
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6. I used to be a sucker for marks. Topping the class was all I used to think of and subsequently put a lot of pressure on myself.
I was always the topper of my class until I set foot in the rarefied hallows of IIT -- where I broke free off my self imposed shackles and topping the class has never been on my agenda since.
I still remember vividly the incident when I scored 16 1/4 marks in Telugu during a unit test and my competitors for the first rank scored 16 3/4 marks in the same. I cried so badly for the half mark they'd gained on me, that I threw up in the class, much to the embarrassment of the teacher and myself.
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7. My last year of stay at Kharagpur will be the 17th year of hostel life for me. 17 of 21. That's a huge number, I guess. I'd bet I have seen a huge array of people than the average person and the whole melange of characters from the motley crowd that has passed by me has made me quite worldly wise.
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8. I write long e-mails and long letters -- but the recipients haven't ever complained about their length.
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Whoooo!!! Didn't know I had to slog out so hard at that one.
And finding 8 more people :O
Well, let's save that for another day.

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So Sweet

Someone just told me something so very sweet!!! So very adoring and so very cute!!! Yeah, actually something about me............, yes ME !!!

It is moments like this that brighten up my Life and make it worthwhile. Suddenly makes me realize somebody does appreciate me for what I am and for what I have been.... And Thank You so very much for livening up my everything and assuring that I am not all that bad a person I conjure myself to be!!! More importantly, letting me know what you feel..........

Sounds Cliched. Can't help. Too excited right now............

P.S : Typed out a few hours back. Delayed posting it on the blog.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

Words can’t truly express what I want to blurt out right this instant.

MOM, You have been my biggest source of inspiration and you will remain the single most influential person in my life – and I mean it in every sense of the word. I truly cherish the camaraderie we share. Everything I am right now is all because of what you had done for me – the numerous sacrifices, the heart breaking distances, the setbacks you braved, the love and care you showed. As you step into one more glorious year of your life, Your Birthday gives me a platform to reminisce the very many things that shaped my life -- the advice, the letters, the silly fights, the love, the anger and countless others. Let me thank you for all that you have done. And I am proud of you. Have a wonderful Birthday. YOU ARE MY HERO.

P.S : The pic here is of the card I’d carefully handpicked for MOM the last time I was in Kolkata…. But then I decided against mailing her. I just thought it wasn’t the right time to send a card especially when the whole household is shrouded in grief. Maybe I will make use of it for her birthday next year.

Miss You Grandpa

God's finger touched him, and he slept.
--Alfred Lord Tennyson

On the 28th of October 2006, God looked around Heavens and sensed something missing. His garden felt the need of a fragrant flower – a flower that would radiate out sufficient warmth, love and compassion.

He looked upon Mother Earth and found your loving face.

God was Jealous; He wanted you to grace the heavens.
God wanted you in His Kingdom; He wanted you to share your love up there.

Henceforth his angel rode to earth: to pick you and place you in your rightful place – God’s heavenly abode.

You might physically be no more with us, but then you will remain in our memories forever and ever.

I will Miss you Grandpa.

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The Void created by your absence will be hard to fill. But your teachings and love will carry me throughout. I just want to let it be known what a fabulous Grandpa you had been!!! Thank you Grandpa for the many things you taught me in life, for caring for me, for listening to me.

P.S : I do not know if it is right or wrong to express my sincere sentiments – esp. during my grief – in a forum as open and public as this. But since I couldn’t be beside the person I so very loved during his last moments has gotten me so forlorn. I do not even know how he would feel reading this from the heavens up above. I desperately feel like talking to him – The fact that he is no more only is intensifying the feeling. Such an irony.

Am getting so damn nostalgic as well. Thoughts don’t cease. Time seems like it has come to a standstill. Just can’t wait till I get home.

Happy Birthday, My Friend.

Dear Friend,

It’s been ages since we met…. but you as a person have always remained close to my heart.
It seems like an eternity since we spoke…. but you remain my constant source of encouragement and inspiration.

I never knew what hit me. But I rendered it was the right thing to do. Maybe I was being harebrained. Maybe I was acting sensibly. But at that time I felt it was the right thing to do -- FOR US TO GROW APART.

The distance between us might never melt. I know I hurt your emotions a lot. But then I am not here to give any excuses. The moments we shared haunt me time and again. I can still feel the impact you had on me and you still have on me. Nobody has gotten close to knowing and understanding me as you did. I thank you with all my heart for the lovely moments we shared. Just wanted to say, “It would be nice to have you back as my friend”.

Haan, before I forget to wish you, Happy Birthday. So on the day that trumpets and echoes and celebrates the moment of your arrival into this world, I thank the heavens for your lovely presence and guidance in my life. Miss you in many ways, in ways words can never express.

Yours truly.

P.S : This was something I wrote yesterday, but was largely skeptical about posting. But then certain things are better not hidden. So I am posting this, a day later, after a lot of deliberation and thought.
Skepticism – for I believe my friend is never going to see this.
Deliberation and Thought lead me to summoning all courage and doing the right thing.

Photos Courtesy of Yahoo! Greetings and a little messy work in MS Paint.

Dunno Why???

Why???

Why do I feel like blogging right now, when I have loads of stuff to learn for tomorrow’s exam and when I absolutely have no idea as to what fate awaits me during tomorrow’s exam?

Why does it feel like browsing the net when I know that I stand to gain much more if I studied for the ongoing exams?

Why does it feel like listening to James Blunt’s -- “You’re beautiful” again and again, when I have absolutely no suicidal tendencies or even a ‘girlfriend’ – forget her deserting me for someone else?

Why do I find it so burdensome to hold my attention and not let my thoughts wander during any course lecture – be it engrossing or boring?

Why do I fear failure so much when actually the desire to succeed burns so bright deep down inside of me?

Why do I feel so utterly claustrophobic—lonely and tied up—, when, ironically, I am in fact in the company of spirited, animated, bubbly and vivacious friends?

Why do I end up plastering a plastic smile across my sullen face when in others’ company?

Why does it feel so difficult to trust anybody when all I desire is someone to share my feelings and lighten up my heart?

Why does it feel so onerous to forget things that I ought to have forgotten a long time ago?

Why is it so difficult to break out of that pessimistic outlook I get into occasionally—for short time spans— when I know that it ain’t right and that too when I am completely aware of my malfeasance?

Why does it feel like dialing that number when I know the repercussions that will arise out of my actions will be quite severe?

Why does she feel so close to me and yet so isolated from me?

Why does the heart yearn to go home when I know that it isn’t possible until certain things fall in place?

Why do tears trickle out of my eyes and damp my pillow when I am on my cot and get lost in thoughts, when I know the majority residing in the time-zone I do are in a deep slumber?

Why???

Why then does it feel so???

4 months on a platter

4 months in a few words… Wonder if that is possible!!! But then I will definitely try that with every ounce of effort while keeping myself fully aware that I need to be careful so as to not bore the world reading this “holy crap”. If you ask me why I’d decided to write all this, all you meet with is an ignorant and bewildered I-Just-Dunno why I’d done that expression. Cut the crap and let me start off.

May 8^th – 27^th Well that’s what my certificate says!!! I don’t exactly remember the dates though. Lovely vacation (read industrial training) in Vizag Steel Plant, Ukkunagaram…. Yeah the good ol’ Vizag….. Nag, Shankar and me…. Add Bunnu, Palli and Santhu for that extra dash of fun…Really fulfilling experience to say the least. Was our first window to the working of a large scale industry. The sheer magnitude of the steel plant can be quite intimidating. Really got to know quite a few things though I guess we should have braced ourselves a little more and showed sufficient enthusiasm to learn that wee bit more. Rue the fact that we have lost quite a bit of our inquisitiveness and the questioning aptitude since the JEE days. All in all an entertaining fun-filled knowledge-laced experience, something we will remember quite well for the rest of our lives. (The forthcoming interviews won’t let us erase this so easily from our memories). Now for a sneak peek into the days we spent there.

Lazy life – Uncles who are always eager to give us ‘lifts’/rides on their bikes till the factory and also further inside.(Love that lift culture – so helpful). -- Routine work shifts – literally had a ‘hot’ time in the furnaces and sooty bodies at the end of the day because of the coal dust that floats everywhere in the plant – Abysmally cheap and good quality food in the mess(Shankar’s eyes were always on that 10Rs chicken serving)—The customary afternoon session bunk and the quick naps— off to gajuwaka in the evening for some movie(Must confess here to watching about 12 movies during my stay)—the “chicken sp. Biryani” packets(Shankar, Do you remember???) to gorge on in the room at night—the innumerable mirchi bajjis we relished—long strolls in the plant—late night discussions about topics ranging from CG to CV to Palli’s girlfriend to anything in relation to the world—the occasional beach trip—Yeah man, training was fun, much much more than I expected it to be.

Then came June and I’d gotten home. Was desperately trying to land myself another training and so finally dashed off to Chennai with the hope of making it to one TVS Motors. But then they said I was too late. And just when it seemed like I would have to return without having accomplished anything, an uncle from Hyundai invited me over there. Also caught up with a few ol’ friends and teachers…. Visited SBOA, my school in addition to the training .

So another training for about 15 days in Hyundai Motors, Chennai. Lovely Place, Lovely people. Great work ethic, Even greater approach to work, dedicated target oriented workers. All in all a great place to be. But I can’t stop complaining about the hectic schedule.

Early morning wake up at 4 30 – Bus at 5 30 – Reaching the factory at 6 30 – Lovely, Absolutely Lovely Breakfast – Shop Floor Visits – Process appreciation – Reveling seeing the absolutely awesome-fantastic-ginormous-sophisticated machinery –Brief Lunch (Again Awesome) –Further shop floor study – evening bus home at 4 00 -- Almost mandatory traffic jam – reaching uncles home by 7 30 in the night – a few minutes of soccer world cup and then this tired guy eats a lil’ and jumps off to bed.

Then to Vijaywada…. Off to Hyderabad….. Caught up with a lot of Johnians….

Back home…. And don’t ever ask me what happened next??? The most tumultuous phase of my life… Nerve-wracking 15 days. Absolutely no idea as to how I – and other family members – got through this!!! And then returned back to Kgp.

Integrated back with friends… lots of new stories to tell… lots of stories I’d heard as well… Two and a half months being apart and then getting back together… Lots of fun moments to share… And yes this span is sufficient to change a person. Lots of changes I observed in my dear friends…

Right now, Midsems round the corner and I feel like doing everything in the world other than open my books. Open. Close. Open the book… stare at a few pages…. Call yourself an ass for not studying regularly. Look at the same page again for 5 more minutes. Nothing gets into your head. Concentrate again. Have had enough. Throw the book on the cot. Get in front of the computer. Start searching DC++ or the net. Chat with a few friends. Feels great!!! Look at the book on the cot and say “Man, Academic Books are not my cup of tea”.

Well, that’s my state right now… Absolutely clueless!!! Really trying to figure out why I’ve written all this crap in the first place.

It's been a Pleasure Writing this out!!!!!

Some great feelings that make my life worthwhile…………..

When I return home from hostel, say after 4 months or so, and I find mom, dad, grandma and grandpa waiting eagerly at home – keeping on hold their busy work schedule. When mom hugs me hard and says, “Feels like ages ra, kanna. Feels great to have you back.” When grandma invariably has to say “You’ve grown weak and thin” irrespective of whether I have gained weight or lost it.

Late night dinner on the couch -- The 5 of us together -- discussing various topics ranging from human psychology to academics to politics to sports to even my girlfriends and sometimes when dad shifts off to the prospective daughter-in-law in waiting!!! That’s sheer fun.

When I sit on grandpa’s lap (and he is on his special stool in the balcony) and we explore the world looking at the same old neighbourhood that has been the same for ages, yet find something new to rant about.

Watering plants on the 2^nd floor roof top along with mom in the evening. Fighting it out for the television remote with papa. That’s fun. …. Haan almost forgot….. Inviting grandpa to watch WWE (wrestling) along with me…. He loves that and so do I.

When I can see mom hurriedly trying to make something in the kitchen, even when she has got to go on her work – the sense of satisfaction fills you up, the love on her face shows. When my cell rings at home and mom is like “Is that your girlfriend??? Won’t you introduce me to her??”….. When I can smell the aroma of “Keema Fried Rice” – This onez my mom’s speciality – that wafts through the air to my room early morning (I mean 10 or so)…. And then the heavenly taste of that in my watering mouth…. When mom advises me about life, about the world and the many ways of the world…….. Seeing Mom and Dad playing pranks on each other… quite kiddo at times they are and it’s always fun seeing them like that. When we, as a family, go out to a movie….. When I see my mom exploding in tears for the silliest of emotional scenes and when I hand out the hand kerchief and she smiles…. Later when we have a great dinner somewhere outside.

Speaking to mom over the phone when away from home (I’ve been in hostel almost all my life and this is the 15^th year). When mom scolds me for taking too long a break before calling her (a gap of 2 days is enough for her to term it long)......When I hear dad proudly tell people around him “my son is in IIT.”…..

When we sit in the room and gossip about irrelevant stuff in the hostel…. When someone says “Let’s go Billoo’s/Sup Dup/ wherever. Today’s mess khana sucks”…… When does it taste good in the first place? Late night walk down to Chhedis. Chatting over a Tinku about what not….
On the Vidhan Chowk Lawns with “Da Gang” having nothing else to do on earth…. Just for some casual bhaat….. When I bunk a class for some extra sleep…. When I submit some assignment I just copied from some maggu, alongside him……

When I complete some long pending work… When I lie on the bed after a tiring day….. When I sleep…sleep and sleep …. I love my deep slumbers…. Those 10 -12 hrs continuously in my dreams…. Love the smell of the earth before it rains… the fragrance rocks…… When I put my nose on the fuel lid of bikes to smell some petrol…. The weirdo that I am….

When I find someone waiting online anxiously for me….. When someone wishes me on my minute accomplishments…. When my phone keeps ringing for about an hour on the zeroth hour of my birthday, courtesy the amazing friends I have….When I am on my way to Vijayawada during the holidays to meet my aunt, uncle, akka and also Surya and Khan, when I reminisce of our school days…. When I remember how Miss Brijit and Bro Jaico would try instilling some good qualities in us….. When I am out for a cinema with my friends in Vijayawada….. When we roam the streets on the bikes doing nothing…. The sweet times at Baker’s Inn…. The times I again think of those lovely school days…….

Having fun with akka(my cousin, though I consider her my own)… playing pranks on her, running off after smacking her, calling her names, pulling her knee length braided hair and at the end of it all when I sleep in her lap after all the mischief…… seeing the smile on her face….. Nothing more heartening than that smile…. Well I cannot put all those feelings in the words… I’d be surely making an understatement.

Time I spend with sweet kiddo cousins….. listening to their gibberish talk…. Nothing sweeter than that… The sight of a nice comment to my post… any word of encouragement when I am down and out….When someone asks me “Post soon and do tell me what it is all about before hand!!!”……

I can go on filling pages and pages… Maybe I will add some more later….So lemme stop here… By the way, What are yours???

A Big THANK YOU

This is all I can say after the tremendous response to the post. “A BIG THANK YOU”. The concern everyone showed, the get well soon messages through the comments and the phone calls to SIVA makes me mighty satisfied. For all the love and concern each one showed, the prayers everyone made for his recovery, HE is discharged from B C ROY (THE INSTI HOSPITAL in KGP, for the uninitiated), is doing quite well and is ready to carry on. Last but not least, I thank “THE ALMIGHTY” for the valuable lessons we learnt, for strengthening the bon called FRIENDSHIP, for letting the world know the real ME and more importantly, for SIVA’s speedy recovery. Thankfully, The ALMIGHTY smiled on him and he could get through with the minimum possible injuries/damage. Now that everything is fine… Itz time we take him to TAMROLIPTO or GARDEN INN and demand our treat (hehe J) …. As I had already mentioned, I am just waiting for the BIRD FLU EPISODE to pass over.

An ODE TO THE 8 SHINING KNIGHTS

......Ajay,Aravind,Giri,Kiran,Ravi,Nag,Praneeth,Shankar..

“Good luck seldom comes in pairs but bad things never walk alone” - Chinese Proverb

I believe the happenings in Life are pre-destined. God’s will is ultimate and everything happens for a reason. It;’s high time I realise the importance of being a bit more careful and also taking life a bit more seriously.

After a dreadful trip to CALCUTTA… I had to take the mantle of sharing my experience with one and all… to let everyone know

“EVERYTHING DOESN'T GO AS YOU EXPECT ALL THE TIME”

Well, here is a conversation between someone (whom most of you think you know….neways keep guessing) and me. Again it’s upto you to decide whether this piece of work is fictional or factual…. Go ahead and have a look into the happenings of one day I will never forget in life………..ever. Without beating around the bush, let’s jump straight forward into the conversation.

ME: am jus back from Calcutta

“SHE”: yea ok...

“SHE”: ohhh nice

ME: And today has been one of the worst days I’ve ever faced... jus like the day I dint get thro my JEE......

ME: dumbest day I ever had

ME: and nine others’ day too was spoilt by jus a lil bit of carelessness on my part

“SHE”: ohh why........

ME: wait lemme tell ya

ME: Well 10 of us planned to go to Kolkata today. Just for some masti, Rang De Basanti and a dash of babes. Huge planning went in. We got up at 4:30 in the morning and made a dash for the train to Howrah.... a fast passenger.... how we never imagined the things that lay ahead

“SHE”: yea...

“SHE”: hey...no suspense...tell wat happnd

“SHE”: okay...

“SHE”: u keep tellin...

ME: and then

ME: we could catch the train at 5:40 and then we alighted at Calcutta at 8:30.

“SHE”: okay...then

ME: barely had I walked a few metres down, towards the exit gate.... did I realize that my mobile was missing

“SHE”: ohhh my god...

ME: this act of carelessness will weigh over my head for years to come..........

ME: I should have checked my pocket once I got up from my seat....but then things were destined to be different

“SHE”: ok ...did u really lose it...did ya find it...???

ME: we rushed back and all of us ran back to the passenger, which already was jus hooting for its return journey

“SHE”: ok

“SHE”: ohhh...

“SHE”: then...

ME: we made a frantic dash to the passenger train and each of us... I mean we were 10 in all.... got into different coaches of the passenger

“SHE”: ohhh...

ME: 4 of us ... Siva (U will remember this name for long), Kiran, Praneeth and me were in the same bogie.... and this passenger train doesn’t have vestibules for ur extra comfort.

“SHE”: ohhh ok...

ME: all the others who boarded the running train also could courageously check the seats of the coach they were in and get off at Howrah itself without any untoward incident happening

“SHE”: ok

ME: but the 4 of us stayed back in the bogie (the aforementioned 4) with the thought that we could get off the next station and check the remaining coaches.

“SHE”: hmmm....

“SHE”: haha...

Giri, Ravi n Kiran after a hectic day....

Is it the smile or the exhaustion???

ME: We started feeling tense........ And before a minute could pass during that terse situation... something really unwarranted, something unnecessary happened in an instant... jus like that.......... wham

“SHE”: wat was tht

“SHE”: Ur cell rang is it??

ME: Please stop foolin around and listen

ME: why would that ever be unwarranted?

ME: Siva was leaning outside the entrance and before he could realise, a huge steel structure from the back caught his head and he was on the ground in an instant.

“SHE”: yea ok ok...sorry

“SHE”: tell

“SHE”: my goodness...

ME: Before we could realise anything that utterly sonorous steel pounding on the head.... that made a whirr in the ears

“SHE”: okay...

ME: I made a dash to the pull the chains.... but it being a local train... (And that too a west Bengal local), neither the train nor the engine driver would respond to the emergency situation... and we were moving away from him(Siva) at full speed... without the slightest hint as to what had ever happened to this guy after he fell... My head was full of insinuations... and ugly thoughts as to what all could have happened

“SHE”: hmmm...ok

ME: I could not control my mind from wandering into the various possibilities that might have arisen as a result of his fall.

“SHE”: ok ok

ME: We got down at the next station with not much effort going into searching for the cell phone.... but much more concerned abt the person who, right before our eyes, had a heavy dose of steel thump his head....

ME: Various situations crossed my mind

“SHE”: okayy...

ME: Luckily Kiran and Praneeth too had mobiles and we could intimate the other 6 in the station abt the freak accident... I wonder if I can term it freak..... Things like these would have been averted jus with a slight dosage of common sense... And we were walking back to Howrah on the rails.... to the person we expected to be lying on the rails... I would never think of putting on paper the range of thoughts that crossed my mind... One could make plethora of Final Destination sequels with just the thoughts that swirled and swooned in my head for roughly about 20 minutes... I must admit those 20 minutes of my ignorance about Siva's condition was the maximum limit if tension that my brain could withstand, the pressure in the blood inexplicable

“SHE”: wat happnd ra...I’m not gettin ur messgs....don’t write long ones...

“SHE”: okayy..........

ME: We called Siva (Luckily for us..... He was having a mobile too) and he was able to speak.... His being able to speak lifted a huge burden of our heads. I admire Kiran for the calmness he showed at such an odd situation. Always figuring out what best to do next

“SHE”: ok...

ME: we completed one fourth of the required length we needed to go to reach Siva on the rails when we had a phone call saying that Siva had been shifted to the first aid room with the help of the six guyz out there

“SHE”: ok ok...good

ME: I instantly heaved a huge sigh of relief.... But then I was still worried abt the extent of injuries that might have occurred... both internal and external

“SHE”: hmmm...ok...

ME: We walked all the way back to Howrah station... a good distance I bet

“SHE”: yea then wat...ok....

ME: When is saw that guy lying so helplessly on the cot at the first aid centre... I instantly felt something was wrong... Hardly do my intuitions turn out true... but then one cannot ignore everything everytime

“SHE”: okay....thenn...

ME: Blood was oozing from the back of his head and let me tell you the sound of the steel on his head was running through my ears so clearly and the whole event was moving like a tape right in front of my eyes.

“SHE”: hmmm.....looks so cinematic ra...then wat happnd...hope he is fine

ME: he had scratches on his face, his back, a lot of flesh removed on the hand and he was so pathetic looking

“SHE”: ohhh...

ME: Such an energetic, vivacious, bubbly person seemed totally out of life... His gait suggested that he was too weak to do anything

ME: We allowed him to rest for a while

“SHE”: ok ok

ME: and then later took him to a nearby Private hospital where the doctor did preliminary tests and asked us to go for a CT scan to determine internal injuries to the brain if any

“SHE”: ohhh ok ok...

ME: We were referred to the Govt. Medical College... and it was almost 12:30 by the time we reached there

“SHE”: ohhh...

Glimpse of the Howrah Bridge from the taxi

on the way to Govt. Medical College.

ME: The CT scan was done... and after some doses of ELECTRAL and a few biscuits... this guy started feeling better... The CT Scan report was out and it read no DISCREPANCIES or ABNORMAILITIES.......Things started looking better (let me not call it rosy). We were beginning to feel better until a medico in the clinic spotted a white lobe in the CT scan and suggested that there might be internal bleeding in the brain... in which case it would be really dangerous for survival in the first case

ME: But he wasn't sure of his findings because the patient was awake and was able to recall all the things properly and was looking fit.

“SHE”: okay...

“SHE”: oh my...

ME: But the seeds of doubt had been planted and we had to head to SSKM hospital where we had to meet a neurologist for his final opinion.

“SHE”: hmm...ok

ME: After a lot of waiting for the neurologist, he finally had a good look at the CT scan and then decided that nothing was wrong... That there were only external injuries and the doc talked quite well (He was in IIT for 4 months... was a Patelian it seems) and informed us not to worry at all

“SHE”: ok...good

ME: All through this none of the nine members had anything to eat since morning... It was one sincere dedicated show of unbounded friendship... and I truly salute the spirit everyone showed in carrying on each one’s duty responsibly during the time of such adversity.

ME: I knew how jaws dropped when we were told that there was internal bleeding in the brain…. The emotional stress everyone was in

Giri, Ajay n Aravind..... Jus b4 the storm erupted

Relief after recieving the CT Scan report

ME: how some of us started praying God for a speedy recovery

ME: how some cried for all the shit that was happening to us

ME: how some were looking forward to resolve the issue at the earliest possible and provide the patient ample rest

ME: how some were fighting adversity as though they had been stabbed in the back by fate several times in the past... like seasoned campaigners

“SHE”: hmm...cool

“SHE”: yea...things happn together...

“SHE”: hmm...Ok

“SHE”: yea...can understand

ME: All this while I am narrating to u... I salute the true spirit of friendship.... Though in retrospection, This will be a day where a lot of bad happened... I will surely remember this primarily for the Essence of Spirit of Friendship.

ME: All through this... I had forgotten to tell you about my mobile phone

Finally, The MAN in question himself... SIVA

Cooling off at Victoria Memorial after the entire fracas

“SHE”: yea...definitely...things happen for a reason...

“SHE”: yea tell...hope u got it!!!!!!

ME: Some b@$t@rd picked up my phone... every time I called from someone else’s cell he used to lift the phone and speak nothing other than Bengali (Am I beginning to hate this language??? Hope I do not earn any brickbats for saying this)

ME: Finally we could get a decent looking educated man in Howrah to talk to the guy in BONGLA (Bengali for the uninitiated)... by calling up my cell number

“SHE”: okay...

“SHE”: hmmm...

ME: He was reluctant to give any info abt where he was or who he was... and it was quite clear that this guy would trouble me/us a lot........It was quite straightforward and obvious

“SHE”: yea...

ME: Through a wingie of my friend Prem, We could find someone who could converse with this guy in Bengali and finally I could get some info out of the bastard...

ME: will be back

“SHE”: okay...

“SHE” : come soon ra...atleast tell the endin and go

ME: yeah… back ….. it was the milkman

“SHE”: ohhh...

ME: I am going nowhere until I tell ya all that happened

ME: So where was I?

“SHE”: ok

ME: First I need to know Prem's wingie who helped us a lot by talking with those guyz in Bengali and keeping us informed of what to do

“SHE”: ok ok...

ME: I need to thank him a lot for his help.... This bloody SOB who had my phone started demanding 2000 bucks in return for handing over the phone and that we could get the phone at a station named BAGNAN.... he was very reluctant to come over to Howrah... he knew he would be in a soup if he would come over to Howrah

“SHE”: yea ok...

ME: Finally we fixed a meeting at 5 in the evening at the BAGNAN ticket counter... He would hand over the cell and we were supposed to give him 2000 bucks in return

ME: We left Siva in Calcutta with Ravi, Giri & Kiran. The rest set out to BAGNAN... an hour’s throw from HOWRAH on the way to Kharagpur....

“SHE”: ohhh..so far

ME: We were quite late and got stuck up with Siva that we could board the train at 5 and reached BAGNAN at 6... And that b@$t@rd wasn't there... On contacting him again through Prem's friend.. He was reluctant to meet us.... and he made us wait for an hour promising that he would be there soon

“SHE”: ohhh ok...

ME: later he disclosed he wasn't coming and that we could have the mobile phone only if we could go to his residence.... and that was about an hour from the station we were at. The worst part was that he is member of the ruling CPM party and there’s not one thing that can be done…. Hope IITians are reading.

“SHE”: hmmmm...then

ME: All this looked like some trap – with all that political hullabaloo- and we decided to stay out of it... So I finally decided that I forget about my cell.

ME: and get the sim blocked at the earliest. Got the sim blocked. Now I need to contact the NOKIA customer care to block the cell piece.

“SHE”: ohhh...okay...

“SHE”: so u don’t have the cell now???

“SHE”: my God...thts a bad

“SHE”: endin

One for da Album: Picturesque VICTORIA MEMORIAL

ME: Dead Tired, with no more fluidity in our limbs, we boarded the train to KGP and lo we are here

ME: We went to Kol with the hopes of seeing Rang De Basanti n I also wanted to make a few purchases.. certain camera accessories.

ME: But then the whole trip turned into a nightmare... but hey there is always the right side of the coin, the brighter side of life

“SHE”: yea...

“SHE”: always

ME: No masti, No partying, No MOBILE tooo.... But loads and loads of wisdom

“SHE”: wisdom of life...

ME: That’s true

“SHE”: it wud hav been good if u wud hav got the mobile....

“SHE”: feels bad

ME: Learnt a lot today...... But then I did not have the courage to tell mom all that happened...

ME: I made it known to her... the two facts that I needed her to know..1) My Mobile is missing 2) Siva got badly injured

“SHE”: ohh ok ok...

ME : But in order for her to take the pill easily (better said to save myself and my integrity) I told her that Siva was pushed off a moving train and that My mobile got lost as a result of it being in his hands at that point of time.

“SHE”: ohh...nice twistin bluff....

ME : Finally that makes me guilty.... All this wouldn't have happened had it not been for my hint of carelessness. It feels bad that I am the one responsible for that huge injury... Everything would have been fine had I put my cell in place.

“SHE”: u dint do it wantdly na....things which had to happen ...happnd thts all...

ME: Lying to mom is another difficult thing... but I had to do that to make the pill taste a bit better. I know mom wouldn't have scolded me much for my losing the cell... but then I would have got a lot of reprimand for Siva's actions... Lying to Mom makes me furthermore guilty... But as they say all that happens is for our good... and I hope I can carry forward from today "the memento of priceless friendship"... Beat it if ya can??? Friendship can never be matched. Friendship is ultimate.

“SHE”: yea ra...exactly

“SHE”: even I don’t tell many a things the same manner it happens to my mom...cos ...they think from heart rather than mind...

“SHE”: so it wud become lot more emotional...

ME: ok so telling ya all this reduced a heavy burden... I feel more relaxed... though that remorse feeling still persists... I feel a lil bit better

“SHE”: yea good...

“SHE”: I too feel I hav finished readin a novel

“SHE”: much better effect than tht

ME: is it a compliment or................?

“SHE”: of course a compliment....

“SHE”: unexpected twists and turns...

ME: thanx a lot

ME: after the juggling in and around hospitals, dispensaries and railway stations my whole body had reached the maximum permissible stress strain levels.

ME: So I need to catch up on some valuable sleep

“SHE”: yea sure carry on....

ME: Ok i will use this chat transcript with ya in my blog.... I do not have the time resources to reproduce the entire stuff again... Would ya mind???

“SHE”: no probs...

“SHE”: use it...

ME: ok say somethin else

(continues......)

So that’s it folks. Hope this could teach ya thing or two. Essentially we need to learn from life and make a few changes to our outlook and carry forward in life. As for me.... Though i lost my cell phone, I gained a lot of wisdom. (Hope thats clear from the chat). Some bitter sweet memories. Tonnes n tonnes of friendship that I hope can last for an entire lifetime if not more. Do feel free to post your comments after you complete reading though I am sorry for the length of the post. I could not have made it any shorter. And always remember…. LEARN FROM LIFE & THE WORLD WILL FEEL INFINITELY BETTER.