Meeting the 3 stalwarts

It was quite a dramatic, eventful and a hectic day. Gradually, I feel I am coming out of my shell and doing something which brings me into the limelight - and I am really enjoying it.

After the unfortunate incident with SMC yesterday, every DDM was brewing up to create a 'rang de basanti' today during the meeting of Shri T. R. Kakkar (Director, JIIT). We anticipated that he would be accompanied by the biggies like Dr. Medury or our JBS Director. For about 2-3 hours, we made and remade plans. Aggression and fury was all around. Everyone was determined to give it a shot. Yet, Yuvraj and Arunesh counselled as good friends asking me not to initiate because if something went wrong, there would no one of these to support me.

Anyways, the day began with Lalit, Shruti, Shashank and me going to Dr. Hima Gupta's cabin to find out agenda for today's meeting. She wasn't in her cabin but we luckily found Debdeep De Sir who advised us the way we need to follow and condemned the idea we were adopting. Similarly echoed Nripendra Sir.

In the mean time, Arunesh and I went to the first stalwart in the series - Mr. K. K. Rohatgi, out Training and Placement Cell Head, to show him a presentation on which we are working since a fortnight. Although the meeting is postponed for tomorrow, we had our first task done. Then, Lalit and I went to the Director, Dr. Ravi Shanker - the second stalwart, to get an appointment but the situation demanded us to speak out then and there. It was a mixed response from him. He was positive on some aspects yet negative on many. Somehow, Lalit took permission to visit the third stalwart - the highest in the ladder - Dr. Yaj Medury.

Dr. Medury has been like a monster for all of us here at JIIT Noida and has been an angel for everyone in JUIT Waknaghat. So there is always a conflict about how the man is. It were again Lalit and I who took it to ourselves to visit him - a daunting task. He is the COO of Jaypee, so there is always a risk factor involved of getting thrown out. But we just had one mantra with us.. "We have nothing to lose now".

Quite surprisingly, Sir listened to us calmly and assured that he will have a meeting with the other two stalwarts. The most awesome part was that minutes later, we saw our director moving from JBS building to Medury Sir's cabin. This was the sign of our victory. We have taken the right path. Slowly and gradually all those who had helped us floated infront of my mind. Debdeep Sir, Nripendra Sir, Agarwal Sir, Wadehra Sir, etc.

Although, we still don't know the outcome of the meeting of three stalwarts, I can calmly sleep that I have dont something which needed to be done long ago. I met nearly all the top dignitories today. I am self relieved. No step taken wrong, no rude behaviour, nothing. Later in the day, I got to know that Shruti had made a call to Dr. Chandresh, whose reference had been given by G. K. Agarwal Sir for our placements, gave a positive response for H. & R. Johnson. Arunesh, Lalit and Shruti, you guys are awesome.

In the evening, there was the utmost boring HR class. In the second half, tragedy struck. Nearly 15 of them marked their attendance in the beginning of the class and ran away. When I tried, I was caught. I heard mam screaming "yes pleaaaaase". I did not turn back. Later I got to know that Mam asked everyone my name, yet no one revealed. This was the biggest and happiest moment of the day. At the end, what you want is the trust, love and care from those people for whom you spent the entire day, your complete energy. Unlike Yuvraj said earlier, not to believe anyone, they proved him wrong. Ashish and Anshul (what I came to know) denied they know me. Although my attendance was cancelled, as she took it again, yet I am satisfied.

It has really been a long and eventful day. Tomorrow I have a meeting with Rohatgi Sir, lets see what happens. :)

The 1st Placement Week

The anticipated week has finally begun. Our 1st Placement Week was never expected to be great so there weren't any disappointments. APAC Sourcing Solutions, Ladderz HR, VServe and Scientity are the few companies which came to campus for recruitment. I applied for none.

Yesterday was a unique day for me. It was the start of something which I should have done long ago. Alongwith Raunak and Akhil, I went to Gurgaon for (let me keep it simple) visiting companies and trying to invite them to visit our campus. The objective was to make the presence of JBS felt in the corporate industry. With the correct attitude and right intentions, we set off in the morning at around 8:30.

We went to BioRad first. But to our disappointment, we found that the address given to us wasn't updated since years. BioRad had been shifted more than 3 years ago. huh! What a start!! Similarly Feedback Ventures was shifted something around three months back. F***. We never expected this.

Anyways, I am avoiding to give every minutest details. There was one wonderful thing that happened. We went to MicroMax Informatics Ltd. It is an upcoming company in manufacturing mobile handsets. Now we didn't have any contact number of HR person or even his/her name. An idea clicked to my mind. I caught hold of an employee of the same company who was just walking out of the building. I introduced myself and luckily, grabbed the HR person's name. Then, we went to the gatekeeper and told him that we want to meet this guy. Generally what happens is if you do not have any name or number of the person you want to meet, the guards turn you out. Well, we went in, had a (fortunately) healthy conversation with the HR guy. Similarly there was one more success - Tecnova.

The day finally came to an end at about 5 pm. We also went to Cargill, which the one of the leading food and agricultural products company. The environment was so professional that I found myself out of place. Similarly for BioRad!! The atmosphere really seemed terrific. I imagined how will I survive once I join any of these.

Overall, the day was below average. We were under-prepared. There has to be a set of procedure which needs to be followed. We don't know even what the company is all about and we ask them for a placement.. ridiculous!! I feel like taking the reigns of Training and Placements in my hands and I really think I can make a change. I would not like to comment on the present team and TPOs.

Well, we have exams from Monday and I haven't even begun preparations. CFA is on cards soon. I have to enroll for it ASAP. NCFM's last date is also round the corner. As far as the placement of mine is concerned, I am waiting for the correct job profile. I developed a theory today. There are three aspects to decide whether you should join a company or not. Those are Money, Profile and Brand. If you get two out of three of these, you can think of moving ahead. Till now, the maximum I have found is just one, so have avoided applying for them.

For the rest, I will continue later.

Bdays, Results and Placement season

New trimester commenced day before yesterday. This time we have 6 courses in all + I plan to attend two extra ones. The time seems to be difficult. People have changed a lot. I dont want to, but I dont know why my ego is playing better of me this time. It has never happened before, whether in case of Nipun, Shanal, Rana, Rao, etc. But I am just fed up of making choices between people. If he is not your friend but mine, why would I stop talking to him only if I am friends to both of u? How childish is that!!

Anyways, it is Ridhima's birthday today. I gifted her a keychain. She is my latest friend and she is so cute. How wrong was I to form such an impression of her because of some other people's perspectives (though mine was also involved a little bit). We went to Lucknow together and came back together.

Saima got an F in IR. She is really very unlucky girl. I just pray that everything goes well for her but somehow it never happens. I just wish she passes in Stats this time.

By the way, the hottest news is that Sakshi came all the way from Agra to meet two of us - me and Yuvraj. We enjoyed but even she felt that people had changed a bit. I really just can't imagine 4 months ago we were so close and now there is so much of separateness. I just wish people become as they were. I don't want to lose any of my precious friends. Back to Sakshi, I went to the station to see her off. She was so happy yet so sad to leave us.

In the midst of all these, our results came out. Although I don't care much for them, I got 8.6 TGPA. And this time all because of my hard work. No group partner help, no buttering of teachers. All mine. After 1st semester of B.Tech., I crossed 8 all because of me myself. :)

Placements are about to begin. What evaded the DDMs for most of the time till now has come. We really need to gear up. Capital IQ and Grail Research are tentative companies to visit us. I need anyone of these badly. The job profile suits me - analyst. But right now, let me pray that they actually do come. I need to start preparing now, in addition to those 8 subjects. HRM is really crap, I don't like to study it. :(

Anyways, that is all for now. Cya laterzz :)

Diwali Vacations

It has been 5 days since I am at Lucknow for my Diwali break. Tragedy struck when I came to know that internet connection was not possible this time around as the Apex Network, through which I had subscribed, had pulled down the shutters to his business. Airtel isn't operating in my locality, BSNL takes a minimum of 7 days. In these circumstances, I was feeling breathless. Imagine a drunkard not getting to drink for a week, or a chain smoker unable to have a cigarette for 7 days. I was also feeling my life choked, such has been an addiction to net.

However, I waited patiently and applied for Reliance Broadband Datacard. Now all the formalities have been done and probably I can access net 5 hours down the line from now (its 2 pm right now).

Day before yesterday, I went to Strokes with Victor, Sumant, Rashi and Neha. The curve of drinking has constantly been increasing for me over the last few weeks. But I am enjoying.. lolz :P It was so nice to be with Rashi and Neha once again. There are a lot of responsibities towards Victor, I haven't told anything about me over the last couple ofmonths. I know he would have known it from Rashi but it is my duty to tell first hand to my oldest friend. I am just waiting for an opportunity.

Sarang and Mayank are back in town after VaishnoDevi trip. Today I am going to Sarang's place. Apart from all these news, 30th Oct has been finalized for NCFM Capital Market Module Exam by Voila and me. Let's hope I finish those odd 250 pages - full of boring theory before that.

Day after is Diwali. Today is Dhanteras, I just wished I could purchase some Gold. Although it is already around Rs. 16000/10gm mark but the purchase hasn't seen a slowdown in the market.

Lately, I am being just desperate to be recruited by Grail Research, even it pays around 3.5 lpa. The job profile might suit me. I hope my analytical and statistical skills get used because I don't know anything else other than these.

On 20th Oct, I am returning back, for another gruelling session of MBA. And this time it will extend to 6 months, in addition to all the placement activities going around. I am feeling very uncomfortable though, in company of Yuvraj and Parth. I just hope we get back on track once again.

Anyways, Happy Diwali to all.

The daunting task of surviving the sleep

The exam season is on, and as usual, this is my favorite time. I might have not learnt anything from my B.Tech. 4 year course, but I have learnt to enjoy exams. This is a phase where we have a goal, where we know what we have to do. Otherwise, in non-exam days, majority of the time goes in deciding what should we do next [:D]

Anyways, we are down with two of them - SCM & TQM. Both went well, although preparation was not upto the mark. Now tomorrow is PAF (Project Appraisal and Financing), and by tomorrow I mean after 5 hours. And I set a near impossible task of completing the entire (near-entire.. about 80%) of the book in the next 3 hours. It is 4:30 am and by 7:30 am, I have to survive the sleep. Seeing Yuvi sleep so calmly in the bed next to me, make this task more daunting.

I made a quote today.. "Exams are an excuse to learning". Now I don't know whether such kind of a quote already exists, but I swear I made the above one on my own. So.... COPYRIGHT. [:)]

Had a fight with Saima two hours ago. Uff, these girls. I just can't stay angry with her. Impossible for me. I am going to apologize to her tomorrow, though I don't find any mistake of mine [:P] Things are going well these days. I am now just waiting for 10th October, when I will be leaving for home.

I'll post in the comment section tomorrow about my competition with sleep. By the way, telecom sector dipped heavily today. Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications and Idea lost around 10% each in the equity market. Had I known this during the trading session, I would have purchased it. But then, no money in the account. [:(]

Call me emotional? You are right!!

I don't know why I get emotionally attached with everyone that the slightest of ignorance on their part blows my mind away completely. Rashi asked me the same question how is it possible for me to get emotionally attached to each person I converse to. I really had no answer. What should I say to her? I just can not afford to inflict mental, physical or emotional pain to anyone. I just can't see anyone hurt because of me. I can definitely do this, but only to those who have done same with me.

I don't think there would be anyone with whom I hadn't fought atleast once except Harsha. And the fight is not which is face to face, it is within. Of late, Yuvraj and Parth are behaving absurd. For Parth, I can understand. But Yuvraj was one of my best friends I had during the last few months. Saima has started acting strange, I feel. Then Rashi doesn't talk properly now. Neha has also cut down drastically on the conversations. Victor doesn't call since he has been committed to Rashi. Megha came to Delhi and even after asking her to call so many times, she didn't.

These are some people whom I love so much and can go to any extent to make them happy. But when they behave like this, it simmers my blood. May be there is some other reason for them to behave like this, or may be I am acting too possessive and over-reacting.

But then, there is a certain hint that by caring for someone too much, I am intervening in their personal lives. Example is Saima. I just want all of them to be the happiest, and I try my best to make them. But always there is a point, where I feel I over-do.

Overall, the point is to learn from Parth. Don't attach yourself with everyone. First think for yourself and then for the betterment of others, and that too is not important. Yuvraj has learnt this art it seems, and I need to follow. But my instincts do not allow me.

According to Saima, I might have loads of friends. But there is no one except Harsha and Gaurangi, whom really I can depend upon. I miss Madhur too. The attractive looking life of mine is very hollow from inside. I want someone to take care of me now, I really want.

There, certainly, are people who are so good. Prachi, Pratyush, Ahinsa, Akanksha, Abhishek, Arunesh, etc. I just wish I get solace. The mind is bursting now.

The Debate

Of late, visit to this place has only been confined to times when I had been low. The direct and obvious reason is that this place is the best balm for a bruised heart. I can pour out my distressed feelings in my own way. Like it is said, share your griefs to lessen them, this is my best friend to share. But today, the purpose is different. There is a mixed feeling today.

I had a debate today - for macroeconomics course : internal assessment. Now, this was the first debate I was facing (don't get surprised), on any topic other than Sachin. And that too, first time publicly. And above all, each of my 5 group members knew literally nothing on the topic, which was "Is WPI still relevant in current Indian economic scenario?" and we were to speak for the motion.

I researched for much of the time yesterday, to find many more facts and figures than I already had. I knew Arunesh knew nothing on this subject. Deepti and Kanika are unbankable when it comes to logic (sorry!!), Yuvraj could have handled but he takes things jokingly, and finally I had full confidence on Parth, who did all to shatter it.

We started. We had formulated a sequence about who has to speak when. Arunesh, then Deepti and then Kanika exhausted their turns speaking just about 30 seconds each and that too reading from an aid. Yuvraj did marginally better, but his English pronounciation always troubles him. I can say he is a bit over confident. My trump card, Parth, in his very own way, presented on the topic, but he did one big mistake. He brought CPI into the focus. We had discussed before (when he wasn't there - just because he didnt want to be with commoners like us.. huh attitude) that we will not be uttering anything about CPI, but he did. Then I had to sum it up in 60 seconds.

I had to cover all the untouched points which these 5 had forgotten to speak. This took about 60 seconds already and then after warning, I began with the probable solution to the WPI approach. When I was done, which according to me, was a decent performance according to my standards. This was probably the best I have ever spoken publicly. I forgot just 2-3 points and that too because of lack of time, otherwise I was okay.

The other group then started with "Our friends did not propose any solution and just banked on CPI". I know they were wrong because my last two sentences gave a probable measure, which they probably might have missed. I knew I would counter them when Yuvraj insisted on having the mic. I took it from Deepti and refused to hand it over to Yuvraj and then he uttered unnecessarily without the mic in between their argument. And it was a baseless point. When you do not have sufficient knowledge on the topic and are unprepared, better keep your mouth shut. But he has to speak, because he HAS to speak. What followed was a heated argument and then Sir overruled the objection. The mockery from the audience was at its peak.

I felt bad. I intervened. Now the consequence was that we wasted our alloted time. Had Yuvraj kept his mouth shut, and after their views, we would have countered, there would probably be better understanding of what I had to say. All 6 from their side were speaking and here, we were a one-man army. No one was backing me. Not even Parth. He invited all the trouble of putting the CPI thing on the floor and now he was silent. And guess what, he got an A+, and we all got an A. Although I dont care for grades, yet this wasnt fare at all.

Anyways, it ended. Sir appereciated at the end. I felt nice when some of the fellow students said that I spoke the best of all. I wished MBA full time students would also have been there. This was my favourite topic and I did my level best, so I am happy.

Rest all is good. There is an AGM of Jaiprakash Associated on 29th Sept in out Auditorium. I am craving to attend it, but I feel we will not be permitted. Exams are beginning next Monday. On 10th I would be back home. On 2nd Oct, meanwhile, I might be meeting Monu Bhaiyya. He is coming to Delhi from Indonesia. Let's see how things shape up. Tomorrow, I am leaving for Chandni Chowk. It is already 3. I dont know how will I wake up.

By the way, India lost its first even match in a World Cup against Pakistan. Sachin scored 8, and as always, everyone is after his life. Suckers!!

Mid September issue :P

Days are not going off well. There is a huge workload. MBA is really demanding. We are having classes on Sundays also. Fortunately, tomorrow is Eid, so we are getting a day off nearly after 20 days.

Apart from the above excuses (coz JBS workload is nothing in comparison to IIMs etc), personally also, I am feeling down these days. The reason is not a physical disorder (fever, etc.) but mentally, I am out of touch. Whether it is my inherent character or what, I am unable to sustain friends. Call it my lack of patience handling some of them or failing to act according to their expectations, I am clueless. Sometimes, the reasons are blurred, and I am not a gifted soul to see the blurred images properly. Hence, these problems!! It is not the first time I am going through all these, but then.. till when?

Anyways, Saima has gone to Lucknow for Eid. She is like a blessing these days. She is sweet, just like one would expect a Lucknow girl to be. No attitude, no arrogance!! Delhi is short of such people these days. :)

Group dynamics have taken a toll in the past few days. Nearly all the cases and presentations are done by me and Yuvi only. But we are not complaining. The major flaw I have noticed in myself is that howsoever prepared I might be, I tend to forget things infront of public. How could I forget that part of TQM case, when I had prepared so well!! Can't forgive myself for making such errors.

I felt nice to give Dr. Hima Gupta, our faculty, two brilliant counter replies. It was awesome.

Apart from this, answer sheets of the exams were shown. I have performed good, if not very good or excellent. Marks are generally around 20-21 out of 30 and the class average has been around 16-17. Anyways, it was a good experience giving JBS exams full fledgedly for the first time.

Yesterday, I felt good becoming a mediator in patching up of Saima and Priya. There are also some stupids against whom I want to write, but can't. You see, some ethics need to be maintained. :P

At the moment, I am just waiting for 10th October, to go back to home. Voila is going back 3 days later. She is so lucky. Anyways, humare bhi din ayenge. :P