Joining SIBM Pune: Right Decision:

They say change is the only way of life. Perhaps this is the directive which has been guiding my life in therecent years. My Journey to pursue MBA froma premier Institute in India started 4 years back in the final year of my graduation institute. The journey has been a bitter-sweet experience as it spawned across 4 years. I struggled with demanding work pressure from workplace and juggled it with preparation for MBA entrances. This process has had it virtues in theform of lot of invaluable experiences. Come SNAP 2014, my life was about to be turned in a newand exciting direction.

            I appeared for SNAP 2014 conducted by Symbiosis International University in the month of December 2014 for admission to one of their most prestigious institutes in the Country: SIBM Pune, founded in 1978 by theexemplary vision of Sir S.B. Mujumdar. It ranks among thetop 15 Best B-Schools in the Country with alumni in top positions across the corporate world. The exam went lucidly well in accordance with my preparation and I eagerly awaited the results. In January 2015, the results came and I was shortlisted for GE-WAT/PI process by SIBM Pune for themonth of Feb 2015. I can never forget the morning I drove into the Lavale Campus of SIBM Pune. It is another charming world of its own. The breathtaking 300 acre campus set on atop of the hill, lush green with manicured gardens and trees andphotographic scenery totally bowled me and left me awestruck. The ART team, one of constituent student councils-the pride of SIBM Pune, facilitated the process fluently and ensured convenience and support to the students present. I had one of the best experiences of GE-WAT/PI process.

            Come May 2015, I was shortlisted to join SIBM Pune. I wasselected fromamong the 60,000 brilliant applicants across the country. I could remember my first reaction to the result was to quote Ellis Boyd Redding from the iconic movie ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ –“I find I'm so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it is the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain”. I joined the campus on 2^nd June 2015a amidst heavy rains. The monsoons have made this place even merrier. There was one week pre-induction program for the new joinees. It started with address of directors and VC. The address of President Sir S.B. Mujumdar was very inspiring with his guidance of holistic approach to MBA program. Mr Prakash Iyer of ‘The Habit of Winning’ fame was thechief guest for the induction programand his experiences of his MBA days were really motivating. I spent the initialdays interacting with my batch mates and was glad to see that students from different parts of the country and even fromoutside India formeda good proportion. This will greatly facilitate cross cultural interaction which is in itself a great learning experience. On exploringthe campus, I found best in class infrastructure with respect to academic block, large convention center, huge well-equipped library and a well maintained football ground, sports complex equipped with basketball court, swimming pool, facilities for playing snooker, table tennis, carom, badminton and squash for leisure activities and also a well-equipped gymnasium. The campus has been designed to be self-sustaining in itself. The classes started on a good note and we were exposed to some of the best faculty members. The philosophy of academic rigor with equal emphasis on extra-curricular strives to bring out the best among the candidates.

            As like the sporting grounds, the post dinner time becomes ahotbed for networking among peers and with seniors near the hostels. This provides aunique opportunity to know the family members of Symbiosis. It is a great fortune to be among the most motivated candidates with varied background and rich experiences across the country. The interaction keeps my motivated and sets higher standards to evolve into a dynamic personality inculcating both academic discipline and extra-academic activities. I intend to make themost of the time here and learn as much as possible and collaborate with fellow candidates on numerous occasion of competitions, events etc. Last but not the least, I would like to recall Allama Iqbal for his wise couplet-

“Khudiko karbuland itna ke hartaqder se pehle;
Khudabande se khud pooche bata teri raza kya hai.”
(Elevate yourself so high that even God, before issuing every decree of destiny, should ask you: Tell me, what is your intent?)

Why MBA???

Why MBA? This question has most of the management aspirants in India besotted, befuddled and belligerent with. I am shortlisted for one of the premier Management Institutes in India which follows unique process of grilling aspirants on basic questions like this one. After the shortlists were declared, I engaged in frenzy pursuit of gathering experiences of candidates who appeared for the interviews from past years' thread on PG. After anxious hours, days and weeks, I could come across some questions which found repetitive pattern amongst the panelists. These included, although not exhaustive,- Why MBA? Why this School? What Specialization? What after 5 Years? I did my Engineering from VJTI, Mumbai. It is considered one of the best Institutes in India. Alumni going good way along the boardroom of fortune companies. I can vividly recall the excitement of getting admission in VJTI at COEP, Pune. However, as years passed by, I came across dark and bleak reality of Engineering Degree save and except the brands of IIT-B,Khg, K, D etc. When it boils to money, everything- trait, reputation, brand comes at stake. I landed placement at one of leading Healthcare IT services provider. I shall always be in debt of my alma mater for getting me my daily bread-butter. Many of my colleagues and batchmates went on to pursue MBA at top Institutes. In IT world I came across the hopeless reality of the thrown away back-end work of software world. I witnessed indiscriminate work hours. I saw people whine about their appraisals. I saw everybody wanting to land on-shore for extra dollar income. I saw people carry huge burden of home loans only to be drooped by low pay and no executive roles. I am a great Hollywood buff. While catching "The pursuit of Happyness", I came across Chris Gardner in contemplation:

It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson, theDeclaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking: How did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue. And maybe we can actually never have it, no matter what. How did he know that?

I came startled at the statement of Sir Jefferson. Wisdom recedes with coming age but how he in his great wisdom saw that Life is but a pursuit of happyness and we are entitled every chance for it. Pardon me for my digressions. Why MBA? On en-route to my office I usually come across swanky Mercedes and BMWs making their way past my Bus and leaving that dusty smoke for me to breathe. Be it Kiton or Ralph Lauren Suits, Hawes and Curtis, Harvie and Hudson Crisp Shirts, Ermenegildo Zegna Silk tie, Rolex Perpetual Oyster, Crockett & Jones, Berluti and Lobb for shoes etc. We all have that aspirations of sporting this attire, smoking finest Cuban Cigars, and criticizing Business decisions in comfy Coffee lounge of JW Marriott. Unfortunately you can never tell these things. About success, making filthy money, growing fat etc. Perhaps the Panelist can see this yearnings in your eyes but this remains always hidden in the sub-conscious. Perhaps they recognize the struggle in pursuit of your happyness! But the answers always are lame justifications. I am big fan of Boston Legal which aired from 2004 to 2008. I happen to take inspiration from Denny Crane. To others he is one crazy Ego-maniacal, pompous, self-deceitful grandiose but I see that in the end it is always about money. Hence MBA for money. Because the founding fathers of now a superpower envisaged that couple of centuries back. I do not want to be stuck to my chair, cubicle, grow old, bald, fat and read some thrown away specifications and export my work. I have that birth-right to grow, to climb Ladders of success, to make money, to travel world, to discuss boardroom meetings, to provide my children the best of education, world and pass down legacy in inheritance. Am I wrong when I say that this is the motivation for MBA? Let us keep all hypocrisy aside.

P.S: Do not get offended by the cover picture!!

Dystopia

So finally the Judgment day is over! Kudos to call getters; there is just one more door left between this world and dreamworld. However, for those lot who could not make it, no words of encouragement suffices to beat the over-riding gloom. Only divine intervention to blow spirit of life can make things fine and fortify with strength to move on. My journey to this path started in 2009. A big connoisseur of Hollywood, I see huge parallelism between journey of train and my journey of CAT. Some lessons I can never forget in life. One of them being 'Parallelism' Being in premier institute, I saw immaculate ambitions in peer group to crack CAT and enter one of the top schools. "Gateway to future", "fortune-changer", "comfortable life" et al were some of the eptithets in evidence of CAT crackers. The Train arrives on station. I joined one of reputed coaching institutes in Mumbai. Could not crack any entrances in 2010. 2011 went in adjusting to IT atmosphere. I am deep asleep in the journey. The engine rythm is just too soothing. Depression coupled with success of colleagues and batch mates made slumber inevitable. Ambitious people were alight on the right station. Prepared as usual. Boisterity, spirit and enthusiasm outlining their attitude. However, the train starts again. I took to study on my self in 2012. It required humungous courage to gather requisite spirit. Afterall you can never forget that wave of parents and friends who came to see you at the beginning of the journey. Their expectations burdened one left of shoulder balanced only by their blessing and well wishes on the right one. 2012 was well predicted in the movie by the same name. But the world which got destroyed was mine.(Thank God!!). It always pays to have new founded friends in the train journey. You are saved from the mundane hum and torturous logn journey. 2013 was fresh start leaving the mayan prediction of my brain behind. I joined again another class. Gave full of my weekends and bits from weekdays whatever was left after the grind from workplace and bus journeys. Once travelling to class on train, one afternoon, I saw how the train crushed my life on tracks behind. Moments turned into years and the sunlight turned pale. I was woken from deep slumber. The paleness in sunlight was reminiscent of time passing by like hurricane and I, in my vagary, belittled the journey. Judgment Day decided that the elite institutes will not tolerate an iota of me. I have to get up, freshen up and leave the train. This is becoming dangerously kafkaesque- just the church scene from his spooking "The Trial". New station is unknown, but that will mark the start of new journey. The train has stopped. I sip cup of introspection tea from clay-cup of hopes, ambitions, fortune, time, life. The train starts and I crush the clay-cup under its horrendous wheels.

Monsoon Mornings!!

                                              

Twas one blissful morning of sky

Made many of the minds soar high,

Decided the dark clouds to ensemble

 With orchestral thunder

And brilliant show of light did they assemble-

Caught a glimpse my eyes of the happenings

Ran I with my heart against the ribs pounding,

Jumped on the wetted fine sands of the Beach ashore

The very surrounding portrayed heaven’s galore-

As the music harmony began to drench their moodswings

Made merry filled hoi polloi dance to their swings,

Did the clouds shed their blues in heavy pour

The heavy blowing winds did silence thunder’s roar-

Of the Waves which could not hold their joy

Jumped high to reach the sky,

Of their eons of young memories lapsed

In the Waters when they wrestled frolicking children

And to the shore they collapsed-

By the wet feathers of joyous sparrow

Without the nature’s eye, the World’s but shallow,

In the unfathomed depth of gale, did the Sea on my face splashed

And in those beautiful comatose state did all the problems of life thrashed-

In its grandeur did the nature cure my monsoon blues

And led my hands to the life’s hidden clues,

Years of memories were shed as mourning

As under the Coconut tree I began to pen “A Monsoon Morning”!!!

The Unspoken

The door hinged as it opened

As if already in anticipation,

Walked in she with cloggy heart

With her each step did she conscience thwart-

Passed she into the bedchamber

Unfolded her belongings into the cupboard hangar,

Exhaled she of sickening nervousness

As about to fall in unconsciousness-

Derided the grey man as of the full blossoming moon,

Watched his prey as about to devour soon,

Witnessed did he sumptuous feed of Viagra

As she set her heavy make of mascara-

Caught hold of her in tempestuous mood

Did not care of her sickening brood,

Forced himself on the youthful girl

The silent night could but hear the feline’s purr-

As he began his devilish feel

Her heart began to stone till seal,

In the voyeuristic motions of his lips

He came across till her rounded hips-

Sunk his teeth till way down

Till temper of the girl began to frown,

Pillaging and plundering all the way

In horrid unease did she in the bed sway-

Basking in his gushing masculinity

Her soft bosom did he pilfer and marched down the acclivity,

Began his rummage on her fleshy thighs

Made her sweep heavy sighs-

As the marauder marauded her purity

The world began to term it of impurity,

In the heavy shots of his assail

Did her emotions in the loudest silence wail-

Her tight fist and teeth clenched

When her soul attempted to flee the impure drench,

Did the full moon outside behind the clouds seek to hide

The murmuring gale rustled the leaves from side to side-

He made them heavy sweat

Even when the cold air outside fret,

Finished his loot at midnight

And retreated off for the night-

Disgusted as the clouds showered thunder with rains

Failed to listen to her moans before and now pains,

Sat she with head shrunk and arms round her legs

Her terror struck body unshivered to sag-

In the grey man’s terrible snore

Glanced she of his family album galore,

Far away did in her maiden home his lady with her child slept

And monstrous infidelity this ‘Gentleman’ kept-

Gathered her strength as she dressed

Slid the envelope on the table caressed,

Drudged she as she passed away from hell

Life’s adversity sounded her morality knell-

Dragged she her heavy foots

For her heart was all charcoal soot,

Sought she gallons of freedom air

Of which her chest could barely bear-

On breaking dawn did she enter her cramped home

Kissed foreheads of her younger brother and sister,

For all was for them she lived

And for the nights wrath she brought, under her pillow she grieved-

By the time the dark night began to fully dawn

In cold waters washed her dross to feel like fresh lawn,

As she garnered mutilated life for the day

Opened the envelope and paid her siblings for that may-

Before all activities she sought to kick

Towards the idol of God did her attention pick,

With folded hands she offered grace

And the heavens sulked over her disgrace-

By the gusty winds that in morning blew

She ran after her envelope flew,

In the topsy-turvy events that brew

The idol was all but covered in misty dew-

As she began to wipe with her plains

The angels were enraged in disdain,

For her impurity condescended her misery

twas all the injustice of heavens that administered treachery-

Way up above in the sky

twas all hue and cry,

The archangel thought to skip the council

And the Lord’s table witnessed none and came to standstill-

But the done can never be undone

However, the mercy but it can’t be condone,

For the approaching night will be horrible than plundering token

All that shall be done will be of “the Unspoken”!!!!

Amorous Temptations!!!

By the choked spaces of travels,

By the dust moving in and out of the nose,

By the red eyes and sullen face,

I was completely lost;

In this morose state came one hot noon,

As I browsed my Office closet for some papers,

Slipped down the Haloed Visage in a portrait,

And my heart came to standstill,

 I struggled for deep Gasp of Breath,

Eyes moistened after many days,

And Aeons of memories flashed,

I picked up phone and dialled with pained fingers,

And came a voice on other side,

It made me cry and shook my chair;

Her mellifluous voice melted my heart

And I suddenly felt an unknown gush of adrenaline,

Struggled very hard did I to speak,

And her photo gleamed and partly blinded my watery eyes;

As I drove to her place on outskirts of town,

 Passed the flashes of memories,

And the déjà-vu thoughts that reconstructed themselves,

She was at the meadowed Lawns of her Cottage,

Her garden fresh of roses and chrysanthemum,

In midst of flowers, she looked more beautiful than them,

I realised her eyes were brighter than the green rubies in heaps of diamonds,

Shining brighter than moon on the dark night.

As I impulsively Hugged her,

The warmth of her body was the only soothing place left for me,

And as time passed by,

Like long lost re-kindled flames,

Neither she let go nor I;

 Her once in a million smile flashed set of brilliant white sculpted teeth,

They did compliment her dimpled smile,

And I kissed her on forehead and cheeks,

And Alas! Realised how far I had gone from the Sun of my life;

As she came in With hot cuppa of aromatic tea,

I was glancing across the souvenirs she had displayed carefully,

The big frame caught my eyes,

And the caption beneath read “to the best couple”

And when I was about to burst,

She came with much needed smile,

And then the sips of tea did help with choked breath;

We talked about our lives,

How it changed after we had parted,

How disturbing could mid life crisis be,

And came moments of laughter and bouts of silence,

And the outside sun chose not to be bored and went to sleep,

And evening turned into starry night,

She was excited to make some Italiano supper,

As we talked and gossiped,

My eyes blinked on the reflections from her ruby,

The red stone glorified her left ring finger,

Hesitating very much I asked her,

As if she waited for me to ask,

And broke down whilst speaking of her father’s dying affirmation;

And we talked and talked till the left over of platter turned stone cold,

And the night outside became cool,

And the clock struck eleven,

And I was about to leave for home;

 And once again when I was cherishing the Souvenirs,

She stood behind and held me tightly,

It was as if the bereft soul had returned to her,

I turned and held her tightly than ever,

In feeling the warmth of her body,

This kept on incessantly increasing,

I dint realise when our lips met,

And the deep passionate quench of thirst followed,

And for surely the old flames reignited than ever,

And we rolled in passion on bed....

And in Darkness of blinded amore,

as our legs Twined and intertwined and hands caressed,

Realised I that the hallowed ring was gone,

And that there was no barrier to the true connection of hearts,

And by the gentle moans from her red lips,

And her warm hands through my back and hips,

As if they want to rip them apart,

And by the burns of her kisses,

When my eyes for fraction met her,

Even the moon was shy and seeks refuge in clouds,

And she twinkled in that starry night,

And I no longer felt in that reunion,

Of solitude and badgering loneliness;

And when the gone sun returned,

And its golden ray woke my eyes,

I sat in bed, mused by the gone night,

She appeared even more beautiful with the tray of tea,

And as I prepared to leave,

I went and hugged the 'noor' of my eyes,

And kissed her for being the part of my soul,

And in the parting hug,

I felt her heart exclaim the glory of true and accumulated untouched feelings,

Which defeated my heart’s call of “ Amorous Temptations”....