Marriage or Gambling

                                                                                                                                 

There is a very well known boy's school - "Ramkrishna Mission". Hundreds of students used to appear for its entrance examination for Std. 4,5 & 6. And the eligibility criteria for the examination used had to be weird - "Aspirants for each class had an upper height and weight limit failing which the aspirants wouldn't be admitted in the school."

What does "Being Independent" mean ?

Seriously, I have never pondered over such a thought until I met a long lost friend of mine. And when you run out of topics of discussions, many a times you end up getting into such random philosophical discussions. And this was one such times.

As per my dear friend, "Being Independent" is all about taking one's own decisions in life so that one shouldn't regret or blame someone else for whatever happens next. One should take one's own decisions and everyone else should just get to know the decisions with absolutely no power to repeal or modify the decisions. Besides, if the steps following the decision happens to be something not in tune with the expected behavior of a 'sensible' human being, then one would get to know only that part of the decisions/steps which is acceptable as well as appreciated. 

Sounds pretty cool !!! Reminds me of  a dialogue from a Bollywood movie "Om Shanti Om" - "I feel like the king of the world".

Yes, on the first go, the thought makes you feel good. However when you profoundly introspect, this thought of being independent makes you feel too self centered. And when I am saying self centered, it does seem I am jumping the gun. But, have I ? So before you reach to any conclusion about me, allow me to explain myself.

Let me start from  the very basic question - "Who am I ? What is that defines me ? Who defines me ? Is it my looks ( yeah yeah.. I know that I am not the bearer of a charismatic personality) ? or Is it my academic result ? or Is it my decently paying job ? All these things do not define me but my external self which is transitory and may not  matter in long run - " this shall also pass".

This is not me. I am someone who is defined by people around me. I know I am sounding abstract, But what I meant to say is that I am not the one who wouldn't care for people who care for me. I am not the one who would just do what I feel is right just for myself. I would rather move along with my near and dear ones than being move alone.

Over the course of my life, I have just earned one thing - "Friends". These friends have always been with me in some form or another - Mom, dad, sister, teachers, relatives, school-mates, college-mates, colleagues etc. And when I do something which directly impacts/is related to anyone of them, I would make sure that they are on my side in my decisions than just be mute spectators and followers.

Now this way, I ensure two things - Firstly, my "friends" never ever feel neglected and Secondly they are on my side in any decision which I take.

Some of you might argue that involving too many people might lead to "Analysis-Paralysis" and the decision might not the best one. Yes it does happen sometimes. But then, What's the fun in doing something when your own friends are not with you ?      

I tried further to understand my dear friend's thought process and urgency of having being independent. Circumstances and surroundings where one has grown might have an impact. On further prodding, I found that the family settings for both of us are different. My friend has grown in Joint Family setting and on the other hand, I have grown in Nuclear family setting. Since I have not grown in a joint family setting, the best I could conclude would be based on my assumptions of working of a joint family ( based on the knowledge gained over time through serials, movies and interactions with school friends who come from such a setting).

Now what I understand in joint family setting, a child reports to one's own parents but there is dotted line reporting to all the elder ones in the family. So when he/she needs to decide something, he/she must ensure that everyone should agree (which in many cases seems highly unlikely). Finding no one his/her side, the child ultimately decides to takes his/her own decisions and either informs the elders of the family or just keeps decisions to himself/herself.


Whereas in a Nuclear family setting, the child never has to convince anyone except his/her parents for anything. And this is really an easy job and the child ends up getting his/her wishes fulfilled in most of the cases. So there is never a need to take an independent decision or hide something from anyone and everyone is one family - Connected and United.                                                                                    

Some might not agree to my logic and reasoning as everyone has all the right to disagree and form/have his/her own opinions.

As far as I am concerned, I can summarize my thoughts in one line - "Jo bhi karenge...shaan se karenge"

Kuwait - My first international trip

Someday I shall write 

A Dream Come True ..

I have often heard people saying that Dreams don't come true. So there is no point in dreaming. But 'some dreams' do come true and getting into Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore is one such dream of mine. Getting a call is supposed to be the toughest part of the process of admission into an IIM. However, the interview part is tougher. The good thing about the interview  processes is that IIMs have now moved to essays from Group Discussions.  And even if one gets an essay to write on a topic of least interest, one can atleast write a few lines explaining what one understands from the topic and then can go on to discuss more about those thoughts. Whereas a GD is too much dependent on the other candidates in your group.

Before I digress from my intial thought of writing about my Personal Interview experience,  I would directly go to the point. With this, let me give me a brief background of the interview center and panelists. The interview was at IIM-B. There were three panelists comprising a young female Prof (P1), a middle aged smart Prof (P2) and a young calm and composed person (P3), supposedly an alumnus from industry. After the essay writing, there was a gap of an hour before my turn came for the PI. Allow me to call myself  as "Bakra"  which  is close to "Bakar".  So anticipating a question what I did in last one hour, I went around the campus for sometime.

P2 comes out and calls my name. I follow him in the room and on way, P2 breaks the ice.

P2:  So you had a nice nap for an hour. 

Bakra :  ( Alert !!!..... trick question to check if  Bakra wasted time) No Sir, I just went around the campus to get feel of the college.

P2 : So what did you find interesting in the campus ?

Bakra : ( by this time, P2 and Bakra are seated ) The campus is awesome..I had been to campus before also but mostly i have spent time around the hostel side. this is the first time i have come towards the Academic section..This side is a bit confusing. even i was lost once.. reached college canteen.. on returning checked with one senior faculty and managed to reach back 

P2:  But you didnt tell anything interesting ?

Bakra:  Sir, Overall the campus is interesting. But I would tell something which I found "weird"

P2: "Weird" ?? What did you find weird ??

Bakra:  Sir, Right after this room if you go to the left, you would find a signboard on the top which shows an arrow  that the restrooms are on the right side. But there are no restrooms are on the right side ... They are on the Left side near the Faculty Club.

P1: So you mean to say that  we at IIM-B mislead people ? ( the panelists start laughing)

Bakra : ( Shocker but Bakra smartly handles it) No mam, I would not call it misleading. I would rather call it an "opportunity to explore more". Had the signboard be right, I wouldnt have cared to go to the other side.

With this answer,  Bakra felt that interviewers were really interested in talking to him.

P2: Tell us about yourself

Bakra: (favourite question) gave gyan and plants two traps for the interviewers to fall into. One is about "Deoghar" and "Lord Shiva's temple" and second one is about the work in Cisco

P1: So what do you do at Cisco ?

Bakra: ( favourite question) gave full gyan about VoIP testing.

P1: I am Psychology prof and I hardly understand anything technical.

Bakra:  No problem mam. I would explain in simplest possible layman language ( Gave full gyan in simple language)

P2:  We read your SOP and found that  you havent written why you want to do an MBA

Bakra:  Yes Sir.  I hadnt written it intentionally so that I could explain in front of the panel. ( The actual reason   was that Bakra hadnt found the answer to this question while SOP submission)

P2: So can you tell us now ?

Bakra:  ( Gave gyan ... growing up the corporate ladder)

P1: That you can do so in your own organisation

Bakra: Yes mam. I can do so but the only problem is that to get a similar opportunity in my organisation, it will take another 10 years. So isnt it logical to opt for a course which provides you a similar opportunity in next 2-3 years ?

P2:  We see from your essay that you have interest in Hindu mythology ? (The essay topic was "Its difficult to explain religion with the use of Science")

Bakra: ( opportunity to drive the interviewers to the first trap) Sir, its because of my background from where I come.

P2: Whats the significance of  your hometown ?

Bakra: (favourite question)... Gave all the gyan about Deoghar and jyotirlinga.

P2:  How many jyotirlingas are there ?

Bakra:  Sir, 12.

P2:  ( Gets excited and starts recalling the names of  jyotirlingas)

Bakra: And Sir, ( tells the remaining  jyotirlingas which P2 missed)  

P2: So whats the story behind the jyotirlinga at Vaidyanath ( deoghar)

Bakra: ( starts the story behind the jyotirlinga) 

P3: (finally opens his mouth) what's Jyotilinga ?

Bakra: explains. P2 supports Bakra and adds few more lines.

(Bakra speaks for next ten minutes continuously narrating the story. No interruptions from the panelists. )

P2: So what do you think the story behind other Jyotirlingas ?

Bakra: Sir, I am not sure about the stories behind other Jyotirlingas. but I feel it should be different as they are located in different places.

P2: No, the story behind each Jyotirlinga is same.

Bakra: I am not sure.  I will google it and check.

P2: yeah , check on google today when you go home.

P1: ok, tell me .. leave .. anyway we will meet.. fine.. You can go.

Bakra: ( Gets a hint that he is through) Thankyou Mam and Sirs.

The interview lasted for almost forty minutes.

   

  

Something beyond simple human understanding

It is said "some lives" are linked "across time" connected by an ancient calling that echoes through the ages "Destiny".

With this saying, the movie "Prince of Persia - Sands of Time" starts. And the director leaves a thought to ponder over. Today when I read the line again and again, I feel it's gradually strengthening its hold on me and I feel as if I am spellbound. When I look back my last twentyfive years of life, I feel as I had no control on anything. I was an actor in my own life and played my part as the director - "Destiny" wished it to be.

When I look back, I see the good and the bad moments in my life. I feel the happiness of a care-free child playing cricket on a sunny day. I feel the warmth of love of my parents. I feel the heat of Xth exams. I feel the gloominess of not performing to my capability in my board exams. I feel the pain of being separated from my mom for my 12th studies. I feel the pressure of getting into engineering college. I feel the joy of getting into MIT and the pleasure of being picked by Cisco. I feel the sadness of leaving MIT and the fun of Freescale. And the pain of moving to Cisco. And then blissful joy of the freedom in Cisco. Suddenly all of these seem to me a cricket match rigged-up by Destiny where the bowler-Life is well aware when to throw what kind of ball. I as a batsman assuming it to be a genuine match trying my level best to hit the easy ones for fours & sixes  and ducking myself from the bouncers and body-liners. So whats the point of playing such matches where the results are fixed and just that they are known to you only when you have played till the right time.

It's the effort which I have put in matters and not the result of the match. Its the players with whom I play the match matter and not the spectators in the stands. Spectators will come and go. Grounds will change. Rules will be modified. But these players whose destinies have been linked with mine will remain. Our lives "linked across time" will cross each other's path again and we will play together again may be on a different ground on a different day against a different bowler.     

IIMs- Changing the Rules of the Game

The IIMs are in a transition phase from being an engineering college ( oops..the fact that almost 92 percent of the intake are engineers say so) to global MBA college. Coming up with 'glitch full' and some 'weird normalization' of online scores is giant leap in this direction. But even a small step to change does come with such issues ( but only problem in this case is that it came at  the cost of 2.41 lac of  IIM aspirants minus the ones who got atleast one call....oh..that's negligible compared to India's population). Making the entrance test online (at the mercy of Prometric) has made it 'Global' as aspirants from abroad can also appear for the test.. (wow thats 'cool' .. Indian Education system coming at par with Global standards)

Let's not get into the intricacy of the way the entrance exams has been conducted this year and raise eyebrows. Rather, let's focus on the big picture i.e the changes and impact of the surprised cutoff criteria, increased weightage to Xth ,XIIth and work-ex have brought this year. Definitely, unlike other reputed MBA 'Factories'  ( producing MBA grads) outside India having mix of students from various backgrounds, Indian "Factories" are dominated by 'engineering illiterates' ( may be that's why most of them directly joined MBA college after completing their engineering). When an engineer directly joins an MBA after completing his/her degree, how would he/she justify his/her contemporary engineering aspirants who might not have got as good a college or might even not got an engineering seat. I know there are still engineering colleges where the placement is not good and some students might not get placed and end up going to an MBA college.(But the question is whether they would have contributed to engineering field). Bringing work-ex as a selection criteria will surely close this loop hole in the education system.

Increasing the weightage in Xth and XIIth is just another measure is get hold of the students who are consistent through out their life. But there are states where its difficult to score high marks in these board exams. For this , IIMs are following some 'sensible' normalization process ( I guess so !!) to  bring all boards at par.

Getting hold of more undergrads from other field will still be a challenge for IIMs as engineering grads will keep appearing and getting through the selection process ( though with work-ex atleast)  whatsoever be the criteria. It might so happen in future that IIMs might start shortlisting students on the basis of fields (like technology,medical,journalism,art,etc) of work-ex rather than 'just' work-ex in their attempt to become a global college and meet the standards set by some of  the best business schools in the world.

But one thing is for sure.. IIMs have become more 'unpredictable' than before  and thereby reaching to higher standard of  "Uncertainty for Aspirants" .

Gender imbalance will lead to Third world war

It was August 1945 when atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki - the cities of Japan, during the Second World War. The whole world came to a stand still. Such was the devastation that the effect was felt for generations. Thousands of people lost their lives, many became crippled and many got infected with diseases and allergies capable of ruining generations. Though Japan has finally become as one of the most developed nations, the even thought of a "Third World War" shivers the whole body.


This is the age of “Technology” and technological advancements are happening in leaps and bounds. But still there are communities and societies where girl child is considered a taboo and is killed. Such killings is just the beginning of the end. The girl, if at all succeeded in surviving the first stage, enters the next stage where she is not given proper treatment and at par education with man which leads to her final stage of slavery in form of wife where is stuck for whole of her life. All these things have created ‘Gender Imbalance’ not only in terms of their decreasing population but also in terms of the being ill-treated for so long.


The gender bias and imbalance created will lead to a third world war where we might find the Women of the world fighting against the Men of the world for the equal rights of education, treatment, opportunities and above all, the equal right to live. There can be another possibility of this gender killing and bias that there would be one such day when all the women of this world will be extinct and the world will comprise only ‘Man’. The nature has been created in a way where everything is balanced. If there is day then there is night to balance it. If there is winter, then there exists summer too. If there is flood somewhere then there are times when there is draught. If there is rash and reckless man, then there is compassionate and patient woman to balance him. So if the ‘Woman’ doesn’t exist, the imbalance will lead to War, so fierce in nature, that never had such war been fought leading to complete destruction of life in any form.


In order to stop this menace, its important that the man should understand the importance of woman and let her avail the opportunities, education and treatment at par with his. The gender imbalance is corroding the roots of our existence and we must and should take immediate measures to curb this menace immediately else the day wouldn’t be far when there will be a ‘Third World War’.