Thursday, September 30, 2004

Deamz Unlimited

I don't know why but I have always felt this attraction for books, book shops and even magazine stalls. I like to be in the close vicinity of lots of books. I might not read all of them, as I love reading, yet there is some sort of strong pull.This has given me idea to own a chain of book shops like Crossword or Landmark but better and beyond their scope. It has to be exotic! Something which no one has ever seen! I know I would love to own such a thing!
Another of my dreams is to have my own Greeting cards company. Sometime back I used to design greeting cards myself for the B'days and Friendship days for my friends. It would start with a picture that I would be hit with while going through magazines or books. It would somehow relate to some mood or some moment that is close to me and then it would turn into a card complete with a poetry. I used to make cards mostly for my best friend as she understood the feelings that makes a mere picture in some obscure magazine into a card! It would have a poem that would be specially for her! But I have not made any card since a long time, may be soon I would get back to my love once again!
Yesterday I was discussing about The IITians by Sandipan Deb.
I remember, somewhere in the book, the author mentions that IITians do their work only when they have no other option, that is, at the last moment. But that is true with all of us. Here at IMDR, we think it is an IMDRite trait. But I guess, it is an Indian mentality or shall I say Lethargy. They do not do anything till the last moment.
It was also a new discovery for me to read about the social skills of IITians. I would rather say that I never thought about it! Imagine 400 guys and 12 girls!!!Crazy situation!
About the deadline thing----it is true everywhere in India. Women are meant to be protected and hence all sorts of absurd rules and regulations even after you reach the Age!!!At our hostel in college, the deadline was 5 pm! Anyways, there was nothing to do in any case outside, before or after the deadline!

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Booked!!!

Last week was intellectually fulfilling. I read 2 books--first being, Scenes from an Executive's Life by Anurag Mathur and The IITians by Sandipan Deb.
Let me first dwell on the first one!It was truly typical exercepts from an Executive's life.The same old office politics, which all of us have gone through or heard about! The same old mistakes people commit! The same old consequences of promiscuous rendezvous!But it all made for an interesting reading.
I want to write more about the second book so I leave you here with the review of the first one to go ahead and explore for yourself. Because that is what I did!
I had read about this new book called The IITians and I thought, now that Five Point Someone (another one about IIT but a fiction) has become so popular, the market would be flooded with all sorts of details and statistics of IITs! But then I chanced upon this book in my college library. I had not intended to read it earlier because I thought such books would make sense only to the IITians! But then somehow I picked the book and after a few chapters was hooked to it! I would not be as dramatic as saying that it changed my life! But when I think in terms of Pre-The IITians and Post-The IITians, it has definitely made me more aware about several things related to the most coveted and respected professional brand we have--The IITs!
I came to know about so many IITians and the way they are affecting our lives and the lives of the people around them and across the globe!
Over the years we have been talking about Brain Drain. I came to know more about it--the Whys and Whats!Earlier I did not understand anything much on this issue. But now I understand much of it! I was impressed by the grassroots level work done by several IITians and was filled with awe by the enormity of achievements that so many of the IITians carry!Even to general people like us it is of some pride to connect ourselves in some way with some IITian! My friend studies at IIT Delhi. We are hardly in touch but I do mention this to my newly formed friends at some point of time! IIT also fills me with some awe. I feel that those who go to IIT must be people of some other planet, extremely intelligent and outstanding, and yeah, with a lot of out-of-box aptitude ( I am a management student afterall)!
I never dreamt of going to IITs! And thank god for that! Because those who do, sweat it out for atleast 4-5 years these days, in such extremely competitive environment! I am the creative sort! Thinking about machines and motors, make me sick...but I admire all those who do wonders with these things.
I was really impressed by the work done by Prof. Jhunjhunwala of IIT Madras. And also of 'The Toymaker'( I forgot the name!)that the book had a chapter on.
I had this argument yesterday with some of my friends who clearly were irritated of seeing me hooked to this book day in and day out! The issue was why people crib so much about IITians not doing enough!What they are doing at grassroots level, even other engineers could also do, then why people raise eyebrows on only what the IITians have not done!
I would continue with The IITians in my next posting.
Till then, enjoy!!!

Friday, September 10, 2004

In touch with me

I am a bundle of Introspections, Retrospections, and yeah,Contradictions. Like everyone else, of course!

These days all of us are talking about placements, jobs, etc,etc.I feel, and mind it, it's no gyaan, that there are lots of jobs outside the campus. OK! Let me begin this afresh.

I am doing PGDM at IMDR, Pune. Many of you would think....ok, yet another institute, at yet another corner of Pune. You might as well be thinking, what must be the situation at Pune and Bangalore, really??!!These places are being over-crowded with institutes and more institutes, and the number is just increasing in such a way that the rate would might beat our population growth rate as well!!! But jokes apart, IMDR means Institute of Management Development & Research.It has been around 30 years in Management education, and it does not believes in Advertising itself in order to attract more application forms. So forget that it would resort to several of those antics, so many of the institutes do these days in order to attract companies to come for placements!It stands by its values. Some say it is all crap! Some say the values have become outdated! I think it surely needs some integrity and strength to stand by your values. In fact, situations--good and bad--really test your values. Otherwise all of us could write great sounding words as our Values!!!

The point is why should this institute follow that suite , which all others are following. Just because it is convenient to get placed through campus? Just because campus placements come with some pride? What else?

I live in reality. I think this institute is great but I also know tht none of the kind of jobs I want would be available in campus, and that does not make this institute any less great! I know everone would say it is easier to give gyaan rather than stick to these principles! Lets c!

So the point is when I know that no matter what I do, the kind of companies I would like to join would not come for campus placements, then rather than cribbing wouldn't it be far wise move to plan things with this assumption! Only because HLLs and P&Gs do not come to my campus, my institute is inferior? I cannot buy this view!

Personal Opinion, of course!!!

Job...............less???

The first thing on everybody's mind is Placements!!!Mine too!But surprisingly, I am not worried, like others.
My institute does not believe in advertising, and it has stood by its values through all seasons. I think it is really commendable, considering the fact that there is a Management institute in every nook and corner, and each one advertises obscenly to attract more students and companies!Sad, it might sound, but truely, education has become a booming industry.
Some of us get frustated and abuse the IMDR that it is playing with our careers, blah...blah...blah!But what is really beyond my comprehension is that why campus placements is the only way of getting a job? There are several wonderful jobs out there, and people need you! In any case, no company pays you out of charity, it needs you!Why do we always underestimate ourselves???