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>Its officially the eighth week of my stint out here at a B school. And one thing that could pretty much sum up my time out here is ” THE EXPERIENCE”. Everything out here has been so new, so exhiliriating, so different, so challenging.. One thing is for sure – I don’t know what learning of the course would i be applying to the real life situations, but ya, the learning in terms of a person i am sure would stay with me for life, constructively.

First the induction, giving us the initial jitters, and ensuring that we get enough scared that the weak hearted actually leave the campus!! The whole of two years was pretty much summed up in those three hellish days. We thought that all the pain was done with after that, but little did we know, that its gonna be like that for the coming two years( more precisely 20 months)

One thing that i really admire in the IIM system is completely straight, very transparent and very strict. Simple rules of the game. 2 fakkas( f grades) and you are asked to repeat the year. and some more combos of dakkhha’a and fakkas to be able to repeat the year. The grading is a little mysterious, with the relative grading in vogue. U may get 38 and still fail, while a 35 in some subjects may pass u. Similarly with the upper grades.

Had our first mid terms last week. And one hell of a week it was. slept like around 25 hrs in the entire week. Not that i studies all week. It was like one of the most chilled out weeks out here. no presentations, no projects, no submissions.. just simple plain exams!! The marks are not yet out, and that is the reason of my chillness regarding the issue. The marks got here would determine, how many movies i see during the end term exams.

We pretty well completed the weekend by getting totally drunk and doped sat afternoon, so much that i could not even take full advantage of the insti party later in the night. Just had to do away with real juice most of the time. Now that is what i call lack of patience. free liquor on the house with a live disc, and we rather spend money and booze in the afternoon.

Now to plan for the section party. One thing i have noticed about the IIM system is the parties out here. No party is complete without booze in the extreme form, and no conversation is complete without a smoke. All the college canteen talks, the rumours, even the stock market discussions take place only at gupta’s – the smoke joint out here.

one thing very valuable out here is your PGP id, or your room number. Everything is post paid. Just lift anything and flaunt your ID. Its been such a long time that i have actually moved around with a wallet on my rear. now you know why i don’t resemble ayesha takia any more.

After the mid sems, we thought the first week would be chill, as happens in an engineering college( there the party continues till one week before the next set of exams) I could not be more wrong. The plethora of workload begins again. And to top it, we had our final presentations for the various committees.I had INDEX, PRISM and STEX, in my kitty. With IIC, ALCOM and BHAVISHYA left out due to lack of time.

DISHA is one new initiative out here, implemented from this year. Our preparation for the summers. We have regular classes, tests, CV preparation workshops, all happening in the better part of the 24 hrs day – the night!!

August 15th, the country all over enjoys a holiday on that day. We enjoy it doing assignments. Now i understand the reason for brain drain all these years. Obviously, how the hell will the student know th importance of the country if the independence day itself is not kept free??

Even sunday was totally filled with lectures comprising The functional induction program, with alumni from various fields coming in to explain us the careers in various verticals. It was quite infromative.

I realise that the post is very haphazard without any structure, and that was because i intended to sum up the maximum possible events happening out here. this is just a comprehensive list of the ones i was active in. There was also a international conference on agri business and scores of guest lectures, most of which i spent in deep slumber on my cozy bed.

>The past one week could well be termed as the most chilled out here in helL.. had exams!! heh! yeah, no assignments, projects, deadlines.. what else does one care for?

Saw the maximum number of movies, this week!.. boozed at a high frequency… n did all kinds of bhagchodi possible. No! if you are thinking that i could sleep long?? NO!! that is one thing we can never get!just slept around 30 hrs the whole week. not that i am complaining.

now some details about the exam!
We out here have six subjects in the premid term with four of them carrying on to the post mid, and two subjects being added.

the rules out here are simple and rigid. Grading system is followed. A+ to F.. staring from 10 to 0 in that order. the rule reads – 2 fakkas( lingo for an F) or 4 dakkas( for D).. or 1 fakka and 2 dakkas.. n you are out of the campus asked to come back next year to repeat the course. So it does get on you. and dries you. After all who would like to leave hell??

For more details on the mid sems.. read Shankar

More on life out here..
have tasks going on to get into the various committees. This is one thing unique that i found here. First thing, the whole process to get into a committee is so transparent, and clear and ensures that only the right person gets into the right committee according to his abilities. The process runs across 3 weeks – interview, mid term review of task.. final review.. n then a presentation. Secondly the rush to get into a committee. back in engg. we literally had to pul people to participate. Yeah, many do t primarily for the CV point!! lets see whats in store for me..

the guest lectures out here are simply mind blowing. have such top notch people comin on the campus that you just can’t help but feel honoured to be here. We had a chief judge, the founder of subex-azure, etc.. Now a Mc Donald guy!!

and the number of events that one can participate is great. Me and my friend Amirinder took the initiative of enrolling in a market research project. got shortlisted and also had an interview with the guy in charge.it was a good experience.. interview on gtalk. Was quite funny.

We were informed that it is better to mute the talk, when the other person is talking as it would echo. now it goes like we are speaking to literally no one.. n one gets the feel that the person on the other side is actually doing something lot more important than listen to out blabber. then my friend, who always carries disaster in his pocket, actually cut the call by mistake. What can get more funny. We trying to call the person – supposedly a big shot alumni of IIML, and he trying to do the same. and he actually goes to the extent of typing – “R U thr?” No prizes on guessing.. we did not get the project!

one more funny, actually not that funny, incident took place last week. me, abhinav an KK had some tiff, and i literally dragged them out of my room, in the right spirit of course. now would they keep quiet? No ways. They lock me from outside with a huge 10 lever lock( KK probably has gold in his room), and they even get logs and all shit possible to seal my balcony. So, literally no way for me to come out of the room on my own.

Even my neighbour who tried freeing me was threatened – ” agla tu hoga..“. now after that who would come forward. these sadist idiots.. D F’s.. were deriving pleasure by smoking on my face through the window.
But ya, one mistake they committed. Let the phone be with me. the constraint on me was 2 re. balance. So a max of 2 calls. had to make the right call. Prakash Babu comes to my rescue and am free. i go to their room, give this dirt smile and blow smoke on their face in a sense of triumph!! he he.. innovative game it was.!!

Just now back from a pcom batch meet. Ahh!! not worth writing it out here. now, at 5 PM, it is official sleep time out here at IIML!!
gud nite.

>If you are thinkin why am i repeating the post on induction.. well, this write up is the one about the hostel induction. Out here there are various things that we facchas get inducted into. The Insti, hostel, ur gang( gult, mallu, etc..).. n then the committee.

As written earlier, during those three hellish days of the insti induction, i was already down and out, and was crying to get back home, cursing my very decision to write CAT. After the exam from 12 to 3Am, i had my induction( the formal one) in the hostel.

I just stepped into the city of nawabs, and entered the hallowed portals of IIM Lucknow – a place I always yearned to be in. As soon as I arrived here, I was allotted, what would be my hideout for the next two years – My hostel room. Hostel number 10, known as one of the most happening hostels of the insti, and yeah! That it was. I thanked my luck for being allotted a room in the city! Little did I know what was in store?

note: for the uninitiated, city are the new hostels, which are more spacious, clean and party centric( Titanic, vast terrace, well, etc..).. while the older hostels are called slums

First night at IIML (no perverted thoughts!)

Induction was scheduled the next day, and I consciously slept early at 11 itself, just to be awaken by the door bangs at 1AM. One of my fellow facchhaa informed me about the informal induction, well, in other words – Ragging! Thirty odd seniors, some of them drinking, most of them smoking, but all of them out rightly alert were ready, in what we call the well. In front lined up were a similar number of juniors – my batch mates, all with sleepy eyes!

After some informal dilly dallying, and some mild task round( bringing in the supplies), we were asked to give our intros. Well, how can anything happen in a normal way at an IIM? A broken chair was brought in, and we were asked to stand on the chair – which itself was counting its days, standing. INTRODUCE, in chaste Hindi! For south Indians , this was a task as big as probably getting through CAT itself. After lots of mocking, and pulling of leg by the seniors we were let go at 3:30AM., after a short round of drinks with them. My first at hell. Now, Time to sleep. Little did I know that this would be my earliest hour to sleep for days?

Second night

Now as anywould would swear, the actual action (in all terms) in an hostel happens well beyond midnight. A test from 12 to 3 AM (yes u heard it right! A test in the middle of the night!) After that I was grippling towards the room, when the formal induction of the hostel was announced. The choicest of spirits, with lots of other stuff lined up. I thought I was in for a party, but could not be more wrong! We were given roles – superman and r****. We had to form appropriate pairs among ourselves and entertain the seniors. We lined up, again, this time in pairs. Performed all kinds of profanity, and titillated the audience to all the jhatkas and matkas. After a tiring duel of 2 hrs, were we allowed to go near the alcohol, and the tiredness in us, assured that we complete till the last golden drop? And dropped dead! 6 AM in the morning!!

The hostel induction done!! And now the seniors are all friends!!

p.s. : I wrote this as a task for the alcom committee. Hope they don’t consider this their propetry and sue me under copyright laa

>June 21st, 2007:
I had just stepped into the city of Nawabs, Lucknow yesterday and the morning breeze though a stranger to me, welcomed me with a cool hug. As I moved in the IIML campus, a hope and a belief crept in me – here is a launch pad for a successful career ahead in the corporate world. The welcome speech by the Director on the induction day was a clear indication of the mercilessly hectic life as well as the worthy returns thereafter awaiting me
In order to inculcate ethical business practices and sound value system in its new batch of students, IIML took the initiative of inviting Swami Muktinathananda, a monk of high stature, to inaugurate the new batch (23rd batch) of Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGPM) students.
The tempo started building up right from the first day both by professors and seniors, though on different platforms and at different degrees. The whole day was occupied with lectures by the various prominent people in the administration. The evening, we thought was free to sleep (Valued Pleasure) but the students council thought otherwise. We had a batch meeting in the evening, notifying of a test from 12 to 3AM. Yes, you heard me right the test is midnight. Now this was least expected after a tiring previous night spent on the informal induction at the hostel
Somehow went through the gruel, and the arrogant seniors, who would point mistake in every step, and make us feel that we are simply not fit to be here. At 3:15, just grippling over to my room, I was in for a surprise. Those merciless seniors have organised the official hostel induction tonight, probably because tomorrow happens to be the birthday of one guy’s girlfriend!! We get into the required dress form to suit the assigned character – Superman and ***( will be screened out for obscenity). After entertaining them till 5, we were allowed to have the very much required pegs of whiskey and vodka. Slept at 6AM

June 22nd, 2007:
The registration is scheduled at 8:30 AM. Now who would explain to the authority that we have not slept! And I don’t think anyone would like to take the risk of not registering, or rather confirming, and his seat after going through the grueling billi successfully.
In the evening, we were all called for a health run. A long marathon round of the entire circumcircle of the campus, not once but twice. Probably, the seniors wanted us to realize the vastness of the campus. It was one long tiring run, damn! My stamina has actually come down, but to think of it. I completed the run successfully!
Have the seniors fulfilled their sadistic pleasures? NO!! Mentors assigned, CV submission deadline given, case study late evening (that is upto 12), then GD’s extending till 3AM. So, no sleep for one more night!

June 23rd, 2007:
When will this ordeal get over? When will I be out of this place?? Or more predominantly, when will I sleep?? These are some lingering questions and the only respite is call up your girlfriend (plz, am not an MCP, just going with the majority), and crib. Else call up juniors and future aspirants and scare them with the reality. Its no fun cracking the CAT! HELL was showing its true colours.
One earlier rise, and rush to the class! This time sans breakfast! One gets a feel that the profs are so good, it is the seniors. One more hectic day in hell. Rushing to the mentors, whose faces we have never seen. Run your ass out to find the way out of the puzzle called H13. Rush for the CV submission, and in spite of all the bhagadoudi never reach on time. The clocks of the seniors are all set fast am sure.
Now look at the new notice at mess (we were asked to keep in track with notice boards every hour, later relaxed to every two hours understanding the absurdity). We the facchhas were all divided into groups of 4, and given a group topic each. Now this is the trip! We have no clue who the hell is the partner! And now we go about searching for them. This is where management helps! Ok, we do met up.. prepare the presentation, and get all ready. At the venue, some are sent away for not wearing ties, some for not shaving and some to get their entire group! It was hell showing again.
After the long presentations, in which we all grilled and mocked to the core, there’s an announcement of a batch meet. The overcrowded room is filled with tense air. Smile?? One cannot even see a concave posture on any face! The student’s council president ridicules the present batch saying it is one of the worst batches IIML has ever had, and the likes. He reads out a list of 57 students who supposedly are not fit to join any committee and would require extra mentoring. Well, my name figures in that coveted (is it?) list. Then he reads out another list of 7 people stating that they have indulged in malpractice and would be reported to the PGP office, threatened with fatal consequences.
The whole room is silent, Drop a pin and it could give a heart attack to the feeble. And……………….

Next I find myself, dancing out at the insti party, after having a lavish sumptuous dinner. Now this was very much required after those hellish 3 days. All top brands – Signature, Bacardi, Smirn off laid for us to grab. A dj playin foot tapping songs, and half of the junta drunk to the core. Come on dude, it’s a booze on the house party – first time for many.! I myself drank 6 pegs, and my friend who had limited himself to sips and smells till now, had a hang of 2 pegs. It was one awesome night, ofcourse sans much sleep!

June 24th, 2007
Slept at around 3 AM last night to wake up at 10 in time for the chairman, board of Governors – Mr. J. J. Irani ‘s welcome speech. Business ethics, value system and the likes were stressed upon, and he wuite nicely filled the hall with his witty anecdotes and also struck an emotional chord emphasizing values in the TATA context.

The rest of the evening was chilled, with nothing much to do. That implies the much required sleep. And get ready for the actual grilling beginning tomorrow.

>This is one of those pending posts, that was long due. What did i do this summer?? Am i reviewing the movie or something?. No!! the Summer just gone by, was a very eventful one. lots of things done, for the very first time. And it had to be. This is the time i Graduated for the first time!( Abbey, ek hi baar grad hote hai!!).

First things first, went down to aruku with some friends – 4 of us. Went on a Saturday morning, and returned on Sunday evening. For the uninitiated who are still wondering what the hell is ARUKU?? It is a cool hill station, close to Vizag city, famously referred to as “OOTY of ANDHRA”. Well, for college goers, it is nothing else but a safe haven for their drinking stupors on a marathon level. It was fun out there, escaping from the scorching heat of the city and living the tranquility with slight drizzle of a small tribal hamlet in the right atmosphere of a cottage. We even went down to Borra caves, which are believed to be over a million years old. Me being the only local in our group, i was fekkoing at its best. trying to explain every random shape in the cave to some natural phenomena. creativity at its best!

then was the trip to kolkata. Had to go there to escort my granny. It was just half a day out there in Kol.. but it was fun filled. My cousin Vishal n Bharat( yes, i share my name with him).. left no stone unturned to ensure that i see all the vital places in Kolkota.. Even went by the underground metro rail.The return journey was eventful. It is not everyday that you find a hot girl in your compartment in Indian rail!. and to top it, she was pretty impressed by the fact that i am getting into an IIM( i ensured that she comes to know of tat fact, thanks Bharat( my cousin)). Also realised that the so called bad habit – smoking, is actually quite socializing. Met a guy in the side compartment who himself walked up to me to offer a smoke. Guess, he must have seen me smoking near the bathroom last night. I also met one his friends,and even the TT shared a smoke with us. Now this is something different.

I always wanted to work part time, and earn some money in the bargain. I got this opportunity in two ways this summer – Market Research and TIME classes. Yes, i was offered a faculty position at TIME, teaching or rather tutoring CAT aspirants, occasionally taking classes for Campus recruitment programs, GRE and even ICET. It was very hectic with some days me ending up taking classes for 8 hours. Not that i am complaining. I made neat money out of it. A nice experience and am looking forward to it. in fact, i would prefer taking classes in all my future vacations. it keeps the mind so much fresh, and interacting with so many intelligent minds is quite a challenging job.

Another endeavour of mine this summer was the market research project. More about it in my next post.

By the way, after all this stints with part time jobs, K.s.Vidya of THE HINDU considered me appropriate for the article on Pocket money for youngsters. Some extracts out of it..

…..Easy jobs at call centres, growing job market and much-hyped globalisation have changed the spending pattern of college students. “It’s easier to be brand conscious if you have the money to spend,” says Bharat Jhurani, who recently completed his engineering from GITAM. Presently he is working as a faculty member at the TIME institute, teaching four to six hours in a week earning Rs. 100 for each hour. Alongside he is also working on a one-month market research project for a consulting agency for which he hopes to earn a tidy sum of Rs. 6,000.

“Dignity of labour is yet to sink in here. There is still a long way to go before parents can accept their children taking up jobs as waiters or at petrol pumps,” he adds.

The whole article

now this is what i call popularity!!.. he he!!