True stories

Simple math

2013-09-19T16:35:00.003-07:00

This write-up is about how I lost 17 kg of my weight in a year. Yep!!! it's literately 17 kg or 38 pounds !!! Its a journey from 92 kg to 75 kg with-out spending a day in the gym or morning jogging. But just following a casual diet.

Around 1-1/2 years back, my weight was 92 kg. And at the height of 5 feet 8 inches, I had crossed the obesity borderline long back. At the age of 30+, there is a high risk of diabetes if you are obese and there are other problems too. So I seriously decided to lose weight. But, I really don’t like to do heavy exercises or jogging or give up certain types of food to lose weight. On one of the medical websites I came to know that an adult who takes 2000 calories per day if they take just a few hundred calories less say 1800 or 1700, they will lose weight gradually. It sounded very simple to me. It doesn't mean that all of a sudden you have to stop eating all those high calories of your favorite foods. It just means that starts taking a little less than usual. So take fewer calories + No jogging nothing = Lose weight. It is as simple as that. You do not need to spend time in the gym either. Doing jogging is good, and that might work for a few days for a few people, but trust me, eventually, you will get fed up and you will give up. I’m not saying you shouldn't exercise at all. You need physical exercise to keep you fit, but that is NOT mandatory for losing weight. In fact, every day unknowingly you are doing exercise. Your body needs calories for every activity. While you are talking, driving, thinking, and even watching TV, your body always burns calories. But, why do people become fat over time? It’s simple math, you are taking more calories than what you are burning. Our body is really a wonderful machine, it tries hard to consume the calories that you're pushing inside to keep you lean. But, when we keep pushing more calories E-V-E-R-Y-DAY then eventually it gives up!!! That’s why nobody put on weight overnight, it takes months. The same thing you have to remember while you are thinking of losing weight, you won’t lose weight overnight, it would definitely take time, but eventually, it happens.

Here is what I did ...

I downloaded an app on the iPhone (MyNetDairy) and calculated how many calories I should be taken to maintain my weight. And as per this App, if I take a few hundred calories less, I would lose around half a kg per week. Then started entering the food that I was eating and ensured my intake is less than normal. Some people may feel it is overkill to note down the food and calories each time they eat. But isn't it a lot better than spoiling your early morning sleep for jogging or always looking for XXL size for your dress in the showroom?

The steps that I recommend for losing weight are given below.

1) You have to mark what you’re eating in your app and make sure you are taking exactly the same number of calories as what you targeted for the day. The app will calculate the calories based on the food item you entered. It will have a huge database of different foods including Indian foods.

2) You have to put a realistic target weight. Not like lose 10 kg in a week, kind of targets. I first set my target weight as 85 Kg in 3 months and then 80 and then 75. It took a very long time for me to lose weight from 80 to 75. I guess it happens to you as it is always hard to achieve your final goal after achieving many intermediate goals.

3) Complete your dinner as early as possible. I used to complete around 7 PM. The reason is, the food gets digested quickly and burned early before you sleep. So that it won’t become fat and get stocked up in your body.

4) Once you complete your dinner, never eat anything even if you feel hungry. It will not hurt you because, during this time, your body gets the calories from stocked-up body fat. That is how over the period the fat will reduce and you will lose weight.

5) Try to avoid rice in your dinner. Rice is one of the reasons for our stubborn belly. But, it’s not a hard rule. It's up to you !!!

6) Don’t forget to check your weight daily. Preferably in early mornings with an empty stomach. You will get motivated if you see that you are losing weight even if that is in grams.

7) It is OK to eat high-calorie foods once in a while (I used to take chicken Biryani on Sundays ;) ). Remember you should not repeat that every day. And if you see you gained weight because of it, don’t panic, you will lose quickly if you follow your target-weight diet plan again. I had a lot of fluctuations like this.

8) Don’t ever eat until your stomach is full and eat a little less than your stomach capacity. Even at breakfast and lunch.

9) Maximum try to eat food prepared at your home. The same quantity of food prepared in the restaurants will have more calories than home food.

10) If you are de-motivated that you are sacrificing several foods like fast-foods because of this diet plan and not eating much, then it’s ok once in a while to eat foods like sweets, fast-foods, etc. But ensure to eat in your lunchtime or at breakfast. Never eat those foods at dinner.

Apart from these points, the most important thing here is you should have patience and determination to lose weight. It feels so happy when you are shopping for fewer size dresses than usual after losing weight. And remember nothing happens overnight. You can sure see a lot of progress if you follow the above simple steps over a period of time. It took me around a year to achieve the target weight of 75 kg. I believe you can also achieve it. All the best.

Wipro's offer

2012-12-12T21:04:00.004-08:00

Hello friends, Wipro is my first company. I joined here as a fresher 9 years ago, since then I had a thriving career here until I resigned last month.

This is a small write up about my interview experience with Wipro. That interview happened in a very funny way and still, I wonder the way I placed in Wipro.

*****************

I was working as a lecturer in an Engineering College prior to Wipro. I was looking for a change and wanted to join in Software Company. That time, I got an email from Wipro stating, my resume was shortlisted and I need to appear the entrance test in Chennai. That was an off-campus call, so they invited many graduates from different states.

I went to the place where this test would be conducted. As usual, many people were waiting for the test. After seeing all those people, I comprehend how tough the competition would be.

Test started, totally 3 sections in the exam paper. We need to score 50% from each of the sections to get through it. The first section was Technical; it was condemned easy for me. I answered all, and did the same way the next aptitude section.

Then the final section was Vocabulary, which was hard. In each question, there would be four options “A B C D”, need to choose the correct option of the given word’s synonym or antonym or meaning. There were altogether 30 questions in that section, only 15% of questions answers I know. Remaining 85% words in that section were bizarre to me. Also, time was very less to think and put the correct answers.

I did some simple probability. I always do this kind of probability during crunch time. I need to provide the correct answer to 15 questions at least to get through this section. I already answered 5 questions correctly. In that, 3 answers were option B. I verified aptitude and technical questions. Most of the questions the correct answer was option B. Therefore, there was a high probability that many answers would be option B. Based on that speculation and probability, marked blindly remaining 10 questions answered as option B.

The exam was over. I crossed my fingers, anything could happen. After some time, they had attached the results on the wall. I did not want to carry so much hope and then disappoint later. So, I went to the place calmly where the result paper had attached and searched for my name. MY NAME WAS LISTED. Which means my probability was correct. I told myself that this was just a written exam. I had a history of returning back from the final round, so I did not pay much faith.

I went inside of that building for the interview. They had asked me to complete a form. I surprised that they were so many people able to get through the test. I was wondering, whether that was a true test or some kind of fake.

They took the filled form and asked me to wait until they call for an interview. I noticed that the organizers were facing many hurdles managing those interviews. It looks like; they did not expect that much crowd after the test. I almost waited for 3 hours for my interview. A man called me and took me with him. We reached the first floor of the building, he asked me to go inside a room for an interview. I saw there were many parallel interviews they were conducting on that floor. They were running out of time, so they were rushing the interviews.

I entered the room, the interviewer was sitting inside and he looks fatigued. He might have taken so many interviews by that time. I noticed the Shakuntala Devi book kept on his table. After introducing myself, he gave a few puzzles to solve.

I thought what? Puzzles in the interview?!! … I expected he would ask some technical questions.

Anyhow, I didn’t have another option. I started working on them. He might have thought that I would take some time to solve those puzzles, so meanwhile, he was filling the forms with earlier interview results. Those puzzles were so familiar to me. I did practice them multiple times for the Infosys exam. I took less time (than he thought that I would take) to solve them, after completing, I had shown the results to him. He was in a hurry to fill those forms, lazily cross-checked my results, and noted as those were correct. Since he was fatigue and utterly exhausted, he forgot whether he indeed asked any technical questions.

He asked the same thing for confirmation; I quietly shook my head as yes. He told, “Ok! You are good to go”.

That was the simplest interview I never faced before. It took less than 15 mins to finish it; I had an experience of spending hours in the technical interviews. I was wondering again, whether it was real or something else was going on. A few hours later, they announced the results. I cleared the interview. It was almost a night by the time they announced the result, so they had asked selected people to come the next day for the HR round. I understood that very few people were selected for the HR round.

I was never lucky like that day before. Everything went so smoothly without much of my hard work. However, still HR round remained. I went to my classmate's room in Chennai and stayed that night. They had given me some encouragement saying, HR round was not that difficult and easy to clear.

The next day I went to the Wipro office to appear for the HR round. I sat silently in the waiting room and prepared myself on how I should answer HR questions. That homework certainly helped me during the HR round. Whatever I thought to speak to HR in those minutes, the same thing I told him. The HR facial expression was subtle, not easy to assess whether I cleared the round or not by looking at him.

I went back to my home town.

Few weeks passed. One day, I saw an email from Wipro. IT WAS MY OFFER LETTER.

This interview always reminds me of one the thing that, “If something doesn’t belong to you it won't come to you how hard you try, however, there are few things which surely belongs to you, will come to you no matter what you do”.

Driving License or Oscar award

2012-10-02T21:18:00.000-07:00

If you flip a coin, what do you expect the outcome? Either it is head or tail. And the same way when you attempt any test or exam, only two things could come into your mind, “Pass” or “Fail”, that’s it. No other thoughts. I was also feeling the same thing before attempting behind the wheels exam in US, either I’ll pass or fail in the test. If everything happens as you presume or as per your prospect then what is fun in life. The fate has always something “different” than what do you expect or what you thought would happen. That’s what happened in my case.

Everybody in US agree on one thing no matter what, that is, WE CAN’T LIVE IN US WITHOUT A CAR. That’s 200% true, especially if you have a family and kids. I had spent 2 years in UK and Australia without a car and there I never felt I needed a car, but here in US, it didn’t take much time for me to realize that Car is a MUST. You can manage without a car for few days or months, but not for ever. Sooner or later you have to buy a car. Once you have a car then next inevitable part is getting a driving license. I heard many horrible stories about getting a driving license in US especially in CA. Many people not cleared the exam in their first attempt. Some extent those stories are helpful to prepare yourself mentally for the drive test.

I cleared the written test easily. That was my second time to visit the DMV office after coming to US, first time while registering car. The DMV office is always crowded. Hundreds of people are visiting this office for different reasons on every day. Whenever I go to DMV office, I see many people are taking drive test or behind the wheel test. Sometimes I feel “from where the hell all these people are coming?” If this office has been running for several years, and people from the local community are taking test, then at least there would be some “window period” where there should NOT be any people left to take the test. But surely that is not the case, somehow people take the test, and it seems to be a never ending story.
Anyway, after clearing exam, I did my plan. First took the appointment. Then from the internet I got the most frequently visited driving routes in DMV area and planned to practice those routes every Saturday and Sunday. It is highly advised to get familiarize the routes near to the DMV office where ever you’re taking the test, even though you are an excellent driver.

I practiced all those routes. And the day before the exam, the stress that I had gone through is really horrible. I had gone through similar stress during my semester exams, and after that around 8 years, I was again experienced similar strain. I tried to calm down myself by saying “either you pass or fail the test, but that’s not end of the world, that’s it, you do your best, rest leave to god (in this case to inspector ;) )”
It was my drive test day. I drove carefully and reached DMV office 15 mins earlier than schedule time. I was very confident while driving. That confidence was all because of my practice. I stood in the queue for some time then I got the required papers, the person at the desk told me to stand in line with my car outside for behind wheel test.

I did as he said; it was a long line of cars. I waited around 40 minutes. I saw bunch of DMV instructors holding some papers in their hands and waiting to get in the car. Finally, I noticed a guy was coming towards my car. He is Asian, short and mid age guy. My heart beat was increasing while he was approaching me. I told to myself “Calm down, all is well !!!”.
He asked me to start the car without engine to check signals. He asked me to give right & left signal, and I did then he asked me to put my leg on breaks to check break lights. I did that too. I was following his instructions mechanically.

He went back and shouted saying did I put the leg on breaks or not. I said yes, and then he said then “why the brake lights won’t turn on?” So “Brake lights are not working”. I shocked after realizing that my brake lights are not working. He said he couldn't take me to drive test without brake lights so he asked me to reschedule the test.

I didn’t say anything. Without appearing for the test, I returned home. Basically I disqualified. I was disappointed; I never imagined it would end like that. The lesson that I learnt was, it’s not just “Pass” or “Fail”, there is another aspect in any test, which is “disqualify”. How best you prepare, if you don’t check basic things like break lights, defroster etc..in your car then you may disqualify. That is what fate decided that day to me.

Nevertheless I didn’t leave there, I rescheduled in the next day took the appointment in another day. That time I was double checked all my controls in the car to make sure that all are working.
Instructor came, and he appeared mighty strict to me and no smile and all on his face. I totally disappointed that I got this guy in my technical second attempt / theoretical first attempt.
He also asked same basic stuff like show all controls in the car etc…

After he confirmed that everything was Ok, he sat beside of me and told that I need to go exactly as he instructed and if I don’t understand what he says then I can ask to repeat that.
I said ok and started the car, but it was going in backwards because I put the reverse gear (got damn it); seconds later I realized and put the correct gear.
While returning somewhere while taking a right turn, I felt that I did n't stop so I might not pass the test as that was a critical error. But I was not sure whether there was a green light signal ahead, if it was then there won’t be any problem.

Finally, we have reached DMV office, and he was doing some final calculations and writing few things, my heart was pumping blood with bullet speed and My inner sense was telling me that I didn't pass the test.
He looked at me and said I was driving too fast and asked me to slow down as I was going 1 mile speed high than the posted speed limits.

He also said that I made 6 minor errors, but I CLEARD TEST. My God It was a big sigh of relief and I tried to say thanks to him, but he refused to give his hand and saying doesn’t touch me with same hoarse voice.
Anyway I felt immensely happy that I cleared the test. It was as if I was elected for Oscar awards. Of course after so much hard work and practice, it was indeed Oscar award to me at that time.

Sorry… no ticket…

2012-02-29T18:55:00.003-08:00

I was making daily trips to near by town from my place to get engineering entrance exam coaching. In fact, I and my friend were doing it as we both from the same place.

We used to have a monthly train-pass for our trip. That day before returning back to my hometown, I had looked at my pass then I realized that it got expired a week back. I know that it is illegal to travel in train without a ticket or train-pass, but I thought just for a single trip nothing would happen, also so far no one had asked us to present our passes. So I decided to travel with that expired pass. That time I had no idea what would gona happen.

That general compartment was fully crowded as we went inside. Somehow we managed to find a seat and settled there. After a while, the train started and after some time, we heard TC voice asking for ticket, and within a minute he came to our place. It was a big shock to me. I chided myself for traveling without ticket and scolded my fate as exactly the TC had shown up when I was traveling like that. I didn’t know what to do, I was closely observing him. Actually he won’t ask all people to display the ticket; he randomly picks-up few candidates. May be they had gained so much experience and know exactly whom to ask.

I was pretending as if I had a pass, so that I won’t be his random pickup guy. However, how much action I did, he finally turned to my side and asked me to show pass. I stalled and checking my pockets, meanwhile, he was asking some other candidates as well. I didn’t know why I did, but I pulled my friend’s train-pass from his pocket and showed to him. My idea might be he would check that pass and he would leave the place without asking my friend to display his pass. But, he had looked at my pass and then he asked my friend to show his pass.

God! What was going on... all planets were lined-up against us or what? First of all traveling with expired-pass was a mistake, and second trying to trick him by presenting friend’s train-pass as mine. That’s what I thought. My friend told he was holding indeed his pass only, then TC understood what had happened and his face turned red with rage. He almost shouted at me and asked to show my actual pass. I showed my expired pass. He took and said, “So, you were traveling with expired pass from the past one week, aha. Get up and come with me”. He also asked my friend to come with him. I felt ashamed as everyone in that compartment looked at us as if we were thieves and riots.

I tried to convince him by saying I forgot to renew my monthly pass that I would do it immediately after getting down from the train. But later I realized that actually he didn’t care much that I was traveling with expired pass, he felt insulted as I tried to trick him by showing my friend’s pass. So he took us to some other compartment and asked us to sit. He enquired what we were doing; I said that we were taking coaching for engineering entrance. Then he laughed and threatened us saying, we could forgot about doing engineering as he was going to put us in jail, so that would ruin our career. My friend terrified and burst into tears after hearing the word jail from his mouth. My situation was also almost same. I thought he would release us after charging some fine, but didn’t expect that he would put us in jail.

We had pleaded him saying we wouldn’t do that again, please forgive us etc. But he didn’t listen. I felt pity on my friend, although he had a valid pass, unnecessarily he was trapped in that situation. In the rest of the journey, continuously he was saying that we never make into engineering and get a respectable job; instead he had cursed us saying we would end up doing some low profile jobs.

When we had reached the railway station, he asked us to get-down as he wanted to handover us to railway police. As a final chance, we begged him saying don’t do that, but didn’t know why but he was so deterministic to handover us to police.

Daily many people were traveling with-out having tickets in the train, but I never heard a single case where TC putting anyone in jail. I witnessed many times, TCs take money from those people and release them. In few cases, they don’t even take money, simply ignore them. But why he was so rigid in our case, I didn’t understand. I stopped crying. I know there was no use to cry. However, my friend was continuously crying.

He took us to the railway office (note: not a police station). There were two people in side; TC told to them what had happened. One guy looked at us as if that was the first time someone bought into the office because of no ticket. They took the TC to a corner side and they whispered something.

Then one guy returned back and said, “See, you guys are looking like a college students and we don’t want to ruin your career, so we decided to leave you this time”. But, he pointed to me and said, I had to go out and get some money for them, and meanwhile my friend would stay in station.

Our faces flashed as if we had released from Tihar-jail. I quickly went to my uncle’s home and explained my situation to him and got the money. They took it and released us.

Since then we never dared to travel in train without train-pass or ticket.

We still laugh whenever we remember this incident. After getting jobs in s/w, we urged to meet that TC to show our status. But somehow it didn’t happen. May be someday we do that.

A girl in white dress

2011-10-09T20:21:00.001-07:00

I and my friend were walking on the street then we saw her, we didn’t notice her before on that street. We would have roamed that street thousand times before, however that was the first time we had observed her.

She was at the first floor, standing on the balcony, looking somewhere. She was wearing white dress; her hair was loosen and floating in the air. It was like an angle standing there. We had stopped for a moment on road and staring at her.

Then, all of sudden, she went inside and disappeared. We looked at the building, there was a sign board, and it was written as “Kumari Ashram” (I didn’t mention the exact name). We understood it was new, and probably recently they moved in that building. Perhaps that angel belongs to that “Ashram”. We were very curious to know about her, decided to go inside and enquiry what that “Ashram” is actually, and what that girl was doing there.

We went inside, and there was a big hall. Since not much scope for sunlight inside, it was dark. However they have dim lights all over the hall and those were trying to fill the hall with some light. We saw a big framed photo on the wall. It was an old man photo, sitting in a yoga pose. We felt it was very pleasant inside. We were trying to locate that girl.

Then an old woman came; she looks gentle and friendly. We introduced our self as engineering students. We asked what that “Ashram” is and what they do there? She started explaining about that “Ashram” as non-profitable organization, helps poor people and gives training on meditation. It totally runs on people donations. Meanwhile we were trying to figure-out the girl exact location in that building. Once her explanation was over, we apprehend that they will give a week course, which is useful to students to overcome fears and stress, also they explain the secrets of life??? And it was free of charge. We asked who was going to give that course; she said that would be any person in that “Ashram”. We asked what time it starts as we have to go to college in day times. She said it starts at 5:00AM and ends at 7:00AM. We felt very uncomfortable as one of the difficult tasks to us was getting up in early morning. We had promised reluctantly that we would come next day and left the place.

We initially ignored it because of the timings, but after couple of days our curiosity on her made us to present exactly at 5.00AM. First day, they asked us to sit on the hall and do the meditation. We were about to close the eyes, but, they said we should not close our eyes!!! , instead they had spotted a bright “Dot” on the wall, told us to concentrate on it and do the meditation. I was surprised, what? What kind of meditation it is??? Anyhow, we sat calmly. It was very difficult to sit without talking, and just looking at the dot. After half an hour, they took us to the balcony and showed a place to sit, in fact we actually noticed that girl earlier in the same place. However, so far we didn’t see her there, we were wondering where she had been.

Some other woman approached us with a book. It looks like she was holding a syllabus book. She was enquiring about our life style, and asked few other questions. We answered all. She explained how that organization was formed, who was the founder etc. She showed us the book and said she was going to teach us from that book during these seven days.

First lesson, she told where we (all human beings) indeed originated and where we all go back after our death. We never felt so bored as like that day before, we silently sustaining that misery.

Next day, we were in dilemma whether to go or not, but we strongly determined to know about her at any cost, and decided to bear all those things. It was also like an adventure to us, helps us to overcome the boredom in our routine life.

In next day, no difference at all, sitting on same place for half an hour and staring at the dot and doing meditation, and after that listening all no (common) sense lessons.

We were patiently waiting for the day, and then at last it came; the girl whom we want to meet desperately came to give that day lesson. She was very beautiful and charming, wearing same white dress. On the other hand, she was very simple, not wearing any ornaments, even ear-rings. So far, we understood that, whoever working in that organization won’t get married, they are like nuns, devoted their life to god. We felt pity on her. If she was not in that organization, she would have been doing engineering or medicine. We were not able to digest the fact that such a beautiful girl wasting her life in there.

She was explaining that day lesson. Though it was philosophical, there was no logic and sense in that lesson, we silently listening. Once lesson was over, we started enquiring her past, she is from Bangalore. She is very happy to be part of that organization and spend rest of her life in it. We tried to convince her that, it was not a good life for girl like her to live. But, she felt uncomfortable to take those advices.

Next day she came with same smile and pleasant face to teach the lesson. We again tried to convince her, telling how the life in engineering college, and how students will enjoy the chemistry between boys and girls etc. For a moment, she appeared interested, but in reverse she was trying to convince us that her life was better than ours. She told “whoever born to the earth shall return to earth”, so we should not spoil our life with anger, agony, selfishness, greedy or attractions, instead we should spread love and help others.

After hearing that, our thought was “Oh! God what a crap???” We used to have a debate about it daily for some time.

We don’t know, maybe we were attracted to her, or we were pity on her, due to some reason, we were bearing all those philosophical lessons. We didn’t want to leave her in that place. We were thinking as if we were doing a rescue mission and rescuing her from that place.

Days were going, it was our final lesson in the course. We were confident that, she was very much convinced with our advice, and she might like one of us and change her life.

Lesson was over, and then at last she said a word, which we never had imagined that it would come from her mouth. She said “With today lesson, your course is over, so did you understand whatever we told so far BROTHER???” She stressed the word “Brother” when she was telling.

Brother… Brother… Brother… that word was echoing in our brain for some time. We were muttering, so, lastly we are brothers to her. At least if she would accepts us as friends, that would be fine, but brothers… no way. We shook our head noting as we understood everything. She asked to come again, if we had any doubts. We thanked her, and vanished from that place.

We never went to that place again as we don’t want such a beautiful girl calling us as “Brother”, in between she appeared few places and asked us to come again to do “Dot” meditation, but we didn’t.

Whenever we remember this incident, we laugh like anything.

Motorbike

2011-08-19T18:03:00.001-07:00

It was one of my dreams to ride a motorbike. Maybe it sounds silly to many, few might laugh at me, but that was truly my dream. I learned cycle easily in my child hood. However, I didn’t enjoy the real pleasure in motorbike riding until after my marriage.

When I was doing intermediate no one in my college had motorbike. Few used to come by walk to college and others come by cycle. Even I used to go by walk. One of my friend started learning scooter at his house. His father had a scooter, so it was an advantage for him to experiment on it. Like him few other friends also started learning it using their father’s scooter or motorbike. Since my father didn’t have either scooter or bike, I was not that much fortunate like others. I was skeptical about asking my friends to teach motorbike on their father’s vehicle. Soon my friends have gained confidence in riding a motorbike. They started using it outside. I was seeing them silently thinking when I would ride like them. I got dreams like riding a motorbike on a black long road, having a girl on back seat and accelerating super fast like a jet. One day, I dared and asked my friend to teach me. He was in a good mood, asked me to sit on his father’s Bajaj Chetak, and explained the basics about scooter like where the break will be and how to use it etc. That was my first lesson. After his lesson, he asked me to start it, and asked to release the clutch slowly. I started it, but due to tension I released the clutch instantly. The scooter gave big jerk, and I was not able to handle it, so left it on the floor. It felt on the floor making big noise. My friend’s father came from house because of the sound. One of the side mirrors got broken, so he got angry and yelled on my friend.

My first lesson ended like that. With this incident, my belief that I can ride a motorbike dropped drastically. I stopped asking my friends again, rather satisfied riding it in my dream.

During engineering, I bought a city-bike for my daily commutation. City-bike was nothing but the trendy cycle in that year, which has better looks than normal Hero cycle. Nevertheless, I got an opportunity to learn motorbike again during that time. One of my friends offered me to teach it. He had a Yamaha bike which was a dream motorbike for many young stars during that time. I went to the open ground to learn along with him. He asked me to ride, I always had a problem in releasing the clutch, after several trails somehow I managed to sync clutch with acceleration. I drove for some time, then all of sudden when I was making turn, it got unbalanced, and I felt on the ground along with the bike. My right leg stuck in between silencer and ground. My friend came and lifted the bike. By the time damage had happened, silencer burned my leg.

After that incident, I never asked one more time any of my friends in college. Some kind of complex developed in me like I can’t ride motorbike in my life again.

I finished my engineer and got a job. In my room, almost all roommates had motorbikes. Multiple times they tried to teach me, but all were vain. I was using company bus for office and BMTC buses for weekend trips. Whenever I sat on my friend’s motorbike on the back seat, I felt ashamed that I didn’t know how to ride it. One solace was few of my friends were also like me, afraid to ride a motorbike.

It passed like that almost 4 years. Many times I tried and failed. My biggest problem was synchronizing clutch with acceleration, was not able to do it properly. Slowly I realized that it was too late to learn bike, supposed to happen when I was doing engineering, so stopped my trails. I knew riding gear less scooter. I drove many times. But, it won’t give same thrill as like riding a motorbike.

I got married. It was imperative that I must have some vehicle after marriage for commutation. I thought of buying a Honda activa, which was a decent scooter without gears. Soon I quit that idea and started learning car driving. I took all lessons and got a license. After learning car driving, I did understand the mechanism about automobiles and few things about clutch, gears and acceleration. The basic mechanism is similar in the motorbikes and cars. I got some confidence and developed hope that maybe I can restart my trails of learning motorbike.

One of my colleagues came forward to teach me. That time I learned seriously, able to balance it. However, I scared to ride it on busy roads. My colleague told me that will come gradually. I thought I can’t wait until I became proficient in riding it, also afraid I may end up in big accidents. I decided to buy Honda activa. Along with few of my friends went to Honda show room to enquiry about the price and other details. That time I saw it. It was a Honda Unicorn, black model motorbike, proudly standing in the middle of the showroom. It was shining like a star, the silver coated 3D Wing mark Emblem was sparkling like a diamond. I was not able to turn my head for a moment, staring at it. I thought, at least in the next birth, I will try to ride it. We got the details about the Activa and came out of the shop. My friends felt uncomfortable about my decision. One of my friends said, “See! Honda Active is not at all suitable vehicle to you. Look at the bike unicorn. That is a perfect match to you. You better buy it”. I reacted quickly and said, “See the size of that bike man, can I balance it. Forget it”. But they convinced me like I rather buy at least Hero Honda splendor, which is small in size easy to control. After hearing all their advices, I dropped the plan of buying Honda activa.

Days are passing; I started reading reviews to figure out which motorbike to buy. Despite of many advices in Internet, from my friends, my mind was stick to Unicorn. I was not able to sleep few days properly. I struggled to get confidence that I can ride it, and thought let it take time to gain expertise in riding on traffic.

I took a daring decision, not looked back, went to show room and booked the Unicorn. Few days later, I got a call from the dealer that bike was ready to pick up. With the help of my colleague, I put unicorn in my parking lot. The bike weighs around 150Kgs; I strove even to park it properly in the parking lot which was a bit high from the ground.

My colleague helped me until I get some familiarity riding on it. During this process, I escaped several major accidents. Indeed, I end up on few minor accidents.

Days are passing, first few days I used it only in weekends. Gradually I used it to commute to the office. Within a month, I got some proficient in riding it.

One fine day evening, I asked my wife to come on my motorbike for a pleasure ride. Until that day, she was afraid to come because of my inexperience in riding bikes. It was an awesome weather, both sunny and cold, Jayanagar wide roads, almost whole street covered with tress, chill wind was blowing through my face, my wife was sitting back holding me tight, there was no engine noise from bike and I was riding Unicorn. That time I experienced true pleasure in riding a motorbike, I was flying as how Leonard Dicaprio and Kate Winslet had experienced on titanic ship. That movement I thought my dream became true. Later then, we traveled so many places on bike. Even my kid likes motorbike riding. However, she happily sleeps after some time.

Thus, if anybody still not experienced riding a motorbike go and try it once. I’m telling with my own experience you never regret it and lot better than a car. Another thing is, how small or silly your desire is, never give up and never think that it is too late. After all, fulfilling those small desires gives lifelong unforgettable memories to you.

Luck 2

2011-08-17T10:43:00.004-07:00

Days were going as usual. Regularly, I was hearing the news like known people and friends were getting selected in different companies like Infosys, TCS, etc. Also success stories in group emails. It was torture and anguish waiting to see when I would get placed in the software company.

My roommate and co lecturer got placed in TCS. After he had joined in TCS, I was not able to work at that place. Thus, I changed my lecture post from that college to some other college, which was located in my native place. After changing it, I got a new improved pay.

Even in a new college, I continued hunting for a software job. One day I got an email from L&T InfoTech asking me to appear the written test in Chennai. I went to Chennai and attended the written test. After few days, I got an email from L&T again saying I cleared the written exam, asked me to attend the interview. I went to Chennai again and gave an interview. I became so proficient in giving interviews, so it went without any trouble. However, I know about my luck, not had much hope of the outcome. Few days passed, another mail from the same company saying I cleared the interview, and need to attend the final round, which was a group discussion. I had the experience attending group discussion in the IAF entrance test, so with that faith I attended the group discussion.

Few more days past, one more email from the same company. I was scared to open that email. My hands were quivering before opening it. I opened it, and It had given like; I cleared the GD, asked me to attend a discussion with VP of that company, and followed by HR round. I was extremely pleased after seeing it. HR round was not hard to pass, I stretched up to that level means, almost got that job, those were my thoughts.

I reached the company. There were a total of 50 candidates shortlisted. They had asked us to sit in a room. I was the first guy in the row. After some time, the VP of L&T InfoTech came and sat on his seat. He introduced himself and said they would send all shortlisted candidates to Bombay for training. Everyone watching him with glazing eyes. He asked us to introduce our self one by one. He started with me first. It was all of a sudden, I took some time to react. I mutter about myself. It was not loud enough, so he asked again. Then I repeated in loud. He waited until everyone finishes then he left the room saying all the best.

A few hours later, a woman came out and said they selected 25 candidates out of 50 based on the discussion with VP. They had put the shortlisted candidates' list on the wall. They had asked non selected guys to leave the place. It was a jolt to everyone, we expected all 50 candidates were selected. I saw the list searching for my name. MY NAME WAS NOT LISTED. I searched again, and again. But, it was vain. Tears are about to come out. I controlled myself, tried to keep a smile on my face. It was the hardest time to congratulate others with a smiley face and keeping agony inside. I left the office.

While walking on the road, I remembered how I woke up in the early morning to catch the train to reach Chennai for these tests. Recalling all those things was terribly distressing. That was one of the worst days of my life.

It took few days for me to come out of it. Then, it was as usual like Ghazni Mohammed again started hunting and assessing my luck.

One problem in attempting the top company’s exams was a delay in the next attempts. Almost all top companies do not accept the application again within 6 months' time if a person fails to make the entrance test. I came to know through one of my friends that they maintain the database of all our names, so if we send an email with a different name then we might get the call. I changed a letter in my surname, and I applied to all leading companies again. In fact, whatever surname I mentioned earlier was wrong. As per my 10th class certificate, the changed surname was correct.

I got the first call from Infosys. That time I almost digested all Shakuntala Devi puzzles. I appeared for the exam. It was again my poor luck that they had asked all puzzles from some other book. It was a disaster to me, was not able to solve even 5 puzzles within the given time. I did not wait for the result, already knew what it would be.

Next, I got an email from Wipro. Many people were called for that exam. After seeing all those people at the center, I comprehend how tough the competition would be, and I figured out this exam is also like trail and hit kind of. The exam started, a totally 3 sections in the exam paper.

We need to score 50% from each of the sections to pass the written test. The first section was Technical; it was condemned easy for me. I answered all and did the same way in the next aptitude section. Then the final section was Vocabulary, which was so hard. There were a total of 30 questions in that section, only 10 to 15% of questions I know the answer all remaining 80 to 90% words are bizarre to me. Then I did the probability. To get 50% pass marks in this section, I need to provide the correct answer to 15 questions. I already answered 5 questions correctly. Out of 5 answers, 3 answers were option B. I verified aptitude and technical questions. Those also for most of the questions the correct answer was in option B. Therefore, there was a high probability that most of the answers would be in option B. Based on that speculation and probability, I marked the remaining 10 questions answer as option B.

The exam was over. I crossed my fingers and knew about my luck. Anything could happen. After some time, they had attached the results on the wall. I did not want to carry so much hope and then disappoint later. I went to the place calmly where the result paper had attached and searched for my name. MY NAME WAS LISTED. Which means my probability was correct. I told myself that this was just a written exam. I had a history of returning back from the final round, so I did not pay much faith.

I went inside of that building for the interview. They had asked me to complete a form. I surprised that they were so many people who got shortlisted in that exam. I got a doubt, whether that was a true test or some kind of fake. They took the filled form and asked me to wait until they call for an interview. I saw the organizers were facing many hurdles managing those interviews. It looks like; they did not expect that much crowd. I almost waited for 3 hours for my interview. A man called me and took me with him. He asked me to go inside a room. I saw there were many parallel interviews they were conducting. They were running out of time, so they were rushing the interviews. I entered the room, the interviewer was sitting inside and he looks fatigued. He might have taken so many interviews by that time. I saw the Shakuntala Devi book kept on his table. He first gave me few puzzles. I was a bit surprised, I expected he would ask some technical questions. He might have thought that I would take some time to solve those puzzles, so meanwhile he was filling the forms with earlier interview results. Those puzzles were so familiar to me. I did practice them multiple times for the Infosys exam. I took very little time to solve them, after completing told to that guy. He was in a hurry to fill those forms, lazily cross-checked my results and noted as those were correct. Since he was fatigue and utterly exhausted, he forgot whether he asked any technical questions. He asked the same thing, I quietly shook my head as yes. He told, “Ok! You are good to go”.

That was the simplest interview I never faced before. I was wondering again, whether it was real or something else was going on. A few hours later, they announced the results. I cleared the interview. It was almost a night, so they had asked people to come the next day for the HR round.

I was never lucky like that day before. Everything went so smoothly without much of my hard work. However, still, the HR round has remained. I went to my classmate's room in Chennai and stayed that night. They had given me some encouragement saying, HR round was not that difficult and easy to clear.

The next day I went to the Wipro office to appear for HR. I sat so silently in the waiting room and prepared myself. That homework certainly helped me during the HR round. Whatever I thought to speak in those minutes, the same thing I told HR. The HR facial expression was subtle, not easy to assess whether I cleared the round or not by looking at him.

I went back to my home town.

Few weeks passed. One day, I saw an email from Wipro. IT WAS MY OFFER LETTER. There was no limit to my delight at that time. Almost 1 year of my struggle to get a software job came to an end!!

Thus, luck is “a combination of circumstances, events, etc., operating by chance to bring good or ill to a person”. Until the day that I appeared the Wipro interview and test, my circumstances and events brought me ill, that was bad luck. However, that day, those combination factors bought me good. I called it was Good Luck.

Luck 1

2011-08-15T23:03:00.002-07:00

The definition of luck is “a combination of circumstances, events, etc., operating by chance to bring good or ill to a person”. I believe this is an accurate definition. One day the combination of circumstances and certain events bought luck in my life. That luck drastically changed my life.

During the final year of my engineering, I had so much hope on GATE. I sincerely prepared for that entrance test. However, the exam is a combination of your luck and talent. I was not lucky enough at that time. I got 94 percentile. That percentile was not competent enough to get an M.Tech seat in reputed colleges. I did not want to ruin another year to write this exam again. Instead, I had decided to check my luck in hunting for a job.

After completing engineering, the first thing that I did was, joined as a lecture in engineering college. My intention was not to demand money from my parents for my job trials, and give answers to the people who keep on asking the question “What are you doing ?”

Since I had a good percentage in engineering, I had a GATE percentile and my intermediate classmate was already working as a lecturer in that college. Thus, getting a lecturing job in that college was like a cakewalk for me. In fact, I enjoyed teaching.

After joining that college as a lecturer, it was my weekly obligation to appear at different exams in Chennai, which is very near to my native place. Every Wednesday, I used to see the Hindu paper for job news and walk-ins. If there is any walk-in or employment news, then immediately I used to apply or attend it. Like thousands of computer science graduates, it was my dream too to get a job in Infosys. I sent my resume to Infosys. My resume got shortlisted, and I got an email saying I need to appear for the test. I still do not understand why they had asked for puzzles in the entrance test. But, it was imperative that whoever wanted to attend the entrance exam for Infosys, they had to go through the Shakuntala Devi book. I had bought that book and started going through it. It was a hard first few days for me to understand those puzzles. However, I had practiced all puzzles before appearing in the entrance test.

At the Infosys test center, I observed a massive crowd. I entered the exam hall. I saw Infosys employees, who were conducting those tests, walking all over that place. They were wearing Infosys tags. Few people were so young when compared to other organizers, I wondered whether did they complete the graduation or not. Whenever I saw that hanging tag on their neck, I thought when that day would come so that I could also wear it so proudly.

There were 10 puzzles that they had given in the paper. I solved around 7, and the remaining questions I answered like whatever response came on top of my head. People were saying unless someone solves all the puzzles correctly, It was tough to get through the test. I wished the last 3 questions that I answered should be correct.

Nevertheless, luck never comes so easily. After a few weeks, I got a mail from Infosys saying, “Regret to inform you that you did not shortlist in written test”. They also mentioned that I should not appear for that test again in six months' time. Ok, Bad luck, I thought.

Similarly, I wrote some other entrance tests like TCS, Satyam, GE, CTS, and even Wipro. I had failed the TCS exam because I did not give appropriate answers in the psychometric section of the test. I had failed the Wipro entrance test, because not provided correct answers in the vocabulary section. In the same way, the remaining exams are not cleared because of some or other reasons. However, I know plenty of people who had passed these entrance tests by answering the same way as me. So, luck matters. My thought was during that time “Next time better Luck”.

After attempting almost all large companies, I adjudged to check my luck in minuscule companies. Though the salary was less could get some experience in those companies. I had attended an interview arranged by my classmate. He was the first guy in our class to get a software engineer job. I saw him at his office, wearing a company tag. I did not know whenever I saw a person wearing a company tag, get a kind of feeling like surge all these interviews, and get placed in some software company as soon as possible. I had done well homework for that interview. They had asked mostly questions on the basics of computer science. My interview was over. I was very much certain that I would clear that interview. A few days later, I came to know that, didn't clear it. Ok, another “Bad luck” day.

A few weeks later, I got a letter from a small software company that was located in Vijayawada. My friend also got the letter. We remember that we had applied for that company a few months ago. I was in a dilemma about whether to go or not. At last, I decided to go along with my friend to check my luck.

Fortunately, my mother had a relative in Vijayawada. She had informed them saying we would come and stay for 2 days at their home. They happily agreed to it. I and my friend went to Vijayawada and stayed the night at their house. The next day, we went to the company. It was like a post office kind of building. We had shown our invitation letters and entered inside. Already a few people were waiting there like us to attend the interview. After seeing that circumstance, I was fully convinced that we would easily clear the interview. I thought they wouldn’t get better guys than us.

They called us inside for the interview. The interview went so pleasantly. I had answered all questions. After that, I was damn sure that I would get through that interview. As I expected, I cleared the interview. But, my friend did not clear it. He took it positively. The interviewer called me and asked whether I was ok to work for them, also told me how much salary I would be expecting. I did not have any objection about the pay; I was ready to join it. I told them the same thing. They had asked me to wait outside for some time.

I waited outside. Meanwhile, I saw a man, the so-called director of that company took two guys inside of the interview room. He had some conversations with the interviewer. A few minutes later, they called me inside. The interviewer told me, due to company policy my post had been given to someone else from local. I was shocked after hearing it. It was as someone taking food out of your mouth. I started doubting my luck. Whether I actually have luck, or I always end up in bad luck.

He rather offered me a technical support type of job in the company with the same salary. I took some time to decide. If I could have agreed to that offer then god only knows where I would have been by this time. I said not interested and left that place with my friend. My friend was surprised after hearing the news. We knew that they had selected some recommended candidates than us. We decided to visit the “Vijayawada Kanaka Durga temple”, so there would be some purpose to our visit. We visited it, and after that, we got some peace of mind. I returned back to work.

To be continued...

Five Days in IAF - Final

2011-08-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

Second Day:

Things started normally in the next day. I was not feeling that much cold when taking a shower in the morning with cold water. May be within one day, I got used to it. I did some stretching exercises, just as a warm up for my physical test that day.

I continued to be part of that small team. My in charge officer told that what we had to do in that day. He took us to the ground. In the ground, there were several hurdles as like in military training. Each hurdle has a different characteristic. One is like a rope from one point to the other, where one has to crawl on the rope like a monkey. Another is like, one has to climb up to hill point and jump from there, etc. In charge officer told that we need to begin from starting hurdle, and finish all hurdles in a specific time. When we are using some hurdles like crawling on rope, we should not put our leg down.

After seeing all those things, I thought, oh my God, can I do it. I know about my capacity, may be hardly one or two I can do with perfection, rest all extreme difficult. Along with in charge officer some other officers came to examine us. We were 6 teams, at a time only one team allowed to do it.

In charge officer asked us to start. First that tall guy in our team started. First hurdle was a cake walk for him, and then next and next. He finished all hurdles with in less time. My turn came, I finished first one, which was considerably easy and second one also finished with bit difficulty. Then I started crawling rope, able to reach up to mid of the rope, then looked where I was, still half of the rope remained. I felt like lost the energy. I thought cannot complete it. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, tighten my grip on the rope. I decided not to lose my confidence. Then started again and completed it. I felt pretty happy. I took rest for some time before going to the next hurdle. At last, I finished all without giving up.

After this test, my body was paining like anything. I sat on the bench. My heart was beating so fast. I did not understand why they were conducting this kind of tests. I was observing, how other teams were performing. Few fell down from the rope. Few had a scratch on their hands. Few gave up and said, they could not do it. Officers were noting all those things.

Until mid of the day, those tests continued. In the afternoon, everyone went to launch. Some people were saying, we may need to do this kind of exercises every day, if we join IAF. I was thinking, if that is the case, I cannot join.

After 3:00PM, I and my friend went to see Varanasi temple. We saw Ghats and Ganga River. The temple was in unusually narrow area. It was bit hard to see it clearly. After roaming that area for some time, we went back to IAF campus.

Third Day:

We were ready at the ground for in charge officer instructions. He told that they were going to see how we perform in groups. They will provide some load to each team. Each team should carry that load from one point to another point through some hurdles.

He took us to the same place where we went yesterday. After seeing that place, I thought, Oh! Not Again.

Before our team, few other teams performed that test. Our turn came, as usual, the tall guy in our team declared himself as captain, and said he would coordinate to finish the task. Everyone agreed. With great difficulty, after so much debate, arguments, yelling, we could able to finish the task. Leader guy went and reported in charge officer that we had done. I personally felt that I did not mingle well in the team.

In the canteen, I told to my friend that tall guy in our team would defiantly pass all the tests.

Evening we went out to see the city. That day I purchased a sari for my sister and mother also bought few other items.

In the evening, while we were having dinner. In-charge officer came and told that no more physical tests and tomorrow only personal interview, so everyone have to come with formal dress. Interview starts from 9:00AM. I surprised as I was thinking that interview is on the final day.

Fourth Day:

I was in the interview room. The interviewer was an old man. He asked me to sit in a chair, that chair located a bit far from where interviewer was sitting. In that way, he can observe my body language clearly. He asked so many questions like why I liked to part of IAF, What is my aim in life etc. I answered all questions confidently. While answering, he was observing how I was behaving. In certain moments, felt uncomfortable. At last, completed interview with total satisfaction.

During launch time, we discussed what questions they had asked in the interview. I told my answers. My friend was saying, for questions like “What is your aim in life?”, Few people answered as “IAF is their aim”. I was thinking, why I did not answer like that. I answered all questions frankly and no hypocrisy in those answers.

Fifth Day:

That day was our final day. We started taking email ids of all our friends. Few people felt intensely emotional. I saw tears in few people eyes. Many became close friends during this trip.

That day was a conference day, and followed by a meeting, and results announcement. I entered into the conference room. Inside many top guys were sitting at a semi round table. A gray hair officer was sitting in the middle. He asked me to sit in a chair. I sat in that chair. He asked about my experience during those days in IAF campus. I praised IAF for providing such a marvelous hospitality to all of us. He asked if I can give any suggestions to improve. I said no. Then he said, “Good Luck” and asked me to leave.

After this conference, they had asked us to assemble in a hall. There was a big stage in that hall. Every one so tensed thinking who would select to IAF. I saw many were closing their eyes and praying god. I know for many, it was a desperate situation to get the job in IAF. Few people had come second and third time to IAF to check their luck.

In charge officer, the gray hair officer and few other officers came to the hall and entered into stage. Most of them gave a speech on different topics like how IAF started, how present India is depending on young talent like us.

Everyone was waiting for final speech, in which they will announce who had selected.

Finally, that time came. Grey hair officer took the mike. He said, “Everyone in this team has done a fantastic job. You can reach many heights in your career, if you show same dedication in your daily life. Do not worry about the result. You put your best effort in your work and success will come automatically. If something goes wrong. Do not get disappointed”.

He took few seconds break, and then continued his speech.

“I’m sorry to say that we are not able to disclose the results at this point of time. We will send letters to individuals who are short listed. I wish you all the best and good luck in your life”.

He finished his speech.

Lot of us did not understand what he was saying for a moment as we were expecting results in that meeting. After a while, everyone clapped. I did not see any disappointment in any ones face. It was acceptable that they did not announce the results in that hall, which would result smiley faces on few people and sad faces on plenty of people.

I took email ids of all guys on the back side of group photo. I took phone number of my friend. It was not like five days. It was like a year. We had experienced so many things during that time. We were not able to digest the fact, that there are no more tests from tomorrow onwards. Many were crying while leaving IAF campus.

I also left the campus with the same emotion. While leaving, I could sense my eyes filled with tears.

I reached my place and told what happened in IAF to my friends and parents. Many congratulated me as I would get a job soon in IAF. I waited for the letter from IAF for nearly a year. I did not get any response. We all formed a group in mails and were checking with others, if any would have gotten it. None of us had got any response.

Only God and IAF officers would know why none of us got letters.

Five Days in IAF - Part 2

2011-07-31T20:03:00.000-07:00

I cleared remaining tests. I got a technical officer position in IAF. My activity was to help the pilot officer in MiG-29 aircraft. I was very much pleased. My first assignment was in IAF spy aircraft. That was my first day. I wore uniform given by IAF. I entered in to that aircraft and touched the aircraft floor with my hand and kissed it. Pilot officer had shown my place. There was a radar screen in front of my seat. He briefly explained my duties.

The air craft took off after some time. I was watching outside from the window. All of sudden there was a beep sound in my monitor. It displayed some mysterious object was coming fast towards our flight. It was coming so fast. It might strike our aircraft at any moment. I reacted quickly and warned pilot officer. At first glance, he was not sure what was that thing. He changed the direction of aircraft and tried to go fast and away from that object. Soon we understood that the object was a missile. Whatever we do, we cannot avoid it.

My screen was showing only 60 seconds remain before that missile strikes our aircraft.

Pilot was trying to accelerate the flight. The missile was approaching.

45 seconds remaining…

I got an idea. If we aim our missile towards that object, then we can escape the collision. I told the pilot about my idea. He smiled.

30 seconds remaining…

He started aiming our missile towards it.

15 seconds remaining…

The switch which releases the missile got jammed. Pilot was trying hard to pull that switch down. But that was not moving an inch. I was screaming the pilot.

“Common”, “Common” …

5 seconds remaining …

Pilot was using his full strength to pull the switch down.

2 seconds remaining…

Switch went down.

1 second…

Missile got launched.

“BHOOM, BHOOM”.

Next Day.

In the newspaper, the front line story was “IAF MiG-29 collapsed on Himalayas. No one survived from that crash. IAF was claiming that was just a training exercise”.

* * *

FIRST DAY.

I woke up suddenly. That was my dream. (The dream was not exactly same. It was quite similar like above.) I was darting my head around. First few seconds not sure where I was sleeping. Gradually recalled that I was in IAF campus. I looked at my watch, it was 3:30PM. I became conscious that we need to report at 4:00PM in office. I was seeking for my friend. He was sleeping on his bed. I got angry, and shook him and woke him up. He woke up and asked what happened. I felt like to kick him. I asked what the time was. He looked at the watch on the wall. He remembered what I told last night. He apologized for forgetting that he should wake me up. Anyway, we need to rush otherwise we could not able to report on time, I said. We immediately took our towel from our case and rushed towards the rest room area.

It was freezing outside. Already many were in that rest room area. Few people were brushing their teeth on the common wash basin. I looked for an empty shower room and entered inside. My friend also did the same thing. After some time, we both finished the shower. We were shivering like anything as we took a bath with cold water. Like us, many were shivering after their bath.

We wore t-shirts and short. Finally, we could able to reach the office exactly at 4:00PM. In charge guy was already at the office, waiting for us. I was thinking whether this guy slept yesterday or waited whole night for us.

In charge officer looked at all of us and said “Good Morning, Gentlemen!”. We all said, “Good Morning, Sir!”.

He told us like.

“Today you all need to appear for Intelligence/Psychological tests. We are dividing you totally 6 teams and each team consists of 10 people. First, we will give you an obstacle. You should provide a strategy plan to overcome that obstacle. You need to think smart and come up with the best strategy plan”.

They divided us into six small teams. My friend was not in my team. The In charge officer asked us to sit in a hall. That hall has just roof but no walls. Chill wind was coming inside. I observed some maps in that place. A different officer came inside and greeted us. We also greeted him. He said, he was going to explain the obstacle that usually military people face during their war. We will spend half an hour time and come up with a strategy to solve it. We need to choose one leader in our team. He would explain about our strategy on behalf of our team. The officer started explaining it with a stick on a black board.

When he was explaining, I felt as watching a Hollywood movie. In many war related Hollywood movies, a military commando explains the war plan on the black board before going to war. The situation was exactly same. I did not understand thoroughly what he was explaining on board, because of my condition. I wore a short, which comes just up to my thighs, and outside weather was freezing. My situation was as I was sitting in a fridge. Whenever officer looks at me, I smiles at him and shook my head as if I understood everything. I examined others, remaining members in my team are from north India. They were not facing the problem like me. Maybe they have used to this climate. They were listening interestingly.

The lecture was over. The officer gave one map to us and asked us to come up with a strategy plan. A tall guy in our team declared himself as a leader. He told his strategy plan to us. I was thinking, how IAF officers could ask a military strategy plan to engineering graduates. What we know about it. I tried my best to understand what others were saying. My turn came; my leader asked about my strategy. I mixed last two guys plan and told the same thing.

We then started analyzing (fighting) whose strategy is smart. The officer was observing us on one side and writing something on a piece of paper. The boys observed that the officer was writing something, so they started yelling more and tried to show him that their plan was better than anyone. It continued like that for half an hour. The officer said time was up, and we need to come to one conclusion. We wrapped up discussion and came to one conclusion. When officer came, leader guy explained our plan. During that time, officer was writing something on paper. I was thinking that leader guy will defiantly pass this test.

After that officer told us to have breakfast and asked to return to that place again. We went to the canteen and had breakfast. All guys in the team were talking something in Hindi. I was not interacting much with them.

We returned to that hall exactly after an hour. The officer told, we need to take some Psychology tests. He gave a question paper to everyone. Those questions were given to test a candidate reaction in some problematic situations. One sample question was like this.

“You are working as a technical officer in IAF. You got introduced to some strange guy. He asks confidential information related to IAF. On return, he is willing to give some expensive item to you. What you do? Do you accept that bribe and provide confidential information to him or do you refuse it? “

I thought what kind of psychology question was it. Who would answer it like “We accept it”? Any common sense guy would know what to answer.

I answered all questions in 10 Mins. I looked around. People were thinking a lot and answering questions. I also got doubt probably they were not expecting straight answer to these questions. Maybe I would rather answer as I will try to investigate who was the big boss behind that strange person.

I already answered all questions, so I decided to adhere to the same answers.

Test time was over. Officer collected papers from all of us. I noticed all guys in the team were extremely confident. Similarly, he conducted some other tests.

All these tests are over before the launch time. The officer told today tests are over. We can go out to city after 3:00PM. We went to canteen to have launch. I met my friend in canteen. We discussed about these tests. I told him, I felt like a watching Hollywood movie during commando incident. He laughed like anything.

After launch, we changed our clothes and wore normal clothes. Exactly at 3:00PM we came out of the IAF campus. I thought as I released from a prison. Outside I sensed that I had so much freedom. I started envisaging that it is not an easy task to stay inside that IAF campus though they offer everything for subsidiary prices. We did some shopping. My friend was better in speaking Hindi than me, so he bargained in few shops with his little bit Hindi talent. I laughed looking at his conversation with shop owners. Totally we spend 3 hours at outside roaming city. We decided to visit Ghats and Varanasi temple tomorrow.

We returned to IAF campus. While entering I felt like entering into jail. As usual we had a lovely dinner. I spoke with my parents some time. Some people watching “Top Gun “movie. I thought they had that movie only and showing to all new batches again and again.

Some people told us tomorrow tests are physical, so we would better prepare our self. We spoke some time and slept thinking what are the tests we would need to go-through tomorrow.

To be continued…

Five Days in IAF - Part 1

2011-07-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

I never imagined that I would get a letter from “Indian Air force” stating that I cleared written exam, and I need to travel to Varanasi to have further tests in the air force campus for five days. If I get through those tests, then I could be part of IAF. Indeed What I did during those five days? Why I became a software engineer rather than IAF officer ?.

During the final year of engineering, I was seeking several possible options to get a job immediately after my college. I wrote bank PO exam, appeared railway recruitment test. I also attempted DRDO exam. Like these after several attempts, I realized it was not an easy job to get a government job. So gradually I lost interest and started concentrating on GATE.

One day my friend showed me the announcement from IAF in the newspaper. They were looking for dynamic final or just completed graduates from engineering for IAF officer position. First I didn’t show the interest, but because of my friend. I applied it. We both got a letter asking to appear written test in the city. I thought that was waste of money going to the city to appear for the test. I told the same thing to my friend. He didn’t agree. He forced me, after some fight I decided to go just to check my luck.

We reached the test center. There were around 200 students attended the test. They had asked all general science questions and some simple math questions. I had a habit of reading science related magazines, so I felt all those science related questions are familiar and answered them well. Fortunately those organizers told they were going to announce the results there itself. I was not much interested about the result. Due to my previous experiences, I had an opinion that, these government exams are just a joke. I was thinking that people are pre-selected. Whatever the exams or interviews they conduct are just for name sake. I told the same thing to my friend. But he had some hope. We waited until evening. Finally, they had announced the results. Totally 50 people they had selected among 200 people. The irony here was I got selected, and my friend was not able to make out. I was surprised. I didn’t believe. Somewhere inside slowly I started developing hope that I might get placed in IAF.

My friend was very upset. I condolence him and said this is just written exam, there is a lot ahead in your life to achieve. Whatever I said, he could not come back to normal. He looked normal outside, but I know he felt heartbroken. The organizers said that all selected candidates are required to come to IAF campus in Varanasi. In that campus, they will conduct few more tests, and after that, they would select the final candidates. They will provide the second class train ticket from our place to Varanasi. They will send the full details in a letter, in two weeks of time. I told to my friend; “See there are many tests after this. I’ll defiantly fail in one of that, so it doesn’t make difference failing here or in Varanasi”. My friend was still not convinced. We returned home.

I didn’t tell this to my parents straight away. I was waiting for the letter from Air force. Two weeks over, but I didn’t receive any letter. One more week was also over, no letter. I told to myself; it was all fraud, so no needs to bother much. After one month, they had sent the letter. I see AirForce symbol on the envelope. That was totally unexpected. I didn’t imagine that. In that envelope, they had given letter saying “Congratulations for clearing the exam, please come to Varanasi for further tests”. They had also given address and second class train ticket. I told about this in my home. It was like a festival at my home because of the name IAF officer. My mother, father and other relatives, behaved as If I already got the job. I told them clearly that I just passed the written exam still lot of tests I have to clear. But still they were happy. There is also one more reason for their happiness; I’m traveling to Varanasi, which is a famous spiritual place in India. Every Indian wants to visit that place at least once before they die. I got an opportunity to visit that place so soon. In fact, I have not traveled to the north side of the country before, so that was the first time.

The travel date arrived. My mother & father, some other relatives, came to the railway station to give send off. When train started, I saw tears in my mother eyes. She was worried that first time I was going such a long distance alone.

I reached the place after few days of journey. I can’t speak much Hindi. Somehow I managed to get the taxi and reached air force campus. I showed my invitation letter at the gate, and then they allowed taxi to enter inside. I thought the premises would be some think like a college. But I wondered by seeing actual thing. Inside it was like a mini town, so many houses. All houses are for air force employees to stay with their families. I got down at the main office. By that time, there were other students at that place. It was given strictly in the letter that I must report at 8.00AM. I reached the campus around 7:30AM, and felt I was too early. But I understood I was wrong after seeing all those students, who came much before me.

Exactly 8:00AM, one officer came from office and said “Good morning! Gentleman”. We all said good morning. He asked us to stand in a line, there were totally 60 students. We formed 6 lines, 10 in each. He introduced himself, and said he was going to be in charge for our team. He congratulated all of us on clearing the exam, and told that during our stay here, we would be going through the some series of tests. Tests would be physical and mental. There would be a possible of injuries. Tests would start from morning 4:00AM to evening 3:00PM. After 3:00PM we are allowed to go outside to see the city. Every day we should report to him, morning sharp at 4:00AM. He also said we need to sign on a paper, saying we are all willing to give the physical tests and, IAF is not responsible for deaths or any major injuries.

I was blindly listening. Thinking about physical tests, that to starting from morning 4:00AM. I never woke up before 7:00AM except during exams. I thought let me see what kind of physical tests they would conduct. They gave badges to all of us. Numbers from one to sixty was written on that. They also gave 2 pairs of shorts and white t-shirts. Our In charge told us, we should wear this during our first 4 days of training. In final day, we should be with formal dress. He said, “Today is your first day, so spend your time to roam our place. We have plenty of shops inside this campus, if you would like to shop you can do it. There are also paid phones; you can talk to your parents. Tests would start from tomorrow”. Finally, he shouted, “Dismiss” and went away. Some other air force officer came and took us to show the campus, we were standing in a line and seeing all the places. He was explaining that; all Air Force families live there; they get all grocery, wine, electronics with subsidiary prices. After seeing all those shops and houses, I was thinking how lucky to be an air force officer (Later I changed this opinion). They have a loyal life there. Few students bought some items as the price was very less. Some talked over the phone. I also called my parents and informed them, that I reached the place safely. Mostly the students were from north India, luckily I got an Andhra guy in that group. I introduced myself to him. He was also looking desperate about someone to talk all these things. We had a long chat. That day they didn’t allow us to go out of that campus, so we spend the whole day roaming inside campus.

In the night, they showed us the place where we need to sleep. It was a big hall; a separate cot is provided to everyone. Bath rooms are common to all of us. We left our luggage at our place in cot. I noticed there were already few groups in the campus, who were taking the tests. During dinner time, they had prepared several items, like Naans, chicken, mutton, vegetable curries etc. I was surprised the way they were treating us. I liked that food very much. I didn’t know that time; there would be a lot of physical activity we would be doing at the time of test, so this sort of food indeed required every day. They also showed movie “Top Gun” in another big hall. I and other friend were thinking this place was no nice. After some time, our in charge guy came to that room, asked “How is the food Gentleman?” We all yelled and said “Excellent”. He told us, we need to report him at the office exactly 4:00AM tomorrow and he left. After watching the movie, we went to sleep. Before sleeping, I asked my friend to wake me up in the morning before 4:00AM. I had insisted him not to forget. He said OK. Due to a long journey, I was tired, so I slept immediately.

Did my friend stood on his word?

My real five days journey starts from next day.

To be continued …

40 Rupees

2011-07-26T16:03:00.001-07:00

I just BLANKED OUT in that situation, and my whole body was shivering. I experienced blend of panic and felicity. I had been dreaming about the day like that. But when it arrived, what did I do?

I don’t remember exactly how old I was when this incident happened. Probably I was 10 years old. My school was located quite far from my home, around 1 or 2 kilometers. I had to walk daily to reach the school. On the way, I had to cross the (old) bus stand before reaching school. During lunch time, I used to go back to home and have lunch and return.

That time, I was very interested on toys like small motor cars, helicopters etc. My parents were not ready to buy those kind of toys because of the price. I used to dream about like playing with varieties of toys. I was thinking, ones if I get a good job and have my own money then I would buy all these kind of toys from all around the world.

In the afternoon after having lunch, my mother gives daily 25 paisa so that I can buy road side food in school. Some time, I keep all those 25paisas and make it as a rupee to watch movie. If any relatives come to my home, than they used to give 2 to 4 rupees. That was maximum money that I had at any time.

One day I was returning from home after having my lunch, I was about to cross the bus stand then I saw that. A 20 rupee note folded on the ground. It didn’t take much time for me to recognize that it was a 20 rupee note. I took it and kept it in my pocket. While keeping I felt, that is not a single note, actually two 20 rupee notes. That means total 40 Rupees.

For sometime, I BLANKED OUT. My whole body was shivering. I experienced blend of panic and felicity. I looked around; nobody noticed me taking that money. My legs were not moving towards school. I decided not to go school. I was just walking on roads. I might have checked my pocket 100 times, to see if really I had that money. Slowly after 10 Mins of the walk, I started thinking. What I have to do with this money? What if I go back home and give it to my mummy? No way, she would take everything and gives me 1 rupee. Then what to do? Though I had seen many notes like this before, but those are not mine. This is totally mine, 40 Rupees. Oh my god how blessed I’m today. I can do many things with this money. Those were my thoughts.

First appropriate thought that came to my mind after blank period was to buy some toys. OK! Let’s go to one of the famous toy shop in my town I thought. I walked all the way to that shop. I went inside; there were so many toys. I had inquired the price of few motor cars; the shop guy looked at me from top to bottom and told those were very costly. I asked how much it was, he said one was 20 rupees, and another was 45 rupees. I was happy; defiantly I could afford to buy one car. Shop guy thought I was thinking, so he showed some other cheap plastic toys, and asked me if I had interest on those. I got angry; I checked my pocket one more time. I could feel the money; I was about to remove that money to buy. But I had thought, what if this shop guy thinks after seeing this much money. What if he doesn’t believe that this money is mine? It is better if I come with my friend, so I would have some company to say that this is mine. I told to shop keeper that I was actually inquiring for my friend. Me and my friend will come here after some time and to buy it. Shop guy smiled at me, and he gave a look like I never buy it. I returned from that shop, and I decided to buy 20 rupees car ones I meet my friend.

My friend was also in the same school, but different section. I thought of going school after school hours, so mean while I was roaming streets thinking what to buy with remaining 20 rupees. When the school time got over, I went to school and, I took my bag and met my friend. He was inquiring why I didn’t come to school as he looked for me during the break. I took him to side and whispered whole story in his ear. First he was surprised. He didn’t believe; I asked him to keep his hand on my pocket, and he noticed some folded notes were inside. He asked again how much it was. I whispered him “40 Rupees”. He asked OK, let’s keep this with us. We can use it to watch movies. I said no. First I’m planning to buy a car toy, I told. After arguing some time, we both agreed to buy a car first then remaining 20 rupees to spend for movies. We started going to that shop.

After some time, we reached shop. Same shop guy was there. He was astonished after seeing me, because he was not expecting me. I was happy that I was going to buy that toy car. I showed the car to my friend. He ones again asked shop guy about price. He said 20 rupees, he was trying to bargain. But shop guy not agreed to reduce even one rupee.

My friend asked him to pack it. He took that car out. I touched it with my hand. I was very happy, in a moment I can play with it. After packing shop guy had asked money. I had put my hand in my pocket and removed it. I shocked to see what I got in my hand. It was not two 20 rupee notes. It was my leave letter; I kept it in my pocket couple of days back when I was not feeling well. I thought of giving that to my teacher, but I forgot. I quickly checked my other pocket; the other pocket had a HOLE in it. Nothing was there inside. I searched several times looking for money, but it was vain. My friend reacted quickly and told to shop guy that we had lost money. He asked us to go back to our way to search for it , If we were lucky we could find it.

We left the shop. I was still in shock. I did not understand what happened. My friend asked me whether I really found that money on road. I said yes; then he asked me to which pocket did I kept it. Then I realized; I actually kept it in my right pocket which had a HOLE. It might have dropped somewhere. But so far I was checking my left pocket and thinking my leave letter as 20 rupee notes. We went to the bus stop area and searched again, no luck we didn’t find it.

We tired of searching it. We sat in front of a shop. My friend started laughing, after some time I also joined him. I didn’t lose anything except half day school. We started going back to our house, on the way we were talking about where did that 40 rupees missed, who might have found it. It was really mystery that I don’t know where did I missed it.

Part time job

2011-07-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

This is one of the unforgettable experiences in my life.

When I was doing engineering, I thought of doing any part time job so that I can use it for my expenditures without much pocking my parents.

Beside of my room, there was a small tutorial, and they used to take tuition for class 1 to 7th. I decided to ask the tutorial head to get a part time job in it. One day I did that, the tutorial head asked what I was doing; I said that I was doing engineering. Then he said, "Ok, you can come here from tomorrow onwards to teach Mathematics to class 7th and Class 5th and I would give you Rs.400/- per month, timings were evening from 5PM to 7PM". I was extremely happy and accepted the offer. He came close to me and said, "See this place is rural and class rooms are on road side so anyone could see what you were doing inside and there are many girls in the class room so keep that in your mind". I understood what he was trying to convey. I said no problem.

Next day evening I went to tutorial exactly 5PM, tutorial head introduced me to class 7th students as I was a new math teacher, and he had left. There were about 20 students in the class; I could feel that they were from low middle class family. All students were exited after seeing me, and they might keep thinking how I would teach maths. As a routine, I inquired names of all students and gave short tutorial on how maths could be used in day to day life. From next day onwards, I started teaching from the lesson where the previous teacher left. It become my daily routine that after college, 2 hours tuition and then room. It was quite different experience. I also started teaching lessons to class 5th students. I surprised that they had unusually tricky maths. I had to do some homework in my room before going to class. Otherwise It was difficult to solve on the spot. So I used to take class books with me to my room and started practicing it. Even my engineering maths, I’ve not practiced that much.

Sometimes, the girl students in my class room used to greet me on the road, but boys were different, some are like rebel and some are very soft and shy. One day I was outside of my room with my roommates, then a girl student was going on the road, and she had noticed me and said ‘Namestha sir ( Good morning, sir)’ , and she went. My roommates were laughing like anything and teasing me saying ‘oh! Teacher, Namestha sir’. Students understood that I was leaving in that room, and they had started coming to my room to clarify their doubts. Even girl students used to come, and sometimes they also bring some food along with them. I was afraid, if it was a boy then no problem, but a girl coming to bachelor room was not acceptable. So one day in the class room, I told them not come to my room, and asked them to get clarify if they had any doubts in the class itself.

One month past, tutorial head called me and gave Rs 400/- and said, "You were teaching nicely, be continue like that". That time I was happy, went to room and celebrated my first month payment. We went to film and had dinner outside.

After three months, one of my local friends came to know that I was doing this part time job, so he impressed and introduced me to a new guy, who was a partner in a tutorial where they used to teach intermediate students and provide training in EAMCET. He said he could give Rs 1000/- per month if I had joined in that tutorial to teach intermediate students. I realized it would take more time of me and teaching to intermediate students was not an easy job, so I refused it. After few days, I met him again in a tea shop. This time he gave another proposal. He said I had to teach in "Schedule Backward cast boys hostel" for class 10th students, and I could receive monthly Rs 500/- from government as a salary. That hostel was very far from my room, and I had to teach in morning times. I thought since this was boy’s hostel, so I could teach them freely also people were from scheduled backward cast, if I make them pass in class 10th then I could get some satisfaction as I did some social work. I discussed this in my room and one of my other roommate agreed to cover my current job.

I met the hostel warden. He told me that students were afraid of Maths and earlier many had failed in that subject, so I had to make sure that, that time they would get decent pass percentage. I said I would do my best.

Next day morning I woke up around 5.00AM. It took half an hour for me to reach the hostel on my cycle. I reached hostel around 6.00AM, the moment I went inside, still some people were sleeping on the floor. They had a spacious room, and each student occupied some part of it. Each student had a suitcase where they had all their belongings. In the same room, Black board was there on one side of the wall for teaching. Some students had recognized me, and they asked other sleeping students to wake up. One student bought chair to me. Some other students started combing their hair before coming. Finally after 15 mins all students were gathered. Most of them were wearing worn and dirty clothes, and they looked as if they did not had nutrition food from past several months. I inquired their names and from which place they had come to the hostel. As usual I told them how influential maths is in daily life.

From that day onwards, it had become my daily routine to go to the hostel and wake up all students and teach maths. Many students were showing so much interest in learning that subject, but it was a challenge for me to teach to set of students who were duffers. In a month, I had a very good relationship with all students. Some reason I had a very satisfaction while teaching to them. It was not as I teach only maths, I had discussed some general subjects and conducted some competition and gave small prizes to them. I understood that they were not getting good food in the hostel, and how they were getting treated inside. I was really help-less in that regard as what I could really do, except teaching the subject. I told them some motivation stories and make aware of them that they could change their life through higher studies.

One month past, hostel warden called and had given me 500/- check. That check had come directly from state government, I felt so thrilled after receiving that amount as my monthly payment. Maybe it was because I was teaching to people who were treated as secondary people in society, may be it was because I was getting so much satisfaction during this job and top of that I was getting paid. Unlike my first 400/- I did not spend this 500/- check. I kept it with me.

Days were going; students were used to get ready before I reach hostel. I used to teach some techniques to remember some of the maths formulas to them. Finally, public exams time came; warden requested me to come even in evenings so that I could quickly revise entire syllabus. Public exams were started, first few exams I did not go to the hostel and before maths exam, I went to the hostel and briefly explained all important problems. I was so tensed during the exam thinking how they would perform it. After the exam, I went to the hostel and inquired what questions they had asked in the exam and how did they perform. Mostly all students performed well; After all exams were over, I went again and had a friendly talk with all students. We had a long chat on different subjects. It was not a surprise that they had so many fantasies about girls; they had asked so many questions like how many girls were there in engineering college and how the girls’ looks like etc… I answered them. All were wished me that I would get a good job after my engineering. Next day I met warden and he gave my last check and said, "You had done a good job". At last, I took farewell from all of the students and went back to room with a mix of feelings.

Network Business

2011-07-18T21:23:00.000-07:00

When I was doing engineering, there were several colleges in our state, but there were no propositional jobs to all out comers. So like some of my friends I also worried what I need to do after engineering if I do not get any job. That time I entered in to ‘Network’ business because of one of my friend. It was a clear lesson to me by doing that part time job. When ever I remember those days, I wonder how I was doing all those things.

I was in 3rd year of my engineering, that time I got to know network business through one of my classmate. He was already in that business quite some time and earned some money. I and some of other friends got inspired knowing that we can get some money by just spending 2 hours daily. The business concept is extremely straightforward, before joining I need to deposit some amount, so that the company will provide some products which I can use in my day to day activity. I need to convince others and make them join in the network by paying deposit amount. Who ever joins in the network through me, will be under me. Those new guys can introduce some other new guys and chain goes on.During this process when ever any new person join in my network, I will make some money. That time I did not think anything, I just thought spending 2 hours daily, and just ‘convince’ others to join in this business; if they join I can make some money. Later I realized how difficult it was.

My classmate who introduced that business used to show us some demonstration videos. In those videos, they used to show some of the top ranker speeches, also inspiration stories of some of the leaders who have grown in a short time. Continuously for 1 week, we had seen so many videos. We were like totally brain washed and strongly thinking that what ever we were doing is right and totally believed the concept.

After joining in that business, I first started explaining this concept to my room-mates. Totally we were 4 guys in the room. I started with my best friend. I honestly believed this network concept, so I started with him like this ‘we are not sure whether we get jobs after college, so we need to do some part time job by just spending 2 hours daily. Instead of wasting time with unnecessary talks, we spend on this, so that we can make some money. If others decide to join then OK, otherwise there is no loss to us. We are getting some stuff for deposit so even no loss to our money.’ He was convinced, and he agreed to join. He was the first guy in the network.

We together started speaking with other friend’s explaining about this concept. It had become daily task, after college we stop talking about other things. No movies, no time-pass things, speaking and speaking about this business.

We together convinced other room-mate and made him join in the network. My other room mate, who is particularly accurate in spending money not ready to join because of deposit, we had prepared plan, like a list of people with whom we need to talk, and if they are not convinced we used show videos to them. Slowly my network started growing, Around 15 guys were joined. One fine day my other room mate was also willing to join the network but he does not want to spend time. He wants to be like sleeping partner. I assured him that I would join some new guys into in his network. During this time, many conflicts raised. Everyone in my network wants that new-comers should be in their network. It had become a difficult task to me to resolve those conflicts.

We got summer vacations, before going to home-town we promised that we would continue to do our business even in our home-town by working full time. I do not know about others, but I took it dead seriously. First thing is I prepared list of names that I need to meet and talk about this business. First I convinced my best friend in my home town and made him join in my network. Then we together tried to meet all friends in my town. I became proficient in explaining about this concept. I surprised to see that I had that much communication skills. Despite our effort, many not willing to join in our network. They used to say, ‘ya! We know this stuff, this is all rubbish’ and some used to say ‘not now’, some used to say ‘if it is free then I can join’. Some even gave some token advance just to skip us. Some even avoided us without contacting. With high difficulty, my network grown up-to 30 members, but all were become passive members. They were doing nothing from their side to join new comers. I slowly started realizing how hard to convince others. My summer vacations were over, my progress in home-town is not that much.

I returned to college and all persons who were in this business met and tried to see how we had done at their hometown. Except me and my leader classmate, none of other guys had done nothing.

6 months ended, I slowly loosing interest in this. Initial 2 hours had become so many hours, even in college I used to spend a lot of time on this business. Some of my friends used to ignore me, because of this business. I realized this is not my work; I can not go back to each other back to explain about this. I understood that I had lost what ever deposit that I paid. At least around 100 guys should be in the network to earn some money. I also made others loose their money.

I stopped talking about this business in room. Even my room mates also, resumed our old conversions again like on movies, started spending time again on roads and movie theaters. I fully left that business, felt immensely happy after that. Only regret that I had is because of me around 30 people joined in this stupid business. The lesson that I learned here is ‘It is extremely difficult to convince others’.

Love Story

2010-02-03T16:31:00.001-08:00

When I was 16 years old, I came to know the power of love and how strong women can love men. Here, I am telling the true story that happened in my life.

Someday in the morning when I was sleeping my mother called me with a big shout. I did not understand why ? She said, “The girl in our neighbor committed suicide”. I shocked no words from my mouth. I did not believe that. Whenever I remember her, first I recall her smile; it was like an innocent child smile. Why it happened like that? Who was responsible?

Few months ago …

I was studying Inter first year. I was at the age, desperately looking for a girlfriend. At that time, one having a girlfriend was almost impossible in our college. My college was in a rural area, so hardly boys and girls talk with each other.

During that time, a family joined my neighbor building. It took less time for me to figure out that a young girl studying 9th standard was part of that family. I tried to make a friendship with her. Soon she became a good friend of mine.

We used to meet in the balcony and chat for some time. It was my daily routine to go to the balcony in the morning and look for her. After some time, she comes with a smile. There was some specialty in her smile. It was like an innocent child smile. She talks very little. However, she told everything about her family. Her father works in the police department. She was the only daughter to them, and they were extremely strict at their home. They do not let her go movie or anywhere with anybody. Her father noticed that she was talking with me. From the next day onwards, she stopped coming to the balcony. Every day I used to wait for her for some time. If I did not see her then some reason I felt distressed.

It happened like that for 15 days. At last to my surprise, she came to the meeting point again. I asked her “what happened why you did not come all these days”. She told me that she had exams. Thus, she could not able to come. During that day, our conversion went on the topic “love”. I asked her “Do you in love with anybody?” She looked at me for some time then told with the same smile, “Yes”. I was extremely happy. I was thinking that I was that guy. I asked her again “who was he?” she told me the answer which I did not expect at all. She was in love with a man who was staying in the opposite house. Daily after our conversion, I used to go down early, and she used to go after some time, during that time she saw that guy. The first few days both communicate with each other through hand signals. After some days, he proposed her through hand signals, and she agreed on that. I listened silently. That was terrible news to me. I did not show my feelings on my face. I know that guy. He was illiterate and he was working in a pon shop and he was 23 years old. I just said all the best and went down.

Days are passing I was trying to talk normally with her by keeping my agony inside. I asked her one day “how strong you love that guy?” The answer that she gave me with that same smile was “I would die for him”. I became silent; I did not know whether that guy also loves her in the same way.

When I was studying at my room that guy called me, he asked me "Do you know that I was in love with that girl”? I said, “yes”. I asked him “Do you marry her”, and he said “Ya! If everything goes as expected”. He gave me a letter and asked me to hand over to her. First I refused, later agreed and I gave it to her. She took it and said “Thank you “with the same smile.

From that day onwards, I became a postman. Do not know why I was not able to refuse to do that, might be I admired her a lot. I always want to see her with that smile. That guy took her to film with the help of me. They were sitting beside of me and kissing each other, thinking that I was concentrating on the movie and not observing them. That day I felt like someone squeezing my heart.

I was studying at my house. I heard some noise from her house. Her father was yelling at her, and she was sobbing. The next day, that guy called me and said “Her father came to know that she went to film with me”, so they have bitten her terribly. I stunned and blindly looking at him. I know how strict their parents. He asked me to give a letter. I felt awful and somehow managed and handover that to her, in return she also gave me a letter. I did not find that guy to deliver it on the day. I thought of knowing what her parents had done to her and thinking that opened the letter and started reading. After reading it, I had realized how strong women can love men. She mentioned how her father had bitten her with his belt, but because of her love for him, she bared all those things. She cannot live without him. It looks like while writing the entire letter she was crying. I could make out her tears on the letter. I finished reading the letter and my eyes filled with tears. She also mentioned that her parents were making arrangements for her marriage. She implored that guy to do something to avoid it. I gave that letter the next day to him. I wished that man would do something so that she would not get married to someone. A few days past I saw that guy going normally to the shop. I did not see her in all those days.

One time in the morning when I was sleeping, my mother called me with a big shout, and she was moaning. I did not understand why? She said, “The girl who was in neighbor died by committing suicide” I shocked, no word from my mouth. I did not believe that I ran and went to her house. I was able to hear a noise, people were crying than I saw her. She was lying on the ground. Her mother was sobbing on her. Her father was holding his head with his hands and moaned. I felt as she was sleeping quietly. I was not able to digest the fact that she died. I recall her words “I would die for him”. She Indeed did it. She died for him; she died because she was not able to go against her parents. She died because nobody understood her love. I was unable to stay there by seeing her like that. I left that place.

After a few days, her parents vacated that house. I heard that man was in love with some other girl in the same street. What I could do? Just learned how strong women can love men, how sensitive women’s love is.