Whisperings of a Wandering Soul

Metro Chronicles #4: Mindless Musings

2025-09-20T02:11:00.000+05:30

It had been ages since I last commuted to work via metro. One of the perks of paying a bombshell as rent - maybe money cannot buy happiness but it definitely can buy some “time”.

But then this Friday morning I decided to become a bit adventurous and commute to work by metro. It was a 1.5 hr commute from my parents’ home to work (yeah, I had decided to crash at my parents place for some work) and it all came back to me. Back in 2018-19 this was my frequent mode of travel as I had to visit multiple places within Delhi due to the nature of my role (No I am not in sales and yes even HRs work contrary to the popular belief)!!

One may keep complaining about traffic, heat, waterlogging and infinite number of things but one metro ride is enough to keep you grounded. As I stepped down on Rajiv chowk, I felt it was quite empty for a workday morning. “Maybe it’s due to the hybrid work culture post covid,” I thought. But a second later, a swarm of people rushed towards me like a towering wave trying to catch the very same metro I had just deboarded. I tried to navigate the crowd – left, right then a bit centre. “My fellow friends, that ship has already sailed,” I mused while I steered myself through the crowd to reach the escalator to yellow line. My journey till Rajiv chowk was smooth. I got a seat at golf course to my surprise since the metro was fairly empty. After all it was only 7:30 in the morning - what did I expect?

But the yellow line was a different beast altogether. The first train I saw was full to the brim, so I skipped it, hoping the next one would be better. Spoiler: it was not. When the second train arrived, I didn’t even have to make the effort to board—the crowd simply pushed me in like a wave carrying driftwood.

And then it was me, my thoughts, and tonnes of people.

A college student clad in short Kurti and blue jeans, earphones playing the latest trend, scrolled through endless reels – a carefree attitude in her persona. There was the formal suited business woman, giving some instructions to her colleague or reportee. A young mother tried to soothe her cranky toddler with a packet of chips, while across from her, a schoolgirl dozed with her heavy backpack sliding off her shoulders. Some were lucky to grab a seat and comfortably dozed off, while others navigated the journey waiting for a seat.

Everyone had a story and today I was part of their story and they were part of mine.

From people to thoughts… my mind wandered like the metro itself, stopping briefly at one station before rushing to the next

Thought 1:
A toddler decided to test the acoustics of the metro at 8 a.m. with a full-blown meltdown. I realized tantrums aren’t just an adult privilege—kids simply express them louder, with zero guilt. Honestly, I envied the freedom. Imagine crying in the office pantry because Excel crashed—what a stress buster that would be.

Thought 2:
As we passed Qutub Minar, the burst of green outside the window felt like a cheat code for sanity. Trees swaying, sunlight peeking through—it almost fooled me into believing Delhi was calm, quiet, and close to nature.

Thought 3:
The lady next to me stood so close, I began to wonder if we were long-lost relatives. At one point, I was tempted to ask if she would like to hold my bag too—since we were clearly sharing everything else, including oxygen molecules.

Thought 4:
The carriage turned into a live experiment on how many fragrances one human nose can endure. A variety of floral perfume and deodorant mixed into a concoction so potent, Dior would’ve quit the perfume business on the spot.

Thought 5:
Somewhere between Qutub Minar and Hauz Khas, I realized breathable air was the rarest luxury item. Forget gold—Delhi Metro should bottle oxygen and sell it as a premium product. I would be a loyal customer.

Thought 6:
My smartest decision of the day? Borrowing my sister’s shoes. If I had worn heels, standing for an hour in heels would have been a death sentence for my feet.

Comfort has its own price and economy has its own pleasures.

I am glad that I took the ride. It gave me food for thought and motivation to do something I like - writing.

What do you prefer? Drop in your thoughts in comments.

The Book Review #11 The Woman in the White Kimono

2024-09-21T14:12:00.003+05:30

Author: Ana John

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Legend Press Ltd.

Pages: 292

Year of Publication: 2019

Mode of Reading: Paperback

Is this book a work of fiction? Yes.

Is this book based on real life incidents and events? Yes

Will this book leave a hollowness in your heart? Absolutely.

The Woman in the White Kimono is a heart wrenching story set against the backdrop of post World War 2 Japan during the American occupation. War kills but what kills more is love. While the war claimed thousands of lives during the World War 2, there were hundreds of forced deaths due to act of love and this book talks about it.

Plot Summary (without spoilers)

The narrative revolves around two females set in two eras, told in alternating chapters - one searching for the truth and the other fighting for it. Naoko, a young Japanese girl who fell in love with an American soldier Jimmy goes against the world to save her love and its only proof her unborn baby. While she attempts to defies societal expectations and cultural constraints we witness on the otherhand, Tori, daughter of Jimmy realises her father had a life, way before he met her mother- life she knew nothing about. And thus starts a journey to unwrangle a past which she never knew existed and came face to face with the atrocities that existed but often were silenced.

Set in 1957 Japan, the hardships which Naoko had to undergo to ensure her baby was born is a blatant reminder of how culture can become blind to reasoning. Meanwhile, the present day story of Tori resonates to the fact that the past may have multiple layers which one is not aware about.

My Take on the book

Initially it may take time to relate or empathize with the characters and their journeys but as the story progresses, I was invested in their journey. The helplessness of Naoko as she battles against traditions, the strength and resilience shown by her is a testament of the fact that a mother’s love is the purest and a mother will go to extraordinary lengths to protect her child. Her character depicts the value of friendship, responsibility of a daughter towards her family and of an innocent girl who just fell in love.

There were several other strong characters in the book like Naoko’s mother who ensured Naoko's happiness above all, Satoshi - who was always by Naoko’s side and Tori who went against all odds to know the past. However, the author could have developed their character a bit more along with Hajime's storyline. It kept one thinking about what happened to Hajime's return and left a yearning for closure.

Throughout one gets acquainted with Japanese cultures and traditions and it added on to the beauty of the painful story. Stuck in time, knowing more about the Japan of the past and the fact that it is inspired from true events, some of which based on the author’s fathers story gives an added layer of authenticity to the story.

In conclusion, a beautiful read that invites readers to confront the uncomfortable truth. This book is not for the weak hearted. The facts written at the end of the book will keep you mortified for long as you become aware of the tragic truths that underpins this story.

The Book Review #10: Lies our Mothers Told Us

2023-07-23T21:47:00.001+05:30

Author: Nilanjana Bhowmick

Genre: Non Fiction, Feminism

Publisher: Aleph Book Company

Pages: 243

Year of Publication: 2022

Mode of Reading: Hardbound Book

Disclaimer 1: This book or its review is not for the soft hearted.

Disclaimer 2: Not all men are bad and not all women are angels/victims. Read it with a pinch of salt and understand that whatever is written still exists.

"I thought my mother had it all. It was a lie. She made me believe that the world would be a fairer, more equal place for women when I grew up—she told me that I could have it all. That was a lie, too."

Did you know that Indian women are amongst the most overworked in the world.A 2019 survey reports that women in our country shoulder 82 percent of the domestic work and 28 percent of caregiving while men shoulder 28 percent of domestic work and 14 percent of caregiving. This is one of the many hard hitting realities which you will find in this book.

Living in our shell, the narrative may seem biased and bent towards proving the oppressive condition of women still existing in the society. What we fail to understand is that at several levels the societal construct is still flawed. Domestic violence, mental abuse, marital rape, lack of safety of women is still prelevant around us. In some cases, we choose to turn a blind eye to it thinking it's none of our business and in many cases we are oblivious to the fact that such things are rampant just because it may not be happening in our niche circle.

This 200 page odd book is a reminder that from the purview of the outside society, we have tended to display a modern behavior, getting basic education for our daughters, asking her to become financially independent and stable but little do we do to train our sons to adapt to the change as well. We are trying to produce a generation of super women who are high performers at work and adept at household chores, while ensuring they have an active hobby as well. This book is a reminder that in the garb of Feminism and Modernisation of India, women have several rights on paper but no or little support to exercise them. “We tend to wear short skirts to a club, but prefer to cover up when traveling alone or using public transport. We think twice before accepting a job that involves a night shift. We are constantly reminded to be on the phone with a friend or a family member if in a cab alone in the evening”

The author talks about bleak truths: the effectiveness of right to education and its parallelism to the number of girl dropouts from school to support their mothers in the field or household chores, suicide & dowry related deaths due to marriage, female foeticide, the limited role of fathers in the household and many more such topics. Did you know, around 21 women die everyday in India owing to dowry related harassment. They are either murdered or compelled to kill themselves. The chapters Why women stay in bad marriages and why women are missing from public spaces are nothing less than an eye opener for both men and women. The author narrates true accounts of women where inequality is embraced in the garb of gender roles, explores government's role in the implementation of Right to Education, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme, the concept of Pradhan Pati, and exemplifies women’s role in social causes and many more practices about which we may or may not be aware of.

This book brings to the forefront many issues which we do not discuss in the society or at home since it may be considered too rebellious. The feminist movement has left behind several middle class women whose struggles are invisible, whose needs and plight should be addressed.The author concludes with a ray of hope stating things are changing for the good. Women are trying to come out of bad marriages, sons are being raised as compassionate and girls are being raised as passionate and independent.

Still there is a long way to go before the society moves out of its patriarchal nature if it could ever happen. A simple writing style makes this book easy to read, it takes some time to grasp the hard hitting numbers and anecdotes and plethora of topics covered. A must read for all men and women but with an OPEN MIND and ability to digest the truth.

Adipurush: Epic or Epic Failure?

2023-06-17T09:39:00.003+05:30

For all those who are deep attached to Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan which ran for a decade on Doordarshan, Adipurush will look like a mockery of the Epic whose stories we have been listening since yore. For others, it would be an amusement to watch how distorted a narrative can become in the name of art and cinema.

Multi starrer, period movie based on the Indian mythological Epic "Ramayan" Adipurush is an abysmal reminder of the fact that India still has only few directors who can make period movies which looks like one and Om Raut is not one of those directors. Apart from the fact that he wasted such brilliant actors like Prabhas (portraying Lord Rama) and Kriti Sanon (as Sita), the portrayal of Ravan was beneath dismal. The learned Brahman crown prince looked like a cheap replica of Alauddin Khilji. The eminence and radiance which should have been shown for Lord Rama was lacklustre especially after the Indian diaspora had seen Ramcharan in RRR depicting the charisma to the T. Lanka which is famous for being made of gold looked less like gold and more like Kolar Gold mines of KGF. And these not the only problems with the so called Epic movie. Their representation of Ramayan is totally fictitious, where at places you are reminded of Knight King and the army of dead (GOT reference), the start of the war a poor representation of Battle of Bastards(another GOT reference) where Sita is running towards Ram similar to how Rickon ran towards John Snow. Inderjit( Ravan's son) will remind you of Ramsay Bolton with a haircut from a 2050 time period barber. The era which should have depicted wars on chariots and with arrows was fought in the mortal Kombat style with lightening effects from Thor and Harry Potter. At one point of time I was waiting for the spirits of James and Lily Potter to rise amidst the lightning the arrows created to tell Ram everything will be fine. Add to it the crappy dialogues by Manoj Muntashir and bats replacing Pushpak Viman was the final nail in the coffin.

The rant can go on but credit should be given where it is due. The VFX was good, the forests looked similar to LOTR(Lord of the Rings) but there are bigger things to complain about. The background score and cinematography was good. Technically the movie was nothing less than perfection but totally lost me with the paltry narrative and spoof like version of the actual Ramayan.

Verdict: Watch it for the VFX or for the curiosity that how skewed a story can be seen. I forgot to add the fact how the gyan about Sanjivani booti was shared by Vibhishan's wife in the movie which was nothing less than appalling. If you want to learn more about Ramayan, this is not the movie to watch. If you are a hard core Ramayan fan, this is not the movie to watch. If you like aesthetic dialogues, this is not the movie to watch.

The Book Review #9 : Autobiography of a Yogi

2020-11-22T13:35:00.000+05:30

Author: Paramhansa Yogananda

Genre: Autobiography, Biography

Publisher: Kindle Edition

Pages: 520 Pages

Year of Publication: 1946

This book holds a very special place in my heart because it is not only a book describing a saint's life but the guiding path to the way of living. The life experiences mentioned in the book seems nothing less than miracles at some places and it definitely makes one believe in the power of Kriya yoga.

I have reviewed several books in the past one year, yet I do not feel I am mature enough to review this. However, I would definitely like as many people to read this as possible.

This book is a life story of a simple boy named Mukunda Lal Ghosh born into a Bengali family, who had since childhood expressed deep interest in exploring spirituality and yogic realm. The life stories of Paramahansa Yogananda ji (the name which was finally bestowed upon him) and his masters are beautifully captured by him in this book. His journey of finding his guru, becoming a monk and eventually becoming the perpetrator of Kriya Yoga clearly reflects the yearnings of a yogi seeking spiritual knowledge and how he realizes it over the years.

This is the second time I am reading this book and every time I have received different insights from it. With the ideology of spreading Kriya Yoga both to the east and west, Yogananda ji was a crusader, a deep believer in spiritual communion with God and he ensured that his work continued even after he took samadhi through his ashrams established in Los Angeles, California, Ranchi, Midnapore etc. He deeply propounded his guru Shri Yuktwshwar Ji, Shri Lahiri Mahasaya and Babaji's yogic way of living.

His interactions with the stalwarts of those times take us to an era where Yoga and spiritualism had a different connotation. This book is a beautiful introduction to the inspiring life of a Yogi and his search for a profound life of ancient science - yoga along with the time honored process of meditation.

Written in a complex language, it definitely requires a lot of patience to understand the thoughts and in itself is a test for someone who wants to venture onto this path. A must read for all who are seeking the purpose of life and an inspiration in their life.

The Book Review : Jeevan ka Tana Bana

2020-09-12T21:18:00.001+05:30

Author: Deepak Sharma

Genre: Poetry

Publisher: NotionPress.com

Pages: 111

Year of Publication: 2020

A classic debut by poet Deepak Sharma, Jeevan ka Tana Bana is a collection of poetry which will strike a chord with anyone who reads it. The simple words beaded into strings of beautiful poems captures the thoughts of the author in a wonderful way.

As the title suggests, the book is a collection of poems ranging from day to day issues of love, life, society, education, relationship and the world in general. The author has beautifully expressed thoughts and emotions which all of us undergo at some point of our life. Some poems like Zindagi Chal Rahi Hai" and "Sapno mein Yamraj" captures the travesties of life in a satirical manner. Simple but candid way of writing style hits home. Few of my favorite lines which very well expresses the feelings nowadays are

"Som se lekar shanivar tak

Gadha majdoori chal rhi hai

Choti choti ichhaye bhi

Ravivar pe tal rhi hai

Aur zindagi chal rhi hai"

Translation: Monday to Friday, we are working our asses off, small wishes are suspended on Sundays and life is going on.

The poet has expressed deep emotions in such a simplistic manner. His forthright writing sans any ornamentation adds impact to most of his pieces. The shackles of our emotions, carnal desires, loneliness and search for company are few of the topics addressed by the poet. His deep rooted patriotism is evident in few of his poems which touches key social and political issues at hand.

Poetry is always the manifestation of the poets beliefs and Deepak Sharma, in his debut poetry collection captures his feelings in a fascinating manner. Definitely a must read for all.

Available on Amazon: Jeevan ka Tana Bana

Available on Flipkart: Jeevan ka Tana Bana

The Book Review: A Room of One's Own

2020-08-01T13:04:00.001+05:30

Author: Virginia Woolf

Genre: Essay, Non Fiction, Feminism

Publisher: Maple Classics

Pages: 101

Year of Publication: 1929, Reprinted in 2019

What does a woman need to write? - 500 a year and a room of one’s own. More than 91 years after the book was written by Virginia Woolf, so many things have changed, yes indeed women have started to write, however, the book is so aligned to the present times. Maybe writing as an agenda has been partially solved but empowered women and the opportunities they receive has still miles to go as a cause.

An essay by the author on women's struggle for creative independence and the importance to assert themselves has been beautifully captured in this thin but hard-hitting book which would give one a false impression that it can be devoured in an hour or so. However, do not be mistaken by the size but focus on the beautifully strung words which make us hit with the hard reality of the condition of women and why they were not able to write as much as men did in those eras. The statements such as “Women who were born with a gift of poetry in the sixteenth century, were unhappy women” says it all about the plight of women in those days. Woolf takes us to a hypothetical situation where if even Shakespeare’s sister would have existed, the travesties she would have had to face while her brother was allowed to grow and excel would explain the stark difference. Judith Shakespeare, who would have had to stay at home and get chained to the shackles of domesticity, while her brother gallantry paraded off to school is a compelling statement that can't be ignored. On further rumination, she was wild, she was adventurous, yet she did not get the opportunity to fulfill her geniuses like her brothers walk to the fame.

Woolf compared the condition of the women writers with the men during those times and eventually came to a point that to write, a woman needed a room of her own and financial independence. Many women could have become brilliant authors, writers, poets sans the drudgery they face at home due to being overburdened by the mundane work. A liberated woman would eventually turn out to be a successful woman. She boldly addresses lesbian love through a fictional character named Mary Carmichael. She is very much present in many of us yet not brave enough to come out and express herself. “ She still wears the shoddy old fetters of class on her feet”. Whether it’s class or society - the world eventually leashes the wild spirit in women.

Woolf concludes by rendering the fact that if women have the habit of freedom and courage to write exactly what they think, escape from the chains of drudgery & day to day work, see the world through their own lenses and how the patriarchal society construct has moulded it to become, then the opportunity will arise and give birth to even the dead poet Shakespeare’s sister who was somewhere lost behind the shadows of her brother.

“Drawing her life from the lives of the unknown who were her forerunners, as her brother did before her, she will be born."

The Consumer Dilemma

2020-07-19T23:45:00.001+05:30

Source: Google Images

Amidst the pandemic my favorite hobbies include reading and writing apart from sleeping. Of course, sleeping aces the list of things I do during my free time but reading and writing definitely come a close second. When I am bored I read and when I am super bored I write. Of course you would have by now understood that I am super bored and this not due to the lack of anything to read but the plethora of options available to read that my mind after a point of gives up about what exactly one should choose.

The lockdown has definitely taken most of us to a walk down the memory lane, the closest to time travel which I guess would have been possible without the invention of the time machine. From virtually having little or no concept of weekends to going out or eating out, the lockdown brought us face to face to our childhood sans the peace and prosperity we had while being cooped up in our houses. However, one major difference between then and now, a difference which I guess has helped many of us survive the lockdown so far without going bananas is the presence of the internet which was abysmally low during the late 90's and early 00's. Internet penetration in India has been possible in the last couple of years thanks to some tremendous disruption which I would not digress towards today. Maybe a topic to pen down on another super boring Sunday.

However, this is an era of content. Netflix, amazon,YouTube, Kindle, Washington Post, Twitter, Facebook everyone is selling audio or visual content. The content in today's times reminds me of the saree shopping days for Mom. There used to be some days when there were so many good sarees available that my Mom used to get confused regarding which one to buy. Times have changed but the dilemma hasn't. Sarees have been replaced by content and that too mostly free with annual subscriptions. Many people I know have canceled their cable connections due to the available web content and I don't blame them.

As a kid, I remember my daily ritual of reading Times of India from the first page to the last one. Yes, it might surprise you but back then I even followed Sports. Or now when I reflect upon, I didn't have too many options so used to devour anything that was readily available. In due time, subscribed to Economic Times as well to understand the business scenarios in India and globally considering my interest in business management. However, the star of the paper used to be the Patna Timez which had a mixture of gossip, puzzles and crosswords for fun. Those were the days when I knew the name of famous columnists and the Editorial page of any newspaper was looked upon by me.

I wonder how gradually times changed that I didn't even realize how the daily dose of newspaper was substituted by various Apps on my smartphone. As the mode changed, so did the way content was digested by me. Rather than buying a single magazine such as Outlook, India Today or Business Today, I started shifting towards online content on their websites and slowly expanded my horizons towards Washington Post, New York Times etc. Content is not anymore limited to these magazines or their websites but social media has a plethora of meaningful and cringe worthy stuff which can take away one's innumerable hours without realizing the same.

In the end, the way I digested content changed dramatically over the years without me paying much attention to the same. And maybe this is how evolution happens when 30-40 years later I would be telling my grandkids the quintessential statement - "In our days……."!!!

The Bibliophilic Approach

2020-07-12T20:41:00.001+05:30

With Lockdown 2.0 in progress, we get the opportunity to move out and visit our favorite bookstore to restock ourselves. For everyone out there who doesn't know where to start from since there are too many things to read and too little a time, here is a small guide I follow to read.

As an avid reader, I can devour pleasurable anything that has some meaningful content. Of course like everyone else I have many To- Read books at home and on my Goodreads reading list but before starting a new book couple of things come to my mind which helps me choose the book.

The genre of my consecutive books is always different to break the monotony. Yes, it has been easy for me since I belong to a generation that read Harry Potter as and when it released. The transition from a Non-fiction to a thriller, from a thriller to a Biography, a Biography to a Business Management book and, a Biography or business management book has hence been easy. The only thumb rule is to read different genres.

I always read the plot on Goodreads and choose . Rarely do I go for a book with a rating of less than 3.5. It works for me coz it ensures that I read the best books.

I peruse the top 100-200 books for different genres, read their plot, and see what intrigues me.

A lot depends on my mood that particular day or week.

I am one of those readers who start 3-4 books with one being the core book and the remaining supporting one's who have to be completed in the coming months and not in one go as a novel.

Books like The HR scorecard, How Not to Die, Body language, etc have content that needs to be assimilated. It can't be read in one go in haste. But, these books provide great support when one doesn't want to go deep into reading something. Pick a chapter and skim through on those "I don't feel like reading" days.

The Book Review: Sapiens - A brief history of humankind

2020-05-25T16:29:00.004+05:30

"Any meaning that people ascribe to their lives is just delusional"

A book which has these words in one of the last chapters as a closure is indeed totally profound. I picked up this book while amidst a global pandemic and each and everything written in it makes so much sense. At a time when we are so much unaware about the future of mankind, this book helps us explore the past and how we have come to the state where we are today. An anthropological account of human evolution, the author clearly takes us through a time travel through the past. From Neanderthals to Sapiens, from foragers & hunter gatherers to community dwellers, a vivid description of the evolution through centuries has been beautifully captured.

Yuval Noah Harari has tried to present a factual representation of the changing economic, social and cultural perspectives of our species over ages. He goes ahead to state that it's the minuscule changes in every generation which eventually led to major milestones being achieved. At some places, he argues favorably for the community dwelling settlement of hunters and gathers and how the Agricultural Revolution has binded us to our own shackles of fears and dystopian concept of freedom. It can be a long Debate regarding progression and being rooted and what should be chosen when. However, the end result lies in the fact that exploration, changing laws based on time and assimilation of all the facts together has beaded out the world which we are living in currently. He further explores the thought of happiness and its existence in the present world amidst technological, economical and social advancement.

He elucidates on the rise of empires, religion, the gradual shift from polytheism to monotheism and the evolution of money, capitalism and consumerism. Thoughts such as “we did not domesticate wheat. It domesticated us” is hard hitting. Another of his phrases - Agricultural revolution was one of history's biggest frauds leaves us questioning the mere existence of our societies.

As he touches on the Frankenstein prophecy, he raises an interesting perspective: where are we slowly creating monsters in the name of technological advancement or are the monsters who were responsible for the extinction of all other species similar to ours. He explicitly goes ahead to state : The Frankenstein myth confronts Homo Sapiens with the fact that the last days are fast approaching.Unless some nuclear or ecological catastrophe intervenes, the pace of technological development will soon lead to the replacement of Homo Sapiens by beings who possess not only different physiques but different cognitive and emotional state. As he talks about the Gilgamesh project based on the thought of amortality - he is also sure that biotechnology; precisely genetic engineering. is the route through which this can be achieved. But will amortality eventually lead to happiness is a question he wants us to ponder upon. He strongly advocates the fact that Happiness comes from within and no external factor can buy it for us for a long period of time.

The lacuna which this book could not fill is that we cannot fit a 14bn history in a 400 pages book however hard one tries. The book touches the present and lays grounds for future as well which he beautifully describes in his next book “Homo Deus”. Much of Sapiens is interesting but there are lots of stories which eventually are based on perspectives rather than factual historical accounts. The book starts on a very high and engaging note and ends on the same, however, there are sections in the middle which one starts questioning from a factual point. Nonetheless, it is a must read book to understand maybe one of the perspectives of human past, present and future.

The Book Review: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

2020-04-21T18:12:00.000+05:30

Author: Nell Scovell and Sheryl Sandberg

Genre: Biography

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Pages: 217 Pages

Year of Publication: 2013

“I got Pregnant with my first child in the summer of 2004.” When a management book starts with this as a first sentence, it definitely piques my interest. We have seen multiple memes of expectations vs reality (what students actually Vis a Vis what others think they do, what professionals actually do Vis a Vis what others think they do) and this book suddenly came into that gamut of expectation vs reality but not as a joke.

I have read several management books, about the outliers, about motivation and fighting against the odd but never did I read a book solely dedicated to women and their careers. In the long fought war for women empowerment and equality many would say that it loses the essence when starts focusing on women separately. If they have to be equal to women they need to step and do things as men do.

It is rightly pointed out by Sheryl Sandberg that from her grandmother’s generation to her generation, there were rapid changes in women empowerment with respect to education, work and home. However, after reaching a level field, there has been no or minuscule progress in the past few decades. It is a fact that 36% of men and only 18% women want to reach the C-Suite. It does not speak much about women’s ambitions but it speaks a lot about the society which tuned women to think the way they do. Basic behaviors or feelings described by the author in the book was very relatable and I am sure many women would agree on the same. The “Feeling like a Fraud” concept highlighted in the initial chapters hits a bull’s eye to what women feel when they are appreciated of an accomplishment. I give a sheepish grin as if I have committed a crime by doing an exemplary work, some put it on other’s effort rather than accepting it as a feat. of their own and then there are many who try to hide it in the garb of humility. Despite being high achievers, a sense of insecurity prevails where the sub conscious suggests that one doesn’t deserve the praise they receive.

Several professional aspects discussed by her such as the Tiara syndrome, Heidi Howard study and the 18 month plan was extremely enriching. However, the book strikes a chord the most when she starts talking about women and work life balances. The insecurities regarding balancing work with kids, avoiding important roles due to self-doubt regarding managing both work and kids, perception of women in power, and women standing up for themselves are quite a few things which many working women could relate to. Her take on mentorship is extremely insightful.

The book talks about feminism (in the right context and not as a misconstrued construct floating around globally these days. It talks about fears and above all it talks about the elephant which we all try to hide under the carpet. The quintessential question to be pondered upon still remains the same – should we lean in.

And to summarize what Sheryl Sandberg has to say to this question – Despite several gender biases that are still prevalent in the workplace, it is essential that women believe in themselves, take help wherever necessary, speak up, be confident and do not give up. Instead, believe in yourself and “lean in”

Teachings of a Pandemic

2020-04-13T16:54:00.000+05:30

It has been exactly a month since I last met my office mates. I clearly remember it being a Friday, when all of us were planning for a major software launch for next week. It was one of those rare weekends when I decided to take my laptop home since I was mentally prepared to work on the weekend to prepare for the launch.

My colleague wished me a happy weekend. As HRs we used to keep a track of developments on the global front and national front for corona. We knew that if things blow out of hand, we would have to give work from home for the safety of our employees. But; on Friday the 13^th, it never struck to me that it would be the last day for a very long time when I would not be going to office.

Due to my busy schedule, I had pushed a lot of activities and meetings for the next week which could happen only if we were in the office. One of the biggest realizations or take away from the corona stricken world for me has been to stop procrastinating things for the future. Whether it is self-development, professional development or a basic routine to be followed – should not be pushed for a later date. Had heard several times that “Who knows if tomorrow will ever come” mostly directed towards the transient nature of life. For the first time realized, a tomorrow can be drastically different from what one envisions.

This incident has also taught me things which though having studied in an esteemed B-School, I never contemplated much on apart from in a professional context. The priorities of life need to be set right and optimization of available resources should be done accurately. We can survive on bare essentials. Of course I am not preaching a frugal life but yes rationalization and optimization of stuff can be looked upon. The definition of “Essential Items” has totally been changed for me forever. Being a privileged kid, a lot of things seemed as essential which do not anymore.

Health and wellness should be everyone’s priority. The whole world has faced an economic slowdown which might take ages to recover from. We have learnt it in a bitter manner that in the end nothing is as important as one’s health. A healthy nation is a progressing nation. I also learnt that we should take special care of people who take care of us. The healthcare professionals, the police and administrative officers, the essential service providers, the cleaners and janitors – all of them who have been working tirelessly to keep the nation going when everything else has been put to a halt.

The world is full of stupidity and this pandemic has shown us examples of the same in numerous ways worldwide. It is up to us to either delve into the stupidity, form judgements and keep fighting amongst ourselves over the same or learn from it, mitigate the spew of hatred and learn from the mistakes of others.

Above all, one can be an exemplar in one’s field but there are basic life skills such as cooking, cleaning, plumbing etc, which one should be aware of no matter whoever one becomes. Independence comes only when we are self-dependent.

It is the time to Re-work. Re-Prioritize. Re-examine.

So that we do not miss on the moments going forward which we had procrastinated upon earlier.

The Book Review: Three Thousand Stitches – Ordinary People, Extraordinary lives

2020-04-02T20:10:00.000+05:30

Author: Sudha Murty

Genre: Non - Fiction

Publisher: Penguin

Pages: 128 pages

Year of Publication: 2017

We all love reading short stories and if the stories are taken from the lives around us, it deeply impacts us and we can relate it to as well. Three thousand stitches is a collection of such short stories, where the author shares with us experiences which she encountered while heading one of the most eminent foundations in India.

Good thing about Sudha Murthy’s writing style is that it is crisp, easy to read and has a narrative style. It is evident that she has experienced a lot of things and has several stories to tell. This book is a classic example of someone who has a lot of stories to tell but is actually not a story teller. Exceptional work is being done by Sudha Murthy through Infosys Foundation and we get to understand her life and work being done by her through this book. From the Devadasis she tried to educate in her youth to inspiring youth of the nation to make correct choices in life, she has done it all and tried to reason it out with us.

A heartwarming story of how her father’s benevolence changed lives and then life came a full circle later is one of my favorites from the collection of 11 short stories. Her chronicle touches her complete journey from being a little girl, to the only girl in her engineering batch, to the one who is approached for help at several occasions and eventually imparting guidance to the young.

The beauty of this book is its simplicity. Being a reader who throbs on emotions, I would have loved to connect more with the characters in the book which somewhere was lacking in the narrative. I would have it enjoyed it more had I been able to visualize the situations (at least some of them) in a more lucid manner with greater insights and takeaways. But as I had stated earlier, it is evident that the author has seen a lot and has lot of stories to tell but is actually not a story teller.

Nevertheless, a good read to understand what are few of the scenarios which a section of India faces.

The Book Review : Bad Blood

2019-12-11T23:01:00.000+05:30

Author: John Carreyrou

Genre: True Crime

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Pages: 339

Year of Publication: 21 May 2018

Business vs Ethics has since ages been a question raised by many intellectuals worldwide. Can ethics be defined and what are the actions that can be considered unethical in a business is a subject which traverses thin water. The term "vaporware" which describes a new computer software or hardware that is announced with great fanfare only to take years to materialize or never to go beyond conception phase has been attributed to several companies launches or promise to launch. Can it be considered ethical, if the company doe not walk the talk or if the company from the start knew there was hardly any chance of the concept materializing.

Questions are many but there is no hard bound rule that can be followed in the game of business. This is where the book Bad Blood written by John Carreyou comes into picture. The book, based on a real life story, is a story of a Silicon Valley start up and an entrepreneur who got so consumed with her success or desire to succeed that she forgot what was ethical and what was not. A Stanford dropout had a dream of building a technology which would disrupt the medical world and make a better place to live. Did it? It disrupted a lot of lives but they were mostly of the employees who had worked there, employees who were humiliated and mentally tortured when they raised a question, employees who actually wanted to make a difference. An extremely intriguing book on how an entrepreneur hoodwinked the smartest brains in the valley through charm represents the key loopholes of how the system works worldwide. The protagonist of the book through her charm casted a hypnotic spell on seasoned investors and politically influential people such as Rupert Murdoch and Henry Kissinger.

Her beguiling concept of getting blood test results of several diseases just through a single pin prick on a small device was extremely intriguing and many fell for it. However, what might have started with a novel idea turned into one of the biggest shams with the technology not working as it should have been yet Elizabeth Holmes pursuing it and presenting it to several investors and super stores as workable. They went to the extent of fooling the FDA by showing wrong lab reports and threatening employees who tried to raise a concern. Her judgement clouded by greed eventually led to millions of tests conducted in Arizona and California being corrected.

The author's description of Holmes leadership is apt for many veteran leaders who want something in life, feel their judgement is right and do not realize when is the right time to pull the plug. Idolising Steve Jobs, she always said that "Theranos was the most important device that humanity had built". However in building the device she conveniently forgot what humanity is and lost her conscience in the process.

The book is a must read for everyone to understand that what happens behind the walls of a big company is not always right and beautiful. Not every data can be trusted and not every person is humane.

Book Review: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

2019-07-26T11:48:00.000+05:30

Author: Mark Manson

Genre: Self - help book

Publisher: HarperOne

Pages: 224

Year of Publication: 13 September 2016

In the world which gives a damn about so many things subtle art of not giving a f*ck is a breath of fresh air with its totally different thoughts about how the world should work.

Based upon experiences, the book features thoughts contrary to what is preached in today's times. For instance, when the whole world is behind positive affirmation, the author candidly points out that practicing positive affirmation brings negativity in life since it sub consciously makes us realise what we do not have. Many people might not connect with the thought but as the author says, to each its own. But one cannot deny that it changes one's perspective about a lot of things. The straightforward and rational manner, in which the book is written creates a direct connect with the reader. It feels like one is having a conversation with one's best friend who is imparting a lot of "gyan" (read wisdom) which eventually helps us survive.

The core of the book revolves around the fact that one should realise what is actually important for us and to let go off everything else. In order to accept something we need to reject a lot of other things which takes a lot of courage and effort.

According to the author , life is a series of problems and the solution to the problem is creation of another one. So rather than running away from the problem, the onus is upon us to decide which problem we should have. He belittles self help books and is painfully truthful about most things in life.

This book is a one stop reality check of life making one wonder if our priorities are right and are we not aiming for a Utopian world which doesn't exist and which ultimately leads to our desolation.

The very fact that it doesn't give false hopes is extremely motivating. It doesn't propose to do the unthinkable. It teaches one how to tackle or confront reality. This book is not for someone who wants to see that hunky dory glorious life or live in a false hope that someday life will be better. The book explicitly says that life sucks sometimes and you have to accept it. It is never going to be rosy the way we want it; that is a dreamland and those exist only in dreams.

With quotes like:

"You and everyone you know are going to be dead soon"

The desire for more positive experience is a negative experience in itself.

"Who you are is defined by what you are will to struggle for"

"Life is essentially an endless series of problems. The solution of one problem is merely the creation of another."

This book says it all. Not recommended for anyone who wants to live in the dream world. For everyone who is ready to face the challenge and slog it out in the real world, this book is definitely a ray of hope.

Book Review : 1984 by George Orwell

2018-04-19T23:23:00.000+05:30

Author: George Orwell

Genre: Utopian and dystopian fiction, Political fiction, Social science fiction

Original Publisher: Harvill Secker

Pages: 328 pages

Year of Publication: 8 June 1949

The dystopian fiction by George Orwell written more than 60 years earlier is still so much relatable with the world we reside in today. A classic, considered as one of those books which many avid readers fail to complete is a trophy if completely read. 1984 takes us to a make believe world which we feel exists even today. Whether it is the Big Brother who is following every action of ours (read as Facebook, Google or Amazon who keeps a track on every data of ours) or the war of Eurasia which is still synonymous with multiple wars which keep going on in today’stimes(read as Syria, Palestine, Israel or Iraq).

The enthralling way in which George Orwell describes the struggle which the protagonist “Winston Smith” undergoes in order to stick to his belief in a culture fraught with dictatorship is something fairly relatable. However the only difference is that in today’s times the dictatorship is replaced by democracy yet the struggle to stick to one’s beliefs remains the same.

WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.

These words keep resonating through one’s mind while reading the book. A fictional world where a set of people are ruled by a totalitarian regime, there every move monitored and every though processed is the crux of the book which the protagonist tries to rebel in his own ways till possible. There are Thought Police, and people are held as criminals for Though Crimes, they have a language called NewSpeak whose main aim is to reduce as much words and thoughts as possible. Imagine a world where one is neither allowed to think for oneself, write, read or have an opinion and a place where even one’s children will not hesitate to betray oneself to the authorities if they feel they are going against the Party and that’s brings us to Orwell’s 1984. His world which very much shows how we are falling in the same track.

The story belongs to an era when the world has been divided into three repressive states who are at a constant war amongst themselves. The protagonist, Winston Smith, belongs to the state of Oceania which is under constant scrutiny by the totalitarian rule of the Big Brother. He has some memories of the time when there was no war and when he lived a life of his own choice. But now he has lost all hope of living a free life and a life sans scrutiny. He shows some bravery when he meets and falls in love with Julia who shows some hope of freedom by coming under the shell of the Party. Although he knows his relationship with Julia will finally get him caught by the Big Brother, he pursues the same. However, he could never except what was in store for him.

The story strongly resonates today, when privacy is hard to come by and freedom is just a façade we believe that we have. A must read book for everyone.

The Year that was

2018-01-01T01:07:00.000+05:30

Every year is fraught with multiple learnings... Learnings that sometimes have changed the course of my life. 2017 has been a life changing year of my life. In retrospect I have made some life changing decisions... Explored new horizons....came out of my comfort zone.
Made some new friends... Lived in New cities... Embraced new cultures... Learnt new meaning of life.

I saw my close friends embarking new journeys in life by bonding in a new relationship. I was lucky enough to be a part of their important event. Professionally I met new people, learnt new stuff and embarked on the journey of the corporate world again. I was separated from friends, had to leave the tension free life of college and the biggest thing I learnt was to become independent. Managing on my own in a 1BHK, in an unknown city has been a challenge and a beautiful Learning experience.

I took few major decisions in my personal life, traveled to New places, grateful to Govt. Of India to provide me an opportunity to explore Nepal the way I would have never done on my own, visited Orissa, Himachal Pradesh and explored the near abouts of Bangalore.

2017 can be labeled as one of those years that I am thankful it existed. Hoping to create beautiful memories in the coming year. Some years should never end. 2017 was one of those.

Thank you 2017 for being nice to me.

Let me gear up to welcome 2018 with a smile!!!!

A word called WORD...

2017-10-14T18:58:00.000+05:30

She watched the clouds as it slowly flew by in a pattern.

A pattern of words.

Mesmerising and beautiful words.

Words coming together to make coherent statements. She pondered on the beauty of words. Words when strung together make an impact. Words have the power to bring distant people closer and simultaneously have the power to make close people fall apart. Its words which has made kingdoms fall apart and eventually words have made fiefdom survive. Words are strewn in false promises and its words which lift the despair out of misery.

Words stop battle, words start battle and sometimes words are the harbinger of good or bad news. Words spoken without thinking can cause irreparable damage while words with lots of thoughts can change lives. Words motivate, words demotivate, words instil inspiration, words insinuate derision. Words confuse, words amuse and sometimes words are someone’s muse. Words belittle emotions, words rekindle relations, words ideate, words deviate and words manipulate.

Words have started revolutions, stirring men to reach to the battleground. Words have aided dictators to manipulate people and besiege countries. Words have led to loss of life while words have been the path of new life. There are embellishing words which complicate simple sentences. There are bemusing words which confound the person reading or listening to it. There are juxtaposing words, derogatory words, mellifluous words and sometimes nothing but simple words. Some act as an icing on the cake while some are the cakes we bake

Too many words make us verbose and too little words make us pauciloquent but in the end its words that sometimes define who we are. Words are the means to communication; words are the tools for expression of our thoughts.

But nonetheless when words leave our side… it is silence that communicates to the fullest….

The Myriad Dream

2017-04-09T23:24:00.000+05:30

She slithered and swivelled, gliding on the road, meandering around the bends, ducking corners and fighting hollows. A flash of light and a deafening noise, she felt as a car was going to run her down and suddenly she woke up shrieking and screaming her lungs out. Beads of perspiration ran through her forehead, a droplet of water trickled down her nose right on the pillow which she was hugging as tightly as a bear claws its prey. She tried to recall what had scared her the most. Was it the light, was it the car or was it the fact that she felt like a reptile, maybe a snake creeping and crawling on the roads. Whatever it was, she knew one thing, the dream was an indication of her life, her thoughts and her fears.

She had recently darned a new role. The role of a new girl in a new city, a role which was challenging as well as intriguing. She loved being alone but the juxtaposition was that she loved being with people as well. Amidst these two paradoxes, she was stuck, lost in reveries in the search of who she actually was. Maybe the new city would be an anchor to her questions, or maybe it would deepen her doubts, she didn’t not know. Some things are best left on time.

All she knew was that life has its own set of puzzles, some sudokus and some tanagrams. It was upto her to make something out of it. Past baggages, present aspirations and future fears created a weird concoction. And all that was with her was a dream, some sleepless nights, lots of perspirations and a desire to stay in peace.

The Customary New Year Post

2016-12-31T16:07:00.000+05:30

It’s the end of 2016 and beginning of 2017. Time for the customary goodbye note even though I have been hardly active on the blog throughout the year. One year and in this one year I feel I have grown up tremendously. A microscopic analysis of the events of my life is not going to take me anywhere but yes the lessons which I learnt from my life and those around me is worth a million times more than I can ever earn monetarily.

It was the year of breaking down, of getting up and going through all hurdles. A year to test one’s resilience and metal. I learnt to be happy; I learnt to be sad and biggest of all I learned to love. I’ve understood the true meaning of friends and family and the effect that an unwavering support from your core group has on your psyche.

The year of being out of one’s comfort zone, pushing oneself to the limit and then coming back to form, the year of seeing support and giving support, the year of learning and knowing that whatever you do life will outwit you.

The year of broken friendship, shattered dreams and sutured hearts, 2016 let go all the past baggage to create new ones. Final year as a student, last internship and maybe several other things indeed make it one of the years of the lasts.

I understood the power of communication, how conflict avoidance is not always the solution, sometimes standing up for things is necessary to help that plan go into execution and giving up can be the best thing in a deadlock situation.

Life will always be a battle, it all depends on how we respond to it. Good times will definitely be mixed with bad days but that doesn’t mean that one should be all harrowed. Not all people will respond the way you want them to, not all will be enemies in the garb of friends but not all can be trusted completely.

2016 was a year of lessons. Professional lessons, personal lessons and most importantly self awareness lessons. It was like a pre-PHD programme before the entry into the research of life.

Welcome 2017!!! Bring it On.

50 Word Fiction #1 : Hope

2016-05-09T17:26:00.001+05:30

Every morning she woke up with the hope that today he might love her.

Every day she kept waiting for him to say he loved her.

Every night she went off to sleep with a broken heart.

She died everyday but she did not kill herself.

Her hope killed her.

Metro Chronicles 3 : Internship days

2016-05-06T17:11:00.000+05:30

For previous Metro Chronicles read Metro Chronicles - 1 and Metro Chronicles 2

Long metro journeys remind me of my stint with an IT organization where I used to commute on weekends traversing the length and breadth of NCR in 3 days. Work is always boring as compared to college life and the stark reality strikes one more during the MBA internship days when you are acclimatized to the rigmarole of an extremely happening life on a daily basis and suddenly you are put into a more organized and structured 9-5 job. From a life of no real pattern with sleep being a valuable commodity to a life where weekends are all for you seems a bliss. Of course the initial days are extremely confusing and takes a lot of time to adjust to the fact that one doesn't need to work for 24 and 48 hours continuously but when the sync is developed and one realizes that no deadlines of the sacrosanct village needs to be followed, it becomes more of a dream come true scene.

With time I have realized that office work is way too boring. Whether you have to think and sit for an innovative idea or whether you have to do a mundane job. Corporate life kills the zeal and enthusiasm one has to do something different. Lack of autonomy and performance stress is something which always lingers at the back of one's mind. Of course performance or results drives an entrepreneur to sleepless nights but yet one knows that after all it's an unfair world full of uncertainties. An idea may fail or pass but you won't be needing multiple approval for executing the same nor will you be worried about your idea being judged.

I would love to get paid for doing something which I am not meant to. Maybe writing. At the end of the day whichever organization I work for, its my writing that saves me from the drudgery of the day. There is a lot to think and a lot to work upon but no job can be as challenging or intriguing as the job of a writer. Sitting at one place a writer visits far off lands and also leads his/her reader to a journey of the unknown or sometimes maybe the known.

I feel 9 hours of working hours is too long for any organization. Taking a page from France's book the effective working hours should be reduced. The prime aim of any organization should be to drive productivity and not drive time.

However, the best part of interning in your favorite city with all your favorite people around is that even those long metro journeys don't seem a boring and herculean task. The Metro Chronicles still exist but with a sweeter note. The journey becomes enjoyable and something to look forward to. The scorching heat of summer becomes more endurable and the attitude of people also become forgivable.

The metro is still loaded with loads of people, the construction is still creating more pollution and the crowd is still pulling you down. But the advantage of a temporary stay is that you are a part of it yet you are an outsider. The transient nature of the journey makes it look more beautiful. When one knows it's soon going to end one feels like making the most of it.

I might be missing few more points but my destination has arrived. Next week a new thought, some new views :) A crappy new article whenever I travel, on any topic under the sky!!

The Loss

2016-05-02T18:20:00.004+05:30

The shrill laughter was gone. The constant giggling was gone. The running around the house, the constant nagging and the troubling was gone.

It was the first thought that came to her as she woke up. He was gone. And, soon, this bedroom, the house in whose eastern corner it sat, and the tiny garden outside with its gnarled old red hibiscus and the half-grown mango tree they had planted together, all those would be gone as well. It was the strangest feeling ever.

The deafening silence reverberated with the echoes of laughter, mirth and memories alike. Each wall of the house had a story to tell. Together they had carved a life of their own far away from everyone. He was her life. His bright innocent eyes twinkled with naughtiness every time he planned to trouble her. He knew her life revolved around him and he took full advantage of it. Whether through words or through actions he ensured that he would have his own way.

She understood that she was the toughest person to live with. But he accepted her rigidity and weirdness. She was full of flaws but he accepted her the way she was. She was stubborn, she was idealistic, she was meek and she was under confident. But for him all that mattered was that she was his. Even his mild sneeze would take her breath away. He knew it and so would pretend to be sick all the time. Playing pranks on her all the more.

Chicken 65 was her favorite. He loved taking it out from her mouth while she was busy hogging it. She loved reading and he loved annoying her while she read. He loved irritating her and she loved being irritated.

“Didi! Watch out for your hand”, exclaimed the maid bringing Avantika out of her reverie. While chopping onions she was going to chop her fingers as well.

Tears started trickling down. She had controlled herself a lot. Since his death she was in a state of shock. A numbness encompassing all the feelings and protecting her from the brutal reality which awaited her. His death had turned her into a ghost, a living dead person who kept walking in the house, tumbling on his stuff, banging on the sofa, touching the walls to feel his presence, sitting on the window sills where he used to sit, walking down the staircase thousand times a day to catch a whiff of his scent. She was living with her body but her life had already gone with him.

She closed her eyes once more. She fluttered her eyelashes. And she realized she couldn’t stay awake any more…not anymore. Life is a rigmarole. The mellifluous symphony kept reverberating in her mind. The surreal reality encompassed her. She was a sleeping beauty and she revered in her job. She knew no one would be coming to wake her up from her reveries. It is said that when you have to read something write something of your own. She tried that. Yet no words could emphasize the hollowness which enveloped her. The abyss could not define the depths of loneliness haunting her persona. She was silent. A somber silence which percolated in the air like a whiff of scent. Her silence spoke volumes. Her eyes spoke volumes. They were as verbose as any constant chirping bird.

An aura of melancholy. The thing is just how soon she will learn to lose hope. The question was how soon she will learn to cope. That is the most important thing. The road ahead is bleak. There is nothing to look forward to. But she has to keep moving on. “With blackbirds following me, digging on my grave.” The song kept playing in loop. Similar to the way her life was running in a loop. Repeated incidents. Repeated situations. Different people. She was there. She was away. She was far. She was near. She was lonely but she had peace of mind. Now she is all alone with no peace of mind. A part of her had left for good or bad no one knows. The scar will always remain and just keep deepening. At the end the only way to protect oneself is to stop feeling. She knew it very well. Yet she couldn’t numb herself to the pain though she knew should would get hurt and get further aggrieved.

After all it was not easy to cope up with the loss of a four year old child. A healthy, energetic, smiling child who was the apple of his mother’s eye. She was a single parent since the death of her husband who was in Army. She was a mother as well as a father to Rishi but suddenly she has lost her identity. She keeps touching the walls to feel Rishi’s scribbles which thousand times she had chided him not to do. She kept touching his toys to feel his presence. He was gone but his presence was filled in every corner of the house.

He was gone. And, soon, this bedroom, the house in whose eastern corner it sat, and the tiny garden outside with its gnarled old red hibiscus and the half-grown mango tree they had planted together, all those would be gone as well. It was the strangest feeling ever.

Remembering 2015

2015-12-31T23:27:00.001+05:30

Going down the memory lane I feel so much has changed. I am back to delhi after 6 months but it seems as if it has been ages. Six months and my life has changed big time. I don't know if I have changed or not but somehow I feel I have. I have grown up, become more confident, ready to face the world, still a bit scared but nevertheless ready to take on challenges. And the biggest thing is that I have stopped being scared of people or their company. I can't say that I have become an expert in handling them but people matters ;) and this I have understood in the past 6 months. Especially when the closest people in your life are so far away, you hardly get time to talk to them, you are in a strange place full of strangers and then you realise that this is just a mini world. Survival by living in your own world is fairly simple. The struggle begins when you survive while living in the other world as well.

Surprisingly the year in retrospection has only 6 months memory equaling to 6 years of memory. The time before seems like living it in a sepia mode. Friends, family, protection of loved ones and always a thought at the back of your mind that people are there to support you no matter what is a blessed feeling. Juxtaposed with it is the later half of the 6 months. Full of energy, Adventures and learning. From induction to club selections to group tasks, each activity brought a new learning experience. If at one point I practically saw people doing social loafing, the other side of the same coin showed undying determination and dedication towards their work. If at one point I learned the core marketing principles through market research, I understood group cohesion and synergy through organisational behaviour. The number crunching finance gave tough competition to the GDP deflator of economics. And the best part was that I got to know few friends which I will take along forever. I have lost a loved one and at any time it is one of the most painful feeling.

I always knew but the past 6 months reiterated the fact that company sets the mood. Your friends will make even a village look like a paradise and foes can turn your dreamland to hinterland. I learned that learning can be a joyful experience and all you need to do is thinking a bit differently. Sometimes it's not wrong to challenge the belief, to question those in authority and listen to the naysayer. Above all I learnt that no matter what there will be few people who will always stand by you. It all depends on your ability to identify and value them.

Break some rules. Cherish and create memories. Laugh hard with and at friends. Enjoy the dance in the rain. Drink and puke or see others do. Live freely. Love unconditionally.

The Journey Begins...

2015-06-29T20:45:00.000+05:30

14 days and IIM Ranchi ensured that “All bananas were indeed United”. An induction programme ensures that one familiarises oneself with the surroundings and activities of the institute and IIM Ranchi left no stones unturned in welcoming the batch of 2015-17 with its 2 week induction programme. The whole induction programme was designed on the concept of team building and ice breaking sessions where students would learn management skills in the form of some “Serious Entertainment”.

MBA programme is a different experience all together and it started with dividing the whole batch into 8 teams comprising of 20-21 students who were given a 24 hour challenge of making a video on the topic “Management”. In a day these strangers were transformed into a team, some pulled all nighters while some managed to finish early but every single student learnt the meaning of deadlines and displayed the ability of working in a team. From being a working professional and fresher,we were transformed into managers in a day. Indeed all of us were busy managing something or the other and sometimes someone or the other. We were surprised as well as impressed by the effort put in to make the videos which was eventually liked by everyone. The first day of college seemed as a reflection of what will be lying ahead for us in the coming two years and for all we could guess it definitely would be busy.

India is a land of rich culture and IIM Ranchi believes that we should be aware as well as be proud of our rich cultural heritage. To further propagate this we had enriching sessions on Art of Dance and Art of Film. The Art of Dance session was held by Prof. Amita Bharti who is Uday Shankar Professor of Dance at Rabindra Bharati University. She increased our knowledge of dance, showed us several mudras and demonstrated Bharatnatyam on stage and asked the students to perform with her on stage. It was enrapturing to watch her graceful moves on stage. If Prof. Amita Bharti improved our knowledge of dance then Prof. Swapan Kumar Mullick introduced us to the Art of Film and made us appreciate film in a way which we would have never thought of before. His discussions on movies like Lagaan, Taare Zameen Pe and Titanic brought a new perspective towards films.

Later towards the end of the week drama workshop and outbound programmes were arranged for students for further team building activities. RMG group of Bangalore conducted the outbound programmes where students performed different activities like war strategy game, murder mystery and mingle at rock garden. These activities helped students know each other well, work not only in single teams but collaborate with others to complete tasks in hand. The most exciting part of the outbound programme was the amazing city race where teams were given different clues which took them all around the city. This helped students familiarise themselves with the main landmarks of Ranchi including Dhoni’s home, lalpur and the main road. The drama workshop was conducted by Prof. Deepak Dhamija and Prof. Ghanshyam Lalsa for a period of 3 days. On the first and second day the instructors showed various tools of drama such as mime and gibberish to the students. On the third day different teams performed engaging dramas on stage.If we had started getting into our comfort zone with our respective team members, then the 3 day outbound programme and drama workshop ensured that we come out of it, get into new teams and in their words “Mingle, mingle, mingle!!”.

Back in hostel several sport activities were conducted by seniors during the evening as a part of senior junior interaction session which not only helped juniors break ice with seniors but also receive a terrific warm reception from them.

The icing on the cake was the Talent Show put up by the junior batch which was being prepared from the day the induction programme started. The Director, various faculty members and seniors were present to motivate and appreciate the efforts put by the junior batch. With utmost zeal and zest students encased their talents through mime, nukad natak (Street play), drama and dance performances. Some depicted serious social issues while some made our ribs tickle with laughter.

It has been an interesting start. And now it is upon us to take this to new heights. Nothing is normal or ordinary over here. Everyone has to come out of their comfort zone and every thinking inside the box thinking is itself an out of the box activity. 2 years down the line lets see how the story unravels….