College Gate - Haunting Times

During second semester, used to take the lunch box. Never took during high school days. A 30-minute lunch break and house was 2 km away. Bicycle was the mode of transport. For going home 10 minutes, have lunch in 10 minutes and back to school in another 10 minutes. That was a routine because did not want to take the lunch box. But going to the office has taught me many things in life. Marketing job makes you learn many things. Few more in the college who brought lunch box. A Kannada speaking boys were my lunch mates. Dilip, Indresh and Vijay Kumar were among the team. We had lot of fun during those lunch breaks. Indresh used to discuss many things with me and we generally went for walk after lunch. During walk Dilip used to talk on Kannada film jokes, specially, Jaggesh movies.

Class has divided into groups. And each group has been assigned to do all the projects for that semester in a particular segment i.e retail, hospital or banking, etc. Hospital was the segment given to our team. We have to do accounting, marketing, and human resource subjects project in that. We decided to approach Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain Hospital near Cantonment Railway station. First only three of us went and met the HR-department director. We explained him the scenario. He said please get the letter from college and also bring in all the members with ID cards. College gave us the letter. We attended the morning session as our appointment was in the afternoon. All the 12 members went to hospital.  Number of student was reduced in classroom. Usually, the students bunk the class and go for movie in afternoon sessions. It is a unwritten rule. Morning session was always a gathering time. Instead of waiting somewhere they wait in classroom. But none my teammates were like that.

Mrs. GR took afternoon first session. She was furious to see very few students. The director deferred our appointment due to some emergency meeting. We all came back to college at the end of last session. Only 10 minutes left we did not go to classroom. We were waiting in lounge to finish the class. Mrs GR saw all of us as she was leaving for the day. She gave all of us her peace of mind. No one has scolded me like that in my life. In spite of all the effort we got this. Do we want to bunk her class? If we are interested in bunking class, no one will come back to college. I don’t know sometimes people forget simple thinking. Also, our team members attendance was at high percentage almost all had more than 85%. She being a faculty definitely knows that. This kind of behavior is demoralizing and demotivating for a student. During weekly mentoring session did speak out with Mrs. Jayashree. Honesty gets you in trouble. We should have disbursed from hospital only. We should not have shown commitment and passion for studies. After this, I always avoided Mrs. GR as far as possible.

Next Saturday, was travelling to Sringeri for my annual visit. Got a call from Indresh while I was in the bus. It was about 11:00pm. There has been a network problem and call got disconnected without me being uttering a word. I could not call back as there was no network. On Sunday, visited at Sringeri Sharadadevi Temple. Renewed my annual maintenance contract with Sharada Devi. Also visited Hornadu, which is 80 KM away from Sringeri. Evening near the Thunga River beside Sharadadevi temple is very peaceful. So I always make it a point to come back to Sringeri from Hornadu before evening. Sunset is a nice view from riverbank. Night travelled back to Bangalore. Monday, morning reached college at 9 am. I saw few were crying in the classroom. I asked what happened. Niranjan told me that Indresh committed suicide on Sunday night. Oh no! I was shocked to hear that. I was wondering what made that guy to do so. Not sure what was running in his mind. I wish the network was available and could have spoken to him on Saturday night. Probably that conversation would have passed suicidal ideation. I have learnt in medical transcription stint that suicidal ideation is momentary. If you share your thoughts and it might change your thinking as it was out of your system. This thought haunted me for few days. But you cannot change the destiny.

People wanted to go for Indresh’s native and be part of funeral. So all requested for holiday. Mrs GR rejected the request as only two days left for management fest in college and lot work to be done. First year student assured her that we will take care of the work next day. But she was adamant. Mr Raghavan and Mr. Naveen has interfered and convinced her. Also the seniors said we would stay here and put extra effort. MBA course is all about managing things and achieving the set goals. But one should not forget humanity at any cost. Still his orkut account exists in my friends list. He is still alive in many of his friend’s heart.

College Gate - Management Fest

Trin……Trin……Trin….Mr. YK mobile rang. Of course, that sound was olden days phone ring. It has been tradition to use that as phone ring for writing. Let me break the rules. Let us restart.

Tin tada tin tin tina dida tin tin ta..Mr. YK mobile phone rang. He was taking attendance and almost end of that session. He picked up the call said hello. The voice from other side said ‘am calling from ICICI Bank. We are offering personal loan at less interest for our esteem customers.’ After listening to this he turned towards class and upheld the mobile in front of the class. He asked ‘does anyone want personal loan?’ Entire class shouted NO. He spoke over the phone ‘did you get the answer’ and ended the conversation. Entire class broke into laugh.

During these days, college got an invitation from RNSIT Management for management fest. There was an audition for selection for team. I took the initiative for registration and grouping the team. We were all excited about management fest. We all reached the place on time. Principal Mrs. GR has ordered us to get few picks for college magazine from fest. I have asked the team to pose for photo in front of the management fest poster. But some of them laughed at me for asking them do so and passed sarcastic comments. I did not mind as my goal was achieved. None of us went into second round. We all lost in first round battle. We decided to stay till end and enjoy the fest as there was sponsored lunch...!!

There was a business quiz at the end of the day. It was conducted by the renowned quizmaster Mr Avinash Mudaliar. It was an amazing quiz session. His anchoring was fantabulous. It was informative too. I am a big admirer of coffee. For that matter entire my Dad side relatives too. He asked the question on Kopi Luwak. Wondering what is it? Kopi Luwak is one of the world's most expensive and low-production varieties of coffee. It is made from the beans of coffee berries, which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets, then passed through its digestive tract. A civet eats the berries for their fleshy pulp. Passing through a civet's intestines the beans are then defecated, keeping their shape. After gathering, thorough washing, sun drying, light roasting and brewing, these beans yield an aromatic coffee with much less bitterness. This coffee is widely noted as the most expensive coffee in the world with prices reaching $160 per pound. Being a coffee lover could not digest the digestive tract funda…!!!!!

Next day, we were back to college. After first period, I told the team that we should go and meet principal. They asked why? I tired explaining them that we need to share the experience of fest with her. It is a minimum commitment from student to faculty. Someone told ‘will go during lunch break and meet her.’ I decided to go alone at that time only. I went there spoke for 4-5 minutes with her. She was happy at least someone came. During lunch break also no one went. Afternoon first session was Mrs Jayashree’s. She told “principal is disappointed because none of you went and spoke to her about fest. I think Suraj went and spoke already." The team was looking at me puzzled and few were angry on me. I don’t understand what was wrong in my action. In spite of doing right things always fall in trouble. After the class team met with principal.

What was the reason they were hesitant to face principal. Failure? Fear of principal? Failure is not final unless you accept it. It happens. Move one. Face it. Be courageous. I think we need to learn how to take defeat. Fear is not good for life as well as for health. Be true to yourself. Fear will fear to cross your path. I know it is difficult. Life has taught me to take everything to my stride. Life is a celebration..!!!

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying….Michael Jordan