If Only - Part 2

Ajay still looked at the flower that had fallen on his head some years back when he was praying in the temple. He had realized that he had got his message. Sometimes nature has strange ways to tell you things and only intelligence and a belief in God can make you decode them.
He opened the letter Nazia had sent him some years back.
Dear Ajay
“ I really don’t know what to say. I sometimes feel Iam the most unfortunate woman on this earth. Your love for me was something that only happens in fairy tales. I also love you alot Ajay. But life has some different plans for me I guess. I have divorced my husband and we no longer stay together, but I have two kids who are my life for me now. Life is sometimes an ordeal when there is no man in your life but you have live with that. My kids are my source of inspiration and strength and Iam living only because of them. You know Ajay I have made two big mistakes of my life, 1: saying to No to you and 2: marrying a wrong guy. Pranav initially was a nice guy but soon after marriage he changed, he used to beat me at the slightest provocation, he was not doing well at his job and I had to bear the brunt of all his anger. I could not see my kids also undergoing the same life, so I had to leave him. I have started my boutique here and doing financially pretty well.

Sometimes I really feel what my life would have been if I were with you. I still remember during the initial days of our friendship, I used to call everyday and you never even once told me not to call, the rings you used give at my home so that I can call you back, the late night phone calls, that was so much fun. I still have the letters you gave when you had proposed me, the arrangement you had done on my birthday. That was the best birthday I had ever. Life was so much fun when you were around. That was a different life altogether. Sometimes we make such terrible mistakes for which we repent for the rest of our lives. Iam glad you have quit smoking and drinking. But I am making a humble request to you to please get married. You are a wonderful guy and don’t deprive yourself this bliss. I can tell you for sure whichever girl comes into your life will be very lucky. I wish I could come to India and get remarried to you but I think you deserve someone better than me, someone who will understand you which I failed to do. Just for my sake get married Ajay, I know you love me and so do I, but I also know your love wont change for me if you get married to some one else. Do not punish yourself because of me. Sometimes destiny plays its role and we have to accept it. You will always occupy a special place in my heart. Someday when I come back to India we will meet up and hopefully by that time you will have a beautiful wife and some kids. I don’t know if I will be able to write a letter again to you, so do not forget me Ajay, I am missing you alot; and whenever you get married just make sure to inform me so that I can tell your wife what a wonderful guy you are and how lucky she is to have him. Take care and God bless!!”

He was 45 now and still a bachelor. People had persuaded him to get married, but the thoughts of being with another woman just did not appeal to him. Ajay had all the comforts the world could offer, but his love for Nazia had not diminished 1 bit. All these years he used to observe Ramzan by keeping fast for 30 days and pray for his love with all devotion he had so that she experienced happiness at each step of her life, even at the cost depriving himself one.
His hands now moved over the areas of the letter which had been once wet with his tears, now dried with time. In the last 18 years, he had lost many things in life. What he did not lose was this letter. Her first and last letter to him. Her letter that he had read everyday like a bible for the last 18 years without fail.

If only...

7 years, 6 months and 21 days had passed since last time Ajay met with Nazia and 3 years 10 days had passed since he last spoke with her. Ajay marvelled at his talent of remembering dates and that too so specific. That evening, the cold January breeze was blowing across his face, and he remembered the moments he had spent with nazia. He became very nostalgic about her. So he decided to write a letter to her.

“Dear Nazia,
How are you doing??? How is USA treating you? Well I know that I haven’t spoken to you since 3 years, and you as usual never tried to call up. Remember the day we had first met in the train and you for strange reasons came beside me and sat and we chatted the whole night and you kept on repeating that Im such a different guy...Well you will happy to know that I have left drinking and smoking . Also I have kept another promise which i made to you, I am still single, I did not marry. The entire world told me to forget you and move on in life, but I asked them to move where?? They told me not to remember you , but is it possible to forget breathing?? Nazia , it is not that I could not find another girl but I could not stop loving you so where is the question of loving someone else. You only knew that I loved you but today I will tell you about my feelings. Still today thinking about you fills my heart with a wonderful feeling. Just the moments I shared with you I realized what a beautiful thing the love can be. I am always indebted to you because of you I realized what love is....
Nazia if you have ever loved anyone with the kind of passion and commitment I did, you will realize what I went through when you said NO to me, You are far away from me, but let me assure you 1 thing that no distance is too great because our memories will live along, and You and I will live in each other’s dream till death do us apart.
Regards
Ajay”

Tears came down from her eyes after she read the letter. She realized that IF ONLY she had understood his love for her, which was so pure and without any expectation. The divorce date was nearing and within 1 month she will be separated from her husband. It was only a year that she had married the love of her life. She looked up in heaven, closed her eyes, but could not control her tears and uttered “GOD bless u Ajay, I Love you too.......” At the same moment while Ajay was praying in the temple, a flower fell on his head and his unconditional LOVE had won.

The Year that was and the year that will be at IMT Nagpur

March 28 2008 marked the end of my first year at IMT Nagpur. I have to admit one thing without using over the top adjective that it was a very interesting year. During this past 1 year saw both ups and downs, happiness n sadness both personally n professionally. I have also learnt that MBA is not only about finance or marketing or HR. The 2 year residential program at IMT has taught me lot of things, things which I wouldn’t have learnt otherwise. Some of them are:
Lesson number 1: Too much stress is harmful.
Lesson number 2: Do not be too nice to everyone. Not everybody deserves your time and effort; spend your time and effort only with people who are worth.
Lesson number 3: Control your anger; or else you may end up hurting someone
Lesson number 4: Communicate, say whatever u want to say clearly n frankly...it’s important to make yourself heard
Lesson 5: Give up your ego....it is nothing but an illusion you have
Lesson 6: Have patience, people will always find ways to irritate you and do not take everything they say to your heart; it pays to be aloof sometimes.
Lesson 6: Take criticism with a pinch of salt....I realized 1 thing when people criticize u, it means u are progressing, u r being noticed isn’t it? Nobody kicks a dead dog. And when it is constructive criticism, analyse it and work on it. It will help.
So much so for the 1st year lessons that I learnt

Now Second year has got underway and specialization courses have also got underway. In about 3 months from now, placement week will start. Campus will be buzzing with all sorts of companies coming, some students will have a good time, some wont, but it will be a once in a lifetime experience for all.

On March 4, 2009 the batch of 2007-09 will graduate from IMT Nagpur and life will never be the same for each and every one of us after that. Some will go abroad, some will go to their hometowns, some will get married, some will start their own business, but whatever it is nobody will ever forget the 2 years they spent at IMT Nagpur, the happiness they experienced, the friends they made, the girls/guys they had crush on, the lonely times they spent on campus, the fight they had on trivial things, the affairs they had, the assignments they did at 2 am, the night walks they took, the birthdaybumps they got, the professors they adored, the places they visited etc. Probably 20 years down the line sitting in a balcony we all will be telling our families about all the things we did here at IMT.

After some years when we will have an alumni meet we might come with our family for the meet, we will laugh at absurd things we did, we will meet the girl/guy whom we had crush on and introduce them to our respective spouse, meet the professors who shaped our life, the canteen guys who helped us stay awake by providing us tea and coffee, say hello to our once close pals and inquire about each other’s life, exchange numbers and then go back home with a smile on our face, by remembering those moments we all shared together, because moments become memories and these will live with us forever because memories make a journey called LIFE!!!!!!

Confessions of a egalitarian mind

What do you do when the majority of world abhors you, what do you do when people look at you with a sense of suspicion, what you do when the people of your community are labeled as a bunch of terrorist? Well welcome to the world of prejudice. Through this post with reference to the Muslim community I want to confess a lot many things.I have taken this community as an example for highlighting the disease called prejudice people have for different things and for different people.

More than 90% of terrorist attacks in the recent years have been done by Muslims which is nothing new, we all are aware of that. What baffles me that people have invented a synonym for Muslim i.e. terrorist. It is because of some miscreants the entire community stands to suffer. This has resulted that people of this community are always under suspicion. The actions of these people are making the entire community to suffer and bleed.Some hardcore Islamic fundamentalist believe that Islam is the greatest religion. I loathe them for that because through the medium of religion they are spreading hatredness by condemning other religions and doing a great disservice to their own community. No religion is great or better than the other. Religion according to me is the road map to reach a common destination i.e. God, each having its own rules but to think that 1 religion is better than the other is a very preposterous thought. Goal is one; methods to reach Him are different.

We are living in a secular country where we pride ourselves to be secular aint it? many of us are educated, but in which standard of school or college have we been taught that one has to hate 1 community in totality for wrong doings of others. Not many people abhor this community openly, but trust me there are whispers of hatredness against them at all the time. I have personally known cases where Muslims were not allowed to buy flats in buildings which were Hindu dominated, and I have rarely come across Hindu-Muslim marriages. The suspicion is always hanging there unconsciously which makes it even more difficult to build trust.

God never made a difference when he created mankind. He has given everybody 2 legs, 2 hands, 2 eyes, red blood etc etc. Then when the creator does not make any differences who are we to label someone as good or bad, what right we have to pass judgements about people or their religions, surely the bad will be punished, but what are we doing by being prejudiced.Hatredness only breeds contempt, and world will continue to become much worse place than what it is now. Even animals and birds do not differentiate and we supposedly intellectuals are worst than them inspite of having the God given gift of brains.

Just give a thought to this:u were born in a particular community, your family is extremely religious, everybody in your family has a clean record and someday somebody treats you shabbily or calls you a terrorist for no fault of yours how would you feel? People we are children of 1 God, let us make Him proud of that and not make Him repent for something which is not even His fault. Let there be no prejudiced around. Let us stand united not just superficially but in a real sense of it and Inshallah tomorrow this world will be a better place to live in!!!!

Sex Education: There is nothing sexy about it

Some adults will never grow up. They still think that providing sex education to the children or teenagers of today is against the Indian culture. I never knew that imparting education is against the culture. Every second day we are hearing about someone getting raped or molested.

We all are missing a big point here. The world has shrunk because of internet and whatever the information these kids want they can easily get from the internet. India has become a haven for Aids and these so called intellectual adults want that sex education should be banned, have these people become deaf and blind to the world around them? Why are we trying to avoid a subject which is so relevant to atleast our country which has a population of 1billion plus? It clearly shows that apart from eating, sleeping and breathing we are having irresponsible sex, else our population would not be increasing the way oil prices are increasing nowadays.

There was a research done by one of the NGO’s in India which stated that the average age of girls starting menstruation has come down from 15 years to 13years which clearly shows that the kids are growing really fast and it is imperative that they are provided the right education at the right age. There is no point in avoiding imparting sex education because the teenagers will find out for themselves the information they want but the problem is that information can misguide them and lead to a bigger social issues like unwanted pregnancy, rape, murder etc.

It is preposterous to think that sex education will harm the young minds, infact a good sex education is not only about sessions on sexual intercourse or how a girl/guy masturbates and neither it is all about the genital differences, but host of other issues that involve human sexuality like respect for the opposite sex, understanding your own body and being comfortable with it rather cursing it, having a high self esteem and healthy interaction with the opposite sex and treating everyone with dignity.

Sex is physical but sexuality is about the mind. Sex education is about empowering the kids with right values so that they know the difference between what is good for them and what is not , so that a brave new world is born which consists of trust, care, respect and harmony among the members of both the sex. Let better sense prevail among the so called intellectuals aka hypocrites who are against it, Amen!!

The Year that was- Time to acknowledge

March 28, 2008 marked the end of my first year at Imt Nagpur. I have to admit one thing without using over the top adjective that it was a very interesting year. During this past 1 year saw both ups and downs, happiness n sadness both personally n professionally. I have learnt some important lessons.

Lesson number 1: Too much stress is harmful. I realized that when in my i had a stroke of blood pressure for the first time in 24 years. Guys nothing is more important than ur own health. Take care of that and everything else will fall in place.

Lesson number 2: Don’t be too nice to everyone. Not everybody deserves your time and effort, spend your time and effort only with people who are worth.

Lesson number 3: Control your anger; or else you may end up hurting someone

Lesson number 4: Communicate, say whatever u want to say clearly n frankly...its important to make yourself heard

Lesson number 5: Give up your ego....its nothing but an illusion u have.

Lesson 6: take criticism with a pinch of salt....i realized 1 thing when people criticize u, it means u r progressing, u r being noticed isn’t it? Nobody kicks a dead dog. And when it is constructive criticism, analyse it and work on it. It will help.

And this blog wont be complete before i say a word of thanks to all those people who have stood by me during da past 1 year and my life in general

Kunal: one of my oldest friend whom i knw for past 17 years, has been wid me throughout my ups n downs in my life and this year was not different. Advised me time and again on many issues. Thanks dude for being there.

Prachi: A girl who always makes me realize that life is meant to be lived to da fullest. She is one gul wid whom i speak complete nonsense widout worrying too much and guess what wen it comes to talkin nonsense she is worse than me. But have to admit she has given some of da most practical advices that i have ever received which i don’t follow neways....ur a sweetheart n a friend for life...thanks

Zainab: My first female friend who got married, haven’t met more emotional girl than her, but an angel who has a golden heart, has stood by me through thick and thin, has those maternal instints....thanks to u dear

Namita: 5 years elder to me and has the looks of Julia roberts....Whenever i don’t follow her advice i invariably find myself in trouble... a real sweetheart and an excellent friend who can make me laugh even when im low, but nowadays its other way round...thanks a lot dear

Dimple: A powerhouse of energy which flows in all possible directions, but not in 1 direction, can talk non stop but has a certain kind of charisma that can sweep men of their feet...but hey guess what she is friend par excellence and can stand for her friends, U simply rock dimple..just be like that always coz ur enthusiasm is infectious...cheers!!

Samson, Lancy, Ajay,Durgesh,Deepak, Aarti(My ICICI friends): These guys were like guiding light to me throughout my days at ICICI. Sam, lancy, ajay, deepak they all adviced as to how go about my work, how to handle people at work and much more. We all had a blast of a time and my own attitude towards work was shaped by these guys. In a corporate world where people are after your ass to get that much coveted promotion, these people always supported me in whatever I did. Can't imagine what my life would have been in ICICI if these guys were not around. Thanks Guys, u really rock. Aarti, we joined together at ICICI and till date we are in touch, a kid by nature but sometimes can speak in a very mature manner. We keep on advising each other on how to handle life, but cant manage our own life. Thanks dear for being there.

Now time to say thanks to people close to me in college

My roomie (Sudhanshu): has seen my anger n crazy ways i behave sometimes. Also has the privilege to see my mood swings, which will put any girl to shame(pun intended!!). Has been wid me all da time through my ups n down at college....guess i don’t know what would have i done if he wasn’t there...thanks brother for being there

Anumeha: knows many of my secrets, so i have to keep her happy else my secrets may leak out someday..lolz..a fiercely loyal buddy which is as good as asking for moon these days...thanks buddy for being there.

Nimai: the weirdo of my college....flirts really well wid guls but Im better than him..lol...a true friend whom u can rely on.

Neeraj: one of da rare specie who is humble and so v down to earth, inspite being a topper of da class. Some1 whom u can rely on quite easily and has a really big heart.

Swati: Somehow i am inspired by the zest for life she dislplays... a figure to die for, i admire the way she cracks some weirdest jokes...v chirpy n naughty at times...but thats wat i like abt her...her ability to make pple laugh n easily the jaan of our cic

I wish to thank my parents for being a constant support to me and no matter how much i care for them i will always be indebted to them. And last but not da least My God wid out whom this journey of life wouldn’t have been possible, He cant come down but He has sent some angels down here to take care of me.....

P.S. There are many other people whose name I could not take, but who have helped me in many ways and are equally important to me, Ashray(know him since 1^st standard), Sushma(know her since 9 years), Neha, my other CIC friends etc etc . Thanks to all of you for being there.

Life and times of 20 something: Quarter life crisis

So many thoughts clouding the mind, so much to do and achieve, so much to prove, so much to earn, but heck for what??? Whom do I have prove to? What I have to do? Why I need to earn so much?

We all are burdened with these questions specially people in their twenties. It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about yourself that you didn't know and may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now. Life cannot get more confusing than this.

You want to bring change in this world but do not know from where to start and leave the mission half way. The people whom you considered close were not really close and distance grew with people whom you were close to. You realize that selfishness has become the order of the day and believe it or not you are also one among them.

The girl/guy you loved wasn’t exactly the person you were looking for. One day you get into a relationship and other day you get confused whether your step was right or wrong. Soon you start liking someone else and then someone else and you wonder is it right to like so many people at the same time??

You lie in bed and wonder why you can't meet someone with whom you can share your dreams, your desires and your life in general. Getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic. You go through the same emotions and questions over and over again, and talk with your friends about the same topics and seek different opinions because you cannot seem to make a decision. You worry about money, the future and making a life for yourself.

You think that you have reached a crossroad of some sort and don’t know what should be your next step. You are among the crowd but still feel lonely, scared and confused and cry like a child over a non issue. You don’t know which direction life is taking you. Suddenly, change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.

To conclude life seems pretty messed up but every problem has a solution and probably this phase of our life will teach us something and someday we will be able to find a solution to our quarter life crisis. Till then enjoy this confusion because this phase is temporary and when you become a 30 something you would imagine that being confused is better than being so sure!!!!!

P.S. The above blog is inspired from my confusion which I am facing since past few months, no wait a minute, its past few years and also from one of the email I had sometime back from my friend titled "Confusions of Life" .

True Love: Make it happen

The month of Love is here which has inspired me to write about love. I am not an expert on love by any stretch of imagination, but thought of sharing my views with my readers. I have always wondered does true love really exits in today’ s fast paced world? People change their lovers faster than changing their clothes. When people propose their love, how many actually mean it what they are saying...I have my serious doubts. Many may think that I am just being cynical of love or probably I really don’t know what love is all about, but just look around, hardly anyone nowadays is into a stable relationship, divorce rates are at a all time high in our country.

Life is moving fast, everyone now wants instant relationship, just like instant coffee. People are enamoured towards lust rather than love. The word ‘Commitment’ has gone out of this world. Valentine day is celebrated to celebrate love, but the same people who were ‘committed’ to each other on 14 Feb of a particular year, you will see them in someone else’s arms the next year...so much for a true love.

True love never happens instantaneously, just like any other success we achieve, it requires time, patience and commitment. True love is success of life. It gives meaning to our life, it alleviates our pain, it makes the world around us ever so beautiful. In true love the lover and the beloved are one. The sense of your own identity and individuality vanishes. The other, therefore, does not place a limit on the lover’s freedom; rather, communion with the beloved leads to unbound freedom. It frees us from limits imposed on us by our ego. My advice to all those people who are in love, guys make your love a true love, because love alone as a word has no meaning nowadays, give it time, don’t leave your partner for some petty issues, make your relationship work, life will test you at each step, but treat it as a learning curve, because when you will be facing moments of self doubt, your true love will give you strength to overcome it, God could not come down to this earth, but he has given all of us a power, a power to experience HIM through the medium of true love, love your other half(it may be your wife, your girlfriend, your boyfriend, or your husband) unconditionally and with all your energy and you will experience HIM its a guarantee!!!

Build your Life: You live once!!!!

So many choices, so much to achieve, so much to say, so much to do and only 1 life....Phew!!!!!! This blog is dedicated to those souls who have met with disappointments in some form or the other, like failed relationship, marriages, bad job, defeats when you wanted to win and list goes on. Infact we all undergo emotions of anger, guilt, jealousy, hatred, etc.

When we fail in love or we are rejected, Just remember there exists a subtle difference between holding hands and actually loving someone and love doesn’t mean you have to be depended on someone and company of that special someone doesn’t give you security against anything. Kisses are never meant to be contracts and presents are not promises of a future commitment.

Failures, rejections are part and parcel of life, the important thing is you need to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open, with the grace of an adult, not with the grief of a child because life is meant to be lived to the fullest. You have to learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans. After a while you will learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much. So people plant your own garden and decorate your own soul,instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers, because everyone is nowadays busy in their own life.

So people in a nutshell, Just for today smile, just for today spread happiness, just for today tell your loved ones how much you love them, just for today dream, just for today tell your parents how much you love them, just for today tell your spouse that she/he is the best wife/husband on this earth, just for today tell your friends how much they mean to you and how lucky you are to have them in your life, just for today forgive those who have hurt and broken your heart, just for today pray to Almighty and thank Him for giving this beautiful life, just for today spread Love and happiness around you, just for today live your life once again and forget all your disappointments and failures, Don’t lose this opportunity, who knows when will inexorable death come and take you away!!!!!

Change: Accept it

There comes a time in everyone’s life when a relationship becomes stagnant or job is not challenging enough, or the city simply sucks! The indications are clear and straight. Time for a change. But how many of us have the courage and wisdom to accept what we are feeling and move on? My guess is quite few. We have become so habituated to our routine life that a mere thought of change sends shivers down our spines. We have got used to what is called the “Comfort Zone”. We get stuck in a relationship inspite of knowing the fact that it is giving us no happiness whatsoever, but we are afraid to move on, even if we move on the baggage is still there with us which affects our future relationships with others. We castigate our luck when change occurs without realizing a simple fact that change brings in with it seeds of a better tomorrow. We cry over so many things which we don’t have control over; only to laugh over same thing after some years that how could we behave in such a puerile manner.

Remember one thing; life is a journey in which change is inevitable. We cry when we lose our loved ones, we cry when our relationship goes awry, but do we realize that everyday some or the other changes are happening around us. We have bought nothing to this world and won’t take anything with us when we die. Do we mourn when we cut our hair, do we mourn when we cut our nails, do we mourn when certain cells in our body die. We don’t, because we know that new hair will grow, nails will grow again and new cells will be there. We cannot be a teenager throughout our life. Childhood gives way to youth, youth gives way to middle age and finally middle age gives way to old age and finally inexorable death finds everyone sooner or later. Change is necessary for a better tomorrow. Without change life becomes banal.

So tomorrow when you are stuck in a bad relationship or a job which is making you feel sick, remember you don’t loose anything or anyone because you don’t own anyone, because what thing is yours today was someone’ else’s yesterday and will be someone’s else’s tomorrow. So just move on and come out of that comfort zone because the future is waiting for you to accept you with open arms. So get started, keep rolling, because time does not wait for anyone and no matter what the “show” must go on.

To be or not to be: The perpetual dilemma of human life

Everyday when we get up in the morning , we have plethora of choices in front of us, the first being whether we want to get up from the bed or not. We have choices whether we should do a particular thing or not, life always gives us a choice-To be or not to be, the decision is completely ours. To have courage or remain in comfort zone, to be happy or sad etc. We all know smoking cigarette is deleterious to health but people still smoke , again it is their choice to be healthy or not to be. Many times people take wrong decisions and repent, again they had a choice and more over taking decision is in our hand. Sometimes we get stuck up in a bad relationship only to realize later that it was a wrong decision.
We all make mistakes, but the important thing is to learn from it and not repeat it. We all need to be cognizant of whatever decisions we take in our life. Impetuous decisions only make us suffer later. Actions are corollary to what we think. So more positive we think , better will be our actions. It is very easy to get into comfort zone and take decisions which don’t require much courage. So guys next time when you are faced with a tough choice to make, remember 1 thing, take the road which is less travelled , because there will be less traffic and though u may struggle initially but eventually success will be yours because it takes courage to be different . And remember you have a choice-“To Be or not to Be”

Laughter is the best medicine

When was the last time u laughed heartily?? or cracked up a joke that people still remember and laugh?? Sounds difficult to remember, isn't it? it is actually difficult to recollect when we actually laughed till our wits end. We have become so used to cribbing and taking stress that we have forgottten to smile and laugh. We are always in a hurry, right from the beginning of the day, from brushing our teeth, to having our breakfast, to catch the local train, work n rushing back home that we have no time to relax. We have started taking life far too seriously and in the bargain we have become dull and despondent, our hair is getting white by the day and because of that business of hair dyers are flourshing. So people relax, dont grip life so tightly. We need to take life as it comes rather than worrying about future or remembering the past. Joke around sometimes and you will realize that life is pretty simple and not as complex as it made out to be. People with good sense of humour are always wanted because they lit up the room even when the situation is tense and their enthusiasm is very infectious and it rubs onto you. The best amongst among us dont take themselves too seriously but do their best and leave the rest to Almighty. We must never lose our sense of humor. One loses everything when one loses one’s sense of humor. Nothing’s really sacred than a sense of humor. So the next time ur stressed out, or ur boss has given u a real dressing down or ur parents are giving u “Sound” advice and u feel like running away, just crack up some witty comments on them or smile but dont allow that stress to get better of u, because life was never meant to be an ordeal, it was meant to be a joy.
P.S. I myself was a victim of stress and now I have realized its no point taking things to ur heart...

To Hell and Back and How

So after a month of hibernation, Iam back to my blogspace.Well the past 1 month was an eventful month for me. Getting hospitalized for the first time in 23 years of my life was an experience which I wont forget soon. Malaria got relapsed and matter was exacerbated by the fact that my blood count went low and internal bleeding started. It was nothing short of a nightmare. As it was an exigency case I had to get hospitalized. The entire hospital envoirnment made me feel despodent and the matter was made worse by the fact that sanitation out there was simply pathetic. I was hospitalized for 3 days and had to take 10 injections everyday for speedy recovery. My parents had flown down to nagpur and after spending 3 days in hospital I was then taken to hotel as I had become extremely weak and spent the next 3 days with my parents. I missed the entire week of my college, and with mid term exams which were coming up I knew I had my back against the wall.
The 3 days in the hospital made me realized that Health is truly a Wealth, and that there were so many people out there who were suffering much more than me. I did realize a fact that Iam truly blessed and I didnt had to suffer much, specially after looking at the amount of pain and trauma people were undergoing in that hospital. This incident has made me a bit more cautious about my health, and it was truly a hell of a experience which I dont want to repeat again. I hope someone up there in the sky is listening to me.

The return of my salad days: Life starts at IMT Nagpur

It is said that moments make memories and some memories do live with you for the rest of your life. My first day at IMT will be one such day that will remain etched in my memory for the rest of my life. When I left Mumbai for the first time in 23 years, my heart was filled with mixed emotions, leaving behind your family, friends, and going into unknown place, out of the comfort zone. I was cognizant of the fact that IMT N is a new college but I also knew it had a strong brand name attached to it. When I entered the college gate I was struck with awe and admiration for the infrastructure it had in place. I heard the chirping of birds as if they were they were telling me “ Jay welcome to this new world. Hope you have a wonderful 2 year stay at IMT”.
Then as the day passed and I started to settle down, I was told that a “healthy interaction” will take place between seniors and juniors, well I just discovered another meaning of ragging. We were given certain instructions that we had to follow or else face serious consequences. Well for some strange reasons I was pretty ebullient of this entire thing. After having worked for 2 years in corporate world and being back to college life, ragging did appear a puerile activity but I wanted to see how it goes. With all earnest the “healthy interaction” began and to be honest some activities were preposterous to say the least. The juniors were scared to hell and seniors enjoyed every bit of it. But at the end of the day it was fun.
Lectures started and all of us were bubbling with loads of enthusiasm and just getting back to my books makes me really feel that my salad days are back. Assignments, projects, case studies phew!! and the list just keeps on increasing. So here it is a brief summary of my first few days at IMT N. I really hope I can collect as many sweet memories as I can from the 2 year stay I will be having here, so that 20 years down the line when I will be sitting in my balcony with my wife and kids, I will be telling them that these were the “BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE”.

I miss U all!!

Sometimes things happen so fast that you don’t have time to ponder as to what has happened. Leaving home for the first time in 23 years and staying away from parents and friends whom you took for granted right throughout these years, I now realize what I am actually missing. Life has taken a complete turn around, just last week I was wondering where I am heading in my career and here I am at IMT pursuing my MBA in finance. Just reliving those final days in Mumbai where I wont be going for another 2 years made me realize how much I am going to miss this city and its people. I am going to miss all my friends whom I spend so much time be it in office or anywhere else, the bitching we did, the comments we passed, talks about the future and cribbing about the present, the lanes I took to reach my office, the lanes which took me to my home, the buses I took for commuting, the night life, the fast life of the city. There are so many things which I am going to miss that 1 blog wont be enough. Change is really the only constant thing in life and the sooner 1 accepts it the better. I really don’t know what more should I write because right now Iam at complete loss of words. So here I take this opportunity to say a big thanks to all the people, my parents, people from my office, people from my community, my close pals, who have made a big difference to my life and helped me to reach where I am today. No matter how good this place will be, no matter how good friends i will be making here, one thing is for certain, Guys I am really missing you all big time!!!!.

Work-Life balance

This blog is dedicated to all those souls who suffer from compulsive disorder of over working. Well in today’s world of rat race everyone is working so hard that they sometimes forget they have a family life. Money power, position is all they have in mind, well we all do isn’t it?? We work so hard throughout the day, that by the time night comes we have no time for our family. We are ebullient in the morning and equally lethargic in the night. Office issues are bought home and sometimes because of this we start treating our own family members with utter disdain for no fault of theirs. No man on his death-bed ever said "I wish I'd spent more time in the office." Watching your child grow up, spending time with loved ones, being there at those special moments in other people's lives - all these can probably give you as much joy as a deal clinched or a market share point gained. 20 years down the line when you will be sitting in your balcony on a beautiful evening, u will remember those fights you had with your friends, the laughter you shared with them, your first kiss, your marriage day, the joy you had when you became a father/mother, and not the obnoxious comments your boss use to give you throughout the day.
"What would you do differently if you knew you had only six months to live?" We could all probably answer that one quite easily (spend more time with the family, play with the kids, take off on that vacation to the hills, write that book...). Alas, none of us really knows when precisely we have only six months to go. So guys promise yourself one thing that you will balance your life in a such a manner that your family and close friends are not neglected one bit. Remember you can change your job upteen times but not your parents because of whom you are here!!!! So go ahead and start spending time with your family and friends and enjoy the magic called LIFE!!!

Life and times at 2nd floor south tower east wing

It is said that change is only constant thing in life and that reality bites hard. When my group left the department I realized these emotions. We were group of 8 people and all boys or should I put men, and I was the youngest among them. Our daily routine involved drinking tea at 10am, going for lunch at 12:30 pm, going for snacks at 5 pm and yes we found time to work also. The fun and frolic we had was unmatched and our group was the soul of our department. It was the most affable group where none of the member had an attitude. Today when I look back at those 2 years I only smile but somewhere down the line there is a sense of grief too. It is hard to accept that Iam alone now in my cubicle and when I turn around to see who all are there I find nothing but empty seats. I am going to miss all those preposterous talks, the puerile comments and yes being the youngest I got far more attention than I desired but I am not complaining, copious advice from everyone as to how handle boss and my career. I am also going to miss how we pulled each other’s leg all the time, the feedback session and yes the drinking session which use to be convivial gathering of sorts and the bitching session we had everyday without fail. We shared our sorrows, our angst, our laughter and today I don’t have any one to share anything, seats have become empty, life is there but soul is missing, I need to move on in life and so are my other colleagues. No one knows how our life is going to shape up, some of us may move to different company, someone will head to some or the other department, some may go abroad but one thing is for sure we will always think of these 2 years as the most memorable times of our life. The ruckus is missing, the chirpiness is missing, the bitching is missing and life too is missing and now life will never be the same again at second floor south tower east wing.

P.S. South tower second floor east wing is the place where I sit in my company.

Moral Police: The founders of Banana Republic!!!

Meet the new Gods of 21st century....give them a round of applause and a standing ovation for they are the ones who are deciding whether we should celebrate valentine day,what we should wear, which channels we should watch and what not. Are these people some reincarnation of some saints of 17th century?? but one thing is for sure they have opinions on anything and everything. They are the Indian talibans, FTV was banned, why, because it is anti Indian to view such cheap channel where models are showing off too much, they tried to ban AXN because of too much violence...and yes the real police how can I forget them, banning couples from getting cozy because again it is anti Indian to do so, sex education is being banned in schools because the book on sex potrays explicit contents which is harmful for kids....gosh...lets get real guys....we are nothing but bunch of hypocrites...we are sex starved nation hence the most populous country on this earth after china....aids is spreading like fire and we want to ban sex education...every second day some violence breaks out in our country but we will ban Axn for violence, which is so preposterous. The so called moral policemen will register cases on films which shows some smooches(remember Dhoom2 and now Richard Gere and Shilpa Shetty saga) and courts are one step ahead they will summon them to court but there are other 1 lakh cases pending and nothing will happen to them. But you know what, ogling at women, trying to touch them in crowded places, itching genitals and urinating in public is what makes U an Indian, the whole world is a toilet for Indian men. Also asking for dowry, raping women in broad day light is what makes one an Indian, but courts will show alacrity in registering petty cases of obscenity and kisses and our so called moral police will approve that but they wont raise their voice over corruption, over poverty, over injustice that is being meted out to so many people and the list goes on. These talibans complain that west is defaming our culture, is our culture so weak that it will get ruined by these petty incidents?? Do you guys follow any culture?? God if you’re listening to me please give these jerks salvation once they die, we don’t want these people to be reincarnated again!!!!.

Woh lamhe: Some memories live forever.......

There comes a time in everyone's life when u experience some unforgettable moments, which leave an indelible mark on ur psyche. Its also v rare to find people and gel with them so fast that u start to believe u knew them for years! I met such people on my trip to pune. My trip to pune was divided into 2 parts of 3 days each, the first one where I introspected myself as in where I am going in life and the other part was a training on managerial effectiveness which was complete fun. We were 18 of us but we made a group of 4 which included 2 guys(jb and ka) and 2 guls(pk and kk) and the rapport that got built among us was simply unbelievable. Right from day 1 we started having fun, we played cards, we danced, went out for dinner, slept only for the sake of it and between all this we found time for training also. I found both the guls of exceptional perspicacity, which is very incongruous...., Ka's sense of humour rather puerile but acceptable and of course my own mood swings which will put any woman to shame(pun intended)...the best part was we enjoyed more than the previous day....i cant forget the innocent 1 liners from kk, which made us laugh till our wits end, pk's expressions and her talent for massaging, ka's propensity for pj's, my health which detoriated for some minutes and pk's concern for it...i never asked her but she voluntarily helped me, the dance we did at 2am on bhidi jaliyle, yes I finally danced...and yes our desire to dance in a disco remained a desire....and 5 of us returning back to our hotel in 1 autorickshaw..phew. Then the final day of our training came and I dont know somehow i felt iam going to miss something big time, I realized the time to say good bye had indeed arrived. No body showed emotions but our hearts had become heavy and I realized all good things have to end and this too had to end,we had to part ways, I don’t what is in store for us,i dont know where our lives will take each one of us,I dont know 5 years down the line where we will be, I don’t know how many times we are going to meet again, but 1 thing I know for sure that we have become friends for life and we will be there for each other whenever need arises. And yes those moments we shared together have become memories and will live with us forever because memories make a journey called LIFE!!!!!!

Humility: A timeless virtue

”Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance” so goes a saying. What makes humility so desirable is the marvelous thing it does to us; it makes us feel closer to God. Humility is one virtue which separates a good human being from a great human being. It is very easy to feel on top of the world when the going is good. But how many of us have it in us to remain rooted to the earth when the times are good. Just some weeks back there was a photo of Narayan Murthy sitting on footpath of his Mysore campus waiting for the President to arrive. That picture spoke so many things about the man, about his humility. Truly inspiring. We need to remember one thing that when we are climbing the steps to glory we need to show humility towards people who are not as fortunate as we are because when we start coming down we will meet the same people whom we had met while we were going up. If you want to become truly great you have to stand with the people and not above them. That is a mark of a truly humble and a great person. Pride only makes us artificial because both success and failures are ephemeral and are nothing but mere illusion but it is the humility which makes us real. You will be immortalized in the eyes of the people because of this noble virtue. So the next time when you feel on top of the world, success is kissing your feet, dont fly, dont feel proud, just be rooted and just be humble and the world will be yours forever.

Australia: Mortals or Martians??

Let us summon the FBI, or Interpol or for that matter hire some top detective agency, man I want to know what is the secret behind their ruthless form and why other teams look like amateurs in front of them. Are these people from some other planet or they are also normal mortals who breath in oxygen and breath out carbon dioxide...let FBI do that investigation The other teams will require powers of Jadu(ala Koi mil gaya) then it will be an even contest i.e martians vs martians, else same story will continue to repeat..Ok on a serious note no team even came close to beat them,in 2003 at least England and New Zealand came close(remember Bond took 6 wickets!!) but in this WC they won always by a margin of 50 runs or more or 5 wickets or less…..Glen mcgrath and company did not even batted once…..and in every match the same old story was repeated…and yes their average age was 32 years whovever said that that it was a dad's army..doesnt matter any more…bottomline they were simply the best. Gilchrist wooaha I just don't have adjectives to describe him, his halcyon years are behind him but he batted like a 18 year old, fearless and ruthless…..Thank God India lost in first round and did not reach the finals else some more window panes would have been broken and media anyways they have nothing to do, whole day India's debacle would have been dissected on every news channel….Neways my hearty congratulations to this team. May u start losing matches may your bowlers and batsmen get loose motions in next world cup final which u guys are neways going to play.

P.S. If u want to beat this team in next WC in India please mix some spice in their food…at least we will hope that they wont be in a position to play and by default other teams will win….till then FBI its all yours please start investigations….

Count your Blessings: A sure way to live longer

“I cursed the fact I had no shoes until i met a man who had no feet." So goes a persian proverb. Do we realize that how much blessed we are? We berate ourselves for not owning a car, a big house, a good looking spouse, not enough money, not enough salt in the food so on and so forth. But do we realize that there are millions of people still without home, countless number of couples separated through divorce or death and their kids getting affected, millions of people not having good health, millions still starving to death. It is a human nature to curse for things we don't possess until we have lost it all, but we need to realize that a rich person is not one who has most, but the one who needs the least, easier said than done, but not impossible. Every day we hear news of children dying of malnutrition, being sexually abused, Aids virus killing more people than terrorism, India being one of the haven for aids, farmers committing suicide, and what we do, we berate the long traffic signals, we get depressed when sensex falls, we waste time on jealousy and the list of dissatisfaction just becomes bigger by the day. Instead we should thank God for giving us this wonderful life, a proper body with no deformations, parents who take care of us all the time and allowing us to live this day without any fuss or fear to experience another day in this beautiful world. So the next time when you want to complain for not having a big house or not having a beautiful spouse or tasteless food just put yourself in shoes of the person who lives on road or of a widower/widow or a divorce or that of a hungry human being and you will realize the difference. Celebrate the blessings you have and you will realize how fortunate you are.
P.S.- Even I am one of those mortal who sometimes complains for petty things but I am making a sincere effort to overlook them and count my blessings instead. And trust me it is working. It has helped to change my outlook towards lot of things in this life.

Media's Day Out(20 April 2007)

Take a bow!! Indian media has once again done us proud by showing news that is out of the world in the literal sense and simply mind blowing again literally. By showcasing Abhi-Ash wedding saga for the entire day on 20 april 2007 they have once again proved that the days of responsible journalism is a thing of past. What relevance this news has to a common man? The height of absurdity and irresponsibility just goes on increasing with each passing day. Were they even invited for the wedding??These guys can do anything to get their TRP's soaring.What did the bride and bridegroom wear, what jewellary was worn by bridegroom, who all came, who all were not invited the Jhanavi kapoor saga which was totally out of the blue and given unnecessary footage and so on and so forth....This is insanity at its very best. The next day all daily newspapers carried this story as their headlines. Does this story deserves so much attention??Couldnt it be put on 3rd or 5th page?? Every news has become a breaking news for the channels...from sneezing of the Prime Minister to the breakup of an actor with his/her girlfriend/boyfriend. Can we call this as responsible journalism?The media is hell bent that they will not show or print anything which is of relevance. The media should realize that they have power to influence people, that they can change the course of history. Today every news channel has become a mirror image of another. If any media person is reading this blog I would request you to please get real and give news which will be helpful and informative to anyone and everyone. Jago mediawale Jago(Ahem for a good purpose).....

P.S. I have nothing against the media but the irresponsibility that they are showing just drives me crazy....(Crazy Kiya Re)

Why Blogging??

Phew ...Blame it on months of rigorous prep of GD/Pi for B schools where I had to prepare for Questions like WHY Mba, WHY finance??, WHY XYZ school?? well Iam still Possessed by such kind of questions and now WHY blogs?? I have discovered a hidden talent of mine, guess it wasn't that hidden for my school buddy KJ, who suggested that I should write my thoughts down and i do realize writing helps me to vent out my anger and frustration for things/topics I strongly feel about rather than breaking people's head or even worst breaking window panes(ahem I need yoga classes to reduce my anger). Well i really dont know how my blogs will shape up but iam sure they will evoke some kind of emotions or reactions....I hope my grammar will improve or else I will keep on blogging...