My First Job - Nostalgia - 6 - Final Military Experience

Well before I close these chapters, I need to say about my second and final project, lets say - Military project (just that I don't want to get into any trouble by letting out the name).


I have a lot to say about this project, hence let me put across those in the point format (this is one my favorite way of putting down issues). Below were the things I learnt in this project - 

• Technically - I was supposed to excel in this field - being from a technical practice.
• Time management
• Value of doing things right the very first time - the amount of time, it would save. ( It doesn't mean I did every thing right the first time.. but I learnt the value)
• Working under pressure - This was not new to me, but here I got a better outlook towards handling things efficiently.
• Looking at things from a business perspective, working from the customer point of view.
• How can a simple task be complicated and finally buy time to solve the complexity.
• Working smart v/s Working hard.
• Putting up a tough stance, when you are sure that it is in the welfare of the project, irrespective of the person - Live the gut feeling.
• Convince yourself, before convincing others.

Having said all these, this project literally took my innocence away I had before, and matured me to handle tough situations. This was one project, where everyone (from top to the bottom of hierarchy) was a product of situation and most of them were understandably helpless. If there were anyone who could do something, they were the developers - hats off to their spirits. 

At a personal level, everything in this project has been a learning experience, starting from time when my manager used to call me to find out where I was, without realizing that I was standing just behind him, till the time when people appreciated good work. I have always tried to make work merrier and enjoyable. I take pride in most of the things I have tried to achieve.

In spite of all the tough aspects, there was no loss of fun here too. Frankly, this project was a kind of Tamilian's society - almost everyone conversed in Tamil and I was dumb initially but slowly started to understand and also speak some Tamil- though very bad. I have lost count of the times I have tried to pull Raji's leg. The vice-versa is also true. The number of Cadbury's Temptations that Raji owes me is infinite. The mimicking of Nandini had been a challenge to many, but I succeeded. Our pizza boy also gave considerable entertainment during night-outs and so on. The time when Sampath and myself tried to write an Ext JS code by just doing copy-paste, and later on realized that nothing works, the days when our boys gang were complaining for lack of inspiration with-in the project and were forced to search outside - all added to the fun quotient. Innumerable fun moments with Balaji, Sai, Muzzamil, Jerome, Sandhosh, Nandini, Ameena, Sampath, Dhivia, Saranya, Swagath, MM, Ravi, Vinod.. so on and so forth (Nobody is intentionally left out - Thanks to my bad memory) are all to be cherished. Our project trip was one big bang event - all thanks to the team spirit.


The patience of Arun, the discussions with Bagewadi, arguments with BA's, toughness of Raghavan, tracking by Shakeel and Gnana, fun-attitude of Arvind, and off-course the memorable mails from all the higher-ups (both appreciation and tracking) made this project experience an unforgettable one.