Past 3 weeks…

The last 3 weeks, I must say has been pretty exciting - Exciting because it was a period of confusion, of serious thought indulgence, lots of human insights, emotions crossing all paths.  Not that all these are seldom for me, but this time - there was clarity after all the chaos that had happened.

2 major incidences, which literally took me by a shock -

• Diagnosis of cancer for my very close associate. There has been much noise about cancer cure, but ideally there isn't any till now (atleast for those in the later stage).  Though my association with this friend of mine is around 7 yrs old, we had developed a lot of closeness, and mutual respect for each other. Infact, it is this association which showed a novice engineering student, the real business world for the first-time.   Today, when I look back, those memories are still so alive - the moments when we fought for all the silly reasons, the time when she took me to a paani-puri shop, and made me understand that I had just lost a few thousands, and the days when she guided me about the various people - how politics play around, and how being selfish is not a crime, but necessity. I did later realize that I wasn’t made for such an environment, and kept myself away. But we never lost touch.  When I first got to hear this news, I mocked at her (just preparing myself to face the unwarranted truth), until she uttered a shrill cry. For the first time, she told - "Shravan, please pray for me".

• 2 weeks back, when I was in Chennai, I got a call from one of my school friends, that her marriage is fixed. I casually congratulated her. First few questions in my mind - So what…?? Why is she telling me..?? Should I dance in her marriage…?? After 2-3 min of senseless chit-chatting, she asked me - "Are you happy with this marriage?" and this would be the last question which I would expect from her.

These 2 incidences brings out one main thing about females - They are damn bold, I must say. Its just amazing they face situations, the way they get things out of everything. I actually didn’t know how to react in both the situations. In the first-one, she knew very clearly, where she was heading, and what best can be done at that stage. In the second one, she was sassy. I could never imagine myself, asking such a question, in such situation. It was sheer silence, for the first 10 seconds after she asked that question. Later, I skirted the question, by asking more about the groom n stuff. She got the answer.

These are the trying times for me. I only hope I don’t lose much in coming weeks. 

Of tears n travel..

2 days back, my friend from my previous company, called me up and told that he had finally received the UK visa, and he would be travelling next week. He asked to me to accompany me for shopping, as he was not familiar with the stuff to carry and other overseas travel  nuances. I met him on the next evening and took him for some shoes, and casuals shopping (though I, myself hardly shop).

During dinner, he shared how his parents almost instantly had tears in their eyes, when they heard that he was going abroad. Apparently, he was the first person to go abroad in this whole family. His father being a police head-constable, and mother being a house-wife, I could realize the hardship they would have gone though. With the death of other two children, there couldn’t have been better news  for those parents. Isn't it amazing that there is so much happiness in every thing, it is just relative to what you have and what you aspire to have?

Lets stop being emotional, for sometime.  Now what is so special in my friend, that he is travelling abroad? What is his achievement that he is going abroad? Is he really worth all these comforts and travel? These questions were continuously ringing in my head, all through the night.

Eventually, if we go few decades back to our parent's generation, foreign travel was primarily considered for esoteric people, and for a handful of wealthy guys. But today, foreign travel has been eased out so much, that almost anyone and every one in IT industry goes out.  That’s the magic which this industry has created. It made a common man, an extraordinary one.  This is probably, the biggest contribution, which IT industry has provided to our Indian community.

Today, I also found that only 3% of the world's outsourcing comes to Indian players. I cant imagine the impact, if outsourcing to Indian players increases by even 1 more percent. Not far away, that we would not be exporting HR, but importing them.. !!!

Of Thank you's and Sorry's

If there is one significant observation that I need to make in my MBA is this - The number of times I might have told Thank you and Sorry would exceed more than what I would have uttered those pre-MBA. I haven't been so comfortable in uttering these words as frequently as people usually do.

Recently, I had been to Davangere, a small but considerably developed town in the central part of Karnataka. There, I got an opportunity to meet this watchman who was taking care of our car for almost a fortnight . He might be around 70 yrs of age. I was so impressed by the way he had covered the car and the way he had cared for that vehicle ( I am sure, if it was Bangalore - people would even smell, unless u motivate them with money). After removing the car from the garage, I stopped so that I could pay him some money for taking care - he came running to me and I said Tumba Thanks (Thanks a lot). I pulled out my purse to give him some cash, instantly, he joined his hands together, and said - he took care of the car, not because he would get some money, but for the respect he had for my dad. I was literally taken aback by this incidence.  All through my journey from Davangere to Bangalore, I have been thinking, that something different happened here. I later realized that we both had mutually thanked each other.

Immediately I realized what MBA had done to me - I have been used to saying these works more often than not.  I am not sure, if I need to be happy for that. I have known people in MBA, who utter these words so casually, that they hardly end their conversations without one of these. I also realize that these  developments have been based on the strong influences by the western culture - Nothing wrong unless you are truthful to what you say.

When we say thank you, it means - that I am grateful for whatever you have done, and I would make a honest attempt to respect you for that. When we say sorry, it means - that it actually pains me that I have done this to you, and I promise I would make a sincere attempt not to repeat it.

How many of us have felt pain, when we stamp other's foot??

Good Night!!