Last working day - Random Thoughts !!!

Today was my last day in Motorola, the company I was working for the past 3 years. The way things have progressed over the last few months and given the fact that I was myself looking for a change, I was actually looiing forward to this day. That is before I had actually put down papers. It has been over a month now since I have put down papers. And today is the final day. For the intial few days I have to admit I was ecstatic, having finally getting rid of the 'juggernaut' that our team is. But the ecstacy was ephemereal. As days passed I started feeling restless. The endless browsing & mailing sessions began to get into my nerves. Finally I realized. Office is a place to work. So unless u r doing that u cannot be comfortable for long. And then as days progressed a feeling of nostalgia overcame me. I think it was partially because a sort of disassociation team members started to creep in. Now many people may have reasons to think that I was not that involved with the team. But as far as I am concerned I always had my heart in the team. I related well with the folks here especially my peers & juniors. There was a camaraderie and bonhomie which I shared. I started to miss those times. I always put up a face showing that I am a happy person now that I was out of the 'grill'. Others actually started believing so. But that wasnt meant to be. Two years is a long time to develop a sort of bonding unconsciously. You do not realize it as long as u r a part of that. But once u step out u begin to realize it. Human mind cannot accept change graciosly. Even if the change is percepted to be for good. There are strings which tend to pull u back , questions that come to your mind, thougts which bog u down. I think thats only human. An having realized that we put up a brave face go through the 'passing phase' like a 'spirit' shutting ur mind off from the 'present' and gaze only at the future. We start believing in the 'cliche' which says ' whatever happens is for good'. Although the present state of things does not allow ur mind to prepare for the change tht future holds for u, u just become a mute spectator. U neither protest not make n effort to undo the change that is gonna happen. You just let it happen and pray sincerely that the change is for the best of all of us.

The MBA Entrance Puzzle !!!

An information to start with. I have written and failed to clear CAT for three consecutive years. But I did manage to get admission into XLRI. I believe that should be reason enough for u to read ahead further. What is it abt MBA Entrance Exams in India that I want to talk abt ?? Especially so when it has been discussed and debated in numerous MBA forums & Blogs ? (to understand what I am talking abt visit www.pagalguy.com!!). Well nothing new. I just want to narrate my experience and take on this whole thing. Going by the reactions of people who have failed as well as cleared to scale it, I can say with much conviction that it continues to remain a mystery. I mean what does it take to bell the CAT( or XAT or MAT as the case may be !!) ? Is it only abt hard work ? Is it abt brains ?? Is is abt luck? Is it abt really having managerial potential which gets reflected in the entrance results ? Just to shed some more light on the 'brains' thing. There are always some nerd who comes up with a score which is more than the average number of questions attempts in any mock/non-mock CAT/XAT exams. So for them the puzzle is not a puzzle at all. But I address the average junta who also writes, struggles in and hopes to clear such exams.

Is it only abt HardWork ? -
First things first. We cannot qualify 'hard' in hard work with a proper metrics. Consider this. A working profession who spends 10hrs a day slogging in office, even able to put in 2hrs of unadulterated effort for preparation is hard work. Wheres for a final year college grad or some one sitting out after graduation being able to put even 8hrs of daily effort is plausible ? Since people from both backgrounds find the exams equally tough & intriguing explains that its not simlpy abt effort ones put in. Some might argue abt 'qaulity' effort. But 'quality of effort' again is a subjective term and so I wont deliberate much on this.

Is it abt brains ? -
I know many people do not think so. But I personally think to some extent it is. Anybody who has seen the Quant or Logic questions would agree when I say that a guy who has topics like algebra,probability/p&c/geometry in their finger tips & has a knack for solving logical question will sail thrugh easily pratise or no practise. But then generally not the case. Some people are comfortable with some topics some not. So for them it boils down to practise to get familiar with the patter of questions that r normally asked (and popularised by coaching insti) and if possible master some quick calculation techniques (it might come handy u never know they retort when asked).

Is it abt practise ONLY ?? -
This is most popular belief amond wannabe MBAs. Practise and only practise can see u through. Forget brains & funda, if u can attempt a paper a day along with analysis & re-analysis then u r almost there. But then as most of us aware, that every year the entrance paper throws in fresh 'pattern' thereby rendering all ur expertise gained by practise obsolete. Even the RC nd English sections also can bewilder u with their variety & ingenuity. That is probabaly the reason that students find it so difficult to maintain their ranks in the series mock exams (the variations r as wide as the 'black hole' !!). Some surprsingly are consistent n they r the ones who really make it ultimately. Now who r those and how do they manage to be consistent continues to befuddle both them n us.

So then is it only abt luck/destiny ?
Now that we have seen that neither decent brains or rigorous practise can guarantee ur success in the MBA entrances, does it mean that destiny or luck has got to play a role. Many does. Statments like 'I-was-destined-to-do-MBA-n-hence-got-thru' r not uncommon amongst those who finally manages to clear the exams. There are others who attribute it to luck for more 'technical' reason. They say since its abt identifying the right questions and answering it rightly. Now identifying the 'right question' is not as easy as it sounds. Not when there are 150+ questions to choose from and 2hrs clock ticking down. Thus some peple let out expressions of sighs on overlooking a series of seater questions while others r elated for being on the other side. But both invariably attribute it to luck. None on their ingenuity or mastery acquired thru practise.


So the mystery is still on. I have tried many times to come with a solution which is actually a combination of all the above factors. But till now I have not been able to convince myself with it.The day I do that I will publish it. Till then let the enigma entwine u & me.

The philosophy of Eating Out !!

A recent study by a well-known national weekly magazine shows that more & more Indians are splurging on food. Indians seems to be on a eating spree! This luxury of eating out is not the preserver of the upwardly mobile any longer. The great Indian middle class has taken to this habit. And boy they have taken to it real big. This is no doubt a healthy sign for Indian economy coz it reflects the increased spending power of the Indian middle class consumer. But the economic implications of the gourmet habits of people are the last thing I want to discuss here. Instead I will try to analyze the 'philosophy' (for want of a better word) behind this habit. Well I mean satisfying ones hunger is of course there!! But I am sure hunger pangs r not the only driving force behind this increase urge in people to throng restaurants & eating joints. There are other 'add-ons' that people derive out of this culinary-venture. To understand this lets look at what r the ‘paraphernalia’ associated with this habit. First and foremost according to me is a place with right the ambience. For some this has taken precedence over the other primary requirement of ‘good food’. Believe me, the neighborhood auntie’s dhaba serving homely food is not the place u want to eat out. That is not the type of eating out I am talking here. ‘Ambience’ encompasses whole lots of things. The place has to have the right kind of seating arrangements. The interiors must be aesthetically done. People are more are more inclined towards a ‘minimalist’ and ‘simplistic’ décor. A ‘traditional’ type of setting also is quite a hit with people nowadays. Next is good music. I understand that different people have different music palate making the task of selecting music for restaurants a tricky one.
So, one has to walk on the edge while making such selections. I suggest settling for something which may not be “universally liked” but should not be universally disliked”. Like the instrumental versions of sweet romantic music (of Bryan Adams kind) or the instrumental specialist like Kenny G. The same goes for hindi music. Soft and romantic ghazals (the ones that Jagjit Singh and Pankaj Udhas specialize in) should serve the purpose well. And if the setting is of traditional chic then nothing like golden oldies to go with it. The idea that should be kept in mind is that people will want to relax and chill. So the music should not be jarring. It should be lyrical and melodious. Also the music should be played with right decibel label. People will more often then not engage themselves in passionate conversations during such eating sessions. So they should not be found shouting to each other. Now coming to ‘conversation’, this is a very significant aspect of the whole eating out exercise. To me nothing can be more stimulating than a passionate conversation with like minded individuals. The topic can be anything (preferable non-technical!!!!) music & musicians, books &, authors, magazines & articles, arts, cinema, business, fashion, television, gossip (filmi & non-filmi !!), work place tit-bits, special personal experience, food & drinks etc. The conversation is more fruitful and enjoyable if the people you are talking to can relate to what u are talking about.
As I said to have a good conversation you need good company. A coterie of people with whom you click. A group who understands what you stand for. I am not saying that you should not have arguments during conversation. A healthy and friendly argument is what conversation is all about. But argument should not degrade into personal skirmishes or difference of opinion ‘fights’. It will than throw blanket on the whole atmosphere and take the fun out of discussions.
I believe conversation and eating out is entwined. I mean what can be more boring than eating food silently especially when u r with someone. A good conversation to go with good food in right settings is a heavenly experience. The world does not seem as cruel a place momentarily. It makes life worth living. Truly. And this exactly is the reason why weekend lunch trip is so common among people who lead busy , mechanical & at time monotonic work life. Since most such people are not so socially active (associated with a club or NGO or a local administrative body kind)!! This weekend or occasional gourmet adventure comes like a breath of fresh air. It acts like a balm & eggs people to carry on with their dreary existence.

Of Movies & Cinemas

I have to admit something first. I do not write this article with a purpose. It’s just that I am so passionate about Cinema that I had to write abt it. Btw did u notice something? I have been using the word 'Cinema' & not ‘Movie’ all the while . Did that strike u? If not then at the risk sounding rude, I would not encourage u to read further!!! . Now why do I stress on this.? The reason is that the term 'Movie' has come to be associated with the numerous commercial flicks that r being mass-produced these days without much rhyme n reason. Please note that I am not here to deride those movies. Honestly speaking I do enjoy many of those flicks. In fact some of those may actually fall into the category of 'Cinema' as I define here. I use the word 'Cinema' as the all encompassing term for the cinematic work which has been the product of a genuine effort to tell a story. The story can be of any genre fiction/non-fiction, comedy/horror, biography etc. That is not important. What is important is the manner in which the story is told. How deftly the characters have been sketched? How beautifully the era in which the story is set is brought out through the sights & sounds that appear in the work? And last and most importantly how relevant are the dialogues? The dialogues should not only be situational as it normally is. The dialogues should play a greater role in bringing out the ‘character traits’ of each and every character. Their faiths/beliefs/interests/likes/dislike etc. It should also be relevant to the times in which the story is set and hence should also throw light on the influence of the social, political & economic environment of individuals of that time. The dialogues should also help in portraying the essence of the relationship shared by the characters in the story. Now having laid a basic framework of what constitutes cinema according to my definition lets take some recent cinematic works as example and corroborate this fact. In this process I think we shall be etching out the difference between ‘movie’ & ‘cinema’ as intended, better.

Let’s start with the popular work ‘Mr. & Mrs. Iyer’. See although the work is more inclined towards being ‘commercial’ & ‘mainstream’ it still falls into category of ‘Cinema’ . The reason as I mention now is obvious. First of all see how ‘distinctly’ n ‘honestly’ the characters have been sketched. Both the main protagonists are straight out from the real society. They do not have any pretence. Also the narration is simple and free flowing. So are the dialogues. Their conversation is lyrical in nature and captures the ethos of the turbulent times that the story is set in. There were flaws also. It is bound to be there. But the work was a genuine effort in story-telling and a fairly successful one at that.

Another popular work of mainstream cinema of recent times, which wasn’t a huge commercial success but was nevertheless a product of deft cinematic mind, is ‘Finding Neverland ’ The work was not received as warmly as it should have been is because of more ‘imagination’ then required. But then we do have to give credit to it for being able to effortlessly drill into the audience the relationship between the male protagonist and the child characters. The situations used for this were at time spontaneous but the end effort was laudable coz it served its purpose. The air of romance between the lead characters was felt by the audience without a word being shared by them. That’s what brilliant direction is all about.

I think through the above two work as example I have to a certain extent made it clear what constitutes good cinema according to me. I have taken one Bollywood and one Hollywood cinema to avoid any verticals. As a student of sincere movie-making it is very important to me. Other movies which I could have discussed here are ‘The Forrest Gump’, ‘The English Patient’, ‘As Good as it Gets’, ‘Jane Eyre’ , ‘Hazaron Kwhaise Aisi’, ‘Chokher Bali’ , ‘Page 3’ etc. Another point which needs to be made clear here is that when I say serious cinema I do not necessarily mean the work of art houses. However, if we see the current trends of movie making the lines between art and commercial cinema is totally blurred. I do not want to discuss the works of Ray or Kurosawa here (although I would have loved to !!). Because I do not think I am ‘qualified’ enough to do that. It would be like biting more than one can chew’. I speak here based on my limited knowledge that I have gathered as a follower of well-acknowledged good cinematic works. Experiencing the work which is the product of genuine cinematic effort gives me pleasure. It is the same pleasure that I derive when I read a well-written book. It is something to express which I do not have words in my vocabulary. As I mentioned in the beginning this piece is without any purpose and since its going no where I better stop.

Who is a techie ??

The term 'techie' is quite in vogue now. Its the galmourized and more socially accepted version of the species they call 'geek'. Pick the ET any day n u will find space devoted to techies. From their 'soaring pay-package' to 'who-could-be-their-brides' everything is dissected & discussed. I have spent close to three years in the software(please note I use the general term 'software' rather than specific ones liks 'IT' or 'telecom' to avoid any stereotyping!! ) industry and have seen the various roles engineers play in the software industry. So the question often pops into my mind as to who is the 'techie' that the media is talking abt. I look @ myself, my colleagues n other co-workers who share the same bulding, my friends in other cos. But in none of them can I find the 'characteristics' that r normally associated with a techie ( neither do I see their salaries soaring as they r hyped to be nor r they concerned abt thier brides-to-be) So I throw open this question ?? Who is a 'techie' ?? Is there anyone who lives the life of a 'techie' ? Or is it just the figment of the medias weird imagination ? I have listed out some of the 'figures' of the industry. Do they fall into the 'techie' breed ?

1. Are all Engineers (no matter what they do !!) techies ?
2. Or only engineers who r involved in 'core technical' (if I am allowed to use this term) work eg coding/designing/debugging qualify to be a techie ?
3. What abt engineers involved in test & integration actvities ? Are they techies too ??
4. And also the technical support & administration guys ?? Should we call them a techie ?
5. How abt project leads & managers ? They r engineers no doubt but their work is anything but technical. Does the term 'techie' apply to them ??
6. Or is it anyone (engineer/non-engineer) who works in the software industry ?
7. How abt system engineers working in other( non-software !!) industries ??

Some may just shrugg their shoulders saying who gives a damn as to 'Who is a techie ??' . May be they r right. But then when I see 'techies' being loved/idolised/applauded/revered/looked-at-with-awe/somtimes hated I always tend to think should I consider my self a techie and bask in the limelight ? Even if I think my work is most mundane nd as far from technical as it can be ? Even if I am always in the look out for a job which I feel will be more technical ? A job which requires me to understand technical theories rather than understand thousands of lines of buggy code which surprisingly works ? Even if the trend of engineers moving onto do MBA for reasons they do not know ?? These r questions which need to be asked. We may not find answers to any/all of these. But in the process the world will get to know that the 'techies' that they know r not insulated from the day-to-day spasms that inflict human mind. That they too go through 'end-of-the-month-zero-bank-balance' threat like others. After we live in real world and not the media created world.