Yeh Hai Delhi Meri Jaan!

Fine. Right now, am sitting on the upper berth of the Sealdah to New Delhi Rajdhani express and typing whatever comes to my mind on my Vaio. Its 9:43 pm according to my laptop’s clock, and the train is supposed to reach Delhi at 10:20 am. So I have roughly, 12 and a half hours to kill. Since I rarely ever get any sleep on overnight train journeys. I could go back to playing Angry Birds[or maybe not, am already sick of that game], or maybe listen to some songs or maybe watch a movie. Well, I saw Million Dollar Baby, and that left a bitter taste in the mouth. Don’t get me wrong, the movie is fantastic, but somehow I prefer happy endings more. I guess that’s what life is about. The ups and downs.

I was at home for a week[returned home after a 4 month stint at FMS]. And I got horribly bored. Reason being not a single friend of mine was available. Am actually glad to be returning to FMS, where I am sure there will be tons of activities to do[Our Annual Fest, Fiesta is just around the corner]. I have mentally prepared a list of To-Do’s for this semester[next 4 months]. How successful I will be is yet to be seen. For the first time in my life I shall be witnessing the dreaded Delhi winter. Need to be prepared.

I think I need to renovate and market my blog. Or maybe create a new one. I feel like writing a lot, but when it actually comes to down to sitting and typing, I somehow lose interest. Not sure why. Just two days ago, I was writing a post on love and my past/present crushes, but somehow I could not muster courage to write much about it. Hence, discarded that document. Perhaps I do not want to share my personal details with others. Nevertheless, that is a thing of the past. Now on to the future[and no, I am not sure if I will get a girlfriend here or not].

Sigh, its 9:55 pm now. I feel that the Indian Railways is one of the most poorly managed industries in India. With over 14 lakh employees, and losses amounting to thousands of crores, it could do lot to improve its image. I feel that the private sector should be allowed to step in and modernize the platforms and the carriages. There is no reason why bullet trains cannot be operated in India, and why the platforms cannot be kept clean and hygienic. Anyways, enough of complains.

Am I satisfied with the beginning of an MBA? Is my life going the way I had expected it to be? I am not sure. I have surely met lots of intelligent and capable people after coming here, and have surely got opportunities I would not have otherwise got. But, somewhere, something is missing. I do not feel that corporate life is my true calling. I will try following my passion nevertheless. Right now, am excited about my role in Tata Motors[internship starts next year-April or May].

So How is Delhi like for an outsider? Being from a small town, I find it big and overcrowded. There is too much pollution and dirt, as is common in most Indian metro cities. The crime rate is high, and corruption is rampant. Nevertheless, Delhi has lot to offer. From the historical monuments to the best educational institutes in the country. I found Delhi University to be a fascinating and worthy area to be in. It has a vibrant, student friendly atmosphere. The metro is of course, one of Delhi’s USP. Fast and convenient, it’s the preferred mode of transport for many. The food may be heavy and rich, but relished by most. Almost everyone knows at least some amount of Punjabi[many are fluent]. Delhi has a sizeable population of Sikhs, and you can find one at every corner[unlike back home]. People of all religion mix together freely, and have fun.
Yet, poverty is rampant, and I have been to a few slums. The living conditions of the people is absolutely below standard, and I was simply appalled to see their condition. 8-9 people living in one small room, which has just one light bulb, and a rusted bed[made of ropes]. No television, no bathroom, no fan, not even a ventilator. The children seemed lively and kept playing their games, unaware of the misery their parents were facing. One of the people told us that some hoodlums came every month to take money from them, under the pretext of cleaning up the place[which they never did]. I wonder what the Government is doing about it. But everyone needs to play their part.




I guess I will sign off here and try to go to sleep. Lots of things to be done, books to be read, games to be played. And yeah, am really looking forward to 2 games in particular- Elders Scroll 5: Skyrim, and Batman: Arkham City. For next year, it’s going to be Mass Effect 3 and Metal Gear Solid: Rising.

See ya folks. And keep smiling.

End of the First Semester/Innings

Finally, the first semester of FMS draws to a close. Like everyone else, I too had my own share of ups and downs, but mostly ups, as FMS was a welcome change in my otherwise dull/boring life.

I made quite a few good friends, got to interact with the best brains in India, and top Industry personnel including Management Executives of premier organizations. Also interacted with many experienced people in the various FMS events, seminars, Annual Conclave, guest lectures and company presentations.

As for the studies part, well I did not do much in it. Just attended classes, delivered presentations, assignments, projects, and the usual stuff. To be frank, I hardly studied much, just revised somehow before the exams and hoping to pass in the 8 subjects. I did understand, however, that I suck in Finance and Economics[I messed up both those exams]. Am not really that good in Maths either.

I have finalized upon my specialization, and as many of you may be knowing, it is HR. I was interested in HR even before I joined FMS, and will stick to my earlier decision. I was lucky to get an internship in HR and IR from Tata Motors, and am really looking forward to my project[which the HR manager said would be very challenging].

The past 4 months have been eventful, and I have learned a lot. Be it from seniors, the faculty, industry people, or my own batchmates, there is always something new to be learned. Life in FMS is hectic, contrary to what many people believe. I barely slept for 2-3 hours daily[during the initial stages]. Slowly getting used to this new lifestyle.

Have loads of things planned out in the next semester. I have made it to the HR & OB society of FMS, and hopefully will be involved in some exciting events, with an atmosphere full of fun and learning.

Really happy for Doc[Shashank]and Neha who got placed in TAS. Mayank will be interning in Dabur. For a detailed report, you can go through this link:
Summer Placements 2011

Next up, the FMS Fest: Fiesta.

And some masti in DU and other parts of Delhi ;) [have to visit loads of places, and counting on the delhites for that :P ].

Take care folks. :)