My Life...

I was watching "Bluffmaster" today... this was the second time and one dialogue by Ritesh Deshmukh got me thinking. The first time was in Amsterdam with a couple of beers and was in no mood to think. :-) He said that his father used to say "Every man should have a passion, an aim to live for".

As I was thinking about it, I realized that I never really have had an aim for myself (except chasing girls and partying hard that is!). When I entered class XI, took up science with biology coz my parents wanted me to. Then after the half-yearly exams, shifted to science with computers coz I almost flunked in Bio. Didn't get through any of the engineering entrances and was all prepared to sit at home for an year and prepare. Then this new university came up all of a sudden - Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi - and started a session in the mid-year (November 15, 1999 was the date). Got through this entrance with flying colors (rank 44). That was more so coz only the dumb-heads like me who couldn't get through any of the entrances were left to take the exam. Going forward, had all the fun in the college and never really studied. In 2002, my pre-final year, a slump came in the IT market and fellow mates starting worrying about placements. But I was as usual as cool as a cucumber. After completing my B.Tech, was again all prepared to sit at home and study for CAT. Didn't apply anywhere for a job. Didn't even give it a try. Some friend forwarded my resume to Infosys and I got a call. As the selection process, they just had 10 puzzles to crack and a stupid English test. They didn't even take an interview (2003 was the only year they didn't take interviews) :-). And hence, I was through. Since then, it has been almost three years and I have been enjoying life here. So, my journey through life till now has not really been driven by some passion or some aim but purely by luck! It's a surprising but true fact, that I have not appeared in a single job interview till date!!!

When I think of all this, I feel that all-through I have just been wandering aimlessly. Have just gone where life has taken me. HE has been caring enough towards me to make sure that inspite of being so aimless, I have fun in life. Now, for the first time in my life, I have an AIM. An aim to crack CAT this year. An aim to get through the IIM-A. Finally, I am telling myself - "It's time to get serious dude". Lots of hardwork is what lies ahead. And they say that hardwork does pay off. I hope this time next year, I will be writing a blog sitting in my dorm room at the IIM-A.... Amen!!!

Why MBA???

The title is what has been hovering in my mind since the day I entered the final year in my college. I have thought about it over and over but do not have a clear picture till date. I do take the toughest exam in the world... CAT... every year. But to me, till now it has been more of an annual festival, compulsory to attend, than really being CAT!

Last year, as I was yet again "preparing" for CAT, the same question was bothering me. I talked to my dear mom about it. I told her that the only reason that I could think of about why I want an MBA is that everyone is going for it... and it seems like a race. She said that even if thats what you think, it is fair enough... even if you take it as a race, you should go for it lest you will fall behind. Ok, I agree that this is not a satisfying enough reason to go for it but somehow encouraged me. I managed to get a call from IIM-Bangalore but then didn't happen to convert it. I would again attribute it to my lack of clarity on the title. After all, winning a race is not a good enough reason to be given to the interviewer, however encouraging it personally might be to me!!

But getting so close to it and missing it has definitely given me a boost. Initially I used to hate it. Everybody telling me that there is something better in store. Maybe I am destined to go to IIM-Ahmedabad. But it used to piss me off like anything. At times I felt like shouting out to people... "Please!! I am already pissed off enough". But then didn't. Spent a lot of days being down about this IIM-B thingie. But as I think of it now, I realize that I didn't really put in the effort to expect myself to make it. I believe that you do need to give due respect to something that you want to achieve and you do need to put in effort for it.

One more thing that makes me go for it now is the interaction I had with the IIM-B professors. I was just amazed. These guys are just next to the almighty. When they speak, you feel like listening. I am just wondering what an experience it would be to be taught by them... the best in their business!

Yet again, I am starting a journey and IIM-A is the sole destination!! Wish me luck...