Cricket World Cup 2011: What it means to India?

Alright..... since now we have won and the celebrations have (just) started, the Indian Team Fan can stop bleeding blue a bit now (until the next ODI). We are now number ONE in all formats: T20, ODI and Test Cricket.

All I can say now is: Savor the moment !!! This is a moment that a generation will be proud of (and will 'Like' any FB page saying 'I was alive when....'). A moment that we all were dying for. A moment that is inexpressible !!!

This is Team India for you. A team that was fighting to get the right formation of team members, find its form, and above all win its fans' belief. Self-doubt was always a problem. Will our bowling work or not? What if Sehwag & Sachin don't fire? But what mattered most, in Dhoni's words was, "....gaining the right momentum at the right time". Sachin's dream has finally come true. "It's never too late" said the elated Little Master. 4 players from this country have played 2 World Cup Finals: Sehwag, Sachin, Zaheer and Harbhajan. They faltered in 2003. 2011 wasn't supposed to be a re-telecast.

We Indians have the habit of losing-it-all when it matters the most. This victory gives us a sense of self-belief (as Dhoni had when he came at No. 4) and know what it takes to bring the change. In any game, factors like team work, support from the staff, a brilliant Coach (thanks Gary) etc. - are crucial. This team was not an exception. What we can learn from this dream run are lessons that might become the next MBA classroom discussions. Giving your 100% (Every Men in Blue did it), taking risks (Dhoni), never back down (Yuvraj) - there are plenty of examples now.

The party has just begin for us, and so the gifts and awards for Team India. All we can do now is watch this video which depicts the proudest moment of 1.21 billion people.

                                                            

P.S: I couldn't celebrate much as I was alone in my flat in Mumbai. Missed friends and family. And.... we won't see any more 'Doosra' from Murali now. : (

Climate Change And Politics

How climate science is dividing people on political lines?

"Action on climate change is a conspiracy to create a Communist World Government."

                                                                 - Lord Monckton, Hard-Right U.K. Independence Party Leader

One can only laugh at such a statement, given the fact that the Western World tries to act as the flag bearer of the Go-Green campaign. Rather, they should learn from Jairam Ramesh, who denied the Vedanta Project in Orissa, which had some serious environmental concerns. Mr. Ramesh could have cleared the project, gaining back the State Government (which initially approved the project) support and much more.

The situation in Australia is the most critical and deposing for Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd, after they have failed to act right on the carbon trade politics, and deferring the climate benefit policies. Australia is one of the World's worst anti-Green nation (with U.S.A ofcourse), and has been hammered a lot by floods, droughts and forest fires. With the change in the political scene, the deniers of climate change are finally accepting the facts, but only due to the political factor, and in their ideology. On the same lines, many European Governments are also facing the heat.

One of the factors of the Obama's successful presidential run was that he understood the crux behind the climate change. When Mr. Bush had already staked too many dollars in the Iraq Oil game, Obama seemed a better choice for the already recessioned Americans.

In Gujarat, Narendra Modi is being praised for running a fully functional Climate Change Deptt. - first of its kind in India. Is the Wild West hearing?

Climate change is a relatively new discovery, and thus will take some time to settle down in our belief system. But we cannot deny the fact that temperatures are rising and oceans are ready to create havoc in near future. Damn those who are denying this, just because their interests take precedence over their beliefs.

Hey, I do remember Copenhagen? :D

P.S: Please share, if you like this. : )

The TCS Story - From the beginning......

4^th March. About 3:00 PM – The day when it started.

My phone rang several times before I noticed that there are 5 missed calls from my CAT coaching centre. I called back. The conversation started:

“Hello, Sir? Is it you?”

“Yes Chinmaya. Hey…. Why don’t you attend a GD-PI tomorrow in Jaipur. The college is not so great, but still you will get the stint of GD-PIs. The fee is also less.”

“But Sir, I am not at all prepared.”

“Don’t worry. You are just practicing before you take on the real ones.”

After some persuading and morale-boosting, I agreed to attend the GD-PI.

4^th March. 5:00 PM

I was already at the bus stand, buying ticket for a journey to Jaipur. Called my Home:

“Mummy, I am coming.”

“Arre waah…… achaanak. Great !!!”

“Arreeyyy……. It’s not so great. Anyways….. prepare the dinner. My balance is low. Bye bye.”

5^th March. 10:00 AM

Sitting in the air-conditioned conference hall of 3-star Jaipur Hotel, I was feeling like a timid kid, who somehow managed to reach the hotel, doesn’t know what he is doing in a GD, and simply wants to get out. But that Rs. 500 note asked me to sit and listen the crap the others were shouting.

After four long hours, the whole process got over. Finished the formalities, and took an auto for Home.

5^th March. 5:00 PM

“Mummy, I am not feeling well.”

“You must go to Dr.Mittal immediately. See, how thin you have become. Oh my God !!! Don’t you take food in Ajmer.”

Few hours later, I was already at 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and knew that this is going to go worse.

10^th March

It felt almost like a month sitting in the bed and reading newspapers and old magazines. Pretty much sure that nothing fruitful is going on in college; I kind of started liking my stay in Jaipur.

But then, Life is not so easy, especially for engineers : P. So there came a letter about a GD-PI call of an MBA college in Ahmedabad (College is in Noida, Ahmedabad was just the centre). After a week, finally there was something to do !!!

12^th March, Evening

Failing in shifting the centre or postponing the GD-PI call, I had to leave for Ahmedabad. All the stories of my illness and my-documents-are-in-Ajmer seemed worthless on the numerous phone calls I made to the college’s admission office.

At 8:00 PM finally, the bus began its journey. The funny part of these buses is the movies they play on the LCD screens during the journey. I had to watch “Shivaji – The Boss”, starring Rajnikanth, as it was played on the maximum possible volume. As for the movie reviews, I can’t find words. God only knows what these South Indian directors want. After the crap was over, I was fast asleep.

At 2:00 AM, as my mobile vibrated, I woke up suddenly. Opened the flap and the screened showed:

6 missed calls - All from my roommate Pankaj.

1 unread message – “TCS coming . JECRC, Jaipur on 16. I will come ur home on 15. Happy journey”

Now this was like a bolt out of a clear sky kind of thing !!!! I was shocked, pleased, happy and furious at the same time. Knowing that all guys must be preparing for the recruitment process, I felt like a dumb-ass who is going to attend a GD-PI call, even when he knows that he isn’t going to convert it.

I didn’t sleep for the whole night after that.

14^th March, 10:00 AM

Time for attending the actual GD-PI call. Same process – documents check, essay writing, PI etc. One long tiring day. Came out of the centre at 4:00 PM. Screwed up everything I could.

The next evening, I took bus for going back to Jaipur again. And why shouldn’t I? After all, TCS was coming, and I am a dumb-ass.

What I learnt from my Ahmedabad experience: College campuses are much better in Gujarat than in Rajasthan.

15^th March, 8:00 PM

C, C++, DBMS, Norman Lewis, Barron’s GRE – All of them were lying on my bed. Fresh and intact. Just the way they I purchased them. Pankaj had come to my Home, and bought the books with him as I had ask him before leaving Ajmer.

I looked at the wall clock. “12 hours later I have to reach JECRC.” I thought. What the heck !!! I closed all the books and put them in the cupboard. Played NFS Most Wanted for one hour, checked my Facebook status, and went to sleep.

16^th March, 8:00 PM sharp

Looking your friends in shirt-pants and formals, who you are looking in payjamas for the past four years, feels comical. After three hours of wait, we were finally given entrance to the computer-automated aptitude test lab. Without going into much details, let me tell you the schedule:

11:00 AM – Computer based aptitude test. This was the biggest surprise !!!

3:00 PM – Technical interview. The interviewer, after 40 minutes, proved that I know nothing and I am a worthless creature on this planet.

5:00 PM – MR interview. The first question was: 82 in X, 72 in XII, 62 in engineering. Why Chinmaya?

7:00 PM – HR interview. Was like meeting an old friend and having my career path discussion. Enjoyed.

Took a bus for returning Home at 7:30 PM. Dinner and straight to sleep.

Woke up at 6 in the morning. After that, till 11:14 PM of 18^th March 2010, each second was like a lifetime.

18^th March, 11:15 PM

My phone rang, and showed ‘Anuj Khandelwal caliling…’.

My heart skipped a beat. After hearing some poor jokes, he finally told me that we (both me and Anuj) have made it. Confirmed the news with my branch’s placement coordinator.

After that, it was bliss. We know the rest. The feeling, the temple visits, the status updates etc.

“Yes, I finally made it.” I told myself at 4:00 AM, before going to sleep.

25^th March

Returned back to Ajmer. The inter-college quiz preparation began (see one of the previous post on Inter-college quiz). After 5 days, we were done. Everything went on fine.

30^th March

Gave party to my dearest friends in engineering: Amratansh (Golu), Arpit Mathur, Pankaj Kumawat, Mithlesh, Prashant Kulwal (Nawab Sahab), Keshav (Chaini), Krishan Kumar Shekhawat (Krrish), Raghvendra (Raghu bhaiya), Anuj Mehra (Bidibaaj), Deepak Sharma (Chabra), Atul Agarwal (Ganja).

15^th May

Celebrated with my fellow college mates who too were selected in TCS. 20 were present out of 25. Enjoyed. Danced. Dinner. Late night talks. Awesome !!!

Today, after posting this blog, the story will get over. I would like to thank the Almighty, my Family, all of my friends who supported me, and at last the technical interviewer (I still don't know what was on his mind).

Thanks for reading. I am at peace (and gaming) now.