How I landed at IIM Amritsar

I clearly remember the date. It was on 3 June 2019. I got a mail stating that the PGP offer list is available on the official website. My heart skipped a beat. I was wondering how is this possible? I just gave the interview in New Delhi on 29 May. It was hardly a matter of 4-5 days and results were out! Well, I wasn’t aware of the quick and efficient approach of this B-school back then. With hands trembling, I opened the website and within a few minutes, I was just jumping with excitement. Why not? I had converted the holy IIM. I informed the result soon to my mother who became emotional too. To this day, I am unable to digest the fact that I am studying in an IIM college and now applying for the Media and Public Relations Cell of IIM Amritsar. Well, it’s often said that people just notice the success, no one observes the hard work, patience, perseverance and will power required to climb the ladder to success. So let me tell you about my journey to IIM Amritsar.

Attempt 1:                                                                                              

Location- Aligarh (Hometown)         

My ‘relationship’ with CAT started way back in 2016. I was already selected in the IT giant- Tata Consultancy Services but there was a delay in my joining since the intake that year was too high and so the associates were called in batches. So, I decided to give a healthy shot at CAT. I prepared vigorously, however, destiny had different plans for me. On D-day, I screwed up the LR-DI section. Confessing honestly, I would like to admit to the fact that I was completely taken aback by the difficulty of that section. I hadn’t prepared for such a level of difficulty. As a result, I scored a mere 89 percentile that year and obviously, it wasn’t enough.

Attempt 2:               

Location-Bangalore                                                                                                   

I was working on a nice project in Bangalore in 2017 and the workload also wasn’t too much. So, I decided to give it another try to CAT. This year, I decided that I wouldn’t let LI-DI screw me over. So, I prepared a wide variety of questions for LR-DI. Normal preparation for Verbal and Quants followed. D-day came again. I gave my best and was hoping for the best. I expected something above 95 this time. However, I was both shocked and surprised when I got a mere 92 percentile. I couldn’t believe the results. I thought there is some technical glitch and I checked again and again and again. Still 92 percentile. All my dreams came crashing down. There are certain times in your life when your tongue gets tied and you wish that dinosaurs are still alive.

Attempt 3:     

                                                                                                                        

Location-Gurugram

The journey wasn’t over yet. However, a supreme dilemma was hanging around. My mind was telling me not to give another attempt. However, my heart was in the opposite direction. ‘Give one last try-Give it all’. So, I followed my heart. I had already taken a transfer to Gurugram. However, this time the workload was too much. The project was in a very critical stage which required us to be present on Saturdays and Sundays as well. Despite all this, the preparations were in full swing and I wanted to bell the CAT this time. I took two week’s leave before CAT and went home. However, tragedy followed. My mother got dengue but by god’s grace, she recovered in 8-10 days. I returned to Delhi and gave CAT. Things went well and I was optimistic this time. By God’s grace, I got 96.6 percentile this time.

I converted IMT Ghaziabad, IIM Jammu, IIM Bodhgaya, IIT Kanpur, IIM Amritsar and was waitlisted in some of the IIMs as well. At this stage, I was super confused as to which one to join between these options. Finally, the selection came down to two of the above choices- Kanpur or Amritsar. I did a lot of research and asked so many people and finally, I decided to go for the holy IIM.

So, I am here at IIM Amritsar now. I hope that I can learn the intricacies of the management field here and further utilize my skills to embark an organization towards development.

Jet Airways- Is it the end?

Jet Airways- the premier airline founded by Naresh Goyal in 1992, is in crisis today. The same airline which became the largest carrier by passenger market share in 2010, is on the verge of extinction today. On 17 April, Jet Airways flew its last flight 9W 2502 from Amritsar to Mumbai as its operations are suspended temporarily. How did this happen?  Well, there seem to be many reasons behind this catastrophic event but please note that the reason was not an immediate one. The seeds were already sown in the past which when combined together with a series of events which happened recently, triggered an inevitable downward spiral for the airline. Some of them are listed below:-

·     Rising fuel prices- The aviation industry uses Jet A and Jet A1-the most popular Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) types. The current rate is 58.06 per litre (Jan 2019). Don’t be surprised at this meagre amount and become complacent thinking that almost the same price exists for our automobiles as well. Take into consideration the distance travelled by plane on a single trip and the fact that a particular airline has a fleet of more than 50 airplanes operating. Thus the number automatically becomes enormous. For example- A Boeing-747 plane uses 36000 gallons or 150000 litres of fuel for a 10-hour flight. You are strong with Maths. Do the calculation!

·       Dollar-INR Mismatch- The decreasing value of Indian Rupee is not helping the cause either. The current rate is closer to 70. Eventually, when we are paying more amount for the same quantity of fuel (in terms of dollars), losses are bound to happen.

·        Merger and Acquisition- The 2007 deal with Air Sahara (later- Jet-Lite) worth $340 million was not fruit-full at all. When such a big aircraft dominated most of the industry, why was it showing interest in a comparatively low-cost airline? Apparently, Jet wanted to increase its market share. But the reality became far different and Jet suffered a lot eventually. Naresh Goyal was also not able to handle both airlines simultaneously. The purchase of Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 planes also turned out to be a mistake.

·       Competition with LCC- With the introduction of  Low Cost Carriers around 2004-05, huge rivalry and intense competition intensified in the market. Earlier, travelling in a plane was a luxury which only the elite class could afford. However, with the introduction of Indigo and Spice-Jet, things changed. Tickets became cheaper and the middle class could afford it as well. Thus, a warning bell was sent to full-service airlines.

·      Poor management- Most of us think, what exactly does mismanagement mean here? Well, it’s the inefficient handling of funds. Calling the pilots on a contractual basis when the plane itself is not ready, the unnecessary five-star hotel treatments to strangers coming for a meeting, too many unwanted perks given, all fall under this category.

Well, things are certainly looking grim for the airlines now. The airline is in desperate need for money but the Investors are not showing too much interest in the airline. Around 23000 employees worked for Jet and many have not been given their salaries. Nowhere to go, the employees are seeking intervention from the President as well as the Prime Minister.

Let’s see what the future holds for Jet!

Comeback and how ?

“Man of the series at age 39, come on youngsters what is happening”. 

These were the exact words of Chris Gayle when he received the Man of the Series Award (424 runs in 4 matches) for the recently concluded England vs West Indies ODI series. Even though, the West Indies had the location advantage but the England team was clearly the favourite to win the series. (Favourites to win the World Cup too!). However, the destiny had something else in mind. After defeating them in Test Series, West Indies team posted a tough challenge to the visitors in the ODIs too. The series was too competitive and the WI team certainly raised the bar of competitiveness. (Even though we know that West Indies can be simply catastrophic in T20s at times, but the same cannot be concluded in the ODIs). Let me summarise the 5 match ODI series for you:

-First ODI- WI posted a competitive total of 360 in 50 overs in which Gayle’s contribution was 135 runs. However, as it turned out, it wasn’t enough. England chased down the total with 8 balls remaining. Roy and Root scored centuries and England won by 6 wickets.
-Second ODI- WI posted a total of 289. This time Hetmyer scored a century. However, this time England couldn’t chase the required total and lost by 26 runs.
 -Third ODI- Match abandoned due to rain. However, if this wouldn’t have happened I would have liked to see who won the series.
 -Fourth ODI- This match was truly a GEM. England posted a total of 418 in their 50 overs with Morgan and Butler (SR-194.81) scoring centuries. In response, WI gave a strong reply. Gayle scored a fantastic 162. However, this wasn’t enough as WI lost by 29 runs. However, the highlight off the match was the magical over by Adil Rashid who took 4 wickets within a span of 5 balls only. From 389-6, WI team were all out on 389 itself.
 -Fifth ODI- WI bowlers performed here as they dismissed England for a meagre 113 and won the match comfortably by 7 wickets. Gayle counter attacked with a SR OF 285.19.

Well, WI team have conveyed their intentions dominantly. They are not to be taken lightly in the upcoming World Cup. Even though they had to fight (play qualifying matches) to compete in the World Cup, but they are to be taken seriously. And the beast- Chris Gayle is to be tamed early by the opposition if they wish to hold the trophy. The World Cup is near and it’s in the Round-Robin format this time (which means more competitiveness and more thrill and excitement for the audience). Let’s hope India takes this one home!

Mission 2019 in jeopardy?

"There is no middle order or lower order in Indian batting. It's always about the top order"

Well, yesterday’s match between India and West-Indies proved the fact. Apart from Kohli, no one stood up for a fight with the Caribbeans. First,

let me say a few words about the run Machine-Virat Kohli who recently completed 10,000 runs in ODIs and mind you- he took fewer innings than the god of cricket Sachin Tendulkar. The enigmatic batting which comprises- the will, the determination, the hunger to achieve more, is growing in stature. Records are getting smashed. Three consecutive centuries speak tons of volume about his batting depth. (He’s only behind Kumar Sangakkara in this regard, who achieved a rare feat of scoring four consecutive centuries in ODIs). Moreover he’s not the one to back out of any challenge and his team mates need to learn a lot from him.

However, being completely dependent on a single person is certainly not given in any book. I mean they are no. 2 side for God’s sake. It’s not as if India can’t do anything without Kohli. Recently held Asia Cup demonstrated that in his absence too, they can perform (when they won the cup). But please notice the fact that Dhawan was the highest run getter of the tournament and Rohit was number two. That’s what I am trying to emphasize. Whenever two out of these three pillars perform, India is very much in the game. However, when this doesn’t happen-some crisis is bound to happen.

Now let’s talk about India’s middle order. At a time when opposition lower orders are performing well on the international platform, be it the Windies’s lower order in yesterday’s match (From 227—8 they managed to score 283) or in the Ind-Eng series held recently, the inconsistency shown by Indian middle order is not acceptable. In fact the opposition’s lower order is giving a tough time to Indian bowlers. Is it the inability of Indian bowlers or the sheer brilliance of the lower order batsmen is a different question altogether.  And so it is a matter of grave concern for India especially when the top order fails. Suppose that happens at a crucial time (Semi-final or final of an important tournament), then who will take up the responsibility? Well someone has to.

Now talking about the team selection-I mean someone should show the utterance. The exclusion of KL Rahul, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Kartik is beyond me. They performed brilliantly in IPL. (Jadhav played only one match but he made that one count in the season opener). If you are judging purely on the basis of England series, then why is Dhawan still in the team? He also didn’t do well in England. Some players needs to get some serious backing otherwise they might not be able to perform up-to their potential with a constant fear of being dropped from the team on the basis of a single innings/series.

The world cup is near and it’s in the Round Robin format this time (plus the England pitches factor) which clearly implies that this one is going to be a competitive one. If some serious steps are not taken, then unfortunately Cup will not be ours. After all it’s not everyone’s cup of tea to hold that prestigious trophy!!

Social media these days

-Obsession with Taimur Ali Khan- First and foremost, the ‘star-kid’ (as they are termed these days or a future product of nepotism) has everyone’s attention these days. Controversy started right from the time when he was named. People started comparing his name to the nefarious emperor ‘Timur’. Well that’s history now, the tiny tot is a bit older and our media is just crazy about him. Every-time he steps out with his nanny, the picture is viral. The kid is gregarious and super cute no doubt, but the way media is behaving with him is pure harassment. Here are the headlines of some articles regarding him, in case you missed them (I highly doubt that):-

• Taimur Ali Khan and Lakshya Kapoor spotted on a playdate.
• Taimur Ali Khan accompanies mom on a day out.
• Taimur Ali Khan enjoys a car ride with his cousin Inaaya Naumi Kemmu.
• Taimur Ali Khan is a boss baby in a crisp formal avatar.

- Priya Prakash Varrier- The 18 year old ‘winking girl’ (as she is called) created havoc on social media with her expressions and wink. A few minutes video which everyone kept sharing, certainly increased the heart beats of many males out there. Her Instagram followers dramatically increased over two million in two days. (You see, the power of social media is immense).

-Sridevi’s death- On 26 February, the ‘Hawa-Hawai’ Lady Sridevi departed from this world. At first (and I think the actual) reason behind her death was a sudden cardiac arrest. But no, our media refused to believe so and very soon they began speculating the reasons for her death under mysterious circumstances. Everyday bizarre theories kept crawling up- Cosmetic Surgeries, Accidental Drowning and what not. They were simply not judicious enough to let the family members of the departing soul mourn peacefully. It was evident that the news channels were competing with each other (on the expense of their self-respect). And finally when people were bored of the topic, media stopped all the speculations (It’s all about TRP).

The news section doesn’t get over here.

1. The month of January was marked by brutal protests all over India over a movie (which then went on to make over 250 crores in India itself).

2. The Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya is apparently dating the Swedish actress Elli AvrRam.

3. And yes! The appearance of the celebrities-the airport look, the gym look, the birthday look- Media is taking them all (Don’t believe me, check yourself).

When such news form the hot topics, the real issues in hand are often forgotten.

a. Farmers’s plead- Around the second week of March, farmers came in large numbers from Nashik to Mumbai because they want the government to properly implement the loan waiver package. (Poor implementation led to several farmers committing suicide). Also natural calamities are certainly not helping in their case.

b. Nirav Modi scam- The scam worth 1.77 billion$ didn’t get the required attention, it should have got. (Media is busy with Taimur’s poops na !!)

c. Unemployment- Apparently 31 million Indians are still unemployed in this country and the number is bound to increase if some serious steps are not taken. There are not enough jobs in hand and as a result nearly 7.1 percent of India’s population is unemployed.

NFT TEAM

Ok, so one of my favorite genre in writing blogs is describing people. I have spent enough time in this group, so I can pretty much write on this topic. So here goes the list-

Pradeep- U want to hear the truth, here's the truth- I have never seen someone as cool as him. Being a team lead is a big responsibility and there are severe headaches associated with it, but he handles it so much calm and composure, that the powder brand 'Dermi Cool' will soon approach him for the product’s endorsement. I think there is one invisible ice slab kept on his head which helps him maintaining a constant temperature throughout. (Just like an Air Conditioner maintains a constant temperature inside a room). Also his son is super cute.

One word to describe him- Frosty

Asha Ji- I have often seen that female gender is quite caring and helpful but believe me when I say that ,she has a very tender nature. Whatever the situation is, if she can anyhow contribute, she definitely will go out of the box to help you, no matter what. (She will definitely make a great mother). However there are situations, when the usual calm nature gives way to an extremely frustrated and panicked individual and there she goes, "Maaaaaannnaaavvvvv" or "Goooowwwtthhhaaammm". Also she has extreme liking for the kids, just like me.

One word to describe her- Benevolent

Gautam- Ah ! My rival. I don't know how we are still friends. He doesn't like my choices and neither do I like his. However, nature-wise we both are similar. Here’s his description:-

-Height-5ft         

-Weight-negligible            

-Favorite dishes- Chicken Biryani, Chicken Fried Rice. He doesn't like to eat anything else. Same monotonous food-day in and day out. Other talents include- surviving without water the whole day. His room is a total mess as I have described in my earlier blog. Have you heard his ‘Ghats theory’. No-then go for it-what are you waiting for? (I have already listened to it at least 20 times). Every-time, there is some task to perform (which requires a certain amount of extrovertedness), here comes the dialogue - You know my problem right. I am an introvert. I don't know how to or what to talk to people.

One word to describe him- Audacious

Ankit- He is also a very helpful guy. During my interaction with him at the time of Genesis, I got to know him. He talks very sweetly, (In fact very sweetly) and always provides you with detailed explanation of anything.

One word to describe him- Articulate

Samir- I don't know much about him. However I got to know one thing about him from Ashaji and Gautam, that he has a solution for everything. You are having a problem in recording- call Samir. You are getting an error while running the script- call Samir. I don't know how he does that. We tried everything- installing the load runner version which he uses, asking him for the various solutions to tackle the issues in hand, but to no use. It's as if the problems have collectively decided, that they will only be resolved by Samir.

One word to describe him- Judicious

Jeevan- When i think about Jeevan, the only thing that comes to my mind is Client location. I don't know how he manages to do that. Hidden talents include talking to an individual for 2-3 hours straight. I am the prime witness here. Some1-2 months back, he and Gautam were constantly interacting over phone. (I think it was for the WCMP scenarios). Another thing is that he is super busy every time.

One word to describe him- Dynamo

Sherin- Did I forget someone? How can I? Even if I would have dared to forget her, my end was near. I can't describe the amount of torture I have faced. (You can ask Pradeep, because he has faced them too !!) Whether it was the prank call from the HR or the look which she gave me after the third balloon burst during the Christmas celebrations inside ODC or 'just a sprinkle' incident of Wonderla, it seems that she would go to any extreme limit for torture purpose. However, what she truly is, is an amalgamation of two contrasting personalities- A- that is sweet and caring and the other one B-Oh my god ! Full Volcano, about to burst. Mostly B takes over and in the process, her kind nature is forgotten. Some meditation will surely help here. Let me recall a funny incident from Wonderla. What happened was that for the Water slide, she was encouraging and pumping everyone to go for it. (Pradeep was hesitant at first). However, when her turn came, she realized the gravity of the situation (the Zig Zag path of the slide). She simply refused to go.

One word to describe her- Magma

This team was great. I had a blast working here and I sure as hell, will miss all of you.

Some funny/highlighting moments from Wonderla:-

-Removal of Ashaji and Sherin's base on the water slide.

-The 'sprinkle' moment.

-Gautam sitting in that dangerous swing.

-Rain Disco.

-Wave-Pool.

Visit to a friend's room

One of my friends is staying as a paying guest in Bangalore. Well, let me recall a recent incident of my visit to his room. Right from the moment when i stepped foot into the room, I regretted the decision and couldn’t find a suitable reason as to why I attempted this ‘horrible stunt’. It was certainly taken under some mysterious circumstances. (Believe me when I am saying that I am not being boorish here). Upon seeing the room’s condition, I was about to vomit right there (Adding another layer of garbage into the room full of havoc!). Well I have certain evidence to support my theory. Let me start.

Point number one-The smell. I was greeted by a stagnant smell like that of a rotten egg. The ‘why’ of this statement would be revealed in the subsequent points. Point number two-The size of the room. Let me make it crystal clear that the room was normal size- nor too gigantic nor too tiny for that matter. It had an attached bathroom but, when you fill the place with 3 single beds along with three cupboards for three people, there is hardly any place left to stand or breathe for that matter. Point number three- The empty bed. Apparently the room was occupied by two people at the moment, so the third bed was empty. Now this was a blessing in disguise for the remaining two. The third bed was begging for mercy as it was filled with piles and piles of clothes (Around 20-25 of them lying around just like that). I asked my friend whether he was able to identify his clothes from this pile (which also contained his roommate's clothes). I think his reply was positive. Thank god for that otherwise each one would be wearing each other's body odor the whole day. Point number four-The window grill. Yes, so whatever clothes were remaining from the bed pile, were apparently present on the grill. Point number five- The floor. The floor was filled with empty packets of lays, Dettol soap, Dairy Milk and so on-In short a total mess. I couldn’t digest the fact that someone was staying in that place. (Even a hermit would refuse). I conveyed this query to my friend- Bro why this untidiness, why this lethargicness ? How the hell are you surviving here (Even though I knew that he was responsible for this condition). So here comes the reply- ‘Bro i am a bachelor’. Bam! I knew I was in the wrong place as I couldn’t compete with this petulant behavior (How could someone even defend this stand). I couldn't survive that horrible habitat and fled as soon as i can.

That day was indeed memorable for me and I believed in the fact that heaven and hell are perhaps present on earth itself because I saw the latter one from my naked eyes!!