The Economics of Life

We can afford to laugh..

2010-05-04T12:09:00.001+05:30

Day 0 all over again

2010-02-26T17:47:00.002+05:30

Rewind.. 15 months back, all the fresh ambitious grads sat for the summer placements. It was a roller coaster ride. Some of them went on to succeed in their endeavours and half of us face the prospect of going through the process one more time. And with 6 days to go before the big day,

There are butterflies in the tummy,
A sense of apprehension,
A sense of pressure.
I have seen three processes inside out
And I still dread being a part of it.
My heart says Aal izz well,
My brain says anything can happen.
But then I say to myself
I shall come out of it better or stronger
And I have nothing to lose.
The stay here has been rich,
Its time to attain closure.
Like the 6 terms in IIMB have,
Even this shall pass away.

Two States

2009-12-25T23:51:00.006+05:30

If you think, this is gonna be a serious discussion about Telangana, then this is the wrong place. This is about two IIMA grads Ananya and Krish in CHetan Bhagat's latest book titled "Two States".

Well, I liked the book for reasons more than one and reasons beyond the purview of this blog. :) It is a satirical account of a love story making a mockery of the various castes and states and religions by putting on line the Punjabis and the Tamilians. Tamil is pronounced as "Thamilla". Your tongue needs to twist to the correct degree to get that right. Of course, it is not easy to be a Tamilian. Sorry Jiggs.

So coming to the book. Ananya and Krish met in IIMA in the mess line. Everyone on campus had hots for this girl and Krish bold her over by his naive nature. They soon became best friends and when Krish 'confessed' there love story began. Soon, she started parking at his place and they had a great time. Then came the placements, where he proposed to her in the middle of an interview. Amidst all the confusion in his life, he barged into the HUL interview and proposed the girl. This is something none of us can dare to attempt. Both got what they wanted and coincidentally placed in Chennai.

Ananya's family is a traditional one, where they value education and caste more than any other virtue. On the other hand, Krish's mom is only concerned about the dowry that she is going to get on her rather over qualified son's marriage.

Now began the whole story of them convincing their parents which forms the crux of the story. They go through lot of compromises, adaptions and shit to get approal from everyone. I shall leave that to the readers to find out how the story unfolds. But here are some of the wittiest lines that one can get out of the book.

Ananya to a potential bridegroom," Let me put it this way. If I were to give a virginity test, I am sure I will not top it." This sent me rolling and laughing my ass of.

"when you are part of a couple, you dont realise how cheesy your affections are to the outside world"

"In an Indian love mariage, by the time everyone gets on board, one wonders if there is any love left."

And how can I forget Krish's fantasy - "Operation Beach Passion"

Its a light read as all Chetan Bhagat books are. One which I can relate to. Watch out for Krish's dad. You want to believe that he is the most important character in the book.

"P.S. : I miss the sex"

Pics Pics Pics

2009-12-18T12:53:00.004+05:30

From Unmaad 09 v1 to v2.

2009-12-16T23:27:00.003+05:30

One for the year

2009-12-16T14:14:00.006+05:30

Unmaad 2009 v1: The Spirit if India was alive and kicking at IIM Bangalore as we celebrated Unmaad keeping aside all the shit that was happening in the world. The sponsorship had dried up, and people realised the worth of each penny. But K K was too hard to resist and no wonder why. He enthralled us all with a breath taking performance. I missed the Unmaad L square as I was in a dry run.

Final Placements 2009: Speaking of dry run, I come to my next big thing at hand. The final placements for the batch of 2009. It was a horror show as we saw the effects of the crisis take its full toll on the batch. The job became tougher and longer owing to the market conditions. Nevertheless, it was an experience worth living and hopefully cherishing in a few years..

Morgan Stanley, Hong Kong: Yaay!! my first trip abroad!!And the person who was always there was Rahul Bajaj!! (Chuck the rahul out.. :) We had loads of fun in Hong Kong, roaming around, shopping, cooking food, the Macau trip, gambling all night and getting a DB employee to join IIMB.. :P What say Bajaj!!The two months away from home made me so so fall in love with India.All the thoughts of Reema telling me about exchange and how intern changes your opinion came right back..

Back to B: Yes indeed! I opted out of exchange. It was a culmination of various reasons. Term 4 was fun to begin with. A new batch of students coming in, the whole dunking and hoax week, the recruitments for the clubs, the treats the parties et al.. But none gave more pleasure than receiving that certificate from the Director. :) The academics were now a mundane job but the time I had spent with my friends new and old was just memorable.

Term 5: I write term 5 because, if I had to choose one term where I "came of age", it would be that. It was shitty, it had pressure, it had responsibility. And I am glad, all of them were delivered. Unmaad happened, not without pain, but this time the Unmaad L square drove all of it away. The biggest compliment was when a professor called me and said that he was glad his student organised all of it. The rain gods were on our side and India didnt qualify for the champions trophy semi finals. Everything fell in place.

Phase 2 of term 5 is the insomnia period. The summer placements were much different from the finals experience, it was a lot tougher, a lot more people to be managed and now I know what Vibhu must have felt like in term 3. It was an experience that i will carry along in everything I do.

Phase 3 was academic phase which is better left unsaid.

Amar Bhaiya's wedding: Finally, my dear bhaiya is married and I am so glad he is. It was tonned of fun being a part of the celebration. I wish him all the best ahead.. :) I will put up the pics as soon as i lay my hands on them..

And after so much.. there is still a month to go.. Picture abhi baki hai mere dost..

Aim: Look Below :)

What a year 2009 has been. A quick count on the fingers shows that I was part of 2 Unmaads, 2 placement processes (one of senior and other of junior batch), one quick dirty live project, one summer intern of my own, one new country, three academic terms, 2 academic awards, two first cousins biting the dust and amidst all this, lots of fun. Hoping for a great finish to the year..

Special mentions: Sukrut, PDM, Mayur, Kapoor, CEO, Vikas Bansal, DD, Chusli, Sahay, Vibhu, Purvi, Aishwarya, Kshitij, Aditi, Ganesh, Jyothsni, Tushar, Deepthi, Hari, Lintu, Sid, Pappu, Mak, Rishov, Pulkit, Rajat, Prakhya, Saikat, Ladha, Mario, Vicky, Abdul, Oleti, Mande, Banka, Rawale ......

The long wait and the ecstasy...

2009-08-05T17:59:00.004+05:30

361 days of staying away..
270 long minutes of searching eyes..
48 very short hours of ecstasy..
10 days of chit chat..

And now time for a long wait again..

About Akshay, Macau....

2009-06-11T17:27:00.002+05:30

For 21 years now, I have inevitably spent my summers at Hyderabad, my hometown. Be it the internship or the summer classes, everything brought me home. But, second term into IIM Bangalore gave me the first chance to spend a summer outside home. In fact, I was destined to spend my summer at Hong Kong interning at Morgan Stanley (read the post below for further details). I was excited as hell, not just because I pulled off a decent summer intern, but also because I was the last of the six (read as KAPAAG for who know it) to step outside the country. And after a yearlong grind at the dungeons of Bangalore, I finally arrived at Hong Kong.

From the very first look of it, the infrastructure was impressive. The airport express, that took me to Kowloon, and the cabs that took me home, were all too luxurious for a first timer. The service apartment itself provided quite a few amenities. I was glad that I didn’t have to clean it, change bed sheets, or in short live like I do in hostels. I intuitively knew, being as lazy as I am that I will not have to clean clothes for most of my summer. So, with all the mundane and boring routines out of the way, I had two things to figure out. The first being how to survive, and the second, how I could make my stay adventurous. The survival part was sorted out soon, as we decided to go with a mix of ready to eat, cooked and of course dining out.

In terms of adventure, the first good thing that happened to us was Mr. Akshay Jain. People do wonder who the guy in my pics is. Sometimes, a sadist and sometimes vulgar, but he was always cheerful and humorous.

• He had absolutely no love for his parents till the point in the plane where he said, I don’t hate my parents so much.
• He must have tried everything Hong Kong had to offer, from raw fish to seahorses to salmons
• He loved spending money (he wanted to spend every cent of the 14000 dollars that he was earning more than us)
• He had a huge fetish for this IIMB girl, after lots of up and downs
• His current market value stands at INR 5 million (a very cheap buy)

The only event that was close to thrilling was our visit to Macau. I have often read about volatility and all the fin stuff, but the Macau experience gave me a taste of it. I was up 250 bucks, down a grand and a half and then up 3 grand and finally ended up with 1.5. The game was fascinating, the dealers noteworthy and the entire experience addictive. In a way it gave me a world full of lessons of stop losses, entry and exit levels that I could not have learnt back in school. The Venetian was beautiful and the singer on the boat awe inspiring.

Overall, I think Hong Kong was worth a visit but not something I would want to do again and again (except the night at Macau). I had a good time interning and now keeping fingers crossed for the outcome.

The Summer of 2009...

2009-05-30T18:56:00.003+05:30

Coincidentally, as I think of how to pen my thoughts, I remember that for some reason I had posted The Summer of 2008 last year around the same time. That time I was filled with mixed emotions of leaving a place so dear to me for four years but at the same time embarking on something I have always wanted to do.. which in a certain way was a step up in the ladder to success...

Fast Forward one year.. History repeats itself.. The Pico from IITM is still alive and kicking.. Somehow people here have caught the name, the name I am so dearly in love with. But it just does not end with the name. I had one glorious year at IIMB. Sometimes I was cynical about the place. Very much I should say in the first term.. but then I got in line with the people, with how it is outside your comfort zone.. And then I felt so much better handling it and using it to my advantage. If I look back, I have always been the player catching up.. Catching up in skills, talent and whatever many consider an art.. But for the first time, I feel the pinch.. To stay ahead.. And when today, I heard about some of my colleagues cracking it at BCG (hearty congratulations to them), I felt.. its time to stop running and take stock of whats in the plate. So, here I go with one of the longest I would have ever written.. So, pardon me for the boredom.

I arrived in Hong Kong with loads of expectations, the first time in a corporate environment, the first time in a bank and the first time outside my country. It was not difficult to settle in. I must say that for a first timer, I got out of the currency syndrome, of trying to convert everything into INR, rather quickly. Being with the favourite of all Bajaj did help.. :) Ask him about others, and you might get some strong words.. Yeah.. So back to me.. The trading floor overwhelmed me.. But the pressures of the declining industry and a bad economic slump were weighing on my shoulders. I did not know how to think. Whether this was an experience to learn or to just crack PPO. I can say the two paths might be different and the black box never reveals what is the path treading both. But at first I chose the road oft travelled. To crack it and lead a life of luxury. But somewhere down the line, I felt this is not what I would do. I have some luxuries not to be so desperate.. I can do as I want. With the time, with the floor, with the money. I am 22 yrs and barely broken out of the cocoon of the IITs and the IIMs.

The flow of random thoughts continued within my head for about 7 weeks in which I worked as I was told to, but more importantly spoke to people who matter and decide where I want to head after this. I enjoyed quite a bit of Hong Kong and only glitch was the black lining in the sky.. I lived on the 15th floor, worked on the 38th floor and travelled below the earth's surface. I seemed to have forgotten the where the ground was for a moment. The skylines beautiful and the city dazzling. Enjoyed my first salary to the core. And the icing on the cake was Macau, an artificial Venetian and the Vegas of the east.. A night of one of my other firsts gambling.. So there was much awaited experience of being abroad.. under the pressure to deliver..

But then came Anusmaran, which I think was the most eventful evening I have had here.. I played football in the rain, had good Indian food and met people whose experience was more than my age. But the best thing that could happen to me was the 2005 batch people. They were in a similar situation that I think my batch would be on the back of the bad 2004 season. But now, everyone is well settled in. And it would seem as if everything was rosy then. But the fact remains, one can reach any place he wants.. he just needs the desire to reach there. And when I heard today morning and seen my friends delighted, I was thinking, it is sure good to get a PPO and make your life simpler. But this is life and the only way to win it is to keep running.. However fast you are the tortoise will find its way slowly and steadily..

I am reminded of a dialogue from Om Shanti Om :
"itni shiddat se maine tumhe paane ki koshish ki hai
ki har zarre ne mujhe tumse milane ki saazish ki hai"

I am starting to believe in it..

Will come back with a much more jolly post sometime soon. :)

Moët et Chandon

2009-05-01T05:51:00.006+05:30

Straight from wiki and straight out of pleasure of the past night!!

Moët et Chandon (pronounced [moɛt‿e ʃɑ̃ˈdɔ̃]), or Moët, is a French winery and co-owner of the luxury goods company Moët-Hennessy • Louis Vuitton. Moët et Chandon is one of the world's largest champagne producers and a prominent champagne house. The company holds a Royal Warrant to supply champagne to Queen Elizabeth II. Moët et Chandon was established in 1743 by Claude Moët, and today owns more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of vineyards, and annually produces approximately 26,000,000 bottles of champagne.

History

Foundation

Moët et Chandon began as Moët et Cie (Moët & Co.), established by Épernay wine trader Claude Moët in 1743, and began shipping his wine from Champagne to Paris. The reign of King Louis XV coincided with increased demand for sparkling wine. Soon after its foundation, and after son Claude-Louis joined Moët et Cie, the winery's clientele included nobles and aristocrats.

Moët began business with Madame de Pompadour in 1750. She continually supplied the Royal Court at Compiègne with Moët's champagne. Also in 1750, Moët began establishing business in Germany, Spain, Eastern Europe, and colonial British America. In 1792, on Claude Moët's death, grandson Jean-Rémy Moët assumed control of Moët et Cie, and expanded the business buying the vineyards of the Abbey of Hautvillers, where Benedictine monk Dom Perignon perfected double-fermentation for creating champagne.

Moreover, the Moët surname was prestigious before the winery's establishment; King Charles VII ennobled brothers Jean and Nicolas Moët (Claude's ancestors) in 1446.

Into the 19th century

The company truly attracted a loyal international following after it initiated an account with Napoleon. Jean-Rémy, who had become mayor of Epernay in 1802, met Napoleon in 1804. Within the new guest houses at Moët's headquarters on 20 rue de Champagne, Napoleon I and his entourage were lavishly dined and wined. Historian of champagne Patrick Forbes wrote: "everybody who was anybody in Europe was passing through the Champagne district en route from Paris to the Congress of Vienna and they all wanted to visit the celebrated champagne maker. ... His 10 years in the Napoleonic limelight had made him the most famous wine-maker in the world and orders for his champagne began pouring in with such profusion that he hardly knew how to fill them." In appreciation for Jean-Rémy's generosity, the Emperor of the French gave Jean-Rémy his, Napoleon's, Officer's cross of the Legion of Honor. In honor of Napoleon, Moët later in its history dedicated its Brut Imperial to him.

After his connections with Napoleon, the company of Moët contained a portfolio of prominent figures which encompassed Tsar Alexander II of Russia, Emperor Francis II of Austria (Napoleon's father-in-law), the Duke of Wellington, Madame de Staël, Queen Victoria, and the Prince Royal of Russia (later to become emperor of Germany) among many more. Sales durign the 1820s are believed to have been on average 20,000 bottle annually. Leadership of the company changed in 1832 when Jean-Rémy retired and left the company in the hands of his son Victor Moët and son-in-law Pierre-Gabriel Chandon de Briailles. As M.Chandon became incorporated into the company as co-owner, the name was officially changed that same year to "Moët et Chandon." Following the introduction of the concept of a vintage champagne in 1840, Moët marketed its first vintage in 1842. Their best-selling brand, Brut Imperial was introduced in the 1860s.

The Marne Valley fell under the ownership of Moët et Chandon in 1879, expanding the company's operations. The introduction of more flavorsome grapes from Cramant, Le Mesnil, Bouzy, Ay, and Verzenay also followed. As expansion grew, so did the employee count. At the time, about 2,000 people were under the employment of Moët et Chandon and a type of "social security" was formed which gave free medical attention, housing assistance, pensions, maternity benefits, sick pay, and free legal aid. Job holders included cellarmen, cork cutters, clerks, vineyard farmers, tinsmiths, needlewomen, basketmakers, firemen, packers, wheelwrights, and stableboys. Sales in 1872 are reported to have been at 2,000,000 bottles and at 2.5 million by 1880, while consumers continued to consist of the upper social hierarchy.

Milestones in the 20th century

During World War I, France suffered much destruction. Moët et Chandon lost the offices and guest houses, where Napoleon I had stayed, to bombing raids. After the war, the company re-established its position in the market by introducing the Dom Pérignon brand of vintage champagne in the late 1920s. The introduction of the Dom Pérignon label set a trend in which many other champagne houses came to introduce their own premium label of champagne intended to surpass their regular vintage champagne. Nevertheless, it was Dom Pérignon which came out to be the most successful brand. Dom Pérignon was recognized by connoisseurs as the most perfect champagne available, and was also the most expensive on the market. During World War II in which France fell under occupation of Nazi Germany, business was negatively affected. However, due to the modernization of operations within the firm, it managed to recover well. The goals of fairness and efficiency were emphasized in all aspects of production, from the installation of new wine presses to a comprehensive system of work incentives.
Headquarters in Épernay.

Count Robert-Jean de Vogüé, a prominent figure in wine purchasing, became the leader of Moët et Chandon in the 1950s. Transformed from a family-owned business into a Société Anonyme (or corporation), Moët et Chandon under de Vogüé gained great success and an expansion rate never before experienced. In 1962 it became the first champagne house to be listed on the French stock market. That same year, the company acquired full rights to France's oldest wine maison and main competitor of Moët et Chandon, Ruinart Père et Fils. Another rival wine house, Mercier, was taken over by 1970. Soon afterwards Moët et Chandon purchased an interest in Parfums Christian Dior, the first out-of-winery investment by the company, which was soon taken over by Moët. The company took a milestone step in 1971 when it merged with the cognac producer Jas Hennessy & Co. to create Moët-Hennessy. The decision was made as a result of a 1927 statute which limited the champagne growing region to 34,000 hectares. De Vogüé believed that the supply of land under cultivation (less than 25,000 hectares) would be exhausted by the demand for champagne by 2000. Thus it seemed logical to merge with Hennessy who could supply diversification and a stable future for Moët. Together, both houses grew greatly financially and were able to, as a group, "stimulate the growth of their interests abroad."

In 1973, the company launched Domaine Chandon, a winery subsidiary in California. The company undertook its final merger; with Louis Vuitton, a prominent luxury goods purveyor whose goods remain renown as status symbols. This final merger gave birth to the largest luxury group in the world, Moët-Hennessy • Louis Vuitton (LVMH), netting over 16 billion euros in fiscal 2004. In 2006, Moët et Chandon Brut Impérial issued an extremely limited bottling of its champagne named "Be Fabulous", a special release of its original bottle with decorative Swarovski crystals, marking the elegance of Moët et Chandon. Also in 2006, Moët et Chandon illuminated the Statue of Liberty on its 120th anniversary.

In 2007, the company opened its Grand Vintage 2000 European Launch at the Musée de l'homme in Paris

In 1973, the then Moët-Hennessy company founded Domaine Chandon, an outpost winery in the Napa Valley. It was the first French-owned sparkling wine venture in the United States. The fine dining restaurant etoile is situated at the winery.

Domaine Chandon in Australia was established in 1986 at Green Point, Victoria.

Pronunciation

Moët is frequently mispronounced. Common mispronunciations include "mow-ee" and "mo-way". The correct pronunciation is "mo-wett".

Did you say defensive??

2009-03-07T12:08:00.005+05:30

Hibernation!!! Yes, for the first time, I can say I went into one... The only difference being that sleep was the most elusive thing for those 6 days that were spent inside the "Yoga Hall". The work was fun, but what was more fun was the precursor to it. A new team to work with, a new rapport shared and better than most teams I have been in.

Nights and nights spent in dry runs and planning out what has to be done. But all this while, no one realised the amount of time you have spent with people you never knew before. The epitome of this came when three of us had a bash at "Purple Haze". That night had almost everything. Music, beer, India (Pathan Brothers) kicking some ass, stationary, fart and crowd. That is one of the most awesome times I have spent here at IIMB.

Back to work, the jargon that was created by all of them was just hilarious. I will just leave with a glimpse of what all was made.

1) Maardaar......
2) Defensive (Dunno for how long)
3) The PoC between place and control (everyone knows it has to be ceeti.. )
4) And the Venn diagrams created by Sid Sen.. Dude post it in the comments..
5) Love Bites!!! (I cannot know and say how and when that happened)

There we go.. A perfect time.. and a cheerful ending yet to savour..

-Control

The importance of being earnest...

2009-01-10T09:42:00.003+05:30

Staged in one of the best theaters in the country, was one of the most famous plays of Oscar Wilde, "The Importance of being Earnest". Set in the late Victorian era in England, the play is filled will silly humour and the pretentious outlook of the people of London. The play has a couple of fictitious characters, used more as a mechanism to escape out of your town to meet your girl friend. It is a satire, as most of them are, on the Victorian era and the whims and fancies and hypocrisy of the people back then.

The artist group performing, Evam, is one of the best in the country with its home in Chennai. The performance I think was not upto the mark yesterday, with lots of dialogues fumbled and props misplaced. But overall, it was a delightful play and a continuation of the fun spree that I have been having this week.

Networking...

2009-01-02T12:34:00.002+05:30

One of my firsts is this.. A blog post in a train.. Upgraded from sleeper to AC 3 tier was a surprise for someone who didn’t have his ticket confirmed. And these kids next to me are so amazed at what I am doing with the laptop. Innocent lads…
So here we go.. Term 2 at the dungeon was one of the most demanding yet most rewarding term. The highlights of the term go something like these. First came the results of term 1. I secured 3.77/4.00, and stood third in the institute. For my summer interns, I got recruited by Morgan Stanley, Hong Kong. Way to go baby.. But there was something in this term which was missing last term. To start with the negatives, I was careless (to be read as carefree), lazy, and most of all a sleepy head. But that’s where the negatives end.

So positives.. People associate MBA with “networking”. I had some experience of what it means and how people develop. The best comment I thought I received was from Vibhu saying, “Strangely, Pico is very good at maintaining PR.” That took my feet off the ground to be honest. I deliberated over it for quite a while. I knew there were people who would agree with what Vibhu said. But I sure know a couple who would strongly disagree with him. And that’s where my dilemma started. I knew that personally I am a very good listener, a quality emphasized by me and as I got to know by everyone as one of the most important. But when it comes to speaking, barely will anyone know me. Even the closest pals do not know what is going through my mind. May be I am that kind.

As I was thinking about it, it struck my mind that there is something I was doing wrong. A good communication, though requires a good listener, cannot be a one way traffic. When someone feels the confidence to confide in you, he also expects you to say something back. And that’s where I was going wrong again and again. I always wait for someone to come and speak. Seldom happens that I approach someone. Moreover, time is an issue people at IIMB often battle with.

So, after Vibhu told me that, I started my way to actually develop PR. I speak to people wherever I find them; have a little informal conversation, which may be helpful to both. And boy it felt good. I knew a lot more people, it developed perspective and I was more comfortable and happy with my position and presence at IIMB. I was never a superstar anywhere, but to have my own identity, rather for anyone to have his own unique identity, is very important. The number of seniors and colleagues, I know are at least two fold to what was last term.

But then, everything has its costs. Interacting with people here meant I had a lot less time to interact with people whom I have known for years, and even lesser time for academics, which is so valuable at a place like IIMB. At this juncture, I realize that the topic for one of my presentations was to remove grades from the IIMB system. Now, that was tough. But yeah, to round off networking, it was a good term for doing that. I did that.

Last topic for this post is the placements at IITM. The markets out there are very bad. It is so scary that people doubt why they had put so much effort go get into such a prestigious institute. But, seldom do people realize that it is the best chance to take a risk out of campus. They have an opportunity to go back to college for post graduation and any risk will not have a negative NPV. I am glad that Purvi and Kshitij are placed for the time being. I so wanted to be in Chennai, but sometimes, what you want need not happen. I got the diary for the next year. I hope to revert back to writing next year, an art which I seemed to have lost here. It just takes a gesture to remind me of that. And now the art shall be honed for the good. Well a diverse post I must say. A rant more than anything else. But enough to start off a week at home and the base for many more posts around new year. .

Now since I am late posting this.. Wish you a happy new year. Have a great year ahead everyone...

-Ankit

Chivas Regal!!!

2008-12-18T03:47:00.004+05:30

Another one of my firsts!! A senior back from Singapore. A junior stuck amidst a pile of assignments. And in the room was lying a bottle of Chivas Regal. As smooth as it comes, it was a delight especially when I had a whole night's work ahead of me. It gave me enough energy and satisfaction to stay awake.

Chivas Regal is a premium Scotch whisky produced by Chivas Brothers in Aberdeen, Scotland, founded in 1801. The Chivas brand's home is Strathisla Distillery at Keith, Moray in Speyside, Scotland.

Chivas Regal whiskies are blended in a distinctive house style of a mellow, honeyed flavour.

* Chivas Regal 12 Year Old: Blended from whiskies matured for at least 12 years. A smooth whisky with a honeyed, mellow taste.
* Chivas Regal Gold Signature 18 Year Old: Blended from whiskies matured for at least 18 years. Chocolate and orange notes, some citrus and spice on the nose and a full, fruity, citrusy and spicy palate, with sherry notes to finish.
* Chivas Regal 25 Year Old: Created using whiskies aged at least 25 years; available only in limited quantities with a retail price of c$300. The blend has tasting notes of apricot and peach.

The Australian rap group, The Hilltop Hoods, mention Chivas Regal in their song What A Great Night (DNR). "Chivas Regal you rock the house...".

American singer/songwriter Kelly Clarkson pays tribute to the drink on her latest album "My December". The song "Chivas" is a hidden track which can be found after the song "Irvine." Clarkson wrote the song on bar napkins on the same night, before going for a concert by Los Angeles based band Metal Skool where she was famously seen drinking Chivas Regal, in a popular YouTube video when the singer was brought on stage to sing with the band.

Edward Norton, in the film American History X, refers to Rodney King as having been "hopped up on Chivas regal and PCP" during the time of his famous beating given by the Los Angeles Police in 1991.

Rappers The Beastie Boys also mention Chivas Regal in their song "Brass Monkey," with the line, "We're offered Moet we don't mind Chivas, wherever we go with bring the Monkey with us!"

The brand is also mentioned in Scottish rock band The Almighty's song Bandaged Knees from their second studio album Soul Destruction.

American singer/songwriter Tom Waits mentions Chivas Regal in his song "Downtown" from the album Heartattack and Vine. "Drinkin' Chivas Regal in a four dollar room."

In the film and book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Hunter S. Thompson (Raoul Duke) orders a bottle of Chivas Regal from room service whilst staying at The Flamingo. Chivas was a favourite spirit of Thompson's and was fond of a beverage he called a 'Snow Cone' which was Chivas Regal poured over crushed ice.

Cheering for India, Sec C and MS...

2008-12-16T15:21:00.004+05:30

Flash!!! And it was all gone. Disappeared into thin air.. The immense hype pre summers could not sustain post them. No one remembers where you going, and where they themselves heading. Though this may arise a year down the line, this very month when the laterals start, we are free from it for the moment. Well mailing the New Hire Pack sent by Morgan Stanley will be the last step before I go for my summers.

The last three weeks have been dull and actionless (in the insti). The lazy bones have taken charge of me, and sleeping has been given priority number one. This week, with 5 submissions lined up for Friday, its gonna be just the opposite. Some exciting stuff in Marketing and Operations. But I have never enjoyed anything at IIMB as much as working on the Quant assignment. The inputs from the so called dada pardada of IIMB were absolute rubbish. The constraints were horribly wrong and the answer quite unbelievable.

The basketball match, in which I played, and the futsal tournament of Section C, were just phenomenal. It was an experience to savour. With everyone cheering for their sections. One sport which beat the section spirit is the girls cricket. The ever famous Dakait took an early flight from Singapore, just to watch the matches. Way to go dude!!!

Last but not the least, India at its cricketing best. Sehwag, Gambhir, Sachin or Yuvraj. Name it, and they have delivered. 387 was no mean task with two instances of Pakistan (1999) and Australia (2001) still vivid in my memory. Sachin had to make a statement. He is sure not bowing down anytime soon. The pic of the 35 year old, jumping in the air as if a debutant has scored a century in his first match, was what made my day. Only if everyone had such passion in what they do!!

11 Days to go.. Hyderabad calling..

P.S. Watch out for my new blog.. Rediscover yourself. A by product of my marketing project.

Ground reality of D-Day

2008-11-21T19:16:00.006+05:30

Dreams, Ambitions and Passion. These are the three things that everyone entering the halls of an IIM would bring with them. The expectations of their friends and family, the responsibility of being the nation's brightest talent and the pressure of competing with the best in business makes people work like they have never before and they will never after. But to all this persistence and hard work, there lies an riskier albeit easier alternative to get through the IIMs with the least effort and the best rewards. This is the summers. Summers offers one way to everyone to get the best campus placements (fair to assume most have the same goal), with two months of hard work and a fair bit of luck (here is where the risk is high; the luck part). People come in, make others look fools to be slogging their asses off, get the best interns, a PPO and party even harder later. Obviously, the stakes associated with the summers are then very high. And all the fiasco and conundrum that take place is an experience worth living through.

The day one enter the portals of IIMB, he is told about the summer placements four months down the line. In fact, even before coming here, I was told that IIMB places huge importance on resume building, which I believe is not an inch away from the truth. The amount of time spent on making the same deed look better, attractive and finally amazing is more than all projects combined till date. Now, that is some effort to put in. This year was an exceptional mix of economic depression, bigger batch size and a more experienced batch. The placement committee might have had little trouble making the corporates believe that these are some of the best resumes floating around in the country, but the competition within to get the Day Zero offers was a building volcano waiting to erupt. I personally, completely neglected the academics, for the first time gave my mid terms without bothering to open the book (no need to say i fared badly), spent a hell lot of time to brush up my basics and get ready for action on Day Zero. There is a whole lot that happens before that, but that can be discussed sometime down the years.

Cometh Day Zero. People with 15 16 17 shortlists waiting to get into the process and enter the their most preferred company. Some were lucky to do so. And some not so. I was out of the process in half an hour, which was a big relief and reward to all the hard work over the past one month. But there were others who were made to survive anxious moments and some who couldn't make it on that day. There were some lucky ones who got much more than expected, and there were some immensely good guys who left Day Zero empty handed. There were people who shifted focus from consults to I banks, rather unwillingly and some accepted offers from bankrupt companies. But none there was willing to accept that it was just a summer placement, me being no exception. It was not just the career at stake, it was the pride of being the best among India's best. It was about proving to yourself and others that you deserve all the glory you yearn for. It was all a myth.

The real glory for me came to stand by your friends who after a number of interviews go into the room hoping to get an offer from the next one. It lies in you being there before them to show the world that nothing differentiates you from your colleague. It is one time, if any, to show that there was solidarity in you, and the center of the human body, was still beating hard as it was when you were going into that room. It lies in the thank you that your friend says when he gets an offer. For me, it was the biggest takeaway from the process. I made friends, and I stood by people when they needed it the most. You need not worry what the others are doing. You need not complaint that the others are not there. All you need is compassion and empathy. The very hyped up Day Zero may break the hearts of many. But make the bonds of friendship so much more stronger.

Well, I think it is time to throw the heavier stuff out of the window, and tell some of the most cranky things that happened during those five days. It could be a certain someone asking a girl to lift her pants up (literally dude, get a life) or it could be the same girl praising someone else's pink tie and it could be us who just embarrassed the poor lad. It could be the end reward for someone getting clicked with all the girls of the class, or it could be the red ass you carry out of MDC, which stamped the delight of everyone on your success. All these stored in pics and memories. The process for me was highly memorable, and I think I am glad I was there.

The summers are over and I am suffering with Sleeping Sickness. I am looking for a cure to it and some enthusiasm to come close to my performance in term 1. Right now I am miles away. But things will change. Now it will be Ankit Part 1 all over again. The dreams, ambitions and passion is still there. And bigger and better than before.

Good Night and Good Luck

A dry L square

2008-10-13T23:55:00.003+05:30

An insider's perspective:

Think of IIMB, and the only stressbuster that comes to mind is L square, the fortnight party organized by the Culcom. There is music, there is alcohol and there are friends.. This is one night at IIMB that I would not want to miss.. To put it in a candid way, this is the only thing I like about IIMB, among all the glamour and hype associated with it. But come October, a distinguished personality made his presence felt and alcohol was not to be seen on the campus. Not to mention, the numerous smokers who are deprived of cigarettes.

IIMB has suddenly lost its USP, of being the most open and outgoing of all IIMs. The open culture of Bengaluru formerly known as Bangalore has certainly played its role in building the brand IIMB. But last night was one of the saddest in my fourth month stay here. You could browse through all the status messages of all the seniors, and they would read: "A dry l square", "Alas, no more fun", "IIMB lost". There ere alumnus out for the post meredian dinner and everyone was surprised that there was no alcohol.

Times have changed. But this might not stay for long. The more you restrict it, the more people yearn for it. So lets see what snaps first.
For now, a dry l square echoes in all the walls of IIM Bangalore.

Back to the Dungeon

2008-10-12T23:36:00.004+05:30

One week at home and thats all. Barely managed to pull myself out and come to Bengaluru, for yet another of the stressful semesters. This being one of the most important as it has a big role in shaping the careers. The summer placements which require intensive preparation and with the job market down, it doesn't get tougher. So, been reading books like Hull, Roy and for the first time, reading the newspapers every single day. Resume, for a fresher is so very difficult. I had to slog it out 7 days and nights in a row to gather content worthy enough to be sent to the likes of DB and Goldman Sachs.

Well, the tempo is rising, and having sidelined the academics completely, this is time for me to pull up my socks. L square party in the back ground is not the very best of time to do the same. But been a very eventful two weeks. Been speaking to friends on a much more regular basis, not paying much attention to acads, and becoming more and more social. Much the same as what happened at IIT.

We are done with our business fest, and there is a queue of tests lined up for the next week. The motto of this sem though, seems to be to take it as it comes. Much unlike what it was the last sem, where I was prepared for it whenever it came. But thats how you live with it. Now, waiting for the shortlists to come and by God there are a couple of companies I so desperately want to get to. But time is the only way to find it out.

Right now, I am stuck in this dungeon, between the profs and the companies and the books. Hope the sandwich becomes delicious one month from now.

Signing off
Good night and Good luck
Ankit

So much more to life...

2008-09-26T14:10:00.004+05:30

Drop by drop the oceans fill...
And when I see the enormous number of drops I missed,
I always feel,
The ocean could have been much bigger,
The ocean could have been much bigger..

But then says someone that the greed doesnt end with the ocean,
And when I see the enormous wants I have,
I always feel,
More wants could have been fulfilled,
More wants could have been fulfilled..

One after one the number of friends increase..
And when I see the number of friends I missed,
I always feel,
The friendship could have been stronger,
The friendship could have been stronger..

One among all could be the someone special..
And when I see the enormous distance,
I always feel,
It could have been so much more special,
It could have been so much more special..

I think I have missed out on so many things..
But when I see all I missed out on,
I always feel,
Life could not have been better,
My life could not have been better..

Ankit

And pass away.. It did..

2008-09-22T16:47:00.004+05:30

Come June 23... Enter IIM Bangalore, one of the most reputed universities to be founded on the Indian soil. High hopes and full of doubts and apprehensions. Little did I know how the first term was gonna be like. The first week saw the biggest hoax that was played on me (us). For confidentiality agreements, the details shall not be disclosed here. The Outbound gave me my first tryst with adventure sport, or the likes of it. That was the first time, i realised the importance of team work. I thought that laid a solid foundation for the way ahead.

June 30.. Start the classes. And here comes the first shock. Placards placed in front of all seats. And my name, right there in the first row. For the first time, I was sitting in the first row of a class. Classes seemed to be boring at the start of the sem. But that changed as the semester progressed and everyone was getting into the groove. Some courses like Quantitative methods and Managing organizations were mundane and boring. But, Financial accounting and BGS were much more interesting and fun. The courses I mean. Not the classes necessarily.

Cul com selections. That day was a comedy of errors that I will never forget. But as it went. I selected a safe option for term 1. The party at Legends of Rock was just mind blowing. The songs we sang. The whisky in hand. And everyone dancing around. It was one of the rare nights at IIMB that I will remember. L square parties were mere specks in front of it. Thank you Cul Com.

My claim to fame in the first sem came when my hand was the sole one raised in the class for studying accounting. I got a new name there. A square. As everyone in the campus are starting to call me by that name, the momentum for Pico also seems to be high. I have an attachment towards Pico but A square doesn't seem bad. Lets see. Then came a time when I was down. But that would spoil the post here. So that would be taken up later.

August 4.. Mid terms.. I performed decently well to be modest and that laid claims for me being DML. Well, everyone who scores qualifies for that, its to be seen where I land up and who bags the prize. The following two weeks were the most peaceful weeks where I slept as much as I could.

Then started the ad hoc race to the end terms. The last weekend saw me prepare five presentations in 3 days and the night out reading the Reliance report for the end terms was an experience like never before. Amidst this came the mail, "Even this shall pass away." And then the fall of Lehman Brothers, Meryl Lynch, AIG and Morgan Stanley raised doubts over the summers. But that we will take it as it comes. The end terms were mostly a smooth ride except the last one hour which I in hindsight think that I could have done better. I have no regrets about them. Awaiting the results now.

And finally, I am out of the tense and compact place back to the safe havens of home. Having delicious food and for first time in months sleeping without alarm clocks. Much more fun to come.

Signing off.
Good night and Good luck.

Ankit

Even this shall pass away

2008-09-11T20:42:00.003+05:30

Once in Persia reigned a King
Who upon his signet ring
Graved a maxim true and wise,
Which, if held before the eyes,
Gave him counsel at a glance,
Fit for every change and chance.
Solemn words, and these are they:
"Even this shall pass away."

Trains of camels through the sand
Brought his gems from Samarcand;
Fleets of galleys through the seas
Brought him pearls to match with these.
But he counted not his gain
Treasures of the mine or main;
"What is wealth?" the king would say;
"Even this shall pass away."

In the revels of his court
At the zenith of the sport,
When the palms of all his guests
Burned with clapping at his jests;
He amid his figs and wine,
Cried: "Oh loving friends of mine!
Pleasure comes but not to stay;
Even this shall pass away."

Fighting on a furious field,
Once a javelin pierced his shield;
Soldiers with a loud lament
Bore him bleeding to his tent;
Groaning from his tortured side,
"Pain is hard to bear," he cried,
"But with patience, day by day,
Even this shall pass away."

Towering in the public square,
Twenty cubits in the air,
Rose his statue, carved in stone,
Then, the king, disguised, unknown,
Stood before his sculptured name
Musing meekly, "What is fame?
Fame is but a slow decay
Even this shall pass away."

Struck with palsy, sere and old,
Waiting at the gates of gold,
Said he with his dying breath;
"Life is done, but what is death?"
Then, in answer to the King,
Fell a sunbeam on his ring,
Showing by a heavenly ray,
"Even this shall pass away."

Theodore Tilton

Mast Kalandar

2008-09-06T22:47:00.003+05:30

MO to Mast Kalandar.. Something which was very abrupt and surprising. But which was one of the best things that happened to me here. Went out with 11 of us and had a ball of a time. The food was good. Over that Rahul (humara bajaj) was made the guinea pig. It was fun. Swati's bday treat, the awesome parathas, the mouth watering pasteries and to cap it all some lovely songs. You sometimes feel nice to know about new people.. For instance Bajaj.. for someone.. I know him much better after the dinner, may be still not know him.. But its just that you can gauge someone so much more better after one healthy conversation with him/her.. People say cigarettes and drinking makes lots of friends. I realised its not that but a common rapport in this case singing was very helpful..

Coming back to Mast Kalandar. I think these have the best combos available. Finger licking dal with stuffed parathas leave the heart wanting for more. I recommend the Cheese Spring Onions and Sinful Punjabi Paneer to all of you who havent tried it yet..

The Regulated Regulator

2008-09-05T10:25:00.002+05:30

Well well well.. The course I thought was the most fart and useless in the curriculum, has turned out to be the most interesting of the lot. To be frank, partially it attributes to the sense of his grading, its more so that I have started enjoying his classes so much that I even participate in them. Yeah I know its not a big deal.. But its something new to me.. ANd the prof with his whacky quotes, election campaign in class and the double meant sentences, makes it so lively that not a single soul in the class is asleep.. Now thats a big thing for a prof to hear.

Coming to the lecture by Mr. Rajeev Chandrashekhar, an honourable MP in India, it was something different from the normal ppts that everyone seems to put these days. It was a talk.. A talk on a one to one basis. A talk in simple language. And a talk that everyone could relate to. Now, that for me is a good speaker. I for instance was never lost during the entire talk. It was enlightening and it was useful. It also made me think if I want to become a policy maker. But yeah, the answer is no; atleast temporarily.

He spoke about how regulation was meant to be an autonomous body but how it has been politicized and filled with corruption. He said we didnt need regulations but needed implementation of the regulations. He defended that we needed oversight of the govt and the public of these authorities, so that the erroneous decisions being taken by these so called regulators are taken care of and dealt with strictly. Its high time that educated people like you and surprisingly me be more vigilant and take more responsibility towards improving the country, albeit with the bank balances we may establish in the future.

I need to rush now.. But there is so much to write. Will continue this later.

The Maximizer

2008-08-30T19:11:00.003+05:30

60 days, 17 exams, 6 courses, 5 assignments... This is what it took me to get the max score and deliberate about the losses. As it goes, the pleasure attained from obtaining a good is much much lesser than the pain felt by losing it. And this has been my story at IIMB so far.. 9/10, 14/15, 19/20, 80/88.. Scores by no means a mean achievement.. But scores that left me wondering.. If only I had done that... And today, for that, the lady luck was on my side.. i took a decision.. and it paid off.. It was the first exam I maxed.. and hope for many more to come.. :)

Hail Stats..

Good night and Good luck..

The Ovarian lottery

2008-08-27T22:10:00.004+05:30

Its been long since I visited this place.. And I see a dull picture with the same stagnant old posts. Yeah, IIMB keeps me busy as it will do for the next 25 days, this might well be the last post before the term ends. So, let me start with some good things. My mid terms went reasonably well, and I am happy with the consistency in my performance. The latter half of the term is more challenging, and I am gearing up to it, this being the bbye to all the whims and fancies and distractions for the next 3 weeks. Thats the resolution I have taken.. :)

Well, today we had a talk by Manish Sabharwal, the founder of Teamlease, a human resource supplier in the country. He was one of those charismatic speakers, who knew how to keep the audience intereted in the lecture, with some whacky quotes and some sensible correlation. Not to mention that I felt there were traits of Dhirubhai Ambani in him, a very ambitious man, he had simple logic to his business, make profits, have fun and develop the country. And indeed no one can argue against this line of thought. But what one could argue is the means by which he has started. May be wrong, but regulations cannot be broken. Like Dhirubhai Ambani, who worked through the system to rise up to become one of the most powerful men in the country, this man started a business against a regulation hoping that it will change. Well, he might argue that there is nothing wrong with it, imagine what will happen if everyone started doing the same. The regulations will lose their meaning. But him being successful, is one thing that I took a lot of insipiration from. One quote from him, "Development with inequality of income is absoultely fine, as long as the poverty is on te decline and we are moving towards equality of opportunities." Not all blessed with the winning ticket in the Ovarian lottery, and for those who are not, we need to given them a chance. Let me stop at that.

The last two days have been horrible in terms of academics, and the nauseating feeling I got up with today. But things will change; they have to change if any meaning has to come out of this effort to reach the place, where I so earnestly want to be. The distance is just killing now. As it goes, "I will do what I can do, without worrying about the results."

Signing off from here..
Good night and Good luck..

The curse prevails..

2008-08-22T09:39:00.002+05:30

Back in the humid and sultry weather in the southern most metropolitan of India, I managed to get wet every single time it rained. Well, not because I went out saying I wanna get wet. But partly because it decided to rain whenever I was out, without an umbrella , raincoat or any such thing and when I had no other option. And this curse did not leave my back till the placements. I distinctly remember getting wet on the day I got placed. But whenever I have got wet, something good has happened to me.. So no issues..

Hmmm.. Here at bangalore, things dont seem to have changed much. It pretty much rains whenever I am out and especially on a bike. or walking on the roads. I agree that it rains everyday here. But it doesnt rain when all the plans are being made. Once out, and out of control, does the sky open the ovi to let the rain pour. The same thing happened yesterday. But now I am thinking, what good is going to occur.. :)

Quote Unquote

2008-08-16T21:30:00.003+05:30

Priya says, "All girls come with their boy friends.. And these guys roaming alone come shopping for girl friends.." :D

And miles to go before I sleep..

2008-08-16T11:41:00.003+05:30

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep;
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep;"

This for me are the four most beautiful lines that describe the human life in the present world. But I take it with a pinch of salt. Back in IITM, where I first heard these lines, I took these lines as trivial as each individual has some responsibilities to live upto.. But as I move on, I realise that the deep and dark woods signifies the more promises we make as we move on. So, this game of moving on and fulfilling the promises never ends. To give you an example, I thought doing well in my undergrad was a promise I had to keep when I first heard this quote. But now, I need to repeat it for my grad and later on in my job.. And to the family.. The count can just be unlimited. The humans are stuck in this cob web where, the more you get, the more you need to get.. The more you deliver, the more you are expected to deliver.. After all it takes just two meals a day and a close circle to be happy. We will find that the people in the lower strata of the community quite adhere to this. But as we move up the strata, we become more greedy, me expect more, we sleep less and we are less happy. Its not what I am saying. You can have a look around you. Personally, I dont remember when was the last time I slept without knowing when I had to get up. That for me is slavery, where you are a puppet in the hands of the materialistic world. Guys, there is life more than money.. the promises you need to keep are those you made to yourself and no one else..

Why MBA?

2008-08-09T15:43:00.003+05:30

The CAT 2008 forms are out and the fight to get into the most prestigious of Indian Institutes (famously known as the IIMs) is gaining pace. Most of my friends are searching for reasons why to write it. They want to know how will MBA help them achieve what they want to achieve when they don't know for sure what they want.. Well, one month into the system, I am still not sure why I opted for MBA but can tell what it is and what should one look for in an MBA.

Three months back, I found myself getting offers from various IIMs (except the most illustrious and horrifying A) and a job offer from TVS Capital Fund. I was stuck in a dilemma not knowing which would give my career a better kick. But one month into it, I am starting to believe that the decision I took was the right one. There are several reasons for it. Firstly and most importantly, its an opportunity one might or might not get again. You must be very strong on your hunches to ignore an offer from IIMB. Secondly, it completes off my formal education and the thoughts of going back into academia after joining a job no longer exist. Third, is that I have come to know that little I knew what PE was and what I would be doing there. Leave that alone, I didnt know how an organisation worked. One can argue that I could have learnt all that there. Yes indeed, but when you have to do an MBA in any case why not do it and then understand. I completely acknowledge the fact that people with job experience appreciate a couple of courses better. But the number stays put to a couple. In other courses its all a level playing field. Fourth, a place like MBA gives u a platform to explore what you want to do and what you enjoy. Its not about getting the highest package after the placements, its more about finding what you can do and what you cannot.

The other thing I have noticed is that people often perceive this place as a production house of entrepreneurs. Although, this is one of the important aspects of management education, it is not the only one. IIMB goes a long way in producing world class managers, not necessarily entrepreneurs. It gives the very basics on which any industry is based and then builds upon it to specialize you in the field of interest. It provides everyone with a sense of direction as to what one wants to do.

So, if you are undecided on what you want from your life or any such questions like that lingering in your mind, I would suggest you seriously think about management education. If you think you know what you want to try and give it a shot, go ahead... But in any 50 - 50 situation its education that always wins.

Its me in ten points

2008-08-08T20:33:00.005+05:30

Ten things I want to do before I die:

Become rich. Very rich.
Own a Harley Davidson
Feature on the cover of WEEK
Visit New Zealand
Adjudicate a Miss World competition
Learn how to dance (Salsa)
Be able to speak about World history continuously for five minutes
Read a book cover to cover (without missing a word)
To perform in a live concert (I know thats a impossible wish)
To marry the most beautiful lady I know.

P.S. This is a random order and does not indicate any priority

My Life Saviour

2008-08-08T17:32:00.002+05:30

Hail SuSu!! My only accomplice in all deeds and crime out here in this hackneyed and bulls****** culture that people have built up. As one of my status messages read the other day, "People hide their incompetence by derogating the competent." Its a very true statement when it comes to this so called elite group of students. As one of my seniors Manaw told me out here, "Every one other than you is a @&%#*!@" and now I totally appreciate that peice of advise. Yeah so coming back to SuSu..

You just need to read this http://glisteningdreams.blogspot.com/2008/08/fun-after-marathon.html ..

thanks for covering my back Big Bro...

P.S. Do not inerpret anything from the third pic out their. Its just a part of the nuances of photography...

From the oil wells in China

2008-08-07T19:47:00.002+05:30

"i think in a couple of generations my offspring might evolve into dolphins," says Mr. Rajiv Murali, ex-Sponsorship core, Saarang.

Now that i have quoted one of them. I cant miss out the other core.
Mr. Vijay H.M. says, "Extra dots for Extra pleasure".. Ahh Vijay.. how many dots da??

B-School.. Really??

2008-08-06T19:48:00.003+05:30

http://www.pagalguy.com/index.php?categoryid=56&p2_articleid=1298

Now you know why IIMB rocks...

Home away from home...

2008-08-06T19:10:00.004+05:30

:) :) :)

All the smiles are not because i am happy. Its all relief after three days of marathon of mugging and long nights and pressure and loads and loads of coffee, here I am, smiling. And yeah.. 75 % in accounting... not bad Mr. Ankit. Enough of self-lauding, this place has given me no respite as yet. No sleep, no fart sessions (though voluntary non-participation), people Rging each other, hiding their incapabilities my mocking the good. This place is full of pretensions. Pretensions that I dont feel are needed. Someone, screwing up his/her acads because its a cool thing to do?? Or is it just a way to hide your failure that I am not interested in it and don't give time to it.

I remember my brother Akhil when he got his tenth results. he was ecstatic; not because he scored some out of the world numbers, but because the difference between the both of us was a mere 8 percent. So much for me puting fight to outscore him by just 8. Hehe, the marginal utility fundaes at work. Low score for low input vs not so high score for high input. I shall agree that this made a lot of sense for him to say that because any rational man would do that.

But then, there is this law of diminishing marginal returns. The returns for the marginal input is much lower than what it would have been if there was no input at all.. Yes, all this fight for those 8 per cent now makes perfect sense. After all, its the 1 mark that distinguishes you from the rest. Its the one millisecond that determines the winner in a sprint. Its the one day in life that brings about happiness.

Yeah.. the one day that brings about happiness.. but there are days when you are anxious. Of the uncertainties of the future. There are no bases for calulating probabilities for it is an unknown territory. there is no conditional probablity that I can apply as there is none prior to it. All that I have learnt in a month here is just a tiny proportion of what the life offers. Hail my dear friend. have a nice stay at home away from home.

The Economics of Life

2008-07-27T14:42:00.005+05:30

It seemed just the start of another week ahead on the 21st day of July 2008. How was I to know what lay ahead. All I knew that the weekend would be special. And in more than one way. A month into IIMB, and my smooth running came to an abrupt halt. The Convocation was a temptation that loomed large in the foresight. But the road to the convo was something I had never planned. And the return not even imagined. So cometh the Monday, we were given cases to submit on Friday, the big day in my life. So, I had to get to work against all odds all by myself. The first glitch: I had no idea how to go about it. There was a sense that I would put some crap.. which i earnestly did. But after 3 straight night outs and bunking of classes for the first time at IIMB, I thought I ended up with something decent. The exam at the weekend was far off my mind till I finished the report.

Off I went to the sultry and hot Chennai, the only solace being I could catch up with old friends and be honoured as a B. Tech in Biotechnology. We had a ball. With all the red gowns, the hall looked like a garden of roses. I was utterly disappointed that I couldnt bag the Institute Merit Prize but I am more than willing to make up for it out here. The night was as planned. Dinner with friends, received lots of gifts. gave none, forgot some and all kinds of stuff. Finally, the long awaited walk, one with which I have to be content for a long long time.

Back to Bangalore, ran into an auto driver who wouldnt compromise. Got into a belie with him, the fact that I was in insti was heartening. Exam Sunday morning loomed large, but what loomed larger was the lack of sleep, and off I went into the dreamland. Exam I cupped for sure, but lesson learnt. There is so much more to life and we need to go fetch it. Everything comes at a cost. This is the Economics of Life. The indifference curve after all makes sense, that I had to trade off an exam for going to convo. And this is called learning. As practical as it can get. But, I am now assured that the satisfaction was the highest i could have attained irrespective of the exam.

BANG!!

2008-07-21T01:58:00.001+05:30

Overview

The game is played by four to seven players (two to eight players with variants and expansions). Each player takes one of the following roles:

Sheriff (x1)
Deputy Sheriff (x1 or x2)
Outlaw (x2 or x3)
Renegade (x1, x2 with expansions)

Each player also receives a unique character card with special abilities and a certain amount of 'bullets' (i.e. life-points).

The object of the game is different for every role:

the Outlaws must kill the Sheriff;
the Sheriff and his Deputies must kill the Outlaws and the Renegade(s);
each Renegade's objective is to be the last character in play. The Renegade(s) must kill all the characters with the sheriff being the last one dead.

Game Rules

Set Up

Each player is dealt a Character card and a Role card. The Role cards are given face down to each player.

4 players = 1 Sheriff, 1 Renegade, 2 Outlaws

5 players = 1 Sheriff, 1 Renegade, 2 Outlaws, 1 Deputy

6 players = 1 Sheriff, 1 Renegade, 3 Outlaws, 1 Deputy

7 players = 1 Sheriff, 1 Renegade, 3 Outlaws, 2 Deputies

8 players (with Dodge City expansion pack) = 1 Sheriff, 2 Renegades, 3 Outlaws, 2 Deputies

The Sheriff announces his role and places it face up in front of him. The other players' roles remain secret. All players reveal their character cards.

The character cards determine the amount of life points each player has (the number of "bullets" is the amount of life points); each player reveals their assigned number of bullets on the back of an unused character card. The player given the Sheriff role starts with one additional bullet. Each character is equipped with a special ability. Players should announce their character and ability.

Each player is dealt a number of cards equal to the number of bullets they have. The Sheriff plays the game with one additional bullet. If his character has 3 bullets, the Sheriff will play with 4.

Each player is considered to be at distance 1 from the players sitting next to him on either side, distance 2 from those sitting one seat further away, and so on (counting the shortest route).

Gameplay

The game is played in turns, in clockwise order. The Sheriff begins. Each player's turn is divided into three phases.

1. Draw two cards

The active player draws the top two cards from the draw pile. As soon as the draw pile is empty, shuffle the discard pile to create a new playing deck.

2. Play any number of cards.

Now the player may play to help himself or hurt the other players, trying to eliminate them. He is not forced to play cards during this phase. Any number of cards may be played; there are only two limitations.

Only one BANG! card may be played per turn;(Unless one has a "Volcanic" or their special ability is to play more than one BANG! IE: Willy The Kid)

No player can ever have two identical cards face up in front of him.

When a card is played just follow the symbols on it. Cards can be played only during your turn (with the exception of Beer and Missed!).

Normally a card has an effect which is immediately resolved, and then the card is discarded. However, blue bordered cards, like weapons and horses, etc., have long lasting effects, and are kept in the table face up in front of you.

The effects of these cards (in play) lasts until they are discarded or removed somehow (e.g. Cat Balou or Panic) or a special event occurs (e.g. in the case of Jail or Dynamite.)

3. Discard excess cards.

Once the second phase is over (you do not want to or cannot play any more cards), then you must discard from your hand any cards exceeding your hand size limit. The hand size limit of a player (at the end of his turn) is equal to the number of bullets currently shown on the card that lies under his character card. Then it is the next player's turn, in clockwise order.

Card effects

To shoot at another character, a player must play a card bearing a "Bang!" icon to a player within shooting range.

This means that if the shooter hasn't got any weapons, he can only shoot players at distance 1; if he has a weapon that can fire to distance 3, he can target any player at distance 3 or less.

If the targeted player has a "Missed" card, he can play it to avoid getting shot; otherwise he loses one bullet (life point).

When a character loses his last bullet, he is "dead."

A Beer card can be used to restore a bullet. A player cannot use Beer cards to exceed his character's number of bullets. A player can only restore his own bullets via a Beer card, and he can only play it during his turn. A Whiskey card performs the same function as Beer cards, except that it restores two bullets (may not exceed the character's number of bullets).

Exception: if a player loses his last bullet, he can immediately play one or more Beer cards until he remains at 1 bullet.

A player may usually play only one "Bang!" card during his turn, but other cards can be played without restriction during the turn.

For example, some cards allow to steal cards from an opponent's hand, force an opponent to discard a card, jail a character, change the relative range to other players, or change the range at which the player can shoot. Most of the cards are self-explaining, bearing little symbols that describe the card's effect when combined; the rest carry a symbol that suggests that the player consult the game manual (this is not true starting from the 3rd Edition, where these cards have a written text explaining their effect).

Some cards require a "draw!": this means that you have to reveal the first card of the deck and check the card suit and value shown on the lower left corner. For example, you may escape from the Jail only if you successfully "draw!" a Heart card.

Penalties and Rewards

If the Sheriff eliminates a Deputy, the Sheriff must discard all the cards he has in hand and in play.

Any player eliminating an Outlaw (even if the eliminating player is himself an Outlaw!) must draw a reward of 3 cards from the deck.

Determining the winner

Once the Sheriff is killed, the game is over. If the only player left is a Renegade and is alive at this point, the Renegade wins. However, if two or more players are still alive or the only remaining player is an Outlaw, all the Outlaws win, dead or alive.

On the other hand, if all Outlaws and Renegades are dead before the Sheriff dies, the Sheriff and all the Deputies win, dead or alive.

Dunno.. But there is something in it..

2008-07-21T01:39:00.002+05:30

Long long ago... I used to write something.. Its been a huge break and now I am back to writing.. The diaries and the blogs see little of me these days, of course, thanks to the so called IIM where sleep is a precious commodity leave alne pursuing something like writing. I have had a good couple of weeks though, will lots of fun and lots of pitching for me... and lots of exams too.. No points for guessing that I mentioned exams because I did well.. So, coming back to Bangalore or the newly called Bengaluru, at the first go itself you realise that it is far far better than Chennai. The weather is just amazing, and the place has a plethora of pubs and restaurants to offer... I have been to some already which calls for a huge description...

Brew haha... The latest place i visited, on Amaru damru's birthday, is a happy go lucky place offering a variety of games, coffees and snacks on the table. Heard of the game bang?? I got addicted to it in three hours.. Its something like wolf that we used to play in insti but much more fun.. with cards and banging each other.. there is never a dull moment. The rain hampered lil fun though, but a good outing and more importantly a much needed trip outside insti..

Legends of Rock, not much about the place, but more about the fun.. The songs, the whisky and the music and the dance, the tequilla and the girls was all fun... The beginning of the fun, association with peers and seniors.. everything seems so similar yet more challenging than what I have seen before.. The time management out here at IIMB is something I adore very much.. No frills attached, every meeting is short and sweet, and to the point... No one believes in wasting everyone else's time.. There is much more to do.. Like sleep... Yeah Legends of rock.. the view from the terrace was amazing.. I could look down on the entire city..

Being in Bangalore has another advantage.. You have friends coming down to see you ofter.. Lays came down the other day and a nice chat with him left me happy.. With MLD moving into the job come tomorrow, Zufster recovering from the surgery , Deja making his models, I here have the need to study much harder than ever before.. For what i am looking for is simple... The three letters.. "DML"..

Good night and Good luck...

Summer of 2008

2008-06-06T22:15:00.003+05:30

Its June folks, and the summer is about to end, if it has not ended at your place. While every drop of rain brings a sigh of relief from the infernal heat of the summer, this summer it leaves behind some of the most precious moments of my life. As with all summers, the mangoes, the juices, the milk shakes and the ice creams will be missed thoroughly. But this summer, the memories of my last four years, of the hostel which gave me an identity, of a campus which gave me immense joy, of friends which I carry along. All changed with this summer. The campus, the hostel, the friends all will be missed. As I move on into another world, hoping to achieve all that I did there back in IITM. A place which will add to me and my friends and my life...

That was the summer of 2008. As I look behind, the eyes go moist.....

This is going to hurt just a little bit

2008-05-31T13:13:00.000+05:30

One thing I like less than most things is sitting in a dentist chair with
my mouth wide open.

And that I will never have to do it again is a hope that I am against
hope hopen.

Because some tortures are physical and some are mental,
But the one that is both is dental.
It is hard to be self-possessed
With your jaw digging into your chest.

So hard to retain your calm
When your fingernails are making serious alterations in your life line
or love line or some other important line in your palm;

So hard to give your usual effect of cheery benignity
When you know your position is one of the two or three in life
most lacking in dignity.

And your mouth is like a section of road that is being worked on.
And it is all cluttered up with stone crushers and concrete mixers and
drills and steam rollers and there isn't a nerve in your head that
you aren't being irked on.

Oh, some people are unfortunate enough to be strung up by thumbs.
And others have things done to their gums,
And your teeth are supposed to be being polished,
But you have reason to believe they are being demolished.
And the circumstance that adds most to your terror
Is that it's all done with a mirror,
Because the dentist may be a bear, or as the Romans used to say, only
they were referring to a feminine bear when they said it, an ursa,
But all the same how can you be sure when he takes his crowbar in one
hand and mirror in the other he won't get mixed up, the way you
do when you try to tie a bow tie with the aid of a mirror, and forget
that left is right and vice versa?

And then at last he says That will be all; but it isn't because he then
coats your mouth from cellar to roof
With something that I suspect is generally used to put a shine on a
horse's hoof.

And you totter to your feet and think. Well it's all over now and after
all it was only this once.
And he says come back in three monce.

And this, O Fate, is I think the most vicious circle that thou ever sentest,
That Man has to go continually to the dentist to keep his teeth in good
condition when the chief reason he wants his teeth in good condition
is so that he won't have to go to the dentist.

OGDEN NASH.

Deja vu

2008-05-22T12:46:00.002+05:30

I'll go..
I'll go in another 15 min..
Well, there is lots of time..
Ok.. ta ta.. (hugs)

di di di da da di di di (SMS)

Wait up.. I think I missed my flight..

Deja vu

The perfect recipe

2008-05-21T21:10:00.004+05:30

The perfect recipe for a wonderful evening:

1 teaspoon of kshitij (for humour)
1 teaspoon of aditi (for digging her own grave. aka.bakra)
1 teaspoon of aishwarya (for someone to bulb)
1 teaspoon of purvi (for eating up all food)
1 teaspoon of ganesh (for being dumb)
1 teaspoon of ankit (for hmmm... u can comment.. :) )

and a place by the beach side.. and thats it my friends.. that evening lasted four years...

"And that my FRIEND is called CLOSURE"

Barbeque Nation, Chennai

2008-05-06T02:16:00.005+05:30

The newest entry to the ever growing Chennai has been filed by Barbeque Nation, the international food chain.. Its already unique and novel concept hands it an edge over other restaurants. With the barbeque being cooked in he middle of the table and cushions which could please any ass in this world, it gives a feeling of comfort, delight and is an hands on experience. A bit on the higher side (especially for the veggies) it offers a variety of steak to be put on the grill.

BN has a unique bar of its own serving a few mocktails, cocktails and chilled beer. It takes a while for the rinks to reach your lips and it might take a reminder or two to get them in the first place. Otherwise, the staff is well dresses, amicable and carrying an expresion that they are enjoying what they doing i.e. serving others. This is by the far the most courteous and amicable staff I have seen at any restaurant. A bunch of young lads who enjoy what people are doing, who are ready to help at any point of time without a jitter, and those who can rock the house on their own..

It is not a place where you wold have a business meeting nor a place where you take your girl friend out. It is a place where you hang out with your friends, enjoy a drink and eat with complete leisure. I would suggest its worth a visit for its a completely novel experience that I for sure haven't experienced in India before.

Ambience: 6.5/10
Food: 7/10
Service: 8/10

A night at Bhupath and Jyothis'

2008-05-03T10:02:00.003+05:30

Amidst the unbearable hot and, more importantly, extremely humid summer, I found refuge at this amazing place Bhupath and Jyothis'.. From the exterior, a five star hotel, lives upto expectations of a student searching for heaven on the island of heat. I say this because I have often heard that hell comprises of burning flames which will cook your flesh and purify and anoint you.

Yeah, so coming back to this place, it had a lavish interior decoration in the middle with a dome at the top and a well laid granite and marble with a delightful texture of sand. Go to the second floor, and you experience the bliss. A difference of about 15 degrees, a humdity of about 10 per cent, comfortable rocking chairs, two pretty females working there, provision of laptops with neck breaking speed of the internet connection, a database of almost every movie to be made to choose from, what more could one ask for.. Well... one can... ORKUT... I mean TEEN PATTI.. and someone to play along with it.. And here is the part of the story you need to move away from the girls and you need guys... I got them, and lets leave it there.. We played teen patti... lost then won and then lost again... I lost the appetite for losing money and turned to actual cards.. Bluffing has always worked for me.. Be it in cards or in front of professors or core members or anyone... So, we start playing bluff... And the girls joined in.. In the middle of the game, I kept losers to treat.. I knew I would win.. :D So we played Bluff in the room... watched DDLJ... played music.. I wonder if we could dance next time as it would complete a perfect stay at the Bhupath and Jyothis'...

Teen Patti

2008-04-30T21:25:00.004+05:30

Orkut is ringing in the changes... With applications that you can add to your profile, inviting others to join you in all the fun... The applications include the likes of Cricket games, fantasy games, music players, quizzes, movie makers etc. But the most interesting application I found was Teen Patti. Its fantastic, its fun and a way to know other people..

My friends keep asking me about the rule.. Since betting takes care of itself in Orkut, I write here the rules of the best hand:

The ranking of the possible hands, from high to low, is as follows.

Trio - three cards of the same rank. Three aces are the best trio and three twos are the lowest.
Straight run - three consecutive cards of the same suit. Ace can be used in the run A-2-3, which is the highest straight run. Next comes A-K-Q, K-Q-J and so on down to 4-3-2, which is the lowest. 2-A-K is not a valid run.
Normal run - three consecutive cards, not all of the same suit. A-2-3 is the best normal run, then A-K-Q, K-Q-J and so on down to 4-3-2. 2-A-K is not valid.
Colour - any three cards of the same suit. When comparing two colours, compare the highest card; if these are equal compare the second; if these are equal too, compare the lowest. Thus the highest colour is A-K-J and the lowest is 5-3-2.
Pair - two cards of the same rank. Between two such hands, compare the pair first, then the odd card if these are equal. The highest pair hand is therefore A-A-K and the lowest is 2-2-3.
High card - three cards that do not belong to any of the above types. Compare the highest card first, then the second highest, then the lowest. The best hand of this type is A-K-J of mixed suits, and the worst is 5-3-2.

Any hand of a higher type beats any hand of a lower type - for example the lowest run 4-3-2 beats the best colour A-K-J.

Across the Universe

2008-04-26T20:28:00.004+05:30

Its the first musical I have seen... I remember someone saying musicals are bad.. Well this was wasn't... If there was a tribute to the Beatles, then this would be it.. The story is based on how long distance relationships are far from secure and that as you grow fond of someone, the older memory starts to fade away. Each time you find someone whom you are attracted to, and start loving the person. Its of the Vietnam war era, but beautifully picturised, directed and the music was awesome and to the occasion..

Some of the numbers include:

I wanna hold your hand
I want you (She's so heavy)
Because
Hey Jude
Come together
While my Guitar gently weeps
Strawberry fields forever
All you need is love
Beautiful boy
Don't let me down
happiness is a warm gun
Hold me tight (I love this :))
I am the Walrus
If I fell in love with you
Let it be
Lucy in the sky with diamonds
Something in the way she moves
Across the universe
Why don't we do it in the road

Its IPL!!!

2008-04-25T09:30:00.013+05:30

I live in Hyderabad... Study in Chennai.. And I am a native of Rajasthan.. And one can translate it, Deccan Chargers is my home team, Chennai Super Kings is whom I should be supporting, and Rajasthan Royals is what I am... but ironically enough, inspite of so many choices I choose a team different from all these... I don't like Shah Rukh Khan jumping up and down the balcony with Arjun Rampal dancing to his tunes.. And in the absence of Sachin, neither has Mumbai Indians given me a solid reason to support them. Delhi Daredevils has a dream bowling attack but without Sehwag and Gambhir, its batting looks thin. On paper, Bangalore Royal challegers look the most boring and impotent.. Quite ironical isn't it that a man like Vijay Mallya should end up with probably the most boring team one can imagine.. This leaves one team remaining and thats the Punjab Kings.. With Preity Zinta on their side, Punjab need not give any other reason to be their supporter.. She claps with every six and cries when each wicket falls down. Her contribution to the game as she says is her presence at the stadia.

Hmmm... its been a week into the IPL.. And we have already witnessed a spectacle of a life time. It started off in tremendous fashion, with Bredon Mccullum pummeling the RCs.. As one sided as it was, it just laid the foundation for the week to come. When the two kings faced off, it was just that Super in the name that edged Chennai to beat Punjab. But the most interesting matches have come off late. The humdinger in Kolkata on a pitch which one can argue should have been a test wicket. The chutzpah of Abhishekh Nayar who almost saw Mumbai cage the Super Kings, and the last over flourish by Shane Warne, which annihilated otherwise a memorable day for Andrew Symonds.

As an Indian though, and the T20 champions, its a little worrying that they are the players from overseas which have truly performed. All centuries, the most brilliant bowling figures, and exceptional fielding everything, by just the four members in each team.. The Shane dual in Rajasthan Royals, The Austrailian duals in DC and Chennai, Mccullum And David hussey for Kolkata, James Hopes and Brett Lee for Punjab, Mcgrath and Maharoof for the Daredevils. The only truly Indian side is the Mumbai Indians. Robin Utthapa, Harbhajan Singh and Abhishekh Nayar have all done India proud. Abhishekh Nayar and Ravindran Jadeja have shown tremendous potential to compete with the best and are sooner rather than later to be seen in the Indian colours. One other bowler M Gony, impresses me a lot.. Well built, tall bowler has used his body to excellent use and is an addition to an already growing Indian Pace attack..

And there is much more than cricket... Cheerleaders, just like in American football.. Man these girls and in some cases guys too (:|) bring lots of colour to the match... You see them dance at every four or six hit.. At every wicket taken.. ITs just fantastic to watch... Stars performing on the grounds, I love the Akshay Kumar stunts, the Sivamani drums... Its just much more.. The advertisements.. of not any other products.. but the teams themselves... the promo song by Daler Mehndi.. I can recollect only one song.. "Its ROCKING, yaara kabhi ishq to karo. "

IPL has already thrown a number of surprises.. The table looks opposite to what it was predicted before the tournament.. DC started as favourites but are lying down at the bottom of the table with 3 losses in as many matches. On the other hand, RRs have done exceeding well to win 2 out of the 3.. Thanks to Shane Warne of course.. Most of the players will be returning to their national duties and it is then that IPL will truly be tested to live up to the expectations.. Meanwhile, today, is Punjab v Mumbai match. I have a reason to support each but I am expecting a cracker of a match on a pitch that produced close to 500 runs in the previous outing. IPL has just added so much colour in the Indian community. And why not.. If the European nations have this in Football, the T20 format has given us a chance to showcase it in cricket. And oh boy, we have succeeded..

Why curious?

2008-04-22T17:49:00.006+05:30

All of us are curious.. Some about science.. Some about fate.. Some about destiny, whereas some others for lottery.. Some about news.. Some about results.. Some about their relatives, whereas some others for a newly met girl.. Everyone has been affected by curiosity.. So much so that, when people sleep these days, they are curious to know if they can sleep more...

Well, I have been very curious for the past few days... And curious for various reasons.. Mostly, about the much awaited IIM offers which hold the key to my fate.. About the quota declaration which in turn holds the key to the results.. About the next 27 days, which will mark the end of a memorable adventure.. About the next two years, which will test me to the core.. About the strength of character which will decide our destiny.. About someone calling... About other's blogs.. So, in a way I am curious about anything that a Homo sapien can be curious about..

Now, having written the PE exam.. I wonder which sect of people are curious.. Are they the egoists, or the altruists.. Are they utilitarians or deontologists? Are they who follow solipsism?? The root of curiosity is consequence. But the code of ethics has its own theories on consequences.. I am curious.. And I want to know where I belong.. I dont know why their is curiosity if everyone follows a code of conduct which has rules and consequences are already decided or do not matter.. So, why curious??

Its high time!!!

2008-04-16T11:30:00.003+05:30

Well.. I hope you are aware of the AXN reality series named "Girls Gone Wild"... I am glad to say I might be soon on the series due to my presence at one such party. Where girls were going really wild. While I was lucky to be kissed by two different people, I was at the receiving end and I had my share of bruises too.

Hmmm.. The Indian traditional wear suddenly turned nasty when girls were seen in nothing but t shirts, white non-opaque t shirts, inviting everyone for graffiti. Hmmm hmmm.. and guess what.. Their backs and fronts were all written over... I guess most of them were not in their senses but for those who were, one of hem being me, it was a sheer delight. With the t shirts going up and down and the girls falling like nine pins, I never expected such a wild party so soon.

Well, gals u rock... and with u on alcohol... the world rocks...

Its me...

2008-04-11T19:23:00.002+05:30

Change of Fortunes...

2008-04-05T15:04:00.007+05:30

All credit goes to Ms. Aditi Jain for capturing the glorious moments of life.. :D

And here comes the clone...

2008-04-03T16:55:00.002+05:30

Of all the memories into the RGs..

2008-04-03T10:56:00.007+05:30

Well its RG time... By RG I don't mean that I have any exam... It's time when everyones kora chitta is filled with all the good, bad and the ugly deeds in the past four years. Its fun running down memory lane and picking out events which are the most funny, most memorable, most endeared for something which will be remembered all life. Its a session where your closest friends toast you and everything is printed on an A3 paper for all to know about you...

Some people find it embarrassing, some don't like it and yet another lot just gives it the full thrust. I would typically fall into the third category playing no hand in concealing whatsoever. But sometimes, some of my friends come to me and say, no this did not happen and that did not happen. Sometimes, they ask not to incorporate. But why, isn't it all going to be fun.. Isn't this what we crave for all four years. To have people like you, to know that people love you, to know that how much your life has affected theirs and that it would have been a completely different story if you hadn't been there around. I sincerely ask all you friends to take a chill pill and don't go about contemplating about whats being written. No one will write a word wrong. These are memories close to their hearts and after the saga gets over close to yours too.

Long ago, may be in my first year here, I used to get so many forward messages.. Nothing struck me as this one. One day, we will look back at what we did and we will cry for the times we laughed, and laugh at the times we cried. This is life friends.. Live it!!

The Million Dollar Baby...

2008-04-03T10:25:00.002+05:30

Well... Thats what the pic is named.. if anyone was wondering what the million dollar baby is, its right below.. :D

In pursuit of happyness..

2008-03-31T08:25:00.001+05:30

The beginning of the end...

2008-03-30T21:32:00.012+05:30

The last month due tomorrow. And the season of farewells has already begin with the Adieu organized by the institute. A kuntry max event as any IITian would call it, there were huge queues for food and people breaking in. Well, thats IIT for you. The girls were quite over dressed for the occasion but later I came to know the use of it. Ill get back to that in a while. As I said, the season of farewells... And we had a BT picnic organized yesterday. It was fun but in a different way. Seemingly overdone at various points of time, it was something to get away from the joblessness we all face in our lives. The toasts were the only thing which interested me a little but then people keep extending which cost me a very dear night.

Hehe.. Coming back to the Adieu, everyone was fascinated by Vineeta Singh who but all looked ordinary. There has somehow always been air about her presence but the charm is long gone. A little old with age, she looked worn out by all the PE job offer and the consultancy work she has been doing. I could see some Sharav junta grouping around her for no reason and not quite to her liking. She was wanting to get away from them. Udaan started modestly with no one paying heed but as people settled in they gained momentum with numbers like Tere liye and Pehla nasha rocking the crowds..

There was always a bustling feeling when you got down into the bowl. People were taking photographs with everyone else possible and this was going on one after the other. It was a nice feeling but to me the need to take a pic spelled nostalgia. Spelled that its of course, farewell...

Holi Hai!!

2008-03-22T12:14:00.006+05:30

Let the Music play, let the bhaang go in, let the thandaai cool it off... This happens every holi... So whats special about this one.. Well for starters... I was woken up from sleep and straight taken to charge... The juniors Lays Shammo and Ugri came banging my door... Although I would have been angry if anyone else in this world did it, these guys surely weren't going to bear any of my wrath. On the other hand, I peacefully resigned to what they wanted to do and was coloured even before I was fully conscious. It took a while to get into the groove but I didnt know what awaited me..

The "Matka Phodi", a new entrant into the Alak culture, was a big hit.. Though the structure collapsed twice or may be thrice, people didnt lose hope. I had to take it upon myself to do Shri Ganesh as I lifted katrina on my shoulders and it was some sight. If Deja and I were a sight at Saarang a couple of years back, this is one step higher. The scene was of two men standing vertically, one on top of the other. It was hard doing the balancing act, and to some extent dangerous, but we did it, thanks to all the spirit IIT has got into us.

This was not it for the day though.. Due to all the rains in Chennai for the past week, the quadrangle the shape in which it was invited to fore the "Shaitani" dimaag all of us have. They started pushing everyone turn by turn into the muddy water and my got it hurt me. My back is fully scratched and burning. God why!!

Beedi.. Another new addition to my repertoire here in IIT.. The Czar came over to my wing after I had removed the colour quite a bit. But how was I to know that Czar and his army were still to attack. I had colour all over again. And this time no water to wear it off... Nano came in half conscious to the room and everyone desperately waiting for water, the moment it came we had bath two in one bog. Beat that!!!

Well, I had decided that I wouldn't play holi ever... But I just can't say no to these set of people who have become a need if not more. Love ya guys... May these colours brighten up your life and wishing you good luck ahead..

Holi hai!!!!

A date with PARK

2008-03-22T00:47:00.008+05:30

Perhaps the most expensive dinner I have had in my life and to add to that the best alcohol. It was my first tryst with The PARK and with ABSOLUT Vodka (Blue) and it was surely an enjoyable one. Well, the first glance at the hotel is itself breath taking. The huge doors at the entrance completely unguarded followed by The Leather Bar on the right just raises the bar by a notch. Following it is the lobby. As far as I can remember the interior design is leaps and bounds ahead of any other restaurant. Guarded by bamboos and filled with a violet haze, the lobby is the place to be. Further in is its restaurant six 'o' one. Serving both ala carte and buffet, it has the finest variety of food and food with a difference.

We all started off slowly with some snacks being served and alcohol being ordered. I have never tasted ABSOLUT before, but it sure deserves the enigma attached to it. Smooth as silk, it gives you that sense of satisfaction or should i say that kick you looking for. The proceedings after that are slow with everyone concentrating on the food. But I was all excited about the deserts and they didn't disappoint. About 25 varieties present, each one good in its own merit. But what lured me the most were the Chocolate cream cup, the kheer and the strawberry cheese cake. We must have had four servings of deserts individually and stopped because our system wouldn't take more in. But we wanted more. There we sat now, bellies out, eyes rolling in and getting a lil more comfortable. We waited for a while, farted and enjoyed the ambience. To cap it off there were gorgeous girls and our eyes never shut.

Overall a little overpriced, but the food and the ambience make it a worthwhile visit. And to all of you there is a secret. Do visit the restroom, b'coz you never know what you might bump into. :)

Institutionalized

2008-03-21T14:28:00.003+05:30

Well, four years is hell a lot of time.. And its all gonna be over soon.. People will tread their own paths not knowing what is to come ahead. Gone will be the days of such freedom, such lethargy, where one can get up at 2 in the noon and start blogging. Gone will be the days where after getting up at 2, one can sleep again. Gone will be these bright days.

Surely, the most eventful and fun days of one life, my stay here will always be memorable. For friends I made, i shall always carry them with me. I always believed that two things you take out this institute: one is pride and the other friends. Well, yes we all will be happy to be graduating from such a premier institute. But deep down, I fear what lies ahead. I am scared to move out of these four walls which pull me towards it again and again.. Even away from home.. I fear if I will adapt to the life outside for this has been a very safe and carefree heaven. Will I be able to live up to the pretentious corporate world, or will I be another victim in the race of bread winners. I do not have any answers, but for one thing if all you guys are there with me forever.. I have emerged a winner already.

I might be leaving this ground soon. My deeds here fulfilled. But one quote I always remember:
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep;
But I have promises to keep;
And miles to go before I sleep;
And miles to go before I sleep;"

I am truly Institutionalized.

Its Different!!!

2008-03-20T23:06:00.005+05:30

So whats different??
You and I differ..
And you and i will always differ..

What wont differ is that be in any part of the country, the Indian trains are bound to get late. But what differs is the wait at the stations. In two days, I have spent about 6 hours at two different stations. Of course 3 hours each. One at the horrible horrible Chennai and the other at the most awesome Bangalore. I have very good reasons to add the adjectives to the two cities. In hind sight, I wouldnt have minded transferring all the 6 hours to Bangalore. For simply one reason. Aha, not girls, but the weather. There was a plesant wind blowing onto your face, giving you the feeling of waiting at the station for as long as the train wanted. And here, back in tamland, every moment just made me curse. Curse harder than before. It seemed eternity before the train finally arrived abuot 3 and a half hours late and each moment I kept thinking, is the interview that important or can I just say T to the interview and go back to my cool hostel room and lie down in the bed.
Well, I dunno how much progress the Indian railways has made in the past 4 years, but it surely doesnt show up on the tracks.

Whats different is the Shatabdi in the North and the South. The northi one looks royal and gives a special feeling. the southi one is just like any other train with food given on it. But bangalore being Bangalore, the crowd can make up for anything. The girls were pretty and one could see the full range fron the short skirts to the long flowing ones to tight jeans to the three fourths to the suits to the sarees. And each one of them adorable. I wonder how long has it been since I spoke about girls in such a fashion. Not my fault gals, Chennai doesn't deserve it!!

Hmmm... Coming to the point, the interview had nothing. It was so different from the other IIMs. Barely, ten min long, they asked me why are you excited about various things. And thats it. I forced them to ask me if I had any questions and asked about the curriculum and made sure that they knew I had a call from all the 6 IIMs and that i am that much better than the other candidates.
On the other hand, the other panel was beating the crap out of the students with each interview lasting about half an hour. Now, thats different again.

There is something more interesting than all the crap I wrote above. In the question I asked the panel, I came to know that at IIMB you bid for courses. Its like the IPL auction, each student is given some amount of credit and he can buy what courses he wants to do. In this way, he needs to figure out which course does he value more and what he wants his profile to look like. inovative haan? and know what, its all managed by the students with zero interaction from the faculty. Its something I have never heard of. So, lets play Super Selector!! Anybody game??

Well, when I was planning to write this blog in the train, I kept wondering. I have heard this somewhere. But where.. Now I know. It's the ketchup ad, with Javed Jaffery going in his own unique style, "Yeets Diffarant!! "

Elections ke liye saala kuch bhi karega..

2008-03-18T00:10:00.001+05:30

Well I am not writing about any country or state elections. As the title of my blog goes, I shall proceed with the institute. When I think of IIT and the elections that I have so closely been involved in for the past three years, I realize it is all a big farce. Be it insti or hostel, SAC speaker or any other post open to students, a good candidature is the last criteria considered before voting. It all boils down to how many of the various factions existing here can you pull. And the word spreads like fire. I remember me discussing how the word spreads in the most abundant faction out here. To give an analogy, its something like the "Uncontrolled Chain Reaction". It increases exponentially with everyone for some reason very loyal to their head. To prove the point, it is so predominant that people have considered changing names for elections. Beat that!!

Coming to the other side of the elections, the so called meetings, is just a congregation of selfish diplomats who are their to shell out something good for each of them. Everyone wants to blow his whistle, and the prejudice is and can never be eradicated. I have never seen any solution out of this meeting and it makes sense that nothing comes out. It takes more courage to withdraw your nomination than to file it for it involves sacrifice and lowering of pride. Coming back to the meetings, as I said people try pointing fingers at others, people try BSing and people also try being emotional. Its like that candy ad: "Kuch bhi karega for Candyman". And it indeed looks like a candy to all people. For more power, for more money and for a good job. Yeah, a good job. As someone said a couple of days back, "Please let me contest. I have my ambitions and I need a good job. I have no credentials." What does this line say to you? It makes me rethink my post's title. Shouldn't it be "Job ke liye saala kuch bhi karega!!" But alas, its about power too. People have lost the trust in anyone's word and it all boils down to who is more desperate. Rarely, has anyone stood for the post to work for it. And even more rarely has anyone won an election to work for it. It is always working for oneself.

As I have seen this year, trying to keep out of elections, it just bounces back on you. You seem to be a traitor now. It is such a spiralled community that once you get in you keep drowning in the whirlpool. Hats off to these people who devote so much time and attention to these posts and worship it. Last night, was the final time I sat in a meeting and I am still waiting for an outcome out of it. Guys, I know IIT is known for all the smart brains, but the abuse of democracy in this section of the society does not serve good for the country nor for the students themselves in the future. But with three new IITs coming up, I wonder is there a new ray of hope for IITM, or is it something that cannot be changed. This year we have seen the shift of power, but is it not from a devils hand to another?

Zufster

2008-03-17T09:16:00.000+05:30

Well, the "1.4 lakh gal" as Ritesh coined it took us out to Eden to treat for the same. At first, the place looks like a commoner bustling with noise. But the steward made it sure that it seemed a part of the Radissons group of hotels. Zufster, with her charming smile made sure we got our seats a lot before we expected to. And with the food already decided, it was just a matter of time before we got our hands to it. Well, its more fun watching the Zufster using forks to cut the puff biscuits than eating the puff yourself. You just cant keep your eyes away from her. :D

The entire evening revolved around my previous post, the song and the flab. The flab mostly I should say, after all the attempts to reduce it, the Zufster wanted to provide me enough cheese so that it regains its original glory. And I was upto the challenge. my dish was leaps and bounds ahead of any other and the desert was just awesome though most of our furiousness was concentrated on the ice cream named, "When you last saw your waist".

Hehe, we rounded off the meal, including the waiting time, quicker than what it took us to travel to and fro the place. Inside the campus it was more silent for some reason and only time we actually began humming something was when zufster made mockery of some very good songs. All this while, there was a third party sitting there, though some could have debated her presence from whats been described. Overall, it was good fun at a place with good food and cheerful people doing the math of the flab before and after.

Oh boy did I Sing!!!

2008-03-16T10:30:00.000+05:30

Well, when everyone was visiting Bangalore for the Megadeth concert, I was amidst all of them to go for an interview. Its almost been a month into this process of interviews and now it has become a boring mundane routine to visit bangalore and interact with the faculty of various IIMs for a nerve wracking 25 minutes of question and answer, or let us call it mocking. My last interview with IIMA was not so good, with the panel laughing at will. So, this time I made a conscious effort that the panel acknowledges me.

Good that it started with easy questions like what do you do at IITM for time pass and stuff. It got me at ease and the answers kept flowing, be it right or wrong. Never was there a moment, when I wasn't smiling quite contrary to what happened a fortnight ago. The round of question and answers went on when they arrived to music. My eyes lighted up and I gleefully said I sing. One of the members said in Hindi, "To Ankit, do jhaankiyaan ho jaaye" to which I replied."jaroor". I sang one of my all time favourites, "Oh mere dil ke chain" and they thought I sang well.

Well there were other questions not quite worth mention here other than the last line one of them said when I was at the door. It went: "Ankit you sing pretty well, but try reducing the flab" to which I had to say. " I am working on it Sir."

The First One

2008-03-16T09:46:00.001+05:30

Lets get going. Its been a while since people been asking me to write a blog but being bitten by the lethargy syndrome, I have always found reasons not to. But believe me as I make my entry into this world, I am excited writing my first blog. I am here to learn the art of writing which my many dear friends say will come as I write. Actually the enthusiasm for starting this blog was a splurge of extra energy when someone so dear to me called me a "Lazy Bum". Its then that I wanted to prove a point. And here I am.

Guys, for all of you who do not know me, I am Ankit currently in the most peaceful semester of my life. Or atleast supposed to be. It has been marred by all the IIM interviews and the final year project that all the IITians are subjected to. From the IIM interviews, they are the craziest piece of crap I have ever attended. For starters, there are no parameters defined to judge you on. Secondly, they are random and completely not related to you. Imagine if you are asked to explain to the panel why is (-1)*(-1)=(+1), with the argument supporting that vice versa is not true. In another case, out of nowhere you are asked to sing. So, if someone likes to give interviews without preparing for them, this cake belongs to you.

I am sure all of us know about the famous chicken and the egg question. I have got one more for you. Which came first? Engineering or Technology?