Irreparable loss for me

My first blog entry was about this great person whom I still value the most after my parents.

My B Tech HOD prof. M. Ramachandran passed away today. I am still to come to terms with the fact that he is no more. He was such a loveable personality who used to see the entire department students set as his own children. The fundas that he used to give in the class was just out of the world that I used to keep alarm at 11:30 in the morning in just to wake up in time for his class and crash to bed again once his class finishes.

He was one of the most contented individual I have ever met. He was so attached to Coimbatore that he did not take several lucrative offers outside. I have been to IITs and IISc for short term courses and I can say with authority that he was right up there with the stud profs there.

He did not do a Ph.D as he was of the opinion that teaching in an undergraduation programme does not require a research degree. How true! The way he used to give practical examples ..maan i miss him so much!!

I did my undergrad project under him and learnt a lot! Learnings that probably cant be got anywhere. After I had passed out, when I went to get a recommendation for MS programme, I went directly to his house and the ailing picture of him is still quite vivid in my memory. He was coughing his gut out yet was filling all the university forms for me. I thought that was just a temporary illness and he will come out of it soon. Never in my dreams did I think I wont be seeing him again. :(

The last time I spoke to him was over phone on september 5 2008 - teachers day. He asked in his usual friendly tone, "Aporam Umamaheswaran solunga epdi irukeenga?!" (Umamaheswaran tel me how are things?!) The very fact that he remembers my name is an honour for me as he barely remembers student's names..

He retired this year. Some alumni had got together earlier this year to give a felicitation ceremony for the man who served the college department for the past 35 years.. the plan somehow did not take off as everyone became busy in theirr work and assignments.. This is what makes me feel really guilty.. Had we done that.. He would have been a much happier person :(.. Sir, Please forgive me :(

I had one dream (childish you may say)..calling Mr sir for my wedding and having a a small re-union of sorts there in typical Raymonds advertisement style.. That would not happen anymore :( :(

Yesterday, I spoke to my best friend in my college who was also a big fan of MR.. I just could not accept the fact that he was on his death bed.. and I broke down in my hostel room.. Such was his influence on me..

As his last rites might be going on in coimbatore, I just want Sir to hear whereever you are.. Sir, you mean a lot to me and I am indebted to you more than anyone else... Probably you came into this world with a purpose of teaching .. leaving this world after you retired.. I can never forget you :(

One month at the 7th heaven

It has been long since I posted. Part of the reason can be attributed to the rigorous life @ IIM Shillong.
It is really difficult to come to terms with the fact that you don’t get the fat package anymore which means the reckless spending and frequent credit card usage is out of the picture :( .. Worse still is the fact that you have to keep track of how much you gave when going in a taxi with your friends and how much each one owes the other. :) All these take me back to the By-2-cold coffee and light tea days of my undergrad monetary crunch. :)

It is difficult for people living in other parts of India to digest that we have to wear sweaters here in July and gets really cold in the evenings. Ceaseless rain is a normal thing here and probably this is the only B school where you can see students wearing business suits and also carrying an umbrella wherever they go :)
I can tell you, It is serious fun in an IIM with quality people all around from whom you can learn more than you can from the professors. In my batch there are plenty of people who can pull others legs at will the whole night and still come up with an excellent presentation the next morning!! :)

Here, there is a lot of stress on being ambassadors for this neglected north-east region of our country and I feel the atmosphere in this IIM is definitely different from the other IIMs where it is cut throat ugly competition which forces many people to consult psychologists. Here there is real impetus on healthy competition and concern for others. I just hope these values are exhibited in the placement season as well :)

Engineers start at an initial disadvantage as all the accountancy and economics sound Greek and Latin at the beginning but coming around this problem is not a big deal. Engineers often concentrate on arriving at the one and only correct answer but in management it is about analysing the various future options and analysing each one. Finally, after a lot of trade off, we arrive at a solution that is the best of all. Just a tweak in mentality is needed that is it.

The best part of education in an IIM are the case studies where a group works towards a solution and there will be plenty of new ideas coming up. I was never for group studies in my undergrad as I thought it was a waste of time but I have changed my stance after coming here. You don’t get so many fresh ideas in such a short period of time!

The most hated as well as the funniest aspect of a lecture session here is something called DP - Desperate participation. Every subject has marks for class participation and for this reason almost everyone tries to desperately participate irrespective of whether they understood the concept or not. The result is that such dumb doubts and restatement of same questions in myriad ways arise which would make any good professor frown silently :). All these remind me of Tamil comedian Vivek’s famous joke - "Saar,neenga verum daas a? ila lord labak daas a?" :) :) ...

I don’t know how my life will unfold after my graduation but am sure that these two years are going to rock in every possible sense and I am hoping to make the best possible use of the conditions here.

Bubye Samsung :(

It was very difficult leaving Samsung leaving behind many close friends. I hope we all meet once again somewhere down the line. This gift in particular was indeed touching. Thanks so much yr..

Is it worth it?

I have never been a supporter or a believer of "working in the US for 5 years, earn bucks and returning to India theory" . Studying is fine but once the education loan is paid off, if someone is goanna continue staying there then he is well heading towards a point of no return and his personal life is set to be doomed with all the riches that he/she earns notwithstanding.

The parents might initially flaunt saying he is doing high funda research earning 10K dollars per year etc.. But I have seen my own neighbours feeling really low after the intial josh period. I am not sure whether their sons and daughter feel the same way, but these two oldies' life is wretched to say the least. Since their personal life is on the rocks, they vent their frustration on everybody (including us) :). But I seriously pity them. The only happiness that they get is getting to hear their grandchild's voice over phone once in two days.

Is this all we owe our parents for all that they have done to us?

Some people might say one does not get the kind of work they desire in India. But a point to be noted is that not many who give out such a statement is an Einstein or a Hawkings. I can assure you though real research might be in its infancy in India, there is a real thrust given in that direction here. And if still people are really sceptical and continue being in some bloody american company, then I am sorry to say, It is nothing but lure for BIG bucks. Yes I do agree we all require money to a large extent but we should let ourselves become uncle scrooges with dollar signs in our eyes and caring nothing for the near and dears back home.

This were certain questions that suddenly popped up when I was on the verge of going to Uncle Sam's land last year and I decided not to go. There were people all around me from relatives to friends to professors who were really puzzled about my decision at the last minute. I did not tell this real

reason to anyone as that will only make others ridicule me for this view of mine.

But I had made up my mind not to get lured by it and end up as the protagonist of the following article...

ONE BEDROOM FLAT... AN INDIAN SOFTWARE ENGINEER'S LIFE... - A Bitter Reality

As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in Software Engineer and joined a company based in USA, the land of braves and opportunity.When I arrived in the USA, it was as if a dream had come true.

Here at last I was in the place where I want to be. I decided I would be staying in this country for about Five years in which time I would have earned enough money to settle down in India.

My father was a government employee and after his retirement, the only asset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat. I wanted to do some thing more than him. I started feeling homesick and lonely as the time passed. I used to call home and speak to my parents every week using cheap international phone cards. Two years passed, two years of Burgers at McDonald's and pizzas and discos and 2 years watching the foreign exchange rate getting happy whenever the Rupee value went down.

Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that I have only 10 days of holidays and everything must be done within these 10 days. I got my ticket booked in the cheapest flight. Was jubilant and was actually enjoying hopping for gifts for all my friends back home.If I miss anyone then there will be talks. After reaching home I spent home one week goingthrough all the photographs of girls and as the time was getting shorter I was forced to select one candidate.

In-laws told me,to my surprise, that I would have to get married in 2-3 days, as I will not get anymore holidays. After the marriage, it was time to return to USA, after giving some money to my parents and telling the neighbors to look after them, we returned to USA.

My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she started feeling lonely. The frequency of calling India increased to twice in a week sometimes 3 times a week. Our savings started diminishing. After two more years we started to have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and a girl,were gifted to us by the almighty. Every time I spoke to my parents, they asked me to come to India so that they can see their grand-children.

Every year I decide to go to India. But part work part monetary conditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting India was a distant dream. Then suddenly one day I got a message that my parents were seriously sick. I tried but I couldn't get any holidays and thus could not go to India. The next message I got was my parents had passed away and as there was no one to do the last rights the society members had done whatever they could. I was depressed. My parents had passed away without seeing their grand children.

After couple more years passed away, much to my children's dislike and my wife's joy we returned to India to settle down. I started to look for a suitable property, but to my dismay my savings were short and the property prices had gone up during all these years. I had to return to the USA.

My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to stay in India. My 2 children and I returned to USA after promising my wife I would be back for good after two years.

Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to an American and my son was happy living in USA. I decided that had enough and wound-up every thing and returned to India. I had just enough money to buy a decent 02 bedroom flat in a well-developed locality. Now I am 60 years old and the only time I go out of the flat is for the routine visit to the nearby temple. My faithful wife has also left me and gone to the holy abode.

Sometimes I wondered was it worth all this? My father, even after staying in India, had a house to his name and I too have the same nothing more.

I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM. Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing. This damned cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children are losing their values and culture because of it. I get occasional cards from my children asking I am alright. Well at least they remember me.

Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbors again who will be performing my last rights, God Bless them. But the question still remains 'was all this worth it?' I am still searching for an answer................!!!!

--- By an Indian SE who was in US.

Indian MBA

WHY MBA?
What people must understand is that MBA is not end in itself; it is just one of the several
available ways to be successful. Relating MBA and success is one of the oft repeated
mistakes that people make. Supposing that a person has been staying inside a closed
room for a long time thinking that is all what he needs in his life, then an MBA 'might’
open a lot of windows in that room and show him beautiful and distant landscapes which
he never thought existed and there is a 'chance' that he might like those. That’s it about
MBA - nothing more nothing less.
In India, I think there is too much hype surrounding an MBA from a good institute. We
Indians, as a people, have a tendency to sensationalize anything and everything☺.

CONFUSION IN THE MIND OF A TECHNICAL WORKING PERSON
BEFORE OPTING FOR AN MBA:
Should I take an MBA compromising a good job in a good company?? This is a question
that haunts most of the techies and also the fact that you will be studying with lots of nonengineering
graduates and some may feel bad about it. But one should not worry about it.
After all diversity is the spice of life and one should be prepared to embrace change.
Anyways, say after 10-12 years experience, one will be doing managerial job mainly.
And further, if a person is so interested in technical stuff, no harm, he can as well take up
techno management as a career.
But, if you are a serious stud in your job, then think twice before taking a plunge into an
MBA...


CAT( COMMON ADMISSION TEST) AND PREPARATION STYLE
REQUIRED :
It is arguably the toughest exam in the world just because of the sheer competition. They
say getting into IIM Bangalore is ten times tougher than getting into a Harvard.
CAT is a test that tests one's temperament as much as it tests one's capability. As they say,
only thing that is constant with CAT is its unpredictability. I can tell you, if you go into
the CAT exam hall with an attitude that CAT has to be cracked at any cost this year, then
8 out of 10 times, you will do miserably.
Go with a clear mind always. Enjoy life. Soak in the atmosphere and write coolly.. If the
paper pattern and level of difficulty is very tough for you, stay composed as it would be
tough for the remaining 2.5 lakhs people as well.
There are three sections in it:
1) Quantitative aptitude
2) Data interpretation and logical reasoning
3) Reading comprehension and Verbal ability
It normally happens on the third Sunday of November though this year it is told that it
will happen in a window of ten days in November and the format is going to change from
paper-pencil to online format. Again I am not going to dwell too much into this change in
format as ultimately it is the temperament and knowledge that matters not the format. Of
course you have to take adequate practice in that format but that you will anyways do.
Start your preparation somewhere in may and do prepare religiously daily for 2-3 hours.
Start with coaching institute study materials that you can get from your friends or you
may as well register with any coaching institute for classroom course or correspondence
course. Some might find the classroom courses very useful as they might get extra
attention. But if you are really good in math and English, I would advise you not to go as
it is not really needed. You can as well prepare from home with the materials and you
will have enough time. Read newspapers and anything and everything you can lay your
hands on in your free time.
Though classes are not necessary, do register for all India mock cat test series by
different institutes. The reason I emphasize this is, there is no point sitting separately and
preparing without knowing where you are standing among the other preparers all over
India. These tests will give you all India percentile scores similar to CAT.
Take these tests every week and analyze your performance. See how you could have got
more marks. Since CAT has negative marks, it is not necessary to answer all the
questions, you have to choose the correct set of questions and answer them alone. This
picking of easy questions amidst the exam tension is what is tough and that is where your
coolness comes into the picture.


A friend of yours who does much better than you is helpful because you can get to know
many shortcuts from him and a healthy competition between you both helps.


GOOD INSTITUTES IN INDIA AND EXAMS ONE HAS TO WRITE FOR
THEM:
IIMs - CAT
FMS Delhi- FMS
XLRI Jamshedpur- XAT
IIFT Delhi- IIFT
SP Jain mumbai- CAT/XAT
MDI Gurgaon – CAT
IIT Bombay- JMET
JBIMS Bombay - CET
IMT Ghaziabad- CAT
SIBM, Pune - SNAP

GLIM, Chennai – CAT/GMAT – 1 year MBA
ISB, Hyderabad– GMAT – 1 year MBA


If one prepares for CAT, it will suffice for other exams except for slight tweak in strategy
for individual exams.

GROUP DISCUSSION/PERSONAL INTERVIEWS:
Once CAT results come out, you will get calls from the IIMs if you satisfy their criteria
in terms of percentiles in the individual sections and also the overall percentile. Mostly
IIMs have very high cut offs marks.
Other than that, you can apply to other institutes under CAT separately by buying their
admission forms. You can also write other management entrance exams like XAT, FMS,
IIFT, JMET and SNAP.

After getting calls from institutes, your competition in terms of quantity will become less
but in terms of quality it will be become really high. You will be competing with the best
in the country. You will find fresher from IITs with math Olympiad medals and another
team leader from a big company who might actually look as imposing as your boss. So
you will soon realize excelling in CAT is not the end, it is just the beginning of a tougher
road.

Don’t get overawed by the competition. Have confidence in yourself. Participate in many
mock GDs and PIs that the coaching institutes conduct. This will give you a simulated
experience and also an opportunity to have a GD with people who you might actually see
in the actual GD.

Try reading newspapers and magazines daily from your cat preparation days onwards. It
serves the dual purposes of helping you increase your vocabulary and increase your
reading speed. It will also make you aware of the happenings around the world which is
so essential in an interview where in the professors may come out with questions about
anything happening anywhere in the world.

Try to present a true picture of yourself during group discussion and personal interviews,
do not lie in the interviews, professors are the smartest creatures on earth and they will
easily find out. Find out your strengths and weaknesses. And most important of all, try to
ask yourself why you want to an MBA? This is a question that is asked all the time
because they want to know your intention behind doing an MBA. Prepare this question
nicely.

This whole MBA thing is like a Pandora’s Box, you never know what comes out of it. Be
ready to take whatever comes out. If it clicks, fine. If does not, don’t worry. You have a
good job and probably you will be much more successful in your present career than your
post MBA one. So just chill and enjoy life.. :)

Useful websites:
www.tenaday.co.in - A website in which u get 10 questions daily in each of the sections
and you can get your national percentile at the end of every test.
Website maintained by IIM alumni.
http://commonadmissiontest.blogspot.com/
http://coffeewithsundar.com/
http://www.pagalguy.com/

FAQS:
Can I make it to the premier B schools? Do I have it in me?
Absolutely yes! We all have it in us seriously. We see people in every
batch who are absolutely out of the world but rarely work hard towards anything. You
would see that many people, who got into the premier B schools, are very normal people
who made it just out of hard work.

Should I put on experience of 2 years before an MBA?
Not necessary though it is ideal to do at that level of experience because there are many
uncertainties once you join a workplace. The job might be very hectic and you might be
sent onsite leaving you with minimum time to prepare. So start giving CAT during your
final year itself. The fact that 7th semester is generally the most idle semester in most colleges should help.

Is flowery language necessary to get through GD and PI?
Just a myth. Not at all required. Professors hate false accent and other ‘peter’ stuff. They
want you to speak sense in simple language that is all. In fact, this is what is needed in
your post MBA career as well. So people, who have this inhibition that his /her English is
not too great, please forget about it. This is never a hindrance.

Hobbies. Are they necessary?
Yes. They are extremely important. You must show that you are a well rounded multifaceted
personality. Try to involve yourself in various activities inside and outside your college.
Having a very unique hobby helps in the interviews.

Core Subjects. Is it important to be strong in those? Would I be asked questions on it even though it is an MBA interview?
Definitely, one needs to be really strong in the subjects. Because the professors want you
to be strong in your core under-graduation. They hate people who give explanations like
“I took ECE out of compulsion and I never liked it. I was basically a management
oriented guy and those skills came to the fore when I headed my college’s cultural fest”☺
Have a basic knowledge about all the subjects and have a couple of them as your
favorites. Some professors are absolutely crazy, they will ask crazy questions from the
craziest of subjects. So all said and done, you can only have your fingers crossed
regarding the level of questions.

To conclude I would say, this six months exercise should not be viewed with a sole aim
of getting into the premier institutes and your life should not come crashing down in case
you miss out on a seat. Remember in this attempt, even the best fail and the most
undeserving get in. People will get a taste of the cut throat competition that exists in
India and suddenly all the essays that we wrote about population causing a real strain on
the resources become so evident. ☺ .
Nothing is guaranteed except the fact that you will come out as a more complete
individual with your personality enhanced and you will find yourself to be a well
informed person with lots of skills acquired along the way. You have nothing to lose, just
give it a try in case interested. ☺
**ALL THE BEST**

Student life: 2nd innings

After working for three long years, I am finally going to take a break for 2 years to do my MBA from 2009 to 2011. I think it will be a welcome break as I was kind of getting bored and wanted to do something different.

Everyone is saying Shillong is a beautiful place. So apart from the college, I hope the city is also exciting. One of my friends is also coming to study there and he being a thayir sadham(Curd rice) should help during vegetarian food search in that so called Scotland of the east :)

One problem that might arise after my MBA is - Will I be able to adjust to the hot and sultry chennai - which unfortunately is my home town? :( .

Being a very small batch - 64 in total - should help in finding a very good set of friends. But speaking in english always will be slightly difficult as I am used to mama machaans maples :)

I am sure life will be hectic there.. but I will try to keep posting occassionally ( as if so many are yearning to see a new blogpost from me :-) ) ...

PS: Please dont ask me what my MBA major will be .. I seriously dont know.. :).. Will check out what the different disciplines actually consist of and then make a choice in the second trimester.