TRANQUIL

How I made it to IIM Ahmedabad

2009-01-22T07:50:00.000-08:00

Not many people know about Tripura, one of the Seven Sisterly States of North Eastern India. But now, it is hogging the lime light because of various reasons. Special mention should be made of Sourabhee Deb Barma of Indian Idol 4 and Somdev Devvarman, the ace tennis star of India who created headlines by defeating Carlos Moya. Both of them brought Tripura to the limelight after the likes of S D Burman and R D Burman. There are many of them who have achieved great things but their great achievements are not getting noticed. Infact, more than knowing what they did, it is more important to know how they did it. People can draw inspiration from them to dream big and work hard; use them as radar to get steered in the right direction. As the people belonging to one of the most remote and neglected part of India, it must have been no cake walk for them to achieve what they have achieved. It must have been a rag to riches story, just like the story of the protagonist in the recently released Golden Globe Awards winner movie Slumdog Millionaire (2008).

I am a first year PGP1 student (batch 2008-10) pursuing MBA programme at IIM Ahmedabad, the best B-school in India and one of the very best in Asia Pacific. It was indeed a dream come true for me when I was selected for this programme. But before talking about this place, the road I traversed to get here is something I want to talk about.

It is said that all good things start from home. So let me also do the same. I belong to a family of four members – my parents, me and my younger brother. My family, especially my parents, is my biggest support system. It is very easy to become proud of the fact that you have done something which nobody from your community has ever done before. But my parents never allowed those feeling to come even near me. They always kept my feet on the ground. If anything is good in me, those are solely the efforts of my parents. So, a good support system is very necessary and I am blessed to be the son of my wonderful parents. Being someone from a middle class family, monetary constraint was always there. But my relatives (uncles, aunties, brothers, sisters, etc) were always there for me and my family. We never had to ask for help. The help was always already there even before our request. Such was their support. Not to mention the constant guidance, love, care and support they were showering on me. I believe that the wonderful people I came across and befriended with in my short span on earth also helped me in becoming what I am. A good friends circle is always useful.

I studied from Class I to Class X in St. Paul’s School, A.D. Nagar, Agartala. I was the topper of the class from Class V to Class IX. But, unfortunately, I came second in the Class X ICSE board exam, the difference being 0.3%. My parents helped me a lot in my studies. I was very regular with my studies. Whatever was taught in class, I would revise it in the evening and if I had time, go through them as many times as possible. Sometimes I even forgot my meal when there was too much of a workload. But I rather say that skipping meals is not advisable. I really worked hard and put in my best of efforts. I must say that our teachers were very knowledgeable and helpful. I got lots of care, love and guidance from them. Being an amiable person, I made some very good friends. I am still in touch with some of them. Apart from studies, I was actively involved in sports, especially football and cricket. I regularly played for my class. I also took active participation in the cultural events, especially skits. One of my most memorable skit was when I imitated our Headmaster. Everybody loved it very much, especially our headmaster. From that day onwards, people actually started to call me the Headmaster. Debates and quizzes were also something that I was interested in and I took part in those events. I passed out in 2002 with a whole lot of wonderful memories to cherish for the rest of my life.

That same year I joined Hindi Higher Secondary School, situated at the heart of our beautiful city Agartala. Here also I continued my hard works. I guess I took the right decision in shifting from ICSE board to CBSE board as most of the competitive exams for getting admissions into colleges were based on the syllabus of CBSE. I passed out in 2004. I was the topper of the school in class XII board exams that year.

I wanted to be a doctor but I could not clear the AIIMS exam. I did not even apply for IIT exams, a decision which I guess was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. Fortunately, I had appeared for AIEEE that year and I got through it comfortably. I got enrolled at NIT Jamshedpur in Electronics Engineering Department in 2004. I came across people from different places, different culture and got to know different languages. I managed to learn Assamese. The first year was quite hectic. But from second year onwards, there was not much pressure from academics point of view. So I thought of utilising my time in learning new things. I was always interested in computers, especially programming. I took this opportunity to learn many computer languages like C, C++, HTML, Java, Java Script and XML. I also learnt networking, setting up of a LAN, working on LINUX and management of different types of servers. It was here that I came to know what MBA was all about. I started gathering information about it and targeted CAT 2007. I started preparing for it from the second year. I read magazines, news articles, novels, and started building my vocabulary, reading speed and reading comprehension. In the third year, I joined CAREER LAUNCHER of Jamshedpur. I started following the course schedule religiously and was very regular with my time table. I followed a plan of dedicating at least 1-2 hours every day for my preparation.

Finally, the D-day came. I was quite satisfied with my effort, but still I thought that I could have done better. Nevertheless, when the results were announced, I saw that I got calls from all the IIMs. I was tagged as BLACKI. I was very happy, but at the same time, I knew that I was only half way through. So I started preparing for the GD/PI. I attended the sessions at CAREER LAUNCHER. I was confident that I will do well and my confidence and hard work paid off. One by one I attended all the IIM GD/PI and I did pretty well in them.

When the final results were announced, I saw that I converted all the calls. I was on top of the world. I finally accepted the call from IIM Ahmedabad and got enrolled in the institution in 2008. And now, after completing some seven months at IIM A, I can say that life here is very tough, tougher than what you can ever imagine. Time seems to fly by at jet speed. Night outs are quite common. We sleep for about 4-5 hrs at night and try to make up for that in the afternoon if our afternoon is free. I had a hard time adjusting to the rigorous work schedule. The competition is of the highest level. The professors are “God level” (A local jargon for extremely good). The administration is very strict and there is no room for error. But having said that, I must also say that the campus is very beautiful and has all the facilities that you can ask for – gymnasium, lawn, all the sporting facilities, auditorium, musical facilities. But the sad point is that you hardly have any time to enjoy it. It does make you toil very hard but the return that you get is something which makes the pain worth taking. After all, not everyone gets a chance to study in this “Mecca of Management”. Everything about this place is just perfect. I am happy and honoured to be part of such a great institution and hope that I can take away something good from this place. Hopefully, after passing out from here, I will be in a good position in life and I hope to contribute to the society – some duties and responsibilities.

If anyone amongst you is interested in pursuing MBA, I would like to advice them that be prepared to face the “music” and work hard, really hard. The real fun begins after you join the campus. Start preparing from now itself. Remember that hard work pays off in the long run. In case you need me, I am always there for help.

Best of luck!

SANDEEP JAMATIA

Secretary of Cultural and Social Activities

Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad

Dorm 16, Room 12

Vastrapur, Ahmedabad – 380 015

Direct: +91 79 6632 7612

Mobile: +91 9724058414

NORTHEAST

2007-07-14T11:17:00.000-07:00

NORTH-EAST INDIA

SANDEEP JAMATIA

The beauty of the northeastern parts of India is known by one and all. With their dense green forests – home to thousands of species of exotic plants, shrubs and flowers – mighty rivers, pretty streams and deep valleys, all under the benign gaze of the majestic Himalayas, they serve as a tourist’s paradise. It is not just nature at its most breathtaking grandeur that one hopes to find there, but also a unique combination of different cultures and traditions, long grown in isolation and still untouched; holy churches, shrines, monasteries, mosques and temples; and most importantly, amiable, hospitable people.

The northeastern states of India are still a secluded portion of the country. Though an integral part of the Indian Republic, they have not got the necessary exposure they deserve. Very little is known about them and they are not developed even though they have got enough potential.

If the North East has lagged behind the rest of the country, it is partly because the connectivity of the region is not developed. The region needs new investment and employment opportunities. It needs better infrastructure. It certainly needs improved connectivity – road, rail, air and telecom connectivity. Tucked away in this beautiful corner, you must not feel that you are in an island of tranquility isolated from a fast changing world.

The tourism industries in northeast have not yet done justice to it. Though different travel agencies conduct tours out there, they have never highlighted the true potential of the northeast. When tourists travel to a tourist destination, say, Goa or Kerala, they come across only one (may be a few more) type of culture and language. But when they visit the northeast, say, even a single state out of the eight, they come across many cultures, traditions, dialects and languages.

There are enough tourist spots in the northeast that still remain untapped. “Majuli”, the world’s largest river island is located in Jorhat, Assam. “Mawsynram” in Meghalaya receives the heaviest rainfall in the world. “Kaziranga National Park” in Assam is home to the world famous one horned rhino. Currently, a project is going on to make “Brahmaputra River” a national waterway, the only one of its kind in India. The famous “Nathula Pass” connecting India and China is located in the picturesque Sikkim. The handloom and handicrafts of my native state Tripura is well known all over. “Nirmahal” – a palace or rather a fort, surrounded by water bodies from all sides, is located in Tripura. There are myriad of other tourist spots. The breathtaking “Bhageswari Hills” in the beautiful Bongaigaon, Assam, is currently attracting many tourists.

One of the main drawbacks of this region is that it is heavily inflicted with terrorism, a curse to the society. That is one of the reasons for people not choosing the north east as their tourist spot. But that does not take anything away from the beauty of the northeast.

All in all, if properly developed, the northeast will be one of the main attractions of developing India.

Hoping for the best!

WHAT LIES AHEAD

2006-12-29T20:26:00.000-08:00

AS THE CLOCK TICKS AWAY, WE ARE ENTERING A NEW YEAR, THE YEAR IS 2007. IT JUST REMINDS US THAT WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY LIVED THE PREVIOUS YEARS AND A NEW PHASE OF OUR LIFE LIES AHEAD. AS FOR ME, I CAN SAY THIS WITH A LOT OF PANACHE THAT MY PREVIOUS YEAR WAS BOTH WEIRD AND FANTASTIC. ONLY A CREDULOUS PERSON WILL BELIEVE ALL THOSE EVENTS THAT OCCURED LAST YEAR.
I HAD A BINGE(I ACTUALLY ATE LIKE A GOURMET),YET SOMETIMES I SUFFERED FROM STARVATION( MESS CONDITION IS HORRIBLE.)
I TRAVELLED ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH FRENS, YET SOMETIMES FELT LONELY IN MY ROOM.
FOOLED AROUND, YET SOMETIMES I WAS MADE THE MORON.
MET NEW FRENS AND HAD RENDEZVOUS WITH EXCITING HOMO-SAPIENS, YET SOMETIMES FELT THAT I HAVE NO ONE AS MINE.
I WAS A NOVICE IN MATTERS OF LOVE BUT NOW I AM A CONSUMMATE LOVER.( HA HA HA!)
I JUST HOPE AND PRAY TO MY "ALMIGHTY FATHER IN HEAVEN" THAT 2007, WHICH WILL SUPERSEDE 2006, WILL BE FULL OF CRESTS AND TROUGHS OF AN INCREDIBLE STORY CALLED LIFE. MAY WE ALL MEET MORE MAGNANIMOUS PERSONS. I HAVE ALREADY MADE MY NEW YEAR RESOLUTION. WAT BOUT YOU?

POEM TO SONG

2006-12-18T21:22:00.000-08:00

chord #(imaginary)
e 1
b 3
g 3
d 0
a x
e x

chorus:-
Dm C
WHEN I SEE YOUR FACE
Am Dm
I JUST START TO PRAISE
Dm C
YOU ARE IN MY HEART
Am Dm
NEVER YOU DEPART

stanza 1:-
{Dm
IN MY DREAMS I SEE YOU
C
YOU'RE AS FRESH AS MORNING DEW } x 2
Dm
I JUST WANNA TOUCH YOU
C
I JUST WANNA HOLD YOU
#
I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED
C Dm
I AM MAD IN LOVE

stanza 2:-( chords are same as stanza 1)
{YOUR SMILE MAKES DARKNESS LIGHT UP
YOUR VOICE MAKES ME CHEER UP} x 2
I JUST WANNA LOVE YOU
I JUST WANNA PRAISE YOU
I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED
LOVE IS SO BEAUTIFUL

happy playing!

POEM

2006-12-16T23:21:00.000-08:00

WHEN I SEE YOUR FACE
I JUST START TO PRAISE
YOU ARE IN MY HEART
NEVER YOU DEPART

IN MY DREAMS I SEE YOU
YOU'RE AS FRESH AS MORNING DEW
I JUST WANNA TOUCH YOU
I JUST WANNA HOLD YOU
I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED
I AM MAD IN LOVE

YOUR SMILE MAKES DARKNESS LIGHT UP
YOUR VOICE MAKES ME CHEER UP
I JUST WANNA LOVE YOU
I JUST WANNA PRAISE YOU
I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED
LOVE IS SO BEAUTIFUL