Alumni? Well aren’t they just old college pass outs?? Why so much fuss about Alumni and Alumni Meets everyone in class thought… Ask me the same question today and I can swear on anyone they are more like parents and most of the times even more!! Internship time during an MBA course is all about organizational experience!! Work dynamics!! Group dynamics and pressure management!! All in a real time scenario!! I do agree but there are more facets to any work experience. Adjustment is the biggest factor to any kind of situation!! An internship is a clear check for everyone on how well they are prepared for work…Maybe even at weird hours stark conditions… Messy bosses!! Bad network and erratic internet.
Enough of introductions… I’ll move onto something more personal now!!
My choice of internship was in the environment sector in Bombay!! The hub of every kind of activity in this country! One can never leave Bombay out of anything.. Honestly I was dying to work here because I have stayed across India all these years for study and work and research and lived all of them explicitly.. Mumbai remained and here it was a golden opportunity!!
Can I survive Bombay? Can I learn from the relentless passion in the people to earn a living? Can I keep up with the pace Mumbaikars have to offer to me every morning? Can I count each second I gain/lose if I miss/catch a bus/train/rick… This is Bombay people!! Where people account for every nano-second in their lives and devise ways to optimize it!! I would still say I was lucky!! The moment I landed up in Dadar junction this quest of the unknown began. Iwas hesitant, submissive, and even a little jittery about these two months, whether it would be an ordeal or a pleasant surprise. And it turned out to be the latter. And in what splendid way really. Right from switching 2 trains from day 1 to land up at Chembur and finally realizing my mentors house was closer to Kurla station till date when I’ve mastered the art of racing for the fast locals and getting off them at lightning speed in this city has been really a revelation!!
My directions in IIFM leaned towards the ENV sector and I, by nature, am a hard core business oriented person. I started looking for avenues to connect these two. I saw CDM as an option, I had read about it a lot for my GD/PIs and now it was time to cash in. Read some more. Interacted with some environment sector seniors. Got more stuff in my data bank. Had some wonderful teachers teaching basics and conversations with them helped my understanding… Internet was extensively used. But what next I thought. Then comes internship time. Best time to feel the heat. Get into this sector. Work and find out for myself if I wanna take the final plunge. And so I ended up at a renowned consultancy in this city. My deliverable a project design document. The essence of the entire CDM process, it all begins with this doc all told me!!!
I had another friend who was out to check out/test the waters of CDM and didn’t we have a ball!!
Will not discuss work, that will be done at a more official place that is the final PDD and report I make.. If I finally end up making onw… Guess i have to 🙂 till now I’m not through with either… but this poar was meant to tell everyonw about the entire experience of my 2 months!!
Recounting my 1st day at work I remember Kallol Sir blatantly telling me… “Dude don’t faint looking at the crowd at Borivali station waiting for the 8:17 Slow!! My ticket was done and I was ready to hurl myself into the train… but I was warned… 1st day mate see, learn and then ape from tomorrow… watch us take the COMMANDO jump… from tomorrow u can do the practical…”
I wondered God if there are so many people only here how do people manage!! And there are such umpteen stations from where people fling themselves inside a coach to get an inch of footspace so that they can earn their daily bread. As predicted I was shoved around like a pack of shelved cards n once i got in I could barely set foot. I learnt it was 1st class, no this is no class divide.. Just an illusion and of course cushioned seats. I have seen people with 3 blackberries rubbing shoulders with someone like me. A mere intern. I was amazed at the way the city functions. There is nothing called as a dia to this city. It exists in straight lines and that is why it is so important to know your east and west here. A slight miscalculation in direction can cost you money and more importantly time. Beat a Mumbaikar in time management and i will bow to you. As I mentioned every second is set for an activity. Remember xulfi’s song… mumbai jaha sab apni zindagi slow track se fast track karne me bitate hain!! True but thats the essence!! The urge, to keep going out there everyday fighting all odds!!! the tremendous tenacity of people here and I am not speaking this with regard to just one community or class… but my observation is about the inherent passion to not waste time and keep at it every day!! I think IIFM made me lazy i was taken aback and was in full admiration to this quality of Mumbai!!
The city never sleeps… never.. I’ve stayed in India in all metros, semi metros, there is no comparison to Mumbai.. You will find transport always!! At least in most of the places!! And there is no fleecing… so well said in the movie 99… Delhi taxis/autos have no meter!! Mumbai everything is regulated… I was amazed at the fact that everywhere everything happens in a proper queue!! Yes there is an occasional stir… but generally most of the things are mechanized!! This is a super safe city for women!! Beat that!!
As days flew by I started becoming IIFM sick. With similar cries from friends from all over internship locations I felt a deep craving to go back… But the thought of going back from Bombay didn’t feel nice… Was staying with a bunch of alumni who I think are absolute rockers!! I’ve never been pampered so much ever in my life i guess. Every need of mine/ours was taken care of, suggestions and advice always forthcoming…. this made our stay an amazing bliss!!! Met more of the IIFM brotherhood during our trips to various places… and also the Alumni Meet… One could never the warmth with which we were greeted and owned. Truly IIFM subconsciously binds us amazingly!!! Somehow one can never forget the feelings and the deep attachment towards the college… We felt these vibes… Be it 96 pass outs 02 pass outs or the most recent ones, this strong connection will never let us down I am so sure!!! During moments like this one feels what an amazing place we all have gathered to make the most of our two important years!!
With each passing day as i saw more of Mumbai i started feeling the resilience inside me!! True I haven been exposed to the darker shades but then every coin has two sides you choose which side you wanna call and hope that life throws that side of the coin to you!! Kaushik (my fellow intern) and i decided to have our own list of to-do things before we fled this city..
Getting on a double decker!!
Eating bhelpuri at chowpati
Visiting Siddhivinayak and Haji Ali
Buying stuff from 2nd hand market.. at mind boggling rates (courtesy Kallol sir)
Getting hold of Shantaram at Rs 100 reprint version
Visiting BandStand … 😀
EsselWorld..
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Understanding if I can end up doing CDM consultancy.. 🙂
Some done; some unfinished but I promise I will come back to complete all this… I need my second chance!! I will take it!!
I started with the word Alumni… Some of you might think I lost out on the origin of my blog… no I didn’t I was busy knitting my thoughts on Bombay and without these alumni I would not have been able to write this!!! They were great mentors, great guides, great hosts, and great seniors but above all they were great friends!! Thank u pfm08 house!! Thank you Kallol Sir, Atul Sir, Prashant Sir, Gitesh Sir, Soumik Sir and all the rest who made these two months of mine an amazing experience in Mumbai!!!
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Indranil Roy (PFM 08-10)
