Mumbai Monsoon

Ohh my god...Finally I witnessed the Mumbai Monsoon. it didn't rain,it poured! And it poured heavily,as if there's no end to it. And guess what,everything was choked.There was water logging in front of my college,the water even entered our canteen and it had to be temporarily shut down.There was absolute chaos on the road,and people had to literally wade through the knee deep water.And worse even was the fact that it was still raining cats and dogs,and forecasting for the day was of a high tide.So matters could have been worse.
Now even if I add the 24 years of rain I had seen in my life ,it would still fall short of the rainfall Mumbai had today. The cars were submerged in water,and few poor souls had to literally push their broken down vehicle to safety.
But then it was my first time experience with Mumbai rains.Shoes in one hand,bagpack in another and I was trying to find my way through those muddy waters.Simply superb for me,a headache for the localites(..lol).

Have a look at the pics I clicked.No need for me to say anything more...

Lovely Add

Now it's more of a social message or a documentary than an add,yet quite emotional and attaching.
Do take the learning from it.

Top 5 reasons to chose IT

Based upon the intrinsic research I had carried out and the interviews I had conducted,I am hereby revealing the TOP 5 reasons why majority of the workforce(or for that matter our beloved engineers) prefer to join IT.Without delaying further,here we go.
Reason Number 1: They want ample time,without any disturbance, to prepare for CAT/GMAT/GRE/CA/CS/FRM/CFA/XYZ/ABC/%$#/(*&/***
.
Reason Number 2: Four years of engineering life was spent doing nothing. Now they want to devote their life to TT/Pool/Fooseball/Flash Games etc.

Reason Number 3: They want a sea change in their eating habits.They prefer to test the extremes of their taste buds by trying "different"(read superb on one day and ultra pathetic on the very next ) cuisines.

Reason Number 4:They want to test their physical endurance.The vagaries of weather(courtesy the air conditioning) and the grit to sit for 9 hours without doing anything, makes them strong and contended.

Reason Number 5:The pride of wearing the access tag of XYZ company in a crowd is a matter of prestige.(The fact that this crowd is made of the other IT people working in the same company, is purely redundant in our case)
Having known the secrets behind this grooming sector,I am sure I have added enough knowledge in your arsenal.However ,I do admit the weaknesses of a human being,so in case I have left anything out please feel free to include the same.

P.S : The information given above is neither fictional nor anyone's creation.Resemblance to any person is definitely intentional and not at all co-incidental.

Back to classroom

Finally the classes at NMIMS started after the two week orientation program.Now the seniors have been saying that NM is among the coolest colleges among the top 15 MBA schools in India and that the academic rigor is no where comparable to the top notches.However,at the same time the administration has been equally stressing on the fact to forget the past and get ready for the drill.
And we had a taste of this "drill" on the very first day when we were asked to read 2 chapters and a case study of finance,2 chapters and 2 cases of marketing and some light reading of Micro-Economics.Now it's not that everyone is reading the books and making an effort to come prepared to the class.There are few who still prefer to enjoy the MUmbai weather,the cool breeze and the chai and the vada pao.And according to them they don't miss anything substantial in the class.
So at the end of the day, I would say that the take regarding academic rigor is purely how you respond/react.The curriculum followed is quite good,in fact most of the cases and pedagogy has directly been influenced by IIMA.But finally,it's your own call whether you move with the new system or the old system.For there is no one who will hold your hand and guide you what to study,when to study and how to study.So for the time being, I am moving with the new system.Still too early to comment on anything,but to summarize it all,I would say I am learning something.And that is what matters in the end.

Bongs

This is something which i read on Ankur Sir's blog.Now that when I am in a B school and have lots of Bengali friends,I am,more than often, trying to analyze my friends on the lines of this blog.
Quoting the words for your reference.Do give a feedback in case you find out any truth in the statements/comments below.

This is hilarious. Someone with a fantastic ringside view of Bongs has written this! I don't know the author but if someone points it out, I would be glad to cite the person!

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There are two kinds of Bengalis that I know. Probashi or Expatriate Bangalees, a fairly large and diverse group about which I can't write as I am one of them. And Bengalees who are from Kolkata. This group is incorrectly known as Bongs, as they are merely a subset. However, this is the only group which matters. Gokhale told of them, long years back, 'What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow.' To which Rene Descartes responded, 'I think (today), therefore I am (Bengali).' Like all other Nobel Prize Winners, Oscar Awardees and most successful Indian cricket captains, Rene Descartes was also a Bong (this fact is not known outside of Kolkata).

Physical Description: The Bong has a large head, glasses, glistening hair and dark skin. Older Bongs develop an ample stomach to balance their large heads. This happens by the age of 25. They smell of Keo Karpin. The average life expectancy is 65 years. What is even more impressive is what they do in those years. Outside Kolkata, regardless of weather, sex or age, Bongs can be seen in Monkey Caps. This is a must-have accessory as well as a sign to recognize other Bongs. (please see second update for more). The Bongling can often be recognised in either over-sized or under-sized school uniforms. The Bong mother's second biggest fear (See diet for the biggest one) is that the 'porer bochor o lomba hoye gele abar notun skirt kinte hobe!!' or 'Next year, if you grow taller, we'll again have to buy a new skirt!!' Thus, the school uniform is selected to last at least three years. Thus the uniform sits as conspicuously on the Bongling as the plumage of a macaw.

Early Years: While most Bongs are born with innate talents in singing, dancing, painting, film-making, cooking or embroidery, their creative talents are honed even before they can start speaking. Frequent meets are organised between infants and their successful ancestors and other relatives. MA degrees (preferably from Cambridge , at least from Presidency or Jadobpoor) are displayed over the cots. The infant is exposed to the best of Bengali thought - Marx, Bentham, Kalidas, Tolstoy, Chekov. This increases the sizes of their heads and the height of their ambitions. Similar examples, though rare, can be found in European tradition as well, like in the case of Mozart. In India , however, Bongs have the sole preserve on such activity during infancy. Soon, when they grow up a little, their characters are honed in the best of schools. Here, I am not referring to the South Points, La Marts, Don Boscos and all. They are important in the nurture a Bong child goes through. What is even more important are the schools the Bong child passes through before school and after school. Many a Bong child wakes up at five o'clock in the morning to attend swimming classes. After one hour of swimming, he attends tennis coaching before rushing off to one of the South Points, LaMarts etc. mentioned above. School finishes by two or so, from where he scoots along to Singing/ Instrumental Music/ Dance Classes, then tuition (for at least three of all five subjects). He rounds off the day with coaching on either Debating or Quiz. Many a Bong mother will carry the child along through this day, feeling equally energised. This behaviour is again not restricted to Bongs. It also seen within kangaroos in Australia who rush along from one clump to another bush.

Growing up: Soon the Bong attains adolescence, doesn't find friends of his age (since everyone is competing for the Nobel Prize or the Indian captaincy) and finds intimacy in conversation in his/her parents and poems of T.S.Eliot and Pablo Neruda. When school ends, they move on to the good colleges- Presidency, Xavier's or IIT Kharagpur. The best of them, though, move straight to Joo (Jadobpoor). However, in recent years, Dilli (Stephen's obviously) is becoming the preferred destination for some escapists. In colleges, they decorate their rooms with books or portraits of Robi Guru (Tagore). On the opposite wall, men would have posters of Che/Maradona and women would have Enrique Iglesias, thus expressing solidarity with Latin American culture. All of them share equal interest in the Bong-Rock (Bhumi, Chondrobindu, Cactus, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple).

Later Years: Bongs mature early. Critics have said that they grow old early, but that is nothing but old hat. Years of toil and Eliot would obviously bestow wisdom. The reason they look older is because the sole purpose of a Bong's life is to win the Nobel Prize or the Oscars (and in recent years, captain the Indian team). With great responsibility comes great age. Add to it the chlorine in the swimming pools and you know why Bongs grey prematurely. As far as their mission in life is concerned, they have been very successful at it. Every Indian Nobel Prize winner has been Bong (the others who weren't don't matter). So have the Oscar Awardees. And most successful Cricket Captains. And Bipasha Basu. Once Bongs have kids though, their mission on life changes. The only raision de'etre for them is making sure that their progeny achieves the heights that they could (or couldn't). Hence, they are mostly found outside of schools, colleges and tuition classes.

Diet: Diet is as important as Robindro Shongeet. There's nothing that a Bong can't eat. However, they prefer protein over other food groups. The largest source of protein for them is fish, then meat, and then mishti (sweets) made from milk. More than fish itself, it is the knowledge of fish which is coveted and enjoyed. Carbohydrates are tolerated if they are fried in oil or if it is accompaniment to fish. Luchis (somewhat like a Puri), Telebhajas (pakoras) and Phuchkas (Paani Puri) are the favoured source of carbohydrates. The young Bengali though invariably always has Farex, Lactogen and Waterbury 's Compound. As far as they most important meal of the day is concerned, please do note that what dieticians have been saying in the last few years, Bongs have known for centuries. Breakphast/tiphphin is an occasion where the entire family comes together, to watch the office-going Bong male and school-bound Bonglings eat. The Bong woman's biggest fear is that 'Shokale bhaat dal mach bhaaja na kheye beriye gailo' or 'In the morning, He went out without eating rice, dal and fish fry.' To round off the calories, Dal is often accompanied by aaloo bhaate, aaloo bhaja, potol bhaaja and various other heartily fried stuff. Not for the faint-hearted.

Mating and procreation: A few Bong end up being in relationships, which lead to love marriage. This is sometimes shown in movies and song. However, most do not have any such social malignancy and end up marrying the woman of their mother's dreams or men of their father's choosing. This results in mixing the right genes for the next cycle of Bongs.Love marriage, by its very nature, is random. It sometimes results is tragedy, like marrying into another country (like India ). Hence, it is avoided, wherever possible.

Social Life: Adda, robindro shongeet and cha. Repeat. Do note that the young Bong doesn't have a social life (at least not till he wins the Nobel or gets a Government job). And phootball. the Bongs have had an illustrious history of achievement in football. Every para (neighbourhood) has stories of when they won the World Cup at the expense of the next one. The last time it happened in my parent's para was in 1986, when Argentina won in Mexico . Diego Maradona, who looks Bhodrolok enough, give or take a few lines of coke, scored famously using his hand, a skill which he learnt in Kolkata. Over the last few years, Brazil has been gladdening the hearts of many Zicos who were born in Kolkata around 1982-86. The only team which is not Bong is Germany as they play with more efficiency and no creativity, which thus is not amenable to adda. Do not ask of a Bong doing anything on the phootball field as then the Bong will keep you occupied about Jakarta ,1962. 'Chuni Goswami je Ball tule dilo PK ke. Match-er aagei bolechilo, 'Ekta Ball debo. Daam kore maarish. Gol hobe'.' Chuni Goswami put a football up for PK (Banerjee). He told him before the match itself, 'I will give you one ball. Hit it with a bang. Goal will happen.' Obviously, it is also the crowning moment of Indian phootball.

Habitat: While you may find a Bong in other places (like occasionally in offices), the best time to observe a Bong is in his natural habitat - the best of colleges, the best of schools, the best of coffee houses. It is here that he will tell you about Balzac while she will recite poetry with gay abandon. To mix in with the Bong, apply Keo Karpin to your hair and carry a jhola. Hopefully, they won't notice your small head. Do not worry about not knowing the language as the Bong likes being heard.

Famous Bongs :Many famous Bongs have been referred to in this extract. Hence, this section is used to debunk that big myth about Bongs. People believe that Bong men can't be hunky. If so, then what about Abhishek Bachchan (via mother), Saif Ali Khan (via mother), John Abraham (via girlfriend), Hritik Roshan (via grandmother).

Bongs in Literature, Film, Art: Everywhere you care to look.

Closing Word: Being Bong at the end of the day is a state of mind. Or, a case of being discovered by them. Best of luck.