I was fresh out of college armed with a MBA, and was lodged in a plush Mumbai Hotel for the induction into a conglomerate. I had a room partner - Aditya, he was a Kannadiga (IIT + IT sector + overseas stint + MBA). He typified a generation of Super Techies, bred under the carpet revolution which has swept the nation in the past decade. The IT sector in India has been growing immensely, fuelled by outsourcing and some smart leaders like Narayanmurthy and Azim Premji. For many a IITian/NITian/BITian, it was obvious to board the bus.
These super techies were well educated and smart, but the job on offer was comparatively mundane. The money on the other hand was easy, there was lure of overseas stint, and a better quality of corporate life that the new IT companies offered.However, two things happened in this unholy alliance -
1. Soon, with an experience of 2 - 3 yrs they were bored and looking to get the MBAs by cracking things like CAT/GMAT etc.
2. The bored super techie, with ample time/money on hand and an easy tech access - got interested in Online indulgence into the Equity Market and its cousins . No wonder emergence of the online brokerage/penetration of internet/booming economy and the bored Super Techie in an IT company forged an alliance.
Aditya, fell prey to the "obvious second one", stated above; whereas,I was still as non serious as I was two years back (prior to my MBA days). Aditya, in the dinner table would randomly throw a few questions to me like - "given a chance which sector you would bet on?". Then, what would follow was typical MBA global gyan on sectoral growth. Real estate,Retail and Infrastructure would form the core of our discussions. One interesting thing he had revealed to me during such discussions was - his penchant to back companies with strong leaders and an easy way out is - the companies driven by IITians. Thus, he would discuss with me - IndiaBulls, its rise and future growth plans. I was impressed indeed. He would also explain his game plan - The Markets are on the rise and its gonna surge like this for probably next two years - Here is the chance to maximize our gains and then it will be a super neo Hindu growth story.
Its been one year and things have changed since then. I am looking to call him soon and let him know a few of the things that is happening now:
. An erstwhile busy Investment Banker is finding time to comment on my Tagboard. Wackiness of his comments are not at all proportional to "the squeeze" in the market.( Who is etika 
).
. A famous movie from 80s starring Charlie Sheen and Michael Douglas, is going to the editor's table and now the opening trailer would read "Once upon a time in NY, there was a wall street.."
. Top 10 Email Spams: A forwarded email by a colleague of mine is finding a place into the top 10 email Spams. This was an email on the walk-ins for Lehman Employee's by another Investment Bank in India.
. Corporate Bankers: With work, less likely to come by,the city bankers have installed NFS (need for speed) on their comps. No corporate client is likely to walk by, to borrow money at such high interest rates.
. Jaywalking Jay is back to blogging - He has time to sit and fiddle around with his comp. The sudden space has been provided by the decision to cull new retail projects and go slow on spending.
. Super techie Thorny is looking for start-ups. New projects are drying up for the IT biggies. Banking is a big customer.
. My consistent cousin who talks once a year to me had called to say "Hi". During the conversation, he drops in the news of layoffs to be announced by the Steel sector in coming months and how he is wondering what to do. Surely, one option is to pass on the CV to me.
These fretting facts, though from different parts of the world they are, point towards one inevitable truth - The slowdown is here - before than we expected and more monstrous than we have ever seen.
These super techies were well educated and smart, but the job on offer was comparatively mundane. The money on the other hand was easy, there was lure of overseas stint, and a better quality of corporate life that the new IT companies offered.However, two things happened in this unholy alliance -
1. Soon, with an experience of 2 - 3 yrs they were bored and looking to get the MBAs by cracking things like CAT/GMAT etc.
2. The bored super techie, with ample time/money on hand and an easy tech access - got interested in Online indulgence into the Equity Market and its cousins . No wonder emergence of the online brokerage/penetration of internet/booming economy and the bored Super Techie in an IT company forged an alliance.
Aditya, fell prey to the "obvious second one", stated above; whereas,I was still as non serious as I was two years back (prior to my MBA days). Aditya, in the dinner table would randomly throw a few questions to me like - "given a chance which sector you would bet on?". Then, what would follow was typical MBA global gyan on sectoral growth. Real estate,Retail and Infrastructure would form the core of our discussions. One interesting thing he had revealed to me during such discussions was - his penchant to back companies with strong leaders and an easy way out is - the companies driven by IITians. Thus, he would discuss with me - IndiaBulls, its rise and future growth plans. I was impressed indeed. He would also explain his game plan - The Markets are on the rise and its gonna surge like this for probably next two years - Here is the chance to maximize our gains and then it will be a super neo Hindu growth story.
Its been one year and things have changed since then. I am looking to call him soon and let him know a few of the things that is happening now:
. An erstwhile busy Investment Banker is finding time to comment on my Tagboard. Wackiness of his comments are not at all proportional to "the squeeze" in the market.( Who is etika ).. A famous movie from 80s starring Charlie Sheen and Michael Douglas, is going to the editor's table and now the opening trailer would read "Once upon a time in NY, there was a wall street..". Top 10 Email Spams: A forwarded email by a colleague of mine is finding a place into the top 10 email Spams. This was an email on the walk-ins for Lehman Employee's by another Investment Bank in India.. Corporate Bankers: With work, less likely to come by,the city bankers have installed NFS (need for speed) on their comps. No corporate client is likely to walk by, to borrow money at such high interest rates.. Jaywalking Jay is back to blogging - He has time to sit and fiddle around with his comp. The sudden space has been provided by the decision to cull new retail projects and go slow on spending.. Super techie Thorny is looking for start-ups. New projects are drying up for the IT biggies. Banking is a big customer.. My consistent cousin who talks once a year to me had called to say "Hi". During the conversation, he drops in the news of layoffs to be announced by the Steel sector in coming months and how he is wondering what to do. Surely, one option is to pass on the CV to me.These fretting facts, though from different parts of the world they are, point towards one inevitable truth - The slowdown is here - before than we expected and more monstrous than we have ever seen.
Labels: Business, college, Work
by JAY @ 10:05 AM |Show/Add (0) comments|
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My Cellphone was incessant. The whole world breaks lose to disturb my beauty sleep, which anyways has long alured me since I moved outta college."Hello" A very impatient worried voice replied "Sir, there are people around with flags. Shouting and there is chaos. They want the warehouse shut"
There was no manager available and people down the rung didn't know how to face the adversity.
"Shut it and ask all of the workers to move out. We will start work in the evening"
Sukumar Pal, the Loss Prevention Officer who happened to be the localite, dealt with the crowd and coolly handled the situation. He got the shutters pulled down and sealed. Except for the security everyone was goarded off from the site.
After that, what followed, was an ugly day of phone calls all of which were answered with the explanations on future coarse of action on how deliveries to the stores can't be made today. It's been the second consecutive day of Bandh/strike called by Political parties. It had crippled productivity and to beat the blues, I was getting some work done by shutting the warehouse from outside while inside workers were going bout their work as usual. In the Repacking centre, all women workers had also turned up and production was up to meet the surge in demand and sales in the stores. Only, some localites got a faint idea what was going on inside and soon a crowd gathered there and demanded immediate closure.
Its been an year since I walked out of college and since then its been a roller coaster (..shouldn't I name this article The Rollercoaster Diaries). This wasn't a unique morning, but just a part of series of challenges thrown in past one year while living in THE COMMUNIST BASTION in India - Kolkata.
Only this time, the strike (Bandh) has been called to protest the Price hike in petrochem. The reasons for bandhs don't matter anymore. Every month we are plagued by 2 to three days of strike in this part of the country. The Party ruling the state and the opposition are equally vehement about protests and thats the way they do it - "Jay, the more ya sleep the more ya reap."
You may lose time but your deliverable in modern corporate ain't lowered. At times it frustrates and at times it makes you smile. There is a shining Indian story and there is this part still living with communist ideologies...
... and then there is Jay who can talk about the economics of price hike and inflation..
lol BullShit. "Chalbe Na" Shut the F@#$ up and sleep.
[In this era of celeb blogs - I donno how many are gonna read it. But hey! do gimme credit for a hungry man, who could not pile up his ration before the bandh took effect and all shops were shut, has written it :) ]
by JAY @ 2:29 PM |Show/Add (6) comments|
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Since my last post...The green Planet has rotated about 16 times, Bush has lived another fortnight to annoy me, Madonna has not bought any new life,Lunaticgal has joined my frustrated blogviewrs,Suga has reappeared,Iqra has changed her blog, my dorm mate still asks me to pick his nose, I have unloaded myself with the sabbatical.. but my typos refuse to go down.
These 10 days been a satisfying work. I completed a project (a business plan), which can work for the upliftment of a tribal area in South Gujarat.Our presentation had put a broad smile on the District Development Officer (an IAS official). His praise, fed my ego a bit more. Well, nothing less but we managed to buy his words that he will act on the plan within 15 days.
It was surprising to find a govt. official so active. It certainly dismantles the myth about the bureaucrats. These people are good, abreast with latest happenings in the corporate world/economy and are eager to get help from consultants from outside(us
). The IAS was young, tech. savvy, influential and keen to get things going. No wonder he won some awards for the best officials. This sums up his mindset:-
"..Gujarat's GDP growth is somewhere around 12-13% (national avg. been around 8-8.5%). We are asked to double the GDP in 5 years. The 1st question that lingered on our mind was.. 5years!!!!.. thats too loooong"
Anyways, I have unwound myself with this effort and now looking to kick the clubs and mates in the chilling winter.
going... oh! wait.. dude.. will u pick my nose.
These 10 days been a satisfying work. I completed a project (a business plan), which can work for the upliftment of a tribal area in South Gujarat.Our presentation had put a broad smile on the District Development Officer (an IAS official). His praise, fed my ego a bit more. Well, nothing less but we managed to buy his words that he will act on the plan within 15 days.
It was surprising to find a govt. official so active. It certainly dismantles the myth about the bureaucrats. These people are good, abreast with latest happenings in the corporate world/economy and are eager to get help from consultants from outside(us
). The IAS was young, tech. savvy, influential and keen to get things going. No wonder he won some awards for the best officials. This sums up his mindset:-"..Gujarat's GDP growth is somewhere around 12-13% (national avg. been around 8-8.5%). We are asked to double the GDP in 5 years. The 1st question that lingered on our mind was.. 5years!!!!.. thats too loooong"
Anyways, I have unwound myself with this effort and now looking to kick the clubs and mates in the chilling winter.
going... oh! wait.. dude.. will u pick my nose.
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Recent Comments
Ish
on 6/14/2008 06:04:00 PM
- Oh, good to see you back again Jay Bhaiya! This is Ish..deado..you remember? I was wondering where you are..so it's Kolkata now. Situation doesn't seem very good but anyway, how is everything else going? It's great to see you again.
I also wanted to ask another thing, are you still a part of the iBored blog we had? If so, can you please send me another invite to that on this ID with which I'm posting a comment?
- Oh, good to see you back again Jay Bhaiya! This is Ish..deado..you remember? I was wondering where you are..so it's Kolkata now. Situation doesn't seem very good but anyway, how is everything else going? It's great to see you again.
- JAY
on 6/17/2008 12:49:00 AM
- Hey, deado..
yeah been an ardous journey.. Wassup with ya ... live an kicking with a loads of blogging?
.. iBored .. yeah it shows in my dash board .. but i donno if i can invite anyone.. will check it some time.
- Hey, deado..
- Ish
on 6/24/2008 12:37:00 AM
- I'm fine, still blogging yeah. Now looking to attend college. What's been up with you?
And don't worry about iBored. We figured it out ourselves.
- I'm fine, still blogging yeah. Now looking to attend college. What's been up with you?
on 8/03/2008 10:13:00 PM
- yipppeee found ur blog at last!!!
- JAY
on 8/06/2008 09:26:00 PM
- heyz Ruffles .. ur a sweetheart. Loadz of love.
-
on 8/10/2008 03:41:00 PM
- hey super-child-prodigy-books-knowledge-know it all-logical explantaion jayyyyy
- Slim
on 12/17/2006 10:59:00 PM
- Same shit, different day huh?
You went down to a tribal area??? How come they didn't cook you up and eat you? :P
- Same shit, different day huh?
- JAY
on 12/17/2006 11:13:00 PM
- well.. lol .. I am a man without my "toes" now. :(
Jokes apart .. thats the story.. The place Gujaratis call backward and tribal is more advanced than ..the non tribal areas in any other part of the world.
- well.. lol .. I am a man without my "toes" now. :(
-
on 12/17/2006 11:54:00 PM
- dun really un this post le..
but i glad ur back blogging..
but im leaving!! back to hostel, studying...
- dun really un this post le..
- The Snitch
on 12/18/2006 12:14:00 AM
- The Snap thing on your blog is really cool! I tried doing it with my blog too but it's much more complex on Wordpress as you don't get your layout code unless you buy your blog.So you have to go around downloading some plugin and all.Because all that seemed like work,I gave the idea up :P
-
on 12/18/2006 07:18:00 AM
- yay! finally i can comment in someone's blog! why do you have to pick your friend's nose?
- JAY
on 12/18/2006 10:23:00 AM
- Ish, so don't u feel blogger is betta .. than wordpress.
Lunaticgal...I would lose net when i leave my dorm and go back home..
and amenthyst... Good going u r posting again ..I donno i don't wanna pick my frnds nose.. u gotta ask the Q to my frnd..
welll i think he knows it annoys me..and so he persists.
- Ish, so don't u feel blogger is betta .. than wordpress.
- The Snitch
on 12/18/2006 03:14:00 PM
- Not actually,I still like Wordpress's feed stats and help service a lot more than Blogger.
- The Snitch
on 12/19/2006 01:04:00 AM
- With the new year approaching,I was thinking of old days..remember the last 2 years?
- JAY
on 12/19/2006 01:54:00 AM
- abe ek saal na... 2 yrs .. scratches head..
ha ha ha waise i was thinking of that too .. but main thoda busy hoon pata nahin kya kar raha hounga.. and socha arre tere bhi kuchh jawaan frnds ho gaye hinge mujh budhe ke saath ab tu kya manayega :P
- abe ek saal na... 2 yrs .. scratches head..
- The Snitch
on 12/19/2006 06:16:00 PM
- Haha mere koi jawaan friends nahi hain.Aap jaise budhe hi achche hote hain :P
- Suga
on 12/22/2006 11:10:00 PM
- I reappeared?
Dude. I was never gone.
- I reappeared?
- JAY
on 12/23/2006 02:05:00 AM
- ek eh...yup u were ..
in my blog and anyways saw u after long ..
didn't i ?
- ek eh...yup u were ..
