I have been brought up in the city of  Thiruvananthapuram. Though I have not been staying there for the past 7 years, I love and adore the city. My ancestors (tracing back to my grand parents’ grandparents from my mother’s and father’s sides) are from Trivandrum. So which ever part of the globe I go to, this city will remain my favorite. The secretariat, Shankumugham beach, Kanakakunnu palace, the museum, zoo and Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple are all the most familiar land marks to me.

From when I could remember I was always taken to Padmanabhaswamy temple by my grand mother. She used to tell me that Ananthapadmanabhan (the diety) guards the city. I grew up hearing this so much that I completely, blindly believe it today. Before December 2004, there was a rumor in Trivandrum, that a ‘devaprasnam’ (astrological ritual conducted to understand the ‘divine opinion’, mainly about functioning of the temple) was conducted at Padmanabhaswamy temple. The ‘devaprasnam‘ showed that a huge disaster will strike Trivandrum and everyone was supposed to make offerings to Anandapadmanabhan.  I was told that everyone who was aware of this (even my mother), including the Travancore royal family, made palpayasam offerings to the Lord. Call it my superstition, after the Tsunami struck the state in 2004 and when Trivandrum was untouched, my belief just strengthened.

So till my last visit to Trivandrum, whenever I am home, I try my best to visit that temple. It is one of the most peaceful places in Trivandrum to me. Being a localite, I know the best timings to avoid crowd. The grandeur of the temple is a wonder. The Travancore royal family style themselves as  Padmanabha Dasas or servants of the Lord. So it was said that they rule the kingdom on behalf of the Lord. Its great to see how they stick to the old rituals till date.

The deity is enshrined in a reclining position. There are three doors to view each part of the body since the idol is that long. I remember worshiping the black colored idol, which I was told was made of stone. When I was studying in college, there came a huge news. All hell broke loose; they found something in the temple. This happened when they were cleaning the idol. They discovered that the idol itself was made of gold! The newspapers where full of how it was hidden for ages and how wealthy our kings where to have that huge idol in gold. For almost a month that was the news in Trivandrum.

Now my peaceful hometown is suddenly in the international news. I am sure, everyone is aware of the $22 billion gold recovered from the chambers of the temple. The royal family does not call themselves servants of Padmanabha for nothing. Everything that they have is given back to Him. It has the wealth starting from the King Marthanda Varma’s time. There are mixed opinions about what needs to be done about the wealth. Suddenly it has become everyone’s own wealth. I saw in a talk show how people are commenting that it should be divided and given back to the people or how it should be used to build hospitals, schools, colleges and so on. The state government, already in I don’t know how much debt, has kept apart Rs. 1 crore for the security of the temple. My concern is about the security of the temple and the city. The media has done enough and more by giving out the exact route map of the chambers and where the gold is. Thanks to the Supreme Court ruling, otherwise people, who took account of this,  would have still given out further details on what they saw.

Last time I went home after all these revelation, the peaceful temple premises, I know, was surrounded by armed commandos (good news to all the jewellery shops around the temple). There was a huge line of devotees till East Fort, which surrounds the temple. Seeing them I wonder whether they where there to worship or catch a glimpse of the newly discovered wealth. Maybe people think that they can spot at least gold dust in the temple premises.

I still believe in the myths and the stories I have heard growing up. It is said that all the chambers are not supposed to be opened together and if it happens, the city will be subject to flood and other disasters. 20 days after the chambers were opened, the petitioner, Mr. TP Sundarrajan,  has passed away today. Things have so gone beyond everyone’s control.

One thing I know for sure is that all this wealth belongs to God and it should be kept with Him. With how events are unfolding, now no one else but Sree Padmanabha rakshatho (the Lord Himself can protect).

So one of the things I feel very strongly about is my country. I have absolutely no clue where I got this sense of patriotism in such a high level. Maybe its my mother. I don’t know how she did it … but she would have been the happiest person if I had finished my engineering, did my MTech from IIT / IISc and got into VSSC and served the government. She started blaming the system when placements started in IIT saying “the students study in the expense of the Indian government and the first slot is given to all possible foreign multinationals”.

I have seen and heard of lots of  people fighting to go onsite, get a job abroad, study abroad and then settle there. One thing I have noticed in particular, especially among my community in my home state is the fascination for America!!! Not any other developed country, but America. Guys working in US have got this brownie points and parents searching for grooms for their daughters would snatch him right away. The girl should be at least an engineer and have a proper job for being considered for such a ‘coveted’ proposal after qualifying a whole list. Then she should be willing to quit her job, her years of hard work which she put in her academics and fly with him to be a house wife. The most ironic part is that her parents, who encouraged her to study this far and secure a job,  now encourage her to be a ‘dependent’ and fly as fast as possible to be locked up in some alien corner of the world.

Anyways, its all people’s personal perception. But its so funny that now when my mother tells of some marriage fixed and hear both bride and groom are engineers, the first thing that comes out of my mind is whether  one of them was in America. I haven’t heard of this obsession in any other parts but its too much in my community. I guess there is the Mallu obsession with America as is rightly shown in the Mohanlal – Sreenivasan movie in the late 1980s where Sreenivasan was ready to do anything to go to America.

I think its high time that there is some mechanism that ensures the day 0 placements are slotted for the public sector companies in any government institution be it IIMs or IITs or any other colleges. I feel guilty when I think of going abroad and working. I don’t know why but I feel very selfish when I think that I am going to some other country just so that I become rich and I enjoy a good quality of life. I feel we are all responsible for staying back and making this place better rather than whining that this country will never improve.

I am not blaming all who go abroad to make a living. I have seen the laborers in the Middle East, working in the hot desert sun. They send the hard earned money back home so that ends meet. I am not talking about them. But there are people who neglect all the opportunities that they can get back home and live in a foreign place as second citizens.

Swades is a beautiful film which captures the sentiments of the NRI NASA engineer. I have read lots of critics commenting it as a documentary. But whatever it is, I feel SRK has done a brilliant job and then there is the most nostalgic song ARR came up with. Wouldn’t all these NRIs feel such a moment ever? Don’t they have any compulsion to serve their motherland? Yes, accepted that a person doing research and all will have better infrastructure, opportunities etc. But still isn’t there even a slightest compulsion from inside to come back?

Having said all this … I am not saying I will never go out of India. But I will never ever leave my country if I have at least a slight window of opportunity to stay back.

Anyways .. updates are that I have reached Mumbai, kinda settled here and started working. My prayers are finally answered … I joined a superb office. The kind of setup we have there prevents me from blogging about anything related to my office or economics or even the financial status of any country in the world. So I am wondering how I am going to maintain this !!!

I think I should have a travelogue on my trip to France and Switzerland. Hope to update that in the coming posts …

I just checked out Pagal guy to know what is happening in the forums about DMS results. I understood that people are spamming with just this message “when will the results be out?” If you are part of the Admissions Committee you get irritated. Then people start bombarding you with personal messages via pagal guy, facebook, orkut and what not with the same question. Further there will be open allegations that “seniors” are delaying the results on purpose. Thats not the truth. Matters are hardly ever in the hands of these “seniors”. There are lots of formalities that go into getting the final list approved, at least this is the case with IITs. I was one of those ignorant people who used to refresh the pagal guy forum and institute websites once in every 5 minutes to know whether the results have been published yet.

So, I went back to the forums, the thread of DMS, IIT Delhi after 2 long years. Started feeling nostalgic. Thats the time when everyone who can give you any insider or outsider or remote information about the results being published will be thanked multiple times. The others who say one word which might ruin our hopes will be groaned and groaned. This was all because our life, career, future will be changed on that day the results came out. We were all ‘pagal’ guys, indeed. There was a time, when that site was my homepage – my Saviour.

Then there is the usual comparison mode… saying X came out with the results as said, the seniors were so helpful, they were responding to the posts no sooner than they post them. To them, I say, now you know what actually happens in that institute with “seniors” being online 24*7 just to keep you happy. Then in Y’s forum you start bad mouthing Y and praising X.  I have heard other stories, which says that the supposed to be MBA aspirant was actually a student of X who made a bogus id just to put Y in the wrong light.

MBAs… always developing new strategies to keep their institute brand perception high in the minds of the target audience. And of course, wrecking competitor’s brand image among his target market is brilliant. These aspirants are then shown, out of the world, welcome presentations. The “seniors”, by now would have mastered the art of impeccable Powerpoint presentations with all smart arts, wonderful templates and objects included. Aspirants gasp! Then we have the typical “seniors” who list out usual MBA jargons like ROI, portfolio of courses, diverse electives, value add and take up Porter’s 5 forces along with SWOT analysis (where W is left out and under ‘threats” it will be HBS or Yale) to evaluate their institute’s reputes to the would be MBAs who listen to them gaping!!! Thinking on those lines we can even do a hypothesis testing based on the  surveys (of course, the ones which has placed our institute in top 5 , even if its top 5 in the Western part of NCR its fine, we are just making bakra out of people who are bewildered on hearing all these words in one go). Finally reject the null hypothesis that Institute X is better than us. Successfully proved it with statistical data to the majority engineers who are listening with bated breath and making no sense of what is happening. Engineers,  who are trained to believe anything that has proof. Equip it better and throw in all possible graphs, charts, tables and again gasps!!!

No, thats not the end, we have to spice up the whole list with a few international placements, international summers, international exchange programs. I really don’t understand the fancy of going abroad that is there with all Indians. Then the whole zest of these eager aspirants to hear the number of zeros their super seniors got attached to their offer letter. And the sleepless nights that the placement committee have to spend to come up with the different permutations and combinations of these zeros. And its not just the zeros, they also have to hear those fancy names that make their heart skip a beat… that list of fancy names that will take any average Indian weeks to by heart… that list which has names that we won’t even be able to spell… that list which has names which will be spelled in one way and pronounced entirely differently … that list which includes names that you have not even heard, but you assume its too good just because its there in that list!

Then all the processes, you attend, seem better than the previous. It seems to be an out of heaven experience. If only, if you could get into this particular institute. Ah… dreams of you standing  in those corridors, suit clad with the offer letter of that company with the fanciest name and the maximum zeros at the end of the offer letter and the Blackberry which was a welcome gift!

I was also one among that, getting amazed at all that was being thrown at me and so naive to understand all that. Finally April 11, 2008 I got my verdict of which B school to attend. More than the high hopes, what I had was worry of survival. I scraped along. Here I am in the threshold of passing out with absolutely no regrets. Just thankful and indebted to God and all others who helped me hold up here. I feel blessed!!!

So keeping in touch is very very easy in whichever part of the globe you are in. Now this is not limited to friends. Teachers too have started using these social networking sites. Its a good news for some and not too good news for others, especially if they are still attending their classes. What we share with our friends, the snaps, relationship status, high level of status message (usually accompanied with some swearing) are all accessible to them … that is some night mare.

Still its a great thing, especially if you have passed out of the college and you can keep in touch. The last few weeks, I am getting used to some teachers from my formal college, publishing comments and snaps. They update almost everything happening in college, which is another good thing. What I was amused about what was how they pull each others ( I mean, the teachers amongst themselves) legs in public. And they reply to all comments fired to them by the previous students. Accept all mockery by the students and respond wonderfully to that.

Last day I happened to see one of the teachers criticizing the present students for the low standards of their projects and urging them to improve! Teachers commenting (read as pulling legs) on the students’ photos and they retaliating. Maybe even being so free and mocking at things that they couldn’t tell openly in college. Also, they updating about their research, journals and all. That is a great thing. The world is too small now.

There was a time when Indians, especially, considered teachers to be terrors. That is slowly changing – good or bad.

So how I fell into this whole thing is … After 12th I chose engineering which was the most logical thing for a person who was pretty decent in mathematics and hated bio to death. Pretty decent in mathematics means I was comfortable with numbers, I was happy when it came to anything to do with numbers. Now coming to think of it, I particularly liked (or thought it was easy coz I used to score full always) the part with shares and taxes and all. I thought it was a no brain-er. Well, what is there to do when all you have to do was punch numbers into calculator or do sums and differences. Never ever say that!!! My mum used to tell me that this is what CAs and tax consultants do. Oh wow!! If this is what they have to do, then I love that job! Punching numbers according to specific formula!!! Thanks mum for that valuable insight which gave me first hand info about the financial world. So you can guess the idea I had about finance and the job in it.

So I got admission into one of the decent colleges in my state for engineering. My parents wanted me to do B.Tech in Electronics and Communication. Now, I seriously doubt whether any 12th standard student will have much clue of the difference in EC or Mech or Comp sci. So my parents thought thats the best ‘coz its the preferred branch of all the top rankers. 4 years of diodes, semi conductors, micro controllers and what not. So clueless of E&C, passed with distinction, 3 jobs in hand (of which 2 were core technical) I understood that I was not fit to be an engineer. I would have been a horrible engineer.

So next “logical” step was MBA. I had absolutely no clue of what they teach there. I had an open mind to all subjects. Even then after the first year I started hating marketing (thanks to my teacher too). Then I had no interest in Ops. HR was seen as this specialization which will fetch you the worst job. I think it is to do with the glamor associated. But when you are in a B school, every single person right from the placement committee is after the HR manager – Recruiting.

So I specialized in Finance. I was no fin guru. I had no CFA. But I still learnt what was taught and knew something about fin. I would have been happy to be in an IT company. Life would have been nice at Bangalore. I was so sad when these IT companies preferred only people with work ex in IT. But life takes a complete turn and I was taken into an investment bank. So hopefully, my life will be in finance.

180 degree change from physics, chemistry, Mosfet, communication to balance sheets, valuations, income statements and so on.

I am sure this is the story of most people who go for an MBA after their BE. So my next door neighbour who has done his M.Com comes and tells me: ” First you take the admission in the engineering college, which people like us wanted and we go for B.Com because we did not get admission for engineering. Then you go for an MBA, there also people like us lose a seat. Then you go into a bank where people like us where supposed to work.”

When I was at home, there was an interview with G. Madhavan Nair, the former chairman of ISRO in the tv. He says about the present state of engineers “Most brilliant engineers passing out from the top institutes in the country go and do an MBA. Then they go selling soaps and shampoos. You can’t blame them. They do all this for the money.” Whew!!! That was some embarrassment. But when you think about it, yes, people working with the FMCGs sell soaps, shampoo, hair gel and what not.

Its also criticized in the movie, 3 Idiots. Where Amir Khan ridicules Kareena Kapoor’s fiance has done his B.Tech, then MBA and then went on to working in a foreign bank.

I am not saying that everyone doing an MBA is doing it for the love of the subject. I have seen so many status messages, all from people who have finished, doing or aspirant MBAs saying “Its all about the money, honey!”

The fact that 600000 engineers pass out every year from the colleges in India has more to do with the mindset of people. The mindset of those people who think that a person can be successful only if they have an engineering or MBBS degree. Of course, it is easier to get a job if you are a B.Tech than a B.Com. But that doesn’t mean that a person with aptitude towards commerce or business should undergo a B.Tech first and then left to do the course that he/ she likes. This is not just about MBA.  I know people who switched to fashion designing, interior designing etc. after their B.Tech.

India is always following US, even in education system, with a huge time lag. It was engineering and medicine, then it became MBA, now, I think, the youngsters are taking law. Law is the next in thing.

I don’t think I am to be blamed for being disappointingly diverse about my choice of study and field of work. I blame the education system which churns out engineers and doctors year after year. The lack of encouragement from everyone. Now even if your parents agree to let you take a detour from the usual route, your father’s mother’s sister’s son’s wife’s brother’s wife will always say that you are not good in studies and that is why you opted for something out of the way from engineering or medicine.

So he writes that getting into the IT company is pretty easy for girls. All they need is a good figure and looks.

This is the most ridiculous and non sensical statement that I come across.  Can’t blame him alone, this is unfortunately the perception that most guys have. The “male ego” just wants to find some reason why girls get a better job than them or as good as theirs.

 To all the MCPs ( I need replies), 

1. if these companies recruited a certain number of girls just to satisfy a fixed percentage, the companies would have filed for bankruptcy long ago.
2. If a pretty face is all that is needed to post consistent profit, quarter after quarter, then I guess all the companies in the world will have only female staff.
3. if all that the females do is sit and do nothing, then why should they be paid equal salaries? Definitely, the company is not running a charity.
4. The company is definitely not hosting fashion shows every month. If all what they are looking for is “pretty faces” they would have gone and recruited from a professional modeling agency and not a premier institute.
5. What is the ultimate aim of a company during recruitment? It is to select the best candidate for the job. They are doing business and they want the best talent to reach their goals and post profits.
6. Also once you are inside a job (which I do not have any idea about), I think all that matters is your performance. If beauties and not brains are recruited, all the employees (or atleast 90%) chucked out of the office for poor performance must be women. But its not!

I have never heard of a company lowering or having separate  cut offs for girl candidates. If all they wanted were good looking girls, they will just call in girls for the interview and guys have to clear cut offs or gds or resume shortlists.

I respect each and every woman who is working, maintains a family, have kids, cook for everyone and still maintain a career. What do guys have to do? Get up in the morning, have tea and eat breakfast that their wife or mother cooks for them and go to office. Return, eat the dinner what their wife or mother cooks for them and sleep. They take women for granted. Women maintaining a career is actually taking up a challenge and doing it better than any man.                                                         

I think it is the Indian society that has embedded into the minds of the “superior sex” that females are to be seen as something inferior to them. To those people, I would say grow up. I think a woman  is much better than a man coz she manages not only her career, but her kids, her husband and her home simultaneously. How many households can function properly if the women there go on strike one fine day?

It once happened in my MBA class that one guy told the HR prof (a woman and a brilliant one too) that the girls here always get placed well. She just replied, the girls get placed well because they are smarter than you, thats all. All the girls sitting in that class (which itself is just 7 out of 63) did have a choice to get married and work soon after their engineering. But they pursued their studies and are fighting it out and can match upto any guy sitting in that class.

It is 2010, open your eyes and look around. Women are matching men in all the fields. Yes, I understand we are the weaker sex, we have our limitations and other purposes. But I believe we are as good as, if not better, than men in everyway and we are special. If we were not responsible or good enough God would not have entrusted women something as important as giving birth to new life on earth.

Its still hard for men to accept that women are as good and have studied as much as them to reach where they are now. To all those MCPs out there, next time you see a woman better than you or, for your satisfaction, as good as you, please try respecting her for a change.

Well my old blogspot was flooded with posts. I reached the saturation in the old address of blogspot.  For people who don’t know it >> aishthinks.blogspot.com.

Anyway I am going to start a new phase of my life in another 3-4 months. So I thought what the heck? I may as well start a new blog. But the problem is what I should write about.

So my readers, if any please pour in your comments and help me start off .