General Update Tuesday, May 27 2008

Well, its been some time since I have posted anything. So, I guess its time that I deliver a general update on life, the universe and everything (almost) that I am doing.

Well, the groves of academia have hereby hurled me out, ensuring that I get to face the real world again. And from the small and sleepy university campus of IIT Kharagpur, I am now at the western corner of India, in Mumbai, the city that almost lives up to its reputation for never sleeping

I have joined my work with YES Bank, and the hours ensure that its certainly a good excuse for not posting (although I shall not use it). But rather than talk about work, why not the city?

Mumbai is a unique place. Each of India’s metropolitan cities is different, but Mumbai revels in its uniqueness. Everything, from the city’s straight line like layout, to its odd working hours, its cobbled (almost) main roads where traffic rattles along day and night is unique. Mumbai is like a mad scientist on adrenalin, up to no good, but hiding behind a veil of equations.

Mind you, I rather like this mad city. Its very different from the sleepy Bangalore, and the early-bird Chennai. Even the sun sets later here than the rest of the country, with it being bright enough to play cricket at 7:15 pm.

Well, that is enough for the day. I will continue with more management gyan from my next post. Mumbai has given me at least 4-5 new posts on economics already up and running. But it will have to wait till I find the time to put them down on computer! Till then!

One Response »

 

Long Time No Post! Tuesday, Nov 20 2007

The last few days have been uber hectic for yours truly, which partially explains the lack of posts. First, there was the 37 or so hour train journey to Kharagpur from Bangalore….spent 5 days in the good old joint doing a couple of case studies and then watching Japanese Anime. Then another 2 day train journey back to Bangalore for a favourite cousins wedding….at the same time finding out that one of the case studies I was working on had been short listed at IIM Kozhikode. Then it was a mad scramble via sleeper bus (not recommended) to Kozhikode along with Saurabh Agarwal, my team-mate.

Another mad scramble after finding out that the second case was also to be presented following the drop out of one of the teams at the last minute. The good news was that we won one case study competition and placed a respectable second in the other.

I also have to thank the fine chaps at IIM Kozhikode for some spectacular hospitality and am still in awe at the beauty of their campus. Kgp is nice, but IIM Kozhikode has been done up practically like a resort, and you can make out that the same developers are behind the design of the Infosys Training campus at Mysore and the IIM K hostel.

Anyway, after another hectic few days, am finally able to catch my breath back at kgp. The last week and a bit has just passed in a blur, and now its time to get back to academics, postings, and of course….Japanese Anime!

I promise a couple of management topics soon. But am just posting this to brag about winning at IIM Kozhikode. It is always fun to test your mettle against the best of the competition, and its even more fun when you win!

Leave a Response »

 

Back in Kharagpur Tuesday, Nov 6 2007

I finally got back to the good old institute yesterday. Most of the time was spent gathering the detritus of 6 months of unused room and hauling it out!

But today I finally got some routine back into my life, and am going back to my daily regimen. Kharagpur is still a lot like how I left it, though the hostel itself seems a bit less fun! The hostel itself is still great, but I just realized the changes that  making it a boys hostel have caused. Call me sexist, but I do notice that the guys do a lot more room clean ups if the girls are around (well..my room has been an honourable exception). A dozen little things…but you sort of know that you are now in a boys hostel. And I can’t entirely say  that I like it.

Ah well…Enough of that though. The rest of the last two days has been spent catching up with one and all. From fellow students and asking “How was your internship?” to the local mess cleaners who seem to have magically improved the quality of the mess in the last few months! I also got a sob story from my local Night Canteen proprieter (I was his biggest source of Cash flow once) about how the students have simply abandoned him. This will bring me to a management post later, but I will not inflict that now!

Have also got a new SIM, with all the paperwork it entails. I officially dislike the Government and the Cell guidelines on the regulation of Mobile phone connections. I appreciate that they may be necessary. But I still don’t have to like proving my local address every time I want to change my Cellphone provider!  (Provision for management post here too)

One thing that HAS disappointed me is the size of the campus network. With burgeoning Hard disk sizes  I would have thought we would hit the 30 Tb mark easily. However, the campus network is still almost the same size…which surprised me.

Also have finally got back my running schedule. Though considering my physical shape, its more of a daily stagger than a daily run. I realised its much more fun to run on a non-crowded road surrounded by trees at 3:00 am than to do the same activity in a crowded Chennai street, where you have to dodge scooty’s and random walking mami’s.

So there you have it! An update of my activities! (Oh the joy!)

Leave a Response »

 

Gaelic Storm — Classic Pub Music Thursday, Nov 1 2007

I was listening to some Gaelic storm over the last couple of days. They are an Irish based Californian band (I think) that play pub music.

If its classical melodies that tug at your hearstrings that you want, I would suggest you go elsewhere, but if its hilarious acoustic pub music you are looking for, well your search ends here!

Leave a Response »

 

Tonnes of new management stuff up Thursday, Oct 25 2007

I imported some stuff from one of my old blogspot blogs. I admit, my blog is now Extremely big. Well over a 100 posts and about 40,000 words of random gyan now. In the interest of the (hypothetical) reader who cannot go through my entire gamut of blogs just to see the posts that I had written in blogspot several months ago, you can find them here.

Leave a Response »

 

General Random Stuff…feel free to skip! Thursday, Oct 18 2007

Well, today i was bored out of my skull, and did not really feel like writing anything managerial. But I got asked a question as to how I am able to talk about everything….here is part of the answer. Today’s reading for the day

1. J Krihnamurthy — Random stuff about him

2. Balanced Scorecards — A management topic on HR, that I really know too little about, and need to learn more

3. How to apply eye-makeup! (dont ask…truly random. I learnt about almond eyes and raccoons)

4. How do Internet Companies make Money (research for my net blog post…will save this one)

5. News stories on the Sensex crash….background on the whole P-Notes thing (not really interesting enough for my blog)

6. Sugar Prices in 1974 and bubble economics  (coupled with fundamental analysis of price forecasting, this was tough going)

7. Another couple of Ron Paul articles….(at first I was excited by this guy…but now am not so impressed.)

There was more, but that stuff I don’t quite remember. And if I don’t remember it, I could not possibly have read it!

well, I hope to post tomorrow on something a bit more, but right now, lack the motivation to actually research/write on a topic with enough interest. Hope things get better tomorrow!

Leave a Response »

 

Skewed Priorities? Wednesday, Aug 8 2007

It says something for my lack of attention that I completely forgot to mention that I have also managed to injure my head, thereby incurring 5 stitches as the Penalty to Pass GO and play again. The circumstances are not going to be elaborated here. Suffice to say, it is not something I would rather do again!

Leave a Response »

 

Mumbhai! Monday, Jul 16 2007

I was in Mumbai on Friday and Saturday for NIMITT 2007, SP Jain’s management fest. First off, a compliment…a brilliantly organized event, with some wonderful hospitality displayed by the gentlemen and ladies of SP Jain. They did a spectacular job indeed, and deserve every accolade that they are going to get.
But the city itself! I have to admit, I was not a big fan of the place. But like a skin disease, the city grows on you! Now, I have to say, I really love the city. Sure, it has lots of warts, and the lousy traffic is nothing to write home about, unless you want to write a horror story; but the life in the city, and not last, Marine Drive itself makes for a place that is simply awesome.
It helps that I met friends whom I had not met for some time, and spent a couple of very enjoyable days as well. All in all, a wonderful weekend.
So, anyone who wants to hire me….remember, a job in Mumbai would be good. Of course, I would also appreciate a pay package that lets me live the life I want in Mumbai!

One Response »

 

Why are Chennai Buses the way they are? Wednesday, Jul 11 2007

Up to now, I have been (mostly) laudatory about Chennai. But now its time for a crib session. I have been travelling by the buses of Chennai for enough time now to start criticizing them. While the buses routes are extremely well covered, and you can travel from one place to another by bus, the downside is the crowds.
The buses are ALWAYS crowded. This is distinct from any other city, where there is a rush hour, and then the pressure falls. Primarily, this seems to be because there just are not that many buses. I visited the website of the organization, which claims they have 2000 buses. 2000 buses for 7 million people in a city where the distances are huge! That is just ridiculous. Even Bangalore has more buses than that…and the routes don’t take two hours to cover. Which also brings me to my next point. Buses wander all over town! The average bus seems to take the LONGEST possible route to get to the destination, taking twice as long as any other method.
And the ridiculous pricing….the prices are cheap…and so are the services. The buses themselves are in terrible condition, barring the odd exception. Truly, when you pay peanuts, you get quality even monkeys will question!
Ah well…enough of this diatribe. The main reason that it was brought on is because my knees have been beaten up sitting in a space that even a midget would have trouble fitting into!

Leave a Response »

 

Haircuts! Tuesday, Jul 10 2007

Those who have seen me over the last few months have noticed that my latest attempt at disguise involved hiding my face behind an unruly mop of uncut hair.
Chennai’s heat finally persuaded me to finally go for a haircut. And I was treated to a display of family tradition at the barbershop, with 3 generations, from a patriarch to the grandson, learning his trade.
End result is me, with far less hair, and almost unrecognizable (according to my boss).

Leave a Response »