Disconnecting

Leaving an educational institute is one of the toughest things to do. Even more so at a place like ISB. Just physically leaving the campus is a challenge in itself. For 360 days we have been pampered by Sarovar and nature. I can't imagine what it would be like to make my own bed!! As if to make things worse, summer has arrived with warmth, colors and today, cooling rain. Sigh...

Disconnecting from the more abstract attributes will require greater effort than anything else. In some sense withdrawal symptoms started to creep in after placements. The classrooms seem uninviting, the conversations repetitive and the parties monotonous. I guess I'm yearning for a newer challenge and the accompanying anticipation of the unknown!

For various reasons, term 8 is meant to facilitate this process. The courses are instructive rather than participative, giving us that much free time to create memories. Some choose to move the bull, others find memories a bottle and a few lucky ones like me get to go on an all-expenses-paid vacation to Bangkok! Team Trip-Plan learnt a lot in that visit, made a few good friends and overall had a reality check on what it means to be an entrepreneur. And of course, it wasn't just all work :)

We can do without the campus, without even the daily dose of gyaan since we will find substitutes once we leave this place. What I will miss are the students. Contrary to perception, an institute does not make the students, but vice versa. This is what I found at BHU and what I have observed at ISB. Whatever the ills and criticisms of ISB, what cannot be doubted is the talent inherent in the student body. Who knows if I'll ever find another collection of such specimens (!) in a single place at the same time.

Filling up the year book did bring back tons of memories. It was surprising to note what people actually thought of you. For some, it was payback time :) . The last section party was great and given the large turnout, it absolutely rocked. People are now busy collecting pictures, videos, books, presentations, anything at all that defined their time here. I'm not sure if that's the right way. We tend to accumulate just too much baggage.

SLC has promised an absolute blast for the next three weeks including parties, lunches, paintball fights and what not. With the Hon. Kapil Sibal expected for Graduation Day, the coming days offer a plethora of entertainment.

I'm left wondering sometimes, though, what it would be like to call ISB an alma mater. How would people perceive me ? Would I be branded as snobbish and elitist or smart and wise ? Time will tell...

Validation

These last few days of free time have really brought on introspection. I'm yet to form an opinion of my time here at ISB. Unlike at BHU, where I was nostalgic even before I left, ISB seems to defy classification. So I decided to go hunting for other similar experiences.

Of course, talking to ISBians is too small a sample. But the overall feeling I got was that most of my MBA friends (ISB, IIMs, US etc) were underwhelmed by the MBA experience. This effect was even more pronounced with those who had harrowing placement experience (and hence could be discounted to an extent) but the nagging feeling that an MBA is not all that it was cracked up to be could not be shaken off. Why is it then that the stereotype of the MBA Gods has spread like wildfire ? Does society's perspective of MBAs differ significantly from the students' ? If so, why ? Perhaps it is because our benchmarks change once we're inside.

A couple of interesting reads helped put things in perspective. Keep off the grass by Karan Bajaj takes a "pot" shot at management education at the IIMs. It's a must-read to appreciate some of the absurdity that goes on behind the scenes in Indian management education. A second, and probably more cultured, version of the B-school experience is Ahead of the Curve by Phil Broughton. Based on his two years at HBS, he puts a more realistic spin on the pressures faced by the students at an international B-school and comes very close to what my experience at ISB was like.

Both authors speak of the pressure to perform, of somehow finishing top of the curve. They also talk of the serendipity of success, of learning to take failings in your stride and not being overwhelmed by peer pressure. Easier said than done when every incoming student will be fighting tooth and nail for that pot of gold called IB/VC/PE/MC. Is this correct ? Students will have to compromise simply because of demand supply mismatch. Is this fair ? Why ask people to write lofty essays about goals when you know almost 80% of them won't be able to achieve them ? I think the GSB prof was on the right track when he asked - How much will you bend over for ?

My own personality has undergone some change since I came here. I was always introverted and critical to begin with, but now I sense that I have become more cynical. A sameness begins to creep in after some time and diversity and participation become mere buzzwords. As managers, when we are taught to question everything and deal with the uncertainty of everyday business, it can easily become the twisted prism through which we view life. I would not like this cynicism to be my greatest takeaway from an MBA. Entrepreneurs, especially, will have to figure out how to retain their dreams when surrounded by this ocean of randomness and pessimism.

Don't get me wrong - there's no experience like B-school. Everything about them is larger than life. For a few months, you're likely to be more alive than ever before and you'll be challenging everything you thought you knew about yourself. It's a grand adventure. But, like all adventures, it's not without risks. I only wish that starry-eyed folks who come in expecting the moon can be better prepared to imagine the worst-case scenario and have the right contingencies planned.

Final Stretch

Term 7 is done, dusted, and with that begins the end. It's been a nerve-wracking past few weeks. And to be honest, I have almost no recollection of the time between Dec - Jan. It's as if someone reached into my skull and ripped my memories out. I guess that's what stress does to you. Now that I have a job and time to kill, it's about time I started stocking on books. The first one I ran across was Alice in Wonderland (this book has to be on the pre-read list for O-week) and came across this scene to describe my own personal placement experience:

Alice asked the cheshire cat sitting on top of the tree

"Which way I ought to go ?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to" said the Cat.

"I don't much care where so long as I get somewhere"

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go" said the Cat.

That's the perfect way to capture my emotions. All this expectation that any MBA student should have a clearly mapped out itinerary for his career is mostly bull. As managers we are expected to deal with uncertainty day in day out. I notice that people who deal with this the best are those who are flexible instead of stubborn. They are not zappered by a role/industry/function and instead can recognize a good opportunity when it knocks on the door. Is that what ISB must start looking for while admitting students ? We seem to have crossed the half way mark and further progress can be expected in the coming days. It's the last few remaining who'll face the toughest time.

As for the other tomes, I did manage to hunt down a modern rendering of the Mahabharata. It's been on my to-do list for far too long and after my failed attempt at reading the Gita translation, I realized that I needed a simplified version to appreciate it. An appetizer before attempting the real thing, so to speak.

Since our team was shortlisted for the Asia Moot Corp competition, I'm looking forward to going on a break to Bangkok!! We have tons to do in the meantime and my job is to get the prototype working before the end of Feb. You can never really separate a techie from code for too long. I've never really built a core Java app of this size and I guess timelines are going to be a challenge.

Anyways, I guess I'll be posting regularly in the coming days. Until then, adios...

Insanity Unbound

A new year. A new dawn. The same ol' ISB marathon. This spicy mix was stirred with a generous dollop of additional craziness. Yes. Placements are here.

Classes are half empty (pessimist?), assignment boxes too, and yet, LRC burns brightest as the future consultants dissect simulated cases on industries ranging from bubble gum to satellite launches. It's fun. Watching people stutter, stammer, blank out and come up with ludicrous solutions under the guise of "innovation" is truly a humbling experience. Campus abounds with nervous energy and yet is so deserted that you might expect a tumbleweed to roll past like a spaghetti western.

All the creative CV skills we have learned in our precious experience are on dazzling display. Would anyone notice if we added a few zeroes to the project value, a dozen more resources to teams managed, an award here, an appreciation there, all topped of with "strategy", "critical", "value", "client", "international", "global", "culture", "inter-personal" and other such lofty words ? Oh what fun the recruiters must have!!

The shortlists are in, the warriors chosen and battle lines drawn for Jan 16. As time passes, you can feel the tension rise. It's like in a circus, as the trapeze artist prepares for the final jump and the drum roll reaches a crescendo. It's unbearable, really.

Different people deal with this in various ways. Some try to hide a smile, others a nervous twitch and the rarest of them all are those who shake hands with confidence during these times. It takes brave souls to wake up each day and find out if you are worth anything in the market. We take valuation courses, but this is the ultimate test of what rupee-worth you place on yourself. Some short, some long, some just don't care. As always, ISB's diversity is tremendous.

And just as you feel you can't take it any more, the drums stop. There's a clash of swords as the trumpeter announces the commencement of battle. The audience waits with bated breath. By this time, you can't walk in campus. The tension's so thick, you actually have to swim through. Those with multiple interviews run around from room to room. But for the vast majority who don't partake of the spoils on offer on day 1, it is but a trailer of the things to come.

The Consulting sisters are in their full array of feathers and fur. Egos prickle, schedules disintegrate, escalations happen and then, poof - like that it's all over. 48 hours and a deathly silence settles before the final offers. There's gossip galore, the smart ones take wagers on who'll make it where. ISBians being ISBians know when to make a quick buck. Finally, it happens. The first offer, a clap on the back, a muted celebration, mindful perhaps of the hundreds still out there.

A sigh of relief and ISB settles down till the next day to repeat the pattern on a miniature scale. It's been two weeks now and it truly has been a learning experience. From people who believe risk can only be lowered by diversifying, i.e., applying to all sectors/roles/pay-checks/locations/companies irrespective of their preference to those who app to a selected few, it is a test of skill, focus and endurance.

How will this year be ? Who knows, each batch tends to react differently IMO to the same set of offers. Circumstances are not ideal and our batch is large. But we have some atypical profiles and new recruiters. I think we'll get there. Eventually.

I know - if you've read so far, the question is almost on your lips. Yes, I did get a job on D2. Consulting, but importantly, around Pune. Deja Vu. Disengagement has already begun while simultaneously, the class of 2011 begins their journey here

A la prochaine...

Twenty Years of Tendulkar

Sachin completed 20 years as an international cricketer recently. It deserves a salute, a prayer and gratitude. I wonder often, what could be termed as Tendulkar's calling card. It's not pure ability (Sehwag and Lara surpass him), neither is it grace (Ganguly and Laxman) nor is it stoic longevity (Waugh and Dravid). Why then has this Mumbai batsman has been regarded as the greatest modern batsman ever ?

Perhaps to answer that question, one needs to put it in context of what his exploits meant to a generation of Indians. I grew up without a world cup exploit to talk about, or a No. 1 test ranking to boast about. In the decade of the nineties, my sole link to the Indian team was Sachin - the epitome of excellence in batsmanship. I guess it also has a lot to do with the person within. Perhaps Rahul Dravid comes close - but the gravitas that Tendulkar the person brings to an occassion is unrivalled.

When Tendulkar was young and rising, we had no multi-crore sponsorships, no IPL. It was a different time. India itself was confused - what was our identity ? Would we, as a nation, succeed or fail ? The economic riches that some of see today were just a glorious tapestry then. We weren't aggressive, we weren't brash, we didn't slap team-mates and never were we accused of racism. Unfortunately, neither did we win.

But my memories of the 90s is defined by Tendulkar's achievements. The century at Perth, the marvellous 169 in South Africa, Chennai the lost cause, The Desert Storm at Sharjah. They inspired. They told of talent harnessed to achieve perfection. They told of one man against everyone. Tendulkar's achievement at this time was to show us the infinity of possibilities. Perhaps, as he became older, this also became the albatross around his neck. He grew up, his fans didn't.

Tendulkar at the crease caused us to devote attention. This was not a case of mind-numbing stonewalling, neither was it a case of unabashed swinging. With Tendulkar, you knew it would be a battle of wits. He had the technique to match the best of them. But perhaps Tendulkar realized that technique for technique's sake is useless. It has to be applied to score runs - that was his dharma as a batsman. And that made all the difference. Each delivery was analyzed carefully, field placements noted, angles calculated before that club of a bat came down like a bludgeon.

Tendulkar, together with Dravid, is the last link to an earlier generation. There is no show of strength but humility in his achievements. Behind that helmet, also rests a thoughtful brain. My dad just cannot relate to the Indian cricket team without Tendulkar and neither can I. But when Tendulkar does talk, the audience listens. As the Aussie coach found out earlier.

With the swagger of a few lusty hits, the joy of a few undeserved wickets, some of the players have the gall to call him grandpa. They forget that this Grandpa, just crashed a majestic 175 against Australia recently. Why Tendulkar failed as a leader and a captain will always remain a mystery to me. I suspect there was more going on behind the scenes than meets the eye. Perhaps it just wasn't in him - the cheeky tendlya just couldn't lead the masses.

How will history remember him ? Perhaps as a fine product of Bombay Batsmanship. A thorough gentleman in a rapidly changing milieu. A thinker and a genius. A fighter, worn down by responsibility in his best years. A star reborn as part of a winning team. An underrated bowler. A beacon of hope for a generation past. A monument to greatness for a generation to come.

Thanks for the memories, Sachin.

Dude, where's my Term Break ?

Winter's Here !! The air's crisp and cold. And the placement bug going around seems to be a pandemic :)

Amidst the hoopla, term 6 has seen a quiet start and term 5 ended with a bang. Term 5, BTW, was one crazy term. The fact that you were outside your sections for the first time was quite disorienting. Each class had different faces, different groups and different interactions. It took a little adjusting to.

And I realized how much I missed my section. There was a maturity about our section that helped everyone belong in one way or another. Not to mention being exposed to other CP Kings and Queens. I never realized people had so much to say about everything !! At times though, I think Section A had gotten it right wrt CP.

Term 5 was a very Quant-heavy term for me. With Fixed-Income Sec, Options and Marketing research, the work load seemed a little overwhelming. But the learning was equally good in most cases. The final project that we submitted for a new product launch was a great experience that taught us pretty well the uncertainties faced by management. However, the slew of project work meant that my term break went up in smoke.

The last few days have also been ones of introspection, personally. The decision of which career track to pursue cannot be put off any further. One way or the other, I have to decide and pursue my choice with gusto. Oh, what I would give for some BHU-style procrastination !!

Neha was here for here Birthday. That meant she experienced it ISB style - with a freezing dunk, cake, wine and a sumptuous meal !! Anyways, that's it for now. Solstice, ILS and other events are on the cards in December. I'll try to put up some pics in the next post.

Time

It's that simple four letter word around which our lives revolve at ISB. It controls our day and our night, our sleep and our action. Without time, life at ISB would have been incomplete - time gives meaning to our existence at ISB. That's what the philosophically minded folks would say. In my opinion though, time is pure evil. Satan's invention intended to cause ulcers to MBA students. And ISB is its favorite haunt. We understand the meaning of Just-In-Time through practical experience.

With so much to do, we prioritize and organize to the minutest detail. Assignments are pushed back to the day before submission. The actual deadline though is hilarious. Imagine the scene - 8 AM on a Monday morning. You're in the atrium at 7:45 enjoying a nice warm breakfast, proud that you slogged through the night for the submission, yet feeling guilty that you had to leave it till so late.

And then you see inspiration running towards you - a fellow ISBian in PJs and all, half groggy, a handwritten assignment in three different inks, writing tilted at a 45-degree angle. "Give me a god-damned stapler!! Whaddaya mean you don't have one ?! I tell you, carrying staplers should be made mandatory - just like I-cards." 10 minutes to go. You hear frantic shuffling as the masses gather to deposit their pieces of wisdom in the drop box. I hear sighs of frustration, mingled with exhaustion. 5 minutes - and the rush turns into a flood. TAs emerge, to claim their property. "Damn, I forgot to attach the Excel sheet - puuuuuhllllleeeezzzzzz can you extend the deadline while I fly back ?". And with the final drop, the torture ends. It's now in the hands of the almighty TAs to strike down a night's effort with the stroke of a red pen. Cruelty knows no bounds.

But there's no relief - the 8:15 class beckons. What's it today ? Management of Organizations ? There was a pre-read ? What ? 45 pages, there goes my CP ! A cuppa in one hand, out comes the course pack and you hear random words like "enterpreneurial networks", "cognitive biases" etc. You take a deep breath. Considering that you have risen above the mortal maya of puny CP marks, you congratulate yourself on not having read a single word. What's more, you are confident that nobody else has either, which means we're all in the same boat thanks to relative grading - No tenshun.

So begins another crazy day. The prof tries his/her best to make us see light - but alas, halfway through class, most of the students are in various stages of dozing off - CP be damned. Sometimes though, you hear absolute gems of knowledge that truly brings "insight" to those who were unfortunately awake.

I hear snores emnating from the guy next to me. Nice. Four hours later, positively refreshed, we head off for the real education - study groups, meeting, clubs and parties.

C'est la vie