Branding AIT

Hello AIT

I hope you are in the pink of your health. Me?? ahhhhh....I am doing great as always. It has been long since we last met. The last time we met was when I had to appear for two backlog exams. To be honest, while leaving college I expected that I'll be back soon to meet you, but to clear backlogs, nahhhhh, never. I always dream of our meeting being a grand one, like what it would be like when Sachin Tendulkar or Mark Zuckerberg  would visit their respective school. I truly aspire to become a successful professional in life. A person whom you can actually feel proud of and whose name can be called out in public for setting an example. But, have I made it large? No, not yet. I am far far away for being one of such kind. But, I am very sure that one day this dream would eventually come true.

To those, who do not know much about my profession, I work with Sapient as an Associate. My life's pretty smooth here and luckily I have not been through those horrifying experiences that people share on Facebook ("It's 3 am and still in office"). Yesterday evening, when I finished my work at 5:30 pm, I went back to my flat, changed my clothes, and lay down on my bed with my eyes closed, a breeze just passed by. The same breeze that used to refresh my room (315 G) and made everything look fresh and beautiful. I then asked myself that am I really making you feel proud? Am I really giving my best that people around me ask me my alma mater? Do I really give them a hint that I have been staying with some of the brightest minds of India? Because, in the end I really want people to ask me that. I feel proud in telling them your name. It might be obscure to some of them, but one day it'll shine and will shine bright. I hope that everyone reading this shares the same feeling for his/her alma mater.

By the way, I would like to compliment you that you look better than before. I got to see a picture of the grand entrance a few days back, it looks amazing. Standing tall amid Dighi Hills, you are really a grand structure. As years pass by, more and more people pass out to spread your name. Companies from various industries and sectors now visit you which is definitely helping you spread your wings wide. But, the question is, are 'we' really doing justice to brand AIT? Do we really give our actions a thought that they leave an imprint of our parents, our friends, our college? This blog comes in the awake of some recent activities that I noticed which really makes me doubt if people think that their activities might hamper your reputation.

Let me start with myself, I believe that I am doing a commendable job at my workplace. I don't know exactly but I have acquired something while I strolled in your premises which can not be put in words but it was something, something that makes me feel confident, energetic and something that has definitely helped me in my career. I never scored above 55% but still, I managed to pull off a Bachelor of Engineering degree from University of Pune. Everyone around me here knows that I am honest and committed to my work. But then there are some who are too selfish to think that what their actions might lead to or how does their actions affect your image?. I do commit mistakes but then that does not tarnish your image. To err is human and no one is perfect.

"One will never go to a restaurant again, once he/she sees a cockroach in their food."

I hope the statement made above has made it clear enough about the message that I am trying to convey here. My dear juniors, colleagues and seniors, it's not the building, the gate, the library, the red bold AIT or the cricket ground that forms the Army Institute of Technology, these materialistic stuff is just a small portion. It is us, the students who complete it.

While it is falsely assumed that only IITans can deliver the best, NITs the better and other colleges just the good degree of work, we can actually justify you (AIT) by adding brand value to your name. Dear reader, whoever you are, wherever you are, I beg of you to please reconsider you actions if that tarnishes the image of my college, because one day when I would be on the verge of becoming as famous as Sachin Tendulkar/Mark Zuckenberg and planning my grand trip to AIT, I would not want my evaluator to be someone who judges me seeing my alma mater and it turns out that he once got pissed off by some stupid's sheer stupidity. Instead, I would want you to impress him today so that I can reap the fruits tomorrow. ;) I repeat , do not be so mean that you forget that what you do is a reflection of your parents, friends and your alma mater. 

Thanks and Regards

Nitish Kumar

Computers (2007-2011)

Life's good

Time has passed by so quickly. It has been eons since I updated this blog. Life has changed. Now, I am a graduate. :) I think that I am a very different person now. Not the one you knew 2 years back in college. The one who use to laze around doing nothing, sit on the benches of the football ground with his friends or sleep till 12 in the afternoons. Life is more scheduled now. I get up at 7 am , get ready by 8, reach office by 8:30, sit down on my desk, plan my day and start the execution. Everything is planned and scheduled. Believe it or not, i kind'a like it.

Journey with Sapient has been a roller coaster ride for me. There has been good, bad and the ugly. I am not sure how many of you will agree with me on this, but I would blame my army background for the 'ugly' part. An Army brat is probably too open or honest than expected and accepted by others.  But, the life has been more of good. :) I have learnt a lot,changed myself to adapt to situations, be a bit diplomatic, sugarcoat my words and try to be dear to the biggest of biggest jerks. All this has become a part of my daily takeaways from 8 hours of work in office.

In Sapient, my role is that of a business analyst with the Delivery Operations team. I delve deep into numbers, subtract, add, divide and multiply them and report them to the concerned stakeholders. I have to full extend exploited my mathematical aptitude and used it here at my job. My sluggish preparation for CAT did not fetch me a college, but it has definitely helped me to do better here at Sapient. I have come to a recommendation for the children who fear subject Mathematics, there is not substitute to it, it will haunt you for whole of your life. Master it or you are screwed.

Just to set the context, I never thought of writing all this until a very good friend of mine, Manjit sent me an article which mentioned the benefits of writing. I'll close this article for now as there is too much that I have written about myself and there is no point beating the dead horse. I am sorry friend that I could not manage expectations (writing everyday, as I was short of bandwidth), but yes, I'll definitely try to be more frequent about writing stuff on my blog. I'll keep you in loop about all my articles. Please revert in case you have any issues around them.


PS : The paragraph above was pure shit (except Manjit of course), and was meant just to flaunt my vocabulary and the style of writing. By the way, it has got nothing to do with my CAT preparation, it is just the daily jargon, you'll get to listen if you get into a role (in Sapient) that I am in. Thank you Manjit. Thank you all. Hope you enjoy this !!!

Mad for AIT

TONIGHT, as I was taking my post dinner walk, I thought suddenly; I am absolutely crazy in AIT. It's a thought that often crosses my mind. Someone or something is always going loopy, and quite often it's me.

Like, I was trying to score good marks for the last 4 years, but poor me, could never score above 55%. The result comes and I feel sad just for a moment and with that sad-facing I am heading to Mayur. I have been here for the past 4 years, and we call it "home away from home". It is a strange beast, this AIT. It hugs me, so tightly sometimes that I can't breathe, then it turns and punches me hard in the face, leaving me stunned. Then it hugs me again, and suddenly I know everything will be all right.

It was my choice to come - I always wanted a career in engineering and AIT was the only college where I could get Computers - and I wanted a change. I needed something new, exciting, thrilling, terrifying. And AIT gave that to me in spades. To outsiders, AIT has a particular kind of impression. We are approached like "You are in AIT? My God, really !!! Subah PT hoti hai kya? And do they teach you how to fire guns?" I thought, who in AIT would bother to get up from his/her bed to go for PT or pick guns to fire them. AITans don't know much, but can give you an answer for anything you ask. Who would know better than me? I being a PR have seen inventions of new languages in that 15 minutes of technical interview. Others have searched and sorted like none could do before. Mechanical people make it through software companies more easily where Compies find it difficult to crack. Being in AIT is like being in a very intense, extremely dysfunctional relationship. AIT and I fight, we scream, we argue, we don't speak for days on end, but really, deep down, we love each other.

AIT wonders why I don't just "know" how things are done, why I argue with it about everything, why I judge, why I rail at injustice and then do nothing about it. But at the same time, it has taught me things. It has taught me to be brave, bold, independent, sometimes even fierce and terrifying. It has taught me to walk in another man's chappals, and ask questions a different way when at first the answer is no. It has taught me to accept the things I cannot change. It has taught me that there are always, always, two sides to every argument. And it is kind enough to let me come and stay.

AIT didn't make my stay easy though (but then, why should it?). It does not allow me to drink peacefully and not even in a corner of it (volleyball court). What costs you 100 rupees one day might be 200 rupees the next, I am talking about the fine that is imposed per day in case you get late, plus that extra effort to go to the Bank. What you didn't need to bring yesterday, you suddenly need to bring today and no one would tell you why. The registrar can ask you to come back tomorrow and see him again just because he is too busy on phone or chatting with other staff members. He will never answer to your queries (even when a simple 'yes' or 'no' would do the trick) but will give you a lecture for 5 minutes and then ask you to notice the notice board. Notice boards are also a funny thing in AIT, some change hourly (registrar), others change yearly (mag board).

It's not easy being here, although I am spoiled. I abuse, I drink, I smoke. I have long, boozy brunches in restaurants and not to mention, I prepare for it (skip a couple of meals prior to it). I have very little to complain about. But then I have been ragged, stripped, made to propose, sometimes compose too, fill bottles, do assignments sometimes my own and sometimes that of others, teased, given less term work and been made fun countless times. I have lived more than I have ever in my life, out of frustration, happiness, anger, loneliness, excitement and the sheer hugeness of being here. The longer I stay, the more I seem to relax.

But I do often wonder why I'm here, especially when I'm tired and homesick. I am technically zero, I have a job that I don't deserve, I have an aggregate equivalent to what has compelled so many IITans to hang themselves. But then a willing ride always comes along, and I'll turn a corner and be suddenly in the midst of some banging, online gaming, outdoor sports and crashing mad parties, where everyone is talking to someone specific in 'English' about someone 'specific' and reciting, when 'she' first smiled at him, and I breathe out and think, really, my God, this is fantastic. This is AIT! I live in AIT! It hugs me, it punches me, and it hugs me again.

Yet I know after a while I won't ever belong here. It will hurt and will stay within me forever. I will remember when my friends gave suggestions like: "Lets go to the graveyard. Time....ahhhh...its 2 am." Some eatable when falls of his hand, he'll eat it, beacause he knows that he won't die. I feel proud to be called an AITan because being a true AITan is in my DNA. I marvel at how incredibly good scorers, many of them are (up to 90 plus in both board exams), they start at 45 in first sem here and improve it to a mere 50 by the last sem. There are hundreds here who speak 3 languages. We have Gultis, Mallus, Biharis, Jats, Nepalis and god knows everything that you can think of. We fit ourselves so easily, be it a train or a bike.

I've done things of which I am ashamed, things I never thought I would do. I am sorry since mentioning them might get me and my friends into deep trouble. Let secrets be secrets. I am kind and I am cold-hearted, I am fair and I am mean, I am delightful and I am downright rude. I am all of these at once and I distress myself wildly over it, but somehow, AIT accepts me. It has time for everyone, you don't need to fight here for survival; it will just shove everyone along a bit and make room for you. It just keeps moving along.

And then, theist or atheist, but you go to temple. Don't know whom do you pray for, but yes an AITan can love more than anyone else. He thinks of his friend, sides his meanness and does justice to every relationship he is asked to, be it fanticism or friendship.

In short, I have been among the luckiest of the lucky. It keeps me on my toes, AIT, and I have been blessed that you let me stay for a while. Thank God, it was a while, because at a stage, it was asking me to extend my trip for 5 years. It wanted me to succeed here and it gave me grand opportunities and endless second chances. It willed me forward like a stern parent. It welcomed me. And when I leave, because I know I will one day, I will weep, because I will miss it terribly. And because I know it won't even notice that I am gone.

Welcome 2011

Time has passed by so quickly. It's been eons since I updated this blog. It's not that I was busy, but rather I did not have the urge or passion to write. I know the title of this blog post seems quite absurd, "Welcome 2011", but don't you think that its never too late to welcome anything that you expect to turn fruitful for you.

The year 2010 was an eventful one with its own share of ups and downs. The past year redefined my life for all the right reasons. In my college life, I faced a lot of challenges that nearly threatened to make me give up and quit. I made a lot of mistakes which I never would have imagined. As they say, “When things go wrong, they do so at the most inopportune moment”. Guess I have to get used to the fact that I will make mistakes on and off.

On the positive side, 2010 gave me many reasons to smile. I got through all of my backlogs when it was least expected. I happened to get one of the most lucrative offers offered by IT industry in AIT. Then of course, there was this girl, who could not resist falling in love with me, or you could call it other way round too. I succeeded in many, and failed in some. As they say, “Behind every successful man there are many unsuccessful years”. And in fact, 2009 wasn't good at all. The best part of 2010 came when I realized that I had grown old, old enough to realize my mistakes and learn from them. Bye bye 2010. Thanks for the good and not so good memories. I cherish them all.

2011 has started with a bang. I got my job offer, for which I would like to thank Bhuvanesh Yadav [Helped me to get through the first obstacle], Nikant Ahlawat [kept me alarmed], Prince Mishra [my mentor], Chetan Sood [iska naam arbit hai], Krishna [helping me go techie], Raju & Shekhu [for providing me this opportunity] and all others whose names have been missed out.

On the personal end, I had made up my mind for a new bike, but finally time constraint put by Sapient and Bajaj both, hindered me from buying one. It would have been the sexiest among sexy, Bajaj Avenger 220 cc and that too Midnight Black. I would have preffered to call it KAALIYA. Hope whenever KAALIYA comes, it helps me reach the road to prosperity.

Life at College is just going ok. Looking forward to a great year ahead, second half of which will be spent at Sapient with some of the most awesome people from college. God! Pray that I get increment in my salary this year and that too twice, plus I clear my CAT with 100 percentile [more importantly 100 percentiles in all three sections], and get some 10 to 12 girlfriends more by the end of this year. Bas itna sa khwab hai.

To add to my college concerns, I need to get a passport and a pan card and among them the most important being to clean up the mess i made up with my first semester exams and perform well in the coming exam, so as to get at least 60% in final year. Pray that I study well.

I've got an interesting year ahead of me. Although I am not sure what is in store, I am confident that this year will see me reach some very important milestones in life. Til then, See ya. :)

Why is KASAB still alive?

I can never forget that fateful day two years ago on 26/11/2008. I was staying at a calm and peaceful place AIT. I was busy making my future bright in an engineering college, when these bastards were busy planning the bloodiest massacre in Indian history. I heard something from somewhere, and I immediately ran to my server, paused torrents, stopped CC Proxy and sat down to watch the live dance of death. It was shocking. All of my flank mates had their eyes fixed on the screen. We couldn't believe our eyes and ears. Is it a nightmare? It can't be true. Some of us were hooked onto the news channels and internet news sites for days together. Others didn’t, not because they weren’t worried, but because they had no idea that it would continue for 72 hours.

I can't explain the hatred I developed for Kasab and whoever the masterminds of the Mumbai attacks might be. For the first time in my life I wanted someone to suffer... someone to be brutally tortured. Little did I know that today, two years from then, I would still be wanting him to be punished. Kasab - why is he the one to survive the 26/11 attacks?  The person (no, he can't be a human) who walked peacefully after mercilessly killing many is still at peace!!! Why are we not setting an example by punishing him severely? Why are we not sending a strong message to all the terrorists out in the world - DON'T MESS WITH OUR NATION OR ELSE...

Recently TOI reported, “I’m reaping what I sowed : Kasab”. People don’t believe it to be his words, and doubt it to be TOI’s, another one of their many crappy articles. Kasab should be made familiar with the fact that, death is probably the easiest way for him to escape the materialistic world. I wish he be fed to our dogs, the people associated with “Nithari Killings” I mean the culprits, the pure non-vegetarians. I am not boasting of  "Nithari killings" culprits, but I am trying to tell the world that we Indians’ have a wide range of personalities here in our country. We can provide you with the fastest Indian (Milkha Singh) and slowest Indian (Suresh Kalmadi) too. But we keep our dogs in kennel and don’t let them stray around like Pakistanis. He doesn’t have an idea of the hatred that people have in them for him, and it multiplies day after day. It is better if he hangs himself, or he is hanged as soon as possible.

Why D?

If you are reading this, then you know me. If you're reading this, then we're friends -- though some are better friends than others. One of you helped me recently by making me aware of the bitter fact that I suck at choosing title for my blog posts. And probably, he was right. Sometimes I do injustice to the title of the post. Like, talking of the the previous post, there was hardly anything there pertaining to LOVE. But for those who accuse me of writing long posts, I am sorry guys, I can’t help it. I know, after reading the title of this post, you must be thinking that probably I failed again, but not to worry, I’ll prove you wrong. I know it sounds absurd, "Why D?". But, I know that this title is quite fearsome, for AITans at least. For others, let me introduce to this term YD (Why D), which stands for year down or its generally known as year back in other colleges, when you have to sit back home and take a drop for one year to clear your subjects. People in AIT don’t like to face results, 66% of my batch is below 60% and hence gives enough reason to why people don’t like facing the D-day. Last year, I was standing at the gateway of this so called YD. Eleven theory exam in a span of 21 days and three practical examinations is hell of a reason to get a YD. But somehow, I made it through and cleared all of them. These are the words of a man, who didn’t see a single sunset in AIT last semester, not because he was busy studying in room, but because he didn’t want a reason for a YD afterwards and regret. Believe me, it was height of pessimism, I spent half of my time thinking period aftermath YD. My parents still don’t know about my critical stage, but their blessings were always with me, and now I don’t care, even if they come to know of it.

I was not the only one who was on the verge of getting year down. There were others too. Most of us were fortunate enough to make it through, some could not. Some people played a great role in each of our's success. Apart from parents and relatives, there is a third kind of relationship that I can’t stop praising since they helped a lot by providing me with moral support throughout the semester. There were people around me providing me with all sort of help, and I call this category of people, “friend”. Believe me, getting out of such a situation (YD) requires a lot of mental balance, and I bet you can’t accumulate that all alone. I have seen people getting ripped off with mere six theories. I remember people coming to me regularly and asking me to study. Some of them, came drunk some sober, but all of them were worried for me undoubtedly. It’s not just about clearing exams, that make me say that, but there are many more reasons to support the call.

and then I fell in what they call LOVE

Note: This is for anyone who has been in a one-sided love affair. If you have pined over someone, idealized them to the point you question your own worth and felt continuously disappointed by the affection you have not received...this blog post is for you.

My blog “the THIRD eYe” is getting older day by day, and as it gets older, it’s getting cooler. Sounds nice, when people complement you that way. I took up blogging as a hobby, thanks to some wonderful seniors I have been with. Now, I encourage others to take up blogging as a hobby and exercise it regularly. People now value my opinion and often come to me with doubts of different sorts. Believe me, it feels very nice when you come back to your room in the evening, and you are completely tired and when you check for the “Stats”, and there are visitors from all over the map. The “Stats” also provides the administrator with some interesting facts about the blog, like the audience source, most read post and the traffic source. “Farmville” is an all-time hit, the most read post, but there is convincing number of hits on other posts too. Getting complements from people encourages you to write more and more. It feels very nice when people value your suggestions and take it as a word of advice. One of them, an aspiring blogger asked, “What do I write on my blog?” I answered, “Write what you feel”. Yes, and that’s the truth, one of my friends, my old roommate has flooded his blog, either with technical posts or posts on “love”. This is because he is either on phone, talking to one of his many so called “just friends” or he is busy with his routine technical stuff. Today his blog is one of the most read, he lives life like a “Prince”.

Recently, I came into contact with one of my schoolmate. I have been talking to her a bit more than I do to others. So, people around me in hostel and on Internet, have become quite suspicious of me. Since, I had discussed the same with some of my friends, hence one of them asked me to write a blog post on “love”. I told him that I could not do so, since I love writing on topics I pursue interest in or have acumen for. Since, I have never fallen in love so writing on such an abstract topic would be impossible for me. And truly speaking, the topic seems to be limited, I mean you don’t have much to write. You will probably agree on the same view, until you have seen my dear friend Dexter's blog. He has written some 6 or 7 posts on love. It’s not like that I haven’t tried it yet, but it’s been difficult for me to write even two paragraphs. On the other hand, he has been writing versions of the same post, “An open Declaration of love”. I wonder how he finds description in there. I simply can’t, but sooner or later a time comes, when you start feeling it. Dear reader, don’t get excited and keep reading and don’t ever ping me or comment below the post, asking her name. Mind it!!! By the way, you will do justice to the post if you consider my affair to be absolutely one-sided.

Before I Graduate

One sided love, silent mode mobiles, bus stand comedies, gatherings at BABA, walk on the MG road (AIT) to catch a glimpse of 'her', those embarrassing defeats in lan games, night long Aakriti practices, crossing fence, the height of water tank, bribing Rodrigues, sleep on roof after cut outs, canteen foods, escape from lectures, birthday treats, last minute preparation, night long bakar sessions, random plans to trip to Lonavala Khandala Lavassa Singhad, wait for the torrents of the new episode, feel of being an Indian when people go crazy in world cup matches in Raman Theatre, group studies when a single book is split into 6 pieces unit-wise, taking away attendance registers from teacher's drawer to increase your friend's attendace to save him from fine, taking 2 hours to sip that 500 ml packet of milk in front of the girls' volley court, overnight study for next day exam, late submissions, term work problem, waiting for 14^th February, crazy trips in search of food at 2 in the morning, standing in a queue in front of registrar office for forms, shortage of pocket money and attendance, will all become things of past.

The college experience flies by so fast that we’re often stuck standing in line for graduation wondering where the past four years went. One vaguely remembers meeting his best friend when he held your back after your first daru party and you kinda remember that all-nighter you pulled to get 3 term papers done in one night. And the rest is all a blur of arbit parties, walks of shame, and begging your friends for money.

Before one realises it, he’s out in the real world, working a real job alongside real people, wondering what happened to no-class Saturday and OMR at Mayur and I know very well that it ain’t fun.

It gets pretty easy to get caught up in it all and unfortunately we forget to be young and crazy. That’s why, with only a little time to go until we hit the pass out parade, I’ve put together the ultimate list of everything that a fun-loving and fearless man, should accomplish before he or she graduates.

1. Do an illegal drug :- You spin my head right round, right round. When you go down, when you go down down !

2. Confront a fear :- Doesn’t matter if it’s a fear of heights or a fear of ragging, figure out a way to face it head on just once.

3. Apologize to someone you were mean to in school or college :- A quick Facebook message apology will brighten his/her day. You have seen my doing so, believe me it feels good.

4. Make a real girl friend who is really just a friend :- Let me be clear, it should be like as you don’t want to ever see her naked and she doesn’t ever want to see you naked. No points if you’re related.

5. Get a job :- Something very essential. To unplaced friends, I want to you to be positive. You weren't hired doesn't mean that you weren't qualified. It was not your loss, it was their loss, that they missed you. It's impossible to know why exactly employers choose one candidate over another.

6. Figure out what kind of drink you actually like :- Guys, life is beyond Mayur. You should be so mature and adult that you can tell your date, why you prefer one over another.

7. Take a road trip with friends :-The destination doesn’t matter. Nothing brings friends closer than an endless road trip.

8. Try an exotic food you can’t pronounce :- I don't have an explanation as to why did I include this in the list. But recently I had gone to a restaurant, “Marakkese”, and this name made me include this in the list. Please comment below in case you know of any such exotic dish.

9. See a band show :- I am not talking of usual band performances that almost every AITian must have seen. I am talking here for something big, some known band.

10. Go 24 hours media-free :- Try this, the most difficult thing to do. That means turn off your cell phone and shut down your computer. With the exception of getting tagged in photos of nude children, that you can’t de-tag right away because one of your friends has done it, you won’t miss anything.

11. Run for a cause :- You’ll have an awesome time and feel really, really good about yourself. Do it, after a 12 hour nap, of course.

12. Learn to manage your own money:- It will make that transition into real life and make it smoother.

13. Take your parents out, probably for a nice dinner, because they deserve it.

14. Start a blog about your life and update it regularly :- Sure it seems self-centred now, but you’ll be grateful ten years from now when you can reflect on your life when you were really living it up.

15. Learn to drive :- This is the easiest in the list, I guess and most of us already have already accomplished it.

16. Donate blood :- There were only 15 in the list, but this was suggested by one my my close friends. AITans very well know the reason, but its a humble appeal to all reading this blog post, donate but do not get caught in any awkward posing photograph, but in case you get caught, please do not let your friends analyse the photograph, and if they do so, please stop them from editing it and make some weird marks on it. Till now it was acceptable, you still are safe, but please stop that daring guy from uploading it on some social networking site, because my dear friend after a while you are about to get hurt very bad. For those who don't know what I am talking about, that is a long story, could eat up the whole blog post. But dear readers, If you think donating is scary, imagine being the person who needs it during a blood shortage.

I myself can boast of completing 11 of them, eagerly waiting for my first salary, to take parents out for a dinner. Haven’t run a marathon yet, going media-free seems impossible and there are some others in the list too, yet incomplete. I would love, if people respond by sending their scores.

P.S :: Dear readers please feel free to add to the list, I know many things are left that one should accomplish at least once before graduating. Comment below and I would add it to the list, if it is worth it. This blog post seems incomplete and yes it is. But sincere thanks to all those who contributed to this post. Many were approached, but few turned up for help. If Sood can help, so can 'you'. :P

Thank you...

Sprints @ Bombay

6 AITians at IITB’s Gulmohar Restaurant, eating their lunch (which was of course, provided free of cost by IIT, Bombay) could be the most significant feature of this blog post.  Actually, “eating the lunch” would be an understatement. Let’s get over with it, since any person who’s been living on AIT’s mess food would have hogged.

As mentioned in the previous post, the reason of we, 6 at IITB, was “SAGE DAYS 25”, an international seminar on open source software, SAGE.  Though none of us had any genuine interest in it, but still we went just because it was like killing two birds with one stone, always had an urge to see IIT and luckily it happened to be IIT Mumbai, so IIT and Mumbai, the two birds, and SAGE DAYS being the ”stone”.  Luckily, my college AIT got ready to fund the trip.

We started from Pune at 12 midnight of 9^th Aug.  The leader immediately had to come in action, in deciding the means of transport, either comfy Volvo or general compartment of train. Looking at the track record of AIT, in financial aspect, we decided to minimise our expenditures and chose train. This time we were lucky and each of us could get a seat and hence we had a nice journey. We reached CST at 4 am and then took a cab for our guest house SAGARIKA . We had an idea of the NAVY guest house SAGAR and so made out that it will also be grand like SAGAR. The accommodation was arranged by the JD, dear readers, it won’t be difficult for you to judge the quality if I tell you that we paid Rs. 15 per head for 1 day. Fortunately, the place was in Colaba, so TAJ, Leopold Cafe and Gateway of India kept us away from our room.

Travelling in Mumbai can be as hectic as attending our JD’s long talks or as simple as passing a practical in Computer Department [PRODIGY]. First day, when we 6 went out for our destination, it took us 4 hours to reach there (thanks to that Rs. 25 wala ticket). But return journey was easy, since we took Mumbai ki Dhadkan, local train. It took us 1 hour which is 75% less than the previous timing. IIT Bombay was established in 1952 and the buildings do give you an idea of that fact. The most exciting feature of “SAGE DAYS 25” was the lunch. Registration fee was Rs. 200 and we would have gulped food worth Rs. 400 on the first day itself.

I saw a male and a female standing at a crossing (common scene in AIT), but when we passed by, it was no flirty stuff or strategy for Aakriti, to my surprise they were discussing Robots. “Welcome to IIT”. I wondered if they ever watched porn, and if yes, it must be Robot porn. They were least bothered about their surroundings, everyone is busy. In AIT, its the other way round, no one is bothered about himself. An AITian does not know about his own progress, but tell him that his roommate has done 2 units, I bet he’ll be at the 3^rd one in the next couple of hours.

The 3rd day was off at IITB. The Maths Club went out chilling @ Juhu and at Marine Drive. This could be the most romantic place, I guess. A lot of couples can be seen sitting on the Marine drive stretch. Trident is also on the same road. Then is the Circuit Point (place where circuit sat down after he got annoyed with Munna Bhai). This is near to Nariman Point. At Juhu, couples get involved so much into each other that, they forget the presence of others. Rest, I don’t need to mention, Samajhdar ke liye Ishara hi Kaffi hai. Watch out for the rates of various eatables at Chaupati, looks like you are holding a menu card of some 5-star hotel.

Something annoying was, people now have stopped going to Elephanta Caves and other places of historical importance, instead they like discussing the 26/11 attack with locals and staring at these 5-star hotels, standing in front of them. We too, are no born ideals. We did the same. After that what happened is something, that is not clear is any of our minds. Don’t worry I was absolutely sober. We all had a party in Leopold cafe. All then went to bed without letting anyone else to know of anything. I am sorry readers, I had to skip a few things here. They aren’t worth writing.

The last day, we set off once again but with a new frame of mind. Today was the day, when we had to collect our certificates. Luckily, thanks to our hard work in the lecture hall during SPRINTS(the competition part), though for a few amount of time, but mind it, it was hard. Our hard work paid off, and we got the certificates and hopefully will get the T-Shirts too.

This was it, but something I forgot to mention, is the people out there who gave the lectures. The word “Genius”, will probably fall short if I address them with it. Believe me, they were updated, even up to what had happened in the field of Mathematics just 1 day back. I am from college, where a teacher cannot even explain the differential equation in one go. So the difference was quite clear in the standard of infrastructure and the faculty.

But when it comes to students, AITians in fact are the most intelligent people born on the face of the earth. It quite obvious from the fact that, we solved 12 questions each, which was above average, and that too after directly sitting into the Sprints, without attending the lectures. Kudos to the Mathematics Club and its president of course. I fear someone from management and especially my Maths Teacher, does not see this post, or I can get into a serious problem. That was it. Over all, it was an awesome experience with loads of masti and fun.

I hope you enjoy reading the post and ya remember, Mumbai Rocks simply as AITans do!!!

Colours of Intoxication

Imagine you're walking down a city street in India. Spring has arrived and the sun is shining brightly. The level of excitement in the air is contagious. From around the corner a child runs out and throws a water balloon at you, giggling as he runs to find his next target. A cloud of colour bursts into the air as you realize that the balloon wasn't just holding water. It was also holding coloured powder in celebration of the Hindu Holi Festival of Colours.

So this year, 2010 as always India goes to celebrate one more Holi. As always people apply and splutter various colours on almost everyone they know and yes they don't really know. Originally a festival to celebrate good harvests and land fertility, it also remembers events in Hindu mythology. Today, it brings together Indians, Nepalese and others who celebrate with eating, singing, dancing, colourful games and bonfires. Holi is especially known as a ‘colourful celebration’, named thus as it is people mark the day by colouring themselves and throwing colours at each other. Friends and family cover each other’s faces, hair and clothing with colourful powders; painting even faces and hair. People go out spreading colours throughout the streets.

Now comes the thing, for which this post was meant for. Let me introduce you to cannabis indica. Google gave me that scientific name for our own favorite "Bhang". Some call it Indian hemp, some soft drug and biologists call it Cannabis Indica. In many places people get drunk in Bhang if not other alcholic beverages. Yes people get cleverly masked in unrecognizable formats where one drinks and lashes out in objectionable manner.The tradition of consuming bhang on holi is particularly rampant in North India where Holi itself is celebrated with a gusto unseen anywhere else. Bhang is made from the leaves of Hemp and is considered to be the least intoxicating of the cannabis preparations in India. But is capable of giving a high for the entire day and is sold openly during Holi festival.

The Bhang usually comes in two varieties – capsule, and dried Bhang leaves. The capsules or golis are added to ice cream, sweets, paan etc. The dried plant or leaves is soaked in water and then it is cleaned and finally grounded on a stone slab to get the paste which is taken along with Badam milk or any sweet preparation.


The sweet and the Bhang are considered to a highly potent combination and is said to give a real high. Therefore many revelers wait for Holi to get intoxicated in public. For fun, many people are also fed bhang mixed drinks and sweets without their knowledge. Sale of Bhang during other days is prohibited in many places except in some temples and places associated with Lord Shiva.

This Holi, even I enoyed to the fullest, consumed Bhang from our own, AITian's Baba shop(not the computer one) in Dighi. First, one hour goes very normal, if you don't know much about it, you will feel like you wasted your money or you would like to go and have one more glass. Next one hour, goes in explaining what are you feeling like. Example, I kept laughing and trying to explain my friends that someone was forcefully pulling my cheeks backwards and was compelling me to laugh. Thirdly, everyone of us knows that Time is Money. So, if you have wasted a lot of your time, I have an alternative, consume Bhang and time will stop for you. A music video will appear as if it was a movie. I think that is more than enough I can explain, my limited vocabulary stops me from explaining other feelings I had on Holi. Then the Indian victory on arch-rival Pakistan in the hockey world cup added to the flavor of Holi. So, there was not one, but two reasons for everyone to celebrate.

But there is something that is needed to be given a thought. Over the centuries and over the decades the festive spirit of Holi has lowly deteriorated; it has been hugely corrupted and misused by people. I greatly feel this has been due to an excessively bad influence of Bollywood movies of the 1960s and the 1970s. The Bachchan era (Don and Sholay) bought in a lot of celebrity status to this festival and corrupted it with open indulgence in consumption of narcotics, alcohol and objectionable sexual opportunism and exhibitionism. Lets get Holi that same importance again what it had years ago and be sober on such auspicious occasions. Its good that one stays away and discourage usage of Bhang or Joints or to that extent alcohol to the fullest extent. I'll for sure!!!


NOTE: I also want to remind that in this festive mood, it is easy for everyone to forget that there is something known as the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in India. Few Indians realize how powerful this act is, with potential for abuse. For example, someone arrested under this act is presumed guilty until proven innocent, which is against normal jurisprudence. Bail can be granted only after a court hearing. Given the Indian judicial system, this can take a few months to many years.

OMG omegle...

I have been in this net world for nearly a year. I am a chat addict and so are my friends. I chat with my friends practically everyday except on Sundays and national holidays when their father is at home and hence they can not come online.

I never thought chat to be a waste of time because whenever I chat with my friends I transform to a world where I m happy and I have reasons to laugh with my friends. It doesn't mean that I am not happy in my real life, but remembering the past incidents, school ones or those at college can make you smile, though you might not have liked them at that time, when they actually occurred.

So, it was very boring on Sundays and national holidays, hence I thought to look for an alternative to kill the boredom. Then came the savior, one of my friend suggested me, "omegle". Let me introduce you to this omegle thing. Actually, its a website, sorry not website, its a search engine, where you can look for people of opposite sex, but the search mechanism is not trustworthy at all. You may start looking for a hot girl and probably you might end up with a jigolo or say a lesbian.

The search goes like this:
Step 1: Type www.omegle.com in your address bar. Best part, you don't need any identity to login.
Note: You should be good at typing. Be fast and accurate as well, or you may be thrown out of chat at any point of time. Keep the chat interesting since, nobody is going to wait for you to respond, there are always 5 to 7 thousands of people online.
Step 2: Need not worry of the first message because you are equally lucky in both the cases, you writing first or you receiving the first message.
If lucky enough, you might get a good friend to chat.

And hence you begin, with the journey. If you are new to chat, you will face some problem. Even for me, this was going to be the first instance, when I was going to chat with a person whom I don't know. As I started it, I saw something very unusual, and it was ASL. I looked towards my friend, the one who had suggested me omegle and asked what is ASL? He replied, learn by yourself. I asked the person who had messaged me what is the meaning of ASL, he wrote LOL and a smiley of a laughing person came.

Now I was dealing with two alien words. I asked again please tell me what are these two words, and then he told ASL stands for age, sex, location and LOL stands for laugh out loud.

I was happy to add two foreign words in my dictionary. The conversation went on as follows....
Unknown: F 32 Canada.
Me: M 21 India.
Unknown: ROFL
Me: what's ROFL
Unknown: fk off, u nerd!!

I tried to reply back but by then, I was getting a message, that the other person had already left. I tried another, history repeated itself within 5 minutes. I was a fresher without any knowledge at that time. But since then, I have noticed a similarity in everyone's message, the ASL of course, and they all ask for sex chat after a few seconds.

Now this was a shock to me as I had heard chatting to be a source of new friends. I was trying to cope with this situation by closing their messages and as I looked towards my friend he was laughing which puzzled me more.I finally left that omegle.com and never opened it again. I am happy chatting with my old school mates, and it feels good, when I chat with them.

There have been incidents which are not worth mentioning here. Actually, people don't understand, to how far can it get worse by giving away email ids just for sake of a fake promise. Who knows he will ever return on the same id or not. Crime knows no bounds, hacking, sending emails to VVIPs, any such sort of activity can get one in serious trouble. Though its very rare, but why take chances, when you got friends like "Integrator"......lolz(newer version of LOL).

Now when, we think twice before making friends in college and keep on judging them on various occasions, we come to a conclusion, that hardly two or three of them are trustworthy. So how one even think of trusting a person about whom you know nothing more than his "ASL". Is it true that we ourselves are fake, and are a firm believer of "tit for tat" thing. "Tit for tat" here refers to, if he is fake, so am I. Absurd! Isn't it. Lets look forward to keep everything genuine, and not hurt anyone or play with any body's emotions. Be proud of what you are. Thank you.

The Latest Addiction: Farmville

Now is an era, where people prefer to give away healthy gifts rather than chocolates and bouquets. So yesterday I received one too, and it was one of my favorite fruit, apple. But, to my surprise, it wasn't "an apple", or say "two apples" or three but it was an apple tree. Something more startling is that, it was sent to me, from a place 250 kms from here. Don't be surprised, this tree was sent to me on Facebook, amid pool of friends and through one of the most used application "Farmville". To accept the gift, I had to visit his farm and i was awestruck to see a big farm with a tractor, sheep, a cow, berries, house, mill etc on his farm. There are other friends too who are busy applying their managerial abilities and are well settled with their own private restaurants. Yet again, its a virtual thing I am talking about, "Cafe World". But lets talk of Farmville for now.

The game seems to have mesmerized people from all walks of life. There has been an astronomical increase in the number of Farmville users. Every night for the last two weeks, my flank mate, has set his alarm for 3:30 a.m., when he will wake up, roll over and harvest his blueberries. "I keep my laptop next to my bed," he explained to me. "The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is harvest, then I harvest again at 10 in the morning, then again in mid-afternoon, then in the evening, and then again right before going to bed."
Though I have an account on facebook, yet I don't love Farmville, the reason being that you are bombarded with numerous of invitations to join, be a neighbor or demands to give someone a tree. One person formed the group I Hate Farmville and its good to see that their are, though small number, people who hate it.

Do you send messages to your facebook friends asking them to help you out with fertilizers or by sending a cow? Bizarre! Yes, but true. Welcome to the world of FarmVille. I am very unlucky because most of my friends are into Farmville and hence every time I open my account and I can see my homepage clogged with updates about raspberries, fertilizer requests and cattle status updates!

I don’t find it worth spending 2 hours a day as a waste of time. People anyway spend lots of time tweeting or on facebook, so what is the problem if they spend some time growing raspberries and gifting cattle. Both tweeting and growing cattle are equally unproductive in my opinion. Now, if you believe that the whole social networking thing is a waste of time, it’s up to you alone to decide whether Farmville is a waste of time or not.

So, what is the whole point of Farmville? What is it that makes Farmville so interesting that so many people use it? They play this game for the only reason that they make virtual money to decorate their farm in an absurd attempt to make it bigger than their neighbours’ farms. The whole point here is that people like to do things in a virtual world that they can never do in the real world. That’s why games like Counter Strike; World of Warcraft etc are so popular, where you can do whatever you want unrestricted. This feeling of living a life that can be better, more fun or even better organized than their real life fuels this urge to come back again and again to these virtual worlds. Farmville is nothing but a unique way to while away your time in today’s networked world with the added satisfaction of watching your crops and cattle grow. Finally, a farm in Farmville reminds me of the old Onida tagline ‘neighbour’s envy, owner’s pride.’