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 !!!

Ek Kahani

“Pritam, you have topped the class again. Congratulations!”, said Professor Bhansonare. Pritam, the class topper and Bhansonare’s favorite student, was standing up, beaming in pride. The class students started clapping while Professor Bhansonare continued, “Class, if you ever desire to prosper in life, be like Pritam. In life, studying hard is the only way to come up.”

After a few seconds of applause, the students returned back to their usual silent self. Professor Bhansonare was about to distribute the exam papers of other students. The very thought of hearing Bhansonare’s sarcastic comments irked each and every one in the class. As expected, most of the class had scored average marks. None so worse than Nitish, Bhansonare’s least favorite student, who had failed, scoring only 17/100.

Bhansonare turned towards the back row where Nitish was seated. “Dear students! You know what? Nitish has yet again failed in MATHS.” Nitish hung his head in shame. Professor Bhansonare continued, “Teaching students like you is a waste of time. This is the second terminal exam that you have failed in Mathematics. If you can’t solve simple problems in Probability and Trigonometry, how will you survive in life? I am not sure you can improve now. MARK my words; you are NOT EVEN GOOD ENOUGH TO EVEN BECOME A CLERK. Oh my god, how am I gonna show cent per cent results in the upcoming board exams. This fellow is gonna spoil my reputation for sure.”

Nitish hung his head in shame. This was the umpteenth time that he had been insulted. Nitish was not a bad student. He had excelled in extra curricular activities like Essay Writing and Dramatics, but could never repeat his performance in studies. Bhansonare was harsh on Nitish because he feared that Nitish was an obstacle to the school’s record of scoring 100% results.

During the next annual Parent-Teachers meeting, Bhansonare did his best to convince the principal to exclude Nitish from appearing in the forthcoming board exams and was successful. Nitish was dismissed on grounds of consistent poor performance.

Years rolled by. Bhansonare was now accompanying his 20 year old son, who was about to attend a non-campus interview for a lucrative trainee position in a reputed MNC, Sapiosys Infotech. Bhansonare’s son entered the building to attend the interview while Bhansonare was waiting in the company’s cafeteria sipping a cup of tea. Suddenly, he saw a person calling out his name. He turned around and realized it was none other than his former student, Pritam.

Pritam: “Sir, What a pleasant surprise?”
Bhansonare: “Oh. Pritam beta, is it you? I am so happy to see you here. How are you? What are you doing here?”
Pritam: “I am fine sir. I work as a Project Manager here. I am very happy to see you.”
Bhansonare: “Nice to hear that beta. My son Rupesh, is here for an interview. He is a BE graduate and has applied for the post of a Trainee Programmer in your company.“
Pritam: (Having a look at Amit’s resume copy given by Bhansonare) He has a good academic record, if he passes the aptitude test and the second round, I will ensure he gets selected.

(As they were speaking, Rupesh comes)

Rupesh: Dad, I completed the second round. The interview was tough, I’ve done my best. Let’s see.
Bhansonare: Ok son. Let’s go to the reception and wait there. Maybe they would announce the results soon.

(Bhansonare and Rupesh move to the reception where the interviewer announces the results of folks, who have been shortlisted for the last round. Rupesh finds he has been not shortlisted for the final round)

Rupesh: This is unfair dad. I had done well in the test, yet they failed to shortlist me. This is not fair.
Bhansonare: Cool down son. One of my old students is a Project Manager here, let’s visit him, perhaps he may be able to help.


(Rupesh and Bhansonare go to the receptionist and request an appointment with Pritam. The receptionist calls Pritam, who asks the receptionist to give the phone to Bhansonare)


Bhansonare (Explains the situation to Pritam on the phone): This is what happened, they rejected my son for some reason.
Pritam: (After checking Amit’s results with the HR team): Sir, I am sorry. We rejected your son because we are looking for Engineering students who have background in Computer Science or Information Technology. Your son has specialized in Electronics and Telecommunication. I am sorry, we used to recruit candidates from all streams and train them, earlier, but now since we have very less training budget, we are focusing only on a certain skill set.
Bhansonare: “But beta, my son has a good academic record. Furthermore, he has completed a diploma in Information Technology.”
Pritam: “I am sorry again, I have been given the responsibility of recruiting candidates who have basic level skills in C++, Java and other skills. While your son has done a diploma, he still does posses the required skill set as his test results showed. I cannot afford to recruit a candidate who needs to be trained. It will spoil my training budget and resource utilization. We pride here in 100% billable resources right from second month of training sir. Your son does not fit the bill. Sorry to say this. I have a meeting, will call you later.”

Bhansonare (Mumbling to himself): That ungrateful wretch, I gave special attention and support to him in his school days and see how he returns the favor. Bloody wretch...
Rupesh: “Appa, what happened?”
Bhansonare: “Pritam says he can’t help us. I guess you have to try some other company.”


(Walks away in shock. Just when Bhansonare and Rupesh are about to leave, they hear a voice calling Bhansonare’s name)

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.

Ye MuMbAI Hai...meri JaaN

Seeing the title of this post, you must have guessed what this post is about. Well no prizes for right guesses, but congratulations!! You have guessed it right, it’s about Mumbai. Let me share with you my experience of four days stay in Mumbai. Let me share with you my experience of four days stay in Mumbai. The occasion was an international seminar in IIT Mumbai, so being the maths secretary of college, I was told to take of team of 6 from college to attend it. Let’s start and what best could be than to start with the local train. They say local trains Mumbai ki dhadkan hai.

“yeh ha Mumbai, yeh hai Mumbai, yeh hai  Mumbai, meri jaan...”

This was the song along with little thought which came to my mind...when I successfully managed to get into the Mumbai local at the peak hours as they say...’managed’ because getting into and out of the local is no less than a task assigned to you...hmmmm..now that if you have managed to get in taking all the pain surviving the thrust and push by the people getting down is also not just a step from the train...In fact, all you have to do is align yourself with the line of passengers getting down and before you realise you already have got down...isn’t that coll!! I was new to this city and the first experience of local was something that will remain with me for years to come.

After reaching there, I came to know that what we see in movies is real Mumbai, though didn’t get to see that ‘Bhai stuff’, but everything else was true. We know that life in Mumbai is fast. Mumbai has forgotten to walk. Yes, it is true; you’ll find people moving in a hurry to reach their destination in time. So, when people wake up in the morning, the one thing over their mind is to reach their work-place in time. In all this early morning rush, they don’t get time to pray (might be...). But, that doesn’t mean they are atheists. They do pray, but were...? Well, they pray while travelling. Yes, in busy local trains, where one hardly gets place to stand, you’ll find people taking out their spiritual books (in the tiniest form available on market) and start reading. Some people who have already by-hearted the whole book, just recite in mind.

Mumbai is the highest tax paying city in India. The real-estate people are biggest profit-makers. Mumbai is a amalgamation of different religion in Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Parsis.....and each religion with their different cultures, thus making it a great cosmopolitan city of India. This is my shallow insight into the lives of Mumbaikar’s.

Thank you for reading.

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!!!

Ultimate fabric of everything

If people do not believe that mathematics is simple, it is only because they do not realize how complicated life is. ~John Louis von Neumann

Going as per wikipedia, Mathematics is the study of quantity, structure, space, and change. They say that Mathematicians seek out patterns, formulate new conjectures, and establish truth by rigorous deduction from appropriately chosen axioms and definitions. Quite complicated, right? In my opinion there is no definition to it. Its you who can decide what Mathematics is for you.

Here is what true Mathematicians think of Mathematics, it is something that they can sense and it proves to be a life-supporting element for them. Mathematics is something that they can see, smell, taste, hear and touch. In brief, they can sense Mathematics. Mathematics is not limited to numbers or ratios or percentages or calculus. There is no end to it. Mathematics, if was to be measured, its length would be equal to a number line, and a number line has no ends, and so is Mathematics i.e. it has no ends. It is so vast that even great Mathematicians devoted all their life into it and still they could not explore it end to end.

Go down deep enough into anything and you will find mathematics. ~Dean Schlicter
We come across Mathematics in almost every facet of life, without even having a slightest clue about it in most of the cases. It all depends on your perception. In the morning when you wake up with your alarm clock ringing, its all Mathematics which governs the GMT and assigns a time to every country on our globe. The interest earned on a bank account, the arrangement of seeds in a sunflower, and the shape of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis are all intimately connected with the mysterious numbers which are a gift of Mathematics. Even black holes result from God on dividing the universe by zero. You pick any incident or any rule, I bet each of them is governed by Mathematics.

Mathematics can be as mysterious as "finding highest prime number" i.e pow(2,43112609)-1 and as simple as counting natural numbers. What will you call what Aryabhatta gave to Mathematics, "0". Was it a discovery or an invention? Discovery, because 0 always existed, there were NULL things even before Aryabhatta proposed 0. Invention, because he suggested the symbol "0" for "Null".

I developed an interest in Mathematics at a very young age. I being a student of a boarding school, went on to become a lazy guy. I never developed interest in other subjects but always did good in Mathematics. I used to score somewhere around 60% when I was doing my primary classes, but always got highest marks in Mathematics, that what probably the reason that helped me pick my area and do better in it. I developed interest in numbers, because I was very much into solving puzzles and riddles. "Puzzles to puzzle you" by Shankuntala Devi is one of my favorite book.

Indians have always been considered the people gifted with the best of minds, and thats the reason why brain drain is so common in our country. Every other good college can be seen catering students with sky-soaring salaries. For example, this year 5 people have got placements of above 1 crore at IIMC, but all in foreign firms. So, my explanation to this is, probably our education system is one of the prime reason for attracting foreign firms to hire Indian minds. The level of Mathematics in our schools in more than enough to train our young guns and help them do better  than their foreign colleagues when it comes to performance in corporate world. Something saddening is that, there have been attempts by some fools to scrap this interesting subject from the curriculum and devoid people of the excitement that they can experience and can go through. Even making Mathematics an optional subject will not do, in my opinion. One can not think of the seriousness and the intensity of the problem that a person can fall into if he/she is weak at calculations. After all, you do not have an access to a calculator everywhere.

Fasten your safety belts for the global economy. Unfortunately this brave new world poses a serious and formidable challenge to the India. The problem is that our young guns are just not showing much interest or skills in the areas of math, engineering, science, or technology. As the workers of the baby boomer generation start to retire, we not only need to fill these jobs, but instruct our young people to compete for the global jobs of the future. So we should stick to the success mantra that we have been following for years and be proud of it. Let the Indian wagon of success speed up by making Mathematics more application based rather than plain, boring and formulae based.