Idea of Life

The convocation ceremony, officially the last day of my MBA education, witnessed a few wet eyes and some looking forth to life!

During the two year course, I learnt that people do MBA for three apparent reasons; first they want to earn truckloads of money, remember last year ISB pass-outs fetch package worth some crore, and IIMites are on entrepreneurial spree. FMS is also catching up fast with the best of industrial personnel requirements!

Second, they want to project themselves as a favorable spouse. I recall many relatives fantasizing wedding of Uncle Sharma’s son and Mr. Arora’s daughter. During their conversation, they discuss n-number of such match makings! According to them, the guy is a real catch, as he earns a six figure salary, takes on frequent foreign trips and owns a bungalow in posh area. The girl too earns a decent amount with her job with an upcoming IT firm. Personally, I doubt they will ever get along and beside it sounds too monotonous to me!

Last reason is the worth a pity, I can relate a few of my friends to it, when they say; I never wanted to do MBA. I feel sick to study financial management, organizational behavior, and retail sector! Further introspection reveals that their parents got them to do MBA, while they have exceptional skills in art, music, and wanted to pursue career in films, theater, direction etc! Their parents believe that the success rate in these professions is low and an MBA degree can take them places.

Now me, I did my MBA coz, hmm! Its my idea of life!

I am yet to find a convincing answer to it, for the time being the reason is, ‘I wanted to show off a good degree’. I am not placed anywhere yet, and who wants to work, I would rather prefer taking stroll at Corbet National Park, than to sit at office. Almost all my batch mates are enthusiastically looking forth to their professional life and I will collaborate with my brother at his travel agency. Travelling can be my companion forever; it is the only venture I truly love. I love to dig into some gorgeous exotic cuisine, visit heritage sites, learn about different cultures, stay at five star resorts facing the sea or take a camping expedition at hills.

I shouted from my room, Mom! Don’t pack lunch for us, Piya, Bhaiya and I will go out for the welcome feast! Piya is my brother’s girl friend. She worked as a manager near our office and always had lunch with Bhaiya. My dad was busy listening to NDTV, the loud volume reaches my room and keeps me updated with current affairs. The news said some politician delivered a communal speech; which is a daily affair. This has led to debated on secular constitutional framework of India and the situation may lead to riots. Anyways its easier to mislead illiterate, unemployed and unengaged public, that’s what politics is meant for. Besides the anchor had the script prepared for dowry cases, extortion, gang rape, abductions, etc.

Ohh great I too did not want to get into the kitchen today, said my mom, while walking towards me carrying the good luck expressions. It is my first day at work, and I am excited about it. Mom gave the daily bye-bye kiss to me and my brother and we rushed up for office. On reaching I realized that a separate cabin has been nurtured to suit my classic taste. The wall on my right had scenery that incarcerated my gaze! Piya stepped in with a bouquet and a gift, and said, during the past three months Abhay and me shopped hard for the interiors, well we hope you like it.

I just love it! I doubt I would have had such a grand welcome at some MNC. My comment made everyone blast out with laugh! We headed for the decided lunch and Bhaiya’s friend Karan joined us too. He owns an NGO on rural upliftment. However, NGO for rural lot sounds a bit downgraded business, but this fellow was big time into foreign trips, overseas clientele and carries a royal style.

‘How is the progress on Spanish client, did they agree for the agro deal?’, Bhaiya asked Karan.

Karan Replied, yeah it is kind of being finalized, they are seeking some travel consulting for India, you do meet up with them. The delegates will be coming to my office tomorrow, why do not you join in. ‘Sure, I will come with Vidhi’, Bhaiya said.

The next day I was eager for the meeting. Bhaiya dropped me at office and promised to pick me for meeting by 12. He had to attend some important meeting. As planned he came to pick me for Karan’s office.

The meeting went well and I admired the dynamism with which my brother and Karan cracked the deal. While we will be taking care of the delegate’s travel and accommodation in India, Karan & Co. will proceed with some exports related formalities. Some 25 delegates will be visiting India in two weeks and will be taken to farms across Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

My real work started now! We are supposed to travel with the delegates and ensure all the booking arrangements. We booked a Volvo bus, which would be comfortable for the visitors. Intelligence inputs from my two associates viz; Karan and Bhaiya, ensured no room for mistake from my side.

After a week the test of my effort came head on! The delegation arrived and was provided accommodation in Le Meridian hotel. While interacting with the delegates, I was wondering that their perception of India as a poor nation would have vanished by now. We had the best of hotels, big roads, though congested with traffic and global automobile brands squealing through the roads.

We decided to take an early morning departure from Delhi to Pilbhit to understand sugarcane production and prospects for exports, delegation boarded the Volvo on time and we headed for the destination! It was a 300 km long journey.

The early morning view was truly scenic and reflected on a calm and simple village life. Shepherds taking fleet of cattle to the nearby pond, some digging into silage, farmers ploughing the land, women loaded with pot full of water were commonplace.

The tourists were also enjoying the way, they were interacting in Spanish and I too learned a few word while sharing cultural insight with them. Karan could speak fluent Spanish. I would have personally loved to have a discussion or two with Karan, but sadly he was too busy interacting with only the top delegate may be to keep him engrossed in the deal.

We reached Lucknow, and were about 50 km away from Pilbhit, when we were told to stop as some riots broke at Pilbhit, due to some politician’s hate speech. I was really upset as all the planning put into the deal would go hay-wire!

We thought of taking them to some sightseeing expedition, but that too was not possible due to a curfew imposed in the area. Police said that riots were possible anytime and we should stay at some safe place. The idea of going back also did not sound ulterior and the delegates were clueless about the non-planned stopping. Bhaiya tried to make them understand the issue and decided to head Hotel Sagar International.

After locating a police patrol team, we thought that the way would be safe! The entire passage was a no man’s land. Half a kilometer away from the round-about was a mad mob. Screeching through slums, causing violence, and burning whatever was combustible. Bunches of black smoke surfaced every here and there were clearly visible. Some broken carts were lying close to the pavement.

Furry of mob was coming towards the bus, and the driver was smart enough to speed it up. A few fire-lit glass bottles with inflammable material were aimed at our bus and one came right on the roof. They chased our bus and had no respect to maintain order in the state. I wondered how my parents would have felt during the anti-sikh riots in 1984 when they were stuck in a similar unrest.

The questions on the faces of the delegates were beyond comprehension. Bus was on a speed of 100 km/per hour and the roof top was burning, it was out of pan in the fire like situation. Karan was right at the driver’s cabin and Bhaiya was standing close to the door. I preferred to be near Bhaiya, when another glass bottle came rolling on the left side of the bus, this was aimed a little close to Bhaiya. While Karan shouted, Abhay move away from the broken window, which broke due to pressure and heat build on the glass surface.

The mob was still chasing us from every corner; some people were joining from adjacent farms, throwing stones, of all shapes and sizes at us. When Bhaiya was moving away from the broken window, a stone hit his head. He sat bleeding, while I was horrified. I tried to pull him away from the window, but he was in pain and was unable to move away. I was numb and tears rolled from my eyes, above that I was horror-struck with the thought of having flat tyre. As the glass windows were closed a layer of smoke started to build up inside the bus.

Luckily a fire-fighter escorted by police jeep was rushing for the slums, where they caught sight of our condition. We were saved, but Bhaiya was critical! The mob disappeared, thanks to the tear gas bulb. Since we had foreigners with us, the cops preferred to take them to the police station, and the fire brigade was directed to the slums. And Karan and I rushed to the hospital with Bhaiya, his bandage and first-aid was done and we had to rush back to Delhi for his check-ups.

The scene at the police station appeared dismaying. I saw some kids aged between 5-10 years old were accused of spreading riots. This was an utterly shameful experience, where neither the mob was concerned about the presence of cops nor police about the ongoing genocide.

We were provided police protection till we reached safely to Delhi. The next day’s headlines translated into, “Politician build anguish in UP, inter-communal riots killed 120 including 57 kids, Spanish delegates saved!”

While we missed the Spanish deal, I learned a first hand account of the conditions of people living outside metropolitan. The Spanish, who had all doubts about their well being at the time of mob encounter, departed and issued media statement making a mockery of India’s notorious communal disharmony.

It took one month to get Bhaiya in right shape. While Piya visited Bhaiya at hospital everyday, I and Karan started catching up for lunch. He has been around all through this while, helping me do my official tasks, and proffer emotional solace.

On the hindsight I wish that the politicians and similar figures behave sensibly, for humanity’s sake. Politicians are meant to serve the people and not direct an army of mass murderers. I want to do something which ensures no similar riot will happen in future. For the time being it’s a vintage car-rally across UP, with like minded people to sensitize the local people! I found my Idea of life, which is to work for the people, and want to enlighten them. I hope we succeed!

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