My CAT story

The greatest fear of a storyteller is that of his story going unheard.And I shared the same apprehension whenever I thought of sharing it.But then a friend of mine managed to convince me to share it.And what better time than CAT season at its peak and what better place than pagalguy to share it.After all u have given to me Puy,its the least I can do.
First of all this is not a rickshawpuller-son-getting -into-iim kind of story.So for those looking for sensational stories turn away, there are Asaram's sexcapades to look forward to.For those who want to know how normal guys go about preparation,keep reading.
My cat story is basically divided into two phases one during graduation and other at Infosys Training.
Phase 1-After giving two hard years at engineering I realized that I can not become a good engineer.I had only one option of giving cat and begin my career thereon.Also CAT as a challenge was pretty enjoyable to me.English was always my first love in school and Mathematics wasn't my most hated subject, so things fell in place and I started preparing.In 3rd year I got enrolled at TIME Bhopal.I did not miss a single class atleast in the first six months, that enjoyable the classes were to me.I finished daily practice assignments in classes and used to get my doubts clarified then and there.The teachers we had in Bhopal were fantastic and gave personal attention to each.I used to read newspapers daily and maintain my vocabulary copy without fail.
Going for CAT examination for the first time was a very jittery prospect, and I crumbled.I fared very badly and ended up getting 80 odd percentile.I recovered and did well in XAT, SNAP and IIFT.But the CAT dream was well and truly over.Meanwhile in February I got recruited for Infosys.Also in March an unfortunate incident occurred.I fractured my left arm severely.So with a job offer and one broken arm,I vowed to give Cat again.
Phase 2-
Our joining date at Infosys came as 8th August.Our final year exams got over in May.I realised I had enough rest after that incident and decided to start my preparation in earnest.I went through all the booklets again and solved it.Quant had never been my forte,so I knew I had to work doubly hard on it.I had borrowed a book for the same from my friend and started going thorough it.The concepts were very well illustrated and carried a lot of questions.I started enjoying Quant and finished the major chunk of geometry and number system before going for job.
With barely 2 months for cat remaining and my Infosys training regime not going well , I was at crossroads.To chase CAT where the mocks were mocking me or give up and concentrate on my job which wasn't going smoothly as well.Those in IT industry would buy how tough it gets at Infosys during training.
I talked to my parents very often, they were supportive of me.When a father says, "koi baat nhi beta wahan se agar nikaal bhi diye to kya hoga,hum hain na",trust me friends , the confidence goes soaring.I went about finishing my left over syllabus,I had marked a few topics like p and c and probability for the last in which I did not have great command.In the last 45 days I gave a lot of tests and spent greater time in analysing them.The analysis was very handful in knowing my weaknesses and strengths.The schedule was very hectic.Juggling between training and studies was a big thing.Time was at premium.I used to mark all the doubts in all the subjects and go to my coaching centre at Mysore and get all my doubts clarified at once.I was not meeting many of my friends but the situation demanded of me to be a recluse.I would sleep at 11 and wake up at 3 for last 30 days.The big bang theory was my only source of entertainment.Thank you Star World !
10 days before the examination , I was confident having completed my syllabus and after having enough practice.I would try doing sums mentally and find answers.Solving various kind of puzzles became fun for me,I would read anything that came my way and often go to read at the library.
The D day came , and friends I won't be lying when I say I was nervous as hell.It was tough calming myself.But I knew I had done enough hard work and if the paper comes anywhere close to my expectations, I would excel.
And I did..!!
The result was better than I expected.Wasn't good enough to garner ABC calls but good enough to give a secured sense of feeling that this was the last time I m giving CAT.
This is my CAT story.I did not write this to inspire anybody.But to tell everybody that belling CAT is in your own hands.Determination to do well was the thing in me.U must have found your own.
Now ,before the teacher grows more suspicious as to what I m typing so vigorously, I must end it here ( yes I am writing this during a lecture).

Gagan Deep
NITIE Mumbai
Management Batch of 2012-14

Jo thi , hai aur rahegi !!

No. I’m not talking about the four lettered word which is the theme of this month in most of our lives. That, even though people say it is forever, it is hardly so. Love comes, it goes, and very rarely sticks around forever when we are expecting it to.

The thing that never dies… that is expectation.

Let me take my life for an example. I was born, and my relatives expected me to be named something other than Gagan . (Mummy let me in on this.) Some of the names they suggested are positively ghastly to hear. First expectation down the drain… I grew up into a handsome little boy(now,didn't I ?). They expected me to get into the best school; so much so, they left me with some weird looking strangers who asked me questions I had no idea what to say to. I suppose they were mathematics, but how they foretold that I would have affection for that subject, God only knows! That expectation, thankfully, was met and I started enjoying my school life. It was fine for a while, but once I got into middle school, I was expected to compete for marks. 98 wasn’t enough, neither was being second, the first was the ONLY option, I was told. Ah, it was like telling me to make tea, and giving every ingredient but the tea leaves. They even resorted to blackmail actually, telling me to get that top marks, and I’ll give you a computer. I must have been a dunce then, because I let myself believe that till twelfth grade. That expectation of being a bookworm was unfortunately satisfied too. When that was satisfied, the next four years were sought after. You can play later… four years you do well, you can be happy the rest of your life. And I tried, really tried. But even I was expecting something of them that they went on taking advantage of. When I realized my wait was endless, it was too late. The time when I had to play, relax and enjoy my life, with the friends that kept telling me to come out of my shell, that time was gone. And try as I do, to become that outgoing, extrovert that I wish myself to be, a part of me still has that bookworm in me, who can’t think of anything but a fear of going out of the boundaries that was unknowingly instilled into me. Today, I am what I expected to be, a mostly happy cheery faced person who loves to talk, hang out with friends, try to become better at what I love to do. Even then, that expectation of others never satisfies. If you’re earning a hundred thousand each year, make it double tomorrow. Don’t ever think of slowing down or even going at that same pace which you’re comfortable at… Life’s a rat race… Oh yes, it is. These words that are pushed into my head since the middle of my education, it’s become set into.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean to say that once your expectation is met, you shouldn’t expect again. Just that, if you are expecting something of someone, they do expect something back too. As much love as there is in this world, it is give and take, not take and don’t give. If you expect faster outputs, give the correct inputs at first, and then applaud the effort the other is putting in, so that person feels the joy he put into the work has paid off. If you expect someone to do well, tell them so, and give that person what he needs to succeed. If you promise the world to him today, and then again, use that same promise to go on making him chase tomorrows, it’ll hurt later; for what would have been useful today isn’t the same tomorrow. It’s like saying someone to make some tea, and giving him everything but the tea leaves.

I don’t believe in life being a rat-race… where the winner gets the spoils. I believe life is a beautiful journey, more in the journey than the destination. Set goals, and get there… but in your hurry to get there, don’t miss out on what is around you. The world expects many things about you, but to make those expectations happen, don’t forget your own, because some things aren’t worth sacrificing for any joy or reward that getting there sooner will give you.

Yahi Jiwan hai ...!!

I am not a "Seen it all -done it all- freaking awesome-intellectually strong " human being.And I will also not lie by saying that I made a lot of friends but I have met quite a few living legends in their own rights in last six months who are living-breathing-acting and what not example of the same. I will try to put some perspective about few things and people I have observed till now.

Ladies First

So what would you do if you find yourself getting more than a little attention, actually quite a lot more than your undergrad. You see , suddenly you are in the top 3 (compared to the girl next door in your undergrad) and you are being pursued by most enchanting opposite sex creatures. Ah, that’s great.

When you join a B school, and if you happen to be a girl with average to good looks, trust me most of the tom dick and harry are there to hit on you.

It’s a global phenomenon. Beauty preferred over brains anytime, any work and anyhow. You might even wonder how dumb the system can be , but nobody promised you a fair trial when you decided to take a B School way.

I don’t doubt the capability of “Indira Nooyis” in making but apparently its damn easy when the whole ecosystem (read profs, recruiters, boss) is there to embrace you. You can still be proud though for making it to the B School , it must have taken some real effort to clear that online exam . (No point discussing about interview, diversity is the buzzword :P)


So what about the guys ?

I have met few of the sharpest minds (and the meanest one , both rolled into one ) and some real bimbos. I have been lucky enough to meet intelligent, passionate and hard working (about MBA ) guys with diverse interest and career focus.

Since all tom dick and harry are from this sex, I will gracefully admit that there is this feeling of “missing the train” among TDH , and naturally they want to catch the last train home (read getting a gf)  which explains the desperation on their part.

Apparently we can put the guys down in few categories :

1. Pursuers : Have multiple focus, possess average to good looks and have been unable to catch any train till now.

2. Sissys : Part of girl gang. They act, behave, talk and needless to say think (Oops misnomer) owing to their close association with girls . Provide enough opportunities to other categories of guys to have a good laugh in a day or two. Respect buddies, your contributions towards the humanity (sisterhood and brotherhood) are unmatchable.

3. Studs : Respected in Public, abused in private by fellow beings.

4. Give-ups: They do a simple math, when the ratio is more than 1:10, don’t fight.Some real visionaries come out of this category. And yes I proudly belong to this category

Well since its a dynamic course people switch the categories depending on the probability of catching the train.

And oh yes, there is common category for both sexes where people are “committed” to some other human being studying/working in geographical distant institute/company.

Well I have seen people tearing up that relationship contract quite a few often to believe in any such thing , but nonetheless “commitment” helps you enjoy the best of the both worlds. (Thanks to Pursuers and the Sissys)

PS :- No offense to anyone.I know each of my friends can easily classify them in one of these groups :D

Hope to keep blogging

Gagan Deep

Reflections:Interview Experience

Disclaimer: This was written way back in March but didn’t feel like posting it anywhere after the Indore debacle .But now that  i have got over  that loser-feeling wala  phase i can post dis happily and make my readers have fun reading my experience( and also u can learn from somebody else’s mistake).Also I waited for the verdict myself before posting it.

Disclaimer Continued:-i cud not remember all the questions dat were posed to me but have tried remembering. Few of the answers that i have written might differ from wat i actually said dere “sentence structure”- wise but the gist remains 99% same J

More Disclaimer:-There might be a few grammatical errors here and dere, but bhavnao ko samjho yaar,shabdo mein kya rakha hai.. ;)

Okay so here goes my first ever IIM Interview Experience. PGP (Post Graduate Program) Interview of IIM Indore. Waited for this day ever since i thought of writing CAT. And the day finally arrived. Cud not prepare for the interview as much as I would have liked due to Some commitment at my workplace,  but more importantly wanted to enjoy the moment if anything as such days don't come everyday!

Venue: Institute of Hotel Management, Seshadri  Road  Bangalore

Date : 20th March, 2012

Time: 0830(God knows y i chose that slot, Subah subah auto milna mushkil ho gya tha ;( )

WAT had two parts:

Part 1 : Summarize a paragraph in about 130 words.

Part 2 Essay : (200 words)Can India's population be transformed into an abundant resource? ( Dont remember the exact wordings)

Brief Snapshot of the attempt: Did pretty well in summarizing.

Time given : 40 mins

Rating of My preparation: 2/5(I know I should have worked hard)

PI:  around 30 mins(I know it seems big, but once u go in there, trust me, the time flies)  

 I was the second last one to be interviewed in my panel. Waiting anxiously i even started counting the number of tiles on the floor to kill time. Till my turn came I was drenched in sweat, here the Axe Effect helped big timeJ  

Panel Members Intro:

Three professors in the panel, one young prof in his 30s, one middle-aged prof in his late 40s , one old prof in his late 50s and one moti si middle aged mam. Lets call them YP, MP and OP and MM (Moti Mam  :D) respectively.

After the exchange of pleasantries.

YP- Why only you from Bhopal?

Me- Others have their interviews probably in Mumbai or Delhi Sir, its closer.

YP- Okay, what is a venturimeter?

Me-(What the heck i wanted to say, but didn’t) Sir, it is a device used to measure pressure.

YP-Are you sure?

Me- No Sir.

MP- Have you heard about it or not?

Me-yes  sir i have heard about it but i m not sure enough.In case you have not seen,I am an electronics engineer.

MP-yeah I know,but your profile says 2 month training in NTPC and dat is y i asked. Dont worry i wont ask u anymore,I can sense wat u have done during dat period.

Me-(cudnt do much,just gave a shameless smile).

YP- Okay, what other calls?

Me- IIM Indore..(was starting to tell some more but cut in half)

YP- So, tell me your first preference?

Me- Sir, IIM Indore.

YP- And in the other interview you would say IIM K, isn't it?

Me- Yes sir, I would say that. But truthfully speaking, IIM Indore is my first choice.

YP- Why so?

Me- Sir, I have talked to a few seniors at IIM I and they have recommended me IIM I.

YP- Name them.

Me- X and Y. And sir, going by the rankings, IIM Indore has been consistently ranked above IIM K.

MP- Are you sure? In many rankings, IIM K is ranked higher than IIM I. Why is it that you trust your seniors more than an independent rating agency?

Me- Sir, since they have been there, they know the things better and they might also be contact with their peers from other Institutes.

YP- You don't know anybody at IIM K?

Me- Yes sir, I know. But I haven't been in contact with him.

YP- (laughing) So, you seem to be taking a very biased view.

Me- And moreover sir, IIM K has reservation for girls(pata nhi muh se yeh baat kaise nikal gayi)... (interrupted)

YP- So its good na, you'll have better 'scope', if that is what you are looking for. (All smiles)

MM suddenly sprung into action and gave a real dirty look. I froze for few seconds

Mm- You'll have a good time there. Why you want to come to IIM I?

Me- No mam it is not what i m looking for currently..(interrupted)( dunno y i uttered dat word “currently”)

MM-not currently but in the future u will consider them u mean?

Me- Embarassed,i bowed down .I sweated and sweated some more

YP- So, what is Brownian motion?

Me- (Ohh god,again Chemistry)Sir, it is the random motion of the particles.

YP- So, is there any Brownian motion in this room?

Me- Yes sir.

YP- Is it? (trying to confuse an already confused guy)

Me- Yes sir

YP- Are you sure?

Me- Yes sir, 100 %

YP- When does Brownian motion stop?

Me- Sir, when the temperature becomes very low, i mean at 0 K, Brownian motion stops completely.

YP- (looking satisfied)

YP- Have you heard about Brownian liquid?

Me- Yes sir

YP- What is it?

Me- Sir, its a liquid in which the particles are in Brownian motion.

YP- (Hahaha all around, i smiled back realising how stupid an answer was ) Nice but do you have a better definition?

Me- Sir, I have never heard about a Brownian liquid but have heard about Newtonian and Non-Newtonian liquids.

Thankfully I was not questioned further on this topic.

Mp-okk tell me the difference between percentile and percentage in one word.

Me-thinking..(take your time he said)..thought some more and said one is relative and other is absolute.

Everybody happy that i nailed that, MM still glaring at me, what’s wrong with the lady i thought..!!

MP : Ohh so you are a fresher? Why MBA without much of  work-ex(just 7 months)?

ME : cliche Q.. same old gyan... almost by-heart ho gaya hai answer... raat ko 3 baje bologe toh bhi aisa answer dunga ke lagega ki spontaneous aur well-thought answer hai..

YP- So, what major would you take?

Me- I have an interest in finance. and economics.

YP- Finance and economics. So diverse topics.

MP- So you like making money?

Me- (A big “yes” i wanted to say) No sir. Its not like that

YP- and you said that you like finance.

Me- Sir, I meant that I like to know about, read about the financial side of a business.

YP- So, you don't like making money.

Me- Sir, I never said that. Money is important in life. But a work life balance and time for myself and my family is more important for me than just making money and not getting time for the good things of life....blabbered some more.(looked uninterested with my answer,started checking out his phone)

MP- Have you heard about the kingfisher airlines fiasco?

Me- Yes sir. It has a debt of 7000 crores.

MP- Why did it happen?

Me- Due to gross financial mismanagement. Kingfisher piled on a huge debt on its balance sheet by ordering so many planes... (interrupted)

MP- So whats bad about taking debt. That is how you grow. Everybody takes loans. Isn't it?

Me- Yes sir. Taking debt isn't a problem in itself. But there should be a sustained source of income to service the loan.

Me- ( to MP) When KFA made a huge investment it had the largest market share. But of late, its market share has declined and it hasn't been able to generate sufficient revenues to pay its employees or pay back the debt.

(newspaper ka gyaan kaam aaya)

Then some more discussion and counter-questioning

MP- So, as a finance graduate, how do you plan to come out of that crisis?

Me- Sir, If FDI is allowed in the aviation sector, KFA can bring in a partner and sell some stake to infuse capital in the airlines. And/or it can negotiate with the banks for softer terms and a longer repayment period.

MP- So what is the ideal debt/equity ratio?

Me-(Bouncer totally) I have no idea sir.

MP and YP to OP- Sir, do you have anything to ask? Madam aap bhi kuch puchengi(in hindi)—Replies   with a no in stern voice.

MP- Okk gagan we are almost done wid da interview.(Relieved somewhat) but wud like u to answer a question which u have to answer in two seconds.Okk.?

Me-okk sir(made my mind to calculate something in the meanwhile , i knew it has to be some calculation)

MP- tell me the number of union territories and the age of independent India..?

Me-7 and 62 err..6 and 64.(obviously took more than 2 seconds)

Laughter all around..even  moti wali mam couldn’t resist laughing.I was dat pathetic

YP- (looking at the other two) I think we are done. All the best, you may leave.

Me- Thank you sir.

YP- and shut the door while leaving.

Me- Sure sir(bolted the door too hard, i cursed myself).

Came out and asked the last person how long it took, and he said 30mins, but it seemed like ages in dere. There was no happy feeling deep inside given the way my interview went but miracles do happen, the calmer-self said J

Verdict :-Distant waitlist(as good as a reject) 

But as they say..

“Some goals are so worthy it’s glorious even to fail”

Thanks For reading such a long post with extra long disclaimer :P.Hope u had fun read :)

PS:-I have tried making the post a jovial one so that people read it in the way it is meant to be but honestly it wasn't that much fun inside  

Cheers..!

Gagan Deep

NITIE Mumbai

Those Little Drops of Rain

Rains have officially entered the Indian subcontinent and have brought along with it the much needed respite from hot summers and cheers to many faces . Rains are often welcomed by people from all walks of life for reasons a plenty.

• 

  For school going children it officially marks the beginning of a new session and kids are all decked up to welcome rains in their own little ways with cute little umbrellas and colourful raincoats . Moreover , children have their reasons to feel happy and celebrate rains as they get to meet their friends after a huge two months long gap , catch up with all that long lost conversations and thus they do make it a point to go to school no matter how heavily it might be raining. 

• 

  For love birds , its a season to celebrate love , their commitment , their togetherness and the bond that they have shared over the time . This is one such season where people in love come out in the open enjoy those never ending long drives , share those sweet nothings . For the ones who have been together for a long time , rains become a reason for them to rejuvenate their love add that zing to their relationship and fall in love all over again and for the ones who have newly found love , it is that time of the year to enjoy themselves and cherish there love . No doubt some of the most romantic moments are felt and enjoyed in the midst of rains .

• For friends , it is the time to go out for those numerous outings to all the far fetched places enjoying all the while with either that steaming hot cuppa of “chai” and catching up or else with that hot, spicy and tangy “bhutta” . Friends welcome and enjoy rains to the core . for the ones who are still together in the same city make it a point to go on outings and splurge themselves in the absurdest of activities without giving two hoots as to what the outer world thinks of them as and for the ones for have been separated due to work, education or whatsoever be the reason rains are the season of remembrance for them as they go down the memory lane thinking of all the wonderful moments they have spent together .

• For farmers , rains indeed are a blessing in disguise as rains give them an opportunity to get rid of all there debts as there crops sell well and bring about the much needed prosperity in their lives coz otherwise they end up suffering from some unbearable losses which forces them to take the disastrous step of ending their lives and leaving behind there loved ones.  So the next time you crib over the roin destroying your picnic plans,think of them.

And for the rest all rains are the time to sit back and enjoy with there cup of hot chocolate/coffee/tea whichever pleases their taste buds and their loved ones next to them or a good book not to forget some sumptuous snacks . THE OPTIONS ARE ENDLESS AND SO IS THE MAGIC OF RAIN . ENJOY!!

Signing off

Gagan Deep

Cheers..!

And the the radio goes on as:-

 “AA CHAL KE TUJHE..MAIN LEKE CHALUN ..EK AESE "GAGAN" KE TALE..JAHAN GAM BHI NA HO..AANSUN BHI NA HO..BAS PYAR HI PYAR PALE ..EK AESE GAGAN KE TALE..”..

For all my work-aholics out there..

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups -porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to hot coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups and were eyeing each other's cups.

Now if life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change. Some times, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it."

Don't let the cups drive you... Enjoy the coffee instead !!


Story Courtesy : Readers Digest

Last Few days at Work..!!

Its been 10 Months here and to be honest I was looking forward to this day since day 1..!!

How do I feel ??

Well...... For starters I will be among the unemployed youth of India for the next two years :( So the thought is actually a little scary.But then I have heard *Great* things about NITIE Mumbai .So looking forward to that as well

What was it like at Infosys ??
Joining a company of such magnanimity was(and also wud remain) a great feeling.I owe very much to this company.They provided me with a great headstart in my career and even used to pay me :D.Although the much talked about training wasn't a walk in the park but I treated it as an extension to College days.However the less i talk about it the better it is *BigGrin*.But more or less it has been a 10 month sojourn at Mysore which is currently my favourite city.

What I stand to lose ??
Hmm..gud question actually!! Other than the salary,I will miss my friends a lot.They were there during the worst of my times and also the best of my times.@All-Thank you guys.

Other than all that,one thing I will miss the most is the ambience of Mysore. One of the best climates in India; the many gardens and green spaces that surround it (it is called the Garden City, a refreshing change from "God's Own Country"); the production of silk and sandalwood (did you know they boil worms to get silk? I didn't!!).People were very helpful and lovely in every sense of the word.

Ultimately, it's inexplicable. Not to be over-dramatic, but the experience, the time,it's in my system

Thank you again Infosys!