Chronicles of Sathyabama - Part I (A Rule is a Rule)

No this is not a collection of my diary entries. This is a series of small anecdotes I plan to list down which speak volumes about an institute called Sathyabama University. I am not going to take any stands here neither am I going to express any opinions. I am going to narrate some events as they happened and rest is upto the readers to draw their own conclusions. However, while you read them, do remember that while these may seem interesting facts and stories to you, someone has had to go through all this.

------------------------------------------------------

It was my first University Exam (thats what we used to call our End-Semester exams) at Sathyabama University. I had reached the place after failing to make it through IIT JEE by a whisker and I have never been able to forgive myself ever since. I had to do well in these exams. I had to prove a point. However, ever since I had joined this institute, I wasn't sure my life was going the right way. For the past 6 months I had had occasional chances to interact with the outer world (outside the hostel) and not enough freedom to pursue my interests. And so, the person entering the exam hall was not in the best of his spirits.

"Hello Mr.! You will have to go and get permission from the examination office. You can't write the exam like this". I wasn't sure at first that the remark was addressed to me. But then I saw what I would consider one of the ugliest faces I have seen staring at me.
"But Ma'am, what have I done?", I asked.
"You are NOT clean shaved Mr.", was a stern reply.
"But Ma'am, I just shaved yesterday!! And Ma'am isn't it a very trivial issue? I mean....afterall... what has shaving got to do with exams? Ma'am, its almost 9 o'clock. Please allow me in." I was a little surprised and a little worried too because almost everyone was in and the exam was about to begin. Still I said that with a smile so as to sound casual.
"Don't you understand English? What did I just tell you? Don't you know the rules? When you come to college you MUST BE CLEAN SHAVED. UNDERSTAND? Now and go and get the permission otherwise I won't let you in." She was in no mood to buzz.
"Ma'am you can't be serious!! you very well know that going to exam office and getting permission would mean at least 20 mins lost. And...and...all this for what? For not being CLEAN SHAVED??? Even if you allow me in, who would ever question you on that?? It's a university exam ma'am...it's not a joke..please hand me the question paper." I could see the minutes hand on the clock just three strokes behind 12 and frustration began to build upon me. And that is when she spoke those words which I had to listen to at least 100 times more over the next 4 years. And believe me, each time it was equally painful.
"Sorry!! A RULE IS A RULE!! You must abide by the rules."
I knew I had no choice. One last look at the clock and I ran like a mad man. Going to the examination office was out of question for them being any more merciful was highly improbable. So I ran towards the hostel gate. 1 min lost. I reach there and ask the guard to let me inside as I had to shave, else I wouldn't be allowed in the exam.
"The gates close at 8:30. You aren't supposed to enter before 11:30 now", he said.
"But Bhaiya please, its urgent. Please I beg of you. Let me in. i'll be back in less than 2 mins", I was literally pleading. But the smile on his face said it all. There is no pleasure greater for a watchman when a person trillion times more educated and cabable than him is pleading in front of him. "No chance! Rule is a Rule", he said and for the second time in 5 mins those words had hit me.
As I started running from there I could hear the bell marking the start of the exam. With my heart beating faster, I ran towards the back of the hostel. It was while the watchman was saying those golden words that this idea struck me. I used the 2ft x 2ft cut in the wall (made to enable the evening canteen guys to serve snacks) to sneak into the hostel. A minte later I was in my room and a minute after that i was almost done shaving. I could see numerous cuts on my chin and neck but I had to no time to wash them. I wiped my face with a towel and ran back. Fortunately enough my breaking into the hostel was not traced by the watchmen, else I could have landed into deeper trouble. A jump through the same cut in the wall where my shirt picked a few sauce stains and I wa again running back to the exam hall. 6 past 9 and I was there. A drop of blood met my shirt's collar before I could wipe it as I called out,"Excuse me Ma'am...hmpf..hmpf...Ma'am....I am clean shaved now...please can I be allowed to write my paper now...hmpf hmpf....?"
Around 70 pair of eyes looked at me in utter disbelief as I stood at the gate asking for my paper. She had no choice but to give it to me as she muttered,"I don't know how you pulled that off but make sure you follow the rules from the next time!"
As I sat to write down my paper, wiping my chin and neck with the other hand, I couldn't stop myself from shouting out,"Ma'am you know what? That was the most ridiculous and illogical thing a person can do what you just did to me. It's absolutely foolish. You have not only lost my respect today but have also proved how big a sadist you are!"
What followed after that became a regular story in my journey at Sathyabama where I said all sorts of things to the lecturers and Professors and they in turn tried their best to screw me. However, as they say - History is written by the victorious, here I am, writing one!!

P.S. - Ever since that day, I am not particularly known for following rules :P

Interaction with Prof. Sunil Handa

"Hello! Haan Manoj*? Arey yaar wo us chemical ka kya kya naam hai jo tum 1 crore me bechne wale ho? Oh Achha... haan yaad aa gaya.. ok.. thank you.. bye!"
In a class room full of amused faces, Prof. Sunil Handa disconnected the phone and went on to explain how and why one should go about being an entrepreneur. Mixing hindi with english in a very identifiable Gujrati touch to his accent, Prof. Handa carried out what I term as one of the most inspiring talks I have attended. To say that every ear in that room was impressed would be an understatement.
Addressing people by their names and siting examples from their and his own perosnal lives, he ensured that the session was vivid and interactive. A master at public speaking as he appeared to be, he used various quotes, jokes and anecdotes to support his ideas. He was sharp and straightforward. And believe me, he was effective like anything. I could already see many eyes in the room dreaming of their own ventures.

How do you decide what business to take up?
"I never get it when people say that they don't want to continue with their family business", he said. Stressing on the fact that one can easily learn on the go, he suggested that the best option for a person is always to join his father's business and add new dimensions to it according to his personal interests and competencies. He also explained how one can identify the growth sectors and rising industries and try and exploit that growth. To B school students he had a very clear message - that the summer internships are one of the best opportunities to learn about a business and identify oppportunities.

When to start?
"Can you name one successful person whose reason of success can be found in the later part of his life?"
When Prof. Handa reeived no answer to this question, his mesage was clear. The best time to start is now. Now, when we are young, ambitious and energetic. He said that all a man does after the age of 30 is to reap the crop that sowed in his twenties. He also said that according to him one year wasted now was commensurate to 10 years at his age in terms of productivity.

Leadership
While entrepreneurship was his prime focus he also touched upon the topic of leadership as entrepreneurs have to eventually prove themselves as leaders in orer to be successful. Using a mix of story telling skills and theatrics he beautifully brought out the example of Alexander as a great leader. He said that if entrepreneurs could be great leaders, attrition would never have been heard of. Be it your subordinates or your peers, to be successful as an entrepreneur, you must be a champion at relationships and thats what maketh a leader.

On the topic of choosing subjects during MBA, he stressed on taking up subjects dealing with soft skills and behaviour sciences as he feels those are the subjects that would prove to have the most practical relevance for an entrepreneur. He also gave ideas on scaling up a venture and identifying the weak spots. There were many more topics and many more examples to suit them. Overall it was a session that left many people including myself thinking seriously about starting a venture as soon as we pass out of this institute. He expressed great interest in helping anyone who had a serious inclination towards entrepreneurship. The best part of his talk was that he got very personal and yet did not lose connection with the overall audience. And most importantly, while he agreed that you need lady luck by your side to become an Ambani, he definitely showed a few roads that could lead to her and one of them is the right outlook. Let me tell you, it is extremely rare for me to get impressed by a professor but even I think that the standing ovation he received at the end of the session was justified.

*Name changed as I don't remember the real one he took..... :)

Feeling Dirty?

This is a print ad I made for a Marketing assignment recently. Thanks to Sobby da and Sarin for the wonderful pose..:P
Who would ever say that its NOT a female hand?!!

Unemployment

©2009 ~ravnicrasol