Making The Most Of A Wrong Choice!

We are defined by the choices that we make. Most of the times, these choices are made under a lot of uncertainty and hence there is no easy way of determining their outcome. Moreover, we are left in a catch-22 situation when we realise that the decision we made, wasn’t the best and all we are left with is to rue the situation and keep contemplating about the ‘what if’ scenario. However, every dark cloud has a silver lining. And once we start looking beyond our disappointments, we might just be able to figure out how to make the most of such ‘bad decisions’ that we make. For me, ‘Engineering’ was one such bad decision and following is the story of how I created the silver lining amidst my dark clouds.

 

Lessons of Life: In Conversation with an Autowalla

Too often, we are so consumed with ourselves. So much so that at times, we fail to notice the stories around us that are intriguing to say the least. It is this narcissism that stops us from getting to see how fascinating the everyday life of individuals around us is and gives us lessons that no book could ever teach us.

Following is the conversation I had with an Autowalla in Bangalore. Usually I choose to stay numb and get lost in the company of my music player during such rides. But at this particular instant, I gave my earphones a miss and got into conversation mode.

 

Engineering: The Love-Hate Relationship

Spending three years of the most impressionable years of your life in India’s most professional education setup spoils you to a great extent. You get used to classes filled with as many as 200 students; become accustomed to teacher’s wearing collar-mikes and listening to their voices from JBL speakers; get familiar with white boards shrouded with inks of different colours; and most importantly, you start expecting the same teaching level that you had experienced there, everywhere else. Yes, 3 years of stay in Kota had spoiled me to a great extent.

 

America’s “Bring Jobs Back Home” Policy Might Shape India’s Future

What has been India’s greatest export to the USA in the past decade? It is not cotton yarn and fabrics; it is not drugs and pharmaceuticals and it, most certainly, isn’t gems and jewels. It is a vast mix of white-collar professionals, particularly Doctors and Engineers.

Bangalore has long been making waves for being the city that brought about the IT renaissance in India. But, its existence was taken to an all new level after being mentioned in one of the policies of the US president, Barack Obama, dubbed as the ‘Say no to Bangalore and yes to Buffalo’ policy, wherein, tax-incentives given to American companies that created jobs overseas in places like Bangalore would be scrapped and instead, be given to those creating jobs inside the U.S., in places like Buffalo. Since then, Obama has made frequent calls to the American companies to stop their overt reliance on India and China for man-power and skilled labour, and to look for employment from within the country.

 

The Journey That Never Was

The excitement generated while packing your luggage to head home during vacations, after 6 strenuous months of engineering, is unparalleled and unprecedented.

So was the case with me. Clothes were decked, bags were packed, locks were checked and exhilaration level’s racked. I was on my way to Bangalore City Junction, to board the train that would land me straight to Siliguri, my hometown. There was only one minor little glitch though – I didn’t have any ticket.