Last day at Training

It had been quite a while before when we had joined the Company and it was the last day of the Induction training.

First session was on rope-ways…and subsequent sessions were on different departments! It was very boring, so as we used to do in college, I started drawing funky sketches in the notepad with my friends, Pratibha and Shobhika. I found it had two benefits, first, my sleep vanished, second, the trainer thought I was noting down his important points!

In the meantime, the training coordinator left for an audit in his dept & now we were entirely on the presenter’s mercy…

Fortunately, the session ended and I clicked few pics with friends on my new phone. After lunch, finding the hall empty, me & Shobhika conquered the stage and started the fun…The photo-session continued. Who knew that the dawn of a month’s training session would soon turn into the precious moments of fun and open interaction with everyone in my batch. 

The entire credit goes to Ramakant who I thought as the most argumentative brat in the group. I never thought he could capture everyone’s attention so wisely & cleverly. He pulled almost everyone’s leg. First he took over the mike and in a sarcastically sincere way asked Anwar to come on the stage & introduce himself in his unique style “Good afternoon, my name is Anwar khan and I am from Alwar, Rajasthan!”

Then he asked a senior, Rajiv (who pronounces his dept’s name QA as ‘kyaoo’A, to imitate the training co-ordinator…) to give us a few guidelines.So he, in his unique funny style entertained us with his short eloquent speech...

Then came Himanshu’s turn who resembles the actor – ‘Nana Patekar! After lil insisting, he recited a romantic poem in Hindi which again reminded me of Nana’s unique way of presenting things.

Sachin was forced to sing a song. He sang ‘chahu mai ya na’ from the movie -Aashiqui 2.That was marvelous. 

Krishna, who is a shy South-Indian, was prodded to sing ‘kolawari D’. After a lot of effort from our ‘MONITER-Ramakant’, he sang a little. That was the time I realised I will miss something if I don’t record it on phone. So little hesitantly, I raised my new Grand-2 up and started the recording but by then, Krishna had finished singing and no one else performed any further. But the leg pulling continued. 

Ramakant asked me to give some advice on how to behave in the company. I said, “the maxim that ’boss is always right’ is really true. Don’t offend anyone be it senior or junior. At the end of the day apart from work, you should have satisfaction with your personal behavior also.”I would have continued further had Ramakant not interrupted me & prove that I am really an incessant talker. 

He continued and asked the lady messenger to sit on the stage and answer to our questions. Later Ramjee, who had not been interactive throughout the programme, was also approached. 

Unbelievably, he was the person whose words proved to be the most striking –“I don’t like this company!!!”. Perplexed expression was on every face. He continued-“I would advise to go for any Master’s course because we would not get this chance later. I am also preparing for GRE (MS). Everyone should do masters and this is the only time for that. Later the age would be gone & family responsibilities would dominate.”

While he spoke I noticed almost everyone’s head nodding in support followed by enthusiastic round of applause as he stopped. This made me wonder how unique is this age when the availability of all career options itself becomes a nuisance! Nearly all youngsters are gushing into preparations in famous  categories like – IAS,IES,GATE,GRE,P.H.D…,& what not…,I heard an opinion,”He is right..we should also join him in GRE preparation”. She was the same girl who, just a few moments back was telling me that she will do PHD after her M.Tech.

But in midst of the world of dynamically changing dreams, I was stern…-“I love my company” and somehow the reason is more emotional than calculative one. I found myself attached with the company not when I joined it but much before then-the next day of the result which implied that I was rejected, and my office cab was drifting past by it. My tearful eyes kept looking at the tall, dignified building…And since then, everyday when our car used to pass by the building, I used to play the same song on my phone– “Abhi mujhme kahin baaqi thodi si hai zindagi”. Second time I felt the connection when the company invited me to join. I was so lucky to hear the news from mummy and that day I myself played the song…And today whenever I look up the building, the emotions have not changed yet. Afterall it’s the first PSU which showed faith in me and took me out of a silent dead world. In return, I also make subtle commitments with the company to pay tribute in whichever way I can…

I started thinking from my school time, when I would see people worrying for college. Then in college I would find people studying incessantly for various competitive exams. In my previous company, I found people dissatisfied with private job. And now, in govt. job, I find people looking for even better options. I literally feel tired of seeing people this unstable. Isn’t it like a race in which people are trying to compete in everything? I don’t understand why everyone wants everything. I am sure an IES would be preparing for IAS, and an IAS will be preparing to enter politics. Though it’s not bad, but where is the break?????????

People! Please have sometime to breathe also and live for a while. Take a little time to feel everything before you move ahead. 

Though, one is right to be ambitious, but sometimes, we should stay and observe instead of being too conditional and impatient. It should not become a lifetime routine to keep searching for a better option without staying anywhere. Afterall experience is one thing which will teach the right and wrong. Why to unnecessary keep running in a blind race which will lead nowhere. Either, one should follow a determined dream, and sacrifice everything else for it, or become a spectator and make out gradually what suits the most on the basis of the experience.