After the results ....

Results are out. Me joining IIM A . No words to describe the happiness of my family members. Me went to share the news and sweets with the neighbours

Scene1
Me with sweets in hand - knocked the door
Me: Hi , please have the sweets. I am joining IIM A.
He: Congrats, where is that company?
Me: (Shocked for a moment...) Company? It is a B-School aka MBA College in Ahmedabad.
He: Oh! OK why are you going so far? Didn't you get anywhere near by?
Me : It is a good college so I am joining it.

Left the place ... pretty disappointing ... He is a student of a local MBA College... If he is not aware of IIMA who else would be?

Scene2
Me with sweets in hand - This time I will explain them in detail
Me: Hi Uncle , please have the sweets. I have got admitted India's best MBA program - IIM Ahmedabad.
Uncle: Oh Congrats ! What was your rank?
Me: (Feeling Better ...) I got 99.84% in written test which means arnd 300 among the 2lakh students who wrote it . This one was followed by group discussion and interview
Uncle: OK . So you have to leave your job here and go to Ahmedabad. When are you going there?
Me : June 21st uncle.
Uncle: What is the fees?
Me : It costs around 5 lakhs for the two year program
Uncle: So you have to pay so much even if you get a good rank.
Me : Yes Uncle. In other colleges it is even costlier.

Moved on ...

Scene3
Me - Thinking Just give them the sweets , tell them and get out
Me : Hello Uncle . Please have the sweets . I am joining IIMA. Got the final results yesterday.
Uncle : Wah beta ... Good stuff . Ab tho life ban gaya tera . This definitely deserves a bigger treat.
Me : Oh sure uncle !!! (Felt happy for it)


Hmmm... At last someone know about it. But this experience left me with lots of thoughts!!!

The best thing that I can ever find on net ......

Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
Admission Status : Post-Graduate Programme in Management (PGP 2007-2009 batch), IIMA

TR No.	5360412
Name	NAVEEN CHALUVADI

You have been selected for admission to PGP (2007-2009 batch), IIMA.

Note: Our formal admission offer letter is being sent by Courier. You will have to send us your formal written acceptance and return the other documents enclosed with the admission offer by May 14, 2007. In the meanwhile, please indicate to us by e-mail admission@iimahd.ernet.in your decision on this admission offer, quoting your name and Test Registration Number.

Retrospection

How did it go? These days the frequency at which I come across this question is same to that of frequency of traffic jams in Hyderabad. The IIM interviews are over now ... Results awaited... and yes ... how did they go ???

Pondering over these thoughts I sat down to write this one.

IIM Lucknow - Tough start but pulled on and turned out to be an average GD - scoreboard reads 80/2 after the 20 over power play and then no surprises in interview except for few things that could have been handled better the score moved on to 215/5(45) and 245/9 in 50 overs . Could have played better in the last 5 overs. Now can India win this match?

IIM Kozhikode - The GD was one of the coolest one I have seen. Obviously more runs in power play - scoreboard reads 128/1 (20) . The tempo was just maintained in the middle and end overs , I mean the interview was good and finally it is 330/5 (50) . Good match for India . Will have to play badly to lose out from here. Hoping I have a similar outing one of those big days!!!

IIM Bangalore - Most important one for me. Kind of must win. The GD undoubtedly turned to be the best one of my life . I am not sure if I can emulate such a performance again. At the end of power play obviously score was looking great - 144/0 (20) . Now just I had to go for the kill . But the interview turned out to play a dampener. The momentum was just lost. No easy runs . Finally had to score in singles despite of having wickets on hand - 294/3 (50) . Good batting pitch you never know what can happen !!!

IIM Indore - Frankly speaking ... lacked seriousness . Went into it thinking about the next game - very bad thing to do - Average GD - Plain 90/2(20) . Tiring experience courtesy long wait after a very long journey to the venue of course. Interview went good and score board reads 279/7(50) . Good total I guess !!!

IIM Ahmedabad - Lucky if India wins this . You can rarely plan the win against Australia . GD started in utter chaos - the stakes were obviously high and I had done just what was required - see off the initial overs with little or no damage - At the end of real power play - it was like 70/1(20) on a seaming pitch. There is certain amount of pressure as the IIMB is not in a safe zone. Thoroughly tensed and caught bad cold during the previous day, thanks to IIMI venue. But then the interview turned out to be surprisingly a superb one according to me , the runs were just flowing . The batsmen just kept timing it so well that the leather always met the sweetest part of the wood. At the end of 50 overs the total seemed a challenging one - 335/5(50) . But the other side is Australia . Nothing can be taken for granted!!!

IIM Calcutta - Got used to the GD PI process by now . GD turned out to be a fish market . Nothing great - End of Power play it seemed to me the score board would look like 70/2 or so but later realized that it was 50/4 . The interview started off coolly and it looked like one more dream interview in the making . Sudden disaster - a team that looked at scoring around 280 in 50 just had to wind up for 230 in less than 50 overs . Please don't ask me the reasons !!!

PS : Click on the respective IIMs for more details of my GD-PI

At last I did it .....

Its been 44 months since I joined this company as a campus recruitee from my college at Bangalore ... Had gone through a smooth journey for close to 4 years now ... Last 25 months have just been great working for Mizuho . My stint with this Japanese client began in Feb'05 with the implementation of market changes for the year 2006. The experience of working on this project is something that I would relish for my lifetime - It was like chasing a total of 300+ on a regular basis and winning most of the times - 'Those were the best days of my life ...' . My journey with Mizuho has been very enriching and challenging. Above all the six months that I spent with them taught me a lot and the experience instilled a great amount of confidence in me.

Now I find that it is very difficult to accept the fact that I will not be a part of this wonderful journey anymore.

Finally I have submitted my first resignation today.... Very tough decision .... hopefully for the sake of better .... after all change is the only constant thing in our life and we will have to deal with it.

All hopes down the drain

Carrying a hope of 100 billion fans Indian team started their world cup hunt and I cant believe that the team tipped to get the world cup home lost miserably to Bangladesh in their opening match, virtually putting their progress in this edition at stake. Unlike the previous edition where a team is guaranteed to play 5-6 matches this one is not so - the chance to regroup and getting into form is not allowed in this tournament. The only chance of India going to next round is to beat Srilanka comprehensively this friday and edge over to Super Eights based on the net run rate - the probability of this happening looks bleak given the morale of the team after today's loss. If India does not progress further - March 17th 2007 will remain one of the worst days for the Indian cricket. My gut feel says that we are out of the tournament - please don't blame me for this - for me it is all hopes down the drain after this embarrassing defeat.

IIM Calcutta Interview

----Scene Six of Six ----

Date: 14th Mar- Time: 2:00 pm

Venue: Monarch Hotel (Panel 2)

Case

Some company had a contract to supply some goods within a certain period of time. But Just before a week, they realised that neither the quality nor the quantity is anywhere near the expectation. So, in order to avoid huge penalties they created a disaster / accident (Act of God) they serve bad food in the cafeteria and some workers fell ill and also they blasted some bombs . Now we have to discuss the pros and cons of this strategy

FISH market ... Average performance

PI (Around 20 min)

I was the last one to be interviewed. Long Wait.There were 4 Profs P1, P2 , P3 and P4 and ME ofcourse

P1 - What do you do?

Me - Told about my company and work

P2 - Some questions about company

Me - Answered them

P2 - How many people report to you?

Me - Answered

P2 - Learnings from workex

Me - Told him (Feeling good)

P1 - Why do you want to do MBA?

Me - Told him

P2 - How will MBA help you?

Me - blah blah

P1 - So you want to become a teacher in future (Was going through my form . Mentioned research and teaching as my long term goal)

Me - Yes sir, I want to learn from the industry and give it to the students. But that is my long term plan and not an immediate one.

P2 - So in future you will not be a manager but just teacher.

Me - Told something

P1 and P2 were looking at each other P2 says OK .I thought it was the end of it

P3 - I know you wrote just like that .. You are not serious about teaching

Me - Told her that I teach on weekends even now and would like to contribute to teaching. Also mentioned that intreacting with students would give me fresh ideas and thoughts

P2 - So you want to gain ideas and implement them

P1 - Most of them would have been outdated

P4 - We saw that all through your GD?

P3 - You have been good at borrowing ideas and discuss them with the group

P1 - By the time you told somethings they have been discussed

P4 - It went on like that through out your GD

Yes all at once !!!!!!! Didnt expect some thing like this

Me - For a moment.... Was thinking if my GD was so bad ... and kept smiling like moron

Before I uttered something

P4 - Do you remember anything about Normal distribution curve?

Me - Yes sir

P4 - Solve this mean of heights of students in a class is 5.5 and sigma is 0.2 what is probability that I pick a student and his height is 5.5

Me - Was writing the details on a paper and tried drawing something and thought if there was any way to solve it

P3 and P4 - What happened

Me - I am not sure if this can be solved. It could also happen that none of their heights is 5.5

P4 - Tell me that question is wrong naaa

P1 - (Jumped in) - Is there a possiblity that all hts are 5.5

Me - Told him not possible as there is sigma

P4 - OK tell me now what is prob that the ht of a student picked is less than 5.5

Me- 50%

P1 - Go for FPM and not PGP

Me - Told that I am currently interested in PGP and wanted to work in industry and later accg to my interest pursue research and contribute as a teacher

P3 - Have u taken any coaching

Me - No coaching for exam but have attended a 2 day workshop at TIME Hyderabad for GD PI


P1 - Take up FPM and get into teaching as soon as possible if you are serious

Me - Told him that with current knowledge I cannot do a good job where as after gaining some experience it would make more effective ..... blah blah

P1 - You have good experience and we have good infrastructure . You have forgotten normal distribution and later you will be learning them along with your kids

P4 - Normal curve is continuous and not discrete

P2 - No he wants to learn from the industry first and share the same later

OK you may leave now

Me -Thanks and Have a nice day

Walked out .....with no clue.... Last one to leave .... definitely could have been better.

----End of Scene 6 of Six ----

IIM Ahmedabad Interview

----Scene Five of Six ----

Biggest day of my life ... Walking in to attend India's best B-school interview ... That itself was a great feeling

Date: 7th Mar (BIG DAY) - Time: 9:00 am

Venue: Monarch Hotel (Panel 3)

Case

A garment shop in Hyderabad. The layout was such that the sarees were arranged in diff floors accg to the Value of the sarees. 1% comission is given for salesmen. Now salesmen were concentrating mainly on customers who could afford expensive sarees and also the areas that had cheaper sarees were neglected... and empty and so on.........

FISH market. Man .... the stakes were high.......!!!! Had a bad cold. Started off the GD. Gave my points at many points . Made couple of points at some point which were discussed at a later stage by the group. Overall - Satisfied.

PI(Around 25 min)

I was fifth one to be interviewed. Bad Cold and thoroughly tensed waiting.

There were 3 Profs P1, P2 and P3 and ME ofcourse

P2- Please handover your certificates

Me - Gives them

P3 - Tell us something about your job?

Me - Tells them.... about the services it offered and about the project

P2 - What is your role in the project?

Me - Told him

P2 - How many people report to you?

Me - Told him that it is variable Currently - 2 and one point it was 5 .

P2 - What are these certifiates from your company?

Me - Told about the accomplishments and certificates (Best Team member for 2005 -06)

P2 - What are your learnings from the project and especially what did you learn being as a team lead?

Me - Told him.. They looked pleased .
(Pretty relaxed by now)

P2 - How was experience working with Japanese ? Any linguistic problems?

Me- Told them and gave an example where we had a mishap because of translation error in the specification

P3 - What is meant by mounting Fuji? (I have Mentioned Accomplishment as Mounted Mt Fuji) Me - Told him that we had a chance to visit Fuji when we were in Tokyo

P1 - Are u interested in mountaineering? Did you go to the top of the mountain?Describe your experience?

Me - (I wanted to get them into cricket - my hobby - so used this as an opportunity) Described the experience as the most physically challenging one that I had faced till date and told them so far even in the most difficult projects or tasks I had found a stage where things get a bit easier after a while but this was one exp where we had no respite. I told them it was like seeing off opening spell of Mc Grath and Pollock just to come acoss Muralitharan and Shane warne .. No easy runs at all

P3 - Why McGrath, Pollock, Murali and Warne Why not Harbhajan and Sreeshanth

Me - I wish I can take their names after 5-10 years

P1 - Why not Kumble?

Me - (Turning Disastrous???) Told him that the above mentined bowlers have bowled tight overs even when things are not going their way (most of the times captains can safely depend on them) and we have rarely seen such a performance from India .... Told them if opposition gets 50 off first 6 overs we rarely came back into the game. It happened some one like Sachin Tendulkar turns the match with his golden arm

P2 - So u think Sachin is a good bowler?

P1 - He can neither bowl offspin nor legspin consistently

Me - That makes it even togher for the batsmen as it keeps him guessing. I think he is an intelligent player.

P2 - What do you think his contribution will be in this worldcup?

Me - Told him that he had always scored well in WCs and I am looking forward to similar performance from him this time too.Also told him he looked fluent on the prev day match against Holland

P3 - Some more qs on interests and hobbies

Me - Answered them

P3 - What is your fav subject of Mechanical Engineering

Me - Gathered all my strength to say it is Thermodynamics

P3-What is Otto Cycle?

Me - Told him Explained in detail .

P1 - Why dont you draw the PV and TS Curves

P3 - What are TS curves?

Me - Temp - Entropy diagram sir.Tried drawing ... got confused ...

P3 - Long time right

P1 - Which one can you draw comfortably

Me - (Gladly) Carnot Cycle

P2 - OK draw it

Me - I have explained and gave PV and TS diagrams

P2 - Where do we have this cycle?

Me- Theoretically it is the cycle with most efficiency and I think in practical it is not possible to achieve this

P2 - Why?

Me - I think it is difficult to achieve isentropic process as the entropy of a system always changes

P3 - Changes?

Me - Yes sir, entropy of a system always increases

P3 - What is second law of Thermodynamics

Me - Told him . (Entropy of an isolated system always tends to increase)

P1 - What is first law?

Me - Told him ( Change in Internal energy of a system is equal to heat supplied to the system and work done on the system)

P1 - Do you think there is a third law?

Me - Yes sir.... Entropy at absolute zero is zero

P1 -There is also something called Zeroeth law rite

Me - Yes sir ... Thermometer one .. (When two bodies are in thermal eqbm with third body they are said to be in eqbm with each other)

P3 - Transitivity right

P2 - So were you born and brought up in Hyderabad?

Me -Told him I was born in Ranchi , Jharkand and schooling at Hyderabad.

P3 - Jharkand? Whats the capital city

Me - Sir it was in Bihar then. now in Jharkand ,Ranchi is the capital

P1 - How come Jharkand?

Me - Told him my father worked for MECON

P3 - OK MECON , Doranda .... I think for some reason Jharkand seems to be in NEWS are u aware of it?

Me - Sir , JMM MP has been killed by some extreme group and hence there was a bandh in the state

P3 - Who is the extreme group?

Me - (Could not recollect) I am not sure sir.

P3 - How can one travel from Ranchi to Hyderabad
Me- Gave him the Rail route - Ranchi to Vijayawada and then change to Secunderabad

P3 - What are the railway zones that you cover on your journey
Me- Told ... Eastern Railway , Cental and South central railway

P3 - How many railway zones are there in India
Me- Thinking

P3 - Is it 5 10 15 .. Any idea?
Me- more than 15

P1,P2 and P3 - Take your files and take a toffee . Thank you

Me -Thank you sir and Have a nice day

Walked out.... Feeling relaxed .... Never thought it could be so good and sweet ... Hmmm nothing can be taken for granted .... after all its IIMA

---- End of Scene 5 of 6 -----------