Coincidences and Connections

 I was watching a video in which Anupam Kher was interviewing Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri, the title of this show being Kuchh Bhi Ho Sakta Hai (Anything Can Happen). He also questioned them about happenings in their life. They came from different backgrounds, religions and became great friends during their stint at the National School of Drama and later acted in many films, sometimes together and sometimes not. (I am going to watch a play starring Shah this week- theatre remains his passion.)

I started thinking about coincidences and connections (in case you noticed, I sometimes do) as a result. For example, a friend from Hyderabad, Alok, got me an admission into the Clemson Ph.D. program, which took me into academia. My first IIM job interview (Lucknow) had my teacher, Prof. JD Singh, on the interview panel. I met one of my former students, Padmapriya, at night, while standing outside my cousin's place in Mumbai, and have remained in touch since. Another former student, Jogeswari, started a Golf touring company, and I went on their first organised tour to Thailand.

Sheetal Garg and I met by chance at an alumni event at IMT Nagpur, and have been meeting regularly since-we are also members of a music community. The music group itself, I joined (and met some great people in) due to Mohan Gopalratnam, another former student from XIMB. Nikita Kumar happened to be working in Hyderabad and Pune when we met in both places. Animesh Jain in Bhopal also I met coincidentally when I went for a guest lecture. Abhinav Kamal happened to make a film, Pradyumna, Bhagyashree and Harshad Lunavat happened to be good photographers at IMT, and I noticed. Soumyashree, a student who I met accidentally made my blog popular by posting a link on hers. 

I ran into Rohit at a mall in Bhubaneswar, and lots of people at airports-Jimmy Jain of IIMK, and Siddharth from KIAMS, for instance. Anne, from the Agriculture Dept. at Clemson, who I met through a roommate, became good friends and we visited her at her French home and she came to India too. 

I was fortunate to meet Ravi Gadgil, who had played Golf, while I was at IMT, and we set up a two-hole Golf course on the campus. I also run into former colleagues regularly, when invited for faculty selection, or guest lectures. Some former students also come and meet me at times. All these coincidences and connections are highly rewarding, and fun. I played Golf with someone I met years ago, recently- we happen to be in Bangalore now. An entrepreneur saw a post on LinkedIn and connected with me about her startup. I also met Pooja Varun, a former PES student, and Nagendra Shenoy in similar coincidences.

Zindagi, ittefaq hai..as the line from a song says (Life is a set of coincidences)

Zindagi Ittefaq Hai

This is a favourite song, (link if you want to listen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVxCAwqONcI) but also rings true. Most things in life happen serendipitously, or in an unplanned manner.

Thinking back, most of my career choices after school were because friends asked me to appear for some entrance exams-left to myself, I would have probably done the easiest degree available, whatever it was, and gone ahead..and maybe still would have become a teacher :)

Many things we do in life are a result of being in the right place at the right time- from buying a new dress, to starting  a new research project, or deciding where to eat. There's a lot less of planning than we think. The cars I bought in the U.S., particularly the huge 1979 Ford Granada, was because a friend was sellling it, and I was around..it was a luxury car that I enjoyed driving. Before getting back to earth with a more sober Subaru hatchback. That was also because it happened to be available second hand at the dealer we went to..and liked it.

Most books I have found and liked have been while browsing in a bookstore-Landmark, Crossword, Book Bargain Hut, Gangaram's, Blossoms, Sapna, Book Worm, WH Smith, etc..(happened to buy 3 today at one of these). Happy coincidences happen all the time, like meeting your friends, students, or anyone at all, when you least expect it..in a mall, in a corridor, or on the street. A lot of things can happen over coffee, or tea, or beer,..

Coincidences

Coincidences play a big role in our lives. Pleasant surprises abound when you have been in the teaching line for a couple of decades. I ran into a few readers of my books in a faculty workshop I was addressing at Delhi, which I have got used to by now. My attempt to demystify one of the highly mystical subjects- marketing research and the statistical mumbo-jumbo it involves, have paid off a bit, if these readers are to be believed.

Then, I met a few youngsters who work for Arvind Retail, which is headed by a classmate, J. Suresh, at an executive development program. We discussed apparel marketing and the various brands of them that Arvind sells in India, some through international tie-ups and some their own. They also run the Mega Mart stores in India.

Then, at the airport, I met a former colleague who worked at Kirloskar Institute of Management, Harihar. He is now into his own freelance training and consulting business. We were able to discuss many things, including the state of management education in the country, which is passing through a stress test. Of course, the good institutions have nothing to fear. But an inevitable churn is on, like the amrut manthan in mythology.

Destined to spend more time in Delhi for an accreditation workshop soon.