My stint in MBA

This was a marketing research firm founded by three IIM Ahmedabad alumni. The MBA stood for Marketing and Business Associates. I joined them in Bangalore, and we had an office in Benson Town, which I usually reached by crossing the railway tracks from Coles Park.

It was a very comfortable workplace. Being mostly MBA-populated, it was easy to understand the jargon. It was also a very open workplace, with ideas exchanged freely, and the language used was informal-everyone was on first name basis. My three bosses were Matthew Paul, CK (Sharma), and Shyam (Sundar) later in Mumbai. I also met Karopadi (Karo) who was an alum of IIM Calcutta, and Muthu, who was from XLRI.

Our work comprised executing marketing research projects. One of the first assignments had me going to Coonoor to survey tea estates and Potato farmers for a client who manufactured plant nutrient sprays. I had to estimate demand for it. An excellent chance to see some of the finest parts of the Nilagiri mountains. I took buses, mostly (I was on a budget), so I could experience life like a local, and also took a train ride for fun. The tea estate guys were mostly welcoming, and had a chat regarding what I wanted without much fuss.

Another assignment for a client sent me off on a meeting with Power plant managers, and those from fertilizer and chemical industries. I went as far as Tuticorin (SPIC had a factory there), and tried to assess interest in some pollution control equipment. The old IPCL plant in Baroda was also one that I visited.

In other sectors, we did projects for ready-made chapatis, and fabric softeners, and for soaps with additives like Tulsi and coconut oil (for WIPRO). HDFC was also a client for one of their husing finance schemes (this was later, when I moved to Bombay with their Worli office, behind Glaxo). We also did a project for Trikaya, where my client's name was Armaity Cabinetmaker-no less than Almighty for us!

Very interesting work, and great learning, till the call for a Ph.D. came and put a stop to it- I still use the war stories!!

Round of Some IIMs

I was out on a mission (possible?) of meeting potential faculty candidates for the IMT group. My quest took me to IIM Calcutta and IIM Bangalore this week. Shreyashi, an alum of IMT Nagpur from 2010, is doing her FPM (PhD, coded in language that Pakistan can't understand) from IIMC. Through her, met a lot of her colleagues doing their FPM, while enjoying the campus ambience of theirs-had not been for a while, since my faculty days at IIMK and IIML. Managed to generate some interest in applying to IMT group among them.

I then moved to my alma mater for a similar meet with FPM students there. Had a fruitful meeting with half-a-dozen budding Fellows. Not as in 'He's a jolly good, fellow', but a 'Fellow' Fellow. Anyway, there is a huge shortage of good faculty members in management, and it is going to be there for a while. Industry folks are interested, at times, but don't always have the skills-or the will to acquire a PhD. Anyone listening, interested, please apply.

By the way, Santa must be around the corner,waiting to shower presents on us. Merry Christmas, to anyone who believes in him. You should, if he brings you gifts.

Kolkata, Ambassadors and Kenilworth

Had a nice alumni meet at Kenilworth, Kolkata, on Saturday evening. There are a lot of positives about Kolkata. One, the food is usually good. At Kenilworth, it was very good. At Peerless Inn where we stayed, the breakfast spread was equally good.

There is a sense of being in a historic place whenever I visit Kolkata. The British-era buildings and the Victoria Memorial have a charm of their own. The quaint Ambassador taxis all around you are actually comfortable to sit in, though mostly without air-conditioning.

Also met an alumna who is on her way to getting an FPM (PhD equivalent) from IIM Calcutta. Good conversations, with lots of corporate alumni, and some entrepreneurs into Jute and other businesses. As usual, closed around midnight.

Read a recent Khushwant Singh book on the flight back. He has a simple,direct style free of too many complicated words, which is quite appealing and has made him a popular writer. His views about life and its major constituent- the quest for happiness, are worth a read. He has a chapter on happiness in this book, written when he is 95. Amazing enough to be alive and kicking at that age!