My First Trip to Assam

 During my summer internship, in 1983, I first went to Assam, all the way to Tinsukia near Dibrugarh. And stayed there for 3-4 days to survey some plywood manufacturers for my employer, Widia. This was an amazing experience. My first foray into the North East. It was green. Lots of wooden homes were built on stilts to stay safe from flood water, I am guessing. Very welcoming people, and simple food available at the roadside eateries.. dal, rice and a vegetable, accompanied by a green chili. 

I went by shared transport of any kind that I could find, and visited some places with exotic names like Margherita and Doom Dooma, as part of my job. 

Later, I visited IIT Guwahati once, and loved the campus. Not the humidity, though. Also went and saw the Bramhaputra river at a spot nearby. In between, we did go for some admission work at Guwahati. 

My first flight ever was from the first trip too- Dibrugarh to Kolkata.

Meetings with Students Past

Sometimes your students give you pleasant surprises..so it was this Saturday. Anupriya, a past student of IMT Nagpur 9/11 batch, came home at IIm Indore. We have met a few times elsewhere, but for the first time here. She's currently with Relaxo footwear, in marketing.

It was great catching up- Jayasimha has also taught her, and we did some photography at his place and on campus spots-

 My office (above) and Jayasimha's garden (below).

..and before the weekend was out, I got another pleasant surprise from Akash Gupta, IIM Indore  '17 batch, who turned up at the (make-shift) Golf course on campus..we played some Golf, chatted some more..

So, in all, a weekend well-spent. I also went to the inauguration of our brand new MBA-H.R. program this Saturday..more on that later.

Obama Visits India, I Visit Timbuktu

Inspired by all the visits by Heads of State, and the Pope, I decided I would visit some place. It had to be unique, but known to people somehow. There were only two such places- Jhumritalaiya, made famous by all the farmaishes (song requests on radio) and Timbuktu. Given that the former was too 'middle class' and infra dig, I settled on Timbuktu.

I had to work hard at finding out how to actually get there, but once I did, I got a hero's welcome. I was told that I was the first visitor from this continent to actually go there. I felt like I had achieved something that even Obama hadn't. And at a fraction of the cost that it must be costing him. Also, saving myself from the traffic jams resulting from his visit.

I also found out how the place got its name- there was a buck-toothed guy called Tim, who everyone there made fun of, and his name over time stuck to the place itself. Tim-buck-too also, in a stroke of poetic justice, got to be spoken of derisively. Saving Jhumritalaiya the blushes.

Zuckerberg Jokes

Some innovative stuff, inspired by the Facebook founder's India visit.

Which would be his favourite Hindi film?

Jhuk gaya aasman.


His favourite song from Hindi films?

Jhuk jhuk, jhak, jhak, Bombay se Baroda tak, tum kaho gate rahe hum..


His favourite restaurant?

Zak's.


What did he do when his girlfriend ditched him?

Started playing Candy Crush Saga.


What did he say to Modi when he was told "Make in India?"

He 'made' a face.


He went to a meeting with top industrialists and celebrities. The emcee asked him about the competition.

A 'twitter' could be heard among the audience.


When Zuckerberg is tongue-tied, what does he do?

Like, you mean, like, stutter, ..like ..