IMT Meet in Pune

 It was wonderful to meet some ex-colleagues from IMT Nagpur, some students I knew and more that I did not, at the alum meet last evening at the Orchid, Pune. Alcom managed it well. 

It was good to hear and feel the nostalgia that students felt for their Alma Mater, and promising to help improve its Branding and standing in the crowd of B schools. Many alumni are now in a position to influence hiring from their companies in diverse areas, so that's an obvious way to do it. But also participating in multiple ways through doing well in your career, going back for guest lectures or taking part in admission interviews, helping with case studies, and so on.. 

Some pics-

With the 2023 batch students. Two are in Barclays, Kharadi.

Garima, now in Kotak Mahindra, Pune.

Harshad Lunavat.. and Maheswaran, below.

One of a couple.. her husband is to her right!

Another alum.

Dressing Up for Guys

 All dressed up and nowhere to go? It can happen.

Some (guys) like to embellish their look via a Kurta. With a pyjama, of course, but sometimes over Jeans.

Others like a half or inner jacket. It can come in blazing colours too, to help you blaze a trail- sartorially.

The sober types stick to formal jackets, in a sober dark colour. With a light coloured shirt.

Ties seem to be out of fashion, as executives have loosened (literally) their stranglehold on their wardrobe.

Whatever your dressing up preferences, don't forget you gotta combine it with other kinds of chutzpah- intellectual.

Starting a Youtube channel

I plan to start a Youtube channel called Chat Masala. It will feature chats, sometimes me talking to myself, and sometimes with others.

It's an experiment, like this blog was a decade or more ago. Some experiments work. This one did.

It will feature varied content, from films, music, books, travel, views about life and some undisclosed areas of expert opinions from, well.. experts.

Stay tuned, and you won't regret it.. at least, that's what I think. 

First Two Months of 2025

 We had a New Year's Eve party with a bonfire. We also had a karaoke session going in parallel. A few cousins and nephews and nieces attended, so the average age came down significantly.

Also had a trip to Indore, to take a session on Personal Branding for MBA students.

Then, we met as a group of music-minded friends for a beer and lunch in a Pune restaurant called Tipsy Turtle. Sheetal Garg visited from Mumbai, and stayed over. Rina Das we met for the first time, and Dipti Kane too. Planned another meet in August.

Last week of January was spent in Goa, mostly on Colva beach facing the sea- at the Colva Residency. This was the 40th Reunion of our MBA btach too, at nearby Benaulim. One highlight for me was visiting the Paul John Distillery in Cuncolim. Also picked up Kadamba Single Malt made in Goa.

Also, Pooja, my daughter, returned after a 3 year stay in the U.K.- hopefully wiser.

February, we had a trip to Chikhaldara for another reunion, this time of my wife's batchmates from school. Nice resort, and fun with the group, singing and dancing. 

Saw a play Baghi Albele, a comedy, at Ishanya Mall. Presented by WOPA, World of Performing Arts.

Relaxing away the rest of Feb.-it's pretty hot for Feb.

Some People Say

 Some people say that I have been doing nothing useful in all these years (not the wife, some others).

Some people say that if you enjoy your work, then it doesn't seem like work.

Some people are right- I have enjoyed what I did, mostly- teach, attend conferences in multiple places, give invited lectures, teach Golf to my students and MDP participants (outside their curriculum), write books, publish papers and case studies, help people get a Ph.D. by advising or mentoring them, and develop some people when I was in leadership positions-both faculty and assistants.

So I wasn't actually 'working'- get it? 

And bosses, I mostly ignored them. You can do so in academia, and get away with it. I had a couple of good ones, though.

Life and Beyond

 Saw the passing of an aunt this week, and heard of another from a close friend. Both were elders, and my aunt was actually in a coma induced by a stroke that happened about two months ago. 

It does make you ponder, about the ephemeral and uncertain nature of life. Accident, disease, or unexpected shocks can cause death in a very short while. Some are fortunate, and pass away in their sleep. Others suffer for some period, long or short.

In any case, we are lucky to be alive each day, and must try and make the most of it, as per our inclination, choice, and ability.

Live a life with few regrets, or none at all. My mother passed away in November 2020 after a life lived fully, with few medical issues, at around 91. We were fortunately at hand, being stuck in the COVID pandemic. 

Not to worry too much about it, but be prepared for it, both your passing and that of others. 

CBS and NBC Evening News

 Among programs we watched, 30 minutes of Evening News on the major channels were two. The anchors were pretty good, but the news was hardly global. Asia was barely mentioned. Africa, almost never. Australia, likewise. You guessed it. It was America-centric, with Mexico, Panama (!!) taking centre-stage, along with Nicaragua and sometimes, Cuba. That was it.

Tom Brokaw and Dan rather were the anchors, and did a decent job of what the editors gave them- the delivery. 

Other programs we watched included The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, who had a slew of guests of all kinds, including celebrities and others. His initial monologue was usually fun, poking fun at Presidents, Vice Presidents and everyone who could be targeted.