When I joined my company after been selected through the campus placement, I had an induction program at Mumbai. There we were supposed to get our final locations. Eagerly waiting throughout the program schedule, with various rumors about the prospective projects and foreign locations/trips, our HR team finally announced the locations and the projects on the last day of the program, in which around 150 bright MBAs were placed. I was among those 10 brightest people who were just given the project (rural project, which meant our passports had to be buried deep under in our suitcases and the dream of foreign locations had to be thrown away in a trash) and to get the locations, we had to wait for another 2 days for some Mr. Paddy (Padmanabhan Iyer) who was to allocate us our locations.
After much waiting the day and the moment arrived. Mr. Paddy (SGM of our company) announced, “Nikita, with your specialization in Operations, I think you would be fit for Business Operations profile and you would be based out of Chennai”. CHENNAI !!!!!!! Of course, I admit that while giving placement interview for the company I said to the interview panel that I have absolutely no issues to base myself anywhere (in or out of India), but Chennai !!!!!! Did the panel actually told the HR team about my mobility?
I could not concentrate thereafter on what the gentleman was speaking and talking about. Hundreds of questions were racing in my mind. How far is Chennai from Jaipur/Hyderabad (where my brother stays)? How often will I be able to visit home? Have heard about its very bad climate, is that true? How will I manage there with the language? Do I have any relative there? Why can I not be based out of, say, Delhi or Mumbai.. Phew...
I could not help myself but I sent an sms to papa stating that my worst fear has come true. I am going to Chennai. I waited for his reply. But nothing. As soon as I came out of that meeting room, I called him up and then realized that I had forgotten that next day was my cousin's wedding and my parents were busy there. Well, now it can't be changed. I took a flight to Jaipur (to attend the wedding), meet one prospective girl for my elder brother (who is now my bhabhi) and crib about the company and their unfair criteria of placing the people in projects and giving locations. Finally on 15th of May, 2008 I landed up at Chennai, where very fortunately, I found one of my cousin, Nandita Di. She came to pick me up at the airport and dropped me at the company Guest house. If she would not have been there, believe me, I might have gone mad in this alien city, which is nothing less than a foreign city for me, because of the language, food, people, living style, and climate.
For my roller-coaster stay at Chennai, keep watching this space...Cheers !!!!!!
After much waiting the day and the moment arrived. Mr. Paddy (SGM of our company) announced, “Nikita, with your specialization in Operations, I think you would be fit for Business Operations profile and you would be based out of Chennai”. CHENNAI !!!!!!! Of course, I admit that while giving placement interview for the company I said to the interview panel that I have absolutely no issues to base myself anywhere (in or out of India), but Chennai !!!!!! Did the panel actually told the HR team about my mobility?
I could not concentrate thereafter on what the gentleman was speaking and talking about. Hundreds of questions were racing in my mind. How far is Chennai from Jaipur/Hyderabad (where my brother stays)? How often will I be able to visit home? Have heard about its very bad climate, is that true? How will I manage there with the language? Do I have any relative there? Why can I not be based out of, say, Delhi or Mumbai.. Phew...
I could not help myself but I sent an sms to papa stating that my worst fear has come true. I am going to Chennai. I waited for his reply. But nothing. As soon as I came out of that meeting room, I called him up and then realized that I had forgotten that next day was my cousin's wedding and my parents were busy there. Well, now it can't be changed. I took a flight to Jaipur (to attend the wedding), meet one prospective girl for my elder brother (who is now my bhabhi) and crib about the company and their unfair criteria of placing the people in projects and giving locations. Finally on 15th of May, 2008 I landed up at Chennai, where very fortunately, I found one of my cousin, Nandita Di. She came to pick me up at the airport and dropped me at the company Guest house. If she would not have been there, believe me, I might have gone mad in this alien city, which is nothing less than a foreign city for me, because of the language, food, people, living style, and climate.
For my roller-coaster stay at Chennai, keep watching this space...Cheers !!!!!!
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