The Angry Young Man Within!

 To begin with the main discussion I want to state something which my brother conveyed to me which in turn was conveyed by one of his personality architect. He told that it often happens in life that we frame an image of a person in mind and then at any occurrence of any incident in future we try to fit in that image of his with that incident.

 Now to bring up the substance of the discussion I feel that people often regard me as an angry young man(that's what I perceive) who is ready to take up fight with anyone. Today I had a discussion with one of my best friend that what is the way to deal with issues perturbing you, I had the view that if anything is hurting you then you should make him/her realize the mistake that it is hurting you or tell there's something wrong in what he/she is doing. Earlier I had a discussion with my mother also that why is it that people misunderstand me and take me as a very angry person while all that I want is to make a discipline in this world.

 I believe that there should be harmony in this world and all people who are doing anything wrong to anyone should be brought to justice. You may call me a maniac, an extremist, but that's how I am. All people whom I interact with tell me one thing - YOU CANNOT CHANGE THIS WORLD ALONE, and I am always questioning this to them, the God and myself - WHY!!!

 Why can we not change things alone, why do we need to listen to people or ignore them and not go against the grain, will it not be our weakness?! Should we not keep so much confidence in our heart that we can make a difference to this world? That's how the world is! - A universal reply from all!

 The urge for justice has not developed suddenly, it was with me since childhood, I have had my own ways of protest and I didn't cared if on the receiving side was my friend, my parents or my enemy(There's no enemy in this world for me, more talks on this any other time). I remember my parents used to ask me to switch off the lights and fan whenever I left any room, and I always did, but the main thing which annoyed me was the fact that my brother mostly forgot to do the same and my parents were not so much concerned with it. Then to make them realize that it was incorrect I used to switch on all the fan and lights and even the geyser and stuff. I wanted that rules should be equal to all! I was way too stubborn.

 Equality is what I have always valued in life, equality to me as well as equality for anyone who is not much related to me. Take for example the sikkim trip which I recently had with my parents. We were coming from Pelling to Gangtok on a sumo. The driver was a nice and innocent person who made every effort to make our journey a comfortable one. As soon as we arrived in town papa asked the driver to drop us at the hotel, but the driver refused politely saying that the discipline of the town didn't allow the vehicles from Pelling to stop alongside road and they were only allowed to stop at Pelling stop. But my father was quite reluctant to hear this logic and became angry, I said to papa to relax down but that didn't stop his anger. The driver also said that if he will stop then he would have to pay a hefty fine(500/- something), then anyhow we arrived at the Pelling stop and the poor driver even said and did pay Rs. 100/- for a taxi to drop us at the hotel. Then it happened few days later that Papa was angry at mother and me also due to some reason. I asked papa that he had hurted the poor driver also while he was just doing his duty, the humiliation he had to suffer was not prudent. And I as a method of protest didn't speak a word for next two days. we were in Siliguri and I stayed alone at the hotel, all I asked papa and was adamant at was to apologize from that driver who was just doing his duty. And we did notice that rules and regulations were just flawlessly implemented in Sikkim as far as traffic is concerned!

 I have also got into altercation with police inspectors. It happened so that I parked car at Lucknow Railway Station along with some other cars(mostly had red beacons), when we returned after leaving a guest we found our car missing. To cut short the police inspector had taken the car in custody because it was  parked at no parking. Then I by my usual impulsive and angry nature demanded to show any "no parking" signal where we parked, I also asked that how the heck the red beacon cars were allowed to stand there while ours were taken away! When things deteriorated and it was looking clear that he was in mood to demand money he asked my parents to make me silent but I shouted by saying "agar hum chup ho jayenge to aap jaise corrupt log desh ko barbaad kar denge!" (if I will be silent then corrupt people like you will spoil the nation!). Later Papa asked me to leave and told he will 'handle' the situation himself.

 Then I also once had altercation with our school chemistry Ma'am who supposedly mentioned the practical date in her coaching and I on the practical date didn't knew about the same and hence didn't bring the lab apron. I was not allowed to take the practical and when I told the coaching fact it made her angry and she asked me that whol told me about the same. When she was adament on her stance and was leaving for staircase I shouted at her and demanded "aap mera practical lengi ya nahin?" (you wil allow me to take practical or not?)

 Also I remember an instance where a drug peddler was distributing drugs on rickshaw to few people and when I saw the same I told mom that we should inform police, my mom denied and told to be silent about it. For last couple of years I also didn't talk to my grandmother, the reason was she had given some sweets to the house helper on the paper which I threw in the dustbin, I demanded an answer as to why the poor helper was given sweets in that dirty paper, when that person has life then she should be treated in a humane way.

 I also many a times asked papa that I didn't wanted any plot by my name in noida which later came into limelight in news(I won't elaborate on this one as it would get controversial, but the crux is what is wrong, is WRONG, no matter if I am the beneficiary!)

 When I came into L.B.S.I.M. things were no exception, the resistance continued. When immature behavior was shown by some classmates then I asked why the projector, the screen, etc is manhandled and on the other hand you students say that 'infrastructure is lacking', when you have been given good infrastructure then you need to respect it. On another instance I asked on receiving a sports club mail that the contact number should be provided to help a person contact the required person, (the mail was asking to give names for some sports event and the contact number of the required person was not provided). I was as polite as I could, but all that I received was a 'reply to all' from a student that why I am poking my nose at everyone's business!

 Once a student wrote on my facebook wall some words of abuse, now I didn't want to abuse by using same derogatory language style so instead asked my friends to convey well wishes to him to 'get well soon'!

 These issues are just a handful of sand out of the vast desert. I always want that people should know where they are wrong and they should accept their mistakes, It's not that I have had a clean life all throughout, I also have gone wrong many a times in my life and I am ready to learn from my mistakes. I want people should be in their limits when it is about enjoying and having fun and the thin line should not be crossed to hurt and demean anyone.

 When I was too much perturbed I also went and talked with my mentor, I asked that why it happens that you want to correct the system and it happens that people starts getting against you, and she told this wonderful story(just writing the crux):
Once husband wife were going to a place with their bull.
People laughed 'they have a bull and still walking'!, Now husband gets on top of bull>
People laughed 'poor lady is made to walk, how torturous of her husband'!, Now Husband gets down and lady gets on top of bull>
People exclaimed 'What a pativrata nari(husband respecting lady), she does not even care for her husband', now both of them gets on top of bull>
People laughed 'what a torture to the poor animal'!!!

So the fact is people would try to put you down no matter what you do and the image people have in mind of you is all what they will try to fit you into with future events. Anyhow, I don't know whether this resistance is gonna end or not and whether the 'firebrand' Ankit Bhatia will get cooled down ever or not! Last but not the least I urge people to be more humane, believe in self respect of others and the feeling of Equality, Sincerity and honesty should be present in life. And we should be striving for improving things rather than 'chalta hai' attitude!

 Let's make the world a better place, It's we who have to change the system for a good! And I can't help if people see me as an 'angry young man' because they really have not seen my soft side as yet! If I work anywhere or study anywhere than it is like my family and I will do anything possible for the betterment of that place...

May God be with all,

-Ankit Bhatia

The Quote collection

This post is dedicated for the quotes which I find enough fascinating to make them listed over here:

Both optimists and pessimists contribute to the society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute.

People smile at me coz I am different,
I smile at them coz they are all just the same.

Tendulkar: I have said this before, defeats do not depress me. They motivate me.

Why I became a CR!

For my classmates - who ask me why I became a CR, please see this!
For my friends - who ask why I am out of touch for so long please see this!
For other people who would just like to read something new - please read this!

  Often my classmates ask me that why I became CR (acronym for class representative) when I keep complaining about the workload. Well the answer is not a sentence but is the whole duration of my college life, to be precise the answer starts from day one of my college life i.e. 14 June 2010.

 We came to college and we were asked in case anyone would like to be the CR. I always kept in my heart a want to hold a position to represent my class but because I never knew if I would do justice to the role hence never gave it a shot. Meanwhile Amit and Ankita gave their nod to be the CR post. So here we are! - 2 CRs brimming with energy with a vision in their eyes.

 As soon as a class got over I used to take material from the class computer to make my material archive. Because I used to take backup of the study material regularly some of my classmates requested to send them a copy as well, if somebody expects me to help them it is my pleasure to help them, hence I never used to disappoint them and sent a copy to anyone who requested. Soon I made an email list and LBSIMXCHANGE group to share the material.

 I remember helpless Amit used to listen to complaints of Teachers that such and such work assigned was not done by him and he gave these miserable cute looks! Especially I remember how Asha Tiwari Ma'am used to leg pull him! I often thought there should be some brownie points for such a post when you do your work as well as help your classmates and get ridiculed in return. Whenever there was something that the classmates didn't receive that they were to get (email, photocopies, etc) 50+ voices echoed with the name in sync "amit, amit, amit!!!" Earlier I also told Amit that in case ever he needed my help then I am there to support him.

 So the story becomes this: A burdened CR, and me taking study material and distributing it to students! Later Amit resigned from being a CR, he told me that "saara kaam to tu karta hai fir meri zarurat kya hai", but somewhere I think it was the humiliation and the workload because of which he gave up.

 But as they say the life moves on, hence, our course coordinator Ashish Garg Sir had to choose another CR. He called me into his cabin and said you have to be the CR now as the students have mentioned your name. I thought if my classmates think I can help them then it would be a privilege for me to be the CR. I always gave my 100% to do justice to my job. From material backup, to taking photocopies, to mediate with the teachers, to making spreadsheets, to managing supplies needed in class, to attending phone calls at 2:30 A.M. in the night I gave my full effort. Sometimes I even had to shell out of my pocket for taking the photocopies done.

 I preferred forwarding the emails or uploading the material at the group. But soon classmates urged to do both which added to my irritation, combined with the request by few(who have habit of deleting their emails) that please send so and so material or email again! Now I had to hunt from my long list of emails that email that contained the information or material. Often teachers asked me to collect group PPTs and send it across the class / Get a form filled by students, but to my dismay is I have to ask them, then remind them and then remind them again and then also the work was not even 80% done!

 I lay there, overburdened with guilt in my heart that I was not able to give sufficient time for my group work and also to my studies / friends / desires! Often friends complained that I had forgotten them! And there were also classmates whom I devoted so much time but still they said I never give them time! Even my parents used to say I talked only once in a blue moon, now that's the last thing you would like to hear from your parents.

 When it was getting over my head I requested Ashish Sir to make a Co-CR(it was a mystery if any co-CR existed!), but he did not make one and said that you only have to forward my emails, he said if two CRs will be made then none of the two will do the work. I also fractured my leg few months back and I always felt somebody would get up and say I would bring it for you but Delhi is such a bad place to expect tehzeeb and 'pehle aap' culture!(Missing lucknow!). When even my friends didn't get up for a helping hand my grief was turned into sorrow!

 Soon I began being irritated over things, and phrases such as "Ankit you don't even take responsibility" made me erupting with anger (later I apologized), Somebody's anger was often ejected at some innocent targets (many a time at parents too). I used to talk with my brother and sister-in-law that what can be done with such a responsibility in which one might even spoil his career, where students expect to be spoon feeded and there are no self initiatives (and then we call ourselves MBAs)!

 Now one fine evening call of our Management Grid's Vice-President came (Student body), he asked me to make an sms sending group (eg way2sms), I apologized as I was barely making my ends meet as far as time is concerned, for forming such a group you have to make a form, take numbers from all and then feed one by one into the account (it's another matter that I took a self initiative to take addresses and contact numbers of students few days back). I requested the person that I can give the contact numbers and he can form the group but he gave negative answer. Earlier Amit used to send sms but Amit said that he has deleted the account or something like that. When I asked why don't he being the vice-president kindly do the concerned job himself he cornered by saying he does not have enough time for the same. When I told him I too do not have enough time for myself and I am not even able to dedicate time to my group and my studies he retaliated by saying things such as "tu CR bana hi kyon / ya to kaam kar ya resign kar / ye saare CR ke hi kaam hote hain", anyhow I asked him to delegate the work but his stance stay unbeaten! He was sounding more 'bossy' then a leader of students (leader: ‘A person who rules, guides or inspires others'), he asked me to talk to Ashish Sir to resign as a CR!

 So when it was too much for me to bear in return for the effort I was giving I called up Ashish Sir and told I want to leave the post, Ashish Sir was sympathetic and told that he has made me a CR for his convenience and that I was not bound to obey all the requirements of others, if I quote he said that I am not a servant of anyone. That healed my anger to some extent; I shot a mail to students and teachers telling I will only be responsible for forwarding of emails and for managing the class related supplies.

 As the new trimester started so started with it a new challenge, with challenges guilt also increases. As God has recently gifted me a niece I often feel guilty that I am not able to spend time with her. And as it is with me I never hide from responsibilities but I do not like to spoon feed people. I am impulsive hence erupt with emotions easily. And believe me Delhi is a very different place as compared to Lucknow as far as Sharing of work is concerned. There have been instances of groups having material in advance (from which tests will be conducted) but they keep to themselves, cheating is another issue, many more issues which can get more controversies started if I state them here. I am a fighter who sees positivity in negativity, people often say that I talk much negative but unless you recognize the negativity around you, you can never improve the things

 Ahh, the topic is now going wayward so I better end it here, the summary is I am the sole CR of the class burdened with work(other sections have 2) and with plenty of hiccups every now and then, people didn't knew why I became a CR so I hope this write-up would do the justice for that one! This article is some sort of R.T.I. for me!

 May God be with all,
Ankit Bhatia

PS1: This article is not to defame anyone, nor it is about demeaning my classmates, it's about looking at our mistakes and leaning from them / putting ourselves in other's shoe and excelling by taking initiatives rather than relying upon someone! And blogging is my passion to mention about my life so it's nothing about taking revenge as a comment mentioned!

PS2: I am not in a position to read the article all over again so please email to me if you find any grammatical mistake in the article.

Errata and Apologize: Our Dear friend Amit and his mates have told that Amit Resigned not because of workload but due to lack of work as CR, In this blog I presumed that he resigned due to workload so I apologize for the same.

 And also I re-iterate that this blog is my personal space and I have 'Every Right' to write about my life, it's right according to me as far as it's pure facts!

The mystery search for mom's childhood friend...

 Think for a moment how would you feel when you get a chance to meet or hear voice of any of your old childhood friend in a sudden encounter which you never expected to happen. With youngsters the time period can be relatively short, but think of elder people getting to greet their pals after a gap of tens of years, for most of us we can only think what may happen, but the feeling is indeed very unparalleled for the old buddies.

 A few days ago while I surfing as usual on the Social portals my mother teased me and said that you youngsters search and meet your old friends, if your social portals and Internet really have so much potential then show me if you can make me meet my old friend. Her tone was not in a serious way but just a playful vexation. But somehow it made my adrenaline flow and I thought of it as a challenge, I would really feel proud if I made my mom meet her friend after about 20-25 years.

 So the search began..., searched aunty's name on Orkut and Facebook only to find one match which could come closest to the description, but my mom said the profile picture does not match the image of her she had in her mind, I just sent a short note to that profile in case it was what we were searching for and asked to revert back.

 In the mean time my mother hunted the old directories and provided me an address of her friend which in the end proved to be inaccurate. I began googling with aunty's name and when it got no result I tried uncle's name only with no luck. I tried the soft version of the Pune directory and searched for the surname, society, road, localities, tried all sorts of permutation and combination but it yielded no favourable results. Every failure produced a new desire to bounce back and prove the power of technology to my mom and of course my shrewd way of tackling things :D .

 When one way gets closed other ways open, it is only that once we have decided our destination that we get to know the path, I have chosen my destination, and when the usual path closed I was game for the harder path. Now instead of searching for aunty's number I began calling people in her locality with the help of the directory, because the address was inaccurate(I got to know that after all this searching procedure) I did get a few failures, also some people were speaking in marathi which made it difficult to interpret. Somehow one gentleman said that you called in the right society but the building is different, he said that I should call in half an hour and he would somehow get the contact number from the flat I intended to convey my message to. Another lady said that I called in the right building and she noted my number and said she would give the number to her, she also said that it would be difficult for her to give the mobile number as she didn't want any breach of privacy which was quite acceptable to us.

 After all the drama and elapses of time and so many calls finally our landline rang about 1-2 hours afterwards, Mom picked the phone upstairs and I rushed to see the scene, what I could hear were mirthful laughter mixed with a dash of nostalgia. I could decipher it all, finally the search and the hard work proved fruitful. After all the conversation between the duo I got a chance to talk to aunty, she was very elated from what I could make with her voice. She blessed me so much that I began blushing. It was quite an honour for me :)

 I talked to her son afterwards and we linked our facebook profiles, he uploaded snaps of aunty which I showed to my mother, she began comparing them with the photo she had with her since long ago!... I enjoyed each and every part of this mystery search :)


May God be with you all,
Ankit Bhatia