Between friends...

Disclaimer: This story is not based on anyone living or dead. Any resemblance, whatsoever, of anyone, with any character in the story is purely coincidental.

“But you know… when the day comes and I say those three words… she’s going to be mine”, said Shailesh. “How can you even think that she’ll ever be yours… one day soon I’ll go and tell her everything and then on… she’ll be all mine”, said Naresh. “You guys can go on saying all that you want… ‘cause you know and I know what the end is going to be like”, said Utkarsh and then it was the turn of Prakash and thus continued the rounds of ruminations between this group of best friends. This was a peculiar set of people… they had a lot in common… studying in the same college, in the same class… but the strongest thing that bound then was that they were all in love with the same girl. When they were together it looked as if there is nothing else these people think of or do… whole of the world revolved around her. No one took her name… she was just “her”… and they all lost their tongues when she was near. There were no words spoken… just the thoughts they so wished she could hear. They fought all the time and then too they were all the best of friends… and they kept on fighting… waiting for the day they would be able to say something... and thus the time went on.

May had just begun… and everything was dead still. The foursome sat on the roof top of their hostel with plastic glasses in their hands and a newspaper laid down between them. There was an air of gloom all around. No one was saying a thing… there was no time to say all that was to be said. They all just wanted to sit next to each other… quietly. This might be the last time they were sitting together… and it would soon be when they would see each other maybe for the last time… graduation was three days away… There was not one word said… neither now… nor in the passed years... and it would soon be the last time when they would be able to see her. There still was the fire inside… but it seemed to be dulled by the contents of the glasses. There was so much to be said… and so less time… But then there was still some hope left inside… there were three more days to say what could not be said in three years… but hoping was all they could do.
Three days later they all found themselves dressed up in black robes and going through the ceremony… trying to listen to what was being said on the podium amidst the loud noise within… the deafening noise within. It was near… very near… then they would all be gone and all that would be left would be the memories… memories that could never get lost in the sands of time… “This cannot happen… I will not let this happen”, there was a huge noise that seemed to come from everywhere… but no one was able to hear it… except the four of them.

The evening found Shailesh standing in front of a brown door, knocking. There was a call from within and he went in… He had hardly said a word when he realized that Naresh was already standing there. There was another knock on the door and in came Utkarsh and soon Prakash too was there. All four stood there and looked at each other. “What happened… you all look like your dog’s died.” “Nothing,” said Naresh, “we just came in to say goodbye.” “Yah Goodbye,” said Shailesh and so did Naresh and Prakash. “Goodbye,” she said, “I’ll really miss you guys.”

Five minutes later they were all standing outside the door looking at each other… not knowing what to say or think. Prakash was the first one and then the rest of them followed suit. I can still remember the loud sound of laughing that followed the silence… and the heavy and teary embraces that followed. Though they still struggle to forget her… they parted friends… the bond between them stronger than it ever was.

Team trek to Rajamachi

had enough...let's get clicked

Hum paanch

V did it

cam pix ...

Hum se na takraana; kyonki... hum saath saath hain

<--to refresh those mesmerising moments

Some more... getting into mood... >

Indian Accent
The recent years have seen the image of India rise, from a country of adept snake charmers capable of magically traveling through air unseen, to a country of technical experts capable of working on problems far across the globe. This progress, though slower than it should be, is there and one cannot help but notice and marvel. As was expected, we caused panic with lazy bums everywhere apprehensive of losing their job to a relatively harder working Indian. The lethargy vanished suddenly but instead of the new found zeal being directed towards their jobs, it led to the formation of zany organizations aimed at making India look bad and giving it bad publicity. I recently heard about an American who sells bumper stickers and T-shirts denouncing outsourcing to India! I’d say he’s one of those few lazy bums who had a bit of a brain and rode this wave of general sentiment making some money at the side! Then suddenly the Indian English became so incomprehensible that the need for companies offering translation from the Indian form of the language to the international form was felt! Everyone came up with his/her own account of inadequate English on part of Indians. If someone cares I’d like to present the most innovative account award to the person who came up with the one in which upon telling a customer support representative that she’s “lost her husband” the reply was that she’d “have to look for him harder”! I personally don’t think there’s anything wrong with the Indian accent provided we can keep control of our speed. Talking to numerous people from many countries I never felt that I’m not able to get myself through to the other person. I don’t think I need an American or British of for that matter a Japanese accent, living here in Japan, for the other person to understand. What people fail to understand is that English is no more the language of only the British, Americans, Canadians, et al! It’s an international language. We Indians use it to talk to the Chinese and the Brazilians the same way we’d use it with the Americans. It’s a medium of communication and not the end. Anyone claiming to know English should know it enough to understand any accent. I often think how the Americans are able to understand the Japanese, who, incidentally, pronounce Load and Road, Writer and Righter and for that matter City and Shitty in the same way! It’s because they want to understand what they’re saying and not what we are saying. The Indian media needs to play a leading role in building a good image for India and bring out the facts and realities to the people. To make them realize how everyone stands to gain with globalization, how doing everything technology has enabled us to do today should be done to take get maximum benefit. Economy of scale is no new term. It has always been profitable for all to produce things on larger scale. Outsourcing is just an extension of economy of scale, it being production at a large scale where it can be produced large scale at lower costs. India’s huge human resources make it possible for us to do the same thing for many people more efficiently at lower costs. It’s just like the Chinese products that have taken the world by storm. Even here in Japan, big reputed companies have opted to shift production to China. It’s highly probable that when you buy the product of a Japanese company it would come with a “Made in China” label even when buying it in Japan. Why can’t a service similarly come with a “Made in India” label? The next time we give a service to someone outside India, why can’t we proclaim that the work was done in India rather than hiding the fact for fear of negative reaction? Why not build a brand India which everyone can trust, something so big and efficient that “Made in India” becomes a certification of quality? If Indians comprise of one-sixth of the worlds population, why can’t every sixth service provided be by an Indian? Stepping a little outside outsourcing appears emigration. Emigrants often get the lowest opinions, with people from other countries calling them “job stealers” and from their own country calling them “deserters”. Thankfully India is beginning to take emigration more as an export rather than a brain drain. Remittances to India stand as testimony to the fact that even after leaving the country emigrants leave their hearts in the country. Year 2001 alone saw an inflow of 9.16 billion US dollars into India in the form of remittances, with the only countries receiving higher remittances, Mexico (9.92 Billion USD) and France (9.22 USD), not being much farther ahead. Time is ripe for India to build its image as a global provider. We need to step outside the bounds of politics and international boundaries to develop our mother-land into a real super power. I don’t lie when I say that I found my Indian education more difficult than here in Japan. We have, both, people wanting to study, and places they can go to. All we need now is a direction. Unemployment in engineers and doctors shows that at this point of time we do not have need more engineering and medical schools. We need more technicians, better trained clerks and an international viewpoint. We need to open our minds understand what India wants and at the same time what the world wants. We should see scope of improvement in every complain people make about us and quiet every critic with sheer quality making them want to get the Indian accent themselves!

year end passed by from ILP(in TCS)

Hi folks,

Sorry for replying late but as dey say 'Better late than never'........As far as my reminiscience(other part of memory) goes Shubham,u left nothing to even 'chip in'
Lovely explaination; I must say...awesome job

From day 1(induction) to farewell ceremony...we did lot of sport...sometimes we got brickbats while at times accolades(though very few)
To name some- -
1) Watchin or celebrating late nyt parties(cud be b'day or anything) in Nipun's room(wetting our whistles...included) and knocking of Hotel boy on my door to thwart with warnings say...police next door or hotel owner's visit.
2) Making fun of Japnese classes(me imitating 'Watashi wa and monkey' ...included)
3) Occasional visits to roadside Tea-shop during late hours(i guess during...end term's)
4) Shouting at "Hotel Temptation's" late food serving(at time 2 roties to be shared b/w 5)...but next day (bak to sqr 1)we are again there with gloomy faces
5) Chadda asking for his "chutney"....minutes before the person serves the order(Prateek was at his best in imitating dis act).
6) Early morning "TREK" to tekno-turf with those knots on and waiting for yesterday's recap by either Mayank or Amit(was monotonous but ...v had accepted it :-)
7) Listening to Shainu's scoldings for running to T1(Mid term ratings or missing of class cos of swap in some schedule)...Preeti u must be remebering it
8) Waiting for break in Shanthi ma'am 's classes (1 coffee or ..........just a break will do)
9) Managing with Suvy's songs or Bishnoi's awesome remarks in b/w our sessions....not to be forgotten,Tiwari's spontaneous shayri,
Lovleen's late 70's songs(well sung..."uthe sabke kadam..tararum pum pum.........")
10) Small combats over the issue of AC in the class...those sitting in front(Lovleen,Preeti, Bishnoi...etc) locking horns with back benchers (Prateek, me,Kaushik, Bansal,Ranvir etc.)

Still der was much more , which were never revealed including hypothetical characters like Vampire, joota, Mr's Doubtfire etc etc...
As Preeti has already mentioned in her mail, some are in high spirits while some must be down, but frd's as said "Nothing remains permanent, except change"
so keep your tryst with destiny
At last, Happy Married life to those who have stepped in new walk of life ...Ruchi, Lovleen.....those who are engaged ...Parth, Ranvir....and finally to those from whom we'll get invitation very soon(what say...Suvy, Prateek,Neha)
Take care...n ...key in more of ur thoughts @--

--- http://crapgeek-wildimaginations.blogspot.com

chow.......