Juxtaposition

It has been more than 10 months since I last wrote. 

What can I say, life has thrown a lot of experiences at me. While I have caught some of them deftly, some others have hit me hard. 

Personally, I am at peace. Most emotions seem sorted out, clarity of space both outside and within...

However, living by myself for prolonged periods of time has rendered me slightly difficult to share living space with others. I always found solace in singularity. And living with loved ones at closed quarters after 11 years threw it all out of the window. I am yet to come to terms with it... Hope the closure comes soon. 

Professionally, I have absorbed an ocean of knowledge in the past year. From a technical noob I have transformed into an assistant manager somehow. The journey, however brief, had its own share of bumps and potholes.

An experience worth sharing was the personal interview I faced after applying for Post Graduate Programme in Management for Executives (PGPX) at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA).

It all started with my GRE score of 322/340. After submitting the essays online, I got the call for an interview at the prestigious Radisson Blu Plaza near Delhi Airport. 

Dressed in a plain white shirt, dark blue trousers and black Brogues, I arrived at the venue armed with my one-page CV. 

A senior professor (P1) who was coordinating the process took my signature on the attendance sheet and asked me to wait to be called.

Me: Sir, will you please tell me the name of the professors on the interview panel inside?

P1: Why do you want to know?

Me: I have a little trouble of remembering names the first time. If you would be so kind to tell me once beforehand, I may not fumble during the interview. 

P1: (smiles amicably) You'll get to know them inside. (gestures me to wait in the lobby)

I head to the nearest washroom and double-check my hair, for I have a history of unfortunate hairstyles on the most important of occasions. Everything in place, I winked at myself and appreciated the plumbing & fixtures, contemplating whether or not to pocket the hand towels. 

Sitting outside for about 20 minutes, I spend the time clicking an impressive selfie. 

Even I was amazed by the tranquility on my face! Check it out: 

The other candidates were mostly dressed in three-piece suits, making me feel a tad nervous about appearing for the interview dressed as an undergraduate. 

P1 called me and another guy inside. I was to be the second candidate to be interviewed. 

The first candidate spent about 25 minutes inside and came out looking pretty damn pleased with himself. I tried to ask him about the interview questions but he was instructed to vacate the hotel premises immediately and not talk to the candidates on his way out. 

I was called inside thereafter. There were two professors seated on the panel. The first one was the senior professor (P2) while the second one seemed quite young (P3). 

P2: Good afternoon Akshat! Please take a seat.

Me: Good afternoon sirs! Thank you.

P3: So Akshat, you are working for Maruti Suzuki. That's just down the road.

Me: Yes sir. However, I am posted in Mumbai since January. 

P3: Oh! You've come all the way from Mumbai. Good. (goes on to ask me about my current work responsibilities)

Me: (answer concisely but with substantial information)

P3: (asks me about my views on some policies and guidelines)

Me: (present my views in an honest way while justifying myself politely)

P2: Where else have you applied? What about ISB?

Me: Not applied anywhere else, sir. The deadline for ISB is after 8 days. I will be applying for that after this interview process is finished. 

P3: If you had to choose between PGPX at IIM-A and PGP at ISB, which would you choose?

Me: Sir, I will choose IIM-A.

P3: Why so?

Me: Sir, the brand value of IIM-A is better than ISB in India. Also, PGPX at IIM-A is much more cost-effective for me. (discuss with him about the programme fee at both the institutes)

P3: So, brand value and cost-effectiveness, these are your criteria for selecting IIM-A over ISB?

Me: Yes sir. 

P2: (asks about my roles & responsibilities in Honda)

Me: (answers concisely and clarify a technical concept related to market quality)
P3: Why do you want to go for MBA?
Me: Sir, I started my career at Honda in a purely technical role in Market Quality. When I moved on to Maruti Suzuki, my role was more inclined towards commercial aspects of the dealership business. I struggled immensely trying to gauge the profitability of such a business and the discussions with dealer owners were not as fruitful as they could have been if I was well-versed. Balance-sheets and cash flow statements flew straight over my head while schemes development on my part had numerous glitches. My scope got limited due lack of certain skills and knowledge about how a business organisation functions. Hence, I need to reinvent myself through an MBA programme.
P2: Akshat, what are your hobbies?
Me: Sir, I like to swim, play soccer and watch movies. I also read at times. 
P2: Tell me about the recent movies you watched.
Me: Sir, most recently I watched 'Newton'. Before that I watched 'Bareily ki Barfi'.
P2: What is your take on 'Bareily ki Barfi'?
Me: It was a subtle and clean comedy. I thoroughly enjoyed that movie Sir. 
P2: Explain the subtle and clean comedy bit.
Me: Sir, by subtle I am implying that the humor was not very in-your-face. It has some great and humorous underpinnings without resorting to toilet humor. Also, the particular scene wherein the underdog suddenly transforms into a Lucknowi street thug and silences the traffic behind him is very impactful.
P2: Have you watched '3 Idiots' and 'Dangal'? What do you think about those movies?
Me: Yes Sir, I have watched both. As a movie, '3 Idiots' was highly enjoyable but I did not really believe it was relatable to the average Indian student to a great extent, which I believe was the intent. 'Dangal' was a highly inspiring movie which has a person going against his beliefs and community to train his daughters in a patriarchal society and flourishes brilliantly despite numerous odds. And the after-effect of that struggle is that the mindset of the entire community is changed for the better. 
P2: Why do you think these movies got popularity in China?
Me: Sir, I believe that both these movies connect with the person who is leading a simple lifes and has high aspirations. While the first one connects with students in a cut-throat competition of academia, the latter connects with every person who has been at odds with themselves and their environment in their struggle for success. Both these themes might have resonated perfectly with the Chinese populace and touched all the right chords of their predicaments in that regime. 
P3: Well Akshat, that concludes our discussion. Do you have any questions for us?
Me: Sir, may I know your names first? (smiling sheepishly)
P2: I am *********** and he is Dr. *********.
Me: Thank you Sir. Also, is there any way to score a scholarship or financial aid in this programme?
P2: (trying not to smile too much) Well, there's deferment. You can request for that if you need some time to arrange funds. As for scholarship, that will be possible after you start the program and depends mostly on your academic performance. 
Me: Thank you Sir. 
P2 & P3: Thank you for coming Akshat. It was great talking to you. 

I exit the chamber and meet P1. 

Me: Sir, when will the results be declared?
P1: (smiling heartily) You haven't checked the website, have you?
Me: Not that part Sir. (smiling uneasily)
P1: November 11th. 
Me: Thanks a lot Sir. I will greet you on campus then.
P1: Perhaps. 

Meeting these professors was itself an enriching experience. Their clarity of thought and calm persona made me completely at ease with myself and with the process.

Well, that was it folks. The results were declared a week before the deadline and somehow I was in. 

Now, I need a lot of prayers before I start the programme and make the best of it :)

PS - I forgot to mention the extempore part of the interview. 
Picking up a topic from a paper slip in a glass bowl, I was given one minute to think and then two minutes to speak on Demonetisation. 
I presented one positive effect, one negative effect and one ambiguity about the same.
Glad to see they didn't laugh me out of the chamber :P