HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

It was truly a different and wonderful experience today to celebrate Independence Day of my country after so many years. It sounds strange but it is true that I was celebrating this day after a gap of around 8 to 9 years. The celebration here our academy at NACEN reminded of my school days where we used to start preparation for this big day weeks before. It used to be then practice for cultural programme, different sorts of PT, patriotic poems, songs and speeches. 14 August used be the day for full and final rehearsal and also uniform off to give us some time to make sure our uniform is all clean and shining.

We used to be so much enthusiastic about it that we used to make sure our old and regular uniform looks all new. And then on the big day, we all nicely dressed and with tricolour ribbons making formation of Indian flag used to try to present our best show. And then the sweets distributed at the end of the function used to be a reward for all our efforts.

As we moved into higher classes, all these activities reduced down slowly and slowly and then with the start of the college, it just became any other holiday for us. And if some year we feel a bit more patriotic, then it would be watching flag hoisting ceremony on TV or sending Independence Day wishes by sms.

I really think why this happens that we celebrate all other Indian festivals which are generally associated with birth of some God or other but when it comes to celebrating birth day of our own country, we become to indifferent to it. We even don’t know that reasons of all other Indian festivals are true or might be these are just mythological stories, but we know that reason associated with this day is something very substantial and has given us a chance to live with freedom. So this day is much bigger for us than just a holiday.

As an officer of Govt of India, this was my first Independence Day and being in police uniform made it more special.  When we gave salute to our national flag as it was unfurled and national anthem was sung, it was all together a unique feeling. And I am sure I felt happier than any other year when I just spent this day treating it only as a holiday. I just wish that I get the opportunity to celebrate this day in this manner every year!!

5 Years Completed

It seems as if it just happened yesterday when I started with my father from my home and left for Noida to join my first job. It was similar to when a little girl goes to school for the first time holding her father’s hand. When I look back, it has been 5 years. 5 years of my professional life…. And I don’t know why but I somehow feel proud of this ‘mere fact’

 On this day 5 years ago, I stepped into the so called professional world. A step for independence, to prove myself, to live life in my own way, to get a feel of outside world and most importantly, to earn some money and buy everything ‘on the list’.

Not all but yes, some of these I have definitely got and may be not fully but yes, partially.

It was July 2007, perfect rainy season in Noida and then there was much more….A newly built Air conditioned guest house with delicious food, Cab for pick & drop, Office building like a 5-star hotel, freedom to leave training sessions at any time, availability of tea, coffee, biscuits all the time. I know these things are small or I should say very very small but it was enough to make a young college graduate feel privileged and happy J

Along with these good things, there started many struggles which continued for next 4 years. Struggle for searching a flat and then trying all the means for it - browsing classifieds, calling property dealers, go to check the available flats, sometimes looking for PGs.. Once this is done, its struggle to make this flat something like ‘Home’ – arranging furniture, setting up kitchen, looking for maid, sometimes self cooking.

Along with this, there were so many other struggles too – struggle to make new friends, to survive and feel comfortable in a team where I had the privilege of being the only female member, struggle to find something to pass my time in initial few months and after that always a struggle to steal sometime from busy office schedule for studies.

However, these years have given me a number of moments to cherish, a number of unforgettable memories, a chance to work with some of the most genius people and make good and lifetime friends.

Of these 5 years, most of it has been at Freescale with little 6 month training of IRS Customs. I am not sure whether I can count this training period as part of my professional life as I find this like a college or I should say like a schoolJ. However I think it qualifies for professional experience as it satisfies one of the most important conditions of profession – I get my salary every month

I can’t say exactly how much I have learnt in these years or how much more mature I have become. But I am sure of one thing that these experiences have made me stronger and I find myself in better conditions in handling whatever comes. I am able to adjust with the things may be because I have seen the worse things. I know to cherish the free time because I have already gone through busier schedule.

And then I am enjoying this Special day at one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. Just a perfect  ending !!

Did I aspire to become custom officer?

I don’t remember if ever in my childhood I was asked what I aspire to become in life and even if someone did, I am sure Custom Officer could never be there in my ‘to become’ list. Surprisingly that’s what I am today. So then how this really happened. I tried to figure it out one day..

The education system in which I studied, one’s interest had no relation with his/her career options or may be the system didn’t even give enough exposure to one to identify one’s interests. Performance in 10^th standard used to guide choice of optional subjects in 11^th class which in turn used to dictate availability of career options. As a rule, All toppers and so called ‘bright’ students used to opt Science (Bio or Math) and with due respect to this rule, I also did the same by opting for Science Math. Like all other Math students, I went to become an engineer with Electronics stream, the most popular stream at that time available only to the good rank holders.

I was able to keep this tag of topper and ‘bright’ student even during my college time irrespective  of whether I liked the subjects or not. This paid me in turns of getting placement in a very good company. Within few months of joining the company, I felt that I need to go one more step further to reach to a place where only ‘toppers among toppers’ reach and I could find only IAS as such field.  After 3 years of struggle, my name was there in civil service merit list with my rank making me entitled to join the prestigious Indian Revenue Services, Custom and Excise.

I don’t know how much right was my thought process. But I really feel that our education and social system makes sure that one’s career is guided by set rules like exam performances, popular sentiments etc. Students are never given any exposure to identify their career aspirations. Some are lucky to land at right place and others not. I consider myself among lucky ones!!!!

Whats ur Hobby????

When I see ppl struggling with the Hobby column in the application forms, it really makes me think why this Hobby thing is such an important part of any interview. This then becomes the most discussed topic where everyone is asking others – “Which hobby u hav mentioned? What all questions u hav prepared for it”?  Most of the ppl are then regretting that why they don’t hav even a single hobby worth mentioning in the form. Then they pick some ‘safe’ hobbies and put that in the form. Problem solved but only temporarily. The real problem arises when you have to make this ‘safe’ hobby as ‘your’ hobby. But, why so???? 

    Lets try to find out this starting with the dictionary meaning of the word ‘Hobby’.  Good, its so simple as it just says – ‘Things done is leisure for one’s own pleasure’.  But then why  this  ‘leisure-pleasure phenomenon’ suddenly becomes cause of d trouble.  It is then argued  that its an important aspect of one’ s  personality, it tells abt ur capabilities, it decides for which all assignments u wud be best suited and so on. You may get convinced or may not, doesn’t matter as now its time of the interview so u hav to hav some hobby. Don’t worry, choose a ‘safe’ one J

    Some of us might think ourselves just too ‘stupid’ and ‘useless’ to nt hav a ‘good’ hobby. But before doing this, lets see how ppl get these ‘good’ hobbies. Sm are lucky enough to hav extraordinary talent in music, dance, art, sports etc. Sm are lucky to born in such familes whr these thngs are nt considered worthless. Sm  are lucky to njoy company of ppl gifted with these ‘good’ hobbies. Sm go to such schools whr their interests are nurtured in d form of hobbies. But I am pretty sure that even after all this, still majority is left with ‘no’ hobbies.  May be bcoz there was no one to help them in turning their vague interest into hobbies. May be bcoz in their leisure time, they had other important responsibilities then thinking of their pleasure or may be they never had leisure time. May be bcoz their stupid timepass thngs dnt qualify as a hobby for eg. gossipingJ

  Anyways, we finally clear d interview and are so happy to get rid of this ‘hobby game’. But , these hobbies appear once again, this time not as part of application form but as part of your formal introduction. It may so happen that u r still nt able to make those ‘ safe’ hobbies as ‘your’ hobbies. No worries. Now u hav ample time, support, experience to choose ‘genuine’ hobbies for you. Dnt worry if u still dnt hav a Hobby Bcoz I think I am still without any hobby but I m in the process of discovering one for me, just for me!!

  

Dreams.... My Dreams!!!!!

DREAMS.. smthng of other world.. smthng virtual.. n it is always said.. "khayalon ki duniya se nikal ke yathartha ki duniya me jeena seekho"(come out of dreams and learn to live in d real world). I smtime think hw much dis is true? Is dere no connection b/w dreams and d reality? For me - dere is. I still remember d UPSC preparation days. My days used to start with books and end, ofcourse wid ... Books, and then planning for what to read in d mrng while lying in bed.. n then in DREAMS.. ohh i forgot, dis was also in syllabus :( ohh dis is GS paper and i hav read PubAd :( ohh i dnt remember anythng.. Good.. rest dreams i dnt remember :).. and now as d life changes, my dreams too.. Now d day ends wid.. which movie tomoro.. or which novel.. n so on and in my dreams too, i am njoying dis. but still i smtimes dream.. Ohh I got late for d Yoga class :) :) So I better gonna sleep now....GN

home.... away from Home

Home.. A word, which I am sure brings shining on faces of most of the people. But for some or the other reasons, we are forced to be away from our Sweet Homes for long long times.. In fact it is good also bcoz it makes us to realise d importance of it. I still remember my college days when I just used to find its too boring to stay at home with so many restrictions and  responsibilities. I was just waiting for joining of my first job away from Home. The starting days away from Homewere just wonderful with taste of freedom and no responsibilities.. but that lasted for just few days. Then suddenly I just started missing everythng about Home which was boring for me at some point of time. Then with time we develop a bonding with this new place. Time goes on and this bonding become strong and as soon as this new place becomes like our new home, we are forced to move to some new place. The History repeats itself but may be it takes less time this time to accept this place as new home. Not sure abt others but I have already started feeling a bonding with NACEN.. My new home, away from Home!!!!