13 and still counting

Last Wednesday was the Ramnavmi Day. Exactly 13 years ago on the Ramnavmi Day of 1997I had reached Mumbai for making a career. I was 22 then, just appeared for B Com Final Exam and preparing for the CET for MBA Entrace to Maharathra Colleges. I wanted to do a crash course of the exam and that was the reason I was here.

I had been to Mumbai earlier, but it was under the able guidance of my parents. This time I was on my own. The only thing was, I had a place to stay. I joined the classes. The huge rush in Mumbai City was pretty exciting for a me as the normal life in Akola was quite easy. No rush at all. It was exactly reverse over here. Everybody seemed to be in rush and nobody seemed to have to have time.

I finished the course, appeared for the CET, got 9th Rank from my university, was 1st amongst boys in B Com Final Exam from the LRTCC (Laxmibai Radhakisan Toshniwal Commerce College) and yet landed in a relatively new and unreputed MBA college in Mumbai. The college started in Aug 1997. Being a shy, introvert kind of person from outside Mumbai, it was tough for me in the beginning. Whenever there use be presentations I literally had shivers. But I was not alone. We were a group of friends who were from outside Mumbai. We all were in the same boat. But as the time passed, our confidence grew. The results of the first two semesters helped boost the confidence.

3rd and 4th Semesters would be the university exam. 3rd Sem was the most tough one. I was amonst the only 35-40% of our batch who cleared the 3rd Sem exams. Later I cleared the 4th Sem as well, but was unemployed. During the last year of course, many things happened that hampered the job market adversely. A big hedge fund in US had collapsed in 1998 (never knew I would be working in company related to this hedge fund a decade after), India and Pakistan had done Nuclear Tests in May 1998 were imposed with all sorts of sanctions by the countries world over. The South East Asian Currency collapse had happened in recent past. In short, the jobs in the financial markets had dried up. My friends who had majored in Finance had taken jobs in sales and marketing field. I was not even getting that. From mid May 1999 to Aug 1999 I was unemployed. I had decided that once I complete my 4th Sem I would not call for money from my Parents. But after two three months also when I was unemployed, I had no other option that to call for the money. I had tears in my eyes while doing that. Not that my father said anything or he couldn't afford it but somehow I felt really bad doing that.
Later I got the job, changed the job thrice and have now settled in Mumbai. I am PAKKA MUMBAIKAR now. Thanks to the Almighty in these thirteen years I have gained so much, knowledge, experience, money, purchased two flats, sold one of them, got married, was blessed with a daughter, got so many new and good friends. The only thing I could not gain was Weight.

I had my shares of bad memories as well, but the good memories are more than them and I am thankful to the God for this. I wish the God Almighty continues blessing me all through out my life.