I Love My Friends

Friends influence a lot in our life, how we see the world, how we dress, our in and out, our going out habits, our tastes and preferences and many more. But I believe a friend plays a key role in determining way more than that.

If your friend loses weight, we are also likely to slim down as well, and we will be available hitting the nearby gym. If he wears Rayban, we would try and spend those hard earned 'Dad's money' on Fastrack at least. If a girl fills that back seat on his bike, we would be also in the queue of 'mera bhi number aayega' sort of.

Our friends might not be literary super powers, but they always made us feel how special we are, often without even looking at our stupid mistakes. To be very honest, I believe, our friends are the single biggest contributor to the smile that we carry throughout our days shared with worries. They partnered us facing those hideous teachers who could have brought a full stop to our fun life early during school days and then teaching how to tackle hot girls who could even fire up a power station to full capacity.

My story is nothing exception to it. I have been obsessed too with many best friends who are always there with me; whether it is being sharing water bag in the school recess time or helping me realize my worth in this competitive professional world.

This post is my dedication to all my buddies.

It was my first birth day gift in terms of ‘Raynolds 045’ ball point pen – my favorite one, and I was sold to him. The first lesson of friendship was probably taught to me by him spending his Rs. 3 on me being scolded by Hindi teacher of class 4th for not purchasing essay book and then not letting me enter the class without it. Yogesh has been with me from those prattling days to till date.

The mystique of his persona is awesome. He is a friend, a motivator and a well wisher in all senses. From that geometry discussion to very complex integration sums of 12th science and then deciding who the best looking girl in the class was at 2 pm in the night in his room, I will never forget even a single moment I have spent with Neelam Patel.

Thanks Rajesh and Shilpa for being awesome buddies during my engineering days who literally hated all I was doing, but still supported me teaching those theories I would have hardly understood.

Vaibhav, who has been my synonym, who not only spared me proxies whenever I was busy reading those magazines in the library for being in the crowded place with girls but also hated me for not attending temples. He is the one who knows all my secrets and still I bet it would be an unsuccessful attempt to know even from him that I am crazy about brown eyed girls.

I heartily thank Shweta for being so loving, caring and sharing brown eyed girl, who knowingly and unknowingly taught me the spirit of being a wonderful person came may what. Her awe-inspiring smile and honesty made me crazy for her friendship when she taught me not to ask for a ‘Mirinda’ but a ‘Thums up’ when you are with a girl.

I would love to be friend in my next 1000 births with my only NRI buddy Ketan for always gifting me hilarious moments whenever we talk or be together.

Last but no the least, how can I forget Neha? The most divine beauty I have ever seen in my life, the most innocent heart God might have ever created, and the sole inspiration to bring me life. She carries that grandeur which puts her apart, and her impeccable conversation that brings that extinct desire alive to become a good human.

On the eve of ‘Friendship Day’, I salute all my friends for their melodious contribution to my life, and once again for showering on me their appreciation, despite yawning reading the mindless things I write on my blog.

Happy Friendship Day.

Adieu !

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An Audacious Hope.!

The atmosphere was too tensed and the air in that dome was redolent with expectations and sweat of thousand students and their parents who were still to be called in the Admission Room – or rather the final destination where few highly sophisticated people were going to write the destiny of those young science students who gathered there on the call of future – or the call letter sent to them based on merit list.

Yes, I am talking about the admission process that I have recently been to, for my brother, my buddy – Avdhesh. It was the central admission committee call to Medical disciplines.

The picture there was a bit dramatic. There were more than a few known faces to us, who knew our dilemma. Some exchange of handshakes and we sat in one corner. I started observing the nervousness prevailed in a huge amount there, thanks to the security guards with dirty looks who prevented me from going inside the hall as only one family member was allowed with the students. And finally thanks to the writer in me, who helped me sharing this experience with you all.

I found hundreds of students discussing their future plans like there is no tomorrow, and how can be, as they had been too busy with books of Biology, Chemistry and Physics throughout the year. God Saves! Many parents, especially ‘PaPas’ were busy analyzing the admission details displayed on the projected screen. Girls were touching the feet of their parents to get blessed, as if they were going for the world war -3, and boys were the big display area of all religious material on their body including long ‘Tilak’ on their forehead. Many were busy reading the information brochures and booklets distributed free by those ambitious institutions; who thought those depressed students can be the prospect clients for their institutions. Of course, education is the biggest industry today and the banners announcing lowest interest rates on education loans through out that dome made my conviction rock solid.

The announcements were too loud to create the pin drop silence in the dome whenever made, and after all, every one was interested to know what is happening inside the dark room – the admission hall, which deliberately doesn’t have any window. ‘Chai Walas’ were showing lashings of enthusiasm as they knew the fact that a depressed cum excited one drinks more tea. Paid comestible counters were available but none was interested, they just became the inquiry counter for late comers. Crying ‘Moms’, Papa’s with calculators (May be calculating their annual income minus the total fees to be paid), shouting security guards (not allowing more than one member of family with the student inside the admission hall), fast changing figures on the projected screen, praying students, hideous admission committee members, their instrumental behavior, and the entire admission process has brought an undefined infelicity in that dome.

My observation was interrupted by the figures moving on the projector screen. I suppose, everyone around heard me sigh. Suddenly me who had been slouching in my chair sat up straight and fixed my eyes on that screen. My eyes had opened wide and mouths even wider. There was an uneasy silence around me, like no one was moving; no one was speaking in spite of me being in that crowded dome. I saw that all medical seats were occupied, and my brother’s turn was still to come, who was in the admission hall. Few minutes of mental struggle and I saw my brother and uncle coming out of admission hall. Avdhesh wore a tragic smile on his face. I could read it from almost a distance.

I walked straight toward them, and started asking.

“Hey, it was too long, which college, which faculty dude?” I almost shouted.

“I missed it this time, bhaiya.” He smiled, paused, and then answered.

Avdhesh could have got into any other highly coveted disciplines like dental, physiotherapy etc, but he refused. This time he was firm. If its not medical, then nothing else will do. It was his dream and he was fighting to protect it. Why to surrender to destiny? Why not to fight? This young buddy has taught a great lesson to hundreds of depressed students present there. He was ready to reappear for the board examination next year, almost spending the year waiting for this most precious moment of his life. He not only set an example, but he also added an immeasurable courage to those who feel they have lost in life.

This was an audacious hope. An audacious hope to take the destiny head on, an audacious hope to challenge the time, an audacious hope to show the world that never lose the faith in you, an audacious hope to declare that WINNING IS EVERYTHING!

I really salute the spirit of my 18 years old, younger brother, who in true sense today has taught me a great lesson that no teacher has during my academic years.

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Gimme Some Sunshine...!

‘3 idiots’ – the biggest blockbuster of Indian Cinema; is in true sense a motivator. There are lots of good things about it, which one might have never tried to convey through films, Bravo! Amir Khan – the perfectionist, the real hero of India. I can bet, you might have gone through similar incidents in your college life too, except that last ‘too dramatic situation’ of a woman delivering a baby on a pool table.

The film portrays an engineering student who failed to complete his project work hanging himself to death from his hostel room. “I QUIT” the camera zooms in to make it much clear from faded; I consider it as the touchiest scene of the film.

It not only was presented nicely, but it also indicated the most dangerously alarming situation of India.

I remember few days back on 20th May 2010; the tragedy I have seen in my family, when my cousin Avdhesh got his results of 12th science. It was few marks short to make him eligible to get an admission through medical science.

He had studied science, and ever since he had been a child, he had wanted to become a Neurologist. I wondered how he knew the meaning of a neurologist at the tender age of 9. But he knew. That day I have seen a strange smile on his face fighting with lots of emotions. He was mustering all his courage to face his father, who was on the way back to home from office. He was feeling guilty as he never expected in his wildest dream that this could happen to him.

He gathered all his courage together to tell his father that he couldn’t become a doctor then. He could see in his father’s gazing eyes a dream which is shattered in million pieces. That was still alive, despite him having had to accept it.

I don’t blame education system, but I blame the desire, the wish and the dream that parents impose upon their children. And the victims – the children hardly know how difficult it is to see your dreams scattering with that one deciding academic moment. Avdhesh would have not known this, had he passed it with those glittering stars. This is deep. Because ever since I knew him, my eyes had always seen him in that medical apron and my tongue had addressed him ‘Dr. Saa’b’. This was life altering. This can lead to anywhere. Thank god, we are safe.

Thousands of students committed suicides in last few years; the numbers are growing like anything. Exams and exam related stress, parental problems and dignity issues have been the reasons for this rampant increase in adolescents and young adults committing suicides. Fierce expectations from parents, teachers, friends and family has led enormous amount of pressure on young minds.
This is an age group that one would normally associate with potential, energy, passion, promise and commitment, where a spate of suicides is creating its way.

Someone writes
“I will come back and revenge.”

While the other writes
“I quit.” As if he was imitating 3 idiots.

“I can’t face my parents and friends after failing this exam” is what one mentioned in his suicidal note.

As an audience this may be an incident for us. But think of the parents who lost their child. Some would call it ‘a psychological problem faced by the weaker-minded young’, but think about that weaker mind who survived that struggle for a long and drove his tortured soul to take the final plunge.
It would be easy to blame the education system, but who would heal those thousands devastated families and several thousand more friends and relatives who will carry those scars and that grief for a lifetime.

Better we wake up today…! And work for a happier tomorrow. Don’t expect but expel them to shine in their dream career. Dismiss demands, and arise the hope of living to the fullest. Avoid unachievable, and practice the practical. Be the companion, not the parents. Guide to be strong, not to be successful. Teach the meaning not the means of life. Discover professionalism not the professionals. Grow to give not to achieve. And last but not the least – Give them some sunshine….!

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