Sandeep Khanna

My life feels like a movie - Period.  This one thing which I feel every time I see the trailer of “Bombay to Bangkok” {had gone for the movie yesterday}… The things I did, the people I met, everything. It feels like one of those memoir-type movies about a young guy growing up in a foreign land and maturing and all that. I like thinking of it that way.

Do I miss being in Bangkok...”no-no” that would be an understatement ... In reality I love the place and would love to work and live there.

Before we move on further, while reading the blog, imagine yourself as a young boy, just out of under graduate school who is discovering a foreign land – an all expense paid trip which was supposed to be full of work and less but in the end was full of fun and “very very” less work.  

I suddenly became nostalgic ... after all, today I saw Bangkok in close, I’m suddenly facing up to the fact that I want to move back there… I could relate myself in most of the situations in the movie … starting from the Golf Course at the Old Airport … to the Tuk Tuk rides… to the first visit to a massage parlor … “Same - Same” only

Bangkok has a mix of things that seem unlikely ... the traditional Thai’s, like the friendly wai, surviving in amongst the sky-scrapers. The traffic jams that cap the pace of life, the great food you can get in a small family restaurant next to a klong, at a price you thought was impossible.

In my little less than a year's stay in Bangkok, I grew so fond of this place that people pull my leg as it is my second home. I know I will return, if not for work at least for a holiday.

….wonder how I can make IT headhunters in Bangkok read my resume!!!

 

You can read more about the “movie” on: http://bombaytobangkok.erosentertainment.com

Everyone remembers their "First Time"   … Whether it's the first time going to school...college; first crush; first day on the job; first CAR … Whatever it is.  It's good to know that even though I am 25, I can still have a first time.  Last month, was the time for my “First – CAR”.  All I can say is "Wow " ... I am loving it !!!

 

It is a ‘07 Suzuki Swift ZXI {Red}.  … I am, as my friends like to refer to me, car-retarded, but I'm learning every step along the way and I'm loving it, plus quite a few friends of mine are car-nuts as well and have experience so they are there to help me along the way where it is needed. Now, I don't really know the best way to start modding my baby, for starters I have put black leather seats! As of now me is spending quite a few hours trying to compile the best driving mix of all time.

 

I know some of you have had some experience with cars so I was wondering what you all can suggest. Thanks in advance ;) !

A is for Adjust, Punjabis will always ask you to adjust whenever they want to push you around.

B is for Backside, and it has nothing to do with your bum, it is an instruction to go to the rear of a building, or block, or shop or whatever.

C is for cloney and its first name is not George nor is it a process for replicating sheep – it is an area where people live eg. Dfence cloney.

D is for Saddi Dilli

E is for expanditure – and believe me Punjabis are not scared of spending money – the latest cars, marble floors, their ambitions are always expanding.

F is for fackade, and even though it sounds like a bad word it is actually just the front of a building (with backside being the back, of course).

G is for Gaddi and the way a Punjabi can pilot a car puts any F1 driver to shame, if the Grand Prix does come to Delhi there’s no way Hamilton, Alonso or Kimi can overtake Balvinder, Jasvinder and Sukhvinder.

H is for Ho Jayega, the moment you hear that, you have to be very careful because you can be reasonably sure it’s not going to happen.

I is for Intezaar… to know more about it see P.

J is for Jindagi and if there’s one person who knows how to live life to the full it’s a Punjabi.

K is for Khanna, Khurana, etc – the Punjabi equivalent of the Johnses ie, keeping up with the Khuranas.

L is for Lovely but she never is.

M is for Mrooti – the car that moved an entire Punjabi generation.

N is for No problem ji - to find out how that works see H.

O is for Oye which can be surprise (oyye!), a hailing (oyy), anger (OYY) or pain (oy oy oy).

P is for Panch minit and no matter how near (1 km) or far a Punjabi is from you (100 km) they usually say they’ll reach you in panch minit.

Q is for Queue for which there’s really no word in Punjabi.

R is for Riks and a Punjabi is always prepared to take one, even if the odds are against them. S is for Sweetie, Bunty, Pappu and Sonu who seem to own half the cars in Delhi.

T is for the official bird of P u n j ab –
Tandoori chicken.

U is for when U lose your sex appeal and become ‘Uncle’.

V is for VIP phone numbers @ Rs 15 lakh and counting.

W is War – on the roads.

X is x-rated words they flow freely in casual conversations on the street.

Y is ‘You nonsense’, anger replacing vocabulary in a shouting match.

And Z is for Zig zag for which you should see G, M and P.

Reference: Author: Shivjeet Kullar; Delhi Times; The Times of India; Dated 07-Aug-2007

I love watching advertisements…maybe because they are the only things which outlive my attention span … have been watching {more of hearing} this new jingle for a consumer care product. The advertisement comes across as fresh soothing morning breeze, even though the ad doesn't directly talk about the product yet the intrinsic benefit of the product comes through very clearly. (watch the link http://sandykhanna.multiply.com/video/item/7)

The ad has been resonating in my ears with its base line 'Gorgeous Hamesha', with me breaking into a smile every single time {wonder why!} … somehow I could never understand … until today . . . in fultu Hindi movie eshtyle… the elevator door opens …

{Read this really really fast … how they do in soap operas}This is not a work of fiction.  All characters and events portrayed in this work are not fictional and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely intentional!

Let me start by saying that the summers in the land of Aryans and Dravidians makes one go soft in the head and people start hallucinating whenever they get a whiff of ‘AC’… one of these days when I was close to dehydration with excessive fluid loss … I first saw… pretty and petite…and oh how she looked so so … you know what … with her hair tied up in a unruly bun… covered her face just slightly. Her dark brown hair and eyes and high cheekbones and a smile that would make any man stop in their tracks. She had to be the ONE {Neo do you hear me…you have competition}, personality, friendly and smart, and above all, beautiful... but I moved on without paying any attention or even a second glance … maybe because ... I don’t know why …

...and it may have been fate {would rather sing praises for my lucky Nokia Phone and Charger} that brought us face to face for the very first time. I stood there and saw her coming my way and said. “Hey could I borrow the charger!!!” ... me being the Duh was busy with some nonsensical thing didn’t even look up until she came back to return the charger … just return… no thank yous’ accompanied no smiles… WHAM!!! … there she was 'Gorgeous Hamesha'!

Dear Sandeep,

Have been meaning to write to you for quite a while, but somehow something always came up. Finally, I think I am in the right disposition to pen a few thoughts to you.

This should have been a blog, since I don't think it will sound like a regular mail as I begin to doodle and daddle and let you waddle in a sea of confusing ideas....but then, without much ado, here goes...

I have been receiving your Multiply posts with an alarming regularity. I use the word alarmingly, since I was never regular with anything during my MBA days (except maybe possessing a secret hope that some damsel would be unfortunate enough to fall in love with me...that DID happen though, but that's another story for another page)

I decided to frankly skip all the other links on your page, since an MBA Graduation ceremony is as removed from another in time and location as the latest space shuttle is to the first. You've got it. All one needs to do is to replace the astronauts...er I mean the students who are flinging their caps into the air... Just change the faces and everything else is the same. Even the expression of glee. I sometimes wonder what did we mean back then doing this ? Were expressing a freedom from the classrooms ( which weren't too oppressive anyways?) or from a discipline ( which we have incorporated more and more into our lives subsequently). So if it wasn't freedom, what does the act signify? Something as arcane as “the higher I can fling my hat, the higher I can fly?”  Maybe....but sounds a bit too PJ ish to have any real value

Anyways the one thing I wanted to see was you receiving your degree, but that didn't happen since the blasted video on my screen refused to work when I went to the M'ply link...

Ah yes, so now you are an MBA.....Or are you?


Did I read you musing somewhere?

>       MBA = done
>       Placements = done
>       Convocation = done

Placements = done - YES, Convocation = done - YES, but MBA = done. I have my doubts.

Even after 13 years of being a practicing manager at various levels of hierarchy post my Degree, I doubt if I am a MASTER at Business Administration, so I very much doubt if you can claim it DONE.

My friend, you shall always be a STUDENT of Business Management/ Administration because the Things They Didn't Teach You At ( Great Lakes) Business School will fill a book you will read the rest of your working life.

To me, it has taught a few valuable lessons

One is that the School of Hard Knocks always waits to grant you your final degree in working life and nothing is more superior than that.

Two, is the power of structured thinking. Actually THAT'S ALL any good management school tries to teach you. But if they just wrote THAT in their course material people wouldn't pay USD 10,000/- for a 2 year course. So they resort to academic subterfuge by writing ( and pretending to teach) courses that are simplified versions of a good B Com degree and throw in a few complicated ones in the 4th sem and bingo. Pass that and get an MBA Degree.... (So that when years later  you meet an Alumnus you ask, " when did you pass out (sic!)")

But take your mind back as you read this, to the top five professors in the last 2 years at GL. You don't have to tell me their names. Or even what they taught. You will always remember them for THE WAY they taught it. Which was ....well.....different. Which kinda rocked! Exactly. So being different , cool and rocking, yet within the organizational culture will get you places.

In 5 years no-one except the Alcom will bother which MBA, Univ, Schoool or Nursery you went to. They will know you as Sandeep the problem solver, Sandeep the guy who can think straight during a crisis, Sandeep the guy who is a born leader ( AND NOT A MANAGER PLEASE NOTE YOUR HONOR), Sandeep the guy who can be depended upon to deliver when others are losing their sanity.

So while it is supposed to teach you to manage, the course actually leads you to think in terms of achieving leadership.

You may never know everything, but as long as you know WHERE to find the answers you will be fine.

This is a good time for me to refer a poem to you. Its called IF and its written by Rudyard Kipling. If I had my way, I'd incorporate this into every graduation ceremony.

So with these thoughts, I welcome you back into the Corporate Life, Sandeep Khanna, MBA !

( If that sounds like Munnabhai, MBBS - well its supposed to. The Munnabhai series should be mandatory viewing for any MBA Course!)

More when you respond

Cheers
Anurag

Living in Delhi (Noida) for the past 3 months and prior to that in Bangalore, Chennai and Bombay qualifies me as an expert in the area of "city-comparison", according to people. Everywhere I go, I am swarmed with hordes of strangers who think that asking a Delhi vs. Other City question is a one helluva icebreaker, which is really good because otherwise they would ask lame questions like "Great Lakes/ CSC … What?" (and I go on a big branding spree post that), and "what plans for marriage (should I say am happy (!!!) being single?" (Excruciatingly ‘demoralizing’) or the worst sore point nowadays “Can you reach my place and we would go from there?" (hello… I am yet to get my car … haven’t you guys ever traveled in an Auto).

 

First the good part … My memories and images about Delhi are from the days I spent here in school and also from the movies shot here … a few of my favorites RDB and Lakshya in the last few years, before that Monsoon Wedding and before that Silsila. Oh yes … Delhi winters and a morning jog. And my favoritist Chashme Buddoor was also shot in Delhi (remember Ms. Chamko)… how I was excited to be back in Delhi after 8 years …

 

This post is dedicated to some Dilliwalas whom I have had very intellectually stimulating conversation with (the Me part is the one which usually gets edited by the inbuilt censor board)… (Disclaimer: Nothing here is true, or the disclaimer is false).

 

Mr. Delhi: Yaar, Delhi girls are very beautiful, composed and easy going … I mean not like these very fast ‘aaawful’ (read chalu … gold digging) other city girls.

 

Me: Well my work life gives chances to talk to plenty of girls (three in all). One of them lost her phone, another one put her matrimonial plans on the fast track (she bought a doggy till she reaches the marriage station), and the third one works 24/7 (trust me she does…). So I have no conclusions.

Mr. Delhi: No, but its true na that Delhi girls don't refuse if you ask them for a coffee, they blink a couple of times… smile at you … try and act hard and then eventually agree. (This is usually accompanied by a wink, or if I am lucky, a nudge in the elbow, or both).

Me: Well I don't know about that because I am usually denied the coffee chance …. (that also after investing my very “precious” time cajoling … and beating around the bush). And I think if I try to flirt with a girl, she will most probably interpret it as the initiation of a possible molestation (you know how Delhi is … the papers report Rape, Sexual Harassment everyday).

Mr. Delhi: So how would you rate the girls in Delhi?

Me: Dude!!! You are not listening. I am bored of this talk … can’t you get that a guy and a girl don’t need to be in a relationship to go out for a coffee (or a drink) … but then the eternal question… should this be told to the Delhi guys or the girls … or the cute lil doggy ;)

 

As of now am going through an extreme phase of boredom … am in two minds to shift back to the southern cities (esp since some people are back in the southern most city amongst them) … what happens only time would tell …

 

Coming soon… Ms. Naintara Pandit ;) (since its untheical to take real names)

Have been meaning to post this for quite sometime … but somehow never got to doing it … here it …

Did someone say convocation? Yes!! I am now an MBA (PGPM) from Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai (popularly abbreviated as Great Lakes) (http://www.glakes.org/).

Graduation day – 22-Aprril-2007 – arrived with such a promise... and we, we all had what we wanted... the very core of last years' hard work, friends for a lifetime, an amazing job... A Gown and right to throw the Cap into air with every one...can't wait to have to join my new work place and then subsequently another MBA ;) (Well 4 years from now!)

Afterthought:

ü       MBA = done

ü       Placements = done

ü       Convocation = done

But somehow I am still on campus, trying to type obscure thoughts into a seemingly coherent post on the blog. Somehow I don’t know why but it always ends up the way it began.

Memorabilia - Picture Links

·         Graduation Ceremony and Graduation Party(s): http://sandykhanna.multiply.com/photos/album/48

·         Lunch – Beach – Ponsicherry: http://sandykhanna.multiply.com/photos/album/49

Memorabilia - Video links

·         Great Lakes Anthem: http://sandykhanna.multiply.com/video/item/4

·         Me receiving my degree: http://sandykhanna.multiply.com/video/item/5

·         Oath and Raising the Hats: http://sandykhanna.multiply.com/video/item/6

students creativity at the best ...

GREAT LAKES – NASMEI International Marketing Conference on
Creating, Communicating, and Delivering Value in Growing Markets
at Chennai, INDIA on December 21-22, 2007

The Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai (formerly Madras), India and the North American Society for Marketing Education in India will hold an international marketing conference on the overall theme of creating, communicating, and delivering value in growing markets at Chennai, India on Friday-Saturday, December 21-22, 2007. The event is sponsored by the recently established Kotler-Srinivasan Center for Research in Marketing at Great Lakes. Theoretical, methodological, and/or empirical research papers in any sector of marketing (B to B or B to C, products or services) are welcome. Research papers could be related to creating value (market research, competitive analysis, product, service, pricing), communicating value (branding, advertising, personal selling, promotion), or delivering value (channels management, wholesaling, retailing, CRM, web-based marketing), or their integration (marketing strategy, competitive strategy, marketing processes, marketing organization).

For more information kindly refer to the attached pdf file or click on the following link http://www.glakes.org/

The description of the whole song is in ... http://sandykhanna.multiply.com/music/item/14

The video made by the Batch of 2006 (Junior Pioneers)