Time for celebration !!

Open the champagne, its time for celebrations!!

Occasion, I have completed three rocking years in Infosys. Yes, my dear, it was my first job and I have keep it going for three solid years. In times of today, three years seems to be a very long time in a single company. But those eras, things were different, when we joined.

Lemme try going down the memory lane. It was 20th Nov; I got a call from Infosys, for a written test. On 1st Dec was my written test and on 2nd Dec was my interview. Then on 16th Dec I got a mail from C&B congratulating my confirmation in Infosys. On 28th Dec I got my deputation letter. On 13th Jan was my Date on joining Infosys.
Oh BTW, I was the first guy from my college to secure a job in a real good firm.

I was to leave for Infosys, Mysore for my training. This was the first time, I was traveling to south , except on a small trip to Chennai with family. So, it was the good old Karnataka Exp, starting at 9:15pm from New Delhi. Days and nights passed, but Bangalore did not come, finally after 48 hours , I was in Bangalore. It was afternoon around 3:00pm and I was loaded with luggage. Now I was to go to Mysore and didn’t know the direction, so I enquired a few people and finally got into the bus for Mysore. It was a 2 hours trip, converted in 4 hours, courtesy private bus operators. I reached Mysore by around 7pm, and it was dead dark, given it was January month. Now, I had a tough task ahead. I tried asking people where was Hootagalli, but nobody gave me a satisfactory answer. I had forgotten to take the number of Infosys, so could not call them. I was really tired and angry on Infosys, for making DC (development center) in a place so unknown. Somewhere from the blues, a person came and said, he was going towards Hootagalli and asked me to join him. I chatted with him, trying to gauge the mood of the people in south. I still remembered what I asked him then, " aray bhaiya , log jayalalitha ko itni izzat kyin detay hain, jabki usnay abhi itnay ghotalay kiyay hain?". For me then, it was just south and north. He replied something junk, I recall. So, finally I reached a point, from where I had to walk, as the bus changed the route it normally used to take. So, I had to walk for 1 KM with 2 heavy suitcases on a completely dark road. I reached the office campus, and guess what, I was the first person to come from our batch and barring a few people from previous batch , who could not clear comprehensive exam , the whole campus was empty. It was a very huge campus, with most of the place utilized for greenery. I went to the FC (food court) which was almost empty. Tasting south Indian food was a very exciting thing at that time. I did not take any coupon, so after having my food, I went to express thanks to them for providing me such a nice food and they said, "sir, please pay for this coupon, Rs25". That was the day I realized that there are no free dinner in the outer world (had been a home boy till then).

Then I was shown my room and couldn’t believe what I saw, if you have seen a 5 star hotel room, it was a photocopy of the same . Big TV, AC, two well made bed, 3 lamps, shining floor, bathroom with bathtub, electric kettle. I was mesmerized, I went to take bath, but could not understand the working of the Switch and ended up having cold bath in the month of January. Then came to the room and got in the warm & cosy bed and started watching TV. Then got excited to see the whole campus and took the bicycle (was driving it after 4 years) and took a round of the whole campus. That day, I really fell in love with Infosys.

Well that was then , now the life has changed completely. I have personally changed drastically. Those who have not met me after college and see the new me, will be almost shocked. I have grown from a sukda(thin) guy to a motto(heavy) fellow. Personality-wise I have changed a lot, from a silent, insecure, quite introvert, non-confident guy to a almost opposite. I have groomed my communication skills, my way of thinking, my whole personality. I have grown, really. I have seen the management, the best practices of the company, the quarterly results and their rhetoric statement during their address to the employees, I have seen NRN (Nr Narayan Murthy) going and Nandan Nilekani taking over. I have seen the mega growth of IT (from recruiting some 100 employees per annum, to recreating almost around 15000 employees per annum). I look so old in Infosys, given my employee number is 19000 + and Infy has 50000 employees now. I have seen US, was there for 11 months, done driving here, met lot of american, see this capitalist country. I have seen a lot of world in these three years.

If I go down the memory lane, I think, I have taken birth again. I dont know, for how long I will stay in this company, for I don’t like to do the job and want to start my own business but it all requires money.

But, above anything, I have got enough strength (financially and mentally) to survive thought any circumstances in this world. I have gained enormous wisdom in these three years of professional world.

Today I will definitely raise a toast to this special occasion in my life.