Getting into Vedanta Resources was my dream from my first year. Now, I am in the final year and really happy that I have achieved my dream. Let me take you through my road to Vedanta from a few months back.
Everything was okay. Everything was fine. The month was March, 2007. Roses and lilies bloomed in the dawn. The same old chai at jupes with the ever best french toast at Sunny's. Profs growled in the classes. Scooters and "Durgapur Jaabe" buses waggled their way through. Life lacked new action. Old actions did prevail but, out of odds, they didn’t seem that interesting. Cricket season started. NIT, Durgapur rejuvenated with the passion for cricket. Teams lined up with cricket in their hearts and rivalry in their minds. The atmosphere was terrific. Our team was tipped as one of the three teams to win the exciting tournament as I led the team from the front. We thrashed the junior level teams on the way to our semi-finals where we met 'The Warriors'. They were awesomely balanced old rivals who ranked the best after 'The Mckenzies'. Old rivalry rattled our blood. Every ounce of our energy pushed us towards the glorified goal. Our game plan was perfect. The semis started. Right from ball no.1 we were on top. We restricted them to a modest total. But, when it was time to reply, we lost our nerves. We could not hold on to a lovely opportunity. We dropped it, shattered. We lost. None could believe. "Another set of batting collapse. They are perfectly suited for the Indian cricket team". These were the criticisms that we received. Nevertheless, they were true.
Lesson learnt: Hold on to your nerves. You lose them, you are doomed.
The very same month, there was this Assistant General Secretary Elections. None were particularly interested in the college. I contested the elections and lost it in spite of being tipped as the winner. But, that is the way it works. I could not take it anymore. I faced two devastating failures in a span of two weeks. My dear friends stood by me. "But, where did it all go wrong?" was the question looming over my head. Yeah, I got the answer. It is the way politics work.
Lesson Learnt: Destiny is scribbled in your forehead. It is all in how you understand the handwriting and do believe them.
As time passed, I plunged into the exam season. Yeah, you are absolutely right. We are in April now. Durgapur slowly started with the summer. Scorching heat built up. Software companies started visiting the campus for recruitment. I did not appear for even one of them as I read my destiny very clearly that it is Vedanta Resources that is calling me. Did you miss something? Yeah, you certainly did. It was Cricket World Cup 2007. Hostels were ablaze with Cricket ruining again. "Thank god, India was out in the first round only" was the exclamation of 99% of the parents throughout the land of diversified cultures. But, we were hardcore cricket fans. Exams do not matter to us. It is all about cricket to us. We watched till Mandira Bedi bid us Babbye. Of course, Mandira did matter a lot to me. For a fortnight, our lifestyle changed. We were teleported to the West Indies and gave a damn for the exams. It was all rosy at that time except for when the results were declared. (Results were declared in May end. So, will tell you about that when I describe May).
Lesson Learnt: No particular lesson learnt as failures only teach you nice hard lessons.
Back home. It was summer vacations and the time to party. Yeah, it is the month of May. Chennai was also excruciatingly hot with the magnitude same as that of Durgapur, but, with one consolation. Food is really excellent out there and family always by your side. It feels excellent was also on cards with the dates for Vocational training nearing. I was aiming at the planets which were very far away, but, later realized that they belonged to a different set of universe. The companies that I applied were not really interested in having me as their intern. Nevertheless, luck betrayed me. I was about to have got it in two companies, but, again the luck Gods were against me. I did not lose heart. Tried through my resources and finally settled with a firm near my locality. I started my training in a subject for which I had the least interest (because that was what I got). But, I made up my mind that this is the subject that offered me a shelter, so, I will put my full efforts into it. In vain, the subject did not interest me at all. By the last week of May, I completed my training. The day I completed my training, I was relieved. My plans for Vedanta were shaken by some intermediate disturbances, but, I did tackle them properly and secured a decent training regime and completed it successfully. But, that was not the end. The very same evening, my very close friend called me up and the news that he gave shocked me and threw me right out of the universe. I received a suppli (arrear) in one of the exams that I had given during that cricketing season. Again, I was shattered. I was obviously down, but, I got used to failures after failures. My friend did offer me words of comfort, but, I lost my dream. I was doomed forever. Because of my cricket lunatics, I was driven into the world of unknown. What next? The answer was just an asymptote to me.
Lesson Learnt: However hard you try to make some things happen, it always is the destiny's wish which cannot be overpowered. Do your duty, never expect the fruit.
The month of June never seemed good even. My brain was tired. My preparations for my dream company approached a dead end with a brisk halt. I felt so low, hollow. Nothing was left in me to work for. I was a bag of bagasse with flesh and bones. A zombie, who wakes up every day, does his normal stuffs and sleeps into the slumber of unknown. I did not have anything to offer to this world. But, I am just a minuscule in this entire universe. Why does it have to bother about me? To add to my pain was the fact that the reopening date of my college was postponed. Life was at the peak of its pain which meant that the conduction of the suppli (arrear) exams would be delayed further and the possibility of getting a good job is out of bounds. I laughed outside, cried inside. Every moment killing me and asking me the existence of my life.
Lesson Learnt: All you can do is to smile back, when adversities laugh at you.
As I had mentioned, the reopening dates were slated for 23rd July. That was hell a lot of time. According to my calculations I would get a job (irrespective of what job it is) only in the latter half of August. Now, I planned to move the case to the concerned professor. Tell him the truth that I wrote the paper exactly for pass mark and I did not deserve a suppli. I reached college a week earlier. Met my prof and explained him my position. He did not accept. He asked me to prepare for my suppli exam. But, to leave no stones unturned I applied for re-checking. He and my H.O.D called me and asked me to leave hopes for the suppli to be cleared and prepare well for the exam. Last week of July, L&T visited my campus for recruitment. I was ready for it. Their eligibility criteria were such that, that it suited me perfectly. I cleared the written. I was invited to give the interview at Kolkata. I went to Kolkata a day before, with perfect preparations and my interview was on 29th July at 9.00 a.m. I reached on time and my interview was too good. They offered me the posting also, but, later I did not find my name short-listed. I was dejected. All my friends back in Durgapur were expecting a good news, but, later they were also shocked to hear that I did not get through. I said to myself that I had this anti-midas touch. Whatever I touched turned into failures. When I was about to board the train back to Durgapur, I casually browsed through the newspaper stand and bought my usual magazine which ironically had its cover story on Mr. Anil Agarwal, Chairman, Vedanta Resources. It was a nicely timed comedy and even the press had to tease me through my failure. When I reached Durgapur, my friends were always there for me and offered me a cozy environment to forget what happened. They told me that the best is still in store for me. It was not a failure. I was cheated this time. The job was in my hand, but, someone just snatched it away from me.
Lesson Learnt: No lesson learnt. My hatred grew long and hard. My belief in destiny took a U-turn.
This is the month. August turned my life upside down. 1st of August, I went to meet my prof about my preparation for the suppli, so that he could help me with some topics which I did not understand. I approached his room. I asked him my doubts and he shot back at me back on why I am asking him the sixth semester portions. I told him that the suppli date is 10th August and he needs to help me out in certain topics. But, he answered back by telling the good news of my life. He cleared my suppli in re-checking and I straight away knew that I deserved to be cleared. I am eligible to appear for my dream company. Now, no one can stop me. The very same day I resumed my preparations from where I had left at that brisk halt. I prepared for the day. It was slated for August 6th. I was mentally prepared. My confidence level reached new heights. The day came and what happened next was history.
Lesson Learnt: Believe in your destiny.
Everything will be ok in the end. If it is not ok, it is not the end.
