I woke up in the morning, thinking what do I need to do today??? No pitching for knowledge partners or sponsors, panelist bhi “Jam” Gaye hain, food baskets were also magically arranged. What do I do now? I have no work to do!! I am bored.
Well Delphique 2010 was extremely successful and bigger and better than ever before.
And the Delphique team is proud of it.
Even though we are all very happy that we managed a great event, I am now missing the preparations. The 3 hour meetings in the “Delphique war room no-1”, the running around to get little things like bouquets and name tags in place, preparing thank you speeches and the most tedious job of taking print outs.
But all this was the easier part of the work. What made all this actually happen was the hard work put in by the team for the past 5 months. Scurrying in autos and bikes on the bumpy roads of Gurgaon was a daunting task, with all the classes that we had to attend. Making innumerous calls to corporates, coordinating with our faculty.
All in all, looking back at it, it was a great experience, made many “contacts” :P
I met some great people, made some very good friends and shall miss being with the whole team .
On behalf of the entire Delphique team who "talked the walk" :)
Dude (Tarun), Yoyo (Hitesh), Chhota P (Rohan) , Poster boy (Sachin), Tokri waala (Piyush) , "T" sush (Sushma), Ravan (Vineet), Ra (Rahul Sharma) , James gujju patel (Deep), Harman 'jamm gaya' baweja , Flower waala (Rohit) , Vishwas (jispe amma ko vishwas nahi :p), Ritesh ‘entrepreneurship’ Nagpal , Pooja ‘communications’ Shrikhande, Himani , Nikhil ‘food’ sighal , Annapoorni (D&D speeches) , Deepika ‘printout’ Mangla , Jayneel, Kandarp, Madhur, Abhishek Singh, Shauvik (Taxi waala), Tanika, Urvashi, Pranshu , Swati ‘marathon’ Bhadada, Swathi Pasumarti
Signing off
Parul Malik
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
A visit to the House of Glowing Lamps
- Chhavi G
upta, PGHR 2010-12
This Children’s Day, I had the opportunity to be on the bus to Deepalaya School’s hostel with Team Samaritans and some of our student volunteers. Situated in Village Gusbethi, the place is just about an hour’s drive from MDI; but it seemed like it belonged to a different era altogether. The fact that it was a part of Gurgaon seemed unbelievable because for me Gurgaon was a ‘happening place’, a ‘corporate hub’, a ‘shopping haven’ et al. Deepalaya was way beyond all this. With echoes of innocent laughter, and the hustle & bustle of children playing around, the place had a soothing calm. It was serene.
As soon as the kids spotted us, they came running towards us, clung to us like we belonged there and called out to the familiar faces among us. First-time visitors like me weren’t left out. Kids clung to me with the same affection. That they were seeing me for the first time didn’t stop them from holding my hands with their little palms, pulling me into their hostel and introducing their friends to me. Then came an innocent question, “Didi, aap sab kitne din ke liye aaye ho? I said, “Hum toh aaj chale jayenge”. The little girl was so disappointed. She wanted to see more of these new faces. I explained to her that we hardly get any holidays and have loads to study, and diverted her attention to the fact that we were there to celebrate Children’s Day. She quizzed me on the activities for the day and was happy again!
I went there with the notion that those children were in need. I wanted to give them some happiness and make them smile for a while. I thought I enjoyed privileges that they didn’t. But it took me just a couple of minutes with them to realise how wrong I was. They have a twinkle in their eyes that I don’t witness too often. They have the ability to make themselves contented and happy with just about anything that comes their way. They know how to find joy in small things.
As Samaritans, we wanted to make Children’s Day special for those little angels and to a great extent we succeeded in bringing our idea to fruition. They thoroughly enjoyed all the activities we organised for them. Their happiness was so infectious that it touched us to the core. It takes most people a lifetime to gather as much love as these children gave us in a few hours.
We sure made them smile, we sure made their day but we di
dn’t give them anything that they didn’t give us back!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Don't lose the child in you
- Amit Papneja, Sarcaustics (PJ10)
No matter how many birthdays we celebrate (read get our ass kicked),
No matter how many gray hairs we count on our head every day,
Or how many we lose every day,
No matter how cynical we become as the world around us gets more real,
No matter how hard life seems once we start slogging it out at work,
No matter how many times we feel low in life,
No matter how much we feel lacking in enthusiasm
(In short, no matter how old we get)
It is the innocence in us that makes us enjoy the little pleasures in life,
It is the childishness in us which makes us go wild,
It is simplistic, uncomplicated behaviour that makes us laugh out in joy,
It is the kid in us which exults as we meet old friends.
Sometimes, as we grow older, the little joys in life cease to matter. We start focusing on our career, relationships, and the world around us, rather than on the simple things that make life beautiful. But the beauty in life lies in laughing and jumping around for no reason at all, like we once did as children.
An author once asked a child why he was jumping. He replied "Because I am happy". When asked why he was happy, the child replied, "Because I am jumping".
Saluting the child in all of us, so that no matter how much we age, our spirit remains as pure, innocent, uncomplicated, and childish as it was when we knew little.
Happy Children's Day :) !
No matter how many birthdays we celebrate (read get our ass kicked),
No matter how many gray hairs we count on our head every day,
Or how many we lose every day,
No matter how cynical we become as the world around us gets more real,
No matter how hard life seems once we start slogging it out at work,
No matter how many times we feel low in life,
No matter how much we feel lacking in enthusiasm
(In short, no matter how old we get)
It is the innocence in us that makes us enjoy the little pleasures in life,
It is the childishness in us which makes us go wild,
It is simplistic, uncomplicated behaviour that makes us laugh out in joy,
It is the kid in us which exults as we meet old friends.
Sometimes, as we grow older, the little joys in life cease to matter. We start focusing on our career, relationships, and the world around us, rather than on the simple things that make life beautiful. But the beauty in life lies in laughing and jumping around for no reason at all, like we once did as children.
An author once asked a child why he was jumping. He replied "Because I am happy". When asked why he was happy, the child replied, "Because I am jumping".
Saluting the child in all of us, so that no matter how much we age, our spirit remains as pure, innocent, uncomplicated, and childish as it was when we knew little.
Happy Children's Day :) !
The Rupee Coin: Inching towards extinction?
- Rohan Pai, PGHR 2010-12
Indian currency coins have known for going out of fashion and out of circulation regularly. During independence we had the Rupee coin, Half Rupee coin, Quarter Rupee coin, Two Anna, One Anna, Half Anna and One Pice.
It was in 1957 that we moved to a metric coinage system and the Rupee was divided into 100 Paisa instead of 16 Annas or 64 Pice. Along with the existing coins, we then had One Naya Paisa, Two Naye Paise, Five Naye Paise, Ten Naye Paise, Twenty-Five Naye Paise ( in place of Quarter Rupee coin ), Fifty Naye Paise ( in place of Half Rupee coin ). To signify the change to public, the Paisa was termed ‘Naya Paisa’ (New Paisa) and the ‘Naya’ term continued to be printed on the coins for a decade. This was the age when our grandparents bought most daily necessities for less than a Rupee.
With commodity prices rising in the sixties, the Pice gradually started going out of fashion and ultimately out of circulation. In the coming decade the Anna faced the same fate.
The foreign exchange rates helps to decide which particular denominations of the currency should be minted more. For the existing denominations, when prices outgrow the face value of the coin, i.e even the cheapest of the products or items available in the market are priced greater than the face value of the coin, the coin starts getting redundant. As prices increase, the exchange of the particular coin becomes cumbersome because more of such coins are required to meet the increased price. Prices are adjusted in such a way that the need for this coin as transaction happens with the help of coin of higher denomination. People start avoiding or even rejecting the use of the coins and gradually it goes out of fashion and circulation.
Increase in metal prices have lead to a situation where minting costs for particular denomination is more that its face value. Instead of halting the production of coins of that denomination, there is an option of replacing that metal or alloy with cheaper alloys to reduce costs. In 1964, to counter the rising commodity and metal prices, the Aluminum version of paisa was introduced with One ( Rounded Square Shape ), Two ( Scalloped /Wavy edges ) , Three ( Hexagonal ), Five ( Rounded Square Shape ), Ten ( Scalloped /Wavy edges ) and Twenty ( Hexagonal ) Paise denominations. But the increasing prices and diminishing popularity saw the discontinuance of 1, 2 and 3 paise coins in the seventies. After a prolonged period in circulation, the Five Paise disappeared in the late 80’s.
In 1988, Stainless steel versions of 10, 25 and 50 paise (All Circular) came into being. In 1992, our current stainless steel version of One Rupee was first introduced. The 90’s also saw the introduction of Rs.2 (11 sided polygon) and Rs.5 coins (Circular).
The rising prices in 2000’s saw the decreasing popularity of the 10, 25 and recently 50 paise coins. The 10 paise coins have went out of circulation. The 25 paise coins are also heading towards the same direction. The denomination is no longer popular even for charity purposes. It won’t be long before all prices would be rounded to the nearest rupee making the 50 paise coin redundant.
Now the inflation seem to threaten the existence of the very integral unit of our currency system - The Rupee Coin. The question is how long will it take before we start finding the 2 Rupee coin or the 5 Rupee coin more convenient to use than the 1 Rupee coin. Or will we be able to maintain the prices of at least few commodities and services to levels that will ensure that the 1 Rupee coin would remain an integral part of our lives. We will be able to find the fate of the rupee coin in the years to come.
Indian currency coins have known for going out of fashion and out of circulation regularly. During independence we had the Rupee coin, Half Rupee coin, Quarter Rupee coin, Two Anna, One Anna, Half Anna and One Pice.
It was in 1957 that we moved to a metric coinage system and the Rupee was divided into 100 Paisa instead of 16 Annas or 64 Pice. Along with the existing coins, we then had One Naya Paisa, Two Naye Paise, Five Naye Paise, Ten Naye Paise, Twenty-Five Naye Paise ( in place of Quarter Rupee coin ), Fifty Naye Paise ( in place of Half Rupee coin ). To signify the change to public, the Paisa was termed ‘Naya Paisa’ (New Paisa) and the ‘Naya’ term continued to be printed on the coins for a decade. This was the age when our grandparents bought most daily necessities for less than a Rupee.
With commodity prices rising in the sixties, the Pice gradually started going out of fashion and ultimately out of circulation. In the coming decade the Anna faced the same fate.
The foreign exchange rates helps to decide which particular denominations of the currency should be minted more. For the existing denominations, when prices outgrow the face value of the coin, i.e even the cheapest of the products or items available in the market are priced greater than the face value of the coin, the coin starts getting redundant. As prices increase, the exchange of the particular coin becomes cumbersome because more of such coins are required to meet the increased price. Prices are adjusted in such a way that the need for this coin as transaction happens with the help of coin of higher denomination. People start avoiding or even rejecting the use of the coins and gradually it goes out of fashion and circulation.
Increase in metal prices have lead to a situation where minting costs for particular denomination is more that its face value. Instead of halting the production of coins of that denomination, there is an option of replacing that metal or alloy with cheaper alloys to reduce costs. In 1964, to counter the rising commodity and metal prices, the Aluminum version of paisa was introduced with One ( Rounded Square Shape ), Two ( Scalloped /Wavy edges ) , Three ( Hexagonal ), Five ( Rounded Square Shape ), Ten ( Scalloped /Wavy edges ) and Twenty ( Hexagonal ) Paise denominations. But the increasing prices and diminishing popularity saw the discontinuance of 1, 2 and 3 paise coins in the seventies. After a prolonged period in circulation, the Five Paise disappeared in the late 80’s.
In 1988, Stainless steel versions of 10, 25 and 50 paise (All Circular) came into being. In 1992, our current stainless steel version of One Rupee was first introduced. The 90’s also saw the introduction of Rs.2 (11 sided polygon) and Rs.5 coins (Circular).
The rising prices in 2000’s saw the decreasing popularity of the 10, 25 and recently 50 paise coins. The 10 paise coins have went out of circulation. The 25 paise coins are also heading towards the same direction. The denomination is no longer popular even for charity purposes. It won’t be long before all prices would be rounded to the nearest rupee making the 50 paise coin redundant.
Now the inflation seem to threaten the existence of the very integral unit of our currency system - The Rupee Coin. The question is how long will it take before we start finding the 2 Rupee coin or the 5 Rupee coin more convenient to use than the 1 Rupee coin. Or will we be able to maintain the prices of at least few commodities and services to levels that will ensure that the 1 Rupee coin would remain an integral part of our lives. We will be able to find the fate of the rupee coin in the years to come.
Friday, November 12, 2010
On being a Mandevian ... a salute
- Amit, NMP 23
No one has felt the experience of being born. We arrived on this planet because of the doings and conceptions of others and not out of our choice. We were conceived as well as delivered by other human beings and were invited to travel the path of life. For many early years we never had an idea of what was in store for us or with what purpose we had arrived.
Abhimanyu, perhaps, was among the rare few, who arrived with predefined targets.
As we grew, the identity and personality shaped up. We started feeling the joy of ownership. Starting from family, the sphere of our ownership – euphemistically referred to as social circle - expanded. The notions of ownership started in the tangible domain – toys, comics, stickers, tattoos and so on. With the passage of time, it encapsulated the emotional realm. Some, or perhaps, most of us, have had occasions to identify ourselves with best friend, bestest friend, jigar ka tukrha, apple of eye, 1 soul in 2 bodies….. Gradually, the identities merged and people were identified with their gangs. The phenomenon continued and the identity syndrome spread in education. The schools, colleges, B-schools started carrying a market value and people jumped in the race of value enhancement – claiming and boasting tags – Cottonian, IITian, Stephenian and a few call themselves Mandevians !
I, like a 100 others, jumped in the battle this year upon joining an executive course at MDI. Sadly though, the ownership of being a Mandevian never came till yesterday. The tag eluded the participants of executive courses.
Being only in the realm of Gurugram but not in its spirit was like Abhimanyu longing to be born. The life in the womb was choking. The foetus was getting restless. It had to evolve. It had overlived its self-allotted timespan. Finally, with a kick here and a knock there, it felt the experience of being born, the pain of breaking the silos, the pleasure of belonging and above all the joy of evolving to a new life!
What a caterpillar calls the end of a day, the Master calls it butterfly.
Let Mandevian be a word of colourful pride for all who Belong to this spirit. Wish that people do not have to be born twice in their lifetime!
No one has felt the experience of being born. We arrived on this planet because of the doings and conceptions of others and not out of our choice. We were conceived as well as delivered by other human beings and were invited to travel the path of life. For many early years we never had an idea of what was in store for us or with what purpose we had arrived.
Abhimanyu, perhaps, was among the rare few, who arrived with predefined targets.
As we grew, the identity and personality shaped up. We started feeling the joy of ownership. Starting from family, the sphere of our ownership – euphemistically referred to as social circle - expanded. The notions of ownership started in the tangible domain – toys, comics, stickers, tattoos and so on. With the passage of time, it encapsulated the emotional realm. Some, or perhaps, most of us, have had occasions to identify ourselves with best friend, bestest friend, jigar ka tukrha, apple of eye, 1 soul in 2 bodies….. Gradually, the identities merged and people were identified with their gangs. The phenomenon continued and the identity syndrome spread in education. The schools, colleges, B-schools started carrying a market value and people jumped in the race of value enhancement – claiming and boasting tags – Cottonian, IITian, Stephenian and a few call themselves Mandevians !
I, like a 100 others, jumped in the battle this year upon joining an executive course at MDI. Sadly though, the ownership of being a Mandevian never came till yesterday. The tag eluded the participants of executive courses.
Being only in the realm of Gurugram but not in its spirit was like Abhimanyu longing to be born. The life in the womb was choking. The foetus was getting restless. It had to evolve. It had overlived its self-allotted timespan. Finally, with a kick here and a knock there, it felt the experience of being born, the pain of breaking the silos, the pleasure of belonging and above all the joy of evolving to a new life!
What a caterpillar calls the end of a day, the Master calls it butterfly.
Let Mandevian be a word of colourful pride for all who Belong to this spirit. Wish that people do not have to be born twice in their lifetime!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Ranbhoomi Recollections -Shobhit Pareek
I remember the last 5th of November like it was yesterday. It was like Diwali this year, a celebration had begun, a celebration called Ranbhoomi. Ranbhoomi needs no introduction. It is the hugest, most prestigious, most wanted Cricket trophy in MDI. And more often than not, it’s more than Cricket that we have on the field in this night Cricket tournament.
When you take steps towards the Imperium Greens and see the dew clad green grass standing out with lights all across the ground in the otherwise dark night, you get a sensation which is hard to articulate. Let’s say you feel like being on a stage, ready to perform with the whole of MDI watching you.
Every cheer for every run and every battering for every miss gets your pulse running. It is a kind of feeling that we have almost forgotten being at a B-School. And doubt me not, it is fun unleashed. With some teams just there for fun sake hoping “shayad hum jeet jaye” and some just there to show off like “hamare paas attached bathroom hain”, the others still have a hunger for victory, to grab hold of the Ranbhoomi rolling trophy (or maybe have an upper hand in the friendly banter before and after the matches).
Ranbhoomi is the time of the year when nights at MDI are not spent at dome, not sleeping or in front of laptops, but playing for or cheering your team. And the fun doesn’t end there. It carries on to the post-match illustrations of accomplishments in the batch e-mails and reviews of the same.
I had heard a saying somewhere which is entirely true for Ranbhoomi. “Say what you will about ravages of sports in this corporate age where overpaid athletes expect prima donna treatment, but there is still something so unifying about sporting in its purest forms when players and teams rise above themselves and touch greatness, and in doing so, unite and showcase the true character that lies underneath.”
The last edition of Ranbhoomi saw some record breaking performances, cheering, hollering, constant “wordplay”, adrenaline pumping rivalries amongst intense controversies, nail biting finishes and scores of celebrations. This year, it’s going to even more riveting and enthralling. Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. So, will you be there?
-Shobhit Pareek
PGPM 2009
Ranbhoomi 2009 Champions
When you take steps towards the Imperium Greens and see the dew clad green grass standing out with lights all across the ground in the otherwise dark night, you get a sensation which is hard to articulate. Let’s say you feel like being on a stage, ready to perform with the whole of MDI watching you.
Every cheer for every run and every battering for every miss gets your pulse running. It is a kind of feeling that we have almost forgotten being at a B-School. And doubt me not, it is fun unleashed. With some teams just there for fun sake hoping “shayad hum jeet jaye” and some just there to show off like “hamare paas attached bathroom hain”, the others still have a hunger for victory, to grab hold of the Ranbhoomi rolling trophy (or maybe have an upper hand in the friendly banter before and after the matches).
Ranbhoomi is the time of the year when nights at MDI are not spent at dome, not sleeping or in front of laptops, but playing for or cheering your team. And the fun doesn’t end there. It carries on to the post-match illustrations of accomplishments in the batch e-mails and reviews of the same.
I had heard a saying somewhere which is entirely true for Ranbhoomi. “Say what you will about ravages of sports in this corporate age where overpaid athletes expect prima donna treatment, but there is still something so unifying about sporting in its purest forms when players and teams rise above themselves and touch greatness, and in doing so, unite and showcase the true character that lies underneath.”
The last edition of Ranbhoomi saw some record breaking performances, cheering, hollering, constant “wordplay”, adrenaline pumping rivalries amongst intense controversies, nail biting finishes and scores of celebrations. This year, it’s going to even more riveting and enthralling. Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. So, will you be there?
-Shobhit Pareek
PGPM 2009
Ranbhoomi 2009 Champions
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Rural Illumina - A memorable Khichdi
- Piyushi Sobti, PGHR 2010-12
As the countdown began, our excitement level rose. Rural Illumina was happening after a gap of two years and we were going to be a part of it! All preliminary arrangements done, props made and roles practiced, 16th October dawned bright to find a group of over 50 Mandevians- Illuminatis and volunteers- raring to go. An hour's drive later, we found ourselves in the village of Pataudi, in a 100-year old Mela we were proud to be a part of. The tents were still only partially up and we had around four hours to complete the entire set-up before the crowds started pouring in. In the next few hours, the place transformed in front of our eyes. Rooms were demarcated, props put in place, costumes donned, stomachs filled, Airtel Dish TVs installed and Tata BP Solar Appliances ready to be advertised!
What we saw and experienced once the Mela began was nothing short of thrilling and unique. Expecting a good response, we had already enlisted Police help for security and narrowed our entrances to allow respondents in one at a time, so that we could record their responses to the Market Researches. The response was indeed phenomenal! From five-year olds to 80-year olds, the curiosity around the ‘Kaun Banega Dabbang ka Robinhood’ and ‘Khichdi’ tents spread like wildfire! So much so that some of the Mela-visitors actually suspected that we were hiding Salman Khan inside the tents! Our boys, with the help of the Police, could just about keep the crowds from mobbing us. Meanwhile inside the tents, multiple Hansas and Babujis, Maa’s and Rajjo’s, Chulbul Pandeys and Makkhi Singhs were busy interacting with the respondents.
Delighted at our success and tired to the bone, we saved up just enough energy within ourselves to arrive at MDI at the end of the day and dance behind the Dholwala in each corridor of CM and Odyssey, declaring the triumph of Rural Illumina to one and all.
In the words of an Illuminati, “…it was a memorable Khichdi... and we hope to create DA BANG on 31st again.”
As the countdown began, our excitement level rose. Rural Illumina was happening after a gap of two years and we were going to be a part of it! All preliminary arrangements done, props made and roles practiced, 16th October dawned bright to find a group of over 50 Mandevians- Illuminatis and volunteers- raring to go. An hour's drive later, we found ourselves in the village of Pataudi, in a 100-year old Mela we were proud to be a part of. The tents were still only partially up and we had around four hours to complete the entire set-up before the crowds started pouring in. In the next few hours, the place transformed in front of our eyes. Rooms were demarcated, props put in place, costumes donned, stomachs filled, Airtel Dish TVs installed and Tata BP Solar Appliances ready to be advertised!
What we saw and experienced once the Mela began was nothing short of thrilling and unique. Expecting a good response, we had already enlisted Police help for security and narrowed our entrances to allow respondents in one at a time, so that we could record their responses to the Market Researches. The response was indeed phenomenal! From five-year olds to 80-year olds, the curiosity around the ‘Kaun Banega Dabbang ka Robinhood’ and ‘Khichdi’ tents spread like wildfire! So much so that some of the Mela-visitors actually suspected that we were hiding Salman Khan inside the tents! Our boys, with the help of the Police, could just about keep the crowds from mobbing us. Meanwhile inside the tents, multiple Hansas and Babujis, Maa’s and Rajjo’s, Chulbul Pandeys and Makkhi Singhs were busy interacting with the respondents.
Delighted at our success and tired to the bone, we saved up just enough energy within ourselves to arrive at MDI at the end of the day and dance behind the Dholwala in each corridor of CM and Odyssey, declaring the triumph of Rural Illumina to one and all.
In the words of an Illuminati, “…it was a memorable Khichdi... and we hope to create DA BANG on 31st again.”
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