Why the hell am I doing my MBA….. part 2
The true story of a poet who never gave up …………..and perhaps that was his problem.
The 3rd week changed a few things for me. It was Wednesday when the teacher in the research methodology class asked us to form groups and give a presentation the next week. I too found myself in a group of ten people. One of them happened to be our future section representative Prapti Mukherjee . 
Prapti is a really caring person . I remember whenever I used to take a train late in the evening , Prapti would often call to enquire if I reached home . We really work well together and the foundation of that team work was probably this presentation task. We started our work on the ppt. For the first time I found a really genuine reason to attend the next week classes.
An incident that happened in the last period is still very fresh in my memory. It was our International Business class. Now the teacher had asked us to buy a book written by Paul Krugman. I had decided to wait for sometime because I wanted to check out the book before buying , because I was not sure if I would understand this subject at all. I was also sure that some over enthusiastic person would have already bought it and that would give me a chance to have a look at the book. So while the class was going on , the teacher asked ,” Did anyone get that Krugman book ?”. A girl in the other row stood up and showed the brand new book . I don’t know whether it was a student or the teacher , but someone asked the price of the book . “ Rs 399.” She answered . But as far as I knew the book could have been bought for a lesser price . Surely she did not bargain. “ Silly girl “ I muttered . A boy sitting next to me replied , “Actually she does not stay here , so she does not know the price .” That does not make any sense I thought . Silly girl ….. I said again.
On Thursday I was busy mailing the students a few ppts which our teacher had sent Prapti last evening. As I was busy asking the students their email ids , I saw the girl who had been in my GD group and with whom I had been very rude ( read the first part and you will know). I decided it was time to make amends . I approached her.
“ Hey did you by anyway work in a toothpaste ad ?” I asked her. Now that I think of it , I realize it was such a idiotic way to start a conversation.
The girl looked at me and then gave me a wry smile . “ You saw my orkut profile pic , didn’t you ?”
“ Yes , a nice set of teeth you have got .” I told her.
“ Actually it’s a smile “, she said in a matter of fact tone , “ a Brazilian smile.”
“ OK , great .” I said and walked away. Silly girl …….But atleast now we were on talking terms.
I mention these two incidents because of a very good reason which I will tell later .
THE ELECTION…… the tragedy continues…..
It was around the fourth week that the buzz for the class representative started to disturb our eardrums . Moreover there were other committees to apply for , Placement committee , Alumni committee, Brochure committee . But I knew which committee I wanted to be in … the Events Committee.
The election day was fixed at 3rd August .It was Monday . Around 3o people had put up their names for the events committee job. The number of people to be selected was seven ,six members and one co-ordinator for the team . First there was to be an interview ( to be conducted by the senior Events committee ) and then once the seven people were selected, an election was to select the Events Coordinator . My interview went well . I was told that the seven names would be announced half an hour later.
It was 4.30 pm. The entire 2009-11 batch had gathered in the fourth floor room number 404 to listen to the results . Section A and Section B( I am in section B) sat on different sides . The counting of votes started for the Alumni , Placement and Funds committee . While the Placement committee votes were being counted , a senior from the Events Committee walked up to the board and started writing the seven names. Strangely enough I was really relaxed . It was as if I didn’t care if my name would be there or not . But I saw that I was there , the fourth name . Finally , I was in the Events Committee. Now it was time for the events co-ordinator election .
The chits for writing the name from among those seven written on the board were distributed among the students. When I saw that three girls were among the seven members , I knew that the next event coordinator would be a girl , I don’t know why but I knew that vote division among boys would help the girl win . The 
counting began , it was decided that each vote would be read out loud infront of the class .
Around 2o votes were counted and my name on the blackboard had not registered even a single tick mark (indicating the number of votes). I looked at the boy sitting next to me and remarked .” Pankaj , atleast I know I will get one vote , because I voted for myself . “
Pankaj replied , “Make that two because even I have voted for you .”
And then it happened , the senior opened a chit and shouted , ”PRANAY TIWARI”
A girl put a tick mark across my name on the black board . The senior read the next vote.
“ PRANAY TIWARI”.
So two votes counted , end of the story .
“PRANAY TIWARI”
“PRANAY TIWARI”……
As my name was taken 15 times on a trot , the boys of my section roared at every count. But then again a lull . The girl from Section A had overtaken me again . I was now pretty certain that my vote division theory had worked when I heard a familiar name once again,” PRANAY TIWARI.”
And then I could hear the name no more , because the cheers from the back benches made it impossible to do so .
As the last chit was opened , every body present knew the result . “PRANAY TIWARI”.It needn’t be made explicit but somethings just have to be done in an orderly way. Hence an announcement was in order.
“ The Event coordinator for 2009-11 batch is PRANAY TIWARI .” The class cheered . I stood up, turned back , smiled and sat down . As I returned home , on the train I realized that I had mixed feelings about the election . I was happy that Prapti was selected our section representative , but sad that a deserving person(for whom I voted) had missed the Placecom seat . I have never told that person this thing , but it weighs heavily on my mind .
I think that the events committee job gave me an opportunity to prove that even a poet has a place in a B school . I also now realize that my class has given me a huge responsibility and I can never ever let them down . To tell you the truth , at first I thought that this job would be a piece of cake , that I would be just required to sign the requisition slips , make a few easy decisions and walaah my job would be done…..
Had I known what was to come , I would have said just two words for myself , “ Silly Boy”.
Next week …. The problems , the fights , the ego clashes , the failing health , losing some “ friends” and gaining a lot more ….. and yes the making of THE PRS……
Part 3 is coming next week…..
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Pictures from top to bottom.
1) Prapti Mukherjee
2) Me , with the Cr nominee results.
3) Counting of the Cr nominee votes
