5 most common regrets the dying have

Priorities become crystal clear when people know their days are numbered, Bronnie Ware realized while working with terminally ill patients. She shares the five most common regrets the dying have

For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives.

People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learnt never to underestimate someone's capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them.

When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn't work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.

When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.

Bronnie Ware is a writer and songwriter from Australia who spent several years caring for dying people in their homes. She has recently released a full-length book titled 'The Top Five Regrets of the Dying - A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing'. It is a memoir of her own life and how it was transformed through the regrets of the dying people she cared for.

Marriage Twists and Turns

Dated: July 29th 2003

Dear All,

"Marriage, Shaadi !!" this is one of the Hottest topics of discussion at Home and in Office this week........ something I thought I could share with U all !!

The mere mention of this word brings to life images from movies such as "DDLH - Dilwale Dulhania......" and "HAHK - Hum Aapke........." !!

But is "Marriage" the same stuff which we see in these larger than Life Movies............. Enjoy it for 3hrs and come back to reality or.......................... is it something much more serious................
" A decision of a Lifetime" ...................almost a matter of "Life & Death" !!

Let me just brief U on the stuff which prompted me to write this article:

The Scene:
A Beautiful Sunday Morning...... a Holiday......a Week-end Break......... and a day when U wake-up very very early......... approx. 10:00 hrs !! U are so enthusiastic and Energetic............ that U actually plan not to do anything but just to laze around doing nothing !! The Perfect Scenario !!


The Twist:
U get a call at 10:00 hrs from one of Ur closest Colleagues in Office (with whom U think U can share almost all of Ur personal and Private Secrets) telling U that he is getting Married at 10:30 hrs and U have to reach his place within the next 1/2 hour !!

The Climax:
U give a call again in the next 1 hour and U are told that the Marriage Ceremony is OVER !!

Now compare this situation to a Jeniffer Lopez- Ben Affleck Wedding, where the couple has been contemplating Marriage for more than a Year now !! I even read stories of some Hollywood Actress who postponed her wedding just becos Her designer, Wedding gown was not ready !!

It is said that "Marriages are made in HEAVEN", so probably people should not waste time in implementing a strategy which has (if I can say) already been published. Possibly, the only delay could be for looking out for a "Marriage Hall & the Caterers" - which I heard is in short stock nowadays. There are cases where "Marriage Halls" seem to have been booked for a year in advance and the available dates are only after a year !!

But the real problem then begins.......just after the sweet images of "Marriage" ........ as shown in our popular Bollywood Block-busters spiced up with Song & Dance and the Even-sweeter "Honey Moon" is over !!

Let's consider the Financial implications of the items listed below:

a. The 3 basic requirements - Roti, Kapda & Makaan
b. Maintenance cost of ...... obviously............... Maintaining a WIFE !!
c. Long term financial implications of Maintaing another Output i.e. a Son/ Daughter within the stipulated period of 9 months 7 days (+/- some days...... pardon my ignorance !!)
d. Supporting Ur earlier household ......... i.e. people called Father & Mother !!

The entire scenario if seen in terms of it's total Financial implications is simply "TERRIFYING" !!

I haven't even taken into consideration the "TENSION" and the "Stress" factors:
a. The trouble of explaining to one-and-all about Ur sudden impulsive decision for a "Run-away Love Marriage" !!
b. The stress and strain of actually "Running" when attempting "Marriage" !!
c. The tensions U have to go through for planning & implementing a "Running Marriage" !!
d. The post-marriage frictions between Ur latest Model "Wife" and the outdated Model "Mother"
e. The Joy of knowing Ur Vegetable vendor, the Milk-man, the Local Baniya personally
and last but not the least.................
f. The revelations on the latest Vegetable & Dal-Atta prices !!

Just to conclude;
Marriage is that Ladoo - Joh Khaye woh pachtaye, Joh na khaye woh bhi pachtaye !!

And just in case; anyone of U is planning a similar "Run-away Marriage", please inform the undersigned in advance so as to prepare himself for the Shocking News and the post-Event reactions !! The post-marriage scenario is simply ................ INTERESTING - Almost equivalent to a Post-Nuclear fallout !!

And before I conclude; some interesting stuff I collected on one of my most favourite topics called "Love" !!

Let me present it for U !!

Here's What Your Eyes Can Do For You !!

Women & Men, both are intuitive. They can sense if you are desperate or confident by the way you look at them.

Why Should You Use Your Eyes 'Correctly'? Well, because if you don't you may ruin the chances of successfully approaching someone you like.

Here are the signals you send depending upon the way in which you make eye contact: When You Look Away After Establishing Eye Contact.This action implies weakness. When you establish eye contact with her for the first time, let her break the look. You may be uncomfortable, but try it; it works!

When You Avoid Looking Into Her Eyes.You're sending a message that you lack experience with women, are shy, or lack confidence. When You Stare Too Hard.Oh-Oh.you'll end up making her severely uncomfortable.

The general rule is that men, who haven't had too much experience with women, tend to stare at women very lustfully. This can make women instantly wary and apprehensive about being around them.

When you look her directly in the eye-with confidence.This one has its advantages: First, you express your obvious interest in her. Second, you can observe and read what she is communicating through her eye contact.

If you look at her in a comfortable, confident and subtle manner that says, "I can have you!", this is very challenging to women and a turn on.

Hope this is of use to U All............ can also be used by the Ladies !!

MAY U ALL LIVE HEAVILY & HAPPILY EVER AFTER .....Eagerly waiting to hear from U all........... Very soon !!

Regards,

Sandeep Narayan
Falling in love is a sweet Ambition,
Finding true love is a Life time Mission.......
Take my word, follow the Indian tradition.........
& Marry Ur Dad's ugly decision........ !!!!!!

Who said Indians lack humour?

Source: Sivamani Vasudevan

I vouch, we, Indians, are a humorous lot. A dolphin may not laugh (except in cartoons) and a dog may not smile (but for wagging its tail when happy). But an Indian lives and breathes by humour. We are neither as dry as desert sand nor as stiff as a stick. Here is an account.

When a septuagenarian went to the treasury to draw his pension, he was turned away as he did not produce a certificate that he was “alive” and kicking. When he finally managed to produce the coveted trophy (which he got on payment of one month's pension), it was turned down again on the precious ground that it was not from the same doctor who pronounced him alive the previous year. When the poor old soul represented that the said (last year's?) doctor pre-deceased him, he was admonished for not obtaining the letter before the physician left for the heavenly abode! This is quite tolerable at least, given the mindset of our babus.

To another octogenarian, the treasury staff said that as per their records, he was already gone, exited from this planet for good. Can there be a crueler joke than this?

A woman who gave birth to a male child in a hospital was reported to have become the mother of a girl child instead, even before she could recover from her post-natal pains. Gender transplant in minutes? Is it achievable anywhere else? She herself could not believe this. Those who read this from the morning newspapers laughed it off as a joke. Is there any dearth of humour? (that the case was cracked, thanks to an alert policemen, and the original child was restored is a different story).

One day, a customer came to the bank where I served and informed my superior (who was not very comfortable with English) in writing that the other partner of his firm died the previous day. The letter was marked to me for ledger noting. When the customer called the next day and regretted that he had conveyed the date of death wrongly, my superior took one more letter and marked it to me with the remarks, “Customer wrongly died yesterday. Now correctly dead. Note.” The whole bank staff roared with laughter when I shared this with them during our training sessions at our central office. Is there any short supply of such unintended humour among office-goers?

A humble, submissive and ever-obliging tailor of our village, when confronted on the road over the delay in the delivery of clothes, would unhesitatingly assure us that the work would be done in a couple of days, though no cloth was given for stitching in the first place.

A government liquor shop employee recently consumed the “liquid gold” in excess on New Year eve and left for home, keeping the shop wide open and free for all. Who said we are a serious lot?

When our revered judges ordered that instead of allowing grains to rot in government godowns and eaten away by rodents, it should be distributed among the hungry public, there was apprehension that such a freebie culture would ruin our farming economy and that the rights of the executive (read government) should not be infringed upon. What is the right they were talking about, the right for rotting or keeping the people hungry? Could there be better humour?

A super fast point-to-point train was introduced between two main cities. Everybody clapped as the prestigious train was flagged off. It sped station after station only to stop later between every two stations for track and signal clearance. Now commuters wait between the two so-called “non-stopping” stations to board and alight, right in front of their homes. (My NRI friend innocently asked me whether the non-stop train would stop at the destination at least?) Who said our sense of humour is a shade weak?

There is a joke that if Indian cricketers are playing the second innings better, why not they play their second innings first?

A man, wrongly declared dead, woke up in the mortuary van in the middle of the night while being taken to the cemetery and the horrified kin fled the scene so fast that the man died after heart attack at being left in the lurch by his own dear ones.

Here is one for the road (again from my banking experience): Earlier, there was a practice of sending secret-coded telegraphic messages among all bank branches, while transferring funds. Many a time, the messages reached the destinations in distorted forms due to transmission errors. There was always the necessity of phoning up the receiving branch again and spelling out each alphabet of the coded words. While doing so, as sound clarity was lacking in telephone line transmissions, bankers used expanded word forms for each alphabet, like “B” for “Bombay” and “O” for “Orange.” My superior once innocently and hurriedly used “N” for “knowledge.” The whole banking hall, including the customers waiting there, were in splits.

One of my colleagues said it could have been pardonable had he spelt “N” for “Knife.”

Why do Indian's resist Change ??

N R Narayana Murthy's outlook on India's concept on Change:

Was watching an interview of the Chief Mentor, Infosys Technology yesterday where he shared an amazing perspective on our (Indian's) outlook towards change.

He says, we take such a long time to deliberate on how the change which when implemented, will impact us and come up with multiple reasons as to why it should not be implemented which is deliberated endlessly ............ and by then it's often too late.

This Indian perspective, he says, stems from the fact that for a major part of the last 300 years, we have always been used to "someone else" making a decision for us (the Brits sitting 400 miles away in England used to make the rules and implement), which we used to follow .... which was the easy part. However, since the last 50-60 years since when we the onus of making decisions has moved to us, to making decisions for ourselves, it does take a real effort to convince all concerned and implement anything.

For reference, he quotes .... there have been 33 Conferences in the last 20 years on building a Captive Power plant in Bangalore .... however this yet remains on paper and on discussions/ deliberations.

Also interesting to note, he says ..... we have "our family", "our friends" but our outlook on the public infrastructure is very different .... it's "the Government's roads, bridges, railway" and hence we are not concerned to make a difference.

He recommends that we keep an open mind and look to people/ companies who do better than us ...... the day we change this outlook, we will make a huge difference !!!

A mail after a real long time .......

Dear Friends ….

It’s been a real long time since I wrote to you all…..

I know – a lot of people have told me that they liked to read my long mails (it was also irritating to some, so they only skimmed through my chatter), some have even stored it in their archives and refer to it once in a while. And many even ask me the reason why they haven’t received any updates in the recent past.


Seems strange but when I tried to answer the same question, I realized that probably the reason why I used to write those mailers was just to share my thoughts will all you wonderful people. That’s also because there wasn’t anyone with whom I could share it in person. The logic is quite justified since the mails simply stopped after my Marriage – I had found a partner with whom I could share all my trash ideas and the thoughts – someone who has been there continuously, listening to me and my crazy ideas, my constant companion - that’s my Wife !!!


For those who came in late (a line borrowed from Indrajal comics – remember Mandrake, Phantom), I have been writing a lot of my mails in the long lost past – sharing my experiences and comments on:

Life pre-Marriage, that included my Love antics, My courtship, post-engagement stuff
The Marriage function – still sends shivers down my spine, when I read about the experience
Post Marriage – a brief mail sent 6 months post-marriage

It also reminds me about one of the reply mailers sent my Senior Colleague from School Alumni – John Neelankavil, which read:

<< Hi Sandeep, Welcome to the 'married' men club. You will be invited for the second level initiation ceremony soon, normally after you complete two years of wedded life:-) Beneath it all, it is evident that you are in bliss as of now, (although the term "opposite partner" creeps into your lexicon already while you allude to your wife). Keep it up !! (no pun intended). I am aware that "rising to the occasion" and 'life has ups and downs" will have acquired new meaning for you. Screeeeaaaam when you need help, it is a good method to test your reflexes and also it will earn you the invite for the second level sooner .... >>


Hey John: Hope the invite for the second level initiation is ready – I have actually completed 3 years of Marriage!!!!


Just to summarize for the benefit of all those who are yet to be Married – Please do so, you will not realise what you are missing ……………………….. And by the time you realize, it would be too late !!!!!! J Shobha – just joking (that’s my wife) !!!!


Coming back to my crazy ideas, today my mind is wavering on the concept of “CHANGES” in Life???

As the popular saying goes, the only thing constant in Life is Change.


Remember those good old days in School when the only thing you were worried about was ……..

· Catching the school bus on time … if it didn’t come on a rainy day, it probably would be a holiday !!!!

· Getting your Tiffin ready during the short & long recess (or probably early, during the class !!)

· The dreaded Homework and the remarks on the school calendar

· Exams


This was followed by the days in College – a sudden change from the controlled environment of parents and teachers. The excitement factors were:

Bunking Lectures
No more carrying School bags – a single book would suffice for all lectures
The College Days – Chocolate, Pink, Black & White, Rose Day !!!!
Of course, how can I miss – the Girlz and the first crush !!!!


This phase of Life has also given the due exposure to the teenager’s fads like ….

The Internet and the favourite sites
Mails & Chats with …..???
Online Games – for those freakos
Visiting Pubs, Discos
Magazines – Playboy, Playgirl L

… and with the present generation, these symptoms could be obvious much earlier. I remember, when I had the opportunity of attending a Xth Std Farewell program arranged in the school a couple of years back, I was surprised to see that almost everyone was holding a classy Mobile, some busy chatting on the cell, some playing games and the others sharing ring tones/ pictures, songs and videos on Blue tooth !!!!!

By this time, there is a lot of pressure building up around you:

Academic success …. Your future depends on it ??!!!
Getting admission into a good college …. Or probably even a good coaching class
The competition to get into a professional course – Doctor or an Engineer
The CET Marks

Then follows your Professional coaching – which again is a phase much similar to your School life:

Lots of friends – all maturing together. Some, friends for Life
College Festivals
The ATKT and ALL CLEAR concepts
Viva’s, Assignments and Submissions

Once you are through with this phase, the Professional arena awaits you…………..

The first Job
Your first pay check
Corporate Culture
Performance Management, Increments, Bonus and Promotions
TAT’s and Deadlines

At this time – on your personal front, you are either going through a phase of flirting, serious relationships or your parents are simply looking for a suitable match – cos it’s time for you to get Married !!


Ladka/ Ladki is of marriageable age, acha-khasa Kamane lage hain, have completed their Education – Doctor, Engineer, CA/MBA etc ….

You get Married – thinking you have achieved a Milestone in Life – probably it’s time now to settle down, enjoy some peaceful time at home with your family and your partner.


But, don’t get surprised the very next day if there are relatives and friends clobbering you – When are you giving the Good News ??

That’s Life for you, you achieve a milestone and there is another one just waiting for you round the corner ………

Kids
School Admission
Tutions, School Fees ………. Etc

Personally, my Life has undergone a lot of changes since the last time I wrote to you all ……..

Presently in my 2nd year of PT-MBA from NMIMS (HRM Specialization). Yes, that’s going to be surprise for a lot of people who remember me last doing my BE (Mechanical) at KJ Somaiya, Mumbai. Had a job change – from MGL (Mahanagar Gas Ltd, approx. 7 ½ years) to my new assignment at TATA AIG Life
Trying to Balance the various fronts – Office, College, Parents, Wife, Friends etc

Let me park my story at this point …….. the future is interesting – waiting for it to unfold !!!

So till the next time we meet …….. Adios Amigos ……….. and please do write back as per convenience.

As always, it’s going to be a pleasure to read your replies and also an update on the things happening in your lives as well!!!!!

Sandeep Narayan

Response to my Fire mailer !!

Dated: March 2nd, 2003

Dear All,

Thanx for the fantastic response to my last mail............. a lot of people have written back giving me a lot of compliments for the report !! Thanx again !!

And for those who could not reply (for whatever reasons possible), let me just update U on the latest stuff happening on the fire incident along with some snaps we took of the incident on that eventful "Valentines Day" !!

First & foremost, to cover some glimpses of the responses sent from U all:

Ms Rinku Gupta
Tussi mahaan ho. really a nice last mail. pl. don't say that woh tere dimaag ke khurapaati thi. NG (my boss) ke saath reh kar itna dimaag nahi bachta.

Siddharth Fernandes
I heard about what happened and did not know that you were involved in so much of the restoration work. I know it must have been a real tiring ordeal. I hope all's well now.

Priya Gandhi
Believe it or not, on reading the subject fire, I actually thought that u hyad something to write about the dance party at Fire and Ice on Valentine's day. But unfotunately for u there was no ice, only fire.

Anand Pejawar
I think it was a great mail. You have actually given me a min by min details of how the whole thing was managed by your team. Great. I was in Chennai when I saw this on "Aaj Tak". May God Bless you and YES may you never in your life have such a Valentine Day.

Shankar Rathnam
That was a nice email. Hope you wrote it and was not a dumb for forward.

Hemant Ramaswamy
Thanks a lot for your update. No harm if u have to write one every week. It feels good to keep in touch with things at home.

Gautam Kedia
cool story man::hope bby doesnt see too many of these freak incidents::: what i liked most about it is, it endorsed my viewpoint that bby is a never say die city:::i love that place and miss it terribly here in europe:::i feel lucky to belong there and so must everyone who has even briefly lived there !!

Joe Nathan
Thanks for the enlightenment. You sure have put things in the right perspective. MGL has my full confidence - not because you work them - but generally !!

Now back to the main story.....................seems the entire incident is going the Democratic way i.e. whenever there is some story/ facts to be supressed; the burecratic fund suggested is to appoint an Enquiry Committee which then appoints a Sub-committee and another Sub-committee is formed which studies the recommendations suggested by the earlier Committee ............ and they All Live Happily Ever After !!

Right now the Committees appointed and operating are :

1. BMC Committee: appointed by the Municipal Commissioner and headed by the Deputy MC Mr. Kunthe, which had a time limit of 2 weeks for report submission.
2. A Committee appointed by Mr. Ram Naik - MoPNG from the Central Govt. - 2 weeks
3. An Enquiry committee formed by the Police Officers on the Local/ State Level with investigations done by the Forensic Dept !!

The Media also seems to enjoy the "Hot Scoops" they are getting with great statements made by the Chief Fire Officer e.g. "Mumbai sitting on the Mouth of a Volcano/ Time Bomb". The Cricket Match between India & Pakistan also failed to distract the attention from these golorious statements !!

Recently (just last week), we also had a cover story about leakage/ fire on an MGL pipeline at Vashi, New Mumbai when in reality the Gas Network actually is laid only till Mulund on the Central side and from Mantralay to Dahisar on the Western side !!

Let's just hope - WE ALL STAY HAPPILY EVER AFTER !!

Regards,

Sandeep


Information contained in this E-MAIL being proprietary to Sandeep is 'privileged'
and intended for use only by the individual or entity to which it is
addressed. You may believe in the above-mentioned stuff at Ur Risk & Cost.

Fire !!!!!

Dated: February 16, 2003

Dear All,

It's only been a week since I last wrote to U, but this last week has been so exciting that I just can't wait to share my experiences with U......... Probably, the best way I could have brought in my Valentines Day !!

For those who came in late.............. (this is a phrase right out from the most popular series of Phantom, the Ghost who walks...... Indrajal Comics), there was a Major incident of Fire on the evening of Feb 13th 2003 due to the rupture of a Gas Line of Mahanagar Gas Ltd., (incidentally the company where I work)............... near Kole Dongri, Jumbo Darshan which also incidentally falls right outside my Building Gate !!

The sequence of events on that eventful day are described as below:

1. The Background:

The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corp) has recently insisted on the use of a new system of "Trenchless Technology" also called as "HDD-Horizontal Directional Drilling" or "HB-Horizontal Boring" which essentially means - No Open Excavation of Trenches". The process involves digging only 2 pits called a Launching pit and a Receiving pit at a distance of 50m, between which the molling tool is pushed......... creating a Hollow cavity. The utility pipe then could just be pushed thru this hollow cavity. This new process basically does away with the old practice of perennially digging the roads by different utility companies for their underground network lines. But the problem begins when utility companies do not know if there are other pipes already laid on the same route !!

2. The Evening of Feb 13th 2003

It is said that the people (supposed to be from an utility company dealing in Optical Fibre Cables - a Telecom major), started their HDD activity around 3.15pm in the afternoon. They got stuck at a rough patch (MGL pipeline) and could not proceed ahead. Flames were seen coming out from this Launching pit because of which they panicked and escaped from the place. The fire began at 6.15pm and eventually covered the entire junction of the road and spread over an area of 30 sq.m.

The above-statement was quite evident since on excavation of the exact location of rupture, we found that the Moling tool had pierced into the 90° elbow fitting of our 180mm dia main header pipeline operating at a pressure of 4kg/sq. cm (g).

The Fire Brigade people were the first to arrive on-site to be followed by our Emergency Crew at around 6.30pm and the entire area was cordoned-off by around 6.35pm. BSES shut-off the power supply to the entire area and the buildings were plunged into darkness............ though the light of the fire was sufficient for the people to get scared !! An MTNL junction box was burnt causing tripping of a lot of Telephone lines....!!

3. The people's reaction:
I reached the site by around 6.50pm and saw that the entire crowd was on the road. The media crew of Aaj Tak, had a van stationed near the spot and started a live broadcast of the event. They were checking to get some "Official statements" from the nearby people ............ cos for them it was nothing but a "hot-scoop/ Cover story item" !!

In the meantime, we (lead by our Tech Director - Chris Murphy) cut down on the source pressure of the Regulating station.....which slightly reduced the intensity of the fire and started our work on a temporary By-pass line which would maintain the Gas supply to the consumers on the downstream...... essentially people from Vile Parle and parts of Andheri (East). This was one of the biggest By-pass lines we have ever constructed........... measuring over 150m cos a normal by-pass is never more than 10m.....!!

The best part was the reaction from the general crowd..........

We had people who said that they were Civil Engineers and tried to calculate the amount of gas contained in the pipe.......using which they could calculate the time till which the fire would burn !!

There was a gentleman who explained to me that if we could not put-off the fire in the next 30mins, the fire would spread towards the "International Airport" and blow up Mumbai city causing havoc !!

Another lady said that she had contacts with Atal Bihari Vajpayee & was scheduled to meet Mr. Ram Naik the next day........... hence we should pay attention to what she says !!

A Sardar (no pun intended) told me that we should shut-off the supply to the entire Mumbai city as the source of Gas for this fire was somewhere in Chembur when in practicality the source was a mere 200m away near Andheri Station (Telli Gully) !!

Another gentlemen, probably from the defense background was explaining to me the applications of DCP-based Fire extinguishers (Dry Carbon Powder) and also told me that we could use a "Controlled-explosion" creating a partial vacuum so as to cut-off the Oxygen supply to the fire !!

All in all, the Emergency situation brought out the best in the general public....... !! The people supplied us (MGL + Police + Fire Brigade) with Food and Water, which was a great gesture on their part !!!!! The Spirit of Mumbai City !!


4. The Politicians:
This is one aspect which I have always hated ......... I mean it's dumb for people to try and gain leverage during times of Emergencies. I still believe, if U can't help, just get out of the way and do not hamper the work of the people who are trying to keep things under Control..........!!

We had visits from local MP - Sunil Dutt, local MLA - Suresh Shetty, the Home Minister - Kripashankar Singh and Mr Ram Naik - MoPNG (Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas) !!

Well, all they managed to do was come and deliver some ideal lectures to the public saying that they would initiate an Inquiry into the matter and see to it that the guilty is punished !! Even as I write this, the news says that the Central Govt. has appointed a Sub-committee to conduct an Inquiry into this matter !!

5. The Controlling of the Fire

We managed to construct, test and commission the By-pass lines by 12.35pm after which the fire area was isolated by squeezing off the supply lines !! The fire subsided at 1.10 am in the morning of Feb 14th ............ which marked My Valentine Day Celebrations !!

The Gas to the buildings affected was resumed at 1.30am in the morning.........a sign of our efficient efforts !! The very people who wanted to remove their Connections were asking if they could now start using the Gas......... which shows the die-hard spirit of the Mumbai public !!

6. The Post Fire Scene
There were visits by various Government agencies............. the Police, the Forensic Squad, BMC Ward Officers and Deputy Municipal Commissioner Mr Kunthe, Officers from GAIL, BSES Officers, MTNL Authorities, BEST Officers and others !!

We spent the entire Valentines Day rectifying the Leakage area and commissioning the permanent Gas pipelines....... which finally ended at 11.30pm in the night !!

7. The Team Effort
All in all, it was a great Team effort by MGL, the Fire Brigade Officers, the Police and last but not the least........ the local people who helped to keep things under CONTROL !!

The fire which raged for 7 hours was one of the biggest in Mumbai's history........ including 20 Fire tenders........ A ONCE IN A LIFE TIME EXPERIENCE !!

Hope I don't have a Valentine Day like this in the years to come............ !!

Regards,

Sandeep

Information contained in this E-MAIL being proprietary to Sandeep is 'privileged'
and intended for use only by the individual or entity to which it is
addressed. You may believe in the above-mentioned stuff at Ur own Risk & Cost.

Replies to Post Marriage Scenario

Hi Everyone ...........

Long time no see ..... no hear !!

Actually ...... thanx a lot for all those wonderful e-mail replies you sent to my earlier mail on "Post Marriage Scenario" !! Please find a compilation of the same in the attached files !!

Just to summarise ........

6 months is still a very short span of time for commenting on the "Post Marriage scenario" but event then; it is quite a sufficient span to tell you that :

Ur Life has changed ........ either for the better or for the worse !!

Here I am today at home, writing this e-mail with a swollen feet ...... I had a crash landing yesterday at Office ........ just missed approx. 4 1/2 steps in flight !!

Making the best use of my time ...... sending you the reply mailers ...... as sent by you,

Do write back ........ atleast will do a reality check ..... HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY READ MY MAILS ??!!

Eagerly waiting to hear from you all,

Sandeep Narayan
====================================================================================

Hi Friends,

As is my usual practice; I am attempting to summarize all your replies ….. the replies to my mailer for the “Post Marriage scenario” !!

As always; there are some replies which are simple one-liners …… from our very own busy friends !!

And not to miss out on some amazing replies which show that people still have the time to go thru the long mailers …… reflect upon it …… and even reply to the mailers …… putting their thoughts to words !!

But the crux of the matter is …… no matter what …… these are some topics which are very close to your heart & the very fact that people put their pens to paper (in this case – the fingers to the keyboard) is that you all are touched by it ……. Somewhere deep inside your heart !!

And to all those lazy bums who have read the mails but are yet to muster the courage to send in their replies – WAKE UP !! (Before you get married)

So, lay back and enjoy ……. Cos this is what you – the wonderful of people have written about the Post Marriage scenario!!

1.0 Niral – my friend at my Society
Hey buddy,
read the first couple of line of your 5 page word document and I kinda get the bottom line , " Marriage aint that bad......", good to know that , LOL

Will go through the rest of the 5 pages as soon as I can dig up some time to do so, and get back to you with my expert comments, haha !!

Well, Niral hasn’t got back after that …. Seems the lengthy e-mail took his toll !! Hope he survives reading this mailer !!

2.0 Nikhil Kelshikar – My friend at Somaiya
Thanks Sandeep, I really needed this – I am getting married next Saturday.  Now, I know what I am getting into haha!

Need to speak to Nikhil about his post-marriage experience ….. I am sure he’s got a lot of stuff to talk about (Nikhil leave those major details out !!)

3.0 Ritesh Shukla – My friend at Somaiya
That was an awesome mail... gives all those who have not loved at all
some thing to look forward too...

Ritesh is doing well in the US of A ….. thanx for writing back !!

4.0 Sanjeev Nichani – My friend at Somaiya

well, this email did live up to its reputation coming from a lineage of funny and entertaining emails.....can i just tell u, how glad i am that u decide to include me and a handful of ur friends in a loop where u share such wonderful emotions and experiences.... ur full email was thoroughly funny, but my personal favorite was this line:
"Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight" i can totally see myself doing this !!

Sanjeev is back in India …. Now at GE Bangalore !! Sanjeev, as always nice to read your reply mailers and all the “Gyan” it contains …… now it’s high time for some more personal practical experience !! Mummy dear ne ek ladki dekhi hai – tumhare liye !!

5.0 Beena Srivastav – Meri mani hui behan
Hi Sandeep(Brother), how R U?
I am so so....amazed to read this mail especially from U... Oh!!!!! My GODDDDDDDDDDD
Toooooooooooooo Surprising !!!!!!!!!!!
Exclamation marks also seems to be too less to mark these words ahahahahahahh..............

A Lot of exclamation marks in that reply mailer …… Beena is right now with Accenture !! Going great guns !! ENJOY !!

6.0 Manish Narayane – My friend from Somaiya

After a long time a mail has come from your side.. After reading this mail i feel that it is Ok to have a mail from u with a good experience after marriage...I had also experienced the same thing what u have written ...... When i am reading u r mail, my mind goes 10 months back when the marriage day was there i.e 27 June-04..

Yes it is very much interesting to know lot of peoples coming under our category..

Manish is my partner in crime ….. at Somaiya !! He is doing very well at Tata, Pune after taking the plunge in June last year !! Heres wishing you the very best of Luck

7.0 Sheece Bhagdadi – My School friend

hahaha.. good fun to read. so where did u hide and write this mail secretly from? do u want me to come and rescue you, probably the mail u wrote was screened and u deliberately avoided saying that in so many words. but then again u cld actually be happily married... but then as they say happily married is an oxymoron....

Well, from the words itself, this langoti-yaar friend of mine spells out his professional beans – A CREATIVE writer that he is …… words seem to flow effortlessly from him !!

8.0 John Neelankavil – My Senior Alumni from School

Hi Sandeep,
Welcome to the 'married' men club. You will be invited for the the second level initiation ceremony soon, normally after you complete two years of wedded life:-)

Always good to read the efforts of your penmanship. I noticed however that before marriage (including the part in this article that refers to before the marriage), you used popular quotes and oft repeated clichés sparingly, but after the marriage, the narration is filled with them under the guise of concluding remarks. In fact there is very little of your own 'gems of wisdom'. I dread to think of what is in store from you in the immediate future. Imagine Sandeep conversing only in clichéd quotes:-)

Beneath it all, it is evident that you are in bliss as of now, (although the term "opposite partner" creeps into your lexicon already while you allude to your wife). Keep it up !! (no pun intended). I am aware that "rising to the occasion" and 'life has ups and downs" will have acquired new meaning for you.

Screeeeaaaam when you need help, it is a good method to test your reflexes and also it will earn you the invite for the second level sooner ....

Well, as is evident, John is one of the best writers around …… a man who can put words to thoughts …… and maintain those mischievous and humorous touch!! Thanx John, Can never forget “ My Vote of Thanks” !!

9.0 Hemant Ramaswamy – My friend of Somaiya

Wah Sandy Wah:

Looks like your knife is still sharp. Was nice to read your mail after a long time. Tu 100 saal jeeyega. Main abhi soch raha tha ki bahut din se teramail dikha nahi, and immediate tera mail.

Aur kya chal raha hai life mein? I'll definitely use your offer of personal advice, when I need it. Kerala gaya tha kya? Aajkal online bhi nahi dikhta.
Obviously, your l(w)ife's keeping you busy. ;)

Hemant just has his Birthday last week …..5th May ….. Oops could not wish U on your Birthday Hemant but then it’s never too late – Wish U A Belated Happy B’day !!

10.0 Samir Modi – My friend from Somaiya Alumi

Hi Sandeep,
Three months of married life! Congratulations on reaching this important milestone! From here on, it's all going to be downhill!! Just kidding!! :))
As always, it was interesting to read your mail. Wish you all the happiness in your married life. As you said, you now have a friend for life. For a successful friendship, listening to your friend is just as important (maybe more so), as talking to her.


11.0 Alex D’souza – My friend from School
Hey Sandeep,
Nice to receive yr mail, was actually waiting for one from U.. and i thought people change their habits after marriage or does it .. the proverbs were all matched to perfection my favourite one being "o The secret of a happy marriage ……. remains a secret !!"
and yes u rightly said "Marriage is one of the greatest landmarks on a persons Life " ,a dn thes u bet any errors and forgotten invites remain with you till along long time m sure a Woman is the incomplete part which makes mans a man Complete ( confused %^%@^#)
gess next wus be " Pre-Parenting affair "
Have fun and take care n ges dont let anxiety get u soooooon

12.0 Ramesh Waghela – My Alumni Batchmate from School

Dear Sandeep,
Welcome to the other side, So you are now finally (after 3 months) resigned to the fact that you are married. Do tell me why did you take so long to communicate to the outside world about your current status.

We can all understand you may be tied down with new daily chores in addition to carrying on with your job as well or is it just plain stay away from internet you spend too much time on it.


13.0 Nishank Joshi – My friend (Ex-MGL)
Hi dude,
always a pleasure recg a mail from u. The one thing that I appreciate the most is the thorough research for quotes that you undertake.

The one thing that I dont appreciate is the SIZE of the mail. 5 pages.. man 5 pages... Aur bol, its nice to know marriage is treating u well. Things pretty cool on my front too. Chal then,, keep in touch... and heres looking forward to a 2-3 page mail.

Nishank, sorry to disappoint you on the last part cos this mail is now going to a minimum of 6 pages …….!!

14.0 Mehjabeen – My friend
hey sandy,
nice to hear u after long three months. "lagta hai shaadi ka nasha abhi utra "

on reading subject as "Post marriage scenario" i thought it to be something very very interesting, hmn! but the most interesting part is censored, Why Sandy?

it was nice reading ur mail , it is interesting to know that u have got life partner as interesting as u. and more of it what i learnt from ur mail is, the respect and the emotions towards ur better half is absolutely admirable.

Its very important to understand the one who has come all the way leaving besides sweet memories of childhood, family, friends which means lot to us, and i liked it that you realize it, everybody cannot realise it.

The more u respect ur better half and love her , the more respect and prosperity u will gain. Take my words. I admire ur mail and ur love for better half. Convey my regards to Shobha, the one who has filled ur life with colours.

ur jokes in midst of the mailer was quite interesting and some very true. i think u have worked hard on this mailer and i appreciate ur efforts to pen it down. i m sure, the time consumed for this mailer might have been robbed from the shobhas attention and time that is allocated for her.

Thanx Mehjabeen, Great words from the wise ……. Thanx for all your compliments and best wishes !! I heard you were somewhere in Bangalore doing an NGO project ….. send me the details whenever possible !!

15.0 Jiju Jacob – My friend from Somaiya

Nice to hear from you after a long while... You are the only link..... God Bless you both and oki... i'll skip the "all the best" part cause whatever happens happens for the best.....

Jiju – a man of few words …… Thanx for the Blessings Boss !!

16.0 Ameya Samant – My friend from Society

Yea…….ur mails are getting shorter by the day and scarce too!!!

I would rather not ask u the reason of them getting shorter and go on with what I have to say about the mail. Nice explanation of what married life is all about...but dear u r just getting started...so don't run into any conclusions, good or bad, just yet (bhabhi don't read this). Your mail would prove as an inspiration to all those guys who r looking out for that special someone or are about to fall in one such trap...marriage.

Lets hope u go on and write such short mails…….10 times in a day!!

Hey Ameya, the best is yet to come …….. !!

17.0 Vanita Sherekar : My friend (…… she wrote this mail to my wife)

After reading his small (????) mail i wants to ask U that he has joint any PH.D. Course in this subject, then very soon we all will received a novel on this topic written by Mr. Sandeep Narayan..

But I am happy that somebody is seriously thinking on this topic..I always asked him that when he will be serious in his life, now I got the answer............!!!!!!!!!!!!! (but credit goes to U only)

Vanita Madam; I am about to publish the novel …… would love to get the preface written by you. So get your thinking hats on and fingers on the Keyboard !! By the way, howz Reliance doing nowadays ……. Confusions galore !!

18.0 Mandar Malshe – My friend in Society
hey sandy,

nice description. but u have included the 'post marriage’ scenario very little and the wedding description a lot. but the mail was never the less to say "ENLIGHTENING". (for the part where u have said tht u need not know everything on ur wedding nite......??????? just waiting for a confirmation on that.!!..but all an out to put ur mail in 2 words"SIMPLY SUPERB". pray continue with this good habit of sending mails which would be beneficial for us(me in particular!!) after a few years.

Mandar beta, pehle 8th Sem viva complete karo aur Engineering college ke bahar niklo !! Shaadi and the Post Marriage scenario is still a long way down !! Thanx for the great reply !!

19.0 Somasundaram N – My friend (Ex- MGL)
Well, Soma actually sent his wedding invitation as the reply mailer. He got married in April ‘05.

20.0 Yashoda Mendon – My wife’s best friend
Thanx for sending such a eye opening email. How is shobs? does she talk abt Me and Bhavi ?U Do get time to talk Bcoz there r many wonderfull things to do after coming home. Who will waste time in talking. i m really happy that u send this email to me.

21.0 Shankar Rathnam – My Ex- Senior Colleague
Excellent outlook towards marriage, but my friend its only been 3 months and you have not even seen the tip of the iceberg. I call this first 9-12 months the period of honeymoon and things take a turn after that. SO enjoy while it lasts and write back after 2 years from now.

22.0 Akshara Yermal – My cousin and a very good friend
Managed to read ur lengthy mail in my busy schedule .... today being the last day of the extended year end... was terribly hectic ........

Hey, me more experienced than u since married now for more than 7 months .... although we were together only for 5 months ..... now the only thing in my mind is to go to him asap......

Marriage for girls have many more shades than guys have cause we go to a different house which now is my own..... my inlaws ....all are just great couldn’t have asked for more ........ Its true they say marriages are made in heaven .... how from nowhere that very special person of ur life comes and changes everything .... this person is ur soul mate which u realize just in a few meetings and u fall in love with him...

I think have pakofied u a lot will leave something for the next time........

23.0 Vinita – My cousin sister
I checked my mail quite after a long time. So I am responding you late. Well I enjoyed reading your post marriage scenario. Thanks for sharing your experience & I also got an idea what men think about their marriage after three months.
Well something about your views about reception ceremony. I agree that you have your own concepts in your mind , but that doesn’t mean that all others think the same way. I feel it is also a kind of respect that you are giving to the bride & the groom it looks you are coming to attend somebody’s marriage watching the dulha – dulhan like hero & heroine , having food , enjoying & just walk away as you are least interested. As if you are watching a movie & then walking away & then discussing about how did it go.
Vinita is very critical on the description of the “Reception ceremony” I gave ……. Hey Lady, apologies if I hurt any sentiments but then …….. everyone has the freedom of expression !!
24.0 Kalpana Patel – My Office Colleague
You know what, you are the youngest married couple amongst us in HR. So i dont want to frighten you.
"SHAADI WOH LADOO HAI JO KAHO TO PACHTAO AUR NA KHAO TO PACHTAO".
To kha kar pachtana behtar hai. Kyun, hai na.
But i will like to tell you 6 month post engagement is not an enough time for any couple to know each other well. I have known to my husband for 11 years before we could get married. But believe me my dear brother even after knowing him for such a long period, he is very different person from what i have known him.
The best part of post marriage jeevan is the life long togetherness of some one whom you are really in love with. And then the entry of those small Guddas and Guddis makes your jindigi more exciting and a heavenly place to live in, like how RUDRANSH happened to me. For me it my husband and my son the treasure of my life.
"UNKE LIYA SAALA KUCH BHI KAREGA."
Kalpana is enjoying with her bundle of joy ……. Who is about to complete One year next month !! Preparations are in full flow ……. So ENJOY !!
25.0 Fakhri Dudhiawala – My friend from MGL
I am really surprised & happy to know that still u do have a liberty to express urself (after marriage)…….. BRAVO...

I fully agree with u for the Pre marriage part, rest I still have to experience. I think u are just wonderful and u should try some creative writing work - I don’t have a SHABD for it.
Fakhri will have “words” only for one person now …… I need not say WHO ??!!
26.0 Girish Menon – My colleague at MGL
Nice one there. But the real fun is yet to begin. When you become an
expecting father, then a father and then the little one in your life.
Holding it, .. So, keep enjoying your life.
Girish has a new entry in the family …… an angle !! Wishing U the Best of A Brilliant future !!
27.0 Geeta Madam – My Senior Colleague in MGL
Sandeep - Excellent, I could not wait to read till the finish when I saw
the mail. What you have said is true - mutual adjustment and a
give & take policy will definitely help. As one Senior Executive in my
previous company advised me - settle all your disputes before you go to
bed. Ages ago a girl used to be married off when she was still a
child, she could easily adapt herself to the new environment without
problem. Now girls grow-up, at the time when they get married have
their own ideas and egos and that's one of the reasons why there are
misunderstandings ending in divorces because egos prevent the couple
from settling out the differences then and there. Even then, India is
much better because most still have regard for old values. Trust me,
experience speaks for itself.
Last but not the least …… cannot miss the meaningful words from Geeta Madam. Rightly put, Madam has given a beautiful picture of the situation in the past and the latest !!
Thanx a Lot Madam ……..
And a special thanx to all those 27 wonderful people who have sent their replies …… It has been a great experience compiling and reliving these sweet memories !!

The Post Engagement Scenario !!!!!

Dated: November 12th 2004

Dear Friends,

A lot of people had written back that they had not receive one of my signature long e-mails since a long time ............. especially the one's on Love and that someone special in your Life ............
I had only one answer for them : I got Engaged !!

But then, I think the above answer was not right cos here I am again ........... and ..........

Before I get into the mood of writing my usual....... long e-mails, let me first share some very vital information with you:

Firstly, heres wishing one and all a Very Happy Diwali and a very prosperous New Year ahead .......... may the new year make all Ur dreamz come true !!
Second and not the least........ , I would be getting married on the 19th of December 2004 (Sunday) at Holy Family High School (Upper Grounds, Andheri - E). The wedding cards and the Official invitations would follow suit (everyone out here is invited) ......... but just thought I would give you the first hand information ...... right from the horses mouth !!
Now, coming back to the latest topic of discussion in my life (given in the subject line); I would like to share some of my experiences on the same ...............

As you all know, I got engaged on 4th July'04 (remember ID 4...... the movie - also stands for the Independence Day of USA ........ ) which gave me almost 6 months time before I actually tie the knot !!

For those who are yet to enter into this experience, I would actually suggest that there should be a minimum period of 6-7 months (not more cos then it's boring but definitely not less) before Marriage cos this is one of the best periods in your Life !!

I have seen cases where the couple got engaged and married within a period of 2 weeks ..........: In these cases, there is hardly enough time to know the opposite person ....... forget about close interactions !!
There are also cases where the waiting period is as long as 1 - 2 years, which makes it a very boring (waiting) game ........ hope U don't get old by then ??!!
The reason I am giving a lot of emphasis to this "Wonderful Experience" of the Post-Engagement scenario is cos it is a beautiful transition period for two individuals.

Traditionally, the couples are rarely allowed to meet each other before Engagement bcos of some obvious restrictions whereas generally ......... the couple take each other for granted after Marriage cos there are hardly any restrictions then....... !!

As it is said, "Rules are generally made to be broken" .......... and the fun lies in breaking rules when U could actually be punished for it !!

The Post-Engagement scenario is exactly the same situation ........... cos it brings together two individuals who are destined to be together for the rest of their lives but yet cannot break that thin barrier of restrictions !!

Just to site an example, ................. I remember School life, when as Kids, we would venture out after "BUNKING" classes. The excitement of escaping under the eyes of the School Teacher and the School peon at the main gate was simply amazing !!

The fear of being caught was always there on the back of the mind .............. but at the same time ............ when the plan actually succeeded .......... there was a huge sense of Achievement, as if you had conquered the whole World !!

But, the moment you enter College, the entire fun and the daring element of "Bunking Classes" disappeared cos when in College ....... it was meant to be a way of Life !! Nobody would ask you any questions for missing classes/ lectures cos nobody cares ......... !! U are free to do as you feel .... no restrictions imposed ........

Another feature of this period is the hefty telephone bills ....... !!

Suddenly, U feel as if there is a person who is made for you and you can share all your feelings and secrets with her. Even without any topic to share, you are able to converse for atleast 20-25 mins with her ........ so the limits are basically endless when you have your entire Life history of 20+ years to share with her !!

Some more characteristics of this beautiful period can be summarise as given below:
There is a conscious effort to be at your best behaviour when U r with him/ her
U always aim (consciously/ sub-consciously) to make an impression on him/ her
A lot of curiosity is awakened just to know ..... what he/ she likes or dislikes
U attempt to remember each and every meeting made during this period.......... every word she said, everything she did ........ and sometimes ...... what did she actually mean when she said that .................... xxxxxx ??!!
There is a lot of effort at making a close contact ............. a mischevious attempt ........ to touch her ........ to feel her or the most special ............. to kiss her !!
U never forget the first KISS ........ that special Moment of Ur Life !!
U remember her face ........ her smile ........... and that look !!
U remember the restriction imposed ............... the limits U should not cross ........... the thin barrier not to be broken .......... !!
Definitely, This is one of the best experiences of an individuals Life !!

And till now, I haven't even talked about one of my favourite topics ......... i.e. LOVE !!

That's bcos during this period, U are so engrossed trying to know the opposite person ...... that U never think about the concept of LOVE .....!!

What does Love mean to a couple of individuals who are supposed to be together for the rest of their Lives ........... ??

It's quite a difficult question to ask ........ and the answer (I am sure) would be even more difficult !! Cos I don't have one ............ can someone experienced help us out ??!!

Eagerly waiting to hear from you all ..................... !!

Lots of Love,

Sandeep

My letter to open theater post-reading - Sheece B

Sandy, this was the letter i wrote the next day after reading.

Sar-Zameeney-Open-theatre Salaam Walaykum

I thot I saw a hundred people, amongst whom was an old man called Javed Akhtar. Old coz he seemed to be talking something about not giving anything to this new generation. Wonder why he said that, maybe he was being very narrow minded abt it.

He also said something about sensitivity, half thot that it was some sort of disguised remark he made, as he couldn't say here come the cry babies... ehh.

Har kisi ka khushi se faasla bas ek kadam hai,
Har ghar mein bas ek kamra kam hai.
-Javed Akhtar

(amazing lines aren't they? classic middle-class phenomenon, someone tell him he shld stick to this, ofcourse i wont i belv in letting the writer do wat he wants to)

He also said something about the middle class, I guess in some vague way he was referring to my story, though it all went over the top of my head, and me having little hair couldn't catch much. Though i managed to say something abt tht in the interview with the sahara girl. Zubin got ur sms abt asking me to call u, I hope its not to sue me or something. If you did then let me remind you that forgiveness is the best way to punish someone, and this quote works best on me.

Ok yes, it was full house, Cha writers... shld we call it Cha..ar writers (bad one). I knew some people and I didn't know most. Sonali (Hans) was standing directly in front of me and it was good to see her face while
reading, soothed the nerves. there was this camera man who flashed when i looked up and i almost said ehh. i avoided looking at akhtar uncle coz he was making all sorts of faces and i had a feeling he would get up in between and scream stop it i cant take it anymore. thankfully he didnt,

Alhumdulillah (praise GOd).

My mom, she was looking all teary eyed and all, partly rembring the incident and partly coz her son was reading for the first time. her tears made me teary eyed (yeah yeah sensitive, don;t smirk). anjana was there too, and everyime i saw her i said to myself she is here coz she likes the carrot cake of cha bar. afterwards she said she was my biggest fan and wanted to be my groupie.

i could see little smiles when i was reading the first half and then i saw this disappointment when rahul dies, and then i rembr hearing some applause, that i think was an auditory illusion. yeah but great feeling overall. after i read my poem, akhtar uncle nods his head probably in approval (thank god he is done, go baccha and don;t come back)

the aftermath... phew .......... confession: i do not want to be famous

there was this cute female who comes to me and holds a small leaflet in hand, for a moment i thot she wants my autograph. turns out she is from some ngo and thinks i can use my writing to do some good work. i shall call her one of these days.

another dude from gulf news probably asked me 100 questions, the most absurd being "Why do you write?' I had to think fast, I said "Let me realise it first and then I will get back to you".

WIth disgust he proceeded to other questions, someone offered me tea, I was dying for some, i was sipping it
and answering this guy. After he thot he was at more comfy terms with me, he asks again "I was serious, why do you write". I stuck to my original answer with I am serious at the beginning. Zubin u think, I am learning fast? Then another girl from indian express came and i had to keep my tea down and then this boy came and took it away. In my mind i was saying "hey thats my tea, don;'t take it away, hey wait wait , oooooonwaaaaaaaa, sob sob" but my tongue was saying "yeah this is a great oppurtunity and I hope a lot of
writers will graduate from this school" (Zubin i didnt let u down, not even at the cost of tea). then i met niddhi and supriya, nice talking to u both, and i totally agree with tht empathise part you said in one of ur mails.
supriya my friend please send me ur piece, my head had thots and i cldn't concentrate when u read. shaliniji and gitikaji will you be kind enough to send urs too, in return i will send you a lot of smileys, or mebbe the four of us can go out for lunch (yeah on me) and talk abt each others experiences (yeah strictly the writers :p).

sonali , the other sonali, ahh not you the first one, yup you... i got tht book, man's search for meaning. i also got a book called the curios incident of the dead dog or something like tht..

Zubin dude... Salaam to you, If at all i manage to make it anywhere in the writing world, I will be grateful to u (even if you sue me)

I had told all my engineering friends to come, told them there will be many babes around, they didn't come and they will regret it forever. i thot for once that i shld chuck my piece and do a shammi kapoor song instead... which goes like 'kisko pyaar karoo'. largely curbed coz of the fact that my mom was arnd.

u r still reading this??? u shld contact me personally, we r destined to be good friends.

And finally a piece of advice... everyone must read to an audience, atleast once in life, it makes u a better person (the last phrase is crap and was added to provide special effects)

-Sheece

Vist to a Beer Bar !!!!!!

Dated: July 13th 2003

Dear All,

As usual, it's been quite some time since I wrote to U last ........ and even longer time since I received any replies from U !!

I am sure reading long mails would be a huge effort on Ur part (especially when the contents are in a language called "English) and U would be reading this mail very slowly; so I am writing this mail even slower !!

This would obviously mean a lot of constraints on saving Ur online time......... par kya karein; Aadat se Majboor hai !!

Kyonki Zindagi hai to khwab hai.......
khwab hai toh manzilen hain........
manzilen hain to raaste hain............
And the condition of the "raastein" (roads) is really BAD, this Monsoon !!

As usual; contradictory to the predictions made by the Meteorological Dept. regarding insufficient rainfalls.............. the City & the Country is experiencing an Above-average rainfall !! Something we have to thank the Rain-gods for and not the Meteorological Dept. cos the Met. Dept. has beautifully completed their job of giving "Accurately" WRONG predictions !!

Now coming back to Business; the real reason of writing this mail............... just to share some of my interesting experiences !!

The last month has been quite hectic considering the work-load at Office, the beautiful Monsoon which made it's presence felt majorly during night and leaving the daytime free for Ur usual activities !!

The last week also saw the special occasion of "the Birthday party" of a Colleague at Office !! Now there is hardly anything special regarding "Birthday parties" but in this case we decided to make it SPECIAL !!

The invitees were a selected few........ but the most interesting part was the Venue of the Event !!

Can U guess the location/ place where this event could be held......................... ??!!

How the Hell could someone imagine that the "Party" was arranged (Of All places) in a "BEER BAR" !!

Just to add to the fun........along with the Selected few Invitees were some people who could be considered "The Regulars". Now there was a definite Professional touch when U observe these so-called "Regulars" in their routine !!

They seem to know the "Menu" by-heart........don't need a second glance !! They even know the Manager, Waiters and their fellow "Regulars" at adjacent tables !!

For those who are new to this concept; "Beer Bars" have a beautiful ambiance..............
a. Dimly lit room which is hardly enough to locate Ur own plates on the table,
b. the entire room filled with the pleasant fragrance of Cigarette smoke
c. Bottles on every table.......... variety ranging from Soda, Mineral water, Thump-Up to Beer, Whiskey, Vodka, Jin ..................... the list is Endless !!

The best part comes when U try and observe the look on the faces of the people sitting on the tables. They can be divided broadly into the following categories:


1. The Regular:
Now this person is basically an Expert in his field........ knows his glass, bottle, the Brand, the waiter and also has a special choice of accompaniments (read: Chakna) along with his regular drink.

2. The Solitary Drinker:
This person can also be categorized into the first category but has some special traits which easily differentiates him from the others. He is basically a very moody person, very stressed and someone who rarely Socializes. He generally orders a menu card and asks the Waiter to order on his behalf. He just requires to spend some time in solitude ........ preferably under the influence of Alcohol so as to temporarily/ permanently forget the things troubling him.

Another special characteristic of this person would be the continuous Change in expressions on his face as he goes thru his routine. This can range from a mischievous smile, a sudden laughter, a serious look or even a drop of tear running down his cheeks !!

3. The Noisy Group:
There is generally a very noisy group available at such venues. This might be a group of people celebrating some occasion...... like ours !! The waiter serving at this table is the most troubled and confused person....... cos there are instantaneous changes in orders, a huge variety of complex menus ordered and in an even more confusing sequence !!


4. The waiters:
This bunch of poor sufferers is mostly at the receiving end at such venues. They have to take orders from a variety of people in different phases of their senses...... Full, Part, Nil !! They also meet their equally confusing counterparts (when in full flow.....read: Tully) and the outcome is a Hillarious situation !!

They also have the last LAUGH since when they produce their Bill; it's very rare that the Customer notices what he is PAYING FOR !!

So people; till the next time I feel like sharing something with U all.........

Eagerly waiting to hear from U all on this very informative piece ...............

Regards,

Sandeep Narayan

Khuda ka Shukra hai......
Warna Gujarti kaise Shaam.....
Sharaab jisne banayee......
Use hamara Salaam !!

The Beauty of the Monsoon - June 2003

Dated: June 14th 2003

Dear Friends,

It's a pleasure to write to U all after a really long gap................. the sultry Summer with it's high humidity levels, heat and sweat has finally given way to the wonderful Monsoon !!

A welcome relief, although a bit late than the usual ............ it's an excellent feeling to see the dark, heavy Monsoon clouds overhead even when Ur Meteorological Department predicts an unusually late and deficient Monsoon season !!

The Rains bring along a welcome sight............... suddenly the Trees turn into their lovely greens, the flowers seem to awake to a fresh delight and to add to it.............. the lovely scent of the rain-water quenching the thirsty Earth...............which seemed to wait all eternity for this moment !!

The very feeling of being a witness to this phenomena of "The Elements Get-to-gether" makes U realize that Nature has a lot of surprises in store for U ............. and U are yet to unravel the mysterious ways of Nature !!

Even as I write this, there are rain drops making their presence felt ............ and little children with their Umbrellas and Raincoats ...............(even when their Mummies shout and try to restrain them)...... are enjoying the lovely showers !!

As usual, a lot of people would be planning to take a break from their routine life and plan a visit to a Waterfall.........Lonavala, Khandala, Bushi Dam........ is one of those favourite locations !! It's an opportunity to be a part of nature and witness it's strength & beauty in full force !!

The rains also brings a Romantic touch to those who rely heavily on their HEARTS !!

I am reminded of a beautiful song by Lionel Richie......... it's definitely something which touches Ur heart......... and reminds U of that someone special......... !!

Let me try and capture a part of the Lyrics...................Here it goes...................................

Hello,……........Is it me Ur looking for
Cos I wonder where U are................ & I wonder what U do !!
Are U somewhere feeling lonely..........Or is someone loving U….??!!

Tell me how to win Ur Heart..........., Cos I haven’t a clue
But let me start by saying...............I LOVE U !!

SO, Moral of the Story.................:

GET WET & ENJOY THE WONDERFUL SHOWERS........... PREFERABLY WITH SOMEONE U LOVE !!

With Lots of Love,
And eagerly waiting to hear from All of U !!


Sandeep Narayan

Going back to Nature - 2003 !!!!!!

Dated: May 7th 2003

Dear Friends,

It feels great to be back in town after a short (but very sweet) vacation from my native town of Mangalore, Karnataka.

It was nearly after a span of 10 years that I could finally set feet again on my native soil. I call this process "Going Back to Nature" !! a process (I suggest) each individual should undergo at least once in a year...........

Let me explain why:

1. The Journey begins......
For those weak in Geography, Mangalore is a small city (approx. 1000kms from Mumbai & 350kms from Panaji, Goa) on the Western Coast of India in the state of Karnataka. My house is situated in a village approx. 35kms from the two main twin cities of Mangalore and Udipi (famous for it's Shri Krishna Temple & the originator of all Udipi Restaurants) !!

The drive from Mumbai to Mangalore leads U thru the picturesque locations of Pune, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur (inside Maharashtra) and Belgaum, Hubli, Dharwad, Honnavar in Karnataka, part of the famous Konkan Railway route.

Specially worth recommending is a drive on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway (an Engineering marvel), the new Satara-Kolhapur Expressway (under construction - WIP), the National Highways NH-4 & NH-17 and last but not the least the bridges across the various rivers en-route Bhadrakali, Netravati, Honnavar......... !!

2. The Village Scene
The lifestyle of the people can simply be called AMAZING !! The village is self-sustaining for most of it's basic needs.........

a. Water available in the wells & lakes......all U need is to draw it out of the well (the Old Pulley Trick serves as a great exercise for Ur Biceps & Shoulders - should try it out !! U will never feel the need of going to a Gym again)

b. Food (Rice) and other cereals are grown in the fields

c. Same for the huge variety of Vegetables readily grown in Ur own fields

d. Add on some luxury items like Coconut Plantations, Cashew-nut trees, Jack fruits, Sandal wood trees (a very rare & precious item I saw) ............. the list is simply endless !!

e. Fuel (for cooking) is available from the dry leaves shredded by the trees and the latest innovation is the Solar Cooker and Gobar Gas plants !!

f. U also have domestic pets like watch-Dogs, Cows (for Ur milk supply) and Buffalo's (for Ur work in the fields....ploughing etc)

I actually realized now why the "Coconut trees" were termed as "Kalpavruksh - a tree which gives U Ur desired wish". There is no part of the tree which is not utilized starting from:

(i). the Cocunut water & it's derivative (Tadi): nourishing thirst quenchers
(ii). The Leaves : are used for weaving Mats, making broomsticks and last but not the least as Fuel for the household fire !!
(iii). Cocunut Oil: from dry crushed coconuts is also used

All in all, a self-sustaining Eco-system where anything and everything is re-cycled and re-used. Even Ur garbage (segregated as Dry & Wet) is recycled !! No doubt it's got a very clean environment, a rare feature in Ur Mumbai City Life !!


3. The City
Unlike the village, the City has it's own attractions.........a beautiful clean Beach, great temples to visit (each with their own legends) and the City Bus drivers (Pvt. operators unlike BEST) driving at Break-neck speed between towns.

4. Moral of the Story
I mean we all live hectic lives in this City .......... all the time planning what is to be done tomorrow without actually realizing if we would actually survive to see the Sun the next morning.

Nature in this Mumbai city (and all other cities for instance) has been badly tampered with and the results are obvious.............Extremes of temperatures, Pollution, Uncertainties in the Monsoon, Famines, Diseases, High Stress Levels resulting in Heart Attacks at Low Ages.......... and the falling Health Levels and standards, Low Blood pressure, Diabetes.............. these words are rarely heard in the Villages

We say the standard of living has improved a lot........ but has it really ??!!

Just to conclude, it's been a great experience for me going back to my roots.......... and re-living Life the Old, Clean Style. The lifestyle teaches U to live in close co-ordination with Nature and respect it ............ unlike here when U always try and tamper with it. I am actually contemplating the fact of going back......... could be possible in the next few years..............

High Time to Answer the Call of Nature !!

Looking forward for suggestion and comments from U............

Regards,

Sandeep Narayan

Life is not a "Tempest",
Nor "A Mid-Summer Night's Dream",
It's a "Comedy of Errors",
To Live "As U Like It" !!

Symphony 2003

Dated: March 23rd 2003

Dear All,

It's a definite pleasure to be writing to U all..............on this special ocassion of "Post Symphony 2003" and the "Pre-World Cup Final" period. Even as I am writing this, Australia is going strong at 250/2 in 40 overs. A target score of 340-360 seems inevitable and only a Miracle from our seemingly strong Batting line-up can get the "Cup" to India !!

It's also been quite some time since I have been a passive admirer of the "Somaiyaengg" Yahoo E-groups stuff and I personally feel it's a great media for the Somaiyites to keep in regular touch. There have been some great discussions on various issues ranging from "Placements" to "Official Websites/ E-group sites" and announcements regarding T-Shirts, CD roms and Viva schedules !!

Kudos to the regulars on this mailing list........I remember the names vividly such as Prashant Meckoni, Vinit Tople, Padmini & Group, Ritesh Shukla................ Have to admit, it's a great effort from U guys & girls, Keep It Up !!

Coming back to the main subject i.e. Symphony 2003, was definitely different from the various Symphonies organised till date...............let me try & explain HOW ??!!

1. The Pro-nite on the final day i.e. yesterday, was a Rock-show by Parikrama..............which was actually a surprise cos the Princi "Domy" had never given anyone the permission for such a concert till date. I remember the day we were contemplating on inviting "Vikas Bhalla - of Awaara fame" sponsered by Pepsi to be a part of their lauching campaign (year 1998)...........and the resistance we received from the Mgmt !! Same case with the "Fashion-show" fiasco !!

2. The College crowd seemed to be much more than the general crowd from outside which is a general indication of the extra branches existing today .....(Mech/ Etrx/ IT/ Telecom/ Comp) which is a great deviation from our times........(Mech/ Prod/ Etrx/ Machine Tool)

3. It was a welcome surprise to see Girls volunteering in the Infra works (even though it meant co-ordinating on paper/ thru Mobiles). Infra works was always meant to be the domain of "Guys" from the "Mechanical Dept" and the "Security" rested with the "Production Dept" !!

4. Use of the Lifts in shifting Benches and Drawing tables...........a great change !! The College definitely wore a new look with the Paints On and Lifts in working condition !!

5. Probably the first time no events were held in our "Audi/ Oven"..........it's got a deserted look now...........had some great moments in the Audi during the good old days !!

6. Saw a lot of "Walkie-Talkies" and Mobile phones in action..........a concept introduced way back in 1997..............I still remember the time when we used to run from the 3rd Floor (Room No. 314 - Drgw Hall) to the OAT just to send some messages across to our Volunteers !!

All in all, seems that things have changed for the better, hopefully !!
But, Old will Always remain Gold..........still feel the fun of Symphony was great in the good old days !!

Also heard that Aadesh Shrivastav was the Pro-nite attaraction on the 2nd day with the India-Kenya Match being shown Live on the 1st Day............nice idea !! Just thought that the publicity was slightly on the lower side cos there was hardly any news of Symphony to be held in March '03.......neither on E-groups nor on any of the websites.

The Musicals & Informals were held in the area outside the Main gate near the steps, this was the place where the OAT was constructed way back in 1994-95 !! Anil Mohile was a great choice for the Chief Guest (Musicals)........some excellent performances by the performers !! Congratulations to Shridhar, nice stuff............and Padmini, thought U had a good chance at the Duets !!

To conclude, a message from Raghunandan Jagdish (Mech 2001) who's working on our website stuff and taking some great initiative on organising the Alumni efforts:
<< I wanted you to test the registry at the pilot site at www.kjscealumni.net It was designed my Amit Kaulgud and me and the functional part is about 80% complete. The pages have to be still given a consistant look and stuff but that’s minor work. For now, please visit the site and check out the alumni registry. Please take some time out and fill the "Alumni Registry" You can then edit the information later. Lemme know ASAP if something is not allright or if something can be better. This will help tremendously when we can make the registry public in two weeks.>>

It was a pleasure meeting some known faces in College on the ocassion of Symphony 2003, after a long long time. So .............Till the next time we meet, whenever i.e..............in person....!!

Regards,

Sandeep Narayan


Life is not a "Tempest",
Nor "A Mid-Summer Night's Dream",
It's a "Comedy of Errors",
To Live "As U Like It" !!

Post Re-union 2003

Dated: February 10th 2003

Dear Friends,

It's a pleasure to be back with U after a week-long break......... hopefully the weekend's been good for U ......... this week seems to be even shorter (in India) with a Bank holiday scheduled for this Thursday for the event of Bakri-Id !!

Something that I missed last time, Symphony 2003 is sheduled for March 21st, 22nd and 23rd 2003......... over a period of three days ....(Obviously !!) in KJSCoE.

Thanx for the response to my last mail on the Re-union........ it's surprising that even though people read the mailers, it's a rare exception that someone would take the trouble to reply !!

So let me attempt and capture some of the responses I had for my last mail........
Mustafa Rawat (BE Mech 1999): Mustafa says ..........."I finally decided to come out in the open, still working on my MS thesis, coursework is complete, looking for a job but don't see that happening anytime, so Maybe you will be seeing me sooner than expected."
Vinil K (BE Prod 2000): Vinil says........"It was nice reading your email abt the Reunion. Its really funny how atleast in Mumbai colleges we do not have a nice practice of having the alumini involved in college. (Atleast in KJSCE, this is true)
Had been to college just b4 I left, well maybe the asthetics have changed with paint and lift and all, but my good friend, the attitude, such a crucial part in becoming a great college has not. I met Yelu, he was the same as before, Used to Crib in my SE, now its 5 yrs and he still cribs. Munshi, BMP always seemed to hate the politics of our college and surprisingly that also has not changed. THey just seem to have a dull existance now. "
Anup Bandivdekar (BE Mech 1998): Anup says......"Thanks for your report, it is really appreciated. I am currently in Cambridge, Massachusetts at MIT. I am in the Technology and Policy Program and currently working with Prof. John Heywood in the Sloan Automotive Lab. I will be here for another couple of years. Just by fluke, I ran into Ashish Vora (Mech '98) last weekend, who is currrently on an assignment in Rhode Island."Hey Anup, I remember Ashish Vora......... we used to call him the "Laughing Don" cos he used to always Laugh........and that was such a laughter......!!
George Abraham (BE Mech 1998): George says........."Hope you have some memory of me!! I read a forward of your email regarding the reunion of Somaiyaites. Brought back some memories man!!! I am still reeling from the news that the college has been painted! Anyway, thanks a million for taking the time out and actually writing such a long email!Hey George.....of coure I remember U......... and remember the time when Ranbare (from our Work-shop) used to call U........"Gor-gay" !! The were legendary statements......... never meant to be forgotten !!
Hey people, it feels great to hear from U all. I was chatting with Mandira and Parshuram Zantye sometime back, and we were just re-living some of those old times............discussing our Love-lifes and in general discussing the good old days............... !!
Mandira, Congratulations for Ur placement at GE-SBI, Gurgaon..........as I told U, Hamare "Gaon" ko tumhari jarrorat hai........... and I am waiting for the treat !!
A lot of people have enquired abt my schedule for "Tying the knot", so just to update U: the process has already been initiated and think something will get finalised very soon............. will update U on the same in the next mail........ !!
And I also came across the KJSCE web-site listing the Alumni databse at http://www.kjsc.ac.in/ and I am attaching an html file showing the Alumni List........ Raghu, please check if U can use these details...........
Please find attached a photo from our friend Rahul's marriage......
Photograph from Runa Saraswat with her roomie...............
Photograph of "The Gang" at Vinil's B'day party..............
The World Cup has started and I am sure it's going to keep a lot of us glued to the TV Sets................!!

So people, till the next time I see U & talk to U............Just Chill Out !!

With Regards,

Sandeep Narayan

KJSCoE Alumni Re-union 2003

Dated: February 2, 2003

Dear Friends,

It's that time of the year when I bore U with some more details about our good old college - Karamshi Jethabhai Somaiya College of Engineering situated in the distant village of Vidyavihar........ approx. 60kms from the city of Mumbai earlier known as Bombay !!

The Ocassion: Annual College Re-union for the Alumni of KJSCoE...... !!

Date:
January 26th 2003 (Republic Day)

The Venue:
Room No. 221 (popularly called the Seminar Hall.......... near the more famous "Slope") !!


The Gathering:
38 Alumni students from batches ranging as far as 1988 to the more recent ones of 2001........ sadly none from the more recent batches of 2002 pass-outs !! Also, not to miss out on our good old Shri. P M Kavadia, Domy, Kumthekar Madam, our Librarian, Prof. Desai - (of Maths fame), Prof. Munshi, Prof. Rao.......... and the other "Host"- (read Parasites) Professors !!

The Program:
Total Shit !!

The Proceedings:
Well, to begin with, I reached the venue late as usual............ think the habit of going late to Office is showing it's effects !! But thankfully, nothing was lost cos the entire program was actually running way behind schedule.......... !!

The main attraction of the event was felicitation of Alumni students who had progressed/ done quite well in their life........ this year there were 2 people from the 1986 Production Batch (apologies cos I don't remember their names now !!)

Then began a volley of lectures by everyone on the dias......... and as usual the most boring part of the event !! I was either laughing or sleeping through this part of the proceedings and it was only when Amol Mali woke me up, that I realized I was in Somaiya ??!!

Phase II:
The next part of the program was a variety entertainment stuff planned by the students of the existing TE batch, for which none of us stayed back. I believe there were "Spot prizes" for the performers which was ultimately distributed amongst themselves !! Good for them !!

The College in General:
There were a lot of marked changes which were visible ............. improvements from the last time I saw Somaiya ......... which was during last "Symphony" way back in Feb 2002...........

1. Presence of 2 Nos. Lifts in working condition (one marked specifically for Staff Members)

2. Painting of the walls of the College .......... which I thought would always be a distant dream

3. Introduction of Digital ID Cards which also double-up as Library Cards........... the idea was that these cards could be used anywhere in the entire Somaiya campus

4. Room No. 202........ the class room earlier used by Electronic Students (I still remember the females) has been now transformed into a Conference room/ Auditorium. A beautiful piece of art equipped with Projectors, Computers, 4 Nos. Split A/c's and Carpet flooring !! This was sponsored by an Alumni, Swadesh (BE-Prod 1985 batch) during the last Re-union meeting and is finally ready a year later.................. definitely fast by Somaiya standards !!

5. A fully computerized Library

6. A spacious Canteen

7. The Badminton Court with timings of 10 am -12 pm reserved specially for the Ladies..................... talk of reservations everywhere !!

Moral of the Story:
We were later informed by confidential sources that "Somaiya" had applied for Autonomy status and as part of the procedures, the Accreditation Committee was supposed to visit the College in order to grade the College !!

Meeting the Alumni was a mandatory requirement of the Accreditation process and that was exactly what was lacking in the entire scene !! A Sub-committee was appointed to update the status on the existing Alumni database (as proposed by Shri PMK) and line-up the entire system !!

The Negative aspect:
There were a lot of Mechanical Professors conspicious by their absence........... Chandu (Chandrashekhar), Divya, Meeta Gandhi, Bumpy (BM Pradhan), Gangu (Gangrade) and most of the Electronics/ Telecom Professors like UBJ...... !!

To add to it, there was Yelpale (who was dying to do some shit mimicry of Domkundwar, as he was earlier told that Domy would not be able to make it to the event as he was supposed to submit some reports in Delhi !! But a classical case of "Man proposes & God Disposes" !!

Seems there is some dirty internal politics between the Departments........... which is really SICK !!

The Positive Aspect:
Got to meet a lot of people, let me just tell U abt all the people I still remember, this also includes the people who could not attend the dumb event :

1. Amol Mali (BE- Mech 2000): Has joined the Indian Army and is stationed in Jammu, district Udhampur in the Anti-terrorist squad........... right in the line of Fire !!

2. Nilesh Zope (BE Mech 2000) : Joined the Indian Navy and is stationed at Lonavala on INS Shivaji (if I am not wrong) !!

3. Some people who have tied the KNOT/ are in the process .........

a. Mehul Metha (BE Mech 2000): Married on Jan 25th 2003
b. Nirav Mehta (BE Mech 1999): Did not invite me for his marriage ......... !!
c. Mayur Mandlekar (BE Mech 1999): If I am not wrong...... in this Month Feb 2003 !!
d. Sumeet Shirguppi (BE Mech 1998): On February 19th 2003 !!
e. Parag Bamane (BE Mech 1999): Did not invite me for his marriage ......... !!
f. Deepa Ray (BE Elect 2000): On December 11th 2002
g. Rohit Batra (BE Prod 1998): Neither did he invite me for his marriage !!

4. Others (i.e. Still Waiting Category ................. !!)

Rajeev Kothi (BE Mech 1999):
He is at Whirlpool India, based at JB Nagar Andheri into Services !!

Abhijit Bhandakar (BE Mech 1999):
Currently working with L&T, Mumbai and invloved in Design of Heat Exchangers at Powai !!

Sumeet Rawat (BE Mech 1999):
Has resigned from the Leela and will be shifting to The Rennaisance, Powai

Manish Narayane (BE Mech 1999):
With Fiat India, Kurla

Hemant Ramaswamy(BE Mech 1999):
Visited Mumbai in December ............... doing his Phd

Aditya Deshmukh (BE Mech 1999):
Doing his MS , was here in January 2003

Anand Dhuldhoya (BE Mech 1999):
working with an investment bank in St. Petersburg, Fl (around 150 miles from Gainesville -- UF's campus town).

Gautam Kedia (BE Mech 1999): 
based in france now:::was in germany at the head quarters of my company:: a german steel major called thyssenkrupp:::

Mustafa Rawat(BE Mech 1999), Muquarram(BE Mech 2000), Suren Thadani(BE Mech 1999), Abhinav Sarvaiya(BE Mech 1999), Ananth Gadiyar(BE Mech 1999) 
: all in the US but believe in the saying that NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS !!


Vinil K (BE Prod 2000):
Doing his MS , was here in January 2003

Ashish Daver aka Bawa (BE Prod 2000):
Right now with TCS in Borivali, city of Mumbai !!

Pradeep K (BE Prod 2000):
The Aishwarya Fan......... doing his MMS at NMIMS

Rishi Arya (BE Prod 2000):
Right now in Delhi...... with JK Tyres (correct me if I am wrong) !!

Sandeep Patil (BE Electronics 2000)
Working with a Software Mktg firm in Mumbai

Sanjeev Nichani (BE Mech 1999):
Working in the US...... haven't heard from him since Nov 02

Arun Ramakrishnan (BE Mech 1999):
Working in the US...... haven't heard from him since Jan 03 ......... could not meet him bcos of his busy schedule and the flight delays at Delhi/ Agra !!

Milind Singh (BE Mech 1998): 
I was told he had come to the Re-union meeting but left soon after.......... also met Aditya at Lucknow !!

Nilesh aka Keshto (BE Mech 1998):
Even his name was seen at the reception list of the Re-union meeting but could not be traced ultimately !!

Sudhish (BE Mech 1998):
I believe is still in Ghatkopar after completing his MS.......... that's what Sumeet tells me !!

Ram aka Parshuram Zantye (BE Mech 1998)
Finished his Masters and now is going ahead and doing PhD. in semiconductors.......

Karan Manocha (BE Mech 1998):
At Corning in NC and stays at Wilmington, NC

Siddharth Fernandes (BE Prod 1999)
Working at Avery Tennison................. don't worry Siddharth, haven't told anyone about HER !!

Chetan Karani (BE Electronics 1999):
Doing his masters in EE at the George Washington University, Washington Dc !!

Priya Gandhi (BE Electronics 1999):
Working with FCB Ulka, Mumbai

Nikhil Kelshikar (BE Electronics 1999):
At Univ of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia

Tapan & Rohan Gupte (BE Electronics 1999):
I believe both have got married and are settled in the US, with their respective sweet hearts !!

Lakshmi Sivaram (BE Electronics 1999):
Well, actually it's her Birthday today........... let's see if I can get a treat out of her !!

Runa Saraswat (BE Electronics 2000):
My little Sister who keeps forgetting a lot of things........ and right now at Wipro in Chennai !!

Mandira Das (BE Prod 1999):
Doing her MBA at SPJIMR ...... haven't heard from her for a long time...seems busy with her Campus stuff !!

Manjari Lal (BE Electronics 2000):
Doing her MMS at Chetna's Bandra.........

Sheetal C (BE Electronics 2000):
Was here in Mumbai in January...........

Meeta Jani (BE ELTL 2000):
Last heard the Queen of Saki Naka had shifted to Thane....... No news, dear Lady !!

Prashant Sanghoi (BE ELTL 2000):
Well, I presume still with TCS.......... !!

Raghunandan Jagdish (BE Mech 2001):

Going strong ........ got ur message regarding the Alumni website at http://www.kjscealumni.org/ !! A great piece of art and definitely something every Somaiyite should visit !!

Divya Maheswari (BE Prod 2001):
He is working at PCS, Thane Belapur !!

Pramodh (BE Mech 2001):
Remember him for his senti Poems ........... also at PCS and schedule to leave for Chennai for sometime !!

Rajat (BE Mech 2001):
Still with PCS, I presume !!

Monica (BE Electronics 2001):
With Godrej Infotech, Vikhroli !!

Neha Kasbekar (BE Electronics 2002):
with PCS......... !!

Mugdha Garde (BE Electronics 2002):
along with Neha at PCS........ !!

Rohit Khatua (BE Mech 2000):
I believe in Castrol, Mumbai !!

Sheetal K (BE ELTL 2002):
AT Mastek, Seepz, Andheri !!

Manish Gurav (BE Mech 2000):
last I heard was when he was supposed to leave GE !!

Gautam Nadkarni (BE Mech 2000):
I presume has left Tata Infotec for his MBA studies

and last but not the least :

the Undersigned (BE Mech 1999)
Still with Mahanagar Gas Limited; and Gasifying Mumbai City !! Well, I generally write (as I am doing now) on Weekends or excercise the 2nd option of Movies........... the list is quite impressive : Saathiya, Dum, Kaante, Die Another Day (Bond) ............... !!

Just to summarize, this mail goes to almost everyone listed above but in different groups cos my ISP gives the now famous error of "Too many recipients !!" So, just feel free to write back to everyone listed above by using the option of "Reply to All" so that everybody knows :

Where U R & What the Hell are U doing !!

Regards,

Sandeep Narayan