Sinner's Game: Karma will chase! Page 9

  Life at IIMB was quite stressful in general for all students but nothing could beat stress levels during the campus placement days. The stress during this time was visible in all the aspects of life, at campus. Most students had started planning for their dream job, along with their backup options. Many students decided to focus more on the spiritual side of life, as there was no scope left for improving the grades. Some even gave up things like eating non-vegetarian food, smoking and even drinking, in exchange for getting a good job or just a job.

  After their engagement, it made a lot of sense for Akshay and Garima to take up job in the same city. Garima went up to Akshay’s room to discuss the pros and cons of this idea. Akshay was preparing for his interviews when Garima knocked at his door.

  ‘Do you have time for a walk?’ asked Garima.

  ‘Always ready madam! Any specific reasons for this late night raid? You could have called me to your hostel block’, said Akshay.

  ‘I was just roaming outside my block and was in a deep thought. My mind was busy thinking and I reached your block, almost in auto-pilot mode.’

  ‘Just kidding! Is there anything worrying you right now?’

  Garima replied with a serious tone, ‘All of us are worried about placements while I am more worried about getting location of our choice. You must accept the best offer for you and you deserve it too but I want my placement in the same city.’

  Akshay laughed, ‘You know what; I was hardly preparing for my interview? I was busy making plans about my trips to your city! Frankly, I was also thinking about it but I don’t think that you should compromise on anything. Give your best shot and let’s see what happens.’

  ‘I have made up my mind; I can always try for a better job option after few years of job experience but it would be impossible for me to stay in a different city’, exclaimed Garima.

  ‘I could not have asked for anything better! Let’s plan for the best.

  Akshay then hugged Garima and kissed her.

  ‘Why don’t you stay in my room tonight? We can plan better and relax a bit.’

  Garima smiled, ‘I had no plans to go back to my room, in any case!’

  Akshay discussed various scenarios of his placement and job options for Garima for each scenario. After the discussion, Garima felt quite relieved. This discussion changed the job strategy for both of them.

  As per her mother’s advice, Garima had started praying to Lord Shiva. Garima gave up drinking coffee – her go-to-drink for everything- just so that they would end up working in the same city.

  The placement season started with shortlisting of companies for Day 0, Day 1 and so on. Day 0 was typically reserved for top companies offering plum salaries with mainly foreign postings. On this day, Multinational Consulting firms and Foreign Banks competed with each other and students considered this day as most coveted placement day. Getting job on this day was equal to Nirvana, at campus. There were limited job vacancies and only students in the top thirty worried about this day. Other students simply had no chance. E-commerce and FMCG companies dominated Day 1 and there were many good jobs on the table. Day 2 was a mixed bag of good and above average companies, providing enriching jobs. Students with past job experience had a better chance to be placed on Day 2, with option of lateral placements.

  Tension started after Day 2 as probability of getting a good job reduced significantly. Most students without job on Day 2, lost confidence and this further aggravated the problem.

  Akshay was advised to go on Day 0 as he stood in the top 20 of his batch but didn’t see a point in going because he knew Garima wouldn’t be able to go abroad with him. Garima felt very guilty about this but knew it was ought to happen. Finally, Akshay got job in a Gurgaon-based renowned consulting firm on Day 1.

  He happily shared this with Garima, ‘I got a job in my hometown. Now even if you get a job in Delhi or Noida we can manage.’

  Garima hugged him, ‘You could have done better and you know it. BCG is a good consulting firm so you will get good experience in any case. I am so happy for you.’

  Akshay was happy about his job offer but he was anxious about Garima’s job placement. Garima had final rounds with a few good companies but none of them had an opening in Delhi NCR.

  It was Day 2 and Garima did not have any job offer. She opted out of some interviews just because she was determined to get a job in Delhi NCR – close to Akshay. Considering their joint decision, it made sense but there was the risk of Garima not getting a job at all. She could not afford to crush her mother’s dream at any cost.

  Akshay was now worried about Garima. ‘Look Garima, you are smart and quite knowledgeable. The stress that you are taking is not worth it. You must accept any location option because getting a job is important. You can always apply again and change your location.’

  Garima nodded, as there was no point in arguing with Akshay on this. Akshay hugged her and said, ‘Good night and good luck for tomorrow! Sleep well,’

  Garima always prayed daily but in the challenging circumstances, the intensity of her prayers increased. She prayed more and frequently visited temples. This gave her a sense of protection, as she believed that Lord Shiva would always protect her. The current situation was no different so she started getting up little earlier than usual to make time for this. After chanting mantras related to Shiva Puja, she sat quietly in front of the temple in her room for some time.

  The night before Day 2, Akshay had no plans to sleep, as he was busy making a plan for Garima. A leading IT company was hiring aggressively at campus. They had five open positions but had only one open position for Gurgaon. Akshay spoke to his close friends Gagan, Vikas and Barun to apply for the same job. He had a specific plan in his mind to help Garima get that position in Gurgaon.

  The first round was a group discussion with all five applicants. As planned, two of his friends were hell-bent to prove their ignorance of current affairs. The idea was to do it subtly and not make it too obvious. Gagan started stammering intentionally and Vikas started avoiding any eye contact with the moderator during the group discussion. Garima was feeling bad for Gagan. She was worried that stammering would put him out of the group discussion round. As expected, Gagan and Vikas did not manage to the next round.

  This boosted Garima’s confidence as her chances had significantly improved after the first round. So as per their calculated move, two of Akshay’s friends were conveniently out of this round. Barun, who had been shortlisted for the next round, politely opted out stating that he already got his dream job. That left only one student competing with Garima. Garima had far better credentials and above all, her amicable and mature personality helped her in getting not only job, but also the location of her choice.

  She ran to find Akshay excitedly after she landed the job and got the offer in hand. Akshay was waiting impatiently outside the room. Garima smiled and hugged him, ‘Can you believe it? I made it to Gurgaon! We can be together now. I was so stressed that I could hardly sleep last night.’

  , ‘I was very confident that you will make it. Let us celebrate now and do some planning for our wedding.’

  While Garima thanked Lord Shiva for this victory, Akshay celebrated separately with Barun, Vikas and Gagan and thanked them individually for their support.

  Akshay and Garima got married immediately after completing their MBA. The wedding in Gurgaon was a typical big fat Indian wedding. Garima came from a large family and they were present at the venue in full force. Akshay’s friends from IIT, more than compensated for numbers from his side.

  The bachelor party was the best part of all the functions, there were more people from their batch of IIMB who attended the big in comparison to their close family members. All their friends enjoyed in true IIMB style and the celebration lasted until 4 am. The wedding was well organized and remained uneventful. Akshay had planned everything quite well and support of modern wedding planners made it easier. Next day after the Puja ceremony, Akshay and Garima headed left for Switzerla
nd for their honeymoon. Akshay’s parents wanted Garima to stay a little longer but had to content with the fact that both were joining job at the same place in Gurgaon.

  Akshay and Garima had always dreamt of going to Switzerland for their honeymoon. It was a limited period vacation but the trip was quite enjoyable. They stayed quite close to Interlaken and hopped in various local trains to nearby tourist places like Zermatt and Jungfrau in Switzerland. The trip was short, hectic but immensely memorable.

  Once back they plunged headlong into their careers, which was their top priority.

  Akshay’s consulting job turned out to demanding and he travelled a lot the first year. With offices across the world, he got exposure to global projects and clients. Within less than a year, he had covered major cities of USA and Europe. He performed exceptionally well in his projects and got client appreciation. He got a promotion within a year of his job.

  Garima also travelled for her work, mainly IT related. This left very limited time for them to catch up at home. With time, this hectic, fast-paced lifestyle created a communication gap between them. Something that they hadn’t faced before getting married. It came as a surprise to them because for the very first time, they were just not being able to come on terms with each other’s schedule. They desperately wanted a project in a city outside India together. However, getting a project in the same city and at the same time was very difficult.

  Finally, in the second year of their job they landed in Paris at the same time. It was the last leg of project for Akshay while Garima’s IT project had just started. Considering this as an opportunity to be in the world’s most romantic city, Akshay decided to take a week off after the end of his project.

  One evening he was eagerly waiting at the hotel for Garima’s return. Akshay had planned to watch famous musical, Moulin Rouge and had taken pains to make a last minute expensive booking. He wanted to take her out to Champs-Élysées. Unfortunately, Garima got stuck in a longer client meeting and she could not join Akshay on time. Akshay was frustrated and waited impatiently for Garima and was upset when she didn’t show up.

  When Garima finally reached the hotel, she was carrying some guilt. She gave compensatory yet warm smile to Akshay but his response lacked warmth. Garima was aware of his mood so she promptly said, ‘I am sorry Janu! My client meeting went beyond planned hours. I tried everything but you know all this. I also missed the Moulin Rouge. It is a big thing here in Paris There is much more we can do if you are ready! Let us go out.’

  Akshay responded, ‘I am not in mood now so drop it. I can’t believe that we are in Paris together and you are busy with clients. I hate to spend time alone at hotel alone.’

  ‘Akshay this is my job. I am ready to compensate. .

  ‘Garima I have been in such situations but I would have prioritized better if I were you.’

  Garima’s frustration was evident by her expressions, ‘Akshay why are you being so immature about this? We have some time left; let us go out right now. I am so exhausted but I am still willing go out with you. ’

  Instead of arguing any further, Akshay decided not to respond. He stayed on in the hotel and called room service for food. This really pissed off Garima but she did not want to spoil this any further. Back in campus, when they had small arguments but they always sorted them quickly. There was no winner in this argument. Both of them were right and this argument was sure to go longer. The remaining stay was good and finally Garima decided to take a workday off to compensate for her late meeting.

  They continued with their respective jobs for a few years and Garima was happy with her career progression. She really liked client interaction and her travel to new cities around the world. Every project that got her to visit a new city outside India excited her. Akshay on the other had shorter project stints with more frequent travel plans. He hardly stayed in a city for more than a week and got homesick soon.

  The Entrepreneurship

  After two years of his job, on one of his flights to New York, Akshay saw an elaborate coverage of his batch mate, Anurag, from IIT in the TIME. The magazine mentioned him as the youngest Billionaire of the year – impressive by any standards. While, the thought of entrepreneurship had come to Akshay’s mind earlier, this news accelerated it.

  He remembered a conversation with his father on his career choices years back. His father was a very successful criminal lawyer and had wanted him to pursue the same profession. When Akshay was preparing for his JEE entrance, his father was busy in shortlisting law schools for him.

  ‘With my experience and inputs from my friends, I have created a list of law colleges for you. You can review this list and give your inputs. We need to fill the entrance examination forms on time.’ His father informed him.

  ‘Papa don’t you know that I am preparing for JEE and I am only interested in engineering. I don’t want to become a lawyer.’

  ‘I am a successful lawyer. Can you tell me what’s wrong with this profession?’

  ‘Dad you have spent your life defending many criminals and I have no interest in doing this. Some of those criminals will continue a life of crime, thanks to your skillful advocacy.’

  ‘Look I am a lawyer and not the judge. My job is to present facts and defend my clients. Are you forgetting that the same hard earned money from my clients has given you a comfortable life?’

  Akshay thought that he had silenced his father but he was wrong.

  ‘Even after engineering you will still plan for MBA, right? Don’t tell me that you are doing this to become an engineer.’

  ‘Dad I am not sure about that. What’s your point?’

  ‘You can complete law and then do MBA. In that case, you will get exposure to a new field and you may decide to pursue career in Law. You can decide not to become a litigation lawyer. Nowadays there are many options available. Can’t you do this for my happiness?’

  ‘So are you trying to bargain with me by playing your emotional card?’

  Akshay’s mother was also sitting at the dining table and was silently listening to the conversation between her husband and son. She intervened, ‘Look Vikas, you have always dominated me till date and probably will continue to do so forever. However, I will not let you do the same to my son. Akshay will decide whatever he wants to do in his life and right now, he wants to pursue engineering. After that, he can decide to pursue Post Graduation here or outside India. If he wants, he can pursue MBA and that will be entirely his choice. You will not intervene in his career.’

  Sushmita had spoken after so many years with a loud and firm voice that was full of conviction. Vikas did not see a way out and gave up the fight.

  He said, ‘As you wish My Lord.’

  Akshay’s flight was about to land and the flight announcement broke his thought process. Akshay smiled thinking about the incident.

  Even though Akshay was doing great at his current workplace with a very good career graph, he no longer had the zeal for anything he did. For him, his passion drove him towards excellence but not to his final goal. Without passion, he would not have made it to IIT, IIM or even his current job. He started thinking about his career seriously. Earlier he had discussed the idea of becoming an entrepreneur with his close friends. All of them had encouraged him but he never took them seriously. However, all his friends were aware that Akshay was there for the long run and he would do something big. For some reason he had never discussed his secret aspiration with Garima. On his return from New York, he decided to bring this up with her. He realized that becoming an entrepreneur was now a firm and irrevocable decision.

  It was a late Sunday afternoon and they were watching a new series on Netflix, and Garima suddenly pressed the pause button in the middle of the episode. This irritated Akshay a bit but he was quick to realize the outcome. Typically, sudden pause by Garima while watching television indicated an office update by her.

  As expected Garima announced, ‘I am very excited about my new project, I mean I’m finally working for the lar
gest online retailer in USA. This would mean my travel to USA would increase.’ Garima eagerly awaited Akshay’s response.

  Akshay smiled and said, ‘Well I have a better one to share with you.’

  ‘Better one?’

  ‘Guess what! I am planning to quit my job and start my own venture.’

  ‘What are you saying, Akshay?’

  Akshay sensed some disappointment in Garima’s tone. Garima was disappointed because Akshay not only ignored her new project but also had taken this decision of becoming an entrepreneur on his own. He did not even bother to discuss this with Garima.

  She asked, ‘Entrepreneurship is just fine I guess but how come you have come up with this idea suddenly? I thought you were doing just fine and were happy.’

  Akshay didn’t respond to that.

  Garima continued, ‘I know frequent travel has been a concern for you lately but I hope you are not thinking about entrepreneurship just because of travel-related issues.’

  Akshay was slightly irritated but understood Garima’s point of view. The sudden announcement about entrepreneurship had come as a surprise to her. He had never discussed anything about entrepreneurship before and only thought about it seriously after his epiphany.

  ‘Garima clearly this is not about travel-related issues. It is about realizing my true potential. I think I will saturate in the job at some point of time. I don’t want my destiny to be decided either by the performance of the company or by my boss. These days I don’t feel passionate about my work anymore.’

  Garima held his hands. ‘I am surprised Akshay. You should have discussed this with me. I will always support your career choices but we also have to plan our family, right? I mean, we must plan everything together since we need to manage our expenses as well.’

  Akshay nodded and held Garima’s hand, ‘We need to talk more on this and probably manage many things together. If the venture picks up, I will go for external funding as well so money would not be an issue.’