Turning into James Bond

My every morning begins with a chase. I chase a 15 seater Tempo Traveller, picking up corporate slaves across South Delhi. This vehicle reaches Batla House Bus Stop at exact 7:55 AM. Even I reach the place at the same time. And sometimes a few seconds late. I am supposed to board that Tempo along with few others at the Bus Stop to reach office.

I leave my apartment at exact 7:50 AM. Five minutes is just enough time to reach Batla House Bus Stop from Zakir Nagar by a rickshaw. The time is so idealistic that if rickshaw-wala is lazy(or Old) or there is traffic its sure that I will miss the tempo by a few seconds. Then I have to hire an auto-rickshaw or board a Red DTC bus if its there in the vicinity at that point in time. And the chase begins. I have to reach Kalindi Kunj before the Tempo via another short route. This way I have my share of morning adventure. Nothing is more refreshing than reaching that point and catching the Tempo. This becomes my first achievement everyday.

I run like Bond but I don't look like him. He is too old.

My list of similarities with James Bond:

• Like all Bond movies my day begins with a chase.
• I am dressed in complete formals.
• Like Bond, I have to answer my Lady Boss if I fail.
• I am working for a big organization which operates across the globe.
• I am connected with others who tell me the location(of Tempo) via my Sony phone. :)
• I use multiple transports while chasing. (Rickshaw, Auto-Rickshaw, Bus and sometimes I run too)

Although I can rephrase it in many ways but being late is a bad habit. And I am doing this since college days. Many times I missed attendance and good grades coz of being late(there is always something to blame for bad grades). However, college is not just about attendance and grades. Vaise bhi "Old habits and bad habits die hard".

Jamia vs Madras Match

Jamia Millia Islamia played against Madras University at Jamia Sports Complex on 27th February. And very first time after renovation of Sports Complex, Jamia students got a chance to watch a National Match which is broadcasting live on TV. Jamia has earlier hosted many Ranji Trophy matches and even Women's World Cup.

Union External Affairs Minister, Salman khurshid and Jamia VC, Najeeb Jung at the match.

Jamia Team worn green dress and Madras team was in blue. It looked as if India is playing against Pakistan. The difference was everybody supported the same team that day. Actually, In Jamia Pakistani and Indian supporters are almost equal in number. Even sometimes I feel Pakistani supporters are higher in number or maybe they are more passionate than Indian supporters. So, there is always a chance of clash. Keeping this in mind the University Administration always deploys Jamia Bulls(security guards) at hostel common rooms.

Supporter on a Tree

The stadium got fully packed even before the match begun. Hundreds of students came to cheer for their own team. Girls turned up in unexpectedly high numbers. There was separate seating space for girls. They shouted even louder than boys whenever Jamia team took wickets in last overs. Many girls got inked in green color for supporting their team. Even some of them shook a leg on their favorite song.

The entry was closed within an hour after the match begun. But as always Jamia students found a back door to enter in the event. One guy climbed a tree to support Jamia. Students had a hot exchange with security over entry inside the pavilion.

About 20 students gathered near the gate.

"Ander aake kya karoge? Wahin raho", argued the guard at the gate when students asked him to open it.

"Yahan khade hain. Ander baith kar match dekhenge. Plz open this gate", replied a student.

"Ye match dekhne ki jagah nahi hai. Chalo peeche hato yahan se.", guard shouted angrily.

"Mujhe pata hai ye Hospital Emergency Ward hai. Aur me Doctor hun. Ab to khol de gate", said a student sarcastically. 

Everybody around laughed.

"Aur ye peeche mere saath nurse bhi hain", added another student.

"Aur mujhe heart attach aa rha hai", added someone else. 

People laughed gain.

University Administration put this banner outside the venue. I think it was for controlling the crowd.

Jamia won and everyone shouted all the way till the last ball of the match. This was an easy win for Jamia. In typical Jamia Language, "Halwa match tha. Agar hamari team bayein haath se khelti to bhi jeet jaati". :) 

Our Convocation @ Jamia Millia Islamia

The big day when we were awarded our degrees. The venue was same as every year, "The Ansari Auditorium Lawn". On this occasion, the University conferred the Degree of ‘Doctor of Letters’ (Honoris Causa) on Dr. Ashok Seth, a famous cardiologist. The event begun with singing Jamia's Tarana, "Dayar-e-shawk mera..".

All people who passed out in 2011 were there. Many of us were meeting after our final exams around 18 months ago. Everyone looked different. People got more handsome and beautiful with time. Everyone got photographed with everyone. Some people cleared their misunderstandings. Some patched up with old enemies. Suddenly all girls perfected in dressing sense. There were those I wish I had met earlier. Some guys even found a new crush.

Everyone wore black gown and colored hood which resembled their faculties. Some of my friends wanted to wear the square academic cap as seen in many movies. They were disappointed on being given hoods. I felt really great wearing our convocation dress. Jamia have its own unique culture. I felt really proud following that culture. I do not wanted to imitate the movie scene of throwing caps on cost of compromising our culture. However the people who complained were very few. Rest everyone enjoyed their day. Many people took a day off from work to be a part of this amazing event. For all those who were too far to reach there physically the event was live broadcasted for the first time on Jamia Website. 

Everyone shouted when the name of their course and faculties were announced. Engineering graduates were loudest. The event ended with singing our National Anthem. After the ceremony we were handed over refreshment boxes. Later we moved to our respective faculties to collect our degrees. The day was really memorable.

Best Food in Delhi

Jamia Nagar in South Delhi is a student's hub. Many students live in Batla House and Zakir Nagar as paying guests. There exist many food joints and restaurants which serve good quality inexpensive food. There are so many options that for weeks you can eat different dishes at different places everyday.

Undoubtedly, Jamia Nagar serves one of the best non-vegetarian food in Delhi. Every restaurant here have a specialty. This specialty is known to people who eat in Zakir Nagar/Batla House regularly. So, for best version of a specific dish you should go to a particular place. Here people like me doesn't go to a restaurant, look at menu and decide what to eat. Rather we first decide what to eat then accordingly go to a restaurant. Below is a list of some popular dishes and restaurants which specialize in them:

• Chicken Biryani-  Gulavati, Salman Bhai
• Beef Biryani-  Salman Bhai, Gulavati
• Nihari-  Javed Nihari, Madina Nihari
• Paya-   Madina Nihari
• Beef Kebabs-  Famous Restaurant ,Galavati Kebabs
• Kebab Paratha-  Bismillah, Galavati Kebabs
• Chicken Fry-  Gul Bahar Chicken point
• Chicken Roasted-  Al- Nawaz , Al-Umar
• Chicken Qorma-  Moonis Qada
• Chicken Changezi-  Saquib Chicken Point,Meher, Darbaar
• Mutton Qorma-  Moonis Qada, Al-Umar
• Butter Chicken-  Ahad
• Chicken Achari-  Meer
• Qeema-  Moonis Qada 
• Maghaz/Bheja-  Madina Nihari
• Dal Makhni-  Al-Umar
• Matar Paneer-  Moonis Qada
• Shahi Tukda- Zakir Nagar Masjid

P.S. : There are many more delicious dishes and restaurants in the locality. This is the list of stuff that are making me fat. Try at your own risk.

Issues with First Job.

Everyone wants to find a good job after college thinking that it will solve all problems. There is suspense over how the knowledge we have gained in school and college is applied in real world. And what happens in those multi-storey buildings which house big companies. Here I tried to capture some of the issues which I faced after joining.

Learn living alone.

              The very first issue you face after college is adjusting in an alien environment. You spent your school life with family and college life with friends. However while doing job you should learn living alone. Yes you can meet family or friends but only on weekends. Weekdays are really hectic. Even in college when you were new you faced issues in adjusting initially. But unlike college people in corporate world are more professional and all of them are of different age group and mentality.

How to handle money?

Best thing about corporate job is money. Unlike college now you have lots of money. You can buy anything you like and you are less answerable to anyone about where you spent money. The bad thing about having lot of money is it makes you vulnerable to bad habits. You actually don't know how to manage money. At times you end up spending money uselessly.

Suddenly Grown Up.

Till college you thought you are a kid. Suddenly you feel grown up. Now you are supposed to make many decisions on your own. You also face responsibilities. Your parents start sharing with you the family problems which were kept away from you earlier.

You or Society.

Now you are part of society. People start taking you seriously. You have to follow rules of society. You have to change your " who cares" attitude. Aakhir ghar waalon ki izzat ka sawal hai.

Cant eat more..!!

There was this magical thing about college and school that you kept eating whatever you like and as much as you like. But now you keep sitting in office whole day so you start gaining weight. Now you have to find time for exercising and avoid over eating.

Future planning. 

Unlike college its not exams you should worry about. Actually you don't even know what you should plan for( atleast i have no idea). People tell you to just work hard. And they always say that.

Having said all this, there are many good things too about your first job. I think there is no need to capture  them. Those are the things that make you do lot of hard work for finding a nice job.

Thoughts One Night

I wanted holidayz .... now i m getting bored at home so i want to get back to college... now i realize that i didn't wanted holidays but some time to spend with friends .... I miss u all....nw i wonder how will I survive after college........... its 5.20 A.M .
I should sleep now.

Good Night!!

Summer Vacations

               I am having the least busy schedule these days. Actually our summer vacations are going on and i have nothing to do. Being in Computer Engineering Department we do not require to undergo industrial training which is compulsory in other departments. So i m spending time sleeping, playing games, watching movies and meeting friends. I m getting too lazy now a days more coz i am at home and get everything ready from clothes to food.

            Being the Placement Coordinator of my class i had to go for meetings in the placement office and may be its the only useful work i m doing this summer. Apart from this i had bought a new "Java book" but its lying as it is. I am supposed to learn java this summer because we have to build a project in the coming semester and even i m tring but opening book is like inviting sleep these days.

            I m enjoying this vacation more because i got them after a long tiring year of following deadlines and may be its my last vacations because my student life is ending(inshahallah) this year and people say that once u walk into the professional life it become impossible to have such long breaks.

           But i know only 15 days are left and the same monotonous life is starting after them where i need to follow limits, have to perform and be a part of marks grabbing system. But this time i need to be more serious because this year is the final one.

So looking forward to work sincerely in the coming semester so that i get some new and different challanges to face next year.

          But do not want to bear any tensions for atleast these 15 days and want to enjoy them to fullest.