[The decision to return to India from Amsterdam was a crucial one. I spent lot of hours thinking and analyzing all the nuances of the possible consequences on both sides. Although I started penning down the reasons and my post- MPP options from the Oxford days, I completed writing all the reasons on 10th August 2014]
1. The momentum that I got in BSG-
the thoughts, the ideas, the committed people, the optimism, the
self-confidence, the big desire to change the world.
2. Talking to people- Wahid Da,
Jayanta Da, Abhilaash mainly the Assamese who have been living here- talking to
them I can estimate how my future will look like. I know what I don’t want to
become.
3. Accident of Bikiran, death of
Manda Bai—life is so fragile and I must spend time with my family.
4. The madness of the UNDP job-
Wahid da took that far way; the way he was introducing me to other people – "you
should lose a person like Manjit to a foreign company".
5.
The book gifted by Alexander- "How to measure life"- super influencing.
6. "Play with your strong area"-
India+ development sector is my strength.
7. Project with foreign
government- you need to dive deep. For example, in German labor agency (BA) project, I need to know the emotion and thinking
of German people and the language. So, doing something for 2-3 months for a
foreign government does not make any sense. My conversation with McKinsey India people
made me realize that the company is not much active in India; also the way they look at
government…huh!
8. Learning what a consultant do –
they consult, they are not leaders. They can’t change the world.
9. The social life of an
Indian/Assamese outside India is utterly pathetic; even the lifestyle of Kayvan and others; their
dreams--- huh, no way.
10.
My story – it will be a nice
story only if I go back, do something spectacular. I need to make a good story
out of my life.
11.
The chat with Somnath- that made me realizes how I (we) thought
after NIT. Somnath still thinks in that way. But, for me, I can't afford to
think about a salaried job only. I can afford something more than
what a fresh graduate would think of doing. Its not about proving to others,
but proving to yourself.
12.
The euphoria created by Modi in
terms of scrapping planning commission, digital India, myGov- this is indeed the
best time to be in India
13.
Looking at my Indian batch-mates- Vrinda, Lekha, Rahul all can easily settle outsides, they are some
of the brightest minds of Oxford. But they are all going back- this is a
different breed can’t be seen everywhere
14.
The fact that I am continuously
searching and trying, I am seeing one or other options every other day. It’s
the hope that I have lot of fall back options is an asset. WB Consultancy,
Afghan government are two strongest fall back options for me. Hence, this is
the time to take risk.
15.
The euphoria of taking risk and
changing the world will not last long. This comes only in certain periods of
life. Hence, I must utilize that when I have lot of energy on that direction.
16.
Pankaj Da told two important
points—this timing of youth energy I should not waste and if I don’t get
anything, I might take wrong choices out of frustration—knowing all the bad
outcomes also making me excited to go back.
17.
The way McKinsey does strategy work-
only for a week or a brief period. But government works are mainly implementation- you have to
drag along. The Pakistan education project is one, where the whole McKinsey
wanted to work as all considered that a cool project. "Hence, it not matching
your taste and objective", said Johanna Hircher.
18. I have been doing lot of research on my post-MPP life and here are some exciting options. I believe I would be better off in India under any circumstances:
 |
| Last snap of my bed at Amsterdam |
18. I have been doing lot of research on my post-MPP life and here are some exciting options. I believe I would be better off in India under any circumstances:
a) Putting the things into
practice is something I am too much excited. Working as a policy Advisor to
Govt of Assam will be an awesome one. My marriage life will also get a big push
if I be in Guwahati, at least for 2 years.
b) Mir’s proposal of working with Government of Afghanistan as an advisor is making a roll in my mind. I even informed Maa about that desire, introduced her with Mir etc. but the security condition, particularly after US troops withdraw from the country, whether Mir becomes a cabinet minister or not are some issues.
b) Mir’s proposal of working with Government of Afghanistan as an advisor is making a roll in my mind. I even informed Maa about that desire, introduced her with Mir etc. but the security condition, particularly after US troops withdraw from the country, whether Mir becomes a cabinet minister or not are some issues.
c)
Until now, I have written twice
to PM website. I can be fit into three units in Govt of India- a) DONER or NE
related affairs, b) Inside PMO in some delivery unit type of role and c) in any policy making division which does not exist now as per my knowledge.
d)
Writing to Government of Assam-
I am not thinking much on that now (31st May, 2014) because of the
internal dissident politics of Assam Congress and the rise of BJP in Assam. BJP
has just declared Mission 84+ in Assam and I think I should write a letter to
Prodyut Bora. In fact, let me do that now itself.
e)
Done. I have also made an Excel
file
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