2017 wasn't a great year overall. I can think of three big things that completely dominated the year. Let me write the three first:
1) Possible relocation to Guwahati and the U turn: I have already written quite few posts on this fiasco(under Career label) and don't want to repeat same words. I remember, my resignation happened during some terrible days of NeGD such as coming of an arrogant CEO, height of
office politics when I grew slight disrespect for Sunil Sir after the Trishna- Nilesh job fiasco, bit of grouping with Anuj, Pranjal, Kanwar
etc. Hence, I actually enjoyed the post resignation week until 21st July, when Gayan called for the salary thing. I
immediately wrote to Flipkart, although I had to decide between uniqueness of Manjit (saw Ashish
Vijaywergia working there) and stability cum money of Flipkart(Govt consultancy is not a long term option). Subsequent events happened quickly- Flipkart said no on 21st Sept, I wrote letter to CM, the terrible day of 22nd Sept, the letter issued by Sunil Sir was questioned, Kuldip’s torturing calls, email exchanges with Mr Solanki, my consultation with
Ashesh Kumar astrologer and hell lot of other people like Satyakam, Bhaiti Da, Rajib Da etc, selling out my household stuffs, the home2office video
shootings in my phone, and finally 3rd October. Is survival the only achievement
for middle class? I became a laughing stock for some, sympathy book for a few others. I wasted money, time, opportunity, mental peace, reputation and gained nothing, absolutely nothing. Eventually I had to withdraw resignation on 16th October. Most home furniture are still missing.
2) Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS): Never thought an office assignment, that too a two-day conference will become a prominent event of a whole year. All thanks to our new CEO. I remember the first GCCS movements started in March, soon after the ICEGOV conference with me, Manash, Sunil Sir and Premjit Sir leading everything. Then new CEO came and craziness started. I still remember I was called urgently from a meeting with Tasa da (Arunodoi related) just to take printouts of invitation letters and subsequently the heavy rebuke on 23 Aug when he threatened to throw me out. Slowly we get used to CEO and stated concentrating on making the conference successful. It was good experience working with Amit and Manas for managing the entire speakers of GCCS and the Curtain Raisers/Side Events. For last 3 months prior to GCCS, there were no weekends, everyday leaving office at 10-00 PM after buffet dinner (only good thing of staying late), sudden disease of Sunil Sir, people losing temper and shouting at each other, characters like Jayalaxmi and Tulika - it was too much of an experience! Manas who resembled with Agru for bringing ragging orders, always brought new tasks; I was sad when he resigned. Finally 20 Nov to 24 Nov - the eventful days with the shooting of Xomidhan video, seeing cheapness of Gayan for a sofa seat, chat with the Assam IT minister, IT Secy and AMTRON head, the logistical nightmare at the venue, the amazing cultural programme, huh! The post GCCS time was equally eventful with me going to office on a weekend for uploading photos, the 41-point letter from PMO and subsequent rumor of removing CEO etc. I don't think I have learnt anything substantive from GCCS. While I was trying to speak a few learning of GCCS to the NPCI interviewer, he told "I am not asking about event management experience", lol!
3) Personal time spending: On a personal level, I spent a lot of time with Trishna this year since she relocated to Delhi. I got involved in her exam, placement, job search, fever and she also took care of my teeth-ache, food diet etc. Until now, I am not sure what is the future of this relationship as there is lack of commitment, mostly from my side. I sincerely want her to do the best in life.
-----------------------------
Apart from the above three, there are couple of good memorable events I must mention. Moina's job in NPCI was a great relief for our whole family and for her as well. The endless talks, minute preparations for interview and finally Dibakar cracking IAS was indeed a big event. The sudden Bangkok trip with the initiation of Rafi may be termed as the single good thing that directly effected me in 2017. Xomidhan made a big bang entry this year to my life and the core team did lot of stuff (including some revenue from Assam Tribune) in 2017. The Arunodoi conference, although everything didn't go well, gave me the opportunity to moderate a panel and get close to Tasa da and Rajib da, which I consider positive development. On family front, Dada's transfer to Guwahati and Maa getting the State Teachers award were two biggest events of 2017 and I am so happy about it. I also remember the felicitation by Nath Yogi Sanmiloni at Budhipara, the trip to Pabitora with Junma and BD, meeting with Sasha and Raju da as important episodes of the last year. I give myself thumbs up for giving up LPG subsidy and try to come out of the Indian middle class mentality. At office, the paper presentation at ICEGOV with Pallabi, the positive responses I got for DigiSevak, the good rating cum hike in appraisal, and the letter I wrote after request from Premjit Sir for salary increase will be memorable for good reasons.
However, as mentioned in the title of the post, bad occurrences overpowered most of the good events mentioned in the previous paragraph. To start with, the failed job applications frustrated me quite a lot. I guess the number will be more than ten. I had to let go Catalyst and Flipkart (delayed application) for the Assam thing. The role played by Himalay (for Assam job), Ibu (in Arunodoi) was very painful. I must mention the repeated follow-ups with Hindware for fixing the issues at home. On health front, it was bad again. I detected piles, toothache an subsequent removal, two times fever and multiple time loose motion. On career front, I have increasingly realized the weak wicket to be a consultant without any recognition. My desire to apply PhD in top universities was smashed (for 2017 at least) after reading through Aaron's first PhD proposal; I might take years to develop that kind of improved English writing. Although I find an interest area (how Social Media is threatening democracy), I couldn't make any substantive progress on that topic. However, my efforts never stopped; just after
GCCS, on 26 Nov I posted on the Network Capital Facebook group for one more failed application
at CSF. On family front, there has not been any progress on Moina's marriage. I am also not in a position to take a decision/prioritization on my own marriage. Time is running out, I have realized.
--------------------
New people I met in 2017:
Arupa Patangia Kalita, Mr Talukdar (Ghy land mafia), Pinki (Pranjal's
wife), Manjil and Khimpi, Dr. Mrinal Miri, Roshan Farhan, Tim (again),
Siddhartha Bora, Manash Makani, Interns and DigiSevaks, ICEGov volunteers,
Ashish Garg, Rajib Baruah, CEO Sanjeev Gupta, Munmi (Kailsh’s wife), Santanu &
Supriya.
Books I read in 2017:
Assam
after independence, Nath yogi Tattva, The winner stands alone (couldn't complete), Sinhagad
Bijoy (after the Pune Trip), India after Gandhi (Currently reading), 40 Laws of Success (couldn't complete)
Trips I made in 2017:
Kurukshetra, Jodhpur, 1st Mumbai trip for Moina's settlement and 2nd Mumbai & Lonavala trip with weak health and disturbed mind in mid-October, four times home trips including the one for making presentation being part of Pettits India to SLAC.
Important dates to remember in 2017:
14 Feb (Rahul's salary and my thoughts), 12 April(disinterest grown on corporate public policy people in the GCCS brainstorming, 18 April( Gayan's first call),
14 May (first online paid movie watch local Kung fu-2 at moviesaints), 28 June (interview, passport renewal etc), 10 July (Deepinder to Bangkok and Nilesh in
place of Trishna at MoS offce), 14 July (offer letter, bought I Phone and
resignation) , 7th Aug (interview with Sachin Bansal), 11 Aug
(Sanjiv Saddy's crook interview), 16 Aug (Guwahati trip for Arunodoi), 18 Aug (Anchoring at book
release of Pranjal Da’s brother, last day of interns, extreme tension after
Amtron letter decreasing salary, meeting with Assam CM), 21Aug (Solar eclipse day), 3
Sept(lotus temple+4D movie), 28
Oct (driving Scooty first time in Delhi, Fever starts), 6 Nov (teeth
extraction), 24 Nov (Xomidhan video on GCCS day 2), 30 Nov (Sunil Sir’s last
day), 29 Dec (2 years at NeGD unfortunately, Premjit Sir's last day)
Thoughts to remember in 2017:
a) The
struggle to find what interests me and also pays me well, and how to make that as profession in the future
b) Existence of God, planetary movements, the advice at the ISKCON Gita lessons.
c) What
have I got by choosing to earn less, not staying in private sector? Was that a wrong
decision?
-----------------------
Any idea(?) of 2018:
Moina's marriage, job change, new tenant at Agia home, buying the nearby Agia college land, Dada's promotion, Maa's retirement, Library award ceremony, I deciding on marriage, more trading on Sharekhan, more public writing, more travel, more reading & less thinking.
