Dont Write Me Off - Yet !!

An interesting event occured yesterday ( I am on leave from today till the 9th of Nov - enjoying my last LFC trip) while gossipping in the office. A colleague of mine asked me if I would be meeting mutual friends/acquaintances at Delhi ( I am planning to stop over for a day over there). I remarked that I would make all efforts to meet as many guys I know as possible as I dont when I will get the next opportunity to do so. Then I said that I was looking forward to the forthcoming Security Managers' Conference at Mumbai where I would get to meet all our friends from the cadre. Whereupon my friend interjected with alacrity that why should I be attending the said conference as I was about to leave the Bank. For a moment I was nonplussed at this line of thought - I still have more than a month to go ( 12 Dec 2008 to be precise) - and my friends have already written me off and are busy making their own plans. Well, so much for unity of the cadre, brotherhood, so called friendship. camaraderie etc, etc, et all.

I had to rudely remind my friend that I have not retired as yet and the option to reconsider my decision is STILL open ( I have already received feelers to that effect !)

Who needs enemies when one has such fair weather friends ??

Strive for Balance in your Life ....

An insightful extract from a speech by Bryan Dyson (CEO of Coca Cola)

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends and spirit and you're keeping all of these in the air.
You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four Balls - family, health, friends and spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same.

You must understand that and strive for Balance in your life........."

HAPPY DIWALI !

This is to acknowledge the best wishes of all my friends who have sent me SMSs and e-mails on the auspicious occasion of Diwali. You feelings are heartily reciprocated. May the festival of lights bring happiness, prosperity and peace to you and all your loved ones. Happy Diwali !!

Lungar Gupp XXXXVIII

1. Reporting after Leave. I have reported for duty today after being away for 22 days. Most of this time was spent at Dehradun with a small trip to Delhi included. I had gone to take one of the papers I had missed for my MA (Previous) exam which was scheduled for 29 Sep 08. After that I fell sick (sic !!) and am now at Bangalore being 'fit' to resume duty.

2. Newer Climes. I have been receiving frantic calls from all my friends and colleagues as to where I am going after leaving the Bank. Well, this is to inform all you curious busybodies that I am joining the automotive division of SB Group at Oman and will be based at Muscat. I am planning to join them by mid December.

3. New Recruits. I am told that only four newly recruited Security Officers have joined the Bank as of today. While I was on leave I got a call from a lady officer who wanted to report to Bangalore office instead of New Delhi where she has been posted owing to domestic reasons. Lets hope she succeeds in her endeavour though I have serious doubts about this issue judging by past experience.

4. AGM's Posts. It is believed that out of the five posts of AGMs which have been recently sanctioned the breakup would be as : SC -1, ST-1, Gen-3. As per the grapevine interviews may be held next month.

5. Footnote. One positive fallout of my leaving the Bank is that one vacancy in the post of AGM in our cadre will accrue on 31 Dec 2008. As per the panel year 'funda' some old horses may run again in Jan/Feb 2009 . Best of luck guys !!

Nostalgia !!

I had gone to Delhi for a couple of days (02 and 03 Oct 2008) to meet some old friends and associates. On 2nd I met Mr David Cresswell at the Hotel Crowne Plaza, Gurgoan where he was busy conducting the second Security Management Stage I course for Security Professionals from Cairn India. It was a pleasure meeting him after more than six years. On the 3rd I met a lot of colleagues at RBI, New Delhi and a dear old friend from my school days. Mr Rohit Varma, who is a VP in an apparel company at New Jersey was in Delhi for a business trip. I met him after nearly 30 years and it was a nostalgia trip catching up on all that we have been through in our respective lives.

Rohit and myself at Moti Mahal Restuarant, Malcha Marg, New Delhi

Rohit Varma - as dapper as ever !

David is busy checking up his e-mails at TGI, Gurgaon.