Taking a diversion...

Like how one cannot forget his first love, first kiss – I too will never forget my first company “TATA Consultancy Services Limited”. I have always been proud to work under the TATAs and will be for having served them for three and a half years. What I am now and what I will be – TCS is always a part of it.

Though it is tuff for me to think of moving out of such a great organization I had to console my self that I have responsibilities to fulfill and that requires a change. In fact, when I was drafting my resignation letter – tears blocked my vision. Some thing beyond getting emotion.

I just see this phase in my life as, I am traveling in a bus so far and its time for me to switch to another bus to reach a different destination where I am intended for…. There have been many co-passengers (my crazy team mates) I had nice time working, learning, sharing, caring, playing, outing, fighting, and what not… I adore them for ever and I doubt if get similar team again. Should not forget those excellent drivers who have been very important during many curtail turns when I traveled. In fact, should have to call them as the ones who carved me as a good team player.

Just trying to look back the road that I traveled……….

When I heard the news that I was also short-listed in the final round - I thought it was a night-mare. It was on November 17, 2006, a winter afternoon, napping on my sofa. One of my friend whom I met during the selection process had called me and said that he got selected in the final round and he say my name and few of others whom we got to know during the selection process – I just said ‘okay’ and dropped the call. Its 10 – 15 minutes after I woke-up (it was around 4 in the evening) this incident flashed. Until then I was just wondering around at home. It didn’t strike me to look at the received calls – I had to log in to the system to look at the mail - - - found a pdf file with at least 950 names listed. Still couldn’t believe that my name was there then.

So the seed sowed on November 17, 2006 is expected to be harvested on November 18, 2010. 18^th is expected to be my last day with my first company.

Though the final results were announced on 11/17/06, I had to wait till March 19, 2007 to join office. But before that, we formed a gang and started roaming out in Chennai.

March 19, 2007. Started my first day at TCS, Trivandrum, with few known faces and many unknown faces. We were referred as “T-123”, which became the famous batch during those two months. Yes, we won the best team award for that period. I was gifted with a very lovely, supporting, co-operative team. People from all over India were in our team. We (guys) stayed in a hotel which is 20 kms from the training center. We start our journey every morning very professionally and when we return back from training center – the tempo driver would be cursing us for the nasty dances. That was really a fun.

I think it was two weeks before the completion of our training program – few from each batch were asked to report to TCS Pune though already informed to report at TCS Chennai. I am one amongst them. Many of my friends were desperate in trying a replacement for me to go to Pune. But it was because of my stubbornness I landed up in Pune May 22, 2007.

New State, new language, new food, in fact every thing were new for me then. It took me a couple of days to get into a team. It is called STP (Straight Though Processing) a project team that serves for a leading capital market institution Morgan Stanley. Though being a fresher I had a privilege to report to clients directly. It always gave me a feel “a home, miles away from home”. It took me to heights of every thing. It’s a pride. Instead of stating it as a project team I should rather call it a mini family at work. Every one in the team though different in the work that they do, different in language, different in different things all our one when it comes to attitude. Be it an ODC event, a team outing or some get together – all are there.

When ever I was in trouble there a lot of helping hand. In fact, my manager once walked down to authorities’ cabin and solved a problem which didn’t happen when I went. They had given me stages were my works were show-cased will the top level at the client’s senior management. They didn’t stop with such techi motivations… One of my bosses made me join dance class and after that a music class – great folks. I will never my 2009 birthday. It was a surprise. Two of my managers called my all my other team mates and we celebrated my birthday.

My client managers have a big part in building me professionally. I worked for the Tokyo and Hong Kong region. They treated me as one of them. They gave me all necessary privileges and molded me the way how they work. That’s some thing which is still help full for me.

Happy Tuesdays, Thankyou Thrusdays, Anand Valley trip, Mathera trip, Bhopal-Jabalpur trip, Harishchandragath trekking, b’day celebrations, ODC events, team lunches, floor games, dance programs, funny fightings are all still green in my memories.

2008 – 2009 recession became a speed breaker. The project team had to dissolve. This shook dropped me in Bangalore.

May 20, 2009 I reported at TCS Bangalore. A few familiar faces, similar language, a sort of comfort and independent feel. A new project team that serves a financial institute Ameriprise Financials. A place where I had some thing to contribute to the extend I can. I was lucky to have a superb tech lead, a co-operative onsite counterpart and mangers who identified what I am capable of. In fact, there was fun team with in the project team – they are in fact the back bone or rather the strength of the team.

Client visit, Taj Vivanta party, Bimmeswari trip, stall decorations (PAN stalls and Effective Criminal Management), Server crashes, onsite calls – are some of them which I can never forget.

My managers gave me all that I deserve – I didn’t have to ask for any thing. The team around were more than a team member. The projects that I worked had enough challenges that I managed to implement. Now that all are good – I am in a comfort zone.

Just found a small cab which seems to have something that I was looking for for a long time. So just thought of continuing rest of my travel in that toward some where were I am intended for…!!!!!

Hunting for Ragging but Hunt

That was a Sunday night 10:30 pm at Tambaram railway station – late 2001. We were at least fifteen, waiting to board the train to Chidambaram. It was actually for Sriram (olli) sister's wedding reception – all our friends were in Chennai for that weekend. A techi gang from E&I, our notorious Comp Sci and Mech Arun. The train arrived at the platform and if I remember right, it was Muthiah and Arun started scanning the name charts. They were not looking for any girl's name in our compartment rather they were looking for some one who is of a year less than us – ' Hunting for Ragging'. That was our first few days after we stepped into the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the great Annamalai University.

There were traces of freshers in our compartment. We were all getting ready to rag them. But as time went we heard the TT blowing his steel whistle. Only then we realized that two more have to join us and all our tickets were with them (that's none other than Krishna and Ganesh). It was like a movie climax – the train that we have to board started to move slowly and the electric train (in which these guys came) had just arrived. Though both the trains are next to next they have to run over the railway-steel bridge to come to the other platform. By then, our train speeded up and we guys peeped into the train one after the other assuming that either Krishna or Ganesh will get into the train with the ticket. Unfortunately both of them got in – they were faster than ever before. It was like the last ball of the match and one run required to win against Australia or Pakistan.

As they were settling down, the talks of ragging took its own momentum. Arun and some one else walked across compartments to see where these freshers are hiding (like how we did when we were in first year). They came back saying that they found the prey but the bigger lions are tasting them. Since our guys were already prepared for ragging and didn't want to miss the chance – Arun went back and requested our seniors to send them to our compartment after they are done with ragging.

Just in a minute few guys came to our compartment. They looked very scared with fear in eyes – 'fear of ragging'. It was at least for 1 hour our guys ragged those three like anything. Ganesh, Santhosh, Sriram and Arun were at peaks. Specially "the grandy's vada and the crow" story. We had asked them to tell the story and if we get any doubt then they have to clarify it and again start from the beginning. The highlight was Ganesh's question (this was asked after the story was told at least 10 – 15 times). 'Is the crow black or white?'. Then, as usual – the 'Annamalai Salute'... We were having so much fun.

'Hunting for Ragging but Hunt'. Slowly the tone of the freshers started varying. They were little funny and started pulling our legs. They said that they have their brothers in final years and as they spoke our juniors also came to our compartment. They also joined with freshers and they started to rag us. Now is the big shock. Those guys whom we were thing as freshers were actually our seniors' fellow batch mates. Also they said that they are 'Anti Ragging Committee' members for Engineering department and one of them were our then VC's relative. It was like a graveyard silence. We wished it should be a nightmare. All our faces were blank, shocked and worried. They started scarring much in telling about the consequences that we would have to face. One of them who pretended as fresher was looking for the guy in us who asked him - 'Is the crow black or white?'. After a lot of warnings they left us saying that we would meet soon in the inquiry hall.

We all were completely lost. Luckily there wasn't any blame games within us. The next day we all were scarred to go to class room. Any clerk or senior enters our class room we would only think that they have come for us – invitation to inquiry. When ever we see any one of those guys in our collider we would vanish from there. Unfortunately our seniors were also on the same floor. Every day it is like an hide and seek game. But as days went we came to know that there is no such 'Anti Ragging Committee' in our university itself.

Ragging is one of the stage in any ones college life. It is generally the way how seniors introduce them self to juniors. In our case – juniors (we) ragged seniors and had to hide from them. Though it was scary and thrilling then – it is all fun when we recollect those moments.

Crispy Creepy Weekend – 09/12

Because of back to back religious festivals Bangalore IT professionals were gifted with a long weekend. Most of the people rushed home towns that Thursday evening. All buses towards Tamil Nadu and to various other districts with in Karnataka were overwhelming with non-பெங்களூர்'ians. Bangalore city was fully packed with traffic towards bus/railway stations. It would take at half-an hour to cross one kilometer. And that’s one reason why I didn’t plan to go home.

My room mates were no exception – I presume they would have left office pretty early than usual. Taking that as an advantage I planned for many things. Hey hold-on. I know, dirty minds have dirty thoughts. Let me clearly say what my plans were… It is like washing my room, watching some good movies in volume, some useful surfing, completes the long pending wblogs on Hackers, etc., I don’t know if it is my rasi or in capability to execute things that I have planned. This time too; adding to the records.

Friday afternoon, after completely cleaning my room, I laid down for a nap. I knew Vodafone sisters would call up at unusual times for advertising new offers. So I kept my mobile on silent mode and went to sleep. It is not more than a quarter of an hour – a loud ring tone woke me up. That was my landline. I didn’t attend the call but I knew who that was. Check my mobile – quite a few missed calls. That was from none other than our Madurai Maddy Mr Rams. Before I come out of this shock there was another shock when I called him on his mobile. I was at his house in the next couple of minutes. I saw two young (but actually old) gentle men appearing matured in family life seated with their better-halves at their sides. Mrs & Mr Ramasubramanian and Mrs & Mr Rajasekar - Raj’s daughter playing around. That was an unannounced get-together.

We started to chat with some home made snacks passed across. In fact the Mrs Rams came back from home town that morning. Hope you guys remember the invitation I Rams had sent out to all. I am still confused who was our first target that day. When ever I target Rams for boozing when his wife was not around I only see his wife reacting. Be it for boozing, Kaushalya, or for the AXE effect or for the FAT that he has in body – I only see his wife jumping in for his rescue, and this guys – as usual with his giggling and belly dance. Then after, we targeted Raj. You guys very well know what we have to tease him. I was not an exception, though. Later, we all planned to move to Raj’s house to spend that night there. But we pushed it to the next day as no one was planned of that.

Saturday evening, we all again gathered at Raj’s house. Some good Tamil movies were been telecasted for Ganesh chadurthi. As we were nearing dinner time both mistresses disappeared into the kitchen. I was in fact waiting for the dinner to get over so that I can start targeting mistresses. That was only to defend our friends and not their husbands. There were lots of complaints on Rams and Raj. These poor guys had lot almost all freedoms they had. Freedom of sighting, freedom of boozing, freedom of smoking, freedom of driving and many other freedoms. Since all you other guys are at different locations I had to solely rescue them. I don’t know what all struggles you guys are facing at your end.

As we were talking about all these freedom I got a call on my mobile. I don’t know if that was a coincident – it was Raama, he was boozing when he called me.

Next morning we spent most of the time in planning where to go for the rest of the day but by then I got a call from office and had to leave. Raj and Rams spent the rest of the day together at a bowling center.

Guys, Raj’s daughter has grown up now and pretty cleaver in remembering things.

Wish we all should meet once soon...

Raama - "the புருட"

This guy didn’t find a better place to introduce him with me. I was coming out of the rest-room near my room in the first year hostel. I was almost looking like a Santa with white snow covering my face – preparing for a shave. This guy, with his brush in his mouth, paste-cream slipping out, approached me. A typical Chetty-slang, started enquiring about me and my family background. Slowly we discovered that both of us are from the same native. I generally try to avoid people of my cast but Krishna and Raama are exceptional. We didn’t much mingle much until we met in a function in Chennai. It was the first time I met his parents though. Me, Raama and his dad were at the last seats of the gathering waiting to catch the first rows for dinner. But things were getting delayed because of some long discussions. On top of this, one aunty amongst the crowd started to sing some devotional song. I crazily started letting comments free flow. When every discussion came to end, people started moving towards the dining hall. Raama politely pulled me towards the singer. “Machi, this is my mom… and Ma, this is Panay, my classmate”. I was lost. Couldn’t even apologize. If I remember right, until second year completion, Raama was staying with few of our other classmates on the next street. Our relationship grew only after he shifted to MSR Bhavan.

Oops… before I forget let me mark his original name. Until first year, he was called M.Ramanathan. Don’t know if it is bcoz of another Ramanathan’s name causing confusion or for some good fortune – he changed his name to what he is called now ‘Raamakarthikeyan M’. That in fact made it easy for us to call him ‘Raama’. I personally like the way Santhosh calls at him – ‘Dei, va-lan-tha’va-nea’. Also the way/slang Raama himself pronouncing his name ‘Raam Karthik’. Actually he should be called ‘Raavanan’. We guys have also honored him with a title. This is for his nature of studying during exam. Raama hardly listens at any lecture delivered in class; rather I have to say he frankly attends classes. Kannaps is his perfect companion to bunk classes. Even during study hols or even a day before exam Raama hardly sits to read anything.
He has good relationship with varity of people within and outside our class. He is so good that he visits them all even without any purpose. But he doesn’t fail to visit them during exams. He will figure who is reading which part of the syllabus. He will then get into a mode of a Marketing Manager. He talks deals with others who are covering other parts of the syllabus. He makes sure that there is someone assured help for owing to explain him some portion of the syllabus. After a sometime, he takes his bike and start execution of the mission. He learns from one and explains it to the other. He makes sure that he explains something to whomever teaches him. At the end of it – he has learnt everything. The good aspect of this kind of exam-preparation (even I have experienced) is that, when we explain something to someone we never forget it. At the same time when we have someone explaining, it becomes rather a discussion and easier to understand than to spend time reading few pages. Really hats-off to Raama for cultivating this kind of a mode of studying. Even we guys (though not book worms) would wait for Raama to return home. For this only reason he is honored with a title ‘K.K.Er’ – “Ka-thai K’ta Engineer Raama Kathikeyan’. I think Krishna had the privilege of formulating this title.

Raama was in fact the Placement Secretary for the Computer Science department when we were in the final year. I thought he took on this, only to cover V’a. I was proved wrong later. He was smart and worked hard to get things done. Spoke to many people and went to many places. Finally came up with a broucher for the department. This was later used by the department for at least 4 years to invite companies for on-campus placement. He had organized many tests and other activities which help many. His efforts really brought some good fortune. Companies started to come to our university for placement.

Okay… enough of all this buttering talks about Raama. Let’s chill out a little. “Hey Raama, if you have already out-spoken to Meena then you are safe. If not I am sorry machi…”
Until college, even now, we spend for anything for each other; except that I wouldn’t spend for his cigrates. But there is an exception – I had to buy him a packet, or may be one or two piece for something silly that I had had done to him. There were a couple of incidents that happened in our room which flashes even now when I see a piece of cigrate lying orphan in my Bangalore room.

Raama & I shared the same room which had a telephone and an attached toilet-bathroom. His shelf is just above mine. In fact it is the top most which doesn’t matter him at all (for this tall guy). One summer weekend afternoon, this guy teased me for something and as usual drove down to fag. But I went crazy after that. I wanted to take revenge; I am not so humorous to tease him, then. I turned dull to my room. There was something glittering on the top shelf. It was a cigrate packet. My criminal brain started working. I took out one cigrate and walked to the terrace with a match box. Loosened some tobacco at the white ended. Powdered the head of a few match sticks. Stuffed them at the loosened end and finally patched up with some tobacco. I was conscious it shouldn’t create any suspection. I was so very anxious that I cannot wait until he takes this piece. So I took off the other pieces in the box leaving only this.

Our road side Romeo, after roaming like a loafer, came home in the evening. As usual took the packet to the terrace (his smoking zone). Something unexpected happened. He suspected Rams and Raj for the missing cigrates and was scolding them. I had to interfere to take him off the scene. Cribbing Raama walked back his smoking zone. …few seconds later, an expected but un usual sound. Throwing down everything he was holding came down searching for me as he was sure that I should have done that.

MSR Bhavan not only was a resident for young Doctors and Engineers, but also for scientists. The two scientist mankind has ever seen. Rams and Raama. These two buggers, one evening were experimenting if Petrol would actually catch fire. Rather, it would have made sense if they try to understand ‘why?’ it catches fire. The fantastic laboratory where they chose to do this experiment is our sit-out at the kitchen. LPG is not more than 2-3 yards where they were. Like Rawle and Hardy (Raama and Rams) at the sitout – Raama holding little petrol in the bottle cap and Rams firing it. These guys should have at least kept it on the floor. The bottle was carefully kept open near the LPG. It is so obvious that Raama’s hand catches fire – it did. Poor guy, spilled it over his leg. Then our scientists started jumping after seeking success (dam it… they jumped out for fire burns). This all action undoubtedly pushed off the petrol bottle. Petrol started flowing towards the LPG. Cannot even imagine if things would have gone serious. Thanks to our cook-amma and the wash woman. They shut down fire with sack bags and other stuffs kept around.

Krishna also has the privilege to give away one more title to Raama. And only he calls him so… This also suits Raama well – ‘Bu-ru-da Mannan’.

Raama not only blows up technical contents on the answer paper, he also blows up matter. Raama’s dad is not only a banker by profession but he is a banker for Raama too. Raama gets money on just a phone call; sometimes even a call is not required. But there is for sure a call from his dad, asking for over spending. There was one such call once in a weekday morning. Raama was still sleeping when we (B-batch guys) getting ready for lab session. The phone rang and Rams picked it. Raama was waked up then. Raama soared his throat and started to talk. I guess (rather for sure) his dad would have asked what Raama was doing then. This guys reply was “…having breakfast and then have to get ready to college”. I couldn’t even recall what he had said. The next obvious question his dad asked him was about the expense chart – ‘reason for over spending’ for that month. Seems like this guy asked some extra money from his mom. This guy, without any hesitation compliant his dad that our wash-basin had dropped off and collapsed. The over expense is because that we have to place them back as the owner didn’t agree for putting it back. His father smartly calculated and said that it would not cost so much as other (we other guys) would also share and not only Raama. Now he is caught. Poor Raama had to think look before even getting off from the bed. Now that Rams passed around him, Raama got a idea. Rams looks innocent. That was the catch for Raama. So he started building up his to his dad about the innocence of Rams. He told that Rams misplaced the house-rent amount when he was on the way to house-owner’s house. And this expense is because we have to put in extra amount to compensate this and Rams would pay us later. Hearing all this, we guys stood as a status where ever we were then.

What I wrote above is only a little. If I have to write all, then I have to write a separate blog with this title. If you guys can help – we can do that also. That will be a best gift to his kid (bed-time stories).

The only silly reason Raama loses his temper is when he talks to our cook-amma. Their chemistry is rather a dangerous one. I really love watching them fight. Raama looks at amma, as if she is somewhere deep into the ground and she looks at him, as someone on the top of the palm tree. This happens occasionally. It is a good seasonal show.

Raama turns a caring son any day when his parents are leaving the town. He would take pain going till the bus stand or station and call them up to check if the bus has started, have the crossed this place and that place. They should have been feeling proud of such a caring son. The moment the bus crosses the city limit, Raama is already in the bar crossing his limits. After reading this, his wife should be conscious enough to judge him if she is out of town.

I am happy that Raama is abroad when I write this. He is in US for a two month assignment. Otherwise, he will call me to buse me.

Rajasekar the tha-la

He is the god-father for our gang 'HACKERS'. We all, in short, call him as 'Tha-la' (alias Tharu tha-la). At times, for any name to be proposed for anything, be it inside classroom or at our room, we all shout Rajasekar's name in chorus. During our first year of the course, he appeared to me like any other in college, nothing special. But then I came to know, rather I have to say, I learnt a lot from him (non-technical) during our stay at MSR Bhavan. Every day me getting up and going to bed is like entering and exiting a personality development class and a mall where I earned trustworthy friends.

Though there are many that happened, there are a few which has to be spoken as history. I know Rajasekar will happen to read all this one day. Let him hear me saying 'Sorry Machi, I couldn't control expressing this!!!', that day. Our ancestors made carvings on rocks to record historic events of Maharajas. Let we, techno-grads use wBlogs to record Raj's mystery

In our first year hostel apart from normal 2-3-4 cot rooms, there are also 7-8 cot rooms which we call as Dunjan rooms. Even when the clock shows 12 noon one has to turn on the lights to see something. That was a weekday, late in the night, almost between 11pm - 1am. It was literally dark. One of our in-mate, who is holding a share in the dwelling dunjan room, stepped into the room from the collider after roasting groundnuts. He didn't want to turn on the lights as that would disturb others sleep. One other in that room was stumbling on the bed. Looking at a strange dark object stepping into the room and approaching towards him - he created a massive blowing shout with full energy he got from dinner. Now others are also awake but see nothing except unusual sound at that time. The guy who was just out of phone, entering into the room, without knowing that he was mistaken for a ghost, also started screaming. Adding to this was the metallic effects from our hostel's strong steel cots keep in that room. Finally someone in that room managed to switch on the lights but almost everyone has scattered by then.

Next day, this incident was the hot topic of discussion in classrooms, canteens, juice parks, hostel mess, rest-rooms in fact. Each building up with their own views about the happening of the incident. We also heard 2-3 of such buildups (in fact this is itself a correlation of that 2-3 perspectives). One such view we heard was the view of the one who actually viewed the dark object that night. He was actually little scared to go his room and continued 1-2 night stays in Krishna/Rams room (No: 216) and then continues the rest of his college life with us. He is none other than the hero on this blog - Mr Rajasekar.

Until college Rajasekar was commonly know as Tha-la, girls call him (with so-called stylish slang) Raj-c-ker. Lects call him No.73. But after getting out of college, in corporate slag he is referred as only Raj'. Let me also call him little professionally, as I am also a citizen in this corporate world.

Raj with his inbuilt negotiation skills, can convince any on this earth except one person. This person is someone special - he is the one who has always followed/following him in his name. Yes, it is his dad Mr. Pandian. This is only because of only interesting character that Raj's posses.

Raj is the only guys in our room who is as cool as otherwise during nights before sem-exam. This bugger would not have listen at any of the class room sessions nor gone through notes (which he doesn’t keep safe) nor any xerox materials (which only Rams would have to gather a day or 2 before the exam, sometimes during study holidays - by then Raj would be spending tight vacation at Pondy, his home town). But he is the one amongst two in our room who goes to sleep very early lightening fire on others stomach who would be studying then during the night before exam. This guy hardly reads, but grasps almost everything one a single go. It is because he correlates concepts while reading. He is very good at explaining practical aspects of any concepts. All key terminologies are hardcoded in his every memory cell. Yes, only these occupied all space leaving no room for him to at least buffer something happening around him. I think, I am driving my readers rightly, if you have already guessed what would be the rest of this blog about Raj. :) Not only for technical expertise, negotiation skills but Raj is also known for his very interesting, at times hot of talks during re-union is his nature of forgetting things. Raj tries to prove himself good at people management and his negotiation abilities when he is caught for his forgetting nature.

It is our Indian culture (especially in South) to always invite someone whom we already knew, home for lunch. Raj is one step ahead of this. He was once travelling back to Chidambaram from Pondy after study vacation. As usual he got a journey friend to talk. During the talk Raj learnt that then co passenger is travelling to Chidambaram to meet his friend Pazhani. Our helping natured Raj, politely said that he knows where Pazhani is living and promised to take the co passenger there. The rest of the conversation went on and only God knows what they spoke and also only God knows why they didn't talk what they were supposed to. They both got into an auto an headed to 3rd North Cross Mariyappa Nagar. The auto passed our room and stopped at Kool guys room. Unfortunately the door was locked from outside. Since that was a sunny afternoon, our Taj - Raj invited his new friend for some meals in our room. As they both were having food, Raj introduced this guy to whomever in room that time. He didnt know that it was his bad luck that everyone were at room. While introducing, he refered the new guys as Pazhani's friend and he referred us as Pazhani's classmates. To all of our surprise, rather a surprise to Pazhani's friend we heard from this friend of Pazhani saying that 'No Pazhani is a bike mechanic...!!! And not a college student'. Our guys are known for hospitality. So no one showed any emotions immediately. We all were as quit like a fire spark eating up the thread approaching towards the tip of the bomb. That guys would not have even crossed our main gate - the bomb blasted. Poor guy (Raj) took till evening to recover from this happened in the afternoon but we haven't yet.

There is one more.... It was a ...evening; we were back from college after listening to few interesting lectures delivery by really sincere staffs. Few of our guys (I think, it was Krishna) selecting some good songs on the system to be played that evening. Rams as usual with the cook amma finding faults, settling accounts and suggesting menu for that night in spite of keeping budget at mind. Ravi with a silent cat walk, measuring our house. Ganesh and Raama getting ready for evening classes. But Raj who seemed searching something for long time went restless and grew frustration. Slowly one by one of us joined helping him search for whatever he was searching. He was actually searching for his lunggi. It was also turning dark. Some of a talented detective (I think it was E&I Ravi and Muthiah) took torch lights and went to our terrace. At different angles they were focusing towards all our neighboring boundaries. Few in fact doubted our poor drunken so-called security. I think it was Ganesh who noticed the Raj's face turning like a kid who his waiting to be punished but wanted to escape for the only reason that he is a kid. That nasty smile reminded other on Raj's forgetting nature. One amongst us asked if that lunggi which he was actually wearing was the one that all were searching. He shook his head as a sign of acceptance before even the question was completed. Acceptance doesn't make a lie a truth. So our guys didn't show any partiality in the way we execute some traditional customs for such occasions.

Last but not the least.... Raj's parents stay in Pondy (max 2hrs by bus from Chidambaram). He visits them almost all the weekends. He would directly come to college on Monday morning. So the first day of a week for him with us is Tuesday morning. But the way he starts his it is different. His early morning 8:30AM, he carries the brush stand with all our tooth brushes in it, approaches every one who is awake (actually we all would be out of bed by then). Mapping every brush to someone with their confirmation on some brush, our detective finally walks to the wash basin to brush his teeth. We didn't know that he is checking the same with all until he asked when all of us were once together. He actually forgets his tooth brush after returning from Pondy. That one brush which no one claim most often happens to be his brush.

Don't underestimate Raj after reading all this... He has many interesting facts with proper justification, at this finger tips. Be it hardware/software or real-estate/automobiles or matter fact anything that come across his life he knows which would be appropriate for him at the best.
Raj is married to Nathiya, his family friend who turned out to be his own family. The couples are blessed with a baby girl, Nathra.