Conversations
The real issues faced by real people
27th Jan 2008, at Dona Poula, Goa
Raghu: Every time I see you, your belly seems to have grown. (Tapping on Rajesh’s stomach)
Rajesh: This proves that “Poor India, Hungry India” is a myth.
Rajesh: Nice too see you after a long time.
…
…
Raghu: What are your career plans?
Rajesh: Can’t say yaar. Right now I am awaiting an onsite trip.
Raghu: Nice. Which place and how long?
Rajesh: UK. Can’t say how long, they said it can be between 10-15 months.
Raghu: How about starting your own software firm some day?
Rajesh: That’s a good thought yaar. But starting a company and getting clients needs a very organized setup. I don’t have much business sense anyways.
Raghu: We just need to built a internet product to solve some existing problem. The funding, business plan and mentoring can come from an incubator or a VC.
Rajesh: This works in US and Europe yaar.
Raghu: Now it works in India too. Entrepreneurship is encouraged by educational and financial institution. Indians are starting their own businesses in a big way.
Rajesh: One has to be born special to get in the league of Gates and Jobs. (grins)
Rajesh: I just can’t imagine myself in that scenario. Currently I am getting good responsiblies in office; I have been working hard and just started receiving the appreciation. Should get promoted to a software architect in a year. I am working on a niche technology; an architect has a great demand in job market.
3rd July 2008, over Gtalk
…
…
Vicky: I work like a dog and still seriously underpaid man.
Raghu: You should consider switching. Send me your resume. I shall forward it to my friends here.
Vicky: Oh yes. I need to prepare it this weekend. Can you send me a good resume format?
Raghu: Definitely. I shall email you some templates I downloaded, plus my resume.
Raghu: What are your long term career plans?
Vicky: I am thinking of doing MBA in coming years. Didn’t get to prepare this time. Should try for CAT, XAT next year.
Raghu: From s/w to MBA? That’s a diametric shift.
Vicky: I liked C, they put me on Java. I wanted Sql, they put me on web services. Can’t take those objects, exceptions and error codes for 16 hours a day anymore. MBA has good money and a job guarantee. My manager, a MBA, relishes company sponsored car, foreign trips, and a lavish life. I have to slog over the weekends while he is enjoying meals with his family.
Raghu: How about we starting our own firm and becoming our own bosses?
Vicky: Own business??
Raghu: Yup! There is money and glory in it.
Vicky: I am not sure man. If I do a MBA I will get a well paying Job. It’s a totally different future then on. Leaving a job for business! It won’t work for me.
5th Oct 2008, over the Phone
…
…
Shyam : Just back from Mumbai this Monday. Had critical family discussons.
Raghu: You remember the conversation we had at your place last year?
Shyam : Well! A lot of things have changed since then. Radhika’s family is pressing us for marriage, as she is 25 already.
Shyam : I am expected to get financially stable. I have purchased a flat here in Pune. The EMI is 21K. My parents say I need to have savings of around 6 Lakhs before I can tie the knot.
Raghu: Oh! A lot happening huh.
Shyam : At times I get exhausted only by pondering and planning for the future. A internet startup was my dream, but the situation I am in, I can’t afford to quit my day job and join you. It’s impossible.
Shyam: If you go ahead you have my moral support, I can even contribute working on weekends. But a full time commitment is not feasible.
9th Oct 2008, at Kormangala, Bangalore
Aurang: Wish you a happy Dassra.
Raghu: Wish you too. I can feel the festive mood in the air.
…
…
Raghu: No better day then Dassra to talk about starting our own company.
Raghu: Did you evaluate the business plan I emailed you last night?
Aurang: It’s a wonderful idea. Only a brain like you can think so. I am telling you, if you start it's going to be big.
Raghu: You graduating coming June right? How if you join us? We need a team.
Aurang: Thanks for the offer. But I really can’t think of getting into a startup. I have taken a loan of 6 Lakhs for my MBA course. Moreover, my dad retired from service last year.
Raghu: Look at it. This is the best time to start; funding and mentoring is available, broadband internet is reaching even the smaller cities and 3G to be launched in 2009. People here have the jobs and the money. It's the time to build products for Indian customers.
Aurang: What you say may be true but my 1st priority is to recover my investment in MBA and support my family financially.
Aurang: The placement drive begins this December and with the 3 yrs of work experience behind me I am hoping to earn a 10L plus offer.
27th Jan 2008, at Dona Poula, Goa
Raghu: Every time I see you, your belly seems to have grown. (Tapping on Rajesh’s stomach)
Rajesh: This proves that “Poor India, Hungry India” is a myth.
Rajesh: Nice too see you after a long time.
…
…
Raghu: What are your career plans?
Rajesh: Can’t say yaar. Right now I am awaiting an onsite trip.
Raghu: Nice. Which place and how long?
Rajesh: UK. Can’t say how long, they said it can be between 10-15 months.
Raghu: How about starting your own software firm some day?
Rajesh: That’s a good thought yaar. But starting a company and getting clients needs a very organized setup. I don’t have much business sense anyways.
Raghu: We just need to built a internet product to solve some existing problem. The funding, business plan and mentoring can come from an incubator or a VC.
Rajesh: This works in US and Europe yaar.
Raghu: Now it works in India too. Entrepreneurship is encouraged by educational and financial institution. Indians are starting their own businesses in a big way.
Rajesh: One has to be born special to get in the league of Gates and Jobs. (grins)
Rajesh: I just can’t imagine myself in that scenario. Currently I am getting good responsiblies in office; I have been working hard and just started receiving the appreciation. Should get promoted to a software architect in a year. I am working on a niche technology; an architect has a great demand in job market.
3rd July 2008, over Gtalk
…
…
Vicky: I work like a dog and still seriously underpaid man.
Raghu: You should consider switching. Send me your resume. I shall forward it to my friends here.
Vicky: Oh yes. I need to prepare it this weekend. Can you send me a good resume format?
Raghu: Definitely. I shall email you some templates I downloaded, plus my resume.
Raghu: What are your long term career plans?
Vicky: I am thinking of doing MBA in coming years. Didn’t get to prepare this time. Should try for CAT, XAT next year.
Raghu: From s/w to MBA? That’s a diametric shift.
Vicky: I liked C, they put me on Java. I wanted Sql, they put me on web services. Can’t take those objects, exceptions and error codes for 16 hours a day anymore. MBA has good money and a job guarantee. My manager, a MBA, relishes company sponsored car, foreign trips, and a lavish life. I have to slog over the weekends while he is enjoying meals with his family.
Raghu: How about we starting our own firm and becoming our own bosses?
Vicky: Own business??
Raghu: Yup! There is money and glory in it.
Vicky: I am not sure man. If I do a MBA I will get a well paying Job. It’s a totally different future then on. Leaving a job for business! It won’t work for me.
5th Oct 2008, over the Phone
…
…
Shyam : Just back from Mumbai this Monday. Had critical family discussons.
Raghu: You remember the conversation we had at your place last year?
Shyam : Well! A lot of things have changed since then. Radhika’s family is pressing us for marriage, as she is 25 already.
Shyam : I am expected to get financially stable. I have purchased a flat here in Pune. The EMI is 21K. My parents say I need to have savings of around 6 Lakhs before I can tie the knot.
Raghu: Oh! A lot happening huh.
Shyam : At times I get exhausted only by pondering and planning for the future. A internet startup was my dream, but the situation I am in, I can’t afford to quit my day job and join you. It’s impossible.
Shyam: If you go ahead you have my moral support, I can even contribute working on weekends. But a full time commitment is not feasible.
9th Oct 2008, at Kormangala, Bangalore
Aurang: Wish you a happy Dassra.
Raghu: Wish you too. I can feel the festive mood in the air.
…
…
Raghu: No better day then Dassra to talk about starting our own company.
Raghu: Did you evaluate the business plan I emailed you last night?
Aurang: It’s a wonderful idea. Only a brain like you can think so. I am telling you, if you start it's going to be big.
Raghu: You graduating coming June right? How if you join us? We need a team.
Aurang: Thanks for the offer. But I really can’t think of getting into a startup. I have taken a loan of 6 Lakhs for my MBA course. Moreover, my dad retired from service last year.
Raghu: Look at it. This is the best time to start; funding and mentoring is available, broadband internet is reaching even the smaller cities and 3G to be launched in 2009. People here have the jobs and the money. It's the time to build products for Indian customers.
Aurang: What you say may be true but my 1st priority is to recover my investment in MBA and support my family financially.
Aurang: The placement drive begins this December and with the 3 yrs of work experience behind me I am hoping to earn a 10L plus offer.
posted by Unknown at
7:56 AM
13 Comments:
A post on time i would say. Nice one. Depicting each ones reaction towards riskiness. I am also in the state of "Anurag" in the post. Is that character Raghu based on you ? ;)
I think u have covered all possible safe responses to taking a risk. Kudos.
Thanks for your comment Prasanna.
Raghu is a person with a lot of hope.
"Wealth, like happiness, comes as a by-product of providing a useful service." - Henry Ford
Is this post oriented towards adoption of Entrepreneurship as a career ? But it depicts the typical talk, amongst the youth , nice !
Thanks abhijit for your comment.
The post is a adaptation of real conversations Raghu has had.
The aim is not exactly to focus on entrepreneurship but to highlight some of the issues young people face.
I thought of post having an happy ending...in the whole post with every date I was thinking that one day Raghu will be having a good office, a nice setup of his own company and will be having a position like Bill Gate.....but the post ended DRASTICALLY......
What I think, this post depicts a difference between a leader and a follower, Leaders always want to lead people builds confidence among his friends, while the follower is like a sheep, Trendy, he wants to be safe secure, stable and a coward, dont want to risk his present. I think the people like Raghu have the courage to live their life according to their terms and conditions. India need people like Raghu.....What I feel is all the characters MUST give a shot to Raghu's idea....But utter dismay none followed him..may be in future.they will.....
Thanks Deependu.
Happy endings happen in stories...this is real, rude life.
Yes! Raghu is motivated, hopeful and ready to lead but his friends also have real problems they cannot shrug off.
If something nice turns up for Raghu I will write a follow up post ;)
A nice post.. I see myself as Shyam here :).
As I had a talk with Sagar the other day this post essentially brings forth some categories of people.
1.)People who believe that likes of Gates and Jobs are once in a lifetime scenarios.. well they are the ones who will be most reluctant towards starting off something on their own.
2.)Those who are ready to work for Raghu though not full time ( as is Shyam) are guys who are constantly in look for work and challenges.. they are workaholics by CHOICE and not by ACCIDENT!!. These guys may have interest in some other domain which may also be a very important factor that prevents them from immediately jumping into a domain that they are not interested in.
3.)Guys who make diametric shifts are people who are oppurtunists; they have more likelyhood of going behind the booty and possibly end up being jack of all but master of none types.
Yeah but in the end these are real world issues-none of the above three apporaches are good or bad in their own right;rather it is a complex combination of socio-economic factors that condition an individual's approach towards risk taking.
hi sagar the post is nice and i think each and every one has to face the problems discussed in the post. so one cannot be blamed for not joining some new icubated company. but i have a suggestion for raghu he can start himself if he determined to start a new firm . i think he is also having problem lack of confidence like what if company is not able to generate profit , what if i alone will be able to handle everything or not.....and so on ...
i think Raghu must go on......with his idea
The truth of the country here people are happy slogging around day in and day out to earn tons and tons of money thinking that they will be happy but how many are that is the question? The protagonists Rajesh, Vicky, Anurag and Shyam think that working for IT giants they will earn pots of money and be happy in their life. I wonder how many of them are really happy
I would say with such people reaction presented in post, India will never get Gates and Jobs personalities.
Everybody wants smooth going life, but very few make smooth going life for others.
My all wishes to Raghu to make the difference. ;)
Hi Sagar
Its really nice to see that you cover different aspects of your profession in this conversation. Being reallastic is most important and keeps you with the time.
All the best.
Sanjeev
Its India vs India again:
"There are two Indias in this country. One India is straining at the leash, eager to spring forth and live up to all the adjectives that the world has been showering recently upon us. The other India is the leash. The other India says, 'Give me a chance and I'll prove myself.' The other India says, 'Prove yourself first and then maybe I'll give you a chance.' One India lives in optimism of our hearts. The other India lurks in skepticism of our minds. One India wants. The other India hopes. One India leads. The other India follows."
Sagar if I would hazard a guess al of the above are actually real life conversations between you and your close friend who happens to be mine too; anyways all in all a nice narration.
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