10 worst things that begin with By the Way (BTW)

10. BTW, I tired to say..... Id be there... waiting for!!!!!!

Song by RHCP... BTW... This is not the wrost thing with BTW, so lets call is 9 worst things!!! :). Hey Its my blog, expect this kinda studd

9. BTW, I am studying at IIM Ahemdabad.

Me to a professor from my undergrad, who saw a lot of potential in me to be a mechanical engineer, but will all apprehension supported me for my MS application abroad, and finally found out I went ahead with the crowd and did an MBA!!!

8. BTW, where are my floaters??

Me to my dad (ya, its the other way around) on a trip to Manglore, realizing that in 30 mins of the 16hour journey, someone took my shoes!!!

7.BTW, I have been suspended for a year

No shit!!!, A good friend and a great guy who got a years suspension for putting proxy in a class at WIMWI. Man that sucks, He simply did not deserve it!!!

6. BTW, the police verification is closed today

Fuck, I spent 8 hours coming down to Mumbai and the police verification is closed, because Kasab is getting sentenced. He better get hanged for wasting 2 days of mine and shit load of weakness due to travel.

5. BTW, Bala, where is you laptop bag

Abhishek Sir (I call my FPM seniors as Sir, out of sheer respect) asking me where my bag was after our dinner at La bella, For the un-initiated, Labella is a small shady place in Old Ahmedabad area. Amazing nonveg food, and dirt cheap prices. I just loved it. Point being, i left my bag with laptop and a lot of my data in it. luckily got it back.

4. BTW, It works correctly now, why do I bother changing it.

Person from WIMWI Computer center, justifying an adhoc system, which barely works. Frustrated the shit outta me, so I just left for home!!!

3. BTW, We have someone else on our mind, but we liked your presentation.

Person reffered above, saying screw you, give us those ppts, we will do it ourselves now!!!

2. BTW, this is the last time we are meeting. 

Me to myslef, while walking away from a close friend, if I knew It was the last time we were meeting,

Shit happens, Shit worksout. RIP Ganesh.

1. BTW, I have some shocking news.... I am getting married

This is a long one, and it deserves a blog post of its own. All In due time my friends, all in due time.

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Regards
Bhalchandra Bhat

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U2 - Walk On
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Honestly................

Honestly.... I hate the fact that an MBA prevents you from coding and designing.... ohh wait a sec, thats not a fact. Thats some thing mba grads make up to justify the exorbitant salaries for saying "It depends..."

But honestly, where has honesty gone. I have a simple belief, that people are generally good. That when push comes to shove, people will be honest and standup for what they believe in. Has the opportunity cost principle really influenced all of us, or do we not care about the sunk cost anymore.

I started thinking about this, because of something that happened last week. Whenever I travel from Ahmedabad station to campus, the rick wala finds himself a good ol target to slaughter. Its fucking 445 AM, Lokshakit 9143 just arrived at Kalupur station, and there are rickshaw wallahs standing at the bridge before I leave the station. Like a shady pot dealer, a few will come up to you and say, "kahan jana hai, pass meh 10 rupiya lega" (where u wanna go, ill take 10 rs for a close by place). I somehow manage to get past them, leave the station, and then find myself a rick. Every time, it has been the same,Rs70+30(depending on how well he takes u for a "ride"). The actual charge is about Rs 48 (:O). So here are a few reasons why they charge:

1. Night charge is 50% of the fare. Thats valid, its 445AM, pretty much night. So Rs 50 + Rs 25 = Rs 75. He took 90 saying the normal charge was Rs 60. hmmmm. Honestly....

2. The charging scheme has changed. I returned after 4 months in US, had no clue. At 11Am, no night charge, the guy takes 80 bucks!!! what the fuck!!! Honestly....

3. Luggage is too much, i need 20rs for that. I dont get how this charge changes from rick to rick. Paid Rs 80. to one guy, Rs 65 to the other.... Honestly....

4. Charge as per meter.. The guy took me for Ahmedabad Darshan, spent 45 mins on a 20 min drive, and asked me to pay Rs 95. Well, Atleast he wasted petrol :D \m/... no wait... honestly... do i like to waste energy???

And last week, I came out of the station, walked over to the main road, and then caught a rick. The guy took Rs. 50, no night charge at 445AM??? WTF, was he drunk, or plain simply stupid? Or was the guy honest. Turns out, night charge is from 12 midnight to 5 AM. and the train was late by 15 mins, it was 505 when i caught the rick. So shouldnt I have rewarded him for his honesty, Ive paid twice this, I could have given him 10 bucks more. WTF!!! 

People copy left right and center in exams, cut in lines and bribe the shit outta everything that walks ( well, I have a driving license but I cant drive, go figure). If life is a 0 sum game, where and when does the 0 sum happen???

I just wonder, today, is honesty a virtue, or a vice. If someone figures it out, let me know.

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Regards
Bhalchandra Bhat

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U2 - Walk On
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The next Lap in this Race(???) called life.

What I've done!!!!

travelling on a 2971 Bhavnagar Bandra Terminus Express enroute to Ahmedabad, one last time!! And listening to 'Tanha Dil' by a guy whose name conincides with the current boy friend of a girl used to like, while my parents sit in the same compartment of the train about 20 feet from me... just checked, about 30. How ironic is that!!!

3 months back i decided to write a blog everyweek, about something i thought about. 3 months down, one realization which had happened 4 years back at SPCE, and then 2 years back at Infosys. Life is what happened while I waws busy planning it. This time with one difference, I wasn't planning it, rather living it and experiencing it.

So what happened then. In chronological order as it happened.

A good friend and I fixed the internet access problem on the campus, anyone who was anyone tried to, and failed, and it took 2 days to figure out how to. Top of the  world was an understatement, I was living on ClouD(orm)9 anyways.

I started liking this junior of mine, tried to put on the moves on her.... hmmm now that i think about them, what moves??? 

I got placed, waited for getting interviews, but the firm firm I did interview with, I got a job, doing what I love...IT. Althought the firm went about doing what a typical IT firm does.... the quintessential carrot that hangs in front of you, something every IT engineer is aware of, absolutely hates, and yet continues to reach for, knowing that he(she) will never get. 

My startup venture lost some steam, a team member my close friend recruited, gave up... I wish I can say its his loss, but only time can tell. Then the close friend threw in the towels as well, now its just me, and a "reffered" friend. Things went moving along well.

By now, the final placements started, I had enough firms to apply with, decided they were not worth spending time on. Few that I thought were worth, considered me as their waste of time.... Irony is becoming a overkill right now, but hey what the heck.

By this time, the girl I liked (junior meant a girl...!!!!) somehow had work of her own (she is a PGP1 at IIMA, what do u think she was doing??) and I thought she was avoiding me, and so I confronted her, only to find out that she wast, and that she wasnt... avoinding and interested!!! Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!!!!

By now CC(the great computer department of WIMWI) lost all interest in what we were doing, where I was an external independent consultant, trying to fix problems. Arrogance had got to me it seemed, as the entire batch decided to verbally rape me, and everything I said. One junior, the head of CC who would take my word for what it stood, grew a pair, and decided to override everything I attempted to do!!. The contract as an independent consultant was worthless, as I lost any interest in it.

Another entre oppurtunity came knocking and collided with my final placement. I dont know wheter to say yes to this, or to backoff. I dont know, another choice to make.

Finally, last but not the least, another girl, daughter of a family friend, i knew from a million years ago, and i got talking, just to realize that i liked her. She hasnt showed anysigns yet, and seems as if it wasnt really her, but her brother, just having some fun with me. 

To make matters worst, I had a falling out close friend who was involved with my venture, not over the venture, but because I spoke to his girlfriend!!! I hope i dont become that paranoid boy friend, if i ever become one.

So after 3 months, am back to square 1, no one to speak to except my partner who is in US, the venture which i hope will give me an alternate future plan, and a regret for not making the most of my oppurtunity at IIMA. So far I said I wasnt interested in it. Today I am confident that I was ready for the change ofstate of mind, and until i am, nothing will stop me on my path.

So do i feel bad about not writing every week? Not particularly, i went thru almost the same things that took 4years in the last 3 months, a sort of quick flashback reminding me of my mistakes, hoping that i will be more careful the next time around.

I will convocate day after tomorrow. My last official day at Indian institute of Management, Ahmedabad. The place where I would have dreamed to be in my third year at engineering. I dream today, of things I wont talk about now, Its been a long blog anyways.

As I signout from this blog, watching western railway stations pass me by.... listening to Superman tonight by Bon jovi, I wonder when will i write my next blog, a week, 3 months, a year. I dont know. To all the CAT aspirants, and anyone who wants to know the secret of success

a. define success in your own terms, dont stick to others definitions, they will seldom live to your expectations. TRUST ME!!

b. Life is what happened, when I was busy planning it. You can have great plans, but after everything is said and done, what happened and what you learnt from it counts the most.

Am out!!!

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Regards
Bhalchandra Bhat

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U2 - Walk On
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Love as a Competence

Well, first post after ... 2 years I guess. And new years resolution, 1 blog post a week, on one topic ive been thinking about. Disclaimer: Pointless rant alert. Most of my blogposts(like the past) are going to be.. cribs and rants about everything I dont have, rather than appreciation for everything that I do. So here goes the Second on in the series. The first one was what I wrote for the IIMA Entre magazine, the actual version. Will put the uncut version, someday, when I am ready!!

Since we love throwing around acronyms... SaaS(not the older version of Bahu!!), ERP, LVMR, allow me to introduce another one, LaaC. Love as a competence. Well, I have lived for 26 years now(in a month :( ) and come to one conclusion about love. It is a competence or capability that you (thats right, you the reader!!) either have or dont. You can try real hard to go from the "friends" category to the "more than just friends", but somehow you dont seem to get the feel of the bicycyle, and keep falling off. Its not that I have not tried, but somehow, every one am interested in(romantically), seems to notice a "just friends" label on my forehead. WTF, why the hell can't I see it!!! Let me try to explain the same with another anology.

Now I do agree with the school of thought which says that a competence can be imbibed and with practice, that can be fine tuned. Thats how half the people crack CAT or any other competitive exam, sheer competence in writing exams, but thats about it. A large percentage of junta (including some of my closest friends) try hard enough to be competent, but somehow fall short. I know that they will be real good managers and entrepreneurs, but thats if you get past the facade of walls built up by the admission committees. Some how, I got lucky with CAT to get here, but otherwise I seem to have fallen into the eternal crack that seems to define me... Just a good friend!!

So lets bring the pointless rambles to an end here. So I wont find "true" love(wonder what slightly less than true version of this love is, what are the shades of grey!!). I tried IITJEE twice, and I said fudge 'em. Atleast now I know where my capabilities lie, and wont run after the illusive McK, BcG or the BlackStn or KkR. What am I going to do about it? Well, fudge 'em. I have a startup that I want to invest my time into. Atleast the startup doesn't send mixed signals. The more I devote time into it, the more positively it responds to me. 

My 10 cents worth for the 2nd week of 2010!!!!

P.S: Its been 6 years, this signature has not changed!!!!
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Regards
Bhalchandra Bhat

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U2 - Walk On
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If you love IT, do IT

'Entrepreneur is not a position, not a rank. It is an attitude, a state of mind which drives the individual, to do what might be regarded as "below my position", what might be considered "not hip and cool" and most importantly to appreciate the present that is opportunity!!'. Well, thats how I justify my love towards technology in general and programming in specific. So when I thought of going for a startup, it was pretty obvious that Tech was the first and last option.

Like all ideas for a startup, this one is a Web development firm, but with a twist. Employees will be students from Engineering. The opportunity arose on my Exchange visit to Austin. I was working with a real estate agent as a technology consultant for integrating web based communication platforms (and by that I mean I developed his website and integrated it with a few other online services. Well, I needed cash for spending and I used my best capabilities). And on one boring afternoon, he asked me if I could find him a suitable replacement in India once I resumed my course. That led to a chain of other discussions, which finally culminated into a firm for developing web-based applications, by hiring second and third year engineering students.

The employees: Any student who knows basic HTML, Javascript and CSS. Knowledge of Server Side Scripting is an added advantage. Must have a personal computer, an internet connection and must be capable of performing Google Search!! (No, this is not a ad!!). (S)He gets a CV point, hands on experience of working on live projects, interacting with clients and some pocket money. Commitment expected is weekly 20 hours. This is potentially a 100% attrition market, with no one being a full time employee. And that would be the biggest challenge to ensure that we have working members available at all point of time. If thats not possible(during exams season), then plan the work in pipelines to complete before or start after the said period. Another challenge would be to gather their specific learnings and contribution to the firm on a continuous basis. To ensure a level of reliability, in form of quality of work as well as availability of resources, we will have full time employees who may choose to be employed in another organisation.

The market: A large market of small firms who are looking to setup their websites with minimal overhead exists in the US. These firms are such that they cannot afford expensive services from outsourcing firms, and need the reliability offered by a professional firm. Small firms and independent developers in the US are pretty expensive. The cost arbitrage between US and India is the main motivation behind the market. With one sales person in US, a continuous flow of clients, through viral promotion, can be expected to the tune of 25 new clients every month. The only problem is that most clients will be one off and hence we will be hunting for new clients. Here comes the second function of the start-up, Web-based services products. Currently we have one product under development which will serve the Real Estate Agents market in US. The idea is to get more such products under development and use the client services to fund for the development of such products. In principle,on the BCG matrix, the product side is the "Star" while the client services is the "Cash Cow". Our aim would be to develop products and move them into "Cash Cows" region.

So here is my end objective: 'Create a process of customizing a content management system, so that a college student can pick up the same, customize to the requirements of the client and complete the request in a short turn around time'. This is where my expertise of setting up processes that speed up and simplify development comes in. A process of documenting the project and specific requests will follow. Except for these two tasks, scheduling projects and allocating to specific members. An allocation of 1 full time member to look over 4 students will sufficiently address all concerns the clients may have.

We would be at an advantage over the larger firms in two respects. Firstly, every employee will "work from home". Your hardware, your connectivity and your software. We are a network of developers who choose to work together to add credibility and reliability to the network. This has major cost implications, i.e. there aren't any costs for the organisation. No fixed costs of building facilities, offices or computing networks and hardware. Secondly, the only resource requirement is reliability as mentioned before. The nature of projects does not mandate need for a high level of security. This will allow the "work from home" principle to work smoothly.

As far as I am concerned, I need distractions to concentrate. I plan to go for my Lateral placement and pickup a tech role(if I could!!) and support this start-up on the side.

My parting words to all the budding entrepreneurs reading this magazine would be going back to the introduction. On the Exchange trip, I met an entreprenuer(a fellow student at UT Austin) whose start-up would sell worm excrements for garden use. He had been doing it for 6 months so far, had about $10K invested in, and was making about $15K a month. So far he was the only person on the team and was working out of his garage and backyard, and was planning to expand his operations. During one of the sessions, on professor’s request, he bought a jar of dirt with the worms in them, which turned off quite a bit of the class. Simply said, what you want to do might be considered not cool, or not hip, but nonetheless there will be a market. If you love it, then just do it.

I guess that was my 10 cents worth. Hope y’all had a good read!!