I feel immensely excited and releived at the same time today. Finally i can boast of the I factors apart from Infosys. The news is that i have been selected in PGP 2 year course of Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIM-I) for session starting this June-end.
It took me 5 years to break this IIM jinx. I have appeared in CAT in 2001 for the first eligible time (though first attempt dates back to CAT 2000). It has been a long, determined, effortful battle with everything thrown in. And after each year, its time to sit back and think through the failures and start again for the next year.
And there were roadblocks too. In 2002, i was prepared enough to get some calls and scoring consistently in IMS-SIMCATS, but at the last moment, i was not able to appear in exam as Infosys transfered me to Bhubaneswar. Then came 2003, another year of unrewarded hardwork and this time twice hard as the CAT was redone after the leak in Feb,2004.
Then came 2004 again with different set of notes from a different coaching institute. Just when the CAT exam was 3 months away, again Infosys threw the spanner amidst my cooking of the dream. I was sent onsite for an year long assignment, and its not that i havent resented. But, this time even my family lost some faith in my ability and said that 'son, facts are not with you, you have tried CAT for 2 years and no result, hence it better to opt for a change and grab this opportunity'. Broken a bit by the harsh reality, i went overseas, but the dream was always there; ok not through CAT...may be GMAT.
The quest and the thirst was never quenched! And i dont know what drives me...even till today. Onsite assignment wasnt a nice deal as well considering my preperation for the dream. I had to go through rather tough time settling things with my manager as my dream wanted myself back in india along with not-so-good health of my dearest mother. Abused, tortured, but not knocked out...i managed to get the ticket back home in dec.Prepared for ISB's call, but knocked out....and the only glimmering hope that was left was IIMI or another year of to-be-found grit and determination.....but finally the 'Hanumanji(Monkey god) smiled'.
And finally i am here, writing this post after getting the mail that i have been selected for IIMI - PGP. So much for a dream??
The process has been so painful for me that even i changed my favourite quote to something like this -
'Dare to dream and follow them passionately and one day they will come true.....or you will go mad'
Finally vindicated, i am smiling today. Thanks to everybody who supported me on this journey - be it my ever-supporting friends like Sam and Tom, my parents - who finally did believe in my dream and supported me through and definitely GOD....which has remained within my soul to kindle the flame of dream time and again....whenever i was about to give in.
It really is 'The SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION' story for me. And as it said in the movie...'SALVATION LIES WITHIN'....
signing off...
~Nits
