It is 3 in the morning, and I’m cursing myself for volunteering to pen something down for the unveiling of Intaglio 2010. It’s bad enough to write when you don’t particularly want to, but worse if you’re doing so on an empty stomach, so I wander yonder to the OH-NC to fill me up a bit. As I step out, I notice that while our campus was already chill enough (pun totally intended), it has now decided to lighten up as well (here too). The dark waters of the lake cast a near perfect reflection of the Jetty with its glowing lights. The tree right next to it is resplendent in its fluorescent green light, a subtle hint perhaps at the pledge taken by the Intaglio team this time and yes, a foolish iSpy-esque search reveals no sign of a footprint, carbon or otherwise.

I’m about to answer the n-th growl of my stomach when I find myself drawn like a moth towards the huge flex in front of the tennis courts. Magnificently lit up, placed very strategically right where the road curves and with a design that is reminiscent of classic Prison Break photography- it’s a wonder how I missed it in the morning. I’m bang in front of it now, staring the sponsors face to er… logo. The list is impressive, very impressive- one that most of my friends who’d organized fests during college days would have given my arm and leg for, and then some of their own too perhaps. Intaglio, thankfully, is different from those 3-day affairs. There are no posters of telecom service providers at every nook and cranny, so that you’re never in doubt whether you’re attending a fest or a brand promotion. There are no over-zealous freshers around to swear that the budget is not a cent below 1 crore and how this is so awesome because that rival sister institute fest’s budget was 80 lacs. More thankfully, there are no cynics either, ready to brush Intaglio off as a no-event, just like Life, the Universe and Everything. This is the Asia’s biggest after all, and thankfully, we’re treating it like premier B-school students should.

A rustle, pitter patter bird drops and I’ve taken to my heels. Olympus is just days away and while I look forward to hearing the views of the best in Asia regarding the many challenges that await us, I wonder if even they will be able to do something about this particular challenge. Maybe it’s a job for the Consulting Knights then. Another must-attend event.

Back at my room, I start checking out what else lies in store over the weekend. The online build-up, which was substantial in its own right, seems to be nothing when compared to the culmination. I see Joy Bhattacharya is going to be on campus very soon, Addict promises to be a fun event and if Corporate Catalyst wants to make me an I-banker, who am I to refuse? There’s something for the less frivolous of us too- Modulus for the would-be traders, Marketplace for the marketers, State of Affairs for the Ops folks and Curiosio for, well, me (Grinch-like grin goes here).

Intaglio- 8 letters that’ll be etched on our minds over the next 3 days. 8 letters that form a word that few of us would have heard prior to coming here, but will not forget for a long long time. Rumour has it that the very first Intaglio head was exceedingly fond of his underwear and hence chose to bequeath the fest with a name that was an anagram of Langotii. A more credible rumour has it that the writer of this article was by now, getting rid of ideas and filling up lines with a demented brand of creativity.

To get some answers in this uncertain world, I turned to my goddess Wiki. Imagine my unbound joy and the strong sense of pride, when after reading the inane definitions and variations of the word, I saw:

Intaglio may also be:

• Intaglio, the annual international business school meet of the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta

Amen to that. Intaglio 2010 Aandozzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

-MM