As we, the batch of 46/16 completed a job well done and hummed June mein hum… on our respective ways back to our alma mater, there was that palpable feeling of regret as the realization that many familiar, admired and even revered faces would no longer be there to greet us, finally sunk in. But the wheel of time is a juggernaut that even Joka bows to, and we did concede that the time had come to form new bonds, to foster new friendships and to shape bright new sparks to meet the ever-rising expectations of that wily, demanding yet lovable genius- the omnipresent spirit of Joka.

It is to you, the chosen 300-odd who can proudly claim to hold admission offers from IIM-C for the 2010-12 academic session that I speak now- you’ve done your world proud, let that be a sign of what you achieve in ours. The shoes left for you to fill are gargantuan; we expect Bigfoot’s hindquarters to pale in comparison as you outgrow them. Joka will give you the world, use it well to build your own empires. As the day of your arrival to this venerated 135 acre campus draws nearer, it is with a song on my lips, with love in my heart, with arms wide open, with my mask firmly intact and on behalf of my brethren here at Joka that I greet you. Welcome to the kingdom of 7 lakes, to the land of magnificent managers. Hostels where the Malli Mastan Babu’s of the world began their journey to the seven summits await you, classrooms where the Indra Nooyis once sat beckon. The BC Roy Library, which a certain Ramachandra Guha once occupied in person and now continues to do so in the form of embellished letters on paperbacks, lays its infinite resources at your disposal. Even the rain gods seem to have conspired to offer showers of blessings when you arrive.

The moment is solemn and my attempts to pen it in mere words can best be described as futile. Let me then just repeat the simple yet memorable greeting that the flamboyant young man, now in a corner office in some corner of a foreign field, gave to us on our own momentous early days in Joka- “Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to IIM Calcutta.”

And the thumping shall remain loud and clear forever.

-MM

Sandeep Pandey, the Berkeley-educated social activist, and Magsaysay award winner was the chief guest for the occasion. His speech served as a reminder of all that we forget too often during the day-to-day of corporate life. He stressed the importance of the primary sector of the economy and on the need for ethics in every stage of corporate decision making. He sat down to general applause, acknowledgement that his ideas resonated with most in the auditorium at one level or another.

The day began when the latest batch of graduating doctoral students, PGDM, PGDCM and PGPEX students marched in the Convocation parade led by members of the faculty. Chairman-PGP, Prof. Prashant Mishra, Chairman-FP, Prof. Bhaskar Chakravarty and Chairman-PGPEX Prof. Biju Paul Abraham spoke about each of the programs and awarded academic honours to the top performing students. A variety of other extra-curricular awards were also given out. Chairman Board of Governors, Rediff-founder and IIM Calcutta old boy, Ajit Balakrishnan spent his time at the podium recounting how IIM Calcutta fared in thought leadership for the year and highlighted research achievements by faculty. The ceremonies concluded with mellifluous music and the national anthem.

The day ended with everyone marching out in their robes and with a rain of black convocation caps on the steps of IIM Calcutta’s iconic auditorium looking resplendent alongside the lake bathed in stunning lighting. As family members applauded and looked on proudly, the students took every last opportunity to take pictures and catch up with friends, perhaps for the last time in a long time.

Convocations are sombre affairs masked under the garb of revelry. Achievements etched in paper and invisible bonds sealed for a lifetime, the latest batch of graduates to bear the title of “Alumni of IIM Calcutta” marched onwards; exiting the main gate of the institute onto the long road of life.

The Hazmat, who allegedly inspired the Big Brother policy, watches over Joka with his mesmerising eyes, riding it into an interstellar overdrive, at the slightest of his whims. Death has no mercy, neither does The Hazmat. He is a dynamic aggregate of the Gemini Twins – Castor and Pollux; for The Hazmat has ceaselessly unleashed his fiendish nature upon the unforgiven mortals as well as protected those golden souls at heart, leaving everyone thoroughly dazed and confused. It is for him the bell tolls, at which the call of Ktulu spreads like wildfire; in the distance, our own Dark Knight with his 13-inch Katana, the Scourge, can be seen riding the lightning. Pleasantries exchanged, you will never even catch that elusive fleeting glimpse of me; however, my hand of doom engulfs this place like the great gig in the sky. You shudder to turn the page, fully aware that I am not just the beast under your bed, but in your closet, in your head.

An initiative of Three Wise Men, Joka management comprises of a melange of cranky homos, each exclusive in their own fashion. It has been my prerogative to put a smile on everyone’s faces, one way or the other ala the Joka(e)r. The community boasts of erudite homos whose scholarly expeditions are aided by joint efforts to combat royal challenges, reminiscent of Napoleon warring against the Romanovs while playing the bagpipes in his signature style. The aviary of the region can be segmented into – my fair ladies, devoid of any hanky panky, hailing from the classic 20^th century era and those, of the same genus as kingfishers and famous grouses, who act as advocates of the legendary Thomas Crapper.

No zombie, bloodhound, flaming volcano has dared to disrupt my reign or affect the sustenance of this paradise. On your royal arrival at the portals, allegorical to Galatasaray’s stadium, a dark and stormy hurricane will appear humming the localised strains of a certain cult ballad, “In June we came”. A cornucopia of consumables are spread out over the land, each a potent concoction of corn ’n’ oil, to be supplemented by a painkiller, barring which you could be a victim of the planter’s punch. Traversing the blue lagoons could be mnemonic of the Staten Island ferry to Long Island, picking up a few red lotuses on the way. We embrace egalite – do not differentiate between the White and Black Russians, in spite of being immersed in a sea of Red. Cognitive of becoming potential ambassadors of India Inc., we are men ‘o war in the common market with hearts of fire, aristocratic and old fashioned in times of distress, when one often cries out, “bloody Mary”.

Over the next few days, months, years (depending on my tenure at Joka), I will digitally describe our Indian summer, our blue sundays and every other roadhouse blue of life at Joka. As I look out of the balcony in my room, I see a few souls comfortably numb, a few violently orchestrating their high hopes and some others learning to fly. Like most others, the fundamental right to privacy is non existential in this compound purely due to all my pervasive senses. Your inner most secrets lie exposed, and will continue to be so as I keep rocking your heart out. Sleep tight with fright – a constant fear that someone’s always there. Signing off with a Glasgow Smile and a Last Kiss, I shall head back to my chambers to rest in peace.

-The Hazmat

P.S : Etymology of the name – Meaning hazardous, The Hazmat invoked inconceivable trepidation and distress among the inhabitants to such an extent that they never gambled to speak or laugh in front of him and constantly hushed up their friends and kin saying, ‘Has mat’ (in Hindi), ultimately evolving into the present name.

D. Shivkumar is IIM Calcutta’s successful man of the year. He was one the prominent alumni at the ‘Batch of 84’s Alumni re-union and has now spoken at what is surely one the highlights of “Reverberations”, Intaglio’s guest speaker series. Shivkumar chose ‘Answers in an uncertain world’ Intalgio’s theme for this year and showed us what 25 years of experience gets you – sharp insight into the business world combined with an unmatched level of articulation. Uncertainly is not risk, Shivkumar said, and harped on the point that it is uncertainty that creates opportunities for growth.   As he addressed an enthralled and packed auditorium, members of audience left with one tangible takeaway – the state of the business world today, fraught as it is with uncertainties is a huge opportunity for future business leaders; its only disguising itself as a challenge.

JokaTimes talked to some students after the keynote speech and this is what they had to say:

“I think everyone thought it was a brilliant presentation, he definitely has stage presence and that made the address even better!” – Sriram, PGP2

“One of the key things was that he spoke from an industry perspective rather than just a Nokia perspective, and that was really good” – Anand, PGP2

A bus down memory lane

When D.Shivkumar got down from the bus outside IIM Calcutta’s main gate he achieved two things. First, he relived dusty memories of old times as a student at Joka when he would take the famous Calcutta buses with batchmates. Secondly, he made a point. In supporting Intaglio’s green theme this year, Shivkumar told us that it’s never too late to change our habits. Every little drop saved, every unit of electricity conserved and every mile walked makes a difference to our world. We at Intaglio thank Shivkumar by planting a sapling in his name. You too can support Intaglio in this initiative by taking a bus to come to SBI Quizzical, Intaglio’s flagship quiz event and plant a sapling to take another small step to protecting our planet. Large, policy level decisions at the global scale take remarkable tact and determination as the Copenhagen summit has shown. But following in Shivkumar’s footsteps requires only a bus ticket!

Click here for an interview with Mr. D.  Shivakumar

JokaTimes:  Tell us something about your experiences on this bus, Baro-C, and the last time you traveled on it.

Shiv:  BaroC (12 C) being the connecting bus from Joka to the city, every time we wanted to go anywhere, we ended up taking the bus. One thing I remember very vividly about my trips is the language of the conductor. Every conductor, on every trip, would continuously and most dutifully say, “As the ladies” (meaning ‘wait for the ladies’). There would always be a discussion among commuters on Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal. If one person got down at his bus stop, there would always be someone else who’d pick up the argument from where the previous person had left off and continue with all eagerness. This meant that we spent most of our trips listening to continuous streams of discussions!

JT: How was your dreaded first term on campus? Given that it is the most loaded semester in terms of course-credits and it’s the first few months in a demanding atmosphere…

Shiv:  Well, in our days, it was slightly more relaxed. But my first term was not so pleasant for a very different reason. On my way to IIMC as a new student, I took the train from Bombay to Kolkata, and lost my entire luggage in Bihar. I even remember the new blue VIP suitcase that I’d lost! This meant that I arrived on campus with a tennis racquet, two T-shirts, and an airbag. I’d lost my documents, clothes, and every other thing of importance. I spent most of 1^st term going to and fro to the police station at Howrah in relation to the complaint! Needless to say, my suitcase still remains lost.

JT:  What were the popular sports during your time? For example, we now have our own game with specific rules called footer-volley, based on Sepak Takraw. It’s something every student gets proficient at before graduation!

Shiv:  For us, the IIMC-XLRI meet was the only time we played with anyone from outside the campus. We had a pretty strong wing-culture, and there were a lot of tournaments where one wing was pitted against another. But as a college, I’d say football was the most played game. We also played a lot of cricket, hockey and badminton. Among indoor games, Chess and carom were the most popular, and there’d always be people playing either of these games. During every IIMC-XL meet, the entire campus would be charged up and enthusiastic. We’d lost against XLRI during my first year, but made up for it handsomely in my second year!

JT: What were the different clubs and other student activities in your time?

Shiv: We really did not have the club system; it was more like interest groups. We had an extremely active quizzing team. Apart from this, there were regular music nights in which the faculty would take part with a lot of enthusiasm. And we’d have movies screened in the open air next to the badminton court. A funny thing that would happen was, every time a song came along in the movie, there’d be a group of people who’d dance enthusiastically and then would vociferously request for the song to be played again. This led to each song being played four to five times to allow them to dance to their heart’s content before the movie continued! I used to write regularly during college, I’d been the editor of the college newsletter in IIT Madras during my under-graduation, and continued it in IIMC, writing extensively for the yearbook and for the campus magazine.

JT: Given that your batch had a group of around 90 students, how were the campus dynamics?

Shiv: Yes, all of us knew each other extremely well. The campus was a peaceful secluded area with just the faculty and us. We formed a very close-knit community. The teachers took part in and conducted various quizzes for us and we’d have numerous discussions with them inside and outside of class, which constituted a large part of our learning experience.  We had three spots where discussions would generally take place. The tyre outside Ramanujam hostel would always have some people sitting on it and discussing topics across the spectrum: from Bengal politics to Keats’ poetry. Another haunt was Mihir’s dhaba right outside campus, and another was the mess. During our second year, a coffee corner was opened in campus and immediately, that became another centre for discussions! Something else that greatly aided our learning was the library. It came up in its present form during our second year, and it had an impressive collection of volumes.

JT: The library is now a peaceful place to read, rather than a source of information. Most library resources and databases are available online. We should say our visits to the library have decreased compared to your time!

Shiv:  Yes, these days a lot of things are more convenient. For example, we’d have long and very regular power-cuts during my course! But again, things were also a lot simpler then. Our placements weren’t as hectic as they are these days. The learning process would invariably accelerate during 2^nd year, with a lot of people having learnt a lot during the internship process, and hence would add a lot of value to each discussion. And then before placements we’d have a suit season, where for a princely sum of a couple of thousand rupees, we’d all get impressive suits done. This was also the time where one would feel like one was walking into a new place, what with most people suddenly getting rid of their beards and tidying up after ages to attend placements!

JT: Which was your favorite subject during your MBA?

Shiv: Marketing was definitely my favorite. Apart from that, being Calcutta, we had the strongest Economics department, and I immensely enjoyed most of my lectures.

JT: Yes, some of the professors who taught you still teach us! And we continue to be enthralled by their magic.  Economics is generally the topic of discussion or contemplation on any of the lakeside sit-outs. Oh, and wasn’t swimming in the lakes allowed in your time?

Shiv: Yes, but not many swam in the lakes anyway. With 7 lakes on campus, we spent most of our time sitting around a lake or another enjoying the view.

 

What a lovely evening” says the impeccably dressed Brandon to his friend and room-mate Philip, as he draws back the curtains to reveal the magnificent Manhattan skyline. “Pity we couldn’t have done it with the curtains open, in bright sunlight”. The “it” that Brandon describes is the cold, emotionless murder of their classmate David Kentley in their apartment. They choke the life out of David for apparently no reason, but for the thrill of getting away with the perfect murder. Thus opened the 3rd production of the Dramatics Cell of IIM Calcutta, an adaptation of Patrick Hamilton’s psychological thriller “Rope”.

The play revolves around an evening of intrigue and drama that follows, as Brandon throws a party, literally over David’s dead body, almost challenging the attendees to discover their “work of art”. The party opens with casual pleasantries among the guests – Mr. Kentley and Mrs. Atwater, the victim’s father and aunt, Ms. Janet Walker, the victim’s fiancée, Kenneth, a classmate and their former teacher, Rupert Cadell. However, when the conversation veers towards the art of murder and Nietzsche’s theory of the superman, Brandon’s sense of intellectual superiority becomes bolder. Philip, clearly the remorseful of the two perpetrators, starts acting cocky and out of character under the weight of alcohol and guilt. The plot thickens when David’s absence becomes increasingly mysterious, leaving Rupert wondering as to what exactly the two friends had done.

If the script was intriguing, the execution was simply superb. The cast, Mihir Rathod as the cold blooded Brandon, Nihansh Bhat as Philip, Himanshu Bagchi as the flippant Rupert Cadell played their roles to near perfection as they kept the audience captivated till the very end. Nihansh did justice to the role, his countenance contorted with nervousness, words dripping with remorse. Mansha Tandon was impeccable as Mrs. Atwater., delivering her lines with pompous elegance. Swati Baheti was charming as Ms. Walker, Sunil Chandrasekhar (Mr. Kentley), Mandawi Verma (Mrs. Wilson, the housekeeper) and Naresh as Kenneth, all gave the setting a touch of class.

The acting complemented with the perfect blend of lighting and the intricate care that was taken in designing the set, made it a night to remember. The selection of music was delectable and lent the occasion an air of poignant suspense. Himanshu and Mihir went about it like two thespians, one sharp yet subtle, the other, manipulative and composed. However, critical acclaim must be given to those that deserve it most– directors Naresh Krishnaswamy and Shehzad Kazi, whose efforts culminated in perhaps one of the most brilliant plays that IIM Calcutta has seen.

For Jokatimes,

Gregory Ipe

 

PS – Alfred Hitchcock (who directed the screen version of Rope) called it ‘an experiment that didn’t work out’. The experimental ending worked out by Naresh and Kazi, combined with the hours of practice the Dramatics Cell puts into each of its productions, gave Intaglio’09 the perfect start.

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

It is therefore fitting (symbolic would be too symbolic a word here) that one of the most sacred ceremonies at IIM Cal takes place around this season. The word itself is just perfect. It is indeed time to reminiscence, not just for the returning heroes, but also for the welcoming hordes. To look back at the time that has been and look ahead at what lies in store, while doing what you can to define it. The last week has seen 60 of our revered Elders return and take centre stage once more. They, who had left the alma mater with eyes that shone of promise and a will to scale new heights, returned to the place which gave them the gifts to do exactly that and more. A simple look at the brief snapshot of each one of them is ample testimony to their more than impressive achievements. For one memorable weekend, we watched in awe as more and more of the newsmakers of those yellow pages that are delivered to our rooms every morning filled the familiar landscape. We witnessed in wonder, the curious case of all these Benjamin Buttons as time flew backwards, putting 20-something souls into 40-something bodies. And we observed in admiration, the 25-year old camaraderie, that once defined the soul of this place and forms of which continue to do so, take shape once more and become increasingly palpable.

As we made sure that Reminiscence 2009 was a reason to remember, the symbolic season entered our thought process and we tried to get a glimpse of the next chapter. As the new year, and with it the new decade, loomed tantalizingly in the distance, we wondered what our own homecoming would be like. 25 years after we leave the portals of the land with the 7 lakes, how much of what we have taken will we be able to give back? 25 years will see us establish ourselves into the transition that is about to begin soon. We will start ahead in the rat race that the real world is supposed to be, and battle to stay ahead of the pack. There will be 2 battle-lines firmly drawn within us as well- the expanding waistline and the receding hairline, and we wonder which battle will be easier. And then the ring of yet another Blackberry brought us back to the gala night and as we saw the owner pop it away to continue his precious discussion with another of his ilk, we realized that we had some enormous shoes to fill. And then we reached for another helping of the delicious fare.

25 years later, bonfires, bulbs and our own anticipation will light up this southern suburb of Calcutta once more. Amidst deafening thumps shall we walk again on the metaphorical red-carpet and go about separating the old comfortable familiar with the new and exciting unfamiliar. Climate change might have taken place, leaving environmentalists among us bemoaning while the more athletic of us firmly strap our ice-skates on. The promising new profs of today, bright sparks in the present’s vast floodlight, will by then have become the legends that constitute the yore of Joka- the wonders that the excited newbie calls to tell his friend about, scarcely believing his luck at being taught by such distinguished academics. New and more sophisticated hostels will dot these everyday grounds, but somehow, our own hostel shall remain the best. Footer-volley will kick off again, although the legs that do so will have lost considerable agility. 25 years later, as the age divide disappears, obeying its annual custom, and we, along with the then-students, make merry along the crackling bonfire; as the young and the old revel together as the Children of IIM-C and as all worries are forgotten for one brief, yet unforgettable winter evening, the spirit of Joka shall rise once more. And its silent joy shall be audibly shared by one and all.

-MM

So now that we know each other, let’s talk about the matter at hand. Getting into an IIM, they say, is difficult enough, but getting out is no cakewalk either. It was keeping this in mind perhaps, that the founding fathers of our soon-to-be alma mater decided to lay the foundation stone at a spot some million kilometers away from what was then a metropolis. But a wise man has been known to remark- if Mohammed cannot go to the mountain, then the mountain must come to Mohammed. The managers decreed, the once-Metropolis agreed and Kolkata came to Joka to make the process of getting out both easy and enjoyable. Weekends amounted to double figures, Tantrics of old returned with venom and high spirits could be observed. It was somewhere along this point that we celebrated being in the City of Joy rather than a dry state. It was also somewhere along this point that the Masked Manager decided to leave low blows to the Joanie Laurers of this world.

I wish I could say that things were hunky dory, and they probably are, but being a self appointed guardian of the student community, the responsible voice of an elite fraternity etc, it becomes my duty to play the Devil’s Advocate and point out the clouds in the silver lining. Determined to take something away from the terrific nature of Joka, the powers that be conceived of a way to keep unbound celebration within imposed limits. Breaks between terms became a joke, true to the name of the place, and the entire process of beating off the exam blues, going crazy and getting the essential mental rest before the grind of the new term had to be accomplished within a week-end. Disappointed but unfazed, we managers shrug our shoulders, recall the words of the other (or was it the same) wise man who said that what cannot be cured, is not Raj Thackeray, and must be endured and hence made the most of those 48 hours.

On such a weekend, it becomes fairly impossible to tell any of the theatres in South City Mall from the lecture halls of nearly the same size. Park Street seems to become the diamond that we secretly harbour from the rest of the city. Unfortunate situations sometimes arise though, and even in the most red of states, there emerges a class difference between the blue-blooded or the haves, and the bourgeoisie. ‘Gents or Family?’ is the veiled question, ‘Are you a bunch of losers with the X and Y chromosomes equally divided or have you got substantial X-factor?’ is the undisguised one and haves stroll in, reminding us that even in this day and age, utopia is still far away. For the leftovers, things get a bit tricky. Peter’s Cat refuses to purr, Marco Polo is engrossed with King Khans and their Queens and Mocambo khush nahi hota.

Already deprived of the company of women, this particular lot turns to the only place which guarantees the best, well..’chick’en in Calcutta- KFC. Zingers, Hot and Crispy Buckets and Original Recipe helpings come to the rescue. Life, they say, is good. Finger licking good is what they forget to add.

And so begins term 3.

MM

One step into the stadium and your mind was magically transported into a simpler time where sports and glory were all that mattered. Almost like in the days of childhood, where all one cared about was to be the fastest bowler, the dashing goal scorer; the best of the best whatever be the sport. Where victory meant glory, where sport was played for the love of sport, and not to impress the fair maiden.

This article showcases two instances of sporting excellence etched in my memory.

Rearguard Chivalry (Football)

The match against MDI was a must win game in order to advance to the finals. MDI being the local team (and the slightly more in-form team) kicked the game off on an attacking note. This note opened up what became a symphony of attacking football that would make IIM C’s exit only a matter of time. However, cometh the hour cometh the man – Captain Rakesh Pai beefed up the midfield and commanded a sterling performance from the defence. The defence resembled a scene from a war movie, braving attack after attack, determined to hold out till the very end.

Dusk brought with it the crescendo of a penalty shootout. 5 valiant men stepped up from each team. Seasoned penalty taker Akshat Patil (who put in a defensive masterclass) graciously let the juniors take centre-stage.  The determination to win shone bright, the calmness uncanny. The battle was won when goalkeeper Abhishek Singh saved a penalty and converted the final penalty to bring the MDI army to its knees.

Domination (Basketball)

If the previous one was a tale of determined defiance, the basketball campaign screamed of unabashed brilliance. Given that the team was not at full strength, the domination that it displayed was simply a joy to behold. In the words of the rambunctious rajah of the rebound – Anurag Nair –  “We were playing at a level higher than their reach. We shifted into a gear that they didn’t know of”. Needless to say, Nair individually scored higher than the total points that the opponents scored in every match. Ardent sledging was replaced by meek murmurs of consolation.

It was unfortunate that Badminton and athletics could not be accommodated into the schedule though.  However, the FMS test doesn’t fall shy of drawing the gambit for the upcoming ABCL meet. To our opponents : The die has been cast. The gauntlet has been thrown, you have been warned

*Joint Winners                                                                                                                                                                                    For JokaTimes,

Gregory Ipe

Updated Results  :

1)Mohit Bharti – 1st 800 m

2)Akshat A. Patil – 2nd Discus Throw, 3rd Shotput

3)Avantika Tomar – 2nd 400m

4)Nikhil Singh – 3rd Javelin Throw

5)Shashank Bajaj – 1st Online Gaming (Fifa’08)

6)Ankit Kapoor – 1st Online Gaming(AOE)

7)IIM Calcutta also swept the carrom (both Men’s and Women’s)  with Mohd. Kashif and Rohit Mehta winning their singles games easily. Bhavna Gaule played an epic game to win her maiden carrom crown.