It has been four years since my last post that it feels like I am visiting that cousin you would see at some relative's wedding but needed a place to shack up for the night in a new town where he is the only family who lives and you are to cheap to spring for a hotel room.

This is how the last one year started in Pune.  A little back ground is warranted here. I am a guy who spent his entire life in Chennai and his only travel until that point was either on holidays with the family or as part of audit tours, where you are pampered so much that you do not feel like you have left home. My last work experience was a horrible period of 18 months and it was detorirating everyday and a lease of life was given to me by SSBM for which I will be eternally gratefully to this baby faced institution.

Back to pune, I stepped of the tarmac with a very spartan knowledge of Hindi but with a lot dreams like a small town boy aspiring to be an actor can be seen at almost a daily basis at Victoria Terminus in Bombay. I was taken from the SB Road campus to the lavale campus via bus. A little bit about the setting - a hill station with a view that most people pay a lot of sum for. The course started and it has gone on for a year now and we re about to leave for our summer internships and at this point I felt it would be right to thank all the people who have added color to my life.

It would be appropriate to begin with Uzair Mirza who is been a person I would aspire to be in my corporate life, that perfect blend of charisma and communication skill is something I aspire to have. Thank you for putting up with my shenanigans during those PAC meetings and for holding me back when all I wanted to rearrange Deepa's face and today we move onto Mark Dean Sr who we could describe as Uzair 30 years down the line - suave and consummate professional.

Since I am in their neck of the woods I would also like to thank Sagar Sheopuri, Manmeet Malik and Pankaj Nehra on how to take life by the scruff of the neck and live their life on their own terms. At this point I thank the little idiot Shivam Sareen who reminded me of a time when I led a carefree life, although you irritated me thank you for the memories. Moulshree Mishra thank you for teaching me how to believe in something and how to stand your ground in a verbal fight.

A little jump to the south of the country, you were the guys who made me this place could be home. I have always told my mom that these are the brothers I have never had. Vijay Sai Raheja for understanding me for who I am and also for teaching that the chips are never down until the fat lady starts singing. Vasist AM for teaching me that a manager may also be born and not made, his cool and calm demeanor is something in the face of adversity is something that I hope to develop. Sonal Verma for being that guy who told me things as it was, I have always asked people to be with me that way but you were refreshing change of honesty and helping me through some troubled times. Ashwin Prashanth and Aditya shyam, the perfect couple of our batch for teaching me what all friendship is all about and for understanding those little sarcastic jokes. It was those moments rhat continued to inspire me to live up to those long last dreams of being a stand up comedian, another source of inspiration was our guitar specialist.

Avinash Khasge  deep reservoir of knowledge is something that reminded me of my role model, my uncle whom I have always wanted inspire and it took a certain somebody just 2 hours to do it while I have been failing fantastically for the last 27 years, a sore point Uzair that will always remain with a little bit of jelousy. Another person on the same floor would be the grand uncle of our batch Rajiv Dudeja who always teaches me that "Kuch paane ke liya kuch kona padta hai" and courageous men are not the ones on the screen but those who make these little sacrifices.

Some other people whom have inspired me to be better. Puneet Nayak and Sachin Sharma for teaching me to live as if it would be over in the next fleeting second. Romil and Vaibhav for being that nerds in the batch ( relax there is nothing wrong with that I was one for 20 years, we will rule the world someday). Amit Kumar and Kavade  who in another lifetime would be a central minister and his NSG Commando. Sunil Kheria for being the Jhonny lever of the batch ( every batch needs one)

This place gave me some good inspirations and acquaintances that I would proudly tell my kids and theirs as well but this place also gave me some close friends. Jimit Gandhi the bombaywallah to the core, fellow PAC member and confidant when things were taking a bad turn. Vandana Nagar the quintessential Delhi girl who does not take BS from anybody, you are an embodiment of my mother (anybody who knows me intimately will know that it is the person whom I most thankful to). Rupali Shirole for those fleeting moments of teaching me that even Eric Segal novels or Yash Chopra movies can be true in real life as well. Shivaprasad for being the best person aspire to be. I do not have words to describe my admiration for you Shiva Sir.

Thank you for the Invest banking exam for me giving me ample time to write this. I know I should have kept it short but when you have so much good to say it is best to say it