Blast from the Past

“Life gives us brief moments with another...but sometimes in those brief moment we get memories that last a life time...”

We all have been through several phases in our lives and witnessed a variety of experiences and emotions. The feeling of nostalgia always comes to the fore when we meet old friends and individuals with whom we have spent unforgettable moments. This one is dedicated to the “Fabulous Five” from the 2003-05 PGDBM (Marketing) batch of Wigan and Leigh College.

It was August 2003, I had several apprehensions before joining the B-school since it was not one of the highly ranked institutions. However my mother convinced me to join the institution, since she had different thoughts in mind, and believed that education coupled with ability matters for success! So I took her advice and enrolled for the PGDBM (Marketing) course. Besides the institution, I was also concerned about the level of seriousness of other students who had taken-up the course there. I could never have ever imagined that those 2 years of my life would change me as a person, forever, and get me acquainted to four exceedingly important people, with whom I would share some of the most exciting and treasured moments of life!

Let me introduce you to the “Viva Girls” (the group was called various names in college by others!). The group comprised of (in alphabetical order) – a. Khubi b. Pradnya c. Pritee d. Sejal e. Shweta. Five contrastingly different personalities, who did not know how close they would get as time would pass. I knew Sejal since our GNIIT days and had in fact coaxed her to join the college. However at that point, the level of closeness was not to the extent that it was to be, in times to come. Khubi and Pritee had also opted for Marketing as their specialization, so I was introduced to them during the initial days. Pradnya joined college a few days after classes started; hence I got acquainted to her a little later. I did form various perceptions about each of them initially, let me share them in this space (forgive me guys!!!). These were perceptions which underwent a dramatic change after a year or so -

Khubi – Married! Voh bhi Gujju! And in a B-school! Huh!!
Pradnya – Was she a student or a “visiting” faculty. Can’t remember when I saw her last in college! Princess of Gayab-land!
Pritee – Is she a South India Haryanvi? What’s with that interesting accent when she talks!
Sejal – Ah! One person I know….what the heck is she doing with those HR “kids”?

These perceptions were formed after my initial observations and interactions with the girls.

I found the first semester quite difficult to manage, since there was lots of pressure. Also at that point of time I had an attitude that my purpose of being in the institution was not to socialize, but complete the course with utter-seriousness. After the first semester was complete, I heaved a sigh of relief and thought to myself – 'Just another 1.5 years and I am out of here!'

The second semester was smoother, with most of us getting used to the hectic routine and having stable friend-circles. In the third semester we were supposed to disintegrate into groups based on our respective specializations. The female presence was fairly low in the Marketing specialization, with just 6 girls opting for it from a batch of around 25. Out of this, 2 girls rarely attended college; consequently there was a natural affinity among the other 4. Pradnya (who had opted for International Business) also attended several common lectures with us, that’s how the number increased to 5. The 5 of us used to form a group every time it was required for a project or presentation and that’s how the camaraderie started. The group was fairly vibrant and after spending a year (Sem 1 & 2) with them, I had loosened up quite a bit. I also had a better understanding of each of their temperaments. All of them had a childish streak and enjoyed going places and having a good time. They were easy-going, but also very serious about academics, the perfect blend! 1 of the 5 of us was always among the Top 3 in class, and overall we performed quite well in college in all areas, be it academics or volunteering/participating in events. The institution gave all of us a platform to mature as individuals and evolve gradually to realize our complete potential. I recall that every time a lecture was cancelled we made the optimum use of it by making adhoc plans. Also when we used to have 2-3 days at our disposal, we always planned trips/get-togethers within or outside Mumbai. We visited Lonawala (twice), Matheran, Goa (the best trip ever!!!) between 2004-2006.

Planning and preparing for projects/presentations was fun! There were lots of debates and different view-points. Each of us complemented the other with our unique nature/traits and that’s what made us click as a group; however the fundamentals were always strong! I don’t know whether they ever realized that how much I had learnt from each of them. I admired each of them for different reasons and the qualities they possessed. I would like to highlight some of them here -

Khubi – I adored her for her spirit. In spite of being married at a young age and having some level of restrictions - she dared to complete the course, work at various organizations and perform well in studies. This girl (previously from Ahmedabad) had guts and a will to do something in life, in spite of all obstacles. She could never accompany us for the overnight trips due to family constraints, but did join us for most of the other local get-togethers. I have learnt from her that one needs to have the power to dream and live that dream! Her dedication towards the group (in spite of being married) was shown through various instances, for which I respect her to a great degree! She was 'prim and proper' and the fashion-icon of the group.

Pradnya – Her dedication and commitment was truly phenomenal. I remember, it was our third semester and we were supposed to complete a project on Supply Chain Management. We came up with various concepts for the assignment and finally found the winner in the last one. However this was done just 3-4 days before the submission. The presentation of the project was on a Monday and we had a huge back-log a day before the same. Pritee was already down with flu and we really needed Pradnya to make it to my place to complete the presentation with the rest of us. However Pradnya was down with Malaria and our spirits were dampened. She took medication and decided to travel all the way from Navi Mumbai to South Mumbai to complete work on the presentation. Hats Off!!! Amidst tough competition, especially from some groups from the Finance team, we managed to get the highest rating for this project! I have learnt that one needs to have the “Never say die!” attitude, from her. Also I found her to be one of the most caring and selfless individuals in the group. She was my support system during our time together.

Pritee – I found her to be the most flamboyant, carefree and experimental individual of the group. I was inspired by her zest for life and ‘bindaas’ attitude. Also, she was one of the sharper ones in the group who had the ability to think beyond the normal. She was the only out-of-towner from our girl-gang and stayed in a hostel. I admired her for the fact that in spite of having all the independence in the world, she was a diligent and serious student and a family-girl at heart. I remember that on one occasion she was having a hard time with her health condition. She was taken to the hospital on one night and came back to college the next morning to give an exam and score the highest marks in that particular subject. Impressive indeed! She was fun-loving and free-willed but also intense where serious issues were concerned. She had big aspirations in life!

Sejal – This girl was phenomenal! She had various health issues throughout life and fought them off. She was the “Notes Master”. I recall everyone in our class used to surround her just before exams for lecture notes. Also, she was the most co-operative one during projects. Any work assigned to her would always be completed in time. She knew her capabilities and potential, inside-out, and aimed accordingly. Also, she was one of the most entertaining individuals of the group. Without her presence any get-together would be high and dry. She was the girl who always laughed and made others laugh, in spite of all her troubles!

It’s been 3.5 years since we left college, and all of us are on different paths (2 of them in different countries) now. However we all are in touch and enjoy every minute we spend with each other on the phone or messenger. I still remember most of the memorable moments and they still bring a smile to my face. Truly, those 2 years were the best days of my life!