THROW THE STARS

Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?"
The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean."
"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"
"The sun is up, and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."
"But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"
The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one."
There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can become aware of that gift, we gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future.We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our stars wisely and well, the world will be blessed.

-Chinmayee Pradhan

ACM 22

(Source: internet)

MY VIEWS ABOUT JOINING NICMAR

At the onset I would like to admit that it is extremely exciting to write something about your own self. Given this opportunity I would like to share my honest views about joining NICMAR after having worked for a period of three years.

Immediately after completing my graduation from N.I.T Silchar, I started my career as a Graduate Engineer Trainee in Hindustan Construction Company Ltd., being selected through campus placements. After successfully completing the training period of 1 year, I was absorbed as a Site Engineer looking after execution. Subsequently I went on to become a Contracts Engineer at the prestigious Bandra-Worli Sea Link Project in Mumbai. While working at site I observed the application of some management aspects to construction activities in order to improve the productivity. These aspects were not covered in our Undergraduate Programme. Thus I realized the importance of getting myself acquainted with these management aspects in order to keep pace with the ever changing face of Construction Industry.

Keeping this in view, the next thing was to look for an Institute to suit my requirements and the search ended with NICMAR as it offered tailor-made courses for today’s Industry. But the decision to leave the job after a duration of three years wasn’t an easy one. I had to choose between working with the existing profile in a reputed Organization and joining a full time Post Graduate Programme. But with the help and support of family and friends alike I could get over the dilemma.

Now after completing 1 trimester here I strongly believe that I made the right decision. Being in NICMAR I have had the opportunity to interact with students coming from diverse academic and professional backgrounds. Their enriching knowledge and experience have helped me to look at situations from a fresher perspective, keeping aside my earlier perceptions.

Further, deeply knowledgeable faculty carrying rich experience from various facets of the industry make NICMAR a befitting place to be in, to gain knowledge about the various aspects of Construction Management. Their valuable inputs and suggestions have helped me analyze and reach suitable inferences about some of the practical problems that I faced during my professional tenure.

NICMAR also provides a tremendous platform for students to bring out their hidden creative talents and try something new which they wouldn’t have done earlier in their careers. NICMAR showcases the true balance between academic and extra-curricular activities with a whole lot of students activity going on the campus throughout the year like the functioning of various clubs such as the Newspaper Club, Movie Club, Adventure Club to name a few.

Also the opportunity given to me by the students to work as one of their Summer Internship coordinators has been an experience worth mentioning. All in all I would say I am privileged to be a part of this illustrious Institute.

-Satyajit Debroy

ACM 22

BUTTERFLIES

I am a mere exhibitionist with bad grammar, spelling mistakes and of course a distressful sense of sentence construction. Despite all that, here is a little piece that I shall wait for you to react on.

These butterflies hover in mid air around my head. They flap their tiny wings into gusts of wind, sometimes even tiny whorl like cyclones that appear and disappear just as fast as their simple flapping. What do they wonder, I sometimes think, when their tiny, fragile wings flap and disturb the wind around them? Do they know the havoc they cause to my heart with their little game – chasing, flying, diving, rising like little mad children running around in a green, boundless garden with large mounds of grass and pits of sand that look so ordinary to me and you? Well sometimes I guess it does not matter to them where and how they fly, what they fly to and back, but flying itself that ignites their souls and inspire them to being all that energy from within, as they slowly wrap their wings close to their bodies and then let them slice the air as they open again, only to ask for more from these gently creatures. Every stroke that they make to stay up for an infinitesimal amount of time in air requires more and more effort each new time. Oh! The agony of their mindless games that escapes all reason and logic, all justifiably explanations and theories – why, why, why do they do it and why don’t they ask me to join in and fly around with them? You might say to me – fool – you don’t have wings, and without wings, how can u even dream of flying? But that itself my dear, is the reason why you are so very wrong. Only because you cannot see or feel my wings, you do not entitle yourself to tell me that I cannot dream – even if it as about flying. In fact sometimes, I wonder why you don’t pay heed to the call of those yellow butterflies. Can’t you listen to their cries, can’t you feel the little gusts of wind breaking on you skin and almost trying to hold you – trying to lift you with them and telling you – hey come fly with us. Don’t you now realise why those butterflies they fly? Even as you walk through the garden, don’t you stop to ponder why the butterflies don’t run away from you, why they surround you and keep flapping all around? They are not afraid of you, as you may think, they are just carrying on with their game and even they are confused when you refuse to join them. The reason why they flap, the reason why they play, the reason why they don’t fly away is because they want you to fly. They want you to find your wings, open them, and not feel afraid or shameful, but spread them as much as you can and jump. Jump with them and fly. And at this point, even god wonders why you stand there with your wings spread open, free from morals and prejudice, free from all that bounds you to your so-called life, and simply refuse to fly

-Rajat Sodhi

One of the best pieces from Baikunth's blog