11

There is not a person without a dream, without a passion, without an aspiration

- however big, however small. But then, “Don’t you find it odd that when

you are a kid, everyone, all in the world

encourages you to follow your dreams.

But when you’re older, somehow they act

offended if you even try.” – Ethan Hawke

starrer, The Hottest State. This is the essence of Prateek 2015. Be it

anyone – a student still studying or a

student stepping out from this phase of ac-

ademia to the corporate world - we real-ise that we had a different dream, a differ-

ent hope, a different aspiration when we

came to SCMS. And, during the course of

the two years, these have transformed

completely, turned around even. I know I

would rather have joined a School of

Literature and become a writer than join a

bank or an IT corporate; but this could

completely change in a couple of weeks or

months. Just as in a masked ball where the

dancers shroud their identity with masks,

we too tend to hide our dreams – our identity

– with the shroud of practicality. But there is always that spark of hope in each of us that someday our dreams and passions

will become a reality - a way of life. For some, it could be becoming the artist they

dreamt of being, while for some others it

could be becoming an army person or a writ-

er or a teacher or an astronaut, or even the

Prime Minister of India! There are even

those who have dreamt of owning their own

companies someday. This edition of Prateek reflects each of the-

se dreams and aspirations from various in-

dividuals - how they plan to achieve them, how some of them have already achieved

them, and are now living their dreams. In the end, it’s as Moffat Machingura,

Author, puts it, “Follow your dreams. I

am not saying it’s going to be easy, but I

am saying it’s going to be worth it”. The power lies within you. Dwell into your

inner self and you will realize that there’s

more to you than meets the eye. Enjoy Prateek 2015 and here’s to hoping

you all will be living your dream someday!

For Team Prateek :

Athulya Menon J.,

P.C. Franco P. Joseph - PGDM 22

THRIVE LIFE - Unleash Yourself

"Poetry", he uttered "I speak no rhymes and my flow is wayward. Simple words and shallow stories. Poetry? of sad tales and dark colours, Or Romances on the hillside. Neither do I hold. This poem rests on flat grounds, No cares, no sorrows, steady and grey. A gush of wind, or a sprinkle in summer? Withering leaves or snowfall to remember? None though, a weather free day. No burns, no shivers and no sweaty palms." "Quiet", she mumbled. Two fingers on the mouth, A flow breezed in, A breath whispered, sudden tremors within. Morning scent as braids touched his skin, Rhythms and false colours, virtues and sins. Warmth in the blood, and the body frozen numb. Moist grew the flesh, and then it succumbed. "Poetry", he did not utter then Cause there she was, The greatest poet of them all.

Suraj Justine PC: Midhun Sekhar RK– PGDM 22

At the dawn of my life, I was no one to anyone, I saw the stray dogs quarrelling for my food, I saw a grown woman tickling a kid like me, I saw men toiling day in and day out, I saw kids like me playing with bats and balls, But these were just sights for me. When I bloomed, I saw girls like me wearing colourful dresses I saw girls like me smiling and blushing I saw girls like me carrying textbooks to school But these were sights for me. I wished to have the pearl of mermaid I wished to dream a safe door for my home I wished to sleep fearlessly I wished to be cared by that one person. But all that I could do was to dream.

In my dreams, I was a princess

I had a mother, a father and a cute sister In my dreams, I enjoyed sunshine and stars In my dreams, I was happy. I Love my Dreams.

Anie Theresa Joy, PGDM 22

Dreaming to Live Poetry

Publication by the students of SCMS COCHIN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS 1

11

What amazed me about him was

his confidence. The way he

made sitting ducks of the world,

elasticos, and those full length

runs that demolishes the

opposition. In my opinion, his

skills are probably the best after

Garrincha. Now the big question

is, how did he influence me??

Well, he taught me, it’s okay to

make a fool of yourself trying.

He taught me to keep trying until

you can make the defender root-

ed to the spot and take the ball

from his legs. He gave me the

confidence to try skills, drib-

bles even during high inten-

sity matches. Because there is no

other way, you will learn. I don’t

know how to connect this to

real world lofty motivations, but

I guess, success is all about nev-

er giving up and taking risks

even when odds are against you. Now, what makes Cristiano so

special? There are a lot of

things. For starters, he could be

called the only complete

footballer at present. The person

who can dribble, sprint, head,

and a terrific dead ball player.

What more could you ask for???

Then of course, his work rate

and how he trains and maintains

his body.

He has less than 4 % body fat,

has a strict diet regime even

when he is on a vacation. In Re-

al Madrid, he singlehandedly

took the club to champions’

league glory. Even when I am

writing this, he is scoring goals,

providing assists, elevating

football to a whole different lev-

el.

And now to the personal level.

Well you don’t become

someone’s fan just for his/her

on-field exploits, do you? You follow them even in their

personal life, to know how he

carries himself in the real world. Cristiano is not someone who

gets weighed down by his

personal relationships. The

break ups and hook ups with his

“maxim” hot girlfriends never

affected his performance. He always knew what mattered,

it was not girls, it is, and always

‘Arrogance, brushing off the

world club championship logo

from you jersey, kicking your

opponent,’…these are not the

ideal words anyone would like

to associate with their role

models. Because role models

are supposed to be perfect

individuals who will shed a

beacon of lights to their

followers. And this is exactly

why my role model has been

Cristiano Ronaldo for a long

while. And why is that?

Because he shows his real

human side to the world. I love

people who are imperfect, who

have occasional outbursts and

are ready to put up a fight if

situation leads to, just as you

or I might do.

If we think about the

psychology behind choosing

the role models, it usually

boils down to a simple fact

that the person who is our role

model is someone who

generally has got all the qual-

ities which we would like to

have, or want to have…you

could probably call them a

superficial projection of your

desires. Cristiano was exactly

like that for me. I started

following him from the first

game he ever played for

Manchester United where he

tore down the defense of

Bolton Wanderers. He was a

revelation for me, though for

rest of the world he took the

centre stage only after a couple

of years.

will be football. That is true

dedication, and I don’t think

many can actually boast of this.

Cristiano is famous for brushing

off criticism - he hardly gave a nickel when the whole of U.K

turned against him for faking a

foul, which earned Wayne

Rooney a red card in 2006

world cup. His explanation was

something that impressed me,

he said he did it for his country

and he is not playing for being

in anyone’s good book. Not

many can stand their ground

like that when a whole country

has turned against you,

especially if that is the country

where you are playing your

football for next couple of

years. After reading this, I am sure

you might have your own

reservations against my views,

which is totally acceptable. But I believe, we all can agree

upon the fact that while we

were all well alive and busy,

one of the greatest legends of

modern football was making

history! Akhil P. Kumar PGDM 22

Sandeep Nair PGDM 22

Thushara Premrajan PGDM 22

The Ronaldo Effect

I M P R E S S I O N S Nirmal Krishnan

PGDM 23 2

11

“What do you want to be when you grow

up?”

A frequent question that was posed to each of

us during our childhood days. When I was in

Grade 4 – the answer I had was that I wanted

to be a business person. This was a time when

I was unaware about the term ‘Entrepreneur’.

My aim to be a business person might be the

influence of my father who is a well-known

business person in our town. Sometimes I

doubted whether I could achieve what I was

aiming for and often wondered whether my

aim would be shattered. When faced with this

dilemma, my father always told, “Dream about

your aim, you will achieve it”. I always carry

these golden words close to my heart. During

my school days, I did not think or dream about

my ambition. In fact, I had forgotten what I

wanted to be. I was just trying to enjoy the

school life….activities…studies…friends.

After twelfth grade, I decided to move along

the flow and I jumped into the boat of CA. I

rowed, rowed and rowed more, but I could not

find the shore. As usual, I shared my feelings

with my father. Then a realization came that I

once had a dream, which I lost in the flow of

life. My father’s advice became a turning point

in my life. He asked me to read some books

which would give more insights about

one’s ambitions in life.

I came across the book titled “You Can

Win.” In this book, the author Shiv Khe-

ra explains about different situa-

tions in life. Once a Biology teacher

was teaching how pupa turns into a

butterfly. For this, she had brought a

live pupa to class and asked the stu-

dents not to help the pupa to break the

cocoon, and left the class. But one boy

felt pity and helped the pupae to break

out of its cocoon. After sometime, the

butterfly helped by the student was

dead. When the teacher came back,

and saw the dead butterfly, she asked

who had helped the pupa to get out of

its cocoon. Then she explained

the reason. The struggle which

pupa faces to get out of its

cocoon always helps it to be a

stronger butterfly. This sto-

ry explains that success is not

an accident. It is the result of

the continuous hard

work. The book also explains

about the story of Abraham

Lincoln who had faced various

trials to achieve the President-

ship of America.

I love to design clothes; and nothing

gears me up more than the thought of

it. At any point of time be it class

hours, late nights or study holidays, I

can get rid of my boredom and stress

by drawing a picture on a piece of

paper.

Passion is something that can energize

you or make you happy or something

you will not be tired of. Struggles can

come your way but do not hesitate to

pursue your passion. Find your

passion, dream, and aim to achieve it!

Maria S. Kandathil

DC: Sikha S. Nair, PGDM 22

PGDM -22

Those are memories I'd like to cherish Those are memories I'd like to hold till my last breath The memories of days that I spent with my friend She was more like a sister She taught me to laugh with heart She taught me to talk with brain That day when my phone rang That day when I heard a male voice from that number A strange voice said - "I'm a cop" A strange thing he told me, that my brain could hear but not my heart could Owner of that phone is no more and the last call was mine She died on her birthday She died to take birth again in this beautiful world She was carried away to a fairyland She smiled at me from there I saw as she always does… Anie Theresa Joy

DC: Sikha S. Nair

PGDM 22

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?

My Friend

3

If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk together. Prof. V. Rajagopal

11

There is an anecdote which said that Sachin

Tendulkar did not sleep the night before he

made his Test Century against Australia in

Sydney. As recalled by his room partner

Saurav Ganguly (then Indian Cricket Team

captain), he was seen practicing his strokes

in front of the mirror in the middle of the

night.

From Sachin Tendulkar to Steve Irwin (the

crocodile hunter) we have seen individuals

who have conquered life and garnered fame

by following their passions and chasing their

dreams. The list is never ending. There is

only one thing that is imperative, to follow

your passion and to achieve your dream and

that is hard work.

The present day world offers numerous

opportunities to people to follow their

passions. The past used to be about being

rational and practical, while today it is more

about being pragmatic while following one’s

heart. One can be passionate about anything

and most often than not, it need not be one’s

profession. That is why we see Big B-School Graduates and Investment Bankers turning

to writing novels or cricket commentary,

politicians turning to acting and celebrities

turning to racing.

A passion can be unconventional or

something very small. It could go from an-

ything like sky diving to gardening, sketch-

ing to photography, or travelling to blog-

ging. There are times when one tends to get

bogged down by one’s routine which might

make life mechanical and monoto-

nous. It is the strength offered by

one’s passion that grants solace and a

difference to the way one looks at things. It

is that force which acts as an impetus to live

one’s life. There will be meaning to your life

once your passion finds meaning and

translates into a dream.

For example, a Chartered Accountant might

be passionate about movies and might aspire

to direct a movie one day. The moment he

starts dreaming about his passion and finds a

goal to follow, it would give him

the push to chase that dream.

Recently, the former Chairman

of ISRO, Mr. K. Radhakrishnan

was seen rendering beautiful

kirtans in Carnatic music which

was his passion. He confessed

how his passion for music

sustained his state of well being

amidst all the stress and pressure

while the ISRO was writing

history in letters of gold.

This same passion brought back a fighting

cricketer, Yuvraj Singh from the mouth of

cancer to normal life.

An individual’s success lies in identifying

that which gives him/ her the real

satisfaction. There are numerous avenues

to make a constructive use of our passion.

The discovery of that passion is what real-

ly shapes up one’s path to a better life.

A life without passion is like a vehicle

without fuel, and a life without a dream is

like a journey without a destination.

Therefore follow your hearts, your

passion, and chase your dream!

So, are you passionate?

Gayathri Krishnan

PC: Franco P. Joseph

PGDM 22

So… Are You Passionate?

The darkness that covers me like a blanket, when I close my eyes Takes me through the colours of dreams. I see but I amn't sure whether I realize what I see Some dreams get caught up in the flow Some dreams are forgotten Still I drive those dreams Down a never ending empty road I wonder every time I open my eyes Whether even darkness gives lights of hope Just like every night is followed by day I walked this darkness with the hope of light Nothing did impede me, nothing did stop me, Disruptions hit me hard But everything that hit me made me feel alive.

Because a single thought of hopelessness Can ruin the colors I found in the dark-

ness Why am I in this world?

That's what destiny will show me The path that leads me to my destiny Can answer the millions of questions I

ask myself every time I am going for it Because that's where I should reach! I am going for it

Because that's where I belong!

Sruthi V. Nair

DC :Manu Kainikkara, PGDM 22

The Colour Of Dreams

4

11

“Dreams are not those that we

see while sleeping, but those

that does not let us sleep”, the-

se are words said by the most

admired former President of

our country, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul

Kalam.

Dreams are that which take our

sleep away that does not let us

do anything other than to work

for it. It is an inherent passion

that motivates a person to go

to every extent achievable.

There are a lot of people among

us who dream about something

and talk about working for it 10

years down the line of their

career. But there are those

people who make it big, who

work on it from the very

moment that they have the

dream.

Most of the time, people talk

about a dream that they want

to achieve but are simply

unable to achieve it in the

future, merely because those

were never dreams, but simply

thoughts or somebody else’s

idea. Most of the successful

people we admire were

dreamers; we may say that they

were different from others, but

the truth is they are different

from others because of their

ability to closely observe things

around them.

A child from a very young age

should be tuned to think from

several angles; sometimes there

are chances where parents hes-

itate to answer kids, thinking that

the questions are unintelligent.

Such things should never be ex-

pressed to kids, but instead they

should be encouraged to think

from various angles.

They may seem crazy to the

world but they are, in fact,

people who could view the world

from a different angle. Fear or

hesitation to dream is the

greatest enemy of success. Only

those who dare can make it big.

So Dare to dream!

Harikrishnan Nair, PGDM—22 PC: Abhijeet Nair, PGDM– 23

"Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you."- Oprah Winfrey. This quote perfectly describes what passion is. Rightfully said, passion is something that comes from inside of a person to give his/her 100% or more in doing a thing. It can vary from person to person. Some people might be passionate about vehicles; some might be passionate about food and so on. The common factors that can be found about these people are that they act as their heart desires.

A person who is passionate will not be worried about what others think about him/her, are they doing the right things etc. What matters to them is that they are just doing it because they want to do it. Passion comes with the desire to learn about the matter by overcoming any difficulty. A person who is really passionate

about vehicles might have gone through dusty places like workshops in order to gain information about the working of engines and oth-er parts. Similarly a person who is passionate about food might have gone through countless recipes to study them, cook them and experi-ment with them. Thus, pas-sion is a driver for learning in one’s life. It is the passion that made successful personalities to take up the initiative, which gave them the power to overcome all the obstacles and motivated them to achieve the most important matter in their life - the passion.

Be passionate about whatever you are doing in your life. Or do what you are passionate about in your life. But be cautious to pave your path with reasoning and facts which you will learn about in the course of following your passion.

Be passionate – be successful – and be happy.

Sachin Divakar

PC:Arun Menon, PGDM 22

Dare to Dream! Passion- The Life Changer!!!

The Little Games that Life plays with Dreams

Reader’s discretion advised - this is about our passion, our dreams and what we wanted to be when we were a child.

Everyone starts out wanting to be something unique for their own reasons. But life plays some unexpected cards and your life starts to take a different shape. As a child everyone wants to be astronauts, teachers, rock stars and movie stars. Then it becomes apparent that maybe some of those options are not re-ally left to you.

Take my friend Ben Joe; he wanted to be a driver when he grew up. Now he has to abandon his childhood dream and settle for a hi-fi corporate life at Sutherland. I felt it was rather absurd dream to have, and felt that he would be the only person having that dream. But then as if to prove my conceptions wrong, walked in Vishnu Shyam. When asked about what he wanted to be when he was a child, he said he wanted to be a driver, in-spired by the bus drivers he saw growing up. The passion they shared to become a driver is there in every one of us.

Then there are the patriotic ones like Shyam and Sanjay Nair, both of whom wanted to join army. There are also the dreamers like Litty who wanted to be a singer, Tarun the professional footballer, and Treesa, who wanted to be Miss World. And Amal Shaji, who people call a Nivin Pauly look alike. (I personally wanted to be a footballer, a movie star, even an Indiana Jones type archaeologist.) Then there are people born with clear objectives like Jithin Var-ghese, the would– have-been IPS officer. Nithya wanted to be a lawyer, but chose to be extremely good at capstone instead. We also have Sreelakshmi and Aparna, the doctors who did not bother to take the medical entrance exam. Jithin now hopes to be globetrotting with his new job at KPMG, then become an entrepreneur to fulfill his dream of buying a Lamborghini Gallardo. Shino at least had the modest wish of becoming the Prime Minister of our country. All this may not be particularly uplifting in terms of achieving your objectives. But all of us with our own individual passions came and worked together to find a better direction in life. Life has beaten, broken and tested us, and we stand battered and blistered. But we are still standing, ready to face the next challenge life throws at us. Suraj Justine , DC: Surabhi Prasad—PGDM 22

5

11

It was just another normal day - same

schedule, same people and same food,

but that day would have become a

disaster for me if I had done what I

thought that day.

It was Friday 2nd August 2013; I woke

up early- depressed, tears rolling down

my cheeks after many years. I dressed

up quickly, got in an auto rickshaw

and there I was in college at 8 AM

waiting for our Pramod Sir. He arrived

at his normal time 9 AM and thankful-

ly, I got an appointment with him at 9

AM itself. As I entered his office, the

only thing that came from my mouth

was, “Sir, I want to quit!” with tears

rolling down my cheeks. He just told

me one thing, “Arihant Jain, just think

over it and meet me on Monday.”

After that day, I have never met him

and I am here enjoying life at SCMS.

And sometimes I wonder how will I go

back home to Delhi, as now I feel that

I don’t belong there anymore.

In these two years, this institute has

taught me many precious things of

which I was unaware and that will

surely help me climb the corporate

ladder as I start working in a

company. There is a proverb which

says “The grass is always greener on

the other side of the garden”, but for

the first time I felt that it’s not true in

my case; this time, the grass is greener

on my side, and I never regret being

here in SCMS.SCMS is a bag full of

opportunities; I have almost attended

100+ talks by industry experts (lucky

to hear them), went for many

management fests, participated in

many college activities, gave almost

50+ presentations and a lot more and

still on. The point that I am trying to

make is that it is about not only doing

so many things but also learning

something from all these activities,

and I feel SCMS has helped me grow

professionally. It is not about

becoming perfect but improving from

what you are today and becoming

better as time passes, and I’m happy

that I have become better from the

day I joined this institute and still

trying to learn from all that comes

my way. At last, I would like to say

that do whatever you feel like doing

in life but never lose your focus, al-

ways follow your passion and never

forget your aim of being here.

Another lesson learned from SCMS.

Arihant Jain, PGDM 22

“Life is too short to spend it doing things that are at war with yourself.

Continue pursuing your dreams and

when you do seem to get stuck, do

remember to innovate.”

Mr. Justin Joy Assistant Professor

“Dreams are all about aspirations. Aspirations can be realized only if they are followed through passion” Prof. K . J. Paulose Dean, Management Studies

Management fests are something everyone of

us look forward to. We wait for Justin sir’s call

to tell us that there’s a management fest and

we just grab the chance. Every management

fest unfolds before us new challenges. That’s

when we start searching all the concepts and

lessons we learnt in the class. Apart from that

its fun time with friends.

Management Fest at Rajagiri Business School

was definitely an unforgettable experience

for me, Gayatri Krishnan, Maria S. Kandathil

and our Junior Bharghav Krishnan. All the

rounds of Rajagiri Management fests are still

fresh in our memories, but the most

interesting one which kept us awake all night

was the video making round. We were asked

to make a 5 minute video presentation on

migrant laborers. We took the help of the

famous photographer of the campus, Midhun

Sekhar and drove to the migrant labourers’

residing area in Kakkanad. Midhun and

Bhargav who went missing from there for

around 20 minutes came back drenched

in sweat, which gave us an idea of the

migrant laborers’ situation. We spent the

rest of the day preparing for the 50 pag-

es case study. It struck us that we could

have visited another place to carry out

the task. So, we went to Pe-

rumbavoor and shot a video of the mi-

grants. On the way back to college ,we

were lucky to enjoy Fathima’s special

homemade breakfast. Suddenly we were

brought back to the unpleasant reality of

our yet-to-be-completed mission.

We then ran, as usual, to the angel of our

HR department Lt. Cdr Shalini Nandwani,

who helped us with the case study. Ours

was the second last presentation after

Christ, Loyola college. And guess what

happened, we won the second prize.

Sharon Thankam James, PGDM- 22

There are beautiful rivers that flow, The fog on hills look like snow. The coffee estates make it rich and

grand, The aroma of coffee delights one's mind, Coffee trees down the hilly slopes, Where else can you find? To see the coffee blossoms, Is such a wonderful sight! And to smell their sweet fragrance Is a great delight! As you walk, you can see pepper vines And many fruits from which you can

make wines, Rich in vegetation and greenery All this makes wonderful scenery, Nature is so abundantly adorned here, Once you enter this place, You wouldn't want to go anywhere else. Lejiv M . Sabu , PGDM 22

6

Coorg Management Fest

IT’S ABOUT ME IN SCMS

11

After four years of gap in my

education, I joined SCMS for

PGDM with lots of dreams and

expectations. The last 18

months at SCMS have been the

most happening days after I

left my school. “Incredible”

is the best word that can

describe my experiences at

SCMS. Coming from the state

of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala was

a totally new experience for

me. One of the very cherishing

moments I had was the first

day of hostel when I came to

know that I was going to share

my room with two other

students from not only

different colleges, but also

cultures and backgrounds!

However, we spared no time in

getting to know each other and

we became friends within a

short span. Although I made a

decision to pick up my ed-

ucation again, whether I could

cope with things was the big

question I had in mind. Fortu-

nately, the foundation pro-

gram helped me a lot to pre-

pare myself with books and

the system at college.

Receiving the “Prince of

SCMS” was the most exciting

experience of my life. The unique educational system

helped me learn the wider

aspects of management. The

mentoring system is the best

thing that happened to me.

Thanks to my mentor, I was

able to accomplish many

things right from the IMLP

sessions, to choosing my

specialization , to getting a

good project and finally getting

placed. In fact, the professors,

courses, IMLP sessions, and

assignments made the course

interesting and challenging.

Summer Internship was

another enriching experience

which helped me apply what

I learned in theory to real

business situations. Place-

ments were the most exciting

events that I had in the last

few months. However, I was

enthused by the support I got

from my friends, professors,

mentor. With the blessings of the

Almighty God and my parents, I

finally got placed in HDFC. The various ups-and-downs of my life at SCMS is what leads me to

conclude by quoting my favorite

line: “Get what you want other-

wise you will be forced to get

what you don’t want”. Sreeramasarma K. PGDM 22

Moments Of Truth

MY VOYAGE

It all started in January 2012, I was stepping off

from my teenage years. I thought for a minute

about what would I do after this. I had no idea

or direction about the future, but I was sure

about moving on to a higher level of education.

I wanted to do something that would

differentiate me from others and would create a

new identity for me. So I prepared for

management tests.

In November 2012, I came to know about

SCMS and the PGDM course. The first thing

that people spoke about SCMS was that it is a

very strict college.

From July 29, 2013 everything in my life start-

ed changing - new place, new people. It was

totally a new chapter in my life. Then, all was

going smoothly, until the dreaded exams start-

ed striking. The assignments and presen-

tations, removed the word ‘sleep’ from my dic-

tionary. These hardships helped me learn how

to time management and handle stress. But I

can gladly say that this was the key to identifying the entrepreneur

inside. My dream is to start a restaurant of mine, and I am sure that

it won’t be a normal restaurant. It’ll be more than just providing

food - as the old saying goes, “One should not fill others’ stomach

alone, but should also fill their hearts”. This is my mantra for

starting a restaurant.

Getting placed in MAGMA FINCORP as a CREDIT ANALYST

has given me a stepping-stone to reach my goals. I’m sure that 5 -

6 years from now, I will be starting my own restaurant in my own

town, slowly expanding into a chain of restaurants throughout the

country in a span of 35-45 years.

In the end, it is my deep passion that keeps the light of my dream

aflame! Venkateshwaran S.

PGDM 22

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Associate Professor

Associate Professor

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VERTIGO I woke up in a cold sweat. In the dead quiet of the dark, my heart was throbbing wildly. It was the third day since I lost her. Third day since I slept. And it was now three days closer to her death. All I knew, all I saw and all I thought with every breath I took was that I had to save her. *** ‘If you want to see your sister alive, keep quiet and follow my orders. If you involve the police, I will kill her. If I don’t get the money, I will kill her. If you don’t do exactly as I say, I will kill her’. Click. Rhea...No..no..no… this cannot be happening. This must be a sick joke. I swear it’s the worst prank she ever pulled. Why isn’t she picking up?! Pick up, Rhea. Ring……..ring…..PICK UP!!! *** I replayed that voice in my head over and over again. That deep, unflinching voice… the ease with which he spoke and… the bells far in the background. Like a church. After that call came, I had refused to believe that it was true. I had kept calling and calling but she didn’t pick up. I had barged into her apartment. I could feel the panic rising in, a knot started forming in my stomach. Her things had been thrown around, her living room was a mess. My voice had echoed all around but she never came. She was gone. I could feel the tears flowing on my cheek as I looked at her picture. I had to be brave for her. I wiped away the tears and recollected everything. Every detail of that day. ***

Ring…ring.. ’Hello Rhea?! Rhea is that you?! I have been trying your phone since forever! Rhea??Pl..please tell m..me you are o..okay. Please...please...’ I couldn’t go on. My sobs choked my words up, I couldn’t stop crying. ‘Tchtch. Are you hoping this is a prank? Snap back to reality. You know, she is too hard to resist. I could hear him chuckling. I am really trying not to kill her. Tick tock tick tock.’ It was a game to him. ‘DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!’. My body had gone cold and rage was tearing through it. I was trembling. Everything had come to a standstill. Don’t growl girl! I am not very good at controlling myself. I want one crore, in cash. Make it in bundles of 500. You have three days. I’ll call you again with the location. And remember, if you do anything stupid, I will enjoy killing her’. Click.

*** The bells. I had heard them again, echoing in a distance. The church must be next to some tall building. He had to be around it somewhere. I had made a list of churches which were around tall buildings and relatively isolated. Places people would not bother to look at. I had to go check them out. I had to save her. Where did I keep my gun? My head felt heavy for some reason. I swung my legs over the bed and pulled the curtains. Fear gripped me as I looked around. A hospital. What am I doing here?! I looked around wildly, trying to figure out how I ended up here. That’s when I noticed the bandage on my arm. They had sedated me. Are

they working with him? Suddenly I was very alert. I tried to remember what had happened. My memory was foggy. I had gone...somewhere. The list! Yes, I had gone to check the list! I had gone to the last church on my list. There was a..rope and instruments. My gun….what did I do? I had… Oh my god! No...no...no! It was all crystal clear now.

I had found the place where he kept her! I had fired my gun at him. He had been trying to strangle her with the rope. Then.. Then he shot at me. That’s how I ended up here! Someone must have heard the shots and called an ambulance on finding me. I had to go find him. How long was I here?! He could kill her any time. I WON’T LET IT HAPPEN. I will kill him. WHERE IS MY GUN?! I ran across the hall to get out of there but my legs gave under me. They had sedated me. A shadow of dread engulfed me. It was like life had drained out of me and I started crying uncontrollably. No I can’t stop, I have to go on. I crawled on. Three nurses came and held me back. ‘LET ME GO! You don’t understand, please, you don’t understand!’, I cried. ‘But they didn’t listen to me and instead looked at me in pity. I fought back as hard as I could. I injured one of the nurses. ‘LET ME GO! MY SISTER IS IN DANGER. GET THE HELL OFF ME. Please..please. I have to save my sister. Someone kidnapped her. Please PLEASE!, I yelled. But they kept looking at me in the same strange manner and injected me with something. My vision was getting clouded. I was falling into a deep dark abyss. ***

‘Call Dr. Sharma’. Dr. Sharma to the psych ward. Dr. Sharma please come to the psych ward. *** We gave her a sedative. She tried to break out of here again.’, Nina sighed. In her 12 years of experience as a nurse, she had never seen a case like that. Her mind wouldn’t accept suicide as an option. And that obsession consumed her. Soon after, as a coping mechanism, her mind started fabricating situations of her sister’s death.’ Dr. Sharma said.‘ It is really sad. Every day I see her trying to save her sister from a killer a kidnapper, from cancer even.’‘ That is what she wants to do desperately, to save her sister. Her life stopped three years ago and the guilt of not being able to save her ate her up inside. We are trying our best with therapy and medicines but it’s almost like she doesn’t want to recover. Anyway, make sure someone is in this ward at all times and page me when she wakes up.’, Dr Sharma started to leave. As he went to check on his other patients, he couldn’t shake this case off his head. Every time she woke up, little pieces of her shattered psyche filled him with profound sadness. Her eyes wide with fear, grit and determination battled with the growing sense of finality and dread with-in her every time. And those eyes would haunt him for a long time to come. __END__

Karthik Jerome

PGDM 23

PC: Franco P Joseph

PGDM 22

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I AM THE FUTURE I always wonder why somebody didn’t do something about the garbage

on the roadside. I always wonder why somebody didn’t do something about the potholes

on the road. I always wonder why somebody didn’t do something about the poverty in

my country. I always wonder why somebody didn’t do something about corruption in

my country. I always wonder why somebody……..the list is endless.

Then I realized - I AM that SOMEBODY! There was a time in our childhood when we fantasized ourselves in any

role that fascinated us. It was a

time of innocence where our

minds were as free as the birds;

when we flew high, whatever be

the circumstances around us.

We were a pilot (the most

common), an astronaut, a

policeman, a chef, a teacher, a

doctor, a newspaper boy; we

were anyone. It was what

captivated us the most at the

time that we imagined ourselves

to be in the future. Sadly, as

time passed, we grew up, and

this innocence and imagination

got marred with the knowledge we gained and the opinions we received

from around us. Many of our dreams became too irrational for us or for the

ones around us, and almost all of us were forced to give up our dreams for

reality; rationality. “The dreamers are the saviors of the world.”, quotes James Allen, writer.

And then, here we are, either already successful or on the path to success

and comfort. Maybe thinking rationally did get us somewhere good after

all. But in the process, we all have left a lot behind – several of our dreams,

and the world outside our close-knit circles. People seem to have forgotten how to be with other people. There is more comfort in interacting with a

computer - after all it doesn’t make any demands. Technology has made us selfish and self-oriented. Where is the future in this? Yes, we have advanced technologically. Yes,

we have increased the wealth in the world. Yes, we have made our lives

better. Yes, I have made my future better. But does this make me the future? Does this make me that

“SOMEBODY”? NO. It does not. I am still that one among a billion whose childhood dreams, like several

others, were just a figment of my imagination. I am one who has followed

the path of the billion, foregoing my dreams for a rational and better future

for me and myself alone. I am one in a billion who has made no change, no

impact to my surroundings let alone the world. Then how can I be the Future?

But, I know, that deep within me, I have the potential. I know that my

dreams were not simply dreams, but are a vision for future that involves not

just me, but my family, my surroundings, my fellow countrymen and my

country. I am still young and still dynamic. I can pursue my dreams and

take everyone along with me in whatever I do. I realize that what I do today for myself will affect my future generations.

Hence, I know that what I do for my country today and my fellow

countrymen will affect the future of my country. Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity, which has led to the greatest

inventions and discoveries of today. But I would not call Sir Isaac Newton

a visionary. I draw my inspiration from Thomas Edison, whose discovery

has formed the basis of existence for mankind today. I draw my inspiration

from Mahatma Gandhi, Florence Nightingale, Martin Luther King,

Abraham Lincoln, Malala Yousafzai, Bill Gates, each of who has worked

with a vision for the future of their people or the world.

Man has moved forward in leaps and bounds, but

as I said before, leaving several behind. I see the

good things happening, and yet, I see destruction on a mass scale, destroying

what our forefathers built for us. I see the problem of substance abuse looming

large – alcohol, drug and tobacco – the curse of today and tomorrow eating into

our society. I see war and terrorism. I see murder, rape, child abuse, torture and

labour. I see racial violence, corruption, depression. The world has moved for-

ward, and yet, its people are moving backward. We live in a more comfortable

world, but one filled with greed, selfishness, and destruction.

I am just one person. What I, a single person, can do is the million dollar

question. I will just be one among the billion in this world. I seem to be

helpless, unable to create a better future by myself. This is where I look up to my visionary role-models. It was the willpower and vision of one person, Mahatma Gandhi that gained India her freedom. “Be the

change you want to see “, quoted he. It was the willpower and vision of one person, Martin Luther King that brought

out the Civil Rights Act, to ensure a better life for the black community of the

United States. “I have a dream”, quoted he. It was the willpower and vision of one person, Abraham Lincoln that freed the

United States from the bonds of slavery. “The best way to predict the future is

to create it”, quoted Abraham Lincoln. It is the willpower and vision of one person, Malala Yousufzai, which will bring

in the right to education for girls in Pakistan, and slowly to the other places

where they face discrimination. Then it will be my willpower and vision, as one person from among a billion,

will pave way for a better future for those around me. I am a youngster, full of

zest and zeal. As an Indian citizen, I see a future where the children of my

country do not suffer anymore.

I see a future, where every child gets the education he/she deserves and in the

right manner. Through them, I see a future where they live a happy and healthy

life, in peace with each other and with the nations of the world. I see a future

where these children become individuals with strong morals, and get rid of

greed and senseless beliefs. I see through them, my country rid of social evils –

poverty, corruption, rape, drugs, torture, female feticide. I see a future where

there is no difference between a Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Jain, Sikh, or

between a girl and a boy, man and woman, people. I see a clean India and a

country that will support itself, and its people by itself . For this to happen, as

Mahatma Gandhi believed, I will be the change I wish to see. And as the Chinese proverb goes, “the journey of a 1000 miles begins with the

first step”. I will take this first step in a small manner, working with the people

nearest to me, after which I will gradually spread out, working towards

changing the mindset of my countrymen and their children. I believe that life is

not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way. I will achieve my

dreams and take others with me along this journey. I am that SOMEBODY; I AM THE FUTURE; I am the change I

want to see in people. I know change is inevitable and challenging whether it is conscious or unexpected. I am too positive to be doubtful, too optimistic

to be fearful and too determined to be defeated.

I am the pioneer of the future.

Athulya Menon J. PGDM 22

Essay that won the First prize

in the intercollegiate contest

organized by MIR group. PC: Abhijeet Nair PGDM 23

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Life at SCMS

An Artistic View

Akhil Jaison

PGDM 22

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What is your Aim and Dream in life?”,

“Follow your passion” I guess this was the most frequently asked

question and advise during my student life.

From then, till now – it’s been a journey of

tides but yet it is not very clear to me what the

exact meaning of Dream, Passion, and Hope is.

With every other passing instances in life, we

try to figure out a new meaning of these words,

not mere words, but exponentially increasing

desires that keep us going. The day I graduated from SCMS, I felt I

achieved a lot. The day I joined work, I realized

I was just a face in the crowd. I have to achieve U

triple of what I thought I already

accomplished. This cycle is never-ending. But this Dream, Passion and Hope, is it only for

oneself? Only to live a luxurious life? Only to

ensure we have a car to ride and brands to

wear? Though honestly, we all look up to

these material pleasures and fight hard all our

life but I believe there are few other things

that needs our attention too. This world is no longer a very simple,

trustworthy place to live – The corruptness of

the system, atrocities of female foeticide, the shameful rape incidents, the pretentious

richness, and the fallacy of the core beliefs we

once trusted. So it’s high time we shift out

focus from only ME – to WE – to US! Look

around, try to find the small gaps that we can

fill to make life better for all of us. People say,

“Be happy in what you do”, but we say – “Do

what makes everyone around you happy”. A

healthy and a peaceful place to live in. The choice is ours. The power is ours. Let’s

contribute a new meaning to the three words

that means the world to us and to all –

Dreams… Passion...Hope…. Jayeeta Putatunda— PGDM 21 Analyst | Federal Government

US KS | Strategy, Brand & Innovation

Deloitte Support Services Pvt. Ltd.

MUSINGS FROM MEMORY LANE

At last I got a finance job..!!I was on cloud nine when I got the offer letter in hand... On my first day I went with lot of expectations...!! It was different from what I expected... My desk was full with loads and loads of files which need to be vouchered, verified and documented properly… “Nita, we need to tally and update all these files into the Accounting Software… Don't forget, we are managing accounts of three compa-nies... You need to start from square one and at least finish any 5-6 ledgers this month...!!", my boss instructed. I may be completely new to the work, but I was not tensed... I am not new to bunch of work that needs to be completed within a time scale... TIME MANAGEMENT... an act that every

SCMSian is good at...The training received during the college life in prioritizing work and finishing it off according to the time limits came as a blessing in disguise. We always felt that our life in SCMS was really very tough. Some of us were able to face it, some faltered and then got up with full en-ergy. Now, when in this competitive world we feel that life at SCMS is something that we all cherish in our memory. Within a month, I have managed to finish off more than the target given. ‘Keep it up…,

I have been trying to finish off since long time. How did you manage? The answer to this question is very evident in the quote…

“Allow your passion to become your purpose,

and it will one day become your profes-

sion.”.

Nita Raghupati– PGDM 21 Assistant to Finance Manager Direct Source Engineering, UAE PC: C.V. Vishnu Vijayan—PGDM 21 Product Trainee, Prabhu Steels

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Tomorrow is like a puzzle for me…dreaming and coping with

the reality is the truth. The late night preparations, stress

management, time management and people management are the

fabulous gifts I got from SCMS which helped me succeed as the

first and only lady Chanel Sales Manager in my company which

will always remain as my reputation. Anusha A.S., PGDM 21 Channel Sales Manager, Tata Teleservices

“Hope...dream…and passion…What

comes to your mind?”

When posed with this question, this is

how few alumni responded.

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Gone are those days when kids were happy to play with toys, a slate and chalk to scribble numbers, alphabets and show up their most creative arts. We are now in the elec-tronic era where technology has taken its stand with kids now using iPads, tabs and smart phones to read, write and play.

Along with the technological development, the mindset, thought process, imagination of kids has grown immensely to a larger extent. They are so focused at a very young age and have started dreaming about where they want to be seen themselves in the next 10-15 years. A strong passion burning inside them drives them to work hard to follow their dreams and make it a reality.

Hope, which is built internally inside every mind is another factor that's giving them the extra push towards their success in every phase of life.

Samuel John, PGDM 21

Relationship Manager, Asian Paints

All great things begin with a small dream. Passion & Perseverance

makes the caterpillar to fly one day with beautiful color!

The above metaphor is actually how I am right now, living my

dream. My friends & well-wishers always asked me how it is possible for someone who has studied science for these long years to

pursue a career in Management. The dream I had made me strive

hard to fulfill it in the past and in the present also. My job at

Medgenome, the No.1 Genomics solution provider in India is a

perfect place I found where my passion met with career. A career

where I am able to apply my medical knowledge as well as my

marketing & management skills to achieve success! And all these

happened because I followed my heart.

Dr. Deepak Prabhakar, PGDM 21

Business Development Manager, Medgenome

2Years of SCMS would be cherished throughout my life. The last

minute IMLP, assignment submission, management fest, presenta-

tion, test and so on... Relativity of impact on oneself can be meas-

ured only when we face the outside world, the so-called corporate world. Today, I enjoy doing a presentation in office. Though it was

not a cakewalk, felt the pressure and stress. But perseverance ena-

bled me to buckle up under pressure in SCMS .Made some best

friends in life which wouldn't have been possible if it was not resi-

dential college. 2 years post SCMS I can say I am living my

dreams. Financial Analyst in Chief Investment Office of JP Morgan

is definitely more than a dream for me. I would like to thank all the

faculty members who have helped me in streamlining my energy

and strive for success.

AOUF P.A.-PGDM 20

Financial Analyst, Chief Investment Office -JP Morgan

‘Live it KING size!’ was told to me as soon as I stepped into my team at Suyati – the Sales and Marketing. I was all too ecstatic to prove to the world that I was a girl of substance, and oh-yes, was I ready!!

SCMS threw me into every opportunity that I could have ever hoped for (be it clubs, events, dances, teacher-student interactions, III's) and this family just pruned me right! I wasn’t the brightest or the best raw material the college got and neither did I possess super-natural skills. I was ordinary, but enthusiastic and ready. I scrambled, fell , cried and had my failures, but the best part was that, when I picked myself up , I was cheered by this extraordinary family of teachers. As for me, Suyati has been an absolute dream and trust me, every bit of my foundation was laid right from the 2 years at SCMS!

Evita Liz Eldhose—PGDM 21

Staffing (US), Marketing and Strategic Partnerships

Suyati Technologies

If you have good faith and a strong desire you can achieve it…

this is a lesson that SCMS taught me. In the first few days at

SCMS, I thought I would not be able to survive there. But I had

a wish, that when I complete my journey at SCMS, I should see

a smile on my parents face. And that wish, that desire helped

me face all the hardships. The day I saw my seniors (batch 20)

for their convocation and their parents feeling proud of their

children, taking photos and hugging them, my desire got

stronger. Each day in SCMS was to achieve this desire of mine.

And I could make my parents happier than I thought on the day

of convocation, by being the topper of B&I specialization

stream. Now, when I see anyone struggling I tell them, you can

do it…it’s just the matter of perseverance. This lesson that

SCMS taught me has always helped me grow.

Neelima Maria John– PGDM 21

Associate Consultant- Immigration Services

Fragomen Global Immigration Services India (P) Ltd.

PC : Ananthu Balachandran, PGDM 21 Assistant Director

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When I passed out from SCMS, I had a clear idea about

which career is apt for me. I knew that a corporate job was

not my cup of tea. So I decided to follow my passion - film

making. Then I worked as an assistant director of a Mal-

ayalam movie. Now, I'm working on a script for an up-

coming Malayalam movie. I'm so happy to say that I'm do-

ing what I like the most and I'm living my dream!!!

So, if you are passionate about something, just be focused

and work hard to achieve it. You may have to face many

challenges. People may tease you, call you mad, your

friends or relatives may force you to divert from your

passion and follow what they say. But do what your mind

says. Living your dream is the most wonderful feeling in the

world!!! "IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DO IT!!!”

Sarath R. Nath, PGDM 20

Assistant Director/Writer

PC: Vineed Vijay, PGDM 21

Executive HR Operations, Allianz Cornhill

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Athulya Menon J. Midhun Sekhar R.K. Franco P. Joseph Subash T. K. Gayathri Krishnan M.

Published and designed by the students of SCMS Cochin School of Business. Printed at Maptho Printings, Kalamassery. For private circulation only.

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