Champoo Weds Champi

The poem below was written on 5th May 2007 (way before I was married - 11th De 2008). Champoo - iDream series hold true in making the dreams come true as it offers some striking similarities with the reality.

Champoo weds Champi

----everyone's invited

I saw a lovely damsel on a bright Navratri night,
She was gorgeously clad in green and me in white;
Awestruck by her charm, I set her by my sight,
Dancing together, soon we hopped in the limelight.

Not much after, we were in for a ride together,
The relation grew stronger & bloomed in all weather;
Excelling the ambitions simply added one more feather,
And finally, I gave her an Onion ring & we decided upon being together.

The zeal to be united completely preoccupied my mind,
With little efforts, loving parents were unexpectedly kind;
That’s how Champoo and Champi got an affirmative nod to bind,
As many as 7 distinct functions were one after another, lined.

A Grandiloquent Wedding was pretty much on the card(s),
Picking up a feasible date was a task hardest of hard;
Everything was fixed but D-day was tough to guard,
Shhhhh…Our unison would only take a few more yard(s).

Invitations with cruise tickets were sent to the guest(s),
To be a part of and bestow their presence in our gala fest;
A 3-piece white suite & the accessories made me look the best,
And she adorned the whitest of gown which made my girl stood out of the rest.

A narrow aisle led to the central triangular podium of stone,
Fleet of ships and jovial dolphins around made me lose my tone;
So tempting was the towering fresh orange cake upon a cone,
Above all, symphonies of guitar and accordions mesmerized my melody bone.

There came the diamond studded platinum ring and a moment of bliss,
We birdies were finally set free as we immersed in a kiss;
We took off in a silver copter with red & white balloons, saying cheese,
I took her to our new home, a ranch, which she always wished.

...And that was just the initiation of loads of smile and laughter,
That continued forever as they lived happily ever after;
That’s the way Champoo and Champi wishes to marry,
And he wants each and all of you to be there & make merry.

Note: No cash or gifts! All we require is your augustine presence and generous blessings. Thank you.

Champoo meets Raju!

Note: The blog was written while we, the employees of Satyam Computers looked upon Ramalinga Raju as their role model and highly respected him.

Champoo meets Raju!

If that’s misinterpreted as Champak Chowksi meets Raju Guide (my another wierd travel blog by that name) then that's indeed heights of extreme misinterpretation because one lives in the world of dreams while other brings out the reality. But this time this Raju will definitely cause a stir outclassing Champoo in his own arena. While Champoo wishes to be a self-made entrepreneur like him, he met him in his dreams. Born on 16th September 1954 to a family managing agribusiness, pursued B.Com from Andhra Loyola College, Vijaywada, an MBA from Ohio University with an owner/president course at Harvard, this astute visionary fuelled with ideas foresaw the IT trend and what he set up(with mere 20 employees) thereafter is indeed a success story. Yes, he’s none other then Mr. Ramalinga Raju Byraju, the founder and Chairman of Satyam (named after his father Satyanarayan) Computer Services Ltd. incorporated in 1987.

While Champoo was once asked in one of the competitive exams, during college, about the head of Satyam, pretty ignorant of the corporate battlefield he said C. Rangarajan, the then governor of RBI and aptly he didn’t get through the exam. Exactly a year after, he was somehow closely related to Ramalinga Raju. It was pretty tough to follow this media-shy person but it paid rich dividends not only by the appreciation of Satyam stocks but a personal encounter with him as well-a dreamy affair although. Before this dream, he had an opportunity to witness him grabbing Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Services award-1999 and Dataquest IT man of the Year-2000.

Few years from now in 2020, it was a Business awards ceremony at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where Champoo was to be felicitated for his achievements. To his astonishment, while his name was announced for the Asia Business Leader-2020, he was presented by none other than Asia Business Leader-2002 himself, that’s Raju of the Satyam family. After the awards, while having business lunch together, Champoo had a chance to glide in a conversation on Raju’s journey in building the IT Empire, future ventures and family expedition. Raju shared his experience by gifting him a personal copy of his autobiography signed by him on Champoo’s demand. On being asked about how he feels being the IT giant (with revenues multiplying 20th fold and employee base increasing by half a lac annually) of the globe and richest man ever, he simply said setting up a goal (North Star) made Satyam achieve and distributing and sharing his wealth only multiplied his assets. For him money is simply the by-product of one’s efforts. Besides being far above his peers, he was pretty modest discussing his forays in to FMCG, Infrastructure and Financial ventures and the way he managed to survive the Rupee appreciation in Dollar-dependent business. He implemented in Rupee dealings rather than Dollars for that. Meanwhile, he also encouraged contributing to the society, less privileged people and the soil that brought him up.

If two was a build-up, four is a business. Soon after lunch they were joined by the management of MAYTAS, an infrastructure and property business managed by Teja B. Raju, a Carnegie Melon alumni and youngest entrepreneur to meet Prez Bush, who holds Maytas Infrastructure arm and Rama B. Raju who controls Maytas Properties. They too were here to receive awards in respective categories and the public listing of their company in Malaysia (will be among market toppers in 2020). Soon Champoo proposed for a collaborative effort in few endeavors. While they were about to make tracks (depart), Champoo was enriched by few more facts like ‘Satyam’ and Satyamite were officially coined as a word in English Dictionary which stood for Satyam-Truth and Transformation of a company on its values and Satyamite-for the mighty workforce (like dynamite). “Satyamway” was adopted as a case study by various B-schools and practiced by several organizations. Byraju foundation carved a niche worldwide for its efforts and contribution and others followed its footsteps as well. And lastly the Blogging portal (commercial by then) https://blogs.satyam.com, taking over the biggies in the business, handling millions of quality posts on hourly basis.

Disclaimer: The information conveyed over here is partially based on the facts and partially imagination driven. I’ve taken the facts like education, family background and few other things of Mr. Ramalinga Raju through various sources and the future statements made are solely driven by my thoughts. It may or may not occur the same way as per my dream but in no way its written to hamper the credentials or policies of the organization.

Champoo-Salary hike, dReAM partially shattered

Champoo-Salary hike, dReAM partially shattered

Unexpected for Champoo to be back so soon but definitely not unfair. One of his dreams got shattered and he wished to seek some clarifications and justifications on the revised salary structure on the basis of recent pay-hike his company offered.

Champoo had a childhood friend named Chintoo. They both grew up wearing same nappies, sharing same cereal bowl and shitting in the same pot. They went to same school, eating peanuts on the same desk, setting their eyes on the same girl and even their marksheets read same numbers. Now it was time to join the college. Though both of them got the same grades, Champoo preferred a distant upcoming college situated at an isolated place charging moderate fees while Chintoo who was born with a silver spoon took admission in rather established college with ample of funds and a name in market.

Not only they both opted for same kind of course but both of them excelled equally well in academics and extracurricular activities. Both played fairly active part in organizing as well as taking part in their college's annual festivals may it be cultural or technical. They did their final year's project at same place as well. Champoo got it on merits while Chintoo got it through Jack since Champoo stood out from rest by being a topper while Chintoo too was among the toppers but due to fierce competition with his college mates he missed out the meritorious place by a whisker.
Finally both completed their graduation with equally flying colors. Now it was time for campus placements. Since Chintoo's college was well established and had a reputed name, various companies flourished and queued up for the pickings. Though Chintoo couldn't make it in the initial big companies, he finally ended up making it to one of the big companies. On the other side, very few companies use to approach Champoo's college and while this company was the biggest of all the companies to visit his college and he made it pretty smoothly.

Both were very happy that they'll be together working for a pretty good organization, good market capital, boasting of pretty rich HR policies and equality of all working associates above caste, gender and background. Days passed by and while champoo was pretty much hitting bull's eye and delivering timely commitments and equally efficient efforts, Chintoo too made conscious efforts to take himself and his company to next level.

Finally the Annual appraisal was triggered and while Chintoo was happy to receive a 45% hike, Champoo who strived equally hard during the year was disappointed to receive simply 22% of raise. While he seeked some justification on the matter, he was told that this appraisal system was followed on the basis of the college background one had. Associates from the top 50 colleges deserved higher hike then their respective counterparts irrespective of the efforts they put in and the productivity they generated.

Consequences:
Champoo and many like him are highly disappointed and demotivated. Moreover he blames his luck not to be in a particular college and among the domain of his choice which provided better wages. What if someone’s college wasn’t in top 50 when he joined and is now featuring in the top50 list and what if someone’s college isn’t in top 50 now while it was few years back? And who’s to decide among the 5Rs. /Kg of surveys. Where’s transparency?

Chintoo is pretty much happy and satisfied with his scenario and so he's continuing with the same schedule he followed. But there are few of his college mates who used to be ideal and even they follow the same schedule as of now.

The casualties are in hope that the performance appraisal might bring back the equality uncarved among the associates.

There has been severe storm against the Company's HR policies which one 'dictated' Associates Delight and Equality. Fingers are being raised on high Attrition rate as well which once boasted of

Whom, Where and How to seek clarification for the innocent souls being made a scapegoat.

Champoo goes onsite...

Champoo goes onsite!!!

...As we all know that Champoo is pretty normal software engineer (thats pretty abnormal) engaged with a small firm (And you thought $2b is big!), he hardly does or is allowed to do anything big over there. He has been pretty bulky this days although chewed nails doesn't contribute to fats nor the lame cafeteria food do wonders in providing him extra pounds. His mantra is "Work fascinates him, he can keep staring at it for hours." and one day his extra and consistent efforts paid him rich dividends.

That was the 4th day of the week and his PM had already finished his quota of 1smile per week and so when he called Champoo, he was a bit shaken but he limped his way through the big boss's cabin. He wondered what he did during this week that would have upsetted his PM. But neither he got noticed socializing on Chirkut.com nor he spoke anything humorous that his PM overheard and above all he ddn't pick his nose in the weekly meetings. And it almost proved fatal for him when the PM handed him a letter (the gum he chewed almost stuck up between the jaws as he wondered how will he manage to get coffee 3-times a day). But later on reading he wished to jump with joy which might have prompted him to take back the letter but he managed a wicked smile and took off for celebrations.

It was his onsite project to U.K. approval letter and he'd to pack bags in a day. Promising lots of chocolates and wonderful pics he took off in British Airways. Although far from the office and amidst beautiful hostesses, and holding a glass of smooth whisky, the gentleman(who was wearing a blazer, tie and brown shoes 'without socks') besides him reminded him of having a cup of coffee with his PM in the office. After landing, little did he knew that the photographs he clicked of 'Hummer', was the one which was suppose to take him to his destination.

The Spa's and Jacuzzi in The Ritz hardly impressed him since he hardly takes bath but he was pretty awestruck by getting a glimpse of beauties by the pool gave him the feel of The Flintstones and Adam & Eve era (Few girls getting tanned seemed to be of the genre before that). Next morning the chauffered Lamborgini waited for him at the reception to take him to his office at Canary Wharf area which is full of towering skyscrapers and glassy landscapes. Cladded in his Versace suit and Tag accessories he entered his office premises carrying a Macbook and i-phone. Entire day, all he did was picking up the telephone receiver and checking out various secretaries, trying all sorts of chocs and beverages available in the refrigerator and farting freely in his 10" by 12" isolated cabin. Hmm pretty relaxing!!!

It was time to call it a day and have a glimpse of London. Mohd. Al Fayed's 'Harrods' mall (later seemed a journey from 'birth to death' of needs and luxuries to me) was on the priority list. He entered the gate which provided nappies, baby food and bath accessories, dissected the frozen food, snake skin purses, luxurious perfumes and apparel section and ended up towards a pets section and Diana-Dodi memorial. Mind suggested to grab a Guiness beer and try out on prawns and sushi. Then Champoo stood by 0 degree longitude-centre of the world, on top of london eye, a date with angelina at Madame Tussaud's and getting freezed at -8degrees at Absolute Ice Bar.

Finally after 3 months of such rigorous hardships, it was time to bid farewell to London. Champoo's boss was thoroughly impressed by his work and was willing to talk to his PM to let Champoo take up another project over there. There was champagne and pastries all around and while the 5000 some crowd gathered to celebrate Champoo's success, the higher authorities appalauded and gave him a 'PAT on Back'. He was feeling high, very high, above cloud 9. But with time, the momentum was picking up and he was feeling some vicious force thrusting him. The Pats were getting transformed into Punches.

Champoo's eyes opened as his hand slipped of the chair's support propelling his face downwards. And before he could realize anything, the P.M. standing by his back (giving POBs) handed him a letter and while he thought that day-dreams may be reality, it was a MEMO issued for recklessness and hampering productivity at work.

"The fastest way to make your dreams come true is to Wake-up and as soon as you wake up you need to dream a lot to succeed and so get back to sleep and dream."...lol

In fact, Try to get what u like else u'll be forced to like what u get.