JOURNEY IN SATYAM

My fear (of getting site work) won at last and I was in Hyderabad with a lot of dreams on 1st July, 2008. 3rd July was the joining date of Satyam but they made it reporting date to save the salary of four days. The whole day we filled some forms and watched some tedious videos. Then on 5th we had a tough test. I couldn’t understand the purpose of that test at yet except keeping us disconsolate for some days as hardly anyone got more than 60% overall. Our actual joining date was 7th July and that day we had an induction program. The whole day, we listened some speeches, maximum of them were damn tedious and watched some videos. I liked Brig’s speech very much. Next day was again dedicated to these speeches and videos and we were separated into two groups. Some were in Microsoft (development team) and others were in QEdge (testing team). I was in QEdge team, I don’t know it was my good luck or bad luck as maximum of us (in both team) are still waiting for work and not happy with Satyam.

9th July was the starting date of our first phase training, which was really very stressful. During 1st phase, we had a hectic official schedule of 9 am to 6.30 pm (unofficially it was 9 to 9 or sometimes till 12 at night) with a lots of OLAs and case studies. The scariest stuff was OLAs (online assessments) during the training as most of us got LOC (letter of caution) which was awarded for less than 65% marks in any assessment. In the first OLA 30 out of 38 got less then 70% (passing marks) which was the main reason behind making OLAs scary, also there was some problem in assessment tool too. The one more reason to dislike OLAs was…. they ruined many of our Sundays. Second phase was little bit relaxed with less assessments and contented timings (schedule). Overall training was full of motivating speeches, with very common statements like

> You are very lucky to get such type of training…..
> Your batch is special batch as you are from PPP colleges (meaning of PPP is a mystery for us at yet)….
> QEdge is not bad at all (or don’t think Microsoft is better than QEdge)…
> You all will get project soon after a successful training, there will be no bench period for you……bla bla bla………….

Also there were some speeches from our senior leaders stating “you have to work hard….if you will not get more than 70%, you will be fired…………minimum 2% of you will be out from here for sure“. I don’t know whether these speeches were to encourage us or to douse us.


One more interesting thing about training was that we did not know when the training will be finished...even our RM did not know that. Firstly it was scheduled up to September end, and then it was extended to 13th October.

After the successful training, we all reported to “My Home Hub” building. It was really hard to find our reporting place first day due to improper communication between RMs. After roaming around here and there for two hours, we found the proper place. We were expecting projects, but we did not get even bench as there was no system allocated to us. Then the worst thing of professional life happened with us… there was a great struggle for chairs to sit. Somehow we managed with the limited chairs (almost half in numbers than our batch strength) with mutual understanding. The dark room helped us a lot as we could sit on floor without being noticed and pass our time by playing DumbC. After 10-15 days, some guys were allocated to different locations and chair-struggle ended but one struggle was there always, till we all allocated to somewhere, how to pass the time. On 7th Jan, the day of Satyam’s fall, I was allocated in Cisco, but till now, I am waiting for some work (except 2-3 days, I did not have any work here).

Now it’s really hard to keep the tears inside when I look back at my decision of choosing Satyam at the cost of Reliance Energy. Some questions arise in front of me again and again….whether your decision was right….whether you preferred a better professional life….you are worried about your carrier like a jobless person……are u really living a professional life. Sometimes these questions laugh at me but I can not do anything except crying. I never expected that one wrong decision will change my life so much and to this extent….. :-(
I think, that decision was……….…THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE

last long holidays

It was 18th May, 2008. I was at home for enjoying last long holidays. These holidays were something special for me as, I knew that I will not be at home for such a long period in future unless I lose my job. First one month passed smoothly. Suddenly I got a call from Satyam with an announcement of joining date as 3rd July. I used “Suddenly” because I was not expecting that as market condition was not too good that time. I was perturbed with some thoughts like…how will be my professional life…whether I will get such good friends (like college friends) there…and the most important…what should I choose as my future company as I was having two options….

Satyam, a software giant, package 3.5 lakh per annum…1st company which showed faith in me…which gave me a lot of confidence…but...2 lakh bond of two years (means if I want to leave company before 2 years, I have to pay 2 lakh rupees)…. also there will be no use of my four years of engineering…. OR

Reliance Energy… new in market but impressive growth…a huge package of 4.5 lakh (in hand package) and 5.5 lakh after one year of training….also I will use my four years of engineering there…but I can get field work which is really tough to handle….specially for me…:P


It was 25th June. I was in market for shopping and I got a call again but this time Reliance Energy was on the other side stating “Your medical is clear…..Welcome to Reliance Group.”
I was in great dilemma….What to do… it was the last day to make a final decision (tatkal quota was starting next day to book a ticket for hyderabad to join satyam).…..almost everyone wanted me to join Reliance Energy...my four years of engineering was in favour of reliance ....also the huge package was pushing me towards Reliance …but the fear of getting site work was fighting against them with its full strength and my ethics was fully supporting that fear…ethics towards Satyam…a company which gave me a lot of confidence during my tough time.
That day, I went to bed much earlier than other days, but these thoughts were against my sleep. I don’t remember when I slept. Next day, at 7 am, I woke up with my mom’s statement ..”beta, reservation karana hai to uth ja” (leave the bed if u want to reserve the seat in train) ………..and
“AT 8 AM, I WAS AT THE RESERVATION WINDOW TO BOOK THE TICKET FOR HYDERABAD”

LAST YEAR IN COLLEGE………….

It was 22nd July 2007, one day before the starting of last year (7th semester), as usual a xeric sunny day. I was in my room, preparing for another interview (this time company was L&T) and waiting for power so that the fan can at least lessen the effect of the too hot weather. (Electricity was the most frustrating stuff in my college life, I don’t remember any day with even 16 hours power facility, sometimes power cut was for continuous 2-3 days.) Suddenly some of my friends came in my room, lifted me, and told me about my placement in Satyam after giving a lot of bumps. I did not believe that till I got confirmation from HR, as my interview was not too good. Even during the interview, HR told me “Work on your English”. I lost my hope at that moment as fluency in English is most important in software field. I don’t know why I got placed, whatever, It was the happiest day of my life. I was too much frustrated before that as I was trying my luck in 7th company also my success graph was downward. In first company, I was out in last step of placement procedure, then in second last step in second company,……,and in IBM in written itself(1st step). So this placement gave too much relax to me. I did not give interview of L&T and went home for 1 month. That was great visit as I was at home after one and half year and with one job offer. I missed lots of companies during that period. Then Reliance Energy came in college for placement with a huge package. Almost every one was having at least one placement till then and those, who were not having, were not eligible for the company, so I decided to try my luck again. Written was too tough, so almost all the answers were wild guess, but by luck, I secured good marks in written. Group discussion round was so-so type. After that my interview was at 1 am. Believe me, that was the worst interview of my life. I couldn’t answer properly for even one question. But again unexpected result came out at 3.15 am and now I was having two offers. Perhaps my CGPA worked there. There was no limit of my ecstasy. That day ….. Sorry ….that night, there was a long alcoholic party, and I had first peg of my life. That was almost end of 7th semester. Last semester (8th) was too relaxed with No classes, Some protests from juniors for electricity, water and security in college campus and Lot of parties. And then finally it was 16th May 2008, when I left my college with lots of memories in my mind. I don’t know whether I was happy or sad. There was an ecstasy of leaving the student life which doesn’t have proper food and home’s love in its account, an ecstasy of leaving the college which doesn’t have proper facility of water, electricity and security of student, and perhaps an ecstasy of getting new life with lots of money. But there was an anguish of leaving friends, with whom I spent four years of college life, who were with me in every difficulty and in every joy, with whom college was the another family and another home for me…anguish of leaving lots of junior cum friends… and perhaps an anguish of losing those MASTI days of college life…………
AND I THINK THAT THE PAIN WAS DANCING OVER THE ECSTASY THAT DAY …………………….