The Year That 2015 Was...

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2015 saw immense emotional growth in me. I found my strengths and held onto them tight- discovered many-a-things about myself. I grew more than a bit at an intellectual level too. There was parting and meeting with family and friends, a bit of homesickness too, but with a lifetime of experiences.

Infosys, Mysore- Looks Greek, doesn't it?
I got my call letter from Infosys in April, 2015. I was to join the Infosys training institute at Mysore- World’s largest corporate training institute, on 24th May, 2015. Luckily I got one of my college besties as my roomie. And the awesome journey began. The place itself was enough to give you the feel good vibes- beautiful green campus, picturesque lake, world class architecture, and delicious food at the food courts. It was the best thing that happened in my life since years. The place itself would make you feel grateful and privileged to be there. It was as if ‘mundane’ didn’t exist there. Only your own adventure did. I was surrounded with a whole new world, trainees from almost every Indian state, from USA and China- a cauldron of cultures- a lot to learn from, a lot to experience. Till now I have not yet attempted to put the experience of those four months to words. I can’t. It is too overwhelming and huge. I can’t do it justice. Imagine you’re going to Hogwarts and spending four months there. Yes, it’s that kind of feeling. That ‘once in a lifetime’ kind of feeling. And believe me, in India, Infosys Mysore is Hogwarts indeed.

Another scenic background..
The great fountain-show on Saturday evenings and the ‘This is my Infy’ anthem is enough to overwhelm your senses. They literally make your heart soar. If that’s not enough, the music festivals, the DJ nights, the cultural events will make you swoon. Imagine an amphitheatre full of thousands of trainees and the evening breeze flowing, amidst tall green trees. The crowd swaying heads to a single tune, the music that permeates your soul and urges you to dance – and a voice that appears from nowhere in your head and tells you- ‘Come on, live your life’. That is one of my favorite memories of Mysore. Believe me or not, the atmosphere and aura is so addictive, even rain can’t make you get up and run for cover. I remember us holding umbrellas and enjoying the fashion shows and band performances while a few gladly got wet in the drizzle. Running to the multiplex every Saturday and Sunday mornings for movies was fun too. I loved the multiplex. I miss it so much. ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ and ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ are two of the best movies I had the chance to watch there. Weekend escapades to Mysore city or Bangalore are so memorable. It felt we have finally grown up. It was like a dream that lasted four months. Well not everything’s that rosy- we had the toughest training program, a total of seven exams to pass.

Namdroling Monastery on the way to Coorg

That is not all- I made some new friends too- I can’t really say they’re lifelong ones but yes they played a great part in making the journey a memorable one. The trip to Coorg was the best- my first such a trip with friends. River rafting- the most thrilling experience of my life!! And yes, Ziplining too. My sister boomerangs a jealous taunt in my direction now-a-days whenever I reminiscence those moments-‘How did you ever get so brave?’ and I just laugh in response. The easily scared person that I am, I owe it all to my friends. They literally dragged me to it. Imagine the thrill of three big rapids, screaming your lungs out, the fear and the excitement- that ‘heart in your mouth’ kind of experience. And then when the water is calm, you sit back and feel life flood inside you- enjoy the scenic beauty, all the green trees and wish- ‘May this moment last forever’- overwhelmed and teary eyed.


For 2016, I’m planning to include a vacation in my daily life. ‘Laughter is the best vacation.’- they say. Why not create your own version of vacation in daily life? Thanks to an article I read in Times Life, I am going to do exactly that, so that the moment shall indeed last forever. Next, I’m going to explore my city, Bhubaneswar, a bit every week and fall in love with it.



Happy New Year!!

I’m sharing my #TalesOf2015 with BlogAdda.

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Queeristan by Parmesh Sahani

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  Queeristan (Amazon Link) Thanks to Audible Free Trial I listened to this amazing non-fiction on LGBTQ inclusion in Indian workplaces. Author Parmesh Sahani identifies as gay Indian, working closely with Godrej higher management and employees for years to create an inclusive workplace, both legally and in spirit. This book is a result of those years of experience, research, collaboration with individuals from difference spectrum of the society and organizations who has successfully transitioned into a queer friendly one.   Indian history is inclusive. From the Khajuraho temple architectures, to Konark to the Rig Veda, there is existing proofs even 2000 years ago of Indian inclusiveness of queer. It’s the draconian British law that criminalised it, which was scraped in 2009, came into effect once again following a sad judgement in 2013 and eventually was scraped off for good in 2018. I am in awe of the lawyers who fought this legal battle- colleagues and partners – Arundh...
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