Dipta Kriti looks at the Batch of ’99

The last year has been traumatic, exhilarating, revealing, happening and also sobering! In the offices of Nariman Point, in the factories of Kxxxx, in the bottling plants of Nxxxx, in the lawns of Brickettwood, in the markets of Bilaspur - we have braved militant trade union leaders, recalcitrant distributors, ghoulish bosses... and even IIMCians - in what has been, for most of us, our first jobs.

But frankly guys, what did we do to change the face of the earth? We didn't get into Mac. We didn't win the XLIIMC. Our photos did not appear in the Business Today. And worst of all, our Placecomm secy did not have a mobile phone! (He had a guitar instead!) But then, ours was not a batch to be featured in India Business Week. We are likelier candidates for Movers and Shakers. Whether as guest, host or band-member is anybody's guess!

We did not change ourselves or XL to be at the top of the world. We got the world to change to suit us... for better or for worse. So, Onida sales bosses have a number in their mobiles stored under the nickname of "Chief". An FMS guy in Pepsi declares he is going to "frax" today. An IIMC girl feels that her boss is a "chussu". And of course, Andersen consultants from the world over chant "1.2.3.4..."

The temptation is great to point out Hrithik Roshan led a procession of cloaked-and-caped, candle-bearing monks (?) before he performed the climax of his debut film! And that Ria Banerjee of "Phir Bhi Dil... " reminds her viewers time and again that everything happen "Just Like That"! But then, we are not charging royalty out here.

However, for all our earth-shattering endeavors, we haven't escaped unscathed either. We will never be able to watch a Sri Lankan boundary without cursing SG. Whenever our comp hangs, we will have this overpowering urge to holler "SOCRRRRAAAAATEEESSSS". We will never taste egg bhurji better than Bishu's. After the Bombay junta asked for a pack of cigarettes from Dadu's for their New Year's party, I realized that even Gold Flake tasted better here!

Connoisseurs have confided that Old Monk in a plastic glass tastes better than Bacardi in a crystal tumbler. And the best discos in the country have not yet matched the sound quality of "Hotel California" that came from the stereos of Indra Sound.

As they say, grass is always greener on the other side... of the JLT.

Author: Dipta Kriti, 1999