Letter to a Mentor

"You are such a glorious bundle of positive energy that negativity I’m sure is petrified of approaching you. Someday I wish to succeed in my attempts to possess such unabashed positive attitude that makes the whole cosmos work in my favour.

I was amazed to notice that everyone I’d interacted with in the banking world (London/India) seemed to either know you personally or at the very least to have heard of you! It was truly my good fortune to have had you as my very first boss – the best mentor I’ve had!

Last two years were quite challenging for me. I was out of my comfort zone trying to balance academics, job hunt, networking and leaving behind a legacy for other students Handling the cultural diversity was overwhelming at times but it widened my perception of the world. As I approached end of term, my internships happened – one in banking and one in a hedge (credit) fund. I saw all around me how difficult it was to crack London’s job market especially under the finance umbrella.

I was contemplating on whether my decision to move to London for a break was a wise one, particularly since I felt completely uprooted from my ecosystem. Also, moving away from banking (supposedly a ‘known-devil’) was quite unsettling. After MiF @ LBS and my brief stint at LNG Capital I realized that any change in career path had to happen now, else was not likely to happen anytime in the near future.

Throughout the phase of constant mental turbulence you gave me the right guidance advising me to give London a chance with a view to later moving back to home ground at senior roles. Today while writing this small note to you, I’ve managed four offers (a 100% conversion) in just under two months, of course you know the one I finally chose. When I close my eyes and think about what played a major role in my excellence & success at LBS, without second thoughts I know it was your faith in me (apart from of course God’s grace; atheists kindly excuse the reference!).

I hope to continuously  grow & succeed under your guidance and best wishes. You are testimony to something I’ve always suspected – that no amount of qualifications can ever catch up with experience & wisdom. I will always look up to you with respect & admiration for all your achievements and accomplishments – you truly are an inspiration!”

Bear-Hug Cravings!

There used to be a phase in my life when I was inseparable from a Teddy bear that my mom got me from London (1989) and a Racoon that my mom got me from Singapore (1992).

People at home used to generally be on the lookout for the teddy bear and/or racoon. Why? Because, while in desperate pursuit of me, there was a joyous moment in spotting these creatures, as it would mean grabbing me in a matter of seconds.

I blame it all on these extensions of me for getting me caught for all my mischief. Despite being clear to hide myself, I used to be extremely generous in displaying my cuddly companions which used to invariably get me caught. Very comfortably seated right in the middle, under the bed, I used to be in my own wonderland. Except, in  momentary excitement the tail of the racoon usually somehow managed to give a peek to the outside world.

Oh crap! Is that my mom's face staring into me? Oops, is she getting closer to me? I bury my face in the palms of both hands and fervently hope that would miraculously make me invisible. Stupid (yet, cute) kid! A hand reaches for me under the bed and rests on my ears. Ouch! She drags me from under the bed by my ears; hugs me, smothers me in kisses and now comes the rough part, which is quite petrifying for the kid in me - I'm instructed to diligently gulp down my milk. YUCK! I hated it - bournvita / complan / horlicks / plain milk. But the bear hug and kisses from my mom made me turn to pulp. I swiftly used to order my taste buds to take a walk and down the whole crap! To this day, whenever I see people gulping down milk, my facial expression turns to one of revulsion as though on autopilot. Milk in coffee and tea is great, otherwise nothing has changed.

I miss my teddy bear and racoon as well as their bear-hugs so much! More so in London than ever before.