Thanks a Ton!!!

I feel tired, exhausted, worn out and whatever else you could associate with a state of mind where you just want to sit all day reminiscing with a sense of nostalgia at all good things past. January 15th had to arrive one day and even though I had been looking forward to the weekend with considerable eagerness for over a year, I couldn't help but feel that pang of disappointment when it finally came and went.

Opulence 2007 was the result of a year's work and though that might sound immodest, it was precisely a year back that Mr. Con (Vik) called me into his room and introduced me to two handsome hunks- Mr. Cool (Ash) and Mr. Smart ( Ravs). For a second, I was left wondering whether there was an audition of some sort taking place and it left me flabbergasted when I was told that Mr. Cool and Mr. Smart would be part of the core team for Opulence 2007. Here were two guys, admittedly handsome, but what were they doing in a fest core committee? Two guys who were not necessarily amongst the spotlight in IT (my skewed viewpoint about things) and whom I didn't even know inspite of having worked together in the last edition.

I have had no illusions since that second.


Mr. Smart has intrigued me right from Day One. Here, I thought was a brain to be picked with just the right mix of pragmatism and vision for a none too flamboyant person like me. Here was somebody in whom I could see a bit of myself. Searching for an identity initially, Ravs left me stumped with his observations, insights and plans ....His professionalism and efficiency was unmatched at any point of time throughout the whole team and his handling of resources (something I think of as one of my few strengths) was exemplary. His schedules were the only ones that were adhered to during the entire period and towards the end his dedication, single-mindedness and commitment to meet deadlines was something to be wondered at. He sometimes frustrated you with an inhuman stoniness once a marketing deal was clinched or a celeb was confirmed but talk of girls...and entertainment....there was that all too familiar blush and energy. Opulence, I believe took the greatest toll on him for towards the end you could see him giving it his all with his mind wandering somewhere else ( I wonder...). Mr. Smart grew in stature the most during Opulence. His confidence in testing unchartered waters was striking but he never seemed to lose focus about his career and the larger picture throughout. His sense of helplessness towards the end at some very lethargic work being done by those under him was something that only amused me. Maybe, he could get involved in the dynamics of the rest of the team but Mr. Smart, I believe is very versatile and fairly talented and I wouldn't be surprised if our courses meet.


Now talk of commitment, work ethic and sacrifice, Mr. Cool would win any contest hands down. From marketing co-ordinator to celebrities, logistics to hospitality and anything else that would make anybody despair, Mr. Cool was there for you. The thing that stood out about Ash was the extravagance, pomp and fun that he brought to the table with anything that he did. Over the course of a year, I can not recall Ash losing his cool. Yes, there were the occasional "F*** Yaar"s but they were outnumbered comprehensively by the "Mast Kaam"s and "Phodu Bandha" s. I have been trying hard to convince him that he could make a great entertainer with the general poise and panache that he possesses. I felt sorry for Ash towards the end for he had put in his all for a year and he had been forced to put in more during the three days which mattered. If anybody deserved to take the first row during the Kakar workshop with feet up and at the end of it all say "Kya Phodu Bandha Hai Yaar", it was Mr. Ash. But true to form, he would be at the station or the airport awaiting some team or celebrity without any sense of time. If I were to be asked about Mr. Ash, doing what he enjoys doing is the way forward for him. Any assignment involving travel, adventure and quality and I sort of know who is going to do best. Mr. Cool could do with a bit more confidence but his commitment and dedication is going to make him the loved one.

And finally Mr. Con. I would rather be critical of him for that would save my time and give my blog some space to put up something more interesting. If I were to be part of an oganisation that was on the lookout for a leader, I would have a very easy task of telling them where to look for. Energy, Vision, Principles, Fundamentals, Articulation, Tech-Saviness, Aesthetic Appeal, Commitment, Dedication, Passion were some of the very few qualities that I could find in him. But, the two things that really stood apart about him were his abilities to think on his feet and the efficiency that was part of his 16-hour work days. His mind never seemed to get exhausted even if his body did and his brain which kept churning constantly was responsible for most of what was put together during Opulence 2007. Be it H.R, marketing, micro-management and creating 'hypes', his clock was always ticking. We might have staged a hugely successful 'Big Fight' with the MBA issue being hotly debated but through Mr. Con, I can see why the course was designed in the first place. Mr. Con made it a point to relax everybody whenever the team was at its lowest ebb. He did this so passionately and unerringly that I often got the impression that he had noted this down somewhere.
The only issue that I had with Mr. Con was that he gave his gut feeling too much importance. Sometimes, the entire world was scheming against him as well as Opulence and on other occassions it was the usual "no money, no participation and no celebrities" refrain. Yes, there were incidents to justify the approach but maybe such things could take a backseat when the quality of your fest is at stake. We live in an all embracing world and maybe, just maybe, there are larger things in life. Towards the end, I sympathised with him for I got the feeling that he had beem trying to use the best principles of corporate management in whatever he had been trying to do. Whether these need to be used in a college festival is a totally different question altogether. There are some people who like to perform routine and demeaning jobs, some have to be kicked on the back all the time and very few 1st yearites can feel good about sticking posters.

And here I am doing what I am best at. Calling myself a part of the core committee; not having done a thing through the fest and the passing judgement about how everybody worked. That is the adidas addict for you! How the festival went and how well we worked I guess is upto posterity but if there was one thing that I would carry back from Opulence 2007, it is the mates that I have made- Mr. Smart and Mr. Cool. I thought that my friends from school would never be rivalled but I can say without an iota of a doubt that I have been mistaken. How I wish that we could spend our entire lives the way we have spent the last year! Thanks a lot, guys! Thanks a ton!