I delivered a workshop on the 22nd May 2012 at Jia Sarai, New Delhi in which I shared my experiences with the potential aspirants. The turn out was simply fabulous and the discussions that I had, and more importantly the discussions and the ‘ethical debates’ that are being raised after the sessions are simply phenomenal. I am trying to crystallize my musings to words.

Facts:

1. Vibhu Goel used to spend some time with some of the underprivileged children, hopefully after a month these kids who used to do only menial jobs would be able to read and write (they already had a basic knowledge of alphabets but were not confident in using them). The satisfaction garnered out of the exercise was inexplicable. But if you ask him whether he could have only taught these ‘unfortunate’ kids, the answer would have been a humble negative. After all, sustainability is the first ladder (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs). But much more pertinent: think of the scenario when he didn’t have any premise/ location to interact with  them. Thankfully, some of the kind entrepreneurs were kind enough to give more than enough support for the entire exercise. Think of a scenario that Vibhu wouldn’t have any premise to interact with them, simultaneously preparing for the UPSC examination. Tough, isn’t it??

2. Continuing with his teaching at his previous institute where he has been an inspiration for a group of 600 students preparing for BBA and MBA entrances, at the same time earning a handsome amount is a choice that he is disputing with. Inspiration for already acquainted students and ‘letting them down’/ spending very limited time with them at this point when he is ‘known’ is a point of contention.

3. He has the choice of being only with his select friends who are too much important for him after his family, and many of them incidentally are also preparing for the Civil Services Exam. The choice of spending time with only a very select group vs reaching out to the larger audiences is a dilemma that he is continuously grappling with. His friends tell him: “Boss, if only by reading your notes we would have been toppers, every other person who is preparing would have earned this distinction”. They tell me, if we would receive these ‘learnings’ in a platter/ ‘free’ perhaps we would not be able to appreciate the actual worth of it. Let us ‘pay’/ vie for it.

4. Vibhu Goel was working as a consultant earning a very handsome fees which had the potential of being raised to multiple levels for the remaining 4 months till the joining of the academy. Considering the ‘tag’ that Vibhu has earned after his humble rank, some relevant projects have come across. He has the choice of continuing and levitating with the firm.

5. Vibhu Goel, like almost all of the rankers had the easy (ethical???) option of signing off a cheque anonymously with many ‘dukaans’ (the quantum of crowd generated after the UPSC results were declared convinced the landlord of increasing the house rent to 1.5 times from the next fiscal). This option is still open 🙂

6. Organizing a talk/ arranging for logistics in an area like Delhi where the rents are soaring to a never before limits is a very interesting phenomenon, and that too when you are novice and you don’t want any other person’s ‘favours’ in spite of the fact that you can easily cash your newly acquired ‘fame’.

7. Vibhu Goel was raised in a nondescript Hindi Medium School in a place called Doiwala, 15 km from Dehradun till Vth standard, he didn’t have the luxury of attending a school having a library till VIII standard. He always craved for many books which he couldn’t have access to till his IX standard. He flunked in English in school examinations in XI standard when he had the luxury of attending a convent school. One of the very strict English teachers took special English sessions for him charging very modest fees for this herculean effort. Vibhu doesn’t have words to thank Mr Premamand Sagar for this.

8. Vibhu’s family is very much disheartened now a days for not getting ‘sufficient time’ to talk or be with him. Many promises that he made to them during his preparation still lie unfulfilled, and unfortunately, will be. I say to myself, please for God sake, make a ‘profit’ out of the whole exercise.

I think of the Tata values and now I am beginning to realize many of the dilemmas of the ‘corporate sector’ and the reason why perhaps some of the very able administrators prefer to be ‘silent’. Simply, because, the latter option is much more ‘easy’.

Ethics is a very contentious yet subjective criterion. Delivering, ‘earning profit’, yet maintaining sanity is much more terrifying. Welcome to the real world, I say to myself. The challenge starts now and I am looking forward to it.

PS :I am very reluctant to share personal anecdotes, to an extent that I make my writing very cryptic. The reasons of mentioning these very personal things about me is to showcase that without resources, there can’t be any resource mobilization. There has to be a ‘business case’ if you want to even help/ advise in this difficult world.

Sincere appeal to all the aspirants: Time is very crucial, please don’t enter into dialectics. Please focus on your preparation. All the very best to all.

PPS: I always liked the conversations between Alfred and Bruce Wayne in ‘The Dark Night’. Some of my favorites from the movie (SOURCE: http://www.imdb.com)

Bruce Wayne: Targeting me won’t get their money back. I knew the mob wouldn’t go down without a fight, but this is different. They crossed the line.

Alfred Pennyworth: You crossed the line first, sir. You squeezed them, you hammered them to the point of desperation. And in their desperation, they turned to a man they didn’t fully understand.

Bruce Wayne: Criminals aren’t complicated, Alfred. Just have to figure out what he’s after.

Alfred Pennyworth: With respect Master Wayne, perhaps this is a man that *you* don’t fully understand, either. A long time ago, I was in Burma. My friends and I were working for the local government. They were trying to buy the loyalty of tribal leaders by bribing them with precious stones. But their caravans were being raided in a forest north of Rangoon by a bandit. So, we went looking for the stones. But in six months, we never met anybody who traded with him. One day, I saw a child playing with a ruby the size of a tangerine. The bandit had been throwing them away. Bruce Wayne: So why steal them?

Alfred Pennyworth: Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren’t looking for anything logical, like money. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

(At a later point in the movie)

Bruce Wayne: The bandit, in the forest in Burma, did you catch him?

Alfred Pennyworth: Yes.

Bruce Wayne: How?

Alfred Pennyworth: We burned the forest down.

(At a subsequent stage in the movie)

Alfred Pennyworth: Didn’t you think there might be some casualties? Things were always going to get worse before they got better.