THRIVE LIFE - Unleash Yourself

There is not a person without a dream,

without a passion, without an aspiration
- however big, however small.
But then, Dont you find it odd that when
you are a kid, everyone, all in the world
encourages you to follow your dreams.
But when youre older, somehow they act
offended if you even try. Ethan Hawke
starrer, The Hottest State.
This is the essence of Prateek 2015. Be it
anyone a student still studying or a
student stepping out from this phase of academia to the corporate world - we realise that we had a different dream, a different hope, a different aspiration when we
came to SCMS. And, during the course of
the two years, these have transformed
completely, turned around even. I know I
would rather have joined a School of
Literature and become a writer than join a
bank or an IT corporate; but this could
completely change in a couple of weeks or
months. Just as in a masked ball where the
dancers shroud their identity with masks,

Poetry
"Poetry", he uttered
"I speak no rhymes and my flow is wayward.
Simple words and shallow stories.
Poetry? of sad tales and dark colours,
Or Romances on the hillside.
Neither do I hold.
This poem rests on flat grounds,
No cares, no sorrows, steady and grey.
A gush of wind, or a sprinkle in summer?
Withering leaves or snowfall to remember?
None though, a weather free day.
No burns, no shivers and no sweaty palms."
"Quiet", she mumbled.
Two fingers on the mouth, A flow breezed in,
A breath whispered, sudden tremors within.
Morning scent as braids touched his skin,
Rhythms and false colours, virtues and sins.
Warmth in the blood, and the body frozen
numb.
Moist grew the flesh, and then it
succumbed.
"Poetry", he did not utter then
Cause there she was,
The greatest poet of them all.

Suraj Justine
PC: Midhun Sekhar RK PGDM 22

we too tend to hide our dreams our identity

with the shroud of practicality.

Prime Minister of India! There are even

those who have dreamt of owning their own
companies someday.

But there is always that spark of hope in each

of us that someday our dreams and passions
will become a reality - a way of life. For
some, it could be becoming the artist they
dreamt of being, while for some others it
could be becoming an army person or a writer or a teacher or an astronaut, or even the

This edition of Prateek reflects each of these dreams and aspirations from various individuals - how they plan to achieve them,
how some of them have already achieved
them, and are now living their dreams.
In the end, its as Moffat Machingura,
Author, puts it, Follow your dreams. I
am not saying its going to be easy, but I
am saying its going to be worth it.
The power lies within you. Dwell into your
inner self and you will realize that theres
more to you than meets the eye.
Enjoy Prateek 2015 and heres to hoping
you all will be living your dream someday!
For Team Prateek :
Athulya Menon J.,
P.C. Franco P. Joseph - PGDM 22

Dreaming to Live
At the dawn of my life,
I was no one to anyone,
I saw the stray dogs quarrelling for my food,
I saw a grown woman tickling a kid like me,
I saw men toiling day in and day out,
I saw kids like me playing with bats and balls,
But these were just sights for me.
When I bloomed,
I saw girls like me wearing colourful dresses
I saw girls like me smiling and blushing
I saw girls like me carrying textbooks to school
But these were sights for me.
I wished to have the pearl of mermaid
I wished to dream a safe door for my home
I wished to sleep fearlessly
I wished to be cared by that one person.
But all that I could do was to dream.
In my dreams, I was a princess
I had a mother, a father and a cute
sister
In my dreams, I enjoyed sunshine and
stars
In my dreams, I was happy.
I Love my Dreams.

Anie Theresa Joy, PGDM 22

Publication by the students of SCMS COCHIN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

11

The Ronaldo Effect

Arrogance, brushing off the
world club championship logo
from you jersey, kicking your
opponent,these are not the
ideal words anyone would like
to associate with their role
models. Because role models
are supposed to be perfect
individuals who will shed a
beacon of lights to their
followers. And this is exactly
why my role model has been
Cristiano Ronaldo for a long
while. And why is that?
Because he shows his real
human side to the world. I love
people who are imperfect, who
have occasional outbursts and
are ready to put up a fight if
situation leads to, just as you
or I might do.
If we think about the
psychology behind choosing
the role models, it usually
boils down to a simple fact
that the person who is our role
model is someone who
generally has got all the qualities which we would like to
have, or want to haveyou
could probably call them a
superficial projection of your
desires. Cristiano was exactly
like that for me. I started
following him from the first
game he ever played for
Manchester United where he
tore down the defense of
Bolton Wanderers. He was a
revelation for me, though for
rest of the world he took the
centre stage only after a couple
of years.

I
M
P
R
E
S
S
I
O
N
S
2

Nirmal Krishnan
PGDM 23

What amazed me about him was

his confidence. The way he
made sitting ducks of the world,
elasticos, and those full length
runs that demolishes the
opposition. In my opinion, his
skills are probably the best after
Garrincha. Now the big question
is, how did he influence me??
Well, he taught me, its okay to
make a fool of yourself trying.
He taught me to keep trying until
you can make the defender rooted to the spot and take the ball
from his legs. He gave me the
confidence to try skills,
dribbles even during high
intensity matches. Because there is no
other way, you will learn. I dont
know how to connect this to
real world lofty motivations, but
I guess, success is all about never giving up and taking risks
even when odds are against you.
Now, what makes Cristiano so
special? There are a lot of
things. For starters, he could be
called the only complete
footballer at present. The person
who can dribble, sprint, head,
and a terrific dead ball player.
What more could you ask for???
Then of course, his work rate
and how he trains and maintains
his body.

He has less than 4 % body fat,

has a strict diet regime even
when he is on a vacation. In Real Madrid, he singlehandedly
took the club to champions
league glory. Even when I am
writing this, he is scoring goals,
providing assists, elevating
football to a whole different level.

will be football. That is true

dedication, and I dont think
many can actually boast of this.
Cristiano is famous for brushing
off criticism - he hardly gave a
nickel when the whole of U.K
turned against him for faking a
foul, which earned Wayne
Rooney a red card in 2006
world cup. His explanation was
something that impressed me,
he said he did it for his country
and he is not playing for being
in anyones good book. Not
many can stand their ground
like that when a whole country
has
turned
against
you,
especially if that is the country
where you are playing your
football for next couple of
years.
After reading this, I am sure
you might have your own
reservations against my views,
which is totally acceptable.

And now to the personal level.

Well you dont become
someones fan just for his/her
on-field exploits, do you? You
follow them even in their
personal life, to know how he
carries himself in the real world.
Cristiano is not someone who
gets weighed down by his
personal relationships. The
break ups and hook ups with his
maxim hot girlfriends never
affected his performance.

But I believe, we all can agree

upon the fact that while we
were all well alive and busy,
one of the greatest legends of
modern football was making
history!
Akhil P. Kumar
PGDM 22

He always knew what mattered,

it was not girls, it is, and always

Sandeep Nair
PGDM 22

Thushara Premrajan
PGDM 22

11

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?

What do you want to be when you grow
up?

which would give more insights about

ones ambitions in life.

I love to design clothes; and nothing

gears me up more than the thought of
it. At any point of time be it class

A frequent question that was posed to each of

us during our childhood days. When I was in
Grade 4 the answer I had was that I wanted
to be a business person. This was a time when
I was unaware about the term Entrepreneur.
My aim to be a business person might be the
influence of my father who is a well-known
business person in our town. Sometimes I
doubted whether I could achieve what I was
aiming for and often wondered whether my
aim would be shattered. When faced with this
dilemma, my father always told, Dream about
your aim, you will achieve it. I always carry
these golden words close to my heart. During
my school days, I did not think or dream about
my ambition. In fact, I had forgotten what I
wanted to be. I was just trying to enjoy the
school life.activitiesstudiesfriends.
After twelfth grade, I decided to move along
the flow and I jumped into the boat of CA. I
rowed, rowed and rowed more, but I could not
find the shore. As usual, I shared my feelings
with my father. Then a realization came that I
once had a dream, which I lost in the flow of
life. My fathers advice became a turning point
in my life. He asked me to read some books

I came across the book titled You Can

Win. In this book, the author Shiv Khera explains about different
situations in life. Once a Biology teacher
was teaching how pupa turns into a
butterfly. For this, she had brought a
live pupa to class and asked the students not to help the pupa to break the
cocoon, and left the class. But one boy
felt pity and helped the pupae to break
out of its cocoon. After sometime, the
butterfly helped by the student was
dead. When the teacher came back,
and saw the dead butterfly, she asked
who had helped the pupa to get out of
its cocoon. Then she explained
the reason. The struggle which
pupa faces to get out of its
cocoon always helps it to be a
stronger
butterfly. This story explains that success is not
an accident. It is the result of
the
continuous hard
work. The book also explains
about the story of Abraham
Lincoln who had faced various
trials to achieve the Presidentship of America.

My

If you want to walk fast, walk alone.

If you want to walk far, walk together.
Prof. V. Rajagopal

hours, late nights or study holidays, I

can get rid of my boredom and stress
by drawing a picture on a piece of
paper.
Passion is something that can energize
you or make you happy or something
you will not be tired of. Struggles can
come your way but do not hesitate to
pursue

your

passion.

Find

your

passion, dream, and aim to achieve it!

Maria S. Kandathil
DC: Sikha S. Nair, PGDM 22
PGDM -22

Friend

Those are memories I'd like to cherish

Those are memories I'd like to hold till my last breath
The memories of days that I spent with my friend
She was more like a sister
She taught me to laugh with heart
She taught me to talk with brain
That day when my phone rang
That day when I heard a male voice from that number
A strange voice said - "I'm a cop"
A strange thing he told me, that my brain could hear but not my
heart could
Owner of that phone is no more and the last call was mine
She died on her birthday
She died to take birth again in this beautiful world
She was carried away to a fairyland
She smiled at me from there
I saw as she always does
Anie Theresa Joy
DC: Sikha S. Nair
PGDM 22

11
3

So Are You Passionate?

There is an anecdote which said that Sachin
Tendulkar did not sleep the night before he
made his Test Century against Australia in
Sydney. As recalled by his room partner
Saurav Ganguly (then Indian Cricket Team
captain), he was seen practicing his strokes
in front of the mirror in the middle of the
night.
From Sachin Tendulkar to Steve Irwin (the
crocodile hunter) we have seen individuals
who have conquered life and garnered fame
by following their passions and chasing their
dreams. The list is never ending. There is
only one thing that is imperative, to follow
your passion and to achieve your dream and
that is hard work.
The present day world offers numerous
opportunities to people to follow their
passions. The past used to be about being
rational and practical, while today it is more
about being pragmatic while following ones
heart. One can be passionate about anything
and most often than not, it need not be ones
profession. That is why we see Big B-School
Graduates and Investment Bankers turning
to writing novels or cricket commentary,
politicians turning to acting and celebrities
turning to racing.
A passion can be unconventional or
something very small. It could go from anything like sky diving to gardening, sketching to photography, or travelling to blogging. There are times when one tends to get
bogged down by ones routine which might
make life mechanical and
monotonous. It is the strength offered by

This same passion brought back a fighting

cricketer, Yuvraj Singh from the mouth of
cancer to normal life.
An individuals success lies in identifying
that which gives him/ her the real
satisfaction. There are numerous avenues
to make a constructive use of our passion.
The discovery of that passion is what really shapes up ones path to a better life.
A life without passion is like a vehicle
without fuel, and a life without a dream is
like a journey without a destination.
Therefore follow your hearts,
passion, and chase your dream!

your

ones passion that grants solace and a

So, are you passionate?
difference to the way one looks at things. It
is that force which acts as an impetus to live
ones life. There will be meaning to your life
once your passion finds meaning and Gayathri Krishnan
translates into a dream.
PC: Franco P. Joseph
For example, a Chartered Accountant might PGDM 22
be passionate about movies and might aspire
to direct a movie one day. The moment he
starts dreaming about his passion and finds a
goal to follow, it would give him
the push to chase that dream.
Recently, the former Chairman
of ISRO, Mr. K. Radhakrishnan
was seen rendering beautiful
kirtans in Carnatic music which
was his passion. He confessed
how his passion for music
sustained his state of well being
amidst all the stress and pressure
while the ISRO was writing
history in letters of gold.

The Colour Of Dreams

The darkness that covers me
like a blanket, when I close my eyes
Takes me through the colours of dreams.
I see but I amn't sure
whether I realize what I see
Some dreams get caught up in the flow
Some dreams are forgotten
Still I drive those dreams
Down a never ending empty road
I wonder every time I open my eyes
Whether even darkness gives lights of hope
Just like every night is followed by day
I walked this darkness with the hope of light
Nothing did impede me, nothing did stop me,
Disruptions hit me hard
But everything that hit me made me feel alive.

Because a single thought of hopelessness

Can ruin the colors I found in the darkness
Why am I in this world?
That's what destiny will show me
The path that leads me to my destiny
Can answer the millions of questions I
ask myself every time
I am going for it
Because that's where I should reach!
I am going for it
Because that's where I belong!
Sruthi V. Nair
DC :Manu Kainikkara, PGDM 22

11

Dare to Dream!
Dreams are not those that we
see while sleeping, but those
that does not let us sleep, these are words said by the most
admired former President of
our country, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul
Kalam.

the truth is they are different

from others because of their
ability to closely observe things
around them.
A child from a very young age
should be tuned to think from
several angles; sometimes there
are chances where parents hesitate to answer kids, thinking that
the questions are unintelligent.
Such things should never be expressed to kids, but instead they

Dreams are that which take our

sleep away that does not let us
do anything other than to work
for it. It is an inherent passion
that motivates a person to go
to every extent achievable.
There are a lot of people among
us who dream about something
and talk about working for it 10
years down the line of their
career. But there are those
people who make it big, who
work on it from the very
moment that they have the
should be encouraged to think
dream.
from various angles.
Most of the time, people talk
They may seem crazy to the
about a dream that they want
world but they are, in fact,
to achieve but are simply
people who could view the world
unable to achieve it in the
from a different angle. Fear or
future, merely because those
hesitation to dream is the
were never dreams, but simply
greatest enemy of success. Only
thoughts or somebody elses
those who dare can make it big.
idea. Most of the successful
So Dare to dream!
people we admire were
dreamers; we may say that they Harikrishnan Nair, PGDM22
were different from others, but PC: Abhijeet Nair, PGDM 23

Passion- The Life Changer!!!

" assion is energy. Feel the
P
power that comes from
focusing on what excites
you."- Oprah Winfrey.
This quote perfectly describes
what passion is. Rightfully said,
passion is something that
comes from inside of a person
to give his/her 100% or more
in doing a thing. It can vary
from person to person. Some
people might be passionate
about vehicles; some might be
passionate about food and so
on. The common factors that
can be found about these
people are that they act as their
heart desires.

A person who is passionate will

not be worried about what
others think about him/her, are
they doing the right things etc.
What matters to them is that
they are just doing it because
they want to do it. Passion
comes with the desire to learn
about
the
matter
by
overcoming any difficulty. A
person who is really passionate

about vehicles might have

gone through dusty places
like workshops in order to
gain information about the
working of engines and other parts. Similarly a person
who is passionate about food
might have gone through
countless recipes to study
them, cook them and experiment with them. Thus, passion is a driver for learning
in ones life. It is the passion
that
made
successful
personalities to take up the
initiative, which gave them
the power to overcome all
the obstacles and motivated
them to achieve the most
important matter in their life
- the passion.
Be
passionate
about
whatever you are doing in
your life. Or do what you are
passionate about in your life.
But be cautious to pave your
path with
reasoning and
facts which you will learn
about in the course of
following your passion.
Be passionate
be successful and
be happy.
Sachin Divakar
PC:Arun Menon, PGDM 22

The Little Games that Life plays with Dreams

Readers discretion advised - this is about our passion, our
dreams and what we wanted to be when we were a child.
Everyone starts out wanting to be something unique for their
own reasons. But life plays some unexpected cards and your life
starts to take a different shape. As a child everyone wants to be
astronauts, teachers, rock stars and movie stars. Then it
becomes apparent that maybe some of those options are not really left to you.

Then there are the patriotic ones like Shyam and Sanjay Nair,
both of whom wanted to join army. There are also the dreamers
like Litty who wanted to be a singer, Tarun the professional
footballer, and Treesa, who wanted to be Miss World. And Amal
Shaji, who people call a Nivin Pauly look alike. (I personally
wanted to be a footballer, a movie star, even an Indiana Jones
type archaeologist.)
Then there are people born with clear objectives like Jithin Varghese, the would have-been IPS officer. Nithya wanted to be a
lawyer, but chose to be extremely good at capstone instead. We
also have Sreelakshmi and Aparna, the doctors who did not
bother to take the medical entrance exam. Jithin now hopes to
be globetrotting with his new job at KPMG, then become an
entrepreneur to fulfill his dream of buying a Lamborghini
Gallardo. Shino at least had the modest wish of becoming the
Prime Minister of our country.

Take my friend Ben Joe; he wanted to be a driver when he grew

up. Now he has to abandon his childhood dream and settle for a
hi-fi corporate life at Sutherland. I felt it was rather absurd
dream to have, and felt that he would be the only person having
that dream. But then as if to prove my conceptions wrong,
walked in Vishnu Shyam. When asked about what he wanted to
be when he was a child, he said he wanted to be a driver, inspired by the bus drivers he saw growing up. The passion they
shared to become a driver is there in every one of us.

All this may not be particularly uplifting in terms of achieving

your objectives. But all of us with our own individual passions
came and worked together to find a better direction in life. Life
has beaten, broken and tested us, and we stand battered and
blistered. But we are still standing, ready to face the next
challenge life throws at us.
Suraj Justine , DC: Surabhi PrasadPGDM 22

115

ITS ABOUT ME IN SCMS

In these two years, this institute has

better as time passes, and Im happy

It was just another normal day - same

taught me many precious things of

that I have become better from the

schedule, same people and same food,

which I was unaware and that will

day I joined this institute and still

but that day would have become a

surely help me climb the corporate

trying to learn from all that comes

disaster for me if I had done what I

ladder as I start working in a

my way. At last, I would like to say

thought that day.

company. There is a proverb which

that do whatever you feel like doing

It was Friday 2nd August 2013; I woke

says The grass is always greener on

in life but never lose your focus, al-

the other side of the garden, but for

ways follow your passion and never

the first time I felt that its not true in

forget your aim of being here.

my case; this time, the grass is greener

Another lesson learned from SCMS.

up early- depressed, tears rolling down

my cheeks after many years. I dressed
up quickly, got in an auto rickshaw
and there I was in college at 8 AM
waiting for our Pramod Sir. He arrived
at his normal time 9 AM and thankfully, I got an appointment with him at 9
AM itself. As I entered his office, the
only thing that came from my mouth
was, Sir, I want to quit! with tears
rolling down my cheeks. He just told
me one thing, Arihant Jain, just think
over it and meet me on Monday.
After that day, I have never met him
and I am here enjoying life at SCMS.
And sometimes I wonder how will I go
back home to Delhi, as now I feel that
I dont belong there anymore.

on my side, and I never regret being

here in SCMS.SCMS is a bag full of

Arihant Jain, PGDM 22

opportunities; I have almost attended

100+ talks by industry experts (lucky
to

hear

them),

went

for

many

management fests, participated in

many college activities, gave almost
50+ presentations and a lot more and
still on. The point that I am trying to
make is that it is about not only doing

Life is too short to spend it doing

things that are at war with yourself.

Continue pursuing your dreams and
when you do seem to get stuck, do
remember to innovate.

so many things but also learning

something from all these activities,

Mr. Justin Joy

Assistant Professor

and I feel SCMS has helped me grow

professionally.

It

is

not

about

becoming perfect but improving from

what you are today and becoming

Dreams are all about aspirations. Aspirations can be realized only if they are followed through passion
Prof. K . J. Paulose Dean, Management Studies

Coorg

Management Fest
Management fests are something everyone of
us look forward to. We wait for Justin sirs call
to tell us that theres a management fest and
we just grab the chance. Every management
fest unfolds before us new challenges. Thats
when we start searching all the concepts and
lessons we learnt in the class. Apart from that
its fun time with friends.
Management Fest at Rajagiri Business School
was definitely an unforgettable experience
for me, Gayatri Krishnan, Maria S. Kandathil
and our Junior Bharghav Krishnan. All the
rounds of Rajagiri Management fests are still
fresh in our memories, but the most
interesting one which kept us awake all night
was the video making round. We were asked
to make a 5 minute video presentation on
migrant laborers. We took the help of the
famous photographer of the campus, Midhun
Sekhar and drove to the migrant labourers
residing area in Kakkanad. Midhun and
Bhargav who went missing from there for

around 20 minutes came back drenched

in sweat, which gave us an idea of the
migrant laborers situation. We spent the
rest of the day preparing for the 50 pages case study. It struck us that we could
have visited another place to carry out
the task. So, we went to
Perumbavoor and shot a video of the migrants. On the way back to college ,we
were lucky to enjoy Fathimas special
homemade breakfast. Suddenly we were
brought back to the unpleasant reality of
our yet-to-be-completed mission.
We then ran, as usual, to the angel of our
HR department Lt. Cdr Shalini Nandwani,
who helped us with the case study. Ours
was the second last presentation after
Christ, Loyola college. And guess what
happened, we won the second prize.
Sharon Thankam James, PGDM- 22

There are beautiful rivers that flow,

The fog on hills look like snow.
The coffee estates make it rich and
grand,
The aroma of coffee delights one's mind,
Coffee trees down the hilly slopes,
Where else can you find?
To see the coffee blossoms,
Is such a wonderful sight!
And to smell their sweet fragrance
Is a great delight!
As you walk, you can see pepper vines
And many fruits from which you can
make wines,
Rich in vegetation and greenery
All this makes wonderful scenery,
Nature is so abundantly adorned here,
Once you enter this place,
You wouldn't want to go anywhere else.
Lejiv M . Sabu , PGDM 22

11

Moments Of Truth
After four years of gap in my
education, I joined SCMS for
PGDM with lots of dreams and
expectations. The last 18
months at SCMS have been the
most happening days after I
left my school. Incredible
is the best word that can
describe my experiences at
SCMS. Coming from the state
of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala was
a totally new experience for
me.

we became friends within a

short span. Although I made a
decision to pick up my
education again, whether I could
cope with things was the big
question I had in mind. Fortunately, the foundation program helped me a lot to prepare myself with books and
the system at college.
Receiving the Prince of
SCMS was the most exciting
experience of my life.

good project and finally getting

placed. In fact, the professors,
courses, IMLP sessions, and
assignments made the course
interesting and challenging.

One of the very cherishing

moments I had was the first
day of hostel when I came to
know that I was going to share
my room with two other
students from not only
different colleges, but also
cultures and backgrounds!
However, we spared no time in
getting to know each other and

The unique educational system

helped me learn the wider
aspects of management. The
mentoring system is the best
thing that happened to me.
Thanks to my mentor, I was
able to accomplish many
things right from the IMLP
sessions, to choosing my
specialization , to getting a

Summer Internship was

another enriching experience
which helped me apply what
I learned in theory to real
business situations. Placements were the most exciting
events that I had in the last
few months. However, I was
enthused by the support I got

from my friends, professors,

mentor. With the blessings of the
Almighty God and my parents, I
finally got placed in HDFC.
The various ups-and-downs of my
life at SCMS is what leads me to
conclude by quoting my favorite
line: Get what you want otherwise you will be forced to get
what you dont want.
Sreeramasarma K.
PGDM 22

MY VOYAGE
It all started in January 2012, I was stepping off that people spoke about SCMS was that it is a
from my teenage years. I thought for a minute very strict college.
about what would I do after this. I had no idea From July 29, 2013 everything in my life startor direction about the future, but I was sure ed changing - new place, new people. It was

Associate Professor

about moving on to a higher level of education. totally a new chapter in my life. Then, all was
I wanted to do something that would going smoothly, until the dreaded exams startdifferentiate me from others and would create a ed striking. The assignments and
presennew identity for me. So I prepared for tations, removed the word sleep from my dicmanagement tests.

tionary. These hardships helped me learn how

In November 2012, I came to know about to time management and handle stress. But I
SCMS and the PGDM course. The first thing
can
gladly say that this was the key to identifying the entrepreneur
inside. My dream is to start a restaurant of mine, and I am sure that
it wont be a normal restaurant. Itll be more than just providing
food - as the old saying goes, One should not fill others stomach
alone, but should also fill their hearts. This is my mantra for
starting a restaurant.
Getting placed in MAGMA FINCORP as a CREDIT ANALYST
has given me a stepping-stone to reach my goals. Im sure that 5 6 years from now, I will be starting my own restaurant in my own
town, slowly expanding into a chain of restaurants throughout the
country in a span of 35-45 years.
In the end, it is my deep passion that keeps the light of my dream

Associate Professor

aflame!

Venkateshwaran S.
PGDM 22

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VERTIGO
I woke up in a cold sweat. In the dead quiet of the dark, my heart was
throbbing wildly. It was the third day since I lost her. Third day since I
slept. And it was now three days closer to her death. All I knew, all I saw
and all I thought with every breath I took was that I had to save her.
***
If you want to see your sister alive, keep quiet and follow my orders. If you
involve the police, I will kill her. If I dont get the money, I will kill her. If
you dont do exactly as I say, I will kill her. Click. Rhea...No..no..no this
cannot be happening. This must be a sick joke. I swear its the worst prank
she ever pulled. Why isnt she picking up?! Pick up, Rhea.
Ring..ring..PICK UP!!!
***
I replayed that voice in my head over and over again. That deep,
unflinching voice the ease with which he spoke and the bells far in the
background. Like a church. After that call came, I had refused to believe
that it was true. I had kept calling and calling but she didnt pick up. I had
barged into her apartment. I could feel the panic rising in, a knot started
forming in my stomach. Her things had been thrown around, her living
room was a mess. My voice had echoed all around but she never came. She
was gone. I could feel the tears flowing on my cheek as I looked at her
picture. I had to be brave for her. I wiped away the tears and recollected
everything. Every detail of that day.
***
Ringring.. Hello Rhea?! Rhea is that you?! I have been trying your phone
since forever! Rhea??Pl..please tell m..me you are o..okay. Please...please... I
couldnt go on. My sobs choked my words up, I couldnt stop crying.
Tchtch. Are you hoping this is a prank? Snap back to reality. You know, she
is too hard to resist. I could hear him chuckling. I am really trying not to kill
her. Tick tock tick tock. It was a game to him.
DONT YOU DARE TOUCH HER!. My body had gone cold and rage was
tearing through it. I was trembling. Everything had come to a standstill.
Dont growl girl! I am not very good at controlling myself. I want one crore,
in cash. Make it in bundles of 500. You have three days. Ill call you again
with the location. And remember, if you do anything stupid, I will enjoy
killing her. Click.
***
The bells. I had heard them
again, echoing in a distance.
The church must be next to
some tall building. He had to be
around it somewhere. I had
made a list of churches which
were around tall buildings and
relatively
isolated.
Places
people would not bother to
look at. I had to go check them
out. I had to save her. Where
did I keep my gun? My head
felt heavy for some reason. I
swung my legs over the bed
and pulled the curtains.
Fear gripped me as I looked
around. A hospital. What am I
doing here?! I looked around
wildly, trying to figure out how
I ended up here. Thats when I
noticed the bandage on my
arm. They had sedated me. Are
they working with him? Suddenly I was very alert. I tried to remember
what had happened. My memory was foggy. I had gone...somewhere. The
list! Yes, I had gone to check the list! I had gone to the last church on my
list. There was a..rope and instruments. My gun.what did I do? I had Oh
my god! No...no...no! It was all crystal clear now.

I had found the place

where he kept her! I had
fired my gun at him. He
had been trying to
strangle her with the
rope. Then.. Then he shot
at me. Thats how I ended
up here! Someone must
have heard the shots and
called an ambulance on
finding me. I had to go
find him. How long was I
here?! He could kill her
any time. I WONT LET IT
HAPPEN. I will kill him. WHERE IS MY GUN?! I ran across the hall to get
out of there but my legs gave under me. They had sedated me. A shadow
of dread engulfed me. It was like life had drained out of me and I started
crying uncontrollably. No I cant stop, I have to go on. I crawled on.
Three nurses came and held me back.
LET ME GO! You dont understand, please, you dont understand!, I
cried.
But they didnt listen to me and instead looked at me in pity. I fought
back as hard as I could. I injured one of the nurses.
LET ME GO! MY SISTER IS IN DANGER. GET THE HELL OFF ME.
Please..please. I have to save my sister. Someone kidnapped her. Please
PLEASE!, I yelled.
But they kept looking at me in the same strange manner and injected
me with something. My vision was getting clouded. I was falling into a
deep dark abyss.
***
Call Dr. Sharma.
Dr. Sharma to the psych ward. Dr. Sharma please come to the psych
ward.
***
We gave her a sedative. She tried to break out of here again., Nina
sighed. In her 12 years of experience as a nurse, she had never seen a
case like that.
Her mind wouldnt accept suicide as an option. And that obsession
consumed her. Soon after, as a coping mechanism, her mind started
fabricating situations of her sisters death. Dr. Sharma said. It is really
sad. Every day I see her trying to save her sister from a killer a
kidnapper, from cancer even. That is what she wants to do desperately,
to save her sister. Her life stopped three years ago and the guilt of not
being able to save her ate her up inside. We are trying our best with
therapy and medicines but its almost like she doesnt want to recover.
Anyway, make sure someone is in this ward at all times and page me
when she wakes up., Dr Sharma started to leave.
As he went to check on his other patients, he couldnt shake this case off
his head. Every time she woke up, little pieces of her shattered psyche
filled him with profound sadness. Her eyes wide with fear, grit and
determination battled with the growing sense of finality and dread within her every time. And those eyes would haunt him for a long time to
come.
__END__

Karthik Jerome
PGDM 23
PC: Franco P Joseph
PGDM 22

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I AM THE FUTURE
I always wonder why somebody didnt do something about the garbage
on the roadside.
I always wonder why somebody didnt do something about the potholes
on the road.
I always wonder why somebody didnt do something about the poverty in
my country.
I always wonder why somebody didnt do something about corruption in
my country.
I always wonder why somebody..the list is endless.
Then I realized - I AM that SOMEBODY!
There was a time in our childhood when we fantasized ourselves in any
role that fascinated us. It was a
time of innocence where our
minds were as free as the birds;
when we flew high, whatever be
the circumstances around us.
We were a pilot (the most
common), an astronaut, a
policeman, a chef, a teacher, a
doctor, a newspaper boy; we
were anyone. It was what
captivated us the most at the
time that we imagined ourselves
to be in the future. Sadly, as
time passed, we grew up, and
this innocence and imagination
got marred with the knowledge we gained and the opinions we received
from around us. Many of our dreams became too irrational for us or for the
ones around us, and almost all of us were forced to give up our dreams for
reality; rationality.
The dreamers are the saviors of the world., quotes James Allen, writer.
And then, here we are, either already successful or on the path to success
and comfort. Maybe thinking rationally did get us somewhere good after
all. But in the process, we all have left a lot behind several of our dreams,
and the world outside our close-knit circles. People seem to have forgotten
how to be with other people. There is more comfort in interacting with a
computer - after all it doesnt make any demands. Technology has made us
selfish and self-oriented.
Where is the future in this? Yes, we have advanced technologically. Yes,
we have increased the wealth in the world. Yes, we have made our lives
better. Yes, I have made my future better.
But does this make me the future? Does this make me that
SOMEBODY?
NO. It does not.
I am still that one among a billion whose childhood dreams, like several
others, were just a figment of my imagination. I am one who has followed
the path of the billion, foregoing my dreams for a rational and better future
for me and myself alone. I am one in a billion who has made no change, no
impact to my surroundings let alone the world.
Then how can I be the Future?
But, I know, that deep within me, I have the potential. I know that my
dreams were not simply dreams, but are a vision for future that involves not
just me, but my family, my surroundings, my fellow countrymen and my
country. I am still young and still dynamic. I can pursue my dreams and
take everyone along with me in whatever I do.
I realize that what I do today for myself will affect my future generations.
Hence, I know that what I do for my country today and my fellow
countrymen will affect the future of my country.
Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity, which has led to the greatest
inventions and discoveries of today. But I would not call Sir Isaac Newton
a visionary. I draw my inspiration from Thomas Edison, whose discovery
has formed the basis of existence for mankind today. I draw my inspiration
from Mahatma Gandhi, Florence Nightingale, Martin Luther King,
Abraham Lincoln, Malala Yousafzai, Bill Gates, each of who has worked
with a vision for the future of their people or the world.

Man has moved forward in leaps and bounds, but

as I said before, leaving several behind. I see the
good things happening, and yet, I see destruction on a mass scale, destroying
what our forefathers built for us. I see the problem of substance abuse looming
large alcohol, drug and tobacco the curse of today and tomorrow eating into
our society. I see war and terrorism. I see murder, rape, child abuse, torture and
labour. I see racial violence, corruption, depression. The world has moved forward, and yet, its people are moving backward. We live in a more comfortable
world, but one filled with greed, selfishness, and destruction.
I am just one person. What I, a single person, can do is the million dollar
question. I will just be one among the billion in this world. I seem to be
helpless, unable to create a better future by myself.
This is where I look up to my visionary role-models. It was the willpower and
vision of one person, Mahatma Gandhi that gained India her freedom. Be the
change you want to see , quoted he.
It was the willpower and vision of one person, Martin Luther King that brought
out the Civil Rights Act, to ensure a better life for the black community of the
United States. I have a dream, quoted he.
It was the willpower and vision of one person, Abraham Lincoln that freed the
United States from the bonds of slavery. The best way to predict the future is
to create it, quoted Abraham Lincoln.
It is the willpower and vision of one person, Malala Yousufzai, which will bring
in the right to education for girls in Pakistan, and slowly to the other places
where they face discrimination.
Then it will be my willpower and vision, as one person from among a billion,
will pave way for a better future for those around me. I am a youngster, full of
zest and zeal. As an Indian citizen, I see a future where the children of my
country do not suffer anymore.
I see a future, where every child gets the education he/she deserves and in the
right manner. Through them, I see a future where they live a happy and healthy
life, in peace with each other and with the nations of the world. I see a future
where these children become individuals with strong morals, and get rid of
greed and senseless beliefs. I see through them, my country rid of social evils
poverty, corruption, rape, drugs, torture, female feticide. I see a future where
there is no difference between a Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Jain, Sikh, or
between a girl and a boy, man and woman, people. I see a clean India and a
country that will support itself, and its people by itself . For this to happen, as
Mahatma Gandhi believed, I will be the change I wish to see.
And as the Chinese proverb goes, the journey of a 1000 miles begins with the
first step. I will take this first step in a small manner, working with the people
nearest to me, after which I will gradually spread out, working towards
changing the mindset of my countrymen and their children. I believe that life is
not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way. I will achieve my
dreams and take others with me along this journey.

I am that SOMEBODY; I AM THE FUTURE; I am the change I

want to see in people. I know change is inevitable and challenging whether
it is conscious or unexpected. I am too positive to be doubtful, too optimistic
to be fearful and too determined to be defeated.

I am the pioneer of the future.

Athulya Menon J.
PGDM 22

Essay that won the First prize

in the intercollegiate contest
organized by MIR group.
PC: Abhijeet Nair
PGDM 23

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Life at SCMS
An Artistic View

Akhil Jaison
PGDM 22

10
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11
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MUSINGS FROM MEMORY LANE

Hope...dreamand passionWhat
comes to your mind?
When posed with this question, this is
how few alumni responded.
What is your Aim and Dream in life?,
Follow your passion
I guess this was the most frequently asked
question and advise
during my student life.
From then, till now its been a journey of
tides but yet it is not very clear to me what the
exact meaning of Dream, Passion, and Hope is.
With every other passing instances in life, we
try to figure out a new meaning of these words,
not mere words, but exponentially increasing
desires that keep us going.
The day I graduated from SCMS, I felt I
achieved a lot. The day I joined work, I realized
I was just a face in the crowd. I have to achieve

triple of what I thought I already

accomplished. This cycle is never-ending. But
this Dream, Passion and Hope, is it only for
oneself? Only to live a luxurious life? Only to
ensure we have a car to ride and brands to
wear? Though honestly, we all look up to
these material pleasures and fight hard all our
life but I believe there are few other things
that needs our attention too.

contribute a new meaning to the three words

that means the world to us and to all
Dreams Passion...Hope.

Jayeeta Putatunda PGDM 21

Analyst | Federal Government
US KS | Strategy, Brand & Innovation
Deloitte Support Services Pvt. Ltd.

This world is no longer a very simple,

trustworthy place to live The corruptness of
the system, atrocities of female foeticide, the
shameful rape incidents, the pretentious
richness, and the fallacy of the core beliefs we
once trusted. So its high time we shift out
focus from only ME to WE to US! Look
around, try to find the small gaps that we can
fill to make life better for all of us. People say,
Be happy in what you do, but we say Do
what makes everyone around you happy. A
healthy and a peaceful place to live in.
The choice is ours. The power is ours. Lets
U

At last I got a finance job..!!I was on cloud SCMSian is good at...The training received
nine when I got the offer letter in hand...
during the college life in prioritizing work
and finishing it off according to the time
On my first day I went with lot of limits came as a blessing in disguise. We
expectations...!! It was different from what I always felt that our life in SCMS was really
expected... My desk was full with loads and very tough. Some of us were able to face it,
loads of files which need to be vouchered, some faltered and then got up with full enverified and documented properly Nita, ergy. Now, when in this competitive world
we need to tally and update all these files we feel that life at SCMS is something that
into the Accounting Software Don't forget, we all cherish in our memory.
we are managing accounts of three companies... You need to start from square one Within a month, I have managed to finish
and at least finish any 5-6 ledgers this off more than the target given. Keep it up,
month...!!", my boss instructed. I may be
completely new to the work, but I was not
tensed... I am not new to bunch of work that
needs to be completed within a time scale...
TIME MANAGEMENT... an act that every

I have been trying to finish off since long

time. How did you manage? The answer to
this question is very evident in the quote
Allow your passion to become your purpose,
and it will one day become your
profession..

Nita Raghupati PGDM 21

Assistant to Finance Manager
Direct Source Engineering, UAE
PC: C.V. Vishnu VijayanPGDM 21
Product Trainee, Prabhu Steels

Tomorrow is like a puzzle for medreaming and coping with

the reality is the truth. The late night preparations, stress
management, time management and people management are the
fabulous gifts I got from SCMS which helped me succeed as the
first and only lady Chanel Sales Manager in my company which
will always remain as my reputation.
Anusha A.S., PGDM 21
Channel Sales Manager, Tata Teleservices

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When I passed out from SCMS, I had a clear idea about

which career is apt for me. I knew that a corporate job was
not my cup of tea. So I decided to follow my passion - film
making. Then I worked as an assistant director of a
Malayalam movie. Now, I'm working on a script for an
upcoming Malayalam movie. I'm so happy to say that I'm doing what I like the most and I'm living my dream!!!
So, if you are passionate about something, just be focused
and work hard to achieve it. You may have to face many
challenges. People may tease you, call you mad, your
friends or relatives may force you to divert from your
passion and follow what they say. But do what your mind
says. Living your dream is the most wonderful feeling in the
world!!! "IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DO IT!!!
Sarath R. Nath, PGDM 20
Assistant Director/Writer
PC: Vineed Vijay, PGDM 21
Executive HR Operations, Allianz Cornhill

All great things begin with a small dream. Passion & Perseverance
makes the caterpillar to fly one day with beautiful color!
The above metaphor is actually how I am right now, living my
dream. My friends & well-wishers always asked me how it is
possible for someone who has studied science for these long years to
pursue a career in Management. The dream I had made me strive
hard to fulfill it in the past and in the present also. My job at
Medgenome, the No.1 Genomics solution provider in India is a
perfect place I found where my passion met with career. A career
where I am able to apply my medical knowledge as well as my
marketing & management skills to achieve success! And all these
happened because I followed my heart.
Dr. Deepak Prabhakar, PGDM 21
Business Development Manager, Medgenome
Live it KING size! was told to me as soon as I stepped into my team at
Suyati the Sales and Marketing. I was all too ecstatic to prove to the
world that I was a girl of substance, and oh-yes, was I ready!!
SCMS threw me into every opportunity that I could have ever hoped for
(be it clubs, events, dances, teacher-student interactions, III's) and this
family just pruned me right! I wasnt the brightest or the best raw
material the college got and neither did I possess super-natural skills. I
was ordinary, but enthusiastic and ready. I scrambled, fell , cried and
had my failures, but the best part was that, when I picked myself up , I
was cheered by this extraordinary family of teachers. As for me, Suyati
has been an absolute dream and trust me, every bit of my foundation
was laid right from the 2 years at SCMS!

Evita Liz EldhosePGDM 21

Staffing (US), Marketing and Strategic Partnerships
Suyati Technologies

Gone are those days when kids were happy to play with
toys, a slate and chalk to scribble numbers, alphabets and
show up their most creative arts. We are now in the electronic era where technology has taken its stand with kids
now using iPads, tabs and smart phones to read, write and
play.
Along with the technological development, the mindset,
thought process, imagination of kids has grown immensely
to a larger extent. They are so focused at a very young age
and have started dreaming about where they want to be
seen themselves in the next 10-15 years. A strong passion
burning inside them drives them to work hard to follow
their dreams and make it a reality.
Hope, which is built internally inside every mind is another
factor that's giving them the extra push towards their
success in every phase of life.
Samuel John, PGDM 21
Relationship Manager, Asian Paints
PC : Ananthu Balachandran, PGDM 21
Assistant Director

2Years of SCMS would be cherished throughout my life. The last

minute IMLP, assignment submission, management fest, presentation, test and so on... Relativity of impact on oneself can be measured only when we face the outside world, the so-called corporate
world. Today, I enjoy doing a presentation in office. Though it was
not a cakewalk, felt the pressure and stress. But perseverance enabled me to buckle up under pressure in SCMS .Made some best
friends in life which wouldn't have been possible if it was not residential college. 2 years post SCMS I can say I am living my
dreams. Financial Analyst in Chief Investment Office of JP Morgan
is definitely more than a dream for me. I would like to thank all the
faculty members who have helped me in streamlining my energy
and strive for success.
AOUF P.A.-PGDM 20

Financial Analyst, Chief Investment Office -JP Morgan

If you have good faith and a strong desire you can achieve it
this is a lesson that SCMS taught me. In the first few days at
SCMS, I thought I would not be able to survive there. But I had
a wish, that when I complete my journey at SCMS, I should see
a smile on my parents face. And that wish, that desire helped
me face all the hardships. The day I saw my seniors (batch 20)
for their convocation and their parents feeling proud of their
children, taking photos and hugging them, my desire got
stronger. Each day in SCMS was to achieve this desire of mine.
And I could make my parents happier than I thought on the day
of convocation, by being the topper of B&I specialization
stream. Now, when I see anyone struggling I tell them, you can
do itits just the matter of perseverance. This lesson that
SCMS taught me has always helped me grow.

Neelima Maria John PGDM 21

Associate Consultant- Immigration Services
Fragomen Global Immigration Services India (P) Ltd.

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Athulya Menon J.

Midhun Sekhar R.K.

Franco P. Joseph

Subash T. K.

Gayathri Krishnan M.

Published and designed by the students of SCMS Cochin School of Business. Printed at Maptho Printings, Kalamassery.
For private circulation only.

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