I left no stone unturned to have this date as my joining date in NISG. You might not believe but I was working on a critical deployment activity as the sole point of contact until 12-00 PM on 10th November, 2011, my last day at my previous employer-Microsoft. There left no more flight on that day to connect me to Aizawl; but I covered half the distance by an evening flight to Kolkata. Yes, after finishing all the formalities such as handing over the laptop, ID-card etc to my old employer and of course, saying Good-bye and hugging my old friends with tearful eyes. I wanted nelson-nelson as my joining date anyhow. This was my first job-change, that too with a huge shift from Microsoft to Government- my expectation had been tremendous. That made me feels guilty for being late to office on the very first day. But I was left with no other option as the arrival time for the first flight at Aizawl’s Lengpui airport was 11-10 AM (either from Kolkata or from Guwahati). ‘Friday afternoon’ – I had always considered a wind-up time, not in this case though. The day started with the famous ambassador taxi of Kolkata. I reached Kolkata airport without knowing I was lucky enough to witness the rare event- ‘on time Aizawl flight’. But the luck dissociated itself in case of my carrying baggage. First time I boarded a small ATR flight and they refused to consider my trolley-bag as cabin bag. Consequently, I had to pay INR 2100 for extra baggage whereas my ticket cost was INR 2200. New place, new flight, new experience! This was my first visit to Mizoram, previously known as the LUSAI HILL district of Assam before getting its UT status in 1972. Unknown places always attract me, specially the small sleepy hilly towns. I was excited. Amidst the big trees and deep jungle suddenly I spotted the runway of the Lengpui Airport. The first thought came to my mind – was this runway longer than the Mangalore one? It was 12-30 PM, by the time I reached Aizawl town from the Airport. You have to obtain ‘Inner Line Permit’ to enter Mizoram – miniature form of visa, if I am allowed to say so. I had thought I would enjoy the hilly road from the airport to Aizawl; but I had to stop the taxi twice as I was having vomiting tendency on the curvy road. First time I thought my old equations might not work all the time here in Aizawl. I did not spend even 2 minutes at the hotel. Just after submitting my baggage at the reception, I took my file and rushed towards the office by another taxi. My guilt consciousness was at zenith that time. I didn’t find much difficulty in locating my future work-place, but searching for 10 minutes here & there. It was just in front of the Mizoram Assembly house- a four storied building. I took a bow (inside my mind) and approached the security guards sitting out there at the lower-ground floor. And, the fun began. The security guards were very busy playing a strange game – carom board coins on a chess board using a rule none of the above two. They were so engrossed into the game that my four repeated asks went in vain. My second concern was where I can get access pass to go to the upper floors of the building. One lady with vegetables on her back (read as vegetable vendor) solved my concern. I went inside one office in the first floor searching for Er. Ringa, system engineer,Department of ICT, Mizoram, whom my supervisor had asked me to meet (my supervisor was in Hyderabad on CIO training). I saw 4 ladies, sitting on a round table and working on woolen sweaters. That was a scene we often see in movies about Government offices. I felt delighted that I was into hard-core Government sector now. I went to second floor expecting that might be the floor used by Department of ICT, Govt. of Mizoram. There was a long queue at the entrance of the main office. Four people were sitting on the ground itself, spitting everywhere, waiting for their turn to enter the office. The scene completely shut my mood off. I prayed to God – ‘I understand Government, but slightly better please’. Thankfully, God listened to me – that was some Social Welfare department or something. Next, I reached the third floor. A long row of wooden cubical with a beautiful conference room at the entrance welcomed me. My expectation was at the lowest level – so, I became overjoyed! I found out Er. Ringa and informed him about my joining. He was clueless as my supervisor did not inform him anything, it seemed. I explained him whole about NeGP and NISG without much result; but the moment I used the word SeMT, he understood everything. I learnt another lesson of using appropriate word while discovering my future sitting place. Er. Ringa took me to the fourth floor- my future work-station. The fourth floor was the SWAN State Headquarter for Mizoram. There was a separate room for the consultants apart from the NOC room, store room and machine room. First impression- very nice (but I missed a few ladies working on woolen sweater.-:) I met Pu Maka, the current SeMT consultant in Program Management. He assigned me the cubical in front of him. We chatted for half an hour about the current scenario and then he suggested I should submit a joining report to the ICT office in third floor so that there remains some proof that I joined on 11-11-11. Did I expect some people would wait for my arrival with garland? Probably NO! Did I expect some people would know that somebody called Manjit Nath would join that day and guide me what I should do? Probably Yes! But things don’t happen as we expect, and that is the fun of life. Isn’t it? By the time I prepared some joining report template inside my mind, submit that along with my relieving letter from Microsoft to an officer in third floor, it was 3-30 PM. I was damn hungry, slight headache with post-vomiting side-effects. But I was there with all my zing to change the fate of Mizoram- how can I stop so soon? I started having conversation with other people out there in the fourth floor. I met Colonel Mehta, branch manager of Tulip, which bidded for the Mizoram SWAN earlier, unsuccessfully though. I met the engineers and operators of V’mtech, the engineering implementer company of Mizoram SWAN. It was around 4-30 PM, the Sun was setting down; there remained very few people at office. Col. Mehta offered to give lift to me and Pu Maka on his way home. I was feeling so awkward to leave office at a time when I just used to have snacks in Hyderabad-office. “If you are in Rome, do as Romans do”. The duo dropped me at my hotel. The hotel stuffs already arranged my room with my baggage in proper place. Let me not write what and when I had my dinner:) I remember writing essay ‘My first day at school’ during school-days. Shouldn’t we write essay like ‘My first day at office’ during our working-days? They say, a strong memory of the past gives a solid start for the future. I am just trying to prove them right.
Posted on: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 11:57:03 +0000
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