From MICA to 'chocolate khakra':)..........(part 1)


Although I have used the word nostalgia often in my conversations, I never knew how one felt, when the ‘true moment of nostalgia’ over powers the emotional turf .

But I got a taste of this overwhelming feeling….over this weekend.

I had the good fortune of visiting my institute over this weekend. (MICA, known as Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad, and few uninitiated call it – Mudra Institute of Communications and ‘Advertising’ ...and the auto drivers in Ahmedabad call is ‘MIKO’)

MICA is arguably India's best institute for marketing professionals. Aspirants with brand and blood running interchangeably, through in and throughout, are the fortunate few to join the elite club of MICAns. Anyways will spare you of the self tom-toming brigade that I belong to:) and cut straight to the chase!

I was invited to MICA over this weekend, to lecture the second year students, pursuing their post-graduate diplomas in communications management.

With less than 5 years of experience under the belt, I was of-course ecstatic to receive this invitation. It’s an honour to go back to the institute that built me to what I am today. And in capacity of a faculty was even more enthralling

The initial excitement and euphoria surrounding the invite was soon replaced by mind boggling and never-ending string of questions that pose before me. How do I make the presentation? What and How should I cover the topics? Should I have more theory, more exercises, more case studies..what?

Finally many coffee cups and agonizing hours later, when caffeine started replacing blood in my veins, and Kurt Gobain and myself started talking … as we both levitated…I was able to get a fix on the presentation. A neat 25 slider powerpoint which I thought was packed with ‘power’ and ‘point’.

So, the professor and his ‘better half’ (actually my wife’s choice of semantics were a little different, call her up and ask how had she designated herself) set out for the journey.

At the risk of making it sound like a ‘plug’, I want to make a mention of ‘SpiceJet’. While the so called ‘full service carrier’ were delivering their full ‘lip service’, Spice Jet was the only carrier which was on time. So the two of us made an ‘auspicious start’, by departing from the Delhi Airport (on time), and arriving at the Ahmedabad airport (before time).

Ahmed Bhai (institute’s driver) had me and my wife in splits when he mentioned that he still remembers me from my 'haircut'. Clarification: I have a normal haircut, as is visible in my profile pic, but for some strange reason, Ahmed Bhai thought my hair were the most noticeable feature of my aesthetic appearance:)

My heartbeat raced as the gates of MICA were opened for us. The sprawling lush green campus opened its arms for us, and the unruffled zephyr brought along sweet memories that I had cherished. I almost stood there for a moment… entranced and entrenched. Finally Thakurjis' (Head of security at Campus) thunderous voice dazed me out of my stupor. As he hugged me and blessed me...my lungs filled with pride I declared to Jyotsana (read: better half) – ‘This is MY campus’.