Leaving an organization after a tenure of over 24 years couldn’t be an easy call. But hold on! What if one plans for it and execute the exit plan with least anticipated problems? Even if you do that, how do you leave? My take is that you really do not leave the organization, you just move on to some other place. Almost like rebirth, while I was the soul, it was merely about donning new set of clothes. And as the karmic cycle goes, I am sure the rules are going to be same even in this rebirth professionally.
Looking back at my life in TOI which began in August 1989, I am overwhelmed with the feeling of pride and huge satisfaction. Starting out as a rookie and learning the ropes during first five years was great fun. Another 10 years of challenges took me to Guwahati, Delhi and Patna before I almost settled down in Kolkata. Settled down to unsettle myself! Call it mid-life crisis. So, there I was in Kolkata wondering about “what next” and the idea of teaching popped up through the maze of my grey cells. XLRI almost heard my prayers by launching a fellow program for executives. Three month down the line, about mid April in 2006, I was doing my course work there. Marrying the compulsions of job and doctoral research taught me one very important lesson – abilities can be stretched much more than one’s belief! Next eight years was the transformation period – from a sales person to a marketing researcher. By 2013, after submitting my thesis and launching new businesses in Kolkata, it was time to take a final call. I was doing well, if not very well, and to my mind the time was NOW. Couple of faculty recruitment seminars and just after my defense bagging a teaching job was some sort of directional confirmation. It was time to say goodbye and look for a new “Hello”.
Changing cities is not new to me but this change does look little difficult. I am sure time will take care of this and we will all be settled here in Gaziabad very soon. For now, its party time and it’s on. Till I join my assignment on 15th April. Wait there!
Markets and Conversations 