08 October 2007

That moment... Aditya Birla Scholarship 2007

22 September 2007, Aditya Birla Scholarship Award Ceremony, Hotel Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai

"The next one is Bipin Kulkarni... also from IIM Bangalore!"

I sat there emotionless as my name was announced. It was the moment when I was named an Aditya Birla Scholar - awarded to only 10 management students across the IIMs. A dream of three months had finally come true.

I got up and started walking towards the stage. For a moment, I drifted into a different world. I saw a different set of people around me. They were all standing along the path where I walked, smiling and waving. I could identify each one of them. They had finally showed me the path, the path I would finally tread! They were my support system - people who prepared me psychologically to face the challenging interview, people to whom I owed it all, people without whom, I could not have come so far.

I saw my mother whose eyes were moist with joy, I saw my father whose face glowed with pride, I saw my brother who was trying to stop himself from screaming his voice out!

I saw my closest set of friends from IIM Bangalore. I saw Aarthi, Harish, Lavanya and IP... all donning the proud IIMB T-Shirt standing and smiling. They had been with me on campus at Bangalore when I faced the stressful days of the first term. I never had a lonely moment to feel bogged down. They had been with me when I needed them the most. They were again with me, this time in Mumbai. A smile finally wiped my face, which was emotionless otherwise.

A moment later, I was back to the Ball Room of Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai where the award ceremony was taking place. It took me a moment to realize that I was indeed walking through the crowd smartly dressed up in business suits, looking up at me and clapping.

A few seconds later I was standing infront of Smt. Rajashree Birla... and the felicitations followed...





References

Aditya Birla Scholarship Website: http://www.adityabirlascholars.net/abgs_circle/20007.aspx

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your blog can be summarized in three words: I AM GOD.

Snowie said...

great buddy ..i know how elated u would be ...add this to ur big list of treats u have to give us ..:)

naveen said...

congrats genius