The panel Dr called me inside. "Every comapnay has it's own proforma. What all tests they want conducted on their candidates. & a standard format of reporting too. I'm not on the panel of this Company. I do not have their proforma"
I asked him to prepare a report on his letterhead, & seal it. So, he didn't conduct any tests, & wrote a general report based on clinical examinations. I paid him, took the envelope, & went out. Deepti was asleep in the waiting area. Sitting upright. I tapped on her shoulder with the envelope. She woke immediately, & later said that all people there had been staring.
We went home & went to sleep.
Deepti woke up with a head-ache from the ill-timed nap. I looked at her snaps, chatted with her roommates. Then dinner & sleep. Then next day dawned.
As yesterday, we tripled to the hospital, had breakfast & went to the department.
At 10, I booked an auto return, & went to the Company's regional office.
I submitted the report. Informed them that the Dr had not had the proforma, & took reimbursement. they said, if the proforma arrived, they'd fill it up themselves. I gave them my address & phone no., & told them that I'll get the specified tests done if I'm told.
I returned. I went up to Deepti's OPD, & pleased with myself, opened an issue of Cosmopolitan I had found at her place. I tried to ring up my Dad & Yash. Yash is my fiance. Both phones were engaged.
The lady at the RO called me. The proforma had arrived. Have I left Raipur? No? Good. Can I come & collect it?
Ye to Ibtidaa hai !
the incident at Raipur IV
I approached the man sitting at the nearest desk, but was intercepted by the sweeping maid. I told her what I was there for, & she asked me to sit. Means wait. I sat. Though no reception, there was a waiting area. With two sofas.
I looked around. The place was overloaded. Anyway, an open arrangement of office, without cubicles, means a lot of noise. & right on the road, this place collected a lot of dust. There were cartons & cartons of copier paper. & of new LCD monitors. & the monitors too, on the sight-offending but otherwise functioning desks. In one case, the carton was lodged between the monitor & the wall...
The maid crossed me thrice, & told me each time that no-one had arrived yet. Then who were these (now 6 or 7) people?
15 mins later, one gentleman approached me & said "I did not realize it was you. You have come for joining, haven't you?" Before I opened my mouth to explain, a middle-aged lady entered, & I was directed to her desk. I showed her my letter.
They discussed. "Inka interview hua hai. Medical check-up ke liye Dilli se letter bheja hai. RO likha hai, lekin address hamaara de diya hai na". "You should go to the RO, Madam" they told me. "Ye galti se hamara address de diya hai". They gave me the names of 2 contact persons, & the address of the regional office. They also said they'd inform there.
I went back to meet Deepti. This place was on the ring road, on the highway. Not confident to find my own way there, I took an auto. Deepti meticulously quizzed the driver about his know-how of the place.
But ill -luck. The auto broke down. It won't restart. The poor fellow did everything he could, even taking out a spare spark plug. I relieved him.
Fortunately, I was not too far from the highway, & a share auto dropped me close enough.
I went up to the regional office, they were expecting me.
The divisional office had informed them. I met the lady in personnel. She took a copy of the letter, as no communication had reached them. She took me to meet the RO incharge. This was the first time Riapur regional office was performing any recruiting duties at their level. They had no designated Dr. That meant, they'd borrow a panel Dr from a sister concern with more penetration in this area. I won't mention the name of the organization, just Sister concern. this was what Dad had found out from his acquaintance. If I had heeded, I'd had thought of contacting this regional office from the divisional office itself - on phone - something these people were now suggesting ...
The incharge reasoned that the panel Dr of the Sister Concern will not acknowledge me, & so gave me a letter directing him to conduct a medical examination, & hand the results to me itself, in a sealed envelope.
I returned. (The stoooopid auto driver this time took me to Science University, instead of Medical college... but FORGET IT)
Deepti was starting to get amazed. We had Lunch. Deepti took me to the said Dr. She deduced the roads & got me there without much difficulty.
the incident at Raipur III
I find 'tripling' most unsophisticated. (My sister, Suchs loves the fun of it!). No, honestly, if it were not illegal for safety concerns, it should be for indecency.
But I was disturbing Deepti's routine (& was to continue doing so - though I did not know then...), so I didn't make a sound. Anyway, we were all 3 thin enough, to sit comfortably.
We had breakfast at the hostel kitchen. Then we went to Deepti's department. Dermatology.
Oh! Did I not tell U that Deepti's a Dr, & works at the Medical College Hospital, Raipur? Well, she is, & she does.
She told me she might be able to take me to the company's office. She might be free.
Never underestimate the ability of patients for ill-timing!!!
As a clinician, U might think that U r not too busy (after all, u took up this post so that U'd be able to study for PG in their empty OPD), but trust them to turn up in hordes, just the day U'd rather be bunking duty.
So, a little before 10, Deepti asked if I could myself use her Activa. I was carrying my Driver's licence, so it was fine with me. (& extremely generous of Deepti, seeing as she mortally mistrusts me with any 2-wheeler!)
This office was right on the road on which the medical college is, so with minimum effort, I located it. I parked Deepti's Activa (Tow-away was her big concern) & went up to the office.
1st floor. There were two marked doors, both partially barred. I just like that went inside. 10:05. A maid was sweeping. 4 or 5 different persons were at different desks. No trace of a reception or receptionist.
the incident at Raipur II
I wanted to take the 7:20 local to Raipur. Dad dropped me to the station. I asked him to buy me a ticket, so I won’t have to remove my ‘wrapping’. 
There were 4 guys standing at the counter, being restless.
The ‘behind-the-counter’-s were unable to
Initiate their software/ link-up to their server/ find the correct option to book (not regular booking guy) or something.
Hence, no tickets.
Meanwhile, the 6:30 local was still standing at platform 3, I looked at my watch, 7:05. Everyone started jumping up & down. “Manual 
ticket de do na bhayya”
That too was too difficult. It was obvious that the designated employee was late. In another 10 mins, they did manage to hand out manual tickets. These may be relics soon… should already have been.
The 6:30 local departed at 7:15, & reached Raipur in the time of the next one, the 7:20 one. Deepti had called & I had told her my position, & I called again after reaching. She came & picked me up.
Deepti lives close to the Medical college. Which is quite close to the railway station. With 2 roommates – sisters; they share a 2BHK house on the 1st floor.
I shed my scarf. I told her my plan to visit the office of the company & then the designated Dr, & showed her the address. It was close by.
They got ready. Deepti “tripled” Simmi & me to the Medical College hospital.
the incident at Raipur I
I’m about to join a new job. I was called for ‘medical Fitness’ test for it. That became blog material.
To avoid disclosing the organization’s name (Who knows who gets offended!) I’ll call it “The Company” now on …
I saw it on the website that I had cleared the interview. They were going to send me a letter directing me to the nearest Regional Office to report for Medical Check-up.
It did arrive, though a trifle late. I got it on 27th. “We will appreciate if you call to confirm the time of your visit” they had said. I called the regional office. Call was not answered. I became h-a-p-p-y! No Saturdays! 5-day week!
So there would be no appointment. “immediately and in no case later than 30.6.2009 at 10.00 AM” the letter said, “In case you fail to report for Medical examination by 30.6.2009, we shall assume that you are not interested in joining the Company …”
Since I’m located at Bhilai, I was suggested the Raipur regional office, & address was provided. The end of the letter said “ CC : Regional I/c., RO Raipur for information. Our detailed instructions are being sent separately.”
Dad consulted someone, who works for that company, & confirmed 5-day week, & that there would be training at Noida, & that this address was in fact the Divisional office … & one more thing, & I didn’t pay attention.
I called Deepti. She said she was again contemplating break-up. I said I’m coming down on Monday. I’d need her resources. All out …
Tyaag – Sacrifice & renunciation
However, there are people who shift not downwards, but willingly out of their comfort zone into the adventures & horrors of working the neglected people.
Residing & living, interacting & working with the forgotten few, they assimilate the local politics, as also economics, civics, gossip, worship & in general the LIFE of the area. They begin to speak up against atrocities.
'Adivasis want to be left alone by Naxals and security forces'
Are these incedents
- gross dishonour of human life for hogwash action,
- misguided strategies,
- or desperate acts of mortally scared & under-equipped officers.
For a while, let’s not dwell on what these are
& definitely not on the validity of Naxalite claims.
No. But the pleas of Dr Binayak Sen & Mr Himanshu ? these are people with sensibilities similar to us urbane. These are educated, experienced, competent professionals. These are humans enlightened & selfless & adventurous enough to commit themselves to service(in the original sense of the word).
Is it not natural that they could be the voice of reason? A trustable third party? A researched & reasonably detached view on the requirements of the Red corridor? The parliamentary committee should have diplomatically approached these contact towers to the ‘left-outs’.
Instead, we ignore them till we can, & arrest them at the first opportunity.
It’s true, sacrifices go unhonoured, unvalued.
Under-rated Terror
Nalco mine hostage crisis, eight jawans killed
Second major attack in 2 months shocks Koraput
Binayak Sen completes second year in jail amid global campaigns, awards
Never underestimate your enemy. The Naxalites, as terrorists, are pretty underrated!
Maybe it's simply due to the discomfort of laying the blame at a particular door ... never mind, I must not quote myself - I'm still a nobody. Have a look at the Status Paper on the Naxal Problem .
Allow me (sweeping bow) to draw your attention to point 4,"POLICY TO DEAL WITH THE NAXALITE MENACE ", please do scroll down, direct link is not possible, to sub point "X"
War footing, eh?
But are these officers military? Why would they be mentally & resource-wise prepared, or even willing & aligned to working in places where formal system has collapsed, or, better, was never there to begin with?
Did they pledge their lives?
Could you go?
Suppose you are completely dedicated & passionate about serving, as a public servant. Still, how do you plan to survive long-term in a place where you have to set up a school & a hospital? Where would your children study? Where would your sick parents be taken care of?
Yeah, very cruel & feudal of me to suggest ‘what is good for the villagers is not good for the public servant’. But we have to be practical. There is no such thing as climbing down the social ladder. A lifestyle cannot be given up, many celebrities living beyond their means have found out to their cost.
Moreover, it’s not just a standard of living we are dealing with here. How about the residence being set to fire? How about kidnapped kids? Surely not in the scope of work of Willing, committed and competent officers?