Time : Apr 2002
Location : Tata Power, Electronics City, Bangalore
So finally I was an E&C engineer, passed out of PESIT!! Phew
I was out of the engineering school. I dint want to become a software engineer
(this was more to do with the fact that I dint get any job in software
companies :)),
I was more of a MOSFET, micro controller, assembly language, oscilloscope man,
than a JAVA or C++ geek. The fact that I wasn’t good at programming added to the
aversion towards software in general. More so electronics engineers were looked
down upon by the software giants, probably the perception being that we E&C
engineers can’t think “Software”. Most
of it was true; because in the 4 years of engineering we hardly “touched”
computers until the final year.
All this mutual repugnance between me and software, led me
to join Tata power. The interview itself
was a welcome change, where I was asked about MOSFETs, h- parameters, sinking
and sourcing currents and micro controllers in general. Prior to this Tata Power interview, all my
other interviews in software companies, gave me a belief that I was suffering
from “software dyslexia”.. the labyrinth of terminologies…Constructors,
destructors, abstraction, static functions, operator overloading sent my head
spinning into orbit!!! (Even today, I hate C++ from the bottom of my heart :))
“Design a temperature controller circuit, the cut off should
happen at 70 degree Centigrade, also make sure the heater is turned on once the
temperature goes below -20 degrees and don’t leave the control loop open!”
This was my discussion with my manager after I completed 15
days in Tata Power. There was no discussion there, as such. I just said, OK
sir, and came out, wiping the beads of sweat that had formed on my forehead. Grey haired electronics Casanovas were spread
like algae in Tata Power. They talked, breathed and probably even ate
electronics. Each one was a land mine
ready to explode at the smallest hint of disturbance. With such an elite group
of colleagues (basically I dint have colleagues there, they were all seniors), I
huffed and puffed my way to design my first temperature controller circuit. The
design did not even go beyond the schematics. One grey haired nerd, scrapped the design,
scribbled the circuit on a piece of paper, gave the PCB designer the details, all
within a couple of hours.
This too hot to handle technical stuff was, I guess a part of
the run in needed for all the freshly minted coins from the engineering
schools. I was no different, I felt the time 8 am to 430 pm was most horrible
part of the day, each minute bringing in unforeseen dangers (read design
discussions, hardware problems) from unexpected corners of the department. The clock striking 4:30 infused new energy to my sapping
mind and heart and like kids running out of school, at the stroke of 4:30 I used
to run to our bus that would take me to my home sweet home.
Sharp at 6, I would reach home, and the first thing I would
do, is call Pachi.. “Lo baaro hogona” (Come lets go). “Hmm sari bandhe, 10 mins”
(Ok fine, I will be there in 10 mins) That was the only dialogue between us over
the phone, because that was our routine :).
Pachi’s Kinetic Honda was one heck of a work horse, however we had kept a
feminine name to her :).
She would soar smoothly through the suffocating by lanes of Rajajinagar, and
reach our destination, Malleshwaram. Pachi
and me sync well together in most of the matters, the first one, FOOD :). The destination was
fixed, Janatha Hotel in 8th cross. Most of the times, our snack was
also fixed. Eradu single vada, followed by eradu masala dose. The taste was so
divine that we had fallen in love with masala dosas and vadas. The uniform golden
brown texture, that was both soft and crispy, served with coconut chutney,
almost melted in the mouth. The not so pocket heavy combo was simply lick
smacking, and of course satiated the two gluttony foodies.
After the heavy snack, we used to stroll towards Sampige
road, and automatically as a ritual, we were drawn towards Amruth Ice Creams. (It’s
a small shop, serving homemade vegetarian ice creams) We either had butter
scotch/fig n honey and one rum n raisin. Stuffed enough in our tummies, we used
to walk towards the Malleshwaram railway station!! Sitting on the stone benches
there, we two gluttons used to talk about everything. “Everything” in a young
bachelors life is largely restricted to only three things.. Girls, job, money..
in that order!!, Okay, okay, the order may change for some serious career
oriented geeks, but girls would always be a topic of discussion!
The hurtling rani chennamma at around 930pm or 945pm tearing
through the silence of Malleshwaram, indicated the end of day for both of us,
time to head back home, have dinner (yeah, come what may I never skipped dinner,
despite my stomach crying… enough I cant take it more!!) and snore away to
glory to fight another day at Tata Power!!
So there it was, my days in Tata Power. The more I think of Tata
Power, the more I remember the days I spent after office hours J. Its been 11 years
since those days, and always when I think of it... a smile finds it way on my
lips!!
Jaane kahan gaye woh din!!! (No, this is not the melancholy tune!! But yes, I miss those days...)
A[V]I
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