MDF: -- So many questions, so many answers, so many guesses but it’s still a mystery to everyone……….

My journey to Satyam was little bit dramatic. Let me first introduce the guys whom I know earlier Abhineet (Kernal) and Abhishek (L****). Abhishek was the one who was single point of contact for me.

Drama started when I didn’t get joining letter, due to some reasons I didn’t got joining letters. I called all up Anjali Mam (GCET guys very well know her) and letter I called up HR of Satyam and got my joining letter. It came to me on 8^th of January joining was on 17^th of Jan. So I left Jindal on 14^th of Jan and left for another journey of my life. My ticket from Raigarh to Nagpur was also not confirmed. Reached Nagpur at about 9 am and there came to know my next train is late by 3 hours (Too much, so many difficulties). Wait, wait and wait…. What to do why not call Abhishek lets know where is he. He was already in Hyderabad. He and some other friends were in a lodge near station and told me to come there.

So finally I got train, there I met a guy who was also going to join Satyam (He had also Bond but of 1.5 Lacs). God saved me otherwise my journey was going to be boring. At about 8 I reached Secunderabad Station. I came out of station and trying to find lodge that Abhishek had told me about. Searched a lot and finally I found that lodge. I again called Abhishek…

Me: Keha hai tu..

Abhishek: Yaar hum loog room pe nahe hai, tu wait kaar bahar hum abhe aate hai..

Me: Ok, jaldi aana me wait karta hoo..

Again Wait, wait and wait… They came after half an hour.

First I saw Abhishek after that Kernel and finally Rajneesh (Pinchu). I was very much tired and need rest when I entered in room it was really a small one and can’t accommodate 4 guys (No doubt later were 5 in that, don’t know how)… I introduced myself to all of them and came to know about them also, they were Abhishek, Abhineet and Rajneesh. As I was very tired, I sat on a chair and suddenly heard something “Bear peye kya “it was none other than Pinchu…

This was the first party in pre MDF Club….

One thing I came to know at that time, while taking alcohol there are no formalities and is the best way to become familiar to someone… From that moment we were inducted in a relation, called as friendship, and letter we formed a Club, called MDF Club…

This is my part of story………

Anil Kachru

MDF club

MDF...

For some it is "Most decent friend", for others it is "My Dearest friend". Some call it "Most Deadly Female" , others know it by the name "Most Draculian Female" yet some others call it "Mighty Dangerous Female" etc etc. But the real meaning of MDF is a deep secret kept between the members of the previliged club.

Each day in MDF is worth writing a story. Being a member of MDF club, I would like to script some of the stories of the club and it's evolution.

It was the winter of 2008(Jan),and the scene of Jammu Railway Station. Rajneesh (alias Pinchu), Abheshek( alias L****) and I were leaving for Hyderabad. We had joining in a leading Global IT Services provider , a Hyderabad based company.

All of us reached the railway station with our near and dears to bade us good bye. Abheshek appeared still and numb in the new environment, like a wet cat and why not it was the first time he was travelling by train. Pinchu was proactive as ever.We got up in the train adjusted our luggage beneath the seats. Abheshek had brought a special bedding (gadda/matress) with him.

Rajneesh and I got out of the boogie and stood with our near and dears while Abheshek clinched to his seat, unwilling to come out(watever may be the inhibitions). Rajneesh appeared to be the most gregarious of all ,testimony being the presence of one-third of his mohllah friends with their sweet blessings. As they stood in a circle covering most of the platform, the passers-by were left amused.That day was really terrific (economically) in Pinchu's life. All his friends and relatives poured lots and lots of money in his pocket. The contribution of kids was emotionally visible as kids sacrificed their toffees for so many days to save some amount for Pinchu bhaiya.The kids were shouting slogans "Pind the munda bhar ja reha hai".

The journey begins. We had planned a halt at New Delhi where we were supposed to meet one of our friends, Rohin (alias susti, class-mate of Abheshek and me, neighbour of Rajneesh) and to undergo an overall medical checkup, a prequisite for joining the company. We reached Delhi in the early hours. Now I suggested that we put the luggage in the cloak room and roam around freely where ever we want to. We went to the cloack room and filled the form but the manager refused to put two bags in his custody as they were makeshift bags (Jholas) and could not be locked. We then roamed across the capital city with two heavy bags (one of them containing a gadda and pillow), thanks to Abheshek. We reached to Rohin's place and got fresh. Then we went for the medical check up to a nearby authorised hospital. We got it done and everthing was normal.

All of us went to a nearby mall in South Delhi, Ansal Plaza. Besides flipping burgers and sipping soft drinks in the MacD,we were having a picturesque view of the nymphets and chics all around us. One song to describe Delhi - Ye Dilli Hai Mere Yar...

Pinchu rung up one of his friends Karan Chopra and he was there in moments. The guy was dashing and stylish as his name suggests. He was one of the super cool Delhi dudes. He had come on his car and that was last ingredient in the making of a great evening. The tone was set for a wonderful eve. We went out roaming in the streets then in some happening places. No party, however small it may be, is complete without drinks. So we set out to a grocery store. My eyes lit when I saw Cobra beer as I had heard a lot about it but never had a chance to grab one. Abheshek and I stood for Cobra. While Pinchu and karan choose breezers. We then went out for a drive with beers and breezers.

It was time to leave Delhi and proceed to Hyderabad. Now we rushed to the railway station and reached just in time. The Razdhani was already waiting for us on the platform and about to leave in 7-8 mins. That was a fantastic evening but it was time to say good byes and move on. The train started moving and people took their time in settling down as Indian trains are usually jam-packed at every station with relatives and friends of passengers. This was the time that we got the first glimpses of the Telugu people and heard their language. And this was the place that we got our first Telugu friend, Jay who is really a wonderful guy. He helped us in the strange city in getting a good lodge.

Pinchu, Abheshek and I, all of us, had brought handsome amount of money (15k avg) with us, thanks to our famalies. So we were really extravagant in our day to day activities. Pinchu, being the initiator, gave a tip of fifty rupees to the service boy in the Rajdhani that too when I had already given him Rs. 20.

Abheshek, used to be very frugal with money in the college time. He owned a mobile during college at early stages of the launch of mobile service in J&K. And he was the one who used to charge Rs.2 per sms whenever we asked him to get the scores by sms service. This man was also spending money lavishly.

The "Are you a broker ??? " incident :

The next day we went out in the search of a flat. We had earlier contacted the broker on a phone and fixed a meeting place to see the flat. Three of us set out in the evening to meet the person. We stopped near a land mark where the guy had called us. There was a pan shop at the square and many people were standing there and smoking cigarettes. We dint know whether the broker was there or was yet to come. And if he was there who was he. We were tired as we were roaming in seach of a flat throuhout the day.Abheshek started losing his patience. he could'nt stand there anymore. He started looking around and set his eyes on a person sitting on a bike and smoking. He formed an image in his mind that the guy was the broker. Abheshek really backs his instincts. He advanced towards him, looked into his eyes.The person had quizical looks in his eyes.Abheshek demanded in a harsh voice "Are you a broker ? "That man had no answers. He did'nt had the time to react and quitely said , "No, I am not".

As we went back Anil Kachru (Anil Kachru) was waiting at the reception of our hotel room. Anil Kachru is also from the same college as we three are, MBS College.

Another story was in the making at some different place between some different people but who knew the two stories will soon bond together with unseparable affinity.The story is narrated by Dhruv.

The other part of the soon to be formed MDF club namely Suchit, Dhruv & Rajnder Singh assembled on the chilly night of 14th January at Nizammudin Station in New Delhi. Our chariot to Hyderabad was to be Rajdhani Express. The train left the station at around 9pm. Our other 3 co-passengers in the compartment consisted of 2 army men and one businessman from Bhopal. It was discovered around half an hour into the journey that those 2 army men could play ‘Sweep’ (a game of cards consisting of 4 persons) reasonably well. So Suchit & me formed one team and the army men the opposing one. James was content to observe and learn.

The businessman on seeing that there was going to be commotion in the compartment instructed the bogey incharge to wake him when the train reaches Bhopal station. All night long, the game of cards continued. When we finally decided to packup and go to sleep, the businessman enquired what time is it. When we told him the time, he swore. He had missed his station. He berated the bogey incharge and got down at the next station which was about 200km from Bhopal. But before disembarking, he chose to say goodbye to us in the choicest pure Hindi Language ‘Gaaliyaa’.

Auspicious start indeed!

When we finally reached Secunderabad station after traveling 22 hours, Raghu was there to receive us. As soon as we had landed, he started bragging that “Saara Hyderabad mainu jaanda hai” (All Hyderabad knows me). We christened him Raghu ‘bhai’. He followed it up by saying “Meri badi chalti hai” (I know how to get things done around here). We were suitably impressed until the ticket checker near the exit caught Raghu bhai without a platform ticket. No amount of cajoling, tears, coaxing, persuasion or even threats could make the ticket checker reverse the stand. Finally we 3 pooled in money to get Raghu bhai off the hook. He lost the right to be called bhai after that.

Another auspicious sign.


Next: The meeting of Ashish Mishra and the christening of James.