American Football. The Cricket of United States!

After going on and on about me being international and the experiences I have had in the United States, I have realized that it was all worth it. Atleast uptil now, it has been that way. More simply put, the United States has been a life changing experience for me. I would never have imagined doing the things I did in this country, back in India.
Over these years, I have widened my perspectives, gotten valuable exposure, and learned American Football. Yes, thats right. I got hooked on this game 2 years back, when I was in Purdue. Purdue against Indiana University, the two arch rivals, what could have been bigger! My roommate happened to be American and didn't stop rambling about the game. I had seen rugby on TV, but I tell you, this was different. The craze here about American Football reminds me of cricket. They are similar in spirit, and treated as religion in their respective countries.
I decided I had to learn the game. After buying a mini football, I started practising throw with my roommate, and believe it or not, got pretty good at it.
Since those days, I have been a die hard fan of football and if I get a chance, I will promote this game in my home country! In case you were wondering what cricket is, go to this website and you will know everything about it.

All About Cricket

Best of Both Worlds: Blue Boilermaker

It was 9th September, 2004. I was reading this mail from the dean of the business school. The dean had emailed everyone to spread the news that the Ross School of Business had been ranked no.1 by recruiters according to Wall Street. He had invited everyone at 7:30am the next morning to try their luck in being broadcast in CNBC. I was jubilant that very moment. I felt this unique sense of pride and thought to myself that I had made the right decision to leave Purdue University and join the University of Michigan last year in 2003. Proud to be blue.

The next day, I couldn't wait to watch the regional, national and international rankings of business schools on CNBC. Although I knew that the business school here was ranked one, I did not know which schools were ranked one in the regional and international setting. Then came the surprise. A pleasant one I must say. The top regional business school, as ranked by recruiters in the Mid-West was, believe it or not, Purdue University's Krannert School of Management! Man was I happy. Later that day when I reflected on the news, I thought to myself: "Having been a student at both Purdue and the University of Michigan, I have really gotten the best of both worlds. I have learned different things from both schools, although I have spent the more crucial years here at Michigan. Purdue really set me up for achieving the utmost, and aiming for the best. The people there helped me get acclimitized to the culture shock and made me realize that home after all was not that far away. Michigan, on the other hand, helped me narrow down my academic interests and made me focus on finance and accounting. Both schools have their own unique specialties and today I am really thankful that I got to be a part of both schools."
Now the most important question arises. One that my friends and family urge me to answer. Here it goes, "Which school do you think is better?" Man, how should I tell you. That question is really not as easy to answer as it sounds. Whenever someone asks me that question, I say to them with an immense sense of pride, "I AM A BLUE BOILERMAKER." I guess that is enough to get the message across.
You can check out the purdue website.

Visa Trouble

The government recently announced a decrease in the number of H-1B visas. This visa allows international students and immigrants to work in the United States full-time. With a decrease in the number of these visas, the job market for international students has become even more competitive. This reduction has had a direct impact on some companies like Borders Group Inc., who have stopped hiring internationals for the time being. This is really bad news for international students who aspire to get a full-time job in this country. The number of companies offering internships and full-time jobs have significantly reduced.

I see the H-1B visa as the final step for settling down in this country. Through this visa, I will go on to become a permanent resident and finally a green card holder in the long run. On the brighter side, this decrease has motivated me to work harder and perform better than other students. The Ross School also has resources who work with the companies and help them sponsor students for the H-1 visa, thereby making it easier for them. Many companies have this misconception that the process of sponsoring is a long and tedious one, when it really is not that bad. Anyway, I have my fingers crossed and am working towards my goal of getting a job in this country in the corporate finance industry. Below is a link to a website that contains some information on visas.

www.timesofindia.com

Taj Mahal 

Namaste India!

I belong to a country that is a conglomerate of various cultures. I was born in New Delhi, that is just a few miles away from the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. A picture of this monument is attached with this article. India or 'Hindustan,' in Hindi, is where my home and family is. Right after I graduated from high school, I was determined to make it big in the corporate and business world. Through my work, I have always wanted to help out my home country and its people. This is the reason I decided to come to the United States. Being a land of opportunities, I could not miss that chance to get an education from here. I have donated 4 years of my life to Purdue and Michigan, having spent my freshman year at Purdue.
Although its always a work-in-progress, till now, I have been successful in academics and in gaining the necessary skills to make it big in the corporate world. My short term goal is to join the corporate finance industry and work closely with securities. Fortunes are made and broken in the stock market, but with good practice and knowledge tools, one is safe. After gaining 4-5years of valuable work experience in this field, I want to ultimately set up a business in my home country. Through this, I wish to help out my country's economy and my fellow Indians. Marketing research will help me decide on the type of business. With the Ross business school as an excellent foundation, I want to make an impact and be a truly leader in the corporate and business world. Thats it about me. To find out more about india, click on the link below.
www.indiatimes.com

Picture of me with some BBA mates 

Aishwarya Rai 

Aishwarya Rai in Madame Tussauds

It was a moment of great pride and joy for me when bollywood superstar, former Miss World, Aishwarya Rai got a wax statue made in the world famous Madame Tussauds Museum in London, UK in November this year. The only other Indian actor to have achieved this feat is Amitabh Bachchan. This was a result of her great accomplishments both in Bollywood and society. She has made many charitable donations and has fought for several causes throughout her career. Known for her elegance and charm, Aishwarya has given the bollywood industry some of the biggest blockbusters in history. These include films like Taal(Music beat) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (I gave my heart away) which won her the filmfare award for best actress in 2001.
Aishwarya has also looked to merge the Indian film industry with Hollywood. She recently acted in a movie titled, 'Bride and Prejudice.' Opposite her was Martin Henderson, a well known hollywood actor. The movie won rave reviews in selected markets, in India, UK and the US. It feels great to know that India is making inroads in the world map and is looking to grow and make a mark internationally. Aishwarya Rai is considered a perfect role-model for men & women in India because of her accomplishments. Above is her photo. For more photos and information about her, click on her official website, www.aishwarya-forever.com. You can also learn more about this piece of news by clicking on the link below.

http://www.indiafm.com/scoop/04/oct/0110ash/index.shtml

Fraternity Life

I began pledging for a Professional Business Fraternity called Delta Sigma Pi. I have always been fascinated with fraternity life and the whole concept of this greek brotherhood. Through research and people, I have come to believe that it is important to join a fraternity to understand the psyche of Americans and really experience the American spirit. So, I decided to pledge for this fraternity.
I have finally become a brother this week. It feels good to be part of this professional fraternity. A feeling of belongingness comes with this brotherhood. The initiation was a little intimidating, but all the pledges managed to make it after giving a long final exam. For more information on this fraternity, click on the link below.

www.dspnet.org