The Change I loved
It was a regular morning at my home nearly one year ago, when I was reading the newspaper along with a hot cup of tea. I was on a break from work to celebrate the 25th wedding anniversary of my parents. Crawling through the political news to business to sports news, I encountered a familiar word Ahmedabad, preceded by "Railway Recruitment Board".
It took my attention and I just started reading what it was about, as I always do whenever I see or hear the word railway or train anywhere. The snippet was actually the announcement of the RRB exam results for the post of SSE and other similar posts.
It was just another result of the countless exams which I took in order to get into PSUs and other central government organisations. Perhaps, this was too like one of those. "Disappointing". But wait, this was railways, my only interest I still carry since my childhood. The one which always rushed a stroke of adrenaline into my body. This one was special.
Anyways, I logged onto the RRB Ahmedabad website only to know that I won't be able to confirm my result. The result was given with 16 digit roll numbers, looking like some bank account number. There was one number which seem to be familiar but I was not sure. I didn't remember my roll number. I took the exam I left it there not trying to enquire more. I had to return back to Pune where I worked at Infosys as Systems Engineer, rather a happy one. The same day, I boarded the Indore Pune Exp. from Ratlam. I was anxious as my admit card was in Pune and I wanted to see the results as soon as possible.
I didn't tell my parents about it yet. The journey passed and here I was at my flat. My admit card in front of my eyes. My heart skipped a beat or two. Not that this job was some mega-lac 7 digit salary job, but it was railways. Anyways, the number which looked familiar matched. I was selected for the post of SSE. It was a happiness I felt after a long long time. Instantly, I rang my father's cell to inform him. He was beyond happy. Gradually, I settled down from my anxiety and happiness.
Days passed by and my document verification was completed. I had already informed my manager so that he is ready to relieve me when I need to leave the job at Infosys. I was often called "Sarkari" now and then in my team and amongst my friends. I was asked if I would get their tickets confirmed. I somehow handled it. I received a letter from Ahmedabad Division in May. I was allotted Ahmedabad division. Everything went smooth until my father heard something about the SSE (Sig.) job. Someone told him that it is a very tough job and he will be very busy. My father started discussing with me about the job. I knew about this job before filling up the forms so I was dead sure that I wanted to be in this. I somehow convinced him.
Meanwhile I was hearing a lot of negative things about this job. I did not pay heed to anyone of those because I knew I would love this. I knew I got selected in this exam for some reason. My hobby, my passion was calling me and I didn't want to waste this opportunity. I joined the Indian Railways at Ahmedabad in September. I met different people in a very short time span of 3 months and I got to know the difference between the private sector or rather the IT sector and the Indian Railways. People here are completely different from those in IT sector. There is a kind of closeness which I feel here at least with the teachers of IRISET.
Till now I am happy and from what it sounds to be from my batch mates and mentors here, I will be happy. Small acts of kindness and selfless cooperation is common here. People may not be as soft spoken as IT industry but whatever they talk in clear and they talk their heart out without manipulating, at least in my department. There is a lot of change in here and this is "the change I loved"
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