End of Week 3

Time has been running very fast and I couldnt believe that we are almost done on half of the term. It has been very tiring as well as exciting so far. To start on where I left on the blog, the Software Entrepreneurs was a very good oppurtinity for us to meet some of the great leaders. I was able to catch up with Pat House, Co-Founder of Siebel for a lot of time. She was very down to earth and she discussed with us on how she started Siebel, why she started Siebel, what are her plans going on, her career before siebel etc., Its really exciting to find out how one should tap at the oppurtinity. I hosted Charlie Muirhead (Founder of Nexagent, www.nexagent.com). He is one another great entrepreneur out of a bunch that came on that day. He is very open on discussing what things one require to be successful as an entrepreneur. His success is a best example of what he told us. Met few more who had some good food for thoughts.

Oxford Alumni meet at Deutche Bank HQ in London is one another event that I attended this week. It was a good experience to meet some successful alumni and to learn what they would have done differently in the school, looking back. They had shared their experiences on job search and Summer Consulting Project. It was more of finance focussed, but I would say it added a little value to me as well.

I attended the presentations of Diamond Consultants and IBM at the business school. These were pretty much the beginning of the Consulting presentations. I happened to meet some of the prospective MBAs at the first open day of the year which was held last friday.

India-Pakistan community's Eid celebration with a good dinner was a kind of star of the week. Getting good food is looking finding Oasis in the desert for me now.

This week has a deadline of selecting electives for the next term. Though I havent spoke much about whats happening in the class, I have been spending close to 6-8 hrs on an average per day for class work. We have submitted 4 assignments so far which will be assessed. Our group got 60% in the first assignment which is not bad of a first attempt. People targeting for distinction might find this hard, but not me :)

Here are few snaps to look at:
















Dinner during Alumni meet @ Deutche Bank, London


















The Logo of Deutche embedded beautifully :)
















Archit at the Deutche Reception moving out
















One of the speakers at Software Entrepreneurs event delivering a speech
















Alumni delivering speech at the meet in London
















Charlie Muirhead giving some gyan at the Software Entrepreneurs event















Pat House was sitting in the middle when another entrepreneur was delivering some gyan

















The Market on wednesday at Gloucesters Green
















Wondering whats this?? This is how Air Traffic network will be during the day time
















Another view of the Market

Matriculation Ceremony

Was very late in updating this which happened 4 days back. I dont say that I havent had time, I admit that I am a bit lazy here :) Time, yes its really a constraint, but picking up on this. I dont want time to dominate what I do.

Back to Business, whats matriculation?? Hmm, as far as I understand its a way of university welcoming all the new graduates. Unless until you are a part of this ceremony you cannot call yourself as a part of Oxford. So, now I am officially part of Oxford :)

Why its so special?? You will be wearing the sub fusc for this. whats that? its better to check that in the photos yourself than me explaining about this. THIS IS TRADITIONAL OXFORD that havent changed since 800 years.

And then we had a matriculation Bop (Party is called as Bop in Oxford) which was crowded by even other college people as our college is the only one which had this party in the town. And people who are looking to come to oxford and finding it difficult to chose the college, Go Linacre. Its the best in terms of food it serve and the bops it organize.

Week 2 was as strenous as week one. we had assignments which will be assesed for our degree like in wek one. I have enjoyed the Financial reporting class by Tomo and getting used to classes now.

On the careers side, I have attended Mercer Management Consulting presentation and I am certainly impressed with them. We had a management consultancy fair yesterday and the companies whom I met are : Accenture, IBM, Marakon, Mckinsey, Bain, BCG, Booz Allen Hamilton, Diamond, Ernst and Young, Monitor Group, LEK Consulting, LECG, MMC, Price water House Coopers, PA Consulting, OC and C Strategy, Roland Berger, SG2, Spectrum, ZS Associates and let me stop here. There are few more which I cannot recollect. Had a load of information now which I need to analyze and decide which ones to apply and when to apply.

At school, we had a presentation by ABN AMRO yesterday and JP MORGAN couple of days back. Again I have not attended as I was not targetting Banking.

Ok, let me leave here as I have some thing else to attend. Here are few of the snaps attached:
















Myself at Sheldonian Theatre dressed in Subfusc on the way to Ceremony

















In the Sheldonian Theatre
















People waiting for Vice Chancellor of Oxford to come and conduct the ceremony
















One more view of it
















Ha, a better view
















Here is the vice chancellor giving a brief speech















People on their way to take their seats
















Linacre college students rushing into Sheldonian

















The Sheldonian at the Bodlean library


















The MBA gang @ Linacre - why is this underlined?? Dont have time to change the settings now
















Parson, Suman and myself before matriculation
















The long queue outside sheldonian

Megagbhomestudio - Telugu Original Tune

One of Megastar's fans doing an own music composition. This is too good that I am posting it here. Here is his description of his work: Megagbhomestudio comes up with a Stunning Original classical - Creation is Fun. Creative labs You can wish him @ megagbhomestudio@yahoo.com

Week One - a Quick Review

In a nutshell, I had a taste of what lies ahead. The schedules will be jam packed and its difficult to get your priorities right if you cant plan properly.

So, whats week 1?? hmm its a notation followed by Oxford. They break the year into 3 terms: Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity. Michaelmas is the first term and it will be run during week 1 to week 8. week 9 is for revision and week 10 is for exams. And the same will repeat for the other 2 terms as well. So, this is what I called as the week one in the heading. So, theoritically completed 12.5% of the first term already!!!!

what was good?? The Decision Science lecture was the best so far with the professor being as cool as umpire billy bowden in his style. Having said this, other professors are also very cool and jovial in the class, which I havent expected with the degrees and the knowledge they have. After all they are teaching at Oxford!!! huh!!!

I have been to Hindu community meet and had some good free samosa, pani puri etc., Good break from the junk thing I am cooking daily.

And the important one for lot of people who are targetting SBS, the Careers. Contrary to the perception about the UK market and the oppurtinities that SBS provide, there is a hell lot of activity happening over here. Only thing every one is worried is its timing. You really need to be ready when you start here.

Week One activity in Careers:
Presentations by Lehmann Brothers, Bear Sterns and Barclays Capital in the business school.

Apart from the business school, a lot of activity happens in Oxford, thanks to the active Univ careers office. There have been presentations from Bain Consulting, Shell, Price waterhouse coopers, Newton Consulting, UBS this week. There is a big Consulting fair coming up this wednesday.

Not much of photos, as I am tied in the classes most of the time, but here are few. I promise I will get some cool ones with the MATRICULATION happening tomorrow.
















The Asian Dancing troop introducing themselves. They are the ones who are standing in the right.


















HUM - Hindu society meet @ Oxford

















The Hindu committe team explaining about Divali event they are planning to conduct
















Hmm, a Gift I received from St Catherines Church

Ceillidh @ Linacre

Whats it like being @ Oxford?? Hmm, you can see the Traditional as well as Westernized events here. Yesterday I have been to Ceilidh (Call it as Kay-lei-dh) where I tapped foot for some scottish style of dances. This is followed by a western style party @ common room. I met my mentors, current students, freshers and a lot many. I dont know how much time I will be getting to go to college events once I start my classes next week.

Back @ School, I have attended Science and Technology and Management Consulting OBNs (Oxford Business Networks, formed by students of the class to coordinate events and arrange what ever that is required related to that specific sector/industry/function). I will be investing more time in Science and Tech (Part of 5 people chair committe of this OBN) and just participating in MC OBN.

Had a nice cool weather since couple of days with rain on and off

Here are some snaps that I captured during last couple of days:


















I met Ashish at Linacre bar yesterday. BTW the above one is Linacre bar at the college. He is doing D Phil @ Oxford. I have met a lot of doctors at college neverthless
















One more photograph of crowded linacre bar on the eve of the party yesterday

















My apartment garden which I have not noticed so far :)

















People getting ready for Ceileidh
















and yes they are starting to dance

















The band of Ceiliedh. I am telling you, they did a wonderful job in getting people enerzised

















Yes, my new Bike. I am feeling like really going to school when riding a bike
















Typical English weather at this part of the year
















Said Business School from another view (if you look from Railway station)
















YHA - the place where you are supposed to get cheaper accommodation for members of youth hostels. I met there to visit MSR, the 2006 MBA
















Lane opposite to YHA. Well there is still a lot of Oxford that I need to explore

The Freshers Fair

I have attended the Freshers Fair today @ Examination schools today and was surprised to see more than 100 communities that you can be a part of. I am telling you guys, you cant have atleast a min of spare time in Oxford. You can do a lot and lot of activities over here provided you have time. I have joined so many communities today that I am sure I need atleast 40-50 hours per day atleast to get along with all of them.

I have also attended Oxford Management Consulting OBN session today. More on what they are later. I have bought a bike today for 129 Pounds. Thats pretty costly but you cant do much over there. Here are few of snaps of my ride today:
















Botanical gardens of oxford??

















A View of Cowley Road where u will find lot of Indian restaurents as well as Indian people

















New College Ground

















I guess this is some church

















One more view of Botanical Gardens from the main road

















haa, the Freshers Fair

















Umm, Final look at the Freshers Fair at the last stall

















The Sports communities at the Freshers Fair

















Whats this?? Hmm, Cant recollect!!!

















St Cross College, very next to my college - the Linacre















Major on the left side from US. Strangely he is a Major and his name is Major

















So many brochures I got from fair with some goodies as well















Takashi on the right, the oldest person of the class by age, but one of the younger community in Enthu
















Hmm, a Team Building Session yesterday

















Hmm, Another Church may be!!!