For three months the campus was abuzz with Pragati. But what was more amazing was the journey to the Pragati that stood apart from all the Pragati of yesteryears. This one was with little support from the management and the Kirloskar group.
Till the very end moment the very Pragati being held stood as a huge question to all of us. With fingers pointing towards batch 13’s and its abysmal display of unity and planning and coordination Pragati was at the cusp where a decision not to hold Pragati 2011 loomed over us all. But as luck had it we saw a deluge of money coming in from various customers that had us on hold. And the rush to sell more was evident with the prospecting team unleashing its full power onto the fields. We sold stalls and that too in plenty. Three days before Pragati, the stalls had been sold and the operations came into mighty action. Creating one of the most beautiful layouts ever for Pragati the operations team was in full swing. And then arrived the “D” day! The day for me and my team, the culturals were on. For the last two months we had gone from school to school and from college to college in Harihar, Davangere and Ranibennur calling participants for various events we had kept for the three days. A team that is made out of the people after the making of all the other teams is always in questions. But my team for sure never let me feel alone and estranged and helpless. Meetings were held regularly to decide on how to run the show on the 3 days. I had people constantly backing me and encouraging me when i felt i was losing control. My team was supportive in its best spirits. Of course there were times when people did not turn up and times when i had to take their tantrums but then that is part and parcel of the game. I am grateful to my teammates who never shied away from working and my words fall short for the praises i have for them. It was for the teams work that for the first time we achieved a record over 1100 participants for the cultural events during Pragati. Hats off to you people. The teams were further divided into smaller teams to handle individual events, calling judges and handling the performers in the evening as the day closed in. And it finally came to the 3 days where all our efforts were to be tested. For once even i was not expecting the kind of response we had. It was amazing to see how small kids came wonderfully dressed for the fancy dress and how the enthusiasm was inescapable. For three days the dancing, the singing, the drawing, the rangoli , the quizzes and the sports did not seem to end. The processes we had set up to deal with the participants and on-the-spot entries were running well. And it was awesome to deal with the people who came up fighting to us and the ones who desperately wanted a prize. For three days the team held the ground and the result was one of the best shows till date. The turnout for the late evening entertainment was mindboggling for the second and third day. And not to forget kudos to the promotions team that did some amazing stuff to attract the crowd into the ground during Pragati be it the rally or the students dressed up like animals and the Hanuman running everywhere in Harihar. The day after Pragati was uncannily silent and weird. It seemed as if the world had slowed down. There was no rush to get the certificates made or to call a team meeting. I did not have to remind someone of the work i wanted him to do. I missed the field and the adrenalin. There were no more negotiations to be done with the management or finance to be taken. But there was something far more precious that i carried with myself, something that made me a better person and a better manager teaching me the modern aspects of team work and networking. It was experience and learning and there are things that I cannot describe but things that shall always remain with me as a cherished memory.
by:-
NITIN SHARMA
Cultural Representative
B-13
