Acumen Part II

After the exhilarating regional round, we had a break of few days before the national finals. Topics were given to us much before the event so as to ensure top quality debating and the entire evening was going to be telecasted as a TV episode. We were slotted to face IIFT in the semi-finals and the other semis was between IIMB and IIMC. Now IIFT were the defending national champions and hence we knew that our task is going to be cut out. But in a way it pumped us even more and we relished the challenge thrown at us. We had to speak ‘against’ the topic, “India’s demographic dividend is nothing but marketing hype”. We did lots of research and analysis in the days building up to the event and even though me and Maclo were in diff cities (our vacations had started), we still worked together over the net to ensure that we are well prepared. It was a tough but interesting topic and had a huge scope for throwing a lot of facts and figures that could be used to take either stand on the topic. Come D-Day and both of us felt very confident about the thoroughness of our preparation.
As we reached one of the grandest hotels in Mumbai, the venue for the event, we realized just how big this thing is! The eminent crowd consisting of senior managers from the two sponsor companies, cameras and wires spread all around and Harsha Bhogale again at his wittiest best…….I surprisingly remained quite calm amidst all this excitement. I knew I couldn’t afford to get overawed by the occasion and had to be relaxed.
The moment finally arrived and as usual, Maclo started the proceedings. It was always this ways. He would be the first one to speak and I will do the other half and the conclusion. I really dunno why we stuck to this pattern. Guess we just didn’t want to change luck ! As the debate went on, it became extremely interesting and I actually started enjoying myself out there. Both teams were thoroughly prepared with all facts n figures on their fingertips ! The great thing was that we both referred to the same Goldman Sachs report and used it to arrive at contrasting conclusions, giving the report our own interpretations. And neither was wrong…..It was just how you back it up! After the gripping 12 minutes, it was time for Q&As and boy, what a grueling session that was. Judges went hammer n tongs at both teams but I feel me and Maclo handled the questions better n with more confidence. The good thing was that we both spoke almost equally unlike our competitors where one person answered most of the questions. It was a sight to see…..both me and Maclo were working like a well oiled machine….discussing the answer with each other comfortably and then automatically one of us would step up to answer without any hitches. I loved the way we complemented each other.
After the second semi-final was over, which was, as expected, another keenly fought affair, it was time for the results……I had always been quite confident about the results being in our favour in the regional round, but now, I knew it was anybody’s game…..I knew it was a genuinely very very closely fought battle and was actually glad that am not one of the judges. And then it happened. We had achieved the unimaginable……we defied all odds to beat the defending champions and enter the grand national final! Oh boy, what a thrill that was….me n Maclo hugged each other, still coming to terms with the magnitude of our success! We knew just how tough this battle was and were elated at our achievement :) We were to face IIMC in the finals.

We were to speak ‘for’ the topic “India’s business leaders should take over the political leadership”. It was a relatively simpler topic than the last one, where we didn’t need as many figures n data. We prepared decently enough and I was much more relaxed this time compared to the semis. I felt good about the topic and was keen to go up there n carry on our good form. And as if the grandness of the event was not enough already, a pleasant surprise came our way in the form of the chief guest of the evening…..none other than John Abraham! I didn’t know that he’s an MBA as well and the entire place was electrified due to his presence.
We had to keep a cool mind as this was our last hurdle…we didn’t want anything to faze us. We had come a long way and were determined to leave this place as winners. Maclo started as usual, and started well as usual :) The debate went on to become very lively indeed as this was a topic where every audience member had an opinion about, unlike the last one which was much more technical in nature. The judges questions were sharp and we had to be crisp n lucid in our responses. But we did well and I again felt that we handled the Q&A better than the opposition.
At the end of it all, Harsha Bhogale had to admit that the semis and finals were by far the highest level of debating he has seen…that compliment itself was a victory for all of us! After an agonizing wait, which saw the quizzes being played out, it was finally the time for declaring the debate national champions…….oh man, I cant remember when was I last so anxious and nervous. That’s the thing with me. I will be a statue of calmness and confidence when it’s the time to perform. But when its results time, I start getting the jitters…but I guess its coz I know I hv given my best already and can afford to be nervous now :) Anyways, coming back to the moment……my fingers had started aching a bit now that I had them crossed for over an hour! There was a silence just before announcing the runners-up name, which got filled with shouts of IIMC from somewhere behind in the audience. It felt good to know that some people thought we had done better and deserved to win. And then came the moment of truth……….

As me and Maclo went up on the stage to collect the runners-up prizes from John and other judges, I found it a bit tough to hide the disappointment on my face. But astonishingly, as we came back to Maclo’s family in the audience, my mind started realizing how big our prize is nevertheless and my heart slowly but surely started feeling more content than before. And when people from the audience came up personally to tell us how good we were, I knew that I had nothing to be disappointed about….We had made our insti proud!

“Dude, we have come a long way from that lazy evening on campus”, Maclo’s words had never been so soothing before. As he stood there smiling at me, his family admiring the prizes he had won, I smiled back at him. A smile of satisfaction, a smile of triumph, a smile thanking him for being with me in this journey, a smile that proved that the past two months have left us only richer in experience, a smile that said it all…….

Few years down the line all this will look so inconsequential in the larger scheme of life, Acumen might just be forgotten as yet another one of my experiences during the years at IIMA……but I know somewhere deep inside, the thrill of those days will never cease to put a smile on my lips, probably the same smile that me and Mohit Sadani shared that night of December 2007 at ITC Grand Central, Mumbai…far away from the red brick walls of home….