XLers Unlimited

It was time for the XLers in Bangalore to party on the 28th of May, and party they did !!
All the 270 of them and the 50 family and friends who turned up !
They burned up the dance floor and relived old memories as the drizzling Bangalore summer shower and cool breeze was the time for XLers from the 70s to the 2000s to reach out across 4 decades.
The chief guest for the meet was the XL Director Fr. Casimir Raj, SJ who spoke about the "alumni homecoming" at Jampot every year and invited the alumni to participate in this year's homecoming!
Other guests from Jampot were XLer of the 77 batch and current IR Prof Pranabesh Ray (aka "Pray"!) and the current head of the Jampot Alumni Association, Mr. Rana Sinha.

Our thanks go to the current batch of 2006 XLers doing their summers for their unbridled enthu and fight to make this meet a resounding success! The XLBang Alumni Committee would specially like to acknowlege the efforts that Desmond, Dhananjay, Surya S, and Vijay put in - three cheers to them! From the alumni side awesome effort was put in by Titto, S Suryanarayan and Kuru (but, of course!). XL kids, Nikhil, Nisha, Krishna, Lester, Rahul, & Rhea helped us out with the registrations. And a big thanks to Angira for the pics (we're waaaaitinggg...)

The XL Alumni Comm also gave Rs.13,001 to Satish Venkatachaliah's Round Table as our annual contribution to a worthy cause.Cheers to Panna & Nash (of BM 96)for winning the "much coveted" hamper for the first couple to dance. And we would like to thank our sponsors who made the drinks, entry and dinner all economical for all of us! They are:

National Sponsors
Naukri.com
Cognizant Technology Solutions

Principal Sponsors
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Allegro Capital Advisors
Titan

Diamond Sponsors
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Adecco People One
ITC

Gold Sponsors
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Eicher Consultancy Services(ECS)
SAP Labs
3M
Fortuna Consultants

Liquor & Beverages Sponsors
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Seagram
SAB
Pepsi

Batter Fried Prawns Sponsor (and were they yummy!!)
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Pure Waterhouse (David D'Costa from the 1976 batch)

Gift Sponsors
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Metro Cash & Carry
Indus League
3M
Fortuna Consultants (Harinarayan of the '74 batch)

Media sponsors
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Businessworld
Business Standard

The pens from Fortuna were much sought after as were Indus-League's T Shirts for the event (designed by Zameer!) which were a big hit and were sold out by midnight (if you have an extra t shirt pleeeze pass it on to me !)
Thanks are also due to Bob Punch who came down to MC for the meet all the way from Kolkata ! (sorry Kolkata, your loss!) and Anuja Singh who conducted the "make the mummy" game for the kids (no, not what you are thinking about !)
Lots of people turned up and some prominent XLers were N Krishnkumar (KK), Bijou Kurien (also the president/COO of the XLBang Alumni), Bharti & Jacob Kurian, John Idicula (Treasurer of the XLBang Alumni), Mervyn Raphael, Prateik Kumar, Saji Zacharia, Ravi Parmeshwar, NS Muthu, Azfar Hussain, Satish Venkatachaliah, Vishy Shenoy (the Biryani Merchant!) amongst others.
Some conversation pieces that were picked up by our undercover journalists:

"Do you really think I should invest in commodities....what should I do with my shares in the tech sector...?"
"Oh my god, how she's changed, she was such a nerd in XL, and just look at her now...! wow !"
"Since when have you been in Bangalore?? Seven months? And you haven't bothered to contact me??"
"Hmpfh, my batchmates never turn up for the alumi meet....idiots !!"
"So are you really looking out for Branding people for your company....wellll...I've got 3 years experience in sales and one year in Industrial marketing...could we meet sometime next week...? What's your cell number ?"
..."yaar, mujhe koi naukri dila de re...xljobs mein mere liye kuch nahin aata"
"I'm looking for guest lecturers to address my students...can you spare 1 hour in a month..?"
....till next year folks !!

XLBang's Hierarchy of needs

Move it, Maslow !!

Physiological Needs

• Party starts on Saturday at 7:30 PM and will last as long as you can.
  
• Venue: Royal Orchid hotel off Airport Road
  
• Registration - Make the process by easier and faster by bringing your visiting cards.
• Make sure you write your mobile number and the email ID on which you have subscribed to the XL egroup on that visiting card.
• David D'Costa's ordering up a great menu like always and has also sponsored the Batter Fried Prawns. Each plate is very expensive and our wonderful sponsors make it veryaffordable [We'd appreciate it if you don't take separate plates for very small children]
  
• If it rains, we have a hall as a back-upSecurity Needs
  
• Rates - 150/300/400/20 - Single/Couple-Family/Guests/Drinks [Honey, the sponsors shrunk the rates]
  
• [Thanks to Naukri.Com, Cognizant Technology Solutions, ITC, Manhattan (Standard Chartered) Allegro Capital Advisors, Titan Watches, Adecco People One, Eicher Consultancy Services, SAP Labs, 3M, & Fortuna Consultants]
  
  
• Free booze before 8:00 PM and after 10:30 PM to incentivise you to come early and leave late
  
• All the soft drinks that you can possibly want, thanks to PEPSI
  
  
• Getting there - Park Plaza is right behind Diamond District on Airport Road. You can approach from either Airport Road or from the Inner Ring Road [Call/Email for detailed directions]
  
• There's plenty of parking

Social Needs

• You'll find tons of batchmates, seniors, juniors, friends, colleagues, associates, movers & Shekhars.
  
• There's a huge batch of summers and 2005'ers
  
• There will be lots of pretty women
  
• Ladies, if the guys fall for the above there should be lots of guys too
  
• Be sure to call 3-4 of your batchmates and make the most of the evening
  
• Would anyone like to organise 2-3 games for the kids? Do let me know
  

Esteem Needs

• Our great DJ will have you begging for more
  
  
• All your wet nite favourites will be playing
  
• Dance on the edge of the Golf Course Cliff [Dance off the edge of the Golf Course Cliff]
  
• Cool stuff like hampers, watches, sunglasses, Johnnie Walker, Post-Its, mugs and T-shirts to be had and won... for no reason at all !!
  [Thanks to Naukri, Allegro Capital Advisors, 3M, Metro Cash & Carry, Titan, Fortuna, Indus League, Himalaya Herbal Healthcare]
  

Self-Actualisation:

• Amigo's, Fling, Blender's Pride & Castle Lager courtesy Seagram's & SAB
  
  
• The money from every drink goes to charity
  
• ek, do, teen, chaaaar...
  

Please drive home safe
Personally looking forward to seeing all of you there.
Kuru
BM-96
98451-41464

The Summer Trainees are in town - in fact, this year there is a large batch of them around.

We are having a Happy Hours at the KGA on Friday, 06 May 2005 at 07.30 p.m.and we have invited all the Summer Trainees to attend so that they can tell us about what is happening at the Institute.

Looking forward to meeting up all of you on Friday!!!

Also please block your calendars on 28 May 2005 for the Annual Meet. Anyone who would like to help out in any way - especially with sponsors - please do get in touch with Kuru - 9845141464 - or Titto- 9845324383.

Have fun !!!!!

This may be the Indian answer to Peter Robinson's cult book on MBAs "Snapshots from Hell".

Abhijit Bhaduri, XLer of the PMIR '84 batch, is publishing Medioce But Arrogant (get it, MBA?), a story of how Abbey, the protagonist, an unambitious undergrad from Delhi Univ, lands up in the highly competitive Management Institute of Jamshedpur.

How the 2 years there change him and his relationships.The novel is scheduled to hit the bookstores in July 2005.

There are some great sketches, and a overview of the novel by AB up at his Mediocre But Arrogant blog. Check them out!

Jayati (IR 99) and Ajeet (BMD 99) have been blessed with a baby girl at Manipal Hospital. You can call them at 9886087758 to wish them !

Jayati is with Novell and Ajeet with Hughes.

hey folks, Rohit Munjal who was in Bangalore , and is now at Hyderabad, got married around Valentine's day !

Three cheers to you Ro ! hic ! hic! hurray !