Chapter 32

Arjun was asked to report to DI headquarters in Indrapuram. After graduating he took a two months break. As planned,  he along with his friends went for a trip around southern cost of Indraprasta for two weeks of sightseeing. Then he went back to Tridevpur for a month

The holiday was over and Arjun was back in Indrapuram to join his new assignment. He took a cab and went straight to DI guest house. It was early in the morning and he had just enough time to take a bath and have breakfast before he could start for his first day in the office.

By 730 am he was at the dining room of guest hous. The buffet was set and there were few others in the dining room. He took a table near the large glass window from which he could have a panoramic view of the city as the dining room was in the 8^th floor.

He was out at 8 am and took a taxi to the office. Taxi dropped Arjun at Capital Sheraton Hotel. DI operated out of Capital Sheraton. As he entered the lobby he felt proud and privileged to work out of this hotel. Then he walked into the reception are DI.

He looked around. The reception was impressive. There was a leather sofa set on one side. The centre table near the sofa had variety of magazines organised elegantly; Economist, Time, Fortune and so on. The side table had a beautiful fresh flower arrangement.

He walked up to the receptionist.

“I am Arjun. I have come to join today”

“Oh welcome. Please take a seat. I will inform HR department”

He went over to the sofa and took a seat.

“Hello. Arjun, I am Johnson from HR. Welcome to DI” A smartly dressed young man came over the Arjun and extended his hand

Arjun got up and shook the hand that has been extended.

“Thanks. It is pleasure to be here” Arjun replied

“Great. First I will help you complete the joining formalities. That will take up your morning half. After lunch you have an appointment with Dr John Smith our Country Director. He prefers to be addressed JS; he will tell you that himself. You are lucky that you can start here with a meeting with JS who can help you see the big picture of DI worldwide and DI Indraprasta. Then tomorrow you can meet other key members of DI. ” Johnson said

“I hope you are comfortable at the Batchelor accommodation we have arranged for you.” Johnson asked

“Oh yes the guest house is quite nice and comfortable. I reached their at 5.30 am. The staff has been very friendly and helpful” Arjun replied.

“DI treats all our employees with respect and care. We want you to feel at home with us” Johnson remarked.

“The first experience has been very pleasant” Arjun replied with a pleasant smile.

Johnson took Arjun to the HR department and helped him with all the joining formalities.

“Come let me take you to your department and introduce you to your team”

“That will be great.”

They walked back to the reception area and walked to the door on the other side.

They entered large office area. Arjun looked around. The work stations were spacious and each work station had a desk top computer and the four workstations grouped together in a sort of cubicle had a dot matrix printer in one corner. Next to it was a small side table with a potted plant.

They walked into one such cubicle. There was one seat that was vacant and the desk was empty except for the computer. Although the other three seats appeared already taken only one had an occupant.

“Meet Praveen Kumar the hero of the Strategic Diversification Advisory Practice.” Johnson pointed to the lone occupant of the cubicle”

“Praveen, Meet Arjun fresh out of IMI, joining your team”

“Welcome Arjun, Praveen got up and extended his hands”

“This is your seat.” Johnson pointed to the empty seat.

“Praveen. Please help him to understand how to survive here. I have asked the admin guys to give him the stationary and the IT support guys to assign him a PC. If it get delayed, please help him with a bit of follow up.” Johnson requested.

“I will teach Arjun how to kick few asses to get the support guys to move” said Praveen

“Praveen will be the best guide you can have here. He will teach you how to get anything done at double speed here. BTW don’t get carried away by Praveen’s cynical dialogues. He loves taking other people’s trip” Johnson added with a smile

“I just call a spade a spade. Unlike these HR guys who make hooo haaa about everything and embellish anything they talk with jargon” Praveen replied with a smirk.

“It is about lunch time. Take him to the cafeteria get him a lunch. At 2 30 he has meeting with JS. I understand that your partner Suman Sharma will be in tomorrow. Please introduce Arjun to him. Then tomorrow afternoon he has to join a team of new entrants for their induction program at the conference room. Arjun I forgot to ask you. Do you have your passport with you?

“I don’t have it with me just now. It is at the guest house” He replied

“Ok bring it tomorrow. We need to take a visa for your trip to the Netherlands next week. You have to attend a weeklong training starting a week from now.”

Arjun was excited. “Wow a week in Amsterdam” He thought to himself.

 “OK Let me go back to my department Praveen will take care of you in the afternoon. If you have any concerns or clarifications please feel free to give me a call. My intercom number is 4672. After your meeting with Suman tomorrow please do come over to my seat. I will link you up for your induction program” Johnson tapped Arjun’s shoulder and moved away.