Auto Ride

This should have been posted long back but it’s never too late.
Around a month back, I had to go FMS to cancel my admission. I took an auto from Dhaula Kuan for the North Campus. The auto driver agreed to go by meter (a rarity in Delhi) and I set out for my journey.
All the conversation took place in Hindi though. A = Auto Driver, M = Me
A - You a student in DU?
M - Yes
A - Which course?
M - MBA
A - Ok, so you in FMS?
M – (Utterly surprised!!!!) Yes, I am
A – So, it is IIM A better than u?
M – (Completely zapped) Yes, it is!
A – So, where does FMS featue?
M – ‘Explained the rankings’ (Auto is being continuously driven) How do know about MBA and all?
A – I read the newspaper, these B-Schools are all over the place now. Placements, 1 crore salary etc.
M –‘Explained the “real” salary scene’
A – Tell me one thing, what does MBA teach coz according to me, its one capabilities which shapes a person. Like Ambani, Tatas and all are not MBAs but have such huge corporations
M – Yes, its about capabilities but MBA teaches about business as a whole etc etc.
Some more discussion followed and somehow topic shifted to cars. Meanwhile, I must say this guy was informed.
A – Do you know the origin of name Mercedes Benz logo?
M – I only know the reason of its name, it was name of its daughter.
A – Ya, that’s right! But the daughter had this design in her ear-rings and that’s how it became logo of this car company.
M – How do you know all this?
A – I watch Discovery channel.
M – What else you do?
A – I watch Nat Geo too and invest in stocks!
M – (Flabbergasted) Stocks? How?
A – Online accounts, 2 of them, 1 in ICICIDirect and another in HDFC. I have PAN, so not a problem. Also, I just play long term in the stck market as short term does not give good returns.
M – That’s really good. ‘Some more exchange of stock market talks’
A – I followed what once “Warren Buffett” said.
M – (Man, this guy is informed) What did he say?
A –Always buy stock of sick companies. I followed it once and made a killing. Took 15,000 shares for Rs.4 of a company, it reached Rs. 104 and I made cool Rs. 15 lakh. Bought a 10 lakh house and reinvested 5 lakh in stocks.
M – (Already floored)
A – Do you invest in stocks?
M – No
A – You should, you are MBA :D
M – Yes, will do in some time. By the way, stock markets are driven by MBAs only in the backend.
A – I know, its all the job of ‘analysts’.
M – (WOW!!!!, in complete awe of this guy)

There were other many discussions which I don’t remember now. How I wish I had a recorder at that time! It was really an awesome experience meeting that guy. It was hot June afternoon and the journey time was around 45 minutes but I was so engaged with him that it did not feel a bit. It was great meeting that person.

Wishing him all the best in life! I hope to meet him again when I go back in Delhi or maybe sometimes in future when he makes some headlines :) :) I am not joking people; he had the potential.