That is how we booked 41 train tickets in ten minutes! A challenging task

It is all about the preparations and commitments for a assigned task. If we view the problem from the top view and prepare enough for worst cases then I dont think the task will be risky. But some times we fail in spite of considering all considerations. 

It is all about a story of booking 41 train tickets. One of my senior is getting married in Indhore ( Madhya Pradesh ). I'm kind of close to his family, since his parents are my mentors. The distance is around 1000kms from our home town. We had 5 months to go. But the main task was 'how to go' ?  Possibilities are by bus, by air and by train. Since there are no airports nearby hence we rolled out  air option. And we have only one train in that track and that to 3AC tickets will get over 10 minutes, hence it was highly impossible. And we thought of booking luxury AC bus. 

We started getting informations on good and secure travels. We tried more than 7 travels. The issue was about road tax since we wanted to cross 2 states. The road tax was 40k . so our to and fro journey was crossing 2.5 lakh. And later we thought bus journey will be difficult for senior citizens. So the only good option was train. Then 'mission impossible' started :) We listed out all the possibilities of booking train tickets. 1) Online booking 2) offline booking 3) by agents 4) by influence!  5) category booking

The train travels from Goa to Delhi, so it crosses 6 states, hence once the booking opens 2 months prior, all tickets will get over in ten minutes. Some days within 30 seconds we get waiting list, I don't know how? So, we felt booking online is risky. Then we thought of booking at offline at stations, we had been to boarding station to ask station master regarding the same. He told that people do come here by 3am to stand in queue and again getting confirmed ticket is highly tough possible. Then we tried to contact booking agents in different cities. Though we offered them 30% commission but they never guaranteed. They started suggesting cut journey and some other options. But no one gave confirmation on the same.  Then we tried contacting some railway officers and some political leaders, but no luck again :) and Finally we contacted MPs and ARMY men, There will be some reservation in MPs and ARMY category. Again there will be very less tickets. So we dropped this possibility.

After googling online and offline, finally we come up with 4 plans naming plan A, plan B, C and D. For all of these we asked 30 friends as volunteers. And we assigned 2 leads for each plans. Plan A being getting permission for group booking and book train tickets at Hubli station since we have more counters in hubli. Plan B being 7 people for online booking so that each can book 6 passengers ticket, with considering all worst cases and with clear instructions for quick book. Plan C being ask 7 friends to stand at counters since one can book 6 tickets at the max. And plan D being ask 7 brokers to book  tickets and offered 50% commission !!! ( which is quite expensive, but should be fine ).For each plans we provided clear instructions, trainings with worst case considerations and previous  day of booking we transferred money to each leads. Then count for D-day started. Daily I use to login at 8am to check how fast tickets are getting over. Believe me I've done this for 3 months. Finally the booking day arrived !! Previous night we had conference call to all the volunteers and next day we all woke up at 5am. It was kind of big challenge for us. I asked all online booking volunteers to go to their respective offices, since there will be high speed internet and power backup facility will be there. We started conference call at exact 7.30am. Sachin (who was leading plan A and plan C ) was there at station to get group booking permission and do the same. Finally reck opened at 8am, plan C guys were at counters with list and money, plan B guys were online.  We were monitoring the available tickets. Finally Sachin told that there will be delay group booking, then finally we thought asking plan B to book online. But sometimes server was not responding well. Hence within 5 seconds we took decision to go for plan C, and asked them to book offline at station, since all were at 1st in the queue. They started booking at counters. We all were waiting for Sachin's call. Finally we got good news saying the ' mission accomplished' :) But you know it was our luck, since that day tickets were available till 20 minutes !! Finally we thanked God :) 

Then after 3 days we want to book return ticket, this time we don't want to take any wrong chances since return tickets are less compared to onward tickets. We all decided to stick to online booking as plan A, since last time at the stations our volunteers faced tough with people and railway officers. And counting money at counters was taking time. Finally another D-day came, as per the previous plan there was another round of instruction and training was done. This time we asked few volunteers from US, since server hitting swill be less from that region. Again all were online at 7.30. It is 8am again :) all started booking in parallel. This time there was no minimal chance for error. Finally everyone came up with smiling results :) We booked all 41 tickets, that is it. That is what we are. 


We looked at back once in our review call, we felt we spent lot of time for this. But I think it was necessary to make 'mission impossible' as possible :) Kudos to Sachin, his friends, Sudhir, Anil, Shankar and Sughosh. It is treat time now :)

It is all about commitments : That is how I built my physic

Sometimes we face such a situation which we never dreamed at all. And sometimes we want to do something good for us or others. But system will not cooperate with us. And many times though we are capable of doing some good stuff, but due to some reasons we end up with by not doing it.

It is an year back, marriage plans were going on. but most of the people started telling me that I'm thin, and looks like school student and many more weird comments. And lot of people suggested me both good and bad ideas to become healthy or fat !! including, eating non veg, drink beer, go to gym and  many others. Then I started surfing in net and concluded that should eat more protein and fibre food, and then do workout for healthy look.

After some days I thought of going to Gym, I remember it was in the evening 6 pm I had been to nearby Gym for joining. There were many people who were heavily working out with dumbbells and other instruments. Felt happy that, one day I'll become like these guys if I join the Gym. I met the instructor at the reception. I told him that I want to join Gym and what is the procedure. He replied, this is costly gym and here only classed people comes. And he added that you are very thin. And he was mentioning that if I join I should pay him regularly.I told it is okay and came back. He might have thought that I'm student and I can't pay him.

The same night I surfed in internet regarding the Gym instrument prices. And I come up with basic list. And decided to buy them! Next day I went to sports shop and bought all the required stuff. And downloaded all the required videos from the net. Within one week I was able to get fair idea on how to proceed. Since being scoliosis patient I was worried about other side effects.

The project 'Swasth Bharat' started!! first day did small warm up only, then second day did some dumbbell works and so on, one by one started. From that day till now I'm doing daily half an hour to one hour. At least 4 days in a week I'm able to do. My aim was not to become body builder, Just I wanted to become healthy and fit person. Then after few months I was simply standing in front of mirror, I was literally shocked with my curved muscles and 6 packs!!! And that day there was no end to my happiness :) that day I felt like going to that Gym guy to show my 6 packs, but did not go, I don't know why.

After some days I got more interest in working out and playing to stay fit and healthy. Started swimming twice in a week. And after some days I was able to get 8 packs naturally and without any much effort. One day I met the same gym guy in swimming pool , literally he was shocked seeing my built  and asked me that what I do for living, I replied It has been more than 6 years I'm working for MNCs. That time he felt very bad. He asked me how I'm able to do so, I explained him all. And then he invited me to his gym saying that, we are looking for trainers ;)!!! As usual I told no, since that is not my business :) 

Giving opportunity to needy persons : My badminton story

In one sense all are freshers and starters. Until unless someone provide us opportunity to explore or learn we will not go forward. But in the same sense once we reach some position we should be able to give chance for starters or initiators. Be it be education, be it be job, learning new things, sports, driving or be it be any other works.

It has been more than a year I started playing badminton daily. Before getting membership to the badminton club I waited for 2 months and I went there more than 10 times to beg for membership. Finally I got admission to the badminton club. It was my first day I went with non-marking shoes and with sports wear. And I went early at 4pm. Others started coming at 4.30. I was like asking each person to play with me. But none of them were interested since I was beginner. That day I could not play since no one gave me chance to play with them. I did  warm up and came back. 2nd day I went there with some hopes, but no luck.Again I came back by not playing. 3rd day I requested a senior person he strictly told 'NO' with arrogance. I told  him 'fine no problem'.  

The same day I saw a school kid was playing alone. I asked him can we play. He was happy and beginner too :) then we both played little bit and went back. I did not have feeling that I was playing with school kid. For few days we started playing together and his mother was happy, since I would able to teach him few shots in the sport. After some days we both picked up very well. And meanwhile many school kids started joining us. It was fun with them. I played for 3 months with them. And whoever joins newly I use to play with them and teach them.

One day the same senior person who told me No, was sitting alone since his partner did not come that day. I was playing with these kids. after sometime he called me saying that can you play with me today? I was shocked and replied yes with big smile:)  That day fortunately or unfortunately he lost all 3 games. though I did not wanted to win over him. Then after that whenever his partner is not there he use to call me for playing. And Yesterday he asked me to play with him regularly!!! I told sorry sir, I do enjoy in playing with middle level players and with beginners. But I'll play with you whenever your partner is not there.

I should be thankful to those school kids who gave me chance to play with them :) and I still continue to play with beginners :) may be I dont want to become a champion by playing with good players. I just want to play for fun and maintain my health. And now a days if anyone joins and if he asks other players to play with him, they say that may be 'Chetan will play with you' ;)