PMI training – the last one!
Monday to Wednesday was my superannuation training program at PMI. I am going to retire in August-23 which is just 4 months away. Seeing my position in the present scenario it is pretty confirmed that this is going to be my last program in PMI.
In the last 37 years I have come to PMI for attending many programs but it never occurred to me that my coming to PMI is going to be the last one. In another 4 months I will retire and after that I will never step in here as NTPC-ians. The steps that I am making here on this pious temple of NTPC will no longer happen. I will go and someone else will replace my place.
Therefore, I decided to take a last round of this iconic building of my
organization. The cobbled red stone building of Kabir house and Tagore hostel gives
a perfect academic aura for the entrance of PMI. I don’t know who designed this
premises but he did a great job in creating an academic impression at the
entrance itself!
The reception hall of Kabir house and the Ganesh idol has remained the
same in the last 30 years! The present Kawach area was earlier an aquarium and
the main dining hall was just opposite of it..
The lift in Kabir house was probably set up sometime around 1998. Then
it was a manual lift. You had to close both doors manually before pressing the
button. Prior to that we never bothered
to climb 3rd floor on staircase. Later the lift was changed to a automatic
lift.
The swimming pool, believe me in all these 37 years I saw it filled up
with water and people swimming only once! It was a summer of 1997. Other than
that I always find it dry & not in use. The roof top solar panel of PMI
came pretty early. Then very few other organizations had roof top solar panels
installed! This only shows that NTPC since beginning is a very progressive
organization.
Many things around PMI is also changed but the theme remains same! 25
years back after training session we used to head for Atta market. On Filmcity
road we used to catch rickshaws. Today the rickshaw pullers are gone and the
void is aptly filled up by auto rickshaws & electric rickshaws. Nothing is
changed! That time and today the Filmcity road is always shaded by trees all
along the road. Only more cars are now on the road such that in those days one
could comfortably walk down to Atta market which is impossible today. You can
be hit by cars in no time!
On the way to Atta market the fouling swear line on which we used to
shut our nose is still there only it stinks more today so that even inside car
you have to shut you nostril.
…
As I cross the fire control kiosk on my left and Aryabhatta hall on my
right the most stunning thing that attracts my view is the tall palm tree has now
become the tallest tree such that its head is almost touching the roof shade.
Inside the plush delhi malls you will find many such artificial palm trees but
this one is real inside PMI!
Beside Nalanda hall the iconic fountain is very old. The place around this fountain is the meeting place for whose who of NTPC & power industry of the country. Though most of its charm is gone today but it still works to remember the glorious olden days.
The non descript syndicate halls are those where the budding managers flock around during their capsule courses for preparation of group presentations. The Ganga hall on the right is where many programs I have attended during my tenure. PMI is the place where one can find out their long lost buddies / colleagues who got transferred on the way or who posted out after DOJ.
Feeling sad that I am not going to be here again. The whacky floors of
PMI, the sunny indoors, the high galleries of Nalanda hall, the round table
meeting of prestigious Aurobindo hall is all will be left behind me now.
Food of PMI was always delicious. The boiled mix vegetables was a long
trade mark plate of PMI. However, ever since the “Navratri” idea has entered into
the menu wherein no nonveg items for a consecutive 9 days, the charms of PMI
foods have eroded to a great extent. Most of the guests now either eat out or
they order food from outside kitchens.
The power interruptions inside class room was a regular phenomena then
and now as well. However the powerful UPS manages it just to a flicker now!
For those who do not know that the Okhla Bird Sanctuary is just at the
back yard of our PMI. You can say where the Bahujan Hati park or the Apeejay
school boundary ends the Okhla bird sanctuary begins. The park hosts about 300
species of beautiful water birds besides owls, bats ,peacocks & monkeys. A
great variety of ducks are always visible if you be there around 6 in the
morning. Alas! I will not be able to go there again from PMI!
The white majestic swans were not there in PMI atleast till 2000. Their
addition has given a new swanky presence to PMI.
Lots of big hitech IT company buildings & film studios have started
appearing on Filmcity roads since beginning of 2003 – 2004. Today the whole
area looks like no space left for further development. However, amidst them the
PMI building remains as a center of academics & power excellence!
Long live NTPC!
Somnath Bera
NTPC – North Karanpura
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