Life at ASCI

ASCI and Hyderabad always used to evoke very positive images in me. In the early years in LIC, nominations for any training programme was eagerly lapped up. And a nomination to ASCI was equivalent to the Mecca and was high on our aspirational ladder. You should be atleast an ADM, to be so fortunate. We wanted to quickly finish being the menial low level officers if not for anything else atleast for a cabin to call your own, a buzzer, a water jug and crockery and chance for a nomination to ASCI.
Years rolled by and my dream came true not once but twice. But both the times, i could not make it for a variety of reasons; was on orders of transfer from Ajmer to Chennai and the training programme on 'women executives' was bang in the middle of my relocation time. More than the logistical nightmare that attending such a session would entail, it was also a jurisdictional issue. Do i get relieved in Ajmer and on the way to taking up my new post in Chennai, stop by for training at Hyderabad.It was a no no, there were strict rules about stopping over enroute from one location to another on transfer.Do I join at Chennai and then take off for Hyderabad?Again i was flummoxed, as the nomination had come from North Zone personnel dept and it is invalid in the corridors of Chennai region!The bureaucratic imbroglio is still fresh in my mind.
I t is no wonder that now when i got an opportunity to arrange a workshop/review session for my staff i was looking for ASCI, hyderabad. The institute gave us very competitive rates and promised collegial environment for learning and reflecting.Yes, i needed to reflect a lot!
Got off the airport and i was prepared for a long ride to the outskirts as all management institues are located there. But within a few seconds we were in the campus.It is quite efficiently run, as i was looking at all the infrastructure facilies with the keen eyes of an 'ex principal' of a training institute.It is quite imaginatively designed with lots of little corners and nooks which can be spots for informal interactions.The structure also has enough turns and twists to give you pleasant surprises and thrill of getting lost and going round and round.
The room had a very good view of the jubilee hills and the early morning air was nippy and refreshing.Went for a walk and was surprised that the tracks do not circle the campus, but abruptly stop half way through. It is wooded country with rocks perched strategically; friendly neighbourhood dogs which are so contended with life that they have forgotten to bark or follow me around.
Tried the gym today and was looking for the switch to turn it on. But looked and looked in vain. It was then i realised that i had forgotten that there are manual treadmills.But realising the same did not help much, as the damn thing refused to budge! No, no way that i am going to work out on the treadmill today.Tried the bicycle.I did not see any knobs for controlling the tension so I was working at the pedals furiously at 100 rpm a minute!
Classrooms are very comfortable and well laid out. We had an ambitious schedule of 9 am to 9 pm .And we did it, with the same energy levels that we started out with and we did start out with high enthusiasm. While credit has to be given to the teachers and the participants, the room and its 'fenshui' did contribute its bit, i guess.
All the powerpoints worked without a hitch, there were no power outages, nobody spilled the tea on their dresses,handouts were actually handed out before a presentation!While lot of heat was exchanged in the class rooms, there was a heavy dose of cordiality and friendliness outside of it.
I am liking it.It has been worth the 25 year wait.