My Memorable Days at DTSS

I used to think doing an engineering course was the greatest challenge in my life. With around 56 university exams and more than 150 odd assignments, B.Tech did chart number “1” position till recently. But life had much more in store for me. That is the day when I joined as an intern at DTSS, short for Dusters Total Solutions Services, under the HR wing.


The first day was definitely a memorable one. On reaching the office sharply at 09.00 a.m., after hanging on to my dear life in the ever crowded local trains of Mumbai, I sat down to catch my breath. Promptly, I asked for a glass of cold water. Well, trying to create a good impression was no more in my agenda after all the sweat and dirt sticking on to my ‘once’ clean formal shirt. The HR Manager ‘Miss L’, who was also our Company Guide, arrived with the tut-tut tapping of her heels. How does she even manage to wear high heels in the train, remains a mystery to me.


After yet another brief introduction, she disclosed the fact we (me and Preeti, my fellow classmate and yet another intern at DTSS) were there to do some really ‘serious’ work which no one has attempted in DTSS. Oh please! I looked at Preeti with a sly smile and she nodded back knowingly. That all-knowing look meant “Girl, we are here to do an ‘excavation’ of long forgotten foundations of which now only ruins remain!” Miss L continued with an enthusiasm which encouraged us to the breaking point. She filled us in about the space constraint in the office for which we dutifully looked doleful. The magnitude of the consequence of such a constraint didn’t occur to me at all, till the moment she explained to us we were supposed to work from home.

WHAT THE HELL??!! Wow…

I cleared the excited look from my eyes fast enough before Miss L noticed and blurted out before Preeti could even digest the news “Oh ma’am that would be great; we can work without the exhaustion of travel!” I gave a big-tooth smile and steered the conversation to another area before the Manager could change her mind. Monday was set as our weekly reporting day.


We became ‘the stars’ overnight. Anyone and everyone who heard the news said in awe (not forgetting ‘jealousy’) “Work-from-home culture? Bloody Hell!” Hence began my LIFE at DTSS. (Sigh!)


Although I have to give credits to the organization for providing me and Preeti with formidable projects (which ran right across one of the pillars of Human Resource Management – Recruitment and Induction), life was about to start a roller coaster ride with both of us being the ONLY riders.


Although my first project, which was to do an Induction Effectiveness Survey on the orientation program currently prevalent in the organization and subsequently prepare a more effective module started off well, it trotted on to a sad note. My enthusiasm soon wore off. Work-from-home culture is a bitch! I could do anything as I pleased (that is if I did anything at all!). Preeti introduced me to the world of Fringe (a TV series) which ate most of my nights. But during the day time, I turned to another newly found love of mine. City Ville. Thank you Face Book. My addiction to City Ville grew steadily. I sent and received mystery gifts from my neighbors regularly (only the other addicts can understand what I meant). My induction module remained a Mystery to me which I hoped fervently someone would Gift me soon.


The month of May soon gave way to the rainy June. With the advent of June, trains not only became overbearingly crowded, but they stank also. This was when our HR Manager sold us out to ‘Mr. S’, the Manager for Man Power Planning. She said without much preamble one fine Monday, “You guys will be assisting Mr. S in a Recruitment project.” I had somehow managed to complete my first project by then. With the introduction of the new boss who expected us to come to office every day, I hoped to put a full stop to my monotonous life. I was initially thrilled to know that our Recruitment project is under the Great M.D. itself, who was a charismatic man. I attended my first ever Board Meeting that day. In all my excitement to be in the Board Room, I forgot to take the minutes of meeting (which I was supposedly doing!).


After 2 days of working on the project, we were done with almost everything (surprisingly!). Life plummeted down the drains again. Travelling in the local trains and getting down at Govandi (one of the largest dumping grounds in Mumbai) was exactly what I needed. (Pun Intended!). Mr. S told us one Friday evening to come on Monday morning sharp at 09.00 a.m. to attend a client meeting. Monday arrived swiftly and we reported at the office just 15 minutes late! Well, it wasn’t our problem. The trains were running late, according to Preeti. I didn’t have the heart to disagree.


The meeting which was to start sharply at 10.00 a.m. never came. Mr. S was also nowhere to be seen. We were being kicked from one room to another. In the morning, we were sitting in the Conference Room followed by the V.P of H.R’s room until finally we were handed down to the Visitors Room (Space Constraint, my foot!). We had NOTHING to do than acting as part of the decorations in the room. Other fellow people in the office looked at us with such rueful expressions that I could taste ‘Hatred’ in my throat.


At 6, my level of endurance touched eccentric marks. I decided to act, though it was late. Well, better late than NEVER. I didn’t want to sleep in the Visitors Room. Since I did not trust myself to have a one-to-one conversation with him, I kept it short and simple. I SMSed him. “We are leaving!. Waited for NINE hours!”


Our Company Guide sensed our reluctance to work under him and assigned us MIS works, which was far more interesting than killing mosquitoes. It was with a relief I welcomed the end of June. I looked straight into the dull eyes of Mr. S and announced “Sir, this is our LAST day here!” I noted with satisfaction the surprise there before he blurted out “But, I have more work for you guys!” Well, better luck next time buddy. I am SO out of here.


The results of our project may be used to build up strong foundations for the company. Or they may join the ruins. Either way, All The Very Best DTSS.