Mandarmoni Arijit Bhattacharyya

Life Story: The big event in Bengal – taking responsibility and someone asked me to stand in doors – welcome others instead of entering inside.

As a Charter Member of one of the finest entrepreneurs' club, I used to go to several places in Bengal to guide and mentor other startups.

Present President gave me opportunity to lead TY* program which is for schools, present ED and me we started exploring schools and did few programs for free in two three schools
Along with that the present secretary of that time took me to Narendrapur blind school to see if we can help them.
As per words of others Sr members we are all equal in a business club when it comes to entrepreneurship and do expect same dignity and respect as a fellow entrepreneur.
While making team for the event (yearly one) we were discussing about roles, one of another CM became Chairperson/ Lead for the local event.
While distributing roles he asked me to stand in the doors to welcome guests, may be my maturity was really bad, I asked what will be my role in the event!
Standing in door and welcome or can I come inside and may be do something meaningful
He said no you can't do anything inside, just welcome guests.
As directed I agreed, that same year I was travelling again in Asia – this time it was South Korea again and Taiwan and Singapore for some business deals, I'll share in next writing for sure.
While travelling a lot I was not focused enough on health, I forgot that your body is your biggest friend.
When I returned home, I joined the meetings for the event, though there was not much responsibility for me I keep going there to be humiliated and learn.
All of a sudden my health became really bad and I had to admit to hospital all of a sudden, one of the Sr. Charter Member came to visit me – he used to treat me like a good friend.
The president called me and said you don't need to come to event, I said I can don't worry, not sure if I was convincing enough, to run the event they thought I can't come and help.
To define myself properly, if I think to make something happen I "do it". I went there, greeted people, stand on the door and funniest thing happen, as I used to visit the same event much larger in Delhi continuously one of the guest member from Delhi was entering and saw me in the doors, he said.
Why on earth you are here? You bring startups to us so that we can help them, connect them to investment options and you are here?

Me: it's my responsibility to greet standing in the doors (smiled).
He: I need a cup of tea.
Me: Let me bring it for you, when I took the tea-cup he went inside (I know why he did that), I gave him the cup and he said you are not going to be there in doors, please enjoy sometime with me.

In late evening during the event break some of the other members thought to do some public-fun with me, may be my dress was not upto the mark!
They started talking about my shoes and casual dress – due to operation, I was unable to be in usual suit.
It's good to see that in same city others can make fun of a village- man, either you are too poor they will feel pity or you've to show-off you are super rich.
I didn't stay for dinner and drinks –networking.
Late night present Hony Secretary called me why I am not in networking dinner, I said I am going for a vacation.
So probably this is how it is, city people with money have their own comfort zone not to open that for others to enter?
At the same time, when we killed the ponds in city, killed the nature, make pollution we try to go to villages to enjoy "nature" for few days and at the same time try not to respect son and daughters of nature.
The person who is doing agriculture is much knowledgeable on "how to grow things naturally", we killed it with latest thoughts and NOW shouting about "Organic Food" and chemical free dress and say that it's for export not for consumption of our own country-people.
I started thinking how not to act only as a channel of investors to invest money, suggest and recommend names of startups to entrepreneurs, rather make something happen with a platform approach to be the connector not only in India but with other parts of the world.
Solution was simple put some of my money as an investors and give comfortzone to others to shake hands and come forward.
Solution was simple, bring startups who have less ego and more "doing mentality" instead of valuation game.
Short sweet investment with high return -- easy to say real difficult to execute.
Time to grow more and at the same time be humble – I never wanted to become so called HNI with lot of ego.
Time to go back to nature and mix with people who are more close to nature and understand how to give love when they get love.

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Arijit Bhattacharyya

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