Until We Meet Again - I

Chapter 2: We Disconnect

Year 2013-2018

The next few months were busy, most of my time was spent preparing for various competitive exams like CAT, XAT, GMAT, etc.

I don't know how, but I scored just enough marks to get into IIM Ahmedabad and that too in my first chance. I was ecstatic, I couldn't believe, nor were my family members able to believe it, but it was the truth.

The next few months were spent packing for hostel and getting things I'd require in the hostel.

Soon it was time for me to leave for hostel. Dad was supposed to accompany me, I asked mom not to come with me, because I knew she would get emotional now and then, and seeing her cry would make me cry.

AHMEDABAD

Dad helped me get settled and soon the session began. I was doing Master of Business Administration (MBA) which was a 2 year course.

My classmates were friendly, I soon got acquaintances of many new people. But there were only few I remained in contact with after college.

It was IIM only, when I met Radhika, my first real love and my first real heartbreak. I thank god, that my best friend Aditya Sharma, Adi for short, was there. I met him in IIM only and soon we became very good friends, and soon we became like brothers. He helped me move on without indulging in being a 24*7 alcoholic, instead he steered me towards boxing. I used to take out all my anger at the punching bag. All this helped me develop my muscles, within 5 months I was transformed, from the sleek, slim boy, I became a fit and fine man.

A lot happened in these 2 years and the photography that I started for Anaya, it became a passion for me during my hostel days.

It was 14th October, 2014, my birthday. Adi, along with my some other friends collected some money and gifted me my first DSLR. I got so emotional as they gifted me the camera. I still have it, and use it from time to time, but now being a professional travel photographer, I have access to some of the world's best cameras.

Dad's business became more successful, now he was partners with the who's who of Delhi and few other cities.

It was 2014 only, when Dad decided to move out of our family home, Dad moved out to a more posh area of Delhi. My brother Sam had just passed out high school and he was now planning on joining an aviation academy to become a pilot. Our parents never forced us to do anything, it was completely upon us to do anything that we had interest in.

I chose MBA, because I didn't had any other passion other than photography and I wanted a more stable career first, I wanted to help Dad manage his business in the future, but I also wanted to be a free-lance photographer.

I got graduated in 2015 and as my graduation gift Dad gifted me my own car a Jaguar F Type, red and black colour. I was so happy that it still tops my list of happiest memories. I took Adi and we went for a long ride in Ahmedabad.

I decided I would drive my car back to Delhi, I had my internship in Dad's company. I was so happy for Dad, the progress that his buisness had shown since my high school to graduation is appreciable. From a lower middle class family, to one of the influential families of Delhi, we came a long way.

My brother accompanied me on my journey from Ahmedabad to Delhi, we left Ahmedabad at 05:00 in the morning and reached our new house in Delhi by 20:00. It was a tiring day, I drifted off to sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I decided that I would complete my 1 year internship and then I'd leave for New York, and join the NY Institute of Photography.

In the summer of 2017 I completed my internship at Dad's office and in the August 2018 I left for NY to pursue my passion.