My Secret of Scoring 80+

Few days ago, I got my results for 4th semester. With that result, I can finally say that I am through with my masters course. For good. I felt elated and excited. I felt more happy at the fact that I was able to perform well beyond my expectations.  Firstly, I topped Arts category of Gujarat University for 4th

My Final Results

My 4th sem result are out and I  am happy to share with my friends that I have scored 86.17% (517/600) With this I have now sealed my Masters in Economics with an aggregate of 81.16%. (1948/2400) I am writing  this as a matter of my own record and history. 

Time to Wear My Uniform

After two years, I am now preparing to wear my uniform, once again. This time I am going to wear the trousers and shirts sewed by experts in Ahmedabad. I hope I look like a law enforcer and not like a joker anymore. I also hope that my ranks on the shoulder do not create any confusion in the eyes of on lookers.

So in my preparation for the moment, I went to have a fitting hair cut. But to my amazement, entire Bondey town just had one barber. However after having waited for more than an hour, I was able to have my hair clipped in army style.

Bhutan Customs in Uniform

Initially when I joined Customs department in 2006, we had a uniform which people mistook it for the uniform of Punakha High School. It  used to be a decent gho for gents and Kira for ladies. We were even issued rain coats and boots! But in course of time when Government supplied us a staff duty vehicle, a thing of boot and a coat (rain) became our beautiful past.

From Customs Office, Paro Airport

Yesterday was a very auspicious day. After two long years in India, I am finally back to a place where I belong. I made back to my office in one good piece and it gives me immense joy and satisfaction. In the morning hours, I first went to meet my new boss. It was our first meeting and so both of us had very few words. But in between, I think our silence did the rest. Through our silence, we spoke a lot. I think we spoke  about our dream to serve our department. -To our best. before I stood up to leave his chamber, I shook his hand. I think I did thrice.

Primary Round Post

On the night before the primary round of election, I got a call rather from a very unexpected person. My friend who is a gomchen called me up and asked me which party I was planning to cast my precious vote.  According to Bhutanese electoral law, 'gomchens are above politics'. But at that hour, he seemed least bothered.by the law. My enthusiastic friend seemed so energized  and eager to come at the level where politically divided voters were literally throwing pots and pans at eachother. To cool him down, I had to remind him about his status. Not only that, I also had to inform him about how apolitical civil servant I am.

Big Day Post

Its election day here in Bhutan.The Primary round. Many people call it a big day. Big day or small day, out of four political parties we have, two parties will be voted in today. And they will contest general election again in July.  Its time for people to make their big and wise decision. Its People's time.

Its media black out period here. By law we are not suppose to post any statements, especially those that are defamatory in nature. I was told that we cannot even post a statement in support or in against of a parties that are contesting the election nor against or in favor of any candidates. I think its a wise decision. In an eleventh hour, some voters can be swayed easily by a mere statements. Many people think is not good for democracy.

I am writing this short update, before my daughters wake up. Before people of the Nation heed to Polls. I write this update to wish all our political parties, all their best. Its still raining. And as suggested by our Chief election commissioner of Bhutan, I urge all the voters to take their brand new umbrellas and rain coats and "show them off" in the polling station. The road conditions may not be that good and for those who are travelling home to vote, I would like to remind all the drivers to be extra cautious.

Lastly, by the blessings of Kuncho-sum, may we have a successful election once again.

At Home for Good

I am back from Gujarat and I am now in Bhutan for good. After having endured the burning heat, ear drum-breaking noise and nose blocking dust of Gujarat for two years, I feel like I have come back to a monastery, high up in the Himalayas. Its a total tranquility here. I see more moving cows in the street than cars. If not for rupee shortage, I am starting to think that Bhutan can still take in some more cars! 

Anyways, I reached home at a time when my country is at the height of its election process. In few days, we will be electing two parties. They call it a primary round. And in few months, we will have a new parliament. For now its a season of promise making in Bhutan. 

Come 2018, Bhutan will be a heaven. There will be no poverty. Every youth will be employed. Roads, schools and health centers every where. Empowered Women. Helicopters and tillers. Revised pay for civil servants, Revised tax structure. Longer maternity leave, more prosperity, more peace, less corruption, justice, and on goes the list. 

Here is what my cousin wrote: "at this rate, it wont be long before political parties pledge "Rain for the Bhutanese people during monsoon"...

Its eleventh hour and I haven't decided which party to vote for. At the moment DCT's "Prosperity with Unity" looks as amazing as DNT's "People's Government". While DPT's "Equity with Justice" has done a magic in 2008 election, PDP's "Decentralization" seems to be casting a spell this time around. All candidates proclaim themselves to be Nymchugs and for now, I call them all ambitious Nymchungs. 

I am a very apolitical person and I will cast my vote based on the candidate followed by party ideology.  

Professor Dr. Kartik M Bhatt

With my professor, Dr. Kartik M. Bhatt who is the Head of Economics Department in School of Social Sciences, under Gujarat University.

Thank you sir for teaching me Macro Economics, Managerial Economics, Public Economics and Mathematical Economics. Thank you for inspiring me to work hard.

Some Pictures With My Professors

With Dr. Snajay Pardeshi who taught me Public Finance, Quantitative Methods in Economics, Growth and Development, Agriculture Economics, Research Methodology, Managerial Economics and Financial Institutes and Markets

With Madam Tarang Solanki, who taught me Micro Economics, Environmental Economics, Growth and Development, Labour Econimics, Industrial Economics and Agriculture Economics

With Dr. Hina Sidhu who taught me International Economics, Environmental Economics, Micro Economics, Industrial Economics, Research Methodology, Quantitative Methods in Economics and Financial Institutes and Markets

Tomorrow (or someday before I leave Gujarat) I also intend to meet my professors who taught me Macro Economics and  Mathematical Economics.

Misson: Dumbbell Selling

While RCSC is taking their own time to confirm our air tickets, I am keeping myself engaged here. I am done with packing, but last night on NDTV webpage and later in Times of India newspaper, I read a worrying news. It says "fly light or pay more". Baggage weighing more than 15 kg from hereon will attract a levy of Rs. 250 per additional kg.

I felt disgusted. It seems airline business are running out of innovation to make more money. At the moment I have not many words that can describe how angry I am with the new business plan of airlines in India. I wish I can call on a strike. I have already set my luggage weight to 20 kg, but looks like I will have to again do some adjustment and readjustment with my packing business.
 

Meanwhile the heat here is getting terrible. Temperatures in the day time rises to such a height, that I feel I am getting roasted alive. Eating and sleeping the entire day, its complete waste of time here.

Coming back to my dumbbell affair, here is an update. Yesterday I met with the very retailer from whom I bought it. We finally made a deal. As expected, we were able to make a win-win deal out of it. Without having to bargain much, he offered me the price I asked for. Rs 400 per dumbbell, I felt was a fair deal altogether. I felt it was a deal far better than dumping them. 

Waiting for my Air Ticket

I am almost done with my packing. I have tired my best to keep my luggage weight under control. So, after a countless sorting-out processes, I have finally decided that most of my old belongings are going home with me. Yes that's right. I cannot simply dump my gold-like old garments here. I thought it would be very ungrateful and ungracious on my part to leave them behind because  they are still strong and wearable. Some of my shirts are five years old but they still look better than the ones we get in the malls today! So, I packed them separately and I called up a courier service. After  little bit of bargaining I was finally able to send them home. 

But I am totally helpless with my dumbbells. I am neither able to take them home nor able to sell it back. I think it was by far the most stupidest acquisition I have ever made in my life. I paid Rs.700 per 5 kg and haven't used it at all. Seriously, I still do not know what urged me to make that crazy purchase. Today I did some oiling on it. It look brand new. I am planning to meet the same retailer from whom I bought it. I hope and pray that he take back his goods for a price that would leave both of us in a better off position. Even Rs 400 per dumbbell would be a welcome transaction. 

In a meantime, me and my friends are waiting for our air tickets. Already its been a week since we requested those concern officials in RCSC to arrange the same.  But it was only yesterday they acknowledged our mail. Thanks to Commissioner Bachu Phub Dorji, the officials have now promised to send our air tickets by the earliest possible date. If they don't then I might melt in this heat.

Packing and Repacking

Ever since the day I finished my exams, I had two things on my mind. -Pack up and then going home! Its just my second year here, but it has made me feel like I have been here for ages already. I feel I am going home after a decade in exile.

So, in last two days I went to meet my professors. I met most of them. I thanked them personally for all the help and support they gave me in course of two years. In fact I wrote them a letter of gratitude! I told them how fortunate I felt being taught by them. I also told each one of them how I will miss them everyday.

I haven't met my class friends yet, but I wanted to meet them too. I wanted to thank them all for being so nice to me. Initially when my room did not have fan and a running water, some of them told me that if I can survive in India, I can survive any where on this planet. So on a lighter note, before I depart, I wanted to tell them how I survived.

But on a serious note, life wasn't that bad. Thanks to the Gujarat University administration. Me and my friends were accorded the best of the best facilities in the campus. We were given the best flat for the cheapest possible rent. Compared to our seniors, we were given the additional facilities like freezer, oven, toaster, larger table and more comfortable chairs. Thank you Gujarat University. I hope you get some more scholars from Bhutan in coming years.

For now its all about packing and repacking in my room. Except my old cloths and few books, I have nothing much to pack. I wanted to make sure that my luggage do not exceed 20 kg. So I pack and repack. Again and again. But to my surprise, my old cloths have started weighing heavy like a metal. If any thing old were to be gold, surely my old cloths testified this statement in terms of their weight! And I am afraid that I might have to part with some of my gold-like cloths here.

Writing Thank you Notes

Dear Respected Professor(s),

Before I bid farewell to this beautiful University and college, I want to express my genuine gratitude for all the hard work you all have put in during the academic year 2011-2013 as my professors. You all have made my stay here a worthwhile and wonderful one. At this hour, I have not many words that can fittingly thank you all.

The way you all took lectures without a rest in between showed how difficult it was in teaching. I saw the exhausted faces and tired bodies of you all every day. Messed up with chalk powder, I have often heard your voices go dry. Not only that, I saw how your throat choked after a daylong lecture. I felt deeply sorry about burden you all were under. But you all had common strength called the determination. Determination to educate microcode students like me! I felt all the more inspired by the way you all handled the classes every day. It inspired me to attend every lecture, everyday. You all inspired me to work harder each second.

I am not an intelligent man. But groomed by you all, I feel I have progressed well academically too. I feel hard work from my side and hard work from you all complemented each other. Looking at the results I have achieved so far, (76.67% in first sem, 80.3% in second sem and 81.5% in third sem) it shows how hard works never go in vain. With blessings from you all, I expect the same result in fourth sem too. I don't know whether I have become a full-fledged butterfly or not but certainly I am going home much more progressed and refined than a caterpillar.

Personally, I am a very sensitive person. I am emotional like any other beings. At the same time I have also flaws like any other beings too. Therefore in course of our interaction, if I have hurt your sentiments and feelings, I would like to seek forgiveness from all of you. Those things were never intended. 

Once again I would like to extend warm thanks to all of you from the bottom of my heart. I wish you all the best of everything in your future endeavors. I will cherish you all in my life as my Gurus. May god bless you all with good health and abundant happiness in life.

Thank you

With Lots of Respect and Regards

(Kuenzang Thinley)

M.A Economics

I Sealed My Sem III With 81.5%

                       G u j a r a t   U n i v e r s i t y                      
                         [ NAAC Accredited B++ (83.1%) ]                        
Exam.:Sem. 3 of                Master of Arts  held in December-2012 
Seat No. :   1439    Name: THINLEY KUENZANG                                     
College: (020) USS         Centre: 01  Combination:         - 1-1600011       
                                              External        Internal       
                Subjects                   Max Min  Obt   Max Min  Obt      
----------------------------------------  -----------------  -----------------  
Economics-501 International Economics-II   70  25   63    30  11   26      
Economics-502 Growth & Development-II      70  25   57    30  11   29      
Economics-503 Public Economics-II          70  25   45    30  11   29      
Economics-504 Managerial Economics-II      70  25   55    30  11   28      
Economics-505EA Q.M.E.-II                  70  25   42    30  11   29      
Economics-506EA Industrial Economics-II    70  25   64    30  11   22      
                                           420  --  326   180  -- 163      
----------------------------------------  -----------------  -----------------  
Enrol.No.: 201101900349             Total: 489 /  600  Result:PASS        
                                    Result Date: 20-APR-2013              

                    

             

Obviously I am little wordless here and I would like to share my reasons.

 

Couple of days ago, I was mad beyond my words. I think any ordinary human would have have felt the same. Because, our University officials have been telling lies after lies about the result declaration date.  I am, on verge of completing my final semester, but not being able to get get my third semester result was a real worrisome affair.

So, few weeks ago, I went alone to check the the status of the result in the University office. Surprisingly, one official there did not even consider my worth better than a stray dog. I don't know whether he had problem talking to me in English or not but he simply refused to talk to me. I returned home low and lost.
 

And the last time I went to check was the day before yesterday. That day I went along with my two friends. There too, a man in the Comptrollers office scolded us and then harshly told us that the results would be declared in 48 hours time. While  talking to us, his bull-like eyes reddened like the sindhur on his forehead. We found him in total not-in-the-mood-to-talk. He did not even let us explain our reasons! Outraged and humiliated three of us walked back to our room.
 

Finally they took 48 hours plus a day to declare it. I did what ever possible from my side and I think it is fairly reflected in my result as well. I feel that my hard work is duly rewarded. The papers I scored lowest are the Public Finance( 74%) and Quantitative Methods in Economics (71%).

For Public Finance paper, I  know I could have done it better but it was all Indian Public Finance mostly taught in Gujarati Medium. So that was all I could do. And in QME paper, I could have done it little better too. Sadly that day our question paper did not contain log table. All in all, I think I gave the best and got the best. I am happy about it.

I would like to thank all my professors for all their unending support and my family back home for their prayers. I feel indebted to all my guardian deities back home for showering me with good health and good luck. I would also like to thank my senior friend Sonam Phuntsho for all his notes and guidance. I have sealed my third semester with 81.5%..

Starting 24th April, I will be seating for my final semester exams. So please friends wish me good luck.

Notes From My Diary, My Closing Days in Gujarat University

I am finally done with my project work and I have already submitted it to my guide. He went through it briefly and said I have done it reasonably well. But truly speaking in academic sense, I am not at all satisfied and happy with the way my final semester has progressed. We just had a class here and there for two months and now we are preparing for our final exams. Lot of things are left untaught. In some of the papers its very difficult to even do self study. And to our despair, we haven't got our third semester results yet.

Mean while, the heat is getting incessant. The temperatures have risen so high that even the swamp near my campus has completely dried up. The ground is dusty everywhere and has become like a solid rock. In between we often do not get water supply.  Interestingly, somewhere media has reported that all the water supplies have been diverted to the new swimming pool which has been constructed for new vice chancellor.

Few days ago, we had our class presentation in mathematical Economics.Time allotted for each person was just two minutes! I feel its so stupid, because there are people who take more then two minutes to just write their names. There were few of my friends, who just came forward and read out from a piece of paper with total disregard to punctuations like full-stops and comas. And there were also others who just came forward and simply said that there are not many topics in mathematical economics that can be presented in two minutes. They rather chose to laugh than present.

As for myself, befitting the allocated time, I chose a small topic. I decided to present on mathematical derivation of an ordinary demand curve. While presenting, my professor wanted me to present his way. But I boldly told him I would rather present my way and come to his conclusion. By the time I finished my presentation, I have already taken more than twenty minutes. I think that was one of the best presentation I gave in a long  long time. he he he. With that I am finally done with the presentation part also. 

There is another thing I would like to share here. After I put up a short 'Kongfu Panda Post', Panda lady or rather the self proclaimed biggest Panda fan did her best to defend her panda fan title against me. :) I am surprised to hear that she in fact live in Panda world with Panda people in Panda house! She also mentioned me about a Panda car that she is driving and panda garden that she is soon going to have. It sounds amazing. But I have a message for her.  I will not believe until I see all those Panda things with my eyes.

Kongfu Panda Post

Me and my group will be passing out this May. So yesterday our friends from Gandinagar were here to bid us farewell. I told them it wasn't necessary but they wouldn't listen. They took lot of trouble coming here in the unforgiving heat and dust of Ahmadabad.

I would like to thank them all for coming here and for making us happy. I had one of the most sumptuous lunch in a long long time. Chicken curry was the best. More than the lunch, I thank them for their sense of brotherhood towards us. Perhaps this is something that is holding Bhutanese together anywhere in the world. 

And today morning I got up and repaired our old and worn out rice cooker. While fixing it up, I told our  rice cooker to hang on for another month. -- just one more month and we will be gone--.

The other thing I had in my mind was to write something about Kongfu Panda. Its one of my all-time best movies. I  think I am the biggest fan of Panda so far. But few days ago, one ardent reader on my blog claims she is a lot bigger fan of Kongfu Panda than me. She even named herself as Panda in Facebook to show how much bigger fan she is than me. But I insisted I am the bigger fan than her. Now to settle the claim, she wanted me to write something about Panda movie.

I suppose there ain't many people who do not know about this famous movie. Even my three years old daughter knows about it. She have her own favorite character!. She likes the way Po says "I love Kongfu" on the chair rigged with firecrackers. She even knows to replicate Panda's mouth in that scene. My other daughter likes a scene when Po's adopted duck-father says " Po, get up".

As for me. I like all the scenes in the movie.  Let me be very brief. In part one of the movie, the scene I like most is where Master Oogway tells Panda these lines: "yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present".

This movie, in fact taught me the greatest lesson of my life. It taught me to believe in myself. Through this movie, I became more determined to discover my inner strength. I became more aware of how senseless it is for us to worry about things which are history and mystery.  At one point of time, 'live your present to the fullest' was the message I took from it. It made me believe that its only me who have the potential  and will bring inner peace to my own self. 

I simply feel its too big a movie for my small vocabulary to describe it. So let me stop here for now.

Ode to Ramji, Our Gatekeeper

Here is a story of a gate keeper

Whose name I do not remember.
Too lean to be called Ram-Singh.

So I call him Ram-ji.

He works round the clock with no rest,

But still says work is worship at best.

He doesn't seem to know how

 Exploited he is for now

Five thousand rupees a month!

And he says, is a big money on earth.
 Away from his honey,
He lives thinking other than just the money.
  Says He
To me

 

 He is a proud father,

One who often gloats further,

About the big money he put together.

For a wedding of his bigger daughter.

 I call him Ram Ji 

and he says Haa Ji

I say Good morning ji

and he says Thank you ji

Doing Whatever Possible With My Two Hands

Past few weeks has been the most stressful days of my life. I was dead busy writing and rewriting, typing and retyping my final project work. I have tried with all my means and resources to come up with a good report. No matter what, I always wanted to make my guide happy with my level of progress. As a person who believe in giving the best and leaving the rest, submitting a quality report was my top priority. 

And finally, I have submitted my project. My guide showed me his sense of satisfaction. All I can say is that he looked happy for the that I was able to write more than hundred pages in just two months. I feel like an ox from whose neck the yoke is being removed. I am feeling much lighter and more relaxed now. Although I felt defeated at times, I feel in the end that it was an enterprise worth undertaken. 

I feel the warm blood filled with sense of satisfaction flow through my spinal cord. I feel like going on the roof top, shout on top of my voice and tell the the world that "I am finally done with my Project" At this time of year, walking in Gujarat is not so pleasing. Especially during the day time, soaring temperature can drain all your fluids and make you flaccid. Some people faint and some suffer form heat stroke. But thanks to almighty god, I was fortunately able to complete my project that demanded lot of walking in this unforgiving hot days of Gujarat.

Now when I look back, I feel my memories exploding. Its combination of bitter, sweet and sour. Basically its a combination of all the tastes. There were times wherein I wished I were like Chak Tong Chen Tong. Totally messed up and disorganized, I felt totally lost in between my own lines. At one point of time my Tsawai Lama told me to do whatever possible with my two hand and stop wishing about Chak Tong Chen Tong. Perhaps he was right.

Writing Acknowledgement for my Project Work

This Project work has been carried out to meet the academic requirements of Gujarat University for the completion of Master of Arts in Economics. I would like to put on record, my appreciation and gratitude to all who have rendered their support and input. Without them, it would not have been possible for me to shape this study.

I have received immense guidance from my guide Dr. Kartik M. Bhatt, Professor and Head of the Economics Department, Gujarat University. I would therefore like to convey my sincere gratitude to him.

I would also like to thank Dr. Hina A. Sidhu, Professor, Economics Department, Gujarat University, for her unending encouragement. Her classes on Research methodology gave me lot of insight into carrying out research. All the more, I would also like to thank her for having trust and confidence in me.

Dr. Sanjay R Pardeshi, Professor, Economics Department, Gujarat University, has always been there to help me. He provided the most valuable information on page setting and logical arrangement of my project. His last minute suggestions proved very useful in completing my study in time and I would like to convey my earnest thanks to him.

Besides, I would like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to Dr. Pradeep Prajapati and Ms. Tarang Solanki for all their support and guidance. I would like to thank them immensely for providing me the conceptual and theoretical clarity in various papers.

I owe my deepest gratitude to the Royal Government of Bhutan and to the Government of India for providing me all the financial support during my two years study period. I will always remain indebted to the Government of these great Nations for all the good opportunities they provided to me in shaping my academic career.

I would also like to extend my deepest thanks to Dr. Neerja Arun, Co-coordinator, Study Abroad Program and her team in the office for all the logistics and administrative arrangements. With this, I would also like to thank the other officials of Gujarat University for making my stay a pleasant one in Gujarat University campus.

I would like to mention another person who has always showed great zeal in helping me. I thank Miss. Hema R. Iyengar for all her willingness to help me. I thank her for and finding time to share her ideas, while I was busy putting up my project into its final shape.

Finally I would like to thank my parents and all my family members for bearing my absence for two long years. I wholeheartedly thank them all for sending me abundant love, encouragement and support all the way from home from their hearts. I dedicate all my success to each one of them.

to be continued..