The Telegraph newspaper used to offer a full page of cartoons. That made it an instant hit with all of us in the Hostel. Recently ANTARA BOSE of the newspaper spoke to me about the launch plans of Married But Available. Here is the article from the 31st July 2008 Jamshedpur edition of The Telegraph.

“XLRI alumnus Abhijit Bhaduri is ready with his second book that will hit the stores sometime in September. Abhijit’s first book Mediocre But Arrogant (2005) was a bestseller and he may hit the jackpot again with Married But Available (2008).

The book is a sequel to the first one, that ended with the main protagonist, Abbey, and his mates in management studies getting placements. Abbey gets through the firm, Balwanpur Industries.

The sequel starts with an alumni meet of students of a premier management school, where Abbey talks of his life at Balwanpur Industries.

Married But Available deals with the trails and tribulations of the first 10 years of Abbey’s corporate life, where he is left struggling between his personal agendas and professional issues. Abbey’s situation is doubly hard as he is the first MBA from a premier institute to work in the fictitous Balwanpur Industries.

A graduate in economics from Delhi University, Abhijit came to XLRI to study personnel management in industrial relations in 1984.

“Lately, there have been many books published by B-school pass outs. Most deal with campus experiences. I thought of taking it a step further and writing about the corporate world beyond the classroom. Writing and sharing experiences is my hobby and I love doing it,” said the Gurgaon-based author to The Telegraph over the phone.

Bhaduri’s books also prove that you can take the student out of the course, but not course out of the student. The abbreviation of both his books happen to be “MBA”, proving that he has not forgotten his “cherished days” in Jamshedpur.

“Jamshedpur has its own charm. Apart from my institution, I like Jubilee Park, Dalma lake where I used to hang out a lot,” he signs off.”