Down the Memory Lane
January 25, 2010 in Work and fun @ One97 |
| Comments (1)
The other day it struck me how fast my journey of over these three years with One97 has passed! And then this thought came of sharing some of the good times with you.It has been a very exciting and learning journey! Have seen the Company growing 10 times from the time I started. We were just 70 at that time, a small, cozy team…I can even recall all names and faces. Everyone used to be on the same floor: from Sales to Service Delivery.
I still remember the first day I joined. It was quite an experience to see the mix/dynamics of teams sitting together. Shortage of space never really came in the way of getting things done for One97. Sometimes I miss that small team, which was more or less like a family . A family that kept growing and so quickly! Soon we were spread across 3 floors: Devika Tower, 1st Floor to 2nd Floor to 10th Floor and then we moved only the Engineering team to another building. And as suddenly as this movement, we moved to Noida in one building, four Floors indeed.
We recently saw our annual day celebrations party 2009. I still remember our Annual Party Dec 2006. Smita, Puneet, Anupam and I had gone location-hunting only to be told that everything was filled. We had then finalized on this small banquet hall above Turquoise Cottage…Days of the Raj. The party was totally enjoyed by everybody. Since the then first grand party to welcome the year 2007, there has been no looking back, year after year, more people, more hard work, more challenges, more achievements, and not to be forgotten, more fun all the way! One97 is a young company of young generation. We believe in working hard and partying hard.
Here are some of the captured moments for you to revive your memory:
2006-2007 – http://picasaweb.google.com/hrone97/OldMemoriesOne97
2008 - http://picasaweb.google.com/vijayshekhar/TheOne97GoaTrip
http://picasaweb.google.com/ksheer13/TheOne97Gig08
http://picasaweb.google.com/ksheer13/TheOne97Gig08
2009 – http://picasaweb.google.com/vaibhav.nagpal43/IndependenceDay
http://picasaweb.google.com/nikhilvatsa/AnnualNewYearCelebrationOne97
What a lovely thought, Renu!
You triggered priceless memories. And you are right. These three years have wizzed past me as well. Never before have I witnessed such a positive sea change, such a growth.
The fresh flower arrangements at our reception made me remember the days when in Devika, we used to have an arrangement of very realistic looking synthetic flowers. I used to marvel at the business idea of somebody investing in 20 such arrangements and rotating them in all offices of the building, so that every day there would be a “fresh” one!
Back then we used to be cramped for space, but it never came in the way of getting things done. Yes, everybody were tied up with long to-do lists, but there was never a time when a treat of hot gulabjamuns from Sona sweets could not help in the matters.
Everybody knew everybody and everybody’s new colleague. People could be seen at work since early morning till almost midnight and beyond. And we would cut a cake everytime our MoUs broke our previous record.
So many things have changed, and yet, so many remain the same @ One97. The passion is still quite visible all around. Music still plays in the evenings.
The bosses still like to mingle. Our MoUs still surpass our previous records. The monthly Birthday bash still happens. Applause originating in one corner of the floor still spreads to the entire floor, even if the reason is that somebody’s wearing a new shirt. Pushpinder still sneezes that loudly (!) And yes, we still work hard and party hard.
Thanks for unleashing my memories, Renu.
Smita