The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect... One of Hollywood’s staples for sci-fi flicks! By now most of us already know what it implies, in terms of minor differences in initial conditions resulting in a major change later on, like the flapping of a butterfly’s wings altering the path of a tornado, not directly but by a sequence of inconsiderable perturbations sparked off by the embryonic stimulus, as researched by Edward Lorenz. But the question now is that, does it have any practical significance in our day-to-day lives? I have observed that although it is difficult to predict looking forward, this effect is quite clearly visible glancing backward at the events which led up to a particular occurrence. Here are some examples from my own life observed first hand, where this effect was not as vague as one would expect it to be.

Just for instance, on the official front, while obtaining clearance from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) for the commissioning of one of our new units, some physical document was urgently required overnight at their headquarters in Nagpur, about 1100 kms. from my current place of posting at Panipat. However, my boss was somehow unable to reach me at the time, and as a result someone else ended up carrying the paperwork to its intended destination. Now, PESO is known to give a hard time even to head honchos of foremost companies, who invariably show up at their doorstep at the eleventh hour to meet MoU targets, following PESO culture. But as it turns out, the person who was sent in my stead, a mid-ranking official at best, was a personal friend of the PESO official in charge of our case. And surely enough, before long the necessary approval for start-up of our unit, was accorded by PESO without too much hassle. So, it can be indirectly said that the chance unavailability of my phone at the moment, was one of the major reasons our firm got the required sanctions on time towards achieving a major target.

Similarly, talking about something a bit more personal, I had to spend two extra years before my recruitment in Indian Oil, one of which was due to the drop I had taken after my 12th std to get a seat in one of the revered IITs, something which at the time felt like the Iron Throne of King’s Landing, that I’m grateful to have achieved eventually though. And the other was due to my course being a 5-year dual degree rather than a simple 4-year bachelor’s programme. As a result, with a compulsory superannuation age of 60, my job life (and pay) was cut two years short, from around 38 years to 36 years. So, with officials lesser qualified than me and with more years of service (and as a result promotion) left, roaming about my workplace, one would naturally question whether my decision to take a drop 11 years back, was justified or not. I have thought long and hard but it is not that easy to answer, due to the various reasons I have listed out below.

Firstly, my education in probably the most elite league of engineering institutes in the country provided me with a solid technical base, which may have been the very reason that I was able to crack the GATE entrance exam for Indian Oil, being an un-reserved candidate, a category which appears to be in the minority these days. Secondly, due to my 5-year course I was forced to give GATE twice as explained in one of my previous articles, thereby enabling me to improve on my score the second time, to the required level for IOCL. So, although the drop may have been the ground for cutting my career a bit short, it may also be the very reason why I have a career of this stature at all in the first place, not to mention the added benefit of a Master's in long term career progression. Besides, my 3-month stint at Flipkart, which was a very unique and rewarding experience in its own right, could have only been facilitated by an IIT, as Flipkart at the time, was recruiting only from the IITs, along with secondary pre-placement offers being given only to a few internees from BITS. However, exclusivity need not necessarily mean money or security, as I can confidently say today, being part of Indian Oil!

Lastly, but most importantly, today I am honoured to be part of a life changing decision for my dear sister-in-law, with regard to her higher education. As options other than MBBS from a Govt. College, were being explored by my in-laws, based on her NEET score and necessary finances, Homeopathy and Ayurveda were mainly being focussed on, which aren't exactly the main stay of medicine these days. However, the idea of pursuing a career in dental sciences popped up in my mind and today as she prepares to get admitted to one of the best private dental colleges in the northern part of our country, following several brainstorming sessions with my wife and the rest of our family, after my initial short-listing, I suddenly realized that her career might as well have gone down a starkly different path had my better half and I not met when we did. Just another example of the incredible Butterfly Effect!