Relatable Short Stories based on the wisdom of The Bhagvad Geeta –

“It is better to perform one’s own duty, even imperfectly, than to perform another’s duty perfectly. It is better to die in the discharge of one’s own duty, for to follow another’s path is dangerous.” –

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 47. H

 

Here is a relatable short story:

Anand was a data entry operator. He was very diligent and fast in his performance. He was much appreciated by his team leaders. Vishaal joined as the Marketing Head of his department. He observed Anand’s meticulous working capabilities and started to encourage him to make ppt presentations. Basically he was getting his own work done through Anand and himself was busy freelancing and cheating on his wife by dating flirtatious female subordinates.

A very important project came in that could change the destiny of the organization – they only had offices in India but the success of this project meant that they could become an MNC.

Anand was included in the team because seniors in the organization were sure of his consistent performance. They were not aware of the fact that Vishaal was showing him big false dreams of becoming the next Marketing Head after he was gone – because he will recommend his name and promote him to his chair!

Everything was going fine, but the project came to a screeching halt when the clients observed that there were huge mistakes done at the data entry level! The entire management along with the  software developers and engineers were angry for having lost the project because of silly mistakes done by Anand!

Anand, on the other hand had contributed a lot in creating the ppt presentation that fetched them that same project. He continued to think that Vishaal sir will surely save his skin but he was wrong!

Jiten, the HR head was asked to sack Anand with immediate effect. All the senior developers were very angry with the selection of junior team members – after all they had stayed up late – several nights at a stretch and everything fell apart for a silly mistake of the data entry operator! Some action had to be taken and poor Anand became the scapegoat!

Jiten asked Anand as to why was he not attentive towards his work. He was included in the team for his meticulous work records and today the company was at the brink of losing a major project because of him!

Anand – Sir, I was also working for Vishaal sir, he had to do a lot of research for making the presentation and the timely reporting of the project’s progress – I must have done 70% of the work and you can ask him…

Jiten cut him short.

Jiten: Anand ! wait a sec…wait a sec – what have you joined this company as?

Anand – Data Entry Operator……but…

Jiten – No ifs or buts – you do agree that you are paid by the company for the job allotted to you…was Vishaal sir paying you extra for the help that you were giving him…

Anand – No sir! Not at all…..why should I take money from him…I was doing the Company’s job…..I love this company…..I have been here for the last 4 years….

Jiten – What incentive did Vishaal offer you…that you neglected your work and jumped in to help him?

Anand – No…nothing…it was love for the company….

Jiten – cut the crap Anand – tell me why exactly were you working for him….no one works for free – don’t give me the emotional crap of loving the company etc. – this is a company not your parents or wife or children…that you love selflessly – you never worked extra before this…..its only after the arrival of Vishaal sir that you realized that you should multitask because you love the company?

Anand – Vishaal Sir said that he will promote me to the position of Marketing Executive….and later, after he leaves the company…. which he is planning to – as he is applying for jobs abroad – he will train me to be like him and even become like him….

Jiten – Really Anand! Do you happen to know that Vishaal sir is an Engineer from ace Indian Engineering Institute plus MBA from a very reputed Organization plus he has a foreign degree on Client Relationship & Management……and after he leaves the company, you, who has barely managed to pass his bachelor’s degree, will replace him?! Then what are we here for ….should I ask the boss to dissolve the HR department?

Anand – No sir….I will be completing my B.Com pass course through correspondence and….

Jatin – Anand! Are you even listening to yourself!? How can you possibly replace Vishaal sir? You wont be able to – not in this life at least…you are already 28 years old Anand…..you can never replace him – not in this company for heaven’s sake! If you open a company of your own…then you can even become the CEO or President….but not in this company – is that clear? Vishaal sir just made a fool of you – that’s all…..he made you do his work and himself was applying for jobs and attending interviews…by lying to us…anyways – that is a separate issue – he has many options in front of him Anand…. companies will dive at him and recruit him because of his credentials…..

Jatin saw teary eyed Anand but he was helpless! Jatin asked him to put in his resignation and he will somehow convince the boss to sign it – although Jatin was instructed to hand him the Termination Letter. Anand had to resign. Anand then tried to reach out to Vishaal. Vishaal had already blocked him.

Anand had recently started dating Priya, the receptionist. Alok, a junior software engineer had also proposed to her but she liked  Anand more – knowing well that Anand will remain at the same position but Alok will steadily progress in life. Yet, Priya liked Anand’s soft heartedness and gentle behaviour and she had agreed to date him. Anand’s termination came as a shock to her! She had told her parent about both Anand and Alok and everyone who heard about her choice laughed at her – because Alok was obviously a better groom material.

Priya had gone against everyone and had chosen Anand. Now she was in a dilemma ……Anand and she met daily and she used to cook his favourite meals – all that was about to end…out of sight is out of mind – her colleagues asked her to consider Alok’s proposal which was still open……

Anand had become greedy for a Marketing Executive’s post because he wanted to impress Priya and her family. He knew very well that Alok had proposed to her and his friends and colleagues had challenged him that she will eventually leave him and select Alok instead. Basically he had lost his job because of this greed…and challenges thrown at him by his friends and colleagues! He could obviously not share this angle of his sudden greediness for higher position to the HR head!

Anand desperately started to look for jobs…..but getting a break as a Data Entry Operator was not so easy! There were freelancers in the market who were providing such jobs and most companies were hiring free lancers for it because their work was for a limited period of tiem and also they completed the job quickly and deftly.  He soon heard that the company he left had opened an office in Dubai and Shri Lanka – his ex-company was now an MNC!

Priya gradually stopped talking to him as her parents asked her to break off with an unemployed person. She started dating Alok and now started to carry his favourite items to share during lunch hours.

Heartbroken and unemployed Anand, now worked part time for the free lancers and hoped to open his own company where he will be the CEO……but the pain and pangs of betrayal from both Vishaal and Priya made him turn to alcohol and drugs…much to his parent’s dismay!