Yes! They are back from the US, and I went to meet them. They are none other than my friends who were my companions during my A Levels in 2002. I cherished the moments spent with them, when I had enjoyed eating and drinking with them. However, my motive of writing this article is not to relive those moments, but to reflect on the darker side of the psychology of youths who have completed their studies abroad.
I went out to drink a cup of coffee with them, and was inevitably drawn into a discussion popular among youths: “There is no opportunity here in Nepal.” A friend got more and more bogged down in this opinion after every glass of beer he drank. Not knowing how to explain, I just listened to what the US returnees had to say about the country’s current economic scenario. In fact they were right about many aspects like heavy load-shedding, poor roads, slow job market etc. People who have lived in a dazzling country like the US will definitely find it difficult to make a space for themselves in this utterly disorganized country. But my question is “Isn’t it our responsibility to create opportunities for ourselves and contribute to the job creation process?” As soon as I put forth this question, it was like getting hit with the bomb shells while fighting in Afghanistan. The logic forwarded by my friends flew through my ears and landed straight in my heart. It really hurt my sentiments because I live here, have done my MBA here, and believe that a lot can be done in this country.[break]
I always believe that opportunity can be created where things are utterly disorganized. However, you ought to have a belief and passion for it. During my MBA, I got to know myself better and came to realize that I was never meant to be job holder. Despite working for a bank for three years and at a reputed educational institution for 6 months, I realized that I should start something on my own, otherwise it would be too late. Quitting a job that pays you well requires a lot of guts. Maybe that is why I have heard great entrepreneurs say that the path of entrepreneurship is really difficult, and it’s a 24X7 job.
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During an interview, Steve Jobs had once said “You got to have a passion for what you do, otherwise one day you gonna quit, because to achieve success a lot of hard work needs to be injected.” Now here I am, working for my own organization as a researcher and business planner. My friend and I have even established an IT company lately, and we are planning to redefine the use of technology in this country. Our true motive is to make the life of people easy while earning enough for ourselves, and we see plenty of opportunities in this field as well. We started without knowing how our service business would shape up, but we already have a dozen of international and national clients, and the number is increasing. The company provides an income for us and those professionally associated with us.
I think the true application of knowledge lies in mending the mess that is around, not in flourishing in an already clear environment. If we have a utopia, then how can opportunities sprout? The true value of an MBA or any graduate education lies in organizing what is disorganized and creating an opportunity thereof.
I want to convey the message that there has been very less done in this country and a lot left to be done. You just need a handful of guts and passion to be an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is the only solution to the current economic chaos, and only with it can a lot of opportunities be created.
The author is a general manager at Vista Consultants P Ltd
shekhar.dahal2001@gmail.com
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