The Buck Stops Here - Sequel For A (Really) Stolen Election

It’s Jan 1st, 2022. Amit Sharma dials a group WhatsApp call to Rohit Gupta and Srinivas Rao. Amit Sharma, known as Lambu back in college days was now Director – Products in a travel tech company. 

“Hello! Saale Macchar (Rohit Gupta), oye Srini – Happy New Year Saalon.” Karte kya rehte ho tum log yaar. Why don’t you guys ever call me? Both of you are always busy with some nonsense shit in your office. We never meet for any drinks. Also, before the next Covid variant sucks the joy out of this world, let’s meet please.” 

Macchar, who was the head of Macchar Party back in the year 1995 was now a VP-Engineering in a hotshot IT firm. He said – “Yaar! Pooch mat lagi padi hai. Developing a platform, aur uska launch hai. Bloody the launch is on the 12th of January. I am literally dying. No holidays, no family time. My wife wants to divorce me, she’s like marry your platform. The management doesn’t want to invest but the CEO wants a world-class platform, kahan se banau? I am growing white hair as quickly as that platform is literally multiplying on bugs. I need a break. Aaj free hai toh milte hai? Srini say, something man!”

Srinivas, always the wise one said – “ Happy New Year both of you. I am free today if you guys want to catch up. Don’t want to tell my sob story now. Will meet up and tell you. Let’s meet up now? Purane adde pe @ 8 pm?”

Around 8 pm: The three guys from Class of 1995 are just chilling together over beer. As Srini lights a cigar, he pauses and says – “Yaar. Kabhi socha tha, Zindagi itni jhand hogi? I am known as the VP-Innovation in my organisation and all I do is meetings all day. It’s just meetings, meetings and more meetings to decide when to do bloody more meetings. When do you build things? My whole time just goes in massaging egos. They should change my designation to VP-Meetings and Ego Massaging kyunki Innovation toh main ghanta karta hunn.” 

Amit takes a sip of his beer and said “ Apni halat itni buri toh nahi. But, yes they pay me good money for doing nothing. Not much to do to be honest. I am not passionate but then I don’t want to be poor. Good money doesn’t hurt anyone and what doesn’t bite you, definitely can’t kill you! Macchar saale you look really nostalgic. What’s up?” 

Rohit said – “ Yaar! I am thinking when did we lose our mojos? Remember the 1995 university elections – we were damn go-getters. When did we become a bunch of baldy uncles crying over our miserable lives? Remember those Rahul party waalon ki kya watt lagayi thi? What the hell is that Rahul doing by the way?”. 

Srini said – “Heard he is running a sweet shop chain along with his father. Looking at his corrupt ways, I actually thought he is going to become a politician. And Macchar to answer you we became uncles because we are uncles and bacche ki fees bharne ke liye tankha chahiye and however, shitty the job maybe we need to continue.” 

All of a sudden, Rohit stood up and started thumping the table – “The buck stops here! Saala. This Bakchodi must stop. The buck stops here! The buck stops here!” 

Srini said “Abbe Lambu, Macchar is drunk. He is creating a ruckus. Chup kara isse. They will throw us out.” 

Rohit looked at Srini and said – “I am not drunk. I am damn serious; we need to take responsibility of our lives. We blame our inadequacies on our wives, kids, family responsibilities, when we are the cowards – we are damn cowards, we don’t want to take risks, we ourselves don’t want to do something new.” 

Lambu said – “Oh really! So, what do you suggest Mr Macchar? We leave our stable jobs and start a start-up when there is one mushrooming in every minute in every corner in Bangalore. And you think you will be able to compete with the 20 years old’s – they are faster, smarter, unattached and have nothing to lose and we have everything to lose and by everything, I mean everything.”

Srini said – “Actually, Lambu why not? Remember my famous university debate – we are innovators and innovators are always better than engineers.” 

Rohit said – “When we fought elections, we were worried about our placements, but we took responsibility for our university elections and we said “the buck stops here” – that was our motto. Why can’t we take responsibility for our lives? Stop doing what other people want us to do and do something that we believe in, something that we love.” 

Lambu said – “Haan haan food tech, travel tech, edtech, you name it and India has it. India doesn’t need any more start ups, please. What India needs is affordable health facilities and all of us are not doctors so we can’t do anything about it!”

Srini looked at Rohit and Rohit looked at Srini and their eyes were gleaming with joy. Rohit said – “Lambu saale, tu humesha correct bolta hai. The buck stops here.” And they started laughing. 

Fast forward to 2023 Jan – all three of them are sitting at an angel investment award function for developing one of the most innovative apps in India. Macchar, Lambu and Srini had developed a medical app called “Bharosa”. Bharosa means assurance. The app assured that the smallest clinic in the smallest village of India could register on this app and let Bharosa know what is missing in their clinic for their patients and Bharosa would ensure that those medical supplies reach that clinic on time, saving millions of lives.

Their award said – “The Innovators”.