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Safe and sound in their second home

Melting Pot
Last Updated 20 January 2015, 17:35 IST

Bengaluru is known to be a ‘City of Dreams’. Loved for its hospitality and weather, it has become a home away from home for many.

The academic and job opportunities available here are attracting more and more people, making it a highly preferred place to settle down.

Pranjit Dutta, originally from Guwahati, Assam, has made Bengaluru his second home. Completing his MBA from Mysuru and finding a job in Bengaluru, he now lives here with his wife Snigdha Dutta and children Abheek and Meyyan.  “I have been in Bengaluru for the past 16 years. I lived in Mysuru before that and I completed my MBA there.

Finishing my MBA, I got a job offer here and have been here ever since,” says Pranjit. Working at Kotak group as the vice-president, he says he adores the City. “I came here to study in the 1990s as there was no scope for education back at my place.

Once I completed my studies, I did not find the necessity to go back home as again there were no job opportunities. I got placed in Bengaluru and I never felt the need to go back home again as the City became my new home,” he expresses.

Pranjit, who faced a tough time in the beginning to adjust to the culture and the people, has now mastered three South Indian languages. He proudly says, “I can speak Kannada, Tamil and Telugu fluently. I did not go to any spoken language classes but learnt it on-the-job while interacting with people when I was a regional manager travelling across the State.”

“It was a little hectic to adjust to the people here in the beginning as there were a lot of cultural differences and differences in opinion. But it all faded away as we understood the City closely,” he adds.

Terming the bad traffic as the only negative thing in the City, he says, “The City welcomes everyone with a smile. The tolerance level here is very high unlike Assam and other cosmopolitan cities. And the best thing is that people here do not interfere much in your business.

They are by themselves doing their own thing.” His wife Snigdha, who previously worked in an NGO, is now a homemaker taking care of their seven-year-old son Abheek and four-month-old son Meyyan. She says, “I love the City and the people. In the beginning, it was a little tough.

I struggled to find the groceries I needed. In Assam we mostly use mustard oil for everything. But that wasn’t the case here. So, I had to go hunting for certain things around the City. But now, I know where to get what and I like the City which has many like-minded people.”

Abheek, studying in NAVKIS educational centre, excitedly says that he loves both Assam and Bengaluru equally. He adds saying, “I love my school and have many friends here. I have also learnt little bit of Kannada. I love to play in Jaycee Park and like to visit the malls.”

Their favourite hangouts include Cubbon Park. “Apart from Cubbon Park, we also go trekking near Devanahalli. I am also forced to visit the malls in the City as my son loves going there,” adds Pranjit. The family gets together with friends from Assam to celebrate the festivities. “We celebrated ‘Bhogali Bihu’ recently at a friend’s place.

We also plan to organise cultural programmes in the City and invite artistes from Assam for the same. We also love to celebrate Kannada festivals like ‘Ugadi’ and catch up with friends to celebrate these festivals,” he adds.

‘Puliogere’ being one of his favourite dishes, he says “The only thing I miss about Assam is getting together with the elders and doing the local activities. We visit our place once a year and make up for this. Otherwise, the City is full of enthusiasm and it is the safest place to be when compared to any other city in India.”

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(Published 20 January 2015, 17:35 IST)

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