‘Next month, you will be able to afford a new suit,’ he said, as if he were reading my thoughts. ‘The month after that, some new shoes and maybe a nice cologne.’ I blushed, wondering if I smelled strange from the train ride here. ‘If you apply yourself, in a few months you will be wearing everything new, but this,’ he turned and tapped my old briefcase, ‘this, you never replace, Ashray. We all need a reminder of where we came from. You understand?’ I nodded my head enthusiastically, taking in what my mentor was saying.

The elevator doors opened and Vihaan ushered me through reception into the large open plan office. Pigeonhole desks lined with marketing plans were divided by small partitions. A telephone and flat-screen computer sat on top of each desk. Gathered around one desk were three men, all smartly dressed and laughing at something the seated man was saying. Vihaan gestured for me to follow him and then walked me over to the group.

‘Guys, meet Ashray; he is our newest team member,’ he said, motioning for me to step forward. ‘Ashray this is Rishi, he is one of our top consultants. You will be shadowing him for your first week here. I am sure he will introduce you to the rest.’ Rishi extended his hand and smiled. ‘Rishi will take you through to human resources when they arrive. They’ll give you your passwords so you can access the company system.’ Vihaan shook my hand firmly before leaving for his own office.

‘So, Ashray,’ Rishi interrupted me as I was staring at Vihaan’s retreating figure. ‘He’s quite the guy, huh?’

Embarrassed, I tried to make an excuse, but Rishi laughed it off, telling me that if I didn’t at least admire Vihaan, there was something wrong with me.

The first week passed in a blur, learning about my new role and being integrated into the team. Rishi and I quickly became friends, spending lunchtime in the cafeteria below. I opened up to him about my dreams and aspirations while working at the company, and he assured me that they were definitely possible to achieve within this organisation. He took me under his wing, insisting on paying for lunches and early morning coffees. I told him about how I was left at an orphanage and how my Maa took me into her home.

He was a funny guy, the office clown, but he knew his job, and he was extremely good at it. By the third day, when he told me I didn’t need his training, I glowed with confidence, knowing that I was in the right place.

On Friday, the end of my first week at BusinessForward, Rishi rolled his office chair out of his cubicle. Leaning back, he tapped me on the shoulder. I was deep in thought, examining a client’s portfolio.

‘Hey, Ashray, it’s the Goa Music Festival this weekend. I wasn’t going to go because all these clowns are too scared to be seen in public with me,’ he said with a mock scowl, and laughed at Vijay in the cubicle behind us. ‘What do you say? I have two tickets for the fest, and I have already paid for the accommodation.’