In Love

“Company ka hai Dadiji” I said to my grand mother who found my Identity card, hanging around my neck, unusual. That was last Friday. She seems to have never changed since the last 24 years.

The last couple of weeks had been very hectic. I traveled a lot. I had lot to do, ranging from my office work to travel to shopping. Since I work, I don’t mind working. Since my first office tour was just a week away, overseeing my travel arrangements was need of the hour. It became all the more necessary and futile since my travel booking was not progressing. I was still waitlisted. Just few weeks back, I was asked to travel to HQ. Our HQ is not located in India. It is some 10,000 miles or more from India. I was considered lucky to get a chance to fly to HQ so early in my professional life.

And the last in the list…. Shopping, hmmmmmmmmmm…, read on.

I never dreamt that I would do such a big shopping so early in my life. Just yesterday, I was a grown up kid of my family. But as luck would have it, I was called upon at the eleventh hour to begin the process to get a home loan.

It is more than a quarter of a century now that Papa has been working away from his home. It was time for him to finally decide where to settle after retirement. We (me and my brother chinku) were unanimous in our choice. And so a foregone conclusion was reaffirmed. Soon we zeroed in over a flat, owned by a Sardar ji. The interesting part came now, as we decided to buy it. The fun just started.

We never had a look at the flat ourselves. Our neighbors on the second floor were the negotiators. Rightly so, they have been with us long before I was born. It will be a delight to stay with all of them, MD, Rinku, Bhabhi ji and the high command. Mom would call mamaji regularly to enquire about the status of the deal. And then she would say “Munna, tane sharam koni aaye ke”. Not that nothing was being done; it was that everything was already done. I would like to specially mention Munna Mamaji and Uma Mamiji for their role, for without them; it would never have been possible.

Finally, a date was fixed when the landmark deal would take place. Travel tickets were made, travel tickets were lost and travel tickets were cancelled but finally the journey was embarked upon. Mom, Dad and Chinku reached Kolkata. To pay for the flat, we decided to take a home loan. Since Papa would soon retire, I became a co-applicant that allowed the bank to consider our application based on our repaying capacity. This required me to travel to Kolkata to sign those bank documents. I reached there a day later, while promising that I shall work from home.

I never worked.

I have always thought and wrote about how good I feel whenever I am there, even for a day or 2. The sultry weather, the red buses, the yellow taxis, the hand pulled rickshaws, the tram, the bustling narrow Muktaram Babu Street, the hawkers near Ram Mandir, the over crowded Bada Bazar, the imposing flyover in front of Haldiram, the silhouette of Howrah bridge, the Bengali kurta, mishti Dhoi, puchkas, jhaal moodi, laincha etc. etc. etc. are so peculiar to Kolkata, but look so familiar to me. There is something that I don’t know but I surely feel whenever I am at my birthplace. Perhaps, I never tried to find out. I am in love with Kalkatta.

Now that when I have found time for introspection, I surmise it as that feeling of ease, which I so long for that I always forget about it. The city limits and beyond forms my comfort zone. I love spending my time there, with my folks. It may be possible that there is a difference between holidaying and living, but I think…. I can live. There is always something amiss in spite of being on full throttle for some time now. I know I am running in the race of life, furiously pacing ahead to reach for my goals, which I have manicured. It does not matter who is ahead of me, who is running besides me or who just lost to me. But you always have that home ground advantage, where you play in your comfort zone. You have better chances to win. Does this then make me weaker than others? I don’t know. But then no one can complain. I don’t think I will ever be able to compete in my home ground, since that is more of a destination. I am all by myself.

Coming out of the trance, we had an aggressive schedule to meet. I had come for 2 days and the weekend. We visited the bank on all the working days I was there. This working holiday concluded with bank asking us to come again after 2 weeks. I quickly consulted with my travel agents and decided to start my journey to SFO from CCU itself. This would allow me to come 2 days before my tour would begin and finish the work. The bank would complete the remaining process by then. With a new travel itinerary, I spent my weekend on a resort. En route to resort, I passed by IIMC. On Monday night, I headed to Delhi for Visa interview. The stay at the Oberoi marked this visit.

As soon as I came back, I raised requests for my travel booking. The agents told me that my onward journey from Singapore is waitlisted. With the travel date 10 days away, I had a reason to be nervous. But soon the reason changed, as the phone rang.

Papa called up and informed me that the bank has raised a legal issue and that the loan matter would not proceed. Since the resolution lied on the landlord, who had refused to supply some documents to the bank, it became clear that we would not get the loan. Mom had once again come under tension. Whatever, Papa and I decided that I apply for the loan without loosing a minute. And thus began the race against time. The stage was set, in less than 10 days, I was to start my first journey away from India, complete my role in loan formalities which would normally take 2 – 3 weeks and of course, carry on with office work.

It was 17th May, Thursday. I had called up the bank helpdesk at office last evening and was nicely informed that I will get the sanction letter in a day or at max 2, so that I can proceed with disbursement process. I submitted the required documents and waited anxiously for one process to complete, so that I could began the next one. Rinku would come in handy at that time. Meanwhile, I was in touch with my travel agent over my ticket and hotel reservation, none of which were moving ahead. Sabhee ko tabhee jaana tha jab mujhe jaana tha.

2 days passed and nothing happened. Neither the tickets got confirmed nor I got the sanction letter. I had been working past 9 in night the whole week to catch up with office work. It was Monday and I started getting irritated. Nothing happened on Monday. I was expected to fly on Saturday, still without hotel or travel tickets and the sanction letter for the loan. Things started changing on Tuesday, as I got my ticket got confirmed. The hotel reservation was also made. I could purchase foreign currency and get my office laptop; but the sanction letter was still out of sight. I was to fly on Wednesday to Kolkata again to initiate disbursement process. Rinku had already talked to people out here as to why the delay was taking place. On Wednesday, as I was eagerly waiting for the letter, I got a call that raised my tempers to the power of n. I was told that the FI process of bank could not be completed and that I could not get the letter on that day. With 2 days remaining to travel, I could not hold my temper and lent it over my bank agent. I was so angry that I had to go outside my office to continue at the conversation. It had been a while since I had lost my temper, but the moment had come. And so started the period of one phone call to another, which lasted for almost an hour. A miracle happened or whatever as I got the call, which I had been waiting for. My letter had been prepared and I would be handed over the same within half an hour. Thanks to Rinku, Ajoy and Smuriti for quick resolution of the situation.

I could finally begin the journey.

The next 3 days saw Dad, mom and I once again doing rounds of the bank and our landlord. I knew from the beginning that it would be unfair to ask anyone to complete the process in 2 days. Things take time. But the process got a head start as Rinku introduced us to the right people. It gained momentum. We went on submitting documents as and when required. I went to the landlord and signed the new contract. It was hectic, but that had become flavor of the month. As Azel put it, I looked grown up. Finally at the end of the 3rd day, everything looked set. Papa decided that he would postpone his return journey and stay back to complete the process. He could sign on my behalf after I gave him my POA.

I got a warm see off with everyone from Nanaji to Aru being present at Panchvati. It was an occasion, as we were celebrating 7 birthdays together. It was so nice to see Aru, as she would follow me while lying on her mother’s lap. Leo was to his usual self. The 3 musketeers were as usual eating and watching. Thanks to GT and Jijaji for their support at the last moment. I can do some more shopping now.

As I finish my day in a foreign land, a new day dawns at Kolkata. Papa will sign the final papers of the flat today and the cheque will be handed over to the seller. It gives me collywobbles while writing this. Touchwood, we will take the first step to settle in our hometown. Our permanent address will permanently change.

I look forward to spend some more time with my love.
..

Thanks to
Mom, Dad for their support in such a tight schedule
Rinku for helping us out, thanks to his collegues Manoj, Shambu and others.
Bhabhi, Mickey, Dickey, Shanky, Azel for providing some nice time during these 2 trips
Chinku for taking care of Ashwamegh (my laptop)
Panchvati and Salt Lake for their hospitality
Office for allowing me take such quick leaves
God…for being Great and Kind and Generous

February of 2007

Wow!!! is my first reaction. It feels good to be back, it feels great to rediscover the “me” within me. It feels awesome to put things behind you and see the future hour glass as half full. Above all, I am less ignorant at a time when February of 2007 has arrived.

The last year had been an eventful one, with most of things going against my wishes. As one of my pals (he is PAL) put it aptly, I had become emotionally unstable. I was not going through phases, rather periods, of what can be called mood swings. The downs were clearly clear; ups were ambiguous, and me, totally confused. I could not find reasons strong enough to justify the state of minds.

It’s always darkest before dawn. And my “Today’s Fortune’ also said
Stop searching for happiness forever, it’s around you.
The “Anonymous” had also suggested that I smell sad. It was upon me to decide whether I wanted melancholy as a way of life.

I decided against it.

So what made the turnaround or a comeback? Couple of things to start with actually…. My comeback coincided with Dada’s recall. Incidentally, we both were thrown out at the same time when we were at the helm of affairs. Then I watched Dhoom and Guru. Dhoom was stylish, while Guru reinstated my faith in dreams. I could hear the whistles in the background and my feet tapping to Dhoom Machale. I could hear the “me” within me say, "bizness". So I had Abhishek dancing on Dhoom Machale in Guru. Now that sounds interesting. I was back, the creative usual self. I dreamt Monsoons.

What I mean by bizness is outside the scope and I put it for another day.

I had given my mind time to think without thinking of what comes next, my heart to beat to find its own rhythm without feeling for the many what ifs. I gave myself time. As a result it has become easier for me to plan without the fear of history getting repeated. I ain’t no great planner, but I do have a sense of timings. I now know when its time to move on. I am enjoying my work, which is good since lately I have been doing some R&D stuff, and some designing. I remember saying somewhere that to start with, I wanted to be a design engineer.

And so the plan is ready. I need to execute. I have been a fairly okay executioner, thanks to my work (just to clarify, I am talking of Cogni, and not placements) in the last semester. Oh what a sem it was, campus junta still recalls the horrors of the tormentor and his team. And lately, some of the praises have been bestowed on me by the sufferers. The PR sensitive have also chipped in. I am not very sure of the repercussions since it all depends on the present team, which is doing great. What amazes me are not the behind the veil attacks, but perhaps the callousness. I already mentioned that Titanic sank because we woke up late. Looks like, there are still some late risers.

So what’s next, hmm….. Let me have a look. I am rethinking to start going to gym, my tummy is growing by leaps and bounds. With the corporate India confidently realizing its globalization plans, (TOI really put it well; India sings a song, takes CORUS along) the time has come for the average to think global.

Thanks to Roorkee, I am above average.

I become a year older in February of 2007. I spotted my first gray hair a couple of days back. My zeal and determination become a year younger. February also brings my darling a month closer to tryst with destiny. Good luck Gudiya!!!

Vivek

Thanks:
PAL: it has been good talking to you, more when you are in sector V.
Anonymous: For reading, I hope to read from you sooner and for understanding.
Gudiya: For being there worrying for me to have dinner, and for studying well.

Dhuan

Smoke in English

Statutory Warning: Smoking is injurious to health

I smoke, even I was not aware when did the DHUAN engulf me. All I know is that I am lost. Its’ hazy out there, and I have no clues where I should head for. All I know is that I am walking blindfolded, not even sure of the next step. Whether I will fall or wait for another step to fall is a matter of few steps.

But I was not supposed to be like this.

How did I start to smoke? As I said, I don’t know. But why did I start? Perhaps I know. I always dreamt life. It was me and my dreams, living in a world of unknown, a world which knew no bounds. So I was simultaneously a fighter pilot, the Prime Minister, Nobel Peace Prize winner and a journalist. It was fun. But then I woke up.

`Who are YOU?’ said the Caterpillar.

This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, `I–I hardly know, sir, just at present– at least I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.’

`What do you mean by that?’ said the Caterpillar sternly. `Explain yourself!’

`I can’t explain MYSELF, I’m afraid, sir’ said Alice, `because I’m not myself, you see.’

`I don’t see,’ said the Caterpillar.

`I’m afraid I can’t put it more clearly,’ Alice replied very politely, `for I can’t understand it myself to begin with; and being so many different sizes in a day is very confusing.’

–Alice in wonderland

YEH HAI MERI KAHANI

In the last few months, I have become immune to myself. I have started to ignore myself. Neither have I had answers to questions of the Caterpillar, nor to my own. Earlier I never used to seek answers to questions, I was confident enough to find them, and answer them almost instantly. But now, I have a pile of them, waiting to be answered.

I surely must have changed a several times.

Perhaps, there is too much in my mind wanting to be heard. But KIS SE KAHEN is again pending unanswered. Sometimes I feel having a dual personality. So while one is completely lost, the other seems to be the dominant past. I find in him someone who never stopped thinking, someone who never stopped dreaming, someone who never stopped trying. Let this someone be denoted by the variable ‘X’; variable since it is no longer a constant for me. Now ‘X’ still does not want to stop, still believes that it was just another exam, still believes I have the aptitude to be a manager, and still believes that the worst is over.

But my lost soul is my naysayer. And I have started to believe him even more with each passing day. I know now that I am hopeless, good for nothing, not worth to be looked upon. But as I said, there is a reason.

I think, and most probably I am correct, it is me who is the reason. Some might disagree, but then I have been running for long. I normally run at a speed of 8.5 mph for 10 minutes on a Treadmill to warm up before my routine workout. But here, I have been running for time immortal and still there is no sign for the workout to begin. Perhaps, I have failed to realize the end of 10 minutes this time. Perhaps I am not content with what I have and so I continue to run. Perhaps, I have forgotten to stop. Perhaps I don’t value my milestones which suddenly appear incredible feats to me. Perhaps I have become schizophrenic dreaming for more than that is possible for me.

Perhaps I am panicking without a reason. Medically this condition (of mind may be) is known as OCD.

Hmm…. Is it because I have been dreaming a lot? To put it correctly, is it because there have been more nightmares than dreams? Perhaps I am choked with DHUAN. I am not able to let the smoke escape me, my lungs are burning. She had asked me not to smoke too much last night. Arrghhh … I cannot breathe any longer.

And suddenly

I woke up again. It was a hell of a dream or …, whatever u may prefer to call it.

It was 5:00 A.M. Flat – 403 has an air conditioned room where I am put up. No, I still cannot own one, but this seems to be one of the few places on earth fit to be called as heaven. I was sweating with the AC on. First thing I did was to have a look my college mirror hanging on my bathroom. (Yeah, my new room has a bathroom with an attached toilet and a geyser connection). I was still sane, or at least I looked like one. Badru was still sleeping. Normally when I am sleeping, he is awake and JAVAing something and when he is sleeping I am awake and chalking out plans for the next hour. This is known as day level reporting.

It was time for me to head for Campus to workout.

This was just a snapshot from my life so far, perhaps, one which I would want to forget ASAP. My life is not so boring or DARAVNI as it appeared to me in that night horror show. Agreed, Failures outnumber successes for me. But then it does for most successful people. That’s because, after a string of failures you can literally smell your success. I still remember that feeling which I had when I was walking on a road just after the JEE results were out. I was “blushing”. Compare to the same day last year, I was more determined than ever to crack JEE.

I have been like this and NOT like the protagonist of the matinee horror show DHUAN. My failures at the personal and professional level were never able to demoralize me for more than a minute. I always came out more eager than ever to do it big. (That does not mean I am going to be a home breaker). I still want to be inspiring for others, I still want to lead from the front, and I still have that arrogance left in me. I still want to be good.

I had a bad dream, I will forget it. It can be difficult, but not impossible if you really want to look ahead and up. But I learnt a lesson. I have come far and I am happily settled (I am still unmarried). I should now learn to slow it down. I should now learn to realize what is the next step for me and when should I take it. I should now learn to recognize that I need not follow the set pattern. I have been setting rules for others, and this time its’ no exception. I need to remember to do it in own way. I have learnt to accomodate others. I have learnt to be less dogmatic. I have learnt to non-imposing. Most importantly, I have learnt to learn.

And NO, I DO NOT SMOKE. It happened just once, that too when I was lost in a dream. You should either give up smoking or give up your thought to smoke.

That’s it; I stop here only to start afresh.

Credits:

Badru: For being my companion, cook, driver, flat mate and above all, my friend. He also does not smoke

The unknown: For being the fictitious character who asked me to smoke less

Journey of a Lifetime

Roorkee
23^rd May 2006

The time has come to bid adieu to the IIT, our home for the last 4 years. It was our fervent passion, a zeal which saw us in here. As the scorching heat of May takes its toll on us, we are on an exciting threshold of our lives, raring to conquer what lies ahead. But in this perspiration, we seek not to forget the memories of the yester years. We seek not to forget our friends who were our companions in the adventure that spanned across the most rewarding and wonderful 4 years of our existence.

Our batch of 2006, Electrical Engineering was the most unique and perhaps the biggest among its peers. Even when we embodied a rare confluence of diverse personas, we all learnt the nuances of the stream together. Our classrooms were full of vigor and could always boast of some of most nascent and intriguing thoughts. This was an experience we can never forget, come what may. Those exhausting lectures, those demanding practical classes, those ubiquitous tutorial submissions, and those eventful night outs before the TSs and the end sems had all become a part and parcel of our lives, the joys and sorrows of which, we shared together.

This year book of 2006 is a sincere attempt to pack these memoirs, so that they may never erode with time. Albeit difficult to comprehend in a few pages, but truthful as they are, they bring out our experience of a lifetime. We believe that you will carry it along till eternity and enjoy it afresh every time you open it. It will, and we are sure of it, make those joyous moments come live again.

With a heavy heart, we bid goodbye to Roorkee.

And till we all get together again circa 2031 at the college reunion,
Happy Life!!!

Always Yours

Electrical Engineering Department
Batch of 2006

The First note

Dear Sonal

It has been a while since we have met and shared a thought or two. Writing to you is indeed an experience for me, as I wish to consolidate my experiences in these few odd pages. I have named it as the First Note, hoping sincerely that you would trust me to consult in times to come.

The last few months have seen an end of an era for me, personally as my undergraduate studies draw to an end, and socially as new teams assume the reign, and promise to continue with the responsibility albeit more diligently.

I could clearly comprehend the need of a team for a group to succeed. For the success of the team, a pragmatic approach is needed. It is difficult to head a team, but it is more difficult to take the team as a single entity forward. Let your team not be a group of individuals. It would require support from all quarters, one of them will be you. Your support for the team would be indispensable. You will have to choose between the two: importance of work for team or the importance of team for the work.

Through these years, I have been a witness to both successes and failures. As I write, I expect you to witness the same, but I also wish that you may never get demoralized by your failures. Treating them as stepping stones in your stride towards success and fame would only help to achieve the goals. At the same time, I would miss out on my duty by not warning you against getting complacent at the prospect of a short term success. Never let your ego grow so high that it eclipses the very reason of its existence.

At times you may find yourself at conflict with your responsibilities as a team member and personal priorities. I attended to the former. But lately I have come to know that too much of goodness is also a bane. I may do well to warn you against your work becoming your personal life. This will come up as a remedy to lot of troubles which I only wish you never have to face.

I never had an opportunity to learn with you. I look at you as one of the most promising juniors with the vigor and the zeal to achieve the targets set up for you. Your work for website, research papers, tutorials and alumni portal is highly commendable. Indeed, it would have been my good fortune to learn so much in so less time. You owe it your determination which I wish would never erode.

As I end my “First Note”, I wish that you fathom greater heights of success. Let success never elude you. Please feel free to get in touch with me, both for a reason and without one. It would be nice to hear from you regularly.

It was indeed an experience to write to you.

Vivek Sharma

Howrah Bridge

“Accha hai, zindagi ka ek phase khatam hua ” Papa said looking at the group photograph. That was 24^th May 2006.

Phase was something that I have been long associated with. I was taught that there are 3 phases, red, green and blue and they all meet to end in a black neutral. There was lot to it that tormented me for these four years, but I could recall only this much at the end of the day. Which phase was papa talking about was not clear, but I was sure that it did not end in black. As in EE, all the phases rotate in a unit circle, life was also one hell of a vicious circle. First it was she, and then it was she. I could only rest on my friend’s shoulder. Recently a confidante of mine brought me to yet another unconquered angle of success. Should it be treated, as a failure is a matter of discussion? I leave it upon you.

I was thrilled at the proposition to meet all of them this summer vacation. This will not be the last, for I am sure time would bring more. Didi had just come back from her tour-de-Europe; the summer vacations of the four kids had kicked off. Of them, three were always on move, panchavati to salt lake and back. Their innocence always surprised me. When I was of their age, I used to be more worried about the rank in the class; they seemed to be more interested in everything else.

The fourth one, she seemed to have grown up.

The train was late by 1 hour 15 minutes. But my excitement even killed that time. In the scorching heat of Delhi, I was also developing an interest. I still cannot explain it to myself. The human emotions can tend to be irrational. Sometimes they cannot be explained in words. But she has a sweet name, abhee tak kewal filmon mein suna tha.

And so it started. I reached 2 hours late. There is something in the sultry wind of the city. My favorite part of journey is when the train enters Howrah. As I hung from the gate of the Poorva express, I was welcomed by the wind. The imposing Howrah Bridge overlooked me with its stark eyes. The gleaming headlights of yellow taxis, cacophonous horns of red buses, the caravan of people moving over it gave it a character of life. It always stood tall to see that I cross the holy river, which would soon meet its fate in Bay of Bengal. This ended with the stench of the fish at the railway station. Some things, it seemed would never change.

The worst part of journey is when the same scene is replayed, this time in reverse order.

A conflict was on the anvil. As expected, it caught me unexpected, or should I say that I created it unknowingly. It was me who had suggested a change in school. I encountered a challenge. There was a seeming contrast between the approaches and beliefs. Without any delay, I would put forward my point.

The first and the foremost requirement are to identify your long-term prospects. This should be without any bias and normally this is the easiest part of the journey to be set forth upon. After all, there is no limitation to dream big. Some aspire to be computer engineers; some aspire to set up VSCLs, some just to live happily ever after.

The choice has been made; she wants to be a computer engineer. In this era of cutthroat competition and reservation, no one can be that sure of a choice. But here we have a problem. She also wants to be an IITIAN. Here is where the conflict starts. Read on!!!

In a foray to the four years at Roorkee, I can elucidate certain characteristics of our lives. We are a bunch of mostly guys and a hopelessly low girl populace who have been a result of a rejection process (read IIT JEE). We are always career oriented. We thrive on competition. We are always made to believe that we are not the crowd. The opportunities and the accompanying responsibilities are both abundant in number. We are always kept on the toes. Demanding practical submissions, challenging tutorial classes, ubiquitous lectures and never ending evaluations always keep us on the move. But we do not crib over rigors of academics; it has been with us for a while now since we started to understand.

As this was not enough, we are responsible for one of the most thriving campus lives. Always studded with student festivals, tournaments, tours, competitions, clubs, sports, they end up in making a journey of a lifetime. These things find priority over eating, bathing, grooming and even sleeping. We fight time. We have an in house tendency to do every thing at the eleventh hour and still come clean. We have guys who end up getting the biggest pay checks in spite of a non-existent academic record. Most of us have a success story to tell.

But then there are losers too. These are those guys (mysteriously, you never find girls in this category) who were not clear of the end. Most of us are clear from the beginning of the end of the four years. We divert our energies in that direction from the day 1. So while some of us pursue projects, some of us write software and some do societal activity. There are distractions in the way, but then they were present earlier too. But our low or negligible sensitivity to our environment make us infallible. We are either not into it or get over it as soon as it starts to get into our career-oriented approach.

Those who get distracted, stray out of the way. They either don’t take the trouble to get into the system or else end up being out of the system.

Is it all that demanding? Yes, it is. IITs are the only places in the country where you would be surrounded by iitians only. Every one would want to succeed, and eventually does so. But what makes us click is as said earlier, is our clear-cut approach to life. We separate life into emotions and career, and pursue latter without the former. This strong-headed way has been instilled in us from the very beginning; from the time we made the first choice. There is always time for all those things, and success can be quick especially when you have a ticket to the IITs.

I failed, miserably in driving this point to her. She is an emotional cutie pie; she would start to cry when she will not find a ganda bhaiya at home. She is my beautiful kid, who is too young to get distracted.

But I trust her that as always she would never let us down. Her success means more since she may eventually make me realize that there could be another way to success, a way where the mobile phones play a much larger role. I sometimes find myself at the crossroads. At one point of time, I need to be a stern guide who would not let his pupil get distracted, at others a weak brother who cannot see his gudiya cry. I have now left it over her to get me out of this conflict of interest.

And so my journey was an eye opener. I failed to instill any kind of inspiration in my kinsfolk. I realized that with changing times, there will be resistance to my approach. What appeared to be a futile waste of time to me then, may have assumed greater importance today. Those three musketeers would never listen to me unless I talk nonsense to them. But I must say that M&D were clever enough to make me do most of their holiday homework.

I came back through the same route; summer was at its peak. Finally I left Howrah. I now wait to move to my next destination, a place in south. I now wait to return back to Howrah to meet them all.

It all began one fine day

26th July 2002; My first day at the college, a revered institution, a fervent passion of every callow in the country who aspires to be more than an engineer. I was in the IIT of my choice, destined to become an Electrical Engineer. They say that this place was the first engineering institute in the whole of imperialistic British Empire.

We were asked to assemble in the Senate Hall. This hall spoke of the tumultuous times this institute witnessed before being accorded the status which started the race of other institutions clamoring for the same. The hall looked as if this place left the argument to be in consonance with time long ago. I started to wonder whether I made the right choice by coming here, my friends in other IITs had already hinted against it, the sultry weather further aggravated my thoughts.

But my perspiration did not long last, as she entered the hall; I was led to fantasize, I was no longer a part of the babble going on in the first JEE batch. In a Blue green salwar sout, she adorned the moment. Her hair tucked in a pony tail, were all beaming to life, as if they were eager to explore the adventure that lied ahead. The lucky few had the opportunity to stroke her forehead. She was beautiful, her spectacles added to it. She should be having the smile of Preity Zinta, the same dimpled cheeks. That was my first guess. Wow, we had a star in our campus.

My day dreaming was broken with the Director arriving at the scene. Calling it a scene would be most appropriate, the chaos that prevailed on the registration with the DUGS shouting at the parents made it clear that administration was still uncertain with their new found identity. It did not take long enough for me to realize that the institute faced an identity crisis, as magazines and news papers repeatedly misquoted on the number. We were now seven and not six, seven, just like the seven colors of the rainbow, well may be.

It was where I discovered the joys of being at the threshold to enter a new phase that had just begun. My transmigration from an adolescent to…. a young man was besotted with; I even did not know her name. I soon realized that the director had invariably put the burden of building a resurgent India to a bunch of naïve freshmen. After all, IITs are known world over as leaders in technical entrepreneurship. I now belonged to bandwagon which included top honchos of the Silicon Valley and the Indian IT Industry. I recalled that few days back Bill Gates was quoted as saying that B2B no longer meant business to business; it was modified as “Back to Bangalore”. I could not agree more.

After the speech, we were to proceed to our departments to get oriented. I hurried to know her name, especially the department. There was a good and a bad news. The bad one was she was from a neighboring department, the good news was she was to be in the same batch with me for the next year. One year, I chuckled, was more than enough, my infatuation overcoming my senses. I was again woken up by my mother. She was waiting outside the hall. Mom and dad had a reason to be happy. They were; cautiously happy.

And then it started. I entered into the mystique duniya of dreams. I could see her, I could see a B.Tech from IIT, and I could see a handsome paying job, everything so exquisite. Who would want to wake up from such a dream, but dreams, they are meant to be shattered, and they did.

I soon realized that I was too much a idealist. Things never work the way you think, they are too be made to work. The rigors of IIT were never easy. At the end of the year, I found myself to be an above average far from good student academically having nothing extra to boast of. I never managed to say a “hi” to her, even when all that time I could see her sitting next to my bench. May be I wasted to much time fantasizing. Taking her down on a piece of paper only made me sulk.

But every thing was not that bad. IMG happened to me. This group gave me a reason to smile, actually to be hysterical. Sadly though, the coordinators decided against her, she was not to be taken. This was the first group that took future into account while deciding.

As the coordinator of the group three years later, I thank them, I would not have been what I am, and I would have gone into oblivion.