Surreal Nostalgia!

Whoever said that 'time flies but you're the pilot' couldn't be more conforming! After four years of erudition, emprise, josh and amour, it is hard to believe that our colleagues are finally parting ways! Drifting down the lanes of our own uniquely chosen paths, it is exceedingly difficult for me to look into a mirror and discern myself without envisioning a part of IIT-BHU in its reflection. 

Our journey in this blue-chip academy was a classic saga, but like every other sterling tale, it had to draw to a close at some point or another. We have all learnt so much, more than probably what the rest of our lives has taught us till date, not only about the things people generally relate IITians to but also about life itself! After having gone through both unruffled and perturbed times, it was good to see everyone back on the same page for one last time...

This momentous chance was facilitated by the recent Metallurgy Day, which bore witness to the prize distribution ceremony, with many of our friends receiving awards for various academic and extracurricular activities. It felt great to absorb the overwhelming sensation of the surrounding environment being filled with boisterous hoots and jeers, something I'll sorely miss when I leave this place for good.

Whenever I close my eyes, I find myself in a reservoir overflowing with countless flashbacks and priceless memories, too far-reaching to be simply referred to as prosaic experiences! The tranquility of the long hallways, whose beauty can be comprehended only in the wee hours of the morning, when the rising sun casts shadows of the intricately designed pillars on to the empty aisles, shall always be one of my long-standing recollections. The transformation of this ideal synopsis into the progressing day's pandemonium is no less fascinating!

As I vividly remember everything from start to end, like it were yesterday, it sends a tingling chill down my spine to imagine how nearly half a decade can pass by in the blink of an eye! It feels surreal to say the least... The whole nostalgia of the moment was captured in some epic snapshots, and the rest is pretty much history. With the B.Tech. guys leaving within a fortnight and the dual degree students primed for the final most challenging chapter of their college lives, all I can say is that this historic institution and its people, ranging from the closest of buddies right up to the esteemed faculty, have made a profound impact on my life for the better!... 

The Greed Philosophy

A well-known quotation by Rusty Eric states that "As long as greed is stronger than compassion, there will always be suffering." But having read this, the first and most obvious question which comes to mind is whether it is the unfeigned truth or just another senseless medieval deliberation. It bears a reference to the age-old tug-of-war between selfishness or avidity on the one hand, and benevolence on the other. So given a choice between the two, which one would you pick? But before you can go ahead let us independently weigh them out...

Being self-centred is considered by many to be the only viable path in a world full of fourberie, far from its utopian depiction in fairy tales! Why should you go out of your way to do something from which you reap no apparent benefits? While the answer to this is anything but evident, one has to consider numerous issues before coming up with something even remotely sensible or logical. Self-interest may lend a quick hand in materialistic advancement and also help in reducing external concerns, but at the cost of losing the regard of others. In an increasingly complex macrocosm, it becomes exceedingly difficult to achieve your goals without anyone looking out for you, which surely won't happen without you doing the same in return!

Conversely, being absolutely magnanimous without even a shred of self-absorption may initially attract a lot of followers, in some way validating your existence, but might not help you survive and prosper in the long run. After all, innocent little fish can't hope to rise to the top of a food chain dominated by ruthless sharks! For instance when you see a squabble, do you try to break it up without having judged head or tail of the circumstance, may be even risking your own life? Bites, doesn't it? Therein lies the notion of having to follow a middle path, implying a win-win situation, but where do we draw the critical line between the two utter extremes?

Personally, I feel that the rejoinder may be a lot more circumstantial than rational... A precept that works for you might not necessarily work for me! So I say we form an opinion for ourselves while experiencing life first hand. We should cite the people and business which are most important to us, and define the boundary between avarice and selflessness accordingly.

However, not everything has been accounted for yet... Just for instance, whenever I come across a physically fit and perfectly work capable pauper, trying to conceal a ten buck note and displaying an empty bowl in order to coerce a coin or two from me, I feel disgusted! But contrarily, if I see a helpless child begging for food I have no problem obliging... In such cases, where the subject in question doesn't affect you in the least bit, we should prefer empathy over indifference wherever our conscience approves of it, for the simple reason that this might have been one of the prime factors for the success of the human species, thereby bringing it to where it is today!  

An Unforeseen Eventide

Ganga Arati at Assi Ghat, Varanasi

There are times when sanity prevails and then again there are times when witlessness reigns supreme! Such is the absurd nature of the world I happen to be a part of, and the overtly juvenile attitude displayed by some of the fourth yearites in organising a simple branch party was the perfect testament to it.

Social gatherings are supposed to lighten the mood and unite people with differences, rather than providing an additional kick to any ongoing grudge matches. It is all about looking past oneself and reveal a certain level of maturity and professionalism to treat everyone equally so as not to leave a bad taste in anyone's mouth, especially just a month or two before graduation. But, I guess that is more than I can say for some of my batchmates...

A half-hearted effort is as good as none, and selective invitations to a public bacchanal are nothing short of eyewash! In the so-called job party which was organised (or more aptly disorganised) a few days back, I was appalled to hear that nearly half of our classmates didn't have the slightest clue as to what was going on. Soon after I realized that the whole thing was turning out to be just another big private party.

I was one of the tentative hosts of the impending pool party, on account of my imminent fifth year stipend, but seeing that many of my friends were being discouraged from attending it, I was forced to pull out at the last moment. So my best friend and I winded up at Assi Ghat the very same evening, instead of the deluxe Pallavi Hotel. Some delicious apple pie with chocolate ice-cream at Pizzeria went a long way in cheering us up, and a supper at the rampant Chinese joint Ming made for a much more pleasing experience than would otherwise have been possible.

Later, as I received a dairy-milk from a certain someone for boycotting this totally mismanaged foolishness I came to know that the entire party had been cancelled, partly owing to the withdrawal of collected funds and mostly due to the attendants being in a sour vein. It is interesting to note how a mockery can be made over such a straight-forward thing... And although I hear that the splurge is being re-scheduled in the following week to set things right, all I care about is to chill out with my closest friends and watch 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' over the weekend.

The Second Milestone

As all our peers finally returned to college after savoring a blissful yet malodorous Holi break, a cloud of uncertainty still seemed to loom large on IIT (BHU), Varanasi. But the prolonged pen-down has ultimately drawn to a dramatic close, with a hunger strike forcing the college authorities to accept most of the student council's bids, heralding even better tidings! On the very same day the long awaited results of GATE 2014 were also declared...

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is one of the most apotheosized exams in the entire country taken by more than a million people each year, from a myriad of different engineering departments and interdisciplinary schools. And the fact that our branch has witnessed two of my own batchmates assimilating the top two all-India ranks (AIRs) in this prestigious questionnaire is all the more startling! Many others residing just a few doors away have secured a spot in the top 50! I guess, at long last, our department has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt to be one of the best centers of advanced study in the nation.

My AIR of 134, although humble in juxtaposition with the above stated achievements, shall be enough to grant me my first taste of self-acquired pay, thanks to a fellowship of nearly a lakh per annum entitled to any fifth year dual degree student who qualifies GATE. This can truly be regarded as the second major academic milestone in my life, the first obviously being IIT-JEE 2010, cracking which had given me the entry pass to the elite IIT franchise and this historic institution.

Now as we buckle up for one of the most definitive periods in our careers, with the placement season kicking off later this year, I can only presume with baited breath as to how everything will turn out... The thought of spending the entire summer in an oven like Varanasi, for working on our M.Tech dissertation and taking on a backbreaking workload from T.I.M.E, wouldn't appeal to the prevailing horde but the excitement of the intellectual race ahead, coupled with the ambition of becoming an influential professional in the near future, keeps us going...

BE THE FORCE!!!...