Metastasis

My 24th Birthday Bash at Champa Officers' Club

As the time to bid adieu to the past two inconceivable months draws closer, I guess it is that instance where all your memories converge to a point, that can be reflected upon. Yeah! It may finally be time to say goodbye to Bongaigaon...

All the tied-up workdays and the desultory Sundays, the daily games and the weekend trips, all the praises and the taunts, everything is about to become a page in our mental ensemble. As my colleagues and I finally receive our official postings and get ready to part ways, I'm glad I was able to squeeze out as much as possible from these past few fortnights.

Farewell BGR...

Our trip to Shillong and the magical town of Cherrapunji proved to be especially worth it. The Mausmai Caves, Elephant and Nohkalikai Falls, Shillong Peak, Barapani Lake and the entire journey through the winding mountain roads was breath-taking to say the least. Dining at our favorite eateries at Guwahati was an added bonus.

But, alas every phase must come to an end at some point. With my twenty-fourth birthday bash along with two other colleagues forming the final chapter in these two sublime months, I hope things get even better from here on out, as we gradually adapt ourselves to IOCL, nevertheless retaining our appetite for out-of-the-box ideas and fresh ventures. To sum it all up, I think a famous quote from Steve Jobs would be appropo:-

"Stay hungry! Stay foolish!"

Trip to Shillong & Cherrapunji

The Hue of the North-East

Whether it is the lush green mountains, or the draw of the wilderness, there is hardly any place in India as ripe with natural beauty as the North-East. Although many of my colleagues and I have been sent on a two-month divisional training module to the Bongaigaon refinery of IOCL, that is probably the last thing on our minds right now. With the enchanting presence of the Kaziranga wildlife reserve and the Manas sanctuary, barely a few hours' drive from our township, we can't wait to experience this haven of tranquility!

But we decided to start out small and planned a one day trip to the nearby city of Guwahati. First up was the Kamakhya temple, one of the oldest of the fifty-one Shakti Pithas... With all its history and the splendid scenary surrounding us, it was truly an elucidating experience! The trek to the top of the hill where the temple is situated brought back tonnes of childhood memories.

Next on our list was Umananda, a Shiva temple located at the Peacock Island in the middle of the mighty Brahmaputra. This place also holds the crown of being the smallest inhabited riverine island in the world. And the fact that it can be accessed only by boats only increases its charm and mystique. The langoors sitting on the railings eating chips and pretty much everything they can swipe from unsuspecting tourists also form a sight to behold.

Capping the day off with some hefty winter shopping at GS Road with a wide variety of eateries to fulfill our taste buds, this was probably one of the most memorable days in our young careers. But our coltish nature never rests, does it? About a week down the line and it is Diwali already! The organization's huge pre-Diwali bash has been a total success. With fireworks and DJs, it was the perfect welcome for all the fresh minds that have joined the firm this year. With aspirations running high, I hope everyone achieves all their hearts' dreams and ambitions!

The Transit Ends

Out go the jeans, t-shirts and the hunky-dory lifestyle of the private sector, and in come the formals, ties and discipline of a PSU. Yeah! The transition from Flipkart Internet Private Ltd. to Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. has indeed been quite drastic and the difference palpable. But nonetheless, whether it is long term considerations or simply personal preferences, wherever we are today, we are by choice and it is wrong to jump to conclusions by judging a book just by its cover.

Each of us has a unique story to tell, but alas I'm not here to dwell on that. It is bewildering to imagine just how much our horizons can expand from nothing but a few months' experience! Moving from Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of India, to the Indian Oil Institute of Petroleum Management at Gurgaon, the journey has surely been an incredibly interesting one.

The sheer number of people I've encountered along the way, combined with a variety of cultures has helped me attach meaning to numerous adages, for example, 'dream as if you'll live forever but live as if you'll die tomorrow', 'small minds discuss people, average minds discuss events but great minds discuss ideas' and so the list goes on. Unless you spend a finite amount of time with someone you can't guess their story just by knowing their names. Likewise you can hear what someone's done but not what he or she has been through.

The first few days of our induction programme at IiPM had been outsourced to People Metrics, where we danced to Gangnam Style, participated in skits, made impromptu presentations and a lot more. As the first week of our orientation comes to an end with a lot planned for the week ahead, many of my colleagues are left with very little time to attend our college convocation or make plans for the festive seasons of Dussehra and Diwali. So I suppose it is best to just live in the moment in a 'convince or get convinced' way. For now, all I can say is that the metamorphosis from a student to a full-fledged professional for most of us is finally complete.

Indian Oil Induction at IiPM

Being A Flipster!

Didn't expect to be back on the blogosphere so soon, but I just couldn't hold myself back from writing about this out-of-the-world place that I'm honored to have become a part of. Yup! Its Flipkart... It intrigues you more and more as each day passes, with conference rooms filled with beanbags instead of round-tables, the gym and cafeteria taking up more space than the actual workplace itself, flip-out Fridays held every fortnight and the only dress code being 'big smiles and the Flipster spirit'.

Just a week since I joined and it already boggles the mind. The first two days were mostly fun and games, not to mention the 24x7 coffee, yummy snacks and luncheon we were being served everyday. It didn't take us long to get to know our colleagues, whose equally high intellect but varied backgrounds never seize to amaze. The next couple of days however introduced us to the real deal at Flipkart, where we were blasted by a concentrated dose of information regarding fulfillment centers, mother hubs, delivery hubs, etc.

We were shortly addressed by the directors and vice-presidents of all the business units including business finance, supply chain management (SCM), commerce platform (CP), analytics, marketing among a wide assortment of many others, about which we are just beginning to wrap our heads around. The place is ripe with news of Flipkart going 'app. only' in a few months time, as it grows exponentially making the rapid transition from an exploding startup to a massive stable e-commerce big shot, which is already changing the way India shops and is maybe also on the brink of casting a worldwide shadow, while remaining young at heart.

As the excitement of the first week here, staying at IBIS and working out of the ultra-modern Cessna Tech Park, begins to sink in, thoughts of the days to come begin to emerge. Although its difficult to predict how things are going to shape up in a few months time, both internally and externally, as I anxiously await the final interview results of IOCL, it is more important to thoroughly enjoy the here and now! Irrespective of what the future holds, this is one experience I'm glad not to have missed out on. Cheers to Flipkart and my entire Graduate Trainee batch!

The Flipster Life

A Different Perspective

Having just a few days left before jumping on to the professional bandwagon makes one wonder as to exactly what kind of attitude will propel one forward the fastest and in the most gratifying way possible. But having already been through the Sturm und Drang of college life, I can't really say that I've nothing to go on.

The first key point I think would be to learn to use whatever we have to its maximum potential rather than crib about stuff we don't possess. Most folks are in the suicidal habit of beating themselves up regarding lost opportunities, under-utilized chances and even more ridiculous, things we have no control over! I'd say a 'no regret' policy needs to be adapted where everyone makes the most of the situation presented and then goes on his own merry way.

Secondly, I've seen people using two very different approaches when faced with a challenge to be conquered. One incorporates the 'thoughtless state of mind' widely preached and much popular among the scholarly types, while the other has everything to do with 'killer instinct' more akin to sports-persons. I'd like to draw a parallel between the two optimized for contention and call it 'cold intent', where a happy composed face masks a glacial design.

Thirdly, I think one should start with a clean slate when beginning a fresh endeavor. The triumphs or follies from the past shouldn't filter through to the present, thus preventing either complacency or guilt from needlessly building up within one's psyche, thereby allowing one to operate at maximum efficiency. Only by getting thrown into the deep end with ruthless sharks does one learn to swim and survive!

Lastly but most importantly, only two outcomes are possible when someone is confronted by an obstacle... You either crumble or you evolve! To each his own, but as for me, I'll always choose the latter, as success is a reward in itself and as important to me as the air we breathe in. Life has taken a busy turn and I'm sure it will be quite a while before I visit this blog again, so until then good luck to all the would-be professionals out there and of course anyone who has spent a couple of minutes to glance through this article, portraying a precious piece of my mind.

The Inner Sanctum

Only one month removed from leaving IIT-BHU and it already feels like ages! I'm sure a lot of young graduates fresh out of college are going through a similar phase, where emptiness sets in all of a sudden for apparently no reason among a storm of brewing emotions, many a times difficult to interpret. Five years seem to have gone by in a jiffy and yet when you leisurely think back they seem more like five decades!

It is a weird sensation especially for me as never before have I been mentally attached to a certain place to this extent, but considering just how much it has changed me, I guess IIT-BHU is an exception from all angles! It is like pieces of your soul being stretched out from behind as you try to move on, somewhat like the ice and dust trail left behind by a comet due to gravity, or puddles of water left behind by a retreating tide...

The leap from an educational to a purely professional life has created a strange new buffer zone, where you are excited by the prospects of the times to come and yet wonder if a bit more zing could have been extracted from the years gone by. Many new college entrants dream of a filmy joy ride when they first get enrolled, but little had I imagined that my life would take so many unexpected and wild turns at every stage as it did!

Life in an IIT might not exactly concur with its portrayal in movies, but there are quite a few similarities. Some things keep getting better and better, while others reach their peak and then slowly fizzle out at the end... I should say my buddies and I have had an immensely fulfilling and successful personal, academic and extra-curricular journey through college, so much so that I am willing to stick my neck out and confess how unlikely it is that these five years will ever be replicated again!

But, in any case, a closure needs to be obtained at some point. It is sad to think that some of the best friends you have ever made have already gone their separate ways. Fortunately for me, all my experiences have been forever preserved in this very blog, to be relived at any time via the extensive and sometimes abstract articles, thereby creating an inner sanctum of solace and strength. An era has culminated, a new one waiting in the not-so-distant horizon... So I guess there is nothing else left to be done other than planting our feet firmly in the present and looking only at the future!

 

Abstraction

Well, what is abstraction? Put simply, I'd say it is looking at only the important details of something to keep the overall picture in mind and make decision making easier and quicker. But what many of us fail to realize is that we use abstraction in our daily lives more often than we think! Technically speaking if we try to dig deep into the trivialities of every insignificant matter, there would be no end to asking why... And while looking for reason is good, once the truth or a course of action has been established, it shouldn't be dwelled upon time and again. In other words, once the logic behind something is figured out, we should act instinctively whenever a similar situation crops up, as the luxury of time might not always be on our side!

But when we do look into the minutia of an issue for the first time, we are faced with the paradox of 'right and wrong', the two sides of the same coin... Right and wrong are highly subjective and relative terms, meaning what might be right for you, may be wrong for me and vice-versa! Instead I think one's logic must be based on one's goals and what one deserves, which form a much more absolute basis for judgement.

Now, if you need an example of abstraction, I'll probably be able to furnish an experience that I'm sure is very familiar to us all. Consider the case where someone provokes you, let's say by insulting your family without grievance... What is your first reaction? Do you lose your temper and come out swinging? What incites such a dramatic response? Is it love? Well it might as well be, but love is just an abstraction for the noesis that if we simply ignore any such act or comment, it would display a rather doormat-like attitude, thereby increasing the chances of something more severe but along the same lines happening again. So it is all about making a statement! This is what emotions like revenge are borne out of... I guess we can say that love is a chemical process that helps us make the appropriate choices at a moment's notice, without which life would become totally mechanical, boring, laborious, and quite frankly a drag. 

So you see abstraction is much more than just a concept with a textbook definition. All of us live and breathe abstraction at every single step, and I believe that this has partially helped disprove the well known saying 'think before you leap'! This also finds an unlikely ally in Darwin's theory of evolution! The philosophy of 'survival of the fittest' has laid down a lot of pre-programmed rules deep within our psyche for our own benefit. Do we think before we taste our favorite victuals? No, we don't! Doing things spontaneously or using abstraction, makes our lives a lot easier, so that we reserve a greater fraction of our thinking capacity for concerns that actually demand greater cognition. All this makes the key role of abstraction in our lives plainly visible, so much so that I'd dare to say that without abstraction we would all be zombies fumbling in the dark!

Self Ridicule!

I must say that I thought twice before writing this article, because in it I'll be delving into one of the most sensitive and highly debated topics in modern day India i.e. the caste system. Come to think of it, the word 'modern' doesn't really match up to the term 'caste', right? In today's individualistic choice-driven world, doesn't a hereditary social structure mean almost nothing? I guess to wrap our heads around this issue, we must first peer back into the past...

Looking way back to the pre-independence period, the people of India were divided into different classes according to their various professions. As a result, those that were more highly valued received better pay and occupied the highest rung of the social ladder. This resulted in a strict hierarchy of classes starting with the Brahmins (priests), followed by the Kshatriyas (warriors) and the Kayasthas (business men), and then by the Shudras (workers or servants). In due course of time, this distinction combined with baseless superstitions and social stigma gave rise to a vicious cycle of injustice and grief!

Hence, after India gained independence, the government tried to rectify the situation by giving folks hailing from the so-called lower strata benefits in every walk of life, to uphold the principle of equality. Fast forward to India today and surprisingly not much has changed since then. Although measures like reservations, etc. balanced out the scales back in the day, such practices have become totally illogical in current times. The tables have been turned and now many of the poverty stricken families of the 1950's are much better off than the average Indian household, and don't need any special arrays for survival. The absence of a time limit on both the medieval policies of the government and the caste system as a whole has resulted in mass unfairness and open lies.

We see it happening every day... A deserving candidate's seat in a premier educational institution snatched away by someone who had it easy and might not contribute as much to the society in the long run, government Global Fortune 500 companies half-filled with a cesspool of ingrates retarding the work efficiency created by hard working people with a vision. I'm not trying to sound biased here... All I'm trying to say is that whatever an individual accomplishes in his or her life, may it be personal or professional, is the individual's responsibility, irrespective of his or her background. If help does need to be provided it should only be in the form of financial aid and only on the basis of current economic circumstances and not some ancient mambo-jumbo!

India is the only country where such a self-ridiculing social structure still exists and that too backed by the equally laughable primitive ideas of the state! No one knows when sanity will prevail, but quite frankly that might be a long way off considering that vote-bank politics and other such nonsense dominates decision making and overshadows development these days. Let's see if the newly elected Modi government is any different from the outgoing one...

Infinite Possibilities!

Have you ever wondered about the infinite possibilities of how you truly want to spend your lifetime? I'm sure you have... But the myriad of professions you can engage yourself in and the endless number of things you can achieve while you are here, is truly vast! When we're young we dream of becoming something flashy or exotic, may be an astronaut or an actor or may be a world renowned business tycoon! But as we grow older we discover our own unique knacks and interests and try choosing something our talents are best suited to.

As for me, my five year journey through IIT and especially the fifth year, has opened my eyes wide and clear, but has also raised many unsettling doubts in my mind... During our on-campus placement season I tried out for a lot of companies offering a variety of  profiles including software, management, core engineering, etc. I got shortlisted for quite a few and finally got placed in e-commerce giant Flipkart. Along the way, I also happened to receive a few IIM calls and secured AIR-15 in GATE as well, which would open the doors to a variety of PSUs and government R&D organizations like IOCL and BARC respectively. Furthermore, I was informed about a vacancy in the University of Utah for a Ph.D. in computational sciences, for which I was told I'd get a recommendation without too much fuss.

Therein lies the eternal confusion that plagues students my age... How do we decide what to do? Do we listen to the one track, and often prejudiced minds of our forefathers trying to enforce what they think is right upon us or do we listen to our colleagues many of whom prefer something more daring and funky, with security and peace of mind being the sacrifice?! It is an extremely difficult choice to make, faced with so many options and with so little to go on.

I'd say it ultimately boils down to what you yourself want to do, what your preferences are and how far you are willing to go to achieve success. As for me, I like the independence of thought embodied in the quote on Flipkart's t-shirt that reads "You have the right to remain silent or join a company that lets you speak your mind!" I prefer the performance oriented work culture in a private firm, but along with the perks and long term security offered by a PSU, that are very much needed under practical circumstances! However, we all know that it is next to impossible, at least in present day India, to get both! I guess whatever choice is made can only be validated in due course of time with perseverance and dedication to the set goal. But, as for now, I hope everyone succeeds in whatever they have decided for themselves, because a win-win situation can make the world a much better place to live in.

Generation Gap

The term 'generation gap' is thrown around a lot these days, but few experience what it conveys as brutally as I have. Now, I don't claim to be a perfect example of the current generation nor my parents to be the ideal role models for the previous one, but I'd rather relate the conclusions drawn from my personal experiences than give third party observations!

Well, first and foremost, a random word of advice for the young ones... Do not ever speak even justifiable smack about any piece of colorful clay or plastic that even closely resembles the silhouette of any deity or idol or anything that an old timer might worship or attach any importance to, or else they'll go nuts and completely freak out! Don't believe me? Try it!

Secondly, any opinion that you might have about the whole process of one generation raising the next for the sole purpose of survival of one's species and self, with love acting as a mere catalyst to make it more bearable or even enjoyable, is treated with an enormous amount of contempt and may even be considered taboo!

Furthermore, I've unfortunately had the honor of hearing the phrase "no one should be taken for granted" one time too many coming from higher-ups within family circles! My question to all these know-it-all folks, sitting on their high horses, is that if you cannot unconditionally trust and count on your own family, then whom do you trust? Oh! May be distant random outsiders who couldn't care less... Now, I know it is rather difficult for everyone to always be on the same page, but trying to understand each other even partially, is much better than being a bunch of world class jerks! 

The problem (if there indeed is one) with my generation is objectivity. As the new generation becomes smarter using a strict chain of logic and reason, they outgrow and break through the shells created by the older generations. As a result, the former is more adaptable and perceptive to a paradigm shift in perspective if necessary, while the latter refrains from any such change, requesting that the dream world created by them within the tiny confines of their orthodox brains, borne out of naivety and weakness, be respected.

So, the million-dollar question is, what do we of the new era do about such a foolhardy attitude retarding us? I used to argue and curse in vain but I have finally understood that the only responsibility we have towards our predecessors is to honor what they have done for us, and help bolster their fag end as long as they are there for us, while picking up some of their legit competence, instead of wasting our time and energy trying to nitpick each and every one of their silly beliefs, to which they cling on with their hearts and souls by hook or by crook! It is elegantly simple... Let them revel in their fantasy universe as a reward for the stuff they once did, while we take challenges by the horns and find our way solving real world problems.     

Things That Matter!

Memorable Moments of 2014

It feels great to have finally earned a respite after five months of uphill battle, that culminated with the finest outcome possible! An on-campus placement at Flipkart, after being shortlisted for some six odd companies, was the best conceivable parting gift that IIT-BHU could have facilitated for me. But it wouldn't have been possible without the love, support and guidance that all my friends, professors and of course my family showered me with.

Incredible would be a very mild description for the magnificent five-year journey that concludes within the next few months. I feel very fortunate to have been an integral part of my alma-mater and to have touched the lives of so many people and vice-versa. It's all so priceless! I know that a simple little thank you won't suffice, so I'll let the rest of my life be a fitting sequel to this introduction, dedicated to each and every person who has played a key role in making me who I am today.

Five years seem to be two little words, but what a significant impact they can make! I started off as a naive teenager with an ambition and am leaving as a young adult who is hungry for more. I hope I can continue exploring new ground with success as my motto, and there is no better reward than to share the derived happiness with the people around you. 

After having spent the whole of the past summer and most of this semester preparing for placements and management exams, I'm glad all those pain staking hours finally paid off. The past couple of months have witnessed it all, from the constant load of our impending future bearing down on us to the cramming of parties between busy work hours. But now relieved and excited, I can't wait to get back home! A new odyssey is just round the corner, and everyone is welcome to hitch a ride!

My 23rd Birthday at Kebab Factory

The Virtuoso Fabric

Whether it was the pinch created by the all-India AIMCATs twice a week, or something else which got me thinking, I'm not sure, but how often have we asked ourselves the question "What are we here for?", in vain? Furthermore, do we really have the right tools or attributes to obtain a tranquilising answer to this abstract query? Witnessing the astounding transformation of all the bright young minds around oneself into fledgling professionals makes one wonder where one really ought to be. And while I'm sure that most of us would superficially argue by trying to validate what we are doing under the pretext of passion or worse, simply to earn a livelihood, that isn't always the case, is it?

Now, I know that if you cannot do what you love, you can at least try to love what you do, but aren't we missing the bigger picture? Is it really that simple? Are the people who distinguish between what they must do, should do or would like to do, nothing short of complete imbeciles? I'd beg to differ... For example, I'd say I must fulfil my family's aspirations, and should contribute in some way towards the society in the long run, but above all, I would like to achieve my own dreams and ambitions by pursuing a career which suits me best! It is like different logically sound voices trying to make their presence felt by dominating each other in my mind.

But, at long last, I've finally understood that these aren't conflicting emotions at all, but form, what I would like to think of as, a complexly intermeshed virtuoso fabric. Just for instance, even an average person doing a random job is putting something in the pot for the world around him, and in return is getting paid for it, to upgrade his own standard of living. The ray of light that has finally illuminated within me states that, even if we aim for just one particular thing or focus on just one detached aspect of what we expect from ourselves, then the entirety is still taken care of by default! Whether you are doing something for satisfying your appetite for it, or simply for the paycheck, all that matters, along with a little bit of luck, is how hard you actually try... Whatever your motivation might be, after crossing a certain threshold you are bound to get the desired results.

The other significant question that pops up arises from the stark difference between various professions, like sports on the one hand and engineering sciences on the other. And although the challenges faced and the ultimate goals of the two couldn't be more conversely situated at the opposite ends of a spectrum, both of these have their respective roles to play in the modern day society. While the former sets the standards for physical excellence and mental resilience along with a tinge of entertainment, the latter aims at technological advancement through perseverance, patience and a tonne of brain-wracking, followed by innovation and implementation! Both are equally important for the development of the individual and mankind as a whole. So, to sum it all up, I think the mantra to live a life close to perfection, lies in trying to achieve the pinnacle of success in whatever we do!    

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!!!...

A Demur Of Sorts

IIT (BHU), Varanasi has seen many a rebellion in these past few decades, but recently the number and frequency of such heavy-handed protests have observed an exponential rise. So an analytic breakdown of the situation has become inevitable! Amongst all the ongoing remonstrance across the other faculties of BHU, including a strike of the medicos at Sir Sunderlal Hospital (SSH), which was partially responsible for costing the life of a trauma victim, IIT-BHU was soon to follow suit. Ergo, what is the caterwaul all about and how can this dilemma be remedied?

The ever-growing unrest with the recently appointed directorate and its overtly autocratic policies reached a fever pitch when the already incongruous attendance rule was whimsically modified without any prior notice, nearly causing some fourth-year students across various departments to lose their jobs. The blind-eye turned by the governance to malicious green-eyed inter-faculty barbarism and the unresponsiveness of the college authorities in addressing simple requests like that of preponing the placement season by a week, has further added fuel to the roaring flames! The absolute apathy portrayed by the institution towards the future careers of the bright young minds it nurtures is further proof that some drastic measures had to be taken to set things right. So how do you tackle such a crisis?

We were used to seeing the students from the science, arts, law, management and other faculties of BHU go to fierce proportions for achieving even the smallest of their demands, including stone pelting of buses and introducing road blockages... But the IITian crowd being a tat bit more civilized, decided to have a pen-down instead. We had our differences over the course of action being suggested as I, for one, felt that bunking our sessionals would do us more harm than good, especially keeping in mind the outright indifference showed by the administration towards student welfare.

But who is to argue with the crazed majority, irrespective of whether their minds are driven by logic or frustration? After all, not everyone holds a doctorate in anger management! Everybody just plunged into the agitation, without any felicitous leadership and minus the formal election of a few representatives to put forth the mass petition of the student fraternity. The intensity of the movement saw a gradual decline as people started chasing after their own agenda instead of sticking to the common original demands. It is saddening to see such a sorry state of affairs befall one of the otherwise top-notch colleges in the country.

I'm not against such a demur, and I actually love the fact that the students have a stentorian voice! However, I don't completely approve of the way the whole thing was carried out, where the minority was coerced into accepting the terms of the majority without being properly reasoned with or paying any heed to the opinion or rights of the individual! But with our degrees at stake and just another year before graduating, I've found it wise to put a regulator on my own bottle of wrath. Who knows what fate awaits us all and what pitfalls lurk in our way?

After an abrupt ending to our mid-semester exams and a cogent two day protest, most of our colleagues have left the college premises for enjoying Holi with friends and family. And although a board meeting is scheduled within the next seven days, there is one thing I know for sure... Even as most of the students remain undeterred in the face of the unconceding board, the management with all its resources and very few pressure points is hard to beat in this game of nerve, especially with its delay tactics and implementation of the divide-and-rule policy, at the slightest sign of disunity, in full force! As for me, I figure that spending some time in peace, away from the fiery cauldron in our college, should do me a tonne of good...

Recent Protests in IIT (BHU), Varanasi

The 'Fight Or Flight' Response

In modern times, conflicts are so generic that we have become accustomed to hearing, observing and reading about them almost on a daily basis. The world has seen it all, from international war and cataclysm right down to the plague of local thugs and browbeaters. Even on a personal level, I'm sure most of us too have faced our fair share of tussles, where we have had to make the difficult choice between 'fight' or 'flight'. So, what would you do if such a predicament crept up in your life tomorrow?

Personally, I don't remember the last time I had chosen the 'flight' response... It has always been in my nature to take everything head on, no matter how small or big the challenge, and irrespective of the mental or physical exertion required to overcome it. My instincts have perpetually driven me to rise to the occasion and never back down! And although today I can honestly confess, with a certain amount of pride I might add, that I've always lived to tell the tale, is the 'fight' response necessarily and invariably the wisest choice? If you unwaveringly knew that something would likely kill you or in the least, wound you to the extent that you wouldn't be able to live life the same way ever again, would you (or rather should you) still decide to fight it out? Would it still be worth it in a practical world far from idealism? That's a hard nut to crack... 

On the one hand you have the 'fight' response, backed by bravery, egoism and indignation, and on the other hand you have the 'flight' response, which mainly focuses on self-preservation. Science tells us that either choice refers to an automatic response that our mind generates, making our body adapt instantaneously, to counter internal or external stress, termed by some as 'fear'. It is an unpleasant emotion that can be triggered by events ranging from an impending accident to the perception of even the tiniest threat. But let's feel this astounding transformation taking place, for a second... The epinephrine released into our bloodstream immediately increases our heart rate, helping us breathe faster and blood is directed away from our digestive organs to the muscles and limbs for extra energy... Our eyesight sharpens and situational awareness is greatly increased as if time had slowed down... Our thinking speeds up and perception of pain is enormously reduced!

For a short while, even an average joe can assume superpowers that are hard to fathom! Imagine all the miracles that could be brought to pass if we could voluntarily access and channel all that hidden potential... But this makes you wonder... If fear can do so much for you, why do people commend you on being fearless? What does it truly mean to be gutsy? I'd say it simply makes an allusion to the achievement of a high degree of self-mastery and mental control, where you respond with deliberate action to eliminate the imminent danger, rather than get all tensed up about it and act irrationally. So, may be there's some legitimacy to what the fictional Prof. X famously quoted after all: "True focus lies somewhere between rage and serenity"

And although not everyone is built the same, it's hardly about who is more vascular or has the neater abs, but rather about who can triumph on a given date and time in the specific pickle that they are in. Once de-escalation flops, a single well-placed punch, kick, elbow or knee, or a simple well-executed choke, or any dirty move for that matter, can be enough to tip the scales... No wonder you see professional MMA guys going back and forth trumping one another in consecutive rematches! On the streets however, when a lot more may be riding at stake than just a title belt and you may not get a second chance, it is really up to the individual to ensure the upper hand, by using wits and brawns and any other means necessary, to subdue the adversary at least long enough to step out of the quandary.  

I guess the bottom-line of what I'm trying to convey is that while all that adrenaline is coursing through our veins, the split-second decision to either fight or dodge, although sometimes implicating a shear leap of faith, should only be taken after weighing the odds of winning against the chances of sustaining permanent damage in any respect. After all, it defies logic to throw away all of nature's gifts for something trivial or petty, but it does make an enormous amount of sense to firmly stand by your prudent beliefs and persevere to achieve your goals in life!

The Dynamics Of A Team

How can you define a 'team'? At the surface, it may simply refer to a group of people working together to achieve a common goal, too complex for an individual to attain on his own. But is this all there is to it? Moreover, every team is not the same in efficiency or effectiveness... So, what are the secrets to the dynamics of a successful team?

The above figure gives us a basic idea of the functioning of an efficacious team. In this schematic illustration, the various sub-groups with their leaders are connected by a communicative interface overseen by an overall team director, represented in red. So, the parameters affecting the performance of a team can be summed up and expressed as a combination of three factors, viz. the importance of the individual, communication and leadership.

Firstly, the success of a team is literally the aggregate of the success of the individuals constituting the team; its flair is a sum-total of the pooled-in talents of its members. So, if you needed to build a team, how would you make the right pick? An age-old quotation states that the majority of the people in this world are reasonable, who try to adapt themselves to this world, while a minor fraction is unreasonable, and who try to adapt the world to themselves. But guess what? All the progress that has ever occurred has been brought about by the latter! Therein lays the significance of the individual, who ought to have an independent and powerful voice, which must not be drowned out in the shadow of others' opinions, in order to make a measurable contribution to the collective effort of the team.

The second aspect of team-performance is communication, which refers to the exchange of vital information in a concise and informative manner. Just as a word of caution, this term should not be confused with conversation which, as opposed to communication, refers to idle chatter with no sizable output. Communication helps everyone to keep the bigger picture in mind, by facilitating the visualization of how the achievement of individual targets comes together to achieve the final goal. Decisions and modifications to the original plan can be made accordingly, other than maintaining a healthy and motivated work environment.

The last but perhaps the most important aspect of the dynamics of a team, is the role of its leader, who must be sufficiently autarchic, wieldy and influential in his own right to become a person to reckon with. He must take on responsibility and forge a bond of friendship and professionalism between all the team members to transform the fine threads connecting them into a mighty fabric. He must act as a guide when necessary and must not have a bulldozing attitude towards his team. He must have the vision to open the doors to infinite possibilities, thereby keeping his team encouraged at all times.

Ending this article with a personal take on this issue, I've always believed that a team should only be formed when the task at hand is too massive for the individual to comprehend or undertake as otherwise too many cooks may spoil the broth. But when a team does get formed, one should always try to be at its helm, by inculcating the qualities discussed above, and governing the concerning terms and conditions, hence not surrendering his fate to others, and getting the most out of the impending challenge, thereby paving the way to personal satisfaction and happiness!  

The Preeminent Realization

I'm sure all of us, at some point or another, have seen it happening in the movies... A sudden light dawns on an individual in a supreme elucidative moment, where all his queries are instantly answered and a crystal-clear itinerary is set ahead! But in reality, is there any single event powerful enough to bring this to fruition? For the short term may be, but on an indelible scale, I think not!

Undissembled realization only comes from years of rigorous experience... As for me, I've realized that, in spite of all the vicissitudes, I'd never swap my life with anyone else's. Uniqueness and individuality are among the foremost qualities imperative to the modern world. In fact, the more distinct an individual is, the more the variety there is in the group and greater is the multitude of ideas generated! There exists an explicit nexus between positive and negative, ups and downs, friendship and enmity... Such words or feelings always exist in pairs like two sides of the same coin, and it is asinine to accept one and deny the other.

This year has started off on a blithesome note for me and most of the jolly folk I come across every day, with some attending their friends' marriages and others engrossed in fests like Spardha or the ongoing Kashi Yatra, in our college. For me, some days have stood out above the rest, including the evening of 11th Jan, an account of which I've laid down in the previous article, and obviously the night of 19th Jan, which witnessed the grand birthday celebration of one of my dearest friends.

That being said, these uninhibited memories will probably get more toilsome to come by as we are hit by much more consequential circumstances. With GATE staring us in the face, just about a week from now, and 2014 set to be the most decisive year in our careers, I've made sure to reminisce about all my past delights, starting from the freshers' party at HHI years back, right up to the recent fete at Radisson, so as to attain a thoughtless state of mind, entailed by the near future...

Rachi's Birthday Bash at Radisson, Varanasi

The Raucous Jol

What better way to start off the brand new year than to throw a jamboree for some of your closest friends? The regal delight and boisterous fun, coupled with a sumptuous feast made for an excellent evening and a thrilling dinner party! As always, the second weekend of January was marked by Saturnalia in our college. But having already played our cards right in events like 'Kismat Konnection', and experiencing the jolt of the ensuing DJ Night in our very first year itself, this year we turned our attention to a more personal celebration.

So I decided to use the pending treat, on account of my previous birthday, as a pretext to enjoy some quality time with my closely knit friend circle. One could call it a stag night, but I looked upon it as a testament to the warmth and spirit of true friendship. As we were leaving our college premises, our jubilant voices and a steady stream of people wearing flashy garbs, going in the opposite direction towards the bright flood lights to enjoy Saturnalia, were in stark contrast to the chilled melancholy spread over Varanasi.

We decided to go to Yale Chico, a popular diner and bar, used to having frequent revelers from the student community. While waiting for soups and other ordered starters to be delivered, an increasingly engrossing discussion on topics ranging from technology and politics to the current placement scenario in our college, took place. Not knowing what tempest was brewing ahead, we wondered what opportunities would present themselves as the next major milestone and how would we sequester it. It was gripping to hear the different perspectives and insights each person had to offer, but only until our noses picked up the approaching fragrance of the delicacies that had been requested. 

Then after satisfying our ever so demanding taste buds with a variety of non-veg cuisines and a select few veg dishes, we decided to stop off at Lanka for desserts, before calling it a day. Finishing the raucous jol with Rabri, Rasgullas and Gulab Jamuns, and looking forward to overcoming the onslaught of impending challenges, the evening of 11th Jan'14 will surely remain one of the most memorable instances in my mental scrapbook!   

Yale Chico, Varanasi

Life: Online vs. Offline

Gone are the days when people used letters for communication and verbal chatting to express themselves! Advanced technology has made it possible for most individuals to fulfill almost all their needs and much more, not having to leave their seats for a single second. Although the world-wide web or internet has given us the ability to access everything online, it has forced a colossal number of folks to retract into their own virtual shells. So is this really a boon or a curse?

Although most people would be convinced that the net has made life more efficient and given in our hands a tool to effortlessly experience life on a higher plane, can we really call this 'life'? While you might rightly argue that putting the globe at an arm's length has been a major achievement for the human intellect, hasn't this prevented many of us from experiencing the real world like we otherwise would have? That's a tough nut to crack, whose answer is always more subjective than objective.

Taking a look at the brighter side, the internet has of course enabled the sharing of knowledge at a mind-boggling rate. Downloaded P.D.F files serve our purpose better, saving valuable time and energy needed to search the market for actual books. Online bank transactions are just a click away, without having to go through any paperwork. E-mail has facilitated the transfer of important documents instantaneously! Even shopping has become child's play with companies like Flipkart and eBay offering a myriad of products and excellent cash-on-delivery services, at jaw dropping offers which no local retailer could ever hope to match. And last but not the least, blogging and social networking sites have helped us to create an online entity for ourselves, thus expanding our domain limitlessly!

While all this is fine and dandy doesn't the above scenario bare an eerie resemblance to the Matrix movies? Today, whenever we are acquainted to someone, what is the first thing we do to know that person better? Have an hour-long discussion with each other? No! I bet most of us would just look him up on Google and form an image of him without any words exchanged, purely based on his profile on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Bloggers, WordPress and YouTube! The line between our physical being and online characters has been blurred beyond recognition, even though a wide disparity might exist between the two in some cases.

But I guess at the end of the day it all boils down to a matter of personal choice. Some people, like myself, prefer to use their online entities as an extension of their real lives, while others might use theirs just for amusement or entertainment, many a times creating fake profiles on sites they hardly ever visit. Personally, I have pondered over this issue endlessly and even now, as I'm writing this article, I'm forced to ask myself why I bother jotting down my thoughts and experiences in this very blog, instead of trying to get some of them published in a tabloid or magazine... I guess the hard copy, with all its logistical restraints, has lost its significance in the modern day! 

Nonetheless, the advantages of the internet seem to far outweigh the risks which include authenticity, privacy and security issues other than playing a hand in pressing the current generation to peer into a small LCD screen all day long. The growing number of people across the world turning to the web for everything from business to recreation, or may be just as a way out of the daily moil are living proof of the success of this technology. As for me, I am not as obsessed about my virtual life as I used to be a few years back, mainly owing to time constraints and a realization of having done nearly everything that one is expected to do online! After finishing the busiest semester ever, I'm enjoying some quality time at my humble abode with friends and family, setting the stage for overcoming future challenges. Nowadays, I much prefer putting my real life to some good use, and I must say living off the grid feels much more rewarding!...

Relishing life offline at Inorbit Mall, Pune 

The Most Helluva Birthday Ever!

Swatantrata Bhavan Main Hall, IIT (BHU), Varanasi

The extravagant four day hiatus from the 12th to the 15th of November, on account of NMD-ATM 2013, marked by my birthday on Children's Day, finally comes to an end with a deafening boom. These few days have witnessed everything from technical sessions, cultural programmes and award ceremonies, to all the fun dinners and of course, a hell of a banquet at Hotel Clarks, on the 14th eve!

NMD-ATM, which is the acronym for 'National Metallurgy Day - Annual Technical Meeting', was being held in IIT (BHU), Varanasi after three whole decades. The organizing committee, with the help of all the volunteer teams, did a fabulous job and words of admiration from the delegates filled the cold winter air. I felt proud for having been appointed as the in-charge of the Swatantrata Bhavan Main Hall, along with close friend, colleague and associate, Sritam Rout. Being present side-stage, for almost all the major plenary sessions and the night of the enthralling Kathak dancers, was an absolute treat to the eyes.

The SB Main Hall beheld a tumultuous number of presentations, delivered by renowned professors honoured worldwide for their work in the field of metallurgy, which included heavyweights like Prof. H.K.D.H. Bhadeshia from Cambridge, An-Pang Tsai from Japan, D.H. Kim from South Korea, and P.M. Ajayan from Rice University, to mention a few. But this was just the tip of the iceberg! Parallel paper and poster presentations, as well as metallographic competitions were conducted simultaneously across ten lecture theatres in different departments, making the scale of the whole thing extremely difficult to fathom. After the much awaited visit by the Steel Minister of India, and a vote of thanks on the following day by several prominent personalities like Dr. G.K. Dey, Head of the Materials Science Division at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, the fest finally drew to a close.

The food was amazing too! With Indian, Chinese and Italian cuisines being served day in and day out, it couldn't get better than that. The icing on the cake came in the form of a banquet or dinner party at the well known Clarks Hotel, being thrown by our college for all the dignitaries present, to celebrate a successful NMD-ATM 2013! All types of non-vegetarian dishes and a variety of drinks, being served for the delegates and volunteers alike, couldn't have made for a better birthday feast for me. All this, coupled with establishing new contacts and making new friends, lead to the most helluva birthday celebration I have ever had!...

Memoirs of NMD-ATM 2013 & the Banquet at Clarks

A Very Special Dusshera!

Congress Bhavan, Pune

Whether it is referred to as Dusshera, Navratri or Durga Pooja, or may be simply intra-semester break by some folks, this time of the year is unanimously looked forward to by almost every Indian across the world. So this year, it was the same for my family and me too... The same old fest, but with a brand new twist! Personally, this festive season has offered me a desperately needed breather and formed a divide between periods of non-stop grind. But for certain reasons, apart from this year's Dusshera being one of my last before graduating, it has stood out atop all the rest and turned out to be the most special one yet!

The past two and a half months, which have proven to be an acid test of stamina, have witnessed some of the busiest and most interesting weeks of my college life, that included the celebratory function for teachers' day in our department, where being on the bestowing end of a gift to one of our professors was a new and unique experience on my part. This was shortly followed by the annual inauguration of METSOC. Festivities like 'Madka Phod' and 'Dandiya' also contributed to the diversity of events and gatherings, which are common-place in our college. Some very distinctive events like NMD-ATM 2013, later this year, are also being awaited with the utmost eagerness especially by the fourth-yearites, as we'll be playing a crucial role in organizing this nation-wide event, which is being held in IIT-BHU only for the third time ever, the last being in the year 1983!

In the Indian culture, and more specifically the Bengali culture, great emphasis is laid on shopping during this highly talked about festival of Durga Pooja as, according to ancient Hindu mythology, this is supposed to bring good fortune to the family. Nonetheless, buying new stuff always charges the human psyche and gets a refreshing feel of newness into our lives. While my parents and granny stuck to the traditional idea of clothes, there would be no second guessing the choice of an entire generation of gadget freaks like mine, who always keep a keen eye out for the latest and top-of-the-line gadgets being launched in the market every single day! So for me, it had to be the Google Nexus 7 tablet!

Google Nexus 7

So what made this Dusshera extra special? I guess it provided the answer to an entourage of thoughts, ideas and the sometimes unavoidable doubts, which had crept into my mind from time to time, for the last several months. Other than two back-to-back sessional exams, many out-of-the-blue challenges had to be overcome, which included a presentation to the Ph.D students in our department on 'Object Oriented Programming', as part of my B.Tech project. There were other more ambitious chains of thought that have been temporarily pushed to the back-burner, the primary one being the idea of starting a family business with the help of my father, which still needs some solid ground to take shape, if it is indeed meant to materialize even in the distant future! But for now, the most important thing is to forge a clear and unhindered path ahead.

Besides all of this, this Dusshera has helped me re-visit all the good things that have happened in my past, all the memories that make me happy, ranging from the present and going way back to my early school days, and has above all made me realize how fortunate and blessed I've been for all these years! Concluding here, heiling the promise of the future as a beaconing light, I'd like to wish everyone, including all my friends and family, a very happy and prosperous Dusshera! 

A Collage of the Past