Indian Institute of Science..

(This blog were changed slightly after first comment to neutralize the tone of this observation. Its a personal experience and can be labeled as blah blah.. )

I visited this institute in April 2009 for some official research work… no no .. for some project work since the lab in my institute was closed for some time .. actually I was fed-up being on the same campus for a long time.

Journey was a pathetic as it could be in a sleeper class. The only good thing was that I was accompanied by a pretty girl who turns out to be a very good listener with a very compatible sense of humour. So my mouth was dry and her stomach was about to implode. She enjoyed more that I did.

I always kept this institute in very high regard especially its awesome resilience with with it kept its soul with the research. I still have no regret not to joining this institute but rather opt for IIT bombay for PG. I am writing this blog from the campus of Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai which I’d love to join as Ph. D. in Theoretical Physics. IISc, which has seen towering personalities, most self effacing and selfless of men, some merely capable men as its directors has maintained its glory notwithstanding the iron law of Indian institutes which enjoys the short periods of glory depending on the director’s capabilities. It might have not produced Nobel laureates but it has done much batter. It has created human resources over the time which has transformed the Indian science and technical prowess in a way that none of the other institute have done. Unlike IITs which are hell bent to produce human resources for MNC’s. The role of IITians on the indian society deserve separate blog and a scholarship way beyong my scholarship.. here I can only say.. In the land of western dominance where white scholarship is only scholarship.. in a nation whose media is obsessed with someone six pack abs or bikini babes (or to worse Raj Thackeray or local stenographic nit-pickings)… in a society in which intelligence, on the various level defined by the marks – ranks- money in Jobs – fame – … in a nation with over 1 billion people who looks for someone with white skin to analyse even her own personal affairs… in a nation with pathetically indifferent young generation who even does not care to vote (remember 43% Mumbai voted even after the terror attack after which elites were seems to be raging for election. Might have seen TOI, in which one celebraty was saying ,"Oh! I vote every year." Every year.. oh! for the sake of democracy!) ) .. anything could make sense. And if New York Times and Wall Street journal says that its the reverse brain drain now, then it has to be right.

Anyway IISc, The atmosphere was as pleasing as the sights of its buildings. All the buildings style were remarkable homogeneous.. as homogeneous as the thinking of the whole batch in IIT. There are very few in IITs which think otherwise, and more the fame and sense of identity gripping the already mess-up IITian, there are very little hope that the next generation of the IITians are going to think otherwise. None a single IITian has ever joined army to serve (might be there one or two, I’d be more than humbled to know that) his/her own India. However, there are some remarkable examples came out of these campuses in early days. I don’t know how many of them from this generation are going to add on to this rather that enjoying the other’s established identity.

I don’t understand why I get so bitter when it comes to IIT’s. Anyway I am a alumni of this institute but I don’t like to be known as IITian (or perhaps, I don’t deserve this identity).

On one aspects, IISc failed miserably is there is lack of humanities and social sciences on her campus. I wish it turns out to be a great institute and like TIFR, more and more enlightened young people like to join it.

For me, I am planning to stay at IMSc for doctorate (if I could control my not-so-sensible tounge in interview). Here I was chatting with a professors and he passed a comment, "Look son! 5 year is not a small time, After 5 year no-body is going to give you a job after doing physics and more importantly you will be ostracised by the very people who praises your logo (IIT on my T-shirt) you are having on your back. Thought it through. Physics does not guarantee success to anyone no matter how smart or intelligent. Just talk to the students here before making a dedication." I just nodded and smiled back then He took his coffee cup and wished me good-luck for the interview.


dilawar
IMSc campus
from Gaurav office
CIT campus, Taramani Chennai
1701 hrs, May 17, 2009

0 thoughts on “Indian Institute of Science..”

  1. Dear Dilawar, I feel sorry that you are not proud of being an IITian. Perhaps, if you had enrolled as an undergraduate, you could probably understand the plethora of opportunities that this place throws up. As for the ‘herd mentality’ that you talk of, I think you are sorrily mistaken. I see diversity across the spectrum here at IIT Madras. It might help you if you take a leaf out of the UG book and really ‘live’ the IIT life, and not just resign to fate as do most PGs who graduate from the IITs. If I may take a step further, I think it is this very humdrum outlook of the PGs which rob the IITs of their sheen.Wish you luck in your research.VikasIIT Madras

  2. Hi Vikas,Thanks for your comments.I surely don’t know anything about life at IIT Madras. And perhaps my views are as narrow as the spectrum of a laser pulse. About your views about PG’s, I share more bitter views about them. I myself, dont like them. Most of the time, I spend with some UG’s who are my friends here. The views here, might be bit overboard, but certainly not off the mark. Take a general picture (not exceptions), i dont think I miss the point I wanted to make. While I was comparing (if you can pardon the language I used in the blog) I did not compare IITs as a teaching institute. I wish that they develop on the line of the some great US/European universities. I myself have the views that they shoud discontinue PG programm and focus more on the UG’s education. IIT seems to lost the intimacy with her students as no of students in the class are increasing. The opportunities IIT throws, may not be the kind of the opportunities IIT wished to throw to its brightest mind.I think We should work toward what We believe rather than making some points here. I write these blogs so I can read them later as figure out what changes have appeared in my world-view’s. Sorry for the lingo I used! I’ll change it. Didn’t know people will read it.. :-p

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