Monday, July 20, 2009

In Solace

IIT, Powai, one would be mesmerized by the co-existence of technology and environment. On one side you have the captivating, Powai Lake and the ineluctable Sanjay Gandhi National Park as the other boundary (Lake Side and hill side, as it is called here). Despite being from a state renowned for its greenery, I was taken aback by the amount of greenery in campus, despite being at the heart of the city. Once inside this sprawling campus, one wouldn't feel he is in Mumbai. No wonder IITB has produced some of the greatest minds in the country (drawing parallels with Buddha having an enlightenment under the bodhi tree).

Being a Research Fellow, I am provided free accommodation and food is charged at Rs 38/- per day. I have access to the library, and permitted to take 7 books at a time. To cut a long paragraph short, I have all the paraphernalia required to lead a comfortable life here. I have the study materials, access to top guns of the Electrical Engg. Dept, access to nano fabrication and microelectronics labs. The realization, of being in the best technical institute in the Country dawned on me. I have now embarked on a knowledge empowering mission. The more i try to learn on a subject, the more I realize how little I know. I have made up my mind to attend lectures on topics of my choice (after discussions with the Prof's concerned) and empower myself.

We are happy when we do something we always wanted to do. I thoroughly enjoy my time here (most of it working). The prospect of working round the clock thrills me (now). Everyday is a new learning experience. I am at peace with myself. I doubt, whether I have fallen into the big league of IITian's (point of contention!!!). I sincerely hope that I don't loss this enthuse that keeps me going now, after all those debacles in life. This is what I always wanted to do in life. Work on real stuff, rather than just sitting in front a computer. I may come in for lot of flack from the IT professionals for my last statement. Being an electronics engineer, I was driven into the software field by chance and not choice. Siemens, though had offered a job which had some semblance to my graduation. The only thing I miss here is the meticulous life of the corporate world. I think I can adjust for the time being.;-). I have embarked on a quest to acquire knowledge. Let us see how far I would go.

As I have reiterated at various points in my blog, this blog is an assimilation of my thoughts. One fine day, I can come back to this blog and trace the course of the evolving thought process. My view points over certain issues might get refined over time and can lead to certain contradictions here and there, but the basic principles in life doesn't.

PS: I wanted to open my account for this month. It was a torture writing this post. My imaginative mind seems to have taken a back seat for now. Makes me wonder, Am I evolving into an IIT product???