Striking Gold
Written on July 4th, 2018 by {"login"=>"jcbitshyd", "email"=>"journal@hyderabad.bits-pilani.ac.in", "display_name"=>"Journal Club, BPHC", "first_name"=>"", "last_name"=>""}How did you feel when you first saw the Campus?
I am a person who likes to explore, academically that is. So, my first
thought was that I wanted to be the director of this campus someday. It
felt like a world of possibilities. It was a great feeling.
What kept you motivated across the years in accomplishing such a high CGPA?
I guess motivation is the wrong kind of thing to ascribe something to.
Because, there was a phase when I was bothered by my performance. In the
first year I happened to be one of those who performed well. We all
come from the best of our schools and colleges. And it’s very
competitive here. So, first year, I think was a little hard work and a
lot of luck. But what really kept me going after that was that I loved
my subjects. I want to do research and I will pursue a PhD. I chose most
of the subjects I had, I took MSc Maths by choice and then BE. Computer
Science too. It was never that I got this, I took this. My motivation
is very simple: I love what I study.
What is one thing that you are proud of?
It’s a little sad but I think this is the wildest thing I have done. My
Algebra 2 Compre paper was scheduled for two hours and I finished the
paper quite early. But I was very hungry as I had studied the whole
night. So, that day I didn’t have the strength to pull through and check
my paper. I got out of the hall, went to the cafeteria below, had some
Masala Dosas and a milkshake. Came back to the hall, checked the paper,
pointed out a couple of mistakes in the question paper, had a nice chat
with the instructor and left. In all seriousness, though, the proudest
things would be my relations here. I have met some of the nicest people
on the planet here. I think, that is something that I will carry with
me.
And one thing that you regret?
Well, I wish I had auditioned for drama club. I am the sort of a person
who is involved in very rigid, procedural things, be it academics or
extracurricular activities. I would have liked to do something that
involved some more physical expression. I was very famously known for
not even swinging an arm at the DJ nights. I think that I should have
loosened up a bit.
How do you see the Campus progressing
in the near future?
Students are absolutely getting brighter every year and the campus is
growing in a lot of aspects. BITS produces great businessmen and
technocrats. And a lot of work is going on with respect to start-ups,
competitive coding, internships, etc. But I don’t see BITS growing in
research any time soon and that’s something I would like our institute
to progress in.
In a sentence, how would you describe
your experience here?
It has been a one hell of a ride. The person I am today, the kind of
opportunities I have got, the kind of people I have met, I owe it all to
this place and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Any message for your juniors? Stay in school. Don’t do drugs? Follow your dreams. I think it’s the most cliched thing to say. But, I’d say follow the clichés, there is a reason they work.
Article by Raman Sarda and edited by Musaiyab Ali Mirza