Bye Bye NITK...

Opening song: I'm leaving on the jet plane - John Denver
Opening mood: Nostalgic.

I was about 10 years old. It was a rainy Sunday afternoon. We were coming back from Mangalore from my cousin's wedding. Usually we take the route via moodubidre, but that eventful afternoon, we went via Mulky. That’s the first time I ever saw this college.. It was called Karnataka Regional Engineering College (KREC) back then. I told my mom, I wanted to study here when I grew up.. She smiled sarcastically.

Seven years later, I entered this institute as a student of computer engineering... Now, four years later, I’m leaving it...

Many of my batch mates became very sentimental while bidding adieu to the place where we saw ourselves transforming from idealistic teenagers to realistic adults.

How do I feel about it, after these four years???

I've enjoyed my every moment in this place... It was a mini city with a confluence of people from all walks of life. These four years, I have accumulated a lot of memories... I don't want to show any sort of disrespect to any of them by shedding a tear. But, deep inside, I do realize that I'm going to miss a lot of things.. Especially the wonderful set of peers, the surroundings, the beach....

These four years, wouldn't have been so much fun, if it weren't for a few people..

Thamie, Deepak or Dark Huge Ape - My accomplice for these four years... Thanks dude, for all those fundae you shared during all the boring classes... You revived my interest in Lit… I had almost forgotten amidst the preparation for JEE , CET and all that..

Shuaib and Vaiju, my exam buddies.... We studied less and kutched more... Exams were probably the only social get together we had.... Else, we would be enjoying ourselves in our islands of isolation...

My roommates, Karthik, Shivdeep, Pradeep thanks for bearing me for one whole year... I know it was difficult, with all my eccentricities, but you guys did a really great job!!!

Loco-Dons - Chakra,Adarsh, Prasanna, Shuaib, Madhu, Pammi, Sudheer... I never thought I would be a part of this fraternity... But I never said that destiny always agreed with me... It's definitely an honor to be a part of this fraternity..

Katti, Vishwa, Manu, Bhatta, Achar, Nisarg,Sathya, the rock stars of comps class... Great kutchers to have around.... The group discussions wouldn't have been so much fun, if not for you people...

Kavya, Nishka, PK, Archana - Thanks for killing that misogynist in me! I enjoyed every bit of my association with you people!

Madhu, Chetan , Sequiera, Kripal, Chetan Kulki,Balu, Reuben... I enjoyed flying in your elite company...

Seniors of mine, who ragged me, who inspired me, who advised me- Sandeep Yadav, Ananth, Harisha, Abhiman Chatra, Praveena, Pai, Vivin, Roshan, Bhupi, Lyn... Its a great pleasure to pass on the legacy which we inherited from you guys...

And my juniors... Wonderful people to have around - Dhaval, Akshaya, Mads, Kalra, saurabh jain, Swathi, Parkal, Prasad,Arjun,Subbu,Karuna, Priya... You guys rock... Just remember that the college won't work any wonders for you.. You guys are the magicians... Just wave that magic wand of yours and see great things happening...

Four years have gone by like a flash... The feeling is bitter sweet.. This one is to all those guys who helped in making it so special. Thank you.

I know there will be days, when I'll be all alone in my home/room/cabin or wherever, when there will be no power, when it'll be raining cats and dogs outside..... These memories will resurface then... I'll savor them... I'll savor them like a connoisseur....

Closing Mood: Still Nostalgic
Closing Song: On the Road again - Forrest Gump Suite.

You can't take this seat... It's Reserved..

The game has been played for centuries now… Time has changed, players have changed, and even the rules have changed. However the objective of the game still remains the same.The name of the game, is – “The Power Game”.

It was the kings in the medieval periods, the Cardinals in the dark ages and the Colonizers in the Industrial era. The common denominator was, they were all hungry for power. The modern variant of this power hungry species is the nation’s politician. And it’s latest trick to remain in power – “Reservations in higher educations”, an effective implementations of the age old “Divide and conquer” strategy.

The very phrase “Reservations in higher education” creates in my mind the image of thousands of meritorious students across the country, treading laboriously along the path of knowledge to reach the Temple of Higher education. And when they reach there what do they find? Our politicians guarding the gates and asking them to show their caste certificates... Is this justified??
While these people are walking the hard walk, you see some people being pushed in push carts all the way from the beginning to the gates of the temple and let inside; just because of they have a caste certificate saying they were born in a backward caste. Is this justified??

I have nothing against any category or caste. In fact I choose to ignore the very concept of castes and categories as it is redundant in the globalized world where we are heading. My angst is against the policy and not on the people.

Let us examine the rationale behind the Reservations.

Proponents say, “Equality of opportunity” is one. Doesn’t it mean equality of opportunity to walk the path? Isn’t it already there? Who has stopped anyone in this country from trying to achieve what they want to achieve? Has our society in the past 50 odd years imposed any sort of condition that people from certain caste and category have no right to study certain disciplines? No.

The next reason they say, “Certain castes have been oppressed for centuries”. Right, ok. So let’s solve the problem by trying to eliminate the cause for oppression. What is the cause? It’s not that difficult to answer. The cause has been the act of categorizations and alienation of certain group of people based on their castes. So by imposing reservations, where are we solving the problem? We are in fact implementing the same policy, only the beneficiaries would have changed. In a few years, you may find these other castes claiming that they’ve been oppressed. It’s a vicious cycle.

One more reason given is “Majority our country is made up of people from backward castes.” So you want more reservation because of that?? Isn’t it a shameful admission that for the past 50 odd years, you’ve been asking the “minority” for support in order to uplift the “majority” and yet haven’t been able to make much improvement? And now, you are asking for more. Why? Does any of this make sense? The policy makers are already indebted to the people who despite getting no help from anyone, manage to make their ends meet by sheer hard work. Why do you want to snatch away the reward that’s deserved by this section of the society, and give it to someone else just because he was born in a particular caste?

The policy makers have presented a solution where in the number of seats will be increased so that the general merit students won’t be affected. But more seats means better infrastructure. Who’s going to bear the burden of that??

The most efficient solution, as suggested by many rational citizens over the past few days, would be to invest in primary and secondary education and improve the quality in this sector. Thus, make it possible for everyone to get affordable quality education. But our politicians are not interested in this. Because it’s a hard process and will take a long time. They have to show their progress report every 5 years, and if they go for this kind of a policy, their progress card would have an ‘F’ on it. So instead, they resort to short-cut methods to provide a lift service to the backward classes, instead of enabling them to climb the ladder of progress. However they forget that, once you provide a lift service, you always got to be there to ensure these people manage to keep pace with the others. Once their tenure is done, who is going to take care of that?

Friends, our lethargic attitude towards politics and policy makers is long overdue. Our job doesn’t end once we elect the representatives. We have to ensure that they “represent” what we stand for. Today it is the reservations in the higher education they are trying to impose; tomorrow it might be reservations in the private job sector. And the list will go on.

Hats off to the Medical students of the country for standing up against such an irrational policy. But we have to remember that they are not the only ones who are being affected. We all are and will be, one way or the other, because the quality is going to suffer.

Democracy might be a self correcting system, but it’ll take its own sweet time. No one knows how much that time would be. Hence the important question would be, are you willing to sacrifice that much time of your life because of such irrational policies? Think about it. It’s time to take a stand . It's time to act. Before it’s too late.

In democracy, all fools are equal.
Some are more equal than the others.
It’s because of such a more equal fool,
That a power hungry politician rule…

Say NO to any form of reservation.

Lost and Found

Opening song: California Dreamin' - The Mamas The Papas
Opening mood: Positive

We take most things for granted, don't we? Only,once we lose something, which we took for granted, we begin to realize the value of it... Sometimes, it's a bit too late...

It was the tuesday night of 16th May. Having finished the Operations Research paper ( 2 bitches down!! ) we celebrated by watching Gangster. It was a ok movie, but this post is not about the movie..

The movie ended at 10. I had to get some notes from Chakra's place, so went with him, asking the rest of the guys ( Katti, achar, shuaib,satya and vaij ) to wait for me at the Saibeen bus stand. Chakra, unfortunately took a wrong turn which caused considerable amount of delay. I reached back to the bus stand, only at 10:20, and it was deserted. My pals waited , waited before taking off on the last bus available...

Now, the week had not been particularly great.. Many people do know, it was a week of kelas and bamboos for me!! So, here I was all alone at the saibeen bus-stand, at 10:30, with no busses, waiting to hitchhike a ride back to the college.

Luckily ( yeah, luck did smile once in a while), there was a press van which offered me a ride back to the college.

I reach the college, at around 11, pay the driver and walk towards the gate.. I could sense something was wrong. I felt my pockets and boy, did it send shivers down my spine... My cell phone wasn't with me!!! I ran after the press van, but it was too late...

One more kela, I told myself and walked back to the hostel... Dejected...

Now, the phone was not mine. I borrowed my roomie's spare set, since mine was conked. When, I told him that I had lost my phone, he was, surprisingly,very cool about it!! I called up Chakra and told him to check out at the saibeen bus stand , but no luck..

I called my cell-phone, and it was ringing.. I just hoped someone would pick it up, but no... To add to my miseries, it was on silent mode.. Nobody could even hear it ring...
I had to put it on silent in the movie theater and forgot to turn it back to normal :(

Wednesday morning, I go to the police station to lodge a complaint, and he asks for the Hostel Warden's recommendation. As my luck would have it, when I come back , the hostel warden wasn't there! I inform my parents and they too were very cool about it, despite the fact that I was negligent - something, which they usually don't excuse. Instead they tell me to concentrate on my exams... Yeah, I had Software Engineering on Thursday.

Everyone I met, expressed his condolences and stated that the probability of getting it back was very less, so I better forget about it... Thanks for those encouraging words.. I know you were only being realistic.

I cursed myself for taking things so lightly.. I mean, in 2 years, I've screwed up one cell phone, got the other one drunk on sea water, lost the back cover of my roomie's cell ( I was lucky to find it though) and now, I had lost it.. Nice statistics for a person who is gonna enter into the real world of responsibilities in a few weeks..

I call my cell again and again.. It was still ringing... Meaning, nobody had found it out yet.

Thats when the thought strikes me.. Why not try my luck one last time... At 10:45, along with Katti,shuaib and vaij, I go to the highway. We stop every Maruti Omni, with a hope that it would be the press van.

Somewhere around 11, a white Van stops. It's the same Maruthi Van. The same driver. I explain him the situation.

"Cell phone?" - He asks.
I nod my head.
He gestures me to hold on, opens the glove compartment of the van, and lo!!

There was my cellphone.. Intact.. just the way it was when I had lost it... I profusely thanked the chap.. He just nodded his acceptance.. I guess he was in a hurry.. He just sped away...

Good people do exist in the world.

I hope that the kela week has ended!! I vowed to be more careful about my things in the future.. Did it all happened just to teach me a lesson?? Whatever, I had learnt mine..

Only once we lose something , we begin to realize the value of it... Sometimes, it's a bit too late... Only Not this time :))

Ending Mood: Jubilant
Ending Song: Coward of the county - Kenny Rogers.

Lord(s) of the Ring

Opening Song: Wonderland - Crazy Frog
Opening Mood: Ha, with a song like this in the background, you expect me to be morose??!!!

"....It’s something unpredictable, But in the end its right,

I hope you had the time of your life..."

Lenon was strumming his guitar... We were sitting in the living room of Lyn's house, sipping the evening tea, and humming the lyrics of this Greenday song on Saturday, 29th of April...

Shuaib looked at his watch -" Dude, it’s time to leave. Its 5 'o clock already and the ring ceremony is at 6!!”.

Boy, we really had to hurry to reach college, have a bath, shave and dress up in formals.

I wore a white shirt, a black pant and a red tie. (One red ribbon around my waist and a black hat, and my magician's attire would have been complete!)

We did everything at double the speed so that we can attend the ring ceremony "in time" at 6:30 (C’mon... we've not attended the classes in time, you expect us to attend this one in time??).

I was right about being in time... the ceremony began at 6:30! (It happens only in India...)

We were told to sign a pledge, and hear the words of wisdom spoken by a few lecturers (As if classes weren't already boring enough!). The chief guest spoke well. He managed hold us captivated for quite some-time [Sir, you really have the talent :)].

Shruthi Shastry, the GR, summarized the experiences of the girls. She was in her usual "natural - acting" mode (Guys, this is not an oxymoron... It’s a talent some people do possess). She ended her discourse saying - "I don’t know about the guys, but we girls have seen it all!!"... I really wonder if they have... I mean seen it ALL??!

Sahil Barua, spoke on behalf of the guys, and boy, I tell you that was one hell of a nostalgic speech... He took us down the memory lane, rather danced us down it... Ended the speech with the awesome line from DCH -" Hum dost the, dost hai, aur rahenge - Hamesha...” Yo! Dude, that we shall remember…

This was followed by the presentation of the silver ring. The ring symbolized our lifelong "commitment" to the alma-mater!! I did a wise thing by wearing it on my middle finger! (Well, I want to reserve my ring finger... for a GOLDen one!)

After this, the hi-fi junta got out their point-and-click devices and the photogenic junta posed... The survivors were shot again and again! People made sure that every female was covered at least once (Compsci’s refer back to the graph cover problem for the funda. IT people, as usual ask thy neighbor!) .

We decided to celebrate the "Engagement" at Kalash (With the kind of financial crisis we are currently in, you expect us to go to Palkhi?? Shame on you!)

Chakra and Balu decided to shoot the strong Mallya's Bird, while Reuben, Madhu and I asked Chetan "Dude, Life's calling... Where are you??” Somehow, Chetan chose to ignore the question... I think Shuaib owes him 200 bucks for his abstinence. The food... Na, I don't remember... I was too busy climbing (on) the rocks!

By now, I guess most of us were in the heightened state of consciousness... The "Films Club" was showcasing "Mohabbatein" (YUCK!!) that night... This was keeping in mind the volatile senti state the final years were in...

When we reached the SAC, I realized I had lost the back portion of my cell phone! Oops... That meant Shuaib and I had to go all the way back, searching all along the road less traveled, before we could finally find it under our table at Kalash. (Now that's luck...). I owe Gauri (Major) a "Munch" for borrowing his bike...

Anyway, we came back and danced like crazy... I had always enjoyed the movies from the hot film's club balcony, but this was really fun... Every arbit person came and hugged you as if you were going on a war and he may never see you again... For some reason, I reciprocated with equal generosity... I guess it made them happy... They then did a step or two (Don't bother which one... All steps appear the same in our jungle dance!) before going to hug the next available person.

Some people broke down into tears at the end of the movie... No, it was not the sentiments in the movie, or even the pathos caused by its screening that stimulated the tear glands... People just got senti... I guess they realized that the ring ceremony marked the "beginning of the end" of our days in this college. It was really difficult to console some of them...

I tried hard, but not even a single drop came out. (I mean, drop of a tear…) Well, I guess its waiting for the last day (I doubt even that!)

Well, I was back in my room at 3:30 in the night and chatted for sometime. But not for too long… I was too exhausted... I had never danced like this before... Mukesh was wailing on Pradeep's comp... I guess it was an invitation to sleep.... I slept... I dreamt... I had now become "Lord of the Ring"...

PS: I forgot to mention, Pattu got the golden ring for being the best outgoing student... Congrats dude... Sorry, but trivial things like these, somehow just slip out of the mind...

Ending Mood: Man, this song kicks ass...: D
Ending Song: Whoomp - Crazy Frog.

Time:9:00 P.M
Date:1st May, 2006