Foundation Day 2023

Today is IIT Kharagpur's 73rd Foundation Day. The institute program at Netaji auditorium was to start at 9:30 AM. I was taking my 2-wheeler out from the common garage of our Chitrakoot complex. One of our neighbors was also there for the same purpose. He lovingly referred to my first name, Goutam. Of the three security staffs of our residential complex, two have the same first name. They are from Nepalese / Gorkha background. They are the followers of Goutam Buddha, and the name Goutam is quite common among them.

My name was called in the Foundation Day program before but once when I received an award. But, today, my name came up in the lips of three on the Netaji auditorium stage on three different occasions. And that made me remember one big Budhha idol that I visited once. It was situated in a dark cave. If light from a lantern falls on it from one side, one can see that Buddha is smiling, happy. If light falls from the other side, one could see a pensive, sad face. And, if light falls from the front, one can see him in total peace - neither happy, nor sad.

We the lesser mortal, swing from a state of fulfilment and unfulfillment, joy and sorrow. Of the three occasions of today, two gave a feeling of accomplishment to see our own students getting success in big stage as entrepreneurs and connecting that to their more than decade old student days' experience here - one curricular, the other extracurricular. The third one reminded of an unfinished work in which we elders are yet to realize the dream of a dreamer who was an inspiration to many.

Vidya Bhushan was a UG student of our E & ECE Department. For his final year B.Tech. project, he picked up a challenging problem in neurosignal processing area. Our collaborator from the Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London had a key role in defining the problem statement. He completed his BTP requirement in time (2010) but continued with the work even after leaving the institute. He got a job in Ericsson from the campus placement. In 2012, when he was in IIM Ahmedabad, his BTP work got published in a good journal. The start-up he founded after brief stop-overs at two companies following IIM degree, has now foot prints in 43 cities and was valued Rs. 100 Cr. sometime back, expected to reach 200-250 Cr. mark soon. Today, he referred to that BTP work when awardees were asked to speak a few words after receiving the award from the dignitaries on stage.

Imbesat Ahmad was not from our department. National Service Scheme (NSS), IIT Kharagpur was our common chord. I was in-charge of NSS at that time and together with faculty colleagues and young student volunteers (1st and 2nd year UG), took up various projects in neighborhood villages and slums. Imbesat was primarily in teaching activity but played a key role in the bigger team-based activities. Imbesat's current recognition as a young achiever is for his social enterprise that makes education accessible. He started in offline mode in an unreached place and achieved excellence. To scale up, he started online delivery where a doubt is attended within 16 seconds. This enterprise now has 60000 touch points. His podium speech referred to his 1st year NSS teaching experience.

Other young alumni achievers too, shared their thoughts which depicted how IIT Kharagpur helped them gain valuable experience in their student days here. Felt proud for each one of them. Congratulations to all awardees!

When Dr. P. Arun, Director, Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata, one of the Guest of Honour of today's function rose to speak, my name was referred for the 3rd time. He recollected how much we two wished to fulfill the dream of a cancer survivor who was inspiration to many. We failed to move beyond a point for reasons beyond our control and felt sad for it. We should make a second attempt and try to bridge the gap. We owe it to that dreamer, Mr. Ananthakrishnan, who is no more with us - the relapsed cancer took the great soul away but his dream remains.

This is where

"This is the day when it began. This is where it all began." We heard Director, IIT Kharagpur starting his Foundation Day speech this way yesterday. Before proceeding further, let me acknowledge that this post is  going to be a highly 'plagiarized' one :-) with many copy - paste material. The reason - the more I write myself, the more I'll dilute the original. And, hence.

We had Independence Day celebration and Foundation Day celebration in a space of four days. On Independence Day, the unfurling of National Flag was followed by Independence Day speech. Let me quote a part of it.

On this auspicious occasion, we pay our respectful homage to our countrymen who sacrificed their lives and earned this freedom. The freedom thus earned, is the job completely done? Should we then sit complacent with this or look ahead?

I understand that what we have is only physical freedom and what we should be aiming is internal and spiritual freedom as well.  

One may gain political and social independence, but if one is slave to his passions and desires, one cannot feel the pure joy of real freedom. Our aim now should be to move towards this real freedom.

Everything that we perceive around us is struggling towards freedom. When the line of action taken is not proper one, we call it evil; and when the manifestation of its proper and high, we call it good. But the impulse is the same, the struggle towards freedom. The saint is oppressed with the knowledge of his condition of bondage, and he wants to get rid of it; so he worships God. The thief is oppressed with the idea that he does not possess certain things, and he tries to get rid of that want, to obtain freedom from it; so he steals.

The freedom which the saint seeks is very different from that which the robber seeks; the freedom loved by the saint leads him to the enjoyment of infinite, unspeakable bliss, while that on which the robber has set his heart only forges other bonds for his soul. 

A video of this speech is available in the video player below. Full text of the speech can be found here (Link). This reminds me a Vivekananda quote, "Bold words and bolder deeds are what we want. Awake, awake, great ones! The world is burning with misery. Can you sleep? Let us call and call till the sleeping gods awake, till the God within answers to the call. What more is in life? What greater work?"

And don't we take this pledge here every year on 15th August morning (Link)?

In this solemn morning, when our people by their suffering and sacrifice, have secured freedom and become masters of their destiny, we do dedicate ourselves to the service and welfare of India, to the end that this ancient land attain its rightful and honored place in the world, and makes its full and willing contribution to the promotion of world peace and welfare of mankind. May we have the strength to hold high the banner that has been entrusted to us, and the devotion to serve till the last breath, the cause that it represents.

Comes the Foundation Day, 18th August. We hear the announcement, "In a first, IIT Kharagpur, the oldest among all IITs, will have a centre exclusively for promotion of human values through meditation, yoga, lectures on spiritualism and character building. To be named after Swami Vivekanand, the centre will aim to combine modern education with development of the personality."

To be named after Swami Vivekanand, the centre will aim to combine modern education with development of the personality - See more at: http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/soon-iit-kgp-to-boast-of-a-centre-for-promotion-of-human-values/article1-1253591.aspx#sthash.ynBvXP3L.jaN9jFOL.dpuf

Director, IIT Kharagpur's message had been:

Vivekananda is the ideal of the youth. Hence the centre is being named after him to honour him and inculcate his teachings among the youth. There is a need for leadership and human excellence in addition to regular academic curricula,

Dean, Alumni Affairs and Internal Relations, IIT Kharagpur had this to say.

Swami Vivekanand had proposed the right mix of modern education drawn from the best western ideals with the goal of total development of human personality as envisioned by eastern sages. The centre would be a sanctuary for the soul. It will be located in the middle of a lake with a pristine environment. We hope to start construction in a few months and the centre may be complete by the end of next year.

Exciting days ahead! And the other student group (known as TTG here) with whom I have now the privilege to work, are making it even more exciting with the launch of this blog on the Foundation Day (Link).

Through the vision and efforts of its patrons and members, TTG aspires to play its role humbly while IIT Kharagpur reaches greater heights in R & D space and on this auspicious day, TTG dedicates  itself once again at the service of our beloved alma mater.

Listening To

This was 18th August, 2011 Foundation Day lecture at Netaji Auditorium by Mr. Sandipan Chakravortty, our alumnus and M.D. of a TATA enterprise. I tried with our alumni office who in turn made a contact with Mr. Chakravortty. But as it appeared this was an extempore and he did not carry any written material that can be mailed. Therefore, I present here what I could scribble in the invitation card that I carried to the auditorium.

Mr. Chakravortty told the students, "As IITians, first brand yourself as human being. Being IITians, you are different from others. You are inspirational leader with a backbone of integrity." He talked about wide spread corruption and felt proud when he said that there are "no IITians in this space and IITians hold head high."

He continued on what Industry wants from an young engineer, a being who is physically and mentally healthy; has good domain knowledge; good communication ability, believes in team work, integrity, by nature ambitious, dynamic, innovative. He observed that we grow up as individuals in school. However, the IIT life teaches team work.

Next, he said, "You must have spiritual feelings." By this he meant listening to the call of conscience. He differentiated 'good' and 'great' by this yard stick. Good people are efficient. Great people are efficient and listen to the call of conscience.

He warned if 'lust of knowledge' is replaced by 'lust of money' among IIT students. He feels hurt when media highlights highest salary received by an IIT student from campus placement as a scoring point of one IIT over another. Finally, he said that TATA enterprises are highest tax payers and do not do accounting tricks to reduce tax burden. The guiding philosophy of J. R. D. Tata "is not to look at profits but how much tax that has been paid. Paying tax is a matter of pride."