Jazzonomics

The Mystery of the Missing Chicken Leg Piece

2012-01-23T08:31:00.001-08:00

This could draw flak from various quarters. Notwithstanding my designation as a final year (who are supposed to be aloof of petty and minor things), this is a controversy that I am determined to address in my blog before graduating.

Indian readers of my blog would not find it difficult to associate with the hostel mess system. For the foreign readers (if any!), a rough analogy would be a catered dormitory/hall of residence but without any kitchen system. So, rather than cook my own food, I depend on the mess for my fooding requirements for a nominal charge. Sounds like a nice little arrangement, but here is the catch. Mess food is possibly the closest I can imagine to what I might be given to eat if I were to serve a term in Kala Pani.

It may sound gross. But even though it is a widely known fact that mess food is nowhere hygienic and close to the minimum prescribed quality (what with stray puppies/dogs and kittens roaming the dining hall!), no attempt has ever been made to change it. The blame has been squarely put on a corrupt bureaucracy that nobody can do anything about. If I were to have lunch, I would wait for a spoon (which would smell of soap water) for 5 minutes near the washing area with flies buzzing around my food plate. The washing procedure has been aptly described as being very efficient, “Dip in hot water, dip in soap water and finally dip in cold water.” While a new dining hall costing 15000,000 INR could be constructed (which eventually served as a ‘pathway’ to exit the first dining hall!), it was considered a waste of resources to buy a handful of new spoons.

Ok Ok. But what is this mumbo jumbo all about? What of the missing leg piece? A simple way to understand this would be a two port network. Dozens of live chickens arrive at the mess in the morning, and after some processing inside a black box, what remains is a few cooked chicken bones (sometimes with a little bit of flesh), invariably without any leg pieces! In one particular instance, a chicken leg was found but with minimal flesh. A possible surmise for this rare occurrence has been attributed to the spread of polio to chickens [really?! ;) ]. If this reminds you of Food Inc., fear not, this is much worse.

The scale at which nutritional deficit occurs in this arrangement is unimaginable. Think of 10,000 students at one IIT and multiply that by the number of IITs in India: 15, and you begin to get a small glimpse into the problem. Every week, without fail (summer, winter or rain), the same course is served for lunch: Chickpea, random vegetables/fish, chickpea, random vegetables/fish, chickpea, random vegetables/fish, chickpea. I have a start up idea for the IITs. One that could compete hand in hand with the “VLCC weight loss program”. Some possible success stories:

“Believe it or not, I lost 5 kgs in one week of mess food. Yes, its disgusting and smelly, but it works!”

“Before coming to IIT, I was always depressed because I was taunted about my weight. Now I am even more depressed but I have lost weight! 15 kgs in two weeks! Beat that.”

A rather clichéd question has been: what purpose would such a critique serve to changing the system? My answer: if we cannot solve it at the ground level, the problem is higher up, or somewhere else. By reaching out to a wider audience, it might be possible to bring in policy changes at different levels. I do not intend to provide any solutions (other than possibly advocating an optional mess system and a more subjective feedback system). This has been discussed over and over at various forums. More than anything else, if there is a willingness to change things, I am sure improvements will happen and for the better. Looking forward to fatter and healthier IITians when I come back to Kgp 5 years from now! ;)

PS1: Writing after a re-a-a-a-lly long gap! :)

PS2: Does this sound like an SOP (Statement of Purpose)? Happens when you’re obsessed with applying to universities!

PS3: This one is a really long (and acerbic?) post, but I hope to receive some interesting and constructive comments!

Campus Happenings: Potpourri of Activity

2011-11-28T13:03:00.001-08:00

It’s been a while since my last post, and after all the Finnish stuff, it is time to get back to ground reality in India. Even though it may not possible to compress a semester’s worth into a single post, a few keywords have essentially looped throughout the last few months in bhaat sessions – Apping, placements, BTP, grades, HHSS Ravi Shankar, SOS (Sociology of Science!) blah blah blah …

The most exciting event however, has been the arrival of a new carrom board to our wing (with much ado and fanfare)! Yayy! Fervent battles have been fought, delicate shots have been played, “Jacuzzi shots” have been invented and ~~State~~ District level players have been toppled – all in the last few weeks.

JAcuZZi shot., /jəˈko͞ozē SHät/ 2011, CTE (name of wing) proprietary phrase, originating from “a random carrom shot hit by Jazz that cuts across the board and pockets at least two coins in at least 50% of the attempts”. Now a general term for any shot that works on the probability principle (higher the coins on board and higher the power into the shot, higher the probability of pocketing) and gives an aura of a “Rube Goldberg shot”.

This brings me to another interesting point that I wanted to make – I don’t approach placements in the same way I approach carrom. Although most people here approach it in the “JAcuZZi way” consciously or unconsciously (a discussion on this isn’t something I intend here), I’ve been making a deliberate effort to be somewhat narrow and focussed this time around.

This is possibly because of two interesting events that have really stood out – visit of HHSS Ravi Shankar to our campus lately, and a fantastic book that I read - “Code Name God”. It is about the saga of a man of Physics (from IIT Kharagpur, and that does strike a chord somewhere) who became blasé with all the worldly pleasures and found respite in the ancient art of meditation and Yoga. In the process, he also attempts to unify science and spiritually. Quite a read!!

Pandit Ravi Shankar was a revelation. Far from the preaching Sadhu that I expected, he was very modern and talked in fairly simple terms avoiding complex Sanskrit shlokas and references. Some have been really useful, and I’ve been implementing them (with somewhat limited success). For instance, I’ve started being more alert (awake 70% of the lecture) in classes by “being mindful” of my thoughts and breath.

Of course, all of this doesn’t mean I’ve become all spiritual. It is just a new perspective that I’ve found and an interesting topic to read up upon! That’s all for now! More after placement season. Cheers!!

Moi Moi Suomi

2011-07-22T01:53:00.001-07:00

So, after a somewhat short stint in Finland: I finally return to India. I won’t go into my reverse-culture-shock (honking cars, hot & humid weather, crowded streets, no drinking water in Hall, no awesome-laundry and red tape were some key words #welcome-back-to-India) when I returned as that may not be so pleasant for the readers.

Canada Day: My best ever!

However, the last 15 days may have been one of the most memorable moments of my life, starting with Canada Day on July 1st. Though I had no idea what it meant, the idea of French-Canadian Crepes (sounds like a treaty!) with maple syrup was enticing enough to bring me to the lab kitchen. To me, it was a cross between omelettes and Dosas, but never mind: it was quiet good.

B’day parties!

I wasn’t going to miss anything. Oh, so you’re going to a bar for the party? Ahem, mm, well … ok, I’ll get some juice. Bottoms up, anyone?

For the other party, there was a variation of dumb charades with personalities. Keywords (read pseudorandom guesses) were Nelson Mandela and the pyramids (Tipping point, Scrabble, ellipsis anyone?).

Hula Hooping & Barbeque. Any takers? Hello? #pre-last-15-days

No one? Well, at least there is one such gentleman that I know of. Very good exercise for the tummy, especially after a good meal of steaks, bread, cheese and all the other stuff.

Oh, by the way, if you are looking for moves to start off with, do drop in here: your one stop guide to hooping! (The playlist deserves special mention).

Berry bee goode

Blueberry season finally arrives. Not knowing that the berries are also meant for the bees, wasps (whatever) and the rest of the animals can be somewhat hazardous.

But some effort (police in black dress in black speed-boat? #all-black. No, you don’t get arrested for picking blueberries. Long story) has to go in for a really tasty blueberry pie.

And it all ends with a glass of juice

Mbar, one of the most happening places in Helsinki. Quiet and almost inconspicuous in the day, it springs to activity in the evenings:

Live DJ, clinking of glasses and the ambient noise. Truly a treat for the senses.

Might have come here daily if I knew of it before! But as someone remarked, it was all planned out to the minute.

Moi Moi Suomi!

Update: Just realised that this was my 100th post!

Aye, aye Vice-Captain

2011-06-19T13:19:00.001-07:00

C: Hey! Watch out!

Boom!

VC: Aah. That hurt. What was that?

I will never forget the name after that. Hard to tell if that was meant to be onomatopoeic but that was a tough way to learn the name. Sailing is not for amateur photographers like me. But you can always steer the boat for a few miles in the open sea without crashing into many things.

Subtleties Involved

There are certain subtleties involved like you always have to take the boat on the right of the green sticks (so that you don’t go to shallow waters). Then you have to keep saving your location on the GPS and check the map once in a while. Other than that, if you know the ropes right, you are all set to sail! According to the captain (C), one week should be enough to learn how to navigate the seas independently.

Bastards & Fishy Business

One could see the sea gulls following the ships in search of fish that had been thrown onto the surface of the water because of the movement. Then, there was a really beautiful view of the famous fort of Suomenlinna from the sea. And not to forget the racing yatches, barges, ships and boats in the sea that come in all shapes and sizes (and colours).

One particular yatch kept following us around for no reason at all! At times, World War II era propeller bombing aircrafts could be seen droning away in the sky. On the whole, apart from the cool breeze, it was really calm.

I was about to relax but hey! what is that?! A pirate ship! Heading straight at us. Ok. Brace yourselves.

Danger Staved off.

The important thing to keep in mind is to keep having some Karelian Pasties. This not only ensures that you are never hungry but also lets you look you super calm and scares away the pirates.

Talking about amateur photography, how about a small collage of photos taken while sailing and sailoring?

Now I know why Finnish people spend long vacations (going to different countries even! The Greek islands are pretty much preferred) in the sea on solar powered sailing boats equipped with refrigerator, kitchen, bedrooms and complicated toilets. An amazingly eco-friendly way to have an awesome vacation!

Moi Moi.

PS1: If you are wondering who the bastard is, click here. I didn’t do the christening!

PS2: For a possible origin of the name above, see this.

PS3: Some fun facts about sailing:

No sailing license required for privately owned non-motorized boats!
You always wave your hand to someone passing by. Really nice sea-culture.

Regular readers must be tired of the long postscripts. But that wasn’t the end of the post. The post ends now.

Hei Hei.

PS: Could I call this a nested post script?

Jugendstil Buildings of Helsinki

2011-06-05T17:19:00.001-07:00

Helsinki is one of those few towns in Europe which does not dwell on castles and churches to paint its cityscape. The Jugendstil architecture of Helsinki is defined by a spacious and minimalistic look that is a vestige of the idea of futuristic buildings in the early 19th century.

The stock exchange that you see to the left is one of the numerous buildings that were constructed at the height of the romantic movement in Finland. Although no longer used for active trading, it is one of those places that is a subset of must-see-Art Nouveau in Helsinki.

First up, on our itinerary though was the Pohjola building. Originally meant to be the offices of the Pohjola Fire insurance company but now turned into a run of the mill office building, one could clearly see the influence of Kalevala on the buildings: the beautiful spiral staircases ending in a skylight shaped like an egg (which apparently gave rise to the universe). And then you have references to the birds that laid the egg:

It seems, many of these buildings were designed by young people who won architecture competitions. Most of them cared the least about reigning architectural styles. In fact, reeling under the repressive rule of the Russians, the Finns were looking for something that was unique to them and these young architects provided them with just that! Then there was the Uschakoffin house now turned into a café. The original stained glass was no longer to be found. However, one could still find the owls that are quintessential of Nordic Art Nouveau.

And finally, the trip concluded with a visit to the Helsinki central railway station. Masterpiece of Eliel Saarinen, it stands testimony to the spirit of Jugendstil in Helsinki.

Suomi Diaries: A trip to Nuuksio

2011-06-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

One of the really cool things about the supermarket in Otaniemi is that it opens at 7 in the morning and closes at 11 in the night.

For comparison, the Tech market in Kharagpur would open for 6 hours in a day and remain closed on all (inter)-national/state holidays and Mondays.

The other really cool thing about the Aalto campus is the cafeteria system for lunch – the staff have the same food as the students. Only thing - it is subsidised for the students. Browse through their menus and go to any cafeteria you wish.

Today was one of those rare days when both the cafeteria as well as the supermarket was closed! And you couldn’t turn to the latest Otaniemi Sensation because it wasn’t a Sunday. A trip to Nuuksio National Park was inevitable (unless I wanted to sit in my room twiddling my thumbs). Not really sure of what to expect, I jumped the bandwagon. It wasn’t very difficult reaching the place thanks to amazingly detailed descriptions of routes on the Journey Planner.

And then you could find amazingly detailed terrain maps in the Tourist Information Centres to navigate the area with information about location of camp sites, lakes and even about details such as the kind of trees (conifer/non-conifer) to be found at a particular place.

After a bit of a dilemma*, some crazy ringing sounds in the woods (read lost mobile phones), we finally found a spot that overlooked a lake.

Someone commented that the small piece of land in the lake looked like the famous painting of Michelangelo: The Creation of Adam. Come to think of it, even the colours seem to somewhat match!

One could find people going fishing, hiking, biking, ~~swimming and picking blueberries~~. (It was too cold for swimming and it is a while for the blueberry season).

We picked up some interesting lines of conversation which I will not describe in detail here. Compressing a 4D event into 2D photographs does cause some amount of data loss. Maybe some of them could be the subject of a blog post!

Hei Hei!!

* We couldn’t really resolve*** our starting points and destinations owing to low signal quality on the mobile phone and an interesting fact** I learnt about how the sun moves near the poles.

**East to West via North/South depending on the season (summer/winter). The peak elevation remains about 60 degrees and not 90 degrees like near the equator. To compound matters, it was around noon: but the sun wasn’t exactly on top of our heads because the noon doesn’t always divide the day into exactly two halves. It depends on the rising and setting time of the sun!

*** See photo above.

Summers Finnished – Not Yet!

2011-05-28T17:24:00.001-07:00

Moi. It has been an interesting one month in Finland now and if you have been wondering why there haven’t been any updates from me, that is partly because the Brain stuff has kept most of my brain occupied.

PJs apart, Finland is a beautiful country. Here are some nice shots I took from my digital camera.

As you can see, all of them are taken in the day. It gets dark for not more than three or four hours in a day. Of course, none of these are famous landmarks that you are likely to find on the Wiki pages. Some of them are taken on the jogging track (12 kms long!!), others from the bird watch tower close to my apartment and a few at a place called Suomenlinna.

But its really cold out here! No wonder Finland won the Ice Hockey Championships without breaking a sweat! Finnish people are very attached to their language. Practically everything from my work contract to items in the supermarket – everything is in Finnish.

Of course, almost everything here is highly advanced. Take for instance, the transportation system. From telling the time of arrival of the next bus/tram at the bus station, integrated travel card for all modes of transportation, cultural trams to live tram maps, it has everything that a passenger could possibly want!

Or the way in which the waste is disposed – different containers for cartons, metals, biodegradable, plastics and mixed waste! And not to forget the recycling centre at the University where one could exchange second hand items free of cost!

The litmus test for a techie is of course – the internet speed. Here are some interesting (crazy?) speeds I got. If you are more inclined to outdoor activities, a wide range of selection is available: roller skating, kayaking, Ultimate Frisbee et. al all inside the University campus.

I guess there couldn’t have been a better place to spend my summers! I have reached my word limit. More in the next post.

Hyvä päivä!!

A Question of Relative Motion

2011-03-30T09:04:00.001-07:00

A very interesting discussion came up the other day while we were having a cup of tea in the canteen. The question in contention was:

If a traveller from India boarded a flight to US and then came back, would it take longer one way than the other?

Assumptions

Several simplifying assumptions were taken: no atmosphere which means no drag, no viscous force etc. etc. And of course, we are to do the correction for the time difference to arrive at the final figure.

Several arguments in favour and against it were put forth. To start off with, A argued that it is a simple case of relative motion. You go one way, your relative velocity is higher. You go the other, your relative velocity is lower. So, obviously, it would take different times. Simple enough.

Bump, an apple hit me! (That makes me Newton v2.0?)

“Do you mean to say that if I were to simply take a plane up in the air and hold it stationary there, I would reach USA after 12 hours?” B put forth. “Or if I throw an apple up in the air in a moving bus, it will come back and hit me”, said B consolidating his argument with an analogy.

Playing with Apples on a Bus Top (Nike?)

C pitched in A’s defence stating that the time period in consideration here was very less. What if I stood on top of the bus and threw an apple up in the air? The bus isn’t accelerating. Would the apple come back on me or would it fall behind?

“Of course, it would come back and drop on me”, said A. “Newton’s first law. A body continues to remain in its state of motion unless acted upon by an external force. The external force while throwing up is only in the vertical direction. So, it continues to move with the velocity of the bus while in air.”

My First love: To be a Space Scientist (Ending up in IIT was chance)

A continues , “How do you think a geo-stationary satellite works? It continues moving and remains above a specific country all the time even though the earth is rotating.” A had now switched sides.

Intimidated and discombobulated, C argued, “OK, but think of this. The plane works on the principle of jet propulsion. There is a horizontal force in action”. Silent upto now, D jumps on board the discussion. “That is not an external force. It works on the principle of conservation of momentum.”

Ricocheting Arguments!!

C put forth a last ditch effort to save his argument. “Fine, but how do you explain this? You board a plane at day time in India and after travelling 15 hours, it is still daytime when you land. That clearly means that your relative position with respect to the sun hasn’t changed much even after 15 hours of flight. Which was what B was saying. I take the plane up. Let it remain stationary with respect to the sun and lo behold! I reach USA. The plane expends all the energy only to remain stationary in space.”

Clearly, everybody was quiet frustrated and disoriented by now. All tea cups were empty. I for a fact decided that this wasn’t my cup of tea. Back in the room, I sat back, relaxed and started my first assignment from CAOS class: Fahrenheit 451.

Post Scripts

PS1: The flow of arguments may not be exactly the same as discussed. Some changes have been made to present all view points. In fact, there were more than four people.

PS2: I checked the flight timings. There seems to be a difference of 3 hours either way in most flights. Don’t ask me why that is.

PS3: If you didn’t read what was written above and directly skipped to the happy ending, to make a long story short: it is a question of relative motion.

Beggars to Entrepreneurs

2011-03-13T04:10:00.001-07:00

Travelling in local trains is always a difficult experience. Sometimes it is enlightening too.

This weekend, for example I found that beggars can be entrepreneurs too. They aren’t as dumb as they are made out to be.

Here are some striking instances where the begging party applies itself to the situation at hand.

At the ticket counter: If you have ever told a beggar that you don’t have change to give him, beware. Enter the modern day street smart beggar. Standing at the ticket counter, waiting for you to give him the Re 1 change that you got from the counter. No excuses now.
Catch me game: This was a really smart lady who sent her small kid to go around to get something. On receiving the coin, the kid would throw the coin or roll it across to her mother as if it were a game he was playing. Not surprisingly, he was more successful than her mother at raising funds. The true virtuosity of the kid came to light when he got a packet of biscuits from a generous bystander and returned beaming to his mother holding it like a trophy.

A third instance, to whom I had referred in passing here, was the snake charming beggar.

Obviously, as impressed I was, so was I distressed. Why did these people not spend their energy on something more productive? Rather than spend their time begging (which did not come across as an easy profession to me), why not go out there and do something of value. Maybe sell some newspapers. Or start a roadside food stall. Or become a local tourist guide. Thousands of possibilities.

What drove them to beg is a mystery to me? Was it their attitude, the government or just chance. I have many questions but no answers.

The Search Ends

2011-03-04T01:34:00.001-08:00

After some amount of procrastination, I finally decided to put some of my random thoughts into a structured blog post.

It has been a hectic semester searching for and finalizing internships. After quiet a bit of fight, I will have to settle with Finland. Casting away thoughts of posting a laconic A?! on Facebook as my status message, I think it would be more satisfying going through the whole process step by step and looking at some of the ups and downs I had.

August-September ’10

Internship season begins. After the initial jitters, ITC finally comes to campus. I get my first experience of a real GD. Not to be remembered, I must admit. I had hardly learnt from experiences last year.

September-November ’10

I never thought getting internships could be this hard. ITC selected 8 from the whole batch. Deutsche Bank selected one from the 3rd years. Schlumberger was my best bet. Made it to the interview stage after a somewhat arbitrary GD (Topic was “Rolling & Stones”).

Interview was even more arbit. Here is a sample:

I: Do you drink?

Me: (Brief Pause) No.

I: Do you listen to rock music?

Me: Yes.

I: Which is your favourite band?

Me: Pink Floyd.

I: You don’t drink and listen to Pink Floyd?! Don’t fib! (Laughs)

Me: (Sheepish smile & an awkward silence)

Although everybody described their interviews as good. I knew the moment the interview ended that I had a very slim chance of making it through.

December-January ’10

Companies coming to the campus had started to dry up. Even those that came didn’t sound very attractive. I started to forget about the internship and concentrate on other things.

SF came and went. I made it to the final 6 teams on 2 occasions in a marked improvement over last year’s performance. Some of the keywords that stood out were Suppandi, The Tipping Point and Scrabble!! (That is an in-joke!)

February-March ’10

Finally, internship gets finalized in Finland. I was pretty excited but institute rules and regulations regarding foreign internships somewhat dampened the atmosphere. Couldn’t really define the exact moment when I got the internship. But, I guess I’m pretty satisfied about it. And more than anything else, the work there sounds quiet interesting.

Had my first taste of an inter-hall event in March when I got a bronze in Whats the Good Word. Keywords were Poltu and Farziaap. More about it in the next post. Cheers!!

PS: On a somewhat unrelated note, I love Asok, the intern

A Beginner’s Guide to Travelling On a Local Train

2010-12-11T10:30:00.001-08:00

You’ll Need: One handkerchief (a must), 3 one rupee coins, one 10 rupee note, plenty of cash, headphones, empty purse

Step 1: Buy your ticket

If you have ever come across a joke like the one below and believe that this really works, you are in for trouble.

Engineers may be smarter than accountants. But Ticket Collectors are smarter still (in India!).

Step 2: Reserve thy seat

This is where your most precious item comes into play. Even before the train stops or the doors of the compartment open, drop in your kerchief on your favourite window seat. Now, not even Sheldon can move you from your seat!

Step 3a: Put on your headphones

Whether you wish to listen to Pink Floyd, Jagjit Singh or Enrique is your choice. But putting on headphones is a must. This will help you ignore all the low-profile scums and beggars that come along.

There will be surprises. Don’t panic. You cannot ignore little girls coming with harmless snakes in round boxes to be opened at the right moment (Pandora’s Box!?). Use your first lifeline. 1st one rupee coin. You have only 3 lifelines. So take utmost care while using them.

Step 3b: Take off your glasses

If you happen to be among the self-evident geeks with big spectacles on your nose, better take them off once seated. That way they cannot be kidnapped for ransom. In the worst possible case, use your 10 rupee note.

Step 3c: Know thy train

For more details, look up extension of joke above.

SPOILER (highlight to reveal): On another trip on a local train, the engineers buy 3 tickets and the accountants buy no ticket. Guess who is smarter?

Step 4: Follow the herd

Be ready before your station arrives. Once the train arrives, do not hesitate. Do not think. Just follow the herd.

Durga Puja @Kolkata: My 5

2010-10-20T12:13:00.001-07:00

Shubho Bijoya/Happy Vijayadashami to all my esteemed readers. It may be a tad late but better late than never.

This Durga Puja was a special one for me as it was the first time I went Pandal hopping in the heart of the festival: in Kolkata. The list of Mandaps are endless and what I could cover is but a small fraction of the humongous number of Pandals in the city. My list is by no means comprehensive or the final word. However, it does offer a sneak peak into this wonderful festival.

The Third Eye

If there is one thing that Bollywood can learn from these Pujo Mandaps are how to not run out of ideas. From Mandaps made of Spoons, Gamchas (Towels!) to thatched roofed ones, the Mandaps had left no stone unturned. But this one according to me was the mother of all! The third eye representing knowledge encompassing everything else.

Writer’s Building

This is a Mandap with a mission. The catchphrase - ‘Dori Dhore Maro Taan/Raja Hobe Khaan Khaan’ is a clarion call to all the people of Bengal to bring in a change at the Writer’s building: the seat of power of the government. Looking at the enormous structure, one really wonders how much money was spent on this to gain the requisite political leverage!

Para Pujo

With the theme of Para (locality) Pujo, this Mandap was wonderfully decorated. Visiting it during the evening added to the charm. The lighting and the props used for the Mandap were amazing. All the buildings around the Mandaps had been decorated. It wasn’t just the Durga idol but the overall atmosphere that in itself was electrifying (literally! they used electric diyas instead of traditional oil diyas!).

The 10 Hands!

This one was a little hatke. The asura (demon) was in the center with 10 hands attacking it from all directions. Although there was a regular Murti as well at the same place, this was the cynosure of all eyes.

Didi’s Creation

How could I leave this one? Conceptualized by the highly evolved mind of Mamata Banerjee, this was a Mandap with a message. What message? God knows! The Mandap itself in the form of an igloo/planetarium was an outlier. So why did it make it to my list? Because it was an outlier.

Others That Almost Made It

PS: There were many others: Mudiyali Club, College Square, Shib Mandir etc. etc. The big crowd didn’t permit stable photos (with all the pushing and stuff!) of those Pandals. My legs really hurt with all the walking. But it was a good experience!

Movie Review: Dabangg

2010-09-25T12:48:00.000-07:00

Dabangg is not one of the regular lovey-dovey romantic type movies that are churned out every now and then by the Indian film industry in Bollywood. High on style quotient and in every manner of word, Dabangg: fearless, this is definitely one of those movies that you must add on top of your must-watch list.

To start with, I was tempted to draw parallels of the movie with The Matrix (dodging stuff!) and Sherlock Holmes (look at the final fighting scene in the trailer: ditto Sherlock Holmes), but after getting warmed up to the movie, one realizes that this movie is much above all that. This movie is going to have a cult following in its own right.

Some of the dialogues in the movie for instance are hilarious (हम तुममे इतने छेद कर देंगे कि पता नहीं चलेगा कि साँस कहाँ से ले और पादे कहाँ से) and really gives you the feel of a देसी "Made in India" (not one of those imported ones that you can find if you walk into any cinema hall these days) movie. Salman Khan embraces the character of Chulbul Pandey aka "Robin Hood" Pandey with ease what with the narrow moustache and the sunglasses which he puts behind his neck जिससे आगे भी और पीछे भी नज़र रहे.

The accelerated/decelerated camera frames, the panning of the camera and the the background music playing whenever Salman Khan is in a scene that demands some amount of studappa really adds to the zing in the movie. And how can one forget the dance scenes with some amazing lighting (Diwali style? notice the expanding hearts on Salman Khan’s glasses!) and refreshingly unorthodox dance moves (How they move their belts?!) that are unlike any other Bollywood movie in recent memory.

One is so enraptured by the antiques of Chulbul that one really doesn’t seem to notice much of the plot. One does find surprises along the way, not many of course but a few small ones for sure (the death of Chulbul’s mother for instance or the Mango box which very innocuously seemed nothing but a box full of mangoes!).

Content-wise it wouldn’t possibly add up to much, but it is a movie with some class and some Masala. This isn’t a movie for the film critique to analyse an intricately woven plot. But a movie for the masses that is fun-packed, low on Funda but surely full of clean, pure entertainment! Go, watch it!

OP a la Control Systems

2010-08-09T08:34:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer: This isn’t meant to be a technically sound post. Any similarity with electrical devices either existent or non-existent is purely coincidental. The author of this post is not to be held responsible for any content that is either a result of frustrating lab sessions or somnolent lectures.

Actuators: I remember the first time I was in the common room. The GSecs introduced themselves. The Warden was there. And then it all started. Everything was set into motion. Who are the actuators? We all know!

Motors: I always wondered why second years always did the brunt work. Whether it was making the diyas for Illu, winning the GC or shifting rooms, everything was done by the 2nd years. Then I realized it is all part of a system: a control system.

Feedback: Now this is where things get interesting. The unique thing about OP in Nehru Hall is that it is a closed loop system. Not an open loop like in many other halls. If things got bad, OP stopped for a day or two and then the 2nd years themselves went and pleaded their seniors to start things again. Perfect mechanism!

Reference: We had 3 common room meetings every week which ran for a duration of 3 hours each. This is the minimum expected of you to become a Nehruite!

(Pressure) Sensors: “Was it too much or anything? This is for your own good.” “No sir, peace. Only xyz seemed to be under some amount of load. (Resistive, capacitive & inductive behaviour all taken into account) ”

System Output: Nehruite!

Note: If some things didn’t make sense, consider it like a 2 port network. All you are concerned about is the input (a non-Nehruite), the output (a Nehruite) and the transfer function (tempo).

A Dozen Ways To Spruce Up Your Summer Vacations

2010-07-14T22:07:00.000-07:00

This is the toughest time of the year. 2 and a half months of languor now coming to a full stop. It all started with euphoria, turning to ennui and now ending with a sense of wistful longing.

It has been a wonderful summer for half a dozen reasons.

For one, I could get back to playing Squash after a long long time (Yeah! Kgp has no squash court and half the IITians don't know that such a game exists. One more reason to detest IITs!?).

Secondly, I could get back to doing what I loved doing most. Reading books. And what better way to spend your vacation than in the company of Joseph Keller, J.D. Salinger, Michael Crichton and the like.

Thirdly, I took this as an opportunity to refuel myself with all the good food that I could get my hands on: Chinese, Italian, authentic Mallu fish curry and Bengali Mach Jhol & Posto bhaath.

Fourthly, I discovered that gambling(?) isn't all that bad. An outhouse at Tambola fetched me not just 300 bucks but a flurry of 10 rupee notes so that I could become a bus conductor if I wanted to (Alternate profession?!).

Fifthly, I discovered the joy of meditating on the sea beach with nothing but the waves crashing against the rocks.

Sixthly, I can now do the one legged situps and use the swiss ball to do pushups in the gym (Beat that!).

Those of you who have been wondering what to do all summer and couldn't come up with something to do: there you are. Half a dozen ways to spruce up your summer vacation.

P.S: You might be inclined to think that bloggers like me are incorrigible narcissistic egocentric personalities. But this is just half of the dozen. The other half is yet to come! More in another post.

P.P.S: Ignore the P.S.

P.P.P.S: I love writing post-post-post scripts. [Nested{P}s?]

P.P.P.P.S: On second thoughts, how did you spend your vacations?! Leave your valuable thoughts as comments to this post.

P.P.P.P.P.S: That is 5 Ps!

55er: Was That A Nightmare?

2010-06-23T20:05:00.000-07:00

My first attempt at any kind of fiction, let alone 55er. It reminds me of those good old days in Xth when we had 50 words as word limit for notices and messages. Exceed the limit by 1 or 2 words, -1/2. Exceed by more than 2 words, -1. It is 55 now. So let’s see.

***

Ramesh was in a fix. Physics was tomorrow and today is Hindi. Four chapters from literature! But he thought today was Physics! Why do they have Hindi in IITs?! Now only physics could rescue him. He sat down quietly and closed his eyes. As he opened his eyes, he was back in his room!

***

PS: That is what I call true teleportation.

PPS: If only they could use technology for such useful purposes. As an aside, why don’t they simply filter out the vuvuzela frequencies instead of banning it?

PPPS: Thank God they have no Hindi in IITs.

മൂന്നാര്::Munnar

2010-06-14T11:36:00.001-07:00

As I looked up from the book, I could see rain all around. Tall trees towering around us. We were moving through the clouds. But no Velociraptors, Dilophosaurus or T.Rex. Thank God.

It seemed we were in for a dampener with the monsoons hitting the coast just as we planned to visit Munnar. The bad weather notwithstanding, we decided to continue.

Persistence always bears sweet fruits. The next day turned out to be much better. (Better weather == better photos && wonderful trip); The tea gardens around Munnar were wonderful. This is where the Kannan Devan brand of Tata comes from. If you happen to visit this place, don’t forget to drop by at the Tata Wholesale Outlet and take all the Tea & spices home.

You would find lots of waterfalls and lots of winding roads as in any other hill station. But what I was really looking for was being atop Anamudi. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be so and we had to settle for a peak that was 200 metres shy of Anamudi.

Apart from that, the echo point was pretty good. Never expected such a good echo with so less effort. I really wonder how the cows in hill stations always look wonderful. Such a contrast to the cows in the plains (Different cultures? Different races? Who knows?!)

Other than the cows, the other animal worth mention is the Nilgiri Tahr. Finding it near the mountain peak grazing in (almost!) herds was quiet a sight.

That was about it. Nice peaceful place to spend some time. No laptop. No TV. Just peace of mind.

As usual, I’ll leave you with some of the highs of the journey.

All photos courtesy Sony Cybershot (Click to enlarge).

	LEGEND
1	Tea Gardens
2	Echo Point
3	Cows
4	Bird’s Eye View
5	Winding Roads
6	Waterfalls
7	Rubber Plantation
8	Nilgiri Tahr
9	Jurassic Park

One Night + Day @ Kgp

2010-05-25T12:09:00.001-07:00

OK. That was one of the dumbest post titles that I have come up with lately. But you cannot expect more out of a title a la Chetan Bhagat. Nonetheless, my luck hasn’t be half as good as his.

Last night as I went to the canteen for some midnight refreshment, I stumbled upon “Country” who after staring at me for some time finally commented, “Are you staying back for the VLSI course?”. “Yes.” “Lots of girls from outside?”. “Not really, it is the same scenario. Nothing different”. “Oh! (Lot of stress on the oh!) Your bad. People in our time judged the scenario in the first two or three days. If the scene was good, they stayed back. Else, swoosh back home.” (It really sounded like those conditionals constructs in C when he was saying it!).

Anyway, I did land up at a Professor’s home a few days back. But there I said. Life isn’t fiction. The nearest I came to “the man on what not to do at IIT” was flipping across some of his books @ Professor’s residence. “Sir, have you read his books?” “Oh yeah! read it after seeing the movie. Interesting. Contrary point of view.”

Vodka at Insti top? The closest I came to the insti-top was a padlocked door that stood between me and history/Chetan Bhagat, closed allegedly for security reasons. Smuggling question papers out of the Professor’s office? “You can copy if you want to, but do not talk” was how our Maths Professor put it when we were taking a test.

OK. So does Chetan Bhagat represent the picture of an IIT which is extinct and only exists in his dreams? Not really. It is difficult to imagine Chetan Bhagat conjure up such novels out of thin air if not for the vibrant campus life at IIT (That reminds me. Signets! Oh, my Signets!). But it is also equally difficult to equate campus life at IIT with 5ps/imagination of Chetan Bhagat.

It is really interesting how novels capture the imagination of the masses. How one might think of the real world and the imaginary world as running in parallel. One drawing the other along but never meeting each other.

Disclaimer (in the end as opposed to Mr. CB): This post isn’t meant to help you choose which college to join. This is just about: what not to read before you get into IIT.

1/2 Engineer

2010-05-03T11:13:00.001-07:00

1/2 Engineer /noun/ An engineering student who has successfully completed his sophomore year at college.

OK. That wasn’t from the Merriam Webster. But there had to some way to commemorate 2 years in IIT Kharagpur. To tell the world, there you are: I am (half) ready.

From … To

For me, it has been quiet a journey. From the first day in Bhatnagar Auditorium where we attentively listened to our Maths Professor blurting out a 50 OKs/minute to the Signets exam when I discovered that taking Electrical Engineering was possibly the worst decision of my life. From the day when I used to crib about grades to the day when I had to fight for grades. From being a freshman in MMM hall to a sophomore in Nehru hall (The much dreaded PAN loop!). From the euphoria of student activity in IITKgp to disillusionment of the poltu in Kharagpur.

Mr. 1/2 Engineer, how is it like to be a 1/2 engineer?

And now as I enter my third year in college, a strange feeling creeps in me. A kind of responsibility shoved into my hands. The feeling that we are going to be the ones our juniors will look up to. That we were no longer going to be the ones seeking for advice but the ones giving advice. (Frankly, I don’t believe much in this advice/funda business. But nonetheless, I can feel a change). And although I cannot claim to know the A of Instrumentation after 2 years of engineering, I can proudly tell anyone: look, I am 1/2 engineer. You don’t know what that means, do you?

d/dx (e^x) = e^x

But some things never change. Sleeping in the class?! Copying assignments? Or sneaking into the class when half of the class was already dozing off! Or messaging your friend: 08XY1234. Proxy Please. These have stood the test of time! What 3rd year beckons, nobody knows. What it has in store is a mystery. But all that matters is we are 1/2 engineers. Here is some food for thought for you before I sign off.

DCE => DTU => IIT. How Justified?

2010-04-12T02:30:00.001-07:00

I was a DCEite once. That was 2 years ago before I cleared JEE and made my way to IIT. That was when DCE was the college where nothing ever happened. Except mass bunks. You could graduate out of DCE and yet you wouldn’t know that you had an engineering degree under your belt. It was all calm out there. But then this happened some time back. DCE got converted into DTU: Delhi Technology University.

Small Fish in A Big Pond

It didn’t sound very good. But well, I thought: it must be for the better. If not, it was possibly a publicity gimmick before the Commonwealth Games. That is all. After all, Indians have an affliction towards changing names. Bombay –> Mumbai, Calcutta –> Kolkata, Madras –> Chennai… the list goes on. If this could be the fate of 3 of the 4 metro cities of India (and that of ~~DIT~~ NSIT too!), then I guess DCE is just a small fish in a big pond. And how did it matter anyway?

A Reason To Protest

There was a catch though. When DCE got upgraded(?) to DTU, the fees got hiked and the student intake increased. Now, disturbing as it may sound, I am sure this wasn’t the only reason for the disturbance. Such events always build up. I could draw an analogy with the Rohit Kumar case. Although everyone at IIT knew of the poor state of affairs of B.C. Roy, nobody really cared as much till the incident. The incident gave them a reason to protest.

The Events

What followed (in fact what generally follows) is a string of protests in support of their cause: candlelight marches, rallies, exam-bunks (as a mark of protest!) and the demands. As an outsider now, all of this seemed a little irrational to me. Why did they want themselves to upgraded to IITs? Didn’t we have 14 IITs already which were struggling to cope up with the existing infrastructure. (Ever tried sharing a room meant for a single person?) If they thought becoming IITs would alleviate their condition, couldn’t they be more mistaken. (And yeah, IITs have proposed a fee hike to Rs 4 lakh a year. Beat that.)

A Pattern

You could protest against the administration in DCE/DTU. Try that in IIT. And IIT without JEE? It may sound very romantic. But let me tell you my dear friends, JEE exists for a reason. And CGPA? Hah! as if it is going to really make a difference. Why decorate the demands with all these when all you want is better infrastructure? Oh, this might also be a nice chance to settle a few personal scores: The Director, the Sports Director and the rest of them. Didn’t we do that in Kgp as well? Who is the present Director of IITKgp now?

Coming to a Consensus

I could really see frightening parallels. This was how students protested the world over. And this was how the administration reacted: almost always. It is almost a pattern. And yet those protesting failed to see it.

I have been a part of DCE. And possibly a part of me is still in DCE yearning for the college life that I had there. But possibly my experience at IIT has made me look at things from a slightly different perspective. And as I write this post, I wonder if the protests could serve their purpose without drowning in the irrational? Could there be a genuine attempt to come to a consensus rather than just being a part of the mob? Could DCEites display a certain amount of maturity in dealing with such matters. After all, they consider themselves the crown in the crown of Delhi.

P.S.1: I am aware that this post might draw some sharp reactions from certain corners. However, I would ask you to ponder on what I have written above before jumping to conclusions.

P.S.2: I changed over from DCE to IIT. Mixed feelings. DCE becomes IIT. Feels a little strange.

Why I Hate Telephonic Interviews

2010-04-02T23:55:00.001-07:00

It is not just the weather, but the atmosphere in general. With constant urging from all directions to fix something for the summer so that things can be finalised and the end-semester exam (almost) knocking on the doors, the heat surely is getting to me.

To make matters worse, I have had to deal with this (new to me) format of interviews – telephonic interviews. And I have started to hate telephonic interviews. Here are my reasons:

#1. You’re Immersed in A Movie and the protagonist is going to kill the antagonist when the mobile rings. Tidi-Tidi-ti-ti-Tidi-Tidi-ti-ti. And then the caller-id shows an unknown number. You wonder if it is worth it pausing the movie at the climax and receiving the call. You hope it is not one of those “useless kind of calls which you really regret receiving” and press the green button.

#2. It happens All of A Sudden. A booming voice ready to take an interview informs you that he is going to have a little tete-a- tete with you for 10-15 minutes and that’ll be about it.

#3. Having Taken It For Granted That You Had been Rejected you had completely forgotten about it. Now as the questions start bombing in, you wonder what to do.

#4. You Weren’t Ready For It

#5. A Silence Is a Silence on A Telephone. You can’t show the interviewer that you are thinking. So, you start drawling out answers slowly and (almost as if) from memory. The interviewer listens calmly. Then you feel you are too slow and then you mess up further. You are almost feeling like a helpless lamb being slaughtered not because the interviewer was saying anything but because the silence was killing you.

#6. There Is no Eye Contact. So there is no way for you to tell the interviewer: Hey look at me. Look at the gleam in my eyes. Look at the enthusiasm in me. Can’t you see kitna tempo hai mujhme.

#7. It isn’t as Long as You Think It is. You look at the watch. You have been 5 minutes into the interview and you’re already saying your goodbyes. That sure isn’t 10-15 minutes!

You know that your fate is sealed. You give in to your fate, set a status message on GTalk: “Why do I suck at interviews?” and decide that it is going to be your next blog post. And then you hit the spacebar.

Summer is here but where are the Mangoes?

2010-03-23T07:40:00.001-07:00

The Advent of Summer

Summer is back. And with a bang. It has been very difficult attending the afternoon classes of late. With temperatures soaring to 40 degrees and the point of maxima not in sight, the question that is crossing everybody’s mind is: where are the mangoes?

When will the Mess catch up?

The Mess is late to catch up (as usual. What is new in that?). (Tomato/whatever) soup that was being dished out in the winter was replaced with oranges last week! Imagine, oranges in summer! Yuk, it sucked big time. Mess food won’t change. You do what you want – change the administration, mess committee members or hike the funds, but mess food will always be vegetables floating in a pool of oil. I guess expecting mangoes in mess is expecting a little too much.

Apart from being a delicious fruit (what is an orange when compared to a mango. After all, it is the king of fruits!), it has a high nutritional value as well. Mangoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, both important antioxidant nutrients. That gives us one more reason to have mangoes at Mess. (Mess committee members – make a note of that.)

Go Green Go Mango

As a young boy, I have fond memories of eating mangoes (lots and lots of them) so that I could plant mango trees as part of my summer vacation project work (That’s tree plantation for you.) I loved mango juice more than any other form of juice and mango flavoured ice-cream has been my all time favourite.

My Favourites

Gud-Aam chutney (mango in jaggery), a speciality of Bengal I believe can be an amazing dish to finish off one’s lunch with. Not to mention the dozen other pickles and jams that are mango flavoured. Add mango to a dish and you have a sumptuous dish from an otherwise bland dish. This tropical fruit can do wonders.

With the hope that I’ll have lots of delicious mangoes this summer, I sign off this post. Do check out my new Mango Django Jazzonomics template. And yeah, if you haven’t subscribed to Jazzonomics already, you can subscribe by clicking here and continue receiving regular updates this summer.

Subjectivity vs Objectivity

2010-03-14T10:38:00.001-07:00

This is a question that has been haranguing me for a long time. Should one put subjectivity over objectivity or objectivity over subjectivity.

The Board Exams

When I was in Xth, I was taught that I had to present my matter well in the Board exams because the examiner got paid very poorly for the answer-scripts. So, I should try and make things easier for him. And that I did, with wonderful results.

However, it has led me to think about the candidates who were as good if not better than me but ended up with lower marks just because they could not present the matter well.

Step Marking

But then came along IIT. Either you get a zero or full marks. Nothing in between. Nothing for knowing how to go about it. They said it was a question of lives. If you designed a faulty bridge that collapsed, you had failed. You couldn’t go around saying that you had designed the method by the right method. It was the classic case of operation successful but patient dead.

They had a point. But what could they expect out of candidates in 3 hours of tense exam? Shouldn’t they be awarding step marks?

Why I like sports

The best thing about sports is the objectivity. You are either first or you aren’t. Either you ran the race in 10 seconds or you didn’t. You either lifted 100 kgs or you didn’t. Nobody can counter you on that point. Either it is or it isn’t. No middle ground.

And why I hate politics

Politics in the generic sense which pervades our daily lives. For me, it would possibly be the Hall, Kgp elections, interviews and so and so forth. I have felt it is all subjective. What may be good for me may not be good for you. What I like you don’t. What is a perfect answer for me in an interview is possibly the worst answer you could possibly think of.

So, is the verdict in favour of Objectivity? Not really. I wouldn’t want to flunk an exam just because it wasn’t my day. I knew the things but it was just that – it wasn’t my day. Shouldn’t you be awarding me for the hard work that I put in through the year? And oh! nobody would be reading my blog if it was either good or bad. Nothing in between.

What is your opinion? Subjectivity or Objectivity?

The Physics of Weightlifting

2010-03-07T15:45:00.001-08:00

After months of practise, hard work (typical ain’t it?) has yielded results. The medal at open IIT Powerlifting reaffirmed some of my beliefs of the alchemical process

Mentors play a very significant if not pivotal role.
One has to be inebriated by hope and leave the rest to chance. (I am not much of a believer of a greater Force, but I do believe in the chance mechanism)
Independent thought is necessary in any endeavour.

Although some of my readers may argue that all you need to do for weightlifting is eat eggs and lift weights, I am afraid that your view of weightlifting is at best naive. For the IITian, it is always doing with understanding.

A Question of Torque

Any layman could tell you that you have to balance the weights if you can hope to lift any significant weight. If the weights aren’t balanced you are going to have a tough time. If we assume the rod to have homogenous density, then the length of the rod should be equal on both sides.

Minimizing the work done

Why is a bench press done with an arched back? To minimize the distance travelled and hence the work done (W = Fs). As elementary as that.

Components of Force

A deadlift is always done with the shoulders and the arms in the vertical plane. What does it ensure? You get the entire force of your arms to be working against the gravity. The moment there is an angle, the horizontal component of force comes in and energy is wasted.

Yin and Yang

The grip for a deadlift is always complementary. If one hand grips the bar with an open palm, the other with a closed palm. As you can see in the diagram below, this way the horizontal component of the force gets cancelled and the bar remains in firm grip.

Ok, so that is how an IITian would lift weights. I hope I have changed the viewpoint of many who believed that weightlifting was all brawn and no brains.

Will ADAM eat Apple?

2010-02-23T23:17:00.000-08:00

It is always what I thought IITians did. Not join run-of-the-mill jobs, not go for higher studies but do something that is arrogant, brash and unconventional. But it wasn't always to be that way till Notion Ink's ADAM gave a reason to believe so. Dubbed as being an iPad Killer, ADAM (what a name to choose!) is all set to hit the markets in June this year.

Here is how ADAM fares when compared to the Apple iPad. Estimated to be $300 to $800, what with all all the features - multi-touch, swivel camera and brightness control, it is going to be a steal.

As is the culture in Kgp, the profiles of those from Kgp has been stripped down to the longitude and latitude of the rooms they occupied. Insanity apart, a brief outline of the team can be found here.

Before I sign off let me leave you with an interview of Rohan Shravan on Technoholic which will let the reader absorb and immerse in the "awesomeness" of this new gadget.

Bow

2010-02-17T00:58:00.000-08:00

Bow has been ruminating over the dregs of Illu. It'll take some time before he gets over it.

Batti Department - Part 1

2010-02-14T10:35:00.000-08:00

Exams. That time of the year when you wish there wasn't any light. No Batti. No Batti Department.

Going by Batti Department's reputation though, you could have exams even if there wasn't anything to test.

Technically speaking, Instrumentation Engineering is a subset of Electrical Engineering. Some say it has the best of both Electrical and Electronics. One could argue that the placement chart of Instrumentation Engineering almost eclipses all other departments. So you need to slog as much. They say the grass is always greener on the other side.

Here is a question to my fellow mates not from the Batti Department. Could you in 4 years of your stay in Kgp connect a circuit which even vaguely resembles the one below?

On first glance, it would appear that we were hatching plans to blow off Batti department. But I can assure you, cunning as we may be - we too have a heart. This is a DAC and an ADC converter encapsulated into one single assembly. We had to assemble that in a span of 2 hours or face the prospect of spending 2 hours in the library which IITKgp proudly proclaims as being the largest of its kind in Asia.

That is Batti Department for you.

Before I sign off on Part - 1, let me leave you with Batti Department's Profile on Orkut.

Batti Department

about me:	I am the most feared department in Kgp. That should do.
age:	Although I am 59 years old, the average age of Professors in my department is more than 60 years.
birthday:	Officially, it is May 1950, but I like to celebrate it during the end-sem exams.
location:	In a naxal hit area called Kgp, though even the militants are somewhat scared of me.

Rest of the profile isn't that important. In case you are interested, you can search "Batti Department" on Orkut and read the rest of the story.

Cheers!

PS: I am assuming that there will be a sequel to this some time in the future, though I cannot really promise one at this point of time.

Writing about Writing

2010-02-10T09:50:00.000-08:00

Recursion

Being an engineering student, one always keeps coming across recursion. Recursive functions, recursive acronyms, recursive photos and what not. Recursion has become a part and parcel of my life. So why not a recursive post? Can that be theoretically possible? Can I write about writing?

About the writing process

Many of those who have read my blog ask me to write on topics far flung. What would it be like if I wrote a book? What it be like if I wrote on the Copenhagen Summit? What would it be like if I wrote on something that was completely unrelated to me.

The truth is - I cannot write on something that I do not know much about. And I find it difficult to do what journalists frequently do - make a bharta out of ideas.

In fact, there are very few authors who write about things they have no or little knowledge of. Take bestselling author Chetan Bhagat for instance. All his novels have been influenced by certain incidents in his life. Take any author. Amartya Sen doesn't write about Rocket Science. He writes Economics. Ramchandra Guha doesn't write Black Swans and Malcolm Gladwell doesn't write about Objectivism. This was something I really got clear when I browsed through the books at the Kolkata Book Fair.

Writing as a Hobby

It is very difficult to write on blogs as if it were your profession. Had I been paid to write like JK Rowling is, it would have been a different affair altogether. But till then, writing is my hobby - not my profession. So if you find me missing from Jazzonomics for few days in a row - you might find me busy with some crazy new hobby that I picked up or possibly reading some novel that I thought is a must read.

Freedom to write (Freelancers?!)

Writing has genres. One who writes on Jazzonomics (whatever the genre may be!) may not be competent enough to write on Scholar's Avenue or Awaaz because it involves a different kind of writing. The kind of freedom that a blog offers isn't available everywhere! One cannot write one's mind on Scholar's Avenue as one can one's blog.

Figuring out

If you still haven't figured out what the whole point of this post was, that is what I was trying to point out!

(Where else could I have my readers skim through lines of complete non-sense?)

P.S: If you are still trying to figure out if it was "writing about writing about writing about ... " aka whether it was a recursive post, you are probably on a wild recursive chase.

Kshitij 2010: A Review

2010-02-03T02:28:00.000-08:00

Kshitij was bigger than SF. When I mean bigger, I mean the numbers. Kgp was crowded like hell during Kshitij.

This Kshitij was different. Instead of attending guest lectures and going to Mega-shows, I decided to participate - in quizzing, my new-founded love from SF. Not that I am any good at it - but basically I really enjoyed the experience. It was a lot of fun.

8 quizzes (I participated in 5) in a span of a week drew me into quizzing. We decided to form a permanent team so that we didn't have to look for people when we had quizzes. We are still in search of a fourth member.

Then a quiz blog was started where we would be posting questions daily. This way we would remain in touch with quizzing on a daily basis. You can check it out here.

I have started attending quiz club meetings and surfing the quiz blogs and the Wikipedia. So, basically I have taken up quizzing in a big way.

Now if this hasn't convinced you about my interest in quizzing, here is a photograph of my room-wall that will quell all your doubts.

Quizzing all the Way!!

Kshitij had delivered. It had all the big sponsors. Lots of participants. Kgp wasn't Kgp for a few days.

But I pray to God/Ktj Core Team that it doesn't get any bigger.

P.S: Since Quizzing was the only thing that I did during Kshitij, I had very less to write about it. I'll be visiting the Kolkata Book Fair this weekend. Hope I'll have more to share then. Till then, Ciao.

Spring Fest 2010: Some Dreams Come True

2010-01-24T23:30:00.000-08:00

As I sit typing this post at 1130 in the night, I wonder what it would have been had it not been for this night. My almost pre-decided post on SF would never have come thanks to some really Makhau show by the SF Core Team.

The Core Team hadn't got a thing right this time around. It seemed that SF was back to its old ways after the 50th anniversary of SF last year. The final day of the programme however was something to cheer about, cherish and take back from the 51st edition of SF.

Core Team: Live Up to Your Standards

First the Skid Row row. People said the Core Team didn't have much ado here. But as they take the credit for Pritam's show, so do they take the blame for the Skid Row row.

Then the timings. SF has never got it right. I guess it never will. Waiting for 3 hours inside a jam-packed Open Air Theater with an angry audience was really the heights. Waiting, waiting waiting.

And how can one forget the website. Kept changing. Kept loading. Kept crashing. But one could never find what one really wanted.

I have friends in the Core Team. But I think I must point out the shortcomings. The image of Kgp is at stake.

Quizzing, JTGW et al

5 high quality quizzes in 2 days really aroused my interest in quizzing. The questions were elusively simple - yet not easy. I am seriously contemplating increasing the size of my team from 1 to a seizable number so that we can rock quizzes in the future. Do let me know if you are interested in joining us!

JTGW was a close shot. I think we had a chance if we applied ourselves a little more. As they say, there is always the next time.

Luck By Chance

I think no phrase epitomizes today's evening better than the above phrase. There seemed to be nothing this SF that could compare with Indian Jazz Suites - some show that really stood out.

But as it turned out, Pritamda accepted a last ditch effort by the Core Team Members to come to Kgp. Rumour has it that Jal was cancelled because of security reasons. Or possibly they had surplus funds after Skid Row got cancelled. Whatever be it, the gamble paid off.

Not only did Pritam, Anik (winner of Sa Re Ga Ma television show), Sohamda and (not to mention) the beautiful Monali grace the stage, they did so with style putting music to the rather tribal Tempo Shout that IITKgp has been doing with for the last 50 years!

It appears that this wasn't the first time Pritamda was at SF. The only difference with his visit 15 years back was that he was now on the other side of the fence. Not entirely though, as he did spend some time with the people on the crowd!

All in all, it was wonderful to have something to cheer about.

And as the saying goes

All is Well That Ends Well (Or Rather All Iz Well!!)

Winds of Change: CCD in Kgp

2010-01-15T05:04:00.000-08:00

Just in case you didn't know, Kharagpur has a brand new Cafe Coffee Day. Not that it is something to be really proud of or boast of. But I am just stating the facts.

The Pre-Kgp Days

The fact that Kharagpur didn't have a state of art eating joint had surprised me in the first place. Whenever I thought about IIT in my Pre-Kgp days, images of CCDs filled with geeky people in specs sitting on tables involved in some esoteric conversation would come to my mind.

One imagines a lot of things before going to places. Unfortunately, things aren't always as you imagine them to be.

As a "Faccha"

So when I finally landed up in Kgp, I was in for a shock. Even I (who has an amazing capability to do with any kind of comestibles and rarely make a fuss about it) found the Mess food Yuck!

So on Saturdays when the Mess would be officially closed, I would go have dinner at some eating joint - Sahara to start with, Billoos, Veggies/Eggies or some Canteen or the other. But rarely could I find the kind of food that I was looking for. Or for that matter, that ambience to sit down and Bhaat.

A lot can happen over ~~Tea~~ Coffee

One golden rule which I learnt at my first visit to CCD was - More isn't merry. If you dish out the bucks aka $$$$, you wouldn't necessarily get what you seek.

As I sat down on the table wondering how the fellow who passed by me could dish out 2147 rupees (yeah, I remember the figure) to have coffee - I knew it wouldn't be long before I got my answer.

The stuff that I ordered (Chicken Pizza and Garam Masala Tea) arrived 20 minutes after I ordered.

The Tea was a bowl of hot water into which I had to dip the teabags and put the milk, sugar ... blah blah blah. Although I knew this was the latest fad --- I never knew I would have to pay 20 rupees for preparing a cup of tea.

The pizza although yummy just went on to show how ignorant those people were about Mathematics. For one, their cuts didn't go through the center. On top of that, the cuts didn't go through and through. So I really couldn't apply the Pizza Theorem. As a result, my poor friend to be satisfied with whatever he had ordered (which was just about palatable).

But those people are here for a reason

They know how to do their business. As we finished our plates, we found something written on the plate.

Would You Like to Have Some Coffee?

That was written on his plate. Inscribed on my plate were the words "Want Some More?" in funky fonts.

My roommate says that Bengali blood runs in me. Even though I have lived out of Bengal all my life, my nature is the same. So as I sat back to enjoy the ambience, my friend ordered some more and hmm... had it not been for me... I really wonder how much he would ended up spending.

Our bill ended up at 200 bucks and I really marvel that we could have so much after all for just about 1/10th that the other guy ended up paying.

The final verdict

If you are looking to grab some coffee during the upcoming fest, you might be have to wait. I really doubt if there would be any space in their for Kgpians, let along non-Kgpians (Have your coffee before or after the fest!). It is the hottest thing in campus presently and its going to take some time before things begin to settle down.

And if you are looking for some good Water Tea, I would advise you to head off to Tikkas which is hardly a 10 minutes walk from CCD.

Ciao!

Confessions of A Goodie Goodie Kid

2010-01-10T04:13:00.000-08:00

STATUTORY WARNING: All characters and incidents depicted below are purely from memory. The description is not very accurate. The reader is advised to take what is given below with a pinch of salt.

12 Years Ago

I was made the line monitor. It was a very responsible post. The class being seated in 4 columns, I was in-charge of the discipline of my column. (Imagine! Poor me)

My first real responsibility. I wanted to be up to the task. No mistakes.

Library period.

"Line. Please make a queue".

As is the tradition, shouts of "He's not making a queue. Why should I?", "Why a Queue?" followed.

"Raveesh, this is your last warning."

The rest they say is history.

I reach the library last along with Raveesh, am at the receiving end of what not and my mind is swirling with what not.

Luckily, the missing button on my shirt was attributed to loose threads. I was the goodie goodie kid.

7 years ago

I am new to the class having changed my section. I get into a fight with one of my classmates. After a 15 minute tussle, I manage to "nail" my opponent. (Apparently, his shirt got stuck in a nail). As he attempts to fight back, the inevitable happens. There is a screeching sound and before we realize what has happened his shirt is torn into two pieces.

Nobody discovers my misdemeanor. I was never rebuked for the incident. I was the goodie goodie kid.

Now

I am no longer a kid.

But when I watch kids being reprimanded , I think - "Why can't they be a goodie goodie kid?"

P.S: What happened between the 12th year and the 7th year? More goodie goodie stories later. Possibly when the time is right. But for now, this is it.

2009: Blogging et al

2009-12-25T10:48:00.000-08:00

It has been a long and tumultuous year. It was one year back that I made my entry to the wonderful world of blogging. From the blog that it was to the blog it is has been quiet a journey. I must thank my friends and my readers who have patiently read some of my good and not so good posts.

Thank you all. Sigh!

It has also been year where IIT has really shown its Aukaat, so as to say. 3rd semester hasn't been easy. First OP and then the wonderful grades that I managed all thanks to Signets. For the information of those who do not know - Signals and Networks is the most dreaded course in IIT Kharagpur in the 2nd year. Rumour has it that there was only one A and one Ex given in the course last year. And well... ah! my marks in the mid-sems weren't really great to put it mildly. [The Algorithms course didn't make help matters :( ]

I have turned into a weighlifter (no! it isn't the same as body-building. Please!!). And there has been an evolution in my outlook towards things all round. (That happens every year I guess!).

For me, it hasn't been about --- well --- whatever has been the news --- it has been a long drawn out struggle. But I won't draw my readers into it all. I remain the optimist that I have always been. And with that, here is Jazzy signing off for the year.

A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to all my esteemed readers.

Trudging Unknown Waters: Image Registration

2009-12-18T22:13:00.000-08:00

It has been some time since my last post. Even after one year of blogging, the phenomenon called Writer's Block has intrigued me. There are times when it is difficult to come up with a post for days and then there are times when one comes up with posts back to back. Very difficult to understand unless one really faces it first hand.

It has also been quiet a hectic time. Life in IIT is not all that rosy as it is made out to be. I have been involved with a project on 3D deformable image registration using GPU. Here is an example of an image registration (2D) that I did using MATLAB.

What is Image Registration?

For those not in the know, I have used a very well known image in Image Processing - that of Lena Soderberg. It is often used as a standard test image. The first image is a deformed one (also known as the moving image) and the second is the static image. The moving image has to be transformed to match with the static image which is the result (the third image - the registered image).

Applications

One often uses image registration in medical imaging. Instead of a face, one might have a deformed state of the human lung. That becomes the moving image. It can then be transformed to match with a human lung in the normal state. This way one can integrate the data and work on the human lung.

As the wikipedia defines it, Image Registration is the process of transforming different sets of data into one coordinate system.

Image registration is not confined to medical imaging alone. It is a widely used technique in astrophotography and panoramic photography.

The Challenge

The image that I have used is a grayscale image of dimensions 512 x 512. Image registration algorithms require that you work pixel by pixel and iterate over the operations 100 to 200 times. This means each operation within the loop has to performed 512 x 512 x 200 = 52428800 times which can be computationally very expensive (This image took me 3 to 4 minutes)

This is where my project comes in - to parallelize the code. Instead of the operations on individual pixels running serially, they can be made to run in parallel by making use of the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) [The NVidia G80 has 16 multiprocessors and each multiprocessor is composed of 8 processors (ALUs). That is one too many compared to what Intel has to offer].

Parallelizing the code has been used to achieve a speedup of upto 55 times in many applications. This can very useful in image registration, specially in medical applications where time is of prime importance.

The GPU is not the only way to do it - there are other ways too (FPGA based for example). However, image registration using the GPU is a fairly new domain and it is going to be exciting to see how the GPU fairs in comparison to the existing procedures.

P.S: Was this post too technical in nature? Have any ideas for me too write on? You can let me know in the comments section :)

Classification of Teachers

2009-12-09T23:48:00.000-08:00

As I was surfing through the flotsam and jetsam of the blogosphere, I came across this post on Classification of Students - A professor of Network Analysis taking a dig at the students on Teacher's Day. And frankly speaking, this was it. Emotions were up to the brim and I had to defend the students.

This is the student version - to which the readers are free to add on and comment upon. A Professor/Teacher at any given instance of time may belong to one or more of the categories.

# The OK Professor

This is the really annoying kind. Talking to them is a real pain in the neck. Their lectures are peppered with OKs, Does This Makes Sense and aahh.. aahh..

They are really nervous while teaching. Or probably, they developed this bad habit in spite of all the training.

In one class that I still remember, the professor had uttered 180 OKs in a span of 30 minutes - that averages to 6 OKs per minute! Or an OK every 10 seconds! Does that make sense? OK?

# The Somnolent Professor

Though the professor is a master in his subject and his presentation is immaculate, there is something in his lecture that puts everyone to sleep.

The professor may not realize it but half the class would be sleeping. It maybe because of his dull voice (rather monotonic?), probably his haphazard manner of going about things or it maybe just nothing at all. But he justs puts everyone to sleep.

# The Peace Maaru Professor

Really doesn't believe in working very hard. Will teach as much as he is paid for. Nothing more.

Comes to the class 10 minutes late and leaves the class 10 minutes early. Solves a question on the board in the whole class and doesn't bother the students much. His policy is - "Live and let Live".

# The Dynamic Professor

This is the professor who feels that the students should get the best out of his class. He gives them a lot of assignments and takes surprise tests.

He is young, energetic and full of passion for his subject. He thinks - "I should try to become the Ideal (Utopian?) professor."

# The Motivators

These are generally the old guys. Already in the teaching profession for 20 to 30 years, they know that whatever they teach is not going to make much of a difference. If however they can motivate some of the students to do something in life, they would have accomplished something.

Their lectures are filled with quotes from the Gita and the Bible. They borrow extensively from Shiv Khera and think that their plagiarism would go unnoticed. One can stand them for a day or two but the rest of their lectures are just "Rewinding the Tape".

# The Pundits

The really knowledgable ones. They have worked in the industry for some time and their breadth of knowledge puts you to awe.

But their lectures are hardly organised. They would start of with programming in C and end up with the reactions that take place in a rocket launcher.

Their lectures can be really hilarious and fun. But it won't do you any good for your exams.

# The Sadists

They may not be sadists at heart. But some of their activities really annoy the students.

If they are invigilators in the exam hall, they might as well throw out half the candidates out of the hall for plagiarism/not bringing admit card/ringing of the mobile phone.

When they evaluate the papers, one really wonders if he had been having breakfast while evaluating the paper. And worse of all, when the answer scripts are shown, the professor is out of town.

They may be excellent teachers. But rarely student friendly.

# The Liberals

They are the modern professors. They believe in modern methods of teaching. They ask students of the opposite gender to sit together in class and they come in casuals instead of formal wear to class.

Their evaluation is liberal and they are a real hit with the students.

I will stop here. I think this is the basic classification. Did I miss any? Have any to add on to this? Do let me know!

The Economics of Travel

2009-12-03T04:15:00.000-08:00

Travelling involves a lot of preparation. More so, in Bengal.

As I was travelling from Burdwan to Kolkata by train, I was given some funda on travelling

Board the last bogie (Reason? The last bogie turns out to be the first bogie when it arrives in Howrah)
There won't be much space to stand. But do not sit.

The second needs some explanation. In fact, it didn't make much sense to me till I boarded the train. The train seemed to be empty. But all the seats appeared to be reserved. Rather "Handkerchiefed" (something that some of my friends really hate about Bengalis) or "Trump Carded" whatever you may like to call it.

F: Do not sit. Possibly, you may be called to sit.

As I linger about the empty seats, one of those sitting beckons me to sit. He removes a card and gives me a seat. I sit down skeptically.

In a while, the train fills up and the passengers seem to be seated comfortably.

Enter the Dalal.

Medium height, photocromatic eyeglasses and a thick shock of hair oiled in coconut oil. He comes and collects the cards. Counts them. 25 cards. One missing. Sits down besides me.

D: Dutta da, Maal ta din (Give me the goods!)
Dutta da: Diye debo. Apni tho amar bondhu (Will give you. You are my friend)
D: Jhule jhule jaaben, sheta ki bhalo lagbe? (Would you like to go standing in the crowded train?)

As I was about to doze off in the hubbub, what appears to be a 10 rupee note grazes past my shoulder. As I open my eyes, I can see the Dalal writing down carefully on a piece of paper Rs 10 against Dutta da.

Some Quick Calculations

I make some quick calculations. 26 people. Rs 10. That makes it Rs 260. Now if the Dalal loses a card daily. Then he has to buy a new deck every fortnight. Rs 260 minus Rs 20 / 2 = Rs 250. How much does the Dalal get? Rs 1000 every month (one way!). Not bad if it is weekly.

Now could this weekly or monthly? Would I be willing to pay Rs 10 for a seat if my ticket was for Rs 30 x 7 = Rs 210. How much was that? Roughly 5%. What if it was monthly? It would too low to be even significant. If it was weekly, the Dalal would be earning a handsome amount all for nothing! (If the Dalal earned Rs 15000/month at his office in Kolkata, this would contribute to roughly 10% of his income!). But what if it was monthly?

I was all confused and was about to doze off when it dawned on me that it wasn't 26 people. It was more than that. One couldn't have the same 26 people travel on all 30 days. He was reserving seats for more than 26 people. Maybe 50. Maybe 100. Couldn't tell where his boundaries ended and the next Dalal's boundaries started.

Some Open Questions

Suddenly, what appeared to be a mere gimmick for seats in a train looked like brisk business. And everybody paying/getting paid was equally culpable! Consider the number of Dalals one could have - If one had 2 Dalals per bogie and 15 bogies per train, the amount that went ??? was Rs 2000 x 30. And considering the number of local trains that crisscross the Indian railways daily, here are some questions I leave the reader to ponder upon

Where do all these big numbers go when multiplied and added?
Where do they come from? (My answer: The taxpayers)
If you were a daily passenger, would you pay Rs 10 for a seat?

P.S: Do keep one thing in mind while answering the last question. You are an avid Card player. You love bridge/poker whatever and it is very difficult to play cards if you are standing. Now, would you pay Rs 10 for a seat?

Military Brats: A Class Apart

2009-11-10T04:14:00.000-08:00

I had a rather heated discussion with my roommate (who happens to be from an army background) the other day about who were more successful - someone from an Army background or someone from an Air Force background.

After quiet a bit of discussion, what I realised was - military brats are indeed special. Wikipedia lists some of the well known military brats from India - Preity Zinta, Celina Jaitley, Neha Dhupia, Vinod Dham, Lara Dutta, Sushmita Sen and Gul Panag. The complete list of Indian as well as foreign military brats can be found here.

Some of those who didn't make it to the list were Lt. Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore and Major Dhyan Chand simply because they weren't military brats. They were serving personnel.

What makes them tick?

This makes it all the more convincing. There is every reason to believe those from a Military background are indeed special. So, what is it that makes them tick? That makes them a class apart from the rest. A breed in themselves.

As a starting point, we might take a look back at the list. What do we notice? Most of those on the list are actors/actresses or sports persons. What can that indicate?

Military brats are outgoing? (I'll assume that actors/actresses are!)
They are disciplined? (How else do you expect them to get to the top in the sporting world?)
They had a lot of opportunity. (That I guess is a must - no matter how talented you are)

Those in the military are frequently transferred from place to place. It is at times quiet inconvenient for the family. But on hindsight, it exposes one to such myriad and varied cultures that one is bound to be outgoing. One has to make new friends every time the family relocates. You cannot stick with your 'best friend' forever.

The social fabric of military life is quiet strong. There are frequent get-togethers, bounce ins, potlucks and what not! One gets to interact with people on a regular basis. Talking to people isn't a choice - it is the only option.

I pondered upon the second point for quiet some time. Actually, all military brats aren't disciplined. It is a choice. But, the thing can easily get into you. Looking at people around you leading a really disciplined life can inspire you. Nothing runs in military without discipline. And that thing is bound to get into you if you are connected with the military in some fashion.

And opportunities? Loads of them. One doesn't have to go looking for them. They just keep coming to you. Like I discussed in my posts on A Typical Air Force Station and 5 Reasons to Join Air Force, the opportunities to make it big are aplenty. It is just a matter of grabbing them!

Just Actors?

So what is the military brat authoring Jazzonomics going to be? An actor or a sports person? Chances of either look pretty slim.

Dig a bit deeper and one can find technocrats from military backgrounds. Arun Sarin, a graduate of IIT Kharagpur and CEO of Vodafone group was a military brat. (He though was well known for being good at boxing and hockey!). Vinod Khosla, a graduate of IIT Delhi and a very influential person in the Silicon Valley is a military brat. He was one of the co-founders of Sun Microsystems and became the first CEO and Chairman of Sun Microsystems.

Military brats are a class apart and I have every reason to believe so. What do you think?

#5 reasons to Chuck Windows and...

2009-10-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

#1. Windows isn't free

2000 bucks doesn't come easy. Atleast not in a country where people are struggling to earn that much in a year.

Why spend that much when you can have something better for nothing?

#2. Windows is clumsy

If you haven't found out already, let me tell you this. Windows is clumsy. Downright clumsy. Try doing something and it will take tons of time. It'll freeze. It'll report viruses. Tons of problems.

#3. Who is in control?

Million dollor question. Who is in control of your PC? You or Bill Gates?

Can you do what you want in your PC. Can you get your updates whenever you want? Can you get the simplest jobs done hassle free?

#4. Secure?

Windows isn't secure. It cannot be secure. Simple logic. Being the most popular operating system, all viruses are made for Windows. All Trojan Horses are made for Windows.

Viruses and Windows. Made for each other.

Everything is made for Windows. Can it be secure?

#5. Windows is dumb

Yup. It is dumb. It is copied. Microsoft is business. Business by hook or by crook. Try something new and you'll know the difference.

In a nutshell

Chuck Windows.

AND...

SWITCH TO UBUNTU/LINUX/WHATEVER

Illumination and Rangoli: Day -1

2009-10-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

The Results are Out

Diwali is over. Actually not. According to the lunar calander (or whatever), I am informed that Diwali would be till 4 o' clock in the morning. All of us go out to see how other halls had fared in the competition. Then we gathered at the Gymkhana where the results would be declared.

Post-Result Euphoria

RK bagged the gold in Illumination. RP bagged the gold. LLR and SN bagged the silver and bronze in both the categories. PAN loop had to be satisfied with nothing.

There was lot of talk about it. Some said the results had been rigged since all the GSecs were from LLR and RK/RP + SN was a girls hall - so they had to get something. Others argued that RK/RP/LLR have traditionally won this competition and they are really good at it.

Alternate Versions of Illuminations

After the accident, people started theorizing alternate versions of Illu (some really crazy ones though!).

Instead of putting up tables to light the diyas, run a thread along all the diyas. At the right moment, burn the thread so that it would light up all the diyas. (Unreliable?)
Put a cap on the height of the chatais. This will decrease the number of accidents that happen. (A cap on creativity too?!)
Have a mirror chatai which will be lighted well in advance. This chatai can be used to light up the original chatai. (The budget would be doubled then!)
Run a pipe of natural gas with openings at the right places. Ignite the thing when you have to light the diyas. (Budget?! Safe?)

The Rangoli was something that bowled me over. I had never expected something like that - near Paintings. And it wasn't just Nehru. Every hall I visited just made it look better and better.

The photographs have started pouring in. I'll keep updating this post to include more and more of them. In between, I'll try and manage a video of the split call, so that non-Kgpians can get a real idea what it is all about.

And oh! I had forgotten! Wishing my esteemed readers a very happy Diwali/Dhanteras/whatever.

@RK: Gold (Theme: Samudra Manthan)

@LLR: Silver

Rangoli: @RP (Gold)

Rangoli: @RK

Rangoli: @MMM

Rangoli @Azad

All for this:

Related Posts

Illumination And Rangoli: Day 0

Illumination and Rangoli: The Countdown

Illumination and Rangoli: Day 0

2009-10-17T23:04:00.000-07:00

It is Diwali day and everybody is preparing for Illumination in full swing. I contemplate going to my native place. The prospect of a Daru Party after Illumination haunts me. Finally, I decide to the contrary since this was the first Illumination that I was seeing in Kgp.

Last Minute Preparations

Last minute preparations are on. Everybody is allotted teams. Lots of seniors also pitch in. Work is on at full throttle. Nehru Hall has been allotted the 11 o' clock slot. So we have some time. 7 Chatais have been made ready.

I run around with wicks, Diyas and candles giving last minute touch-ups. At 2100 hours, we are allotted the chatais where we are to light the diyas. We get our tables stacked up and ready so that we can start lighting the moment the judges arrive.

The Rules of the Game

It is all about timing. You light the diyas too early - and they will burn off. You light it too late - and you can't finish by the time the judges come. No artificial lighting is allowed. Nobody is to be seen in the arena when the judges arrive. There should be pin-drop silence. The main switch is toggled before 11 o' clock. The battleground is ready. (literally!)

A signal would be given when we should start lighting the lamps. No one was to panic. And above all, we had to use our common sense. On the split call, the tables and beds had to brought down and removed from the arena.

Music will be played in the background. The narrators would explain the battleground - how Krishna in his Viraat Avatar convinced Arjun that it was his dharma to go to battleground and fight it out. We would be judged on the overall theme, the narration and the chatais.

The D-Time

The judges are supposedly late be half an hour. We start lighting our diyas comfortably. Suddenly, we are told to hurry up. Calculations have gone horribly wrong. The judges are asked to wait for some time outside the gate. They showed around the Rangoli for some time.

All effort is made to buy time. The Virat avatar is 2 storeys high. Completing it would be a colossal task within the time frame. Everybody rushes to complete the Virat Avatar. The Virat Avatar is 60% complete when the split call is given. Everybody rushes to dismantle the tables and hide everything.

A Risky Affair

In the mayhem, one fellow is injured. A bed had been dropped on his leg from high up. His leg has swollen and he is clearly in extreme pain. He is smuggled outside the hall to the hospital. Music (Shlokas etc) is running in the backdrop. Even that has been mixed up. Everything seems lost.

The Junta starts pouring in and wishing us Happy Diwali. Even on this festive occasion, the fiercely competitive Nehruites have nothing to cheer about. The Daru Party more or less stood cancelled. I haven't had dinner yet. We go out to have something. And even though, I wasn't really very much involved in the preparations - it was really difficult to swing the mood after that. Probably one of the most tiring and eventful Diwalis I have ever had.

Illumination and Rangoli: The Countdown

2009-10-17T22:19:00.000-07:00

Diwali in IITKgp is celebrated differently. Instead of firecrackers, we have Illu (the abbreviated form of Illumination) - something unique to Kgp.

Preparation for Illumination starts 15-30 days in advance and gains momentum in the last few days before Diwali. The idea, though novel - struck me as odd - specially the way it happens in Kgp.

Only the 1st year and 2nd year students are involved in the preparations. The entire hostel isn't.
The actual preparation takes place only in the final few days. 10-15 days aren't required at all. More so, I could never understand why Illu preparations had to happen after midnight when it could be easily done in the evening.
I couldn't see any point in everything being done by the students - themselves.

Armed with this + some additional funda (again a very strange culture of Kgp) that I had gathered from some of my seniors, I decided to stay out of Illumination as much as I could.

Therein began my tale of escapades, some of which become popular in the hall. Some - in my own estimate - were rather dumb. But nonetheless, it was an adventure worth trying instead of sitting in the hall doing menial things that were being instructed to me.

Day 13: 2000 hours

Since this was the first day, I had almost no idea. A common room meeting is called at 2130 hours. I decide to bunk it. I go to the library.

Day 12: 0000 hours

I don't feel like coming back to the hall - having bunked the meeting - knowingly. My cycle tyre is flat - punctured. I decide to spend the night in a friend's room in another hostel.

Day 11: 2000 hours

Day 10's strategy seemed really dumb to me. Someone else's room isn't the best place to spend a night. I decide to lock the room from outside after 2130 hours. The windows in the doors turn out to be really useful.

Day 10 upto Day 8

Everything is peaceful. I have no problems with my strategy.

Day 7: 2200 hours

I decide to go out for some fresh air. The moment I open the window - I see seniors standing gaping at the window and the lock in alternate fashion. I have to go to work that day.

Day 6: 0030 hours

I decide - enough is enough - I'll go back to the room and sleep.

Day 5: 2230 hours

Even though my strategy had been discovered, I couldn't see any reason that I shouldn't do it again. After all, nobody could break the lock of my room.

Unluckily, the trick is discovered again - for the door yields a bit to merciless banging - and I can be seen through an opening in the door. Bad luck yet again.

Those outside: "Mainak, give us the key."
Me: "I don't have them. My roommate has it."

I was in no mood to work through the night.

Day 4: 0400 hours

I couldn't come up with any good ideas. I decide to fall back on Day 13's strategy. But again I am caught. A senior calls me in the dead of the night.

"Mainak, come back to the hall."

Day 3: 0530 hours

Having been caught thrice, I decide to work - so as not to complicate matters. I feel the work is really awful. I have lost my sleep all for nothing.

Day 2 & Day 1:

By now, people are fed up with my tactics. They know I'll come when I want to come. I work for some time and go back to sleep before midnight.

Day 0:

It is Diwali day. This is the day when most of the work gets done. I decide to pitch in with a helping hand.

Many felt I couldn't exonerate myself from the guilt of the last 13 days by working a day or two. But for me, it was about being sensible and doing what seemed was most appropriate for me and my hostel.

P.S: I think I forgot to mention Daru night and the treat. The treat was somewhere around Day 13 and the Daru night was somewhere around Day 4 or 5. I do not remember exactly because I had skipped the Daru night.

Related Posts

Illumination and Diwali: Day 0
Illumination and Diwali: Day -1

A Curious Case of Jalebis and Roshogollas

2009-10-09T23:28:00.000-07:00

A Sweet Treat

Looks yummy, doesn't it? Roshogollas and Jalebis. A Sweet Treat.

That is what I thought when we were first taken for the treat on 6th October. A Sweet Treat.

That day I learnt - It is nice to have sour food items too.

Why the treat?

Bimala Sweets at 0700 hours for a sweet treat. I was all confused. Has OP started again? Or is it the OP treat? Placement treat? Illumination treat.

I have never appreciated sweets much. More so, the idea that someone should push sweets down my throat is something I had never concocted in my wildest imagination.

But this was Nehru Hall. And Nehru Hall has 'some tempo'.

Tempo to do what I really don't know - but 'some tempo'. In Kgp lingo, tempo is the enthusiasm/zeal one shows in doing something. Higher the zeal - higher the tempo.

So for 'God knows what reason' we were taken for this treat. Most of us were puzzled. Even more puzzling was the presence of first year students.

"You won't be served again"

In the first round, we are served Jalebis. "Take as much as you can. You won't be served again".

I take two Jalebis.

What ensued can best be described in the C programming language as follows...

do{

if(!eating)
      Push 5 jalebis/roshogollas down his throat;

else
      Serve more; //"Please take atleast 3"

if(Professor's arrive)
      break;

}(1);

My final count

9 Roshogollas. 10 Jalebis.

Not as many as compared to many of my batchmates.

But I am not the kind of person who can swallow whatever is pushed down the throat.

For my throat takes only that much as my stomach can digest.

Trivandrum: Picturesque City Deep South

2009-10-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

I have spent two vacations in Trivandrum now and although I cannot claim to have a diploma in matters relating to authentic South Indian experience - I can safely say that I much better equipped than I was a semester ago about matters quintessentially "Mallu".

For one, I can with fair degree of expertise, read the Malayalam script (though I need to improve upon the Kootaksharams - that is something Shashi Tharoor and I have in common). Here is my name in Malayalam.

മൈനാക്‌

Secondly, I have spent some time visiting people in and around Trivandrum - Kovalam beach, Shankhamugam beach, Kanyakumari et al.

Thirdly, I have tasted some Appams and Kadla Curry in a resturaunt downtown.

Kerala although having impressed me in many respects has also disappointed me.

For one, I was told of the magnificient food in Kerala. And though, I fully agree that the food is no doubt good, the spicy and the coconutty nature of the food is bound to discourage any non-Mallu from trying it.

Secondly, Kerala though largely a literate state - has people who are unwilling to converse in Hindi or English.

Thirdly, the trouble with Bengal is the trouble with Trivandrum. The colour Red. The communist colour.

What I liked about Trivandrum was

Their attachment to culture - be it Kalaripayattu, Kathakali, Onam or Ayurveda.

More so, the way Trivandrum being a traditional city is moving forward in the 21st century without detaching itself from the past is worth marvelling!

And the way people in this wonderful city treat guests is something I could go on talking of.

Thanks a lot, Trivandrum!

Cape Comorin - The Southernmost Tip of India

2009-09-29T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Southernmost tip of India - not something one dreams of travelling to every now and then. But then, being brought up in a family that has led a nomadic life - or rather - being from an Air Force background - this wasn't much of a surprise.

So, when a day trip to Kanyakumari - which is barely 100kms from Trivandrum is planned - I wasn't excited - but surely looking forward to the trip - as any other.

Vivekananda Rock

I had been to Kanyakumari some time back - well - that is 16 years back - if you can call that some time.

And all I could remember of that trip - was Vivekananda Rock.

That is all I knew was Kanyakumari.

That is what I still know of Kanyakumari.

Even though the trip comprised of much more than Vivekananda Rock, it is Vivekanda rock and the sea-side breeze of the place that has still stuck with me after the journey.

The newly constructed Thiruvalluvar Statue and the town-side shops of Kanyakumari are an added bonus. But it was the Vivekananda Rock that had me stumped.

Padmanabhapuram Palace, Suchindram Temple et al

The Padmanabhapuram Palace although not in Kanyakumari is a must see for anybody going to Kanyakumari.

So too is the Suchindram Temple.

Though I must caution anybody planning a visit to the temple to be prudent in deciding the itinerary for their journey. For all the effort, you may find the temple closed because you didn't know the temple timings - and be satisfied with the photograph of the temple entrance. :D

The Padmanabhapuram Palace - is in India - though many may think otherwise. And if you were to believe all the hogwash of the guides in the Palace, nothing like this has been been built - ever before in India - leading one all the more to doubt its origins.

A Final Word

Those who are visiting Kerala/Tamil Nadu for the first time are advised to play it easy on their cameras. For you wouldn't wish to post photographs on blogs just because multiple shots of the same mountain had been taken at multiple instances of time.

And this - was taken - specifically for Jazzonomics.

And if my esteemed readers don't mind, will be posted at the end of all posts henceforth.

The Frog and the Nightingale?

2009-09-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

No 'personal' offences meant - frog, nightingale whosoever has been mocked. Credits to Vikram Seth for creating such a wonderful poem. It fits in wonderfully. Yo Nehru! Or rather "Koo-oh-ah! ko-ash!" ;)

Once upon a time a frog
Croaked away in Bingle Bog
Every night from dusk to dawn
He croaked awn and awn and awn
Other creatures loathed his voice,
But, alas, they had no choice,
And the crass cacophony
Blared out from the sumac tree
At whose foot the frog each night
Minstrelled on till morning light

[+/-]Read On

Neither stones nor prayers nor sticks.
Insults or complaints or bricks
Stilled the frogs determination
To display his heart's elation.
But one night a nightingale
In the moonlight cold and pale
Perched upon the sumac tree
Casting forth her melody
Dumbstruck sat the gaping frog
And the whole admiring bog
Stared towards the sumac, rapt,
And, when she had ended, clapped.

Ducks had swum and herons waded
To her as she serenaded
And a solitary loon
Wept, beneath the summer moon.
Toads and teals and tiddlers, captured
By her voice, cheered on, enraptured:
“Bravo!” “Too divine!” “Encore!”
So the nightingale once more,
Quite unused to such applause,
Sang till dawn without a pause.

Next night when the Nightingale
Shook her head and twitched her tail,
Closed an eye and fluffed a wing
And had cleared her throat to sing
She was startled by a croak.
“Sorry – was that you who spoke?”
She enquired when the frog
Hopped towards her from the bog.
“Yes,” the frog replied. “You see,
I'm the frog who owns this tree
In this bog I've long been known
For my splendid baritone
And, of course, I wield my pen
For Bog Trumpet now and then”

“Did you… did you like my song?”
“Not too bad – but far too long.
The technique was fine of course,
But it lacked a certain force”.
“Oh!” the nightingale confessed.
Greatly flattered and impressed
That a critic of such note
Had discussed her art and throat:
“I don't think the song's divine.
But – oh, well – at least it's mine”.

“That's not much to boast about”.
Said the heartless frog. “Without
Proper training such as I-
And few others can supply.
You'll remain a mere beginner.
But with me you'll be a winner”
“Dearest frog”, the nightingale
Breathed: “This is a fairy tale –
And you are Mozart in disguise
Come to earth before my eyes”.

“Well I charge a modest fee.”
“Oh!” “But it won't hurt, you'll see”
Now the nightingale inspired,
Flushed with confidence, and fired
With both art and adoration,
Sang – and was a huge sensation.
Animals for miles around
Flocked towards the magic sound,
And the frog with great precision
Counted heads and charged admission.

Though next morning it was raining,
He began her vocal training.
“But I can't sing in this weather”
“Come my dear – we'll sing together.
Just put on your scarf and sash,
Koo-oh-ah! ko-ash! ko-ash!”
So the frog and nightingale
Journeyed up and down the scale
For six hours, till she was shivering
and her voice was hoarse and quivering.

Though subdued and sleep deprived,
In the night her throat revived,
And the sumac tree was bowed,
With a breathless, titled crowd:
Owl of Sandwich, Duck of Kent,
Mallard and Milady Trent,
Martin Cardinal Mephisto,
And the Coot of Monte Cristo,
Ladies with tiaras glittering
In the interval sat twittering –
And the frog observed them glitter
With a joy both sweet and bitter.

Every day the frog who'd sold her
Songs for silver tried to scold her:
“You must practice even longer
Till your voice, like mine grows stronger.
In the second song last night
You got nervous in mid-flight.
And, my dear, lay on more trills:
Audiences enjoy such frills.
You must make your public happier:
Give them something sharper snappier.
We must aim for better billings.
You still owe me sixty shillings.”

Day by day the nightingale
Grew more sorrowful and pale.
Night on night her tired song
Zipped and trilled and bounced along,
Till the birds and beasts grew tired
At a voice so uninspired
And the ticket office gross
Crashed, and she grew more morose -
For her ears were now addicted
To applause quite unrestricted,
And to sing into the night
All alone gave no delight.

Now the frog puffed up with rage.
“Brainless bird – you're on the stage –
Use your wits and follow fashion.
Puff your lungs out with your passion.”
Trembling, terrified to fail,
Blind with tears, the nightingale
Heard him out in silence, tried,
Puffed up, burst a vein, and died.

Said the frog: “I tried to teach her,
But she was a stupid creature –
Far too nervous, far too tense.
Far too prone to influence.
Well, poor bird – she should have known
That your song must be your own.
That's why I sing with panache:
“Koo-oh-ah! ko-ash! ko-ash!”
And the foghorn of the frog
Blared unrivalled through the bog.

If you still haven't figured it out - I hope you have. But if you haven't - try moving your mouse over the italicized text - line by line. Cheers!!!

P.S: Suggestions welcome!

Idea: Flexible Road Dividers

2009-09-12T06:12:00.000-07:00

August was hectic. So has September been. First Orientation Programme and then the mid semester exams (More about OP, SOP and other campus happenings in another post).

Right now, I'll rush through an idea that I had been doodling with for some time. In fact, the post on traffic congestion was a by-product of an attempt to present my idea.

Here is the idea.

Ever seen a busy road from above? Like the bird would see it?

Next time you go on a footover bridge - observe. If it is anytime in the evening, what do you see?

A lot of red lights moving in one direction and a lot of yellow lights moving in the other direction. Right?

That is common sense. Yellow headlights and red brake lights.

What more do you see?

Invariably, you'll see the yellow lights outnumber the red lights. Or vice-versa.

My question. Couldn't we device a mechanism that would allow traffic flow in such a way that maximum amount of road-space is utilised?

More specifically, could we have flexible road dividers?

Dividers that moved depending on the traffic distribution.

Give it a thought. And do let me know.

Couldn't we give those on the left lane more road space?

Is the OP really over?

2009-09-03T01:27:00.000-07:00

[OP corresponds to Orientation Programme. It may loosely be equated to what is commonly known as ragging. However, the two aren't the same and subtle differences exist. For a more detailed account, the reader is directed to the blog The Kgp Files by Deep Throat.]

I woke up from sleep today morning feeling really fresh. I had woken up from a marathon 10 hour sleep after staying awake for 40 hours - which included a night out.

The lethargy & tiredness of sleeplessness has been drowned by the excitement of a single news - OP is over.

Yes, it is over. OP is finally over. And with a bang.

Lights, Camera Action.

It is 4 o' clock in the morning. I have been practising for the Bengali Dramatics since 10 o' clock in the night. Suddenly, we are summoned to D-Ground.

Artificial lighting is on. All second year students are sitting in neat queues with their legs crossed on the wet early morning grass (The sun hasn't risen yet). Seniors are standing at strategically selected vantage points.

Q: How many 5th year wings have you covered?
A: None

Thwack! A slap lands plum on the left cheek very close to the ears. The spectacles fly and land a few feet away on the ground. Everything is now hazy.

More arbit questions can be heard.

More arbit answers.

More slaps.

No one is spared.

In the mayhem, the Hall President announces - you OP ends.

Everybody is confused.

Buckets full of water come splashing from the wing above. Reality dawns. Yes, the OP is truly over.

The regular traditional ceremonies take place. The Oath, the Anthem & then the treat.

The spectacles are now back on the nose. But the question still remains.

Is the OP really over?

Ambigram: Azad

2009-08-11T06:54:00.001-07:00

This ambigram completes the set of ambigrams for the PAN loop.

For those not in the know, the PAN loop is a group of hostels in IITKgp - both infamous and famous. P stands for Patel Hall of Residence. A for Azad Hall of Residence and N for Nehru Hall of Residence.

How is it? Have any modifications to suggest? Do let me know.

P.S: I got bored with the regular ambigram. So I inverted the colours - nothing special. Just an attempt to do away with boredom.

Other Ambigrams I designed

Jazzonomics, Patel, DPS RKP, Nehru, Mainak

10 Strategies to Survive a Somnolent lecture

2009-08-06T01:32:00.000-07:00

STATUTORY WARNING: The ideas being presented below have not been tested in any laboratory. Try them at your own risk.

10. Eat Well

This is somewhat an equivocal statement. How you interpret it depends on the situation.

For instance, it is always advisable to have breakfast in the morning. Here "eat well" translates into "have food".

On the other hand, one of the best known methods to stay awake in the class is - "Avoid heavy food."

9. Sleep Well

Again depends. (Am I being too diplomatic?)

Try doing a "night out" and attend classes. It feels like hell.

Converse is also true.

Try attending a lecture after you had a wonderful dream and you'll know what is heaven and what is hell.

8. Bathe well

Again depends. (What is all this crap? Sounds like a tape recorder on an infinite loop?!)

There are days when I have taken a nice shower and gone to the class all charged up only to find my friend waking me up at the end of the lecture.

7. Exercise Well

I have tried almost everything. But nothing seems to work.

Some time back, I started exercising before going to the class.

I would run one round of the 2.2 km stretch or go to the gymnasium.

Aerobic exercise supposedly gets your blood circulating and keeps you awake.

But that is theory. It didn't 'work out'.

6. Take a deep breath

This is some advice I got from some well wishers.

Deep breathing is supposed to increase the oxygen supply to the brain and keep you alert during an important lecture.

Works! But only for a few days! :(

5. Back Counting

Start from 100 and back count to 1. The best I have gone is to 64.

There are variations you may try out - prime numbers, Fibonacci sequence.

But (as the cliche goes) it simply doesn't work.

4. Talk well

Works! But unfortunately, some professors get really annoyed if you gossip in class.

Moreover, talking is a little counter-productive and the whole point of attending the lecture is lost.

3. Bunk Classes

Counter-intuitive. Why bunk a few good lectures just to stay awake in the somnolent lecture?

Nevertheless, Bunking serves as a welcome break and one can come back to the next class without any reason to feel exhausted.

2. Sketch/Scribble/Anagram/Ambigram/Whatever

The professors can serve as ideal subjects for caricature/sketch/whatever. This has proved to be one of my best strategies to stay awake in class. Just scribble away and stay awake!

1. This is going to be Reader's Choice. You can leave your ideas as comments to this post. The best one gets nominated as the 1. Strategy to Survive a Somnolent Lecture.

Ambigram: Jazzonomics

2009-07-23T02:15:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since my last post (A week?!). I have been shifting my hostel room in the last few days. Now, I am a proud Nehruite! :D

And if you haven't had a look at the ambigram of Nehru that I designed, you can check it out here. That reminds me: I haven't posted an ambigram for a long time!

So here is an ambigram that I made - of Jazzonomics - in Roman script. Yeah! I have been trying to design ambigrams in other scripts - without much success though :(

If you observe - ONO is a natural ambigram. That made my task easier! :D

The rest though was tough - I had to wrestle a lot with the letters.

Nevertheless, I am posting the ambigram - since a considerable amount of effort went into it.

How is it? Do let me know.

Other Ambigrams I Designed

Patel, DPS RKP, Mainak

Metro Mishap: Avoidable?

2009-07-13T22:56:00.000-07:00

Not an isolated incident

This is what one of my friends at LSR had to say about the mishap at Metro Station

yep rt in front of college!we'v been walkin under that darned thing fer a yr now... the level idioticness in this place never ceases to amaze me!!
no one could care a sweet damn!
its all about dead lines!

I said to myself - Well, this isn't new. Keeps happening at construction sites. Delhi metro has an excellent track record. One shouldn't be blaming Delhi metro for one odd incident.

She goes on to say

dude this happened during the asian games run up as well!!2 flyover collapses!!:P

Again I think - nothing new. 96 people had died during the construction of the Hoover dam at Las Vegas. 5609 people died during the construction of the Panama canal.

DMRC head Sreedharan had resigned from his post and the Delhi government had rejected his resignation.

Looked like the DMRC had played its cards right and all will be well.

Then comes the second blow.

In what appeared to have been a case of negligence, the news channels flash the video of three cranes toppling over unable to take the weight of a beam at the same time.

I reconcile myself again - happens.

The first suicide at Kgp didn't stop the second suicide. One incident of racial abuse in Australia didn't stop more incidents. One tends to repeat things.

Uncertainty Principle

Moreover, scientifically speaking events cannot be predicted with complete accuracy: there is always a degree of uncertainty. If you may like, you may ascribe the randomness to God.

But science has redefined its goals: the aim being to formulate laws that enables them to predict events only up to the limit set by the uncertainty principle.

[This is how Stephen Hawking describes the aims of science in his highly acclaimed book A Briefer History of Time]

Then I wake up next morning.

A third incident has happened at Mumbai - again concerning the Metro. A steel scaffolding had collapsed.

This sets me to thinking - could this be randomness?

Can we ascribe it to the uncertainty principle?

Certainly not.

Moreover, all the three incidents involved Gammon India. Was it merely chance?

Certainly not.

Is Gammon India culpable?

I won't pass a verdict - because I haven't investigated the incidents. Nevertheless, the sequence of events do raise suspicions.

There is enough reason to believe that the circumstances that led to such an incidents demands that the engineers didn't stick to the right procedures.

Can engineering excellence be sacrificed at the cost of meeting deadlines?

Certainly not.

The Delhi Metro which has an excellent track record needs to keep in mind that what they call %errors in experiments can become a question of life and death for some.

Avoidable?

The first mishap may not have been avoidable. The second may not have been avoidable. But three is one too many.

It makes one believe that all three incidents were avoidable.

Traffic Congestion: What is the solution?

2009-07-09T07:49:00.000-07:00

Everyday, I am faced with the problem of traffic congestion. We all face the problem 365 days of the year.

It cannot be escaped. It has become a part of us. We have started accepting it.

Believe it or not, it takes me 45 minutes to go to Pattom from my home in Trivandrum - a mere 5 km.

Nevertheless, I am an incorrigible optimist who believes that things will change and for the better. So what is the solution to traffic congestion?

Mass Rapid Transport?

Call it the metro, maglevs or the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit Systems) - they have a huge potential notwithstanding the failure of the first BRT corridor in Delhi.

Mega Cities?

Will we stop travelling? Will our needs be fulfilled in a single mega city. A city which houses not just our homes but also our offices. As the cliche goes, no dream too big. Who knows?!

Flying Cars?

When most people think of flying cars, they think of the Jetsons. Nevertheless, flying cars are in the process of getting perfected and it won't be long before we see commercial flying cars.

With the introduction of flying cars, we will be transporting our domain from the two dimensional to the 3 dimensional - a many fold increase in the traffic space.

I have my reservations though. Will the flying cars aggravate the already existing air traffic problems? Will there be more collisions in the air than on the earth? These are questions that can answered only after the first commercial flying car is available.

Going back to cycles?

Many have argued that cycles are the best means of transportation. The environment is spared, so also are deadly accidents. Not only that, bicycles occupy a fraction of space occupied by cars and buses. This ways they can navigate even the most crowded streets easily.

I doubt whether bicycles will be adopted for long distance travel. But surely when it comes to intra-city travel, bicycles sure have a future.

Bicycle Transit Systems are being developed in which air will be moved through the system in the same direction in which the bicyclist is riding.

If you wish to find out more about the pioneering ideas in the field of Bicycle Transit Systems that have been coming up, you may visit the official site of the Bicycle Transportation Systems, Inc here

What do you think is the solution?

5 Innovative Ways to Celebrate Your Victory

2009-07-05T00:41:00.000-07:00

Wimbledon finals are around the corner & the winning party has been coming up with innovative ways to celebrate their victory.

A victory has always been celebrated with firecrackers & sweets. But the new mantra to celebrating a victory is ingenuity. So here are 5 ways to spice up your victory celebration.

Chest Thump

Unfortunately, the Bryan Brothers known lost in the Wimbledon finals to the Nestor/Zimonjic pair this year. Nevertheless, the pair has been known for its signature chest thump.

There you are. This is what I was talking of. This is a subtle variation of the chest thump we do with our fists when we are proud of ourselves. The Bryan Brothers are proud of each other.

Take off your Shirt

This was popularised by Sourav Ganguly aka Dada/Prince of Kolkata when he took off his shirt after India won in the Natwest Series final in 2002.

Tempo Shout

This must be new to non-Kgpians. Below is the video of the Tempo Shout of Nehru Hall. Nehru may be suitably replaced by one's own organisation.

Dance

Jiggle dance, booty dance - call it what you want to. Shanthakumaran Sreesanth is the thrilling face of bold new India. And he has shown all Indians how to celebrate - aggressively. The Huddle

This was a familiar sight during the 2003 edition of the world cup when the Indian Cricket team were runners up. After every wicket, the team would gather in a huddle and (discuss team strategy?) cow down the opposition.

The idea was supposedly touted by ~~the veteran spin bowler of the Indian Cricket team Anil Kumble~~ Sandy Gordon, a psychologist who was working with the Indian Cricket team. All the team members had supported the idea unequivocally.

Another innovative way to celebrate your victory.No matter how you big or how small your victory. A victory is always sweet.

So why not celebrate it with pomp and show?

How do you celebrate?

P.S. I have updated the post. The huddle it seems wasn't Anil Kumble's idea but Sandy Gordon's. Nevertheless, huddles have existed for some time. The reader who is more interested about it may read the wikipedia article on huddles.

Syllogism: A tool of logic?

2009-06-28T07:14:00.000-07:00

syllogism/sil-uh-jiz-uh m/noun(technical) a way of arguing in which two statements are used to prove that a third statement is true

I first came across the idea while reading Freakonomics. Renowned author Steven Levitt in his international bestseller Freakonomics uses syllogism to explain the decreased crime rates in the US in the 90s.

Syllogism struck a chord with me.

Why do coconuts have water in them?

At the beach drinking coconut water, my sister asks

"Do you know why coconuts have water in them?"

"Coconut trees grow in the deserts. They need to conserve water."

"No. The coconut is designed to float in water and traverse many miles in the sea to germinate on another coast. Either way, they don't grow in deserts."

"No? Coconut trees grow where there is a lot of sand. Deserts have a lot of sand. Therefore coconut tree grows in deserts."

I hastened to explain.

This kind of argument is used in Mathematics as well.

"If line p is parallel to line q and line q to line r, then we can say that line p is parallel to line r"

The Ram-Chagol Argument

Here, my father quips

"This is what they call Ram-Chagol [Mountain Goat] argument."

"Ram Chagol has beard."

"Rabindranath Tagore had beard."

"Therefore Rabindranath Tagore is a Ram Chagol."

Whether Rabindranath Tagore was a Ram Chagol or not (no offence intended), I will leave it to the reader to ruminate, digest and decide.

Tribute to Michael Jackson

2009-06-25T22:59:00.000-07:00

RIP Michael Jackson You'll be missed! x

What a shock RIP Michael Jackson - loss of a true legend!

He might not be here but his music is still alive! R.I.P Michael Jackson

RIP Michael Jackson. You have transcended generations, music fads and skeptics. You are a legend.

Thanks for the music and the moonwalk. bye, bye MJ. RIP.

I couldn't make head or tail of these tweets when I woke up in the morning to the news of Michael Jackson's death. It didn't seem real.

News channels were blaring the news on the headlines. Millions have been mourning over his death.

Fans on the camera talked passionately of his moonwalk, glove, ow!, crotch grabbing, plastic surgeries & his dress sense. Reporters dubbed him as the Peter Pan - the boy who never grew up.

For someone like me who has grown up in a milieu where Bollywood numbers are what people live and die by, Michael Jackson was certainly an exception. My mother who detests 'non-Indian' songs & movies to the core informed me of his sad demise the first thing in the morning.

I wasn't surprised. Nor was I shocked. It was a strange feeling. Very difficult to describe.

I wasn't a big fan of Michael Jackson. Never heard many of his songs.

But that doesn't mean a thing.

People discouraged me to listen to his songs. He was a drug addict, a child molestor & an eccentric character. Only his break dance stood out.

Nevertheless, I got to listen to some of his popular number when in high school & I was clearly mesmerised. I made it a point to see some of his videos when I got the opportunity.

Whether I am a fan of Michael Jackson or not, I cannot deny the genius of Michael Jackson - his ability. He is someone who has stood out & mesmerised generations. And that is why I am paying him a tribute.

May his soul remain the boy he always wanted to be.

Bangalore Revisited

2009-06-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

Bangalore is a picturesque lively city that represents the changing face of India. In the heart of Bangalore is Brigade Road, one of the most happening places in Bangalore. Somewhere along the Brigade Road is McDonald's.

It is 1 pm on 21st June 07. A bunch of 14 are munching away at chips and burgers to their heart's content.

It looks like a regular bunch of college students enjoying their meal. Little known to onlookers is that these 14 were once part of the 2004-2005 batch of X-C.

The same X-C which took the school by storm. The same X-C which terrified not just its peers but also its teachers.

X-C is having a get together.

Somewhere a mobile beeps. The owner informs all that Sherin ma'am is herself coming to meet them in half an hour. The same Sherin ma'am whose name was revered and respected with the same fervour which is reserved for (temple priests?)(political leaders?)(celebrities?)

An hour later, Sherin ma'am arrives. Time hasn't changed her. She is still the Sherni - the Tigress.

Half an hour later, Sherin ma'am is serving Khas juice to a bunch of 4 who in their wildest imagination would never have imagined being present within a kilometer of the epicentre - i.e. Sherin ma'am's living room.

An hour later, she is escorting the 4 to the bus stop, again a first.

Now alone and in the bus, I wonder if it was a dream. As I am immersed deep in thought, images of the past keep haunting me.

On 20th, Arun had come to pick me up at the station. On seeing him, I had dropped my bag and hugged him in an embrace.

We had proceeded to our alma mater in the afternoon. Within half an hour, 5 of us were sitting at a tumble down bus stop talking of chalk fights, football matches and mass bunks.

And now I would be leaving Bangalore. Who knows when fate would bring us all together again when we can cherish the memories of the time we spent together?

Acknowledgements

Arun

For being the finest buddy I have ever had.

Without you, this couldn't have been possible.

HS, Vijay, G, Punit, Shalini, Shreyasi, Sangeeta, Swarna, Vindhya, Girija, Philomina, Harini

For turning up on 21st

Samuels & Suhas

For turning up on 20th

Anshul & Anand

For the last minute rendezvous

Sherin ma'am

You are the finest teacher I have ever had.

Purohit uncle, aunty, Kashika & Pratyush

For being my host, local guardians and much more.

Thank you all so much.

@HMT Watch Factory	@Garuda Entrance
@McDonald's	@Brigade Road
@Garuda: Couple? Nah	@Garuda : Couple? You Decide
@Bus Stop: Arun and Mainak	@Garuda Entrance: X-C
Mainak, the Gourmet?	Or the Glutton?

For the benefit of the X-C junta, the photos are available as a combo pack

File 1: Download [5 MB]

File 2: Download [6 MB]

Suicide at IITKgp

2009-06-16T10:57:00.000-07:00

Manoj Kumar, a first year student of Naval Architecture Department has committed suicide.

These incidents do not surprise me any longer. Many may consider it my (moral?) responsibility as a blogger to write about the latest incident in Kharagpur.

Just Another Incident

Three deaths in three months. Just another figure.

Kgp no longer astonishes me. I have started looking at such incidents with a passive indifference. As if it didn't matter.

Drug cases. Theft cases. Accidental deaths and now suicides.

There was a time when Kgp excited me. But that period is over. The honeymoon is over.

Death: An end in itself

Can anything but death justify suicide?

This must have been the same Manoj Kumar who had taken part in the candlelight vigil on 23rd March. The same Manoj Kumar who stood for life less than 3 months back. The same Manoj Kumar who like all Kgpians wanted a well equipped hospital.

IITians: Are they rational?

What makes IITians take such an extreme step? IITians, who are selected on their ability to reason - because of their rational mind.

A suicide is not a rational act - it cannot be.

Poor grades, personal problems? Did the suicide solve the problem? His suicide has made life difficult not only for his family but also for fellow Kgpians.

The flip side of the coin

I do not wish to sensationalise the issue.

This is the flip side of life at IIT.

Things won't always go right. Expectations may be high. Peers may be doing well. Things may go horribly wrong. Frustration and anger may build up.

But a human life is too precious to give away.

5 Reasons to Read Books

2009-06-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

Vasanth Kamath - speed cuber, curious character and my wing mate is a voracious reader. His room is always littered with books. I ask him - 'How do you manage to buy so many books?' He answers - 'I don't buy them all. I always ask for books as my Birthday present.'

One year on, I have become a bibliophile in some sense. The more books I read, the more I fall in love with them.

For the cynic who feels that reading books is a futile exercise - that what one gets out of reading 1000 pages is just 10 pages, here are 5 reasons to start reading books.

1. Authors are intellectual beings

An author's intelligence is almost always above the average human being's intelligence.

Research has shown that an author has an IQ of at least 130.

Even if you don't buy that or you don't believe in IQ scores, consider this. How many authors do you know who live in your neighbourhood?

I suppose, very few if not none. They are above the average plane. Their ideas count.

2. Powerhouse of Ideas

The author has specific ideas about a certain topic. And the author is an intellectual creature. Surely, their ideas count.

Pick up any book and you will find it packed with ideas and opinions which may well shape your life.

3. Role Models

There will be characters in certain books that may strike a chord. They might start serving as role models.

We would start looking up to the characters for courage and inspiration.

4. Pass Time

There is no better way to spend your time gainfully than by reading books.

Without having to attend any kind of courses, one can learn a lot just by reading books.

One can be satisfied of having spent one's spare time in a fruitful manner.

5. Experts recommend it

I was also a cynic. But when Arjun Malhotra and Sramana Mitra (who visited the Kgp campus) also recommended reading a lot of books, I started reading more and more.

If you are still not convinced, ask any person who you think is successful.

One thing they all have in common - they are voracious readers.

Books I have Read (in the last 1 year)

The God of Small Things; The Google Story; The Alchemist; Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!; The Day of the Jackal; To Kill a Mockingbird; Joker in the Pack; Outliers; Angels & Demons; The Da Vinci Code; Blink; Atlas Shrugged; The White Tiger; The Guide; The 3 Mistakes of My Life; The IITian

Which book are you into?

Role Models: My 5

2009-06-11T22:46:00.000-07:00

Role models are our idols. They are the ones from whom we draw inspiration and courage.

I admire

Dr. Manmohan Singh

For leading the nation.

It is no mean task to lead a nation of 1 billion - more so in as diverse a nation as India.

I admire him - not because he is an economist. Not because he is a visionary. Not because he is a man of character.

But because he leads India.

Roger Federer

For being as emotional as he is.

Federer may be ranked No.2. Or he may be the greatest player that tennis has ever produced. But I look up to him, not because he is a champion player but because

he doesn't suppress his emotions.

Because he is emotional - like normal human beings should be.

But aren't.

Ayn Rand

For believing in herself.

I find it difficult to believe that more than half a dozen readers should be interested in reading my posts.

Consider the faith Ayn Rand had in herself that made her come up with not just her own philosophy but believe that people would read her 1000 page epics.

Bill Gates

For being so rich.

He has not just created an empire that is difficult to create in the modern world, he has managed to ward off any threats that he has faced.

I don't admire Gates for his philanthropic achievements but simply because

he is so rich.

Aung San Suu Kyi

For being so courageous.

Most of us would have given up. But she hasn't.

And that is why I admire her.

What is your 5?

Welcome to Kgp

2009-06-10T01:26:00.000-07:00

Results of various competitive exams have started trickling in and the fortunate few who would have been selected in IITJEE would have started weighing their options.

This video was first screened on the opening day of the Spring Fest 09 at Netaji Auditorium & gives a bird's eye view of Kgp campus. A must watch for any IIT aspirant/IITian.

Played the video?

Noticed the guy in orange T-shirt in the Badminton Court. Second from left.

That happens to be Mainak Jas.

Didn't notice? Try playing it again :)

Ambigram: Patel

2009-06-07T04:06:00.001-07:00

Patel is the first hall that makes the (in)famous PAN loop in IITKgp.

P stands for Patel. A for Azad and N for Nehru. The ambigram for Nehru that I made is here.

The base font is - Agency FB. It has been modified to get the ambigram.

How is it? Do you have any modifications to suggest? Do let me know.

Mathematical PJs

2009-06-05T08:56:00.000-07:00

The trouble with Mathematics is - we first learn the formulae and then the application.

The education system is such that we treat these two aspects - theory and application as separate entities when they should be going hand in hand.

For instance, when we learn complex numbers in our +2 course, its applications are not apparent till our electrical course in 1st year.

In such cases, one has to look for simpler applications.

1. Multiplication by iota

I can very well recall how our Mathematics teacher in class was well known for his PJs (poor jokes).

Some, though were quiet useful!

Once, while a student had turned to gossip with the fellow behind him, our Maths teacher quipped, "Ashish, please multiply yourself by iota squared."

[Whenever a complex number is multiplied by iota, it is rotated anticlockwise by 90^o. Hence, multiplying it by iota squared would rotate it by 180^o]

2. The Exponential Function

Unfortunately for Ashish, he had to bear the brunt of most of the PJs as he was quiet irregular to class.

Once, while Ashish was giving some lame excuse for remaining absent from class, our Maths teacher remarked, "You are like the exponential function. Whether you differentiate it or integrate it doesn't really matter. It never changes."

I am unable to recall many of his other PJs. If you know of any interesting Maths PJs, do let me know.

Related Posts

Scientific Guessing

Real Life Applications of Mathematics - Traffic Rules

Scientific Guessing

2009-06-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Mathematics is often considered an exact science.

2+2 is always 4. cos²x + sin²x is always 1.

However, this is not always the case. Mathematics also deals with probability - a deterministic science.

Why Guess?

Objective examinations are considered a test of analytical skills and a test of nerves.

Now, it also tests your knowledge of probability. (Didn't it always test that?)

Regardless of the syllabus, objective pattern exams will test how well you apply probability.

Surprised?

Consider this. JEE in 2008 had 132 questions. In these, I would reckon there were 20 questions where I had a doubt. I wasn't sure. It was 50-50.

Did I guess?

Of course, I did.

Guessing in JEE

The objective questions had a +4/-1 marking pattern (+4 if you get it right, -1 if you get it wrong).

I figured out - even if I got 4 questions right out of 20, I wouldn't be losing out. (4x4 - 16x1 = 0).

How much probable is that?

Probability of getting exactly no question right = ²⁰C₀(1/2)²⁰

Probability of getting exactly one question right = ²⁰C₁(1/2)²⁰

Probability of getting exactly two questions right = ²⁰C₂(1/2)²⁰
Probability of getting exactly three questions right = ²⁰C₃(1/2)²⁰

Probability of getting exactly three questions right = (1/2)²⁰{ ²⁰C₀ + ... + ²⁰C₃} = (1/2)²⁰(1351) = 1.28 x 10^-3

Probability of getting at least 4 right = 1 - 1.28 x 10^-3≈ 1

Once I figured this out, my JEE paper was practically finished.

I guessed left-right and finished with a rank of 1594.

Double Check

Still cynical?

Feel that something somewhere is wrong.

Let us double check.

Probability of getting either none right or one right or... 20 right = (1/2)²⁰{ ²⁰C₀ + ... + ²⁰C₂₀}

How much is ²⁰C₀+²⁰C₁+...+²⁰C₁₉+²⁰C₂₀?

It is 2²⁰!

We then get the probability = 2²⁰/ 2²⁰= 1

That is what we should be getting!

What if I had no idea and simply guessed?

Probability of getting exactly

none right would then become ²⁰C₀(3/4)²⁰

one right=²⁰C₁(3/4)¹⁹(1/4)¹

two right = ²⁰C₂(3/4)¹⁸(1/4)²

three right = ²⁰C₃(3/4)¹⁷(1/4)³

Probability of getting less than 3 right = (3/4)¹⁷ { ²⁰C₀(3/4)³ + ²⁰C₁(3/4)²(1/4)¹ + ²⁰C₂(3/4)¹(1/4)² + ²⁰C₃(1/4)³} = 0.225

Probability of getting at least 4 right now becomes 1 - 0.225 = 0.775

It isn't as safe to guess now, even though the probability is still in the candidate's favour.

AIEEE/BITSAT etc.

AIEEE has the +3/-1 marking scheme.

If you use the same method to calculate, you'll find that

the probability of scoring non-negative in case of 50-50 ≈ 1

when one has no idea = 0.61

BITSAT has bonus questions if you complete all the questions. Suppose you have 20 questions left out. Should you guess and go for the bonus questions?

You are now empowered to decide for yourselves!

Mathematical PJs

Ambigram: Nehru

2009-05-27T09:41:00.001-07:00

Nehru is the name of the new Hall of Residence which I have been allotted in IITKgp.

It turned out to be an almost natural ambigram - a few tweaks here and there, and voila! the ambigram is ready!

I resorted to a little bit of cheating (not in the conventional sense though!).

All the letters are in Comic Sans. I did not try making the alphabet myself. Just modified the existing ones.

How is it? Do let me know.

Other Ambigrams I Designed

Azad, Jazzonomics, Patel, DPS RKP, Mainak

Real Life Applications of Mathematics - Traffic Rules

2009-05-26T00:46:00.000-07:00

Mathematics is often viewed as a subject which has no real life application.

I disagree with this view. One has to look at Mathematics in the right light. Only then one can discover the joy of Mathematics.

Consider, for instance - traffic rules. Very practical, you would agree. However, very few people appreciate the disadvantages of zig-zag movement.

Let us consider it in the light of two well known mathematical axioms.

1. Two sides of a triangle are greater than the third side

It is a very well known mathematical axiom that two sides of a triangle are always greater than the third side.

We can use that axiom to show how travelling in a straight line is a better option than travelling zig-zag. Going by the axiom,

CB + BA > CA

A vehicle travelling CB and then BA would travel more and hence consume more fuel than a vehicle going by CA.

Travelling in a zig-zag fashion is not economically viable.

2. Parallel lines never intersect

A vehicle travelling in a zig-zag fashion would have a greater probability of colliding with other vehicles than vehicles travelling in parallel lines.

That is what is lane driving. Vehicles drive in their respective lanes - in parallel paths. That prevents collision.

What would otherwise seem not very practical at once appears to be plain common-sense because of Mathematics.

Know of any other real life applications of Mathematics? Do let me know. You may leave your suggestions as comments to this post.

Related Posts

Scientific Guessing

Mathematical PJs

Digressions: Rainfall Patterns

2009-05-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

Pre-monsoons showers have arrived in Thiruvananthapuram. The mercury has plummeted to a nadir providing respite from the summer heat.

Rainfall pattern here is similar to that of Guwahati. It drizzles incessantly for hours bringing the temperature down.

It is quiet unlike Bangalore or Delhi. In Delhi, it rarely rains. In Bangalore, it invariably rains during the night. By dawn, the rain would have halted confirming to the city's busy lifestyle.

Rainfall pattern in Kharagpur is particularly notorious. It almost always rains on Fridays - which spoiled innumerable ED (Engineering Drawing) sheets which I had painstakingly made in the classroom.

On Saturday mornings, when we had our NCC parade, the rain would have stopped. In fact, it never rained on Saturday mornings! However, as the sun sets, black clouds start hovering overhead and by evening, it would be raining heavily spoiling our plans for the evening.

I have never understood the Rain Gods (i.e. if any such God did exist). Why doesn't it rain when there is a drought? Why does it keep raining when not required? (for instance, when Mumbai was getting flooded)

And more importantly, why did it never rain when we had our NCC parades?

My Alma Mater: DPS RK Puram

2009-05-16T01:48:00.001-07:00

This is a rotational ambigram I created in MS Paint. The prototype was made on paper - but the final image was created on Paint.

As a result, I had to create only half of the ambigram. The other half was just copy, rotate & paste. The colour is the same we had on our school uniform.

How is it? Do let me know.

Nostalgia: Code word tuti-on

2009-05-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

Tuti-on: Pronounce it right

This was way back in 2001. I was in my VIth standard and one of the toppers in my class.

I was good at Science, Social and English. I could manage Hindi but Sanskrit gave me nightmares. I got a B in Sanskrit in Vth (which was P3 - Pathetically Poor Performance going by my standards back then).

I did not want the entire class to know that the topper was attending tuition classes.

So, I always referred to it as tuti-on. That made me feel better.

Ka, Kha, Ga, ... then what?

Matadeen sir stressed the importance of having our fundamentals strong. From the very beginning, we were told to improve our handwriting and revise our shabd/dhatu roops.

However, to his horror, he discovered that we did not know the Devanagari script. We knew a few alphabets in order - the rest was all mayhem.

We were made to go through our very basics. It increased our confidence level tremendously.

'Does she live down there?'

From the day, sir discovered that our English teacher Anita Abraham was living below Siddhesh (we had our classes in his house), he became reluctant to come to the same place to teach.

After some deliberation, it was decided that the venue for the tuitions would shift base to my house. The onus was now on me.

Paan + Chai: Sandhi Banao

Matadeen sir (almost always) had a paan/supari in his mouth. As a result, he had this strange high pitched voice that is typical of Paan eaters.

The three of us would stare with disgust when he would start drinking the tea and say 'Sandhi Banao: ___ + ___'. Most disgusting.

Rest assured, he was a top-notch Sanskrit teacher. Though, I always wondered why

He never taught in the school (He would come in - give some high-funda lecture and fly off)
He never recommended those Rs 3 Kunjis in class (the ones he procured from Banaras)

His were the only tuition class I ever attended. I never had any problems in Sanskrit from then on (or was it so? Matadeen sir taught me in Guwahati. In Bangalore, the syllabus of VIIth was repeated for our class VIIIth course. I have always wondered whether I was just lucky).

I did not pursue Sanskrit after VIIIth even though it was supposed to be a 'scoring subject'. I took Hindi instead.

Stick Figures

2009-05-13T07:52:00.000-07:00

I hate getting into details. I abhor details.

When a professor gets into the intricacies/details of a subject, the matter starts flying overhead.

On the other hand, give me a brief outline of the topic and I will fall in love with it.

That is why I found stick figures interesting - you get the idea in a few lines (literally!).

While sitting idle, I made a few stick figures - of activities I do during the day. Notice how simplistic they are and how powerfully they convey the idea.

(All figures have been made in MSPaint)

Running

Reading Novels

Piano Classes

Blogging

Gymming/Push Ups

IAF: A Typical AF Station

2009-05-10T07:56:00.000-07:00

In Thiruvananthapuram, I live outside the AF campus. And somehow, I feel out of place. It isn't the same as before. But the moment I enter the campus, I feel at home.

Why? How? These are difficult questions. As I sat pondering over such questions, I decided to jot down what constitutes a typical AF station - and this is what I came up with.

Block structure

Unlike in the civil, where most people live in either apartments or bungalows, in the AF, houses are built in blocks.

Generally, 4 families are allotted a block. The families on the ground floor get gardens (to maintain!) while the first floor families get terraces.

On the rear, quarters for the domestic helpers is built. So, a single block will have 4 quarters of one kind and 4 of another.

The Institute/Mess

Every AF Station has a mess/institute which is the nerve centre of all social activities. The mess has a TV room, a library, an ante room, a bar, a dining hall and a very well maintained lawn.

All social gatherings of importance such as farewells, welcome parties and unit anniversaries are held in the mess lawn/ante room.

Sports Facilities

The gymnasium, billiards room and the golf course all come under the tutelage of the mess.

Almost every AF station has an indoor badminton court, table tennis tables and a squash court.

Golf courses are present subject to availability of space. Individuals in the armed forces get a rock solid sporting culture imbibed in them.

Other amenities

Every AF station has a well equipped SMC (Station Medicare Centre). The SMC has very well trained doctors and a dispensary for the medicines.

A Shopping Complex caters to the daily requirements of the AF station.

Most AF stations have a Children's Park and a school inside the campus. The station is, in short, self sufficient.

Security

Security is a major concern of any defence establishment. An AF station is (supposed to be) well protected with the entrance being manned 24x7.

This gives a sense of security to those residing within the campus and binds them into a very well knit unit.

The structure of most AF stations are more or less similar. There may, however be differences based on the location and the strategic importance of the station.

AF stations have always given me a sense of belongingness. I presume even you would be very attached to the locality you are living in. What is it like? In what ways is it different from an AF campus? Do let me know.

A Beginner's Guide to ED Topa

2009-05-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

Aim

As I had promised in my post on Jugaad, I am presenting the step by step procedure for light-tracing ED (Engineering Drawing) sheets.

Materials Required

Blank ED Sheets
Finished ED Sheet (to be copied)
Pencil, Eraser, Ruler etc.
Glass Sheet (At least the size of the ED sheets)
Clips - 3 Nos
Thick books
Working table

Procedure

Make two columns of books on the table to support the glass sheet.
Place the glass sheet on the books.
Place the lamp under the glass sheet in such a manner that it points upwards.
Place the ED sheets on top of one another and clip them together at 3 corners.
Place this arrangement on the glass sheet so that the blank ED sheet is on top.
Switch off the lights in the room.
Start copying!
It may not be very apparent which lines are dark and which are light. Use the fourth corner to check for thick/thin lines on the finished ED sheet.

Result

An exact copy of the original ED sheet.

Conclusion

Copying ED sheets does not require Rocket Science. Common sense is more than sufficient.

Precautions/Sources of Errors

The two columns of books must be of the same height. Increase/Decrease number of books as per requirement.
Check for thick/thin lines.
Erase off any traces of pencil marks created by the finished ED sheet on the backside of the new sheet. (Recall that they were in contact!)

Kgp to God's Own Country

2009-05-03T08:03:00.000-07:00

The long wait is finally over. My end-sems have come to an end and I am in God's Own Country - Kerala. The journey had been long - and in more ways than not - unique.

The Trains

The trains of Southern Railways are a class apart. From the moment you enter the compartment, the differences are very apparent.

The trains were very punctual arriving at the destinations well before time. That is perhaps ingrained in the South Indian culture - punctuality.

Unlike the trains in North India, everything here is a chocolate hue. The cubicles have no curtains giving the illusion of enhanced space. Everything seems neat till you are served the dinner.

The dinner fell short of all expectations. The food was all messy and the liquid stuff was all filled to the brim. It kept spilling out. I wasn't at all impressed by the food.

The IIT T-Shirts

This was the first time I had been wearing T-shirts that proudly proclaimed - IIT Kharagpur. I generally avoid wearing such T-shirts because (as one of my seniors travelling in the train described) - it is too 'elitist'.

I am not sure what that exactly means. But, what the expression roughly conveys is - IIT T-shirts are a show off.

Since some of us were wearing the T-shirts, we had to defend our decisions. Our defence being - these aren't show offs. These are just our college T-shirts. Plus, the T-shirts are plain. No quotes, nothing. Just IIT Kharagpur. It looks all very official. Gives you that MIT/Stanford feel.

Whatever it be, I was wearing one of these T-shirts and that was how it was.

The Rikshaw-wala

Since I was wearing the T-shirt, the onus of protecting IITKgp's image in the public was on me.

So when the Rikshaw-wala charged Rs 55 instead of Rs 40, I couldn't keep haggling with the Rikshaw-wala for 5 - 10 rupees. It was a question of my college's image!

Sarvana

I had a break journey. Kgp to Chennai and Chennai to Thiruvananthapuram. I had 3 hours to spare at the Chennai Station. I had my dinner with a fellow Kgpian at the Sarvana resturaunt.

I ordered North Indian Thali. That was my first taste of food outside Kgp after 5 long months. Mmmm...it tasted delicious.

In God's Own Country

Kerala never ceases to amaze you. From the moment I entered Kerala, the grandeur of the greenery and the backwaters/lakes all around left me spellbound.

Now, I could understand why Arundhati Roy indulges in elaborate details while describing things in her book 'God of Small Things'. Because, it is all so beautiful.

I have 2 and a half months to explore Kerala, the coconut groves, the beaches and the backwaters.

It is going to be an exciting vacation.

Suggestions: Reforms in the CGPA System

2009-05-01T05:28:00.000-07:00

In my previous post, I listed down some of the demerits of the CGPA system. While most agree to it that the CGPA system has its drawbacks, they feel that this is the best system available.

Here are some of their arguments

You cannot distinguish between someone who has secured 91 and someone who has secured 93. So you give them the same grade
Suppose you miss a grade in a 4 credit course, your CGPA drops by (1x4)/200 = 0.02 only.
The likelihood of missing a grade in a subject is 5/100 ( You are among the 5 unfortunate people who missed the higher grade in a class size size of 100), i.e. 1 in 20.
Rash commented: The Indian Education System is so fake that it is best to ignore it. The marks awarded are so shallow that you don't feel pushing for changes is really worth all the trouble.

My reactions?

If you cannot distinguish between 91 and 93, why segregate 89 and 91?
You get 0.02 when you average the grade-loss over 8 semesters. Suppose, someone misses a grade in the first semester, the grade loss would be 0.02x8=0.16 in the first semester which is more than sufficient for someone to miss his department change.
Your probability holds only when the event is unbiased.
@Rash: All I can say is - If it isn't worth all the trouble, why do we have examinations at all? Couldn't we just have projects/actual work?

However, as Rash suggested, I am presenting my suggestions. You are free to brainstorm/critically analyze the suggestions.

Centralise

Centralise the grading system. Give two people getting the same marks the same grade. This way, students in 'high performing sections' will not lose out. The grade will be purely based on merit.

Uniformity

There has to be a parameter which should decide the cutoff marks for the subject. Do not leave it to the Professor. Further, apply the criterion uniformly to all subjects.

Feedback

The students should be given a proper feedback on their performance. And the students should know why/where they lost their marks. I am sure IITs can provide feedback sheets having critical data such as class average, class highest and the weak areas of the students - say analytical abilities, calculation errors or weak concepts.

Time Bonus

A student who completes his exam well before time definitely has clearer concepts than someone who takes the complete 3 hours to complete the exam.

One could award 10% of the marks secured by the student as bonus per hour. So, if I get 90 and I finish half an hour early, my final marks should be 90 + (10% of 90)/2, i.e. 94.5

This way, plagiarism would reduce. A student finishing half an hour early would realise that returning the answer scripts is a better option than trading answers in the surplus time.

Cluster Grading

It doesn't make sense in having multiples of 5 and 10 as cut-offs.

Give grades in clusters. Say, there are 9 to 10 students in and around 90. Give the same grade to all of them (the cluster). Further, the cluster size may not be greater than 3 to 4 marks. If there are 10 clusters, give 10 grades on a scale of 5 to 10 - 5.0, 5.5 and so on till 10.

Opinion: Inconsistencies in the CGPA System

2009-04-12T21:35:00.000-07:00

What is CGPA?

CGPA stands for Cumulative Grade Point Average. IITs use it to evaluate the performance of IITians in the examinations.

How is the CGPA calculated?

Students are given a grade as per their performance in the examinations. Each grade has a numerical equivalent - 'a point'.

IITKgp has the following point system

Ex	A	B	C	D	P
10	9	8	7	6	5

Each subject has a credit - the weight the subject carries. To calculate the SGPA (Semester Grade Point Average), the weighted mean of the grades is calculated.

Let us consider an example.
Suppose a student - say Jug gets the following grades.

Subject	Marks	Credit	Grade	Point
A	79	4	B	8
B	98	4	Ex	10
C	89	2	A	9
D	97	1	Ex	10

The SGPA would be calculated as

(8x4 + 10x4 + 9x2 + 10x1)/11 = 9.09

The CGPA is the weighted mean of the SGPAs. His percentage would be

(79x4 + 98x4 + 89x2 +97x1)/11 = 89.36%

The CGPA and Percentage are incompatible

Now consider the grades of Mug.

Subject	Marks	Credit	Grade	Point
A	81	4	A	9
B	91	4	Ex	10
C	91	2	Ex	10
D	91	1	Ex	10

His SGPA would be calculated as

(9x4 + 10x4 + 10x2 + 10x1)/11 = 9.63

And his percentage would be

(81x4 + 91x4 + 91x2 + 91x1)/11 = 87.36%

(Assuming 90 to be the cutoff for Ex, 80 for A and 70 for B)

I have considered 11 credits here. You can imagine the discrepancy that would arise if we were to do this for 25 credits and then average it over 8 semesters. (i.e. close to 200 credits)

Clearly the CGPA system and the percentage system are incompatible. One has to choose between the two.

Inconsistencies in the CGPA System

In the previous examples, I assumed the cutoffs as 70, 80 and 90 for B, A and Ex respectively. The cutoffs could very well be different. If the class performs poorly/question paper was tough, then the cut off may be relaxed to an extent if the Professor so wishes.

The cutoff depends on the Professor's whims and wishes.

So for the same question paper, different Professors may set different cutoffs.

Some institutes use the distribution curve to decide the cutoffs. Aid of statistical tools is taken to decide the cutoffs. Sounds really hi-tech, doesn't it?

Think again.

Suppose, Jug is in a batch that has all the 'high performing' students. His grade would be lower than Mug who has the same marks but is in a batch that has 'normal students'.

So Jugs grade not only depends on the Professor but also on his batchmates.

IITKgp has 6 different sections and 6 different Professors teaching the same course in the 1st year. You can imagine the range of SGPA that the same set of marks may create.

There are courses that have 'Centralised Grade Calculation' but there are also courses that do not have this.

Mind you, do not mistake the CGPA to be the Percentile system. Nor is it the Percentage system. It is a hotch-potch of something in between.

Some subjects have relative grading. Others have absolute. The subjects that are 'scoring' are absolutely graded - for example, Maths or Programming. Subjects like English or Manufacturing Process have relative grading.

So if Jug happens to be good at Maths, he gets an A. Mug who is weak at it gets a D. Mug though is good at English. So he manages an A in it. Jug is pathetic at English but still manages a B because not just Jug - the whole batch is bad at English. So Mug loses out even though Jug and Mug have the same aggregate in the two subjects.

The CGPA system need a serious re-look. With the present system it is only encouraging unfair practices. The system is not transparent. At times, the grades that are given defy all logic.

To keep the students in a motivated frame of mind, IITs need to evaluate the students in a fair manner. And this means a review of the CGPA system.

Either it needs to be replaced with a better system. Or it needs to be made more consistent.

What system does your institute follow? Do let me know your opinions on it.

The Day Before The Exam

2009-04-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

[This is the text of the post that I wrote on JEE-nius the day before the JEE - comma, full-stop - no changes made. However, this could well be applicable to any other exam.]

I spent 3 years preparing for JEE and cracked it not once but twice. The second time - I secured a rank that was one-third my first attempt rank with one-third the preparation in my first attempt.

So how did I do it? What was the secret ingredient that was missing in my first attempt that got the magic going in the second?

Mindset

More than a test of analytical abilities, JEE is a test of nerves.

The D-Day could be anybody's day.
It could be your day.

You have to BELIEVE that it is going to be your day. Once you believe that it is going to be your day, there is no force in this world that can stop you from cracking the JEE and coming out with flying colours.

Being Alert

Get into an alert frame of mind. You wouldn't want to come out of the examinations regretting that you failed to read the instructions. Or that you could have solved the problem you didn't solve.

Go out for a Walk

Whenever someone asks me - What did you do on the day before the exam? I tell them this - I went for a walk with my father.

Avoid INACTIVITY and HYPERACTIVITY. They only increase anxiety. The best way to stay cool, calm and composed is to go out for a walk. It can do wonders tomorrow.

Avoid Caffeine

Caffeine increases the alertness levels. But it also increases anxiety.

Avoid coffee, cold drinks or anything that has high caffeine content.

Have normal food. Nothing extravagant. You wish to be in your mental and physical best - extravagant food will not help.

Prepare Well

I am not asking you take out your notes and start revising. That part of your preparation is over.

Do what remains. Get your pen, pencil and eraser ready. Have backups. Check your admit card. Be sure of the examination venue. Start early tomorrow.

Have a good sleep

Do not try to wake up early. No use revising now. Having a good sleep will help you maintain an alert state of mind tomorrow.

Tomorrow

Do not fret. You know it is going to be your day. The Day of (Your Name). Reach the examination venue well before time. Go and check your room no and floor.

In the examination hall, follow the instructions of the invigilators. Read the instructions CAREFULLY before starting.

And remember, if you cannot solve a question - even Chintu/Montu cannot. It is all about maximizing your marks. No one gets all the questions right.

Tomorrow is going to be your day. You are going to rock JEE.

All the best.

[P.S.: The post started appearing in sites such as GoIIT hours after it had been posted on JEE-nius. I would request people to refrain from copying the posts. They can, however if they wish, provide the link to the post to whoever is interested. The content is copyrighted]