की राजहंसाचे चालणे । जगी जालिया शहाणे॥ म्हणोनि काय कवणे। चालोचि नये॥ - पु.ल. देशपांडे  (or may be some ancient verse quoted by पु.ल.) I showed up for my IIT interview in June 1969. It was my first trip to Mumbai – then Bombay – and my astonishment seemed to have no bounds. Wide roads,... Continue Reading →

After my schooling and college at Don Bosco and Ruia College in Matunga, I was lucky to get into IIT Bombay with a decent enough rank to get admission into Chemical Engineering, which usually was the first discipline to get filled up. It was an awesome experience sharing the same class room with some brilliant... Continue Reading →

It was a hot Bombay day. I was about 16 and my father patiently explained: Look, engineering is not for you. Take up medical school. My brother challenged me: Can you draw a straight line? If you can’t, engineering is not for you. I couldn’t draw. Their arguments completely convinced me. The next day I... Continue Reading →

Last night, while watching the movie ‘Jindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, I was reminded of my vacation with my batchmates during my IIT days and how it impacted my life. During December ‘71, a bunch of us 3rd hostelites went for a short vacation to Bakul’s grandfather’s bungalow, a nice house in Pune. There were no... Continue Reading →

I showed up at IIT on June 12, 1969, the date of the IIT entrance “interview”, thinking this was to be an actual interview, and that I’d be able to discuss matters, get information, and make an informed choice about my major. Instead, when I was called in, the person “interviewing” me (N.R. Kamath, I suspect... Continue Reading →