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Journalism of Courage
— Vishwas Jajpura
As a child, I was interested in space and technology. When I grew up, my passion for the subject also gradually strengthened and I decided to pursue a career in the stream of space and technology. I had a natural inclination towards Mathematics and Science and got to know more about engineering and how it could be incorporated with my interest in space. Hence I decided to be an aerospace engineer. When I was in Class 8, I got to know about the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and how it is the country’s premium institution for engineering. I decided to do hard work to get admission to IIT.
My all-India rank in Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced 2021 was 4,448 and I was very happy that I got the course of my choice— Aerospace Engineering. I have just completed my second year. Among the IITs, only four of them offer BTech in Aerospace Engineering — IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Madras.
IIT Kharagpur, a world of its own
IIT Kharagpur is a world of its own, nestled in a quaint city of West Bengal. The institution is situated close to the main city of Kharagpur. The city by itself is quiet but the campus is always bustling with activities.
My first year was spent online. I came to college when it reopened after the pandemic. After spending some time here, all I could think was, why didn’t I come to college earlier. It is so much fun, it’s indescribable. There are so many events, and competitions. There is a lingo which is exclusive to IIT Kharagpur students.
Fests, fun and frolic
We have two fests at IIT Kharagpur — Kshitij and Spring Fest. Kshitij is the largest techno-management symposium in Asia and Spring Fest is our cultural fest. I am a part of the design team in Kshitij. In Kshitij there are three main teams— core, tech, and design. The core team oversees the management aspect of the event and the tech team looks after the technical side. The design team, which I am a part of as a sub-head, deals with the design aspect of everything related to the fest— from website to posters to videos everything you see in the fest is designed by us. All three teams work in sync day and night to make the event successful. Kshitij happens in January while Spring Fest takes place at the onset of spring which means it is also held by the end of January.
During the fests, there are days when we would not sleep for two to three days together, and would be present throughout the events to ensure that everything went smoothly. The fest is more like our baby, no matter whatever name you would like to give it. The feeling when everything goes off well and the event eventually turns out to be a success cannot be described in words. The joy of success after a collective effort gives an ethereal feeling.
We have another important event during the year — General Championship, a competition between all ‘halls of residence’, the hostels at IIT Kharagpur. The hostels form an integral part of your identity in college, as a student is known by his or her hall of residence. Competing in the General Championship gives such an adrenaline rush, that all 23 halls of residence put their best foot forward to win the championship.
During the autumn semester around Diwali, we have the illumination event where all the residents of a hall create beautiful artworks by lighting up ‘diyas’. The artworks are prepared around a theme, and we are ranked accordingly. I belong to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya hall of residence and last year we came second at the illumination event.
We also have an annual hall day, before the election where students from different halls can visit other halls. There is no restriction and we all decorate our rooms for our peers when they come.
Hostel life at IIT
Apart from the fests and events, the other days at IIT Kharagpur are also very eventful and lively. My day usually starts at 7 am or 7.30 am and lectures are delivered at different times depending on the timetable. Sometimes the lectures begin at 8 am, sometimes at 9 am or 10 am. The labs are mostly held from 2 pm to 5 pm. Once the lectures and labs are over, we have time for ourselves. We can do anything — study at the library or in our rooms, hang out with friends or indulge in a sport or activity of our choice.
When bored, my friends and I hang out at a spot called 2.2. It is like a circle where you will always find students after classes or even late at night. We hang out at other places as well, including the Nalanda classroom complex where all the classes are held and the clock tower spot which has a huge clock and rings a bell at 10 o’clock. There is also the main building and Chem top— the top of the Chemical Engineering Department building. We generally hang out inside the campus as there are so many spots there. Moreover, the city is not a happening place. Sometimes when we do want to go out, we hang out at Chedia. It is a tea spot outside the campus.
The food here is very different. I am a Gujarati hailing from Ahmedabad. All my life I have had very different kinds of cuisines. But, the food is also not bad. Initially, I did not like it much. But now I am used to it. I generally prefer eating at the mess. But on days we don’t like the food, we eat at the canteen. There is a concept of night canteens at the IIT. These canteens are open throughout the night.
My biggest learning experience at IIT Kharagpur
There is always something to do in college, something that can engage you. It has helped me learn and grow as an individual. I can very well say that my life at IIT has made me able to live in any type of situation and manage any level of stress. More importantly, I have learned that hard work, be it the preparation to clear IIT exams during my school years or even during my IIT college, will always lead to indescribable joy.
