Chandan Pandit is a graduating Y21 M.Tech student from the Department of Chemical Engineering. In his As We Leave, he reflects upon his transformative journey at IITK and the importance of seizing every opportunity that comes one’s way
Disclaimer:- The views presented below are the author’s own and are not in any manner representative of the views of Vox Populi as a body or IIT Kanpur in general. This is an informal account of the author’s experiences at IIT-K.
A PG Student’s Journey! – It All Started with securing a good GATE Rank!
Despite being a full-time employee two years back at a reputed company, I pursued my dream of gaining admission to an IIT for four years alongside my work, not deterred by the fear of failing again. Eventually, luck was on my side, and I secured a rank of 792 after consecutive attempts, which was enough to secure a place at IIT Kanpur. This marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter in my life.
My name is Chandan, and I completed my B. Tech from NIT Agartala. After being placed at Vedanta Ltd., where I worked for over four and half years, a deep longing for personal and professional development led me to pursue a Master’s degree, driven by the zeal to chase excellence in my professional life.
Adjusting to the New Normal: Moving from Online to Offline
Online classes began and I was blown away by the caliber of teaching on offer, which included subjects such as Electrochemical systems, Catalysis, and Reactor Engineering, as well as Advanced Mathematics. The expertise and knowledge of the teachers were truly inspiring, leaving a lasting impact on my personal and academic pursuits.
The subsequent semester saw a return to in-person classes, which was highly anticipated by everyone in the batch. The vibrant campus life and the unique culture of IIT were eagerly awaited, and it was a joy to be able to participate in it again.
One particular service that stood out to me was the Counselling service, which provided exceptional support to incoming students and made their transition to IIT Kanpur as seamless as possible. This experience motivated me to devote my time and energy to serving the next incoming batch in a similar capacity, leading me to seek out a suitable Position of Responsibility (PoR).
Making a Difference: Contributing to the IIT Kanpur Counselling Service as a PG Core Team Member
The PG Core team nominations took place, attracting a significant number of applicants. To begin the selection process, a preliminary screening group task was assigned, which my team and I dedicated an entire day to complete.
As luck would have it, I was selected to join the outgoing PG Core team following an interview, which proved to be a truly pleasant experience. In collaboration with my team, I dedicated a significant amount of time to onboarding and conducting a successful four-day orientation program for the Y’22 PG students. Witnessing the incoming batch enjoy the campus and engage in various non-academic facilities was incredibly fulfilling.
In addition to the orientation program, several other initiatives were undertaken, including conducting workshops on gatekeeper training, promoting awareness for mental health, decluttering space, and providing academic mentors for PG students in need. Our team also took the time to listen to the new students’ concerns and worked diligently alongside the Student Guides and Orientation Team members to resolve them.
I am grateful to have made many wonderful connections with fantastic students and colleagues, some of whom have now become lifelong friends. Overall, being a part of the PG Core team has been an unforgettable journey that has enriched my personal and professional growth.
Collaborating with fellow members of the Sensors group
Yet another fantastic experience was joining the sensing group under Prof. Siddhartha Panda. Working with my lab mates, doing experiments, learning minute things, learning to manage my time, dealing with failures, making mistakes, and learning from other lab mates were all part of a learning experience that I will never forget throughout my entire life. This is now my second alma mater, for which I will be eternally grateful. This group has become my family, and I will forever be grateful for the knowledge and wisdom that I have gained being surrounded by them. It has truly been a life-changing experience that has left an indelible mark on my heart and soul.
Engaging in Heart-Pumping Activities with the Adventure and Sports Club
I have a deep love for adventure and a curious spirit that is constantly seeking new experiences. In summer last year, I took on the challenge of attending a conditioning camp to stay in shape for my upcoming adventures. The leaders of the club were simply wonderful, and it was an absolute pleasure to learn from them. Brimming with excitement, we embarked on our journey to the stunning Har ki Doon Valley in Uttarakhand, where the mountains towered at a breathtaking 3500 meters above sea level. An accident took place at the peak which left all the members shattered and broken, one of the staff members Mr. Johnson Whiteford who went to the trek with us from our campus never returned. This left a scar on my soul forever.
Transformative Experiences with NSS IIT Kanpur – UHV Wing: Reflections and Lessons Learned (Developing Human Values by Exploring Oneself)
I still remember my first encounter with a person who has spent a considerable amount of time at this institution, completing his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and now Ph.D. studies. We quickly hit it off after discovering our mutual involvement in educational NGOs and society ( We Can ) in his hometowns and my alma mater NITA, over which we bonded. My interest was piqued when I learned about the Universal Human Value (UHV) curriculum being followed in AICTE colleges and UGC in higher education. To delve deeper, I started coming to weekly UHV meetings, exploring human values through self-exploration, and meeting with other UHV Wing members. During my stay, we conducted three eight-day UHV workshops. Initially, I participated for the benefit of others, but I soon realized that I needed to have a clear understanding of my own values before I could communicate them to others. My exploration has continued since then, and every meeting and workshop has been immensely valuable for the participants and me.
I have undergone several personal transformations that have positively impacted me. These transformations include developing new interests such as playing Frisbee, adopting a vegan lifestyle, educating myself on different social causes, learning to express my thoughts and question belief systems, enhancing my communication skills to interact with people from diverse backgrounds, honing my public speaking abilities, improving my teamwork skills, and gaining expertise in advanced technologies such as machine learning and data analytics. These transformations have contributed to my personal growth and prepared me for the next phase of my life.
Dr. Siddhartha Panda, Dr. Anjan Kumar Gupta, Dr. Chiranjeevi Srinivasa Rao Vusa, Nachiketa Gokhale, Shivam Nigam, Manoranjan, Roshan, Vimal, Pavan, Mayank, Shubh, Devendra, Nitish, Jayant, Anshika, Vedant, Satyansha, Basu, Mrs. Rita shukla, Mujahid, Aravind, Fouziya, Ankur, Shivangi, Pradeep, Mrs. Priya, Mr. Sumit , Mr. Rajesh, Ms. Ritika, Ms. Seema, Chidanand, Lavish, Neha, Nishant, Rahul, Vijaya, Atika and many others are individuals who played a significant role in supporting, motivating and working alongside my personal and professional pursuits also inspiring through their own works.
My message:
As a master’s student at IIT Kanpur, make sure to utilize your time wisely by engaging in self-exploration, interacting with diverse personalities, volunteering for social causes, enhancing your emotional intelligence, acquiring new skills, and undertaking personal projects, honing research abilities, etc. You’ll find lots of opportunities everywhere, grab them. At last, enjoy your experience at IIT Kanpur, don’t compare it to anybody else’s, it’s your journey, so make the most of it.
Hope you liked these few nuggets of my brief stay at IITK and got some inspiration!
Feel free to connect with me on my social media page for any guidance or help.
My Instagram page- www.instagram.com/chandanpandit05
My YouTube Channel – MyLife@IITKanpur www.youtube.com/ChandanPandit09
My Linkedin ID- https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandanpandit05/
Written by: Chandan Pandit
Edited by: Aditya V, Niliena Celine Biju
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