A visit to KGP…

Background
Few days back I was chatting with Bafna and we were discussing the scope of Agri-businesses in our country and how lots of opportunities exist on the ground and very few technically skilled people are working on ground. We were planning how we can collaborate and work together. Then discussion shifted quickly why people from the department (Agricultural & Food Engineering) are not willing to work in this field. True to my nature of living in the moment, I co-created a group on FB – “AgFE Students’s Union” after that heated debate on how and what can be done together to attract more people to this sector from the department. We also discussed if we can go to the department and talk to students about this.

Then after 4-5 days of this, when we were attempting a “note” to kick of some discussion, we got the news of Prakriti (www.prkt.in), which is techno-managerial innovation camp. This is all student effort to increase space for innovation in Agricultural and Food Engineering sector, a 3day camp where student come from across the country. This was based on “Ankur”, another techno-managerial fest (Conducted March ’06), which we (Me, Kaushik Malpani & Sudu) conceived about 5 year back after our internship with ITC Ltd. So I and Bafna decided that lets go there and take this opportunity to motivate students. And we booked the tickets. We worked a bit on what we are going to speak to students, we had doubts on whether to speak to professors or not, but we didn’t think too much about it. Unfortunately Bafna had to cancel his trip due to unavoidable circumstances and I was not sure whether it’ll be good idea or not to go alone as I knew very few students there.

After my Motorcycle bharat darshan, one of the important learning was “if you want change, you need to work with youth”. Now this was an opportunity to do something with youth and understand the process of motivation. Amidst the confusion of whether or not to go, I thought if I can’t work with my juniors in college whom else I’ll be able to motivate. Keeping this challenge in front of me, I decided to leave for Kharagpur. I met Mahe, Rajat & Asish in Bangalore itself to discuss the idea, got a few ideas from them and they assured they can give sometime to work with juniors. I also called Malu & Sudu and told what I am planning to do, I got their support as well. With all these thoughts I left for KGP on 31st night.

KGP !!!

Reached KGP on 2nd morning, it was nice to be on world’s longest platform once again. Took some pics, and realized that there are lifts on each platform now for disables. Apart from that, the subway which connects station entry to main platform is totally renovated and looked nice. Took a rickshaw to campus so that I can view what’s up with KGP and take some pics also. It took about 30 mins and the “same old views” to reach Technology guest house. New outside the campus was construction of flyover to avoid two railway crossings. Inside the campus it was as some construction competition of Civil Engineering is going on, lots of new constructions have come up and many more in process.

After freshening up spoke to some of the E-Cell guys, went to RDC (Rural Development Centre). Met the Head of RDC, Prof. Bhadauria and also met Prof. Mandal, who works on developing technical solutions for village problems. They are doing some good work in villages around kgp. And then I encountered 44 degree centigrade at 80%+ RH and no rickshaw to rescue which can take me from RDC to Tech Guest House. KGPians can imagine how pleasant that walk would have been. Anyway after a good lunch I started for the inauguration for Prakriti at Kalidasa Auditorium at Vikramshila Complex. A nice brief half an hour ceremony, highlight was Prof. R Singh (Head, AgFE) using lines from Gulzaar – “Aadmi bulbula hai” (Human is a bubble) on never say die spirit of human being. Once the ceremony was over, starting meeting professors, it was very heartening to see that they were equally excited to see me there as I was. Generally all of us feel that Profs are some creatures who derive pleasure from troubling students and their heart is made of stone. But once you graduate and move out, the relation become very cool and same creatures look very peaceful!!! Anyway I definitely felt good after meeting Profs and can’t comment whether this happens to everybody or not.

Anyway after this Profs left and next event – “quiz” started. This is something which always gives me feeling of “not my cup of tea”, and true to my feeling it proved to be NOT my cup of tea. Anyway meanwhile I informed juniors that I would like to speak to them and please inform everybody. The event longer that I expected (may be because I was not enjoying it :P) and once finished I wired my netbook to the projector and started speaking to students. I am trying to reproduce the speech in first person for the benefit of juniors who missed it and of course it won’t be the exactly same!!!

http://journeyofvarun.blogspot.com/2010/04/talk-with-students-of-agfe-2nd-april-10.html

Please wait for another write up shortly on what happened on 3rd April, this will contain –
1. Discussion with students on curriculum chage.
2. Discussion with E-Cell team
3. My participation in the event “Symposium” on the topic – “Relationship between academia and industry”
4. Session on Agri-Entrpreneurship
5. Discussion with Professors – How to work jointly for improving things
6. Yo Patel !!! – My hall, my old room and GC…