Editorial - 100enLIGHtening YEARS

The woods are lovely, dark and deep;
but I have promises to keep.
The students are young, thoughts strong and steep;
And I have promises to keep.
The legacy is immor tal, great hope will it reap;
So I have promises to keep.
And eternity to go, before I sleep…
And eternity to go, before I sleep.

Indian Institute of Science, known popularly as Tata Institute to both the common
man and the scientific community is turning hundred soon! To usher in this significant moment
and muse over its long history, yet many recent pasts, the Centenary Year Celebrations unfold.

As the curtains rise for the Institute to embark upon this historical time, the IISc
community comprising of students, faculty, alumni and the staff bring forth their best contributions to this amazing fable. From the British era to post independence days, the times of the Maharaja to the democratic set up now, this hearth of knowledge has laid the foundation to many a brilliant and enriched mind. The walkways have witnessed many a discoveries, rendered themselves to many exhilarating moments, glowed in happiness when the researching minds discovered the existential truths. This has been an inspiring tale of not just past glory but future promises. With no predicament, it has embraced all minds from all regions and is an assimilation of that cultural odyssey.

The human mind is complex and human desires multi-fold. It is like a rainbow in
which we wish the colour palette never stopped at VIBGYOR. After all, aspirations, emotions
and reality- all have shades of grey. A thought seeded in one regular weekly meeting got converted into a passionate benchmark for all in the team. After all, how many of us, when in our seventh stage of life can state that we have lived the Shakespearean drama successfully being a part of the 100th year of a glorious institute.

Questions were encouraged, no thinking was compartmentalised- the science and art saw a
convergence like never before. It was a eureka moment, may be even close to nirvana, when 100 enLIGHTening YEARS found itself in flesh and blood. The current team of Voice-ians with pride presents the Voices Students Centenary Magazine, commemorating this hallmark moment.

This is also an ode to all those voices that existed over the decades, challenging the
system, giving vent to their creative potentials as torchbearers of thought and action. For us,
this was an exploratory journey to find that from being called ‘The Rag’ in the 70s to ‘Drag’ in
the 80s to ‘SCampus’ in the 90s; and ‘Milieu’ a few years ago; every decade a bunch of students
began a movement that gained some momentum but finally could not sustain itself. While some
prided themselves on being the investigative journalists of the campus, others thought they were
the representatives of collective student emotion. We have a Tribute Section to commemorate the existence of these Student Newsletters on campus!

Voices is currently in its seventh year and is aware that things will change with the
next generation. What it continues to hope is that even in the Bicentennial celebrations of the
Institute, there will be students creating ‘greater decibel’!

100 enLIGHTening YEARS brings you a pot-pouri that could give any gourmet chef
a run for his money. From innovation to spirituality, scientific temper to discovery of the other
realm; from the institute being an integral part of life to a humorous take on how staying here for
too long has its effects; personal anecdotes to conscientious takes on duty and a sense of respect; a look at a centenarian to accounts of a first day, and there is poetry galore.

As you turn each leaf, this is a journey from then to now, from when to how; seen through the binoculars of the IISc community, a kaleidoscopic view that will ensure a smile, only
to ponder and say, “Congratulations Centenarian, You still have a long way to go!”