In memory

In memory of memories...
In memory of those smiles
In memory of those stolen glances
In memory of those batting eyelids
In memory of those crimson cheeks
In memory of those cream laced coffees
In memory of those yellowed pages
In memory of those tissue notes
In memory of those uninhibited revelations
In memory of those incessant jabbers
In memory of those giggle fits
In memory of those long drives
In memory of those chilly nights
In memory of those mid night ice creams
In memory of those 'bajrang bali' moments
In memory of those poems written
In memory of those email sms-es
In memory of those all night trails
In memory of those 'airtel' silences
In memory of those anti-me moments
In memory of those salad lunches
In memory of those chocolate mousse ummmm...s
In memory of those balanced walks
In memory of those moments, madness personified
In memory of those capital 'love letters'
In memory of those dawned realizations
In memory of memories...

Cheers to...

Cheers to...
Freedom of Thought
Freedom of Choice
Freedom of Individuality
Freedom of Belief
Freedom of Action
Freedom of Self

Freedom from superstitions
Freedom from expectations
Freedom from hypocrisy
Freedom from cliches
Freedom from mind sets
Freedom from prejudices

Happy 62nd Independence Day!!

Thought for the Day...

For days bygone and days to come,
Live for thee, have dreams some.
Today is still unwritten,
Unfold the thought...
Let the realization come!

Voices Speech- Orientation- Aug 7th 2009

Good Evening!

You like to dabble in writing, you have keen listening skills, your antennas get a whiff of the unwritten story, you have an investigative mind, you can slog your backside off, you believe passion and drama make sense; you do not deter from calling a spade by its’ name, yet refrain from the use of a blunt sword- then Voices is your arena.

We are the IISc newsletter on campus and exist, working mutually with the student’s council.The first issue of Voices was published on Feb 10, 2003. Today, we are a monthly and every IISc-ian is welcome to be a part of Voices.

Some of our humble feats in the last academic year include:

• Arranging interactive session with Mr Ratan Tata on May 27, 2009.
• Helping Archives and Publications Cell to setup the Valedictory Exhibition.
• Benchmarking surveys of IISc services in 2008, 2009.
• Students’ Council Election coverage in 2008, 2009.
• Daily bulletins during the Centenary Conference in Dec 2008.
• Centenary Special Magazine in 2008

We welcome you to IISc by dedicating our August issue to you- The Voices Freshers’ Special Issue. Each leaf will give you a glimpse of the world beyond academics, your opportunity to hone your skills and build your nest. The Voices team members are in the aisles will be distributing the copies to you. Happy Reading!

For those of you who want to make more noise with us, mail us at voices.iisc@gmail.com. Also, visit us at http://www.iisc.ernet.in/voices.

Welcome Home!

Editorial August 2009

This month of August, the campus witnesses a gamut of new faces, new courses, new ambitions and new dreams. While a whole bunch has graduated and packed their bags and their experiences here, a fresh batch walks in, anticipating those experiences. There will be moments of exhilaration, ideation; moments of doubt and disillusionment; moments of triumph and hardship; moments of sheer wanderings and revelations. The lab, the hostel room, the mess will encapsulate your life even before you have taken in the first whiff. You will soon discover your favorite corner in this 440 odd acres; your path to your musings.

Pep talks from peers, guidance from faculty will help you carve your niche; yet, this is a journey of self discovery. A journey in which we ourselves are responsible for the destination.

We wish every new comer lots of luck as you embark on this remarkable and enlightening journey at the Indian Institute of Science. It is lots more than just an MTech/MSc degree or a PhD thesis. The years here will change the course of your life.

Voices presents the Freshers' Special Issue, a glimpse into the world beyond the courses here. Let the moment of chrysalis arrive and let talent take center stage. Let the curtains rise. Ahoy!

Love yourself for what you are...a whole lot of bull shit...

I recount the innumerable times when we are taught since childhood that we should be happy the way we are; accept ourselves and others the way they are...a whole lot of bull shit this is...

Whoever says that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder is fooling the self and the world. There is this standard of beauty that every normal human being wants to attain and envies if it is in others' than them.

Often intangible qualities don't matter, beauty and talent is often what appeals to the damn eyes. a person singing or dancing is talented , thank god for them they have visible talents...Does anyone remember the incident of the China Olympics and how the prettier kid lip synched!Spare the kids for god sake!

If some one tells you, you should have a heart of gold, please do not believe...the world still appreciates the one with the bank balance, their words have more bearing, they hold the greater key to all materialistic happiness. they are tyhe ones who are more serious, your struggles are not noteworthy. Many a times people guffaw at the non lucrative career of a researcher but they will never understand!

Gender, caste, creed, community, language all build invincible barriers, you will be respected for it and hated for it. Your intelligence and your beauty will be a direct relation to it. Eg: A senior in my college once told me "Brahmins are more intelligent". Much hasn't chganged since.Am in a competitive research environment where the so called knowledgeable male colleagues laugh how women researchers get married and get more busy with mother in law issues; then have babies and then research just happens!

The world is beautiful in its hypocritical sense and leaves individuals confused. It is an art that some people learn and some unfortunately never do.

There is too much running on my mind...but why am i even saying this? Bcos time and again, i have had to fight the odds to be myself.
When i was scrawny, people asked my parents if they never fed me?
When i was gawky, i was never chosen for visible acts on stage, it always went to the pretty faces..
I was quite talented, but never star material...
I was inquisitive but reprimanded for asking too many questions...
I am obsessed about details in my work and that is a fallacy- it irritates and instigates people...
Today I am doing what i want to, yet slight reminders always pass about how i could have been financially more secure...
Today i am weightier, actually fat and people tell me"what happened?"...being scrawny suddenly seemed to be good...

Am edgy, am angry, i feel in the dumps at times- bcos we can never be too good for the world...i thought i dont care, but deep within even the not so normal girl in me cares about not being thin anymore...is it the weighing scales that's causing so much upheaval...i do not know...
I am beyond fat days bcos being fat is the fact of my life...but being fat, i realised how insensitive, rude, mean people can be...the snide comments, the polite smiles, the subtle hints- don't take those for granted any more...

I always took my being thin for granted, having been thin for close to 18 yrs of my life:)
wish i had known better!!

P.S: For those of you who even bothered to read the entire post, this is a result of my frame of mind right now; i may be the jubilant self tomorrow...but the demons of 'fatness' may be lurking within!

Let us assume...

Assumptions make life easy
Presumptions a blinkered view.
Like hiding behind a half shut door,
Partially woken minds thinking it is still sleep time;
Day dreaming in a class of rational realism.
The spilt ice cream is better than a sore throat
The emptying wallet indicating inflation,
The plateaued progress the rise of obstacles.
Let us assume...
It atleast provides us a make belief moment,
and helps us be 'fit', our developed secret to survival.

This is how i feel today...

Expand your horizons
Capture that incredible dream
Let the dispersion of thoughts
Do not delve into the chasm of fear
Be the phoenix in time
Borne confidence like not known
The world is yours
Reckon your space!

@ 1.25 am, 4th August

Sleep betrays the eyes,
Night stirs in silence-
Thoughts a maze.

Jaya and the Sour Idlis

A sultry noon
a crowded tea board
no respite from the limited choice
yet, look at your plate and say, "bon appetit!"

Unassuming, we sat at our rickety table
with a plate of idlis and a 'katori' full chutney
were we to embark on that palate journey;
A voice from the table beside quipped-
"Are the idlis edible?"
My friend said, "they are a little sour at times"
I murmured, "edible..hmmm...yeah!"
She seemed someone lost in her thought
of heavy weight decisions, she was taking stock.
"Must be new", both of us said in unison!

Giving no more thought,
we found an exiting lot
and ran to conquer the less rickety table.
Sat for the (in)famous lunch-
And my friend decided to shower- sweetness in bunch
took a bite of the hot idli and decision made
"lemme tell her, she may want to be fed"
"The idlis are actually a little sour, but you can see" she said
The fate of the questioning lady forgotten-
time passed, lab beckoned.

Clock struck 4
Tea break then summoned
Gossip was happening over chai
when there comes the lady and says,
"Hi! I am Jaya and U?"
polite us quip our names and smile
and even before we register this in memory file
"The idlis were really sour", Jaya says
ah! conversation and its vibrant ways.

We bid adieu and i still wonder,
About the tale of Jaya and sour idlis.
Tell my friends-
"This deserves a limerick, what say?"
But another fable for your reading makes its way!

Event time: Noon and early evening of 3rd August
Post written: 1.07am, 4th august

P.S: Jaya! if you happen to read this, thank you for the inspiration. The lines may not be verbatim, thanks to memory deficit; but am sure you will generously excuse. I pray that shall there be appetising moments when you get non-sour idlis.

Am back!

Am back from the hibernation
Was suffering from a bad back, still am
Had back breaking thoughts about work
Unfinished deadlines traumatized
Good backing desired:)