IIIT-Delhi has introduced me to the best set of people one can hope for. I am grateful to this institution for all the opportunities and its people for their tireless support and mentorship. There was always so much to do and never enough time. To the batch of 2018, it was a rollercoaster ride, and we sailed through it!
Five years at IIIT-Delhi was a great experience in all aspects. It was full of challenging tasks, teaching assistant responsibilities, other curricular activities, and ups and downs. In addition, tours, sports, gym, yoga, and walking around campus with friends and supervisors enriched my experience. The first year passed in finding supervisors and coursework. Picking up supervisors was the most challenging task for me, but eventually, at the end of the first year, I got my first supervisor. Finally, I signed with three supervisors during my Ph.D. journey. Beyond these, I started sports activities and tours with friends; I played table tennis for the first time in my life, and it became my favorite game.
I am extremely grateful for the wonderful experiences I have gained during my tenure at IIIT-Delhi. The most impactful factor for me has been the great people at the Institute. I am forever indebted to the amazing mentors and guides that I got, be it the seniors, faculty, and friends, all of whom were always helpful and critical for whatever I have been able to achieve. I was blessed with the best set of friends, who would
I had a wonderful time at IIIT-Delhi. The journey was an absolute thrill ride. I had many amazing experiences, met incredible people, and made lifelong friends. Transitioning from a Wet Lab (Biotechnology) to a Dry Lab (Computational Biology) was difficult. Still, with perseverance and a never-say-die attitude, I completed my Ph.D., which would not have been possible without the help of my friends, family, and many people at IIIT-Delhi. I'd like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Khushpinder Sharma and Dr. Amita Puri for their unwavering support, bringing me out of my depression, dealing with my panic attacks, and patiently listening to me. They both made my journey much easier and helped me regain my confidence. In the last five and a half years, I've evolved into a confident unwavering optimist who believes there is no such thing as failure, only feedback. I am looking forward to convocation day after years of hard work. I'd like to thank the entire IIIT-Delhi family for their contributions and support over the years.
My journey at IIIT-Delhi was a great learning experience, and it was multifold. What I like the most about the Institute is its vibrant and open-minded culture regarding student life, academics, and research. The faculty is outstanding, and the students have access to the latest infrastructure and resources.
“What next?” was a terrifying question for me after graduating high school. It was time for me to choose my career path and make a crucial life decision. While exploring courses to pursue my undergrad, I came across the BTech in Computer Science and Social Science program offered at IIIT-Delhi. Sure I had my inhibitions and fears, it wasn't a well-established program back then, and there were no alumni to discuss the curriculum or career paths with. Despite all of this, the moment I read about this course, I knew it was what I wanted to pursue! I took the onus to make the best of this amazing opportunity and enrolled in the program. Looking back, it was a risk I took, but it bore great results, and I am glad I took the leap of faith. My four years at IIIT-Delhi were transformational in more than one way. Academically, I tried out a variety of courses, took up research projects in different domains, worked under the guidance of some exemplary professors, and was lucky to secure some amazing scholarships and internships. But more importantly, I grew as a person. College life is where you are encouraged to make decisions, make mistakes and learn from them. It is a time to explore not only your career goals but also yourself! And that is something that I am always going to be grateful for. The extracurricular activities in college made me a better leader. They taught me how to communicate and manage my time better, think on my feet, make decisions on the go, and, most importantly, be confident. I feel each of these skills is as important, if not more, than the knowledge I gained from my courses and projects. However, the one thing that I am most grateful to IIIT-Delhi for is the people I've met here. I made bonds for a lifetime, be it my professors whom I still approach for advice or my friends who, throughout the four years of my college life, pushed me to do better, appreciated me for my achievements, and supported me in my low days. Thank you, IIITD, for all the memories; you will always be fondly remembered.
My sincere thanks to my academic supervisors, faculty, staff, and students who helped me succeed in the doctoral program's academic rigor. I joined the Ph.D. program at 39 as a sponsored candidate. When I was in the classroom with 20-year-olds, I did raise the average age a bit. As a graduate student, I never found the age gap challenging. My professors never treated me as anything but another student, and the other students were also great to me. The toughest part for me was the transition from a demanding corporate environment to a rigorous academic environment. I approached the Ph.D. program as a learning process to challenge myself intellectually and emotionally. I have pleasant memories garnered throughout my Ph.D. journey that will be cherished for the rest of my life.
4 years at IIIT-Delhi!!! On one thought, it seems like a vast time, while on the other, it seems to have passed very quickly. From the first to the last day of college, I've had many experiences that have changed me in various ways and molded me into my current version. One thing I'm grateful to the Institute is the world of technology, knowledge, and opportunities it opened for me, which in turn gave me the confidence to spread my wings and explore this beautiful world! There are a whole lot of things that a person experiences during this phase of their life. Meeting new people and being in a new environment gives you a different kind of exposure which helps you learn about life. At times, it becomes overwhelming to be in such a competitive environment where everyone is working so hard. Still, it's essential not to get bothered about all this and to believe in yourself and focus on what matters to you. Everyone is unique in their way. Apart from academics, it is also important to explore different things. Not just the academic and external side of yours, but one may also learn how to manage themselves internally. And this is an essential life skill that may also help you to go through not-so-great phases of life.
I would like to thank the committee that decided to relax the bachelor's degree (course) criteria for admission to M.Tech. CSE. From scrambling to finding the institutes considering electrical background as well for a Master's in CSE to securing a Gold medal for excellent academic performance, IIIT-Delhi accepted me with open arms and transformed me for the better. It was COVID season since the day I joined, so it was all remote. IIIT-Delhi boasting itself to be a research-led Institute, made me focus more on fundamental academic aspects rather than job-related aspects. I started ambitiously on a project worthy of being published in a research conference that could be done within the first semester, and reality hit at the end of the first semester. Then I slowly started my research exploration through LCS2 in my second semester. I chose to do all - Thesis, taking the full 20 credits in the second semester, studying Advanced Machine Learning, pursuing AI specialization, taking an SSH course, try my hands on an online IS (NPTEL) course. IIIT-Delhi gave me the scope for my limits, and I pushed them through, and I am happy for every inch of it. If, at all, my hard choices may have led me not to excel grade-wise, I would have still been the most content with my choices. Because what I learned through them is much more valuable. Last but not the least are the bunch of my friends whom I met on campus in a short span of 2-3 months. They are the sweetest, and my heart yearns to bond more with them. Thanks for the incredible time and support!
