above average group 3
TRANSCRIPT
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, DELHI
growing up & that passion…
Entrance studies…
Was it all that easy…?
And more hard work…A
At last….it pays off..
This is IIT, Delhi.
So is this…
And this…
Broken drum sticks…
And those magical moments…
Unmatched in Studies…
Finally
more challenges
And the life goes on..
Was it all worth???
by Amitabha Bagchi
Introduction
Above Average is the story of a middle-class Delhi boy with an aptitude for science and mathematics but a yearning to be the drummer of a rock band. Arindam effortlessly graduates from being a colony kid to being amongst an elite bunch of techies in IIT.Published in 2007 by Harper Collins.Set in a first person formatStudents empathize with the story easily.
Author’s Profile Amitabha Bagchi was born and brought up in
Delhi Was a good student and took part in Junior
Science Talent Search, National Talent Search, Physics and Maths Olympiads
Got into IIT Delhi in 1992 Did his Ph.D in Computer Science in 2002 Currently working as Asst Professor at IIT
Delhi in the Computer Science Department Above Average marked his debut as author
Arindam Chatterjee - The Protagonist
English speaking BengaliBorn and brought up in DelhiTries to settle into new surroundings and
establishing early relationshipsTries to best fit in but feels like an outsider Gets into IIT DelhiAspires to be a DrummerHas interest in ResearchGoes to Baltimore, USA to pursue further
studies
Arindam Chatterjee – The Protagonist
Known as RinduReally good at Optics and discerning toughest
problemsBrought up in Mayur ViharLoved his family a lotAmongst the toppers at IIT JEEFriends were more of competitors at IIT HostelFlop Show as a Drummer courtesy RocksurdInspired by Algorithm Professor Kanitkar
Initial Stages
Attending Study Circle classes for IIT JEE after School hours
Made friendsSolved difficult problems with easeWorked really hard… Solved Irodov et alGot into IIT Delhi for Computer Sciences
programme
IIT DelhiMade a lot of friends Started off with the usual rat race of Grades
and Cumulative ScoresFell in love with DrummingAspired to be in the College BandGot into the band but a faux pas led by a
broken stickInclination towards Research started in the 3rd
Year after Kanitkar’s Algorithm ClassesAgain missed the opportunity and his friend
Neeraj got the recommendation for PhD at Stanford
Chapter-wise description
Photocopy
The story starts here when Arindam Chatterjee aka Rindu is preparing for his IIT-JEE
Meets Karan and Bagga at the Study Circle
The gullible Rindu gets to know the street smart way of life. Thus, the significance of the word “Photocopy”
Parachute
Introduction to Rindu's family background
Society & Culture in which Rindu was raised
Bobby & his 'Mandawli stories'
The middle class family backdrop is signified by “Parachute”
Rocksurd
The story transits Arindam's life in IIT, Delhi
Talks about the Rock Scene in IIT
Rocksurd is a Sardarji who plays Drums
Throws light on the life & culture at IIT
Asian Paints Woman
Rindu gets to know that Bhavana has been murdered by Winky, who commits suicide
He remembers the times he and Bobby spent with Bhavana and Abhilasha on Diwali
Hey Joe
This chapter is about the IIT Rock festival – RendezvousKartik, Rindu's roomie is introduced. He is a topper & the college guitaristRindu's tryst with drums start, he jams with Pandit and forms a bandThey perform at the rock fest & Rocksurd messes the show with Rindu
BandhuThe SC ST quota student used the term Bandhu to address themselves
The carrom culture
And, the college politics
Three bistable partitions
Kanitkar, the brilliant professor was introducedAlgorithm which was to change Rindu's life was Kanitkar's subjectRindu recieved his first acadamic spotlightHis relation with Neeraj and Sheikhu started with Algo researchKanitkar offered help with scholarship at Stanford to NeerajRindu met Aparna at a spic macay
Three bistable partitions - contd
Rindu enters his third year at IITKanitkar Leaves IIT for University of ChicagoRindu and Aparna start a relationshipSheikhu gets admission to IIM A without telling RinduRindu and Neeraj deepen their friendshipNeeraj is very concerned about his Neice, ChandaRindu and Aparna meet ChandaRindu leaves for Baltimore, USA
I climbed Mt Rainer in JeansRindu went to Baltimore after IIT to do his Ph.D on the assurance that Kanitkar will send a recommendation which he didn'tHe tried to keep contact and the relation with his girlfriend but she dumped him for someone elseSheikhu and Kartik met him in India and try to call him back here to work in india cause they need people like him hereHe comes to know that Neeraj's neice Chanda has been murdered by his father. After years of their last meet He still feels very sad for his friend and cries for him
Key Learnings "I must have decided at some point in my
time at school that I should try to get into one of the IITs. But when I made that decision, if I ever made it consciously, I could never remember."
This shows that Arindam was equally confused as most of us are at some point or the other
Key Learnings "The battle for grades and academic
achievement was just one small part of the larger war, the others being the battles to appear unconcerned, in control, well rounded, self confident. Accustomed all our lives to being lauded as exceptional, we were all scared that the true measure of ourselves, our unremarkable selves, would emerge one day."
This just shows that IITians are just humans and not the demi-gods that they are assumed to be
Key Learnings "We aren't what we do or what we achieve or
what we acquire or about what we become, we are and we always will be what we want.“
It means that ‘Success in Life’ is as much about talent as desire
Key Learnings If you have ever felt the desire to be some one
in your life, then this book will find an instant connect with you, because its all about growing up, fighting to be the best, well almost the best .
It proves that if you have a dream and you stick to it with all your heart you will most probably get it sooner or later
Only professional success without enriching relationships wont make your life any better
Thank youGroup 3
Aneesh BhandariSushant GaurAkshay MoghePranay SharmaRahul MittalAnju B. AhujaKshitiz Pratap