An evening with Dr. G. Vishwanathan the founder and chancellor of Vellore Institute of Technology at Stockholm, Sweden

Let me take you back to the year 2009, after getting my bachelor degree from MITS Rayagada (under Berhampur University, Odisha) I was selected for M.Sc. biotechnology program at VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. I would say, it was the paradigms shift in my career and unforgettable two years of my academic life. Before, telling you more about this, I really wish to appreciate you for your time to visit my blog and read this.

OK! It all started during the last few months of my bachelor degree final examinations. It was my really close friend from south India who insisted me to apply for master degree program in VIT University. Candidly speaking, I was not at all aware of this university (Perhaps, because I had never ever thought to go southern part of India for education, I was more inclined to continue higher study in own state Odisha or maximum to go any good university in the Northern India). I admire his effort in convincing me and I really appreciate his suggestion. He had told me, it is a nice university and if we get a seat it will be really nice to study there. So making long story short, I applied together with him. We both were invited for counselling (choosing course based on the merit rank). I got M.Sc. Biotechnology course as the last candidate (Sl. 180) for the course. Even though, I got admission in the course I liked, it was sad for me to know that he could not get admission in M.Sc. Biotechnology at VIT. Even, he did not choose other similar M.Sc. course (Microbiology/Biochemistry/Genetics). So it was really difficult thing for me to digest and had no idea how to respond to the happening. I had almost zero idea of life style, language and most of the things of the southern India. Mostly because I was from a small village and not many from family were highly educated. Precisely speaking, I was really scared of south India! However, as someone once told “Life is not a dress rehearsal. The curtain is up and you are on, so you might as well play your part to the best of your ability. And you don’t get to choose your part, either. Sometimes you’re the lead, and sometimes you’re a spear-carrier. But you have to keep moving, because that’s the only way to make it all the way to the final curtain call.” I thought to keep going. Only good thing that happened was that my friend got admission in his desired M.Sc. Biotechnology program in another University in Bangalore which was very close to VIT University.

Oh, sorry! I am telling you the whole story in quite length, I must not make you bored! So, the point is, it was such a memorable event of my life that I got admission in VIT University. And the story did not end there, the two years in VIT for me was really full of challenges for me. Starting from facing the financial crisis for admission and to pay initial university fees, running from bank to bank and begging for an education loan, writing letters, sending fax to VIT administration with request to extend some days for payment of my admission fees. Huhhh… those days were really tough and are really close to my heart. It taught me lot of things that I can’t express here. Anyway, at the end it was State Bank of India (SBI) that approved my education loan and I continued my education at VIT University. Like this there are hundreds of struggles, that I faced as a student from weak financial background family and rural village. I may tell you details in some other occasion.

Regardless of that, the relevance of all this to tell you is that, time goes and you never know when and how it tries to heal your struggles and makes you nostalgic again. It was the day then (full of struggles) and now meeting the founder and chancellor of this premier University in a foreign country. I never thought… at least not in 2011 that something like this may happen in future. Indeed, it was my great pleasure to meet Dr. G. Vishwanathan sir and just like a cherry on the top of cake, I also met our M.Sc. days teacher Dr. R. Seenivasan sir at Stockholm, Sweden. The occasion was VIT Alumni Association’s Sweden chapter-2023 at Stockholm. I must say, you may have many different opinions and thoughts on people who are working in top of administrative position. But, I have now noticed, one characteristics is common, most of them are so kind and humble human being. They have a very strong and fundamental desire to do something better for the society. And Dr. G. Viswanathan sir is not an exception, his words and visions are so good to inherit. I will not tell much but I must quote one of his sentence “Not only, VIT. I wants all the educational institutions in India to prosper and provide best education for building a better Indian society!” I think, this speaks the greatness of this personality and the reason behind the growth of VIT University.

Okey! This topic is again going long, and you must be saying “Prabodha, can you please conclude!”

Sure, my apologies! 😛 . I must thank our teacher Dr. R. Seenivasan sir for his extraordinary memory to airily recall my face from 2009-11 and all his humorous comments during the entire evening of conversations. Just like home reaching you and it was full of emotion and love. I must thank the VITAA (VIT alumni association) for organizing this chapter and not allowing us to forget everything that had happened to us during our study period at VIT University. Just like as VITAA says, and it is truly “Once a VITian, always a VITian”. I share few pictures from this memorable event below.

Thank you very much for reading. Please leave your comments below and keep visiting my blog.

Keep smiling 🙂

Cheers!

Prabodha

Disclaimer: The thoughts expressed here are purely personal experience of the author. It does not mean to judge or intended to hurt feelings/integrity of any person and/or any institutions.