The Quarterly BITSians: Balaji Krishnamurthy, CEO Planar Systems & Prof Autar Kaw, U of South Florida

The BITSAA Edition

Sandpaper [2.0] Spring 2005 BITS, Pilani, Alumni Magazine

2 BITSians among CNN Time’s 25 The BITSunami Global Business Influentials Rehabilitation

Dream a little MBA Project dream with bits2bschool

BITSians in the Media & Bloggermania

From the land of the dragon: The Old House

BITSians win Columbia B-Plan competition

Diaspora’s deliberations on life’s Transitions Life saving trees planted by Sudeep Jain (’86), IAS

Sandpaper [2.0] Spring 2005 Issue

CONTENTS 2 EDITORIAL 48 Two BITSians among 25 Global Influentials 37 BITSians in media & entertainment FEATURES 40 Mobile Medics win Conquest 2005 3 About Sandpaper 2.0 5 Letters GENERAL INTEREST 7 News 42 Bloggermania! 9 Masala & Spice 44 From the land of the dragon – the old house 47 This little thing called respect COVER STORY 49 Transitions – home or the promised land 10 BITSIANS & tsunami rehabilitation efforts 15 In conversation with Sudeep Jain, IAS EDUCATION & ACADEMICS 55 Academics to entrepreneurship NOSTALGIC NOTES 56 OLAB 16 Ramblings from a nostalgic trip to Pilani 18 ’94 batch second semites’ 10th anniversary THE QUARTERLY BITSIANS 57 Prof. Autar Kishen Kaw NOTES FROM PILANI 60 Balaji Krishnamurthy 19 Center for software development 22 Center for entrepreneurial leadership BITSIANS IN THE COMMUNITY 63 Wanted social entrepreneurs CREATIVE & HUMOR 65 Notes from my trip 25 Art by Praveen Rachakulla 26 Poetry ALUMNI CORNER & BITSAA Initiatives 27 Beyond my best four years 67 Partyin’ around the world 30 Moments in time 69 Miracles do happen 32 Daddy comes a visiting 70 Dream a little MBA dream 72 BITSian faculty at b-schools LEADERS & ENTREPRENEURS 74 Selected ClassNotes 34 The BITSian founders of Corpus Labs 76 Networking 36 Baba Kalyani is Business Standard’s 2004 CEO

Editorial Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

Of Tsunamis, Transitions and Thankfulness.

Tsunamis. Prior to last December’s tragedy I lives, is posed with choices. While we alone can personally would have thought of a Tsunami as decide what is in our best interest it is often something that might have appeared on a beneficial to gain another’s perspective. This Geography test, never quite appreciating what it issue’s Transitions focuses on a clichéd, trite yet truly meant. Needless to say, my learning in this perpetually debatable issue of immigration and regard has been painfully accelerated. World the associated pros and cons. As the Sandpaper Bank reports indicate that in addition to the team interviewed BITS Pilani alumni and raised several hundred thousand lives that have been the question, the responses evoked a great deal claimed, the ability of 645,000 families to make a of emotion and debate even within the team. living has been affected and the impact to local Anytime people express their views economies is of the order of several billion emphatically, it’s usually a pretty good indicator dollars. that they care enough and that caring was motivation But inasmuch as our enough for us to publish the proclivity to wage story. senseless wars often frustrates me, our And finally, let’s all learn to be ability to bond thankful. Thankful for what we together in the face of have, for the people we know, shared adversity for the opportunities that we’re never ceases to privileged to be provided with amaze me. The relief every day. So does efforts have been thankfulness imply respect for global, the international community generous and a willingness to accept status quo? Sacre and the concern, genuine. On a more personal bleu! Not at all! For all progress is predicated on note, I believe that BITS Pilani did not just teach a certain innate sense of dissatisfaction with us to develop algorithms or solve equations but status quo that is healthy, indeed desirable. The also instilled in us the ethical and moral intent is to learn to appreciate and be thankful foundations of outstanding global citizenship. for all that we have and then set audacious This belief was reaffirmed in the incredible goals and dare mighty things. Acceptance of unselfishness and sense of initiative modest goals and constrained dreams demonstrated by everyone on the BITSunami characterize too many lives. In framing the team and by the members of BITSAA chapters audacity of your goals, use your own around the world in assisting with rehabilitation benchmarks and definitions of success within efforts. businesses, academic institutions, communities or even within your own homes. Gut-wrenching change has been thrust upon those affected by the Tsunami. But for all of us Our predecessors within the BITS alumni change is the order of the day, the norm. It’s community are trailblazers and our goal at hard to turn a corner without butting heads with BITSAA is to tell you their stories, to inspire you the many forms of change that induce transitions and to provide complete and unequivocal in our lives – our families, our careers, our support for your goals by facilitating the creation industries and all else. Joseph Schumpeter’s of the world’s best knit, most collaborative idea of Creative Destruction and continuous alumni network. churn within capitalist structures is increasingly Sandeep Mukherjee (’95 Phy Mech) relevant given current socio-economic trends in Chief Editor the world. April 7, 2005 In this issue we bring you the first in a series – Transitions. Each of us, at different stages in our

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 2 About Sandpaper 2.0 Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

SandpaperOnline http://www.bitsaa.org/sandpaper/sandpaper.html

BITSAA Newsletter BITSians IN ACADEMICS Every month we bring you a newsletter At last count, there with stories about BITS and BITSAA were 208 BITSian through the Yahoo! Groups. In case you alums teaching as miss an edition, you can visit the professors at Newsletter archives online and go through universities and issues and news that you may have research institutes missed out on. around the world. All details including Photo Galleries research, emails and phone Click on “Photo Galleries” on numbers are to be www.bitsaa.org and see photos of Pilani, found on the cartoons, artwork and books by BITSians, website. Contact as well as profiles of BITSians in business, these professors. academia and research. Start a dialogue!

TEAM SANDPAPER – 34 Pierce Road, East Windsor, NJ 09520

EDITORIAL BOARD Dilip D’Souza, Anuradha Gupta, Anupendra Sharma JOIN THE TEAM (Also includes *Chief Ed) CHIEF EDITOR Sandeep Mukherjee* Sandpaper 2.0 is created by a global team with members ASSOCIATE EDITORS Ashish Garg, Pushkala Venkataraman, Dileepan Narayanan spanning seven countries in four continents. It’s a great NEWSLETTER Madhurjya Banerjee, Venu Palaparthi place to gain organizational GENERAL INTEREST Sandhya Krishnan leadership experience, BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY Tirumala Rao, Divya Divakaran network with the alumni EDUCATION & ACADEMICS Vikas Chandra community and enhance COMMUNITY SERVICE Laxman Mohanty your writing skills.

CREATIVE & HUMOR Sagarika Jaganathan Please send your articles, CARTOONS Sabyasachi Kar nominations for Quarterly CLASS NOTES Prasenjit Chaudhari, Suraj Srinivasan BITSian, letters to the PILANI TEAM Chandy John Benjamin (Team Lead), editor, feedback and Himabindu Chitta, Sukanya Vijayakumar, requests to join the team Anindita, Vernon Fernandez to: [email protected] TEAM Aanand Krishnan, Sangeeta Patni TECHNOLOGY Prasad Thammineni, Gaurav Verma, Ankit BITSAA International has Khandelwal, B Gowtham, Ramya Satyam, been granted 501(c)3 tax- Imtiaz Bellary, Anuj Prateek, Uzma exempt status by the IRS, Barlaskar, Madhu Babu and is registered in New THANKS Balaji Krishnamurthy (CEO, Planar Systems), Jersey, USA. Autar Kishen Kaw (Prof, U of Florida), Kartik H (Wharton School of Business), Dr. Rahul Banerjee (BITS, Pilani) © All copyrights for these articles belong solely to the

authors unless stated. Special thanks to Anuradha, Chandy & the Pilani team, Sandhya and Dileepan for working especially hard.

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 3 About Sandpaper 2.0 Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BITSAA SANDPAPER VISION

To read past issues visit the website: http://www.bitsaa.org/sandpaper/sandpaper.html

______SPRING 2005 BITSAA SANDPAPER 4 Letters Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

Chitti aye hai

Even chapters in New Zealand (with less than 6 members) ON THE PURPOSE OF BITSAA have get-togethers etc while the ONLY event I have seen in Bangalore is the BITSConnect Music Nite which was I can see BITSAA taking a shape beyond what we had organized 2 years ago. BTW, that music nite raised Rs imagined when we first started out. Along with the Silver 32lakhs ($80k) in one night. This is more than what ALL Jubilee batch get-together, we should also have an annual chapters put together in US raise round the year. This alumni meet for those can make it. This can be fixed for a means that the potential in Bangalore is HUGE but particular week in the year, so that people coming from according to me what we lack is leadership. overseas can plan accordingly. Every year we can have a particular theme attached to it. Ideas will flow with more I was in Bangalore in Jan of this year and arranged a interaction among alumni from different batches. Controlz (OASIS, APOGEE dept) reunion for which 17 Chhatra S Nahata ([email protected]) people turned up. They all loved the reunion and all of them were somehow waiting for someone to come and Here is my list of what I believe BITSAA’s objective arrange it for them. In that one night we raised Rs. 30k should be: ($600) for a Controlz website. 1. To be the network that we can all connect to, when we need help or when we want to help others i.e. collaboration. Can we co-coordinators do something to make the Bangalore chapter more active? The BITSAA Reunion in 2. Finding like-minded folks: Regardless of how Bangalore could potentially be the biggest party Bangalore surrounded we are with friends and family, friends that has ever seen. I would do it if I get a sabbatical to Cypress remind us of special times of our lives are ALWAYS Bangalore for a semester! welcome. Also, one can never have "enough" friends – or fun! Ashish Garg ([email protected]) 3. Joining hands with people for collectively giving back: To society, to world-at-large, to Pilani etc. I feel the size of the chapter is inversely proportional to the number of events conducted. Events targeting a larger The mentorship initiative is an excellent start for the first population naturally take much longer to organize and objective. We need to get the LinkedIn thing going for many more people need to be involved while those doing more of the first part. targeting a smaller number of people tend to take less work. Sangeeta Patni ([email protected]) I believe that the best way a larger chapter can meet frequently is by creating smaller clubs centered on special VERY IMPRESSIVE interests like biking, hiking, music, drama, technologies, community work etc. This is very similar to the idea of A very impressive magazine indeed. Please feel free to clubs in BITS. Your controlz reunion is a good example. suggest how we could participate, connect, lead efforts locally in the bay area via the now famous BITS Prasad Thammineni ([email protected]) connection. Thanks, Nipun Davar (’84 Pharma) Great to see such extensive BITSian participation in BITSAA’s SiliconValley chapter. Hard to believe it’s been NO ACTION IN BANGALORE? so long since we boarded that bus to Pilani along the road to self-discovery. I was just going through the co-coordinators database and noticed one very interesting thing, according to me the Prasenjit Chaudhuri ([email protected]) maximum number of ex-BITSians are in two cities, Hyderabad and Bangalore. In fact, Bangalore might have as many as 6k-10k BITSians. But somehow the Bangalore ♦ chapter of BITSAA is most inactive! Why is that?

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 5 Advertising Feature Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

Buy the world’s best cricketing gear or play fantasy cricket online

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 6 News Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

THE SANDPAPER 2.0 TEAM BITS & BITSAA NEWS Rising above barriers with prestigious Path-Breaking Archna Bhandari (Chem), Research Award for developing presently the Principal Engineer, and establishing 12 GHz MMIC Mitretek Systems, Inc. is one of Technology in DRDO. the Special Recognition Winners of 2004 National Women of Ride across the river Color Technology Awards. In Dilip D’Souza's (’76 EEE) the words of the awards Ride across the River was committee “In many cases, they adjudged the winner of the have broken through barriers of fourth Outlook/Picador India culture, class, and even Non-Fiction Competition on Feb language. In others, they have 25, 2005. surpassed racial and social expectations. But they have risen above these barriers to Faculty of eminence demonstrate the importance of Dr. Yogendra Gupta (Phy) has perseverance and the power of a been recently honored with the prestigious Eminent Faculty Award from the Washington State University.

Anuradha Gupta (86A6)’s President’s Award debut novel, The Green Dragon, Padmanabhan Seshaiyer, Asst. dealing with environmental Prof. Texas Tech University has issues is ‘a handy tool for been awarded the prestigious projects and debates on the 2005 President's Excellence in environment, tells you why the Teaching Award, Texas Tech earth is in need of help.’ University.

The new biz mantra Perhaps anyone who has ever worked in an industry has had Archna Bhandari trouble with the four letter word. Well, we don't know what you dream.” thought but we meant the dreaded species called BOSS. Rashmi Datt (’MMS) managed Breaking new ground to survive for 19 years in an according to a review from Dr H P Vyas (’71 ME), HRD environment with 5 bosses Subajayanthi B, The Hindu. Director, Solid State Physics (Gosh!). And now, she has come With other good reviews from Laboratory (SSPL), Delhi, has up with a new book on the Free Press Journal, the book been promoted to the rank of Sci “Managing Your Boss”. This makes us ‘think about issues like H and Outstanding Scientist 174 page book has been war and preserving the w.e.f. 19 August 2004. He received well and is a treat to environment’. obtained his ME from BITS, read. Pilani in 1971. In recognition of New kid on the block SSPL team's outstanding Anuradha’s debut novel Harish Lakshman, a BITSian of research contribution under his the 1989 batch, has been leadership, he has been honored endorsed by ‘The Hindu’

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 7 News Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine featured in The Week Cover and the government, academia, Technologies and Balaji Story. "By the third generation a VCs and industrial bodies. MD Krishnamurthy, CEO of Planar family business usually goes of Broadcom, Rajendra Khare Systems, both alumni of the kaput. But there are ways and is the first Chairman of ISA. BITS, Pilani. means to buck the trend," says Gita Piramal. "Harish is a Movie 'Swades' inspired BITSian MBA from hands-on scion" says the writer Harvard Business about the 31 year old Director by a story written by of Rane TRW Steering Systems Dilip D'Souza – a BITS School? BITS, Pilani, may soon have its of Chennai. alumnus first MBA from Harvard The director of 'Swades,' Business School. One of our Keeping the lights on in Ashutosh Gowariker, got the recent applicants has been TN idea for the film from a column admitted and has not yet made Congratulations to Hans Raj Dilip D'Souza (’76 EEE) did the decision. The person in Verma (’82 MMS), IAS, on his for rediff.com about the true question has the initials N.S! appointment to the post of story of two young engineers More on this next time. Chairman of Tamil Nadu from Kerala who built a dam in Electricity Board. This rural Maharashtra and supplied Autar Kaw selected prestigious post carries with it, electricity where there was none. as you’d expect, a far from light Dilip's contribution was CASE Florida Professor amount of responsibility. acknowledged in the titles of the of the Year film. Dilip adds, "The articles Autar Kaw (’76 Mech), a Captured in time about these two guys were used professor of mechanical to nominate them for the MIT engineering in the University of BITS alumnus, Agendra Technovators prize last year, South Florida's Kumar, country manager, which they actually won". College of Engineering has been Veritas Software, never forgot named the 2004 Florida his two passions---IT and Professor of the Year by the photography. His recent Open-Silicon Announces Council for Advancement and photography exhibition, Hitesh Bhatnagar, as GM Support of Education (CASE) Symphony of Silence, organized Open-Silicon, Inc., a fabless and The Carnegie Foundation at the India Habitat Centre last ASIC company that provides an for the Advancement for year, demonstrated that the alternative to traditional chip Teaching. BITSian way of life lives on design and supply chain models, with us even when we are far today announced the away from our alma mater. appointment of Hitesh BITSians win Columbia Bhatnagar as general manager B-School competition of Open-Silicon India. Rajashekhar, Sriram, Rajendra Khare is Kavikrut, Srikanth and Amit Chairman of India with guidance from alumnus Semiconductor 2 Indians in CNN/Time’s Anupendra won the 2005 Association 25 Global Business annual A. Lorne Weil Outrageous Business Plan Influentials – Both BITS, Competition. The contest is Pilani Alumni organized by the Eugene M Time Magazine and CNN Lang Center for recently released its list of 2004 Entrepreneurship. Global Business Influentials, 25 ♦ leaders in a broad range of industries recognized for setting standards in areas like BangaloreIT.com 2004 innovation, globalization and conference saw the launch of the effecting change. This year’s list India Semiconductor includes 2 Indians – Vivek Association - a forum for better Paul, CEO of Wipro interaction between members

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 8 News Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

MASALA & SPICE

Mani Shankar’s Mumbai with the byline "Where Crime Meets (BITS ’78) Tango Confusion!"’ Charlie opens strongly finishing Padmini at the top of the Chettur’s (BITS box office as of ’87) World March 31st Premiere of TANGO CHARLIE, a Paper Doll! movie about the fight After her successful UK between the Border Security premiere of 3 Solos Forces and the militants where one writer within our country starring called the performance a Ajay Devgan, Bobby Deol, combination of "serene Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty is receiving good elegance and exquisite detail, morphing fluid and reviews at the box office. True to Mani Shankar’s style, lithe movement with the rich rhythms of the he enmeshes heavy gadgetry and stylized action mridangam drum and saxophone," Padmini Chettur adroitly. heads off to Netherlands for the World Premiere of The story has a strong message to offer - that violence her latest work, Paper Doll. In Paper Doll, performed doesn't pay and that war is futile, eventually causing by Padmini Chettur's company of five dancers she human loss. The intentions of the film-maker need to be examines the chain of paper dolls we used to cut out applauded! when we were children. They represent perfection, but also two-dimensionality. After the Netherlands premiere, she takes the show to Berlin and Brussels

Anu Hasan (BITS ’88) turns producer and takes the Mumbai Express on April 14th

Tamil-Hindi bi-lingual 'Mumbai Express' starring Kamal Hassan, is the first movie that has Anu Hasan sharing production credits.

In Mumbai Express, produced by her family's production house, Rajkamal Studios, Kamal Hassan teams up with Singeetham Srinivas Rao of Pushpak fame. Giving Kamal company is Manisha ♦ Korala. Kamal who plays the character of Avinashi alias 'Mumbai Express' is a daredevil deaf motorbike rider who does stunts in deep wells and other difficult spots. It's a full length comedy taken in the backdrop of

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 9 Cover Story Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY THE BITSUNAMI TEAM, ANURADHA GUPTA (’86 MMS), SANDEEP MUKHERJEE (’95 PHY MECH), LAXMAN MOHANTY (’81 EEE), SRIDHAR NAGARAJAN (AID) THE REHABILITATION OF TSUNAMI AFFECTED AREAS – A BITS ALUMNI INITIATIVE To restore and to sustain: Two tsunami affected villages in Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam district, Naaluvedapathy and Pushpavanam, have been adopted by BITS Pilani alumni for rehabilitation within the next five years. of perspective and give back As you’re all probably to our communities.” already aware, in December this past year Tsunamis of In a most touching display of biblical proportions struck humanity, people all over the India and several other world, BITSians included, countries. Sadly enough, this sent in donations to effect was merely the latest in a immediate relief, volunteered spate of natural disasters – their assistance and did all adding to the adversity that was humanly possible to inflicted by the super cyclone help. that hit Orissa in 1999 and the earthquakes that rocked But it isn’t mere charity Gujarat in 2001. that’s the answer in such Cities, coastal communities situations as Laxman, a and seaside resorts were member of the Sandpaper opportunity to launch an devastated. Over 290,000 team discovered when he initiative dealing in longer- people lost their lives and term results and sustainable visited cyclone affected thousands others were villages in Orissa. The development. Or as our Vice- injured. Several countries villagers who used to be Chancellor described it, a including Indonesia, Sri ‘holistic’ effort. This notion relatively affluent explained Lanka, India and Thailand that they found it hard to led to the formation of the were affected as over a BITSunami team. accept external ‘aid’ and million people were rendered instead of rice or items of homeless. The World Bank daily need were more Close to Ground Zero, a team reports that the Tsunami will interested in ways to rebuild from BITSAA’s Chennai cost India alone an estimated their local economies and chapter, with members $1.2B in reconstruction. And regain their financial self- ranging from 25 to 75 years yet again, as we have seen so sufficiency as quickly as in age, got (and still are) busy often in the past, it is in the possible. putting together a rehab face of shared adversity that initiative, valued at over a people cast aside their million dollars, and BITSAA immediate worries and REHAB OR chapters across the globe are differences and unite with a embracing the project common goal of making a RELIEF? wholeheartedly and with difference in the lives of immense pride. those affected. As Shankar While many rushed in with (BITSunami team, Sub- relief by way of money and The distinction and rationale Editor – The Hindu), materials, contributions which were certainly for billing the effort as describes it “such rehabilitation-focused is cataclysmic events serve not appreciated and because it involves integrated merely as opportunities for commendable no doubt, some within the BITSAA development and is resurrection but also as comprehensive in nature, checkpoints to re-examine community recognized that in embracing all of the our own lives, regain a sense the midst of this disaster, there was the need for, and an following elements:

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 10 Cover Story Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

„ Infrastructure 3. The formal involvement of rebuilding: Houses, BITS Pilani led by the Vice community buildings, Chancellor himself. The BITSunami Team roads, over bridges enthusiastic response from ‘61 – R Nagarajan „ Livelihood growth: BITSians around the ’72 – Rauf Ali Fishing, boats, nets, new world, a host of ‘73 – Babu techniques. corporations of ‘74 – Joseph Antony „ Agriculture: Land international repute such as ‘77 – Gopal Wadhwani fertility reclamation, Wipro, WeP, HP, Polaris, ‘80 – K S Venkateswaran (Project Coordinator) cropping pattern, cattle Infineon and the ‘81 – Ravin Kurian, Shankar, and poultry involvement of a number Parthasarathy „ Health & Sanitation: of non-government ‘82 – Hans Raj Verma Health center, water organizations. ‘85 – Narendran, C Ramesh, Krishna Mudaliar, P K Raghu purification systems, ‘86 – Sudeep Jain noon-meal scheme for 4. A group of highly ‘88 – K Srikanth (BITSAA Chennai children, medical camps committed and qualified Coordinator), Anand Rangachary, R Venkatesh „ Education: School professionals who can ‘90 – Subramaniam, Rajesh Bhaskar renovation, creating bring in innovative ‘91 – Ram Sukumar endowments etc solutions – read BITSians. ‘92 – Harish Lakshman „ Trauma Care: This is by virtue of having Psychological counseling one of the largest, most Thanks also to everyone in the and rehab to lead a collaborative alumni BITSAA Chennai chapter for normal life professionals. your support. „ Ecology rehab: Coastal defense mechanisms level, Rs.10K a month for the overall coordinator based in Chennai. Another THE VISION coordinator at Rehabilitate two villages in Nagappattinam district in a the hardest hit areas. month or two would cost Nagapattinam, the Tamil just Rs.6K per month. Nadu district in which the two villages, Naaluvedapathy and Pushpavanam are APPEAL TO located, was one of the worst affected areas Want to lose BITSIANS The communities need BITS weight? Pilani alumni to prove that VALUE Join BITSunami we are equal to the task of completely changing the face PROPOSITION Srikanth (’88 Chemical) of two villages impacted by a The BITSunami effort is found an innovative way of tragedy after the NDTV and distinctive in its approach in raising funds. His father and CNN crews have left. the following five ways: he entered into a public pact 1. The comprehensive nature that for every kg he loses Just giving up a minor luxury of the rehabilitation – starting March 6th 2005, up could mean providing a basic Integrated Development to the first 10 kgs his father necessity to a villager, as will donate Rs. 1000/- to Sudeep Jain, IAS, 2. The incorporation of the BITSunami and Rs.5000/- for (BITSunami team member) knowledge and the every kg thereafter. points out “the equivalent of involvement of the local 5. Overheads kept to a bare two cold drinks per day for populace in executing the minimum with everybody the duration of the project project to deliver chipping in. Want figures? would be immensely meaningful results. Just Rs.3K a month for a valuable”. coordinator at the village

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 11 Cover Story Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

Whether you are involved in sending funds, assisting with funding efforts, spreading the word through your network of friends or organizing events, every little bit counts.

PROJECT DETAILS The Nagapattinam district was one of the worst affected districts in mainland India during the Tsunami disaster. Close to 100,000 have been rendered homeless and more than 6,000 lives have been The entire project is being through the efforts of Sudeep lost. The devastated villages routed through BITS Pilani Jain, the village is in the will require extensive Alumni Tsunami Guinness Book of World involvement by government, Rehabilitation Trust Records for the achievement philanthropists and people (BITSUNAMI in short) – a of planting 80,244 trees in 24 like you and me to restore a trust formed by the alumni in hours using a 300-strong semblance of normalcy. the Chennai chapter. The volunteer team. How the District Collector of plantation helped during the Nagapattinam and the Tsunami is reported by District Monitoring Reuters in the excerpt below. Commissioner are also assisting with the team’s efforts. TREES TO

Partnerships with focused COMBAT NGOs such as LAFTI, PREPARE, the Indian TSUNAMIS Two years ago, Council of Child Welfare An extract from a Reuters (ICCW), LEAD, BOBP (Bay Report, January 30th 2005 drought-stricken of Bengal Project) and MS farmers in a village Swaminathan Research Two years ago, drought- in Tamil Nadu Foundation (MSSRF) are stricken farmers in a village also being established. in Tamil Nadu walked into walked into the the Guinness Book of World Guinness Book of The team project will not just Records by planting the World Records by create these two model highest number of saplings in villages but also inspire a 24-hour period. On planting the highest people around the globe and December 26, as the killer number of saplings most importantly, leave a tsunami struck down lasting impression in the lives thousands of people and in a 24-hour period of the villagers for homes, the casuarinas and generations to come. The eucalyptus trees, which had Stirred by the calamity, like- Project will last for five years been planted to appease the minded professionals from with a project office at weather gods, saved the lush Pilani expressed a desire to Nagapattinam. green village of leverage their technical and Naaluvedapathy. Of the networking skills to reach out An interesting fact about nearly 8,000 people who died to and develop these villages. Naaluvedapathy is that in the state, including 6,000

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 12 Cover Story Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

Details of the project elements and preliminary Contributions budget can be read, not as http://www.bitsunami.in/ simple mathematics, but as an indication of how much For those outside the US/India has been lost and how much Cheques to be made out to (under email advise to can be retrieved through a [email protected]) for other currencies, please email small gesture on the part of [email protected] everyone.

For those in India Also, anybody who wishes to Cheques made out to "BITSUNAMI“ to be mailed to: contribute to a holistic effort at rehabilitation and c/o K S Venkateswaran integrated development of the D-17 Narumukhai Apartments Tsunami affected area on a Brindavan Nagar Extension long term basis could do so Velachery (West) Chennai-600088 India by committing funds in the immediate term and/or also E-Mail [email protected] spread their contribution out Contacts over the next five years. The K Srikanth, Tel: +919840155510 team is also expecting R Kurian, Tel: +919840284250 corporate sponsorship of K Venkateswaran, Tel: +919444024583 project elements in entirety – these are yet to be formalized For those in the US and committed. Income Tax Send a cheque to "OPEN" with "BITSAA Tsunami relief" in the exemption under Section 80G memo line to the following address: for contributions from within India has been applied for. Kumar Thiagarajan 25470 Gimbel Drive South Riding, VA 20152 WORLDWIDE OR Rajesh Ramadoss EFFORTS 652 Benner Rd Apt 10 As news of the Tsunami South Riding, VA 20152 rolled in, the immediate need Allentown, PA 18104 was to disseminate information to BITSians in one fishing village, only cheapest and best way of worldwide on how they could seven were from rehabilitating the tsunami get involved including Naaluvedapathy. ravaged coastline,” he said. comprehensive advice from The casuarina trees, which and specific pointers on relief numbered more than 60,000, FUNDING efforts, agencies, took the brunt of the tsunami The corpus of funds the contributions and potential waves as they swept through project will need is almost a matching donations. Several the area. Sudeep Jain, who million dollars, half of which emails whizzed across led the plantation drive, has we hope to raise from multiple BITSAA mailing started a trust since the BITSAA members lists as a consequence of tsunami struck to undertake worldwide and the other half which our alumni tree plantation along the from philanthropists and community’s awareness grew 1,000-km coast of Tamil companies through the efforts dramatically. Nadu with the help of his of the team and BITSians. engineering school We appeal to you to A fundraiser, Nrithyanjali classmates (read BITSians). contribute generously to this was organized in New Jersey “We don't need to anymore fund. with active support from advertise the benefits of tree Pushkala (’95 MMS). plantation... (It) is the

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 13 Cover Story Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

A number of people feel good' about this. Well, if volunteered and were not that, people need to involved with various realize that natural disasters non-profit such as this cannot be organizations on the controlled but at least it is ground. Srinivasa heartening to see that the Rao (’78 MMS), a world is unified in dealing resident of Singapore with the aftermath.” for close to two decades now, was We also thank and featured on acknowledge all of you who Singapore’s Channel have contributed in so many News Asia for his ways that we perhaps are not exemplary work in aware of and please do stay this realm. Other Sea front view after debris was cleared involved... BITSians who were actively involved during the Sridhar Nagarajan (’94 Phy Tsunami relief efforts include Chemical), an AID volunteer CONCLUSION Chandra (’91) and Smitha in San Jose, worked in The BITSAA Chennai Kalyani (’96 Comp Sc), Chennai and Koovathur in chapter has taken on this active with the Association Kancheepuram district for 2 arduous but truly inspiring for India’s Development weeks (Jan 9, 2005 to Jan 23, task upon itself. This gives (AID) in Chennai. Preetish 2005). At the end of his BITSians as a community a Nijhawan (’85) is on the tireless stint – including phenomenal opportunity to Board of the Non Profit logistics, material help and make a difference. Pratham and works in management and Holistic development on this Austin, Texas. He went to rehabilitation – he authored a scale involves a firm India subsequent to the first-hand perspective on how commitment and one hopes Tsunami to contribute not humanity has come together that BITSians and people the just monetarily but also to to the aid of Tsunami victims. world over will continue to volunteer his services. extend their support to this “In summary, the whole noble venture. The exercise Ravi Baid (’86) and his non- world has really come will also create a knowledge profit in Delhi, Roundtable together in support of this base that can be used in other India (RTI), were involved in initiative. Life in Tamil Nadu villages or in similar an extensive effort in Tamil in my view is slowly but situations, god forbid, if it’s Nadu and a few other surely returning to normalcy. needed. southern states. RTI was The relief workers and the officially approved as an government are doing a great Let’s all commit to helping in NGO undertaking job. Many friends I know any way we can. rehabilitation work and have said ‘at the end of all ♦ rebuilding infrastructure. this, most people are going to

Getting the local community involved… …and making a difference ______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 14 Cover Story Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

In conversation with Sudeep Jain (BITS ’86), former District Collector of Nagapattinam

Who/What inspired the initiation of the project? Several NGOs and individuals devoted themselves to the immediate relief effort. I even found small associations from Gujarat who, despite their own fiscal situation, had come down to Nagapattinam and committed to spending a few months and whatever money they had. BITSians, in sharp contrast, are certainly far more blessed in many ways. While many saw the Tsunami only as a tragedy, we saw not just the unfortunate aspects but also the opportunity to devote ourselves to a massive The First BITSunami Expedition re-building exercise. While most of us live for ourselves, it is also (L to R): R Nagarajan, Sudeep Jain, A Shankar, Krishna true that each of us do want to Mudaliar and KS Venkateswaran contribute to society at large. This is the time to realize our broader goals – by contributing generously, sharing knowledge and ideas and leveraging our networks to devise innovative solutions. The cumulative effect of these ideas is what I’d speak of as our collective inspiration.

How does your involvement, given the fact that you were the former District Collector, enhance the project? My personal involvement dates back a couple of years during my tenure as District Collector of Nagapattinam. I was fortunate to work with the local community on almost all projects because of which I knew a few people personally in most of the villages. Because of my background today I am more effectively able to communicate the value of the BITSunami Project to all the citizens, the local politicians and the officials. By positioning this as my personal project I’ve ensured that we receive the complete support of all stakeholders. My colleagues and I are also in touch with close to 100 companies and individuals for sponsorship.

Why these two villages? The Tsunami claimed 6600 citizens from my erstwhile district. As summed up by one of my deputy collectors on 28th Dec from Ground Zero - "Sir all our good work and that of all our predecessors has been washed away in a few minutes". Today my nine-year old daughters are afraid of visiting Nagapattinam because the city is not what they had known it to be.

Why is long-term rehabilitation critical to this effort? Because after the debris is cleared, the bodies removed and the living have been provided food for a month, we still have to ensure that thousands of these psychologically devastated people have shelters as well as a means of livelihood. This is also an opportunity for us to ensure that we build model villages for those who’ve not been quite as fortunate as we have. ♦

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 15 Nostalgia Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine BY SANJAY KHENDRY (’82 PHY EEE) RAMBLINGS FROM A NOSTALGIC TRIP TO PILANI Mooras, neurons and old fashioned BITSian hospitality. longer there) and a closed BITS been enforced for motor Gurgaon - Rewadi - Narnol - gate with a sentry at his post! vehicles. Singhana - Chirawa - Pilani ... It's no longer just Rohtak - The Circuit House has The Clock Tower continues to Bhiwani - Loharu - Pilani or via blossomed into VFAST anchor BITSian life. It's a Dadri ... we crawl past Gurgaon, (Visiting Faculty and Student delightful and very nostalgic zip onto the Delhi Jaipur Transit) Hostel... with WI-FI sight and brings back a plethora highway, on to the state connections, air-conditioning, of memories of all kinds highway in Haryana from good food and even better including those of classes, tests, Rewadi and then bump and hospitality. We quickly check in movies, comprees and mess grind over the most of the 25 km and step out. grub! It retains its captivating or so in Rajasthan (camel carts charm and character even after and all) and then we hit Pilani ... APOGEE (A Professions so many years in the 'real' world. the goose bumps start building Oriented Gathering Over The D-Lawns along with the up... its been 17 long years for Educational Experience or others are well maintained and me and 23 longer years for my Academic Week from our days) bounded by color that I recollect colleague Raju. is on. The reception hut is 'as used to amaze first time visitors always' at the corner of the first – greenery and flowers in the The start of an overwhelming circle (next to the NCC office)... desert? Many miss the fruit that visit... short – just 1 and a half with some action at all times of ripens in this Oasis – BITSians days – but filled with the day (and night)... with active past and present – adding value unbelievable warmth, emotion midnight, actually really early wherever they pass, forever and of course nostalgia... how morning, cricket on the side. bonded together by their years does one capture a spend around this Clock Tower. homecoming? Where the The campus is pretty spruced complete BITSian family – all up, tree-lined roads, freshly With the recent Go-Live of those who touched us – faculty, painted buildings, with the Iron BITSConnect (renamed students, your old mess or Man and his omnipresent bird at NEURON - NExt-gen favorite redi to just about every the Gandhi-Shankar circle. University-wide Redundant one else on campus – welcomes Incidentally roads now have Optical Network) and the returning alumni with open names and one-way traffic has inauguration of the new arms. So please be patient if imposing library building some of my narrative (the original library and ref seems to run speedily in lib are closed at the one direction and moment) – both events on suddenly veers in Mar 20 - some fundamental another... and then yet changes have come into another. We go past Birla being. BITSConnect (an Sarvajanik (I spent an effective collaboration 'interesting' couple of days between the institute and there back in 1985 (due to alumni) brings a 1.5 GB Jaundice... my most optic fiber backbone to distinct memory... they every room in the insti & would wake me up just bhawans and to the staff when I had gone to sleep, quarters, with Wi-Fi access with some difficulty, to at Skylab and VFAST. take my temperature… With increase in external but I digress) the bus bandwidth this will also stand, Nuthan (for those work well on distance who remember, Soniji and Baad mein? learning programs, his spirited store are no industry-institute programs

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 16 Nostalgia Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine and much more. redi (near the workshop) are just new LecDem Theatre (with PCs as I remembered them from so and projection systems) seating All staff has a PC (over 1000!! many years back. Naagar was building FD5. FD5 has come up PC’s with staff and labs) our mainstay for so many years next to the new library (on the connected on the network and of campus life. I can still sort of road to CEERI) tucked behind / hostel wings average 2-3 taste them as I write this. He next to the C-Block/FD1. The systems -- See this make a major simply would not take any bogs there are great too. difference over the next few money and neither did Pappu on years, adding phenomenal value. my visit to Skylab (where we C’not is as busy as usual. Cold spent many many hours). Their coffee at Blue Moon now costs warmth was simply All those who have participated Rs.13 and a mango shake Rs.15 in this initiative have reason to overwhelming. (Rs.1.50 & Rs.1.75 or Rs.2.00 in feel proud; this could be an the early /mid eighties) - they inflection point as Neuron I got to our BT (Birla Temple), still taste very good. BUT and becomes the backbone for many the Sarasvathi temple, at about this is a BIG BUT, there are NO future initiatives. OLAB (Oyster 6:30 AM one morning. A place MOORAS, yes absolutely NO Lab for VLSI design with $50M visited by many daily, for many MOORAS to rest your backside (mostly in software and others during 'testing' periods. It in/on and adjust them to just the systems) is a start. retains a peaceful and soothing right angle in the sand and enjoy atmosphere. I never ever got to your milk shake. Changing the BT that early. This morning times (and possibly a ban by the "Sarey Gyarah" or the IBM 1130 is no more. Nor are the I participated in the morning Rajasthan Govt. - seems to be card punching machines that aarthi with the punditji and the 'ecological' issue) and discovered that the place retains plastic, not of the magnetic strip were required to feed it. its simplicity. but of the chair variety, now rules the roost. A quizzical Student profile now includes "Mooras?" with an lots of gults (from AP) “Junta, get involved incomprehensible look is what especially in the first three years with BITS if you can you get from current BITSians, (possibly 50% on campus). obviously plastic has been in BITS will now consider only – PS2, recruitment, place for many years now. The Inter II year marks for students CEL or in any other missing mooras were the only from AP ignoring 1st year make disappointment on this short but up's (improvement exam marks) way. If you cannot, hectic trip. A new super market which may see this balancing make a visit, a called Akshay has come up out somewhat. Also, AIEEE had vacation if you will. behind the medical center and listed BITS (unilaterally) as a runs with student participation. participating institute Take your spouse/ (admissions through AIEEE kids and enjoy good process). This has now (Apr All bhawans have grills all around for safety (no more open 2004) been completely old fashioned overruled by the High Court of BITSian hospitality” arches). New H-wings have Rajasthan and BITS is free to been built to enclose the rear perimeter. The 1st floor continue with its admission process. Distance learning Rooms with 'character' like S-70 common room (I checked out Programs (DLP) are doing very no longer exist - the first sem Gandhi and Ram) had a TV on one side and a network rack well. [NOTE: Now of course we Modern Physics classes with have the BITSAT] Prof VK Tiwari, the packed (part of the BITSConnect room (was it High/Low Cal or Initiative) on the other - looking something else?) with Prof somewhat incongruous in the Girls have gone up from the 3- environment but the harbinger 5% in the 80s to about 35% Ravishankar - S70 is now 3215 (15th room on the second floor of great positive change. These now. Incidentally, old timers, have slightly larger twin-seater Mal is now MB!!! With walls of Faculty Division 3). All room numbers have been rationalized rooms for first yearites. The H- and all ... That was one of my wing has another smaller old hostel rooms that I did not and C-Block is FD1, M-Block get to visit. The sams at Nagar's FD2, Workshop FD4 and the

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 17 Nostalgia Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine common room with a TV on the matched that of watching a Fests are still run by the 1st floor. movie in a packed Audi. Did not students, while being facilitated get a chance to relive this by the faculty - with great All hostel bogs have an experience, maybe another day... organizational ability as usual – associated solar heating panel on The ET also has changed (after creating leaders at every stage ... the roof and they have been the fire sometime back) and now While I did not get to any of the renovated with bright ceramic has seating just like the Audi. paper presentations I did see tiles. In winter, first one hunted some of the exhibitions ... work for a bucket, then an immersion So what are BITSians like these of stellar quality. Magazine road and then you had to ensure days ... different but the same ... ratings notwithstanding, BITS is that no one else in the wing had the energy levels are ready to break out into even a bucket of water getting heated phenomenal especially very greater things. One thing is clear (else the fuse would blow). This visible during APOGEE. I am that the energy of students, the now comes from a tap - but only sure the velas, the ghotus, and outward looking faculty and the by afternoon in winter. The the rest are very much around alumni, working together will other alternatives were to have a but so is this indefinable energy take BITS to great new heights. cold-water bath (rare for most ... I interacted with many but enjoyed daily by yours truly) BITSians from 1st yearites to Junta, get involved with BITS if or wait till you got home in first psentii semites... from guys you can – PS2, recruitment, sem or for summer in the 2nd playing early AM cricket to Center for Entrepreneurial sem. The number of cycles has those browsing for US univs or Leadership or in any other way. gone up significantly. The Audi doing mail in the middle of the If you cannot, make a visit, a is now very effectively air- night, to the psenti semite from vacation if you will. Take your cooled. More importantly the Mal who called 'Papppuuu' at spouse / kids and enjoy good old blue metal chairs have Skylab for a missing shikangi in fashioned BITSian hospitality completely disappeared and in a tone that only one who has for a couple of days. Either way its place is theatre seating. Even done so for many years can do. you will be reenergized. Highly after so many years, I still think recommended. that no atmosphere has ever ♦

‘94 Batch Second semites’ 10TH Anniversary Praveen Rachakulla (’94 Engg Tech) 10 years ago, on this day I stepped into Pilani town, with lots of baggage and a heart filled with great joy, new aspirations, a new place, a great place. BITS, Pilani. It was a joyous moment after an arduous journey in a train with the occasional ragging by seniors. It was all fun. New friends. New people from different states, a very different atmosphere where peacocks fly over you, camels pass by and students race on bicycles. It was the start of a new beginning for me - far away from home but it felt like home; with great friends, instructors, professors, mess waale (devendra), raidi waale (nagarji) and of course the beautiful sky lawns, pappu bhai and great landscapes. What with wonderful people hanging around on the lawns engrossed either in studies or in dreams or just mutual admiration, crazy couples.. and the list is endless. We were 21, a small group, a close group of second semites, as we are called. We stepped in this small town to make it our new home for the next 4 years. This was the beginning. This was the beginning 10 years ago. As we stepped into a small town called Pilani. My wishes to all my friends, second semites, 1994 batch. Happy 10th year anniversary. To those I remember but whose names I have forgotten, to those whose names I remember… Kumar Govindan, Vishal, Neeraj, Bharani, Subhashini, Rukmini, Renuka, et al.

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 18 Notes from Pilani Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY CHANDY JOHN BENJAMIN (’01 INSTRU) AND GAURAV VERMA (’02 MATHEMATICS) CENTER FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT New initiatives and strategic direction of the CSD @ BITS, Pilani. The CSD makes use of hardware he Center for Software platforms already available at BLUECHIP T the institute and has also added Development (CSD) CSD was hardware systems like the IBM INITIATIVES set up by Dr. KRV Subramanian Netvista™ / Netfinity™ / Project BITS Linux with the vision that it would xSeries 235 / 255 eServer™ commenced in 2001 and now “provide a forum where the IT servers, IBM Netvista has a focus on developing and development activity at BITS Workstations, HP Scanners, distributing its own version of would find a wider utility and Logitech QuickCam™ Pro Web the Linux Operating System the intellectual capital available Cameras, iPen™ Graphics which has several new and at BITS would be tapped Tablets. In addition to these the innovative features. It will have towards development of quality CSD also uses developmental CMFS Architecture, default software”. This is the objective software tools such as Visual support for IPv6 and Bluetooth, that has driven Team CSD. Studio, Visual Studio .Net, a new graphical web browser After Dr. KRV Subramanian, Eclipse and WSAD for Java with IPv6 support, a Video-on- CSD has been led by his wife related development, Demand (VoD) base system Mrs. Usha Subramanian and is Macromedia Studio Mx for with native IPv6 capability and now currently under the multimedia related development related enhancements. stewardship of Dr. Rahul and the Lotus Domino Server Banerjee, CSD coordinator. for E-learning related services. The BITS Multimedia The CSD has identified the areas Operating System (BITS Over the years the CSD has of internetworking, grid MOS) project, initiated in 1999 grown into a facility for cutting computing, wearable computing aims to develop an operating edge tech research and and technology transfer as its system which caters to soft real development in addition to its primary areas of emphasis. time restrictions of multimedia original objective of software applications. With the development. Dr Banerjee knowledge acquired since the believes that there is no dearth CSD was set up by Dr. project’s inception, Team CSD of talented young minds at BITS KRV Subramanian to now believes that it can after all who are enthusiastic about “provide a forum develop such a system that can software development initiatives provide inherent support for the and software research. In fact where the IT activity at soft real-time restrictions this is how members are BITS would find a imposed by multimedia inducted into the team. The applications. criterion of your CGPA plays no wider utility and the role in the selection process. intellectual capital What the team demands can be Another initiative is the Virtual summarized in just two words: available at BITS University (VU) project. The sincerity and aptitude. The would be tapped VU is a supplementary facility sincerity to work with for the students pursuing a dedication on tasks assigned. towards the degree through the Distance And the aptitude to learn and development of quality Learning Programmes Division of BITS, Pilani. Using this grasp facts and methods easily software” and quickly. CSD today includes facility, off-campus students can 75% first degree students, 10% make use of facilities normally Masters and the remaining 15% only available to someone who PhD students. CSD’S is on-campus. Project VU is

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 19 Notes from Pilani Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine extremely beneficial as a student Perhaps the most important aggregator for 6-bone can work at his/her own pace achievement of the CSD has addresses) for IPv6. without being the limitations of been relating to the Internet time and space! Efforts are Protocol version 6 (Ipv6), „ The IPv6@BITS website being made to simulate Project – IPv6@BITS, one of was the first Indian website classroom teaching which would the earliest structured to be 100% IPv6 capable – make it easier for the student to international projects in this IPv6 or IPv4 enabled. understand the course. CSD field, started in 1998. Dr. Rahul plays a major role in providing Banerjee believes that Ipv6 will „ BITS led the IPv6-QoS technical support to distance be the cornerstone of Next Group at the European learning operators of BITS, Generation Networks. Commission’s Next wherein it enables professors on Generation Networks campus to deliver live Initiative. interactive lectures with full video and audio apart from slides and other documents. All that a student (sitting in any part of the world!) needs is a multimedia PC or a laptop with headphones, a microphone and a good internet connection to participate in this virtual classroom. A student can ask questions and also participate in online quizzes.

CSD Team @ BITS Pilani

Project Quantum-BITS started CSD Bluechips „ BITS has bought out the in 2002 currently focuses on the Linux world’s first three native theoretical aspects of Quantum IPv6 based applications Computing. In the not too BITS MOS employing Video-over-IPv6 distant future, they’ll initiate Virtual University technology and allowing experimental research as well. Dual-Stack Compatibility. The Quantum Computing Quantum Research Group at the CSD CampusBuzz „ BITS Pilani is the first consists of researchers from IPv6@BITS university outside Europe to various disciplines such as be granted the NGN-I (Next Computer Science, Physics, Grid-One Computing Generation Networks Chemistry, Instrumentation and Initiative) Membership by Mathematics working quantum the European Union (EU). Some of the highlights of the A variety of projects algorithms, cryptography and IPv6 specific work at BITS are circuits. undertaken by the CSD as follows: have also been sponsored by the EU. CampusBuzz is an initiative „ BITS, Pilani was the first managed wholly by students in from India to be on the „ BITS is also helping several the CSD team. It was started in International IPv6 Indian companies such as 2001 to bridge any gap arising Backbone known as the 6- Wipro, Novell, Samsung from the absence of any online Bone. Research, FutureSoft other resource about the campus and universities and engineering its activities. In the near future „ BITS, is the first university colleges to build small the CBuzz Team @ CSD hopes in the world and the only experimental IPv6 setups. that this intranet portal would be Indian University that holds capable of managing all the the status of a pTLA needs of a BITSian. (pseudo top-level

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 20 Notes from Pilani Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

Also underway is the BITS Digital Library Project to design a digital library system that can inter-operate with other digital library systems. The idea is to provide a smooth user interface with high-quality, efficient search and service engines so that anyone accessing this feature would be comfortable getting the feel of using this as a single knowledge base. CSD also participates in the Oxford based JournalServer Digital Library Project. Looky here folks!

The first phase of the Grid-One on-campus students and faculty provided by Cisco for the Computing initiative involves facilities for performing BITSConnect project. A team of building a medium-sized grid experiments related to software five students won the IBM Great spanning the campus and development and deployment Minds Challenge, an all-India involves many server-class for mobile services. competition in 2003, where they systems, as many as a thousand presented a prototype of the PCs for the institute laboratories Panchayati Raj System – their and in faculty chambers, and CSD COURSES in-house evolved system of e- PCs in hostel rooms and staff CSD also offers a set of skill- Governance. Three students quarters. This could use oriented courses each semester were chosen for Microsoft operating systems like Linux, which can be undertaken by any Research Internship at FreeBSD, SCO Unix, HP-UX, student in addition to a regular Redmond, USA. A two member Sun Solaris, Windows 2003 academic course load. These team of BITS students reached Server, Windows 2000/Me/XP, courses include ASP.NET, Java, the finals of the Intel Student Novell Netware, Win CE, Palm Linux Programming, OOP with Research Contest. OS, et cetera. In the second C++, basic C Programming, phase, the initiative will connect Oracle, VB.net, C# & .NET, and ONTACT the resultant grid to span the XML. Students can register in C BITS campuses of Goa and these courses by paying a CSD Dubai. This would be amazing prescribed semester fee. The students are also provided Dr. Rahul Banerjee, when one looks at it from the [email protected] point of campus connectivity. certificates on completion of the course. Further, assistance is This’ll be built as an IPv6 native Or Visit support based grid. provided to students appearing in campus interviews on basic http://www.bits- pilani.ac.in/csd/Home/ A research facility of mobile and programming concepts which wearable computer research is are required for job interviews. also in the pipeline replete with All these are clear indicators that wireless access including IEEE CHIEVEMENTS Team CSD’s efforts are coming 802.11b, Bluetooth, and IRDA A to fruition and creating reason apart from the regular Dr. Rahul Banerjee believes that for some serious BITS, Pilani connectivity of the Ethernet the work that CSD has been pride. genre. The setup involves doing over the years is slowly Pocket PCs, SmartFones, Tablet but surely getting noticed also ♦ PCs and a host of software to gaining critical acclaim. The amount of external funding that support R&D. Part of this funding has come from BITS, Pilani has received for its Microsoft Research, Redmond R & D projects has crossed Rs. and will be used for providing 95 lakhs excluding the grant

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 21 Notes from Pilani Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY SUKANYA VIJAYAKUMAR (’02 CIVIL) CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP Enthusiastic faculty and students and the involvement of alumni help CEL become one the nation’s preeminent centers of its kind. enthusiasm, unlike that of other members of the faculty. The A three-hour meeting with the people of his age, does not end primary goals are to increase president of CEL, BITS, with talking at length about what awareness about Srinivas Jampani, had the effect he would want to achieve in life- entrepreneurship and encourage of a tornado on me. Only, at the his dreams and ideals take him the students of BITS to hone end of the experience, I wasn’t to a different strata, amongst the their latent entrepreneurial skills left amidst debris. I had been likes of Vivek Paul and Nandan and to think out of the box. It is initiated to a highly motivated Nilekani – that of entrepreneurs. actively involved in bridging and structured organization that gaps between the academic could leave the common man He is one of several people curriculum and the industry and confounded. If I had been even whose fire and passion run facilitating commercialization of mildly skeptical of him, I would India’s finest entrepreneurial R&D and other resource- have called Jampani a fanatic. organization at college level – strapped start-ups by acting as However, infectious enthusiasm the Centre for Entrepreneurial an incubator. and a thirst to achieve left a deep Leadership at BITS. impression on me. Yet, being All events held by CEL on able to appreciate qualities like CEL consists of eight domains – campus, are blocks in the enterprise, un-put-downable Networks, Rural process of building an confidence and amazing drive Entrepreneurship Development, environment conducive to was not enough – I was gasping Resources, Sales and Marketing, achieving these ends and have at the end of the meeting. Had I Technology, Process Audit and turned out to be very met the whole crowd of budding HR, Operations and Finance – professional in conduct and leaders at CEL, I would have each headed by a vice-president, quality. They are brands in the been sapped of every last iota of a membership of around 70 and making. The most glamorous of my energy. Jampani’s is guided by able and supportive all, could easily be the national

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 22 Notes from Pilani Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine level event Conquest, which claims to be more than a mere business plan contest. It tests not just the capability of a team in making a tangible business plan but also the participants’ mettle and guts in executing the plan. Spread over 45 days, it includes modules on creating the plan, preliminary judgment and mentoring of the finalist-teams by a panel of eminent industrialists, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists (which included Ms. Anita Sakuru, CEO, Kenpeople, Mr. Jairaj Gupta, CEO, WorldCast Technologies, Mr. Ravi Kuchimanchi, Aid India (of ‘Swades’ fame), Mr. Rajiv some of the best colleges in semesterly exhibition of Singhal, ITC GIAN), a grueling India. Another new event that products made in the villages testing system, et cetera. The started off this Oasis, Prayag around Pilani in order to market event, held during APOGEE, (shown below), turned out to be them, with the help of self-help was sponsored by Kenpeople, a huge hit. It had teams groups and NGOs), the Broadcom, NewBreak and executing given businesses Entrepreneurship Awareness Nuware this time. Ideas for within a stipulated period of Program (workshops to spread Rural India, or I4RI, is a huge time and with constraints on awareness about effort to bring together the talent resources in simulated entrepreneurship in North India) of students, research activity and situations. and the Meet the Entrepreneur corporate power on the same lecture series (which has platform to integrate them to Other regular events held on successful entrepreneurs giving make tangible and worthy campus include the BITS Big lectures on entrepreneurship and plans/products for execution in Bout (a panel discussion that is narrating their start-up stories). rural India. Both these events aimed at bringing students’ in- CEL has also successfully have just seen their second room discussions under the lens spearheaded the incorporation of editions during APOGEE 2005 to give it a more meaningful two courses, “Creating and but have attracted as many as 80 dimension), Parampara (a Leading Entrepreneurial commendable plans/entries from Organization” and “Global BITSian Awarded ‘Tatrarakshak’ The highest rank medal awarded by the Indian Coast Guard One of our very own, V Natarajan, a System Developer and Database Administrator in the Indian Coast Guard, Ministry of Defence in Mumbai, has been awarded the 'Tatrarakshak’, the highest medal awarded by the Indian Coast Guard. This medal was awarded to him by the President of India, Dr. A P Kalam, on Republic day.

Natarajan is proud to be a member of the BITS community and is glad he was able to keep his promise of “utilizing the knowledge and exposure gained given by the BITS environment to promote the well being of our nation”.

He is in his final semester in the ME Software Systems program. He also has a B E in Information Systems.

Congratulations to him on behalf of the entire alumni community! ______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 23 Notes from Pilani Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

Business, Technology and the company as well as about Kumar. CEL now looks Knowledge Sharing”, in the list the traits of the mentor. It is forward to large-scale help from of courses offered as electives. being envisaged as the right alumni, especially interface between the students entrepreneurs, to feed its CEL has big plans in the and the industry and actually ambitions and hopes to build pipeline. An ambitious project is promises to be a rejuvenating mutually rewarding the “ξ Communities”, a experience for the mentor. Plans relationships with them. The consortium of resource persons are already underway to spread only challenges that lie in its from the industry who would the modules of Conquest and path are that of sustaining the share information and ideas with I4RI over 10-12 months and interest and help extended by students and faculty, through make them yearlong events. resource persons especially regular video-conferencing. A considering the short span of more exhaustive project is the CEL has been helped a great student life on campus and Venture Partnership Project, a deal by entrepreneurs and problems posed by the location plan that resembles an internship industrialists like Laura Parkins, of BITS. for BITSians, or in simpler Mayank Gaur, Sanjay Kendhri, words, a plan that involves Punita Pandey, K. R. For more info, log on to shadowing CEOs. It would Venkatasubramaniam, et cetera, www.celbits.org. entail being monitored by a in terms of knowledge-sharing faculty member while the and sponsorship. There has also student closely follows all the been extensive mentoring by ♦ activities of the member in the alumni such as Anupendra industry, learning the ways of Sharma, Satish Gupta and Sirish

Chitthi aye hai From BITS Pilani, Goa

Dear Karthik, Hope you’re fine. Are you still freezing in Pilani? Just so you know, the weather in Goa is simply dandy right now. Just a tad cooler than Mumbai, simply Purrfect!

Since you’re dying to catch up, lemme fill you in on the exciting new happenings at our end. 21 new second sem-ites have joined and, needless to say, we’ve extended them as good a welcome as any self- respecting senior group can (sutble, evil, censored laugh). So, we can finally call ourselves seniors, as any high IQ BITSian would admit, the newbies are junior to us by a full semester. Our Audi and the library should be open real soon. The grapevine has it that the audi is going to have a seating capacity of about 2200. The library is going to be similar to the library at Pilani – replete with computer facilities, video viewing capability, good books (or so they say) yada yada yada.

Cultural (hmmph!) activities have just begun and we’re finally organizing inter-state cricket matches on the new playground – really as much culture as I can take. A lot of people have computers now, so we’re not as bored as we used to be! The professors are good, and since we have mandatory attendance, each professor knows his students well and vice-versa (snigger! snigger!). Elections are just around the corner and we’ll soon have a student government in BITS Goa... yippee!

We certainly don’t have as much freedom as you do in Pilani… but it’s all right. We’ve got to be back in our hostels by 8.30 p.m (even the boys). Each of the four hostels, two of which are for guys, have a register where we need to sign if we’re going to be out late. Of course, the beaches help kill time as we wait for those alleged good books to show up.

Hope all’s well with you. Take care & see ya! A. (BITS Pilani, Goa)

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 24 Creative & Humor Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

ART BY PRAVEEN RACHAKULLA (ET ’94) Praveen works as a supply chain management and warehousing consultant with Sapphire in Boston, MA. At BITS he was the treasurer for the Engineering Technology Assoc. and was also an active member of Planning and Publicity and the Art and Decoration Departments. Prior to consulting, he worked in an operations management role for a startup firm manufacturing fuel cells and at Polaris Software Lab. He is a practitioner of Reiki and, more recently, yoga. He’s involved with non profits in Boston. Praveen enjoys playing racquet ball and martial arts, anything to do with arts, music, photography and experimenting to create new colors. He has an MSc (Tech), Engineering Technology from BITS and an MS in Engineering Management from Syracuse University.

He’s starting an MBA this year and lives in Boston with his fiancée, Divya.

To see more of Praveen’s artwork, visit http://bitsaa.org/gallery/artwork

Tsunami full moon Juhi – I’m no M F Hussain

A K, The President – India’s very own Einstein Lip to lip, Eye to eye

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 25 Creative & Humor Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

My little Sonu I voice her name silently, And surrounded as I am, – A Tsunami Victim With everything that fills my life, Anuradha Gupta (’86 MMS) Blessings that abound— Sonu is ever missing when I look around… I still seem to grope, For something that would fill this vacuum. My heart bleeds at photograph after photograph… Profiling the disaster, filled with despair,

Ocean wave, after ocean wave, And devastation all around… A little girl, just a few months old- Didn’t even know she had been found. Must have known she was all alone, Death and disease; towns and homes wrecked, A vacant stare was all that was there- Pain that no one can bear… Didn’t know how her life was devastated, Thank God for every effort, every bit of aid— As wave after wave finally abated… While I move on… Her parents were dead. With not even a picture of Sonu to hang on to And as I saw her, I wanted to hold her, But I don’t want the memory of her face to fade, To fly across the miles… It’s something intangible that I now cling to, To be her mother, to be the one that consoled her- It fuels my desire to make a difference, That took her home, wiped her tears, With so many people devastated, That took her home and hushed her fears, I must reach out to at least a few… I made all the calls, adoption was banned! ♦ In the midst of the worst tsunami in 40 years, Flesh trade had begun, Desert Rain What kind of world do we live in, Sagarika Jaganathan (’93 Bio) How can despair beget this kind of sin? Like the lone cactus When permissions were granted, Self sufficient The picture still haunted me— Succulent The ocean waves, the dead bodies, the child next to At once thorny them, And tender… Perched up steady against a bedraggled tree… Never once Matted hair, big eyes, a torn dress beckoned, Looked up I imagined replacing her look with a smile- Skyward I made more calls, adoption had begun… For that elusive The laws told me my parameters were wrong, Desert rain… Visa status and such hogwash… More orphans than parents— Then it arrived And a mother had been scorned. One day I brooded nights, stifling my pain, In torrents The bureaucracy, the distance, what did the child Lone Cactus gain? Now, a rose in bloom… Now as I do my bit, in any which way, Lasted but a day Tucked away is a little prayer… Lost in the sands of time For the girl I named Sonu, I hope she has a home Where the lone cactus stands I dedicate all my efforts to her, Now gazing skyward But she may very well be alone… For that elusive desert rain I’m haunted, but every time I lose hope, ♦

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 26 Creative & Humor Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY DILEEPAN NARAYANAN (’00 MECH) BEYOND MY FOUR BEST YEARS – BITS, PILANI REVISITED I returned earlier than I had envisaged - but did everything appear just a little different this time around? freshman escorted by my where junta played cricket and Petrichor. The first droplets parents. Does life really come a more cricket; the Gym-G where of evening rain fell into the full circle or does one simply weeding is always long overdue summer, mitigating the Pilani draw non-existent parallels to when it is not BOSM; the Audi heat, settling the dust and satiate oneself with pleasant where everything happened – griming it into the narrow auguries (the sedative tinge of from lectures to EDC plays to jagged roads. Women pulled up pleasantness infused by Music nights (in short—where the pallus of their saris to wear retrospective thought), I BITS happened!); the clock hoods and ran for shelter, their wondered. It had rained on the tower standing like Atlas, jolly shouts of feigned same date four years back. Yes. fighting off his breasts, rolling helplessness punctuated with I was pretty sure of it. My rain-clouds that often tried to silent murmurs of prayer to the parents had left for Chennai the cloak his towering self; the Rain God for their children. next day, leaving me to embark chowki outside the Audi who, And larger droplets of August on my BITSian life. And now, apart from posing riddles to rain fell in the new semester four years later, it was raining. people sitting outside the Audi, providing respite from the Was this some kind of was a bit of a conundrum scourge of the Pilani heat. consummation of my tryst with himself; the rediwallahs and Washing away the present into BITS? Or, was it a mere their redis which offered sam- the past. Cleansing away some coincidence? I did not know. chaat, shikanji and more sam- memories, leaving behind chaat (to say nothing of the some. Ushering the newer lot in 2004C6PS272. yarns about BITS that they a cordial yet cooling welcome. spun); the Goddess Saraswati Heralding a new season. The latest addition to my who played for years in a row, mailing list. The reason I was the same note on her veena; ANC; C’not; insti; I surveyed all braving the heat and rains of Pilani, though I had graduated a of them through lenses tinted year ago. The reason I withstood with nostalgia, evaluating a mental contrast with the grey the four-day siege of my benumbed limbs in trains that scaled images of the flashback. smelt like Auschwitz. My first These still remain the way I had left them. Unaffected by change. school-ju, who I never got to see during my BITSian life. My brother. He was starting a new The new library is an imposing life, apparently, away from the magnificent edifice. The walls comforts of home. My mother are tastefully decorated with told me peremptorily and my panels of oil-paintings, some of father seconded, that it was my them depicting mythological responsibility too to help him scenes. Potted plants and some get settled without hitches. And topiary work garnish the centre hence I set my eyes on BITS, of the huge building. The books The rains fell. Pilani once more. And my heart. are also cataloged better, with halls dedicated for every section. The smell of the earth that Changes. I expectantly looked Aesthetically wondrous. It gives saddled the infant droplets of me the excuse to remark self- for changes. rain suffused in me pangs of righteously: had this Library nostalgia, transporting me to the been during my time, I would same place four years ago, when The dilapidated looking have virtually moved into it; and I’d arrived in BITS as a Bhawans; the dusty C-Lawns

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 27 Creative & Humor Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine my CG would have never order – and were promptly seconds that, unlike the last plummeted the way it did! ambushed by seniors. time, I would see him before I left. The inimitable dosa-maker BITS has been attacked by the Some things have changed. in ANC (who, I must say, dealt major players in cellular service out truly inimitable elliptical providing. OASIS has been dosas!) indulged in some rather bought by Airtel. And “When your kid expressive bonhomie after predictably, Hutch has also brother stands which he complained that he had ventured into the desert. Every not received last year’s BOSM t- freshman has a mobile phone on towering half a foot shirt yet. I told him I will see to him. SMSes fly every five over you at six foot it that he gets it this time! After minutes from parent to ward and which I proceeded to tell him I from fresher to fresher. The two, it’s sometimes graduated this June. He bit his wing is alerted if a senior is on prudent for both of tongue and instantly assured me the prowl. The seniors, being the you to remain seated. that he knew it all the while and experienced campaigners that was merely engaging himself in they are, have learnt to use the I regretted not having friendly banter. The mobile to their advantage too. taken one of those rickshawallahs enquired When a senior meets a fresher, concernedly whether I will be he asks only for his mobile detestable ill-fitting playing this BOSM as well; I number, and not his intro in the ‘BITS, Pilani’ T- told them I had passed out. They public. The mobile is then shirts of mine” then exhorted me to come to effectively used to summon the BITS representing some Outsti juniors when the coast is clear of team and participate in this wardens and authorities! I tagged along with my brother year’s BOSM. I assured them I Lifestyles have digressed from for a jaunt on the familiar roads would try my best. They all – the time when we juniors that cut each other at right each one of them – avowed, like trudged to C’not to make phone angles, much like those of they do to every parent year calls to home – the Bhawan Mohenjodaro and Harappa, and after year, that they would take phones were perpetually out of other early civilizations whose good care of my brother. “Aap salient features fikr mat kijiye; hum iska achcha the third khayal rakhenge.” The glib standard words of customary assurance History book were heartening relief at the scrupulously moment. detailed. Naagarji waved The first-yearites slunk away at me and told after stealing a surreptitious me that I had glance at my brother; they later put on a little came back to me and asked me weight; I told to which discipline I had been him I missed admitted. I told them that I had his sam-chaats been admitted to Infosys! Upon for the past six which they proceeded to ask me months. if he was my own brother. I Munnaji said in clarified that, in India, it is not his unique yet custom to lease out brothers; reticently it will take some more time for solicitous us Indians to embrace the manner, “Jaate custom. When your kid brother waqt milke stands towering half a foot over jaana.” I you at six foot two, it’s nodded, sometimes prudent for both of resolving to you to remain seated. I regretted myself for not having taken one of those those three

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 28 Creative & Humor Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine detestable ill-fitting ‘BITS, witness to its grandest Bhawan’s intentions. Gomes was Pilani’ T-shirts of mine. night, Nihil Ultra 2k++, which, I raucously signing his class had thought then, was the notes, before a test, to the tune One last time, I gamboled along grandest celebration of human of the latest Bollywood hit song. the road to Gym-G on which I camaraderie – an overflowing His roomie, Sucha, was fuming paraded during BOSM; I saw goblet of adrenaline and human under his breath. We were the sportsmen—arrayed in their spirit; there they were dancing Godfathers of the H-wing. I had college colors—who were all- away to night fame and the felt glad to be in the wing that I importantly striding to the lilting music was reverberating was as a first-yearite; my wing. grounds, feeling summoned by in every Gandhiite’s ear long the spirit of their respective after. But, why did I want to leave? institutions. And I plodded on the road from the insti to Budh I wanted to leave. Suddenly there was none to where I trudged back, share my memories with. I despondent, after screwing up The place had been etched to walked in reality, alone. And my CDC tests; people were remain a part of me. I sojourned memories remained, well, walking to the mess, animatedly in my brother’s room the H- memories. I felt speared with the discussing solutions and wing for one night; my brother’s ignominy of having to play engrossed in the calculation of roomie hadn’t arrived. witness to the memories of a their marks and prospective fraternity. Alone… grades. And I strolled on the The night seemed to be echoing road to C’not at night; girls were Thoppul’s baritone bellows of "Guys, when is the cycling in groups ringing their four years ago, from room registration?” the new first- bells wildly and yelling at boys number 316 – he was the ten- yearites quavered in excitement. who had ganged up blocking the pointer, the stud of the wing. In road, and were boisterously 318, Bul and Chaps – new parading along. Saraswati still I woke up, in my brother’s roomies – were breaking ice, room. smiled at me the same smile she parleying in English like a had four years back when I sat caring boy and bashful dame in the steps of the temple, “Tomorrow!” trying to court each other and staring into the gloaming. And I trying, at the same time, not to saw, once again, the hallowed drop the slightest hint of their A new morrow was ushering Gandhi Bhawan, which stood itself in. ♦

Chitthi aye hai From BITS Pilani, Dubai

Dear Karthik, … lotsa “firsts” last sem on campus. The start of a campus placement programme like the one in Pilani, mock interviews were conducted by the Campus Placement Cell and 21 companies came and recruited most of the final year students. Also had Techofest 2004 akin to APOGEE. Some cool gizmos like a “Smart Home” (automation of a home using the internet!) and a lie detector were on display.

54 students graduated and we had an elaborate ceremony for them – you guys really should consider starting these.

The institute has also started a Practice School Programme with the first batch of students doing quite well with many receiving offers from their companies. Let’s hope the scenario remains equally promising when I do my PS. That’s it for now! Take care,

M. (BITS, Dubai)

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 29 Creative & Humor Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY SAGARIKA JAGANATHAN (’93 BIO)

MOMENTS IN TIME… Memories of what we presumed was the conquest of the Ganges, that turned the tables on us, capturing our hearts instead in who we are today. As Russian None of us had dreamed that remember being asked to poet Alexander Blok once said: white-water rafting would be I “True greatness can only be seen part of our repertoire of BITSian memorize Oliver Goldsmith’s from far away.” experiences, when we nervously poem, “The Village set foot on the Vidya Vihar Schoolmaster,” while in middle Driving past yellow mustard campus, on day one at Pilani. school. Its last verses have But there we were, between sun haunted me ever since: “And fields during the perfect Californian summer of ’98, I felt swept hillsides, clumsily holding still they gazed, and still the the oars, trying to navigate wonder grew, That one small a sweeping sense of déjà vu. I was 22, and contemplated life's Mother Nature with help from a head could carry all human guide—our he knew.” rafting instructor.

In a way, these The first hour or so of verses seem to our adventure was a characterize every smooth sail, considering one of us—the what lay ahead. We innumerable began to relax, taking in memories we carry the beauty of the with us as we mountains; the sunlight cruise through life. danced on crystal clear We are like waters broken fireflies, flitting unsteadily by our through a rowing. The water cornucopia of looked so inviting. Our ephemera, shining, guide said we could sometimes dive right in, helmet brilliantly, by virtue of those big questions, having stepped and vest, into the 100 feet deep memory flashes. Not all of them out, just a year ago, from the waters in the stillest part of the are mindless trivia or knowledge comforting haven that was stretch. “It’s called Body worth its weight in gold. Some BITS, Pilani, into a whole new surfing” he said, and promised of those snapshots bring back world, continents away. The that it would be like nothing we days and events, frozen in time, startling riot of yellow hues took had ever known before. that hold special significance in me to another drive, in the not our lives. Only when we peel so distant past… back the leaves of memory do I sat on the rim of the raft, we encounter a mulch of almost clutching the tethering ropes— intact moments of profundity, The spring of ’97. About ten or Afraid. Contemplating. carefully preserving the essence eleven of us, wide-eyed boys of certain events, people, and and girls, set out from BITS, A piercing scream, two gulps of places whose charm and traveling in a jeep, train, and bus water, and a temporary sinking influence may have escaped us to reach the rolling hills of feeling—all of which lasted over the years. Such ‘peeling Hardwar where the Ganges merely five seconds or so, but back’ may occur almost flows. Spirited, free, and crazy, seemed like a journey to death’s inadvertently or spontaneously, we wanted to explore; try new door and back—and my head sometimes taking us back things. We were ready to take on bobbed up above water as I several years in time, impelling challenges the waters would gaped at the two guys, my raft- us to pause and appreciate the pose…or not quite. mates, who had chosen to greatness of those defining introduce me to the waters, with moments that had a part to play a shove. Noxious fear dispelled,

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 30 Creative & Humor Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

I joined the body-surfing and then at the glowing, happy knew we could not check the entourage! We let the flow faces of my friends, laughing ruthless passage of time, we transport us to what seemed like and replaying the days events. replayed those moments in our paradise, until our guide We were singing, talking, minds—moments recorded for beckoned for us to file on board. almost as if in a drunken stupor, posterity. The last of us was reluctantly as each of us wrestled with the dragged aboard, as we paddled unmistakable romance that the oars again. What was a quiet charged the young night air, “We screamed when one murmur all along now magically quietly perpetuated by the of our friends, suddenly metamorphosed into thunderous Ganges—her shimmering waters dislodged from the raft, roars. The rafts began to go reflecting a full moon… landed right in the rough-and-bump over rocks propelled by currents that middle of the ruthless We woke to the sun streaking currents” seemingly came from nowhere. the eastern horizon—a ball of We were in the rapids—each orange peering over the hills, holding on to dear life while ready to watch us launch into I’ve since driven past many raging waters tossed our rafts day two of our river adventure. yellow mustard fields; done a like leaves in a storm. As the day drew to a close— daring thing or two. But each bonding to her ethereal beauty— time, my mind takes me to those We screamed when one of our we were unprepared to witness fine days and fun-filled evenings friends, suddenly dislodged the heart-breaking debacle of on the banks of the Ganges, from the raft, landed right in the soap suds and sewer flows where we huddled around middle of the ruthless currents. ravaging the virgin waters of the flickering flames, contemplating We watched in shock as the Ganges. We arrived at people- new relationships, old savage currents—paying no infested Rishikesh, into whose friendships, and the paradox of attention to the fact that our ruinous arms she flowed… the simple yet complex life that friend here was a deft we led behind the gates of Vidya swimmer—tossed him around, Like all good things in life, our Vihar. threatening to dash him against rafting adventure had to come to the looming rocks. Our captain an end. We hauled the raft BITS represents a significant and guide steered adeptly, all the ashore; despite being simply milestone in my life—distinct while screaming level-headed pumped with air, its bulk and unique. No matter how instructions, which we tried our surprisingly weighed down on many friends I made, which end best to follow. He gallantly our shoulders as we waded of the CGPA spectrum they rescued our comrade – all of us through shallow, murky waters. adorned, what events we were could have worshipped him! But a heavier load was on our part of, I am, like the rest of hearts, as we grappled with fresh them, bound to BITS by a Silence again. The rowdy waters memories tugging at our common thread of collective had assumed a sudden heartstrings, beckoning us to go nostalgia. gentility—a transformation one back to those ledges on Tiger must witness to comprehend. Paw, where our adventure These days, whenever my mind The Ganges continued to tease began. retrieves snapshots during each and awe us, silent and serene of its unannounced forays into one moment, a raging torrent the On the train journey and the jeep the past—revealing, time and next. By the end of the day we ride back, the mood was again, that the essence of my were tired and spent, but I contemplative. Although it experiences at BITS is etched in couldn’t wait to come back for seemed that we had fought its reservoir of memories, more. That night, the Ganges bravely and survived the constantly coloring those rare was in the fabric of our souls. challenges posed by the raging moments of epiphany—they We sat around a bonfire, a new waters, we felt anything but never fail to make me smile. closeness among us, for having triumphant. It was the Ganges ♦ fought, survived and eventually that ultimately conquered conquered the Ganges together. us…capturing our hearts: a As the flames hungrily licked realization that had only just the embers, I gazed into the fire, begun to dawn on us. While we

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 31 Creative & Humor Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY ANURADHA SHARMA GUPTA (’86 MMS) DADDY COMES A VISITING ‘The Return of the Father…’ and wants is exploited. Daddy has this capacity to enjoy addy came to meet me a Temperamentally, I’m equally every bit of life, to live it to the D down to earth. But it’s the fullest. I can still remember his record 13 times in four years! “Circle of Life” syndrome and rich laugh resonating in my ears He would get extremely Anu- back in those days, I insisted he as he described— in the sick and Pilani seemed just stay at the plush guesthouse. He presence of my pals— outside round the corner from Delhi did succumb a couple times but their Mess, how delightful the those days. Now that I have a his soul rebelled…And yes, he experience was. How young he little one, I can empathize discovered another felt and totally at home, with because we are temperamentally alternative…an innovative, such sloth, gluttony, and sheer very similar. I was Daddy’s little original discovery. depravity. How good the food girl and he would brood about that everybody complained my health and well being. Any about tasted. How nice it was to concern would propel him He stayed with my pals! In the guys’ hostel. He stayed mostly ‘hang out’ with the boys. Bless towards the Interstate Bus their hearts; my friends Terminal (ISBT) and he would with Dev and Chotu and a couple of times with Bhattu. welcomed him for we were as embark upon the six-hour close as a family could be. journey to Pilani. Their rooms were messy, full of sexy divas (well, posters at least) and stacks and piles of It was after all Dev who stood Given that he was retired and dust-laden books (many of outside my hospital room when was handling his own book which seemed to bemoan their Tannu was born, grabbed the business, it was easy to manage fate – no one paid attention to camera from hubby and clicked his schedule for a few days. them except maybe during an a dizzy number of under- There was a swanky guesthouse occasional test series). exposed photographs, the ones as one entered Pilani, on the left, Everything tottering, skeletons that were visible were with the and another soon thereafter— falling out of closets. Shocking cradle all covered. In ‘The Little this one, an apology to graffiti—descriptions of Prince’ fashion I knew Tannu guesthouses, down-market and enraptured guys wooing lay within. It was Chotu who dilapidated. Being the rustic that indifferent girls. Heavy metal defended me when somebody he is, he thought the latter was that would jar a lesser mortal. alleged that I had C.T.’ed functional, the masala chai was Piles of dirty laundry. Guys (course topped) O.B. because great, he befriended the moving in and out, general the Prof liked me (his calm housekeeper and felt there was laccha, Daddy perched on a bed demeanor was shaken for once no reason to pay a premium for chatting about everything under in Pilani as he suddenly threw ambience. the sun. Totally comfy and at everything in sight at the ease. unsuspecting guy – from books, All of us, especially in our to powder tins). True loyalty, youth, experiment with issues. true pals. Renchy and Muds Somehow, the thought of hung out with Daddy as if he meeting up with my father in the were their pal – definitely more ordinary guesthouse did not gel. entertaining than staid old me. Call it a status symbol issue, a Indeed, he enjoyed every youthful folly, call it anything. minute! I’m so much more discerning now— especially after a major I can still remember the joy of in marketing. I can now see dragging Daddy into the girls’ through the premiums charged “I can still remember the joy of dragging Daddy mess and making him sample purely on brand name and halo delicacies that had hitherto been effects. I can see through how into the girls’ mess…” offered only in the guys’ messes the lack of discernment about – ice creams, for instance. It the difference between needs

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 32 Creative & Humor Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine didn’t matter that eventually he paid for it – it was from my scrounging and saving that I could treat him. It was my turn to foist stuff upon him – to spoil him. He sat with my friends and seemed to know everybody’s names, histories, heritage, likes, tastes, and tales. Even today he will suddenly spring a surprise and ask about a forgotten batch- mate, a memory that will send me scurrying around, looking for her or him, overcome with sheer nostalgia.

Now some friends had fathers say…” He is such a sport, he grab limited space on a seat with who were, thankfully, a wee bit thought I was genuinely upset. seat-covers torn and springs busier. At the best of times, at And he left telling me he’d be broken - so that they could have the peak of his career, Daddy right back. I waited and waited, a comfy slumber – if at all that had always had time for us. He thinking he would return, but he was possible. About how the Jat never seemed rushed or busy, left a message for me (he was leaner and meaner and it never preoccupied. There was managed to go to Dev’s hostel, was a losing battle. About how always time for bird-watching call him out and leave a message the Jat fell asleep on Daddy’s (genuine birds of course), walks, with him) that the Vela Daddy shoulder with half of Daddy poring over books, discussions, has departed – till the next time! hanging out of the seat and the little secrets, discussions about He had a hearty laugh as he other half pushed off by the geography, war, boys, politics, confided in Dev and would not burly fellow with his ticklish not necessarily in that order. But get dissuaded. Dev even offered mustache. And about how he now, he took the cake, baker and that he stay with them and resolved to return soon after the bakery. He seemed vela! ignore me but Daddy left. Guess dust would settle… who kicked me that evening? None quite as hard as I kicked After a while, it irked me when As soon as he got my teary letter myself.. in one semester—since I had saying that not only was he a acid reflux (thanks to eight cups vela, he was also dense, and he of tea a day, sleepless nights Time wounds all heels, time better return, he headed back. I spent ghoting)—Daddy landed heals all wounds. I don’t think I stood waiting for him this time, up for the third time. I remember ever apologized enough, but since he had forsaken surprising standing next to Mr. Postman, God bless Daddy’s good-natured me and had actually revealed an hoping I would receive a letter heart because he has converted arrival date with trepidation. I (from somebody other than the incident into one of his waited outside the campus, amid Daddy who pretty much wrote favorite stories. the chatter of people sitting poetry every day – ‘I miss you, outside sweetshops, the the sky is blue, tum aae nahi, He left with his ego damaged comforting noise of the kyun?’). Well, surprise, surprise, and clambered onto a Delhi- rickshawallahs, and ran to hug he was, in person grinning from bound bus – scheduled to reach his big, burly form. Yes, return ear to ear. Hadn’t informed me, late at night. How he nearly fell he did, lovable, incorrigible ostensibly to get me to jump out out of the bus at Jal T, not Daddy. Along the dust laden of my skin – with delight? deliberately, of course, it was road on a bus that journeyed the mammoth crowd, stupid! from Delhi, through Haryana, My disposition as acidic as my How he nearly gave into the into Rajasthan—Loharu through stomach, I took him aside and temptation of heading back, at to Pilani—grinning from ear to ear. Return, he did. muttered, “You keep landing up that point. About how he and - people will think my Daddy is one Jat heaved and pushed and ♦ a vela! What will everybody elbowed each other to try and

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 33 Business & Entrepreneurship Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY SANDHYA KRISHNAN (’99 INFO SYSTEMS) ENTREPRENEURS – STARTING YOUNG BITSians, right out of college, start Corpus Labs, a provider of ERP solutions and systems automation solutions.

“The idea of Corpus Labs came out of the blue. The entrepreneurial bug had been there for a while and we always wondered about starting something in the future”. This was when ‘Anto’ (’98 MSc Chemistry, ’02 ME Software Systems) was in his last semester of ME and TAship. Faced with the question of the next big step, the desire to go the entrepreneur’s way came back with a vengeance. Thus Corpus Labs was started.

Armed with no business model or plan, Anto shared the idea with some of his close friends, The whole team knew each parents were disappointed when like-minded people. Very soon other well from the various they chose the path less taken. Praveen Kumar Rondla (98’ night-outs spent in the cozy Mech), Ramesh Narayanan (’99 ground floor room in FD3 (S “The whole world seemed to be EEE), Bharath Pasupuleti (’99 block). As a result there were at work to convince us out of Biological Sciences) and Vikas good work dynamics and more this ‘madness and rash Malik (’97 Eco with Chem, ’03 importantly everyone knew the exuberance’ – as they called it. M.E Software Systems) agreed talents and weaknesses of To work with so much to give it a shot. “Corpus Labs everyone else. This has certainly discouragement around you, was started with the assumption helped approach the task of even before you start, was that we could do something assigning roles and something unsettling.” positive as long as we stuck responsibilities and, of course, together”. as they readily admit “It’s “Facing both the emotional and always fun when a bunch of professional pressure of being The team had worked together BITSians get down to do an entrepreneur was something something together”. at the Centre for Software that took a lot of effort to Development (CSD) before handle. But all this made it a Corpus. Did that matter? The difficulties they faced real challenge. The stakes were along the way. high and there would be no “Working at the CSD makes you looking back.” feel like you’re a part of a “The first and foremost software development company difficulty we faced was the “Thinking of it now, the hurdles with BITS as the client. That mindset that ‘middle class turned out to be small, but it was creates a tremendous sense of youngsters can’t run a business the reaction of the world that independence. In fact, as of if their life depended on it”. wasn’t”. now, CSD has proved to be Armed with their degrees from quite an entrepreneurial hub BITS, they had their paths I’m sure you guys had some with 4 startups by its ex- chalked out in the corporate fears too. members and even more in the world. They only had to nod and pipeline.” affirm. So in many cases their

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 34 Business & Entrepreneurship Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

signed on for an annual maintenance contract. A just verdict for the quality of their work.

So are things looking up now?

“Things seem nice and bright now. Having spent a good 16 months in conceptualizing, developing and testing the company and of course the products, we are now in the process of branching out into other markets – both national and international. Offices are also being opened at other locations for marketing purposes. As of now we are looking at Singapore, “As of fears and apprehensions, management software, Vasthra. Hyderabad and Cochin out of The client was a textile retailer the first one was the inevitable which the Singapore office question of whether we would called Kutiappaa Silks.” became operational in the recent click or not. As all founder past.” partners of the firm are from “The expression on our clients’ middle class backgrounds, face when we approached him failure meant heavy the first time is still afresh in our “We have to confess consequences.” memory. To say that we felt like that we had no solid, a bunch of novices would be an in fact, no business Each rupee of investment understatement.” mattered and failure was not an plan at all when we option, as the money would However the hostility soon gave set off. We were have to be repaid. To add to it, way to acceptance as the the decision to start happened prototype was in sync with his branded as BITSians right at the end of college, and requirements and the deal was who were wasting the they had no back up, financially inked in a week’s time. The BITSian tag. This and otherwise. installation period was two months and the software was was something that “We have to confess that we had completely operational by then. we were determined no solid, in fact, no business to prove wrong.” plan at all when we set off. We “As it coincided with the were branded as BITSians who opening of their new showroom, were wasting the BITSian tag. our first installation itself was in And your future plans? This was something that we the limelight. There was simply were determined to prove no time and space for any “We have been concentrating on wrong.” slipups. On the other hand, it inventory management solutions helped our marketing team as and hospital management So what did your first order many of the key players of the systems so far. Both have feel like? segment were available at the received several plaudits from inauguration.” the local markets. We have also “The first order that Corpus identified niche areas where we Labs bagged was for their textile Corpus has now successfully have bagged a few clients. That showroom inventory completed one year of operation should help us conceptualize with the client and the latter has products in these segments.”

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 35 Business & Entrepreneurship Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

They are now focusing on Leadership (CEL) motivated us presentations required to keep business intelligence and and enabled us to have the audience alive. TAship also decision support systems for discussions with some taught them to multi-task while various verticals. Addition of tax successful BITSian forcing one to make the big consultants and chartered entrepreneurs. It also helped transition from one side of the accountants to their team has fortify our entrepreneurial writing desk to the other. made them highly competitive in these domains. So ‘divide and Everyone on the Corpus team conquer’ seems to be the rule of fondly remembers and thanks the Corpus game. Dr. VS Rao for all his help and guidance both within and What do you feel was the outside CEL. Thanks are also effect of BITS on your lives as due to Dr. B R Natarajan, entrepreneurs? Ashish Bhinde and Anupendra Sharma. Besides that, it comes “BITS has a system that by itself unsaid that this firm owes a lot makes it one of the best to the CSD experience. nurseries for entrepreneurship. Their first office The BITSIAN system of ‘plan To contact them, email Anto at and build your own life’ is one aspirations.” [email protected] or Vikas of the best sources to nurture at [email protected]. and build entrepreneurial Some of them have worked as For more information on their thinking.” TAs and the experience has been services - www.corpuslabs.com invaluable. It meant that they ♦ “The participation of some of got used to presenting their work the 'Corpuscles' (as we at to large (usually bored) audiences. This way there was Corpus Labs are called) in the Central for Entrepreneurial no escaping the quality of the

Baba Kalyani is Business Standard CEO of the year

Bharat Forge Chairman and Managing Director Baba N Kalyani was named Business Standard's CEO of the year in recognition of this his leadership role in the transformation of Bharat Forge to a globally competitive company. The company today manufactures the world's lowest cost forgings company. He studied Mechanical Engineering while at BITS, Pilani. BITSAA Sandpaper recently featured him in our article on “Top 20 BITSian CEOs”.

Winners of this award in previous years include Tata group chairman Ratan Tata, Reliance group chairman Reliance group chairman and Infosys' NR Narayana Murthy.

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 36 Business & Entrepreneurship Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY SANDHYA KRISHNAN (’99 INFO SYSTEMS) AND DIVYA DIVAKARAN (’01 INSTRU)

BITSIANS IN MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT Its not often we pick up a book or an article in a magazine and see ‘BITS, Pilani’ in the author’s profile, but there are those moments when even us eenjeeneeur types are also doing the writings for such type of the things. We spoke with Shashi, Sukumar and Dilip, BITS Pilani alumni who’ve published several books, articles and other works of literary delight, even blogs.

take this career, but I hashi Warrier is the author think my reading habit S contributed to some of 6 books including two for measure”. Currently children and the intense Sukumar is the ‘Hangman’s Journal’. He did his Executive Editor of MA in Economics from 1976- Business Today. He 1981 and is now a full time enjoys editing & author. “Writing is something writing for the popular that just happened and I’m glad magazine and lives in it did” he says. “I don’t know New Delhi. But his what I would be doing parents, he says, were otherwise”. More than a decade initially quite ago, while at his parents’ house dismayed that he in Kerala, Shashi typed out didn’t go the typical Dilip D’ Souza (’76 EEE) ‘Suzy’s gift’ on his typewriter way of BITS-US-etc. and sent it to Penguin. They ‘Branded by law’. agreed to publish it and before long his first book had hit the Enter Dilip D’Souza who did shelves. “It was as easy as that”. just that… initially, anyway. Writing, though, never starts After EEE in BITS (’76 to ’81) right after Pilani. While Dilip Dilip did an MS in Computer dabbled in software before R.Sukumar also believes this Science at Brown University in jumping to column writing, line of work just happened. He the US. He lived in the States Shashi worked with consultancy held the BITS ID 86B4A1426 for ten years, working for firms and handled contracts for a (Math with Chemical for those different software firms in few years before wielding the who don’t remember) and Texas. Though he harbored no pen. Sukumar had a more passed out in 1991. “I had no dislike for the country, he soon natural path. After a year with a family influences whatsoever to began feeling market intelligence consultancy, vaguely he got an MBA from BIM, uneasy with Trichy and worked with an ad his agency in Bangalore. He then comfortable reported for Hindu Business life there. Dilip Line and went on to become in- eventually charge of all its business moved back to features. The shift to Business India in 1992 Today happened in 1997 and and has lived Sukumar has been with them in Bombay ever since. ever since. He is a regular So what really inspires them to columnist on write? “Things around me! I Rediff and is feel like there are stories waiting the author of to be told every time I step out two books - on the road” says Dilip. ‘Narmada Traveling, meeting a variety of Damned’ and people and personal experiences Shashi Warrier (’76 Eco) ______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 37 Business & Entrepreneurship Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine give plenty of fodder to both According to Shashi, it’s Dilip’s and Shashi’s writing. not very difficult to reach the publishers. Travels and research in Kashmir You don’t need any forms the basis of Shashi’s yet- ‘contacts’, just a 10,000- unpublished book on Sufism word synopsis of what while his army background the book will be about came of good use in ‘Sniper’. and a sample of your What about his children’s writing (which could be books? “I think I’m a little kid the first two chapters). inside” laughs Shashi. “I love “Pass the word around” fairy tales and cartoons and I says Shashi, guess that may be the passionately. Shashi was only too keen to inspiration!” write one. ‘Night of the Krait’ Even if there are a lot of edits was soon on the shelves. The magazine business is a very later, if you possess a good idea different animal. “You are only and nice language the publishers The upside of the writing as good as your next issue, so will soon nod their acceptance. industry seems to be all the you can imagine the number of traveling, the meeting of people fun and challenging moments For Dilip, his first time in print and the plethora of experiences. there are” says Sukumar. was a light piece that got The downside, according to published in The Independent (a Shashi is that it could be years He has been involved with 26 now defunct paper). Soon from the conception of a book to its sale. Shashi has several surveys which is done every column writing with Sunday year, the ‘Best companies to Observer and Rediff followed. unpublished books including work for’ being among the more In 1998 he got a media one which is a political comedy. He says that when you feel that popular ones. fellowship to write about denotified tribes. Since it was all is not right with a book, you the first time there was so much can just get stuck. And the book So how does one go about gathers dust. something as involved as that? of focus on a single subject, “The survey itself is very simple Dilip turned out a substantial body of writing on it. The next For Dilip, this career has given although we, and all the imitators we have attracted over year he wrote to Penguin and him a lot of time with his the years, make it look asked them if they’d be children and that is what he interested in a book on these misses when he has to be away exceedingly complex” Sukumar confesses. “At the core of all tribes. The answer was yes and for a few days chasing stories. after some more research and such surveys is the simple measure of employee travel, ‘Branded by Law’ was So what does the future hold in satisfaction “. But editing a published in mid-2001. store? magazine, he feels, has definitely made him a better Shashi’s second book happened “I really don’t know, but I’d like writer. after he met David Davidar who it to include my wife, my son, wanted to publish a thriller and my dog, enough Irish malt, hand-rolled Cubans and all the graphic novels money can buy!” says Sukumar. “As you can see work doesn’t figure” he adds.

Dilip plans to just write. “Write books, but also essays and articles. I see myself as an essayist/author, and I feel I’m at a stage in my life where I have to make that count.” His future book would revolve around the

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 38 Business & Entrepreneurship Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine patriotism theme, he says. An Sukumar did a bit of writing in and interested students is very essay on those lines won him the his BITSian days. He edited stimulating”. He has been to Outlook Picador Non Fiction Apogee and Oasis magazines in BITS twice after passing out- in Competition recently. his second and third years and 1988 to meet a cousin and in Cactus Flower in his fifth. The March 2004 for the inauguration Shashi plans to do one or all of BITSian world had quite some of BITSConnect. the following three - a hints of his future career. When travelogue, short stories and a asked him his favorite moments Shashi has dropped by once too, book on what makes an Indian. in BITS he replies “too many; in 2004 while passing by Delhi. He is also working on besides several of them would He regrets that he didn’t really translating the Bhagwad Gita make me sound like Ginsberg to have much time to spend but is into English. His version, he what I am told are sanitized thrilled to tell us that VK redi informs, would be minus all the sensibilities on campus.” owner Mahaveer recognized him confusing pseudonyms and after all these years. We suspect repetitions which he thinks Dilip D’Souza wrote the that his snacks that day were on usually make it a difficult read. the house. Sure sounds like something essay which inspired which would be attractive and Ashutosh Gowarikar to According to Dilip, BITS now useful for today’s generation. make ‘Swades’. feels a little less cosmopolitan than in his time. “There seemed Just as we wonder if the BITS to be a narrower cross-section of Dilip’s freshest memories seem influence had a role, Shashi says Indians represented in the to be of waiting outside Meera “BITS sure helped- With it’s student body. I could be Bhawan and all the women he lack of minimum attendance!”. mistaken, but this was the met then. He quickly adds “But The unique structure and various impression.” marrying my wife is the best flexibilities help the BITSian thing I’ve ever done in my life, develop his personality in a the next being moving to India”. ”When I was in BITS it was one variety of ways - the freedom His wife Vibha Kamat teaches of those places which attracted and independence being an French at Alliance Francaise and the finest minds from all over important factor. they have two children – Sahir the country. These were the and Surabhi. people who weren’t just into Dilip heartily agrees.”I think academics but into everything BITS deliberately exposes you else as well - books, writing, Shashi is a serious bike freak, to more than just your dramatics, sports music. That his wife Prita says. He has engineering (or whatever) helped shape several of our traveled across the country discipline. It teaches you the psyches” remembers Sukumar. several times and music is value of that wider focus. I think something they both enjoy. They that at least attuned me to live in Coimbatore with their looking outside my field, finding Shashi did the screenplay adorable daschunds- Ben and interests there. That is the for the movie ‘Bokshu’ Celine. foundation of my attempts at although he says he writing.” One thing that all the won’t do anymore three would love to screenplays – unless his do is visit Pilani. “It life depended on it. would be great fun Sukumar (’84 to go back if I had the right company” So there, dear reader, you have says Sukumar. it. Three incredible people and Math Chemical) three more reasons for us to celebrate the wonderfully Dilip is looking eclectic BITS Pilani community forward to going we’re privileged to be a part of. back for an Oasis - Sukumar refused to be photographed saying ♦ “Journalists should be read, not seen.” “Speaking to alert

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 39 Research & Innovation Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY THE SANDPAPER 2.0 TEAM MOBILE MEDICS WIN CONQUEST 2005 Budding entrepreneurs from BITS Pilani, with an alumnus as a mentor, win Conquest 2005 and also grab top honors at the Columbia Business School’s B-Plan competition

ON a warm afternoon in Pilani a few weeks back, the Mobile Medics team erupted in shouts as they were declared winners of Conquest 2005, the annual national business plan competition held by the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at BITS Pilani. The Mobile Medics team consisted of second and third year students including Sriram Gutta, Kavikrut, Srikanth P, Amit Mirchandani and M Rajashekhar who edged out strong competition from other business plans from around the country (L to R): Rajashekhar,Sriram, Kavikrut,Srikanth and Amit that included innovative ideas including Corporate Event Jhunjhunu district and spoke to affluent villagers in India. organizers, Herbal medicines, many villagers, panchayat and RFID technologies, Tsunami doctors. Reminiscent of some of relief and educational the thoughts in “The Fortune at OPPORTUNITY establishments. the Bottom of the Pyramid” Sriram Gutta, CEO of Mobile written by CK Prahalad, the Medics says “when I read that Mobile Medics was a clear students proved that there is the 41% of the so called doctors in winner with a unique and potential for profitable ventures rural areas don’t even have commercially viable value in the realm of providing medical degrees, I knew there proposition. The students visited healthcare to the relatively was clearly an opportunity.” Conquest at the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership

Conquest, in only its second year, is becoming one of India’s top entrepreneurship competitions. Unlike most business plan competitions, Conquest gives finalists the opportunity to refine their business plans by working with mentors located around the world who are seasoned entrepreneurs and managers. The mentors for this year’s competition included BITS Pilani alums located in New York, San Francisco, Hyderabad and Bangalore. These mentors have raised Venture Capital financing, founded and sold companies, and hold educational qualifications from MIT, Cornell, Kellogg and Stanford. With backgrounds in IT, Semiconductors, Wall Street and Pharmaceuticals, students receive outstanding mentorship and feedback and are then able to refine their business plans appropriately. The grueling two-days include presentations to judges, venture capitalists, buzzer rounds and problem solving. Victory was not determined by any single event or presentation. Conquest is a test of teamwork, preparation and the ability to think on one’s feet. Judges included Anita Sakuru, Founder of Ken People, an IT Consulting firm and Jai Gupta of Shaadi Online, an event management company. Vivek Pandita, a venture capitalist from Boston was also present.

The Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership is one of India’s top five entrepreneurship centers. It was started in 2003 and is one of the five founding schools for the National Entrepreneurship Network created by the Wadhwani Foundation.

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 40 Research & Innovation Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

Anupendra Sharma, mentor of processing technologies to Mobile Medics and a BITS INNOVATION provide medical care, and Pilani alum added “The Mobile The business plan contemplates enables quick setup operations. Medics team clearly represents delivering high quality, mobile The students are seeking Rs 50 one of the most distinguishing medical care to villagers who lakhs in equity and debt to features of the Center for can afford an expenditure of Rs launch a pilot that would cover Entrepreneurial Leadership. 365 per year. The innovative Jhunjhunu district with a project Many ideas coming out of CEL thinking in the plan includes the payback period of three years. are focused on leveraging use of grassroots marketing, ♦ innovation to benefit the lives of mobile doctors and inexpensive India’s rural population.” hand-held communication and

BITS Pilani Idea Wins Columbia B-Plan Competition

“It is the year of India” said Lorne Weil, founder of Columbia Business School’s Annual Outrageous Plan competition as he presented the check for $5,000 to Anupendra Sharma (’87) and Jordan Tongalson (CBS MBA 2006) . It indeed was. Eight of the thirty two teams were represented by a person of Indian origin. Four ideas were about starting businesses in India including healthcare, ski resorts, BPO and even toilets. In fact it was the year of BITS Pilani. The plan that won in New York was an idea that originated in Pilani, and won Conquest 2005.

“New York about big ideas, about scale” says Jordan. A native New Yorker, and former M&A banker, he has been a big supporter of BITS Pilani and India. He worked with Anupendra and scaled the original plan into a national company with $38 million in revenues huge brand visibility.

In the two minute video-recorded elevator pitch, which was part of the competition, Jordan acknowledged CK Prahalad, and the potential to build a brand that would be visible in five years to 70 million Indians. The competition was tough with many brilliant ideas backed by Columbia labs, protected by patents, being piloted, run by PhDs. However, a panel of eight judges – venture capitalists, private equity experts, successful entrepreneurs, and a well known writer at Fortune magazine awarded a historic win to the Mobile Medics team and BITS Pilani. Anupendra says “ This is a great moment for me personally and for BITSian entrepreneurs everywhere. It also proves that good ideas can come from anywhere.”

Most prize money will go towards tuition at BITS Pilani for five team members. For more information please email [email protected]. To see BITS Pilani’s name in the lights, visit www0.gsb.columbia.edu/entrepreneurship/initiatives/outrageous_plan

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 41 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY RATHEESH BALAKRISHNAN (’98 INFO SYS) & SALAI SANGEETHA (’00 GEN STU) BLOGGERMANIA Are you unable to contain yourself from brandishing your thoughts to the world? Do you feel thrilled by the myriad fame of instant publication – penning your thoughts and having people from all over the world read and resonate with your thoughts? Do you often wish that you took up writing more seriously, and rue the lack of time? Welcome to Blogging.

YOU know something has attained celebrity status when it finds proportional representation in lists of things most loved and most hated doing the rounds on the internet. So, the fact that a the word has been voted the “word of block. the year” and, simultaneously, As the name suggests, a Web log a good laugh or shrink back finds itself on top of the banished is a personal journal that is with horror! words in the English language, maintained over the internet. It can says a lot. Celebrities use it to be about anything from snapshots BLOG – an show their other side, budding of your daily life to your exploits journalists and amateur in your favorite pastime. It can unstructured work of photographers find solace and a serve as: art that signifies spot to showcase their rejected masterpieces, amateur cooks have „ A social forum where people anything that come up with a world of new can voice their opinions on a comprises of words and recipes, software engineers indulge variety of national and images and is themselves in it to kill boredom international issues from Bihar and everyone finds an audience elections to Oscar published over the and a place to voice their opinion. nominations. internet Welcome to the fastest growing phenomenon on this side of the „ A public bulletin board galaxy, voted the next biggest through emergencies, as Though nothing can really explain how one fine day an innocuous thing after e-mail and k-soap during the recent Tsunami, operas on Indian television, taking when blogs were used to pastime, reserved for the literarily up reams of space in the internet’s collect funds, request inclined, exploded to become such a global phenomenon, what public library, and by definition an amenities and most “unstructured work of art that importantly communicate amazes one is the audience that signifies anything that comprises information to volunteers from even a neophyte blogger can call his/her own. There’s a whole new of words and images and is all over the world about where published over the internet”- the assistance was required. breed of people who visit news ubiquitous BLOG. sites and blogs in the same breath. Almost everyone who maintains a „ A showcase for pockets of Ever since the internet boom, the excellence and interest groups. blog spends more time reading virtual world augured an The internet is now full of other people’s blog than writing his/her own. Each one maintains in alternative medium of social blogs discussing advances in interaction. Quite a few fads have artificial intelligence, new his blog a list of personal favorites; been doing the rounds since then, forms of music and art and blogs that he visits often. So once you hit upon a blog of someone including chat rooms, social many other novel interests. networks, and, albeit for a brief you know and continue traversing while, 3D virtual worlds where „ Or just a simple personal diary from one to another (a.k.a blog- hopping in Blogworld terms) you people could take up roles and to pen a few sweet nothings so project themselves as whole new that someone across the globe probably will end up in a blog of someone who’s writing under the personalities. Blog – which stands who chances upon it can have for web log – is the newest kid on light of the moon from the rain

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 42 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine forests of the Amazon – a classic case of six degrees of separation. The bottom line is – in bloggerworld, “life’s like a boxa’ chocolates, you never know whatch you gonna get”.

BITSIAN

BLOGGERS various experiences in the present crowd is mostly comprised As in any social network, if one world of Journalism. Recently, of recent pass outs, it’s just a stays around long enough it’s he was in the Tsunami matter of time before word spreads inevitable that he ends up meeting affected areas reported on the far and wide and BITSians, who a fair number of BITSians, a status at ground zero (see by then would have traveled far substantial number of recent “Community Service” in this and wide in different walks of life, graduates, from the 95 batch issue for more on this) come together. This blog would through to those still on campus, span decades, serve as an excellent maintain and regularly update their A Slice of Tuck – maintained platform to communicate ideas and own blogs. As with any BITSian by Krishna hedge, the blog is compliment the existing bunch, it’s an eclectic mix of about his experience as a infrastructure of BITSAA chapters people. However, here’re a few student in Dartmouth’s Tuck and Sandpaper 2.0. broad trends based on 45 blog sites school of management. that have been collected in the last couple of months. AI complete – where Nitish GET STARTED and Deepak maintain Though there are umpteen sites „ 54% of the BITSian blogging resources on current research that provide publishing services - population is from the United in artificial intelligence and like tblog, rediffblogs – the most States and 44% from India. related areas. famous and widely used publishing service is Blogger and „ 44% of the population Dolly doll – which, though is powered by Google. It has a comprises of students (from again a personal journal, is a brief sign up procedure, a very BITS, grad schools and B- photo blog and says it all easy to use interface to maintain schools in India and abroad) through shots captured from and publish blogs and most and another 40% are software Srinivasan’s daily life. importantly, is free. There are over engineers. two million users using Blogger Blame it on the undying BITSian services and they probably „ The recently graduated class zeal or the boredom of everyday constitute only half the actual of 2004 heads the batch wise life, almost all these blogs are population that is blogging. distribution of bloggers and updated regularly – quite a few of with a strength of 16, account them everyday, and more than You can access Blogger at: for 32% of the BITSian 70% of them at least once a week. http://www.blogger.com population. The ’98 batch with 11 bloggers, account for 22%. Apart from the individual blogs The BITSian blog is at: that they maintain, BITSians have http://camelinthedesert.blogspot.co „ Almost all the blogs are daily also started a blog that can be co- m journals containing humorous authored by any BITSian who’d anecdotes, books read, movies like to contribute. This blog is A list of BITSian Bloggers: seen, politics, religion, intended to serve as a platform for http://wildevogel.blogspot.com/jul philosophy, people met or the people to relive past experiences, y/bitsian-bloggers.html color of new dresses make suggestions, debate, dissect purchased. Some notable and disseminate new ideas, discuss ♦ exceptions are: or announce any BITS related issues, and connect with those on Death Ends Fun – Dilip campus and be posted on what’s D’Souza’s blog talks of his happening on campus. Though the

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 43 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY TIRUMALA RAO TALASILA (’84 COMP SCI) BRIEFINGS FROM THE LAND OF THE DRAGON: THE OLD HOUSE The orient brings with it a secret charm of Zen stereotypically unknown to the West. The author's journey to find his dream house in China, a traditional ‘Chinese House’, throws a different light on Chinese culture and underscores the not-so-subtle changes that rapid modernization is inducing.

Tokyo all at once. Comments such as “Chinese “DID you find the Chinese people no longer want to live in style Old House yet?” asked Li traditional Style Houses”, “If I Qing Fu, one of my Chinese “When I relocated to have money, I would rather live friends. That was a painful China in 2003, I in a modern house”, “This reminder to my oft-postponed thought living in a foreigner must be crazy to want quest to find a traditional to live in an Old house”, etc… Chinese style house. I always traditional Chinese fell onto deaf ears. Weeks coveted living in such a house, Style House was passed by with no leads. the direct effect of all those Impatience set in and I decided Zhang Yimou’s movies (of the definitely on top of to take matters in my own “Raise the Red Lantern” fame) I my agenda, and hands. saw while I was in the United ranked high up on States. I hopped onto a taxi and asked the ‘coolness’ index.” the driver to take me to the When I relocated to China in Roast Duck Restaurant where I 2003, I thought living in a Undaunted by the unfettered remembered seeing a couple of traditional Chinese Style House adoption of modernity all old Chinese style houses. The was definitely on top of my around me, I decided to give one Taxi Driver told me it was a agenda, and ranked high up on last try to finding my dream futile attempt as only native the “coolness” index. Soon I house. The fact that the lease for folks live in such houses and realized that cities and towns in my current apartment was they are not available for rent. China are not the way I expiring gave a fresh impetus to Even if they are available they expected. Whole of China is my quest. I spread the word that are in a bad condition, no toilets, undergoing a mad rush to this time I was hell-bent on no bathrooms etc. “You modernity that lends scant finding a Chinese style house. foreigners have money. Why regard to houses and buildings This was in a city 100 miles don’t you live in a modern with Chinese style architecture. west of Shanghai. I urged my house?” quizzed the Taxi The old buildings and houses are company’s staff to contact their Driver. I just nodded, as I didn’t being demolished at a friends to help find an “Old want to engage in a bewildering pace to give way to House” (in Chinese language, a philosophical debate. Undaunted citadels of glass and concrete. traditional Chinese House is I pressed on. Cities and towns in China today translated as “Old House”). are bristling with a brash display of skyscrapers announcing the emergence of the new Superpower. First- time visitors to Shanghai are often shocked at the sophistication and modernity of this city that competes with Paris, New York and Traditional Chinese style homes

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 44 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

I stopped by a 20 minutes and told clothing store and me he had a house asked the store lady if exactly like what I she knew of a real was looking for. I estate office that rents wasn’t confident he old Chinese style really understood houses. She peered at my requirement. me, intrigued, and The real estate agent wondered if I was took me to the Nan insane. But she Chang Jie indulged me and neighborhood. The handed the real estate street was very section of the cramped and it newspaper going so looked like some far as to give me a narrow street in few tips on how to Modernity looming over the Ancient (at Nan Chang Jie) Karol Bagh, Delhi. call the real estate This was the first agents. I called a few numbers house, and why I came all the time I have seen such a dirty but no answer. Hmm… I way from India and the United street in eastern China. There thought, maybe it’s lunchtime. States to live in such a house. was a canal cutting through the So I walked around the He must have been moved by neighborhood and all I could see neighborhood only to stumble my eloquence. He said, “No the dark water and smell the into the house of Qian Zhong such houses exist in the city decaying garbage probably Shu, now converted into a anymore. But, my friend, I will getting stronger with the onset museum. He is a well-known write down the name of the of the warm spring weather. I novelist known all over China oldest neighborhood in this city. couldn’t see how a well- for “Fortress Besieged”, the You could try your luck there”. maintained Chinese style house book’s theme being “those who He scribbled on a piece of paper could exist in that neighborhood. are outside want to get in, and the details of the neighborhood The neighbors wondered what a those who are inside want to get in the city where it was likely foreigner was doing in their out”. I couldn’t resist mentally that I would find old Chinese neighborhood. The landlord acknowledging the analogy to style houses. eagerly received me and showed my quest for the “old house”. me into a cramped house. I Here I am, a foreigner My mobile phone rang and I got discovered the house was an desperately looking to live in a a fast-talking real estate agent on old-modern apartment and not Chinese style house, when most the other line. Like any eager an old-Chinese style house. of the Chinese are trying to get salesmen he promised to get “Ah! I have become a victim of out of these and get into modern back to me soon. Lo and the ambiguity in the Chinese ones. Behold, he did get back to me in language”, I mumbled to myself

I must have been the only visitor to the museum that day. The caretaker was startled to see a foreigner at the museum. I paid the entry fee and took a quick walk around the house. Then I said, “Yes! This is exactly the kind of house I want to be living in”. “Sir, this house is not for rent. This is a museum!” reminded the caretaker with a smirk on his face. With all the poetic Chinese I could muster I explained why I would like to live in such a Nan Chang Si Temple

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 45 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine loudly (Traditional Chinese style and took a walk around the stores open were odd-looking house, also translates as “Old temple. The area around the Barbershops with cheerful girls modern-style house”). The agent temple was a tourist area with milling inside waiting for sheepishly apologized for the lots of souvenir shops, beauty customers. Obviously, very few miscommunication and like any clinics and fancy restaurants. folks go into these stores for a good salesman said he would “Hmm…”, I thought. “This real haircut. These are places contact me once he found the doesn’t sound like a place where where prostitution is rampant. real “old-Chinese style” house. I can find Chinese style houses”. These barber shops are not in So my search for the old-house Before I turned to head back seedy area, but right where other went in vain. (This was one of home, I spotted a teenager businesses and residential areas the rare instances where I saw showing off his acrobatic skills are. I walked through the such a dilapidated neighborhood on his bicycle. He promptly neighborhood. Later I was told in eastern China away from all invited me to check out the these are equivalent to the the glitz of urban China. I would dance studio upstairs where his slums. Some of the houses bet in another 3 to 4 years this friends were practicing Hip- seemed to be ok with all modern neighborhood was going to be Hop. I found about 20 odd- amenities (microwave ovens, razed to the ground to give way teenagers with long hair, baggy refrigerators, air-conditioners to a flashy apartment complex or pants coming out of the class. etc). Lots of people were sitting a shopping mall). They looked like any Hip-Hop around the dinner table and kids hanging out in suburban playing mahjong or cards. In the evening, I want to try malls in the U.S. I was intrigued. again to find the Old House. One of them took the initiative I walked to the other end of Nan This time, I asked the taxi driver to invite me to come to watch Chang Jie and hit a main-road. to take me to Nan Chang Si, a their class – scheduled to be Right in front of me were four famous temple in the city. “This held on Wednesdays and gigantic malls. From the temple is certainly built with Thursdays. For obvious reasons Chinese characters, I gathered Chinese-style architecture”, the I didn’t bother to ask if they they were selling home driver agreed, “but you cannot knew about Old houses. furnishings. They were very live in there. This is a temple! modern stylish buildings – akin This is only for tourists to visit, Walking around the temple area, to a fancy shopping mall in Palo to pray and to take pictures”, he I stumbled back into the Nan Alto. I was surprised at the explained. I said I was trying my Chang Jie Street that I visited disparity in wealth between Nan luck to see if there are any that afternoon. This time the Chang Jie and these malls. It houses around the temple that stores around the Nan Chang Jie was already 11 pm and I waved are old school. I got off the taxi were almost closing. The only a taxi back home. The taxi driver was really excited to speak with a Chinese-speaking foreigner. “Who wants to live in those houses?” chimed in the Driver. The Old houses represent the past, and Chinese are eager to demolish them to give way to modern structures. “We want to embrace modernity”, he said. That was the epiphany for me that day. The next day I promptly called my Landlady to express my intention to extend the apartment lease. But my dream of living in an “Old House” still lives on.

Shanghai’s citadels of glass and concrete Maybe one day I will fulfill it… ♦

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 46 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY DILIP D’SOUZA (’76 EEE) THIS LITTLE THING CALLED RESPECT Dogs, biscuits, peahens and CS students who kick butt and take names. Dilip discovered it all on his trip to Pilani. actually take-off?) There are other explain to an outsider about the bond THE road from Delhi starts bottlenecks, by name Rewari and that BITSians immediately feel? out fine, especially if you're Narnaul and one or two more, and looking back a quarter-century. the highway gives way at some We don't. He guesses. We take the southern-most of point to a more familiar undivided road: but it is still a far smoother three possible Delhi-Pilani Venu knew my cousin Kartik at routes, and I don't believe I've ride, most of the way to Pilani, BITS, and rattles off a tale of how than those of us who look back a ever taken this one. (The others Kartik would stick packets of biscuits are Rohtak-Bhiwani-Loharu and quarter-century will remember. on his wingies' doors while they slept Jhajjar-Dadri). There is, of inside. Then encourage stray dogs to course, the bottleneck known as Question, then: why does it still go for the biscuits. The yapping and Gurgaon. A phantasmagoria of take us 5.5 hours? door-scratching, as the mutts strove to spectacular buildings, each more get the treats, proved mighty so than the last -- was there The Pilani feeling has been disturbing to the sleeping dudes. some competition on here? – building, but it really starts gelling and shopping centres and roads at a chai break somewhere beyond I listen to this story and laugh, sure, and dust and construction and Narnaul. Venu and I stop at a as all of us do. But it must say traffic like you would not dhaba, only to find Raj and something about BITS -- and I mean believe... sure, there's all that. Deepak already there, and soon this -- that my dominant feeling is But to me, it's a bottleneck and enough Vinod, Vikram and Jayan hardly hilarity, but a healthy new no more. Sorry, Gurgaon-ites: at show up too (the last three in respect for my doughty cousin. Dogs, least as seen from the road, a shorts, no less). Something about biscuits and doors: what an excellent more soul-less, desolate place the taste of the chai, the clouds of idea! Why did I never think of it? would be hard to imagine. We flies trying to share it with us, the crawled through it, stop and go crisp air: the BITS camaraderie -- all the way, my heart beating Also courtesy Venu is a story about even though between us, we range another response to sleeping wingies, already only for Pilani. across four BITS decades -- is this from one Vivek I know in instantly triggered. To guffaws, Bombay. Vivek would open their Beyond Gurgaon, things are stories are quickly flying back and doors, says Venu, and push peahens smooth and fast: two lane forth. Along for the Pilani trip, the in... the probably frenetic results, divided highway on which our Economic Times journalist from Venu leaves us to imagine. Esteem hits take-off speed and I Bangalore looks on, bemused. He could have sipped a cup of hot is, of course, poor deprived guy, chai, no problem. (Did we not a BITSian. How do you Healthy new respect for Vivek too.

It's past 8:30 when we arrive at that intensely familiar campus. We float through the gate, already on a high, and turn off immediately into the charmingly-named VFAST guest house, new since my time here. But the adrenaline is flowing, and the last thing I want to do is spend time in a room, even in this fine establishment. I want to be out there, soaking in the smells and the sights and the lights and... oh yes, the sand. So I race through a bath and change, then zoom ANC at BITS, Pilani out of my room for dinner.

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 47 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine The adrenaline infects not just ordinary, and yet that is in itself what seems like strategy. Deepak and me: next door, Deepak is out out of the ordinary -- but so I, parked just outside the circle and and ready to go even faster. refreshingly out of the ordinary! -- unable to hear her over the ank racket, for us graduates from a quarter lean in and ask what's going on. Two Long and leisurely walk around century past. There are such a lot young ladies turn around to tell us campus later, several of us of girls on campus now -- close to that these are all CS students. Ah, I descend on the ANC, another 40 per cent, someone said? -- that think, I really do, they are involved in not-in-my-time feature of BITS they are no different from the some eclectic game that teases out (a lot of those to note). This is boys. Just other students, that's all. some esoteric computer science the All Night Canteen, naturally In our time, the sheer scarcity of funda. Wow, and late at night at the acronym-ized to ANC, but now girls made each one an object of ank, what dedicated students... called just "ank". One word. It's constant and usually unwelcome past 11 at night, but the place is attention, subject to stares and ... and the two young ladies say, we buzzing, crowds jostling for the shouts and curiosity. Now they are are playing Chinese whispers. attention of the servers. just around. Like everyone else. Everything from drinks to dosas. As tonight, in the ank. Gotta tell you: my respect for CS students at BITS goes through the Yet tonight, the interesting thing In one corner, there's a huge circle roof. about the ank is not so much the of students, most of them girls, playing a game that's even led by number of students here, but the ♦ number of girls here. Even a girl. It looks organized and more, the things the girls are intellectual; the ringleader spends doing. Nothing out of the a long time explaining rules and

2 Indians in CNN/Time’s 25 Global Business Influentials – Both BITS, Pilani Alumni

Time Magazine and CNN recently released its list of 2004 Global Business Influentials, 25 leaders in a broad range of industries recognized for setting standards in areas like innovation, globalization and effecting change. This year’s list includes 2 Indians – Vivek Paul, CEO of Wipro Technologies and Balaji Krishnamurthy, CEO of Planar Systems, both alumni of the BITS, Pilani.

Vivek Paul worked at GE and Bain & Co. and has more recently led Wipro Technologies’ growth from a $150 million software developer into a $1 billion force in IT services. He has an MBA from the University of Massachusetts and a Bachelor of Engineering from BITS.

Balaji Krishnamurthy received a BS and an MS in mathematics from BITS Pilani and an MS and a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Massachusetts. At Planar Systems he crafted a system that rewards rank-and-file employees first, before moving up the management chain founded in the belief that it induces every employee to create greater shareholder value (see this issue’s Quarterly BITSian for more on this).

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 48 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY ANURADHA SHARMA GUPTA (’86 MMS) TRANSITIONS – PART ONE HOME OR THE PROMISED LAND The diaspora debates and reflects upon the clichéd, yet emotion-filled subject of staying versus going. for a better education, an “Most NRIs frequently keep telling INDEED, nothing is adventure, better quality of life, themselves and others who care to permanent except change. Not broader experiences and so on. listen that they will definitely return only is this a cardinal truth; it is Some eventually head back. Some to India. Their reasons for leaving the part of many religious doctrines, don’t. The adage of home is where land of opportunities are plenty. For the Bhagwad Gita for one. What the heart is does not always help, some it is the overpowering guilt of does one look for then, when because the heart is often divided leaving their aged parents alone. For one transitions from one stage of and fickle. In a state of suspended others, it is a feeling of not being able life to another – a sense of animation we try to decide where to fit into an alien social circle. For comfort, of belonging, of home lies, with a mix of the really exceptional ones, it’s a stability or just the feeling of rationality and emotion, with both genuine feeling of nationalism and the being a step closer to Maslow’s left and right brain activity, Mars desire to serve in India. Whatever the state of self-actualization? and Venus, weighing pros and reasons, for most, translating their cons, sometimes enlisting the desire into action and making the advice of others, often going solo, move seems to be a difficult task. or just procrastinating endlessly. Does this difficulty stem from the fact that the lure for lucre dominates over any other emotion or is it more complex than that? TRANSITIONS This series explores the views of people with different types of experiences, records the feelings they worked through while in the midst of significant change. We Almost all of us have encourage you to share experienced post-BITS transitions – from being students your experiences with in India to being students the alumni community. abroad, from one field of study to another, from being a student to becoming a professional, Arvind and Priya, a BITSian “My wife, Priya and I grappled with from being single to being couple from the ‘94 batch who this decision a couple of years back. married, from being married to returned to Bangalore after a We had taken the beaten path. Both of becoming parents… you get the satisfying stint in the US, discuss us had graduated from an engineering picture. their experiences with us -- a school, Pilani, taken our GREs and moving account that triggers a went to graduate school. We had a debate in right earnest. swinging time in grad school and had In this issue, we focus on a clichéd yet ever emotional the good fortune of finding the right Arvind and Priya, on returning kind of a place to work in. subject: to stay or not to stay? to India: Many of us leave India looking

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 49 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

“The two-body problem from classical mechanics finds a ready analogue in the lives of married people. Two people, married to each other, with dissimilar career interests seldom find work in the same geographical area. My belief in this hypothesis had been vindicated by the presence of the many long-distance relationships I saw all around me. However, unlike many other couples around us, we were very lucky to find work within earshot range. We settled down to an idyllic life in suburbia. Life was good – clean air, well to explain to someone who has not trying to build ourselves? On the equipped gyms and not much of personally experienced the surface, it seemed great. But dig a rush hour to speak of. Both of feeling. The nagging discomfort deeper, and put away the concerns us worked in research when one weekend call reveals over neglecting family and we found environments that gave us all the that a parent was unwell and a that we still had more reasons that freedom and no pressure. We neighbor was kind enough to drive were holding us back from continuing had a great bunch of friends them to the doctor. All assurances on the well-worn path of green-card- with whom we saw movies and that all is well now somehow fail citizenship. We missed India. We cooked potluck dinners. We to reassure. It sinks in even missed belonging. traveled to all kinds of lovely deeper, that if your parent requires destinations on long weekends. your help or assistance or even “So one fine day we took the decision Our parents lived in Chennai just presence, it will take many to return home. It was just as sudden and we contented ourselves with hours of planning to get time off as it sounds. We grabbed the helm of weekend telephone from work and looking for good our little boat that was happily conversations with them. flight deals and 24 long hours of cruising along and turned east. We travel before you get home. And never felt a moment's doubt. India. then, you will be jet-lagged, Home. This is where our happiest “My wife, Priya, and sensitive to the weather, food, memories were. Nothing, not I grappled with this water and will probably need skeptical friends, not even the plea to decision a couple of more looking after than those you rethink this decision of ‘throwing had come to look after. And no away our careers’ from our parents years back. We had sooner than you ‘re-acclimatize’, could shake us. We applied for jobs taken the beaten it will be time to start the long on Monster India. The timing was journey back. perfect, it seemed. We got good offers path. Both of us had from Indian companies, submitted our graduated from an “This aspect of life away from resignations in the US and started engineering school, home is one that is readily packing. articulated and well accepted as Pilani, taken our collateral damage – worth the “We came home to a bewilderment of GREs and gone to sacrifice to live the good life. But contradictions. Bangalore seemed to graduate school” is participating earning the big have made tremendous progress, cell- bucks all there is to the good life? phones, wireless connectivity, on-the- Most get-togethers with friends go cappuccinos and jazzy – K L Arvind (’94) during our stint in the US would multiplexes. But at what price? Gone see conversation turn to this topic were the roads shaded by huge trees. at some time or the other. What is Pre-independence bungalows had “As time passed, we found the quality of life in this home given way to unprepossessing ourselves constantly longing for away from home that we were apartments. Real-estate had sky a more fulfilling life. It is hard

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 50 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine rocketed and the city's cycle from him to learn cycling. belonging.” infrastructure looked incapable You go to a barber-shop and of handling the traffic loads. realize that it is the same person Another BITSian elaborates on the who has been cutting your hair for emotional aspect of staying back in “One of the metrics of progress the last twenty years. You meet the US… is the ability of the new to co- the neighborhood grocer and he tells you how time has changed exist with the old. Bangalore His wife is an Indian America, his since he last brought provisions on and most of urban India seems children are American, he is British a cycle to your house when you to have forgotten this. If the by birth, and he feels passionately were a kid. The secret joy your journey to the office was an about America as his second home. ordeal, the scenario at home parents feel that you are around. seemed to match it too. So far, “I'll tell you what Arvind and Priya’s we were used to being just by “I feel that every account quantified for me. I work in ourselves at home, no maid, no Corporate America where to move cook and no relatives. Suddenly decision has to be up, one needs to move around. It is a there seemed to be a lot of based on some sort of concept I abhor for personal reasons people around and life seemed though I understand the business forever hectic. We loved having logic (personal or ones. I grew up in Delhi, watched the our folks at home, but hadn’t otherwise). trees my now deceased father planted bargained for the steady stream turn into trees and bear fruit, then turn of relatives. Accordingly, there are into seeds and grow into trees again. ‘musts’ and ‘wants’ Leaving our ancestral home for a new “At this ambivalent stage in our for everybody. For me one, thanks to the price of progress life, we were faced with a new at least, good health, and real estate in Delhi was, sooner or proposition. I was offered a later, inevitable. chance to transfer to the US. safety and good Memories of clean air, good education are ‘musts’. “I live in a house I love, although it is roads and a quiet household in America. I think about the trees I came flooding back. We Sense of belonging, want to plant, when my children go rationalized thus. We had given warmth and the like off to college, I want to remember the ourselves a fair opportunity many hours we spent talking on the (nearly a year) to look at life in are ‘wants’.” stairs; I want the plants and the trees India and it did seem like a lot bear witness to the passage of our of trouble. Maybe we made a “These are feelings that can't be time together. mistake and should return. possibly quantified or rationalized. No amount of pesky “In the new country that I call home, I “This time, we decided not to be relatives or "necessary social am trying to build some constants hasty and spend some time functions" can dilute the feeling of understanding what we wanted peace one with life. We would count the feels with one month we spent deliberating being home. on this decision as one of the You realize most important periods in our that the lives. We realized we were warmth and getting so caught up thinking friendliness about little things like bad roads, in your own traffic and pollution that we country can were missing the big picture. never be We were not counting the matched enrichment the people around us elsewhere. were bringing into our lives. This warmth When you walk down the street is what gives and the local cycle repair shop you a sense owner, now graying looks at you of and recalls the time you rented a

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 51 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine from my habitat, for this is the ensuring that they themselves can go only potential constant for me. “There is no doubt that in terms of back to where they feel they best Although my barber, dhobi and health, safety and education, India belong. grocer in Delhi are long dead, has a long way to go. Health and and the barber, the grocer and safety are obvious. Education is “Also, I think that in the end, the most the dhobi will never have the still a rat race in India, while it is important thing is not whether you same associations for me, my relatively easy to get into some of decide to stay or leave, but what you neighbors in the US will change the best universities here in the do after you've made that decision.” every five years – spending US. more time in the house, by the Dilip D’Souza, who went looking trees, and with my immediate “The sense of belonging that for India after having found family are the best way for me Arvind and Priya mention in their America – a journey that Columbus to call this country home. For, article is very real, and we did not complete, provides another everything else in this country is certainly feel more at home in perspective: fleeting. India than anywhere else. There “A thought-provoking discussion all are however, at least two aspects right. You know, I moved back to “For those of us (like me) who that need to be highlighted: India in 1992 after 10 years in the don't have the same choices as States, and to this day I get asked you (Arvind and Priya) did, who “The first and arguably the most ‘why’ all the time. I had a green card don't intend to ever leave, important factor: Children. I've (since turned in to the Consulate in growing old in our new always known us Indians as a set Bombay), a cushy job, the respect suburban house may be the only of people who care more for the (finally) of my colleagues, a nice solution. An idea that somehow, future of their offspring than for home in a nice part of Austin, a fine I like very much.” their parents. I believe that the dog -- well, why? best way to repay my parents is to be a good parent myself! And, as yet another BITSian adds, there is of course… “When I think about moving to

“A fundamental difference in India, I imagine my 14 yr old kid priorities between those who asking me quietly one day, ‘Appa, you came back to India so you migrate out of compulsion, and those who migrate out of could have a sense of belonging. What about me -- why I am toiling conviction. Most of us fall into so hard to get into a decent the latter category. In my honest opinion, evaluating the pros and engineering school? Why am I unable to spend time on sports? cons of living in the US/UK etc. “But I do miss my dog.” versus India, is relatively Why did you make me pay?’ And immaterial. Conditions both I wouldn't have an answer. “I usually give two reasons: one, there abroad, and at home are were things – causes if you like – in conducive for well-educated “The real question in my mind is: India that I was beginning to care people like us BITSians. I doubt Am I willing to make sacrifices for my kids? Or, do I expect them about and I felt I had to be closer to we would be having this them. And two, I wanted to be closer discussion if the IT boom in to make sacrifices about their to my parents. India hadn't happened recently. career, so I could have my sense of belonging?

“But after these years of offering “Having said that, I feel that those reasons, I have to say I'm never every decision has to be based “Second, there is the possibility of striking middle ground. Some of fully satisfied offering them. After on some sort of logic (personal thinking about it a lot, I suspect I or otherwise). Accordingly, my friends' parents stayed here moved back because of two other there are ‘musts’ and ‘wants’ for until their children were able to fend for themselves (typically reasons: everybody. For me at least, good health, safety and good until they were in college), and then returned to their country. “A vague, and growing, feeling of education are ‘musts’. Sense of That way, they accomplished both unease with my life in the States. Not belonging, warmth and the like that I disliked any aspect of it, but it are ‘wants’. things -- making sure their children got the best, and yet, was somehow just a little too

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 52 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine comfortable. Arvind and Priya meetings, having a secretary do “The US! It didn’t seem alien at all to allude to this too in their the filing and mailing for you, me. I had tons of friends and family thoughtful essay. I felt, not lunches with colleagues, planning here. But life could not be more always consciously, that I evening activities with friends was different. Everything seemed so still needed some challenge, some all great. All that money and and quiet and hushed. Remember the discomfort. By itself, this is not freedom. Ah that independence movie ‘Pushpak’ where Kamal reason enough to move to India was delicious! Coming home for Hassan longs for the din of everyday – I could have found such holidays was the best part. I felt so life? That’s how I felt sometimes. challenge in the States, or important to be finally working. I The houses looked picture perfect Ecuador, I'm sure. But it set me loved buying gifts for the family. with well-manicured lawns and all thinking about a change. My proudest moments included that. I still remember I told my discussing ‘work’ with Dad. husband when he took me out for a “A feeling that I'd find India drive – ‘Gosh these homes look like most challenging of all. they have been taken straight out of a Fascinating and frustrating, yet “I went to buy a bagel photograph’. The next few months challenging. Maybe it's because and the lady asked me, passed in a daze. Learning to cook, I write, I don't know: but I often doing the grocery shopping, weekend feel it's the frustrations and ‘What kind?’ I was outings, throwing parties, meeting the perversities here that make this perplexed and not in-laws, my first time skiing and just such an interesting country. I getting used to the fact that I was now don't know really what ‘loving wanting to sound married. I went absolutely nuts during your country’ means, but I stupid said the first snowstorm. It was a lot of certainly love the challenge of ‘Round!’…” fun. But I also missed home and my daily life here. Now, and even parents terribly. I missed the familiar though I look on the US fondly sounds and my independence. Heck I as a second home, I would never couldn’t even drive here. Thank god live anywhere else. But I do for the trains and school, I soon began miss my dog.” to form my own circle of friends.

Pushkala, 95 MMS batch “The routine of classes, quizzes and rounds off with an entirely tests started and everything somehow different perspective of seemed to make sense again! One of moving from India to US -- my funniest Fresh-Off-Boat (FOB) she merely catalogues, without stories is when I went to buy a bagel getting judgmental, the pure and the lady asked me, ‘What kind?’ I experience that life’s changes was perplexed and not wanting to entailed: sound stupid said ‘Round!’ “Going to the mess armed with flash cards, pacing up and down “Having been employed, getting “A couple years down the line, MB hallways memorizing being married and then going to office politics, the routine of wordlists is a familiar scene for school have all been very different. 3rd year BITSians. Suddenly going to work everyday, the Maybe you don’t feel the same way discipline of being a working Barrons became more important as I do. But when you see the giggly adult began to wear me down and to them than RAF movies and girls and boys that have come he re lachha sessions. However I I longed for the carefree campus right after their undergrad you feel atmosphere. Lounging around never joined this ‘clan’. I was they are being silly. You suddenly SKY lawns under the warm sun, eager to go out and start reach out for those of your kind to working. I often dreamed of afternoon naps, juicy gossip and share the newly married hubby stories all the excitement of college myself as an important in between classes. Fortunately for seemed so inviting. At about this executive wearing crisp skirt me I did have a good balance of both suits and jet setting around the time I met my prospective kinds of friends. The ones that took husband and everything happened globe. me to the wild undergrad parties and so fast. I was soon to go away to the others that shared aloo paratha the US to start a new life. I “Sure enough, I started working and lasagna recipes with me. I think I decided to quit my job and do my and it was great fun. Attending liked that balance and I enjoyed going Masters.

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 53 General Interest Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine to school. The academic system “Life’s transitions are inevitable laccha sessions, Blue Moon Maggi, wasn’t much different from and can be demanding at times. Sky Lab chai, interspersed with BITS and that sort of helped me. But it is all worth it isn’t it? I feel classes, music nites, an Oasis in our The crowd was also not that it is something like opening your lives… different. Plenty of desis around. eyes to a new day. Sometimes you But it was also refreshingly see bright sunny mornings and Whatever it is we transition through, different to meet students from other times you see dreary dark life may seem like a journey but various other places once a ones.” living in the moment is the biggest while. But being married and joy. On that happy note, we request going to school can also be While a lot of what we report here all our readers to write in with their totally taxing. I had evening might touch a raw nerve or strike transitions -- in student life or careers, classes and a day campus job a chord with some of you, the US from careers to part time work, and tons of assignments to do. is often considered the promised whatever; we invite you to share your The weekends were full. There land, India has always been home experiences. was always some project for all of us and wherever we are, meeting or the other, and then whatever we go through, a Share your views with us. Write to there were always the household common thread binds us all, that Anuradha Sharma Gupta chores and some visiting to be of a shared history, not just of ([email protected]) done. I just got used to running having lived in India but of having ♦ around all the time. been part of Pilani, halooing days,

Is the BITS Alumni Network working for you?

Krishna Hegde (’96 Comp Sc)

In September '04, I joined Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. For my post MBA career I wanted to work in the financial services industry but didn't know about specific roles or what it takes to get an internship on Wall Street. I remembered that Karthik Krishna (BITS '93) worked as Vice-President in the Fixed Income Desk at Deutsche Bank, New York. I sent him an email and told him that I wanted some guidance. On a Saturday afternoon, Karthik spoke to me for almost an hour and took me through the details of his work, told me what his firm looked for while recruiting people and what qualities made a person successful in his profession.

After a couple of weeks, I went to New York on a visit and he introduced me to people in his group. I got a first hand understanding of the job of a trader. Subsequently, I interacted with numerous BITSians in the same industry (Adri Guha, Ram Kumar, Nirav Shah, Rohit Khanna - all BITS '95 batch, Vikram Soni BITS '96 batch). Each of them was happy to speak to me and shared with me their experiences in the industry.

When BITSAA organized East Coast Oasis in November '04, I drove over 6 hours participate in the celebration. Meeting BITSians across batches and knowing what Pilani was during their times is always a joy. As I staffed the counter taking orders for BITSAA merchandize, a person came by looking to buy a cap. We got talking and it turned out that the person I was speaking to - Subramaniam Venkateswaran (Mani of 87C4 batch) worked as a Senior Vice President in IT at Lehman Brothers, one of firms I was targeting for my summer internship. On his invitation, the next time I visited New York I dropped by at his office. He told me what distinguished Lehman Brothers from other firms on Wall Street and put me in touch with some people he thought I should meet. Throughout the recruitment process, he has been extremely supportive and I recently accepted a summer internship offer at Lehman Brothers. The BITS alumni network played a huge role in helping me get a summer internship in trading without any prior experience in the field.

It’s great to be a member of an extremely close-knit community that will support me years after I’ve left the hallowed gates of my alma mater.

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 54 Education & Academics Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY VIKAS CHANDRA (’94 INSTRU) WHEN ACADEMICIANS BECOME ENTREPRENEURS: DR DESHBANDHU GUPTA Lupin pharmaceuticals – a niche market operator that develops drugs for diseases like TB – was founded by a BITS Pilani Chemistry professor.

AN honorary doctor of LUPIN’S philosophy with a Master's degree in Chemistry, Dr. MANTRA Deshbandhu Gupta started his The reasons are numerous, but career teaching Chemistry at long-term vision will definitely be BITS, Pilani. Dr. Gupta then on the top. Dr. Gupta didn't set out moved onto work for a British to cure AIDS or cancer. Instead, pharmaceutical company that is he focused on neglected niches now part of Sanofi-Aventis. like TB. Even with a turnover of However, the scientist within Rs. 1168 crore, Lupin is still a him was not entirely satisfied small fry in the international Approximately three million people because he didn't have much pharmaceutical race. "Lupin is a die from TB every year and Lupin's research freedom. So he quit his pint-size company but has a very new drug will cut the TB treatment to job, borrowed $120 from his attractive business model," says two months instead of the current wife and bought a tiny Indian Jon Thorn, managing director of regimen that takes six. vitamin company called Lupin the India Capital Fund in Hong to be the vehicle of his dreams. Kong. The success of Lupin can Lupin spends close to Rs. 20 crores The year was 1968. be attributed to diversification of on annual research and development. investment in different sectors. Ceftriaxone is the new hot stuff inside Since 1968 Dr. Gupta has "They aren't betting the whole Lupin. Ceftriaxone is Hoffmann-La steered Lupin towards the company on any single element of Roche's $1.1 billion antibiotic forefront of India the business," says Thorn. marketed as Rocephin, going off pharmaceuticals. In 2004, Lupin patent in July 2005. Lupin already has posted a turnover of Rs 1168 There is a $600 million annual approval for the generic version and crore. Thirty-six year later Lupin market for anti-TB drugs has built a new Food & Drug is the sixth-largest drug worldwide. Lupin hopes to receive Administration approved factory to company in India and has world permission soon to go ahead with churn it out. Research for new drugs leadership in the treatment of human trials of a new medicine it is done in Lupin’s research center on tuberculosis, an unsexy disease has developed to cure TB. The the outskirts of Pune. most drug companies have Indian government has funded ignored but India cannot. Gupta 40% of Lupin's research bill for and his family own 52% of the the new TB treatment so far. This THE ROAD AHEAD will be the first new drug for TB company. Dr. Deshbandhu Gupta hopes to cure in 40 years. Most other big establish Lupin as a $1 billion pharma company by 2009 and expects that companies are more than 50 percent of Lupin's just not turnover will come from US and interested in Europe. He is now the 40th richest TB cure drugs man in India, according to recent because it is a survey by Forbes. Its certainly quite low-profit, an achievement for a man who started developing all this by investing $120 into his country dream. market. ♦

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 55 Education & Academics Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY VERNON FERNANDEZ (’04 EEE)

THE OYSTER LAB The OLAB a chapel of technology at BITS. The ergonomic chairs at each workstation ensure that only the mind is taxed during lab sessions, which the students enjoy in air-conditioned comfort. 17” flat screen monitors, a central server to which all the terminals are connected… did someone say state-of-the-art? the usage of the tools is discussed, are held on a TUCKED away on the second floor of what regular basis. The students can also interact with old timers speak of as the M-block is the Oyster Lab. professors as well as people from the industry on the With thirty-six terminals, each with a sleek 17” forum that has been set up at http://oysterslab.bits- monitor, some of the most advanced software around, pilani.ac.in surely the label of state-of-the-art is warranted.The walls are adorned with portraits of pioneers in the The tools available in the OLAB are the same tools development of semiconductor devices. The walls that are being used for VLSI chip design in the also have posters exhorting the students to “Be the industry at present. Having experience of this kind at next Silicon Revolutionary!” All of these point the the under-graduate level will no doubt give BITSians students towards the ultimate aim: of producing a an extra edge. microchip developed completely in house, at BITS.

INCEPTION AND GROWTH The lab is a product of a Rs. 200 crore initiative by BITS and its alumni to make BITS, Pilani the most technologically advanced institute in India. The first of its kind in the country, the lab aims to promote research in silicon technology and chip development. The OLAB will also have an extension at Bangalore to allow the students at BITS to work closely with industry. Partners in the industry will include OpenSilicon, Magma and Broadcom. The Bangalore lab is still in the planning stages and a site will be selected soon.

The OLAB walls have posters exhorting the students to “Be the next Silicon Revolutionary!” FUTURE PROSPECTS The OLAB still has vast potential to grow. At present, more courses are being structured to include COURSE TOOLS OLab components, while the projects allotted are The OLAB is being utilized for courses like Analog increasing in complexity. However, there is a need and Digital VLSI Design (ADVD) as well as higher for more input from the industry. If more challenging degree courses like VLSI architecture and Analog IC projects are offered by the industry, the students will design. Plenty of projects which require use of the the soon gain better skills. lab’s tools have been allotted this semester. The facility is also used by some professors and Ph.D. The OLAB is also closely connected with the students for research. Technology Business Incubator at BITS. The faculty extends an open invitation to alumni to return and Everyone using the OLAB is learning together, and make the most of this cutting-edge technology to aid professors and students often explore the nuances of their own start-ups. The faculty certainly hopes that the various tools at the same time. Some students the lab and other facilities will aid entrepreneurial who have used similar design tools at their PS II alumni in the long run. stations contribute as well. Demo sessions, in which ♦

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 56 The Quarterly BITSian Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY ASHISH GARG (’97 INSTRU) THE QUARTERLY BITSIAN PROF. AUTAR KISHEN KAW Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education names one distinguished professor from each of the 50 states. They recently bestowed this honor on our own alumnus, Dr Autar Kishen Kaw (’76 Mech), Professor at the University of South Florida. Please tell us a little something Any special, about your time at BITS Pilani particularly memorable I joined BITS in 1976. Having moments? never gone out of my state I loved to play BITS- (J&K), it was quite a change for style cricket with a me. However, about twenty of tennis ball and our my batch mates from high study chair. It was school and pre-college were fun to participate in there which certainly made the the tournaments. I transition a lot smoother. I also participated in loved the Pilani experience as I cultural activities like learnt to be independent and also Bhawans nights and achieved my initial goal of in my fourth year was becoming an Engineer. the Cul Sec of Ashok Bhawan. I ran away to Delhi the first two Saturdays I was in Pilani, where The courses I liked my mother was visiting her were the math brother, however, both times she courses. In fact, the Prof Autar Kaw with his students sent me back and I am glad to staple course I like to this day that she did else who teach at University of South knows how things would have at having taking their first step – to Florida is Numerical Methods for make the transition to the US or join turned out. Even showing her Engineers. If someone were to India’s corporate world. It was one of the big thick calculus book by ask me to pick a course I liked, it Thomas did not change her the few occasions when faculty and would be Optimization students mingled freely without any mind! Technology as I enjoyed its kind of formality or reference to rank. applications. I eventually went on to graduate Another memory that is close to my with a BE (Hons.) in What are the three best Mechanical Engineering in ’81. heart is the bicycling trip (I forget the memories of your time at place, it has a power station) about 50 Pilani? miles away. About ten of us went on this trip and our bonds of friendship Most of my memories of Pilani grew stronger than ever. To be able to are linked to OASIS. I was rough it out outside the comfort of our always impressed by the hostel rooms was the learning organizational skills of BITSians. experience of a lifetime, not to say I enjoyed the concerts of Hemant that, on occasion, living in hostels Kumar, Shiv Kumar and Ravi rooms wasn’t roughing it out! Shankar. Tell us a little about the transition I also remember the farewell you made from India to the US? dinner for the seniors of What surprised you? What did you Mechanical Engineering. It was We’d love to hear about what like the most and what did you like touching to see people’s eyes the least? you enjoyed doing at Pilani. moisten as they left but a sparkle

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 57 The Quarterly BITSian Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

Please tell us a Florida. In contrast to my earlier bit about your research that was basic, this one had research. What immediate application. Also, it attracted your involved analytical, numerical and intellectual experimental components, and hence interest? made it a complete study.

Over the last More recently, I have developed a twenty-three holistic website for a course in years, I have Numerical Methods. This resource conducted has been quite successful where the research in the website has more than 5000 unique fracture visitors per month. mechanics of With the family at their home in Florida composite Have you written or planned any materials, books? I’ve loved neon lights since bridge design, and educational childhood. To see so many neon research. I have always been I have written one book on lights at night just made my day. interested in applied mathematics. “Mechanics of Composite Materials”. Everything [in the US] had a The research in fracture It was published in 1997 and the functional system which was mechanics of composite materials second edition is due to be published refreshing. You did not get was interesting, as at that time not in 2005. I have co-authored a book shoved from one department to much was known about how on Fundamentals of Engineering another when you tried to get composite materials behave. It Examination, and also an E-book on things done. Getting used to the also involved two of my favorite Introduction to Matrix Algebra. food here took quite some time. subjects – advanced mathematics The CASE award is predicated on and scientific programming. "extraordinary dedication to My mother asked me for just for undergraduate teaching" and we two promises – do not eat beef Advice he was given understand that you have been and do not marry an American. exemplary in the integration of I ate beef, by mistake, right when he came to the US technology and real world when I boarded the PanAm “I was cautioned that just problems into the teaching process. Airline in Delhi. I did not know Please tell us more about this. non-veg meant beef, and I’m because a girl smiles at you sure we hadn’t left Indian doesn’t imply that she’s in This award has mainly recognized the airspace yet. As for the second love with you.” effort in developing the web-based promise, it took four years to resources for an undergraduate course break that. in Numerical Methods. For several years, I have incorporated technology I did not dislike much about US. as a complementary tool in the I did experience a little classroom, and when the National homesickness being cash Science Foundation (NSF) agreed to strapped and the racist remarks fund this effort in 2002, we were able in the Dixie land of South to expedite the execution. I have Carolina. Also, I did not like found that students get highly being dependent on others for motivated when they see real-life car-rides. applications in their courses.

What surprised me was that The research in bridge design Therefore, we use real-life examples people smiled at you all the happened just by chance when a to show the need to learn numerical time. I was cautioned that just colleague of mine and I were methods. We also encompass several because a girl smiles at you asked by the Florida Department majors of engineering so that students doesn’t imply that she is in love of Transportation to look at failure get exposed to majors other than their with you. during the assembly of the own. With new technologies being fulcrum of bascule bridges in interdisciplinary, this is a unique

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 58 The Quarterly BITSian Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine opportunity to introduce them to necessary to develop good Every one of my friends who has a wide variety of applications. engineering skills. visited Pilani has found their visit to be an emotional and nostalgic What do you think are the experience. biggest challenges facing BITS What do you read to stay in touch today? with technology, business and other Being accessible to the children of fields that interest you? the lower middle class. BITS, in I read several magazines such as the my opinion, has become very Time, Reader’s Digest, Popular inaccessible to meritorious Science, and the Smithsonian. I am a students who cannot afford the Fellow of the American Society of high fees and living costs. I Mechanical Engineers and a member would not have been able to go to of the American Society of BITS if it was not for the low cost Engineering Education. I read several education in 1976. technical journals regularly in the What can BITSians do field of composites, engineering Have you ever worked with better/start doing to compete mechanics, and computers in students from BITS, Pilani? with the world’s best? education. What are your impressions of Hire the best professors who are What are your hobbies, interests them in terms of research given the opportunity to conduct etc.? skills or intellectual abilities? research at the national level. How do you think we are In my younger days, I played quite a Make an effort to admit a diverse distinguishing ourselves? bit of racquetball and cricket. student body. What do we need to be doing However, with one’s knees not co- better? What role do you see the alumni operating now sometimes, I like playing in making BITS a outdoor biking. I love reading I have worked directly with only world-class institution? nonfiction (it keeps me away from the fiction; that is the only digital divide I one student from Pilani, and he BITS alumni have already shown was bright, as expected. We have with my wife) and going to the that they come from a world-class movies. I also like to socialize with worked on characterizing institution. I would like to see composite materials for a project my friends. I occasionally write more of the academic alumni articles for newspapers. that was funded by the Air Force going back for a sabbatical and Office of Scientific Research. sharing their educational and What career/personal advice would Although a far cry from his research experience with their you give the student community? training, he now manages the peers and students. Enterprise Solutions for Wipro Do what you love, not what comes for the East Coast of USA. easy to you. I could be very good at On making BITS, Pilani, counting money at the bank but that globally competitive would be boring. Many a times, The research and intellectual people will say that you are good in ability of BITS students is “Hire the best professors science and math, so go become an extraordinary. The holistic who are given the engineer. That is a wrong piece of education we receive [at Pilani] opportunity to conduct advice anyone can give you. I have and the core courses that all instilled this in my own students and students take pays off in the research at the national also my two daughters. One of them long run. It allows us to level. Make an effort to is planning to be a journalist while the acclimatize to new technologies admit a diverse student other wants to design large stages, a rapidly without having to body.” far cry from engineering. I am glad formally re-educate ourselves. that they get their genes as well as Have you been back to Pilani their looks from their mother. The only thing I can think of since? How was the visit doing better is that the personally and professionally? ♦ laboratory experience needs to No, I have not been back to Pilani be modern and emphasized but would love to do so one day. more. Hands on projects are

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 59 The Quarterly BITSian Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

INTERVIEW BY ASHISH GARG (’97 INSTRU) THE QUARTERLY BITSIAN BALAJI KRISHNAMURTHY He was recently among Time Magazine’s 25 Global Business Influentials and the chief architect of an inverted- bonus plan at Planar Systems that put his associates before executives and himself. Greed may have been good for some in the ‘80s, but Balaji Krishnamurthy (’71 Math) is setting the standard for leadership in this century. You have a long history with against it. In fact my uncle took Pilani. Tell us something about me to the Supreme Court area in Balaji Krishnamurthy your Pilani experience. New Delhi and showed me how (BITS ’71) most of these ‘black coat’ people President and CEO, Planar My relationship with Pilani goes were standing on the street filling Systems beyond my BITS days. My out forms on a pedestal. So that father was a Professor at BITS. I was end of the law degree for me. finished my high school from Birla Public School and lived in Then I wanted to get into Pilani from 1965 to 1976, management but you couldn’t do almost 11 years. Because of so as an undergrad so I took the which I knew the place [Pilani] usual route of applying for an better than most students in Electronics degree but I had just BITS might have. received a National Science Ta lent award that required you to be My father lives six months in enrolled in a science degree for US and six months in India. In receiving the award. During my fact he came here in Portland a couple of weeks ago. I get most of my Pilani updates from him. Education ƒ M.Sc. Mathematics – BITS So you have a long Pilani Pilani (1971-1976) connection. Were you born in ƒ Ph.D. Computer Science – Pilani as well? University of I actually was not born in Pilani. Massachusetts, Amherst My father joined Pilani in 1965 (1976-1981) and that is when we as a family went to Pilani for the first time. I Key Accomplishments finished my middle school and ƒ Transformed Planar Systems from a display high school in Pilani and then time an engineering degree would joined BITS. component manufacturer not entitle you to the very to a full-service provider of What degrees did you get at lucrative National Science Talent flat-panel displays. BITS? scholarship. ƒ Effected an “Inverted” The years when I was at BITS I knew BITS very well and I knew bonus plan that rewards were when we used to have the how you could enroll in one associates before BSc degree and then the idea of program while still taking courses executives. integrated MSc came about. I in another program. And this is went on to get an MSc in what I did. I pretty much finished Mr Krishnamurthy resides in Mathematics from BITS in ’76. an engineering degree while I Oregon with wife Pat and enrolled into the MSc program. their two teenage sons. Why did you choose mathematics? Was that How about some activities you I was part of the BITS soccer and because your father was a were involved in during your basketball teams. Those were things I Math professor? Pilani days? Any courses you really enjoyed during my Pilani days. particularly liked? Not really, I actually wanted to We got into a few tournaments study law but people advised me around the area and I have some

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 60 The Quarterly BITSian Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine really good memories from became the CEO of Planar and retailing markets. We still have those days. We used to play at Systems? more challenges ahead of us. the Rajasthan basketball meet of Tektronix and Planar were in Was it at Planar that you came up some sort at Jaipur. But we totally different arenas. The fact with the Inverted Bonus plan or didn’t do that well. Those were that both companies were in the was this something going on in your fun times! same city was co-incidental. head for quite some time? What did you do after BITS? Planar was looking for a CEO all It was an idea I had developed when I around the country and that is After BITS, I got a PhD in was at Tektronix. It was not quite in when someone called me from the Computer Science from the this form. I had a few complicated other side of the country and University of Massachusetts, ideas all of which came from the asked me if I wanted to do it. I Amherst, in 1981. same fundamental value system. had already established myself as Then I went to work for General These thoughts were that a General Manager at Tektronix Electric Co., where I did management should definitely be and the time was right to move on research until 1984. rewarded well when the company to the next thing. And so I did. succeeded and when the company After that I went to Tektronix didn’t; institute a certain degree of where I did Computer related “That is the advice I responsibility. The whole idea is that R&D activity, ran a research lab, the management has a stewardship then moved into running a would like to give to responsibility to the stakeholders who business and never looked back people – Be very clear depend on the management for the at research again. I was at about what your company to perform. I had that Tektronix until 1999. aspirations are and concept in my mind at Tektronix. And that’s when I joined Planar Systems as the President and then rise to the When I came to Planar, I had the CEO. challenges of meeting opportunity to put that into practice. It those aspirations.” of course involved a significant amount of thinking, analysis and What were the challenges you simplification of complex ideas. faced you when you joined How has Planar Systems changed Planar? as a company since you took over. Planar was going through a very We have transformed the company prototypical transition from a significantly from a components founding CEO who had supplier to a display solutions unfortunately left the company provider. We have also achieved That’s pretty intriguing. In due to health reasons. The some really good financial results. Silicon Valley you find a lot of company was looking for an Indian CTOs but not that external CEO. It is always But over the past twelve months we many Indian CEOs. How did challenging for a company to have performed poorly and have lost things work out for you to get transition from a founding CEO to our momentum. Our challenge now is this break as a CEO right a professional CEO. When I came to regain that one more time. after Tektronix? in as a professional manager, my How do you drive innovation in At Tektronix I was running a first task was to revive a business billion dollar business for about that was heavily focused on a 10 years or so. I had already technology (display component moved from a technical manufacturing) that had long discipline into general become obsolete. management. The shift really Since then, we have dramatically happened one day when I transformed the company into a decided that I wanted to run a provider of flat-panel display business. hardware and software solutions Were Tektronix and Planar in for demanding applications in the same businesses when you medical, commercial, industrial

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 61 The Quarterly BITSian Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine your company? immediately asked her, “How Any advice on what BITS students much do they want to get paid for or fellow Alumni can do to emulate There is a culture of innovation it?” She reassured me that it was your success? that you need to create in your not a paid editorial, which I I think you have to be careful in company. obviously didn’t believe at that assuming that success has anything to Innovation, unfortunately, is too time. It took me by surprise as do with hierarchical position in a often associated with well. company or financial worth or technology. It may not have designation by some magazine when anything to do with technology. Are you in touch with Pilani or they happen to pick somebody. For example, the inverted bonus any ex-BITSians? plan is a very innovative I was more in touch with Pilani Success has much to do with one concept. Innovation has to occur when my father was there. After wants to accomplish and whether they in all aspects of business life. he retired I have not been able to gave all they had to accomplish to Sometimes there is far too much follow much on news from Pilani. what it is they wanted to do. When focus on innovation in My father is in touch with Prof you define success more about rising technology. Venkateswaran and even I have to your aspirations, there is a greater exchanged emails with the Vice contentment with success. How did you feel after getting Chancellor a few times. I get to into Time Magazine’s 25 Most hear about BITS from my father. I That is the advice I would like to give Influential Businessmen list? am still in touch with some of my to people. Be very clear about what I knew about this about three old friends from BITS. your aspirations are and then rise to months prior to publication of the challenges of meeting those that particular issue of Time. My I visited Pilani last about 20 years aspirations. PR person got the phone call ago. from Time that they are going to ♦ do an article on me. I 57,000 Sign Up for BITSAT Computer Based Testing for Admission to BITS

Admission to the integrated first degree programs, both at Pilani and Goa campuses is now being administered through an online computer-based test (CBT). The test – called the BITSAT – will be conducted between April through to June, 2005 at several centers in India. However, toppers in the respective boards would continue to get direct admission irrespective of their scores on the online test. While all admissions will be based on the scores obtained by students on the CBT, the minimum qualification for admission will be a pass in 12th year examination with at least 80% aggregate marks in physics, chemistry and mathematics subjects with at least 60% in each of physics, chemistry and mathematics subjects.

While talking about the test pattern, Dr Venkateswaran said that the three-hour test would be based on NCERT syllabus and would consist of questions from a large question bank. The domain of testing would be Physics, Chemistry, Math, English proficiency and Logical reasoning. Students can get a feel of the real test by going over a sample that has been provided on the BITS website.

Soon after news broke out about BITSAT, several coaching centers immediately scrambled to offer tutoring for the test. One such example is of The Premier Academy for General & Educational Services Pvt Ltd (PAGE) Hyderabad that has even set up a website for this (http://www.bitsatpage.com/) complete with demo tests, mentoring programs etc. For those concerned about the test quality, transparency and security Dr Venkateswaran says that, "The test will be the most fool-proof one ever conducted in the country." The test is expected to be conducted on lines of the GRE and the process is reportedly efficient and mischief free. The testing process is to be completely transparent and the student is given the results immediately just like in the GRE. BITS authorities are excited about the new process and hope that it will provide a fair chance to all students aspiring to join the BITSian community.

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 62 Community Service Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY LAXMAN MOHANTY (’81 EEE) WANTED SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS The answer to meeting India’s challenges in the social sector might lie a new breed of entrepreneurship – one that takes the vision of the non governmental organization and couples it with the principles of management and strategic planning prevalent in private sector for-profit enterprises government’s efforts in social intellectual demands of running MOST countries in the sector? Can such entrepreneurs a business surely meet, or world today are grappling with a induce the government to arguably exceed, those of a plethora of social challenges. In maximize the utilization of its regular job. But the truth is that countries like India large resources and provide better entrepreneurs are exactly the percentages of the population services those provided today? sort of people who seek have little to no access to basic opportunities in the face of education, health care or other To realize such a scenario, there adversity and dare to go off the primal needs. In India’s case, is a need to evaluate different beaten path. even after 50 years of and more innovative genres of A commercial enterprise by independence the government enterprises and entrepreneurs. definition is more focused on has been unable to find an This objective of this article is to top and bottom line growth and adequate solution to this present an appraisal of this problem. But over the past theme. decade or so the country has clearly emerged as an economic Entrepreneurs create wealth not superpower thanks to only for themselves but also for contributions from technology, the society at large. Not only do pharmaceuticals and other they create their self- industrial sectors. While on the employment but also create one hand processes leading to employment for many others unprecedented wealth creation within the community. They are unfolding before us, on the also bring about recognition for other end stark poverty, the nation as Indian IT malnourished children and entrepreneurs have done. Some illiteracy are widespread too. years ago, entrepreneurship was looked down upon except in This anomaly raises a some parts of the country. While fundamental question. in a state like Gujarat, most Entrepreneurs and the forces of people are expected to engage in privatization have taken charge business activities besides of economic activities of the seeking regular forms of tries to maximize shareholder country and led to a reduction in employment, in Orissa opting to value. Though today responsibilities of government in run a business is often seen as a this arena. Similarly, can there last resort. The rationale of this management literature advocates that an enterprise must also look be another set of entrepreneurs social perception has often who can complement the perplexed me given that the at other stakeholders and care for society, still, it is the profit motive that drives most of the decision making within the enterprise. On the other hand, there exists a large volunteer sector which works on various social issues like health, education, gender equity, support for disadvantaged groups etc. This sector depends on corporations, government and other sources for the

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 63 Community Service Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine requisite resources. Though procedures, resource generation are certainly not rooted in sound lately some Non Governmental and strategy formulation research, I do wonder if the way Organizations (NGOs) have practices of commercial many BITSians have become initiated income generation enterprises. In essence, the entrepreneurs and have created schemes to take care of a part of organization must function as an wealth, can we promote BITSian their expenses, most NGOs are enterprise with social goals. The social entrepreneurship too to by and large dependent upon promoter behind such enterprise use our skills and understanding charitable contributions. Thus, has to be a social entrepreneur to establish enterprises that can NGOs contrast with commercial who does not look for personal handle some of the social enterprises in terms of end goals wealth creation but intends to problems that we have today in and resource generation make a difference in social our country. I am sure then we mechanisms. Though some sector. She must not shy away can have the India that we NGOs are managed from using all the tools that dream of. professionally with clarity in corporations use to manage and mission, structure, and achieve their end goals. Laxman Mohanty (EEE’81) is accountability most depend on pursuing a PhD at BITS Pilani. the individual notions of their I have always felt that BITS is a His area of interest is resource founders. They also do not cradle for entrepreneurship. mobilization strategies of possess the highly desirable Though specific courses on engineering colleges in India. property of scalability as do “Entrepreneurship” have not He’s been an entrepreneur for commercial enterprises. In been typical of academic the last 18 years and has set up general, the longevity of NGOs curriculum, many BITSians a computer organization, is suspect due to improper have been bitten by the Oricom Systems Pvt Ltd and an succession planning and the entrepreneurship bug at some engineering college, Silicon absence of other management stage in their lives. This Institute of Technology, in procedures and systems. phenomenon can perhaps be Bhubaneswar. He’s now explained by the system that working to develop a social For an enterprise to make a BITS follows where each enterprise in education – the difference in the social sector, it student is on his/her own from Future Focus Foundation (3F). has to have the best of day one in terms of flexibility 3F aims to set up a network of commercial enterprises and forcing good decision making. It rural and urban schools with NGOs. It has to be a social may be the wide range of coupling of micro-industries in enterprise that adheres to the end courses that a BITSian is forced rural schools. Laxman can be goals of NGOs and retains the to undergo and/or various reached for comment at: passion of their founders but clubs/activities that one learns to [email protected] also acquires systems, manage. While my conclusions ♦

BITSunami: Temporary shelters put up as part of the immediate relief effort

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 64 Community Service Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY DILIP D’SOUZA (’76 EEE) NOTES FROM MY TRIP A report, in Dilip’s inimitable style, on the state of affairs in some of the Tsunami affected areas. was hit by catamaran logs too, but And there's Miniamma, just as we are THERE must be on her legs. She has bandages on about to leave Bommaiyarpalayam. hundreds of houses in both knees. She wants me to see She offers us coffee. Nothing else. Bommaiyarpalayam, a small them, beckons to me until I go The color of the wave? Thirumurugan fishing village on the beach over. As I get close, she begins to thinks for a moment, looks around north of Pondicherry. The untie a bandage, to show me the him. There! He points to the painted houses closest to the water are wound. Don't do that, I say. Then strip on the bows of a fishing boat all simply gone -- a little shrine she starts to pull the bandage nearby. A dull orange, the strip. That here, some bricks there, the only down. Don't do that, I say again, colour, says Thirumurugan. I can't signs that they ever existed. The sternly this time. Then she tells imagine a wave of that colour, but others are mostly badly me her teeth were also broken -- that's what he says. damaged. Thirumurugan, they look fine, but perhaps she showing us around, insists that feels she has to keep up with I don't know if it's because of the we must see pretty much every Muthulakshmi, who has just colour or the misery the tsunami damaged house. "Bombay-le shaken her tooth for me -- and the brought, but every time irindu patrikar vandirkango" wave has left her deaf. Thirumurugan and others refer to the ("Journalists have come from wave, they also speak of the "fire" in Bombay"), he says over and There's Amurtham with the deep the water. As in, it brought "fire" in over again as we walk about. I'm cut on her knuckle. There are its jaws as it swept into struck, and saddened, by the signs of pus in it and it looks bad. Bommaiyarpalayam and out again. things the people here do to give Why haven't you treated it, or An interesting, and for what happened the journalists from Bombay an bandaged it, I ask. Doctors came, here, telling metaphor. idea of the monster that she says with an almost sly smile, whacked them and to drive but she didn't have them look at it. But the wave brought something less home that idea. It's hardly as if I get the impression she keeps it metaphorical as well, more real. Mud. we need it driven home – the like this solely to find sympathy in Elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, we've seen destruction and pain is evident. visitors like me. My Tamil isn't evidence of that -- mud inside clocks, And yet they do it. good enough to tell her it might inside pots, plastered on the floor of a turn septic or gangrenous or room, stinking, everywhere. But in There's 45-year-old whatever happens to untreated Bommaiyarpalayam, the fisher folk Muthulakshmi. She tells me that cuts, so I put it simply: you don't speak of it as bhoomi (earth), a log from a catamaran hit her in do something about your finger, invariably with their hands cupped her mouth, knocking a tooth out. it's going to drop off. She only and doing a lifting motion, saying to She shows me the gap to smiles some more. me that the wave scooped up the very confirm this. But the blow also bottom of the sea, the stinky muddy loosened another tooth. She There's Chelliamma with the bottom of the sea, and flung it grabs that one and shakes it to unhealthy pink cast to her face; on violently at them. confirm. Shake, shake, shake, her cheek, a scar that looks like a until my appeals not to do it get broken blister. Catamaran logs hit Palani Arumugam's daughter Madina through to her. her too. She says she has severe -- a gorgeous and alert two-year-old -- pain in her waist from the blow. swallowed some of that mud from the There's Anjalai, 60, who sits on She points to her waist. Then she wave. Over a week later, says Palani, the ground and wails gently, actually pulls off the pallu of her she still brings bits of it out from time rocking back and forth. Her sari sari, her blouse falls nearly fully to time. Madina smiles up at me. I try is pulled up to above her knees - open, she pulls it up substantially - not to think of her muddied insides. - otherwise a shockingly - again, a shockingly immodest thing for a woman to do -- and immodest way for a woman to And when this bhoomi-filled tongue sit, but here I can see why. She points to her waist once more. of fire dressed up as a wave struck, it

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 65 Community Service Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine circled the houses -- more called PK Gupta, whom I met in Misguided relief material and explanatory hand motions -- and Orissa in 1999. Gupta worked effort -- from old clothes that then went back, taking huge then at Citibank in New Delhi. nobody wants, to inappropriate chunks of their lives out with it. He seemed to have read the food, to campaigns that last only How far out? Two kilometers, news about the cyclone, got up a few days -- are massive says Thirumurugan. That's right, from his desk and caught the headaches. And yet they are he says the sea receded two km next train out to Orissa. With visible after every disaster. We after the tsunami. A low tide to just the clothes on his back and a want to help, and that impulse beat all low tides, and plenty of towel, he turned up and asked to comes from the best of bhoomi was on display for a be put to work. And how he intentions. But all too often, in long time. worked: for the next week, he trying to do so, we end up tramped tirelessly from village helping unthinkingly, therefore Tamil Nadu after the tsunami is to smashed village, collecting harming. Because the way we the third time I've visited where information, taking relief approach the business of relief, a major natural disaster has materials out, helping burn dead too often, ruins relationships, struck: Orissa after the 1999 bodies, on and on. produces beggars, causes cyclone, Kutch after the 2001 logistical nightmares, and quake, and now this. Something Something about what drives a compounds disaster. draws me to this, and by now, I man like PK touches me often wonder what it is. I'll somewhere very deep. And Fred Cuny -- a thoughtful expert admit, a certain level of where great disasters happen, on calamities who was killed in voyeurism is part of it all: a you see it every time. Young Chechnya in 1995 -- once wrote: fascination for the fantastic and old; Hindu, Muslim, "For the survivors of a natural damage nature can do to us. Christian and everything in disaster, a second disaster may between; rich or poor; whoever also be looming." He meant But only part. In the end, I think it is, whatever their differences, relief. my greatest curiosity is for the for a few days they sink them all truly spectacular human spirit in the effort to help their fellow And this is why the greatest you see in these situations: the human beings who are in terrible challenge after a disaster is two- way all manner of people from distress. It's moving and fold. One, swiftly work out the every part of the country -- inspiring, and that's why the best way to help the victims *in indeed, the world -- days I've spent in these areas are that particular situation*, and spontaneously offer their mind some of the best days of my life. put that into practice. Two, work and muscles to help the victims for the long-term. of calamity. But ... yes, there is a but. The sad thing is that it is too often ♦ The personification of this spirit, goodwill like this that itself for me, remains a young man causes problems for the victims.

BITSunami – The temple’s destroyed but the idol remains

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 66 Alumni Corner Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY THE SANDPAPER 2.0 TEAM PARTYIN’ AROUND THE WORLD Drinks, food, nostalgia and lots and around the pub (who had a UPCOMING of fun, fun, fun! Also, as an lost look in his face) and asked additional benefit, meet some of him if he was a BITSian. We EVENTS the Greatest Bits Alumni managed to pull some of them to who’ve lives in Singapore. our gang and got an emphatic ‘No!’ from many of them. Venue: Harry’s Bar at boat quay It was a gathering with huge Cost: SGD 300 per head. range (from Class of ’78 to Class of ’2003). There were Please email your confirmations about 25 of us and we had good to: bitsaa- fun. Lots of drinks and good natured ragging from the seniors [email protected] were all a part of the festivities. Name Rajesh Krishnan WEST COAST We also vowed to bring vigor April 9, 2005, BITSAA Annual Contact [email protected] back into the BITSAA Reunion and Music Nite 2005 Singapore Chapter and It’s the time of the year again PAST unanimously nominated Kanags when BITSians, spouses and as the "President" and Rajesh as friends get together for the EVENTS the "Secretary" of the new look biggest (and best) Alumni party team. Seniors like Srinivasa in the Bay Area! We are Rao, Srikumar, Guru and delighted to announce the Venkat Suri shall be the Patrons Annual Reunion and Music Nite in Chief. 2005. To encourage BITSian spouses to actively participate in BITSAA events, we have - Rajesh Krishnan. planned a 'BITS-style Music Name Kanags Nite’ that would feature the bay Contact Mobile No.91281496 area band "EasternWinds" SINGAPORE alongwith BITSians and February 18, 2005, Singapore BITSian spouses performing After a long gap, we finally live on stage. managed to organize a get together of the Singapore Name Ashish Garg Chapter members, Thanks to the Contact 805.453.8379 initiative taken by Kanags of the ’93 batch. We had a very

informal get together at one of SINGAPORE the Arabic theme pubs in the CBD. For a change, I was there April 15, 2005, Quarterly Get on time and I found two other Together Series members to start with... Since I Continuing the successful and had Kanags mobile handy it NAGPUR the now famous Feb 18th Get- wasn't difficult for me to locate April 9, 2005, BITSAA Annual together (see below) and spurred him in that crowded pub (Friday Reunion and Music Nite 2005 on by the good time had by all, evening 6.30, you can imagine!). The 2nd outing of the BITSAA BITSAA Singapore is proud to Finding the rest of them was a Nagpur was a roaring event - announce the next event in our challenge to start with and then complete with dance, songs and Quarterly Get Together series. became a fun game as it went boy, was everyone high spirited along. We took turns and went at this event! to every Indian who was there in

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 67 Alumni Corner Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

We all began the evening at 4 from Poonam Chambers, minus Akbar who decided it was better to ghot for his forthcoming exams. We were welcomed in the traditional Maharashtrian style, complete with haldikumkum, and nagaras which was followed by sumptuous curried poha. Then, we all settled down for some delicious antakshari, with Neelam bravely conducting the programme. We perhaps had never thought about words such as "pyaar, aanke" with as much Lunch event organized by the BITSAA Nagpur chapter vigor any other day! Linked In members with the Members of the Nagpur chapter The matki phodana which saw BITSAA flag firmly tied around played host to Chandra Bhopale people loose their bearings - our necks and waists :) (BITS ’77) during Chandra’s "jaate the japan, pahoonch gaye trip late last year. The group cheen, samjh gaye na.." - the Folks who missed it – wish you discussed the role of the alumni boisterous musical chairs and hadn’t, and folks who were association in promoting a the scintillating dance numbers - there, thanks for being such stronger BITSian community the quiz given by Mridulaji - the great company! Folks who had and exchanged ideas on how to fortune telling - and the soulful cameras and stuff, please, please further enhance its efficacy aarti - complete with a Mehendi oblige by putting them up on the towards this goal. Chandra also wali, and a giant jigsaw puzzle, groups album location. shared his professional it was an evening with multiple experiences garnered over a dimensions. I tried bringing Name Sangeeta Patni twenty year career. some sobriety in the crowd and Contact discussed how we could work [email protected] Contact Sangeeta Patni together better, or with the Contact worldwide BITSAA also. I was [email protected] surprised that several people NAGPUR were sober enough to listen, and December 15, 2004, Lunch, at least I got a few discussions Anyone? ♦ going. We hope to all become

Is the BITS Alumni Network working for you?

Vikram Sampath (’97 Math EEE)

I am on the alumni advisory board of the Spicmacay chapter in BITS and a while back we were facing a financial crisis. I then decided to leverage the BITS Pilani alumni network for help. I contacted Anupendra Sharma at BITSAA who readily agreed to help and Sandpaper’s recent issue carried an article on Spicmacay and also broadcast an appeal to alumni to help and/or create a corpus fund.

I received a list of contacts in the marketing departments of airlines and in this way leads to sponsorship were acquired. Sahara Airlines sent me an email approving the sponsorship of the tickets we had asked for! We are really grateful for all the help we’ve received from the BITS alumni community and look forward to their continued support. This would not have been possible without the BITSAA Network.

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 68 Alumni Corner Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY PRASAD THOTAKURA (COORDINATOR, HELP-BODDU VOLUNTEER TEAM) MIRACLES DO HAPPEN Sai Prasad Boddu (’93 Comp Sc) is back in India Boddu family has decided to take able to rise close to $40,000 which IT was a long journey from an Sai back to India when Doctors told was earmarked for his long term automobile accident to comatose to them that there was nothing more rehab expenses.” semi-conscious to fully conscious they could do for him, he is fit to state to critical care to general ward travel, needs to be in a long term ISA of UNT, alumni of BITS, local to outpatient therapy to long-term care, and provided the necessary and foreign newspapers, websites rehab in India. But, we the volunteer home-care medical equipment and and many more people played a key team pulled it through along with supplies for a week. Laxmi role in spreading the word about, Sai Prasad Boddu. Congratulations Praveena the sister of Sai who is a generating funds, sharing the to the volunteer team for the job Doctor by profession has learned responsibilities to help out Sai well done. how to care for her brother. Boddu.

As you know, Sai Prasad Boddu, Fortunately, with the help of one of We have mailed out receipts to all now 28, who graduated from the my good friends at Lufthansa, we donors with a cover letter. We are University of North Texas, Denton, were able to get two business class closing the account by the end of TX met with a major automobile tickets at a very high discounted next month and still accepting accident on an ill-fated night of Oct. price and a free business class contributions up to Jan 31st, 2005. 16, 2004, that left him with severe upgrade to Mrs. Boddu on shears in his brain. Lufthansa. Boddu family left to India on Dec. 26th from D/FW and reached home safe. Just, I spoke with the family THANK who are on their way to Bombay Hospital. YOU! Sai’s father Mr. Kanaka Das Boddu called from India to The entire BITSian specially thank the whole community is proud of and community for taking care of indebted to Prasad his son during this horrendous Thotakura, Sai Kolli and period of his life. Mr. Boddu Praveen Malraj for their mentioned that he had made exemplary display of all arrangements with concern, caring and Bombay Hospital where Sai commitment. would be admitted for a long- Saiboddu with his family term rehab. CONTRIBUTIONS Sai Boddu a graduate student of I specially thank Sai Kolli, Praveen People who wish to donate can BITS, Pilani came to the US from Malraj, CK Mandava, Daniel India on a student Visa had no Mutyala, Korie Wagner, Vikranth write checks payable to medical insurance, no income and Bangaru, Vijay Vemapti, Synthia “TANTEX – Help Boddu” and very few friends in the United States Morrison, TANTEX President mail it to: Now, Sai is in full conscious state, Chukkala S. Rao, volunteers from can move his both legs and arms ISA-UNT, BITS, Dallas Methodist 3952 Larkspur Drive, Fort freely, recognizes everyone, Hospital staff and hundreds of Worth, TX 76137. For more responds very well to all questions, people who have contributed. information, contact Prasad can write and say few words Thotakura at 817.300.4747. including I’m fine in a low voice “I was moved by the generosity of though he can’t walk yet. He gets our Indian American community, nourishment through only feeding they have been giving from the tubes. As per Doctors, he needs to heart to help someone in need, go through a long-term rehab and ♦ people who read about Boddu have only time will tell how soon he can been a steady resource for the can fully recover. family since the accident. We were

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 69 Alumni Corner Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

THE BITS2BSCHOOL TEAM DREAM A LITTLE MBA DREAM Within the last seven months the bits2school group’s membership has grown to 600, a clear indicator that many of us have an interest in getting an MBA and are keen to understand the admissions process better. In this issue we underscore the value proposition of an MBA from a top school. attend top business school in EVER dreamt of an MBA WHY ATTEND A larger numbers. It consists of from the world’s top business prospective students, BITSians schools? TOP BUSINESS enrolled in top MBA programs and alumni from these schools. Did you ever want to be an SCHOOL? You can get guidance the whole entrepreneur but lack the business acumen to raise a. To make that career Venture Capital? Wanted to switch you so B-SCHOOL work on Wall Street? Do desperately want to Investment Banking or Trade make CAPTAINS bonds on the Chicago b. To get a boost in your Exchange? Be a McKinsey current career Berkeley – Rahul Chandra Chicago – VR Venkatesh consultant to the worlds’ biggest c. To expand your Carnegie Mellon– Nikhil Kolar companies? Market for Sony & breadth of knowledge Cornell – Anupendra Sharma Samsung, or do business and make new friends Dartmouth – Suraj Prabhu development for Intel & d. To get access to a Erasmus – Ajay Garg Johnson & Johnson. Or work in powerful network that Indiana Bloomington – V private equity and venture can rely on throughout Ramaswamy capital investing in businesses your career INSEAD – Kanags around the globe? Kellogg – Ishmeet Singh Age is no barrier. There are London Business School – Abi You have graduated from one of BITSians willing to advice Murthy, Krishnaraj Inbarajan India's best engineering schools. on getting into executive MIT Sloan – Jay Sappidi You are intelligent, ambitious programs as well. And it’s Michigan – Manish Bansal, Shobhit and have leadership skills. It is all free of cost since we all Rana within your reach and BITSAA are in this together. NYU – Sriram Padmanabhan intends to help you achieve your Oxford – Himani Gupta Tuck – Krishna Hegde MBA goals. Did you know that? Starting salaries for UCLA – Ajay Malhotra graduates of top business Wharton – Pramod Chakravorthy, a. You can finance your schools exceed $120,000. Mukul Chawla education at top schools With improving economic without savings of your conditions, students are To become a b-school captain, own able to work in industries please email Anupendra Sharma b. You don’t need a high of their choice. An MBA is ([email protected]) CGPA an investment that will pay c. You don’t need to max the off faster than you can imagine. process – right from preparing for GMAT GMAT, short listing business schools to writing that killer d. Lots of BITSians are here to A typical business school application. We don’t know how help you through the application needs 2-3 many BITSians make it to the process recommendation letters, 4-6 world’s top 40 schools. But if we essays and a valid GMAT score. get 2 per year, that’s approx. 100. Most applicants have at least 3 years of work experience. This initiative should try and double that number by giving you better BITS2Bschool is a BITSAA advice and making you realize it Initiative to enable BITSians to is within your reach.

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 70 Alumni Corner Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

Please identify yourself using your Each B school has a BITSian Join bits2bschool BITS ID and provide a few details champion – either a current student Send an email to bits2bschool- about yourself in the email/sign-up. or an alumnus. Here is the current This is a highly restricted site so group of BITSians who have [email protected] only BITSians will be allowed attended some of the top schools. access. OR… We also encourage more people to 600 BITSians are signed up already. sign up to be advisors and help this Enroll online at They have access to the latest cause. If you want to start on an http://groups.yahoo.com/group/b rankings, articles on schools, MBA in Fall 2006, you need to take its2bschool/ resumes of BITSians who the first step NOW! And start succeeded recommendations and dreaming a little dream. much more. ♦

.

Au contraire

Inasmuch as it’s generally agreed upon, although not always to the same degree, that attending a top b-school does help one with career management as well as opens doors to people and places, it is equally untrue that choosing not to go the MBA way implies that business success is unattainable. Several surveys and research studies have found no strong correlation between success in the business world and having a formal MBA.

In fact Jack Welch, Larry Ellison, Bill Gates and the like, frequently asked to speak to b- school students never did attend any b-school, let alone a top ranked one. A factoid that students at b-school rather sheepishly admit to feeling a trifle vexed about.

The intent is not to position the MBA as the path to corporate success. The decision to pursue a adopt a certain career choice is very personal and can only be made through introspection and following one’s instincts. In fact, the essential skills that b-schools attempt to impart to their students such as the development of exemplary leadership skills, a strong work ethic, an understanding of industry dynamics and business functions can, arguably, be acquired independent of formal study too.

As one BITSian, currently a student at Wharton, puts it “focus on developing yourselves as leaders with courage and self-confidence, not as business school admits and the MBA admissions will follow. In fact, you may not need to go to business school. Think about that!”

In encouraging BITSians to “dream a little MBA dream”, the implicit message is to dream big, have faith in your own ability and not self select yourselves out of the top ranked institutions. Wayne Gretzy, the legendary hockey player once said, “I miss every shot I don’t take”. Take your best shot.

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 71 Alumni Corner Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY PUSHKALA VENKATARAMAN (’95 MMS) AND ASHISH GARG (’97 INSTRU) BITSIAN FACULTY @ B-SCHOOLS While most BITSians are aware of what business school’s like from a student perspective, fewer among us know what it’s like from a faculty perspective. We spoke with Kartik Hosanagar, Assistant Professor of Operations and Information Management at the Wharton School of Business to learn about his career path and experience as faculty at one of the world’s premier business schools.

MEET BITS Alumnus Kartik Hosanagar Kartik Hosanagar (94-98), (’94 Comp Sc) Assistant Professor of Operations and Information Assistant Professor of Management at Wharton Operations and Information Business School; A keen math his mind and decided to do a Management at the Wharton enthusiast, an ambitious and PhD. Since he had a background School of Business dedicated researcher, a thinker in technology (Electronics and who looks for ways to better then Information Systems at community experiences in BITS), he wanted to look at various fields, and a person who business issues in the tech still finds time for fun and the sector. It was a good way to wed outdoors. his engineering background with his management interests. While his advisor steered him towards A dabbler in many senses, Operations, his own interests Kartik or HK as he is known to veered him towards strategic many, spent time at BITS with issues. Today his research looks the Photography Club (DoPy), at Operations and strategic Mime team, Dance club, EDC, Education issues surrounding IT-intensive and with writing. An ardent ƒ BE Computer Science – product s and firms. Math lover, HK enjoyed courses BITS Pilani (1994 – 1998) like Engineering Graphics, Data ƒ MPhil & PhD. Carnegie Structures, Linear Algebra, HK went on to obtain an M Phil Mellon University Complex Variables and and a PhD from Carnegie Management Information Mellon University. Having been While @ BITS Systems though he does say that exposed quite a bit to the west ƒ DOPY, Mime team, Dance his attendance record was not via the Indian media, his club, EDC, writer. Also one to write home about! His transition to the US was loved Math courses! best times in BITS include the relatively smooth. There was good times during Oasis & very little that shocked or Areas of research Apogee where he worked with surprised him. ƒ Content delivery; web various departments. He also caching; pricing, software performed during OASIS’97 Life as an academic appealed to agent design, with the Mime team. Most HK aplenty when the “What finding it increasingly satisfying importantly he met his wife Next?” question popped up after more recently. Prasanna at BITS. the PhD. This was because of the ability to choose what to He believes that a strong After BITS, HK started off with work on and to let go of work research tradition sets Wharton wanting to do a tech focused that seemed relatively apart. World class professors MBA. As he sent enquiries to unexciting, the flexibility in day impart state-of-the-art Professors, a couple of them to day schedule, the ability to knowledge to their students suggested that he think of doing pick consulting projects based which include a deep a PhD. They shared some of on time and interests, executive understanding of business issues their papers and he found education, travel, etc. Though he that is possible through research. Management research wasn’t totally excited by Wharton has also excelled in fascinating. Soon, he changed teaching early on, he has been reaching out to international

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 72 Alumni Corner Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine stakeholders, and to the best students. He business executives also strongly believes (including the MBA that urgent attention alumni) through executive needs to be given education programs, towards improving faculty consulting, etc health care facilities. which in turn enriches Another area where he their programs. feels BITS needs to improve is to do more HK’s research thus far has to participate with the focused on Operations local community in and Strategic issues in the Pilani. He feels that it e-commerce and telecom is unfortunate that the domains. Specifically, local community has some of these domains not derived significant include Information benefits from having Retrieval (search engines, such a fine institution comparison shopping and talented students sites like Froogle), in Pilani. He also wireless computing (3G agrees that BITSian cellular, WiFi, WiMAX, alumni association wireless security), retail e- can do a lot towards making BITS an commerce, and content Huntsman Hall, The Wharton School. institute of high delivery (Peer-to-Peer Photo credit: www.wharton.upenn.edu/ networks, Content standards. Delivery Networks). While the addition, Wharton looks for research certainly requires an demonstrated interest in research “Alumni engagement is an understanding of the and in application areas in the extremely important ingredient technologies, HK’s focus has business realm. This he feels is of university success”. Apart been on issues such as service not a natural strength of a from monetary contributions, design, pricing, customer BITSian application because of HK explains that other forms of segmentation, new product our limited exposure to alumni engagement can include rollouts, etc. For example, how undergraduate research and to participating in student is the pricing of IT-based domains such as Economics and mentoring through formal and products different from pricing other social sciences. informal channels like Practice of traditional goods and how do School, convincing decision you identify customer segments His impressions on BITSians makers within one’s that are most likely to be versus American students: “It's organization to share resources interested in a new product. hard to generalize, but there is of value in teaching and research the following broad trend” he with BITSian professors and “Methodological rigor – mainly says. “BITSians are trained ultimately by being good quantitative and analytical better technically and ambassadors of the institution. skills” is what HK says is a quantitatively. However, they highly desirable trait for a are less likely to take risks or His enjoys reading the New student applying to the PhD think out-of-the-box (at least York Times, Business 2.0 and program at Wharton. He goes on early on in their careers). select columnists of the Times to add that since BITS trains BITSians are also less likely to of India and Photography is his students well in quantitative and have a broad set of perspectives favorite pastime. Being a bit of a analytical areas, students who informed by social sciences, purist, he still uses a fully have excelled in that medicine, etc”. manual Nikon FM2N camera environment (particularly in that operates without batteries in Quant courses) will likely do Kartik feels that a big challenge the era of digital cameras. well in the PhD program. In for BITS is being able to attract ♦

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 73 Classnotes Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY BATCH REPRESENTATIVES SELECTED CLASS NOTES Notes listed by BITS batch (entering year). For a full listing, please visit the “Classnotes” section on the BITSAA Sandpaper website.

Operations for iGATE Global 1964 Ram Nagina Tripathi He’s been Systems. He relocated to Shanghai, working with the municipal China in 2003 after completing a

corporation of Lucknow since 1987 15-year stint in the United States. Hari Balan (Electrical) He after working at plenty of places After graduating from Pilani, Rao graduated ‘1969 and worked for a including Chittorgargh and moved to the US where he earned a year in Calcutta. 1970, he Patna.He was transferred to Masters in EE at Northeastern immigrated to USA where he Allahabad in 1994 and came back to University in Boston. He also worked at CBS New York for few Lucknow in 1996. He was posted in pursued graduate study at the years and then got married in 1975 Lucknow Development Authority in Graduate School of Business at and moved to Los Angeles. In 1980 2000 and in May 2004 was University of Chicago. Rao's he formed his own Engineering promoted to Executive Engineer and professional career has taken him Design company, Mark Balan & posted in Agra Municipal through several firms such as IBM, Associates, providing Electrical Corporation. Ram Nagina lives in Intersolv and Intraspect along with Engineering Design Services Agra, India. numerous consulting engagements primarily to the wastewater and with Fortune 100 firms. water treatment and recovery system. He has been very successful Prakash Narayan (Electrical) and has designed over 100 treatment 1983 Prakash has been with Intel Santa plants and over 300 pumping Clara and joined them after his post- facilities. He was awarded a US BITS Masters in EE. He finally Patent for redundant control system, Avijeet Ghosh (Bio EEE) Avijeet chose to relocate to Intel's global which is widely used. Hari lives in set up his own consulting shop design hubs in Asia in November Anaheim Hills, California, USA. recently after several years with 2004 after over 14 long years. Deloitte & Touche in the US. He Glaxo is part of the original Vyas joined Thermax Software after front-wing gang, has regularly BITS and then went on to complete 1972 stayed in touch with Bay Area his MS from Arizona State Univ. wingies and is one of the last few Goose lives with his family in really eligible bachelors available. Ashok J Galgotia (Electronics) Seattle (Washington). Connect with Besides his long stint with Intel lives with his wife, Beena Kothari him at [email protected]. in Dix Hills, Long Island, New Glaxo also took a lot of pride in York. He moved there in 1990 after accompanying visitors to the Intel having served RSEB for more than Arvind Khungar VP, Business Museum at their Robert Noyce 12 years. Ashok is currently CTO Devevelopment, Digite. Prior to Bldg. Prakash lives in Santa for Telephonics Corp. They have Digité, Arvind was Regional Clara/Bangalore, India two children: son Beeneet and Director & Country Manager- daughter Nivea. Strategic Customers, with Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC), Prior to PTC, Arvind 1987 worked with Intel Corporation and 1976 Scientific-Atlanta Inc. with their sales operations in India. He also Chandrasekhar Reddy (Bio- was one of the founding members of Chem) Since BITS-Worked with Nasir Memon He lives in New HCL-Comnet. Arvind started his CEAT Tyres and then with Good Jersey now and teaches at the career with HCL Limited in India. year. Got involved with ERP Polytechnic University in Brooklyn, Arvind lives in Mountain View implementation at GoodYear and New York. Nasir married Yuhong (CA), USA. sucked into the SAP boom of 90's. Yu (a fellow PhD student at That brought me to USA in 1999. Nebraska) in 1992 and live in NJ Presently settled in Marlton, New with their only child, Yuwen. Jersey and working on U.S. Army 1984 Logistics Modernization Project since last 4 years. Married to Latha and we have 2 sons, Harshith (6) &

1977 Tirumala Rao Talasila TT Rao is Rahul (4). Chandrasekhar lives in currently the Head of China Marlton, USA.

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 74 Classnotes Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

Vinay Nigam Vinay’s been with Reliance Infocomm at Navi- ANZ since 1992 and now looks 1990 Mumbai. after Strategy and Business Performance in their Corporate Banking Division. He lives in Harsh Honmode (Electronics) Melbourne, Australia, with his wife, currently works with Saint-Gobain's 1993 Prima, and their two kids, Rahil (5) Indian delegation where he handles and Anika (3). the Performance Plastics business. Rajat Padhi (MMS) works with He is also responsible for Ampersand Software as Business establishing new business divisions. Development Manager and is based He is married to Meghana and they 1988 out of Syracuse, NY. He married in are expecting their first child in Feb 2001 and his wife Mona, a PhD in 2004. Harsh lives in Bangalore, Marriage and Family Therapy, is Suharsh Dev Burman After Pilani, India. Asst Prof at Syracuse University. Suharsh completed his MBA in Int'l Biz from IIFT whilst finding his Ruchira Mathur (Civil) got Meena Ramakrishnan completed wife to be amongst all extra married in January 1995 to Pawan her Masters in Information Systems curricular activities he was involved Mathur. They have two boys, from Drexel University, in. Corporate life beckoned for a Aditya and Arnav. She is pursuing a Philadelphia and is a Software while and then he went the PhD in computer Science and Engineer at Sybase Inc, in Concord, entrepreneurial way for a while currently works for the US Army. Massachusetts. She married her before returning to corporate work Ruchira lives in Huntsville, BITSian sweetheart Mani Sundaram with a vengeance. He is currently Alabama, USA. (93 batch) and helps Mani out in abusing his body whilst doing odd organizing BITSAA New England shifts in the BPO industry. Based in activities. Delhi, Suharsh has a lil baby daughter Aanya who turns one in 1991 Dec. 2004. Still rocking to music of the 60’s to 90’s, his current Bharath Prabhakaran (Computer 2000 favorites include Dave Matthews, Science) works in Oracle Phish, et al while his daughter Corporation in Redwood Shores, swings to Beatles, Stones and G- Karthikeyan Krishnamurthy (CS) California. In March 2002, he got Dead. Suharsh lives in New Delhi, works at Sun Microsystems in married to Sona and they currently India. Bangalore. He’s staying in Domlur live in Mountain View, California. with some of his wingies. He co-organized a ‘91 batch Bay Karthikeyan lives in Bangalore, 1989 Area reunion in 2001. India Vinod Raghunathan (Elec-Instru) Jai Natarajan got an M.S at UCLA 1992 works at AMCC Technology and worked as a techie and then an Solutions Ind Pvt Ltd, Bangalore. artist for many years in Hollywood His hobbies in include playing TT, Raghu Sethuraman (MMS- visual effects at Industrial Light and Carrom, listening to instrumental Chemistry) is nestled in Seattle Magic, George Lucas's outfit, music, meditating. His vision is “To managing the worldwide capacity followed by a stint at Sony in the serve the poor in any possible way”. planning group @Amazon.com. He bay area. He’s now back in Mumbai Vinod lives in Bangalore, India. and his wife Aparna, son Arjun (2- in 2003 after almost 8 years in months old) live in Bellevue & and California. To submit classnotes, please visit in their spare time enjoy classic http://www.bitsaa.org/sandpaper/cla movies, traveling, hiking and a ssnotes/class%20notes.htm Arvind Balaraman (Phy-Chem) variety of other outdoor activities. works in IT after graduating from BITS. He got his MS and MBA in Krishnakumar Subramanian ♦ the US. He’s been in CT for the last (MMS) After graduating from 9 years. Favorite pastimes include BITS, Kiku worked for Tata-Unisys photography, traveling, cricket and Limited, Ericsson Hewlett-Packard caroms. He lives in Stratford, CT, Telecommunication, SSI- USA, with his wife Radha. Technologies & Vodofone Information System at Germany. Currently, he is working for

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 75 Alumni Corner Birla Institute of Technology & Science Alumni Magazine

BY PRASENJIT CHAUDHURI (’84 CHEMICAL) NETWORKING – HOW KINGMAKERS CAN BE MORE POWERFUL THAN KINGS THEMSELVES With a growing emphasis on relationship building and networking as one of the keys to success in the business world, many of us have discovered the power of the BITS Pilani alumni network through online communities such as Yahoo! Groups, Linked In and our very own BITSAA classnotes. joined BITS somewhere in the early Metcalfe’s Law of Networks* have BITSAA came ‘80s, HP-1000 and punch-cards come to be recognized universally SINCE were still the norm in the electronic by our collective selves. Networked into being, many many BITSians world (or was it only at BITS?). communities have become the have expressed a wish to reconnect Internet and email were not yet bridge to our future existence. with their long lost wingies and common words in our vocabularies. batchmates. Some resorted to Cellphones and iPods did not exist setting up private networks as The ClassNotes as it exists today is even in science fiction (well maybe part of our constantly evolving extensions to the cliques they cellphones in some form did exist). formed on campus. Others simply effort to make it easier to connect waited for word of their pals in an BITSians worldwide. The anticipated serendipity of cosmic Meera Bhawan “inmates” respected Sandpaper community congratulates connections. the 9 PM curfew regulation and these leaders and seeding agents Malviya was still the much feared who worked behind the scenes to super-senior domain for male pull their batch-mates together and While there are lots of interactions BITSians. We worshipped lone- expand our own BITSAA as evidenced by the chatter within ranger superstars (personified by community. They have truly private BITSian networks, we Clint Eastwood and Amitabh foreseen the tremendous potential of wonder if members in these Bachchan) as heroes. Much has professional networking among networks would like to share their changed since then. Those lone BITSians globally. The BITSAA batch achievements with the rest of rangers and angry young men have ClassNotes crown this year goes to us folks. It’s certainly clear there is now been replaced by Gen Xers, the members and batch reps of the a lot of obvious pride within us to Gen Yers, Internet pioneers and ’97, ’98, ’94, ’88 and ’84 batches. take the time to celebrate such VCs. BITSian achievements. We recently analyzed the activities within our To the lone rangers in other batches, own BITSAA ClassNotes network Open source communities, Yahoo we invite you to see how BITSAA and noticed some interesting groups and Ryze networks are really has grown and how you too to can patterns. the worlds we have begun to reside do your bit and be a part of this and test our reality in. formidable and evolving organization. The sharp “digital divide” between ♦ the pre-’80 and the post-80 batches It seems that the power behind Six has some obvious reasons. When I Degrees of Separation and

______Spring 2005 BITSAA Sandpaper 76