Daejeon, South Korea!

I am so happyyy!!!   

Finally I ' m back after an exhilarating trip to Daejeon, South Korea. It took few months to finalize everything and give it a Go! Usually if your trip is official, in my case academic, you have to do many formalities like applying for funding to different Govt.agencies, booking everything, fixing up your accommodation and etc. Thankfully, I got it all done on time. The only thing remaining till my day of departure was my poster which was not complete :P Usually if its an academic tour, it eventually turns out to be a recreational one because you don't have a check on you to attend all the sessions and prepare a report or something. This is funny but I just got reminded of the two great people who came from Reliance Industries from India, and how for them it was mandatory to attend all the sessions during the conference as they had to prepare some descriptive report or something. I on the other hand had all the freedom to utilize my time elsewhere and I left no stone unturned.  After I landed in Delhi from kolkata, i had an eleven hours of halt at Delhi so it was great time to be at home and start the further journey from there. It was little cold, colder than Bengal in Delhi and as my senior told me it was much colder in Korea, so I had to take along with me warm clothes. Like every time, as I do all the things at eleventh hour, I did this too running here and there.  Please don't blame me for being a Procrastinator. You know what, I love doing it this way, it gives me adrenaline rush. So 12:30 am I had my flight to Seoul. I reached easily and it was pretty good time for me as it was not my first international journey, so I was pretty much okay with everything. 

Upon reaching Seoul, I had to take this Bus to Daejeon. It took almost 2.5 hrs for me to reach Govt.Complex stop where my senior came to pick me up. I was so happy to see him as he was the only one who arranged everything for me there and my trip turned out to be just amazing. I give all credits to him. So from there, he took me to his flat where we had dinner and had long talks after which he dropped me to my hotel. The hotel had everything for me so I was perfect in there. The next day conference started and it was good. Met some great scientist whose research articles I read or refer everytime and seeing them in front of my eyes was one great moment. For that  matter, my senior is also my one inspiration as I have read all his papers and he doesn't even know I have a older of his initials in my desktop where I have saved all his publications and refer to them every time I need to. The conference was great, I was the junior most there and therefore enjoyed all the care and support from everyone ;P We went from the conference to see places and clicked so many pics. I met Prof. Pramod K Wangikar from IIT Bombay and we went out, he is such a cool prof. So different yet he is doing amazing research. He was just one youngster among us and we never felt as he is some orthodox prof. Listening to Michael Borowitzka, John Benemann, Yusuf Chisti and other great scientists in front of you, whom you follow religiously is like  dream come true. 

Koreans are humble people, very helping and so cultured. 

And the Korean Girls!!!! My god. They are so pretty, though they use make up but they take care of their health, are fitness freak and intelligent. I then visited my seniors institute KAIST where he is the post doc, the labs were sooooo good. I wish I work somewhere like this sometime. They use LED based air-lift reactors for algal growth and use SIGMA chemicals only. Isn't it obvious? hmm.. 

It was so cold there, I had to wear layers of clothes but for nice pictures, I dont mind shedding few :D

The Best Best thing was I got the Best Poster Award among hundreds of other people, so this is also one of the reason to be super happy. The last day we went out totally, did shopping, lunch in an Indian restaurant called Bukhara and again shopping, and so many other things. All in all, I had one amazing time there. 

I don't like to dress up!

Yes. It is true. Unlike all the other girls who just look for opportunity to dress up their best and go out or something, I on the contrary finds it as a complete burden. I'm not saying that I am correct and  there's something wrong with others (may be its vice-versa :P ), I absolutely salute them for this skill, how gracefully they dress by matching make up, earrings, shoes etc. It suits to the occasion and gives a whole festive feel. I dont know why but if I have to dress up for either some party, festival or some occasion, I feel a huge pressure on my shoulders. I do have lots (believe me, lots of) clothes, shoes, make-up everything, but given a choice I would love to go in my shorts, pajamas or a simple plain jeans and a tee. This Diwali, when all the other girls were wearing sarees and etc. I was happily bursting crackers in my jeans in the hall :D 

And yeah, this Diwali was super fun with my hall mates and our illumination celebration!!! 

Down the memory lane...

So, after spending a week long vacation at my home in Delhi, I have returned to kgp on 8th. As always, the next one week is gonna be real dull and filled with homesickness and of course my efficiency for work will touch the bottom. Alas, I have no option. So, a day later we have our fortnight lab presentation. Thank heavens, I had already carried out an experiment for determining the boundary conditions of CO2 studies with my algae. I can present this data in the ppt. Friday evening from 5:45, it (ppt) started and went up to 9 pm. Ok, we have some latest movies put up in Netaji Auditorium every Friday and this Friday it was Bang Bang. I wanted to watch it but every time it happens so that all the good movies are showcased on the same Friday with my presentation. I sure missed it but I am planning to watch it on Sunday. [Sunday they have a student show at 9 am..yeah am :( but still I will go]

Its always good to download any movie from the internal LAN DC++ of our institute but watching a movie with your friends at Netaji is super fun. Not for the theater experience, since it is just a auditorium with not a hifi sound system..but the overall experience is always good every time I watch a movie there. I remember watching a crappy movie called "LUCK" once during my M.Tech..it was such a horrible movie but all the comments of fellow students made it an out-of-the-blue experience. So I simply go there for a good laugh. Anyways! I know I have absolutely deviated from my thought that I started this post with.

Down the memory lane..yes..its a Saturday afternoon, I am in my room with a hot cup of tea and outside its drizzling. The weather is pleasant and mood is relaxing. I have tons of work but I will not do any. Because this whole set up makes me memorize all the beautiful times that I had..meeting so many people with their distinct personalities. All of them have taught me something or other. I am thankful for all my enemies,friends and well wishers. But what I have realized is that everyone is selfish in one way or other (including myself). Obviously, you want good for you and your family so being a little selfish will not do any harm. It's good actually. But after I heard the news of Kailash Satyarthi getting the Noble Peace Prize 2014, it really knocked me down with a feather.

Some people have dreams and they pursue it. I am so glad to know that there still are people in this world who think of others before them. This is inspiring and motivating. I didn't know about him before he got the Nobel. Definitely this is not a good thing. He is someone who is not as young as the 17 yr old Malala, but he started the crusade against Child servitude from 1980. Giving up a lucrative career (He was an Electrical Engineer) for a cause like this is not an easy task. He must be driven with great enthusiasm. His perseverance, patience and persistence have got him the most prestigious Nobel Prize after three decades.   Congratulations!

Hypocrisy

This is height! You want to titillate men while shaking your booty and flaunting your breasts but when they really admire your assets and talk about it, you find it insulting. Either in your real life you never wear low cut dress or show your cleavage , else don't go all concerned and fighting for women spirit all over the media. If you talk about equality, that starts right there where you started. First being a calender girl, then shooting in two-piece in movies like cocktail and doing innumerable photo shoots for magazine covers, you please don't talk about feminism and then do all this publicity gimmicks right scheduled at the launch of your new movie Finding Fanny. Finding Fanny? (Oh God, yes!)

The Maintenance Secy

Why would you touch the two red knobs at the rear side of water cooler? As a logical person, while taking water, you would press the button to fill your bottle and one your are done, you would switch it off and go to your room. What I don't understand is why you have to touch those two red knobs and tell the world they have problem in them? Similarly, one guy reports his cycle bell is missing from the cycle stand and other suggests him (while aptly cursing the committee that they wont help in this regard) to put up wireless CCTV camera to catch the thieves.  Also, one guy wrote in order to rectify a water problem that existed some time back in our hall, that he has written an email to CM of the state Ms.Mamta banerjee since this is an "international" issue. The list have so many other interesting cases to tell but I would stop..

We are mature, we are educated and we are sane. Then, why does it take so much to talk sense. I have realized, some people always have complaints for you no matter how much and hard you try to help them. Being a Maintenance secretary of our hall for 2013-14, I think I have learnt a lot about people psyche's and totally understand how it is to be at a responsible and authoritative place. Let me tell you, it is not at all easy so now I relate myself whenever I see people mindlessly blaming the govt. or actors or administration. It is very, very easy to comfortably sit in your room and throw an email vomiting your problems but how to solve it is a real game. You will have no idea what it is to play in mud until your hands are dirty.  In this whole year, I am sure many would have talked ill about me on the back, some think that I haven't done anything substantial but  believe me when I hear appreciation from some real genuine people that I was good and brought a change, everything else doesn't matter. And then it feels that you can not make everyone happy, for your own happiness you have to be real, genuine, true and little selfish.

That's me!

I am mad, I am impatient, am not haughty but yes I am proud of myself, have a little ego, short-tempered, immature but I am playful, funny,have a good heart, adventurous and not boring, loves my work, ambitious, a bit conservative. You can be on either side of this but I know my side. And trust me I am narcissists on this. I love myself. I think I am lot better than many other people in my thoughts, understanding,personality, habits, mannerism and style. Therefore I am proud of myself. Though I do not much believe in sun signs but if you describe an Aries person, that is what I am. I might not reveal my emotions but I would expect you to understand me, I don't know how but you got to do it. This doesn't mean I am egoistic as I won't take the first step to start but once it has been taken I am IN totally. 

 :)

Success has a price to pay

Ok, This is a copied text from somewhere but I found it to be so true.

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Most people want to be successful or want to win in their pursuits, be it exams, business or life, but only a few are successful. Simple reason is the fact that there is a price to be paid in terms of sacrificing leisure, sleep or sometimes sacrificing your entire comfort zone. Most people are success hungry but too lazy, too reluctant to pay the price and blame their bad luck which is the easiest scape goat. You lose because you simply are too lazy to follow your dream and you don't want to take risk or put the bet on yourself. You look for safe options and blame luck in the end. If you are looking for a magic formula and you hope it will work, trust me, odds are really against you. Think of athletes, sportsmen they sacrifice time in practice in childhood which you spent watching TV and then when they strike gold, I have heard many people complain that cricketers get it easy, is it so? I meet so many people every day and many are curious, many have ideas but only a few with intent and drive to convert thoughts to action.

Simply put to win there are prices to be paid. I will quote an often quoted line,"there is nothing like a free lunch."

One night and six amazing people!

Happy people :)

With a hectic schedule and days full of tiring work and responsibilities, I chose to hit the high side of life by accepting this proposal from one of my junior to join them for an exhilarating trip to the longest drivable beach i.e Mandarmoni.  A night before our journey we gathered at Lake Side, just behind Gymkhana to do the necessary planning, booking and the excitement began that time itself. So, I was the senior most in the group, others being B.Tech and M.Techs. Since I had been to the place earlier, I took the initiative to book the cab and divided other responsibilities with the rest. We started at 11:30 pm on 27^th June with some amazing tracks, thanks to Ritvik for the superb collection, it added elements of joy. The driver was a fun guy too since he was driving safely as well as by being a sport to all our non-sense. The only thing that was suspicious was the presence of Police every 4-5 kms in the highway road that we were travelling into. In a way I felt safe because of the presence of Police and on the other hand intrigued by the thought. A white Sumo following us and playing with the speed of car to match ours also added to the experience. I was li’l scared but I ignored it. Throughout the journey, we were cracking jokes, singing songs and feeling awesome. The roads were quiet and empty, cloudy sky, cool atmosphere was making me feel as if there is much more to the life than what I am experiencing already.

Selfie :P

After some time, we reached to a place that was desolated, as if there lived no people yet there were constructions. We saw at a distance, there were two cars and some people. When we reached there, we were told to stop. It immediately filled us in suspicion. Thank God, there were two policeman and they were looking for something. But still we were in doubt, as to why at 2 am this kind of thing is happening. The guys went out to speak and we were sitting inside. One of the policeman who was smoking, constantly trying to look at us. We were wishing to scurry from this place asap. But our stupid driver, who was fond of talking, was talking to them for unnecessary amount of time. Anyhow we started from that place to continue our journey. By the way, there was a loot in bank on the same day, that’s why this kind of search was going on. We covered 110 kms and were about to reach our destination. We were talking about ghosts that time and god knows what happened to our driver when he suddenly put off the lights of moving car and said,”Dayan bulaun kya” (Shall I call the ghost?). We realized it was all dark, we did not know where we were that point of time. It looked as if we are amidst some forest where there is no civilization. For once we thought he was joking and he put on the lights, we burst into laughter but he did the same again, and everyone got suspicious (Beacause of my love of horror movies, I thought he is possessed or something). We changed the topic and praised him for driving nicely and he got going. Phew! We reached our lodge. The place was good and we could hear the sea waves but did not go to see it as we planned it to go during sunrise. So it was 2:30 am and we did not want to sleep. For 1.5 hours we talked and had some fun. We played games and had a great time. The time flew in seconds and there we were at the amazing view of nature. The vast sea, cool winds, mad clouds and we were there alone. From dark, it was becoming light.

The view was mesmerizing. 

Limitless boundries..

The peaceful atmosphere brings a sense of relief to one’s soul.  The vast sky and unending sea shore made me feel like I am nothing in this universe. My existence is inversely proportional to the expanse of this sea or this sky. The mad clouds were at their best sometimes channeling out the rays of sun at a distance looks like it was a cosmic experience. We lolled on the sand, played Frisbee, did some crazy things. Listening to the waves crashing on the shore, I could drive away all bustling pressures. I felt life. 

On the contrary, I think I am getting to understand the meaning of relation more as I am growing up. I was always a family person, but with time I think I feel a bond which is so strong that as soon as I think of it I become emotional and tears fills up my eyes. My family means everything to me. My father, mother, sister and brothers are the strong pillars of my being. If not for them, my life would be nothing. I can say confidently, I can go to any heights for them. 

Apart from this relationship, other relationships also teach you a lot. Whether it is a friendship, love, enemy, student-teacher relationship, all of them teaches you many things. I think everyone should for once in life live alone, as a bachelor. This way, he will get time to ponder a lot and make meaning out of so many things. It not only makes you strong emotionally but also gives you the knowledge you can not acquire otherwise. 

Black and White-As you say it!

I don’t understand why people crib so much specially the so called “whites”. If you move out from your comfort zone, you will sure experience a change. The change can be a good one or a not-so-good one, but then you chose it. So you have to go through it. A white man coming down to India will experience lot of things different, you-have-never-seen in your country. So why the crib, as how things here are this way and not that way. Obviously they cannot be same as that in your “Time zone”. If you find same conditions prevailing here like those in your country, then why the hell would you travel to this side of the globe? The beauty is to accept the things the way they are and try to collect new experience from everywhere. Don’t be a cry baby all the time. If a cycle is called a cycle here and not bike, then you call it a bike and not  a cycle. Why is it so hard to understand? 

Rahiman dhaga prem ka..

rahiman dhaga prem ka 

matt todo chhitkay

toote se phir na jure

jure ganth padh jaaye…

Quiet meaningful lines. Relationships are wonderful. Some relationships are for short time and some permanent. Some which are never meant to be yet we desire them. Some we have with us, but no longer interested in. Usually the one we have with our family is the strongest. One that is for life time. But in this world and changing time, is there anything which remains permanent. Is the relation you are having with every member of your family remains the same? Obviously your answer would be yes. But the sad truth is..no. Every relation gets the drift. The old bonds weaken the new forms. When you were young, your family meant everything to you. Your mother and father was world to you. You could die for your siblings. But then you grow, you add people in your life. Some of them become dear to you. Your closeness with them becomes more than with your family. It does not mean you start hating your family but you start caring for others more. You make new bonds with them and your life gets a new turn. And this cycle goes on. So, what is it? Is it meant to go like this? Is this how life is lived? Is it just changing your priorities with changing time?

Why are you living? To have a good career, good money, big house, big car and a happy family? You will die one day like everyone else. Why do we come then if we were meant to die one day? Is there something I am missing out?

Few things to accept and adapt:

1. This place i.e Kharagpur sucks in summers. I mean the Humidity is worst. But you have to accept it and not crib.
2. People are bitchy. They will bitch about you no matter how good you are. So the funda is to just ignore.
3. Now, how can you ignore: The only method to do this: Action speak louder than words. So you have to shut your mouth and keep doing the work.
4. WORK: Yes, this is the only and only solution for everything. Keep working daily. 
5. There is no room for anger. You have to smile in every situation. Have Patience.

O O PhD

Oh my God PhD! hehe..

I never knew, simply not at all what will a PhD be..but I am so glad I am getting to know it.

Life's been so hectic, so complicated, so problematic sometimes but I feel this is teaching me so many things. I had always cribbed about being immature, irresponsible..but I am getting to learn everything, more specifically I am getting to know myself. And the more I know, the better I feel. Seriously. I have had worst experiences, past week was so stressful.

I never knew what stress was, I swear, but now I know. Its not a thing to boast of but yeah, this is how it is. It feels better to overcome it. The past week was horrible, I spent literally sleepless nights but somewhere I had a hope, because I was right. I am so thankful, I have few beautiful, amazing people that really care about me. I could not tell this at home because my family lives miles away from me and I know they will worry about me. I don't know but I just don't want them to worry about me because I knew I would handle it. I just want to make them happy. Otherwise I am very strong, but whenever it comes about my family, I become so emotional. 

Patience is very important. You have to stride on the right path and all good things will happen to you automatically.

Jugaad

Since I am watching "Mahabharat" these days and all it talks is about doing "Dharam", I too plan to walk on this path. I am a miniature, would hardly, hardly make any difference but still there's no harm choosing this path because it indeed is only Karma and Dharam, which gives meaning to everything. Now, you may ask what is this Dharam and why much emphasis is being given to this in the entire Mahabharat and afterwards. I feel, Dharam is rising above one's own self, you can say it is much more formalistic approach of being under rules and regulations. It tells you in a way the difference between good and evil. But is it easy to follow this path? It was not easy for the great Pandavs so how would it be for as insignificant human beings like me. When the life runs on Jugaad, meaning getting your work done by hook-or-crook because you are in a competitive world, when a slightest delay will leave substantial mark on you, you can not sometimes afford to be on the right path.But, I am sure we all can wait, I too want to wait for my "Coal".

Lets see..

Bournvit-ed!

Few things I have observed in the previous week that deserve worth mentioning are:

1. Bournvita Milk

Since I am a die hard Milk lover, I have devised certain ways as to how to make my favorite drink even more delicious. One way is to supplement it with the chocolate Bournvita. Umm....Thanks to Cadbury's! Just milk with B'vita isn't enough, how I do it let me explain. So, I start with boiling milk. Boil it to have it giving out big ripples and froth. This way the water in it is evaporated and the milk becomes even more viscous. You know your milk is boiled but you dont have to remove it from the burner. Keep the vessel lying over there after covering it with a lid. This is to ensure that the milk boils in low flame or just with the heat for some time for a bit longer time. This way you get a thick layer of cream on it, so much thick that you can literally chew it. Umm..that is the best form of consuming milk. Now take the milk in a glass and add 1 and half spoon of B'vita and sugar as much as you like it. Stir it properly. You see its color is chocolate brown and looks delicious. Sip it, lick it and feel it! :D

2.  Powdered Milk

One fine afternoon, when it started to crave for something sweet, I looked everywhere in my room to find something sweet. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything great. There my gaze went on the shelf where I had kept dried Milk powder to make tea. I immediately opened the lid of the vessel and put one spoon of the condensed milk  in my mouth. Ummmm...believe you me, that is the best thing. Thanks to AMul and Nestle! Immediately my eyes were close. I experienced a state of utopia. I didn't want anything else in my life that time. From one spoon it started and kept going on and on. When I was done I saw the box was empty.

Worth a try!

Self-Motivation: The Key

What I immediately need to do it is  re-orient myself. Focus is very important. It keeps going and coming. In a set of environments like this, where you live far far away from home in a company of different people, the key factor which needs to be kept alive is Self-motivation. I remember how I used to think differently when Sir(my Guide) used to say this in the beginning about Self-motivation. I used to perceive it as a motivational speech or dialogue that every Professor gives to his students. But, now I realize what he meant when he told all that. A midst all circumstances, good, not-so-good, the question is how to alwayd keep the fire burning. How to always keep yourself motivated? Certainly one time or other you will get dull for xyz reason and then all you do is stop doing things. It is like you enter a lag phase where all you do is save your energy and try to cope up with the adverse conditions outside. I dont want this lag phase for myself. Is it too difficult to achieve? What is the funda..the master cocktail? 

Bakar Post

So this is a Sunday (late) morning and like everyone in this world, I too plan to spend it lavishly. Yesterday, it was hectic. My PhD supervisor is a wonderful gentleman, he is different, different in a good way from all the people I know. For a sabbatical, he's gone to teach in Columbia University, US for 6 months after getting a Nehru Full-Bright Scholarship. That's indeed an achievement. If I was not his student and then if my guide was gone, I would have been really happy as I would get to live peaceful 6 months of my life. But he's superb so I wont have this feeling. Anyways, so once he's gone there we have Lab presentations over SKYPE every fortnight. Yesterday was also one such night. Day was spent preparing slides, evening over Hall Day in Sancharini di's Hall and night with sir. It was all so good. The hall day was experience was also good especially because di's parents have also joined in. I felt so good and remembered my parents.

Okay, so here I am today, all charged only to find everything else is so quiet. Yes, everything is so quiet. Like everyone is sleeping in the day. I wish I get to live in one such surrounding where whenever I wake up, I get to hear some really good music playing around me. It really charges me up. On the contrary, my roomie is STUDYING... O God, who study on a Sunday morning when the mid-semester exams just got over. Anyways, I think I have so much to tell about her that I can write a post dedicating to her :) She is different :D So , now what I ' ll do is watch Mahabharat...Yes! I am addicted to it. I did not see it when I was young, guess I was really young that time but everyone else around me seem to have seen it already. But koi ni, better late than never. Umm, after that lets see..May be I should go for jogging..Umm  I have no idea what to do.. Lets see

Duniya-daari

Of late, I have come to in sense with the fact that life, the true one, can be led by your divine indivisible soul who chants peace only when you constantly make connection with it. Mass and energy balance is everywhere even when you go. What is left is that invisible energy and invisible consciousness. Ultimately, the truth lies in being you. You have to be true for you are being watched up above by the super powers, one that can sweep you off from the feet. There is definitely a super power that I believe in and fear. I have come to realize, all the laws that says the matter and everything in this world strive to attain equilibrium is true. Equilibrium is the state. But much above this, lies your conscience that can give you the treasure that surpasses all forms of peace and that is the true equilibrium. Awaken the consciousness in you and be blessed . That is the only way. Give me the power o Lord!