Thirty

Dreamt a vivid retrospective yesterday night, after a day spent with the giants of my world. Penned down what I remembered. Needs work.

I was an unteachable boy; the lesson was "Aa rahi Ravi ki savaari". I scored 0.75/30, Rekha ma'am didn't let me quit. Vandana ma'am started remedial lessons.

2006. Arun flew from IIM Calcutta to be beside me; I quit after the Maths paper, but he didn't let me. Aa gayi na Ravi ki savaari :-)

"Thirty!?" I refreshed the page and the portal was down. 387 was the target. Uh oh. I did not expect to make it to... I did not plan for 30.

12 years since in an absurd life.
"How would I fare graded against Olympiad winners?" -> You'll live together, learn together, teach each other, walk together.

"What after graduation?" -> You'll do great work and get rewarded for it.
"What will you lose in doing a PhD?" -> You'll gain a parent.
"What next?" -> You'll do what you love and get rewarded for it.

I did not expect to make it to... I did not plan for 30.

KSM Convocation (in 10 words or less)

Invocation.
Wintry. Wet. Windy.
Ponchos. Graces.
Purple. Gold.
Proud Graduates.

Why make life a struggle when life is a song?

Phantom

"Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light
and listen to the music of the night."
Andrew Lloyd Webber - Music of the Night.

The music stopped.
The shrill monotone resumed, unceasing.
The Phantom, hands trembling, stood unmasked.
The facade, fallen
(should've known, most man-made things don't endure).

Alas, he realized --
the mask was never to hide behind
but to practice apathy.
Recalling his boundless cruelty,
he wept.

"A lack of empathy is an acute failure of the imagination."

North by Northwest

(needs work)

Peering across the Michigan,
A momentous decision.
Pondering the unknown,
Art and Science tussle.
A surrender!
Perception.
Reason.
Peace.