Engineering Days – Dreams, Struggles, and Milestones
My journey into engineering was driven by dreams — not just mine, but also those of my parents who envisioned a brighter future for me. In the year 2000, I enrolled at Bhilai Institute of Technology (BIT), choosing Electronics and Telecommunication as my stream. I had always been good in academics, consistently securing first division marks. But stepping into engineering brought a wave of new challenges that I had never anticipated.
Until my 12th standard, I studied in Hindi medium. Switching to an English-medium curriculum during engineering was one of the biggest hurdles I faced. Reading technical books and writing exams in English felt overwhelming at first. It was a struggle — not because I lacked knowledge, but because expressing it in a different language was difficult. Thankfully, I wasn’t alone in this journey. Life gifted me a bunch of amazing friends who became my strength.
These friends were more than just classmates — they were my brothers, my fun-time partners, and my support system during both the best and worst phases of college life. Whether it was late-night study sessions, hostel pranks, or moments of real crisis, they were always there. Alok Gupta, Baneshwar Benergy, Devesh Johri, Anjul Jain, Nishant Singh, Manjul Khandelwal, Abhishek Bharal, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Hitendra Rathore, Rajive Kumar, Prahallad Agrawal, Sachin Gupta, Gaurango Sen, Rishi Shankar Verma, Amit Gupta, Rishi Kulkarni, and Anirudh Chitnis — each of them holds a special place in my heart. Together, we created memories that still bring a smile to my face.
Life during those four years was far from easy. We faced the harsh realities of hostel life — ragging, fights with locals from Bhilai, run-ins with the police, and inquiries from the college proctor committees over various issues. There were moments of fear, frustration, and even helplessness. But through all this chaos, one thing remained constant — our focus on the goal. We knew that these struggles couldn’t dominate us. The dreams of our parents, the sacrifices they had made, and the future we all hoped for kept us going.
A Moment I’ll Never Forget – Friendship and Faith
One such incident is still fresh in my memory. During my second year, I was struggling with one of the core subjects — Communication Systems. The textbook was in English, full of complex diagrams and terminologies I had never encountered before. I had almost given up hope of clearing the paper. One night, just a week before the exams, my roommate Satya noticed I looked tense and distracted. When I shared what I was going through, he didn’t say much — he simply brought his notes, sat beside me, and started explaining each topic in Hindi, simplifying the concepts patiently.
That night turned into a series of study sessions with a few other hostel mates joining in. We made it a routine — a mix of serious study, jokes, and endless cups of chai from the canteen. On the day of the exam, I walked into the hall not just with confidence, but with the warmth of friendship and the strength of belief in myself. I cleared that paper with good marks — a small victory, but a huge personal milestone.
The Night I Escaped Jail
Then there was that night — the one none of us will ever forget. Semester exams had just finished, and all of us hostelers decided to celebrate with a movie at Geet Talkies. The plan was to watch “Chachi 420,” but we reached late and couldn’t get tickets. While most of the group waited around, I chose to catch another movie, Ishq, playing at a nearby theater.
By the time I returned to the hostel late that evening, something felt off. The place was unusually silent. Soon, I learned about the chaos that had unfolded in my absence. A massive fight had broken out between my hostel mates and a local man — who unfortunately turned out to be a union leader from the Bhilai Steel Plant, with strong connections in the police department.
He wasted no time. The police were called in, and in no time, they had arrested everyone involved. My friends — the same ones who had been my support system — were behind bars. And I was the only one left outside.
That night was terrifying. I was alone, confused, and unsure what to do. But I knew I couldn’t just sit back. I rushed around, trying to contact whoever I could — seniors, local friends, even teachers — to help get my friends out. Hours felt like days. Thankfully, with some luck and divine grace, the situation calmed down, and eventually, everyone was released. I was spared arrest, simply because I wasn’t present during the incident. But the memory of standing outside that police station, praying for my friends’ release, still gives me chills.
Confrontation with the Proctor Committee
Another unforgettable moment came when I was summoned by Ajay Tiwari and Arun Arora sir from the college proctor committee. I walked into the room unsure of what to expect, and they got straight to the point.
“Who all were with you in the morning train from Bilaspur to Bhilai? There was a junior who got ragged by you and your friends,” they said.
I was stunned. I genuinely had no idea what they were referring to.
“I’m not aware of what you’re talking about,” I replied.
They didn’t back down. “We know very well you were there. Whenever we get evidence, we’ll ensure your parents are called and made to answer for this.”
I took a deep breath and calmly said, “That day will never come.”
They leaned in. “Are you challenging us?”
“No,” I replied, meeting their gaze. “I’m just saying you won’t get that chance, because I’m not the kind of person who rags juniors.”
That moment tested me — not just my courage, but my integrity. I knew I had done nothing wrong. And sometimes, that’s the only strength you have to stand on — the truth.
Engineering was not just about books and exams. It was a test of endurance, friendship, and determination. And when I look back now, I realize that those years shaped me in more ways than I ever imagined. The milestones I achieved during that time weren’t just academic; they were personal victories over fear, language barriers, and life’s unexpected battles.