I am living on the IIIT campus in Hyderabad. This campus is situated near a part of Hyderabad known as the “HITEC City”; where all the offices and office campuses of major software MNCs are situated. The IIIT campus is not large, spanning just about 62 acres. These 62 acres are the closest I have come to finding a haven for researchers and aspiring researchers (like myself) in the chaotic city of Hyderabad.
Do not misunderstand me, I love Hyderabad; its the city I was born and brought up in. I love the culture of the place. But lately it has become extremely chaotic. Those who are on the road have no respect for the rule of the road (if indeed they know what the rule of the road is). Other than that there is the usual chaos that is associated with life in any city, town, village or settlement ie national politics, local politics, the politics of sharing basic amenities (water, electricity), th chaos associated with someone getting married/ deceased/ engaged in your locality, etc. Hyderabad is full of it, more so for Hyderabad has the distinction of being the capital of Andhra Pradesh. But the IIIT, offers a campus where you are sequestered from this chaos.
In the IIIT, you have the option of not being bothered by all these chaoses. Here they are not “in your face” therefore you can choose to ignore them and concentrate on your work, your calling, your passion- your research. Of course, if you choose to be bothered by these chaoses, there are television sets that are accessible and the whole campus is plugged in to the Internet. I choose not to be bothered by these chaoses. And whenever the climate permits, I like to take a walk through the campus on the wonderfully paved roads. There is a certain electricity you sense here. As I said in one of my pensive and poetic moments:
“on the lonely campus roads, if one is sensitive enough, one can just about sense the beginnings of something truly great.”
You get the sense that great minds are at work here. Busy solving various conundrums. Busy trying to make life a better place to be for their fellow human beings. Or just trying to understand the world around them and working to expand the boundaries of knowledge, and the universe.
The bottom line is, this place seriously is a strictly no-bullshit place. If you have the passion for research and the required skills, a place for you here will be created and those in charge will make sure to do everything in their power to see that you are able to reach your target.
This place is ideal for thinkers to dream up great things and endeavor to realize those dreams. One gets the sensation of swimming in the vast ocean of knowledge
We need more places like this in India where young innovators and aspiring researchers are encouraged and motivated to achieve their goals and help expand the boundaries of knowledge.
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