tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-315800682024-03-08T00:42:49.303+05:30En routei started this blog in my favourite way,
without knowing what all to do with it,
... the natural way of lifeDeepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-64952195937546697432011-01-24T21:10:00.002+05:302011-01-24T21:15:18.115+05:30Sur Bane HamaaraFor those of us who were not initiated in to classical music appreciation, and to whom the fondest memory of television is still Doordarshan of the nineties, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Dr. Balamurali Krishna represented Indian classical music. The reason was the widely popular musical "<i>Mile Sur Mera Tumhara</i>", which opened with the voice of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Hence his demise today leaves a void not just in the Indian music landscape, but also in hearts of many non-connoisseurs of Hindustani music like me.<br /><br />I do not know anything to tell about his Kharana or his profoundness with Khayal. But still, I can vouch that his rendering had a power to tell word-less stories to the film-songs-trained ears of mine.<br /><br />For me, his appearance in "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" or "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile_Sur_Mera_Tumhara">Ek Sur</a>" (the official name of the song) is enough to make memory of him eternal. Written by Piyush Pande, composed by Ashok Patki, directed by Suresh Mullick and telecasted first on the Independence Day of 1988 after Prime Minister's speech, "Ek Sur" was a celebration of the diversity of India. It almost caught the status of the unofficial anthem of India. Covering fourteen languages and as many cultures, it was literally a free tour of India from Kashmir to Tamil Nadu, from Kutch to Assam.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gstRrEmTcBc?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe><br /><br />Those were the days when I did not realise that nationalism, even when superior to regionalism and casteism is something that had to be slowly replaced with the feeling of universal brotherhood. Wish I could select a song that celebrates <span style="font-style:italic;">universal brotherhood</span> to dedicate to Pandit Bhimsenji's memory tonight.Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-64966645131362841052010-11-01T22:38:00.003+05:302010-11-01T22:45:09.656+05:30ബോധി കോമണ്സ് (Bodhi Commons)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />സീസറും യേശുവും കൊള്ളയടിച്ചിട്ടും, കൊന്നൊടുക്കിയിട്ടും,<br />വറ്റാതെ നില്കുന്ന മനുഷ്യന്റെ സര്ഗശക്തിക്കു<br />തങ്ങളില് തങ്ങളില് സംവദിക്കാന്,<br />ലോകത്തോടുറക്കെ പ്രസംഗിക്കുവാന്.<br /></br><br />വിഷവാതകം പോലെ മനുഷ്യനെ ചുറ്റിനും മൂടുന്ന<br />അധിനിവേശങ്ങളെ ചെറുത്തു നില്ക്കാന്,<br />അബദ്ധസിദ്ധാന്തങ്ങളെ തിരിച്ചറിയാന്,<br />കപടവിശ്വാസങ്ങളെ തച്ചുടയ്ക്കാന്.<br /></br><br />സമത്വസുന്ദരമായ ഒരു ലോകത്തെ<br />സ്വപ്നം കാണാന്, സൃഷ്ടിക്കാന്.<br />അതിനായി ഒത്തുചേരാന്, പഠിക്കാന്,<br />സംഘടിക്കുവാന്, പോരാടുവാന്.<br /></br><br />ചിന്തകള് തന്ന തണലിന്റെ കീഴില് പണിതുയര്ത്തി ഞങ്ങളിന്ന്,<br />കാറ്റാടിക്കഴകളെ ചകിരി പിരിച്ച കയറും,<br />വിയര്പ്പും, പ്രതീക്ഷയും കൊണ്ട് വലിച്ചു കെട്ടി,<br /><a href="http://beta.bodhicommons.org/">ബോധി എന്നൊരീ പൊതുവേദി</a><br /></br><br />തളര്ന്ന കൈവിരലുകളും, അല്പം നീരുവെച്ച പുറംകഴുത്തും,<br />തളര്ത്തുനില്ല തെല്ലുമീ രോമാഞ്ചത്തെ.</span>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-8707342277250585852010-06-06T11:29:00.003+05:302010-06-06T11:32:44.221+05:30I know what you are thinking.Two nights back Vinita, my wife, said to me : "I know what you are thinkng."<div>I was surprised. I asked :"How come! Do you follow me on Twitter?"</div><div><br /></div><div>I slipped to sleep somewhere in the middle of the long lecture that followed from her.</div>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-45548884405139364482010-04-12T21:14:00.006+05:302010-04-12T22:32:18.346+05:30When the past takes a flight and alights on your present.I do not have an adjective to qualify the happiness that you feel when a leaf from the past takes a flight and alights on your present. The name of the flight that my past chose to fly yesterday night was <span style="font-style: italic;">Joby Joseph</span>.<br /><br />Joby was the conscience of <a href="http://www.ece.iisc.ernet.in/%7Essplab/">my lab</a> during my master's studies at IISc. He was then working on his PhD thesis topic : "<a href="http://144.16.72.131:8080/handle/2005/55"><span style="font-style: italic;">Why only two ears? - Some indicators from the study of source separation using two sensors</span></a>". In fact, with out making a big fuss about it, he was showing us all that two ears are indeed enough for us to be sensitive about the world around us. I have learned a lot from being with him and admiring him all the while. But it seems that the only thing he ever tried to "teach" me was bird watching and he failed. His skill at <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/badjoby/">spotting birds is pure magic</a> and its futile trying to learn it. After PhD he had moved on to <a href="http://www.nih.gov/">NIH Maryland</a> to pursue post doctral studies in neuro science and has been there for last five years.<br /><blockquote></blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;"><blockquote></blockquote></span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">That is the leaf from the past. And see how it alighted onto my present</span></blockquote>Today at 2.30 pm while attending a class, I got a call on my mobile from an unidentified number. As usual, I didn't bother to return the call. But when I reached the department, the security told me that some one had come for me and got my mobile number. He showed me the visitor's register and there I found these letters - J, o, b, y, J, o, s, e, p, and h. I couldn't believe it. I returned the missed call, but there was nothing to be heard from the other side. (Later I found out that his phone had a dysfunctional microphone.) Then I got it confirmed that Joby is in campus and in fact will be giving a <a href="http://serc.iisc.ernet.in/broadcast_messages/msg16249.html">lecture in ECE department</a> at 4 pm. I rushed to the venue and there I met with my past.<br /><br />I hardly understood any of the biological terms that he used. For a self proclaimed theoretician like me, his work seemed so frighteningly real. He <a href="http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v8/n11/abs/nn1559.html">cuts open the head of grass hoppers</a> by hand and implants sensors in them to directly record the field potential at the scale of single neurons. The last two slides had quite a surprise in it. The penultimate one was a photo of his home laboratory. It was quite surprising to know that these kind of experiments could be performed using equipments that will fit well onto a single table and costing no more than a few lakhs of rupees. The last slide contained portraits of each one of his lab team - fellow researchers, technicians and students. I do not recollect any presentation which ended with such a slide.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Joby has not changed.<br /><br />But IISc has. </span><br /><br />At least according to him and one of our <span style="font-style: italic;">famous</span> friend - Natasha - <a href="http://natashamhatre.blogspot.com/">the nature lover</a> and the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/natasha_mhatre"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">nature</span></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/natasha_mhatre"> photographer</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/natasha_mhatre"></a>. After the talk we and one more friend took a walk to what according to them was once the corridor of life in IISc and what is now a construction site with four massive buildings nearing completion. The area near D-gate and the air field. Both Joby and Natasha seemed to be really depressed at the loss of such biodiversity. I had to admit that I had never noticed the richness there when it was there.<br /><br />Even when people walk together, they see, hear and smell very different worlds. Some just see, hear and smell the tensions inside their heads. Some see the buildings, hear the roads, and smell the dust. Some see the trees, hear the birds, and smell the flowers. For example, now Vinita is seeing the rain and I'm seeing an LCD monitor! Wish I had a greener heart.Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-43394324738618876642010-01-10T19:49:00.003+05:302010-01-10T20:06:45.724+05:30Dangerous KnowledgeThis is a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/dangerous-knowledge.shtml">90 minute documentary telecast by the BBC</a> two years ago on the biggest leaps made by mankind in understanding the foundations of mathematics. Any serious student of mathematics would have already found that it qualifies for the genres <span style="font-style: italic;">Drama and Mystery</span> - but at a much more abstract level. The documentary does good justice to the drama and mystery part of the history and does not do any damage to the math part. The investigation is traced by narrating the contributions of four great investigative and imaginative minds - Georg Cantor, Ludwig Boltzmann, Kurt Gödel and Alan Turing.<br /><br /><embed id="VideoPlayback" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-5122859998068380459&hl=en&fs=true" style="width: 400px; height: 326px;" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-66501285457795203792010-01-06T21:00:00.003+05:302010-01-06T21:26:48.923+05:30Faculty Shortage in Indian Universities<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>This is a letter that I'm emailing to members of the task force setup by MHRD to look into shortage of faculty in our universities. I'm also linking this blog post in the email letter. Hence please read and post comments.</blockquote></span><br />Dear Professors,<br /><br />I came to know from <a href="http://beta.thehindu.com/education/article74870.ece" target="_blank">newspaper</a> that the Ministry of HRD has set up a task force to look into shortage of faculty in our universities. I also learn that the task force will design a performance appraisal system for the faculty in such institutions. In this regard I would like to express some comments.<br /><br /><b>About me :</b><br /><br />After completion of my B.Tech in Electronics and Communication from College of Engineering Trivandrum and M.E. in Signal Processing from IISc Bangalore, I have worked in the industry (Private owned) for about a year, then as a lecturer in Government Engineering College Bartonhill, Trivandrum (Kerala State Government Institution) for around 2 years, and then as a lecturer in NIT Calicut (Autonomous Institution under Central Government) for another 2 years. I had resigned from NIT Calicut last July and am currently pursuing my PhD in CSA department, IISc.<br /><br />The comments that are expressed in this letter are judgments made from my experiences (good and bad) in the above places.<br /><br /><b>I. On attracting and retaining good people in academia </b>:<br /><br />Four things that (I believe) will attract and retain good people to academia are<br /><ol><li>Entry level qualification requirement,<br /></li><li>Sufficient monetary compensation and career advancement prospects,<br /></li><li>Meaningful work culture and</li><li>Prospect for academic growth.</li></ol><i>1. Entry level qualification requirement :</i><br /><br />Most of the universities, even those with significant undergraduate teaching load, are restricting permanent tenure only to candidates already with a PhD. This single factor alone will reduce the number of academia aspirants by many orders in magnitude since Indian academia looses most of its young brains to the Industry not after PhD but immediately after their under-graduate or post-graduate degrees. Hence, hiking the entry level qualification to improve the quality of academia is a short sighted strategy. Instead, our academia should catch good people right after their graduation or post-graduation offering them not only a permanent tenure but also a promise for academic growth. I'll elaborate on academic growth part under point 4.<br /><br /><i>2. Monetary compensation :</i><br /><br />I think this point is already well discussed (as evident from media reports) and I personally think that the present pay revision has put the compensation at reasonable levels (especially when comparing with the same for our primary school teachers). I even believe that too much money may attract the wrong people into academia.<br /><br />Career advancement schemes are reasonable in autonomous institutions with flexible cadre ratio and rotation schemes. But the vacancy based promotion scheme still existing in State Government Institutions have left many people disillusioned and forced some of them to quit.<br /><br /><i>3. Meaningful Work Culture :</i><br /><br />A meaningful work culture plays a very important role in retaining our best recruits. Shortage of faculty and excessive work load have reached a mutually destructing loop in many universities. I understand that a heavy teaching load is inevitable in the higher education sector in a country like India with limited academic resources and a large knowledge seeking population. But, the the excessive administrative jobs (admissions procedures, campus networking, stock verification, tender tabulations etc.) that come on the already stretched teaching staff in such places is unjustifiable and can be corrected. The failure to recruit permanent non-teaching staff and the attitude towards the value of a faculty member to the system are the key factors contributing to the situation.<br /><br />Most of the service rules for teaching staff are still modeled on the ones originally designed for administrative jobs and hence comes as a misfit in many occasions. There is no reason why a rule like prohibiting public expression of ones views (to the media for example) should exist in a university. After all, education is not about hiding information. A good academic culture demands, among other things, a flexible work pattern, and freedom of public expression.<br /><br /><i>4. Prospect for academic growth :</i><br /><br />Every faculty member should be permitted and encouraged to update his knowledge and skills periodically by going to better centers of learning. The various staff development programmes surely help in this regard. But the most important step in this direction was the FIP/QIP schemes through which a faculty member could avail a deputation to do higher studies in any of the reputed institutions in the country. This scheme is severely being discouraged in many institutions now, NIT Calicut for sure. Instead, these places force the faculty to do their higher studies on a part time basis in their own home institution. This is another short sighted strategy which not only over stretches the faculty, but also forfeits a chance of larger exposure level for the institution. Instead, our universities should encourage their faculty members to do higher studies at the best universities around the world, providing them QIP deputation/Study leave etc.<br /><br />The third and fourth points are precisely the reasons why I, and also a few other colleagues of mine, had to resign from NIT Calicut.<br /><br /><b>II. On performance appraisal system for faculty :</b><br /><br />Personally, I don't believe we can improve the teaching quality of a faculty by providing external incentives. Teaching is a profession in which the rewards are immediate and visible in the eyes of the students in front of us. Instead, what the system should do is to facilitate good teaching by providing a work culture of freedom and interaction.<br /><br /><b>III. On promoting good research :</b><br /><br />This again is something which is bound to fail if we think short term. We cannot promote good research by forcing the already stretched faculty to publish. In the medium term, we may encourage and facilitate research among existing faculty by providing funding and time. I'm incompetent to comment on what would encourage good research among faculty. But i guess it should be our level of curiosity and peer recognition.<br /><br />What is more important is that, we should groom our next generation into serious research and this can be done only by good quality teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Hence it is critical to ensure that the pressure on faculty to publish, patent etc, should not be at the cost of sacrificing the quality of teaching.<br /><br /><b>Conclusion</b> <b>:</b><br /><br />If I can take the liberty to suggest a few action items that might help in the cause, then the list will include<br /><ol><li>Keep the entry level qualification to a minimum and provide timely opportunities and encouragement for higher studies.</li><li>Encourage FIP/QIP schemes and also leave/sabbatical for study purposes.</li><li>Recruit sufficient non-teaching staff and give more value to the time of a teacher.</li><li>Amend the service rules to fit to the needs of an open and non-hierarchical academic culture.<br /></li><li>Encourage research among faculty but do not force it so as to make her compromise on the teaching effort.<br /></li></ol>Dear Sir, I hope at least some of the points mentioned can be considered in your discussions. I'll also publish this letter on my blog so that others can express their comments on it.Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-41152429195727015962009-11-24T21:40:00.003+05:302009-11-24T21:54:37.556+05:30Footpaths make all the difference<blockquote>“The single biggest difference between the infrastructure of an advanced nation and a backward nation is its footpaths, not its highways,” </blockquote><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrique_Pe%C3%B1alosa">Enrique Peñalosa</a>, the former Mayor of the Colombian capital Bogota <a href="http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/22/stories/2009112260561800.htm">tells to The Hindu</a>.<br /><br />I have never before heard anyone speaking about ensuring an enjoyable <span style="font-style: italic;">street life</span> within your <span style="font-style: italic;">city life</span>. And ever since I heard that (which was this Sunday), I'm missing my home town (Thiruvananthapuram). In particular the Rajbhavan road from Kawadiar to Palayam and the dear friends with whom I had enjoyed the walks along them.<br /><br />I wonder how this one phrase - <span style="font-style: italic;">street life</span> - covers so much of the things that I miss when I'm out of home town. Am I <span style="font-style: italic;">street sick</span>?Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-1574466326958192062009-11-24T21:19:00.009+05:302009-11-24T21:56:26.657+05:30സാഹിത്യം, സംഗീതം, ശബ്ദം - നിങ്ങളുടെ സ്വന്തംAn audio version of my last post! (As if the lyrics was not enough :-).<br /><br />Music direction is evidently absent, and the rendering is done by the only one who would dare - your's truely. Thanks to blip.tv for hosting.<br /><br /><object id="video_player_object" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" data="http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/blipmp3player.swf?song_url=http%3A//blip.tv/file/get/Deepakmail-448.mp3%3Freferrer%3Dblip.tv%26source%3D1&autoload=false&song_title=%26%233342%3B%26%233368%3B%26%233405%3B%26%233364%3B%26%233390%3B%26%233363%3B%26%233398%3B%26%233368%3B%26%233405%3B%26%233364%3B%26%233390%3B%26%233363%3B%26%233398%3B%26%233368%3B%26%233405%3B%26%233364%3B%26%233390%3B%26%233363%3B%26%233405%3B" width="462" height="20"><param name="movie" value="http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/blipmp3player.swf?song_url=http%3A//blip.tv/file/get/Deepakmail-448.mp3%3Freferrer%3Dblip.tv%26source%3D1&autoload=false&song_title=%26%233342%3B%26%233368%3B%26%233405%3B%26%233364%3B%26%233390%3B%26%233363%3B%26%233398%3B%26%233368%3B%26%233405%3B%26%233364%3B%26%233390%3B%26%233363%3B%26%233398%3B%26%233368%3B%26%233405%3B%26%233364%3B%26%233390%3B%26%233363%3B%26%233405%3B"><param name="flashvars" value="song_url=http%3A//blip.tv/file/get/Deepakmail-448.mp3%3Freferrer%3Dblip.tv%26source%3D1&autoload=false&song_title=%26%233342%3B%26%233368%3B%26%233405%3B%26%233364%3B%26%233390%3B%26%233363%3B%26%233398%3B%26%233368%3B%26%233405%3B%26%233364%3B%26%233390%3B%26%233363%3B%26%233398%3B%26%233368%3B%26%233405%3B%26%233364%3B%26%233390%3B%26%233363%3B%26%233405%3B"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></object>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-38852580210379656582009-10-19T23:54:00.002+05:302009-11-24T21:56:49.060+05:30എന്താണെന്താണെന്താണ്<span style="font-size:130%;">എന്താണെന്താണെന്താണ്, സ്വപ്നം കാണണതെന്താണ്?<br />ആരാണാരാണാരാണ്, സ്വപ്നത്തില് ചിരിപ്പിച്ചതാരാണ്?<br /><br /> കളി പറയും മുത്തിയോ, കളിയാക്കും ചേട്ടനോ,<br /> കേട്ട പാട്ടിന് ഈണമോ, നുണഞ്ഞ പാലിന് മധുരമോ?<br /> എന്തു കണ്ട് ചിരിക്കണ്, എന്തിന് കാലിട്ടടിക്കണ്,<br /> എന്തിനു ചുരുണ്ടു കൂടണ്, എന്തിന് മൂരി നിവര്ക്കണ്?<br /><br />എന്താണെന്താണെന്താണ്, ഇങ്ങനെ ഞെട്ടണതെന്താണ്?<br />ആരാണാരാണാരാണ്, നീട്ടി തുമ്മിയതാരാണ്?<br /><br /> പത്രം നോക്കണ അച്ഛനോ, പത്രാസ് കാട്ടണ അമ്മയോ,<br /> പിണങ്ങി നില്ക്കുണ ചേട്ടനോ, തൂങ്ങിയാടണ പാവയോ?<br /> എന്തിന് ചുണ്ട് പിളര്ക്കണ്, ആരോട് നീരസം കാട്ടണ്,<br /> ആരെടുക്കാന് പിടയ്ക്കണ്, എങ്ങോട്ട് നോക്കി കരയണ് ?<br /><br />എന്താണെന്താണെന്താണ്, ഇങ്ങനെ ആടണതെന്താണ്?<br />ആരാണാരാണാരാണ്, കുട്ടനെയാട്ടണതാരാണ്?<br /><br /> വിരുന്നു വന്നരോളമോ, തേടി വന്ന തെന്നലോ,<br /> ഓടി വന്ന കാലുകളോ, വാരിയെടുത്ത കൈകളോ?<br /> ആരുടെ കയ്യിലിരിക്കണ്, എങ്ങോട്ടേന്തി നോക്കണ്,<br /> എന്തു വര്ത്താനം പറയണ്, എന്തു കണ്ട് ചിരിക്കണ്?<br /><br />എന്താണെന്താണെന്താണ്, ഇങ്ങനെ മിന്നണതെന്താണ്?<br />ആരാണാരാണാരാണ്, തേച്ച് കുളിപ്പിച്ചതാരാണ്?<br /><br /> എണ്ണ തേപ്പിച്ച അമ്മയോ, തമിഴ് ചൊല്ലണ അക്കയോ,<br /> പാട്ട് പാടും ചോലയോ, ചിലങ്ക കെട്ടിയ മാരിയോ?<br /> എന്തിന് ശ്വാസം പിടിച്ചത്, എന്തിന് കൂവി വിളിച്ചത്,<br /> എന്തിനു കാലിട്ടടിച്ചത്, എങ്ങോട്ടു പോവാന് കുതിച്ചത്?<br /><br />എന്താണെന്താണെന്താണ്, മിണ്ടാട്ടമില്ലാതതെന്താണ്?<br />ആരാണാരാണാരാണ്, പാല് കുടിക്കണതാരാണ്?<br /><br /> കുളി കഴിഞ്ഞ വാവയോ, പുത്തനുടുപിട്ട സുന്ദരനോ,<br /> ചുവന്ന ചെറിയ ചുണ്ടുകളോ, പല്ലു വരാത്ത മോണകളോ?<br /> നമുക്കു ചാച്ചിയുറങ്ങണ്ടെ, പുതിയ സ്വപ്നങ്ങള് കാണണ്ടെ,<br /> സ്വപ്നം കണ്ട് ചിരിക്കണ്ടെ, വീണ്ടും ഞെട്ടിയുണരണ്ടെ?<br /><br />വാവോ വാവോ വാവാവോ, താളത്തിലാടിയുറങ്ങിക്കോ.<br />വാവോ വാവോ വാവാവോ, കണ്ണും പൂട്ടിയുറങ്ങിക്കോ.</span>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-20588971611880262222009-09-13T21:12:00.004+05:302009-09-13T21:28:59.958+05:30Perfect SurpriseThe eve of Safdar's noolukettu ceremony, I had taken Nandu out to the caterer's and had a plan to surprise him with a new dress for the function. This is the conversation that happened while coming out of the caterer's place.<br /><br />ഞാന് : എടാ, നിനക്കു surprise എന്ന വാക്കിന്റെ അര്ത്ഥം അറിയുവോ?<br />നന്ദു : അറിയാം.<br />ഞാന് : എന്താ?<br />നന്ദു : പെട്ടെന്നു കിട്ടുന്ന prize!<br /><br />Today he was showing me some of his homework. This is something which happens once in a blue moon. So I took some interest and tried to bring some improvement to his English writing. After a long discourse on the difference between <span style="font-style: italic;">being correct</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">being perfect</span>, I wrote a question for him from his text book and asked him to write a <span style="font-style: italic;">perfect answer</span> for the same. He took the book to next room and came back after a minute or two.<br /><blockquote>അച്ഛാ, ക്വെസ്റ്റ്യനില് perfect എന്ന വാക്കും കൂടി എഴുതി തരുവോ? അല്ലെങ്ങില് എന്നിക്കു ആന്സര് perfect ആക്കാന് പറ്റില്ല. </blockquote>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-49876281546470096192009-09-12T23:14:00.007+05:302009-09-23T15:44:09.073+05:30Safdar Sudev... thus was the little one named on his 28th day since birth.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Safdar</span> is a <a href="http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=hayyim&query=safdar&matchtype=exact&display=utf8">Farsi word (صفدر)</a>. Many around me call it a Muslim name, but I call it a human name of Persian origin. It translates to <span style="font-style: italic;">courageous</span> in English.<br /><br />All that was incidental. But my affinity for the name was because of the admiration for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safdar_Hashmi">Com. Safdar Hashmi</a>, the revolutionary and writer who is most known for his street theater movement. Most importantly, his vision of a <a href="http://www.pragoti.org/hi/node/2911">People's Cultural Movement</a>.<br /><br />By the way, Safdar was also the name of one of the main characters in the my first (and hither to last) drama. (<a href="http://deepakwrites.blogspot.com/2009/03/thirasseelaykkappuram.html">Thirasseelaykkapuram</a> - which Raghu and I had scripted for NITC Staff Club). I also had <a href="http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#Profile?uid=16503884297046503652">a student at GEC Bartonhill with the same name </a>who incidentally happened to be the College Union General Secretary.<br /><br />Sudev is a mashup of SUdheera (my house name), DEepak and Vinita. It was very difficult for me to accept any special rights as father when it comes to second name.<br /><br />Sudev, by chance, also happens to be the name of a descendent of Harishchandra and a great grand father of Rama (Info from Sri. Harikrishna, NITC).<br /><br />So that's how he will be known - <span style="font-style: italic;">Safdar Sudev</span>. At home, we will just call him <span style="font-style: italic;">Aju</span>.<br /><br />Along with the naming ceremony, there was also the rituals of a <span style="font-style: italic;">noolukettu</span>.<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Here are the photos and a video.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EhUhpK5Km-Q&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EhUhpK5Km-Q&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.co.in/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.in/deepakmail/Safdar28?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OHRfkcGo2L8/SqthzhtjKHE/AAAAAAAABCE/cbMr3vnqeeQ/s160-c/Safdar28.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" width="160" height="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.in/deepakmail/Safdar28?feat=embedwebsite" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Safdar 28</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-22625720483908996912009-08-25T21:44:00.030+05:302009-09-23T15:56:58.437+05:30छोटाकूस बडाकूस<span style="font-size:130%;"><table border="0"><tbody><tr><td>छोटाकूस ... बडाकूस ...,<br />दोनों भाई जिगरी दोस्त।<br />सूरज जैसा बडाकूस,<br />चंदा जैसा छोटाकूस।<br />साथ रहे तो दोनों खुश,<br />इनकी यारी बहुत खूब।</td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXL9sk1yUnsHfPbXPg_dOHsgd9IvVEDimx-NvdyG9MSwodo9Ntb1CsPIQWHtYPStVwpwu0-aQOVDJvV18ohowIuOABuQKjXprjRkxXNlxXV043t6AsR0PqoCwVEWt17XG1Qzq0Jw/s1600-h/KoosBrothers01.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXL9sk1yUnsHfPbXPg_dOHsgd9IvVEDimx-NvdyG9MSwodo9Ntb1CsPIQWHtYPStVwpwu0-aQOVDJvV18ohowIuOABuQKjXprjRkxXNlxXV043t6AsR0PqoCwVEWt17XG1Qzq0Jw/s200/KoosBrothers01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373947735945170978" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgShJyJRTVebqeIkHQ2dSEGCmephAqLtKy9prIWkZz_bD4aR1uTPb4gJ8DWzI-IQWX39QVREFlyDOi55LXz-_x5Xp1ELM1Q2jsQnAn19pdzsMIdf9oJG4fhAcFJ6NvB5RrhpIqpg/s1600-h/KoosBrothers02.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgShJyJRTVebqeIkHQ2dSEGCmephAqLtKy9prIWkZz_bD4aR1uTPb4gJ8DWzI-IQWX39QVREFlyDOi55LXz-_x5Xp1ELM1Q2jsQnAn19pdzsMIdf9oJG4fhAcFJ6NvB5RrhpIqpg/s200/KoosBrothers02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373938314756665426" border="0" /></a></td><td>रोता है जब छोटाकूस,<br />दौड़ कर आता बडाकूस।<br />गोद में लेकर छोटे को,<br />लोरी सुनाता बडाकूस।<br />साथ खेले तो दोनों खुश,<br />इनकी यारी बहुत खूब।</td></tr><tr><td>इनके बीच की भाषा में<br />न वाक्य है न व्याकरण।<br />इनके बीच की हंसी को<br />न समझे कोई बाहर से।<br />बात करें तो दोनों खुश,<br />इनकी यारी बहुत खूब।<br /></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEham7U4AOJF-vCFIZBe7fw3WNdVs2VVxkEL5WptFdBdopBBmrp0jzGEp1PKRQ90Azlfclauv06bG17W164cLNo96wHE34DudD-BtJAdTUlRa2BAPC48a0ZvzGAp4LeseLjSnFkcPg/s1600-h/KoosBrothers03.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEham7U4AOJF-vCFIZBe7fw3WNdVs2VVxkEL5WptFdBdopBBmrp0jzGEp1PKRQ90Azlfclauv06bG17W164cLNo96wHE34DudD-BtJAdTUlRa2BAPC48a0ZvzGAp4LeseLjSnFkcPg/s200/KoosBrothers03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373938454968434002" border="0" /></a></td></tr><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtLR74M-CxhUqIdzID9LqPBsyv8gZH00L1dWAslSkhjTt4MQGSLZ9fcheCU-kJRtmK1Ddc6Ps8-wUtJqzaz5hd-EilrP89kJiaashSo07LD9FlJGhVoPQ5Oot8PcVu-hmqFux1g/s1600-h/KoosBrothers04.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtLR74M-CxhUqIdzID9LqPBsyv8gZH00L1dWAslSkhjTt4MQGSLZ9fcheCU-kJRtmK1Ddc6Ps8-wUtJqzaz5hd-EilrP89kJiaashSo07LD9FlJGhVoPQ5Oot8PcVu-hmqFux1g/s200/KoosBrothers04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373938590966385234" border="0" /></a></td><td>छोटाकूस... बडाकूस ...,<br />दोनों भाई जिगरी दोस्त।<br />सूरज जैसा बडाकूस,<br />चंदा जैसा छोटाकूस।<br />साथ रहे तो दोनों खुश,<br />इनकी यारी बहुत खूब।</td></tr></tbody></table></span><br /><br />पाप्पाकूस<br /><br />This is my first genuine attempt at children's literature. Thanks to my wife, my father in law and my friends Raman and Nilesh for the corrections.<br /><br />If you are seeing cryptic things, then it may be because you don't have a Devanagari font in your system. On a debian system,<br /><blockquote><keyboard><br /># apt-get install ttf-devanagari-fonts<br /></keyboard></blockquote><br />as root is all that you need to do.<br /><br /><a href="http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B3RDOpmzE_mLMjliMmE2NDEtYjY0Mi00ZjE0LWFlMzYtZWMwNGY5N2FjYmM5&hl=en_GB">Else, you can read a PDF version here.</a>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-60801639775589680632009-08-18T22:21:00.007+05:302009-09-04T20:40:57.167+05:30A new life springs<span style="font-size:130%;">Abstract</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A boy was born to Vinita and me on this Sunday at 1.22 pm (IST). The delivery was in Bangalore (Manipal Northside Hospital).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Minutes [Last two days]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Aug 15, 2009</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Morning :</span> India commemorates 62nd independence day. Jo Chechi and Aji Chettan (Vinita's sister and brother in law) arrive at Bangalore for a weekend visit to us. MuSa (Dr. Muralikrishnan, Faculty, NITC) comes to meet his better half. Mummy is already with us since last month. A typical getto menu - lunch with shark fry and prawns theeyal, 56 and jokes.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Evening :</span> I and Aji chettan take Vinita for a NST testing to Manipal Northside hospital. They give Vinita a buzzer to press whenever the baby moves so that they can take the foetal ECG. Baby refuses to move. Mother is warned yet again of keeping the baby starved and is sent to canteen. Baby responds after three glasses of horlicks. The test goes fine. When asked about when we can expect the delivery, the doctor gave the usual reply - we can't tell, may be you will need to come back tonight itself.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Night :</span> MuSa and Jasine join us. Jo chechi's special green chilli and pepper chicken curry, home made ari pattiri, our house owners' home made pizza, tender coconut water and Smirnoff Twisted V Green Apple Vodka. MuSa's kachchery, my evergreen melodies, 56 with Jasine leading the team with me and Aji chettan. MuSa stops at 2.5 as promised (he had decided to ride back to IISc). I and Aji Chettan share the remaining 10 between us without favoring either way. We part at 1 am and I go to bed. Mummy is floating a few rumors of my speeches at bed. Don't believe any of them even if you happen to hear one.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Aug 16, 2009</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Morning :</span> [5 am] I wake up hearing Mummy and Vinita quarreling. Mummy says its a fluid loss, but Vinita insists that it is urine. By 5.15, mummy wins the argument and decides that we should go to hospital. I get out of bed quickly, feeling unusually more alert than a usual post booze morning and gets ready. By then it is almost sure that it is a fluid loss. I and mummy drive Vinita to hospital. We walk into the duty nurses' room at 5.45 am and with in a few minutes I see most of them on their heals. Vinita is taken to the labour ward. Mummy says, if its a fluid loss, then they won't wait any longer. The sisters call up our gynecologist (Dr. Manonmani) over phone and are doing something on her orders.<br /><br />Mean time, Aji chettan, Jo chechi and our house owners (Santhosh and Sevanthi) joins us at the labour room corridor. Dr. Manonmani comes at around 7 and rushes into the labour room. After half an hour she calls me inside and tells me -<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"The fluid loss is a bit high and we have artificially compensated. But we have to take the baby out today itself. We will first try for a normal delivery by inducing some pain by medication and wait till afternoon. There is nothing to be afraid of."</blockquote> I said OK to everything. (I was already very impressed by the doctor during the many consultation visits that we had made to her.) I come out and tell this to others and mummy is visibly shocked but in control.<br /><br />After 20 minutes, doctor comes out and starts scolding me because Vinita took tea in the early morning and that has added to her gastric problems and that she was continuously vomiting. Then she calms down and tells me that its OK, they have given antacids and that the pain inducing will start after Vinita settles down. The doctor then leaves. Nothing much happened then and Sevanthi manages to squeeze news out of whoever comes out of the labour ward.<br /><br />At 9, mummy, I and Jo chechi were allowed inside one by one with the strict warning that we won't be allowed inside any more. Vinita was looking tired but recovering. By 9.30 we could hear Vinita crying of pain whenever someone opened the door. Pappa joined us in between. He too had decided to join us on the weekend since everyone is going to be here.<br /><br />The previous day's boozing began to take its toll on me. My head was burning and my stomach was almost giving me away. I skipped breakfast and was half asleep on the waiting chair, pulling my head up whenever someone opened the labour room door. Doctor had paid one more visit during this time.<br /><br />Noon : At around 1 pm, we saw the doctor running into the room again. In 10 minutes a dark and stout looking ayah walked with her glows on. Many were going in and out, but this particular ayah had taken my attention because of her strength of look and confidence in steps. In 5 minutes a call went out for the Pediatrician and he also was seen rushing in. Every one was now sure that something is going to happen.<br /><br />At 1.30 the stout ayah slid open the door and appeared poked her head out with a smile (for the first time in the day.) and shouted -<br /><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"Yaru Appa?" [Who is the father?]<br /></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote>I stepped ahead. She looked at me and said -<br /><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">"Super Kolanthai." [Super baby]</span><br /></blockquote>and then one more sentence in tamil-kannada which no one could make out. Pappa claimed that the the third sentence was <span style="font-style: italic;">"Penn kolanthai" [Girl Child]</span>. Mummy refuted and debate started. Pappa won the debate. Mummy slid the door half open and called inside -<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"Boy or Girl?" </blockquote>Ayah's voice came from inside -<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"Male Boy." </blockquote>The pediatrician brought the baby out wrapped in a blue flannel. Eyes closed and as pale as snow. He said -<br /><blockquote>"It is a heavy baby. We will keep him under observation for 4 hours to check for hypoglycemia" </blockquote>and took him to a blue room on the opposite end of the corridor.<br /><br />The uncertainties ended there. Vinita came out after another 2 hours - delayed mainly due to another emergency delivery in the same labour room. We shifted to a normal room. The baby was brought out for his first feeding. In between Jasine came out laughing to inform everyone present that the baby wasted no time in starting to suckle and showed no signs of stopping. He was taken back to complete the probation period and then at around 6 pm he joined back with his most trusted companion.<br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr align="center"><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.in/lh/photo/2dw390v0zjcDF_RagSctpQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLi1efHLRezNJ7qqRVe36-GZBA9CAvEPUN_OBtMe48fG8RA9Bn-yh8yG2oeCl_j-sQ1nayAvSQzzJQOIzESeEseJSmLFaflGbvXM1N53ukGFUcXkmoxQlXZgsr2f6r-AIHuRv-Q/s400/dsc_0108.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.in/deepakmail/ACloserLook?feat=embedwebsite">A Closer Look</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Post Script :<br /><br />It is been two days now in hospital, and probably one more day should suffice. Some more snaps are available in my Picasa Album. [All clicked with flash and AF assist forced off.]<br /><br /><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.co.in/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.in/deepakmail/ACloserLook?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OHRfkcGo2L8/SomAt_Y409E/AAAAAAAAA1I/U01xY8W6140/s160-c/ACloserLook.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" width="160" height="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.in/deepakmail/ACloserLook?feat=embedwebsite" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">A Closer Look</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />What lingers with me as the the lead trailer clip after these few days is the scene of that ayah stretching out of the sliding door and shouting - <span style="font-style: italic;">"Yaru appa?"</span>.Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-5919708661729571322009-08-04T17:51:00.003+05:302009-08-10T16:09:02.582+05:30Status Update<span style="font-weight: bold;">Till July 29, 2009</span><br /><blockquote>Lecturer in Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering,<br />National Institute of Technology Calicut.<br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">deepak at nitc dot ac dot in</span></blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">From August 3, 2009</span><br /><blockquote>PhD Student in Department of Computer Science and Automation,<br />Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.<br />deepakr at csa dot iisc dot ernet dot in<br /></blockquote>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-70497279777148383872009-05-20T18:46:00.004+05:302009-05-20T18:54:56.372+05:30rorrim<blockquote>Where is <em>life lost</em> in <span style="font-style: italic;">living</span>;<br />Where is <em>wisdom lost</em> in <span style="font-style: italic;">knowledge</span>;<br />Where is <span style="font-style: italic;">knowledge</span> lost in <span style="font-style: italic;">information</span>.<br />~ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot">T.S.<em>Eliot</em></a><br /></blockquote>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-40220568171482574712009-05-12T18:40:00.006+05:302009-05-12T19:12:33.262+05:30Simplicity for Sale<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rs. 16,150/- (Rupees Sixteen Thousand One Hundred and Fifty Only)</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNsMCxi7ZZ2XJqETMkBdfRg8GV0Thx8mhq5AHSE5Wm9Ql_rm207nOJQ17TKX3PItcANgIWMyyzRR3oHjO8Gb5pYaMaeskOTfkvPfbpGU5opxb48RzCzGDRLiesiR48iYWKDXZOQ/s1600-h/dsc00728.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNsMCxi7ZZ2XJqETMkBdfRg8GV0Thx8mhq5AHSE5Wm9Ql_rm207nOJQ17TKX3PItcANgIWMyyzRR3oHjO8Gb5pYaMaeskOTfkvPfbpGU5opxb48RzCzGDRLiesiR48iYWKDXZOQ/s400/dsc00728.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334932342900408962" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br />PS : This was on sale at Khadi Gramodyog Emporium, Kozhikode, Kerala.Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-7121216193998619652009-04-29T15:34:00.004+05:302009-04-29T15:47:25.187+05:30rubber stamp<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>This is a symbol by symbol copy of an SMS that I received while at lunch yesterday after a few missed calls from the same number.<br /><blockquote style="font-family: courier new;"><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">Sir, i'm (name) frm s4ec. Our value eductn prjct is 2b prsntd 2dy at 2pm. V need u 2 sign n dis rprt. V jz came 2 knw abt tat nw. Cn v gt it signd ryt nw? Wer r u? Do u hav cls nw?</span></blockquote><br />I was his/her group's guide for the value education project.<br /><br />-----<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">rubber stamp</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- noun</span><br /><ol><li>device with a rubber printing surface that becomes coated with ink by being pressed on an ink-saturated pad, used for imprinting dates, addresses, standard designations or notices, etc., by hand.</li><li>person or government agency that gives approval automatically or routinely.</li><li>approval.</li></ol> [Ref : http://dictionary.reference.com]Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-45875386692715007102009-04-17T19:43:00.003+05:302009-04-17T19:50:15.347+05:30I did not vote... and I'm ashamed to say so.<br /><br />Forgive me my fellow countrymen for not fulfilling the most important responsibility as citizen of a democratic country.<br /><br />This is the first vote that I missed since I turned 18. I'm 28 now, and a Non-Resident Trivandrumite. And that's what I have become.Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-15259646253150917512009-03-26T17:59:00.007+05:302009-04-17T19:51:19.326+05:30Engineering Education<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-style: italic;">... thoughts on B.Tech ECE curriculum at NITC<br /></span>March 26, 2009<br /></div><br /><h2>Introduction</h2><br /><h3>Premise </h3><ol><li>There is <i>something wrong</i> with present state of undergraduate engineering education at NITC. </li><li>There is <i>hope for change</i>.</li></ol><h3>Justifications for the premise</h3><ol><li>General conversations, blogs, reduced level of motivation in students and teachers - none of them conclusive, but very indicative of something wrong somewhere.</li><li>Lot of people are agreeing that there is something wrong somewhere and analyzing the reasons and trying to take corrective measures. Seems a good time to pitch in and help in a way that I could.</li></ol><h3>Purpose of this article</h3>is not to<br /><ol><li>prove or disprove the premises or<br /></li><li>to find the culprit</li></ol><br />but, it is to<br /><ol><li>investigate a bit into what could be wrong where,<br /></li><li>provide a (very subjective) list of things that can be done to bring about a positive change and<br /></li><li>to give a specific UG curriculum in tune with the above spirit for the B.Tech program in ECED, NITC.</li></ol><h3>Disclaimers</h3><ol><li>I may be wrong.<br /></li><li>But I firmly believe in this now and I will believe thus till someone convinces me otherwise.<br /></li><li>I will always remain open to anyone who wants to convince me otherwise.</li><li>I limit myself in these thoughts to the <a title="cognitive domain" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxonomy_of_Educational_Objectives" id="f6xd">cognitive domain</a>.<br /></li></ol><br /><h2>What could be wrong and where?</h2><h3><br /></h3><h3>Many students feel that<br /></h3><ol><li>they are forced to study and not inspired to study.</li><li>they have very limited freedom in choosing what to study with in their chosen degree program.</li><li>lecture is not a very effective means of learning<br /></li><li>labs do not encourage actual experimenting</li><li>they are forced to write too many exams<br /></li><li>they have very little time left for extra curricular activities</li></ol>(this is a generalization of what was expressed over a few conversations and not based on any scientific survey)<br /><h3><br /></h3><h3>Some faculty feel that<br /></h3><ol><li>students may be right</li><li>students are not college ready as they used to be in the days when they left school after 10th standard.</li><li>change in society's priorities have changed the priorities of students too.</li></ol><br /><h2>What can be done about it?</h2><h3><br /></h3><h3>Soul Searching</h3>(I'm limiting myself here to the cognitive domain responsibility<br />of the system. I'm unprepared to comment on the affective domain<br />responsibilities)<br /><br /><ol><li>the primary responsibility of an undergraduate educational system should be<br /></li><ol><li><b>to inspire,<br /></b></li><li><b>to set free,<br /></b></li><li><b>to give time </b>and<br /></li><li><b>to give </b><b>resources</b> to the students.</li></ol><li>the secondary responsibility is<br /></li><ol><li><b>to help them with their learning</b> and<br /></li><li><b>to evaluate</b> the outcome<br /></li></ol></ol><br /><h3>Who and hoW</h3>I think we are already doing a pretty good job with the secondary responsibilities. But we can improve a lot on the primary responsibilities<br /><br /><div><table class="" id="aov8" border="1" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><br /></td><td><i><b>who's job</b></i><br /></td><td><i><b>how (mainly)</b></i><br /></td></tr><tr><td><i><b>to inspire</b></i><br /></td><td>teacher<br /></td><td><ol><li>Every teacher has her own way</li></ol></td></tr><tr><td><i><b>to set free</b></i><br /></td><td>curriculum<br /></td><td><ol><li>More types of degree (basic, major + minor, major + honors etc like the ones suggested by IITB)<br /></li><li>Minimum number of core subjects and a larger pool electives, seminars and projects</li><li>Freedom to trade between a lab course, a theory course or more project work</li></ol></td></tr><tr><td><i><b>to give time</b></i><br /></td><td>curriculum<br /></td><td><ol><li>Lesser contact hours per week</li><li>Lesser number of courses per semester</li><li>Lesser total credit requirement</li><li>Lesser number of exams</li></ol></td></tr><tr><td><b>to give </b><b>resources</b></td><td>system<br /></td><td><ol><li>Open labs and custom equipments</li><li>Open discussion platforms (student and faculty)</li><li>Open library and net access<br /></li><li>Out of syllabus talks, workshops </li></ol></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><h3>The new teacher should</h3><ol><li> (in her own unique way) inspire the students to learn<br /></li><li>mentor the students in their process of learning<br /></li></ol><br /><h3>The new curriculum should<br /></h3><ol><li>give more types of B.Tech degrees<br /></li><ol><li>Minimal B.Tech (something to the tune of 120 credits)<br /></li><li>B.Tech with major in one discipline (120 credits) and a minor in another. (30 credits)<br /></li><li>B.Tech with honors in one discipline (150 credits)</li><li>B.Tech with one major (120 credits) and two minors (60)</li><li>B.Tech with honors (150 credits ) and research output (30 credits)</li><li>...<br /></li></ol><li>have lesser total number of courses and credits</li><ol><li>About 4 courses per semester. 2 of them may have a lab component.</li><li>On an average of 15-16 credits per semester for the week student, 19-20 for the majority and 23-24 for the exceptionally motivated student.</li></ol><li>give a smaller pool of core courses and a larger pool of electives.</li><ol><li>The choice of what goes as core may be based upon the corresponding GATE syllabus.<br /></li><li>Can have lab or project based courses in the pool of electives.</li><li>Can have seminars based contact courses in the pool of electives<br /></li></ol><li>flexible way of earning the credits with in a course (exams + seminars + project + lab demonstration)<br /></li><li>participation based evaluation component (rated discussion forums, voluntary seminars, ...)</li></ol><h3>The new system should</h3><ol><li>leave the labs accesible to students any time</li><li>allow students to initiate purchase of custom equipments using system funds</li><li>provide a collection of open online discussion forums (for various subjects)</li><li>arrange out of syllabus talks and workshops regularly (and allow students to invite experts whom they want in campus)</li><li>provide platform for students to give voluntary presentations to larger audience</li></ol><br /><h2>A proposed curriculum for B.Tech in ECE</h2><br />The choice of core is mostly based upon EC GATE syllabus.<br /><br /><div><table class="" id="ek1z" border="1" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="3"><tbody><tr><td><b>No<br /></b></td><td><b>Course<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>Sem<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>L<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>T<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>P<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>C<br /></b></td></tr><tr><td>1<br /></td><td>Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>2<br /></td><td>Engineering Mechanics<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>3<br /></td><td>Physics for Electronics (??)<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>4<br /></td><td>Computer Programming<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">2<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>5<br /></td><td>Professional Communication<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">2<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">2<br /></td></tr><tr><td>6<br /></td><td>Electronics and Computer Workshop<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">2<br /></td></tr><tr><td><br /></td><td style="text-align: right;"><b>Sem Total (S1)</b><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><b>11<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>5<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>6<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>20<br /></b></td></tr><tr><td>7<br /></td><td>Transforms and Infinite Series<br /></td><td align="right">2<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>8<br /></td><td>Engineering Graphics</td><td align="right">2<br /></td><td align="right">2<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>9<br /></td><td>Logic System Design<br /></td><td align="right">2<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">5<br /></td></tr><tr><td>10<br /></td><td>Electromagnetic Field Theory<br /></td><td align="right">2<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>11<br /></td><td>Economics<br /></td><td align="right">2<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td></tr><tr><td><br /></td><td style="text-align: right;"><b>Sem Total (S2)<br /></b></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><b>14<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>2<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>6<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>20<br /></b></td></tr><tr><td>12<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Probability and Statistics<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>13<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Network Theory & SPICE Lab<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">6<br /></td></tr><tr><td>14<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Solid State Devices & Devices Lab<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">6<br /></td></tr><tr><td>15<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Signals and Systems<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>16<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Physical Ed / Value Ed<br /></td><td align="right">3/4<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">2<br /></td><td align="right">P/F<br /></td></tr><tr><td><br /></td><td style="text-align: right;"><b>Sem Total (S3)<br /></b></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><b>12<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>4<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>6<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>20<br /></b></td></tr><tr><td>17<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Differential Equations & Complex Analysis<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>18<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Electronic Circuits and Circuits Lab<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">6<br /></td></tr><tr><td>19<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Micro Processors and Micro Controllers<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">6<br /></td></tr><tr><td>20<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Random Processes and Analog Communication Theory<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>21<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Physical Ed / Value Ed</td><td align="right">3/4<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">2<br /></td><td align="right">P/F<br /></td></tr><tr><td><br /></td><td style="text-align: right;"><b>Sem Total (S4)<br /></b></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><b>12<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>4<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>6<br /></b></td><td align="right"><b>20<br /></b></td></tr><tr><td>22<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Linear Integrated Circuits & IC Lab<br /></td><td align="right">5<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">6<br /></td></tr><tr><td>23<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Digital Signal Processing and DSP Lab<br /></td><td align="right">5<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">6<br /></td></tr><tr><td>24<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Elective 1<br /></td><td align="right">5<br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>25<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Elective 2<br /></td><td align="right">5<br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td><br /></td><td style="text-align: right;"><b>Sem Total (S5)</b></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><b>20</b><br /></td></tr><tr><td>26<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Communication Theory (IT & DC) and Communication Lab<br /></td><td align="right">6<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">6<br /></td></tr><tr><td>27<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Control Systems<br /></td><td align="right">6<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">1<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>28<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Mini Project<br /></td><td align="right">6<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">0<br /></td><td align="right">3<br /></td><td align="right">2<br /></td></tr><tr><td>29<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Elective 3<br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td>30<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Elective 4<br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right">4<br /></td></tr><tr><td><br /></td><td style="text-align: right;"><b>Sem Total (S6)</b></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><b>20</b><br /></td></tr><tr><td>31<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Major Project + Electives<br /></td><td align="right">7<br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right">15<br /></td></tr><tr><td>32<br /></td><td style="text-align: left;">Major Project + Electives<br /></td><td align="right">8<br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right">15<br /></td></tr><tr><td><br /></td><td style="text-align: right;"><b>Grand Total (Majority of Students)</b><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><br /></td><td align="right"><b>150</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><h2>Electives</h2><ol><li>Department electives should be in at least two pools (Electronic Systems and Devices, Communication and Signal Processing) ... and the department should ensure that at least 6 electives are offered from each pool in each semester.</li><li>Any student who opts for honors in his major should be allowed to take PG courses as electives.</li><li>Any elective course in any department should be a global elective for other departments. </li><li>A student can opt for any number of global electives, but she should ensure that she will take at least 120 credits from the department curriculum.</li><li>A student can choose to schedule her project and elective load between semesters 7 and 8 so as to facilitate those who wish to do a project with an industry or another academic institution.<br /></li></ol><br /><h2>Conclusion</h2><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i><br />"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled."</i><br /><i> ~ Plutarch, On Listening to Lectures</i></div>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-22693729305883662172009-03-01T19:41:00.013+05:302009-08-25T22:44:36.833+05:30Thirasseelaykkappuram<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOU472xAHagoghr4l9R7EO7y_n7wVlWBjIQbizEfv4s5RJVWDlMZXqiN7jSDrVqofz6v3N7K5Xo3VtPjzXWjN-KDf2hQMVDUL_ihIhni2pGDvEPouPcSVxh4JX4cbTOzDRUMtWg/s1600-h/TitleImage.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOU472xAHagoghr4l9R7EO7y_n7wVlWBjIQbizEfv4s5RJVWDlMZXqiN7jSDrVqofz6v3N7K5Xo3VtPjzXWjN-KDf2hQMVDUL_ihIhni2pGDvEPouPcSVxh4JX4cbTOzDRUMtWg/s320/TitleImage.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308243885411419314" border="0" /></a><br />NITC Staff Club presented a Malayalam drama for the entire institute community on Feb 20, 2009.<a href="http://www.scribd.com/full/12901563?access_key=key-2ni6g5ntfnztne57jy9h"></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://beyondthecurtain.blip.tv/">The Video</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B3RDOpmzE_mLYTdiOGZjNjctNWMxMi00Mjc0LTk3Y2ItYTMyMmYzMWIyNDBk&hl=en_GB">The Script </a><br /></div><a href="http://www.scribd.com/full/12901765?access_key=key-2m98y4n6h3eegmx7wgsx">The Team</a></blockquote></div><br />Please watch and comment.<br /><br /><br />PS : If you want to download the file and view it later, you can right click <a href="http://blip.tv/file/get/Deepakmail-Thirasseelaykkapuram292.avi">here and save a 700 MB version of the full drama</a>.<br /><br /><a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width: 0pt;" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-sa/3.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License</a>.Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-28606313818606905152009-01-16T17:56:00.008+05:302009-01-16T18:30:13.421+05:30If I were a frog ...It is long since I posted anything on this blog.<br /><br />Two things are primarily keeping me busy these days. One is the <a href="http://eduserver.cse.nitc.ac.in/course/view.php?id=42">course on Electromagnetic Field Theory</a> which I'm offering for the first time and the other is a small play that the teaching staff at NIT is going to stage shortly. Further details about the play are confidential right now but will be made public (including the script and the video if possible) as soon as the play is staged.<br /><br />As long as I'm in these two, I don't think I'll be able to write anything new here. Hence, in order to break a long silence, I thought I would break it by reproducing a speech that I had prepared for my 7 year old son (Nandu) two months back. The topic given to him was "<span style="font-style: italic;">If I were a fro</span><span style="font-style: italic;">g ...</span>"<br /><br /><br />Here it goes ...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCu4qJs0AweWg1gO6P8xDmImdo3dfKU2iPLWZtDAAIs9_DbFr7XybHI_ZYojJVPPDzPpcOTBv0UCgiSSxKzGmAVSviiwT8T4H-rsWWpUeNifPGe0ye03EMeRDd_YNTe55Eq8kgWg/s1600-h/_MG_1162.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCu4qJs0AweWg1gO6P8xDmImdo3dfKU2iPLWZtDAAIs9_DbFr7XybHI_ZYojJVPPDzPpcOTBv0UCgiSSxKzGmAVSviiwT8T4H-rsWWpUeNifPGe0ye03EMeRDd_YNTe55Eq8kgWg/s320/_MG_1162.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291872236420070626" border="0" /></a><blockquote>I tried to jump with my legs;<br />But I couldn't ...<br /><br />I tried to swim with my hands;<br />But I couldn't ...<br /><br />I tried to open my eyes;<br />But I couldn't ...<br /><br />Suddenly I realised. Oh! I'm in a chloroform tank.<br /><br />Now I remember. I was caught in a sack when I was playing with my friends in the full moon of yesterday night. And I remember well. Because, that will be my last full moon.<br /><br />Tomorrow I will lie, torn but alive, on a dissection table with future doctors of mankind looking down at my beating heart. <span style="font-style: italic;">Knowing not, what it beats for</span>. And tomorrow's moon will see my corpse basking in the moonlight.<br /><br />Respected judges and dear friends,<br /><br />Thank you.<br /></blockquote>PS : He delivered it at the staff club's children's day competition and claimed first place B-)Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-87362454934186468002008-10-19T12:41:00.008+05:302008-10-19T13:07:58.319+05:30Is D ∩ ABC non-empty, atleast?Let A = {Things which can increase the happiness of the larger society}<br />Let B = {Things which I'm capable of doing well}<br />Let C = {Things that I will enjoy doing}<br />Let D = {Things I'm doing now}<br /><br />ABC = A ∩ B ∩ C <br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">(∩ denotes intersection)</span><br /><br />Questions :<br /><ol><li>Is D = ABC? </li><li>Is D a subset of ABC</li><li>Is D ∩ ABC non-empty, atleast? </li></ol>An attempt to answer these will be in my thoughts for a few weeks from now, and possibly will be the content for my next post here.<br /><br />Inspirations for the attempt were from a regrouping of few SFI comrades (TK, Naga, Biren and yours truely) at CET last week and a 2005 talk by P. Sainath titled "<a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9078987899127917834&ei=w5X5SP2GEYT-wQOF0q2_Dg">Globalising Inequality</a>" which I watched yesterday.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(Similarity to the </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.jimcollins.com/lab/hedgehog/p2.html">hedgehog circles</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> of Jim Collins is acknowledged. It was Bharat who told me about them first.) </span>Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-74778070986580806952008-09-24T19:20:00.008+05:302009-04-17T19:52:43.320+05:30[Facutly in] CHARGEWhat is the role of <span style="font-style: italic;">"faculty in charge"</span> in various activities happening in a college campus?<br /><br />Administration allots every non-routine and many routine administrative work to faculty. It might be because they believe that their job ends once the work is allotted. Getting hold of someone responsible for not doing that work is as good as (or sometimes even better than) getting that work done.<br /><br />All student activities need a faculty "advisor". It might be because, for the administration, it <span style="font-style: italic;">a priori</span> fixes the scape goat if something goes wrong. For the students, it gives a liaison officer to the administration.<br /><br />So being a teacher in a college campus, you never know where and when you will step on a<span style="font-style: italic;"> charge</span>. It's like walking on a <span style="font-style: italic;">charged mine field.</span> If interested you can <a href="http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dk8vsfk_36cwnwdpcd">read about the charged mines that I have stepped on in my three and a half years as a teacher</a>. In fact this blog post was triggered by the above.<br /><br />There are <span style="font-style: italic;">positive,</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">negative</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">neutral</span> charges. A positive charge is a kind of charge that charges you up. A negative charge is one which does the opposite and a neutral charge is one which does neither.<br /><br />Charges can come either as <span style="font-style: italic;">orders</span> or as <span style="font-style: italic;">requests.</span> The second is very difficult to refuse, but the first is impossible.<br /><br />Some charges can be transmitted from one faculty to another. It can flow even against the existing field. The barrier potential is different for different faculty. Barrier potential is defined as the work required in bringing a unit charge from infinity to the person.<br /><br />Charges can be transmitted over a wire, especially those terminated with RJ11 or RJ45 jacks.<br /><br />Charges can be stored and sometimes storing the charge does increase the <span style="font-style: italic;">potential</span> of the storer.<br /><br />Charges are particles - they take up (your shelf) space and time. And they have a mass too.<br /><br />Charges are waves - they cause interference patterns.<br /><br />A moving charge can produce a magnetic field. You can observe it as deflections on a special type of compass called the head. The deflection due to the magnetic field is often perpendicular to the direction of motion of the charge.<br /><br />Charges are mortal. After death, they go to reports and home pages.Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-91689253206679501662008-07-29T23:13:00.002+05:302008-07-29T23:46:16.757+05:30Love in the time of ChickenpoxIn fact it was a rediscovering of a love - my love affair with solitude. Ramuvettan told me right when the blisters on my back were confirmed to be those of Chickenpox - "It will be a time to recollect yourself." After a painful stretch of three days when my eyes were also ordered to rest, things suddenly changed. Rest of the fortnight was bliss. This is the summary -<br /><ul><li>ഖസാകിന്റെ ഇതിഹാസം (The epic of Khasakh) - O. V. Vijayan</li><li>The Unbearable Lightness of being - Milan Kundera (It was abandoned midway a few months back)</li><li>ബോബനും മോളിയും - ലക്കം 15 (Boban and Molly, Volume 15) - Toms</li><li>മിണ്ടാപ്പെണ്ണു (Mindapennu) - Uroob. </li><li>19, കനാല് റോഡ് (19, Canal Road) - Sreebala K. Menon</li><li>Selfish Gene - Richard Dawkins (One-third way through)</li><li>Introduction to Topology and Modern Analysis - G. F. Simmons (Part I)</li></ul>Other things that made the pox-time special was that it was the first time my wife got a chance to play the role of the master and caretaker.<br /><br />Even at the cost of a few days of leave without pay and a few permanent pits in the skin, a chickenpox vacation is worth availing.Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31580068.post-77365355016826867122008-06-06T16:29:00.002+05:302008-06-06T16:33:44.406+05:30എനിക്ക് മരണമില്ലഎനിക്ക് മരണമില്ല.<br />"ഞാന്" മരിക്കാതെ എനിക്ക് മരണമില്ല.<br /><br />ജീവനോടെ ജീര്ണിക്കുമീ<br />സ്വപ്നങ്ങള് മണ്ണ് ചേര്ന്നാലും എനിക്ക് മരണമില്ല.Deepakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02298388808219574885noreply@blogger.com3