Hybrid Hues 21st edition by Mukul Kumar

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CO NT EN 6

8 MEET THE ED-BOARD 14 UG LIFE 46 EXPERIENCES 76 TODAY I LEARNT 112 NARRATIVES 142 THOUGHTS 164 PERSPECTIVES 194 MARRIAGE SECTION 198 SPORTS PHOTOS 202 BATCH PHOTOS 208 INTERNS' COLUMN 234 RANKS AND STUFF 236 THE ED-BOARD EXPERIENCE

Meet The Edboard Name: Joshua Abraham Isaac APD No: 420JAI Height: Always high Identification Mark: Abs. Has one of them. Crime: Delays in a stepwise fashion Name: Mehak Arora APD No: M3HAWK Height: 120dB Identification Mark: Sound travels faster than light Crime: Breaks bones. Including hers. Name: Keerthana Kasi APD No: ME2122 Height: Armrest for tall people Identification Mark: Death stare Crime: In for being mates with the inmates

Name: Arjun Saraswat APD No: S6A9RS Height: Marfanoid Identification Mark: Bad jokes. But good English. Crime: Flexes. In Montserrat

Name: Mohamed Shuaib Hasan APD No: LMSH10 Height: Not as tall as he thinks Identification Mark: Lack of facial hair Crime: TWSS jokes 8

Name: Manraj Singh Sra APD No: MSS5RA Height: 4 botal vodka Identification Mark: Kaam mera roz ka Crime: Naa mujhko koi roke naa kisine roka

Name: Archisman Mazumder APD No: WB2USA Height: 4'43" Identification Mark: Teddy bear Crime: Wears green t-shirts for green screen photos

Name: Anustup Bhattacharyya APD No: 2022ME Height: Stooped Identification Mark: Paroxysmal bouts of laughter Crime: Weird Instagram usernames

Name: Hardik Gupta APD No: 180ELO Height: On top of too much work Identification Mark: Poster boy of AIIMS Crime: Skips Ed Board work for anything else Name: Abin Antony APD No: 04E404 Height: 10800 pixels Identification Mark: Looks photoshopped Crime: Hackerman

Name: Anushka Rathi APD No: 2T1NYY Height: Short. But can punch hard. Identification Mark: Not visible to the naked eye Crime: Stalks through hostel entry registers Name: Ishika Gupta APD No: I934HP Height: Tall-ish Identification Mark: Pig patronus Crime: Witch. But don't burn her.

Name: Bhavik Bansal APD No: 1111S1 Height: Slightly bigger than his ego Identification Mark: Not required Crime: Exists

Name: Anagha Patteri APD No: 0000QT Height: Not 6m Identification Mark: Child in an adult's body Crime: Secret stash of serotonin 11

Name: Anna Basil Gomez APD No: PH7345 Height: 3 bananas Identification Mark: Old lady glasses Crime: Silent but violent

Name: Rosemary Jha APD No: 116X59 Height: Paraglides in Colombia Identification Mark: Has thorns and little lambs Crime: Delays Ed Board work citing Insight work and vice versa

Name: Rishika Agrawal APD No: 552159 Height: Tall-ish-R Identification Mark: Ishika with an R Crime: Was not scary on Hallow'een

Name: Maanit Matravadia APD No: FN2187 Height: Always has the higher ground Identification Mark: Luke’s father Crime: Talks like Chewbacca 12

Name: Philemon Kuriakose APD No: E2V2M3 Height: Not reliable due to supine position Identification Mark: Snorlax Crime: Missed the Ed Board photo for sleep (in church)

UG Life

SU report 21-22

President's Note

20 The One Without a Pulse 22

Infest 2021

Trick or Treat

30 shout. 36

Rag, sorry... Interaction

The Faccha Experience

Growing up

40 Bean there, done that 42

Village Diaries

Roll Number 165

SU REPORT 21-22 Rajan Patel, Batch of 2018

Director’s hostel rounds: An inspection of the hostel premises by a higher authority was conducted after more than 3 years. Many issues were pointed out and the Director helped us in solving most of them.

Feb Mar aug sep

Saraswati Pooja: 1 week after the SU formation, Pooja was organised. We struggled a bit as a team but fortunately, everything went well. Interbatch Sports Fest: We organised multiple sports events including football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, TT and frisbee tournaments.

Shivratri: Everyone was served with the Lord Shiva’s Prasad along with a beautiful play by the juniors.

Infest: After a lot of struggle, we were finally able to organise Infest 2022, Aviral, following a 2 year long hiatus.

Holi: Good old mud-pit wali holi was organised to celebrate the idea of togetherness.

Janmashtami: SU, RDA and SYS came together to organise it for the first time in collaboration with ISKCON. SU also organised a DahiHandi competition.

Ganesh Chaturthi: It was also the first ever chaturthi celebration in AIIMS. We celebrated for the entire 10-day duration with a grand Ganeshotsav along with RDA and SYS on the last day. Societies/Clubs: Many new societies were finally started with the help of SWC and PCC.

RCL Squabble: We tried to settle things amicably with respect to the RCL commentary but the RDA executives were very adamant. A complaint was raised and with the active efforts of the SU, other organisations (RDA, SYS, SNA) were barred from conducting any event in the quad.

oct Nov jan feb Dussehra: That evening was very pleasant with some giggles, warmth and good food but the aftermath was notso-pleasant. Halloween: I hope we were able to ward off ghosts with our “scary” face paintings and a hearty bonfire. Internal reservation case: After being deprived of a fair system for more than 2 decades, we finally filed a petition on 29th October 2021 in the hon’ble Supreme Court of India. Special thanks to the SU 2020-21 for taking the initiative.

Diwali: Lighted diyas, sky lanterns, beautiful rangolis and the sweets made the evening joyous.

AC Installation: With the active efforts of the SU, ACs were installed in all the cooperative messes (1st, 2nd, 4th GF and 4th FF).

Insight: The Scientific Society came up with an initiative to conduct the first ever SciFest in AIIMS. We finally got the permission to conduct it in April 2022.

SU Website: Efforts to design and develop an SU website for the first time began.

Welcome Facchas: Orientation for the 2021 batch was conducted virtually. We briefed them about many things including the various activities of the SU and also the newly formed societies/ clubs.

PRESIDENT'S NOTE 21-22 Rajan Patel, Batch of 2018

We formed the SU for the year 201for guessing) Covid-19. As if to throw ge?ing o'Lcial approval for all clubs 2 in February, following multiple cold water over the burning 'Kand ame of societies from the PCC and set up negotiations and compromise our talks. dreams,anationwidelockdown many saw new ones with help of the SWC. Brimming with enthusiasm and the fresh college being closed from 5th Common April rooms and even funds were hopes for a new future, I started towith 28thJune.Andthenonceagaininallocated the foreachsociety,butnotbefore innumerable plans to make AIIMS third a wave of Covid, thus delaying strict thescrutinization over even the most be?er place for all UGs. And despite beginning of the session for the minute new expenditures detailed in the di'Lculties that came along the batch way, I of juniors until 14th February. budgets.IrememberDrSahnisirasking tried my best to do justice to Yet my job. another year without PULSE the was Lit Soc, What on earth would you Expression has never been my strong on the cards, and even an intrabeDelhi doing with a whiteboard worth suit, so bear patience as I walk fest you wasntapproved.AsIreadthrough 40 rupees? But overall, the faculty throughthemanyupsanddownsin the my SU Reports of Mukul and Vijay, members were very supportive of our 13-monthlongjourney. my predecessors, I felt at a lossendeavours, to 'Jnd even though doing things content to write about what our we way have insteadofthepathsetbythem Within the 'Jrst week of SU formation, got done in our tenure. Surely, 75% of madethemexpressconcerns. we faced the task of organizing what the theexecutivemembersgetdonein SaraswatiPuja.iePujawasorganized anormalyeariscentredaroundWePULSE, had the honour of 'Jling the with splendour and was followed and without in the biggest event landmark and ( 'Jrst petition in the internal March by Shivratri and Holi. Be it headache) the of the year to writereservation about, caseonthe29thofOctober, mud pits in the festival of colours, thereor seemstobeli?letheSUis 201 in known the Hon'ble Supreme Court of the amazing skit put up by juniors outside the boundaries of the India campus ¸ thanks in no less part to the SU aYer Lord Shivas PrSUd distribution, for. of 20-1 who had already initiated it is a blessing to be responsible for the work. Innovation came to the doing something that bringsOur all inability of to conduct PULSEforefront may with the foundation of eDC, AIIMS together. But in the early have daysbroken our hearts but the had not Entrepreneurship Development itself,Idiscoveredamajorhindrance marred to our spirits. ie intraCell, batch and the proposal for SciFest by accomplishing all I had set outINFEST to ¸ we had not been organized in two the Scienti'Jc Society, an academic lackedawell-integratedteamyears, toexecute andastheadministration conference noticed replete with clinical plans. ie resignation of the Gents without fail, even our seniorsworkshops, who had talks and Lit events. Not HostelSecywasanothersetback been toour involved in its organization only were two the faculty immensely team. Nevertheless, we performed years our backseemedtohaveforgo?en supportive, the buttheyalsovolunteeredto duties without complaint, for 'Jner no details. one But we did a goodhelp job in intheSciFestactivities,andwegot elsewoulddoourjobsforus. making —Aviral an enormous success, permissiontoconductitonapan-India an event juniors will remember basis for in April 20. ie SU website, an ienextmajorobstaclewas(noprizes some time to come. We succeededidea in conceived for a long while, is in

consequences of some unthinking its 'Jnal stages of designing, ready to for disrespecting his authority) tha actions of campus Youtube in'Kuencers go online very shortly. We conducted admin saw a strong enough point in brought unnecessary media a?ention the 'Jrst of its kind virtual orientation his favour. I do regret having to raise and garnered an enormous amount of sessionforbatchwhere 201, webriefed my voice at a senior o'Lcial of the 'Kak fromofthe them about the various activities theentire community. Such institution (the badass act doesnt wasthe the situation that Director sir had SU and enlightened them about me much) . But whenever I pass by this to be involved in a personal capacity tomine, the smile on his face newlyformedsocietiesandclubs. faccha of stop the nonsense from going on any and the gratitude radiating in his v further. I remember being scared andmerememberthereasonIhadto In other 'Jrsts, the SU, the RDA and makes spending sleepless nights in the SYS came together to conduct doanxiety, it. And it 'Jlls me with the deepest thinking what now. It was Dr Rajeev Janmashtamifestivities,incollaboration satisfactionIhaveeverknown. with ISKCON. ie SU also organizedsir who helped me regain my calm Dahi Handi for the juniors.and Anexplained things to me with iegreat job of the Prez is a thankless one, patience extraordinarily successful event wasand care. ie hundreds butof Imadesuretocollectsmallrewar stories organizedintheAuditorium,with even around his cunningness alongand the way in the form of ful'Jlling shrewand persona now seemed a myth, Director sir joining in the dances memories and many a victory for the as he manoeuvred recurrent celebrations. iis was followed by the UGs.RTIs IhopeIdiddecentlyto'Jllthebig demanding action be taken upon the spectacular success of the 10-day long shoes of my predecessors, and as Vijay students keeping that Give in your e'Iort eve Ganesh Chaturthi celebration, which involved in the play, insisted trouble ofa day not depending on others for ended with a grand Ganeshotsav, again atbay.iesmoothhandling single disaster ofsuchamassivescale renewed in cooperation with the RDA and the thats howchangeoccurs. my faith and increased my respect for SYS. theadminbyathousand-fold. iats about it, I guess. ianks for AYer many a year, we celebrated reading all the way through. All the But even in the case of our interactions Halloween in AIIMS, with spooky very best to the next SU of my facchas with the administration, there were Lots of ashirvaad, may decorations and scary face paintings and facchis. times when di'Ierences turned to ward o'I any supernatural elements. you into achieve all we failed to and set con' Kict.Astudenthavingpassed one of Diwali too was celebrated on a bigger new standards for your successors t his three 'Jrst professional subjects scale than usual, with many lighted achieve. was to sit for all three subject exams diyas, sky lanterns, colourful asked rangolis again.Weurgedtheadminonhisbehalf andexchangeofsweets. Feb20 fortwowholemonthstonotsubjecthim to more than the two exams he needed However, peace with the residents toclearforthenextyear.iiswasaYer was short-lived. ie RCL disrupted four months the student himself had normal life on the campus with loud spentdoingthesame,duringwhichhis commentary blaring from the speakers mental health deteriorated sharply. It for long hours every evening. It was wasonlyaYerIhadaseriousargument unfortunate that the RDA executives withtheRegistrarand ( gotreprimanded were reluctant to come to a common ground on this issue.. Subsequently, theSU'Jledano'Lcialcomplaintbefore theadministrationandtoourrelief,the admindidawaywithRDA,SYSandSNA eventsinthehadaltogether.ieRDA also took credit for installation of ACs in all the cooperative mess of the UGs done by the SU. Future SU members do takenotesfromtheRDAsunscrupulous —marketingstrategies. iis was not the only time we earned the grace of the admin, however. ie evening of Dussehra would witness the birthofoneofthebiggestcontroversies facing AIIMS in the last two decades ¸ thegreatRamLeeladebacle.Unforeseen

The One Without A Pulse Chetanya Mittal, Batch of 2019

•The first fashion show of PULSE was organized in ’89, with ‘Wings’ sponsoring the clothes. The 90’s fash got some lovely pieces from Rohit Bal too! The fashion show of ’91 was especially memorable, culminating in a riot-like event due to unmanageable crowd, with faculty members ending up as acting judges. •Turns out this wasn’t the first unlucky year. PULSE was cancelled for two consecutive years from 1975-76, since the SU (considerably powerful at the time) was dissolved in the Emergency. Similarly, 1990 was a pulse-less year too due to the “Mandal Commission” agitation.

rious time when Pulse was held from 17th -23rd of September. The next six days were a batch trip: » Shimla for 1st Semester » Manali for 3rd semester, » Mt. Abu for 5th semester, and » Goa for the 7th semester. All paid and sponsored by the SU from the proceeds of PULSE (We barely got a PULSE treat last year :(). Of course, it wasn’t officially sanctioned by the administration and definitely involved a bunk!

•Girls Volleyball (yes, you read that right!) – happened for the first and last time in the PULSE of 1998. What is that one thing in AIIMS, which everyone looks forward to more than anything? There’s an obvious answer, which you already know from the title of this article. 2020 was a year, where people had nothing to look forward to, it was a time of despair, and it was the ‘worst of times’, for most people. PULSE, was no exception. Even though I’ve attended only one of it (with most people arguing that it wasn’t a true representation of how PULSE used to be in its golden times), I was still enthusiastic about this one. The Students Union 2020-2021, formed after much tussle, the first one in the last four years to have been formed by election, was perhaps the most disappointed lot – which showed in their efforts to keep the spirit alive with an online fest – PopCorona!

I thought to myself, are there other people from the golden times (when attendance wasn’t mandatory and internal reservation was a still thing :’)), who might have gone through the same? After some hesitation, I decided to put up a post in a Facebook group called AIIMSONIANS where you have people across batches, even people who did their MBBS even before my parents were born! I asked these ‘super-seniors’, to share their own PULSE nostalgia. So the inspiration of the article was a quest to know about the history of PULSE and some good old stories about the fest. The purpose is the same, to pass these on to the younger generations that will come after me.

The inspiration of this article, is the same as the purpose of this article. Everyone was in despair on the ill-fated day of the 16th of September, a day, otherwise known as the start to the best week of a year in the life of an AIIMSONIAN, which takes birth with the power packed ‘P-wave’.

The first input we got was about the conduct of a Sanskriti Quiz in Hindi in our 2001 Pulse. One can only guess that Hindi does get impetus whenever BJP is in power! Let me give you all the trivia as crispy one-liners from here on:

Let’s start with the ‘PULSE Mythology’!

•In the earlier times (1970’s), we used to have 25th September being celebrated as the “Institute Day” as a part of which cultural and sport’s events were held for about a week (sounds like the ancestry of PULSE has been found!) •In 1971 - Most of the outside participants stayed in hostel rooms, back then too. TT was held in the Anatomy Dissection Hall. Fete and the main cultural events were in the Quad with rehearsals! The ‘baraat ghar’ (which I assume refers to the community hall) was also used for accommodation during old times.

•The first music request counter (I think this is something equivalent to a DJ or an MRC as we know it) was started in 1992 PULSE with a budget of 5000 rupees! It became so popular that the ‘Rock show’ flopped that year. (For some reason a lot of dudes would request – ‘O Haseena Zulfon Waali’ :P) •Of course a college fest sans a few fights is incomplete. One year, there was an extremely violent fight in the dissection hall, between Amritsar and Gwalior Medical Colleges, with coke bottles being used as missiles. Of course, this resulted in both colleges being banned from PULSE. Similarly, UCMS used to be across the road, where now VMMC stands. Being jealous, they were always out to sabotage PULSE, even cutting and breaking the auditorium seats. (Maybe today this rivalry has been replaced by the one with MAMC?) •After Pulse all the Organizing committee members would bundle up in Institute buses for a SU sponsored dinner at Pandara Road (reminds you of what we know as the ‘Combined Department Treat’). The three restaurants would come together and put tables in the open for all of the AIIMSONIANS exclusively. The restaurants are for you to find! I’ll give you a hint of their first letter – H, P and G. Try to find the answer in the comments section of the link at the end of this article – (if you did the effort of reading till the end). Some cool trivia, non-pulse-related, extracted from the goldmine that was the comments section: •There was a batch in AIIMS, where there was just one girl out of the lot of 50! (And we, the 2019 batch though we had the worst ratio). •I hope people still keep going to Shimla! There was a glo-

To check out the source thread, scan the qr code above. That’s all for this article folks, I am sure there’s much more to know and there’ much more of this nostalgia to create! Here’s to hoping that PULSE 2021 would make up for ‘The One Without a PULSE’ – 2020! (Written when we thought COVID would last only for 2020 :’))

INFEST 2021 Interviewed and Compiled By Maanit Matravadia, Batch of 2020 and Ishika Gupta, Batch of 2019

A welcome four-day infestation of a student body that had been pulseless for over two years. Having narrowly escaped an almost certain defeat by the 2018 batch, the 2019 batch took on the 2020 batch in what was to be a first in the history of AIIMS- an equal and (mostly) fair Infest. Here, we have compiled the myriad experiences all the participants had, the joys, the sorrows, the fights and the endless naggling for treats that ended with the 2019 batch (spoiler alert) taking the trophy, penned by Maanit and Ishika, who we are sure meticulously interviewed each and every one of the contributors. Do read!

BATTLE OF BANDS

The battle of bands was the most anticipated event for Rishika, Anna, Philemon, Gautam and Vivek. With overflowing excitement, they decided the songs they were going to perform on the very day Infest was announced (although all of them were changed at least 3-4 times before the final performance) ! Lacking a band name and a drummer - enters Mriganka, literally described by Rishika as ‘Phata poster nikla Hero’, since he had no previous experience of drumming, yet he mastered it at the eleventh hour. Since most of the band members were also involved in other batch events, practice sessions were rare and hasty, usually ending as jamming sessions with Vivek picking up whimsical tunes and everyone just joining in for the fun. With sleepless nights and not a single stage run-through, they managed to put together a really commendable performance considering that they were a first-year, first-time band. Rishika admitted that the songs they selected were out of their ‘element’. Moreover, technical difficulties on stage also presented several challenges. However, it was a great learning experience. The memories of uncountable maggis late night and singing Hymn for the Weekend in front of a pumped up AIIMS audience is truly something that they will always remember.

Battle of Bands, or as we call it “BoB” for short, used to be one of the less hyped events in Infest. But this time, the vibe was very different and fresh. The audi was filled with a huge crowd, and for the first time it was more than a band performance with a disappointing crowd (sorry Blitzkrieg :p). The reason? Thirty. Fricking. Points. “So many hours spent on deciding which songs to perform, practicing them in the music room, improvising them a little .. they are undoubtedly some of my fondest memories in my college life.” The most exciting time was the final practice the night before the performance. I was determined to have at least one run through of the entire performance before the D-day. Also, I had a dream to turn an underdog event such as BoB, into something like a star night. How, you ask? Lights! Special thanks to Ravi Ranjan and Bhavik (who managed to learn it at the last minute) for turning a bland music performance into a feast for eyes using the amazing lights of the Audi. The actual performance, despite its ups and downs, went really well. I have to give credit to my whole squad: Hemant, Lohit, Vedant, Kartik Mittal, Swapnil, Amlan, Chirag, Aryan Bansal, and most importantly, Mokshal with his tabla :) And last but not the least, the special performance by the seniors of 2016 and 2017 batch deserves a mention (some of them were the judges of BoB also). It. Was. Rocking. If you haven’t heard Hotel California by the Eagles yet, you should. It was just one of the many iconic songs they performed.

Rishika, Batch of 2020

Kartikeya Sharma, Batch of 2019

BATCH CHOREO For Vivek, Batch Choreo was a rollercoaster. After distributing the leads to various people, they started planning on different dance styles to perform. Already deep in the band, basketball and inaugural practices, an overworked Vivek injured himself on the night before the inaugural, with a fracture in his foot, threatening to ruin all the hard work he had put in. Unable to perform any dance, he managed the backstage chaos of the Choreo along with others. The level of effort put in for Choreo reached its pinnacle when people were seen dancing in the bathroom, alone, at 3 am, mastering all the complex moves for hours at a stretch. Hungry, sleep deprived and nervous about pulling off a daunting and long (20 minutes !) performance as a batch, it was the magic of unity and coordination from every dancer that made batch 2k20 win the event. Though our beloved seniors put up a good show, nothing came close to the fun the audience had during the ‘Mallu dance’, or to the cheers and hoots that chorused during the funny dance, or to the thrill and amusement when the audi went black with UV body painted dancers lighting up the stage like never before. Vivek Kumar, Batch of 2020

FASH Mokshal’s fash prep started when infest was originally scheduled to happen, which thanks to the second wave, took a 6 month delay. Obviously, talking to the fash secys of other colleges and doing the ‘research’ was a pretty enjoyable activity for him ;) After the 4th sem exams, there were tons of largely unproductive meetings, filled with brainstorming (and credit hogging). Quoting him, it was a classic situation of ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’. Finally some good ideas for the themes cropped up and the painstaking task of actually looking for the outfits and props started. There were a few Sarojini visits, where (to everyone’s shock), Mokshal actually gave a real treat :o. When we finally got the Audi after the inaugural, a long and inefficient nighter followed, ending up with me and him stapling dupattas at 7 am in the morning. (seriously how hard is it to find a stapler or tape in the entire hostel 6:|) The final evening was filled with lots of ‘green room confusion’ and concluded with a not-as-spectacular-as-our-inflated-expectations performance but still, a really cool show with no major blunders ;). Mokshal Shah, Batch of 2019

ATHLETICS

SHORT FILM

INFORMALS

For Anantha, organising athletics for Infest was one of the most stressful set of days he had ever faced, yet he’s strangely proud of it. There were three main events; a 100m race, shotput and relay race. People poured in slowly and as the event went underway, he had to handle a lot of conflicts, timing clashes with other events, disagreements and not to mention the scorching sun above! The highlight of the athletics event was the relay race, which took place in the night with a huge audience in the quad to cheer the participants. The intensity amped up like crazy, with the event turning into an ‘izzat ka sawal’. With every batch giving their all, Anantha proudly reports that the 2k20 batch won the girls’ relay event!

Initially, due to his super busy schedule in the inaugural dances and the batch choreo, Ankur was reluctant to participate in the short film. However a casual audition and his newly discovered talent ended up in him landing the lead role in our film. The audition had memorable moments for him, especially Akshat grabbing him by the throat and the innumerable bloopers. Finally the shooting started with a greatly delayed schedule, due to our dancers’ super hectic inaugural schedule, as well as our perfectionist actors (who practiced and did re-shoots for walk in roles:|). And poor Ankur had to get doused 4 times for the shower scene and had to shoot the next scenes shivering and dripping all over Chirag’s room. All this led to most of the editing and finalising work being done hours before the screening (on multiple laptops) and a regret of some of the best elements failing to make the cut because of the time crunch. Initially acting in front of the camera seemed pretty tough, but gradually it became easy and they had a real fun time!

For Hemant, informals began long before the actual Infest during the conduction of the meme competition and the CoD tournament. Due to them being the ‘pulse less’ batch, all the informals secy’s were newbies, and had to turn to the wise old ones for guidance. This time, they introduced some new stuff like limbo, balloon game and treasure hunt, all of which were an instant hit with the participants, just like the hogathon, where the whole of AIIMS campus couldn’t produce an extra bottle of Mountain Dew, when more people showed up than expected:P The couple events were another interesting addition with Bhakal and Rokade receiving the cutest panda as the prize and Sachan picking up her partner like a “sack of potatoes”. And arguably the best informals event, the treasure hunt, where “batch unity” and “teamwork” reached its zenith, had been in the works since late July. On complaining about the amount of running around we had to do, Hemant’s rants about their struggles in making the hunt started and ended the small interview:).

The search for a rangoli, multiple team meetings and brainstorming began 4-5 months before Infest, in hope of a Pulse, which never happened. :( Now of course, the simple rangoli design had to be replaced with the more complex one, which had originally been earmarked for pulse :). As Hardik carefully reminded us, fine arts is more than just the magnificent rangoli. The t-shirt designers took 10 days to exceed expectations and came up with superbly creative designs (and an inspiration for launching a “summer collection” in the future). For Hardik, this was a very different experience from Pulse, where he was just a faccha. Here he had to manage everything and get the team together (and the tough part, get them to actually work). Organising the competitions on a super tight budget unlike Pulse and yet pulling in significant participation, was a task in itself, with anime, origami and mask painting (COVID special :P) being the new additions. And of course the best part, the annual rangoli nighter happened, with our motivated team braving through the night till 10 am, and Abin going directly to Paeds posting the next morning (respect-100). He thanks Suryansh as the fine arts secy, and his dear friend for managing his angry outbursts and also for the dinner breaks and treats, the fine arts special tradition:D, (seconded, they were GREAT) He calls it an “UNFORGETTABLE experience throughout’’ (obviously!)

Ankur Yadav, Batch of 2019

Hemant Khandelia, Batch of 2019

With ‘bade log’ from the 2019 batch and above (ahem, Pranav and Parul) showing their literary prowess in all Infest lit events, I made sure that the 2020 batch got some portion out of the large amount of points allotted to lit. Stressing at midnight about overlapping events and scanty participation, we came up with an idea to have a ‘dream team’ for the quizzes to make sure that at least one of our batch teams won the top spots. Call it desperation or madness, I actually held interviews and auditions to test my batchmates’ pop culture trivia knowledge (“how many staircases does Hogwarts have”) to craft an all-star team to challenge the seniors. Similarly for the gen quiz, whose team (Bhoomit, Archit and Vineet) carried out their responsibilities to win as the gen quiz masters of 2020 batch. With exciting nighters, games like Dingbats and a very intimidating, yet enjoyable JAM event, the lit part of the Infest was, to say the very least, as lit as it ever gets!

This being the first and the last Infest for the 2019 batchBhavik talks about the fomo storm that hit him as soon as he returned from the NIRMAN workshop and ended up registering for as many sports events as he could and begged people to insert him in the batch choreo sequences (the preparation of most hadn’t started anyway :P) and ended up handling the stage lighting in fash as well. It was the competitive spirit during the futsal match on the eve of Infest that motivated him to start rallying people for lit events, lit-erally forcing us to wake up in the mornings for the quizzes after the hyperactive Infest nights (The way we steamrolled the lit events over our juniors does owe some credit to this annoying motivation). The event he remembers the most fondly was JAM (obviously duh, since he was getting all the attention of the JAM master) At this point, it became impossible to extract any more relevant info and we reminisced about the amaaazing 4 days and nights (someone give me a box of tissues pls)

Hardik Gupta, Batch of 2019

Maanit Matravadia, Batch of 2020

Bhavik Bansal, Batch of 2019

Anantha Parakrama, Batch of 2020

FINE ARTS

LIT

TWISTED FILM So the 4 days of fun, extravaganza, high adrenaline and minimal sleep that we lovingly call “Infest” has ended leaving us a lifetime of memories and some pretty heavy post-infest blues to face. Easily the four best days of this year, it ended just like it began, with a bang and on a high. The last event for Infest was the “Twisted Film,” which was one of the most wickedly delightful things we all have come across in a long time. And as icing on the cake, batch 2k19 ended up winning it. What merely started as a couple of late night meetings and casual chats, soon transformed into laughter-infested brainstorming sessions and sleepless nights, where everyone had their chance at having a shot of stimulating their “A” rated humour. The best thing about this event was how everyone chipped in with even the slightest of contributions and played their parts to perfection. Obviously, our kingpins Dhananjay and Bhakal had a hard time getting everyone to rehearse amidst the hustle and bustle of all the other events, but thanks to their commitment and everyone’s efforts (read notoriety), we pulled it off. One of the most pivotal things was the props and the make-up. Kudos to Abin, Hardik(G), Megha, Swapnil and co to chip in with all the hard work. Watching the audience join in the fun with each and every dialogue with their deafening laughter and cheer was really the best gift we could all have expected. The actors, mainly our lead “ladies” were spot on. The impromptu changes in the script made it all the more fun. And, how can a TF be complete without the traditional “Anda-tamatar”. It is the very unique way in which our seniors shower us with love. The way the actors did their parts to perfection while being caught in the crossfire was commendable. The sad part is that this was our first and last Infest, but these memories will surely go down with us to the grave. Ishika Gupta, Batch of 2019

Photo courtesy Dr. Alen o J eo J esph, Batch of 2016

arking the ancient Celtic New Year and the end of summer and harvest, celebrated every year is a night of costumes, laughter, and joy-Hallow'een. This festive night of the 30th of October is believed to be the night where the two realms of the living and dead merge for the spirits to cross over, and hence people surrounded by bonfires set up to ward off evil spirits and protect their homes and families. In present times it has become a day for carving jack-o-lanterns, dressing up in costumes, and trick-or-treating. Honouring this 2000-year-old tradition, a humble celebration was organised by the student body of AIIMS, Delhi behind the 6th hostel on 30th October 2021. The night spooked off with some snacks and a bonfire, fuelled with laughter, fun, and smiles, most definitely warding off spirits and negativity away from the upcoming year. The main highlight of this night, illuminated by enchanting orange lights, and a bright bonfire, was the face painting competition in which the students were able to explore the boundaries of their creativity. The joker canvassed by Hardik Gupta and brought to life by Chaitanya Gupta was so intimidating that not only did it serve as his first Instagram post but also made its way into the first years’ horror-themed Return Freshers as a decoration item. The seniors that were initially reluctant to participate were intrigued by the enthusiasm of the first years and hence ended up trying face painting as they were reminded of their first year experiences. The boredom of Sakshi and KG promoted them to randomly paint Shuaib’s face with the first google suggestion to the words, “bad face painting,” and sign his cheeks, imparting, as KG says, an important lesson- “Great artists always sign their work”.

Hallow'een 2021

Trick or treat 28

While the minds of the painters presented pieces such as the Cyborg-Butterfly, Venom, Joker, and other much fascinating and spine-chilling yet gorgeous face arts, some other minds were cooking up mischief as they rounded up confessions from the other attendees. As Ishita and Aash-

ish began to read the chits collected from the guests, some honest feelings and a lot of roasts fueled the crowd. A lot of inside jokes made their way into the night. The 2019 people were particularly grilled with many sarcastic comments and personal vendettas. As the night drew to an end, prizes were given out for the face painting competition as the Cyborg-Butterfly by Arjun, Ankur, Prachi and Rishika on Alisha swept the first prize with Gupta's Joker art and Venom presented by Mohith and Dhanush on Jaideep followed in a close second and third place respectively. The eventful night’s end was marked by a friendly hand of poker in the SU room with a lot of food and jokes as the clean up progressed simultaneously. The organisers- Lokesh, Suryansh, and Madhav believe that cultural festivals are things that excite the students more than anything else and for one to enjoy such fests there is no better place than AIIMS, Delhi. This was a major factor for the initiation of Halloween celebration. With the reduced probability of Pulse to occur this year the Chief coordinators of the SU wanted to celebrate any event to the best of their ability. To quote Madhav, “Bunty CC bana hai kuch na kuch toh karke hi jayega”. Determined to make the most out of the chance given to him to celebrate Halloween and inspired by Shaktiman’s antagonist’s word saying ‘andhera kayam rahe’, the three set off to plan an amazing party. The fine arts team along with Lokesh outdid themselves giving the garden behind the 6th hostel a spooky look. They arranged snacks, firewood, speakers, paints, refreshments and BOOM the party was on. The excitement of the attendees for the confessions round as a newly introduced activity was obviously visible. Madhav expressed his wish for the facchas to carry out the traditions of AIIMS and introduce many new and fun celebrations to the culture of AIIMS to keep the spirit of all fun events alive. Halloween has always been an exciting event for the students. This night celebrated traditions, culture, togetherness and the joy of being at AIIMS. Rishika Agarwal Batch of 2020

sh It’s 2022. AIIMS has been living under a rock, with homophobic sentiments festering unchecked in every nook and cranny. The Pride movement is a myth to many; the repealing of article 377 a distant piece of trivia UPSC aspirants resign to a corner of their brains. But things are soon about to change, for two proud members of the queer community decide to take things into their own hands, combating homophobia and ignorance all by themselves, and bringing relief to the numerous closeted people looking for a safe space to come out. Their names are Pranav Rai and Sankeerth Sadananda of the 2017 batch. Here you can read the results of an interview taken by Anagha and Ishika, and we hope you enjoy reading it as much as they enjoyed taking it. Anagha:Letmestarto'Ibyaskingyou dealwithit? say the rudest things in passing, think this. Was there a trigger point or any ing that its very casual to make jokes incident that made you thinkP:that Personally, it's I struggled withabout some peoplewhoaregay.Butnowyou hightimeAIIMSgotanassociation internalised like issues in 1th and cant12th calloutgaystu'I,youcancallout AhSIS? standard, and I always used to feel homophobia. like Even growing up, my el I wish I could change. And I de'Jnitely der brother would end up saying some Pranav: iere was no trigger point tried as tocontrolmythoughts.By homophobic theend shit. Even my dad would. such.Iwantedtocomeouttomysister of12thstandardandaYerallthe iat exams, kindoftoldmewhatIwasfeeling 'Jrst before starting anythingIat came AIIMS. to terms with it but I was back still then was really wrong and maybe She is at AIIMS and I didnt want her ashamedofwhoIwas,andIdidntwant Ill grow out of it. I used to idealise my to hear it from someone else. I felt, todiscuss if I itwithalotofpeople. elder brother and my dad, obviously. came out to people, Id be more- com Butthengraduallyyourealisethatthey fortableandmoreateasein-anyAYer conver coming to AIIMS, I came out toarealsohumans,andsothats - alsocon sation if the other person knew two who of myI close friends 'Jrst, in - aditioned mo bysocietyonly. was. ment of grief, thinking that if - my fam ily is so conservative in other YouTube aspect and gay movies helped a lot, Also,Ifeltitwouldbeniceifother - of things, peo how conservative will helped theyme realise that its very normal plecouldalsobecomfortablewith be when whoI come out to them. Gradual - to feel like this. But yeah, during that theyareintheirsurroundings. - ly Iperson over the years, the feeling ofstruggle shame walaphase,Iendedupdatinga allyfelt,knowingthatsomeonechanged isgoing toafeelingofpride,especially girlinschoolandthatwasverytoxic.It through the same path as you isduring reallythese pandemic days. I actively wasaveryawkwardsituation,butlater helpful.Anywaynoonewasdoing-anystarted following stu'I on theon Internet, I came to terms with it and I came thing, so I decided to take ma?ers and into my understanding and awareness out to her also. She was like, Oh, that myownhands. also increased drastically - and makes my con alotofsense!. 'Jdence also increased. Over the years, Gradually,Icameouttoacouple - ofIve peo seenmoreandmorerepresentation Later I told my brother, and he - apolo pleinmysecondsemester.Another ofqueer two peopleinthemedia.My - con' gized J too for all the stu'I that he had inthenextfewweeks.ienafewinmydence got boosted a lot during - said, the pan and it was all very healthy. AYer next semesters. iis year, I camedemic. out Coming out to more peoplecoming and here, I was talking to a very to my mom and my sister. And whentheir positive responses gave close me more friend and I was just so free in AhSISstarted,Icameouttotherest con'Jdence. of conversation, and it just came, and he theAIIMSfamily.Itwasgradual,notas alsoreactedsocasually.Iwaslikeokay, dramaticasitsshowninmostmovies. Sankeerth: No doubt, because society that just happened? I also didnt react, will condition you saying that - he also Ac " didnt react. I was like wait, Ishika:Didyoustrugglewithanykind cha ye to weird he", and there will shouldnt be it have been more dramatic? of internalized phobia? How did soyou many instances when people ien will gradually I just ended up telling a

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“

been a source of great inspiration and support?Arolemodelofsorts?

ierewasno hugedramatic momentof comingout, verydi'Ierent fromwhatIwas usedto;some hypersexual, dramaticor tragic representation.

rag... sorry,

Interaction* Mrinal Kutteri, Batch of 2021

“After NEET, life will be under my control I will be my own boss” This is what I thought 3 months ago, I now see how deluded I was. It all started one fateful morning, When I got a text, “Congrats facche, intro bhej” Little did I know what was yet to follow, An apocalypse set off by that single message

Remember those adverts for McDowell’s drinking water? You know, that no.1 yaari wala ad? Even that is less misleading than the statement, “Seniors are harmless. They just wanna chat.” The most petrifying sound in the world today Is the ringtone for a WhatsApp video call Every time I pick up the call, I think “How much further can my pride fall?” Task ke naam mein kuch bhi chalta hai, Har ek task hota hai aisa, Jo bhi bachpana baaki tha, ho jaata hai nasht, Har ‘Mummy’ ban jata hai ‘Acid’ ya ‘Sexa’

They tell me that this is all for your own good For you, your seniors will fight tooth and nail. Be that as it may, it doesn't change the fact That we all get PTSD whenever we hear, “my details?” Like anyone else, I'm excited to start college To make the leap to AIIMS from a coaching centre I hope that, on the basis of the bonds established now, My seniors will change from my dementor to my mentor.

* Disclaimer: The following piece has been written in good humour. I do not intend to disrespect the concept of interaction, and personally I have no complaints against the process.

The Faccha Experience

Growing up

Maanit Matravadia Batch of 2020

Ishika Gupta Batch of 2019

Photo courtesy Bhaskar Sahu Batch of 2017

Nagging alarms, bleary eyes, Dirty whites and paradise, Staring at a 9, hunting for fresh clothes, Running to the shower, throwing a few blows, Stumbling to the mess, chewing a stale bread, Heaving our bags, pushing our way ahead, The beating heart of the campus, oh how it inspires, Seeing hundreds in white coats, our soul never tires, Each day a new event, a new party, a new opportunity, From Quad to ward, everyone is our community, Days in the SU room, heads pounding over Anatomy, Days in the hostel rooms, hearts pounding over girls; our greatest fantasy,

Amongst the trendy short skirts and high heels, I still wanna wear a princess ball gown, In a hall decorated with flowers and tinsels, Just for a night, let my hair down.

Every other sip charged with caffeine, Every other night, to the library we teem,

Photo courtesy Arvind Singh Batch of 2018

Isn’t this what we deserve, after sacrificing our adolescenceA life....full of infinite moments...

In a world full of “black is love”, I still love the hues of pink; Amidst the lovers of Dionysus’s liquor, Mom’s lemonade’s still my favourite drink. In a world governed by “attraction”, With dating apps as today’s turtle doves, Still I can’t help but believe, In pure unblemished fairy tale love.

From formalin to formals-in, dissection and dates, Dozy didactics and drunken escapades,

Discovering a new family, as much joy as it’s a challenge, Living on your own, as exhilarating as it’s daunting; Yet, stumbling and hustling, we find that delicate balance, An experience of a lifetime, always transforming.

All around me, I see the world grow up, I’m in it, yet it seems so far away. Becoming adults, mature and serious, Maybe I can’t, or maybe I don’t wanna be one, for another day.

It ain’t the modern raps or rock music, But, the tune when my fave cartoon used to start, It isn’t the dark realism of GOT, But Harry Potter’s innocence that warms my heart. I know it isn’t real to expect people to do good, It’s almost silly to think they always should, And yet, I don’t wanna grow up just now, Maybe tomorrow, maybe another day I would.

bean there done that Compiled by- Abin Antony, Batch of 2019 Maanit Matravadia, Batch of 2020 Parnika Nangla, Batch of 2021

n>=106 people opened the questionnaire that was circulated out of whom 106 patient souls finished it completely. Roughly 40% of the responses came from the 2020 batch whereas the remaining responses were equally divided between 2019, 2018 and 2017. Since the 2021 batch was still in the interaction period at the time this form was circulated, no responses were accepted from their batch.

Majority (66%) thought that interaction was mostly good with some bits of bad in it.

45.3% of the people felt that engaging into meaningful conversations with the seniors make way stronger bonds as compared to the usual tasks of physical interaction (12.3%)

Almost everyone can name someone who is: Socially isolated and did not interact Socially isolated and interacted a lot Well-adjusted and did not interact Well-adjusted and interacted a lot

35% of AIIMSonians think that physical forms of interaction (buzzer and beyond) are okay. 5% are in favour of direct physical forms such as slaps and counts.

38% enjoyed interaction. 70% missed it.

half of the ‘participants’ (about 55.7%) said that they had benefitted; while the rest either stayed the same after interaction or actually withdrew themselves a little.

Is interaction necessary for leading a socially active life at AIIMS? Is interaction sufficient for leading a socially active life at AIIMS?

VILLAGE DIARIES Arjun Saraswat Batch of 2018 Encapsulated in numerous pixels on our phones, this posting was a treasure trove of memories- and enormous amounts of free time. When you first get to Ballabgarh, the schedule looks daunting- 8am – 5pm classes/health facility visits every day, plus the occasional 6-7pm evening class; but slowly you come to realise that what passes for a lecture in Ballabgarh is more often than not sitting in the seminar room and talking with your batchmates, or just lounging around, doing next to nothing, while a disinterested teacher sometimes might try to teach you something. And exactly therein lay the beauty of this posting- in the careless chatter and general amalgamation of all our thoughts in the hostel and class rooms we shared. In these six weeks, you will get to know your friends better, and get to become friends with people who merely a month and a half ago were just your batchmates. Another big part of this posting are the health system visits and your OUCH project (that’s an acronym for Orienting Undergraduates to Community Health- you know you are doing community medicine when you encounter acronyms fancier than the things they stand for). To show you the health system infrastructure and hierarchy in India, you are taken to different hospitals in the locale of Ballabgarh. For me, these visits were extended Spotify playlists occasionally interrupted by ads about vaccines, and drugs, and tuberculosis units, for I was the travelling DJ. One of my proudest achievements as DJ was to condition all the boys in my batch to start belting out Himesh Reshammiya’s (our lord and savior, praise be upon him) seminal poetry as soon as they heard the slightest whisper of a nasal note held longer than half a minute. And the visits were occasionally informative too, I guess.

Most of our evenings were spent playing frisbee (for the introduction of which into the social milieu of batch A I would like to assume full credit) and occasional trips to the gym, and our nights were spent kicking people out of the reading room so that we could watch movies there. Occasionally we would make some time to study, and then, suddenly, it was time for our assessment. The CCM assessment is a week-long affair, with vivas and presentations and family visits rolled into a condensed expression of the last 5 weeks. The vivas, on their own, are pretty easy and manageable, but it is the paucity of time juxtaposed with the overwhelming amount of material that can be read that often leads to people doing nothing at all. So the most of the time the majority of people just read the topic the guys in front of them were asked and just with this manage to coast through the assessment without much trouble. Then, after what feels like a lifetime, the posting ends, and we all head back to AIIMS, having learnt a little, enjoyed a little bit more, cursed the department and our SR passionately, and, in my case, having developed a crippling Centre Fresh addiction (it was my staple snack- I would buy no less than ten a day). Cherishing our new friendships, and reveling in our shared memories, we promise to be back as an intern (but hopefully not as a JR).

The OUCH project is a qualitative study, which mostly involves group discussions and interviews, and an intervention, all done with the community. This, for me, was an interesting practice, as I genuinely enjoyed learning what people thought about and felt they needed from the health system. I realized that every solution in medicine goes way beyond the prescription pad, and a lot of social aspects need to be dealt with or at least acknowledged to effectively treat a person. This process of interviewing and transcribing and analyzing data is spread over most of the posting, and at the end we do an intervention using the findings in our study. Usually this is a short skit addressing whatever issue we identified, and this was pretty fun to do too.

“ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH AN OLD LADY FROM THE ‘58 BATCH, KIDDO? IF SO, YOU ARE WELCOME.” This was the beginning of Abin’s friendship with Dr. Gomathy Gopinath, Roll no. 165, from the third MBBS batch in AIIMS, New Delhi. When asked for ideas for the magazine, he suggested that we interview her. At first, she was reluctant, but later, after some persuasion, she finally caved and agreed to let us interview her. So, on the 13th of February, 2022, around 65 years after she joined this glorious institute, she sat down to be interviewed by two “kiddos” who joined 63 years later. Back in those days, AIIMS had a subjective entrance exam, and it was also one of the first colleges in India to introduce it. Unlike today, there were no coaching institutes, and competition was much lower than what it is today. Board exams were the criterion for exam eligibility and people who weren't able to get admission into other medical colleges would appear for the AIIMS entrance exam. Soon enough, as you would expect, people started to prepare for this entrance exam, and the college thronged with the Delhi lads (DPS students) after the first 4-5 years. In 1958, just 2 years after the All India Institute of Medical Sciences was founded, she was one of the 50 students who were trained to be the next batch of doctors in the post-independence era.

Roll Number 165 How was the SU of the old? How did undergraduates qualify for a seat in AIIMS? How was ragging when the institute was founded? If you have ever wondered about any of these questions, this is an article you must read. Here we have interviewed (read: chit-chatted with) the 165th student at AIIMS, Dr. Gomathy Gopinath of the 1958 batch, and compiled this sweet ode to the ever-evolving AIIMSonian spirit.

Interviewed by Abin Antony and Bhavik Bansal, Batch of 2019 Compiled and highlights curated by Abin Antony, Batch of 2019 and Joshua Abraham Isaac, Batch of 2018

The total strength of the 1958 batch was 50 students, which included 18 girls (a record they held for years to come), and 5 foreign national students from Nepal, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. UG life in AIIMS was beyond lines of differences and similarities and more inclusive, unlike the microcosms we see in AIIMS these days. The faculties knew each student personally. Every student had a faculty guardian and there was one-to-one interaction between them. They even invited the students to parties held at their homes. They would also join the girls’ Freshers’ Party, which used to be held in the terrace of the girls’ hostel. However, they did not have ramp walks like we have today. The MBBS curriculum used to be 4.5 years long, split evenly into three proffs. Most of the faculty were very well versed and advanced in their fields. They were pioneers in their

respective departments. There was, however, a language barrier because people came from different parts of India, just as it is today, and not everyone was fluent in English and Hindi. Sources of information were a limiting factor as the Internet did not exist then. In spite of this, they leaned on each other and helped everyone learn. They usually faced minimal pressure during the exams, even though the friendliness of the faculty always just stopped outside the examination hall. Village postings during internship used to be in Kurali and Ballabgarh, but only the boys were posted in Ballabgarh. Interaction/ragging was different from what we have today. Girls were put in the shower and then made to take rounds around the compound during their ragging. There used to be no ramp walks in freshers’. Boys weren't allowed to rag girls back then. A Student's Union didn't exist back then, so the director had to manage everything in the campus. The first Pulse was conducted years later, but they had other events like the Institute day, in which everyone, including the faculties, actively participated. All sorts of sports were played next to an open space near the Nurses’ hostel. A swimming pool was built long after she completed her post graduation. After MBBS, there was no serious competition for PG, and people usually got the branch they preferred. People were also encouraged to go to the USA to pursue higher studies, owing to better education and training facilities. Matching into a residency programme in the US was also easier then than what it is now. Recruitment from India used to be direct, and students were encouraged to go there, as the institute bore the entire cost that was incurred. One reason for this might be that in the post colonial period, Indians were better speakers of English than the rest of the world, and thus Indian doctors were preferred. “Will probably not even recognize the campus today, it has grown so fast” she says today, after becoming faculty and then HoD of the Department of Anatomy, having been on campus from 1958 through 1998. She met her husband here, Dr. Gopinath, who was one year her senior. Dr. Gopinath later completed his residency in Internal Medicine in the same institute and would later go on to be one of the key members in setting up the Department of Nuclear Medicine in AIIMS. When we asked her if she had any advice for the present students, she told us that everyone in their batch had helped each other grow in all aspects throughout their UG years- this is how it was and this is how it should be. She also reminded us to take pride in our alma mater and to cherish the years we spend here.

Experiences

50 Nirman 52

Virgin Hemicolectomy

Lifeline एक्सप्रेस

Narcos & Nachos

Dichotomy

Sangwari

बच्चे

Letter to Young Interns

"A mind that is stretched by new experiences can never go back to its old dimensions."

Photo courtesy Dr. Alen oJ e oJ esph, Batch of 2016

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

around and shouting- “What is the purpose of my life? Why am I doing what I do? Am I a good person? Is there any universal morality, that’ll tell me whether I am good or not?” and so on, to which your supremely drunk friend, with a commanding air of authority, would reply, “I don’t know man, but I really really really love you.” Nirman is like that friend, except that it isn’t drunk, and that it actually gives you a solid framework to tackle the most important questions of your life. You start on this journey with thirty other students just like you, who are looking for their way in life. Under the able guidance of the Nirman team, we start on our journey to getting answers by first framing questions, and writing down what it is we came looking for. After that is done, we get started with the meat of the workshop, which mainly focuses on two things- developing our capabilities as ‘emerging youth’, and helping us find a way to help serve society. Through discussions, case studies, and occasional powerpoint presentations, we are forced to ponder on morality, our purpose in life, and the humanness of our existence. In an attempt to not give too much away, I will limit the further ramblings in this article to what I learned from Nirman. First of all, I discovered my moral core. I learned that I should use my moral compass for all the decisions in my life, and that I should not fall prey to moral ambiguity, where even if I believe something to be wrong, I keep quiet, quoting the age old adage of ‘what’s right is different for everyone.’ I realized that I was using this idea of individual morality as a method to not take a stand on issues, and not to assign things into neat categories of right and wrong, leading to inaction. It is only by staying true to a strict moral code and using it for every important decision of my life that I can actually lead a fulfilling and meaningful existence. I also began to actively search for my purpose in life, and not float along passively in the direction everyone is going, but stop for a while, and actually think of what I want to do.

joined Nirman because I had heard positive things from seniors. They said that it was a very good experience, and that I would thoroughly enjoy attending the workshop. So I thought I would write this article so that you are not misguided the same way I was. Nirman wasn’t just a good experience, it was a life-altering one. It uprooted all I knew about the world, proceeded to make compost out of all my speculations about the future, and use it to fertilise a new approach to living. I went to Gadchiroli to answer those questions which pop up in every college going student’s head after they have had a stiff drink or two, when the speakers are playing soft and thoughtful music, and the soft glow of dawn slowly illuminates the remains of what has been a night full of debauchery and much jumping

I learnt what a purpose should be- a strong, long lasting goal for your life, which is both personally meaningful and socially driven. Though I still do not know what the purpose of my life is, I have some inkling now, and I enthusiastically look forward to uncovering it fully. Now I look to answer the question ‘why’ before I focus on the ‘what’. Nirman also taught me what it means to be flourishing as a youth, and how we can best use these years where we slowly transition to adulthood. This period of emerging adulthood, as the people at Nirman call it, is one of great turmoil and doubt, and it is important that we continuously strive to develop our capacities as best as we can. It is vitally necessary for us to read good literature, learn more and more about the world around us, and at the same time take care of our bodies in order for us to grow into actively contributing members of the society. I feel this is also important to prevent ourselves from falling prey to the tunnel vision which living in a fatally demanding success driven environment such as AIIMS tends to lead us to.

And finally, Nirman gave me a group of like-minded friends to join me on my journey to discovering my purpose and leading a meaningful life. Now I know that I am not grappling with uncertainty alone, and I know that if I look for it, help will always be there. These people were the embodiment of the drunk-friend metaphor I started this article with, and I hope to truly tell them all, and the lush fields of the SEARCH campus, that I really, really really love them. To put an end to what has been an exorbitant amount of exposition on my part, I would sincerely urge everyone to try and apply for Nirman, or at least go to their website and look into what they really do there. Even if you are not selected, every step of the application process makes you think deeply about important matters that we usually brush aside, and you always walk away a better human after any interaction with Nirman. Arjun Saraswat Batch of 2018

“Nirman is like that

friend, except that it isn’t drunk...

”

Virgin Hemicolectomy Hardik Bendale and Hardik Gupta, Batch of 2019

As we flipped through the spectrum of postings, our turn landed on the surgery department. During one of our OPD postings, with lunch thirty minutes away, Dr. Sunil Chumber called it a day. As we were about to make our way out of the OPD room, he invited us to the major operation theatre (OT) for a live show the next day. The invitation was met with a mix of joy and dilemma as only three of the five could go. Finally, we decided to settle matters by a show of hands. As it turned out, Hardik Gupta, Hemant and I were lucky enough to go to the OT. The next day, as we were climbing the stairs to the 8th floor after the lectures, our mind raced with possibilities of being rejected at the entrance. But it turned out, Dr. Chumber’s name was like a secret code to Alibaba’s cave. As soon as we uttered his name, the security guard provided us with detailed guidelines about how to get the scrubs, chappals and a place to change. We marched on to get the necessities. When we asked for the chappals, we were told to pick from the random footwear stacked in a box. We failed to spot even a single proper pair. At first, we thought it was a prank but they remained dead serious. Exasperated, we all picked pairs that looked the least ridiculous. One of us even wore the same sided slippers on both feet. We were yet to realise that most people in the OT were too occupied to give a damn about our footwear. The mandatory “first pic in scrubs” was obviously clicked. Superficially transformed, we all walked very purposefully towards OT III. My first few steps filled my heart with awe. I was about to witness a live freaking surgery! Standing at the patient’s feet, we had a good view of the proceedings, no less than a miracle for our inexperienced eyes. Dr. Chumber was the artist, assisted by many residents. The hemicolectomy was our virgin experience. The air was wrapped with unfamiliarity- both in word and action. I was like, “Kuchh samajh nahi aya, par achha laga.” After the major part was done, the guru let his disciples patch up the anastomosis

between the ileum and transverse colon. I was shocked when 35 sponges were counted and removed from the patient’s abdomen. His attention then shifted to us. He elaborated the absolute basics of various surgical instruments like suction pump, needle holder, stapler to name a few. He asked us to observe the surgery more closely sans tactile stimulation. We were then directed to examine the mass in a side room. An SR initially washed the specimen in running water. He then kept the specimen on a clean green cloth which was soaked in water. With extreme care, he took some pictures of the intact artefact. “Professors require a perfect photo of the specimen” he put in. The ileum and colon were then cut open, followed by the tumour itself. There was a plethora of mucoid discharge from the tumour, which was a teensy bit nauseating. The tumour was a mucocele. The lumen of the appendix was blocked by a suspected malignant lesion due to which mucoid secretions accumulated in the appendix. This led to its dilation. After images of the cut specimen were captured, it was kept in 10% formalin solution. The bottle was labelled and after a lot of form-filling and related paperwork, it was sent to the histopathology lab for further diagnosis. As the surgery was nearly completed, the surgeon decided it was enough for us and sent us off with an SR to the cafeteria. On our way out, he warned the SR to only buy us one samosa for the fear that our whole batch would turn up to the OT the next day. Although we knew that we had not really accomplished anything, we returned with a feeling of content for having crossed a major milestone in our lives. We also took with us fancy terms that we had learned that day, to flex in front of our batchmates. We rushed to our rooms, to rest our tired feet after the day’s hard work, contemplating on whether to bunk the afternoon practical or not. Photo courtesy Dr. Alen oJ e oJ esph, Batch of 2016

dropouts, here they were just made to sit at home.

LIFELINE एक्सप्रेस Manraj Singh Sra and Amulya Gupta Batch of 2018

Medical school, as such, can be exhausting, but after a year of “online medical education”, we were worn out from staring into the void of Zoom screens and craved real patient interaction. Thus, when we got the opportunity to volunteer at the Lifeline Express, which is a train turned into a hospital, we were intrigued and excited to finally have some real-world experience. In February, 2021, we finally arrived at Bajpatti railway station in Sitamarhi, Bihar where the Lifeline Express was that month. Unlike standard Indian trains, this one moved only once a month, usually going to another small, indolent, and uncelebrated district of India. Crowds of people from neighboring hinterlands would pour in for the next few days, carrying with them nothing but hope-the hope of getting relieved of their ailments. This train, named the Lifeline Express, is a mobile hospital managed by the Impact Foundation, an NGO. We were volunteering there as medical students in the epilepsy clinic run by Dr. Mamta Bhushan Singh, a neurology professor at AIIMS New Delhi. To our surprise, the Lifeline Express was way better and well equipped than expected. It had a screening room for hypertension and diabetes, along with a functioning operation theater for ophthalmological and ENT operations and sub-specialty clinics.

The experience at the Lifeline Express helped us gain a greater understanding of the rural-urban divide in healthcare in India. Contrary to one of the most commonly encountered myths that patients in rural areas do not trust modern medicine and would not seek treatment even if offered, patients here wanted to seek treatment and it was the lack of the healthcare system to effectively reach out to them that was the limiting factor. Despite the Lifeline Clinic offering medical care to the remotest areas of the country, we must recognize that this serves only as a temporary measure since there is no means for follow-up of patients and basic medical needs in these areas still remain unmet.

In the epilepsy clinic, we encountered numerous patients who, despite experiencing significant physical as well as social distress, had not received any treatment. The main reason patients stated as their reason for not receiving treatment was a lack of accessibility to appropriate health centers. To our surprise, there were some adult patients who had a history of epilepsy for 10-20 years, yet this was the first time they were actually visiting a doctor. Clearly, it would be very unlikely for us to encounter such patients at the large tertiary care hospitals where we are trained. The socio-cultural differences between the patients encountered in the cities and here were stark. Patriarchy was as great a burden as their medical illness on the women here. Frequently, the only reason why families sought treatment for female patients was so that they could be healthy enough to have children, and despite suffering severe burn injuries because of having seizures while cooking, they still continued to work in the same manner. Frequently, men were the ones to speak, and the women just sat there staring at the bottom. Often, Dr. Mamta would have to send the husbands out to let the women speak confidently. Moreover, women would mostly say that the seizures started sometime after the marriage. They would especially stress this fact while telling the history, even when Dr. Mamta didn’t ask. “Many are plainly lying. They won’t say that they had seizures earlier either, to prevent trouble from the in-laws. Even if you ask them in private, they won’t open their mouths.” Dr. Mamta told us. While women were ostracized for having epilepsy, youngsters were made to drop out of school. To me, the height of ignorance was unprecedented-few seizures and even before taking the child to a doctor, parents would withdraw her name from the school. It felt like having epilepsy was a severe disability. Many also complained that the schoolmasters would suggest that the children be kept home, probably to reduce their own liability in case a seizure occurred during school hours. People saw education as something that could easily be dispensed. Unlike in towns and cities where vocational training is still prevalent amongst school

Narcos Nachos Rosemary Jha, Batch of 2020

7th November, 2021, Sunday morning, I was finally done with my Professionals. All dressed and ready to leave for a trip I’d never forget. A trip of a lifetime. This was about to be my first overseas trip. Was I excited? You bet I was.

“Officer, I lost my documents and I have a flight to Cali, Colombia..” I started babbling as I interrupted his first bite of the sandwich. The officer stared at me for a few seconds, taking his time to process what had suddenly happened.

Have you ever dreamt of having all the pages in your passport stamped with no space left anymore? This was the beginning of a lifelong dream.

“Hablas español?” He replied. Now, I was staring at him in hopes that he’d just miraculously hand me over my documents and I could catch my last flight to Cali and finally just cry in my Mom’s arms.

It all started with a little hassle at noon on the 7th of November. I had a flight which was supposed to depart at 1:30 PM and I’d just managed to reach the check- in counter by 1 PM. To add to my list of never ending problems, there had been a sudden update in the airline’s policy which required the addition of a QR code in your COVID RT-PCR report. I’d lost all hope and faith. Not to mention, I’d begun searching for alternative routes, if by any chance I happened to miss my flight. However, my last minute, panicked calls to a bunch of people I’m really grateful to have in my life, saved me all the nuisance and trouble. After a 13 hour flight to Istanbul and an even longer 16 hour layover at the Istanbul International Airport, I finally reached Bogota, Colombia, on the morning of the 9th of November. The smell of grass right after the rain had managed to soak away all my exhaustion. I was up on my feet, ready to face anything thrown my way. However, when I said “anything”, I didn’t mean losing my documents (including my passport) in the airport with no scope of communication. In order to access the free WiFi at the airport, I needed a Colombian SIM card which I was clueless on how to acquire. So, in pure desperation, I wandered around looking for a security officer. I managed to spot one by the food court, about to devour what seemed to me like a Subway sandwich.

However, after a few minutes of his judgemental looks, he finally decided to use the translator on his phone to communicate with me. I told him how I’d lost my documents, he asked me where I’d last stopped by and EUREKA! I’d left it on the table when I’d gone to get myself some McD burgers. The officer finally agreed to accompany me and fortunately, my documents were sitting right where I’d left them. “Gracias! Muchos Gracias!” I exclaimed and ran to check in for my next flight. After all this, I finally managed to reach Cali safe and sound. I stepped out of the baggage collection area to find my mom and dad waiting in line, holding a bouquet of roses as they made their way towards me. This was new to me as my mom and dad are not your normal cheesy parents who get you all teary and hysterical. I’d met my parents after almost a year and the feeling I had then was something I can never explain. I couldn’t have wished for anything more at that moment other than to be in the arms of my mom and her kissing me gently on my forehead. I held her hand tight and we walked back to where the car was parked. Okay, coming to Cali, Colombia. It was a valley. Yes, that’s it. That was my first thought. My first impression of Cali, Colombia

was “Oh man, this seems so similar to Kathmandu.” We were surrounded by hills from all sides. PS. I’ve been raised and brought up in the hills of Kathmandu and thus Cali had that sense of familiarity. My next stop was Palmira Valley, known for its serene panoramic view of the countryside. Palmira is the agricultural capital of Colombia and it was the place where I was about to get my first paragliding experience. On the 10th of November, we took a ride uphill Valle De Cauca to reach our paragliding destination. The view of the city from up there was breathtaking. The tiny houses, the river flowing beneath, the cows grazing and the eagles soaring above, it was all so magical and heavenly. There was no place I’d rather be at that moment. I was mesmerised and lost. I’d no intention of being found again. However, like everything beautiful, my moment too came to an end when I was snapped back to reality. “Señora” cried my supposed paragliding instructor from 2 feet away. I ran back to him and he introduced me to my pilot, Valentino. Valentino was a typical, good looking Colombian guy who again like any other good looking Colombian guy, could not speak or understand English. Was I excited? More than I’d ever been before. But was I nervous? Man, I was agitated. My feet were trembling just at the thought of it. We had to trek a little higher to launch from the top of the hill and we had to do it fast in order to catch the favorable wind conditions for flying. After we reached the top, my heart began to race with excitement and fear as I watched other pilots take off. Valentino got me all geared up and ready to fly. Uno Dos Tres .. and voila I was floating in the air. Valentino was behind me, suspended by nothing but a canopy and a harness. It was a feeling of pure ecstasy and joy. Everything and everyone beneath me seemed so tiny. I felt puny as I saw other gliders going about their own route. It also made my problems, thoughts and concerns seem meaningless. Valentino pulled a few stunts in the air as he swung the glider. I couldn’t help but scream in delight, thrill and pure bliss.

ly town named Taganga. With the Caribbean and Pacific coastline, Colombia definitely has some hidden diving gems. It turns out that when it comes to scuba diving, Colombia is about as accessible as you can get. Tayrona National Park in Taganga, Colombia ended up being a fantastic dive destination. Taganga has around 10 dive centres which is a lot for such a small town. There are 22 dive sites in the national marine park, including coral reefs, sunken ships, caves, and a variety of marine ecosystems. If you’ve decided to try scuba diving, Colombia offers no shortage of incredible opportunities. The beginner dive sites in Tayrona National Park are generally calm and shallow with a depth of around 12 metres. Did I mention that this was my first time scuba diving? So, it took us an hour long motorboat ride from Taganga to reach the diving site. Since scuba diving is an extreme sport filled with high risk, they’d made us sign an indemnity form before proceeding. It was standard protocol and this had gotten me petrified. The first time I dived, I was panic-stricken. The water was cold and my fingers had gotten numb. Kelly, my instructor, taught me the basics of scuba diving which included learning sign language, equalising and how to clear our nose, ears and mouth in case water went inside. Soon after approximately 15 minutes, Kelly and I took our first dive. I was terrified and quickly pulled myself out of the water as I whined to Kelly about how I couldn’t get myself to do it. She held my hand, told me I’d be alright as long as I stuck by her. This gave me hope and I was finally at peace and ready to go in. Gradually, my fear vanished as I started observing the things around me. It was magical and enchanting. We dived deeper as I spotted many rainbow coloured fishes and a yellow and blue fish, which reminded me of Finding Nemo, all playfully floating in and out of those beautiful corals. I was stunned with my first vision of the underwater world. I was amazed as I looked and glared at the brain corals. Did I tell you that Tayrona is popularly known to have the largest brain coral in the world?

As we landed, I realised why Valentino loved his job and how wonderful it was being up in the air where all you could experience was serenity and purity with a touch of hesitation.

Everything around me made me feel like I was in a completely different world. My 30 minutes of diving time got over way too soon and I never even realised it until the diver motioned that it was time to head up. I guess that’s what happens when the view is so eye-catching, you can never get enough of it. It was a tad bit sad to leave that world and return to ours. Believe me when I say scuba diving is a must-try experience for everyone out there!

We thanked Valentino and the entire paragliding team for such an amazing experience and continued for our next great adventure at the Santa Marta Bay, Colombia.

We returned back to Cali on the 15th of November and I spent the rest of my days with my family there before I returned back to Delhi to live another adventure of a lifetime, “Third Semester”.

On the 12th of November, we took a flight from Cali to Santa Marta. While Cali was a place of rain and shade, Santa Marta was known for its scorching heat and the endless opportunities to explore nature within its reach.

What’s the thing I’ll miss most from my stay in Colombia? Mumma’s handmade food. The smell of that delicious food brings me tears and joy. It reminds me of my lost childhood. Oh, how I wish I could rewind time.

Our next adventure was scuba diving in the great Tayrona National Park which sat on the edge of a small backpacker fishing friend-

Coming to the title, you might be wondering why I’ve decided to name it Narcos and Nachos. Let me take you back to an incident

So, it happened during my stay in Santa Marta when my parents and I had gone for a little dinner at a famous tourist destination by the bay. On our way back, my mom had a sudden craving for achos. So she made her way to this old vendor who was selling all sorts of goods. My dad and I had decided to wait for her a few blocks away from the shop. After a few minutes of us waiting, we look back to find my mom running and crying from a foot away “MOVE, MOVE”.

Photo courtesy Archisam n Mazumder, Batch of 2018

that I’ll be narrating years later on many more trips to come.

Without having the time to think about what had just happened, we started pacing along with her till we spotted a horde of tall muscular Colombian men with chic women and managed to camouflage with the crowd. Later that night we asked her as to what had happened during that moment. She told us that she’d asked the vendor for some Nachos and he started offering her some powdery white substance which she mistook for narcos (or maybe it really was narcos, guess we’ll never find out). She was frightened to the very core and misinterpreted the man as some sort of Pablo Escobar (well, you can’t blame her, Colombia is a place infamous for being the great Escobar’s homeland). This night was one of the most entertaining things to have ever happened in my life and it shall live on with me forever. Cheers to a life filled with many more similar stories which give all of us a reason to live each day as if it’s our last, amen. I could go on and on about my days in Colombia but I’m wrapping it up here and asking all of you who read this to definitely visit Colombia. You will not regret it, I assure you.

Photocourtesy Dr.SidharthGunti,Batchof2015

Dichotomy Anustup Bhattacharyya, Batch of 2019

There’s a bald tree outside my window No more leaves on its empty branches than answers to questions, Crawling in every nook and corner of my imagination Like the steady climb of black ants filing Into the many cracks and crevices amidst the rotting bark Another day of eating off the saucepan, while the dishes gather dust No need for pretences when it’s just me and my conscience Alone at 3 am in the February of darkness; no need to wear a mask When only stifling despair breathes the same air as me The withered tree claws at my open windowpanes as it wrestles the wailing wind A lit cigarette finds its way between my lips, my soot-filled lungs ever so darkened As the night sky, and every puff vaporizes a part of my soul I never knew was there Like the forbidden fruit of ambition that poisons the self with sin in every bite And I remember the bike rides through the winding roads on moonlit nights Your lips pressed against my shoulders, safe, but I knew when doubt had crossed your mind When the cold dreary morning dawns, the flower shops will still be closed No teen will play the guitar in the balcony under the pink skies at sunset And at nightfall no drug but vodka can ease the pain, no music can drown the cacophony Of the angels and devils debating over all the choices I have ever made For I am the solitary tree, forever rooted to the soil of the earth where I made decisions in haste.

A search for answers Taking a flight from Delhi to Raipur and then a train to Ambikapur, I reached Sangwari's office located in an apartment. The team includes Chetanya Malik (Internist), Shilpa Khanna (Anesthetist, pain and palliative care professional), Yogesh Kalkonde (Public health practitioner and Neurologist), Neha (Family Physician), Dheeraj (Family Physician), Yogesh Jain (Public health physician), Ashwini (BAMS, MPH), Abhijeet (MBBS, MPH), Jitendra and Sarita (Pharmacist). For knowing more about these amazing people the best way is to meet them.

Sangwari

The organization doesn’t have a secondary hospital currently. The team lives and has an office in Ambikapur. Two sub-centres at Biniya and Kuniya (approx 200 km from the town), where clinics are held once a week, have been set up close to tribal villages. Most of the tests recommended according to the Essential Diagnostic lists are available in these centres. Around 20 such tests are done in the clinic itself and the rest through a hub and spoke model (sent to private labs). More medicines are available than those present at PHC or SDH Ballabgarh. Once a month clinics are held in 3 or more centres. One might ask how many patients will an NGO be able to treat? What impact will it have? How is it different from doctors working at Ballabhgarh? In the words of Dr Yogesh Kalkonde, just direct clinical care done by any NGO would never be sufficient to solve the problem. Yet it is important for two reasons- first, it gives you direct experience of the village ecosystem and problems faced by the people and thus helps in designing better systems than those that are based on just observation of people's problems through a telescope (professional goal). Second, it keeps the working people grounded (a spiritual goal). Apart from direct clinical care activities, it is also involved in the training of doctors at government hospitals, health system strengthening, public health research and mentoring interns (like me).

What did I do there? Sangwari means partner. Healthcare professionals working as partners for a vision of equity and health. Partner also means a sense of companionship provided to people in times of good and bad health. Sangwari is a unique healthcare mission in the sense that they are actively trying to create a work culture of friendship and not hierarchy. It is based on improving healthcare systems rather than becoming another cog in the non-functional wheel of public health. I went to Sangwari to look for answers. I went there as a step to finding a purpose to my life (if any exists), and to get a broader look at the genesis of a public health endeavour. For me the journey leading upto Sangwari started with the disillusionment free time in sixth semester brought me. I questioned as to whether the healthcare system around me actually catered to the needs of the underpriveleged, adn whether what we did at AIIMS- the so called mission of health education, research, and patient care- actually translated into any benefit for the people. What can I see myself in life doing beyond these three? Is the answer helping the most underpriveleged people I meet? How can I deliver healthcare to all as if they were my family? I could not find these answers at AIIMS, so I started looking elsewhere. My journey into public health began with the Nirman camp organised by SEARCH in Gadchiroli. This sensitised me to look beyond AIIMS. Then I visited JSS, a rural hospital in Bilaspur. But as both of these were established organisations, I couldn't get an understanding of their genesis. This was my aim this time, and what follows is a summary of my experiences and what more I could learn towards my greater goal of finding a purpose.

1. Met amazing people— I interacted with a lot of people, got to know their stories and what drove them to work there. Since some of them had worked at institutions like AIIMS Delhi, MAMC and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, it was interesting to know what made them leave those places and brought them to work in the tribal areas of Chhattisgarh. 2. Community clinics– I saw patients at once-a-week clinics at Biniya and Kuniya and once-a-month 5 outreach clinics. There were a myriad of illnesses ranging from headache, musculoskeletal pain, abdominal pain, scabies, candidiasis to hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis, epilepsy, stroke, congenital heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and mixed valvular heart disease. 3. Evaluation of Lab services– I assessed the functioning of labs in 3 clinics by calculating the total number of tests - clinic–wise, sex-wise, age-wise, percentage of abnormal tests, expenditure on outside tests and assessed selected quality control parameters performed in the lab. 4. Visit to GMC Ambikapur– This district hospital turned medical college (in 2016) was recently in news for a number of deaths in the special newborn care units (SNCU). I went there to observe the SNCU care and “respectful maternity care” and prepare an observation report. The SNCU was 2 floors above the labour room.

5. Recruitment of first community health workers cohort– I took part in designing and conducting the process (written exam, role play, debate, interview). The participants were thrilled by the process (they had never given such an interesting exam). 6. Visit to the Pain and Palliative Care clinic- Dr Shilpa runs this clinic. She explained the concept of palliative care. 7. TB house to house survey–In a village identified with the index case, we did a house to house survey, provided information, education and communication (IEC) on TB and collected samples if patients were symptomatic. The work involved communicating the information to people in the village, observing and assessing the socio-economic determinants, like whether they had ration cards, whether they received food, how much food, whether they had a bank account (for DBT). 8. Tribal Cultural Program– Different tribal groups dressed in their traditional dresses and performed their dances like saila. The program was a platform serving different purposes for different people like politicians and Chaupal (an NGO working on tribal rights and other issues). For us, it was an opportunity to make them aware of Sangwari clinics held in their village.

TB Survey experiences and learnings During a home to home visit for TB survey, we came across a TB patient, who would be around 65-70 years old (knowing exact age is difficult in villages since you have to guess from indirect details like how many years have passed since your marriage, age of children, since how many years have you received pension?). He was living with one of his 3 sons' families in a house made of mud with just darkness filling the area. I was unable to see things or people inside without using a light torch. Chetanya remarked, "How can you expect people to take medicine daily when it is not even in sight?" I hadn't thought far with my kaleidoscopic view of assessing pill compliance. We asked the patient's son if they had a bank account and got money from the TB program. They had a bank account and money was also transferred. But they didn't get money. We wondered about the mystery. Further discussion revealed that his passbooks and all bank documents were with the Sarpanch who lends him a loan. He was stuck and requested Dr Chetanya to help. I wondered whether if he will be able to help in this matter. Outside the room, we could see a malnourished child eating just rice and little sabji. One could say rice is the staple food of Chhattisgarh. We never questioned whether if this was due to the abject poverty in the state. We visited the house of another TB patient. It was a family of 8 people including a couple, 4 sons and 2 daughters living in darkness in every aspect. The PSM criterion for overcrowding failed miserably. The patient was getting TB treatment from Mitanin (similar to ASHA). Somethings I had taken for granted while reading the TB programmatic management, like patients being weighed before receiving weight-based anti-tuberculosis treatment. Here, at least with our TB patient, this was not the case. He had been given ATT just by approximating weight because of which he was receiving a lower dose. We weighed him and upgraded his dose. It made me realise that the fight against TB is more than just treating a TB patient. Just behind the house, there was a well for drawing water. A picture says a thousand words. 9. Journal Club- I presented a paper “Cost-effectiveness of population-based screening for diabetes and hypertension in India: An economic modelling study”. 10. Clinical Registry- I got introduced to the concept of a clinical registry. I designed a facility-based epilepsy registry in accordance with the objectives of our clinic.

Story of Aditya Situated in the dense forests of the district of Surguja, Bhakurma is the place around which the story of Aditya unfolds. It has a sparsely distributed population of around 3000. The People’s Association for Equity and Health held its second clinic in this beautiful tribal area. I was part of the visiting health team. A young woman with a child tied to her came for follow up. She was registering herself when Dr Chaitanya told me to do anthropometry of the child. I, like a fool, came back and told him that she came for showing herself. (Maybe I was unconsciously trained to look only for problems of patients who presented). He told me to do anthropometry nonetheless. Aditya, told to be 9 months by his mother, was moderately wasted and undernourished with sparse hair. Dr C told me to accompany her to the Anganwadi (a 1-minute walk) and register him for extra food for malnourished children and plot the values on growth charts. I asked the Anganwadi didi to show the growth charts. Two things startled me. First, the boy was 11 months old according to records (which meant worse Z scores). Second, weights were beautifully plotted on the graph despite the fact that the weight machine was not working due to a broken electric wire (which to me seemed to have been broken on purpose). Nonetheless, I wrote in a diary to give the child dal, chawal, sabji and anda. The Anganwadi worker complained that the mother doesn’t bring the child to the centre (which was at maximum a 3-5 minute walk). She refused to go to individual houses (which seems practical). Also, she refused to give food to take home since she had to show photos of children eating (the cons of ill-defined incentive-based programs?). Talking to the mother more, the intricate story of her life was revealed. She lives in a house made of mud with her husband, a younger sister (about 13 years old), two sons (3.5 years and 9 or 11 months old). Her mother, father and father-in-law had died. Therefore, her sister lives along with her and looks after her children at a time when she should be studying in school because her elder sister has to go work in fields. They eat food allotted to them by the ration card which has names of 3 people- her husband, her husband’s brother and mother in law (she remarried and lives with a new family elsewhere). Their ration cards were not being made. So, the food of 3 people is distributed among two families comprising of at least 4 adults and 5 children. To make matters worse, she herself was having seizures for the past 5-6 years and was started on antiepileptics in a previous visit to Sangwari. Numerous questions arose in my mind- Who is responsible for the condition of the children? What is the meaning of “choice”? Do the mother and children have a “choice”? Is there anything we as doctors can do or should do?

What did I learn? 1. Simultaneously different and not different -These people and organizations are simultaneously different and not different from us and the organizations we work in. Don’t expect to see something startling while visiting such organizations or interacting with such people on the surface. It is different not in the way it treats MI or TB. It is also not different from departments like CCM in the methods and tools used for practising public health. The difference lies in their vision/purpose of equity and more importantly equity in health. 2. It is easy and not easy- It is easy in that one need not do an MPH to be a public health practitioner. It is not easy as a public health physician being in a resource-limited setting, one's clinical medicine needs to be much stronger than someone practising at academic institutions. You don't just see scabies, ARI and diarrhoea in villages. One sees a wide variety of complex problems including non-communicable diseases. The problems are not only limited to diseases. You need to repair the health systems (which happen to be in stable equilibrium) for which interaction with different stakeholders (politicians, local community leaders etc) is required and it is not always a pleasant experience.

Photo courtesy Neha Hallu, Batch of 2019 3. Clear goals and objectives- I need to set clear goals and objectives (they may change with time and place) and make plans in accordance with them. This applies to research, academic learning and life. For example, if I am visiting an organization, I should write what my objectives are.

A typical patient round This is almost a verbatim exchange I saw at GMC Ambikapur. Nurse: Ye baby of Sangeeta hai. Doctor: Baby of Sangeeta, theek hai (again nurse tells the name of the patient and goes on). Nurse: Ye bachcha thik nahi tha isliye CPAP/intubation kar diya. Doctor: Thik hai. No management issues or protocols were discussed. I saw 3 neonatal deaths during a 3 day visit each for just 2-3 hours. Neither was a doctor (except an intern) present during resuscitation nor was one called. This brought home the acute need of well trained, capable and, above all, adequately sensitised healthcare professionals, even at the district level.

4. Don’t idolize people-I shouldn’t make someone my role model as most of the time I just have a cognitive image of that person created by books or a few personal interactions in real life. When we face their true version (which was always the same), we get shattered. So what I want to do in life should solely depend on my experiences rationally (and sometimes suprarationally). 5. Expand your comfort zone- The hostel is a comfort place for some people to an extent that they will not go to ward postings. AIIMS is a comfort zone for AIIMSonians in the sense that we aren’t able to leave this place. Rather than working far outside my comfort zone and getting mentally fatigued, I should try to expand my comfort zone gradually. I need to keep exploring new places, meet new people and develop a clearer idea of how I want to live my life. The next organization on my list is Ekjut (after clearing PG) about which I heard from people at Sangwari. Dr. Adarsh Pal Batch of 2016

बच्चे

पियूष मीणा, वर्ष २०१८

हम छोटे हैं तो क्या हुआ हमारा भी तो मोल हैं

बड़े़ सपने बड़े़ अरमान दिल चाहे कमज़ोर है

चाहे थोड़े़ नटखट से हैं या थोड़े़ नादान हैं

हैं तो आखिर बच्चे ही ना फिर काहे बदनाम हैं

डरते है कुछ कहने को

कुछ बतलाते भी घबराते हैं

नन्ही टाँगे नन्ही चाल

बिन आहट चिल्लाते हैं चित्र सौजन्य सूर्यांश सैनी, वर्ष २०१८

चित्र सौजन्य शुभम भाकल, वर्ष २०१९

सब कुछ सुनते कुछ ना कहते ख़ौफ़ ही खाये जाते हैं

तुम्हारी डाँट से या मार से मन ही मन मर जाते हैं

हम बच्चे है भगवान नहीं

जो सब कुछ हमसे चाहते हो

अनमोल कहकर मोल हो करते बच्चों को झुटलाते हो

छोड़ ो भी ये तौर तरीके

हमें इसी हाल में अपना लो हमने भी है माना तुमको तुम भी हमको जानो

हम छोटे है तो क्या हुआ मोती भी तो छोटा है

उसकी तो माला गढ़़ ते और हमें कुचल देते !

बड़े़ सपने बड़े़ अरमान

दिल ही तो कमज़ोर हैं ! 68

Letter to young Interns An old intern's guide to internship Having finally finished writing final profs and having added the coveted prefix Dr. to his name. Adarsh takes us on a journey of how he dealt with the responsibilities that came along with it (vicarious though they may be) and how he dealt with the dilemma of studying for PG versus trying to learn more clinical skills during internship.

Dr. Adarsh Pal Batch of 2016

Recap The worst exams of my life had yet to come. Final proffs. Not that I aspired for very good scores, it was just that for the first time I was having anxiety during exams. A ritual which was repeated twice without a break. I am grateful to Surender, Aditya, Chandan, Shubha and Hariom who were constant companions during stressful times.

The Beginning Internship began with the background of 2 months of continuous exams which drained every ATP of the body and also the willpower to study again. Just after 5 days of exams, medicine postings in Internship started. On a train back from Kota to Delhi, Mridul and I planned our PG preparation on an excel sheet, unaware that our internship would take its own course.

The Dilemma I was always caught in the dilemma of whether to observe cases in wards, do procedures or run from the ward as fast as I can and prepare for PG. Staying in the ward also wasn't very effective as there were not many clinical discussions during rounds (most of the time was spent in lashing out at residents) and it was impossible to hear what the residents were saying. Yet during the compulsory morning hours, I learned venous and ABG sampling. I gave pain to many. There was one attendant who lashed out during my second attempt of ABG sampling "practice kar rhe ho kya, insan ko kharbooja samajh rakha hai...". Back in the hostel, I tried to read boring first year subjects. Medicine postings passed in just this dilemma.

The Decision Before surgery postings began, I decided that I would attend postings and learn some clinical skills. I also decided that I would give my PG exam after internship. These decisions were the result of the dilemma and stress effects of proffs. For the first time in life, I was so disturbed by exams. Added to this was the feeling of incompetency of not gaining clinical skills. So the effect was I didn't study much. I went to the Surgery OPD mainly and saw cases. Going alone to the ward during internship in AIIMS was an effortful task for two reasons. Going to wards alone is not a pleasant experience. It feels like "koi sath me chale toh better hoga". Secondly, on reaching the ward you face seniors who, rather than teaching a case or skill, say "yahan kya kar rha hai, padh le jake, PG nahi dena?" Though spoken in goodwill, these kill the drive to stay in the ward. During the same time, the Covid wave was rising and OPDs shut down. Hence the idea of taking refuge in Surgery OPDs vanished. I along with Hariom, Shubha, Vidushi and Vishakha planned to go for a trek to Kheerganga, hoping to find relief in the chilling silence of the mountains (although I had slight fears of getting covid). It was a happening trek in every sense. The fears were not false. We all got covid except for Hariom (it was ironic because of the fact that he was "closest" to every person on the trip).

The Covid Saga I realized the privileges of being in AIIMS during the pandemic. Felt lucky to have wonderful seniors like Shubham who helped me in getting admitted to private ward rooms. I was symptomatic for just 6 hrs and then I was okay. We were to be shifted to Jhajjar. Not knowing back then, that it was a more wonderful place than this, we resisted and requested to the maximum of our capacity. Retrospectively, I compared the fear of our unknown and that of the many people stranded on roads during the lockdown being quarantined in unfamiliar places. We were afraid of moving from one safe place to another safe place, both fully equipped, and they were afraid of moving from unfamiliar to more unfamiliar places. Ultimately, I had to go to Jhajjar where I watched Netflix the whole day. Completing the isolation period, I was back in the hostel with just a few days remaining for village postings to begin.

The Village Postings An amazing versatile experience with colourful incidents and memories. It gave the joy of being a doctor. Not being a person who wanted every case coming in the OPD to be a highly challenging clinical case (though longed for a few), I loved interacting with patients. Our batch had the added advantage of having less patient load due to Covid, so we got enough time to talk to the patient unless we were in a hurry to read for PG. Myriads of cases ranging from ARI, anemia, constipation, GER, PUD, GI bleed, TB, heart failure, HTN, DM and the most clinically challenging and enigmatic "chees mar rhi hai" were daily highlights. Hearing it for the first time, it felt like neuropathic pain, only to be disappointed when every person had this complaint. Most of the serious patients were referred to BK District hospital.

Exploring spirituality First of all, it is not synonymous with religion. Why the need? Whenever I read about some person who did amazing work, whether in academics, health equity or science, they had a strong belief in some or other spiritual philosophy. Being trained in an environment which questions everything (I think for good) and living in a society which over the years has started following an individualistic philosophy, it became a need to understand the basis of the works of these people. For me, what I needed was someone who I trust already to an extent and who is trying to live life spiritually. None could be better than Dr Ramesh Bijlani...yes the same AIIMSONIAN who wrote "Understanding Medical Physiology". Even while reading that book, one can get an undertone of something (spiritual) beyond the Physiology aspects. But the best book I found on this topic is "Understanding spirituality and living it 24 x 7". One of the key tenets of philosophy is that neither emotions nor reasons are the best guide for making decisions, rather they should be used as tools. The best guide is the soul. Secondly, something which is not rational need not be irrational, it can be suprarational. Nothing more...it would be best to read the book yourself if interested. Reading national teacher Vinoba Bhave's "Talks on Gita" was a wonderful experience. It cleared what the Gita is all about.

First night duty Ayush Jain wished me the best of luck. I reached the wards with my only weapon- the stethoscope. Aleena handed over her duties to me and helped me with basic things about Doppler, how frequently to monitor ANC patients and what to do with PNC patients. She went and now the much dreaded moment came, when I was the only doctor in the hospital physically with masterji (male nurse) and security guards and mataji (post with quite an unique name). Masterji wrote the usual details (doctor on night duty, JR on call, SR on call) and asked whether it was my first day. And the reply was, 'yes, mujhe PV etc karna aata nhi to plz help kar dena'. I began my duties. CTG of one of the patients was showing persistent tachycardia. The JR Gynae was consulted and she told me to refer the patient to BK Hospital (usual policy for anything other than normal, I don't know what actually is being managed at a sub-district hospital like CRHSP, also a reason for why BK is overloaded like hell. As I was writing this I was planning to search whether any guidelines exist as to what can be managed at different levels (similar to IPHS for staffing). A little later, another patient was having hypertension (around 145/95). Her albumin was 1+ and again referral was made. Now only one patient was there in ANC room waiting to be delivered (and yet to be delivered as I was writing this after sleeping through post night leave). Her dilation was 1 cm (don't assume I found that, although I admit I wasn't able to find the os when I did PV, and then I called the saviour for the night - masterji). I was kind of relieved with just one patient to monitor. At around 10:20 pm I called ma'am to sign the referral and she also put cerviprime in this patient to induce labour. She asked me to monitor for half an hour. The patient was showing tachycardia so she was put in the left lateral position and RL was given. She improved (otherwise I would have to refer again). A brief note about this ritual that I would have to perform many times that night- per vaginal examination. Though I did it for almost every lady who came from emergency, I wasn't sure whether I found the os. Again, I would need to first confirm with masterji and then call the JR Gynae with all the details of the patient and ask about the decision- refer, admit or send home. The night was going fine until 2 pm when a lady came (5 months POG), complaining about two dead foetuses (IUD) half expelled. The scene was scary. I panicked. Tried calling the JR gynae 2-3 times. Masterji took the patient immediately to the labour room where she expelled two twin foetuses and a placenta. I called the SR CCM and told him the case. The JR gynae came and did an ultrasound to check for RPOC which was present. She was given misoprostol and admitted. To admit, a Covid Test was necessary, so she was again taken to the emergency room where I, for the first time, performed the rapid test. Fortunately (or owing to my faulty technique), she was negative and was admitted. Actually, working in this place exposed many bitter realities of our healthcare system. It exposed the contradictions of ourselves as doctors. If a patient comes with fever for just 2-3 days, we say, "are thodi se fever me hi aa gaye" and the SR CCM at Ballabgarh in a hurry to "finish" the patient line would sometime just tell to prescribe PCM without even allowing time to ask for danger signs. If I had to go to the doctor, would I expect and accept the same treatment? An even worse scenario is for pregnant women in labour. Some Obs/Gynae residents were caring, but others seemed to just treat patients like they were helpless...not doing timely examinations (depending solely on intern's finding), not taking rounds of postnatal women. The worst happened for patients who came at night. Most were referred, with a made up cause like "Tachycardia/Fetal distress". I think delivering at such a place would be a major one of the countless traumatic experiences in their life. WHO acknowledges this and introduced the concept of "respectful maternity care " which stresses beyond the professional aspect of management. In simple terms, care should be such that you wouldn't hesitate to have delivery of someone known to you. Where do I and other interns come in the picture? Being unskilled and sometimes being under-confident despite being skilled (as in case of NRP), I feel we hesitate to point out professional and behavioural faults of other members like our colleagues, nurses and mataji. We never take the role of leader in the health team and try to improve ourselves with care of patients being in focus.

In the Emergency Rather than being overambitious (and then feeling disappointed) and deciding to be in emergency for the whole shift, I used to go only for just 2-3 hours. Those who have gone to emergency during UG postings might resonate with the feeling of "Where am I and who am I supposed to approach to teach me a skill?" There is a huge inertia in the mind. I gradually got comfortable. I made up my mind to talk to patients and review history till the time I didn't get a procedure. This removed the feeling of time wastage. Eventually, I did manage to become comfortable in IV cannulation and perform Foley's, NG tube insertion and ascitic tap. I enjoyed discussing cases with the fachchas (It gives real joy to me to be taught by seniors and discuss patients with juniors).

During that time I was reading "Eating wisely and well" and "Back to Health through Yoga" by Dr Bijlani. So I decided to go for guided physical practices of Yoga in Aurobindo Ashram at 6:30 am every alternate day. It gave me a good dose of dopamine. I managed to continue it for 1 month.

We planned a trek again, this time to Kareri lake in Dharamshala with Hariom, Shubha, Navya and Rajan. It was a most enjoyable trek with both scenery and adventure.

Fast forward, the time came for the November PG exams for which I was completely unprepared. First time, I was giving the exam just for fun without any pressure. I left the very next day for an already planned visit to Sangwari, People's association for Equity and Health.

Paediatrics posting Apart from village, this is the second posting where I spent a relatively larger time in wards or OPDs. It is a good feeling to see so many AIIMSONIANS in Paediatrics wherever you walk. Being in Unit-1, I got to see and work up a spectrum of cases of nephrotic syndromes and rheumatic diseases. It was fun to learn in Dr Aditi ma'am's OPD. The attention she pays in counselling patients is admirable and inspiring. In wards, I got to see a few procedures like kidney biopsy, bronchoscopy, upper GI endoscopy (Dr Rohan Malik gave the endoscope to me for a few seconds to manoeuvre it myself). The shared feeling of joy when a faculty sees a UG in wards/opd and when the UG receives extra attention is indescribable...I also attended the Nephro and Rheumatology rounds which were great as compared to Medicine rounds. Here, patients were actually being discussed in the rounds. I formed a preliminary impression- "Waah ye rounds me residents ko itna dante bhi nhi" (Later, I got to know from my batchmates that it is not the case when Dr. Bagga+/- any faculty takes rounds). For the first time, I got to know a thing like "day care" existed where lumbar puncture, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy are performed. Senior residents were friendly (at least during my postings). I, atleast for a moment, felt like I could be a JR in this department.

Unequal ulcers A child, admitted in ward, had a history of recurrent mouth ulcers for more than 6 months. No other significant history. He underwent GI endoscopy, autoimmune workup, HLAB27 testing and then genomic testing to detect any mutations associated with the ulcer!! A similar patient at Ballabgarh is just treated with Zytee and B capsule.

Obs/Gyn posting I also read "Hriday Rog se mukti" by Dr Abhag Bang. Quite a wonderful book highlighting the importance of health and trying to explore spirituality. Another book "Putting women first" by Dr Rani Bang, that chronicles the life of women with health issues being the epicentre, reminded me of village postings. The issues were not significantly different.

In Chhattisgarh, during my electives in November and December, I was there when the results came. I got AIR 554. For a few days, I felt like "Psychiatry in NIMHANS, Ophtha or Emergency Medicine in AIIMS hi le lo. Fir se (ya pahli bar) padhna nahi padega PG exam ke liye". But then I gave serious thought to my choices before the result. I wanted to pursue Medicine or Paediatrics. When I came back to AIIMS, I thought of giving a serious attempt this time and preparation began and is continuing.

Learnings Take a break for a few days/weeks after profs even if you want to clear PG the same year. In case you decide to explore during internship, write down exactly what you want to explore. It would be better to explore outside AIIMS, whether clinical or research or public health. During village postings, learn skills in the first week. Be confident and point out issues in the system. Try to change the system even if it is a small change. Putting efforts in changing systems is more fruitful than giving your energy in doing tasks single handedly. For example, our senior Varad made a proforma for examination of pregnant patients. Before that people used to just write on a blank sheet. It does save time and energy. Try to manage a patient's issues as you would be managing a family member's health issues. The CCM residents, except a few, don't give a damn about patients nor do they know how to manage a case. Conflicts may/would arise between your aim of managing a patient and their aim of just finishing OPD. Try to provide "respectful maternity care" especially to unprivileged people. These are the people who teach us most by allowing repeated examinations (consented or sometimes what truly wouldn't be called consent, rather a threat "illaj karwana hai na yahan"). Think about why you want to pursue a field. To me, a branch is just a tool. It can at best be a good tool or a bad tool, but definitely not life (or its goal). Rather than taking tension about the PG branch, think and discuss more about how and for what life is worth living...LOVE!! (jyada bachodi ho gyi kya?...)

Today I learnt

Mind Your Language

Delhi Dining 101

Finance 101

Bitcoin

A Day Out in Delhi

101 Chess 101 104 Over the hills and far away 110 How to be an Asshole 101

Mind Your Language

Everyone wants to talk about the elephant in the room but no one wants to talk to it...

2. Elephant in the room

There’s an elephant in the room, but nobody seems to be talking about it. Awkward, right? I mean, where would you even start? So anyway, in 1814, Ivan Krylov wrote a fable entitled “The Inquisitive Man”, which tells of a man who goes to a museum and notices all sorts of little things, from the red corals to gnats, but fails to notice an elephant. The reference was later picked up and disseminated by folks like Mark Twain and Dostoyevsky, the New York Times and is now a literary staple for ignoring big fat problems that are right there.

Abdur Rehman Batch of 2018

One of the most devilish yet delightful parts of any language is the art of saying things without saying them. Hold your horses and bear with me, for I talk of none other than the mighty idiom. A ubiquitous finding across all languages and cultures, preposterous ways of saying simple things is a joy we all indulge in. Can you imagine a language without idioms? Boy, that would be dead as doornails. Ever wonder though, how did we arrive here? How does a culture go from saying that it’s raining heavily to cats and dogs! Alas! While some idioms we may never know whence they came, others, more recent ones have fascinating histories! So here’s a rundown of some idiomatic origins that are sure to tickle your funny bone.

3. Get Someone’s Goat

If you steal someone’s goat, they’re bound to get mad. But the idiom actually comes from horse racing, where goats are used to have a calming effect on thoroughbred horses. To soothe an easily upset horse, the owner would put a got in his/ her stall the night before the race. Of course, if you were an unscrupulous competitor looking to get an edge, stealing that goat would be a great way to fray that horses’s nerves on his big day. Now, getting someone’s goat just means upsetting or irritating that individual.

4. Giving a cold shoulder 1. Having the guts to fight

In the armies of yore (actually not that long ago), the real John Wick was dysentery. Truly a bipartisan fellow, the bowels could kill more men than swords or guns. Nor could a man afflicted with it march or maintain position without running off to the latrines every 10 minutes, forget fighting. (“Jesus! What is that smell, Kenneth?”) A ‘gut check’, in such a setting, was very literal. Having the guts to fight literally meant that your bowels were O.K. In the American civil war, disease claimed 2/3rds of all actual casualties. “Having the guts to fight” literally meant that you were one of the few troops not suffering from the trots. Today though, being gutsy or having guts just means having the courage (or recklessness?) to do something.

For that one guest who just doesn’t leave, what do you do!? Politely talk about how far away his home is? Or how late it is? Maybe. But if you were in Medieval England, a good way would be to cut and serve a cold piece of meat, usually from the shoulder of the animal, as that part cools quicker than the rest (Just take the hint and go, Ivan!). Long after such social codes have evaporated, giving someone the cold shoulder just means disregarding or being dismissive of someone.

5. Bob’s your uncle

The origins are fairly murky, but a common theory is that the expression arose after Prime Minister Robert Gascoyne-Cecil (nicknamed “Bob”) appointed his nephew Arthur Balfour as Chief Secretary for Ireland, an act that was both surprising and unpopular (gee who would’ve guessed!). Whatever other qualifications Balfour may have had, “Bob’s your uncle” was seen as the conclusive one. Quite literally, if Bob was your uncle, then you’d have no problem getting stuff done, which is probably why today it implies “the job’s done”.

6. Turn a blind eye

Horatio Nelson was a British Maritime officer who was also blind in one eye. In 1801, he led an a naval attack in the Battle of Copenhagen. When his partner in the battle, Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, communicated via flags that he needed to retreat, Nelson didn’t want to acknowledge it. So he turned to a fellow officer, lifted the telescope to his blind eye, and said he “didn’t see any signal.” He won the battle and was made Commander of the fleet.

7. Riding shotgun

Being chased by Indians (the Apache ones) or bad men in black hats? Well, you can’t fire back while driving now can you. That’d be dangerous (as if). No, the job of guarding against highwaymen and bandits falls on the guy beside the driver. Him and his trusty shotgun. Back in the heyday of the American Wild West, stagecoaches would have a man riding besides the driver for this very purpose. And while we no longer routinely need armed escorts, riding in the front of the car besides the driver is still called riding shotgun for this reason.

Photo courtesy Pranav Rai, Batch of 2017

Delhi Dining 101

Chaitanya Gupta, Arunangshu Bhattacharyya, Chetanya Mittal, Ayush Gupta and Aaroshi Gupta (Batch of 2019)

Burma Burma

Sugarama Patisserie Cuisine: Desserts Location: Shahpur Jat (Prefer delivery) Price: ₹500 for two What to order: Ferrero Rocher, Peach & Elderflower, Chocolate Raspberry Dome Texture, flavor, creativity and elegance are the components of a great dish. Sugarama Patisserie delivers it all! Each and every dessert is packed in layers of delicious flavour and are a treat to both, the palette and the eyes. Although it may be a little heavy on the wallet, it’s definitely worth trying!

Cuisine: Burmese Location: Select Citywalk, Saket & Cyberhub, Gurugram Price: ₹1500 for two What to order: Samosa Soup, Thoke Salad Sampler, Khowsuey With its oriental décor and charming collectibles, Burma Burma is a heaven, especially for the vegetarians among us. Experience authentic Burmese food influenced by Chinese, Indian and Thai cuisine. Relish the symphony of flavors that our humble vegetables can bring to the table.

Carnatic Cafe Cuisine: South Indian Location: Lodhi Colony, Delhi NCR Price: ₹800 for two What to order: Malleshwaram 18th Cross Dosa, Bombat Dosa, Onion Uthapam This café in Lodhi Colony will take you to the streets of Karnataka with the special ‘dosas’ and the assortment of various ‘chutneys’. If you are not a Dosa person, try their ‘Uthapams’ and ‘Thatte Idli’ for a hearty meal. It’s always a good idea to not think about your diet when you are here. Do not forget to end your meal with their special types of ice-creams!

Chateau De Pondicherry Cuisine: Franco-Tamil Location: Aurobindo Marg Price: ₹1400 for two What to order: French Onion Soup, Crêpes, Mimosa Muthaiy Chateau De Pondicherry is a quaint, family run restaurant, emanating a cheerful vibe, alongside a breathtaking view of ‘Sanjay Van’. It has successfully managed to bring together the subtle flavors of French cuisine and the bold flavors of Tamil food under one roof. No longer do we need to visit Pondicherry for this experience :)

Viet:Nom Cuisine: Vietnamese Location: Cyberhub, Gurugram Price: ₹1300 for two What to order: Pork Ribs, Mango Curry with Blue Pea Jasmin Rice

Karim’s Cuisine: Mughlai Location: Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk Price: ₹800 for two What to order: Mutton Seekh Kebab, Chicken Burra, Mutton Nihari Situated in the heart of Delhi, Karim’s is the place for hardcore meat lovers. From juicy kebabs to bold gravies, enjoy the rustic charm of old Delhi in its true glory.

India’s first authentic Vietnamese restaurant surely deserves a mention, for it manages to successfully execute rich flavors while serving a unique cuisine. The freshness of the ‘Summer Rolls’, the perfectly charred and grilled ‘pork ribs’, a unique curry with an interesting taste of mango, eaten along side rice which remind you of freshly blossomed jasmine flowers, tingle all of your senses. Brownie points for the cutlery here, which adds to the vibe of the authentic décor, which includes Vietnamese wall art and lamp shades resembling vintage bamboo baskets.

New Maharashtra Sadan

Harajuku Tokyo Café

Cuisine: Maharashtrian Location: India Gate, Delhi NCR Price: ₹600 for two What to order: Misal Pav, Pithla, Sev Tamater, Shrikhand

Cuisine: Japanese Location: Select Citywalk Mall, Saket & Ambience Mall, Gurugram Price: ₹1000 for two What to order: Gyoza, Japanese Cotton Cheesecake, Katsu Curry

Try some authentic Maharashtrian cuisine at affordable rates at this canteen in New Maharshtra Sedan. The place is beautifully built and has elegant statues of famous personalities from Maharashtra, besides a well-kept lawn for nature lovers. All in all, it’s a wonderful place to spend a good time (at affordable rates :P).

Along with being the most instagrammable cafe in Delhi, Harajuku Tokyo Café has managed to serve not only lip-smacking entrees, but also satiating desserts. Visitors can relive their childhood memories of watching Doraemon with the ‘Dorayaki bean jam buns’. With an arcade machine in the center, and small clouds hovering over your head, this place has left no stone unturned to leave a long lasting smile on our faces :).

Tablespoon

Soda Bottle Opener Wala

Cuisine: Italian Location: Select Citywalk Mall,Saket Price: ₹1600 for two What to order: Charcoal Radiatori , Pizzas, Salted Chocolate Tart

Cuisine: Parsi Location: Khan Market, Delhi NCR Price: ₹1300 for two What to order: Mutton Berry Pulao, Bun Maska with Irani Chai, Salli Boti

As a part of the ‘Yum Yum tree’, Tablespoon is an open kitchen themed restaurant where we can experience the culinary art at its peak. The freshness of their ingredients can be felt in every morsel of food. With its wood fired oven for pizzas and handmade pastas, Tablespoon has proven to be one of the best Italian places in town.

This café, based on the quintessential Irani cafés of the good old Bombay, brings to the table the rustic experience of sharing fresh, quality food in steel dabbas and other interesting cutlery options. The best part, this place employs deaf and hard of hearing people, and encourages customers to interact with them in sign language to raise awareness.

The Piano Man

Devan’s Cuisine: Coffee Location: Lodhi Colony, Delhi NCR Price: ₹300 for two What to order: Café Affogato, Cappuccino, Café de ojja A quaint place without unnecessary frills, this café, established in 1962, is renowned within the community of coffee aficionados for their perfect cups of coffee at affordable rates.

Cuisine: European, Asian Location: 32nd Avenue, Milestone, Gurgaon Price: ₹1800 for two What to order: Mimosa, Chicken slider, Pumpkin ravioli Inspired from the Preservation Hall in New Orleans, this place is straight out of the 20’s prohibition era. The 20-feet-long velvet maroon curtain, the chandelier on the stage featuring 245 trumpets, and the handmade wooden piano are a complete treat to the eyes. All of this, combined with live jazz music and delectable food, makes The Piano Man a perfect place for a date! Not to forget, the beautiful lighting in 32nd avenue makes it even more romantic when you walk back to your cab ;)

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List expenses.Anticipatetheessentialcostsanddiscretionaryspending.

Finance 101 3.

Track your spending.Onceyoustart,monitoryourspending.Determineneedsandwants,anddecide - whichnone sentialsyoucantrim.

By Mehak Arora and Archisman Mazumder, Batch of 2018 4.

Take budgeting to the next level.Ifyou’reingoodfinancialshape,startsettingyourselfupforthefuture.Crea emergencyfund,orlookupinvestmentoptions.

For the guide to do business, see Gujarat (state) For cryptocurrencies, see Bitcoin: The ultimate COVID asset Main page Contents Current events Random article About Wikipedia Contact us Donate

One of the universal signs of growing older and maturing into a responsible adult is the ability to handleyourfinances,andtoknowhowtoinvestmoneyandsaveitaswegoforward.Soherewehave compiled a short list of advices and general rules of thumb on how to manage money, and we hope thiswillbeusefulforanyonewhoreadsthis.

Emergency funds

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1 Apps for management 1. a W lly 1.2 Money Manager 2 General tips 3 Emergency funds 4 Short term investment 4.1 Liquid funds 4.2 Arbitrary funds 4.3 ETFs 5 Long term investment 5.1 NFO 5.2 Dividend yield funds 5.3 Equity funds 5.4 Stocks 6 Newer trends 7 Further reading

Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Uploadfile Tools What links here Related changes Special pages Permanent link Page information Cite this page Wikidata item

Anemergencyfundisafinancialsafetynetforfuturemishapsand/orunexpectedexpenses.Emergencyfundsshou typicallyhavethreetosixmonths’worthofexpenses,althoughthe20economiccrisisandlockdownhasleds expertstosuggestuptooneyear’sworth. • Savings account with and without sweep-in facility: Many savings accounts allow you to have a sweep-in facility whereamountsoverandaboveasetlimitarechanneledintoafixeddeposit.Butifyoueverneedtheca stopsyoufromwithdrawinganyamountpostpaymentofpenalties, . ifany Note:Atpresent,typicalsavingsaccountsdon’tbeatinflation.

The Indian currency. This is often used in exchange for goods and services. This forms thebasisofallfinanceinthe Indian subcontinent.

•

Short-term fixed deposits:Theadvantageisthatyouwouldn’tbeastemptedtospenditasyour - moneyinasa ingsbankaccount.Thedisadvantageisthattherecanbealock-inperiod.

•

Liquid funds:Ininvestmentterms,theterm‘liquid’referstosomethingwhichisasmobile - ashardcash.Fo stance,realestateistheleast‘liquid’ofassets,whileasavingsdepositisoneofthemost‘liquid’ liquidfundsareatypeofmutualfund/debtfundwhoseredemptionperiodisless These than funds 24hours. make investmentsmainlyinmoneymarketinstrumentslikecommercialpapers,certificatesofdeposits,te treasurybills.BenefitsofliquidfundsNo Lock-in Period Quick Withdrawals Lowest Interest Rate Risk TaxBenefits Comparatively Good Returns

•

Gold investment: Gold investment can be done in many forms like buying jewelry, coins, bars, gold exchange-tradedfunds,Goldfunds,sovereigngoldbondscheme,etc.

Apps for management

Print/export

Wally • Ability to compare expenses and income • Enables goal setting and reminders for achieving the same • Provisions of tracking money spent when, why, where, and how • Lets you screenshot record receipts

Download as PDF Printable version In other projects

Money Manager • Weekly, monthly and total budgets are provided • It features a more visual experience so you can see where your money is going instead of just readingnumbers.You’llalsogetapasscodelock,assetmanagement,instantstats,andup-tothe-momentbookkeeping.Youcanalsobackupandrestoreyourdataincaseyouneedtoswitch devices.ItalsooutputstoanExcelspreadsheetformatifyouneedthat.

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General tips 1.

Talk it out.Beforebuildingabudget,talkwithyourparents.Helpsyoufigureouthowmuchyou’re goingtogetandwhattodowithit.Discussexpectedexpenses,existingaccounts, sa andifthere’ needforanewoneifyouwanttogoallonyourown.

20-30-50 rule:Breakyourin-handincomeintothreeparts.50%oftheincomegoestoneeds,30%forwants,and20% tosavingsandinvesting.Inthisway,youwillhavesetbucketsforeverythingandoperatewithintheperm foreachbucket.Thiswillinstillasenseofdisciplineatthesametimeensuringyouneithercompromiseo livingnorplanforyourlong-termgoals.

Sovereign Gold Bonds are the safest way to buy digital Gold as they are issued by the Reserve Bank of India on behalf oftheGovernmentofIndiawithanassuredinterestof2.50%perThe annum. bondsaredenominatedinunitsofgrams ofgoldwithabasicunitof1gram.Themaximuminvestmentonecanmakeis4kg.Thesebondshaveatenorofeight yearswithanexitoptionfromthefifthyearonwards.It’sagainahassle-freewayofgoldinvestingas - youhavet shipofgoldwithoutanyphysicalpossession.

Short term investments • •

Liquid funds (explained above) Arbitrary Funds Arbitragefundsprofitonpricedi-erentialsindi-erent Theymaymarkets. purchasestockinthecashmarketand sellthatinterestinthefuturesmarket.Thecashmarketpriceofastock(thespotprice)iswhat equatetothestockmarket. Thefuturesmarketisslightlydi-erent.That’sbecauseitisaderivativesmarket.Theyreflectthe inthefuture.Sharesdon’tchangehandsimmediatelyinthefuturesmarket.Withfutures,sharesa

onthematuritydateofthecontractfortheagreedprice. Arbitragefundso-erseveralbenefits,includingalowlevelofriskandspecialtaxtreatment. •

•

The Ultimate COVID Asset?

ETFs AnETFiscalledanexchange-tradedfundbecauseit’stradedonanexchangejustlikestocksare.Thepriceof anETF’sshareswillchangethroughoutthetradingdayasthesharesareboughtandsoldonthemarket.Thisis unlikemutualfunds,whicharenottradedonanexchange,andtradeonlyonceperdayafterthemarketsclose. Additionally,ETFstendtobemorecost-e-ectiveandmoreliquidwhencomparedtomutualfunds. Parnika Nangla, Batch of 2021

Long term investments •

BITCOIN:

NFO: Like companies have IPOs, an asset management company that is launching a new mutual fund in the market You can also find this article on https://win.crux.money/uncanraisecapitalbyreleasingaNewFundO-er(NFO).Investorscanseethedetailsofthemutualfundlikemanager titled/ profile,kindofsecurities,etcandbuyunitsofthemutualfundatafixedsubscriptionpricewhichisusuallyRs10 perunit.Canbeopen-endedwhicharegenerallyactivelymanagedbyportfoliomanagersorclose-endedwhichare generallypassivelymanagedtoreplicatethereturnsofabenchmarkindex. Bitcoin is the largest cryptocurrency by market share and has seen the most prolific and unexpected growth of any Dividend Yield funds:Manycompaniesshareaportionoftheirprofitswiththeirshareholders bydeclaring‘divi asset class since its launch in 2009. The coronavirus pandends’.DividendYieldMutualFundsareequityfundsthatinvestinequityandequity-related instrumentsofdemic compahas sent world markets, including those of cryptoniesthatareknowntodeclarehighdividends.Further,acompanycandeclarehighdividendsonlyifitmakesgoodcurrency, reeling. In this article, we will analyze the effect profits.Therefore,mostofthesestocksbelongtoprofit-makingcompanieswithanexcellenttrackrecord. of the pandemic on Bitcoin and its future. Equity funds:Anequityfundisamutualfundthatinvestsprincipallyinstocks.Itcanbeactivelyorpassively(index In the 2009 to 2020 pre-pandemic phase, the growth of fund)managed.Equityfundsarealsoknownasstockfunds.Stockmutualfundsareprincipallycategorized accord bitcoin had been speculative. This asset class is unique in ingtocompanysize,theinvestmentstyleoftheholdingsintheportfolio, . andgeography that it is decentralized and provides a virtual way to retain

control of your money, without the intervention of a bankStocks:InvestorscandirectlyinvestinindividualcompaniesthroughtheirDemataccount withtheirbrokers. likeNIF institution. In the initial stages, there was a mistrust in TYisthebenchmarkIndianstockmarketindexthatrepresentstheweightedaverageof50ofthelargestIndian the cryptocurrency technology, it being called unsafe and companieslistedontheNationalStockExchange.SENSEXistheindexfortheperformanceoftheBombayStock unreliable. Bitcoin was first offered at the negligible price Exchange. of $ 0.001/BTC in 2009.

In coming months, the liquidity crisis had naturally bloomed into an economic crisis – the COVID-19 recession – where most assets lost a large part of their nominal value and already indebted nations faced immense losses due to lockdowns, unemployment and unforeseen pandemic related costs. As markets began to recover in May 2020, so did Bitcoin. However, despite having tanked much further, Bitcoin astonishingly showed nearly a 1200% recovery from its low, once again becoming the best performing asset class of 2020 and 2021.

However, the decentralized nature of Bitcoin appealed to Fun fact:Bullandbeararecommonstockmarketlingo.Thebearcamefirst.Etymologistspointtoaproverb certain groups of people whose investments increased Bitwarningthatitisnotwise“tosellthebear’sskinbeforeonehascaughtthebear.”Bytheeighteenthcentury, the in the early stages. Bitcoin’s steady appreciation coin value termbearskinwasbeingusedinthephrase“tosell(orbuy)thebearskin”andinthename ,” “bearskinjobber eventually made it attractive as an asset class, especially referringtoonesellingthe“bearskin.”Bearskinwasquickly ,which shortened wasapplied tobear tostockthat to the millennial generation, who could take more risk in wasbeingsoldbyaspeculatorandthespeculatorselling Theterm stock. bulloriginallymeantaspeculative their investments and who were more comfortable with the purchase in the expectation that stock prices would rise; the term was later applied to the person making such technical framework behind Bitcoin. Social media played purchases.Theanimalseemstohavebeenchosenasafittingalteregotothebear. a large role in advocating for cryptocurrency. In 2017, Bit-

Newer trends Cryptocurrency,NFTs,Metaverserealestate,daytrading,hedging.

coin reached a pre-pandemic peak value of $19,497/BTC, a return of nearly 2,000,000,000% on the initial investment. The 2017 peak, of course, doesn’t hold a candle to the 2021 peak of $65,000/BTC. In the pre-pandemic phase between 2017 and February 2020, the price has generally maintained itself above $ 7000/BTC. In early 2022, it’s at $45000/BTC.

Further reading

The World Reels

Agoodsourceforlearningfinancebasics:investopedia.com

In phase 1 of the pandemic recession – from February 2020 to April 2020 – markets all over the world experienced a slew of panic selling. In March 2020, as share values, oil prices and industrial averages experienced heavy blows, Bitcoin prices fell lower than $5000/BTC. Even though Bitcoin was disconnected from the established financial system, it was affected by the

liquidity crisis, which is when people tend to convert assets to cash in order to prepare for an imminent crisis. Because of rapid liquidation of bitcoin assets, the price of Bitcoin languished along with the rest of the market, albeit remaining far above its previous lows.

Fig. 1 Pandemic Low of Bitcoin Bitcoin vs Your Everyday Stocks Fixed manufacturing limit of 21 million Bitcoin tokens The blockchain technology behind Bitcoin limits the manufacture of these virtual tokens to 21 million units. This fixed limit provides a hedge against the inflation which is common in traditional markets. Because of aid packages and stimuli provided by governments in the face of the pandemic, inflation is projected to rise higher than usual this year; however, bitcoin is immune to such inflation and is hence more lucrative for several buyers.

Pre-pandemic buying was largely speculative and based on the increasing demand and appreciating value of Bitcoin. However, in the current pandemic phase, many buyers find this limited model attractive because a currency with fixed circulation cannot be easily debased. The incentive to buy Bitcoin has evolved from a speculative strategy to a deeper motivation based on hope in the cryptocurrency future.

decisions of small groups of people, which are two factors that heavily influence the value of traditional money.

The Bitcoin halving in May 2020 About every four years, the rate at which new Bitcoin tokens are created is halved. This effect has taken place twice in the history of Bitcoin and it took place for a third time in May 2020, coinciding with the aftermath of the coronavirus crash. Halving is driven by the essentiality that a lower supply and steady or increasing demand shall drive up the price of Bitcoin, maintaining its demand. Indeed, the last two halving events have been followed by strong Bitcoin boom-andbust cycles. In the periods after halving (such as 2020-2021), we saw immense appreciation of the token and even after the subsequent bearish run, Bitcoin maintained its price above the high of the previous cycle. Loss of faith in existing institutions Most importantly, in this time of crisis, the vulnerability of existing financial institutions has become apparent. Furthermore, the direct relation between politics and finance continues to discourage people who are mistrustful of their government’s intentions. Due to the decentralized nature of cryptocurrency, a government-money dynamic is crucially absent in Bitcoin. This means that asset holders are safe from instances like the hyperinflation in Venezuela in the last decade. Similarly, their money is protected from occurrences like the 1992 devaluation of the Lebanese pound because of the Lebanese civil war and government corruption. In both these cases, the unreliable and volatile factor of people’s trust in governments has a monumental impact on the value of fiat currency. Cryptocurrency is not governed by any institution, financial or political. Furthermore, the very technology behind it ensures that not only are the tokens publicly owned, but the entire system is publicly run, with all transaction information present in the public realm. By its very nature, Bitcoin can neither be affected by corruption nor by the arbitrary

Fig. 2 2021 Peak of Bitcoin Based on these factors and fueled by people’s general lack of occupation during the pandemic, Bitcoin has actually seen a major upsurge in market volume and has registered a number of new buyers since March 2020. Like all other cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin faces several challenges in the future. Bitcoin whales and exchanges with large locked up value may have an undue influence on the value of the currency. Furthermore, as a fairly new system, Bitcoin remains highly unpredictable and is yet to prove that the technical framework beneath it indeed has no exploitable flaws. Bitcoin might also potentially lose its market share to newer cryptocurrencies in subsequent decades. Still, the value of the cryptocurrency system is so undeniable that it has begun to turn even the staunchest of its opponents. J.P.Morgan, an institution that once heavily discredited cryptocurrency, launched its own token JPM Coin on 27 October 2020. Companies like PayPal have also introduced an option to connect Bitcoin wallets to PayPal wallets. In Japan, Bitcoin is now recognized as legal tender and in Switzerland, cryptocurrency can be used to pay taxes. The apparent benefits to cryptocurrency are clear, evidenced by the ever-increasing interest in Bitcoin investments and the subsequent meteoric appreciation of the token despite, or perhaps because of, the coronavirus pandemic. On 18 January 2022, Bitcoin traded at a price of $41,500/BTC or Rs. 31 lakhs/BTC.

A day out in Delhi Bhavik Bansal and Hemant Khandelia, Batch of 2019 Looking for a way to relax and destress after a long week? Do you want to know how you can do that without taking entire days off? Here, we have curated a short list of things to do and places to go to, whilst staying right within the Delhi NCR region. And yes, we have made a pointed effort to exclude tried and tested places like Lodhi Gardens and Jama Masjid. Now all that's left to do is to go explore!

iSkate Ice Skating Rink, Gurugram A 45-minute experience costing Rs. 500 per person, which may be the longest 45 minutes of your life. For people who’ve never skated before, it can range from holding on to the sides for the entire duration to being bruised all over the joints in the body, depending on how much of a risktaker you are. We went as a group of 6. The ambience started out with the Ambience Mall in Gurgaon famous for its loftiness. Talking about the rink, the temperature was just the right amount of cold - not the pricking chilliness, just enough to not let you sweat even though you’re very tired by the end of the experience. The slots are available easily on most weekdays. On busy days including weekends, calling before heading out for the long 1-hour journey to

Gurgaon would be recommended. Slots are an hour apart, and the 15-minute breaks are used by the crew for basic instructions and cleaning out the track. The equipment was well maintained. The staff was competent and behaved nicely and answered all our extremely weird doubts about the skills they performed with the skates. Make sure you wear long socks (ankle lengths are not allowed), or you would have to buy a pair there. iSKATE itself offers a not-tooexpensive fast food package combined with the tickets, costing Rs.150 and included a semi-pizza or a sandwich with a choice of soft drink. But given the location of Ambience, exploring the amazing food around Gurgaon is a no-brainer. You can try Viet-Nom, Jamie’s Italian and Pizza Express for slightly expensive treats to yourself. Gurgaon also offers some

reputed buffets particularly ‘Absolute Barbecues’ with its shark, duck, emu… meat offerings. Definitely would recommend this at least once during your life in Delhi. Your comfort in the activity will depend a lot on your prior experience with skating. Fun Factor: 4/5 Bang for the Buck: 3/5 Travel convenience: 2/5

F9 Go Karting In Gurgaon Ready, Set, Go! Enjoy a fun and adrenaline-fueled experience at this outdoor Go Karting Track in Gurgaon. We went as a group of 10 people here. Travel can be done easily by metro and then picking up an auto/taxi from IFFCO Chowk to the location. It will cost around Rs.600 for 16 laps (you can get 2 more laps if you go on Monday-Thursday). The staff is extremely helpful although you may find it crowded there if you visit on holidays or weekends. The carts are well maintained and you and your friends can race in 6 carts at a time. You do not need to know how to drive to race here. You can ask the staff to help you form a formation grid and start the race together with a green flag. It is a very good place to experience the thrill of motorsports, without dedicating a significant

amount of money and effort into getting onto an F1 team (which every man dreams of, obviously). If you are feeling confident, you can also try advanced tricks like drifting your go-kart and trying to bump off opponents from the track (these manouevres are not without risk- you can easily crash out of the race). You can easily make videos of the whole race and click photos. What's even better is that the people working there will do this for you, not necessitating you to put up photo credits on Instagram. There is an open canteen-like cafe there, where you can get some sandwiches and Maggi but the prices are on the higher side. Instead of that, you can try many food joints in Gurgaon as you can reach Cyber City or Ambience in less than 10 minutes

LaserTag/LazerCrazer from there. Anyway, it's not the food that you go for there, it's the thrill of the race.

Shoot your way to victory at this crazy LazerCrazer arena in Hauz Khas village!!

With their curvy tracks and speedy karts, F9 is a place to check out at least once during your life in AIIMS. Would recommend this to anyone, though not as a substitute for a driving lesson.

We were a group of 10 people and were divided into 2 teams to compete against each other in various modes of the game. The game lasted for 45 minutes, even though it felt much shorter- that might be a testament to how much fun we were having!

Fun Factor: 5/5 Bang for the Buck: 4/5 Travel Convenience: 2/5

The price ranged from 375 to 750 depending on the level of the game that one opts to play. Also, the prices are higher by 100 if you opt to go on weekends. The place is usually not busy and a prior reservation is not required though you might have to wait for 10-15mins if some other group is already playing. Gatecrashing their game is not advised, as first of all, it is nearly impossible to do that, owing to the fact that it is an enclosed

space within which we play, and secondly, it would not be very nice, would it? Still we wish you the best of luck if you want to try! The ambience was perfect to play the game though the room could have been a bit bigger. 1 restroom was available. The equipment was well maintained. The staff was quite friendly and gave clear instructions on how to play the game.

The best thing about the place was the ambience and the various modes of the game available for us to play. I will strongly recommend everyone to visit this place for a unique experience. Fun Factor: 4.5/5 Bang for the Buck: 4/5 Travel convenience: 4.5/5

Since it is located in the heart of Hauz Khas village there is no dearth of restaurants and fast-food chains in the vicinity. One can enjoy mouthwatering pizzas at Chicago’s or have delicious South Indian cuisine at Naivedyam. You can also head out to Imperfecto to party with your buddies. If you are there with a significant other, then a walk in Deer Park might also be on the table.

Akshar Dham For the religious and spiritual souls out there, Akshar Dham is a spot that is often high on the list. But this half-day excursion is a must-visit for anyone fond of beautiful gardens, architecture or even not-so-fancy yet finger-licking good food. 45 minutes via metro, and often crowded and busy, one should preferably leave by early afternoon, especially on weekends. Entry isn’t permitted after 6 pm. With no prior reservations, the estimated cost is 400 per person, not including the money you spend on food (which you should, as it’s not only cheap but absolutely delicious). Upon reaching there, Darshana usually takes about 20 minutes followed by cultural and artistic exhibitions (spend 2-2.5 hours there). The ambience is calming, with serene

Essex Farms gardens encircling the temple. The highlight of your visit is undoubtedly the water show (about 45 minutes to an hour), an amazing experience with multiple-colour lasers, video projections, surround sound, capped off with a captivating live performance.

I can't stress how much of a pleasureable activity a trip to Akshar Dham is. It uniquely meshes together serenity and enjoyment, along with amazing food. I would recommend this to anyone visiting Delhi even for just a few days, let alone to all the students at AIIMS.

Swaminarayan food is available, which includes everything that one relishes under the heading ‘street food’, so you are assured to return satisfied - both spiritually and appetite-wise.

Fun (here soothing) factor- 4/5 Bang for the buck- 4.5/5 Travel convenience-3.5/5

Photography isn’t allowed, and neither are mobile phones, but there is a cloakroom at the entrance so you can comfortably leave them there for the entirety of your visit. The support staff is very helpful and reliable, though you’ll not need any assistance in the activities.

A wholesome experience, from a beautiful location to fun games, to the absolute best food - and the best part is, it’s not as far as Gurgaon or Noida. Barely a 10-minute drive from our campus, this place houses not only the Gaming Bar called ‘Yes Minister’, but also Cafe Tesu and Rustique, some of the best dine-in places in South Delhi. I have been there as a group of 12 and once on a date with my partner, so this place can cover all of your needs. The most common indication for a bunch of college people going there would be either Bowling or Pool. Bowling would cost some Rs. 300 per person per round, Pool is charged on an hourly basis, Rs. 350 per hour per pool table (it has 2 tables, so not uncommon to find them occupied during busy hours). Air hockey, foosball, (mini) basketball, virtual

cricket, boxing, the mechanical bull ride and stuff I cannot even remember now. The equipment is well maintained too. Now taking the conversation onto the restaurants nearby. Cafe Tesu exceeds all expectations in terms of fine dining, though it's a bit on the pricey side, somewhere around Rs. 700 per person, excluding drinks. Please try ‘Egg Benedict' as my humble recommendation. The food, in general, was delicious but this was amazing. Desserts are also nice, with ‘Almond Tart’ as one of my recommendations.

teddies. The food is good, nothing special, covers the spectrum - but rest assured it’s not what Rustique’s selling point is about. A good place for dates, and nothing else. Fun Factor: 3.5/5 Bang for the Buck: 3/5 Travel convenience: 5/5

Rustique is one of the cutest places out there for dates, in close competition with Diggin’. This place packs 2 times the required seats, always working at 50% capacity, the rest being occupied by lovely

If you thought Beth Harmon was cool in Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit, here’s your chance to be Better Harmon. In this article, we will try to introduce you to the basic rules and principleWs of the age old game. There is a small chance that you might become the next Magnus Carlsen after reading this, for which you are welcome. Give treat.

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RULES: White and black pieces fight to checkmate the opposing king. White moves first. Sounds racist, but accepted universally. The players: We have six different pieces on board, each coming with its own value. The pawn (1)- Moves forward and captures diagonally, but only one step at a time. Use it wisely as it can’t move backward. The knight (3)- The jumper. Can jump over anyone on the board. But limited to making moves only in the shape of a 3x2 or 2x3 “L”. The bishop (3)- The diagonal sniper. Moves in diagonal lines. The rook (5)- The straight sniper. Moves in straight lines. The queen (9)- OP. Moves in straight and diagonal lines. The king - A lazy queen. Moves in straight and diagonal lines, but only one step at a time. (You lose the game if you lose this) The coordinates: Based on its location on the 8x8 chess board, each square is named using a combination of a letter (a-h) and a number (1-8).

SPECIAL MOVES Castling: The only time when you can move two pieces at once. The king moves two steps to the right or left and the ipsilateral rook comes to the other side of the king. This protects the king and also activates the rook. Note that you can’t castle if your king has already moved, is under check or falls under check after the move.

En passant: Remember when we said pawns can move only one step at a time. Well yes, except for their first move, where they can move either one or two steps forward. En passant is a special pawn capture that can only occur immediately after a pawn makes a move of two squares from its starting square, and it could have been captured by an enemy pawn had it advanced only one square.

Promotion: If a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board, there is an option to upgrade it to a queen, rook, knight or bishop. Checkmate: The main goal of the game. A checkmate happens when you attack the opponent king and there is neither any square for the king to move to nor any piece that can defend the attack.

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Stalemate: If you think you can’t win, you can always draw. A stalemate is a type of a draw in which none of your pieces can make any legal moves. A simple trick to stalemate is to give away all your pieces, move your king to a corner and hope your opponent covers all squares that your king can move to without any check.

Hardik Gupta, Batch of 2019 Mohamed Shuaib, Batch of 2018

Draw: Stalemate is one of the ways a match can end in a draw. Others include threefold repetition, where both players repeat the same move thrice. There is also draw by agreement, where the players just agree for a draw, due to tactical or personal reasons.

PRINCIPLES: Opening: Contrary to popular belief, a good opening in chess is not just attacking the opponent ‘s pieces and trying to checkmate. It is better to occupy more space in the center, develop the pieces to more active positions and ensure king safety. There are a lot of standard openings that are used by beginners and grandmasters alike. Middlegame: After the opening, the ideal strategy would be to slowly expand upon the opponent’s space by gradually chunking away at their defense and threatening checkmate. The activity of pieces is much more important than the number of pieces you have. A bishop blocked by pawns is as good as having no bishop. Be on the lookout for counter attacks as they are the best defence to any attack. Tactics and correct order of moves are very crucial to this part of the game. Endgame: This is the phase of the game when most of the pieces have been exchanged and there is enough space for the pawns to move. Pawns are very powerful in this phase as they have the potential to turn into queens. The aim of this phase is to make a queen and mate the opposing king with her.

RESOURCES: The Internet is the most cost efficient chess coach that you will get ,without any compromise on quality. There are a variety of websites that teach chess for free, but you might need a subscription for learning advanced stuff. Chess.com and Lichess are the most famous of websites for playing chess, with the latter being fully free. There are also tons of Youtube channels and Twitch streams that you can follow for recent game updates, instructional videos and famous grandmaster games. Agadmator, GothamChess, Eric Rosen, ChessBase India are some of the really good Youtube channels that provide a variety of quality chess content.

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Over the hills and far away Rosemary Jha, Batch of 2020 Anustup Bhattacharyya, Batch of 2019

Nainital, Jim Corbett Kratik Garg, Batch of 2020 No. of members: 6 Duration: 4 days , 3 nights How to get there: Train from Delhi to Kathgodam, then taxi service from there to Nainital Accomodation: Manohar guest house

Looking for a way to escape for a few days to cool off, and return back to the grind with renewed vigour? Are you looking for some advice on where to go, and what all you can do there? Then don't you worry, we have you covered with our list of trips to take near Delhi, which serve as the perfect weekend getaway without (hopefully) putting a hole through your wallet. So, take notes for your next escapade!

Tourist attractions: Tiffin Top, Snow view point, Naini lake, Bhimtal, Jim Corbett national park safari, Nainital zoo (highest altitude zoo in Asia), Nainital botanical garden, Gurney House, Eco Cave Garden, Mall Road

People friendly: The hotel owner is a cool guy. The taxi drivers are chill too. The local people are mostly nice with tourists. Cultural speciality: Not really something we got to experience Souvenirs: Gurney house has a separate shop. Mall road has multiple items available Mode of travel: Book a taxi. Many options available outside the railway station. Off season prices are around 2200 per day. Estimated cost per person: Rs 7500 (with loads of food and everything that can be possibly done) Additional info: 9 am to 5 pm are the safari timings; morning and afternoon slots. Please book way in advance online to get the best zones like Dhikala. Horse riding to Tiffin Top was absolutely heavenly and breathtaking. The zoo is the best thing you will see in a while. Recommendation: Take our word for it. It's a must do trip. Very smooth, fun, adrenaline filled, cost efficient and an absolutely new experience.

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Pranav Pratap Singh, Batch of 2020 No. of members: 4 Duration: 4 days, 3 nights How to get there: Volvo night bus from Delhi Accomodation: Hill country resort, Manali; Kasol adventure camps, Kasol

Fun activities: Ropeway, boating, horse riding, getting through small caves in cave garden Cuisine: Normal Delhi food is available, didn't get to try the local cuisine.

Manali, Kasol

Fun factor: 4.2/5 Bang for your buck: 4/5 Travel convenience: 4.6/5 Food and stay: 6/5

Tourist attractions: Mall road, Hadimba temple, old Manali, Vashisht temple, Solang valley, Rohtang pass, Manikaran gurudwara Fun activities: Zip line, rafting, paragliding, skiing Cuisine: Didn’t try the local cuisine as such but the Chinese restaurants and desserts in some cafés were commendable both in Manali and Kasol People friendly: People of Manali were too friendly and their hospitality was amazing. Not sure about the local language but someone there told me that they speak some kind of Pahari dialect that has a number of local variations. Cultural speciality: Not really something we got to experience Souvenirs: Handicrafts, woolen clothing items, hemp products

Fun factor: 4.5/5 Bang for your buck: 4.8/5 Travel convenience: 4/5 Food and stay: 4/5

Mode of travel: In Manali, it's better to book cabs before; not the case in Kasol, we could explore around kasol in the local bus Estimated cost per person: 13-15k (including the activities like rafting, zipline, paragliding) What you liked most: I loved the cafes of both the places, the food was amazing Recommendation: Manali and Kasol, both are must visit places in your lifetime. You won't regret going to either of them. I can guarantee that your trip would be full of adventure, excitement, adrenaline rush and obviously the aesthetic, untouched beauty of Himachal.

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Ranthambore, Jaipur Aditya Jadav and Hemant Khandelia, Batch of 2019 No. of members: 12 Duration: 4 days, 4 nights How to get there: We booked a traveller for the entire tour and left Delhi by midnight Accomodation: Tiger Inn Comfort Resort in Ranthambore. Some hotel in Jaipur that we don’t remember (says Hemant non-chalantly)

Kartikeya Bathla, Batch of 2019 No. of members: 11 Duration: 2 days, 1 night How to get there: We reached Agra early in the morning by the night train Accomodation: Hotel Sai Palace in Agra – not really luxurious but pretty pocket-friendly

Mode of travel: There are affordable taxi services right outside the train station which offer you an exhaustive tour for the entire day and also take you to places to eat. We travelled by train from Agra to Mathura. Estimated cost per person: Rs. 2,500-3,000 What you liked most: It was the fun of travelling with friends and going by train after so many days that made this trip so special and memorable. Recommendation: Absolutely recommended. Must visit atleast once with your friends 106

Food and stay: 4.5/5

Cuisine: Chokhi Dhani is the best place to explore local cuisines: dalbati, churma, halwa, bajre ki roti, khichdi, rabri, kadhi, lal maas – we tasted them all. People friendly: The locals are friendly and the guides in Chokhi Dhani were very helpful. Everyone speaks and understands Hindi as also the local dialect Marwadi. Cultural specialities: Rajasthan has a vibrant culture and its distinct brand of dressing, jewellery and dance forms. You can explore all of these at Chokhi Dhani and can also check out saree emporiums for good quality earrings and blankets.

Fun activities: Not the best place for adventures but it’s fun to explore the local markets though

Souvenirs: I got a mini-Taj replica as an ornament for my hostel room.

Travel convenience: 5/5

Fun activities: The resort in Ranthambore had areas for bonfire parties and provisions for late night food ordering, and guess what – we made full use of both! Needless to say, the party went amazing.

Tourist attractions: We visited the Agra Fort and the Mughal Gardens opposite to it. Then we went to the Taj Mahal and by evening we reached the Chaat Waali Gali for dinner. The next day was spent visiting various temples in Gokul, Mathura, Vrindavan and Darsana, stopping at little dhabas for lunch.

People friendly: The locals are friendly and in MathuraVrindavan, nearly all are God-fearing and devout. Everyone speaks and understands Hindi.

Bang for your buck: 3.75/5

Tourist attractions: Our tour started when we reached in the afternoon with an ‘evening’ tiger safari. Next morning another tiger safari started at 6am and we were lucky to lay sight on the majestic beasts on both occasions. In the afternoon, we went to the fort and to one of the big lakes where we got to see crocodiles too. We didn’t stay in Jaipur for long but we made sure not to miss Chokhi Dhani – the place is a year round carnival of sorts with a mini-Rajasthan built into itself. It also hosts a beautiful depiction of the Battle of Haldighati. On the last day we went to Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort, and Jalmahal.

Agra, Mathura, Vrindavan

Cuisine: Hailing from North India myself, I won’t say I noticed a lot of difference in the local cuisine. However, there is a sweet called ‘petha’ which is a speciality of Agra.

Fun factor: 4.25/5

Fun factor: 5/5 Bang for your buck: 5/5 Travel convenience: 4/5 Food and stay: 3.5/5

Souvenirs: A silver painted tiger replica adorns the book shelf in Aditya’s room. But you have every choice to be like Hemant who didn’t consider souvenirs a necessary investment. Additional info: Be on time for the safaris – 6am in the morning and 2pm in the afternoon. Make sure to reach by 5pm for crocodile sighting in the lakes. Also have a heavy breakfast or pack some lunch for the long road from Ranthambore to Jaipur – there’s practically nothing on the way. Estimated cost per person: Rs. 10,000-12,000 (but you can make it within 8k if you are saving on travel, food and stay – pretty much everything) What you liked most: The safaris, and the bonfires Recommendation: Strongly recommended to a history enthusiast. Also, if you are looking to chill and not indulge in a lot of adventure. 107

Rishikesh, Auli, Joshimath Soham Pincha, Batch of 2019 No. of members: 11 Duration: 6 days, 5 nights How to get there: Take a train from Delhi to Rishikesh. To reach Joshimath, book a vehicle depending on the size of your group. In our case, we had booked a 14-seater traveller. You can travel to Auli from Joshimath either by road in a taxi (cheaper), or by a cable car (better view). Accomodation: Rishikesh – We opted for a cheap yet fun place, called Zostel 2.0. It had large rooms with bunk beds and an attached bathroom, and could accommodate upto 6 people. It also had a common area where you could hang out and play games. Joshimath – We stayed in ‘The Tattva’, which was on the expensive side but completely worth its price. Starting with the view itself, our rooms opened to a common balcony with a panorama of rugged mountains and snow capped peaks. One could almost touch the clouds in the morning. We had booked 4 rooms, with 3 in triple sharing. They were extremely cosy, complete with room heaters and electric mattresses to protect you from the cold. The dining hall was a quaint wooden enclosure, with a facility for bonfire just outside it. Breakfast was included and sumptuous to say the least. It also had a snooker table, which we used for almost every day of our stay.

Estimated cost per person: Total budget- 20–25,000 Mode of travel: Rishikesh – Renting out mopeds/bikes is the easiest and the most fun way to travel around here. Joshimath – Everything is at a walking distance, so jog around What you liked most: The beauty of Uttarakhand’s landscape can be appreciated in its most natural form, especially on the way from Rishikesh to Joshimath. The mountainous road runs alongside the Ganga, right up to its origin, and further along Alaknanda river. Also, building a snowman in the fresh snow of Auli is a rewarding experience. Recommendation: Strongly recommended.

Tourist attractions: Rishikesh – Ganga Aarti at Triveni Ghat, Beatles Ashram, Ram Jhula, Lakshman Jhula Joshimath – Jyotirmath Mandir Auli – Auli Lake Fun activities: Rishikesh – Rafting in Ganga is a must (widely regarded as the best river rafting in India). Cliff jumping is also included for those wanting an adrenaline rush. Apart from that, there are adventure activities like bungee jumping, reverse bungee etc. Auli – Skiing is quite famous here. Tube ride as well. Be sure to use the Bench lift to reach the Auli lake, the view is just amaze! Cuisine: Rishikesh – Chotiwala is a well known chain, an excellent place for a hearty north Indian meal. Make sure to visit one of the many riverside cafes, just for the view. (Little Buddha, Freedom Café, Beatles Café) People friendly: Everybody understands Hindi. The staff of the hotels will usually help you out for most of the things. Souvenirs: One can buy mufflers, gloves, and other winter items as souvenirs, apart from fridge magnets and keychains. Additional info: Get your Covid tests done a day or two prior to departure. Although we had done the former, we still had our rapid tests done on the way to Joshimath. Also, book the cable car from Joshimath to Auli in the morning itself (around 8.30), as tickets are limited.

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Fun factor: 5/5 Bang for your buck: 4.5/5 Travel convenience: 4.8/5 Food and stay: 4/5

Artwork by Soumyadip Halder, Batch of 2021

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How to be an ASSHOLE 101

Hello, to the lovely creatures of God’s creation, who have survived long enough to read this article. I intend to train you in the next 200 words or so on how to be a classic A-hole. I mean, being nice is too last season, if you ask me. Well, let’s get right to it then, shall we? We walk past and brush shoulders with thousands of people in our not so long lifetime. But only a few really touch us. Leave a mark. We start our discussion by talking about the kind of Asshole who intends to leave a mark on every person they meet. If you, my friend, aspire to be one of them, here are a few points to identify your next role model.

This was just one specific kind of asshole. Assholery comes in different forms and with different, but high levels of ego. A lot of the basics that go into making one a pro Asshole are pretty much constant, even if situations and people change. So, getting your basics strong can make the difference between leaving a freckle or a noticeable mark.

If you can’t see them easily, you can always hear them. Yes, they are known to have and hold an opinion on everything under the sun. Now having and holding an opinion is something all mortals do. But we gotta stick it down other’s throats, especially when they don’t ask for it. The key is to be overconfident, pushy and aggressive.

Let’s get the physical attributes out of the way before diving in further. Do you need to look a particular way to be an asshole? I’m of the school of belief that says, no you don’t! You slay just the same anyway. Be the centre of your universe, just you, you and the universe, revolving around you. Interrupt others when they are speaking, because why not? Speak loud enough to drown their meek voices. Because it doesn’t matter what they gotta say. Undermine others, but don’t consider this bullying, it’s just you taking heat off of yourself. You gotta put yourself first now, don’t you? You don’t need to be a mind game expert to do all of this. Make sure to practice gaslighting and gossiping regularly. Now, let’s come to what all should trigger your Asshole soul. Someone trying to break past the ceiling and do something out of their comfort zone. Boom! That’s your shot at bringing them down. I mean, you saved the ceiling. Phew! A person who works at your building, making probably minimum wages per day, yes! Use all your anger out on them. Be a Karen, as they say. Even if they are doing the best they can. Live up to your title of being an Asshole. Tell a person what “they’’ feel, because obviously you know better. Whine about the technicalities and inconveniences instead of making an effort to know more and understand others. This is one of the top takeaways of this 101. Never ever admit your mistake, lie if you need to. But never ever accept the fact that you can be wrong. Don’t give a “Duck” about what others have to say. I mean they are wrong anyways, aren’t they? Leap before you look, don’t even look after you leap. Whine and make your inconveniences loud and clear to everyone around you. Aaaah looks like I’ve passed on a lot of my knowledge to you my dear Assholes. You are all worthy of it. I’m so proud! Until next time! Anagha Patteri, Batch of 2020

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Narratives

114 flirt (v, imperative) 116 Raw 118 The Last Day 120 Home 122 The Voice of the Millennium 126 The Purest form of Human Expression 129 The Solution through the Pollution 130 The leopard and the bike 132 Rangoli Advice from the Colour World 134 Drive to the Countryside 136

കവിയും കവിതയും

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ആ രാത്രി

141 Not a cry for help

flirt Dr. Tony George Jacob, AP Department of Anatomy

(v, imperative)

Je ne sais quoi… Loosely translates as ‘I don’t know what…’ He was sitting on a bench under a tree in the park near his house. He was dressed for the weather- jacket, scarf, woollen cap, boots and a surgical mask on his chin. The sun filtered through the leaves and branches and fell on the book he was reading. A shadow fell across the page that he was reading. He looked up while shielding his eyes from the overhead noon sun. He quickly pulled the mask up over to cover his nose and mouth. He couldn’t make out much of a face, but this person was tall and well-dressed. ‘Are you new here?’, asked a soft voice that filtered through the winter barriers and the mask, of course. ‘Not really, never got to be out around this time’. ‘I have been seeing you here every day, for the last week, reading what seems to be the same book’. ‘Ha! Ha! Ha! That is true. It seems to be never-ending and it doesn’t help that I doze off in between; it is quite cozy in the sun and the birds- for all the noise they seem to be making, they lull me to sleep!’ ‘Do you live around here?’ ‘Yeah, just around the corner on the left. And you?’ ‘I have been working at an office two blocks away from this park for the last two years. This is my lunch area. It is quite peaceful, and I don’t like eating in the office cafeteria with strangers.’ ‘Strangers? But you have been working there for two years now…’ ‘Yes, but you know how it is… with all these restrictions, I hardly know anyone who works there except my immediate bosses. It’s never the same person around when it is my turn to attend office physically. But, what brought you out of your house?’ ‘I am on my winter vacation; I have had enough of working from home and since I can’t visit my parents in Assam, I thought I might as well get some sun.’ ‘So… you are single then?’ ‘Why would you assume that?’ ‘Just that you mentioned visiting your parents and not your wife and children…’ ‘… and?’ ‘I was just being hopeful. It is not every day that one comes across a man who likes to read in the park.’ ‘Shall I assume that you are single?’ ‘Most certainly not; I have been married for three years now, but my husband ditched me for a job Down Under and now thanks to the pandemic, he can’t risk coming back; and I can’t travel to him either… kinda complicated and simple too, if you ask me.’ ‘So..? Would you like to sit down and talk and finish your lunch? Talking to you like this is straining my neck.’ ‘Yes, but then we won’t be a metre apart…’ ‘Don’t worry, I will move to the end of the bench and you may sit at the other end.’ ‘Fair enough…’, and then she sat herself down on the other end of the bench. She planted her lunch bag between them,

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opened it and took out a couple of sandwiches that were wrapped in aluminium foil. ‘Would you like to have some?’ ‘What’s in it?’ ‘It just some slices off the person I killed last night for dinner. I thought I should save some for lunch.’ ‘Ha! Ha! Ha! No, really!?’ ‘You don’t believe me?’ she asked, looking affronted. Now he could see her face, since she had removed her mask and the scarf around her neck. She had fine, rounded features. Probably, she hailed from one of the southern states; her skin was dark but clear and smooth; she was wearing a shade of lipstick that was a tad too pink for him, but it looked good on her. ‘Tell me that I am pretty.’ ‘Wow! You really don’t mince words do you?’ ‘Why should I? I don’t know you; you don’t know me; it is totally harmless that you should flirt with me and that I should enjoy being flirted with.’ ‘You are a rare one.’ ‘I know right!’ ‘But why would I want to flirt with you?’ ‘Coz I am pretty…?’ ‘That’s a good reason. But what if I tell you that my better half will not appreciate my candour with you?’ ‘What she doesn’t know wouldn’t harm her.’ ‘Hmm. True that…’ ‘So tell me I am pretty’, she demanded between mouthfuls. ‘You are pretty, just like I used to be…’ Then he removed his mask… the lower half of his face was burnt, seemingly by acid, but he had red lipstick on.

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Raw

MaanitMatravadia Batchof20

Brokenarrow,'Kyingacrossthesky Destinedtowardsthetarget Destinedtodie Neverlovedlikeheloved Neverhidlikehehid Alwaystrustedlikehedidnt Alwaysbroken,butheneverknew Painfultowatch Painfultogetignored Swallowinginhimself Allthetalentsandhisword Whatoncewaseasy Nowanightmare Fluidtalk,unbiased,un'Jltered Nowtomeettheeye,youwouldntdare Gonearethedaysofmerrimentandcomfort Wallsallaround,draggingthroughdirt Pilesofresponsibilities,theyearnforlove Butwhenhugonedesires,allIgetisashove Powercoursingthroughveins,unopposedandin'Jnite Con'Jdenceisallforhimtobecomplete iesubtleartofdetachmentheneverlearnt iatswhynoinsult,nocommentwentunhurt Parties,politicsandeverygameever Smilesthatwiththeeyewerematchednever Colddistasteineveryinteraction Everywordleadstoanewfaction Andthen,ahope,araythathaspromise Anoathtosticktogether,nevershallweadmonish ieuncertainty,thefearstillclutchestheheart Butthepainistoomuchforeverymomentspentapart ienlifecatchesup,gonearethosedays Unbelievablethechangesthathappened,lostinadaze Clutchingforanything,anyoneinvain Alliteverendsinisendlesspain

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It was a bright and beautiful morning in mid August. The smell of wet soil was filling the atmosphere giving the indication of recent rain. Crops were swinging along with the slowly flowing wind. The sun was atop our heads but children didn’t pay much attention to it as they were busy playing outside their houses. Some of them were running while playing ‘Chor-Police’ while some of them were rowing their paper boats in puddles that had collected beside the road due to the rain.

time he got married, the time his father died, when Vishal came into their small world, the first time he held him in his hands, Vishal’s first word, Vishal’s first step. With all these memories in front of him tears rolled down his eyes.

Vishal too was busy playing ‘war’ with his neighbor Sohail. Vishal was the enemy and Sohail was defending his kingdom. As they both charged at each other after a long exchange of valorous dialogues Vishal’s sleep was broken by his mother’s voice. He got out of his bed and realized it was all a dream. He was confused because he had never had such a vivid dream.

The cart started to move towards the town in between the field spread like a big green canvas. A soft northern wind was trying to blow off the gloom from over them but it too faded away leaving them with each other yet lonely.

As he got out of the room & saw everyone packing he remembered what his father had told them yesterday at dinner. “We are leaving tomorrow, pack all our valuable things and clothes before 12 noon” His father said, placing the piece of chapati inside his mouth. “Where are we going, Baba?” asked Vishal with an innocent face. “To Hindustan” “When will we be back?” “Never” “But Baba why are we leaving? We have everything here, our house, our farm, my friends. We are even free now.” “I don’t want to leave either, but we aren’t safe here. You won’t understand, Vishu” His father was right, he didn’t understand a thing. All he knew was that they were going to be free from British rule. But he didn’t understand why they were dividing India? Why do they have to leave their home? Why does he have to leave his friend Sohail behind? Why weren’t they safe there?

The Last Day Raghaven Khandal, Batch of 2018

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It was the middle of the day, but all they could see was the darkness of their upcoming future, even in the presence of such a bright shining sun. VIshal stood there holding the wooden soldier which he had convinced his father to keep on the condition of carrying it himself. At last after staring in the abyss for so long they took their seat in the cart without saying a word to each other.

Soon they reached the town but its scene only gave them more pain, all they could see was abandoned houses, burning cars, looted shops. They started to feel fear instead of gloom. Vishal realized the meaning of his father’s words but he still didn’t want to leave. After half an hour of fearful journey through bloody roads they reached the station. They were lucky enough to reach there unharmed. The station was filled with those who were crossing the border. After quite a wait, the train arrived and the crowd started to move furiously to get in. After a long struggle they got seats on the train. The train started to move after filling like a cattle truck. Still they weren’t speaking a word to each other. Everybody was lost in their own thoughts. The train was moving with a steady pace when it came to a sudden halt. Everybody was surprised, freaked out, more accurately. Somebody peeked outside and jumped out of the train shrieking “Run, they are killing everyone, run” Before everybody could understand what was going on, some people climbed up the train with blood drenched swords in their hands and started stabbing people without any remorse. People started falling like dried leaves, their screams could be heard far far away. Vishal’s family was also struggling for their life and then suddenly everything fell silent. The whole train was filled with dismantled dead bodies like in a horror movie. Vishal’s body lay there still, beside his family, holding the wooden soldier covered in God knows whose blood. I don’t know if he was mourning over his and his family’s death or was happy about not having to leave their home. But I do know that he wasn't suffering anymore; he had found peace in the form of death.

When he came out of the bathroom mulling over his thoughts, the packing was almost done, his mother was checking over the things she might have forgotten to pack & his grandma was packing food for the trip. Watching them he remembered something and rushed to his room, after some time he came back with a wooden soldier which Sohail had given him on his 10th birthday. He asked his mother to put it in the bag but she denied his request stating that they can only take valuable things with them. He tried so hard but couldn’t convince her how valuable the toy was to him. Vishal was crying over the toy when his father came with a horse cart. He helped his father put the luggage into the cart. His mother checked for a last time if they might have forgotten something. At last they came out of the house and locked it. They looked at it for the very last time with teary eyes as they were never coming back. His father was standing at the cart with gloom all over him. All the times they had spent in this house flashed before his eyes. The

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Home Ishika Gupta, Batch of 2019

Today, at my community medicine posting, I was in Dakshinpuri, in midst of the frustrating process of collecting data for the research project, asking the bemused and sometimes annoyed residents “Aunty, subah se raat tak kya khaya aapne batao”. While meandering through this monotonous task, I saw a little boy with a plate in his hand, containing chane-puri and halwa, beaming from ear to ear. Then it struck me, today was Ashtami puja. And the little boy’s plate reminded me of my mom’s chana puri, the aroma wafting from the kitchen as I woke up sleepy eyed for the rituals, the eager anticipation of the delicious prasad and the liveliness all around. In college, we are often blissfully unaware of the festivals going on. But, going into the community made me miss home, miss mom’s delicious food and even the Prasadam of the halwa. No amount of ordering food or fancy dining can compensate for mom’s love in the homemade comfort food, for the vibe of the safe space that’s home.

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T he Voice of the

M illennium

Lata Mangeshkar (1929-2022) passed away on the 6th of February. She left behind an insurmountable legacy in the form of the songs she sang as a playback singer, both in Hindi and dozens of other regional languages. From the sweetness of all-consuming love to the crippling dread of separation, from the selfless love of a mother to the unmistakable reverence for the motherland, her songs encompass myriads of subjects. This feature is a meagre effort to pay homage to her memory and presents a few of the hundreds of songs she would always be remembered for.

1. Tu Jahan Jahan Chalega Main agar bichhad bhi jaaun, Kabhi meraa gam na karna Meraa pyaar yaad karke, Kabhi aankh nam na karna Tu jo mudke dekh lega, Mera saaya saath hogaa. These are the words of a departed soul promising her everlasting presence to her lover. A hauntingly beautiful melody in Raag Nand and Tal Kaherava, ‘Tu jahan jahan chalega’ hits all the right spots in the listener’s heart. This song came to be associated with the relationship Sachin Tendulkar shared with his Lata didi and aai. In his words,”Lata didi main yeh gaana sun raha hoon aur mere paas lafz nahi hai baayan karne ke liye ki main kaisa mehsoos kar raha hoon. Main bas itna kehna chahunga ki.. tumcha aashirwaad majhyavar sadaiv aso! Mazha manapasun! “ But there is a certain reassurance in her voice when she says, Mera Saaya Saath Hoga, reminding us once again of the painful, yet beautiful truth behind those heart touching lyrics: with love comes the agony of separation. - Anagha Patteri, Batch of 2020

2. Aap Ki Nazron Ne Samjha This beautiful song is my first memory of Lata Ji. I would be woken up on most days by my mother humming the tunes of the iconic singer, and this song was her favourite. Aap Ki Nasron Ne Samjha, Pyaar Ke Kabil Mujhe Dil Ki Ae Dhadkan Theher Jaa Mil Gayi Manzil Mujhe Captivated by love, the protagonist sings to her lover, stating that her destiny came true the day she found love in the eyes of her beloved person. Just like a vessel on a voyage through the stormy seas that has finally found its destination, her life has found meaning. “Haske Apni zindagi mein, kar liya shamil mujhe” With a loving smile, she was welcomed into her lover’s heart. The beautiful lyrics penned by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, and music composed by Madan Mohan, is brought to life by Lata Ji’s melodious voice. A passionate song about love, Aap Ki Nazron Ne Samjha mesmerizes you like the cool evening drizzle does, with a cup of chai and the memories of your loved one. - Anna Basil Gomez, Batch of 2020

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3. Lag Jaa Gale

5. Ae Mere Watan Ke Logo

Music is an inevitable part of life. But there are very few creations that so profoundly affect your soul, and Lag Jaa Gale is one of them. It makes your heart ache for the lover who’s floating away from your sight.

Ae mere watan ke logon Zaara aankh mein bharlo paani Zo sahid hue hai unki zaara yaad karo kurbani

The enamoured bard beseeches her lover for a little more time, a little more love. The verse “Jee bhar ke dekh leejiye, hum ko kareeb se” is her acceptance of the fact that they might never meet again and thus asks him to admire and love her in the time they have left.

This song was written and composed in 1962 in memory of the martyrs of the Sino Indian war and was originally meant to be sung by Lataji on 26th January 1963. Lata’s voice expresses the pride that the people of India have for their country and their flag. Every note and inflection brims with intense patriotism and devotion to her motherland. She reminds people of the brave soldiers that fight for the peace we celebrate, and that we should remember these courageous heroes. She asks us to pause and think of the sacrifices of the soldiers fighting at the borders, risking their lives. She also urges us to shed tears in the memory of the martyrs and spare a moment for the families that have lost their loved ones.

Paas aayiye ke hum nahin, aayenge baar baar, Baahein gale mein daal ke, hum ro le zaar zaar Come closer, for I cannot come to you every time; hug me, let’s cry our hearts out, for this might be the last time we meet. One of Lata Ji’s finest songs, this song is sure to make you feel the pain of separation, even for the love you never had. Lyrics by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and music by Madan Mohan. Shaayad phir is janam, mulaqat ho na ho... - Anna Basil Gomez, Batch of 2020

Kavi Pradeep’s lyrics and C. Ramachandra’s melodies complement Lataji’s soulful and flawless execution to make every heart swell with pride and respect for their nation and her brave soldiers. -Rishika Agarwal, Batch of 2020

4. Luka Chuppi Lukka chuppi bohot hui samne aaja na Kahan kahan dhoonda tujhe Thak gayi hai aab teri maa Based on the movie Rang de Basanti, this song is a poignant rendition of the emotions of a mother grieving the death of her son. It reminds us of our childhood memories with our mothers, and the bliss that came at times from simply being close to her. The pain and worry of a mother who has parted from her children for whatever reasons, and her eternal wait are brought to life by Lataji’s voice. It reflects both the delicate nature of a mother and child’s bond and its resilience in how it remains intact even after the cessation of life.

To listen to the timeless songs in this article, open Spotify and scan the QR code below-

The song prompts those of us who continually run after our goals, to take a minute to miss our mothers, and recollect days that were difficult and made us want to hide away in her embrace. Yahan sab kuch hai maa Phir bhi lage bin tere mujhko akela We mortals often look for our mothers only after reaching the pinnacle of our dreams. This emotionally charged song has been done justice by Lataji’s soulful voice. It tears the eyes of all mothers who have their children serving at the borders, and Lataji’s voice provides solace to them all. -Rishika Agarwal, Batch of 2020

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house parties, of the best films to ever be made. He spoke of lofty plans to call the biggest meeting of local poets, to have a fundraiser for the local artists, to have a grand musical evening for dadi’s birthday. I used to negotiate my way into the programs, booking a spot for my performance of the latest song I’d learnt - crying when my performance didn’t make it to the CD cut of the function (“beta, we have your performance on the video camera, don't worry”). Then came the time of Asmita Parva (the biggest literary event in Gujarat), where dada and I used to sit with peanuts on the couch, him trying to explain the complexities of the debates on Radhe-Krishna-Rukmini, and me listening, gulping down every pearl of knowledge he gave me.

The Purest form of Human Expression

I snap back to the speeding car in which I sat. The news of Lata ji passing away was gravely mentioned by my mom just a few hours ago. Ek tu hi bharosa is playing on the radio. I remembered the notes by heart, the ma-pa-dha-dha.. dha-pa-dha, the intervening piano and the points where I practiced the flourishes and the part where I had to use two hands to play it. It struck me, this was the only song I remembered by heart after all these years, the only song I had played in all my Prarambhika exams and school music auditions. It hit me, how one voice, how one person’s creativity could unite millions - not in fear (people are united by fear more often than love), but by admiration, by a selfless, universal love and by a shared gratitude to art: the purest form of human expression.

Maanit Matravadia, Batch of 2020

blankly stare out of the window, feeling as if a stone has dropped somewhere inside me, pulling down my thoughts, my consciousness and my feelings, leaving me empty from head to toe. A light drizzle is sending raindrops racing across the glass window, as the car speeds along the wet road. Farms, cottages and roadside restaurants pass by, each greyer than the preceding, until I finally give way to the emotions buried within and slip down memory lane to my childhood. Dada forced me into music. Pushing me into some old Shastri ji’s house, I remember demanding chips and chocolates while he scolded me for not listening to Shastri ji. It was dadi who, playing peacemaker with an enticing compromise, made us meet halfway - I’ll get all the snacks I want after an hour of Sitar session. From that I went to playing the keyboard at home, and my sister mastered kathak - the ‘art kids’ of our science household. Not understanding why, I ventured into the vast world of Classical music, following whatever dada introduced me to, because it was his only request. I didn’t enjoy it initially, I wanted to play Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift, but all I learnt was Ragas and Lata Mangeshkar songs. And as I grew, so grew my fondness for classical music.

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Then we had these ‘Kavi sammelans’, where dada used to call the local poets, singers and literature enthusiasts and gather them on a rainy night in our hall, lit up with candles and yellow lights. In the dim shade of twilight, while my mom served bhajiyas dressed in a seldom-worn saree, dada used to call out to me, ‘bring that keyboard and notes - today you’ll play Ajeeb Dastaan for us beta.’ Scowling, I dragged myself down the stairs from the comforts and privacy of my room, making a show of my disapproval with wet cheeks and balled fists. I played, nonetheless. And then went on to play some more. I listened intently to their discussions, sitting on mom’s lap, her being wrapped in a red chunni, and me in my thoughts. They spoke of Meera, Narsinh Mehta, of Krishna and of Ram, of philosophy and art, of poems and cinema. I didn’t understand half of what they said, but enjoyed every bit of it. I absorbed everything like a sponge, and then recited it all in the next function, just to see the glow on my dada’s face - his grandson was finally warming up to literature and music. Often, as he dropped me to school, me hugging his back on a cold white Activa, he spoke of his exotic adventures in the world of gujarati literature, of great singers he’d hosted at

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The Solution through the Pollution HayagrivasMB,Batchof201

Setting foot on the New Delhi Railway Station, after a long tiring journey, the boy said, “I’m too worried, I think I may have cataract at a very young age”. The girl beside him said, “Chill bro, it’s Delhi”. The boy realized what had happened during Diwali time, and smirked. The visibility was decreasing, the mercury levels had unpredictable boundaries. The AQI was worse than ever. The boy asked, “I am too worried about the people, are they not vulnerable to respiratory problems?” The girl who always answered with a cheeky bit of class said, “That’s why we’re here. To study how to cure those. Just hold on”. The boy remembered the main reason why he was in Delhi. Crazy winters and blasting summers were adjacent. The air quality only made it poorer. Early mornings, but the boy couldn’t see the sunrise. The vision was bleak just as his future was, a couple of years before. But he felt the warmth, when it was cold outside. An unknown moment of sensation he’d only felt in his coastlined homecity. The boy asked, “What’s the warmth I’m feeling, I don’t understand but it feels good”. The girl said, “It’s the omen. It’s the warmth the people are gonna offer you here”. The boy argued, “Don’t lie, it’s because of the sweater you just gave me”. The girl gave a grin, and calmly whispered, “You’ll see”. The boy was simply awestruck, at the variety of differences he saw, catalogued with a completely different culture. A few months before, he only had to think about Delhi when it was the main event of Super Kings vs Capitals. Now he had to live, breathe and try to blossom, all in Delhi.

Photo courtesy Keerthana Kasi, Batch of 2018

The weather cleared, the sun appeared. Despite the eye irritation and smoggy atmosphere, life went on, buzzing as always! The Capital was filled with liveliness, despite the weather concerns.

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They boy got ready for his unpredictable wild medical journey, to find the solution despite the pollution!

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The

d n a

leopard the bike Dr Devashish Saini, Batch of 1998 Family Physician

In the middle of a busy outpatient clinic a couple of months back, I saw two young men, one after the other, for the same complaint. Both had suffered limb injuries a few months prior, and had developed scar hypertrophy with itching. But that’s where the similarity ended. The first young man, let’s call him Sudhir, had a viral cold, for which I prescribed lots of fluids, and some medicines for symptomatic relief. He then mentioned conversationally, “Three months back I got bit by a leopard.” At first, I couldn’t register what kind of bite he got. After a few questions back and forth, it finally dawned on me that he was talking about a big spotted wild cat! I wanted to hear more, of course, but I was of two minds – on one hand there were patients waiting outside, on the other hand how many times in life does one meet a ‘leopard bite’ survivor? Sudhir actually didn’t need any encouragement. Assuming I would want to hear more, he started recounting what happened that day when he wrestled a leopard and lived to tell the tale. There had been leopard sightings in the hills near his village, but the big cats generally stayed away from the villages. This one leopard ventured close to his village, possibly out of hunger, but got scared when the dogs started barking, and went and hid in a thicket of bushes. The whole village gathered near the thicket out of curiosity. Someone called the forest department. The leopard got scared even more with all the commotion, and ran out of his temporary hiding place into the village lanes, and entered a house with an open door. A few brave souls, including our protagonist, ran after it, following the screams. They found it attacking a labourer in that house, and started beating it with whatever they could find in the house. The leopard left the labourer, attacked Sudhir in the commotion, and bit off a chunk of flesh from his right leg.

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The leopard would have continued to maul Sudhir, but his cousin came to the rescue, and attacked the leopard with a bamboo stick. The leopard ran out again into the village lanes. Fortunately by that time the forest department officials arrived, shot it with a tranquilizer, and hauled it away. No lives were lost that day, and Sudhir became a hero! Since then, he tells the story to whoever he meets, rolling up his pants to show off his scar as the grand finale! And he did, and revealed the thick, red, knotty, irregular scar in all its ugly glory! I quietly admired the scar, politely complemented his bravery, and suggested coconut oil to try and soothe the itching. He left with the satisfaction of a magician having thoroughly impressed the audience with the prestige! The other young man, let’s call him Gajendra, was a study in style. He was wearing perfectly fitting trousers, with a full-sleeved shirt in complementary colours, suggesting a good eye for fashion. The moustaches were trimmed to a point. His haircut framed his face well, and there was just a hint of hair gel. His confidence, however, didn’t match his carefully groomed persona – he barely met my eyes. When I asked how I could help, he said he had scars which itched a lot and left him sleepless at night. Mostly out of the curiosity to listen to another thrilling story, and partly out of the need to ascertain the mechanism of injury, I enquired about how he got the scars. He just said, “I feIl off my bike.” I had a strong feeling there was more to the story. I asked the most open-ended question I could think of at that moment, “How did that happen?” And the story started to unfold. He was going from his village to the city for some work. To save time, he drove the bike onto the wrong lane of the highway, just like he had done hundreds of times before. This time, though, there was a car coming in the lane he just turned onto, and would have collided with him. The other lanes were full of traffic, so the car driver braked hard, lost control, veered onto the shoulder and turned over. Gajendra wasn’t hit, but the surprise was enough for him to lose control of the bike. He fell on the road with outstretched arms, getting road rash over a large area of the arms. Not a happy day for anyone, but fortunately no lives were lost. Gajendra’s wounds healed, but then started growing excessively, and caused intense itching. Gajendra consulted a lot of doctors, tried a lot of lotions and creams, but got no relief. I followed up with a few more questions, and then asked to see the scars. The patient reluctantly rolled up his sleeves. There they were – large, thickened, irregular, ugly scars, almost the same as Sudhir. Hypertrophic scars often form at sites of injury or surgery, and cause a lot of discomfort to the patient, in addition to the cosmetic problem they create. There are a lot of treatments available, none of them wholly satisfactory, and surgical removal of the scars often leads to recurrence at the same site. I discussed all this with Gajendra, and he decided to explore the surgical option. I gave him a couple of names of plastic surgeons, and he left, somewhat hopeful. I’m guessing he would continue to try everything possible to get rid of this constant reminder of the day he almost killed a car-full of people! Sudhir, of course, needed no such discussion, and would most likely continue wearing his itchy ugly scars with pride all throughout his life, showing them off to his grandchildren, and telling them, as often as they would listen, the story of the day he got a “leopard bite” and saved a life!

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itor appreciated the talent behind every art and none seemed to mind. Even the tutors were filled with nostalgia on seeing the last piece, of three love birds on a branch, and so in peace they made their way back to the living room. “Won’t you join us for dinner”?, Yellow extended her hospitality to the guest. There was a slight drizzle with the stars settling in. Words of gratitude were expressed as they sat down to break bread. But out in the woods, cold and hungry, the outcast roamed. He knew the lights at the villa meant a night of celebration. Thankful that his love and child had found a place, he scratched a root he thought was edible.

Rangoli Advice from the Colour World “Welcome to Rainbow Villa where we give colour to all that meets your eye. I am Red, the head of this liberal abode, along with Blue - my best friend.” “Well pupil, before you learn the art of making Rangoli, listen carefully to our story that shaped the origin of dyes and pigments.” “Blue cherishes recounting these ancient anecdotes”, Red thought. “We were in his garage, finishing a couple of lovebirds for a project when she walked past us, down the street; Yellow, in all her splendor. She had won both of us at that very moment. We didn’t want to put our friendship in jeopardy so we decided to share her. Luckily for us she didn’t object and we added a bird to the branch.” A sudden thud now captured their attention. Purple had dropped the paint bucket from the watchtower

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under construction. “We adopted him as a symbol of our relationship”, he spoke as he took Blue’s hand. “You need to have a firm idea of the theme. Select a plethora of designs that represent it uniquely. But remember, with great options, comes great confusion. Eliminating your choices is your next hurdle”, Red was straight to the point. Green brought in tea and cookies, and met the pleasant nod from her dad, Blue. While the origin of everyone was clear; Black was an exception. He apparently had two fathers and a mother. “Once finalised, choose a quiet place and begin sketching the outlines with pencils and markers, unless you are a pro with a magical hand”, he continued. “Never forget to bring all your willpower and courage as you will need it immensely”, Yellow spoke from

her years of wisdom. "It’s your job to protect your hands. Not all colours are friendly”, Orange blurted as he hurried from the fields he had cropped. There was an underlying cry in his voice as he was reminded of his twothird-brother, Black who had shamed the house. The clock is usually the foe; one can’t start too early in fear of domestic beings that might step over, nor too late. You can’t be a perfectionist unless you kick off before dawn, a lesson we learned from the Diwali show. There is always a balance between available time and our satisfaction. Red stood up and said, “Let me take you to the gallery where each piece has been preserved.” They made their way up the stairs and into a hall furnished by past works. The recent ones were closer. SpongeBob was the first. The var-

PS: While such relations may be fine for colours, I personally don’t think they work for humans! Philemon Kuriakose Batch of 2020 ied emotions on the three musketeers stood out, amplified by their shades. The forms signified meaning and were saturated with thoughts of the artist. Was it just a feeling or was it sup posed to refer to the stages as we age? The carefree child, green adolescent with mixed moods and the adult running like it was smokin’ hell. Doesn’t it allude to ecstasy and pleasure, Neon wondered as she observed from her bubble, across the hall. She was the only test tube baby in the family. Some radiation during her inception had made her photo luminescent and light sensitive, which meant a life of isolation. Blue met her gaze and bit his lip thinking of the anxious moments with Yellow in the lab. Next in view was old grandpa Rick, doped in meditation keeping in mind the motto of Pulse. “The grains of beauty are dropped slowly, with care and precision, lay-

er by layer. The texture and thickness of each, determined prudently. Although it starts off vague without charm, like most things, it gains life as the process goes on, attracting viewers; until completion when it has the crowd mesmerized in its awe.”, Blue picked up from where he had left. Young White was revered as the godmother of the family, having aided them in several masterworks. She presently joined the group with Pink by her side. Those little eyes had an uncanny resemblance to Red. “How’s Gray?”, he asked the mother. Still weak, she replied. There was guilt and pain in those words which evaded comments from the gathering. Did she still have feelings for Black, one would wonder. Her affair with two generations of this house had left a lasting mark. Time knew no bounds as the vis-

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Countryside Drive to the

Nitun Sarkar, Batch of 2020

We decided to drive to the countryside that day. It was Wick who came up with that idea. According to him, visiting the country once in a while does your heart some good. The weather was great and he said it would be the best thing we could do over the weekend. I tried to reject it, citing rain as a reason. But Wick said it was ridiculous as weather forecasts showed an exact 0% chance of rain in the next 2 days. He also said that I was being pessimistic. The plan was a short drive from our hometown to the village. I enquired about what we were supposed to do there. He replied we would arrive there and then decide, to reduce the mental burden. I agreed anyway. Although it was a good place to relax, it was quite far away. Moreover, I can drive buat I don’t have a license. I mean, I can drive a bit, as I practised a bit in the fields, but driving on a road had never been a part of the experience. But since I had played GTA, I figured I could try that in real life, but Wick said it would not be a good idea to do so. So, the driving part was given to Wick. I had to take the back seat, as Wick was convinced that me being in the front would distract him enough to go off the road. We started at 2:30 in the afternoon. The plan was to start around 8 AM, but we weren’t sure what delayed us so much. We blamed each other for it. To make matters worse, Wick had gulped down a number of cans of energy drinks, especially Red Bull. He explained that it would be compensatory to the fact we started late. I somehow managed to convince him that we needed not to exceed the speed limit just for our safety.

We were going well, having Google maps to help us. Wick was only stopping at some of the red signals, so as to make up for the lost time. Wick’s sudden thrill for speed saved us that day. While coming at one of the red signals, Wick suddenly decided to accelerate. We ended up narrowly missing a truck coming 134

from the right. Going any slower would have caused both the vehicles to hit each other. Wick said it was the energy drinks, which caused him the urge and thus saved us.

We decided to follow the traffic rules after that, no matter how late we would be.

After some time, I felt hungry. Wick felt the same too, so we decided to stop at a food outlet. I said we would spot one while he drives, so I kept watching the left side of the road. I had identified a variety of open shops, drawing customers from all over the country, but not a single food outlet could be seen. I wondered if fast-foods had been banned in that area, or that people there didn’t need to eat. My stomach was growling. Wick said his brain was on the verge of giving up due to the lack of energy. Apparently, driving all the while had exhausted him.

After sometime, we became mad. We really needed some food. Why the hell was there no outlet? Wick said there must have been some, but I had failed to spot them. I retorted why the fuck would I do that. We stopped the car and began arguing. Wick enquired whether I could recognize a food outlet when I see one. I said obviously I would and why his dumbass would even think of that. I then remembered that wise saying that there is no point in arguing.

So, I said the best we could do is to go on foot and inquire. I asked a man where we could possibly get some food. He said there was one named ‘Last-eaters’, but he wasn’t sure where it was exactly. So, I asked a lady about where I could find Last-eaters. She said it was a great shop and asked us to head a bit south.

We headed south but there was no sign of it. We asked some more people. No one was sure where exactly it was situated. Some asked to head east, some said go west. One old man even said he was returning home after eating there, but he couldn’t exactly recollect where it could be situated. We were so confused. Why was it so damn hard to find that little shop! Later we found out that Last-eaters had last been operational in the 1980s.

Artwork by Asmita Bag, Batch of 2021

Well, we did find some food. When an old lady learnt we were so badly in need of some, she took us to her house and cooked some herself. We were very grateful to her. Wick even said we would visit her every month and that her cooking was magnificent.

Now the next problem was finding where we had parked our car. In our effort to feed, we had veered randomly and deep inside the place, and now there was no going out. Everything started to look like a maze. It was evening and becoming dark. Wick said he had never run into a more difficult situation. We didn’t know what road we were driving. Trees and houses seemed to mock us all the while as we had lost the sense of direction. We were also worried if our car was stolen.

Anyway, Wick told me to keep calm, and think. Even if the worst did happen, it was ultimately our friend Tony’s car. I suggested we should go in different directions, so as to widen the area of search. But Wick suggested against it, as we couldn’t risk losing one another too and that was a valid point. We were searching vigorously. Wick saw a house and said we had passed it before. I too thought I saw that some time ago. And this could only point out that we were badly lost. The light was fading. Nightfall was beginning to engulf the whole town. I started to grow scared and couldn’t think straight. Suddenly Wick remembered that we had smartphones with us. Wick can be sensible at times, I admit. So, we opened Google Maps, found our location, but still, it was not of much use. We had to find the road our car was on.

It took an hour of brute force to do that. We somehow ended up coming down to the road. And after some searching, we discovered our car. “There, there! God bless us! Look, our car is right there,” exclaimed Wick with visible happiness.

Now we had two options, whether to continue our journey or to head back. It took a good deal of time to decide. First of all, our fuel was less. Wick said it wasn’t enough to go even 2 kilometres further, and we certainly couldn’t risk getting lost in search of a gas station. Also, we were tired and no enthusiasm for any countryside adventure was left in us. I, of course, couldn’t agree more. I just wanted to go home. I think we took a cab to return back. Our car was towed back for some fee; we couldn’t risk running out of fuel while driving. 135

Ihnbpw IhnXbpw ap-l-½-Zv ^-hm-kv -sI. (Muhammed Fawas K) _m-¨v- 2016

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Artwork By Ridhaim Rathod, h Bcat fo 20

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Phot esyourtc . Dr inK ley anY dong , h Bcat fo 2016

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ആ രാത്രി അഭിഷേക് എ. എ. (Abhishek A A) ബാച്ച് ഓഫ് 2020

് വൈകി. വിജനമായ ആ നേരം ഒരുപാട ഒറ്റവരിപാതയിലുടെ അയാൾ നടന്നു. ഇരുട്ടുമുടിയ ആ പാതയും അയാളുടെ മനസ്സും ഏകാന്തമായിരുന്നു. കൈയ്യിൽ ഒരു പത്രക്കെട്ടും കുറെ മാസികകളും മാത്രമേ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നുള്ളു. അരണ്ട നിലാവെളിച്ചത്തിൽ അയാൾ നടന്നുനീങ്ങി. ഒരു പക്ഷേ ആ വഴി അയാൾക്ക് ഏറെ പരിചിതമായതിനാലാവും, തപ്പിതടയലുകൾ ഒന്നും യാത്രയിലുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല. അല്ലെങ്കിൽ തന്നെ ഇരുട്ടിന്റെ ഏകാന്തവീഥിയിലൂടെ നടക്കുവാൻ അയാൾ നന്നായി പഠിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട് കാരണം പതിമൂന്നു വർഷങ്ങൾക്കുമുമ്പ് ഒറ്റപ്പെട്ടതാണ് അയാളുടെ ് നടന്ന ഒരു ബസ ് ജീവിതം. പതിമൂന്നു വർഷം മുൻപ അപകടത്തിൽ അയാളുടെ ഭാര്യയേയും മക്കളേയും മരണം കാർന്നുതിന്നു. തന്റെ പിഞ്ചോമനകളുടെ മുഖം കണ്ടു ക�ൊതി തീർന്നുട്ടുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല അയാൾക്ക് ... ഓർമകളെല്ലാം അയാളുടെ മനസ്സിൽ അലയടിച്ചുക�ൊണ്ടിരുന്നു. നടന്നു നടന്നു ആ ഒറ്റവരിപ്പാതയിൽ നിന്നും അയാൾ പ്രധാന റ�ോഡിലേക്ക് കടന്നു. നിലാവെളിച്ചം അൽപം കുടിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. ഇപ്പോൾ വഴിയ�ൊക്കെ ഏറെക്കുറെ നന്നായി കാണാം. റ�ോഡ് അൽപം കഴിയുമ്പോൾ അവിടെ ഒരു പീടിക കാണാം. അവിടെയ�ൊന്നും ആരും ഇല്ല. ഇരുട്ടിന്റെ മറവിൽ എന്തൊക്കെയ�ോ ശബ്ദങ്ങൾ കേൾക്കാം. എല്ലാദിവസവും പത്രമാഫീസിൽ നിന്നും വരുമ്പോൾ ആ പീടികയുടെ ന് ബസ്സപകടം മുൻപിൽ അയാൾ നിൽക്കാറുണ്ട്. അന് ് . തന്റെ ഭാര്യയുടെയും മക്കളുടെയും നടന്ന സ്ഥലമാണത അവസാന ഓർമ്മകൾ ബാക്കിയായ സ്ഥലം. ഓർമകൾ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും ഒരു തിരമാലയെന്നോണം അയാളുടെ

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മനസ്സിൽ ആഞ്ഞടിച്ചു. ഓർമകളിൽ മുഴുകിനിന്നപ്പോഴാണ് ് . പീടികത്തിണ്ണയിൽ ഒരു അയാൾ ആ കാഴ്ച കണ്ടത ത് മൂലയിൽ ഉപ്പുചാക്കുകൾക്കടുത് ഒരു ക�ൊച്ചുപെൺകുട്ടി പേടിച്ചരണ്ട പേടമാനെപ്പോലെ ഇരിക്കുന്നു. കണ്ടാൽ ഒരു ത് ് പ്രായം ത�ോന്നിക്കും. അവളുടെ പത് പന്ത്രണ്ട് വയസ ശരീരം ആകെ വിറയ്ക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. അയാൾ പതുക്കെ അവളുടെ അടുത്തേക്കു ചെന്നു. അയാൾ അടുത്തേക്കു ചെല്ലുന്തോറും അവൾ ഉപ്പുചാക്കിന�ോടു ചേർന്നിരുന്നു. പതിഞ്ഞ സ്വരത്തിൽ അയാൾ അവള�ോടു ച�ോദിച്ചു കുട്ടി ആരാ... എവിടെ നിന്നു വരുന്നു? .... എന്താണിവിടെ ് . ഇരുട്ടിന്റെ വാതായനക്കാറ്റിൽ അയാളുടെ ഇരിക്കുന്നത ച�ോദ്യങ്ങൾ മാത്രം വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും മുഴങ്ങിക്കേട്ടുക�ൊണ്ടേയിരുന്നു. എന്നാൽ എല്ലാറ്റിനും മറുപടി ആ കണ്ണുകളിൽ നിന്നും അടർന്നുവീണ കണ്ണുനീർത്തുള്ളികൾ മാത്രമായി രുന്നു. അയാൾക്ക് എന്തുചെയ്യണമെന്നറിയാതെയായി. അപ്പോഴും ഒരു തുടർക്കഥപ�ോലെ കണ്ണുനീർത്തുള്ളികൾ വീണുക�ൊണ്ടേയിരുന്നു. ആ കുട്ടിയെപ്പറ്റി ഒന്നും ന് എന്തോ ഒരു അയാൾക്കറിയാൻ കഴിഞ്ഞില്ല. പെട്ടെന് ശക്തിയുടെ പിൻവലിയെന്നോണം അയാൾ ആ പീടികതിണ്ണയിൽനിന്നും റ�ോഡിലേക്കിറങ്ങി അവളെപ്പറ്റി ത് തെല്ലിട ഓർക്കാതെ വീണ്ടും യാത്ര തുടങ്ങി. ആ മുഖത് ദുഃഖത്തിന്റെയ�ോ പശ്ചാത്താ പത്തിന്റെയ�ോ ഒരു കണികപ�ോലും കാണാൻ കഴിഞ്ഞില്ല. എന്താവാം ് ?.... ആ കുട്ടിയെപ്പറ്റി അയാൾ അങ്ങനെ ചെയ്തത ് ? ഒരായിരം ച�ോദ്യങ്ങൾ ആയാൾക്കു ചുറ്റും ഓർക്കാത്തത ന് നടന് ന് അയാൾ തന്റെ പിറന്നുക�ൊണ്ടേയിരുന്നു. നടന് വീടടുക്കാറായി. വീടിനു താഴെയായി ഒരു ഓലിയുണ്ട്. അവിടെനിന്നും നടകയറിവേണം അയാൾക്ക്

വീട്ടിലെത്താൻ. ഓലിയുടെ അടുത്തെത്തിയപ്പോൾ ന് സ്തംഭിതനായി നിന്നു. എന്തോ അയാൾ പെട്ടെന് ഓർമ്മവന്നതുപ�ോലെ അയാൾ കയ്യിലിരുന്ന പത്രക്കെട്ടുകൾ വലിച്ചെറിഞ്ഞു തിരിച്ചോടി. അയാൾ ് ആ കുട്ടിയുടെ അടുത്തേക്കായിരുന്നു. ഒരു പക്ഷേ ഓടിയത അയാളുടെ ഓർമ്മകളിൽ ഒരു മറവീണതാവാം. തീപാറുന്ന വേഗതയിൽ അയാൾ ഓടി. അവസാനം കടത്തിണ്ണയുടെ മുൻപിലെത്തി വിറയ്ക്കുന്ന ശരീരത്തോടെ ത് അയാളാ ഉപ്പുചാക്കിനടുത് ചെന്നു. എന്നാൽ ആ കുട്ടിയെ അവിടെ കാണാൻ കഴിഞ്ഞില്ല. അയാൾ പരിഭ്രാന്തനായി അവിടെയെല്ലാം തിരഞ്ഞു. എന്നാൽ അവിടെയ�ൊന്നും അവളെ കണ്ടില്ല. അപ്പോഴാണ് അയാൾ അതു ശ്രദ്ധിച്ച്ത അവിടിവിടയായായി ഉപ്പുചാക്കുകൾ തെറിച്ചുവീണു കിടക്കുന്നു. പിന്നെ, കുറെ ച�ോരത്തുള്ളികളും. അരണ്ട വെളിച്ചമായിരുന്നിട്ടും അയാൾ ഇതെല്ലാം കണ്ടു. അയാളുടെ കണ്ണിൽനിന്നും പ്രവഹിച്ചുക�ൊണ്ടിരുന്ന കണ്ണുനീരിനെ അയാൾക്ക്‌ തടുക്കാനായില്ല. ദുഃഖിതനായി അയാൾ ആ കടത്തിണ്ണയിൽ ഇരുന്നു. എന്താവാം അവൾക്കു സംഭവിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടാവുക. ഒരു പക്ഷേ ഇരുട്ടിന്റെ മറവുപറ്റിവന്ന ച�ോരക്കൊതിയന്മാർ അവളെ കാർന്നു തിന്നിട്ടുണ്ടാവുമ�ോ? അഗ്നിയാൽ തീർത്ത കുറെ ച�ോദ്യങ്ങൾ വീണ്ടും ഉയർന്നുക�ൊണ്ടേയിരുന്നു അയാൾക്ക് ദുഃഖം സഹിക്കാനായില്ല. ഏകാന്തതയുടെ മറവിൽ പശ്ചാത്താപത്തിന്റെ കൈകൾ അയാളെ വരിഞ്ഞുമുറുക്കി. ആ ആഘാതത്തിൽ അയാൾക്ക് തന്റെ എല്ലുകൾ ഒടിയുന്നതുപ�ോലെ ത�ോന്നി. എന്നാലും ആരായിരുന്നു ആ കുട്ടി അവൾക്ക് എന്താവാം സംഭവിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടാവുക. ഉത്തരം കിട്ടാത്ത കുറേ ച�ോദ്യങ്ങൾ വീണ്ടും പ�ൊന്തിവന്നുക�ൊണ്ടേയിരുന്നു. അപ്പോഴും ഇരുട്ടിന്റെ മറവിൽ ഒരു ഞരക്കം എവിടെ നിന്നൊക്കെയ�ോ കേൾക്കുന്നുണ്ടായിരുന്നു....

139

Notacryforhelp For we are allowed to feel lost sometimes Anonymous

I. I sit here fathoming my hollowness Unable to come to terms with this self-doubt and uneasiness Unable to find a reason, a way out of this vicious loop, this all-embracing darkness I hear you scream when you have been but whispering I feel you vilify me when you have been but trying to soothe I see you smirking when I fall while you pretend you were not Because to be precise, you are doing what I think you are This pathetic charade does not befool the naive II. Let me down but let me out Throw me aside but spare the ordeal Cast me apart but do not make me feel like a trespasser For I have a stranger for a heart And another for my brain And another who lives in my mirror And yet another who holds my pen I don’t think I know them, but I knew this place I laugh at my folly and cry at my failures But I won’t let you push me to the edge when I can jump off the cliff myself.

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141

Thoughts

144 Path to Philosophy 147 Sky Fungus 148 Woman 149 वोह लड़की 152 A Touch of Basil 155 The Light Inside 156 Epiphany 159 Beauty 161

अब कौन ढूंढे!/ काश

162

മിഴി

163

പ്രാർത്ഥന

Path to Philosophy Kshitij Agarwal Batch of 2018

hen I was 11, there was a strange question that hovered over my mind all the time and just the mere thought of it would give me a headache all of a sudden. “Why was I born? What is the purpose of my life in this vast universe? Am I here to do something worthwhile or is it just that I’ll die without ever meaning anything to the world?“ I know it seems a little strange for a child to ponder over such big questions. It even gets me surprised as to how that came to my mind. One day I even decided to ask my maa about this but she hushed me and sent me back to study (padhai kro beta, yahi maksad hai). But you know what is great about a child’s curiosity, it never dies! And I believe that this is how I became fond of the world of philosophy.

At some point every one of us has felt empty as hell (heaven I guess in this modern world), going through phases of existential crisis and not knowing what to do next. One such phase of mine brought me back to this ocean of philosophy and I started to dive deeper. I browsed everything from mythological epics to novels to podcasts about the meaning and way of life and to be honest, I really did not find the answers that I wanted at the back of my mind to be matching with most of these thoughts. You see this is the thing about philosophy, it has no right answer. Everyone just has an opinion about life and people with similar views tend to group and try to spread their ideology further. Exactly how different religions in the world originated.

You might argue that all this BS just leads to hate and violence among people but let me tell you, it is not philosophy that teaches you to do so. It is just the simple act of human foolishness to assert dominance over others by forcing their way of life on everyone around them that creates all the chaos. Anyway, I believe that everyone should try and glimpse a little into the world of philosophy, at least once. Why? Well, somehow it allows you to seek answers to open ended questions and also prepares you for times when you don’t get answers at all. Also, I believe that while searching for a meaning to life, you learn about decency and other qualities which are essential for the world to function in an ideal manner. To be precise, philosophy is more about connecting with yourself on a deeper level, getting to know your thoughts better and having a strong abstract connection with oneself. Give it a try, maybe you’ll meet a new you! :) 'THE SCHOOL OF AIIMS': Rafael ft. Arjun Saraswat and Keerthana Kasi

144

Wrapping up, what I learned so far in my journey is that one shouldn’t take life as a series of problems to be solved. Consider it a reality to be experienced. There may be good times and there may be bad ones, but anyway, they are giving you some stories to narrate to an audience!

145

SKY fungus

Ishika Gupta, Batch of 2019

Looking out into the distance For as far as the eye can see, They engulf the Earth in a loving embrace The clouds forming the canopy.

Creeping and moulding into every shape Just as a spore on moist bread, Sheltering the children from the sweltering heat Seeming to kiss the horizon’s forehead.

The trees dance against the gray backdrop, To the rhythm of thunder’s musical note, The little girl looks up to a silver castle While her friend sails in his cloud boat.

To some they seem the symbol of gloom. For others heralding much awaited rain, These beautiful cotton candy blooms, Represent the many shades of life’s gray.

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147

Woman Shuvrajyoti Mondal, Batch of 2019

Some flames will rise higher, Ignite thy bones to dare to fly; And the world will be a silent admirer,

वोह लड़की

पियूष मीणा, वर्ष २०१८

जिस संग राहें काट लू

जिस संग मंज़िल बाँट लू

जिस संग कदमो में ख़ुशी

Captivated by your passion to get up and try.

वो लड़़ की ही प्यार है |

Queens of the Legends will tread between men,

जिस संग सुबह को उठु

Strong and agile, graceful and divine; A force unseen will break those shackles and chains, Women will forever continue to shine. Pain would not be a deterrent, But rather a trigger, To incite your souls to emblaze with vigour, As you all will continue to grow stronger and bigger,

जिस संग रातों तक जागूँ

जिस संग पल पल हो हसीं वो लड़़ की ही प्यार है |

जिस संग खुशियां हो भरी

जिस संग दुःख तक हो दुखी जिस संग अपना सा लगे वो लड़़ की ही प्यार है |

Bearing the sharpness of the tide and the beauty of the shore. जिस संग हाथो का मिलन जिस संग सांसें हो गरम

जिस संग धड़़ कन सुनती हो वो लड़़ की ही प्यार है |

जिस संग परिवार बनाना हो जिस संग बच्चें खिलने हो

जिस संग रो कर भी सुकून वो लड़़ की ही प्यार है |

वो इश्क़ की परिभाषा है वो जन्नत का एहसास है वो नाम मेरे पन्नो पर…

वो लड़़ की ही प्यार है ||

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anna_rantz

A Touch of Basil Anna Basil Gomez Batch of 2020

Here we have a collection of, as Anna prefers to call them, “rants”. We feel that this does not do them justice, because this word does not encapsulate how beautifully these articles capture the mood of the juxtaposed photos. On top of that, the songs Anna has compiled for these rants create an almost therapeutic experience. So, we invite you to open Spotify on your phones, scan the QR code below, plug in your earphones and commence on this journey yourselves. Enjoy!

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liberation When life throws you a rough patch, you go through a phase of self-blame. For every little thing that goes wrong, you hold yourself responsible. You doubt your self worth. You end up questioning the choices that made you happy once. You push yourself into a dark place. To push yourself out of the darkness, to bring yourself into the light, and to set yourself free, is an act of courage; an act of self love. It takes effort, support, a lot of love, and an even greater amount of time. It’s a bumpy ride; you get one step ahead, only to fall back by three. You feel exhausted and helpless. But once you get to see the tiniest twinkle of the hopeful light, it’s bliss. And when you finally bask in the warmth of the light, you’ll realise how strong you’ve become. You become thankful for the moments and the memories you once cursed; because they made you who you are. Pride, happiness, relief, confidence. You find yourself surrounded by it all. You’ll see colour in the once grey world. You become empathetic. And above all, you see yourself when you look in the mirror; your true, happy, thriving self. As you lie on the ground, staring into the sky, looking at the glimmering stars and the moon, humming your favourite tune to the whistle of the wind, you feel liberated, from your own expectations weighing you down and from the shackles tying you up. Hang in there, for you’ll soon touch the light

healing It’s an exasperating process. Some days are euphoric. You’re happy and thriving. You’re productive and social. You feel hopeful about the life ahead of you. You feel proud of the progress you’ve made. You get the feeling that you’re finally free of the mental shambles holding you down. But then it hits you again. The glumness. Life becomes colourless. You lose the little ounce of hope you had in yourself. You feel weighed down by melancholy. You curse your inner demons, only for it to go in vain. It all feels like a monotonous cycle. But what feels like a tiresome process for you is not what the person who looks at you witnesses. They see someone who is bruised but not weak. They see someone who’s slowly fighting their way through their hurdles. They get hope from your healing. Just like the little girl in the picture, you are unaware of the beautiful garden you’re surrounded by. You’re unaware of the vibrant flowers and the chirpy birds. But one day, you’ll be. And that is the day you’ll realise you’re not a survivor, but a conqueror.

empathy How well do you know yourself? How do you know what makes your eyes twinkle with happiness or how your heart writhes in pain? How do you know if you’re brave? How do you know if you truly stick to your words? The truth is, we can never fully discover who we are. We are a maze of emotions and thoughts, and we leave the earth before we figure it out. If it takes more than a lifetime to figure out who we are, how do we think we know the person standing in front of us? How can we judge them by just the part of their maze they choose to show us? Or just the part we choose to see? We can’t. Caught up in the intimidating purple aura, we often choose to ignore the little warmth of green. Empathy is a choice.

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anna_rantz

The Light Inside Harry Goyal Batch of 2019

It was fifteen minutes past eleven that I entered my room the other night.

the night along with it had brought darkness, I was looking for “something”,

but it was difficult to find that “something” in the darkness that pervaded the night,

that would really scare me ‘cause it was a dim ray of light I was looking for,

like a flame whose light can pierce the mirage of darkness in a tunnel, 179 likes

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deception We are social beings thriving on love. It’s an emotion which we crave to feel and express. It makes you see through a person; you see their soul, the light and the darkness in them, you see their scars and you absorb. You see yourself in them. You see them in you. Love is like a silent wave at night; calming and reflecting. But waves can turn tumultuous when we least expect them. The light you saw in them, the light that made you feel warm, now blinds you. Their darkness surrounds you, and you feel trapped. But you feel and understand their darkness, so you choose to stay chained. Slowly, you turn into shambles in the dark. Yet you don’t try to break free, because the empathy in you makes you believe that the light that blinds you is what keeps you alive. In the end, you are left to crumble, and they are still the same. With their darkness and light. Love is a warm ray of sunshine. But don’t let it blind you.

nostalgia As you walk through the old streets in the busy city; as you observe the colour through the dust, you realise that every little corner is home to so many memories. The first fall from a bicycle, the first kiss, the cute chuski shop round the corner, and the Chacha who greets you with the same warm smile. You soon find yourself in a colourful movie of your past. Some happy memories that make a smile creep up your face, and some sore ones that make your heart sting. You walk through the paths you once skipped and hopped through like a little bunny when you were young. You trip over the same old fallen tree which made you wail your heart out when you were five. But you find yourself laughing now. Memories flood your mind, making you feel things you never knew you could. You look back to see how much you’ve grown; how much you’ve changed and evolved. As you take the road back home, you feel young and old at the same time. And you catch yourself feeling the one thing you thought you would never feel; Nostalgia.

for the end of tunnel was still unsung,

but like the wise “Simurgh” once said“That flame was always inside “me” for that light was “me”

and even the darkness was “me”. “My” entrails were the maps,

and the destination was “me”...

For that eternal wisdom that i sought,

was unfound in any books of the world, for those very letters that describe me; were inside me...

Photo courtesy Dr. Siddharth Gunti, Batch of 2015

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Epiphany The moment you stare up into the sky. The moment you realise how infinite the world around you is. How different everyone is, how everyone is facing their own army of demons, how every single person has a beating heart and a clenched fist, how everyone has burning desires and deep down, a need to feel loved, to feel that their existence is cherished by someone out there. It is in that moment that you realise that your existence transcends whatever small things your mind worries itself every day.

I was on a horse, riding down the hill. Complete darkness enveloped everything around me. Twilight was long gone, and all I could see was the outline of the tall pines against the background of the moonlit sky. And oh, how the sky looked. In calendars or in anime films, the jaw-dropping scenes of star clusters and milky streaks of the galaxy we live in have always inspired me. I always thought that within my human limits, I wouldn’t be able to witness something so magical. But as my horse trotted its way down confidently in the daunting darkness, and as I fearfully averted my gaze from the path ahead to look towards the night sky, my chest finally felt light, freeing from a heavy sensation I never knew I had. My breathing tuned in completely with the cold air around me, and the awareness I had about my own body, the feeling that I was a physiological being who was breathing and who could feel cold or nauseated, faded away.

A star shot across the gleaming sky, leaving a streak behind that stayed in my vision for just a fraction of a second. This was the first time that I saw a shooting star. And then another. And then several more. Clusters of stars, white strokes of a brush painting on the canvas of the universe, the silhouette of the pines, and my horse walking at the edge of a cliff who knows where. This was when I realised that life is meant to be cherished. Opinions others may have on you, opinions you have on others, the societal checklist and set of rules, and any small thing that bothered me enough to conclude that I wasn’t happy; everything faded away to give a feeling of existentialism. A feeling that you must learn to be comfortable with yourself, and that is enough for you to cherish life as it unfolds its wonders around you. Sure, the world is unfair, it is harsh and unforgiving, but once you learn to become peaceful with your thoughts and existence, you will find happiness in things around you. Maanit Matravadia Batch of 2020

Photo courtesy Kaushal Jain, Batch of 2018

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Beauty Ishika Gupta Batch of 2019

As she walked down the red carpet Looking perfect in every way, The crowd couldn’t help but gasp, Yet, no one had a word to say. Her long hair dark as a moonless night, Flowing down her back like the Niagara falls, Far away, the student with her tousled hair, Smiled as she finished when the last bell sounded in the exam hall. Her perfectly manicured dainty nails, Painted in every shade and hue, Meanwhile the farmer grinned with her calloused hands As she harvested the bountiful crop under the sky’s blue. Her gorgeous gown, perfectly tailored, Shone bright silver as the moonlight, Somewhere away, the doctor doffed her blood stained scrubs A satisfied smile at saving a life that night. Her hourglass figure, Straight from a divine sculptor’s mould, However, for the pregnant mother caressing her belly, Her baby’s first kick was the real gold. Her eyes twinkling like the brightest stars, Touching the heart of every man, Seemed straight from the tales of angels, Read by the wrinkled, beloved old gran. Cheers to our uniqueness, cheers to who we are! Here’s a toast to our differences, to all near and far!

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Artwork by Rosemary Jha, Batch of 2020

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Photo courtesy Dr. Siddharth Gunti, Batch of 2015

अब कौन ढूंढे! आलोक सिंह, वर्ष २०१९

अब कौन रोज़ रोज़ खुदा ढू ं ढे । जिसे ना मिले, वही ढू ं ढे ।।

रात आई है , सुबह भी होगी ।

अब कौन आधी रात में सुबह ढू ं ढे ।।

जिंदगी है , जी खोल कर जियो ।

रोज़ रोज़ क्यों जीने की वजह ढू ं ढे ।।

चलते फिरते पत्थरों के शहर में ।

पत्थर खुद, पत्थरों में भगवान ढू ं ढे ।।

धरती को जन्नत बनाना है अगर।

हर शख्स खुद में पहले इंसान ढू ं ढे ।।

काश

सागर गंगोत्री, वर्ष २०२०

काश तू वो दरिया होती, की तेरे ख्यालों में बह जाता काश तू वो सपना होती, की तेरी यादों में रह जाता

काश तू वो गुलाब होती, कांटों की चुभन भी सह जाता

काश तू मेरे करीब होती, दिल की बात तुझे कह जाता। काश तू उलझी हुई डोर होती, तुझे मेरे इश्क से सुलझा देता काश तू मेरा दिल होती, की मुझे तेरी जरूरत समझा देता

काश तू मेरी धड़ कन होती, की खुदको जीने की वजह देता

काश तू मेरी शायरी होती, की तुझे लफ्ज़ों से सजा देता। काश तू वो नमी होती, तुझे पलकों पे सजा कर रखता

काश तू वो हं सी होती, तुझे होठों पे बैठा कर रखता

काश तू वो खयाल होती, तुझे मन में बसा कर रखता काश तू मेरी होती, तुझे अपना बना कर रखता।

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മിഴി

് (Anna Basil Gomez) അന്ന ബേസിൽ ഗ�ോമസ ് 2020 ബാച്ച് ഓഫ സൂര്യകിരണങ്ങൾ ത�ോറ്റുപ�ോകും വിധം പ്രകാശം ജ്വലിക്കുന്ന അവളുടെ നയനങ്ങൾ കാർമേഘത്താൽ മൂടിയ ആകാശം പ�ോലെ മങ്ങിയതായിരിക്കുന്നു ദുഃഖത്തിൻ തുള്ളികൾ ഇറ്റുവീഴുന്നു ്ഞ്ഞ അവളുടെ വദനത്തിലൂടെ ചിരിമായ ജീവിതം പച�ോദനത്തോടെ മാത്രം കണ്ടിരുന്ന അവൾക്കിപ്പോൾ എല്ലാം ഒരു പുകമറ മാത്രമായി അവശേഷിക്കുന്നു ന് വേദനയുടെ ചങ്ങലക്കെട്ടിനിടയിൽ നിന് ് അവൾ കൺപ�ോളകൾ തുറന്നപ്പോൾ കണ്ടത സ്നേഹം തുളുമ്പുന്ന അവന്റെ മിഴികൾ സഹതാപം അല്ല മറിച്ച് പ്രതീക്ഷ മാത്രമേ ആ മിഴികൾ അവൾക്ക് മുന്നിൽ സമർപ്പിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളു ന് മ�ോചനം നേടും എന്ന ചങ്ങലക്കെട്ടിൽ നിന് പ്രതീക്ഷ ഇരുട്ടു മൂടിയ നയനങ്ങൾ പ്രകാശിക്കും എന്ന പ്രതീക്ഷ ് അല്ല എന്ന ജീവിതം ത�ോറ്റു ക�ൊടുക്കാനുള്ളത ് തിരിച്ചറിവ ആ മിഴികൾ അവളുടെ രക്ഷയായി മാറി.

പ്രാർത്ഥന കണ്ണിൽ നിന്നും നീ മറയുവ�ോളം കണ്ണുനീരിനെ ഞാനനുവദിക്കില്ല എൻ ബലക്ഷയത്തെ വെളിപ്പെടുത്തുവാൻ, കാരണം, ഞാനാഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു നിൻ മുന്നിൽ ധീരയാവാൻ

പുണ്യമായിരുന്നു നിൻ ആഗമനം തല�ോടും തെന്നലായിരുന്നു, നിൻ മന്ദഹാസം ഹർഷമായിരുന്നു നിൻ കുസൃതികൾ എൻ അല്ലലായിരുന്നു നിൻ തേങ്ങലുകൾ

ന് നീങ്ങി കാലം വളരെ പെട്ടന് എൻ കാലചക്രം നീയിതാ നീങ്ങുന്നു മാതൃരാജ്യത്തെ സേവിക്കാൻ നീ മുന്നോട്ട് പ�ോകുന്നു, സ് പിന്നോട്ടും എൻ മനസ്

എൻ വാത്സല്യമേ, മുന്നേറൂ കാടും ക�ൊടുമുടിയും താണ്ടി നന്മയുടെ പ്രതീകമായി നിൻ കൂടെയുണ്ട് എന്നും, എൻ പ്രാർത്ഥന. ഹംന എം. ടി. (Hamna M T) ് 2021 ബാച്ച് ഓഫ

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Perspectives

166 Activism in Public Health 170 A Cut Below the Rest 173 Is this what we aspire for? 175 Reckoning 176 It's only fair to... 178 Meanderings and Musings: A Road Less Travelled 180 Marvel vs DC 182 Math Behind Medicine 184 The Rhode Less Taken 190 अकाल मेघ

DR. ANAND KRISHNAN, PROFESSOR, CCM

ACTIVISM IN PUBLIC HEALTH

pplying the Collins Dictionary’s definition of “Activism” to public health enables us to define Activism in Public health as the process of campaigning, or working for an organization, to bring about political or social change on health issues. Simply put, it involves taking action to effect social change, and an activist is a specialist or an expert in the process of social change, which is one of the core elements of Public Health. Hence, public health and activism are natural allies. While academics bring the “brain” to the debate, activists have the “heart” of the debate and sound decisions are those where the brain and the heart are in harmony. Activism brings balance to the debate, especially when public interest is pitted against entrenched lobbies. It also protects us from authoritarian governments deciding what is good for their people.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO GO OVERBOARD WITH ACTIVISM?

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Our experience with tobacco control is an excellent example of the positive role of activism, which was critical in countering the power lobby of the tobacco industry. With support from the judicial system, we have made great progress in achieving control of tobacco consumption, though the war is far from over. Another shining example would be the arena of environmental health. Environmental activists enabled us to recognize the magnitude of the problem of air pollution and also provided some viable solutions. The list of public health issues where activism has succeeded is long and includes HIV/AIDS, disability rights and many more. But is it possible to go overboard with activism? Do all causes need to be justified at a larger scale, or is it sufficient that some are important

at the individual level only? Debates on strategies like banning fire-crackers for Diwali, and odd-even experiments as a curb for air pollution demonstrate that the balance in our response has at times been somewhat skewed. In the context of sex-selective abortion (undeniably a heinous crime), activists have focused on controlling technology, rather than focusing on the social factors which lead to it. This is inappropriate as it has reduced access to ultrasound to the majority of the population, while demonizing healthcare professionals, whereas the major fault lies elsewhere. This is not to deny our culpability in this issue. Let us look at another scenario: the use of vaccines. All vaccines have side effects which could include rare serious adverse events. One needs to prioritize overall larger public good with harm for few. Those who are harmed need to be compensated. This requires nuanced communication of benefits and consequences and an effective and smooth mechanism for the identification and compensation of the affected. Any unnecessary emphasis on the serious adverse effects can cause harm as the population may refuse to get vaccinated, fearing an event whose risk is negligible, forgetting the risk of disease which is much greater. If activists get into this debate and highlight the ills of the vaccine, then the debate becomes shrill which is worsened by media highlighting it. Vaccine against the Human Papilloma Virus is one such example. Most countries in the world are using it to prevent cervical cancer which is one of the most common cancers among women in India. But for long Indian policymakers have shunned it, as activists have declared it a “no-go” zone. Undoubtedly, there were mistakes made in this area decades ago. But it is hardly rational to deny an effective intervention to millions of women because of the same. We are finally getting back on track in the process, which has been delayed by at least a decade. This phenomenon is not restricted to India but many western countries are also victims of this ill. Recently, Delhi High Court instructed the State Government to publicize the harms of the Measles and Rubella vaccine before initiating a mass vaccination campaign, a move that would affect the uptake of vaccination significantly. While no one is making a case for hiding facts from the public, there must be a balanced approach not marred by the shrillness of activism. World Health Organization has identified vaccine refusal as one of the major future global health threats, with almost a third of vaccine refusals in India attributed to concerns of vaccine safety.

WHILE NO ONE IS MAKING A CASE FOR H I D I N G FA C T S FROM THE PUBLIC, THERE MUST BE A BALANCED APPROACH NOT MARRED BY T H E SHRILLNESS OF ACTIVISM

One of the ways that activists approach an issue is the “rights-based approach”. It is an excellent idea as long as it is used for basic issues like water, sanitation, basic education (not for higher education) and; similarly for primary level care not for tertiary care. Recent court orders to AIIMS and other facilities to provide free treatment to patients with rare diseases is a clear instance of activism overreach. Treating rare diseases is not primary care and cannot be claimed by anybody as a right. Such instances indicate that activists are not tuned to the realities of our systems, often transplanting western ideas into an environment that is not yet ready for it. Activists could also argue that this is how societies change. Like academics are often rightly criticized for being in “ivory towers”, activists can be criticized as being “prisoners of morality”. I am not making a case for curbing activism, but too much of anything is bad. Another criticism of the activist approach is when it is used to serve vested interests. If we take the example of the Bhopal gas leakage accident, activists were at the forefront of our response and did a splendid job of getting the affected people the compensation they deserved. While those affected should continue

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PUBLIC H E A LT H NEEDS BOTHA MORAL F O U N D AT I O N AND AN ACADEMIC EDIFICE

Photo courtesy Archisman Mazumder, Batch of 2018

to be supported in all possible ways, this number should decline over time and it is time to put this event behind us. But that is not happening as activists want to keep the issue alive. Studies on the ground have clearly shown that there is no persistent effect of the leak on the next generation. However, efforts are even now being made to enlarge the pool by redefining the affected in terms of disease manifestation, or exposure assessment. This raises a generic issue that, activists want to keep the problem alive rather than end it, as it enables them to showcase their work and generate funds. Why kill the golden goose? While there is no end to “causes” that can be espoused, each NGO develops its network and comfort zone and sticks to it. Activism has gradually moved from being a “bend of mind” of a person to a full-fledged profession. I am not against this transition but am making a case for its acknowledgement. I am even open to formal courses on activism in universities. But then, we must accept that it is no longer inspired by “a want to do good” but by earning a livelihood. More like doctors who aim to perform social good but are practising medical profession from which they make a living. Having trained public health activists would be a boon to this country. So, how can we preserve activism in public health and yet protect ourselves from its overdose? It’s easier said than done. Activism helps us prioritize several issues on the policy makers’ agenda, which would otherwise not find its rightful place among the competing problems. It is also beneficial when it works at the community level in a people-centred approach. However, when framing solutions, activists have to learn to try and find practical solutions and not just maintain a high moral ground.

So, how do we balance activism and academics so that we can have the best of both worlds? Public health needs both - a moral foundation and an academic edifice, to be successful in the betterment of the population. Acknowledging this and initiation of a frank debate is a good way to start this process.

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Keerthana Kasi, Batch of 2018

Markets have pervaded every sphere of the - one 21steven centu whenthepatientmightnotneedit. Furthermore, iesecond patient referral is now essential ry, including those spheres that would have doctor been be?er nowhastoearnbackthemoneyhehasgiven tion. to Instead of the doctor best suited for the p o'I leY untouched. iis includes the supposedly the noble 'Jrstanddoessousuallybyorderingadditional needs, the tests patient now gets referred to - the high professionthatisours. orsneakinginadditionalcostselsewhere. der. Dear reader, doctors have been given a role in commodi'Jcation of healthcare and weve been playi Gone are the days when doctors were revered iisas practice gods (malpractice) is now so built - into itto the perfection. sys andgodsentangelswhosewordsweregospeltem andthat wentthosewhoenterthesystemrarelybataneyeto unquestioned.iereareobviouslyamultitude it today. ofreasons iey accept it as something thats natural iis brings and us to the question. Why did this happen i behindwhythatagehasevolvedintothe - status becomequo. the Un gearsofthiswelloiledmachine.the Itsnot 'Jrst just place? bridled access to information, accurate and doctors otherwise, who get cuts for referrals. iis system involves is oYen quoted as a reason. ie declining credibility nurses, ambulance of drivers, technicians and Young sometimes doctors(specialists)freshoutofcollege,nai doctors is another. Does this have anything even topatients do with whoreferotherpatients! 'Jnanciallynotwello'Iyet,'Jnditverydi'Lcult toest the fact that healthcare has moved from being a service lish themselves without the support of their co tonowbeinganindustry?Withlargescaleprivatisation, AlthoughtheMedicalCouncilofIndiahasruled especially thatfee the general practitioners. With a fam has it become a business model that focuses - spli?ing on maxi isagainstitscodeofethics,this - practice providefor, contin theseyoungdoctorshardlyhavethelu mising pro'Jts? Access to good healthcare decides ues,andyour doessorampantly. of waiting to prove their me?le over time. iey choos qualityoflifefromevenbeforeyoureborn.Shouldthat theeasiestwayout;apayouttoavoidyearsofstru be decided by who has more money? Is the rightWhy to are life cutsbad? togetpatientstocometothem. justanonpaperphrase? Otherthantheobviouserosionoftrustwhen ieyget patients suckedget intothissystemandbecomeapartofi Make no mistake. Im not advocating absolute - tosel' know Kess ofthissystem,thispracticeincreases morehealthcare oYenthannot.ierearemanywhospeakagainst nessbydoctors.Doctorshavearighttoearn expenditure moneyand for the patient. In a country such thisas practice ours, but the sad truth is that their they should, just as long as theyre doing it this the can right havecatastrophicconsequences.tiny Here proportion aresome oftheentirehealthcarecommuni way. iis article has been wri?en about a pre?y - numbers com toputthingsintoperspective. monwrongway. Patients are not likely to di'Ierentiate betwe In 2018, Indians spent around 60 percent of their total cal doctors and ethical doctors, doctors who ta Cuts are what medical professionals call health commissions. costsasout-of-pocketexpenditure.cuts Asaresult andthose of whodonot.ieirgrowingresentment iisisbasicallyanarrangementofconvenience - this and particular mu reason,thenumberofIndians wards falling ourcommunity BPL doesnotdiscriminate.Itwill tualmonetarygrowth.Whenonedoctorrefers isaestimated patient tobeashighasmillion 60 almost ( usof 7% all the thesame.Sothenexttimewehearofantagoni toanotherdoctor,the'Jrstdoctorisgiven total acutof population) the everyyear. between patients and doctors, let us take a mom money the patient pays the second doctor. - Having cre pause and re'Kect on what can be done to prevent su ated such an incentive for referral, the 'Jrst And the doctor worst nowpart? iis number is on the rise clashes as weasacommunity. feels very encouraged to keep referring to speak. the second

"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane." Martin Luther King Jr.

a cut below the rest

oPht esyourtc Dr. Siarthd ,Gunti Bahct fo 2015

Is this what we aspire for? Dr Kiran Goswami, Professor, CCM

WHY DID I ALWAYS WANT TO BE A DOCTOR? Well, it was 1965, and I, about 3-years-old, happened to watch my first movie in a theater. In those times, there was no television or digital media. The only other way movies could be seen was on a big screen put up in a park or on a road with a projector, the kind you see in Swades. It was titled “Himalay ki god mein”. A doctor goes to a village, and there is a helpful young girl. I hardly understood what happened, except the dance that I copied, ‘Kankariya maar ke jagaya..’; but I returned home crying as the girl suffered burns on her hand while holding the lamp, while the doctor operated at night. As I grew up, encountering expected diseases and hospitalization for serious ones like diphtheria and pneumonia, the most impressive people I met were good looking, dressed in clean whites, wearing cheerful smiles all the time- who else but the doctors? They empowered my future dreams. I just wanted to be in this profession to command respect and power over people, with dignity and kind words spreading cheer amongst the less fortunate, curing everyone…. That was more than half a century ago. Today, I have spent almost four decades in this beautiful dream of mine, but I am not happy. It makes me feel guilty that I fear exposure to the same people that I want to serve. Yes, prevention is essential, but am I behaving any differently from illiterate, ignorant people who used to abandon their loved ones with smallpox, plague, cholera, in villages to save their own lives? They were ignorant, and I am supposed to be the most knowledgeable one. My students

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want only online classes and telemedicine, but perhaps they were unfortunate to miss the experience of the touch of a soothing hand, a cheerful smile to brighten their eyes with hope that all would be well, a voice filled with compassion. The year we went for our Final Professional Exam, Delhi had a date with dengue. When I was a junior resident, we had a meningococcal meningitis epidemic. It was a unique learning experience. The girl

cacious typhoid vaccine. We had so many stints with dengue in a cyclic pattern, and the dengue clinic gave us a unique opportunity to interact with faculty and residents of other departments. Which profession does not carry any risk? A desk job in front of a computer? See the back problems, mental health problems, vision problems, and psychological problems in such workers. What if Mom did not cook on angithi so that she would not die of COPD or Papa did not serve in defence services just to escape the three wars he fought at the border? Our country is made by all such people, and we depend on farmers, laborers, construction workers, etc. All our vacations are cancelled for this period, including ongoing ones. We know you live in a hostel, enjoy parties, but do not want to risk it by coming for classes, going to clinics and field visits. And sure enough, you have COVID outbreaks too.

whose Roll number preceded mine lost her life because, though we were aware of precautions, we did not have masks (it was not a time of disposables, we had glass syringes with steel needles!) and did mouth-tomouth resuscitation. Yes, the vaccine did arrive and we were given rifampicin also but it was as usual, like the police arriving at the crime scene. Then, after 2 years, we had an outbreak of gastroenteritis… going to colonies, giving demonstrations of chlorination with chlorine tablets, ORS preparation, and vaccination with a not-so-effi-

Knowledge is meant to empower. It makes you strong to face challenges and not run away from them. Think logically. Come back to learn, to help people who depend on you. Take precautions, but please do not hide away. We could be just halfway through this pandemic, but this is not going to be the last time for humanity. People need us, and we owe it to everyone in this profession. Remember, he who doesn’t fear death dies only once, whereas cowards die many times before their death.

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Photo courtesy Rishika Agarwal, Batch of 2020

Reckoning Dr.RituSehgal,Professor, DepartmentofAnatomy

Iwasborninalandofamyriadhues, Multipleorigins,multifarioustongues,countlessviews; Repletewithart,craY,culture,music,danceandarchitecture, Multiculturalandmultifacetedinethosandnomenclature. SetlikeapricelessgemintheheartoftheEarth, Whereinnumerabletraditionsandcivilizationtookbirth, Onlytoamalgamate,diversifyandtranscendtherealm¸ Ofman-madebarriers,reachingoutforHeavenshem! Whytheseentwinedthreadsarenowrippedasunder, Tornapartbybelief,foodorcostume,Iwonder? Whyisthisvariedweaveoftimelesssharedhistory¸ Beingcoercedintoadrabmonochrometrajectory? We,themultitudesofthismulti-huedterrain, Standatthecrossroadsofhistoryagain! Whichwaydowesteerourculturalevolution? Dowestaytruetothefoundersofourconstitution? Ourchoicesshalldeterminewhoweareandcontinuetobe, Willwechoosetheabyssofstrifeortheblissofharmony? Confrontingthisdilemma,wemust'Jndouridentity, iehourofreckoningishere¸atrystwithdestiny!

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feed Robinhood couldn’t sustain the competition to make it to the limited number of best catches. The exercise soon began as a metric of how much a family can impress Robinhood. Deer catch started to dwindle continuously. There was no option to stop listening to every whim Robinhood presented because the story of families being wiped out for messing with Robinhood ubiquitously spread the community.

ed to make the first move of letting him go, and lose on the advantage the other families possessed.

Soon enough, it became a little too obvious for The Great Master to look over the contribution of Robinhood in the entire annual exercise as the prosperity of the community was being severely affected. He went on talking to some prominent families to let go of this dominance that Robinhood was exerting on them, and funnily all the families agreed that this is a major problem, but none of them want-

The outcome of this story is left for the reader to establish, do we want a happy ending for Pathicro? If so, what could the villagers or The Great Master do to end the reign of Robinhood Babu?

What started as assistance to get a few people through, began an “it’s only fair to do this if everyone else is”. At this point everyone in this sweet neighbourhood saw each other as competitors, the collaborative essence this community was based on started losing its fervour.

Bhavik Bansal Batch of 2019

fair to... The Pathicro village in the Stone Age functioned on the ability of individuals to hunt down deer to sustain their families. It was a skill that some veterans had mastered owing to the greatest boon the community had received from God a few centuries ago, the ‘Great Master Robin’. This tiny red bird used to appear for a week every year, and teach the youngest minds the intricate skill of hunting. The week was followed by an exercise expedition where the Pathicro kids would go out independently and hunt down deer. The ones with the best catches would then be awarded veteran status, a much proclaimed position in the community. Servants, beautiful wives and a luxurious house were only a few benefits of becoming a veteran. This annual adventure had continued for centuries and ensured that skilled veterans are renewed and the community goes on. One fine day, a foreigner bird, about the same size as the Great Master Robin, but sporting black fur and a swaggy hood came along. He was a source of amusement for all the

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villagers, who in curiosity served him food and proudly told him about their vibrant culture that spanned centuries. A few days in, this bird became a recognized part of the village, and began to be called Robin with a hood, soon just ‘Robinhood’. Robinhood, being a robin himself, knew the deer hunting skill, and proposed to help the kids attain the veteran tag for the continued supply of food all year round. A few families saw this a fair deal, particularly the ones whose kids were struggling to catch a deer in the exercise adventure for years. Years progressed, Robinhood became a household name often being called ‘The Great Equalizer - Robinhood’, veterans became abundant, but deer catch reduced. The Great Master Robin was getting ever so impressed by the Pathicro performance impending each year but was surprised by the reduced catch. Unaware about Robinhood, the Great Master put up a condition of only a limited number of veterans being selected each year, based on the size of the catch in the exercise. Now the few families who couldn’t afford to

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MEANDERINGS AND MUSINGS A road less travelled

The AIIMS that I studied in was much smaller, yet even today, there is a personal touch that enables each student to chase their dreams...

Dr. Subrata Sinha, Dean (Research) and HOD, Department of Biochemistry I remember mid-June 1975. A very high state of anxiety about my future. All the entrance exams were over and the results were yet not declared. Slowly, they started coming out one after the other. The Delhi University exam results came first. It is difficult to imagine in this digital era, how we eagerly awaited the result notification to be put up in the university office. One morning, a huge crowd of students jostling to read the typed notice put up at Delhi University. Scanning the list again and again for our elusive names while being continuously jostled by those behind us who could not get close enough. At that time, AIIMS results were published in some newspapers, but then those who could rushed to the AIIMS Notice Board or waited for friends who could convey the news. Phones were rare and not present in every household. If a rare family had a phone, one could see someone come out from one house and shout to their neighbours – ‘trunk call, trunk call’ for an outstation call. For me, admission to AIIMS ended a very year of intense uncertainty. At that time, Delhi schools had higher secondary exams that were held after class XI. IIT and engineering college entrance exams were also held after class XI. To study medicine a student from Delhi had to do one extra year of college at the Delhi University in either B.Sc. honours in Zoology/ Botany or B.Sc (General) with additional Physics to be eligible for the medical entrance. Giving up an IIT seat in electrical engineering at IIT Kanpur or Delhi ( at that time there were no Computer Sciences, it was Electrical or Electrical Engineering or Electronics) was a decision I was to question for the entire year that followed. My year of Delhi University at Hans Raj College with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Zoology was however an enriching experience in many ways. On the one hand, it exposed me to the world beyond school, struggling in the DTC buses for one hour each way to reach the college and giving me a glimpse of campus with its full complement of festivals as well as agitations. On the other hand, it convinced me of my choice to pursue a medical degree. I was always keen to do research in biology and had a Science Talent Fellowship of the NCERT to continue with the university stream to culminate in a Ph.D. and pursue research. However, there was also an off-hand remark from my father who said with profound simplicity- “If you want to research human health, then you surely

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must know medicine.” I was exposed to college teaching and biology for a year at the University. At the same time, there was an International Conference on Physiology, and all the newspapers were full of a possible birth control vaccine from the laboratory of Prof. G. P. Talwar of Biochemistry, AIIMS, and also of the research going on at this institute. Seeing my name on the AIIMS Notice Board put an end to all my doubts, and I joined the MBBS course with full conviction (perhaps premature but I definitely don’t regret it) that I would pursue a career in medical research. In hindsight, I am convinced that my decision was right. Biology is the basis of the medical curriculum and in the first and second professionals, and even later, we get exposed to very diverse and cutting edge biology related to human health, that is difficult for any regular university-based system to provide. This is at least it is true for AIIMS - the numerous and diverse laboratories in the institute, are full of our faculty and students creating cutting-edge research. There is also a pressure to look out of the institute, and minds are continuously challenged by the new ideas springing up all over the world. This excitement is carried over to teaching, and this remarkable creativity can be accessed by the undergraduate medical students who wish to pursue it. I must say that I also benefited from the first professional being one and a half years. Saturdays were off and we had a long summer break. This enable us to better absorb what we were exposed to and also gave me the opportunity for doing a two-month project at the Department of Biochemistry. Such was our interest that while AIIMS officially gave 2 Summer Fellowships per department, 4 of us wanted to join. The department not only agreed but also supported 2 of us from their research grants with the then princely sum of Rs 200 per month. All 4 of us landed up in the lab of Dr. T N Chapekar. In 1976, tissue culture was a new and complex technology, and Dr. Chapekar had been specially recruited by the faculty to introduce tissue and organ culture at AIIMS. There was no sterile laminar flow hood, just a cubicle, which used to be roasted in UV light before culture. Tissue culture was not on specially designed plasticware, but rather in quaint

glass Leighton tubes, which were reused after washing and sterilization. The culture medium was made in the lab and sterilized by manual filtration. There were no CO2 incubators, just a Perspex chamber for gassing. We had a project which sounds modern even today - to see whether the metabolite of Estrogen, Estrone also has hormonal activity. The department’s forte at that time was hormone action – Prof Talwar had earlier demonstrated for the first time, that the Estrogen Receptor actually moves to the nucleus after binding the hormone. (Prof Talwar’s journey is described in an article in J Biosciences).

ing of our ignorance and the realization that the end of the rainbow is further and further away. Yet, this does not lead to disappointment but a determination to carry on with a mixture of creativity and persistence. This is not easy. Edison said that genius, is 1per cent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. For those of us who are enthusiastic, but far from being genius, the perspiration and disappointments are only too real. Yet, there is perhaps an obsession, where the pursuit is more important than the fruit. Francis Crick’s autobiography is entitled ‘What mad pursuit’, which itself is a line taken from John Keat’s poem ‘Ode to a Grecian Urn’.

The experimental system was the primary culture from Embryonic Chick Liver. For this, fertilized eggs were procured from Essex Farms. Today it is a swanky restaurant complex near the IIT Crossing, but at that time, actually a farm. The assay was to expose the primary culture of liver cells to Estrone and check for hormone-induced protein synthesis by measuring the incorporation of radioactive leucine. We came, confident that we would solve this ‘simple’ problem in 2 months, and went away chastened by the rigours of science, but still enthusiastic, because every culture contamination and experimental failure upset us but also made us even more determined. We still believe that we could show leucine incorporation in response to the hormone! As the babies in the department, we were handheld, not only by the faculty, but also by Ph.D. students, technicians, and some remarkably talented lab attendants.

Perhaps this sounds too pat and ready. Most of us, and definitely myself, are nowhere close to Francis Crick. In this ‘mad pursuit’ are interspersed the checklists of reality. As a student, inspiration is often hard to get and harder to keep. Sometimes the medical curriculum seems to be a mind-numbing exercise of hammering away at an unyielding stone wall. Then there are Professional Exams, PG Entrance, jobs, research grants, students – uncertainty and stability. Over this looms a larger reality- economics, family, spouse, parents, children, health, and well-being. Yet the time at AIIMS inspires and prepares us for this journey. I have also been very lucky to get an opportunity to pursue this journey here.

I mention this in some detail, because it strengthened my belief, that there is no better place than AIIMS, to learn and work on the frontiers of modern biology in relation to health. Very early on I was convinced that I would join MD Biochemistry. However, the feeling of being at the frontiers of science is not limited to a discipline but extends across all departments. I once flirted with Neurophysiology, after being shown a behavioral experiment, on a cat with needles implanted stereotaxically implanted in the brain, to deliver pharmacological agents. It really does not matter, what you want to do. There is always an opportunity of finding something new! Facilities do matter, and most departments are well equipped, but imagination and grit matter even more. Also, one quickly comes across the need for resilience. With the increase in knowledge, there is a humbling understand-

I have been speaking of my experience, and everyone’s experience is unique. Also, I have made some unusual choices (though not so unusual these days) in my choice of subject and career. Yet, perhaps I can say that AIIMS has enabled me to pursue this unusual dream in a unique and sometimes chaotic way, as it does to many other choices which are very different from mine. The AIIMS that I studied in was much smaller, yet even today, there is a personal touch that enables each student to chase their dreams. There are also more formal opportunities available for exploring a research/academics based career. This is not related to the basic sciences, the philosophy seamlessly extends to clinical and community based disciplines. Our understanding of the complexities of human health, biological and social, has barely scratched the surface. I do say I have been extraordinarily lucky, but if I had the chance, I would try my luck in the same way, all over again.

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the characters and their stories and constantly connect with the audience leaving them in suspense and anticipation for the next movie, DC movies are more centered around character development and generally have to forego connections with previous storylines or plots even for the same superhero series due to the different backstories adopted for different plots in the comics. The similarity between characters and the similar genre is what creates a constant rivalry between Marvel and DC in spite of their differences.

MARVEL

'DEADPOOL' Artwork By Abhinav Aurange, Batch of 2019 'THE JOKER' Artwork By Karthikeya Bathla, Batch of 2019

There are still those that believe that DC and Marvel encourage friendly competition, for the sake of increasing brand loyalty and awareness about their brands. This opinion is strongly backed by the many successful crossovers between DC and Marvel like the 1976 crossover book Superman vs. The Amazing Spiderman a battle between the Webslinger and the Man of Steel, later followed by JLA/Avengers, Darkseid vs.Galactus. While this holds true the directors of both studios seem to have different opinions about the issue as suggested by their passionate debates. Nevertheless, the rivalry seems to be beneficial for the fans as the quality of production of both franchises tend to keep improving, and for the studios since it has increased profits from merchandise around any released movie or event from the loyal fans. The fact is that the rivalry seems to be becoming unnecessarily ugly and mean-spirited in recent years. So, while there are definite benefits of the rivalry to the studios/comics and the fans, a healthy middle ground where we can all relish in the fun of superhero cinema without being dismissive towards the other franchise seems like a fantastic idea. After all, it would be such a shame to miss out on either Marvel or DC movies simply because of the ongoing rivalry!

Rishika Agarwal, Batch of 2020

xtending for over a decade is a rivalry that every person, irrespective of their interest in the subject seems to know about. “Marvel vs DC'', a famous, never ending discussion. The two superhero franchises have given the world of superhero fiction an impeccable amount of characters and stories. Naturally, due to the existence of two different franchises, the fans are constantly at war trying to figure out which one of them is better. The history of this rivalry dates back to the comics from both franchises. DC comics showed more success compared to Marvel comics and the latter came to face

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bankruptcy in 1996. Marvel was restored by the grace of its cinematographic success owing to the marvel studios releasing X-Men, Fantastic-4 and the Avengers series. DC, however, couldn't achieve this feat for its superheroes, and instead became famous for its villains like Joker, Lex Luthor, Riddler and many more. DC did manage to be successful with its movies surrounding the “Justice League” characters and conquered platforms like Netflix through its shows like Flash, Lucifer, Arrow, Gotham, The Boys etc. Despite very different settings for their movies, the two franchises are constantly compared with each other. While the marvel movies focus more on the connection between

Artwork By Dhanush Gajula, Batch of 2021

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Math behind medicine Manraj Singh Sra Batch of 2018 “Medicine kyun le raha hai?” “Yaar maths nahi pasand thi toh bio leli” I am sure many of us have heard different versions of these conversations during 11th and 12th standard. Unfortunately, the notion that doctors don’t need to know mathematics is one of the most common misconceptions. I was also gullible enough at the time to believe the same. Luckily, after entering medical college, I realized that this was absolutely not the case. Familiarity with biostatistics is essential not only for researchers but also for pure clinicians in the 21st century. Gone are the times when Harrison’s would provide answers to all your queries. With an increasing biomedical research output, it is essential for doctors to be able to understand and apply the findings onto their patients. One of the key reasons why it is thought doctors can easily do without learning biostatistics is the over emphasis on mechanistic understanding. During our 1st and 2nd years, we are taught an infinite number of enzymes, rate-limiting steps, receptors etc. with the idea that this knowledge is clinically essential, but unfortunately this is not the case. Let us take the idea of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug that was touted as one of the drugs that could be used to fight off COVID-19. The in-vitro studies for the drug were promising, but then why did it fail in every clinical trial? The reason is that human physiology is far more complex, and interpreting lab studies as evidence for bedside efficacy is incorrect. This is one of the lacunae I have frequently observed during my clinical postings, whenever we are trying to understand why a particular test or drug has been prescribed to a patient. Instantaneous mechanistic explanations are offered, but rarely ever does anyone cite a clinical trial as evidence for the decision. This is not to say that mechanisms are not important; after all, new discoveries would never occur if we completely ignored the mechanistic point of view, but when taking clinical decisions, we should rely on clinical evidence and not seductive mechanistic concepts. I remember when I first read scientific papers, I was perplexed by the numerous p-values in the results, and thus I

stumbled upon one of the profound questions of life, “What is a p-value after all?” Much of the statistical knowledge that I have acquired has been outside the lecture theaters and has only been due to involvement in research. In my experience, it is an understatement to say that teaching of biostatistics in medical colleges is bad. Even though we have classes by the Department of Biostatistics and CCM, these classes don’t achieve much beyond making students aware that there is something known as biostatistics. I, for one, have found that the failure to explain the clinical importance of statistics and the lack of requirement of clinical departments (except CCM) for students to utilize this knowledge produces graduates who don’t have any remote idea about biostatistics. Doctors with a dearth of such knowledge are hesitant in carrying out research and, more importantly, interpreting research, which has a direct effect on patient care. Following are a few non-academic books that I have found useful in understanding statistics and more importantly its relevance to everyday life and clinics: The Art of Statistics: How to Learn from Data by David Spiegelhalter: This book offers a great overview of statistical lingo and concepts to a lay audience. Don’t worry, it won’t require any mathematical knowledge beyond 10th standard. Ending Medical Reversal: Improving Outcomes, Saving Lives by Adam Cifu and Vinay Prasad: I would recommend this as a must-read to anyone in medical college. It beautifully makes the case for better education of doctors in biostatistics and how this has direct clinical impact. Vinay Prasad also has a good podcast, the Plenary Session, in which he frequently critically appraises clinical studies (mostly related to oncology). Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the Worldand Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Anna Rosling Rönnlund, Hans Rosling, and Ola Rosling: Though this book is not focused on medicine, it helps the readers see how biases in the interpretation of statistics impact our understanding of the world around us. Artwork by Vishwa Soni Batch of 2019

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Interviewer: How and why did you decide to go into public health, why not things which are more common like doing an MD. Why choose to be in such a different field altogether? Varad: One thing I would concede is that when I started, I did not hold the perspective that I was doing something very different or going on a very different path. But retrospectively now, yes, I can definitely explain why I took those decisions that I did back then. As to the question of why I did not take the mainstream path, it happened organically. During my MBBS years, I had this approach that I wanted to see everything with my own eyes. Whatever was going on in the world, I wanted to experience all those different things on my own. So when I got the opportunity to go to Oxford, I didn’t think about it too much and just went because I wanted the experience. I got in. And I realized that there is so much going on in the world. I mean, clinical medicine and clinical sciences are a very important part of it. But there is so much stuff in the world that we don’t even know is going on. This everyone has to actively explore on their own. A very important thing that happened to me in 2018 was that I got selected for the MedTech Scholarship through which I got to work at IIT Kharagpur. That was the thing that introduced me to biomedical devices and technology in public health. This was one of those things that I had never heard or thought about. Through this experience, I got to know that there are plenty of fields that I don’t know about and then I started exploring. I attended a convention on public policy. Finally, after all that, when I had the desire to join public health as a field, I, through NIRMAN, spent a week at SEARCH. After all this, I decided that ok, let us bring this thought, that I should go into biomedical devices and technology, into action. Therefore I should go and explore the field once, and after that, I will decide what my place in this ecosystem is. I: So you talked about devices specific to public health. What difference is there between them and normal devices? Dr. Varad Puntambekar. Lit secy, researcher, and now a recepient of the prestigious Rhode’s scholarship. A student of the 2015 batch, he is known to the people around him in various forms- to his seniors, a talented and funny faccha; to his friends, a loyal companion; and to his facchas, an inspirational but often unpredictable senior. He has also spent a considerable amount of time in his undergraduate working on various research projects, especially in Obs and Gyne, and writing and directing the comedy short film PULLS (2016) and its much awaited sequel, PULLS 2.0 (2020). Though he will insist that both of these movies were infact incredibly bad, we urge you to give them a chance. To know more such Varad trivia and catch a glimpse into this unique mind, we urge you to read on!

V: So, in normal medical devices you would be concerned more about sales and profits, and that is important in terms of entrepreneurship and having a business model. When it comes to public health devices, you’re more concerned about getting ‘good enough’ functionality with limited resources and limited technology. If you are interested in public health devices, you should check out Manu Prakash’s lab at Stanford.

I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF THUMB I HAD WAS THAT I WANTED TO MAKE MY DECISIONS ON MY OWN

I: You are going abroad for this scholarship. You have experienced the conditions in Indian villages and the status of public health in India firsthand, do you plan on returning to India after your scholarship? V: Yes, I do plan on returning. When, where, how, these details will be worked out later. But the plan to return is there. I (audience): I want to know more about what your motivations were. For example, a normal student entering MBBS might be motivated by making money or smoking joints. How were your aspirations different from an average student’s? V: I can’t talk about how it was different from an average student. What I can speak to are my approaches and interests and motivations. I think the most important rule of thumb I had was that I wanted to make my decisions on my own. I won’t just believe anything from anyone. If someone were to tell me that this field is good because of these reasons, that you can make this much amount of money in that field, or what a private doctor makes, I won’t just believe them. I need to see for myself. We are talking about different clinical fields and non-clinical ones, how does one get the best possible experience in them. By doing them and experiencing them firsthand. AIIMS is a standalone medical college. Therefore you must make efforts on your own and venture out. I am assuming that in a university there would naturally be cross-college collaborations going on, which may not be true. But with respect to AIIMS, you have to actively approach people outside. All of my work was obtained quite formally and through established bodies. To be succinct, my motivation was mainly curiosity, now that I think about it. It’s definitely not money, and it’s not publications either, because there were also some that I left midway after putting in some work into them. Decide whether that is the place you want to dedicate your life. Is this the lab or are these the people you want to continue with further? If you can decide all that, then first decision-making becomes quite easy.

I: Interviewer Kartik Garg, Batch of 2020 This interview was facilitated by the Scientific Society 184

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I (audience): Assuming that your ultimate aim is to improve public health in India or a country similar to India, then how are the next two to three years in Oxford going to better equip you to do that. Either they do or is there some fault in that assumption? V: No, the assumption is quite correct. I ultimately want to work in public health in India. What I can speak to are my experiences in my time over there. That I will be able to do because I am thinking of Ph.D. research. They will end up becoming how to analyze data, how are studies conducted, how much money and time is required to be invested, how to collaborate and set up collaborations, what are the difficulties in setting up collaborations, what are the boundaries of knowledge, what is the limit, what do we not know? These are all the questions that I want answers to. What analytical software is there, where does the data come from, how to do sampling, these are the questions. And aside from this, what I am expecting is to learn how to use every single field in terms of public health. After a while, the boundaries of these departments start to blur. So you can do anything anywhere, you can use medical anthropology in public health, you can use microbiology in public health, you can use everything everywhere. What I want to do is to learn from all the different types of people that I will meet there, engineers, lawyers, philosophers, etc., how can all of them contribute to public health. Just to give an example, Paul Farmer, a professor of social sciences at Harvard, made home visits a compulsory thing. He forced clinicians to make at least weekly or monthly home visits. To have to go there and talk to people in their homes, that’s a whole different experience. In our context, we use technology a lot in public health. X-rays, MRIs, are all technological advances being used in healthcare. Like right now, people are talking about using infrared signals for the mapping of ears. There are so many advances like these going on, so many innovations in various fields. Usually, advances like these are only ever used in tertiary care centers. All of these are questions in my head that I would like to get to the bottom of.

THINGS WE READ IN OUR BOOKS, LIKE JOHN SNOW’S MAP AND THE HAND PUMPS, THOSE THINGS ARE WAY IN THE PAST. TODAY IT IS MUCH MORE MODELING-BASED 186

I: What kind of personality traits should a person going into public health have?

I: How viable is public health as a field for medicos? What is the scope of the field? What kind of people should be inclined to take up the profession? What kind of people would you advise to take it? V: I can’t speak to the scope of the field, because I believe you make your scope. Whatever problem you find, you solve. If a lot of people are suffering from something, you call it public health. In terms of what kind of people take up the profession, one individual whose book I also read is Dr. Paul Farmer. He went to Haiti and set up a community health center as an NGO and started health programs for the locals. These included treatments for TB, for HIV, and then finally, he took these programs and scaled them up, and tried to make them suitable for a world stage. So really there are a lot of people from diverse fields who can engage in public health. Another example would be Dr. Chris Murray. He initially trained as a physician, then went on to do a Ph.D. in public health, and then did a lot of work on data analysis. These are very specific examples but I hope later you can pick up on these threads and learn more. One Doctor, Seven Billion Patients is a great book you can pick up. That is the status of epidemiology today and is a great read. Things we read in our books, like John Snow’s map and the hand pumps, those things are way in the past. Today it is much more modeling-based. If a hundred farmers are dying in a district in Maharashtra due to stroke, then how many deaths would be occurring all over India from the same, that’s the sort of thing one does in modeling. Given a sample number of neonatal deaths in AIIMS NICU due to antimicrobial resistance, how many deaths would be occurring all over India due to the same. So this is another profile of a public health professional, an epidemiologist doing data analysis and crunching numbers. Another would be along the lines of Dr VK Paul, he has an MD in pediatrics, and is now working in NITI Aayog. That’s a step up from research papers and proving what works and what doesn’t. This now is about policy implementation. These are the three profiles I see. One would be the practitioner, living in villages and rural areas and working directly with communities. Another would be the scientist, doing research and data analysis and drawing inferences and coming up with effective measures. And another would be policy implementation, the one who brings these measures into real-world strategies and action. These are very broad categories, and of course these are not segregated. You can navigate in between them.

V: I think one of the major underlying things that one should have is you should feel for the poor. Other than that, you should obviously be hard-working and driven. I think that holds true for anybody in any field, and of course as students of AIIMS many of you have those traits already. I also feel that you should keep your expectations low, keep your maintenance and costs low. I: One of your accomplishments during your time here was the establishment of the Scientific Society. Why did you do it and what was your vision for it when you started? V: So that’s quite a story. During my time at IIT Kharagpur in 2018, a group of students there were working on a robotics project. It was very hot and very humid and they just kept working. I think it was 40 or 45°C. And at that time, I wondered where it was coming from? That was something I felt was missing in AIIMS. And I wondered what we could do to bring that energy to AIIMS. At that time I was the literary secretary and was in the students union, and I wondered, whose fault is it that that particular atmosphere is lacking here at AIIMS. Is it my seniors’ fault that they did not set up anything, or is it my juniors who spend all of the time in the rooms and don’t venture out at all? And ultimately I think, the responsibility landed on my head. I thought, no one has ever done this before. It’s up to me to put in the work. And only after having done that can you really assess the performance. No one here has tried something like this before, maybe it’s just because of lack of trying. So without thinking much about it, without wondering what the future held or what the ultimate goals and aims are, I started it. The only thing that I was certain of was to present it as a very grand thing to the fachas. So during the month of August, when they initially came we held our first meeting. And at that time, I think 90 out of the total batch of 100 turned up. So it was quite clear that all the Facchas needed was some attention and some direction. Those were my initial thoughts. Later on, as my thoughts matured, I turned my mind to the basic functions of what a Scientific Society is supposed to do. These weren’t really visions. The basic vision was that if fachhas want to do anything in this institute they should be able to have a proper set up and all the necessary freedom and support to do so. But, whosoever wanted to get an idea into action should take responsibility for it and see it through. That I think is a very interesting experience in itself. When you take up responsibility, and

Encounter problems, solve them and keep doing so and everything else will automatically fall into place

you have support and you follow through with your plans and try to get things done. There is a lot of learning in that as well. Ultimately anybody wanting to do anything should have support, a medium, and a history of which person has done what in the past and whom to approach. I hope these sorts of things will continue in the future. And I’ve heard that in the future you guys are thinking of conducting a test. And this is what the society is meant for. To turn those ideas into real things. I: How would 1st year Varad think about how your entire college life turned out to be? What would he think about your accomplishments? How satisfied would he be? V: One thing I can say is that I did not have any such expectations during my first year. If somebody asked me what plans I had for the future, I would have said ‘I’ll figure it out later. What branch will you take in the future? I was not sure. I wanted to see it for myself. But I did not expect that I would be studying in international universities. However, by the second or third year of medical college, I had a thinking that my profile was better suited to international universities and international studies than national ones. I knew that if I wanted to do post-graduation in India, that had a very defined route. Join a PG coaching and do MCQ questions. But I realized that I had an interest in publications, research, and in posters. That kind of approach is more suited to international applications. That was when I realized that yes, I can see myself going out. I don’t think, however, that this was the answer that you were expecting. I did not expect to say this either. But what can I say? Everything changed all of a sudden. One perspective that I have developed now is that during my first year I was interested in very superficial things. That I should have a good rank, I should get into a good university and earn lots of money. Now I think that we should be respected for our work, that is the true marker of success. Now my mindset is geared much more towards solving problems. Encounter problems, solve them and keep doing so and everything else will automatically fall into place.

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is very easy if you have a clear vision about what it is that you’re trying to learn and achieve. It is obviously difficult because the lifestyle, the belief system of people and how they view you is different between a city and a small village. So, you have to adjust to that.

That was my thought process during my first year. Now though I think that problem-solving is the most important thing one can do in itself. I: What do you think you could have done during your MBBS years that would better equip you to do what you are doing today? V: I want to preface everything by saying that I do not regret how I spent my MBBS time. And I don’t think any of you will either. I don’t think anybody thinks that he or she should have spent time doing something else than what they did. Anybody who has fun understands that they’re having fun now and that their professional life will begin soon. That I will have to learn anyway now that I am in public health. All I can say is maybe if I had learnt it better at an early stage it would have helped me. I: Did you feel that there was any deficiency in terms of setting up equipment during your time here? V: I think those feelings are unavoidable and will always be there. In terms of data and ease of access to data, I definitely think there are deficiencies right now. Just to give an example, when I was involved in a project where the goal was to build a device that could accurately measure TSH values in a solution using one of the latest technologies available to us right now). At that time I had to email professors at IIT and then wait for their reply which usually took anywhere from 2 to 3 days and even then a reply wasn’t a sure thing. So what I would love is being able to just go to their offices and knock and have direct access to them. I think slowly we are moving towards this, towards having more access. The boundaries that we draw around our intellectual silos need to become more fluid and yielding. For example, even social sciences have a lot to contribute and have a lot of insights relevant to our work. When I went to SEARCH and spent time there I realized about all the things which I had to develop. Plus even economics is a field that we have to learn a lot from. It’s basically just math but understanding how it works and understanding how it relates to health insurance and especially if you want to provide insurance to 50 or 60 lakh

The boundaries that we draw around our intellectual silos need to become more fluid and yielding 188

people how would you go about it and where the money would come from, these are all very important things. And I definitely think we can develop a better understanding in these areas than what we currently have. I: How was your experience at SEARCH? V: My experience at SEARCH was just amazing. I have been very close to the ground and very close to reality. When you go on the ground and see things for yourself, whatever you learn is a very deep and a very true learning experience. You go to villages without any support whatsoever. You learn about social connections and developing relationships. The difference in power dynamics between treating patients when they come to you in the hospital versus when you go to them in their homes is immense. They do give you respect. They will make tea for you and give you a chair to sit in. But you can’t give them ‘doctors’ orders’. You can’t simply prescribe them anything. You have to talk to them very gently and try to convince them. That was the biggest learning experience. I: One aspect that I was really curious about was that since you chose a path that was so different from the rest of your UG batch mates, did you end up facing any resistance from them? And if so how did you deal with it? V: (laughs) You always get two choices. The simple choice is to believe that the traditional path is safe and happy, but I realized that it doesn’t work that way. I have seen and met a lot of people who are at a good place in life, they’ve taken the regular pathway and are successful wherever they are but they’re paranoid and anxious. So, a so-called safe path is not what I believe to be a parameter for work success or happiness. It is not as safe and rosy as people make it out to be. That choice has its own issues. You have to constantly live with a thousand insecurities like “where you’ll live, what kind of practice you will go into, if you want to practice for service in NGOS or as a clinician.” So, when you start thinking about all these factors, you start wondering about your end goal, and what comes beyond that end goal.

I: Since you talked about economics, in the western countries for example in the USA healthcare is very expensive. What is your take on the effect on medical expenses in India if western technologies were to be introduced to the treatment procedure in India? V: See, technology itself is not borderline for cost, there are a lot of factors behind that. There’s mortgage and direction that matter for determining cost, like for example in Germany, the technology is advanced but the social health services there are so good that the tax tends to cover the whole treatment. I don’t think technology is what increases cost but rather how you handle the technologies, starting from their assembling all the way to their maintenance, that is what affects costs so if the government is what brings those technologies rather than private companies, then the cost shouldn’t be affected by a large margin. I: Like you said, we have to put ourselves in scenarios and see if we’re happy or not to arrive at a decision for our future. How do you decide, what you’re meant to be doing, what your destiny may be? V: Instead of thinking too much it’s worked better for me to have a theme or a direction to think like what kind of people I want to associate with, where or with whom I’d like to live, and most importantly what your driving force is, what motivates you? For example, in my case when I started this project my driving force was that I wanted to help people. You might think it’s the money or the fame that you may achieve that keeps you going, but at the end of the day these are not your driving forces, they’re simply just results that are cognitively easier to find. So if you can identify your driving force it gets easier to find your goal.

I: We constantly hear about the shortage of doctors in India. Who do you think is more important in India right now, Clinicians or Researchers? V: I don’t see people with set standards that if you’re a doctor you can’t be a researcher and vice versa. In the end what India needs isn’t what matters more, like if what India needs most is food then will you make everybody a cook? No, right, so it’s better to figure out where you can contribute best. Only then you can help others, and in that process, you may end up discovering things about yourself and that is what helps you reach a decision. I: How did your family react to you choosing public health as a field you’d like to pursue? Any advice to people who want to pursue public health regarding family? V: My family was surprisingly happy and supportive. A friend of mine gave me a very excellent prescription in this regard and that was to not cry when you’re talking to them and stay away from the statement that you don’t love each other. Parents tend to get a little emotional so you have to state facts in front of them without being angry because it’s very rare to find parents who will understand in one go. Sometimes for their sake, you have to make a few compromises, but it is all necessary and in the end worth it. I: If one would like to experience public health, how would they be able to do that? V: I’d say to try giving a month of your time to JSS, or the other programs like Udaan. This will give you a core experience of public health because all the community and civil hospitals that you might go to will give you a more clinical aspect to it as you can’t exactly gauge the true state of public health from that.

Now a mental exercise that helps is, you imagine different resources and infinite opportunities and make your decisions after that. Now if the decision is one that makes you happy then you go forward with it. After imagining all infinite resources also I wasn’t happy with the traditional path. A life in which I’d just go to the hospital and treat people, wasn’t something I was satisfied with. People will ask you a lot of questions and you’ll face a lot of criticisms no matter what you do. And dealing with these questions

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अकाल मेघ प्रणव राय, वर्ष २०१७

क्षितिज पे काले सघन कुछ बादल उमड़़ ने लगे हैं ,

ताल तलैयों के किनारे लहरों से छलकने लगे हैं ।

ऊषा की लाली ढलते ही अंधियारा सांझ सा छा गया है , लगता है इस साल सावन कुछ जल्दी ही आ गया है । वो कूप जो गर्त में अपने राज़ लाखों दबाये बैठा था,

उस कूप में झांको तो अब कुछ मटमैला सा दीखता है ।

दूर आकाश की सरहद तक नहीं मुसाफिर कोई यहाँ,

आज एक बटोही सूनी राह में किसी कारवाँ को चीखता है । फूंटते हर शब्द को होठों से सन्नाटा ये गहन खा गया है ,

लगता है इस साल सावन कुछ जल्दी ही आ गया है ।

धूप की तपन में पकने को आतुर खड़़ ी थी जो बालियाँ,

रुदालियों सी डू बी है आज वो फसलें कनक के खेत में।

खुली थी रोशनी को, बंद बारिश में हो गई हैं खिड़़ कियाँ, हो चुके हैं ओझल वो जो बनाये थे कच्चे घरोंदे रेत में।

बस भी न पाए थे महल जो उन्हें तूफ़ाँ बहा गया है ,

लगता है इस साल सावन कुछ जल्दी ही आ गया है । जाड़े़ में जली चिताओं की राख ठं डी भी न हुई थी,

और इधर जनाज़े बहाने बाढ़़ के फिर सजने लगे हैं ।

ये कैसा है नाटक कोई बतलाये तो ज़रा देखने वालों को,

श्रृंगार संयोग से पहले गीत पक्ष वियोग के बजने लगे हैं । दीपक के पहले गायक कोइ मेघ मल्हार गा गया है ,

लगता है इस साल सावन कुछ जल्दी ही आ गया है । जो निकले थे घर से टहलने को तो आये लौट भीग कर, पुरवाई समझ झूमे थे जिसपे बयार दक्षिण से आई थी।

कहते हैं सब मान लो ये नया सिलसिला मौसमों का,

पर कभी हमने भी तो बेले की खुश्बू चैत से पायी थी।

है पानी ये हालातों का या सितम तू खुद पे ही ढा गया है , लगता है इस साल सावन कुछ जल्दी ही आ गया है ।

जिसे अपने आँगन बुलाने जतन लाख कमलों ने किये थे, सुना है इस देस से जा वो सूरज कहीं और चमकता है ।

उस धरा पे सूरजमुखी खिलते हैं बहुत उसे लुभाने को,

पर रत्न तो प्रेम का कमलिनियों के अंतर भी दमकता है ।

शायद यही पीर, ये दर्द उनका यहाँ मेघों को भा गया है , लगता है इस साल सावन कुछ जल्दी ही आ गया है ।

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191

192

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Marriage Section

Abhijeet Beniwal (2010) & Kunjan Shivran

Abhinav Singh Verma (2012) & Anjali

Afzal Ahamed (2010) & Roshna Beegum

Aishwarya Rathod (2012) & Amogh Kittur 195

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Ajit Singh Oberoi (2010) & Tarang Preet

Aravind Rajan (2011) & Vijaya Pandey

Isha Singh (2010) & Himanshu Deshwal

Dipin Sudhakaran (2010) & Megha Mukundan

Irfan V Pankol (2011) & Peenaz Ahmed

Sunny Singhal (2009) & Manu Agarwal

Sachin Jose Pulickal (2011) & Cynda Sebastian

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Front row (Left to Right): Ayushi Sachan, Ritu Dudi, Parul Yadav Back row (Left to Right): Tenzin Choden, Neha Hallu, Amisha Maroo, Nishita Purohit

Basketball

Sports Photos

Front row (Left to Right): Ravi Yadav, Archit Gupta, Hukam Singh Back row (Left to Right): Kinga Tenzin, Shaan Judiyal, Anant Malpani, Sidhant Yadav, Hrishiraj Bokarwadia 198

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Football

Cricket

Volleyball

Front row (Left to Right): Aryaman Dahiya, Helvin Varghese, Ijas Jamal, Bharath A, Harshavardhan, Easa Mohammad Back row (Left to Right): Mohammad Fais, Aswin VP, Mohamed Shuaib, Bharathkrishna, Abhiram, Mohammad Fawas

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Front row (Left to Right): Ankit Shakya, Rupesh Kumar, Satyendra Gurjar, Avanna Jalawadi, Rishabh Raj Back row (Left to Right): Prince Prajapati, Utkarsh Dungarjal, Gurkirat Singh, Dhananjay Chandel, Ravi Yadav, Shailaze Dora, Shubham Bhakal, Om Surwase, Sahil Poswal, Piyush Meena, Rohit Raj

Front row (Left to Right): Priyal Hingrajiya, Kota Venkat, Ajay Kumawat, Harshavardhan, Ankur Yadav, Ravikiran Varada Back row (Left to Right): Kabir Singh, Nihal Singh, Kartavya Gangwar, Sher Singh, PIyush Meena, Mahendra Kumawat, Sidhant Yadav

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2021

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Standing : Sathya Keshav, Gopichand, Ajay Kumar Jat, Chayan Panchal, Pratham Agarwal, Lakshya Garwa, Yash Sonkusale, Soumyadip Halder, Amit Kumar Sharma, Ajay Yadav, Faisal Saud, Shaiksha Nayaka, Garvit Asdev, Manvitha, Sparsh Pandey, Lahari Kasa, Anshul Rana, Srinija Emani, Basuraj Biswas, Eeshwar, Lakshay Chauhan, Pragyansh Samiyar, Aditya Rasal, Manas Warkhade, Amarnath, Aniruddha Dhakare, Amith, Subhapid Sahana, Sanjay Ojha, Tanmay Gupta, Kunj Bhanushali, Nimisha P, Deepak Sahu, Saketh, Savikash Singla, Parvathy K N, Chirag Ladumor, Karthik Pentela, Vijay Chander, Sunanda Reddy, Charan Alluri, Anirudh Dayala, Pavit Singh, Dhanush Gajula, Charu Yadav, Hrutul Chhag, Rahul Kumar Yadav, Kaushik, Prem Prakash, Hayagrivas, Saurabh Raja, Basil Thomas, Darsh Kaustubh, Kavinesh, Aashna Ahuja, Shanthana Basuru, Kushal Garg, Pavan Kalyan, Yashodeep Muley, Rushil, Rajat Goyal, Pragyan Sharma

Second Row : Shubham Agarwal, Prateek Machiwal, Abhinav Sharma, Sushree Sangeetha Saho, Shreya Aru, Yatisha Gupta, Harshitha, Garima Raheja, Nikhar Bansal, Jashan Chhabra, Soumyadeep Choudhury, Jayanth Naik, Rahul Kalyanam, Vaishna Jayavardhanan, Swarup Sarkar, Leena Khandelwal, Vaishnavi Sarda, Anjali Singh, Khushi Patel, Kiranjeet Kaur, Aakriti Khand, Suyash Arora, Yaman, Sahil, Dola Sairaj, Sandeep Kumar Kandi, Anush Chokkara, Zahid Khan

Sitting : Ayushman Senapathi, Tanush Gowda, Vinit Mundada, Prachi Dhote, Madhushree, Asmita Bag, Prasenjithan, Swetha Rathod, Naman Singh, Meghan H K, Prachi Khadatare, Sathya Veera, Pavan Raju, Parnika, Deepika, Jaishree, Devika, Singhania Lakshmi, Rohith K V, Hansa, Saloni Verma, Farhan Khan, Megha Mallick, Gowrishankar, Ch. Vaishnavi, Shivji Kansal, Rohin Prabhu, Zoya Belal, Mrinal Kutteri, Karthika Nair

Left to right

Batch Photos

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Standing: Anantha Parakrama B Nookala, Banoth Sreeshanth, Bala Siva Rama Krishna Jonnala, Atla Roshan Teja, Jalagam Vikas Raj, Kratik Agarwal, Patil Anurag Gajanan, Mohit Arya, Rupesh Kumar, Dasari Sai Chakradhar, Chillarge Abhay Ashok, Archit Saini, Pankaj Singh, Kuldeep Meena, Malleedi Rushith, Karthik Reddy, Ritik Sullaniya, Anil Kumar, Vinita Kanwar, Loka Sekhar Satvik Sharma, Jarsingi Venu Prakash, Aashish Meena, Aavula Shubhang, Sidrat Bilal Faridi, Soyeb Aftab, Aneemesh Giri, Aaryash Agrawal, Kartikey Agarwal,Suham Das, Prajapathi Princekumar, Vikram Kumar, Dipanshu Singh, Mahesh Bansal, Gajera Raj Rasikbhai, Avvanna S Jalawadi, Sayak Biswas, Yarasu Mahitha Reddy, Aditya Thakre, Mondi Lila Lakshmi, Tanay Raj, Gautam Kapoor, Bareddy Sai Thrisha Reddy, Ayisha K P, Lulu A, Ridhima Rathod, Fathima Shahama O V, Chirag G, Talari Venkat, Kartik Garg

Second Row : Smit Walke, Bhoomit Goyal, Gopaldas Isaac Akash, Ajinkya Deepak Naik, Parth Sanjay Kadam, Shivam Singh, Alok Raj, V. Jayashimman, Himanshi, Charul Honaria, Alpana Kumari, Vishnu Sai Darsi, Abhiuday Pratap Singh, Divya Raman, Gurkirat Singh, Hingrajiya Priyalkumar Jitubhai, Anna Basil Gomez, Maanit Matravadia, Alisha Yemen Jindal, Prachi Shankar Kothare, Astha Sinha, Guthi Chaitanya Sindhu, Telu Swetha Gayatri, Bhavanam Manasa, Farheen K S, Aysha S

Sitting : Sairaj Khyatham, Narendra Bishnoi, Abhishek A A,Yashwanth Durgam,Tarun Choudhary, Vineet Sharma, Md Arbaaz Ahmed, Sougata Majhi, Sagar Gangotri, Rishika Agarwal, Rosemary Jha, Pranav Pratap Singh, Ishita Garg, Mohit Kumar Meena, Lakshay Chawla, Yash Agrawal, Anagha Patteri, Aditya Mina, Ajay Kumawat, Satwik Godara, Kamboji Sharanya, Tummala Snikitha, Marimireddy Jahnavi

Left to right

2020 Standing : Amritesh Grewal, Lohitashva Goyal, Vishnu Malav, Kshitiz Bharadwaj, Harsh Jain, Shaan Judiyal, Gourav Dular, Gagan Dalal, Dhruv Jindal, Kartikeya Sharma, Anant Malpani, Mokshal Shah, Adarsh Abhange, Abhinav Agarwal, Aryan Bansal, Satyendra Gurjar, Abhishek Rajput, Alok Singh, Hardik Bendale, Abhishek Yadav, Tapish Sharma, Vedant Kashikar, Dhananjay Chandel, Chirag Jorvekar, Aurange Abhinav Ram, Aswin V P, Bharath Krishna, Shubham Maurya, Ankit Kumar Shakya, Puneet Beniwal, Hardik Dhayal

Second Row : Anustup Bhattacharya, Shashwata Kumar Das, Abin Antony, Aditya Jadav Mukesh, Shivansh Jindal, Om Surwase, Harsh Agarwal, Chetanya Mittal, Sharath Pawar, Hemant Khandelia, Ayush Gupta, Vishwa Vadodaria, Soham Pincha, Swapnil Kumar, Ravi Ranjan Roy, Bukke Dinesh Kumar, Goutham Kishore Masabattulla, Venu Dasari, Atyam Sai Praveen Gupta, Sharat Tarak, Shailaze Kumar Dora, Kartikeya Bathla,

Sitting : Hardik Gupta, Dinesh Dhaker, Ankur Yadav, Bhavik Bansal, Arunangshu Bhattacharya, Anushka Rathi, Swati Vijay, Aaroshi Gupta, Neha Hallu, Neha Jain, Nisha Saini, Vishwa Soni, Burra Shivani Srivastava, Ishika Gupta, Megha Gupta, Amlan Das, Nishant Soni, Prathamesh Rokade, Shreyas Agrawal, Shubham Bhakal

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Standing : Rohan Sonawane, Ijas Jamal, Abhiram B Kannan, Syed Fazeel Mohsin, Ajaz Ahemad, Amulya Gupta, Suryansh Saini, Ravikiran Varada, Jaideep Menda, Dhanush Chowdhary, Joshua Abraham Isaac, Prashant Wayal, Bharath Ajith, Ananthakrishna Jeejo, Sarthak Kain, Debarnab Debsharma, Sabin Rai, Amitabh Chauhan, Piyush Meena, Abhishek Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Ramnaresh Panth, Pulkit Bansal, Anand Kumar, Madhav Verma, Abdur Rehman, Manish Maurya, Himanshu Kaura, Jaymeen, Anurag Singh, Rajan Kumar, Kshitij Agarwal, Krishna Agarwal, Kaushal Jain, Prateek Mishra, Prince Choudhary, Saransh Verma, Rohit Raj, Akash Kumar

Sitting : Mohith Kapse, Sangeet Rathi, Lokesh Mandlecha, Archisman Mazumder, Vishwesh Bharadiya, Mohamed Shuaib, Suraj Sah, Navya Yadav, Arya C S, Fathima Hanna, Riya Marmat, Parul Berry, Mehak Arora, Sakshi Meena, Mansi Jaiswal, Keerthana Kasi, Eliza Bansal, Kiran Agarwal, Gagneet Kaur, Sree Chaithanya, Arjun Saraswat, Harshavardhan, Abhinav Gupta, Chirag Nimbhal , Sukanta Biswas, Aumkar Kishore Shah, Piyush Adchitre

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2018 Standing : Sidhant Yadav, Sandesh Vasave, Shashank Bhatkar, Nikhil Chowdhary, Ankit Meena, Pradeep Beniwal, Sandeep Kumar, Ajay Meena, Aamir Dogra, Yashpal Pakal, Aniket Sanjay Bhamare, Yash Sikdar, Kartavya Gangwar, Sushrut Chandra, Kunal Agarwal, Ajay Kumar Chauhan, Teja Sri Konatala, Vanshika Arora, Nishita Purohit, Priya Yadav, Nithila Rathod, Ishmeet Kaur, Nitin Jassal, Ashutosh Behera, Arshit Narang, Aryan Raj Singh, Fathima Muhammed, Devika C, Sumayya Mehaboob, Sri Lasya, Rhytha Kasiraj, Kathyayani Goud, Ravi Teja, Sandeep Dogga, Narasimha Murthy

Sitting : Harikrishnan S, Mahendra Kumawat, Hukam Singh, Rishav Raj, Rinku Sarmah, Sujay Dev, Manvitha Nareddy, Nipun Chandra, Amisha Maroo, Rashmi Singh, Pranav Rai, Ayushi Chauhan, Sankeerth Sadananda, Parul Yadav, Ritika Dhakad, Aditi Rao, Ojasvi Niramay, Mrinal Dewangan, Hrishiraj Bokarwadia, Navtej Mangat, Bhaskar Sahu, Manoj Pavan, Arnav Thrinath, Anirudh Vutukuri, Joel Peetala, Sindhu Raghuveera

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Adarsh Pal /ɑðərʃ/ (noun)

The gruelling Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery degree is, in our opinion, the most uncertain time in a budding doctor’s life. The challenges faced are unique, and comprise a blend of academic, social and personal difficulties. The time spent in doing a bachelor’s degree is unknowingly spent on a myriad of other activities simultaneously. One’s MBBS batchmates are the ones encouraging and watching over this growth; a family far from home, bosom friends whom one would remember even decades later. They may become brothers, sisters or spouses but either way, they leave a long lasting impression. AIIMS is unique as it comprises some of the sharpest minds in one of the largest populations- a lethal combination. The schedule is unforgiving, the competition is cut throat and the pressure, severe. Still, somehow, for nearly seven decades now, AIIMSonians have pushed and pulled each other to the very summit of success in medicine. It is the magnanimity of this place in my opinion, to give us the scope to strive for greatness, while simultaneously having us interact with the present and future greats in their fields. The following pages comprise short summaries of the men and women who comprised the batch of 2016, just another batch of AIIMSonians but unique in every sense, both as individuals and as a group. We sincerely hope you find some parts instructive and on the whole, somewhat inspiring. Who are we kidding, some of what lies in the following pages will be really funny and some of it is borderline illegal to print. You’ve been warned. Dr.Sanil Garg, Batch of 2016

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Apart from being known for threesomes and supplying Kattas to professors, Nawab Saab from Lucknow is also famous for taking the responsibility of helping the whole batch pass the final profs by sharing his digital notes. A true believer in Modiji's vision of digital India. By the virtue of his ability to finish novels in a day, he is a storehouse of knowledge on diverse topics, standing true to the saying 'हमने बाल धूप में सफेद नहीं किए हैं' . Whenever anyone needs help, he is the first one to lend his hand, whether it is helping cute juniors pass the exams or trying to help the society to fill its lacunas. He is perennially interested in the love stories of everyone, from fachcha/fachchis to seniors and professors, and is right now busy writing his own story with the hope of bringing it on stage asap. Please send in your entries to the Ed Board for the position of the heroine. He has kept everything within the reach of one arm in his Haveli. It might be unanimously voted as the most congested room in the hostel, but you'll always find space for an unfinished thali from mess 7 and your Randi Rona in his room. This Roll number 1 is undoubtedly the best possible cover for the book that is our batch of 2016!

Aditya Agarwal /ɑðɪtyə/ (noun) This rodlu boi from Kanpur with a head size bordering on macrocephaly is a churning pot for all the injustices, inequalities, and inefficiencies in this world, which manifests as enormous whining and anxiety great enough to break the backs of regular mortals – but this megamind has evolved laughter as his coping mechanism. This is not your regular jockey jolly guy; this grumpy-big-baby laughs at everything. EVERYTHING! With shoulders crooked like a crumpled can under the weight of his anxieties, he has been the harbinger of many trends at AIIMS. From setting up small study communities, interviewing many people across the batches, and consolidating plans to radicalise the medical curriculum at the institute, to parading on campus with slogans of a clean, green, and sustainable community, he has always appeared as the voice of sanity in times of extreme trouble and chaos. He weirdly has the aura of an old person and a child combined. Extensively well read, Adi boi is said to have read books at

an average of 1.5 books per week. An expert in reviewing literature, he spends his time meta-analyzing the offers and coupons available on the market in pursuit of finding super cheap stuff on Swiggy. Good stuff. Part of different batch groups on WhatsApp or elsewhere, he operates on a plane higher than the realms of posting groups and batch groups, truly embodying the spirit of meta-analysis. Confused and scared of the life ahead, he can be spotted around the library these days, preparing and planning to battle all the evils in this world, i.e., the PG exam. We wish him all the best of luck. Aishik Baidya /eɪʃɪk/ (noun) It is apparent by his name that his life has been blasted with love. This fearless bong has ridden the waves of life's roller-coaster without a bike... (Until Now! Vroom Vroom). His obsessive and compulsive desire for life, which has travelled multiple dimensions, be it soul, spirits, or chemical romance, has been fascinating, if at times frightening to others. The way he has been there for others during all of his earthly journey, despite being reborn many times, we wish him nothing but uncensored, unlimited, ultrapotent stimulation of his love receptors. Aishvary Gupta /ɑɪʃvəryə/ (noun) If Apple were to engineer a human, it would be Aishvary Gupta. Incredibly efficient, aesthetic, and ridiculously good at everything (except playing FIFA), he is a biochemical marvel, an unparalleled feat of evolution, with an impressive ability to juggle multiple tasks and excel at all of them. He is always ready to go to the gym for crushing workout sessions, plan parties and weekend getaways, and then hit the library for marathon study sessions. He was one of the chief coordinators for PULSE, and you irrespective of who it belongs to) and devour it in an instant. His blue painted room will be remembered forever as the central hangout destination of the 3rd hostel, where many friendships and one very special relationship were forged. Always the hospitable host, you could always find something to snack on in his room, in addition to a patient ear to listen to all your troubles. He is a big Rick and Morty fan, and his greatest fear is that he will turn out to be a Jerry, but his friends keep reassuring him that he is the Rickiest Rick out there. He cracked INI-CET in his first attempt with an impressive rank, and will now be pursuing surgery at AIIMS, Delhi,

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where we hope that his discipline and work ethic will make him a great surgeon (in addition to taking some work load off his co-residents). “Nobody exists on purpose. Nobody belongs anywhere. Everybody’s going to die. Come let’s party?” - Aishvary Gupta

Akshat Ayush /əkʃəˌt/ (noun) Coming from a state we all know generates toppers - 'Bihar' ( meanwhile he says it's jharkhand), but we know it makes no difference. Akshat! A gem of a person, always there to quietly fulfill all our demands, from proxies in the first two years to thousands in cash (even faster than an ATM ). A slightly different version of Raj Koothrappali, who doesnt talk much, but when drunk, talks only to girls, I repeat, onlyy girls. Someone with mind blowing Speedcubing skills, but i bet he can finish a pint of beer faster than that. A party freak, things like hangovers don't exist in his world. An enigma we couldn't figure out was, even though his room was all messy and haphazardly, he could still dress up in minutes with all the perfect watches on his wrist (He has an obsession with watches! ). Having aced both STEP 1 and INI-CET exam, he is ready to take on surgery department by storm. Congratulations and all the best for future endeavours!

Alen Joe Joseph /ælɛn/ (noun) AKA Alien, Nutrider, Ajo Ever met a guy who can turn anything and everything you say into a pun or innuendo, or something that 'she' said? Well look no further! This self proclaimed 'hot guy' is a Tamil Nadu-born-Mallu. No matter what the situation, one can always count on him to try and make the mood lighter with his infamous puns/ chalis. He is a famed Dr Tony George Jacob Impersonator. A great listener and a safe and trustworthy shoulder to lean on, always willing to help a friend in need. Your go-to travel buddy, a never fading smile on his face, and a senior who never made you feel like a junior. A guy with excellent command over language, and an avid quizzer, he was chosen the Lit Secy of SU 2019-20. A die hard fan of coffee, he will surprise you with the lengths he will go to make the perfect cup. He is an amazing photographer, only downside being, that he ends up as the official photographer for all events. You can see him at odd times roaming around campus trying to catch pokemon or promoting Decathlon as its "unofficial ambassador" or showing off his tree climbing skills. Currently he is pursuing his PLAB goals. We wish him all the luck in his future endeavours.

Ali Iyaz Rashid /ɪyɑz/ (noun) Aleena Augustine /əlinɑ/ (noun) Aleena is supposedly a mythological figure, especially among juniors, for very few have seen her outside. Having reportedly told someone in her first year that she planned to go underground, she has seemingly done a good job of it. Those who have had the privilege of interacting with her, though, know that she’s a great conversationist with whom, once you start talking, you can go on for hours. An avid reader, she’s the go-to if you are looking for a recommendation to read something. The COVID years, ironically, are when the outside world first saw her grace it with her presence and was the better off for it. As she targets the shadowy world of radiology, we wish her the very best.

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Ever met a guy who can turn anything and everything you say into a pun or innuendo, or something that Born on Valentine's Day, in the world's most popular honeymoon destination, this exotic fish carries the charm of Tony Soprano, eagerly ready to crush those who do not make alliances with him and wearing his heart on his sleeve for those whom he becomes friends with. A loud, loutish lover, never afraid to show his colours, he comes in a rainbow. With all his triumphs and charm, he went on to become the proudest interns' representative in RDA history, and among many other things, he worked hard to ensure that the interns who worked as COVID warriors received adequate compensation, truly going by his election campaign ‘Promises made and promises kept’. Belonging to an upper middle class in Maldives and a broke-Punjabi-Mallu in Delhi, Dr Ali slowly convert-

ed from prays-five-times-a-day-Allah-fearing-Muslim to staunch believer, proponent, and perhaps the only follower of Iyazism c/b uber-confidence, an Iyaz-centric-universe, and a hedonistic lifestyle. He became more desi than most Indians on campus, and his love for his people led him to work from the inside. Partnering with his dear friend Neelu, he helped create an empire for Green Aiims Narcos, for the people, to the people, and by the people. Dr Ali has always been a pillar of support for his juniors (in providing best grass deals ;)). He is a great conversationist and easily gels with people from all walks of life and never fails to lay his charm, even on auntiz and unkils, who can be heard saying "vadda sona putter hai". According to Dr. Ali, defense of his private space ranks number two in the three commandments of Iyazism (the other two being please Iyaz and please Iyaz), and he has never been shy about blatantly kicking people out of his room when this has been breached. Dr Ali could be seen petting dogs in quad, but unlike some other pleasures, he has more control on how much love he shows and more importantly, where. Never pet a dog in a hostel wing cuz then they sh*t all over it. Words of wisdom by Dr. Ali. A Man City fan at heart, and a tuna fan at body, this dondina found it difficult to appreciate Indian flavors, and his palate longed for Maldivian cuisine. Dissatisfied with Indian food, smell, system, and politics, Dr Ali would often seek refuge in his PS4, green rituals and an enormous volume of Netflix crime thriller docu series. Feels meditative, he says. A Tony Soprano of the past and Dr Jennifer Melfi of the future, Dr Ali is currently preparing for PLAB to base his life in the UK. We wish him good luck for the colorful adventures that lie ahead.

Amit Kumar /əmɪˌt/ (noun) Amit Kumar aka AAEKAY, this multi-talented chora comes from Bhattu, Haryana . Yaaro ka yaar, who will give his heart out when you truly need him. Born with the skill to handle money, he went on to become the Finance Secy. A good badminton player and a wanna-be footballer, learning new things and new skills is his hobby! Be it learning Sanskrit or attending sessions on AI. You can also find his YouTube channel and a kind of meme page on Twitter, only to witness his broad range of interests. He has been a blood donor multiple times, thereby fulfilling his social responsibilities. He is known for visiting his friends' rooms to search for "content". He is a great person to approach if you need advice on how to deal with f**k ups in life, because bhai ko bahut experience hai! You can visit him if you want a good coffee.

He practises what he believes and this is reflected in his actions (using the same plastic bottle for days and much more). Currently, he is working as a project associate at IGIB. Amol Sood /əmoʊl/ (noun) Aka Amul Dude, Sood Saab, Shady "My name is Amol Sood" (in an adorable voice) is the first dialogue you hear when you see this baby faced legend take up the stage for any talk or presentation; often, depending on circumstance, followed by "I come from Palampur, Himachal Pradesh". Sood is his name, and sincerity is his game, often going against the typical "Aiimsonian" flow of med school life. Sincere with his academics and postings since day 1, you know you can go to him for reference for anything important you’d have missed out on, especially during the crucial village postings. While you’d be used to seeing him with a smile, it has been a rare sight since 2020, for it is covered beneath the mask (or masks) and face shield, and the personal virostatic force field he has around him as a COVID precaution. Sadly, this went in vain as-to everyone’s shockthe virus somehow managed to infect him during the third wave. Perhaps this means humanity has no hope of COVID protection after all. Be it at vivas or vivacious parties, this chap is the best dressed, bar none. The only thing missing, perhaps, would be a British accent. It's surprising though, since this Potterhead has gone through the entire series more times than he has Robbins (which in itself is believed to be in the double digits). His sincerity in life extends into his friendships as well, always willing to help out and take care of things. A lover of puzzles and mystery novels, particularly those by Agatha Christie and the Sherlock Holmes books, it seems odd that his target is on the other side of the Atlantic and not the UK. Though he doesn’t need it, we wish him the best in his pursuit of the American Dream, hoping to hear "My name is Amol Sood" at a Nobel acceptance ceremony :P. Aniket Musale /ənɪkeɪˌt/ (noun) This cricket enthusiast, hailing from the same state as Sachin Tendulkar, is no short of a sporting great himself. Legends have it that the few victories the Batch of 2016 has ever managed to have on the Quad (no offence to the other sportspersons in the batch) have been due to his all-round talent with

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the bat, the ball, as well as behind the stumps. He also has a penchant for smashing it in frisbee, with many an accomplishment with the flying disc to his name. In contrast to most people of his cadre, however, Aniket is quite an introverted person, rarely seen outside his room or the mess, with the possible exception of the annual cricket tournaments or frisbee matches. Those who earned the privilege of being close friends with him remember him as a quiet guy who would be rather boisterous around his friends. Sincere in his academics and internship duties, the sense of mystery around his aura would only be heightened by his negligible social media presence. His abstention from alcohol throughout the entire course of five years met an unceremonious end in the village when, quite contrary to his known persona, he would be seen partying and chilling with the SRs of OBGYN and Peds. His exploits with liquor at the intern’s treat were a source of amusement, to say the least, to most of his batchmates, who would never have seen it coming. We wish him all the best for his future endeavours and may he stay the jolly, fun-loving yet serious lad he has always been.

the Shimla batch trip :P), he put them into effect, and, as a consequence, this guy had his fair share of heartbreaks. And like any other guy with raging hormones would have done, he too joined the SU as a general secretary, and during Pulse, fulfilled his duty as a catering secy by catering to pretty girls. Other interests included bulking up and taking long showers in cult fit, watching his reflection on any and every shiny surface possible, massacring bhangra, and playing badminton when he was not inside the library butchering those notes. Easily identified by the impish squint and a sly smile which often sweeps across his face, but if you manage to get behind it, you will meet one of the kindest and warmest individuals you’ll ever meet. A man of commitment, focus, and sheer fucking will, he joined medicine as a junior resident when this column was written and can now be spotted again in his natural habitat (aka library) when not in the ward. We wish this physician-extraordinaire all the very best for his life ahead.

Anish Patel /əniʃ/ (noun)

Pronounced as "Onubhav", he hails from the land of the Robindro. He has a style of his own, be it his hairstyle (ever changing) or language, quite contrasting to his other two friends from Bengal. He is a Gen quiz lover, an exceptional love which takes him out of his own world to answer questions in the quiz group. Apart from that, he loves to play TT. A friend with multiple talents who never tries to show off Rarely spotted talking, he talks quite openly with some friends. A few minutes into the conversation, you can surely hear gossip about other Bengalis whom he met during postings, from residents to faculties. Entering his room, one can see both Harrison and USMLE prep books lying open together, a hint of confusion regarding whether to do PG in India or go abroad. Currently, he is just reading and says, "Jo exam aayega de dunga." interested in history and literature (just like a typical bong), but doesn't know Shastriya Songeet (unlike a typical bong). Generally, he is not an ice breaker, but you will discover a plethora of knowledge regarding literature and history if you dare to hear him. We wish him all the very best in his future endeavors!

When you see a tall guy walking on campus with a slowpaced limping walk, he is none other than House MD, lol. Not every Patel is Gujarati, and once you meet him, you'll realise that not every Patel is a Patel. Weird, right? His only motivation in life to earn money is to build a 7-room house where he can do all sorts of activities every day (his friends know what I mean). The word "self-dependent" came into existence when he bought a hammer to nail a single nail into the wood. His sore throat has lasted longer than the word Vladimir itself. He ideal schedule begins with breathing in fresh air from the air purifier, drinking milk from Country Delight, mixing some protein powder, and spending the rest of the day in his rolling chair studying, watching cricket, playing PUBG, eating biryani, listening to Lucky Ali music, and finally tiring himself to bed. Ankush Garg /ənkʊʃ/ (noun) Lovingly known as Chinu, this vibrant creature migrated to Delhi from the Keoladeo national park. Gregarious by nature and blessed with godlike flirting instincts (especially

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Anubhav Das /ənʊˌbəv/ (noun)

Anuvinda PG /ənʊvɪnðɑ/ (noun) Malappuramkari PG is a phenomenon. Charismatic, talented and loud, this star dancer/singer was a valuable asset to any of the number of fests that have taken place during her

time. She was especially important as the coordinator of the various group dances that necessitated talentless people having to dance. Her skills in managing them are to be envied. When you hear her singing voice, you’d naturally expect a paavam, soft-spoken person, but this side only shows itself in situations imperating politeness, like when talking to authorities or professors, for example. Her friends know her for her loud and honest style of talking, and are occasionally terrified as well. No surprise then, that she has consistently been one of the scarier seniors for any junior— actually, one of the scariest juniors for seniors as well :P. Extrovert that she is, she has this uncanny ability to make friends with almost anyone. Her competence and people skills made her a capable admin of the CR team during pulse. Having picked up a liking for emergency medicine, she targets the greener shores of the UK for residency. Maybe because PG writing PG entrance exams is too cliched a joke. Either way, she will be fulfilling her destiny once she enters the post graduate world, and we wish her all the luck. Archa Sasidharan /ərtʃɑ/ (noun) Aka Archa Sasi, Unda Archa Sasidharan (pronounce it however you want, the name has been butchered in many ways by people already since first year) from Kollam entered AIIMS having cracked IIT as well and chosen medicine out of the two options. Right from the outset, she shone as a brilliant dancer and singer, and grew to be a staple of various pwaves, infests and Onam celebrations. A wonderful (smol) friend to hang out with, she is sure to set you laughing with her antics very soon. You have missed out if you havent heard her baby voice (or any of her range of voices) used in conversation. Her PJs (or chalis, as they’re called in malayalam) though, can make you laugh or cry, depending on how lame they are. Someone you can confide in, unda is a very trustworthy friend for the ages. Through the ups and downs of college life, some of her more noteworthy phases include her lockdown cooking phase - when she and her cousin turned into professional chefs, ensuring a food supply for a good part of the girls and boys hostels (almost), her swimming obsessed phase, from when she learnt swimming this year, and the current dog mom phase. One look at her social media feeds will show you how she adores the local dogs and pups on campus, having named almost every one of them and having a knowledge of their territory, pedigree and family dynamics (community medicine much?). Visiting them almost daily, they would surely wonder why mom abandoned them, if she were to leave AIIMS. Fortu-

nately, that doesnt seem to be the case in the near future. For despite her initial confusions about having chosen medicine, during her village postings she realised she has a liking towards Obgyn as a specialty. Weird, I know (narrator bias, sorry). Having decided to prepare for the Indian PG exams, it looks like Delhi (and her doggo babies) will have the privilege of her presence for a while longer, atleast. All the best, unda. Arushi /ɑrʊʃi/ (noun) Imagine what it is like to have a cup of hot chocolate in your hand, basking in the rays of sunshine on a cold evening. That is what having Arushi in your life feels like. Right from warm, cuddly hugs to being gifted with the power of words that could melt any heart, Arushi has touched almost all our lives in some way or the other. She can at first come across as shy, but with her wit and humour (and lack of boundaries :P), she will win you over. She has managed to befriend people from all ages and all walks of life-from mess waale bhaiya to professors. She is always creating a ruckus in our groups with the wittiest replies. A lover of poetry and good Bollywood movies, she can be relied upon to give the best Hindi song recommendations. Her Spotify list is full of gems that you knew you liked but can't remember off the top of your head. Not so blessed in the dance department, she has nevertheless managed to create her own move called the Arushi move that anyone can do on any song in a MRC. (Her videos of flossing are viral in the girls' groups) An ardent advocate of living in Chandigarh, the Chana puri halwa, saag and kheer she brings from home are to die for. She can often be found gorging on some Gulab Jamun from Swiggy while watching cricket, badminton, or even kabbaddi. This is often followed by a sleep that can put Kumbhkaran to shame. Arushi is one of those people who holds high ideals and actually follows them. She will always do the "right" thing, sometimes to a fault. As would be expected from someone so detail-oriented, Arushi does really well academically. She is thorough with her knowledge of whatever she has read and asks really insightful questions (most of the time). Her answers are like essays, which could be published in textbooks. As a doctor, her OPD notes have been described as "mind maps". You can rely on her to know the name of the pet dog a patient has. Kidding. She has been through a dark time in life and has only come out stronger. We wish her the best for her future as a pediatrician/anaestheologist/a combination of both of these/ whatever she chooses to be.

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Ashiya Afeef /ɑʃiyɑ/ (noun) When this pretty Maldivian ladybird showed up with her bright smile, it was love at first sight for many. If you think she is that shy, soft-spoken kid who could never be your partner in crime, your life's a lie. Even before the writer of this piece discovered her vibrant personality and great sense of humour, she would secretly observe her admirable fashion sense—how she made the hijab blend perfectly with every outfit like pure art. Her early experiments included gifting herself a telescope and sneaking up spooky terraces to unlock secrets of the starry skies. She might as well climb shaky ladders for that, but also, she would rather sometimes starve than walk a few feet over to the mess. Speaking of her deep affection for cats, her infinite supply of premium Maldivian tuna made her the saving grace of hungry, homeless felines. It was no surprise to permanently spot these fur balls at her doorstep, mewing relentlessly for attention. An avid dog lover, too, you could see Bread, Toast, or any of her other babies flock to her, wagging their tails merrily while she petted and made conversation with them. One of the best party hosts, she would indulge you in her cosy, super-tidy room with great music, delightful snacks, the latest gossip and remarkable life lessons derived from personal experience. On a dedicated mission to promote Maldives tourism, her iconic snaps of the island getaway hit you with an insatiable urge to head to the pristine beaches and treat yourself to the tranquil Maldivian sunset under the limitless blue skies. Set on cracking PLAB and gracing foreign sands as a distinguished doctor, we wish her all the best in her journey ahead.

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for 3 more years, but now as a dermatology resident. We wish him all the very best for the future. Indhra Swaroop Naik /ɪnðrɑ/ (noun) Indhra, the first of his names, hails from the temple town of Tirupati. Also known as Venom, he is famous for his plunders in PUBG, COD and Mini Militia. This decent, soft-spoken guy with a sweet tooth is always on the lookout for new desserts. His room was the adda for poker nights and many memorable birthday parties (if we were lucky enough that he opened his door). He often finds new and interesting (according to him) games for game nights, which are sometimes weird, sometimes good, but mostly bad. As an example, his recent find of 3 roses and 1 skull was so bad we didn't even try playing it. He still has to achieve success in that field while also playing his violin, which has become useless and is dusting away in a corner of his room. He is the self-appointed local tech guru who can recommend a great smartphone for any budget. In contrast to this, he achieved much success in the game world and honed his skills to perfection for timepass (maybe he was made for the Metaverse). An ardent F1 follower and a supporter of the Ferrari Formula 1 team, he fanboys Lewis Hamilton and considers him to be the 8-time world champion, contrary to official records (and he is supposed to be a Ferrari fan). He has a stellar investment track record (or at least he claims to). We hope he strikes gold with his investment in Tesla and fulfils his life ambition of buying a Ferrari. He plans to pursue his PG in India and we wish him the best in his future endeavours.

Ayush Jain /ɑyuʃ/ (noun)

Baehat Dhakal /’beɪhəˌt/ (noun)

Ayush Jain, coming from the royal city of Jaipur, truly embodies its spirit with his vivid wardrobe collection and effervescent nature. It was no surprise that his name was on everyone's lips, especially the ladies. Even the college across the road was no stranger to his charms. From planning impromptu trips after getting drunk, to putting proxies in morning hangovers, he truly has got the back of his homies. The only thing more frequent than his Jaipur trips is his trips to the library, where he can be found hovering and whispering around with his unsolicited laughter. After breaching all academic standards, this charmer will continue to roam around these corridors and giggle at parties amongst ladies

Baehat Dhakal, or the Bhutanese Chadman, or the Beacon of Coolness (as he refers to himself), is, in our opinion, one of the most bindass guys to walk into the hallowed corridors of AIIMS; that he has no qualms grasping the intricacies of pan-Indian Hindi dialects is a testament to the aforesaid statement. Educated at Dr Graham’s homes in Darjeeling before setting foot in Delhi, the guy is better adapted to India than most Indians, a fact his juniors can attest to and could always depend upon. Along with Iyaz Rashid, this formidable duo has done most of what there is to do in one’s college life; the guy’s academic range went from scraping a pass in his first year to medal vivas in the final. A real mas-

ter of all trades, he juggled all sports, music, and various other social activities along with his academics and came out with flying colours in each. Loyal to a fault, he could be seen hanging out with the rather notorious D batch gang of batch 2016, especially after 10. Preparing for the USMLE, we wish him all the best. Bhavesh Kumar /’bɑveɪʃ/ (noun) Have you ever wondered what sort of trauma a Rajasthani birth and a Haryanvi upbringing would inflict on an individual? We have an answer. The Marwari spiciness and the Haryanvi saltiness fuse, resulting in nothing short of a tragedy, in this case, forming a manic but introverted individual. The epitome of spontaneity, so much so that two calls placed even an hour apart often found him on some bus, on his way to some trek. While trekking, he made sure he took the most complex path possible and demolished it. If he saw anyone running (including dogs), he joined them, started a marathon, and made sure he won. His other hobbies include badminton and writing for himself. A blessing or a curse(?), he had the athleticism to back all this mania too. Btw, good luck getting those calls answered, considering how chatty a lover he was. This love for sports transcended to digital form, taking his passion for PUBG and his ace master rank into account. The only concern was that this love would be accentuated with approaching exams. He never forgot to preach the values he was taught at Nirman, practised them, and attended more blood donation camps than classes in the final year. He once forgot his own name in a viva, and when you need to remind him, the name was Bhavesh Kumar. Bhavneet Kaur /bəvəniˌt/ (noun) Hailing from the royal city of Patiala, this true Panjaban never fails to leave a mark wherever she goes. An endless supplier of laughs, she brings cheer and joy to every party, and ensures that everyone has someone to talk to. She can activate her alcohol receptors at will without ever needing any, and spin out some bhangra moves effortlessly. A badass woman with an incredibly soft core, she is that friend you can genuinely count on to lend support when life kicks you in the shins. A conversation with her (best done over chai) will often yield some pearls of wisdom and make you reflect and introspect. Thanks to her astute observation skills and philosophical bent of

mind, she has the best advice for every situation; her inexperience in certain arenas (read: relationships) does not deter her enthusiasm for sharing her thoughts. Unsurprisingly, her room has been the adda for many get-togethers, thereby also serving as a make-up van and a storeroom. Though she may come off as an out-and-out extrovert, she occasionally needs her sacred space. And while in there, she has conjured up some psychedelic album art ‘purely as a hobby’. She also tried her hand at piano and Spanish, but then life happened. She was chosen as the Fine Arts secy during Pulse, and like most things she takes up, was apprehensive to begin with, and later did an artfully fine job. She secretly wishes to own a hotel management chain and travel the world without a care. She is currently preparing for the PG exams, and we wish her the best for all that lies ahead. Dheeraj Kumar /ðirədʒ/ (noun) Born in Sitamarhi, Bihar and brought up in Delhi, this muscular guy is known for his unique way of climbing stairs fast with a bang (that would grab everybody's attention in the class). He hardly had any idea that he would end up in AIIMS when he dropped Maths honours in DU. This undiscovered Ramanujan has grabbed the top spot in the regional Maths Olympiad during his school times. A die-hard fan of cricket, he keeps himself abreast of regional as well as international cricket matches and news. We wish his skills on the field were as good as his knowledge of the sport. He tried to give his best, but once ended up bowling continuous dead balls in a match. A self proclaimed singer, you might want to cover your ears whenever he takes an Alap or hits a high note. Start a Bollywood item song and this guy is on his move instantly. He claims to have watched every South Indian dubbed movie. With his eyes set on PG entrance exams, we wish him all the success. Dhruvil Shah /ðrʊvɪl/ (noun) Hailing from the city of Bombay or Abu Dhabi or Surat (depending on the time of year you ask him), but being a Gujarati at heart, his love for khakhra, money, and the Ambanis is unparalleled. Lovingly known as "pencho," this person was often seen tearing through notes (occasionally academic and mostly monetary). Incredibly handsome, thanks to the juicy lips and a dadbod, and yet somehow his love life remained what could be described as the Rann of Katchh-dry, barren, and occasionally salty. Taciturn in

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nature, his hobbies include avoiding social interaction, exploiting the stock market, and leisure reading. Burning through the whole of Dan Brown’s Origins in just four hours, this guy has a legendary reading and retention speed, just not for academic stuff, and even if he tried, it took a month-long break for his fried neuronal circuits to recover. The absence of guile, his childlike enthusiasm, and those episodic surfeits of manic energy make him the best company you could ever ask for at a party (barring his hatred for non-veg, paneer, and windshield wipers). This guy will be sorely missed in the corridors of AIIMS, though, by the Swiggy guys mostly. Dyuti Shah /ðyʊtɪ/ (noun) The queen of contradictions. Gives people serious adult goals with her discipline, intrinsic motivation, organization skills (she has a list for everything, really, everything!), budgeting, and going from disappointed to excited to emotional in a matter of seconds, like a toddler. People say she doesn't talk much (someone has even wondered if she has a speech impairment); we have borne through her passionate monologues that easily last an hour. She can have five bottles of beer without getting tipsy; a cup of coffee and she is beyond control. She has a wonderful collection of jewellery, shops impulsively and believes in materialistic comfort; she wants to travel the world like a nomad, living with 2 suitcases. She wants the Instagram lifestyle but wishes to remain anonymous. She has never accepted any proposals from, well, a lot of guys, but falls for a cute (unattainable) guy monthly and religiously fangirls over him. Dyuti is an ardent sports follower, so all you need is a handsome dude who plays well, and Dyuti will introduce him to anyone who happens to cross her path. Being a brilliant artist and capable of evoking enough fear to get work done, she took on the responsibility of Mag-Ed and saw it through, producing one of the finest designed magazines in AIIMS history. She later found her calling in cooking, perhaps another release for her artistic tendencies. Accurately likened to a cat, her expression, along with the signature statement "Kya, kuch bhi, kuch bhi!" is the stuff of legends. Having scaled both Steps (by the time this is published, maybe the third too—she does ace exams as a hobby), she can now be found reading a book on her Kindle (the greatest invention, in her opinion) while marvelling at the beauty of the weather.

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Ekansh Goyal /eɪkɑnʃ/ (noun) Let’s play the guessing game. A jolly, healthy guy dressed in a full-sleeved T-shirt, shorts, socks, and slippers. If you’ve been on campus for some time, this must be an easy one. Dr.Ekansh Goyal! Ekansh has had one of the most happening lives in his generation of Aiimsonians and has several feathers in his hat, from being the informals secy to the CC of Pulse in ‘19. A diehard fan of Ritviz (remember the star nights of Pulse 2k19?), he’s quite the party person who specialises in getting people drunk. The iconic duo of Ekansh & his chaddi-buddy Bunty are quite the chick magnets at every party, and the chicks, obviously, would love to have him back for 6 more years in Aiims! Gurasis Singh Boparai /gʊrɑsis/ (noun) Notice: Wanted! Gurasis Singh Boparai aka Bopu/ Bopa/Bops/Boob kidding not boob. He was last seen in the Surgery ward, dressed like a homeless man, troubled by all the scut work he had to do, but more by the work he wasn’t getting to (i.e. surgery!) Straight from the diary of a wimpy kid, he turned his life around every year... sometimes twice a year! Perpetually troubled by stage one pre sickness, he would preemptively take bed rest and withdraw from regular housekeeping chores, but during his seasonal visit to the gym he would go around campus and the crowd would go jaw droppin', eye poppin', head turnin', body shockin', heart throbbin', ground shakin', show stoppin', amazin'. A textbook example, or more appropriately, an ideal thesis subject for Laziness, he lives in his room, which always looks as if it was hit by a tornado-but in Boba’s words, "it’s clean but slightly messy". A milk enthusiast, he always manages to spoil more than he can drink, but would still keep it inside his room, since his somewhat vestigial taste buds and sense of smell (or laziness) meant he was least bothered, much to the chagrin of his visitors. Hidden under the garb of his laziness, are the extreme talents a person can house. An elusively all-rounder guy, he can be seen playing tennis and football on the campus (manages one good match per month), auteur of some super hit movies on campus, inspiring the generations of artists to come, rocking the stage with his amazing guitar performance, and winning many (at least one definitely) hearts.

He's very soft-spoken, with some of the craziest hairstyles on campus, and is famous for his straight-from-bed-to-LT getup throughout his LT years. As a man of habits and extreme diligence, he’s been eating rajma rice and dahi for his lunch and dinner for the past 5.5 years, just for the ease of ordering. He truly did it all during his stay in Hostel 3! Just like the movie he made in his first year where the guy does it all with the help of a time machine.. oh wait.. damn.. that’s how bops disappeared.. damn.. The general public is informed to stay on alert! Wanted! Hariom Patel /həriɔm/ (noun) Hailing from the heart of the country, this guy can charm his way into your heart with his wide innocent smile and never-ending optimism towards life. On campus, this specimen can be spotted wearing his signature green color, polishing his skill in flirtation. This lively guy tries his best to spread happiness on the campus through his out-of-this-world PJs. He is also well known for his storytelling (on loop). One of the unforgettable ones is about his love quadrangle from his school days. And the most recent one has a stroke patient running away from this doctor with a random guy on a bike in Dayalpur. He also possesses obsessive marketing skills (denying his products/food/movie recommendations is unacceptable). Being the guy who loves making plans, he is always ready with solutions to problems of the past, present, or future. But if things turn ugly, he brings out his optimism and confidence, his two ultimate weapons. So if you still haven't worked out the "how" or "when", you can contact him. As someone who closely experienced the health inequity in India, ,he has a keen interest in exploring people and institutions striving to narrow the gap. He wants to become a public health physician later in life. We wish him all the very best for all his upcoming endeavours. Het Shah /heɪˌt/ (noun) Now, what more can we expect from this Nadiad-origin Gujju guy? From a distance, he looks like a mama's boy, but he is actually a lot more complex. A man of his principles, he appears to be a sakht londa, but whether that is a cause or consequence of his silent heartbreaks is

still questionable (he is still in search of true love:P). Academics: better not to say anything , sabko maloom h aur sabko khabar hogyi:) . Number of conferences he will attend as a neurosurgeon will perhaps still be less than jitna Allen Kota ki talks inne di hai pan India for years. He abides by the law of shauk badi chiz hai and spends like hell. Be it watches or new gadgets in the market, sab mil jayega aapko iske possession mai; the ultimate goal of life iss bande ka to buy a Rolex one day, perhaps. Besides his room and a tiny library cubicle, he was also found doing cardio in the gym, where he did more workouts than shown in his chocolate powder ad. Gifted with a unique walking style like a seth and bright colourful dresses, he can be identified in a crowd from a distance. Yeh Banda sirf ek insan ki sunta hai, and that's his own mind which has made him attend village opds in shorts and vivas in track pants :). He is a die-hard cricket follower, and his other interests include novels and gaming, in which he can spend hours. But no one can deny being a fan of his fighting spirit and ambitiousness. Nowadays, he can be seen running in the lal building in his tracks and gown and, in a few years, in OTs, opening the brains of people. And a gentle reminder to everyone to spell out his name correctly as H E T vrna yeh to professors ko bhi letter by letter naam spell karwa deta hai :P . Ira Pachori /irɑ/ (noun) She’s the quiet girl in the corner of the first bench. One who rarely smiles, but when she does, it brightens up the whole room. She’s so reticent, it almost borders on intimidating. Not many people have had the pleasure of getting to know her better, but those who have are very lucky indeed. She’s undoubtedly the strongest girl you'll ever meet in your lifetime. To protect the people she loves, she would do anything, like a mother bear with her cubs. Few can work as hard as she. No matter what obstacles hinder her journey, she overcomes them through sheer determination, resilience, and honest effort. She hates the word "lazy" more than anything else. Don’t let the tall and frail frame fool you, she’s a commendable athlete and a master of martial arts ( black belt in the shito-ryu style of karate). All the tough exterior, however, hides a very gentle soul. She is capable of something which one might call immaculate empathy, which is very hard to come by in these times. She can often be spotted petting dogs and cats, or musing about how different birds sing and communicate. Her mind is a treasure trove of creativity and innovation, which has not only enabled her to excel in the art of sketching and painting, but in any art project she undertook. The myriad display of beautiful crafts in her hostel room is a fine testament to that. Her secret super power, though, is finishing one whole jar of nutella in a single sit-

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ting. She is an avid reader of both fictional and nonfictional works from all genres, so she can converse on anything and everything, from the shlokas of Geeta to the shades of Grey. She has had her share of hardships to overcome, and she continues to excel today, as she always has. She will surely grow to be one of the finest doctors, nay, the best humans, of our generation. Ishita Kaushal /ɪʃɪtɑ/ (noun) If you ever see a cute pink teddy who greets you with a broad smile, heading for breakfast, that's her. She is like a grandma—mature, empathetic, wise, yet a baby who will laugh at the silliest things. With a resolve of steel and an indomitable spirit, she has withstood many challenges and only come out stronger. She is the go-to-person if you need advice on anything. You will surely leave her room feeling satisfied and cheery. She commands respect but is easily approachable and will not leave your hand once she has held it. Opinionated and not afraid of expressing herself, she stands up for what she believes in. It's safe to call her the iron lady of our batch. She has perfected the art of multi-tasking—she can read Medicine, cook an apple pie, and window shop for dresses online, all while watching TV shows or ASMR videos. She loves to cook and knows the best food outlets; in an alternate reality, she would be a chef, adding sweetness and some spice to people's lives. She knows how to dance and how to party, and will have frequent dine-outs with friends, but when given an extended break, will return to the comfort of her home. Her room is adorned with paintings that have never been made public. Oh, did we forget to talk about her dressing sense? She was Miss Infest of her time and the judge of fashion shows later. She carries herself with confidence and poise. She also doubles up as a make-up artist in times of need. Phew, guess we have covered it all. By the way, she also topped the final profs. Yep, now we're done. She is now back home, in her happy place, and we wish her nothing but the best for her future. Japnoor Kaur /dʒəpnur/ (noun) Japnoor Kaur, aka JK, sent hearts fluttering the moment she set foot on the campus, with those dimples and that goofish heart-melting grin. She was sought after in the GH for her wardrobe, with the streets

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of Sarojini Nagar being frequented for pickups; legends say hawkers there scare their kids into submission with stories of the girl who gets flat 80% (!) discounts even in the absence of a sale! She was wooed extensively until falling for an unlikely guy, sending the betting markets into meltdown. An excellent cook, her palette would refine infinitely after she started partaking in the oh-so-sweet greens. Hands down, one of the coolest girls who loved her friends and really could not care about anyone else, minus her characteristic snorty laugh. She lives the quintessential Instagram good life, with good books, blank journals, vibrant paintings, and a love for travel that is only eclipsed by her love for sound sleep, and trying to murder anyone who wakes her up before time. She stans Tae-Tae and truly sings as well as BTS, hurting our ears in the process. An effortless dancer, she won the best dancer award in her first P wave. She is currently preparing for her post-graduation exams, and we wish her all the best for the future. K Pravar /’prəvər/ (noun) This six-foot-tall lad from Hyderabad can at first appear to be physically intimidating, but once you get to know him, you are more intimidated by his vastly superior intellect. One must not mistake him for a mere mortal, as he has a superhuman ability to produce the correct answer to any question with stories about where he learned the answers that would put Slumdog Millionaire to shame. After acing exams with seemingly minimal effort, he decided to put his extensive knowledge base to the test by turning to college quizzing and became quite prolific in a short time. Cursed with the knowledge of comics from his childhood, it was his destiny to become an MCU fanboy in college. The number of times he has watched Thor Ragnarok in theatres is testament to his level of fandom (he says it is 10, but we suspect it might be more than that). His love for pop culture is unmatched, and he has recently attained god-level status after logging 500 movies on Letterboxd and 51,000 minutes on Spotify last year. Despite his newfound love for kino, he still remains true to his Telugu roots and continues to enjoy watching Pawan Kalyan and Balakrishna movies. (Or, as he puts it, kinda paina oopu, Balayya babu thopu) A true Hyderabadi at heart, he can convince almost anyone that Hyderabad is the best city in India. His encyclopaedic knowledge of food places in Hyderabad is truly impressive. Outspoken and never one to back down from a good debate, he is fiercely loyal to Lorde, the Reds, Shadab Hyderabadi dum biryani and his friends. He plans to take a break from medicine to decide on his future endeavours. We wish him the best in whatever he plans to pursue and hope that he continues to reach new heights in his Letterboxd and Spotify statistics.

Jahnavi Phanidhar /dʒɑnəvi/ (noun) Every AIIMS batch has had that perennial class-lover who adamantly shows up to every posting, every class and every seminar to the extreme extent of being the only one sitting in the LT (he managed this rare feat in a CCM lecture) while the rest of the batch was happily bunking: that is Jahnavi Phanidhar for you. Being ingenuous, he once listened to the Anat HOD, who claimed that all who studied Cunningham cover-to-cover got a distinction. He stuck with the book till the first proff, only to find out that no one who got a distinction followed it. Despite this bitter realization, he has continued to stick to this approach of reading only advanced textbooks. But don’t be mistaken by this seemingly studious outlookhe loves watching tennis, F1 and football (unfortunately he is quite terrible at the field, though somehow he managed to contribute to their infest victory by manmarking Navneet in the final). He has grown up watching anime and can catch even the most obscure of anime references, but he refuses to watch Death Note for some reason. He also joined a secret fight club, details of which cannot be revealed further (oops, we broke rule 1). Being a very reliable friend, it is impossible to hate this guy, especially since he brought and happily circulated a water bottle to every class and posting (to anyone who managed to show up, that is). An introvert who turned into an extrovert, especially during COVID times, he scored splendidly in Step 1 (which was given in utmost secrecy, to the point that no one knew he was preparing for it) and is currently preparing for Step 2. He plans to pursue residency in the US, and we wish him luck for the same!

Kota Vijay Kumar /koʊtɑ/ (noun) Just as the world now knows Kanye as Ye, AIIMS knows Vijay Kumar as Kota. Ready to defend Jose Mourinho at the drop of a hat, this red devil will be ready to skewer opinions in the court of football twitter with phrases borrowed from his many idols. Priding himself on the 2 trophies he managed to win, you can always rely on him to discuss football tactics. However, reaching him is a herculean task (because his phone is perpetually in airplane mode). Peppering in Sopranos references throughout the day is perhaps his favourite timepass activi-

ty, exclaiming "Madonn" at every minor inconvenience. He has tried his hand at art, painting a mustard field in Kota's World, which unfortunately did not garner as much (or any) attention compared to its namesake, but it still adorns the walls of his notoriously messy room along with the paintings of pop culture icons such as Batman (supposedly) and Vader. In sync with said icons, he has a particular affinity for living in the darkness, with all of the illumination in his room being provided by his only bulb. He says (or claims) to have had many confrontational encounters with professors in vivas, but we did witness him stare daggers at a professor as he walked in late to the class. He’s preparing for his PG entrance exam and we’re sure he’s going to succeed due to his proven record. After all, he’s managed his team to victory in 2 cup competitions, and hence is a proven winner in contrast to Ole (who according to him was useless). Hope this helps. Kushagra Pandey /kʊʃɑgrə/ (noun) Your first impression when you meet the man himself, would range from stoic to crazy, but one thing he has proven over the years is that balance between work and fun is definitely achievable. Hailing from the city of dreams, he too had lofty ones, and boy! did he achieve those in some style. His MBBS time period involved a mix of everything, parties, studies, travel, gossip, relationships and of course topping exams! Always the go to guy for last minute fatte on the day before exams, he would radiate a mix of concern as well as supreme confidence before any viva. He has a taste for the tough as evidenced by his choice of PG branch (neurosurgery). His room would frequently be the host to Dotson ke saath charcha, where peeps met to bitch about life in general! A passionate foodie, he made sure to try out Delhi’s best. Gifted with an astute sense of pragmatism and people management skills, he made complex social interactions look easy. To this man from Mumbai, we wish for his resilience and hard work to continue to shine through and bring him unbridled success and immense satisfaction from his profession. Lalit Kumar /ləlɪˌt/ (noun) A short glance at this hot-headed-adrenaline-addled-media junkie might be misleading and frightening, but on getting closely acquainted, the inner monkey reveals itself. Hailing from scorching hot Rajasthan, this resis-

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tant creature has been surviving, undergoing innumerable mutations, in his pursuit of chilling out, and has successfully kept his cool in n number of non-cool times like professional exams, interacting with the social masses, or infinite virtual war simulations. With his good-natured habitus, he has made lasting friendships with all the diverse creatures around him. As the personal and global hypothalamic impulses rise (global warming), we hope his monkey mind doesn't get frightened by civilisation and receives his utopian oasis, so as to keep chilling eternally, the way it has been happening till now, apparent from his air-conditioning dependence syndrome.

Manavi Gupta /mɑnəvi/ (noun) When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, but this ‘Chota packet bada dhamaka’ will make a lemonade bourbon instead and offer it to as many people as she possibly can. Hailing from Firozabad, the city of bangles, Manavi has completed many a circle around the globe and travelled to more countries than her actual age. She can be easily confused with someone’s school-going kid, from her stature, yet has the knowledge and wisdom of a veteran. Her intuition and memory can drop your jaws in awe. Her positivity is more infectious than the omicron variant, as she makes you focus on the half-full glass. She tides over adversities with unmatchable strength and courage that can move mountains. Chotu Gupta loves talking to people, and she is the "AIIMS trade center" for the exchange of gossip. Being a "not-sotight junction" for keeping information (secrets) might have landed her in trouble a few times, but Manavi believes in doing greater good by enlightening people with her collected knowledge/ gossips. As opposed to her talking skills, are her singing skills, which she proudly displays but can make you cover your ears and burst into laughter. Most of her friends have already day dreamed about and narrowed in on the designer couture they are going to wear at her wedding. Just waiting for her handsome young man to a grow up a little bit and make a grand gesture in the proposal. The dermatologist-to-be aced her PG exam and now plans to beautify people and make the world a beautiful place with her skills and presence. We wish her the best of luck for her future plans and request her not to change a bit of herself, else the world will be a tad boring place to live in!

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Muhammad Fawas /fəvɑs/ (noun) If you are ever in campus and hear a high pitched scream emanating from around the quad, you can rest assured that it’s Fawas. Walking into AIIMS as the most energetic guy of the batch, Fawas was a name known to nearly everyone. Known from the beginning to be one of the biggest trolls around, he livens up any atmosphere he is in. You’d be hard pressed to find him in his room at any time (but especially right after he calls you to his room), since he’s usually in the quad busy with his love, football. Local Ronaldo, with his chiseled abs and hypertrophied calf muscles, he has been an integral part of the AIIMS football scene right from first year. His experience gained playing and conducting infinite tournaments and his sheer love and talent in sport meant that he was destined to be the ‘chosen one’, the gymkhana secy. Having pulled off the role well in 7th sem, he has continued to be the godfather of his successors on the throne, while diversifying his portfolio. An excellent cook with a buzz of spontaneity around him, means one can expect a random plan to cook Biryani, and when executed the results are nothing short of brilliant. As he grew older and wiser he has taken up the role of godfather (grandfather?) of the juniormost batch, who can be found in his room at any time (even if he himself isnt!), or walking around with him. These days he can be found roaming Delhi, and spamming WhatsApp groups with gifs of himself or voice notes (maybe covid has necessitated socially distanced trolling). For the sake of the quad which will miss his perpetual presence if he leaves, we wish him a speedy return to AIIMS for residency.

Mridul Sharma /mrɪðʊl/ (noun) Now this divine creature hails from Kota, compelling people to reconfirm his land of origin and not the territory of Allen; but both are the same somehow. Mote kaha pr hai? is the first sentence that is written in WhatsApp chats whenever anyone faces a problem. He just knows people who need a hug and offers them his famous comfy hug. Mota is a body shaming word for many, but this is how people call him when they need to discuss heart-related issues, even at midnight a day before exams, because his dil ka size is bigger than his body size. Can be easily called the MOST LIVELY and go-to Banda of our batch . He may not be very serious about ac-

ademics, but his knowledge of different topics will impress you. A perfect score on the SAT would motivate anyone to go to MIT, but he chose to stay in India because of his motherly love. The one thing people easily learn from him is to never compromise on food. Pure group mai, if he is there you can order n number of dishes and not worry about wasting them, as his stomach is there to accommodate them somewhere at the end. He can be called a musician as he can play the ukulele and piano. Actually bande ki hobbies khatm nahi hoti. You can make him play badminton, TT, cricket, football, or bike for continuous hours on his blue bird. Reliability is what makes him different from everyone else. His doubts during classes or postings are still a mystery, as he either mumbles them to himself or asks about the physics of heart sound generation ; real bouncers for all the others :-/ . But what can you expect from an MIT guy with an IQ well above 220? In kuch aspects, he can be called a heartthrob of girls; anyone who gets close to him starts to develop a bond with him and he too is ever ready with his feelings, either out of emotion or saccha pyar don't know:-P. But it's an achievement for this guy who has such a high IQ, the driving style of a heavy driver, and keeps a beard so big that even OPD kids in the village start crying: sakht londa af. But needless to say, this guy can’t be described by words as they are never enough for those who have asked life to fuck off (as a whole). Now he is preparing to get a seat in his dream branch, which he himself is unsure about, but perhaps #nsx and soon will be seen again in the streets of AIIMS, but till then his presence will be missed a lot here :-/ . Mrudule Vamsi /mrʊðʊl/ (noun) Earle Mrudule, or Mrudule Vamsi, as he was popularly known due to unknown reasons, probably went one of the most amount of character development in batch 2016, which is to say that he turned from a brooding, slightly introverted guy from Vizag who didn’t smoke up into a brooding, slightly introverted guy who did. Jokes apart, one of the most versatile guys on campus, his college life saw him do everything from acing PUBG and FIFA to trying his hand (feet?) at football, guitar, and cooking; all of which he was moderate at except his cooking skills (he makes a mean biryani). Another part of the notorious D batch gang of 2016, this ex Chief Coordinator of Pulse had his pull among the ladies, in fact we’ve been told he was a real playa early on. Currently preparing for the PLAB, we wish him all the best in his endeavour to provide world class healthcare to the Firangs of the UK.

Mukul Kumar /mʊkʊl/ (noun) Time moves slowly in Mukul's world—whether that is due to his intrinsic laziness or the effect of some soothing greenery is debatable. Almost always found lying in other people's rooms, he is suspected to have chronic fatigue syndrome. Blessed liberally in the arts department, he specialises in pretty much everything—from painting to virtual designing to even soap carving. With an extraordinary eye for detail, he can spend hours working on an art piece, and the end result, although arriving past the deadline, is stunning. Unsurprisingly, he appreciates art like no other, and is always (overly) eager to share his latest movie recs; resultantly, his friends have watched more than their fair share of trailers. The Godfather of Hybrid Hues has been a core member of the Ed board for four issues, the co-design head for two, and oversaw the development of the Mag even during his ninth semester. A man of principles, he unexpectedly rose to lead the SU to bring about a revolution, i.e. transparency to the Pulse organisation process. Brimming with lofty ideas, this innovator oversaw the development of an app that was supposed to solve all problems but ended up creating quite a few. His efforts, however, are still appreciated, if only by a few colleagues. Beneath his tall, wiry exterior lies a fluttering heart. A resident of Nostalgia Land, he can often be found browsing his laptop for old memories. Mukul is your go-to-person for any kind of companionship. From organising any event to being an accomplice in crazy adventures—resulting in weird hair colours and tattoos, as well as spontaneous trips to faraway places—Myukul is dependable (vella) enough to always show up. Prone to revealing his secrets to everyone while making pinky promises to ensure they don't spill them further, rumours (and facts) about him abound. Almost all UGs know him, and his idiosyncrasies have led him to forge strong friendships with people across batches. Nobody, including Mukul, knows what he wants to do in the future. Well, not knowing is a good place to start. With his creative mind, lazy body, and buttery heart, we are sure Mukul will put his unique attributes to good use.

Muhd. Munavvir /mʊnəvɪr/ (noun) Aka Munnu, Kyd Saar Munavvir from Koyyod, Kannur entered AIIMS as a legend, having scored full marks in the (last ever) Kerala medical entrance exam, a feat which hasn’t and cannot be accomplished by anyone else. Ex-

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pecting an elite snobbish brainiac, we were mollified to find a ‘down to earth’ brainiac (seriously, just hear some of his jokes and you’ll know). Elitism is in his blood though, him being an avid cinephile who only watches kino. Somehow this doesnt translate to getting good movie recommendations, because almost anytime you get a movie rec from him it turns out to be horrible. (Ah well, maybe the elites have a different appreciation for things). His other love is quizzing, or kissing, as he used to pronounce it. From first year, he has gradually ascended the tiers of the Delhi Quizzing Circle to be one of the most well known and successful members. The amount of prize money from quiz victories should surely be enough to buy a car, or 10-20 bicycles (the latter of which there was an attempt at learning to ride, starting from theory. Nobody knows to this day whether it had succeeded or not). Despite all this, sir has not let go of academics, consistently performing well during UG days. With the same UG entrance drive, he took it upon himself to prep hard for the PG entrance, filling up his free time with Marrow, such as during the cab drive back from covid postings, intermissions at the movie theater, or while waiting for food at a restaurant in Jaipur during a road trip. He leaves MBBS with the same glory he entered with, as he waits to start his residency in the department of Radiodiagnosis. All has not been glory for him though, for with such greatness comes great hair loss. So much so that he has adopted a tonsured look for the future. We wish him the best of luck, especially in his ventures into open quizzing, and his hopes of finding a mallu muslim quizzer girl to keep him company.

Medication history Outraged by the pricing of Peelu's "medications", Neelu went on to work with his international partners (Ali Bhai from Maldives) to create his own rival empire, which established an instant monopoly in the hostel markets. However, as it usually goes in the episodes of Narcos, they got high on their own supplies. Add to that their laziness and anxieties, and you end up with an early retirement from the business, which is how his business naturally completed its course. Neelu still proudly boasts of his contributions to the war on drugs—on the right side. Personal History Neelu is easy-going, he is easy to talk to, and he lets you be his friend easily. His room (usually filled with friends and the social hub of the hostel) is usually buzzing with fan favourite Hindi hit songs from the 2000s, such as "mujse shaadi karongi". A line he wanted to use on every nursing student he worked with in Ballabgarh. He is a reliable driver. Fast-flowing rivers, Himalayan mountain ranges, Saturday night Delhi traffic; this tiger has conquered them all. Another reason to pay up your dowries to all the lucky ladies out there. Social History An avid (borderline-addicted) news junkie who stays socially aware, and supports AAP in its political endeavors. This chhota Don, with his wisdom in the ways of the world, is set to do some heavy lifting in Bihar politics. It's simply a matter of time. Diagnosis A genuinely nice, funny, woke, studious, take-no-bullshit guy.

of docsaab in the 3rd sem itself. His memory and clinical acumen are as amazing as his partying skills. Although not aiming for the Nov INI-CET, he got a good rank and is set to embark upon his journey to become an internist at PGI, Chandigarh.

rently committed to Vadapav but is in a lifetime relationship with Coca-Cola.

Nishita /nɪʃɪtɑ/ (noun)

Kumar Neelmani /nilməni/ (noun)

Nikhil Bajiya /nɪkhɪl/ (noun)

Palak Meena /pələk/ (noun)

A 22-year-old male from Patna, Bihar, presented to AIIMS with complaints of being short and having a unibrow. The psychological evaluation was suggestive of ambitions to become a doctor, mainly for the dowry worth crores. HOPI The patient was apparently well 5.5 years ago, when he prowled from Kota to AIIMS like a true Bihari Tiger. He was caged in Hostel 5 (a cage he quickly made into a home), in the wing which later became (in) famous for consuming a major portion of greens on the campus (his contributions included). Past history The patient reports dwelling in the wilds of hostels, from his young school days in Patna to medical coaching in Kota and finally here in Delhi.

A very innocent, very vegetarian, non-drinking boy from a small town in Rajasthan, where even light was invented a few years back, Nikhil Bajiya, aka The God, and more commonly known as Bajiya, came to AIIMS. Little did he know, this innocence would not last long. From losing his phone in Goa after getting drunk to hitting on a lesbian chick, Bajiya has done it all. After every single paper, you could have found him at Social, chugging Budweiser at 2:00 PM. Day drinking was not an unusual thing when it came to Nikhil. Following the path of a sakth launda, he rejected many proposals during the course of 5.5 years. Having knowledge about all aspects of life, you have him to talk on any topic. He definitely won't stop if it comes down to cricket. Being a fast bowler himself, he knows about the records of players that you might have never heard about and even the scores of age-old matches. Bajiya got the title

The infamous coke consumer (talking about soft drinks here) with an immense fan following even outside the campus, she is the go-to person for your routine troubles. Coming from dry land, she needs little Hb and water to survive. This bikaneri chhokri is well known for her lazy endeavours. You may run out of words, but she won't run out of patience. Maybe that's what makes her a true friend and doctor. She is always ready to explore her passions, no matter how non-elemental they may be. She is truly enthusiastic about how her pictures turn out, making it difficult to be her photographer. I dare you to post her pictures without multiple levels of censorship. Being the brightest tubelight that she is, she kept the series of laughs going these past years. We congratulate her on graduating to a smart bulb. She has the attention span of a bee but knows all of the "friends" dialogues by heart. She is cur-

Born and brought up in Surat, Lajja quickly made (South) Delhi her home, while also learning to perfectly enact those mannerisms for laughs. An untethered soul, she has travelled round the world, yet remains a sweet Gujju at heart. We eagerly wait for her return from those trips to her homeland, for they bring along enough food to feed a village. One of the rare individuals who managed to keep their circadian rhythms intact, she gets up at 7 AM daily, and can be spotted drinking Bournvita milk in the mess. She is extensively well-read; a visit to a bookshop or fair can turn into a hunt for books she hasn't read. While possessing a vast repertoire of knowledge, she also has an insatiable curiosity for learning anything new—the perfect recipe for an interesting conversationalist. Proudly identifying herself as a science nerd, she played a crucial role in taking forward the UG Scientific Society, organizing talk sessions with a host of personalities such as Dr K Vijay Raghavan and FRS Dr Gagandeep Kang. Standing tall at 5'9" and (perhaps consequentially) possessing unmistakable motherly instincts, she accepted the role of a mother in P wave during her first semester, and has rarely been off character since. You can come to her with any of your silly ramblings and she will listen silently, provide you with comfort (and food), and offer advice when solicited. The lady with a heart of gold went on to adopt a squirrel, a fish, and, subsequently, a fellow human. A bulging wardrobe that has been worn by nearly all the inmates of Hostel 10, her cupboard was one arena where all attempts at organisation fell flat. Her love for get-togethers and fashion led her to host make-up sessions for juniors. Uninhibited at parties, she was one of the first ones to hit the dance floor and could swoon to all kinds of songs. She had stepped into AIIMS as arguably the most popular among us all, owing to her exploits as the biogirl; her stay here has done enough to ensure Dr Patel leaves the same way, as she sets foot on Uncle Sam's land to pursue Medicine.

This petite beauty with straight-out-of-salon silky hair has spent half of her MBBS at home. A true family woman, it's always home time for Nishita on the weekends. As friends, we don't complain though, as we are often treated to delectable Shahi Paneer and the best Pav Bhaji you can ever have. You can often find snacks in her room that will send you on a childhood nostalgia trail—soya katori, vanilla cakes, and fryums. Easygoing and friendly, it's difficult to not get along with her. Nishita is a close confidante to her friends, providing honest and helpful advice. Multi-talented: can find the best deals on clothes, sing beautifully, and swim in perfect form; these gifts are only displayed to a small group of people. A kind-hearted and caring soul, she will never forget to get you a present on your birthday. She is sincere with her academics, reads thoroughly, and consequently does really well in exams. She will soon be joining PGI Chandigarh to pursue an MD in Radiology. We wish her a life full of joy and happiness!

Lajja Patel /lə’dʒɑ/ (noun)

Prachi Singh /prɑtʃi/ (noun) There are certain people in the world you just don't mess with—Prachi is one of them. A softie with a titanium exterior, she is outgoing and easy to be

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friends with, and will protect you like a lioness. This baby girl from Nigeria is an all rounder. Adorned with a figure to die for, she can pull off any kind of clothing with a unique style. You can always count on her to go shopping with you and run from one end of the mall to the other to make the look come together. She has the best statement pieces you can find in town and has an unbeatable multi-stepped skin care routine. Prachi can be voted as the most likely to dance on Chikni Chameli at any friend's wedding (and choreograph the whole Sangeet too). With moves like no other, she led the P wave in our Pulse. Even though there were ups and downs, the final result was a banger ;). The relationship she shares with a certain lucky guy is heartwarming. They have been a couple since the first year and are still going strong. Despite all her shenanigans, Prachi is highly successful academically and did really well in all her exams. She is a wonderful and thorough doctor, whose daant is also hilarious. We wish Prachi the best of luck for her PG exams and have full faith that she is going to zuuuiiii past it and come out with flying colors. Renuka Benara /reɪnʊkɑ/ (noun) Despite hailing from the pink city of Rajasthan, this audacious, extroverted beauty with angelic hair has a wardrobe full of "50 shades of black." She rocked the interaction with seniors even before stepping foot in AIIMS and, as a result, became close to a lot of seniors eventually. Being an easy addict, she went through many phases of obsession in the past 5.5 years, such as Burger King, brand factory, Korean dramas, perming, etc. Self-love is her mantra, and in order to pursue that, she joined taekwondo classes and now flaunts a red belt. This owner of a bindass, jaunty personality metamorphoses into a panic-stricken being during exams. She is also known as the BBC reporter of Batch 2016 for her gossiping skills along with her post-breakup therapies. Moms are very prone to her charms, so, BEWARE, keep your mother at a safe distance. Jokes apart, she is one of the kindest and friendliest people in AIIMS and hence is a go-to senior for a lot of facchis. She is professionally efficient and does all her affairs passionately. We believe that she'll do well in whatever she decides to pursue, and we wish her all the best for the future. Ritik Goyal /rɪˌtɪk/ (noun) Once more! Once more! Once more!

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The crowd chants to Ritik playing his guitar, with beers in our hands, and him showing what it is like to be a rockstar. Coming from an all boys school, he depicts all the typical characters of being from one. An all rounder in its real sense, from being a TT player to dribbling the basketball to being a melodious singer. He is a very optimistic and hardworking guy who can go to any extent to achieve his goals in life. For example, to get a lap dance in one of the finest strip clubs in the States, he wrote 2 Steps and gave 50 interviews, and even got letters of recommendation from the Indian ones. A party freak, who doubted himself everytime we went out, if he was an alcoholic or not? Peculiarly, the instant you open a can of beer in his room, you get to hear a notification sound, and once you check your phone, this humanised splitwise has already added the expense to you even before your first sip! Being a Jaipur buddy, we are gonna miss his presence in the campus as we wish him the best for his future endeavours! Sai Anish Rohan /əniʃ/ (noun) Anish Rohan is a man of many names (Sai, Anish, and Rohan), straight out of the Studio Ghibli universe with his mild manners and dazzling moves and charms of BTS boiz, and an aesthetic Insta album, has a comforting presence (both online and offline) akin to a not-too-sweet pastel coloured milkshake, which comes in a slightly different colour every day, but the flavour always remains mellow. He can be spotted in the bookstores for the rustic feel, but would rather read from a Kindle. He is very well read, takes pleasure in slowly unravelling the mysteries of life. A sucker for good food, good clothes, good shoes, and good gadgets, he always stays updated with the latest trends in the market, our own locally available pandit for all the iPhone and MacBook hacks, and the go-to guy for the essential market research before getting a new laptop, phone, or smartwatch. Blessed graciously in the looks department, his famous dimple (and jacked body, of course XD) and probably the high pitched shriek which his body produces when he wants to laugh (but weirdly can’t), has set butterflies fluttering in the stomachs of many people around the campus and has made them feel weak in their knees. Worships Steve Jobs, watches his KeyNote launches whenever he finds himself in dark times in life (10/10 recommends it), has pledged his allegiance to Apple and vowed to never use the old iPhone once the newer model is out. We wish him good luck in his future quests!

Sakshi Dholpuria /sɑkʃi/ (noun) She is the prototype of Bikaneri Bhujia, twisted and spicy yet tasty, a person craved by many on campus. Contributing the least to the population density of the largest state, her appetite is not proportional to her size. She is ready to mould herself according to the situation, for example. She turned into a nonveg soon after coming to AIIMS. She is the go-to person for restaurants and discount references. She harbours an immense love for Korean dramas; binge watching them is one of her favourite pastimes. This introverted, silent spectator at most parties can rock your world with drama when she steps into her niche. She is your perfect shopping partner, with her brutally honest reviews and crazy trial ideas . She is always short on gossip but will take your secrets to her grave, provided you haven't messed with her. So if you ever come across this person on campus, make sure you remind her to stay the same wonderful, sassy person. Sangeeta Bulla /səngitɑ/ (noun) Popularly addressed by her last name, Bulla, she has earned a special place in the hearts of her batchmates (as well as medical textbooks :P). You may like her for her brutal truthfulness, or dislike her for being blunt at the same time, but you can never ignore Bulla (ask Dr Jyoti). She is headstrong and passionate about her goals and career. Hailing from a town in Haryana, she can easily take people to task for messing with her and thus really stands up for the Dangal dialogue, "humari chori choron se kam hai ke". Her voice, with a nasal twang, may remind you of a 50s Bollywood singer. She dances wonderfully well to Punjabi beats and, when dressed in a saree, can make your heart skip a beat or two. The secret of her glowing spotless skin, you may ask, is her great appetite for fruits, which she can practically survive on. Although she is naive enough to process adult jokes, when it comes to reproducing facts written in medical textbooks in clinical rounds, she is a veteran. Her permanent residential address in the precovid era was BBDL, but like the other migrants, COVID made her relocate back to her room. In almost all of the postings, she remains the most sought-after intern. because of her diligence and efficiency (and bad luck :P).

Bulla is preparing for her PG exams, and we know she will definitely ace them and will keep climbing in her career like the NSE bulls! Sanil Garg /sənɪl/ (noun) This Patiala kid has two sides to him– true to his Punjabi self, he carries ample swagger (plans to purchase alloys for his decade old car with his first PG salary), and will literally fight for his friends; a closer look, however, will reveal a softie who wishes to be a rebel but often gets beaten up by the system (loves it though), who would rather eat paronthe but is seen stuffing himself with falafel or trying tteokbokki (minus the chopsticks, of course). Always dressed in a black hoodie, boxers and crocs, you can spot him from a mile away. A history aficionado and quiz fanatic, he consumes books by the hour. Dripping with intellectualism, there is never a dull moment in a conversation with him, especially if the topic is remotely connected to history or football or politics or well, anything. The guy has got some serious creative talent too, teaching himself the drums in a matter of months, with those jam sessions in the music room being one of his most cherished memories of internship (ask the 5th hostel residents ;)). And as with everything he does, he rocked it, giving a memorable performance during the band night of Infest 2021, a night that is now part of AIIMS folklore. A gifted writer, he has contributed quite a few poems and articles to the Hybrid Hues. He displayed his writing prowess on bigger platforms too, co-writing the script for the P wave, and a narrative piece on his experience as an intern posted in the COVID ICU in the Wire. Befittingly, his plan B for life is settling in the hills and authoring a book. The not-so-covert king maker, he was rarely away from the spotlight during such times. His room in the legendary wing has witnessed innumerable parties with the choicest songs. But come the next morning, there wouldn't be as much as a hair left as evidence of all that transpired. During his stay here, he has experienced it all– the sweet herbs, getting his foot fractured while going down the stairs drunk (hush, that is not the heroic story he told everyone), visiting SEARCH Gadchiroli for NIRMAN, and landing the girl of (nearly) everyone's dreams. Having contemplated offshore options, he has finally settled on a residency in India, and wants to be an Ortho bro. Break a leg, Bonie! Sathvik Reddy Erla /sɑˌtvɪk/ (noun) Sathvik Reddy Erla, in his time at AIIMS, has garnered plenty of epithets including gawd, saar, AIR1 and has

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also been one of the longest reigning SAQC champions. His long term profile photo (plastered on almost all of his socials) of Snorlax says a lot about his personality, except instead of sleeping he likes to excel at stuff wearing that idgaf expression the entire time. His room is a hub for all sorts of activities, whether it is for gathering tips for exams or to have food. Beware of bringing up coffee in any conversation as it will inevitably lead to an hour long lecture on its varied flavours and methods of preparation. {At this point he is half man-half coffee and is sure to suffer from withdrawals if he's denied his coffee for a day} While he aces pretty much every extracurricular activity he takes part in (some of which include table tennis, badminton, quizzing, movie watching, scrabble, playing the ukulele and, the occasional appearance at hogathon for timepass) his academic performance never seems to be affected by them. Usually quite risk-averse(his reason for not playing football) his strategy in poker is a sharp contradiction, as he pushes forward all his chips in the final round, a strategy that almost always ensures the game ends in utter mayhem. His Hollywood-esque transformation(which was so drastic that he had to buy an entirely new set of clothes) during lockdown has been the subject of many conversations. A pop culture connoisseur, he consumes a gawdly amount of content(some of which is useless) and is always willing to defend the content he likes almost as much as he is willing to trash content he hates.His love for the Pokemon games is a well known fact and so is his disdain for Pokemon Go, a reaction he’s willing to repeat every time the game is mentioned. With a mind palace that rivals Sherlock, we are sure he's going to crack whatever exam he sets his sights on, including the PG entrance he’s preparing for.

like Jesus would). He also has a saviour complex similar to that of Jesus, and his friends would often find him troubled in his pursuit of romance because of this. Let's just say Kamby can be accused of thriving in trauma. After opening his door, you will find Kamby returning to enjoy his favourite pastime. He has perfected the art of enjoying himself with his green leaves. You can smell it in the air. You can see it rising around the room. Sometimes it is in his Chai (not the green tea you are thinking of). One would not be surprised to find it infused even in the butter he uses. The best thing is that he is always willing to share. Speaking of butter, if you open his fridge, you will find it filled with dairy products. Milk, butter, dahi, ghee, yoghurt, cheese, ice cream, and even burfi from the National Dairy Research Institute in his hometown of Karnal. Gau Mata is close to this one’s heart. Some days, you may be lucky enough to be treated to his freshly brewed cup of chai or an espresso from his finely tuned coffee machine while you are getting comfortable in his room. Then, one can often find themselves getting lost in their conversations with Kamby. This sage can talk about art, good cinema, philosophy, love, and the mysteries of the mind (the list goes on). One never leaves Kamby’s room disappointed, for he is readily available for all of your nagging, crying, and caring needs (messiah complex that we talked about). When he pauses his TV, pricks up his ears, and gives you his undivided attention, you know that a psychiatrist-in-training is at work! He plans to move to the more socially liberal UK, to a life more attuned to his green psychedelic adventures. We wish him our best for his future endeavours!

Shivam Kamboj /ʃɪvəm/ (noun)

Shivam Singla /ʃɪvəm/ (noun)

If you ever had the chance to walk down the first floor, right side wing of Hostel 3 at AIIMS, you would be greeted by the sound of roaring music. The music and bass would get louder and peak around room number 22. The residence of Shivam Kamboj, or as he is more commonly known around campus, Kamby, The music would never be bad. Kamby's taste in music is diverse and his playlists include the best of alternative, indie, psychedelic, rock, pop, jazz, and more recently, hiphop’s culture defining songs of Ye (formerly Kanye). One is never left disappointed when asking him for a good playlist or album to explore. As you enter his room, you will be greeted by his smile and his lustrous hair. Most people would find it akin to that of Jesus. It is only fair that he describes himself as a person who likes to love, fully embracing the good and bad (just

Shivam Singla is an explorer at heart, constantly seeking out new experiences and broadening his horizons. He believes in living a life free from the bounds of normality and possesses the courage to walk on the road less travelled. He does everything with a passion that is hard to replicate. The perfect travel companion, he is always ready to go on impromptu treks with minimal planning, but an alarming disregard for personal safety. Rest assured that your trips will be eventful and adventurous, and you will have memories to cherish for a lifetime (provided you come back in one piece). He is a coffee fiend and his caffeine-fueled workout sessions ensured he underwent a transformation from a good looking guy to a muscular good looking guy. In the battle of head vs. heart, he always lets his heart lead

the way. Forever an old-fashioned romantic, he always takes the time and effort to plan out the perfect date night. Easily the best-dressed guy in any room, his friends are forever grateful for his help in updating their wardrobes and rescuing them from sartorial oblivion. He follows American football keenly, and by his own admission, he is an American at heart. It was inevitable that he would decide to leave India and move to the States. He is currently preparing for his USMLE steps, and we wish him all the best for his future endeavours. Shreya Vinod /ʃreɪyɑ/ (noun) One of the three gems of Kannur, Shreyaji is the mom friend of any circle she is in - from worrying about any potential thing that could go wrong in a situation, to having supplies like umbrellas/ waterbottles on hand, to downright graying hair (from stress? one can only presume). When any birthday comes along, Shreya’s diligence in having noted down everything on her calendar means she’s usually the one to remind people and organise the party. Her iconic stares of disapproval/disgust are manifest very often, especially when someone cracks a lame joke. Not all of them go unappreciated though, for she is known to appreciate the rare good quality one. How someone can be so old and yet so young is a mystery, as can be seen when she goes into one of her impish moods, when she gets the itch to annoy anyone in her radius. RIP to the victims. Hearing her laughter, it is nigh on impossible for people around to not laugh (at her) as well. Her expressions of joy have more than once led people to believe her drunk, despite the fact that she has not touched one drop of alcohol in life. A fangirl to the core with a list of obsessions, her current “one true love” is Jennie from Blackpink. When she isn’t on one of her rare forays outside her room, she can be found curled up inside, with some fanfic or book or an anime series, possibly with a cup (or three) of chai. A great cook/baker, her friends have been blessed to be treated to her occasionally cooked food and desserts. Shreya’s babies are her house plants, which we often hear about when they in turn have babies of their own (and used in her food :’) ), or when they die for lack of water. A caring and loyal friend, she’s there to support you when you need it and isn’t afraid to tell you off as well. With her strong sense of responsibility and work ethic combined with her loyalty, it was no surprise when she accepted the role of Socult secy, despite a dislike for the role. Rain was the highlight of her first event, Valentine’s day, for she manifested it by worrying about potential rain despite it not having rained the week before. Anyway, having conducted Socult successfully through with all its planning and stress,

she solemnly swore to never knowingly let anyone take up the post again. So far with pulse having not happened after 2019, her oath seems to be coming true in a twisted way. We wish her the best of luck for her future as she prepares for the PG entrance exams.

Shubha Sonam /ʃʊbɑ/ (noun) This girl, who was born in Jharkhand and brought up in Bihar and Chhattisgarh, is someone who grew up watching all the Bollywood movies and had similar fantasies about her college life. Her college life started as if she had bought tickets for SOTY but was made to watch Gangs of Wasseypur but then ended up enjoying it more than anything! She is someone who rocked the interaction period and stole the show with her infamous ramp walk on freshers with her fitting reward. ;) She's the ideal candidate for your stand-up show. Even if you are as funny as Rajeev Kumar, she'll make you feel like you are no less than Zakir Khan. If you ever struggled with trigonometry in your school days, she can help you by being the perfect example of being a sine wave personality who can go from being someone who would sit with you and talk about random stuff for hours to not even seeing you for weeks on other occasions. The migratory nature of this bird is reflected in her future aspirations too, which range from being a stout surgeon to an artist, so whenever you find someone roaming around the globe, writing a novel, singing and dancing to her own songs, watching Chinese TV series and transplanting a liver, doing all at the same time, make sure you put some water on her face and say, "Wake up, Shubha Sonam, you have another boring day to finish'. Siddharth V Raj /sɪðɑrθ/ (noun) This high octane hunk from God's own country, Kerala managed to crack the toughest entrance exams of the country, from AIIMS to IIT only to realise that his true passion lies in being an “apex predator” in virtual first person shooting games. Winner of multiple national and international accolades in several contemporary games, this “predator” also performs well in physical sports as much as in virtual ones, finding himself working as gymkhana co-secretary during PULSE and also being a top selec-

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tion in most of the football teams formed during his time at AIIMS. It would not be a surprise to anyone to find him working out in the gym during his off time - probably because some of his friends pointed out that his chest area was not fitting the apex predator look he likes to think he maintains. You will also find empty packages of Riyaz Biriyani throughout this biryani badshah’s room at all times, possibly another reason he is unable to maintain the apex predator look. While his ego might seem as big as his nose to an onlooker, his friends know he is a kind, gentle and sensitive beast who has allergies. He is an avid Chelsea Football Club fan and his room would be found buzzing with fellow supporters during important matches, which would always be screened there without fail. Currently he is hibernating, which is his way of preparing for the PLAB examinations as he plans to head off to the UK for his residency.. We all wish him the best for his future endeavours. Sreelakshmi /sriləˌkʃmi/ (noun) Aka Sreelu, Sree L When you run into Sreelu, you might find her looking wistfully at the sky, ignoring you. Don’t be offended, she probably hasnt even noticed you, being so occupied in her fantasy world. Probably dreaming of flying pigs or physician dogs. (We suspect she might be the inspiration behind Pink Floyd’s “Animals” album art.) Having her head in the clouds like this has led her many a time to forget her belongings in random places, hopefully she’s got them all back. The resident vegetarian of the group, she is known to get into arguments very often with anyone around, on this topic. Who won the argument is subjective, for she will never let up that she has lost, especially to such callous souls that dare hurt animals to eat them. She wishes all living organisms could photosynthesize so the plants don’t get hurt as well. Maybe it is this sympathy that leads to her eating close to nothing (even veg dishes) when she goes out for a meal, somehow favoring mess bhaiya’s food instead. Two distinct styles of Sreelu exist in AIIMS’s memory, the short haired version and the long haired one, frequently switching between both. She hates inconveniencing other people, but doesn’t mind inconveniencing herself when it comes to helping out a friend. You can always count on her to be there when you need. Not someone to put up with things she dislikes, she is unafraid to speak up against any perceived bs. A talented dancer, she has set many a stage afire with her grace (thankfully not literally, but with her penchant for ending up in tragicomic situations, one can never say). As she contemplates her plans for PG, we wish her the best in achieving her dreams (no, not the one about her photosynthesizing).

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Sukriti Chaudhary /sʊˌkrɪti/ (noun) Paneer. That's what Sukriti is. Soft, never disappoints, gets along with everyone. Shahi Paneer. composed, regal, the queen. She dresses like a model straight out of Madame and has the choicest taste in jewellery. Kadhai Paneer. The melting pot of us sabzis. Her room has faithfully served as an adda for all those night-outs and after-parties. Butter Paneer Masala. A voice so creamy, it'll melt your heart when she croons soft melodies. A laugh so joyous and spontaneous, it'll make you consider a career in stand-up comedy. Matar Paneer. Homely. She will let you stay in her room without a hint of irritation. Will feed you coffee and brownies (and, of course, paneer). A great gift giver, she has been adorning our lives with paintings, jewellery, and love that knows no bounds. Achari Paneer Tikka. Only when under the influence of the Lord of the Drinks. A rare sight only her closest friends have had the privilege of witnessing—a couple of spoonfuls of vodka pasta and she is as tadkedaar and spicy as they come. French Pondi paneer. A new flavour is coming soon. A true devotee in the pursuit of knowledge, she has toiled hard for the past 5½ years, and will now enjoy the sweet fruit of labour in the comfort of the dark radiology rooms and sunny beaches of Pondicherry. Surender /sʊreɪnðər/ (noun) When I met him the first time, I couldn’t feel anything but anger towards the smirk he gives after commenting something witty about your day-to-day navigation in this tumultuous world. The way he interprets someone can easily get on your nerves, but when you go back to the room and put some thought into it, his observation has done nothing but help you. As much as he knows the complex dances and the intricacies of wild movements to suit every song, he has soothing words for every damn situation, humour to elevate every mood, and finally, the desire to know more, digging deep into every mind, applying the principles of psychology. He can partner up for acting and singing. We also learnt some steps to the waltz (awkward moment alert). If you are feeling left out at a party, he will come to ease your anxiety. The only thing that could tip the balance of his composure

is snorting salt for something else. The cruellest thing that he can do is to boost your confidence by praising you and then slipping in some sarcastic remark, making you look like a fool. But above all, the guy is passionate about psychiatry, sentimental towards friends and family, and understanding towards his beloved. A guy worthy of friendship for a lifetime. Swetank Anand /ʃveɪˌtɑnk/ (noun) A Suppressed ExtrovertA person capable of becoming a moderator of any discussion, a compendium of gossips ranging from as free floating as someone’s marriage to as enigmatic as someone’s obsession, a diver to immerse so deeply in life’s philosophies that at the end every philosopher seems irrelevant. The man has telepathic tendencies, to find him feeling the cold of Mussoorie (actual shiver) while sitting beside the warmer in his room. It goes beyond the physical entities, the vivid bizarre (for the moment) expressions and the unblunted words coming out of his mouth with the God like confidence that have the ability to persuade anyone. You would expect the guy to be outgoing, organised, with many connections but alas...everything stays neutral, forced into the depth of oblivion because trust me the only event he has organised is a birthday party. When Facebook is at your disposal, why go to parties? He constantly clicks and scrolls with so much focus that even if you call him, “hey Swetank” you won't miss the grinding teeth. A stalker would also feel ashamed because he can cover those details on one person only. Changing interests with same baseline irritable temperament- cooking, painting (mostly on walls of his room), writing poems (with writing Raps in extreme phases) , playing musical instruments like keyboard , ukulele; each interest usually not lasting for more than a month- that is Swetank. Obsession with food- from simple aloo fry to exotic dishes to taboo food he is so obsessed with food that he taste with his nose first and don't get me started on his smell sensing capabilities. He loves playing with cats so much so - you can call that harassment. We wish him the best for all his future endeavours!

Vishal Saini /vɪʃɑl/ (noun) This handsome hunk hailing from hard Haryana (Narnaul) has always been cool, much ahead of his own time. His casual disregard for the sanctity of exams has been apparent-be it NTSE, or going back to the room in the middle of professional exams. This mean lean learning machine has efficiency akin to the military for all humane and inhumane tasks. This majestic bird has taken off his flighht from 3/28 on his vroom vroom and we pray that he traverses the ebbs and flows of life and illuminates the teetotalers, squares and all the farthest reaches of human civilization with his party spirit. All the fairies, devils, and humans who have traversed his emotional jungle have insured for themselves a lifelong surity of adventure. We wish him all the best in all his future endeavours! Vislavath Divyasree /ðɪvyɑsri/ (noun) This Andhra girl has single-handedly raised Delhi's temperatures, but she exudes the coolness and calm of a sea breeze. A true fashionista, she not only eats her mango, but also wears it. One can feel ragged and intimidated by her normal-high-decible-voice, yet she easily wins over people with her friendly demeanour and laughter. Her dancing is impeccable and her moves can easily steal the hearts of people. This P Wave heroine is a star both literally and figuratively, with one named after her in the Milky Way (do ask her to narrate that larger-than-life episode :P). She is a fitness freak and can go on arduous hikes without getting dyspneic with her batchmates huffing and puffing behind her. She can be as spicy as the spices in her food and as sweet as rabri at the same time. An aspiring dog parent and bike rider, she is brutally honest and does not like sugar coating things. Forget IMDB; you can rely on her for the best movie and TV show recommendations. Although she has mastered the subtle art of getting her meals sponsored, she does not share her chicken, mind it! She plans to pursue a career in surgery, and we know she would make a great one.

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Ashank Khaitan /əʃɑnk/ (noun) Delhi boy. Spent the better part of his MBBS at home, yet never missed a class, efficiently utilizing the travel time to read up on obscure topics. Likes making conversation, but his unavailability outside of office hours made it a tad difficult to have one with him. If you do manage to get past the initial few hurdles, you would discover a fun loving guy who wears his nerdiness on his sleeve. Devotion to modern literature coupled with exceptional skills in the English language ensured he knew how to marry the right words. Earned acclaim under the pseudonym 'Nemo' before revealing his identity and dazzling us with a couple more pieces. An art aficionado, he can talk about his love for the chapels of Italy for hours. Knows a thing or two about drawing himself– a peek into his self-curated Anatomy notes will reveal elaborate hand-drawn diagrams of the human body. Ashank firmly believes that the secret sauce is hard work and discipline, and his worn out books and notes are ample proof of that. A thorough reader with an eternal pool of motivation, he overcame some difficult times during the pandemic to come out stronger on the other side, and is now preparing for the post graduate exams. We wish him nothing but the best for his future endeavours! Chanchal Biswas /tʃəntʃəl/ (noun) A proud Bengali, not many people know that behind his ever-ready bright smile is a very thoughtful, kind, and sensitive person. He is an extremely talented cook, a wonderful singer, and a neat freak. His books are arranged by size, his t-shirts by colour. One might find him patting down his rather woolly hair in front of various reflective surfaces. He is a foodie who is always up for trying different cuisines and would entertain you with his talent for guessing various spices and ingredients in food by mere olfaction. He laughs at the same joke multiple times a day, day after day. Being rather well read in various genres, he is an articulate poet and loves dabbling in various languages in his free time. A rather chilled-out and laid-back person, he can ignore his various alarms to sleep for 12 hours. He wouldn’t skimp on his 40-minute bath come hail or snow, and he follows a strict beauty regimen as well. He’s a heliophile who loves observing birds and giving lengthy commentaries about the

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colour gradient of flowers. He’s a fan of the Central Lawn roses. A staunch and loyal friend, he is fiercely protective of the people he loves. He is the kind of person who will tuck you in bed with a bedtime story, and walk all the way up to Yusuf Sarai for that particular sweet you are craving, and yet wouldn’t miss the opportunity to call you out on your bullshit. A passionate student and an empathetic doctor, he still hasn’t lost his childlike innocence and genuinely wants to do good in this world. His goal in life is to make his parents proud and have a fat feline friend named Ptolemy-the-third (yes, that’s the actual name). Karmata Ravi Najabhai /rəvi/ (noun) One of those rare specimens of AIIMSonians who still managed to maintain a routine throughout his MBBS days and had a fixed sleep wake cycle. Never would you have found him skipping breakfast for a couple more hours of sleep. You can say he led a ‘saintly’ life which included things like cleaning his room regularly, maintaining a vegetarian diet in the face of all temptations and maintaining celibacy over the 5.5 years here. Some say the later was a very reluctant decision. He was a gym freak with a passion for writing (he definitely broke a lot of stereotypes). Many of his readers claim that his poems are way difficult for us ordinary folks to understand. However this never stopped him from aspiring high. We definitely would have liked it if his aspirations correlated with the time he actually spent writing. If you ever met him, you might have got a glimpse of his sadistic tendencies when he asked mildly condescending questions and gloated when it screwed up the person in front of him. But people who know him also know how amicable and spontaneous he was, never shying away from spending on hobbies or novel experiences. The Gujju in him took a back seat at these moments. This guy managed to clear his USMLE Step with a phenomenal score with just 4 months of preparation but has now decided to continue on his journey to becoming a radiologist in India. We wish him all the best for his future.

Chandan Behera /tʃənðən/ (noun)

Rahul Kumar Suman /rɑhʊl/ (noun)

C.B. Ray is better known for the kind of professional demeanour he shows and the fact that he played the professor in a sarcastic, forever funny casual movie, which matches him in a passport size photo. It comes as a surprise that he is good in most of the sports played around campus, but shows a lack of sportsmanship when he lets you win. So, a great teacher in a way. A chessmaniac, he gets so indulged while watching a game that he comes on the verge of having an orgasm. The infamous "NAHI", the impromptu reply to every plan, but mostly well thought out. That was the only reason that one "badbola" from the batch had seen his anger. While most of us are freaking out before exams, he can be seen turning the pages of the book leisurely. He gives a cheerful, contented look, as if he has deeply realized, "sab moh maya hai." He is addicted to standup. So much so that he disables YouTube, but ends up bingeing the same while opening 3 tabs in DuckDuckgo (don't even ask me how insecure this guy is about privacy). He is a great friend in times of need and an amazing listener, with whom you can rant about what a hell the education system or life is. His honest, witty remarks, words, and village memes are popular among friends. He makes you instantly comfortable talking with him about anything under the sun and can make anyone feel like they are at home. We wish him the best for his bright future.

Rahul, naam toh suna hi hoga! This Bihari babu, with his gentlemanly demeanour, wide smile, and gori-bedaag-nikhri-twacha, wooed apsaras from the Lady heavens medical college and the clouds drenched him in ‘varsha’ of love, which flowered his ‘suman’ heart. Very poetically, he carries his grandmother’s name in his title. From the humble heartlands of Khagaria to Dilwali Dilli, Sumania has never been shy of pouring his heart out, which has occasionally spilled over on the batch WhatsApp group when he gets filled up with some uplifting ‘spirits’. Kept empty Keventers bottles in his room in the hope of cleaning and reusing them someday but always ended up culturing drosophila for his non-existent genetic studies. His favorite pastime is to get constant updates on what shares would be riding the market and strategise where to invest his 50 rupees. A wannabe fitness freak, would visit the gym regularly, mostly to check his weight, on his way to the swimming pool. A very fun guy to hang out with, Rahul can groove to both English and Bhojpuri beats, and slays the dance floor when gets into the mood. An affable fellow, he is a dear friend to lots of humans, pups, and kittens– Chhainsa sweetheart Happy was most happy when playing with Rahul. He is extremely patient with his patients unless they say something that irks him. And then his gori twacha becomes laal. A very dependable friend, always up for lending a helping hand. Acing the INICET, Dr Rahul is currently feeling joy and bliss in taking care of the teeny tiny tots. We wish that only good things come his way.

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S K N A R

f f u t s and

INICET November 2020 Oshin Bhatia (AIR 2) - Internal medicine AIIMS , Delhi Anuj (AIR 7)- Internal medicine PGI Nimisha (AIR 20) - Internal medicine AIIMS ,Delhi Vanshika Agarwal(AIR 26)-Radiodiagnosis AIIMS Rishikesh Vivek Rishi (AIR 28)- Radiodiagnosis & Interventional Radiology, AIIMS Manish Saini(AIR 40)- Radiodiagnosis & Interventional Radiology, AIIMS Priya Narwal (AIR 42)- Neurosurgery AIIMS delhi Ansh Gupta (AIR 75)- Orthopaedics surgery PGI Mehul Gupta- General surgery AIIMS Adhish - CCM, AIIMS Delhi Mridul Rathi - ENT, PGI Kushagra Pathak -Orthopedics, AIIMS Delhi Shreyas Gandhi -Paediatrics AIIMS Delhi Madhav Mohta -Internal medicine, PGI

INICET July 2021 Mudit Agarwal (AIR 35) - Pediatrics, AIIMS Navsheen Singhal (AIR 44) -General Medicine, PGI Lakshmi Sriram (AIR 42) -General Surgery , JIPMER Roopanjit Singh(AIR 94) - Dermatology and Venereology, AIIMS Tarang Krishna- Dermatology and Venereology, AIIMS Rahul Bansal-ENT, AIIMS Pawan Suthar- Orthopedics, AIIMS Ayushi Chaturvedi - Psychiatry, AIIMS Shubham Debbarma- Internal Medicine Hemant Jhajharia- Ophthalmology, AIIMS Satyendra Meena-ENT, AIIMS Muhammad Nihal - Ophthalmology, AIIMS

NEET PG September 2021 Samprati Agarwal- Paediatrics, MAMC Dhananjay Kharche- Medicine, MAMC Vijay Kumar- Respiratory Medicine, BHU

1st Prof

INICET November 2021 Akshat Ayush (AIR 4)- General Surgery, AIIMS Het Shah (AIR 5)- Neurosurgery, AIIMS Kushagra Pandey (AIR 6)- Neurosurgery, AIIMS Ankush Garg (AIR 12)- Medicine, AIIMS Aishvary Gupta (AIR 28)- General Surgery, AIIMS Sukriti Chaudari (AIR 34) - Radiodiagnosis , JIPMER Ayush Jain (AIR 35)- Dermatology and Venereology, AIIMS Swetank Anand (AIR 38)- Medicine,AIIMS Manavi Gupta (AIR 42)- Dermatology and Venereology, PGI Nithya Maskani (AIR 56)- Medicine AIIMS Muhammed Munavvir V V (AIR 71)- Radiodiagnosis & Interventional Radiology, AIIMS Nishita (AIR 85)- Radiology, PGI Sai Preetham Ciramchetty (AIR 88)- Surgery, AIIMS Nikhil Bhajiya (AIR 94)- Medicine, PGI Akshi Garg- OBG, PGI Abin S M- Paediatrics, AIIMS Kaushiki Suman- Surgery, AIIMS Vishnu Jayan- Neurosurgery, AIIMS Najabhai Ravi Karamta- Radiodiagnosis & Interventional Radiology, AIIMS Delhi Rahul Kumar- Paediatrics, AIIMS Delhi Riya Maji- Paediatrics, AIIMS Delhi Surender - Psychiatry, AIIMS Delhi Jashandeep Singh- Paediatrics, PGI Disha Goyal- Ophthalmology, AIIMS

1st: Ajinkya Deepak Naik 2nd: Maanit Matravadia 3rd: Guthi Chaitanya Sindhu and Akanksha Singh Physiology Topper: Maanit Matravadia Anatomy Topper: Abhay Chillarge Biochemistry Topper: Ajinkya Deepak Naik

2nd Prof 1st: Shuvrajyoti Mondal 2nd: Chetanya Mittal 3rd: Chirag Arvind Jorvekar Path Topper: Ankur Yadav Pharma Topper: Shuvrajyoti Mondal Micro Topper: Shuvrajyoti Mondal FMT Topper: Chetanya Mittal

Final Prof 1st: Anjali Singhal 2nd: Nishita Purohit 3rd: Sankeerth Sadananda Peds Topper: Anjali Singhal CCM Topper: Anjali Singhal Medicine Topper: Hukum Singh Surgery Topper: Nishita Purohit Obgyn Topper: Nishita Purohit

PGI- PGIMER Chandigarh AIIMS- AIIMS, New Delhi

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For credits, please see the acknowledgements

Looking back to Feb 201, I remember discussing at length with Arjun whether I should becomethemagedorifheshould.Longstoryshort,Iendeduptakingtheresponsibility.I wasovercomewithselfdoubtandanxietysinceIhadveryli?leexperiencedesigning.Mos people in my edboard had very li?le experience designing owing to the year long lacuna createdbycovid.

THE ED BOARD EXPERIENCE

Ididntputupthenameplateonmydoor,partlyduetolazinessbutmostlyduetoimpost syndrome.ItoldmyselfIlldoitwhenthemagazinegetsreleased.Ah,thatmeansIhaveto doitnow.Guess ( Iendedupprocrastinatingalot)

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iisyearwebroughtouttwowallmagsdespitealockdowninthemiddle.Itwasde'Jnitel a learning curve and I think weve improved quite a lot in order to match the standa thepreviouseditionsofHHand ( gainedcon'Jdenceintheprocess).

Although Yaar we should get HH work started had been going on for several months, we started designing only at the fag end of December 201. HH loomed like a mountain. iebiggestpeakofthemallwastheinternscolumn.Ihavegrowntohaveastrongdislik edging on hate for whoever made it a by the interns a'Iair. I urge the future batches of internstopleasepleasepleasesubmitthecolumnsontimewithoutanysortofbeggi theedboard.

ieEdboardmemberswereveryactivewhenitcametocollection,editingandwriting.Bu theonusofdesigningfellontojustpeople. 3-4 Hopefully,futureedboardswillhaveabigge andbe?erdesignteamfullofstudentswholovecreating. Just like every other MagEd till date, I knew there would be a lotofwork.WhatIdidnotrealisewasthatitwouldbeendless and start de'Jning a major part of my personality and the conversationsIhadoverthepastyear. Wasitfrustrating?Yes. WouldIdoitagainifgivenachoice?Yes. Itsanamazingfeelingwhensomethingintangibleinyourhead 'Jnally takes shape. Youve created it. What you hold in your hands would not be present in this world had you not been there. iat feeling is irreplaceable and is the core of what the edboarddoes.

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Lastly I just want to set on record how very grateful I am for havingtheconstantsupportand ( criticism,irrespectiveofhow much I disliked it then) from Arjun who has essentially been Co-MagEd, and for the abundance of love I received from each andeveryedboardmember. G HI HI I Signingo'IasMagazineEditor21HI HI H KeerthanaKasi

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Ed, Edd 'n' Edits

Pronunciation guide for the Interns' Column i ɪ ɛ æ ɑ ɔ ʊ u ʌ ə eɪ aɪ ɔɪ aʊ oʊ ər ɪr ɛr ɑr ɔr ʊr

The Editorial Board of the 21st edition of Hybrid Hues, 2021-2022

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Vowels see /si/ sit /sɪt/ ten /tɛn/ cat /kæt/ hot /hɑt/ saw /sɔ/ put /pʊt/ too /tu/ cup /kʌp/ about /əˈbaʊt/ say /seɪ/ five /faɪv/ boy /bɔɪ/ now /naʊ/ go /ɡoʊ/ bird /bərd/ near /nɪr/ hair /hɛr/ car /kɑr/ north /nɔrθ/ tour /tʊr/

p b t t̮ d k ɡ tʃ dʒ f v ɵ ð s z ʃ ʒ h m n ŋ l r y w

Consonants pen bad tea butter did cat got chin June fall voice thin then so zoo she vision how man no sing leg red yes wet

/pɛn/ /bæd/ /ti/ /ˈbʌt̮ ər/ /dɪd/ /kæt/ /ɡɑt/ /tʃɪn/ /dʒun/ /fɔl/ /vɔɪs/ /θɪn/ /ðɛn/ /soʊ/ /zu/ /ʃi/ /ˈvɪʒn/ /haʊ/ /mæn/ /noʊ/ /sɪŋ/ /lɛɡ/ /rɛd/ /yɛs/ /wɛt/

/Steɪ kul, pipəl. Lərn tu rid ðə ˈdɪkʃnəri/