School: DPS Ahmedabad. (Delhi Public School- for all the morons who don't know what DPS stands for)
Jr + Degree College: Mithibai College, Mumbai
Post-Grad: The Institute of Science, University of Mumbai, Mumbai
I am really Happy with my educational line up. Its pretty impressive, actually and yeah I'm being a bit boast-y... but hey, its true! All these places have tremendous "name" value (Don't ask me what that is). And its really been a pleasure being a part of these institutions - The first two actually. The third one...ummm...? At Isc Mumbai... Its been just hilarious. More about that later.
My dad's school line up is pretty amazing too. His schooling years were spent at the local pathshaala, which I, for some time imagined to be under a banyan tree in some remote village of Uttar Pradesh. (I was right about the 'remote village in U.P'). His school was a very basic one, where the 'Masterji' was strict and would frequently whip the the boys with a 'sannti' ( an extremely thin cane). Furthermore, the student who was to face the wrath of the sannti, was made to choose from a selection of sannties or at times was made to go pick one out fresh from the tree outside the classroom. Dad says the thicker the sannti, the better...It hurt less. Yeah, I feel bad when I listen to his school stories. I always picture dad as the bechaara, quiet geek sitting in the corner and all he wants to do is study. I bet dad was the class nerd and homework was it favorite pastime.
Dad went on further to study at the AMU (Aligarh Muslim University) where he completed his Bachelors, masters and his Ph. D. Now that, is pretty awesome. He studied amongst the greats there. He met his guide who invited him to study in Australia and at Curtin University of Technology, Perth, he completed his Post Doc.
So why am i writing my dads biodata here? well its just a comparison his schools and the schools of today- my schools. And he feels students nowadays are in a way better position, as teachers are much better now.
Right...
Heres a conversation Dad and I had today over our schooling. Dialogue time!! :)
So here I am drooling over the computer, oogling at the new Canon SX30 IS (new line digicam) and begging dad to consider buying it for me.
DAD: Why do you want it? You already have an SLR?!
ME: Arrey! We need a new digi anyways, we'll give the old one to Rati. And My SLR has hardly any zoom. I can't take bird photographs when I'm on field.
MOM: On Field!! Tum bade on field jaa rahi ho!
ME: Its high time you accepted that fact mom. Its gonna be my job. Thats what I'm gonna do.
DAD: So you can identify birds?
ME: Of course I can! What do you think?!
DAD: Bachoo, You know who I studied with at the AMU?
DAD (AND I, Simultaneously): Dr. Salim Ali
DAD: Yes, he was the head of the Zoology Dept. Absolutely crazy about birds. Mad.
ME: Well, I'am crazy about birds too!
MOM: NO beta, you're just crazy.
ME (Giving a 'Mom...Please?' look to mom , then turning to dad): No i'm serious!
DAD: (Still going on about Dr. Salim Ali): what a great person! Hardworking, Intelligent and an absolute legend!
ME: Fine! The institute (my pg college) has a great alumni too!
DAD:(laughing) Who?
ME: (Proudly): Dr. Homi Bhabha.
DAD: Who?
MOM: Hehe... He doesnt know.
ME (Incredulously): Arrey Homi Bhabha...Bhabha! BARC!
DAD: Of course I know! Accha... From the institute?
ME: Yup!
DAD: Okay...Who else?
ME: Who else?! Is this a competition?
DAD: Bolo bolo...
Okay, however 'great' my college is, it is no match to AMU. Both of us knew that.
ME: I don't know.
DAD (Enjoying this now): 'Some great science person's name' studied out of AMU, he was my senior. (this was followed by 2-3 more names.)
ME: My college is 94 years old. (Smug smile)
DAD: HAH! My college was established in around 1750! WE have a board to prove it.
ME: So what?
DAD: One of the faculty members of AMU, later went on to be the Governor of Bihar.
ME: The person who started the EVS department in our college, was the Pro-Vice Chancellor.
DAD: Hahaha! Bas? We were taught by Dr. D 'Something' and Dr 'Forgot his name' - both amazing lecturers....something about Curtin Uni.... David 'Some person's' lecture. He could speak from 8am to 5 pm, with as few as 4 breaks, lasting 5 minutes each....Something about water and glasses'... recorded his lecture tapes... the Girl was called Victoria, and i borrowed the lecture tapes from her.
You listen to such lecturers talk and you can't help but wonder, how can they speak like that.
ME: (I'm tired of the best college competition...so have given up, and we all know ISc is nothing as compared to AMU, even now) : Hahaha! you listen to my teachers, you'll start wondering too. Not in the same way though... hehehe
DAD: You feel, as if you're transported to a separate world!
ME: Yeah, I i really wish that'd happen.
DAD: You feel as if you're out of this world.
ME: We feel out of our minds.
DAD: Such greatness!
ME: Such lameness.
DAD: Betaa...aise nahi bolte.
ME: Our Director said, "Welcome to Annual day ten thousand twenty" during his speech on annual day.
DAD: Insaan se galti hoti hai. People make mistakes.
ME: Thrice?
DAD: Oh God. Thrice?
MOM: Enough. Mini, clean your room.
ME: Mom, what about your college?
Mom's studied out of G.B Panth Univeristy of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand- both Under and Post grad- Mass Communication in Agriculture.
DAD (Jokingly): Arrey, wahhan kahan kuch hoga.
MOM (Menacingly): I.said. Enough.
End of topic.
Mom wins.
