Mech71

Pearls of Wisdom by five wise men of Mech71 Usually we find Humanists and Spiritualists talking of the methods to achieve peace and happiness in life. However, recently the discussion was thrown open to a group of 50 eminent senior technocrats and bureaucrats (all of them graduates of the Indian Institute of Technology) in a 24 hour email group discussion. The following was the consolidated conclusion that emerged: Be at peace with yourself and try and make others feel the same. Enjoy the feeling of doing the right thing. Avoid being in a state of anger. Shun greed. Unfortunate exceptions aside, it is not the environment that makes one happy or unhappy, but it is how one chooses to respond to it that makes one happy or unhappy. Develop contentment with the situation as it is or as can be achieved with reasonable and pleasant effort and attain happiness. Instead of running and struggling, slow down and reflect. Avoid criticism of others or hoping for them to ...

Hello IIT students and Alumni, Mech71 is perhaps the most socially vibrant class (The 1971 Mechanical Engineering Graduates of IIT Delhi) from amongst all the classes of all the Indian Institutes of Technology as will be apparent from the various posts of this blog. If any other class from any of the IITs wishes to follow the example, these are some of the steps that we followed and can be followed by others: One person has to volunteer to become the founder and undertake the following steps 2.       Choose a name for the association on the same pattern as us such as Elect71, Mech07, Chem14. Chem14 will be an existing class of Chemical engineering that is expected to graduate in 2014. Such groups may be created at any time while at IIT or after passing out. 3.       Persons from IITD may or may not add the suffix D but other may, such as Mech71M the M indicating IIT Mumbai The founder shoul...

The Friday Evening gathering at Rajive Johri's place in CT with Chander Merani in the fore As requested by several Mech-71er's I will put together a few words about the reunion, but please give me a couple of days.  For now let me just say that Indrani Johri and Anita Gupta put on a fabulous show.  All meals were out of this world, but more than that, the friendship and love throughout the entire week-end were simply amazing.  Every hug, and there were hundreds, was heartfelt, not just a mechanical gesture. Hats off to Rajat Gupta and Anita.  With so much weighing on their minds, they were still the most gracious of hosts for two full days. Gill PS  Before I get my head handed to me, let me mention that as we watched the Wimbledon men's final this morning at Rajat's, Chef Sandhaya Sood commandeered the Gupta kitchen and prepared omelets and aloo paranthas for every one.  Absolutely the best I have had, and a fitting end to the fantasti...

THE EL GILL SHOW! March 2012 Get together in Delhi Mech 71 turned out in copious quantities for this meet - from lands near and far, from beneath rocks and from within hollows of dead trees. As Gadbad wryly put it “itni attendance to G D Narang ke TM lecture mein nahin hoti thi. . . . “ So how does one thank Gill and NK for giving us one huge event and a heckuva great time? I guess by simply asking – “Doston, mazaa aa gayaa – so when’s the next do?” 7:30 pm – Monday March 12: Convener NK and cohorts await host and Chief Guest El Gill’s arrival at the ornate entrance of the Air Force Club. The guys on the right – R K Saxena and Guvrus Sarma – were attending a Mech 71 do after quite a while – Guvrus had specially flown in for the event – way to go, champ! 8 pm Surprise Package! Nirmal Singh – pride of New Jersey –– lands up quite out of the blue . . . bravo, boyo – yeh hui na baat! Followed shortly thereafter by the dapper Gill and there was Subhash Kataria, last seen at the 1995 Silver ...

Digital depiction of a Royal Tsunami by Ashok Malhotra R ajat Gupta graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of technology or the IIT as popularly known along with this author in 1971. At the time, unlike today , there were only five IITs spread across India and their intake was limited. Students were admitted through a rigorous countrywide examination. Many aspired to enter these well-funded and foreign monitored institutes but only a few of the brightest made it. Disciplines such as Mechanical Engineering, because of their general appeal, were the most sought after. Therefore, those who joined that discipline were the cherries that sit on top of the cream. Rajat Gupta was one of them and so was this author with the grace of the Almighty. During their studies, students were obliged to live together for five years on a closely-knit campus. Therefore classmates became more than friends- akin to members of a family. They got to know each other as well as bro...

Some of the Mech71members from Delhi, Kuwait and Australia gathered in Delhi this cold December of 2011 for merry making. A copy of the group is shown in the photo: (Assembly: Host NK, Manchi, GR Vij, Purang, Pujari, Shorty, Bhav Dutt, VK Gupta and Garbar Gulati) Bhav Datt from the Axxx of the world down under is towering over the rest in the photo. He also shines the brightest as apparent in the detailed photos on the link provided in this post. Perhaps the reason for that is, he does not have to face the pollution and hustle-bustle of Delhi like the others, in the more pristine environmet of Sydney. (The other mech71ers did not take up my suggestion of escaping from Delhi post retirement into the more pristine environment of the Himalayas a few years ago) The image is somewhat blurred but the individual crystal clear image of some of the members can be viewed online at: https://viewer.zoho.com/docs/hvGJa I could not find a way to copy the excellent individual images from the word doc...

As the 1971 graduates of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi age and shed off some of their professional responsibilities they have taken to novel pursuits to fill the gap. One of them is writing novels. This task is not beyond the diverse talents of IIT graduates. Chetan Bhagat is proof of that. A leading Mech71er – Anand Julka also known as Bill Julka has finished writing his first novel. It is awaiting finishing touches before publication. Another Mech71er – Ashok Malhotra – who had authored a Novella earlier (Mystic and the Blossoms) released his new novel – Nude besides the lake earlier this year. Both books are available at Amazon.com ( try this link ). This is what H.S. Gill another leading Mech71er in USA had to say about it, Ashok, I have read your book from cover to cover, and some parts twice. The storyline flows well, it is pleasant to read, and I enjoyed the experience. I spent my childhood summers in Naini Tal or Simla, and have very fond memories of those t...