Imagine it is 2021, A kid from GGSIPU, probably a college whose name someone from outside Delhi wouldn’t even know, a kid who is not even sure of his worth yet alone proving himself to others, is told that one day you are going to have a ray of hope, a hope that will at least make you believe that you are going towards some direction. I always mention a road, of how I want the toughest road for me towards success. I am nowhere near close to that but at the same time, I am chasing it. I know one day I am going to do something related to sciences, just having that inner belief in me helps me move forward. Going towards a research path is tough, you being a freshman or sophomore, it is very tempting to take part in cultural activities, like in my college, there is infoxpression, Anugoonj, dramatics, singing etc., I am not saying that don’t take part in this but at the same time it is near impossible to manage this if you are aiming towards a research career being an undergraduate from GGSIPU.
I have been a research enthusiast more towards nanotechnology, modelling and simulation, machine learning, several nano-composites, hydrogen fuels, ballistics etc. and have been studying them in my past time and it gives me immense pleasure that now I can fully focus towards this in my coming chapter of life while interning as a student research intern at IIT Madras. I have only discussed this with my family and a few close friends. Due to excess competition, it just becomes impossible to discuss with department friends though I am a strong believer in discussing and sharing as it helps in coming up with new ideas and I think one of the reasons why India is behind when it comes to research. I also truly believe I am no different than a student of any top IIT, and that belief came from competing with several IITs, IISc, IISERs etc. continuously in several competitions and I am someone who welcomes such competitions because, to be honest, what does a kid from GGSIPU has to lose against them.
During my NEET/IIT preparation, I was very confident and after high school, I became very underconfident, I mean why wouldn’t I, If you dream of something and you don’t get it, then there is a confidence break but then I heard a very beautiful story of Zakir Khan, he said that one day he was on the verge of a cry and called his father and told that, “I lost, papa, I don’t know what to do” to which his father said, “Beta, Mei zindagi mei boht haara hu, apnei hisse kei saath, tere hisse ka bhi haara hu, tujhe toh mene jitne kei liyei Peda krra hai, tu kyu haar rha h”, and it changed me, I am not here to lose, I am here to win. It reignited my confidence and made me move forward by accepting my fate.
I still don’t know, if I will end up being one of the best research scientists in the world, but I am sure that during that process I will achieve something and at the least will do my level best to make my family proud. This is Harshit Mittal, aka the kid from GGSIPU signing off.