BENGALURU: “Studying in the Indian Institute of Science is definitely challenging. Even on the war field, I have felt no fear. But, when I came here, I was shivering.” This was the reaction of Major Shantanu Kaushik after the convocation ceremony at the Institute in the city on Wednesday.
Major Kaushik was among the three men from the Indian Army who walked up to the stage in uniform to collect their post-graduate degrees to a loud cheer and thunderous applause from the audience. All eyes were on three army men as they walked up to the dais to collect their certificates at IISc on Wednesday.
Major Kaushik attended a two-year full-time ME (Microelectronics Systems) course at IISc having taken a break from service. He had got back to studying after nearly 10 years. He graduated with a group of much younger classmates. “I tried to be one among them. Sometimes, I was treated with so much respect that I felt uncomfortable,” he added.
“It was my first experience in a civilian institute. I studied at the Military College before this. People much younger than me helped me cope with studies. It was a lot to cope with. Most of the top 25 rank holders from GATE were my classmates. Their take-off level was so high,” he remarked.
Major Kaushik was chosen for the post-graduate course in IISc after several rounds of gruelling interviews. “There was a three-tier selection process. We had a written test, an interview by the army team, a check on our service records and another round of interview at IISc,” he said.
Today, Major Kaushik said he felt a “sense of achievement” to be associated with the Institute. “Having the post-graduate degree enhances our employability. It could also help in our postings,” he added.
Another army officer to graduate from the Institute was Major Saurabh Sharma. “I got seleced for the course after interviews at the departmental level and at IISc. Studying at the Institute makes me feel enlightened,” said Major Sharma.
“It is our first and last visit in the uniform,” he said adding that during the two years in the Institute, they dressed like the rest of the students. He pursued his ME in Signals Processing. Major Sharma he found it challenging to tackle certain technical issues which he hoped to address by pursuing post graduation. He had graduated from Jamia Milla Islamia in 2006.
Lieutenant Colonel N S Dhabi also pursued an ME in Signals Processing. He was also among the army men who graduated this year.