Remembrance

Published on July 30, 2004 By Confusing Musings In Current Events

The TV channels today are abound with the news of suicide committed by former Miss India, Nafisa Joseph. I felt sad, not because she was a great model or anchor but because a life has been snuffed out at such a young age.

That reminds me of the unfortunate incident that took place more than two years ago. Nandu will feel upset reading this but I can't help remembering Chattu. I still can't believe that Timir is dead and that too by committing suicide. Known him for so many years, I never thought he could ever think of suicide. He was too strong for that, though he was not that strong for drugs.

I still vividly remember, when I first saw my fair, baby face neighbour. It was my second day at IIT -K , and my eyes lit up when he I came to know that he too was joining Aerospace department. He was a raggers delight. Not afraid to do whatever seniors demanded, and soon he was a hit with seniors. They got impressed with his witty replies and sweet face.

But how deceptive, his appearance was. He was a complete rebel. Though himself a bengali, he usually poked fun at bengalis. Being a delhite, he loathed Delhi. He preferred any day, his native Jabalpur. He hardly used to attend any classes, but just how managed to scrape through. One of the younger profs - Sanjay Mittal once asked him the reason behind his absence in class. He didn't make any excuses and did simple plain speak . He very innocently told the prof that he finds very difficult to sit for one hour. Prof was sporting enough to offer him to stay for half an hour in the class.

But somehow he fell into a bad company. Company was bad not because the guys were loafers or criminals. But they were big time smokers and drunkards. Soon smoking gave way to small time doping.

Meanwhile, as we moved further into our departmental courses, our friendship grew. He was my lab partner in almost all the lab courses. We were together on industrial tour. He was my B.Tech partner as well. We even got the job also together and in same company!

He never missed any labs with me because he could never refuse to me. He had some hidden respect or love for me. He use to stop smoking whenever I entered his room. He even apologized to me for his habit. He promised to give up but I knew he would never be able to do that as long he was with his chums.

Gifted with tremendous brains, he was a sharp learner. During the exams, he would come to me for the notes only when I was about to retire. Then, he would study whole night and get a C or rarely D, that was enough for him. Even one of our prof who was in B.Tech Project committee admitted to one of my batchmates that this guy has the tremendous presentation abilities. A few of them accepted that he was sharp as well. They had to give the top grade.

He always got good grades in the courses which he liked. Along with me, he had made a glider prototype out of thermocol which had the best glide in the history of that course . It fetched both of us an A in the course. Once, he had missed a midsem of AeroDymanics-II because he kept on sleeping. When he went for next midsems, prof couldn't recognize him and had to ask him of he was registered for the course. Even then, Timir Ranjan Chatterjee got a B in the course because of his performance in endsems.

To every one's utter shock, he was the first person along with me, who landed a job in the department( in the Geometric). He had the least of the CPI. But his mesmerizing face, sharp brain and honest answers got him the job. That interview itself can be included into one of the classics.

He came to drop me at the station after our four years at IIT and thanked me for all that I had done for him. Later, in Geometric as well, we use to meet almost daily. But then, he had to go for rehabilitation on insistence of his parents and company. Probably he couldn't cope up with that and took his life.

There are lot many fun and emotion filled stories which could be shared about him. He was such a complex character. To me, he was different than what he was to others. I have spent so much time with him that I can't ever forget him. I don't want to .

Comments

Abhaya

on Jul 30, 2004

It is really very sad when someone around u, known or unknown, chooses to take his life. Its a mixed feeling of regret, sadness, feeling cheated and some more.
BTW, what year did u graduate from IITK?

Confusing Musings

on Jul 30, 2004

True Abhaya and when he is among your best of the friends, it hurts even more.
IIT-K now seems to be a long time back

I was in the class of 99. 4bot Hall III, D Mid Hall -I.

Abhaya

on Jul 30, 2004

okey. I entered this place in 99

. Me also moving in few days.

Confusing Musings

on Aug 01, 2004

So what's your new destination?

web_poet

on Aug 02, 2004

Yes, a life nipped in the bud is so tragic.

But life is like that-there is no logic.

Maybe some ppl always feel like the outsider, there is a book by the same name(I forgot the author, do you know?)

What are you doing nowadays ?

Abhaya

on Aug 02, 2004

I am going to Banglore, the mythical land of graduated IITians

Confusing Musings

on Aug 02, 2004

Hi Web_poet,

It may sound cliched, but I am working software engineer ( though now a team leader) in CAD/CAM software firm in Pune. What about you? Guessed from your blog that you teach some thing and you have two lovely daughters

Hi Abhaya

That's the disturbing trend. Due to apathatic local governance, all the talent is getting accumulated in a select few parts of the country. There is mass exodus from other. I believe you are from Lucknow?

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