Article 19 correspondent Devika Dinesh speaks to Avinaash Ravichanderan, second in a series of four interviews with students of the HS15 batch who graduated this year.
What are you doing now/ future plans?
I’m doing good, thinking about the next course of action. Post-college thoughts. I was supposed to join a research institute (French Institute) in Pondicherry. But they haven’t started work yet. Once they reopen, I’ll be joining.
How did you deal with your graduation not being what you had expected it to be?
Initially, it was a bit of denial. We thought that we would return in a couple of weeks. As time went by, the realization slowly dawned upon me that it was not going to happen. This was tough, but it was spread over a period of time. Plus, I was busy with my thesis during this time. So it hit me differently at different points of time.
What was your MAP topic, and what made you select that?
I went in not for the topic, but the professor. My thesis was with Professor Solly and Santhosh R. I was quite interested in the courses that Professor Bhuvana had offered, during my third and fourth years. It was related to Urbanisation, Built Environment and so on. More than the content per se, the approach and the world-view really fascinated me. And Prof. Solly works with similar topics. He suggested my MAP topic, which was about the temple within the Chennai airport. When land was acquired for building this airport, the authorities decided to let the existing temple be. Because of the demands from localities. The curious thing is that people still visit the temple even if they have no other business related to the airport. And they are allowed to do so. It’s certainly a curious arrangement.
What was the process of actually working on your thesis like?
I remember talking to my guide, Professor Solly, at the beginning of the thesis. He told me that the output, or the results you generate, aren’t as important as getting to learn the ropes by yourself. And more importantly, learning how to frame a question for a research project. He didn’t hand-hold me, which in some ways, was quite tough. During the course of the year, I wished he had micromanaged a bit. But the upside was as he’d mentioned: learning how to go about a research project on your own.
What all did you engage in during your time at insti, outside academia?
Not a lot, to be honest. In the first couple of years, I was into quizzing and word games. However, from around third year I was drawn more into acads and kept mostly to myself and just a few people around me. Also, sports. I participated in the department leagues. And in my final year, I got into frisbee.
What would you have done differently in your last year, if you could?
Perhaps start playing frisbee earlier. I played it only for a little while and yet it was really rewarding. So maybe I’d have liked to start playing it from the start of the year.
What was your favorite memory from your time at insti?
The department cricket league. The Prem Ranjan tournaments were quite fun. Those were also times when I got to interact with seniors, and later juniors as well. And there were some shots that I made and some bowling that I did, that you know, I’m a bit proud of.
Also, the discussions and interactions within the hostel. I had a bunch of friends with whom I’d talk and fight over a lot of things. Those are some nice memories, and those I’ll carry those friendships for the rest of my life.
If you could, is there anything you would like to tell your freshie self?
I wouldn’t want to tell anything substantial actually. There were a lot of mistakes and blunders I’ve made, but they taught me a lot. Maybe ask him to play more sports, that’s all.
After these five years, what are your main takeaways from the course and your time in the department?
Five years ago, I hardly knew disciplines such as philosophy or sociology even existed. I come from a normal science background. And it was by accident that I landed in this department. The introduction to various thinkers, disciplines and ways of thinking I was exposed to… They’ll continue to guide me for the rest of my life.
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