It’s time to fly: Convocation 2025

Getting into academia as a faculty takes a lot of time. It feels it was ages back that you did your BTech and ages later that you completed your doctorate. God bless the memories of those who had an eventful time of Covid splashed in-between only to have made this journey a little longer. It usually takes 5-6 years more than any other working professional to kickstart our journey in academics. Then you start to get taken aback by all professional and personal responsibilities at once. So for someone from outside may think that this maybe a gruelling and tiresome task. Yet it is only in academia where you forever stay young, as we get to have constant reminders sprinkled across our calendar round the year. One such event was today: 11th Convocation of IIT Jodhpur.

The hall was packed, the administration staff watchful, alert and responsible, the parents proud and happy, the students excited and guiding their parents to their seats, showing a sense of I know my job here, see parents this is my college. As the degrees distribution is a long task which took almost 2 hrs, there cannot be constant clapping after each student is awarded one. But there is always one or two people clapping with utmost fervour for them. You know from the clap that it’s someone’s ward getting awarded the degree or someone’s friend. There are numerous pictures being taken, videos being made, selfies being taken. And although you as a faculty are not getting any degree but it teleports you to the times when you were the recipient of the same.

While the entire event was memorable, some of my favourite moments were a young lad coming out of the hall and showing his mother his degree and saying “Ma my hands were shivering when I read the text on my degree”. Then there were hundreds of others who immediately or were guided by their parents to touch their feet. One mother repeatedly asking her son “ek vo udaane waali photo hoti hai naa” only to be told that it’s usually a cap which is not part of our dress code. The overall environment is something which no other job can offer, a satisfaction in seeing the journey of so many incredible young people coming to a beautiful completion where you too had a small but meaningful role to play.

Good luck to the batch of 2025. May you shine like diamonds wherever you go and stay healthy and happy.