Research Beckons

Aishwarya Parasuram

The field of research may seem extremely horrid to an undergraduate intern, when the usual stories

going around about research guides are that they are dismissive, disinterested, never seem to turn

up for meetings and treat interns like they are illiterates. However, I must thank my lucky stars for

the day that Dr Sudarshan Iyengar came to give a talk at my college, for knowing a professor like

him is really like seeing the light at the end of a tunnel for a research hopeful like me. He defies all

general perceptions, and is truly a gen-next prof.

Sudarshan Sir not only makes sure he gets to know each of his interns as his friends, but also makes

sure that everyone is associated with a project that is best suited to them. He has the ability to

notice talent even in the most rarest of places. No intern ever feels out of place around him, and he

makes sure every single person is actively involved in any conversation taking place. He also makes it

a point to meet us very frequently and keep talking to us about our project, just so that nobody loses

interest.

Sir was extra supportive during our trip to Ropar. He made it a point to never miss out on a promised

appointment. During our visit, he spent far more time with us than is expected of any guide, and

because of his interest and enthusiasm, the project progressed to great heights. He also treats

everything we say with great importance, and makes us feel like we also have as good a chance

at coming up with good research results as other experienced research scholars. This kind of

motivation is hard to find even in the best universities across the world.

While I was there, Sir gave me the opportunity to come and sit through his lectures, with the other

IIT students. I was very lucky to get this kind of exposure. He also gave me the opportunity to make

presentations and give talks about my research work to other PhD students. This gave me a lot of

confidence, and it was also a great learning opportunity. Through discussion with a wide variety of

people, we were able to gather different viewpoints and enrich the quality of our paper. Also, he

takes great responsibility towards any research paper and takes on a great deal of work himself,

leaving a very bare minimum to his interns.

Sir does not withhold his proficiency to academic research alone. He is extremely worldly wise

and tech-savvy. His pep-talks are brilliant morale boosters, and we all go to him for advice about

practically everything, be it career or opinion on a new phone we want to buy.

All in all, Sudarshan Sir is an extremely helpful guide and mentor, who is very committed and

enthusiastic, and motivates everyone around him. Over and above this, he is a great friend to have,

and I would like to thank him profusely for providing me with the opportunity of pursuing a research

internship at IIT Ropar.