INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, DELHI

growing up & that passion…

Entrance studies…

Was it all that easy…?

And more hard work…A

At last….it pays off..

This is IIT, Delhi.

So is this…

And this…

Broken drum sticks…

And those magical moments…

Unmatched in Studies…

Finally

more challenges

And the life goes on..

Was it all worth???

by Amitabha Bagchi

Introduction

Above Average is the story of a middle-class Delhi boy with an aptitude for science and mathematics but a yearning to be the drummer of a rock band. Arindam effortlessly graduates from being a colony kid to being amongst an elite bunch of techies in IIT.Published in 2007 by Harper Collins.Set in a first person formatStudents empathize with the story easily.

Author’s Profile Amitabha Bagchi was born and brought up in

Delhi Was a good student and took part in Junior

Science Talent Search, National Talent Search, Physics and Maths Olympiads

Got into IIT Delhi in 1992 Did his Ph.D in Computer Science in 2002 Currently working as Asst Professor at IIT

Delhi in the Computer Science Department Above Average marked his debut as author

Arindam Chatterjee - The Protagonist

English speaking BengaliBorn and brought up in DelhiTries to settle into new surroundings and

establishing early relationshipsTries to best fit in but feels like an outsider Gets into IIT DelhiAspires to be a DrummerHas interest in ResearchGoes to Baltimore, USA to pursue further

studies

Arindam Chatterjee – The Protagonist

Known as RinduReally good at Optics and discerning toughest

problemsBrought up in Mayur ViharLoved his family a lotAmongst the toppers at IIT JEEFriends were more of competitors at IIT HostelFlop Show as a Drummer courtesy RocksurdInspired by Algorithm Professor Kanitkar

Initial Stages

Attending Study Circle classes for IIT JEE after School hours

Made friendsSolved difficult problems with easeWorked really hard… Solved Irodov et alGot into IIT Delhi for Computer Sciences

programme

IIT DelhiMade a lot of friends Started off with the usual rat race of Grades

and Cumulative ScoresFell in love with DrummingAspired to be in the College BandGot into the band but a faux pas led by a

broken stickInclination towards Research started in the 3rd

Year after Kanitkar’s Algorithm ClassesAgain missed the opportunity and his friend

Neeraj got the recommendation for PhD at Stanford

Chapter-wise description

Photocopy

The story starts here when Arindam Chatterjee aka Rindu is preparing for his IIT-JEE

Meets Karan and Bagga at the Study Circle

The gullible Rindu gets to know the street smart way of life. Thus, the significance of the word “Photocopy”

Parachute

Introduction to Rindu's family background

Society & Culture in which Rindu was raised

Bobby & his 'Mandawli stories'

The middle class family backdrop is signified by “Parachute”

Rocksurd

The story transits Arindam's life in IIT, Delhi

Talks about the Rock Scene in IIT

Rocksurd is a Sardarji who plays Drums

Throws light on the life & culture at IIT

Asian Paints Woman

Rindu gets to know that Bhavana has been murdered by Winky, who commits suicide

He remembers the times he and Bobby spent with Bhavana and Abhilasha on Diwali

Hey Joe

This chapter is about the IIT Rock festival – RendezvousKartik, Rindu's roomie is introduced. He is a topper & the college guitaristRindu's tryst with drums start, he jams with Pandit and forms a bandThey perform at the rock fest & Rocksurd messes the show with Rindu

BandhuThe SC ST quota student used the term Bandhu to address themselves

The carrom culture

And, the college politics

Three bistable partitions

Kanitkar, the brilliant professor was introducedAlgorithm which was to change Rindu's life was Kanitkar's subjectRindu recieved his first acadamic spotlightHis relation with Neeraj and Sheikhu started with Algo researchKanitkar offered help with scholarship at Stanford to NeerajRindu met Aparna at a spic macay

Three bistable partitions - contd

Rindu enters his third year at IITKanitkar Leaves IIT for University of ChicagoRindu and Aparna start a relationshipSheikhu gets admission to IIM A without telling RinduRindu and Neeraj deepen their friendshipNeeraj is very concerned about his Neice, ChandaRindu and Aparna meet ChandaRindu leaves for Baltimore, USA

I climbed Mt Rainer in JeansRindu went to Baltimore after IIT to do his Ph.D on the assurance that Kanitkar will send a recommendation which he didn'tHe tried to keep contact and the relation with his girlfriend but she dumped him for someone elseSheikhu and Kartik met him in India and try to call him back here to work in india cause they need people like him hereHe comes to know that Neeraj's neice Chanda has been murdered by his father. After years of their last meet He still feels very sad for his friend and cries for him

Key Learnings "I must have decided at some point in my

time at school that I should try to get into one of the IITs. But when I made that decision, if I ever made it consciously, I could never remember."

This shows that Arindam was equally confused as most of us are at some point or the other

Key Learnings "The battle for grades and academic

achievement was just one small part of the larger war, the others being the battles to appear unconcerned, in control, well rounded, self confident. Accustomed all our lives to being lauded as exceptional, we were all scared that the true measure of ourselves, our unremarkable selves, would emerge one day."

This just shows that IITians are just humans and not the demi-gods that they are assumed to be

Key Learnings "We aren't what we do or what we achieve or

what we acquire or about what we become, we are and we always will be what we want.“

It means that ‘Success in Life’ is as much about talent as desire

Key Learnings If you have ever felt the desire to be some one

in your life, then this book will find an instant connect with you, because its all about growing up, fighting to be the best, well almost the best .

It proves that if you have a dream and you stick to it with all your heart you will most probably get it sooner or later

Only professional success without enriching relationships wont make your life any better

Thank youGroup 3

Aneesh BhandariSushant GaurAkshay MoghePranay SharmaRahul MittalAnju B. AhujaKshitiz Pratap