Nishkam Prabodh | Electrical Engineering Society

EES brings to you the interview of another celebrated graduate, Nishkam Prabodh. He presently works at AT & Kearney and was actively involved in various cultural activities. He served as the Secretary of Dramatics club and later worked as the coordinator of Rendezvous. Read on to learn from his experience as a student.

1. What were your most memorable moments at IIT? Could you describe any moments when you felt low at IIT and what you did to get back to normal?

I was in the Drama Society. The street plays were the most memorable ones of my IIT life. The applause we got after all the hard-work and late night practices was a very special feeling.
There were some moments when I felt low as well, like during the shortlisting in the job semester. To come back to normal, I went home to relax myself and find long term solutions to the problems.

2. Do you have any regrets from your time in IIT?

One regret which I have is that I think I should have been more social and sought for company whenever I felt low.

3. What changes did you notice in your personality before and after IIT? How have your extra-curricular activities and internships been instrumental in causing this change?

I noticed a drastic change my personality after almost 4 years at IIT. I was a very shy person when I came here. Drama helped me a lot in gaining confidence and transforming into an extrovert from an introvert. All the projects and internships made me gritty and I learnt to accept loss and cope up with it. I learnt how to manage time efficiently.

4. What words of advice would you give to your juniors- some things that they should do, some changes in the way of thinking, etc. Any specific advice for students of any particular year?

I would advise my juniors to enjoy what they are doing and put their whole effort into it.
In the first year, students should try to explore everything, whether it be sports or co-curricular activities, in the second year, students should choose 1 or 2 activities which they are going to continue and focus on academics. In the third year, they should make a mind of what they want to pursue after college and start working in that direction.

5. What are some things that you would advise juniors not to do?

I would advise my juniors not to get into any quarrels, especially the long term ones. Also, any kind of addiction is bad. Smoking and taking drugs doesn’t help you in coping up with life, whenever you feel low. So don’t turn to such options as an answer to your problems.

6. What projects did you work on during IIT? Any favorite research stream?

I have worked majorly on Analog Devices as a part of my Summer Undergraduate Research Award at the end of second year. It was a great learning experience and is my favorite project.

7. Did you find Electrical Engineering branch exciting? Any specific advice for your juniors in this branch?

I think Electrical Engineering is a very interesting branch. I would rather be in Electrical than any other branch. This department is a very vast and comprises of many disciplines. There are so many different opportunities for one to explore if interested. My advice would be to identify your area of interest as early as possible and do projects and elective courses in it.

8. Have you been to any other IIT in these 4 years? How was it different from IITD? Can we bring that change in IITD if the change is for the better?

I have been to IIT Bombay once. There are some differences in the curriculum of the 2 IITs. For instance, in IIT Bombay, there is only 1 minor while there are 2 minors in IIT Delhi. I strongly think that 1 minor curriculum is much better than 2 minor curriculum, not because I am a fun loving person, but because I think that due to 2 minors, there is very less time left for pursuing your other interests and no learning is involved as people just rapidly cram the syllabus before the exam without genuinely trying to gain something out of the courses. Also, in IIT Delhi, girls are not allowed in Boys’ hostels after 10:00pm and vice versa which can be quite counterproductive in group projects.

9. Many students find it difficult to balance between academics and extra-curricular activities. How were you able to achieve this balance?

I strongly recommend that every person should be involved in at least 1 extra-curricular activity. On the other hand, indulging in many activities can be counter-productive. To achieve balance between academics and extra-curricular, one must manage time efficiently.

10. Have you found your passion? Many people face a dilemma over what is that they would love to do in life. How did your time at IIT help you realize your future goals and what is it that you want to do in life?

Honestly, I would say ‘NO’, I am still a child. I still haven’t found my passion. I have been hired in a consultancy firm, but I still think that that I may do a startup. IIT offers you many opportunities and ultimately you will find something that interests you. In my case, it was a mixture of interests and constraints that helped me choose.

11. How did studying at IIT change your goals from when you entered to what you have now? What steps and decisions do you suggest for people who are focused towards specific directions?

I think my dream and goal of coming here was to get a good job. My goals have changed a lot now. I would suggest that students should keep their options open, be broad minded and then take an informed decision.