Alumni Speak: BITS Embryo Lecture Series

The students of BITS Pilani K. K. Birla Goa Campus recently had the chance to interact with two successful young BITSians, courtesy the BITS Embryo initiative.

The first speaker was Abhishek Humbad, EEE (2005) from the Pilani campus. Abhishek is the founder of the Wall Street Club at Pilani, and has done an MBA from IIM Bangalore. Presently he works at NextGen, a company in the energy and environment space, which he co-founded coming out of b-school. He is a part of the Prime Minister’s Team on Climate Change, was selected as one of Asia’s Best 100 Entrepreneurs, and is a part of a policy team at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India.

Abhishek shared his journey, explaining how from having a mere idea and a zeal to multiply money, he went on to start his own company, ‘NextGen’. The idea of NextGen germinated during his undergrad days at BITS where he published a couple of research papers, won B-Plan competitions and did research projects for organizations like the World Bank. He talked about how NextGen helps companies go green by estimating their carbon footprint and reducing it through various energy and waste efficiency solutions. He shared some valuable experiences with the audience, advising them to invest in themselves in the initial stages of their careers. He urged them to concentrate on learning, put in every possible effort, and try to be the best in the world at what they do. He talked about his stay in Pilani, and the story behind the hugely successful ‘Wall Street Club’. He also shared how he was one of the youngest men almost everywhere he worked. He would be surrounded by people more than twice his age, and he recalled how he gained new perspectives working with them. He also talked about how during the course of his four years in Pilani, his ambitions changed from the 4F’s of Fame, Fortune, Ferrari and Female to the 3I’s of India, Impact and Innovation. The session, like the speaker himself, stood apart to motivate fresh brains to do something that adds value to the nation.

The second speaker was Harshad Deshmukh, a 2006 batch BITSian who graduated with M.Sc. Mathematics and B.E. Computer Science last year. He worked at Cisco Systems, Bengaluru for a short while before going on to pursue higher education in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Harshad spoke at length about the application aspect of pursuing MS and PhD abroad. He emphasised that going for higher education is a life-changing experience and should be chosen only after careful and thorough deliberations. He talked about the MS-or-PhD dilemma, and how to choose between the two. He also advised on how to decide which universities one should target. He mentioned the amount of time that should be devoted for preparation of GRE/TOFEL, statement of purpose and getting recommendations. He highlighted the need to remain informed of various application and fellowship grant deadlines. Harshad also talked about BITS2MSPhD as a platform where students can discuss and seek advice for the same.

BITS World 5k Run: A word with Karthikeyan Vijayakumar (KK)

As a run up to the 4th edition of BITS World 5k Run, we interviewed Karthikeyan, who has been a regular feature of BITS World 5k Run for the last 3 years. He shared his experience from the past editions and a few tips for the first-timers.

Background info: 

Name: Karthikeyan V

Batch: 2000

Location: Chennai

Profile: Has been a sportsperson all through school / college and actively run / cycle / play cricket etc. Has officially run 3 marathons & over 25 half-marathons. Has cycled Bangalore to Chennai (350 km) in 2 days. Regularly plays cricket for his club team.

Q1. Could you briefly tell us about your BITS 5k run experience last year?

I have been running BITS 5k in Chennai for the past 3 years. Last year, 15 of us from different batches from the 70s/80s to the recent graduates came together to run. Some of us ran, some walked but all crossed the finish line . The post run camaraderie was fantastic, with the seniors telling us tales about their days in Pilani. I went back with many new friends!

Q2. How was running for BITS2MARATHON different from any other formally organized running event?

The BITS 5k Run helped me know the BITSians in my city better. This run has space for everyone, from the fast finishers to the walkers. I look forward to the post run discussions with everyone on ‘runner’s high’. The best part about this run is the ease with which all the BITSians come together, break ice and meet over the run.

Q3. Any tips/ message you have for the first-time runners participating in the 4th edition of BITS 5k run this year?

Don’t worry about the finish time. Run, Walk or Crawl…but finish 🙂 and stay regular with running, the rest of the year.

BITS World 5k Run 2012

“I’ve learned that finishing a marathon isn’t just an athletic achievement. It’s a state of mind; a state of mind that says anything is possible.” ~John Hanc

After 3 successful editions and over 200 BITSians sweating it out on the road together each year, BITS World 5K Run is back! The 4th edition of the BITS World 5K Run promises to be bigger and better than ever before. So put on your running shoes and brace yourselves for the adrenaline rush!

This year, the BITS2Marathon run will happen in the memory of  Prof. Suresh Ramaswamy. One of Prof.  SuRa’s distinctive traits was his constant encouragement of the aspirations of his students. This year’s run will celebrate his legacy, and champion the adoption of a healthy lifestyle among BITSians around the world.

A few tips for the first-time runners:

  • Eat right – Have a diet rich in carbohydrates, proteins and a little fat from all food groups.
  • Get a good night’s sleep before the race – Also, stay off your feet as much as possible the day before the race.
  • Always do the warm-up –  Dynamic warm-ups are the most ideal to facilitate blood flow to joints and muscles which help in early running
  • Drink lots of water – It is highly advisable to drink plenty of water before, during and after the race.
  • Be patient – Don’t get pulled along by stronger runners. Run at your own pace.
  • Lastly, remember the race is more about the fun than winning! 🙂

 Key information:

 Date: September 23, 2012, Sunday

Registration: http://www.bitsaa.org/?bits5krun_2012_reg

Certificates: All runners who register on the BITSAA website will get a participation certificate on completing the run.

The run is completely virtual. You are your own judge. You can run wherever it is convenient for you. If you don’t want to miss out on the laccha session, you can run with fellow BITSians in town. Your local coordinator will get in touch with you once you have registered.

Feel free to spread the word and invite as many BITSians as possible. If you have non-BITSian running buddies, feel free to invite them to jog along.

Scenes from previous runs around the world:

Runners at Singapore striking a pose

The student runners at Pilani

Run at Minneapolis

Mumbai Run

Delhi

The Delhi team at the run

Bangalore

Bangalore team after the run

About BITS2Marathon :

The BITS2Marathon group is a group for fellow BITSians and alumni to promote running within the BITSian community.  The main goal of this run is to motivate BITSians all around the world to bring running into everyone’s life and thereby a healthy lifestyle. You can find out more about the group at www.bits2marathon.com . Join our Mailing Group!