My First PhD Interview

My name was not there in the list. I checked it once again and confirmed a third time. The result of two weeks journey came out in two hours. All the hopes got shattered in a second. I sat down at the verandah. I saw a few happy faces and many sad faces walking around. There were people who were more depressed than me. This was how my first attempt to get a PhD position in a premier institute ended up with. I got down the steps and walked towards the hostel, packed my bag. Had the lunch, paid the money both in the canteen and in the hostel. Took my bag and walked towards the gate.

I recalled the previous day when I was coming here. I had got a tatkal reservation in the chair car of an express passing through Rupnagar. As the train entered Haryana, I could not see anything except wheat fields where huge machines were reaping the harvest. The whole Haryana and Punjab was blanketed by yellow wheat fields. Golden hay particles filled inside the train compartment even though it was completely closed! The whole journey was as if I was sitting inside a boat moving through a yellow sea! I got down at Rupnagar station and asked someone where the institute is. One child showed me the institute at the other side of the highway. I crossed the road and tried to find the gate. But I could not. I asked people living in the nearby huts where the gate is, they also did not know! Then I saw a big house and a man standing in front of it. He explained me the way to go and finally I was there.

The Sikh security guards who had welcome me the previous night, now showed me the register book to sign out and sent me off with the same smile. I walked out of the institute and just turned once again back to see my shattered dreams. “Hi” A strange voice called me. “You came here for PhD interview eh?” He asked. “Yes” I replied hiding my shame inside.

“I am Punkaj, from Hariana. I also came for the same and was screened out. I attended for Mathematics interview. And you?”

I introduced myself. We together walked towards the railway station. There was no train to Chandigarh at that time. So we caught a cycle rickshaw towards Rupnagar bus stand. By the time we reached Chandigarh bus stand, we had become good friends. Punkaj walked towards the other side of the platform. He had to go to Karnal, his home town in Hariyana. I got a bus to Chandigarh railway station and checked if any train is available to Delhi. Fortunately or unfortunately, I got a current reservation to Rohilla.