Life in an IIT: My journey to IIT Madras and beyond

Indian Express

08-06-2025

– Atharv Joshi
I come from Bhopal, a city that holds my earliest memories and the roots of my academic journey. I studied at Mount Carmel School for both my Class 10 and 12, and by the time I reached Class 10, I had already decided to choose Humanities. History, political science, economics, and physical education were my core subjects, and I had a clear plan – to graduate from Delhi University and prepare for the Union Public Service Commission's (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE).
But as fate would have it, one random evening of internet browsing changed everything.
One day, while randomly surfing Google, I came across the Humanities and Social Sciences Entrance Exam (HSEE) conducted by IIT Madras. I was surprised to learn that IIT Madras ran a unique five-year integrated MA programme in Development Studies and English Studies. The idea of studying at an IIT with such a progressive interdisciplinary approach instantly appealed to me. I gave the exam, and to my surprise, secured an All India Rank of 18.
And just like that, my journey with IIT Madras began. I am now in my fifth year.
We joined during the pandemic – October 26, 2021, to be precise. Initially, everything was online, and it was only in April 2022 that we finally stepped onto campus. That was when college life truly began for me. Coming from North India, the shift to the South was monumental – different cuisine, climate, culture, and language. My department itself was a microcosm of India, with students from all corners of the country. The diversity was new, sometimes overwhelming, but always enriching. I learned to adjust, but more importantly, I learned to grow.
To be honest, my academic programme allows me to think more than memorise. It's intuitive, discussion-based, and grounded in lived realities. We don't have equations to derive or formulas to memorise. Instead, we spend hours contemplating the society around us, discussing theories in class, and applying them to real-life scenarios. That learning never stops – whether I'm at a café, a debate, or even cooking with friends.
So no, I don't have a rigid study routine. I attend my classes regularly, keep up with readings, and prepare continuously through lived experience.
My day usually starts around 8.30 or 9 am. I take my time waking up, grabbing breakfast, and heading to class. Our schedule is based on academic slots, so some days are light, and some are packed.
By 6 pm, the academic part of the day ends, and the other half of my life begins – clubs, student governance meetings, drama rehearsals, poetry meetups, and more.
As the Speaker of the Student Legislative Assembly, I was deeply involved in student governance. In fact, I convened the Pan-IIT Student Governance Summit, taking delegations to Parliament and the Supreme Court, meeting with ministers, and conducting simulated sessions. Some nights would end with us drafting agendas and coordinating with my secretariat team well past midnight.
Dinner usually happens around 9 pm, followed by catching up on news, reading for UPSC, or academic texts until 1 am.
Hobbies, of course. I picked up crochet after coming to IIT and found it deeply meditative. I also love cooking. In our hostel, we have a kitchen, and cooking sessions have become bonding rituals. Once a week, we gather to cook a regional cuisine – sometimes I am the head chef, sometimes the assistant, and sometimes just the person fetching the spices. It is one of my happiest spaces on campus.
Unlike school, the professor-student relationship here is less intimate, but the influence is no less powerful. For instance, Professor Vinita, a development economist, deepened my interest in gender and feminist theory. She has always supported me, both academically and personally. Prof Vinita, especially, has been a mentor I can always turn to.
Chennai is a city I've come to love. From cycling trips to Thiruvanmiyur Beach, temple visits to Mylapore, or architectural walks through St George's Fort, we've explored it all. Food, temples, culture – there's always something new to discover.
If I had gone to DU, I wouldn't have experienced this level of autonomy and exposure. Here, I decide my academic journey. Through the choice-based credit system, I can tailor my degree around climate, gender, and development — my core interests.
IIT Madras has helped me evolve globally while staying rooted. From internships in Tehri and Mizoram to representing India at MITACS in Canada, and now preparing to head to the University of North Carolina for the Morehead-Cain Global Fellowship, my life has become a series of transitions – each one taking me closer to the person I want to be.
I haven't been home in over 1.5 years – each vacation is filled with fellowships or internships. But I do meet my parents midway. We once visited the Maldikar temple in Andhra Pradesh – it was a short but beautiful reunion.
IIT Madras isn't just a campus, it's a world. A world where you come in with a plan, but you leave with a vision. And somewhere between the debates, beach visits, governance meetings, and midnight Maggi sessions, you find yourself.
Mridusmita Deka covers education and has worked with the Careers360 previously. She is an alumnus of Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University. ... Read More