Fare Thee Well, Dr. Jalote
In what marks the end of an era in the history of this rapidly growing institution he built brick by brick, Prof. Pankaj Jalote retired as the Director of the Institute, handing the baton to Dr. Ranjan Bose. It was under his strict vigil that an institute of international acclaim has come up in such a short period, and partaking this journey together, it was an emotional moment for the entire family of IIIT-D.
The Student Council, on behalf of the entire fraternity, organised a touching farewell ceremony for our honourable sir. The evening transformed into a journey down memory lane, as Prof. Jalote conducted a QA session, typical of his style- recounting his valuable experience as the director with the enchanted audience.
Describing IIIT-D as a “Social Startup,” he emphasized on the need to have fundamental principles to follow, which guide one in the positive direction. In his own experience, he recalled that he refrained from making extensive long-term plans, and rather worked with short-term goals, based on his broader outlook towards higher education. In spite of his admiration for people who passionately work towards their dreams, he believes in taking small steps consistent with one’s ideals. For him, being the Director meant that he could convert his thoughts and ideas into reality.
His advice to students is to be flexible, as opposed to being rigid about one’s goals in life, emphasizing on experimentation and gaining experience in a wide variety of areas and choose one that stimulates them. A detailed blog post on “Life Lessons from IIIT-Delhi’s Journey” by Prof. Jalote himself can be found here.
Taking over the baton, Prof. Bose congratulated Prof. Jalote conveying the awe and admiration that the academic fraternity had for his work, quipping “I have very large shoes to fill.”
One could feel his awe-inducing personality just by looking at him interact with the students, all of whom stayed back even after the completion of the programme, speaking volumes about his rapport with the students. As one of the students put it, “It is hard to build buildings, but, it is insanely tough to cultivate culture,” and this Sir, is what truly sets you apart.
And, as they say, farewells don’t have to be goodbyes, just a celebration of the conclusion of a great chapter; looking onward to the beginning of an even grander era!
P.S. Here’s a small poem as a token of our gratitude, from Kaleidoscope team, on behalf of the whole student body of IIIT-Delhi.
With this, we sign off!
Pankaj Sir, this institution owes it success to you,
You planted the seeds, nurtured it and watched as it grew
You have made this institution what it is today,
Prepared us to be tough come what may.
Your vision and dedication will inspire us forever,
Giving us a goal towards which we can endeavour.
We will forever be grateful to you for giving us this opportunity,
This institution has provided us with memories that we will cherish for eternity.
We are thankful for all your guidance and support,
And for building with us students, such a great rapport.
We hope to continue growing and persevering as under your tutelage,
For greatness is a state of mind, and we at IIITD swear by this adage!
With this, we bid thee adieu, albeit with a heavy heart,
Distance, we know, can never keep us apart,
For your ideals shall remain afresh in our minds
And with this thread shall us bind.
— Poem contributed by Paarmita Jhalani & Zoha Hamid
