Wednesday 4 June 2008

Friends on Mishraji

Hi Everyone,

This is Ashutosh Joshi. I was Mishra's classmate in VRCE. Mishra was a hostelite and I was a day-scholar. During college, I knew Mishra as an introvert and so was I. So I didn't interact with him a huge amount. But since we have the same name, we usually happened to go together for the Vivas (internal or external). That was when we talked the most and I know him mostly from those interactions. I remember this funny incident from my first year at VRCE (it's funny now, but was very tense then). We had a Chemistry external viva. Our sources had revealed that an extremely dangerous professor (i think from Ramdeobaba college) would be taking the viva for our batch. Me and Mishra were supposed to go together. I was very tense but Mishra was surprisingly cool. Our turn came and we went in. The examiner asked us to sit. We politely sat down to witness our own massacre.

The examiner asked his first question. I thought for some time and after giving up, looked at Mishra. He was still thinking. But then he gave up too. The examiner asked one more. Same result. One by one the examiner asked 5-6 questions. I don't remember answering any of them.
Mishra tried to answer a couple but the answers were unfortunately incorrect. Now the examiner had lost it. "You fools!", he shouted. "You can't even answer such simple questions?" I was shivering, eventhough it was summer, and desperately wanted to get out of there. I looked at Mishra. Mishra, by the way, was still cool! Finally, the examiner obliged, not in a good way though. "Get out of here," he shouted.

Suddenly feeling free, I got up and started to leave. But Mishra was still sitting there looking down. Me and the examiner were both looking at him. He finally looked up at the examiner and said, "Sir, please ask us more questions.." "What!" I said to myself. I couldn't believe my ears. How could he say that! However I was pretty sure that the examiner wouldn't heed. But to my surprise again, the examiner was impressed by Mishra's request and said, "Ok. You want more questions? I'll ask you more questions." Disappointed, I sat down again.

He then asked us 3 more questions. We couldn't answer any of them. Now was the time for the examiner to shout again... and he did, even louder this time. But I was too heart-broken to hear what he was saying. I only heard, "Get out now!" and I literally ran out this time, not wanting to take any chances with Mishra.

Mishra came out after a couple of minutes, with a dejected look in his eyes and still somehow wanting to fight and prove himself. We both passed the viva, by the way. But I still remember Mishra for his composure and his fighter attitude. Unfortunately for him, he has to fight again. And this time, it is for life. Knowing him, I am sure that he will keep on fighting with the same vigour. But this is a difficult fight and he needs our help. I would urge everyone to provide as much help as they can. I am very sure that with help from all of us, he will win this battle.

Sincerely,
Ashutosh Joshi (VRCE Computer Science 2001)

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Ashutosh has a problem uttering 'sh'. He utters my name as 'Rupes'. Well, he utters his own name as 'Asutos Misra'.

He is a very good natured person. Please donate for him. Even if it is a small amount, please do not hesitate.

- Rupesh Nasre (VRCE Computer Science 2001)

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