Early July 1999 - It was the basement room of L&T Institute of Technology where college admission procedures were carried out. I was just out of school but still held my Dad's hand tightly as we moved to the admission counter table. The professors were helping with the paperwork. A shrewd lady looked through her spectacles as we handed our forms. Her first sight though scary, was somewhat relieving. She was carefully going through every applicant's form as she said - "Itna aasan nahi hota yahan admission milna, you have to work really hard to keep up." and I thought, oh, I don't think I will miss school teachers here! Ayyapan Sir's face smiled as we completed the rest of the formalities and I left the place with the shrewd lady's words lingering in mind, painting a picture of what lies ahead.
My father worked in Larsen and Toubro - a German Engineering company which also ran a 4-year diploma college right next to the company shops. The college had a rule to admit only those students whose parents worked for that company. After completing my secondary school, I got lucky to be admitted here for my computer engineering degree and that is where I met the (shrewd) and wonderful lady - Prof. Nimita Raut - the focus of my next story of women beyond success.
