Pages from My IITM Chapter
This is my journey at IIT Madras.
Sri Gurubhyo Namaha
In 2023, when it was time to choose a professor for my MS at IIT Madras, I made the decision to work under Prof. Kaushik Mitra. It wasn’t just his deep expertise in the field of computer vision that drew me to him—it was also his spiritual depth and character. I believed that with him, I could grow not just academically, but also personally.
In today’s world, with the power of the internet, anyone can pick up technical knowledge. But becoming a better person—one with strong character and values—takes more than just online resources. You need to be around people who inspire you, and for me, Prof. Mitra was that person. I saw in him someone I could learn from on multiple levels.
The lab he leads has a strong, positive ecosystem, and I believe that’s a direct reflection of who he is as a person and a mentor. I feel genuinely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work under him, learn from him, and contribute to the lab. Whatever perks or opportunities I’ve gained after completing my MS, I owe a great deal to his guidance and support.
The initial days were tough—managing both education and a job at the same time was one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever faced. I came to IIT with a dream to build something big, and I knew it would take everything I had. Social life took a backseat; hanging out with friends or maintaining a circle just didn’t seem possible at the time.
But along the way, I was fortunate to meet people who became true friends. They influenced me in the best ways and reminded me that friendships are just as important as the degree you earn here. My undergraduate journey had its share of struggles, but IIT gave me a second chance to turn things around—both academically and personally. From education to friendships, this place helped fix what I thought was broken.
The HINDI group
Being a South Indian and an introvert, I never really felt the need to hang out beyond my comfort zone—especially with people from completely different backgrounds. But life had other plans, and that’s how I met Hrithik—my first friend at IIT.
He showed up during both the tough times and the fun ones, constantly reminding me that we’re not just here to study, but also to live a little and enjoy the journey. And honestly, the time we spent together was just lit. Late-night dinners, long walks, random deep talks about life and lab issues—those moments made this place feel like home.
Despite being… well, let’s just say a little stupid, Hrithik is one of the most honest and genuinely good people I’ve met. There’s a fine line between being crazy and being normal—and I’m pretty sure he’s got a foot on either side of that line. But that’s exactly what made it all so fun.
Looking back, I realize that these are the memories that really stick. You’re only in your 20s once, and this kind of chaos—you don’t get to relive it later. I’m just glad I had someone like Hrithik to share it with.
I Here by decarle this man(Vinayak) as a part of my Family
I honestly don’t care what anyone thinks—but if there’s one person who deserves credit for pushing me to finish my MS and making things fall into place, it’s this guy. It all started with a random call where he said, “Let’s cook something in 3D computer vision.” I was hesitant at first. But because of our shared bond over Krishna Bhakti, I said, “Yes, let’s cook.” That decision turned out to be one of the best I’ve ever made.
Since then, he’s become more than a collaborator—he’s like family. He works insanely hard, doesn’t have a big circle (just like me), and we’ve both walked similar paths—facing the same pain, sharing the same ambitions. We’ve worked on multiple projects together and published two papers. But the real win? His family has become like my own, and that connection has added a whole new layer of joy to this journey.
With mutual trust between our families, we even got to travel together to Milan, Italy, to present our work at ECCV. On top of that, we took two unforgettable spiritual trips—one to the North and one to the South—to seek blessings from Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Those moments were nothing short of magical.
What’s even more inspiring is that despite being younger than me, he’s taught me so much—about responsibility, making the right choices in life, and staying grounded in both education and spirituality.
Its not Computer Vision but its Computational Imaging Lab
I’ve always loved images—how they’re captured, the kind of cameras used, how to make them look beautiful, and how to fix the blur or other degradations. That’s pretty much what I did at IIT. Nothing too fancy on the outside—it sounds simple. But once you dive into the actual coding and research, you realize how tough it really is.
Whenever I hit roadblocks, I’d look around at my lab and the people in it. The support system here is something special. The team is humble, and that humility starts from the top—with Prof. Kaushik Mitra. His leadership creates an atmosphere where we know we’re in it together, and no matter how difficult things get, we’ll find a way through.
Research, especially in AI these days, isn’t easy. The tough times are many, and the good times come rarely—but they do come. And when they do, they feel earned. What really helped me push my work forward and get my papers accepted at conferences was the constant support from my labmates. I honestly couldn’t have done it without them.
I know this is not the end, but we need to leave the heaven(IITM) now.
My journey at IIT Madras began in a lab at HTIC, where Aswath and I used to constantly wonder about the future—Will we make it? Will we graduate together? Those questions were always floating around as we worked side by side.
Vinayak played a key role too—always pushing me, encouraging me to submit my MS thesis on time so that we could all graduate together. And in the end, we did it. We made it.
This day—the day we graduated—is easily one of the most memorable moments of my life. What made it truly special was being able to bring my parents along. Seeing them proud, smiling, and standing beside me on that day—that feeling is something I’ll carry with me forever.
Here’s a small gallery of those graduation memories, moments that remind me not just of academic achievement, but of friendships, teamwork, and the journey that brought us here.
Hare Krishna