The first year classes began yesterday. I went to the EEE classes and found that even with my laryngitis, I managed to chat with students via the old and trusted blackboard. Students were so good to me, because I found that they were responding very well to their dumb (!) teacher with deep understanding, spontaneity and sympathy writ large on their faces. In fact, there were more students talking to me than in normal times - perhaps, I speak more then or perhaps, the exhortations that we make to students to speak only ensure silence!When the bell went off (five minutes earlier due to the department clock running five minutes earlier than the rest of the clocks in the college), I was happy to have had a different kind of teaching experience. Makes one appreciate the little voice box. Wonder if classes would be more interesting to students if teachers talked less!!!

The last piece of good news that came just as I was leaving college for the day was that Zinnov, the company run by three of our alumni - Pari, who has written in earlier and is one of the directors of Zinnov, was visiting the college to recruit our students. It was one of the most uplifting news for me. I do believe that the alumni is so deeply involved in the welfare of its juniors that such motivating and inspiring gestures come spontaneously. Good for you Pari and co. God bless you boys. (However, I am sad that I will not be meeting your HRs to extend my personal greetings to you all - am on leave today).

The NBA fever is on. Everybody is in a tizzy preparing files and documents and records. The panel is visiting the college on the 8th,9th and 10th of this month.

Change is the law of nature. How true this is of GCE, Salem, which sees changes every year, with new batches of freshers for the various departments, with new challenging tasks every semester, perhaps, I should also add, new approaches to teaching and learning too. We have the admission process for the first year students and it should be one big fiesta, as always. Fear, anxiety, excitement, pride and joy can all be seen in their gamut tomorrow. What a moment it is for many families...as a beloved son or daughter is sent away from the home environs into a new place of professional studies. I share in the joy of all.