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not study Maths in intermediate class I was not eligible for a
degree in Chemistry as a Main subject.

The question was which subject in the main stream was to be
subject of my specialization had pitched my sight on subjects
which would fetch me degree within shortest time.As against
two years each for Bachelors degree and Masters I went in for
the 3 year Honors degree course in Geology. On the basis of
marks obtained by me in the Intermediate Examination and low

income level of my father I was found eligible for Poverty-cum-
merit scholarship. Thus I was able to pursue my study free of
term fees .We were only a compact group of 12 students of
which 4 students were drawn from promotion from B.Sc level.
The course entailed field work comprising map reading, doing
contour survey of the nearby hills and study tour of sites rich in
fossils and minerals and ores like Chaibasa Jamshedpur in
Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. In the third and final year I rose by
dint of hard work to a level where my other equally industrious
colleagues but hailing from richer family background were
eager to do joint study for which they came all the way from
Mylapore seeking me at my house in Mint locality! My mother
was not found wanting in hospitality and served the study team
with hot puris and potato curry!

It was thoroughly satisfying to me that I along with one more
friend from George Town cleared the Honors Examination with
First class in the final Honors examination leaving the rest of
the class with second class. Encouraged by my academic
potential my father just then due for retirement in 1960 advised
me to go for M.Tech in IIT Kharagpur to pursue Geophysics.
But I was clear in my mind it was time for my father to retire
from work and take well earned rest after serving the
Government for over 30 years. But my father motivated me to
seek admission in Kharagpur and God wiling I might succeed
in getting scholarship which will ease to an extent financial
burden. My father accompanied me to Central Station to see me
off by Howrah Mail. Luckily for me the IIT authorities offered

to consider my request for financial support provided I
completed the first term by paying fees. When I expressed

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