Summer Internship with Dr. Vinay Gupta – Divya Aggarwal from University of Delhi
Divya Aggarwal did not lose her hope even after quite many disappointments and her phase of internship hunt was finally successful. Divya is a Science student in University of Dehi and she interned under Dr. Vinay Gupta in the campus of DU. Read on to explore her story of internship-hunt.
June first, I was in desperate need of an internship. Searched everywhere, but there was always the same story that either I was too late to apply or was not eligible for it. Finally, when I applied in some of the branded research institutes such as IUPAC (Inter-University Accelerator Centre), Homi Bhabha Atomic Centre and many more, I was really sad because I never received any call, as to enter these institutions you have to have an internship experience in advance and then they select you. It is just like one of those stories where you need a driving license for voter card for which again you need ration card and finally you realize that you can’t get any of those.
So here I was, all sad and desperate, when suddenly I saw JRF research fellow assistant required in Delhi University in a employment newspaper. No, I didn’t go for the JRF scholar but it rather clicked an idea into my mind, how about if I go to some senior teacher here only in Delhi University. At that time, I was living as a paying guest and started to search for a teacher who might by any chance need an assistant. What a science student wants is an internship and a certificate, nothing more. So, I was there thinking that from where to bring these, and went to college the next day again. I reached out to each and every teacher who were totally clueless as to what should they say and what not to. I suppose they have never seen an idiot like me (no one must have asked them these question before).
I was, I swear, sad that day and I dragged one of my friends to come with me to search for a teacher in University Of Delhi, Department Of Physics and Astrophysics who will just keep me. I was even ready to clean the office daily if that would lead me to just mention that “Yes! I am a physics student and have done some research work, so that someone will really pick my application form and consider it for a moment next time, so that someone for once will see what a normal average child kid can achieve if someone will just give him/her a little hope. I searched and searched for two days with my friend and finally someone said– “Hey, did you ask Dr. Vinay Gupta? He takes students under him for internships, why don’t you go and try!”
…and I was like, “Where, where does he sit?” We rushed towards his office, midsummer month of June, sun on our head and we literally ran, with hopes in my heart. We reached his office and alas! he was not there. But now I knew, and came back next day, with smile on his face and welcoming eyes, he just asked, “Which college? What are your marks? It is ok. You can come after one week, your exams got over today, enjoy for a week and then come back again after a week.“
The sweetest words to my ears, I smiled after many weeks and that was the day I still remember 26 June 2014. I did the internship for 40 days; those were the best days of my life as a science student. I saw so many cool machines, I am even in love with one of those–plasma laser deposition. You should see it some time, it really is something. I have always wanted to do research, might be because it sounded cool and good, but now I know why I wanted to become a researcher and the difference between the two thoughts is really great. Since the day when I began, now after two months, my achievement says it all.
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