Reunion Reflections

Apporv Saxena

We are the class of 1998.

We are professors, engineers, managers, investors, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, homemakers and between jobs. The world might want to label us by some fancy titles but when we meet, we meet as equals. Not because we should but because we learned it the hard way during our time at IIT. Whether it was fighting for the GC or PAF title, collaborating on MI or TechFest or collectively slogging for the exam on the last day, it didn’t matter what your JEE Rank or CGPA was, what mattered was what you brought to the table. And we learned surviving those years together, that each one of us brought something unique to the table, then and now. And the best way to learn from each other is to treat each other as equals. So we always come together as equals. 

We are now sons, daughters, parents and husband / wife / partners. We worry about taking care of our elderly parents, or raising a special needs child, or dealing with teenager moods at home, or their college admissions or even a messy divorce. We worry about tough financial situations, personal relationships and losing someone close. But we are not afraid to share our worries with each other because deep down we know our buddies will always have our back and be ready with those soothing words - “NBD mat le, sab theek ho jayega”.  

We are generous with each other. Not with our money but more importantly with our time. We are spending time helping each other reviewing resumes, making introductions, exchanging notes on healthy eating and sharing exercise regime. We are now planning vacations and lunch dates together. We are and will stay friends for life. 

We cheer for each other, always. We cheer for the guys who are climbing corporate heights and the guy who is fighting to keep his job. We cheer for and are inspired by those who have gone off-the-beaten path - starting gurukuls, climate change non-profits and social-cause initiatives. We are inspired by those who have completely transformed themselves spiritually. We cheer because deep down we know that the definition of “success” that we had in our 20s have little meaning today. Each one of us finds his/her unique path to success and the real battle is the battle within. We cheer for each other to find inner peace. 

We are the class of 1998, and we don’t take ourselves too seriously, especially when we meet. If we worry in the middle of the night about the watering condition of the H4 ground, we don’t hesitate to relieve ourselves of that duty. Or if it means taking a shirtless photo in front of the Powai lake in the middle of the cold December morning, so be it. We know life is short, and memories like these make it feel a bit longer. 

We are freshies forever. We marked the end of a great freshies tradition and hope we started a new one: getting together at such scale both digitally (digital yearbook) and in person and giving back so generously. We are and intend to remain trail blazers.  

We are the class of 1998, while many might see us as middle-aged men/women at the peak of our life. We hardly feel that way. Deep down we are still singing “Apna time aayega”!

So here’s to the next 25 years….till we meet again!

Nimesh Ranjan (Fingru)

Hey junta.. I took a little longer to decompress from the reunion and wanted to share some personal reflections and gratitude to this amazing group. 

Going in to the reunion I was a little skeptical and even a tad bit afraid of being fully myself. As a few of you with whom I spoke know, my journey has been quite different - "off the beaten path" - and I was not sure how I would fit in. A couple of other reunions (MBA class etc.) had ended up being a chest beating contest from insecure men and I was loath to that scenario.

But this was not just any reunion. I am beyond grateful, actually my chest swells with pride, to belong to this family of friends. You see this group has seen each other when we had nothing (and sometimes were wearing nothing 😝). Today we have gone and achieved amazing things in the world, but that did not cloud how we once were. We were able to connect with each other instantly. 

Each one of us is a better version of ourselves today. We have conquered the corporate ladders, made loads of money, done incredible discoveries in research, built schools and hospitals to give back to the community. We have also parented disabled children, took care of aging parents, lost loved ones and grieved, married for love, fallen out of love, raised children who are better than us, fallen and learned to pick ourselves up and kept walking. I realized that each of us is filthy rich in our own ways and it showed. We were shining with the bright light of love from our journeys that is uniquely us. The reunion was a like a moment when the night landscape is lit with a flash of lightning. Of course our chests are swollen with pride.

What really melted me was not just this, but the humility with which we met each other. I was barely able to meet a handful of you deeply. And in each interaction, I received so much love from you. I felt encouraged for the path I have chosen and your support in many ways. I felt your equal.

Honestly, I was overwhelmed with emotions and wish I had more time to meet more of you, but I know this is just a start. I am making this commitment to reconnect with those I was not able to. I also urge you to do the same. This is a very precious gift we have - deep trust with each other - and I can't wait to see how it blossoms further from here and what fruits we will share with each other and with the rest of the world.

Hui Hou (Hawaiian for - bye until we meet again)