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First few days at RGCB as SRF!

It was 24th December I believe! I just saw the details of the Indian Academy of Fellowship only a week before the last date. I decided to apply for it and just applied in a hurry actually, yes, it was really a hurry! I was done with everything and sent the application.

I was waiting for the release of selected list of candidates from the first of March. They updated the selection list everyday but my name was not on the list till 25th of March! I used to go to the IAS website everyday and check the list, but, my name was not there in the selected list of candidates. I lost all my hope and decided that I won't get selected. But, it happened! I received a mail from the Academy after 25th of March! I was happy to the core, jumping up and down. Because, I was never out of my town from my child hood all alone. And, this fellowship was something really precious for me!

I believed that this would change my destiny to a better place! I was happy till my father said "no" to this. He was really afraid to send me out of my town! Yes, people in our town find it difficult to end their daughters for work or studies. But, I managed to convince my dad and he accepted to allow me to take up my fellowship.

And, the next problem after convincing my dad was, "when to join for the fellowship?" After lots of confusions, finally joined at Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram which was allotted as a centre for my fellowship on 4th June.

And, this is the first time for me, away from home! That too, in another state where I don't know the language. I got accommodation in the Centre's hostel. My room mate, she is a Dehradun and I'm really enjoying her company.

IAS
In the centre, I got placed in Cancer Research Department and now I'm working on Tongue cancer. Cancer Research became my dream when I gained interest in molecular biology. And now, my dream is getting true!

You'll feel great when your dream is coming true and I'm feeling it now, right now! For many people this might sound a bit exaggerated, but, really only I can feel how much this is important for me! And, really I can feel the value of this opportunity.

This research experience will surely help me to get into a University for my graduation. And to the people who want to join RGCB, this is an awesome place, you can very well join here for better research experience! I recommend RGCB for getting Summer training.

In RGCB they provide accommodation for the fellows inside the campus in their hostel which is useful for the students from other states/ places.

The normal lab timing is from 9.30 a.m to 5.30 p.m. And students do research even late nights which shows their ultimate interest. People here are dedicated!

Learning many things apart from the academics, which will be very useful for the rest of my life. It is very safe in here and the place is really "God's own Country". People here are very friendly, smiling and caring, so that getting acquainted with the new environment becomes very easy!

Finally, I'm feeling free and independent for the first time in my life with a complete satisfaction of what I'm doing right now!

Want the IAS fellowship? Read "this" and apply next year! My Best wishes!

[ I did write this post as it might motivate someone or can serve as a piece of information who want to know about the SRF experience at RGCB]

Comments

  1. Congrats.. You will reach heights.. My best wishes..

    ReplyDelete
  2. I will be finishing phd in alternative fuels next year! Chanced upon you blog through indiblogger awards and recommended your blog! Appreciate your motivation to have started a blog on the lab techniques, which I have almost lost at the end of three and half years of Phd, therefore taking up scientific writing! Wish you a bright future! Best, Rinzu Rajan!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. :) Thanks a lot for your appreciation, Ms. Rinzu Rajan.

      Delete
  3. Congrats Kanmani Rajan. I think a bit too late. I was awarded the same IAS SRF in 2009. I would say my M.Sc dissertation in CCMB, Hyderabad and summer training IISc, Bangalore (through IAS SRF) helped my career in a big way. I got a Junior research fellow position under one of the best Professors in India. Now I am here in Canada doing PhD. I hope it is for you too the beginning of something special to come.
    Best,
    Paul Pown Raj

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much :) Yes, I'm also trying to achieve something special, let's see :)

      Delete

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