Adventures of a research scholar - I

This happened when I was a research scholar, several years back. I was on vacation in my hometown. Not much of a town, really, but a very beautiful village. I was enjoying the village panorama, forgetting the progress of my research work for a while.

I came across Mr. Menon, a well-respected elderly gentleman of our locality. He was pleased to meet me. " Hello, my dear young man, How are you? Haven't seen you for a long time; where are you employed now?" I grimly confessed that I was not yet employed.

He was surprised. "What ? You were always a very bright student and we all thought you will get a well-paying job easily!" "I am still studying", I said apologetically.

Mr. Menon was surprised even more."Still studying? At this age? Where, anyway ?" he asked. "IIT Madras", I said proudly. The pride disappeared instantaneously as he replied: "ITI ? But why Madras? Here there is an ITI at Trichur itself!" I had a tough time explaining the difference.The he wanted to know what degree, I would be getting. "Ph.D.", I explained :"Doctorate"

"That is very good", Mr. Menon said happily, "You should open a clinic in our village; I shall help you with the finances.It took me some time to convince him that even after my doctorate, I won't be able to cure even the slightest head-ache! I explained that I was doing research in Physics, optics and lasers.

Mr. Menon was not at all happy. " Lasers, missiles and atom bombs! That is all what scientists think of! You people have made our beautiful planet almost uninhabitable! Well; what have you discovered so far? , he asked.

I was prepared with a little speech: " You know, crystals of alkali halides, I mean, for example, common salt, have interesting properties. I add various defects to it, you know, impurities, color centers, so that it turns laser-active ……………" . The look of bewilderment on the face of Mr. Menon urged me to stop right there. Perhaps he could digest only salt and not the idea of adding impurities and defects to it; much worse, the idea of the common salt at his lunch table suddenly turning laser-active! It has indeed to be taken with a pinch of salt literally, you see!

I was feeling embarrassed at my speech on color center lasers and in the at general turn our conversation was taking. Fortunately someone came looking for Mr. Menon and hence this adventure came to a welcome stop.

Click here for Adventure II