Story from Raju Ganesh Sunder

It was today in my WhatsApp, I saw a message from Udayan Pathak for writing about my memories of learning with Prof. A V. Ramarao, our Professor and Head of the Department of Metallurgical Engineering in 1983 at VRCE, Nagpur.

I had just joined as a lateral entry transfer from Engineering College to VRCE, Nagpur, and was allotted the Metallurgical Engineering branch. we were joining in the month of early September 1983, since our session at the earlier college was delayed because of the late start to the last session.

My first interaction was with him and I was pleasantly surprised to find an unassuming Prof, who helped me and my three friends who were joining on that day VRCE, we could attend only for that day, since the students had decided on a mass bunk to prepare for the supplementary Examination and me along with my friends could not meet Prof. Ramarao for more than two months, and as a matter of fact, the other three could not rejoin since they had a compartment in their exams only I was the lucky one to sail through.

Prof. Ramarao taught us Physical Metallurgy in the Second Year and Structural Metallurgy in the Final Year, without hesitation I can place it on record to say he was one of the mentors who changed the way to look at any aspect in life leave alone Metallurgy.

When I look back and remember the way, Prof. Ramarao handled the day to day affairs with ease and grace I also just want to do the same. Since I am also a Professor at a university even though by chance, but loving it as time passes on.

Some remembrances like not giving the internal exam in the second year, since I had joined late and was all at sea in understanding the subject, went for the absentee viva and was spared since sailed through with marks which were more than expected. By the time I came into the final year, I was well accustomed to Prof Ramamrao and he also knew me well. The benefit I got was arranging reservations for external examiners since my father was one of the top railway officials at Nagpur, I used to get a fair bit of leverage to leave early to get the reservations done.

I enjoyed my days in VRCE under the tutelage of Prof. Ramarao.