60 yrs of independence

As we get closer to 60 yrs of independence, I just get reminded of how it was when it was 50 yrs of independence. Exactly 10 years back!!

I'd joined Pilani. Life in general was totally different from what it is now. See how technology has evolved! The comforts that we have wasnt anywhere close then. Emails - I didnt even know what an email was in 1997. How it worked, how do i email, was all something new for me. In fact, I was acting like how my dad does today - try and be away from technology and not accept the advantages it has. Still hold by your traditional methods and claim that its still better - in some ways yes it is. Not in speed of delivery. In 1997, letters still took a big portion of my communication gateway. I wrote letters to friends and family, sent them greeting cards. The whole idea of planning postal deliveries in advance was all kept in mind. The email in Pilani was running on something called PINE. I struggled and learnt how to write my first email and how to send it to the guy sitting next to me. As time passed, people got themselves adapted to the email culture and the letter became almost obsolete. Again a type of disruptive technology. From then on, the whole product cycle of the letter has been coming to the Decline Stage.

The other thing was the Telephone. People used to stand in queues in hostels to receive phone calls from parents. Every minute wasted in holding the line for someone to come and talk to their parent was repented and complained about. Weekend queues in our own C'NOT was filled with students trying to call their parents and friends. The words that I can never forget are - "All lines in this route are busy". But now, we have mobile handsets. Another disruption. I wonder what happened to so many STD shops around the campus. I guess they have started selling pre-paid cards and mobile connections. The way a technology changes the lifestyle of a society is so evident in a place like pilani.

Next comes DOPY - department of photogrpahy. One department that used to take all photographs during the festivals in pilani. all we need to do is get ourselves clicked and order the photos through our room numbers. student volunteers in DOPY used to hang around with hifi SLRs and take photos. a private photo studio had a contract to develop photos and deliver them to our rooms. now we have Digital Cameras!!! we take our photos and send them to everyone through email. so what happened to DOPY? It used to be such a favorite department for photography enthusiasts. For others like us, the attraction was that some of the good women on campus used to be in DOPY and they used to get photographs of us. Now people must be devoid of such small pleasures.

When technology brings some tangible benefits into your life, it also takes so much out of your life. You understand that only when you look back.