Yep...thats exactly how it was mentioned in the news. "BITS Pilani Hyderabad" now thats a major syntax error. Wasn't it supposed to be called BITS Hyderabad? Oh well, mere mortals like our politicians would not understand that notion, I guess.
Anyways, there was an interesting statistic that was revealed in that Press Conference attended by our CM, YSR and BITS chairman. Apparently, 42% of students that attend BITS every year come from AP...now thats a mammoth number. Thanks to our Intermediate/12th class totals, getting a 900+ score out of 1000 is a pretty normal task to the students coming from various Residential colleges from AP. They are treated as if they were a cow heard. They wake up at 4:00 AM, to a whistle blown through the corridors of the resident halls, and are subject to the grind, that students from US or Europe cannot even think about. Approximately 13 hours of brutal imposing of knowledge in Science/Math. They are made ready for the outside world ! If the students flunk in EAMCET or IIT...their option is to go to...tada ! BITS Pilani !
And now, they dont need to go that far off traveling for 1.5 days to Pilani. Board the AP Express to reach Delhi, and then take a Bus to go Pilani...en route...the picturesque Rajasthan beckons! Barren desert lands, with bright red dust... the route takes you through, Rothak, Singhani, Biwani and finally Pilani !
Students now get a chance to deprive themselves of the glorious experiences @Pilani...they can now be at home and be a BITS grad. The new complex is proposed to built at some gifted site near Shameerpet. Yes, probably close to the lake...to make it green and cozy just like the tree-lined beautiful complex in Pilani. With peacocks running across the road, a fabulous Library and Saraswati Temple... those resident hostels named after the leaders of our nation....Pilani is hard to replicate anywhere, including the glorious Hyderabad, but am sure they will get there to a little extent atleast.
Thanks to Pavan (my cousin), I had the oppurtunity to see and experience Pilani for the most part, when we made a family visit to the campus. The stricking thing I remember was Rajasthani Biriyani served once a week, which was garnished with Cherries. Ofcourse, I could not make it to their signature fete...aptly named OASIS !
Nevertheless, BITS Hyderabad is truely a welcome message to the AP students. There is hardly anyone, who did not interface with a BITS alum, in their professional life. Thanks to the regiment and rigor of their curriculum, they definitely get the kids ready to attack their career paths with vigor and zeal.
Welcome to Hyderabad BITS !
