Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

Two years…even four years of campus life is not sufficient to enjoy life at IIT Bombay.” This statement from the seniors often surprises new entrants on the campus. They often wonder how can one not get bored of living at the same place place for four years at a stretch. But once the new students are on the campus, they understand the sentiment really well. The very first step taken inside the campus gives students a different but a special warmth. The first thing that might catch stduents’ eyes is the serene greenery in the campus, spanning what seems to be miles. As one progresses, once can see how the people living  on campus had created an entirely new world of their own. The campus contains anything and everything one can think of right from from canteens, stationery shops, swimming pools and recreational centres, to a banks, a hospital, a gym, a temple and of course, who can forget, Powai Lake!
The campus contains 12 boys’ hostels and two girls hostels each having its own canteen, mess, computer room, TV room, music room and a gym. Sometimes, stduents complain about being allotted hostel rooms on higher floors, since it always takes more time to get down. However, once they are settled in the room, they realise that the height is a blessing in disguise. What first seems to be a problem with the floor, turns out to be the one of the best possible things, when one looks out of the window. Some of these rooms have a spectacular view of the city that ral estate developers will charge a bomb for, and the student here gets it as an addition to the coveted IIT degree! One can see the entire campus along with the Powai Lake and skyscrapers of Mumbai from some of the windows Many have descibed it as “a divine painting which someone painted on the window.”
There is hardly a chance that anyone who witnesses such a view is not enthralled by it, or even mesmerised. It makes one go down right away to Powai Lake and spend an evening there. If you are lucky, you will be welcomed by a flock of swans adding to the ethereal beauty. As the seniors mentioned often, one day was not enough to explore the entire campus, you need much more than that. Many students say that in the initial days, they are so overwhelmed with the idea of exploring one of the best campuses in India, that there is little else they can think of. Add to that the already existing excitement of actually making it to IIT Bombay! Usually, for a few days, stduents get engaged with the learning and exploring processes at the institute.
In fact, in the year that this writer enetered the institute, understanding the importance of fun besides studies, the seniors planned a treasure hunt for the students of that batch. That day turned out to be the best day till date of many of our lives at IIT Bombay. The treasure hunt began with a clue leading to the famous Devi temple in the campus. After taking the blessings from the temple, participants went in search of the next clue which brought them to the hospital in the campus. The hospital contained all the facilities required by any patient and catered to all their needs. The next clue led the participants to the E-cell known for its entrepreneurial initiatives. It went on to the infinity corridor within the campus. While moving inside it, students figured where its name comes from – while standing in the corridor, its ends are invisible, it actually seems to be located at infinity! Needless to say, students went on to discover much more during the hunt. What added to the fun was the rain, which gives the campus a look of Utopia.
What fascinates most students is the fact that IIT Bombay is not just about the places mentioned earlier. It is about finding something new every time you think that you are done with the entire campus. This writer is still on the way, discovering the campus. Next on the list are the famous Sameer Hills and the architectural wonder – The Cone. There is still a lot more waiting to be discovered. As the people say even four years of campus life is not sufficient to enjoy life at IIT Bombay – wishful  thinking can only lead to believing that these years transform into an unending journey … full of life!

The site chosen at Powai was 18 miles from the city at that time. It had an area of 550 acres and was given by the then Bombay State Government. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone at Powai on March 10, 1959.

Volume 1 Issue 6