A half asleep glance at the college notice board after an illegal outing the previous night; that is what resulted in the summer research internship at the Center for Civil Society! I feel a giddy pleasure in the eventful outing which buoyed my spirits enough so as to make attend classes the next day and hence, the notice and the researching reality program. As Steve Jobs puts it, ‘hindsight is 6/6. When you look back, all the dots connect.’

So, I submit a few essays, a really long application form and eventually, an interview. The interview deserves a special mention. To have a conversation about the Shawshank Redemption and right wing libertarianism at the same time and put a connect to them was an experience to reminisce about eternally. Touché, Shruti.

Anyhow, I spent a month in Delhi and a month in Pune for the 2 months of the internship. Secondary research in the former and primary in the latter, I had the fortune of being both an intern and an extern. Needless to say, they each had their own charm and well, harm!
Delhi was a blissful joy simply because of the amazing set of co-interns who in a blink of an eye became some of my closest pals yet. Who knew a conversation about mercy killing and moral arguments could create such an unbreakable bond of understanding and cohesive trust. Put a bunch of disagreeing cynics together who love to critically analyze each minute detail of everything they hear and see, well, you get us, the interns for 2007 summer researching reality program! Everyday was not just another work day but a set of pranks, “gtalking” in the room? with each other!! And of course, the elusive squash! The “dabbawala” was a conspicuous figure in our lunch sessions where arbitrary topics such as the “Ladder Theory” were discussed or rather argued upon. That is another silver lining for me. Arguing, we all loved it. We argued about everything we possibly could. Ipso Facto, a brilliant time every day! Subway and Barista in the nearby SDA market added that little bit of spice both metaphorically and literally speaking to those otherwise dreary afternoons where we just wanted to sleep.

A high point of the internship was the Public Policy Retreat ’07. By far one of the most intellectually stimulating sessions I have ever participated in, I truly realized what libertarianism stands for and I am happy to say right wing libertarianism is my mirror soul. Anybody who begs to differ, please call me at +91 99835 25688. I shall be delighted to convince you of the same ?. Gurcharan Das whom I had been lobbying for since a long time came and conquered. True to his reputation, he spoke with spellbinding ability and I finally had the fortune of meeting a person who was positive about India as a superpower (in the near future!) and also believed that population In India was an asset and not a menace! My motto from the session, an argument a day keeps you forever awake!

The second month had its alternate charm. Funnily enough, it was sourced through pure, unadulterated hard work. Day after day, going to government officials and talking to them in a language that was Greek and Latin to me was an experience to laugh about and shall be for a long time to come, a really long time. However, the true essence of the internship came to me when I visited 4 slums to compile a first hand report on the impact of low budget private schools in such areas in Pune. The tenacity required for this task is unfathomable and the patience, inexplicable! But not only did I learn it, but live it, apply it and love it as well. This is what true research is made of. This is what makes you a whole individual, an individual who talks theories backed by reality. As far as I’m concerned, realists talk and idealists do. CCS makes you an idealistic realist.

I want to thank you all at CCS for changing me. A change I shall cherish forever. To renu, thank you for being you?.

P.S: When we meet next, DINNER! :D

From: http://sauravneelpatyal.blogspot.com/