This year, I loved the speed of my life. Ambition went on a high gear. Life was crazily busy, and I loved every moment of it. Work was intoxicating. Planning and execution of tasks gave me an adrenaline rush. Energy levels were through the roof. Saalaa Duniya Jeetna hain! Asserting myself was fun : one victory lead to another. Opportunities multiplied as they were seized. Chalte chalte raaste aasaan hote gaye. Mental blocks were smashed one by one. (In the hindsight, I wonder why did those blocks even exist!). Every morning, I woke up smiling at the prospect of going to work. Not every day was equally productive. But every month was. Dheere Dheere sab kuchh theek hone laga.
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January 2019
Settled down in a big 3BHK top floor apartment in the IIT Kharagpur campus. Upgraded my home with new furniture and upholstery. The house offers a 270 degree view of lush greenery. It overlooks the main road from the residential area towards the institute.
Manuscript accepted for publication in Journal of Vibration and Acoustics (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) : Y. Verma, N. Datta, R. K. Praharaj, “A semi-analytical vibration analysis of partially wet square cantilever plate with numerical and experimental verification : partially wet modeshapes”.
Travel to IIT Madras, for project presentation to Naval Research Board (NRB), Hydro-Vibro-Acoustics (HVA) panel. Project title : "Mathematical tool
development for propeller blade vibration and hydroelastic analysis". Interaction with the Panel Head Prof. S.K. Bhattacharyya and other panel members.
Visit to National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai. Interaction with Dr. R. Venkatesan.
Restarted working out after 4 months.
Visit to Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam for inputs to the NRB project : interacted with scientists like Dr. V. Ganeshkumar, Dr. G.Ravi Kumar, Dr. M.Padmanabhan, Dr. Nageshwar Rao.
Manuscript accepted for publication in Elsevier Journal Applied Ocean Research (Impact Factor 1.95) : Joseph D Thekinen and N.Datta, "Rayleigh-Ritz method-based analysis of dry coupled horizontal-torsional-warping vibration of rectelliptic open-section containership hulls".
February 2019
Restarted weight-training. Improved sleep quality and energy levels. A gap of 5 months had reduced my muscle strength to half!
Home up-gradation : new furniture, upholstery, decor.
March 2019
PhD Defense Seminar of Research Scholar Mr. Yogesh Verma. External Examiner : Prof. Suhail Ahmad, IIT Delhi, Applied Mechanics.
New UG Project student Mr. Athrey Ranjith Krishnanunni started working on "Free vibration of wind turbine blade modeled as a tapered twisted cantilever beam with aerofoil
cross-section and varying twist angle."April 2019
Final version of NRB proposal submitted. Met Prof. Dhrubajyoti Sen (Civil Engineering).
May 2019
Hosted Prof. G. Pohit, Jadavpur University, Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Hosted Prof. G. Pohit, Jadavpur University, Department of Mechanical Engineering.
June 2019
Vacation with family. Visit to Jadavpur University, Kolkta; Department of Architecture.
TEQIP-III Sponsored Seminar on "Offshore Wind Turbines and Supporting Structures", Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology (NIT), Jamshedpur, June 2019 : special thanks to old-acquaintance Prof. S. Madhuri for hosting me.
Vacation on Bengal coastline : 4-day road trip.
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Decided never to teach again. End of this facade!
July 2019
Began working with Prof. Dhrubajyoti Sen, Dept. of Civil Engineering, IIT KGP on "Design and Fabrication of in-campus concentrator augmented horizontal axis wind turbine".
New B.Tech Project (BTP) students : Mr. Diwakar Swaroop, Mr. Hrushikesh S. Chambhare.
Concept Design approved by a group of Subject Matter Experts :
- Prof. N. K. Kishore (EE , IIT KGP) : Power systems (generation, transmission, storage, synchronization, insulation)
- Prof. Debaprasad Kastha (EE , IIT KGP) : Wind Energy, Electrical Systems
- Prof. Chetan S. Mistry (AE , IIT KGP) : Blade Aerodynamics
- Prof. Parama Barai (VGSOM , IIT KGP) : Business plan and Market analysis
August 2019
Site inspection
Weather Data Analysis.
Preliminary Design.
Composite material sample fabrication.
Machinery Selection.
September 2019
Composite material sample testing in the Dept. of Metallurgical and Materials Engg. (Courtesy : Prof. Debalay Chakraborty)
Basic Design of the on-campus wind turbine.
- Prof. Mohd. Rabius Sunny (AE/OE&NA, IIT KGP) : Composites
- Prof. Vikranth Racherla (ME , IIT KGP) : Mechanical design (Bearings, Drive Train)
Micro-siting of the proposed wind-turbine completed.
Mr. J.S.Rao, Executive Engineer, Civil Works Section, consulted.
Component Design : Concentrator, Nacelle, Blade, Drive Train, Bed plate, Base plate,Tower.
Design Lab for 5th year Dual Degree students : Product Development Projects
- Water turbine generator
- Cow-milking machine
- Biogas plant
- Low-cost jute-based sanitary pad
- Rainwater harvesting system
- Solar powered snake repellent
- Bicycle broom
- Solar-powered grass-cutting machine
Blade structural design progress.
Additional Subject Matter Experts consulted :
- Prof. Prasun Jana (AE, IIT KGP) : Blades Strength
- Prof. Amit Shaw (CE, IIT KGP) : Foundation
Mr. V.K. Srivastava, Chief Engineer, Civil Works Department, gives the go-ahead for the installation.
Learnt to make momos.
November 2019
New student, Mr. Soumya Kanta Rana (Dept. of Electrical Engineering) joins the team.
Abstract submitted to OMAE2020
Additional Subject Matter Experts consulted :
- Prof. A. K. Pradhan (EE, IITKGP) : Relays
- Prof. S. Pramanik (EE, IITKGP) : High Voltage
Site inspection : stay-wires, earthing strip, grid-connection.
Bill of material preparation : Budget stands at INR 3,00,000/-
Visit of Sister and Brother-in-law.
December 2019
Abstracts submitted to ICSV27.
Cost estimates and budgeting.
Job-sequencing and Operations Research.
Electrical Works Department Consulted.
Data-logging work begins.
Bio-gas plant concept design in Prembazar Dairy with new student, Mr. Abhas Sarkar : Consultation with Prof. B.C. Meikap and Prof. D.D. Kar, Department of Chemical Engineering.
Manuscript accepted for publication in Journal of Vibration and Acoustics (Impact factor 1.9), published by ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) : R.K. Praharaj, N.Datta, M.R.Sunny, "Dynamic response of fractionally damped viscoelastic plates subjected to a moving point load". Nothing succeeds like success.
Family vacation at Gangani ravines on the banks of Shilavati river, on the occasion of parents' 47th anniversary.
Manuscript accepted for publication in Journal of Vibration and Acoustics (Impact factor 1.9), published by ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) : R.K. Praharaj, N.Datta, M.R.Sunny, "Dynamic response of fractionally damped viscoelastic plates subjected to a moving point load". Nothing succeeds like success.
Family vacation at Gangani ravines on the banks of Shilavati river, on the occasion of parents' 47th anniversary.
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Year Summary (extracts from the 2019 diary)
Made many offenders apologize and stay out of my way (even senior retired professors who have taught me!). The axe fell on one a****** after another. Started (immediately) calling out people on fargiyappa. Beat the shit out of anyone trying to cause trouble. Bashed all morons one by one. Simply threw out the crap! All trash was purged, like forever! With sturdy solid presence, sharp voice, strong swift gait, a body language radiating positivity and action, and electrifying energy, I vacuumed off all dust particles into oblivion.
Mediocrity fears talent and tries to deny its existence. It tries to attract more mediocrity to feel safe.
A big problem in the Indian Psyche is a combination of low self-esteem and lack of ambition. There are too many change-resistant status-quo-ers. Even if they are ambitious, they are not ready to work hard, invest time and efforts, and hold patience. Planning and time-management skills suck! There are very few self-starters. Rest are waiting to take orders. They avoid being at the helm, at the driver's seat. Mental laziness is rampant. People are just running on inertia!
I am not sighing (when I write the above para). I am making my own plans!
Down with socialism! One can help someone else only after one has helped oneself. To hell with moral science! Everyone has to pull their own weight. Every single person needs to contribute their man-hours and create wealth for running the nation, then pay taxes for building the nation, and then seek to participate in the decision-making process of the nation.
Do NOT count on anyone. Do not wait for anyone. If someone had to impress you, they would had done it long ago. Stop waiting indefinitely for good things to happen. Do better things yourself.
Be brave and take the plunge. Stop playing it safe. Live life more deliberately. Go for the best. Be excellent. Be a firebrand. Sweep like a devastating tsunami. Strike like a lightning. Go for the extreme. Success means money, power, fame, happiness. Be true to your own talent and consolidate it. Excellence rarely faces competition. Arjuna had to worry only about Karna : he could toy with the rest.
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Decided to play my own game of life. The world is a market place : as simple as that. You have to make money : otherwise others will hire you to make their own money. The only money-maker is an idea, and its strategic implementation. Engineering is only a small part in the process.
Goodbye Saraswati, Welcome Lakshmi.
Fallen in love with life......All over again!
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P.S. An old professor once told me that because I am a female, life will never be a level-playing field. Yup! I created a mountain in the same field. Wanna play now?
