Alumni Speaks

Four years of glorious Engineering times at VESIT were memorable in building STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Maths), career, friends, close relationship with Professors, self discipline, punctuality, participating at sports, cultural events, organizing events & spending times at Pink corner. 1991 Class of Instrumentation was the first batch of New Syllabus on Instrumentation - so timely availability of text books was a challenge, this helped use to extensively use reference books & prepare notes on every subject, thus cultivating a habit of learning deeper into the subject.

I joined VESIT in the second year of engineering as I was a diploma student. Since I lived in Borivali, which is a long way from Chembur, I decided to shift into the hostel here, which was new and exciting because I was living away from home for the first time. My only goal was learning so I was really absorbed into learning a lot of stuff. Though it was quite academically oriented, luckily I used to score well. Later on, after third year I got more involved in ISTE That's when ISTE was formed. A batch senior to us started ISTE and then we took over. Since there were many responsibilities, I happened to be the ISTE secretary and the treasurer. I was also very much involved in class activities as I was the C.R. and Placement coordinator. At the same time, I was also absorbed into learning and doing projects.

It was a pretty happening all around. VESIT is like that always. I liked Computer Architecture as a subject which was taught to us by Abhay Shirsagar Sir. I liked the concept and technicality of it, so, loved to learn it and Shirsagar Sir made it so easy for us. We really admired him. As for my favourite teacher, Sharmila Sengupta Ma’am was our class teacher in D16 Final year. And the best communicator and teacher I have known is Nagananda Sir. He has taught what is most important, that is, interpersonal skills. I have been talking to people not just in the U.S, but also in countries like Germany and Australia who are learning engineering and found that they struggle with presentation skills. I feel like it was easy for us because of him. Hardik Sir came in as a young teacher so he was very close to us. There are a lot of teachers to name as my favourites.

Life at VESIT (EXTC 2006 - 2010) has been an unforgettable experience. The time spent in classes and labs, the teachers, the canteen, friends, and meeting my future spouse Dhairya for the first time right there on campus! Traveling in the Thane local train every morning, and using the lame but successful excuse 'trains are late' on being late for the 1st lecture! I was extensively involved in the Sphurti sports (Table Tennis and Cricket) and played at some inter-university TT tournaments as a part of the VESIT team. The Cultural Festival Utsav was memorable, especially the day we won the coveted group dance trophy in our final year! I still think about the dreaded Semester exam time and the excitement at the tiny notice board in the quadrangle during results.

Make the best of your college days! You will definitely miss these days later in life so make friends, try new things, study hard, try to find your calling, and remember that exam results are just a means to something much bigger in life!

"Life at VESIT helped me to grow as a person. It was filled with lots of great experiences in almost every aspect of life. It helped me to indulge in every opportunity that was presented by the college, be it Sports, Cultural Activities, Event Management, Projects or Studies. VESIT believes not only in Studies but also helps students grow through other aspect of life. It has a great Placement Committee, a wonderful Cultural Program, many initiatives to take up various Projects and Sphurti to showcase the sports talent in each one of the student. These thing helps a student to grow as a person and it gives more exposure to interact with other students in the college from different streams". - Balakrishnan V, Batch of 2012-2015.

My college life was not extraordinary or special. It was the days of having carefree fun, but it also was a time that I value a lot. I learnt many things and build a network of friends for life. My advice to you is to make the most of this time here. College days are truly the best days of your life.

Keep learning, work hard, and always stay curious. The constant quest to understand what's happening around you will make you more innovative and creative as a person, and that in the long run will make all the difference.

VESIT for me has been an amazing journey. I was very skeptical in the beginning, but looking back I realise that VESIT has played an integral part in shaping me as a person I am today. The individuals I met at VESIT made the journey a memorable one. I have had the privilege of working with some of the finest people. Organizing the society events and college festivals with them will always be something I cherish. They have instilled in me a sense of direction and have inspired me to never settle or compromise for anything less, be it personally or professionally.

I joined VESIT in the year 1991 and I specialized in Computer Science. In the beginning, I had a major complex due to a large bunch of super intellectuals in my class that made me look very ordinary -but, which also got to me invest more time and effort towards achieving higher grades. I wasn't really a sports person nor was I the most social. But as we progressed towards the 4th year, I started representing VESIT in intercollegiate festivals - once stood 2nd or 3rd in some of these intercollegiate events and that really helped to open my outlook towards life beyond the 4 walls of your own campus.

My college life was focused more on academics though I was active in sports too. The goal was to learn and get good marks which would help in getting a good job or good college for further studies. Being inclined in sports, I participated in college table tennis tournaments from 2nd year and was part of the winning team for 3 years, not just within the college but also external tournaments like inter-engineering. Website development was a fad amongst us those early days of internet. I had built one of my own, not realizing that will help me a lot one day. Though we had good campus jobs in hand, it was tough time immediately after college as companies were not ready to on board us due to dotcom bust.

Keep abreast of industry trends. Explore areas outside of studies and academics. Have a positive attitude, that creates a big difference, never be let down by failures, each failure gives a valuable experience which makes you stronger to deal with similar situations in future. "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going".

For me journey at VESIT was interesting as I jumped into Computer Engineering without any prior knowledge of such technology. I applied for the course and as I had secured the 62nd ranked in Maharashtra and I got through. I started from zero level: the first semester was tough, but from the second semester I adjusted well academically. I was fairly good academically. Then I was elected the CR and continued my tenure for the next 4 years. I connected well with everyone. Every memory still remains fresh with me. Even today, I may probably be successful in recounting the roll no wise details of my classmates.

You guys are at best place and have the best resources and guidance available. I would only request you all to be flexible in your choice and approach, don’t be dogmatic about particular things. Explore everything. All the best to you all!!

This was probably the best part of my learning journey. The college had just received affiliation from Mumbai University, everything felt rejuvenated. It was like a startup environment, we as students were getting used to the college whereas the staff was settling in. I would spend the full day in college between classes, canteen, and library. Even today when I meet up with my batch mates, we talk endlessly about our days in VESIT....the vada pav at our canteen, our industrial tour, our professors and we could go on and on… So much that our spouses can now talk about it as if they were part of it. (Well some of them were...)

The world is rapidly changing and in order to remain relevant in this fast world, you must be a student for life, keep learning, and reskilling yourself as you progress in your career. Wish you all the very best in life.

My college life at VESIT was very interesting but as it is said, "hindsight is 20/20" and there were a plethora of things I wanted to do during my journey that I repent not doing. I could have taken more risks and could have explored a lot more avenues to satisfy my curious urge. While I try to follow the same paradigm now, it does get harder as time passes. My tip for you is to not hold yourself back in asking the tough questions or trying out things you always wanted to. Everything you do in VESIT is a piece of a puzzle that fits perfectly in its place to form the bigger picture!

Once you realize that you are already the crème de la crème of the technology fraternity having got admission into VESIT, life should get a lot easier. So relax, enjoy your time in college and you focus should be on finding your North Star for now – more like a short term goal. As you keep achieving your stars, your North Star keeps moving and that is what life is all about. You should set yourself lofty yet practical goals, innovate, keep learning and always be inquisitive about what is going on elsewhere in the world. Today, usage of engineering techniques are not all about coding or programming but solving numerous needs and challenges in every single aspect of our life. There is a lot more such challenges out there and we need people like you to solve them. Stay thirsty! All the best to all of you! I hope you all excel in whatever you choose to do.

VESIT was the time of life where I had the greatest fun, while struggling with assignments and exams. While VESIT was one of the sternest and disciplined institution back in those days, we always found ways to enjoy ourselves. I met the most amazing people and till date the friends I had in that small Quadrangle in the old Engineering building remain my best friends.

Life in Computer Engineering was very exciting as we were witnessing massive technology revolution. Early 1990s was the time when internet started popping up in Indian homes by few early providers like MTNL & VSNL. Also the time when pagers were picking up which are almost obsolete now a days. During our time, other colleges in Mumbai were having poor labs and infrastructure and we used to feel lucky ones being in VESIT. VESIT had great computer, electronics, instrumentation, chemical, workshop labs and library. VESIT also had a huge campus with gym, canteen and soccer ground which very few colleges in Mumbai had during that era. Our college was well known for its reputed professors, cleanliness, discipline & participation at various forums & sports.

Don’t stop learning after you graduate. Adopt professionalism quickly in your first job and come out from college culture ASAP. Figure out where you can add value at work and what all things you need to learn to be more effective and productive at work place. Take initiatives and work on that. Adopt practice of delivering more than what you get paid for. Spend some time in building network of people too. Keep open mindedness but same time stay away from herd mentality. Lastly remember, God has plan for every one’s life including you. He will put you where you will be needed most.

My college life had an interesting mix of academics and extra-curriculars that I would devote time towards and prioritize at different times of the year. The start of the initial academic years was dominated with reflecting upon the previous year and planning for the next one that would include independent research and interactions with faculty, classmates and seniors as well. However, the last year also included the very important decision to be made around what I really wanted to do in my career since the year I was graduating in wasn’t particularly great from a placements season record and also due to the rapidly changing scenario of the industry and demand for skilled professionals beyond engineering degrees. In addition, I would always stay abreast of activities and events being organized by the college and university around topics that were of interest and relevance to me, enroll myself and participate in technical events being organized by various groups and associations that would provide a good perspective on industry trends and allow real time application of concepts learnt inside the classroom. Lastly, I would also want to mention that I was a regular participant in inter and intra college cultural festivals and annual day events, which used to be a good way to showcase my talent in music and pursue my interests outside academics.

Stay informed and aware of what is current and will be in demand in the global marketplace, make best use of the time and resources available to you over the years of your academic life, explore diverse opportunities beyond regular academics and build a strong association with the institute and the alumni network. To summarize, remain positive and focused towards your professional and personal goals staying alert to the bigger picture of the organizations, industries and societies that you eventually choose to be a part of!!!

College life was very hectic, with lectures starting at 8.30 in the morning. I used to take the BEST bus to Chembur. The journey time was around 30 minutes back then, but in today’s traffic it would probably take more than an hour. We all dreaded Engineering Mechanics, which was a tough subject. The results from the University of Mumbai would take six months to be announced, so that was a stressful period for us. While classes were challenging, it was also a bonding time with my batch mates. By the time I reached my final year, I had a group of close friends. I am proud to say I am still in touch with many of them, both socially and professionally. One of them is my line manager today!

Think differently and add value to what you are doing. Start figuring out what exactly you are looking for in the future. That will make it easier for you to make decisions after leaving college.

College life at VESIT had two dimensions; educational and personal. On the educational side, I was part of the second batch after the college started. (Yes, I am old!). We had some really exceptional teachers, but we did face some challenges that come with being a student in a new college. We had to help ourselves, but that did make us more independent. I fell in love with computing during my time at VESIT and it became my career. The most unique thing about VESIT then was: extracurricular activities were very controlled. I still chuckle when I think of the rule that we could not use words like 'Pyaar' and 'Zulf' in the annual events. One the personal side, I met some very smart classmates at VESIT that were good human beings as well. They helped me become what I am and my friendship with them continues to this day.

If I was addressing my own former self, I would give the following message: You are capable of making a difference in this world. It is not about doing great things, it is about doing even small things in a great way. You are your own limit. So here are some things to consider. Expand your vision beyond a job or career. In what way would you like to make a difference in this world? In what way would you like to be a positive con tributor to the community, nation and world? What can you do that is related uniquely to your talents and abilities? How will you give back to your family, community and country? What can you do to set an example for others? What will make others look at you and say, 'That is the way a positive person lives'. Last but not least, the V in VESIT stands for Vivekananda, the person who never understood the word 'not possible'. Read about him, read what he wrote and read how he lived. And then, try to live it. That is the best thing you can do for yourself and your college!

College days were perhaps the best years of our Academics. In school days there was always this competition of doing better than others, getting a rank, but in college the only aim was to pass! Not to get ATKT! But our college was strict and we were groomed under the strict discipline of Saxena Ma’am and it has paid off in our later life. I enjoyed wining at college athletics and was the captain of Basketball team.

Keep the enthusiasm bubbling in your heart and never get pulled down by setbacks. Take learning from the mistakes committed and move ahead in life. God has given you so much that you are studying in such a prestigious Engineering college. Sometimes stop and take a look at other people in society who are not so privileged and give them a helping hand. See how you can do more and more for the people around you, for the nature around you and if everyone does that the world will automatically become a better place to live in!

Walking down the memory lane, thinking about college days gives a nostalgic feeling specially because I have spent six years in VESIT campus having done my diploma course also from Vivekanand (VESP). College life was quite exciting studies, friends, lectures, bonding, the entire atmosphere is unforgettable. Instrumentation Class was known to be one of the best groups of our batch. Our teachers knew most of us by our names. Our class participated in all the possible extracurricular activities whether it was Spurti or Utsav. On the Academic front, performance of our class was quite good. Every single moment spent in that college is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. And, the fact that I found some great friends for life during my college days ( Diploma and degree), is something I am grateful for and value.

Today’s engineer works is changing at an enormous rate. Many of these changes are unsettling and will surely change our profession in a profound way. For example, computers and other forms of automation and software’s are replacing much of the effort we engineers have supplied in the past, commoditizing our business and leaving us wondering what our future roles will be. At the same time, “YOU” the new generation of engineers who have the vision and ambition to play a much more impactful role in making the world a better place. As new generation of engineers you must be able to accept problems of uncertainty and, most importantly, help others, understand uncertainty and make good decisions in the face of it. Balancing risk and reward among project team members is an important strategy for providing value through innovation. There is no gain without pain.

"The teachers are very helpful. For any queries you have, you can reach out to any teacher, at any time, they are always ready to help you. You can see this in very few colleges. VESIT is also one of the most disciplined colleges I have seen. Implement what you are learning. Don’t just blindly follow what you are being taught, try to understand it, and share your knowledge with others. That will help you improve".

Sudarshan Shinde, Batch 2014-2017.

"Ever since my first day at VESIT, I knew my stay here was going to be something special. This place has taught me invaluable lessons. Whatever VESIT gives you can’t get it anywhere else. I like risks and challenges. Entrepreneurship was my only choice. I never thought of getting a job because it would not have helped me with what I am trying to achieve.

VESIT is the best place to develop yourself both academically and in extracurricular activities. I was lucky to be part of great teams in many events like team Conquerors and my VPL cricket team".