My Robocon Story

HI,
I would like to share my ROBOCON story with you guys…

the very first time when I saw robocon,it was on DD….don’t know when but IIT Powai was playing that match….n that’s it…for a long time after that, I used to think that Robocon is only made for IITians & only they can make such fancy machines……

As many of you know by now, I completed my diploma in ENTC from MIT….n MIT is the host for ROBOCON every year…..

In 2008 I was in diploma second year n Robocon nationals were held in MIT campus in march 2008..I didn’t know anything before that about 2008 theme, participating teams, didn’t even know that INDIA was the host country for that year…forget all this…I didn’t even know that we are having something like ROBOCON in our own campus….got to know because the parking guy didn’t let me park at my usual place that day saying, loads of people will be coming to our college today to see the competition so pealse co-operate and park outside college….

tab jake mujhe pata chala ke we are having ROBOCON….

So I forgot about my lecture & headed towards the ground where the arena was set up….

but unfortunately there was a huge crowd & the inauguration ceremony was going on…couldn’t see a thing….my friend said lets attend our college n we’ll come back in d noon after our college gets over…didn’t want 2 leave from there but thought she was right & anyways we were not able to see anything so I went for our lecture…but luckily that day our seniors were having a project exhibition so no lectures n no practical…that made my day because I could go & watch Robocon…my friends were not interested in coming so went alone…

(Never wait for someone to go along with you, if you know what ‘YOU’ want then GO FOR IT!!!)………

I went inside & was standing in a line for 10 minutes n after 10 minutes one of the volunteers told me to go n sit down on the carpet right next to the arena…never in my life I have been that enthralled to sit on a carpet ;)…I blessed that sweet volunteer for letting me in…

Sitting there, watching the match, looking at those bloody damn cool robots so closely, being so close to the teams, watching their emotions, their joy, their response to anti cheering, just being there….man I cant tell u in words but that was one of the besteeeeeeest days of my life…I’m smiling from the bottom of my heart right now when m recollecting it….

Attended a friend’s birthday treat and went back to the arena in the evening hoping I could catch some matches again…n I was soooo lucky as d matches were still going on n there was absolutely no crowd…only few people….then there was this match that MIT played & scored a GOVINDA…I was standing right next 2 d team, next to their instructor Prof.SAVITA KULKARNI when they all were jumping with joy…that moment, I was not aware of anything…that moment, I felt as if I’m a part of their team…even I was feeling like dancing looking at them…it was a beautiful moment which I experienced sooooo closely….

Drove back home with a promise to myself of getting up early d next day for d quarter finals, semis n finals….

It was Sunday d next day n I reached on time n so got a nice place to sit…& I was frozen for d next 5-6 hrs…again cant put it in words but that was ‘lay bhari’….I mean, with every matche d Robocon spirit was burning inside me too….

During lunch break, came home, had lunch but got late this time & there was this freaky crowd turned up for d semis n final…so had 2 stand for 2 hrs n constantly beg a psycho volunteer 2 let us in…but he had orders,so he didn’t give a damn…missed all those matches coz couldn’t see anything from where I was standing…before finals the actual dahihandi was going to be telecasted on DD so we all(standing crowd) got a chance to get in n sit on d lovely carpet again..

I can never forget that Nirma Vs MIT match…was cheering like hell for MIT…but auto bot of Nirma was too good n de won…n watching them celebrate lit up my face too….

That was the Robocon 2008 nationals ….

That evening itself I joined all d Robocon communities on orkut ;)…leading to major fights…and the grand battle…lolzz

Later in June 2008 I went in final year…crap, I forgot the date but somewhere in the mid of august one of d girls announced,’ those who want to be volunteer for Robocon International should give there names’…man.. I was flying that day…just thinking about volunteering for it was making me dizzy with joy…volunteering meant watching all d robots closely in d pit, meeting all those intelligent freaks & getting an even closer view of ROBOCON…I was selected as a volunteer too but later d whole thing was cancelled coz d main MIT people were going to get a chance…

And we all from MIT polytechnic were going to be cheerleaders…at first it felt dumb but it was a blessing all d way…v were given all flags of diff nations n v practiced ‘cheering’ for 3 days…lolzz…

31st August 2008

Whoa…what an awesome day it was…

Got up early, wore the blue Robocon t-shirt & went 2 college at 6.30am…we were all given different flags then & we were waiting outside the field for the teams to arrive…some lucky guys got India’s flag, I got Thailand’s flag n all Thai people were taking a picture with me…one of my juniors then came upto me & friend wih a Japanese flag n one INDIAN flag…d INDIAN flag was slightly dirty since someone had dropped it by mistake. But I took it with immense joy because no matter if it’s a bit muddy, its still OUR glorious flag…d Thai photo session was finally over …. 😉

So after waiting for an hour, we got in….the inauguration was hardly over when our sir came and asked us to leave from d stadium because apparently there was this big crowd of students willing to cum in…it was disgusting & we were blaming n abusing MIT’s management as we left d stadium…most of d people went home n some of them went to Dnyaneshwar hall (a place in the campus itself where d live telecast was going on)…don’t know why or how ,somehow I knew that there is no way m going home n I “KNEW” that m going to watch ROBOCON in that stadium only…I went to d backdoor of d stadium…there was this guard who wasn’t letting me in no matter what I said…inside Nirma was playing against someone…and they won ,so d whole stadium went on fire…I was dying to go in n join dem but my pleading could not melt that guard….and again one of d volunteers came for my rescue…he let me in without any trouble…being a girl definitely has sum advantages…

N yeyyy….I was inside again….d place where I belonged for that day…

MIT were not upto the mark that day so they didn’t make it to d quarters…it was d match between NIRMA vs. China when I got to know that even I can shout…

The whole stadium(95% were Indians) was on there feet & everybody was cheering Nirma like hell…v were putting all r energy n shouting INDIA INDIA INDIA INDIA…

Bharat mata ki Jay…Vande mataram !!!!!!!

Wow…..cheering live is great fun…but as you know China was superb & de won…finally it was the technology that won….

Then saw the final – China Vs Egypt…damn good it was…never thought Egypt would go that far but they were too good.. China won and a girl from there team took d Chinese flag & ran round the arena…her teammates joined her…again it was sheer joy just to watch them celebrate…

D event got over n one o d spectators gave us this huge Indian flag & told us(me n my friend) to give to d respected authorities…this was our chance to go in the pit area so we went in searching for some volunteer & gave it to him…we congratulated Nirma n Mit people…& I thanked the guy who had let me in, because he had made my day…

When we came out; it was raining heavily…& I still remember that evening very clearly…I was deeply content to know that I was there when it all happened…..

But it didn’t end there…I constantly imagined myself on the arena…I imagined myself as MIT team member n worked hard in my final yr to get MIT….but got less marks in internals & missed MIT n got Cummins college…I was very quiet when I got the news; for hours thinking I never wanted Cummins and all…couldn’t even sleep…it was around 3 am when it struck me that shit, what about ROBOCON? How the hell am I going to participate now? Will I ever get a team? D sponsors? N I thought WTF…I’m screwed n I’ve lost it…

But I would like to tell you all here that if u really really really really really want something then be sure you’ll get it…maybe it won’t be in the exact package but it surely is in the way God wants it to be…n he always knows what is best for u…

The alchemist quote,”If you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true” Is true indeed

I have managed initiate ROBOCON in Cummins with Patil mam’s & Joshi sir’s help…not to forget the assistance of Principle…

When I look back it feels great to see my dream growing slowly into reality…maybe a mother feels the same about her growing kid…maybe…

But loads is yet to be accomplished…..got to work very hard!!!! 🙂