I had not put any effort or whatsoever to get a seat into engineering. I had no hopes at all. I had scored an average (if I may call it) 69% in the Board and a ranking of 18027 in my entrance. With this kind of results you actually have to stop dreaming and try to get what is within your reach. I was just 18 Years old and hardly had any worries about the future. I had enquired in a college from where I can pursue a Bachelors degree in Science. It was not such a bad course to join, I know many great people who have done wonders after getting this degree. But still at the back of my mind (you can read it as my parents mind), I (they) wanted me to get an engineering seat.
The counseling for the seat selection was still 20 days ahead and in the meantime I was all by myself. That night I finished my dinner and was watching some serial (Saas-Bahu types :) ) on TV. At 10:45PM suddenly one of my uncle from Bangalore calls me up and informs that there is some seats for people who are from GSB(Gowda Saraswath Brahmin’s) in Canara engineering college and one of our relatives had the counseling that day and had got the seat. He also said that there were still some seats left, and I better go there and enquire personally the next day itself, so that I may have a chance and might get the seat too. My cousin advised me to take the required certificates, Marks sheets and the photographs which would be required. Within 15mins I took out all my marks sheets and certificates etc and was ready to go. I called up my cousin in Mangalore at night and informed him that I will be reaching the next day morning by 9 in the morning.
I got up at 5:00 am and left to Mangalore. Reached Mangalore at around 9:30. Had my breakfast and started to CHS association to find out about the seats available. To my surprise there were quite a number of seats available for all the branches. I was told that I can select the branch, pay the token advance amount of 20k and confirm my seat. I called up my father and told him the situation, as my cousin who was working in a bank, he made quick arrangement for the money (from his own pocket :) ) and the next morning I was back at CHS association to complete the formalities and confirm the seat. I came back home the next day still not able to digest the fact that I had actually got a seat in an engineering college.
The problem started when I started thinking how good the college is. When I started going through the prospectus, I came to know that the college was 2 years old and mine will be the 3rd batch. All sort of confusion started creeping in, but I guess this was what I deserved or rather, did I? :) Who cares… when I think now about those few days which changed my future, I am really thankful to everyone who were involved directly or indirectly in those few days. :) :) :)
Today wherever I am, whatever I am and whatever I will be in the future is just bcoz of those few people who made such a difference in my life.