Intro
Please forgive me if the title gives you a perception that I am here to boast about how hard I worked towards the medal. Also if anyone intends to consider this as "Dummies Guide to a Gold Medal", then I am sorry for that too. It is neither. In fact the best way to get a gold medal would be to buy one.

My Passion for Cricket
Let me start the narration with a cricket match as I just love cricket. There was a match being held in Lawspet, Pondicherry between two local teams. The bowler is set to bowl an all important over. They are defending a mediocre total. The batsman hits the ball hard and up it goes towards the wide long off for a six... Or is it? A fielder from long off is charging towards the ball. He doesn't even bother about the terrain under him. It is unlike any lush green outfield. It has red sand mounds intermediated with thorny plants and still the fielder charges towards the ball. He makes one final leap to get hold of the ball, but fails. The ball goes for a four. The fielder who is also the captain is hurt quite badly.

Fielders rush towards him as one of them asks 'Peter, onnum aagaliyae'. That is how I used to be called by friends at lawspet I stood again for fieding and eventually we won the match like many others. And to be frank I haven't realized the level of accomplishment and satisfaction that I got when we won a difficult match of cricket even when I stepped up the podium to receive my medal.

The preparation towards a college seat
It was holiday time for us after the 12th standard board exams and the subsequent "Coaching classes". While my friends were busy studing for Engineering and Medical entrances, I was busy winning matches. Not that I was not interested in a career in one of them, but because I had always come within 20 ranks in all the mock exams conducted in the coaching classes for engineering. This is exactly what we call overconfidence and that is what ruined me then.

When the 12th standard board exams were out, I was very happy to get an overall 92%. But the fact that I got only 92% in Maths-Physics-Chemistry and that it was mainly because of a 178/200 in chemistry took the smile away from me soon. But neverthless I expected to do pretty well in the engineering entrance. However what happened at the entrance exam was completely unexpected.

I got a 57/100 totally, whereas many including 'Siva Sekharan' who were totally into Medical could pull off well above 60 in Engineering entrance exam. It was a total knock out as I had to wait and watch the rankings. The results were out and I remember my father waiting patiently for it and finally when he came home, he said I stood 127th in the list. Not bad I thought and then I knew that there were only 5 branches in Pondicherry Engineering College (PEC) with 25 seats in each for the 'Open General' section. So I was in the waiting list, but of course in the 2nd place.

I should tell you the fact that I was also an open general candidate along with many other Brahminas. At least they could ease their depression by telling to themselves that they were put into such a state because people believed that their fore-fathers had enjoyed a coveted position in the society during their time. My case was totally different. I was a 'Most Backward Class' by my Caste but still an 'Open General' Candidate as I was a Christian. Bull Shit!!! I really never understood the logic behind that.

BSc. MLT ??
So I was left out in the first councelling sessions as my friends got into 'Electronics and Communication' (ECE) and 'Computer Science' (CSE) departments. I did not really knew what was to be done. So I just waited and then my father said about a 'Medical Laboratory Technology' (Bsc. MLT) course in Jipmer and asked me to attend it. To be frank I was not in any mood to attend it, still went to Jipmer to take the test. I could see all the medical(ed) faces who had tried to get into MBBS but had missed it and were hoping to get in the next year while doing their Bsc. MLT. I was easily the odd man out. I finished the test before others were half way through, gave the papers and headed for home.

After a few days, when I was having a chat with my cricket friends, Ramesh said that my name had been listed in a daily. I was just amazed to find my rank as 9th in the Bsc. MLT entrance conducted. Now what would you call this. Luck or Fate?

I had a lengthly discussion with my father and since it was very clear that I would get only 'Civil' in PEC, we decided that I take up Bsc. MLT as it had a job guarantee within 1/2 yrs of completion, that too in Jipmer itself.

When I entered Jipmer, I felt like a patient. Not that I hated the smell, but just that I couldn't digest!! the fact that I was going to study there. The only soothing part was that there were totally 15 students in our MLT class out of which 12 were girls, that too most probably daughters of doctors, who had tried in vain to get an MBBS ticket. So you understand right!!, they were prettly costly and classy in their looks. I even remember a girl who used to wear a different coloured chappal each day to class matching her garment. Well now you know how much I had concentrated on the subjects there. Then something really wonderful happened. Another guy also quit the course as he had got into 'Dental College'. So it became 2 Boys Vs 12 Girls.

The class was not of conventional type. That way it was interesting. I had the opportunity to look into real specimen of hands cut, head split with brain protuding. One Nepali-looking professor asked me to wear shoes from his next class. Damn him!

The worst was yet to come. I had a general dislike for Biology and for Chemistry (partly because of the subject and partly because it was taken up by one Mr.Visuvanathan in my 12th. To be frank he was a good teacher. Just that we didn't get well together). It turned out that I was going to study a subject called Biochemistry (Biology + Chemistry). And still worse the Bio-Chemistry lecturer was looking like Mr.Visuvanathan. What the hell!!!. I was very unhappy.

The seniors at MLT tried to rag me. But since I was totally unhappy with the course itself, I just did not mind them or their threats. I never removed my moustache when I was in MLT (The seniors were very particular that I remove them).

Entry to PEC
Then I decided. Enough is Enough. I will better join Civil in PEC rather than die studing Biochemistry in MLT. With that I quit MLT and Jipmer refunded the 500 Rs that I had paid for the annual fee!!!!!!
Good things happen in life, but there are a few instances which we cannot forget for the rest of our lives. Once such thing was my B.Tech admission. I went with my father in our TVS 50 and that was the first time I saw PEC (Pondicherry Engineering College) not knowing that it had so many happy moments for me in my future.

I entered PEC for the second councelling section and many were telling me that I might get Mechanical as some seats were still left out in it. When we met the principal, he was impressed with my 200/200 in Maths in my 10th and after some discussion, was willing to give me Electrical and Electronics (EEE).

Our joy (My father was with me) knew no bounds. I was just too happy. Then I joined PEC. I was in D-Section. The first day, I was wearing shoes, neatly dressed and went to college in a crowded bus. The seniors called for me and said that I should not wear watch, remove my moustache (which I did later) and some other rules. The first day was just an intro (so no classes) and we had some 4 days of holidays. Gavri and I decided to go home by walk along the seashore (East Coast). It took us 3 hrs.

The beginning - Topper the first time
When the classes began, I was late for the very first class which was handled by Iyyappan (Maths). In section D, I was mostly alone with very few friends. I still remember when the results were out for the first semester. As I came out of the 'Rest Room', Siva Sekharan said that I had topped the class. It was an exciting moment in my life which I will never forget. It was just too much. Siva Sekharan who was by my standards a very brilliant student was telling me that I had ousted not only him but the entire class. I just could not believe it, but did not reach much, though I wanted to jump. Later I went to the chemistry lab (that is where the result sheets were present) and confirmed it myself.

There was a system in PEC, by which if you had done very well in the first year (common to all branches) then you can opt for a change of branch which will be given based purely on merit (No caste/creed/sex/etc). So I was in for the race to get into 'Computer Science'. The scenario brightened as some of the elite students!! left PEC to join a newly opened medical college in Karaikal. Even in my first year, I used to be around the CSE section in library and not in the EEE section. I was so fascinated by programming and computers. If I can do well in the second semester also, I can hope of getting in to CSE. My friends used to collect information about the other contenders who needed ECE/CSE and who had done well in 1st Sem. A few were in my class itself; Saravanan T, Sri Krishna, Ramya, Sri vidhya.

3rd place in I Year
We knew it would be a close affair. The second semester results would be announced only after the 3rd sem had begun. So I was already in EEE class doing the 'Electrical Lab' under the dangerous BRR. But much worse was the 'Mechanics/Fluid' Lab. I had not updated my Observation note with data for the last three experiments and was given a clear warning to complete it. I was all along tense thinking about the semester results. He asked me to finish it before 4.00 PM. But that morning results were announced and we ran towards the chemistry lab.

I could not get into the lab as there was a huge mad crowd wanting to know their results. So I sat down on the steps. After sometime, I went in and asked for the marks. You have to tell your exam number and a person will report your marks for everyone to hear!! The first one was terrible (60 in Physics), but then as my marks were told, I began to gather strength. They were something like 90, 93, 77, 97 and I knew I had made it. I came out, did the necessary calculations and knew I was in for the game. In fact later I learnt that I had again topped the class and was 3rd overall in B.Tech I Year. (Karthikbabu was first with Karthika in second place). I thanked god and applied for the group change. I did not complete the fluid mechanics observation note.

The Group Change - Exit EEE Enter CSE
Even though I had applied for the group change, I was feeling restless that something bad might happen, like my application paper might get lost or missed etc. I said so to 'Siva Sekharan' who was already in CSE. He said for the hard work I had done, things will fall in place.

The group change results came and I was into CSE. Even now I remember how happy I felt when I stepped into the CSE block. Since already 3 months had passed in the 3rd Sem, all the group changers were left behind in the subject and lab sections and had to catch up. Arun was of help to me as he decided to sit with me (He was earlier sitting in 3rd row and came to the last for my help). I was not wearing glasses then and was not able to see anything in board, so I would copy from whatever Arun wrote. The third sem was over. The lab exam was the most cruel one. The great DRC had not taught us anything in Pascal lab and we were left to our fate. We did some self study which was not sufficient and when the results were announced we saw that close to half the class had one or more arrear papers. I came third in the class with Narayani as the topper followed by Karthika. One thing that hit me like a flash was 'All the three toppers were group changers'. This created quite a news with the original CSE guys.

Topping CSE - 4th Sem
The fourth semester, I got my glasses and also came to 3rd row and was seated with S.Senthil called 'Mandai' by his close friends. It went well and the results were announced. I was first in the class and I remember Ganesh telling me 'Kalakita da'. I was very happy and the reason was obvious. The CSE class with strength of 66 had all the best brains in Pondicherry. There were University Rank holders from 12th standard. There were centum takers in Maths/Chemistry/Physics etc. It was one whole brainy class and to top that was sensational for me. I thanked god again for making it happen.

In all the semesters, we used to play cricket and enjoy. During the study holidays were used to have group study and play some cricket. The aspect which helped me a lot was that when I started explaining the subject to my friends, I was learning a lot better and that was the key. So I just could not imagine how I would have performed without them.

Kayar enters my Life
5th, 6th and 7th - I topped in all of them. Especially the 5th semester results were eagerly awaited my many. Because that was when I fell in love with My Kayar, and I knew quite a few who had expected me to lose the position. But it did not happen, partly because there was not much of a change in the way which we studied for the exams and mainly because Kayar had kept on insisting that I should perform well or else stop talking with her. I chose the former option.

But though I had topped the class in which I was, 6 out of 7 times, still to be the class topper required that I do not lose in the 8th even a small margin. That was because Karthika was behind me just by a few marks. The funny thing was no one from any other department came close to us. So it meant that either I top CSE and also get the University First or lose both of them to Karthika. I knew it was tight, but there was not much pressure for me as I was not going to do anything different this time around. But to be frank, Karthika was way ahead of me in displined preparation and hard work. The fact that she did her studies alone unlike us (group study) gathers her further points. So the hard truth is that she was the right person for the medal.

Topper the 5th consecutive time
I was already working for SCM when the 8th semester results were announced and I heard it over phone in Chennai that I had topped again and got the University Gold Medal.

The combined Toppers of DDBMS
But I got another sweeter news through an email from Mugilan who had listed the individual subject toppers and in that against the 'Distributed Database Management Systems' were two names. One was mine and the other was Kayarvizhy. It was a great moment in my life and I knew how hard she must have studied because she wrote the exam 2 days after her father had expired. We both know the importance of those marks. The combined toppers were on the their way to the next hurdle in their life - getting married.

The Golden Medals
I received the Liteunant Governor's Award (Gold Medal) for coming University First and another one from Pondicherry University for being CSE topper. As I had said earlier it was either both or none and I was lucky enough get both. I still believe that God had blessed me a lot more than I was worthy of.