Source : Quora | Image Courtesy : indialive
An IITian and a rickshaw driver, here is the interesting conversation between them:
There were two rickshaw-walas vying for our business, when we wanted to go to Sankat-Mochan temple in Benaras. I agreed to go with the one, who was about 20 years of age, seemed like a regular young rickshaw-wala, but I found something interesting about him. I was not proved wrong.
He wanted Rs 50, we said Rs 30. We settled for Rs 40.
Here are the highlights of the conversation that ensued, while we rode the rickshaw:
Rickshaw wala : Where are you from?
Me: “Delhi.”
Rickshaw wala: working or doing some business?
Me : Working
Rickshaw wala: Where?
Me : In Internet!
Rickshaw wala : Even I want a job in that.
I just chuckled.
Rickshaw wala : I’m trying to get into engineering. I will get a good job then
Me :Really?? I asked a little interested.
Rickshaw wala : Yes, I applied for Guru Gobind Singh Indraprashta University in Delhi for engineering. That’s a good University.
Me : Yeah, its good . I agreed.
Rickshaw wala : and yeah , I appeared for JEE Yesterday.
Me: U mean IIT JEE ??
Rickshaw wala : “Haan, Joint Entrance Examination”
he pronounced it perfectly.Just to make it clear to me what JEE stood for.
Rickshaw wala : That exam was difficult , people prepare for 2 yrs for that exam , but its not that easy.What did u study ?
Me: I’m an engineer and did my MBA after that
Rickshaw wala : Where did u do your engineering?
Me: from IIT Delhi
He swung back, surprised, a little delighted, and smiled. “Ok,
Ok , then only 30rs for u
Swati and I laughed.
Swati asked When did you study for IIT ?
After this rickshaw job , at night Then he added
Which branch?
Me : “Chemical.”
RW: Then u must be strong in chemistry?
No , not like that
He continued Answer my question , what were the number of elements in periodic table when Mendeleev designed it ?
Now it was my turn to get surprised. He was quizzing me. Close to 70-80
“No, 63” he said sharply.Which element has highest Electronegitivity?
Swati was laughing, and I didnt try too hard and said I Dunno
“Flourine”, he said confidently. Without a break he asked,Which element has highest electron affinity?
Now I was laughing too and said I dunno
Chlorine , which subject are you strong at?
clearly having proven that my chemistry wasn’t a strong point.
“Physics”, I said.
Good then whats newtons Second Law?
I thought I knew this one. “F=ma”, I said.
“Physics is not about formula, it is understanding concept!”, he reprimanded me in near perfect English. “Tell me in statement”
I was shocked. Swati continued to laugh.
I said “ok, Newtons second law, er….was….”
not , ‘was’ , its ‘is’ second law is still there he snapped at my use of ‘was’.
Surely, my physics wasn’t impressing him either. “I don’t remember” I said
“Force on an object is directly proportional to the mass of the object and the acceleration of the object”, he said it in near perfect
English.Did you do your masters ?
No , I did MBA
MBA’s just want money , they do nothing
Nope , nothing like that, we have to work for money.Didn’t think too highly of me apparently anymore.
In a minute we reached our destination. We got off and I told him that he must and should definitely study more, and that I thought he was sharp as hell. He took only Rs 30, smiled and began to leave. I got my camera out and said Let me take a pic of u. He waved me off, dismissed the idea and rode off before I could say anything more….leaving me feeling high and dry like a spurned lover.
Damn, what a ride that was! India is changing, and changing fast. And so it goes !!!!!
