Articles

My Introduction to Sangam, MIT and Cambridge! – Narender Chhabra

After finishing my MS residency requirement of 2 semesters at SUNY Buffalo where I did 8 courses and made progress on my MS thesis; I joined Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute as a research assistant which allowed me to finish my thesis off campus and get my MS degree. While at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute I was recruited to come join the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory and was given an option to either work full time as a Research Engineer and do my PhD part-time OR do my PhD full-time and work part time at the Instrumentation laboratory to pay for it.

This gave me a chance to come to Cambridge during Christmas 1971, where I still work 6 days a week approaching my 47th anniversary in Cambridge. My choice for lunch those days was Lobdell. Within a short time, I met Kaplesh at Lobdell. He soon filled me in on Sangam and how he was contesting the post of President of Sangam and needed my vote. So I was taken in. That day led to my volunteering during Kaplesh, Veer, and Subbu’s terms. I owned a bug (the car) and then traded it for a Pinto, both of which came handy for Sangam volunteer work. Continue reading “My Introduction to Sangam, MIT and Cambridge! – Narender Chhabra” →

The first Ravi Shankar concert at MIT in 1972

This article is based on communications with Kaplesh Kumar

During my tenure as president of Sangam (1972-73), we were able to persuade Ravi Shankar to perform at MIT. In those days he used to come to the Boston Symphony. Through connections with Ravi Shankar’s group with Prakash Dahanukar, a close friend, we were able to convince him to perform at MIT. Pandit Ravi Shankar did Sangam and MIT a huge favor by agreeing to perform at Kresge and more importantly by significantly reducing the amount they usually charged groups to perform. Continue reading “The first Ravi Shankar concert at MIT in 1972” →

My first days at MIT: Ashok Boghani

I was not impressed with what MIT looked like when I arrived in September 1970. It was (is) located in the city of Cambridge, not in the outskirts, like IIT Bombay. The campus looked crowded with buildings, not with open fields and a large lake, as was the case with my previous college. One saving grace was river Charles, which provided some scenery.

I was assigned a host family, comprised of Mr. and Mrs. Reedy and their four children. I stayed with them a night before coming to MIT.  Mr. Reedy was able to get me registered and signed up for a dorm room in the old Ashdown House, which provided on-campus graduate housing.

Continue reading “My first days at MIT: Ashok Boghani” →

Coming to America – Raj Melville

The excitement of being admitted to MIT was slowly wearing out over the summer as I made preparations to depart for the new continent, new for me at least. Not having been to the Western hemisphere and with various relatives and friends of my parents sharing ominous stories of what happens there (Be careful you don’t get mugged. Look out for the women they will get their hooks in you, Boston is up in flames with race riots), one looked for some solace from a friendly face. Fortunately for me one of my classmates had joined MIT the year before and I had managed to get his address. Continue reading “Coming to America – Raj Melville” →

How Sangam helped me see my first and only Olympic final

Having arrived at MIT the fall of 1975, I soon found Sangam, the local Indian student association, and many of their members became my early tutors for many of life’s lessons like cooking (don’t let the Sahara bread sit in the oven till they become like papad), clothing (standard issue Army Navy surplus parka and winter lace up boots), liquor (drink anything with alcohol in it) and entertainment (don’t miss the start of semester XXX 26-100 show). Continue reading “How Sangam helped me see my first and only Olympic final” →

Sitar Concert By Pundit Ravi Shankar in Boston 1976

Organized by SANGAM, The Association of Indian Students at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (This article is from an original piece written by Waris E. Warsi 10/6/2105)

On January 10, 1976, Sangam, the Association of Indian students at MIT hosted a sitar concert by Pundit Ravi Shankar at the Kresge Auditorium at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.  This concert by a world-renowned maestro was truly a major undertaking for our club.  A large section of the MIT Indian student body was involved in organizing of the concert.  Amazingly various arrangements for the concert were accomplished like a clock-work.

Ravi Shankar concert advt
Advertisement of the concert in The Tech (Vol. 95, No. 55, Friday, Jan 9 1976)

Pandit Ravi Shankar’s party arrived a day before the concert from Maine and was welcomed at the Logan Airport.  The next day Panditji with his party arrived early in the afternoon at Kresge.  He was very particular about the stage arrangements.  In fact, he had provided written instructions to Sangam about the types of microphones, their locations and volume settings to be used for his concert. Being satisfied with the arrangements, Panditji jokingly remarked, “these boys know their stuff!”. Following the stage inspection, the MIT CCTV team arrived for an interview and Punditji obliged.

Continue reading “Sitar Concert By Pundit Ravi Shankar in Boston 1976” →

Subbu’s First Day in the US

I finally reached New York, after starting my journey at Chennai, a long train ride to Mumbai which was delayed – which is a story in itself! – hence the missed plane schedule at Mumbai. I landed at NYC on Sep. 4th 1972 at JFK airport. My friend who was expecting me there 2 days ago, did not know that I was arriving on this day and at this time! I had landed at NY, alone and without the knowledge of where to go or what to do next? I called the Indian consulate at NYC, my only logical contact point. It was late in the evening and the office was closed. Luckily some one answered and suggested that I find my way to the YMCA building and get a place to stay. “Then come back and call us tomorrow morning” was the final advice! Continue reading “Subbu’s First Day in the US” →

Subbu remembers early days with Sangam

Dr. Krishnamoorthy Subramanian arrived in Boston on Sept 6, 1972 after landing in New York and taking a Greyhound bus to Boston. He had received admission to MIT for his graduate work and came carrying the address of MIT in his pocket. “When the taxi driver dropped me on that fall evening after sunset at the main building of MIT (77 Mass Ave) with my luggage in hand I had no idea where to go next” says Subbu (as he is known to his friends). Another Indian student who saw him, asked “What are you doing?” to which he answered “I have come to study at MIT”. ”Yes” said the stranger, “but what are you doing here?” He repeated the answer that he had come to study at MIT.  The stranger, realizing that this newcomer may not have a place to stay, took him to his apartment where he stayed for a couple of days before finding an apartment of his own. Now after forty five years, he laughs at that answer he gave on his first day. Continue reading “Subbu remembers early days with Sangam” →

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