I rehearsed, I convocated

31st Convocation ceremony at The National Institute of Design

1,2,3...OK smile...smile...and smile we did. Even though it was just a rehearsal for what was to come the next day. The two hundered odd men and women, boys and girls of The National Institute of Design. Us lucky numbers graduating on the Golden Jubliee of my beloved alma mater! Hooting, laughing, delirious; partly with the joy but mostly with the sharp noon light strategically aimed at our faces with giant reflectors. Posing for a photograph that will be handed to us tomorrow by none other than the Vice President of India, Shri M Hamid Ansari. Lo and behold! With my photograph will be a paper that says I now have a Post-Graduate Diploma in Design.

Who thought that as I stood there trying to smile acrobatically for six seconds (because thats how long the exposure was set for) while standing still and keeping my hair from flying astray with just my will; that I would feel like Alice, peering through the looking glass praying to be plesantly surprised. Who knows what is in store for this young designer?

All I was thinking was how tumulous and eventful the NID journey has been. I have grown, made friends and found suddenly that I am part of this family we call NID community. It is all too soon that I must leave. Bye-bye NID community, bye bye my beloved birds and dogs, bye-bye frisbee gang, chai-gate, edit lab, animation studio, bye-bye! See you next year at garba!

Photo courtesy: The National Institute of Design, India.