During one of the TA101 Drawing sessions in my first semester I came face to face with Professor C.V.R. Murthy. I was entering the drawing hall when I ran into him. Having missed all the morning classes, I barely managed to wake up and rush in for the lab. Naturally, I was in the superman attire composed of a loose T, equally miserable payjama-type baggy pants and the ususal Hawai Chappal. Now close your eyes for a minute and imagine a usual IITK guy strolling aroung MT or any of the Halls ( leave GH and Hall 6 though ). Obviously this was no way to enter the academic area but I did that fearing that I would be late for the session. So I climb up the stairs leading to the drawing hall in my great party-wear, stinking all over like a skunk due to sweat and panting like a mad bull. Professor Murthy, who was just near the door of the Hall stopped me as I entered the Hall. Behind him the entire batch of his section had just started to draw stuff.
CVRM: [looking at me from top to bottom and back to top again] Arey arey kahan ja rahe ho? As he addressed me, his entire section left the drawings and started to look at me.
ME:[puzzled] Sir I am going in for the drawing session.
CVRM:[looking at me as if he will have me for good now] What! You came here for TA101 lab! Are you a student?!
ME:[certainly going nuts now; the entire class is now looking at me] Yes sir I am a student.
CVRM:[he has me now] What the hell! You are a student? You look like a worker here. Are you sure you are a student?
ME:[frustrated and feeling insulted; shucks!!! Some of the class came forward for a better look as if I were a medical specimen about to be dissected] Yes sir, I am a student.
CVRM:[in a pacifying tone] Beta look at yourself. What kind of clothes you have put on? This T-shirt and payjama…this chappal…this is no way to dress up for a lecture or a lab. Don’t you have other clothes?
ME:[ashamed of myself now] No sir. I mean yes sir. I mean I gave them to the washerman sir. When you are in living hell, you can’t even come up with a good excuse. On listening this he looked ominous. He was having a fields day anyway.
CVRM:[trying to look amazed but instead he looks sarcastic which he actually is right now] Are you telling me that you gave all your clothes to the washerman and none of them were left?
ME:[In the middle of nowhere now] Sir I gave most of them.
CVRM: And you gave your shoes as well to him I suppose?
ME:[wishing that the whole hall collapsed at the very moment] No sir.
CVRM: So why these chappals? You are a grown up now. No one is going to dress you up here. You have to take care of yourself. I am allowing you this time. Next time come properly dressed or do not come at all.
ME:[just about to collapse myself] Yes sir. Sorry sir.
What an ordeal! I was so ashamed. I felt humiliated in front of the entire class with there eyes boring into me. I was angry but I thought about this later and I realised that Professor Murthy was entirely correct. Next week, I dressed up properly, reached the lab on time and went straight to Professor Murthy. He looked at me from top to bottom and smiled in approval. I returned the smile and went to my desk, happy.
It is really necessary to dressup properly for the daily freak outs like lectures and labs and for any other occasion outside the informalities of your room. I always remember this incident before dressing up for things like PPTs or Presentations. I will never forget it.
