To do the expected is duty, is routine, is sometimes boring.
To do the unexpected is creativity, is fun, is adventure, is rebellion.
To be able to do both is genius, is balance, is love, is life.
                                                                 -- K.V. Vihari

I am a Graduate Assistant in the Dataman Lab. I am working with Prof. Tomasz Imielinski on the DataSpace project.

• Awarded TISL Fellowship (Aug'95 to Mar'97) by Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. The fellowship was sponsored by Tata IBM Systems Ltd. (TISL), India.

• Best project award in Database Theory course (CS541), Department of Computer Science, Rutgers University (Fall '97). The course was taught by Prof. Tomasz Imielinski.

• Second in intra-class tournament of Othello agents. This tournament was a part of Introduction to Artificial Intelligence course (CS 520), Department of Computer Science, Rutgers University (Spring '99). The course was taught by Prof. L Thorne McCarty.

While doing my Masters, I tried my hands in basketball & swimming. I gave up basketball after playing it for one month & still sometimes failing to basket from really close distances. Once I was even picked up for a basketball game - immediately after shaking hands with my teammates, I took one of them to a corner & asked the rules :) Swimming was easier. Nowadays, it serves as a nice escape from the routine.

Last year, I went for skiing. I hope to put some snaps online someday.

• New York: Even though I came to USA in the fall of 1997, I went to New York only very recently (july '99) (my friends find it quite amusing that even though New York is so close, I went to New York after I had been to California, Paris, and Montreal, in this order :). Two of my sweet friends from undergad came from Texas, and I decided it is time to pay a rather overdue visit to this magnificient city of skyscrapers. In anticipation of some exotic views, I bought my very first SLR camera. As you would expect, I snapped some 2 rolls on the first day itself. Here are three photographs that I have scanned till now. I hope to scan a few more some day.
  
  
  • A dramatic silhouette of the Statue of liberty.
  • The beautiful Manhattan Skyline (I snapped this photograph from a ferry).
  • In the open court right beside the World trade center.
  
  Needless to say, I would love to hear from you if you would like to appreciate the skills of the budding photographer inside me :)
  
  
• California
• Paris
• Montreal

• At times I venture into poetic interludes. This typically happens when I have a lot of time at my hand & nothing else to do. In these times I am at my philosophical best. I have written three poems so far.
• I took ball-room dancing classes in summer and fall of 1998. I learnt a few steps of Tango, Merengue, and Cha-cha-cha. It was a lot of fun. I plan to take a few more lessons once I get some free time.
• I won't refuse for a simmering hot tea anytime. If you put ginger in it, I will also sit down & entertain you.
• I like to chat with my friends.