April 2018

Thankyou, IEEE GECBH!

“An engineer is incomplete without an ‘I’ and three ‘E’s - IEEE”

Article published in IEEE SB GECBH Magazine 2018, co-authored with Aditya Joseph Mathew

IEEE - Google this acronym and you will find out that it is the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the world’s largest technical organisation. For both of us as well as some of our batchmates who worked together under this organisation, it is much more than the international prestigious label that it owns. We are at a loss of words to explain our feelings and gratitude to IEEE GECBH for being the platform that helped us grow.

Our journey with IEEE began when a few of our seniors stepped into our first-year classes to explain how this amazing organisation brings each and every engineer under one roof - the ultimate networking platform. They introduced us to a world which was beyond something that was purely technical, that was an introduction to the family which was IEEE GECBH. The best part is that we were inspired enough to believe that this one is worth the $27 price that comes with it. It’s been three years of membership and trust us, not one day have we regretted paying for this. The opportunities that this organisation offers to each person is limitless. We remember with thanks, our dear seniors who paved the way for many IEEE GECBians like us. Life has never been the same since the day we were selected to be the part of the IEEE GECBH Execom 2015. We were surprised, excited and anxious being the Membership Development Coordinators. And right now, as we type this out, we are filled with satisfaction, happiness, a sense of achievement and a tinge of sadness of leaving this family in a few days. But why not? After three Execoms, we are the proud Chairpersons of the Best Student Branch in Kerala! Oh yes, this is fascinating than we can convey in words. :)

IEEE nurtures you not just to be technically sound but also highlights the need to do everything in a way that is beneficial to humanity at large. Each of us was shaped by this organisation which has a magical impact on the way we think and the way we approach various obstacles in life. Each event was a learning packed with lots of memories to cherish. Just as the SB brought every member of the organisation together irrespective of branches and years, IEEE brought together like-minded people from different parts of the world. Working with teams from Hub Level to R10 level, we have made friends close to the heart. For all those who are hesitant to join IEEE just because of the ‘heavy’ membership fee, we ask you to just be part of this wonderful family for a year. Take part in all its activities, volunteer and network to your fullest and you’ll definitely renew and you may even be motivated enough to be Life Senior Members of IEEE. Yes, it’s true IEEE happens to be the only society where you can find octogenarian geniuses work with the same enthusiasm and vigour as a twenty-something youth.

Quoting one of our team members, Benjamin John Oommen, over here. This is the perfect example of how much important IEEE has been to each one of us!

“From being a lazy kid in the first year, if I have changed enough to be part of the College Union and organise events with confidence, the reason is this - I decided to take that IEEE membership at the end of my first year. The first official platform that not only showcased the importance of professionalism but also provided umpteen opportunities to practice it and grow up as a person and an Engineer. Handling insane situations, last-minute troubles, finance and logistics with patience is an art. This is where I started learning them - the beginning. I have understood that the #JoyOfVolunteering is the satisfaction we enjoy, the memories made and the learning from experiences after each successful event. Thank you, IEEE!”

We are filled with gratitude and respect to our predecessors like Ashik, Paul, Sreeram, Gokul, Rakesh, Nirmal, Nandu, Hari, Devika, Akhila, Siddhart to name a few. To all of you who were with us when we did our membership development sessions, to staying up until way past midnight during THM 2016, to sharing with us every pain and happiness in this journey, we owe you big time. This expedition would not have been so much fun or exciting without Benjamin (The one who handled the finances with ease and ensured that everything was perfect), Aiswarya Bright (The Membership Development Head under whom we grew to 250 plus members), Keerthi (the silent worker and the one who attends to the details), Saadia (the lady who gave us this chance to write), Naufal (The reliable all-in-all), Aiswarya M Nair and Shibanni who were the face of IEEE GECBH in almost five R10 and international Conferences, Nakshathru (the creative genius and lazy coder), Manish (the inevitable DSLR man) and all our wonderful juniors Ashwin, Aswathy, Minu, Lekshmi, Rojin, Aja, Sharanya, Hari, Ajay, Rafi, Rohini and many more! All this would have never been possible without the guidance, ever inspiring and motivating men like Prof. Anu Mohammed and Prof. Biju K. S. who were with us day in and out.

We hope that we will always yearn to be the Best in the years and be a role model for all. IEEE believes in bringing about technological changes for the betterment of humanity. Come experience the ‘Joy of Volunteering’ with IEEE and we welcome each and every one of you to the IEEE GECBH family. As we step down, we are confident that we are leaving this family in better hands. All best wishes!

Aditya Joseph Mathew (Chairperson, IEEE GECBH 2017-18)
Pheba Anna Philip (Chairperson, WIE AG - IEEE GECBH 2017-18)