19. Introduction
Above Average is the story of a middle-class
Delhi boy with an aptitude for science and
mathematics but a yearning to be the drummer
of a rock band.
Arindam effortlessly graduates from being a
colony kid to being amongst an elite bunch of
techies in IIT.
Published in 2007 by Harper Collins.
Set in a first person format
Students empathize with the story easily.
20. Author’s Profile
Amitabha Bagchi was born and brought up in
Delhi
Was a good student and took part in Junior
Science Talent Search, National Talent
Search, Physics and Maths Olympiads
Got into IIT Delhi in 1992
Did his Ph.D in Computer Science in 2002
Currently working as Asst Professor at IIT
Delhi in the Computer Science Department
Above Average marked his debut as author
21. Arindam Chatterjee - The
Protagonist
English speaking Bengali
Born and brought up in Delhi
Tries to settle into new surroundings and
establishing early relationships
Tries to best fit in but feels like an outsider
Gets into IIT Delhi
Aspires to be a Drummer
Has interest in Research
Goes to Baltimore, USA to pursue further
studies
22. Arindam Chatterjee – The
Protagonist
Known as Rindu
Really good at Optics and discerning toughest
problems
Brought up in Mayur Vihar
Loved his family a lot
Amongst the toppers at IIT JEE
Friends were more of competitors at IIT Hostel
Flop Show as a Drummer courtesy Rocksurd
Inspired by Algorithm Professor Kanitkar
23. Initial Stages
Attending Study Circle classes for IIT JEE after
School hours
Made friends
Solved difficult problems with ease
Worked really hard… Solved Irodov et al
Got into IIT Delhi for Computer Sciences
programme
24. IIT Delhi
Made a lot of friends
Started off with the usual rat race of Grades
and Cumulative Scores
Fell in love with Drumming
Aspired to be in the College Band
Got into the band but a faux pas led by a
broken stick
Inclination towards Research started in the 3rd
Year after Kanitkar’s Algorithm Classes
Again missed the opportunity and his friend
Neeraj got the recommendation for PhD at
Stanford
26. Photocopy
The story starts here when Arindam Chatterjee
aka Rindu is preparing for his IIT-JEE
Meets Karan and Bagga at the Study Circle
The gullible Rindu gets to know the street
smart way of life. Thus, the significance of the
word “Photocopy”
27. Parachute
Introduction to Rindu's family background
Society & Culture in which Rindu was raised
Bobby & his 'Mandawli stories'
The middle class family backdrop is signified by
“Parachute”
28. Rocksurd
The story transits Arindam's life in IIT, Delhi
Talks about the Rock Scene in IIT
Rocksurd is a Sardarji who plays Drums
Throws light on the life & culture at IIT
29. Asian Paints Woman
Rindu gets to know that Bhavana has been
murdered by Winky, who commits suicide
He remembers the times he and Bobby spent
with Bhavana and Abhilasha on Diwali
30. Hey Joe
This chapter is about the IIT Rock festival –
Rendezvous
Kartik, Rindu's roomie is introduced. He is a
topper & the college guitarist
Rindu's tryst with drums start, he jams with
Pandit and forms a band
They perform at the rock fest & Rocksurd
messes the show with Rindu
31. Bandhu
The SC ST quota student used the term Bandhu
to address themselves
The carrom culture
And, the college politics
32. Three bistable partitions
Kanitkar, the brilliant professor was introduced
Algorithm which was to change Rindu's life was
Kanitkar's subject
Rindu recieved his first acadamic spotlight
His relation with Neeraj and Sheikhu started with
Algo research
Kanitkar offered help with scholarship at
Stanford to Neeraj
Rindu met Aparna at a spic macay
33. Three bistable partitions - contd
Rindu enters his third year at IIT
Kanitkar Leaves IIT for University of Chicago
Rindu and Aparna start a relationship
Sheikhu gets admission to IIM A without telling
Rindu
Rindu and Neeraj deepen their friendship
Neeraj is very concerned about his Neice,
Chanda
Rindu and Aparna meet Chanda
Rindu leaves for Baltimore, USA
34. I climbed Mt Rainer in Jeans
Rindu went to Baltimore after IIT to do his Ph.D
on the assurance that Kanitkar will send a
recommendation which he didn't
He tried to keep contact and the relation with his
girlfriend but she dumped him for someone else
Sheikhu and Kartik met him in India and try to
call him back here to work in india cause they
need people like him here
He comes to know that Neeraj's neice Chanda
has been murdered by his father. After years of
their last meet
He still feels very sad for his friend and cries for
him
35. Key Learnings
quot;I must have decided at some point in my
time at school that I should try to get into one
of the IITs. But when I made that decision, if I
ever made it consciously, I could never
remember.quot;
This shows that Arindam was equally confused
as most of us are at some point or the other
36. Key Learnings
quot;The battle for grades and academic
achievement was just one small part of the
larger war, the others being the battles to
appear unconcerned, in control, well rounded,
self confident. Accustomed all our lives to
being lauded as exceptional, we were all
scared that the true measure of ourselves, our
unremarkable selves, would emerge one day.quot;
This just shows that IITians are just humans
and not the demi-gods that they are assumed
to be
37. Key Learnings
quot;We aren't what we do or what we achieve or
what we acquire or about what we become,
we are and we always will be what we want.“
It means that ‘Success in Life’ is as much
about talent as desire
38. Key Learnings
If you have ever felt the desire to be some one
in your life, then this book will find an instant
connect with you, because its all about
growing up, fighting to be the best, well
almost the best .
It proves that if you have a dream and you
stick to it with all your heart you will most
probably get it sooner or later
Only professional success without enriching
relationships wont make your life any better
39. Thank you
Group 3
Aneesh Bhandari
Sushant Gaur
Akshay Moghe
Pranay Sharma
Rahul Mittal
Anju B. Ahuja
Kshitiz Pratap
