An Introductory Dialogue

INTRODUCTION

by B. Yohan Varghese 

 

Read the dialogue below and answer the following question: 

 

(Scene: Tiruchchirappalli Central Railway Station 

An old man finds difficulty in lifting his bag to get into the train when it has arrived, when a boy offers to help him.) 

 

BOY: Do you want some help with that, uncle? 

OLD MAN: Definitely thambi. Thank you so much. 

 

(The boy lifts the bag and carries it to the old man's compartment. The boy had a window seat directly opposite to the old man so they started talking.) 

 

OLD MAN: Thank you so much for your help. I don't really know what I would have done if it were not for your timely help. Where do you stay thambi? 

BOY: I stay in Chennai, uncle. 

OLD MAN: Oh so you are studying in some college here? 

BOY: Yes uncle, I study in NIT Trichy, earlier known as REC Trichy. 

OLD MAN: (looks pleasantly surprised)  Wow thambi, that's such a good college! My son gave it a try all those years back but he didn't get a good enough score. Which year are you now in? 

BOY: First year, uncle. 

OLD MAN: Which department? 

BOY: (drumrolls) Mechanical Engineering. 

OLD MAN: (drumrolls stop suddenly and the old man looks "not-so-pleasantly" surprised) Why Mechanical? Didn't you get anything else? 

END OF CONVERSATION 

 

Question: What can you infer from the above passage? 

Answer: In the above passage, Mechanical Engineering is highly underestimated. 

 

And yes, this conversation happens often in our world. It takes different forms but the essence is pretty much the same. As upcoming Mechanical Engineers, it is time we clarified our position: Mechanical Engineering is not some lesser branch. It is the branch which led to the growth and development of human civilisation. Much of what Mechanical Engineering has accomplished has been ignored, forgotten and laid in the dust. It is time we re-examine all of this. That is exactly what the purpose of this blog is. We will be tracing the growth of civilisation, step by step, starting from O A.D. till 2020 A.D. After reading this you will see that Mechanical Engineering has, indeed, left its indelible footprint in the sands of time.