First Day at Jadavpur University

August 5, 2009 – 8:30 AM

Jadavpur University, Kolkata

The car came to a smooth halt just outside the Jadavpur University gate. Katherine adjusted the brim of her hat, exhaling as she stared out at the entrance. The iron gates stood unassuming yet historic, framed by age-old trees whose branches intertwined to form a shaded archway. There were no towering skyscrapers, no polished marble paths or pristine glass buildings she had come to associate with top universities. Instead, a rustic charm defined the place—worn-out signboards, patches of overgrown grass, and scattered benches occupied by students lost in their own worlds.

She stepped out, her boots pressing against the damp earth. Aritra followed behind, watching her carefully.

She had expected a certain level of grandeur, a suffocating air of discipline and formality—after all, this was supposed to be one of the top universities in India. But instead, the atmosphere was strikingly different.

A group of students sat under a massive tree beside the football field, lazily stretched out on the grass, laughing and talking without a care in the world. A few of them had notebooks open, one sketching a design diagram while another absentmindedly played with a football between conversations.

At the canteen benches nearby, students hunched over their morning tea, some barely awake, dark circles under their eyes betraying long nights spent on assignments. A few more occupied the stairs leading to the main academic block, flipping through notes, trying to cram last-minute formulas into their heads before class.

Katherine blinked, utterly thrown off. Where was the rigid formality? Where was the overwhelming pressure, the sterile perfection she had expected?

Just then, a loud debate broke out near the main campus wall, where students gathered in a heated discussion over politics. Hand-painted banners and posters were plastered along the walls, remnants of student union campaigns. The slogans reflected the political landscape of the recent elections, with messages critiquing policies, demanding educational reforms, and pushing back against government censorship.

One banner read, "Say No to Privatization – Education is Our Right", while another, more aggressive in tone, declared, "Down with Corruption – Power to the Students".

Aritra barely spared the scene a glance, but Katherine lingered. This was student politics—raw, uninhibited, and unfiltered. It was unlike anything she had witnessed before. Where she came from, universities were silent battlegrounds of wealth and influence, where power shifted behind closed doors. Here, the battle was fought openly, loudly, with conviction.

A student with glasses and an oversized kurta was passionately arguing about the recent general elections, citing policy failures and economic concerns, while another countered with strong support for industrial reforms. Their voices rose, their peers chiming in or shaking their heads. Some leaned against the wall, quietly taking notes for the next student assembly.

"You keep blaming the government, but at least acknowledge the infrastructure development that's taken place! Have you even looked at the latest economic reports?" the student in glasses argued, waving his hands for emphasis.

His opponent scoffed. "And who benefits from that development? Corporations? The upper class? What about the farmers who are still suffering from low crop prices? What about students drowning in tuition fees?"

A girl sitting nearby jumped in. "Both of you are missing the point. The last election wasn't just about the economy. It was about power. About who controls the media, the education sector, and even the way we think."

Aritra smirked as he glanced at Katherine. "Welcome to Jadavpur."

She crossed her arms, watching the debate unfold. "They're passionate. And loud."

He chuckled. "That's an understatement. They'll argue over chai, over history, over how much sugar should go into mishti doi. But beneath it, they actually care."

Katherine tilted her head slightly, watching as another student raised his voice in protest. "It's different."

"From what?"

She exhaled, glancing at him. "From what I'm used to."

As they moved toward the Mechanical Department, she felt a subtle shift in the atmosphere. The laughter wasn't as loud, and the casual air thinned just slightly. Here, students stood in small clusters, debating over textbooks, some already seated on the corridor steps, solving equations on their notepads. The tools of engineering—drafting boards, rulers, mechanical components—peeked out of backpacks slung over shoulders.

Yet, the air wasn't tense. It was focused. Determined.

As they passed, heads turned. Not toward Aritra—he blended in too well—but toward her.

Despite her attempts to keep a low profile with her black t-shirt, jeans, and hat, she wasn't invisible. Curious eyes followed her—some subtle, others not. Some whispered, some simply stared, and she could practically hear the questions forming in their minds.

Who is she? Why is she with Aritra? She doesn't look like a student here.

Katherine stiffened slightly, her fingers curling at her sides. She had spent years mastering the art of moving through places unnoticed, blending into high-profile gatherings, walking among dangerous men without drawing attention. But here, in this unassuming university, she felt like she had stepped into a spotlight she didn't ask for.

Aritra seemed utterly unaffected. He walked ahead with the same calm confidence, not sparing a glance at the looks being thrown their way. As if sensing her discomfort, he finally spoke, his voice casual.

"You can take the hat off, you know. It's not helping."

She shot him a glare. "It's keeping my life simple."

He smirked. "No, it's making you look more suspicious. Now you look like you have something to hide."

She clenched her jaw, debating whether to argue, but ultimately sighed, adjusting the hat lower over her forehead. "I hate attention."

Aritra raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. Instead, he gestured ahead. "Come on, we'll be late."

As they walked through the corridor leading toward the classroom, Katherine took a deep breath, steadying herself. This was her first day. Her first step into a world that, despite all its simplicity, felt utterly unfamiliar.

And for the first time in a long while, she wasn't sure if she was prepared for it.

To be continued…