Borrowed from SAMPADA old editions – for the 10th Anniversary Special Issue – Interviews section. This one is of Dr V K Aatre, 1961 EEE.
Dr. V K Aatre is a renowned Indian Scientist and a proud Alumnus from namma UVCE Batch of 1961 Electrical. Team Sampada had the privilege to meet him and interview. He was the former head of the Defence Research and Development Organisation and also served as the Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister. Aatre Sir was awarded the Padma Bhushan award in 2000 and Padma Vibhushan award in 2016. Here are the excerpts from the interview
Team Sampada: The most memorable memories from your college days that you reminisce even today.
Dr. VK Aatre: When I Reminiscence the memories from my days at UVCE, I definitely would point the Survey camp we had at Ghati Subramanya. Then comes all the gatherings in the main quadrangle, the well knit group we formed with our classmates and batch mates. Also adding to the list is the cycle trips we used to undertake during our college times and bunking classes to go watch movies at KG road. The more profound and fulfilled times were the dramatics we would do in the class during the lectures of Prof T Ramesh and Prof D B Narasimhiah.
Team Sampada: It would be great if you can share your memories of the faculty present during your college and how their teaching impacted you in your career.
Dr. VK Aatre:The faculty at UVCE was prodigious in their teachings. My best memories of the faculty include Dr. B R Narayan Iyengar’s teaching of Machine Design, the friendly disposition of Prof. G Parameswarappa, time times of inspiring lectures by Prof. Venkatachala Iyengar. No lasting impressions of other faculty were made except that all were very friendly.
Team Sampada: How was your journey as an engineer when compared to the times now where there are more industry opportunities and technological advancements?
Dr. VK Aatre:All my engineering and science orientation really came after I left UVCE. The orientation about Industry and Technology during the UVCE period was minimal.
Team Sampada: When you visited college after a long time, what are the things that crossed your mind?
Dr. VK Aatre:When I visited UVCE, of course it brought back a lot of memories of our four years at the College and the friendly faculty we had. The cheerful appearance of the main quadrangle brought immense happiness to me. Also what left a mark of disappointment were the sad conditions of the infrastructure and the downward swing of the UVCE over the years.
Team Sampada: As students and Alumni what are the small things we can trigger to bring about a change?
Dr. VK Aatre: What we must do in order to revive our UVCE’s spirit is to firstly gather the Alumni together. As alumni we must see what we can do in our best efforts, plan and execute in order to bring our alma mater to its old glory.
Team Sampada: It would be great if you can share few words of wisdom for the young engineers.
Dr. VK Aatre: I always tell the youngsters that predominantly most of the learning happens after we leave the college. What we must continually remember in life are the three Ps – Purpose, Passion and Perseverance. In supplement to it, one must have some Idealism and Nationalism. Everyone must work with integrity and professionalism whilst significantly bearing in mind to not go after only Money.
– Dr V K Aatre, Sampada-100
