Introduction
Near the end April in my junior year, I started looking for opportunities to intern in a Bioinformatics program. No business internship would give me as much knowledge as the WishExpress one had, so I decided to pursue one in Bioinformatics because of my interest and natural talent in biology and computer science. I contacted the Director of VIT in Vellore, India, on the recommendation of a family friend who knew of the strength of the institution in the field of biotechnology and medical research. The director informed me that they do not accept interns, but that I should send him a resumé anyways. I sent him my resumé, but started searching out opportunities locally as well. However, he got back to me 2 weeks later, impressed with the resumé. He stated that he would love to offer me an internship at VIT in Bioinformatics under the guidance of Dr. Punnagai Munusami, Assistant Senior Professor of the Bioinformatics Department at VIT.
First Moments
Being a North Indian, I was not acclimated to the intense heat of Vellore, the driest part of Tamil Nadu in India. The campus was the most beautiful and well-maintained of all university campuses I had ever been on, including those back in the States. I met Mrs. Punnagai (she preferred to go by her first name) along with Mrs. Beverly David, Officer for International Relations at VIT. Beverly Ma'am became my mother away from home, a source of solace in the new environment. She supported me well during my stay.
Slow Start
The first week was mostly spent settling down in VIT. My dorm was assigned, I got access to internet and the gym on campus, and I started background reading and research for Mrs. Punnagai. My father was there with me for the first two days to take care of all formalities, paperwork, and payments, and then he left. As a new face on a campus of student all at least 4 years older than me, it was slightly uncomfortable for the first week. Gradually, I started making acquaintances and got used to the campus.
Best Friend, Mentor, Brother
I soon got to know the man who would become my best friend, mentor, and brother. I met Kshitiz Gautam at the gym, and chance encounters on campus led us to start hanging out together. Eventually, we became inseparable. I had an extra bed in my dorm, so he moved in to give me the true hostel experience. I experienced college life as it is in India because of him, and we had a blast. After my 6 hours of work each weekday, we would spend time playing pool or going to the gym. Any extra time was spent on the basketball courts and in the food court, drinking our favorite Blue Mountain drink and belting out songs at the top of our lungs for anyone in the vicinity. In the 5 weeks that I knew him, Kshitiz developed a bond with me that will last forevermore. I owe him much for the great time, the guidance, and the support Kshitiz provided me with. He will always be my brother.
Internship
The dissertation came along slowly but steadily. Producing something of substance with limited background knowledge in bioinformatics or cancer in 6 weeks was a difficult task, but Mrs. Punnagai helped me push myself. She supported my work, and always took care to make sure I understood exactly what was going on at each step in the process. She understood that I was working on a project worthy of a Masters student at VIT, and built up my rudimentary knowledge with background research assignments that eventually contributed to the introduction of my dissertation.
While working on the dissertation, Mrs. Punnagai taught me about the distinctions between bioinformatics and biotechnology, and the concept behind the two. I built up my knowledge of bioinformatics with light background reading, and toured the renowned bioinformatics lab at VIT to understand the tools and machines used in the field.
