LinkedIn told me to wish Atanu a happy work anniversary. According to
LinkedIn, he completed two years at Florida State University this
November.Except that Atanu died in a freak accident a month ago.For those who do not know Atanu, he was a PhD student at IIT Bombay, and
he stayed two rooms down from the room I was allocated. The physical
proximity does lead to a certain level of friendship that cannot be
expressed easily.Generally, PhDs and MTechs at IITB have an estranged relationship with
the BTechs, we think of them as dull oldies, and they think of us as
arrogant youngsters (the actual terms used are more colourful, but I
hope you get the idea). Atanu was an exception to the rule. It's hard to
find anyone who could say that he did not like Atanu, or that he was
ambivalent or indifferent. Atanu's personality was one that forced you
to like him.We had a running joke, I would joke that as a PhD, he would do nothing
other than go to his lab and sit in the AC, and he would jo…