33.Thesis work in I.I.T.Delhi completed

The strenuous process of writing the PhD  thesis had started as early as February 1981 and the guides had gone through it once before I took my family home. After return from Calicut, second round corrections were completed and the matter was ready to be typed. Most of my typing work for papers published in journals was being done by a  stenographer, Mr.Padmanabhan Nambiar, of  Indian Society for Technical Education(ISTE) which had its office  in I.I.T Delhi administrative  building. He was deputed from Tamil Nadu state service and was the trusted assistant of I.S.T.E. Programme Coordinator Prof.Hegde. He was dedicated to his profession fully and it was difficult to find such a committed typist like him.

Remember, it was 1981. Minimum five copies of the thesis are to be submitted to the institute. Two copies for me and one copy for Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) for whom I had taken up the project made the number of copies required to be 8. Computer typing and photocopying facilities were not available at that time. Multiple copies could be made on typewriters using carbon paper but the carbon copies were not acceptable by the institute. The other alternative to get 8 identical copies of the thesis was to cyclostyle the matter. The process of cyclostyling is first to type the matter on a special type of paper called stencil paper. As the letters on the typewriters hit on this paper, tiny holes are created on the soft tissue type paper. When this stencil is kept on the cyclostyling machine with dark ink, ink will slowly penetrate the hole and an impression will be created on an ordinary white paper. Ordinary cyclostyling paper is a bit thick, quickly moisture absorbing type. But bond paper also can be used   which will be of standard A4 size as required for thesis.  A stencil, once cut, cannot be corrected or used again as the perforations made by the striking letters remain permanent. Therefore, utmost care is to be taken in typing on stencils and things cannot be done in a hurried manner. As Nambiar was a very good professional at his typing work, it was certain that mistakes will be very much less. Further, Nambiar being a perfectionist, he used to go to his friend Bhatia in Mechanical department (who has a typewriting machine with Greek characters) to insert letters like µ, α , β, φ ,θ ,Σ ,ξ in my thesis. This will be usually done during the lunch recess. Most of the other typists will ask these letters to be inserted by hand with a hard-metallic stylus pen, but hand written Greek letters will not appear to be uniform. Nambiar was so careful to put a carat (^ ) sign  by  inserting the  stencil reversed  and typing ‘v’  in the appropriate place. To  avoid  confusion   between number  1  and letter  l , he used to type a (,  go back by a space and type ‘/ ‘  to form  the special  letter  l and he used to instruct me to close the  open  space  at the top of the letter by hand.   PhD thesis being the report of the hard work done over a period of three or more years, it was absolutely necessary that no mistakes creep in the thesis. A perfect work is what is desired.

Nambiar  was obviously a perfectionist  by nature and it was  my pleasure  to get the work done  by him. He has some peculiarities though.  Some one has to read the matter to him sitting by his side. He will keep on typing continuously, occasionally taking a sip of some liquid he used to keep below his table. Thus, the 350-page thesis was typed completely by end of June. The figures were also drawn and combining all these, 8 copies of the PhD thesis was ready soon after. Three copies to the academic section and two copies to the two guides, one copy to ONGC and two for me together added up to eight. Initially, the copies are  to be submitted in soft bound form. After   evaluation by the examiners and open defence in the department, final copy is to be submitted incorporating corrections, if any, in hard copy (calico or clothe-bound). Copy of the thesis will be kept in the library only after successful defence.

Copies of the synopsis of the thesis are sent   to a panel of examiners, one from within India and another abroad. Based on their expertise and research back ground, if they accept the appointment, copy of the thesis is sent to them. Examiners chosen are eminent researchers who have worked in the area of research for several years. Usually a period of 3 months is given for examiners, but if any one of the examiners delay the report, thesis defence and award of degree will be delayed. If both the examiners give a positive recommendation for the award of the degree, an open defence is conducted with the Indian examiner present. Any clarifications or questions posed by the foreign examiner are to be given.  Queries from others in the audience also have to be answered before the thesis is formally accepted. I submitted the thesis by end of July, cleared the dues in the Nalanda hostel, library etc bid farewell to my teachers and friends and returned to my institution and continued my teaching work in early Aug 1981.