Gaurav Waratkar

Tell us about your journey coming here. Why did you choose IIT Bombay?

I am from Nagpur and began my JEE journey in the tenth standard. I did not even know the full form of JEE, but I did it since everyone around me was talking about competitive exams and preparing for JEE. I later found out about IIT Bombay and that it is a premier institute. IIT Bombay became my natural preference because it was close to my home, just an overnight journey from Nagpur, and I was familiar with the people over here. At 18, I was honestly clueless about what each branch meant, and I think that was true for most of my batchmates. As a kid, I loved cars, and someone told me that mechanical engineering was an evergreen branch, so I pursued it and joined IITB in 2015 as a mechanical engineer. Later, post my B.Tech. I switched to astrophysics for my PhD because during my BTech, I worked on several astro projects, and I found astro to be intuitive, fascinating, and accessible.

What were your expectations before coming here, and how well were they met?

I came here with a blank slate, so my expectations were extremely basic, if any. All I knew was that IIT Bombay had a conducive environment, and people said, “life set ho jayegi” (You will be set for life). Relatives told me I’d become part of a network that spreads across boundaries and fields, but I never really held on to those expectations consciously. Looking back over a decade, I can say that IITB has delivered every single time and on every opportunity. It has lived up to its name. In my own experience, I have never come across a situation where I have lacked a resource or opportunity as a researcher and student.

Which clubs or teams were you a part of?

I was part of the Racing Team as a junior design engineer, working on powertrain and cooling systems, back in 2016. But the most significant pillar of my life here has been Krittika, the astronomy club. It is the first thing that I think about in my IITB life. From 2015 to 2025, Krittika has been central to my journey. I’ve served as both convenor and manager, interacting with a decade of generations of students and seeing the club grow. It’s given me so much and has been deeply connected to my professional life as well.

What were your go-to stress busters or hobbies that helped you survive on campus?

Even with limited free time, I cherished hangouts with seniors, juniors, and batchmates, whether through clubs or just casual meetups. The people were the highlight of the insti. Every spot on campus holds a memory for me. During my BTech, I rarely left campus, but as a PhD student, I made it a point to explore Mumbai with friends, going on long walks in South Bombay and learning about the city’s history. I have learnt a lot about the campus and the city. So that was my usual stress buster: go around and have new experiences.

Ahh, that also reminds me that in the B.Tech. first year, we used to have Counter-Strike LAN parties. We used to be in H15 A wing and made a lot of noise. That was fun, which we continued till my final year.

What made you choose IIT Bombay for your PhD, especially when there were opportunities outside India?

I get asked that a lot. There are a lot of opportunities outside, but there are many reasons why I stayed back. When I was applying for a PhD, I considered what I wanted out of the whole experience. You want an overall development, which is a function of the project, the resources the institute provides, but also a good function of the guide you are working with and the exposure they give.

After discussions with my professors and seniors, there were only 3 international universities that I felt could offer me a better experience than IIT Bombay, so I applied to those. They were truly stellar/ivy institutions, but I didn’t get in.
That left IIT Bombay as my top choice, and it turned out to be the best decision. Here, I had the chance to create something unique by combining my interests in mechanical engineering and astrophysics – something I couldn’t have done elsewhere. I got to be the lead instrumentation person in building the most sensitive space telescope with ISRO while studying the death of stars, black holes, and even gravitational waves – all simultaneously! It was an incredible opportunity and far better than anything I could have found outside.

My guide here has been outstanding, and he has constantly pushed me beyond my boundaries and helped me grow. I have absolutely no regrets. The learning has been immense, and I have been able to stay very close to my family in these 5 years. 

Overall, socially, personally, and professionally, it was the best decision.

How much of an impact do you think Covid had on your college life?

My BTech convocation happened in August before Covid, and the pandemic hit right as I began my PhD. Normally, group bonding happens in person, but unfortunately, we were scattered, some living off campus and some in H16. The PhD journey is isolating as it is, since everyone works on something new with different routines, as there is no going to class together or giving an exam together. I can see it in my batch that Covid has made the disconnect worse. The first two years of a PhD are usually flexible, and you can participate in hostel activities, but even that was affected. Professionally, though, it didn’t impact me much since I could work independently from home. I’ve heard many stories about the campus life during Covid, but I’m glad I could start my PhD from home.

 Having spent a decade at IITB, what changes have you observed in the institute?

In a nutshell, a lot has changed. For starters, over my time here, I’ve watched three hostels get demolished and rebuilt from the ground up. Experiencing both undergraduate and postgraduate life, and being part of alumni circles across the country, I’ve had the chance to interact with people who have seen the campus both from the inside and outside.

Hostel culture has changed a lot. In the final year, students now move to H17 or H18, which takes them away from their parent hostel and the close-knit connections they built over the years. I spent three years in H7, and the sense of community there was incredible. It did feel like something out of “Chhichhore” where there was a lot more passion for hostel traditions back then. Hostel valfis and wing valfis used to happen. We used to construct makeshift stages in the empty spaces between wings, and every student would get three to four hours to relive their entire insti life with their wingmates and hostelmates, sharing experiences, secrets, senti, and even rumours. It was a wonderful way to say goodbye to campus, but it got shut down as it sometimes would take an ugly turn.

The academic culture has changed a lot. Earlier, we would stick to one or two commitments/PoRs, but now it’s common to see people juggling five different things at once. The accessibility to opportunities and their numbers have drastically increased. The rise of ambitious tech teams and the new Makerspace course are great examples of this shift.

On a lighter note, the dress sense of the institute has improved a lot. There was a time when attending class in half-pants and chappals was the norm, but now there’s a noticeable improvement in how students dress.

One of the most positive changes has been the growing focus on physical and mental well-being. These were not topics of conversation back then, but have shot up since Covid.

A lot of things changed, yet some things remained the same. I still see people getting emotional for the institute, say after Mood Indigo or during handovers, and that is heartening to see.

If you could turn back and change one thing, what would it be? 

I am in love with the campus, so much so that a lot of my juniors often ask me about becoming a professor here!  Despite spending a decade here, if I have one regret, it’s that I wish I’d explored even more, especially during my initial years. Each day brings news of insti folks making waves in fields I didn’t know existed – right here on campus. I would have loved to take part in another – say, an Abhyuday event, or maybe an E-Cell event. Even though I tried my best to make the most of my time, I still have this regret that I wanted more from the campus. The rich community culture and life skills you learn from people are invaluable.

Having done both Btech and PhD at IITB, what are the biggest personal and academic challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

I think every IITian experiences this: you go from being the best in your school to being surrounded by equally talented people, where you are no longer the best. It’s a new feeling. Before campus, life feels like a zero-sum game, but here you learn that growth can be collective. Initially, it’s easy to think that if someone else excels, it means you can’t, but that’s not true. On campus, we all grow together, and I understood that in my later years. Just yesterday, a batchmate in my BTech group messaged about how everyone is growing together, and it was heartening to see.

In the beginning, you search for your own identity, but somewhere along the way, your group becomes your reflection. It’s one of the beautiful changes that define insti life.

As a PhD student, the challenge shifts: you have to evolve from someone who’s told what to do to someone who defines their own goals. In undergrad, you’re always saying “next sem phodenge,” (we will study in the next semester), but in a PhD, your goals are self-defined, which requires a lot of discipline. It’s not always smooth sailing, but it worked out.

What were some ideologies that you had during your B.Tech years that were proven wrong when you did your PhD

When I started, I had no idea what PhD life on campus was like. There’s a notion among BTech students that UGs and PGs live very different lives, but having experienced both, I can say we’re not that different. That was a big ideological change for me. The campus needs PGs just as much as UGs. Over time, my idea of the campus has changed quite a lot, and my respect for the institute has only grown. The opportunities here have expanded so much, and the institute is now pulling out all the stops to ensure every student gets what they aim for.

Moving ahead, what are your future plans?

I’ve accepted the offer to work as a postdoctoral fellow at Caltech’s Space Radiation Lab, where I’ll be working on supporting existing and building upcoming NASA satellites. I’ll be moving to the US in August, and my long-term plan is to be part of the Indian space industry.

What advice would you like to give the junior batches?

For PhDs, go out and interact with as many communities as possible. There’s so much you can do on campus, and so much you can give back to the campus. The campus genuinely cares about you, and you have to make the most of it.

For juniors, cherish every day you have at the institute. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t miss their four-five years here. On a professional note – we are protected within the campus boundary, and you do not need to tread overcautiously in your endeavours. The campus will protect you, so capitalise on all the opportunities you get. Don’t just follow what your seniors did; what worked for them might not work for you. Don’t be the second someone, be the first you.

If you could meet your younger self today, would he be proud of where you are?

Yes, 100 per cent. All the confidence, personal growth, and professional development I have are because of this institute. I remember when my ISMP mentor first visited my wing, I couldn’t even introduce myself confidently. Now, I can speak in front of thousands and have mentored dozens of students. Any version of myself from the past ten years would be proud of the journey I’ve had here.