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I am so glad the India Today group continues to publish the Best Colleges of India special edition! 20 years ago, this same edition helped me take a crucial decision in my life. It’s a bit long story, I can’t help narrate in detail because it shows how much I am thankful to India Today for doing this.

I was born in Vishakapatnam but my schooling and college was in Chennai. I completed my 12th grade in 2001 and secured above 80% in Tamilnadu state board. I was so much in to getting a MBBS seat back then but since I belonged to the OC category I could not make the cut even with good marks. There was cut throat competition for a handful of seats all over India. I tried preparing again. Infact, I had no choice but to take the year off to prepare for 2002 medical entrance. My father had resigned from his job in 2001 and was yet to find a new one, so we could not afford management quota in medical colleges. I did not feel like taking up any other courses in arts or science colleges. I prepared for MBBS entrance during the remainder of 2001 and early 2002.

I couldn’t make the cut even in 2002.I helped my father set up a newspaper and magazine shop in 2002. I used to deliver newspapers and magazines to our customers every morning. I used to start my day at 4 am and by 8 am I used to get done. So I started preparing for MBBS entrance again in 2002. We couldn’t afford anything other than a free seat. So no other choice than to prepare for mbbs entrance.

This went on till 2003. I realized I had invested 2 years in MBBS entrance prep and now the pressure was mounting. But when life takes over nothing else is important. One beautiful morning, out of nowhere I saw this best colleges of India edition in June, 2003 . I quickly turned the pages and saw all top 10 colleges in India for all streams. I was surprised to see Madras Christian College ranked 1 for science in India! I literally had NO IDEA that my neighborhood college was so cool and qualified till I saw this edition.

I was even more excited because Madras Christian college was just 4 kms from where I used to live. But funnily enough I never realized the college’s potential till I read this magazine!!

I immediately visited the college and enquired for a BSc Zoology application form. I was too late because all application forms were sold out. But they guaranteed me that if I can get an application form somehow and fill it they would happily give me a free seat in BSc Zoology, day college. This meant that the semester fees were very much affordable. I realized that my MBBS dreams had to be bygone. Whenever I used to prepare for MBBS I used to start with Zoology. So there it was.

I thought if I could somehow get through this college in science course it would add value to my career because it was #1 for science in India and not just south India. This is when my mom magically tapped her network and secured me a unfilled application form for Madras Christian college.

That’s it! I joined MCC in 2003 and in 2006 I had a campus recruitment offer from DEShaw India (hyderabad) with a good annual package! There was no turning back after that!! I worked in DEShaw for 7 years, then moved to a Wallstreet bank in GURUGRAM. 20 years later I saw this magazine in a magazine stall and I am overcome with gratitude because 20 years ago this edition literally kickstarted my career!!

Thanks a ton. I wish the India Today Group well. Keep going with this special edition in the considerable future. You are doing a great service for the youth of India in making informed choices.

— Varun Gowtham Mannava