Many of my American students ask me whether I was a part of a Fraternity during my undergrad years at Mumbai University. Or if Indian universities even have fraternities or sororities in the first place. I usually smile at such questions and close my eyes for a brief moment. My mind goes in flashback mode as I recollect those by gone years. Ah those were the days….
Yes, I am an alumnus of a very popular fraternity. It still has chapters in each university across India. I am sure most of my readers are alumnus of this frat as well. Remember the “alpha tau kappa tau”? For some of you living in denial, does “kappa tau” ring a bell? I’m sure you don’t have to be Socrates to decipher the English alphabets. For you nerds out there who have no clue what it is despite cramming The Odyssey, let me ease your pain. It’s my American name for ATKT i.e. “allowed to keep terms”. Or more practically, “after trying keep trying”.
Well, you will be pleased to know that even today biannual meetings are conducted without fail. The turnout for such meetings is phenomenal to say the least. I was an active member of this frat. During my school years, I made it a point to attend each and every meeting. Come rain or shine, I was there. I was the unofficial president of the Mumbai University chapter.
I explain to my students that the goal of the fraternity is to allow a young student to understand himself. He is given an opportunity to understand his own strengths and weaknesses. It inculcates a desire to learn, to value education and to realize that you are human. It helps you identify what’s humanly possible and what is just beyond your reach. Many a career decision has been made at such frat meetings.
These regular networking sessions helped me develop a strong bond with my fellow students. Yes, like any self respecting frat boys, we were like brothers. Or more like “XYZ bhai”. We had pledged loyalty to each other. We always made it a point to help each other in times of need. At times, unscrupulous means were employed for this purpose. But as it’s said, “the end justifies the means”.
Yes, there are certain restrictions to the induction process. The student has to be of a certain caliber to be a part of his hallowed club. In the first year, most of the students feel that they won’t make it in. They feel it is beyond them. However, like any other educational program in India, there is a certain cut off score to get in. These marks may vary depending on the college. At my university, the cut off was below 40 on a 100 marks exam.
And yes, there exists hazing. Or “ragging”, as we call it in India. However, unlike in the US, the brothers do not involve themselves in hazing. The professors and examination proctors do it instead. Initially, you feel mortified. “Spare me the humiliation” or “why me”, are some common thoughts. Then you get used to it. You learn to take the pain. After a point you actually start enjoying it. After graduation, you laugh over such incidents. However, somewhere deep inside there brims the sadistic urge to know what the new inductees are going through.
When I catch up with my brothers even after all these years, the conversation quickly veers to our personal experiences with kappa tau. The fraternity which made our present tense and future perfect. Cheers to alpha tau kappa tau!
