IIT Guwahati: Where nature and learning come together

Won’t it be fabulous to do your bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate in the middle of pristine nature and greenery? IIT Guwahati is one such place and I figured that out for myself when I visited their campus last month to give my TEDx talk.



Photo Courtesy: Adarsh Shrivastava, a student of IIT Guwahati

I am mad about nature, outdoors and wildlife and I love learning environments. Hence, it was no surprise that I fell in love with the IIT Guwahati campus at first sight. This 750 acre campus flanked by the mighty Brahmputra river on one side is a gorgeous educational institution in the middle of a forest like environment and umpteen number of lakes.



Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia.org and used under the Creative Commons License

IIT Guwahati has like 4 lakes on campus. 2 of them are natural, while the others are man-made. All these lakes are fairly large. During my three days on campus, I regularly spotted pelicans, herons, egrets, cormorants and pintails on the lake waters. I woke up to the sound of whistling thrushes and to the chatter of babblers. Sometimes, I would wonder if I was actually on a wildlife trip to some of the national parks in Assam. Such is the richness of birdlife on campus.



Photo Courtesy: Adarsh Shrivastava, a student of IIT Guwahati

It is not just the birds that are seen often here. Students and the people on campus told me that they often hear the call of the jackal, they have spotted deer from time to time and they spot pythons and other snakes every monsoon season. In fact, the vegetation around the university campus is so dense that I would not be surprised if the wild animals often watch the students at close quarters.



Photo Courtesy: Adarsh Shrivastava, a student of IIT Guwahati

The idea is not to scare you, but to let you know that if you are a nature, wildlife or birdlife lover, then this place is apt for you. For not only can you go about your studies under the umbrella of an elite education brand, but you can also indulge in your passion of exploring the rich nature that lives on campus.



Photo Courtesy: Adarsh Shrivastava, a student of IIT Guwahati

In fact, I loved the campus so much that there were times when I dreamt about becoming a student here. Like most IIT campuses, this one has all the latest facilities and some of the brightest minds in the country. I think if I decide on studying further in India, this place has to be one of my top choices. Do you think you want to go study amidst such pristine nature and brilliant minds?