Double PhD

“From the earliest days of my childhood, I’ve harbored an unwavering love for science. It was a passion that guided me seamlessly towards a career in the field. After clearing the AIEEE entrance examination, I. embarked on my engineering journey at NIT Uttarakhand. Joining the institution’s maiden engineering cohort in 2010 was an honor, albeit one fraught with challenges.

In those nascent years, NIT Uttarakhand grappled with the teething pains of a temporary campus and a dearth of essential resources. The resultant student unrest culminated in multiple protests, where the officials of Uttarakhand government bore witness to our fervent pleas for a permanent campus. Yet, over a decade later, our alma mater still awaits its permanent abode!

Things got a little better during my final year of BTech. As I progressed through my undergraduate studies, independent learning through platforms like Coursera became invaluable tools in my pursuit of knowledge, supplementing the gaps left by the institutional constraints.

I was initially drawn towards a career in teaching. However, the government’s mandate requiring an MTech degree for teaching roles prompted a recalibration of my ambitions. Although my GATE score fell short of expectations, I was able to secure admission to NIT Hamirpur for my Master’s degree.

My aspirations for a teaching career were temporarily derailed by a life-altering event – an accident that rendered me bedridden for 6 months. It was around this time that I decided to pursue a PhD, viewing it as an avenue to not only enhance my teaching prowess but also to delve deeper into my chosen field.

My doctoral research journey began with a focus on an interdisciplinary topic – melding computer science, neuroscience, and psychology to unravel the mysteries of depression through the lens of machine learning. This endeavor was buoyed by MHRD funding, providing much-needed support during my tenure at IIT Roorkee. But the rapid expansion of the machine learning landscape often left me grappling with imposter syndrome.

A turning point in my academic journey came in the form of a collaboration program called SPARK, which afforded me the opportunity to pursue a double PhD with the University of Groningen, Netherlands. This international collaboration, though hampered by the constraints of pandemic, offered a unique blend of exposure and learning opportunities.

As I reflect on my journey thus far, one lesson stands out above all else – the importance of passion and purpose in academic pursuits. In a field as dynamic and challenging as machine learning, where career prospects abound, it is this intrinsic drive that sustains and propels us forward. For those contemplating a similar path, let it be known that the pursuit of knowledge is not merely a means to an end but a journey of self-discovery and fulfillment.”

-Anmol Gupta, PhD in Computer Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee and University of Groningen, Netherlands

Interviewed and written by Payel Das