Knowledge matters, not marks
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Sameer Kohli, 39 interviewed by Vandana Ramnani.
I belong to the 1989 batch of St Xavier’s, Delhi, and completed my graduation from IIT Delhi in the year 1993.
Lessons learnt
Whenever you meet someone to explain your ideas, never presume s/he knows too much. Start with the basics, but be precise and 
not verbose.
Another thing I picked up at IIT was keeping my cool. Academic pressures were high, and exams got preponed during my stint there. That shaped my attitude: To remain cool and be prepared for any eventuality. In the world of filmmaking, Mr Murphy is always on your shoulder, and things go unexpected ways every time, no matter how planned and well executed your work is. The education at IIT did help in ensuring that I stay calm and look at alternatives to take a project further.
The teacher
There have been many in school. Mrs Khan, the chemistry teacher, would lay more emphasis on knowledge and less on marks. A K Das, the physics teacher, was more of a friend and Mr Bhaskar, the Hindi teacher, kept the flag of speaking in Hindi flying.
In college, too, there have been many who have influenced at different levels.
Education and career
I moved into a different sphere after my engineering. But the education never goes waste. In the filmmaking business, I know I am more methodical than many, thanks to my college days at IIT.
Filmmaking also involves lot of technicalities, and having had a brush with such things in college, I understand the process easily. Not better though, mind you, because everyone understands it with experience.
Author: HT Horizons
Date: 11th nov., 2009
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