www-joythomasfoundation-org-aug-2024

DaVinci Mirror

asha.sundararajan@gmail.com (Asha Sundararajan) — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 14:56:00 GMT

Incubating Eggs and Raising Chickens

The Da Vinci Mirror Project, a student's journey

As soon as we learned about light and its properties in class, our teacher introduced us to the Da Vinci Mirror project. We were all super excited! The challenge was to create a device that allowed us to write on paper while looking at a mirror, just like Leonardo da Vinci, who wrote in reverse because he was left-handed. We started with just a shoebox and a mirror, and I thought it would be a simple task. Boy, was I wrong!

When we got started, my friends and I dove right in, but we quickly ran into problems. First, we had to figure out how to position our mirrors so that our reflections would be clear enough for us to write legibly. It was really tricky to find the right angle! We spent a lot of time brainstorming and experimenting. At first, our designs didn’t work, and we had to rethink our approach several times.

Even though we faced setbacks and had to redo parts of our projects, we didn’t give up. I realized that each time we tried again, we were learning something new. Our problem-solving skills grew stronger as we figured out what worked and what didn’t. We learned to embrace challenges, and it felt amazing when, after much effort, we finally crafted functional Da Vinci mirrors!

From Mr. Stephen K Nebu, our teacher

This project wasn’t just about understanding light; it taught the students a lot of valuable skills. Here are some of the key takeaways I noticed along the way:

Scientific Understanding: We got to apply the concepts of light and reflection in a real-world context, which made learning so much more engaging.
Creativity: Designing our mirrors encouraged us to think outside the box. We tried different angles and materials to see what would give us the best results.
Resilience: Whenever we faced obstacles, we learned to keep going and view them as chances to improve rather than failures. It felt great to push through!
Collaboration: Working together as a team helped us communicate better. We bounced ideas off each other and supported one another when things got tough.
Ownership of Learning: Taking charge of our own projects made us more invested in what we were doing. I felt proud of what we accomplished and excited to tackle future challenges!
Overall, the Da Vinci Mirror project was a huge success. It not only deepened our understanding of light but also helped us grow as creative thinkers and problem solvers. I can’t wait for our next scientific adventure!

Lastest from our desk

Homi Bhabha Science Talent Exam October 2023

asha.sundararajan@gmail.com (Asha Sundararajan) — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 13:15:19 GMT

55 participated, 23 passed theory, 1 qualified

Written by Mr. Stephen Nebu and our students

On October 21, 2023, the Homi Bhabha Exam took place at St. Joseph's Boys High School (SJBHS) with a total of 55 students participating. The examination commenced promptly at 3:00 PM under the supervision of Mr. Stephen K Nebu, who served as the chief incharge of the examination center.

The exam, which is a prestigious platform for young minds to showcase their scientific acumen, witnessed the enthusiastic participation of students from various schools. SJBHS, known for its commitment to academic excellence, provided a conducive environment for the smooth conduct of the examination.

The students, eager to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, engaged in the exam with focus and determination. The atmosphere at SJBHS was one of both concentration and excitement, reflecting the significance of the Homi Bhabha Exam in fostering scientific curiosity and understanding.

It is anticipated that the results of the examination will be announced on November 30, 2023. This eagerly awaited announcement will mark the culmination of the students' efforts and the beginning of a new chapter for those who excel in the examination.

The results were announced on 30th November 2023 and one student qualified for the practical examination. Master Adrith Rai and 22 students passed the examination.

Mentoring STEM Careers

asha.sundararajan@gmail.com (Asha Sundararajan) — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 17:28:45 GMT

What are STEM careers we can pursue? What should we study to be able to get to the job positions? What can we choose if we study physics? And more... Students often have insufficient exposure to possibilities, and very little knowledge on the potential career paths.

Since August of 2021, we have conducted 15 mentoring workshops drawing from a pool of extended JTF volunteers, SJBHS alumii, and dedicated individual s.

Tinkerlab & Clubs

asha.sundararajan@gmail.com (Asha Sundararajan) — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 09:59:53 GMT

Co-Curricular and afterschool programs

Students from grades 3-10 participate in a weekly 80-minute club program, while the lab is open to tinkering before and after school, and during lunch. While the usual bunch of suspects hangout, loving to build and experiment, the free form inviting nature of the programs draws the curious students in.

STEM Snakes and Ladders

asha.sundararajan@gmail.com (Asha Sundararajan) — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 04:12:58 GMT

Reimagining Snakes and Ladders

A STEM Challenge in Our Classroom

In our classroom, students have taken the classic game of Snakes and Ladders and turned it into an exciting, interactive learning experience. By adding their own layer of challenge cards, they've created a dynamic twist on the traditional format, blending fun with STEM learning.

Here’s how it works: When a student lands on a snake, instead of simply sliding down, they face a set of snake-related questions. To "survive the snake bite," they must solve the questions, testing both their knowledge and problem-solving skills. Landing on a ladder presents another opportunity—they need to answer STEM-related questions to successfully climb the ladder.

The real magic, however, lies in how the students take ownership of the game. They research, create, and curate the challenge cards themselves, allowing them to deepen their understanding of various STEM concepts. In the process, their curiosity about snakes (and STEM!) is sparked and satisfied, as they come up with multiple variations of the game, each more creative than the last.

This hands-on approach has not only made STEM learning more engaging, but it has also empowered students to take control of their learning journey, fostering collaboration, creativity, and a shared sense of accomplishment.

Phenomenon

asha.sundararajan@gmail.com (Asha Sundararajan) — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 16:55:51 GMT

Phenomenon 2023

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Aurum 1st Annual Fest, Feb 2-3 ,2024

asha.sundararajan@gmail.com (Asha Sundararajan) — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 09:11:34 GMT

A 2-Day Interschool STEM Fest

About Aurum

The first edition of the STEM fest of St Joseph’s Boys’ High School, Aurum 2024 was a spectacular celebration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The 2 day event, held on the 2nd and 3rd of February, aimed at inspiring students, and educators by showcasing the wonders of STEM fields through fun competitions, engaging exhibits, interactive demonstrations, and presentations, truly succeeded spectacularly in its goal.

The Opening Ceremony

Day 1

Three events took place on day 1. The Debate event, Rhetorix was one of the first events that took place. Theparticipants thoroughly enjoyed the multilingual debate to the fullest and put their points forth in a very eloquent manner. Graphica, the Cartooning event was a colourful blast of talent. The Treasure Hunt event, Chrysos for Juniors also took place on Day 1. The participants, accompanied by student volunteers, left no stone unturned in their hunt for clues to emerge victorious. The first day of Aurum 2024 was indeed remarkable.

The workshop conducted by Ms. Asha Sundararajan, Mr. Stephen K Nebu, and Ms. Harshitha R was a valuable and hands-on experience for the teachers participating in the AURUM fest. The focus on holistic ways of engaging a class suggests that the workshop aimed at providing teachers with a well-rounded approach to teaching that goes beyond traditional methods. This initiative seems to align with the spirit of professional development and the promotion of modern, effective teaching practices. The AURUM fest, by incorporating such workshops, appears to be fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation among educators.

Day 2

Day 2 of Aurum was also a resounding success. From the smooth completion of Egnitus, the Engineering event, Quaestio, the Quiz event, the Senior Treasure Hunt and the STEM Bingo, the day was completed perfectly irrespective of the bumps faced along the way. Students of different schools were even given an opportunity to display their singing, dancing and acting talents on stage during the delightful Ice-breaking sessions held in the auditorium.

The closing ceremony of Aurum 2024 was graced by the Principal of St Joseph School, Pandithalli, Fr Stevan Gonzalvez, who, along with our Vice Principal, Mr Brian Mackertish distributed the prizes to the winning schools. Loyola English Medium School, Vijayapura were the overall champions of Aurum 2024.

Interschool Mushroom Workshop, 2023

asha.sundararajan@gmail.com (Asha Sundararajan) — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 09:14:26 GMT

InterSchool Mushroom Cultivation Workshop

The Mushroom Cultivation Workshop by Nuvedo Labs was held on 24th November 2023. The guest speakers were the co-founders of Nuvedo Labs Mr Jashid Hameed, Mr Sreekanth Kaleeswaran, and Ms Prithvi Kini. The students from St. Joseph’s Boys High School, St. Joseph’s PU College, St. Joseph’s Indian High School, St Germain’s High School, St Mary’s Public School Queens Road participated in this end-to-end, hands-on-cultivation of mushroom programme.

A dual-language interactive workshop

The workshop proved to be both enjoyable and enlightening, covering various themes that delved into the fascinating world of fungi. Topics discussed included: exploring the historical development of fungi, this theme provided insights into their evolution over time, shedding light on their significance in the contemporary context. Delving into the ecological aspects, this theme examined the vital role fungi play in the ecosystem, emphasising their contribution to environmental balance and sustainability. Participants gained an understanding of the intricate life cycle of mushrooms, from germination to maturity. This theme unravelled the complexities of mushroom development. Focusing on practical aspects, this theme covered key elements of mushroom cultivation, including the critical factors of strain selection and genetics, as well as considerations for biological efficiency and sustainability in the cultivation process.

The workshop went beyond merely instructing students on mushroom cultivation; it also provided valuable insights into establishing sustainable and zero-waste techniques for cultivating mushrooms at home. This empowerment allowed students to convert everyday household waste items like coffee grounds, mulch, leaf litter, and cardboard into wholesome and nutritious food sources.

The diverse range of topics provided a comprehensive overview of fungi, making the workshop not only enjoyable but also a source of valuable insights into various aspects of mycology. Participants had the opportunity to explore both the theoretical and practical dimensions of fungi, enhancing their knowledge and appreciation for this often overlooked yet crucial part of the natural world.

“It was a nice experience at the cultivation.We learnt about the reproduction of mushrooms,how mushrooms are formed,about fungi,about which mushroom is poisonous, which mushrooms are good.We learnt about mushrooms that are medicinal.It was very nice experimenting how to grow mushrooms.”

Nurturing Excellence

asha.sundararajan@gmail.com (Asha Sundararajan) — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 16:56:56 GMT

Fostering Excellence Through a Dynamic and Nurturing Environment

At the LTC, our vision is to cultivate global citizens who care for the environment and are committed to giving back to their communities. We focus on developing executive functioning skills by encouraging students to take charge of their learning through self-directed projects. Here, students are not merely “taught”; they actively “question, experiment, and construct knowledge,” regardless of their academic grades.

Since June 2022, our lab has welcomed over 3,000 students, with 20 dedicated members joining our in-school club program for grades 7 through 10. Students have found a creative haven, spending their lunch breaks, after school, and even holidays tinkering and collaborating on various projects.

Our initiatives include:

Student-Driven Math Practice: We launched an independent daily math program through IXL.com, where 150 students from St. Joseph and sister schools signed up in September, collectively averaging 6,000 minutes of practice each month.
Weekly Club Activities: Every week, students engage in 80-minute club sessions where they tackle foundational and challenging concepts. This year, they began by exploring ways to reduce echo in the LTC, diving into the physics of sound. Using tuning forks and ping pong balls, they studied sound as a source of energy and created jal tarangs from various materials to experiment with how sound travels through different mediums.
Multidisciplinary Curriculum: The LTC employs a circular curriculum that introduces complex concepts such as Newton’s laws, fractions, geometry, Pythagorean theorems, and electrical circuits in small yet meaningful ways. Our lessons flow naturally and are anchored by engaging themes—whether it’s aquaponics, Indian forts, rescue operations, or environmental science.

Through this nurturing environment and best-in-breed resources, many of which are developed by the students themselves, we are committed to mentoring excellence and empowering our learners to thrive.

Inspiring Potential

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 11:22:08 GMT

Arduino, an exploration

Brief Overview

The Arduino workshop was an inter school, end-to-end, hands-on, coding and programming workshop. We had 40 participants from St Joseph’s Boys’ High School, St Joseph’s school CBSE, St Joseph’s Indian High School,and St Joseph’s PU College.

The workshop was enjoyable and enlightening. The themes included:

Basic concepts of circuits
Blinking of LED and Time lapse
Light the world project: LED and Buzzer
Traffic light project with Arduino

The Workshop

The workshop was designed to empower participants with practical skills and knowledge in electronics, programming, and problem-solving using the Arduino Platform. The programme provided students with theory and practical skills for students to develop programming making students curious, unfolding them towards research and development.

The workshop began with an introduction to Arduino, its history, and its applications. Participants gained a clear understanding of the platform's versatility and the potential for creativity. The students demonstrate their project on a drone and rubber ducky (a hacking tool) using Arduino. The students were amazed and were excited during the session. Each participant was provided with an Arduino Uno Board, components, and a set of instructions for a beginner-level project. Students worked in pairs to build a simple, traffic light system, applying the concepts they learned throughout the workshop.

Participants encountered common challenges while constructing and coding their projects. Through guided troubleshooting sessions, they acquired problem-solving techniques and bolstered their confidence in addressing technical issues.

Our celebrities

The programme was graced by the Principal Rev Fr Sunil Fernandes SJ, Vice principal Mr Brian Mckertish, and Ms Asha Sundararajan.

Counting Chickens Before They Hatch

asha.sundararajan@gmail.com (Asha Sundararajan) — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 06:54:41 GMT

Incubating Eggs and Raising Chickens

A Holistic STEM Learning Experience

At the request of our ever-curious students, LTC mentor Mr. Shashi Lewis brought in an egg incubator and arranged for 24 eggs. Students eagerly set up the incubator, carefully placing the eggs in three layers while learning to monitor the temperature and operation of the machine. For a hands-on observation, they gently cracked open the top of a single egg, using a thin plastic cover to protect it. This allowed them to observe the embryonic development up close—over the next 30 days, they could even see the heartbeat inside the egg.

As Kevin, one of the students, embraced the role of caretaker, he became affectionately known as both the “mommy” and “daddy” of the group’s chickens. Many of his classmates eagerly supported him along the way. Finally, on December 31st, after weeks of anticipation, two eggs hatched, bringing two fluffy baby chicks into the world.

Over the next three months, students diligently cared for their chickens. They designed and built a coop, brought the chickens outside daily for sunlight, and even administered eye inoculations to protect them from disease. As the chickens grew, so did the students' sense of responsibility and accomplishment. However, with the end of the term and the challenge of maintaining care over the summer, the chickens were lovingly sent to a local farm where they could continue to thrive.

Holistic Learning Outcomes

This project offered students more than just an introduction to biology and embryology—it provided a multifaceted learning experience that combined science with personal growth:
Hands-on Scientific Knowledge: Students learned about embryonic development, temperature regulation, and incubation. Observing the life cycle in real-time, especially witnessing a heartbeat, deepened their understanding of biology in a tangible way.
Responsibility and Care: The students took full responsibility for their chickens, nurturing them daily and developing a deep sense of care and empathy for living creatures. This responsibility also encouraged teamwork as students collaborated to ensure their chickens were well cared for.
Problem-Solving and Creativity: Building a functional coop challenged the students to apply STEM principles, fostering creativity in design, engineering, and practical problem-solving.
Emotional and Social Development: The project nurtured empathy, leadership, and patience. Kevin, who took on the primary caregiver role, gained confidence and emotional maturity, while the rest of the group learned to support and cooperate in meaningful ways.
Understanding of Ethical and Environmental Stewardship: Sending the chickens to a farm highlighted the importance of understanding our responsibilities as caretakers of animals and reinforced concepts of sustainability and ethical animal treatment.

In essence, the egg incubation and chicken-raising project provided students with an immersive learning opportunity, combining STEM knowledge with emotional and social growth.

Lastest from our desk

Innovative STEM lab introduces new learning models to inspire students for the next 100 years

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 23:30:18 GMT

The St. Joseph’s Boys High School, in partnership with the Joy Thomas Foundation (JTF) and Learn for Life Foundation (LFL) have come together to fund and launch the Loyola Technology Center (LTC). LTC is an innovative lab run by a stellar team of school faculty and global alumni mentors to inspire students to explore STEM topics outside of the traditional classroom environment. The lab has a fully defined curriculum and is equipped with kits like oscilloscopes, soldering stations, desktops, Arduino sensors, and small easy to build cardboard models.

The Joy Thomas Foundation was created in 2020 to honor the life and legacy of the late Dr. Joy Thomas, a distinguished alumnus of St. Joseph’s Boys’ High School and an Indian-American STEM genius. JTF’s mission is to uplift underserved students and their families through impactful STEM careers. JTF, LFL and the newly launched LTC at SJBHS are collaborating to level the playing field for underprivileged students at both urban and rural schools across Karnataka, by providing them with access to a world-class STEM learning environment.

Genesis

Global network of alumni mentors help level the playing field across urban and rural students in Karnataka

The various programs and workshops introduce students to a wide variety of complex concepts in sciences and math like Newton’s laws, fractions, geometry, pythagoras theorems, electrical circuits and more. Students learn these concepts through teachings built upon an underlying theme such as aquaponics, Indian forts, rescue operations, or the environment, to name a few.

Since June 2022, over 3000 students from multiple schools have visited the lab. Students have already spent over 10,000 minutes on the lab’s Math IXL program.

With a focus on executive functioning skills that encourages independent thinking, and self-directed projects, students are invited to assume responsibility for their own learning, irrespective of their grades at the school. They are encouraged to question, conduct their own experiments, and build their own knowledge, rather than be passive rote learners. Students have opportunities to hang out and tinker in the Lab during lunch, after school, and during the holidays. A student-driven independent daily practice math program serves 150 students from St. Joseph’s and sister schools. 20 students from grades 7 through 10 have already joined in-school club programs.

“LTC provides a level playing field for students from underprivileged backgrounds. With opportunities to develop a deeper sense of self, and explore potential STEM career paths, students are nurtured and exposed to the needs and demands of fast growing STEM industries and careers in technology”, said Asha Sundarrajan, High School STEM program Lead at JTF.

Another unique aspect of the program is JTF’s global network of top-tier talent in math, engineering, technology and sciences, who are dedicated to inspiring the next generation of STEM students, researchers and entrepreneurs. Recent workshops at the LTC were led by leading faculty including Thomas Phillips, a retired professor of finance at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Shashi Lewis and Dr. Sujatha Ramadorai, an eminent Indian Mathematician.

“The Learn for Life Foundation is honored to partner with SJBHS and the Joy Thomas Foundation. The LTC is the first of its kind across the country, and we look forward to growing and building on this partnership with JTF, to reach and serve more students, especially in rural districts and communities across Karnataka”, said Thomas Thekkethala , Founder, LFL.

“The SJBHS faculty, staff and students are excited and deeply appreciative of our partnership with the Joy Thomas Foundation and Learn for Life Foundation to realize this vision of an innovative STEM Lab at our school. We commend them on the focus on serving those less fortunate, a core tenet of everything we do at SJBHS. The Lab is already making an impact, and we cannot wait to experience new innovations and discoveries from our students in the coming years. At the LTC, students are encouraged to research and innovate; to let their curiosity flower into ideas which bring value to society.” said Father Sunil Fernandes, Principal, SJBHS.

The Joy Thomas Foundation and Learn For Life Foundation invite STEM educators, donors and mentors to learn more about this unique program. We also welcome corporate sponsors, non-profits, and alumni to partner with us and launch additional LTC STEM Labs at urban and rural schools across Karnataka and India.

The Loyola Technology Center at St Joseph' s Boys' High School was inaugurated by the Hon Governor of Karnataka Shri Thawarchand Gehlot in December 2022.

Gaming the LCM

asha.sundararajan@gmail.com (Asha Sundararajan) — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 07:34:26 GMT

Gaming the Least Common Multiple

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1st Mushroom Workshop

asha.sundararajan@gmail.com (Asha Sundararajan) — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 11:44:10 GMT

Mushroom Cultivation Workshop

Since 2022, Nuvedo has been conducting their annual mushroom workshop at our lab.

Today the LTC proudly hosts Nuvedo as they use our lab to invite external participants to the ever expanding mushroom workshop.

November 2023

The interschool 2023 workshop had over 150 participants, including students from the Kanada medium participating and taking home small bags of innoculated material.

November 2022

In the 1st year, we had 56 particpants from 10-12 grades, working together to grow 3 different types of mushroom.

Joy receives the OBA Lifetime Achievement Award from St Joseph's Old Boys Association

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 05:47:34 GMT

Announcement from the Secretary, Old Boys Association, St Joseph Boys High School, Bengaluru, India

Greetings!

It gives me great pleasure to inform you that Dr. Joy A. Thomas has been selected to be a recipient of the OBA Lifetime Achievement Award – 2021.

Every year, the Old Boys’ Association recognizes Old Boys who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in the true spirit of Fide et Labore, and Old Boys from around the world nominate achievers from amongst our midst to be recognized by the OBA. Earlier this year, you had nominated Dr. Thomas for the award, with Ajit Paranjpe and Prasad Akella as supporting nominators. While it is unfortunate that Dr. Thomas is being recognized posthumously, we are proud that he has achieved so much, has won and spread our School’s renown, and that he has well and truly enriched her crown.

Normally, the award is presented on OBA Day on the first Sunday of September. However, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and related situations, it is unclear when we will celebrate OBA Day. Once decided, I shall be sure to keep you informed.

Yours sincerely, In Faith & Toil,

Rajeev Shenoy

Secretary (2019-21)
Old Boys' Association
St. Joseph's Boys' High School

The Moral Compass of His Peers

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 00:55:40 GMT

Written on behalf of classmates and peers from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and Stanford University

The boy walked up as his name was called out. Clad in a navy blue crested blazer with a blue-and-white striped tie pointing at his starched white pants, he stepped up to meet the high school principal, towering above him. Back in the mid-seventies at the Catholic St Joseph's Boys High School in Bangalore, India, this was a common prelude to a ritual caning by the Reverend Hedwig Da Costa for juvenile transgressions like talking in class, showing up late for school, or distracting other students. But this wasn't the time for one of those benedictions.

'Joy Aloysius Thomas—General Proficiency, Science, Mathematics, Geography, History, Civics, English Language, English Literature,' the announcer reads off, inhaling twice in the middle and eager to reach the end. The boy strides across the stage of the concert hall, slightly stooped, as though a tad embarrassed for appropriating every one of the annual academic distinctions available to his entire class. The trenchant Da Costa breaks into a rare soft smile as he bends down and hands a tall stack of book prizes that the boy struggles to carry down from the stage, amidst booming applause from awestruck parents and students.

This was an annual ritual at his high school. One other thing was equally predictable—he never took home the language award for Hindi. Thanks to this celestial justice, one other classmate would lumber up the steps right after him, receive the second-language award, and hasten forward to assist him with his burden. More remarkable was that even at that age, he was magnanimous enough to give away his notes to his classmates the day before the exam. That early brilliance and selflessness was a precursor of his life.

In the fifties and sixties, following the turbulent independence movement that had partitioned India in 1947, the nascent nation established the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) as institutes of national importance, modeled after the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The most significant academic achievement for an Indian high school student was—and still is—to secure admission into one of these institutions that admit about two percent of their applicants and rank them. He managed to place All-India one at the precocious age of sixteen, commencing a remarkable journey that would take him through Stanford and Silicon Valley.

His encyclopedic mind made him a natural quizzer, and he traveled the country for inter-collegiate competitions. He conducted several himself and followed the tradition of always setting the first question whose hint pointed back to the quiz master. In one year, this was, What is the national airline of Yugoslavia? (it was JAT Airways; the clue, his initials).

At Stanford, he worked with Professor Thomas M. Cover, the pioneering thinker in the field of Information Theory, a mathematical field that underpins many others and studies the storage, transmission, and processing of information. This relationship had started earlier through handwritten letters between professor and prospective student that turned into admission and fellowship into the Ph.D. program at Stanford. In later years, the professor would reveal that he viewed their early communication as reminiscent of that between Professor G. H. Hardy of Cambridge University and the Indian mathematical prodigy Srinivasa Ramanujan, back in the early 20 century.

In only his third year of graduate studies, Professor Cover would later approach his young student with the unique proposition of co-authoring a book on the field. 'Elements of Information Theory' was the result of their two-year collaboration and remains the seminal textbook in the field and essential reading for the mathematical underpinnings of communications and information theory that serve as building blocks for cryptography, speech communications, and data science.

From Stanford, he went east to work at IBM's TJ Watson Research Center for almost a decade before coming back to his roots at Silicon Valley, where he co-founded a couple of companies in related fields. He spent his final years as a data scientist at Google through the acquisition of a company where he was chief scientist focusing on problems of organizing and retrieving information across extensive data sets—a problem common to industries as diverse as online merchants, ride-sharing, airlines, and hospitality.

He was an expansive cook and did all of the shopping, cooking, and hosting himself. His home in Cupertino, California, was a place to lose yourself in dinner conversations while devouring North Indian staples like tandoori chicken and specialties like appam-stew from his home state of Kerala. You might be speaking with a technologist, an art enthusiast, or a healthcare professional, depending on the occasion that might have been a party, an art exhibition, or a fundraiser that he had generously hosted for a friend. The weeks before every Christmas, he went into overdrive. Firing up both his ovens, he would start up a marathon session and bake plum and fruit cakes for the best part of two days. More than two hundred would be sharply cut, packaged, and shipped—each with a personal message—to friends and erstwhile colleagues across the nation.

Despite his towering academic and professional achievements, his friends and peers remember him most for his humanity and humility. He connected people. One friend met her future husband at a party at his house. Decades later, he would meet her mother and jokingly ask for a matchmaking fee. Another recalled the periodic class hikes that he organized from his home into the nearby preserves in the Santa Cruz mountains. An undergraduate friend recalled how he would take a bus across town to the Chennai railway station every semester and wait in the long, tedious lines of pre-online India to book homebound tickets for his friends, who were nervously studying for the final exams that he didn't need to sweat. Another placed him as the moral compass of his class.

He was a devoted family man. He supported his working wife by cooking while listening to classical music or his favorite band, the Beatles. He tirelessly flew with his son and daughter around the country for their competitive squash tournaments and drove them to their music lessons. He will sadly miss out on his daughter's piano recital at Carnegie Hall next March. The family traveled widely and managed to step on every continent, including a torrid trip to Antarctica.

The end was unexpected. Hospitalization for an arterial problem led to a severe cardiac arrest from which he would not recover. Lennon's 'When I'm Sixty-four' wafted through the church at his funeral. He sadly missed that mark by seven years.