Soumya Mishra
May 9th was the first time I saw the Dom next to the Cologne Hauptbahnhof. Apprehensive and uncertain at the beginning, little did I realize that 3 months later departing from the same station would make me so sad. I worked at the Max-Planck-Institut für Gesellschaftsforschung on the topic of Transnational Governance and Microfinance. My three month stay taught me to be punctual, professional and organized. My guide and the other researchers in the department were very helpful and supportive. Once, my guide even invited me for an Indian dinner along with a few others; where we had Hyderabadi Biryani (an Indian delicacy) cooked by him.
The 6th of June was, perhaps, the most astonishingly unbelievable day of my life. I was fortunate enough to meet Dr. Noam Chomsky who was invited to deliver a public lecture by the Cologne University. My experience in Germany was fantastic, to say the least. I learned to be independent and confident after travelling alone and learning to forge friendships with complete strangers. On the whole, the work environment was motivating yet flexible. In the future, I would seriously consider Germany as an option for higher studies.
To know more, send a mail to amb.mishra@daadindia.org

I am Abhranil Das, and at the time of my appointment as a DAAD Young Ambassador for 2011, I just finished my 3rd year of a 5-year integrated MS in Physics at IISER Kolkata. My passions include writing, photography, sketching and playing the drums. I also rather like programming, and graphic and web design. Outdoor activities I enjoy are biking, swimming and football. You can touch base with me at my homepage. I worked with Prof. Dr. Robi Banerjee’s research group at the Hamburger Sternwarte (Hamburg-Bergedorf Observatory) under the University of Hamburg for two and a half months, on ‘Star formation using numerical simulations on GPUs’. I wrote programs to analyze GPU v/s CPU process speeds for arithmetical computations frequently required in numerically simulated astrophysics.
My work and travels in and around Germany have given me a rare and much-needed international exposure that I am sure will strongly shape my future. My DAAD blog contains some of these experiences. It is my belief that finding yourself in a whole new social and work environment lets you discover your place in the world, something I believe is integral to any student today with academic ambitions and a focus to the future. Thus it is with all sincerity and gladness that I promote my experience and urge all aspiring scholars to take advantage of Germany’s very welcoming and generous foreign study programs.
Email: amb.das@daadindia.org

Dishank Upadhyay
I am a final year undergraduate student at BITS, Pilani studying Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering. I spent two months in Germany last summer where I worked at the Technical University of Dresden in the Measurement and Testing Techniques Lab. The internship task entailed signal processing of Laser Doppler Velocity Sensors for Turbulent Flow measurements.
Germany was an overwhelming experience for me in terms of the quality and impact of my work coupled with the fun weekend trips and outings around Europe. It was a sheer pleasure working for long hours with a multi ethnic group of people in the lab namely German, Japanese, Spanish and Australian. I had a fun time exploring new places and enjoying the serene countryside around the city of Dresden which is one of the most immensely beautiful places in Germany. Two months of seamless travel made me a huge fan of the German Transportation System – the “Deutsche Bahn”. It is an epitome of luxury, punctuality, reliability, high-end automation indicative of the characteristics of the German culture. There were no problems about veg food and the-not-knowing-German barrier was not much of a hindrance. Cooking food better than the one we are used to in the college mess was one of the positives coming out of this experience. All in all, be a student in Germany and you are on for an adventurous and satisfying life!
To know more, send a mail to amb.upadhyay@daadindia.org

Hi, I am Faizan Sarwar, a 5th year dual degree student of Industrial Engineering and Management at IIT Kharagpur. I did my internship at University of Kassel, Germany during summers of 2010 in the area of Quality Management through the funding from DAAD’s flagship program WISE. This internship was an awesome experience from academic as well as social point of view. I met some nice people from different cultural background and made friends. Working with a team of professional scholars was a nice experience. One important thing was the freedom given by my Professor. I was allowed to come and go at any time as per my own convenience. But at the end, work was expected to be completed on time. So overall it was a nice experience for me to work for such group. I also attended Symposium on quality management during my stay. Apart from doing research I travelled a lot. I visited Paris, Switzerland, Salzburg other than Germany. It gave me chance to see other cultures of a diversified continent of Europe. I liked BMW museum at Munich very much, which was a nice experience for me as a student of Industrial Engineering. The most important things I have imbibed in myself after this visit are punctuality and professionalism.
So I would like to say that Germany is the country for you if you want to do some world class research while living in an environment of awesome natural beauty.
Danke!
To know more, send a mail to amb.sarwar@daadindia.org

Hi! I’m Pranav Chachra and I am pursuing my final year at National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra in Electrical engineering. I went to Heidelberg University during summer 2011. I worked with Prof. Joerg Oechssler and his research team on a company collaborative project broadly concerned with Game theory. Landing at an odd time of 2 am had given me some initial jitters. But the helping attitude of the people at airport was very ensuring.
My stay at my apartment was a memorable one! It had convivial atmosphere and I had struck an instant friendship with my apartment mates. We bonded well and discussed a lot about our respective cultures. They in fact invited me to parties, river side outings with their friends, each of which contributed to my insight into German culture. I even got hooked on to a couple of German tv soaps and my apartment mate willing to translate for me at every possible instance will be reminisce close to my heart.
Aight a Candid confession from my side ;) Boiling maggi was the closest I had ever got to cooking in India. Experimenting with food finally began in Deutschland. It was fun skyping with family to learn cooking and eventually realizing my cooking potential in those two months and believe me, my apartment mates were in awe with the Indian delicacies I had prepared for them. As far as my research work was concerned, it was an opportunity to learn a lot about a subject I was already deeply interested in. All the resources, opportunities, practical exposure and freedom in work at my Lab were commendable and further substantiated my impression about the quality of Research in Germany. In the end I am happy that my project resulted into productive work.
Be it work culture or people everything was so majestic, that after 2 months I fell in love with my city and I came back with a promise to Deutschland “Ich werde wieder kommen!” (I will return!)
To know more, send a mail to amb.chachra@daadindia.org

From professors dressed like Elvis Presley to students playing drums at the HBF at 2 in the night, I saw it all in Germany. I am Richa Srivastava , an Economics undergraduate from IIT Kanpur, who spent 72 wonderful days of her life interning at GSBC –EIC graduate school in a beautiful city named Jena. I worked on “International collaboration between developed and developing nations” and experienced it at the same time :-)
When I think of my first day in Germany, I remember how nervous and confused I was. Yes it was my solo first travel outside my city, let alone the country. And then I remember the lady who helped me board the train from the Airport Terminal and the gentleman who lent me his phone to make a call to my supervisor. I can never forget how the German people made me feel on my very first day. I felt safe, secure and welcomed. It was so nice to be around people who made a conscious effort to understand you and help you to every possible extent. I went there without any prior knowledge of the German language and believe me a Danke Schön with a smile always worked for me.
And then there were many more “firsts” ….. first sausage , first barbeque ,first couch surf , first beer , first döner kebab and first German friends and few French , Chinese and Italian ones too ;). Also there were various ‘first’ visits to places in and around Germany. I loved the food and enjoyed the travel. I was surprised to see the diverse culture and rich history this beautiful country possesses. Also needless to say Deutsche Bahn rocks!! \m/- from a heart throbbing speed of 330 km/hr to a peaceful “Report-making” environment- it offers all. All in all, this unforgettable summer made me courageous, independent and smart. It helped me grow academically as well as individually into a better informed, patient and understanding person. All I can say is if you need a place to study with a feel good guarantee, go to Germany – it truly is a student’s paradise.
I have so much more to tell … also if you have anything to ask, please mail me at amb.srivastava@daaddelhi.org
Tschüss!!

Santhosh Devarajan
I had a delightful experience in Deutschland. On the day I landed in Germany, I was received with warm greetings and wide open arms. The scent of perfection astounded me even before I walked out of the airport. The exciting journey from Chennai to Aachen was followed by more than a ‘dream come true’ experience. Germans’ holistic approach towards education and the well knit industry institute interaction enthralled me. Along with fundamental research, universities undertake numerous industrial projects which form the basis for practical approach towards research. “Wer A sagt, muss auch B sagen” truly reflects their method of working. I found my simulation project in the area of machining technology both challenging and fascinating. It gave me a brilliant opportunity to implement the theoretical concepts I had learnt so far. My stay in Germany has certainly broadened my horizons beyond considerable limits and also has enhanced my potential to achieve my career goals. With regard to living in Germany, Germans are very hospitable. Their casual ‘hallo’, the people friendly system, their solidity and precision, ‘bitte’ and ‘danke’, the splendour topography and what not! Everything is indubitably lovable. I found myself in a state of complete emotional and social well being in the land of ideas. I really had a wonderful time with my mentor who took great efforts to make me feel at home. Certainly, it was a home away from home. Overall, I am ecstatic that I had this golden opportunity to visit the land of scholars and witness the evolving scientific advancements at the right time of my academic career. Today, I am really happy that I have brought back with me cherishable moments that will remain close to my heart forever. Germany's diversity and academic renown make it an ideal place for anyone to have a great experience. I look forward to advocating Germany to my peers in hopes that they will have an endearing experience.
Tschüss!
Email: amb.devarajan@daadindia.org

Shyamkumar Jayaraman
I was an intern at RWTH Aachen where I worked on the interesting topic of novel architectures for MIMO communication systems. The research environment was flexible and allowed me to work at my own convenience, and yet be able to meet the deadlines comfortably. Apart from my work, there were also several moments of fun, which have made the whole experience an unforgettable one. Germany, in one word, was Wunderbar! Among my unique experiences was living with German and Bulgarian flatmates and having interesting discussions on the different culture. I was also fortunate to set foot in Roland Garros, and watch the greats play at the French Open. To be able to get the players’ autographs is something I will cherish for my lifetime.
Last, but definitely not the least, education in Germany is fun!!! I could very clearly see that the Germans believe in the age-old maxim, “Work while you work, play while you play”. The way the fellow researchers struck the right balance between work and recreation was perhaps the best lesson I learnt.
Email: amb.shyamkumar@daadindia.org

Hallo! My name is Vikas Shabadi, I’m a bachelors’ student at the Department of Materials Engineering of the National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal (One of the few universities around the globe having its own private beach!). Since 2008, I’ve been a visiting student at the Institute of Materials Science, Technical University of Darmstadt (TUD), Germany. Darmstadt, which is a small town a few miles south of Frankfurt is amongst the leading academic centers in the country. Interestingly there is even an element named after the town, called Darmstadtium, having an Atomic Number of 110. The element has also earned the nickname of policium, because the telephone number of the police is 110 within Germany. WAOW! If you are planning to travel around Western Europe then Frankfurt/Darmstadt is the ideal place to start your journey .Be it Paris, Zurich, Geneva, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Munich or Hamburg, all of them are just about four hours of rail-journey from here! During my stay, I was also fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit the CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), the world’s largest Particle Physics laboratory at Geneva. This was like a dream journey into a world of cutting-edge futuristic technology.
Leaving all the science aside now, living the German culture was a deeply cherished and a refreshing experience. Whether you’re renting a German Car or buying a can of Beer, there are so many brands - you would be spoit by choice! The long evening barbeque parties, the diverse network of new friends and the weekend journeys to beautiful places were all the special moments of my lifetime. The university atmosphere was indeed very supportive and progressive. State-of-the-art equipped laboratories and lavishly funded projects at German universities provide an opportunity to carry out quality research. My journey with DAAD thus has been very rewarding and I would highly recommend Germany as a great study destination to all you aspiring students.
Answers to your queries are now just a click away! Send me an email at amb.shabadi@daadindia.org
Germany awaits you!

Name: Pratik Y. Mandrekar
University Interned at : University of Augsburg, Bayern
Home university : BITS Pilani, Goa Campus

When I entered the department at my university on the first day, I was taken around to be introduced to my colleagues to be. The first room I entered, I was given a Nintendo Wii controller (That's a video gaming console, in which you play tennis as if the controller were an actual racket) and told to control a robotic arm that would put the ball into the goal with falls along the path (A real life version of pinball). It was a student project, something I would never have imagined to be part of coursework in India. Next I see them making software, playing music on the Microsoft Surface any misconceptions I would have had of Computer Science or IT not being the best in Germany, vanished immediately. The quality of education, the exchange of ideas, the nature of projects with industrial exposure and no dearth of facilities for any kind of simulation or experiment coupled with a great culture made sure I completely enjoyed my research and internship. I was able to co-author an International conference paper in this short span of 2 months, and I believe that speaks volumes for itself in terms of ease of integration with your team in Germany, language constraints absolutely not being an issue. I would like to go back to Germany not just for the barbeque parties, the Autobahn, the Alps and the people, but for pursuing the best of technical education available in today's globalised world.
Email: amb.mandrekar@daadindia.org

Hi, this is Antariksh Bothale; I am an undergraduate student of Mechanical Engineering and have just completed three years at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B). I went to Karlsruhe, Germany during the summer of 2010 for a summer project at Forschungszentrum, Karlsruhe (The scary looking word just means Research Center, so relax!) That summer was undoubtedly the best I have had so far, and this cocktail of experiences that stay in a country like Germany gives you is really amazing and enriching.
I remember the first trip my friend and I made to Munich, just two weeks after reaching Germany. Planning a journey there is a pretty easy task, since all you need to do is enter your origin and destination and the system figures out a nice travel plan, complete with info about platform changeovers! The route we had involved 4 trains and 3 change-overs, two of them just 2 minute ones! At first, we thought it was virtually impossible that we could ever catch a train that was scheduled to depart just 2 minutes after the “scheduled” arrival time of our train. However, that day, I understood the true meaning of the word punctuality, that’s so commonly associated with Germany as to become a cliché.
However, the Germans are pretty cool and laid-back at the same time – something that you might not come to expect from people known for their clockwork precision. People on the streets are jolly and helpful, and though seeing a complete stranger smile at you might seem odd at first, it feels rather nice once you get used to it! Once, I asked someone for directions to my place, and he didn’t speak English, and was speaking German in a way I couldn’t make sense of, he made sure I reached where I wanted to by literally escorting me there.
This summer was also special in a completely different way. I had always been interested in cooking, but had never got the chance to pursue this in India. There, I took full advantage of this opportunity and even made a blog (http://was-ich-gekocht-habe.blogspot.com/) wherein I put up details of every dish I had made. It was very satisfying and a lot of fun.
All in all, my stay in Germany was this insanely fun-filled experience which also helped me develop myself personally. Living in a foreign country contributes a lot towards helping you gain a new perspective, when you have different challenges and different ways of approaching them. It is this broadened perspective and this drastic change in the way you look at everything that I think is the most important reason why I would suggest that you visit Germany.
Email: amb.bothale@daadindia.org