"They temporarily close down the mess because of me." Sundar Pichai on being popular for a day in college

College life is one of the most memorable phases of adulting. It is where you are exposed to a new chapter of life and the shield of protection by the family slowly uncovers as you start dealing with life. From managing assignments, unappetizing hostel food to bunking classes, it is all part and parcel of life. Those small moments of fun, stress, and joy later become a part of memory and you look back at them with a smile. For Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, the most memorable part of his college life at IIT Kharagpur was when the college mess was shut for a while because of him, making him popular for a day on campus. Scroll down to read the details.

In a video interview with NDTV in January 2017, Sundar Pichai recalled his college life and mentioned that the most memorable part was just after a couple of days when he moved to IIT from Chennai. He said, "I learnt Hindi in school but I never spoke it much. I was listening to how people speak and I started addressing people the way others did. And one day, there was someone in the mess and I had to call him and I said, Abey S**le and got in trouble." That was how my first couple of days went, and I thought that is how you call people. He further added with a smile, "The next thing I knew was that the folks at the mess were quite upset and they temporarily shut down the mess. So I was very popular for that day." He further added, "It was just for a moment."

College mess is often popular among youth not because of its food, but because of the friendships that grow, memories that are created, and the fights that build over the shared tables. The food served in the mess may seem simple, but it teaches bigger lessons of life. It helps you value the comfort and taste you enjoyed at home, and it also helps you understand how life changes with time and makes you learn the art of adjustment with poeple and flavours. For many students living away from home, the college mess provides comfort, routine, and a sense of community. It also teaches students important life lessons such as adjustment, sharing, discipline, and appreciation for simple and basic food.

When it comes to the college mess, the most popular dishes are rajma chawal, chole bhature, dosa, idli-sambar, aloo paratha, paneer curry, omelette, anda curry, aloo soy bean ki sabzi, dal tadka, roti, rice, fried rice, noodles, Manchurian, raita, papad and so on. And for snacks, there is maggi, chai, bread pakoda, pyaz pakoda, samosa, poha, upma, and coffee. In the South appam, idli, uttapam, dosa, lemon rice, tamarind rice, puttu,paniyaram, rasam, sambar, filter coffee, and sol kadi are some of the most popular mess foods. These foods become memorable because they are shared with friends and are closely connected to hostel life, late-night studies, and college memories.