Akshat(SIEL)

Details

Name: Akshat Bakliwal
Research Experience(years): 2
Lab: SIEL
Occupation: Research Scholar
Professor: Prof. Vasudeva Varma
Area of Interests: Endless :D, Search Technologies, Web Text Mining and Analysis, Sentiment and Opinion Mining, Cloud and Virtualization, Information Retrieval
Email Id: akshat.bakliwal@research.iiit.ac.in
Link to your homepage or blog: http://akshatbakliwal.in

Motivation to pursue research

What was your intention or motivation to join a research program before you joined IIIT H? Interest,Aim and Purpose that made you pursue research program.

Well, At the beginning I had no Interest in Research. Was forcefully kept in Dual Degree program and was dreaming that it was BTech + MTech. On the orientation day came to know that It was MS by Research and Not MTech.

Now that I was in Research, I had no option to change. But gradually with time, I learned and got interested in research rather than normal BTech (SE) kind of thing.

During my BTech phase, I came across many things and thought that they could be fascinating for research and could contribute back to the society.

How did you feel in your first semester when you have to select a lab and decide under which Prof. you have to work?

Being a Dual Degree candidate, I had to select lab in my 5th semester, although it is not a compulsion but many of our seniors did this and recommend to select in 5th sem so that we can finish our Degree in 5 years. And my journey to SIEL is very very Interesting. I'll describe the journey later.

What was your motivation behind staying in Academics rather than joining industry ?
In your opinion,what are the major differences between academics and industry?
Well, I haven't tasted the industry yet and As mentioned earlier, I was a forceful entry into research. But gradually with time, I like this idea of research. It gives you freedom to work and most of the times without deadlines. ;)

What was your motivation behind pursuing Ph.d?
I am yet confused between Phd or Job.
On one hand, I think I have the whole life in my hands and Anyways would be working with some or the other company or academia. So, let continue the research as Phd.
On the other hand, I am scared about finishing it. If I couldn't finish it in time, the whole future which is in my hands would be trembling from my hands on the floor. :(

Thesis

How did you choose your thesis area?And why did you choose that particular area?

During my Grade (Class) 11, My computer was struck by a stupid virus and I lost all my data (movies, and music :D) while recovering. Since than I was like thinking that one day I will develop my own antivirus system. My journey in research started with CSTAR (lasted only 3-4 weeks). I meet Dr. Kannan Srinathan and explained him about my interest. He suggest me a Book on Cryptography and asked me to finish in a month and come back to discuss. I never returned back to him. :D

Then can contacted Rawat Sir. and started working on IPv6 and Its implementation in IIIT. This lasted for about 4-5 Months. During my 5th sem I took a course 'Introduction to Cloud Computing'. By the end of the course, I dreamt myself working in Cloud Computing rather than IPv6 for IIIT. Soon in mid of Sem 6, I switched from Rawat sir to Dr. Vasudeva Varma under Cloud Computing. I started working with an Adjunct Facult, Reddyraja A. from Pramati Technologies for this period. Reddy sir suggested me a problem on which I started working. This problem involved some concepts of IR and Cloud. While working on this problem, I unknowingly shifted to IR and left cloud computing way behind.

Thus, I am finally working in IR and specialization in Sentiment Analysis. This journey of 3 Labs and 4 Guides have taught me many things. Don't have a prejudice about any lab or area of research. Keep yourself open to problems and choose which finally makes you feel the best and grabs your interest the most.

How did you narrow down to your search(for your thesis problem)to one particular problem?
The whole story is explained above. As far as narrowing down to research area (thesis problem) is concerned. I finalized this after getting my publication, which was me IRE course project. After getting the first paper, I was kind of relaxed that If I continue in this area (sentiment analysis and Opinion Mining) I would be able to finish off my degree sometime.

How was your experience w.r.t paper (or thesis) writing and do have any tips that will make paper (or thesis) writing process an easy one?

My first experience was very bad. In the reviews, we got comments like the work is good but need a whole lot of effort on writing skills.

One should not write a research article in normal dialect English and at the same time not like Shakespeare. Your English must be well formed and professional. Less use of slangs or abbreviations. It should be easy to understand.

Another Important point, be to the point. You are writing a research article and not a Novel. Don't go about explaining certain standards in detail.

Most important: Run a spell checker before submitting an article :D .

Suggestions to existing research students at IIIT H

What do you suggest for newly joined research students with regard to choosing lab and enrolling under a Prof. ?What should students consider while choosing a lab and enrolling under a Prof. ?

I support Deepti's point for this. Don't go blindly on your Btech interest. Explore each area with some basic lab introductory courses. Talk to the people working in the labs, do a literature survey.

Tip: Take a new Notebook, Divide the book into 4-5 sections (one for each lab) and while doing literature survey, write down some things like what you like in that, what you think can be improved or some new research challenge which you think can be implemented. Based on this small survey of your's select the lab. and Consult the Lab HOD for the basic information on how things happen and go in that lab.

Does regular writing of your ideas and your understanding of a concept (or a research paper) in own words help? If yes how?

Yes. This is a very important practice for a good researcher.

This helps you understand the shortcomings of previous research, and somethings gives your ideas on how to work.
At many places, you would be committing the same mistake as some one did in the past. Reading them and noting them will help not commit the same crime (mistake) again.

"It is better to learn from others mistake rather than committing them yourself and learning. This life is very short to re-commit mistakes."

What practices would you suggest for young research students at IIIT H?
Read !! Read !! Read !!

List most important conferences and journals of your area. Download the proceedings for last 5-7 years and read them in chronological order. This practice will help you understand how things have evolved. and give you more directions towards your research interest.

How to resolve dilemma of either going for Ph.d or job? When a MS by research or dual degree is about finish his programme?
I think Nikhil Suggested an interesting strategy. In my opinion, you must do a small exercise.

Take a Big sheet of clean white paper. Make 4 Columns Phd + , Phd -, Job +, Job -.
Write everything which comes to your mind for each of these topics in appropriate columns. Do this exercise for 2 days (preferably non consecutive). Compare the two sheets and see which suits you well. This way you will have a justification, to what you are choosing for your future.

View about research at IIITH

What should be improved with regard to research culture at IIIT H ?Do suggest any change in structure of MS or Ph.d program?Why?
Anything which you felt lacking in research culture at IIITH while you were pursuing your research !!!!
In my opinion, IIIT H has to go a long way to improve the research culture.
1. Encourage Inter Lab interactions. People in CDE and SIEL are working on almost similar problems and they don't know about this.
2. Group Reading. especially for fresher men. Pick a set of research papers and have a group reading followed by intensive discussion on them. This helps you understand the problem and also clear some things which you might have missed.
3. Work in collaboration. Work with someone, friend, labmate, senior, Phd Candidate, etc. When you work alone you sometime loss after on repeated failing. The other member can help you motivate. Secondly, our mind restricts to think in one direction. Most of the times, Two minds are better then one.

In your opinion, how does environment at IIIT H helps an individual in pursuing research? Anything like freedom do it your own way, weather, green campus, …
Environment in IIIT H has both effects.
You can people working 24*7 and still lagging; and people working 7-8 hours a day and excelling in their area.
You get freedom to work, 24*7 access to labs and resources and probably because of which you tend to become less social and labholic.

Learn to manage time and do give atleast 1-2 hrs a day for yourself.


How does research program at IIIT H helped in your overall growth as a responsible person(or citizen) of society(or India)?

Research Program at IIIT H opened a New horizon in front of me. It helped me develop my thinking skills. Before coming here I never knew what research is and always thought of computer engineering as software engineering.

Centre

How was your overall experience w.r.t work culture of your centre?

In SIEL, work culture is great but this doesn't mean there is no scope of improvement. I think Dr. Varma is great and he help everybody with this research abilities. Lab mates are equally superb and talented. There were many situations where as many as 7-8 members of the lab entered into some fruitful discussions.

But the culture if work alcoholic (24*7), we can improve on this part.

Does discussions with fellow researchers in same centre helps? How does it help?
Importance of discussions with fellow researchers !!
Yes !! It gives you new directions and insights to think on. Helps you approach your problem in a better (sometimes multiple) ways. Helps you learn the pitfalls of your approach.

Final Comments

Please quote us your favourite tagline which let you 'get going'?
Live, Explore, Enjoy !!
I always believed my Research will take me to many places, where I can explore and interact with new people and Enjoy my life.

Don't be workholics. Working more doesn't mean working constructive. Work Constructive.