On the Way to Banka

Today, my team and I are heading to Banka Engineering College for a hackathon.

To be honest, I am not going there with very high expectations of winning. The main reason I decided to go is actually quite different. A senior whom I respect invited me, so I decided to join him along with my friends.

But there is another reason that excites me more.

I have not travelled much around Bihar. So, for me, this trip is also an opportunity to see another city, another engineering college, another campus, and another group of students. I have always been curious about how other government engineering colleges in Bihar look and function.

So, at this point, I am more curious than excited about the hackathon itself.

There is also a thought that has been on my mind lately:

“Har jagah khud ki kabiliyat ko prove karne ki zarurat nahi hai.”

You do not always need to prove yourself everywhere.

Sometimes, you should simply go to bigger places, meet different people, observe how things work, and learn from the experience. Not every competition needs to become a test of your worth.

That is probably the mindset I am carrying with me today.

For this hackathon, I have handed most of the responsibility to Biru because I want the team to take ownership as well. I do not want every event to depend entirely on me.

But there is one thing I know about myself.

If I reach there and realise that the competition is actually strong, competitive, and serious, then my mindset will probably change completely.

At that point, I will do everything I can to win.

So maybe I am going there without expectations, but not without ambition.

Right now, I am sitting in the train, writing this at 18:59 on 19 September 2026.

This is just the beginning of the journey.

I am going to document everything—from this train ride to Banka, the campus, the people, the hackathon, the competition, our team, the experience, and whatever I learn from it.

Let’s see what this trip turns into.