Samrat Bandopadhyay – NPTEL STAR
Samrat Bandhopadhyay’s unwavering commitment to excellence has been a constant throughout his life. This dedication was clearly reflected in his NPTEL journey, where he consistently achieved outstanding results, ultimately earning the NPTEL Megastar Award twice. As a civil servant, software engineer, management graduate, and lawyer, Mr. Bandhopadhyay’s path is truly a masterclass in intellectual curiosity.
Samrat is no stranger to academic excellence. After graduating with a degree in Information Science and Engineering as a rank holder in his university, he then pursued an MBA at IIT Kharagpur. Following 15 years as a Class 1 Gazetted Officer with the Government of India, he returned to IIT Kharagpur for an LLB, where he emerged as the topper of his class.
It was during his time at the Law School that he stumbled upon NPTEL. “My professor, Dr. Padmavati, introduced me to the platform through a course on Patent Search and Analysis,” he recalls. That single course sparked what would become a remarkable journey. In the next two and a half years, Samrat completed 33 NPTEL courses, topping 32 of them. He has emerged as a Megastar for two consecutive semesters, topping 12 out of 12 courses in the last one alone.
Amongst the NPTEL learners last year, Samrat is the only one to secure a top rank in all 12 courses – a feat that underscores his unwavering dedication and discipline.
From law and management to psychology, economics, and a few humanities and social sciences courses, and even modern art, the diversity of the courses he has pursued is striking. “My approach is always to understand the purpose of the course. Why was it designed the way it is? What practical insight does it offer?” he explains. “If it aligns with my goals, then I go ahead with it”. For him, learning is all about absorbing the spirit of the subject.
A disciplined early riser, Samrat dedicates around 1.5 hours in the evenings to focus on coursework whenever he finds time.
According to Samrat, NPTEL provided him with a high-quality academic platform that seamlessly fit into his demanding life as a civil servant, giving him the opportunity to explore his curiosities and broaden his knowledge.
Balancing a demanding government job and an intense study schedule is no small feat. Commenting on challenges, he says, “Challenges are inevitable, but I believe they must be transformed into opportunities. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
The commitment and consistency behind his success are evident. Whatever he does, he does with utmost passion, honesty, and dedication. “When I topped 12 courses in a single semester, some subjects were completely new to me,” he shares. The feat is achieved through a very methodical approach, clarifying doubts in the forum, revisiting lectures, and reading extensively on the materials provided. His thorough engagement with the study materials has been key to his success.
Samrat actually sees learning as a larger responsibility. “I’ve always been inspired by Swami Vivekananda’s idea that education is the manifestation of perfection already in man.” His advice to learners is clear. “Be consistent. Learning has no bounds. It should be a continuous effort and a continuous endeavor. See it as an effort to understand humanity”.
– Written by Asha Thangaraj