Precog: The Quintessential Group

As curtains drew on the summer vacations of 2016, I was already planning on doing something constructive during my next summers. My mentor at IIT Kharagpur sent me a circular about an internship opportunity at a research lab in IIIT-Delhi. This is how I first got to know about professor Ponnurangam Kumaraguru and this supercool group known as Precog! I found the work in conformity with my interests and applied at once. After some rigorous technical rounds and interviews, I was informed of my selection.

On 8th May 2017, I joined the group. Having got hostel accommodation at IIIT-Delhi itself, I got settled in my room. Soon after, PK invited me to discuss the project I would be working on. My work was to analyse online social platforms through data extraction and arrive at potential sources of privacy leakage. The project targeted matrimonial sites. I was thrilled about the work and got started with it. This was my first experience as being a part of a research group. The working environment at the lab was something I had never experienced before. It was so conducive to efficient working that many of us stayed there even past midnight! I was surrounded by diligent people passionate about their work. Their thought process to tackling a problem and diverse knowledge left me awestruck. Everyone was very humble. At Precog, we were like a big family, always ready to help out each other.

Semi-weekly group meetings called WhatsUp kept the group updated about everyone’s progress. Fortnightly sessions called Deep Dives were meant to share intricate details of the projects to the whole group. Questions were asked and feedback was given. Solutions were proposed to resolve deadlocks. In my opinion, this is the driving force of any group, the ability to work together! And Precog exemplifies this. At Precog, you are never alone solving a problem.

Then there were Hackathons. The whole group would sit together for the complete day and attack one problem. It was a brainstorming session which promoted teamwork and learning. At the end of the day, the team would have figured out some solution. There were paper critiques within the group. This helped me develop a habit of reading research papers.

A majority of people perceive researchers as “boring” who don’t enjoy life. I had a similar opinion. Being at Precog made me realise how inaccurate I was. We had regular get together called PrecogSocial where we ate delicious food, played mafia and other games, laughed, talked about just anything but work 😉 Exploring different places in Delhi could never have been so much fun. Back in the hostels, we even played Foosball and billiards. My initial perception was completely shattered. Researchers are fun loving people too. It’s just that when they work, they let themselves be completely immersed by it. PK sums this up as “Work hard. Play harder!” 😀

PK is a source of constant motivation. He held an informal session with the interns called ‘Intern Sabha’. This was meant to break the ice between him and the interns. He possesses the skill of the getting the best out of his students. His experience is invaluable to the group. He can foresee the problems that might arise in a project and guides accordingly. This is what drives Precog.

Precog taught me how to function as a group. This is extremely important when you strive to achieve something great. I will always cherish my time at Precog. I made a lot of friends, met awesome people. Comparing the versions of me pre and post the internship, I can say this with certainty: I am better learned. The positive atmosphere within the group inspires you. It stretches you to your limits. The attitude of the group is aptly described by a wall hanging picture frame just outside the lab which quotes Randy Pausch:

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.”

A picture of the group (mostly interns) at PK’s residence when he invited us for dinner: