While studying at Osmania University M.Sc., Geography, I was staying at B-Hostel, now known as Krishnaveni Hostel. This is a historical hostel, where mostly the science students stayed. It is said the former prime minister Mr P. V. Narasimha Rao also stayed here and started the Vandemataram Movement for freedom from British Rule. It has students from all disciplines of science. Because of demand for space as more students were there, students need to adjust. Say in a small room three to four students stayed and in large size rooms up to ten students stayed. This is two storey building in triangular shape. The main entrance was very elegant. Some of my seniors from the PG College of Science Saifabad, Osmania University, were also staying in this hostel. A few of them were student leaders, representing the youth wings of many political parties. Although there were no student elections in the university during my time on the campus, the student leaders with affiliations to the political parties used to conduct some activities. Due to clashes between the student’s unions in 1987-1988, including murders of some students, the elections in all the colleges were banned by the then State Government.
With the recommendation of my seniors, an outgoing student Mr Ramana Reddy was generous enough to give his cot in the hostel. With a nod from senior leaders Mr Kasam Venkateshwarlu and Mr Srinivas Reddy, I got the cot. This room was on the first floor, the rare side of the building. It had three beds, I was sharing with Mr Rajendra Prasad and Mr Murali.
Coming from IIT, Bombay, I was simple. After joining the college, I was wearing rubber slippers, jeans, and a T-shirt. I always kept a beard and never dyed my grey hair. Once my brother-in-law saw me at the entrance of the Arts College Building. He said that this is not IIT, this is Osmania University, you should wear a better dress and don’t wear the slippers to the college. My habits from IIT did not change much. The university students used to wear mostly a white shirt, which is well ironed. Rarely they were wearing T-shirts to the college. A Reynolds white pen with blue cap, in the front pocket was the mark of a university student in general.
B-Hotel was dominant with ABVP students. In the hostel, I used to wear shorts, instead of Lungi, which most of the students were wearing in the hostel. The ABVP students did not like me wearing shorts. But wearing shorts was more comfortable for me than the lungi - it was uncontrollable for me. They had some regular activities. On one of the weekdays, they would organise Baitakh (means sitting in Hindi). Some students used to bash at the door and shout, ‘Baitakh’ so that all students from their respective rooms should go and attend. It was organised in the Television Room in one corner of the building in the ground-floor. The ABVP leaders used to give a lecture on some topic or party activities. Only once, I went there to see what it was like, I did not like the way it was organised. Although they used to invite, I ignored and never participated ever after. Some of the leaders’ chelas (blind followers) had a grudge, used to whistle and make cat calls behind me for provocation. I never minded and walked straight without turning back. As I did not respond nor reacted to their catcalls and whistles they felt insulted and never tried to provoke me again. Because the leaders knew me and my interest in studies, these chelas did not bother much there after. I was preparing for the civil services competitive exam in those days. I always walked alone to the mess which was about 100 meters from Hostel and very rarely appeared in a group to be the cynosure of the leaders. Some of them who did not attend or heed to the leaders were bashed too. My room-mate Mr Rajendra Prasad was beaten seriously because he and his classmates from the Botany Department were independent and were not supportive and nor actively participating in the activities of ABVP. I was called by one of the ABVP leaders into their room, Mr Rajendra Prasad, was there sitting on the edge of a bed. His face was bent down and he was bleeding from the mouth. He was completely shaken and in shock. He was only pleading sorry to the few leaders standing in the room. I came to know that he along with his other friends were beaten by them before the Astronomy department and was later brought Mr Rajendra Prasad to this room. I was asked to accompany him to the hospital for treatment. Although they have beaten, they had the concern to take him to the hospital. I took him along with a few other junior leaders to the hospital. The doctor did not ask how he got hurt but gave an injection and medicines. Things were understood, everyone on the campus understood how and why problems happened in those days.
But in spite of contrasts, B-Hotel has given me so much energy and inspiration. The students from this hostel have achieved so many things in their later life.
Each hostel had its own mess, which means a hostel dining hall. Sambar prepared and served at B-Hostel was excellent. Every student loved the sambar. Nobody demanded curry if sambar was provided. Rice and sambar were the basic items on the menu. It was like intoxication and addiction. Once in a year, a lizard or cockroach lands in the sambar by accident. The students’ fury goes up to abusing and beating the staff of the hostel mess. The hostel used to be closed for a few days and reopens again. It is still vivid, the way students used to throw the food, plates, chairs and upturn the tables. Once I was witness to this situation. My life at B-Hostel always remained a memorable experience.
