Keep an open mind and try things outside your comfort zone. That is the only way one can grow. Also, keep dreaming, keep those dreams alive no matter the circumstances and jump at any opportunity that helps you achieve them.

Lastly, I hope you keep in touch with the friends you made here and help each other grow into the best possible version of yourselves. And of course, if you think that I can help in any way, please reach out at my email id (available on my webpage linked in the handout).

All the best... :)

No matter where life takes you, always remember…

Any d+1 evaluations of any degree d polynomial completely fix it. :)

Best of luck
Aritra

--- ChatGPT 5.5

All the very best for the journey ahead.

Keep exploring!

"Where the mind is without fear, and the head is held high;
Where KNOWLEDGE IS FREE;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls."

That reminds us to stay curious and keep our minds open. After all, every new idea, every conversation, and every person we meet has something to teach us.

Thank you all for making these last few days such a nice experience. Hope we learned something new, enjoyed our discussions, and will carry many of these thoughts with us. :)

One moment that stayed with me happened on the very first day. While discussing a problem, I said something that was not logically correct. Later, a student and a colleague pointed it out. I appreciated the opportunity to revisit the argument and think about it more carefully. In the end, that small correction taught me far more than getting it right the first time would have.

That experience reminded me that learning does not stop when you start teaching. Sometimes the best learning happens when someone asks a question you were not expecting or notices something you missed. Good discussions do not just help us find answers. They help us think better.

Thank you for all the questions, conversations, and curiosity throughout the program. They made every session more enjoyable and gave me new ways to look at familiar ideas.

Keep asking questions, keep challenging assumptions, and do not be afraid to be wrong. Every now and then, a small mistake can lead to a much deeper understanding.

All the best for what comes next. :)

One of the best parts of the program was the interaction session with the faculty members and PhD scholars. Listening to the faculty share their academic and professional journeys was truly inspiring,and the PhD scholars were very approachable and interacted with us really well.

If I could suggest one improvement, it would be to extend the program to around 20–25 days. The content was excellent, but it felt like a lot was covered in a very short time which I felt little bit difficult .

Lastly beyond the learning I made so many wonderful friends during these 10 days and together we created memories that I will always remember and ofcourse accomodation and food was really good.Overall SOPC 2026 was a highly educational and unforgettable experience.

SOPC was not just about learning new concepts; it was about learning how to think. Every lecture challenged me to look beyond what I already knew, and every tutorial session reminded me that asking questions is just as important as knowing answers. The lecturers and Ph.D. scholars created an environment where curiosity was encouraged and no question felt too small.

One of the biggest lessons I take back is the importance of stepping outside my comfort zone. Whether it was interacting with new people, discussing ideas, or exploring unfamiliar topics, SOPC pushed me to grow in ways I hadn't anticipated.

What made the experience even more special were the people. For 10 days, students from different parts of India came together with different backgrounds, interests, and dreams. Yet somehow, we connected through our shared curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. Every conversation taught me something new.

And then there were the friendships. It's amazing how people who were complete strangers on Day 1 became the people I looked forward to meeting every day. Some of them became my comfort place , friends with whom I could laugh, share thoughts freely, and create memories that will stay with me long after SOPC ends.

Of course, the comfortable accommodation, the mess food we grew surprisingly attached to, and the countless moments outside the classroom made the experience even more memorable.

I am grateful to everyone involved in organizing SOPC 2026 for making it such a memorable, enriching, and life changing experience. 🌻

The facilities provided during the program were excellent. We were accommodated in the Guest House, and meals were provided at Bhagirathi Mess. The food was delicious, nutritious, and of very good quality.

I would especially like to appreciate the Computer Science Department for making us feel like a part of their family. Everyone was extremely friendly and supportive. We never hesitated to ask questions because the professors was always ready to help.

The tutorial sessions conducted by the PhD scholars were also very helpful. They guided us patiently and cleared all our doubts. They felt more like elder brothers and sisters who genuinely cared about our learning.

The laboratory sessions were equally impressive. The professors paid attention to every student, regularly checking whether anyone was facing difficulties and helping us whenever needed.

Finally, the NISER campus is beautiful, well-maintained, and provides an excellent atmosphere for learning. Overall, SOPC was an enriching experience, and I am grateful to all the professors, PhD scholars, and organizers for their efforts in making this program so enjoyable and educational.

the program was very well organised, each lecture segued smoothly and had adequate amount of breaks, which really helped absorb the contents of the lecture. i particularly appreciated that the lecture topics were curated in such a fashion that when we had the final talk by prof. mrinal on ECC, we had a fairly decent foundation to understand the basics of his talk.

i also absolutely LOVED the tutorial sessions we had to understand reed-solomon codes, the birthday paradox and on QR codes! so cool, so much of fun, so very very exciting. this is exactly the kind of stuff i want to be doing - figuring things out and geeking out with friends when things finally makes sense! the tutorials we did are definitely something i want to try as a game with my friends and family, especially the one on reed-solomon codes.

all the professors were so friendly, patient and most importantly kind to all of us. the interactive session with the professors and phd scholars was extremely helpful. thank you for sharing your personal journeys into research and all the resources shared with us via email.

i have a myriad of other things to appreciate about the program, but then this would be a never ending wall of text. it was a wonderful experience - i interacted with so many cool people, made so many happy memories and most importantly made so many friends who i hope to stay in touch with. i'll keep my fingers crossed that i get to come to niser again in the future.

till then, live long and prosper.

wafi

The first session with Shubhankar Sir was good as how patiently he explained basic python to us.

The first week diving into Data Structures and Algorithms. Aritra Banik sir’s teaching style truly stood out(Zoom in/out), instead of just lecturing he encouraged us to think critically and debate solutions. This made even complex concepts feel intuitive. He was incredibly patient with all my questions, building a comfortable environment for discussion, and the same with Prerna Chatterjee ma'am, she gave us time to think about the probable intuitive solution to the problem(Shamir's Secret). Abhishek Sahu sir provided invaluable support and career guidance and introduced me to such exams that I have not heard before.

It was interesting to see how shy everyone was initially, with a clear gap between the groups. However, as the days went by, we started collaborating and breaking those barriers. Even though I had to leave for three days for an exam. I returned with a sense of confidence and till the second week started it was a collaborative atmosphere among us. The karaoke nights, hanging out together, deep career discussions along with invaluable tips on cold mails, notes and code of every topic taught in program.

We explored advanced topics like:-

PageRank algorithm explained by Anup Sir with many probable cases of Link Farms such that minimum cognitive load on us and keep it engaging.

Error-handling codes by Anamay Sir, I still remember Reed Solomon explanation and intro to Reed Muller.

Last day, we were completely blown away by a guest lecture from TIFR that opened our eyes to the vast ocean of Theoretical Computer Science (Coding Theory).

A huge thank you to all the TAs and PhD scholars who led our tutorials. Their dedication truly enhanced the learning experience:-

Diya Roy Ma'am: I will always remember her engaging nature in the classroom. She constantly boosted our confidence by encouraging us to solve problems on the board.

Pinki Ma'am: She patiently explained concepts until everyone fully grasped them. I also deeply appreciated her supportive nature and the insightful conversations we had about PhD life and beyond.

Suryendu Sir: He stood out with exceptional pedagogy among all the TAs. He knew exactly how to break down and explain complex concepts with high accuracy and the perfect examples.

Now, a little over a week since its completion, I find myself deeply missing both the place and the incredible people. It was a true joy to learn here. I want to thank the professors and scholars from the bottom of my heart for their dedication and for making complex topics so accessible and engaging. As someone who was historically "probability-phobic," this program drastically reduced my built-in fear; it taught me how to approach algorithms logically by breaking big problems into smaller, manageable pieces. Learning about error-correcting codes felt like witnessing pure magic.

Furthermore, as an introvert, I never imagined I would connect with so many people. My co-learners quickly became friends, and we learned and laughed a lot together. From the rigorous, inspiring academic sessions to the serene moments spent at the beautiful hilltop meditation center, this entire experience was unforgettable. NISER has not only expanded my mind but has permanently enriched my life with wonderful memories and lifelong friends.

Thanking you all,

Nishanka (নিঃশঙ্ক)

When I first arrived at SOPC 2026, I honestly didn't know what to expect—maybe just a long series of intense lectures, endless lines of Python code, and a lot of technical notes. But looking back now, these past week have flown by entirely too fast!

From diving into the depths of Data Structures and Algorithms to witnessing the absolute magic of error-correcting codes, this program completely changed how I look at complex problems. A huge thank you to all the incredible professors and TAs who guided us so patiently, turned "probability phobias" into logical puzzles, and showed us that making a mistake is often just the first step toward a much deeper understanding.

Beyond the classrooms, labs, and excellent mess food, what truly made this experience unforgettable was all of you. Connecting with people from so many different backgrounds, sharing laughs during karaoke nights, and geeking out together when a tough concept finally clicked created memories I'll always hold onto.

Thank you, NISER and everyone here, for an enriching, unforgettable journey. Let's definitely stay in touch and keep pushing each other to grow!

Thank you, NISER and everyone here, for an enriching, unforgettable journey. Let's definitely stay in touch and keep pushing each other to grow!