It was definitely an experience of my lifetime. The time I spent with the core team will always be in the best moments of my college life. I am sure, the things I got to learn while I was an official part of NSS team I couldn't have learned from elsewhere. Although people generally see NSS as a group of people indulged in community service, but a person who has been an integral part of NSS like me sees it in an altogether different way. I am grateful that I got to be in such a body which gave me a taste of professionalism, showed me how a team works while balancing friendships and work ethics. As every journey has its ups and downs mine had too, with a plethora of amazing experiences. Lastly but most importantly, to be able to do something for the community would certainly be in proudest moments of my life.

I was tempted to write something like "Words will fall short if I attempt to describe my experience with NSS". But this would have been the easy and lazy way. The more appropriate alternative, which is extremely difficult, is to choose my best words and arrange them in the most beautiful way possible. NSS is definitely worth an attempt! My memories with NSS are countless, and I can't highlight one without offending the others. So I'd rather discuss something more intimate: what made me continue with NSS for as long as I did. I've often given people various reasons to join and stay in NSS. To the freshies and external volunteers, I'd describe NSS as a place to change lives through the simplest of actions, as a place to perform magic in their own little ways. To AAs, I'd describe NSS as a canvas to paint their dreams, as a place to unleash their creativity, as a place to ideate wildly and fearlessly, as there are always people watching their backs. To Heads, I'd describe working with NSS as solving an optimization problem of maximizing the impact and the happiness and well-being of our volunteers, AAs and beneficiaries, under constrained resources, complex team dynamics and other limitations, some sporadic and some perpetual. When talking to OCs, I'd shift the narrative to leadership, purpose, outreach, continuity, vision, the flow of enthu, direction and proactiveness. While I stand by all these versions of NSS, none of them describe why I continued with NSS. Perhaps I myself did not understand that for a long time. For a person who never learnt how to make long-lasting friends, NSS provided the perfect escape. I don't remember how the loop started, whether I kept myself busy because of lack of friends, or whether I lacked friends because I was always busy, but the fact was that being busy was somehow essential to me. It helped! It provided a healthy distraction from all the negative thoughts which flood the mind if left idle. NSS was my first distraction which actually calmed down those negative thoughts, which provided peace even during the idle times. Perhaps when you are solving others' problems, spreading smiles, your own problems don't seem to bother you that much. My optimism was crossing all the previous thresholds, my creativity was galloping, and being in the team (or in the classroom as a volunteer) gave a continuous sense of belonging. I realized much later that I loved NSS not because of what NSS was, but because of who I was when I was in NSS. Having said this, it shouldn't be a surprise that I readily took up whatever role NSS wanted me to take up. To the world, it would have appeared as if I was pushing my limits, but in reality all I was doing was selfishly buying more time to spend in NSS. But alas, it came to an end, like all things do! Looking back, I don't know whether I was good for NSS or not. Perhaps this is best answered by my successors and time. But NSS was definitely a boon to me, and I can't thank it enough for the memories, the lessons, the exceptional seniors, colleagues and juniors (all of whom taught me so much), the maturity and the overall transformation in my personality that it brought about.

Best NSS moments There were two instances during my tenure as AA which meant a lot for me. BMC visit I was coordinating volunteers in a particular class for their presentation. The response which the students gave I can never forget. They were so enthusiastic listening to every word, seeing with their watchful eyes. Any question asked to them they were thinking and responding intelligently. After showing them a video I asked them to explain it. A girl stood and and told everything from the beginning to the end. I have never seen such learning attitude, such enthusiasm for life ever. Invisible humans Another memorable event for me was the interview with Professor Parag Bhargava. In that we asked him about how his life got shaped. He told how he was entangled with the question that why people after studying takes job abroad and things like comfort start mattering to them. From there he realised that roots of everything lies in the childhood and from there his purpose of life was to teach and interact with student. He has done a lot of social work too including libraries for students. Both the events are interlinked both relating to children. One showing Thier ever learning attitude and the other telling the importance of nurturing them right. It was a great learning experience for me. While doing the social service it wasn't just outside I was developing, it was me too.

Working with NSS is one of the greatest experience of my life. And I will say, "all people should think to give a little part of there life to help, you will lose nothing but get a different type of happiness".
My first day in the institute was very different from my imagination. When I got in IIT Bombay, I thought that there would pollution. That we had to choose between NSS/NCC/NSO. I was not too in sports, so I choose NSS. In NSS, I found out about green campus work. I thought, "this is my chance to give back to nature". Working on the green campus as a volunteer was a beautiful memoir. In my volunteer time, I also found out about other activities NSS do, so I decided to continue work in NSS. But There was a little problem, I confused in which department I should apply. So I ask senior about this and I find about Media and design department which is contact to all department, so I decided to go for media and design Activity associate. These three different experience (volunteer, Activity Associate, Head) is now a beautiful part of my life. And whenever I get a chance, I will work with NSS to enjoy these memories.