After a year of work, the first group from the MX On Tour committee was able to embark on their two-week journey through South India. This page aims to capture the trip through a selection of photos and descriptions. But first, a big thank you to the main sponsor of the trip: SMS Concast. Thanks to this company, the students were able to visit one of India’s largest steel plants.
The Journey
On September 6, 2010, the 25 third-year students in Materials Science met at Geneva Airport to board a flight to London, followed by another to Mumbai.
After a 15-hour journey, they arrived in Mumbai and were immediately immersed in Indian life, as there was a general taxi strike on the day of their arrival. In the end, this strike turned out to be a stroke of luck, as it allowed us to experience the packed Indian trains, which stop for barely 20 seconds at each station—a challenge when you have to get 25 people on board!
After two half-days in the Indian megacity, the students took a flight to a small town called Hubli. That plane ride will remain memorable for everyone due to its less-than-modern state, reminiscent of an authentic Indian flight! After a brief night in Hubli, a train took everyone to the fabulous village of Hampi, home to over 3,000 monuments.
The main street in this small village ends at the primary monument, visible from miles around.
The valley surrounding Hampi offers stunning landscapes, with massive red rocks whose presence is explained only by local legends that Indians love to share.
After exploring this village, a bus awaited the students for their first company visit. This visit was to India’s second-largest steel plant, called JSW, an enriching experience for these future materials engineers.
Thanks to the guides we had at JSW, our visit was extended as they delayed our train to Bangalore, located nearby.
Bangalore is an industrial city with limited tourist appeal, except for its central market where Indians sell beautifully colored flowers.
Bangalore also gave the students a taste of Indian nightlife and the local beer, Kingfisher.
The second company visit was to Tata Advanced Materials.
The third visit of the trip was to NAL (National Aerospace Laboratories).
After a two-hour bus ride in a vehicle with 15 seats, occupied by our group of 25 with all our luggage, the final visit took place at the Materials Department of Bangalore University. This visit allowed us to see the university’s state-of-the-art facilities.
After a domestic flight, 26 hours on trains, stunning landscapes, and four company visits, all the students arrived safely at the journey’s endpoint on India’s east coast, in Chennai.
The east coast of India was reserved for relaxation on Indian beaches, and even a few hours of surfing in the Bay of Bengal!
A charming feature of Indian beaches is the cows that roam freely on the sand.
In Chennai, students also had the opportunity to experience Bollywood cinema—and particularly the unique atmosphere of Indian movie theaters!
After two weeks traveling through South India, with countless hours on trains and planes, all the students arrived back in Geneva on Monday, September 21, at 6:00 pm—knowing that classes would resume the next day at 8:00 am!
Finally, I’d like to thank all the students for their active participation in preparing this trip, and especially the organizing committee: Eric Rotterman (sponsorship coordinator), Mallory Genoud and Thomas Sykes (flight and sightseeing coordinators), Diane Ansermet (communications coordinator), and Tom Delaviere (treasurer).
Amaël Cohades (President of MX On Tour)