Loss of an identity

Today was my last official day at NCL, Pune. In the last one week I had been striving to get various signatures from officers of various departments on the No Dues Certificate, a necessary procedure to be carried out before leaving. Nothing made me realize the significance of it all as much as the act of returning my ID Card.

I had started off in NCL as a guest worker. For months I worked out of my own will, without the status of an NCL employee. So when I finally got selected as a Junior Research Fellow on a project and was issued an Id. Card I decided to always wear it showing it off as opposed to stowing it away in my bag or pocket. It gave me a sense of belonging. Every morning before entering the NCL gate I would put it around my neck feeling every bit important. So I felt really sad when I had to give up my Id. Card. There was a lump in my throat. It was as if I was losing a valuable part of myself.

In the evening while leaving the NCL premises as I walked the usual distance from lab to the gate I realized that from now on I could enter it only as a visitor, a guest. Its back to square one.