[Iyencar]

Hello everyone, this is Iyencar here! I am so happy to be on this forum. I believe I probably hold the record for lurking the longest time before signing up since I first came across Team Bhp in 2006 and have been hooked since then.

What do you do?

I graduated from the US with a PhD in Chemistry recently and then returned back to base. I edited scientific papers for a while before deciding I needed a change. I then moved to my family business which, as luck would have it, makes automotive chemicals for various multinationals (among others) . So to cut a long story short I now carry out research to develop new car care products and am incredibly fortunate to use my educational background in a field that I am passionate about! (The detailing thread on team-bhp is where I spend a loooot of time on now).



Your current interests (within the automotive field and out of it)
Animals in general and dogs in particular. Always loved them and have felt happier in their company than with humans.


Cars you have previously owned, currently own or wish to own
Was the proud 5th owner of a 2001 Plymouth Neon in grad school that I purchased for the princely sum of $2200 from another probably broke grad student. This baby (the car, not the student) was practically my second home for a long time... I realized 2 things thanks to owning this car:
1. The beauty of lateral upgrades
I barely spent anything on the car and recovered most of it when I sold her. The major investments were a timing belt replacement and then new tires. Speaking of tires, when you buy a used car make sure the spare tire and rim are the right size...I learnt this lesson the hard way. I got a flat in the middle of nowhere, on a holiday with no shops open, and my wife and her family in the car. Got out to fix the spare and was horrified to find that the tire and rim were a completely different size which would not fit.

2. Don't judge a car by on paper- specs alone.
My car with 4 previous owners scattered across the country, manufactured by a now defunct company, with nothing luxurious about (the windows were rolled up manually while the boot was sealed shut and could only be accessed from the rear seat) was extremely reliable, fun to drive, and oh so easy to sell (I could have started a bidding war. Folks kept calling long after I had sold her). Maybe I got lucky but I like to think that she repaid the faith I showed in her.


Cars I wish to own: This changes everyday and more than once on some days. Let's not go there.

[Samurai]

Welcome to Team-bhp.

Originally Posted by Iyencar

I graduated from the US with a PhD in Chemistry recently and then returned back to base. I edited scientific papers for a while before deciding I needed a change.

Do check out out the thread where all the Phds compare notes.

Originally Posted by Iyencar

I then moved to my family business which, as luck would have it, makes automotive chemicals for various multinationals (among others) . So to cut a long story short I now carry out research to develop new car care products and am incredibly fortunate to use my educational background in a field that I am passionate about!

Please ensure you don't discuss your products on team-bhp as it would violate the rules on marketing.

[Iyencar]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Welcome to Team-bhp.
Do check out out the thread where all the Phds compare notes.

Wow... Had absolutely no idea this thread existed. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Samurai

Please ensure you don't discuss your products on team-bhp as it would violate the rules on marketing.

Am aware of this rule. No such intention. Intend to keep work and play separate

[ampere]

Welcome to the forum. Great to hear you are now into research through your own. Have read a lot about the dilemma of pure science PhDs on the question of what next especially in the foreign land. Largely on the decision of post-doc vs academics vs industry.

Glad to see that conundrum that did not show-up for you. Welcome again and see you around.


PS: Nice handle! Reminds me of specific regions in TN !

[Steeroid]

Just for that inspired choice of username, I’ve got to say Hi.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Just for that inspired choice of username, I’ve got to say Hi.

I have a friend who had that exact same pun as his vanity plate stateside.

[Iyencar]

Originally Posted by hserus

I have a friend who had that exact same pun as his vanity plate stateside.

Your friend has good taste

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Just for that inspired choice of username, I’ve got to say Hi.

Glad you like it! Hi to you too

Note from Mod - Please use the Multiquote reply facility instead of replying to individual posts

[Iyencar]

Originally Posted by ampere

Welcome to the forum. Great to hear you are now into research through your own. Have read a lot about the dilemma of pure science PhDs on the question of what next especially in the foreign land. Largely on the decision of post-doc vs academics vs industry.Glad to see that conundrum that did not show-up for you.

The conundrum definitely existed for a while but thankfully I realized a postdoc or academia was just not for me.

Originally Posted by ampere

Welcome again and see you around.
PS: Nice handle! Reminds me of specific regions in TN !

Thank you for the warm welcome and glad you like the handle

[virgopal]

Iyencar..Hearty welcome! Very nice handle you have selected.I liked it.
All the best

[ashwinprakas]

Hi Iyencar!

Cool TBhp handle! Couldn't resist peeking after seeing it.

Since you're in India now, what car/motorcycle do you drive/ride?

[Iyencar]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Hi Iyencar!

Cool TBhp handle! Couldn't resist peeking after seeing it.

Thanks Aswin!

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Since you're in India now, what car/motorcycle do you drive/ride?

Right now, I don't have a car. I drive my dad's grand i10 occasionally.
I got a Firefox hybrid last year amd weny on some fun rides with a local cycling group. We also got an ntorq recently though and gotta say I love riding it around!

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by Iyencar

I got a Firefox hybrid last year amd weny on some fun rides with a local cycling group. We also got an ntorq recently though and gotta say I love riding it around!

Good to know that you're into cycling, I'm as well, though not the Firefox kind, I got myself a Cosmic Fatso and a BSA Ladybird, both were impulsive purchases if it didn't already strike you.

Since you ride the NTorq you should give this a watch, really nice to see what a tricked scooter can do on trails;

TVS Ntorq SXR | Feature | Autocar India

[Iyencar]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Good to know that you're into cycling, I'm as well, though not the Firefox kind, I got myself a Cosmic Fatso and a BSA Ladybird, both were impulsive purchases if it didn't already strike you.

Impulse buys are the best! Serious question though, why a Fatboy bike? From what little I know the only terrain they are really useful on would be very rough terrain and even here a regular MTB can run circles around them.

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Since you ride the NTorq you should give this a watch, really nice to see what a tricked scooter can do on trails;

Love this video! You are giving me some really evil ideas now.

I have always been in awe of TVS racing and their performance at Dakar. Then there was this thread on the forum: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ter-rally.html ('the Gulf Monsoon Scooter Rally') which really opened my eyes to what a scooter can do.

How do you edit a hyper link with text of your choice like you did in the title of the video you posted? As in, the actual link is www.xyz.com but then the text reads Autocar India. Mods: Sorry for asking this here but I just couldn't find the way to do this in the Announcements thread.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by Iyencar

Impulse buys are the best! Serious question though, why a Fatboy bike? From what little I know the only terrain they are really useful on would be very rough terrain and even here a regular MTB can run circles around them.

Road presence, the last excuse I'd want the person running me over to have is that he/she didn't see me.

I've got LED Strobe lights from Decathlon as well, just to be double safe.

Love this video! You are giving me some really evil ideas now.

I have always been in awe of TVS racing and their performance at Dakar. Then there was this thread on the forum: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ter-rally.html ('the Gulf Monsoon Scooter Rally') which really opened my eyes to what a scooter can do.

Scooters are fun, have done a few interstate runs on a TVS Wego, lovely ride but had to scrap it after I totaled it at a very young 18k km's.

Timsun offers performance oriented tries for scooters, do keep an eye out for them if you're ever in the mood for some adventure.

How do you edit a hyper link with text of your choice like you did in the title of the video you posted? As in, the actual link is www.xyz.com but then the text reads Autocar India. Mods: Sorry for asking this here but I just couldn't find the way to do this in the Announcements thread.

[url="http://www.yourlink.com"]YourLinkText["/URL"]

Now the same without the quotes in the close contained will give you;

YourLinkText

[SJM1214]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

[url="http://www.yourlink.com"]YourLinkText["/URL"]

Now the same without the quotes in the close contained will give you;

Wow. It's working. I was trying to learn this from last one year. Thanks, ashwinprakas.

By the way, Welcome to Forum, Iyencar.