After completion of my matriculation with first division in 1988 from a small district town of Gopalganj in Bihar, out of various paths available to pursue further studies,destiny finally took me to Aligarh.From 1988-1990,I completed my Senior Secondary School (10+2) in History, Political Science and Hindi with first division from what is now named as Saiyyad Hamid Senior Secondary School, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh while boarding in Allama Iqbal Hall located in front of the school. It was really a feel of the historic moment as the new building of the 10+2 was inaugurated in our batch.

    After this first brush with legendary campus of AMU ,I got admitted in graduation course with Political Science as Honours subject , History and Philosophy as subsidiaries. We were then totally immersed in the humungous activities of the campus life with our classes in Arts faculty building while boarding in Ross Masood Hall (RM Hall).In 1993 finally came out as graduate with flying colours maintaining the streak of first division. In those three years ,the world still unknown was revealed to us by teachers of such repute as Professor(s)Irfan Habib,Shireen Moosavi, K Subramaniam,A.R Vijapur,T.A Nizami,Arif Hameed, Ishtiyaq Ahmad,Murtuza Khan.

      In 1993 after memorable five years in Aligarh,I qualified the Masters test for Jawaharlal Nehru University,New Delhi and got enrolled in Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences wherein I completed my M.A and M.Phil programmes. JNU was altogether a new experience which many times jolted my old beliefs, values and attitudes. No body how isolated an individual is can escape from the ideas and radicalism breezing through Aravallis in which an adventure called as JNU was majestically ensconced.

       After some unsuccessful shots at Civil Services examinations finally got veered towards academic world and armed with JRF/NET of UGC roamed across the country facing selection committee interviews for Lecturer in colleges and universities. Finally in the year 2003 got my first academic career break when the results of Bihar Universities Service Commission was declared after a gap of valuable five years. I landed up as Lecturer in Political Science at Jagdamb College,Jai Prakash University,Chhapra, Saran, Bihar. This college and township of Chhapara will be forever etched in my heart and memory as this was my first place of employment and training in college teaching. 

    Although many considered it as a downslide for me  but holding my confidence and trust in myself,I tried for opportunities in other universities and within three years in 2006 was selected as Lecturer in the Department of Political Science , Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.It was almost a homecoming getting a life long desire to serve in my first Alma Mater.Whenever coming to AMU always felt like a child in the mother's lap.

   Since then ,there is no looking back.It was again here where I finished my long pending Ph.D. My other academic curiousities took me to places like Madras University, University of Mumbai,Banaras Hindu University,Jamia Millia Islamia,Kumaon University , Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, Cambridge University, University of Zurich,Switzerland and London School of Economics and Political Science, London,Uk for various conferences and seminars.

   This also led to publications of nearly two dozen journal articles and a text book on Indian Government and Politics published by Pearson as co-author.

    Now even after reaching to the top of the academic hierarchy, the child like passion and curiousity for new knowledge as dazzling as when first arrived at Aligarh remains intact.Many conundrums shaping ideas and thoughts in the mind has the potential to explore more and move me to new journeys and destinations.