John Galt wrote : "I was a fourth year Engineering student at a Regional Engineering College in Orissa, a noteworthy status which is worth adulation amongst lower middle class people in India. I would soon disclose it to her and she would instantly reveal that she had a brilliant nephew in IIT Kharagpur. Off the record, call it societal insecurity or inferiority complex or simply conceit, but two third of middle class Indian people are predestined to retaliate to any social, academic or financial dominance, either by prevarication or by argument." LooteKukur replied: "BTW, you went to rourkela for your engineering eh? i had gotten scholarship for the same place through indian embassy colombo plan, but later had to drop it due to my more ambitious plan i was looking to materialize...hehe..:) good to know you are in the same coterie (engineers) :)" I can certainly see what you talking about John!!!! I'd rather say a south asian phenomenon.