[04ldd]

you can start doing independent research as has been suggested. you need to believe in yourself, however, and trust that the plan will pan out in the end. maybe it won't but did you have something to lose?

edit: also a valid set of questions might be: are you after recognition or personal intellectual growth? why do you think that organizations like IBM is the place for you? DO you need somebody else to guide you or maybe share the research experience?

[AnupSavvy]

I need money to survive. Just by doing research on my own I won't get paid. Doing Phd helps because most of the time one gets to work on interesting stuff and get paid by grants. Work at a good place like IBM ( and any other company which provides research based work ) would help me achieve both ( money and good work ). I can try and do routine software work for some company and carry out interesting projects in free time but it will have some limitations. At this stage of my life I cannot sit and do just research. I need someone to pay me for my living.