For 12 days, Delhi will be the venue for one of the biggest sporting events India has ever hosted. After 66 days, Delhi’s makeover will, hopefully, be completed. Delhi is slated to emerge from its cocoon of blue Delhi metro barricades and grey cement and sand at under-construction sites, into what we hope will be a world class city; a world class city which would be ready to host 8000 athletes and officials from 71 Commonwealth countries, representing one thirds of the world’s population. Keeping in mind the mammoth task that is to be accomplished, DU Beat undertakes a reality check as to the state of the preparations for the Commonwealth Games.
The website for the Commonwealth Games boasts of the Games being held in 23 world class competition venues and 32 Training venues. The Ministry of Youth Affairs claims that most venues have been completed, while the Games Village, the Table Tennis facility at the Yamuna Sports Complex, the renovation work at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and the Dr. S.P.M. Swimming Pool Complex, among several other training venues, ‘will be completed shortly’. All the games venues are to be handed over to the Organizing Committee on August 1, so that crucial overlaying work can be carried out. Given the deadline, the incomplete works are a cause for concern. Also, some of the projects that have been completed on paper have incomplete accompanying projects like landscaping, approach roads and clearing of debris.
The pace of ongoing work and the obvious level of incompletion that can be seen in supporting infrastructure projects have the responsible authorities scrambling for cover from the opprobrium they face. The Barapullah elevated road corridor which will provide a link between the Games Village and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is slated to be completed latest by August end. But there are still very wide gaps in the basic elevated structure as it passes near Defence Colony and even bigger gaps near Nizamuddin. The renovation work at Connaught Place is also far from complete, adding to the traffic and parking woes in the area. Even the blue-eyed boy of infrastructure projects, The Delhi Metro seems to be running behind schedule. The Violet line, which will link Badarpur to Central Secretariat is supposed to be completed by August. However, several portions of the basic elevated structure have not been completed in areas like Sarita Vihar. Another thing that calls into question the quality of work being done, if at all, in the de silting of drains is the current state of water logging due to the rains.
While all this gives us a lot to worry about, solace can be found in completion of the swanky new terminal of the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Another encouraging thing that can be seen is the introduction of the new low floor DTC buses on several routes in the city. While the significant progress that has been made in the past few months cannot be denied, many loose ends still need to be tied up.
Amongst all the din and excitement of a new academic year, the chaos caused by the construction work at various points on campus stood out as a sore thumb. An issue that has already caused much trouble for many is the usage of college hostels by the Delhi government for the Commonwealth Games.
The University Community for Democracy is a group of students and ex-students of Delhi University, concerned about the eviction of students and the manner in which this was carried out. The group started its discussions online during the holidays, concerned about reports in the media about the eviction of students from hostels and the lack of any official statement from either the University or the colleges. Realising that it was too late to actually stop the process since it had begun, they nonetheless decided to go ahead and raise their concerns. Devika Narayan, among those who started the group, and a student at the Delhi School of Economics, says that the group wants students, teachers and others on campus to “claim the University as a community”.
The facebook group “Resist Forced Eviction of Students in the Name of Commonwealth Games” lists the group’s aims and also shows what student movements around the world have achieved, as examples. The group’s regular meetings are open for anyone who has an interest in the issue and wants to be a part of these discussions. As of now, there is a protest meet planned on the 30th of July at the Arts Faculty.
5. Silvio Berlusconi and Bill Clinton: for their common taste in ‘other friends’.
4. Kashmira Shah and Madonna: So that they can both act their age.
3. Wile E. Coyote and Sylvester: They never ever seem to catch their prey.
2. Kylie Minogue and Akshay Kumar: because we just can’t take them seriously after jiggy-wiggy.
1. Rakhi Sawant and Jesus Navas: For then, she will always have ‘Jejjus’ around.
After the long, drawn out summer, the new session began with colleges ensuring newcomers don’t have any unpleasant experiences with their seniors. Delhi University has taken a host of anti-ragging measures like deploying flying squads, women police officers, CCTVs, installing complaint boxes and ragging helplines among others. The first few days saw jeeps full of serious policemen/women patrolling around colleges to keep an eye on the activities in and around campus.
The HRD ministry has also shown support to help tackle ragging. Freshmen looking for help can call 1800-180-5522 or e-mail at [email protected].
About 54,000 students have joined DU this year. Proctor of DU, Professor Gurmeet Singh, has personally written to college principals to check ragging. To the university’s credit, no serious ragging has been reported yet, and colleges are taking all steps possible to keep a tab on the students’ behaviour.
However, this did not deter some colleges from making their freshers feel welcome and they did not mind playing by the rules. Miranda house gave its freshers a traditional welcome. This also attracted attention from other colleges and consequently led to quite a crowd at its gates.
“A senior asked me to climb up the tree and sing ‘Vande Mataram.”, recalls Joe Hercher from his first year in Khalsa College. This is one of the various examples of ragging which took place in the university till some time ago. However, the number of such cases has drastically come down since the new laws came into effect.
It is a matter of debate whether this decline in ragging is received by the freshers with relief since a fraction of new students have protested against the ban altogether. However, the new session has largely set off with a promising and incident-free start.
To the dismay of music and culture lovers across the nation, the 2nd edition of the widely anticipated Ladakh Confluence has been cancelled. The official site of the festival (www.theconfluence.in) cites the sudden withdrawal of support from the Tourism Minister of J&K, Mr Rigzin Jora, and various other sponsors as the primary reason for the cancellation. Allegedly, the pressure exerted by two local bodies, the All Ladakh Tour Operators Association (ALTOA) and the Ladakh Buddhist Association (both led by the same individual) is the reason why the support was withdrawn. As per the statement on the official site of the confluence, these bodies say they oppose the confluence because it promotes “Drugs, western culture and rocking music”, while the organizers stress that “the confluence is planned to be drug free, has declined generous sponsorships from alcohol companies, highlights and showcases Ladakhi culture and music, and that the music at the Confluence is folk and percussion from India and the world.” The official statement also says that the organizers were threatened with physical violence and the abovementioned bodies also threatened to disrupt the festival. “In such a situation, it has become impossible for us to host the festival. We would not like the festival to become a law and order situation for Ladakh” is what the statement mentioned in conclusion.
Fans’ reaction to the cancellation is varied. While some are patient and supportive of the organizers, most seem to be antagonized by the cancellation so close to the festival dates. The official facebook page is flooded with inquiries and appeals for ticket refunds, with some people even going to the extent of threatening the organizers with police complaints! Concerned fans have also created an online petition addressed to Mr Rigzin Jora, the tourism minister, asking him to release the promised sponsorship amount to the organizers, so that it may be used to refund ticket holders. Not only festival tickets, last minute cancellations have also caused people to lose money on airfares and accommodation packages. And there are still others, who are going ahead with their trips nonetheless. Gautam Malhotra, a would be attendee, wrote on the festival’s official facebook page “sad to hear the news, but still going to the worlds most amazing place and will have a ball, don’t back out people, lets go and have a ball….cheers” One can only hope that this spirit stays alive, and the one-of-a-kind event returns next year.
1. DU revamps website
For those who’ve been DU students for a while would know the drastic change brought about in the revamped and improvised website of DU. The students joining university for this year are warmly welcomed by a new and fresh look of the Delhi University website- www.du.ac.in. Till the last academic year, students had to visit separate websites for North and South campus to check their results and for university details, however from now all details are available on the same website.
2. DU introduces course on Research Competency
Institute of Lifelong Learning & Delhi University Library System introduces short term course on “Information Literacy for Research Competency” (ILRC). The students of the University of Delhi fulfilling the eligibility criteria mentioned in the official website of DU may apply for the short term course on ILRC. The application details are also available. The course aims to impart information literacy skills among the participants making them information literate. A certificate will be awarded to the participants on successful completion of the course.
3. Campus Bus Service
A feeder bus service has been started in the North Campus, charging Rs. 5 only. The buses will ply from Monday to Saturday betweek 08:00 am to 06:00 pm with a frequency of 10 minutes every bus. There are 3 main routes: Ramjas- Khalsa College, St. Stephens’- DSW, FMS- Hansraj College.
4. Perfect Gift to DU
A new swanky Delhi University Stadium, a Commonwealth Games venue for rugby, was inaugurated on Thursday by Sports Minister MS Gill, who described it as a ‘gift’ to Delhi University. It took almost 2 years to build.
Udaan, short listed for Cannes, is a movie that most students in DU can relate to. The need for independence clashes with the perceived duty towards parents, society. It is an age of rebellion that most youngsters go through.
DU Beat caught up with Anurag Kashyap, the Co- Producer of Udaan to answer a few questions.
Q. How closely can you, personally, relate to Udaan?
A. Quite personally. Though my parents gave me the best of education and support, there was this thin line dividing broad minded and too broad minded. I wanted to go all out and become a writer, they wanted something better and conventional…, I wanted it my way. I ran away.
Q. You chose to produce a movie which involved a lot of first- timers. How confident were you of the Director, Vikramaditya Motwane?
A. I have always known him as someone who has great potential and have looked up to him as a filmmaker and a friend. A superb film by him was just waiting to happen. I happened to produce it., that’s incidental.
Q. Our parents and grand parents believe our generation to be generally impatient, with a weaker moral base and greatly influenced by western culture. How do you view this cliché, is it a lot different from yours?
A. There will always be resistance to change. Earlier the resistance was more and much stronger with each generation having, say 33 years to themselves. They were too different from each other and too entrenched. In current times, we see a new generation every decade. They will be raring to go being dynamic with a lot of chaos and a lot of creation. It’s (change is) almost unstoppable and will take the ones who resist with its tide.
Q. You ran away from home at a young age. A lot of students go through similar predicaments. How difficult is the journey, alone? Do you, at times, regret this decision?
A. There might be times of introspection but that conviction to take the decision in the first place kept me going. Come what may I was not going back. It probably couldn’t have been done any different with all its mistakes and mess intact. I don’t know if I can go through all that again, but if need be, one has too. With all the adrenaline and the pop-philosophy and the rebel stings going wild, one needs to keep focus on what one had started off with in the first place. If you lose focus on your goal, that initial act of rebellion will lose steam soon. The point is not just to start a rebellion, sustain it. I still am struggling in my own way.
Q. How do you perceive your audience, when you make a movie and chart out characters because your movies are generally niche?
A. I tell people my stories, I don’t know if it’s niche or mass or A or B. I can’t get into things drawing a pie-chart or a power point presentation. I believe that’s how people who watch my films function too. I try and make it with my instinct, they watch it with theirs. Probably that’s how we connect.
Q. What is your most distinct memory as a student of Hansraj College?
A. The canteen and the girls.. bunking classes to watch films, and there was this one girl I would follow, no matter where she went. She never looked back at me.
Q. What is your message to the aspiring film- makers in DU?
A. Go ahead and make it.
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As told to Radhika Marwah
With friendship day round the corner, how can one not pay tribute to the legendary kinship between the neighbors and brothers in suffering India and Pakistan? Now don’t get me wrong when I say that, because I do believe that India and Pakistan have common woes: terrorism, internal clashes and what not. And this only serves to draw them closer, doesn’t it? With frequent fruitful peace talks between the foreign ministers of these countries, I can almost imagine the camaraderie between the chief politicos.
Jokes aside, one can draw a lot of inspiration from their love for one another: one wouldn’t want to be caught in the crossfire of their sentiments towards each another that can see on a daily basis. The inhabitants of Kashmir would know what I am talking about. Their relationship is akin to the one between the brothers Sugreev and Bali from Ramayana. Such loyalty and trust! And adding spark to this fire of ‘bromance’ is none other than the Pakistani Foreign Minister S.M. Qureshi whose tact and diplomacy make him the top contender for the Nobel Peace Prize this year. Rumour has it that he is an even more popular candidate than Obama. Isn’t that a feat? Pakistan must be so proud.
The only minor blip that is standing in the way of their path to eternal bliss and peace is Pakistan’s reluctance to make any headway on the 26/11 issue which one can be sure is due to be resolved within a reasonable time period of a billion years, maybe (if India gets lucky). An even more insignificant issue is Kashmir. With the success of Agra Summit one wonders why this issue hasn’t become a non-issue already, given the tactful handling of this Summit by ex-Prez General Musharraf.
The presence of such visionaries who advocate only peace provide hope for millions across both the countries. After all, the situation in Siachen is utopic – thanks to the respect and understanding from across the border. In fact, the future looks pretty secure since the production of weapons of mass destruction from the terror cradle is only found in nightmares.
So, there is no need to worry, my dear countrymen, when Pakistan stands sentinel in Kashmir leaving you with sweet dreams to chew on. It will hold well on its promise of punishing the perpetrators of 26/11. After all, since when did it give us a chance to complain? Godspeed! Amen!