August 7, 2014

Enactus SSCBS recently made Delhi University proud with its victory at the Enactus Nationals held in Mumbai, this July. The finals saw numerous teams coming in from all over India to compete on whose social endeavors had the maximum impact.

Enactus SSCBS, with its three super successful projects- Project Akshar, Gramodhar and Sanitation Solutions (among others), took home the champion’s trophy and the task to compete with Enactus teams from all over the world at the Internationals- ‘The World Cup’.

With the internationals to be held in October in Beijing, China – the glory of the previous win has been mantled by the bigger task of preparing for the big game. Here is what their President, Vatsal Khullar, had to say about their victory, the team and the fast approaching trip up north.

Was the victory expected? Which other team do you think was closest to yours?

Well, to be honest, the idea wasn’t to win. The idea was to tell everyone the kind of work we’ve been doing and the kinds of impact we are trying to drive. I personally thought IIT Delhi and SRCC have very impactful projects.

How different is preparing for the Internationals from preparing for the Nationals?

It’s the ‘World Cup’! We’ve been juggling crazy hours since the Nationals. So our presentation is much more focused on making it a more holistic presentation of India and our projects. The presentation for the World Cup has to be much broader and varied. It’s more like representing the entire country.

This is the second time SSCBS has won the Nationals. Is there a rule book to victory?

If there was, I wouldn’t tell you! No. But honestly, the kind of commitment a team has to their project resonates. What really worked this time was the kind of dedication and belief our team had on each of the projects. It really went a long way in making the presentation and our team look very strong.

Of all your projects, which project do you think has managed to create the greatest impact and, as they often say, changed lives?

‘Give a man a fish, you fill a stomach. Teach him how to fish and you change a life’. Our project, Sanitation Solutions, has been adopted by the government and is being implemented in 21 districts across the country. So in a way, the ripple effect will be massive. But that being said, project Gramodhar has seen amazing response. We’ve already managed to create over 10 entrepreneurs.

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Sex Amma

Sex Amma: Not able to take it to the next level

By Sex Amma August 7, 2014

Q: Dear Amma, I’ve been in a relationship for nearly 3 months now. My girlfriend is lovely, intelligent, and I love her sense of humour. But the problem is, I’m just not attracted to her in a, you know… Sexual way. She has often tried to lean in for a kiss but I can’t help but turn my face and pretend to not have noticed. She’s a great person, I don’t want to let go of her but I don’t know if I can ever take it to the next level. What should I do?

A: You are indeed too deep into the backwaters, dear Machhi. Amma has seen many young ones sacrifice a mental connection for a physical one, but you’re swimming right against the Periyar!

People may tell you that physical attraction doesn’t matter, but don’t be misguided! Having a healthy sexual connection is as important for a relationship to flourish in its truest form as a meeting of the minds. Do not get discouraged just because your dosa isn’t crispy yet, sometimes the batter needs to be rested for best results. Talk to your lovely maiden, tell her the truth. This gives you two machhis a wonderful opportunity to try different settings for the most delicious meal! Try role play, maybe that’ll get the chutney grinding. Conversely, try the path of absolute abstinence to heat your pan.

Amma advises you to try hard, but not too hard. Matters like these cannot and should not be forced. If even after several honest attempts you can’t bring yourself to make harmonious music together, let the little machhi go. Spare both yourselves the heartbreak that Amma has so often heard of, but never borne!

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Biblio

Of memories and comics: Pran’s Chacha Chaudhury

By DU Beat August 7, 2014

Today I realized something; although psychology firmly states that we could never be the same person that we were once at the age of seven, I and perhaps millions of others people in India, realized this isn’t the case.

A slightly tilted face, the red turban, fluffy mustache and know-it-all eyes.

A current ran down through my spine as I saw, recognized and then exclaimed a big ‘Achaaa…’ while I stared blankly at my Facebook newsfeed. A pang of memories from the pre-internet time clouded my mind. I was mourning. Somebody had made me a seven year old again. And that somebody was essentially the life of my childhood days.

Pran? Who was he? How could he just transport us in the world full of adventures of Sabu and Chacha Chaudhary? And why did we call the smartest of our friends ‘Chacha Chaudhary’, as the comic described “Jinka dimag computer se bhi tez chalta hai!”? The combination of epic strength and sharpness of a mind used to chase away those adorably fat but thick mustached thieves. Then there was the angry and nagging wife Bini who would even scare the giant from the Jupiter away! And who can forget Raaka, Chacha Chaudhary and Sabu’s enemy, whom they would throw away in space like the usual departure of The Team Rocket in the classic Pokemon series. I remember how Sabu was everybody’s favorite. How I would imagine tossing large objects around as if I were the Sabu from the Jupiter!

The answer is, no matter what comics or books that you read now, Pran’s comics had left such a magical and traceable impact on our minds, that it is difficult to find that very same magic that we witnessed back then. No plot factors sums up its greatness. Neither do I need to explain why it was and still is the best!

The Sherlock Holmes of his times as he deduced the thieves by the trails they left, Chacha Chaudhary was but a common man starring in the regular editions of Diamond and Raj and then later onwards, brought to life by Raghubir Yadav on television too.

Pran being the hard working man he was continued to work on his last edition even as he was fighting his battle with cancer for the past year. And when somebody would ask him, what he wanted from his life, he would grin and say, “If I could put a smile on the face of people, I would consider my life successful.”

Then rest assured Sir, for I smile as I browse through the comments section, almost each one of them thanking you for the smile you put on their faces.

Priyanka Kapoor
[email protected]

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Your Beat

A crash course on BRICS’ New Development Bank

By DU Beat August 7, 2014

Pssst. What exactly is the New Development Bank?

The bank that is being formed by the BRICS nations with its headquarters in Shanghai. It would fund long-term investment in infrastructure, projects for sustainable development and balance of payments funding.

Wait. Don’t IMF and World Bank perform the same function?

Yes they do. But the increasing demands for infrastructure and more environmentally sustainable forms of development in the emerging and developing economies are not being met by these institutions. There is an estimated deficit of investment of US$1 trillion annually. Also the BRICS nations have grown in economic importance over the years which has not been followed by a similar increase in the receptivity of their voice.

I don’t get it!

See, there has been increased South-South trade, economic cooperation and foreign aid. These countries seem to have enough pooled funds to meet there own needs and no longer need to depend, only on the IMF and World Bank and nor do they need to accept their inappropriate conditions. These institutions have refused to increase the voting share of the developing countries despite the fact that they account for half the world’s population and China alone accounts for 40% of the global growth after the collapse of the Lehman Brothers.

Like the Chang Mai Initiative Multilateralization (CMIM).

The NDB is slightly different because unlike the CMIM it has a Contingency Reserve Arrangement (CRA), that provides official liquidity in times of need, of US$100 billion which will make it independent of IMF approval and surveillance.

Oh, so that means no more American influence through these institutes.

You may be wrong about that. Although the initial capital is being contributed equally by the member states, the CRA of US$100 Billion is being financed majorly (41%) by China which is more than twice of that paid by any other country. China may choose to exercise its power due to the sheer size of its economy and use this as a platform to optimize cross-border use of the Chinese currency, especially for trade-linked transactions.

Will they be as influential and powerful as the IMF and World Bank?

The failure of these institutes in spotting and stopping the 2007-08 crisis has weakened their authority and legitimacy. No doubt the NDB will be powerful, but will it be an alternative for global development finance? It can if it makes quality loans and uses a right balance of the degree of sophistication in its financial instruments.

It sounds like everything will work out fine if they manage the risk well and coordinate their activities.

Here is the catch. The ASEAN group of Southeast Asian countries has programs, that activate currency swaps and multilateral assistance, to avert short-term monetary shortfalls of its member nations. The objectives of the NDB and institutes like ASEAN, Chinese Development bank and a similar one in Brazil. As for the ASEAN, China will gain from sidelining with Tokyo to gain influence in the region given the political tensions between them, but this will shake the existing initiatives. These facts render the functions and impact of the NDB vague.

So, If China has good intentions, so will the bank.

Devangi Agarwal

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News

Prof Carl W Ernst delivers lecture on Sufism and its contemporary relevance

By DU Beat August 7, 2014

Lecture by Professor Carl W. Ernst: Sufism and its Contemporary Relevance

“A Sufi never claims himself to be a Sufi.”

Professor Carl W. Ernst, the professor of religious studies and director of the California center for the study of the Middle east and Muslim civilizations, USA, started out his lecture by defining the very term ‘Sufism’ and its Indian relevance.

Hosted in the main north campus’s conference center hall, the chief guest of the event was the very much debated vice chancellor of Delhi University, Dr Dinesh Singh who was curiously absent in the notices that were put up all over the campus, which announced the date as well as the venue of the lecture. In the neatly packed hall of the conference center then, the seminar saw attendance from the students of several departments of the university including Political Science, Philosophy, English Literature and of course the Persian department whose head, Professor Chander Singh was one of the members, chairing this seminar.

One of such members, Professor Minni Sawhey, Dean of Faculty of Arts initiated the seminar by addressing Professor Carl W. Ernst and honoring him by a bouquet of roses. Professor Ernst, on the other hand thanked the Delhi university for inviting him simultaneously for the second time in the gap of an academic year.

He appeared very comfortable as he sailed across the distant origins of Sufism, standing tall at the podium, smiling and cross questioning the audience. His discussion ranged under subtopics like national attitude towards Sufism, Earlier European hostility towards its origins as well as the sacred relevance of Sufi shrines that derive their importance from rituality and the power of narratives.

“Involving. To the point. And extremely refreshing as compared to our routine lectures. I think such seminars should be held more often.” remarked Mohammad Abbas, a fresher from the Department of Persian. Refreshing indeed. The lecture delivered what was promised, leaving us all open minded and more receptive in the terms of understanding rather more deeper aspects of Islamic studies.

Priyanka Kapoor
[email protected]

Photo credits :Mohammad Shuaib and Ashita Chaturvedi

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Campus Central

VC Dinesh Singh painted black as DUTA releases its 'White Paper'

By Iresh Gupta August 7, 2014

Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) on Tuesday, August 5th, 2014 released its ‘White Paper’ against the Vice Chancellor, Dinesh Singh at a press conference. Singh, who has been in news in the recent past for the FYUP debacle, gets no respite even after the rollback of the controversial regime.

With this paper that focuses on the financial, administrative and academic irregularities by the VC, DUTA calls out to the President of India, Shri. Pranab Mukherjee to launch a comprehensive Inquiry against the Vice Chancellor, pending which, he should be made to go on leave.

In the past one year, DUTA has come up with many such allegations against Singh, but this is the first time that the organization has drafted a 41-page release supported by documents and evidences (acquired by RTI). Additionally, this White Paper has also noted the lack of personal probity and academic integrity on his part as well as violations of the Delhi University Act, statutes, rules and regulations made.

DUTA’s press statement states that, “Normalcy and a sense of justice will not be restored unless the Vice Chancellor and his core team of senior officials are brought to book and the University is given the opportunity to put these shameful years behind and move ahead.”

DUTA’s paper in its various sub-pointers alleged the VC of mis-governance, victimization and harassment of teachers as well as violations in promotions and implementation of the reservation policy. On the financial front, DUTA accused the VC of (mis)using approximately 172 crores of the OBC grants for buying 62,600 laptops for the first year students of the much discussed and no longer existing four year undergraduate programme.

“The provision of laptops to the students was just bribe by the VC to students to keep their mouth shut when they were not happy with the course. This money was actually meant for up-gradation of infrastructure in the University and for the betterment of the teaching faculty”, Nandita Naraian, DUTA president said.

Vice Chancellor was also held accountable for charges of appointing faculty that favored FYUP and violating UGC norms and the national policy of 10+2+3 system.

Funds worth crores were also diverted to run Gyanodaya Express and organize foreign tours for the VC and other officers of the University. For the very same reason, there were regular complaints throughout the year pertaining to the absence of VC in the University to address the grievances of students and teachers. University cultural festival– Antardhwani which was a mere way of showcasing VC’s pet programmes (like FYUP) used a lot of finances. Rs. 125 crores were also shifted from the development fund of School of Open Learning to VC and the university authorities for framing of courses and setting up SOL study centre in Ramanujan College.

[caption id="attachment_24816" align="aligncenter" width="580"] duta

RTI filed regarding the purchase and distribution of Laptops by the University[/caption]

Anita Gosh, Joint Secretary of DUTA highlighted the condition of sports and the university stadiums in the tenure of Dinesh Singh. “The stadium prohibits anybody to enter and play. 2005 was the last time when we got the prestigious Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad trophy as a university for sports which is a matter of shame for such a prestigious university,” she says.

Apart from this, VC Dinesh Singh has been alleged to have granted favors to people he is close to in the University of Delhi. DUTA has claimed that VC appointed his own acquaintances as election officers for University elections and also as the Officers on Special Duty as the Principal of the college which is against the laws.

Other allegations included reappointment of the principal of Ambedkar College, Dr. G.K Arora despite of the fact that he was held responsible for sexual harassment and mental/physical trauma of Smt. Pavitra, the lab assistant who committed suicide in front of the Delhi Secretariat.

DUTA also held VC responsible for permitting mining of Aravali Rock in the ARSD College, which is a government natural resource and the activity, is considered illegal.

There has been a history of teachers, mainly adhoc and other employees in the university who were dismissed. “All the people who tried to speak against him were removed.” Nandita Narain commented. Dinesh was held responsible for also denying the CBI its request to probe the University Officer who has been incriminated in the Shunglu Committee Report on the CWG scam.

“The University has a bleak future if the present VC continues. The University has become anti-students and anti-teachers. It is just pro the university authorities. This is sheer academic erosion. We appeal students and teachers to help us in our movement. We expect a visitorial inquiry soon”, said the DUTA president ending the conference.

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