On 3rd September, Hindu College hosted a Book Launch session for Vigilante Publications. The event was mainly about releasing their new publication ‘DU Love’. DU Love is an anthology of twenty-four short stories written by the alumni and current students of Delhi University.
Vigilante Publications came up with this competition at the beginning of this year, asking for entries form DU students. DU Love is a collection of love stories fused with other genres written by DU students and set in DU. Among the various entries sent, 24 of them got chosen to be published in this book. The book consists of everything from pining lovers, zombies and ghosts to jealous lovers, robots and aliens.
The event at Hindu saw a vast audience which included the authors, along with the panelists responsible for picking out entries and choosing the best three winners of DU Love cash prizes. The event also saw a discussion on Creative Writing, encouraging the audience to read, write and pen more such stories and creative pieces. While it was clearly mentioned that romance as a genre is over-exhausted, yet it is a vibrant topic nonetheless. Thus, making this idea of fusion of romance with other genres and making a cross-genre story novel was an interesting challenge.
The panelists included the judges and the editor, who lauded the efforts of the writers. A few writers even got the chance to read out special sections and extracts from their stories and gave insights into the motivation and inspiration behind their works. Mr. Shoven Chaudhary, one of the panelists, said “I request the audience to please read these stories and support these budding writers.” Sami Ahmad Khan, the editor, shared his experience and how much he enjoyed reading each story and editing it. Dr. Nambiar said, “I have not been able to put the book down. It was quite a roller coaster. There was one thing in common though, love articulated for DU and spaces for love that nobody knew existed in DU.” The event ended with the Prize Distribution Ceremony.
The 24 writers are:
Lakshmi Menon , Jayati Das, Aimen Khan, Rosheena Zehra, Adishi Gupta, Anisha Sen, Ayushi Sharma, Abiral Kumar, Somrita Ganguly, Nishtha, Riya Raj, Mohd. Salman, Supriya Chatterjee, Suryanshu Guha, Ariba Usman, Suchi Mahato, Swara Shukla, Shruti Kirti, Joyee Das, Arghya Sengupta, Rishabh Bhardwaj, Parul Dutta, Brahmjeet Singh and Ayesha Sareen.
With the craze around the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and its South Asian adaption, the Rice Bucket Challenge, my fellow netizens including me got mired into a rather brain-challenging challenge- the ‘ #BookBucketChallenge ’ where one is required to list ten books that have had an influence in their life or remained close to one’s heart.
Suddenly, all those of us who were environmentally conscious enough to not dump water over our heads, and not as fascinated by the Rice Bucket Challenge (in our defence, this was not even trending in Delhi or on social media), had a new cause to live for on Facebook. We bravely accepted the challenge and nominated others to do the same.
Yes, I was excited, as were my book-loving friends. I finally had something to showcase other than the selfies that usually go wrong. But strangely, I felt like my list of books too had something ‘wrong’ associated with it. While most people around me certainly seemed to be ‘better-read’, I too had prepared my list after much caution but it was not at par with most of the lists on my newsfeed. Comparatively, others majorly had books that implied heavier reading with more or less standard Enid Blytons and Harry Potters dominating their lists.
At first, I began to question my taste and level of intellect, but later the decisions of those around me were put to thought. But I couldn’t find a conclusion for either. What I did find was a status update from a fellow confused person asking whether it was supposed to be ’10 books that made an impression on me’ or ’10 books that make an impression of me’. Therefore, I was not alone.
Book lovers and book clubs have thrived since forever; one does make strong bonds over the love for books, the bonds that last. Don’t misinterpret my words, but books do not always have to express one’s level of maturity and intellect. For those who find comfort in heavy tomes, it is your choice for the kind of reading. And for others who read not-so-heavy stuff, know this eventually, it is about the comfort found in the smell of the yellowed pages and least about these Facebook lists.
FB Folks are busy posting a pretentious list of 10 book titles, whereas the reality looks more like Goosebumps, Archies, Tinkle & Champak.
A week before the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, the contesting parties are releasing their manifestos highlighting their key agendas.
Constitution Club of India, on September 4th, 2014 hosted National Students’ Union of India’s (NSUI) manifesto release campaign. NSUI is the student wing for Indian National Congress (INC) and their press campaign focused on displaying party’s plan of action out into picture.
This period, which majorly talks about promises being thrown by different parties will be followed by the election day i.e. Friday, September 12th, 2014 where the students will choose their leaders, the leaders who may or may not deliver. NSUI’s list of promises includes various such agendas that they wish to take up if given a chance to be in power.
“NSUI went to the grass-root level to understand plight of students. There were two such matters that our surveys highlighted which are now our highlight agendas for the upcoming year.”
-Amrish Pandey, Spokesperson, NSUI.
Section 33 of Delhi University Act makes it mandatory to provide accommodation to the students of the University where as only 9000 hostel seats are available for over 1.8 lakh students enrolled in DU.
NSUI wants the administration at the University to use 95 acre of barren land to build hostels, which would reduce the shelling out of money on private accommodations like paying guests and flats. Party’s manifesto also demands regulations in Delhi Rent Control Act.
Puneet Sharma, a day scholar from Hans Raj College says, “I am staying in a PG. Our college is having some 200 seats in the hostel for the students from different courses, reserved categories and year of study. In addition, the admission to hostel is given on the merit basis with proper reservations. This leaves little scope. This agenda by the party will really help the students.” Puneet who pays Rs. 15000/- per month for a paying guest could have managed in less than Rs. 50000/- for an annual hostel accommodation.
It is also drafted to fight the administration to take neighboring private structures on lease until the hostels are ready.
The incidents of eve teasing, harassment, ghettoisation, mocking dressing sense, eating habits, lifestyle, language of North Eastern students is an everyday occurrence even in the so called ‘secure’ environment of Delhi University.
Angellica Aribam, an alumnus of Sri Venkateshwara College and presently National Secretary, NSUI (Assam) says, “Discrimination has no limits, I experienced it back then and it still exists. NSUI demands Grievance Redressal Mechanism with legal assistance.”
NSUI demands central government to enact Anti-Racial discrimination Law and to give speedy justice for victims of racial crimes.
“We travel from North East India and travel to mainland Indian cities to hope for better education, job prospect and a better life. What we do not foresee then is that we may someday end up as victims of crime specifically perpetuated because of our facial features, ethnicity or lifestyle”, says Chandrika, a University student who hails from Assam.
NSUI demands the Central government and Delhi University to include North Eastern culture and history in the curricula. A North East Students’ Cell in DUSU has also been proposed which will work for the welfare of that student community.
To support this, Delhi University on 3rd September witnessed a human chain rooted by NSUI to fight racial discrimination.
Numerous north eastern students in protest against against racism and discrimination in Delhi University.
Onlookers witness the protest in interest of north east students.
Other Agendas
Revaluation and Re-assessment
Special Chance for Final Year students
Uniform Admission Rules
Campus Recruitment Centre
Disabled Student Friendly Campus
Attendance and Marks for Sports Students
Women Development Cell
Grievance Redressal Committees
We have everything on our side, says confident NSUI
“We are focusing on ‘less paper campaign’ this year. Our social media promotions have been looked at very wisely during these elections. And we think that NSUI will come to power.”
-Mohit Sharma, Vice President, NSUI (Delhi Operations)
On being asked whether Congress not being in power will affect the University Elections or not, Roji. M. John, National President, NSUI says, “Modi government’s 100 days had much without delivery. Within a month, India’s youth was on the street for some issue or the other. There has been no reduction in the black money and India has seen inflation. Congress not being in power will not affect the student body. The only influence can be cancellation of nominations.”
Roji. M John, National President NSUI in conversation with DU Beat | Picture Credits – Kashish Madan
Final Contesting Panel: NSUI
NSUI on 5th September has also released its final list of candidates contesting for the DUSU Elections 2014, the names of candidates being as follows:
President: a.a. Gaurav Tushir (Ist year, Motilal Nehru College)
Vice President: Mona Chaudhary (Ist Year, Faculty of Law)
Secretary: a.a. Ameet Sidhu Teema (Ist Year, Master in Buddhist Studies from Faculty of Arts)
Joint Secertary: A.A. Abhishk Choudhary (Ist Year, M.A from Faculty of Arts)
NSUI DUSU Panel
Celebrations after the release of final list of candidates
Karishma Thakur, the outgoing secretary of DUSU (only office bearer representing NSUI in DUSU for academic year 2013-14) told DU Beat, “We strive to go better this year. We are not making fake promises. NSUI has been active the past year as well. This time we will get to power and bring the change.”
