August 27, 2015

It takes you an identification card and a valid reason to be able to access this part of north campus. When you do enter it, Lo and Behold!Every scene is a pleasure to the eyes. I was enraged by the FYUP fiasco at the time of my college admission. During that period, the frequency of my visits to north campus had increased. I used to visit the colleges and talk to the students. Although Miranda House was on my list of priorities, somehow I had never come across it. However, soon it came across me.

Miranda House was established in 1948 by the University Vice-Chancellor, Sir Maurice Gwyer. Its foundation stone was laid by Lady Edwina Mountbatten on 7th March in the same year.As I had studied in a co-educational school, joining an all-girl’s college seemed to be a brave decision. Why shouldn’t I call it brave? All-girls colleges are made to seem like concentration camps of inactivity and monotony. Actually, too much estrogen makes everyone wonder about the kind of discussions girls have to deal with in college. So does “All girls and no boys, make Miranda a dull college?”

Well, girls hardly find time to brood over the absence of the other gender. In fact, they find a life outside of such myths. It is in this way that I came to assess the true value of the notions around girls colleges. For instance, the catalogue of dolled up feminists, is a hoax. While it is true that a lot of girls are feminists, but it is equally imperative to emphasise that most of them are aware of the dynamics of their choices and ideologies.

One feels at home at Miranda House, which undoubtedly offers the most accommodating environment. You don’t have to be anybody but yourself to enjoy life as a Mirandian. The surroundings are perfectly active and peacefully silent. This paradox works wonders for every student here. The hub of voices and thrill is the area around the Cafeteria which is famous for it’s Chilly Potatoes. If the Cafeteria doesn’t serve you your proper cappuccino, the Nescafe joint adjacent to it does. This area is often made more interesting when the Hindi dramatics society better their “Aao Aao natak dekho” pitches.

One of the most beautiful places inside the college is The Miranda House Hostel. It is one of the most prestigious hostels of north campus. Its spectacular beauty has made it a popular destination for shooting ad films and movies. Although day scholars do not have an access to this part of the college, we often find them braving a selfie or two whilst they stand near the heritage hall, which overlooks the hostel lawns.

It would be a breach of trust and treaty if a dear chunk of Miranda House goes undocumented. It is the cats of MH: poised and confident. They will join you like a Victorian lady while you sip a coffee and devour your lunch. They might as well be reading this account along with you right now.

I have come to realise and have heard the same from many ex-Mirandians: You take a girl out of Miranda after three years of your graduation, but you can never take Miranda out of the girl.

Tooba Towfiq
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DUB Speak

A liberal society is a myth: Moral Policing across Indian Colleges

By Kartikeya Bhatotia August 27, 2015

Right now, we’re living in an era of bans and conservative policing. Your diet, behaviour, dressing style, sexuality… nothing is exempt from the moral ‘sanskaari‘ school of thought.

Places of institution especially are keen on propagating the ‘cultural’ values onto students. Here are some of the most ridiculous rules in colleges and universities across India-

“Chappals ruining the repute of our institution”

Maharaja Surajmal Institute of Technology, IP University thinks that tight clothes, slippers and nylon chappals are ruining their repute as an institution of learning. The ban has been enforced on both students and the faculty.

“Can’t let girls enter the library, they’ll attract more boys.”

Turning down the demand of female students of Aligarh Muslim University for access to the Maulana Azad Library, vice-chancellor Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah has said there would be “four times more boys” in the library if girls were allowed in. What’s worse? The principal of Women’s College, AMU agrees with Mr. Shah saying a discipline issue might crop up due to presence of girls.

“No shorts for women because… security concerns.”

Women students of St. Xavier’s College will not be allowed to wear shorts at its popular annual fest, Malhar, this year. This comes from the college’s recently-appointed principal, Agnelo Menezes, who cited security concerns.

“Criticizing the PM? You’re now banned, thanks.”

Ambedkar Periyar student circle of IIT Madras was banned by the HRD Ministry spreading “hatred” against the Prime Minister. Merely criticizing the government and current policies was touted as hatred and defamation.

“This is a sanskaari bus, no boy and girl should sit together”

Gitamm University, Hyderabad has set its transport rules straight. No boy and girl should sit together in the bus. And we thought that Universities are supposed to be free from the unnecessary narrow minded guidelines society throws upon us.

Image Credits: scoopwhoop.com

Kartikeya Bhatotia
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Arts & Culture

NDTV Breathe Clean Conclave 2015: Clean Air is our Birth Right

By Arushi Pathak August 27, 2015

NDTV in collaboration with Philips organised a conclave on Indoor Air Pollution in Taj Hotel Chankyapuri on 24^th August. The conclave was flagged of by the first host Vikram Chandra who discussed some rudimentary problems related to air pollution and was then joined by Prashant Javedkar, the Minister of state for Environment in an online session where Mr. Javedkar was very welcoming to the suggestions of the audience and said the ministry is very concerned about the environment and has already taken measures to reduce indoor air pollution, especially in the rural areas.

He also pointed out that still a large proportion of families in villages use wood and chullas for cooking which produces a lot of smoke and to counter this he shed light on the schemes the government has introduced such as the LPG cylinder scheme and the Solar power usage in households. Lastly he welcomed all the suggestions and assured the audience that the government will take every step to control air pollution.

After the session with Mr. Javedker, Vikram then called on stage the first panel of the day. Six in number, these panellists comprised of Partho Das from Clean Asia, Mr Kunikesh a MP from Odisha and the Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan among others. Before starting of the discussion few statistics were revealed to the audience, from a random sample taken of the cities in India, Agra came out to be the most polluted city, followed by Delhi and Chennai.

Further it was illuminated that the pollutant particles have now become as small as 2.5 pm. The panel then had a discussion on the various diseases these particles cause which include blood inflammation, Heart diseases, chronic Lung diseases and cancer. Another study revealed that the indoor pm count was 400 particles per million, whereas the count on a busy traffic signal was 168 particles per million. This shocking study then became the base for the all following discussions. The panel then discussed the ground level solutions that each household could adopt for reducing these levels considerably: Better ventilation in houses, indoor plants and open windows.

A message was then played, Robert Swan an international figure in the field addressed the problem of pollution in India by linking it to the usage of kerosene and petrol in the country, and he encouraged the nation to shift to solar power from thermal power resources.

Following this NDTV then connected the audience and panel to Kennedy Space centre, NASA in USA. In this session the importance of purifying air and water was highlighted using special plants and high value crops.

After a short break, a second panel was convened with the host Ravish Kumar from NDTV. This panel again consisted of well known and qualified panellists including Kunal Kohli the famous Bollywood director, Jayati Singh, and Barun Aggarwal among others. The discussion now revolved around bio mass burning and importance of public transport. A new study revealed, the schools where more parents use their private vehicles to pick and drop their kids have higher pollution levels. Indoor smoking and pets can also affect the pollution level significantly.

Towards the end, the panelists and Mr Kumar came to a conclusion that the problem of Air Pollution is multi-dimensional and not just a political or a household agenda. All sectors need to come together and tackle the problem to ensure the safety of our children and future generation. The conclave was then brought to a close by pledging a cracker free Diwali this year.

Image Credits: Uzma Rehman for DU Beat

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DU Dhaba

Food Review: Crazy Bruno, opposite Gargi College and KNC

By Ishaan Gambhir August 27, 2015

The pasta served to us was a mix or penne and fussili, which was quite to my delight because I’ve wasted a large portion of my lifetime choosing between the two. You can, of course, order a single kind. Speaking of portions, one plate was abundant for two persons. The pasta was soft (neither too cooked to pick with a fork nor too chewy) and the sauce had a hint of oregano. The cooks are generous with the choice of toppings. The plate costed us Rs.110. It was definitely an item I would recommend. However, it was the plate of Butter Chicken Tandoori Momos that caught my eye. It is essentially momos put in a tandoor and marinated in butter chicken/shahi paneer gravy and cream. There is a vegetarian version of the same available too. Full marks for creativity! While steamed momos begin from Rs.50, the butter chicken variants can cost upto Rs.130. The food felt adequately hygienic to us. Hemant, the co-owner of the chain of joints, also recommended the burgers with great confidence but unfortunately, we were full! The shakes that we ordered were decent, although I do wonder how special an Oreo Shake could possibly get. In all fairness, the good food was washed down well by the chocolate drinks. The food joint needs no introduction for students of the area owing to its corner location but for the uninitiated freshers, the place is definitely worth a try. Say hi to me while I’m awkwardly finishing my plate(s) of momos someday! Image credits: Aarushi Dhingra for DU Beat Ishaan Gambhir [email protected]]]>

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DUB Speak

Is Indian Education System built around the Sciences?

By Shubham Kaushik August 27, 2015

Our President addressed the faculty and students of Central Universities and institutions around the country on August 10, 2015. As one of the many students who attended the live telecast, I couldn’t help but notice the absolute lack of any reference to humanities, liberal arts, or anything other than science and technology-based education in India during the address and the following interaction. When arguably the most important figure of your country fails to mention the very stream of your choice of studying in an address related to energising the higher education in the country, it tends to make you think about not just the education system, but also your own love and future prospects in pursuing the same.

This is not the first, or the only instance, that comes to mind when thinking about this issue. The much talked about hierarchy of pursuing science followed by other subjects is real beyond the choosing of subject streams in Class 10. It is not just the stigma and trying to explain to people how studying English, Sociology or History wasn’t a decision prompted by your lack of options. Humanities shouldn’t be considered the paltry, last-option bunch of subjects people opt for when they haven’t qualified for another. Through this, not only are we, as a country and society, discouraging young, enthusiastic students who are keen on pursuing subjects but we’re also opening ourselves up to the very real possibility of not having enough learned people in these subjects. We have been conditioned to believe that having enough doctors and engineers would take care of our needs but by ignoring humanities, we’re ignoring the people who study our interaction as human beings and are, through their studies and theories, responsible for the structure, institutions and life the way we see today.

The interaction session following the President’s address was between the heads of science and technology based institutions, who talked about the leaps in their research facilities and making India a research-based education hub. While it is always amazing to hear about the leaps and bounds our country has made in terms of research and education, it was disheartening to not hear about any such research or study conducted by students pursuing humanities or discuss how our country fares in terms of education specifically in this stream. That’s mostly because we don’t. We’re a country made of and for engineers and doctors, featuring Science research. Our education system is built around it, and everyone panders to and reinforces it.

The young doctorate student questioned why bright Indian minds should go abroad for their higher education given the myriad opportunities offered in the country itself. It’s a good question, but it further raises an important point. Are we actually offering opportunities to students not pursuing pure sciences, medicine and engineering? And since we’re not, is it unfair to not expect students to leave the country in search of better opportunities? By failing to talk about humanities and the arts, is India responsible for a part of its brain-drain itself?

Image Credits: forbesindia.com

Shubham Kaushik

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Interviews

In conversation with the newly elected Students’ Union President of Jesus and Mary College

By DU Beat August 27, 2015

Asha Elizabeth is a third year B.Com. Honours student in Jesus and Mary College. An eminent part of the Commerce Core team and NCC of the college, she is currently getting trained in athletics at JLN stadium.

Q. Congratulations, Asha! How does it feel, and did you use any strategies to win the elections?

Thank you, this feeling cannot be expressed in words. I want to thank god for his abundant blessings. The only strategy I used was to reach out to the students and make them aware of my views and agendas for the upcoming year. I did offline and online campaigning, talked to the students individually and collectively and ensured that my posters covered the entire campus.

Q. What is your immediate plan of action as the President of the Union?

My immediate plan is to take steps to ensure cleanliness around the campus and to form an effective and efficient student council. My main aim is to organise workshops for all the courses so that they can get practical knowledge related to their field of study. I also plan to introduce self-defence training in the college.

Q. What do you think, lacks the most in Delhi University colleges? How do you plan to overcome it in your college?

I feel that most colleges lack adequate healthcare facilities. To overcome that, I would want sufficient medical care to be provided in JMC. I have also observed that there is more bookish knowledge than practical knowledge in the education system. I want to organise educational trips and workshops to overcome that.

Q. What is the biggest challenge that you see coming your way this year?

The biggest challenge I see ahead of me is balancing both, the demands of students and those of the college administration. I wasn’t to be able to fulfill everyone’s expectations, but that can be difficult if they clash.

Q. What advice would you like to give to the students, aspiring to hold such leadership positions in future?

I would like to tell them that leadership qualities are not hereditary but they have to be developed and used in the right way. Be confident, be enthusiastic and find happiness in whatever you do. Make sure your actions inspire others.

Interviewed by Lovleen Kaur

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Jesus and Mary College

5 best known alumni of Jesus and Mary College

By DU Beat August 27, 2015

Jesus and Mary College is known for its exceptional academics and extra-curricular activities, this women only college is the alma mater of several powerful personalities. Some of them are:

Priyanka Gandhi

Daughter of former Prime Minister, late Rajiv Gandhi and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka is a well known face in the field of politics. She pursued her graduation in Psychology from Jesus and Mary College. In the general elections of 2004, she became the campaign manager of Sonia Gandhi. Known for her quiet organizational and level headed skills, she has managed to prove herself by getting Congress seats in the Amethi Rae Bareilly region during 2007 assembly elections. She is still remembered by senior teachers in the college as having a security team following her everywhere, that she managed to slip past a few times!

Neha Dhupia

Neha Dhupia is a renowned model and Bollywood actress. A History graduate from Jesus and Mary College, she started her career as a TV actress. In 2002, she was crowned Miss India. Subsequently, she participated in the Miss Universe 2002 pageant in Puerto Rico where she made it to the top 10. She has played major roles in movies like Singh Is Kinng (2008) and Dasvidaniya (2008).

Ambika Anand

Ambika Anand is an Indian TV anchor and the Editor in Chief, Fashion at NDTV Good Times, the lifestyle channel of NDTV. She currently hosts Get the Look, Band Baajaa Bride Season 4 and has previously anchored shows like The Big Fat Indian Wedding, I’m Too Sexy For My Shoes etc. She was awarded the Cosmopolitan India Fun Fearless Female TV Personality title in 2011. She was also on the list of HT City Delhi’s Most Stylish 2013.

Sushmita Mukherjee

Sushmita Mukherjee is a senior Bollywood and television actress. She is known for her work in Bollywood movies like Dostana (2008), Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006) and King Uncle (1993), etc. Born in Kolkata, She was famous for portraying the role of ‘Kitty’ the half wit assistant of Karam Chand.

Hasleen Kaur

Hasleen Kaur is an Indian Model. She was crowned Miss India Earth and eventually participated in the Miss Earth pageant in 2011. She appeared in several advertisements before making her Bollywood debut in the 2014 movie Karle Pyar Karle. After graduating in English from Jesus and Mary College, she went to Indian Institute of Mass Communication to pursue Advertisement and PR. She also worked as an Elite Model and appeared in Elite Fashion Calendar in 2011.

Lovleen Kaur

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Indraprastha College for Women

In conversation with Sanchita Makkar, President, Students’ Union of IP College for Women

By Kritika Narula August 27, 2015

Q. Congratulations on being elected the President of the Students’ Union! What piqued your interest in student politics?

When I was pursuing my primary education, I used to admire my seniors who worked for school events. Everything about it mesmerized me and the whole structure of managing work inspired me to take responsibilities. I am inspired by Gandhi ji’s words, “Be the change you want to see.” These words have motivated me to get up and take charge. After my school when I joined college my interest was multiplied when I saw immense opportunities here. So yes, the wings of power and roots of responsibility inspired me and increased my interest.

How does it feel to become the President of the college?

It’s a proud moment for me. In my first year this was an impossible thought for me but having really acquired this position, the whole scenario has changed and the extent to which I have become a confident person is colossal. But rank does not only confer privilege or give power, it also imposes great responsibility. So right now I have mixed feelings of happiness and responsibility.

What is the first thing you’ll be working on as the President of the Students’ Union?

There are lots of things which I want to work on. But for now I have thought of working on two main aspects. First, making cultural events more innovative and participative for all the students and secondly, making various processes and procedures smooth.

Being a president is a hard task- how do you plan on balancing your presidential responsibilities and academics?

Maintaining a balance is really important and difficult at the same time. But a leader has to do it and also knows how to do it. I will not plan long time tables and schedules but always try to give equal time to everything. Not just to academics and extracurriculars, I will try and do my best in all aspects of life. As they say, “Life will always get busy, make time to do the things you love.”

What do you think makes a Union successful, how do you plan to achieve it?

According to me, team-work makes a Union a hit or a flop. When a number of minds work together, they create an innovative success formula. I will motivate my team and will try to show them direction and a way in which their capabilities and talents can be utilized. I expect three things from my team, participation, team-work and enthusiasm to work for the betterment of the college.

Kritika Narula

[email protected]

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