Indraprastha College for Women celebrated its 92nd College Day on 9thFebruary, 2015. The event which marks the anniversary of its founding, included the Prize Distribution Ceremony and the release of the college magazine Aaroh. The chief Guest for the day was Mr. Javed Abidi, Chairperson of Disabled People’s International(India) and the Distinguished Alumna invited was Ms. Madhumita Raut, acclaimed Odhishi dancer.
This year too the program began with the lighting of the lamp and a song presented by the Indian Music Society ‘Aalaap’. This was followed by a welcome address by Shri Narain Prasad, Chairman of the Governing Body. The Chief Guest then addressed the gathering, after which the Principal, Dr. Babli Moitra Saraf then read out the Principal’s Report. This was succeeded by the Distinguished Alumna’s address. The Principal’s report was given to everyone too, which contained the achievements of the students, the staff and the faculty.
The program then moved on to the Prize Distribution Ceremony wherein Surabhi Dogra was awarded the Outstanding Student of the college award, and Baldeep Kaur Grewal, Srishti Malhotra, Shatakshy Bhatt were the All-Round Excellence awardees. Saachi Soni received the College Prize for Exemplary Achievement.
The coveted Principal’s Honor Roll was given to Shefalika, Akanksha Vardani, Aneesha Parvathaneni, Ayesha Sareen, Narayani Tignath and Garima Singh for their achievements outside the curricula. These were followed by Prizes and Scholarships for highest marks scorers in various courses and co-curricular activities.
The event was graced by an audience consisting of the faculty, staff, students and parents and guests of the prize winners. The event concluded with the vote of thanks by the Students’ Union President, Shatakshy Bhatt and the National Anthem, after which everybody proceeded to the college grounds for lunch.
Rahi Foundation brought its six-month long campaigning programme to an end on Friday, January 30th with a play- “Dear Daddy”, which was organised at Delhi Karnataka Sangha and was attended by quite a gathering which included people from various backgrounds, age groups, and occupations. The Grand Finale was the culmination of an internship with Rahi Foundation in a few colleges of Delhi University.
Rahi Foundation works against the societal ills of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) and Incest, and for the past six months has been working with some DU colleges in spreading awareness under the ‘I Will Not Shut Up’ campaign. The campaign aimed to encourage people to not be quiet about CSA and talk more about it. This, they said was the only means to fight it.
The previous months have been eventful with movie screenings, poster competitions, photography competition, freeze mob and candle light march. “Dear Daddy” is a play about incest in which a girl writes a letter to her abuser, i.e. her father. She narrates a few events from her traumatic life and how she felt during those years. She then reclaimed her identity, confidence and happiness through therapy and talking about it. All the characters were played by the campaigners themselves. The campaigners took a bow and preached that talking about incest openly is the only solution. The play was based on true stories and set to inspire many. A lot of the viewers quoted that it was an ‘eye-opener’ for them. A video showcasing the activities in colleges was played too, which also dealt with the experiences of the campaigners. The audience at the end blew horns as a ceremonious gesture in support of the cause.
The message at the event was loud and clear: Do not shut up about Child Sexual Abuse!
In the second leg of the gifted education campaign – Project ‘Mahabhiyaan’, DU has selected 76 students of class 5th to 9th from 90 Municipal Corporation of Delhi and New Delhi Municipal Council maintained schools who are underprivileged but have ‘exceptional’ talent. These students will be mentored and trained by leading mathematicians and scientists at the University of Delhi.
The campaign run by DU’s Cluster Innovation Centre (CIC) started in 2010 in Delhi University and National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore with the aim of providing holistic learning opportunities to ‘gifted yet underprivileged children’. 26 students were trained in the first leg out of which 6 were assigned to individual mentors.
The initiative, which has received funds worth Rs.1.8 crores from the government’s Department of Science and Technology counsels the parents of the selected students and appoints a team of experts to design the modules. The team of experts including faculty and students of MSc. Maths education programme will chalk out modules that will run for six weeks and will include workshops, self-help tasks, counseling sessions etc.
Project ‘Mahabhiyaan’ will be free for students and the module sessions will be held on holidays, in accordance with the NDMC and MCD schools so that they do not hamper with the students’ school studies. Moreover, pick and drop facilities will also be provided for the selected students.
The 72 Hour Project, an initiative by Old Cheese is a residential three day conference which aims at providing a one-on-one interaction and some meaningful workshops for those who tend to think out-of-the-box and have done well in their respective fields.
It will be held from 24th to 26th of January at the Lemon Tree Premier, Leisure Valley, located in the City Center of Gurgaon (Sector 29, HUDA). The event consists of Speaker Sessions by various veterans of multiple arenas like Avijit Dutt (Indian Cinema), Dia Mirza (Indian Cinema), Garima Avtar (F1 Racer), K. Mohan (Agnee Band), Pramod Bhasin (Genpact), Rajiv Makhni (NDTV), Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra (Indian Cinema), Suhel Seth (Counselage India) and Utsav Mitra (Indian Government).
The three day event includes Module Training Sessions which will be taught via a case study method in partnership with global brands and organizations by eminent faculties like Management Practices-MDI Gurgaon, Marketing Management- Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi, Public Policy- Jindal Global University and Financial Education- Bombay Stock Exchange.
The Time Capsule Sessions, a combination of Speaker Sessions, Workshops and Modules, will have philosophy sessions by Siddharth Sharma of Success Monks, Power of Media by Anshul Tewari of Youth Ki Awaaz fame and Travel Journalism by Ankita Sinha, a Travel Blogger.
The third venture in the 72 hour cycle will be the workshops which will be widely-spread out to cover almost all interesting activities and provide skills and fun, namely, Visual Communications (Akshar Pathak), Film Making (The Free Spirit Project), Performing Arts (Soul to Sole Dance Academy), Leadership and Group Dynamics (Rhea D’Souza).
Additionally, the Adidas’ 10km The Adi Pro Run in Gurgaon will be held on the morning of 25th January. Last but not the least, will be The Originals Evening and Adidas Originals will be there on 25th January 2015 to end the event on a lighter and more vibrant note.
Talking about the idea behind the event, Shoury Gupta and Pranav Obhrai, founders of the 72 hour project and Old Cheese Media said, “We all are trying to decide what we want to do in life. But many times we simply follow the head without knowing what we are headed for. To help discover one’s true interests, to try out different art forms and engage with wonderful co-delegates and personalities, is the rationale behind the 72 Hour Project.”
Arthagya, The Economics Association of Indraprastha College for Women (IPCW) organized its Alumni Meet on January 10th 2015. A get-together after years saw alumni turning up from batches as old as 2006. The retired faculty also showed up in quite some numbers to attend the programme. While the alumni, retired faculty and teachers interacted with each other, the current batches kept the audience entertained with several performances.
Each alumni member at the time of registration was given a topic which required them to rack their brains and confess to the audience something they remembered related to it. From the most notorious pranks to the coolest teacher memories, they had the audience in fits of laughter. While the second years gave some musical performances, the eminent ex-faculty shared their most valuable experiences and advice.
Visiting alumni and former faculty members interacting with each other
The interaction was followed by a formal lunch where photo sessions were conducted. After lunch a round of ‘dumb charades’ and ‘tug-of-war’ took place among the alumni and the present students. Last event of the day witnessed everybody shedding all inhibitions and dancing to both old and new tracks of the visiting DJ.
Mrs. Usha Jain, a retired professor hugged almost every single organiser and thanked them for organising the event. “Without your excellent efforts, this would not have been possible. We will see you at the next Alumni meet”, she said. Everyone was overjoyed to have come back to their alma mater, which was depicted by their excitement to write down messages on the alumni-board, the key memorabilia of the day.
Arthagya, The Economics Association of Indraprastha College for Women (IPCW) organized its Alumni Meet on January 10th 2015. A get-together after years saw alumni turning up from batches as old as 2006. The retired faculty also showed up in quite some numbers to attend the programme. While the alumni, retired faculty and teachers interacted with each other, the current batches kept the audience entertained with several performances.
Each alumni member at the time of registration was given a topic which required them to rack their brains and confess to the audience something they remembered related to it. From the most notorious pranks to the coolest teacher memories, they had the audience in fits of laughter. While the second years gave some musical performances, the eminent ex-faculty shared their most valuable experiences and advice.
[caption id="attachment_28691" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Visiting alumni and former faculty members interacting with each other[/caption]
The interaction was followed by a formal lunch where photo sessions were conducted. After lunch a round of ‘dumb charades’ and ‘tug-of-war’ took place among the alumni and the present students. Last event of the day witnessed everybody shedding all inhibitions and dancing to both old and new tracks of the visiting DJ.
Mrs. Usha Jain, a retired professor hugged almost every single organiser and thanked them for organising the event. “Without your excellent efforts, this would not have been possible. We will see you at the next Alumni meet”, she said. Everyone was overjoyed to have come back to their alma mater, which was depicted by their excitement to write down messages on the alumni-board, the key memorabilia of the day.
2014 was undoubtedly the year of trailers. With several Hollywood movies only releasing teasers for trailers, this proved to be a very significant hype-creating strategy. While Indian cinema had only released its trailers a month, two or at most three in advance of movie releases, trailers everywhere caught the eye of everyone. If you have not seen any of these, I recommend you do, as most of the following are foresight for the movies coming out in 2015!
1. Fifty Shades of Grey
The most widely viewed trailer was a hit on youtube when the teaser for this Valentine’15 released in August. Beyonce’s Crazy In Love exclusive version has still not been released, but the audio behind the trailer sold like hotcakes on the internet. November saw the much awaited and speculated release of the global trailer, and the movie is already anticipated to hit Valentine’s Day like a blow, all thanks to the not-so-appreciated secrecy around the movie.
2. Avengers: Age of Ultron
After Marvel’s first Avengers about the superheroes union came to theatres, the wait for Avengers 2 came immediately too. One cannot deny that although the trailer kept its suspense intact, it was definitely refreshing to once again see the superheroes all together. Wait for May’15 and you shall know what the movie is about!
3. Jurassic World
Most of us were kids when Jurassic Park series earned fame, and all thanks to Steven Speilberg and television channels, we still got to see the three movies. But come June’15 and you will see Jurassic Park open its gates to visitors(not again). Well, this time there are no mere inspectors, but tourists and a hybrid for attraction. I am curious for the human hunting, are you?
4. Furious 7
The final testament! Not exactly. The final sequel to the Fast and Furious franchise, this one is the last to feature the late Paul Walker. Also, it is the apt sequel to the second movie, featuring Jason Statham. Fans are sure to miss him and so it is most appropriate to not make another movie in the series without him. But, look at this car chasing series’ end one last time and get ready for an adrenaline rush once again.
5. The Fault in our Stars
The movie based on John Green’s much popular book was a much awaited and widely viewed one. Although the movie released too this year, but it was a very moving adaptation. Have a look again at its trailer and reminisce in the film’s aura once again.
6. Gone Girl
This was one of the masterpieces I recommend everyone to watch. Read the book too. Ben Affleck is good but Rosamund Pike gave me chills for days. It is not a horror movie but it can scare you. To know the suspense, watch. Watch where did this guys’s wife vanish to? Or did he actually murder her?
7. Interstellar
Christopher Nolan fans will admit the movie kept them quiet for days. The effect is profound. But if you haven’t seen the trailer, you will never know the feeling of waiting for this director’s movie and what he has in store to shock you again. Matthew McConnaughey’s best performance so far, this one is still recommended as a must watch.
8. Mockingjay Part 1
The trailer was also one widely viewed owing to the huge popularity garnered by its actors and the movie series itself. While what happens to Peeta is a question before this trailer, what is District 13 is shown through glimpses in the trailer. Also, the various teasers through Capitol TV in all white just boosted the temptation.
9. Exodus: Gods and Kings
This one did not win much after its release, but the trailer was surely stunning. Christian Bale and the exceptional picturisation, effects and larger than life sets made this trailer a hit. If you have seen this trailer before a movie in a theatre, you will know why I mentioned it here. Just the greatness of the trailer is everything.
10. Haider
Now why did this movie become a hit? Because the trailer of this Hamlet adaptation was so interesting and affecting that it engrossed the masses and convinced them to throng the theatres for this Shahid Kapoor-starrer. Now, he did a brilliant job and earned critics’ good reviews after very long, so why not watch that fantastic trailer once again!
Lady Sri Ram College for Women (LSR) has been known to be the pride of Delhi University which has been home to many a great souls nurtured on it’s soil. Known for excellence in academics and extra curricula, this college’s alumni has achieved great heights in many fields. It’s the privilege of every girl studying at LSR to share the desks that were once used by these famous women :
Aung San Suu Kyi
This famous political leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner is one of the world’s most prominent opposition leaders. Having completed her graduation in political science from LSR, she remains to be one of the most celebrated DU alumni.
Sakshi Tanwar
The famous TV Actress best remembered as Parvati of Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki and Priya of Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, is a DU graduate. Having secured her graduation, she began her career into television and soon became one of the top-most TV actors.
Anjali Gopalan
The Indian Human Rights and Animal Rights activist is the founder and executive director of The Naz Foundation (India) Trust, an NGO dedicated to the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic in India mainly focused on women and children. Placed in the list of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine, she is a graduate in political science from Lady Sri Ram College for Women.
Maneka Gandhi
The current Union Minister in the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the wife of late Sanjay Gandhi, she is also an alumnus of LSR. She had earned an Intermediate degree from the college and went on to marry Sanjay Gandhi, and in the atmosphere that surrounded her, became actively involved in politics.
Nidhi Razdan
The popular NDTV anchor, journalist and television personality did her graduation from LSR college. She has anchored numerous shows, namely Prime Time News, Left, Right & Centre, India Decides @ 9, The Lead.
Gauri Khan
The famed wife of actor Shah Rukh Khan is a film producer and interior designer, by profession, and has been born and brought up in Delhi. She attained a degree in History after having pursued her graduation from LSR college.
Gyanodaya Express-a project initiative of Delhi University Vice Chancellor Mr. Dinesh Singh, is in its fifth year now. With a view to take the university students on an educational journey to Indian states, the trip aims at acquainting them with the diversity of our nation.
This year Gyanodaya is going North-East to the Seven Sisters for ten days w.e.f. December 18 to December 29, 2014. Gyanodaya V has the theme Dharohar: The glory of the North East. The itinerary includes a visit to Arunachal Pradesh, Assam (Guwahati), Assam (Jorhat), Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. The journey which will be joined by almost 1,500 students and 150 teachers will be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 18 December.
Reportedly, a brief has been received by the university from the HRD Ministry and the PM’s Office, stating that this programme is the government’s effort in providing confidence to the North-Easterns that Delhi is still a safe city for them, and that they intend to reduce any biases against North-Easterns living in Delhi. Also, the trip to the North-East comes as a welcoming effort since the PM has been vocalizing about harboring and extracting the talents in the often ignored part of our country.
RSS and the BJP who have been trying to make in-roads in the seven states, have confirmed that RSS has set the agenda for Dharohar, thereby making it possible for the university train to travel the states. The itinerary made after quite some deliberation and meetings between the RSS representatives and university administration will take the students and teachers to temples and Hindu mathas, most of which date back to the periods of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the Shiv temple in Tripura and the ashram of Vashisth. The students are being made to understand the rich Hindu history lying unattended in these states.
The trip will require the students to carry woolens, toiletries, cellphone, medicines, ID cards etc. and also specific documents and passport size photographs for state border permissions such as that in Arunachal Pradesh. The sole requirement of the journey is that every college is required to submit two projects based on the journey. The project selection committee has approved 63 projects so far, which have been given a nod by the professors from the departments along with representatives from the right wing organisations and the ministry of culture. Majority of the projects are inclined at tracking down the religious and linguistic roots of the region, while also studying the history, myths and folklore.
Bipin Tiwari, member secretary, Gyanodaya Coordination Committee has said that the university organized a month-long north eastern languages programme for those who will join the trip so that the students can communicate with the locals.
IndiaCollegeSearch.com is one of India’s most successful online educational portals providing aggregated information about colleges and applications, so that students can evaluate both quantitatively and qualitatively and choose the best option for themselves. Already a million-strong community, it is still expanding. Our correspondent recently interviewed the Founder and CEO of IndiaCollegeSearch.com, Mr. Anirudh Motwani.
Anirudh Motwani, CEO, IndiaCollegeSearch
www.indiacollegesearch.com
Ayesha: How did the idea of IndiaCollegeSearch.com come to you? Anirudh: When we were looking for colleges, we faced the same problem of inadequate levels of information. It is very common among Indian students that they don’t have many choices as to which colleges to go to. We started with a Classifieds model in 2008, but we did not find it fit for education sector, rather it worked for jobs better, because students need a lot more than just the contact details of the college, like teaching faculty, placements etc. Through our existing model, we are trying to do so.
Ayesha: How does IndiaCollegeSearch.com garner the high quality information for and from both colleges and students? Anirudh: Initially, in 2010, we did a lot of research, looking up into college websites and field work, but now we have almost 5000 colleges that are updating their own profiles. Our job is mainly now to keep a tab as to which profiles are out-dated, and keep updating them.
Ayesha: Did you face any problems while incorporating in your website such a large plethora of career options and institutions, more so with the advent of new off-beat career choices? Anirudh: IndiaCollegeSearch.com was started mainly for Engineering and Management courses, which are quite similar in their professional structure. In every course, there are a lot of factors that matter, like for Medical, it is not the college really, but the attached hospital that is important, and also for Vocational courses, the campus ceases to matter, but the infrastructure. So, we do try to provide a standard level of information, but it is difficult.
Ayesha: Just like IndiaCollegeSearch.com, do you feel that there lies any potential in the growing online education sector? Anirudh: Of course. Our specific arena is mainly admissions, but we also have a backhand software which about 1000 colleges use to manage their applications in one place, including some DU colleges. Infact, we processed around 2 lakh applications from our website last year. So yes, all this is definitely going online, and it does have a bright future, with more and more procedures switching to online.
Ayesha: Any further development you are looking forward to in IndiaCollegeSearch.com? Anirudh: Yes, what we are looking to do in the upcoming months is social selection of colleges, like where are people from your city have applied in the past, which colleges or courses, where your friends have applied, which possible colleges have received most number of applications, what are your chances of getting in, what is that college’s acceptance rate or average response rate. This will make the whole application procedure much simpler.
Ayesha: What is the significance of your website’s Review Section? Anirudh: Whatever general data is available, cannot tell you how life is like in the college. What the canteen is like, how are the lecturers, how far it is; that is the softer aspects of a college that you can only get to know from an alumni or a current student.
Ayesha: What, in your opinion, makes IndiaCollegeSearch.com stand out? Anirudh: We have always focused on the students, to give them basic information and not try to give publicity to any college or course. We prefer to keep the power of information in the user’s hands.
Ayesha: Especially for our readers, do you offer any placements or internships for students? Anirudh: We have hired DU alumni, though not on-campus. And, we are also planning to start internships and appoint Campus Ambassadors for ICS, because after all its they who are in the system and our best information source.
