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To The Ones You Have Left Behind

By DU Beat April 24, 2024

“Well, here at last, dear friends, on the shores of the sea comes the end of our fellowship in Middle-earth. Go in peace! I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Do you remember the day you learned how to ride a bike? Or when you were dropped off for your first day of school? It was confusing, and more than that, it was daunting beyond comparison. But after we finally let go and had our first taste of independence, it felt awfully good, so much so that we forgot to look back—back at the person who held onto us until we were ready to be on our own. The moment they took their hands off the back of our bikes or handed us our school bags, we left filled with excitement and fear of what came next while they stood still, watching us move ahead in life. That parent, sibling, friend, or whoever else who guided us through those initial steps is the reason behind our great adventures. And at the end of the day, when we look back at them, we thank our lucky stars for having the guts to leave when, in fact, the real strength came from those who were left behind.

For every young adult leaving for college, for every soldier leaving to defend their country, and for every death in the world, there is a parent, a spouse, and a loved one who had to let go. And while letting go is something that goes both ways, being left behind is often harder than leaving.

The worst part of it all is usually the memories you’re forced to live with while you go about your regular life. My boyfriend encountered this great work opportunity that prompted his move to London. It’s easy to feel jealous or neglected, while the other person enjoys the thrill of their new life. And then you start to hate yourself for feeling the way you do. There are too many mixed emotions, and it’s hard to deal with that, but at the end of the day, you keep trying to make it work anyway.” – said Sara, a 24-year-old, while discussing her long-distance relationship.

A separation like this usually leaves a person feeling helpless and stuck.

For surrogates, the separation from the children they give birth to can be emotionally challenging. While they may understand the arrangement intellectually, the emotional bond formed during pregnancy and childbirth can still be strong. And after providing the ultimate gift of making someone a parent, they go home alone, feeling like a mother but not actually being one. Similarly, when a soldier leaves, the spouse left behind must carry the burden of managing the household and family responsibilities alone while also dealing with the constant worry and uncertainty about their partner’s safety. This is often overlooked in discussions about military life.

Death is perhaps the most permanent form of separation, leaving loved ones grappling with grief and loss. The pain of losing someone dear can be overwhelming, and those left behind may struggle to find meaning and purpose in their lives without their loved one. For foster children, watching their friends get adopted and leaving them behind can be heartbreaking. They may struggle with feelings of rejection and abandonment, wondering why they weren’t chosen, or feeling like they are not worthy of love. These are a few of the experiences that are often neglected in real life, in literature, or in advice. As one person aptly put it, “Sometimes the hardest part isn’t letting go but learning to start over.”

“Jealous, sad and stuck” said Aryan, are some of the feelings he feels when asked about his friends leaving the city after college while he remained here struggling to find a job. He talked about how, even though he felt happy for his friends, he hated the idea of being left alone which is something that great authors like Hemingway and Didion explored in their works too.

I know we were taught to “never look back” or to just “keep moving forward.” I believe that sometimes it’s healthy to look back. Look back at those who stood still when you went out to be your own person—those people you left so far behind because life moved too fast. Those are your people because they’ll remind you just how far you’ve come in life, and that’s a good reminder to have.

Featured image credits: SoJourners

Lakshita Arora

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Farewell

Tussi Ja Rahe Ho? : Bidding Farewell to College Societies

By DU Beat April 22, 2024

Bidding farewell to college is like bidding farewell to a sense of stillness amidst the chaos in your life. What’s even more difficult is sometimes bidding farewell to the societies within these spaces, which is perhaps way more difficult for the juniors left behind.

Disclaimer: Readers might be left with a bittersweet feeling in their heart and might shed a tear or two, so proceed with caution.

Dear Reader,

As we close a chapter on the batch of 2024, turning the page on perhaps the most personal part of our college lives – our societies – might be even more painful. As an anxious, scared, and confused college student, the author found comfort and solace in one such society, and as a second-year student, she finds it even harder to say goodbye to the senior who made college feel like home. Friends’ Corner, the Mental Health and Counselling Cell of Hindu College, became a warm cup of chai during the rain for this author, and its president, Suangouding Guite, became the rainbow after the rain. Some might say his infectious smile, quirky one-liners, and him saying “period” after every sentence just helped them feel comfortable and safe in an otherwise overwhelming college space.

You know when you’re anticipating that your drink might be too hot or too cold, but when you take a sip, it’s the perfect temperature. This happiness, satiety, and comfort were what I got when I first interacted with Gouding. He, along with our seniors Soham and Varnika, made an amateur at society work like me, feel appreciated, and feel at home, and this society soon became my comfort space.” – says Vidita Verma, a second-year English Literature student at Hindu College.

In conversation with DU Beat, Gouding, a third-year sociology student and the president of Friends’ Corner, shared his experience at FC and how bidding farewell to this space feels personal.

For me, bidding farewell to Friends’ Corner is more like closing a chapter on my life, to the important and beautiful people and memories that make FC, as it became a part of me in these past three years, which I don’t want to let go of. I want FC to be known for its safe space, open conversations, and belongingness, which allow others to be vulnerable, and I hope I was able to create that legacy. This space became synonymous with Hindu for me, and this goodbye just feels personal. It was a society I joined for its safe space and open conversations about mental health, as it won’t really fetch you any CV points, and I stayed because it allowed me to be whatever I wanted to be and to feel whatever I wanted to feel, as it exists for others to grow and for them to learn from.” – Suangouding, president of Friends’ Corner, reflected.

We’ve all had our fair share of uplifting and disappointing moments, intertwined with promises that sometimes fall short but are cloaked in sweetness. College societies have brought us together in unexpected ways, fostering beautiful connections for some and challenging experiences for others. The author did find herself in a pickle while writing this piece as she has been a part of the healthier and less emotionally daunting side of college societies, or rather has been quite lucky with the people, particularly the seniors she met, but a student from South Campus College who wished to remain anonymous remarked about its dramatics society.

I happened to have worked with seniors who would rather throw you under the bus for the sake of asserting their dominance. Favouritism, selective targeting, and insensitive manipulative behaviour, are some of the qualities they’d be passing onto their juniors. My seniors honestly sucked, and I’m more than happy to be bidding them farewell.” – they reflected.

Performing Arts societies in DU might be known for their (valuable) experience, hectic schedules, overwhelming work, and hierarchies, but despite their generalised perception, they do end up becoming free and homely spaces for students, and we might meet seniors who make it just that.

In conversation with DU Beat, Manya Mallika, a third-year Physics student from Hindu College, opened up about her fruitful tenure at Masque, the English Theatre Society, not just as its co-director but as a first-year student who joined the society through online inductions during the lockdown.

After coming to Delhi after an online semester, the only people aware of my presence were in Masque, which initially seemed like just another college club. Despite finding other ways to engage in theatre, Masque somehow provided me with an identity in college, where I could be myself, through its lack of hierarchy and uniting people through their love for theatre rather than fear. I stayed because I felt a sense of belonging, and some friendships just stayed. My biggest realisation here is that human beings are prone to making mistakes; we are all flawed in some way. College should be a time of exploration, learning, and growth, and being patient and kind to others and ourselves. Remind ourselves to take a deep breath, as we’re all going to die anyway.” – Manya discussed.

An anonymous first-year student from Hindu College, in conversation with DU Beat, bid a heartwarming farewell to their senior at Aria, the Western Music Society.

Priyansha (Yuhu) is a special person, not just for me but for the entire Acapella team of Aria. While being a great leader with her management and communication skills, she is a softie who cracks quirky jokes with her nasal voice, lighting up the mood of the entire team whenever we lose a competition (and that’s every time, lol). She built a family within a society, and while I wish her well for her dazzling future, bidding her farewell feels bittersweet as it’ll be very difficult to fill the void left behind by our very own Yuhu.” – they remarked.

Anvesha Tripathi, a second-year Economics student at IPCW, shares how La Cadenza, the Western Music Society, ended up being the biggest and most exciting part of her college life, mostly owing to the seniors that she found there.

My seniors at Cadenza were nothing short of supportive, understanding, kind, and so unabashedly funny that every doubt vanished the second I walked into the practice room and helped us navigate this crazy circuit. One senior in particular stands out though: Ashna Dongre, who is a vision to look at and an absolute honour to be around. Every second I spend with her is enriching and leaves me either smiling or laughing my guts out. She is an absolute breath of fresh air on dreary days. I have sought in her love, support, and a simple shoulder to share my burdens with, and practice without her will feel incomplete, and so will the rest of my time at college.” – Anvesha said.

It is said that first-year students enter DU with dreams in their eyes and passion in their hearts. Amidst the pool of batchmates, unspoken bonds, and sometimes fragile friendships, a lot of us struggle to strike a bond with any of our seniors in our respective departments. But lucky are the ones who end up discovering that friendship, solace, and guidance in that one senior in a society. An anonymous first-year student found such comfort in a senior at Vivre, the Film and Photography Society of Hindu College.

I learned a lot from them, and it’s definitely hitting me now that I have to bid farewell to them. It’s going to get hard for me because I don’t have a lot of friends or people I hold close to my heart in the second year. There’s one senior in particular, who I’m perhaps the closest to in the entire college. This is my person, and I hold them very close to my heart. Saying goodbye to them is going to break my heart, and I don’t want to think about it. What makes it sadder is that they are also leaving Delhi, so I might not see them ever.” – the student commented.

S. Bangshing Panja, a third-year philosophy student at Hindu College, shares how bidding farewell to his college and his society might be hard, but it’s time for him to make space for others.

Although societies haven’t become synonymous with Hindu, there’s definitely a bittersweet feeling in my heart while waving goodbye to the safe spaces I found in the North East Cell and Aria, as they have been a huge part of me. The kind of legacy I’d like to leave my juniors, especially in the North East Cell, is that we should not be ashamed or scared to take up space. We are here in such a competitive institution, and we are here for a reason, and that makes us equal to everyone else. We just have to prove ourselves visible to the world, the people around us, and back at home. It’s sad that I have to say goodbye to them, but it’s about time. I’ve been here for three years, and I feel I have to leave in order to make space for others to come and feel the same things I felt and share the same friendships I’ve shared.” – they shared.

Dear reader, while navigating the whirlpool of emotions college life at DU sometimes (certainly) pushes you in, some of us manage to find that one society and that one senior who just becomes your lifeboat. Bidding farewell to these small spaces within college that have become synonymous with home is difficult, to say the least, for the third years and the juniors left behind with a void in their hearts. How does one even journal such complex emotions and bittersweet memories in mere words? But I sincerely hope our words did justice to those feelings. Here’s a toast to the batch of 2024. We are forever grateful for your warmth, resilience, and comfort.

Featured Image Credits: Sukriti for DU Beat

Gauri Garg

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DUB Speak

From the Dissent Stifling Toolkit

By DU Beat March 14, 2024

With the recent acquittal of former Delhi University Professor G.N. Saibaba after a torturous 10 years of imprisonment under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), we take a look at one of the most important tools in the market of India’s barely-there-democracy: the UAPA.

In the Athenian State of 621 BCE, lived a statesman named Draco. Draco prescribed death for all criminal offences. Laws that were written in blood, not ink. Think of the word ‘draconian’ named after this infamous statesman, but in the Indian context, and perhaps what comes to mind is the notorious Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) of 1967.

Student activist Umar Khalid spent a total of three years behind bars in Tihar, with his bail pleas rejected consistently. The case moved from bench to bench. 84-year-old Stan Swamy, booked under the Bhima Koregaon case during his imprisonment, had asked for a sipper and straw in jail, citing Parkinson’s disease. It took the authorities a month to approve his request. On July 5, 2021, he passed away in jail, still awaiting trial. Journalist Siddique Kappan, on his way to cover the Hathras rape case, was arrested and detained similarly for a period of two years without trial.

What brings these cases together is UAPA. Stringent conditions for bails (the accused will not be given bail if the first impression of the court is that they are guilty), the ability to declare an individual ‘terrorist’, and detention without producing any incriminating evidence have ensured the overturning of the precept of innocent before proven guilty. The investigating agencies are allowed to take up to 180 days even to file a chargesheet, which, in the case of Kappan, he claims to never even have received firsthand.

The process thus becomes the punishment. The asymmetrical power balance between citizen and state is clearly exploited to the citizen’s disadvantage. Dissecting the acquittal judgement of Professor G.N. Saibaba, Karen Gabriel, and PK Vijayan write for The Quint that the law comprises both the set of legislation that the state has to enact and uphold as well as the rules of procedure that the state must adhere to while doing so. They assert, “Procedure is an invaluable protective measure, not an incidental convenience.”

A Brief History

In the year 1967, the Indira Gandhi administration sought to bring out a law against the secessionist activities that the government observed in the country. The Parliament thus passed the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. What initially emerged as legislation to counter the problem of secessionist tendencies, however, would quickly assume an altogether different colour.

After the Prime Minister’s death and with the advent of the Punjab insurgency, the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Prevention Act (TADA) was introduced. Criticised widely by human rights organisations for its arbitrary tendencies to centralise the onus of justice, it was later withdrawn. TADA trickled down in 2001 to POTA (the Prevention of Terrorism Act) in 2002, which met with concerns of misuse and was scrapped by the UPA government in 2004. The provisions of POTA, however, were in essence transferred onto the UAPA, which was the first introduction of anti-terrorism into the primarily anti-secessionist legislation. The central government could now overlook rules of evidence when it came to interception of communication and vested in its hands the power to declare any organisation as a terrorist organisation without trial.

In 2008, the Act was further amended to include longer police custody, longer jail time, and harder bail provisions. The latest and most important amendment in 2019 empowered the NIA further and gave the government powers to declare individuals terrorists.

But It Works, Right?

The hardlined stringency should then naturally warrant efficiency in curbing the “disturbances” that it claims to protect us from. The Home Ministry’s 2020 report, on the other hand, tells us that only 212 of the 24000 convicted in UAPA cases in 2016–2020 were found guilty. As Kappan puts it, “a conviction rate of less than 3%.”

Acquitting DU professor G. N. Saibaba, who has been in prison for 3600 days, the Bombay High Court noted:

No evidence has been led by the prosecution by any witness to any incident, attack, act of violence, or even evidence collected from some earlier scene of offence where a terrorist act has taken place, in order to connect the accused to such an act…

The court further stated that there had been an evident “failure in justice” in the flouting of mandatory provisions in Saibaba’s case. The appalling conditions of his imprisonment, along with those of many others, lead one to wonder whether the crushing impact that callous state persecution has on an individual’s life can ever be undone with mere acquittal.

The persecution of intelligentsia, which asks difficult questions of institutions, is no new phenomenon. Considering, however, that as we function under that nimble concept of what is known to some of us as a democracy, the state would do well to clothe its atrocities better and be less conspicuous about them. The UAPA, with its in-your-face authoritarian tendencies, does not seem to be helping in that front.

Deevya Deo
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Travel

DUB Travels: Sanjay Van: Delhi’s Enchanted Urban Oasis

By DU Beat March 3, 2024

Delhi’s urban forest offers solace with lush greenery, wildlife, and historical ruins, a great escape for nature lovers struggling to be at peace in the urban jungle of the cityscape. Sanjay Van is your calling, dear all.

It’s been over a year since I moved to Delhi to attend college. इस शहर को ये हुआ क्या, कहीं राख है तो कहीं धुआं धुआं (Is shara ko ye hua kya kahi rakh hai toe kahi dhua dhua), turned into my everyday reality. Whenever I get a system notification about the AQI levels in my area, all I think of is what is keeping me alive in this filthy air. Then, one fine day, while scrolling through places to visit in Delhi, I came across ‘Sanjay Van’.

It is part of the Delhi Ridge, or The Ridge, which is the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor in the territory of Delhi. It covers an area of 780 acres. The tail end of the Aravalli Hills is 1500 million years old, comprising the flora and fauna native to this region. The Delhi Development Authority in the 1970s started developing this area, which has now turned out to be the ‘lungs of the city’.

Now a city forest, Sanjay Van once was the hunting range of Firozshah Tughlaque. It is also the natural habitat for Blue Bulls, Golden Jackals, lizards like Monitor, several snacks, and birds like Grey and Purple Herons and Peacocks. This conserved area has recently transformed into a bird-watching spot. Several species of birds, like Indian peafowl, grey heron, Eurasian golden oriole, purple sunbird, Asian koel, Brahminy starling, Indian silver bill, white-breasted waterhen, etc., can be seen here with great ease.

One fine day, I decided to visit this city forest, and since then, I have made it a ritual to go there every weekend for my well-being. Serenity and tranquilly, the luxuries in an urban cityscape, are the natural vibes there. It is easy to reach as the nearest metro stations are Malaviya Nagar (Yellow Line) and R K Puram (Magenta Line). As soon as you enter, several shades of green greet you.

For archaeology lovers, you can spot the 12th-century ruins of a ‘Quila’, constructed during the reign of Prithviraj Chauhan. The trail begins, granting you a great sense of belonging. It is an ideal place for long walks, cycling, and yoga meditation. Away from the hassle of city life, it is a great spot to sit and reflect on our lives. The time here passes slowly, and every panorama ignites a new wave of fascination. Sanjay Van is a haunted forest. You can also spot a lady walking around, wearing a ‘white saree’. To keep yourself safe from her, make sure that you carry your garbage bags and do not litter on the forest ground. Once, an infamous and precarious site transformed into a great hangout place with your family and friends. The restored lake ‘Neela Hauz’ has turned into a drain because of the sewage water that has started to flow in there. Prefer to stay silent in there if you want to enjoy the sweet melodies of the birds and embrace the silence of the place. When you visit, make sure you are wearing comfortable clothes and shoes.

The terrain of the forest allows you to have a pleasing hiking experience with its flat and low, hilly slopes. Recently, DDA has acquired about 5,000 sq m by removing illegal structures.

The highest peak gives you a beautiful view of the city and Qutub Minar. So, if you are planning a day out, there are many attractive places in the neighbourhood that you will enjoy visiting, like Hauz Khas Village, Qutub Minar, and Chamapagali.

‘Ye hai Delhi meri jaan’, and for the first time since moving here, I felt my ‘Jaan’ being revived under the canopy, secure in the lap of Mother Nature.

Featured Image Credits: Divya Malhotra

Divya Malhotra

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Campus Central

School of Open Learning to Hold Offline Classes for its Students

By DU Beat January 28, 2024

The School of Open Learning has arranged offline classes for its students through collaborations with several Delhi University colleges.

According to the official announcement on Thursday, The School of Open Learning (SOL) has formed a partnership with about 40-50 colleges affiliated with Delhi University to facilitate in-person classes for students enrolled in distance learning courses. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed to oversee the implementation of these classes.

The University’s department of distance and continuing education will be responsible for coordinating the Personal Contact Program (PCP) classes for the distance learning students. This initiative aligns with the guidelines set forth by the University Grants Commission (UGC), ensuring that the educational practices adhere to established standards. The official statement also mentions that SOL has a student enrollment of nearly four lakh for distance learning programs.

Based on the information released by PTI, the PCP classes are organized semester-wise. For the first, third and fifth semester of undergraduate courses and the second and fourth semester of postgraduate courses, the classes are scheduled to take place from 25th January till 25th February.

Students seeking additional information regarding their assigned centers or a more comprehensive schedule of the classes can access it through the official SOL website, as stated in the official release.

Featured image credits: shiksha.com

Lakshita Arora

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DUB News

Hindu College Develops Hybrid Air Disinfection Machine To Tackle Delhi’s Air Quality Crisis

By DU Beat November 11, 2023

In response to the air pollution crisis in the National Capital Region, Hindu College has launched a high-efficiency technological solution to alleviate its impact.

The startup cell of Delhi University’s Hindu College has unveiled a hybrid air disinfection machine to combat the worsening air quality in Delhi. According to an official statement issued on Monday, November 6, this machine targets both air pollution and air pollutants, including other infectious agents. During testing at the Shriram Institute for Industrial Research in Delhi, the air purifying machine, created by physicist Lalit Kumar in partnership with a team of students, showed an impressive 99% effectiveness in killing indoor air viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

The machine has been created as a one-stop solution for air pollution and airborne pathogens. This indigenously developed machine is a true innovation under the self-reliant India campaign.

– Commented Anju Srivastava, Principal of Hindu College.

Ionuva Innovations LLP, a Hindu College startup, was reportedly selected as one of the Super-25 startups at a recent conclave organised by Udhmoya Doundation, the University of Delhi’s startup ecosystem, in collaboration with Samarth Bharat and the Career Development Centre (CDC), where they showcased their solution to the significant issue.

This indigenously developed machine is a true innovation under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan’ or the ‘Self-reliant India’ campaign, which is the vision of the new India envisioned by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

– Read a press released by the University.

In March 2022, Hindu College established its first start-up with the invention of a machine resembling a microwave and equipped with Ultraviolet-C (UVC) tubes capable of disinfecting a variety of objects.

This machine is capable of inactivating 99.9 percent of bacteria, viruses, yeast and mould within a minute of exposure. It works by destroying the RNA and DNA strands of virus and bacteria.

– claimed Dr. Kumar.

Under the Business Blasters’ initiative of the Delhi Government, two students from Delhi Government schools undertook the task of painting the disinfecting machine, available in the market for Rs. 13,000.

Read also: Natural Ways to Fight the Smog

Featured Image Credits: DU Beat Photo Archive

Manvi Goel
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DUB Speak

The Victims of G20’s ‘Locked-Down’ Delhi

By DU Beat October 6, 2023

From small-business owners to regular students and teachers, the diverse Delhi diaspora is split on opinions related to the G20 ‘Lockdown’.

While newspaper, TV, and social media headlines have branded the G20 Summit in Delhi a “huge success” for India and the Modi government, the story of Delhi says quite the contrary. With universities, offices, and other institutions shut down for a 5-day period while we were solving problems at the global level within the sanctum of ‘Bharat Mandapam’, the city of Delhi had come to a standstill, claiming several victims of this global show of power.

The University of Delhi was shut down for a period of five days, from October 6th to October 10th, 2023, on the occasion of the G20 summit. In conversation with several students regarding this frequent shutting down of the university on several occasions, an ‘apolitical diaspora’ of students reacted with, “We were more than happy to get such a long weekend.” However, another section of students also say that these continuous holidays ‘hamper their academic schedules’ considering the already shortened semesters—thanks to the newly introduced Four-Year-Undergraduate Program (FYUP)—due to which both teachers and students struggle to catch up with the course syllabus later.

In conversation with an assistant professor from the University of Delhi, quite a different perspective can be gauged.

India taking over the G20 Presidency is a matter of pride for every Indian. Closure of educational institutions in the capital for the preparation of G20 Summit may have caused a little inconvenience to some but it was a great opportunity for India as it was attended by world leaders. In such a situation, teachers usually give students assignments, readings or activities that can be done during the break and then plan catch up/review sessions. Teachers always put in that extra effort to work towards the welfare of the students’ community.

Contrary to this, another assistant professor claims the following,

The dispersal of classes a few days before the actual event (G20 Summit) was wholly unnecessary. The lockdown in general felt excessive, we’ve held such events before, and telling citizens not to step out was very inconvenient. The blocking of roads for instance caused unnecessary stress. DU is anyway suffering because of NEP, in terms of truncated syllabi and less number of lectures, and on top of that such unscheduled holidays make a mockery of education.

A simple stroll through Purani Dilli during the G20 weekend brought us into contact with several daily-wage workers like rickshaw-pullers who mentioned,

The road blocking has caused us to take longer routes that take much more time than usual. In order to get to Nizamuddin from Chandni Chowk, one has to make a detour through Mandi House which can take nearly an hour. Because of the lockdown, customers are few and we compensate by charging extra for the longer route from the handful of customers.

While green curtains and G20 banners veiled the tragic truth of the Delhi diaspora, stray dogs, local shops, and even sex workers were ‘hidden from sight’. On this note, a DU student residing near Vasant Vihar claimed that,

I’ve noticed several sex workers near Munirka who usually do their business under the Munirka flyover. However, 2-3 days before G20, ITBP soldiers were seen clearing the area who hauled all the 10-12 sex-workers into their jeeps and they were never seen since then.

A sanitation worker and caretaker at one of the reputed student PGs, Stanza Living, had the following to share,

The army stationed at every corner of the road put too many restrictions for me to reach my workplace. They would ask me, “Kaha jaa rahe ho? ID dikhao” (Where are you going? Show me your ID) at every 10-minute interval. Mai kya inke liye kaam na karke ghar pe baithi rahu? (Should I stop working for their sake and rather sit at home?)

While heartbreaking videos regarding stray dogs being violently dragged to unknown hiding places have made the rounds on the internet, the irony lies in the fact that such a large-scale global event aimed at solving global issues was conducted while millions were suffering at home. Local shops being covered with G20 banners caused a drop in the incomes of those business owners, while several daily-wage workers suffered economically too, thanks to the lockdown.

With massive investments of nearly 4000 crores being made towards the G20 for ‘Delhi Beautification’ and the ‘Bharat’ renaming rumours doing the rounds, which could cost an additional 14,000 crores, the scary question then arises: how long will this government turn a blind eye to the sufferers at home? How many more victims will this ‘unchecked’ power claim before the actual ‘achche-din’? What does the G20 bring in return for all these ‘hidden’ victims? Will it all be worth it after all?

Featured Image Credits: Down To Earth

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Events

RendezvousX: A Contemporary Fantasia The Awaited Moment Arrives

By Media Partnerships October 5, 2023

As the calendar turns to October, the enchantment of Rendezvous, IIT Delhi’s annual cultural fest, once again sweeps through Delhi-NCR. This year, Rendezvous is all set to happen from the 5th to the 8th of October 2023. What began in 1978 as a humble gathering of talents has blossomed into Asia’s most prominent college festival, a beacon of creativity, unity, and artistic excellence. Over 160,000 attendees from more than 1,000 colleges flocked to Rendezvous last time, making it a resounding success. This festival is renowned for its cultural and musical performances, and Pronites where acclaimed national artists such as Nucleya, The Local Train, and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have graced the stage. Our illustrious history also includes hosting distinguished speakers like Aman Gupta and Ashneer Grover, adding intellectual vibrance to its celebration of creativity and talent.

RDV’23 is wrapped up, and RDV’24 is on the horizon for next year. In the middle of this, the IIT Delhi team wanted to embrace a new, evolved identity while returning to their old normal – honouring the cherished Rendezvous legacy. Hence, this year it was christened RendezvousX! Talk about truly bringing the X Factor?

As RendezvousX takes the stage, they would like to acknowledge the invaluable support of their sponsors. This year, they are proud to have Phillips and Coca-Cola as their prominent sponsors. The commitment of the sponsors to nurturing creativity and fostering cultural enrichment has been instrumental in making RendezvousX a reality.

Philips, a global leader in health technology, brings innovation and creativity to the forefront. Their partnership with RendezvousX underscores their dedication to promoting artistic excellence and technological advancement. Coca-Cola, a household name and a symbol of celebration, adds the fizz to the festivities. Their association with RendezvousX is a testament to their belief in the power of cultural unity and the joy of shared experiences. With these sponsors, RendezvousX promises to be an unforgettable celebration of talent, creativity, and cultural diversity.

This year, the Rendezvous team presents to you the theme of ‘Contemporary Fantasia’. Fantasia, a melange of different forms and styles, a symphony of art, music, and boundless imagination that transcends boundaries. With Contemporary Fantasia, they embark on an odyssey that fuses modern creativity with the rich tapestry of their cultural heritage. Anticipate immersive art, electrifying musical performances, and a celebration of diverse cultures that defies expectations. It’s an invitation to traverse the frontiers of imagination and immerse yourself in a world where art knows no bounds.

Now let’s come to the events at Rendezvous which are the heartbeat of the festival, pulsating with creativity and talent, weaving together a vibrant tapestry of unforgettable moments. They are the essence of RDV, igniting passions, and creating cherished memories. RendezvousX proudly showcases a remarkable lineup of flagship events that truly encapsulate the essence and spirit of the festival. These events go beyond being mere showcases; they promise immersive experiences that will leave every participant and spectator spellbound.

First on the list is Faces of Rendezvous, a platform for individuals to shine bright with their charisma and wit. Next, picture this: the electrifying cheers of the crowd amplifying the rhythm of your music, adrenaline surging through your veins as you stand under the spotlight, heart pounding, and the crowd’s chants echoing in your ears. This is what Blitzkrieg is all about—an ultimate Western Battle of the Bands competition. It’s your moment to shine and mesmerise the audience with your musical prowess.

And then there’s Lifestyle, an event that takes you into the world where fashion reigns supreme. RendezvousX proudly presents Lifestyle as its flagship fashion event, where clothing transcends its utilitarian purpose and becomes a canvas for art. There’s also the Kavi Sammelan and Qawwali to watch out for!

In addition to the flagship events, RendezvousX is proud to host a multitude of activities and competitions organised by their various clubs, catering to diverse interests and talents.

For the dance enthusiasts, there are electrifying dance-offs and workshops, providing the perfect stage to showcase your moves and learn from the best. Drama aficionados can immerse themselves in the world of theatre with captivating plays and dramatic performances in Natika Vatika. Literary enthusiasts can indulge in wordplay and creativity with slam poetry, writing and debating events. Quizzing enthusiasts will find their haven with mind-boggling quizzes with the great waves of quizzes.

These events add an extra layer of depth and diversity to RendezvousX, ensuring that there’s something for everyone to enjoy and participate in. It’s a celebration of talent in all its myriad forms, making RendezvousX a true extravaganza of creativity and culture.

Though these events form the core of the Rendezvous, it is still incomplete without our live stage and pronite performances. Rendezvous Live Stage events serve as the vibrant heart of the festival, consistently enchanting audiences with mind blowing performances by a diverse array of incredible artists. What makes these events truly special is their dynamic nature, unfolding throughout the day and offering a platform for numerous talented individuals and groups to showcase their skills and entertain the audience.

From morning to night, the Live Stage is a hub of cultural exploration, taking attendees on an immersive journey through the electrifying realms of music, dance, and entertainment. Emerging artists and local talents kickstart the day with their raw passion and creativity, setting the tone for what’s to come. The stage continues to be a bustling epicentre of activity, featuring a rich tapestry of performances, ranging from soulful acoustic sets to high-energy dance routines.

Rendezvous Pronites are more than just events; they are monumental experiences that leave an indelible mark on those who attend, creating lifelong memories to be cherished forever. These nights offer a holistic and captivating experience that engages all the senses.

From the moment you step into Pronites, you are transported into a world of pure musical enchantment. The stage comes alive with captivating performances that not only entertain but enrapture your senses. The artists who grace these events, like Nucleya, Sunidhi Chauhan, Benny Dayal, and Shankar Ehsaan Loy, bring a unique blend of talent and charisma, making every Pronite a star-studded spectacle that ignites the atmosphere.

Each year, the organisers commit to raising the bar even higher, promising attendees an experience like no other. Expect to be serenaded by soulful voices that touch the deepest corners of your heart, moved by powerful beats that make you dance with abandon, and transported to a world of pure musical euphoria that transcends the ordinary.

Get ready to dance, laugh, and create memories that will last a lifetime, all within the enchanting realm of RendezvousX-Contemporary Fantasia. RendezvousX promises to be an unforgettable cultural extravaganza. Join in this celebration of art, music, and imagination, and let RendezvousX leave an indelible mark on your heart.

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DUB Speak

The Green Curtains of G20: Solution to All of ‘Bharat’s’ Woes

By DU Beat September 29, 2023

A reflective piece on the state’s attempts at defining aesthetic spaces within Delhi and ‘invisibilizing’ citizenry.

Through the years, the capital city of Delhi has been at the heart of romanticization and overt aestheticization. From Purani Dilli ke Seekh Kebabs to sunsets at India Gate, the city has been branded as an illusion of dreams, love, and utopia.

However, the reality is pretty different. Over centuries, in the same gullies of old Chandni Chowk, live ghettoised communities of immigrant labourers and religious minorities who lack proper living or working conditions. The same Delhi that is depicted by the beautiful roads of Jor Bagh also holds infrastructure so poor in the northern parts that shelters get flooded within a week of rainfall.

Hitherto, the supposed aesthetic face of Delhi has always existed in popular culture and conventional media, but the recent G20 summit revealed the government’s inclination towards maintaining those spaces as well. The G20 summit, with reputed foreign delegates and heads of state like Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, and Olaf Scholz arriving in the capital city of Delhi, was a matter of huge pride for the country, the ruling government, and especially Prime Minister Modi’s image in the global arena.

And hereby, for the sake of maintaining and polishing this supposed glamorous image, sacrifices were made. And these sacrifices always came down to the same set of voiceless and suppressed sections of the Indian population.

Under the ironic guise of ‘One Earth, One Family’, the Modi government deliberately placed green curtains over the poor slums and local businesses of Delhi, apparently too ashamed of its ignorance towards inclusive social development through the years.

Hiding the so-called ‘ugly parts’ of the capital city implies the state defining aesthetic spaces for the citizenry on the basis of social and economic status. The state decides which aspects of the Indian diaspora are suitable for the eyes of Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak. This points to the idea that if you are living in unhygienic quarters and are unable to fend for three meals a day with malnourished children running around your streets, then alas! Your existence is a bane to ‘Bharat’ and must be hidden.

While trying to boost its own image on the global stage, the Modi government fails to imagine how the green curtains have, in fact, done the opposite. It depicts the Indian government as one that is ashamed of the real issues plaguing its populace and is naïve enough to go ahead and hide them rather than working to resolve them. While the Prime Minister boasts about economic prosperity on international television, the same government goes ahead and puts a veil on the other side of the coin—extreme inequality.

Newspapers, broadcast channels, and Instagram reels have bombarded you with how Delhi has received a ‘glow-up’ for the G20 summit and the government spending nearly 4000 crores for it. However, the question can always be raised: Why didn’t the government spend this sum on slum development rather than polishing the already-tidy streets of South Delhi? Was such a huge investment for the G20 necessary when it didn’t bring forth the same in return?

Probably, the answer to all these issues, according to the Modi government, is ‘invisibilizing’ the existence of such people and suppressing their voices. But is this how it is going to be? The solution to all of India’s woes, from caste oppression to extreme poverty? Are green curtains, rejecting press conferences, and shooshing down social strife across the country from reaching international ears now the answer?

The most heartbreaking part is the changing political climate amidst the Indian diaspora. While the rich and privileged of the city go out on car rides, enjoying the G20 decoration of Delhi under moonlight, the have-nots are losing the right to ‘visibilize’ their meagre existence and, in turn, their real issues. The lashing out of the Modi government against anybody that stands to tarnish its image has produced an apolitical diaspora—either too unbothered and ignorant or too scared to speak.

And hence, the green curtains of Delhi have gone unnoticed without much uproar in mainstream media and among the local masses. The scary part, however, is that if the state runs wild, defining its standards of governmentality this way without proper scrutiny, the systems of democracy will fail, as they already are.

The tragedy of the romanticization of the capital city of Delhi has been persistent. History has spoken more about the might of the walls of Red Fort than the plights of the looted locals at ‘Shahjahanabad’. Even today, we are talking about the ‘economic and cultural power’ of ‘Bharat’ and not the misery of millions whose mere existence the Modi government is ashamed to show to the world.

Even along with the romanticization, one thing has remained constant over the years: the sufferers of this supposedly mighty, aesthetized city, that is, Delhi. Perhaps you too, like the government, will content your heart with green curtains and turn a blind eye towards what lies beyond them. As the state probably said to themselves at some point, “What happens in Delhi stays within Delhi, after all.”

Featured Image Credits: downtoearth.org

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Campus Central

Rise in Threats Amid DUSU Elections – AISA Activist Abducted and Attacked

By DU Beat September 18, 2023

The arrival of DUSU campaigning has heightened the tension in the University campus. Several reports of misconduct and threats have surfaced on the internet, posing a risk to the safety of regular students and residents.

On Saturday, September 16th, the AISA (All India Students’ Association) stated ‘outsiders’ had been spotted within the university campus and that a student had also been attacked. Aman Rawat, an activist for AISA, was allegedly confused for another candidate, Aditya Singh, and was abducted, threatened, and physically assaulted by some strangers, according to a video clip the organisation uploaded on social media.

Aman, an AISA activist and a law student, was approaching the traffic circle near Daulat Ram and Ramjas College when he was confronted by a group of unknown people. Aman can be seen in the video discussing the incident and mentioning how he was threatened, saying, ‘They recognized me as an ASIA Activist and started beating me, they warned me that AISA activists should stop campaigning or else they will face the same thing.’ He further said that those who attacked him realized they had confused him for Aditya Singh, the candidate for secretary from AISA. However, they continued to assault him.

He was brought to a Black SUV car that was covered in ABVP posters, and that’s how we found out who is behind this because we can’t identify these outsiders who are doing campaigning for ABVP in the campus.” – Anjali, AISA DU secretary.

Anjali adds that this is not the first time their student activists have faced threats. “Numerous incidences involving intimidation of students at various colleges have taken place, particularly of female candidates who receive texts even on Instagram.

Additionally, she emphasizes one of AISA’s key goals, which is to protect the gender minority and particularly prevent trespassing and harassment events that frequently happen at females’ institutions like IPCW and Miranda. One of their demands in this regard is for a gender sensitization community against sexual harassment. The student organization calls for a campus free from danger and fear.

While the organization has filed an official complaint in the nearby police station, they are dissatisfied with how the administration and police refuse to take the appropriate actions.

This incident is not the only one; a third-year student was seen in another social media video with what appeared to be a gun during campaigning at Kirrori Mal College. According to a statement made by the student group, neither the college security nor the police took any legal action against the offender.

According to The Indian Express, the principal of the institution, Dinesh Khattar, stated that the gun-like device was a lighter and was in the possession of the proctorial board. Additionally, he assured that the students will face harsh punishment.

AISA, however, asserts that the student is an ABVP member. Aiyesha Khan, the AISA candidate for president, states in a video released on their Instagram account that there has been an upsurge in these kind of incidents across the university’s campus and in the surrounding areas.

The campus has been hijacked by outsiders, and there have been cases of assault and intimidation since the beginning of the DUSU elections. While preaching about free and fair elections, the University and Delhi police refuse to take proper action.” – Ayeisha Khan in the Instagram video clip posted by AISA.

There are alleged violations of the election rules and outside involvement, according to numerous student groups. Several acts of violence were reported during the elections in 2019 as well. The student groups argue that the ABVP maintains musclemen to threaten their activists. On the other hand, the ABVP has denied these accusations.

The campus stays crowded and tense as the election approaches, with roads covered in pamphlets and candidates passing in convoys. With the increase in these instances, there is growing concern about student safety, particularly for female students, and the security of women-only spaces.

In all, many groups demand quick and strong action against such mistreatment and violence in the university, as well as an election free of muscle and money.

Additional Source – https://www.newsclick.in/delhi-university-student-activist-explains-why-dusu-election-matters

Image Credits – Google Images

Priya Agrawal

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