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Why it is important to come out for protests

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Delhi University has seen a fair share of protests and marches in the past few weeks. While a huge section of the student community enthusiastically participated in rallies, another section chided the protesters for wasting their time and energy. If you happen to fall in the latter group and hold disdain for demonstrations, allow me to convince you otherwise.Here are five reasons why it is important to come out for protests:

1. Protests bring attention to issues and help drive the narrative forward. Media coverage keeps the issues at the forefront and makes people aware. The bigger the crowd, the better is the exposure. Therefore, it’s important to participate in protests rather than just click ‘Like’ on Facebook, as at the end of the day authorities only take cognizance when there are a huge number of people involved.

2. Protests often result in forging solidarities across different backgrounds and even ideologies. Such consolidation unites people against a common enemy and gives strength to the movement.

3. It’s better to attend a parade, rather than complaining and doing nothing. Surely, there are more effective ways of expressing dissent, but sometimes strikes and rallies are the only options left when all other attempts are met with apathy.

4. Protests inspire positive social change. Historically, all radical advancements have been achieved by sustained strikes and sit-ins. It was because of civil disobedience that we won our civil rights.

5. Protests strengthen representative democracy by enabling direct participation of the masses in public affairs. Basically, demonstrations display democracy in action.

I know, many of us maintain distance when it comes to our involvement in political campaigns. One major reason for such behavior is a simple notion that considers activism futile and inconvenient, but we live in times when we can’t afford our conveniences or the luxury of remaining apolitical. As much as we would like to believe otherwise, the fact is that all our personal problems are political problems as well. Politics is directly deciding our future, so it’s only logical to challenge the politics that distorts our social fabric. If we don’t dissent and remain indifferent then we’ll be guilty of complicity.

Niharika Dabral
[email protected]

Image Credits: jeanbarker.wordpress.com

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Top Picks

4 Reasons why the ‘WhatsApp Status Update’ is not a boon

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If a month ago someone had harmlessly proposed the idea born out of wishful thinking about WhatsApp diversifying into other domains of social media, I would have dismissed it as one of those redundant demands of a ‘dislike’ or an ‘I don’t care’ button for Facebook. But, when the morning/afternoon/evening of a sorrowful day brought the doomed ‘WhatsApp Status Update’ icon on our screens, minds were baffled and curses were directed towards WhatsApp for this unprecedented change. We give you 4 reasons why the new status feature is being subjected to the dislike of the world!

1.Adds to the Social Media Dilemma

Snapchat pioneered the convenient trend of uploading a story for 24 hours, sending it to a certain person, and the permanent (at least we’d hope so!) removal of the said picture/video from our mobile screens. Instagram hoping to grab a bite of Snapchat’s cake went on to introduce the Insta Story feature on its platform, leaving the users in confusion concerning what to put where. With WhatsApp releasing something similar, the dilemma stands escalated.

2.Transition into Visual Portrayal

Gone are the days where the bandwidth of your state of mind would be represented by a poetic combination of words, for, the ‘Status Update’ conditions you to post a picture/video/GIF/sketch to be the prime message. The same can be captioned with a message, but the focus falls on the visuality of what is being posted. All those soulful quotes or guessing the emotional state of a person will now fade away into stories of nostalgia.

3.The Lifeline of a ‘Status’

Earlier versions of ‘WhatsApp Status’ were time-absolute. The idea of changing it because the clock said so was never a worry; people even proudly had the ‘Hey there! I am using WhatsApp’ as their status for months and years on. But this pale version of a Snapchat-like update imposes a vexing time restriction of 24 hours. If a picture or a video appeals to us, its validity shall be hexed by WhatsApp within the period of a day.

4.The Sheer Needlessness

Change is synonymous with growth and success, accepted. But, not all change is desirable and needed by society. The masses were content with the voice and video call updates WhatsApp endeavoured to provide, but to give a similar feature as is already known to us reduces its worth, and leaves us with an app we have begun to whine about!

Saumya Kalia
[email protected]

Image Credits: The Indian Express

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College of Vocational Studies

Invision’17 organised Zephyr, CVS

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INVISION’17, the annual photography fest was organised by ZEPHYR- The Film and Photography Society of College of Vocational Studies on 21st-23rd February.

The 3 day photography extravaganza was sponsored by DHABA JUNCTION and ACCM.

INVISION’17 ensured to cater the needs of everyone ranging from photographers to videographers and from amateurs to professionals, as there was a vast array of competitions. More than 100 participants took part in the 4 competitions that were organised.

* Expectations vs Reality

This event was tailor-made for all the videographers and all the aspiring filmmakers out there. It was a silent film-making competition. Participants were not allowed to add any dialogues in the movie. This competition took place on all three days of the fest.

* Dark Knight

This competition took place on 22nd February, 2017.
The participants had to enter a dark room and utilize the props efficiently to make the most of the 10 minutes and capture a stellar photograph. It was a very challenging competition and was all about long exposure photography and creative imagination.

* Snapchase

This competition took place on 22nd February, 2017.
Life makes us go through its various phases before we finally rest at peace. This competition assisted the participants to get nostalgic thinking of the stages they have been through and propel them into the future to get a taste of what all is yet to come. They had to solve the clues and capture pictures to win this exciting competition.

 

* On the Spot Photography

This competition took place on 23rd February, 2017.
This one was to meet the needs of all the lensmen as both DSLRs and mobiles were allowed in this competition. The pictures had to be clicked on the spot and within a radius of 5kms of CVS. The themes were revealed on the spot.

 

Prizes worth 6L were at stake and participants did all the hard work to emerge as winners and take home the exciting prizes.

It was not just about competitions, Invision’17 also consisted of a captivating photography exhibition as well.
Zephyr had set up a beautiful exhibition which was embellished by over 400 photographs which were captured by the hardworking zephyrites. The exhibition was divided according to various themes like- monochrome, village, etc. The exhibition was unparalleled and was praised by each and every visitor.

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The exhibition began after the inaugural- ribbon cutting ceremony done by the Principal Sir. Zephyr was full of gratitude and pleasure as Principal sir graced the occasion with his presence.

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These 3 days were like a grand festival for more than 2500 photography enthusiasts who turned up at the exhibition and participated in the competitions. All the efforts put in by the Zephyrites brought out the true spirit of photography and filmmaking, and made this fest a memorable one.

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Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies

The wagon has arrived: Esperanza 2017 by ‘Synergy’ S.S.C.B.S.

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SSCBS corporate society

#WagonHasArrived

‘Esperanza 2017’ , the annual corporate extravaganza of Synergy S.S.C.B.S., the corporate society of Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, wrapped up recently and it was a sight to behold. The two day event saw the best minds from across the DU circuit congregate to battle in this business fest. With the theme of all around the world, the journey began on 15th February, 2017 and the destination was reached on 16th February, 2017.

The event saw applications from over one thousand students, with top sixty five participants selected after two rigorous rounds of screening to attend the final event. The event was based on Human Resource, Marketing, Finance, and all aspects of a global business, making it the ultimate corporate learning experience. Loaded with interactive sessions, custom-made tasks, and corporate simulations, the two days had participants on their toes at all times. They had to build a business from scratch and tackle the challenge of running an empire on foreign lands. The tasks tested their ability to handle spontaneous changes, critical and creative thinking, and strategising and negotiation skills. ‘Esperanza’ saw many eminent speakers gracing the occasion to impart their bit of experience and learning to the participants.

The Opening Ceremony was held at the Constitution Club of India before shifting the base to the North Campus Conference Centre, Delhi University, for the next day.

The winners were decided on the basis of the cumulative performance of the teams in all tasks. The two days of intense competition saw Team Stark emerging victorious, followed closely by The Medellin. Anusha Sinha of Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies was declared the best performer of the event.

Synergy has, in the past, delivered many successful corporate events, and ‘Esperanza 2017’ continues the legacy. The wagon has arrived, the competition is won, but the memories remain. ‘Esperanza 2017’ was indeed a journey to remember.

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Campus Central

SSCBS celebrates their Corporate Fest, ‘Esperanza 2017’.

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SSCBS corporate society

#WagonHasArrived

Esperanza 2017, the annual corporate extravaganza of Synergy S.S.C.B.S., the corporate society of Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, wrapped up recently and it was a sight to behold. The two-day event saw the best minds from across the DU circuit congregate to battle in this business fest. With the theme of all around the world, the journey began on 15th February 2017 and the destination was reached on 16th February 2017.

The event saw applications from over one thousand students, with top sixty-five participants selected after two rigorous rounds of screening to attend the final event. The event was based on Human Resource, Marketing, Finance, and all aspects of a global business, making it the ultimate corporate learning experience. Loaded with interactive sessions, custom-made tasks, and corporate simulations, the two days had participants on their toes at all times. They had to build a business from scratch and tackle the challenge of running an empire on foreign lands. The tasks tested their ability to handle spontaneous changes, critical and creative thinking, and strategising and negotiation skills. Esperanza saw many eminent speakers gracing the occasion to impart their bit of experience and learning to the participants. The Opening Ceremony was held at the Constitution Club of India before shifting the base to the North Campus Conference Centre, Delhi University, for the next day. The winners were decided on the basis of the cumulative performance of the teams in all tasks. The two days of intense competition saw Team Stark emerging victorious, followed closely by The Medellin. Anusha Sinha of Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies was declared the best performer of the event.

Synergy has, in the past, delivered many successful corporate events, and Esperanza 2017 continues the legacy. The wagon has arrived, the competition is won, but the memories remain. Esperanza 2017 was indeed a journey to remember.

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Cultural Festivals

Highlights of Reverie 2017: A Fiesta for Renaissance at Gargi College

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The 3-day annual cultural extravaganza conducted by Gargi College played host to enthralling competitions and star-studded events which drew curtains on its golden jubilee celebrations this year.

Reverie, Gargi College’s annual cultural fest was hosted from 14th to 16th February 2017. This year was a special year for Gargi College as it celebrated its golden jubilee year. Hence the theme for the fest was decided as ‘a fiesta for renaissance’.

There are events which do not kick start but rather simmer and build up. The first day of Reverie 2017 reached its crescendo on similar lines. It started on a high note with the inaugural speech given by Ratna Pathak Shah, a beloved TV and film actress who is best known for her role as Maya Sarabhai in the popular TV show, Sarabhai vs Sarabhai. In her speech, she spoke about the importance of art, culture, theatre and cinema in our socially and politically heated times. She set the perfect precursor to the day ahead, sharing her experiences as a student and the role of competitions in shaping lives.

Moving on, the day played host to popular competitive events like Saptak, the duet singing competition, Dhanak, the folk dance competition, Khayal, the solo singing competition and Zenith, the western dance competition.

The reverberations of the first day of the 3-day extravaganza at Reverie 2017 ended with the epic bacchanalia at the main stage. The performance of Bismil had the audience mesmerised as they covered popular Bollywood numbers.

Day 2 of Reverie began on a melodious note by Samranjini, the Indian choir music competition.

Following this, the power packed nukkad natak competition, Aabhaas was held by Kshitij, the Hindi theatre society of Gargi College.

The day also featured events like the ad making competition held by Cinematrix, the film making society of the college and Reverie Idol, the Hindi solo singing competition. Next up in the line was the English stage play completion, Nivacanna, hosted by Gargi College’s stage play society, Upstage. The event was then succeeded by the highlight of Day 2, presence of actress and model Urvashi Rautela’s, an alumuna of Gargi College.

As the evening set in, the crowd danced to the EDM duo of Sunny Sharma and Karan Bhalla, known by their stage name, Progressive Brothers.

Day 3 at Reverie, the annual cultural fest of Gargi College, kicked off with enthralling performances in the western acapella competition by various western music societies across Delhi University. The day continued with the western duet competition and the western solo competition. Following these events, Reverie 2017 took a star studded turn when RJ Khurafati Nitin from Fever 104 also came to the fest as a speaker for an event. He promoted his new talk show At Fever 104 and made the audience laugh with his sketch. The next event was Cursive-iti, which was the western choreography competition, which saw nine participating groups from various colleges. Sanya Malhotra, who played Babita Phogat in the Aamir Khan starer Dangal, and an alumnus of Gargi College, graced the stage of her alma mater with co-star Aparshakti Khurana. The two actors danced to hits like Dhaakad and London Thumakda and answered questions from their fans.

Reverie ended with an electrifying closing performance by popular Bollywood singer Shalmali Kholgade. She charmed the audience with her melodious voice and super hit tracks like Pareshaan, Raabta and Agar Tum Saath Ho among other popular Bollywood tracks. Reverie, the annual cultural fest of Gargi College wrapped up with a powerful performance, which shall be cherished until next year!

 

Picture Credits: Gerush Bahal, Jasmine Chahal, Vegh Daswani

 

Joyee Bhattacharya

[email protected]

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Exams

Foods You Just Can’t Have Before Your Final Exams

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This post originally appeared in Redspoon. For more tips and tricks on the food, visit them at Redspoon.in

It’s that time of the year again. The only thing between you and happy holidays is a traumatic week of final exams. While there are some foods that will definitely cheer you up and keep your energy levels high during this stressful duration, there are others you should definitely avoid, no matter how much you crave for them, especially before your exams. Here are the top food items you just can’t have before final exams.

 

  1. Cookies, cakes, and muffins

 

Cookies, cakes, muffins and pastries contain white flour, which is not digested easily and takes a lot of body energy. So avoid draining useful energy that might help you think more during the exam duration.

 

  1. Chocolates and candies

 

They may appear as a stress buster, but chocolates and candies are high in refined sugars, which can lead to excessive carbohydrate level in the body. So you can end up jittery and distracted during exams, and may even suffer a crash. Better keep the craving aside for a while.

 

  1. Carbohydrates

 

Carbs, if eaten alone and in large quantities, will make you feel more dizzy than alert. This is something you definitely don’t want during an exam.

 

  1. Soda

 

Soda consumption before the exam can not only lead to a sugar crash, but you can also end up dehydrating the whole body. It’s better to keep it for the after-exam party.

 

  1. Cherry Juice

 

Cherry juice is rich in melatonin, which regulates your sleep cycle. So if you plan to stay awake for a late night study, do not have this in the evening as you might speed up a sleep-inducing process.

 

  1. Alcohol

 

This one is definitely a no-brainer. At best, alcohol might cause a headache and nausea. At worst, you might actually throw up on your precious answer sheet. Imagine that, if you like.

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Around the Campus

The Strike to Justice: Ola, Uber begin to Normalise Services in NCR

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There are various ways to reach our destination: personal vehicles, metros, autos, rickshaws, and cabs. While those who don’t prefer to use metro as a medium of commute, often resort to cabs sourced by Ola and Uber, amongst other taxi-providing companies. Naturally, people reliant on these cabs would be presented with a predicament when the drivers of these organisation go on a strike to fight for their rights and perks. The question that needs to be asked relate to the when, the why, the where, and the how.

The strike began in the second week of February, with the drivers congregating at Jantar Mantar for a hunger strike to demand a feasible solution from the app-based cab aggregators and the government. Their primary grouse is with the reduced wages they receive as opposed to the money they previously earned. The strike aims to demand more money out of the fares, eliminate the Rs.500 clause for cancelling rides, accident insurance, relaxation in working hours, reduction in the per kilometre rate (Rs. 6) to the community. There had also been reports of minor violence being used by protestors against drivers who did not join the strike, by throwing eggs on cars and abruptly stopping them, actions which have been condemned by the unions. The scarce cabs found on the streets were coupled with high fares, thus further discouraging the populace to opt for booking. On February 13th, the Delhi High Court issued an order prohibiting goons against violence and vandalism.

Over a period of eighteen days, in between which the companies announced the return of services in full strength, the strike originally called by four unions, now seems to be fizzling out as only one unions continues to protest. The loss in steam can be attributed to the lack of reaction and compliance by the companies, and the realities of survival have forced a major chunk of workers to abandon the strike and resume operation. The stalemate which presented itself highlighted the overworked and underpaid sufferings of the drivers, but led only to a marginal victory. The companies have apparently agreed to two conditions, owing to the importance of driver, that the Rs. 500 penalty would not be imposed and the per kilometre fare would increase, so as to ensure increased wages to the drivers. The drivers have been given a written commitment which authenticates their demands. While the demands relating to incentives did not positively materialise, the agitation and protests did lead to relief, regardless of its degree. As the strike is on the verge of culmination, the companies should strengthen the services offered to the drivers so as to ensure that similar protests are not reiterated.

 

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Saumya Kalia

[email protected]

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Arts & Culture

Logan: The Saving Grace of X-Men Universe?

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They say third time’s a charm, and a charm wrapped up in Western ways and the brilliance of the titular character. After mapping a journey of ten movies and receiving abundant criticism and some appreciation, the X-Men film series presents the third and final Wolverine-centric movie with a rich script, emotional reservoir, and marks the departure of two actors pivotal to the X-Men universe.

Before we delve into the reviews received by the movie, here is a synopsis of what is waiting for us:

In the near future, a weary Logan (Hugh Jackman) cares for an ailing Professor X (Patrick Stewart) at a remote outpost on the Mexican border. His plan to hide from the outside world gets upended when he meets a young mutant (Dafne Keen) who is very much like him. Logan must now protect the girl and battle the dark forces that want to capture her.

Expand your minds and fancy a superhero movie, any movie. Your mind shall retort with a grand production of a superhero saving the city, the country, or the world after a good thirty-minutes VFX edited fight between the hero and an antagonist who is touted to be an indestructible mastermind in those two hours some minute-movie. No, Logan is far from it, as one can anticipate from the trailers. In a dusty world or desert landscapes and mutant extinction, it’s 2029, and we see glimpses of Logan more than his heroic counterpart. An image of pain, mortality, and struggle weaves before our eyes with the trailer, and forms the foundation of appreciation. The trailers also present a young girl of mystery, who shall join path with the superhero and form the crux of the story.

As the early reviews are pouring on the last movie of the Wolverine franchise, the film is touted to be the best Wolverine and maybe, the best X-Men saga with a 9.5 IMDb and 95% Rotten Tomatoes rating, while the previous movies in the franchise failed to cross the 7/10 mark and were the recipient of brute criticism. The evaluations seek to extol the movie for its scruffy Western land setting, the reality of emotions, and discovery of Logan’s personal journey as these aspects solidify the cinematic experience. Complementing the logistics are the dual elements of an endearing script and Hugh Jackman’s performance of a role which brought him into the mainstream limelight. Almost a decade after the events of X-Men: Apocalypse, the movie successfully falls in line with the events of the past, but its beating heart lies in its emotions and personal relationships.

Adding the emotional tinge in this tale is the anticipated departure of Hugh Jackman (Wolverine) and Patrick Stewart (Professor X) from the X-Men Universe. To successfully deliver a long-spanning franchise and to conclude the journey with a story which is resonating with hearts speaks volumes of the brilliance of the two actors. The movie has been confirmed to conform within the timeline and storyline of the Universe, and shall grace the screens near you on March 3rd, 2017.

 

Image Credits: The Independent

Saumya Kalia

[email protected]

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Sri Venkateswara College

Nexus ’17 at Sri Venkateswara College: Highlights and Events

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Nexus, Sri Venkateswara College’s Annual Cultural Fest was held from 23rd to 25th February. This year’s edition of the festival called Nexus ’17 took up the delightful theme of ‘Bollywood’. Every little detail, right from the promotional videos to the decorations and competitions, oozed a sense of Bolly-fun. Nexus ’17 witnessed performances by the Nizami Brothers on the ‘Sufi Night’, The Raghu Dixit Project on the ‘Rock Night’ and Kailasa on the ‘Pro Night’.

DAY ONE: Inauguration, A Capella, Choreography and the Nizami Brothers

 

Day 1 was an interesting amalgamation of dance and music. The Western Choir Society held its A Capella competition, which was won by Echo of Jesus and Mary College. Also held among the music competitions were the Western Solo and Instrumental Solo competitions. The three dance events of the day were the Folk Dance, Solo Classical and Choreography competition. While the first was won by SGTB Khalsa, the second was won Unni Vishwanathan from Hans Raj College. Terpsi Chorean of Hans Raj College took home the trophy in the Choreography competition.

The day ended with a stirring performance by the magnetic Nizami Brothers, who added meaning to Nexus’ famous ‘Sufi Night’ for a second time in a row.

DAY TWO: Battle of Bands, Razzmatazz and The Raghu Dixit Project

 

Setting the mood right for the ‘Rock Night’ to be held later in the evening was the first event of Day 2- Battle of Bands. ‘Thread Makers’ of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College secured the first position in this event. Also held was ‘Goonj’, the Inidan Classical Choir event where Samranjini of Gargi College bagged the first prize.‘Razzmatazz’, the Western Dance Competition was won by Zeal of Maitreyi College, followed closely by V-defyn by IIT Delhi.‘Madari’, the Nukkad Natak competition was conducted in the front lawn of the college. It was Etcetra of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur College that made their mark and took home the gold.

The highlight of the day was the concert of The Raghu Dixit Project. Raghu Dixit and his made captivated the crowd with their edgy and ethnic music, convivial wit and breathtaking stage presence. They belted out their famous numbers like ‘Masti ki Basti’ and ‘Jag Changa’. He also sang in his native language Kannada. But music is unbridled by language, and even his Kannada songs created ripples.

DAY THREE: Powerful and moving performance by Kailasa

Crowds of students from across Delhi University gathered on Day 3, to watch the music legend Kailash Kher perform with his band Kailasa. The melodious singer, who is famous for hits like Teri Deewani,Chaandan mein and many others made the audience swoon as he crooned. His talent and charm enthralled the large numbers that had gathered to hear him live.Besides singing beautifully, the vocalist amused the gathering with his witty rejoinders and anecdotes. He said that since he is also from Delhi, he loves Delhiites and performing in the city because he thinks that it is filled with passionate music lovers. He impressed all with his dance moves. He not only made the audience groove, but also sportingly shook a leg as he rendered Tauba Tauba and Chak de Phatte. On singing Allah ke Bande and Teri Deewani, he had the crowd stupified. He ended his performance by inviting the Principal on stage, who addressed the audience and ceremoniously closed the fest.

Here is a glimpse of the wondrous extravaganza that was Nexus ’17!

Find out what ensued on each day here:

DAY 1

DAY 2

Check out DU Beat’s Nexus ’17 Album HERE.

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