The Round Table Society of Kirori Mal College organized a seminar and workshop on ‘Right to Information (RTI) and its role and achievements’ on Thursday, 20th February in the college seminar room. The event started with a welcome speech by Dr. S.P. Gupta, principal of the college, in which he welcomed and introduced the society ‘The Round Table’ to the audience, comprising of students and teachers of various departments and colleges.
Dr. Rupak Dattagupta, the convener of the society felicitated the distinguished speakers- Mr. Shankar Singh , Mr. Subhash Chandra Agarwal and Mr. Afroz Alam Sahil with bouquets as a token of respect and gratitude . As the program proceeded, a video and power point presentation were shown to the audience, in order to give a brief insight to the audience on the topic of discussion, motive of the society to promote it and to introduce the speakers.
The first speaker of the event was Mr. Shankar Singh, a renowned RTI activist, who shared his experiences relating to his fight for promoting RTI at grass root level where there is maximum ignorance. His speech inspired us to fight for this very basic right of ours and to use it for everyone’s benefit. Mr. Afroz Alam Sahil , a young RTI activist and scholar explained his experiences with the administrative sector and how he used RTI as a tool to get answers for his grievances. In between, questions were put up by audience to the speakers about usage, purpose and need of RTI. After the question answer session, a presentation was shown on how successful RTI had been in the recent years, in a positive manner.
The last speech was made by Mr. Subhash Chandra Agarwal, in which he expressed his personal life experiences relating to filing of RTI and its petition, in quite an entertaining manner. He also put forward many real life examples where RTI proved to be a savior when people’s rights were exploited.
A workshop was conducted by Mr Afroz Alam Sahil relating to online and offline filling of RTI. During this session, many questions were put up by the audience to which Mr. Afroz Alam Sahil answered each question satisfactorily. Lastly, the vote of thanks was given by the president of “The Round Table” Mr. Robin Kumar and certificates were distributed to all attendees.
Nritiyakriti, the Choreography competition on Day 1 of Ullas was organised by Adagio, the Choreography Society of the college. There were a total of 8 participating teams including Kirori Mal College, Gargi College, Sri Venkateswara College and Hansraj College. The judges for the event were Mr. Adi, Director of Rada and known for blending contemporary with lyrical hip-hop and Mr. Arjun Kohli, guest artist with Anveshana Dance Theatre and Urshilla Dance Company.
Hindu College’s Choreography Society- Srijya put up a performance titled ‘Paradox’. Ashish from Hindu College elaborated, “We’ve put up our performance related to fear, three different levels of fear. The organisation of the event has been good and all participants were competitive enough.”
Eventually Gargi College’s choreography society Sparx won the first place in the competition, with Hansraj College’s Terpsichorean following second. One of the judges said, “I have seen all colleges, some are good, some are better. I’ve seen lack of synchronisation in almost all performances.” He also emphasised that “performances should have a wow factor”.
The Debating Society of the college, Crossfire also conducted a conventional debate earlier in the day. The motion for the debate was – This house believes that temporary anarchy is the only means to achieve a stable democracy as an end. Madhav from KMC, Divya from KMC and Mehvish from St. Stephen’s were adjudged the best speakers and Divya from KMC was the best interjector.
Ramjas College held its fine arts fest Expressoezz and art exhibition, Efflorescence, on 12th and 13 February, 2014, conducted by the Fine Arts Society of the college. The fest was a grand success and saw participation from all over the University with colleges like Gargi, Miranda House, LSR, Janki Devi Memorial, Sri Venkateshwara and Hindu etc. taking active part in the competitions.
Efflorescence, the art exhibition was much appreciated with its oil paintings, sketches, canvas, acrylic and posters made by the budding artists of the college.
The main attraction of the fest was a 7 feet tall Dhoom: 3 inspired mask made by Melange members, along with graffiti.
Various competitions were held in the two days and winners were given cash prizes, vouchers and mementos by the sponsors, Lions Club Delhi Veg and Victory Zeal. Following are the competitions and their respective winners:
Competition Winners
Ignition: Poster Making 1. Jayshree Bhagbati (Ramjas)
(Theme: Youth Power) 2. Raju (DCAC)
Flourish the Perish 1. Prachi Saxena &
(Best out of Waste) Anupreksha Jain (Shaheed
Bhagat Singh College)
2. Leepakshi, Apoorv &
Anshu (JDM)
Naqaab Sonia and Karishma (JDM)
(Face Painting)
Street Hustler Kishan (DCAC)
(Graffiti)
Apart from the competitions, there were also fun games adding to the spirit of the carnival-like fest such as Blind Date, Paper Dance, Tattoo Making, Snap Antakshaari and Treasure Hunt-the Lost Symbol.
The Principal of the college said that the “Fine Arts fest of Ramjas College is better than any other society fest in Ramjas and much better than the college fest!”
President of the society, Hitesh Athwani added “It was all a sincere, dedicated and coordinated team effort. Principal Sir was also impressed by our work, what else a society wants! Mélange has again broken its records of previous successful fests and set the benchmark high for its successors and also any other Fine Arts society in DU.” (sic)
The Title sponsor of the extravaganza “Lions Club Delhi Veg and Victory Zeal” awarded the Presidents Hitesh Athwani and Surabhi Chopra and Best Coordinator Seember Hussain with “Award of Appreciation” for the commendable job done in the fest.
The annual cultural fest of Delhi University- Antardhwani 2014 concluded on Sunday, 16th February after cultural events, performances and showcase of academic and cultural achievements by different colleges. The much awaited ceremony Valedictory Funnction for giving awards of Good Practices was the final event of the three day fest which took place in the presence of eminent kathak dancer and choreographer Smt. Sharmishta Mukherjee, the Guest of Honour for the event.
Image Credit: Abhinav Arora
Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh at the Valedictory Ceremony. Image Credit: Parandeep Goswami
Smt. Sharmishta Mukherjee, the Guest of Honour at the Valedictory Ceremony. Image Credit: Parandeep Goswami
In the category of departments, Geology won the first prize worth Rs. 10 lakh, the second prize worth Rs 7 lakh went to Geography and the third to Botany worth 5 lakh. The departments of Bio-Chemistry, Chemistry, Cluster Innovation Centre, Physics and Zoology also won commendation awards of Rs. 1 lakh each.
The Good Practices award in the category of colleges were given to Lady Irwin College as first, Maharaja Agrasen College as second followed by Acharya Narendra Dev Colleges as third. Bharti College, Kamala Nehru College, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Ramanujan College and Sri Venkateswara College won the five commendation awards in this category. The jury made a special note of all the innovative ways adapted by different colleges to implement FYUP and the impact of the projects in empowering the marginalized sections of the society.
A friendly cricket match also took place between the Vice Chanceloor’s XI and the Principal’s XI eventually won by the Principal’s XI led by Dr. Sunil Sondhi, Principal, Maharaja Agrasen College. The Sound and Light show-“Delhi University: A Legend” was attended by the Guest of Honour who also applauded the talent displayed at Antardhwani. She also congratulated the Vice Chancellor in harmonizing higher education and culture together at DU.
Aries: You know you have successfully celebrated Valentine’s Day when – 1. She is all smiles and joy. 2. Your wallet has lost more weight in a day than you ever will in a month.
Taurus: Valentine’s Day! Pfftt…It’s one of those overly-hyped days when people need an excuse to exchange saliva! – If your thinking is anywhere near these lines, it doesn’t need a psychic to know that you are single.
Gemini: Hey look at that! That guy just passed by as if you were invisible! Maybe all those years spent in the blistering cold of the Himalayas, practising ninjutsu with the league of shadows has finally paid off! Or…that guy just plain ignored you.
Cancer: I really appreciate you reading this. I really do. You don’t know how flattering it is for a writer to have his work read. But honey, much as it breaks my heart, I need to tell you that this is not the ‘matrimony’ section.
Leo: A long and romantic drive is on the cards today. Well at least up to the point where the cops pull you over and arrest you for speeding after which you got to deal with a very angry pair of parents in the local precinct.
Virgo: You will try to run away from it. But nightmares have a way of always catching up to you no matter how fast you run and eventually you will have to choose between the two evils that haunt your every waking moment – the toothache or the dentist.
Libra: Place a hand on your hip while at the same time lift the other above your head, with you index finger pointing upwards. Now spin around like a freaking tornado. And when your head stops spinning apologise to Shaktimaan for trying to copy his stunts and pray that you don’t get sued.
Mr. Cuddles: So some wise guys from the PR department decided that a scorpion should not be used to depict a constellation sign. It is reported to be having a “bad influence” on the younger generation. So until further notice Mr. Cuddles, the Teddy bear, will be your new replacement sign. We apologise for any inconvenience or ridicule we may have caused. Know it was not our intent.
Sagittarius: Paint runes over your shirt before you try to apologise to your girlfriend today.During the Indian Wars, the natives believed that these runes could deflect musket balls and save their lives. They died though, poor chaps…
Capricorn: Arithmetic of your bad luck: The probability of a good TV show being aired on television is directly proportionate to the timing of your parent’s favourite Saas- Bahu serial which is inversely proportionate to your taste.
Aquarius: Once upon a time Vampires used to hunt down human before sucking them dry. Now they seem to marry their prey instead…Vegetarians. They have to meddle with every God damn thing don’t they?
Pisces: I always run dry on jokes when I reach you guys. Maybe this is what you call destiny. No matter how much you try, someone always spoils the fun.
Though the sudden rains and the coinciding of the inaugural day of the fest with Valentine’s Day were a big letdown, Antardhvani’s first day received decent participation from students all across the University.
The highlight of the event, like every year was the Flower Show. The event was held on 14th February, starting at 12 p.m. The categories for the flower show were divided into five sections. Section A was further divided into 16 classes- entries ranging from gladiolus to five types of roses. Section B saw participation of DU Teachers’ residential lawns. Section C was dedicated to ferns and foliage- cacti, hanging baskets et al. Section D had students showcasing their talent in categories ranging from Rangoli to Table Decoration. Section E focused on stamp and coin collection.
Participating students did report of difficulties due to the rain. “When we came here, there was no guide or volunteer to show us the way or tell anything at all about the competition. Our table arrangement got spoiled in the process and we had to make the entire thing again. There was absolutely no facilities for adequate space or shade on a rainy day like this.” said Hemul and Priyanshi, students of Lady Shri Ram College for Women who bagged the second prize for table flower arrangement.
Apart from the different categories, several awards were given out for different gardening segments. Overall, Lady Shri Ram College for Women clinched a total of seven cups, including the Green Cup and the Deshbandhu Cup for the best lawns. The Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath Cup for the best herb garden went to Zakir Hussain College along with four other cups. Miranda House received the Vice Chancellor’s Cup from the best dahlia, Diamond Jubilee Cup and the Registrar’s Cup with 10 other cups.
Gone are the days when Maggi was your only savior when hunger struck late at night. Whether you’re staying up late to complete an impending submission or staggering home after partying till the wee hours, you now have the option of ordering piping hot food home even at oddest of hours. Here are a few places to choose from:
Crazy Bruno
The idea for a late night food delivery service arose when a group of college going students decided they were too bored with the usual paranthas. Started on 31st December 2013, Crazy Bruno now has a wide base of customers in South Delhi. One of the Co-founders, Hemant from JMU says, “We believe marketing is equally important along with the quality and quantity”. With this in mind, they have introduced D.O.N. (Deal of the Night) where they offer something complimentary with the orders. Their food is filling, yet pocket friendly.
Order for two: Rs 300
Timings: 7 pm to 4 am
Specialty: Chinese, Tandoori Chicken Momos and the Kadki Combos
Contact No.: 9899011299/399
Website: http://www.crazybruno.in/two.php
Midnight Munchies
The brainchild of a young Delhi professional, Arjun Sethi, Midnight Munchies was founded in 2012. They ‘deliver when no one else does’ in all of South Delhi and rumour has it, they plan to go pan India by 2016. Even if you aren’t particularly hungry, the menu is enough to leave you salivating. From a variety of pizza and pasta options to Banana and Nutella Handpies and Red Velvet Cupcakes, they offer it all. Midnight Munchies doesn’t charge for delivery but the order has to be above Rs. 350.
Order for two (approx): 400
Timings: 10:00 pm – 4:00 am
Specialty: Jalapeno Popper Sandwiches and Chicken Bomber Sandwiches
Based in Gurgaon, Batman Delivers is an all night online super mart of sorts. Not only do they serve delicious food and beverages, but also items such as basic medicines, contraceptives, party essentials etc. The minimum order here has to be Rs. 250 and they charge Rs. 50- 100 depending on distance. They even offer a “you name it and we will arrange it” service as per their facebook page. Order for two (approx): 400-450
They call themselves ‘the last place open’ that delivers food when you most need it, past bedtime. Three friends and their common love for food resulted in founding of The Night Shift. Operational in West Delhi, their menu mainly has North Indian food and some snacks. They also deliver common medicines, sanitary and contraceptive products at MRP plus delivery charges.
Launched in November 2013, “Knight Bites” is a midnight delivery service that works in the wee hours of the night, providing food, beverages and other essential items (cigarettes, chocolates, condoms and so on).
Operating from 10 pm to 4 am, this delivery service boasts of an extensive coverage of Delhi gained within a short period, with its main dealings happening in North, West and South Delhi. They have two offices in Delhi, one in Janakpuri and the other in VasantKunj.
Meal for two: INR 400
Working hours: 10 pm to 4 am
Specialty: Butter Chicken, Chicken Salami, Chicken Tikka sandwiches, Oreo and Kit Kat shakes
Gargi College conducted its Annual Cultural Fest – Reverie 2014 on 5th, 6th and 7th February. Under the tagline – ‘Dreams to Reality’, the three day fest was a culmination of various events ranging from dance, music and art. To top all, there was a last minute change in the Star Night and a delay in the Sufi Night due to rain. Here is a recap of all that happened at Reverie 2014.
The Inauguration
The day kicked off with the inauguration in the Auditorium. With Rajasthani elements of Kalbailiya and Ghoomar, the inauguration did manage to gather the hoots from Gargi students in the packed auditorium.
Choreo Night
Ten teams contested to win the top spots at ‘Cursive-iti’ – the choreo night at Reverie. With no pre-lims, the event was the closing act of day one. The judging panel comprised of Mr. Firoz Haider and Mr. Himanshu Sharma.
The home team from Gargi College was also the winning team, with their performance themed on ‘Astitva, the search within’. Kamala Nehru College’s Adagio performed ‘Trip- Is it worth it?’ and earned the second spot. The third prize came in the kitty of Hansraj College’s Terpsi Chorean for the performance ‘The oomph!’.
An excited Kanika Joshi from winning team, has the following to say, “To achieve something we have never achieved before, we had to do something completely different. We believed in ourselves and let the dance win! Cursive-iti has always enjoyed the most amazing reception and the best teams from across DU. And we won! But I also really liked Hansraj’s performance.”
Hosted by the students union of Gargi College, the second day of the three-day college fest, Reverie had to culminate with the performance of Coke Studio artists – Adi and Suhail. Just when the spirits were soaring, it started to rain at the venue. Though nominal, it ended soon only to start again after sometime. The fluctuating feelings could be seen among the crowd, just when Gargi College’s music society decided to sing some fillers inside the tent where rain was not a problem.
Their performance was accorded with a huge cheer and also gave a ray of hope to the Coke Studio-wallaswho then decided to do the same and perform under the tent. In Adil’s own words, “This is the coolest gig we have performed in our life”. As soon as the crowd heard this, they went beserk and repeatedly applauded for the professional singers and instrumentalists. The duo performed several sufi melodies, including the famous ‘malhar’ and ’ranjha’.
Star Night with Neeraj Shridhar
Nothing could have been more befitting than the musical adieu, that the final day got with the presence and performance of famous singer, lyricist and music director Neeraj Sridhar. Neeraj who is known for his peppy numbers in Bollywood for almost a decade now, successfully got the audience’s eye and appreciation irrespective of him being roped in at the moment due to Arijit Singh’s ill health.
The celebrity began the concert around 7: 30 p.m. when the ground roared several people cheering and shouting for the star of the night. Starting with the famous peppy numbers like ‘Hey Baby’ , ‘Chor Bazari’ and ‘Prem ki naiyya’ he went on to the recent most awaited chartbusters like ‘tum hi ho bandhu’. Not only did he interact, but also shared interesting stuff about the making of songs and behind the screen happenings which audience enjoyed as well.
Best Play: The Private Ear (Ramjas College) Best Direction and second Best Play: Black Comedy (SRCC) Best actor: Shared by Kabir Ahmad (SRCC) and Dhruv Sirohi (Ramjas). Special Mention (Acting): Gagan Arora, Shaheed Bhagat Singh (evening)
First Position: Rahul and Kshitij from Sadhna Sangeet College (SSC) Second Position: Kshitij, Saptak and Prateek from Hans Raj College Third Position: Miranda House and Jesus & Mary College
First Position:Gargi College Second Position: Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College (SGTB Khalsa) Third Position: Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce (SGGSCC)
Cursive-ity: Choreo
First Position: Gargi College Second Position: Kamala Nehru College Third Position: Hansraj College
First Position: SGTB Khalsa College’s We, The People Second Position: Guru Gobind Singh College’s Chidiya ki Kahaani Third Position: Kirori Mal College’s Company Raj
Overacting
First Position: Nishant, Sulabh and Sanchit from Maharaja Agrasen College Second Position: Akshat, Satyam, Rahul from PDGAV Third Position:Devesh, Akshay, Rahul from Maharaja Agrasen College
Poster Making Competition
First Position: Kunal Singh from Shaheed Bhagat Singh College Second Position: Sandeep Gupta from Ramjas College Third Position: Anjali Bokaria from Gargi College
Conventional Debate
First Position: Sidhant Shekhar and Aiman Anjum from Deshbandu College Second Position: Sushmita Singh and Meghna Acharjee from Gargi College Best Interjector: Bhawna from Lady Hardinge Medical College.
First Position: Ritu Singh from Gargi College Second Position: Pratibha Pathak from Satyawati College Third Position: Suruchi from St. Stephen’s College
Rangoli Competition
Winner of the Second Position at the Rangoli Competition
First Position:Chahat and Swati of Keshav Mahavidyalaya Second Position: Ekta, Neha, Nisha and Sonia of Janaki Devi Memorial College
Western Music (Choir)
First Position: Lady Shri Ram College for Women
Second Position: Jesus and Mary College
Third Position: Kamala Nehru College
Western Music (Solo)
First Position:Hanita Bhambri, SSCBS Second Position:Shubham Mahajan, SSCBS Third Position:Tie between Lalmuanpuii, SRCC and Yamini Joshi, KNC
