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Project Bawarchi Organises Event Against Drug Abuse

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“Teach the youth well about the way they should go; even when they are old, they won’t depart from it.”

Believing in the power of youth, students from Ramjas College working with Project Bawarchi held a campaign against Drug Abuse – “Choose to Refuse” on 17th April 2017, in Sewa Kutir Complex, Mukherjee Nagar, New Delhi.

Project Bawarchi works with rehabilitated victims of drug abuse to instill life skills in them and assist in their reintegration to the society by making them independent entrepreneurs. The Project has taken the initiative to bring awareness and educate victims about the menace of drug abuse in society.

The event invited panelists from different walks that work towards eradicating the menace of drug abuse. Swapnil Tewari, the CEO of Livemad and the youngest social entrepreneur to be featured in Forbes magazine was invited to help bring better ideas about the reintegration of the community members back into the society. Dr. Ravindra Nath, a public health expert helped us know about the existing treatments and myths about drug abuse, with his expertise coming from a medical background. Ms. Aparna Khanna and Ms. Mridula Seth, professors from Lady Irwin College, were a part of the event to help us understand the psychological reform of drug abuse. Mr. Subhash Gautam, Superintendent, Deptt. of Women and Child Development was also present to help us gauge a view from the government’s perspective.

Rightly said by Robert Frost, “Drugs take you to the hell, disguised as heaven.”

The community members working under Project Bawarchi explained the harsh stories about the dark past and how they have been scarred for life because of one evil substance. The discussions between the college students and panelists were done in the presence of the community members to help the youth understand the myths related to the use of drugs, the life after drugs, and the severe downfall that drugs result into.

Drugs don’t help us skip the issues, they only let us escape the reality that furthermore spoils the past, the present and definitely the future.

The members of Project Bawarchi kept a panel discussion on some topics that intrigued the minds of the college youth about the details of topic. The major question that was discussed was ‘Why the first time and what follows next?’

In the event, they also discussed the treatment of rehabilitation, especially the reality and the myths associated with it. The community members were involved in the discussion to hear directly from the experts, and to understand their life after rehab. As a conclusion, we realised this is an essentially contested concept and hence, every stakeholder holds a different view working towards the same aim.

Towards the end of the event, Mr. Shibendu rightly ended it for all saying it’s not the time to lose hope and even if you have fallen into the maze, there’s still a second chance everyday. The first step towards coming out is when you decide that you’re done with all the uncertainty of drugs and you’re not going to stay where you are.

Project Bawarchi is planning to launch a full-fledged campaign from the new academic session while establishing the credibility of the campaign in due course and mobilising people from different walks who are working in this field. This would help bring a difference in terms of the demand reduction of drugs in the first place. The organisation need more youngsters indulging in such works that focus on the transformation of the society on the ground level and not only on paper.

CHOOSE TO REFUSE – Let the change begin.

Image credits: Project Bawarchi

Content by Project Bawarchi

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Admissions 2017

Delhi University to scrap centralised fitness tests for sports quota

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In a change brought about in its admission based on sport quota, Delhi University has decided to scrap the cemtralised fitness test for sports from the upcoming academic session. The fitness test, from this year onwards, would be based on a specific sport and will be held along with the trials of the corresponding sport.
The previous policy, which used the 50-50 formula, giving equal weightage to trials and certificates has now been changed giving 60% weightage to the trials and 40% to the certificates.

According to a senior university official, changes are being made in the admission process of the sports quota in order to make the process more transparent.

“This year, four types of changes have been made, including the decision to do away with the centralised fitness test and conducting a game-based fitness test. This would allow us to judge the fitness parameters of the student in that particular game/sport. Secondly, the weightage of the sports trial marks and certificates has been increased to 60 and 40 per cent respectively,” he said.

Furthermore, the trial test is divided into three sub-categories: game specific fitness test, overall playing ability, and test of fundamental skills of a sportsperson.

Another major change that has been brought about is that it would be mandatory to score at least 30 per cent out of 60 per cent marks. Trials will include points for sports, fundamental skills, and playing abilities. However, nothing has been decided about the number of points to be awarded for each level yet. Till last year, it was mandatory to get at least 25 in the 50 per cent weightage of the trial.

The fourth change is that the category-wise sports certificate list would now be made available in a ‘drop down’ menu divided into nine heads. The aspirants will just have to choose/mark the category under which his/her sport certificate lies, and will have to upload the scanned copy of the same online. The university will also make the verification of the uploaded certificate online.

Source: The Asian Age

Aditya Narang

[email protected]

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Events

Gender Equality Mela 2017 at Miranda House

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Gender Equality Mela is one of the key annual events conducted by the Women’s Development Cell of Miranda House. It is a celebration of the will to survive and thrive. It is a part of the efforts at generating discussions and creating a space for saying what is often left unsaid and for including those who are often left behind in the ideas and plans of ‘development’. The Gender Equality Mela is a part of MH-WDC’s campaign with One Billion Rising (OBR).

This year’s Gender Equality Mela was based on celebrating feminist conversations towards equality, the central theme being ‘Gender and Work’. There was also the celebration of MH-WDC’s Coffee Table Book, ‘Azaad Labon ki Guftagu’ which strives to provide with snapshots of MH-WDC’s journey and their tireless efforts at ‘engaging with wanting to create a more equal and free world, a world where gender equality becomes a live reality for us’, as the book reads.

The 3-day event played host to numerous speakers and panelists like Suneeta Dhar (feminist activist, Jagori), Bulbal Das (legal feminist activist, All India Women’s Conference), Jyotsna Chatterjee and Padmini (Joint Women’s Programme). These speakers emphasised on the introduction to the history of the feminist movement. The topic of manual scavenging was taken up by Bezwada Wilson (National Convener of Safai Karamchari Andolan) and Bhasha Singh. The session on Child Rights and Child Sexual Abuse was taken up by Vaishnava (Bud Foundation), Veronica Xavier (Child Rights and You) and Natuve (dramatics society of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College). The round table discussion on Students in Politics consisted of speakers from Pinjra Tod and Ramjas students. An ‘unconference’ was also organised which placed emphasis on feminism through art, language and music.

On Day 2, the session on Gender and Intersectionality was taken up by Dr. Chandra Sagar and Kusum Ji (All India Network of Sex Workers) and Renuka Bhagat. The session on Trans Community and Work was taken up by Rudrani Chettri. A session on Women and Work through development framework was also conducted by Neetha N. (National Labour Institute). The interactive session on ‘Queering Workplaces’ along with Lafz 2.0, the open mic featured speakers from Nazariya and Delhi Queer Pride. Day 2 also showcased nukkad natak performances by children from SMS (Srijanatmak Manushi Sanstha), LSR dramatics society and Anukriti, the Hindi dramatics society of Miranda House.

On Day 3, the first session on Taking Feminist Conversation Forward was hosted by celebrated author and feminist Kamla Bhasin, wherein she presented her letter to patriarchy. The second session on Women and Media was conducted by Rakhee Bakshi (Women’s Feature Service), Shrey Ila Anasuya (Feminist and Freelance Journalist), Radha Rani (BBC) and Deepajana Pal (fiction writer). The session on Gender and Masculinity was taken up by Pavel (Breakthrough India), Ahmad Farz (CHSJ, Centre for Health and Social Justice) and Apurv Jain (worker on issues of gender and sexuality). The 3-day mela ended with a screening of the movie Hidden Figures.

 

Image Credits: Miranda House Women’s Development Cell

Joyee Bhattacharya

([email protected])

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Cultural Festivals

Vivre of Hindu College Conducts Snap, the Annual Photography Festival

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Vivre – The Film and Photography Society of Hindu College was formed with the aim of bringing together students who share a love for photography and an eye for filmmaking. Every year Vivre organises SNAP –  The annual Photography festival which is the biggest in DU with participation from various universities. Snap, now in its 7th edition, organises events such as workshops, talks, discussions and an exhibition is set up showcasing our best work along with the winning entries. This year Snap featured Asutosh Kashyap along with the members of People’s Instagram page India in Black! Snap was a 2 day event this year.

 

Day 1

The audience was mesmerised by the talks of Mr. Dinesh Khanna and Mr. Gulzar Sethi. It was not an ordinary interaction session, it was a session which enlightened our paths as young photographers. Gulzar Sethi’s team also accompanied him to Hindu College, and personally guided our society members. It was a cherishable experience for all of us. After the talk, BRC took the eminent photographers on a ride full of creativity and imagination. On that day BRC was capturing the essence of SNAP, and inside of it was a magical world of photograph entries from across the country. Mr. Dinesh Khanna judged the entries on the theme ‘colour’ and shared some dazzling techniques on how to play with given camera tools. Mr. Gulzar Sethi judged the competition themed ‘manipulation’. Later, both of them shared their views on the photographs shot by our society members and taught a better way of looking at the world from behind the lens. We wrapped up the day by capturing our blissful moments with Mr. Dinesh and Mr. Gulzar Sethi.

 

Day 2

At 6:00 am it started. Yes. With sleepy eyes, in nightwear and camera in hands, our society members along with the members of India In Black, were ready to capture one of the most captivating sights in Delhi – Chandni Chowk. It was a memorable experience for all of us. And back at Hindu College, at 10 am, BRC was casted upon, with the society members’ photographs. At 1:00 pm, the photography treasure hunt started and one could easily find people running from one side of the college to another. And then the highlight of the second day was the Boomerang competition, themed on the famous melody of Shape of You by Ed Sheeran. Contestants were given 20 minutes to make a Boomerang and we received amazing entries, some dedicated to social causes like body shaming.

We wrapped up the last day of SNAP with hopes of making the next edition more exciting and entertaining to the young hotographers.

 

Watch the incredible work of the society in this hyperlapse video here.

Image Credits: Kanishk Nanda for DU Beat

Srishti Sinha for DU Beat

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Cultural Festivals

MLNCE’s Arthashastra Organises Annual Economics Fest

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Arthashastra, the economics society of Motilal Nehru College (Evening), organised its annual economics fest on 7th of April. This one-day entravagaza saw various colleges competing  in events such as Niti Aayog extempore, Chanakya business solution, stock guru and tycoon the youth entrepreneurs.
Different colleges participated with great zeal and enthusiasm. The department congratulated the students for their contribution in making the festival a success. The festival saw footfall of about 500 people, making it a huge success.
“Tycoon”- Be the Job Creator, was a unique platform that provided an opportunity of accelerating the development of a budding start-up idea and kick-starting itself as an accomplished venture, if you believe your ideas have the ability to make a dent in the universe.
“Chanakya Business Solution” was an event based on solving the real world business problems by obtaining extensive in-depth analysis of persons, groups and phenomenon and add strength to what is already known through previous research.
“Niti Aayog” was an extempore which called out to all those who feel that they have it in them to think on their feet, maintain their temperament in the heat of the moment and effectively articulate their points.
“Stock Guru”, the Wolf of MLNCE Street, was a roller-coaster ride of derivatives and stock-valuations where participants were judged on their in-depth understanding of the dynamics of this tremendously volatile market-place.
The event wrapped up with a vote of thanks.

Content by Arthashastra
Image Credits: Arthashastra
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Love Games? Then You’ll Never Get ‘BOARD’ of these 5 Cafes in Delhi

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Fed up of party plans every weekend? Want to do something different without leaving the city? Then you’ve come to the right place. Head to these 5 cafes in Delhi NCR and enjoy the games and food they have to offer.

Tpot

tpot

Be sure to come to this place if you’re ever in the area because Tpot Café has some great BOGO deals running – which, combined with their delicious Lebanese Chicken Wraps and Pastas – is truly a great way to spend your afternoon. Be sure to come here with friends and family, and play anything from Jenga to Monopoly to while away your time.

Cost For Two: Rs. 400
Cuisine: Café
Address: Malviya Nagar, New Delhi

 

The Colony Bistro

thecolonybistro

Come here if you’ve got a hankering for strong flavors and huge portions of food. They have rows of cupboards filled with board games and books to read, so you’ll probably end up having a great time, with or without friends. Their Chili Chicken Pizza and Strawberry Diaq will surely give you a foodgasm. End your meal with their Chocolate Truffle Jar.

Cost For Two: Rs 1000
Cuisine: Café, Chinese, Italian, American, North India
Address: Lajpat Nagar 4, New Delhi

 

Young Wild Free Café

youngwildfreecafe

A hit with the youngsters of Delhi – Young Wild Free is known for its reasonable prices, great books and fun games. The zesty food flavours can warm the hearts of even the fussiest of eaters. The thick shakes are a must try if you’re ever in the area, and a true Delhiite would sue you if you haven’t tried their Butter Chicken Pizza yet.

Cost For Two: Rs. 500
Cuisine: Café, Continental, Chinese, Italian
Address: Satyaniketan, New Delhi

 

Another Fine Day

anotherfineday

 

As soon as you enter this café, you get a warm, cosy feeling thanks to the cushy chairs, white brick walls, and the humongous collection of books and board games. This place is perfect for chilling out with your buddies while enjoying delicious grub and drinks. Besides being super affordable, their ‘Pancake Steak’ plays a huge role in enticing people to visit this café more than once.

Cost For Two: Rs. 800
Cuisine: Café, Mediterranean, Continental
Address: DLF Golf Course Road, Gurgaon

 

Café Wanderlust

cafewanderlust

As the name suggests, this café woos the traveller in you with its quirky interiors and laid back atmosphere.  The setting is such that you will probably end up spending hours playing classic board games while gulping down their specialty shakes and coffees. A special mention to their red velvet cake. It’s just out of this world!

Cost For Two: Rs 850
Cuisine: Café, Street Food, Continental
Address: DLF Phase 4, Gurgaon

 

ABOUT US:

Magicpin is a platform where users and outlets in a locality discover, interact and transact. For users, we are the one-stop destination for finding the best restaurants, fashion stores, spas, and salons in their localities. For every visit you make to an outlet, you get free cashback in magicpin points, which can then be redeemed at Amazon, Book My Show, for mobile recharges, and a lot more. 

  • Best Cashback App of the Year 2016
  • Backed by Google (Google Launchpad Accelerator Program)

Backed by Lightspeed Venture Partners (Other investments include OYO, Snapchat, Limeroad)

The app is available on the Apple Store and Google Play.
Explore the platform here: https://magicpin.in/

Image Credits: Magicpin Team

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Arts & Culture

Leaders for Tomorrow Organises Youth Festival on Social Change

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The largest youth festival on social change, DATE WITH DEVELOPMENT 2017, brought together over 6500 people and was organised on Wednesday, 5 April at Kamani Auditorium, Mandi House by Leaders For Tomorrow, a not for profit youth organisation.

Mr. Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister, Delhi addressed the youth gathered at the event, engaging them in a conversation of how the youth can be a part of development and the role education plays in achieving this dream.

Youngsters from colleges across Delhi/NCR, including University of Delhi, Indraprastha University and other private colleges came together to celebrate young changemakers. The event was based on the theme of “India 2030: Achieving Development through SDGs” and was aimed at increasing the awareness among the youth about overcoming India’s development challenges.

The festival included panel discussions and sessions on achieving the sustainable development goals by Ms. Atishi Marlena (Advisor to Deputy Chief Minister), Dr. Ritesh Malik (Forbes Asia 30 under 30 Entrepreneur), Mr. Ankit Kawatra (Founder, Feeding India), Dr. Sanjai Bhatt (President, National Association of Professional Social Workers), Mr. Martand Shardul (Representative for Sustainable Development Solutions Network – Youth in South Asia) and Ms. Ritumoni Das (Co-founder, Katkatha).

The event also included cultural displays from different states and conducted final competitions in fifteen categories, including music band performance, opportunities fair, etc.

“It is very exciting to see so many young students here today, who have voluntarily come together. This shows that the youth wants to make a difference and that we are willing to work towards creating a better world”, said Mansi Saluja, one of the core organising team members of the event.

About Leaders for Tomorrow

Leaders For Tomorrow is a not for profit youth movement aimed at awakening the social consciousness of the youth by encouraging them in volunteerism and skill development. We work in the campuses to conduct social action events and leadership programmes to create true LEADERS FOR TOMORROW.

Youth Festival
Youth Festival

Contact details:

Prabhu Kunwar Singh              Chetna Saini

9971394831                                9255667466

Email: [email protected]

 

Image credits: Leaders for Tomorrow Team

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DUB Speak

The Destructive Wave of Flawed Feminism

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It is often said that films are a representation of the real world and movie stars are very often the people we draw inspiration from and look up to. With the mass appeal they have, it is only natural to expect responsible and cautious statements from them, but a lot of times movie stars unconsciously end up saying statements which might be wrongly construed.

Mira Rajput added her name to the long list of celebrities speaking out the wrong thing. On being asked about choosing to stay at home with her daughter, Mira Rajput retorted,
“I am a housewife and wear that label with pride.” She said that her daughter Misha wasn’t a puppy and she didn’t want to spend just an hour a day with her and rush off to work.

The statement has triggered the fury of many feminists who took offence to her ‘new wave of feminism is destructive’ statement. They accused her of being regressive and having spoken from a position of privilege from where she failed to look at and understand the deeper dynamics of the circumstances under which women rush off to work and often do so to support their families. Her statement wasn’t well received and she was charged of belittling women who choose to not stay at home.

It is only human to err but all said and done, movie stars need to understand the profundity of their appeal and the influence they can have over people. As they say, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Image Credits: Mid Day.com
Akshara Srivastava
[email protected]

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Cultural Festivals

Highlights from Ullas 2017 at Kamala Nehru College

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Ullas, Kamala Nehru College’s annual cultural fest, being held on 22nd and 23rd March 2017, began with a power-packed morning. There was an air of hustle bustle, along with several attendees who gathered within the college premises to give this much anticipated fest an energetic start.

The fest was inaugurated by Ms. Shikha Sharma, the CEO of Axis Bank and accompanied by the Principal, Dr. Kalpana Bhakuni. The inauguration consisted of lighting the lamp, followed by a keynote address by the chief guest and the Principal. After the fest was declared open, a variety of cultural events were all set to take place and enthral the audiences.

The enthralling western dance competition, Indian solo and group dance competition, and Indian choir competition were amongst the most popular events on the first day. The solo and group Indian classical dance event, hosted by Nupur, the Indian dance society of Kamala Nehru College, was one of the first events wherein the audience witnessed mesmerising dances from across the nation, be it Oddisi or Mohiniattam. The Indian music society of Kamala Nehru College, Sangeetika, held the Indian choir competition, which was a treat to the ears for all those who attended this musical morning consisting of ragas and taals. A thrilling event as always, the western dance competition had the entire auditorium packed to the brim, with students cheering for the participating teams. As the teams grooved along to catchy renditions of popular songs, the performances were a major hit.

indian-folk-dance ullas-winners indian-choir western-dance-competition

Day 1 ended with three musical performances by a number of celebrities. First, Hamsa Band got the audience all geared up and had them singing along to their renditions of popular Bollywood songs. Some of these included latest hits such as “Humma Humma” as well as some nostalgic numbers like “Hum Kis Galli Jaa Rahe Hain”.

Next up, Dhruv Sangari started the Sufiana Night with dim lights and soft sounds. After his soothing performance, the day was finally concluded by a performance from the renowned Nizami Brothers, who left the audience feeling calm and relaxed after such a full day. Ullas 2017 was off to a great start on its first day!

The second day of the annual cultural fest of Kamala Nehru College, Ullas’17, started off with the incredible performances of the Western Music Choirs of various colleges in the event Rhythm and Blues hosted by Zephyr, the Western  Music Society of Kamala Nehru College. Nrityakriti, a choreography competition curated by Adagio, the choreography society of Kamala Nehru College saw the participation of DU’s most exuberant dance creations which revolved around socially charged themes.

LaVogue, a fashion show competition organised by Glitz, the Fashion society of Kamala Nehru College saw glamour, poise and style of the best kind. The warm afternoon witnessed excited spirits with the electrifying performances exhibited at the Bass Drop, the band competition. The event saw motley of genres entertaining the crowd.

The musical high was carried forward by DJ Mash and Monkey Junk with the EDM evening. With groovy renditions, the contemporary hits mixed with adrenaline pumping beats were thoroughly enjoyed by the audience.

The two-day extravaganza pulled its curtains with the charged crowd dancing to the much-anticipated Star Night with the famous singer, Jubin Nautiyal, of ‘Humma Humma Again’ fame. As Ullas 2017 came to a close, the crowd exuberantly grooved towards the culmination of an enthralling fest.

Featured Image Credits: Sahil Chauhan for DU Beat

Saumya Kalia
[email protected]

Vineeta Rana
[email protected]

Joyee Bhattacharya
[email protected]

Niharika Dabral
[email protected]

Radhika Boruah
[email protected]

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Campus Central

Day 1 at Ullas’17: A Rhapsody of Melodies

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A bundle of enthralling competitions and a string of musical charm, such was the cultural spectacle at Kamala Nehru College’s annual fiesta, Ullas!
Ullas, Kamala Nehru College’s annual cultural fest, being held on 22nd and 23rd March 2017, began with a power-packed morning on its first day. There was an air of hustle bustle, along with several attendees who gathered within the college premises to give this much-anticipated fest an energetic start.
The fest was inaugurated by Ms. Shikha Sharma, the CEO of Axis Bank, accompanied by the Principal, Dr. Kalpana Bhakuni. The inauguration consisted of lighting the lamp, followed by a keynote address by the chief guest and the Principal. After the fest was declared open, a variety of cultural events were all set to take place and enthral the audiences. The solo Indian classical dance event, hosted by Nupur, the Indian dance society of Kamala Nehru College, was one of the first events wherein the audience witnessed mesmerising dance forms from all across the nation, be it Oddisi or Mohiniattam. Raghav from Sri Venkateswara College and Suryansh from Maharaja Agrasen College shared the first position. Nimisha from Janki Devi Memorial College stood second, and Sharanya from Indraprastha University stood third.

Next in line were the riveting performances in the group Indian folk dance competition which was also held by Nupur. The performances were packed with the power of Bhangra from Punjab and the charm of Kalbelia from Rajasthan. The first position was bagged by Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College and Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College for their enthralling Bhangra performances. The second position was bagged by Nazakat, the Indian dance society of Gargi College for their ‘Badhai’ (dance form of Madhya Pradesh) dance performance, and the third position was bagged by Nrityakriti, the Indian dance society of Maitreyi College for their mesmerising Haryanvi folk dance.

Simultaneously, the Indian music society of Kamala Nehru College, Sangeetika, held the Indian choir competition, which was a treat to the ears for all those who attended this musical morning consisting of ragas and taals. The first position was bagged by Tarkaas, the Indian music society of the Institute of Home Economics, the second position was secured by Samranjini, the Indian music society of Gargi College and the third position was held by Alankar, the Indian music society of Hindu College.

The evening of the first day of Ullas had several highlights. After the Indian dance events were concluded, the western group dance event was conducted. A thrilling event as always, it had the entire auditorium packed to the brim, with students cheering for the participating teams. Misba of Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce won first place, with Verve of Sri Venkateswara College and Zeal of Maitreyi College winning the second and third prizes respectively.
Day 1 ended on a note of musical high with three endearing performances. First, Hamsa Band got the audience all geared up and had them singing along to their renditions of popular Bollywood songs. Some of these included latest hits such as “Humma Humma” as well as some nostalgic numbers like “Hum Kis Galli Jaa Rahe Hain”. Next up, Dhruv Sangari started the Sufiana Night with dim lights and soft sounds. After his soothing performance, the day was finally concluded by a performance from the renowned Nizami Brothers, who left the audience feeling calm and relaxed after such a full day. Ullas 2017 was off to a great start on its first day!

Joyee Bhattacharya
[email protected]
Vineeta Rana
[email protected]
Saumya Kalia
[email protected]

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