Image Credits: Harshit Thukral for DU Beat Akshara Srivastava [email protected] Srivedant Kar [email protected] Swareena Gurung [email protected] Vineeta Rana [email protected]]]>
In a season where vector-borne diseases are spreading like wildfire, DUB tells you how to be cautious without compromising on your fashion ideals!
Every year during this period of the year, newspapers get flooded with cases related to dengue and chikungunya in the city. As political battles are drawn with blame game and municipal authorities go on a disaster control mode against these diseases, we bring to you what all you need to know and do to stay safe.
Dengue and Chikungunya are viral diseases which are spread by Aedes mosquitos. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the primary symptom of dengue is high fever, which occurs with at least two of the following symptoms: severe headache, severe eye pain, joint, muscle or bone pain, rash, mild bleeding from the nose or the gums, small spots caused by bleeding into the skin, and low white cell count. Chikungunya symptoms include high fever, severe joint pain, joint swellings, muscle pain, head-aches and rashes. It is mostly non-fatal.
You should follow certain precautions for prevention of these diseases:
- Get plenty of rest
- Consume fluids
- Get tested immediately if any of the above symptoms manifest themselves.
- Use mosquito nets at home
- Dab on mosquito repellant before leaving home
Fashion tip: The market today is flooded with wonderfully fragrant repellant sprays and creams which can doubly perform the job of a perfume or deodorant spray - Wear long sleeves and pants to avoid being bitten.
Fashion tip: Experiment with prints like plaids, stripes, polka dots and florals in terms of long sleeve shirts. Keeping your legs fully covered need not necessarily entail boring denim jeans as palazzos, long skirts and pajamas can be viable options too! - Keep your surroundings clean, and dispose of waste regularly.
- Aedes mosquitoes – which transmit both dengue and chikungunya – breed in clean water so don’t let water stagnate anywhere in or near your home.
- Mosquitos are attracted to dark colours, so avoid wearing dark-coloured clothes.
Fashion tip: Bring out those pretty pastels and whites while you still can. Come winter, you’ll anyway be stuck with greys, blacks and maroons! - Don’t wear tight clothes, for mosquitoes find it easier to bite through tight-fitting garments.
Fashion tip: Opt for Pakistani kurtis, maxi dresses, oversized tees, sport jerseys and boyfriend jeans and make a statement while still being safe!
FEATURED IMAGE CREDITS: www.smh.com.au
Srivedant Kar
[email protected]
Kriti Sharma
[email protected]
In the last ten years, the Vayam Performing Arts Society has been steadily growing and expanding its scope, gaining for itself both recognition and experience. What began as an idea in the canteen of Delhi University’s Shivaji College in 2006 has now over 500 productions and 180 awards and special performances to its name. And Vayam’s name, a Sanskrit word that translates to “we”, carries within itself the ideas that society hopes to embody – togetherness, social empowerment and integrity.
Expanding its scope further, Vayam organized a ten-day- long confluence of varied art forms and artists in March this year titled “Malang – The Performing Arts Festival”. Taking the initiative of promotion of artists and art forms forward, the society recently staged their much appreciated theatrical production ‘Syaahi’ at Akshara Theater in Delhi.
The plot of ‘Syaahi’ is an amalgamation of three stories – ‘Gidhade’, ‘Kutte’ and ‘Sakharam Binder’ by the renowned Indian playwright, Vijay Tendulkar. It is not exactly an adaptation of any of the stories. Rather, the characters and instances of the stories have been used to carve out a script which appears to be an excellent confluence of a few extracts of these plays. The three plays are cushioned with a fictional story that runs as the plot line.
‘Syaahi’ is a fiction drawn on the canvas of factual instances. It tells the story of a budding writer whose writings are criticised, demeaned, denounced, and declared inappropriate. The writer digs up his life and brings out the darkest events to the pages. The book marks a huge success in his career and the writer emerges to be a potential source of income to the publisher. The publisher, in order to earn more profit, suggests that he pens down his own life. As the play progresses, we see him getting caught in his own writings; struggling between realism and surrealism. The writer intertwines his life and his writings to such an extent that ultimately he ends up destroying his own writings.
The actors of the play do a brilliant job of infusing authenticity and credibility into the story. Each scene of the play is intertwined beautifully to link various instances across the parallel lives of characters of the play. The entire cast including Aakash Bhardwaj, Rahul Yadav, Mansi Gupta, Akshay Tyagi, Nitesh Sharma, Ujwal Arora, Shubham Aggarwal, Sankhya Joshi and Lakshay Arora have worked for almost a year to build and develop their characters. The precision and execution of the screenplay is superlative. The smart use of concordant music and lights complements the scenes and makes the entire experience of watching the play all the more interesting and worthy.
Both the shows of the play were packed with enthusiastic spectators to an extent that there was no space to stand in the auditorium as people were sitting on stairs to watch the performance. The hall resonated with long and loud round of applause after both shows. The shades of humor, thrill, obsession and fear make this play enthralling, captivating and entertaining for the viewers. The audience moved out of the auditorium overwhelmed with the quality of theatre that they witnessed. There were words of praise and appreciation all around on the conclusion of the event as the audience and organisers were delighted with the proceedings of the event.
The highlight of the event was the promotion of social causes. The second show of the play was attended by almost 20 members of an NGO called ‘Yes! We Can’ which supports the cause of making daily life easier, accessible and enjoyable for persons with disability. It was a first opportunity for the differently abled persons present at the venue to witness a live performance of a stage play. The joy and satisfaction of attending the event was visible on their faces. Apart from this, a donation drive also formed an integral part of the event as useful material like clothes, bed sheet, books, utensils etc. were collected for the needy and handed over to ‘Kartavya – The Social Service Society of Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, University of Delhi’.
With its well established campus wing in Shivaji College, University of Delhi and professional wing based in Delhi and Mumbai, Vayam is making eminent progress to fulfill its aim to become a driver of social change by means of art. The society is also currently recruiting interested budding artists, script writers, directors, technicians and volunteers to expand its scale of activities.
Provided by Vayam Performing Arts Society
September 17, 2016, New Delhi: An enterprising group of Delhi University students today created a new world record, of making the Largest plastic cup pyramid by using 57,000 plastic cups at Thyagraj Sports complex today. The contingent of 22 students who were led by Kushagra Tayal, an Economics student from HansRaj college took 3 days to accomplish this feat. The students were cheered by an audience of about 1500 people who consisted of friends, family and other well wishers.
Speaking on his achievement, Kushagra Tayal said, “It is indeed a matter of pride for all of us that we have managed to achieve our goal of assembling the world’s largest plastic cup pyramid. What started as a dream long ago, is finally a reality today. I would like to thank each and every member of the team for the support they gave right from the planning stage till today, when we executed our project; my teachers who always believed in my vision; and of course my family who have been supportive for all my endeavours.”
The pyramid was assembled in the presence of officials and adjudicators from Guinness World Records who had specially flown in to be a witness for the attempt and also to give on the spot verification for the world record. As a token of gratitude to the audience present at the venue, the team gave a plastic cup to the audience who had gathered to witness this world record being created. The group broke the existing record, which was achieved in Mexico, using 42,935 plastic cups, which had a height of approximately 30 ft. Some members were seen getting their plastic cups autographed and taking selfies with Kushagra and other members of the contingent.
About Kushagra Tayal:
Eighteen year old Kushagra is currently a student of Economics at Hansraj College, New Delhi. A keen learner, Kushagra is an avid badminton enthusiast, who has been winner of silver medal in badminton at National School Games. Kushagra has also won a silver medal in Badminton at CBSE Nationals and is a recipient of Airport Authority of India (AAI) scholarship continuously for 2 years. The Dr. Satya Paul Award for Human Values which is highest award given by APEEJAY group at school level has been conferred on Kushagra for showing an all round performance in school. During his free time when he is not studying or playing badminton, Kushagra loves to play drums and read novels.
Provided by Nitin Narain from Mavcomm Consulting.
In an interview with Zee News, the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi insisted the news reporter to go out and interview people who dedicate their life to sports instead of interviewing him. According to him, an athlete puts in a lot of effort just to make his nation proud. Even if he fails, he doesn’t stop and keeps on practicing hard to bring glory to his nation.
Though, do we ever think what do we do in return? We often see the students who dedicate their life to sports as someone who is “always playing and doing nothing in life.” But don’t you think we are judging too soon as we pass such statements?
Sparsh Tyagi, the founder of Why Do We Play (WDWP) strongly feels that a sports person’s life is far from normal. Their life is a constant battle between the choosing their own happiness and keeping the hopes of millions people around them alive. To be at the top of their game, each day they make a lot of little sacrifices.
WHY DO WE PLAY is based on the true spirit of sports and which aims to cover the inspiring stories of nameless sports enthusiasts around us, whom we often ignore. Thus, ‘Why do we play’ is not a question, it’s a feeling!
An initiative started by 4 students who were and still are National/State level players of Cricket, Basketball and Football, they felt that people often ignore the efforts of a sportsperson till the time they win or achieve something. Since childhood we are taught that, “Winning is not everything. Participating or having an intention to compete is an achievement in its own.” Though as we grow up, this lesson fades into insignificance and is completely forgotten in the midst of competitive milieu around us.
Who knew about Sakshi Malik and her struggle before she won a medal for us? Who knew about PV Sindhu? Who knew about Dipa and her wonderful journey of gymnastics before we saw her doing wonders? Now we know about them because they won medals, what about the ones who lost and are still looking forward to work hard and make the country proud?
The Indian Team aims to provide the everyday local talents a platform where they can share their journey in sports and how including sports in their life transformed them as a human. Many of them are college students, budding to become a professional.
This is the essence of WDWP start up; it provides a platform to students who play to share their wonderful stories with the world through WDWP. Also, there is an exclusive section at WDWP website which showcases the stories of the hardship, glory and sacrifices made by these determined young sportspersons.
Shubham, core member of WDWP, said, “Students can easily relate to this concept because every college has a set of students who are always playing; who train hard to make their college proud. Sometimes they win and sometimes they lose, but they never stop working hard. They never give up. Yet, we ignore them and suddenly shower our love to them when they win. For a sports person, winning is not everything. Getting respect for their efforts is what makes them happy. They don’t even demand that respect from anyone, instead they try to earn it. Why Do We Play aims to be a platform where they can share their story with the rest of the world and get the respect that they have rightfully earned.”
For more information, visit : www.whydoweplay.com
Sahil Chauhan
The students and faculty of Shivaji College have undertaken innovation project SHC-309 – Real Time Android Application for Travel Convenience. The students working on the project belong to various courses like B.Tech., Computer Science, and Economics.
Team : Prabhat Kumar, Shuchita Garg, Himanshu Anand, Shubham Goyal, Mukul Yadav, Akash Bhatt, Shivani , Enakshi, Shreya, Hariom
Mentor: Mr. Kamlesh Yadav
B.Tech students were engaged in the development work whoch involved designing user interface, navigation drawer and filter window. Enormous data was needed for populating the app. Hence, a data collection group was formulated. They worked effortlessly to gather data across the city.
Parking has become a problem in Delhi-NCR regions, not because there isn’t much parking space in the region but because there are only a few that people know of, making it really hard for people to find parking near their destination, forcing them to park on roads and thus, sometimes restricting space for traffic flow.
USHER, the Android app developed by the students, aims to provide an integrated solution for travel convenience, with an emphasis on providing information regarding nearby parking locations, garages and fuel stations in Delhi. The application aims to allow users to filter the parking space available on various parameters such as fare, distance from destination or the user’s current location, types of parking available, and also helps them navigate to their desired parking locations. It will also provide information on public parking, that is, those under control of DMRC and Municipal Corporations, which various other applications have failed to provide. The application also helps in locating and navigating to nearby garages in case of a break down. Users can refine their search based on different parameters. Work is in progress to add fuel stations to the app.
The app can be downloaded from Google Play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shc309.usher&hl=en
Guest Post by members of SHC-309
Being queer is tough in our country. To go through the process of understanding and accepting one’s sexuality and coming to terms with it, especially when no one around you seems to be open about discussing these topics, is tough. In an environment like this, to find people around you who not only accept their own sexuality but even yours and are open to discussing it is heavenly.
It was just a few days back that I attended a gay party in Delhi with one of my friends. It was his third party and he wanted me to come along with him to put an end to my never-ending questions about how it feels to be in an environment of total acceptance. We attended a party in Green Park, and to me, it was like an undercover mission that I was a part of. In a country where LGBTQ rights are not accepted legally, to be a part of this setup, even for some time was scary. What if something went wrong?
We entered the party while I was still a little nervous, only to sink into an environment of comfort. The party had a mixed crowd – from transgender people to gay men, and lesbian women. Initially, I felt a little left out and sat in a corner nursing my mocktail and observing the people around me. It was liberating for me, a straight woman, to see to see my friend, who otherwise is a shy man and a closeted gay, to come out in the open and interact (even flirt!) with people- accepting drinks from them, exchanging phone numbers and dancing. I can only wonder how liberating it must have been for him the first time he attended one of these parties and why, even though he doesn’t like the crowd much, he likes to attend these parties every once in a while.
I was talking to some of his friends who told me that these parties happened every Tuesday and Saturday. They also told me about Central Park in Connaught Place which also hosts several LGBTQ+ events.
I was soon asked to join them on the dance floor and, for the first time in the entire 19 years of my life, was hit on by someone. All I could do was smile at her and let her know about my preferences!
Image credits: princeton.edu
Akshara Srivastava
[email protected]
I enrolled myself in a BA Sociology Honours degree in 2014, with a score of 85%. Initially I was apprehensive about the subject, but who isn’t? I hailed from a commerce background that I thoroughly enjoyed. It would be safe to assume that now I was miserable, for I had to reluctantly pursue a subject that was frowned upon for being inadequate and a sop, with ‘no future’ whatsoever. I had resigned to my fate; it was depressing to watch my counterparts majoring in conventional fields of study that the wise elderly folks considered lucrative and ‘respectable’. I envied them.
For the uninitiated, sociology is the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society. It deals with social problems and their root causes, which are often overlooked by mainstream scholars. On the contrary, these scholars stress the significance of economics and science in matters concerning individuals and society, but ironically dismiss the relevance of social studies.
My perception of sociology changed after attending a few lectures in college. The course appeared to grow more interesting with each class. We studied about class, caste, sex and sexuality, religion, kinship, the social dynamics existing in politics and economics, and many other facets of life that we typically discuss over tea. I was quick to develop a liking towards the subject, albeit detesting some particularly theoretical aspects of sociological theory. By now, it seemed to me almost absurd that people discounted this discipline.
For this reason, I thought it necessary that the public deserved to understand not only the importance, but also the relevance and scope of sociology.
MISCONCEPTIONS vs REALITY
Almost every field of study, particularly in humanities, comes with a set of preconceived notions that may discourage a potential student from opting for it. Sociology also faces the task of busting certain myths related to it:
- Despite the fact that sociology is based on predictable social issues, it is not merely common sense. Andre Beteille, a renowned Indian sociologist, expertly describes how sociological thinking and common sense differ.
- Students with lower grades are not the only ones who opt for this discipline. Sociology attracts students with remarkably high grades, as well as students who study the subject as a backup. In this way, it is no different from any other academic discipline.
- Sociology is not synonymous with social work. Social work is the practice of advocating for individuals and communities, while sociology is the study of societies and human interaction. The former does not necessarily need a degree.
- Sociology does not have undergraduate campus placements, but that does not make it a waste. Many humanities degrees offer no placements at the undergraduate level.
- Jobs are not exclusively offered to sociologists who hold a Master’s degree. Like most fields, a Master’s degree enhances your capabilities and would offer better employment opportunities, but this is not exclusively applicable to sociology students.
LIMITATIONS
No discipline comes without its shortcomings, and I do not intend on withholding crucial information that is capable of affecting life-altering changes. Here are some of the limitations of pursuing sociology as a degree:
- Sociology is an extensive body of knowledge. It consists of general information which runs through almost all fields of study. This means that a specialisation or Master’s becomes indispensable if you aim to get a high-paying job and a stable career.
- Sociology requires critical thinking. Do not opt for this subject with the expectation of acing it without first truly understanding how various societies and their dynamics function.
- Sociology is offered by a limited number of colleges, which also happen to be the best in the business. Therefore, getting into a college for Master’s can be a daunting task without putting in additional studying hours.
WHY OPT FOR SOCIOLOGY?
- It is an underrated and an underestimated field of study, which is emerging as one of the most sought-after disciplines in humanities.
- A student of sociology is bound to stand out in a crowd, for the subject provides a broader skill-set by virtue of its all-encompassing syllabus.
- It encourages critical thinking which leads to a well-rounded individual and consequently an ideal workforce.
- It offers potential for joint Honours degrees.
- It prepares you for the future. From government jobs to the corporate sector to leisurely pursuits, sociology prepares you for all tests that the education system could throw at you.
PERKS OF A SOCIOLOGY DEGREE
As mentioned previously, the vast range of the subject allows you to pursue almost every Master’s degree that involves humanities. Furthermore, sociology is a great asset in various fields of employment. These range from criminal justice and law enforcement to advertising, human resources, and leadership training. Government and private services of security, planning, and research, as well as labour rights, adoption, and child care are also areas where sociological knowledge is a coveted skill-set. Sociology is also a lucrative field in education and communication.
There is a large set of well-renowned people who are sociology graduates. One of these is Martin Luther King, Jr., who changed the way the world views civil rights. Closer home, Arnab Goswami is an example of a successful sociology graduate in the Indian media fraternity.
MY EXPERIENCE
I have come a long way from opting for sociology reluctantly to appreciating it fully as a discipline. The study of sociology has been instrumental in shaping my personality. Today, I am more sensitised than I was two years ago. I understand the subtleties underlying various social institutions and the conditions of oppressed groups. I have discovered that the personal is also political, and that being tight-lipped about social issues solves nothing. Possessing such knowledge has given me confidence in public settings where I can challenge armchair activists who talk about ‘mundane issues’.
Do not discourage students from opting for sociology, or any subject for that matter, simply based on its stereotypes or without properly analysing the facts. It all boils down to one’s aptitude, interest, hard work, and career goals.
To me, it’s not just a degree anymore. It’s my passion.
Guest post by Shreya Sankar, Janki Devi Memorial College
If you have similar stories or a love-hate relationship with your major to share with us, write to us at [email protected].
World of 100 is India’s first e-commerce website, where everything is available at only 100 rupees. “The Inspiration behind the idea is the concept of ‘Poundland’ which is a UK based retail chain which sells products at 1 pound each. I fell in love with the concept during my time in the UK,” says Sarthak Dangra, co-founder of the website and an alumnus of Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, DU.
The aim of the organization is to provide top quality products to customers at a cost which doesn’t affect their pockets. The founders, both just 25 year old entrepreneurs, firmly believe in expanding only after gaining the trust of their customer base and to gain that trust ensure that two standards are maintained throughout- first, for it to be a self-funded venture, and second, to always acquire only quality products from experienced manufacturers only.
“Our major objective is to provide value deals and great quality product at 100 INR only! We do not compromise on the quality and want to break the stereotype of cheap products are of bad quality. We have a strong purchasing team that maintains the quality and acquire products from the top-notch manufacturers. We believe in pursuing business through technology and innovation,” says co-founder Sahil Jain.
Feature Image credits: World of 100
Akshara Srivastava
Spoon University- Delhi Chapter organised Spoon Scouts 2.0: A Foodie Treasure Hunt on 31st August, 2016 at Hudson Lane. Spoon Scouts, in its second edition, saw teams who had qualified the online round braving Delhi rains to gather at the Woodbox Café for the briefing and to get their clues. The clues led them to different cafés where they had to perform activities to qualify to the next level and get the next clue. The teams started the hunt at 3.30pm.
The first cafe of the hunt for which the online clue was released was The Vintage Avenue, the clue talked about its good old feel, Freak Oreo Shakes and multiple floors. Whereas the final clue was for For God’s Cake which focussed on the desserts they offer.
Participants were seen running around in cafés, and on the road, figuring out clues and performing activities like eating Pizza with a spoon, guessing the flavour of mocktails, ice creams etc. Vanshika Agggarwal, one of the participants of the event shared her experience “Spoon Scouts was a super amazing event. We truly enjoyed the day and running from one cafe to another was worth the treasure. We are proud 2nd runners up.”
Cafes like Abongchiiz, Bakar, Spezia Bistro, Void, Yolo 21, Jack n Chill, Coalition, The Lab, Mood Swingers, Oakland, Pirates of Campus and Raw Creams were a part of the hunt. Participants included college students from different colleges across Delhi, from IP University, Amity University to Delhi University’s Kirori Mal, Ramjas, IPCW, Hansraj, Miranda, Dyal Singh among others.
All the participants went back home with goodies which included brownies, coupons from various cafes, drinks from Cocofly, special Spoon notepads and more. Four teams made it to the final round, with the Slurp and Scoop bagging the first prize. Other winning teams included Lebensmittel, Foodie Pirates and Burp and Tell.
Niharika Maggo, the Editorial Director and Operations Head of Spoon DU, said “It was a great experience seeing food enthusiasts turn up for the event even after the downpour and actually enjoy it so much. Spoon Scouts is an annual event of ours, the team really worked hard for this and the cafes were also very supportive. We are all set to spread more such foodie happiness across campus.”
Spoon University- Delhi Chapter is online food resource for the students by the students. The whole idea of Spoon is to build a community of foodies that helps you navigate your first kitchen and campus experiences. They are on a mission to make food make sense.
Guest Post by Spoon University – Delhi Chapter