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KMC Students Claim NASA Plaudit

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – an organization dedicated to space exploration, organizes various competitions to engage and retain students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). NASA’s Lunabotics Mining Competition is an attempt to serve this purpose. The challenge for students at university level is to design and build an excavator called Lunabot, which can mine and deposit a minimum of 10 kilograms of lunar stimulant within 10 minutes. The complexities of the challenge include the abrasive characteristics of the regolith, the weight and size limitations of the Lunabot, and the ability to telerobotically or autonomously control the Lunabot from a remote mission control center.

Around 50 teams from all over the world are contending for the coveted trophy, the ‘Joe Kosmo Award’. KMC Lunabotics Team of Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi is ready to give a tough fight in this competition. Kirori Mal College will be representing India and it is the ‘only’ non-technical team participating in the competition, which is a matter of pride for India and DU.

The KMC Lunabotics team is a group of 29 highly dedicated students from the field of Physics and Engineering, who aspire to participate in the NASA’s fourth annual Lunabotics Mining Competition (LMC), to be held at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA, in May 2013. In this highly acclaimed International Competition, participation is inarguably sought out by the most Elite Institutions in the world. The students of Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi are being mentored under the guidance of the department staff advisor, Dr. Sumitra Mohanthy and the team is being led by the most eligible and experienced participant Anubrata Saha. Over the years, Kirori Mal College has also participated in prestigious global competitions like the NASA Great Moonbuggy Race where the team came out with flying colours by winning the “System Safety Award”. Furthermore, last year at the 3rd annual Lunabotics mining competition the team bagged the “Best Initial Design Award”. KMC was amongst the final teams, ranking 7th among 60 teams of various reputed universities from different parts of the world. It was a moment of pride when KMC was declared the best Asian team at NASA.

This time, the team has decided to go a step further and compete on a more challenging yet realistic scale. KMC Lunabiotics Team is going autonomous this year, which means that the bot will be able to maneuver through the lunarena itself .The LMC does not only provide assiduous students with a platform to display their expertise in the field of science and technology, but will also help enhance their creative prowess and aptitude.

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Campus Central

Celebrations Result in Lathi Charge

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Congress’ student wing NSUI (National Students’ Union of India) made a clean sweep at the DUSU polls on Saturday 15th September by winning all three top posts of President, Vice-President and Secretary. After the results were announced, the losing side (ABVP activists) started pelting stones at the ABVP office, broke through the tight security and barricades. Subsequently, Delhi Police had to lathi charge the gathered ABVP activists while they shouted anti-Congress slogans and demanded the recounting of votes. ABVP suspects something fishy behind the counting of votes.

ABVP isn’t satisfied behind the counting process as they alleged rigging in the elections and staged protest at the DUSU Office breaking the windows and destroying the DUSU Office property. “Everything was done with calculated planning and even the DUSU officials made sure that NSUI wins. Congress MPs Depender and Bhupender Singh Hooda were seen at 6 am on campus. We were even given a deaf ear and thrown out of the DUSU Office when we demanded recounting” said Rohit Chahal, regional leader, ABVP.

Some students who were injured were taken to Hindu Rao hospital while some students who were critically injured were taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre. “It’s not about winning or losing the polls. It’s about the way Delhi Police reacted when our students demanded recounting of votes. I hope DUSU officials look into the matter and do the needful.” said a disappointed Vijay Goyal, BJP Leader.

The ABVP has also called for a bandh across the University to protest against these alleged malpractices during  counting of votes.

 

Picture credits: Sawdha Singh and Aishwarya Chaurasia

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Arts & Culture

The Doppler Effect

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The Doppler Effect is one band whose chords resonate with the sound of the youth. With their inception on 21st October 2010, the band members, Ashwin Nayar on lead guitar, Akshay Johar on bass guitar, Sherry Mathews on lead vocals and Suyash Gabriel on drums, initially came together to pour some new life into classic rock, with a pinch of their own elements. Adding some funk, hard and progressive rock to familiar tunes, this band rose to meteoric heights at quite an early stage.

After a whirlwind of a first week, they were called to perform at various occasions such as the MUN (Model United Nations) at BITS Pilani and for DU college fests such as Woodstock- SRCC and at Harmony- St. Stephen’s college in early 2011. They were also spotted at The Gig Week, Delhi’s first live music appreciation summit where talented bands took to the stage and performed for an enthusiastic audience.

The Doppler Effect was one such band, receiving tremendous appreciation for their well-deserved work. “They don’t play the usual clichéd music. It sounds more on the lines of new age funk, with a rock music base. That’s what makes the band stand apart from the rest,” says Nolina Mishra, a student of LSR College who worked with the organisers of The Gig Week and got an opportunity to hear their performance. Apart from this, The Doppler Effect was runners up and had a special mention for best performance at The Open Mic night held at The Living Room Cafe, Hauz Khas Village. Owing to their stupendous rise to fame, the band has received prizes at various competitions. Accolades such as best band, best bassist, and best drummer at MDI have been given to this talented group. The band also came first at the CHANNEL [V] Launchpad Prelims held in Delhi, making it to the finals and finally playing at Goa. Their most recent success story has been at Emergence 2012, held at Lemp Brew Pub and Kitchen in Gurgaon, where they defeated The Incredible Mindfunk and Grammy Winning Effort and bagged a staggering Rs. One Lakh for their brilliant performance.

“The finals were nerve wracking, but there was an optimistic vibe which we all shared. We were energetic on stage and managed to convey the up-beat energy not only to the audience and audience but to each other as well” said an ecstatic Syuyash Gabriel, drummer – TDE. Talking about their future plans bassist Akshay Johar said “We are currently recording our single ‘Believe’ which should be up online very soon. The album will be worked on during the course of the next few months.”

Parth Sharma
[email protected]

Vishakha Darbha
[email protected]

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Kirorimal College

KMC Professors Agitated over Showcause Notices

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The struggle by Kirori Mal College’s students and teachers against the VC and KMC Chairman Baleshwar Rai; and in support of their suspended principal, Dr. Bhim Sen Singh has developed into extensive protest marches and dharnas. The KMC Teachers’ Association has been staging a dharna for two days to oppose the functioning and “authoritarian decision making” of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dinesh Singh. The association issued a statement on Thursday, lamenting the manner in which Prof. Dinesh Singh has been handling the protests and especially showcause of two teachers. They also demanded for an autonomous and impartial body that would decide on the whole suspension issue.

“The DUTA executive condemns the autocratic manner in which the university administration has attacked teachers’ rights to protest, as evident in the case of the letters of the university registrar of 1st August 2012 and, subsequently of the acting Principal of Kirori Mal College to the teachers, denying the right of casual leave,” reads the official statement issued by KMC. DUTA has demanded for withdrawal of the showcause notices against post-holders of the staff-association. It further states the “attack on the staff association is an attack on DUTA. Therefore, DUTA demands immediate withdrawal of showcause notices against office-bearers of the staff association. DUTA shall not tolerate this continuous attack on our right to protest and will resort to direct action unless the letters are withdrawn.”

On being asked the acting Principal Dr. S.P Gupta about the showcause notices that were issued, he said that he had no idea about how all this happened and he did what he was directed to do by the VC. He never meant to suppress and undermine the rights of the Teachers’ Association.

All the teachers and students now require a permission slip to meet the new acting Principal in his office and entry without permission won’t be allowed. Students have not been attending classes as they have been active along with the teachers to stage protests and dharnas. A few students from the hostel were summoned and asked to end their protests and dharnas. There is agitation among students and teachers because the results of some of the university courses have still not been declared, the University recently announced some new fundamentally flawed Meta Courses, the M.A admissions are still not complete (the examinations being in November); and VC Singh is trying to focus on other trivial things like issuing showcause notices to teachers for no rhyme or reason.

 

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Kirorimal College

KMC Principal’s Suspension Causes Uproar and Protests

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The Principal of Kirori Mal College, Dr. Bhim Sen Singh was served a suspension order by the College Governing Body on 1st of August 2012 at 11:15 AM, soon after he leveled corruption and molestation charges against the college’s Governing Body Chairman, Mr. Baleshwar Rai, who is also a retired IAS officer. The decision was taken on the same day itself, in a meeting held with some members of the College Governing Body at the VC’s Office at 9 AM. The intense uproar and commotion among students and teachers of Kirori Mal College lead to a protest march to the VC Lawns. About 500 students along with the teachers staged a protest against the illegal and elitist functioning of the Delhi University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dinesh Singh and Mr. Baleshwar Rai. Subsequently, Dr. S.P Gupta who was appointed as the Vice-Principal by the Governing Body will function as the ‘acting principal’ of the college now.

The KMC Staff Association demanded an immediate withdrawal of the suspension order issued to the Principal which was probable because of his involvement in the anti-semester demonstrations and ‘mass-absenteeism’ on the first day of college of Semester II. They also called for suspension of the Chairman of KMC Governing Body in the light of his undemocratic behavior and the seriousness of charges of misappropriation of funds and molestation. The KMC Staff Association also abolished all charges of ‘mass absenteeism’ against themselves and the college Principal.

Students of Kirori Mal College along with their teachers who were fuming with rage also staged a protest against the two aforementioned, in front of the VC façade. To add to their fury, the Vice-Chancellor and his officials maintained a distance from the protestors. “SP Gupta, who has been made Principal, had been censured by the governing body. This is how you promote ‘goonda-gardi’ in a college,” says Dr. Bhim Sen Singh. KMC teachers amicably proposed to its members to go on a mass casual leave for the next two working days in protest against the “illegal decision” taken by the Governing Body “at the behest of the University”. But the right to take casual leave has been denied to the teachers of Kirori Mal College through a “Registrar-issued Letter”. Dr. Sudipto Ghosh (President, Staff Association) and Rudrashish Chakraborty (Secretary, Staff Association) have been served show-cause notices.

 

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Beyond the Obvious of Delhi University Colleges

Kirori Mal College

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Beyond the obvious of-

Kirori Mal College

Credits: Additi Seth

It’s been two years for me in this college and trust me, when I look back I feel so exhilarated and honoured to have been a part of this esteemed institution. Undoubtedly, all the credit goes to my ultra-supportive teachers, ECA conveners and of course our Principal who has been supervising the ECA and academic functioning of KMC since 1999.

I could easily say that KMC has the best ECA scene in Delhi University. The Players is an esteemed theatre group that has made its mark at the national level. You’ll see intense actors from The Players all around college practicing day and night, directing plays, writing scripts and cracking jokes that would surely make you laugh. You would see people from Musoc jamming together, composing fusion songs and singing songs for students (on demand). Then there are people from Fine Arts sketching beautiful sceneries on the last page of their notebooks in seconds; and the photographers clicking pictures that are meant to be uploaded on their FB photography page. All this, together seems like an extravaganza, a carnival robed in smiles and limitless chilling around with folks.

In terms of infrastructure as well, college has lived up to my hopes. A sprawling and lovely Ashoka lawn right in front of the main college building adds to the college’s grandeur. The Commonwealth practice area is a ground for the footballers, cricketers and hockey players to hone their sporting skills and the college gym has all the latest IFBB approved equipment.

The college also has a fine line-up of teachers (and mentors) in north campus for the most sought-after courses like English, Economics, Statistics, Commerce, Geography and Mathematics: Geography and Statistics departments being the best in Delhi University. The recently constructed classrooms with projectors and well-furnished classrooms, state-of-the-art laboratories, common rooms and an elegant seminar room are a big hit among the students.

Much to the extent of my expectations, I got everything I had been looking for except for the auditorium which is in a primitive and broken state. The canteen could seem a little untidy, but the food is strikingly sumptuous and pocket-friendly. If you’re a Kirorian then you have to know Tingu Ji, who now is the unofficial college motto. He has been providing ‘not-so-easily-available’ goods and amenities (which I’m sure my fellow friends will understand) to the college students since more than 40 years.

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