Pinakita Gupta, Author at DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper

The annual fest of the Mass Media and Mass Communication department of Indraprastha College for Women – ‘Parampara’ was held on 3rd March and went on till the 8th. A national seminar was held on the 3rd comprising of several well known panelists from the media industry. The discussion comprised of two sessions, the topic for the first session was ‘New Challenges before Media in Democracy’. Mr. Anurag Batra, CEO Exchange for Media group was the chairperson as well as the keynote speaker. Amongst others were Sangeeta Malhan, former journalist and author of ‘The TOI Story’ and Anjali Bhardwaj, co-convener people’s RTI campaign. The topic for the second session was ‘Reporting from Conflict Zones’ and Kishalay Bhattacharjee, a former NDTV reporter of the Naxal movement was the chairperson. Preeti Mehra, associate editor of The Hindu and Ajith Pillai, former Correspondent for The Outlook were the speakers.

The second day comprised of the student session which was chaired by the head of the department and Principal Ms. Babli Moitra Saraf. The topic was ‘Attitude of Media towards Nascent Horses in Politics’. Students presented on this topic and the session was enlightening. The topic was mainly interpreted in the AAP context and how media built their image.

In the second half of the day, several competitions were held. VJ Hunt was judged by RJ Abhilash from Fever 104 FM. The 1st prize went to Khyati Sharma and second to Sampada Jagga. Q-Mat, the quiz competition was won my Netijayata Mehendru and Arzoo Bhel.

Apart from these, the photography competition, Frame Politik had two themes Market and Emotions. The 1st prize in the Market category went to Sahil Ali and the 2nd prize was won by Abhishek Gupta. In the Emotion category, the first prize went to Akanksha Chitkara and the second one went to Sakshi Jaiswal.

Mise-en-scene, the movie screening event was inaugurated by the celebrated documentary writer Mr. Anand Patwardhan and his film ‘Jai Bhim Comrade’ was screened on 5th March, followed by an interactive session with him. 2 p.m. on wards, films made by students were screened. The fiction category was won by LV Prasad College and the second Position went to National Insititute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). The Non-Fiction category was won by Jamia Milia Islamia and second prize went to I.P. College. On the Spot film making was won by JIMS, Vasant Kunj.

The event ended with a talk by Mr. Nagesh Kukunoor and the screening of his film ‘Laxmi’ on 8th March. Having faced trouble with the censor board and being forced to delete many scenes and dialogues, he wanted his film seen uncut before it gets released in theatres. So he came to IPCW to get his message across to students. The movie was about a young girl Laxmi who was sold by her father and how she gets over hundred people caught by testifying against them.

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Kirorimal College

Mika Singh performs in a packed field at Kirori Mal’s fest

By Pinakita Gupta March 4, 2014

Mika Singh performed at Kirori Mal College’s annual fest Renaissance 2014 on the 4th of March.

But as expected, Mika was a total crowd pleaser. He started the concert with ‘Mast Kalandar’ and went on to sing all his hit numbers like ‘Gandi Baat’ and ‘Saavan Mein Lag Gai Aag’. Like always, he wore sun glasses even after dusk and was completely in his loud Punjabi element. He inculcated the college name in all of his songs and sang medleys instead of full songs. The crowd merrily danced throughout the concert.

Like every other guest night, people poured in and every inch of the ground was covered and the star performer was fashionably late. Security was lax and not even ID cards were checked before granting entry. However, the organisers did have special enclosures for girls to ensure their safety. Even while the concert was on, pepper spray was sprayed in several areas which had people running helter-skelter with burning noses and teary eyes. The rowdy crowd eventually got to him too and he started asking people around the stage to move back. People took off their shirts and flung them in the air towards the stage, threw bottles and even rocks. Mika scolded quite a few students for acting in an inappropriate manner and for being disrespectful. He even discouraged smoking.

However, the concert in itself was a success, the sound system was great and the crowd enjoyed a great deal.

Image Credit: Sakshi Jaiswal

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Indraprastha College for Women

Shivaji College’s street play ‘Bas Samajhne Ki Baat Hai’ wins at Shruti ’14

By Pinakita Gupta March 1, 2014

The second day of Shruti 2014, Indraprastha College for Women’s annual cultural fest saw many events like Debate, Dumb Charades and On-the-Spot Mobile Film Making lined up. One of them was Chauraha, the street play competition. All the top colleges including LSR, Hansraj, Khalsa participated in the event.

The event was disrupted due to heavy rains but nothing could dampen the participants’ spirits. The competition recommenced at a different venue after the rain subsided.

Chauraha was judged by Dr. Anupam Pauchauri and Mrs. Durga Sharma from the National School of Drama. Shivaji College’s street play Bas Samajhne Ki Baat Hai bagged the first prize while Gargi College’s Joota won the second position. JMC was awarded the popular choice award for their street play Gunaah Hai, Par Saza Nahi which focussed on the treatment of a rape survivor.

Another unique contest on Day 2 of Shruti was the Wall Painting competition. Students from Arts Faculty got a certificate of appreciation and a cash prize worth 3000 rupees as they were unopposed. They painted the wall in shades of grey black and blue and made it look beautiful.

Image Credit: Sakshi Jaiswal

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Indraprastha College for Women

Sri Venkateswara’s Verve bags first position at Shruti 2014

By Pinakita Gupta March 1, 2014

One of the most popular events of Shruti, Indraprastha College for Women’s annual cultural fest on its second day was Wacky Feet, the Western Dance competition. A total of twelve teams participated in the event including Hansraj, ARSD and GTBIT. Sri Venkateswara College’s Dance Society Verve bagged the first prize while Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce and Northern India Engineering College were tied at second place.

“Venky showcased new styles as compared to others and had the best body work. Also, they used fewer props and danced more” said Manju Sharma, one of the judges of the event, when asked what made Venky stand out. Later, the competition was disrupted by rains and the venue was shifted to the Sports Hall. “Rains worked in our favour as it’s easier to dance on a wooden floor,” said Charlie of Venky.

Wacky Feet was followed by Battle of Bands. The event was judged by Dr. Manchong and Mr. Malcom. Nine bands participated in the event and Clouds for Clay won the first position. In spite of bad weather conditions, the events were well organised and successful.

Featured Image: Charlie of Sri Venkateswara College’s Verve / Image Credit: Sakshi Jaiswal

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Miranda House

Arijit Singh at Tempest 2014: Of melody and madness!

By Pinakita Gupta February 22, 2014

Arijit Singh performed in Miranda House for their annual cultural fest Tempest 2014 and delighted the crowd with an amazing performance. While the college authorities tried their best to limit the number of people entering by entry-by-passes-only procedure, fake passes, policemen, uncontrollable crowds and bouncers seemed to have surrounded the college today.

The college banned entry after 3 PM as mentioned in the passes, but students (with or without passes) relentlessly lined up outside the gates hoping to get in. The authorities were strict enough to deny entry to its own students as well after 3 PM. But in the process to control the numbers, participants and performers were kept waiting outside as well. At around 4:30 PM gates had to be opened for cars to enter. But along with the cars came hoards of students trying to seize their chance to get inside. Bouncers tried to stop them, police bared lathis and several students got injured and some had to be rushed for the medical care. Even though they succeeded in closing the gates and keeping out many students, eventually the authorities gave up and opened entry to one and all – anyone with or without a pass or even a college ID for that matter could now enter the college premises.

However, once the performance began, the crowd had the time of their lives watching Arijit Singh perform live. He opened with ‘Tum Hi Ho’ from the movie ‘Aashiqui 2’ and went on to sing all his famous numbers including ‘Raabta’ and ‘Dua’. The performance lasted for an hour and a half but the crowd seemed more than satiated. “It was so good that even in this crowd the songs touched my heart and I had goose bumps,” said Amishi Sindhwani from IP College for Women.

Image Credit: Greta Khawbung for DU Beat

Complete Tempest 2014 coverage here | Visit the Tempest 2014 Facebook Album here

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Small Screen

TV Show Review: Catching Season 7 of Big Bang Theory mid-way

By Pinakita Gupta January 31, 2014

The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady and is currently in its seventh season. It premiered in December in India on Zee Cafe and is halfway through.

It is based on four socially awkward scientists each with their own quirks. The sixth season ends with Howard and Bernadette happily married, Leonard out on a sea voyage, heartbreak putting an end to Raj’s selective mutism, Amy still in love with Sheldon and Sheldon as his usual annoying but hilarious self! The seventh season starts with Penny dealing with Leonard’s absence and their daily lives follow suit.

The latest season takes a break from romance and relationship troubles which were the central theme of the last two seasons and turns its focus back to Sheldon’s eccentricities which is a breath of fresh air. The comedy is great and the end will leave you laughing. There’s no trouble in paradise when it comes to Leonard and Penny and its fun watching a different side of their relationship. Raj can now talk to women without being drunk and that adds a whole new dimension to the program and makes it entertaining. This season also sees greater involvement of Stuart who was otherwise seen occasionally.

The eleventh episode ‘The Cooper Extraction’ is one of the best episodes. Sheldon leaves for Texas for a day and the rest of them imagine how their life would’ve been had they not met Sheldon. The scenarios created are rib cracking and will leave you in fits of laughter!

The Big Bang Theory delivers everything it promises and more. It continues to be a great show cast with interesting characters having amazing comic timing and a good script to compliment them. Each episode induces smiles if not laughter. It is a good watch and a treat to Big Bang Theory fans. It definitely leaves you asking for more! You can catch it on Zee Cafe every Sunday at 1:30 pm.

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DU Dhaba

Food Review: SodaBottleOpenerWala

By Pinakita Gupta January 7, 2014

Sodabottleopenerwala is a new Parsee restaurant that has opened in DLF Cyber Hub, Gurgaon. Not only does the restaurant have an insanely catchy name, it also has great food to its credit. The décor transports you back to the old Irani cafes of Mumbai- black and white tiled floor, jars of homemade cookies on the billing counter and plastic floral printed table covers. The walls are adorned of humorous Parsee sayings and the overall look of the restaurant is quite unique.

food review 1 — imagecourtesy:livemint.com

The chicken/mutton berry pulao is a must have. With its tender juicy meat pieces and dried berries, it is definitely a treat. It is one of those few rice dishes that do not require any condiment to go with it. The Patrani macchi is another delight, it comes wrapped in banana leaves and the fish melts in the mouth. Salli Murg is nothing but chicken on a bed of fried potato but is definitely one of the tastiest things on the menu. However, vada pav, synonymous with Bombay street food is a disappointment. It was dry and over spiced.

Sodabottleopnerwala has a very interesting item on its menu called khade chammach ki chai. It’s exactly what the name suggests, as the tea comes with the spoon stuck at a 90 degree angle. And it is stuck because of the enormous amount of sugar in the tea. But there’s a catch- Finish the tea and you don’t have to pay for it!

Unfortunately, this place does not have much to offer to vegetarians. An already small menu shrinks even further the moment you delete the meat options. But since the restaurant is fairly new, hopefully the menu will soon expand, offering wider choices to both vegetarians and non- vegetarians. The prices are towards the higher side and the quantities are relatively small. A meal for two will cost about 1500 rupees. Having said that, the food is mouth watering and very different from what we usually get in Delhi. New and unique flavours, good ambience and a great location, sodabottleopenerwala will definitely give you a run for your money and is a must visit.

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Offbeat

Offbeat Careers: Social Media Management

By Pinakita Gupta August 6, 2013

A social media manager is responsible for monitoring and posting to all social media outlets as well as interacting with and growing a company’s audience. The ultimate goal is to raise awareness of the brand, company, product or a person online while driving traffic online, offline or both. Depending on the job, a social media manager is typically associated with brand building through Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, MySpace and corporate blogging.

We all know how important word of mouth is, and social networking is like word of mouth on steroids. As a business, it’s vital to tap into and join online conversations not only about your brand, but also those about your competitors, your industry and your areas of expertise.

Even if you haven’t launched an outbound social media strategy, it helps to keep a pulse on what people are saying — good or bad — about your company, competitors and major trends. And, by representing your company in a positive, authentic way, you can build credibility for your expertise and business and link to customers and prospects quickly. You can also help mitigate damage should negative conversations about your company emerge by quickly responding to complaints.

Also, contrary to popular belief social media management is not only about management but also writing and analyzing. It is an amalgamation of journalism and advertizing. It offers a career in creating content in multiple places, such as a blog, Twitter, a Facebook page, etc.; monitor and scan the views, decide what comments to approve, and respond to replies on these sites, scanning Twitter followers for conversations you may want to join, or checking your RSS reader subscriptions for relevant articles and new ideas. Checking Google Alerts to see when and where your business is mentioned on the Web and creating and monitoring a community and topics on a site such as Facebook or LinkedIn

However, social media management in India is still at a nascent stage and not many colleges or institutes offer it as a course. Having said that, there is a lot to explore in this sector and understanding social media at the root level is enough to kick start your career. A lot has to be learned and figured out on the job. Getting internships at a digital advertizing firm or an online news publication is the best place to start if someone is interested in a career in social media management. Nirali Hingwala, the Content Head at SocialSamosa.com, a website catering to Indian Social media news says, “Initially Social Media Management doesn’t pay off well, because its still evolving, there is lack of good talent in this field with no proper training as the discipline is still not taught in the Indian universities. There are only private courses.”

It’s a great time to break into a social media career. The importance of social media is becoming clear to more companies every day. This means social media managers are in high demand and the market is wide open.

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DUB Speak

A Summer in Canada!

By Pinakita Gupta July 11, 2013

After 18 hours of air travel and a completely messed up body clock, a breath of fresh air is like heaven and when it’s in a country like Canada you can’t help but feel elated. The car ride from the airport to home was my first introduction to Canada. I landed at 7 30 pm at Pearson International Airport, Toronto in broad daylight. The sun doesn’t set before 9 30 pm which leaves you with a false feeling of 6 pm!

Even though Toronto isn’t a city with a checklist full attractions but it still has plenty to offer. The Lake Ontario spreads endlessly over acres, mesmerizing and beautiful. The sunlight reflects off the water and changes the water’s colour to various shades of blue. One of the more popular tourist attractions is The CN Tower; the second tallest building in the world offers a spectacular view of downtown Toronto and the Toronto Island. The CN Tower opened the EdgeWalk in 2011, an amusement in which thrill-seekers can walk on and around the roof of the main pod of the tower at 356 m (1,168.0 ft). It is the world’s highest full-circle, hands-free walk. However, people are harnessed and it is safe. Nonetheless beware! Your heart will be in your mouth.

Montreal is a French speaking city, second only to Paris, situated in the province of Quebec. One step into the city and you get transported to Europe. It is a miniature Europe in America. The same narrow cobbled streets, road side cafes, street artists and exorbitantly expensive food! Archaic buildings, churches and souvenir shops are the three most common sights one gets to see. The highlight of the city is Notre-Dame Basilica. The church’s gothic revival architecture is among the most dramatic in the world; its interior is grand and colourful, its ceiling is a collage of deep blues and decorated with golden stars, and the rest of the sanctuary is a polychrome of blues, azures, reds, purples, silver, and gold. It is filled with hundreds of intricate wooden carvings and several religious statues. It’s beautiful and a must visit. However if you don’t know how to speak French, you’re in for a tough time because even cult brands like McDonald has its menu written in French!

‘The’ place to go to when visiting Canada is definitely The Niagara Falls. They are 165 feet high and 2,600 feet wide. The combination of the height plus width is what makes them so spectacular. It is a sight to die for and a living proof of how nature can be stupendous. The Maid of the Mist is the boat tour of Niagra falls. The boat starts off at a calm part of the Niagra river, near the Rainbow falls, and takes its passengers past the American and Bridal Veil Falls, then into the dense mist of spray inside the curve of the Horseshoe falls. The impact with which the water falls is so great that the spray generated is blinding. The view from the boat is unparalleled and absolutely nothing can match up to it. Standing so close to the falls, listening to the roar of the falling water with the spray drenching you, the experience is out of the world.

The town is also known for its night life and has tons of casinos. The place is surely a gambler’s delight!

In terms of food, the variety this country offers is not even funny. Food maniacs will find all cuisines ranging from fast food, Greek, Mexican, Afghani, steaks, Mediterranean, Chinese, Korean, Japanese and of course Indian. Toronto has a whole street called Jerard Street dedicated to Indian food which has everything from south Indian food to biryanis. The street even has a ‘pan ki dukaan’! The shop has that exact same Indian feel, tiny shop, sweaty man making pan asking you if u want gutka in it! The street is like a little India in Canada.

There is no concept of home cooking there. Everything is available packed, tinned or frozen. However, food is not cheap but quantities sold are massive.

Canada is pretty as a picture and inhabits people who are way too polite. Be it a waiter or a cop they would begin by asking how you are even if the cop wants to fine you! Unlike Indians, Canadians are over enthusiastic helpers. Pedestrian is the king and no matter where you cross the road from the traffic will stop for you. Every coffee shop, mall and restaurant has unlimited free Wi-Fi. The air is supremely fresh and the country clean. Spending a month in Canada spoils you. The pollution, traffic and the filth of India hits you in the face. But as the saying goes, there’s no place like home!

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News

DU website crashes leaving students anxious

By Pinakita Gupta July 3, 2013

Delhi University declared the results of May/June 2013 examination for several courses on 2^nd July. Twelve courses had their results announced leading to several hundred frenzied students logging on to the DU website to check them. Unable to handle the traffic, the site crashed. ‘The web page is not available’ is all that the students saw and no amount of hitting refresh helped.

“The fact is unless you check the result in the middle of the night when the traffic has thinned out, you shall be stuck up for at least forty minutes on the site.” said a disgruntled Rahul Sharma of Venkateshvara College. Since the declaration, the site has been continuously crashing and the problem still continues.

Rahul’s statement was reaffirmed when students reported on our Facebook post that after continuous trials that went in vain, few students were able to check the result at around 4 a.m. Once the normal traffic on the website came back, so did the crashing problem.

It is ludicrous that the website of one of the top universities in the country cannot even handle one fourth of the students it admits logging on to its server. The site definitely needs reform.

Update: The Delhi University result portal is now active. You can check your results here: http://duexam.du.ac.in/RSLT_MJ2013/Students/List_of_Declare_RSLT.aspx

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