Prachi Mehra, Author at DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper

Our correspondent locates the recent Pulwana incident in the larger narrative of decades of violence, and explores the infatuation of the Indian State with Kashmir, a situation which has only brought bloodshed and loss to both the natives and the army- men.

Last year I was a volunteer teacher in Kashmir for four months. In a rare moment of leisure, I once asked the eight- grade their view on the political situation of Kashmir. Interestingly, self-governance was a unanimous demand. Fascinated, I tried looking for a reason. One of them quipped, “You’re from India. You won’t understand.”

More recently, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable, part of the convoy which was attacked in Pulwama, related, “There are many who are angry. No one can carry so much explosive in a car without some local support.”

This statement, which came a day after the nation lost 49 of army men- due to a suicide-bombing by a young man when a suicide bomber named Adil Ahmad Dar, a 20-year-old from Kakapora village in Pulwama, and that too the school kid, carried within their nuanced confines strains of everything that makes Kashmir’s dilemma one of the most blood-soaked power conflicts of modern times. The accession has been a reality of the Indian Sstate which the natives could never come at peace with, and the hostility from both the parties hasve never been subtle.

Blame the Maharaja Hari Singh’s indecisiveness or the failed United Nations mediation, the two nations of Pakistan and India have ever since independence found Kashmir as a fitting bone of contention. The extensive militarisation which forms the prime concern of the various governments of both the nations have since always independence found justification and support in the narrative of Kashmir. Pakistan has been justifying it’s right over the region on the basis of the religious and ethnic similarities, whereas India found it’s right to rule in the Maharaja’s signed accession document from when while he was fleeing the violence in Srinagar post-independence. , Tthe substantial Kashmiri-Pandit population, and over the peculiar idea that Kashmir was the crown of the Indian mainland, (in a literal sense) – these are all reasons for India’s claim over the land. Having hence divided the state purely on the ideas of relentless exploitation and oppression, and reducing the state to a shareable bounty, with India taking 43 % of the total landmass, Pakistan- the other 37 %, 7% and 20 % going to China, Kashmir has been reduced to graveyards and warzones, and the average Kashmiri, to the everyday victim.
The recent incident is not a new one in its nature. Jaish-e-Mohammed had previously engineered a similar attack on Badami Bagh Cantonment in 2000. The battle-cries from our politicians on live television that we hear today, were a reality back then too.

Henceforth, one should be reminded here of the fact that whatever narrative the Hindu mainland tells itself, the majority of Kashmir does not want to be part of the Indian State. Over the years, Kashmir has never let its hostility remain concealed. In one of the most fitting examples of violence begetting violence, the killing of soldiers and the later retaliation and killing of the common people and alleged militants, working both ways, has been a general history. For every Pulwama incident is the Sopore incident, where the men in uniform killed almost 55 people. Similarly, for every encounter of the young Kashmiri ultra-nationalists like Burhan Wani, is the Operation All Out which led to death tolls in hundreds.

The recent incident is not a new one in its nature. Jaish-e-Mohammed had previously engineered a similar attack on Badami Bagh Cantonment in 2000. The battle cries from our politicians on live television that we hear today, was a reality back then too.

So this time, let us hope that the diplomats and the politicians of the two nations rise over the petty politics, understand the value of human lives on both sides of the border, in the war-torn Kashmir which becomes the common victim, and sit together and put an end to this never-ending sequence of violence. Giving Kashmir the right to self-determination, as envisaged twelve years ago in Satindar Lambah- Tariq Aziz’s self-governing council formula could be one way, and there could be many others. But one thing is for sure, a war is not one of them.

Feature Image Credits: Al Jazeera
Nikhil Kumar
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Year End

The Best and Worst of the University of Delhi in 2018-19

By Prachi Mehra May 22, 2019

From celebrity promotions, marches and protests to crimes against students, winners at international competitions and struggles to maintain funding, University of Delhi has seen a rollercoaster year. We bring you some of the highlights from this year.

The Worst:

August 2018

Image Credits: India Today Social

Dead Body Found Outside Khalsa College

On 5th August 2018, a dead body with its head and hands chopped off was found outside Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur College at 8 a.m. The police predicted the corpse to be of a 30-year-old male.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2018/08/dead-body-found-outside-khalsa-college/

Image Credits: DU Beat archives

Hunger Strike Organised By MPhil and PhD Students

A hunger strike took place on 1st August 2018 in the Arts Faculty of Delhi University. The protest was against the modifications in the M.Phil and PhD admission procedure, demands against the enforcement of the University Grants Commission’s Ordinance VI by DU were put forth.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2018/08/hunger-strike-organised-by-mphil-and-phd-aspirants-at-arts-faculty-against-admission-process/

Mahraja Agrasen website hacked
Image Credits: Maharaja Agrasen College

Maharaja Agrasen College Website Hacked and ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ Displayed

On 3rd August 2018, the website of Maharaja Agrasen College was hacked for three hours. Everyone, including the students, faculty, and the college administration were left in a state of shock by this development. The photograph of the college on the website was replaced with a photograph of stone-pelters. The hackers not only uploaded a photograph of Pakistan’s national flag but also wrote ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2018/08/hackers-write-pakistan-zindabad-on-maharaja-agrasens-website/

September 2018

girl jumps from bus
Image Credits: DTC

Delhi University Student Jumped Out of Bus to Escape Molesters

On 30th September 2018, a 19-year-old Delhi University student jumped out of a DTC bus to escape her molesters after months of continued abuse. The victim’s sister had shared the ordeal in detail, in a series of tweets.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2018/09/delhi-university-student-jumps-out-of-moving-bus-to-escape-molesters/

November 2018

dsj mourn their president
Image Credits: DSJ Media Group

DSJ Students Moaned on the Untimely Demise of Their First President

In a road accident that occurred on 4th November 2018, Prashant Yadav, a student of Delhi School of Journalism (DSJ) lost his life. On 6th November 2018, which was his 20th birthday, a public condolence meeting was organised by the students DSJ at the Faculty of Arts at 4 p.m. The students paid tribute to Prashant Yadav, who was considered the backbone of the “Stand with DSJ” movement.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2018/11/dsj-students-remember-their-first-president/

December 2018

delhi-school-of-economics
Image Credits: Delhi School of Economics

Phone Snatching Escalated to Stabbing

A PhD student of Delhi School of Economics was attacked by unidentified phone snatchers on 2nd December 2018. The incident took place late night at the Naala Bridge at Patel Chest Institute, North Campus, which is in close vicinity of Maurice Nagar Police Station, New Delhi. A robbing attempt by bike ridden perpetrators escalated into violence, and the victim was stabbed in the back multiple times, with a knife.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2018/12/phone-snatching-escalates-to-stabbing/

January 2019

cvs
Image Credits – DU Beat archives

Gun Pulled Out in Broad Daylight at CVS

A gun was allegedly pulled out during an altercation between some students at the College of Vocational Studies on 28th January 2019 around 1:30 p.m. The police had to be called to control the situation. Our source informed us that two third-year students are said to be involved. The gun was pointed to the Central Councillor of the college union.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2019/02/gun-pulled-out-at-cvs-campus-in-broad-daylight/

March 2019

delhi univ
Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU Beat

DU’s Proposal for Funds Rejected by MHRD

A proposal put forward by the Delhi University Administration for Rs 5000 crore for the construction of a few buildings for the use by the University was struck down by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. The issue of funds crunch was raised by the DU administration at various platforms, but the money that it had already was not spent by it and was returned to the University Grants Commission.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2019/03/dus-proposal-for-seeking-funds-rejected-by-mhrd/

M.Sc Dept Press Conference
Image Credits: M.Sc Mathematics Department, DU

Mass Failure in DU: M.Sc and Other Departments Organised Press Conference

The M.Sc. Mathematics Department, as well as other departments, organised a press conference as a result of the poor administrations and blunders made by several departments in the evaluation of papers. More than 90% of failing patterns were drawn up from various departments. The rechecking and revaluation processes accumulated 3.18 crores in the past three years.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2019/03/mass-failure-in-du-m-sc-mathematics-and-other-departments-organise-a-press-conference/

April 2019

delhi univ
Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU Beat

Delhi Government Stopped Funding of 28 Colleges

Owing to failure in the constitution of their governing bodies by Delhi University (DU), Delhi Government stopped funds to 28 DU colleges. Manish Sisodia directed the Finance Department to stop the funds, which amount to INR 360 crore annually, over what he termed the “deliberate and mala fide attempt to delay formation of governing bodies”. He believed that with no governing bodies, there was no way to keep an eye on the colleges’ functioning.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2019/04/delhi-government-stops-funding-of-28-du-colleges/

The Best

September 2018

NSIT
Image Credits: NSIT

NSIT Granted University Status

After a long period of 2.5 years, the central government finally approved to grant University status to Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology (NSIT) on 27th September 2018. Now running as a university, NSUT has the autonomy to revise curriculum, create its own Academic Council, and fast-track administrative decisions. The University will remain answerable to the University

Grants Commission.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2018/09/nsit-granted-university-status/

October 2018

Nishtha Dudeja
Image Credits: Zee News

Delhi University Graduate Nishtha Dudeja Won Miss Deaf Asia 2018

Nishtha Dudeja, a twenty-three-year-old commerce graduate from Delhi University, won the Miss Deaf Asia 2018 title, being the first ever Indian to have won any title at the Miss Deaf World Pageant. The pageant held its eighteenth edition recently at Prague, Czech Republic.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2018/10/delhi-university-graduate-nishtha-dudeja-wins-miss-deaf-asia-2018-title/

October 2018

Image Credits: Mahi Panchal for DU Beat

The All-Night Protest Staged by Pinjra Tod

Starting at four in the evening, members of Pinjra Tod gathered at Faculty of Arts on 8th October 2018 with several self-made posters displaying messages like ‘LSD- Lockup, Safety, Dhoka’ and ‘Tod do taale’ (break the locks) to stage a protest against privatisation of education, accessibility, and equitable education.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2018/10/lsd-lockup-safety-and-dhoka-inside-pinjra-tods-all-night-protest/

Image Credits: Enactus

DU Colleges Dominated the Enactus World Water Race

Six out of the top 12 and three out of the top four projects shortlisted for the World Water Race belonged to India, more specifically the University of Delhi. The Enactus World Cup was held from 9th to 11th October. World Water Race is a competition that recognises and mobilises Enactus teams and their projects tackling the water and sanitation crisis.

FurtherReading: https://dubeat.com/2018/10/india-dominates-the-enactus-world-water-race-six-out-of-12-projects-belong-to-du/

gita gopinath IMF
Image Credits: Livemint

DU Alumna Appointed Chief Economist of IMF

Dr Gopinath is a B.A. (Hons.) Economics graduate from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, who later pursued a Masters in Economics from Delhi School of Economics. She was the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University, then appointed as the Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). She succeeded Maurice Obstfeld.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2018/10/du-alumna-appointed-chief-economist-at-imf/

December 2018

DSJ meets president Image Credits: Mohammad Ali

DSJ Students Table Their Grievances Before Former President

Despite a slew of vociferous protests and agitations by the students of DSJ, most of the promises touted by the administration were never fulfilled. Intending to bring the protracted tussle between the students and the DSJ administration to a close, Mohammad Ali, a DSJ student and NSUI youth politician, submitted a petition to Pranab Mukherjee and Kapil Sibal.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2018/12/dsj-students-table-their-grievances-before-the-former-president-and-kapil-sibal/

January 2019

amrita rao
Image Credits- Akarsh Mathur for DU Beat

In Conversation with Amrita Rao

On 23rd January 2019, Amrita Rao got candid with DU Beat about her life, career, and the industry, when she visited Conference Centre, North Campus along with her co-star Nawazuddin Siddiqui to promote their film ‘Thackeray’.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2019/02/a-tete-a-tete-with-amrita-rao/

February 2019

Increased seats
Image Credits: Tribhuvan Tiwari for DU Beat

Increased Seats for Economically Weaker Sections

The DU administration decided to implement and increase the economically weaker section (EWS) quota by 25%, leading to 6550 more seats across all colleges. This plan shall see that the new academic year will have 6550 more seats for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

FurtherReading:https://dubeat.com/2019/02/increased-seats-for-economically-weaker-sections/

March 2019

Miranda House Appoints New Principal
Image Credits: Odisha News Tonight

Miranda House’s New Principal Takes the Seat

After successful completion of Dr Pratibha Jolly’s tenure as Miranda House’s Principal, Dr Bijayalaxmi Nanda takes the seat. A professor of Political Science and Gender Studies in the College, holds a Master of Arts (MA) degree, a Master of Philosophy degree from Delhi University and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2019/03/miranda-house-appoints-new-principal/

April 2019

Image Credits: Pragati Thapa for DU Beat

Student Groups, Women from DU and Across the Country Marched for Change

On 4^th April 2019, women across all ages, religions and social classes came together to voice their collective dissent against the current government and their propagation of a politics of violence and hatred. Prominent student groups present in the march were members of Pinjra Tod, Women Development Cells of Lady Shri Ram College, Indraprastha College and Miranda House. Students expressed concerns regarding women’s representation in politics, condition of minorities, etc.

Further Reading: https://dubeat.com/2019/04/women-march-for-change/

Feature Image Credits: Mahi Panchal for DU Beat

Prachi Mehra

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

Casual Sexism in Jokes and Not Being a Femi-nazi.

By Prachi Mehra March 28, 2019

Instead of speaking up against sexist jokes and locker room talk, it is now easier to remain quiet and be passive partners, read more to find out why this is incorrect.

Today’s times have made us realise how problematic things have been normalised by us knowingly and unknowingly. Sexism being one such thing has been so intrinsic to human nature and thus reflected in our actions. One such action involves humour. Men have now created a ‘safe space’ for themselves in each other’s company where this sexist humour is found. Where this is not considered offensive, where they can make fun of serious issues like MeToo, where they can objectify women in their locker-room conversations.

Whatsapp forwards are now a common source to pass on wife or girlfriend jokes. These jokes go beyond being funny or light-hearted because under this garb they persist ideas like how scary or controlling women are, how men are mere sheep in front of them, how everything in the household is a “woman’s domain” and so “men should stay away from it”.

While the society becoming aware has helped us all come forward, now these ideas are simply better hidden underneath the façade of being a woke boy. These jokes, of several kinds, have the same underlying idea- sexism. Many people have often responded to this view of mine with a sound of annoyance. Seeing me as “feminist girl” which is now equated to someone who “cannot take a joke” or “will start off”. This annoyance then develops into a retreat as given the environment around such issues people prefer refraining themselves.

A friend of mine on seeing my bio on Instagram (I though understanding Math was tough, then I saw men struggling with consent) remarked, “oh, you’re the feminist types, I should stay away from you yaa”. On another occasion, a friend shared how while making her Tinder account she deliberated whether writing ‘Feminist’ in her bio would reduce those who swiped right. Sanjula Gupta, of Kamala Nehru College, says, “It’s high time that we realise these aren’t just jokes, they display our mindset and perpetuate centuries-old misogynistic ideas and stereotypes which have been used to discriminate against women.”

Image Credits: Catchnews — Image Credits: Pinterest

But what shuts down other people from speaking up? Apart from the reactions social pressures also play a strong role. Often boys standing up to this are said to be weak or face social boycott. The ideas of masculinity and societal expectations often prevent men from speaking up. Initiatives like ‘Man Enough’ by Justin Baldoni try to sensitise individuals towards this toxic masculinity. This idea is yet to make an impact to bring down such super-structures like patriarchy, but we can see this as a start.

We can often find these wife or girlfriend jokes being discussed at family get-togethers where no regard of what children will learn is taken into consideration. This can have grave impacts in terms of what he or she grows up to think. These jokes are not funny. These jokes are not to be enjoyed in secrecy. These are simple regressive thoughts being expressed under the garb of humour.

Humour can be true humour only when it does not grow from putting someone else down, comedians like Hasan Minhaj or shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine have set a precedent to this. Beyond this, I encourage and applaud every other person who despite these responses has spoken up and stood by these values. Until the day where this invisiblised sexism does not exist, I will continue to disassociate from such problematic individuals, I will clap the loudest when a Feminist theme comes up in a Parliamentary Debate. We will not laugh at a sexist joke to fit in.

Feature Image Credits: Huffington Post

Shivani Dadhwal
[email protected]

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Miranda House

Miranda House Appoints New Principal

By Prachi Mehra March 28, 2019

Miranda House bids farewell to Principal Pratibha Jolly and welcomes the new Principal.

Miranda House, one of the most reputed colleges of University of Delhi, appointed its new Principal, Dr Bijayalaxmi Nanda. She was previously a professor of Political Science and Gender Studies in the College and holds a Master of Arts (MA) degree from Utkal University, a Master of Philosophy degree from Delhi University and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D) from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

Dr Nanda belongs to the state of Odisha and has written books including Human Rights, Gender and Environment, Sex-Selective Abortion and the State: Policies, Laws and Institutions in India, Discourse on Rights in India: Debates and Dilemmas and several other renowned books.

Articles authored by her include Cinderella Goes to School, Girl-child Education in India, Does the Girl-Child Count? and Census and Other Stories. She also coordinates a self-funded initiative called Campaign Against Pre-birth Elimination of Females from the year 2002.

Dr Nanda on talking about feminism in a video by Centre for Social Research said, “Feminism to me is personal, is political. It is about an equality consciousness, where we involve men, boys, and anyone around us to bring about an equal world.” She is also a part of feminist research and activism.

Dr Nanda is the awardee of Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) Doctoral Fellowship, given by the Teacher’s Excellence Award by DU in the year 2017. On speaking to Petals in the Dust she remarked, “Even at a very early age I was alert to inequalities perpetrated in terms of class, caste, gender, ethnicity, age and other hierarchies… I dreamt of being a bureaucrat like my father and to be able to bring about changes in the lives of people through creating an enabling policy environment.”

Feature Image Credits: Odisha News Tonight

Shivani Dadhwal
[email protected]

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Campus Central

Delhi University to Implement Several Changes in the 2019-20 Admission Procedure

By Prachi Mehra March 20, 2019

With early registration, de-linking of sports and ECA admissions, reduction in slack for stream change, and usage of CBSE’s database for mark sheet, the aspiring DU students could look forward to a much-simplified experience.

Delhi University (DU) will open the admission portal for the academic year 2019-20 on 15th April, which is much earlier than what was normative in previous years, when it started in the month of May. The registrations will close on May 7, giving the students a shorter duration for filling in their forms, thereby, perhaps limiting the number of applications.
In another novel step, the portal will be reopened on 20th May for students to update their marks and course, and make amends in case of any mistakes. This had been a long-standing demand of students, and previously too, the university had received many grievances about the same.
Rajeev Gupta, who is the chairman of the admission committee, and also the dean of students’ welfare, made public the schedule on Friday.
Besides, the varsity will also restrict the number of times applicants can change courses or colleges during the process of admissions. That number is not known at the moment, but there will be updates on the same soon. Allegedly, it was the principals throughout DU who suggested these changes for undergraduate admissions.
Earlier, on changing their stream, the students faced a five per cent deduction in their best-of-four. The university has now reduced it to only two per cent, making it much easier for students to get enrolled in the course of their choice.
Another much talked-about topic when it comes to admissions in DU is the Sports and Extra Curricular Activity (ECA) quotas. Here, the students who have sufficient skill and certificates for the same, give trials and are ranked accordingly to secure admissions in colleges. Up till now, these trials were a part of the main admission procedure and were linked to cut-offs to some extent, if not completely. Now, the admissions for Sports and ECA will be held separately and will be de-linked to the main procedure completely. The admissions to candidates under this section will begin on 20th May.
All the affiliated colleges, barring St. Stephen’s College and Jesus and Mary College have the combined admission process.
Another thing that DU is trying to do differently is to contact CBSE to use their database, so the colleges could get the students’ mark sheet directly, which would result in ending the practice of submitting the many certificates, and also any chance of forfeited documents.
Colleges will be required to include representatives from various categories such as SC, ST, OBC, EWS, northeast, in their grievance committees, the varsity said. With DU implementing the EWS quota, more seats are expected to be added this year.
With so many things to look at, DU Beat suggests all aspiring students to continually keep track of the changes that are being made, and update their documents accordingly. DU’s official website along with other media houses must be visited regularly for early information and updates. While filing the online admission form, double or triple checking all information will ensure that students don’t have to worry about correcting the information later. Gap year students must have an affidavit and a fresh character certificate ready. ECA and sports category aspirants must also keep checking their schedules and venues of trials.
Rest assured, it can be said that the admission process this year will be much smoother.
Maumil Mehraj
[email protected]

Feature Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU Beat.

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Offbeat

Freeing the Nipple from Caste, Colonialism, and Culture

By Prachi Mehra March 8, 2019

We attempt to unearth the history of criminalisation and censorship of women’s bodies.

A bra is one of the many things that societies have imposed upon girls by tricking them into believing they need
it. Reach puberty and a girl’s nipple is perceived to be the most censored object in the universe. Regardless of how blazing the summers are, it’s imperative for the members of the “fairer sex” to cage their breasts. A 15-year study done by Jean-Denis Rouillon, a sports science expert from the University of Besançon, refutes the widely held notion that bras help retain the healthy structure of breasts; another study done by the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Brazil found that wearing a bra for several hours is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. This isn’t a rant against bras (they have their own perks), but against the notion that has made them a sartorial compulsion owing to societal dikkats.

British Brought Blouses

A look at old Indian sculptures or paintings will tell how bras weren’t a part of the Indian culture, our art often
depicts women as topless. Evidence from history suggests that the visibility of the breasts was not equivalent to its
sexualised showcase. But this cannot be used as extended evidence for our progressive nature in the past.

Bandana Tewari, Editor-at-Large of Vogue India, writes, “I think the idea of nudity being sinful came with the Abrahamic religion. Not just in India, but if you look at pre-Abrahamic cultures anywhere in the world, like the Mayan civilization and the Egyptian civilization, bras didn’t exist because the breasts were not seen as objects of titillation. That’s a relatively new phenomenon.”
Brahmins Imposed Nudity

In the book Indian Fashion: Tradition, Innovation, Style, Arti Sandhu wrote that Jnanadanandini Tagore, a social
reformer who invented distinct styles of draping saris, was denied entry to clubs because she covered her breasts
with her saris alone. These facts show how the concept of covering up isn’t as inherently “Indian” as our desi aunties
would like us to believe.

In Southern India, during as early as the 19th century, women from lower castes weren’t allowed to cover their breasts, and to do so they had to pay Mula Karam or breast tax.
In the book Native Life in Travancore, writer Samuel Mateer mentions over a hundred taxes that were levied on the
lower caste population; breast tax was one of them. It was because of Nangeli, an Ezhava woman, whose sacrifice
removed this unjust practice. The folklore around her says that Nangeli covered her blossom and refused to endow the breast tax. When an officer came to her doorstep and demanded the tax, she cut her breasts and gave those to him. She died the same day from her injury, but her act sparked protests that soon led to the removal of Mula Karam.

Today when urban women (most of them upper caste), post topless photos online with populist hashtags like
#FreetheNipple, inspired by a campaign that originated in America, we often conveniently forget how an entire section of women were forcefully kept bare-breasted. The blouse, choli, angadis, or kanchuks weren’t for them. So with this history, one can’t help but feel a sense of irony as urban women of the upper castes denounce their upper garments. Embracing toplessness, thus, suggests an appropriation of DBA women’s lived experiences, and may even be viewed as a negation of their history of oppression.
Reclaiming our Anatomy from Hypocrisy
According to Lina Esco, Director of Free the Nipple, the topfreedom “highlights the general convention of allowing
men to appear topless in public while considering it sexual or indecent for women to do the same and asserts that
this difference is the unjust treatment of women. The campaign argues that it should be legally and culturally
acceptable for women to bare their nipples in public.”
Women’s bodies are sexualised all around us. Censorship regulators are fine with airing hate speeches, gruesome murders, and films that objectify women, but the moment a nipple from the female body comes into frame, screens go black. The feminists aren’t demanding billboards of topless girls to be plastered everywhere, but they are seeking to absolve the taboo attached to female nipples. This taboo further translates to girls being conscious and ashamed of their bodies, and promotes needless censorship.
Adam Lavine’s bare-chested performance at the Super Bowl halftime this February brought back the memory of the Super Bowl halftime of 2004. Named as the infamous “Nipplegate”, it referred to the performance where Janet Jackson’s breast was exposed by Justin Timberlake due to a wardrobe malfunction. Following the incident, Janet was heavily shamed for a nip-slip that wasn’t her fault. Jackson’s singles and music videos were banned by Viacom, MTV, and Infinity Broadcasting. This was a major backseat for her career. Even after giving lengthy explanations and apologies, she continued to be boycotted. At the same time Justin Timberlake went on to have his career and could afford to even joke about the incident. If this isn’t unfairness, then a rational mind wouldn’t know what is.

The feminist battle cries of “burn the bras” might seem very first-worldish and unrelatable in a county like India,
but the effect of these fights will be seen years from now when things like breastfeeding in public, or enjoying the
rain without fearing a translucent t-shirt are normalised.

Feature Image Credits: Katie Vijos

Niharika Dabral
[email protected]

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Beyond the Obvious of Delhi University Colleges

(Mis)information and Us

By Prachi Mehra February 22, 2019

In today’s time when all of us literally have the world in our hands, a dangerous effect of the same chases us.

We are living in times when information is floating all around us. We are all surrounded by a plethora of data that envelops us in its grasp. With the coming of the ‘smart’ phone and development of plenty of applications, individuals often find themselves at the centre of this ever growing storm.
What is truly scary is the fact that the phrase ‘little knowledge is dangerous’ is too much in play in our present context, especially in this generation which relies heavily on phone applications for information. What we, sadly, don’t realise is that the information that we gain from the internet is not always authentic and that the applications that condense news in a few sentences can at times have harmful effects.
One of the worst effects is that our knowledge gets too limited. And with this limitation, the retention of data/information in our minds gets lower. We read less and we remember even lesser than that. It doesn’t have to be a negative thing necessarily but considering how most one of us aspire (or claim) to be ‘aware’ citizens, the phenomena definitely has the scope of pulling us down. A third-year English honours student from Daulat Ram College goes so far as to say, “I personally don’t like to go through newspapers. It takes a lot of time. So I choose which kind of news I want to see and read about it on my phone.” Fair enough. You choose what you want to see. But is that enough?
The misinformation effect, which results into an inaccurate account of a past event due to post-event memories comes into play as we swipe/scroll over the screen of our phones while reading news. Most of us prefer to filter out stuff that we want to see/read about. But this effect would make sure that our memory remembers things only haphazardly, and in pieces and bits.
To be ‘aware’ citizens, therefore, it is important to dive deep into the waters of information and news and though it might not be possible for everything we read, we might at least try to read whatever interests us in depth. Floating on the surface can lead to burning under the sunrays.

Feature Image Credits: Research Live

Akshada Shrotryia
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The Auburn Umbrella

Auburn Umbrella: Styling Stoles in Everyday Fashion

By Prachi Mehra February 22, 2019

Stoles are inexpensive, light and easy to carry which work with almost every outfit.

Here are a few ideas to add stoles in your everyday outfits.
1. Kurtas– The classic Delhi University wardrobe can be easily enhanced by adding colourful, light and gorgeous stoles to it. So, next time wear those Kurtas, wrap a colourful stole around your neck and let it work its magic.
Auburn Tip: Use printed, colourful and contrasting stoles with plain kurtas and plain stoles with printed Kurtas to enhance your look.
2. Sling Bags– Add spunk to your boring beige sling bags by tying a colourful stole around the strap and creating uber cool street style fashion.
Auburn Tip: Use this style specifically with summer cotton gowns or dresses for a simple casual day out in the sun.
3. Hair Accessory- Stoles can easily be used as bandanas or tied around pony tails and buns so, channel your inner retro looks by adding statement scarves to your hair and fashioning your outfit further.
Auburn Tip: A simple colourful bandana in your hair with an all-black outfit would work wonders for a club or party night.
4. Indo Western– Pairing your favourite palazzos, long skirts and crop tops and shirts now seems boring? Innovate the outfit by adding contrasting scarves and experiment with the Indo-Western looks.
Auburn Tip: Loosely leave the stole around your neck rather than wrapping it up to give a more casual daily-wear vibe.
5. Use it like a shrug– Wrap the stoles around your shoulder over a tank top or spaghetti top to accessorize boring and bland everyday outfits.
Auburn Tip: Get the chick look using a stole with tassels to create a contemporary, inexpensive and beautiful shrug.
Feature Image Credits: Fashion Buzzer
Sakshi Arora
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Offbeat

Are the Students of Delhi University Ready to Swipe Right?

By Prachi Mehra February 15, 2019

Find out the popular opinion of students on Tinder and if it can help you find love?

While school life is usually lived in a bubble, college opens our avenues and outlooks. One such outlook is on relationships. We realise dating in school was much different and most of us open up to the prospect of finding a special someone. Being in the University of Delhi, with the upcoming fest season and the dreaded Valentine’s week, puts the thought of wanting to be with our sweetheart even more to the forefront.
One way to achieve that goal, is through Tinder. Most of the students we spoke to suggested that ‘curiosity’ was one of the major reasons to join Tinder, with the slightest possibility of finding someone worthwhile, while others named ‘insistence by their friends’ or being ‘bored’ as reasons. The beginners are apprehensive to join it because of the fear of being ‘seen’ by someone they know or the perpetual haunt of their parents finding out.
Diya, a student from Kamala Nehru College says, “Most people do not expect anything and just try it out to see what is so great about it?” This resonates with most of the reasons for joining Tinder- its hype. Online dating, and not just Tinder, does raise the question of safety and trust. Before swiping, individuals have to try and judge the character of the person with just a bio and few images. Sanjula, another student of Kamala Nehru College responds, “There are certain risks, of course, to online dating as a whole, but if you use it judiciously, and cautiously use what is given, then why not?”
While there are a variety of experiences people have had, on talking about bad experiences, there is no denying that some people do make crass and awkward ‘moves’ which can often be very upsetting and unsettling. I feel that is the biggest red flag for your army of cupids to retreat. There are instances when conversations receive insensitivity and entitlement to a response.

Discussions on finding love and not being lonely run on parallels with Tinder. One cannot negate the possibility of the former because there are also people who have discovered partners with a mental and emotional connection. While relationships are not an answer to loneliness, the experience of putting yourself out there and meeting new people can make one feel less lonely. As the student of Delhi University, Yashika says, “It may not be a guarantee but in this millennial age, why not?”
Moving on to the idea of casual flings, something Tinder has frequently been associated with; it has led to a notion
where people are mutually free from commitments or ties, free to explore their sexuality, or simply add some
spice to their lives!

Lastly, casual or serious, strings or no strings, younger people are opening up to the complexities of human relationships and their likes and dislikes, just make sure one does not hurt someone else on this journey and respects boundaries. In today’s time, people have the liberty to mutually and consensually decide the rules of their own relationships. So go on and swipe!

Feature Image Credits: Dating Scout

Shivani Dadhwal
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Cultural Festivals

MojoJojo Closes Day 2 of Tempest 2019

By Prachi Mehra February 15, 2019

Day 2 of Tempest witnessed different society events taking place and closed with the EDM night.

Day 2 of Tempest 2019, the annual cultural fest of Miranda House witnessed a refreshing hustle-bustle as the day started with a perfect weather, as opposed to the weather conditions prevailing the first day. The day witnessed different societies conducting their competitions.
Vivekananda Society, Miranda House organised three events judged internally by Mrs Aastha Kalra, Mrs Nidhi Gupta, Mrs Nisha Balatyagi, and Mr Raj Verma Singh. The first competition was Essay Writing on the topic- “How pervasive are racism and sexism among youth,” and saw participation by 17 participants. Ananya Reddy and Umang Bhadauriya from Miranda House won the first and second prize respectively while Sniti Raj from Kirori Mal College came third. The Open Mic saw different genres of poems and stories being recited by 12 participants. Harshita and Upasa from Miranda House came first and second respectively while Astha Deepaki from Lady Shri Ram College and Vallary Shukla from Miranda came third. The competition of Impromt story making on the Topic- “you are stuck for 45 min in a lift” saw participation by 4 teams. Team from Ramanujan College won this event.
Shama Kohli Conventional Debate Competition was organised by The Debating Society of Miranda House. It saw powerful bilingual debates by 14 teams on the topic- “This house regrets the narrative of logic and science to interpret the world.” The event was judged internally by Nanda Ma’am, Vice Principal, Miranda House and Mrs. Meeta from the Economics Department of the college. The title of Best Interjector were awarded to Sukhin from Keshav Mahavidyalaya and Siddhartha from Hindu College. The second best Speaker for the motion was Abhipsha from Daulat Ram College, while the Second Best Speaker against the motion was Adit from Kirori Mal College. The Best Speaker For the motion was Yukta, Jaypee and the Best Speaker Against the motion was Abhipshita, Sri Venkateswara College. Second Best Team was Daulat Ram College and Shyam Lal College while the title of the Best Team was given to Shree Ram College of Commerce.
Anukriti, the Hindi Dramatics Society of Miranda House organised ‘Izhaar’, a stage play event after four years. Amongst preliminary rounds between 27 competing team, 6 teams made it to the finals. The event kicked off with ‘Three Tall Women’ the annual production of The Ariels, the English Dramatics Society, followed by SRCC’s annual production ‘Anidra’ and Anubhuti, the Hindi Dramatics Society of Sri Venkateswara College’s annual production ‘Kolahal’. After the break, ‘Fourth Wall Productions’, the dramatics society of Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies presented their annual production ‘Bhunde’. The event ended with Leher, the dramatics society of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce’s production ‘Mahua’ and Hansraj dramatics society’s play ‘Word of Mouth’.
The Quiz Society of Miranda House organised the Annual Rachita Dasgupta Quiz on the 14th and 15th of February. On the 14th, Ashish Singh conducted an Open General Quiz which was followed by an Eco-biz quiz. On the 15th, quizmaster Anukriti Rai conducted the Open Mythology quiz which happened in two rounds. The winners were Novoneel and Riya (first place), Amlan Sarkar and Ria Chopra (second place) and Shivan and Antariksha (third place).
After the break, the final leg of the event, the Indian cinema quiz kicked off which resulted in Ankur and Ayush winning the first place and a tie in between Amlan, Paliwal and Kartik Puri, Tushar Anand.
The Day 2 of Tempest 2019 came to an end with an exhilarating performance by DJ Mojojojo. He performed some of his famous mixes like ‘Sapne’ and also played the famous track ‘Udd Gaye’ by Ritwik. The audience grooved to the tunes of his enthralling showcase. The crowd then peacefully dispersed.

Feature Image Credits: Akarsh Mathur

Sakshi Arora
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Jaishree Kumar
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Aman Gupta
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