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Need for Counsellors in Educational Institutions

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The following article addresses the lack of counsellors in educational institutions as well as the perils of untrained counselling.

Counselling isn’t a recent concept, nor is it restricted to any particular sphere of life. One may come across counsellors in hospitals, work places, sports complexes and many more fields. With time, the stigma against mental health too has been evaporating appreciably, encouraging more and more people to seek guidance and counselling. However, an area which significantly requires professional counsellors are educational institutions, be it schools or universities.

One’s personality starts developing very early during their childhood. In fact, the most formative years of a person are their childhood. With regard to academic pressure or the need for socialisation in school, every individual responds to their environment differently. Very often, as children, they tend to lack the ability to express their worries to other adults- basically parents and teachers, who may not entirely understand the gravity of their problems. A child requires a safe space to be comfortable and discuss what goes on in his or her life. With schools being the primary environment after their homes, counsellors in schools provide that safe space. It is not just young children but also particularly adolescents who require this outlet for venting their emotions.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had made it mandatory for all schools to have counsellors in faculty. However, a very small percentage of private schools actually follow this mandate. For obvious reasons, the situation in government schools is far worse. What is even more interesting is how, very often, schools appoint teachers in faculty with degrees in sociology to act like counsellors for students. Now, what they fail to recognise are the serious perils that untrained counselling can cause. Therapy or counselling is not an easy process. A counsellor’s job has a large impact on the lives of his or her patients. They may have pure intentions in mind but in practice, untrained counselling can adversely affect the mental health of vulnerable children for the worse.

Especially among adolescents of the current generation, Gen-Z, with growing impact of social media and societal expectations, the need to feel accepted and understood grows stronger. So often teenagers avoid therapy because of several reasons including lack of trust. It is in these situations where the skills of good teachers and counsellors play a vital role. Teachers in schools should be able to recognise and reach out to “troubled” students, allowing them to understand the severe need for counselling. A good counsellor establishes trust and a non-judgemental platform for venting feelings and learning to cope with them.

Moving on from schools, universities and colleges too are in a dire need for trained therapists. Most colleges, particularly government funded like the Delhi University, have student mental health societies at best. These societies work towards knowledge dissemination and often invite professionals for seminars. While the initiative is highly commendable, the lack of chronic professional help may leave the students helpless and hopeless.

While we have made efforts in establishing the seriousness of mental health among students particularly, it is high time we take action to provide spaces for these students to seek help as and when required. As famous psychologist, Abraham Maslow, once quoted “in any given moment, we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.” Let us allow ourselves to take that step forward and not look back.

Featured Image Credits: Nami.org

Aditi Gutgutia

[email protected]

 

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Campus Central

Of Appropriation and Tokenism: A dive into the GirlUps of DU

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Beyond the Glitz of Charity and Equality, lies the corporate culture-ification of social service, where Insta Digits hold greater value than Impact, misinformation prevails, and the crimes of establishment remain unchallenged.

In my Freshman Year at DU, canonically as a rebel-tired-of-societal-obligations, enthralled by the hunger to usher a change in the patriarchal and chauvinistic ideals that run the world, I found my haven in Girl Up. Within the four walls of Inclusivity, Intersectionality, Impact, and UN Affiliation, I discovered my abode until I witnessed each one of them crumble to the ground of status quo appeasement.

In order to uphold absolute respect for and safeguard the identities of the sources, their respective Girl Ups will be kept anonymous throughout the report.

The Official Website of the Organization states that GirlUp is a girl-centered leadership development initiative, focusing on equity for women in spaces where they are unheard and unrepresented. Idealistically, an organisation such as that would have resulted in tremors of change within the societal structure and standards. However, on account of the absence of the same, GirlUps fail to endorse that despite holding a beautiful core belief. Within this report, an attempt has been made to analyze the issues about them by surveying DU students, who either are or have been part of the initiative.

While the UN initiative, at its core, focuses on transforming the lives of the underprivileged and advancing Gender Justice, their local chapters are provided with a target of 5 projects within a year, the completion of which would provide them with certifications from the UN, and so, their foreground turns into Social Media awareness. Social Media, albeit an impactful tool, is restrictive, and when combined with underdeveloped ideas, could often lead to the contrary results. Similar was the case when, a GirlUp from a reputed North Campus college, posted about how Imane Khelif had failed the gender eligibility test, while in fact, the test results were never revealed. And while DU societies are known for their secularism and separation from religion, the aforementioned GirlUp posted stories celebrating the inauguration of the Ram Mandir of Ayodhya, depicting an unwarranted appeasement of the prominent status quo.

The activism, “conveniently, focused at favouring the status quo, also depicts an appropriation of cultural icons”, was quoted by one of the sources, further stating how the GirlUp of their college, curated a post for Dalit History Month, focusing more upon Mahatma Gandhi, while little was discussed of the renowned icon, B.R. Ambedkar. Another person recalls how, in the aegis of a project titled Manorama, centred upon the lives of marginalized women, their GirlUp created videos of awareness, however, the representation was affixed on people from privileged backgrounds, antithetical to the core of that project.

The Five Project policy restricts their participation to mere play of Social Media, and so all their resources are directed towards social media management and garnering the required views and numbers, to an extent that the Social Welfare aspect of the projects takes a backseat, fading into oblivion. 

“The Certificates are promoted as ornaments of the CV, and become a primordial tool to encourage people to join, often in ways similar to affiliate marketing tactics”

claimed a source who held a core member position at two GirlUps. 

Thus, Tokenism in the guise of Activism gets promoted, and so even when members join in with an ignited sense of bringing a change, the vicious cycle of likes and follows traps them into its ploy.

A combined effect of the same is short-term projects, the long-term impacts are overlooked, in attempts to be one step closer to the UN certification, a ‘brownie point’ on the CV. The projects thus turn into half-baked attempts given the time crunch and limited resources that need to be employed to cover 5 such projects year long. 

“..for a project, we collaborated with the Robin Hood Army and a GU chapter, (and unlike RHA) the GU kept stating the need for certificates, in the absence of which their members would not show up.”

recalled another student about their experience with  Girl Up, indicating how “passion gets eroded, and Social Media numbers take over.”

“During the Pujo, when all the organizations I was affiliated with, allowed a short leave, the Girl Up I held a Position of Responsibility at, refused.’

divulged a member of a reputed GU of South Campus, elaborating upon how the workload situation spirals deeper,

 ‘…and when I was severely ill for a month, instead of being accommodating, I was compelled to take up projects, and attend hours long meeting over petty issues that could be solved over chat.”,

Adds one student reflecting upon how an organization that emphasizes upon the prioritization of mental health, conveniently forgets the same; often creating obstructions in the professional, and otherwise, life of the members.

The parable of the mismanagement runs profound, a staggering specimen was presented when in a GU, a core member  was removed from their position over disorderly conduct; however, along with them, the person who brought the incident to light was also suspended on the grounds of agitating out of spite, 

“..the anonymity I was assured was disrupted, it was turned into an IntraSoc gameplay, and while discussions with both the parties involved were held, I was removed without even a 30 days deadline.”,

exhibiting how the organization failed at both a professional and personal ground.

GirlUps at its core, starts as a medium to generate change in the world, however, in the midst, it undertakes a trajectory of first-world charity; oblivious to the intersectionality and struggle, a route towards becoming a multilevel market tactic of UN certification, a place that largely deviates from its core principle. Per Contra, quite like how the United Nations tries to project a certain optimism for humanity, on a rampant retrospect, GirlUp is capable of bringing about the change that it aspires to see, given it actually works for it.

Read Also: What is the cost of my dissent 

Featured Image Credit: Google

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Features

DU Beat 21 Under 21: Trailblazers of Tomorrow (2024)

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From time to time, we come across talented and awe-inspiring individuals who deserve their stories to be told. So, here is to 21 such amazing individuals who have achieved great feats in their lives before even tasting the 21st year of their life.

Tarun Jindal

Hailing from Chandigarh, Tarun Jindal is a B.Com. Honours student, CA Finalist, and President of 180 Degrees Consulting Club at Hindu College, University of Delhi. Having worked with esteemed organisations such as Dhwani Rural Information Systems, UNDP Malaysia, India Accelerator, and Infolso, Tarun is a high-impact achiever and go-getter, who believes in seeing every hardship as a source of inner fortitude and every failure as a test of perseverance. Their consistent commitment to making a difference in the lives of those around them has resulted in tangible social impact, particularly in the fields of healthcare, gender justice, and education.

Kartik Chauhan

A driven start-up enthusiast, Kartik Chauhan is a student at Hindu College and founding member of Delhi Smart Protein Project (DSPP), a project under the aegis of the Good Food Institute to stimulate open-access research, entrepreneurship and climate action through food technology. Recently, he received a full-coverage scholarship to attend the Good Food Conference in San Francisco, USA in recognition of his achievements and contributions. At Hindu College, he in also the President of the Entrepreneurship Cell, leading a 50 member team, and conceptualising, and spearheading the rebranding of the Cell to encourage a ‘builder-centric’ approach to innovation. His other achievements include being a part of Ripen’s first invite-only Entrepreneur in-Residence program, and having built a ‘feedback marketplace’ that was selected in the W22 Batch of GSF Accelerator. With their passion for technology, he are looking forward to turning his own project into an actual start-up soon.

G Brinda

A third-year History Honours student at Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR), G Brinda has a passion for policy-making, social work, consumer behaviour, and research. They serve as the General Secretary of Youth India Foundation (YIF), leading 50+ interns at state level and guiding 250+ college chapter members, having founded the LSR, Gargi, IITM (IPU), and Hindu College Chapters of the social entrepreneurship platform. They are a compassionate and empathetic leader, who imbibes this ethos in every position of responsibility that they diligently pursue, including but not limited to State President at the Kerala Impact Consulting Council under WICCI, Content Head at the Global Youth India-Israel Forum, and Editorial Head at Prakriti LSR.

Anshu Narwal

A research-enthusiast and dedicated social volunteer, Anshu Narwal is a student of economics and mathematics at Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR). A district-topper and school-topper since their school years, Anshu has furthered their interest in academia by undertaking two impressive research projects in collaboration with professors from esteemed institutions such as IIM Kashipur and IIT Delhi. Their research interests lie in the critical topic of ICT Adoption and Inclusive Growth, addressing issues that are fundamental to our society’s development. Additionally, they are passionate about the fields of psychology and social work, serving as the Project Director for Project AASHA, facilitating workshops on hygiene, unsafe touch, and mental health.

Nirmanyu Chouhan

A Hindu College alum from the Batch of 2023, Nirmanyu Chouhan is a Programme Coordinator at Lokniti, Centre for Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), and former research intern at Newslaundry. Fascinated by the intricate interplay between politics and society, they are a honed researcher and journalist striving towards a more informed citizenry through their work. Beginning their journey within the staff writing rooms of the Hindu College Gazette, Nirmanyu’s experience with media houses such as DU Beat and Newslaundry have allowed them to engage with topics across politics, economy, society, and pop-culture. Their present work at Lokniti-CSDS centres the field of psephology, the study of elections and voting behaviour, which allows them to analyzing voter patterns and understand the pulse of the electorate.

Pulkit Sehgal

A 2023 Management Studies graduate from Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies (SSCBS), Pulkit Sehgal is a driven consulting and finance enthusiast, who has been recognised as an ‘Emerging Leader’ by FinOak, India’s largest student-run finance community. They are the co-founder of Makes Sense, a mental health non-profit aimed at providing social and psychological support to university students. The initiative has impacted 450+  students through free therapy, and catapulted fruitful collaborations with Mindpeers, a Shark Tank-funded and Asia’s fastest growing mental-health platform. Furthermore, they are an Incoming Associate at Boston Consulting Group, and served as the President of 180 Degrees Consulting SSCBS during their college tenure.

Molina Singh

An english literature and history afficionado, Molina Singh is a 2023 alum of Gargi College and founder of Delhi Reads, a 1500+ member citywide book club that has secured successful partnerships with popular coffee chains, bookstores, and publication companies. During their college tenure, they held the position of President of the English Creative Writing Society and spearheaded the organisation of 4 varsity-level fests at Gargi College, a feat of uncprcedented calibre and visionary execution. Their staunch commitment to social-political principles and impact-led community service have made them one who is not afraid to voice their opinions, whether it be in expressing solidarity with the IPCW Fest victims or in their capacity as a student-journalist at DU Beat.

Pranjal Jain

In 2023, Pranjal Jain graduated and immediately embarked on a journey to catalyze positive change. This drive motivated them to pioneer the establishment of India’s inaugural Bridges for Enterprise (BfE) chapter at SSCBS, a milestone aimed at fostering entrepreneurial endeavors with a societal impact. Alongside, they engaged in two consulting and financial advisory projects with socially conscious startups in Nigeria and the Philippines, demonstrating the tangible real-world impact achievable through collaborative initiatives. Moreover, recognizing the pressing need for mental health support among college students, they co-founded Makes Sense, a nurturing and inclusive platform dedicated to destigmatizing mental health discussions and providing essential assistance to those in need.

Manvi Bhatt

Having graduated in 2023, Manvi Bhatt was honored to receive the distinguished Sultan Chand Memorial Scholarship Award, recognizing their exceptional academic achievements. Fueled by their entrepreneurial spirit, they actively participated in the development of Mark & Tonic, a digital marketing startup venture, where they served as a founding member. In this role, they led the integration of live projects to address strategic consulting and digital marketing needs. One of their accomplishments is winning the BrAINWARS undergraduate case study competition, a prestigious event hosted by Bain and Company.

Jayesh Rungta

A 20-year-old from Kolkata, Jayesh Rungta recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Hansraj College, University of Delhi. Securing a position as a Business Analyst at the prestigious management consulting firm Kearney, they stand out as the sole and first undergraduate hire for a front-desk consulting role from their college and one of only three selected across the University of Delhi. Demonstrating their commitment to social impact, they served as the Convener and Founding Member of Project Parivartan from January 2021 to March 2023, overseeing a yearly Financial Literacy Drive that reached over 10,000 individuals across three editions.

Anjana Jose

As a current psychology student at Jesus and Mary College, Anjana Jose wears multiple hats as an entrepreneur and podcast host. Since June 2023, they have served as the Founder and CEO of BooKing, a platform dedicated to promoting sustainability through the use of second-hand books. Simultaneously, they also host the OnlyGeeks Podcast, a show tailored for college students, which has garnered a listenership of over 100 individuals from diverse backgrounds since its inception in June 2023.

Gavish Lohat

Currently enrolled as a political science student at Hindu College, Gavish Lohat stands as the 1st Raj Bhargava Foundation Scholar, an honor bestowed upon them in 2022. This prestigious scholarship provides them with ₹75,000 annually throughout the duration of his undergraduate studies, along with a tablet. In addition to their academic pursuits, they are also the founder and host of ‘The Skeptical Student Show’ Podcast in collaboration with India Film Project, where they engage in thought-provoking discussions.

Punya Malhotra

As a final year Economics student at Hansraj College, Punya Malhotra stands as the lone Indian fellow selected for the fully-funded Young Leader’s Fellowship program in 2023 by MCW Global, USA. Their previous roles include working at the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI). Additionally, they were featured in the Voices of the Young series by Dr. Subodh Mathur, where they shared insights on optimizing the college experience. As part of their research endeavors, they authored a quantitative paper titled ‘Urban Planning and Gender Inclusivity.’

Apoorva Rathore

Having graduated from Lady Shri Ram College with a degree in B.Com, Apoorva achieved remarkable success by emerging as the National Winner of the EY NextGen Women India competition. This accomplishment propelled them to represent both India and their university at the Global EY NextGen Women Competition held in London. Following their academic achievements, they ventured into the professional realm as a Research Analyst at the Indian Institute of Science. Here, they dedicated over a year to working within the Strategy Team, focused on developing a robust business model for an in-house eVTOL (electric air taxi) project.

Pratham Changoiwala

Pratham Changoiwala is a third-year student of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, currently pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce. He is interning as an executive assistant at Niamh Ventures, an investment banking firm based out of Gurgaon, Haryana. Alongside that, he is the youngest speaker shareholder of HDFC Bank’s AGM and his experiences were shared as a part of Hindustan Times’ Live Mint as a part of their Gen Z interview series. He has been selected as a delegate for Harvard’s prestigious HPAIR Conference. He was also part of the Sustainable Stories Project, which involved interacting with eco-friendly brand manufacturing units and their business founders. He is also Operations head of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College’s Entrepreneurship Cell.

Bhavika Dabur

Bhavika Dabur is a third-year student at Sri Venkateswara College, pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce. They are currently working as a training manager and social media advisor at Aspirant Learning. Previously, they had experience in educational consultancy and soft skills training.

Falguni Mahajan

Falguni Mahajan was a political science student at Lady Shri Ram College. Currently, they are the founder of Mandonna Research Consultants, which focuses on the promotion of gender equity through academia and research work. Previously, they had interned as a researcher at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Policy, Politics and Government Foundation as well as with the Aam Aadmi Party. They hold C1 level certification in the French language as well.

Bhavya Sood

Bhavya Sood was a student at Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, having completed their BBA in Financial Investment Analysis. They are the co-founder of Project Bridgeway which aims to democratize access to education and guide students, through consulting, which has assisted over 10,000 students across several colleges. They have also served as the first elected deputy chair of IFSA’s Indian wing.

Anjali Batra

Anjali Batra is a political science student at IPCW, Delhi University, who is also pursuing a diploma in Psychology. She is the founder and president of Project Mehviyat, which focuses on empowering victims of abuse in South Asia. She was also recognised as a U21 Global citizen, due to her advocacy for Sustainable Development Goals and is serving as the deputy chairperson of the SDG Council, Global Youth India.

Tanusha Arora

Tanusha Arora is currently in the final year of Bachelor of Management Studies at Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies. Arora has interned at Havells India, in the field of e-commerce as well as a research and market intelligence intern at EXL. She secured a placement in the capacity of an Associate at Samagra | Transforming Governance. She was selected under India Top 14 CEO for One Month Challenge by the Adecco Group. She has recently been felicitated with the coveted Linkedin Top Voice (blue badge) for her insights on marketing, communication and adulting. Moreover, she has been featured in Top 29 Leading Voices of India 2024 by BTalkz. She has a growing community of 7000+ followers and over 6 lakh+ impressions as yet.

Parv Jindal

Parv Jindal is a student of Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, completing their Bachelor of Management Studies. They founded the India chapter of Bridges for Enterprise, an international impact consulting organization. They have also interned with companies like Blinkit, MakemyTrip, Zomato etc. Jindal is acting Vice President of SSCBS’ Student Council.

Read Also: DU Beat 21 Under 21: Of Dreams and Determination (2023)

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Unfolding the Dark Side of Aurobindo’s Dance-Soc ‘Crunk’

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Sri Aurobindo College’s Dance Crew ‘Crunk’ was banned a few days back by the college, bringing to light several instances of harassment and abuse perpetrated by certain members, adding to the list of toxic cultural societies within DU.

Trigger Warning: Physical Abuse, Harassment and Image of Bruises

‘Crunk’, Sri Aurobindo College’s Dance Crew, one of the most reputed societies within the Delhi Dance Circuit (DDC) was disbanded by the college recently, following the suspension of the current president, Harsh Sharma, and PR head, Srishti Arora due to several incidents of physical and mental abuse and harassment, propelled by one of the present-choreographers, Divyansh Tripathy, a recent-graduate of Aurobindo College.

Speaking to DU Beat, Mitali Goyal, a student at Aurobindo College, former Vice-President of Crunk, and a victim of the shocking incidents that occurred within the society, recounts her journey through Crunk:

 “I joined Crunk in my first year in 2021 when Divyansh Tripathy was the President. Things went quite smoothly as there were some choreographers above him in the society who held power. However, during my second year, 2022-23, things had changed. Divyansh had passed out then but was coming to give guidance to the crew. From January 2023 onwards, Divyansh would hit us brutally with thick wooden sticks we used for our performance, every time we made mistakes. Many of us developed bruises and when we spoke against it, he would initially excuse it with ‘it’ll make you stronger’ or ‘this is how things have been happening in this society’.”

As time unfolded, the physical abuse became more intense with crew members- second years as well as freshers- being hit for the smallest of mistakes like coming back late from their breaks or asking for a day of leave from practice. And all this was done under the illusion of ‘maintaining the top-track record of Crunk within DDC’. While students raised their voices against Divyansh Tripathy, they continually received threats of being removed from the crew, something they could not afford considering Crunk to be one of the top-reputed dance crews in Delhi.

 “Juniors who talked to Divyansh about leaving the society received threats like ‘if you leave this society, I’ll make sure you leave the college as well’ or ‘if I ever see you at Chhatarpur metro station, you will face consequences’” –      adds Mitali to the horrifying incidents brewing within Crunk

The role of teacher convenors within DU also plays a massive role in this incident. Teacher convenors at Crunk were also not supportive of appointing Divyansh Tripathy as the choreographer at Crunk. While they were unaware of his acts of physical and mental abuse, they were aversive of his behavior of frequently, ‘shouting and creating nuisance within the college.’

Mitali goes on to add that,

“Initially when the beating wasn’t so bad, we as a crew tried to protect Divyansh a lot from the convenors so that he could come and guide the team. But the situation got worse, girls were slapped if the color of their jeans was slightly different from the one that was required at the performance. He would beat up the crew with those wooden sticks at fests as well, injuring their feet and hands. After the performance was over, he would send a sweet apology message to excuse his behavior. I had had enough and left the society in March 2023 and complained to the teacher convenor about Divyansh and the society was eventually banned a few days ago.”

As the 2022-23 session wrapped up in May 2023, Harsh Sharma, a batchmate of Mitali was elected as the President of Crunk for the 2023-24 tenure. Besides Harsh, Srishti Arora another batchmate was elected as the PR Head. However, despite his record, both heads decided upon re-appointing Divyansh as the choreographer of Crunk.

“Recently, many freshers out of Crunk had spoken up against Divyansh forcefully flirting with the juniors despite them being uncomfortable about it. To put a stop to all of this, we went up to the principal to file an FIR and we complained of physical and verbal abuse against him with all the witnesses. We filed a FIR against Divyansh at Malviya Nagar Police Station.” –      Mitali adds to the series of events

 

Members within Crunk also raised concerns about suspending Harsh Sharma and Srishti Arora for continually associating Crunk with Divyansh Tripathy despite numerous backlashes. However, while Crunk has been disbanded from the college, Harsh and Srishti have not yet been officially suspended but their entry has been banned from college. Concluding the conversation, Mitali says that,

 

“The worst part about all of this was the fact that despite having the power to stop Divyansh from perpetrating his horrible behavior upon the fresh batch of juniors as well, Harsh and Srishti did not take any measures but encouraged all of this.”

With several conversations creeping

 up about the toxic cultural societies within DU, it is relevant to note how students are forced into this narrative of productivity at the cost of self-degradation under the fake illusion of fame and repute in society. While societies are the spine of DU life, getting too consumed with the ideology of fame and credit can take a toll on one’s college experiences, perpetuating unhealthy spaces within the campus, like Crunk.

Read Also: Unveiling the ‘Culture of Toxicity’ in SVC’s FilmSoc

Featured Image Credits:

  • Crunk 1: cover picture, Credits: Facebook Account of Crunk
  • Crunk 2: Caption: Bruises Developed by Crunk Members For Being Physically Abused with Wooden Sticks by the Choreographer, Divyansh Tripathy, Credits: Mitali Goyal (Former Member of Crunk)

 

Priyanka Mukherjee

[email protected]

 

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Events

E-Cell, Hindu College Organizes Its Annual E-Summit

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The Entrepreneurship Cell of Hindu College organized a two-day E-Summit on April 19th and 20th to enhance the members’ understanding of entrepreneurship and develop their abilities to access educational resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities.  Shark Tank Contestants Niharika Jain and Jatan Bawa were invited by the Hindu E-Cell for the “Foundation Forum”.

On April 19, 2023, the Entrepreneurship Cell of Hindu College conducted the first day of its two-day annual E-Summit. The summit organised two flagship events and a Q&A session with Jinesh Shah. The theme was inspired by sustainability, specifically, alternative proteins, which refer to protein-rich ingredients sourced from plants to replace conventional animal-based sources.

“The reason we organised the theme of the E-Summit is because thinking 10 years down into the future, we think food tech is something India can outshine other countries. Why can’t we use mushrooms or mycelium as a potential meat source? Why can’t we grow meat in a lab? The opportunities we allot through innovation and science really motivated us to organise this event specifically focused on this industry.” —Kartik Chauhan, Vice President of E-Cell Hindu College, in conversation with DU Beat

The E-Confluence was the first event conducted by the summit. Participants had to go through a quiz round where they were tested on business acumen and logical thinking. The A-[dulting] Plan competition, in collaboration with Ripen, was a unique competition designed to test all the skills required to successfully “adult,” such as banking, finances, relationships, etc. 

At 1 PM, a speaker session with Jinesh Shah, founder of 4 x Alt Protein—India’s first investment fund to leverage and invent new technologies to produce plant-based food with materials that cause less harm to the planet—began.

“Animal agriculture is one of the largest, if not the singular largest contributor, in many of the issues that are a threat to all living beings on this planet. This is something that we think is very important to solve and this is the reason why we’ve come into existence as venture capital in order to be able to fund.” –Jitesh Shah, Founder 4 x Alt Protein and speaker at E-summit

Read also: DU Panel Advisory Proposes Ways to Strengthen Security in Colleges

The second day of the event was marked with the Founder’s Forum which witnessed Niharika Jain, the founder and CSO of Broomees, and Jatan Bawa, the founder of Perfora. The duo had been contestants in the popular show, ‘Shark Tank India’ Season 2 and discussed their experience and journey of starting up and becoming successful entrepreneurs. 

The Forum began with Niharika Jain talking about the difficulties faced by young first-time founders in raising funds without the fancy “IIT tag”. On being asked about her typical day as an entrepreneur, she commented on how the industry is all about firefighting every day with arbitrary office hours and new challenges to face at regular intervals. 

“You don’t have to be a part of ten societies. Try and find what you like and make time for that. If you have done 2-3 roles nicely, it’s all that matters. Essentially, what is counted is not which college you are from, but what you have done in college.”, she said. 

When asked about her experience at Shark Tank, she replied, 

“It is dreadful and none of it is scripted. Nothing is decided. It is not a fifteen-minute pitch but a one-and-a-half-hour-long pitch, which gets cut and edited for television. I was scared and didn’t want to get insulted on national television.”. 

The second speaker of the day was Jatan Bawa, founder of Perfora – an oral healthcare brand that manufactures electric toothbrushes and toothpaste. On being asked about the right time to startup, he said, 

“There is no right time, It’s all a mindset you cannot define by age. Just be passionate about your idea and ensure that your idea is genuinely solving the problems of the customers of the industry, whether B2C, B2B, or a Government consumer. 

Talking about the idea behind Perfora, he revealed that it was after over 1000 discussions that the idea of oral care occurred and that’s how the process of building an oral care brand began. He encouraged the students to give time to their ideas and investments and be mentally prepared for all consequences and motivated them about the advantages of working for a company before starting up to avoid future mistakes. 

“I know for a fact that Colgate is synonymous with regular toothpaste in India but it is so much fun to change that perception.” 

The E-Summit culminated with a vote of thanks and a gift of honour being presented to both guests and turned out to scratch a plethora of possibilities for the young minds to set up their businesses. 

 

Read also: E-Cell, IIT Roorkee Organised ‘E-Summit 2020’

 Featured Image Credits: DU Beat

 Sri Sidhvi Dindi
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Aryan Vats

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Arts & Culture

How To Kill Time Until Reopening

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Brace yourselves for a mocktickle upon the grief that has swallowed our dreams and continues to haunt us- reopening of colleges. Read ahead to know what mocktickle actually means. 

As reopening feels like a distant dream, the only thing left for us to do is feel hopeless. But for how long? This was supposed to be a phase, a time period that was supposed to end but has become an ever going dream, nightmare perhaps.

Apart from being sad and angry on a regular basis, this time and age of learning demands tons of things to be learnt but are we in any position to learn when our dreams have been made into torn papers that can never be in their original shape. Thus to lighten your hearts we present a mocktickle (yes I came up with that word, getting it registered soon, say hi to the Tharoor in me!) – an article to tickle you while mocking the situation we live in.

  • Visualise, Imagine, Dream

The perfect way to kill time until reopening is to stalk all your seniors and gaze at their fest photos. Try imagining yourself in their place and derive pleasure from this dreamy scrolling of Instagram. If you are a part of any society or aspire to be one, provoke the stalker inside you and search the entire history of your society. Watch every youtube playlist, every performance, every Facebook post that ever existed about them. (This actually gets you brownie points during auditions just don’t overspeak)

  • Learn, Learn and Do it!

Learn those skills that your parents have been shouting for at the top of their voices for two years now. Just in case if reopening actually ever happens how will you survive it? The hopelessness won’t cook your meals nor will the excitement clean your clothes. (There are actually tons of tricks that can come in handy if you are an outstation student so listen to what your parents say closely)

  • Have a Tissue for this Point!

Let’s accept how lucky are those who have already got the chance to stay in Delhi. To push yourself further towards being a Nihilist watch those photos clicked in front of red walls. Cry over those group photos of societies who are practising while leaving outstation students and understand the depth of sadness.

  • Be Social

It’s about time that you finally take out some time to get to know your classmates. The best way to do this is to scroll over the DPs in WhatsApp groups to actually know your classmates. (If you can make an effort to socialise, even a small birthday wish or a ‘good luck’ before exams can bring smiles.)

  • Thoda Dukh Thoda Productive

In spite of all the hardships we are going through owing to Covid, we can’t deny that this is one of the most crucial times of our life. Owing to the availability of time and resources one can easily manage 2-3 commitments together. If you can gather the courage to actually work in these gloomy times we salute you! And if you are the brave one who chose to prioritise their mental health over running in a rat race, then we bow to you for that is equally productive.

 

Read Also: ‘An Ode to My Exhaustion: Letting Go & Letting Loose‘

Featured Image Credits: Grindfiti

 

Kashish Shivani

[email protected] 

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A Rundown of DU’s Indifference to our Plight

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The University of Delhi (DU) has outdone itself in willfully failing to acknowledge the grievances of its students and teachers by deciding to conduct OBEs amidst the collective trauma that the country is going through. This article is an exploration of the gravity of the issue, the opinions of those whose well-being is the most at stake and the secondary considerations that cannot be overlooked.

“ In extraordinary times like these however, it’s so integral to give yourself the benefit of the doubt. This is not the time to feel guilt or regret over days spent taking care of your physical and mental health rather than being conventionally productive”.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused an upheaval in the functioning of the country as palpable fear and anxiety to loom around its people, exacerbated by the ever-proliferating number of cases and deaths. Today, the insanely overburdened and under-equipped health infrastructure of the country is nearing its collapse as it faces shortages of hospital beds, medical equipment, treatment drugs, and healthcare workforce. Despite the best efforts of the healthcare workers and those who’re religiously following all precautionary measures against the virus, innumerable families are currently grieving the loss of their loved ones, some of whom couldn’t even get the resources they needed to recover. The government has barely taken any concrete measures besides willfully failing to provide any sort of relief to those who are suffering. This blatant disregard for the plight of the common people has prompted students all over the country, who themselves might be suffering physically or mentally or might be taking care of their family members who are COVID-19 positive, to take up the task of verifying and amplifying pandemic- related resources, regardless of whether they have time to spare or not.

Numerous college societies and student-run NGOs have started their COVID-19 relief helplines to increase the accessibility of these extremely limited resources. The upsetting reality is that millions of people today are relying heavily on the mental effort, energy, and hours invested by these students in helping others, while the government continues to be indifferent. To add to the mayhem, the University of Delhi (DU) has decided to hold the final examinations of second and final year students, thereby adding to the distress and emotional anguish of lakhs of students who are already anxious about and preoccupied with taking care of themselves, their families and others in need. This has resulted in widespread criticism from the affected students, their teachers, and unions like the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) as the consensus among all is that the University’s resolution to conduct examinations in such emotionally and physically challenging times reflects its lack of empathy for those it claims to serve.

Since the onset of the pandemic, DU has conducted online semester examinations thrice. Each time, its decision to hold OBEs was based on the unfounded assumption that all its students, backed by varying family incomes, had the necessary facilities to attend classes and sit for their exams smoothly. If there’s one thing that’s stayed constant throughout last year, it’s the University’s disinterest in considering the specific privileges of a proportion of its students, or lack thereof. Except for this time, the frightful state of the country and its toll on the mental and physical health of the students has further added to their adversity. A common sentiment shared by most students and professors is that it is out rightly brutal on the University’s part to subject
them to such mental pressure at a time when the majority of them are grieving the loss of a relative or are down high fever, severe body ache and other ghastly symptoms of COVID-19.

Image caption: DU students to DU Beat

“We’ve already lost some of our colleagues, so many are suffering and there’s no record of the number of students who are currently COVID-19 positive. The exams scheduled for May end must be postponed immediately,” said Mr. Rajib Ray, the President of DUTA, who expressed these concerns in a letter to the acting Vice-Chancellor and appealed for the extension of deadlines of Internal Assessments as well.

(Read more: DUTA’s letter to the acting Vice-Chancellor )

Even more than the University’s lack of consideration and understanding, what’s agitating the concerned students and teachers the most is the dearth of response from the University’s end for their queries, appeals, and grievances. Time and again DU has reinforced its inability to take a proper stance to back its students and its teachers. It is only after a series of requests, mass protests, strikes, and other forms of demonstration that the University feels compelled to take some sort of action. The current situation however has thrown several issues out into the open, one of them being whether the University is politically hindered and is unable to support its students and teachers and help them. It feels as if the modus operandi of the institutional structure disallows it to consider all viewpoints and perspectives, even if they go against the establishment. There are a lot of confusing elements at play and it’s normal for any student to get utterly perplexed and dejected by the overwhelming amount of things happening around. Firstly, as mentioned, the youth is significantly and virtually running the health infrastructure. It’s not as if students have an enormous amount of free time but the kind of helplessness that has pervaded and persisted has inevitably forced us to take the reins of the situation into our hands. While some colleges have ensured and implemented some amount of leniency, the experience across the University has been extremely varied. Moreover, while Universities like Ambedkar, NIFT, Delhi Technological University all have suspended regular classes, the situation isn’t as smooth and comfortable for the country at large. The recent incident at IIT Kharagpur is a testament to that.

Secondly, when it comes to the conduction of OBE examinations for the second and third-year students there’s a lot of conversation and an overall explosion of opinions from all sides which have to be heard and considered before the University takes any decision. Postponing exams could be a probable cause for added pressure later on, as it will not only hinder further academic prospects for the final year students but also rests on an idealistic
assumption that things will improve fast. The students studying at Delhi University come from all over the country and with such a diverse demographic, going ahead with the exams at a time when the country is burning is downright inhuman. “Firstly it’s not an easy yes or no when it comes to cancelling exams altogether. We need to realize how we are dealing with a lot of different people and individual differences. We need to consider the problem of the third-year students fulfilling their academic timeline which is integral for pursuing their Master’s and can reflect in their employment as well.” says Karthika Sajeev, President of the LSR Student Union.

There must be a realization that the consequences of the second wave of the pandemic are way more drastic and sudden as opposed to the first wave, making this year a substantially difficult year to keep a track of all your commitments. Sajeev further points out how for most students it is physically and mentally impossible to sit for exams let alone attend classes. According to her, even the faculty members are not in the right mind space to properly devote themselves. Attendance has gone down significantly, with most classes not even seeing fifty percent of students turning up. “Last year the situation was better but we need to realise how the situation plays out in multiple ways. We have yet to receive our results from the last semester and if the university goes on ahead with the examinations, who is going to evaluate them?” Sajeev remarks on the lack of clarity and communication from the University’s end. Indian Universities indefinitely have a habit of valuing hustle culture over normal, human concepts such as taking breaks, work-life balance, etc. With that being said, if the university goes ahead with the examination it will be a highly discriminatory move against those who are COVID-19 positive and have lost their family members. Some might argue that online classes are relatively easier to navigate. We understand that disrupting the entire academic calendar of an institute as significant as the University of Delhi isn’t an easy decision. However, providing students and teachers with absolutely no relief after a tsunami of tragedies in the country is heartless, to say the least.

“The University has made no attempt to provide relief to the families of the teachers we’ve lost, the teachers who have to teach despite not having the mental bandwidth for it, the students who are suffering or the ad hoc teachers who lack essential job privileges. Moreover, the propagation of fake news by the government to divert people’s attention from genuine concerns of the aggrieved and its inconsiderable and inconsistent contribution to dealing with the pandemic crisis have shown its utter disregard for the well-being of its citizens,” said Miss Abha Dev Habib from DUTA. The idea isn’t about flexibility as much as a heartless approach being employed to deal with the situation. Citizens are left, alienated, and disowned to look out for themselves. There’s no idea of a welfare state looking after the necessities. No scope of communication with any regard or empathy for those who’ve been potentially traumatized for the rest of their lives.

“Exams or no exams, classes suspended or not, we must reach a larger and conscious acknowledgement of the fact that we all need to slow down”.

Image caption: “Exams or no exams, classes suspended or not, we must reach a larger and conscious acknowledgement of the fact that we all need to slow down”.
Image credits: Elzeline Kooy

At one instance, teachers and students are struggling to find Oxygen and Remdevisir leads, and the very next moment you’re struggling to finish assignments, attend lectures, take notes and juggle internships side by side. This is to assume you’ve not been affected directly by the pandemic. When you’re running pillar to post, struggling to find basic resources that should otherwise be easily accessible, completely ruptured by the whirlpool of uncertainty around, you can’t possibly think of grueling yourself further with the complicated OBE exams. “Our session will get over on the 30th of April, most Internal Assessments are already there with the respective professors. At this point it’s all about how the University responds. We’ve sent emails to the Vice Chancellor, the Dean and we just hope that the University makes a quick decision in the favor of the student and faculty body.” Sajeev points out with a hint of optimism.

Once again the question that arises is of the complete breakdown of all mechanisms to seek redressal. As brought forth by Sajeev, a lot of DU colleges do not have an active student body that will actively communicate the students’ grievances while also keeping in contact with the faculty members. The situation has lapsed beyond control and one is left to realise that often students have to face crises disproportionately. It’s imperative to remember that the principal reason for the existence of the University is to bring value to its students and professors. The institute was built to serve us and not the other way round. And no matter how strenuous it gets to navigate the right path to collective betterment, it is still vitally important that the University places the well-being of the students and teachers over all secondary considerations, at every step of the way, including this very moment. And the need of the hour is to let the affected parties decide for themselves what the best approach to soothe their afflictions would be. What holds paramount importance right now is that the grievances and opinions of the students and professors, the ones who are the most
affected by the University’s decision, are heard and entertained, despite what the University may consider to be the better judgment. It is quite certain that the mental and psychological consequences of the impact will be deep- rooted. At present, there are no clear-cut solutions to the problems that we as students and as citizens of this exhausted country are facing. Exams or no exams, classes suspended or not, we must reach a larger and conscious acknowledgement of the fact that we all need to slow down. We all need to give each other the space to grieve, process our emotions, collect our thoughts or simply take a break. There is no certainty of the fact that things will get relatively better. In extraordinary times like these however, it’s so integral to give yourself the benefit of the doubt. This is not the time to feel guilt or regret over days spent taking care of your physical and mental health rather than being conventionally productive. Our only hope is that things will get better. People will look out and support each other. empathy will replace apathy, The government will be held accountable for the grave terror they’ve carelessly caused. And, most importantly the voice of the youth will be heard.

Read Also:
https://dubeat.com/2021/04/the-circus-of-du-apathy/
https://dubeat.com/2021/04/calls-for-covid-care-centres-for-du-teachers-and-students-intensifies/

Featured Image Credits: LA Johnson, National Public Radio

Tara Kalra
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Shirley Khurana
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Coronavirus

Quarantine is Not a Productivity Contest

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The existing peer pressure online to be “productive” is bound to make you question your futility and lack of productivity during the quarantine period. But, who said that the quarantine period is a contest? 

“If you have not learnt any new skills during this lockdown, you lack discipline!” 

“Learn how to use your time productively and amp your CV!”

“How do I use my free time during the lockdown?”

“How can I be more productive?”

LinkedIn overflows with enthusiastic students and professionals uploading tons of certification courses and virtual internships. Instagram overflows with budding chefs, YouTubers and content creators displaying their latest dish, video and DIYs. The existent peer pressure is bound to make you question your futility and lack of productivity during the quarantine period. However, the question that thus arises is, have we given in to the productivity guilt or not?

With an ample amount of time to spare, the idle mind surely cooks up conspiracy theories and fan fiction and that is alright! We have spent days and nights working, hoping to get the perfect CV ready. Over-work, over-stress, this is a much-needed break. The quarantine is nature’s way to ask us to calm down, to take a break, re-think and pause. 

Rhea Dsouza, a student of Jesus and Mary College reminds us to take a break amidst this world-shaking pandemic, “Think of all the times you have had to overwork yourself and do the extra deed. Look at this as a well-deserved break from all the times you overdid yourself.”

People are on the streets, dying. People are on the hospital beds, dying. It is a pandemic, a historical event which defines the course of history. Crude oil hits below USD 0, we await a global recession, world-leaders have tested positive, the world today is anything but normal. Some have the perseverance and strength to continue with their day’s work without any intrusive thoughts. 

As an individual with anxiety, it is not easy. The fear is not intermittent; it is constant, consistent, steady and staring right into your eyes. I too believed let’s work on that CV, managing over four jobs, two internships, assignments, societies, a stable relationship, an unstable family and mental health later, I quit. Life is more than aiming to ace the perfect CV, sacrifice your family and social life to work, work and work! 

A student of Ramjas College, Pranjal Gupta juggles amidst six jobs and internships and fails to draw the line between academics and productivity. “Ever since the lockdown, I’ve been checking people’s profile on LinkedIn. When I see them doing so many things, achieving so much at this stage of their lives there is this constant fear that haunts me, “Am I not giving my best?”, “Why did I miss this opportunity?”, “Shall I enrol in this or that?”  I have involved myself in so much that I seem to be lost somewhere and not know what my hobbies are.”

The relationship between productivity and capitalism is an old, toxic one. The hustle culture points towards a notion that those who don’t hustle, they cannot succeed. There is no harm in staring at the wall for day’s ends, binge-watching the same show countless times, experimenting in the kitchen, bonding over board games with your family, you have the rein to your life in your palms, only you can direct it, not social media gimmicks. 

Pranjal continues, “Lockdown hasn’t given me a chance to be bored and actually fuel me with a drive to do something new, I’m just running like a sheep. Is this how I’m going to be different from the crowd? Without any introspection in such historic times?”

We need to be gentle with ourselves, there is only so much that our body and brain is capable of, without the burnout phase. Some people thrive under stress, some don’t. Some can learn a new language, some take multiple efforts in simply getting out of the bed. Some seek solace in working relentlessly, some can hardly breathe. Today, if you have taken a deep breath filling yourself with the rejuvenating air, that is enough. Just breath. 

Featured Image Credits: Instagram

Anandi Sen

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In Conversation with Devika Malik: Forbes 30 Under 30 Entrepreneur

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Devika Malik who was recently featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 Entrepreneurs List, talks candidly with Kriti Gupta, correspondent at DU Beat, about her life struggles, her strategy behind success, business acumen, bravery and much more. Read on to know more.

Kriti: How do you feel Devika, having made to the under 30 social entrepreneurs list of Forbes, was that something you always sort of expected, when you started?

Devika: I feel great, it feels absolutely amazing to be a part of ‘Forbes’ and especially in the Social Entrepreneurs category. It wasn’t something I expected when I started but, fortunately there is a continuous series of recognitions since, the beginning. In 2015 I was awarded with ‘The Queen’s Young Leader Award’, which was presented at the ‘Bunkhingam Palace’. These sort of recognitions and honours helped in increasing the reach of our organisation and contributed in raising support and funds for our cause.  But, in the last one and two years I did think about ‘Forbes’ under 30 category and, luckily one of my mentors from United Kingdom along with one of the young leaders whom I worked with, during the Commonwealth nominated me for the same. Then, in January I received an email informing me that I was one of the semi-finalists but, being afraid about the uncertainity of making it to the final list I didn’t inform anyone about it. Then, when the final list, having my name was released in April it was then people got to know.

Kriti: How much do you believe in the power of youth? Is, being surrounded by a community of young people positive or negative for a social entrepreneur like you?

Devika: I very strongly believe in the power resident in the leadership of the younger generation. In fact, we have recently launched a network called ‘Commonwealth Youth and Children Disability Network’, which aims to connect all the organisations and youth lead intiatives, for the disable communities. The strong passion and commitment of the youth to make a positive difference in the community is really inspiring. Often, people talk about the millennials of being lazy and entitled but, my experience has been completely opposite to this, it has shown me how strongly willed and determined the youth is to help and make a change for the better.

Kriti: You are the co-founder of Wheeling happiness, which is a community promoting disability sports, inclusion, fundraising for women and for the aid of people going through physical and mental sufferings. So, what was that primary thing or idea which drove you to take out time from your routine of an athlete and invest in the organisation?

Devika: I have myself grown up with a disability. I was very young when I got into an accident and encountered Hemiplegia, affecting the entire left side of my body. My mother too has Paralysis which makes her entire body under the chest non-functional, and she has been in this condition for 21 years now. So, being a constant care giver to my mother and a having a personal experience of the disability community, many people going through similar conditions came to seek support and assistance from us. So, all the counselling sessions and support activities which we were doing at an individual level made us to come up with the idea of ‘Wheeling Happiness’, to help a larger group of similar people. Our goal is to not to tell what a disabled person can or can’t but, to support them with whatever goals they originally have.

Kriti: Who is that one person whom you can call as your biggest inspiration or support in your journey with ‘Wheeling Happiness’?

Devika: One year before beginning with ‘Wheeling Happiness’ I completed my masters in organisational behaviour from Delhi University, got a campus placement in a training development and consultancy firm and was simultaneously continuing with my athletics career. Amidst all this, when I told my mother about my ambition of becoming a social entrepreneur, she was very supportive and understanding of my emotions. She had a strong belief on our expertise to help and guide people especially in the rural and economically undeserved areas. Usually parents are sceptical of their children pursuing their careers in social entrepreneurship especially over the corporate industry, but my mother unlike the commons was 100% supportive of my idea. So, for me that one person whom I can call as my biggest inspiration and support will de definitely my mother.

Kriti: You were born with Hemiplegia, which is a condition causing paralysis to one side of the body. So, during that time was there a feeling of hopelessness or an emotion of being just a baggage to your parents? If yes, how did you cope up with it and what kept you going?

Devika: I was born in 1990 and my mother got paralysed in 1999 so, before that she was completely normal and made sure I attend all my physiotherapy and occupational therapy sessions. She took care that I don’t shy away from my disability and actively participate in sports and public speaking activities. When I was younger it was much more physically visible then its now, so she made sure that I was not bothered by the stares and remarks of people. Then later when she got paralysed we together took care of her disability sessions, after which she started with her sports career in 2006, she used to take me with her to practises and matches, that’s when I realised that even I can be a part of it. I never exactly felt a burden to my family but, there was always a conscious effort which I made to excel, as I was fully aware that my family is very fitness conscious and did everything with the utmost perfection, especially my mother who made national and international records in whatever she pursued. So, I always tried to give my 100%.

Kriti: You are also a psychological counsellor and have yourself been a victim of bullying in the past so, what all do you advise to the students who are being bullied or emotionally harassed for their physical features or other characteristic traits? 

Devika: I feel it has two aspects related to it, its just not about the student going through it, it is also about sensitising people at large that it not the right way to treat fellow humans, who look or behave different from you. I conduct various workshops and visit many schools and colleges where we teach students on how to be more inclusive in their mind sets and environment. However, the one thing which my personal experience taught me and is very important is self-acceptance. The moment you fall in love with yourself and start appreciating your work, it becomes very difficult for the people to look down upon you. When I was six or seven years old and my fellow students made fun of my disability, my parents told me to not to feel dejected about it but rather laugh along, as they thinking of making fun on your expanse will get confused from your reaction. So, taking that advise I always instead of feeling emotionally broken tried to explain to my peers that yes, I have a disability but apart from that there is lots more about me. Having a confidence and assurance about self is what makes the hierarchy of the bullies weaker.

Kriti: As we all know your mother is Rio Paralympic silver medallist and is also the current president of the Paralympic committee in India so, was it her influence that made you choose para athletes in the beginning or, was it solely your choice?

Devika: My mother never directly told me to come forward and participate in para athletes. It was me who decided that I wanted to competitively participate in sports, though seeing her perform inspired me and helped me to make up my mind for sports. It was after complete four years of her time in the field of sports that I decided to take a part as well. My frequent visits to her practise sessions and competitions made me realise that this is something even I can do. So, it was her influence that introduced me to the world of para athletics or disability sports but, I never faced any pressure or compulsion from her to be a part of it.

Kriti: You have represented India in the 100m and 200m sprints in T37 category. You have won eight national and and three international medals at World Para Athletics Grand Prix competition. So, Do you think having a mother from a sports background made you have an edge over the other players competing with you?

Devika: I don’t think so, there are many players and athletes who perform much better than me. What helped was having a sports and fitness culture in my house and that too I don’t feel provided me an edge over other players but, contributed in putting me in that mind set of sportsmanship. Just like any other player I felt pressurised when I performed in my first international event but, having a mother who herself is inclined towards the same field helped me a lot to deal and compete with it.

Kriti: As you have told in one of your previous interviews that you have been volunteering for the economically undeserved communities since the age of 12, and you are also an alumnus of Delhi university. So, is there any way you think your college or being a part of Delhi University helped you in your growth as a person or in providing a boost to your career?

Devika: Yes, it did contribute in a certain way, if I would not have been part of DU I would not have received the opportunity to work with the really wonderful training and consultancy firm, where I started working in after my masters. Being a part of the company gave me an exposure to design workshops and seminars, which later helped me in my own endeavour. Apart, from that Delhi university along the theoretical knowledge also provides you with very good transferable skills. Its culture of clubs, societies and volunteering among the students, especially the equal opportunity cell, I could see students volunteering as scribes for visually challenged students, all this did help in my growth and development. Another thing which is personally very valuable to me, during my time was the subject Indian psychology, taught by Mr. Sandeep Verma. The subject focused on the psychological prospective of Indian scriptures and ancient Indian writings on human psychology, doing a semester of that really made human psychology something spiritual for me and gave me beyond textbook experience, which I am really grateful about.

Kriti: Awards usually come along with responsibilities, and you have received several such honours including Queens young leader award. So, after such recognitions how did you deal with the expanded expectations from you? And was there an addition to you roles or work load after receiving the honour.

Devika: Absolutely, it does. After being awarded with the Queen’s Young Leader Award, three years later in 2018 I was invited back in Bukhingam Palace, to deliver a speech at the commonwealth heads of government meeting. The meeting hosted the entire royal family, the presidents and prime ministers of all the 54 commonwealth countries, including my own, the entire political spectrum of UK, and I was asked to speak for two and a half minutes about my work. Which I think was a big responsibility, I received because of the Queens Young Leader Award. As your name or your company’s name get associated with certain recognitions and awards it starts holding certain accountability, and it becomes even more important for it to have a specific integrity. After awards I will apart from the work am presenting the background paper work and maintenance of records become equally important.

Kriti: Being an entrepreneur yourself tell us about your thoughts on the impact of Corona virus on the global economy and will that have any long term results in the future?

Devika: It will definitely have long term impacts, especially for those who belong to the non-essential sectors, they will have to re strategize and come up with the plan to pick them up from their boot straps and maintain their relevance in post COVID world. When such a pandemic hits it definitely takes time for the world economy to revive, that will cause difficulty to start ups as well as properly established industries. But since, am in the non profit sector my concern is more around corporate performances, as we receive a large chunk of our funding from the corporate  groups, as their social responsibility aspect. My agenda is to use that money to aid the economically undeserved in post COVID situations as they would be those among the hardest hit. My concern would be on the leverage of this social  corporate responsibility and help the economically deprived sector. Many organisations including our have targeted certain areas, where we feed around 150 people on a daily basis. One of the key thing everyone should follow in the world after the pandemic is patience, one must not expect to bounce back where they were earlier in a period of three months, they should be understanding of the fact that it will take time.

Kriti: What is the message you would like to share with the world during these difficult times of quarantine and lock down.

Devika: I would like to share primarily two things, one to abide by all the protocols and preventive measures  as its for everyone’ health and safety, and second to identify what keeps you in good spirits. These are difficult times, as we are locked indoors, lost connections, so maintenance of a positive and healthy mind set is very important. For some taking longer naps than usual, or following a very strict routine, helps them feel better so, figuring out the activity which helps in keeping a good mental health is something I feel everyone should do. For me personally, when the lock down began I was extremely uneasy in the first couple of days, hearing the news about the migrant and daily wage labourers made me feel really uncomfortable, so thinking about a way to help them was necessary for my mental health. Similarly everyone should find their healthy activity and stay fit both physically as well as mentally.

Featured Image Credits: Devika Malik

Interviewed and Transcribed by Kriti Gupta for DU beat

[email protected]

 

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DUB Speak

The Intrinsic Interrelationship Between Gender and Climate Change

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Debates and discussions on climate change have been going since centuries, but it is seldom that the role of gender is recognized in sustainable planning and implementation. 

The year began with horrific bushfires ravaging the heart of Australia and spurring the grave issue of climate change that has been haunting us since many decades. Even after much scientific evidence and climatic emergencies, many of our world leaders blatantly deny its existence and waver it off as ‘bulls**t or just a change in human habits’. But, not only is there a need to address it on a huge scale but also ponder over some of the more important aspects of climate change; such as ‘gender’. 

Changing climate is one of the most daunting global challenges of our time. The degree to which people are affected by climate change impacts is partly a function of their social status, gender, poverty, power and access to and control over resources. Over the next decades, billions of people, particularly those in developing countries, are expected to face shortages of water and food and risks to health and life as a result of climate change. Accounting for 70% of the world’s poor, women are the most vulnerable among them. 

It is quite astonishing that climate change is not ‘gender-neutral’. It impacts men and women differently due to a variety of reasons that can be attributed to ‘gender differentiated’ powers, roles and responsibilities. Ecofeminism is a branch of feminism that specifically observes “the connection between the exploitation and degradation of the natural world and the subordination and oppression of women.” High dependence on local natural resources for livelihood, limited mobility, and unequal access to resources, policy and decision – making processes are some of the reasons for natural disasters affecting the lives of women more abundantly. Moreover, socio-cultural norms limit women from acquiring the information and skills necessary to escape or avoid hazards (e.g. swimming and climbing trees to escape rising water levels). For instance, during the Asian tsunami of 2004, 70% of the victims were women as many women and children were trapped inside their homes. A lack of sex disaggregated data in all sectors (e.g. livelihoods, environment protection, health and well-being) often leads to an underestimation of women’s roles and contributions. This situation then results in gender-blind climate change policy and programming, which are inaccessible to many and thus turn out to be ineffective. 

But why should we include ‘gender’ in the climate effort? As men and women face their social, economic and environmental reality in different ways; how they participate is also different and is closely related to age, socio-economic class and culture. So, the gender approach helps tackle issues on a much inclusive and wider scale. Women can contribute to livelihood strategies adapted to changing environmental realities as play a pivotal role in natural resources management and in other productive and reproductive activities at the household and community levels. They tend to share information related to community well-being more extensively, choose less polluting energy sources and adapt more easily to environmental changes when their family’s survival is at stake. Women’s greater participation also enhances the effectiveness and sustainability of climate change projects and policies. Research has also revealed the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment to environmental sustainability and thus gender equality has been recognized as one of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The climate protests in Nigeria exemplify the powerful role of women as agents of change. In 1999, Nigerian women headed a world movement to stop flaring natural gas by a transnational oil company. They organized simultaneous protests and awareness workshops in Nigeria and the United Kingdom that resulted in the company’s London headquarters being closed, and the temporary closing of the wells. Finally, in January 2006, the Nigerian courts cancelled the gas company’s licence.  This unprecedented international action demonstrates women’s ability to act as important agents for change who can help to mitigate climate change. Also, climate activists like Sunita Narain, Greta Thunberg, Christiana Figueres, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim and so on are bringing in diverse views and working for a sustainable future. 

United Nations climate change negotiations, void of gender-related texts and discussions until 2008, have more recently reflected an increased understanding of the links between gender equality and responding to climate change. But more concerted efforts need to be made all over the world.  Promoting education of girls is vital as it would provide financial security, agency at home and society, and give the capacity to navigate climate change. Access to high – quality, voluntary reproductive health care and advancing equity and well – being must be the aims of family planning, which would in  turn reduce demands for food, infrastructure etc. 

Gender-sensitive structures, guidelines, projects and tools need to be developed for all climate change financing mechanisms supporting adaptation and mitigation actions, at all levels by conducting an in-depth and evidence-based analysis that takes gender as one of the criteria. 

Katharine Wilkinson in her TED talk on ‘How empowering women and girls can help stop global warming’ quoted – “Some segments of human family cause exponentially greater harm, while others suffer outsized injustice.” The gender – climate connection extends beyond negative impacts and powerful solutions. Women are vital voices and agents for change on this planet and yet we are missing or barred from the ‘table’. All of this does not mean that only women have the onus of fighting climate change; it is just that we need to acknowledge the role of gender as a requisite for our climate effort’s success. The dynamics are not only unjust but leading humanity to failure. We need to bring diverse voices, including those that are typically excluded, into decision making to identify the best solutions for adapting to climate change. This is the only way we can build families, communities and societies that are resilient to the impacts of climate change. For this to be effective, we need to start from the premise that everyone matters—rich or poor, farmer or civil servant, woman or man.

Image Credits: Pinterest

Ipshika Ghosh 

[email protected] 

 

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