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Journey of an outstation student

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University was about to be a huge step for me. Since, childhood I had been fortunate enough to have cruised through my kindergarten, middle school, high school from one school. The environment and dynamics had never changed. The world felt minuscule yet at that time, there was no other image of the world that a 16 year old could envision other than the same lawns, the same buildings and the same auditorium every single day.

A week after my board exams, it was conveyed to me that I had to take the next train to the national capital. My dad been working there for close to 3 years and it was time for me to take my admission in the University of Delhi. After scoring an 85% in my ISC exams, I had lost hope. However, I took admission at Sri Aurobindo College (evening) in my favourite course Economics Honours.

The environment in the college was entirely opposite. I had to meet people from different sections of the society with completely heterogeneous qualities within each and every student. There were some people who had extreme faith in social taboos, while there were others who had extremely progressive views. I stood in the middle. I soon found out that this was not specific. Delhi was the city which accommodated people from all sections of the society and from different parts of the country. The vibrancy in the discussions intrigued me and made me appreciate this new city.

Classes were frequent and knowledgeable. Yet, my college lacked initiative in forming societies which could have enabled kids like us to focus on more research based activities. Coming from a traditionally leftist hegemonic society, which was both progressive yet adaptive to some extent – Kolkata, I was determined to contrive and implode against the administration. It paid off. A society was formed however, the organizational backing was lacking (which later changed after my departure).

To seek better opportunities I migrated to Motilal Nehru College in second year. Here I was successful in opening the Enactus chapter with fellow like minded students. And then went on to assist in opening the leadership cell as well. Although, the administration was a bit more accommodative, the environment in the college was the same. A potpourri of students with poles apart views yet, studying together – peacefully.

University life has been a great boon in my personality. As I leave my college and say my goodbyes to the University, it gives me great pleasure to reminisce about the changes in my personality. As an outstation student it gives me great happiness to see the maturity in my thoughts and the adaptivity of new ideas which were earlier never realized when I was in school.

Perhaps the best thing about my stay in Delhi is the opportunity that I had of meeting new people and understanding the essence of the real society.

Image credits: www.hiteshkumar.com

Ishaan Sengupta 

[email protected]

 

 

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DUB Speak

DUCR airs ‘Manzoori’, a radio show on homosexuality

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The Delhi University Community Radio (DUCR), in association with Sana Fatima, a second year Masters in Social Work student hosted ‘Manzoori’ in a bid to sensitise people on the idea of homosexuality on 6th May, 2016. The primary motive, as in words of Sana Fatima, is to increase the acceptance level towards the LGBT & MSM community.

The program aimed to focus on all aspects of life: the social stigmas homosexuals and transgenders face, economic and financial issues they are forced to battle, their standard of living and health and the big question mark associated with Article 377.

Sana Fatima approached Mr. R. K. Singh, spokesperson of the Department of Social Work of Delhi University after the proposal of such a radio show got approved with the organisation she was associated to for social work. Researching for the show, she interviewed some gays and transgenders from the organisation she was a part of, read articles and journals on the atrocities faced by the LGBT community in this country and followed TV shows like ‘Zindagi Live’ and ‘Satyamev Jayate’ to gain more insight on homosexuality.

“Being a social work student I felt I should make use of every opportunity which is available to me. Indeed homosexuality is a very controversial topic, but that doesn’t call for ignoring it.”, Sana said. After thorough research, Sana, Mr. Singh and two volunteers from DUCR, Ms. Alisha and Ms. Saniya started recording for their program which was titled ‘Manzoori’ that hints at their crusade towards acceptance.

Along with sharing real life incidences and experiences, the program also hosted a few volunteers, working for the rights of the LGBT Community and a few doctors and lawyers for covering the health and legal aspects of such individuals’ lives.

“All we need to do is give ourselves time to get in terms with homosexuality, but do not name it as a disease or something abnormal, because it’s something as natural as heterosexuality. It’s just that homosexuals are in minorities, but we shouldn’t forget that minorities are very much a part of our country and society.”, Sana added.

The program aims to face every challenge posed by the existing regressive ideology of this country head on and the volunteers are motivated to eradicate the idea of ‘homosexuality’ as being something that’s abnormal or not human. They also question the lags and callous attitude of the Indian Judiciary towards section 377 due to which sexual minorities have faced endless violence and marginalisation. They aim to make their voices heard, infuse the idea of how homosexuality has been a part of the society ever since its existence and emphasise on the dire need of having policies for the upliftment of sexual minorities, so that their education, health and employment aspect is not ignored.

 

With Inputs from Sana Fatima

Image Credits: theodysseyonline.com

Arushi Pathak
[email protected]

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DUB Speak

North Campus- A No Big Deal!

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North Campus

It’s that time of the year again when the farewells have just ended and everyone is busy with exam preparation. It’s also that time of the year when students are eagerly waiting for the exams to end and the fucchas to arrive. Well, the fucchas -to- be, on the other hand, have nothing to do but sleep, eat, dream and repeat. Dream about making it to the college they’ve always wanted to be in and have a taste of the freedom that college life promises. And a lot among these young aspirants also dream of making it to North Campus.

Allow me, a former North Campus aspirant just like them, to bust all myths about this place.

1. Elite Colleges
When people talk about North Campus, the first thing they mention is the number and names of elite colleges it has. Hindu, Stephen’s, Miranda and the list goes on. What they forget to take note of is that some of the best and top colleges of Delhi University are either Off Campus or South Campus Colleges. (Heady hint: LSR, CBS, JMC)

2. Food Joints
Can college life ever be complete without eating joints? Nay! So, when people from North Campus come up to you to tell you about how North Campus (NC) has Hudson Lane and apart from the million other small eating joints, tell them about Satyaniketan which is home to almost all the cafes in NC or the proximity of Amar Colony from PGDAV College and drive home the point by mentioning the proximity of HKV, Shahpur Jat and Cyber Hub from South Campus.

3. Markets
Now, everyone knows how the North Campus walas have K-nags all to themselves but let’s not forget how South Campus has Lajpat Nagar, Khan Market and Sarojini Nagar nearby and the proximity of off campus colleges to the Paharganj Market. We’re not the only privileged one’s here!

4. Infrastructure
Yes, the infrastructure in many North Campus colleges is top notch but that let’s not underestimate the off campus colleges. In the past few years, a lot of off campus colleges from ARSD College to Deen Dayal Upadhyay College have shifted to better locations with better infrastructure facilities.

5. Courses
Off Campus colleges offer specialized courses which is not common in North Campus. Lady Irwin College and Institute of Home Economics, both of which are off campus colleges are the only colleges which offer courses in Home Science.

The next time someone from North Campus comes to you talking about the environment in North Campus ask them to think about the time of the elections in the campus and compare the crass cacophony of sloganeering with the peaceful environment in Off Campus Colleges!

Akshara Srivastava

Image Credits: http://churchak.org/

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Interviews

In Conversation With: Priyadarshini Chatterjee, fbb Femina Miss India 2016

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DU Beat got a chance to chat with the newly crowned fbb Femina Miss India, Priyadarshini Chatterjee, who also happens to be a student of Delhi University. Priyadarshini shared with us her thoughts on her journey from being a three year old kid dressed as Miss World to the winner of fbb Femina Miss India, her future plans, and also her preparations for the upcoming semester exams!

DUB: First of all, congratulations on your win!

Priyadarshini Chatterjee: Thanks!

DUB: The first very obvious question is, how are you feeling right now? Has the feeling sunk in that you won such a major event?

PC: It’s been almost 25 days since the win. I had a lovely homecoming after it. By now, yes, it has definitely sunk in. The kind of response I’ve got is something I never imagined I would get. Initially when it happened, I really couldn’t believe it.

DUB: How confident were you about winning, when you were standing on the stage, given that you were competing against some of the most beautiful and capable women in the country?

PC: Before the finale show actually started, I was very, very nervous. In fact, I was panicking and I was calling my parents and friends and saying, “What do I do? I’m really nervous.” But I remember that the moment the show started, when the music came on and I had to go on stage, I forgot everything and I was just enjoying. What helped me was the fact that I started enjoying the moment so much that everything else just kind of flew out of my mind.

DUB: You are from Guwahati, you went on to win Miss India Delhi and now you are the Miss India. How would you say your journey has been? What made you want to enter the pageant and what kept you motivated?

PC: I come from Assam. It’s the kind of place where everybody knows everyone and I was there for quite some time. Then I came to Delhi, where the exposure was understandably much more. Once I started working in Delhi, I figured out that I have a lot to work on with myself. I was already interested in participating in Miss India but there was this fear of rejection that was stopping me. However, when the Delhi auditions happened, I just knew I had to go for it. The credit actually goes to my parents who kept me motivated. I gave the auditions and I won, and once you’re there, there’s no looking back. The pageant continued and I kept going. The journey- the flow of it- has been very smooth for me and I’ve learnt a lot.

DUB: Where did that first thought about entering the pageant come from? Did you follow the earlier pageants, or was it something you became interested in after starting modeling and entering the circuit?

PC: I never wanted to participate in any pageants other than Miss India because it’s the most reputed one. Moreover, it’s not just about beauty and looks but beyond that. I was scared too. There are so many beautiful and smart women in India. When I was three years old, my mom dressed me up as Miss World for a fancy dress competition. That was when I knew that a platform like this existed, and it fascinated me. I never used to watch pageants. I’ve not followed any of the previous Miss India pageants. It was something that I personally wanted to do and I went forward with it.

DUB: That’s an interesting point of contact! The 3 year old dressed as Miss World!

PC: *laughs* I know!

When I was three years old, my mom dressed me up as Miss World for a fancy dress competition. That was when I knew that a platform like this existed, and it fascinated me.

DUB: You’re now set to represent India at the Miss World pageant, which puts you in the same league as many other formidable women. Have the preparations for it already begun? What are your expectation from this even bigger platform?

PC: Yes, they have begun. In fact, I just got back from one of my sessions. We have many sessions – a make-up session, hair session, nutrition session, and others. The two-other rank holders have these sessions as well. It’s about bringing out the best in ourselves. The next thing that we’ll do will be at the global level. It requires a lot of hard work. Another important thing I have to do is to know about the culture of India. I’m working on that by reading books, familiarising myself with places by travelling. What I need to do is be aware of our culture and put my best foot forward at a platform where there’ll be many smart and beautiful women from around the world.

DUB: You’re currently a B.A (H) Sociology student in Hindu College. The previous two winners, Koyal Rana (DDUC) and Aditi Arya (SSCBS), were also Delhi University students. Do you think being from DU gives a person a certain edge?

PC: When I came to Delhi from Guwahati, Delhi University itself was a big exposure for me. Being from a small place and then coming to DU, where I met people from all over the country and made friends with them, gave me a confidence boost and opened me up to new possibilities. I wouldn’t call myself an introvert but I was used to my own little world and my own friends. When I came to DU, I started exploring. I auditioned for the Dramatics society of my college and I am, in fact, a part of Masque, the English Dramatics society of Hindu College. My audition for Masque was one of the instances where I walked out of my comfort zone to achieve something. I definitely think DU has given me confidence and exposure.

My audition for Masque (the English Dramatics Society of Hindu College) was one of the instances where I walked out of my comfort zone to achieve something. I definitely think DU has given me confidence and exposure.

DUB: Talking about DU reminds us of the upcoming semester exams. Will you be giving the exams too? How’s your preparation? (isn’t that the question on everyone’s minds?!)

PC: Yes, I am giving the exams. I’ll be returning to Delhi for it. I’m going to start studying tonight.

DUB: How do you plan to balance your studies and your duties as Miss India? Would you like to continue with your studies or do you want to pursue something else?

PC: I want to continue with my studies, that’s not something I want to lose out on. It’s something that gives me a base in life. After graduation, I’d love to pursue Anthropology of Travel and Tourism.

It definitely gets hard to balance the two but I don’t think it’s impossible.

DUB: Since you’re already involved in modeling, the next obvious question people would ask has to be- does Bollywood figure into your plans?

PC: *sighs* Oh yes, it’s definitely the most common question. Personally, I don’t see myself in Bollywood right now. I think the people who do that have different aspirations and different motives in life. However, if you ask me if I would like to work as an Assistant Director, I’d love to do that. Being onscreen is something I’m not aiming for yet. Of course, if the right opportunity comes my way and if I really like a certain role, I’d consider it but I’m more of a behind-the-screen person.

DUB: Switching over to slightly different questions, do you consider yourself a feminist? How would you define feminism?

PC: Concepts like Feminism are very subjective. I may have an opinion which may be different from yours. I don’t think I am in a position to define something like this. But to me, Feminism means putting women in the front too so that men and women can be equals. It’s not just about women having the upper hand but rather both the genders working as equals for the progress of society.

I wouldn’t call myself a feminist because right now it is going somewhere- who even knows where it’s going? I think the concept of Feminism is being misunderstood and people are being misled. In a situation like this, I wouldn’t really call myself a feminist.

Concepts like Feminism are very subjective, to me it means both genders working as equals for the progress of society- but the concept is being misunderstood today

DUB: How would you correlate the concept of Feminism to platforms like Miss India which, while amazing, also perpetuate certain ideologies?

People always assume that beauty pageants are all about how a person looks and how tall they are, but trust me, there were girls in the pageant who were taller and prettier than me. It’s not just about looks, it’s also about how smart you are and if you can go and make conversation with anyone at a moment’s notice. I think it’s a stereotype associated with beauty pageants and it’s something we need to get rid of. I don’t think it’s accurate at all.

DUB: Having been involved in Miss India now, do you think there’s anything about the Indian beauty pageant scene and the modeling scene that needs to change? Is there anything that irks you?

I don’t think so. With respect to the Indian beauty pageants scene, I think we’re doing well and going places, and we’ll do even better in the future. If I can get the Miss World crown, it’ll go even better. It’s definitely something I want to do for the industry as well.

DUB: How about as a participant? Do you think anything needs to change in the way the industry treats and welcomes participants and newcomers?

PC: I was more than welcomed. We were all staying away from our families and friends during the pageant. We made families there. The people I’m working with right now, who are a part of my team, I knew them during the pageant too. They are family to me. If people believe something else, I think that’s a misconception. Everyone’s been very sweet.

DUB: What do you aspire to achieve with the power that comes with being Miss India? Is there a cause that’s close to your heart that you want to work for?

PC: Yes, I have my project Shishu Kalyan. I don’t like talking about it as people may think it’s a clichéd thing to do, that I’m talking about social work because I am Miss India. I feel for the cause and so I’ve taken it up. Shishu Kalyan is about child labour. I want to put in my bit for the betterment of the children in slum areas. I educate not just the children but also their parents about the importance of educating their kids, even in the smallest of ways. If I can even teach them cultural activities like dancing, singing, and about culture, it can give them to incentive to stay away from things like substance abuse which is very common in those areas. I’m working on this and am planning to collaborate with an NGO soon to take this forward.

DUB: Last question! Was there anything you watched or read throughout the entire journey to keep you company and to motivate you?

PC: Yes, I did. I am a firm believer of the Law of Attraction. I’ve been reading the book ‘The Secret’ for two years. I’m not a person who reads a lot. I’d rather watch a movie than read a book, but this one book changed my life drastically. The law of attraction is about how you can attract positive things in your life. It works on the principle of Ask, Believe and Receive. You ask for what you want, you believe in it and you receive it. This is something I’ve followed and I think it has played in part in getting me where I am today.

DU Beat would like to wish Priyadarshini the very best for the Miss World pageant and her other future endeavours!

Interview taken by Shubham Kaushik for DU Beat

[email protected]

 

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Campus Central

Early morning Yoga sessions held for students at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar College

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Image Credits- ADSS To enhance participation and encourage regularity a monthly felicitation program is being held to reward those students who are regular and have embraced yoga as part of their life. This felicitation program is conducted regularly in the first week of every month and the students are given appreciation letters and symbolic prizes by the committee. It’s important to mention that the felicitation function is attended by all the committee members along with the chairperson of the college governing body Mrs. Jyotsana Sharma and the principal Dr. G. K. Arora. The college, in its endeavour to contribute to the mission of making a healthy India celebrated the International Day of Yoga on 21stjune 2015 by organising a mega yoga event in its premises. This event included a spectacular yoga performance by more than 450 NCC cadets from various DU Colleges and schools and was attended by eminent personalities. The event was covered and aired by Rajya Sabha TV. To popularise Yoga among students the yoga committee  in collaboration with Sam Yoga Foundation conducts yoga workshops on regular basis .The annual Fest of college, Chetna 2016 showcased a special 10- 12 minutes performance of musical yoga . All these initiatives reflect a strong spirit of the college to support students in their endeavour to become well balanced and healthy individuals and to make them realise that mental and physical health is the true wealth. Compiled by- Tanya Agarwal [email protected] Inputs by- Neha Sharma Assistant Professor, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar College  ]]>

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Innovation Projects

Kamala Nehru College’s Innovation Project’16: Switch to Energy Efficient Lighting and Home Appliances like CFL/LEDs

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In the current world scenario warm surface temperatures and worsening climate impacts have become an increasingly common problem. Delhi University’s Innovation Project team of Kamala Nehru College: KNC-301 with an earnest desire to limit all the activities leading to high energy consumption and save the world by teaching everyone to be as energy efficient as possible, in the smallest and yet, most significant of ways.

This young group of student researchers is therefore working on a project entitled- Implementation of a Successful ‘Switch to Energy Efficient Lighting and Home Appliances’ Campaign in Delhi: A Social Marketing Strategy. The team comprises of the following students: Aakanksha Gupta, Alisha Allagh, Anushka Agarwal, Diya Mukherjee, Meghna Tripathi, Nitima Jain, Chetna Ahuja, Tanya Gupta, Priyal Kalra and Shubhi Singh. The team is supurvised and guided by Principal Investigators Dr. Soma Sen Gupta, Dr. Sona Mandal, and Dr. Pankaj Kumar; and Dr. Anjan Sen, from the Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics as their Mentor.

Even though our society is fully aware of the benefits of the efficiency improvement of home appliances, a large majority becomes apprehensive on buying and using products which promise the same. Some of the major concerns addressed by them are either in the favor of extremely high costs of LEDs and ‘Star-rated’ appliances or safety risks caused due to the fear of the ultraviolet radiation leakage from CFL bulbs. The main aim of the innovation project is to study social marketing approach which can be used to eradicate such myths and introduce a behavioral change among the masses so that they switch to energy efficient lighting like CFL/LED bulbs in their homes without any hesitation.

The innovation team of KNC critically evaluated the measures undertaken by different stakeholders in the promotion of energy efficient home appliances. On 5th March, 2016, an interactive session was organized with the officials of Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), New Delhi. They learnt that Mr. Sanjay Seth (Secretary) and Mr. Saurabh Diddi (Technical Head) had initiated various policy measures like, the Domestic Efficient Lighting Program (DELP) and #iledtheway campaign to promote and distribute four LEDs per household at Rs.93 per bulb, on the production of their electricity bill and aadhar card. They had even issued ‘Star Rating’ labels for as many as 21 products.

The second session was held with Phillips (India), one of the leading lighting companies of the world in which Mr. Tapas Roy Chowdhury (Regional Sales Manager) and Varun (Sales Executive) explained that through continuous technological development in the lighting sector, Philips not only envisages energy efficiency, but even a reduction in the prices of LEDs. Moreover, their process of distribution and promotion through celebrity advertising has made LEDs gain popularity as well as acceptability.

Priyal Kalra, a student member of the project is of the view that, “as the youth of the nation, we wish to be more involved with taking care of the environment and persuading others to do so as well. Hence, the project gave us an opportunity to know how a social marketing strategy can help in changing the attitudes and behaviors of people and their perceptions regarding energy efficiency”.

On a field trip to Vishakhapatnam, the first city in India to implement energy efficiency through one hundred percent use of CFLs, the project team organized a survey and witnessed a high level of awareness and cooperation in the adoption of LED technology and high star-rated appliances, not only among the people of households, but even with road side vendors and street lighting. Less materialistic lifestyles, higher levels of education, and a better distribution strategy of the government were found to be the reasons behind this success.

A questionnaire based data was then, collected from 250 households in Delhi and NCR to determine the factors preventing a shift from traditional incandescent bulbs to CFLs/LEDs.  An effective campaign will be designed for the acceptance of these energy efficient appliances in Delhi through a social marketing strategy by blending the eight Ps together- product, price, promotion, place, public, policy, partnership, and purse string.

Image Credits: KNC-301, DU Innovation Team

Shagun Marwah

[email protected]

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DUB News

Dyal Singh College: First varsity college powered by solar energy

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Dyal Singh College of University of Delhi (DU) has become the first varsity college to be powered up by solar energy. The Ministry of New and Renewable Resources (MNRE) and Solar Energy Corporation of India were instrumental in helping in the installation of Solar Panels in the college. This solar power project is being carried out in two phases of 100KW (kilo watt) each. The first phase with 100KW solar panels was completed with inspection on 16th April, 2016. The cost of this first phase was 62 lakh with 15% subsidy.

According to the college authorities, by using these solar panels there will be a 30% decrease in the electricity bill of the college per month. Also, this solar plant is being used according to ‘Net Metering System’ through which the energy generated by this plant is first used by the college and if surplus is left then, it is sold to BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL). Since, the college is not open throughout the year and some days the electricity consumption is less, the electricity generated on such days will be straight away sold to BRPL. Therefore, it is estimated that within 3 years the cost of installing this 100KW solar plant (62 lakh) would be reimbursed by the college.

The second phase of this 200KW solar project would materialize in future with which the college would become self-sufficient to fully power up the college without any help from BRPL. “As human beings we need to be conscious of our responsibility towards planet Earth. The temperature of entire world is increasing rapidly and all of us are responsible in contributing to it. We are endangering the future and existence of life on our planet. We thought of installing solar panels in our college to be eco-friendly and do our bit to save environment,” said I.S. Bakshi, Principal of Dyal Singh College, DU.

But, this is not the only environment-friendly initiative taken by the college. In addition to solar panels, the college is building an affluent-treatment plant. The chemical waste from the chemistry labs has been damaging the water supply system and polluting the water with heavy metals and harmful chemicals. Through this affluent treatment plant all the chemical waste would first treated for the heavy metals and chemicals before going in water system.

The third step taken by the college is the IGL gas connectivity in all the chemistry labs and canteen. Through this the college would be not be prone to PNG gas cylinder accidents. Lastly, with the construction of the new science block, the college would build a rain water harvesting plant to conserve water. Thus, soon Dyal Singh College would be the most eco-friendly college of varsity and of India too.

 

Nidhi Panchal

[email protected]

Image Credits: Anupam Chhikara

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DUB Speak

Difference in attitudes towards exams during various semesters

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Exams come and go every semester but in a three – year graduation program, the question papers are always welcomed with a unique expression by the students. To put it more clearly, all students of the second, fourth and sixth semesters have their own special attitudes towards the Delhi University examinations in May.

Semester 2:

The relative newbies!
The relative newbies!

These are the one-semester-down lot who have not yet understood the system. Still fresh-on-campus, appearing for just one round of exams doesn’t make you very comfortable with the whole idea of college examinations. A few of them are currently being frowned upon or looked at with jealous eyes, because they have scored quite exorbitantly in the first semester. There are also those who are quite scared of what happened in the previous semester results. Both the latter and the former categories are gearing up with full gusto for the coming month. The behaviour of semester 2 students generally reminds me of freshly hatched turtles who are moving towards the sea, unaware of what might hit them on the way. These are the naïve group of people who, as of now, have not decided what future in DU will be like for them. They’re just too new to the system.

Semester 4:

Maintaining their averages!
Maintaining their averages!

They are dead meat! They know that their performance in the past, whether good or bad, doesn’t mean anything; irrespective of their past record, they have to score well again because averages are important. These are the ones who have got used to DU and are gearing up for internships and coaching for third – year entrances. Most of them have even begun their MBA preparations. Their interests and attention are divided between exams and forwarding resumes and filling out forms for internships. Many are even preparing planned structures of their career paths, under their parents’ watchful glances. There are also those carefree ones who wish to take life as it comes. They are indifferent about their score and have another year to think about their future. Generally, Sem 4 students are in a dilemma of sorts and are uncertain about their future, but being seniors to the first years, don’t let their guards down.

Semester 6:

The veterans!
The veterans!

These are the veterans. They still don’t know how DU comes up with its question papers and syllabi but are too tired to do anything about it. At the same time they also care about their percentage as their life depends on it. Their attitude is more like ‘Oh God, please maintain my average and let me pass all subjects’. Half of them have already figured out the next year or two for themselves. Many are even sidelining their exams because entrances are undoubtedly more important. Quite a few have jobs in their hands and know that further studies will come after some practical experience. These are the people everybody is looking up to. They have everything to lose. They have been bid adieu to and have nothing to lose. They are being consulted for advice. What nobody knows is that they are the most tense and anxious right now. It is the end of a journey for them, especially for the erstwhile FYUP batch that got the bad end of a bargain.

Whatever semester you might belong to, it’s time to prepare with gusto and to say goodbye to another semester on a happy note. Happy exams!

Feature Image: sacap.edu.za

Ayesha Sareen

[email protected]

 

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Innovation Projects

KNC’s Innovation Project: Switch to Energy Efficient Lighting and Home Appliances

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In the current world scenario where warm surface temperatures and worsening climate impacts have become an increasingly common problem to bear, here arises our very own Delhi University’s Innovation Project team of Kamala Nehru College: KNC-301 with an earnest desire to limit all the activities leading to high energy consumption and save the world by teaching everyone to be as energy efficient as possible, in the smallest and yet, most significant of ways.

This young group of student researchers is therefore working on a project entitled- Implementation of a Successful ‘Switch to Energy Efficient Lighting and Home Appliances’ Campaign in Delhi: A Social Marketing Strategy. The team comprises of students such as Aakanksha Gupta, Alisha Allagh, Anushka Agarwal, Diya Mukherjee, Meghna Tripathi, Nitima Jain, Chetna Ahuja, Tanya Gupta, Priyal Kalra and Shubhi Singh; Principal Investigators like Dr. Soma Sen Gupta, Dr. Sona Mandal, and Dr. Pankaj Kumar; and Dr. Anjan Sen, from the Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics as their Mentor.

Even though our society is fully aware of the benefits gained from the efficiency improvement of home appliances, a large majority becomes apprehensive on buying and using products which promise the same. Some of the major concerns addressed by them are either in the favor of extremely high costs of LEDs and ‘Star-rated’ appliances or safety risks caused due to the fear of the ultraviolet radiation leakage from CFL bulbs. The main aim of their study is to explore how a social marketing approach can be used to eradicate such myths and introduce a behavioral change among the masses so that they switch to energy efficient lighting like CFL/LED bulbs in their homes without any hesitation.

The innovation team of KNC, thus, decided to critically evaluate the measures undertaken by different stakeholders in the promotion of energy efficient home appliances. On 5th March, 2016, an interactive session was organized with the officials of Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), New Delhi. They learnt that Mr. Sanjay Seth (Secretary) and Mr. Saurabh Diddi (Technical Head) had initiated various policy measures like, the Domestic Efficient Lighting Program (DELP) and #iledtheway campaign to promote and distribute four LEDs per household at Rs.93 per bulb, on the production of their electricity bill and aadhar card. They had even issued ‘Star Rating’ labels for as many as 21 products.

The second session was held with Phillips (India), one of the leading lighting companies of the world where Mr. Tapas Roy Chowdhury (Regional Sales Manager) and Varun (Sales Executive) explained that through continuous technological development in the lighting sector, Philips not only envisages energy efficiency, but even a reduction in the prices of LEDs. Moreover, their process of distribution and promotion through celebrity advertising has made LEDs gain popularity as well as acceptability.

Priyal Kalra, a student member of the project is of the view that, “as the youth of the nation, we wish to be more involved with taking care of the environment and persuading others to do so as well. Hence, the project gave us an opportunity to know how a social marketing strategy can help in changing the attitudes and behaviors of people and their perceptions regarding energy efficiency”.

On a field trip to Vishakhapatnam, the first city in India to implement energy efficiency through one hundred percent use of CFLs, the project team organized a survey and witnessed a high level of awareness and cooperation in the adoption of LED technology and high star-rated appliances, not only among the people of households, but even with road side vendors and street lighting. Less materialistic lifestyles, higher levels of education, and a better distribution strategy of the government were found to be the reasons behind this success.

A questionnaire based data was then, collected from 250 households in Delhi and NCR to determine the factors preventing a shift from traditional incandescent bulbs to CFLs/LEDs.  An effective campaign will be designed for the acceptance of these energy efficient appliances in Delhi through a social marketing strategy by blending the eight Ps together- product, price, promotion, place, public, policy, partnership, and purse string.

Image Credits: KNC-301, DU Innovation Team

Shagun Marwah

[email protected]

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DUB News

Ramjas alumnus becomes the youngest Indian to feature at Cannes

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As admissions session draws close and students ready their certificates, letters and documents related to their achievements in ECA to try their luck for getting into the colleges which they couldn’t due to their cut offs, we present a story of a student who was in the same shoes at one time.

Years before, Varun Chopra was also one of them who got into Ramjas College through ECA. He is currently pursuing his masters in Film and Television at the School of Film and Television, Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. He is the youngest Indian whose film was screened at the highly popular and prestigious Cannes International Film Festival. He talks about his experience of theatre in Delhi University and his film “God on a Leash” which is woven around the story of being held on a leash to the hands of faith, heritage and poverty that explores the concept of humanism and divinity.

Q. You were a student of Mathematics at Ramjas. When did you decide for going for a masters in Films?

I was studying Mathematics (Hons.) at Ramjas College. I got my admission by the ECA quota in theatre which was a great ordeal in itself. Consequently, theatre turned into an indomitable element of my college life. Being in Shunya, one of the premier theatre societies of the University was the most fruitful experience in itself. There was a massive spirit of creativity and collaboration, it just propels one forward in terms of innovation and exposure. It was here that I directed my first play Saints and Sinners and later got involved with some exceptionally talented people who refused to sit idle. Most of us are now theatre artists and filmmakers trying to make our way up.

Q. You have been a student of DU and an active member the Delhi Theatre circuit. What is the scene of film making in DU?


As I mentioned before, the theatre scene in DU is blooming. It is very demanding but the kind of creative satiation people achieve here is unparalleled. Filmmaking however is still practiced in closed quarters and I fail to understand why DU still does not have a filmmaking course. It shows that the University has lost touch with the demands of the youth today. Students are trying to get out and organize festivals for films there, but they remain amateur since one does not have the apparatus to create something which is at par with what the 18-21 year olds in universities outside India do.

Q. What can DU do to promote these fields within its campus??

DU can organize more and more festivals which would push the status quo of the University. You should not have to spend a fortune to learn something. Get your college to get a course. Even if it is a workshop as a starter, the initiative must start.


Q. Do you think the young film makers in India have any good platform? What advice would you like to give to the Aspiring film makers of India.

The fact that we have one of the biggest film industries in the world and only a handful of institutes for film making is appalling. Those that exist aren’t even comparable to the universities abroad. What you end up doing is going to Mumbai and leading the quintessential “struggler” life, at least that is my understanding of it. All in all, one must be forced to do that. It is obvious that we are going tangential to the needs.
There is some brilliant talent but a dearth of opportunities too.
I don’t think I am qualified enough to give anyone advice, but to a hopeful person who is reading this and thinking if they stand any chance. I would like to say take the leap of faith, you’ll be surprised to see how many people would support you. If you want to be a painter, just paint. Likewise, if you want to be a filmmaker, make films.

Q. How do you feel to be the youngest Indian in Cannes International Film Festival? What would you like to say about your film which got screened at Cannes?

I am very fortunate to be able to experience Cannes at a young age. It is more of an opportunity to engage with interesting people than anything. The film is special as it took me back to the University. Parts of the film were shot in North Campus itself. With all honesty, I feel a sense of gratitude towards Shunya and the people I met there. I would want to give a big shout out to the folks there today, they are churning out some amazing stuff every year.

Through this documentary, I was able to unravel the intricacies of this culture. We followed a Madari, who sat with his macaques and their offspring near a Hanuman temple at North Campus. It seemed the baby’s future in chains was indomitable, much like the off springs of the ancestral impressionists’ community. It created a cruel euphemism about our ignorance, the way we choose to live our lives, follow our traditions and practice our faith. The film is a window to a highly embellished niche world with a contrastingly unembellished human experience.

Here is the link of the film: https://m.facebook.com/godonaleash/

Interviewed by Srivedant Kar for DU Beat

[email protected]

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