Tag

2015

Browsing

Each year in DU is a new experience, constituting both good and bad happenings. From being the top notch university to being the controversy’s favourite child, life in Delhi University has always been like an exciting Bollywood entertainer, where its possible to have both moral and impromptu controversies, all happening at the same time. Replete with changes, policy decisions, criticisms as well as achievements, let’s take a look at the various significant moments that acted as a crucial marker in the year 2015 for the University of Delhi!

Best of 2015 at Delhi University

JANUARY 2015

1. Saachi Soni scaled new heights, climbed 10 Aussie Peaks

Saachi Soni, a student of Bachelors in Mass Media at IP College, University of Delhi went for the Reliance and Deuters sponsored Aussie 10 Peaks Mt. Summit. Saachi became the Youngest Indian Person to expedite 75-80 KM in only 2.5 days!

[caption id="attachment_37636" align="aligncenter" width="290"]Aussie Peak Saachi Soni[/caption]

Further Reading: Saachi Soni from IP College creates new record 


2. Gargi student Vasundhara Choudhary, elected as the Sarpanch of Lilawali, Rajasthan

Vasundhara Choudhary, a 21 year old student, studying Psychology Honours in Gargi College, was elected the Sarpanch of her ancestral village Lilawali, in Rajasthan. Her feat is indeed extraordinary; she being the first woman Sarpanch of Lilawali, and second woman to hold the office in Rajasthan apparently, after Chhavi Rajawat, a management graduate who was elected as the Sarpanch of Soda village in Tonk, Rajasthan.

[caption id="attachment_37643" align="aligncenter" width="816"]Sarpanch Gargi Vasundhra Choudhary[/caption]

Further Reading: Vasundhara Chaudhary from Gargi elected as village president


FEBRUARY 2015

3. University of Delhi won the ‘Visitor’s Award’ in the ‘Best Innovation Category

Delhi University grabbed laurels at the Visitor’s Award for Central Universities in the category of ‘Innovation’. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the award in a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on February 4th, 2015. The award was received by Prof. Vijay K. Chaudhary and Dr. Amita Gupta of DU who invented a rapid diagnostic test for Tuberculosis, named ‘TB Confirm’. They were rewarded with a Citation along with a cash prize of Rs.1,oo,ooo INR.

Visitor Award

Further Reading: Delhi University grabbed laurels at the Visitor’s Award for Central Universities 


APRIL 2015

4. CBS graduate Aditi Arya won Miss India 2015

Aditi Arya, an alumnus of Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, won the Femina Miss India 2015 title on the 28th of March. Aditi bagged the Miss India crown after winning the title of Miss Sudoku and Miss Beautiful Hair at the event.

Miss india

Further Reading: Aditi Arya from Shaheed Sukhdev College won Miss India 2015


AUGUST 2015

5. Hans Raj College appointed its first female Principal in history 

Hans Raj College, appointed Dr. Rama as the new Acting Principal after the successful tenure of Dr. V.K. Khwatra, the outgoing Principal. It was for the first time in the 67-year history of Hans Raj College, that the command of the institution was handed over to a female. Dr. Rama had taken over as an Assistant Professor for Hindi at the college in August 1991.

[caption id="attachment_37639" align="aligncenter" width="620"]Hansraj Dr. Rama as the Principal for Hans Raj College[/caption]

Further Reading: Hans Raj College appointed first female principal


6. Ramjas College and Hans Raj College bagged the second and third spot respectively at Enactus Nationals

Enactus conducted a national competition which saw a participation from 60+ college teams from across the country. While all of the teams had projects which made a difference for a different community, teams from Hans Raj College, Ramjas College, and IIT-Delhi stole the show. While Enactus Ramjas portrayed 3 major projects including- Project Transcreations and Project Aradhaga and were adjudicated as the first runner up,  Enactus Hansraj with two major projects- Project Boond and Project Mithaas was adjudged with the third prize.

ENACTUS

Further Reading: DU shines at Enactus Nationals


SEPTEMBER 2015

7. DU Professor Rajeev Gupta received CRSI medal

Professor Rajeev Gupta of Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi was honored with the Bronze Medal (2016) by the Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI) for his contributions to research in Chemistry. The CRSI was founded by Bharat Ratna Prof. C. N. R. Rao in 1999 and is the largest chemical society of the country.

[caption id="attachment_37642" align="aligncenter" width="427"]Rajiv Gupta Prof. Rajeev Gupta[/caption]

Further Reading: Chemical Research Society of India honours Prof. Rajeev Gupta of DU


OCTOBER 2015

8. DU student honoured with NATIONAL RTI AWARENESS AWARD, 2015

Himadrish Suwan, a second year student of Political Science, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, was presented with the RTI Awareness Award 2015 by the RTI Institute of India on 28th September, 2015 (International Right to Information Day), for his contribution in the field of RTI activism.

Further Reading: National RTI Awareness Award won by a DU student Himadrish Suwan


DECEMBER 2015

9. Google CEO Sundar Pichai visited SRCC

The man behind the topest-notch corporate Google Inc. Sundar Pichai visited Shri Ram College of Commerce in December. The session at SRCC was an interactive one, as they invited students to “Ask Sundar”. The Chennai-born executive is an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur. He joined Google in 2004 and worked as the Product Chief before taking over as the CEO.

[caption id="attachment_37645" align="aligncenter" width="735"]sundar-pichai Sundar Pichai[/caption]

Further Reading: Sundar Pichai at SRCC for #AskSundar by Google


Worst of 2015 at Delhi University


FEBRUARY 2015

1. DU B. Tech students fought for an AICTE approved degree

Despite the rollback of the FYUP scheme, the agenda of proper recognition of student’s B.Tech courses from the AICTE was not paid attention. Many students had come together to voice their grievances.

Further Reading: AICTE degree debacle


MARCH 2015

2. ‘DU Bachao Maha-Rally’ by ABVP lathicharged outside VC Office

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Delhi University Students’Union (DUSU) on 27th March 2015 held a massive rally against the DU administration on their nine point demand agenda. The ‘DU Bachao Maha-rally‘ attracted more than four thousand students who gathered at the Arts’ Faculty for the same. When the protesters reached near the Gate number 1, a barricade broke due to the excessive rush. Nine students, including two DUSU office bearers were severely injured and dozens other injured in police lathicharge outside VC Office Gate no 1.

[caption id="attachment_37635" align="aligncenter" width="960"]ABVP lathicharge Injured after the lathicharge[/caption]

Further Reading: Nine injured at ‘DU Bacchao Maha Rally’


APRIL 2015

3. St. Stephen’s principal banned E-ZINE

St.Stephen’s principal Valson Thampu banned a student run e-zine following the magazine’s publication of the principal’s interview without his permission. The e-zine, which was started by four philosophy students of the college, went live on March 7 and registered over 2000 hits on an interview of the principal. The principal had banned the e-zine for not seeking clearance for the issue.

Further Reading: Valson Thampu banned student run e-zine


AUGUST 2015

4. SFI conducted referendum on CBCS, more than 90% voted ‘NO’

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI), CPI (M)’s student wing, conducted a referendum on the widely debated Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) which was implemented at the undergraduate level this year by the Delhi University. In the referendum it was found that more than 90% students voted against CBCS System.

Further Reading: Majority vote against new CBCS


SEPTEMBER 2015

5. ABVP, NSUI & CYSS clashed during DUSU elections

NSUI supporters along with their presidential candidate Pradeep Vijayran and Vice Presidential candidate Prerna Singh had been physically assaulted when they were campaigning at PGDAV College at Nehru Nagar.

NSUI

Further Reading: NSUI candidates assaulted while campaigning


OCTOBER 2015

6. Right to Accommodation goes on hunger strike

The members of  the Right to Accommodation group went on an indefinite strike for 44 days outside Gate No. 1 of the Arts Faculty building in North Campus protesting against the lack of rent regulation and hostel accommodation for the students staying in and around Delhi University.

Further Reading: Right to Accommodation group protest against lack of rent regulation


DECEMBER 2015

7. Infrastructure Issue at Delhi University

This year, colleges tried numerous ways and means to hold exams for the excess number of students. In a lot of cases, same exam timings for students of Morning and Evening Colleges led to chaos and the problem was seen in colleges in North, South as well as off-campus.

Infra DU

Further Reading: How DU colleges scored at Infrastructure this exam season

All the images used here have been cited in the respective articles quoted, along with required credits!

Riya Chhibber

[email protected]

]]>

2015 proved to be ‘just another year’ for the capital city of the country. However huge the political debacles in the first couple of months were, thanks to the Assembly Elections; the year turned out to be more or less a mundane one. Promises were left as mere promises and the dream of a Delhi with free WiFi, Water and Electricity stayed as bleak as before. While there were very tiny positive developments, the year was a stable one also because of lesser negative controversies in comparison to the days done by. Here’s a glimpse of all that brought Delhi in the headlines this year:

1. 66th Republic Day with Mr. Barack Obama: The Rajpath saw a multitude of people gathering on the chilly morning of 26th January, 2015, the republic day celebrations; the highlight of which weren’t the impeccable march pasts or processions but the presence of the President of U.S.A Mr. Barack Obama. President Obama and the First Lady also attended all the formal ceremonies, which was argued to hint at better diplomatic relations between India and the U.S.

Further Reading: Places that Mr. President should’ve visited according to DU Beat

Barack Obama attending the Republic Day Parade at Rajpath | Source: indianexpress.com

2. AAP in power again with 67/70 seats: Second chances were given, not just marginally but with a whooping, incomparable majority to Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party. 14th February, 2015 turned out to be a milestone for both Kejriwal and AAP, when the result-tabs board showed 67 out of 70 seats in the domain of the party. The same day came as a big blow to the unbreakable chain of wins for the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) which was reduced to a minor 3 seat arena. Free WiFi, subsidized electricity and water were the most ‘attractive’ promises of the campaign. 

Further Reading: Curious Case of Delhi Elections

Also read: Changes to be introduced in DU education system by AAP Govt (as predicted by DU Beat)

AAP Leaders celebrating their landslide victory in the Delhi elections | Source: ndtv.com

3. Violet Line connects Faridabad to NCR: Delhi Metro expanded its chains to Faridabad, the inauguration of which was done by the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi on 6th September, 2015. The extension of the Violet Line of Delhi Metro from Badarpur Metro Station to Escorts Mujesar in Faridabad added 9 stations. The Violet Line now connects ITO to Faridabad.

4. “Four-Fold increase in salaries of MLAs of Delhi”, approves AAP Government: Whether basic amenities will ever be free and sanitation will ever be ensured is ambiguous, but the AAP Government was sure to work for the welfare of the MLAs by ensuring a 400% hike in their salaries. The proposal was approved in a Cabinet Meeting chaired by CM Arvind Kejriwal by passing the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Government of NCT of Delhi (Salaries, Allowances, Pension) Amendment Bill 2015 on 27th November, 2015. The bill has now been sent to The Ministry of Home Affairs for approval.

5. Odd-Even Rule coming from WHO declaring Delhi the most polluted city of the globe: All hell broke loose in May 2014, and rightly so, when the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Delhi the most polluted city of the world. Pollution levels in Delhi have been standing constant at alarming rates since the past five years. Kejriwal government was inspired by the Chinese experiment of the Odd-Even Traffic Rule, and proposed to follow the same in Delhi in early December. Alternate days shall be allotted for odd numbered and even numbered cars as per the rule, which was criticised and supported by stakeholders alike (Though the former was way more apparent than the latter!). Only time will tell the success of this revolution of traffic rules in Delhi.

Further Reading: Bazinga – DU students exempted from the odd-even rule

The odd-even vehicle rule in Delhi comes after WHO declaring it the most polluted city in the world | Source: indianexpress.com


6. AAP’s Cleanliness Mobile App launched: Keeping all rivalry and tension with the PM Narendra Modi aside, the AAP government proved itself to be a concrete supporter and promoter of the ‘Swacch Bharat Abhiyan’ by launching the Clean Delhi Mobile App on 17th November, 2015. The app lets one capture an image of ill-sanitary conditions in any area and the government, after locating the place, promises to get it cleaned up at the earliest. This initiative was widely appreciated and has seen a slow but positive response from the citizens.

7. Car-Free Day to be observed on 22nd of every month: This initiative started on October 22nd, 2015 as an attempt to manage the alarming pollution levels of the city. Residents observed the Car-Free Day by participating in cycle-rallies and taking public transport to work. A study released by Center of Science and Environment (CSE) reported as sharp as 60% decline in Delhi’s Air Pollution on October 22nd and the initiative was widely supported by Delhi-ites.

8. Juvenile convicted in Delhi’s Gang-rape Case of 2012 released: While activists, the victim’s parents, even certain politicians kept pleading against the release, the juvenile convicted in the 2012 Delhi Gang-rape case was released precisely after three years from the incident on 20th December, 2015. He was reportedly sent to an NGO for ‘mental reformation and rehabilitation’. Arguably as one of the most heinous incidents that shook the nation, the 2012 Gang-rape case sparked an uncontrollable fire of demand for justice to Jyoti Singh, who eventually succumbed to her wounds.

Juvenile Delhi

Jyoti’s father, Badrinath, commented, “It’s all politics that’s happening, and not justice.” He couldn’t be more accurate to analyse the event. The Judiciary in India reached an all time low with this judgement which was passed in less than a month of clearance of all charges against Salman Khan in the 2002 Hit-and-Run Case. Do we still have reasons to believe that the Indian Judiciary is unbiased and advocates justice? Or is it time to re-think what the Constitution of India promises?

After intense debate, the #juvenilejusticebill has been passed by the Rajya Sabha. While it isn’t possible to charge the #Nirbhaya rapist under this law, do you think it will work as a deterrent in the future?

Posted by DU Beat on Tuesday, December 22, 2015


Arushi Pathak
[email protected]

Those in power and those fighting for it have made headlines this year, some for very controversial reasons. With the whole world eagerly anticipating the American Presidential election in 2016, it has been an eventful year for the electorate that’s watching the potential candidates. The elections that have taken place in 2015, both in India as well as abroad, will have long lasting impacts on politics in the years to come.

International Politics

  1. US Presidential Election candidates

As the world watches with bated breath, the potential party candidates for American President have been battling it out, trying to swing public support in their favour. Business tycoon and probable Republican party candidate, Donald Trump, leads with the highest support base, according to public opinion polls. His support base has risen from 27 percent of the Republican voters in October, to a whopping 41 percent in December. In the wake of shootings at San Bernadino in December, Trump courted controversy when he proposed a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States till better security measures are implemented. This suggestion only served to enhance his growing support-Republican voters were seen to be in favour of his idea, though it garnered flak from all quarters globally. A petition on the British Government’s website, seeking to ban Trump from the UK, has gathered over 500,000 signatures.

Political 4
Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders | Source: theodysseyonline.com

Meanwhile, former Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders, and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton are vying for the Democratic party nomination. According to polls, Sanders lags Clinton by close to 25 points. Bernie Sanders and Trump have been on a collision course over their disparate views on economic policies, and other issues of national and international issues, with Sanders holding a more liberal, progressive viewpoint.

  1. UK General Election, May 7

For the first time since 1992, a Conservative Party majority government, with a working majority of 12, was elected in 2015, with David Cameron securing a second term as Prime Minister. The Labour party with Ed Miliband at the helm came a close second in terms of votes. The Liberal Democrats, who had governed in coalition with the Conservatives since 2010, suffered their worst defeat since the 1970 elections.

political 5
David Cameron | Source : www.telegraph.co.uk
  1. Referendum in Greece, July 5

The European Commission, International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank jointly proposed certain bailout conditions on Greece, according to which, certain fiscal reforms would have to be implemented by the debt-ridden country, in consultation with the IMF, EC and ECB. A referendum, the first since 1974, was held to decide if these conditions were to be accepted. The public (over 61 percent) voted a clear no.

  1. Myanmar elections, November 8

The National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, secured an absolute majority in the national parliament. The 2015 general elections were the first openly contested elections since 1990. The Union Solidarity and Development Party which has a strong military backing, with Thein Stein as President, had been ruling since 2010. The NLD’s victory marked a complete overthrow of the vestiges of the military rule that Myanmar had previously experienced till 2010.

Political 6
Suu Kyi | Source: www.storypick.com

Though the NLD won the elections, its leader, Suu Kyi is barred from holding the position of President according to the constitution since both her children are British citizens. The President will be chosen indirectly by the NLD dominated Legislature by March 2016.

National Politics

  1. Delhi Assembly Elections, February 7

The underdog, the Aam Aadmi Party, made history when it secured an absolute majority, winning 67 out of 70 seats, trumping the political heavyweights-the Congress and BJP. Arvind Kejriwal assumed office for the second time as Delhi’s CM, having resigned  after 49 days in office in 2014, due to issues over the Jan Lokpal Bill. Kejriwal is currently engaged in a spat with the BJP over allegations that Arun Jaitley was involved in certain irregularities, during his term as DDCA chief.

Political 1
Arvind Kejriwal | Source: www.zeenews.india.com
  1. Bihar Legislative Assembly Elections, October 12-November 5

The Bihar elections were a face off between the ‘Mahagatabandhan’ (an alliance between the JDU, led by Nitish Kumar in Bihar, and RJD, led by Lalu Prasad Yadav, supported by the Indian National Congress) and the BJP led NDA. The RJD won the highest number of seats (80) with the JDU coming a close second with 71. Nitish Kumar secured his third term as CM with the 2015 elections. The elections were a landslide victory for the alliance, as it trumped the NDA and BJP’s victory in the 2014 general elections, indicating that public opinion might have swung against Modi.

Political 2
Nitish Kumar | Source: www.indianexpress.com
  1. Narendra Modi’s foreign visits

During his tenure in office, PM Narendra Modi has made several international trips and met with leaders of various countries, in the interest of foreign policy and bilateral relations. Modi’s visit to the UAE in August was the first by an Indian PM in 34 years. He also became the first Indian PM to visit Mongolia in May. During his international visits, Modi sought the support of the leaders of several countries for India’s permanent membership in the UNSC.

Political 3
Modi with Nawaz Sharif | Source: www.bbc.com

On December 25, Modi made a sudden, impromptu visit to Lahore and met his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif. His ‘surprise,’ unannounced visit was seen globally as a sign of good will and improving relations between the two nations which have historically been at loggerheads.

Can’t go back home this vacations due to fest practices or something else? Spending New Year alone? Couldn’t convince your parents to go out with your friends? Don’t have any friends to party with? Or, are you the one who despise partying? Well, here we are on the brink of entering 2016. For many of us, it’s just like yesterday when we were welcoming 2015 or cursing Delhi University peeps for announcing the result on the last day of year! Well, let’s hope we don’t have a repeat of that result announcement this year. But, if we do and some us do get grounded, then here’s a to-do list for all the lonely souls who couldn’t or didn’t want to party this New Year’s Eve!

1. Movie Marathon or Binge watch TV Show

Well, this is the easiest thing you can do. No hassle of getting all glittered-up for some New Year’s party with heels which hurt-like-hell or waking up with a horrible hangover headache on the first day of the year, guys! Ditch this party scene and get into your warm, comfy clothes watching movies and TV shows you love!

Movies Suggestions

You can watch your favourite movies again or try the ones you haven’t watched as yet!

Bollywood: You can watch – Hum-Tum, Kal Ho Na Ho, Swadesh, Jab We Met, Dil Chahta Hai and others which released in the past decade if you have already watched the recent movies like – Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Dilwale, Masaan, Bajirao Mastani, etc.

1 (2)

 

Image Credits: http://www.amongmen.com/

Hollywood: Watch the movies series like – Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, The Divergent, Marvel Avengers, Wolverine, Batman, Superman, Twilight, Hangover, Grown-ups, or you can watch the Disney movies!

2 (1)

 

Image credits: http://media2.onsugar.com/

Watching animated movies on New Year’s Eve will also be a great idea to bring a smile on your face. Movies like – Tangled, The Lion King, Inside-Out, Frozen, Hotel Transylvania, Finding Nemo, How To Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, Minions, Up and more will worm their way into your heart and fill it with happiness and joy this New Year’s Eve!

3 (1)

 

Image credits: https://thelifeofoneteenager.files.wordpress.com/

TV Shows suggestion: You can either re-watch your favourite TV show or choose a new one. The shows you can binge watch are – Grey’s Anatomy, Friends, Supernatural, Game of Thrones, The Originals or Vampire Diaries, Lost, Breaking Bad, Castle, Arrow, Flash, Beauty and the Beast, Gossip Girl, Homeland, Sherlock, Elementary, Revenge, Big Bang Theory, Glee, Suits, and this list is can go on and on.

2. Wear your creative hat

Are you an artist, a writer or photographer? Even if you are not, worry not! All you have to do is let your creative side take over. Throw caution out of window and just start writing about your year. Swap through your picture gallery, facebook timeline or take out those old pictures and write a little caption or the story behind those pictures beside them or in a diary. That way you’ll not only relive those precious moments which were captured long back but, would also create something beautiful which you’ll always cherish and would want to revisit again and again. The artists or painters can take out their brushes and pencils to create something unique to mark the ending of the year.

The trick is to let your creative juices flow freely. It shouldn’t matter if you are not good at what you are doing. All you need to do is to feel happy and if, colouring or writing crappy poems make you happy then, do it!

4 (1)

 

Image Credits http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/

3. Food

Nothing makes your day better than good food. Treat yourself this New Year’s Eve with those delicious cupcakes that you covet and can kill for. Honestly, for one day you can crush that stupid diet plan and let your heart want what it wants. Believe me, you won’t die if you would eat all your favourite stuff. Make this your day and pamper yourself!

 

5 (1)

Image Credits: http://images6.fanpop.com/

4. TV

A lot of TV channels would have some New Year Special programmes and would not be playing their usual sappy daily soaps. Tune in and watch them or you can also watch Movie premieres. The movie channels would be having a lot of ‘First Time on Television’ movie premieres. This New Year’s Eve, watch the movie you have not seen before! Also, if you are a music lover then end this fantastic year with top 50 songs of 2015. VH1 India will play TOP 50 songs on December 31st from 7 pm onwards.

5. Visit reader’s paradise

This New Year’s Eve try something new. Try fan-fiction! Remember when you liked that particular book series so much that you didn’t want it to end. Read fan-fiction of that book if you can find it. Harry Potter and Twilight fans can find ample of fan-fiction on the internet to fill up their reading list for the whole 2016!

Also, even if you don’t find fan-fiction written on your favourite book (which is pretty impossible) then, read the book that you’ve or have been trying to read for a long time. A winter evening, hot cup of coffee/tea, a comfortable chair and a good book is all you need this New Year’s Eve to make it happening!

6

Image credits: https://ladygeekgirl.files.wordpress.com

6. Do Absolutely Nothing

Yeah, you heard it right! During the whole year some of us are so buzzed-up that ‘doing nothing’ and ‘not working’ is actually a novelty which we can’t afford throughout the year. So, this New Year’s Eve sleep your heart out or just lie on the bed as the time pass away and the New Year begins!

7 (1)

Image Credits: https://img0.etsystatic.com

New Year’s Eve is a special occasion, make it a memorable one. Get high on life and happiness rather than alcohol. Make it a special night for yourself as you pamper your soul and get drunk on joy. Forget all the deadlines for this one night and sleep like you’ve no worry in the world! Have a Happy New Year, everyone!

 

Feature Image Credits: http://newyeargreetings2016.com/

Nidhi Panchal

[email protected]

As the year ends, we look at the various events that changed the face of the country. Some restored our faiths in the governing system of the country, some disappointed us at the existing social structure. In this new series at DU Beat, we bring to you the best and worst of news from the National platform.

1. Constitutional and Policy Changes

  • March 24 – Section 66A of IT Act Repealed

In a move widely considered as protection of Free Speech in India, the Supreme Court of India, gave the verdict that Section 66A is unconstitutional in the Shreya Singhal v. Union of India case. Section 66A stated a punishment for any person who uses means of a computer resource to spread information that has a grossly offensive and menacing character.

  • April 13 – NJAC Act and the Constitutional Amendment Act come into force. Declared unconstitutional on October 16

National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) was a proposed body which would have been responsible for the appointment and transfer of judges to the higher judiciary in India. On 16 October 2015 the Constitution Bench of Supreme Court by 4;1 Majority upheld the collegium system and struck down the NJAC as unconstitutional after hearing the petitions filed by several persons.

  • December 22 – Juvenile Justice Bill passed in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

In 2015, responding to the public sentiment after Delhi Rape case, both the houses of parliament in India further amended the Juvenile Justice bill that lowered the juvenile age to 16 and proposed adult-like treatment for juveniles accused of heinous crimes. The lower house, i.e. Lok Sabha passed the bill on May 7, 2015 and the upper house,i.e. Rajya Sabha on December 22, 2015. The bill currently awaits president’s approval.

Maneka Gandhi discussing the Juvenile Justice Bill in Rajya Sabha on December 22, 2015. Image credits: tribuneindia.com

2. Riots and terror attacks

  • 6 July-present – Patel reservation agitation

Starting of July 2015, the people of India’s Patidar community, seeking Other Backward Class (OBC) status, held public demonstrations across the Indian state of Gujarat.  Later, there were incidents of violence and arson across the state resulting in curfew in several cities and towns. The properties and vehicles worth crores of Rupees were damaged and destroyed. The agitation has led to the deaths of 11 people till now.

The Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Sangarsh Samiti protests in Gujarat, August 2015. Image credits: livemint.com
  • July 25 – Terror attack in Gurdaspur, Punjab.

Three gunmen dressed in army uniforms opened fire on a bus and then attacked the Dina Nagar police station in Gurdaspur district of Punjab, India. The attack resulted in the death of three civilians and four policemen. All three attackers were killed in an operation that lasted 12 hours. Indian Ministry of Home Affairs alleges that the attacks were carried out by Pakistan based terror group Lashkar-e-Tayiba.


3. Rising intolerance and communalism

  • March 2 – Maharashtra ban on export and sale of beef comes into effect

Maharashtra cow slaughter ban was extended to ban the sale and export of beef, with a punishment of 5 years jail, and/or a ?10,000 fine for possession or sale.

  • March 5 – Mob lynching in Dimapur, Nagaland.

A mob of about 7000-8000 people broke into a prison, dragged a man detained under suspicion of rape out of the Dimapur Central Jail, paraded him naked and beat him to death in a case of vigilante justice. The victim, allegedly called an illegal Bangladeshi, was originally from the state of Assam whose 2 brothers were employed in the Indian Army with another brother who died during service in the Kargil War.

Mob lynching in Dimapur, Nagaland Image credits: mirror.co.uk
  • August 30 – Scholar and VC, Kannada University M.M. Kalburgi shot dead 

M. M. Kalburgi was was a scholar of Vachana sahitya (Vachana literature) and academic who served as the vice-chancellor of Kannada University in Hampi. He was awarded the National Sahitya Akademi award in 2006. He was under fire for making statements against idolatry in Hinduism. He was shot dead by two unidentified men at his home in Dharwad, Karnataka.

Later this year it was revealed by Karnataka Police that rationalists M. M. Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare were all killed by the same weapon

M. M. Kalburgi Image credits: intoday.in
  • September 28 – Mob lynching in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh

A mob of people attacked a Muslim family on the night of 28 September 2015 in Bisara village near Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, India. The attackers killed 52-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq Saifi and seriously injured his son, 22-year-old Danish. They were accused of consumption of beef. The controversy took new heights when it was supported by many right-wing politicians and the police, who decided to do a meat test instead of seriously investigating the case.

  • September-present – Writers return awards. Celebrities speak up against rising intolerance

Noted writers Uday Prakash and Chandrashekhar Patil were the first to return their Sahitya Akademi Award and Pampa Awards. In October, writer Nayantara Sahgal also returned Sahitya Akademi Award citing M. M. Kalburgi’s murder among other incidents with people being “killed for not agreeing with the ruling [party’s] ideology.”

Bollywood actors like Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan also chose to speak against the rising intolerance in the country receiving flack and criticism.

Aamir Khan expressing his views on intolerance in India. Image credits: indianexpress.com

4. From the digital front

  • March-present – Net Neutrality issue

As of now, there are no laws governing net neutrality in India, which would require that all Internet users be treated equally, without discriminating or charging differentially by user, content, site, platform, application etc.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in March released a formal consultation paper on Regulatory Framework for Over-the-top (OTT) services, seeking comments from the public. The consultation paper was criticised for being one sided and having confusing statements. It received condemnation from various politicians and Indian Internet users.

  • July 1 – Digital India is launched

Digital India is an initiative by the Government of India to ensure that Government services are made available to citizens electronically by improving online infrastructure and by increasing Internet connectivity. The initiative includes plans to connect rural areas with high-speed internet networks.

Narendra Modi launched Digital India on July 1 Image credits: livemint.com
  • October – December – CEOs visit India

For the promotion of his venture Internet.org (or Free Basics) Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg visited India in October and held a townhall session at IIT Delhi

Satya Nadella, similarly, visited in November with Sundar Pichai joining in December doing a similar townhall session at SRCC, University of Delhi.

 

Mark Zuckerberg at the townhall session at IIT Delhi. Image credits: ndtv.com

5. In other news..

  • January 20 – Tiger population in India rises by 30%

Presenting the findings of the latest tiger census, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said the tiger population had risen from 1,706 in 2011 to 2,226 in 2014. He said a number of government initiatives to streamline tiger conservation were behind the increase. India is estimated to be home to around 70% of the world’s tigers.

  • July 27 – APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India passes away

Kalam was elected as the 11th President of India in 2002.He was a recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.

While delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong, Kalam collapsed and died from an apparent cardiac arrest. Thousands including national-level dignitaries attended the funeral ceremony held in his hometown of Rameshwaram, where he was buried with full state honours.

Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, former president of India passed away this year. Image credits: indianexpress.com
  • October 22 – Amaravati declared new capital of Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati is the proposed riverfront capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the southern banks of the River Krishna in Guntur and Krishna districts. The foundation stone of the planned city was laid at Uddandarayunipalem village of Guntur district by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Amaravati to be Andhra Pradesh’s new capital. Image credits: kostalife.com
  • October 25 –  Chhota Rajan extradited to India

Known underworld Don, Chhota Rajan was arrested in Bali by Indonesian police. He was extradited to India on 6 November after 27 years on the run and is currently awaiting trial in CBI custody.


Kartikeya Bhatotia

[email protected]

2015 was a year of a lot of global ups, downs and firsts. From women voting in Saudi Arabia for the first time, to the Islamic State carrying out and taking responsibility for terrorist attacks all over the world, we’ve taken several steps forward and several backwards. Here’s taking a look at some of the major things that happened in 2015:

  1. Terrorist attacks:

  • Boko Haram, the Islamic extremist group that operates in the western African region, continued its attacks and insurgency, especially in Nigeria. In January 2015, Boko Haram militants attacked the Nigerian towns of Baga and Doron Baga leaving scores of men, women and children as casualties. The group also announced its allegiance to ISIL, furthering fears of a stronger global terror network
  • On January 7, the French satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo, was attacked by gunmen who identified themselves as belonging to a branch of the terrorist group Al Qaeda, who took responsibility for the attacks. This was followed by a series of related shootings in the Île-de-France region, particularly Paris.
  • In November, the Islamic State militant group took responsibility for terror attacks in Baghdad as well as the one in Lebanon, Beirut. The attack in Baghdad left 26 people dead and several other injured when a suicide bomber struck a memorial service held for a Shiite militia fighter killed in battle against the Islamic State. The double suicide bombing in Beirut that left more than 40 people dead was the worst terrorist attack there after years.
  • A series of coordinated terror attacks by the ISIS left Paris reeling in what is being called the deadliest attacks in the European Union since the Madrid train bombings of 2004. The attacks started off with terrorists taking hostages and shooting in the Bataclan theatre, followed by suicide bombings and mass shooting at public places.
Paris was attacked by terrorists twice this year – January and November. | Source: timesofisrael.com

2. World Economy:

  • The Chinese Stock Market crash started on June 12 when the stock market bubble popped. A third of the value of A-shares on the Shanghai Stock Exchange was lost within one month of the event. After three stable weeks the Shanghai index fell again on the 24th of August by 8.48 percent, marking the largest fall since 2007.
The Chinese Stock Market Crash | Source: kingworldnews.com
  • Lithuania officially adopted the Euro as its currency on January 1, 2015, which made it the 19th country in the Eurozone
  • The Eurozone crisis grabbed the most eyeballs in the occurrences in the global economy. The Greek government debt crisis reached new heights as Greece missed a critical debt payment of 1.5 billion euros to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), becoming the first advanced economy to do so.

 

3. Natural Calamities:

  • A massive 7.8 magnitude Earthquake struck Nepal on 25th April, killing thousands of people and injuring several more. The effect was exacerbated by continuous aftershocks in the following days. The Earthquake also triggered several avalanches, one in Mt. Everest and one in the Langtang valley. Several Heritage sites were destroyed as well.
7.8 Earthquake struck Nepal destroying many heritage monuments. | Source: cnn.com
  • An Earthquake of 8.3 moment magnitude occurred on September 16, offshore from Illapel, Chile, which triggered Tsunami warnings and evacuations of thousands of people.
  • A strong 7.5 magnitude earthquake shook up South Asia on October 26. It struck in Northern Afghanistan and affected a large area, including Pakistan and northern India. The death toll was well over 300, with major casualties from Afghanistan and Pakisan.
  • Originating in mid-October, Hurricane Patricia became the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere in terms of barometric pressure, and the strongest globally in terms of maximum sustained winds. Its effect in Mexico was tremendous but the location being rural and timely evacuation helped mitigate the loss.

 

4. Human Rights:

  • Municipal Elections held on December 12 in Saudi Arabia became the first election in Saudi Arabia in which women were allowed to vote, the first in which they were allowed to run for office, and the first in which women were elected as politicians, with at least five women having claimed seats in Saudi Arabia’s municipal polls
A woman casts her vote in Saudi Arabia. | Source: abc.net
  • In May, Ireland became the the first in the world to legalise same-sex civil marriage by popular vote in a referendum. Ireland also approved a bill on April 2 which extended adoption rights to same-sex couples. On June 26, the United States Supreme Court ruled that state-level bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional, thus making same-sex marriage legal nationwide.
  • The Transgender community also saw unprecedented visibility in 2015, with a lot of attention on Caitlyn Jenner, and Andreja Pejic  becoming the first openly transgender model to land the Vogue cover. Obama also became the first US President to say ‘transgender’ during State of the Union speech.
  • Positive changes for the LGBT community weren’t limited to the developed, first world nations as Mozambique decriminalized homosexuality June 29 onwards and Mexican Supreme Court also recognizing same-sex marriage, amongst other landmark moments.

5. Scientific Feats:

  • NASA confirmed the existence of liquid water on Mars on September 28 after 15 years of search for it. The evidence emerged in the form of trickles of liquid water which play a role in sculpting mysterious dark streaks that appear during summertime months on Mars. This discovery has implications for finding life on Mars as well as for planning future human expeditions.
Presence of water was confirmed on the Planet Mars. | Source: National Geographic
  • NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft became the first mission to achieve orbit around a dwarf planet with Dawn entering Ceres’ orbit on March 6.
  • In June, Cuba became the first country in the world to eradicate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis, as validated by the WHO. The country needs to demonstrate that it has seen less than 50 infections from this route of transmission per 100,000 live births for at least one year to earn this validation, and Cuba saw only 2 such infections of HIV and 5 from syphilis in 2013.
  • Newly discovered extinct species of human, Homo naledi was formally described in September 2015 by a 47-member international team of authors led by American and South African paleoanthropologist Lee Berger of the University of the Witwatersrand. The excavation had started in 2013 by a team entirely consisting of women.

6. Other highlights:

  • Iran and the group of six nations (called P5+1 countries) the United States, UK, France, China, Russia, and Germany, reach a historic agreement to limit Iran’s ability to produce a nuclear weapon in exchange for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions. According to this framework, Iran would redesign, convert, and reduce its nuclear facilities in order to lift all nuclear-related economic sanctions, freeing up tens of billions of dollars in oil revenue and frozen assets.
  • In October 2015, China decided to end its decades long one-child policy that was initially introduced in 1979 to slow down population growth.
  • Several World leaders gathered for the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, which resulted in a historic and ambitious goal to combat climate change. The agreement, which comes into force in 2020, aims to contain the increase in the global average temperature to “well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”
  • September 24 saw the deadliest Hajj disaster in history as a crowd collapse caused the death of more than 2000 pilgrims during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca.
Hajj Disaster | Source: timeslive.co.za
  • The US saw unprecedented and unparalleled number of rampage killings through mass shootings in 2015. The Charleston church shooting, the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic shooting and the San Bernardino Shooting were some of the worst mass shootings that took place in the US this year and which raised pertinent questions about gun control.
  • 2015 saw a rising number of refugees and migrants making a journey across the European Union to seek asylum in other countries in an attempt to escape hostile situations in their home countries. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as of December 2015, the top three nationalities of the almost one million Mediterranean Sea arrivals since the beginning of the year are Syrian (50%), Afghan (20%) and Iraqi (7%).  

 

Shubham Kaushik

[email protected]

From that blue/black/white/gold dress that might have broken marriages and families over its ambiguous colour, to a certain Saint born to the West and his wife, 2015 has left us ROFLing, face palming and appreciating. In this new series at DU Beat, we bring to you the best and worst of news from the Entertainment world, both from Bollywood and abroad.

1. Music

  • We grooved into 2015 with the Uptown Funk earworm and we’re leaving the year behind wondering why our hotline isn’t blinging anymore. Mid year, Charlie Puth left us teary eyed with See You Again, as Ellie Goulding crooned Love Me Like You Do.
  • Zayn Malik broke a number of hearts when he quit One Direction earlier this year. Rumours of the boy band breaking up have led to a second round of heartbreaks.
Zayn Malik left the boyband One Direction | Source: people.com
  • Sales of Adele‘s third album, 25, soared through the roof, breaking several records, having sold more copies within the first week than any other album. Hello monopolised the position at the top of the charts for four weeks.
Adele in ‘Hello’ music video | Image source: slate.com
  • Well, we’ll soon be saying hello from the other side as, Justin Bieber‘s new album, Purpose, has turned most people into ‘beliebers.’ Deftones frontman, Chino Moreno, coined the term when he admitted to being a fan of the singer. With 17 of the album’s tracks making it to Billboard’s Hot 100 List in a week, Bieber has broken a 51 year record of 14 tracks previously held by The Beatles.
  • You used to call me on my cellphone, late night when you need my love. It’s all right if you are still trying to imitate those moves and failing miserably. No one can do it like Drake can. Except Obama, maybe. The YouTube Channel Barack’s Dubs has been leaving the world in splits with their parody videos of POTUS singing Hotline Bling and matching Drake’s moves.  
Obama
Image source: mercurynewsdaily.com

2. Movies

  • Most people spent the year waiting for the force to awaken. And when it did, Star Wars: The Force Awakens broke several box office records. The advanced tickets to the highly anticipated return to that galaxy far far away crossed $6.5 million. The movie is expected to break every box office record as ticket sales may cross the billion mark.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Image Source: theforceawakensblog.com
Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Image Source: theforceawakensblog.com
  • While Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes the cake for 2015, The Peanuts Movie, The Martian, Jurassic World and Furious 7 demand honourable mentions.
  • Indian cinema grew up a little with Angry Indian Goddesses and the furore it created. Similarly, Margarita With a Straw generated all the right kind of buzz. Salman Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo became the highest grossing Bollywood movies for the year, with Baahubali and Dilwale crossing the 100 crore mark as well.
Kalki Koechlin in ‘Margarita With a Straw’ | Source: miaminewtimes.com
  • This year, India also saw its first Broadway-style Disney musical, Beauty and the Beast, being staged.

3. Television

  • At the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards this year, two records were broken: the first by Game of Thrones which won a whopping 12 awards: the most ever won by a single show in a year. The second record was set by Viola Davis of How to Get Away with Murder fame, who became the first black woman to win an Emmy Award for best leading actress. Don Draper will be missed as Mad Men came to a close this year with Season 7.
Viola Davis became the first black woman to win an Emmy Award in a leading actress category | Source: wordpress.com
  • The year ends with a bang, but not so much for poor Steve Harvey. The American TV host and comedian has been the butt of jokes and memes on the internet ever since he announced the wrong winner at the Miss.Universe pageant, creating quite some embarrassment for all concerned. What’s more the internet had him wishing us a Happy Easter instead of a Merry Christmas on the 25th!

Abhinaya Harigovind
[email protected]

The year gone by gave both national and international sports enough reasons to be proud, with multitudinous achievements by different players, sportspersons and teams in terms of victories and breaking records. On the other hand, it also had its share of controversies, confusions and unwanted decisions.  

In this new series at DU Beat, we bring to you the best and worst of sports arena which has been abuzz with activity all through 2015. There have been several interesting developments with long-lasting impacts, on the home turf as well as abroad.

  1. Smashing victories

Those who made it big this year must most certainly be celebrated.

a. March 29: At the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Australia defeats New Zealand to emerge as champions for the fifth time.

b. April: Kiran Gandhi completes the 26.2 mile London marathon without a tampon to raise awareness for women who do not have access to basic sanitation.

c. May 2: The’Battle for Greatness’ between Floyd Mayweather, Jr and Manny Pacquiao, touted as being the fight of the century in the professional boxing circuit, sees Mayweather defeating Pacquiao to take the title of WBO Welterweight Champion; a title that he was later stripped of, for not complying with the regulations of the World Boxing Organisation. The fight raked in the moolah for associated broadcasters due to record-breaking viewership.

d. July 6: USA defeat Japan to clinch the FIFA Women’s World Cup title, for the third time.

e. September: At the US Open, Sania Mirza and Switzerland’s Martina Hingis win the women’s doubles crown and their second successive grand slam title, making Sania Mirza the first Indian woman to win a doubles grand slam. Leander Paes and Martina Hingis went on to win the mixed doubles trophy.

f. October 25: Lewis Hamilton wins his second consecutive Formula 1 World Champion title, with his victory at the US Grand Prix, where he defeated fellow Mercedes racer, Nico Rosberg and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.

g. November 29: Andy Murray defeats Belgium’s David Goffin and brought the Davis Cup home to Britain for the first time in 79 years.


  1. Big year for women in sports

a. Serena Williams was named Sports Illustrated’s ‘Sportsperson of the Year’ after having won 53 out of 56 matches in 2015. She is the first individual woman to win the award since 1983. Further, she won four grand slams in a row to call the feat a ‘Serena Slam.’

b. Ronda Rousey turned attention to women fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Inspite of her loss to Holly Holm (November 15, 2015), which dispossessed Rousey of her three-year Women’s Bantamweight Championship, the fight brought profits in for the UFC, having sold the most tickets ever.


  1. Those you will not see on the field in 2016

a. November 30: Kobe Bryant announces his retirement from the LA Lakers, ending a career that spanned 20 years. He claimed that the ongoing season would be his last, after receiving flak for poor performance owing to numerous injuries.

b. December 17: Chelsea FC sacks manager Jose Mourinho after to the club’s poor performance in the English Premier League.

Sports
Jose Mourinho | Source: www.theguardian.com

c. December 23: Swedish Robin Soderling, who was the first to defeat Rafael Nadal at a French Open (2009), announces his retirement from professional tennis due to glandular fever.


  1. Allegations of Corruption on FIFA

a. December 21: The FIFA ethics committee bans former FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, and UEFA President, Michel Platini, from football for eight years when evidence brought to light Blatter’s payment of 2 million Swiss francs to Platini. FIFA’s credibility has been shaken by the allegations of corruption that it has faced earlier this year.

Sports
Blatter and Platini | Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

  1. Russia Banned for Doping Offences

a. November: The World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed the alleged state sponsored use of performance enhancing drugs by Russian athletes. WADA has accused the Russian government of covering up evidence of drug use by its athletes. WADA has suggested banning Russian track and field athletes from competition, including the 2016 Olympics at Rio. Russia thus became the first country to ever be banned for doping offences.


Featured Image Credits: www.indianexpress.com

Abhinaya Harigovind

[email protected]

IIT Bombay’s annual cultural festival, Mood Indigo 2015 recently concluded on 21st December 2015 after 4 days of events, competitions and concerts. University of Delhi, like each year performed exceptionally well with Hans Raj College winning maximum competitions, followed by Kirori Mal College and Gargi College taking away other laurels.

Winners’ Tally

Hans Raj College

Indigo Saga (Contemporary/Choreography Dance Competition)
Ist Position – Terpsichoreon, Choreography Society of Hans Raj College

Mantra (Fusion Band Competition):
Ist Position – The Hans Raj Projekt

Taal Mel (Instrumental Duet Competition)
Ist Position – Vinayak Pant and Anirudh Varma, Swaranjali Music Society of Hans Raj College

Third Bell (Stage Play Competition)
Best Actor – Sahiba Bali, Hansraj Dramatics Society

Surshringar (Classical Solo)
3rd Position – Saptak Chattopadhyay, Swaranjali Music Society of Hans Raj College

Special Recognition
Opening for Pritam in the Popular Nite – The Hans Raj Projekt

Kirori Mal College

Livewire (Rock Band Competition):
Ist Position – High Time, Disco Funk Bank, Kirori Mal College
A trip to Prague for a Special Show as an award

Mantra (Fusion Band Competition):
2nd Position – Experimensions, Word Music Band, Kirori Mal College

Special Recognition
Opening for Lucky Ali in the Fusion Nite – High Time, Disco Funk Bank, Kirori Mal College

Gargi College

Singing the Indigos (Western Solo Singing Competition):
Ist Position – Shruti Dashmana, Gargi College

Conchord (A Capella Competition)
2nd Position – Euphony, the Western Music Society of Gargi College

Indigo Saga (Contemporary/Choreography Dance Competition)
2nd Position – Sparx, Choreography Society of Gargi College

MI Idol (Bollywood Solo Singing Competition)
3rd Position – Shruti Dashmana, Gargi College

Nrityanjali (Classical Solo Dance Competition)
3rd Position – Apurva Nambiar, Gargi College

 

Other Awards – LSR, SGGSCC, Venky

Indigo Saga (Contemporary/Choreography Dance Competition)
3rd Position – Choreography Society of Lady Shri Ram College

Desi Beats (Western Bollywood Dance Competition)
3rd Position – Misba, Western Dance Society of Shri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce

Beat The Street (Street Dance Competition)
2nd Position – Verve Dance Crew of Sri Venkateswara College

LSR's Choreography Society Mood Indigo
LSR’s Choreography Society
Check out the entire Winners’ Tally here.

Highlights

Apart from competitions, the four day festival featured various artists, politicians, comedians and singers for special events. Here’s a small glimpse of some special attendees at Mood Indigo:

Read the highlights of individual days here:

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

 

DU Beat brings you glimpses from the annual cultural fest of IIT Bombay, Mood Indigo that saw performances and…

Posted by DU Beat on Sunday, December 20, 2015

Check out the DU Beat’s entire album of Mood Indigo 2015 here.

 

Iresh Gupta
[email protected]

Photographs by Tejaswa Gupta, Chirag Sharma, Paurush and Shubham Kaushik!

IIT Bombay’s annual cultural festival, Mood Indigo 2015 recently concluded on 21st December 2015 after 4 days of events, competitions and concerts. University of Delhi, like each year performed exceptionally well with Hans Raj College winning maximum competitions, followed by Kirori Mal College and Gargi College taking away other laurels.

Winners’ Tally

Hans Raj College

Indigo Saga (Contemporary/Choreography Dance Competition)
Ist Position – Terpsichoreon, Choreography Society of Hans Raj College

Mantra (Fusion Band Competition):
Ist Position – The Hans Raj Projekt

Taal Mel (Instrumental Duet Competition)
Ist Position – Vinayak Pant and Anirudh Varma, Swaranjali Music Society of Hans Raj College

Third Bell (Stage Play Competition)
Best Actor – Sahiba Bali, Hansraj Dramatics Society

Surshringar (Classical Solo)
3rd Position – Saptak Chattopadhyay, Swaranjali Music Society of Hans Raj College

Special Recognition
Opening for Pritam in the Popular Nite – The Hans Raj Projekt

Kirori Mal College

Livewire (Rock Band Competition):
Ist Position – High Time, Disco Funk Bank, Kirori Mal College
A trip to Prague for a Special Show as an award

Mantra (Fusion Band Competition):
2nd Position – Experimensions, Word Music Band, Kirori Mal College

Special Recognition
Opening for Lucky Ali in the Fusion Nite – High Time, Disco Funk Bank, Kirori Mal College

Gargi College

Singing the Indigos (Western Solo Singing Competition):
Ist Position – Shruti Dashmana, Gargi College

Conchord (A Capella Competition)
2nd Position – Euphony, the Western Music Society of Gargi College

Indigo Saga (Contemporary/Choreography Dance Competition)
2nd Position – Sparx, Choreography Society of Gargi College

MI Idol (Bollywood Solo Singing Competition)
3rd Position – Shruti Dashmana, Gargi College

Nrityanjali (Classical Solo Dance Competition)
3rd Position – Apurva Nambiar, Gargi College

 

Other Awards – LSR, SGGSCC, Venky

Indigo Saga (Contemporary/Choreography Dance Competition)
3rd Position – Choreography Society of Lady Shri Ram College

Desi Beats (Western Bollywood Dance Competition)
3rd Position – Misba, Western Dance Society of Shri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce

Beat The Street (Street Dance Competition)
2nd Position – Verve Dance Crew of Sri Venkateswara College

LSR's Choreography Society Mood Indigo
LSR’s Choreography Society
Check out the entire Winners’ Tally here.

Highlights

Apart from competitions, the four day festival featured various artists, politicians, comedians and singers for special events. Here’s a small glimpse of some special attendees at Mood Indigo:

Read the highlights of individual days here:

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

 

DU Beat brings you glimpses from the annual cultural fest of IIT Bombay, Mood Indigo that saw performances and…

Posted by DU Beat on Sunday, December 20, 2015

Check out the DU Beat’s entire album of Mood Indigo 2015 here.

 

Iresh Gupta
[email protected]

Photographs by Tejaswa Gupta, Chirag Sharma, Paurush and Shubham Kaushik!