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Hindu College Queer Collective returns with a campus-wide Pride Parade after 2 years.

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On the 9th of November, 2024, a North Campus-wide Pride Parade was organized by the Hindu College Queer Collective. The parade was joined by students and activists of various universities, queer collectives, gender cells, and other organizations. It also included several poetic, dance, theatrical, and music performances as a part of the event.

The Pride Parade of the Hindu College Queer Collective (HCQC) was, unlike several sponsored events organized in DU, a completely crowdfunded event that sought to keep the parade “community-funded” and to avoid rainbow capitalism. The event kicked off with several cultural performances in the Sanganeria Auditorium of the college by guest student performers as well as performances by societies and cells of Hindu College that included poems by students on the queer love, music performances by students of Alankaar: The Classical Music Society and Aria: The Western Music Society, dance performances by the members of the North East Cell, Adhrita: The Indian Dance Society, and a play titled “Dear Closet” by Masque: The English Theatre Society of Hindu College revolving around transphobia. The cultural programme also sought to reach out to queer students and allies beyond Hindu College and hence the HCQC pride parade, for the first time, also featured more than 15 guest performers.

The final ‘surprise performance’ was not revealed to the audience via the official schedule and was only revealed at the moment of the performance to be a dance by the members of HCQC. The energetic productions throughout the day reflected upon the audience, who also twirled to the beats from their respective seats

The Pride Parade event also featured several stalls set up outside the auditorium. These stalls ranged from Camera Commune, a film club’s stall on prints, books, and keffiyeh on queer movements and Palestinian struggle to raise funds for Trans Community Kitchen, to Bhagat Singh Study Circle’s stall of multilingual progressive books, The Azadi Project’s stall of crocheted and handmade items made by displaced women, a stall of jewelry, mehendi painting, candles by queer folk, and a stall of prints, live sketching, and face painting by college students. The stalls were allotted either to queer or queer-led organizations or to individuals and/or organizations that worked for marginalised communities.

The Pride Parade formally began at 4:30 pm after all the cultural performances, and it started from Gate 4 of Hindu College. The parade covered almost the entire North Campus as it went from Hindu College, following the route through the Delhi School of Economics, Kirori Mal College, Chhatra Marg, Ramjas College, Daulat Ram College, and Shri Ram College of Commerce, and finally culminated at the Gate 4 of Arts Faculty, North Campus. 

As the parade turned to Ramjas College and a huge crowd of students from the college stared at the crowd, a student from the parade stated:

“Sab hume aise dekh rahe hai par accha lag raha hai. Hum lad rahe hai apne liye. It feels good that everyone is looking at us. We are only fighting for ourselves.)”

Powerful slogans of resilience and support echoed through the course of the parade. 

“Homophobia Down Down!

Transphobia Down Down!

Teri Mukti, Meri Mukti, Queer Mukti Zindabad (Your Freedom, My Freedom, Queer Freedom Long Live!)

Jai Bhim-Lal Salaam

Rape Culture Ka ek Jawab-Inquilab Zindabad

Hum Nafrat Hatane Nikle Hai, Aao Humare Saath Chalo (We have come out to remove hatred; come join us!)

Student Unity Long Live”

As the parade was being closely monitored by the Delhi Police, whose permission was sought and granted for the same, several slogans and chants raised during the parade were censored. The azadi chant, for instance, was censored by the police authorities, and they requested the organizers not to raise such chants.

Aishwarya, the president of the HCQC concluded the parade with a small address to the crowd and remarked:

We give a lot of importance to ensure that the pride parade is 100% crowdfunded and that it is preceded by a cultural event everytime because that’s our effort to tap into multiple forms of expression and portray how queer is in everything and everything can be queered. There is no specific space where queers can express queerness, such as, the pride parade. Queerness can be present in every form and expression, and is a way of life. The way academia operates in the current status quo and how it can be inaccessible for so many people is the reason why we preceded the pride parade with the cultural program.”

Aishwarya further added:

“We also believe in a politics of collaboration and tried to collaborate with different societies and cells that might not engage with issues or queerness otherwise. In several colleges, performance societies are given more importance than queer and gender based collectives so our idea of doing a pride parade in collaboration with these societies helps us reverse and restructure the hierarchy structure within the college space and reach out to larger audiences, including the ECA societies, that engage with and learn about queerness in the process. We feel that we have succeeded in creating a non-judgemental space with our pride parade event.”

Some students did mention that while organising the Pride Parade at a formal level by one of the very few formally recognised Queer Collectives in DU is in itself a huge achievement by the HCQC, they felt that several issues such as transphobia, gender dysphoria, and institutional deaths of queer students in our own campuses, did not get enough platform as much as they should have.

 

Read Also: SFI Delhi organized the annual Pride Parade; chants of Azadi echoed throughout.

Featured Image Credits: Sharanya Dayal for DU Beat

 

Vedant Nagrani

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Events

Celebrating World Mental Health Day at Persona’24

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Persona’24, the annual flagship event of Friends’ Corner, was a mix of counselling sessions, games and introspective activities for students to embrace their emotions and heal their inner self. 

 

On the occasion of World Mental Health Day On 10 October 2024,  Friends Corner , the Mental Health and Counselling Cell of Hindu College organised its flagship event, ‘Persona’ an interactive event involving workshops, therapy sessions and games to boost social and emotional healing. Persona’24 was also officially recognized by the World Federation for Mental Health as a part of their global campiagn. 

 

The event kickstarted with a speaker session by Kanchan Gaur, the founder of Samrasa Foundation, an NGO dedicated to providing mental health related assistance. Gaur, a counsellor, gave an enriching talk on the need to foster emotional resilience in the face of adversity which was followed by interactive activities to help participants tap into and express their emotions. 

 

The event was followed by a series of games initiated by Rahat NGO to enlighten participants about mental and emotional wellbeing. The life sized ludo and labyrinthique maze games captivated the participants and buoyed their knowledge about mental health issues and advocacy. Sakshi, a participant shared, 

 

This was a refreshing game, a distraction that helped relieve academic stresses. I learnt about OCD, its diagnosis and how we can support someone dealing with it. It is important to be empathetic to someone struggling with an emotional issue that’s been a taboo in society.”

 

Kritika Makkar and Aalijah Ali from Live Untangled conducted an art therapy session that involved art as a tool for healing and self care. Participants scribbled how they felt about their identity and shared with the group about their self perception without judgement and fear of ridicule. The session aimed to create a conducive environment to connect with and embrace one’s inner self. Tanya, a 3rd year student of Hindu College shared, 

 

I realised that on days when it feels burdensome to explain how I feel, I can vent my emotions on paper, create my own art that does not necessarily conform to standards of what is deemed ‘good’. I feel relieved.”

 

Lastly, Jyotsna Ramachandran, a dance therapy facilitator from Youth for Mental Health helped participants reduce stress and unlock their creative potential by engaging everyone in a freestyle dance session. Attendees re-enacted mundane tasks from their daily lives, following the beats of some calm yet upbeat music. Students shared that the familiar tasks felt unfamiliar being ‘performed’ in a relaxing environment. The session initiated a discussion on how the fast-paced nature of our daily lives has somehow left ‘stillness’ unfamiliar. 

People in large numbers made their way to the face painting and postcard stalls as well. Through Persona, Friends Corner aimed to nurture a community based on solidarity and inclusive empowerment and was a great success. 

 

Read Also : BECon’24: A Beacon Into the Future!

 

Featured Image Credits: Friends’ Corner

 

Chetna Rani

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Campus Central

On the Death Anniversary of Samarveer Singh: A Memorial and Display of Solidarity

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On 26 April, 2024, students and professors across Delhi University came together for an online memorial for the one-year death anniversary of Professor Samarveer Singh, seeking to honour his legacy and work, but to also engage in discussions about the systemic issues and conditions in the academic circuit that forced him to take his own life. 

Trigger Warning: Mentions of Suicide

Samarveer Singh, a former ad-hoc Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Delhi University’s Hindu College, committed suicide a year ago, on 26 April, 2023, days after he was displaced in the ongoing recruitment process. Samarveer was abruptly dismissed, despite hopes for a permanent position at the institution. His unexpected death prompted protests from students and faculty members at Delhi University, who decried it as an act of “institutional murder” and also argued that a mere two-minute interview should not outweigh years of dedicated service and experience.

Students and professors all across Delhi University came in solidarity over a memorial held online on 26 April 2024, to remember Professor Samarveer and his scholarly and creative works. The memorial involved recollecting anecdotes about him by his students and fellow colleagues, while also including discussions on the nature of exploitative ad-hocism and the displacement of teachers across the university.

The organiser, a student from Delhi University, on the condition of anonymity, shared his objective of organising this online memorial for Samarveer Singh and the concerns of students like him who plan on pursuing a career in academia:

Arts Faculty, the site of dissent and protest on the North Campus, which also violently removed Dr. Ritu Singh’s protests had nothing but deafening silence on 26  April, 2024. A deafening silence that came not from a collective recognition of the unfortunate murder but from the lack of it. Seeing that no memorial for him was planned, I decided to conduct an online memorial to him on 26 April and invite his students, colleagues, and other professors of the university to speak about him as a person, a professor, a thinker, and a poet to remember him with the help of anecdotes related to him, his poems, and recordings of songs sung by him. The purpose behind conducting the memorial to him was not merely to remember him but also to take cognizance of and resist the larger issue of ad-hocism that was the reason behind his death and which made it an institutional murder. His death was a heart-wrenching moment and a dark spot of shame on the history of this university, the apathy associated with which seems to be the final nail in the coffin of this university. I and many students like me who want to become professors have been shattered by his death and wonder if our dreams will ever come true. If they do, what cost would we have to pay for it?

Students of Professor Samarveer joined the memorial to recount how they had always been amazed by his innate passion for philosophy.

He often spoke about his dreams of visiting France, and his eyes would light up when discussing art, film, theatre, and poetry. He was undoubtedly someone who harboured a profound love for his discipline of philosophy. An original thinker and a prolific reader.

They continued to elaborate on the challenges Professor Samarveer faced with being constantly targeted, overburdened with work and responsibilities, and ultimately losing hope.

He hadn’t seen his family in a year because he was constantly burdened with college administration work. He faced dismissal twice, and during a certain period, we also witnessed him being very unfairly targeted by other teachers. Samarveer sir has dedicated 7.5 years to teaching, only to receive this mistreatment.

We didn’t even receive official news from our college about his passing; it was through an Instagram post by a professor that we learned of his demise. We knew that he couldn’t finish his Ph.D. due to being overwhelmed with administrative tasks. We saw how students disregarded us when we sought a condolence meeting because they felt that it might disrupt Mecca, the Annual Fest. We saw our teacher losing hope and questioning the merit of those appointed.

Discussing the pitfalls of ad-hocism and the current state of the university, they added how important it is to keep in touch with the professors who may have been displaced.

Unfortunately, nothing has changed. Last month, another teacher from the philosophy department of Hindu College got displaced. It is important to be in touch with your professors; a simple gesture like asking how they are can make a world of difference and might help with their loneliness. Ad-hocism is inhumane, and a brief interview without considering the minimal academic qualifications can never be the right method for appointing a new educator.

Rudrashish Chakraborty, an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Kirori Mal College, comments on the larger causes behind the death of Professor Samarveer:

Samarveer’s unfortunate death is a case of institutional murder, expedited with precision by the apathy and complicity of the administration both at the college and university levels. The fact that he was pushed to the extreme of taking his own life suggests the adverse conditions created for the ad-hoc teachers by the system that treats ad-hoc teachers as captive labour force: to be used till the last drop of blood and then to be disposed of once the job is done. The University of Delhi has witnessed an unprecedented displacement of ad-hoc teachers in the last one and a half years through farcical interviews. The displacements were targeted, premeditated, and meant to eliminate teachers who were upright and independent and who invested in the academic and intellectual lives of their students. The objective of displacement was to fill the university with pliant minds and also to create a situation of fear and greed so that nobody should speak their minds against any injustice.

Jatin Chahar, a second-year student at Ramjas College, made an empowering yet heartwarming statement on the role of solidarity in such times and how important it is to be there for each other.

Memorials of this sort are truly brave initiatives by students when the so-called stakeholders of our university choose to be passive observers of the injustices. One thing that has to be central to our constant struggle against power is to build solidarity amongst ourselves. True solidarity will only be formed when we let each other know from time-to-time that we are there for each other. So I thank everyone for being here today, and I want to assure everyone that we are here for all of you. We have learned from our teachers in the English and History departments that it is important to keep going.

Samarveer Singh represented a safe space for many of his students, a teacher who sought to impart the best of the knowledge he had received and establish a real connection with his students that extended beyond the confines of the classroom spaces. Many students who joined the memorial lamented the loss of their institutional safe spaces, represented by professors like Samarveer Singh, who have been unfairly displaced. They expressed the feeling of being lost and desolated in college, but their professors, who have now been displaced, had provided a sanctuary for them in their classroom spaces. 

Prof. Rina Ramdev from the Department of English at Sri Venkateswara College expressed her hope after seeing this display of solidarity in the memorial while remembering Samarveer Singh:

I’m really glad to see students from different colleges here for Samarveer’s memorial. Unfortunately, departments and colleges stay silent and carry on with no memories of those displaced. And yet, there is something gutting—an absence and a deep sense of loss—that has left its mark on our classrooms, our university, and on us. We should be back on the streets organising, protesting, and not ceding space. This online memorial is itself a reminder of all that could slip away. But the strength of our students and this student-teacher unity is our greatest hope.

The memorial ended on a heartening note with the reading of Professor Samarveer’s poems and works.

Hope still leaks.

Through the cracks and gaps in the walls and

the windows.

– Untitled by Samarveer Singh

Read Also: Academia aur ye Article, Paani Mai Gaya, Chapak!

Featured Image Credits: Counter Currents

Sarah Nautiyal and Dhairya Chhabra

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Farewell

To The Ones You Have Left Behind

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I know we were taught to “never look back” or to just “keep moving forward.”  I believe that sometimes it’s healthy to look back. Look back at those who stood still when you went out to be your own person—those people you left so far behind because life moved too fast.

“Well, here at last, dear friends, on the shores of the sea comes the end of our fellowship in Middle-earth. Go in peace! I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Do you remember the day you learned how to ride a bike? Or when you were dropped off for your first day of school? It was confusing, and more than that, it was daunting beyond comparison. But after we finally let go and had our first taste of independence, it felt awfully good, so much so that we forgot to look back—back at the person who held onto us until we were ready to be on our own. The moment they took their hands off the back of our bikes or handed us our school bags, we left filled with excitement and fear of what came next while they stood still, watching us move ahead in life. That parent, sibling, friend, or whoever else who guided us through those initial steps is the reason behind our great adventures. And at the end of the day, when we look back at them, we thank our lucky stars for having the guts to leave when, in fact, the real strength came from those who were left behind.

For every young adult leaving for college, for every soldier leaving to defend their country, and for every death in the world, there is a parent, a spouse, and a loved one who had to let go. And while letting go is something that goes both ways, being left behind is often harder than leaving.

The worst part of it all is usually the memories you’re forced to live with while you go about your regular life. My boyfriend encountered this great work opportunity that prompted his move to London. It’s easy to feel jealous or neglected, while the other person enjoys the thrill of their new life. And then you start to hate yourself for feeling the way you do. There are too many mixed emotions, and it’s hard to deal with that, but at the end of the day, you keep trying to make it work anyway.”  – said Sara, a 24-year-old, while discussing her long-distance relationship.

A separation like this usually leaves a person feeling helpless and stuck.

For surrogates, the separation from the children they give birth to can be emotionally challenging. While they may understand the arrangement intellectually, the emotional bond formed during pregnancy and childbirth can still be strong. And after providing the ultimate gift of making someone a parent, they go home alone, feeling like a mother but not actually being one. Similarly, when a soldier leaves, the spouse left behind must carry the burden of managing the household and family responsibilities alone while also dealing with the constant worry and uncertainty about their partner’s safety. This is often overlooked in discussions about military life.

Death is perhaps the most permanent form of separation, leaving loved ones grappling with grief and loss. The pain of losing someone dear can be overwhelming, and those left behind may struggle to find meaning and purpose in their lives without their loved one. For foster children, watching their friends get adopted and leaving them behind can be heartbreaking. They may struggle with feelings of rejection and abandonment, wondering why they weren’t chosen, or feeling like they are not worthy of love. These are a few of the experiences that are often neglected in real life, in literature, or in advice. As one person aptly put it, “Sometimes the hardest part isn’t letting go but learning to start over.”

“Jealous, sad and stuck” said Aryan, are some of the feelings he feels when asked about his friends leaving the city after college while he remained here struggling to find a job. He talked about how, even though he felt happy for his friends, he hated the idea of being left alone which is something that great authors like Hemingway and Didion explored in their works too.

I know we were taught to “never look back” or to just “keep moving forward.”  I believe that sometimes it’s healthy to look back. Look back at those who stood still when you went out to be your own person—those people you left so far behind because life moved too fast. Those are your people because they’ll remind you just how far you’ve come in life, and that’s a good reminder to have.

Featured image credits: SoJourners

Read Also: Is it Even a Goodbye Without Looking Back

Lakshita Arora 

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Farewell

Tussi Ja Rahe Ho? : Bidding Farewell to College Societies

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Bidding farewell to college is like bidding farewell to a sense of stillness amidst the chaos in your life. What’s even more difficult is sometimes bidding farewell to the societies within these spaces, which is perhaps way more difficult for the juniors left behind.

Disclaimer: Readers might be left with a bittersweet feeling in their heart and might shed a tear or two, so proceed with caution.

Dear Reader,

As we close a chapter on the batch of 2024, turning the page on perhaps the most personal part of our college lives – our societies – might be even more painful. As an anxious, scared, and confused college student, the author found comfort and solace in one such society, and as a second-year student, she finds it even harder to say goodbye to the senior who made college feel like home. Friends’ Corner, the Mental Health and Counselling Cell of Hindu College, became a warm cup of chai during the rain for this author, and its president, Suangouding Guite, became the rainbow after the rain. Some might say his infectious smile, quirky one-liners, and him saying “period” after every sentence just helped them feel comfortable and safe in an otherwise overwhelming college space.

You know when you’re anticipating that your drink might be too hot or too cold, but when you take a sip, it’s the perfect temperature. This happiness, satiety, and comfort were what I got when I first interacted with Gouding. He, along with our seniors Soham and Varnika, made an amateur at society work like me, feel appreciated, and feel at home, and this society soon became my comfort space.” – says Vidita Verma, a second-year English Literature student at Hindu College.

In conversation with DU Beat, Gouding, a third-year sociology student and the president of Friends’ Corner, shared his experience at FC and how bidding farewell to this space feels personal.

For me, bidding farewell to Friends’ Corner is more like closing a chapter on my life, to the important and beautiful people and memories that make FC, as it became a part of me in these past three years, which I don’t want to let go of. I want FC to be known for its safe space, open conversations, and belongingness, which allow others to be vulnerable, and I hope I was able to create that legacy. This space became synonymous with Hindu for me, and this goodbye just feels personal. It was a society I joined for its safe space and open conversations about mental health, as it won’t really fetch you any CV points, and I stayed because it allowed me to be whatever I wanted to be and to feel whatever I wanted to feel, as it exists for others to grow and for them to learn from.” – Suangouding, president of Friends’ Corner, reflected. 

We’ve all had our fair share of uplifting and disappointing moments, intertwined with promises that sometimes fall short but are cloaked in sweetness. College societies have brought us together in unexpected ways, fostering beautiful connections for some and challenging experiences for others. The author did find herself in a pickle while writing this piece as she has been a part of the healthier and less emotionally daunting side of college societies, or rather has been quite lucky with the people, particularly the seniors she met, but a student from South Campus College who wished to remain anonymous remarked about its dramatics society.

I happened to have worked with seniors who would rather throw you under the bus for the sake of asserting their dominance. Favouritism, selective targeting, and insensitive manipulative behaviour, are some of the qualities they’d be passing onto their juniors. My seniors honestly sucked, and I’m more than happy to be bidding them farewell.” – they reflected. 

Performing Arts societies in DU might be known for their (valuable) experience, hectic schedules, overwhelming work, and hierarchies, but despite their generalised perception, they do end up becoming free and homely spaces for students, and we might meet seniors who make it just that.

In conversation with DU Beat, Manya Mallika, a third-year Physics student from Hindu College, opened up about her fruitful tenure at Masque, the English Theatre Society, not just as its co-director but as a first-year student who joined the society through online inductions during the lockdown.

After coming to Delhi after an online semester, the only people aware of my presence were in Masque, which initially seemed like just another college club. Despite finding other ways to engage in theatre, Masque somehow provided me with an identity in college, where I could be myself, through its lack of hierarchy and uniting people through their love for theatre rather than fear. I stayed because I felt a sense of belonging, and some friendships just stayed. My biggest realisation here is that human beings are prone to making mistakes; we are all flawed in some way. College should be a time of exploration, learning, and growth, and being patient and kind to others and ourselves. Remind ourselves to take a deep breath, as we’re all going to die anyway.” – Manya discussed. 

An anonymous first-year student from Hindu College, in conversation with DU Beat, bid a heartwarming farewell to their senior at Aria, the Western Music Society.

Priyansha (Yuhu) is a special person, not just for me but for the entire Acapella team of Aria. While being a great leader with her management and communication skills, she is a softie who cracks quirky jokes with her nasal voice, lighting up the mood of the entire team whenever we lose a competition (and that’s every time, lol). She built a family within a society, and while I wish her well for her dazzling future, bidding her farewell feels bittersweet as it’ll be very difficult to fill the void left behind by our very own Yuhu.” – they remarked. 

Anvesha Tripathi, a second-year Economics student at IPCW, shares how La Cadenza, the Western Music Society, ended up being the biggest and most exciting part of her college life, mostly owing to the seniors that she found there.

My seniors at Cadenza were nothing short of supportive, understanding, kind, and so unabashedly funny that every doubt vanished the second I walked into the practice room and helped us navigate this crazy circuit. One senior in particular stands out though: Ashna Dongre, who is a vision to look at and an absolute honour to be around. Every second I spend with her is enriching and leaves me either smiling or laughing my guts out. She is an absolute breath of fresh air on dreary days. I have sought in her love, support, and a simple shoulder to share my burdens with, and practice without her will feel incomplete, and so will the rest of my time at college.” – Anvesha said. 

It is said that first-year students enter DU with dreams in their eyes and passion in their hearts. Amidst the pool of batchmates, unspoken bonds, and sometimes fragile friendships, a lot of us struggle to strike a bond with any of our seniors in our respective departments. But lucky are the ones who end up discovering that friendship, solace, and guidance in that one senior in a society. An anonymous first-year student found such comfort in a senior at Vivre, the Film and Photography Society of Hindu College.

I learned a lot from them, and it’s definitely hitting me now that I have to bid farewell to them. It’s going to get hard for me because I don’t have a lot of friends or people I hold close to my heart in the second year. There’s one senior in particular, who I’m perhaps the closest to in the entire college. This is my person, and I hold them very close to my heart. Saying goodbye to them is going to break my heart, and I don’t want to think about it. What makes it sadder is that they are also leaving Delhi, so I might not see them ever.” – the student commented. 

S. Bangshing Panja, a third-year philosophy student at Hindu College, shares how bidding farewell to his college and his society might be hard, but it’s time for him to make space for others.

Although societies haven’t become synonymous with Hindu, there’s definitely a bittersweet feeling in my heart while waving goodbye to the safe spaces I found in the North East Cell and Aria, as they have been a huge part of me. The kind of legacy I’d like to leave my juniors, especially in the North East Cell, is that we should not be ashamed or scared to take up space. We are here in such a competitive institution, and we are here for a reason, and that makes us equal to everyone else. We just have to prove ourselves visible to the world, the people around us, and back at home. It’s sad that I have to say goodbye to them, but it’s about time. I’ve been here for three years, and I feel I have to leave in order to make space for others to come and feel the same things I felt and share the same friendships I’ve shared.” – they shared. 

Dear reader, while navigating the whirlpool of emotions college life at DU sometimes (certainly) pushes you in, some of us manage to find that one society and that one senior who just becomes your lifeboat. Bidding farewell to these small spaces within college that have become synonymous with home is difficult, to say the least, for the third years and the juniors left behind with a void in their hearts. How does one even journal such complex emotions and bittersweet memories in mere words? But I sincerely hope our words did justice to those feelings. Here’s a toast to the batch of 2024. We are forever grateful for your warmth, resilience, and comfort.

Read Also- Natural Selection: Unpacking Diversity in DU Societies 

Featured Image Credits: Sukriti for DU Beat 

Gauri Garg

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Features

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

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

Tarun Jindal

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

Kartik Chauhan

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

G Brinda

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

Anshu Narwal

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

Nirmanyu Chouhan

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

Pulkit Sehgal

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

Molina Singh

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

Pranjal Jain

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

Manvi Bhatt

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

Jayesh Rungta

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

Anjana Jose

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

Gavish Lohat

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

Punya Malhotra

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

Apoorva Rathore

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

Pratham Changoiwala

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

Bhavika Dabur

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

Falguni Mahajan

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

Bhavya Sood

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

Anjali Batra

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

Tanusha Arora

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

Parv Jindal

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

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

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Events

‘Econ-Enthusiasts’ Assemble at L’Economiste’24!

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The Department of Economics at Hindu College, Delhi University, conducted its annual fest, L’Economiste, on February 23, 2024. The fest included a speaker session by Mr. Vinod Rai and three competitions, namely, Potentate, Ranjan Roy Memorial Debate, and Hindu Stock Exchange.

L’Economiste 2024, the annual fest of the Department of Economics at Hindu College, was held on February 23, 2024, where economic insights, ideas, and solutions interacted with each other. The inauguration ceremony began with a melodious performance by Alankar, the Indian Music Society of Hindu College. The fest included an engaging and insightful speaker session by Mr. Vinod Rai, the 11th Comptroller and Auditor General of India, at 10:30 a.m. His brilliant sense of humour and intellect shone through his thought-provoking discussions on social auditing, electoral bonds, the vast field of economics, and his personal experiences as he reminisced about his time at Hindu College as a student.

 What are certain things in a person’s life? One is that they say death; everybody is going to die. The other is, what? I refer to it as paying tax. That’s also going to happen to you. The third is the day you were born.

 –  Remarked Mr. Vinod Rai.

A variety of competitions with exciting cash prizes were organised as a part of L’Economiste 2024. The Ranjan Roy Memorial Debate Competition, with debates centred around economic motions and a legacy of 10 years, was a test of both oratory skills and social science knowledge. “Panel, try to understand!” from St. Stephen’s College bagged the first position, with team “Mavericks” from Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College being the first runner-up.

‘Potenate’, structured around World Economy and Politics, the second competition in this event, was a perfect amalgamation of auctions, negotiations, crises, and policy formulation. With deeply engaging and highly energetic bidding rounds, this competition offered the participants a policy discourse simulation. Team “Aces” from Hansraj College bagged the first prize, with team “Syndicates” from Ram Lal Anand College and team “Chocolate Cake” from SRCC bagging the first runner-up and second runner-up positions, respectively.

Lastly, the Hindu Stock Exchange offered participants, or rather traders, an opportunity to transport back to the 1990s stock market and indulge in a battle to get themselves declared as the best portfolio managers, cruising through one of the toughest stock market simulations.

“Utkarshharc” from Hansraj College bagged the first position, followed by “CB-sites” from Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies and Tamanna Goel and Ujjwal Mittal from Kirori Mal College, begging for the first runner-up and second runner-up positions, respectively.

Rounding up, the flagship event provided in-depth financial global insights for ‘econ-enthusiasts’ and otherwise!

Read Also: Commemorating the Golden Jubilee of the Zoology Department: A Health Check-up Camp at SVC

Featured Image Credits: Himanshu Kumar for DU Beat

Gauri Garg

[email protected]

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DUB News

Hindu College Develops Hybrid Air Disinfection Machine To Tackle Delhi’s Air Quality Crisis

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In response to the air pollution crisis in the National Capital Region, Hindu College has launched a high-efficiency technological solution to alleviate its impact.

The startup cell of Delhi University’s Hindu College has unveiled a hybrid air disinfection machine to combat the worsening air quality in Delhi. According to an official statement issued on Monday, November 6, this machine targets both air pollution and air pollutants, including other infectious agents. During testing at the Shriram Institute for Industrial Research in Delhi, the air purifying machine, created by physicist Lalit Kumar in partnership with a team of students, showed an impressive 99% effectiveness in killing indoor air viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

The machine has been created as a one-stop solution for air pollution and airborne pathogens. This indigenously developed machine is a true innovation under the self-reliant India campaign.

– Commented Anju Srivastava, Principal of Hindu College.

Ionuva Innovations LLP, a Hindu College startup, was reportedly selected as one of the Super-25 startups at a recent conclave organised by Udhmoya Doundation, the University of Delhi’s startup ecosystem, in collaboration with Samarth Bharat and the Career Development Centre (CDC), where they showcased their solution to the significant issue.

This indigenously developed machine is a true innovation under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan’ or the ‘Self-reliant India’ campaign, which is the vision of the new India envisioned by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

– Read a press released by the University.

In March 2022, Hindu College established its first start-up with the invention of a machine resembling a microwave and equipped with Ultraviolet-C (UVC) tubes capable of disinfecting a variety of objects.

This machine is capable of inactivating 99.9 percent of bacteria, viruses, yeast and mould within a minute of exposure. It works by destroying the RNA and DNA strands of virus and bacteria.

– claimed Dr. Kumar.

Under the Business Blasters’ initiative of the Delhi Government, two students from Delhi Government schools undertook the task of painting the disinfecting machine, available in the market for Rs. 13,000.

Read also: Natural Ways to Fight the Smog

Featured Image Credits: DU Beat Photo Archive

Manvi Goel
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DUB News

Hindu College Suspends Students for ‘Indiscipline’ During Election

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As a result of the protests and hunger strike staged in September, about 10 students have been suspended for one to four months.

Back in September, Hindu College made news when over 30 nominations for the positions of its ‘Prime Minister’ and ‘Central Councillors’ of the students’ union were rejected. The administration had cited low attendance as the reason, but students called it a purposeful ‘attack on democracy’. Chaos ensued as multiple protests and a hunger strike were staged by the students. About 10 students have been suspended as a result of engaging in ‘indiscipline’ during the events of this election. 

The suspensions are to last one to four months, and students will be able to rejoin college after giving an undertaking stating that in the future, they will not partake in the “destruction of institutional property” and not cause “disruption in any manner of academic functioning”. Principal Anju Srivastava has said that the discipline committee of the college took this decision after investigating the issue for several days and that the decision was based on documentary evidence, which found the particular students guilty of offences of damage to college property and disruption of academics. 

Further, she added that this action was not taken as a result of protesting by the students but the indiscipline that accompanied it, and that the students would need to provide a written undertaking, promising that such acts of ‘indiscipline’ will not be repeated in the future. One such act of indiscipline that was ordered into inquiry, was that the students didn’t allow the principal to exit her office during one of the protests. However, the rustications are for a finite period, depending on every individual’s level of involvement. 

An explanation regarding the reason for their suspension was provided to the rusticated students. The email, dated October 27, read, “Consequent upon explanation furnished by you and proofs of your involvement shown through photos and videos in the possession of the Disciplinary Resource Committee (DRC)… found that your conduct during 15-18 September 2023, falls under the following acts of gross indiscipline under Ordinance XV-B (Maintenance of discipline among students of the university)… willful destruction of institutional property… causing disruption in any manner of the academic functioning of the University System.” 

Read also: Rise in DU Law Applications  

Featured image source: CNBC News

Arshiya Pathania

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Campus Central

Dead Cockroaches to Lizards: Hindu College’s Canteen Has It All!

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In a recent incident, students at Hindu College spotted a dead lizard in the food ordered from the college canteen, causing several to question the quality and standards of hygiene within the canteen space.

In a bizarre turn of events in the past few days, a group of students at Hindu College spotted a dead lizard in a plate of fried rice ordered from the college canteen by a lab assistant. The incident occurred on September 26, Tuesday, and students report that a similar incident occurred nearly six months ago when a dead cockroach was found in the fried rice again.

A few students from second-year BSc. Hons Physics were present at the scene when the dead creature was spotted in the lab assistant’s food. In conversation with the Hindustan Times, one of these students shared that:

“This is not an isolated incident since barely months ago I found a cockroach in my food bought from the old canteen. We were told this carelessness will not repeat, and now this…. That’s why I’ve decided to speak up now.”

While memes have been making rounds related to “Lizard got entry into Hindu College, yet students can’t”, several students are taking up this matter seriously to the college committee. Students say that last year a verbal complaint was filed by the student body to the college committee regarding the degrading hygiene standards of the college canteen, and there is a probability of filing a written complaint this time demanding a proper explanation about the incident.

Abhay Pratap Singh, a final-year student of BA Programme at Hindu College and the student-in-charge of the canteen until last year, mentions to Hindustan Times that:

 “This is the first incident of its kind in the college that has been reported to me. Due to the long weekend and the DUTA elections, we were unable to meet the students in college. But we will be meeting with the canteen committee soon to raise the issue about hygiene… The new canteen committee is yet to be formed, and at my end, we have been keeping a check on the food quality and hygiene standards and raised concerns whenever required in the past.”

The Vice-Principal of the college, Reena Jain, assures that the college administration has taken serious note of it and taken immediate action. The food contractor of the college canteen was summoned immediately, and in the distribution chain of eatables, the person accountable has been allegedly removed. Speaking to the Hindustan Times, she concludes by saying that:

“It will not be out of place to mention that our canteen has been very recently revamped, and we take all measures to keep it at the highest standards of hygiene and sanitation.”

Read Also: DU’s Trend of Collapsing Ceilings Follows St. Stephen’s

Featured Image Credits: Keshavi Sethi For DU Beat

Priyanka Mukherjee

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