Telly – Tales
Watching the television can be a strenuous activity at times. This can be essentially experienced if you are not a diligent follower of the prime time soaps aired on Hindi channels.
When you are on a vacation, the time in hand to scan through the 110 channels provided by your cable T.V. operator ( or CAS, Tata Sky, etc,etc..), is conveniently large. During one such endeavours, I managed to catch a high-end claim – Star One was swelling in pride to declare that their serial “ Dil Mil Gaye”..( please forgive the spelling errors, if any..) is back on air. Now, if you stand to be a complete stranger to the novel concepts which come ‘back’ as sequels, without having a fair understanding of the events that took place earlier , you are bound to develop an instant misconception ( as instant as the instant idli mix ). It is justified if you seem to believe that Dil Mil Gaye would be a rosy romantic affair scripted to run for a minimum period of 18 months. This average run-time of T.V. serials is greatly enhanced by the relentless “Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhie Bahu Thi”. As far as my memory goes, I remember ‘Mihir Virani’ melodramatically dying when I was in my Std. 7. This nation-stirring event occurred almost two years after the serial was a high TRP grosser with ‘Tulsi’ becoming a household name. Next year, I will become a first attempt Engineering graduate..( this information relayed just to ease the process of evaluating the run-time period of this benchmark epic.) Today, the ‘Virani family’ contains almost 5 generations with a minimum of one person belonging to every era. I cease to believe that ‘ Ba’ is a real human being, she is an eternal heavenly body. Well, I don’t know what happened post Mihir’s death ( he came back to life in the subsequent years without the super-natural forces playing any role.) as I discontinued my viewership. As per grapevine, he is believed to have one legal wife, one extra-marital affair and about 3-4 children whose biological roots remain a mystery to one and all ( including Ms. Ekta Kapoor ). Aforesaid are the declared assets of Mr. Mihir Virani. Trust the viewers to have lost track of a soap which is forced to continue to lather for a massive period of some 7,8 or 10 years.
Back to ‘Dil Mil Gaye’ , it is about interns practicing in a plush hospital called ‘Sanjivani’. It is unfair to judge a serial after watching just one episode, but I couldn’t help myself from drawing the following conclusions. The interns don’t look as if they have really cleared any medical CET to get into a medical college. Its again unwise to judge someone by their looks, but its difficult to imagine them as medical professionals who have been rigorously trained over a period of 4 years. Their topics of discussion include – how to get some nurse hooked up with a senior doctor, or which colour suit to gift to a prospective girlfriend. They loiter around the hospital corridors releasing red and white heart-shaped balloons, the excuse for the celebration being Valentine’s day. I wonder if KEM and AIIMS have such recreational facilities for their students. The small town girl ( the ideal protagonist- ‘chote shaher ki ladki’) wears the most lavish salwaar suit and the trendiest make-up. None of them read books, or discuss a patient’s case. Probably all of them have profound knowledge to tackle any case that comes their way and so don’t have to revert to books time and again. Their presence in the cafeteria is far too obviously long than that in hospital wards. Occasionally they hold a thermometer in their hand, otherwise a writing pad and a pen is all that the doctors at Sanjeevani need! You might as well mistakenly take them to be reporters..but they are interns ( would-be doctors in the truest sense!).The stethoscope is perennially wound around their necks, which could have been aptly replaced by headphones. Most of the time they hold the X-Ray reports high up in their hand pretending to understand something, other times they engage themselves in frivolous activities. They don’t utter names of medicines or disorders either.
Such a showcase of behaviour by the doctors treated to be only next to God in our society, only helps you realize that your initial conclusions are absolutely flawless. The script of the story nowhere revolves around the life of an intern who at times has to face Ramadoss and has no time to breathe, forget the frequent lovey-dovey encounters. The patient’s ‘dil’ or case seems to be the last worry for the doctors at Sanjeevani.
“Jassi” amidst the saas-bahu operas brought a new lease of life to the small screen. Yet, having being inspired by “ Ugly Betty” , it did lack originality. If originality comes in form of ‘Dil Mil Gaye’, then I would pray that our authorities resign from the arduous task of thinking and just be inspired!!!!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Paunch
Paunch
Stand with your back straight and push your neck very slightly forward, look down at your feet, by moving your eyeballs. If your vision is not eclipsed by the protrusion of a nasty mass in the abdominal region, then you have prevented yourself from acquiring the ownership of a ghastly disgrace- “the Paunch”. I say this because the world today is taken by a storm by the concept of ‘thin is in’ and it isn’t a juvenile crime to bear a full-fledged paunch. Believe me friends, having a noticeable paunch can be more shameful than being caught red-handed in drug-trafficking !!
The rounder the belly, the wealthier the man, is now a bygone. Today, the global citizens call themselves health-conscious. There is more than just a marginal difference between health-conscious people and health freaks. The most dreaded activity of these health freaks is standing on the weighing scale. A slight deviation ( in the +ve direction ) from the subsidized number of kilograms might traumatize them for perhaps the next 13 days. If they wake up in the morning to realize that they have lost 650 gms or more, they get a high which an avid drinker will not relish even after several pecks of the finest vodka. It is difficult for me to picture them further losing weight in the measure of kilograms, as that may result in their total disappearance from the face of the earth. That reminds me of ‘anorexia’. Now, the difference between anorexia and malnourishment is that, the former is a health statement ( analogous to fashion statement ) and the latter one is a health disorder. Models, who walk the ramp…( lets call them the ‘classy dahlings’) are anorexic and street children (..the regular earthlings ) are malnourished.
Having a paunch has its own set of limitations. You have to safely ignore the ‘looks’ of the ‘toned’ elements of the society. Loose-fitting clothes suddenly become the must-haves of your wardrobe….a measure taken to prevent some major faux-pas. Figure-hugging clothes are meant for those whose figures are not disfigured!! Next, remember that when posing for a picture, avoid a side profile of your complete self. It will only make you appear less attractive ( greek god that you are!). If you are used to taking deep breathes and then holding onto them, till your tailor registers your ‘vital-statistics’ for assembling your new wardrobe, then BEWARE,,, it can be a gruelling task to squeeze yourself in those clothes ( stitched in accordance with the misleading waistline ). It can also give you an impression of having expanded by an inch and a half more since the time of your visit to the tailor and the delivery of your new clothes with an improved size!! So, just whole-heartedly accept the paunch…and be yourself.
After all, it gives you a chance to revamp your style…( now that the tee’s don’t fit you, …kurtas have to cover up ). Having a paunch (already) enables you to crash all your calorie counters without feeling guilty. It also allows you to curtail expenses on footwear, as anyways the feet are nowhere to be seen.., thanks to the paunch coming midway. So, why splurge on boots??? Instead buy belts that can be wound around your larger circumference, that vividly stands out. The paunch makes you look less vulnerable and can help you in making space for yourself while taking the public transport. It is understood that there is no scope for a fourth seat if 2 out of 3 people sitting on a bench in a train compartment, have a fair sized paunch.
But, that does not mean you disregard the bitter fact that “YOU” are gaining weight (extra weight….to be precise ). The paunch cannot be a belonging you will long to behold, caress or treasure. A bit of exercise and a controlled diet can restore the ‘make-up’ of your stomach. It is essential to realize the importance of healthy living because a toned and fit body along with a razor-sharp mind does give you a true sense of well-being.
Nevertheless…..the jubilation of playing ‘tabla’ on that very paunch is inexplicable!!!!
Stand with your back straight and push your neck very slightly forward, look down at your feet, by moving your eyeballs. If your vision is not eclipsed by the protrusion of a nasty mass in the abdominal region, then you have prevented yourself from acquiring the ownership of a ghastly disgrace- “the Paunch”. I say this because the world today is taken by a storm by the concept of ‘thin is in’ and it isn’t a juvenile crime to bear a full-fledged paunch. Believe me friends, having a noticeable paunch can be more shameful than being caught red-handed in drug-trafficking !!
The rounder the belly, the wealthier the man, is now a bygone. Today, the global citizens call themselves health-conscious. There is more than just a marginal difference between health-conscious people and health freaks. The most dreaded activity of these health freaks is standing on the weighing scale. A slight deviation ( in the +ve direction ) from the subsidized number of kilograms might traumatize them for perhaps the next 13 days. If they wake up in the morning to realize that they have lost 650 gms or more, they get a high which an avid drinker will not relish even after several pecks of the finest vodka. It is difficult for me to picture them further losing weight in the measure of kilograms, as that may result in their total disappearance from the face of the earth. That reminds me of ‘anorexia’. Now, the difference between anorexia and malnourishment is that, the former is a health statement ( analogous to fashion statement ) and the latter one is a health disorder. Models, who walk the ramp…( lets call them the ‘classy dahlings’) are anorexic and street children (..the regular earthlings ) are malnourished.
Having a paunch has its own set of limitations. You have to safely ignore the ‘looks’ of the ‘toned’ elements of the society. Loose-fitting clothes suddenly become the must-haves of your wardrobe….a measure taken to prevent some major faux-pas. Figure-hugging clothes are meant for those whose figures are not disfigured!! Next, remember that when posing for a picture, avoid a side profile of your complete self. It will only make you appear less attractive ( greek god that you are!). If you are used to taking deep breathes and then holding onto them, till your tailor registers your ‘vital-statistics’ for assembling your new wardrobe, then BEWARE,,, it can be a gruelling task to squeeze yourself in those clothes ( stitched in accordance with the misleading waistline ). It can also give you an impression of having expanded by an inch and a half more since the time of your visit to the tailor and the delivery of your new clothes with an improved size!! So, just whole-heartedly accept the paunch…and be yourself.
After all, it gives you a chance to revamp your style…( now that the tee’s don’t fit you, …kurtas have to cover up ). Having a paunch (already) enables you to crash all your calorie counters without feeling guilty. It also allows you to curtail expenses on footwear, as anyways the feet are nowhere to be seen.., thanks to the paunch coming midway. So, why splurge on boots??? Instead buy belts that can be wound around your larger circumference, that vividly stands out. The paunch makes you look less vulnerable and can help you in making space for yourself while taking the public transport. It is understood that there is no scope for a fourth seat if 2 out of 3 people sitting on a bench in a train compartment, have a fair sized paunch.
But, that does not mean you disregard the bitter fact that “YOU” are gaining weight (extra weight….to be precise ). The paunch cannot be a belonging you will long to behold, caress or treasure. A bit of exercise and a controlled diet can restore the ‘make-up’ of your stomach. It is essential to realize the importance of healthy living because a toned and fit body along with a razor-sharp mind does give you a true sense of well-being.
Nevertheless…..the jubilation of playing ‘tabla’ on that very paunch is inexplicable!!!!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Biased load-shedding
Biased load-shedding
No, this one does not reiterate the fact that Mumbai is exempted from a torture called load shedding, the regularity of which is commendable!! It throws light ( and not power, as we are deprived of it ) on a different subject for contemplation.
Thane and the stations that follow ( lesser known to most of the Mumbaities ) and Navi Mumbai are subjected to a daily ritual of “load-shedding”. It is a fancy term coined for the power cuts which are executed at a frequency which is greater than that of a peculiar novel song played as a “fresh hit” on Zoom. Interestingly, Mulund ( the princess of suburbs – as per the claims ) and Bhandup are conveniently set apart from Mumbai when it comes to power cuts. So, these localities are not excused even though they belong to the island city. Now, I’m done with the geographical details.
Let me come to the point. The duration of power cuts can be anywhere between 3 hours to 9 hours depending on the closeness of the location to Mumbai: eg. If thane has it for 5 hrs, then Kalyan will endure it for about 7-8 hrs on a daily basis. But still, this is not the bias about which I want to complain. I believe that the power cuts are chauvinistic in nature, their target victims being the ‘housewives’. The husband leaves for his work-place by 7, the children are off to school or college and our dear housewife ( victim of male chauvinism )is busy arranging hot water for everyone’s bath. With all the appliances running on electricity, how is she expected to grill, toast or knead the dough when the power is gone at, as early as 6 in the morning??? It is widely proclaimed that Science and Technology have paced up the life of a housewife. I’m sure that she would take this with a pinch of salt. Next, in the afternoon, when the October heat scorches and pierces into every household, the lady is left sweating and struggling in an effort to beat the heat. The exhausted soul cannot even peacefully take a nap for an hour or two, as the rising mercury makes it grossly uncomfortable. Now, with the refrigerator disconnected for 3 running hrs, she has to re-heat the cooked food to avoid the dismay over the spoilt food in the following evening. Imagine the piteous plight of the female standing in front of the burner, facing the flaming sun and no fans ( exhaust or ceiling ) to move the heated air particles…. To top it all, if you house lies facing the east-west direction ( believed to be miraculously beneficial to your health and wealth, as per Vaastu-Shaastra ), then the intensity of the incoming sunlight can be strong enough to shrivel you down.
Business failures, and financial losses seem to be the only complaints that always surface everytime the concept of load-shedding is argued upon. No one really bothers to consider the plight of the housewife who has sworn to refrain from whining…
So, thank your stars if you are a student ( attending colleges in Mumbai ONLY ) or a husband who can relish his lunch in the air-conditioned room. The contents of this lunch are wrapped in aluminium foils…with tender care and concern of the diligent woman who has been preparing it in the blinding darkness ( as there is no blinding light, or any kind of light at that point of time in the morning!!)..in anticipation of a cool breeze to soothe her soul…..
No, this one does not reiterate the fact that Mumbai is exempted from a torture called load shedding, the regularity of which is commendable!! It throws light ( and not power, as we are deprived of it ) on a different subject for contemplation.
Thane and the stations that follow ( lesser known to most of the Mumbaities ) and Navi Mumbai are subjected to a daily ritual of “load-shedding”. It is a fancy term coined for the power cuts which are executed at a frequency which is greater than that of a peculiar novel song played as a “fresh hit” on Zoom. Interestingly, Mulund ( the princess of suburbs – as per the claims ) and Bhandup are conveniently set apart from Mumbai when it comes to power cuts. So, these localities are not excused even though they belong to the island city. Now, I’m done with the geographical details.
Let me come to the point. The duration of power cuts can be anywhere between 3 hours to 9 hours depending on the closeness of the location to Mumbai: eg. If thane has it for 5 hrs, then Kalyan will endure it for about 7-8 hrs on a daily basis. But still, this is not the bias about which I want to complain. I believe that the power cuts are chauvinistic in nature, their target victims being the ‘housewives’. The husband leaves for his work-place by 7, the children are off to school or college and our dear housewife ( victim of male chauvinism )is busy arranging hot water for everyone’s bath. With all the appliances running on electricity, how is she expected to grill, toast or knead the dough when the power is gone at, as early as 6 in the morning??? It is widely proclaimed that Science and Technology have paced up the life of a housewife. I’m sure that she would take this with a pinch of salt. Next, in the afternoon, when the October heat scorches and pierces into every household, the lady is left sweating and struggling in an effort to beat the heat. The exhausted soul cannot even peacefully take a nap for an hour or two, as the rising mercury makes it grossly uncomfortable. Now, with the refrigerator disconnected for 3 running hrs, she has to re-heat the cooked food to avoid the dismay over the spoilt food in the following evening. Imagine the piteous plight of the female standing in front of the burner, facing the flaming sun and no fans ( exhaust or ceiling ) to move the heated air particles…. To top it all, if you house lies facing the east-west direction ( believed to be miraculously beneficial to your health and wealth, as per Vaastu-Shaastra ), then the intensity of the incoming sunlight can be strong enough to shrivel you down.
Business failures, and financial losses seem to be the only complaints that always surface everytime the concept of load-shedding is argued upon. No one really bothers to consider the plight of the housewife who has sworn to refrain from whining…
So, thank your stars if you are a student ( attending colleges in Mumbai ONLY ) or a husband who can relish his lunch in the air-conditioned room. The contents of this lunch are wrapped in aluminium foils…with tender care and concern of the diligent woman who has been preparing it in the blinding darkness ( as there is no blinding light, or any kind of light at that point of time in the morning!!)..in anticipation of a cool breeze to soothe her soul…..
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Getting into the queue
Getting into the….queue ( …and not groove )
One of the major reasons for large-scale mass gatherings posing a potent threat to human life is the failure to regulate the participating crowd. The onus of the regulation of the people gathered in colossal numbers does not lie on the police alone. It makes sense to discipline ourselves whenever we are a part of a crowd; rather,
one may ask why make the appearance of a crowd as an eyesore?? Cant we Indians learn the laws governing the filing of queues and abide by the same?? In a country where probably our mother was waiting in a queue bearing the anguish of her labour before delivering us, I see no reason for bearing an inherent apathy towards this institution of queue.
The unfortunate incident of stampede at Nainadevi which was replayed a few days ago at Chamunda devi temple is a result of mismanagement of a crowd which does not give human life its due
worth. Another major factor contributing to this ruckus is
rumour-mongering. It once again portrays the typical Indian brain which shoots to action without giving a rational thought to a volley of disarrayed ideas thrown on them. If one person ( who has had an adrenaline rush ) decides to react to a rumour as per his whims, he has an entire “herd” of thoughtless individuals following suit.
Such incidences need to avoided as they CAN be prevented. In places bearing religious significance, special methods need to be adopted to avoid the stir of the devout’s sentiments. The access to the shrines and their pathways should be under constant patrolling so as to avoid any kind of rumour mongering. Last but not the least, it is the discipline that the devotees should exercise which can make a remarkable difference and facilitate ease of governing to the patrolling police.
To sum up I can say that eventually it rests with the mortals to make their journey to seek the divine blessings, safe and systematic…
One of the major reasons for large-scale mass gatherings posing a potent threat to human life is the failure to regulate the participating crowd. The onus of the regulation of the people gathered in colossal numbers does not lie on the police alone. It makes sense to discipline ourselves whenever we are a part of a crowd; rather,
one may ask why make the appearance of a crowd as an eyesore?? Cant we Indians learn the laws governing the filing of queues and abide by the same?? In a country where probably our mother was waiting in a queue bearing the anguish of her labour before delivering us, I see no reason for bearing an inherent apathy towards this institution of queue.
The unfortunate incident of stampede at Nainadevi which was replayed a few days ago at Chamunda devi temple is a result of mismanagement of a crowd which does not give human life its due
worth. Another major factor contributing to this ruckus is
rumour-mongering. It once again portrays the typical Indian brain which shoots to action without giving a rational thought to a volley of disarrayed ideas thrown on them. If one person ( who has had an adrenaline rush ) decides to react to a rumour as per his whims, he has an entire “herd” of thoughtless individuals following suit.
Such incidences need to avoided as they CAN be prevented. In places bearing religious significance, special methods need to be adopted to avoid the stir of the devout’s sentiments. The access to the shrines and their pathways should be under constant patrolling so as to avoid any kind of rumour mongering. Last but not the least, it is the discipline that the devotees should exercise which can make a remarkable difference and facilitate ease of governing to the patrolling police.
To sum up I can say that eventually it rests with the mortals to make their journey to seek the divine blessings, safe and systematic…
Monday, October 6, 2008
Wanted an MBA groom for my Engineer daughter
Wanted an MBA groom for my Engineer daughter
This very articulate demand uncovers the true purpose of educating the girl-child. The value of MBA or Engineering education has been reduced to a mere game of figures established at the end of the placement of a student pursuing these courses.
Bachelor of Technology ( BTech ) or Bachelor of Engineering ( BE ) is considered as a fairly affordable degree for graduate studies ( as compared to Health Science courses ) and the best one to sustain a good life ahead. Somehow, an engineer finds means easily to earn a decent livelihood as compared to his counterparts. Even wondered why the demand for engineering students is ever increasing inspite of various other disciplines in the stream of education?? These faculties also provide for multiple opportunities and nurture talents. Then, why the bias?? The engineering syllabus is holistic and coherent. It trains a student to identify and judge a
problem, find not one but multiple solutions to the same and apply the best one to get it redressed at the earliest and also in the most economical way.
The four year course is designed to rigorously test the student through
projects, assignments, practicals, biyearly semesters, internships and
threatening deadlines. The technical exhibitions and festivals provide the
opportunities to the budding technocrat to get a brush with the pioneers of the industry. The course provides multifarious aspects for personality development. This probably explains as to why more number of engineers are becoming efficient managers. This statement in no way implies or claims that Engineers are better Managers or MBAs for that matter. The Engineering syllabus definitely equips us with the technical aspects of management. The courses are rigorous and professional in character. We are under an illusion of management education being associated with better designation, salary and most importantly – a pompous status. Though
statistics reveal the stunning figures of salaries being offered to a MBA
student, the management education has a different perspective which is entirely value-based. The gospel fact remains that management
education is more of introspection and being thorough with oneself – ones interests, confidence, calibre and credibility. Only then one can be judged on the basis of what he/she has to offer to the organization. An MBA gives you the confidence to veer off the treaded path; pursue your dreams and gives an impetus to innovation and experimentation. The course makes you
acquainted with all the aspects of running a company, which is priceless for an innovative entrepreneur. It provokes you to think of the state of country’s economy, understand the investment options and reap the benefits. It teaches you the path to create wealth rather than just make money. It grooms the person to serve the best to oneself – only then can he be an asset to an enterprise. An MBA course prepares you to face the realities of life while you are still in the process of shaping your dreams. Doing away with your graduation is no reason to get into a MBA course. The management course gives you a chance to figure out your strengths, weaknesses, passions and harness them. It leads you to the path of illumination, innovation and self-recognition. The course is more spiritual than professional, because its truest form is about self-realisation.
So, all my dear mothers, its time you realized that your daughter is no longer a “Material Girl”. She belongs to an elite class of educated
professionals, and is willing to be tried and tested by challenges. Her
education has lent her the confidence to trust her independence………….and an MBA husband is not the only thing on her mind…….
Dear mothers,
your daughters are really
reaching for the stars……..
This very articulate demand uncovers the true purpose of educating the girl-child. The value of MBA or Engineering education has been reduced to a mere game of figures established at the end of the placement of a student pursuing these courses.
Bachelor of Technology ( BTech ) or Bachelor of Engineering ( BE ) is considered as a fairly affordable degree for graduate studies ( as compared to Health Science courses ) and the best one to sustain a good life ahead. Somehow, an engineer finds means easily to earn a decent livelihood as compared to his counterparts. Even wondered why the demand for engineering students is ever increasing inspite of various other disciplines in the stream of education?? These faculties also provide for multiple opportunities and nurture talents. Then, why the bias?? The engineering syllabus is holistic and coherent. It trains a student to identify and judge a
problem, find not one but multiple solutions to the same and apply the best one to get it redressed at the earliest and also in the most economical way.
The four year course is designed to rigorously test the student through
projects, assignments, practicals, biyearly semesters, internships and
threatening deadlines. The technical exhibitions and festivals provide the
opportunities to the budding technocrat to get a brush with the pioneers of the industry. The course provides multifarious aspects for personality development. This probably explains as to why more number of engineers are becoming efficient managers. This statement in no way implies or claims that Engineers are better Managers or MBAs for that matter. The Engineering syllabus definitely equips us with the technical aspects of management. The courses are rigorous and professional in character. We are under an illusion of management education being associated with better designation, salary and most importantly – a pompous status. Though
statistics reveal the stunning figures of salaries being offered to a MBA
student, the management education has a different perspective which is entirely value-based. The gospel fact remains that management
education is more of introspection and being thorough with oneself – ones interests, confidence, calibre and credibility. Only then one can be judged on the basis of what he/she has to offer to the organization. An MBA gives you the confidence to veer off the treaded path; pursue your dreams and gives an impetus to innovation and experimentation. The course makes you
acquainted with all the aspects of running a company, which is priceless for an innovative entrepreneur. It provokes you to think of the state of country’s economy, understand the investment options and reap the benefits. It teaches you the path to create wealth rather than just make money. It grooms the person to serve the best to oneself – only then can he be an asset to an enterprise. An MBA course prepares you to face the realities of life while you are still in the process of shaping your dreams. Doing away with your graduation is no reason to get into a MBA course. The management course gives you a chance to figure out your strengths, weaknesses, passions and harness them. It leads you to the path of illumination, innovation and self-recognition. The course is more spiritual than professional, because its truest form is about self-realisation.
So, all my dear mothers, its time you realized that your daughter is no longer a “Material Girl”. She belongs to an elite class of educated
professionals, and is willing to be tried and tested by challenges. Her
education has lent her the confidence to trust her independence………….and an MBA husband is not the only thing on her mind…….
Dear mothers,
your daughters are really
reaching for the stars……..
Sunday, October 5, 2008
The General Secretary
The General Secretary (G.S.)
DISCLAIMER:
This article is for the general public and specifically for the “socially inactive class” of Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (V.J.T.I.), Mumbai, which bears a mention in the subsequent areas of the document. The contents of the document are not meant to intentionally hurt the sentiments of the GS, but to make the socially inactive class of VJTI aware of their campus happenings.
The life of a socially active third year engineering student can either be absolutely flamboyant or in plaintive shatters.
Now in a college like VJTI , which stands a host to various events like technical, cultural and sports ( not to forget Rose-Day, Teacher’s Day and Ganeshotsav as well), the perennial activity of the social group barely needs to be elaborated. Now, ‘Social Group’ is nothing akin to BJP, BSP or JD. It is the first authority of the college which conducts the year-round activities in the college campus. The Social Group is a collection of some important students ( the degree of importance of every student member can be best decided as per the personal claims made by the student ) and some professors who re-direct the action on the forefront. The Social Group invariably gives you ample opportunities to be innovative, judgemental , blunt , conscious and most importantly politically correct ( or ‘diplomatic’ in lay man’s terms ). So there is a bunch of candidates ( includes “genuinely deserving” ones and “genuinely claiming to be deserving” ones) who wish to apply for the illustrious post of the General Secretary ( GS ). Believe me friends, you will never find a larger number of aspiring engineers struggling to be a ‘secretary’( and that too a ‘general’ one!! ).
The horizons of the Social Group encompass only the ‘socially active students’. As per a former mention, there always exists a substantial number of students, who at the end of four years of a rigorous (!!) course can claim to have the profound knowledge of running motors or encoding programs. Categorizing them as “socially inactive” is derogatory to their brilliant pointers and conceptual understanding. Yet, the ease of addressing them like this, tempts me to use the phrase with a high frequency. I’m sorry for giving into this temptation… The ‘socially active class’ on the other hand knows how to conduct Pratibimb, Technovanza or Enthusia..( names of our college festivals ) without having a fair understanding of what is happening in their classrooms and majorly screwing up their pointers on the scoresheet.
Note: The repeated use of the word “social” can be justified on the grounds that the author herself is an existing member of the ‘Social Group’.
Now, back to our post of the General Secretary - the process of getting selected as one is more nerve-wrecking than getting a BTech degree altogether! The process is elaborated as under-
Step 1: This includes elimination of undeserving candidates. “Undeserving” is a relative term. Even a “genuinely claiming to be deserving” candidate may ‘find’ a fellow candidate undeserving. The search results for the ‘findings’ of the former for the latter can be varied – ranging from animosity, jealousy or a simple reason that- “ he/she is not a part of my group and/or I hate him” ( ‘group’ here does not refer to Social Group but indicates friend-circle ). So, on such diverse grounds, we have 5-6 ( at times even 8 ) candidates ( who are unable to reach a consensus ) vying for three possible vacancies. The elimination is the carried out by conducting elections which forms the Step 2 of our elaborate process to reach the ornamental position of the General Secretary.
Step 2: Elections
These are again of two types:
Staged and not staged ( i.e genuine ..haha!! ) . The early stage of preparing for the elections includes garnering ‘support’. Now in VJTI, we have a hostel. So, the support system consists of ‘hostelites’ and ‘localites’. If you have the right set of ‘contacts’ , your support system can become exceedingly larger than that of your rivals. The contesting candidates can exploit all fair means to ensure an impregnable support system. Once this is done, an auspicious day is selected and three victorious candidates are elected! ( I hope you appreciate the rhythm of this sentence..) if you find this process to be genuine, then my class elections were of type 2.
Step 3: The 3 candidates elected from every branch now have to submit a proposal to the panel of teachers of the Social Group. The proposal includes an elaborate description of how they intend to conduct the event and its various aspects like budget, sponsorship, publicity, etc.. the proposal is comparable to the blueprint of the mega-event . The candidates are interviewed for about 15-20 minutes by 4 to 6 teachers. The total number of candidates can be anywhere between 15 to 20 for the 8 most enviable positions of the Social Group.
Step 4: After studying the proposals, the panel can chose to eliminate candidates on various grounds ( attendance, scores, residence, etc .. ) and select the most deserving candidates for the available posts. The results are declared on another auspicious day and the new set of names of Social Group student members are on display on the various notice boards of the college.
Now, the elaborate process is over. The GS is selected. He/she suddenly becomes the most sought after person in the college. People want to talk to the GS, work for the GS and if at all you were not on good terms with the GS, you might as well end up trying to develop good relations with the GS. They say that “Rome was not built in a day” but the GS definitely is!! This explains the flamboyance of the life of a third year socially active engineering student… The position of the General Secretary comes with immense responsibility and enviable fame. It can even result in spoiling the relations developed with peers which flourished in the preceding years. The GS has to bear the brunt of inefficacy on the part of team members, ego clashes and difference of opinions and still get his/her work done in the best possible manner. This justifies the phrase ‘plaintive shatters’ used in the latter part of the opening sentence of the document.
The GS has to do loads of planning, organization, coordination and brainstorming with his/her colossal team and most importantly – never be wrong. Even if the GS cant be right everytime, it is instrumental for him/her to NOT be wrong. Very difficult task….i guess!
To sum up, I can say that belonging to the socially active class gives you a sense of the real world on a smaller scale. So, there is an element of pride in being a part of the Social Group. What is in store for our GS hereafter will be propounded in the next expert document to be released soon…!!!
DISCLAIMER:
This article is for the general public and specifically for the “socially inactive class” of Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (V.J.T.I.), Mumbai, which bears a mention in the subsequent areas of the document. The contents of the document are not meant to intentionally hurt the sentiments of the GS, but to make the socially inactive class of VJTI aware of their campus happenings.
The life of a socially active third year engineering student can either be absolutely flamboyant or in plaintive shatters.
Now in a college like VJTI , which stands a host to various events like technical, cultural and sports ( not to forget Rose-Day, Teacher’s Day and Ganeshotsav as well), the perennial activity of the social group barely needs to be elaborated. Now, ‘Social Group’ is nothing akin to BJP, BSP or JD. It is the first authority of the college which conducts the year-round activities in the college campus. The Social Group is a collection of some important students ( the degree of importance of every student member can be best decided as per the personal claims made by the student ) and some professors who re-direct the action on the forefront. The Social Group invariably gives you ample opportunities to be innovative, judgemental , blunt , conscious and most importantly politically correct ( or ‘diplomatic’ in lay man’s terms ). So there is a bunch of candidates ( includes “genuinely deserving” ones and “genuinely claiming to be deserving” ones) who wish to apply for the illustrious post of the General Secretary ( GS ). Believe me friends, you will never find a larger number of aspiring engineers struggling to be a ‘secretary’( and that too a ‘general’ one!! ).
The horizons of the Social Group encompass only the ‘socially active students’. As per a former mention, there always exists a substantial number of students, who at the end of four years of a rigorous (!!) course can claim to have the profound knowledge of running motors or encoding programs. Categorizing them as “socially inactive” is derogatory to their brilliant pointers and conceptual understanding. Yet, the ease of addressing them like this, tempts me to use the phrase with a high frequency. I’m sorry for giving into this temptation… The ‘socially active class’ on the other hand knows how to conduct Pratibimb, Technovanza or Enthusia..( names of our college festivals ) without having a fair understanding of what is happening in their classrooms and majorly screwing up their pointers on the scoresheet.
Note: The repeated use of the word “social” can be justified on the grounds that the author herself is an existing member of the ‘Social Group’.
Now, back to our post of the General Secretary - the process of getting selected as one is more nerve-wrecking than getting a BTech degree altogether! The process is elaborated as under-
Step 1: This includes elimination of undeserving candidates. “Undeserving” is a relative term. Even a “genuinely claiming to be deserving” candidate may ‘find’ a fellow candidate undeserving. The search results for the ‘findings’ of the former for the latter can be varied – ranging from animosity, jealousy or a simple reason that- “ he/she is not a part of my group and/or I hate him” ( ‘group’ here does not refer to Social Group but indicates friend-circle ). So, on such diverse grounds, we have 5-6 ( at times even 8 ) candidates ( who are unable to reach a consensus ) vying for three possible vacancies. The elimination is the carried out by conducting elections which forms the Step 2 of our elaborate process to reach the ornamental position of the General Secretary.
Step 2: Elections
These are again of two types:
Staged and not staged ( i.e genuine ..haha!! ) . The early stage of preparing for the elections includes garnering ‘support’. Now in VJTI, we have a hostel. So, the support system consists of ‘hostelites’ and ‘localites’. If you have the right set of ‘contacts’ , your support system can become exceedingly larger than that of your rivals. The contesting candidates can exploit all fair means to ensure an impregnable support system. Once this is done, an auspicious day is selected and three victorious candidates are elected! ( I hope you appreciate the rhythm of this sentence..) if you find this process to be genuine, then my class elections were of type 2.
Step 3: The 3 candidates elected from every branch now have to submit a proposal to the panel of teachers of the Social Group. The proposal includes an elaborate description of how they intend to conduct the event and its various aspects like budget, sponsorship, publicity, etc.. the proposal is comparable to the blueprint of the mega-event . The candidates are interviewed for about 15-20 minutes by 4 to 6 teachers. The total number of candidates can be anywhere between 15 to 20 for the 8 most enviable positions of the Social Group.
Step 4: After studying the proposals, the panel can chose to eliminate candidates on various grounds ( attendance, scores, residence, etc .. ) and select the most deserving candidates for the available posts. The results are declared on another auspicious day and the new set of names of Social Group student members are on display on the various notice boards of the college.
Now, the elaborate process is over. The GS is selected. He/she suddenly becomes the most sought after person in the college. People want to talk to the GS, work for the GS and if at all you were not on good terms with the GS, you might as well end up trying to develop good relations with the GS. They say that “Rome was not built in a day” but the GS definitely is!! This explains the flamboyance of the life of a third year socially active engineering student… The position of the General Secretary comes with immense responsibility and enviable fame. It can even result in spoiling the relations developed with peers which flourished in the preceding years. The GS has to bear the brunt of inefficacy on the part of team members, ego clashes and difference of opinions and still get his/her work done in the best possible manner. This justifies the phrase ‘plaintive shatters’ used in the latter part of the opening sentence of the document.
The GS has to do loads of planning, organization, coordination and brainstorming with his/her colossal team and most importantly – never be wrong. Even if the GS cant be right everytime, it is instrumental for him/her to NOT be wrong. Very difficult task….i guess!
To sum up, I can say that belonging to the socially active class gives you a sense of the real world on a smaller scale. So, there is an element of pride in being a part of the Social Group. What is in store for our GS hereafter will be propounded in the next expert document to be released soon…!!!
Dated : 2nd october, every year
Dated : 2nd October, Every year
Sticking to the ordained schedule, 2nd October arrived in the year 2008 as well, to mark the event of Gandhi Jayanti. Historical records say that Lal Bahadur Shastri was also incidently born on the same day. The moral of the story being, two great individuals were born on this particular day…and here we are, celebrating “DRY DAY” in their honour.
Being a public holiday, I decided to venture out with a couple of friends to do a typical girlie chore : SHOPPING. When 5 girls meet, the expected number of giggles are conveniently outnumbered and the blabbing continues incessantly. As we treaded along M.G. Road, I realized that the number of hoardings paying obeisance to the great Mahatma had drastically reduced. This year too, the banner sponsored by N*P was larger that that of the BJ*. The shopping happened in spurts and we drove back to a friend’s home via L.B.S. Marg.
The christening of the roads in Mumbai has been done very thoughtfully. The means devised to remember these noble countrymen are praise-worthy. ..( Gandhi market and Hindmata are also to be included. ).
The holiday served no purpose. There was hue and cry over the newly imposed ban of smoking in public places. The government could not find a day more auspicious than this to introduce this legal interference in people’s habit. It was painful to see a ten-year old pick-pocketing, standing on the footpath, right under the signboard bearing the initials L.B.S. Marg. It was equally disgusting to see over-zealous lovers scribble their names ( the names outlined by a distorted ugly heart etched in vermilion red )on the pillar upholding the bust of the Mahatma. The television channels that day showed just one movie – GANDHI. That marked the end of patriotism for the day. The slump in the patriotic fervour was vividly conspicuous. Perhaps, the spacing between 15th August and 2nd October needs to be changed. Almost 7 months after Republic Day ( i.e. 26th January, to be precise ), the mercury of jingoism rises to high levels on August 15th. The levels exponentially crash in the next two months.. and “DRY DAY” is all that is left to be observed by us.
It is pitiable that the brave and courageous memories have eventually faded and 2nd October is just another day..oops!! a HOLIDAY..
Sticking to the ordained schedule, 2nd October arrived in the year 2008 as well, to mark the event of Gandhi Jayanti. Historical records say that Lal Bahadur Shastri was also incidently born on the same day. The moral of the story being, two great individuals were born on this particular day…and here we are, celebrating “DRY DAY” in their honour.
Being a public holiday, I decided to venture out with a couple of friends to do a typical girlie chore : SHOPPING. When 5 girls meet, the expected number of giggles are conveniently outnumbered and the blabbing continues incessantly. As we treaded along M.G. Road, I realized that the number of hoardings paying obeisance to the great Mahatma had drastically reduced. This year too, the banner sponsored by N*P was larger that that of the BJ*. The shopping happened in spurts and we drove back to a friend’s home via L.B.S. Marg.
The christening of the roads in Mumbai has been done very thoughtfully. The means devised to remember these noble countrymen are praise-worthy. ..( Gandhi market and Hindmata are also to be included. ).
The holiday served no purpose. There was hue and cry over the newly imposed ban of smoking in public places. The government could not find a day more auspicious than this to introduce this legal interference in people’s habit. It was painful to see a ten-year old pick-pocketing, standing on the footpath, right under the signboard bearing the initials L.B.S. Marg. It was equally disgusting to see over-zealous lovers scribble their names ( the names outlined by a distorted ugly heart etched in vermilion red )on the pillar upholding the bust of the Mahatma. The television channels that day showed just one movie – GANDHI. That marked the end of patriotism for the day. The slump in the patriotic fervour was vividly conspicuous. Perhaps, the spacing between 15th August and 2nd October needs to be changed. Almost 7 months after Republic Day ( i.e. 26th January, to be precise ), the mercury of jingoism rises to high levels on August 15th. The levels exponentially crash in the next two months.. and “DRY DAY” is all that is left to be observed by us.
It is pitiable that the brave and courageous memories have eventually faded and 2nd October is just another day..oops!! a HOLIDAY..
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