A Press Club initiative Issue: Inaugural Edition Volume I Date: 30.6.16 8 Pages Sneak peek As the International Yoga Day and World Music Day coincided on 21st June, 2nd year students, all dressed in white, gathered around the entrance at 9 a.m. to perform Yoga and witness live music performance by students of the university. It ended with a series of beat boxing performances, which included both 1st year and 2nd year students. On June 28th 2016, the Center for Social Action organized a session led by Professor and Conservationist Lal C, in the Bannerghatta campus at 2:30 PM in the seminar hall. Mr. Lal, in his talk, stressed on Sustainable Development and the need for India to focus on sustainable economic growth. In an effort to raise awareness about environmental conservation, the Christ University Bannerghatta Campus celebrated Environment Day on 11th June which was an initiative by the MBA (Travel & Tourism) and BBA (Travel and Tourism) students. Teachers who have recently joined Christ talked to CU ECHO about their experience. I m very happy to be among vibrant students who are from very diverse backgrounds and it s always a pleasure to be at a prestigious institution. The first meeting of the Sports Club - Club de Deportes was organized on the 21st of June in Room No.702 of the Christ University, Bannerghatta Road Campus. The Debating society, DEBSOC, was inaugrated on 24th June in the Seminar Hall, at 11:30 a.m. Shrikanth Kedia and Nishtha Borthakur were the MCs for the session. Professor Viji, a Christ Alumni, introduced the chief guest, Mr. N. Harish. The much awaited Fresher s Day, was held on 16th June in the main Auditorium from 1:30 p.m to 4:30 p.m in the Christ University Bannerghatta Road (BGR) campus. The christite spirit Thrives Aishwarya Swapanthi M The formal induction programme for the freshers was held on June 6th, 2016 which saw students assemble in the auditorium. The programme kicked off with the lighting of the lamp which was followed by an invocation song performed by the Christ choir team. On commencement, the students were introduced to videos and talks which discussed the basic structure and amenities offered to the students at Christ. Student organisations like the Centre for Social Action (CSA) and Student Welfare Office (SWO) also took over later and briefed the freshers about their roles and responsibilities to adhere to in the college. Vice Chancellor Fr.Thomas C. Matthew took over the session where he laid emphasis on the quality of education improving with the use of the college library. He urged all the students to do well in their academics by making use of the library and also encouraged budding talents to take part in co-curricular activities. The Associate Dean, Dr. Jyothi Kumar also spoke to the students, orienting them on the rules and regulations of the University in terms of attire, demeanour, and discipline. Students are very focussed on their courses and are looking forward to proper guidance and mentoring from their faculty in all possible ways. A majority of them are very enthusiastic about student organisations like CSA, SWO and student clubs like Theatre Club, the Debating Society, Wordsmiths- The Writing Club, etc. quoted a member from the SWO. Shweta, a student of BBA FIB, stated, The university is doing all it can to make our time at Christ University March on worthwhile. I m very excited to Christites, join the SWO and all the different March on clubs that interest me. I want to make the most out of all the facilities here. On the other hand, a couple of students from the Discipline of Social Sciences believe that they have chosen Christ University because of the unusual combinations it offers and are here to learn everything possible about their respective subjects of interest. Keeping up with the Christ University tradition, the induction programme ended with the college anthem March on Christites, March on.
2 Ecologically Sound Sharika S Kumar Tulika Chaturvedi In an effort to raise awareness about environmental conservation, the Christ University Bannerghatta Campus celebrated Environment Day on 11th June which was an initiative by the MBA (Travel & Tourism) and BBA (Travel and Tourism) students. Students and faculty members were seen wearing shades of blue and green on the day. Bulletin boards in classrooms all over the campus were decorated in accordance with the theme. Activities and performances followed one after the other. The first one was a flash mob performed by students of the masters program. This created the perfect atmosphere of enthusiasm and curiosity among the students. Later on, a quiz was conducted by the students of BBA (Travel and Tourism). The quiz was conducted with a competitive spirit and students participated with a lot of enthusiasm. The winners of the quiz were given saplings to take away. The quiz was not only entertaining, but informative as well. Next up, a street play was performed to sensitize the people towards the issue. Apart from the same, stalls were set up with numerous models, charts and games to attract other students, while simultaneously educating them about the repercussions of our actions in a more lucrative manner. The day came to an end with a few words of encouragement by the Associate Dean of the university, Dr. Jyothi Kumar. The need of the hour is to adopt a lifestyle along the lines of sustainable development, and the first step towards achieving that drastic a milestone is making people understand the gravity of the situation. By celebrating this event, Christ University acknowledged the larger issue at hand and made a difference in its own tiny way. World Environment Day was founded in 1974 and has since expanded. Since it began in 1974, it has grown to become a global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated in over 100 countries, the U.N. website reads. It encourages action among folks worldwide, the World Environment Day (WED) site calls it the people s day for doing something to take care of the Earth or become an agent of change. That something can be focused locally, nationally or globally; it can be a solo action or involve a crowd everyone is free to choose. Food For Body, Mind and Soul Ekshika Parnami As the International Yoga Day and World Music Day coincided on 21st June, 2nd year students, all dressed in white, gathered around the entrance at 9 a.m. to perform Yoga and witness live music performance by students of the university. It ended with a series of beat boxing performances, which included both 1st year and 2nd year students. Mr. Shivendra, along with Mr. HarendraParmar, who did his MBA from Manipal University, and is a disciple of Guru Nithyananda, brought our stiff bodies to action by carrying out a session on the basics of Yoga and also explaining their significance. It was followedbymeditation with Sanskrit Shlokas in the background, with cool morning breeze accompanied by a peaceful atmosphere of silence and nothingness.thanks to the Yoga instructors, awareness was spread amongst students regarding Yoga, especially the fact that Yoga is more than Surya Namaskar or Baba Ramdev rubbing nails for black hair. This was not the end. After food for the body and mind, food for the soul was A Healthy Musical Affair Arpit Kaur Bhatia The International Yoga Day and Music Day for 1st years was celebrated on 24th June at the Quadrangle of the Bannerghatta Road Campus of Christ University at 9 a.m. There were some musical performances, which the audience thoroughly enjoyed. Sushant Shankar Singh was invited to teach the students about yoga and its benefits in everyday life. Annie Roy and Pratyush were the MCs for the event. The programme started with the students doing some simple warm up exercises followed by breathing exercises and pranayamas like bhramari and kapalbhati. Yoga day is celebrated to advocate a healthy lifestyle among people and maintain fitness and discipline in their lives, said Pratyush. After every exercise, Sushant Shankar Singh explained its benefits and purpose. He explained how several exercises were aimed at lowering one s blood pressure, increase concentration and maintain energy levels. Some prayers to relax one s mind and body were also chanted. awaiting us, when Akhil from I BBA(T), with his beatboxing talent, created beats worth dancing on. Kishan and Daksh, with sporty spirits,volunteered after Akhil, and that s when we realised that Christ is full of talented beatboxers. Later, the thoughtfullychosen combination of Ilahi, Aashayein and Iktara was sung beautifully by Economics (Honours) students. Adding to it, AakankshaSethi of English (Honours) sang the song, Dua and mesmerized everyone with her soothing voice. Our dean,dr.jyothi Kumar remarked that, There are more Kishans and Akhils in Christ. Make sure you make use of the opportunities and perform on this stage or the Auditorium stage, at least more than once. Make sure you do this before it gets too late and you realise that your 3 years at this college have come to an end. The celebration was truly a happening event and Christites got a break in the hectic week of CIA submissions. The campus is looking forward to more such events in the future, to showcase the more talents that are hidden. After the Yoga session, there were a few more musical performances. Students from both, first and second year performed during the event. Jeena Jeena and Aahatein were among the songs performed. All the students were wearing white clothes. Respected Associate Dean Jyoti Kumar Ma am was also present for the event. Originally International Yoga Day is celebrated on 21st June. The declaration came after the call for the implementation of June 21st as International Yoga Day by Hon ble Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi during his address to UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014 wherein he stated: Yoga is an invaluable gift of India s tradition. The International Music Day which is also celebrated on 21st June was initiated in 1975 by Lord Yehudi Menuhin to encourage the promotion of our musical art among all sections of society, the application of the UNESCO ideals of peace and friendship between people and to promote mutual appreciation of aesthetic values of different cultures.
Experiencing Namma BEngaluru Nirupama Rajan It is some time in December or January (perhaps earlier if you like to plan ahead), you re in your last year at school and the big bad board exams are fast approaching. This year, however, they aren t the only reason your meals aren t finished and your nights are spent awake. What happens after you ve highlighted that last subheading and handed in your last answer sheet as a school student? How different will college be and more importantly, where will you go to college? As you search desperately for an answer to this eternal question, a vibrant city in Karnataka known for its cosmopolitan culture lights up its flashy neon hoardings in your head and you think, why not Bangalore? But is Bangalore all you thought it would be? Is it more, is it less? We at CU Echo spoke to the newcomers in town to find out how Namma Bengaluru has been to them so far. As much as we Bangaloreans have been complaining about the heat and the rains over the last year, the weather seems to be the most appealing aspect of the city for the freshers at Christ University. I m from Delhi, so I started liking Bangalore instantly because the weather is so much better, says Shreya Naik from Psychology Honours. Olivia from B.BA Honours adds I m from Kerala, and it was far more humid there, so Bangalore is a welcome change. What of the city and its culture? Bangalore is expensive compared to Hyderabad, but there are so many things to do and it s a very interesting city chimes Aishwarya from Psychology Honours. One thing that stands out is that the people are very warm and welcoming, adds her friend. Pritam from B.BA Honours has more to say: I like the food obviously! Bangalore has a lot of great restaurants. I also love the main campus; it s got a wonderful basketball court and I spend a lot of my time there. I m from Kochi, so Bangalore comes across as a far more diverse city-- there are a lot of people from different backgrounds and the city itself is much bigger so there s a lot more to do, offers Olivia. But all is not hunky dory as compliments quickly turn to complaints- including, but not limited to our infamous traffic jams. Personally, I think the auto drivers are quite rude and unfair- I ve already been swindled out of a lot of money, claims Aishwarya, originally from Hyderabad. I also feel like Hyderabad is more culturally diverse, she then adds. Her friend quickly jumps in, Also, where I m from in Kerala, there s a lot of greenery, but wherever you look in Bangalore, it s just buildings, buildings, buildings! The traffic is horrible, as everybody knows, so travelling is quite difficult, especially for hostel students who have curfews, says Navneet from B.BA Honours. Over the years, the city has changed from Garden City to IT City and from a city of leisure and late nights spent walking under heavy canopies to one of traffic, congestion and broken roads. The one thing that has stayed constant, however, is the mass migration that happens every year when students and ex-students alike flock to this city to pursue their dreams. What this means for Bengaluru, however, only time will tell. 3 new teachers, New perspectives Kaustubh Pandey Every change that comes in is met with differing point of views and varying experiences, no matter how big or small it is. And the recent change in campus has been a rather debatable and dividing issue, which was already polarizing before it actually transpired. Now that it has happened, things have kicked off with some optimism and belief that pertains to creating a unique identity for the Bannerghatta Road Campus. A change in campus has meant the inflow of new people, who will now work together towards the betterment of the institution. And students aren t the only ones to have embraced the institution and there are also people who have made them what they are. The teachers are those who will play a vital role to play, if this new campus is to establish a whole new identity for itself in the country. They would play just as big part as the students would in making a name for the BGR Campus and they matter as much as the students do. They strive hard not for themselves, but for the students and indirectly, work out of their skins such that the college prospers and its name is held in high regard. Apart from teachers such as Dr. Jyoti Kumar and Prof. Sridharan, who have been working at the institution for sometime now, there is a host of teachers who are completely new to the surroundings. Many are teaching for the first time, while others have been into this profession for sometime now but Christ presents a whole new opportunity in itself, Prof. Vineeth, an Economics teacher, expressed. This is my first experience of working at a private university. I actually come from a central university background where I have worked for two years in Kerala. I m very happy to be among vibrant students who are from very diverse backgrounds and its always a pleasure to be at a prestigious institution. said Vineeth sir, after spending around three weeks at the campus, teaching economics to students. With new experiences comes new duties and added work-load. And Christ happens to be a place where teachers from any department can take up HED for any class, for broadening the viewpoint of students on certain topics. Sometimes, the work- load is more than expected, considering its a new campus and giving more to work would make sense. The workload is manageable, even though we have many classes. It s just about planning and preparing for classes and we manage and divide the workload with other teachers. said Dr. Pradeep Thomas on how he goes on about making sure that the work isn t burdensome. In a campus that still is a work in progress, students will never be satisfied with what they re getting on their plates. After all, its human mentality for not being satisfied with what one is getting. And rightly so, there have been grumbles of dissatisfaction among the students regarding the same. It is very obvious to have glitches at the start, even in the case of our campus here. We started two months back so there will be problems and as far the grumbles the students are facing and we are facing, it was bound to happen. But we are sorting it out and students are also coping up as far as my understanding goes. Prof. Arun was quoted as saying. Prof. Vineeth is quite confident that the problems regarding the new campus will be addressed and is well aware of the fact that they do exist. Even I as a class-teacher have received numerous complaints from the students side regarding the constraints we have as far as the infrastructure facility is concerned. And from the outset, I feel the students do require some ground facilities for sports, which is actually missing here. We do have a state of art architecture for education, we don t have one for extra-curricular activities. I am hopeful that these are issues the management will look into and will provide some solutions as early as possible. quoted a faculty member. And quite obviously, it won t happen overnight as every thing is a process. It will take time but gradually it will happen. Rome wasn t built in a day and an institution such as Christ University, which is one the most prominent in India would take time to build a new legacy. The job isn t easy, but impossible is a word which is found in the dictionary of fools, isn t it?
4 Breaking the ice Ramya Sambamurthy The much awaited Fresher s Day, was held on 16th June in the main Auditorium from 1:30 p.m to 4:30 p.m in the Christ University Bannerghatta Road (BGR) campus. The event witnessed wonderful performances from all the juniors who had occupied every nook and corner of the campus for practice sessions after College hours. The Fresher s ceremony commenced with an invocation dance by the Christ University dance team, which was followed by the lighting of the lamp to signal the official start of the event. Tanmay Biyani, from 3MEP and Khawaj from BBA Tourism and Travel lit the stage with their slapstick jokes evoking giggles from the audience. The ice breaking session was followed by a cover of the song Angel by Shaggy performed by a group of second year students. The end of the seniors mockery show signalled the beginning of the main event which was the juniors performances. Two interdisciplinary courses were combined to perform as one team on stage and there was no sign of any conflict. The juniors blended in seamlessly and used the ice-breaking opportunity well.the juniors stunned the audience by giving performances which were creative and choreographed for days before the event. The judges panel constituted of Mr. Benson Rajan, Mrs. Lakshmi and Mrs. Gaana who are teachers of the Inter-disciplinary BGR campus. One of the classes took creativity to a whole new level by having a student beatbox to I-phone s inbuilt App Siri, evoking fervent applause from the seniors. From Hip Hop to Bhangra, the juniors did their best, setting the bar very high for our future Freshers. After due lengthy deliberation, the judge s panel announced the winner for the evening.placing first were the classes of BBA D AND Psychology. BBA FIB and MEP bagged the runners spot signalling the end of the event. The event was a huge success and truly served the purpose of a Freshers day.it worked at breaking the ice between the junior classes and helped them adapt to the university in a better way. It also encouraged the bonding between the seniors and juniors. Further, it helped all seniors to ease into cultural events with this new and developing campus. Beyond the seen Arpit Kaur Bhatia Tulika Chaturvedi The Christ University Bannerghatta Campus is a new beginning for all of us. About a month back, we started with our escapades at the new campus and the ambience has been infectiously cheery. For those who shifted here after having spent one year at the Hosur Road campus, it was a cultural shock of sorts. For far too long, we had been spoilt with the luxuries of the main campus, and it is safe to say that the displacement had left us all a tad bit lost and alienated. Amidst all the chaos, we failed to realize that this might be big change for a lot of other people too. Kisan is one such person. If you don t know who he is, he s the man who serves you milk at Nandini. When we first approached him, and asked if he had a couple of minutes to spare, he seemed surprised. After the initial hesitation though, his face lit up with a smile. Throughout the interview, his expression was a mixture of happiness and giddiness, as if he couldn t believe that someone would notice him enough to take an interview. While we were busy tallying up all the flaws of this campus, he told us that he doesn t want to change a thing. He loves his work and couldn t expect more. Another such person is 39-year-old construction worker Nishad. A little peek behind the glass-wooden doors on the sixth floor, and one can spot scores of construction laborers engaged in carpentry, welding, staining and applying finishing touches to other furnishings. On enquiry, he told us that he hails from Kerala, is married and has two daughters. The early death of his father prompted him to join the construction business when he was merely fifteen years old, and there has been no looking back since. He works for twelve hours every day, has access to the campus facilities and manages to make a thousand rupees on a daily basis. He does miss his family, but the work is rewarding and helps him earn a living. As we proceeded to step outside the room, he assured us that the library would be ready soon. Peering back inside from a distance, we pondered over his words. We couldn t help but look forward to the upcoming library, and realized that whatever has been happening for the past few weeks might not be as bad as it seems. There could be a plethora of opportunities waiting to be handpicked, maybe buried under the same books we now eagerly await. There are many more people here who couldn t care less about trivial matters such as the dimensions of the campus or the variety of food available. They are quite happy to have a respectable job with which they can support themselves and their family. Why have we been taking things for granted then? Maybe, it s time for all of us to think a little differently.
of tendulkars, messis and harshas Kaustubh Pandey The first meeting of the Sports Club-Club de Deportes was organized on the 21st of June in Room No.702 of the Christ University, Bannerghatta Road Campus. would look into creating different sports teams for the BGR campus. While others were more concerned about whether the sport of their choice and liking would fall under the jurisdiction of Club de Deportes. We could be readying ourselves for something big in the next fest. It s still in the pipeline, claimed Shivansh after the conclusion of the meeting. 5 The response that the club had garnered was surprising, considering the fact that around hundred students made their way into the room. And the presence of an unexpected amount of people made sure that the room seemed a tad small to accommodate all of them. Some students stood right on the door in files, while others stood just behind the benches. The absence of students who were thoroughly interested but had other meetings as well made sure that amount wouldn t exceed the manageable limits. The head of Club de Deportes- Shivansh Dhasmana from 2nd Year Journalism Honors, conducted the session with some authority and will. Shivansh told the students that the club isn t just meant to focus on the physical part of sports, but also on the theoretical part of it, which would include sports writing, reporting, journalism, photography and scouting. This feature of the club is something that tends to separate it from others. The students were already clamoring to get their queries addressed and their questions pertained to whether the club Soon, Benson Rajan Sir, who anchored the concept of the Sports Club with the Journalism Honors students, made his way into the room. He addressed the gathering, which was slightly confused about how a new team would compete properly with that of the main Campus teams. Benson Sir established a relation between a newly formed team with a substitute player and how hard work can help them come out of the dominance of others. Even Pradeep Thomas Sir stood with Benson Sir, but kept a watch on proceedings. Shivansh, after addressing the questions and queries of the others, handed over sheets to the interested students, such that they could fill in their names, registration numbers and mobile numbers. The response we have got is encouraging. Initially, we expected no more than forty people to come, but the turnout has been around hundred. We still have a lot of work to do though. Sahil Kewalramani from 3BBA F & IB B, who was among the meeting attenders, said that the concept of the club is different to the others on the campus. Other clubs, in my opinion are kind of onedimensional, but this one covers more fields in sports than one can think of. The glint of curiosity was clear in Sahil s eyes. It would be interesting to see how things go on. Managing around hundred people and keeping them interested in the activities of the club would be a challenging task to do, said Sahitya Shankar who is currently pursuing BBA Honors at the campus. Club de Deportes is something that is quite rare. That too at a campus which is new and requires fine-tuning in terms of sports. But the initiative strives to collaborate with the Sports Department, which shows the intent of the club and what it wants to achieve. And optimism prevails. DEBATING IS NOT AN INBORN TALENT Ekshika Parnami The Debating society, DEBSOC, was inaugrated on 24th June in the Seminar Hall, at 11:30 a.m. Shrikanth Kedia. and Nishtha Borthakur were the MCs for the session. Professor Viji, a Christ Alumni, introduced the chief guest, Mr. N. Harish. The main moto of the society is to create an inclusive platform for all forms of debating. Mr N. Harish is an advocate, an expert on Constitutional Law and a legal consultant on property and is now a part of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association of Karnataka. Sharan KA, the President of the Debating Society, in his introductory speech, said, It is such a hypocrisy that we, here sitting in air-conditioned rooms, discuss problems of people, whose lives we don t even experience. It s little more than an accident of birth that we are here and they are there. MUN teams. The society will hold a Global Networking Association Fest, involving video conferences, in August and a National Level MUN Debate Conference in January 2017. Mr N. Harish defined students as the backbone of Indian economy. He said that Debating is not an inborn talent, as some people think. It is an acquired skill. Everything you see around you should become a part of your debate. While debating focus on DIP ( Diction, Information and Presentation ). In the end, Mr. Harish advised the students to go beyong their syllabus and to never stop learning. The inauguration concluded with a vote of thanks by Tanushree Agarwal from BBA (HONS.) After the speech, Sreeram B listed out the plan of action for DEBSOC. The forms that will be practised are Parliamentary debating, Model United Nations, Literary debating and CU Global Networking Association. In July, Parliamentary debates will take place, which will determine the internal rankings for Give significance to the audience you are addressing and also, use the terminology which corresponds to your topic. He also talked about 3 D s ( Debate. Deliberate. Decide ) and 3 R s ( Read. Retrieve. Reproduce ). Photo Courtesy : Ankit Sharma
6 Accepting Change Shreya Venkatraman To accept change is always difficult. This is something that the 2nd year students of the Christ University BGR campus are facing right now. I never wanted this to happen, I kept wishing for the authorities to change their decision of moving us, said Monica Sharma of Journalism Honors, still hoping for it secretly. Are all changes supposed to be followed by disappointment and sadness? The students who feel that the shift is a huge failure should give it a little time. Every new place needs time to settle down and it is entirely up to us if we want to cooperate or crib about it. Initially I felt a little restricted because of the lack of open space but slowly I m getting used to it, said Deepshika Sinha of E n g l i s h Honors. She also lists out some of the problems that everyone might be facing, like the lack of variety in food and the price range and the smaller size of the campus. The teachers are relatively happier as there is more interaction and exchange of ideas between them and hence it is helping them grow. This can be true for the students as well as the unlikely pair of Social Sciences and Management Studies, there is more scope for going beyond each other s courses and actually applying the concept of peer learning. We have been spoilt by the luxuries of the main campus, maybe that is why we are having a tough time here, said Tulika Chaturvedi of Journalism Honors, smiling at the thought of the main campus. The main campus is always in the back of our minds, and hence the comparisons between the two campuses don t seem to end. The first thing everyone needs to do is put this notion out of their minds and go with the flow and accept this university as their own and bring that sense of belongingness. The only problem with the shift that I had was the lack of sports facilities in this campus. Otherwise I m okay. We have been given an opportunity to begin again, points out Elishia Vaz of Journalism Honors, highlighting an important concern of the sports freaks on campus. Going to and fro from one campus to the other is very inconvenient for the students and also tires them so much that they are exhausted by the end of the day and leaves them little room for anything else. The Physical Education faculty and the college authorities are setting up the facilities for indoor games due to a lack of open space and are also thinking about transforming the ground behind the campus to solve the same. There are students who just don t want to let go of their previous place of living and are taking measures to travel, but it s understandable given that a year ago all of them were strangers to this place and it s now that they are settling down again. Whatever the case may be, the shift in the campus was a big event in every second year student s life but the only thing we need to do is to keep calm and carry on. From the faculty lens Elishia Vaz No one can deny the multiple conversations that cover campus change. Students discuss the library, auditorium, sports facilities and actively participate in club activities. With issues cropping up, everyone seems to agree on one point. The faculty is engaging and has done an excellent job of bringing students to feel comfortable. Professors across the campus claim to be satisfied with the new premises and believe that the change has brought with it ample opportunities for research, perspectives, responsibility and everything in between. Mr. Robert Sabestain, Sports Facilitator of the Bannerghatta Road Campus (BGR) said, I always wanted to come here. I m here because I want to develop sports. Mr. Sabestain is well versed with the issues and privileges of the students. Having previously studied in the University, he has experienced both sides of the equation. He presently aims at bringing up the Sports facilities within the campus and looks forward to a Zero Waste BGR campus. It should be noted that despite the lack of a sports field, the University has managed to develop Indoor Sports facilities like the Gym and Carom. A shuttle court has been in the making. Further, Professors of this University have to strike a tricky balance between the needs of the Heads of Departments in the main campus and their own responsibilities here. Assistant Professor Chaitanya Pradeep finds that he misses absolutely nothing about the main campus. He said that he does miss his students but reiterated that most of them have either passed out or have been moved to the BGR campus. We had to blend with the culture in the main campus. Here, we have to create a culture of our own, he keeps repeating to his students. He finds that the faculty culture is much more refined here. He has been given the responsibility of heading Research in Political Science. We are the beginning. All the faculty are self-driven and there is no need for monitoring (their) activities, he said.faculty all around campus vouch for the increased participation seen here. The next month would see the first year students visit the Kengeri campus as a part of Campus Connect. Initiatives like these are a result of brainstorming on part of the faculty. They are keen to listen to the problems of students and have come to address grievances instantly. Mr. Sabestain was extremely sympathetic to the issues faced by students. He encourages constant feedback on part of the students. Both Mr. Pradeep and Mr. Sabestain agree that the faculty culture here is warm and that the interdisciplinary nature of the faculty only offers diverse perspectives. It s a small place. We are like a family, said Mr. Sabestain. Professors further vouch for the absolute lack of politics here. The environment is conducive for the collective growth of the faculty and students.
Art For a cause A CSA initiative Ramya Sambamurthy Noorhanaz Khatoon On June 28th 2016, the Center for Social Action organized a session led by Professor and Conservationist Lal C, in the Bannerghatta campus at 2:30 p.m. in the seminar hall. Mr. Lal, in his talk, stressed on Sustainable Development and the need for India to focus on sustainable economic growth. With a series of questions and healthy discussions, he was able to indulge the audience which consisted of both 1st year and 2nd year students. The works of Mark Edwards, a famous environmental photographer was showcased in this event. Mr. Lal had only words of great praise for his esteemed friend and colleague who was the mastermind behind this project. Edward s video, Hard rain, managed to capture peoples powerful emotions, be it a natural calamity or a flood. Mr. Edward s video (Photo montage) was recognized worldwide and sent to all the world leaders as it was a true portrayal of reality. His stand for creativity with a cause, gave rise to this impactful movement. WHOLE EARTH?, as the name suggests questions the very idea of the ideal world and our blindness to the stark reality. It is based on the premise that the future belongs to today s young people and that students and universities everywhere can play a major role in making society more sustainable. Mr. Lal, an English teacher by profession has taken this campaign to the next level by enlightening people and universities, Pan-India in his free time. man on a mission:tejas In a country which is considered as the backwaters of football, there s this 23-year-old man who is striving to prove this point wrong. Tejas, the founder of a non-profit football organization called Sparky Football, is someone who deserves more recognition than he is currently getting. Rightly so, Tejas has been selected to represent our country at Street Football World, an event that will take place in Lyon, France. He, however needs help. One of the best freestylers in the country right now, Tejas intends to teach things like team-spirit, determination and values to young minds who are deficient in resources and opportunities. For him, football isn t just a mere sport, its an art. Through the beautiful game, Tejas strives to heal the wounds of the deprived and give them a platform to develop themselves. Sports is something that makes every single child happy. It s something that induces an unavoidable adrenaline rush into them. Through this, Tejas desires to put smiles across the faces of those who reside in penury. Sports is something that allows children to break the shackles of all their troubles and problems to enjoy themselves with the help of it. After dropping out of an engineering college during his second year, Tejas made perfect use of the social media to upload his freestyling videos and skills. Despite being approached by multiple organizations for coaching roles, Tejas rejected all of them with the main reason being that their philosophy about football was a mere leisure activity but for this man, football means much more. Since then, he set out on educating the poor through the game he has always had an attraction to. It s a unique way of combining something that s considered as a leisure activity and teaching values for a social change. The organization Sparky Football was commenced in 2015 by Tejas with the objective of building India s under-19 team with underprivileged kids. And this organization s success is, to quite an extent down to the inspiration motto- Make your wounds proud. Forming this organisation has been nothing short of an incredible learning experience. Kaustubh Pandey Ankit Sharma Photo Courtesy : Ankit Sharma Using football as a tool to create a difference in my student s lives, has not only led them to become talented footballers, but gentlemen with impeccable character and strong sense of social responsibility. Several of my students have already started training other students in football workshops, keeping in mind the principle and philosophy behind Sparky Football. He once decided to make a journey through the Himalayas, on foot or on bus to use footballing as a common tool to connect with the masses. The trip he undertook was a solo one and helped him understand the numerous cultural differences that exist in our country and how all of them get eroded due to the beautiful game itself. This played a vital part in making Tejas realize how much of a difference and a social impact football can create in our country. His freestyle skills won him the Freestyle Championship in 2014, for which he was honored by former Manchester United star Denis Irwin. As of now, Tejas needs the help for whom he is indirectly working for the betterment of. Whatever he s striving to do and achieve isn t for his own good. Its for the country s good. He s currently loaning money from a bank and will be using the money for his initiative in France during Euro 2016. Representing our nation, which is considered as a footballing backwater, during the ongoing mega tournament is something we must be proud of. He will be mentoring underprivileged and downtrodden children from all around the world in Lyon. And Tejas is doing that by investing his own money into it; the money that he saved and earned by enduring sweat and tears, by working at night shifts for nine months at different call-centers. It isn t for his own cause. It s for the good of our nation. And he needs help 7 s p e c i a l r e p o r t a g e
8 a debutant s account Pragati R It was just a month ago that the university could be seen bustling with freshers. They were all anxious and looking forward to a new beginning and were accompanied by equally anxious and eager parents. 6th of June, 2016 was the beginning of the new academic year for the first year students of Business studies and Social Sciences at Christ University, Bannerghatta Road. Special thanks to: Associate Dean Dr. Jyothi Kumar for being cooperative and helping the Press Club with with all the initiatives and making this newsletter a success. We would also like to thank the faculty co-ordinators, Assistant Prof. Benson Rajan, Assistant Prof. Pradeep Thomas, Assistant Prof. Nirmala MN for guiding and helping the Press Club at every step. The orientation was scheduled at 3pm in the auditorium and all the newbies were ushered into and requested to settle down in the auditorium before the programme commenced. They were all looking around curiously, hoping to spot a familiar face amidst the crowd. The programme began on a traditional note as the dignitaries lit the lamp. The invocation dance marked the start and a warm welcome was extended to the students. Vice Chancellor Fr. Thomas C Matthew briefed the audience about the responsibilities, rules, regulations and the wide array of opportunities offered in the forms of clubs and associations that catered to everyone and the variety of talents that they possessed. The facilities offered in the campus including the laboratories and libraries were requested to be put to the best use. The dignitaries moved the audience with their motivational talks and encouraged the students to explore all possibilities this coming academic year. The volunteers were holding directional placards and were extremely helpful leading the freshers to their classrooms. The classroom atmosphere was conducive. The first day, as always, was reserved so that the eager students could get acquainted with their teachers and fellow classmates. It was the first step that would lead to bonding with peers and teachers. It comforted the Freshers as they didn t feel as lost and flustered when they returned to their classes the next day. The first day of college was really scary and I thought I won t make any friends. But, as soon as we were taken to our classes, I saw a friend and we spoke. Yeah, so the first day was not that bad, said Deepa Padmar, a fresher. Nearly a month since the first day, the students of first year can be seen settling in comfortably along with their peers and getting used to the college and its rules. I was quite taken aback with the elaborate set of rules and regulations and how seriously discipline was taken here; but now I think I have gotten used to it and have begun to mind it less, admitted Manjari Deshmukh, a first year student of MEP. Students now actively participate in clubs and take part in such activities hosted by the Film Society and by organisations like the CSA and SWO. The internal structure of Press Club: Editors-in-Chief - Aishik Purkait (Club Heads) - Ashika Bhat Core Team - Allen Thomas - Elishia Vaz - Tulika Chaturvedi - Nirupama Rajan - Kaustubh Pandey - Jayashree Kumari - Shreya Venkatraman Editing Team - Elishia Vaz - Tulika Chaturvedi - Nirupama Rajan - Kaustubh Pandey - Jayashree Kumari - Shreya Venkatraman Design Team - Noorhanaz Khatoon - Allen Thomas - K. Nirupama Chandra Visual Production - Ankit Sharma - Meghana Dixit - Tanmay Biyani Special Thanks to SpinShot and Ankit Sharma for the photographs. Workshops and Seminars - Allen Thomas - Deepali Gaur Interested reporters, designers and Public Relations persons, please contact; Aishik Purkait 3JOUH - 9739277295 Ashika Bhat 3MEP - 9844238208 or email at; pressclub.christuniversity@gmail.com Published by The Press Club, Christ University,BGR campus