Campus Drift - Feb Edition

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Being from Hansraj by Ajay “Did you know that Hans Raj used to be a boys college?” “Oh really? Wow. All I had heard about Hans Raj was that Shah Rukh used to go here” Just like many other prestigious Delhi University College, Hans Raj has a robust history to boast of. Apart from its famous alumni, one gets to learn much about Hans Raj College through the three years of attendance and association. The first main thing I noticed was how Hans Raj could easily be placed in the middle of the ‘strictness spectrum’, neither extremely liberal nor dictatorial. For example the lack of attendance doesn’t result in debarring (or at least it hasn’t for me) but at the same time, one can’t smoke on the premises unlike a handful of other North <strong>Campus</strong> colleges; not that I mind.. (or do I?). Another thing about Hans Raj which makes it unique is its affiliation with the Arya Samaj, as the founder - Mahatma Hans Raj, the Indian educationist, was a devout follower of the same. How does this affect students? In my experience so far, the only difference in my life was the scarcity of non vegetarian food while I was in college, seeing as our canteen would not serve any. However, that could easily be rectified by a little trip down the road to DSE for their mutton cutlets. Contrarily, a plus point about the Hans Raj canteen would be Dhan Singh - the friendly canteen “waiter”, who would take our orders regardless of where we were sitting - as long as we were somewhat near the canteen premises. In return, he would ask for nothing more than the basic bill payment and an indulgence into his penchant for gossip. On a personal note, as an English Honours student, I have been blessed with an amazing faculty at Hans Raj College. While studying literature, one is exposed to various systems and variants of thought; a reality which can become cumbersome unless spearheaded by adequate teachers. Luckily for me, my teachers were more than adequate, when it comes to aspects such as delivering clarity of thought, alternate perspectives and most importantly, providing you with eye opening knowledge which makes you more aware of the world you live in. For those of you who are reading this and are yet to enrol into colleges (specifically for English Honours because that’s all I can personally vouch for) you could do much worse than Hans Raj. The college has a healthy plethora of societies which offer exposure into creative paradigms such as acting, debating, music, photography, filmography etc. Apart from existing societies, the college offers you enough artistic integrity to start your own society, if you are driven enough towards the medium of your choice. For instance, I found enough support from my faculty and the college administration to start a creative writing society. Although the journey (which has now spanned over two years) has been difficult at times, at this point Ostraca (the name of the creative writing society) is strong and established, with a membership of over 30 competent writers. I have also had the pleasure of meeting a diverse set of people throughout my journey as a student of Hans Raj College. You meet people that hail from different geographical frontiers, harbour different opinions and viewpoints but most important of all, are there to share the anxiety (albeit initial) of being a new addition to the myriad of around 5000 other students. Eventually, these people end up becoming your new family, and you’re left with experiences to cherish for the rest of your life. Every college is special, not simply because of its own heritage, but mainly because of which experiences you chose to indulge in and which amenities you chose to avail. Hans Raj hasn’t let me down in either, so far. Verbum, the drama of Sri Venkateswara College Presents:Veronica’s Room By Prabhjot Kaur Lonely caretakers of the Carrasco mansion, the Salgaonkars have a chance meeting with Aakash and Tara. Due to her strong resemblance to Veronica Carrasco, the long- dead daughter of the family, the caretakers gradually convince Tara to pretend to be Veronica to solace her dying sister Michelle, who believes Veronica is still alive. Once dressed in Veronica’s clothes, Tara finds herself locked in Veronica’s role and room; or is she Veronica, pretending to be an imaginary Tara? Verbum - The English Dramatics Society of Sri Venkateswara College, presents: ‘Veronica’s Room’, a thriller by acclaimed playwright Ira Levin as a part of the Old World Collegiate Theatre Festival. When: 24th and 25th of <strong>Feb</strong>ruary 2016. Where: Amphitheatre, The India Habitat Centre. Time: 7pm Tickets are priced at Rs. 200 each (valid for two plays. ‘Art’ by the College Of Business Studies is the opening act for this night of Collegiate Theatre). Contact Ananda Dhar-James on 9971999609 for booking your tickets and any other queries. Don’t miss out, book your tickets now! DU Fests: Finances and Funding by Aishwarya Most of us are over the moon with the news of University fests hitting this season. And here comes the same time of the year yet again. Rhapsody, the annual fest of Maitreyi college kick started the season of festivities in Delhi University. A two day event filled with colors of entertainment and the enthralling performance by Guru Randhawa with people grooving to the tunes of ‘PATOLA’. The fests, big or small are one place you ought to be when you look forward to spend a great time enjoying, munching lip-smacking food and moving your legs to the beats of hot Bollywood numbers. As the fest season has commenced, one must keep a track of dates as it is needless to say that its going to be awe-striking this year. The news is around that Arman Mallik and Astitva band will mark their presence in VIBRATION, annual fest of Shivaji. The Pandora’s Box has been unveiled and more surprises will come your way as the month passes by. TARANG’16, Lady Shri Ram’s annual cultural fest got everyone buzzing as news has it, it was more spectacular than ever. Here’s a list of a few fests which DU has in store for you. 1)Crossroads, SRCC 2) Chetna, Bhim Rao Ambedkar 3) Confluence, Hansraj 4)Mecca, Hindu College 5) Nexus, Sri Venketeshwara 6) Renaissance, KiroriMal college 7) Montage, Jesus and Mary 8) Tempest, Miranda house 9) Mosaic, Ramjas college and many more Loads of merrymaking, enjoyment and recreation ahead,yay! The thing which draws every student’s attention is how DU Colleges get funds to host such extravagant Fests; though not a very intriguing question but definitely worth thinking about. The fests have been star studded and hugely high-priced. For most of the students, the fests mean nothing but a gala time with their pals, celeb performances, variety of events coming their way and a bunch of selfies clouding their Facebook walls. But the actual eager-beaver behind such processions are the folks holding up prestigious posts in the different Student Unions. They work months in advance raising funds to make the fest a success. There’s not a moment when they run out of steam to fetch appreciation for their college. A few years back student were persuasive and all struggling to get sponsorship for the events, unlike now, despite the economic downturn many MNC’s and other reputed brands are more than eager to lend a helping hands to the Student Unions. Numerous international brands are a part of it such as WIPRO, BAJAJ, Vodafone, Bisleri and the list goes on. Most of the colleges garner funds from corporate so as to gain visibility among youth. Most Student Unions bank on such sources for making their college fests grand every coming year. They always rely their hopes in the biggies for pumping in huge funds so as to make their annual fests more sumptuous and lavish each year. While they still need to align by the guidelines set by the college management when selecting sponsors; they are asked to keep away from brands such as Coca-cola, Pepsi and tobacco brands. The budget for these fests often varies from 5-6 digits, as huge an investment the sponsors agree to make the college hosts events abiding by them. Though it is likely that the Student Union of SRCC, has an extraordinary talent of convincing their sponsors, owing to the grandeur witnessed in Crossroads, its annual cultural fest. Whilst the other colleges lack no less enthusiasm for arranging shows for the audience. In the past years SRCC has lead the expedition of putting up a fabulous show for the students in the light of which it amassed a scholarship of about few crores. Hansraj hit the second position on the list and the other colleges such as Kirori Mal bagged a sponsorship of around 35 lakhs thus raising the level of competition. Behind the scene the DU fests are a result of the hard work put in together by the member of the student unions who are more than eager to walk that extra mile to make their college annual fest the best in town and thus setting high standards for their peers. The task of urging the sponsors’ fund them is as challenging as disturbing a hornets’ nest but they bear with it all and thus reaping the outcome of their diligence. So here comes along another year of the zealous and laborious work rolled into one. Fest season knocks your door so collect your friends and get-set go to unleash a new level of fun and entertainment. DU fests have a lot in store for you and it seems most of us will be hitting the places with bells on.
The Syrian Refugee crises by Prabhjot Kaur Over the years, Syria has become synonymous with war, terror and agony, in contrast to what it was a few years ago-a country of fertile plains, high mountains deserts and valleys. Syria is a country in western Asia. And it shares it borders with Lebanon and Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, and Jordan to the south and Israel somewhere to the southwest. It is passably diverse ethnically and religiously and is a home to various groups although; Syrian Arabs make up the largest majority. The religious groups include-Sunnis, Christians, Yazidis, Alawites, Druze, Shiites, and Salafis. Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the world, apart from being the capital of Syria. Syria has been enmeshed in an uprising against Bashar-al-Assad and the Ba’athist Govt as part of the Arab Spring. What is Arab Spring you ask? ‘’Arab Spring was a revolutionary phase of demonstrative protests both violent and non-violent, civil wars and riots in the Arab world. It all started somewhere around 18th Dec 2010 in Tunisia and its revolution. It later spread to countries of the Arab League. The protests somewhat faded in mid-2012.’’ In March, 2011 a southern city of Deraa saw pro-democratic protests after the arrests and torture of some teens who painted revolutionary slogans on a school wall. The protests turned violent after security forces open fired. This caused a nationwide rage and people demanded for the resignation of President Bashar-al-Assad. The situation became even more violent and people took arms in the latter part of 2011. The uprising and the escalated violence contributed to the Syrian Civil War. Rebel groups were formed to battle against the government forces, for control over cities and towns. This eventually spread throughout the nation. The division between, the secular, the Islamist fighters, religious and ethnic groups have complicated the matters further. According to UN activists and the UN, nearly 90k people have been killed in the conflict. And by August 2015 the numbers have climbed to 250,000. The bombings and airstrikes have killed many ,and destroyed the cities. Most of the population is internally displaced. The vacuum that had been created due to conflicts has given rise to jihadist groups, like ISIS and it has added another dimension to the scenario. The rises of the Islamic State and its callous acts have caused a global uproar. Beheading foreigners, throwing people off forts because of sexual preferences, training kids to behead and torture, destroying historical sites and museums, these acts are nothing but barbaric and benighted. Mid-2015 saw some countries launching airstrikes at ISIS locations in and around Syria. And that resulted in more and more civilians getting trapped and killed. The delivery of humanitarian aid became more parlous in these regions. The war zones often see misuse of power and vulnerability of the people. Horrendous war crimes have taken place, from young girls and boys being abducted and pushed into prostitution and slavery, to murder, rape, torture and disappearances. Stories of young girls used as sex slaves and little kids being trained to become suicide bombers have been all over the internet and the news channels. Such incidents scar the lives of the people and leave them shattered. Getting back to the normal way of life seems next to impossible for them. And at present it is the least peaceful countries of the world. The Syrian civil war has been a very traumatic episode for many. The apocalyptic war has left many homeless, jobless, orphan and without basic necessities. It is truly heart wrenching. It all started with peaceful anti-government protests but it slowly developed into a violent armed conflict which has lasted for almost 5 years now. Out off which nearly 4 million people have found refugee in countries like Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan Iran and Egypt. And some have taken the dangerous route to Europe. But after the Paris attacks, many European countries have closed their borders. The civil war has robbed people of their basic human rights. The living conditions are unimaginable. Extra effort needs to be put for the displaced. And for that-the UN and a few other NGOs have set up camps to help out refugees. They provide them with basic necessities and counseling. The UN says “it will need $3.2Bn to help the 13.5million people, including 6 million children who will require some form of humanitarian assistance inside Syria. About 70% do not have access to clean drinking water, and 1 in 3 people are unable to meet their basic food needs and more than 2million kids are out of Global warming and climatic school and most live in poverty.’’ There are many NGOs who have offered help. Apart from UNHCR(United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) there are various organizations working like- 1) Project Amal ou Salam founded in 2013 works to empower Syrian children through education. 2) The White Helmets aka Syrian Civil Defense this organization is the first to reach or rescue 3) CARE helps refugees in Balkans. There are 12 million people who are displaced out of which nearly 6 million are children. 4) Hand in Hand for Syria brings emergency aid to people living under worst conditions and trying to survive. 5) Karam Foundation in Chicago founded in 2007. KKaram started the school along the border called Zeitouna also supplying food and other necessary items they even support other organizations like White Helmets. 6) Watanili works through grass roots initiatives including art therapy and creative work shops countering the effects of trauma. 7) Mercy Corps is an international development organization that helps people around the world survive and thrive after conflict, crisis and natural disaster. 8) Khalsa Aid- Khalsa Aid is primarily a humanitarian relief agency, based on the teachings of the Sikh Guru who preached well being of all humanity. They have provided the refugees with fresh food, school books, school furniture, clothes, water and blankets. “Recognize all human race as one” –Guru Gobind SinghJi, is their motto. There seems to be a lot of apathy. And ,we as fellow beings in this world need to come together to fight the flagitious who have maligned our society. issues at hand By Simran the US in total greenhouse emissions between The global warming controversy concerns the late 2007 and 2010 and this occurred in 2006 public debate over whether global warming is only. The only major developed nation which occurring, how much has occurred in modern has signed but not ratified the Kyoto protocol times, what has caused it, what its effects will is US. The countries with no official position be, whether any action should be taken to curb on Kyoto are mainly African countries with underdeveloped scientific infrastructure or are oil it, and if so what that action should be. In the scientific literature, there is a strong consensus producers. that global surface temperatures have increased Others argue that if developing nations reach in recent decades and that the trend is caused by the wealth levels of the United States this could human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases. greatly increase CO2 emissions and consumption of fossil fuels. Large developing nations Political and popular debate concerning the existence and cause of climate change includes such as India and China are predicted to be major emitters of greenhouse gases in the next few the reasons for the increase seen in the instrumental temperature record, whether the warming trend exceeds normal climatic variations, In 2015 COP21, also known as the 2015 Paris decades as their economies grow. and whether human activities have contributed Climate Conference, for the first time in over significantly to it. 20 years of UN negotiations, aim to achieve a Scientists have resolved many of these questions decisively in favor of the view that the mate, with the aim of keeping global warming legally binding and universal agreement on cli- current warming trend exists and is ongoing, below 2°C. France played a leading international role in hosting the seminal conference, that human activity is the primary cause. The Kyoto protocol is the most prominent international agreement on climate change, and conferences ever held in the country. The con- and COP21 was one of the largest international is also highly controversial. Some argue that it ference was expected to attract close to 50,000 goes too far or not nearly far enough in restricting emissions of greenhouse gases. Another from government, intergovernmental organiza- participants including 25,000 official delegates area of controversy is the fact that China and tions, UN agencies, NGOs and civil society. India, the world’s two most populous countries, Its main objective was that of producing goods both ratified the protocol but are not required and services while limiting consumption and to reduce or even limit the growth of carbon waste of raw materials, water and energy sources. The French government set itself the objec- emissions under the present agreement. Nevertheless, China is the world’s second largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions, and India work for participants, while being exemplary tive of ensuring maximum quality of life and 4th. Various predictions saw China overtaking in terms of sustainable development, by reusing, recycling and by using as little energy as possible. And in order to offset the emissions that cannot be reduced at source and to make COP21 a “carbon neutral” event, France financed one or several projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for an equivalent The 3 R’s of COP21 – Reduce (consumption of resources) – Reuse (products) – Recycle (waste) “R” for reducing consumption of resources for an intelligent response to energy needs through: A NEW HIGH PERFORMANCE GAS BOIL- ER (20% LESS CO2) PROVISION OF 50 WATER FOUNTAINS AND 36,000 FLASKS TO ELIMINATE 2 MILLION PLASTIC CUPS and more > “R” for Reuse RENTAL AND SECOND LIFE FOR ALL PRODUCTS 25,000 WELCOME BAGS MADE FROM RECYCLED FIBRES > “R” for Recycle 100% OF THE PAPER USED IS RECYCLED ZERO WASTE SPECIAL CONTAINERS FOR RECYCLING PAPER and more For the first time ever, a State and UN Climate Conference was ISO 20121 certified. The certification, which is attested by Bureau VERITAS, was a first for an event of this magnitude. The ISO standard therefore meets the objectives that France has set itself and guide the sustainable development policy of COP21. When we talk about climate change we find that there is a big gap between what scientists say and what people think, especially Americans. This comes from a public opinion poll released on 29th Jan, 2016 by Pew Research Center and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The poll captured a significant split between what scientists and the general public believe on climate change. In 2014, the vast majority (87 %) of scientists said that human activity is driving global warming, and yet only half the American public ascribed to that view. And 77% of scientists said climate change is a very serious problem. In comparison, only 33% of the general public said it was a very serious problem in a 2013 poll. When the pollsters questioned people differently, asking whether there is solid evidence the Earth is getting warmer, 72% of people said it was, up from 57% in 2009. Only 25% said the Earth is not getting warmer, up from 11% in 2009.Only 3 percent of people were still undecided, which means most people have made up their minds already on the climate. Of the people who agreed the Earth is warming, about half (46%) said it is caused by human activity. The increased belief in climate change was reflected last week in the Senate, when 98 senators from both parties voted that climate change is real and not a hoax. Only one, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), voted otherwise. Going on the record on their beliefs was a historic step for Republicans who have otherwise insisted that “they are not scientists” when questioned on climate change. But about half the senators still maintained that climate change is not driven by human activity.
Page 1: For Students, by Students 1 2 4 JNU
Page 5 and 6: Damini Mai reacts to Virgin Tree Fe
Page 7 and 8: AGAPI,VIBRATIONAL FREQUENCIES, by P

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