The Scholars’ AvenueVol 2, Issue 10April 20, 2006IIT Kharagpur

Reservations about Reservations

A r t i c l e 1 5 ( 4 ) o f t h e culminated in the resignation of the Constitution empowers the state to then Prime Minister V P Singh. Now, make any "special provision for the the issue has popped up again. The advancement of any socially and reasons for the timing are anybody’s educationally backward class of guess. What needs to be seen is citizens or for the Scheduled Castes whether this would lead to more and the Scheduled Tribes". Putting a heads tumbling.practical limit to this power, the

O n t h e f a c e o f i t , S up reme Cou r t r u l ed t ha t

reservations may seem like the reservation in no institution should

government’s magic pill to correct exceed 50%.

histor ical wrongs. However, The Mandal Commission was reservation is just one of many

established by the government of recommendations that were made India to consider the question of seat by the Mandal Commission. More reservations and quotas for people to far-reaching recommendations redress caste discrimination. In regarding structural changes in the 1980, the commission's report l a n d - t e n u r i a l s y s t e m , a n d affirmed the practice under Indian institutional reforms for the law whereby members of lower e d u c a t i o n a l a n d e c o n o m i c castes (Other Backward Classes and upliftment of backward classes are Scheduled Castes and Tribes) were rarely mentioned by those in power.given exclusive access to a portion of

The costs of reservation, government jobs, and quotas in

including the lowering of standards public universities. After the Mandal

at educational institutions, lower scheme is accepted the total

productivity in organizations and rise percentage of quotas would be

in social tensions need to be weighed increased by another 27% (from the

against the purported aim of bringing current 22.5%) to become 49.5%.

about social justice.T h e r e p o r t a n d i t s Mr. Shail Kumar, former IIT foundation

recommendations were a great President and ‘87 batch Alumnus, source of controversy and generated expresses his opinions about this issue. protests all over the country, which See Page 2.

Inside...

Academic changesNew courses, law school, and rule changes in the offing.

Page 5

Revolution in a teacupA homegrown innovation takes off.

Page 3

New gymkhana torchbearersPage 4

BTDS annual productionPage 3

The Gc’sSoc-cult, sports and tech - results, controversies, and the halls’ opinions.

Pages 6 - 8

TFS through the decadesThe fascinating history of TFS in its more than 50 years in existence.

Page 10

VP and GSecs’ proposalsA taste of what our elected(?) representatives have in mind.

Page 4

First years’ surveyA look at what their hopes and fears were, before their fates were sealed yesterday.

Page 9

Editor’s AvenueOur Guest Editor Mr. Shail Kumar, former IIT Foundation president and ‘87 batch alumnus, on the 49.5% reservations issue.

Page 2

Bloggers’ AvenueStarting this issue, we take a look at Kgp’s burgeoning blogging community.

Page 11

Cartoon AvenuePage 11

News

Features

Regulars

Gymkhana Awards Ceremony

t Celebrations galore as RK takes home the Golden GC...

...and RP the Tech GC q

Awards ceremony was mostly an RK night, as a major portion of their hall turned out to take home the historic Golden GC.

See: Dawn of a brand new day, Page 4

Vol 2, Issue 10April 14, 2006IIT Kharagpur

IIT JEE is perhaps one of the culture that unfortunately starts The product quality in the proposed toughest examinations in India. It even before being admitted into the 49.5% quota will have a wider band, was extremely tough to get into IIT in IITs at lower standards and continues more inconsistent and lower. 1983 and was even tougher in 2005. well after graduating from IIT. Those

I believe that some of these In 1983, approximately 65,000 receiving the benefits are assured of

issues that may have existed in the students took the IIT JEE exam for jobs and promotions in the public

past. These will be amplified as the 2,000 B. Tech seats at the five IITs. In sector. Their kids have the potential

reservation quota is proposed to be 2005, the numbers were closer to of continuing to receive similar

amplified. 400,000 students attempting JEE for benefits. I submit that with any 3,500 B.Tech seats at the seven IITs. entitlement culture comes a certain I urge urgent attention and The students taking IIT JEE are now level of complacency, inertia and actions on this issue. Like in life, studying anywhere from 2-4 years in lack of motivation to excel and there may be a significant number of advance of the exams! stretch. IIT student body culture of reasons for inaction. There is one

excellence will be compromised. reason for action. You and I care There is a reason for this

about IIT. You and I have benefited intense competition. IIT has become 2.It was one thing when reservation

from the best that IIT and India could a global brand and one of the few quota was in the single digits. I

have offered ' a world-class ways in India that comes closest to a believe there was a 'pull' to improve

education for almost free. We must guaranteed honest, satisfying and the quality for all those present. The

protect the IIT system. upwardly mobile career and life. In faculty did not have any incentive to fact, we alums have acknowledged 'pass' a failing student. It will be quite We must demand an end of that it is the intense filtering system different in the proposed 49.5% the reservation quotas at IITs and all that has largely contributed to the IIT scale. I submit that with 49.5% higher education institutes in India. brand. reservation faculty will have no Let us demand that the Government

incentive to 'fail' a large failing of India provide additional benefits We learnt from this uniquely

student body. Thus the quality of to certain classes or sects of the motivated, hard working and smart

students graduating will have a lower society at the primary and secondary student body. We were constantly

bar to cross. education levels. This extra benefit challenged by fellow students in the

must include coaching classes. wings, mess, playgrounds, dramatic 3.There will be less 'relative'

Government of India must find means or debating societies, and classes. competition for those entering IIT

to educate all students through We had to find new reservoirs of through JEE. A lot of what drove us to

primary and high school. After high energy and upgrade our motivation excel, innovate and improve was

school, all Indians must compete and skills to compete with a very competition. As competition drops so

fairly and as equals in all aspects of highly talented and motivated does our need to do more. It will be

life. student body, just to keep up. If we easier to be in the top half of the had higher aspirations then we had to class. I believe that the 'IIT JEE' I believe that such an Indian raise the standards of excellence in student body will be less challenged society will be more hardworking, ourselves. This process was and is and stretched. more motivated, more competitive repeated every day, every semester, and more prosperous. We will be

4.This proposed reservation will and every year at the IITs. confident of our respective stations

divide the IIT student body as never in life and can look into our

Thus, when we graduated seen before. I can imagine separate respective conscience and claim that

and either joined the private sector, wings, groups and perhaps even Halls 'I or my parents did not fake a

got into the IIMs, or left the shores of for those from reservation quotas certificate, get or have to beg to get

India for postgraduate studies, we and those from IIT JEE selection a hand-out. I deserve what I have. I

were world-class -- selected into IIT process. I can imagine IIT JEE student have earned it.' Then we will not just

by one of the most grueling merit- body not respecting those who made have an IIT brand that is highly sought

based tests and transformed by an it through the quotas. The students after in India and respected globally

intense 4-5 years of IIT experience from reservation quota will resent but an India brand that is also highly

with this unique student body. IITs' this attitude. Living for four years in sought after in India and respected

have done well and its alumni success such a divisive atmosphere has got to globally.

and the IIT brand are some of the be damaging. measures of success. The Government of India has

5.Finally, all of this will affect IIT threatened to raise the entitlement

I believe that the recent decision of credentials. Thus far, I have never bar. We must raise the bar for united

the Government of India to increase asked or cared to know if someone at and collective actions to protect the

the reservation at IIT to 49.5% IIT was from a particular quota. In IIT system.

threatens the core of the IIT system. the future, as an employer I will have It threatens to significantly reduce to figure out if the student made I end with a quote from the quality of the student body. And through IIT JEE or got in through some Edmund Burke, a philosopher. 'All without a highest quality student quota. I am sure private sector that is necessary for the triumph of b o d y t h e f u t u r e s t u d e n t s ' employers and the US universities evil is that good men do nothing.' educat ional exper ience, the will also figure this out. It was one

What will you and I do about transformational process and the IIT thing to know that one out of ten IIT

it beyond signing the on-line brand will suffer. The following are students may have made it through

petition?some of the ways that I believe IIT the quota system. With 49.5% quota experience and the IIT brand will they will also set filters that we wish Shail Kumarsuffer. they did not. For a brand to be B.Tech, IIT Kharagpur (87, ME, RK)

trusted there must be consistently Past-President, IIT Foundation1.Reservation stems an 'entitlement'

high and predictable product quality. Guest Editor

Editors’ Avenue2

Vol 2, Issue 10April 14, 2006IIT Kharagpur

Dawn of A Brand New DayAnother semester draws to uncontested. Arijit Gautam (PH) and Entertainment - Mrinal Kumar

an end, and another batch of Siddharth Singh (LLR) are the new Mishra, Indoor Games - Anuj Gupta, Gymkhana office bearers passes the GSecs Soc n' Cult, Aniket (AZ) and Tennis - Bipin Kumar Dubey, Fine Arts torch on to the new guardians of the Shuvo Banerjee (NH), GSecs - Amit Kumar, Photography - Manish flame. Deepak Rathee was elected Technology, and Gaurav Taneja (AZ) Kumar, Journal - Arka Halder, Cricket the new Vice President of the TSG and Indrajit Mal(NH), Gsecs Sports & - Tokala Praneeth Kr. Raja, Football (by around 900 votes, but then Games. The new undersecretaries - Parived Parashar, TFS - Nitin Garg, there's a lot more to a number than are as follows: Dramatics - Tanuj Dora, Volley - meets the eye), while the day Rajesh Kumar, Web - Shekhar Anand.

Badminton - Debashish turned out to be just a formality for

Sarangi, Hockey - Vikash Kumar, The Scholars' Avenue team the new General Secretaries

Aquatics - Sushil Tiwari, Gymnastics would like to congratulate the new (Technology, Sports & Games, Social

- Diwakar Kumar, Literary - Nikhil office bearers and wish them the & Cultural) whose futures were

Agarwal, Basketball - Nimisha very best of luck in their future already determined by virtue of

Saxena, Athletics - Prashant Rajoria, endeavours.t h e i r c a n d i d a t u r e b e i n g

News Avenue

In Search of Brecht...BTDS ANNUAL PRODUCTION

No officially printed script.22 days of practice. A panorama spanning over 5 plays.No single director.17 handpicked songs sung by none other than the members. 12.5 feet by 17.5 feet backdrop.Huge props made of upto 10 personnel human formations.29 members of cast out of which 7 were final years.A total of 53 members on the production.

All came together to form a 100 minute annual production called “Becht Er Khoje” (in search of Brecht)

If one thought Drama societies are all about Freshers’ Productions, he just needed to sit in Netaji on the 6th of April for a couple of hours. A biography of renowned playwright Berthold Brecht unfolded forth transient persona before taking governor (all the way from IIM-L).in the form of his five major plays up another role as someone else. In

A relatively difficult theme (Three Penny Opera,The Good the absence of a well-defined script,

but quite a remarkable success, that Person of Schezuan, The Caucasian it was upto the members of the cast

too witnessed by a surprisingly full Chalk Circle, Mother Courage, to write one themselves assisted by a

Netaji Auditorium. And the applause Galileo) as a drama of the third form. similar venture recorded by the

said it all – it was never only Govs and In layman language - no person Nandikar Drama Group. Among the

never only juniors – it was always one played one particular character , had invited guests were the parents of

big team, enjoying every effort they no particular costumes – Just songs, most our passing out batch and most

put in together.dialogues and expressions to bring importantly our favourite ex-

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Vol 2, Issue 10April 14, 2006IIT Kharagpur

4

I promise...Gymkhana elections (or the available at subsidized rates. medical assistance, and to decrease

lack of it) these year have left most the pressure on BC Roy. Also, he “I would like to add more

of Kgp clueless about who their wanted to increase the number of spice to the events in SF” says Arijit

representatives are, and what they outings the teams representing the Gautam, our GSec Soc-n-cult

propose to do this year. Scholars’ institute have. As we do not go Gymkhana. He plans to start a

Avenue anywhere except the Inter-IIT’s, he competition during the next

proposes to include more inter-semester, wherein KGP students will

college sports events in the Kgp be asked to send in there ideas,

player’s itinerary.regarding new events that can be conducted during SF. He has also Indrajit Mal proposes to start proposed to start a Fine Arts Club to NSO table tennis for girls and boys help interested students in getting from the next batch onwards. He accustomed to Photoshop, Flash and intends to build a gym near TSC. He other such tools and Fine Arts skills would also like to get a coach for like canvassing etc water polo, but this matter needs to

be discussed with the respective PTI Siddhartha Singh strongly

- something he couldn’t do in the believes in the institution “action

short time that Scholars’ Avenue speaks more than words” and as such

gave him to come up with proposals.has not yet decided upon his proposals. We hope this abeyance Shuvo Banerjee propose to shall not continue during his tenure start a few more department-as the General Secretary, Social and specific events in Kshitij. Aniket and Cultural activities, Gymkhana. Shuvo plan to start a set of new

events outside the G.C., Freshers as Deepak Rathee, the elected Gaurav Taneja proposed a

well as Open IIT, like Freshers' Quiz VP Gymkhana, proposes to have weightlifting coach during the time

Week (which would include a Biz specialized counseling for first year of the Inter-IIT practices. He plans to

Quiz, a TechQuiz and a General students in order to understand their introduce Volleyball for Women in

Quiz), Freshers' Maths Olympiad, problems. He plans to set up vending NSO in accordance with the

Freshers' Ad Designing Competition, machines serving tea, coffee, energy introduction of the same in Inter-

Open IIT Biz Quiz and Open IIT Ad drinks at various vantage points IIT’s from next year. He would ensure

Designing Competition. including departments and halls and availability of medical kits in all also make branded PCs and laptops Inter-Halls to provide instant

resolved to remedy this by bringing you the proposals, straight from the horses’ mouths.

This simple task turned out to be much more complicated than we had expected. Most office holders, perhaps due to the nature of their selection this year, showed unprecedented lack of preparedness for the post - several seemed to have no proposals at all when Scholars' Avenue initially approached them, asking instead for a few days' time to frame them.

Finally, after much effort, we have for you the list of gymkhana office bearers’ proposals (as many as we could get anyway):

Elections Avenue

Vol 2, Issue 10April 14, 2006IIT Kharagpur

Moving AheadThings have been on a move possible for B. Tech. students to would mean 1 hour class + 1 hour of

in recent times , as far as the transfer to corresponding Dual homework from the next semester Academics at KGP are concerned. Degree courses at the end of the onward. It also turned out , that the According to Prof. R. V. Raja Kumar sixth semester. The Dual Degree talks of Department change being (Dean, Academic Affairs) a number of students of a few departments will disallowed from next semester changes aimed at meeting the have the option of shifting to any onwards , were nothing more than A c a d e m i c n e e d s s h a l l b e other PG specialization (that is baseless rumors. Prof. Raja Kumar incorporated in near future. offered by their department) at the also said that a number of foreign The institute had already widened end of third year. universities have shown interest in a it’s reach in the field of education collaboration with our institute. It

The recommendations of the with the introduction of new courses We already have a tie-up of sorts

Curriculum Review Committee are like “Economics and Statistics” and with University of Southern

with the Board for their approval , Informatics. Rajiv Gandhi School of California , as a result of which 6

fol lowing which the passed Intellectual Property Law is yet students will be able to do their

recommendations will go forward to another step in this direction. The summer internships there .

the stage of implementation. The School will offer courses in On the Scholarships front , the

major changes that we can expect to Constitutional Law, Procedural Law, number of MCM scholarships to be

see shortly may include a reduction Contact and Bus iness Law, awarded this year is going to be way

in the number of credits in the first Technology and Business Law and greater(33-34%) than the stipulated

year from 53 to 48 , but an overall Intellectual Property Law from the upper limit(25%) . The institute has

increase in the same for some next Academic Session(2006-07) decided to award MCM to all those

programs. The institute is also onwards . For this purpose , a new applicants who have met the

planning to restrict the B. Tech. building is expected to come up eligibility criteria and have

projects to the final year only , behind Vikramshila , though initially submitted the required documents.

thereby removing the credits the classes will be held in the main Out of the 33-34% around 5% will get

currently allocated for it in the 6th building itself. only the free studentship benefit as

semester . In an attempt to improve they were unable to meet the merit

The B. Tech. students will be the quality of learning , more cr i ter ia. A number of new

also be able to take up courses in the assignments and homework shall be Scholarships have also come up this

IPR school as electives or breadths. associated with the theory classes. In year.

The recent changes have also made it effect , 1 credit for a theory class

Academics Avenue

Our institute is in talks with drawn up between the institute and leading tea companies from a third party. This income will different parts of the country contribute to the revenue earned by regarding the licensing of a unique the institute.technology developed by it for

I n c i d e n t a l l y, l e a d i n g preparing instant tea. With the new

technology institutes like MIT in the method, tea can be prepared by

US, earn up to 30% of their revenue directly putting the leaves in hot

from sponsored research and water in lieu of the old method which

licensing of their own developed and involved the boiling of leaves in

patented technology. The institute water. Companies are hoping that

has also marketed tea grown on some this technology heralds a new era for

100 acres in the Science and tea much like was witnessed after on paper yet, and only time will

Technology Entrepreneurship Park the instant coffee revolution. provide us with more details about

(STEP). The initiative received the final licensing agreements and

We were informed by Prof. S assistance from the Goodricke group the various parties involved.

Tripathy (Professor in-charge, and is now producing orthodox and Intellectual Property Cell) that the For IIT Kharagpur, the gains green teas of mixed grades. All tea institute, which has an Indian patent could be either in the form of a enthusiasts can expect new things to for this new technology, is in talks license fee on the use of the develop in the near future and can with many companies including a technology by the licencee(s) or as a hope to utilize newer easier methods Coonoor-based tea company which is collaboration fee as per the to prepare that all vitalizing and very keen on using this technology. stipulations of the technology refreshing cup of tea.However, nothing has been penned transfer document that will be

The (i)ITea RevolutionIIT Kharagpur develops new 'instant Tea' technology

5

Vol 2, Issue 10April 14, 2006IIT Kharagpur

Down to the WireBringing to an

end a Tech calendar mired in controversies and dominated by just two halls, RP clinched the GC from Nehru with a lead of just 2.5 points – 380 to 377.5. Six of the eight events, contributing to 1000 out of a total of 1350 points, were crowded into a mere 46 days; most of the events took place in what we can on l y de s c r i be a s Marathon March.

RP went into Marathon March with a seemingly unassailable lead - 135 points, with HJB and Azad second and third but in no

events together contributing 400 position to threaten RP's dominance.

points to the GC. Many halls The only potential competitors,

withdrew from Open Software, Nehru, were then way behind with

possibly finding natural language just 30 points.

processing not quite their cup of tea. The first shock came in The final result saw RP taking gold

Chemical Innovations, where RP did with Nehru coming a close second.worse than every other hall save SN,

In the chaotic Hardware while Nehru did a commendable job

Exhibition, Nehru won gold for their bagging gold. Although it was argued

stair climber; RK second for their that the problem statement was

system for web based control of more optimization than chemistry,

home appliances; and RP third for N e h r u s h o w e d i n t e n s e

their autonomous carrom-playing competitiveness in rapidly closing

robot. Thanks to very sloppy the gap with RP.

publicity, there were practically no The new event Ad Design, visitors to see the exhibition – an

where halls presented print and 30 incredible waste of an opportunity to second video ads for a specified popularize the Tech GC.product, was clouded by controversy

Maths Olympiad had been over the quality of judging. There

conducted before Ad Design, but was no clarity about judging

their results came out only after parameters, and there was little

hardware exhibition. As was widely correlation between the scores given

expected, RP aced this event, while by the two judges.

N e h r u d e m o n s t r a t e d t h e i r Nehru took TechGC lead by consistency with a silver shared with

coming first, with a video montage LLR.from an Amitabh Bachan movie, LLR,

Before Bizquiz – the final inexplicably, second with an amateur

event – began, RP trailed Nehru by stick-figure animation, and RK third

27.5 points; A long and engrossing with a slick flash slideshow; Patel

quiz saw Azad winning (nothing new and Azad p re sented comic

here), RK coming second, and RP a n i m a t i o n s , t h e i r e f f o r t s

getting third, - securing them the 30 considerably more skillful than LLR's.

points they needed to pul ahead of JCB presented a fairly typical looking

Nehru. In what must surely be an slide show.

immense disappointment for Nehru The weekend of 25th and and an exhilarating coup for RP, the

26th March saw Open Software and Tech GC was decided with just two Hardware Exhibition – two major questions to spare in a quiz of 90.

Confused Technicality

A clause in the Product Design rules stated that if a hall’s product is found to exist already, they will be disqualified. Other halls were given 24 hours after the event to submit evidence of such copying. In accordance with these rules, a submission was made by RP, Nehru, SN and LLR halls claiming that HJB hall’s lightwight multimedia projector was based on existing Mitsubishi and Epson products. The meeting of judges to decide this issue has not happened.

In Ad Design, LLR’s rather unremarkable entry - mainly comprising of a stick figure animation - drew protests from other halls after the presentation team let slip that it ran for 32 seconds, instead of the stipulated 30. In the fray, allegations were also raised that LLR’s print ads cannot be squeezed into the specified 60 column centimetres. The judges not only overruled both objections, but also made the bizarre decision to give LLR the second prize.

The delay in compilation of final points tally did little to make the halls feel confident about the judging process.

In Hardware Exhibition, chaos was the order of the day as five of the expected eight judges failed to turn up Halls had earlier submitted a list of departments corresponding to the fields of engineering represented in their exhibit – several halls included Computer Science in their list. The sole judge who was available from computer science had informed that he would leave a mere half hour after the scheduled start of the event. Several halls expected the typical late start – and failed to display their hardware to the CS judge.

GC Avenue

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Vol 2, Issue 10April 14, 2006IIT Kharagpur

So-cluttered So-cultThe results of any social and cult champions at stake. Teams try to signed to confirm their non-

cultural event always leave a lot of hold events when they best suit participation, while the two which people unsatisfied. Each year there them, get the judges they think will did put up a show and at least one of are a few noticeable events that scar f a v o r t h e m / t h e i r s t y l e o f the General Secretary, Social And the event coordinator’s image (and a presentation and the ones in power/ Cultural claim that no such clause lot of time they are themselves to be with the best tactics are able to get was discussed or even exists. The blamed) and ambiguity in rules adds the all important points. But Quiz was an interesting affair, not for to the problems. A lot of undesired between all this the real talent of the choice of the questions (which factors affect the results including people gets ignored. can be safely termed terrible) or the the judges’ personal biases for a standards of quizzing (which almost

The year that was, in brief:certain kind of performance and the everyone agrees is darn good!), but mode of delivery of ideas. A soc-cult Some team got disqualified for the troubles the quizmaster had event isn’t always won by the best for corresponding with the judges trying desperately to hide the team (the most shrewd usually is (which they claim was the judges’ answers from the prying eyes of the glorified). But all said and done demand) during Dumb Charades. women and men on stage. Fine art nothing can take away the glory of Hindi Dramatics got postponed when events were totally ignored. The winning a soc-cult event and the GC a judge’s wife fell sick (or as the Secretary fell sick or something and as a whole. other not-so-influential halls would the events were finally held in a jiffy

like to believe, the ‘other’ hall when the GC had almost been The chase to the end was an

hadn’t had proper practice sessions). decided. An interesting, eventful absorbing one. With SN leading the

Western Vocals had to be held twice year all in all, though every one GC at the start (thanks to their

(due to reasons you cannot blame wishes for a reduction in number of exploits in the literary events in

someone for). Two teams (which is such interesting events.particular) and then it transforming

not a huge figure by any standards) into a two horse race between Azad Azad and RK had an

pa r t i c i pa ted i n the h i gh l y and RK and finally Nehru giving RK a interesting tussle for the Literary

‘competitive’ English Dramatics run for its money. But at the end of Cup, which eventually boiled down

event. The reason for which is this eventful year, RK did manage to to the Quiz which Azad won for the

debatable. The halls which didn’t walk away with the crown, the royal fourth successive year. The

put up a show claim that it was scepter and the Soc-n-Cult GC. Dramatics Cup was an all Nehru affair

declared a non-competitive event in while RK ran the show in the

Interesting things keep the sub-committee meeting, though Entertainment Cup events. All this

happening when there is stiff no signs of this exist on the sheet of while Patel silently stole the Fine

competition for the title of the soc- paper which their representatives Arts Cup.

GC Avenue 7

Vol 2, Issue 10April 14, 2006IIT Kharagpur

Sporting SpiritKharagpur is a crazy place. will perform. When the hall's pride is than the others.

People run in a 2.2 km oval. People at stake, even Charybdis and Scylla There were complaints about

run in the Jnan Ghosh stadium. will not be able to stop an athlete.the use of two stop watches during

People run in the morning. People Most of the Inter Hall events athletics and the delay in the

run in the evening. They run when it were conducted 'peacefully', with no availability of Jnan Ghosh for

is cold, when it is hot and even when major controversies. But winning an athletics practices. The sole

it is raining. Winning the Inter IIT event alone does not suffice. What badminton court has always been a

Sports meet is a concept most really matters is the points which a bone of contention and the shuttlers

KGPians never dreamt of.hall makes from each event. And this as always were against the tight

Paradoxically, the Inter Halls is what sparked the only major practice schedule. And then the ever a re con s i de red even more controversy of the session. Should existing problem of having too many competitive than the Inter IITs. teams formed as a Joint-Venture by events in too less a time span. The Winning the Inter IIT Sports meet two or more halls be considered problems with the calendar need a aroused a new wave of enthusiasm in eligible for the points? serious thought, though the solution the administration to improve the will most likely not be an acceptable

Decisions were made and facilities. Was it required? If you one.

reversed and finally left untouched inspect every speck of dust, you

t i l l the corresponding sub- The only group of KGPians might actually find a grain of gold.

c o m m i t t e e m e e t i n g . W h o which did not have any problem with And the Inter Halls are the most

benefitted, who lost is a different the Sports GC or the men in-charge effective sieve. Facilities or no

story altogether, let's just mention were most certainly the ladies from facilities, the halls will practice,

that RK had things going its way more SN.they will run, they will play and they

GC Avenue8

Vol 2, Issue 10April 14, 2006IIT Kharagpur

Where do you go, my lovely?What first years think of the senior halls.

Disclaimer: The views RP! happening hall", "Tempo waala hall" expressed below are those of first and "I wish to explore new places"!

I Like RP coz: its very close to year students based on their

the insti, proximity to chhedies, I dont want to go to Patel coz: perceptions of different halls and

success in tech events, good hall day, "Mortifying OP", "way too much were elicited from them during an

its a "very confortable hall" and "its sports load", "I've never heard opinion poll conducted by Scholars'

not in PAN"! anything good about the hall", "the Avenue. To all the halls which got a

Patel CG drop" and also... " I dont like good review from the fachhas, good I dont like RP because: no

the name of the hall"!for you! For the rest... well... c'est tempo!la vie [:P] Wish to go to Patel: 14/245

Wish to go to RP : 50/245"I don't consider PAN loop to Please, not RP! : 9/220

be a part of the IIT system" - A For RK, well, dene waala jab

fachha, MS Hall, March 2006.bhi deta, deta chappar phaad ke!

Scholars' Avenue set out to We'll go straight to the various discover what the current batch of reasons people cited for liking RK... fachhas thought of their senior halls and we'll stop there coz there wasnt this year and accordingly, which hall a single fachha soul that disliked RK!they wished to go to next year.

I want to go to RK coz: Its Equally importantly, we also asked

near the insti, good hall day, its a people which hall they DID NOT want

p e a c e f u l h a l l , h a s g r e a t to go to.

extracurriculars, good acads, lots of Two hours and 245 polled Craig and quiz club seniors, both VPs

Please, not Patel! : 93/220fachhas later, the results were from RK, brilliant volleyball team, "I overwhelmingly clear: play the synth well and there are Nehru found itself struck

good singers in RK", nice overall nowhere in this war of the halls. 56.3 % of the fachhas wanted

image, offers a lot of scope for Neither was it the high on the fachha to go to RK next year... and not a

personality development, "its not in hit list... nor were the fachhas lining single one who was averse to the idea

PAN", "its a stud hall", "its important up to enter NH.of becoming an RKite! On the

for the insti", "I like the feel of RK" contrary, only 7.34% wish to go to LLR I want to go to Nehru coz:

and... "offers lots of scope for being or Patel while a whopping 80.45% "Good at drams", "best in athletics",

a rascal"!were very clear that they wanted to "good swimming team", "tempo have nothing to do with either of Wish to go to RK : 138/245 waala hall", "nurtures talent" and coz these halls next year!! All kinds of Please, not RK! : 0/220 "it'll win the GC"perceptions galore about all the halls

LLR put up a brave fight, we'll I dont wish to go to Nehru and its these perceptions that have

give that to them... but finally they coz: "There's no cooperation in that led the fachhas to come to these

could only come second in the race hall", "People only wear chappals in amusing conclusions. Read on...

for the 'most disliked hall'! The only NH" and "they have a leaking reason a few fachhas wanted to go to terrace"!LLR next year was its mess; as for the

Wish to go to Nehru : 25/245rest...

Please, not Nehru! : 22/220I dont like LLR coz: "poor

For Azad, well, lets just say toilets", "isolated hall", "no tempo",

the fachhas were indifferent towards "never heard of it in any sport",

it. A bit like out of sight, out of mind."hoohaa OP", "have chatted with some dumb Lallu hall people on DC", I wish to go to Azad coz: "I "no activities in that hall", " want to want to explore new places"!get away from this MS region" and

I dont want to go to Azad coz: "the halls lacks any personality"!

"Pathetic hall day", "its infamous", Wish to go to LLR : 4/245 "its bad in whatever it plays" and "its

Maybe RP wooed the fachhas Please, not LLR! : 84/220 suffocating"!

too hard this time around... for while there are those who wish to go to RP Patel has unflinchingly Wish to go to Azad : 14/245coz they feel the seniors are very carried the responsibility of being Please, not Azad!: 12/220friendly, there are also those who the most dreaded hall amongst

Maybe its about time halls sneeze at it coz its a very "gentleman fachhas for quite a few years now. Its

started having a post for G. Sec type hall" (sic). But then the sneezing maintained its consistency this year

Public Relations!isnt fine with them either coz some too!fachhas dread the 'water problem' in

I wish to go to Patel coz: "Its a

Don't want to go to

rprk

llr

ph

nh

az

Want to go to

rp

rk

llrph nh az

Features Avenue 9

Vol 2, Issue 10April 14, 2006IIT Kharagpur

The Beginning of the ReelThe History of the Technology Film Society

This is the first in a two-part was the most coveted. Campaigning, movie. Prof. Datta comments that series on the Technology Film which was previously permitted on TFS was easily the best managed Society (TFS). In this issue, we take a Scholars' Avenue (the road, of society on campus and was look at TFS, as it was, in the old course!), was marked by the most extremely meticulous with the times. We spoke to Prof. P. K. Datta, colourful hand-made posters for distribution of tickets, the lottery H O D , D e p t o f A e r o s p a c e canvassing for the TFS Secretary, system, and calling time on the Engineering, who was a student at replete with cut-outs from glitzy film movies sharp. The organizers have Kharagpur from 1963-68 and later magazines portraying the most also been systematic with controlling joined again for a PhD in 1972. Prof. happening stars of the time. the long queues at the Netaji gates Datta holds the rare distinction of for popular movies, and apart from a

Prof. Datta recalls that when having watched almost all movies at freak incident during the 'Chalti ka

he was in his BTech years, the movie TFS from 'Chalti ka Naam Gaadi' in Naam Gaadi' screening when the

selection was always done by the the 60s to 'Rang De Basanti' in 2006, students had barged in and the doors

students. He smilingly reminisces for almost 40 years now, and was and glass panes of the entrance gave

about the best English films of his very enthusiastic in talking about way. He attributes it as enthusiasm

times that were seen by one and all the TFS of his times. We also spoke to rather than a gatecrash. So

on the TFS screen. The shows, Puneet Agarwal, one of our founding popular was TFS that

unsurprisingly, ran to packed houses, editors and TFS Secretary during even the

watched by Professors and students 2002-03, and what we ended up with

alike. The seat allocation was, quite was a neat chronicle of the film

interestingly, done by society, as it as evolved.

lottery, so that The Technology Film Society, t h e

better known as TFS, was started in the 50s and is almost as old as IIT Kharagpur itself.

H a l l -d a y s h a d

screenings of movies in tie-ups with the society.

v i e w e r s Netaji has, by itself, changed could not complain a lot as the years have gone by. The

about the seats assigned to screen has been pushed back by a them. We happened to catch the huge margin so that the front

F i lms a t gleam in his eyes as he spoke of the benchers didn't have to bear the TFS were initially wave of excitement in the campus on brunt of browsing through the screen

screened at the Tagore Open Friday evenings. Eventually, as the in parts when the movie was running. Air Theatre (TOAT), but were shifted numbers grew, TFS started screening The number of seats was also to Netaji Auditorium soon after. The separate shows, with the Friday and increased for the burgeoning projector room exists till date at Saturday night screenings being for audiences, eventually narrowing TOAT between the students and staff the students and Saturday evenings down the aisles. The time gap tier, and is now used for sound and for the Professors. between the movie releases and light editing during the Star Nights at their screening in TFS has also come

One-week film festivals were SF. The first movie to be screened at down by a remarkable amount.

a brainchild of the yesteryears too, TFS was 'Ali Baba and Chalees Chor'.

albeit to raise funds for the In the next issue, we shall In the days of yore, when Gymkhana. The monthly pass for the discuss the more recent turn of

even televisions (forget computers) regular shows was Rs. 1.50 for the events, and how TFS lost its sheen as were a non-entity, films at TFS students and Rs. 2.00 for the Faculty. LAN laid a siege onto its domainjumped to the rescue. Quite A typical month comprised of two naturally, the post of TFS Secretary English, one Hindi and one Bengali

Features Avenue10

Vol 2, Issue 10April 14, 2006IIT Kharagpur

Blogging sans words!S t a r t i n g t h i s abstract images, some cool

edition, Scholars' Avenue gadgetry, mechanics and takes a look at the blogging anime cartoons. That apart, c o m m u n i t y i n I I T he's also worked on the Kharagpur and profiles design of the SF poster as some of the blogs that are well as the cover of Alankar worth checking out. magazine.

To n i g h t , t h e What really catches s p o t l i g h t r e s t s the eye, though, are the a e s t h e t i c a l l y o n calendar wallpapers that edgegrafix.blogspot.com, he's created. Although not belonging to Vishal Kumar, quite images that'll pass 3 r d y e a r, D e p t . o f muster if the Shiv Sena Aerospace Engg, LLR Hall were judging them, they'll of Residence. Aesthetically do wonder fu l l y we l l because his blog till date otherwise! Hope he doesn’t has been all about a few mind if junta downloads his fabulous images that he's creations!c r e a t e d o n A d o b e

Pretty pieces of Photoshop. He himself

inspiration for any budding admits that the basic

Photoshop enthusiasts out photographs on which he's

there, there are other worked have been lifted

creations of his that one can from other sources but it’s

check out on the sites in his the modifications that he's

‘links’ section and at made on them after that

www.artwanted.com/war-which are admirable.

ops.Starting out with

cars, bikes, celebrities and films, he's also delved into Happy blogging, junta!

Bloggers’ Avenue 11

Vol 2, Issue 10April 14, 2006IIT Kharagpur

Looking Back...W h e n y o u s t a r t o f f us happy: we've been successful in I would like to close with a

something new in your life, a providing Kgpians a platform to little vote of thanks towards people majority of people around you will express their opinions. who've helped us along the way, first say your idea won't work, and will go of all our very own Sanjay da at

We meanwhile have had a on listing the reasons why, a small Quest printers who's put in a night

rocking time working at Schols Ave. percentage of people will say well… out with every issue, thanks to our

(that's how we call ourselves) we've it might, you may turn lucky and find practice of giving him the least

converted no less than 12 places in a few who will pitch in, making your possible time to print our issues and

the institute into our editing and idea come to life. I consider myself being very natty and picky about the

layout offices, have had countless far luckier, I found a bunch that not quality (a bit too much sometimes,

sessions at Auntie's, Cheddi's, and only pitched in, but surpassed my he says). Mr Joyjit Nath and Mr.

Harries deciding what to put in the passion and effort in making Arvind Chhabra (both alumni from

next issue (and not to mention Scholars' Avenue come to life and this institute) for providing us with

sharing PJs), have had endless become better with every issue. help and support when we needed it

arguments whether a comma would the most. The Registrar Mr. D.

With this issue Scholars' be more appropriate or a semicolon, Gunashekharan and all the Deans

Avenue completes one year of its gone door to door asking people especially Prof. V.R. Kalvey and Prof.

existence. We never thought we questions and conducting surveys, R.V. Rajkumar for finding time in

could last this long, but now that we folded each issue that reaches you, their busy schedule to answer our

have, we would like to stick our neck by hand, have had numerous queries, the people at Archi Dep.

out and say, we want to be here for brainstorming sessions on how to get and iLab for letting us use their

ever. more people to read us, and how to rooms, and last but not the least our

get people to join us, moved In this year we've had highs, readers for providing us with the

between three software packages in lows, been loved, been hated, only thing that keeps us going, their

finding one which would work for us appreciated, criticized and even neve r end ing i n te re s t and

(we are still not very successful at it, thrown out of work. In all these enthusiasm with which they greet

suggestions are welcome!). Yes, all responses we got from our readers every issue that we bring out.

this happened in just two semesters.one thing more than any other made

Farewell, Avenue!12