INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF VRITTANTA 2018

On the 15th June, 2018, students and faculties of the Department of History and International Studies came together for the annual inaugural ceremony of Vrittanta – the association of undergraduate students of the Department of International Studies and History.While the prime purpose of the event was the official investiture of a new set of Club Heads as well as the Core Committee, it saw the enthusiastic participation of all thestudents. The ceremony also served as an avenue for warmly welcoming the first year students into the Vrittanta family and to inform them about all the cultural, performance and literary platforms that the association offers them.

It was graced by the prized presence of Chief Guest Dr. Roshan Khaniejo, a senior research fellow at USI, specializing in the fields of security and defense strategy studies. The ceremony started off with a prayer song while the lamp was lit. This was followed by an address by Dr. Vagishwari SP who introduced the audience about the Chief Guest’s commendable profile. This was followed by a mesmerizing performance by the Dance Club. Dr Fr Jose,who spoke after the performance, boosted the morale of the students by igniting their minds with insightful speech.
The Chief Guest, in an engaging speech, spoke in praise of the performance and effort of the students and then went on to elaborate about the USI, its mission, efforts and finally, the internship opportunities available at USI for the students. This was followed by the official investiture ceremony of the Vrittanta Core Committee members.

Later the Club Heads were invited to brief on their mission, vision, objective and plan of action for the upcoming semesters. Each of them eagerly proposed their agendas and sincerely appealed for active participation from the freshers.

Environment Day Celebrations 2018

With the growing environmental concerns Vrittanta, the undergraduate student body Department of Politics and International Studies,celebrated environment day with the theme of environmental conservation.The event held on 5th June 2018, witnessed a series of events which were orchestrated in order to propagate apprehension about the apocalyptic environment that is being destroyed mindlessly by the human beings.

On the providential day, the volunteer body of Vrittanta invited Professor PU Anthony of Botany Department, Christ and an environmentalist to address the gathering regarding the harmful effects of our actions and prospects for healthy development. He has started his own initiative of a student body named Green army, an initiative that works to spread awareness and bring about a healthy change in our society.The audience were informed of some flabbergasting facts regarding their cohort.

To instill a deeper sense of responsibility among students, a dance performance, a skit and PPT presentation were done focusing on environmental conservation. Students of 3EPS performed an energizing dance where they celebrated the beauty of nature. A skit, performed by the second and the third year students of the Department, showcased the political agendas hidden behind the veil of environmental protectionism and the lack of awareness among people. Shaurya Vardhan and Nistha Sinha then took the stage with insightful speeches on environment. Ms. Arushi Ganguly then, through a power-point presentation, raised attentiveness about being an environmentally conscious society.

CARPE DIEM-2018
Carpe Diem is an annual event organized by the under graduate student association of Department of International Studies and History, Vrittanta. It is a freshers’ talent hunt – a platform for the newcomers of the department to confidently portray their talents, be it dance, theatre, music, debate and what not. Carpe Diem 2018 was conducted enthusiastically by Vrittanta on 4th and 6th July 2018 in various venue of Block I and II.
The Music event was opened by the club heads, Wonchi Patton [3EPS] and Biswarupa Bhattacharjee [5HEP]. While some performances used karaoke or relevant musical instruments, some others kept it simple and traditional with a shruti box. Interestingly one student performed a beautiful ghazal solo, composed by her own father. Every singer chose to uniquely render their musical choices, marked by their personal styles. The solos were then followed by two amazing group performances that were a beautiful amalgamation of Indian and Western musical styles. The audience were extremely receptive to the performances, duly cheering the participants on with much vigor and excitement.
The dance event organised by the club head Reshma (5EPS) was an extremely exciting one since it had the surprise element of using props. Each groups managed to skillfully and creatively incorporate their props into their dances and it was brilliant to see their expressions, energy, and excitement.

The debate competition was started by the declaration of the motion – This House believes that parents will give parents proxy votes for their children, the context of the motion being the concept of adult suffrage mentioned in Article 326 of the Indian Constitution. Evidently, both sides were up against quite a challenging range of arguments which would require efficient and well-founded rebuttals – a requirement that was successfully achieved by the participants eventually. The entire duration of the debate saw, as mentioned, a sharp diversity of arguments that gave quite a comprehensive idea of the narratives. The audience were extremely cooperative and displayed quite an intellectual demeanor throughout.

The quiz competition conducted was extremely interesting as it had a humorous questions accompanied with wit, sarcasm and satire, this made the students think on their feet and enjoy the quiz. The questions were based on general knowledge, which included current affairs, sport and trending International Relations news.

The art event was organized under the dais of Kayal, the Art Club of Vrittanta. The theme of the art event was the Depiction of any Social or Political Phenomena through the use of only three colours: red, blue and green. Eleven enthusiastic participants gathered together to showcase their talents. They used different mediums to express their ideas.

Independence Day Celebration 2018

The Department of International Studies and History, CHRIST(Deemed to be University) celebrated the Independence Day on 23August 2018 by showcasing their patriotism through a milieu of energetic and mesmerizing cultural performance and inspiring speeches. The event was vibrant and energetic including cultural performances and personal accounts of what independence meant to students and how they interpreted the historical day.

Dr Vagishwari SP,in her address, spoke about the importance of Independence Day and how ‘becoming independent is a process’. Aswathy Anil (5EPS), PonthungoOdyuo (2nd HEP), Rishwanth Reddy (1EPS) gave their perspectivesof what Independence Day truly was.

Towards the end of the program, Dr. Fr. Jose CC gave an enlightening speech about the achievements of India from the time of Independence. He also spoke about the principles of Mahatma Gandhi and encouraged the students to lead by Mahatma Gandhi’s principles for the development of the nation.

INAUGURATION OF CELEBRATION OF 150TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF MAHATMA GANDHI

The inauguration of the celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was organized by the students association ‘Vrittanta’ on 23rd November 2018. Incidentally, this was also the first time the newly constituted members of the Vrittanta ‘core committee’ and the newly appointed club heads led the organizing committee for the programme.

The tone of the event was set as a positive recollection of the contributions made by Mahatma Gandhi, not only to India but also to the world. Dr Fr. Joseph CC, in his inaugural address, enlightened the students about the importance of Gandhian ideas in the modern world. He extensively spoke about the significance of Gandhian thoughts and ideologies in the lives of the youth of India. This was followed by an introduction of the chief guest, Dr M.V. Nadkarni, by Dr Vagishwari SP.

Dr M.V. Nadkarni, who is an honorary visiting professor at the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC) has also penned many books on Gandhiji and his ideologies. Dr Nadkarni engaged with the students through his keynote address on the ‘Essence of Gandhi’. He covered topics pertaining to Nehru as Gandhi’s dissenting protégé and he also highlighted the conflicting opinions of Ambedkar and Gandhi. He had also emphasized on Gandhi’s pursuit of truth and his mass appeal to people all over the world to value the virtues of humanity. To establish the illustrious stature of Gandhi, prof. Nadkarni quoted Einstein saying, “Generations to come will scarcely believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”

The keynote address of Dr M.V. Nadkarni was followed by a play helmed by the theatre club of Vrittanta. The plot revolved around the ‘Dandi March’ and Gandhi’s fight for ‘Swaraj’ through means of ‘swadeshi’.

Following the play, Dr Madhumati Deshpande introduced the ‘Electoral Literacy Club’ formed in tandem with the Election Commission of Karnataka as a new addition to Vrittanta.
 
The event also included speeches from students of 1st-year HEP on the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in the 21st century, followed by a biographical video depicting highlights from Gandhi’s life and his growth as a ‘freedom fighter’.

As a point of pride for the department, two books written by its students were launched- ‘The Mighty Mustang’ by Ronit Ranjan of 4EPS on his experiences in the National Defense Academy and ‘Mere Alfaaz’ by Ankush Patnaik of 2HEP, which consists of poems in Urdu and Hindi.

Finally, the newly appointed members of the Vrittanta core-committee and the club-heads were introduced to the audience. Student coordinators for the previous year, Hanish, Tania and Harsimranpassed the baton to the new student coordinators for the upcoming year, Praveena from 4EPS and Priyam from 4HEP.

KAYAL EXHIBITION-DECEMBER 2018 ON THE THEME MAHATMA AND CHRISTMAS 

On 13th December,2018, Kayal – The Art Club of Vrittanta saw the inauguration of its annual Christmas exhibition with the theme, Mahatma Gandhi. The inauguration ceremony was flagged by Dr. Fr. Jose CC, Dr. Vagishwari SP, Dr. Anurag Tripathi, Dr. Koeremba.The chief guest for the ceremony was Mr Johnny Joseph, Controller of Examinations at CHRIST(Deemed to be University). This year's Kayal exhibition was specially designed on the lines of the theme adopted by the Department on the occasion of the 150th  birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. During the inauguration, Dr. Joseph shared some wise words about the occasion. He encouraged the students to be inspired by the ideals that the two great men, Gandhi and Jesus Christ, that the exhibition was paying tribute to, embodied throughout their lives – love, compassion and faith in humanity. Next, Dr. Fr. Jose CC in his speech, threw light on the various efforts the department that had undertaken as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi and why it was relevant. Further, he appreciated the teamwork of the student group that designed and set up the stall, observing that it was this great teamwork that has always founded progress in our nation such as in the time of Gandhiji during the freedom struggle. Later, a certificate of appreciation was handed over to the Kayal club members for their truly recognisable efforts. On this note, the ribbon was cut.
All the displayed exhibits that were for sale were richly creative contributions of many students who are part of the Kayal club. The work was created by students from all three years who worked hard over a course of two weeks. The works ranged from hand painted lighted bottles to paintings to posters to delicious homemade cupcakes. All proceeds from the sale went for Centre for Social Action. The exhibition that lasted for two days ended on a very pleasant note and the students hoped to be part of many more of such endeavours.

Knowing Gandhi: Vrittanta Conducts Quiz on Occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th Birth Anniversary

On 19th December 2018, Vrittanta – The Association of Undergraduate Students of the Department of International Studies and History held a quiz contest, “Knowing Gandhi - Early Life (1869-1914)” under the banner of Mahatma as part of the department's celebrations on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary in 2018.
The quiz was organized and conducted by the Quiz Club of Vrittanta, headed by Nireekshan Bolimpalli and Hardik Kothari. Nireekshan Bolimpalli and Ganesh Raj (2nd year EPS) served as the quiz masters for the event. The event was presided over by chief guest Dr. Anurag Tripathi and was attended by the students of the department and many from other departments as well.

The room bustled with high hopes and energy as over 20-25 participants gathered at the Assembly Hall in Block 2. The students were instructed to make teams of two. Nireekshan then took the podium to welcome the audience and declared the quiz open, wishing the teams luck.

The quiz commenced on an interesting note, with many brain-racking questions that demanded clever calculations. The participants seemed to be deeply enjoying the event as they enthusiastically discussed and noted down the answers as the questions rolled over on the projector. As the last of about 25 questions were reached, the contest came to an end.

While the answers were being verified by the volunteers, the quiz masters decided to roll back on the questions, which the audience agreed to with much excitement. Not surprisingly, many teams had done commendable work.

The pair of Reshwanth and Deblina of 1st year EPS were declared the winners of the event. Dr. Tripathi congratulated the winners and handed the prizes over. He then appreciated the work of the Quiz Club in successfully organizing the event. He also remarked that it was endearing to have seen such zealous participation from the students and a very cooperative audience.
The vote of thanks was delivered by Hardik Kothari.

Vrittanta Quiz
Gandhi and the Struggle for Independence (1915-1948)

Venue:
Council Room, Central Block
Date and time:
23rd January, 12-1pm
On 23rd January, the Quiz Club – Gyan, of the student’s association Vrittanta held the second round of the quiz competition based on Mahatma Gandhi’s life. The theme of the event was Gandhi and the Struggle for Independence (1915-1948). It was held in the Council Room, Central Block during 12-1pm.

The quiz competition had 8 participants, divided into 4 teams of 2 members each. The questions of the quiz, in accordance with the theme, covered various aspects of Gandhi’s life. They ranged from the awards he won, to the events that shaped his ideals. The final round of the quiz also included pictorial questions. It was a well-organized and thoroughly researched question bank. The teams participated enthusiastically, creating a competitive atmosphere with various blocks and objections to several questions. It was a challenging and thought provoking competition for all participants and observers.

Dr. Anurag Tripathi, faculty coordinator of Vrittanta, distributed prizes to the winners.

ADULT EDUCATION DRIVE 2019

The Department of International Studies and History, CHRIST (Deemed to Be University) under the banner of Vrittanta, organised adult literacy awareness drive in L.R Nagar commemorating constructive programme of Mahatma Gandhi, “Adult Education” on 05th March 2019. 

CLEAN-UP DRIVE SG PALAYA

Every day, humans generate more waste even though landfill space is declining, and careless disposal results in more litter turning up in the environment. This waste releases harmful pollutants into the air, water, and soil, and can impact wildlife. The Department of International Studies and History, CHRIST (Deemed to Be University) under the banner of Vrittanta, organised a clean-up drive in SG Palaya commemorating constructive programme of Mahatma Gandhi,” Village Sanitation” on 21st February 2019.  The students took keen interest in cleaning the area.

MARTYRS’ DAY PLEDGE-2019

In commemoration with the Martyr’s day of Mahatma Gandhi, Department of International Studies and History, CHRIST (Deemed to Be University) organised a martyr’s day pledge in January 30, 2019.At the function held infront of the Block I, the Registrar of the University, Dr Anil Joseph Pinto administered pledge to the first, second and third year students of HEP and EPS.

SOCIAL OUTREACH PROGRAMME-KAYAL 2019

The Kayal Club of Department of International Studies and History organised a social outreach programme on 23-24 February 2019.The club members from the Department went to the Centre for Social Action Project sites in Jankiram Layout and painted the classroom with beautiful pictures around themes of computer activity, zoo life, cartoons, and much more. The desks and benches were scrubbed, painted and repaired. The general aim of this programme was to provide a colourful, joyful and respectable education environment for the underprivileged kids. The creative, colourful and diligent work of the students was well appreciated.

Vrittanta Conducts Campus Quiz On Life and Ideology of Mahatma Gandhi

On 15th February 2019, Vrittanta – Undergraduate Student Association of the Department of International Studies and History organised its first university level quiz competition commemorating Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary. The theme of the quiz was centred on the life and ideology of Mahatma Gandhi.
The quiz was designed and conducted by second year MAIS (Masters in International Studies) students Aishwarya, Nishanth and Vishal in the Panel Room. The Quiz was opened to the entire University campus with exciting cash prizes. The first prize winners were to receive a whopping Rs. 5000, the second prize winners Rs. 2500 and the third prize winners Rs. 1000.

With almost 40 teams participating, the quiz began at around 2pm with a written preliminary round. It contained tricky trivia questions about Gandhi’s life and ideology with a couple of tie-breaker questions. After a tense 30 minutes, five leading teams advanced to the final round out of which the team of Ayush Rai and Sumanth S. from 4HEP emerged as top scorer with 74 points.

After three exciting rounds which included one visual round, two teams were eliminated leaving three teams with promised prize giveaways. Finally, the team of Shreyansh Shukla and Pawan Waldia of 4BCom-Hon (A) and 4BCA (A) respectively emerged as winners of the university level quiz conducted by Vrittanta. The second place was secured by Ayush Rai and Sumanth S. of 4th semester HEP and third place went to Amrita Datta and Mehul Agar

The prizes were handed over to the winners by the respected faculty members Dr. Anurag Tripathi, Dr. Manoharan and Dr. Joshy Paul. They appreciated the wide participation and congratulated all the winners.