Inauguration of Vrittanta 2019

Vrittanta – Association of Undergraduate Students of the Department of International Studies and History, on 24th of June 2019, held its inaugural ceremony for the new academic year 2019-2020. The event that took place at the KE Auditorium was attended by esteemed faculty of the department, including Dr. Father Jose CC, Head of Department Dr. Madhumati Deshpande, Dr. Anurag Tripathi, Dr. Stefy Joseph, Dr. Vineeth Thomas, Dr. Payal, Ms. Priyanka Bhowmick and students of first, second and third year HEP and EPS program.

The event opened with an invocation of the Almighty’s blessings. A prayer song was arranged by the Music Club while the ceremonial lamp was lit by members of the faculty Dr. Father Jose CC, Dr. Madhumati Deshpande and the student coordinators of Vrittanta, Praveena Makesh and Priyam Agarwal. This was followed by a warm welcome address by Dr. Deshpande, where she outlined the objective of the event in context of departmental activities and pointed out that the inaugural ceremony conducted before every academic year is a testament of the students’ aspirations and excellence in extra-curricular fields. Finally, she extended a hearty welcome to the new batch of students from HEP and EPS and urged them to explore the platform and find their own spaces to flourish within the umbrella of the department. Next, Dr. Father Jose was invited on stage for his message. He opened the address by throwing light on the CHRIST (Deemed to be University)’s unending passion for providing students with opportunities for holistic education and stressed on the importance of trying to develop what we call ‘Graduate Attributes’. Further, he remarked that it is in tandem with these goals of CHRIST that the department actively ensures that its students are engaged in holistic growth through various platforms and opportunities. Finally, he reminded that whatever may be the case at the end of the day, the students are also responsible for taking initiative in their own development. In view of this, he requested that all students make full use of the provided resources and opportunities to the maximum potential.

The message was followed by the release of the internship report. Nikhil Kumar Reddy of III HEP was called upon stage to accept the report from Dr. Father Jose as he released it. The report was a compilation of all the research articles that were composed by the students who attended the USI summer internship during May 2019 in Delhi, at the end of their internship period.

This was followed by an introduction to the department by the student coordinators Praveena Makesh and Priyam Agarwal, who introduced the freshers to the associations mission, past efforts and continued vision for the future. They expressed hope and optimism regarding future ventures and requested the freshers to join the journey. This was followed by a beautiful group rendition of “Stand by Me” by the Music Club, led by Ponthungo Odyuo of III year HEP and Wonchibeni Patton of III EPS, that truly moved the audience.
The performance of the music club was followed by inaugural presentations by the Club Heads for all clubs, including Music Club, Dance Club, Debate and MUN Club, Film Club, Literary Club, Electoral Club and Theatre Club. A spectacular poetry performance called ‘Jab College Aate Ho Tum’ by Ankush Kumar of II HEP was interspersed within, which left the audience applauding.

The Club presentations were then followed by a mesmerizing dance performance presented by members of the Dance Club. As the event came to an end, Priyam Agarwal was invited on stage to present the Vote of Thanks. He expressed, on behalf of the association, great gratitude to the department and especially Dr. Father Jose CC for his support. He thanked all the performers, Vrittanta Core Committee members, Club Heads as well as the auditorium staff in their effort to put up a successful inaugural ceremony.

The event ended on a cheerful and optimistic note, as the students, especially those of first year, hoped to be part of more events of Vrittanta as part of its future endeavors.

Environment Day Celebrations 2019

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 6 June 2018, witnessed a series of events which were orchestrated in order to propagate apprehension about the apocalyptic environment that is being destroyed mind-lessly by the human beings. The volunteer body of Vrittanta invited Professor Himanshu Upadh-yaya of Ajim Prem ji University and an environmentalist and activist in Namada Bachao Andolan to address the gathering regarding the harmful effects of our actions and prospects for healthy devel-opment. He shared his own experience as an environmentalist.  It was euphoric to witness the en-thusiasm portrayed by the students of HEP and EPS regarding the safekeeping of our environment.

CARPE DIEM-MUSIC EVENT 2019
The Vrittanta Music Club Heads Wonchi, Ri iei and Vibha from 3rd year EPS and HEP hosted the group singing competition for First year students of HEP and EPS as part of Carpe Dium 2019. The event was held in the Panel Room, 2nd Floor, Block II, at 2:00 pm on 6th July 2019.
The panel of four judges included Sailo, Varidhi V, Nikhil Sebastian and Ibin Rigia.
The groups were to be judged on parameters such as synchronization and choice of song. Points were allocated to each group according to these parameters and their total score would determine their results.
The first group, titled “The Prozacs”, sang a Western song with a light keyboard melody for accompaniment. Next were Nikhil and Group, who sang a classical song with various harmonies without music accompaniment. Third in line were the Five Fingers, who, along with chords by the keyboardist performed a five-part classical medley. Finally, Team Alpha sang onstage with ukulele and guitar players singing Western songs.

Two of the judges then gave brief commentaries on the importance of synchronization, proper harmony and maintaining a steady tempo, as well as the importance of choosing appropriate music for the classical genre. Tips on practicing singing were also mentioned. They encouraged the participants to keep practicing and to sharpen their skills.
As the scores were tallied, each team was awarded points out of 100 from each of the four judges. The final maximum score was 400.

The winners were the Five Fingers, who scored 322 out of 400. Second were Team Alpha, scoring 298. And in Third place were the Prozacs, scoring 260.

Carpe Diem-Literary Event 2019

The Literary Club of Vrittanta conducted a creative writing event as part of Carpe Diem 2019 – the annual talent hunt organised for the first-year students of the department. Participants were asked to submit an essay/short story or a poem on one of the following prompts: i. Solitude     ii. Describe the seasons as if they were people.
The entries were to be only original, unpublished work of the participants. This event only accepted online submissions, with participants being asked to mail their entries to either of the club heads. It was delightful to witness enthusiastic participation from the first-years: we received a total of 22 entries.  Mr. Joseph Edward Felix, a faculty of the English Department was the judge for the event.

CARPE DIEM DANCE EVENT
In connection with Carpe Dium, the Department of International Studies and History, organised dance event. This event was organised to explore the dance capabilities of the new people that joint Vrittanta Club Association this year. It commenced with the host, Kavya Sreekumar, welcoming all the people that came to witness the event. The event was being judged by Megha Garg, 3rd year EPS and Anushua Bannerjee, 2nd year MAIS. It was successfully conducted by having a total of four teams compete against one another in the criteria of creativity, coordination, energy and clarity. All the teams performed exceptionally well and enjoyed their performances thoroughly, which was one of the main objectives of conducting this event.

VRITTANTA QUIZ 2019

The Department of International Studies and History, CHRIST (Deemed To be University) organised Quiz, the 4th quiz in the series in honour of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary. The quiz was conducted on 26th July 2019 in 1st block from 12:00 pm. In this quiz competition, 21 teams participated from different deaneries. The quiz was headed by Anurag Sir and Vineet Sir, whose invaluable presence increased the confidence and motivated the students.

The participants were assigned team numbers and informed about the rules and regulations. The quiz comprised of 25 questions covering major incidents of Gandhi's life and his correspondence.
There were pictorial questions as well and this urged each team to put on their thinking caps and write the answers correctly. The quiz was hosted by Rishvanth Reddy and Hardik, who made sure that the quiz is successfully conducted abiding by the rules and regulations. They also made sure that every student understood the questions and the instructions. As the quiz proceeded, the enthusiasm amongst the teams was evident and even hints were provided by the hosts to some questions based on the difficulty level. The quiz was very informative and enlightening for the undergraduate students in the campus.
Three teams were declared winners:

1st Prize - Anuroop Tantry and Khushi Nigam
2nd Prize - Shreiyansh Shukla and Mitalee Sinha
3rd Prize - Venkat Reddy and Pavan Yadav

KAYAL EXHIBITION JULY 2019

The Department of International Studies and History organized the Kayal Exhibition on the 15th and 16th of July, which was much awaited.
The preparations for the exhibition started 3 weeks before the scheduled date of the exhibition where the team stayed back after college hours to make the products and paintings for the exhibition. Since the theme was an exciting one, everyone gave their own inputs and worked on it accordingly. The enthusiasm was great among the team members. While working for the exhibition, there were lot of new bonds which were made between the seniors and the juniors. Apart from having fun, everyone spent their time productively working with team.  
The Chief Guest for the exhibition was Professor Phinu Jose , the Director of CSA.  The theme for the exhibition attracted a lot of students and Professors to buy the products and posters. The exhibition gave a platform for beautiful memories and new bonds were made alongside making an effort to bring a positive change in our surroundings.

Dance Fete-Sangam 2019

On 6th of September, the Department of International Studies and History in collaboration with Vrittanta - The Association of Undergraduate Students of the Department of International Studies and History, held a dance fete under the banner of its annual department fest, Sangam 2019. The event was held at the KE Auditorium in the evening and was attended by students of both 1st year HEP and EPS students.

The fete was headed by Kavya Sreekumar, Nagendra Achyuth and Samyuktha of 3rd year EPS, HEP and HEP respectively and was judged by two distinguished dancers from two of the University level dance teams.
The event began with the first team showcasing an extremely energetic performance to the song Mauja Hi Mauja from the movie “Jab We Met”, leaving the audience raving for more. The second team, “Lahar” put up a stunning contemporary piece with a moving storyline, dancing to the song Adhoori Kahaani. The team stood out for their coordination and emotional depth, portraying the story of a soldier who fell in love. The next team, team “Blackfire”, an all-girls team performed a fusion of Indian and Western dances to the peppy EDM beats of Nucleya, which kept the audience glued to the stage. The last and final team, yet not the least, showcased an electrifying performance to regional songs from the Tamil movie “Maari”. Evidently, they took the stage by storm and the audience were cheering enthusiastically.

As the performances came to an end, the judges were invited to the stage for feedback. They warmly congratulated the performers on their efforts and the result they achieved. However, they also suggested that the teams work on their coordination, clarity and preparation. The event closed on a cheerful tone, as the participants and the audience hoped to be part of many more of such events.

Music Extravaganza-Sangam 2019

On 6th of September, Sangam 2019 - the annual department fest of the Department of International Studies and History held a group musical event. The event was held at the KE Auditorium and was attended by students of 1st year HEP as audience. A highly awaited event, it was headed by Wonchi Patton and Ri iei Maia Khongwir from 3rd year EPS and HEP respectively.
The event began with the event heads providing a brief introduction and welcoming the distinguished judges of the event who were musicians of experience and talents and also part of Christ (Deemed to be University) - Rubal Prakash and Evelyn Charles. The rules of the event were then outlined - there would be two rounds, one free round with performances designed by the group and second round where the contestants were required to perform a self-tuned lyrical set. No backing vocals were allowed.
The first team, “Akaasa” showcased a lovely medley of English and Bollywood hits such as Havana and Piya Se Naina. The next team, “5 Fingers” showcased a regional delight with a medley of two Malayalam songs. The third team “Explorious” performed a breathtakingly beautiful arrangement of Sam Smith’s I’m Not The Only One. Finally, the last team “Beauty Bees” performed a stunning self-written and self-composed piece in Malayalam, which took both the audience and judges by surprise. With that, the first round concluded. The second and more challenging round required the team to tune a piece of lyrical writing into a song within a timespan of 10 minutes and perform it. Despite the heavy ambition, all four teams put up performances that were one better than the other in terms of vocals, harmony and arrangement, before the second round also came to an end.
The event heads then invited the judges on the stage for comments. Both judges expressed their immense satisfaction with the performances, specially in face of such a challenge. But they also suggested that contestants work on their stage presence and inculcate enough feel into their music. As the event came to an end, Wonchi Patton proposed the Vote Of Thanks where she thanked the patient judges and audience, and congratulated the contestants for their efforts. The event closed on a positive note, with the audience having expressed thorough enjoyment of the experience.

Crisis Committee -Sangam 2019

On the 6th of September, Vrittanta - The Association of Undergraduate Students of the Department of International Studies and History held a Crisis Committee as part of the 2019 edition of the annual department fest, Sangam.

One of the interesting array of competitions that was held, the Crisis Committee was headed by event heads Granth Vanaik, Anjali Rose Isaac and Moinak Bose. It was also two of the heads that acted as Co-Chairpersons and Rapporteur during the event. Interestingly, it was also co-chaired by a guest alumni, Rajoli Siddharth from the batch of 2019. This year, the main theme was “The Day Iran Downed USA’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - The Persian Gulf Crisis”. Held at the Assrmbly Hall in Block 2, it was attended by an audience of students from 3rd year HEP and EPS. The event was attended by various students from across colleges from Bangalore.

The Committee opened with the ceremonial roll call by the Chairs after which a motion was passed, proposing to open GSL or the General Speaker’s List. A number of delegates from different countries took the podium to present their position papers.
Following the GSL, the event saw multiple turns of events - from a number of intriguing moderated and unmoderated caucus discussions to several controversial statements from stakeholders to multiple exciting crisis updates that were peppered in throughout the competition. These developments, specially those crisis updates such as interventions by the Hezbollah and Iranian declaration of the US Marine Corps as a terrorist organisation, truly kept the participants’ adrenaline pumped and the audience at the edge of their seats. There were also many instances of the delegates passing various significant directives and Presidential statements throughout, which kept the competition tough.

The event, which began in the morning concluded by early afternoon. During the Sangam Valedictory Ceremony that followed, by judges’ discretion and judgement, the Delegate of Russia received the Best Delegate Award, which came with an exciting cash prize as well. Few other delegates also were awarded with Special and Verbal Mention awards. The Crisis Committee was a testimony of the ability that some of the young students from Bangalore may perhaps have what it takes to change the course of things effectively at the global level.

YOUNG STATESMAN AWARD

On 5th September, the Department of International Studies and History, kick-started it’s annual undergraduate level fest, Sangam 2019, with it’s flagship event- Young Statesman Award. The event was held in central block in room 911. Each year this event invites participants from colleges all over India who wish to compete and engage in matters pertaining to policy making, debating fictional crises that have the potential to come true and the ability to articulate immediate solutions to problems faced by nation states. In order to win, participants must display critical thinking skills, diplomatic skills and of course, exceptional oratory skills. With the lighting of the lamp, followed by a welcome address, Sangam 2019 was declared open, and Young Statesman Award became the first event conducted under Sangam, 2019.

The structure of the event was explained to the participants. The event was divided into three rounds that would put to test the different characteristics Statesmen are ideally expected to have. The first round, crisis presentation, would test their communication skills. The second round focused on diplomacy, and the third round, remaining unrevealed, would test their ability to derive immediate and quick solutions to problems.

The night before the event, participants were allotted fictional countries and provided information regarding the social, economic and political composition of the country. They were then given socio-economic or political crises to solve and present to the audience. For the first round, each team prepared a power point presentation enlisting the potential solutions to the crisis. They were given 5+1 minutes to effectively convey their material. Keeping in mind their country’s stance on different socio-economic issues, different teams came up with solutions that entailed restructuring their country’s economy, utilizing domestic resources and negotiation skills to overcome to the crisis. Several teams appeared to align with the Realist perspective, adopting Machiavellian tools of governance- looking out for the interests of the nation and expanding their military power. The judges looked at creativity, originality and communication skills in this round.

The second round challenged the diplomatic skills of the participants. The top 8 teams from the first round progressed to the second round. The room was divided into two factions- a pro-industry bloc and a pro-environment bloc. Each team was required to uphold its country’s stance, protect its interests and ensure progress. Countries also had the choice to break faction and move to a different bloc if it appeared to be in the best interest of their nation. The entirety of the second round was an un-moderated caucus, with impromptu crisis updates given by the event heads. After intense debates, formation of alliances, defections and crisis updates- the pro-environment bloc emerged with the most number of members, which although fictitious, was slightly reassuring. Both sides presented strong arguments, with the pro-industry faction insisting that unemployment was a pressing and urgent problem and the pro-environment faction emphasizing on the reality of climate change.

Between the second and the third round, a press conference was held. With the event heads acting as members of the press, they questioned the participants on their country’s stance on certain issues and the solutions they had presented in the first round. The participants were faced with challenging questions and several teams slightly faltered, but were ultimately able to defend their stance.

Four teams then progressed to the third and final round. The participants were divided into the three organs of the government- the legislature, the executive, the judiciary- and a non-secular political organization. The crisis was revealed to the participants- ‘the leader of your country has died, you must decide which faction will come to power.’ Each team put forth arguments in favor of their institution; they were given 5 to 7 minutes to formulate their defense. Through this round, the judges were able to observe the swiftness of the critical thinking skills of the participants.

With the third round, the event came to a close. As the judges decided on the winners, participants came up on stage to share their experiences and feedback. The general perception was that the event heads had actively engaged with the participants throughout the event and managed to conduct the proceedings efficiently and thoughtfully. Dr. Fr. Jose CC, pro vice chancellor, gave the final address to conclude the flagship event of the fest. He emphasized on the importance of statesmen amidst politics and political parties for the survival of democratic ideology. Dr. Madhumati Deshpande, Dr. Anurag Tripathi and Dr. Vineeth Thomas joined Dr. Fr. Jose CC on stage for the distribution of the prizes. Third place was awarded to a team from Mount Carmel College, while both first and second place was awarded to teams from St. Josephs College, Bangalore. 

MOVIE ANALYSIS

Keeping it Reel, was held on 6th September 2019 in room 911, Central Block, with enthusiastic participants and an extremely attentive and participative audience, the students of EPS and HEP came together to convey their thoughts about movies. The judge for this event was Ms Priyanka Bhowmik who was extremely exciting to have as a part of the event.

The movie analysis competition, appropriately named, ‘Keeping it Reel’ was one of Sangam’s creative competitions. The event was headed by Oishik Dasgupta (5EPS) , Ganesh Raj (5EPS) and Arsh Mogre (5HEP). For the event they made a list of movies for the participants to choose from, all the movies included in this list were politically, historically, socially and current-affairs wise aware so that while enjoying and analysing different aspects of the entertaining mode of movies, a meaningful message could be conveyed. Examples of movies analysed were: Swades a movie that represents developing countries and class differences with special reference to casteism.

There were four teams participating in the event, each team was a pair and were told to analyse a movie together. They were also given a grading criteria which was, dialogue analysis, overall impact, screenplay and direction, political and social relevance. They had to present according to these elements.

During the event, students even participated in a quick quiz along with the audience about movies and had meaningful discussions. They talked about different directors, feminism in movies, female-centric movies and other socially relevant aspects. One of the instances was discussing the newly released movie, ‘Kabir Singh’ and how it was controversial when it came to the protagonists’ relationship. The judge of the event Priyanka Bhowmik ma’am was also extremely involved in the discussions and engaged the thoughts of the students and at the same time provided insightful comments and additions.

Overall the event was creatively structured and engaging, students were able to express their thoughts and even have a debate or two about social and political issues and whether or not they’ve been portrayed correctly. The students did a wonderful job in their presentation and were able to express their meaningful and socially-aware thoughts through their analysis of movies.

EXPRESSIONS
On 6th September, as part of Sangam 2019, a street play event was organized by Vrittanta, the students association of the department of International Studies and History. The theme ‘Prism of Possibilities’ was left to the interpretation of the four teams participating. Each team was allotted 10 minutes and an additional 2-minute leeway. The event was held in Birds Park next to Mingos during the 1 o clock, university-wide lunch hour. A crowd gathered around to watch in true street play fashion.
Each team highlighted important social issues, as street theatre is meant to do. The first team comprised of students from 1PSECO. Their play was titled “Suffocation” and focused on the social and mental pressures faced by the youth. The pressure of getting good grades in school, getting admitted to a renowned university, becoming employable for a well paying job, getting married and ‘settling down’. Most people are expected to follow this conventional pattern of life. In India especially, society often dictates that one is successful only if one follows these steps without any room for error. 1PSECO through their play attempted to convey the consequences. As a result of these societal expectations, the young population is often left feeling suffocated.
The second slot was Team Josh, students from HEP and EPS, performing “Shackles”. Using the refrain “are we the hunters, or are we the prey?” they focused on the various types of addictions that human beings grapple with. Referring to it as ‘the story of a common man’, they showcased how an accumulation of inconveniences and seemingly minor difficulties in life, can become strenuous and burdensome to deal with. As a result, people tend to look for respite outside their being and can become prey to addictions of all kinds- from drugs to indulgence in consumerism.  

Team Soch, a faction of the university theatre group- Ad Hoc, performed “Horn OK Please”, a play highlighting the importance of following traffic rules. They raised concerns about the Indian population being ignorant and careless when it comes to following traffic laws. They emphasized that there is a widespread disregard for traffic rules- people often dismiss wearing seatbelts and helmets despite the penalizations in place. They also showcased the problems of skipping red traffic lights, over speeding and drunk driving. There is often also a lack of aid from passer-bys in case of an accident- a crowd collects to observe, but not act. The play concludes with the line, “objects in the mirror are closer to death than they appear”, reiterating the consequences of neglecting traffic laws.

The last team to perform was Team Manzil, a part of the university theatre group Nuts and Bolts. Their performance titled “Marna Mana Hai”, focused on the social pressures faced by people during different phases of their lives. They covered the problems in the education system, self esteem issues associated with body shaming, drug addiction as a coping mechanism and suicidal tendencies coupled with feelings of isolation.

The crowd that had collected watched intently and cheered for their favorite teams.

Debate Competition

Date: 04/12/2019    
Time: 12:00pm- 12:50pm
Venue: Room 214, 2nd Floor, Block 1

The Debate and MUN Club of Vrittanta hosted a Fresher’s Debate Competition which marked its first event for this semester. The competition was attended by Prof. Steffy Thomas and the other members of the club. It was an oxford style debate that was moderated by the club heads- Varun, Paroma and Chris Maria. The motion for the debate was “This house believes that politicians have a right to a private life outside of public scrutiny”.
The opening address for the event was given by Granth Vanaik, former Debate & MUN club head, who formally handed over the charge of the club to the new heads and gave a few words of encouragement to the new members of the club.

As the rules of the competition were being announced, the excitement in the air was palpable. The participants took to the stage with vigour and presented their arguments confidently. Aparajitha and Kruthi represented the proposition and the opposition was represented by Kishan and Rohan. The competition held the audience’s attention by acknowledging their questions and taking their ideas about the motion into consideration.
Both sides engaged in a healthy war of words and the debate was settled with the proposition represented by Aparajitha and Kruthi emerging victorious. The victors were felicitated by the the Vrittanta Student Coordinators, Sanskruthi and Rishvanth.  The competition was a great learning experience for all the members of the club.
The event was concluded with an address by the clubs heads.

Language and Literature

An informative lecture session was organised by ‘AKSHAR’ – the Literary club of Vrittanta, under the leadership of club heads, A Lanciya Saji and Sahar Basharat., on 4th of December 2019. The session conducted by Dr. Christine Ann Thomas (Department of English), on the topic of ‘Language and Literature’, gave students an opportunity to self-examine their own literary abilities and ways to improve their talents.

The lecture session from 12.p.m to 12:30. p.m. commenced with the club heads welcoming the guest speaker and introducing her to the club members. Dr. Christine initiated the discussion with an introduction to two aspects of English- Language and Literature. The session progressed with detailed examination of the significance of literature in the present world, with valid examples of skills enhanced through Literature, like critical thinking and writing skills.

Dr. Christine further elaborated on the different approaches and perspectives to deal with a piece of literature. The session concluded with explanation of methods to enhance the reading and writing skills of students. The session by Dr. Christine equipped students with valuable insights and visions to enhance their literary skills.

Debate Tournament 2019

Rajneethi – the debate and MUN club of Vrittanta (Undergraduate student association of the Department of International Studies and History), organised a Debate tournament on 20th December 2019, with a relevant theme of ‘Globalisation and National Sovereignty’, under the leadership of club heads Paroma Raha, Varun Venkat and Chris Maria.
The debate event commenced with a brief address by Rishwanth (Student Coordinator, Vrittanta). It was followed by the explanation of rules and regulations by the club heads Paroma and Varun. The motion of the debate was revealed as “the house believes that China and India should bear the same obligations as the West in fighting climate change”. The formal debate followed, with two rounds and four speakers each from the proposition and opposition houses.
The first speaker from the proposition house ignited the debate with powerful arguments, followed by other speakers from proposition and opposition. Each speaker marked their presence on stage with compelling ideas pertaining to the concepts like ‘the trade off between development and survival’ in the globalised era. The debate was moderated by club head Varun and Ms. Lakshmi (MA International Studies) served as the judge for the competition.
After a long thought-provoking debate, that evoked ideas right from environmental degradation to historical disparity between nations, the much-awaited results were announced by the judge, Ms. Lakshmi. Aparichita and Rohan won the first position. Kruthi and Manasi came to hold the second position.
The event provided students with credible insights into the broader theme of ‘Globalisation and National sovereignty.

Quiz- India since 1947

‘Gyankosh’ – the quiz club of Vrittanta (Undergraduate Student Association of the Department of International Studies and History), organised a quiz competition on the topic ‘India since 1947’ on 11th December 2019. The quiz was an initiative to reemphasise the focus on ‘Revisiting Ideas’ – the theme of Vrittanta for the year. Reasserting the value of the theme, the quiz evolved to be a platform for retrospect, which made students to remember and acknowledge the valuable contributions made by the distinguished personalities of our past. The quiz provided an opportunity for students to pay tribute to them by revisiting the pages of history, and to celebrate their eventful lives that has constructed the past and eventually shaped the future.
The quiz event was headed by the Quiz club heads, Sreenaga devika and Anuroop. The quiz covered wide ranging topics related to the ideas and achievements of various eminent personalities in Indian history. The first position in the quiz was bagged by the team of Ayush Rai and Panchal Rastogi from 6 HEP. The team of Rohan Bhattajarjee and Sathyajith M.S (4 HEP) was selected as the first runner-up. And the team of Neelima Mariya Pulikottil and Koushi Nigam became the second runner-up in the competition. The event concluded with a note of thanks by the two club heads. Dr. Anurag Tripathi (Assistant Professor, Department of International Studies and History) and Dr. Vineeth Thomas (Assistant Professor, Department of International Studies and History) awarded prizes to all the winners.
The quiz enlightened the participants with a spirit of exploring the immortal visions of some of the greatest personalities ever existed on earth.

Debate Tournament January 2020

-  Organised by the Debate and Mun club of Vrittanta (Constitution week)

Event: Debate Competition                                                             

Date:17th January 2020
Day: Friday                                                                                     

Venue:4 EPS Classroom
Club: Debate and MUN club

Rajneeti, the Debate and MUN club of Vrittanta (Undergraduate Student Association of the Department of International Studies and History) hosted a Debate Competition on 17th January 2020. The debate event was organised with regard to the Constitution Week celebrations of Vrittanta, under the leadership of club heads Varun, Paroma and Chris Maria.
The rules of the competition were explained by the Clubheads, and a Presidential format Debate followed, with its motion revealed as “The House Believes That Fundamental Duties should be made binding by law under the Indian Constitution”. Eight participants, four each presented their arguments for and against the motion, marked their presence with the most appealing statements. The participants were able to provide credible and informative knowledge on the constitutional aspects regarding Fundamental Duties and were able to make compelling analysis of complex issues like the legality of Fundamental Duties in India.
Ms Tanishka (MA International Studies) served as the judge for the competition. The event gave a wonderful opportunity for students to explore the constitutional and legal framework of the country. The event concluded with and address by Ms. Taniska who provided her valuable feedback to the participants, followed by a formal word of thanks by the club heads.

ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION BY THE LITERARY CLUB OF VRITTANTA

Akshar-the literary club of Vrittanta (Undergraduate student association of the Department of International Studies and History) hosted an essay writing competition on the 16th of January 2020 as a part of the Department's week-long celebration of 'Constitution Week'. The event was spearheaded by the club heads, Sahar and Linciya under the leadership of the Student Coordinators of Vrittanta, Sanskruthi and Rishwanth.
The competition included two stimulating essay topics that the participants could choose from, the first being "State- a requisite for human's societal existence" and the second being "If you were to choose the course India took after her independence in 1947, what would you choose in terms of governance and why?" These topics were curated by the club heads and guaranteed to get everyone's creative juices flowing.
There was active participation in the event by every student of 1st & 2nd year (B.A HEP) and (B.A EPS). The topics challenged their inventiveness and the students definitely rose to the occasion. The competition provided a platform for the students to actualize their ideas through the medium of creative writing.

QUIZ COMPETITION

The Quiz club (Gyankosh) and Electoral club (Raashtika) of Vrittanta (Undergraduate Student Association of the Department of International Studies and History), together hosted a Department level Quiz Competition on 21st January 2020. The quiz event was organised in the context of the ‘Constitution Week’ observed by Vrittanta.

The leadership of both Electoral Club and Quiz Club coordinated together to arrange an effective quiz competition under the relevant theme of ‘The Electoral System in India’. The Quiz Club heads Anuroop and Sreenagadevika, along with the Electoral Club heads Shobitha and Drishti ensured to maintain a fair atmosphere of competitive spirit throughout the Quiz. The Quiz covered a wide spectrum of significant subtopics related to the evolution of elections in the greatest democracy of the World. A number of teams from various classes of the department participated in the quiz, which was regulated by Shobitha (Electoral Club Head) and Anuroop (Quiz Club Head).
The quiz event provided students with an opportunity to retrospect the electoral history of India.

j

ELOCUTION COMPETITION

An elocution competition was organised, under the theme of ‘Contributions of Indian Leaders to the Constitution’, with regard to the ‘Constitution Week’ celebrated by Vrittanta (Undergraduate Student Association of the Department of International Studies and History), on 22nd January 2020. The event was hosted by Akshar – the Literary Club in collaboration with Raashtrika, the Electoral Club of Vrittanta, with the aim of revisiting the invaluable contributions of great legends of Indian History, that shaped the democratic credentials inherited by India till date.

 Each participant made strong impact on the audience with the most interesting and relevant information about the contributions of the leaders of their choice. The event became a platform to retrospect and remember the impacts made by the prominent figures like Dr B.R Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Ammu Swaminathan, B.N Rao, Krishna Swami Iyer, in the Constituent Assembly. The competition was judged by Dr. Payal Sen (Assistant Professor, Department of International Studies and History), who also provided students with constructive feedback about their performances.
The event made a sincere effort to recollect and acknowledge the inestimable influence of the great leaders who remoulded the destiny of India.

Short Film Analysis

A first of its kind, the Short Film Analysis competition was hosted by Khalak-the film club of Vrittanta under the leadership of its passionate club heads Deepika, Hiral and Anirudh as a part of the Department of International Studies and History’s ‘Constitution Week’ leading up to the Republic Day Celebrations.
From a miscellany of critically acclaimed and popular short films, the club chose to screen Reyka Zehtabchi’s Oscar-winning short film, “PERIOD. End of Sentence.” This film provides a refreshing take on rural India's views on menstruation and its effect on the lives of women living in such areas.  It also showcases how normalizing discussions about menstruation and providing women with proper sanitation methods can liberate them from the shackles of shame surrounding this subject and put an end to the limitation placed on their abilities and dreams due to unsanitary practices. The film also showcases Padma Shri awardee Arunachalam Muruganantham’s work to help rural women earn an income and get access to low cost and effective sanitary pads by employing rural women in the making of pads in simple machines that he made himself.

In their analysis, the participants had to express their opinions about the film and their understanding of the film’s storyline, discontinuities, language, background score, settings and colours. The participants were organized into teams of five and given thirty minutes to come up with their analysis. The room was abuzz with discussions as all teams diligently got to work. The unique descriptions in their analyses exhibited the different ways in which each participant perceived the film.

The competition was concluded with a vote of thanks by the club heads.

VOTERS' AWARENESS DRIV
 Voting is a powerful right exercised by the citizens of India. But sometimes, this change-inducing right can be taken for granted or as an unimportant aspect of being a citizen, especially, when it comes to the youth. Therefore, it becomes important to make the population aware of how voting helps them become a part of the decision-making processes that impact their daily lives.
To spread such awareness among the students of Christ (Deemed to be) University, Raashtrika-The Electoral Literacy Club of Vrittanta led by its passionate club heads, Drishti Baliga and Shobhita Naidu, organized a “Voters’ Awareness Drive” to conclude the “Constitution Week” hosted by the Department of International Studies and History leading up to the Republic Day Celebrations.

The participants of the drive informed students of the power of voting through their compelling slogans and thought-provoking posters. There was a buzz of curiosity in the air as the spectators keenly admired the campaigners and absorbed the powerful message being delivered by the Electoral Literacy Club.
The club heads hope that their energetic campaign made an impact and encouraged young voters to enrol and exercise their power to induce change as a citizen. Through its efforts to create innovative ways to inspire youth to engage in democratic processes, Raashtrika aspires to actualize the aim of the Election Commission of India- ‘NO VOTER TO BE LEFT BEHIND’.

Dance Competition January 2020

A dance competition was organized by Nartana- the Dance Club of Vrittanta as a part of the Department of International Studies and History’s “Constitution Week” leading up to the Republic Day Celebrations. The theme for the competition was “Social Issues of India”.
The event commenced with the Steffy and Jamy (Dance Club Heads) giving a welcome address to all those gathered to witness this exciting spectacle of creative expression. Then, the club heads welcomed the esteemed judge of the event, Ms Avishka, who is a member of the renowned dance group, Aikya.

Dance is considered as a medium of expression through movement that originates from the soul and the participants used this very medium to convey their thoughts and interpretations of various social issues that concern India in the present day. They explored themes such as violence and prejudice against women and paid tribute to the martyrs and soldiers of India. The dancers captivated the audience and made deep impressions upon them through their brilliant story-telling.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by the club heads.

PATRIOTIC SONG COMPETITION BY THE MUSIC CLUB OF VRITTANTA

The music club of Vrittanta held its first competition as a part of the Department of International Studies and History’s “Constitution Week” leading up to the Republic Day Celebrations. The theme of the competition was patriotism.
The event commenced with a welcome address by VVS Padmaja (club head) who also reinstated the rules of the event to the participating groups. Then, the club heads welcomed the two distinguished judges of the event, Mr Samuel Henry and Ms Neha Kailash Nair.
The first performance was by team Dhvani. Their mellifluous performance of a beautifully arranged patriotic song medley enchanted the audience. The second performance was put up by Team Alfa, who showcased a mélange of popular patriotic songs that deeply moved the audience. Finally, Team Veronica performed a remarkable rendition of the John Denver classic, ‘Take me home to Country Roads’.
Loud applause filled the room as each group impressed the audience with their beautiful performance. Ms Neha Kailash Nair, one of the esteemed judges, who is a Hindustani classical trained musician and a member of the University Choir, gave the teams personalized notes on their performances and pointed to their areas of improvement. Mr Samuel Henry who is a member of the University Choir and a grade 6 piano artist certified by the Trinity College in London was also a judge at the event. He gave the participants kind words of encouragement and boosted their morale through his undeniable passion for music.

The programme culminated with a vote of thanks by the club heads.

Online Voter ID Registration Workshop

Voting is a fundamental right of any citizen that enables him/her to choose the leader of his/ her choice. It helps in the realization of one’s political duties and importance of citizenship. It is the power bestowed upon the citizens in a democracy to uphold popular sovereignty. Thus enrolling oneself in the electoral system of his/her nation-state becomes pivotal with reference to this duty towards the nation.
In this regard, Raashtrika, the electoral literacy club of Vrittanta ,UG Association of Department of International Studies and History, CHRIST (Deemed To Be University), conducted a workshop on Online Voter ID Registration for the students of second semester EPS and HEP course on 27th January and February 03rd 2020. The event was conducted by the club heads under the guidance of Dr.Vineeth Thomas, Assistant Professor, Department of International Studies and History.
The students were enabled to register themselves by rendering an application to the Election Commission of India through its online portal, for the inclusion of their names to the electoral roll, to facilitate their voting rights in future elections. For those who had not attained the eligible age, training was given on the procedures to enroll themselves which would help them in future. The students participated enthusiastically in this process, thus contributing towards their electoral rights as youth and as citizens of this country. By this exercise the club believes that the students would gain awareness and spread the same to rest of the society as responsible citizens.

REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATIONS
Vrittanta (Undergraduate Student Association of the Department of International Studies and History) organised the exiting event of its Republic Day Celebrations on 24 January 2020 as a concluding ceremony for its week long observance of ‘Constitution Week’. The event was arranged to commemorate the 71st year of India as a republic and to revisit the path of its extra ordinary transformation into a republic.

The event started with the lighting of traditional lamp by the dignitaries. Dr. Vagishwari (HOD, Department of International studies and History), Dr. Vineeth Thomas (Assistant Professor, Department of International Studies and History), Dr Anurag Tripathi (Assistant Professor, Department of International Studies and History) blessed the occasion with their presence. A magnificent dance performance was presented by ‘Nartana’, the dance club of Vrittanta under the theme ‘Dance for Freedom’. ‘Nattakom’-the Theatre Club of Vrittanta presented a thought-provoking skit to remind about an extraordinary personality in the history of Indian Republic- the father of Nation – Mahatma Gandhi. The skit gave a strong message to the audience that Gandhian ideologies were not a matter of past, but are also very much relevant to the present. A Quiz Book prepared by the collective effort of Gyankosh-the Quiz Club of Vrittanta, was released by Dr Vagishwari. The Book name ‘My India’ was prepared by the Quiz Club to capture the diverse and pluralistic nature of India as a nation and also to trace its historic journey to the present.

The Republic Day celebration event also became a platform for the official installation of new office bearers of Vrittanta for the year 2020. A well-motivated team of the heads of all the clubs and Core Committees of Vrittanta took charge of their new responsibilities under the leadership of the student convenors Rishwanth and Sanskruthi.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks presented by the new Vrittanata coordinators Rishwanth and Sanskruthi.

DOODLING COMPETITION

A doodling competition was organized by the Kayal Art Club of Vrittanta, Department of International Studies and History on January 23, 2020. This event was held as a part of the ‘Constitution Week’ being hosted by the Department of International Studies and History leading up to the Republic Day Celebrations.
The theme of the competition was “The Indian Emergency of 1975” and the artists were prompted to create doodles that conveyed the various situations, emotions or people attached to the incident and depict the impact of the emergency on the country.
The participants put pen to paper and drew highly expressive and artistic doodles that deserved high praise due to the precise details etched into them. The “doodling” style of art allowed immense creative freedom to the artists and that reflected in the stunning artworks that were presented by them. The participants portrayed various perspectives on the theme through their work.
The event concluded with the artists providing a brief idea on the motivation behind their artwork and a vote of thanks by the club heads.

BOOK TALK HOW INDIA BECAME DEMOCRATIC” BY ORNIT SHANI

Akshar – the Literary club and Raashtrika – the Electoral club of Vrittanta together organised a Book Talk on the book “How India Became Democratic” by Ornit Shani. The book talk explored various dimensions of the evolution of democracy in India, specifically basing on the conduct of the first post independent elections.
The Book Talk started with a welcome address by Linciya (Literary Club Head). The talk was moderated by Sahar (Literary club Head), who also provided a brief introduction about the book and its author. Then the six informed speakers expressed their valuable insights from the book, about the biggest democratic process in the history of the wold- the first general elections of India. The Book Talk followed a smooth trajectory, drawing attention into various aspects of first elections in India, like the bureaucratic organisation, preparation of first electoral roll and the role of constituent assembly secretariat.
Complex questions like how Indians became voters before they were citizens, as addressed in the book, were deeply studied and analysed. The speakers further elaborated upon each minute aspects of the conduct and coordination of first general election explained in the book. The book talk concluded with a formal vote of thanks by Shobitha (Electoral Club Head)
The Book Talk was an opportunity for the student speakers and audience to trace the path of the greatest ever democratic experiment in History- how a land with unhealed wounds of partition and millions of illiterate populations was refined to enjoy the light of democracy.

Documentary Screening- India Inked

The electoral literacy club of the Department of International Studies and History, showed ‘India Inked: History’s Biggest Election’, a documentary by History TV featuring the electoral process in India. A discussion was later held regarding the same in order to further understand the nuances of the electoral process.

The documentary was about the weeks-long process involved in conducting elections across the nation. From initiation by the election commission of India to the counting of votes and declaration of results, it did a pretty thorough job of covering everything and everyone involved in conducting elections for our vast country of 1.2 billion people.  The documentary also highlighted some interesting facts like the oldest voter in India, Shyam Saran Negi, and the extreme locations where polling booths are set up for making it convenient for people to exercise their right. It showed how members of marginalised communities come forward to express their rights in a democracy.

The documentary educated the members about the election process and the faith that the civilians have in the electoral system. It was proof of how teamwork can lead to wonders.

Online Voter ID Registration Workshop-Part 2

Voting is a fundamental right of any citizen that enables him/her to choose the leader of his/ her choice. It helps in the realization of one’s political duties and importance of citizenship. It is the power bestowed upon the citizens in a democracy to uphold popular sovereignty. Thus enrolling oneself in the electoral system of his/her nation-state becomes pivotal with reference to this duty towards the nation.In this regard, Raashtrika, the electoral literacy club of Vrittanta, UG Association of Department of International Studies and History, CHRIST (Deemed To Be University), conducted a workshop on Online Voter ID Registration for the students of second semester HEP course on 12th February 2020. The event was conducted by the club heads under the guidance of Dr.Vineeth Thomas, Assistant Professor, Department of International Studies and History.

The students were enabled to register themselves by rendering an application to the Election Commission of India through its online portal, for the inclusion of their names to the electoral roll, to facilitate their voting rights in future elections. For those who had not attained the eligible age, training was given on the procedures to enroll themselves which would help them in future. The students participated enthusiastically in this process, thus contributing towards their electoral rights as youth and as citizens of this country. By this exercise the club believes that the students would gain awareness and spread the same to rest of the society as responsible citizens.

Lecture on Post Colonialism

Rajneeti-the Debate and MUN Club of Vrittanta organised an informative lecture session as a part of the latest lecture series of Vrittanta. The lecture on the specific theme of ‘Colonial and Postcolonial Discourse’ was conducted by the key speaker of the day, Prof.Sreelatha. R (Assistant Professor, Department of English). The session aimed at expanding the horizons of colonial and postcolonial understanding of the world
The session started with a welcome address and a brief introduction by Sanskruthi (Student Convenor, Vrittanta). The session by Prof.Sreelatha covered a wide spectrum of subtopics pertaining to the broader theme of post-colonial discourse, ranging from conceptual understanding of neo-colonial discourse to more sophisticated subjects like epistemological violence of the post truth world. The lecture centred around one central concern-the commodification of the subaltern in the post-colonial era, provided meaningful insights into the modern social realities.
The session that progressed by analysing the studies of famous scholars threw light upon the problem of approaching Indian Literature through the defective lens of Orientalism and also stressed upon Anglo Centrism in postcolonial understanding. The session ended with an interactive question-answer period. And finally, the vote of thanks was delivered by Chris Maria (Club Head, Debate and MUN Club) on behalf of Vrittanta.
The speaker concluded the lecture with a highly thought-provoking question- “Is the word Postcolonialism an empty signifier?”. The session enlightened the students with diversified versions of colonial, postcolonial and neo-colonial discourse, which helps to gain parallel understanding of the contemporary dynamics of the world.

Poster Making Competition

Voting is one of the most important responsibilities of a citizen and decides the fate of the country and its people for a considerable amount of time. Voting makes all the difference between having a government that cares about its people and one that cares about itself.
The much-awaited Poster Making competition was organised by Raashtrika, Electoral Literacy Club of Department of International Studies, Political Science and History, CHRIST (Deemed To Be University) as one of its concluding activities for the Even Semester 2019-20. With the theme as ‘The Power of Vote’, the 19 eager participants got to conjuring up some thought-provoking pieces. Largely comprising first-year students, they got a platform to express their ideas in a creative manner and show how ready they are to start understanding concepts like voting and its vitality. The way they managed to capture a vote’s power via art is truly worthy of praise.  It was an hour of joy as the sounds of drawing pencils and rustling papers filled the room.
This event can be said to have been one of the most successful events of the Electoral Literacy Club, yet. It helped to make an impact on the youngsters and got their creative juices running. The break from theory and the freedom that comes with art enabled them to give their best.

Kayal Art Exhibition-February 2020

KAYAL- The Art Club of Vrittanta, hosted its first art exhibition of the year on the 14th and 15th of February.
The theme chosen for this exhibition was ‘Love and Nostalgia’. When asked about why they chose this theme, Clubhead Shirisha explained, “We wanted to make Valentine’s Day a celebration of more than one kind of love and a day to remember our childhood and the years gone by”.
The exhibits ranged from love and nostalgia-themed décor pieces including spray painted bottles, glitter-filled jars, message bottles and hand-made wind chimes to posters and original artwork that depicted various kinds of love.
All the proceeds from the exhibition go towards an Outreach Project in collaboration with CSA (Centre for Social Action). “The income earned from the exhibition goes towards painting the classrooms of children who come from underprivileged backgrounds. We hope that our contribution towards their classrooms keeps them engaged in studying to make a better future for themselves”, said Shrija and Ashika, Co-Club Heads of Kayal.
Kayal will return with another Art Exhibition in the upcoming semester.