28/11/2014

28/11/2014; 13:59:

It’s been two busy days. There was one class on the morning of the 26th. We then went out for lunch, to celebrate a batch-mate’s birthday. Lunch was very enjoyable. I waited around after lunch to meet a friend who was visiting.

I was back on campus, just in time to make the 9 p.m. meeting. A meet had been arranged by the social committee, for our batch to interact with the seniors and hear about their social internship experiences. About a dozen seniors turned up to share their varied experiences- they had interned at NGO’s, CSR-wings, CSR Consultancies and taken up individual project under different foundations. More than anything else, it made us aware of the options on offer.

Right after the meeting ended, there were interviews to be conducted, 10:30 p.m. onwards, to select associate members for the Media Committee. A 5-member panel sat, taking interviews, for 5 hours. A successful night was wrapped up at around 3:30 a.m.

I was up in 2 hours, at 6 a.m., for there was a visit to Aasthagram, Khargone as part of the project being undertaken by the Social Committee. We reached Khargone at around 10 a.m. Post- breakfast, we split up into our assigned teams and set off. One team was to work on Financial Literacy- enlightening class 11 students about the working of a Bank, fixed deposits, NEFT’s and ATM’s. Another was to work with the students in Aasthagram, engaging them in games of Chess & Carrom. A third – the team composed of the senior members of the Social Committee was to sit and chalk out detailed plans for a working long-term model. And, lastly the Media Team was to be everywhere they pleased! Aasthagram Trust houses about 80 hostel students on campus, has 30 day scholars and also supports other schools in the area through different programs, like the one our team conducted on Financial Literacy. On campus, their school follows a policy of inclusive education, where differently-abled students study in the same class as all other students. I sat with a group of about 9 girls, telling them how chess worked. It took me a while to realise that 5 of them were deaf & mute- the kids had perfect coordination- the ones who could hear had been signing everything that I was saying, as I was saying it! It was perfect- I did not even notice the gap; only an obvious signing when one of the girls was making a wrong move made me aware of the happening.
By 6:00 p.m., everyone was tired but happy! And, we’ve all made plans to go back as soon as our schedules permit. I’ve taken up a project to conduct workshops for the local youth on job applications, CV’ and interviews. This shall keep me occupied, during the December break. Of course, all plans to visit home or elsewhere had to be cancelled. We left Khargone a little after 7 and were back just in time for a bath before the SAC-EC meeting at 11 p.m.

The SAC-EC meeting was called, to work on the IPM Constitution. It’s like the Drafting Assembly. Most of the Constitution has been put together by the SAC-C, using the PGP Constitution as reference. We’re just working on changes and clarifications before it is made open to all to propose changes/ seek clarification. The meeting ended with us having read through about half the document. Another meeting is in store.

Today evening will see AMPLIFID – the music event that has been put together by the Music Club, AMPLIF-I! The evening promises an array of competitions, an open-mic session, an open-Jamming session and Karaoke! And, the prizes for winning the various events – theme-based singing, musician face-off and jingle-making- are all in the form of free food from the Smokin’ Joes and Buddy Café stalls that have been roped in for the event. Looking forward!