Showing posts with label Memory Book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memory Book. Show all posts

Friday 22 March 2019

Memorabilia 2018-19


Memorabilia 2018-19

From the desk of Head of the Department

The Memorabilia 2018-19 reminds the sense of an ending. Julian Barnes has rightly said that the sense of an ending is one of the most curious senses. There are ‘senses’ which are very crucial for human beings. The senses like ‘common-sense’ is necessary to understand worldly affairs when our academic sense fails to unlock the enigmatic life. Similarly, ‘civic-sense’ makes us responsible and accountable citizens of the democracy. Likewise, ‘academic-sense’ guides us in using lessons learned in academia at right time and right place. Unlike these senses, political senses is not much valued and talked about. However, for the citizens who are eligible for casting their votes in democracy, this sense is as inevitable as any other. Bertolt Brecht has equated this with literacy and told very boldly that the worst illiterate is the political illiterate. s/he hears nothing, sees nothing, takes no part in political life . . . and does not seem to know that all citizens life depends on political decisions. Among all these senses, it is ‘historical sense’ which makes a huge difference. In T.S. Eliot’s words - the historical sense involves a perception, not only of the pastness of the past, but of its presence. The historical sense will help in better perception of zeitgeist of our time and space. It is this sense which differentiates people from sheople (sheep + people). We, at Department of English, while teaching English studies, makes an attempt to see that students develop these senses and become more sensible towards their personal lives as well as our society.
Coming back to the sense of an ending, the most curious sense of all these high-profile senses. When we get towards the end of two years, when a batch full of students are passing out – some curious feelings engulf and numbs our senses. No! It is not this Keatsianmy heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains’ – sort of sense of an ending. It means an end of any likelihood of change in the life. We work very hard and we expect a sort of progressive, positive, and constructive metamorphosis among those with whom we so passionately get involved. At the end of the year, the sense of an ending engulfs.
This Memorabilia 2018-19 is nothing but a sort of pensive of all those wonderful memories. It is like that Time-Turner device made by Ministry of Magic in J K Rowling’s Potter series. It is like the Time Machine of H. G. Wells. Turning pages of this memory-booklet is like unwinding the time in Time-Turner or travelling back in the Time Machine.
 All credit for this sort of meticulous record keeping goes to the Documentation Committee. It is really tough task. However, social media like Facebook is helping a lot to them in keeping records. It was always satisfying to read their posts in the happenings with an interesting write-up and a few photos. It is even more satisfying to revisit all those ‘happenings’ in this Memorabilia, again.
When I look back at the quality of students who are passing out, I see that these students were a bit quicker in adapting to technology than the previous batches. These students have surprised me on several occasions. From presenting their work in digital form to working on online surveys, or preparing certificates with mail-merge feature, or collecting data, or working in collaboration, or even this Memorabilia itself . . . . With almost professional precision, they used assistive technology. I hope the digital skills they have acquired and honed are going to be very vital in their future career and life.
Another unique feature perceived in this batch was their courage and confidence to speak-up and voice their happiness as well as angst and anxiety. Many of them wrote and some even published good poems, short stories, social media posts and blogs.

This was the batch on which we worked very hard to improve their English language. Not that these students were very poor in English language. They possessed normal English language skills which is common with all other batches. However, this time we were able to spare time for remedial classes, answer-writing workshops and academic writing workshops. In a way, this batch is fortunate to have many sessions of improving academic English writing skills. Some of them have learned it and displayed the improvement in their writings also.

It is a tradition that most of the activities are carried out by students of the Department. They are divided in various committees and those willing to lead become natural leaders. Every year, apart from regular co-curricular activities, some unique activities are also planned by these committee members. This year,

  •  ·         the Library committee planned a visit of Barton Library. This library is historically very important site for all book lovers,
  •  ·         the ICT committee organised workshop for P.G. students of all departments and exposed them to basic digital tools. The entire workshop was conducted by senior students and even the resource persons were members of ICT committee,
  •  ·         the Film Screening committee organised watching Hindi film Uri – The Surgical Strike in the cinema theatre,
  •  ·         the Art and Creativity committee organised various competitions on the occasion of Guru Purnima and made digital display of short stories, paintings, poems, photographs and rangoli and winners were selected by online public voting system,
  •  ·         the Celebration committee celebrated International Day of Yoga at Department, the credit of maximum participation in Sports and Adventure activities goes to the Sports and Recreation committee,
  • ·         the Gardening committee carried out projects to support Swacch Bharat / Clean India campaign,
  • ·         the Daily Schedule committee organised some very courageous debates on challenging issues like Pulwama Terror Attack, Adultery Act section 497 of  IPC, LGBT Act section 377 of IPC.


All members of the committee from Semester 4 and 2 are appreciated for these unique activities. We know that all humans are not similar. Neither are we born to do similar things in life, nor are we supposed to think alike. We all are unique and the uniqueness shall be maintained, irrespective of what-so-ever-life offers us. In spite of this, the fact remains that this rule does not apply to leaders. The leaders are supposed to be different from other people. The uniqueness of leaders lies in the fact that they are ready to merge and assimilate with one and all. That’s the sure way to lead the people. 




There is a famous quote ascribed to Bruce Lee: Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.  Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” Leader are supposed to be like water. It is glad to see that without knowing all these things most of you have displayed these characteristics. Be with it. In future, you may unlearn many things and relearn also. But do not unlearn these characteristics of leadership which you have acquired by being so – water like! 

Lastly, keep reading literature. Great readers make for great leaders! Reading literature ripens our maturity. The emotional, intelligence, spiritual, creativity, adversity, and physical quotients (EQ, IQ, SQ, CQ, AQ, PQ of literature students / readers are much higher and deeper than students of any other subjects / discipline. At the same time, I would like to suggest to watch as many films as you can. In this year, we have seen the rise of web streaming services. It has opened new vistas for acquiring all these quotients which altogether makes for literary quotients and literary sensibility. If one wants to put it in arithmetic equation, it shall have an integer of multiplication. 

So, it can be – LQ = IQ x EQ x SQ x CQ x AQ x PQ

In addition, L = B + eB + F + YT + WS +TV, wherein Literature is equal to books, eBooks, films, YouTube, Web Steaming and Television. 

Do not nurture bias against these mediums. Do not privilege one over the other. All are equally important for the acquisition of literary quotient.


Wish you all the best for your future career and life. Keep sharing your achievements with us. We will make anecdotes out of your achievements and turn you into role-models for upcoming batches of students.

-         Dilip Barad

The Memorabilia 2018-19



Wednesday 9 May 2018

Memorabilia 2017-18

Memorabilia 2017-18

From the Desk of the Department

Milan Kundera has rightly observed that it is difficult to understand ‘Memory’ unless we apply mathematical approach. So, the ratio between the amount of time lived and the amount of time from that life that is stored in memory is something significant. No one has ever tried to calculate this ratio, and in fact there exists no technique for doing so; yet without much risk of error one could assume that the memory retains no more than a millionth, a hundred-millionth, in short, an utterly infinitesimal bit of the lived life. Except an imaginary device like ‘Pensieve’, it is not possible to preserve ‘events’ in ‘memory’ as it happened. However, there are dangers of having Pensieve and so not all Witches / Wizards in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter world kept it. It was Dumbledore who kept Pensieve.
This Memorabilia is something between Kundera’s mathematical approach and Dumbledore’s Pensieve. The Memorabilia 2017-18 retains and recreates infinitesimal bit of students and teachers lived experience in the Department of English, M.K. Bhavnagar University. At the same time, it is not as magically powerful as Pensieve wherein one can have a peep inside the dark memory which is to be hidden, ashamed off, holds super secrets and protects the privacy of those mentioned in it. Nevertheless, the Memorabilia 2017-18 has something more than what Milan Kundera refers as ‘infinitesimal bit of memory’ and something less than the power of storing dark memories by Pensieve. After all, we have to be ‘politically correct’ and hence abstain from ‘documenting’ dark-secretive memories even at the cost of imperfections.
Looking back at the memories created by the students of Batch 2016-18, I see yet another bunch of talented, beaming with spark, and confident young 22 students ready to perform in real life situations. Let me take an opportunity of this space and refer to some of the incredible talents they displayed during last two years.
Ajit Kaliya is a gifted artist. His paintings are not only aesthetically pleasing but are deeply meaningful. He brought several laurels to our Department by winning positions in Cartooning, Collage and Installations at University, Zonal and National Level Youth Festivals. His art can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/kaliya.ajit.5/photos_albums
Alpa Ponda is a very good in acting and in performing arts like drama. It was her vision and hard work that after many years, our Department participated in One Act Play, Mon0 Acting and Skit in the Youth Festival of MKBU. She also presented though provoking research paper on film adaptation of Devdas at M.S. University A K Ramanujan Paper reading contest. She being the leader of ‘Film Screening Committee’, has screened several films, plays and programmes with the help of other members.
Architaba Gohil is excellent in photography. On several occasions, she displayed her artistic photos in Daily Schedule. It was her concept of Photography competition. The Department organised first of its kind Mobile Photography Competition and ranks were decided through online public voting. She being the leader of ‘Art and Creativity Committee’ has envisioned several creative programmes with the help of other members.
Budhiditya Das was one of the most-remotest students Department ever had. Coming from the Eastern state Assam, in this Western part of India, she would have undergone several cultural shocks which, in turn, would have enriched her experience of ‘knowing India as nation’. As the leader of Library committee, she managed all the affairs related to keeping records of books and its distribution to students, research scholars and other teachers. Libraries are very important centres of learning and is the place were ‘soul of academic institute’ is located. Somehow, in digital times, libraries are fast becoming insignificant, an artefact of digital cultures erasing the essence of being human. Thus, her task is even tougher. She stood up to the mark and presented annual report / charts, which is worth watching in this Memorabilia. We hope, she will leave Department / MKBU / Gujarat with positive imprints in her memory.
Namrata Zala, the leader of ICT committee, has taken technology integration a step ahead. She and other committee members planned very useful workshop for fresh students so that they can learn the ‘know-hows’ of use of technology in Department for various academic purposes. This was a very idea, which Department will institutionalise it for upcoming years. With the able help of Dharaba Zala and other members, she managed to carry out very tough task of managing Laptop-Bank and other ICT related issues. This committee has the toughest job as we are not very good in technology and have to keep on trouble-shooting new errors, time and again.
Rinkal Jani, as a leader of Daily Schedule committee, has displayed astonishing and incredible punctuality. She never missed to ask about the Daily Schedule and all Daily Schedules were very well managed. Special attractions of DS were those Special Days celebrated with varied academic, non-academic presentations made by students. So, the days like Hindi Language Day, International Women’s Day, Guru Purnima etc were very well accomplished under her able guidance. This committee members have to come early to manage several things. She and her committee members stood up to the expectations. Throughout the year, DS became wonderful assembly of ideas and personal presentations. This year they came up with an idea of Slums Visit. It was eye-opening to listen to their reports about the lives of poor slum dwelers and their cravings for quality education for their future generations. All credit goes to Rinkal and her committee members.
Megha Trivedi, with a sheer talent for academic work, is promising talent and can have bright career in academics. Her performance in presentations was remarkable. As time ripens, her habit of hard work will give her the fruits of success in real life. She was leader of Gardening Committee. Memory tree plantation, cleanliness of the vicinity of Department and maintenance of planted trees were the responsibilities of this committee. If you are impressed by the ‘green’ outside the Department building, thanks to her and the Gardening Committee.
Mansi, Kavita, Mital, Riddhi, Krishna are silent workers. Being in the committee of Bulletin Board, they took care that the poems of students, paintings on the occasions of festivals and quotable quotes on notice board are presented on the bulletin board. What they missed was news about latest happenings in India and around the world.
Matangi Bhatt was the leader of celebration committee and he was quite enthusiastic about it. They celebrated festivals like Holi, Christmas and Kite Flying. It was she and her committee members who deserves a big big thanks for all festive colours that the Department celebrated.
Komal Shahedapuri, the leader for entire academic year, managed everything with meticulous care and consideration. This was the year, in which as Head of the Department, I received least complaints from students about each other. The credit goes the leader who manages everyday affairs of the Department. With additional responsibilities, she was very punctual in all her tasks and activities in personal capacity also. Many students stand with an excuse for not doing the tasks on time on grounds of one or other works. She, to the best of my memory, never gave an excuse for not completing the tasks or activities. In addition, she and Megha Trivedi has taken additional project work which requires filed survey also.
It will be odd to use the cliché, ‘last but not the least important’ but let it be used to write about Documentation Committee and its leader Surbhi Gausvami. It is, indeed, extremely tough to remain on your toes throughout the year and keep records of all that is happening in and around institutes, which is busy doing lot many things and almost every week ‘something happens’. She very well documented happenings on Facebook and thus gave a very good social media coverage to the activities of Department. What makes social media post significant is - a small but sensible writeup with the photos of the events – and she was able to do so effectively. Komal, Megha and other students also helped in social media documentations. This Memorabilia is also edited by her and the team. It requires lots of perseverance and persistence in working throughout the year for documentation and then organise it in such a presentable shape. It was a tough call, and I am glad to say that Surbhi and her team have done far better than expected. (Visit this for the evidence of the work: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100016979435748 )
I  may miss out some students like Arti Vadher (who has excellent talents if used appropriately, she can achieve unimaginable things in life), Kiran Vora (again a gem of person who outshines others in Presentations but rather inactive at other times), Binkalba Gohil, Mital Raval, Kailash Baraiya, Riddhi Maru and Dharaba Gohil (who silently does work in their capacity and are ready to help others), and Krishna Khamal (needs to remember her for her never-say-die attitude in learning digital skills), but they were also an integral part of all the good work other committees / students / teachers and Department was able to do during this academic year 2017-18.
As this comes from my memory, there are all chances that things may not be recorded as perfectly as the Black Box. There may be imperfections in my memory and what-so-ever documents supports my perceptions of the students may just be an illusion about them. We never know what we do not know so none can say with a particular amount of certainty in what they say from their memories. One thing is sure – the passing students have contributed a lot in making of me as a teacher and has given innumerable proud moments to the Department of English, MKBU. You all have added great value to the brand image of Department of English which previous students has established and strengthened. With a promise to see that none of your contribution in strengthening the brand of Department of English will ever be weakened or maligned, I hereby, give rest to my fingertips. - Dilip Barad.

The Memorabilia 2017-18 can be downloaded from: https://www.slideshare.net/dilipbarad/memorabilia-201718




Saturday 15 March 2014

Memorabilia 2014: The Memory Book

Every year, students publish a Memory Book named 'Memorabilia' on the Annual Day of the Department of English (Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University) when the final year students are bid formal farewell. It was released by the guest of the Annual Function Prin. Dr. Sunil P. Sharma.
Principal S. P. Sharma inaugurating the function. 15 March 2015


 
Prin. Sharma addressing the students after releasing Memorabilia 2014 (15 March 2015)
These students edit a booklet - which carries various creative & critical writings of students, along with message of the Head of the Department (attached below this Memorabilia on this blogpost) and other information. Have a look at Memorabilia 2013-14:


  

From the Desk of the Head of the Department: Prof. Dilip P. Barad
Dilip Barad


Dear Friends,

Namaskar!

There is always a curious feeling at the end of the academic year. It makes my heart a bit saddened to see that the people with whom you shared so many minutes, hours, days, weeks and months are going to depart! At the same time, it feels heart with joy, happiness, hope and optimism – these young people are going to make the corners of the world, wherever they will go, a bit brightening and beautiful. J

The fifteen students, who are passing out in April 2014, are full of talent and marvelous capabilities to work wonders in the world. They all have shown the spark within them, the glimpse of the sparkle, which illuminated time and again, during last two years, feels my heart with optimism about their future career. It gives confidence to see that wherever, in what-so-ever direction they will travel, they are bound towards the destination, which stands to greet them in the arms of success and happiness. J

I would like to mention a few names who worked so hard, sparing their personal times from learning, to see that some of the traditions and conventions of the Department of English are carried out smoothly.

The Library – which is the backbone and life blood of academic institution was very efficiently taken care of by Bhumi Vajani and Kashmiraba Jadeja. Without their dedication and sincerity, no students, research scholars and teachers would have been able to make use of library resource.
The small but beautiful vicinity surrounding the Department building is pleasing to eyes only because of the tree plantations and the care taken by Nidhi Kunvarani, Bhavana Baraiya and Vibhuti Bhatt. They organized two One-Day Gardening events. The  Memory-Tree Plantation and Tree-Guards for protection was planned and effectively carried out by all the students under their guidance. J

The Notice Board is the mirror of the culture and tradition of the academic institute. The ideas shared on the Notice Board reflect the intellectual thinking capacities of the teachers and students homed in the building.  It also is the space to represent students’ creativity, innovation and ingeniousness. It also is the space were history of the events where students’ participated and performed to give good name to the Department and the University is documented in form of photographs. This space was very well managed by Deepti Joshi. She took meticulous care and consideration in managing the space for creativity, innovative ideas and information sharing. L

One of the unique features of our Department is Daily Schedule. The students get an open stage to speak, to share, to express, to converse with the class on the topics of their interest, on their creative writings, on opinions they build on contemporary issues / events, their reviews on books, movies, websites, also a platform to sing songs, to recite poems . . . and whatever talent they have to display. This is considered as very important daily activity where, in real sense, a lot of learning happens in terms of gaining self-confidence and improving the level of self-esteem. It also helps in identifying the real self. Hetalba Gohil and Vibhuti Bhatt administered this activity to the best of their capacities. But for a few days, when I was out of town for some academic extension and on the days of extra lectures, where in this activity faced some hiccups and bumpy road, it was quite well planned throughout the year. L

As the Department makes extensive use of Information and Communication Technology in teaching and learning process, it requires a dedicated team of students to take care of projectors, sound systems, laptops and PCs in language lab. Yashpalsinh Gohil, Pratipalsinh Chudasama, Devendra Joshi and Deepti Joshi tried their best to see that things ran smoothly whenever technological tools were required. During the visit of Language Lab by school children, they took great care with the help of Heeral Bhatt, Bhavna Baraiya, Hitesh Parmar, Saryu Baraiya, Sejal Vaghela and others to see that all the systems ran efficiently. J

Annual Academic Picnic is yet another event, which is a part of the tradition of Department. It gives opportunity to students to understand the milieu in which we are living, breathing, learning and growing. All geographical locations, the temples, the forts, hill-top shrines, forest etc have its unique feature. This time students under the leadership of Devendra Joshi and Yashpalsinh Gohil planned the picnic to places like Ghela Somnath, Minal Devi Shrine, Hingolgadh Nature Interpretation Centre, Sarangpur Hanumanji Temple and Kundal Swaminarayan Temple. It was yet another memorable day! J

It was great to see that students very actively participated in Teachers’ Day, Navratri Day and in celebration of Birthdays’ of all the students. This year Avani Dave and Kashmiraba Jadeja quite ably managed all these celebrations.

Project work is an integral part of academics at Post-Graduate level. It was great to see that Aneri Thakar and the group of students (Devendra Joshi, Pratipalsinh Chudasama and Deepti Joshi) did quite a good work in Project on ELT. It is expected that more of such research projects are done by students in future. J

Amidst all the works, activities and events, there was one very creative project undertaken by Prakruti Bhatt. She has a beautiful skill in painting murals. Murals, which are very cost effective – with the help of earthen things as pigments, she can paint murals, which are very attractive and give wonderful looks to the walls of Classrooms and Offices of the Department. Under her aegis, Hirva Vora, Deepti Joshi and Heenaba Zala (Visiting Faculty) worked on several holidays, Saturday and Sundays to beautify walls of the classrooms of the Department. The Department will always remain grateful to Prakruti and all those who helped her in this work. This is one of the most memorable gifts ever given by the students as a part of their gratitude to the Alma Mater. The images of these murals are beautifying the front page of this Memorabilia 2013-14. J J J

It would be injustice to the talent of Yashpalsinh Gohil - in his technological expertise, especially, in editing videos, if he is not specially mentioned here. He has done wonderful work in editing Kalayatra, Learning through Video Resources and Dr. Kalra-Poet’s video, which are uploaded on YouTube. He had potential to contribute a lot to the Department but because of his personal responsibilities, he was not able to spare enough time. And that’s the real regret for the Department! L

Last but not the least; I am thankful to Hirva Vora for the hard work done for this Memorabilia 2013-14. She maintained records of all the activities undertaken by students, throughout the year, documented every bit and piece of information and went on reminding students to contribute their creativity for this Memorabilia. All the credit for the good things that you find in this Memorabilia goes to her. J

On behalf of Department of English, I am heartily thankful to all these students for painstaking efforts that they have made to see that the name of the Department shines bright in the academia of Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University. J

I, heartily, wish best wishes to all the students. May their smart work and appropriate attitude help them to climb the ladder of success!
It is in the success of the students, that Department finds its success,
It is in the achievement of the students, that Department finds its achievement,
It is in the realization of their dreams, that Department realizes its dreams.

I, hopefully, look forward to the new students to carry on with these traditions and conventions of the Department and make it better wherever they find a space for improvement. J

Oh! Times! Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,
But to be young was very heaven! (William Wordsworth)
~ Dilip Barad
14 March 2014

J L J