SIMC Blog- Pune- Madness, Mayhem and Media

cyber media

2009-04-03T17:55:00.000+05:30

Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication organized National Cyber Media Conclave’09, a media seminar that covered various perspectives of the media relating to the cyber medium on March 28th, 2009. The seminar was designed to encourage learning of the new media. Organized to bring together eminent personalities from the cyber world, students and aspiring media professionals on a common platform, to promote the conception and growth of ideas, the NCMC ’09 (National Cyber Media Conclave) witnessed two panels of speakers debating issues such as the power, reach & potency of cyber media for knowledge sharing, social change and networking and, the emergence of the web as a medium for branding and marketing.

The Conclave hosted two panels of speakers on the potency of cyber media for knowledge sharing, social change and networking; and the emergence of the web as a medium for branding and marketing. Also present were Mr. Namit Bimbhat, CEO, Switch Media Services India Pvt. Ltd and Mr. J Mahadevan, VP, bharatmatrimony.com who enlightened the audience further about new media.

The first session saw eminent entrepreneurs from the cyber industry such as Kiruba Shankar, Co-founder, The Knowledge Foundation, CEO of Business Blogging Pvt. Ltd and Founder-Director of 5ive Technologies; Jasmeen Phateja, Founder, The Blank Noise Project; Shivam Vij, Blogger & former Tehelka Journalist, Delhi; and Shiv Bhaskar, CEO, The Viewspaper.

Kiruba Shankar began the session by laying emphasis on maximizing the social media connect in India, the role of social networking site and its burgeoning presence and implications in marketing and corporate scenarios. Citing Twitter as an example, he demonstrated the collaborative capability of the Internet wherein the net could be used as a medium to get multiplicity of opinion. Shankar also stressed on the interactive nature of blogs, and how it was a critical tool for organizations to gauge feedback and general perceptions of concerned people.

Shivam Vij elaborated upon the difference between mainstream media and social media, adding that the role of the new media was to complement mainstream media rather than replace it. He talked about the emergence of the blog as a paradigm shift from the vox pop in traditional media.

Shiv Bhaskar Dravid, Founder of The Viewspaper, a new initiative launched to give voice to the socio-political views of the NextGen youth, shared his views about the evolution of the ownership of the media, from being the tools of the few to truly being a public-owned medium. Speaking on “Cyber media as the ultimate fourth estate”, he said that online media was a true convergence of all the three traditional tools of mass media, also having the additional benefit of being a real time media. The costs being low, Citizen Journalism is one field that is growing steadily but strongly, he added.

Jasmeen Phateja then spoke of Blank Noise, a project that started as a community-public art project that seeks to confront street harassment and eve teasing. She stressed on the power of internet as a tool for social change. She also touched upon the power of the net as a vehicle to create an on-ground activation to mobilize public opinion and cited a ‘blogathon’ as a tool to fight against the same

The long-debated issue of self-regulation in cyber media was discussed with the panelists acceding that the cyber journalists needed to be accountable on what they write.

Mr. Rajesh Lalwani, CEO and Founder, Blogworks, a virtual media initiative which delivers strategic social media knowhow and solutions to brands and corporate organizations, spoke about the existing clutter in the market and how integrated marketing communication needs the internet as the modern consumer is tech savvy and uses the internet to help him in purchase decisions. He thus outlined the role of the internet as being a major purchase decision influencer. He also on conducted a workshop on blogging for the students, which was informative and interactive.

An innovative and interesting case study on ‘Bell Bajao’ campaign was presented by Ms. Rashmi, who emphasized the usage of Internet as a tool for publicity and mobilization besides the use of conventional media. She also said that cyber media is teaching the youth in their own language.
Adding to the views discussed during the day, Professor Ujjwal Kumar Chowdhury, Director–SIMC talked about the blend of mainstream traditional and the cyber media being the way forward. An interactive Q & A session with the audience, moderated by Professor Chowdhury, brought the session to a close.

On the whole the event was an interactive one that brought together various stalwarts of the cyber space and it was a complete source of knowledge and interaction.

Cyber Musings

2009-04-03T15:54:00.000+05:30

National Cyber Media Conclave

PUNE, MAR 28, 2009: The first ever , National Cyber Media Conclave (NCMC) ’09, a media seminar that covered various perspectives of the media relating to the cyber medium was organized by the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication in Pune. . The seminar aimed at learning about the new media in greater detail. The seminar covered all types of new media like digital, computerized, or networked information and communication technologies. The event comprised of two interactive sessions with topics ‘Potency of cyber media for information exchange, social change and networking’ and ‘Emergence of the web as a medium for branding and marketing’. Eminent speakers from cyber world came together to address 400 audience in NCMC.
The programme was inaugurated by the Director Prof. Ujjwal Kumar Chowdhury with the click of the mouse , instead of the usual lighting of the diyas, with an aim to stand out just as the way the new media campaigns stand out from the clutter of traditional media . This was followed by an introductory speech on the digital medium. The Conclave hosted two panels of speakers on the potency of cyber media for knowledge sharing, social change and networking; and the emergence of the web as a medium for branding and marketing.
The first speaker at the event was Mr. Kiruba Shankar, Co founder of The knowledge foundation and CEO of Business blogging Pvt. Ltd. He spoke on maximising the social media connect in India.. He followed by Mr. Shivam Vij, nationally renowned blogger, who took the audience through the ground-breaking way in which internet has changed the way businesses are carried on around the world today and the power of its deliverability. There was immense interaction between the speakers and the audience. The third speaker was Mr. Shiv Bhaskar, CEO, The Viewspaper who talked about the Internet news media- the ultimate fourth estate and then came Ms. Jasmeen, founder, Blanknoise who illustrated interesting case studies on Internet as a tool for social change.

Relating a personal incident, Kiruba spoke about the times when his wife was admitted to a hospital and he needed contact details of a neuro surgeon. A cry for help on twitter and he got around 60 responses within a span of two hours.
Jasmeen Bhatija founder of Blanknoise, a social campaign against street sexual harassment. She talked on the topic ‘internet as a tool of social change’ and the concept of ‘blogathon’ as a tool to fight against the same. Renowned blogger and owner of the popular website National Highway, Mr. Shivam Vij spoke next. He talked about social media and quality. He emphasised that new media should complement old media and a replacement is not possible. Cyber media as the ultimate fourth estate was the topic presented by Shiv Bhaskar, CEO of The Viewspaper. He mentioned that introduction of new media as a social media offers new hope and the content is created by professionals as well as public.

In the second session where the panel discussed ‘Emergence of the web as a medium for branding and marketing’ and Rajesh Lalwani, Founder and director of Scenario Consulting talked on Internet as a tool for marketing. He said that marketing, especially in cyberspace, changed from random clusters to tribes by choice. The founder of Bell Bajao campaign, Ms. Rashmi spoke about internet as a tool of publicity and mobilization. Different print ads and TV commercials of ‘Bell Bajao’ campaign were screened and according to Rashmi cyber media is teaching the youth in their own language. CEO of Switch technologies, Namit Bhatia talked about internet news media. He put forward that the online video market is evolving and talked about opportunities for video enhancement in the virtual space. Mr. J Mahadevan, VP- Products of bharatmatrimony.com interacted with audience on the topic ‘brand building of an innovative cyber product’ and evolution of that brand. The concept of open source software and how they influence current living and working conditions was explained by Atul Chitnis. He demonstrated different gadgets to emphasise the importance of open source software and explained how the absence of open source could affect the purchasing behaviour of customers. He told that the world is changing and more and more gadgets and devices use open source to beat the competition.

The Conundrum

2007-12-17T10:00:00.000+05:30

Its a pity to see things go the way they do sometimes..

This post is being written in the nether period between two classes. The 1st of which I missed (because of what I am going to write about), and the 2nd which I will unwillingly attend.

Last night was spent in the remote industrial hamlet of Hinjewadi, where the SIIB/SCMHRD/SCIT campus is located. The occassion was scmhrd's annual fest, Neev.

The occassion looked grand with huge festoons of brands and created creatives. The walls adorned with huge-ass flex's with overflowing sponsor names.

The only thing that I could make out, from all the enjoyable music and camaraderie was just one thing. An A-list band (Euphoria) was performing in the backyard of their hostel to about 250 kids. People hanging out of the windows, or better still sitting on their beds while they enjoy Euphoria live out in the Verandah.

B-School and other fests enjoy a horde of sponsors day after day, with even mainstream regular colleges getting huge sponsorships for anything that they want to do. With the IIT Mumbai's Mood Indigo crossing Rs. 1 Crore Cash, things have never looked better.

What stops us from getting there? Only our own admission of defeat. We either choose to say things are planned too big or over-ambitious.

There are only a few men and women out here amongst the boys and girls who are ready to understand what it'll take for us to be recognised as what we are- the best kick-ass Media Institute in the country.

We are waiting for the Gods to take us there. We all love to hear the big moolah that the top guy took home last year. But we choose to look here and there when it comes to doing what he did to be where he is. Better still, half of us still don't know what he did.

We've the best design minds in the country, what we come out with is a tepid website, uninspiring ads and some media coverage.

We can keep moaning about it, as I am doing right now.
We can keep talking about all the ASSignments and Projects we do, same as others in those other B, C and E-Schools.

Or some of us can just get up and decide to prove me wrong. I'm on to it.

Game on?

Rightly said..Bring it on!

2007-10-07T21:18:00.001+05:30

7th October 2007
9.15 pm
Hours before the first paper.
(There's no better time to blog)
Almost three months back this little blog was abuzz with activity! Yep, as predicted/ contemplated/discussed there's been a lot of madness,mayhem and (convergence of) media this semester.
I don't know about you guys, but I'm already unhappy about not being in the same class with a lot of you..(yes i know its childish, but its just that all of us, as groups-a,b,c,d had bonded really well)
What are the things I'm going to remember? What are the things that will make up 'those fond memories?'
Can't jot down all..but here are a few in no particular order.. (you guys are welcome to make your contributions as well):

Sitting in the last rows in Mahamuni's class..
Warning letters, hiding t-shirts with dupattas, Partha's utter look of dismay while he kept asking everyone how soon he'd get his cellphone back from A.S.
Sushu correcting almost every single professor each time they referred to her as.. (err whatever they referred to her as)
"Touch kar dia" , "Bata deta hoon", "Probaaably" "Aunty!"
A.S. throwing away Shripriya's chocolate in the corridoor, right before i was about to have a bite!
Making eggs fly
"Wazaaaa"
Sohini saying "Arrey..."
Making a visitor's list to meet Dharam Sir!
"Tum Pukar Lo", "Pyaar Hamein Kis Mod pe le aaya", "Aapki Aankhon mein kuch" and "Julieeee"
Coming to college,early with a i-have-not-slept-all-night-face for "guest lectures"
Wearing the uniforms
A.S. selecting bakras :)
Munching during screenings, snoozing during screenings

Cutting it short, kinda realized that Freeze pane on Excel is something I dont remember. Do you? (Aah for all those who read this after the test which almost all of you will, dont worry you missed nothing)!!

Ringa Ringa Roses

2007-09-30T21:27:00.000+05:30

Off we go to our hinterlands.

It's been three months, and feels like a lifetime already.

I know this sounds like the cliched beginning that we've recently learnt not to write, but what do you when you've just come out of an experience that we just did?

You come here and render yourself asunder, by way of words and pictures. Let's take this oppurtunity to bring to life our expressive powers all over again.

Bring it On, Team!

Career Goals

2007-06-05T16:39:00.000+05:30

State your 'Short term' and 'Long term' goals- sounds familiar? I sat to write my SOP and it left me pondering. Career goals? You mean the team work, maximising efforts kind? Not quite, personally here are a set of realistic short term and long term career goals that I have set for myself. Trust me these goals are easy to relate to and much simpler than the "Working effectively to achieve.. blah blah" sort.

Short term career goal: To fly a low cost airline with my own money

Long term career goal : While flying the low cost carrier when I realise that am hungry and I am not going to get any refreshments from the crew, I should be able to afford the sandwich which they sell on board and not gape at the co-passenger busy tucking in the 'Aloo ka paratha' and 'masala chai' that he brought packed in his hand baggage- Tiffin carrier and a thermos flask

Short term career goal : To be able to buy a car

Long term career goal: To be able to afford the petrol that the car consumes (Well with petrol prices going up high, the next status symbol will be the amount of petrol your car consumes and not the car itself, so effectively 10 Lit per week Maruti 800 is a higher status symbol than 10 lit per 2 weeks Ford Icon)

Short term career goal : To be able to afford a post paid connection for my cell phone

Long term career goal : To be able to actually pay the bills at the end of the month and continue the connection (And not switch back to pre paid connection after emptying my savings account in the bank to pay the post paid bills or even worse start collecting one Rupee coins to use PCO booths - as a more viable option)

Short term career goal: To be able to afford an air conditioner in the peak of summer

Long term career goal : To actually get myself to use the AC without noting down the number of units the AC consumes per hour, deriving at an average and tactfully timing the AC to function within affordable limits (Phew! I can assure you this task is more tiring than a walk out in the mid-day sun on a sweltering day)

All said and done, since these goals will not be appreciated on paper let me get back to the jargon now.."Effective utilisation....."

Design Mania

2007-06-04T15:23:00.000+05:30

For those of you aesthetically inclined, and a sweet tooth for Humor, Click here for Vayu's post on our beta blog

Why SNAP?!?

2007-06-04T10:49:00.000+05:30

Being a student of English literature, never did I think that I'll have to take a test along the lines of CAT because MBA was only a passing thought, that too when I was in the 9th grade! I clearly remember that day when I heard about SNAP, I obviously thought that it must be like one of those "mass communication" entrance exams. As always, www.simc.edu, was conducive to disenchanting me as I went through the pattern of that horrid exam!

My reaction to the structure of that test:

General English: "Good good, not a problem Shruti! You'll be able to pull this one off well!"

Quantitative: Gosh! I somehow knew how much I was gonna detest this one!!

Data Interpretation: "uh oh, only if this section was called "DATA MISINTERPRETATION" I would do a great job!"

Data sufficiency: "oh! great! For me quantity matters! I always do my 'window shopping' in bulk, so making sure that my data is 'sufficient' shouldn't be a problem at all!!"

General Awareness: This one made me laugh! If you've got to punish me, go ahead and ask me to 'pay attention' or even better ask me to 'concentrate'. The phrase I hated the most when I was in school was "Shruti, you ought to be consistent!" So in a nutshell, I was never aware of any general things happening around me.

General Knowledge: Well G.K, for me came down to an exam that we were bound to take, back in school. We were given 50 multiple choice questions and my passion for the 'INKY PINKY PONKY' choice game (emphasis on choice) came into vital use while solving those questions. I clearly remember, we required a minimum of 15 out of 50 to pass that exam and I was often found pleading with the prinicipal for a mark or two!

Business Scenario: "Yes I am proud to declare that a particular business activity is good if the enterprise makes a lot of money, otherwise they must seriously consider dissolution!" Thats all I could recollect from the 'business studies' classes that I was forcibly made to attend in school. Period.

Logical reasoning: I like to reason. I always did. As a child when I was forced to go to school, I would always give numerous reasons in support of staying home instead. So basically I really have the potential to reason well but the problem was that this section was kind of specific because 'reasoning', I am good at, logical or not, I refrain from commenting!

Can we live?

2007-06-03T22:33:00.000+05:30

Who wants a life filled with deadlines? Not me.

Neither did I want to take up coaching classes for CAT, BRAT, FAT or even a THAT.
I was always inclined towards marketing & advertising careers. To me, it was all about the job and the experience.I could hardly imagine myself being in a college all again.

I remember enrolling to a CAT enhancement module and my IMS counselor talking to me about the courses offered at MICA & SIMC on media and communications.
Sure a a lot of other friends told me the same thing,but CAT? Neva mind,we have multiple options in India.

SNAP fetched me a call. I was again bound by deadlines to complete and submit five different assignments.I converted the call and was asked to pay the fee amount.Another deadline.

I spent a hefty amount on my friends without realizing the pain of writing a statement of purpose,which again has a deadline.

Well, here I am going off to college, scared as heck (the assignments,the deadlines,the sex ratio and ma rapacious building mates)and looking forward to it at the same time.

Boy, what a confusing world this is. It’s a good thing that along the way someone taught me how to be organized else I would really be in a mess, and i have a checklist in place.

My lap top, my music, my camera, my octopad, pen drives, glares, my CD/DVD software collections, my train tickets and my cellphone.Blankets, sheets, pillow & an LED torch.Clippers,combs, brushes, soap, towels,deodorants,slippers, underwears, socks,shoes,
jeans, t-shirts,Shirts..oh..and CASH!

My soul was definitely honoured!

Okay, now I am all ready to pack my bags and get things organised.
But gosh! wheres this all gonna fit in?

2007-06-03T19:31:00.000+05:30

Anxiety and apprehensions are overloaded on this blog, for a little break from the monotony. I was just telling a friend this morning how I made it to Symbi, she was very much amused that I made it through, in spite of myself.

So, it was in December last year that we appeared for our SNAP test. And it was exactly at this time that I was involved in a theater production. So from practice that day I stopped over at the nearest CCD picked up a pizza warp and an ulta perk (it was complimentary, and I insisted that I be given one), grub done; I was off to my SNAP Center. Damn! That place was comparable to the first day frenzy of a Rajni movie release in Chennai. And since I had not been to college in long, I had a mini reunion at the SNAP center as all these B Com/BAA/BCS students from my college were attempting SNAP for the MBA course.

Once I found my hall, which was a herculean task; again I compare it to procuring the 10buck tickets for the Rajni movie on the first day. Anyway, that was nothing in comparison to the ragging I was subject to once the test had commenced. Though thanks to my Current Affaris Paper (Yes, being a Journalism student, we have such subjects) I fared reasonably well in the General Awareness section. English was decent. But the rest was based on the probability that I learned in my Class Twelve Mathematics. Pssssst... Next time you attempt MCQ without negative marking ask me. Finally, it was a Joke.

Now comes the funniest part of the whole deal. I scored some strange 96 on some three digit number, all of a sudden a week later my score plunged to some 50 on something else. I was completely hopless about anything happening. But, I was proved wrong, a mail from SIMC landed up as SPAM in my account! They really wanted to interview me. It was crazy. What SIMC did and why, I have not been able to decipher to date.

Anyway, I procured all the necessary certificates and all articles of mine that have ever appeared in the papers and everything else that could somehow show SIMC that I am journalist material. After a long wait, I finally got to meet my interviewers, damn, the two men were out to rip me apart. And finally my conscience triumphed and I declared to them that I would leave my job and work for an NGO if I was not given an opportunity to do development journalism and civic stories! I had clearly lost all chances of any chance of going for the third round after that, I saw that the two people were pretty appalled at my reply.

But no! It was destiny that I had to be put through a month long 'assignmenting' session. Which also I survived. Despite all odds, by odds, I mean myself. Long evening walks gave me the inspiration I needed to work all night. And then eventually I utilised all the contacts I made in the field of media right from Sanjay Pinto to Veeraraghav and my notorious affinity for NGO's also was fruitful.

And then came the day. The day when I will be stressed, ragged, evaluated what not. My new definitions of Stress - What do you think of Matrimony?; Ragging - Whats the crime scenario in Mumbai; GD was cool - Gay marriages; UKC - The Supremo - So Sanjay, what do you think of Susmita?

The End. I made it. And now I have to face yoga, and assignments even before stepping into the Institute.

Technically challenged!

2007-06-03T18:13:00.000+05:30

In the past few days I realised that buying a laptop is a lot tougher than writing SNAP!

Conversation with a friend:

Me: So how do I buy a good laptop online? Just go to the website, click and buy?

Pal: Well you need to get the specs right.

Me: Specs? Ah that’s ok, I use contact lenses, and I don't suppose you need some kind of special glasses while using the laptop, do you?

Pal *rolling eyes*: Never mind!

I din't notice the exasperated sigh in his voice till good old 'Google' translated 'specs' as 'specifications'.

Well, I guess sometimes people need to be specific! Now that the basics was sorted, I drew myself to noting down the 'specifications' of the laptop, after a good fifteen minutes I came up with what I wanted-

SPECIFICATIONS (Typed in caps with bright Red font) - Black colour laptop and a nice black backpack.

I took a print out of this and handed it to my pal who gaped at the paper wide eyed. Enough indications to realise something was amiss (Err.. so specifications mean more eh?).The kind soul offered to write down the specifications for me, and I gladly accepted the generous gesture to save myself from further embarrassment.

1GB RAM memory, good graphics card, 160 GB hard drive, 15" monitor, DVD writer "That should do" he said finally putting down his pen. "Just go to the 'Dell' website and search for these specifications, I am sure you can handle this atleast?" he enquired."Oh yes yes! I sure can" I smiled.

Quite dutifully I spent an hour selecting specifications on the "Dell.com" website and finally clicked on the "State the quotation" button. The monitor displayed just one word and a few numbers- Price- 1,15000. "Gosh!! I don't have my roots in an aristocratic family to be able to afford that!" I yelled. My friend took a quick glance at the specifications I had entered and glared back at me "Girl, if you click on every option available in the 'customize' section, it obviously will cost you over a lakh! Please read what is written before you click on it! Why would you need a 'TV-out cable w/ SPDIF' a 'Deluxe pure black leather carry case' and a 'Dell USB external fingerprint reader?!” All he got for a reply was a blanked faced expression.

I aborted the mission and handed over the task to my pal who soon got busy searching a laptop for me."Hey how do you want the drives partitioned?" he quipped as he quickly browsed,"Er.. you mean a middle partition, side partition kind?" I stammered. Needless to say, silence reigned the rest of the laptop searching session.

Some people are just not meant to know certain skills; I am one who can't buy gadgets to save my life!

Bend it like BABA-RAMDEV

2007-06-02T22:08:00.000+05:30

This blog is dedicated to serious expressions and meaningful posts. I know that but this aint funny. It's a call from the tender heart behind the cage of my ribs that has raised its hand to say something. Karan Bhai, please don't mind if I let the kid speak. I was never prepared for it!!

I don’t know what you’re going through,
But I can feel the constipation
When I think of waking early
And drop at Yoga Session.

My bones are gonna rustle
And I’ll feel my every muscle
When, in an attempt to stretch them,
I will fight a mortal tussle.

I know it’s to keep healthy
But there is one thing that I know for sure,
This will land me in situation
Where I will need some osteopathic cure.

I don’t know what you’re going through
But I can smell some machination
This is to keep the class airy
And for that, encourage some cancellation(s).

This time, forgive me. I won't repeat the misconduct.

Today's morning is indeed wiser than tomorrow's evening!

2007-06-02T14:51:00.000+05:30

I wish to live only in the present, in this feeling instant: the rest is either past and gone or not yet revealed. I am not going to boast of tomorrow, because I know not what a day may bring forth. Since, time is the only critic without ambition, I shall abide by its liberties and its tyrannies. Around me I see people getting ready to live, never living, I don't want to spend time getting ready, I would rather go ahead and do the needful.

I would walk like I would never stop.
If I stop, I would not look back.
If I would look back, I would most definitely have a motive.
The motive would spell a sound reason.
A reason that would give me immense courage.
Courage that would resonate a spirit.
A spirit that would loom large.
It would be larger than life itself and
greater than existence itself.
An existence that would be really vast.
A vastness that would go beyond measure.
A confidence that would go past any doubt because
doubt inflicts weakness.
As weakness is synonymous with achilles' heel
determination is devoid of it!
Since doubt is a flaw,
resilience has no room for it!
As fortitude is like strength of the mind;
the stronger the mind,
the pliant would be the spirit!

-Never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense.

A Simple Life???

2007-06-02T05:25:00.000+05:30

Life couldn’t have been simpler…or maybe it could have been more.

If I chose to sit in my room playing with my dolls instead of going out and scraping my knees in the mud.

If I chose to sleep on my comfortable bed instead of the floor coz my mom wouldn’t let my dog sleep with me on the bed.

If I chose to study one month before my exams and not a day before

If I chose to sit quietly and listen to my teacher while she wrongly rebuked a classmate instead of arguing.

If I chose to let things be and not pick up fights for my younger brother when he was being bullied.

If I chose to listen to all the rumors that were floating around and not stand by my friends.

If I chose to continue with my education instead of taking a break for a year and go on a path of self discovery and thereby burning quite a big hole in my fathers wallet.

If I chose to go off to sleep at 5:30 am instead of writing a post sharing some very intricate moments of my life which would hold no significance whatsoever for anyone viewing it and thus a colossal waste of time for the reader(for which the author profusely apologizes)

And as I was saying…

For me
Life couldn’t have been simpler…..or maybe it could have been more.

P.S. don’t ask me why I wrote this. This article ‘aint ever gonna serve no purpose…lol
Cheers!!

Yet another signpost on the way to my destination!

2007-06-01T19:33:00.000+05:30

If I begin with certainties, I shall end in doubts; but if I begin with doubts, I shall end in certainties. Yes I know a life full of uncertainties can, at a point, get daunting but then you cannot learn to skate without being ridiculous and the ice of life is slippery. Today as I am packing my bags and getting ready to leave, there are certain doubts that are playing on my mind but then I cannot run away from life and from what it has in store for me, because he who neglects to drink of the spring of experience is apt to die of thirst in the desert of experience.

There is nothing in the world constant, but inconstantcy and we shall have to take solace in the fact that if life was devoid of pain, how would we be able to judge pleasure. I want to believe that there is nothing either easy or difficult, but thinking makes it so. I wish to be that optimist who proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds and not that pessimist who fears that this very fact is true.

Iam simply going to, dispassionately, tread along the path that I have in front of me now, without being opinionated because the more opinions you have the less you see. Truly there should be a tide in the affairs of us dreamers but then there is no gulf stream setting forever in one direction.There have been times when I have tried to be a philosopher; but in some discreet manner, cheerfulness was always creeping in. At other times, I have felt the need to be humorous but I don't know how meloncholy kept breaking in. But today I am satisfied because there is no greater anguish than to remember in black hours of sorrows, the joyful times and here I STAND, waiting in anticipation! I aspire to come out laughing joyously at the end of it all, because LAUGHTER IS THE SUN THAT DRIVES THE WINTER FROM THE HUMAN FACE!

a new start

2007-06-01T14:36:00.000+05:30

It still hasn't sunk in. The fact that in about two weeks, I'm going to be relocating my whole world for two whole years. When faces I don't even recall and people I haven't spoken to in ages come up to me and say 'Congrats!!!' with a wide smile and an awed look, my first reaction is to get confused as to why are they congratulating me. I keep forgetting that I've gotten into Symbiosis. At other times, there's nothing else I can think of.

In the book of my life, the Pune chapter is still a blank page. Anything can be written there. And that sense of unpredictability is what I'm looking forward and a wee bit nervous about too. Whether the turn of the tide of events will be in my favor or not. But then, I've been granted an opportunity to explore another facet of my personality in a totally different ambiance. A chance to right old wrongs. Discover hidden strength and potential. Be a new person. Meet wonderful people and get to know them. Work Hard. Play harder. But then, the more we think that things will be different, the more they remain the same. Does that even make sense????

As of now, I am just going with the flow. It's also a great excuse when people ask why are you procrastinating. I'd give a casual worldly look and say,' I prefer going with the flow'.

Yeah, I am not going to dwell on what could go wrong.

'Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you'...

I'd rather blog than write a statement of purpose!

2007-06-01T11:21:00.000+05:30

Seriously, if only we were allowed to submit a blog instead of a statement of purpose i'd do that gladly!

As I try to stuff my belongings, fragments of the past, a few photographs..memories of this city revolve around my head. Yes its time to go.

( Error F89210! File refuses to sink in)

Already supersaturated by the variety of advice & instructions that I have recieved... I'm not really being able to feel anything in particular, except for maybe a bit of anxiety. Otherwise its excitement, happiness, nostalgia, little bit of sadness and all that jazz floating around somewhere in the subfolders of the backup devices of my heart.

The concern from the family forces (and other random forces) is obviously perfect patience testing material... but small talk questions just don't go beyond the following (maybe I should have recorded the answers to the following questions and played them everytime they were asked)

1. So, when do you come back? (Atleast let me leave!!)

2. Excited? ( Cliched question#1)

3. What are you doing about food/will you cook? (Everybody is entitled to have memorable disasters)

Ofcourse the ending to every discourse always goes like..."you will miss all of this/ you will realize once you go" Yep that's something that I don't have too many arguments against... My city and its flavor, the memories that I've made, the people...as much as i complain its all irreplacable but hey, there's Pune waiting to be loaded into the desktop of my life!

PS: Really want to see if all the promises made to us about trips to Goa would be fulfilled :D

C:\Program Files

Loading "Pune-Madness, Mayhem and Media"

For Mine is a Generation that searches the globe, In search of something we haven't tried before.

2007-05-31T12:29:00.000+05:30

We come into the haze, the obscurity of this phase, slowly begins to fade.

To reach beyond within, to bake inside this kiln, drink from all we’re given.

Coffee perked minds, never to step behind, we have come here to find.

This unguarded mystery, and it will be our destiny to make SIMC history.

Keepin’ eyes wide open, bringin’ souls that are hopin’ they won’t be broken.

Dauntless and forward, restlessly awaiting. Mixed emotions- to each his own. Variations of intensity, but a certain depth of naivety. Confidently anxious, anxiously confident. Surreal images born of anticipation.
But you are not alone. It is we. On an equal footing, with the same apprehensions, the same inhibitions, we stand.
We’re all going through the motions, even if we’re physically away, we’re mentally all here. Welcome, fellow SIMCians to Pune- paradise or mosh pit? Your attitude in time will tell. It is in the knowing but only through experiencing. Don’t take their word for it, and we won’t be left wondering what if. We’ve come this far, we’ll go way ahead. Call it what you want, it is the end, of the innocence.
For me, no more wondering what those super- stressed, perma- hyper SIMCians in the NCC canteen are on. I’ll be on the same high. Memories of watching cameras past the Symbi hill, intense looks in their eyes as they concentrate on bending the norms of creativity, the sudden calm on their high- strung faces as they exit the premises. If only I can keep my soul from bursting before the 15th. As with all things that start so sunny, there will be rain, hail and storm. But eventually, I shall be seasoned.

To borrow from an extremely overused but even more apt motto: “Keep your eyes open, and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, you know what? It’s probably worth it.”

ALLRIGHT! Let’s do this people!

-Revati (Journo)

drop the anchor

2007-05-31T04:52:00.000+05:30

The newly instated captain of this sleek and rather refined looking ship is under enormous strain, what with the humongous responsibility of steering this baby to its final destination which holds lofty promises of treasures hitherto unknown and fame and adulation, reverence and triumph galore, she has every reason to be.

The path was uncertain with the end nowhere in sight, it was a vast sea full of endless options.
The expanse of blue-green which looked deceptively peaceful, in her foolish unenlightened days would have looked invitingly warm and friendly; but now wiser, she knew the path ahead was full of hurdles and pirates who, with evil mirth in their eyes would not only loot and kill but make sure the ship sinks without a trace. If that wasn’t enough, she thought wryly, the sea itself was like an unfaithful friend who could turn around and ruthlessly destroy all your dreams while you trust it with your eyes closed.

So how in the world was she supposed to reach her destination? With inexperience as her only ally or rather a mis-ally she was doubtful in her own capacity to lead. Looking back she realized how easy it seemed back then when she had much more experienced captains around to make the decisions, “we will not be there forever”, They warned, “for you are meant to take charge, this is your vessel. You will lead it to its destiny, your choices will be instrumental, so work hard and pay attention it’s not as easy as it seems.”

She listened, slightly miffed. The sea was her oyster, it was the only thing she knew and loved despite the obvious perils around; they surely don’t need to tell her. So she longed for the day when she would be handed over the command.

Finally she got her wish and strangely she was very tense, not scared because that was an alien feeling to her for she was one of those who would charge ahead if sure of themselves, so not scared but excited and slightly edgy.

She glanced furtively at her sailors who were waiting for her orders, all the expectations all the trust, enough to make one go mad really.

With such muddled thoughts she stood on the deck and looked straight ahead when suddenly she noticed a bunch of small islands. There were a lot of ships anchored there and it seemed quite a crowd. She decided to stop and have a look, as she neared though she realized that these were the much famed islands called ‘THE INSTITUTES’ which claimed they would help you achieve your goals and reach your destination.

“Aha” just what she had been waiting for. She slowed down and started looking around.

There were tons and tons of them,”Oh God! How do I choose the one that’s right for me”
Some were interesting but most of them were full of bloated heads who thought they were doing you a favor by letting you anchor on their island. Nothing impressed her much
Then in one corner was an island that had a different air about it, very regal, she thought.
It floated in the corner quite yet proud. So she decided to stop.

There was nothing on the island that she didn’t like. The first look had been enough; still the more she wandered the better she liked it.

Their was a sense of vitality breeding on this island.

It gave you a sense of freedom and yet a discipline that was required on the journey ahead. She would stay and learn more she decided, but wait!! You have to pass a test first because a lot of people want to stay on this island you see.

Oh, I see!
Well if that is what it takes.

She worked hard and toiled like never before. Used to an easy life this was the first litmus test and she left no stone unturned.

When the results came out she whopped in joy because she was among the lucky few who were offered a stay here from the thousands who wanted to.
When the euphoria finally settled, she looked around and saw the others who had been asked to stay on.

They like her were on the threshold of taking charge. Some looked more confident than her and yet there were others who knew what they wanted to take from the island. The bond was instant because no matter how different their destinations might be they had chosen the same path and that now they were somehow connected. The camaraderie was growing by each passing minute and she knew this was it.

The place she would live and breathe, the place where she would grow, the place that would give her countless memories and some long lasting friendships, the place where her dreams would begin to take a tangible shape.

With the confusion and the indecision ebbing away and a feeling of glee surging inside her she rushed back to the deck and ordered confidently
“Drop the anchor we are going to stay.”

From somewhere deep inside the ship came a resounding, confident roar
”Aye Aye Captain!!!”

smriti
31st may 4:57am

SIMC Spirit...

2007-05-30T18:09:00.000+05:30

Well everyone's talking bout what they feel...so lemme talk bout what I Do Not feel...i don't feel scared, im not worried, im not in my dreamland, i dont feel awkward, i dont feel mystified or demystified, i am not elated with ecstatic joy, but then neither am i down in the gallows!...Now that leaves very little to Feel...Puns yeah if you want em add em on...
Basically I am incommunicado with all my selves...waiting, waiting, waiting...

But then for what??? Well, firstly to get the heck outta this stuffy city whose climatic conditions are threatening to topple my Nirvana. Secondly to go to Pune n face the Reality of it all, so that i can stop yawning at the Tales. Then ofcourse for Rain...i'm in Love with it! N yes finally to meet the famous peehpul, the infamous blokes, the simpletons n geniuses of our commune...

No Hurrays! Cheers! or Yipees! from me...just a simple See ya soon...

P.S. if that aint simple enough for ya...go have some SIMCian Spirit! ;)

2007-05-30T16:19:00.000+05:30

A new ship to embark on! Would it sail properly? Would the winds guide me right? Would the waves be pacific? Are my compass and map credible? huh!
Flush this shit and wipe your ass
The boat is ready, just fill the gas!

I don't live my life in anticipations. I take the things as they come to me. May be I leave too much of my things on destiny. I had never thought that I would end up at (rather begin from) SIMC one day. But today, when I know that it is the place where I belong to, the feeling is good, challenges are high. I only half believe what I hear from people, so I am not much moved by whatever warnings are put on the board. I know, it's not a party and I am prepared for it. May I grow nicely through it. Amen.

2007-05-29T22:55:00.000+05:30

So what do u want to do in life?
Err,um,err…..
Do u want to be something in life at all?
Ah, well…of course, I mean not a bad idea. Is it???
Well, thats what probably each one of us would have asked ourselves millions of times and so have I…

Guess, its important to start at the first place…and start somewhere..as I write this post which I know would be read by fellow batchmates n may be others too.. I can still feel that trepidation that’s hidden somewhere in me..am no great writer, but its important to communicate, to open up and explore…

There must be several other media institutes promising great or rather greater future prospects for the media aspirants,but I keep reminding myself, this is the journey we embarked upon by choice.. This is the platform we have been gifted, so why not make the most out of it. Ready for the best, prepared for the worst is wht I am… although the definition for best and worst is definitely subject to change for each one of us….

Busy, demanding schedules might not keep us that connected once we actually start, the sheen, glamor and glitz would have its darker hues too, I don’t know, this is the first time for me, and the greatest opportunity so far…probably will fall, will crib, have our moments of limelight and backlashing alike… but then again we must not forget this is all out of choice.

What am actually writing is not exactly in sync with my thoughts today..
I’d rather hurry up to read (hopefully:P) what Mr Keval J. Kumar has shared in his book “Mass Communication in India”. Which we are supposed to do! Gosh there's a lot to grasp.

So I’ll rather rush concluding this rather contemplative post with Best wishes for all of you….
Love n luck-n yeah keep posting….

Sonali, AV

______________________________________________________________________________

Its great we have begun already... below are few lines I dared to quote(hope u don't mind;)) picked up from the previous chain of write-ups.

Hope's our crutch, happiness our cloak, slogging our arse off our strength.-Karan

And so I rub my eyes and start walking again, in those crowded streets full of people and cars honking away..smile on my face, song on my lips.-Pinky

I speak with so much conviction that I am beginning to feel week in a way. I really need the Pune chapter of life to begin soon...-Susmita

I SMILE, not because I have reached where I wanted to reach but because the entire journey was so meaningful and because its outcome gave me a sound motive in life.-Shruti ____________________________________________________________________

FINAL REFLECTIONS...

2007-05-29T14:23:00.000+05:30

"...Great joys, like griefs are silent."

SIMC, indeed, is a living embodiment of my thoughts and perspectives; and my dreams and aspirations.Today as I look back upon those days when all of us were struggling in order to get through this institution, I feel content.
More often than not, I would feel that SIMC requires each one of us, to excel at diverse spheres and the concept of multitasking would scare me to death but now as I come to think of it, I SMILE, not because I have reached where I wanted to reach but because the entire journey was so meaningful and because its outcome gave me a sound motive in life.
At the same time, I do know that nothing ever becomes real unless it is experienced, and I am looking forward to this great 'experience' so that when it really becomes 'real', I have nothing but unmatched (both good and terrible, I am sure!) memories to take pleasure in and to cherish for a lifetime..
Sometimes I would feel like this absentminded girl who absolutely has no idea as to "WHAT DOES SHE WANT IN LIFE AND FROM LIFE!!" but then somebody said to me and I quote, "Nothing worth knowing can be understood with the mind and the wisdom will shine through you one day..." and that is when SIMC happened and I suddenly wasn't aimless anymore!

I know that Time will gradually steal these two years away but the delightful reminiscences will most definitely stay..

Survivors

2007-05-28T14:00:00.000+05:30

As I pack for my journey to Pune, friends still ask me if I want to take up the course. I sure have not been intimidated by the tests SIMC has chalked out so well for us all. But what intimidates me is the Yoga everyday morning. For real?!

Nonetheless. We are prepared for the long hours, the never ending assignments and unlimited fun. Though the feeling has not sunk in deep, I assume we are prepared to take SMIC head on. Surge ahead and maintain the optimism throughout.

Sigh. I speak with so much conviction that I am beginning to feel weak in a way. I really need the Pune chapter of life to begin soon...

"...They say they're SIMC 2009 sir, and they're gate crashing!"

2007-05-28T13:12:00.000+05:30

Its 28th of May 2007 and I write this entry knowing am doing it only to feel the nostalgia of it all when I read these lines May 2009..when I really will be 'SIMC BATCH OF 2009'.. these will then be memories, of all kinds- the good the bad and the ..well 'unexpected'! And that's the only reason I write for a time I am yet to see, for people am yet to know and for years am yet to live!

SIMC really hasn't happened.. not just yet. There are quite a few moments to go.. 15 days, for me to be precise. But I feel like am in it.. in it deep :) They say be careful, don't show your cards, it isn't a joyride, let those illusions crash.. but I say, its really too late. We've connected, the air's full of it and everyone feels the pulse of the other.. its late, we've begun to dream :)

Dreamer but am not a fool..there will be times when expectations will drop, the dream will crash and we'll look around only to find ourselves alone..and perhaps this blog will cease to exist, or maybe used otherwise.. we're going through our highs, the tide will subside and we'll see the lows.. but all those will be memories still :) The good, the bad... and the..well, 'unexpected'!

So there I am walking down the lush green forest with a smile on my face and a song on my lips.. but ooh, something hurts! someone pinched me! ...This was all a dream? Time to make it all real then..And so i rub my eyes and start walking again, in those crowded streets full of people and cars honking away..smile on my face, song on my lips.
I'm entering my 2nd most beautiful phase of college life! And im not dreaming anymore..
The smile doesn't leave me, the song doesn't stop...

Pinky
('Moments of Truth')

The Initiate

2007-05-28T07:33:00.000+05:30

Well...

This is where it all started. Or so they say at the end, or the beginning. Which one is it, I'd rather not know. I'm here for knowing how it feels, not feeling I know about it all.

A journey that'll just take 2 years of 0ur life, one with no specific destination as such; but one that leave us wiser beyond our years, sharper beyond our peers, and more.

Hope's our crutch, happiness our cloak, slogging our arse off our strength.

This would probably, and ideally should be, the mundanest (if there's a term) post of them all.

Ride on... The journey's ours, and the thrills are all yours..

Madness, Mayhem and Media- SIMC 07-09..

Here we go...