fortnightly yours, forthrightly yours.The Scholars’ Avenue

www.scholarsavenue.orgIIT Kharagpur

Page 1 of 8September 9, 2006 Volume 3, Issue 2

Inside...

Gymkhana RoundupGymkhana events for this academic session are under way. A look at what’s been happening so far.

Page 5

KhojThis year’s incarnation of Azad hall’s widely popular treasurehunt.

Page 2

Teachers’ DayR K Hall’s traditional celebration of Teachers’ Day.

Page 2

Change of GuardInterviews with the outgoing deans,- Prof. R V Rajakumar

Page 3- Prof V R Kalvey

Page 4

The Decline of TFSThe second of out two-part story on the history of the Technology Film Society.

Page 6

CyberylliumA short story contributed by Prof. Rimi B. Chatterjee, formerly of the HSS Department.

Page 8

Bhaat AvenueIt’s about nothing in general and everything in particular.

Page 7

Toon AvenuePage 8

TnPPlacement statistics for the 2005-06 placement season.

Page 6

Visit our websitewww.scholarsavenue.org

to read and post your comments on any of the articles in this issue.

Web hosting provided by IndiaLinks

Change of Guardat the highest echelons of Kgp’s administration

Pages 3 and 4: Interviews with the outgoing Deans (Prof. V R Kalvey and Prof. R V Rajakumar), on the state of affairs at Kgp, upcoming changes, and their tenures.

Inst

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Foundati

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B S Sastry

H R Tewari

V R Kalvey

M Chakraborty

DEAN

STUDENTS’ AFFAIRS

DE

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DIR

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DEAN

ALUMNI AFFAIRS

DE

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R V Rajakumar

A Chakraborty

Page 2 of 8 September 9, 2006The Scholars’ Avenue

Khoj

September: an eventful month in the an IITian be? Does every IITian write a So the question we must answer is, is an history of the world. An eventful month success story or are we basking in the IIT primarily a crucible for researchers or for KGP too, as it is synonymous with the glory of a few individuals who would have a breeding ground for well-rounded Mid-semester examinations. It’s the time still made it big otherwise? Does this personalities (read: managers)? I cannot for ‘peaceful’ KGPians to wake up and get system drive us to achieve bigger and seem to find an answer. I leave it to you to back in touch with academics. better goals? ponder upon this question. Maybe an

overnight bhaat session will shed more It amazes me always, to see the amount If the stories about the many successful light on this topic than this long and of hard work we put in just before the entrepreneurs and CEOs the IITs produce highly confusing editorial.examinations. Makes me wonder as to are to be believed, it would seem so. As it what we could achieve if these efforts stands, an IIT campus, and not only the Coming back to September, its Illu season were sustained over longer periods of Institute main building, is responsible for again! This time around the general time. This obviously brings us to ‘the making IITians IITians: well-rounded interest in Illu seems to have lessened, so question’ – does the system actually do individuals as comfortable acting in we at Scholars’ Avenue decided to justice to our talents? abstract plays or tying diyas to a chatai as conduct an online opinion poll regarding

they are solving complex differential this issue. Make sure you visit the site and Yes, we are the creamy layer of the youth equations. This might make us successful share your opinion with us.of India – we enter IIT as intelligent managers or CEOs, but not great students capable of analytical thinking academicians, which might require a And yes, do mug well for your and problem solving. But, does every student to predominantly focus on examinations. Best of luck!individual get the best of things here? studies.What would the average success rate of

Editors’ Avenue

Radhakrishnan Hall of Residence continuing in its tradition celebrated Teachers’ Day as yet another batch of students imbued with the spirit of this hall and its association with the occasion worked to make this day a success. Like previous years, the ceremony was a colorful musical affair with variegated performances. Graced with the presence of esteemed members of faculty, the evening saw soulful performances in eastern music and western dances. The Antakshari, with teams comprising of a mix of students and faculty, provided a different flavour to the proceedings as members of the faculty had a rollicking time, pitted against each other, singing songs. An exceptionally enthusiastic and vocal audience, largely comprised of first year students, made the atmosphere all the more festive. The evening culminated with the presentation of mementos to faculty participants. Bonhomie and laughter seemed to ricochet off everything as the Netaji Auditorium bid goodnight to a crowd merry with the spirit of a day laden with history and rich with tradition.

RK celebrates Teachers’ Day

Just a month into the first semester and Lots of prizes were distributed in the end the newcomers got their first grand look to people in unique attire like pink T-at KGP with KHOJ, organized by Azad. shirts or red shoes along with the usual The event was marked by a sudden winners.increase in the number of cycles going haywire on Scholars’ Avenue and Meanwhile, continuing with the elsewhere, in the amount of enthusiasm tradition, the organizers found flowing in the air and as a result of all themselves at displeasure with the this, also in the number of people falling administration. One of the students got in gutters thus making the situation a bit severly injured due to a bicycle collision, too precarious. and as if that wasn’t evil enough, had to

be admitted to BC Roy. This made Prof H N KHOJ started when an enormous crowd Mishra, Chairman, HMC see red and the assembled at the gymkhana, the nerve event had to be called off immediately. center of the event. And then slowly, Finally, after the prize distribution cycles were seen buzzing around the cheered and jeered equally by the campus as the clues that pointed to crowd, the night’s adventure came to an different locations inside the campus end.were cracked. People resorted to various kinds of techniques to crack the clues. Although KHOJ was a major success, Where some summoned the Lance incidents like the accident do throw up a Armstrong within themselves, others few questions. Scholars' Avenue had used the genial smiles of their 'bandi' questioned the safety issue last time teammates to extract the hard-earned around also, but the big question now is clues from others. After a tiring two that with an ever increasing number of hours, the tempo did debilitate a little, students being enrolled every year, how but some really 'tempo' guys actually is the event going to be organised, and managed to eke out energy till the end. how safe would it then be?

News Avenue

there are no worth mentioning issues related environment" and "personality development", Letters to the Editor to academics? Or, they are no longer will they hold true if a student is asked to find newsworthy and 'uncool'?” - Prof. his own accommodation miles away from

“Kudos to the team for the issue. The time and Chakraborti, via email. hostel? Will the claim of 24/7 connectivity effort that has gone into the publication is hold true? How will these students cope very much visible. The layout, the selection of Thank you for the encouragement. We do during the placement season, has any thought the font, the paper quality, the style of the cover academic related issues as and when been given to this, arguably, the most vital text, the coverage and the arrangement of they happen. Please refer to our older issues time of a student's life?” - maskthe items are all very nice… for academic related articles. - Editor

Send your letters to:“ I have not seen any of your earlier issues, so I With increasing intake, students may be editor@scholarsavenue.orgmay need to be corrected… On this issue, I saw asked to find accomodation outside many issues being covered, which campus: Director (Aug 14, SA) You may also post it as a comment on the SA unquestionable are pertinent. However, there website, www.scholarsavenue.org.was no discussion on anything remotely “Our pamphlets, given pre counseling, related to the academics. Does this mean advertise about an "intellectually stimulating

Chhanda

Scholars’ Avenue departments. The present DD students be on a CD and will be distributed caught up with the can change their specializations after the amongst all first year students. The draft o u t g o i n g D e a n third year. We now have 41 DD is ready.(Undergraduate programmes. The Dual Degree Studies), Prof. R. V. programmes were started in IITs in 1991, SA: Sir, can you give some details about R a j a k u m a r t o but we started them later in 1993. This the students who have come to IIT d i s c u s s t h e time we have taken the "Next Step First". Kharagpur on an exchange programme upcoming changes Also, the final year students have been from Germany?in academics, and given more flexibility. Since many of for a look back on them complained that they could not RVR: Yes, I am glad to inform you that two his tenure as Dean. take many breadth courses, they now UG students have joined us this year from

have the option of taking a breadth Germany. They will be doing one SA: Only 5 students have enrolled for amongst their own department courses. semester at our institute, and the the BTech + MBA course. What do you teachers will grade them. Those grades say about this? Apart from that, we have also done a will be absorbed by their universities as

revamp of the curriculum, especially for their academic performance for this RVR: We had more than 15 students who the first years. We have looked into the semester. Though it is an exchange had applied for it, but only 5 turned up World's best UG programmes while programme, no students have gone from for the interview, and we did not want to designing the new curriculum. We have our institute to Germany.deny them the course. So they will incorporated ideas from western continue with their 5 years course. universities as well as some very nice SA: Sir, this is your last week as the Actually, the interview was conducted oriental programmes. Compared to the DEAN. Looking back at your tenure, very late and there were not many days west, we have more credits per course. how do you feel?left for the registration, so many As the Chairman of this Committee, I students did not apply or did not turn up would say, this is "the Best" and "the RVR: My term ends on 31st August. I have for it. Strongest" Package that a JEE qualifying just about a week left. But I am happy for

student can get. myself. I had come with an agenda for my SA: What is your plan regarding the own alma mater and that has been semester-wise course laid out for this SA: What are the changes that would 'almost' accomplished. I worked on the course? have the most impact on first-years? new academic changes, and also did a lot

f o r d i f f e ren t f e l l owsh ip s and RVR: These students need to cover their RVR: The first year students will be scholarships, including the MCM required BTech credits as well as their benefitted the most. The maximum scholarship. Thanks to the heads of the requisite MBA credits. For this, we would number of changes have been in the first departments, the faculty, and the get them to select breadths amongst year curriculum. We have stressed on director, I could accomplish my tasks VGSOM subjects, just the way a minor is making the 'Foundation' courses stronger properly. Professor B S Sastry (Dept of done. So, some of the courses would be and have split some of the courses into Mining), who is also the GATE chairman done from between their 2nd to 4th two semesters. More emphasis has been will be taking over my seat.years. In the 5th year they would study given to lab work. We have realized that the remaining credits of the MBA we need to give more emphasis towards programme necessary. Communication Skills. So we have

altered the English for Communications SA: Given that they have to complete course from being a 3-1-0 to being 3-0-2 the BTech as well as MBA credits, wont with a Communication Lab included in it. there be an additional burden on them? A l s o a s u b j e c t o n Te c h n i c a l

Communication Skills has been included RVR: Yes, there will be to some extent. as an elective. Compared to the Dual Degree programmes, they would be doing There is a lot of news that I can provide. somewhere from 20 to 25 credits more. You may need more than a few pages to The introduction of MBA subjects write it all down! A First Year Lab amongst breadth subjects is done with a Complex is going to be built beside view to reduce this burden to some Vikramshila, and there will also be a new extent. lecture complex only for the first year

students. It will be a complete first year SA: Given the low turn up this year, will academic complex. All the first year labs this course continue next year? and classes will be conducted there. The

Lab Complex is only waiting to be built, RVR: Yes, we have the plan ready, it's its upto the PWD section. All the first year been started, and it will continue. labs, i.e. Physics, Chemistry, Engineering

D r a w i n g , C o m p u t e r G r a p h i c s , SA: What are the other major Academic Programming, except the Electrical Changes that have been implemented, Technology Lab will be shifted there. It or are in the pipeline? will be completely air-conditioned

except for the Chemistry Lab. I have also RVR: For the Dual Degree programmes, made a completely new prospectus for we have made all the 2 year MTech the incoming students, that will give specializations available for quite a few them all the detailed information. It will

Change of GuardProf . R V Rajakumar talks to SA

The Scholars’ AvenueFeatures Avenue

The Scholars’ Avenueteam.

We had the pleasure of welcoming four very talented individuals to our team this week.

Executive EditorsSunny Somani,

EditorsAneesh Jain, Aravind R. S., Riti

Mohapatra, Rohit Shankar, Saahil Bhanot, Samya Mandal, Shishir Dash,

Umang Jain

ReportersAditya Marathe, Anuj Dayal, Arish Inam, Sheekha Verma, Sreeja Nag,

Suvrat Bafna

Jr. ReportersAnup Bishnoi, Deepak Cherian, J. S.

Deepthi, Mithun Madhusudan, Pranesh Kumar, Srinath Sinha, Vinayak Pathak

Swati Nitin Basant, Chintan Thakkar

Page 3 of 8September 9, 2006

Change of Guard"Many careers are made after 5 p.m." - Prof. V R Kalvey

SA: When you started as DOSA did you A: Firstly, here the academic session is VRK: Again, everything depends on have something specific in mind? How extremely tight and everything takes personal choice. From the CGPA point of much of it is in place now? place in accordance to a pre-planned view the first year is the most important.

routine. In spite of that if a certain group The distribution of credits over the years VRK: There isn’t anything specific as such wishes to participate in some event at has been given a lot of thought and is that comes to my mind. I have always felt some fest, permission can be granted if designed this way as we believe that in the that ragging/misbehaviour must be asked for. But then again it should be a first year the student has a considerable stopped and it has been curbed to a great controlled exercise. It may not be a wise amount of "tempo" leftover from his JEE extent. I have always wanted that there be idea to overdo participation. Fests or days. We thus expect that he will study comfortable accommodation for the competitions by other IIT's or IISC can be with similar intensity. They should limit students. To a certain extent this has been attended but not beyond that. Also the their extra-curriculars to a certain extent fulfilled, but a lot of factors are external problem of a single group going to all the as there are many opportunities in the and beyond our control. A drastic increase fests may appear. senior years.in the intake has been a major impediment to implementation of comfortable SA: Like the Scholarships announced for SA: Is there any incident which you accommodation for each and every the Inter IIT prize winners don't you would label a letdown by the student student. In fact over the years the space think something similar should be community? Something that disappoints requirement per student has also changed. introduced for the people working for you?Nowadays a computer per student is the the fests (considering the amount of

VRK: I would personally have liked norm as opposed to the situation 6-7 years time and effort they put in) ?students to have adhered to the back.

VRK: The Inter IIT scholarships are mainly motorcycle ban. I sometimes feel SA: You joined the Institute in 1980. tokens of appreciation for the students as compelled to take a course on Traffic Have you noticed any change in the they win something for their college. The Norms. I have seen many students student community over the past 26 money is hardly much of an incentive. blatantly violating the least sensible of years? Moreover the people working for the fests rules and given the nature in which they

do get rewarded ultimately: companies often drive, almost anything could happen VRK: Nowadays the students are more sponsoring the fests often pick up the any day. Someone’s actions in a public informed, alert and more aware of their students organising it during placements. place should not affect or cause harm to rights. They are more assertive and There cannot be a better reward than others as everyone has an equal right to moreover communication between the that. the place. We as authorities can carry out authorities and students is more checks and impose fines but keeping and conducive. Earlier students were more SA: Don't you think that there is an riding bikes is still pretty much existent. obedient and more conforming. When I unnecessary excess of events organised Students should be more self disciplined. came, there used to be a large collection in fests? For e.g. almost every fest has of students and faculty at various events. some sort of a quiz. This unnecessarily SA: High-point/best time during your Today that has declined. Teachers too are leads to a loaded calendar? tenure as DOSA?hard pressed for time with more

VRK: Yes a lot of attention needs to go into VRK: Winning the Inter-IIT sports meet at international and national seminars to this. There isn't any central regulatory Roorkee and both the staff and student attend other than regular course and body which may regulate the sort of events contingents doing it at the same time. research work. In fact insufficient organised by various fests. Then again, There isn't a happier thing than seeing your teaching staff is also an associated departmental fests and gymkhana fests students and staff bring glory to the problem. We're short by at least around operate at very different levels too. college. Also, there isn't anything that’s 150 teachers as per the present

difficult to handle in this institute. I have requirement. Good and qualified people SA: What do you have to say about the always received full cooperation from are hard to come by as hardly anyone clash of dates of the Inter IIT meet and students, faculty, staff, my own wants to become a teacher these days. I'd the final year placements? colleagues... everybody. I'm a happy man. be happy if more students would take up the profession. VRK: We have given this a considerable SA: How would you like to sum up your

thought and in fact we are the only IIT to term at office?SA: IIT Kgp is the only premier institute start placements this early. We, as w h i c h h a s n ' t w i t n e s s e d a n y compared to the other IITs, are at a VRK: Excellent!demonstrations on the reservation disadvantage in terms of location. If we issue. If there were to be such a SA: So what next?were to start placements along with the situation imminently, what would you other IITs it would be to our own VRK: I am here for a while. Maybe after do? disadvantage as a company has to be that I'll head out to my hometown of

notified well in advance about the dates. VRK: I believe that individual views are to Benares or maybe my second home Pune. Moreover in terms of location normally be respected and everyone is entitled to Both are centres of great learning.Kharagpur is towards the end of the list of one. But we as an institution cannot take a IITs a company visits for recruitment. That SA: Any message to the students?stance on such issues. We're funded by way the intake volume suffers. Starting taxpayer’s money and thus we cannot take

VRK: Pay attention to your academics. At early negates that possibility. An any side. the same time integrate amongst alternative could be having the Inter-IIT in yourselves… communicate. You learn a lot SA: The gymkhana and the various the last week of December as most from your fellow students as well as your departments organise many fests which companies have year end vacations then. A teachers. Don't limit yourself just to your receive participants from outside postponement of the recruitment books or routine course work. I strongly colleges. Why isn't there any system in schedule is quite not possible for usbelieve in the saying “Many careers are place which can enable students from

SA: How would you advise a first year to made after 5 p.m.” Take full advantage of IIT Kgp to attend such fests organised by prioritize his activities between whatever benefits this college has to offer.other such colleges?academics and extra-curriculars?

Features Avenue

Page 4 of 8 September 9, 2006The Scholars’ Avenue

The Scholars’ Avenue

Gymkhana Roundupspossibilities of conducting dramatics Soc-Cult Sportsevents there in future. We are awating the results for Creative Writing and Fine

The Soc-Cult season got off to an ominous The sports season for the year started arts; the other Open IIT results are listed start with the freshers’ events turning with the Aquatics and Water Polo events below:out to be no shows - a lot of them had to giving the new hall members the first be cancelled due to abysmal turnout. The glimpse at ‘Hall Tempo’. Aquatics was Open IIT Debate participation in these events is an almost a repeat of last year, Gyandeep 1. Shubhomoy Bhattacharya (PH)indicator of tempo among Kgpians, which Momi (LLR) was the individual champion 2. Kapish Saraf (LLR) unfortunately is on a decline. again with 31 points, way ahead of Saurav 3. Amit Kr. Jha (RK)

Das (RK) at 26 points. But Nehru outshone The last fortnight saw the fresher RK this time round, with 58 points to their Foundation Day Debateproductions of the three dramatics 46. LLR was third, thanks mainly to 1. Shubhomoy Bhattacharya (MS) societies - BTDS, HTDS and ETDS. The Gyandeep’s one-man show with 33 2. Abhishek Ghosh (RP) HTDS freshers put on a good performance points, but it was given a run for its 3. Kapish Saraf (LLR), Himangshu with a likeable theme, and some of the money by Patel, which was fourth with 28 Hazarika (RP)guys did make fans of the audience. But points. Azad managed a paltry 8 points as fate would have it, power went off in thanks to the newcomer Siddharth WTGWthe institute in the last 5 minutes of the Karkare. RP chose not to field any team.1. Abhishek Dasgupta, Kaushik Saha, climax. Still, kudos to the freshers as Soumyajit Mitra (AZ) they maintained their composure and In water polo, the four semi-finalists 2. Arindam Mukherjee, Divakar Ghosh, completed the play under two dim lights. have been decided at the time of writing Sandipan Choudhary (Patel)

- Nehru, RK, RP and Patel. The results of 3. Aditi Amrita Sarangi, Amrita Sarma, The slapstick comedy that ETDS the league stage are:Borna Ghosh (SN) presented was quite unlike the kind of 1. Azad 16 - RK 2plays one sees in Kgp. The level of 2. Nehru 22 - RP 1Western Vocals enthusiasm was high among the first 3. RK 10 - Patel 21. Apurva Gupta (Patel) years and they seemed to be having a 4. Nehru 23 - LLR 22. Vishal Singh (RK) good time on stage oblivious to the 5. RP 11 - LLR 13. Mukul Singhee (LLR) ruckus being created by the audience. 6. Patel 11 - Azad 2

Eastern Vocals T h e B T D S p r o d u c t i o n , c a l l e d 1. V. Gopikrishnan (Nehru) “Ballavpurer rupkotha” (the secret of 2.Kumar Satyam (Patel) TechBallavpur) was a story about a ghost. 3.Rituparna Dutta (SN), Satyam Agarwal There were 11 first years in the cast and (LLR) and Ashish Kumar Srivastava

120 participants in Maths Olympiad and the third years did a commendable job (Patel)180 in Ad Design-sometimes stats do with the editing and the direction. The reveal the true picture.performances by the actors were decent Quiz

enough, but the lead actor Shubomoy 1. Aneesh Jain, Rahul Nanda, Siddarth Freshers' tech events, be it the Biz and Bhattacharya in a double role was the Sen, Kapil Subramanian Tech quiz , Maths olympiad or Ad design, one who stood out. 2. Nishant Katoch, Aravind R.S., Bharath were great successes with huge turnouts.

Shekhar, Pradipta Bora The freshers’ adaptation of Ad Design had A new addition to the soc-cult scene this 3. Anant Singh, Himangshu Hazarika, a written elimination round, followed by year was the HTDS Annual Production. Shamik Ganguly, Shuvo Banerjeefour ad-spoof-like rounds in which the Though it did not receive a very warm teams of three acted out ads.welcome, hopefully this tradition would Bengali Elocution

gain popularity in the coming years. 1. Soumya Kundu (AZ)The Open-IIT Biz and Tech quiz had some

2. Swagato Chatterjee (NH)quality performances with the top Several Open IIT events were held in the 3. Shouvik Chatterjee (NH)honours going to seasoned campaigners. last fortnight, comprising mainly literary This was also the first instance of an and fine arts. Open IIT WTGW (What's The Bengali Elocution was marked by an Open-IIT event in the tech calendar.Good Word), one of the most popular unusually low attendance. Merely 21

events, was disappointing. Lack of strict participants turned up.Case study, introduced for the first time enforcement of rules and the erratic this year, seems likely to be postponed as nature of clues left a lot to luck. Coming The annual ritual of events getting the problem statement has not been up ahead is the Open IIT English postponed also got off to a start with declared yet with just 4 days left for the Dramatics. For a change, it shall be held Open IIT Antakshari and English Elocution event.in the brand new Kalidas Auditorium, being put off already.

which would help explore the

News Avenue

Illu Ya No Illu?The Scholars’ Avenue poll

Visit www.scholarsavenue.org to make your voice heard.

Rekindlingthe

eternaldebate

It is thattime of the yearagain...

Page 5 of 8September 9, 2006

Technology vs. the Film SocietyThis is the second of two parts of our 1550 students and 1700 members of the that the investment was too large for the feature on the golden age, and decline, faculty and staff. proposal to be implemented, Prof. T. K. of the TFS. Chaki, Vice Chairman, TFS, opines that

Mayank Verma and Parag Jain, TFS since there continues to be a dilemma Despite half a century of popular viewing Secretaries of the TSG, for the years over TFS moving to Kalidas, there is and stellar records to its backing, the 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively, precious little that can be done to Netaji.Technology Film Society (TFS) has lost its commented on the reversal of fortunes. shine in the more recent turn of events. “The Manager and the Vice-Chairman A common grouse has been that TFS does No brownie points for guessing that the have repeatedly said that the students' not sell individual tickets and makes it LAN has laid siege to what used to be show would be scrapped and only staff imperative for everyone to buy semester arguably the best managed society in the shows should be continued. Of course passes, most of which they might not end history of the Institute. With DVD quality that's impossible, until the post of TFS up utilizing. “If semester passes are not movies available at the click of a mouse, Secretary exists!" says Mayank. “Things made compulsory, the number of students have conveniently stayed away. went awry for TFS in 2004 when Netaji members will decrease even further”,

Auditorium was being revamped for the says Prof. Chaki. On the issue of Quips Rajiv Dandotiya, a final year Convocation at which Dr. Manmohan screening new releases, he adds, “It is student, “TFS was an attraction in our Singh was supposed to be the Chief not a financially feasible option, since first year when we didn’t have a Guest. The event kept getting delayed (5 new prints come at a huge price.” The computer. Who would now want to wait months to be precise) but all along, TFS initiatives that TFS has been taking lately for TFS to screen a recent release? We was not allowed to hold shows. The include selling guest cards to relatives of can watch both English and Hindi flicks on Director suggested that TFS be shifted to staff and vacation guest cards to our desktop at 3 in the night. It doesn’t Kalidas Auditorium but its construction students, which amount to around 50% of get any easier!” Although TFS still has was still incomplete then”, he mentions. the additional costs for the latest movie loyal viewers like Sagar Goel, who even in The Prime Minister never turned up but prints. Prof. Chaki is happy that the his fifth year at Kharagpur spends Friday quite clearly, TFS was the biggest loser. situation is not as dismal as it seems and evenings at the Netaji Auditorium, points out that in the last year, student members any older than the first Not too long ago, there had also been membership has gone up by 50% among years are hard to find. It doesn’t come as talks with of Netaji being spruced up with the students and 20% among the rest, a surprise that the membership, which a state-of-the-art lamp-house projector both sizeable numbers. His optimism only as recently as in the year 2000, and Dolby Digital sound system, at a cost might not indicate the resurrection of the boasted of virtually every person on the of around Rs.28 lakhs to lure patrons back TFS of yore, but could definitely be the 10000-strong campus, has dropped to to the auditorium. While Mayank says first step of many to stem the rot.

Features Avenue

2005-06 Placement Statistics

Page 6 of 8 September 9, 2006The Scholars’ Avenue

No of companies hiring:

1 to 5 people,

73

6 to 10

people, 30

11 to 25

people, 12

more than 26 people, 1

No. of Companies paying:

6 - 8 lakhs, 14

8 - 10 lakhs, 5less than 2 lakhs, 3

more than 10

lakhs, 1

2 - 4 lakhs, 48

4 - 6 lakhs, 45

No of people getting paid:

less than 2 lakhs, 11

more than 10

lakhs, 198 - 10 lakhs, 29

6 - 8 lakhs, 71

4 - 6 lakhs, 260

2 - 4 lakhs, 326

Schlumberger’s 16.65 lakhs was the only instance of a company whose

more than Rs. 10 lakhs per annum. They also hired 19 people, more than most

other employers.

starting salary averaged

IBM Global Services was the only company which hired more than 25 people - in their case, a whopping 110 people. Their starting salary however, was between 2.75 and

3.95 lakhs.

Q. I scored 1580 in the GRE, and I didn't expect anyone to be able to top that. Now, some rocket scientist has gone and scored 1600, and suddenly, he's everyone's darling. Nobody even cares about me anymore. Help!

Dear reader, we understand that you're feeling unappreciated, and looking for c o n s o l a t i o n a n d s y m p a t h y. Unfortunately, you've come to the wrong place. This is just the first of a long line of failures that you are destined for. You will be second best to your conscience, at your birthday parties, your wedding... even your funeral. We’ve also consulted with our in-house astrologers, who've informed us that since your GRE score is divisible by 158 (a very inauspicious number, according to them), you'll never get a chance to p l a y t h e w o r l d ' s favourite sport (not football) either. So what we suggest is to find a way to get to the top of the insti tower.

Q. I recently had my academic transcripts made, to apply for a job a t McKinley's (No spelling mistake here). To my horror, I realized that my chest hair is visible in my photo. I've enclosed a copy, so that you can see for yourself. Is this a bad thing? Will it affect my prospects?

Dear readers, we'd like to take this opportunity to point out what can happen to you if you spend too many years in Kgp. What's disturbing is not that your chest hair is visible, but the fact that you're more concerned about the chest hair than the numerous Ds and Ps that you've accumulated over the years. Anyway, we suggest spray painting the chest hair out, pasting a new photo on top of the previous one, or more sensibly, therapy (not the kind we offer).

Q. The mid-sems are drawing near, and there's no way I'll be able to get decent marks without er... taking inspiration from those sitting around me during the exams. But I've never done this kind of thing before, and I'm scared that I'll go speechless if I get caught. You guys look like you're experts at this, so I thought I'd ask you: What are the things I can say to save myself if I find myself in such a situation?

Dear reader,

Thanks for the compliment. If you ever do end up in such a predicament, we suggest you try one or maybe more of the following, preferably not at the same time:

Q. My life's a mess. I don't think I'll be able to get a job,

and I have nothing remotely resembling a love life. What can I do?

Dear reader,You're not the only one who's sent us such a lament. We conducted a few investigations about these problems, we have reached some interesting conclusions as you can see in the table.

So, if you really want to achieve all the success you've ever wanted, you should have a couple of K's in your name. (hell, we're thinking of changing our name to shah-shankkk damnations.) But as for your love life problems... sorry, there's nothing we can do about that one. After all, you're still just an IITian.

BHAAT AVENUE

The Scholars’ Avenue

The Shah-Shank DamnationV O L U M E 2

More questions and some answers as well:

Send your questions, answers, unwanted social commentary, s u g g e s t i v e p h o t o g r a p h s , a n d h a i k u * t o bhaat@scholarsavenue.org.

Fine print: All the characters in this issue are fictional, including those who sent us emails. Team Bhaat Avenue

takes no responsibility for loss of life, property damage, or insanity caused by this column. No animals were harmed in the creation of this column. There was, however, considerable brain damage.

*a seventeen syllable Japanese Poem

Observations on the nature of reality by

There is one particular half-truth all KGPians have invariably believed in, some time or the other, for brief spans or longer ones. Psychologists term it the ‘black box’ syndrome. It afflicts most populations that live in artificial, class-specific environments. Living in this cloister of a campus we might several times tend to believe there is no world outside those walls.

Just a very religious devotion to the belief that whatever happens in the ‘outside’ world does actually have repercussions on us though can be a potent push to help us on our way to break out of that mould.

There could be several examples which could illustrate the campus’ relationship with the rest of the world but there is one that all of us know somewhere within ourselves. It is about the recent spurt of usage of the institute reading room, a.k.a. F-127. Reading spaces in the central library which to any ‘outsider’ would seem comfortable and warm are suddenly losing in popularity to the otherwise claustrophobic F-127.

This trend points to a few newfound personal requirements of students. Such changes in mass behavior can not certainly stem from individual good fortunes; it would have to be something more encompassing. Something that changed how we look at each other and those more distant. The need to be closer together, to have a few moments devoid of authority or rules sprung from what we all believed to be a ghastly outrage against mankind: the American War on Terror. Remember the time it began? The campus was speechless. Residents were so hapless, angry and despondent we thought it would be pointless to organize a protest or something similar. Whether it was plain luck or a strongly thought out plan is something we will never know but it was extremely fortunate that F-127 happened. F-127 served to reaffirm our faith in the essential goodness of the human spirit. In those days when belief in virtues, principles or love became akin to living in a Fools’ Paradise and we could find solace only in books (or magazines), the virtual world or with ourselves F-127 acquainted us with the irrepressible human urge to reach out and touch each other. Lennon’s lyrics for ‘imagine’ which had begun to seem utopian suddenly regained meaning especially the line that goes “Imagine all the people... Sharing all the world”. F-127 also presented a softer image of authority. Institute guards dropped their gas mask image and began to seem more soulful as their enthusiasm in sharing matchsticks for lighting mosquito coils and other more divine stuff became increasingly apparent.

It was fortunate that F-127 happened, not only because of the social boundaries it shattered but also as the paradigm for future human relationships it has become.

Ali Da - thinker, prophet, and the guiding light of billions.

F-127life in the shadow of the F-16

Innocent women &children killed in Iraq

Students doingstuff in F-127

Graph illustrating the obvious relation between the amount of stuff being done in Iraq and in F-127

The anomalies are due to biased data collection

Page 7 of 8September 9, 2006

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Rimi B. Chatterjee: if you are in your fifth year at ‘Damn you!’ he screamed, and savagely Kgp and the name rings a bell, let's say you will logged out.cherish this issue. Yes, we traced her down and it may interest you to know that your first year

***English professor is now the author of a couple of well acclaimed books - Signal Red: A Novel, published by Penguin India in 2005, and Empires of When the three of them met, they all had the Mind: A History of the Oxford University Press in

long faces. They were in the Skytop food India During the Raj, published by OUP India in

court in the Mall next to Abhyuday’s 2006. She is presently working on her next novel The City of Love which is forthcoming from Penguin apartment block. The Puja holidays were in 2007 and is set in early sixteenth century India. a week away, but even that failed to lift She is a currently a lecturer in English at Jadavpur their pall of gloom. Abhyuday had his Univers i ty in Calcutta, and b logs at

notebook with him. Actually it was his elder brother’s, but Abhyuday usually

She has contributed a three part story to Scholars’ He clenched his teeth, clicked the top charmed it out of him.Avenue. Here is the first part. icon in his challenge menu: a long, thin,

red stringy demon with huge fangs. Then ‘Here’s a screenshot of my last battle,’ he he was in the Plaza of Burning Bones. He said glumly. They looked at the screen. It

nand very carefully watched his spared only a cursory glance for the kick- was mostly blood-gouts and bits of flesh Amother drinking her tea. He was ass renderings of burning white towers, flying around in the middle of a huge burst looking for clues as to whether she’d go drew his plasma sword and headed for the of energy. Over the chaos stood out this afternoon with Aunty Keya. Forbidden Temple - Cyberyllium’s Cyberyllium, swinging a huge axe and Keeping his face carefully casual, he said, challenge ground. As he reached the smirking. Debanjan gasped. ‘That’s a ‘Yes, Ma,’ when she asked him to make temple’s blood-drenched arch, he heard Hellfire Labrys! It costs 2,000 gold sure he got his homework done before she the little insinuating giggle that always pieces!’got back, watched her get ready, fuss with heralded Cyberyllium’s coming. her handbag, phone down for the driver, Anand groaned. ‘This guy is too good. He’s pat his cheek and leave. Flash! The creature was throwing got stuff I’ve only ever heard of in

Damnation Grenades! You only got those if messageboard rumours. I looked up his He was on the computer in a flash. you were a level 10! Roaring, he sprang stats: his level display says 1337, which

forward and raised his shield just in time I’m sure is illegal. His avatar doesn’t look Sweating, he double-clicked the Demon’s to stave off a fatal blow. Then the thing like anyone else’s. Do you think he’s a Kingdom icon on his desktop and sat back, was on him, towering above his head. It hacker? He says he is.’trying to breathe. His broadband icon flicked aside his shield as if it was tissue flashed into life as his machine logged him paper, leaned down and breathed into his ‘Could be,’ Abhyuday scratched his head. on automatically. He savagely cut the face, ‘Go home to Mummy, little boy.’ The ‘I tried again to trace his IP. Last time I intro and entered his Den. great green jewel in the centre of its only got a generic APNIC result, but this

forehead glowed. He jumped high in the time I struck lucky. My bro was doing some ‘Welcome, Hellslayer!’ air and slashed furiously at its head, contract work for some firms in

Armor: 48/50, getting in a puny stab in its ear and a Bangalore. That block of IP addresses was Health 100/100,shriek before a claw swatted him into the licensed to a group in that city called Beryl Weapon: 97/100,

Gold 3,000, maw of a burning tower. Then he was back Network Associates. Sound like a Status: Combat-ready. in his Den, the echo of manic laughter coincidence to you?’

rumbling out of his speakers. Four fight challenges from pipsqueak ‘Wow!’ said Debanjan. ‘What do they do?’starter demons: he was a level seven and Armor 5/50,

Health: 2/100,only fought the lesser beings when he was Abhyuday laid three tickets on the Weapon: 3/100,bored. He was after the biggest fish of all restaurant formica in front of them.

Gold: 44. — Cyberyllium.Status: Critical.

‘That’s what we’re going to find out.’

And a message: ‘SuX0/2!!!! U hv bn PWND To be continued...by h@X0R CYb3rY//ium!’

http://rimibchatterjee.net

Cyberyllium- Rimi B. Chatterjee

Features Avenue

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Page 8 of 8 September 9, 2006The Scholars’ Avenue