BOOKED#4

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The English Department conducted the 4^th session of Booked, the Book Club on 10^th October, 2020. The session was conducted over Google Meet and the participants were required to sign up well in advance via Google Form. The book chosen for this session was The Kite Runner written by Khaled Hosseini. The participants were provided a PDF copy of the book almost a month in advance in order to participate in a well-informed deliberation. 

The book covers themes like male-friendships, loyalty, family bonds and ties, love and societal prejudices in a gut-wrenchingly wonderful tale. The session began at 11:00 am with a trailer from the movie ‘The Kite Runner’ followed by a quick recap of the storyline and the plots in the book. The session then proceeded by discussing a set of intriguing and well curated questions. The questions really required us to wear our thinking caps and view the story through multiple literary lens. 

The session lasted about an hour and the biggest take-away from it was not the opportunity to interact with other individuals with similar interests but the fact that it really required us to dig deep and read between the lines of the story to gain a sense of the real essence of the book along with the captivating and impressive inputs of all the participants, students and faculty members alike. 

Manasi

II HEPP N

Report on Professional Development in Teaching English

In the pursuit of providing the learning that students need, technology alone cannot do it. The better combination  for providing the best is to combine teachers and technology for the better engagement of students. The Department of English, organised a Webinar on ‘Professional Development in Teaching English’ on 17 October 2020, from 2pm to 4pm, in Microsoft teams with the focus on English language development skills and a storyboard session that would facilitate a unique online method of delivering course content.. The webinar was attended by 55 english and language teachers not only from Christ Junior and Christ PU colleges but also from various colleges across the state. The resource persons of the day were Ms. Diana R Antony, Director of Academics, St. Charles School, Yercaud, Salem and Ms. Nikitha Verna Noronha, Lecturer, Department of English at Christ Junior College. Ms Diana’s session focussed on various activities that could facilitate Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing skills of students. The session also emphasised the aspect of creativity in teaching the aforementioned skills especially while teaching English.  Further, Ms. Diana also highlighted the importance of reading and a time of self-reflection for teachers. The second session was taken by Ms. Nikitha, who focussed on the visual tool of storyboarding using Microsoft Powerpoint. A tool like this would become an effective method to evaluate students’ comprehension skills. Ms. Nikitha demonstrated  the various features of storyboarding which would help the participants to create one on their own. Overall the participants appreciated the excellent presentation of both the resource persons and left with a desire to attend more such sessions in the future. 

Blessy Issac

Department of English

Inception

Inception was the fourth and yet again an extraordinary event organised by Colossus – The Commerce Association. The 8th, 14th and 17th of August, 2020 witnessed the underway of this nerve-racking event. This event was organised for the 2nd PUC Science, Commerce and Social Science students. Inception was solely based on Human Resource/Recruitment. The participants had to go through a series of case studies, crises and submit a resume to emerge as the best sales manager amongst the lot.

Registrations began on the 6th of August, 2020 and were open till the 8^th August, 2020. Inception being a solo event, individuals could either access a Google Form through the link on the Instagram page of Colossus or access the form through the link posted on their respective class groups to register for the same. The Colossus Core Committee saw an unexpected turnout of 80 participants from the three streams.

First, a preliminary round was held from the 8^th till the 10^th of July. The participants were given a scenario of a well established company which is looking for a sales manager. Here, the participants had to send in their résumés along with a few perquisites. 40 teams qualified to Round 2, which was a group discussion where the participants were divided into 4 groups of 10. They were given topics on the spot and had to present their views on the topic keeping in mind they assume roles of general sales manager. There were 8 participants who qualified for the most rigorous Final Round, crisis management. The final 8 were given a crisis for which they had 10 minutes to prepare and 4 minutes to present followed by questions from the judges.

The first place was backed by Shree Vardhan Maheshwari from 2 CAME L, followed by Kanishk Dugar from 2 CAMS K and Ananya Gupta from 2 CAMS J securing the first and second runners-up respectively.

Inception, the fourth online event hosted by Colossus, saw a great response and was truly loved by the participants.

Dev Ajmera

II CAMS K

Commerce Chronicles – L Edition

And here we are at the third and final volume of the Commerce Chronicles, an online magazine creating event organised by Colossus – The Commerce Association. Volume 3 of the Commerce Chronicles is an amalgamation of the prominent write-ups from the class of 2 CAME L, on a few noteworthy events in the month of August.

The three main editors of this magazine, namely Esha Goud, Ishetha V and Riddhi S Bohra,  collected some very eloquent and engaging articles on the significant happenings in the month of August, written by the students of 2 CAME L. These amusing articles on ‘The End of Hong Kong’s Autonomy’, ‘Tick Tock’, ‘The Secret Side of Marketing’ and many more are sure to grab your attention. The magazine, along with these well-written pieces of information, also includes some entertaining puzzles like the Crossword and Word Hunt that revolve around commercial terms. Coming to the competitive element of the Commerce Chronicles, the cover page was designed by two art enthusiasts from the class, Ambati Harthik Roy and Keerthana CR.

The magazine makes sure to enlighten you on the significant happenings and is surely a treat for the eyes.

Shylajaa PV

II CAME L

I PUC Inauguration Ceremony 2020

Charles Darwin once stated, “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one responsive to change. ”

As we all adapt to probably one of the greatest changes in our lives, our college management strives to ensure that every student finds a way to feel connected and is being challenged by new learnings and experiences. 

Due to the unfavourable pandemic situation that we are all facing today, Christ Junior College virtually welcomed its new batch of thriving students as they begin a new milestone of their academic journey. The virtual inauguration of I PUC students was nothing short of grandeur and splendidness. 

The ceremony began with the lighting of the lamp to invoke the blessings of the Almighty. The lamp was lit by our college dignitaries Father Sebastian Mathai, Principal; Fr Peter M V, Vice Principal; along with the coordinators which was followed by prayer service with readings from the holy scriptures. 

Ms Deepa George, Coordinator of the Student Welfare Office addressed the gathering on the joyful occasion followed by the Inaugural Address delivered by our Principal, Father Sebastian Mathai. A series of video presentations were included  to acknowledge our student achievers in the field of academics; and give the new students an opportunity to know their Mentors, Class Counsellors and the activities of various Clubs and Associations. This was followed by a briefing on the Training Programmes offered at Christ Junior College.

Ms Philu Rose Jose, Coordinator, Student Development Office, gave  students General Instructions to ease their transition into virtual classroom spaces. To mark a cheerful and high-spirited end to the inauguration ceremony all students rose to sing along the prestigious College Anthem, rekindling the everlasting Christite spirit.

Liza Daniel

II PCMB E

Project Bharat Hai

India has grown to be an extremely diverse country, in all aspects. This year as we celebrated the 73rd year of freedom, four students of Christ Junior College; Chiranjeevi Palegar from II CAMS K, Rachana K from II PCMB F, Siri M Kashyap and Himadyuthi Deshpande from II PPES O came together to form TEAM BHARAT HAI. Under the guidance of Mr Bhaskar Y (Teacher Coordinator, SWO), the team composed and sang a song in Hindi language. This song tries to capture and describe the diverse nature of India, geographically, culturally as well as chronologically.

A hearty congratulations to the team!

Sung by: Siri M Kashyap, Rachana K and Chiranjeevi Palegar

Lyrics by: Himadyuthi Deshpande

Music and video by: Chiranjeevi Palegar

The music video was released on 15 August 2020 and is available on the YouTube Channel of the Student Welfare Office – Christ Junior College.

Himadyuthi Deshpande

II PPES O

Of Honoring Freedom and Celebrating The Unsung

Irrespective of times like these, Christ Junior College did not give up on its age-old tradition of celebrating Independence Day in all its pomp and glory. This much-awaited grandeur, although streamed virtually, brought the students, teachers, and faculty members closer together, not only by reminding them of the culture they uphold as an institution, but also by reawakening the patriot in all of them.

The celebration, organised by the Student Welfare Office, commenced with a heart-warming welcome address by Fr Sebastian Mathai, Principal, Christ Junior College, which was then followed by the national anthem. This Independence Day was all about honouring the glories of our past and those who sacrificed their lives driven by the dream of a free India- the students thus witnessed a series of presentations on several lesser-known freedom fighters who unfortunately got lost in the sands of time. Under the theme “Celebrating The Unsung”, the lives and contributions of heroes like Tiruppur Kumaran, Karnad Sadashiv Rao, and many more were eloquently brought out by students across classes. This not only instilled an immense sense of respect for such fighters, but also paved the way for the students to gain a broader exposure to the history of the Indian Independence Struggle as a whole. 

In between these presentations, the audience found themselves humming to the soulful renders of patriotic songs by the Choir and the SWO. Keeping up with the tradition, the Department of Social Sciences released their newsletter SPRING on this occasion as well. 

With the Choir’s harmony still resonating in their ears, the attendees saw the event conclude. By honoring our past, collectively dreaming of a better tomorrow, and expressing the shared love for our beautiful country in all its ecstasy- the Independence Day Celebration was a grand success. 

Hiranmayi Purushotham 

II  HEPP N

TO SUMmIT UP

B-SUMMIT V6.0 

‘A deal is not good if it isn’t the best one’ 

B-Summit is an exclusive event which brings you, your rival companies and your potential business associates – all at one table – at one battleground. This event gives us an opportunity to experience being a ‘Negotiator’, representing a company / state and the pleasure to call our team mates – ‘Colleagues’. Titled with the Glory ‘Since 2015’, Business Summit is one of the most awaited events.  

The preliminary rounds unfolded in two distinct yet thrilling rounds. The first round was truly a ‘Rapid – fire’ round. 3 Sets – 30 exciting questions and just 24 minutes in hand. This round literally did not give us any time to even blink our eyes. It tested our logical thinking, researching skill, current affairs and very importantly – speed. 

The second round was an intriguing simulation round which precisely aligned with the theme of B – Summit V6.0 – ‘Revive. Redesign. Restructure’. We were assigned the role of an industry expert who was tasked to prepare a ‘Revival Model’ for a company which has been amongst the worst affected during this unprecedented covid pandemic. While working on this project, we perceived ourselves as a ‘Strategy Analyst’ or playing a role of ‘McKinsey’ employee pitching in our best ideas to make a plan of action for our client. We also had to make a short video summarizing our entire plan. In all, this round gave as a glimpse into the world of Strategizing. 

We are very grateful to the Commerce Department, CJC; Student Coordinators and the organising team of B-Summit V6.0 who have not just continued the legacy but also established new heights for this incredible and fun loaded event. Special Thanks to student coordinators who clearly explained our tasks through a detailed doc and video. Participating in the preliminary rounds was an amazing experience that we all have gained and we are looking forward for the ‘Grand Finale’ – The Business Summit Round which surely would be sensational – ‘Bigger and Better’ with 6 times the fun and thrill. 

Ideate. Pursuit. Conquer 

Ayush Bhavsar

II CAMS J

Book Review 3

The book, ‘The Palace of Illusion’, is very well criticizes the patriarchy and the other factors that curbs her. Panchaali is a free-spirited woman who believes she has all right to live her life on her own choice which she only realizes later. The title refers to the dream palace of Panchaali which she wished to own. In the beginning we see how the discrimination starts from her own father by the name he chooses for both the sibling, then discrimination by her brother’s teacher, her brother and later her husbands. When she insists on getting education, we see that her brother’s tutor is clearly not interested in teaching a girl also we see that her own brother demeans her by stating to his tutor that “As you know, being a girl, she is cursed with short memory”. The author also catches hold of our emotions by referring to the relationship between Karna and his by mother by writing “Passing every handsome stranger, she’d ask herself, Could this be-? Each morning when they woke- in the same town, or kingdoms apart- their first thoughts would be of each other. In anger and regret, they’d both wish she’d had the courage to choose another way”. At each stage of her life she is forced to face discrimination which in a way paves way for her to become a strong woman. The novel can rightly be called Mahabharata from a woman’s view point as the book completely tells about the life of Draupadi, the prominent character in the epic in a first-person narrative. As she is termed to be the propagator of the ‘Great War’ and is not well respected today in India due to this, we fail to notice the fact that it was not her but her husbands’ who fuelled the start of her blaze, no women would accept her disrobing and that was what Draupadi too did. Also, she condemns the fact about her regaining her virginity as she rightly thinks it is more a boon for her husbands, she states “Nor was I particularly delighted by the virginity boon, which seemed designed more for my husbands’ benefit than mine. That seemed to be the nature of boons given to women- they were handed to us like presents we hadn’t quite wanted”. The story perfectly portrays the sacrifice by women for the sake of the well-being of her near and dear ones. In the novel we see that Draupadi loved Karna but didn’t marry him as she didn’t want to get her brother killed, throughout her life she wishes him to be her husband but only during the war she gets to know about his love for her, she marries her life partner just because patriarchy wanted so. Nearing to the end we see that Vyasa tells only Panchaali about the future of Parikshit and states that only she has the maturity to understand it, from this we can settle that in spite of her husbands’ achieving great achievements only she had the accept things as it is. All through her life she wanted a name for herself and strived to make one. By the end when Panchaali is in her last moments its Krishna who sits by her side and engages her in happy memories, she realises in the end that she was buoyant, expansive and uncontainable. It draws to her that she has not been under the clutches of patriarchy, she has always broken free from it. 

The story takes the example of Panchaali to teach us about how a person should really be, only by following what their heart wants can bring contend into her life. Another important moral we learn is that life should be filled with love and happiness as we look turn to face life in our last moment, we can only see a series of joyous moments. Overall, this historical fiction is really a page turner and teaches many core values which have to be imbibed from the past. 

I would like to end by stating this quote from The Palace of Illusions “Expectations are like hidden rocks in your path, all they do is trip you up”.

Srilakshmi Pradeep

II HESP M

Book Review 2

MAHABHARAT- from a different prespective 

Name of the book – The Palace of Illusions 

Name of the Author – Chitra Banerjee Divakurni           

The book  ‘The Palace Of  Illusions’ is the retelling of the story of Mahabharata  but from a different prespective. Till now the story of Mahabharata was only a story of brave princes ‘The Pandavas’  and ‘The Kauravas’ but this book gave a complete different picture of the story and showed how women also played a very important part in the story through the protagonist ‘Draupadi’. It showed how without women the story wouldn’t had been written.  It also describes the position of women in the ancient Indian society which can be compared to the position of women in the present Indian society. 

 The book showed how even at that time the problem of  ‘ Desire of a male child ‘ was present which is still persistent to a limited extent in rural India. It describes how when Panchali(Draupadi) was born she was not happily accepted by her father. The yagna was done only for her brother, she was only a secondary product. It also showed that though her importance was neglected she had a very important role to play as it was prophesied that it was she who was going to change the history not her brother. 

Even in the field of education it showed how her brother was given a different education in diverse fields while though being a princess the education which was recommended to her was only limited to how she should behave in the society. Even the concept of purity and impurity is described clearly as to how a women having relationship with different husbands was considered impure and Draupadi had to get a special boon to maintain her purity while the same was not applicable to men. The concept of women empowerment was also shown as to how when Yudhishtir lost his crown Draupadi understood that a woman can never be always dependent on her husband irrespective of how much her husband loved. 

At last the book showed a beautiful example from the Mahabharat as to how not all relations are of last, desire or expectation, there are also relations which are only based on only love like the relation between Krishna and Draupadi. The book clearly describes of how relationship between Krishna and Draupadi was out of lust and desire as Draupadi at any case did not want Krishna to participate in the ‘syamvar’ and neither did Krishna have any interest but still she loved Krishna. She loved Krishna as her brother and guide even though he was not her original brother. It was the only relation where she found peace. 

Hence these were the things which make ‘The palace of illusions’ different from other versions of Mahabharat. It is the one of the best example which shows how the Mahabharata can been seen through different angles when seen through different prespectives. Like a phrase of the book said Mahabharata is play where each character can be a protagonist and have its one prespective. This book was through the prespective of Draupadi. 

-Shivank Shukla 

II PCMB B