Messmerizers

MENU
REPORTING FROM THE MESS.1
THE FEEDBACK LOOP..3
KNOW YOUR MESS..5
MESS CHAMPION8
THE NIGHT TO REMEMBER.10
THE GOLGAPPA FIGHT..12
OUR HEROES....13

Reporting from the mess

being the oldest student run committee on campus, it has
Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is

ingrained in its culture , what we call the customer focus.

progress; working together is success.

But then why this effort? This initiative of coming up with a

-Henry Ford

newsletter took birth from the humble desire to let all know
what goes on behind the scenes to provide food to such

s we begin with this journey of bringing out a

a huge student community. From making people

newsletter from Mess Committee,

acquainted to the mess workers who get up

we welcome all of you to come

at 4 in the morning to prepare breakfast to the

together with us and work for a success. A

effort that the messcommers put in to bring

newsletter from the mess committee? The

food to the varied palates.

mess committee should be concentrating on

we begin our journey with a candid interview

facilitating culinary service to IMT, this was the

by our revered Professor S. R. Singvi as he

In this first issue,

reaction of one of my friends, when he got to

shared his views about the mess and the mess

know about this newsletter. Yes, the core

committee. In his impeccable style, he has

function of the mess committee is to gauge the

given insights which we will strive to follow for

varied tastes of such a huge group of folks and

the continuous betterment process of the mess. We have

accordingly coordinate with the mess workers to bring

broughtforward some of the mind boggling figures about

quality food to the students, faculty and staff members of

the mess operation for the students to know about the

the institute.

scale of operations going on behind the scenes. This

IMT Mess Committee has been doing that since 1980, the

edition brings forth some of the mess workers to the

inception of the institute. From its long heritage of

forefront as we felt a need for them to be

highlighted for the hard work put in by them. In the

students had a gala time having golgappas in their

section,

favorite amphi.

Mess

Champion,

we

have

shared

the

interaction we had with Suresh Ji, the longest serving

We seriously hope to have a great acceptance of this

employee of IMT mess. This edition also features the

new initiative by all of you and we solicit your cooperation

biggest events organized by Messcomm- the Pizza Nite,

in the coming days for taking this effort to greater heights

Mess Day and the Mess-o-Mania. This time Mess-o-Mania

of success.

saw the first Golgappa competition being held on the

campus, which encountered a huge response and the

-Ayan Sanyal

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world
-J. R. R. Tolkien

SRS INSIGHTS
Please tell us about your association with
Mess Committee of IMT, Ghaziabad?
I am associated with Mess Committee as one of
the regular diner of the mess. This is my fourth
year and that way I am more experienced than
most of us here. Mess Committee do ask me to
felicitate each of mess employees on Mess Day
since. I am also served food cooked by mess
committee with table service on that day. Some
of the celebrations and special feast were also
enjoyed by me on invitation from specific groups.

- Amita Dhokale

You have been with many Educational

Institutes in India, What are the
differences you find between mess/food
of IMT-G and those Institutes?
First time I am in an arrangement where I do not
have my kitchen and this is the only place where
I am eating food on almost regular basis. I cannot
draw comparisons. At earlier places, I used to
carry my food and water both, if I was not eating
at home.

What significant changes you have observed in the food and execution of mess during this period?
I am not fully aware of Mess Management and the authoritys role and responsibility. Earlier committee members never cared to sit
with me to seek my suggestion or satisfaction even after asking to do so. Servers, employees and supervisors also never made an
attempt to have feedback. This is the first year when I had health problems for a long period due to food. This year Mess Committee
showed some inclination to discuss with me regarding the mess. In the last four years, I sent one mail to the Mess Committee to ask
about two dishes served to us. The reply was discouraging. So later on I carried a snap survey and proved the point.
I find the menu has been made broad based compared to earlier years. Taste and combination of food and vegetables is tough but at
least consciousness has emerged. There appears to be a desire to do better.
The secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside -Mark Twain

Where has been your best experience of mess

food?

What are your views on Health & Hygiene

maintained in Mess? Are you satisfied with it?

IMT is my first experience of mess food as faculty. Option of

Khichdi, fruits and curd, enables me to not eat outside. I do
not think Mess Committee have some internal target like
residents should willingly at least take 80% of his or her
meals in Mess. Some of the members excluding those who
go to Delhi on slightest pretext may turn out to be consuming
less than 50% of their meals.

It is Hostel and it is not your home and kitchen. So who

cares for views!

What do you like most about IMT-G mess?

Eaters do not make mess in mess. Servers try to do their best.

Dont look the way utensils get cleaned.

Dont look below your tables and on the chair.
Dont look the area which is used as storage.
Dont look at the odd tables.
Dont challenge Lord Krishna who can eat and serve
simultaneously.
Dont ask to stop Fan and put off lights.
Dont ask to stop cooling system even if the humidity level
is high.

Please share your thoughts on some attributes which you would like us to consider before making menu
for such a diverse background of students?
I am the wrong person since I cant cook anything except tea bag tea. I do not think we have a strong diversity of members for
meals now since most of the members are already exposed to multi state cuisine. But I think they love authentic food.
Yesterday I went to receive Best Teacher Award of HEF at Mumbai. My ex-student knew Shiv Sagar and we had only Pav Bhaji
in lunch as it was right for both of us. Incidentally, he is from Bengal. I enjoyed it since it was an authentic preparation. So the
issue that needs to be looked upon is South Indian food cooked in East UP style.

A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand Barbara Johnson

What improvements you would like to see in Mess food and Mess working?
I understand that the committee has problems in execution. I wish that GSK at least come for placements since we are mass
consumers of Horlicks and our Mess is 100% loyal to the brand.
I understand Pav is gone and the only Marathi touch is Bhel Puri or may be Marathis are few in number and others do not have the
taste for it.
The Display and publicity of Food Waste is regular. It is as high as 100kgs every day. I am not sure if this includes wastage at CDL
campus and left over in plates. I do find several CDL inmates eating here breakfast and dinner for obvious reasons. If two combined
is 200kgs, it needs serious attention. May be separate cooking at CDL can reduce food waste. I do not think the food waste is served
to human beings like left-over of star hotels in Delhi. May be technology can help us to reduce the waste. The final achievement
aimed should be that members internalize the significance of it and be proactive to save food. Can we evolve average levels of
cooking, spice and oil where one does not leave the food after putting it on plate!
It was difficult for me to chew Chapattis after say 30 minutes. Then one of the employees educated me that our chapattis are 10
minute Chapattis. They must be consumed within 10 minutes. I think the Roti-maker needs immediate replacement since new and
improved products are available to give longer life to Chapatis. This year cucumber is unusually sour. One has to be careful to taste it
every time first and then eat full.
First meal at Kellogg offered to me was from Prof Bala Balchandran and it was Mexican since that was more like Indian except the
spice. We had our kitchen thereafter. Our International students have to eat the same food during their stay for cultural synergies!
Pet se dil tak pahucha jata hai . More can come if action and concern is there.

Also we would like to know about your favourite food, or something which you would like to see in menu
or want to have in mess?
I have not learnt to play favourite. Nor I am bold enough to ask extra salt even if the food has no salt. The value internalized
is once the food plate comes, take it as Prasad and be peaceful while eating. I think I love most of authentic vegetarian food
of our country.
People who love to eat are always the best people Julia Child

Of

2.60 Tons atta

2.70 Tons RICE
1.20 Tons SUGAR
2.70 Tons DAL
Of

OF

OF

Of

330 KILOS SALT

90 KILOS Of PICKLE
142 JARS JAM
PACKETS
330 OF SAUCE
OF

ESS
CHAMPION
In our mess, all of us have seen a largely built person in his white shirt and trousers doing the rounds to
check the service while we are taking our food. Anytime you visit the mess, he is present with his team
of mess workers, striving for providing quality service to a twelve hundred strong crowd. He is not only
the manager of the workers, but can be definitely also considered as their father figure. From work to
encouraging his team at the volleyball match, he is always there standing strong with his team. Hey all
IMTians, cant we get a good lesson of team building and leadership from our very own Suresh Ji?
Messcommer Navneet Kaur striked up a conversation with him regarding his life and work at IMT
For how long you have been working with IMT?

Hows your experience in IMT so far?

SJ: I joined IMT in 1984, due to family responsibilities that

I had. This was my first job. Working here was an
experience for life. I started from scratch & learnt a lot
here.

My experience in IMT has been good, there

are many people who are there from the
starting with me & its like another family as I
spend more time here in the campus than at
my home. I have seen IMT evolving over years
& seen many changes in the past. I cherish
memories that I have & look forward to new
experiences.

How you keep pace between your work

family?

&

I have my house in Rajnagar Sector 23, though

I spend maximum time here at IMT campus, but I
try to give rest of the time to my family. I have
successfully managed to impart good education
to my children and got my daughter married

Isnt it demoralizing at times that you put in extra

efforts and still they dont get noticed, how you
keep yourself motivated?
Well, everyone in the world longs for appreciation
& feels really good when rewarded. College
authorities understand this well & thus believe in
boosting the morale of our Mess Champions by
giving them letter of recognitions from time to
time. There are also other rewarding techniques
that college goes for.

What can be done to make mess workers feel

more special by Mess Committee or college
authorities?
All we expect is respect & good behavior with all
mess workers, as they are doing a lot for the
students. They should value that & at the same
time understand that its really hard to satisfy all
1200 students at the same time & still we are trying
really hard so as to give the best to everyone on
campus.

Share some experience of yours that made you

felt good about working here.
The experience or the memory that is closest to
my heart is when I got promoted i.e. my
skill/department was changed. That made me
feel that my hardwork got paid as I have struggled
from the bottom most post to the position I am
currently working at. It undoubtedly feels good.

Share any bad experience that you would like to

mention.
I had a bad experience as once I stood for my
values & reported flaw in code of conduct against
some worker, which later on created friction
between us, but with time he realized that I was
doing what a senior should have done at that
point of time.

Nite
Arey yarr, kitna khayega?, Aman said as Jeet gulped his sixth pizza and drained it down with the ubiquitous Coke.
Abhi to shuru kiya, raat abhi baaki hain, Aman said as he laid his hand on the seventh one,the Seventh Heaven, amidst
a galvanizing atmosphere of thousand strong crowd rushing for their steaming hot choice of crusts.
As Rahul hiding himself behind one of the numerous trees,was going to have his bite on his Chicken Dominator, he was
caught unawares by the gang of his friends.Rahul yarr, tu aur pizza???, exclaimed all of them in great amazement.
Rahul stood with a sheepish face, trying to hide the pizza. Whenever they had gone out for having pizza, he had
maintained that he doesnt love pizza at all. But, known for his niggard means, he had come to be called Makkhichus
by his friends. On the pizza nite, the real reason for his abstinence from pizza came to light.
All the Pizza lovers of IMT , you can be the next Jeet or Rahul , gulping down
smoking hot pizzas in all your favourite variants be it Barbeque chicken
double cheese mergherita or peppy paneer, accompanied by chilled
colas. You name it, we have it. Cant believe it? But then, its IMT. No one
gives unlimited pizzas for free!!
As they say the way to the heart is through the stomach, and the Messcom , the king of hearts
of all IMTians presents the Pizza Nite. One can go to the sports extravaganza, the cultural nights or
any event in the campus, but hot pizzas are what brings together the 1200 strong crowd at one go.

or

Mexicana
or
Cokes
and
else
of all of

We all get bored at times of eating the regular meals, then comes the Pizza night, to quench the desire for the best pizzas.
IMTians revel themselves in all the glory of Chicken Golden Delights and the Spicy Triple Tangos of the world. Even some
of the pizzamaniacs dont see the alltime favourite round shaped Amphi,in its place they see a large Pizza waiting to
be devoured!

You better cut the pizza in 4 pieces because Im not hungry enough to eat six Yogi Berra

If we allow the child in us to come out, then he would say:

Pizza Pizza, its a treat,
Pizza pizza, fun to eat.
Ooey-goey cheese so yummy,
Crunchycrust goes in my tummy.
If I start, I wont stop til its done,
And this is long too much food for one.
-Ayan Sanyal

MESS-0-MANIA
- Neethu Hari
Mess-o -Mania , conducted on the second day of passion, was
the next big event of Mess committee after Pizza Nite. Contrary
to last year, this year mess-o-mania was conducted as a
golgappa eating competition. The registration for Mess-oMania started on the very day of the much awaited Pizza Nite
and it was later taken over by all the golgappa lovers out here.
Promotional brochures of Mess-O-Mania in the form of table
tops were actually one of the many attractions of Pizza Nite as
well. The registration desk during the Pizza Nite was flooded
with registrations that day itself.

Golgappa eating competition was widely accepted by

IMTians and the response was so high that we had to
close the registration after 110 teams of 2 members
registered for the 2 hour event at the amphi. All the
teams as well as the audience enjoyed the event
thoroughly while some of the top teams ate as much as
100 golgappas .The whole event which lasted for 2 hours
saw the consumption of around 2000 golgappas as the
participants and audience made it a successful event.

CC

The value internalized is that once the food plate comes, take it as Prasad and be peaceful while eating. S. R. Singhvi

- Amita Dhokale

Newsletter Design- Aditya Mehta

Photography credits- Aveek Nandy, Navneet Kaur, Abhishek Chakrabarty