SLS MIRROR

Monthly Newsletter from School of Liberal Studies, PDPU VOL I | ISSUE 01

March 2012

Inside this Issue

FLARE 2012 SETS PDPU ON FIRE

Scorching sun and exuberating faces,
Excitement and thrill at unmatched paces. Dance and music, shouts and screams among teens, Resonating in the campus as FLARE begins. Elegance of Kadamb dancers matched steps with grace, Consecutive events all three days set the spirits ablaze. Hands waved in tandem while Faridkot was on stage, Then came Vishal-Shekhar who made sure Flare was a fun-filled package.

Message from DG Message from Dean Message from Editorial Team Flare 2012 : Glimpses & Clicks Plethora of Activities SLS Scaling Heights Research Activities Creati-witty Upcoming Events

Message from the Director General, PDPU

Message from the Dean, SLS

Message from the Editorial Team

Flare 2012 : Glimpses & Clicks

Compiled by: Nupur Saraswat Parthvi Choksi Durva Vyas

Flare 2012 came with the theme Streets

Unleashed generating mass enthusiasm and zeal among the students of PDPU. The three day long techno-cultural fest lifted the spirits of students from in and outside PDPU and left them exhilarated and vivacious. The technical and cultural events in FLARE 2012 provided students with a platform to know, mould and bring out their creativity and talents in innumerable ways. The events during the fest ranged from technical events like robotics and online gaming to fine arts events like shoe painting and graffiti. To add to the ebullience were cultural events like Melodia and Ablaze and adventurous events like ROADIES and Mr. & Miss Flare. The events witnessed students from various colleges participating, tapping their feet, filling the air with melodious voices and soothing music and bringing out their intellectual and analytical abilities through various endeavors undertaken during FLARE. Flare 2012 successfully engaged the crowd with its theme song written and composed by the students of PDPU. The performance filled the crowd with joy, tremendous energy and gusto. The sudden surprise element of a Flash Mob as a filler left the audience awestruck, astonished and took the excitement level beyond limits. But this wasnt all that made Flare 2012 a great success. The most interesting part was the pro nights. Keeping in mind the tradition and culture of India, the opening of the pro nights was done by Kadam- Centre for Dance and Music. The beautiful and graceful kathak performance by the

members of Kadamb School of Dance and Music made the audience sway with them and set the festive mood. A Delhi based band- Faridkot, continued to rock the audience on the second pro night with their jazzy, rhythmic and melodious beats that got the people on their toes, dancing and rejoicing with their friends. To add to the final glow and glitter of FLARE, Vishal Shekhar accompanied by Shruti Pathak set the stage on fire during the final night. The young crowd danced to the tunes of popular Bollywood songs for hours. An aura of warmth, zest, energy and fervor filled the venue. The three nights made Flare a complete package of fun and frolic, entertainment, jest, life and cheer. Overall, the techno-cultural fest turned out to be an event of learning, experience and enjoyment for all who became a part of it.

Plethora of Activities
Canadian Deputy High Commissioners visit to SLS, PDPU The much awaited Canadian Deputy High Commissioners
visit to the PDPU campus on 23rd March was a great learning experience for all the SLS students of Public Administration & Policy as well as the faculty. Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Jim Nickel, possesses a background in Public Policy and is a career foreign service officer. He addressed many Canadian policies relating to education, bilateral trade and investment between the countries, agriculture and technology, research, immigration and most importantly energy and fuel related future prospect trade between both the countries. He did not shy away from stating that today India was one of the fastest growing economies as well as one of the largest potential markets of the world and any collaboration of sorts would largely benefit the Canadian economy.

Esteemed Japanese Professor visits SLS

Close on the heels of the visit of the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner to PDPU, the School of Liberal Studies was honoured by the presence of Professor Michimi Muranushi, esteemed faculty of International Relations at the Gakushuin University in Tokyo, Japan on March 26, 2012. Professor Muranushi, who holds degrees in Law, International Relations and Political Science, spoke extensively on issues ranging from Japanese imperial history and post-war reconstruction to emerging international relations scenarios of the 21st century. The lecture was followed by a freewheeling discussion with the students and faculty of SLS. The interaction was free, frank and deeply insightful, covering a wide range of topics with questions on international affairs from the North Korean nuclear program to the UNSC resolution on Sri Lanka. The School of Liberal Studies hopes this interaction with such distinguished foreign faculty will hopefully be a prelude to many more such stimulating sessions in the near future.
-Arjun Sidharth
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He talked about the young, talented pool and skilled workforce in India versus that of most other countries and clearly believed that this was the country for new future opportunities. He also spoke about how India was one of its largest importers of its agricultural fertilisers and products, along with legumes and pulses, aviation machinery and technology etc. He was positive of the increasing bilateral relations between both the countries. Mr. Jim Nickel also interacted with the students and faculty, responding to their questions in detail and with examples. His first visit to the state of Gujarat and to PDPU especially sure turned out to be a meaningful one.
- Pooja Shah

Expert Session on Research Methodology and Psychological Disorders Expert

lecture sessions for Psychology were conducted on

February 27 and 28, 2012. Dr. Manas K. Mandal, Scientist and Director, Defense Institute of Psychological Research, Defense Research and Development Organization gave his kind consent to conduct these sessions. These lecture sessions which were attended by students, focused on career opportunities in the field of psychology, scope of psychology and application of psychology in other pure sciences.

-Vaidehi Patel

SLS students interview eminent women writers

SLS faculty and students at UGC National Seminar

Sahitya Akademi and Dept. of English, Gujarat University organized the National Colloquium on Indian Women Writers in English on 12th & 13th November 2011. SLS students volunteered for the colloquium and also interviewed famous and prominent English women writers about various aspects of their lives. There were personalities like Respected Governor of Gujarat, Ms. Shobhaa De, Tamil writer Bama and many others. It was indeed an experience to be cherished.

School of Liberal Studies, PDPU faculty

and students presented research paper at UGC National Seminar on 'Celebrating Blackness Offshore' at Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) on March 16-17, 2012. SLS also put up a exhibition on Afro-American Painters.

With Hon. President of PDPU, Shri Mukesh Ambani after Spanish Flamenco Dance Performance at PDPU Convocation

Batch 2011 with Hon. Mayor of Abad, Shri Asit Vora during Urban Renewal Mission Internship Inauguration

Students performing at the Kankariya Carnival 2011

Delegates from Chinese Embassy visiting SLS, PDPU to celebrate Chinese New Year

Shri D. J. Pandian and Canadian Delegation at the Indo-Canadian Poster Exhibition organized by SLS students

Leaders of Tomorrow a workshop on getting hired being conducted for SLS students

Mr. Nikhil Agarwal, partner at Lalooji & Sons, with Batch 2011 for a lecture on Event Management

Mr. Dushyant Joshi, conducting a lecture on Entrepreneurial Skills for SLS students

Shri. Jagat Shah, Trade and Investment Representative for Govt. of Manitoba, Canada in India gave an interactive session on International Trade
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SLS Scaling Heights

Runners-Up at Concourse 2011 hosted by HLBBA, Ahmedabad

Juhi Sharma, Batch 2009 with TV actors as a part of her internship in the show R.K. Lakshman Ki Duniya

Girls Basketball Team finishing first at the Annual Sports Fest at DAIICT, Gandhinagar

SLS students contingent at the Maadhyam Fest at Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, (SIMC-UG) Pune. Winners in events related to advertising, journalism, events, PR, short films etc.

Batch 2011 girls were winners of the Most Innovative Business Award at the M.S. University, Baroda.

SLS Student Yash Modi in Indias Got Talent on Colors TV. Press Coverage of SLS students with Chinese Intern.

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SLS Scaling Heights

Aakanksha Vira, Batch 2011 won 1st prize in Clay Modelling at Flare 2012 in PDPU. Sarthak Malani, Batch 2010 and his band secured the first position in the interband competition as a part of Melodia, music event for Flare 2012 at PDPU. Jignesh Ladhva, Batch 2010 secured 2nd price in a Science Exhibition at PDPU on 28th Feb , National Science Day for making a working model on a theme. Pranav Nair and Rajaram Surianarayanan, Batch 2009 were participants at the Indian Student Parliament, MIT School Of Governance, Pune. Shreyas Shaymsunder, Batch 2011 won third Prize at Spell Bee, "Connaisance 2012", Insititute of Law, Nirma University and was a Delegate Of Ireland at Young Leaders Global Conference Model United Nations 2012, P.S.G College Of Technology, Coimbatore. Rajaram Surianarayanan, Batch 2009 was the winner at Quiz "Econundrum" in the 2nd National Economics Festival, St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. Yash Modi, Batch 2010 received a certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records for breaking the record of maximum tabla players (321) playing for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Neha Gurudatt, Vipul Jain and Sachin Chauhan won 1st prize in the Offbeat Antakshari Contest at PDPU. Jainisha Chavda, Parthvi Chokshi and Slesha Modh, Batch 2010 secured second position in the Flare Business Plan competition-Cocoon Ideas

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Research Activities
Dixit Patel & Vibha Bhirud, Batch 2009 presented a paper on The Role of the Reserve Bank of India in Controlling Inflation: Traditional or Beyond Monetary Measures at the International Conference on Emerging Management Practices 2012, Gujarat. Rajaram Surianarayanan, Batch 2009 presented a paper on Growth of MBA Preparatory Resource Sites-A New Phenomenon at the Ninth AIMS International Conference on Management, Pune in January 2012. Rahul Bakshi, Batch 2009 presented a paper on Augmented Reality Mechanical Assist Device at the Ninth AIMS International Conference on Management, Pune in January 2012. Vani Dwivedi, MA student presented a paper at the UGC National Seminar on Dalit Literature: Past, Present and Future at the Gujarat University in December 2011.

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Research Activities
Dr Rupakjyoti Borah presented a paper on Indias Ties with East and Southeast Asia: Prospects for Regional Integration at the 5th Congress of the Asian Political and International Studies Association (APISA 5) at the Overseas Chinese University (OCU), Taichung, Taiwan during November 2011. Dr. Nigam Dave, Dean, SLS presented a paper Celebrating Black Identity in African -American Paintings at UGC National Seminar at Ahmedabad Management Association in March, 2012 . Dr. Sanjay Pradhan published an article Russia-US Relationship in the Post-Cold War Era: Can it be reset? in the Journal of Peace Studies in December 2011 issue. Dr. Prashant Panda presented a paper, Understanding The Innovation Management System of Biocon : A Model for South Asian Companies with Prof. S. Nagendra in May 2011, 11th South Asian Management Forum. Dr. Tanushri Banerjee alongwith Rahul Bakshi and Rajaram Surianarayanan submitted paper at AIMS conference in Pune in December 2011. The topics of the papers respectively were: Digital Literacy in Education and Growth of MBA Preparatory Resource Sites-A New Phenomenon Dr. Himani Baxi presented a paper on Testing of Causality between Tax Revenue and Expenditure in Gujarat at National Seminar on Gujarat Economy: Retrospect and Prospect in January 2012 organized by Dept. of Economics, M.S.University, Vadodra. Dr. Chittaranjan Senapati, presented a paper on Reservation in Government Employment in the National Seminar on Social Group Statistics and Present Statistical System: Emerging Policy Issues, Data Needs and Reforms in February 2012 He has been awarded a research project entitled: Deprivation and Social Exclusion in India and Kzakhstan, in March 2012 funded by Indian Council of Social Science Research, Ministry of Human Resources, Government of India, New Delhi.

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Creati-witty
In my dreams I nurture, A small paradise Where the morning sun tickles, The dew on the leaves And only yawning flowers, Are the little heart-thieves Where gently I awake, As the morning bird cries In my dreams I nurture A small paradise... Where amidst the butterflies, I chose to fly Where the grass is my bed And carelessly I lie Where the cotton clouds fill The vastness of the skies In my dreams I nurture A small paradise... Where chains of dignity Don't bind my deeds Where on satisfaction alone My soul feeds Where the old is forgotten, With every sunrise In my dreams I nurture A small paradise... In this dream I float Time and time again When I'm tired of compromise And all the life-bargain Don't wake me up, Don't open my eyes In my dreams I nurture A small paradise - Madhura Deshmukh

The world is fooled, as it all seems fun And from yourself you fight and run Still no reason here, you can find, To be yourself and leave the rest behind. Nothing here, no justification, for the purpose of your continuation. All seems fine, all is right The face is sunny and so bright Smile is plastered, all happy and gay Words of joy and kindness you say The world may think you are the sparkling ray But the gleam of sorrow still inside those eyes stays You may appear to still survive the fight, But deep inside you know, something still is not right. it is then, when you hear this soundless cry, the cry of survival, the cry of pain, the cry of reason, the cry untamed. Its just the way it is, Its the cry. - Yesha Modi

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Creati-witty

Akanksha

Vira

Ha

sinh rpal

hela Vag

Maurya Kadia

Yash Modi

Yash Modi

Kruti

Nair
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Upcoming Events at SLS

Students Research Seminar to be organized by School of Liberal Studies. Seminar Date: April 26-27, 2012. For further details, please contact: sanjay.pradhan@sls.pdpu.ac.in Data Dissemination Workshop on House Listing and Housing Data in mid-April 2012 Intensive Training Course (MDP) on Business Acumen for Mid to Senior Managers planned for April 2012 SLS Batch 2012 Entrance Test on 10th June 2012

The Editorial Team:

Dr. Himani Baxi Gayatri Chauhan | Harpalsinh Vaghela | Kruti Nair Riva Patel | Shinjali Divanji | Yash Modi

PANDIT DEENDAYAL PETROLEUM UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF LIBERAL STUDIES

Off KobaGandhinagar Highway Raisan, Gandhinagar, 382007 Gujarat, India Phone: +91 79 23275231 Fax: +91 79 23275030 Visit us at: www.sls.pdpu.ac.in

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