Freshers get an outlook on life on Orientation Day

By Medhansh Das

As a part of the orientation programme for the batch of 2023 of Bennett University, a lot of professionals and experts from different sectors of the industry were invited as guest speakers to give the freshers a perspective of what Bennett University (BU) can offer and how to manage and handle your college life.

One such speaker was Himanshu Joshi, a filmmaker, singer, music composer, poet, writer, and photographer. In 2010 he joined the popular fusion rock band Indian Ocean as the lead vocalist. After the Vice Chancellor, Dr. Prabhu Aggarwal’s speech, it was Mr Joshi’s turn to educate the students in their next phase of life. He shared some of his experience as a schoolboy and college freshman. “It’s not what you do in life that matters but rather your conviction and the ambition you put in the work,” said Joshi. Giving an example of his bandmate Dr. Rahul Ram, Joshi said “Doing a Master’s degree in chemistry from IIT Kanpur and then doing a PhD degree in Environmental Toxicology from Cornell University in US, he decided to hell with it, I’ll become a musician, and now he’s the bass guitarist of our band!”. Another example that he gave was that of former President of India, Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam whom he had the honour of meeting, talking about his childhood days, born in a poor Tamil Muslim family then becoming an aerospace engineer and eventually the President of India.


He ended his speech by singing a song from the movie Masaan called Bhor, which is about a bird who thinks about freedom. “In a way even you as students are like this bird trying to find your place in this world,” said Mr Joshi.