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संकल्प गुप्ता कहते हैं, कविताओं में कुछ जादू होता है, कम शब्दों में भी यह आपको एक गहरी सोच में डुबाने या एक अलग ही दुनिया में ले जाने की काबिलियत रखती हैं, तो इसी ताकत को दर्शाने के लिए , बेनेट विश्वदिध्यालय के लिट्ररी क्लब “ सेरीब्रम” द्वारा एक ‘ स्लैम पोएट्री प्रतियोगिता’ का आयोजन किया गया जहाँ,जी-20 के इस बार के मंत्र “वसुधैव कुटुम्बकं ” यानि पूरी दुनिया एक परिवार है ” ,पर आधारित थीं| ऐसे विषय जिनमें समाई है पूरी दुनिया इस प्रतियोगिता में सभी प्रतियोगियों को अलग-अलग चुनने और उसपर अपनी कविताओं को प्रस्तुत करने की चुनौती थी, और विषय भी ऐसे जो कि, एक इंसान को उसके अंतर्मन से जोड़ने का काम करें जैसे कि:- 1. नेम एंड आइडेंटिटी या नाम और पहचान: यह विषय था कि एक व्यक्ति के अपना नाम और रूतबा उसकी खुदकी पहचान लगता है या बोझ| 2. ए लेटर टू टुमौरो या कल को एक पत्र: इस विषय में प्रतियोगियों को कुछ इस प्रकार कविताएँ बोलनी थी कि मानों , वह अपने आने वाले कल को नहीं, बल्कि उस पीछे छूट चुके पार्क में खेलने वाले बच्चे के लिए हों| 3. आवर वर्ल्ड- एन इम्पेर्फेक्ट फैमिली: या हमारी दुनिया: एक अलग परिवार : इस विषय में प्रतियोगियों को परिवार के सदस्यों के बींच मतभेद के बावजूद, एकजुटता,प्यार और अपनेपनको दर्शाना था| 4. रेस ऑफ़ रिप्रजेंटेशन या खुद को दुनिया की भाग-दौड़ में खुद की दावेदारी : इस विषय में प्रतियोगियों को दर्शाना था कि, समाज में भागीदारी किस तरह से रखना चाहता है? 5. कम्फर्ट ऑफ़ होम या घर क्या है: जी हाँ इस विषय में प्रतियोगियों को बताना था कि, एक मकान घर कैसे बनता है? सभी प्रतियोगियों द्वारा रहा शानदार प्रदर्शन इस स्लैम पोएट्री प्रतीयोगीता में भाग लेने वाले हर एक प्रतियोगी ने मन को मोह लेने वाली कविताओं से हॉल में मौजूद सभी दर्शकों को भी प्रभावित करने में सफल रहे| G-20 थीम से प्रभावित रही “स्लैम पोएट्री” प्रतियोगीता लिट्ररी क्लब “ सेरीब्रम” द्वारा आयोजित “स्लैम पोएट्री” प्रतियोगीता, पूर्ण रूप से G-20 से प्रभावित नज़र आयी, जहां उपयुक्त सभी विषय G-20 से प्रभावित होकर ही बनाए गए थे, जो दर्शाता है कि, एक विश्वविद्यालय के क्लब द्वारा कैसे भारत को मिली G-20 अध्यक्षता को सम्मान दिया गया| भावनाओं से भरा एक यादगार सफ़र, “स्लैम पोएट्री” प्रतियोगीता वैसे तो कविताएं हर एक को अच्छी ही लगती हैं, पर मेरे लिए यह पोएट्री प्रतियोगीता, एक कभी ना भुला पाने वाला अनुभव रहा| एक ऐसा अनुभव जिसने मुझे शब्दों की ताकत और लोगों के उस्से जुड़ाव के बारे में समझाया|

By Pranavi Ambati Of the 3 athletics-based events held on Day-4 of Sportikon , Bennett University fared well in discus throw . Under the sweltering sun and dry wind, 4 Bennettians made it to the podium - 2 each in men's and women's discus. Four participants, each with 3 attempts, focused on getting their swing leading up to the throw right. It was also as much about the estimate of where the discus would land, as much as the push itself. Siddharth Prataph, who grabbed the first place in men's, was in a league above rest of the competitors. All his throws were marked over 30.0 m with his best being 35.3 m, whereas the others trailed below 25. At second place, Maharaja Agrasen 's Shiv flung his discus 21.60 m away. While he had his own criticism of his attempt, his throw was indicative of the sportsmanship around - despite being a solo entrant, he earned the many cheers of the referees and Bennett's players around. 'Second is a very bittersweet position, but I will cherish this experience because I got exposed to equally tough players. That's what sports is all about," he said. Thus, in men's, Bennett clinched both Gold and Bronze, while Maharaja Agrasen took to Silver. Over in the women's track, Bennett's Shriya Gupta earnt herself the 1st place in the event which had Mody University , Rajasthan as the competitors. Shriya, who led the podium, recorded her best at 18.90 m. While having expected to secure a rank, she was a little terrified after having her first attempt marked foul for crossing the boundary. She attributed her better attempts to her coach. "I am glad to have secured the first place. I was a little terrified at having made a foul in my first attempt during the match, but my coach's presence reassured me. Thus, I calmly attempted my second and third throws," she explained. This was followed by Sweety, also from Bennett, at 15.70 m with Silver, and at third position was Mody's Khusbhoo with 14.65 m for Bronze. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Pranavi Ambati The last of the Men's volleyball league matches ended in a tight, closely contested match between the 2 branches of Graphic Era university - Dehradun, and Haldwani . It was the second and only match after Bennett A vs B to go into 3 sets. In the first set, Haldwani won with a 10 point lead, but then fell short of 4 in Set 2. While Graphic Era (D) had hoped to win the third set in succession, the game took a turn once again and ultimately, Graphic Era (H) settled with a win. This placed them one pedestal higher on the podium, second to Subharti that had lost not any matches it had played this Sportikon 2023. "We came with the intent of winning and I'm happy that we were able to do exactly that. It was highly competitive - I particularly enjoyed the matches with Graphic Era university," said Team Subharti's captain. Women's league also saw a wrap up in the third and last girl's volleyball match between Bennett University and Gargi College for Women, which Gargi won with a marvellous lead. Set-1 saw Bennett score 4 against Gargi's 25, which improved in Set-2 where Bennett managed a 10 points. BU Girls' volleyball captain Samayrra, reflecting on the team's performance, said, "What we found ourselves to be lacking in is co-ordination and defense. Playing against Gargi has shown us that it is exactly what we need to hone." Muskaan Tanwar, Gargi's leader, was primarily glad to have participated. "Sportikon at Bennett has given us another feather in the cap. We travelled afar, got exposed to new teams and on top, even won both of the matches we played. It couldn't be any better for us," she added. With this, in girls' volleyball, Gargi went onto earn Gold, Mata Sundari - Silver, and Bennett - Bronze. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Rishi Bhushan Day 4 of ‘Sportikon’ saw Bennett University (BU) emerge victorious in the men’s and women’s categories of shot-put event, taking home gold medals in both categories. Sweety in the women’s category and Siddharth Pratap Singh in the men’s category achieved this feat. The competition was fierce as players from various colleges participated, each vying for the coveted top spot. In the women’s category, Bennett dominated the competition by winning the gold and silver. Surbhi, with her best throw of 7.40 m, landed the silver medal for BU. Third place on the podium went to Tamanna from Mody University . “It was very tight. Everyone was so good and we were fighting for every metre. I had to bring my A-game to the competition,” said Sweety, whose throw of 8.30 m proved enough for the top spot on the podium. The men’s competition was just as competitive. However, it was Bennett who once again rose to the occasion and bagged two medals, a gold and a bronze. Siddharth Pratap Singh’s throw of 11.65 m and Manas Chopra ’s throw of 10.45 m were enough to get them the gold and the bronze, respectively. Second place went to Utkarsh Chaudhary, Graphic Era University (GEU), who fought a close battle with Siddharth. “He (Utkarsh) was leading till the second attempt. I knew I had to make the third attempt count,” said Siddharth. Utkarsh’s best attempt was of 11.60 m. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Medhansh Das Without losing a single match in the entirety of the Sportikon fest, Amity University won the final match as well against the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies ( UPES ) by 43 runs on day 4 of the sports fest. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Amity made a total score of 159, losing 5 wickets in 20 overs, with Himanshu Bachkheti, the player of the match for the previous game against Bennett University scoring another half-century. The second innings saw UPES score 116 runs, losing all their wickets in the third ball of the last over. Jyotish of Amity University took a total of 5 wickets in 3 overs, making him the player of the match for the finals. “Our gameplay so far has been really good, and we strive to make it even better for our upcoming matches, Sportikon is just the beginning” said Aviral Tyagi, a bowler for the Amity team after their victory celebration. The Amity team was ecstatic with their victory, having put in a superb all-round performance to clinch the championship title. UPES, on the other hand, was disappointed but can hold their heads high for having made it to the finals and putting up a tough fight against a strong opponent. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Pakhi Dave At the final showdown, Both team Amity and NCPE (Noida College of Physical Education). The tension and excitement were palpable as both teams were equally matched, and the outcome of the game was uncertain. Amity won the toss and decided to choose the left side court. The Amity team was confident in their abilities, and they had their star raider, Albin Antony, leading the charge. The game started with Albin Antony taking back-to-back raids, and Amity quickly took the lead. However, NCPE was determined to win, and they slowly and steadily started to gain ground. As the game progressed, the score remained close, and the spectators were on the edge of their seats. Both teams displayed exceptional athleticism and skill, with each raid and tackle leaving the audience in awe. It was a neck-and-neck race, and no one could predict which team would emerge victorious. As the game ended, NCPE started to pull ahead, and Amity struggled to keep up. Despite their best efforts, NCPE maintained their lead, and in the end, they won the match with a score of 45-28. “We just wanted to come here and give our best. We were up for anything that unfolds during the match”, says Balram; Team NCPE on the win. For the third place, both teams of Bennett were competing amongst each other. In the start, Team B took the lead and remained focused. Team A tried to grab the raider every time but couldn’t and missed a lot of points and fell behind. Audience had already started predicting the winner as Team B. Team A proved it all wrong. During halftime, the score wad 24-28 and Team A was on the losing side. Team A played it very smartly, they took breaks, discussed the strategies and then went in for the raid. And immediately the win was on their side, in the last one minute the score was 42-48; Team A in the lead. Bennett A took the win with a score of 44-50. All teams fought hard and displayed impressive skills, but in the end, NCPE & Bennett Team A in their respective matches emerged as the winners. The game was a testament to the spirit of sportsmanship and the importance of perseverance in achieving success. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Vanisha Rajesh Singh The air was thick with anticipation as the players of OP Jindal and UPES stepped onto the table tennis court at Bennett University 's Sportikon . The stakes were high, the competition was brutal, and the crowd was roaring with enthusiasm. The stage was set for a very dramatic and edgy finale , and the players were determined to leave their mark in the history of the game. The first round of singles saw Jindal's Prajwal GS go head-to-head with Aditya Dogriyal from UPES. Prajwal won all three sets with ease, scoring 11-5 in each set. His powerful shots and well-placed serves proved too much for Aditya to handle, and the crowd was thoroughly impressed with Prajwal's performance. However, the second round saw a complete turnaround in fortunes for UPES. Madhav Bhadia played for UPES against Aaryan Siwach from Jindal. The scores for the three rounds were 11-5, 11-3, and 11-4 in favour of UPES, making it a complete whitewash for Jindal. Madhav's aggressive play style and swift movements across the court caught Aaryan off guard, and the crowd was amazed at Madhav's skill. The doubles round was a closely contested match, with Jindal's Dhruv Daga and Prajwal GS facing UPES's Samarth Sharma and Dogriyal. The crowd was on the edge of their seats as both teams traded blows, and each point was crucial. However, despite a valiant effort from Jindal, UPES emerged victorious, winning all three sets with scores of 11-7, 13-11, and 11-9. Set 2 was particularly intense, with Samarth Sharma's exceptional play proving decisive. The fourth round of singles was the most unpredictable and longest round of the match, with Prajwal and Bhadia going against each other. The two players had very different playing styles, as Prajwal had a unique strategy of tapping his foot loudly while serving to distract and intimidate his opponent, a tactic that seemed to be working well against Madhav's aggressive style of play. The crowd was eagerly waiting for the end score as this round was going to decide the winner. Madhav, however, managed to maintain his focus and composure despite Prajwal's strategy and won the round for UPES with a score of 11-8, 13-15, 5-11, 16-14, 16-18 in a thrilling neck-and-neck struggle. The audience erupted in cheers as Madhav sealed the victory for UPES. After the match, Prajwal GS expressed, "We put in our utmost effort, however, UPES played exceptionally well, and they truly deserve the victory. My warmest congratulations to them." Meanwhile, Madhav Bhadia commented, "Honestly, it was a rollercoaster of emotions out there. Prajwal put up a great fight, and we knew we had to stay focused and play our hearts out to come out on top.” The UPES team members were brimming with joy, leaping and hugging each other in celebration of their hard-won victory. The final match of the table tennis tournament at Sportikon was nothing short of phenomenal, with the players putting in their all to emerge victorious. Ankan Chakraborty, the captain of Bennett's Table Tennis team, couldn't agree more, describing the match as one of the best he had witnessed during the fest. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Pranavi Ambati To keep the pulse kicking and to offer leisure, on the third night of Sportikon , a neon DJ Night was organised. The line-up of entertainers included DJ Knight and DNA Music . Bennett University 's very own music club, Advaita , also took to the stage to get the crowd hyped up for the guest performers. With quite a few sports having wrapped up their closing ceremony, the masses thronged to the N-Block ground. Security was also heightened to ensure order and cater to any emergency. From 7:00 in the evening to 11:00 in the night, it was entertainment all through with 3 performers, each with unique musicality. Advaita's musicians and vocalists serenaded the audience with Bollywood old hits, DJ Knight brought the energy up with Punjabi Pop and DNA Music got everyone popping to EDM . "It is such an honour for us to take the stage before the DJs and draw crowds. It's like opening the concert for a big act. Hopefully Bennettians and sportspersons from competing colleges don't forgot our performance," quipped Prafull Tripathi, Advaita's Secretary and also the lead guitarist. If music drew attention, so did the neon glow-in-the-dark bands call attention. It wouldn't be wrong to say the bands were an attraction in their own right - students were decked from head to toe, making multiple multi-coloured accessories of their own. "I was among the last of the students to lay hands on these neon bands - they were deplete as soon as the distribution started. Now that I've secured my very own, I can enjoy the acts carefree," said Vinay Rawal, a student as his group of friends engaged in a round of photographs. Truly, Sportikon at Bennett on Day-3 was bejewelled.

By Shubh Bhardwaj Hansraj College of Arts & Commerce won the title of Chess Champions at Sportikon 2023 after defeating 7 teams. “When you see a good move, look for a better one.” This quote by Emmanuel Lasker resonated well with the players competing in the game of wits. “I think we have been playing well consistently since day one and we have put in hard work as a group which is why we did good on every board and won,” said Vardhaman Singh Yadav, Chess Captain Hansraj College. Positions Shiv Nadar University (A team) secured the second position and Shiv Nadar University (B team) secured the third position. Numerous tactics were seen today across eight chess boards as players sweated and stressed to defeat their opponent. The armies on the board started falling faster as the clock was ticking and the game of chess started looking like Dominos at one point. "I think we were playing well till the end game, as we had practiced well for this competition. I personally practiced various strategies of holding the center position at the board, developing the minus pieces first and deciding on a suitable opening. Today was a good learning for us," said Jass Hora, Captain of Shiv Nadar University (A Team). Score Card (The scores were added after each round) Teams ( Round 1 ) Score Result (winner) Hansraj College V SNU A 3-1 Hansraj College SNU B Vs Ashoka University 3-1 SNU B Teams ( Round 2 ) Score Result ( winner) Hansraj College V SNU B 3-1 Hansraj College SNU AV Ashoka University 3-1 SNU A

By Pranavi Ambati Day-3 of Sportikon witnessed 5 volleyball matches among 5 teams with 35 participating players. Although the matches began late and the rounds went late into the evening, there was much excitement. The players' zeal was visible in their loud chants and the frenzy they sent the crowd into whenever a point was scored. Bennett 's Team A played two matches - the first against Subharti and the second against Graphic Era (H) - but lost both by rather close margins. Towards the end of the first match, BU Vice Captain Rushit Varma suffered from injury and hence, had to take a bow out of the match. All the same, this is not a full stop to Bennett's chances at the Volleyball podium - they have one last chance on Day-4 to prove themselves. Subharti, who defeated Bennett, also went on to defeat Graphic Era (D) - becoming the first and only team so far to defeat the Dehradun Graphians . In Set-1, Graphic Era (D) could only secure 17 against Subharti's 25. Although they caught up closely in Set-2 and the game went into deuce, the match point was ultimately yielded to Subharti. "I felt glad that we were the first team to defeat Graphic Era (D) - they are a strong competition and it was exhilarating to play against them," remarked Subharti's captain. He also acknowledged his team members' perseverance with a 'Kudos to my boys' statement and a proud smile. Alongside Subharti, Graphic Era (H) too won two matches, while UPES closed the night with no win. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Vanisha Rajesh Singh In a display of exceptional skill and sportsmanship, Ashoka University clinched the gold medal in the finals of the tennis tournament at Bennett University ’s sports fest Sportikon , leaving the audience on the edge of their seats. Despite a valiant effort by Shiv Nadar University ’s team 2, Ashoka's players dominated the game with impressive shots and teamwork, securing an easy win. The final was a battle of the previous day's semi-final winners, with Ashoka University taking on SNU 2. The match kicked off with a fiery singles set between Ashoka's Sarthak Gandhi and SNU 2's Raghvendra Singh. The crowd was left spellbound as Sarthak's impressive shots left Raghvendra struggling to keep up, resulting in a relaxed 6-0 victory for Ashoka. As the doubles set began, the audience knew they were in for a treat. Sarthak returned to the court, this time teaming up with Pranav Koka. The duo didn't disappoint, displaying incredible teamwork and coordination, resulting in a dominant 6-1 victory. Though the scoreboard may not have reflected it, SNU 2 displayed an unwavering fighting spirit and indomitable will throughout the match. Nevertheless, Ashoka rose to the occasion and clinched the victory, cementing their place as the champions of the match. Champions at last! The victorious trio from Ashoka bask in the glow of their hard-earned gold medals. Speaking about the win, Sarthak Gandhi expressed his joy, "We knew Shiv Nadar was a tough opponent, but we had prepared well and had faith in our abilities. It's an incredible feeling to win the gold medal and bring glory to our university." Pranav Koka echoed his teammate's sentiments, adding, "The competition was tough, but we stuck to our game plan and executed it perfectly. This win is a testament to our hard work and dedication." The tennis match was an unforgettable spectacle that left spectators in awe, with the players pushing themselves to their limits in a display of unparalleled athleticism and tenacity. The intensity of the match was palpable, and the skill exhibited by both teams was nothing short of remarkable. As the tournament came to a close, the crowd erupted in applause for Ashoka University, the deserving champions of the tournament. Their incredible performance and strategic gameplay throughout the tournament led them to victory. But even those who did not win the gold medal left with a sense of accomplishment, having given their all on the court.

By Vanisha Rajesh Singh Bennett University 's annual sports fest Sportikon has seen some fierce competition this year, and the third-place tennis match between Bennett University and Shiv Nadar University ’s team 1 was no exception. The match was a marathon , lasting for hours and featuring three different sets of intense tennis. The first set singles saw Bennett University take an early lead, winning 6-1 in a dominant display of skill. However, SNU 1 came back strong in the second set doubles , winning 7-5 to even the score. The third and final set was a nail-biting affair, with both teams playing at the top of their game. The match was tied at 6 all, and it all came down to an edge-cutting tie-breaker, which saw SNU 1 emerge victorious with a score of 7-5. Bennett University's captain and player Abhimanyu Parikh played like a warrior against SNU's Kushagra Pant. The two players kept turning the tables on each other, keeping the spectators on the edge of their seats. Despite the eventual loss, Parikh was gracious in defeat, saying, "Shiv Nadar University played an amazing game, and we congratulate them on their victory. It was a hard-fought match, and we gave it our all." Reflecting on the match, Pant paid tribute to Bennett University's skill, saying "We knew going into the game that Bennett University was a formidable opponent. They pushed us to the limit, and we had to fight for every single point. It's a great feeling to come out on top after such a challenging match." The players left everything on the court, making for a memorable match that will be talked about for years to come. The Sportikon tournament was a resounding triumph, shining a spotlight on the very best of lawn tennis. The event captured the essence of what makes sports so thrilling - the grit, determination, and passion of the players, and the unwavering support of the spectators. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Shubh Bhardwaj Four teams will be competing against each other on the 9th of April on the last day of Sportikon to be the Chess Champions at Sportikon- the sports fest organised by the Bennett University . The final teams in the tournament are Ashoka University , Hansraj College , Shiv Nadar University (A and B) team. A total of 8 teams participated in the Chess Tournament . Sharda University did not attend the tournament on Day 2 and gave Bennett University a walkover. However, Bennett University lost 4-0 to Shiv Nadar University and was disqualified. Hansraj College team emerged as the Pool A winner. Shiv Nadar University emerged as the Pool B winner. In the match between Ashoka University and Shiv Nadar University (B). Raghav Chaturvedy, a SNU player caught the king in a trap with two rooks. Placed side to side and ended on a clean clean checkmate! "I think the level of chess played by my fellow participants has motivated my team here at Bennett, I wish them the best for the finals and expect even more zeal and enthusiasm in the next Sportikon 2024," said Chaitanya, Chess Captain, Bennett University. The nail biting matches today will clearly bring in more challenges for the four qualified teams as all the players bring in their A game at the league finals on the last day of Sportikon to be the Chess Champions. Score card for the Chess Tournament Day 2 at Sportikon ( 4 players per team) SNU A 4.0-0.0 SNU C SNU A Won BENNETT A 4.0-0.0 SHARDA Bennett A Won SNU B 2.5-1.5 ASHOKA SNU B Won BENNETT A 0.0-4.0 ASHOKA Ashoka Won SNU A 3.0-1.0 HANSRAJ Hansraj Won SNU C 0.0-4.0 BENNETT B Bennett B Won TEAMS SCORE TEAMS POSITION Hansraj 3.0-1.0 ASHOKA FINAL SNU B 1.0-3.0 SNU A FINAL

By Pakhi Dave Today was not such a good day for Bennett University at the Kabaddi ground, neither Team 1 nor Team 2 could qualify for the finals. Team NCPE ( Noida College of Physical Education ) with their guru mantra and Team Amity with its confidence moved ahead. In the first semi-final round, Bennett University won the toss and chose the right side of the court. Shubham from team NCPE went in first and was fiercely put down by Team Bennett . Both the teams were enthusiastic and were in full josh . Team NCPE took the lead by halftime; the score became 19-5. Bennett was charged up after the break and was all in for the challenge. Manish Yadav; the main raider of the team went in for back-to-back to points and the entire hall was filled with cheers again. Bennett University played well but yet was not able to cover the gap of the first half. And the timer went off at the score of 37-29, all the team members shook hands and team Bennett congratulated Team NCPE. The post lunch round of semi-finals was a roller coaster. It was a match between Amity University; the second favourites of the tournament as they topped their pool and Bennett University's Team 1. Both teams were playing at the same pace, the score was 7-5. Amity picked up the pace and victoriously surged ahead scoring in multiple raids. The score was 21-15 at halftime. There were a lot of times where both the referees had a lot of discussions regarding the assigned points. At 32-18, Team Amity had 2 players remaining and team Bennett was standing guarded. Small fights occurred between the team members and bystanders of Team Amity. Bennett university thought this as a great opportunity and started to collect the backed-up points. Team Amity was still in form despite the disrupters. At the over time the score was 51-44 thus Amity taking away the win. “We are here to win and it's all about how the other team performs truly, haha” says Shubham; Team Amity. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Pranavi Ambati DJ Sumit Sethi got student cohorts pumping with energy as he took to the stage on the second night of Sportikon 2023, Bennett University 's annual sports fest, revitalizing the spirits of sportspersons, volunteers, and organizers who had tired after a day of intense matches. From the Oscar-winning 'Naatu Naatu' from the movie RRR to King Khan's ' Jhoome Jo Pathaan ', all dance hits were played to raise the crowd's energy. DJ Sumit Sethi too bust into small steps, at which the crowd broke into loud applause and hoots. Even the Sports BU committee members, who had a line up of tedious tasks to attend to, gathered backstage to enjoy the hour. Though still dressed in their uniforms, they were all smiles. "I just got relieved from my duty of covering cricket around 7:30 p.m. It was a long day and I am fatigued. But I am here to gain the crowd's energy and also to relax some stiff muscles," said Kamakshi Deshmukh, a Sports BU photographer. IN PICS: DJ Sumit sets the stage on fire at SportIkon An Indian music producer and performer, Sethi has contributed to some famous Bollywood scores such as ' Singham Returns Remix ' and ' Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan '. While interacting with the students to know of their day's proceedings, he said, "I've heard a lot about the competitive spirit among students in Delhi-NCR. Irrespective of your results today, I am impressed by all of you. Play sports for the love of it!" The crowd devotedly sang the lyrics of the songs to the energetic music whilst grooving to the beats. There was no dearth of dancers the night. In midst of the DJ stereo, colourful lights, and the choicest of clothing, individual exhaustion was long-forgotten - only a collective zeal to enjoy the present echoed. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Medhansh Das Bennett University and Mody University ’s girls’ team faced off in a Futsal match on day-3 of Bennett's sports fest , Sportikon . Both teams displayed great sportsmanship and skill during the match, but unfortunately for Bennett University, they were defeated by Mody University with a score of 2-0. The match started with high energy and enthusiasm in both teams, but Mody University was quick to take control of the game. They dominated the possession, and their attacking players were able to create several chances to score. Despite Bennett's best efforts, Mody University was able to break through their defence in the 10th minute of the game. Bennett University tried to respond quickly, but Mody's defense was too strong to penetrate. The rest of the first half saw both teams creating chances, but none were converted into goals. The first half ended with Mody leading 1-0. The second half started with Bennett University on the attack, but they were unable to score. Mody University continued to dominate possession, and their midfielders controlled the game with ease. Bennett University continued to push forward, but Mody's defense held up well. Mody University emerged victorious with a score of 2-0. Despite the loss, Bennett University's players showed great spirit and determination throughout the game and took pride in their performance. Although being a very niche sport with not much popularity both the teams received a lot of encouragement and cheer from the spectators. “The crowd’s cheer and motivation really helped us to perform much better as team” said Mehek, a player from Mody University. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Pragya Singh Day 2 of SportIkon 2023 saw some close matches, heartbreaks and some amazing displays of sporting skill and prowess. The first and second days were elimination days for different sporting disciplines with the semi-finals and finals scheduled to take place on the third and fourth days of the sporting festival. The four-day inter-university sporting festival was inaugurated on April 6 by pro-kabaddi champion Pardeep Narwal. Here's the list of matches that were played and the winners: F ootball Teams Score Winner Ashoka University Vs. Motilal Nehru College 0-0 Match Drawn Sri Venkateshwara College VS Shiv Nadar University 2-0 Sri Venkateshwara College Ashoka University Vs. Sharda University 1-0 Ashoka University Bennett University Team (A) VS BML Munjal University 0-0 Match Drawn Zakit Hussain College VS Shiv Nadar University 0-0 Match Drawn Cricket Teams Score Winner Ashoka university Vs. BML University 112/8 & 144/7 BML University KR Mangalam Vs Amity University 128/8 & 191/5 Amity University Bennett University Team (A) Vs Amity University 177/8 & 210-7 Amity University Volleyball (Boys) Teams Score Winner GRAPHIC ERA (D) VS UPES 25-22 20-25 25-18 GRAPHIC ERA (D) GRAPHIC ERA (D) VS BMU 25-18 25-21 GRAPHIC ERA (D) SHARDA VS SUBHARTI 25-22 25-21 SHARDA SUBHARTI VS PGDAV 25-22 25-17 SUBHARTI SHARDA VS PGDAV 25-17 25-17 SHARDA BENNETT A VS BENNETT B (QUARTER FINALS) 23-25 25-16 15 - 8 BENNETT A Volleyball (Girls) Teams Score Winner GARGI VS MSC 26-24 25-21 Gargi BENNETT VS MSC 8-25 9-25 MSC Basketball (Boys) Teams Score Winner Ashoka VS SNU B 48 - 50 SNU B Bennett A VS Manipal Jaipur 48 - 33 Bennett A GGISPU VS Amity 51 - 56 Amity Bennett B Vs. GGSIPU 19 - 43 GGSIPU Jamia VS Sharda 39 - 31 Jamia DCAC VS UPES UPES Manipal Jaipur VS IMS 43 - 29 Manipal Jaipur Bennett B VS SNU A 06,32 SNU A IMS VS SBSC 20 - 26 SBSC Sharda VS DCAC 32 - 17 Sharda Ashoka VS GBU 44 - 35 Ashoka GGISPU VS SNU A 39 - 28 GGISPU Manipal Jaipur VS SBSC 33 - 47 SBSC Jamia VS UPES 74 - 64 Jamia IMS VS Bennett A 04,35 Bennett A Bennett B VS Amity 21 - 39 Amity Basketball (Girls) Teams Score Winner MODY UNIVERSITY VS BENNETT 16 - 21 Bennett ASHOKA VS JAMIA 32 - 28 Ashoka ASHOKA VS KNC 18,05 Ashoka JAMIA VS KNC 27 - 25 Jamia ASHOKA VS AMITY 23 - 17 Ashoka GRAPHIC ERA VS BENNETT 30 -16 Graphic ERA Table Tennis Teams Score Winner BENNETT A VS UPES 1,3 UPES SNU1 VS NIT 1 3,0 SNU 1 BML VS NIT 1 3,2 BML NIT 2 VS SNU 3 3,0 NIT 2 ICFAI VS UPES 3,1 UPES OP JINDAL VS NIT 2 3,1 OP JINDAL BENNETT A VS SNU 2 1,3 SNU 2 UPES VS TAGORE 3,2 UPES BENNETT B VS SNU 1 3,2 BENNETT B Kabaddi Teams Score Winner GBU VS BMU 56-52 BMU AMITY VS NCP 39-34 Amity BMU VS BENNETT-1 46-33 Bennett AMITY VS BENNETT-2 69-44 Amity Badminton (Boys) Teams Score Winner GRAPHIC ERA VS BENNETT B (Singles) 18-21/18-21 Graphic Era ASHOKA VS BML (Singles) 21-8/21-14/21-16 BML JAMIA HAMDARD VS BENNETT A (Singles) 21-15/21-11 Bennett BENNETT B VS GLA MATHURA (Singles) 21-10/21-14 GLA Mathura UPES B VS ASHOKA (Singles) 15-21/19-21 Ashoka UPES A VS SNU (Singles) 21-13/21-15 SNU SHARDA VS ASHOKA (Singles) 21-12/17-21/21-10 Ashoka GRAPHIC ERA VS BENNETT B (Singles) 21-15/21-16 Bennett ASHOKA VS BML (Singles) 21-13/21-10 Ashoka GRAPHIC ERA VS BENNETT B (Doubles) 21-18/24-22 Bennett ASHOKA VS BML (Doubles) 21-11/21-14 BML JAMIA HAMDARD VS BENNETT A (Doubles) 21-14/21-14 Bennett BENNETT B VS GLA MATHURA (Doubles) 21-18/13-21/23-21 GLA Mathura UPES B VS ASHOKA (Doubles) 21-12/21-15 Ashoka UPES A VS SNU (Doubles) 21-15/21-15 SNU SHARDA VS ASHOKA (Doubles) 21-15/17-21/21-15 Ashoka ASHOKA VS GBU (Singles Quarter Finals) 21-16/21-15 Ashoka SNU VS BENNETT B (Singles Quarter Finals) 21-7/21-10 SNU BENNETT A VS UPES B (Singles Quarter Finals) 8-21/18-21 UPES B GLA MATHURA VS AMITY (Singles Quarter Finals) 21-13/21-15 GLA Mathura ASHOKA VS GBU (Singles Quarter Finals) 21-15/21-16 GBU SNU VS BENNETT B (Singles Quarter Finals) 21-11/21-17 SNU GLA MATHURA VS AMITY (Singles Quarter Finals) 21-10/21-14 Amity ASHOKA VS GBU (Doubles Quarter Finals) 20-22/18-21 GBU SNU VS BENNETT B (Doubles Quarter Finals) 21-16/24-22 Bennett BENNETT A VS UPES B (Doubles Quarter Finals) 21-15/20-22/12-21 UPES B GLA MATHURA VS AMITY (Doubles Quarter Finals) 21-14/21-13/21-10 Amity Badminton (Girls) Teams Score Winner MODY UNIVERSITY VS SNU (Singles) 21-15/21-9 SNU UPES VS SHAHEED RAJGURU (Singles) 21-5/21-3 UPES SHARDA VS ASHOKA (Singles) 8-21/7-21 Ashoka SNU VS UPES (Singles) 21-16/24-2 UPES BENNETT VS ASHOKA (Singles) 21-13/21-7 Bennett MODY UNIVERSITY VS SHAHEED RAJGURU (Singles) 11-21/9-21 Shaheed Rajguru SNU VS UPES (Singles) 4-21/3-21 SNU MODY UNIVERSITY VS SNU (Doubles) 21-6/21-7 SNU UPES VS SHAHEED RAJGURU (Doubles) 21-11/21-4 UPES SHARDA VS ASHOKA (Doubles) 10-21/17-21 Ashoka SNU VS UPES (Doubles) 12-21/7-21 SNU BENNETT VS ASHOKA (Doubles) 21-15/21-16 Bennett MODY UNIVERSITY VS SHAHEED RAJGURU (Doubles) 13-21/8-21 Shaheed Rajguru SNU VS ASHOKA (Singles Semi Finals) 20-22/20-22 Ashoka SNU VS ASHOKA (Singles Semi Finals) 21-11/21-17 SNU SNU VS ASHOKA (Doubles Semi Finals) 21-11/21-9 SNU Lawn Tennis Teams Score Winner SNU-1 vs. ASHOKA (SINGLES) 6,1 Ashoka SNU-2 vs. BENNETT (SINGLES) 6,0 SNU 2 SNU-1 vs. ASHOKA (DOUBLES) 6,0 Ashoka SNU-2 vs. BENNETT (SINGLES) 7-6 (TIE) 7-4(TIE-BREAKER) SNU 2 Chess Teams Winner SNU A VS SNU C SNU A BENNETT A VS SHARDA BENNETT A SNU B VS ASHOKA SNU B BENNETT A VS ASHOKA ASHOKA SNU A VS HANSRAJ HANSRAJ SNU C VS BENNETT B BENNETT B

By Pranavi Ambati Close on the heels of the Men's qualifiers, Women's Volleyball preliminaries were held on the second evening of Sportikon . It was a tripartite battle among Gargi College , Mata Sundari College and the host, Bennett University . Gargi defeated MSC with the scoreboard reading 26-24 at the end of the first set as it went in for a deuce and 25-21 in the second set concluding the game. Gargi's Captain Muskaan Tanwar, reflecting on their game said, "We won our first and that uplifted our mood. Of course, we won't let it get to us, but will treat it as a motivation to keep the momentum going." MSC, who lost their first game to Gargi, were determined to not get knocked out. Noting their match errors, they came back stronger. In two successive games, they defeated Bennett by huge margins - first tallying 25 against 8, and then 25 against 9. This left the Bennett cohort disappointed, but Assistant Sports Director Arun Kumar stepped in to lift up the spirit while also offering the girls constructive feedback, which they seemed determined to work upon. The team is now set to face Gargi on Day-3, where they will play to earn a spot in the next round. Aditya Pandey, the designated videographer for the event, commented, "While it is disheartening to watch our team lose, it is important that we do not burden them with our disappointment." Wishing the girls his very best, he also admired their sportsperson attitude, "It is not easy to accept such results. They were strong to do so." (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Medhansh Das The first match of Day-2 and of the Quarter-Finals was between BML and Ashoka University . Winning the toss BML University opted to field and stopped Ashoka at 112 runs with 8 wickets, with Yojasvadeep scoring 41 runs for his team. The second innings saw BML scoring big and quick. Although losing 7 wickets they were able to finish the match with a score of 114 with only one ball left in the last over. Shashwat of BML Munjal University was declared as the player of the match, having taken 3 wickets in 3 overs giving just 7 runs and having an economy of 2.33. The second match saw Amity University defeating KR Mangalam with ease. Batting first, Amity made a grand total of 191, losing 5 wickets. Himanshu Bachkheti and Ekansh Tyagi made 59 and 52 runs for their team respectively, with Ekansh scoring his runs in just 18 balls. KR Mangalam started strong with scoring 17 runs in the first over but gradually started to lose wickets, with Ekansh Tyagi taking 4 wickets in 3 overs, securing the title of "Player of the Match" for himself. KR Mangalam managed to play till the last over but were able to score just 128 runs. “I was in my absolute best form today, and am glad with the performance I showcased” said Ekansh. The last match of the day and first match of the semi-finals was between Bennett University and Amity again. Yet again Amity batted first and secured a score of 210 runs losing 7 wickets in a T-20 match format, with Himanshu Bachkheti this time becoming the player of the match, having 101 runs in 56 balls to his name. Bennett had a very aggressive start, scoring 23 runs in the first over. Ayush Roy scored 55 runs in 23 balls and remained not out. His partnership with Vishal Sharma, who scored 45 runs put Bennett with a score of 177, losing to Amity University by 33 runs. “The team is lacking in terms of fielding standards, and it is very crucial that it improves, otherwise it would be very difficult to achieve accomplishments in future matches,” said Alakshendra Mishra, a player for the Bennett University cricket team. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Vanisha Rajesh Singh The second day of Sportikon, Bennett University 's sports fest, witnessed some exhilarating tennis action as the semi-finals unfolded. The first match was between Ashoka University and Shiv Nadar University’s team 1, while the second match saw Bennett University facing off against Shiv Nadar University’s team 2. In the first match, Ashoka displayed their prowess in both the singles and doubles events against SNU 1. In the singles match, Sarthak Gandhi of Ashoka University emerged as the winner with a dominant score of 6-1. After the match, with a satisfied smile on his face, Gandhi said, "I am delighted to have won this match. It was a tough contest, but I am pleased with my performance today." In the doubles match, Ashoka University continued their dominance, securing a win with a score of 6-0. Although SNU 1 made attempts to stage a comeback, Ashoka’s impressive performance ensured their place in the finals. In the second match, Bennett took on SNU 2. In the singles match, SNU's Arryan Navuduri displayed an outstanding performance, winning 6-0. Navuduri's strong showing put his team in a commanding position. The most highly anticipated match of the evening was the doubles match between Bennett University's tennis captain Abhimanyu Parikh and student council president Arnav Batra, and the formidable team of SNU 2. With great energy and pace, Parikh and Batra scored some impressive shots, but SNU 2 matched them every step of the way, eventually tying the match 7-6. In the tense tie-breaker, both teams fought tooth and nail, but SNU 2 held their nerves and emerged victorious with a score of 7-4, securing their place in the finals. Despite the loss, Parikh and Batra showcased some exceptional skills and sportsmanship on the court. Following the matches, the COO of Bennett University, Dr. Sudhanshu Varma , was present as a spectator, and he remarked, "Sports is all about passion, and discipline is crucial for success in any sport. I am proud of all the players who participated today and displayed their love for tennis." The finals are scheduled to take place tomorrow, where Ashoka University will take on Shiv Nadar 2. Tennis enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating a high-octane match to determine the ultimate winner. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Pranavi Ambati Day-2 of the Volleyball matches saw the remaining 5 qualifier matches. The intense mood to make it to the next round was set in by the match between UPES and Graphic Era (Dehradun), which was the first and only qualifier to go into 3 sets. While Graphic Era (D) won Set-1 with 25 against UPES' 22, the latter came back stronger and won Set-2. However, the game was ultimately clinched by Graphic Era (D) with a 7 point lead over the 18 points secured by UPES. Equally interesting was the match between Subharti and PGDAV. Despite not going into 3 sets, the game was filled with tension. A chase on heels in Set-1 followed by Set-2 being interrupted by a dust storm kept the audience on the edge. The game ended with Subharti defeating PGDAV in two successive sets 25-22 and 25-17. Thus, Subharti's pocket on Day-2 saw both 1 win and 1 loss. "We had come with the intent of finishing our game in two sets, and so when the third set was announced, the chills started to seep in. Even though we lost the match, we had a thrill of a time," said Yogya Sharma, who led the UPES Volleyball team. Meanwhile, in an impressive feat, Sharda University won both the matches it played. Their match against PGDAV was particularly interesting as they scored 25 for 17 in both Set-1 and Set-2, which Pragya Singh, an ground management volunteer at the event, termed as "the mother of coincidences". The evening saw the first quarter-final match of the Volleyball competition. Spectators witnessed Bennett 's two teams - Bennett A and Bennett B - at loggerheads. "It feels like I am watching two brothers spar ," said Maanvi Chaudhary, an audience member who sat down for the sport. The B Team won Set-1 25 for 23, which prompted A Team into a more offensive style of play with which they won both Set-2 and Set-3 by a margin of 9 and 7 points, respectively. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Rishi Bhushan Bennett-1 topped pool A and stormed into the semi-finals of the kabaddi event on day 2 of the annual sports fest, SportIkon , with yet another emphatic win over BML Munjal University ( BMU ). BMU had already qualified for the semi-finals but finished second in their group with this loss. Bennett-1 had entered the tournament as strong favourites and have rightly lived up to the expectations. In their match against BMU, Bennett’s players showed skill, resilience and perseverance as they thrashed the opponent side by a score of 46-33. “BMU is a strong team no doubt, but we never lost the grip of the match. We could have scored a lot more points but we played safe to prevent any potential injuries,” said Bennett’s team captain Pankaj. Bennett-1 will now face the Noida College of Physical Education ( NCPE ) in their semi-final match. NCPE team defeated Bennett-2 in their opening match of Pool B. Bennett-2 was knocked out by Amity University by a hefty margin of 69-44. Amity’s team are being considered the second favourites of the tournament as they also topped their pool. Bennett’s star raider, Hari , again proved his mettle as he garnered vital points for the team. Hari said, “We had great support from the crowd as always. I am looking forward to playing against NCPE. They have players that have attended national camps, so it will be fun to play against someone with so much experience.” Bennett-1 had a great start to the match both offensively and defensively. They had a mammoth lead of 12 points by half-time and they never looked back. After the elimination of Bennett-2, it is now upon Bennett-1’s shoulders to deliver their university the glory of winning the event. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Rishi Bhushan In an electrifying Kabaddi match, Amity University emerged victorious over the Noida College of Physical Education ( NCPE ) by a score of 39-34. The match took place during the ongoing sports fest Sportikon at Bennett University, and the atmosphere was charged with excitement and anticipation. Amity’s win over NCPE has made things extremely interesting in Pool B. With Bennett-2 and Amity both having a match in hand, this group is now set for a final showdown. All three teams of Pool B (Bennett-2, Amity and NCPE) have a chance to qualify for the semi-finals. From the opening whistle, both teams displayed exceptional skills and tactics, but it was Amity who took the early lead with a series of quick raids and tackles. However, NCPE did not give up easily, and they fought back with determination to level the score. By half-time, Amity had a delicate lead of 2 points. “Even though they gave us a good fight, we were always in control of the game,” said Ankit Redu, a player at Amity University. The game continued in this back-and-forth manner for most of the match, with both teams taking turns to gain the upper hand. The players of both teams displayed exceptional athleticism, strength, and strategy, leaving the spectators on the edge of their seats. Amity players put up an exceptional performance, with their raider and defender combinations working seamlessly together to secure crucial points. Vineet Kumar Jain , who scored the bulk of the points for Amity University, said, “It was a team effort. I couldn’t have done it before alone and it feels good to score this many points. This win is very motivating and will help us in our game against Bennett.” Now NCPE’s fate rests upon the game between Bennett-2 and Amity. “Bennett has a strong team. I hope they give a tough fight to Amity and defeat them,” said Balram Kaushik, team NCPE. “I don’t think we will have any problem playing Bennett. It will be a one-sided match in our favour,” said Ankit Redu. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Rishi Bhushan Bennett has a strong team and is the clear favourite of the kabaddi event said Mahammad Nazir , player of BML Munjal University ’s Kabaddi team. BML Munjal University (BMU) came out victorious in their kabaddi match against Gautam Buddha University ( GBU ) on day 2 of the annual sports fest, ‘ Sportikon ’. Mahammad Nazir said, “I saw Bennett’s team play yesterday (Day 1) against GBU and I was impressed. Our next match is against them and we are looking forward to giving them a tough fight.” With this win, BMU’s team has qualified for the semi-finals and will play against Bennett-1. Both teams will lock horns in their bids to finish first in pool A. Both teams played well in the first half, with BML having a modest lead of eight points over GBU at the end of the first-half whistle. In their attempt to cover the lead, GBU increased the intensity of their raids and tackles in the second half but their efforts proved to be futile as the final score read 56-52 in BML’s favour. Even though GBU’s journey at the Sportikon proved to be short, their players gave the crowd a good show. “We came here to win the tournament but you don’t always get what you want. It is extremely disheartening but we will come back stronger,” said Prashant Badhana, GBU’s player. He added, “I have been to many fests, but the facilities that we got at Bennett were really great. I look forward to coming back next year.” Even though the match was played with great intensity, players showed mutual respect. This was evident by the display of sportsmanship by BML’s player, Manni who helped his injured rival to limp out off the mat. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Pragya Singh Day 1 of the 4-day inter-varsity sports festival SportIkon , which is being hosted by Bennett University, saw some stellar performances by the players from different universities. Teams from as many as 30 varsities are participating in 16 different sporting disciplines. The sports festival was inaugurated by Pro-Kabaddi champion Pardeep Narwal . During the course of the first day, matches were played out in different games in Bennett University's sporting complex. Here's a list of the matches and the winners: Football Teams Score Winner Graphic Era University Vs.Sharda University 2 - 0 Graphic Era University Sri Guru Gobindh Singh College of Commerce Vs.BML University 1 - 0 Sri Guru Gobindh Singh College of Commerce Shiv Nadar University Vs. Amity University 2 - 0 Shiv Nadar University Ashoka University Vs. Graphic Era University 5 - 0 Ashoka University Cricket Teams Score Winner Ashoka university Vs. Bennett University Team A 155/4 & 144/6 Ashoka won by 11 runs Shiv Nadar University Vs. UPES, Dehradun 121/9 & 124/4 UPES won by 6 wickets Pool Teams Score Winner BMU vs. BENNETT B 3,0 BML MUNJAL UNIVERSITY (BMU) BMU vs. GALGOTIA A 2,1 BML MUNJAL UNIVERSITY (BMU) GALGOTIAS B vs. BENNETT A 3,0 GALGOTIAS B IMS vs. GALGOTIAS B 0,3 GALGOTIAS B Volleyball Teams Score Winner BENNETT B vs. GRAPHIC ERA (H) 11-25 12-25 GRAPHIC ERA (H) BENNETT A vs. IILM 25-18 25-15 BENNETT A GRAPHIC ERA (H) vs. MIMT 25-12 25-9 GRAPHIC ERA (H) BENNETT B vs. MMIT 25-12 25-14 BENNETT B UPES vs. BML 25-21 25-14 UPES Basketball (Boys) Teams Score Winner SNU-A Vs. Amity 28 - 51 Amity Sharda Vs. UPES 30 - 35 UPES SNU-B Vs. GBU 60 - 42 SNU - B Bennett B Vs. GGSIPU 19 - 43 GGSIPU JAMIA Vs. DCAC 54 - 47 JAMIA Bennett A Vs. SBSC 64 - 55 Bennett A Basketball (Girls) Teams Score Winner K.R. Mangalam University Vs. Amity University 19 - 25 Amity University Graphic Era Vs. Mody University 44 - 08 Graphic Era University Jamia Millia Islamia Vs. Amity University 31 - 36 Amity University Table Tennis Teams Score Winner SNU 1 VS OP JINDAL 0/3, 1/3 OP Jindal BML VS SNU 1 0/3, 0/3 SNU SHARDA VS SNU 2 3/0, 3/1 Sharda BML VS OP JINDAL 0/3, 0/3 OP Jindal BENNETT B VS SNU 3 3/0, 3/1 Bennett B BENNETT A VS ICFAI 3/2, 1/3, 3/1 Bennett A Kabaddi Teams Score Winner GBU VS BENNETT-1 28 - 46 Bennett-1 Badminton (Boys) Teams Score Winner Sharda University Vs BML (Singles) 21-8/21-12 BML Amity University Vs UPES A (Singles) 21-12/21-16 Amity GBU Vs Jamia Hamdard (Singles) 21-12/23-21 GBU UPES B Vs Sharda University (Singles) 21-15/19-21/21-14 UPES B UPES B Vs BML (Singles) 21-15/21-6 BML Amity Universty Vs SNU (Singles) 17-21/21-14/21-13 Amity GBU Vs Bennett University (Singles) 21-19/23-21 GBU Graphic Era Vs GLA Mathura (Singles) 21-7/21-17 GLA Mathura Amity University Vs UPES A (Singles) 21-8/21-12 Amity UPES B Vs BML (Singles) 21-12/21-13 UPES B Amity Universty Vs SNU (Singles) 18-21/17-21 SNU GBU Vs Bennett University (Singles) 21-15/17-21/13-21 Bennett Sharda University Vs BML (Doubles) 21-17/21-19 BML Amity University Vs UPES A (Doubles) 21-15/21-17 UPES A GBU Vs Jamia Hamdard (Doubles) 21-15/21-16 GBU UPES B Vs Sharda University (Doubles) 19-21/21-13/21-10 UPES B UPES B Vs BML (Doubles) 21-19/19-21/21-23 UPES B Amity Universty Vs SNU (Doubles) 17-21/20-22 SNU GBU Vs Bennett University (Doubles) 21-10/19-21/19-21 Bennett Graphic Era Vs GLA Mathura (Double) 21-19/14-21/19-21 GLA Mathura Badminton (Girls) Teams Score Winner SNU Vs. SHAHEED RAJGURU (Singles) 21-15/21-9 SNU Sharda Vs Bennett (Singles) 21-10/21-6 Bennett MODY UNIVERSITY Vs UPES (Singles) 21-3/21-3 UPES SNU Vs. SHAHEED RAJGURU (Doubles) 21-3/21-6 SNU Sharda Vs Bennett (Doubles) 21-11/24-22 Bennett MODY UNIVERSITY Vs UPES (Doubles) 21,3 UPES

By Kamakshi Deshmukh Kabaddi champion Pardeep Narwal , who is also known as the 'Dubki King' believes in order to improve one's performance, one must practice as much as possible. The kabaddi champ was in Bennett University on Thursday morning as the chief guest at the inauguration of the four-day inter-college sports festival SportIkon . Speaking to Times of Bennett, Narwal said that anyone who is interested in achieving fame will always be hungry for more and will practice harder and harder in order to achieve their goals. Narwal appreciated the warm welcome he was given at the A-block reception of the University by the university's Vice Chancellor Dr Prabhu Kumar Aggarwal and COO Sudhandshu Verma. Narwal, who is known for his aggressive style of playing Kabaddi, said that the style that is adopted by the player for the match depends on the situation of the match. "As one plays the sport, one learns to judge the match and understand whether to play aggressively or to use some other style," he said. Speaking about sporting events such as SportIkon, hosted by Bennett University, Narwal said that the fact that universities organise such sporting events for sportsmen along with providing education is a very good initiative. When asked about his sport Kabaddi, he said that he would like to see it being taken to the global level. "We see leagues being created for sports such a Cricket. We would also like to see leagues being created for Kabaddi and for it to be taken to the Olympics," he said. In a message to the university's athletes, he encouraged them to work hard on not just their sports, but also their education. SportIkon, which started on April 6 will end on April 9. Teams from more than 30 universities and colleges are competing in 16 different games. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Medhansh Das After the hustle and adrenaline filled first day of Bennett University ’s sports fest SportIkon , all the students and players gathered to watch the screening of the 9th match of the Indian Premier League ( IPL ) between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The screening was organized by Sports BU , the sports club of Bennett University. Students from all the universities who came to participate in the SportIkon Fest showed up for the screening. “It was a fun and joyful experience to watch an IPL match in such a way, out in the open with other fellow sportsmen from different universities,” said Ashutosh, a second year student from Bennett University. It was a very enthralling match with KKR scoring 205 runs in the first innings despite losing a lot of their top order batsmen with minimal runs. The crowd witnessed Varun Chakravarthy ’s outstanding bowling spell which stopped RCB with just 123 runs in the 18th over in the second innings. Apart from the excitement of the match, the event also provided an opportunity for students from different universities to come together and bond over their love for cricket. Every boundary or wicket was met with loud cheers and applause. The sportsmanship shown at the end of the match by both teams was also displayed by the various teams that participated on the first day of Sportikon. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Medhansh Das The first day of the pool tournament for Bennett University’s four day sports festival, Sportikon , saw some serious pool talent being displayed by the players of BML Munjal University , Galgotias University and Bennett itself. One game consisted of three sets, with 2 singles set and one doubles set. The three matches played between 2 and 4 pm saw BML University win against BU’s team-B in a complete washout of 3-0 (sets). The second match took place between BMU and Galgotias University’s (GU) team-A which saw BML win again by a score of 2-1. The third match was between GU’s team-B and BU’s team-A which ended with an unfortunate score of 3-0 again for Bennett. “Bennett’s hospitality so far has been really good, and I am fully taking in the competitive spirit in the air” said Atul, a second-year student from Galgotias University. “I am very confident that I will be the winner of the Sportikon pool tournament” he added when asked about his confidence level after his impressive win against Bennett. All the players of the different universities really enjoyed the environment and overall atmosphere of the fest. The tournament will continue with its day-2 tomorrow. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Rishi Bhushan Bennett -1 played a thrilling kabaddi match against Gautam Buddha University ( GBU ), Greater Noida, at the annual sports fest ' SportIkon ' organized by Bennett University. This action-packed match saw Bennett-1 securing an emphatic victory over their rivals, with the final score reading as 46-26. Bennett's Hari stepped up for the team and gathered maximum points with his deft raids. Sheikh Subani also earned the team vital points with his all-around defence and offence skills. GBU’s Prashant Badhana and Satyam also put up a fight through their tackles but it wasn’t enough. Satyam said, “We had a great start to the match but we couldn’t keep the momentum going. I believe that we scored bonus points that were not awarded to us, which is a bitter pill to swallow.” The match kept the audience at the edge of their seats as Bennett-1's raiders sliced through GBU's defences. Even the players felt the heat of the match as words were exchanged between the teams. Things got especially heated between Bennett's Sheikh Subani and GBU's Prashant Badhana. “It was a very heated match. They gave us a good fight. The GBU defenders were taunting me but I do my talking on the mat and that's what I did," said Sheikh Subani, Bennett-1 (player). There was no lack of support for the players, as the boisterous crowd that had turned in to see the players willed them on. Initially, Bennett's team lost points in quick succession, but players found their grooves quickly and made it look easy. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Shubh Bhardwaj The four-day inter-college sports festival SportIkon 2023 was inaugurated with much fanfare and grandeur at Bennett University on Thursday. Addressing the students, the chief guest of SportIkon 2023, Kabaddi team captain Pardeep Narwal , said, “This university offers an equal chance to both studies and sports. One can also focus on sports here, this is what I love about the university the most.” These words by their idol are sure to inspire the Bennett students to perform even better in the coming days of the fest. The ceremony began with the lighting of the lamp by the Chief Guest Pardeep Narwal, Vice Chancellor Dr Prabhu Kumar Agarwal and COO Sudhanshu Verma. The traditional dance club of the University Rivaaz performed the Ganesh Vandana to seek the blessings of the almighty and give SportIkon an auspicious start. The spirits of the Bennettians were at an all high even with the heat of the scorching sun above their heads. In his address to the students, the Vice Chancellor said, “this year's SportIkon offers an equal chance and a variety of sports to all, even if you are a seasoned athlete or a first-time performer. Let us celebrate our success and remember the true spirit of sports.” The address by the Vice Chancellor was followed by the felicitation ceremony of Pardeep Narwal the chief guest of the opening ceremony at Bennett university. Music and dance society of Bennett University performed to motivational songs to keep the spirits of the students high and set a benchmark for all the students coming from various universities for the sports fest. This year at SportIkon, Bennett University will be hosting students from more than 30 colleges who will be competing for the Gold medal across 16 sports during the span of the coming four days. (The writer is a Semester IV student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By ToB Editorial Board Bennett University is all set to host a four-day-long sporting event from April 6-9. The four-day event will see teams from different universities competing in as many as sixteen different games ranging from Cricket to Kabaddi to Tennis and Chess. As of April 6 morning more than 15 teams from different universities and colleges registering for the sporting festival. The competing teams include Ashoka University, Amity University, Sharda University, Sri Venkateshwara College, Graphic Era, OP Jindal University etc. The event will begin with the inauguration ceremony at 1030 am. Kabaddi champion Pardeep Narwal will be the chief guest. The opening ceremony will include dance and music performances, addresses by the Vice Chancellor and COO. The ceremony will get over with the administration of the Oath by the Sports Secretary of Bennett University's sporting committee. Ahead of the opening ceremony, the cricket matches began on April 5. The sporting fiesta will also include late evening performances by the music band Fusion Express on April 6, DJ Sumit Sethi on April 7 and a student DJ on April 8. The event will end on Sunday, April 9 with the prize distribution ceremony at 130 pm.

By Pakhi Dave Jhol 4.0 , an exam-cum-theatre fest organized by the 4 th semester students of BAJMC was held at Bennett University on Tuesday. This event was a part of student’s event management subject. The audience started settling in at 6:30. The entire hall had minimal decoration. This year the theme ‘Nazariyo ka Rangmanch’ revolved around reducing the gap between the rural and urban areas. The event was hosted by anchors Yasharth Rai and Rebecca Sarah Mark. “We are nervous but excited to see how this event goes down. We have been working on this project for the past 2 months now and now we just want it to be done,” said Yash Jaiswal, a student who was part of the organizing team. The event was judged by four judges who were experts in the Advertising and Event Management industry. The judges included Parthosen Gupta , national creative head, Times Response, Mr Rupam Borah, Founder Virus , Oneify, Mr Jagrat Tyagi, Marketing Manager – Zee WION , and Mr Anand Bisarya, Founder & Director – Elegante World (a unit of AU Holidays & Events Pvt Ltd.). A moment from Team StayFree's performance during Jhol 4.0 on Tuesday. Photo by Aadinath Mukherjee “I attended Jhol 3.0 last year as well and it was fantastic, so I am just here to see what's on plate this time and I just want to congratulate all the students and wish them all the best,” said P Ramesh Kumar, an assistant professor at Times School of Media. The three Brands that were showcased in the event were ParleG, Stayfree and Dabur. All the three teams gave their best, some entertained the judges with their dance or singing performances and some focused on the schemes of the brand. The showcase started with ParleG, with the team portraying how rural people are more innovative and hardworking when given a chance. Then came team Dabur, who portrayed how a Maharashtrian rural lady talks about keeping health first always. The last to perform was team StayFree, which portrayed how all women are worthy and independent and that a mother can take care of the child alone. At the end of the event, the judges appreciated all the teams and declared team presenting StayFree as the best showcase. “I couldn’t guess that it was an exam,” said Parthosen Gupta. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Aryamaan Jit Singh Bawa “Today’s audience values non-intrusiveness on top of anything else, this is why brand recall is so high in the print medium and the top brands still pay to be advertised on print,” said Associate Vice President of Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd Sharad Mohan Mehrotra to explain to the students the importance of the print medium from an advertising and sales perspective. The Times School of Media organized the guest lecture by Sharad Mohan Mehrotra and Associate Vice President of Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd Rishi Arora for the Business of Print students to teach them that while the digital medium may be taking over our minds, it is not the only major avenue to consume news and information. “Print has reached the capacity to ignite viral conversations, what is on socials ends up on the socials, but something from print may become virtual and end up on socials with a much bigger impact,” Mehrotra said while going over the impact that print carries even in the digital age. “Talking about igniting conversations, Dove is an amazing example of this as the print medium enabled the company to advertise for social change, sparking conversations all over the internet,” he said while presenting a Dove campaign and the power it carried by being printed and not posted on social media. “While the pandemic was surely a rough patch in the print business, the medium has bounced back and made up its losses by increasing its reading time better than pre-pandemic times,” Arora said when asked about the impact of Covid on the medium. Throughout the session, the two shared their extensive knowledge in sales and the importance of ads in the print medium. “While delivering high quality news is of utmost importance, advertisements make up 90% of the revenue generated by a newspaper, it is the advertisers who keep us afloat,” Arora said to highlight the crucial role advertising and strategic sales moves play in the business. Mehrotra also showcased many different types of advertisements throughout the session including the French window, a sky-bus, flaps and jackets to show the versatility the print medium offers to advertisers. Arora helped the students understand the weight that a print ad carries and how much it costs the advertiser “While ads may look unassuming due to them being printed, but full-page display ads can cost up to Rs 3 crore depending on the ad, the customization of the page and the status of the advertiser itself,” “Print has more potential than the digital medium in terms of brand recall, scope of advertisers and the variety it offers, while people believe print may be lagging behind, it is doing better than ever,” Arora said to conclude the session. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Pragya Singh The Central Bureau of Investigation marked its 60 th anniversary in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other bureaucrats at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Monday. The event, that was attended by the students of Bennett University, also held a Chintan Shivir session which was divided into two sessions. The first session ‘Labyrinth of Bank Frauds and Ponzi Schemes ’ included SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch, Chairperson of the Economic Advisory Council to PM, Dr Bibek Debroy, RBI Deputy Governor Mahesh Kumar Jain, Punjab National Bank MD and CEO Atul Kumar Goel and Special Director of CBI Praveen Sinha. In the session, Praveen Sinha highlighted the methods of bank frauds in India with the CBI being the nodal agency investigating such frauds in India. For all frauds of more than Rs 1 lakh, the RBI has reported an increase in the number of such frauds in recent years, Sinha said in his speech. However, the amount misappropriated in public sector banks has been on the decline with Rs 40,282 crore embezzled in the financial year 2021-22 compared to Rs 81,901 crore in the previous year, according to the RBI Annual Report. The session ‘Labyrinth of Bank Frauds and Ponzi Schemes’ included SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch, Chairperson of the Economic Advisory Council to PM, Dr Bibek Debroy, RBI Deputy Governor Mahesh Kumar Jain, Punjab National Bank MD and CEO Atul Kumar Goel and Special Director of CBI Praveen Sinha. Photo by Pragya Singh Furthermore, a similar trend was seen for commercial banks with the swindled amount falling to Rs 60,414 crore in 2021-22 as compared to Rs 1,38,211 crore reported in 2020-21. Talking about the enormity of the money lost in the bank frauds, Sinha cited the example of an infamous fraud committed by an airlines company launched in 2005. The banks reported a principal loss of Rs 6,200 crore while another Rs 1,100 crore was lost in the form of investment in shares. The loan was taken on inflated profits and revenue figures. He said that the general tactics used in such ‘high-value advance bank frauds’ is misrepresentation and showing inflated figures to avail higher loans. Along with this the purported supplier or counterparty is often fictitious. Trends on banking fraud in recent years as presented by CBI Special Director Praveen Sinha at the 60 th anniversary of the Agency. Photo by Pragya Singh “The area of concern includes inadequate due diligence especially when foreign entities are involved,” Sinha said. He added that another factor that needs attention is that banks are influenced by the reputation of the borrowers and often undue relaxation is given to the borrowers in such cases. (The writer is a Semester IV student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Shreya Mishra PM Modi inaugurated Central Bureau of Investigation 's 60th diamond jubilee celebrations and Chintan Shivir at Vigyan Bhavan on Monday, April 3. Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "In the form of the country's premium investigation agency it has completed 60 years' journey. These six decades consisted of many achievements." He called CBI a "multi-dimensional" and "multi-disciplinary" investigating agency. "The aim of making India advanced is not possible without professional and efficient institutions. Therefore, CBI has a huge responsibility." The PM emphasised on how the scope under which the investigation agency worked has broadened over time and is now dealing with issues like cyber-crime. A session on the same was held in the latter half of the event. Before his speech, PM Modi also inaugurated new offices in three different locations of the country - Nagpur, Shillong and Pune - and the CBI's new Twitter handle. He released a commemorative coin of Rs 60 and a postage stamp dedicated to the CBI. Around 20 officers were also presented with President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service and Gold Medal for Best Investigating Officers. The event was later followed by panel discussions, the first one being in Labyrinth of Banks Frauds and Ponzi schemes paneling and the second one being Cyber Enabled Crime. Twenty five students of Bennett University were also invited to attend the event at Vigyan Bhawan. (The writer is a Semester IV student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Samayrra Ridvit Sachdev Students of the film programs at Times School of Media attended the 5th Global science film festival at the Embassy of Switzerland on March 31, 2023. Three chosen films around the subject of climate change were showcased simultaneously in different cities namely Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Zurich, Shanghai and Osaka. The first film was the animation film, “ Autosaurus Rex ,” which captured the essence of the automobiles and their significance to human life. The synopsis cleverly summarized the ideas as, “Among the different species that inhabit our planet, one stands out from the others by its power and its impact on ecosystems. It is the Autosaurus Rex.” “ CaSSIS ”, a film on Mars, explored the planet from the high-resolution colour stereo camera Cassis, taking remarkable pictures as it orbits the Red planet Mars. The film tried to demystify the mysteries of the Red Planet. “Expedition deep into the glacier” revealed the deep mysteries of glaciers and glacial mills. The documentary film produced by Swiss Radio and Television for the programme Einstein explores the impact of global warming on the Swiss Alps glaciers. The film highlights the threat that meltwater from the " Plaine Morte " glacier poses to the mountain village of Lenk in the Bernese Alps. The film emphasises the importance of scientific research and exploration to understand and address the challenges posed by climate change. The scientists in the film showcase their expertise in their respective fields, using advanced equipment to collect data and analyse the glacier's properties. The documentary also highlights the need to make science accessible to the broader public. It provides a clear and informative explanation of the science behind the melting glaciers and the consequences of this phenomenon on the environment and communities. Overall, " Expedition Deep into the Glacier " is an excellent documentary film that raises awareness of the impact of global warming on the Swiss Alps glaciers. It provides a fascinating insight into the work of scientists and their efforts to understand and address the challenges posed by climate change. The screenings were followed by an online panel discussion which included members from science community, professors and environmentalists from Switzerland and India. Moderated by Vincenzo Ribi, the panel featured Ms Subhra Priyadarshini, a science journalist from the New Delhi screening site at the Embassy of Switzerland. During the session, there was question and answer round which gave us an insight about climate change and the filming process involved during the making of the respective films. We also explored a different genre of films and gathered knowledge about the scientific facts behind them. As an emerging and inquisitive film maker, I would like to conclude that the 5th Global Film Festival was truly insightful and gave us an opportunity to explore and learn about the different aspects, genres and expanse of film making and storytelling. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Films and Television) programme.)

By Yasharth Rai Bennettians turned up in huge numbers to experience this year’s first IPL match screening held at Bennett University . Students who were fans of Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans and M.S. Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings turned up in large numbers despite adverse weather conditions. Sports BU , the sports club of Bennett University, had organised the screening and to cater to the excitement and enthusiasm of fans from both the teams, firecrackers were lit on every boundary hit by the batter. Sports BU also had a surprise planned for the students yesterday evening, where they revealed their event Sportikon 2023. The 4-day sports event will commence from April 6 and end on April 9. Sportikon will have students from various colleges across the nation competing with each other in 16 different sports for the ultimate title. In the break between the first and second innings where CSK set a total target of 179, a video was played by the sports BU which entailed nitty gritties of the Sportikon event. “A lot planning went into it. This was a Sportikon event reveal. For the sports fest, a lot of sleepless nights went through, where Mehak, our videographer, did a lot of work to produce the reveal video. Rakshita, the designer, did lot of work in all the design elements including the flex,” said Kamakshi Singh, head of organising board of Sportikon. The reveal was followed by the second innings of the match where the defending champions, Gujarat Titans managed to successfully chase the target with just four balls left. (The writer is a Semester IV student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Hadassah Mani Bandi Early morning today, the Bennett University mess opened its door for students to have their first Ramadan meal. Students came with their friend groups, joking around and full of energy, while others basked in the calm environment of the mess and enjoyed their food. The mess prepared their food just a few hours before the students were to arrive. A group of eight mess workers stayed to get everything in order for the students. The ‘ Sehri ’ that is to be provided to the students during Ramadan is going to be the same food on the menu that is planned for everyone. “We started making the food at 2:00 am for the special early batch. The menu is the same for them and the 7:30 am batch but we got started on their food first,” said Sushant Dhaali, a member of the mess staff working the early morning shift. Before getting their food, the students were required to register in the mess. According to Aasifa Parveen, a second-year BBA student, the students were pleased with the mess for setting special timings for food to cater to them for Ramadan. “The food is filling and healthy enough to keep me going through the day, I am glad they set the special timings for Ramadan even though there aren’t many people who registered, it is easier than finding food or saving food to eat in the early morning,” said Aasifa Parveen. The mess held an air of warmth compared to the weather outside. The day had just started but it was also the start of a month-long celebration for many.

By Vanisha Rajesh Singh In a bid to raise awareness about the pressing issue of cyber safety, Bennett University's official Literary and Debating Club, Cerebrum, hosted an electrifying quiz competition called ' Cyber Certainty ’. The event, held on March 23, 2023, tested the participants’ knowledge of cybersecurity issues, in line with G20 and MeitY guidelines. With a flurry of questions spanning various themes, the competition kept participants on their toes and showcased the complexity of the cyber world. The quiz featured four rounds that covered a wide range of topics, including search engines, malware that threatens user safety, digital privacy , and the latest developments in web media. The quiz was conducted by quiz masters Pranavi Ambati and Yashovardhan Sharma, who also anchored the entire event. Four teams participated in the competition, and the rounds were based on tricky questions about abbreviations, internet browsers, and a set of rounds dedicated to each team. The last round was a rapid-fire round which was particularly exciting. After a tough battle, Deeksha Bhardwaj emerged as the winner, clinching the coveted first prize of a student hamper and gift voucher worth Rs. 1000. The first and second runners-up, Shreesh Shukla and Devesh Mishra, received student hampers and gift vouchers worth Rs. 700 and Rs. 500, respectively. “I'm thrilled to have won the competition. I googled what the topic was, read a little and came here for the quiz. I registered for the event because I like participating in quizzes, and what also attracted me was the voucher prize of Rs. 1000," said Deeksha. Quiz master Pranavi Ambati shared, "It was an incredible experience hosting 'Cyber Certainty'. We hope that this quiz will help participants become more aware of the aspects of cybersecurity." Kushagra Joshi, Cerebrum secretary, expressed his satisfaction with the turnout and participation, praising the contestants' enthusiasm and knowledge of cybersecurity. He added, "We're thrilled that 'Cyber Certainty' was such a fun and engaging event. We're grateful to all the participants and hope to host more events like this in the future." The quiz competition was a resounding success, with both the participants and audience thoroughly enjoying the competition and learning about cybersecurity in the process. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Aryamaan Jit Singh Bawa “Crimes against women and corruption related crimes have become the norm of the day due to the very high social acceptance of these crimes, but if we try to speak up for one individual and even if only one voice is raised in society it is almost always a chain reaction,” said Inspector General of Police Gautam Budh Nagar, Laxmi Singh , to the law students during a panel discussion held by Bennett University. The discussion was organized by the Pro Bono Club at The School of Law and celebrated the women achievers in wake of India’s 75th anniversary of independence. Notable speakers like former IPS officer, and Chancellor of Noida International University, Dr. Vikram Singh , IPS officer, Inspector-General Crime and Traffic of Haryana Dr. Rajshri Singh and IAS officer, Additional CEO of Greater Noida Authority, Medha Roopam , were invited to speak about their achievements and help motivate the students to achieve their goals as well and how society has evolved at such a fast pace for the development of women. “All men need to understand the difference between honorable and dishonorable ways,” said Dr. Vikram Singh when talking about what the growing generation of men could practice from their side to help them become respectable people. He cited many women achievers like Dr. Kiran Bedi and Dr. Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya to convey his point that sending women officers to areas rampant with corruption would see those issues fixed almost instantly. He concluded his speech with a short note for the male students, “The roadmap for you should be centered with respect and you must have a zero tolerance for any nonsense.” “I met Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam when he came to my school years ago. he told me that dreams turn into thoughts, thoughts into actions and those actions turn into reality,” Dr. Medha Roopam said kicking off her speech with a motivating tone. Through her speech, she emphasized the fact that a woman is not one who only works but also has time for growth. “Being a woman is not about working 24/7, we must not glorify this. A proper household today is everything between the man and the woman being 50/50 for everything to be sustainable,” Roopam said. She concluded by saying that while relationships are important, they may have a basic sense of sustainability to function. “We fought for equal rights, treatment and pay, so conducting my duty on equal footing with men is important,” said Dr. Rajshri Singh to emphasize that activism is not only for the sake of fighting for a cause, but also practicing it. “I recommend all women to learn martial arts as a way to defend themselves in unsafe social situations. While one should always call the police immediately, having another layer of security with yourself is very important until the police arrive,” she said on the topic of abuse and harassment. “The country’s development depends as much on women as it does on men,” she said.

By Pragya Singh An interactive three-hour workshop on group communication was held for the students pursuing Bachelors in Journalism and Mass Communication, and Liberal Arts, on Wednesday. The workshop was a part of the student’s Theories of Mass Communication course. The objective of the workshop was to teach students effective methods of group communication - a form of communication where more than two individuals are involved in the exchange of ideas, and skills. “Since students are working in groups, there is brainstorming involved. It is unlike a teacher just talking down to you,” Professor Sunil Saxena, Head of Department, Times School of Media, said. He said that he sees great potential in the workshop both as a teaching methodology as well as a way to evaluate students. The workshop was divided into five segments. The first three parts of the workshop included questions like, “What is a group?”, “Which groups do you belong to?” and “Why do people form groups?” which the students had to answer as groups. The answer to these questions were to be filled in each group’s chart paper as well as their Miro boards. Miro is an online whiteboard platform where people can write and brainstorm simultaneously. Their work could also be viewed by everyone with the link to the Board. “I had attended a workshop in the Netherlands recently using the Miro board and we thought of using the same model for our students,” Pallavi Bansal, Assistant Professor, Times School of Media, who conducted the workshop, said. The fourth part of the workshop was a Scavenger Hunt , where each group was given a set of clues and tasks, like “Take picture of a place where knowledge is tangible” and “Take a picture of a red mug”. Group 7 finished first among the nine groups to win a pack of Belgian chocolates. “I think what went right for our group was better co-ordination and communication between the members,” Ashna Santhosh, a member of Group 7, said. “The workshop taught me how to work despite differences and the Scavenger Hunt was my favourite part,” Joanna Rafi, another BAJMC student, said. Well, who says learning can’t be fun? (The writer is a Semester IV student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Omji Dubey Bennett University’s Student Council organized a surprise Cultural Night on Tuesday to help students relieve stress post their mid-term exams. The event was a huge success and featured a range of talented performers from various clubs. The Cultural Night also aimed to build upon the successful event of hosting the star cast of the Netflix Series - Rana Naidu - at the university. Clubs, Creativity and Culture The night began with a solo music performance by Prafull Tripathi, the secretary of Advaita, which was followed by a mesmerizing mushaira by Cerebrum club members. The members recited the works of famous poets such as Kumar Vishwas, Bhupendra Singh, and Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The club's Literary department and Kushagra Joshi, the council secretary, also contributed their sonnets to the mix. To increase the energy of the audience, Adhyay, also known as Mr. Chapter, performed a rap on a drill beat, which left the audience charged up. Niharika Lal, a member of Advaita, followed with a solo performance, singing songs like 'All of Me' by John Legend and 'Agar Tum Saath Ho' from the movie Tamasha. This was followed by a powerful performance by Ansh, the drama club's member, Awiral Singh, who performed a monologue of Shahid Kapoor from the movie Haider. Awiral's performance left the crowd in awe. Bennett University's alumni Anupam performing during the cultural night on Tuesday. Photo by Aadinath Mukherjee To smoothen the environment, Mallika Ahluwalia, a member of Advaita, performed another solo musical performance. Following this, Panache, the fashion club, took the stage with a fashion walk. The club members had previously won first prize at a competition in Delhi Technical University. The performance left the audience worked up and energised. Surprise performance by an Alumni One of the highlights of the evening was a surprise performance by one of the university's alumni, Anupam Dhonchak, who has been pursuing music professionally for six years. He has returned to the university to teach music to interested students, and his experience was evident in his performance, which left the audience applauding. Utkarsh Singh represented Verve and performed a western dance that was full of energy and power. Shubham Arora, who represented Rivaaz , did Bhangra alongside Simarpreet Kaur. Both dance performances were appreciated by the crowd with a lot of cheering. Comedy club perfomed Farzi Mushaira at the Cultural Night on Tuesday. Photo by Aadinath Mukherjee The comedy club of Bennett University presented a Farzi Mushaira , a spoof of regular Mushaira. This act, led by the club’s secretary Aryak left the audience with laughter and a smile. The last act of the day was presented by Omji Dubey aka Odij, who performed a rap poetry. Reliving Uphoria The event was not just about the performances, but also the audience's enthusiasm and support. Jayant Diwaker, a first-year Liberal Arts student, said, "The night was really amazing. Last time we saw something like this was during Uphoria when clubs collaborated for three days and provided us with some of the most amazing nights in the university." Aditya Sharma, a second-year BTech student, said, "All the performances were amazing, but the performance by Anupam was really great. Such nights are the reason that makes our living in Bennett University more fun and cheerful." Awiral Singh, who performed the monologue, said, “The crowd was really supportive of each and every act and that happens when they actually enjoy your acts. I just feel blessed that I was able to entertain them and connect with them. I look forward to more such acts.” Awiral is a first-year BA Films and Television student. (The writer is a Semester VI student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Pranavi Ambati Cerebrum - Bennett University’s official Literary and Debating society - celebrated World Poetry Day with a mushaira branded ‘ Safar-e-Zist ’. At the surprise cultural night hosted by the Student Council to help students relieve stress post the mid-term exam period, members of Cerebrum recited the works of Hindustani doyens such as Kumar Vishwas , Bhupendra Singh and Faiz Ahmed Faiz . Sonnets penned by the council secretary Kushagra Joshi, and the club’s Literary department were also in the mix. Poems were woven selflessly into a script to narrate the various stages of one’s life. As was promised, the act was a ride that began with reminiscing about one’s mother and home, to navigating the complexities of college life and reflecting on one’s relation with the society. Anchored by BAJMC first year student Vanisha Rajesh Singh and Pranavi Ambati, the mushaira was a mix of emotions - nostalgia, longingness, hope and contentment to name a few emotions. Other performers in the act, many of whom were first-year UG students, were also successful in wooing the audience with their confident and rich voices. “I didn’t know that it was World Poetry Day until the Cerebrum team mentioned it before their performance. Now, I will mark my calendar and await the club’s performance next year,” said Aditya Kumar , who was in the audience and also writes short poems. Kushagra Joshi, a third-year BBA student and the Secretary of the Club, was proud of his team’s staging. “They unleashed a storm of emotions and wove a tapestry of art through Safar-e-Zist,” he said. “It was a beautiful coincidence - us getting to perform on World Poetry Day and being able to pay homage to great Indian writers,” Joshi added. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Ritika Choudhary The star-cast of the engrossing blockbuster Netflix series Rana Naidu visited Bennett University on Tuesday. The cast included Rana Daggubati and Surveen Chawla with the series director Karan Anshuman. The star cast was joined on stage by Dr Prabhu Kumar Agarwal, Vice Chancellor, Bennett University and Mr Sudhanshu Varma, COO, Bennett University. The interactive session was a wonderful opportunity for the students to meet two of the biggest faces of the film fraternity. The stars received a warm welcome with loud cheers from the crowd and Daggubati even performed his famous dialogue from his mega blockbuster ‘Baahubali’, “ Is rajya mein sirf do log uska naam lete hai; tum aur main; tum ki apni maut se pehle usse aakhri baar dekh pao; main taa ki ek baar aur usse apne haathon se maar paon ”. “It is always fun to be around the energy of students and I think this is a good place to be,” he said. Daggubati spoke about how he always wanted to play characters that are new, challenging and don't follow the norms of the society. “The help and guidance from the directors is what makes the job easy,” said Chawla, while addressing the students about their experience of working on the series with some of the finest filmmakers like Karan Anshuman. RJ Shruti from Radio Mirchi also joined the stage and hosted a fun session with the stars where she asked them to fix some of the mundane problems in their style and then played a quick game of Rapid Fire with them. The cast of Rana Naidu along with their director, Karan Anshuman. Photo by Saksham Maurya The interactive session was followed by a dance performance by the members of the clubs Verve and Ansh. Daggubati and Chawla also enjoyed clicking pictures and signing autographs for the students. Before leaving Daggubati said, “I loved it here and more power to Bennett.” “The aura of Rana Daggubati has mesmerised not only me but the whole audience. The stars have excited the students excited and I am sure they will stream Rana Naidu on Netflix,” said Ayush Khurrana , a 3rd year BA Journalism and Mass Communication student. The emcee of the event Shreya Mishra, a 2nd year BA Journalism and Mass Communication student, said, “It was surreal, getting to know the cast of the show and was an honour to share the stage with two of the biggest stars in India. I could feel the energy on the stage that lifted the Bennettian's spirit.” (The writer is a Semester IV student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Aryamaan Jit Singh Bawa One of the leading investigative journalists in India, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta , who is also a documentary film maker and teacher, helmed The Times School of Media’s 5 th Masterclass to discuss ‘ Media Ethics in the Digital Age ’ with the students. The Centre for Fact-Checking and Social Media Studies organized the session after the successful launch of the Social and Digital Media Masterclass series which helps teach the students that while adaptation to the daily development in technology is crucial, we must not forget where ethics and morality lie in the execution of such powerful tools. “India’s unique advantage is its population. Surpassing China, it’s now the target market for conglomerates and digital monopolies like Alphabet and Meta,” he said going over the current position of India in the digital age. “The change in India is not only dramatic, but unprecedented, these companies will not only decide to determine what we see or hear but the way we think and how we behave and influence our preferences themselves, and above that, they aim to predict your behavior,” he warned the students about the true goals of these corporations and how they aim to control the consumers of today. He also raised questions about the freedom of press in India and said, “What has the media become, who holds truth to power, and who holds people in positions of power accountable for their actions? You must question yourselves as the future of this country - Is this good for this democracy and for this country? And this will lead you to your own logical conclusions,” he said, to help the students introspect about their way ahead and the responsibilities they had as students of mass media. Sharing his experiences and many insights with the students during the session, he reminisced about his experience as a petitioner in the PIL for the 2G scam which took place leading up to the 2014 elections . Throughout the session, Thakurta shared his extensive knowledge in reportage and the responsibility it brought, discussing the predicament of ethics in the digital age and in the industry today. “Ethics isn’t just about the law, but about our perceptions of virtues and vices,” he said. Paranjoy Guha Thakurta also spoke about how a photo he had taken of Rahul Gandhi was morphed and he became the vicitm of disinformation himself. Photo by Aryamaan Jit Singh Bawa Thakurta also played a 3-minute snippet from his documentary film “The Great Indian Telecom Robbery” to help relate the situation of 2023 to that of previous years and how the situation has been on a constant decline. He helped relate these massive scandals with a personal experience of his involving Rahul Gandhi. “I have been a victim of disinformation myself, I went to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra for a chance to meet him and clicked a photo of him having tea with his consent and posted it. Minutes later, I started getting calls from journalists and fact checkers who were asking about the picture I had posted and if it was real. Some trolls had morphed the photo and had started circulating a picture of him drinking alcohol. Before I could contest it and rectify the situation, the damage had been done,” he said while raising concerns about how “Whatsapp University” is one of the leading causes and accessories to disinformation and misinformation alike. “It goes beyond fake news, disinformation, and political, commercial and criminal propaganda and is coming down to plain and simple criminality, where the misuse of social media has become an accessory to criminal offences,” he said on the topic of the effect of social media on modern India where social media and digital connectivity are no longer an urban phenomenon. “The internet is a double-edged sword and has changed society forever. I’d be a fool if I said humans have not developed, but while focusing on the positives, we must be weary of its drawbacks and very real limitations,” he said to conclude the session. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

संकल्प गुप्ता आइवार्ट एशियन विमेंस फिल्म फेस्टिवल के तीसरे और आखरी दिन, क्लाइमेट चेंज (किसी जगह के औसत मौसम में बदलाव) सबसे बड़ा मुद्दा रहा| क्लाइमेट चेंज को लेकर आइवार्ट ने मार्च के महीने में एक वर्कशॉप का आयोजन करवाया था, जिसका उद्देश्य था कि, कैसे हम फिल्मों के माध्यम से पर्यावरण में हो रहे नकारात्मक बदलावों के खिलाफ लोगों को जागरूक कर सकते हैं| प्रतिभागियों द्वारा बनाई गयी फिल्मों ने सभी को चौकाया.. फिल्म फेस्टिवल में , आइवार्ट द्वारा आयोजित क्लाइमेट चेंज वर्कशॉप के अंतर्गत बनी फिल्मों की भी स्क्रीनिंग की गयी| वर्कशॉप के प्रतिभागियों द्वारा बनाई गयी इन फिल्मों को देख हॉल में उपस्थित सभी लोग दंग रह गए, क्यूंकि इन फिल्मों के ज़रिये, इंसानी गतिविधियों की वजह से पर्यावरण को हो रहे नुक्सान के बारे में ऐसी जानकारियाँ मौजूद थी, जिन्हें शायद हम अपनी रोज़-मर्रा की ज़िन्दगी में देखकर भी अनदेखा कर देते हैं| वहाँ हॉल में उपस्थित सभी दर्शकों ने, उन शोर्ट-फिल्मों और उन्हें निर्मित करने वाले निर्माताओं (प्रतिभागियों) की जमकर सराहना की| फिल्म फेस्ट में क्लाइमेट चेंज का मुद्दा उठना, एक अनोखी बात फिल्मों से जुडे इस फेस्ट में एक बात जो गौर करने वाली रही, वो थी कि, ‘ एक फिल्म फेस्टिवल में क्लाइमेट चेंज का मुद्दा उठाया जाना अपने-आप में ही एक अनोखी पहल रही| जहां फिल्मों के माध्यम से ही यह दर्शाया गया कि कैसे हम इंसान, सिर्फ अपनी ज़रूरतों के हिसाब से चीज़ों को इस्तेमाल कर रहे हैं और कैसे यह हमारे लिए ही खतरनाक साबित हो सकता है| यादगार रहा यह फ़िल्मी सफ़र आइवार्ट फिल्म फेस्टिवल का यह सफ़र मेरे लिए बड़ा यादगार रहा| जहां मैंने फिल्मों को समाज को बदलने के एक ताकतवर आईने के रूप में देखा| फेस्ट के दौरान मुझे कई महिला फिल्म-मेकर्स से भी मिलने का मौका मिला और मैं यह समझ पाया कि, कई बार जब हमें किसी को कुछ समझाना होता है, तो भाषा बींच में रुकावट का नहीं, बल्कि माध्यम का काम करती हैं| Bennett University’s Times School of Media is a key partner in the 18 th IAWRT Asian Film Festival. Its students are playing an important role as volunteers and rapporteurs.

By Shreya Mishra Six short films produced in the climate impact workshop by 28 women participants coming from urban slums, tribal and underprivileged areas of India were screened at the IAWRT 18 th Asian Women’s Film Festival on Friday. The short films were made on varied themes ranging from water conservation, pollution to proper garbage disposal. Most of the films were picked from the real-life incidents of these women and made into fiction and non-fiction work. ' Shiksha Se Vanchit ', 'Bewakoof Laparvahi',' Parda ', ' Needhara ', ' Dheet hai ' and ' Vayu ' were the six short films produced in the span of three days of the workshop, from March 1 to 3. The women learned filmmaking using their phones from scratch, from how to hold the camera to recording and learning about different types of shots. These skills were taught to them in the workshop under the mentorship of Dr Gauri Chakraborty who is also the festival director of IAWRT, Yuki Azaad Tomar, professor at Institute of Home Economics, University of Delhi and many renowned filmmakers from the industry like Priya Thuvassery, Yousuf Saeed and Imarana Khan. Speaking about the experience of directing a film for the first time, Rupa Kumari, from Action India NGO, said, "In the beginning, we didn't know how to take photos, how to take videos and which apps we should use, the three-day training helped me learn that. I learned about the camera angles, how to take a shot and how to create a storyline. I'd never done something like this before but now I can create a film sitting my office using my mobile phone.” Students from Bennett University and Institute of Home Economics, Delhi University, also participated in the production process. They were divided into groups of five with a few students grouped with these women. The films bought many prevailing issues within their cities and areas at the forefront. "The films are great for people who have just started learning making films. Yes, there is a lot of space to be filled and that will come with experience. This looks very good and I can see that they are fast learners. This opens up a new career route for them," said Hemant Kumar, a member of the audience and a filmmaking enthusiast. Meanwhile, the conference of screening called 'Only one Earth' started with three international films being played in the beginning, they were 'The Egret River', 'Water Celery' and 'Polar bears.' Bennett University’s Times School of Media is a key partner in the 18th IAWRT Asian Film Festival . Its students are playing an important role as volunteers and rapporteurs. (The writer is a Semester IV student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

By Shreya Dattatraya Chougule “Women should be educated to literate,” highlighted Nepalese writer and filmmaker Shuvangi Khadka on the 3 rd day of 18 th Asian Women’s Film Festival. Shuvangi Khadka’s documentary film “Mother’s School”, which was screened at the festival, deals with the topic of adult literacy and education. Talking about the theme and setting of the film, Khadka said, “The school in the film is the one my mother studied at as an adult. I wanted to document it after I had a conversation with her during the lockdown.” The film narrates the story of three women studying at a school for adults in Kathmandu. It highlighted the circumstances and problems that the women went through and their zeal to study. “When we contacted the school, there were some who did not want to be on screen. Then there were some who enthusiastically told us their stories,” said Khadka, about the characters featured in the film. “I wanted to portray the distinction between literacy and education. While there are temporary classes for adults. I wanted the focus to be the women who are trying to get educated get certificates,” said Khadka while talking about the adult literacy classes in Nepal and how the women are striving for education. Khadka highlighted the responsibility that falls on one’s shoulders while filming a documentary like hers. “Even if we are making a documentary, we need to understand that they are real people and their stories are also real. You can’t force them to act a certain way just for the film in the name of sympathy. You have to let it be natural.” Khadka also highlighted the presence of women in the entertainment industry in Nepal. “While there are independent women filmmakers, women filmmakers in mainstream media are considerably less.” She also mentioned that despite this she sees hope in the industry. “There were challenges through out. From budget limitations to not knowing much about the technical aspect as first-time filmmakers proved to be challenging. There was also a point where I believed the movie was cluttered due to so many characters,” said Khadka about the difficulties she faced as a first-time filmmaker. Khadka went on to discuss her shift from a writer to a filmmaker. “I am actually a writer. I only started to get interested in visuals during the lockdown and thought maybe I could do something in films.” She shared how her experience as a writer assisted her in structuring the film. She also highlighted her interest in writing for women and feminism. Bennett University’s Times School of Media is a key partner in the 18 th IAWRT Asian Film Festival. Its students are playing an important role as volunteers and rapporteurs. (The writer is a Semester II student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) programme.)

संकल्प गुप्ता आइवार्ट फिल्म फेस्ट में, कई एशियाई महिला-फिल्म मेकरों द्वारा बनायी और स्क्रीन की गयी फिल्मों ने सबका ध्यान अपनी ओर खींचा, तो वहीँ दूसरी तरफ एक राउंड टेबल कांफ्रेंस का आयोजन किया गया| जिसका उद्देश्य मीडिया और फिल्मों के क्षेत्र में महिलाओं और चाइल्ड-आर्टिस्टों के योगदान और उनके जीवन के संघर्ष के बारे में चर्चा करना रहा| इस कांफ्रेंस में कई महिला फिल्म-मेकर्स और महिला पत्रकारों ने शिरकत करी| जहां पत्रकारिता और फिल्म-मेकिंग के क्षेत्र में महिलाओं और बाल-कलाकारों के संघर्षों के बारे में चर्चा की गयी| ऑफिस नहीं, अब फील्ड वर्क है महिलाओं की नयी प्रात्मिकता कांफ्रेंस में, पत्रकारिता में महिलाओं की ऑफिस वर्क से रुचि ख़तम होने को लेकर चर्चा हुई तो सामने आया कि, अब महिलाओं को एक बंद ऑफिस से ज्यादा फील्ड वर्क में कार्य करने में ज्यादा अच्छा लगता है| यह बदलाव हुआ है, बदलती सोच के कारण, जहाँ पहले सिर्फ पुरुषों को ही फील्ड वर्क में भेजा जाता था, वहीँ अब इसमें ज़्यादातर महिलाएं नज़र आती हैं| सिर्फ स्टार किड्स ही नहीं, बल्कि जो किड्स स्टार बनते हैं उनपर भी होता है दबाव यह पूरे कांफ्रेंस का सबसे चर्चित विषय रहा, जिसमें इस विषय पर चर्चा की गयी कि कैसे आज-कल की सोशल मीडिया की दुनिया में, बाल-कलाकारों या छोटी उम्र में फिल्मों से जुड़े कलाकारों पर भी अपने-आप को दुनिया के सामने हमेशा साबित करने के लिए, कैसे यह बाल-कलाकार एक दिन में किसी भी लिस्ट-A कलाकार से भी ज्यादा घंटों तक काम करते रहते हैं, और फिर खुदको सोशल मीडिया पर भी एक्टिव रखते हैं| इसी विषय पर चर्चा करते हुए कांफ्रेंस में मौजूद महिला फिल्म-मेकर्स ने कहा कि, इस विषय पर हर फिल्म-निर्माता और खुद कलाकार के घरवालों को यह सु-निश्चित करना चाहिए कि, किसी भी बाल-कलाकार से ज़रुरत से ज्यादा काम न करवाया जाए| महिलाओं का रहा फिल्म-फेस्ट पर दबदबा जिस तरह फेस्ट का नाम, “ एशियन विमेंस फिल्म फेस्ट” ही यह बताने के लिए काफी रहा कि, फेस्ट एशिया में मौजूद महिला फिल्म निर्माताओं को समर्पित था, जहां महिलाओं द्वारा निर्मित फिल्मों को दर्शाया गया| इन फिल्मों की कहानी में इतना दम था कि स्क्रीनिंग में उपस्थित सभी लोगों को इन फिल्मों ने यह सोचने पर मजबूर कर दिया कि, ‘अगर हम अब भी नहीं बदले, तो धरती की स्तिथि क्या इतनी भयावह होगी’? फिल्म फेस्ट के ज़रिये में देश-विदेश से महिलाओं का फिल्म के क्षेत्र में आगे बढाने को लेकर प्रोत्साहन देता है| वैसे भी कुछ ही दिन पहले भारत की एक डाक्यूमेंट्री फिल्म “दी एलीफैंट व्हिस्पर्स”, जिसे ऑस्कर से सम्मानित किया गया है, उसकी निर्माता भी महिलाएं ही हैं| तो यह कहा जा सकता है कि, इस प्रकार के फेस्ट ही आगे आने वाले कल की इक मज़बूत बुनियाद को तैयार कर रहे हैं और साथ ही यह मंच प्रदान कर उन सभी महिलाओं को अपनी कला दर्शाने का एक अवसर दे रहे हैं|

संकल्प गुप्ता आइवार्ट फिल्म फेस्ट के तीसरे दिन की शुरुआत कुछ ऐसी फिल्मों के साथ हुई जिन्होंने, इंसान की रोज़-मर्रा की जिंदगी के संघर्ष (यानि वो जो जिंदगी जी रहा है) और उसकी महत्वकान्शाओं ( या जैसी जिंदगी वो जीना चाहता है) के बींच की कहानियों को दर्शाया है| इंसान चाहता तो सबकुछ है, पर पाता सिर्फ कुछ है... यह एहसास मुझे अनुभव करने को मिला, एक फिल्म की स्क्रीनिंग के दौरान जिसका नाम था, “माई हार्ट इस एन ओशन” इस फिल्म में ‘कुछ बच्चे अपनी ख़ुशी के लिए दरिया में से मछली पकड़ते हैं और अपने पास किसी बोतल या बाल्टी में भरकर ज़िंदा रख लेते हैं, उनमे से एक बच्चे को अपनी मछलियों के लिए एक्वेरियम खरीदने की इच्छा होती है,ताकि वह उन्हें एक साथ रख सके और जब वह इसके लिए दुकान पर जाता है, तो उसकी हालत को देखकर दुकानदार उसे अपनी दुकान से भगा देता है| अंत में वह यही सोचता है,कि इन मछलियों को समंदर में छोड़ आना ही ठीक है क्योंकि इस तरह बाल्टी और बोतल में वह उन्हें अपने साथ नही रख सकता | इसके बाद बड़े भारी मन से वह उन मछलियों को वापस समंदर में छोड़ आता है|’ “कहानी की स्टोरी-बोर्डिंग से ज्यादा, कहानी पर काम करना ज़रूरी” यह बातें कही गयी “माई हार्ट इस एन ओशन” की निर्माता तन्वी जदवानी द्वारा, जब उनसे पूछा गया कि “ आपने कहानी को कैसे स्टोरीबोर्ड किया? तो उन्होंने बताया कि, “मैंने कहानी की स्टोरी-बोर्डिंग पर इतना ध्यान न देते हुए बस अपनी कहानी पर काम जारी रखा| फिल्म निर्माता तन्वी जदवानी हॉल में मौजूद सभी दर्शकों से अपना अनुभव साझा करते हुएफोटो:- संकल्प गुप्ता उन्होंने अपना अनुभव साझा करते हुए बताया कि, ‘उन्हें फिल्मों में बड़ों से ज्यादा, बच्चों के साथ काम करने में ज्यादा मज़ा आता है|’ फिल्में सिखा रही सच्चाई और सरलता का मार्ग आइवार्ट में अभी तक दर्शाई गयी सभी फिल्में, दर्शकों के मन में आज-कल की दुनिया में भी सच्चाई और अच्छाई लोगों में मौजूद है, और हमें ज़रुरत है तो बस अपना थोडा सा नज़रिया बदलने की| Bennett University’s Times School of Media is a key partner in the 18 th IAWRT Asian Film Festival. Its students are playing an important role as volunteers and rapporteurs.