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PRESENTS

THE BITS HERALD

SUMMER 2011 ISSUE BITS-PILANI, K.K. BIRLA GOA CAMPUS

INSIDE...
- From the editors quill - FAQs - Dual Degree - Dance of Democracy - China Calling - Well Placed! - Student Bodies - Hazy eyed memories... - Campus Festivities - When the Scion came calling...

FROM THE EDITORS QUILL

In India, everybody has an opinion, on everything. Advice, counter-advice and holier-thanthou pontifications pouring in from every nook and corner can make anybody start sending distress signals. A topic as exciting as engineering college admissions would be an open invitation to a veritable army of agony aunts and armchair experts a classic case of supply exceeding demand. That is why we are here to give you an honest, unexaggerated and unabashed view of the institute and the campus life, no literary spices added. So, then, we begin with a few necessary, universal doubts that need answering. Of course, these are by no means exhaustive, and you are free to post further queries to any BITSian, who would surely be eager to help. Specifically, we set your minds at ease about the dual degree system in BITS we have found that it is a consistent reason for many puzzled minds over the years. Also included is a special feature on the apex student body elections on the campus an enlightening read for would-be BITSians, and we suspect, for most of the existing BITSians as well. For those of you who judge a college by its placement scenario, we have put in a piece about the placements and the foreign universities admits over the years. Current BITSians, we havent forgotten you. For those who have just finished their first year, theres this nostalgic chronicle with which you can all identify with. Also featured is a look-back upon all the festivals that lit up the campus last year. Rahul Gandhis visit at the end of the last semester was a tumultuous affair, and it has merited its own space in this issue. We believe that this summer issue paints an accurate picture of life at one of Indias premier engineering and technological institutes. We sincerely hope that this will help you make a complete, informed decision after all, this campus might probably be what you call your home for the next few years.

Freshers Asking Queries

Q) I have a score that will either get me dual degree in Pilani or a single degree in Goa. Which do you think is a better option for me? A: It would be unfair to compare Pilani with Goa, as the latter is just in its infancy when compared to the Pilani campus. However Goa has just as eminent a faculty as that at Pilani. The professors here have some real ground breaking research work and fellowships to their names. The institute provides plentiful opportunities for students to succeed in terms of academics and extra-curricular activities. However, the choice of campus is a personal decision, based on ones interests and inclination towards subjects. If you are keen on a particular branch, then any campus will serve your purpose, but if you are keen on the infrastructure and tag-name of the campus, then we can assure you that BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus, has an impressive infrastructure and an incredible library at par with any of the other BITS campuses. You can always check out the campus before taking a decision. Q) What all do I need to get from home? A: Documents & Certificates: Original Documents as listed on the website, 2 attested photo-copies of the same, passport size photographs for opening Bank account, parental Income certificate dated not earlier than 1st April11 in case the student wishes to apply for the Institutes Merit cum need scholarship. Personal: The rooms allotted to you will be equipped with a cot, almirah, study-table, shelf and mirror, and a LAN connection providing 24X7 internet/intranet facilities. All you need to carry are your set of clothes, bed sheets, umbrella, key and lock. Everything else from mattresses, pillows, hangers, curtains, buckets, shoe-stands to textbooks, stationery and food items can be bought on-campus itself. Q) Where can I stay close to the campus if I arrive few days early for my registration? A: BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus is located in close proximity of the airport. It is around 5-10 minutes from Vasco and 40-45 minutes from Panaji. Decent accommodation can be availed at Vasco itself, where several hotels provide accommodation at subsidized rates especially for those assembled to avail admission at BITS. However for better accommodation facilities, Panaji is preferred. Q) What is the ragging scenario like in BITS, Goa? A: The BITS system has one of the strictest systems in place to tackle ragging. Affidavits are signed by every student on campus (both the freshers and the seniors). Anti-ragging 3 squads are in place. Any reports concerning ragging are dealt with immediately and strict action is taken against the offenders. One can safely say that ragging is almost non-existent.

FAQs

Q) Whats the weather like? A: Goa has a tropical monsoon climate. The summers are humid and sultry while the monsoons are refreshingly cool, with loads of rains. But the buildings are interconnected by a sheltered pavement system to protect you from the scorching heat as well as the torrid rains. Q) The site says that the expected attendance is 0%. Does that mean that attendance really isnt compulsory? A: Yes, it is true that a student does not suffer purely on the basis of having 0% attendance in a subject, however certain subjects have around 10% marks allocated for 80% or more attendance in class and hence students see this as a bonus to attend lectures. After all, who would not want to avail marks for simply turning up in class? Q) What are the various facilities available on campus? A: There is a plethora of culinary options available on the campus. Ranging from Monginis, Nescafe, to Ice n Spice (snacks and juice parlour) and Shahi Darbar (restaurant), we also have the ShopCo (shopping complex) and the institute cafeteria, besides the two messes. The ShopCo also houses the SBI ATM counter, stationery and photo-copy shop, barbers shop, beauty salon, Higgin Bothams bookstore and two laundries. Q) Whats the placement scenario like here? A: The placements have been quite phenomenal over the last few years. A lot of students have received offers from companies like Morgan Stanley, Well Fargo etc. As for MS, we have students who have been selected into some of the world class institutions like Princeton, Stanford and the like. Refer the article on the placement scenario for more detailed information. Q) What is the scope for extra-curricular activities in the campus? A: Our campus offers a myriad of opportunities under the extracurricular scenario. Innumerous clubs and departments (refer the article on this for more details!) are active on campus, each rewarding you with a certificate for your work at the end of the year. The SAC (Student Activity Centre) houses the gymnasium, 4 state of the art badminton courts and music room. Facilities for table tennis, carrom, chess and pool are also available in the SAC. Besides this 2 basketball courts, 2 tennis courts, a cricket field and a football field also exist. Q) Isnt there a strong tendency for the students to go astray since the campus is located in Goa? A: Sending a child to study in Goa is every parents worry. However we assure you that our campus has very strict rules regarding alcohol consumption on campus. Severe action is taken against the defaulters. Any student sincere enough to have his priorities set will not stray away from his path.

DUAL DEGREE.??
One of the most celebrated and perhaps, one of the most unique concepts of the BITS curriculum is the Dual Degree feature. Probably the only problem with this inimitable model is that it does leave potential BITSians befuddled. Here, we break it down for you, so that you have a clearer picture about the choice you are about to make. The Dual Degree system has two classes under it. Group B comprises of those students who are admitted to the institute under the MSc. (Hons.) course of Economics/ Physics/ Mathematics/ Chemistry/ Biological Sciences, while Group C consists of those admitted under the MSc. (Tech) course of Information Systems (the Goa Campus offers only the Information Systems degree). Those availing the dual degree scheme under Group B are blessed with a chance to undertake the B.E. degree of their choice (it will be of your choice only if you put in some hard work!). Students under Group B are allotted a B.E. degree at the end of their first year, depending upon their C.G.P.A. (Cumulative Grade Point Average, affectionately shortened to CG) calculated at the end of the first 2 semesters and the preference form they fill at the same time. Thus, every Group B student gets a B.E. degree to his/her name FOR SURE! No student passes out with only a MSc. (Hons.) degree unless he/she does so of his/her own free will (in highly rare cases). The dualites complete their MSc. (Hons.) degree curriculum in the third year and their B.E. (Hons.) curriculum in their fourth year, whereas the single-degree (Group A) students complete their B.E. (Hons.) curriculum in the third year. The dualites spend their last year (fifth year) completing their Practice School II program, whereas the single degree students complete their Practice School II program in either of their semesters during their fourth year. However, unlike Group Bs MSc. (Hons.) degree, Group Cs MSc. (Tech.) Information Systems is a 4 year course, which runs in parallel to Group As B.E.(Hons.) courses, with the Group C students also completing their Practice School II program in either of their fourth year semesters. Hence, the dual degree model of BITS allows students to taste the benefits of both the engineering fields as well as the science stream, allowing for a plethora of permutations possible under the Dual Degree Model.

DANCE OF DEMOCRACY
It is election season in India. For those of you who live in a dark cave with no electricity/ internet access, four very different states reminded their four very similar politicians not to take the power of the ballot with their customary pinch of salt. It goes on to re-affirm what change simple, universal voting rights can bring about to the lives of the thousand and two hundred million people of our truly gigantic family. Though BITS-Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa campus is a only a microscopic part of that extended clan (we number only 2400), we can proudly claim that we provide similar rights to every member in choosing the leader they believe will take the right decisions for them. Elections are a torrential affair on the campus, and might even come as a slight shock to the first-timers. Elections will be conducted in August, the first month itself, though this model is soon going to change (more on that later). Students vote to elect members of the Council for Student Affairs (CSA), the main student body of the campus (refer schematic below for the CSA structure). The elections themselves are conducted by the Election Commission, whose head is the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

*By default, the Chairman of the CSA is the Director of the campus and the Vice-Chairman is the Chief Warden of the hostels. Needless to say, these posts are not up for election. ^These posts are hostel-wise. Each boys hostel elects one for each post, and each girls hostel selects two. Elections in the campus can be divided into 3 distinct phases: 1)Campaigning: This phase is a direct, scaled-down version of the drama our national politicians perform every 5 years. Only, candidates cannot use any sort of electronic media (read: DC)/paint graffiti over walls/stick posters to campaign. Hence, be prepared to hear many more knocks on your door in the first month than is usual it would be your friendly neighbourhood politician, canvassing hard. Candidates generally campaign along with a few of their most ardent supporters, who look on importantly as the candidates outline their agenda, sell their points, and promise us a ride to the moon* as they all try and entice votes. Probably the only thing they lack is a cam6 paign symbol. No anti-campaigning is allowed, though this rule has been flouted more than a couple of times.

*A few notes of caution, especially for the freshers: i) Voting for the candidate from your region may not always be an excellent idea. People have been known to use the power of the mother-tongue to sway votes. Do pay credit to what the candidate has on offer, not just the language in which he/she offers it. ii) Candidates sometimes tend to go overboard with their promises, often assuring us things beyond the power of their desired office, or sometimes, straight from the realm of fantasy. Nobody can arrange rides to the moon. Leave aside the moon, they cant even cut airfares to Mumbai by half (wink wink). First years are known to be especially vulnerable to this kind of manipulation. Consult with a few non-biased seniors, refer the functions chart below and make a complete, informed decision.

2) Auditorium Debates (twice): No, it is not actually a debate. It is probably the only time when you can see the candidates truly unmasked, far different from the eternallysmiling, benevolent, fairy-mother like behavior they exhibit while campaigning. Here, they face a fiery round of questions from a panel, other candidates and the audience. True character will make an appearance as one faces the entire might of the famously impatient campus, with nobody ready to hear lame excuses/boring speeches/weak selfdefense. Darwin would probably be pleased with the outcome. Expect booing crowds, swooning supporters, much mud-slinging and extremely high decibel levels. After all, the audi can seat the entire campus. 3) The actual voting process: Yes, even our campus has Electronic Voting Machines. Only, they are called computers. Like almost all things in BITS, even voting is an online process, with each hostel being allotted specific time slots for voting at the computer center on the Election Day. Since the votes are recorded on computers, counting hardly takes any time and the results are declared within a couple of hours of the final vote being cast.
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Since the first year students show a slight tendency towards being swept off their feet in the sheer presence of a campaigning candidate, the Election commission has decided to give the juniors a bit more time to acclimatize themselves before they go click that button. Accordingly, the BITS constitution (yes, there is one) has been suitably amended to allow the elections to be held in the second semester, just before the students go back. And no, that does not mean the current CSA will continue for the next year as well elections this time will be held like they used to be previously (in the first month) and then again in the next year, at the end of the even semester. And after the next year, elections will be entirely shifted to the second semester. The Election Commission also reasons that this move will give the newly elected CSA members at least two months more to understand fully the intricacies of festival-organizing, as otherwise Waves is almost immediately on the members collective throats.

Carefully discerning which candidate to vote for is indeed a serious electoral challenge. If you make a sensible choice during voting, you probably wont spend the remainder of the year moaning about the quality (or the lack of it) of your elected representatives. So, keep your eyes peeled, your ears open, and your senses on high alert as you jack your BITSian spirit right up to vote for the neta of your choice.

CHINA CALLING
As usual, BITSians are making their presence felt everywhere. A team from BITS-Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus, comprising Akshay Goel, Shivam Salhotra, Sakshi Agarwal and G Sri Harsha has been chosen for the CIMA Global Business Challenge global finals, to be held at Chengdu, China. Beating stiff opposition from teams in the national rounds, the group is now off to face participants from Australia, China, Hong Kong, Ireland, South Africa and the UK. CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) Global Business Challenge seeks to identify potential business leaders, and tests the participants on the basis of case studies, presentations and Q&A sessions. Recounting their journey, G Shri Harsha said, Beginning with a brutal 2 month brainstorming on a case study compiled by the top bosses at PricewaterhouseCooper, our report was chosen amongst the top 8 in the Western region. At the regional finals, facing some stiff competition from teams both from our college and a few others, we managed a respectable second place. In the national final, after a nerve-racking 6 hours it was our turn, the last team to present amongst 6, and what followed was to say the least, unbelievable! We congratulate them on their achievement and wish them luck in their quest of being crowned the ultimate victors.

WELL PLACED!
Imprudence is getting into an institute without having a clue about its placement scenario and vistas for admissions to higher degree programs in reputed universities worldwide. We shed some light on the matter, so you arent left groping in the dark. Placements have been extremely good this year and for a campus thats relatively young, one may venture to say that its phenomenal. With a dedicated Placement Cell in place, the future continues to be painted in optimistic hues. Pay packages are at par with top institutes across the country and are spiralling upwards year after year. Apart from on campus placement, several students have procured dream jobs at companies they interned in as part of the Practice School system unique to BITS. Apart from Cisco, Oracle, BPCL, NVIDIA, Renault-Nissan, Tata Motors and Sun Microsystems to name a few, companies like Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley too came looking for those eyeing the pastures of management and finance. While Computer Science and Information System students command the highest pay packages in keeping with the trends observed across the country over the years, other branches, especially Electronics and Mechanical are catching up fast, both in terms of options available and pay scales. Off campus placements look formidable too, with the job offer to a BITSGian at Google Headquarters, California, serving as a case in point. When it comes to MS and PhD admits in universities abroad, BITS Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa campus has carved a niche for itself. With multiple admits to Stanford, Princeton, Purdue and other ivy league colleges, including some with scholarships offered by the universities them9 selves, BITSGians are making their presence felt. At least ten BITSGians received acceptance

letters from Carnegie Mellon University this year. Apart from universities in the US, BITSGians have also made it to the likes of the University of Southampton, UK and EPFL, Switzerland. Closer home, the campus has produced this years CAT topper, closely followed by students with 99.99, 99.98 and 99.97 percentile scores. Many have scores in the 99.9 percentile range with droves of students falling in the above 99 percentile category. Knowing very well that theres a lot more to be done, hurdles to overcome and plenty of accolades to be won, the next batch of BITSGians is all geared up for the challenge.

STUDENT BODIES
Are you thinking that after all that studying for two years, sacrificing all the things you missed doing, you would need to drown again in the same monotony at BITS? If you thought so, you are totally off the mark! While at BITS, you will find many avenues to showcase your talents - from the artist to the photographer, from the dancer to the singer, there is a stage for all. You might also discover new talents you never knew were buried in you. Heres a quick peek at the various clubs and departments operating in the Goa campus: DoPY (Dept. of PhotographY): Want to see the world through the lens? Or want the world to see through your lens? This is where you belong then. DoJMA (Dept. of Journalism and Media Affairs): If you fancy writing, or are good at sketching, or have a knack for designing, then this is your thing. Be ready to live the on-thetoe life of a journalist, have an eye open for news, get write-ups compiled and designed within the set deadline: if all these excite you, DoJMA is the place to be. DoFAM (Dept of Finance and Asset Management): Do money matters excite you? If you want to get actively involved in how financial matters are handled here, sign up for DOFAM. DePP (Dept. of Publicity and Public affairs): At the time of fests or otherwise when the publicity of the college becomes of prime importance, DEPP steps in. DoSM (Dept. of Sponsorship and Marketing): When the fests are held and are in need of sponsors, DoSM manages to procure funding by marketing the BITS brand. If you think you can sound convincing/ persuasive enough, join in. Dance Club: One of the most entertaining groups, the dance club graces all fests and occasions with its splendid performances. Step in if dancing is in your genes. Mime Club: A bunch of extremely talented mime artists make up this group - who believe firmly in the maxim "Silence is Golden". Music Society: Have the fingers of a musician? Know any instrument? Understand the many nuances of sur/taal? Then join hands with all these talented musicians and make your journey of BITS musical.
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Literary and debating club (LDC): Quick and clever with your words? Can you outsmart and outgun your opponents with a verbal assault? Join in if you feel this is your thing.
Abhigyaan/Nirmaan: If you want to make your contribution count in making the world around you a better place to live in, you can join hands with these organizations to help the poor and have-nots by imparting education, supporting SHGs etc. IEEE/ASME/IICHE: These are academic organizations of international stature coordinating various activities of the Electronics, Mechanical and Chemical departments respectively. They are in addition to the academic associations such as EEE association, Chemista, etc. Aerodynamics Club: If aircrafts, spacecrafts or anything on wings interest you, this club is where you can give flight to your dreams. DoCW/Dept of Arts and Deco/KALA: In these clubs/departments, one can freely explore their artistic talent while contributing to the decoration of the campus during college fests. Fash Club: Was walking down a ramp a long cherished dream? If yes, then Fash Club is the place for you to be where you rub shoulders with the most fashionable people on campus. Celestia: Starry-eyed? Share and enrich your knowledge on stars, black holes, red dwarfs and the like. Star gazing sessions are common.

HAZY EYED MEMORIES...

We arrived at BP-KKB-GC with mixed feelings. A sense of achievement at having made it this far, anticipation of living in the party capital of the country, and apprehension at the ragging that would come as soon as our parents left campus. But as we soon discovered, getting into college was just the first step and ragging in BITS is, well, almost non-existent. And as for the beaches- if youve seen em one, youve seen em all. And so with our shattered illusions of college life we began our freshman year at BITS Pilani- K.K Birla- Goa campus. Having incorporated lite, ob, godlike and \m/ into our vocabularies within a month of being on campus, our sentences thereon were liberally sprinkled with the same. But we became BITSians in the true sense of the term only when we discovered the many joys of LAN sharing. Being in a campus where more than a just few stalwarts are known by their DC nicks alone, most freshers reached their creative peak while coining their own. While some freshmen rose to the elite status of hub admin within an admirably short span of time, others had to be content with the more densely populated (and public) area of main chat. The desperation to be part of a club/department was evident during the induction period with some 300 hopefuls turning up for inductions to the most popular institutions on campus. After inductions, fresher parties and CSA elections, the initial excitement of campus life began to wear off; we were gripped by the Waves fever. The first Waves of my BITS life was a 3-day period of bliss as I experienced what an actual, full-blown cultural festival feels like. The events, the cultural and the blissful special nites catapulted us into a surreal world of fantasy.
11 Academics were somewhat overlooked in the first semester while we discovered the many delights of Goan life on weekends and took lite during the week.

The second semester, somehow, saw the entire batch work much harder. Academics, coupled with the heat and the fact that the novelty of college life had worn off made sem II seem slightly less interesting than sem I. However, there were always the fests to look forward to, along with the superb dance, music and mime nights. Quark, the techfest, showcased some of Indias finest intellect and technical skills, along with some truly brilliant workshops. This was followed up by the resounding success of Spree, our sports fest, in which teams from all over India battled it out in our various sports ground, fighting hard to be crowned champions. After four fests (lets not forget Zephyr) and six exams spread over ten months, we finally have enough leisure to reflect over the last year. Freshman year at BITS is definitely worth remembering for the friends made, nocturnal trips to the mess, pulling all nighters to avoid a bad grade, the mad rush to Monginis after a mind numbingly boring lecture. With nearly two more months of the summer holidays to go, Im already missing college despite my current state of being happily jobless. And despite the intimidating second year courses, hectic lab schedules and the added pressure of planning a career Im find myself eagerly anticipating sophomore year at BPGC.

CAMPUS FESTIVITIES
Six years ago, as the establishment of this exquisite campus was etching out the plans for what was then to be a mere intra college socio-cultural gathering, little were they aware that they were soon to become the architects of what could only be deemed as the countrys most rapidly burgeoning phenomenon. As it stands, Waves is recognized amongst the top 8 cultural festivals in the country, overhauling a large number of older and better endowed fests. Encapsulating within it an array of events spanning 8 categories, foremost amongst these being the aptly titled Big Four- Natyanjali, Mr. and Ms. Waves, the Fashion Parade and Sea Rock (event featuring a splendid collection of semi-professional bands from all across the country locked in an all-out war), a myriad of enriching workshops on anything ranging from ventriloquism and origami to numerology and a diverse platter of specials featuring the likes of the highly combative Paintball and the customary Waves Ball, which, each year, tends to leave with it its fair share of pleasure, heartbreak and anguish. All this culminates with the nights, the unquestionable zenith which Waves attains every time. Previously graced by the likes of Shafqat Amanat Ali, KK, Parikrama, Thermal and A Quarter, Blackstrat Blues and DJ Suketu, they are a definite source of the cherished memories that one will carries out of college. For some, Waves is the opportunity to finally let their hair down and thereby breaks the shackles of the seemingly endless- study, sleep, study cycle. For others, its the perfect platform to make their mark in their respective fields of excellence and establish themselves firmly as local heroes. And then there are those who will only leave their rooms for the food stalls, Pizzas and mock-tails coming as a welcome relief in the face of the rather monotonous mess food. Nevertheless, this Waves 12 undoubtedly assures to cater to all tastes, culinary or otherwise. And with promises to get bigger than ever before, is bound to leave you with a rather satisfactory dosage of thrills and surprises.

Quark is that time of the year when innovation shifts to hyperdrive. Sharp wits and keen perception become the order of the day during this techno-managerial innovation festival of the campus. Featuring the best minds of the nation locked in fierce technical battles, and myriad spectacular performances and displays, its one of Indias biggest technical fests. Be it the cantankerous din of the machines battling it out at Robokombat or the rapturous debates at BITSMUN, arguably the largest Model United Nations in India, the atmosphere becomes a palpable mist of passion and intellect. With technical workshops for those looking to gain new skills, events that flood neuronal networks with electric impulses and amazing performances lined up for the nights, its utopia for everyone. Quark 2011 played host to around forty events spread over various categories such as Chemical, Corporate, Mechanical, Programmer's Inc, Roboficial etc., not to mention the informal events taking place just around every corner. There were workshops on Analytics by Mu Sigma, CUDA by NVIDIA, Windows 7 phone application development by Microsoft and Ornithopters by Aerotrix among others. Matka, the gaming challenge saw the best clans clashing with eyes on the huge lump sum up for grabs. The three days of events was followed by TEDx BITSGoa. Speakers included Dr. Sunil Mukhi, a String theory physicist, Dr. Jonathan Wolfe, a man with a love for fractals, Anuradha Pal, a Tabla virtuoso, Rivaldo, a stand up comedian to name a few. A jam packed auditorium and viewers on the web were catapulted through a maze of ideas like never before. By the end of the four day fest, Quark had managed to leave people baffled, content and exhilarated but most importantly, it left them with a glimpse of the unexplored and a whole new world of possibilities.

Only the ignorant would earmark Zephyr as the most low-key of the four different festivals that constitute our calendar- because what Zephyr lacks in funding, star-power and sheer magnitude, it certainly makes up for in vigor and passion. Witness the stalwarts go right up against the freshers in engaging battles of wit, strength and talent. Zephyr is your one destination for no holds barred action of all kinds, as you egg on your respective hostels towards glory. Its the only platform where best friends often become arch-rivals and youre pitted against people who youd generally recognize as teammates. Its also possibly the only occasion when every BITSGian is locked in the very thick of things, be it for the mere purpose of making posters, t-shirts and banners, or acting as a stage hand, or, in extreme cases, posing like imbeciles for the acclaimed hostel-videos.

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Every year, towards the end of February, the campus plays host to a four day sporting extravaganza: Spree. The area in and around the Students Activity Centre witnesses an explosion of animation as teams and individuals from colleges across the nation clash for sporting glory. Since its humble initiation in 2006, Spree has come a long way. In addition to events like football, basketball, cricket, tennis, badminton and volleyball, special events such as futsal, 3BA, 3V3 volleyball, Galli cricket, foot volleyball add to the vigour and excitement. Many a time, a match has had the spectators waiting with baited breath till the final second. The Spree marathon, held in association with Nirmaan (a student body that helps uplift the underprivileged), truly tests endurance and pushes the limits of sheer grit. At the end of the day, the Special Nites, (in 2010, it included performances by the likes of renowned freestyle football specialists Archis Patil, Akshay Yadav) offer a time to let your hair down after all the nail biting action. The offbeat events pull in hordes of participants with events such as tug of war, ultimate Frisbee and Kho Kho. If that wasnt enough, then Zorbing till you lost all sense of direction surely was. Champions emerge and new bonds are forged in the spirit of sportsmanship during Spree. Victors bask in the limelight but the defeated too can take pride in a battle well fought. In the end, it is the love for sport that will reign supreme.

WHEN THE SCION CAME CALLING...

It is not often that an esteemed member of Parliament graces the doors of a college campus, nor is it customary for our beloved campus to assume the appearance of a fortress, so when Rahul Gandhi visited the campus on the 21 st of April, scholars of this esteemed campus, irrespective of branch, batch or political affiliation flooded in the auditorium by the dozens. More fondly, this day will be remembered as the day that the campus was officially renamed in the memory of the Late Dr. K.K. Birla, which despite making for a rather uncomfortable acronym (BITSPKKBGC), endears the great man further in our memories. Expressing optimism about the emergence of India as a center of ideas in the 21 st century, the Congress General Secretary spoke at length about the importance of developing ideas and on the need to get it across to the maximum number of people promptly. Interacting with the crowd in the subsequent session, he answered a variety of questions, with the students seeking to know his stance on many issues of national importance. Questioned on the Jan Lokpal bill issue, he maintained that Anna Hazare was quite within his rights to agitate for the bill the way he did, but he also cautioned that the bill must pass through a democratic process before becoming a law. On the highly controversial extended reservations for OBCs/ SC-STs in the countrys premier institutes, he said that the need of the hour was not to debate on the issue of reservation, but to instead increase the number of such institutes in the country, to cater to the need of more such meritorious students.
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He also inaugurated the mosaic mural of Krishna Kumar Birla, the first chancellor of BITS Pilani University. The mosaic mural was created by a couple Poola Perpignani and Paolo Racagni, from Ravenna, Italy. The occasion was also graced by Kumar Mangalam Birla (Chancellor of BITSPilani University), other illustrious members of the Birla family, Dr. B.N. Jain (Vice-Chancellor) and the directors of all four BITS campuses.

Amid shouts of Rahul Baba ki jai, as Rahul Gandhi exited the auditorium, under the protective swarm of a dozen security officers, the campus bade goodbye to a youthful, spirited, innovative leader, the very kind it aspires to turn its students into.

THE TEAM

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