CONTENTS
From the Editor’s Desk
Special Events
India Today Education Conclave
Campus News
Entrepreneurship and Startup Talk by Rajesh Kaul
Creating New Ventures
Initiation of Certified French Learning Course
Anti-Litter Campaign
Saraswati Pooja
Talk by Mr. Som Tyagi
Prospects in Armed Forces
NIIT shines at NASSCOM Annual Meet
Topper’s Corner
Shreya Mahabala Alwa’s Interview
Nature Talk
Pink Headed Duck
NU Ayurveda Health Club
Yoga Session
Watering Plants by Ayurveda Club
Student Editorial Special
Personality – A Key to Confidence
Expressions
Flashback
What else could I ever ask for
Early to Bed, Early to Rise
Pictures
Achievements
Research @ NU
From the Editor’s Desk
Dear Readers,
We are here again with yet another monthly issue of Newsletter. A lot happened in the last month and our Campus news brings everything for our readers in a crisp manner.
In this issue, we have published the interview with Shreya Mahabala Alva, a bright student of third year, who has maintained a consistent 10 CGPA throughout and has also enjoyed extra-curricular activities. We will try to bring more such interviews in future with successful students and will try to explore how they go about their studies and manage their time effectively to become all-rounders.
The Newsletter team hopes that our readers will like the contents and enjoy the regular sections like Nature Talk, Expressions and Student Editorial Special. We wait for your suggestions for improvement. Kindly send them to: anshima.srivastava@niituniversity.in
Best Wishes,
Anshima P Srivastav
Editor In-Charge,
NU Newsletter
Anshima.Srivastava@niituniversity.in
Special Event
NIIT University (NU) participated in India Today Education Conclave. The session, focusing on the topic ‘New Centres for Excellence – Focus on Research and Collaboration’, was held on 25th February, 2015, wherein, Dr. Rajendra Kumar Pandey, President, NU, expressed his thoughts on research- based and industry-linked core principles at NU.
Highlighting tech-based education system, Dr. Pandey said, “There has been a sustained trend of students choosing online courses and hence, the difference between online and university degree is narrowing down. The universities need to integrate technology with their teaching methods”.
Focusing on research, he said that research enables an individual to get into a habit of enquiry that helps him create knowledge. He further added, “The funding pattern for the universities is not optimum. The government’s contribution to R&D is 0 .5% of GDP, which needs to be improved.”
Other panellists at the Conclave were :-
Rupamanjari Ghosh, Vice Chancellor, Shiv Nadar University
Gopa Sabharwal, Vice Chancellor, Nalanda University
Vineet Gupta, Co-founder, Ashoka University
Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, was also present at the session moderated by Raj Chengappa, Editorial Director, India Today Group.
Talking on skills and entrepreneurship, Mr Rudy said, “Over 67 years, skill was assumed to be a part of education, but today there is a distinct bias. It has been a victim of higher education, and bridging education system and bringing skills to colleges and schools is something we need to focus on.”
Campus News
Entrepreneurship and Startup Talk by Rajesh Kaul
Students and faculty members of NIIT University had the opportunity to interact with Mr. Rakesh Kaul, Chairman, Spherenomics. The talk was centered around entrepreneurship and start-ups, and was held on 8th February, 2016 in the Auditorium, NU. Mr. Kaul shared his personal life experiences, the hindrances he faced and the way he overcame them in highly innovative ways.
Creating New Ventures
On 5th February, 2016, Mr. Swapnil Khandelwal, CEO, AlmaConnect, gave a talk on ‘Road to Starting Up’. He helped the students in understanding the problems that any entrepreneur would choose to resolve. Mr. Swapnil did his B.Tech. from Dhirubai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology. Then, he started an online tutoring business for students in the US. But he wanted more and so, he started his company Alma Connect. He told us about the brick and mortar business model and the valuation model, which the entrepreneurs generally follow. A brick and mortar business allows the owner to own all the shares of the company whereas the valuation business requires an owner to give away his ownership. He described nine steps to launch a firm or company which would help an entrepreneur throughout his/ her journey and they are:
Problem: If one is passionate then he/she won’t give up
Need Metric: Features and Uniqueness of the startup
Customer Demarcation: Optimizing the input and the investment
Competitors: It is not only the brands that sell the same product but also the places and various other things that matter
Conceptualize: Do not wait for your competitor to solve the problem in some other way.
Business Goals: Set the level you want to reach
You need to sell: One should know the way to sell their product.
Begin: Legal, Team, Investment: Teamwork is an essential factor along with investments. However, knowing the norms is equally important.
Plan Short Term, Think Long Term: Think, decide and plan your moves.
These nine points are by an entrepreneur to the budding entrepreneurs who are still searching for the problem and the solutions. Keeping in mind these nine points, one can launch their startup with ease. Then, he shared his experiences and the problems that he faced before launching his startup. The talk was very informative and inspiring.
Initiation of Certified French Learning Course
A Certified French Learning Course has been initiated by Amrit Bagga (B.Tech.III) for the second time in the University. Not only the students, but also faculty members got themselves enrolled for the course.
Anti-Litter Campaign
Under the NU HSS 201 Professional Ethics and Values course, the first Anti-Litter Drive for the year 2016 was conducted on 12th February, 2016 at 4:30 p.m. The Anti-Litter Campaign is a movement to create awareness about hygiene and cleanliness. The aim of the movement is to make people sensitive to their surroundings, to keep the campus clean and green. Seventeen members took this initiative under the guidance of Dr. Anuradha Parasar.
During the cleaning drive, maximum litter was found on the football ground and the parking area which included toffee wrappers to cigarette butts.
Members of Anti-Litter Campaign urge NUites to help them with this initiative and keep their surroundings clean.
Saraswati Pooja
A Saraswati Pooja was organized on the event of Basant Panchami on 13th February, 2016. The students, faculty and the guardians attended the Pooja to worship the Goddess of Knowledge.
Talk by Mr. Som Tyagi
A talk by Mr. Som Tyagi was held on 16th February in LT 101. The topic of discussion was ‘Human Values – About building Life and not about building Careers’. Mr. Tyagi influenced the attender’s thinking about life and at this stage where everyone is career-oriented, he emphasized on a different approach towards life, which includes not just good job packages and the virtual happiness, but the real small joys of life which actually fills the empty vessels our hearts have become.
Seminar on Career Prospects in Armed Forces
A seminar was conducted by Major Gen. A.K Singh (Retd.) on 21st February, 2016 on the topic ‘How and Why to Join the Indian Armed Forces.’ During the seminar, he had an inspiring interaction with NU students about career in the Armed Forces. He talked about his own experiences and discussed about the opportunities in Armed Forces and how to make it a rewarding and satisfying career. The seminar was indeed a very inspiring and a motivational one.
NIIT shines at NASSCOM Annual Meet
NASSCOM India leadership forum (NILF), was organised in Mumbai from 10-12th February, 2016, wherein NIIT showcased its Customised Training Offerings for the Enterprise Segment and Stack Route.
NASSCOM’s annual flagship event- NILF, is a microcosm of global thought, leadership and driving change in the IT sector. NILF 2016, was based on the theme of ‘The Smart Enterprise: Transformation to Disruptive – An Idea whose Time has Come’.
Elaborating on NIIT’s theme- NIIT for Enterprise, Amit Kaul, Sr. Vice President, Corporate Learning India, said, “NIIT is a globally benchmarked corporate training solution provider and has been helping corporates provide truly world class training services. There is a growing demand for corporate training in India and this provides a huge potential for industry-aligned corporate learning solutions in the country”.
NIIT’s stall, imparting information on Transformative Training Services, witnessed the presence of key market players like Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Atos, Capgemini, IBM, Yamaha Motors, JP Morgan, Sutherland, Ernst Young, Happiest Minds and others.
Strengthening it’s relationship further, NIIT also interacted with Ravi Venkatesan, Chairman, Bank of Baroda; Rishad Permji, Chief Strategy Officer, Wipro Limited; Gary Loveland, Global Cyber Security CoE Leader, PwC; Rajan Anandan, VP & MD, Google- South East Asia and India; Keshav Murugesh, Group CEO, WNS and others.
Highlighting StackRoute at NASSCOM, Amit Kaul said, “StackRoute is a pioneering initiative by NIIT, to produce world’s best full stack programmers. The programme focuses on creating multi-talented programmers who can cater to the changing needs of today’s global organization”.
Udai Singh, Chief Strategy Officer, NIIT Ltd., also emphasized on StackRoute as NIIT’s initiative to drive digital transformation.
Rajendra Pawar, Chairman NIIT Group, Founder NU and Chairman of Cyber Security Task Force, NASSCOM, shared his thoughts during his session on the Business of Cyber Security.
Speaking at the session he said, “The Indian cyber security business is poised to grow to $35 bn. by 2025 from $1 bn. Cyber security should be on the board agenda. Indian IT services industry can play a leading role”.
He further added, “Cyber security solutions need to be both affordable and yet comprehensive. There are opportunities for startups that build point solutions to work with larger IT services companies and build comprehensive yet affordable cyber security solutions”.
Other members who were present at the session were:-
Gary Loveland, Global Cyber Security CoE Leader, PwC
Sahir Hidayatullah, CEO, Smokescreen Technologies
Paresh Sukthankar, Deputy MD, HDFC Bank Ltd
Topper’s Corner
Shreya Mahabala Alva
Shreya Alva is a B. Tech CSE III Year student, who has consistently maintained 10 CGPA. She was interviewed by Newletter Reporter, Amrit Bagga.
You’ve been admired by many in the campus, so is that a boon or a bane for a 10 pointer like you?
Thank you for saying that. I feel it is certainly a boon for me. I didn’t get here without working for it, even when I felt like giving up at times. It feels good to be recognized for my accomplishment. It has also aided my parents since I upgraded my scholarship to 100%. Being in this position, I’d like to think I can be of some real help to others and that makes me glad.
How do you manage your academics and the extra-curricular activities you’ve taken part in?
I only tend to take up things that truly interest me. That way, I always manage to make time for them. I assign priorities and endeavor to strike a balance between the things I take.
Tell us about your goals and desires for the future.
For the short term, I’m keeping my options open. Post graduate studies is definitely on the cards – be it from IITs or from abroad. I’m interested in the field of networking, while considering joining the field of research. However, my long term goal is to join the Indian Bureaucracy. It would fulfill my aspiration of making my parents proud and would give me a chance to make a palpable difference to peoples’ lives.
The toughest subject you’ve studied so far? And how did you still manage an A on it?
There are several contenders for this spot– there always (at least) one particularly challenging subject every semester. If I had to pick, I’d say Digital Logic and Circuits (DLC) was the most daunting of them all.
With recognition of my weakness in such subjects comes the fear of underperforming in it. I go for a balance of breadth and depth. I simply act out on my qualms and reach out for germane reference books, online materials (videos or otherwise) for sufficient practice.
Okay, a concluding question – Where do you find yourself 10 years from now?
10 years from now, I’m looking forward to seeing myself settled with a family of my own and having fulfilled my long term career goal. One thing is certain, I will be doing a job that keeps me on my toes and makes me look forward to greeting every new day.
Nature Talk
Great Indian Rhinoceros
The Pink-headed duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea) is (or was) a large diving duck that was once found in parts of the Gangetic plains of India, Bangladesh and in the riverine swamps of Myanmar but feared extinct since the 1950s. Numerous searches have failed to provide any proof of it’s continued existence. It has been suggested that it may exist in the inaccessible swamp regions of northern Myanmar and some reports from that region have led to its status being declared as “critically endangered” rather than extinct. The male has a pink bill, head and neck while the female has a pale pinkish head and neck with a paler bill. The black of the body extends as a narrow strip on the front of the neck. Wings have a leading white edge. The stronghold of the species was north of the Ganges and west of the Brahmaputra, mainly in Maldah, Purnea, Madhubani and Purulia districts of present day Bihar.
Status and Conservation
This duck was formerly found in eastern India, Bangladesh and northern Myanmar, but is now probably extinct. The reason for its disappearance was probably habitat destruction. It is not known why it was always considered rare, but the rarity is believed to be genuine (and not an artefact of insufficient fieldwork) as its erstwhile habitat was frequently scoured by hunters in colonial times. The pink-headed duck was much sought after by hunters and later as an ornamental bird, mainly because of its unusual plumage. Like most diving ducks, it was not considered good for eating, which should facilitate the survival of any remnant birds. The last specimen was shot down in 1935 in Darbhanga, Bihar, India, by C. M. Inglis, who did not even know what he had killed, until his dog, a retriever, brought the bird to him. Some birds were also kept in the aviaries of Jean Théodore Delacour in Clères (France) and Alfred; Ezra at Foxwarren Park (England) where the last known birds lived in captivity. The only known photographs of the species were taken here and include one of a pair taken around 1925 by David Seth-Smith.
Divya Sara Kurian (B. Tech. 2013-17
NU Ayurveda Health Club
Yoga Session
Ayurveda club of NIIT University organized a Yoga Session under the guidance of Mohan Chowdhary, (B. Tech. 2014-18), who is a national level yoga champion. The event was held on 28th February, 2016, at 6.30 a.m. The students were taught the right techniques for performing yoga and enlightened about how this practice helps us to connect with our inner soul.
Watering Plants by Ayurveda Club
Ayurveda club of NIIT University organized an event where students and faculty members were invited to water the plants in the Ayurveda Garden. The event took place on 6th February, 2016 and was made successful by active participation of students from B. Tech. and MBA, and Mr. Tomar, from Administrative Department.
Student Editor Special
Personality- A Key to Confidence
“Personality has power to uplift, power to depress, power to curse, and power to bless”. Indeed, what you are and what you will be is way lesser than what and how you present yourself to be. In a literal sense, personality can be defined as the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character. Everyone holds a different and a unique persona which makes them stand out of the crowd. What enlightens this factor, is the charm and grace intertwined with confidence in oneself.
Almost every day, we discuss and assess the personalities of the people around us. Whether we realize it or not, these daily musings on how and why people behave as they do, are similar to what traits and gestures they possess and the way they carry themselves. We inherit many personality traits which are common to all humans but there are certain individualistic components of personality that dwells in us. They make us unique and creates a sense of identity and so, one must develop his or her personality in order to look assertive.
We all have our own mix of attributes and experiences that combine to create the unique value we possess. Your personality is the root driver of the behaviour and actions that you demonstrate on a daily basis. Personality is an internal aspect, whereas the others are external and can be adopted according to the culture and place. This attribute is based on one of the popular domains known as the Big Five theory often referred to as OCEAN stating- Openness to experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion/Introversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism (often referred to as emotional stability).
Personality development grooms an individual and helps him make a mark of his/her own. Everybody, in some way or the other, is bestowed with a unique potential which is his trademark. It is the person’s task to identify the key to the lock and hence, discover the ‘New in You’. Hence, stand out of the crowd and exhibit your potentials to the fullest. After all, personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures.
Amrit Bagga
B. Tech. (2013-17)
Expressions
Flashback
A flashback, is a psychological phenomenon in which an individual has a sudden, usually powerful, re-experiencing of a past experience or elements of a past. The term is used particularly when the memory is recalled involuntarily, and/or when it is so intense that the person “relives” the experience, unable to fully recognize it as a memory and not something that is happening in “real time”.
36,000 feet above the ground, he was sitting comfortably, sipping coffee from a cup in front of him, and then it happened. He was taken aback. A mundane vicinity. He had been there before, in his trances. A bland voice could be heard nearby, calling him. He followed it and as it grew louder and more prominent, he could feel his heart thumping and small footsteps transformed into long strides. A paltry passage, small rooms on either side, reverberation of sounds, perplexity and neurosis. His body was failing him. A flicker of light, and it all dissolved. At first what seemed like a divergence of shades, gradually transfigured and he could finally make out a shape, a human form. “Dad”? Nirvaan muttered.
“I am sorry, son”, a mature, modulated voice was heard. It was Captain Aryan Singh. Aryan, Nirvaan’s dad had a very peculiar, oblong face, with angular cheekbones. His eyes were a bluish-shade of a midwinter sky. His wide eyebrows were shaped into a perfectly deceiving arc, that complimented his eyes. A long nose, impeccably structured teeth, and a stubble, of a week or so. He was in his late twenties. That was the last time Nirvaan had seen his Dad. He was nine years old, his round face, gleaming with innocence. His eyes were like the shiny darkness of a beetle’s wings, looking towards his father, his role model, his guardian. Everything seemed so calm and serene until one month later, the Air India flight which Captain Aryan was piloting went missing over the North Atlantic Ocean, near the Bermuda Triangle. Search parties’ and rescue team’s efforts went in vain as not a single trace could be found, not even the black box. The possibility of a wife hearing her husband again, a son hearing his hero again, was lost in the boundless, cryptic ocean.
It was not until he was a youngster that this murky, stygian secret was revealed to him. It left him shattered on the inside. A part of his soul left his body. Since then, Nirvaan has always had an uncanny fear of flying. Although a few years back, seeing his mother break down before the television after hearing the reports of the accident, had left a huge impact on his mind. He could never ever give it a espirit d’escalier.
“Excuse me sir”, a substantial voice, coming from a gorgeous air hostess in her elegant uniform. Nirvaan convulsed in his seat with disruption of his thoughts. He was having a flashback. But being back to his senses in no time, the captivating, charismatic young man in his early twenties retorted timely.
“Yes?”
“I will have to request you to please close the tray table, and fasten your seat belt as we are proceeding for landing”.
“Sure”.
As he fastened his seat belt, he was pacified as another flight journey, this time a sententious one, was coming to a closure.
Abhi Chitkara
B. Tech (2015-19)
I asked for friendship
You offered me love
When I asked why
You said that’s what I deserve
I asked for a look
You stared into my eyes
When I asked why
You said that your whole world resides inside
What else could I ever ask for…
I asked for care
You gave me teddy bear
When I asked why
You said you care for your teddy
And I will care for mine
I just smiled
What else could I ever ask for…
I ever wondered
If I can claim you as mine
You said,
I am yours, will you be mine?
I asked for a key to your heart
You gave me your soul
I felt complete
What else could I ever ask for…
I found myself losing in you
I asked myself why?
My heart said,
Because you gave me more than I ever deserved.
Will you always give me
More than what I deserve
You said I am yours forever
& you are mine forever.
I asked why so much injustice?
Did I ever give you anything nice?
You said,
You gave me yourself that’s more than
I could ever deserve…
What else could I ask for
With you by my side…
With you by my side…
Monika Suryan
B. Tech (2013-17)
Lord Krishna said, “Don’t live to sleep, but sleep to rest the body.”
Early to bed in spiritual sense, is what is written in Hindu spiritual stories, and what our ancestors said about waking up early.
कराग्रे वसते लक्ष्मिः करमध्ये सरस्वति ।
करमूले तु गोविन्दः प्रभाते करदर्शनम् ॥
Karaagre Vasate Lakssmih Karamadhye Sarasvati |
Karamuule Tu Govindah, Prabhaate Karadarshanam ||
Meaning:
1: At the top of the hand (i.e. palm) dwells Devi Lakshmi and at the middle of the hand dwells Devi Saraswati,
2: At the base of the hand dwells Sri Govinda. Therefore, one should look at one’s hands in the early morning and contemplate on them.
It is considered propitious to start the day with this sincere prayer.
Devotees tend to wake up early because they want to be firmly situated in the absolute conception that they have nothing to do with the material body. To achieve this, they adjust all relative aspects of their life.
So devotees get up early to take advantage of the special energy and clarity of the early-morning hours. They also try to go to bed early. As an old proverb says, “One hour’s sleep before midnight is worth three after.”
Lord Krishna recommends moderation and regulation. So, we should find out how much sleep we need and work from there to gradually decrease it. By practice we can conquer sleep, become Krishna conscious, and attain success in life.
Besides viewing sleep as an opportunity to renew failing energy, devotees consider sleep as a reminder of death, which forces everyone, pauper or king, to lie down. Devotees acknowledge that they are not the controller of anything, even their eyelids. Before sleeping a devotee may humbly pray, “My dear Lord, if you like, I will awaken here in this place, or perhaps I will awaken in another place. But wherever I may be, or in whatever form you give me, please allow me to serve you.”
My sister’s words when I wake up late:
In the morning, wake up before the sun rises, because during that time (early morning), your Lord (God) passes through every person and says “Thathastu” (Amen). It means if you wake up early and start doing something, God is there to bless you and to support doing that activity, to grab success and opportunity and reach wherever you want to go, and at the same time, if you are still lying on the bed, God is there to bless you to keep sleeping.
And the fact is rightly explained by the song “Uth Jaag Musafir”:
उठ जाग मुसाफिर भोर भई, अब रैन कहाँ जो तू सोवत है
जो जागत है सो पावत है, जो सोवत है वो खोवत हैखोल नींद से अँखियाँ जरा और अपने प्रभु से ध्यान लगा
यह प्रीति करन की रीती नहीं प्रभु जागत है तू सोवत है…. उठ …
जो कल करना है आज करले जो आज करना है अब करले
जब चिडियों ने खेत चुग लिया फिर पछताये क्या होवत है… उठ …
नादान भुगत करनी अपनी ऐ पापी पाप में चैन कहाँ
जब पाप की गठरी शीश धरी फिर शीश पकड़ क्यों रोवत है… उठ ….
Rahul Chhangani
TCO
Pictures
Agastya Chandrakant
B.Tech (2015-19)
Achievements
Prof. Sunil Khanna, Vice President of NIIT University has been elected as the President of the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI). He shall take charge from April 2016.
The Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI), established in 1938, is one of the oldest and most reputed scientific organizations of the country. There are about 85 local units under the umbrella of association in the country, which organizes seminars, workshops and guest lectures by eminent scientists to make the society, students and professionals aware of the recent developments in the field of Microbiology. At present, there are more than 4,500 annual members and about 450 corporate members of the Association. The Association also publishes a quarterly journal, ‘Indian Journal of Microbiology’ for the last 45 years which has acquired a respectable status among national and international scientific research periodicals in the world. The Association recognizes the achievements of Microbiology professionals at every stage of their career and felicitates them by giving AMI awards. AMI holds a national convention annually to encourage interaction between academic institutes and industries to exchange information on frontier discoveries and innovations in Microbiology and its interdisciplinary relevance.
Startup by Ajinkya Dalvi
Ajinkya Dalvi of B.Tech.I (2015-19) CSE, represented NIIT University at ‘PLinth Negotio’ (Business-Plan Competition) which took place at LNMIIT, Jaipur. His startup pitch named ‘CheckMySwag’ was among the top five finalists. His team consisted of 2 members, including him and his partner Shivank Shekhar. He pitched his idea in front of an esteemed panel of judges consisting of Start-up Mentors and VC & Angel Investors. Mr. Dhanpatraj Dhariwal (Ex – President of Birla Cement) was also a part of the panel.
Research @ NU
Dr. Gurendra Bhardwaj and Shrey Kumar (B. Tech. 2013-17), for getting their article published in the International Journal of Information and Education Technology (IJIET), Los Angeles, USA, on the topic ‘What makes Teaching an Effective Teaching -A Conceptual Study on Academic Environment’.
They also presented a case study on capital budgeting and financial solvency at Management Doctor Colliquium, held at Vinod Gupta School of Management, IIT Kharagpur, on 10th-11th February, 2016. Moreover, they gave a presentation of their publication in International Conference on ‘Signal Processing & Integrated Networks’, with Kritika Jain and Yash Agarwal, on the topic: TLST in VANETs, on 11th-12th February, 2016, during SPIN, held at Department of ECE, Amity School of Engineering and Technology, Amity University, Noida.
Prof. Vikas Upadhyay published a paper, titled ‘Real-time Security Solution for Automatic Detection and Tracking of Intrusion’ in the third International Conference on Image Information Processing (ICIIP), 2015, by IEEE. The Conference took place from 21st-24th December, 2015, at Waknaghat, India.
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