ARRI CAMERA WORKSHOP
On March 12, 2024, Symbiosis Center for Media and Communication (SCMC) hosted an engaging ARRI camera workshop tailored for Audio-Visual students. Led by Professor Sanjay Surin, the workshop spanned from 9:30 am to 5 pm, aiming to provide participants with hands-on experience using professional-grade equipment crucial for their future careers in the industry.
The workshop commenced with an in-depth exploration of the fundamental principles underlying camera operations. Students delved into topics such as sensor functionality, dynamic range, LUT, bit rate, sub-sampling rate, electronic shutter, and shutter angle, understanding how each element contributes to crafting a compelling image. Professor Surin adeptly addressed students' queries and uncertainties, fostering a dynamic learning environment through practical demonstrations.
In addition to technical insights, students were tasked with executing a scripted scene during the workshop. They honed their skills by operating the camera on a crane, mastering intricate camera movements, and experimenting with Track & Trolley setups to grasp the significance of track movements. The hands-on experience of using a shoulder mount added an element of excitement, allowing students to appreciate the nuances of handheld camera work and its impact on storytelling.
The workshop proved to be a valuable and enlightening experience, equipping students with a deeper understanding of the art of filmmaking. Beyond merely capturing footage, participants recognized the importance of the creative process in shaping a desired visual outcome, underscoring the multifaceted nature of image creation in the realm of audio-visual storytelling.
Workshop on CMS creation and management for New Websites
On Tuesday, March 12, 2024, the Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication, Viman Nagar, hosted Mr Reetesh Anand, Chief Output Editor at Business Standard, New Delhi, for an interaction with our faculty on the broad topic of “CMS creation and management for New Websites.”
Mr Anand, who has nearly 17 years of experience in journalism and the management of journalistic content, began with a general summary of the requirements and process of building a CMS for news websites. After this, in response to the questions from SCMC Director Dr. Sreeram Gopalkrishnan, Mr. Anand addressed the challenges of updating and maintaining a news website CMS, with an emphasis on requirements for student operations, training, and teaching methods, and learning outcomes.
Following this, the speaker touched upon the kind and number of stakeholders required in the process and presented pointers helpful for dividing responsibilities among students and faculty alike.
In response to faculty questions, Mr Anand clarified doubts about shifting native-grown CMS to paid premium CMS services like Wordpress.com and others.
Finally, the speaker also discussed expectations about typical interaction with service providers and/or vendors, the specifications one needs to communicate, approximate costs and charges, and the usual array of services on offer regarding regular updates.
The interaction will help create a clear roadmap for developing SCMC’s student-run digital news platform, ChronicleExpress.com. It will also provide a blueprint for faculty participation and guidance.
SCMC Brings the Magic of ‘West Side Story’ to Life
M Prerana, Batch ’25, 19th February 2024
In an awe-inspiring display of talent and creativity, the auditorium at the Viman Nagar campus of Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication (SCMC) played host to a rendition of the West Side Story put up by its students on February 10th, 2024. Drawing inspiration from the timeless classic, the SCMC crew of as many as 150 students put an unforgettable experience that transported the audience to the vibrant streets of New York City.
The cast gave life to the characters with their refined skills. Kehan Chindy and Ishita Singh left the audience mesmerised in their roles of Tony and Maria, respectively. Shreyanjana Basu, as Riff, caught everyone’s attention with a commendable portrayal of the character. Karthikeyan Menon did full justice to Bernardo’s character, delivering its essence with grace. Opposite him was Arpita Mehra, whose character Anita showed passion and depth.
From the moment the curtains rose, it was evident that this production was unlike any other. The air buzzed with anticipation as a live band, led by the talented Arjesh Gupta, took its place, ready to infuse every moment with the rhythm of Leonard Bernstein's iconic score. The energy brought in by this troupe of 13 vocalists was unparalleled.
The dancers, embodying the spirit of the Jets and the Sharks, moved with precision and grace, their every movement a testament to weeks of preparation and rehearsal. What truly set this performance apart was the seamless integration of sound, light, music and even technology. Every element combined in perfect harmony, creating an experience nothing short of magical. As the different scenes unfolded, we were transported to the gritty back alleys of New York – replete with romance and tragedy.
Perhaps what stood out the most was the sense of community that ran through the auditorium. As an audience of almost 400 people, we laughed, cried and cheered, appreciating the incredible talent on display.
Ultimately, this production was more than just a tribute to the film. It was a celebration of diversity, creativity and the power of storytelling that transcends time and space. By bringing together a diverse range of ideas and perspectives, the students of SCMC crafted an experience that is as relevant and resonant today as it was when the story first captivated audiences decades ago. It was a day that would have surely left an indelible mark for the students who were fortunate enough to witness it.
Award of NER Scholarship 2023-24
SCMC congratulates Ms. Mannat Matharu for receiving the SIU NER Scholarship for the academic year 2023-24. The NER scholarships by SIU are offered to students of North East in collaboration with Symbiosis Ishanya Cultural and Educational Centre (SICEC).
This scholarship is aimed to provide the students of North East India, an opportunity to benefit from high-quality education programs being offered by Symbiosis International University. We congratulate Mannat for her achievement and wish her all the success ahead!
SCMC’s Photography Exhibition Aagaz: Celebrating Clicks & Captures
- Krishnanshu Panda, Batch ‘25, 1st September 2023
As the new academic year begins at Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communications (SCMC), so does a series of events and festivals. Marking the beginning of a hectic schedule, Aagaz – SCMC’s annual photography exhibition – was held on 19th August 2023, curated around the themes of ‘Indian Wildlife’, ‘Illusions’, ‘Reflections’ and ‘Stories Around Us (Candids)’. Organised by the Photography Cell as its flagship event, this was the second edition of Aagaz. The event was inaugurated by SCMC’s Director Dr. Sreeram Gopalkrishnan, alongside esteemed guests Mr. Sanjay Danait, a celebrated wildlife photographer, Mr. Manthan Naik, a fashion photographer, and SCMC faculty member Ms. Nishita Jain.
Following the lighting of the lamp, Dr. Gopalkrishnan addressed the students and staff. Thereafter, the guest panelists were felicitated and shared their words of wisdom with the audience. Mr. Danait spoke about storytelling through photographs and how stories give meaning to the photos we click. Mr. Vikram Bawa, a well-known celebrity photographer, also joined the event virtually and addressed the ensemble of students, faculty members and budding photographers.
Aagaz, in its true meaning, implies the genesis of the creative spectrum in totality. Open to all photographers – in professional and unprofessional categories – the competition received more than 200 entries. Yogesh Subash Gurav from Pune bagged the award in the professional category, while Praveen Nayak won in the unprofessional category for the theme ‘Stories Around Us’. Suhani Sharma from SCMC’s Batch 2025 was the runner-up in the latter category. The theme of ‘Reflections’ saw some intriguing entries, from which Rajesh Dhar and Raju Das’s submissions won the first and second prizes in the professional category. SCMC’s Apoorva Sangal was a runner-up in the unprofessional category.
The submissions in the ‘Indian Wildlife’ category did justice to the plethora of fauna found in our country. Bibek Bibhupada bagged the first prize in the professional category for the theme, whereas Maanya Nanavati won in the unprofessional category. For the theme ‘Illusions’, Mridul Chaudhary won the first prize in the professional category, while SCMC’s Bohnisikha Mukherjee and Harshita Jain were the winner and runner-up, respectively, in the unprofessional category.
After the distribution of the prizes, the exhibition showcasing the best entries was thrown open to everyone. After the exhibition, Mr. Danait and Mr. Naik held a guest session with the students. They discussed the essentials of wildlife photography and the creative aspects of photography. A month of preparation, over 200 entries, and a wonderful exhibition later, one can say with faith that Aagaz was a success beyond any of our expectations.
Navigating the Future of Media: An Interview with Mr Ahmar Zaman, Head of Marketing at Knolskape and Batch ‘13 Alumnus
- Aditi Tarafdar, Batch ‘25, and Suruchi Kumari, Batch ‘24, 9th August 2023
The orientation of Batch 2027 at the Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication (SCMC) marked not only the entry of new faces, but also the return of familiar ones. Among the slew of guest sessions held for the new batch as a part of their induction was one by Batch 2013 alumnus Mr Ahmar Zaman, Head of Marketing at edtech company Knolskape. Prior to this, Mr Zaman had worked in firms such as Deloitte and Turner, with his first job being with the Internet and Mobile Association of India as an event executive.
In an interview conducted by Batch ‘24’s Shagun Dube, Mr Zaman talks about the changes that have shaped the media industry in the last decade and his learnings from his time here at SCMC. Edited excerpts below:
Q. What all changes did you see after you graduated from SCMC?
If we look at it from an industry point of view, a lot of things changed, especially on the digital and social media front. There was no curriculum or modules around digital media when we did this course. Social media was essentially being used as a tool to communicate with each other, and not so much for marketing communication and all of those things. Now after that, what has happened is that it (social media) has totally revolutionised the marketing space.
When you look at it from the networking point of view, our batch coordinators used to approach companies for placements or internships; they used to call on their landline numbers, try to fix a meeting and then get the person placed. Now you have something called LinkedIn, and other similar platforms, where you can directly reach out to the decision-makers in different organisations, create a rapport with them and tell them that this is what we are looking at. So, there’s very direct communication now. There are no roadblocks in communication anymore. So the opportunities for networking and collaboration are so much more. That makes it much easier for people to make a place for themselves in the industry now.
Q. If you could go back in time, would you change anything about what you learnt at SCMC?
I honestly think that the course was pretty comprehensive for the time. Comprehensive in the sense that I always thought studying from here gave me an advantage over other people from other colleges and institutes. And it was a real thing! In day-to-day life, right from operating an MS Excel sheet to being adept at editing tools like Photoshop and all those things. It gives us a huge advantage in the industry because we always have the answers to everything the management might ask us.
We live in an age where teams are getting leaner because of technology. AI is being implemented to do many of these mundane tasks for people, which means only the very creative and smart people will make it to the companies and their specific roles.
Now we are developing all these skills - digital marketing, social media marketing, moment marketing – all these things are happening due to this entire revolution around social media and the interconnected world.
It’s really encouraging that the college is also moving at that pace and adopting a lot of new things. The majors have increased; we only had four or five, and now there are seven in the course. So I think we are moving in the right direction; we are… adapting to what is happening in the industry today.
Q. What are your key learnings from life?
So that time (in college days), I was really sceptical because – I am sure a lot of that thought is still prevailing in the world that, you know – mass communication is not a very money-minting kind of a profession. It is looked down upon in certain ways.
But I’m so happy that I chose this for myself. I don’t have any regrets about doing this because, one, we are all passionate people. We are here because we are mad people. We have that passion for doing this. We can do a lot of creative stuff, which a machine or AI, no matter how much it evolves, will not be able to do. (We can) think creatively. So, I think from that point of view, the scope in this particular domain is limitless.
There’s so much happening every day. The landscape is becoming bigger and bigger… The opportunity for lateral movement within the space is so much already. A journalist can always move into a marketing role because he has the contacts, the know-how of how the industry works.
As for the courses and the modules being imparted as part of the curriculum, I think it’s a very good blend of academics, and exposure through internships and industry experience integrated into the course. This will really help (the students)... The way SCMC focuses equally on technical skills, hard skills, and soft skills will be really beneficial… Hard and technical skills will take you to a certain level, but after that, it is your soft skills.
Q. What advice would you give to the students?
Two things that are on the top of my priorities list are: Be consistent and patient. I have learned from experience that being consistent is important. Have the perseverance to keep doing one thing over and over relentlessly for things to fall in place. My ultimate advice is to be patient and consistent, to not give up in between.
Secondly, attend as many classes as you can. It’s a professional course, an experience, and you should try to imbibe everything possible for the next 3 or 4 years. It’ll help shape your career and personality, making you a very interesting person to talk to in general.
Q. What are you views and thoughts about mass communication as a programme and how would you grade that?
The best part is the flexibility of the course - it’s up to you how you can leverage the knowledge and tools that you have at your end to make something significant out of it. It’s a blend of science and art - analytics, research, selection of media and art. A part of it is actually doing and planning things. You can be a journalist and still find a place in the marketing department of a company. It’s well-connected – a filmmaker needs PR, marketing and even a journalist.
Talking of cons, in the initial stage of their career, one might feel out of place because everything is scattered, and as a media professional, you’re expected to do a lot of things simultaneously. But, eventually, being consistent is the key. There’s no substitute for hard work, and one should keep building on their portfolio.
New Beginnings: Batch ‘27 Receives a Warm Welcome
- Janhavi Deshmukh, Batch ‘24, 31st July 2023
Another academic year has started at the Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication (SCMC) with the arrival of Batch ’27 students. New faces have sprung up all over the campus, navigating their way around and familiarising themselves with the college. The induction programme for the new batch was held from 20th to 22nd July 2023, including faculty briefings, campus tours and a formal orientation session at the auditorium. With a brand new curriculum, students of Batch ’27 said they could not be more excited to start this new chapter in their life!
The arrival of the new batch marks an exciting change for SCMC, as it shifts from a three-year programme to a four-year one. The curriculum is now designed with multiple entry and exit points, with options for a certificate, diploma, a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree with honours. As part of the revamp, the college now offers seven new major and minor options.
During the first two days of the induction, students were shown around the campus, and introduced to all the faculty members as well as the facilities of SCMC. They were also intimated about the administrative processes, along with information regarding eligibility, the student handbook, projects, examinations, etc. They were also introduced to SCMC’s student council, along with its different clubs and cells.
The formal orientation programme was conducted on 22nd July at the auditorium. With the students in attendance along with their parents, Professor Sunil Belladi gave the welcome address, motivating students to believe in themselves during their time at the institution. SCMC’s Director Dr. Sreeram Gopalkrishnan then spoke about the vast opportunities in the field of media, and explained in detail the new curriculum and course structure. He also briefed about the internship and placement process, and highlighted the achievements of some SCMC alumni. This was followed by a Q&A session, wherein the queries of students and parents alike were addressed by the Director.
After that, the heads of four departments of SCMC – namely Journalism, Advertising, Public Relations and Audio-Visual – held briefings to introduce the students to specific domains within the vast field of media. Col. G.S Radkar then briefed those in attendance about the hostel facilities and introduced them to Yen and Euro, the girls’ hostel’s very own labrador dogs!
The audience was further intimated about the NEP guidelines and how they are being implemented by the University. After brief sessions by the teams from Symbiosis Centre for Emotional Wellbeing (SCEW), and Department of Sports, Recreation and Wellness (DSRW), the event concluded with the vote of thanks from Professor Juhi Rajwani.
Many Students of Batch ‘27 expressed their excitement about the new academic year, speaking of their interests in the field of media – from filmmaking to marketing. Others also looked forward to SCMC’s flagships events – Vaividhya and Maadhyam. The induction programme certainly left the new set of students eagerly looking forward to the quintessential experience of SCMC!
Sustainability with Kelsey and 2B1
On Wednesday, April 26th, the students of SCMC had the privilege of attending an electrifying musical workshop featuring American artists Kelsey Rae and 2B1.
2B1 is a musical band that has traveled the world for decades, spreading its message of positivity and environmental consciousness through music and dance. Their positive music and contagious energy connect with all ages in an impactful way. They sing, dance, and play "recycled" instruments, firmly believing that music is a universal language that connects us with our planet and each other, regardless of age, culture, or background.
The workshop kicked off with a performance by the band, followed by an interactive Q&A session where students were encouraged to ask questions. The band also discussed how music can unite people and promote positive change in the world. It was a truly enlightening experience for the audience.
As the workshop drew to a close, the audience was treated to a captivating performance by SCMC's very own band, The Basement Project. The workshop concluded with a final performance by 2B1, in which everyone participated, and by the end, everyone was standing on their feet. The event provided an excellent opportunity for students to learn from professional artists and showcase their own talent and creativity. It highlighted the power of music to bring people together, spread positivity, and promote environmental consciousness. It was an unforgettable experience that will be cherished by everyone who attended.
Garima Pura honoured for her work on the Oscar-winning film "The Elephant Whisperers"
Garima Pura, an alumna of Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication (SCMC), was recently felicitated for her work in the Oscar-winning short film, "The Elephant Whisperers." The writer and story developer of the acclaimed film, Garima was recognized for her contribution by Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro-Chancellor of SIU, in the presence of Dr. Rajani Gupte, Vice-Chancellor, SIU and Dr. Ruchi Kher Jaggi, Dean, Faculty of Media and Communication, SIU at the Anukram 2023 event held on April 5th, 2023, at the SVC auditorium.
Apart from her work on "The Elephant Whisperers," Garima has also made significant contributions to the industry as a screenwriter. She has worked on 13 profile films for a Boost campaign, two short films for Amazon MiniTv, and was a part of the writer's room for the popular Netflix series, "Little Things," where she worked on story development, screenplay, and dialogues. Additionally, she is also a freelance director and lyricist.
Her achievements reflect the excellence that SCMC strives for in its students. Her work in the film industry is a testament to the skills and knowledge she gained during her time at the institute. We congratulate her on her success and wish her all the best for her future endeavors.
Garima Pura Patiyaalvi:From SCMC to The Oscars
Garima Pura Patiyaalvi, Freelance screenwriter, director and lyricist, alumna of SCMC’s Batch of 2017 has worked on the Oscar winning film ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ as a crucial contributor in story development.
Pranav Joshi Recognized for Work on Kannada Sci-Fi Film 'Mandala'"
Pranav Joshi from the Audio-Visual Batch of 2023 was very recently recognised for his work on a Kannada Feature Film called "Mandala: The UFO Incident." It is one of the first Science Fiction Family Films in Kannada and is scheduled to release in India on 10th March, 2023.
Pranav has been working closely with the team on its marketing and social media since August 2022. Despite being an intern, he was given due credits for his work and efforts in the YouTube trailer description along with the rest of the film crew. The movie stars National Award winners Prakash Belawadi, Anant Nag, and many others, and is directed by Ajay Sarpeshkar and is being distributed by Platoon Films in India and Lilac Entertainments in the US.
Student Film Selected for LA Shorts International Festival
Bhuvanesh Ajithkumar Sheeba, student of Batch ’22 of Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication directed graduate film “Unremembered”.
In a nation where he is certain that minorities have been mistreated for years, the movie explores caste and identity politics. It aims to give viewers a chance to consider the challenges of those that we frequently seem to neglect.
He used the colour tool to highlight the certain aspects of the theme of his film. Being a follower of BR Ambedkar’s ideology to stand for minorities, Bhuvanesh went with the colour blue throughout the film to create a sense of resistance in theviewer’s mind.
The 12-minute short film discusses a very crucial concept which is known to everyone and still, remains forgotten due to the inconsiderate conscious of the public.
On talking about this extremely impressive achievement, Bhuvanesh mentioned how happy he and his team were on knowing the film was selected for the festival, and said that they’d “cherish the memory”.
Train the Trainer Program
Dr. Sagar Gokhale participated in UGC's Master Trainers Training Program in Nagpur from 20th to 22nd April 2022. The program focused on Capacity Building for Community-based Participatory Research under Unnat Bharat Abhiyaan (2.0).
The three-day residential program provided an excellent opportunity to understand various tools and methods in participatory learning by visiting a village near Nagpur. The program started with Community mapping through a transect walk.
Then participants gathered detailed information about various institutions, e.g., village panchayat, health center, school, and self-help groups. There were group discussions and debriefing sessions after each visit.
The participants visited the village and understood the ground reality by engaging the villagers—participatory research aimed at getting community knowledge and information about facilities and problems. The use of various tools in Community research like the Venn diagram helped them understand the priorities of the villagers and the accessibility to multiple services.
Higher educational institutes across India will introduce a two-credit course on Participatory research the next semester as per UGC Guidelines. It will help students understand a community and integrate the knowledge for a policy or social change benefiting the community members.
The Master Trainers Training Program will enable our faculty to train other faculty and launch the new course the next semester. The techniques learned will also be applied while teaching other subjects.
Research Writing Workshop at SCMC
Symbiosis Centre For Media and Communication organized a Research Writing Workshop for the students of Batch 2021 and Batch 2022 on 18th and 19th January 2021. This workshop, conducted by Dr Baidurya Chakrabarti was meant to prepare students for the challenge of producing their own research writing. Research writing is often a poorly understood skill and needs time and commitment to master and thus the workshop attempted to demystify the process of Research Writing.
The workshop started with a pre-requisite exercise to understand the participant’s perception of research and initiating them into reading academic literature. Spanning over two days, the workshop covered topics like Academic Writing as a Genre (Annotated Bibliography), Opinion and Claim, annotating for meaning/Annotating for function, Summary, Paraphrase, Description & Analysis, Befriending the Body Paragraphs, Free Writing/Free Thinking, Quotes as Evidence, Interview/Field Work/Data as Evidence, Using Style Guides, Writing Introduction and Writing Conclusion. The workshop was attended by 29 students who chose to write research papers in lieu of industry internship.
Disha Khandelwal continues her winning streak with Bikes24x7!
Following their win at IIT-Bombay’s Eureka, Disha Khandelwal and Bikes24x7 have once again performed wonderfully at the Unicorn Pitches India event by winning 2nd place!
Disha, who is a second year student at SCMC, is an integral part of the Bikes24x7 team. Disha applied for theUnicorn Pitches India competition, where companies pitch their ideas, and are then evaluated upon their pitch. Bikes24x7 was announced as one of the Top 10 pitches, and were scheduled to present their pitch in July.
Bikes24x7 were assigned a mentor who was to guide the group to ensure that they deliver their best pitch possible within three minutes. Their mentor was very impressed by the idea, processes, and pitch. The panel of judges had international investors from the USA, Singapore, and India. Bikes24x7 received an excellent average score of 8.53.
When asked for advice she’d like to give to budding entrepreneurs and innovators, Disha recommends to “just go for it.” She believes that start-ups require risks, open-mindedness, and the ability to learn things along the way. She says, “Take the first step, no matter how small it is. If you don’t take any steps, you’ll stay in the same spot dreaming.”
SCMC is proud of Disha and Bikes24x7’s accomplishment at the Unicorn Pitches India event. We hope all the young entrepreneurs dream, persevere, and achieve!
Hannah Singh Writes for the Asian Chronicle
Hannah Singh, from SCMC batch of 2023, has written an article which was published in the Asian Chronicle in their June edition, Volume VI. In the article, called “5 Ways to Stay Self-Motivated,” Hannah writes about key habits to motivate us to put our goals into action.
The Asian Chronicle is a Faridabad-based publication house which garners a popular reader base of over 3 lakhs within the NCR region. Featuring writers over their e-magazine, print tabloid, and website, the Asian Chronicle writes about relevant and trending topics that span social issues, politics, lifestyle, and much more.
This article is Hannah’s second feature. She earlier wrote an article called “Unveiling Rainbows” for Pride Month, which urged readers to spread love, acceptance, and harmony.
Hannah has taken to writing recently, especially after the pandemic, and she is thoroughly enjoying it! She enjoys writing about topics spanning lifestyle, health, and self-development, and hopes to write about beauty and travel soon. Hannah describes her writing style as “personal,” as she aims to write about relatable, simple articles which help both herself and the readers.
When asked about what she is most looking forward to from her work with the Asian Chronicle, Hannah mentioned that she wants to “explore new topics and areas of interest” and “develop her writing skills, article by article” by implementing her seniors’ and editor’s feedback.
SCMC is proud of Hannah for her work with the Asian Chronicle, and wishes her all the best for her writing journey ahead!
Angkuran Dey: Winning at “Rethinking Economic Diplomacy”
Angkuran Dey, SCMC student from the Journalism batch of 2021, has secured first place in a national essay-writing competition organised by the Economics Department of Delhi University’s Aryabhatta College. Participants were provided a choice of three essay topics; and Angkuran chose to write on “Economic Diplomacy” based on his learnings about the topic during the third-year module on International Relations at SCMC.
His article, titled “Rethinking Indian Economic Diplomacy With the Purview of Global Economic Cooperation,” elaborates on India’s need to progress in its global cooperation – especially in the sectors of healthcare, IT, and the sciences. Angkuran emphasizes that India must utilize diplomacy to rebuild themselves economically, especially in the “Age of Acceleration” and in the aftermath of the devastating Covid pandemic.
In addition to winning the first prize at the competition, Angkuran’s essay has been published in the “Winning Articles” section of the third edition of “Viewpoint” magazine, issued in February 2021. “Viewpoint” is the annual magazine published by Aryabhatta College’s Economics Department.
As a keen Journalism student, Angkuran believes in seeking opportunities to write outside the scope of regular academic work. Grateful for the recognition, Angkuran is happy to have participated in the competition, as it aligns with his future plans to possibly gain a Master’s degree in International Affairs or Gender Studies.
SCMC congratulates Angkuran for his splendid achievement, and wishes him all the best for his future endeavours!
Sanbarta Ghosh - SCMC's own filmmaker on Disney + Hotstar
Sanbarta Ghosh, a student of Batch 2022 recently released his film called ‘Dhaar’ on YouTube. Soon, the film found its way to other platforms and now is streaming on Disney + Hotstar. From being a novice in this field and experimenting with the art of filmmaking, to witnessing such a milestone achievement, he has come a long way.
On his current work Sanbarta says, "I was the Writer, Director and Co-Producer of Dhaar.
Platform 3, another film written and directed by me was released on YouTube. I was also a part of this docu-series called ‘Beyond the Dust’ which was shot over a period of 4-5 months. I was the Assistant DoP and Editor. Talking about my upcoming projects, I have recently finished one more project with the protagonist of Dhaar as he is a director himself. It will hopefully come out in May or June. There is one more film I’m working on as the Director’s Assistant. I am looking forward to all the upcoming projects and even more excited to share them with all my fellow cinema lovers!”
Congratulations! SCMC is proud of your achievement, Sanbarta.
Disha Khandelwal: SCMC’s Budding Entrepreneur!
The Entrepreneurship-Cell from IIT-Bombay, recently hosted the South Asia largest Business Model Competition - “Eureka!” SCMC batch of 2022’s Disha Khandelwal, and her startup Bikes24x7, clinched 2nd place in the competition, securing a cash prize of 2 lakhs!
A tough competition indeed, Eureka received approximately 3,000 applicants who were asked to send in presentations of their startup models.
By September, when applications and presentations were due for Eureka, Bikes24x7 was already earning revenue. Smooth operations let Disha’s startup sail into the semi-finals, along with 150 other teams. Semifinalists were given mentors, who were individuals, experienced and fluent in the language of business. Bikes24x7’s mentor advised the team on how to craft a proper investor plan, and how to make a crisp and concise business plan. His guidance made him an integral part of the team, leading them to success as well as becoming Bikes24x7’s official team member after Eureka ended.
When asked about Bikes24x7’s future plans post-win, Disha revealed that they “want to expand and get a foothold in Pune by establishing a strong operation here” and aim to “capture the second-hand two-wheeler market by the end of the year,” along with multi-city expansion in the future.
SCMC congratulates Disha and Bikes24x7 for their splendid accomplishment, and wishes them the best for their future endeavors!
Batch 2020 Alumna Aditi Parida secures 1st Rank in CDS (II) Examination
Hard work is always considered to be the baseline of the greatest achievements in the world. It’s the only way to the top and the greatest advantage against any other. Very proudly, one of our Alumni from the graduating batch of 2020, Aditi Parida secured the first rank in the Combined Defense Services (II) Examination- 2019 for the Officer Training Academy (Women).
A total of 67 applicants cleared the examination and interviews where Aditi bagged the leading position with all her dedication and conscientiousness.
In conversation with Aditi, she perceived SCMC to be a gateway for her to not only meet people from a variety of backgrounds but also get accustomed to the multitude of situations and tasks. Quoting Aditi- ‘The three years that I spent here have made me a better person, and only helped me understand myself better. I have made memories that will last a lifetime, and I’m grateful for everything the college has offered.’
There are many roadblocks that everyone faces in their journey. Life doesn’t come across as easy. For Aditi, motivation to get through it is derived from the littlest things around her. There are tiny reminders that can make you go a long way in driving one to reach their aims.
After she had cleared the written, her next step was most certainly going to be the Service Selection Board (SSB). She had prepared a month before she arrived in Bangalore for the same. When asked about her preparation process, she said, “I took the advice of various reputed interviewers and psychologists to help prepare for the various kind of tests that are administered. Along with this, I made sure to diligently work on my physical ability for which I had an exercise regime. My family, friends, and teachers were helpful throughout this process as well!”
For now, she is extremely overwhelmed and is still processing the result. She is beyond ecstatic and cannot wait to start her training at the Officer Training Academy, Chennai.
When one has the commitment and drive to achieve their dreams, no force in the universe that can act as a barrier. Truly said, hard work and perseverance always pave the way and carry the person to their destination.
Professor Vidyabhushan Arya writes for The Wire
Swami Agnivesh was a renowned social activist who passed away recently. He was known for his pioneering work in the prevention of child labour and bonded labour. He headed the United nation Anti-Slavery committee for three consecutive terms. Throughout a life characterized by deep spirituality and social and political activism, Swami Agnivesh was President Emeritus, World Council of Arya Samaj, Chairperson of the Bonded Labour Liberation Front and Founder and Coordinator of the Parliament of All Faiths.
He was awarded the Right Livelihood award,
known as the Alternative Nobel, in 2004 for his work in social
justice. Vidyabhushan Arya was closely associated with Swami
Agnivesh. Click on
the link to read the article
https://marathi.thewire.in/swami-agnivesh-social-activist-and-an-arya-samaj-leader
Alumnus of Batch 2019 starts a Public Policy Platform
SCMC Alumnus of batch 2019, Yash Agarwal has founded Public Policy India - a knowledge platform dedicated solely to the cause of Public Policy and furthering its understanding, accessibility and engagement amongst ordinary Indians.
Website : Click Here
Twitter : Click Here
Instagram : Click Here
Congratulations Yash!
Alumni of Batch 2020 start a Wellness Community
Avdhi Bhalgat and Akshay Thimmaya Batch 2020 are in the midst of building a community that has the tools necessary to integrate holistic wellness into their lives.
Their website includes wellness resources, in addition to a number of articles from the You're Doing Great community. Below is the link to their website!
The form to subscribe to their site is at the bottom of the home page.
Link : hips://youredoinggreat.
wixsite.com/website
They are building their community via social media, while introducing guest writers and collaborating with others in a similar space. Following these accounts will allow everyone to keep up to date with their new content and initiatives.
Instagram : Click Here
Facebook
: https://www.facebook. com/Youre-Doing-Great-1 1
1565940601971/
They can be contacted via
email at
: youredoingokaypod@gmail.com
Congratulations Avdhi and Akshay!
Nandan Sharalaya encourages Personal Branding for a Unique Career
The near future would see the batch of 2021 graduate and step into a world of new and unexpected challenges. Mr. Nandan Sharalaya, an alumni of SCMC and presently a staff of FTI consultancy stepped in as a guest lecturer for this session to give the students an idea as to what they can find and expect at the beginning of their career, what they should aim for and general tips to get one’s dream job.
He began with an introduction of himself, from the choices he made in college, to the various paths he chose in his career including the Lamp fellowship, a German government fellowship, an unsuccessful venture at starting his own website, his interest in Broadcast journalism to how he landed his present job.
After giving the students an idea about his own journey 8 years out of SCMC, he requested the students to share their names, their dream jobs and with whom they would like to switch lives which elicited a number of interesting responses from the students and made the session more interactive and engaging. He discussed some of these responses with the students.
He then moved on to giving some crucial tips about what one can do once they step out of college such as pursuing higher education and finding interests and hobbies that they could invest time in besides their main jobs (such as running a blog, starting a website etc.) which can add value to their CV and make them potential candidates for future jobs. He also gave the potential benefits of shifting from job to job as well as remaining with a single organization for several years.
He asked the students to determine whether they were generalists (moderately good at a number of things) or specialists (an expert at one particular skill) and decide their course of action for the future accordingly. He explained what students could do if they belonged to either of these categories.
The session ended with an encouragement from Mr. Sharalaya to the students to reach out to the alumni and increase their network, maintain an updated and detailed LinkedIn profile, a few final tips and a question and answer round. This guest lecture was certainly a helpful source of information for the students who are soon to set out on their own journey in the professional world.
Chota Bheem: A Mascot For A Local Ladoo Seller?
Adv Expert Ms. Ashwini Deshpande approves.
Irrespective of the nature of the semester, i.e. online or offline, guest lectures have always been a prerequisite of every semester at SCMC Pune.
On 16th of July 2020, Ms. Ashwini Deshpande joined the batch of 2021 for an online guest session. She has extensive experience in the advertising and marketing industry and has worked for successful organisations like Kesari Tours. Her association with Symbiosis has been a long one as a guest faculty. To boot, she is a celebrated theatre artist and her performances can be witnessed not only in critically acclaimed plays but also in a couple of SCMC degree films!
The session started with introductions and later proceeded to discuss the basics of Advertising. Students were made to dissect iconic advertisements to understand the process of ideation, strategy and execution. Some of the advertisements that were dissected included the famous Cannes Lions winner, Happy Dent Palace released in 2007 which was a brainchild of McCann Erickson. The celebrated Indian Railways Campaign by Ogilvy Delhi was also a part of this exercise. The first half of the session was extremely perceptive and helpful.
Later, the class analyzed the effects of the novel coronavirus on the advertising industry. A broad insight on how brand marketing would undergo a drastic change in the post Covid-19 world was given by the lecturer. She also advised the students to be more empathetic as future marketers.
Furthermore, another interesting exercise was assigned wherein the students were made to brainstorm ideas on how a local 'ladoo' seller can advertise his product and reach his audience in a world hit by a pandemic. The ideas that the students came up with were quite promising and refreshing. The class was amused when one of the students suggested using 'Chota Bheem' as the mascot considering he is known to get his immunity from 'ladoos.’ Advertising the local ladoos as a method to increase immunity in the middle of a global pandemic using Chota Bheem seemed crazy but witty. Ms. Ashwini lauded this idea and suggested some additional strategies as well.
The lecture conducted by Ms. Ashwini Deshpande was definitely received with admiration by the students. Not to mention, the discussion that ensued was relevant and made perfect sense in the current scenario.
By, Anushka Ghadigaonkar
Star Alumni opens SCMC minds to Business Journalism
Debasis Basak, star alumni of the SIMC batch took a guest lecture for the Mass Communication batch of 2021; introducing them to the world of Business Journalism. With more than a decade of experience in the field and heading the Kolkata Bureau of News Rise, Mr. Basak addressed the eager students in online sessions on the 14th and 15th of July.
The first day, he broke the ice by explaining the structure of the institutions which revolve around Business Journalism. Mr. Basak explained in detail the career opportunities and the work the students can expect in this field. Conventionally one would expect such a field to be open only for Journalism students, but Mr. Basak spoke in detail about the scope for Audio-Visual students too.
- Abhinav Singh
Discussion on Democracy and Public Policy gets SCMC students thinking!
What could have been an otherwise dull afternoon, an interaction with Ms. Hamsini Hariharan turned the table around. The session was indeed an interactive and rather informative one.
With a very tingling start as to why elections are integral to democracy or why are they necessary or the solution to a democracy, this particular meet made us think.
While a few of us felt that the participation made people participate and feel guaranteed through this process, we did agree to that it was slightly flawed. However, despite its flawed nature, it is possibly still the best out there and we as nation are closer to standing a chance as opposed to complete authoritarianism.
Moving on, an interaction made us mull over how public policy was often shaped. We managed to ponder over ideas like consistency to a policy need not show how good of an analyst one is. As the interaction progressed, we recalled a few instances as to what opportunities lead to the 2014 BJP win. Despite the differences many of us might hold, we all could convene to PM Modi being a good orator.
Through all this politically and ideologically charged discussions, the best takes away was that no matter who was in power or what policy is in place, politics, just like history, provides you with narratives. It could be different narratives, polar at best, but each view and belief are based on certain narratives, that one may or may not be fed but chose to stand by.
And though we were miles away, the session didn’t make us feel rather disheartened by the pandemic rather with the polls and quizzes quite the opposite. It was indeed a session that got us to thinking and be more aware of the narratives that often engulf us.
- Pranjal Nangare, Batch of 2022
SCMC Chronicle wins PRCI Kautilya Youth Award for Excellence
The SCMC Chronicle, our centre's campus newsletter and neighbourhood community newspaper, has won the prestigious Kautilya Youth Awards in the category of Excellence in Print Publications/Magazine Design for 2020.
The award-winning publication is the work of Journalism students of Batch 2017-20. The newspaper is an all-colour, fortnightly four-pager. The batch has produced 16 editions for the year 2019-20, having worked on the project in their fifth and sixth semesters. The objective of SCMC Chronicle is to learn how a print publication is produced – right from planning to execution – involving Reporting and Photography in real time, Editing copy and content on the Desk, and Layout and Designing of the pages.
The students use computers and actual software used in the industry to produce the newspaper with a well-laid out schedule of planning and execution, without missing a single edition during the semester.
In addition SCMC launched a Magazine last year. The first edition was created by students of the batch that graduated in 2019. Batch 2020 will be launching four editions of the magazine before they graduate. The SCMC Chronicle is the first product of its kind created by the students of this Centre, and has been appreciated by all stakeholders, including industry professionals.
Adrija Saha, Rashi Bhattacharya and Kavisha Manwani, along with senior staff Sandeep Bombe, received the award on behalf of SCMC and Batch 2020 at the PRCI Global Conclave in Bengaluru.
Read the latest editions of the SCMC Chronicle here : scmc chronicles
Journalism Students Visit Parliament
The Journalism specialisation students of the Final Year of Batch of 2020 visited the capital Delhi for a five-day study tour in December 2019. During the study tour, the students visited the Parliament and viewed an ongoing session of the Lok Sabha.
Later, students interacted with the well -known editor Mr Kumar Ketkar who is a nominated MP in the Rajya Sabha.
He spoke about the role and
challenges for the media in present times.
Students also
interacted
with Mr Pradyut Bordoloi who is a Lok Sabha MP
from Assam at the Constitution Club of India. Mr Bordoloi
briefed the
students about the issues raised due to the Constitution
Amendment Act
and the National Register of Citizens, especially in case of the
North
East States.
The students also visited the India Gate, the National War Memorial, the Nehru Planetarium and the Qutub Minar.
Learning From the Best: Anukram 2020
The first leg of the Anukram 2020 media seminars on February 1 saw discussions on topics ranging from new media technologies to the wedding industry today. Guests this year included author Anant Rangaswami (CNBC TV18), Amitabh Sinha (Editor-The Indian Express), Amanat Khullar (News Curator - Quartz),
Parthip Thyagaranjan (CEO, Wedding Sutra) and Siddharth Sikchi (Associate Director, Dentsu Webchutney)
While Mr. Anant Rangaswami threw light on growth of independent writers, Mr. Amitabh Sinha focused on how technology is a double edged sword in creating and solving problems. Mr. Siddharth Sikchi had a fun session with the students where he gave them tips on influencer marketing. Ms. Amanat Khullar talked about millennials and the misconception that they don't care. Mr. Parthip Thyagranjan who gave the students an insight into the wedding industry and how it is a traditional affair mixed with modernity. With a panel discussion at end where questions were answered, the students had a wonderful time learning from the best.
Guest Session: Delzad Hiwale
SCMC alumnus and actor Delzad Hiwale had an interactive session with students of Batch 2019-22. He shared his experiences working on films like Chhapaak (2020), Hindi Medium (2017) and Chittagong Express (2012) and gave the students insight into filmmaking and the industry. Read More
Professors Sunil Belladi and Pritha Chakrabarti awarded PhDs
Congratulations to Sunil Belladi and Pritha Chakrabarthi, Assistant Professors at SCMC, who have received their doctorate degrees.
Sunil has earned a PhD in Development Communication from Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Osmania University.
He has more than 13 years of experience in teaching both at Post Graduate and Under Graduate level and five years of industry experience in Print and Electronic Media.
His areas of interest are Communication theories and Media Research. His research focus is on Social Change and Developmental Communication and Cultural Studies and he has presented several papers at national and international conferences. He is also empaneled as Course Writer at Dr. B R Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad for Modules on Mass Communication.
His PhD thesis on ‘Community Radio as an agent of social change – a comparative study of Sangam and Namma Dhwani’ set out to locate Community Radio in Indian context, and its practices based on the conceptual framework of Brazilian Educationist, Paulo Freire and his ideas of Conscientization and Praxis. Civil Societies in India have championed the cause of Community Radio and the study was directed to make a comparison of two CRSs, namely Namma Dhwani and Sangam CRSs operating in the state of Karnataka and Telangana and their role as agents of social change.
Sunil has an MPhil from Osmania University. His thesis ICTs In Governance focused on the eGovernance initiative by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, especially in the G2C services. It was reiterated through the study that although ICT can be a tool for decentralization, integration across departments, reduction in workload, efficiency and effective in service delivery, it cannot be the sole instrument of change.
Pritha has earned her PhD in Cultural Studies from The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad for her doctoral thesis on "Politics of Screen Dance in Indian Cinema". Her dissertation looks into the ideological undercurrents that defined screen dance in Indian cinema, specifically Hindi cinema, spatially, temporally and through its choreographic arrangements since the beginning of cinema in India till date. Coming from a cultural studies perspective, it studies the choreography of these screen dances with respect to the framing and treatment of the dancing bodies, by situating them against the backdrop of nation-state formation and the changing material conditions and gendered construction over time. Pritha has more than eight years of industry experience in Publishing, Content Development and Film Research.
Sports at SCMC gets a #RUSH
SCMC hosted its first ever inter-collegiate sports fest – RUSH- from 9-11 January 2020. Organized by the students and faculty at SCMC, Rush was a one-of-a-kind hybrid media-sports festival. A unique blend of sports competitions, photography contests, quiz, and a panel discussion by industry experts saw a tremendous turnout of over 650 participants from 20 colleges and 12 clubs.
Participants competed in basketball, volleyball, futsal, tennis, sports photography and sports quiz.
The men’s volleyball winners were Team Zeal, while FLAME University bagged the women’s title. The National Defence Academy (NDA) team won men’s futsal and Symbiosis Law School won the women’s title. The sports quiz was also won by NDA. In basketball, Sports Arena won the women’s trophy while Court Vision got their hands on the men’s trophy. Yash Joglekar won the Sports Journalism contest while Suprasana DN won the photography contest. Harsh Gurnani won the tennis men’s singles trophy and he also teamed up with Krishna Thakkar to grab the mixed double’s prize.
The panel discussion on day two was organized to give students a deeper insight into the world of sports in India. The topic chosen was “Barriers in Sports” in order to understand and tackle the various challenges that prevent sportspersons from reaching their full potential. The panel included Harsh Mehta, a Pune resident who completed an expedition to the Siachen Glacier; Milind Joshi, a swimming coach; Shirish Dattatraya Kulkarni, associate professor at Symbiosis Law School who specializes in sports law; Vivek Shivade, a city based mountaineer who will attempt to scale Mount Kilimanjaro; and Aditya Bhandarkar, a professional golfer.
The first ever SCMC Rush managed to exceed all expectations of those involved in its planning and execution. The three-day event saw great enthusiasm and effort by all participants and organizers. The event was conducted smoothly, saw a great turnout from across the country, and managed to produce great displays of skill. Owing to the resounding success of the first edition of Rush, it is well placed to become a staple of SCMC folk for years to come.
SIU’s Global Immersion Programme Takes Students to Europe
Five students of SCMC's Batch 2018-21, selected under SIU's Global Immersion Programme, have begun their new semester at host Universities in Europe. Shreya Chowdhary, Simran Soni, Saundarya Bhagtani and Anushka Mehra at spending their four semester at DHBW Ravensburg, Germany, while Jaskirat Dhillon is at University Carlos III de Madrid in Spain. They will rejoin SCMC next semester.
The Print's Democracy Wall Sparks Debate on Current Issues
The Democracy Wall, a free speech campus initiative by The Print, hosted by SCMC on January 7, 2020, gave the students a platform to express their views and engage in important discussions about current issues.
The keynote speakers this year were journalist Shekhar Gupta, Congress politician and Solapur MLA, Praniti Shinde, actress Rasika Dugal, musician and social activist Rahul Ram and bureaucrat Himanshu Khatri.
Read more on our blog (hyperlink : Democracy Wall at SCMC).
SCMC Teams Shine at Sympulse 2020
Team SCMC aced the Sympulse contests this year, winning prizes in every category they competed in. Sympulse, hosted by the neighboring Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies (SCMC), is one of the biggest college fests in Pune spread over five days. This year it saw more than 5,000 participants across 52 events.
Madhavi Jain and Khushi Narula headed the team that won the top prize in Theatre, Somakshi Joshi led the winners of Group Dance and Divyangana Verma, Meera Anand and Prachi Rawal choreographed the fashion show that won its category.
Shivani Sisodia won the first prize in Mono Acting. The trio of Ahan Sen, Kanishk Joshipura and Adarsh Tripathi were runners-up in Quiz and Karthika, Anupama Menon and Parvathi finished second in Talent Hunt.
FACULTY AND STAFF WORKSHOP ON ICT IN EDUCATION
In view of improving the faculty and staff understanding of the potentials of using ICTin education, the Symbiosis Centre for Media & Communication, Pune, Viman Nagar Campus, organized a day-long ICT workshop for its faculty and staff on 7 November 2019, conducted by Dr. Ashok Kumar, former Professor of Bangalore University and an expert in television production
Dr. Ashok Kumar first presented the current possibilities of ICT in higher education. He then spoke of the new possibilities in the horizon. He then focused on the challenges he faced in implementing ICT during his time as a university administrator. Finally, he initiated a long discussion session with the faculty and the stuff on how they are currently utilizing ICT capabilities. He gave valuable suggestions on how to improve the ICT infrastructure in SCMC, Pune.
The training ended with the honourable Director, Dr. Sreeram Gopalkrishnan, thanking Dr. Ashok Kumar for the rigorously structured workshop and the faculty and staff for their patience and effort.
Registrations open for Symbiosis Fellowship Programme in Global Citizenship
The Symbiosis Fellowship Programme in Global Citizenship has been developed by SIU with the aim of developing leaders with critical thinking, action-oriented problem-solving skills and broadened mindsets to address global concerns aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. It is a one–year residential programme that also focuses on providing deeper understanding of the Indian Heritage, and applying the knowledge gained in a global context. The Symbiosis Fellowship Programme is headed by Dr Triveni Goswami Mathur and will be conducted at the Symbiosis International (Deemed University) Lavale Campus, Pune. The last date for registration is 25th June 2019. Details are available on https:
HASTA LA VISTA
Emotions ran high on February 9, 2019, as students filled the auditorium in their gorgeous outfits for Batch 2019’s farewell.
The ceremony opened with a simulation of a flight announcement to keep up with the central theme of “Viman”, showcasing the seniors’ journey through the three years in college.
Throughout the entire show students from Batch 2020 gave the farewell to their seniors mimicking their seniors, to align with the theme of Batch of 2019 giving farewell to themselves. This innovative theme caught everyone off-guard and received hearty laughs.
The event saw ‘The 3 Years Challenge’, in which images of some students from when they started their journey in SCMC alongside their present ones. A very warm Yearbook video, which consisted of many happy moments, followed. The professors then arrived and wished the students the very best for their futures.
To brighten up everyone in attendance, 2020 had organized a unique award ceremony for their seniors modelled after their beloved shop- The Hiras of 2019. The highlight was the farewell special edition of Shipwreck. Rujuta and Anish pretended to be their batchmates Simran and Pranav respectively and attempted to convince the jury- which comprised of 2020 students mimicking the OG jury of Shipwreck- to take them on the ship. The original jury of Shipwreck - Aroush, Armaan and Ankita were also invited on stage to be themselves and convince the jury.
The Farewell also witnessed some amazing confessions, with one of them resulting in Ansh and Raj dancing to romantic numbers on the stage and delighting the crowd. Shreevar then thanked the batch for some amazing experiences and memories together and also declared the Batch of 2020 the best juniors ever, saying that he’d miss them as much as he would miss Batch 2019.
The cultural event started with Batch 2020 dedicating an emotional acapella number to the batch of 2019, followed by dancing to some peppy tracks. The seniors soon joined in the revelry, before a movie that articulated the tender moments from the farewell itself was screened. A batch photograph was taken for the last time before the mementoes were distributed.
One could not have asked for a better ‘SymBYEsis’ after three years of Symbiosis.
Anushka Ghadigaonkar (Batch 2021)
Parth Rahatekar (Batch 2020)
Batch 2020 retains ITS trophy
The 2019 edition of SCMC’s annual inter-batch sports meet, In True Spirit (ITS) took place from January 28-30, in the Symbiosis Old and New Viman Nagar Campus. The matches took place in the morning and evening on the first two days, with the third day being entirely dedicated to the event.
However, the Badminton and Swimming tournaments took place at the Lavale Campus on January 18 and the Table Tennis tournament was held in the Viman Nagar A-Wing hostel on January 19.
The winners of each sport earned five points while second and third place finishes rewarded three and one points respectively. In the end, with a total of 50 points, Batch 2020 were declared winners of ITS 2019. 2021 finished second with 46 points and 2019 stood third with 30 points.
Football witnessed the largest audience turnout at ITS. The opening match, 2021 vs. 2020 saw brilliant defending from both sides, but 2021 ended up with two horrific own goals and lost the game. They played 2019 next and the match ended with an equalised score. 2019 won the penalty shootout. With one win each under their belts 2020 and 2019 took to the field in the final that was without any goals at full-time, but was hardly uneventful on-field. The aggressive match ended in 2020’s favour, and they were hailed football champions for ITS 2019.
As the red dust settled in the football field, the crowd moved to the SLS basketball court, where Batch 2020 won both their round matches clinched the trophy with a victory against batch 2019. The women’s basketball was won by newcomers Batch 2021 led by captain, Rajreeta Ghosh.
The first round of tennis matches for ITS 2019 were the Women’s singles. Martina Das (2020) won her first match against Janaki Tulshibagwale (2021) who won her match against Kadambari Zokarkar (2019). Martina brought home the women’s title with a four set win over Kadambari in the final match. The men’s singles title was won by Shiva Kumar of Batch 2019 with wins against Anmol Das (2020) and Jainil Shastri (2021).
The Women’s Box Cricket League of ITS'19 witnessed some nail-biting matches with Batch 2021winning the title. The tournament ended with an emotional guard of honor to Batch 2019.
The ITS Boys Cricket saw all three teams with one win each after the rounds. The tournament went to the decider Superovers with Batch 2021 winning both theirs and lifting the title. Sukrit and Shivansh, co-captains of the SCMC cricket team, passed on their position to Jainil and Shashwat of Batch 2021.
Meanwhile, Batch 2020 and 2021 met in the first futsal match of ITS 2019. Both teams had a strong defence strategy, the game ended without either of the teams scoring, resulting in a penalty shootout. The match ended with 2021 victorious by two goals. Batch 2019 won the second match with a score of 1-0. And they defeated Batch 2021 in the final to be crowned winners of futsal for ITS 2019.
The table tennis matches saw fierce competition between all the three batches. Batch 2019, represented by Ansh Pherwani and Ayushi Sheth, won the men’s singles against both batches; women’s singles against Batch 2020 and mixed doubles against Batch 2020. And Batch 2021 represented by Bavana Gone and Rohan Chakraborty, won the women’s singles against both batches, mixed doubles against both batches and men’s singles against batch 2020.
The first round of Throwball for ITS 2019 started with the girls’ teams with Batch 2020 defeating 2021. The second game saw intense competition between Batch 2019 and 2021 with the former clinching a narrow victory with the aid of their captain Disha Hans. The final matchup ended with 21-10, 21-11 victory for Batch 2020.
The participants huddled beside the pool in Lavale in chilly weather for the swimming competition. It started off with 25m freestyle with wins for Avinash Ghosh (‘21) and Yukta Wane (‘20). Then, 25m backstroke with Tanmay Madhukar (‘20) and Yukta Wane (‘20) defeating the two other batches proudly. Ashish Prakash (‘20) and Yukta Wane (‘20) winded up as winners in 25m butterfly and Ashish Prakash (‘20) and Sanam Buxani (‘20) won in 25m breastroke. Batch 2020 won the freestyle relay and were crowned the swimming champions for ITS 2019.
The volleyball tournament saw Batch 2020 pitted against 2019 in the final match which they won 25-6, 25-16.
The Battle of the Batches continued in a series of fierce showdowns on the Badminton courts. The singles matches were dominated by wins from 2020 and 2021, with first years Anantjeet Singh Dutt and Sanuja Sunil winning three of the six matches and the other half being dominated by Ria Sharma and Vikram Verma from 2020.
The final day of ITS saw the Athletics events in the 100m, 200m and 400 m for boys and girls, and 800m race for boys and a mixed relay race. Batch 2020 dominated the events winning all but the 100m boys’ sprint which was won by Jainil of Batch 2021.
The cricket match of ITS 2019 between the faculty and the outgoing batch was a fitting finale to the event. Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Team Faculty’s openers put on a clinical display. The professors, who all entered to thunderous ovations, kept the scoreboard ticking with their brisk running between the wickets. The final score posted was 82-4.
The second innings began disastrously for the opposition, with Anand taking two wickets in quick succession. Gupta and Shastri played gutsy knocks to regain some momentum. Prof. Arya put a dent in their progress by bagging two crucial wickets. The late gasp from the faculty team proved insufficient; as Thimmaya and Das then quickly won the match for the students. Packed with fours and sixes the match was an entertainer for all present.
Around the City in 80 Ways!
After months of anticipation and hard work, Jugaad - a pan Pune survival race of was held on 5th February, 2019. The PR batch's lively initiative finally bore fruit, and the amphitheatre was abuzz with excitement prior to the kick-off of the event. There were twenty participating teams, consisting of five members each. Dressed in white tees with their team numbers emblazoned across the front, each team was assigned one voluntary tagger to ensure that the game was played strictly by the book.
The rules were simple - upon completion of certain pre-decided tasks, each team was given clues that would send them sprawling across the city, searching for the next clue. Members were not permitted access to their phones, and each team was handed a meagre sum of 100 rupees to manage their fares for the whole day. The OG team (consisting of Khushi Narula, Anmol Das, Amar Kate, Yukta Wane and Ajinkya Bhalerao) was the first to successfully solve all their clues and reach the last venue, and earned the title of the ‘Ultimate Jugaadus'.
While some teams were awarded special advantages such as head-starts, extra cash and rides from one venue to another, others scrambled to solve their clues and reach the destinations ahead of other teams. Hitchhiking in rickshaws, tempos and in some cases, even office-goers' cars, they did whatever they could to make ends meet.
A general sentiment shared by most participants was grateful astonishment at the sheer kindness of strangers in Pune. Their willingness to help was a boon for many, since travelling across the city on a shoestring budget is quite the challenge. Sweet gestures like offering to buy refreshments for team members, or going out of their way to help the competitors reach their venue made the experience a memorable one for those involved.
Meher Dhillon (Batch 2020)
Shreya Choudhary (Batch 2021)
Alumni Cell’s Symcalico celebrates 10 years of SCMC
The annual alumni meet, titled Symcalico, was held on the 2nd of February, 2019. The theme for this year’s event was to celebrate the 10 years of SCMC and so, Symcalico brought past students of these 10 years together for a memorable evening.
Varun (class of 2011) and Nandan (class of 2012) were the first people to arrive on the scene. More followed, setting the stage for some fond traveling down memory lane. Stories, anecdotes and jokes filled the air as those present provided a picture of how college functioned “back in their day”. Highlights ranged from how Prof. Vidyabhushan Arya ran with the alias “Veebs”, to the time when 17 students tried fitting into the college elevator.
It was Prof. Arya's class all over again as two attendees interrupted the recounting of a disastrous field trip to engage him in a discussion about the current state of national affairs. When that was over, all present piled onto buses for a nostalgic trip around Viman Nagar, visiting favourite haunts like Phoenix Market City and Datta Mandir Chowk. Returning to campus, alumni and staff bonded together against the students to play Pictionary and Housie.
The evening was then brought to a close with dinner, amicable conversations, and a large three-tiered cake. The curtain fell with students, staff and alumni taking photos and making merry, all in the spirit of Symcalico.
Abhinav (Batch 2021)
Aditya Khound
(Batch
2020)
TESS back at SCMC
After a hiatus of three years, the Batch of 2019 brought TESS (The East Side Story) back to life on 23 and 24 January. TESS is SCMC’s two-day film festival. From film-making to script writing, students geared up to showcase their cinematic skills and compete with each other.
The event was inaugurated with the much anticipated ‘Cinema Day’, giving students and faculty the opportunity to cosplay their favorite movie characters. Several iconic cinema characters were brought to life by the students of SCMC.
At noon, the topics for the ‘24-hour Filmmaking Competition’ were released where the students had to put together a film in just a day! This was followed by the ‘Cinema Day Treasure Hunt’, where selected teams competed to find hidden treasure.
Day One of TESS came to a fitting end with the screening of a cult classic that changed the path of cinema: Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino. Students braved the evening chill, huddled together in blankets and snacks to munch to watch the film.
Day Two of TESS began with the lighting of the lamp in the campus auditorium by the chief guest for the event, Mr. Prashant Pathrabe, Director General, Films Division of India. The other guests were Mr. Rohit Adlakha, Product Evangelist at Fujifilm India Private Limited, and Mr. Pravin Mudholkar, Bureau Chief, IBN Lokmat, Network 18. The guests spoke about developments in the audio-visual industry.
The afternoon session, Kahaani - screening of short films in the fictional category, showcased some of the best works that SCMC students and others created.
The event concluded with the award ceremony. Best costume award for Cinema Day was bagged by Liora Bhite (Batch 2021), Parth Rahatekar (Batch 2020) and Saylee Gatne (Batch 2019). The first and second winners for Kahaani were May by Harold Antony Paulson and Listen to the Storm by Arnav Pingale.
Winners of the 24-hour filmmaking competition were Devansh and team for Kaam 24, and the runners-up were Akshat and team for Wacko. Team Han Solo won the first position for Treasure Hunt.
TESS concluded with the organizers and core committee members speaking about their experience
Roop Sawhney and Yamini Kinjra (Batch
2020)
Snigdha Jain (Batch 2019)
NMIC: A Journey Through 100 Years of Indian Cinema
From kaleidoscope to 3D animation, and gramophones to surround sound, the newly opened National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) is an engrossing, well-told story of 100 years of the one of the world’s largest film industries.
In February this year, students of journalism and AV production visited the NMIC in Mumbai as a part of a field trip. Mr. Prashant Pathrabe, Director, National Film Archives of India, introduced the museum, the first-of-its-kind in the country, and gave an overview of its construction.
A tour of the museum took the students through a series of exhibitions that cover the art and craft of filmmaking in India in its entirety.
NMIC consists of two buildings – the Gulshan Mahal, a 19th century heritage bungalow, and a modern multi-storeyed structure with state-of-the-art facilities.
At the Gulshan Mahal the exhibits provide historical information, including aspects of the evolution of mainstream and regional cinema, covering key artists of each era, and masters of technicalities from behind the scenes. Some of the vintage equipment displayed include early projectors, gramophones, kaleidoscope and other artefacts.
Another exhibition has movie posters placed aesthetically and chronologically like an art gallery, which hooks the visitor from the very start by narrating sequential stories.
The newer building has information on the latest technological developments in films. One of its floors is dedicated to children, and hosts activities and interactive sessions where they can learn the basics of various film techniques such as animation, foley and sound design.
The tour was a delightful experience for SCMC’s movie buffs and aspiring filmmakers and journalists who were also treated to a special screening of Tezpur, a Films Division documentary about the heroes who fought valiantly to protect this small town in Assam from invasion at the height of the Indo‐China War of 1962.
Snigdha Jain (Batch 2019)
Shindewadi: A Model for Rural Agrotourism
"We live in a policy disconnect in India"
"It's India v/s Bharat
now"
"The urban elites can never form policies for the rural good"
Such phrases have become increasingly commonplace in the country whenever one discusses governance and policy making at large. It isn't without reason though. India’s policy makers, often entrenched in their air conditioned cubicles, don’t make policies which the large majority of this country — rural, not well off and dependent the most on government actions — find to be working for them. For journalism students, it is increasingly important to be aware of them and grasp a holistic understanding.
The third year journalism students of SCMC were taken to Shindewadi, a 'model' village just 30km to the east of Pune, the exact location being Saee Farmstay and Agrotourism hub. The date was 31st of January, 2019 and they left for the trip at around 10 in the morning, accompanied by Professor Vidyabhushan Arya.
They were greeted by Mr. Langde, who runs the agro tourism and farm stay property. He is a social activist, a politician and a prominent personality in the village and nearby areas, having twice been the sarpanch of the village.
The students were given a tour of the gram panchayat office to see its workings. They were informed about the three-tier structure of governance, and what it lacked in terms of effective functioning. Next was a trip to the fields where they saw a variety of crops in different stages of growth.
The batch had a free-wheeling discussion with Mr. Langde on a range of topics — from how the one-size-fits-all approach of the government has been ineffective, on how policies have impacted their lives, their views on the way out of rural distress, and so on. It was a thoroughly enriching experience and opened everyone’s minds to fresh ideas and perspectives.
Following this, the students were given a tour of the animal farms, learnt a bit about the farming process for a few crops and tried their hands at fishing. A sumptuous, traditional lunch served by the hosts topped off the visit.
Yash Agarwal (Batch 2019)
Faculty Positions Open at SCMC
SCMC is looking for experienced professionals and academics with expertise in a range of media-related fields for the post of Assistant Professor. For details check out our Careers section
ITS: SCMC’s annual sports fest, opens on Jan 28
In True Spirit (ITS), SCMC’s sports fest, is making its annual appearance this year in a bigger, better avatar. Students from three batches will compete in more than 10 categories over three days from 28th to 30th January 2019.
Batch 2020, the defending overall champions, will be pitted against newcomers of Batch 2021 and the outgoing students of Batch 2019 who are expected to go all-in in what will be their last competitive sporting event at SCMC.
The competitions this year are in the following categories: Tennis, Futsal, Football, Cricket, Volleyball, Basketball, Swimming, Badminton, Throwball, Box Cricket, Athletics, Table Tennis and more. On the entertainment front, the highlight this year is the faculty-student face-off in cricket and faculty-faculty games scheduled on the last day.
Registrations Open for TESS 2019 film festival
We invite aspiring filmmakers from around India to register for The East Side Story (TESS) 2019, our two-day festival that celebrates the joy of cinema and film-making. We have designed TESS as a platform that brings together talented young people to collaborate and create the best of student cinema.
We have a host of competitions across several categories — 24 Hour Film Making, Short Films, Documentaries, Ad Films, Dialogue Writing, Script Writing and Photography — that will put your skills to test.
The festival will also screen quality films, and host workshops by experts and lots of other fun events.
For details about the programmes and registration, download our festival catalogue here.
SCMC’s Saloni Mimani wins SIU Chancellor’s Gold Medal
Saloni Mimani, a graduate of the BA Mass Communication programme at SCMC, has received the SIU Chancellor’s Gold Medal for the best outgoing student for the academic year 2018. An outstanding student who shined in academics as well as extra-curricular activities, Saloni has been an excellent ambassador for both SCMC and SIU. She specialized in Advertising and is currently working with a Mumbai-based ad agency.
One of the most prestigious honours at Symbiosis International University, the Chancellor’s Gold Medal is awarded annually to a student who has displayed all-round excellence. The selection is made from graduating students across all SIU institutes. To put Saloni’s achievement in perspective, this year nearly 6,000 students graduated from SIU undergraduate and post-graduate programmes!
She received the award from Hon’ble President Shri Ram Nath Kovind at SIU’s 15th Convocation ceremony.
New Journalism and Digital Marketing Labs at SCMC
Students at SCMC will now be able to work on their journalism, PR and Marketing projects in a dedicated facility equipped with industry-related software and other digital resources. News production will shift from the computer labs to this new space allowing journalism students to expand their learning and the scope of their projects. At the newsroom, they will be producing a campus newsletter which will also have hyperlocal news, besides television news bulletins and news features and documentaries. They will also work on a daily digital news bulletin using wire service feeds.
The Digital Marketing Lab is intended for students specializing in Advertising and Public Relations to hone their skills in broader areas such as content creation, blogging, designing, media monitoring, and branding strategies. They will also have the chance to familiarize themselves with industry software using in marketing and advertising.
SCMC students score wins at Mood Indigo 2018
A year of off-campus successes had a fitting finale as SCMC students notched up a series of victories at Mood Indigo, Asia’s largest annual college cultural festival, organised by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay.
Michelle Patrick, a final year student specializing in public relations, won ‘Speak Up’, a debating event where participants were pitted against themselves as they had to present arguments for, as well as against the same topic. Ishaan Bhattacharya, a second year student, completed a double for SCMC in the category with the runners-up prize.
Nayanika Mukherjee, a third year student of Journalism and Jaskirat Dhillon, a first year student, struck gold at Spell Bound- a Mood Indigo spelling competition, inching past their competition in a nail-biting finale.
Adding some Bollywood masala to their experience were first year students, Filza Iqbal and Shashwat Chaturvedi, who emerged victorious at Bollyvaganza, a Quiz competition which tested their knowledge of one of the biggest film industries in the world.
SCMC was represented at Mood Indigo, which took place from 27th-30th December, 2018, by a contingent of 38 students from the three batches. They participated in theatre, music and literary events at the fest, after showcasing their talents in highly competitive qualifying rounds.
The wins at Mood Indigo follow successes at Malhar 2018 in August when SCMC students won the Best Outstation College trophy.