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Bangalore Alumni Meet 2004 - Report
Click here for the Pictures of the Meet
Persevere to Plan, Plan for Perfection - is Sansmaran personified. None could miss noticing the enthusiasm in the organisers, which infected even the participating Alums. The Slogan was "we can go as far the best". TrendCETters is the apt qualifier for the gang.
Saturday, the 24th of July 2004 will go down the history of CET as an eventful day - in marking reaching of yet another milestone. Sansmaran notched up arguably the highest turnout in any non-Host-Location Alumni Meet. The mobiles kept on buzzing - to make sure nothing falls out of plan, that the buses are starting right time, that every Alumni around makes it to the event. The moderate showers couldn't play spoilsport even though the congestion managed to take its toll - by pushing back the event by an hour. Behind the scene preparation by Priyaranjan, Shakti, Madhu, Sudhansu, Ipsita, Piyush and Dhabaleswar led valiantly to make sure that everyone enthralled the event.
The lighting of the lamps was preluded by Commander Gantayet beckoning on stage the privileged few for the honors. The auspicious lights beheld the fervor of youth, in the evening of nostalgic recollections. Sashikant's echoing (some called it deafening!) voice did the befitting punch, with "We Indians love to be followers, never trendsetters. Do we, the elite CETians here identify ourselves with this attitude?" The slumber was shaken. The keynote address walked the audience of the history of the Alumni organisation, the charter of the Organisation, the Chapters as constituent bodies and the plan of Bangalore Chapter for the Institution. He underscored the need for the Chapter members to be proactive, sensitive to the needs of the college and students. He urged the audience to realize the respect with which the other Alumni Chapters, the college and the students look up to them with. Reiterating the need to do things differently to set differential, and to score advantage against potential competition - Sashikant drove the concept of the Alumni body’s responsibility in mobilising academia, politic bodies and student community to ask for sandwich programs, where they could have extensive 6 months or 1 year industry training as part of the curriculum. He harped on the need to ask for changes rather than unquestioning acceptance of the age old systems. This is first time in the history of Orissa, and Eastern Region that any Alumni Body of technical School brainstormed the need for having an industry driven program as a driver to change the curriculum. As he made the session interactive progressively, people did come out with building a brand about CET, rather than following suit the IIT way. This was much appreciated as there was lateral thinking happening off the stage.
Mr. T K Patra, member of Faculty, CETB - the Chief Guest for the evening, representing the institution’s administration made an emphatic attempt to drive the alumni of building synergies of the strengths at hand. He endorsed the need to think of our abilities rather than groping for excuses for non-performance. He expected the Alumni to play a key role in training-the-trainer program. The program would benefit the members of faculty of keeping abreast with latest developments, and hence be tools in disseminating the knowledge between student folks back at CETB.
"Parichay" followed suit with every individual walking up the dais and proudly recalling days at CET. Some people chose to be gracious by not being vociferous. There couldn't have been missing of Jayshree's orchestration of her experience where she beat the rest in her batch dropping a feedback note for the faculty members, or, "Nana" with his villainous dialogues from Agnisakshi. Even Ipsita's remembering how the boys at CET did the eve teasing. There was anguish in Prashant Panda's recalling how his rather unpleasant days and experience of the administration. There was solace and unity spelt as the class of 97 chose to make a different introduction - all together, rather than doing up severally. Something that struck all was turning up of Prof. D Das, member of faculty IIIT. Prof. Das shares the honour with Commander Gantayet as being the senior most Alumni in town. The excitement of Sansmaran was known by record participation of outstation Alumni -from Chennai, Mumbai, Goa, Coimbatore, Mysore and Hyderabad.
All work and no play gets any CETian to bray. We knew it, hence the preparation for the next big thing - a first time at any Alumni meet. Before that, however the organisers deemed it fit to have the participants warmed up with some Nilgiris tea.
Some enjoyed the preceding sessions. Most were getting to feel suffocated, and found their way to the alleys for drags of smoke. But the privilege couldn't have been accorded only to the daring ones. To assure our commitment for equal opportunity, the organisers had a tea and snacks break for all. The enthusiasm in the event, the rejoice at meeting old pals or the sheer joy of sitting back and see young brothers/ sisters recount - none cared that the food was getting cold. As everyone sipped the tea, trust me there were high levels of energy and inertia as alums across batches kept chewing on the thoughts delivered in the auditorium. This stands testimony to the commitment that people had and the pitch of what they can live up to.
By this time, it was pitch dark, and the evening was all set to be savoured with fun and chilling. The organisers swiftly marshaled friends into the open lawn - which by then was decked up with chairs, music and a lot of lights. Led by Madhu the team whopped along with 4 basins of - guess what - pounds of wheat flour! Don't ask what the same was all about - see pictures for more. The spectators, trust me - this one had more players up stage than off - were laughing their lungs out at the sights of participants nose-ing their way to find the hidden treasure. Everyone won, as participation was the spirit - though one team walked away with the laurels! It was fun indeed savouring the beauty of sight with fellow alums decked and doused in white colour all over face and head. Even the ladies' didn't stay too far behind, tucking their dupattas away to make their way to victory!
Ever since the keynote, there was constant curiosity about Prayas. What's it in for me, is what everyone almost chirped into the neighbour's ears, or, if he was a creative extrovert dared to give his imagination to what it may be like. The patented initiative was rolled out as the excitement of Muck in face gradually settled down. Sashikant humbly introduced the initiative - the breadth, dimensions and potential pilot program to the attendees. He particularly took time out to dwell on what the core team had bounced between themselves - an initiative to sponsor the financial support for a need driven meritorious student of CET. He emphasized the need to develop the thought given that such quick turn around, low risk, initiative would help establish credentials of the Alumni Body, and chapter in case. Such would also set trail to healthy competition between chapters - hence helping the cause of generating funds for developing the infrastructure of the institution. On behalf of the Alumni Association’s office bearers he asserted the need to have a transparent, no-nonsense and no-bureaucracy interference. He shared the plans at macro level to insure the concerned folks against misappropriation of any form. The distribution list, hence every Alumni member of the Bangalore chapter shall have visibility into every aspect of financial transaction. There was inconceivable excitement and enthusiasm to contribute in several ways. After quite an amount of deliberation Commander Gantayet chose to square it off with an assurance that modality among others will be frozen by the Alums themselves by interaction on the Distribution list meant for the Bangalore Chapter.
The eclectic Razzmatazz followed with every alum ably twisting his/ her pelvis to the beats and rocks in the background. (Or, some sports - who would modestly lend a small step or two.) Time got better of the event, and the organisers systematically cut down the list of the numbers, and DJ Prasant did a decent show at it! There was not much enthusiasm lost, as people sipped beers and spirits in small circles and espoused the event from the distance. This was pointing to the way the heat of the evening was settling. With a soft whiff and somber numbers in the background, the ambience was perfect for chance to be definite; for the extempore to perfect upon preparations. There was blend of nostalgia, professional exchanges, and personal exchanges, old and current flames - all in one.
The evening was growing older, and it was already time for savouring the next best thing around - elaborate supper. There was a beeline of folks with plates, and it was indeed a sight you wouldn't notice at any Chapter's meet! After all, the Bangaloreans are huge - with the numbers - to talk the least. There was a realization of the little time that we had between us and Sansmaran '04. People did draw up in making sure they had each other's co-ordinates to be in touch. There was a personal touch in the way everyone was talking to the other. We are not a small family, you know!
Like every good thing must draw to a close, the curtains were closely drawn to Sansmaran '04, with a resolve that the next event would be bigger, better and bouncing back with achievements that the Alumni have vouched to stand by.
Here's raising my last drink to toast to Sansmaran. Long live the spirit of CETB.
May God bless us. May He grace our ever Fond institution!
Bangalore Chapter, Alumni Association of CetB
-Sashikant Mohanty, Class of 1996
Click here for the Pictures of the Meet
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