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BULLETIN THE

Robotics and Automation Workshop

Department of Mechanical Engineering, DTU in collaboration with IMechE DTU Student Chapter conducted a one-day workshop on “Robotics and Automation: New Paradigm” in March 2023. Prof. Jai Prakash Saini, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, DTU, served as the chief patron and Prof. Madhusdhan Singh, Registrar, DTU was the patron. Dr. Shubam Shukla, Head of Robotics and Mechatronics, KIET Ghaziabad was invited as the speaker for the event.

Industry-Academic Seminar on Petrochemicals

Department of Applied Chemistry, DTU in association with Indian Plastic Institute (IPI), Just Polymer Solution and PLUSS Advanced Technologies organised an industry-academic seminar on “Petrochemicals in Today’s World” in April 2023 in Pragyan Hall, DTU.

World Earth Day

Department of Civil Engineering, DTU in collaboration with IIC DTU and IAStructE DTU Student Chapter organised a talk on “Water Scarcity and Sanitation for Sustainable Development” in April 2023 on the occasion of World Earth Day. Prof. Jai Prakash Saini, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, DTU, served as the chief patron and Prof. Madhusdhan Singh, Registrar, DTU was the patron. Dr. Suman Chahar, CEO, Indcare Development Foundation and social activist was the invited speaker for the event. Prof. Vijay K. Minocha, HoD, Dept. of Civil Engineering served as the advisor and Dr. Shilpa Pal, Associate Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering served as the faculty coordinator.

Silence 2023: National Seminar on Noise Control

Department of Environmental Engineering, DTU organised Silence, a one-day national seminar on “Innovation and Legislation of Environmental Noise Control and Its Effect” to celebrate International Noise Awareness Day in April 2023.

World Water Day

Department of Environmental Engineering, DTU organised a one-day national seminar on “Clean Water and Sanitation” in May 2023 on the occasion of World Water Day. Prof. Jai Prakash Saini, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, DTU, served as the chief patron and Prof. Madhusdhan Singh, Registrar, DTU was the patron. Prof. V. Subramanian, Former Dean, School of Environmental Science, JNU, Delhi and Prof. Meenakshi Dhote, Head, Environmental Planning, School of Planning and Architecture were the invited speakers. Prof. Anil Haritash, Head, Environmental Engineering, DTU served as the convener and Dr. Lovleen Gupta, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Environmental Engineering, DTU was the coordinator.

Yoga Wellness Trainer Program

Centre for Extension and Field Outreach, DTU launched a short term Yoga wellness Trainer Program under the Prime Minister Kaushal Vikas Yojana in April 2023 at Pragyan Hall, DTU. Prof. Jai Prakash Saini, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, DTU, served as the chief patron. Prof. Madhusudhan Singh, Registrar, DTU was the chief guest and Prof. A.K. Srivastava, Dean, OEA-DTU was the patron of the event. Prof. Poonam Verma, Principal, SSCBS, DU and Prof. Sadhna Sharma, Principal, SPMA, DU were the guests of honour for the event.

Seminar on Noise Fundamentals

Department of Mechanical Engineering, DTU organised a seminar on “Noise Fundamentals—Measurement and Analysis” in May 2023. Dr. Naveen Garg, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-NPL, New Delhi and Dr. Kranti Kumar, Associate Professor, School of Mathematics, Computer and Information Science, HPCU were invited as guest speakers. Prof. Jai Prakash Saini, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, DTU served as the chief patron, and Prof. Madhusudhan Singh, Registrar, DTU, served as the patron. Prof. S. K. Garg, HoD, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, DTU served as the convenor along with Dr. Paras Kumar, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, DTU as the coordinator.

Online Workshop on Startup Planning

Brainstorming Session to Increase Transparency in Governance

Vigilance Section, DTU organised a brainstorming session regarding increase in transparency and removal of corruption in governance in May 2023 at Pragyan Hall, DTU.

Department of Software Engineering, DTU organised an online workshop on “How To Plan for Startup: Legal & Ethical Steps” in May 2023. Mr. Nitin Parihar, Managing Partner, Parihar and Paul Associates, conducted a session on “Legal and Ethical Considerations for a Startup in India” and Mr. Shashank Pachore, co-Founder, Genius Learning Labs, conducted a session on “Building a Scalable Startup”. Prof. J.P. Saini, Vice Chancellor, DTU served as the patron, Prof. Ruchika Malhotra, HoD Dept. of Software Engineering, DTU served as the organizer and Prof. Priya Singh, Asst. Professor, Dept of Software Engineering, DTU served as the coordinator.

Workshop on Data Science Trends

Department of Software Engineering, DTU organised a workshop on “Recent Trends in Data Science” in May 2023. Nishchal Gaba, CEO, Prodigal AI conducted a session on “Latest Trends in Generative AI” Gaurav Singh, Data Scientist, IBM conducted a session on “Explainable Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing”. Prof. H.K. Dangi, Dept. of Commerce, Delhi School of Economics, DU took a session on “SPSS AMOS for Structural Equation Modelling”. Prof Jai Prakash Saini, Vice Chancellor, DTU served as the patron, while Prof Ruchika Malhotra, HoD, Dept. of Software Engineering, DTU was the organiser, and Ms. Shweta Meena, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Software Engineering, DTU was the coordinator of the event.

Desh Ke Mentor Conclave

The Directorate of Education (DoE) and Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), Govt. of NCT of Delhi organised a Desh ke Mentor Conclave in May 2023 at Thyagraj Stadium, New Delhi to celebrate the contribution of the 3300 Delhi Technological University (DTU) students who have been mentoring 14000 students across 10th-12th grades of Delhi Government Schools. Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Delhi was the chief guest and Ms. Atishi Marlena, Hon’ble Education Minister, Delhi was the guest of honour for the event.

DTU served as the chief patron, and Prof. Madhusudan Singh, Registrar, DTU was the patron. Prof. Anil Haritash, HoD, Dept. of Environmental Engineering, DTU was the convener and Dr. Geeta Singh, Asst Professor, Dept. of Environmental Engineering, DTU was co-convener for the event.

One-week Course on Machine Learning for AI

The Department of Information Technology, DTU organised a one-week short course on “Recent Trends in Machine Learning and Deep Learning for AI Applications” in June 2023. Prof. J.P. Saini, Vice Chancellor, DTU served as the Chief Patron and Prof. Madhusudhan Singh, Registrar, DTU, served as the Patron. Prof. Dinesh K. Vishwakarma, HoD, Dept. of Information Technology, DTU served as the Chairperson along with Dr. Ritu Agarwal, Dr. Bindu Verma and Dr. Varsha Sisaudia as the co-coordinators. The programme aims to keep researchers and academics updated on ML and DL advancements.

Drawing Competition on World Environment Day

Department of Environmental Engineering, DTU in collaboration with IIC-DTU conducted a Drawing Competition on Innovative ideas to reduce plastic pollution in June 2023 on World Environment Day. Prof. Jai Prakash Saini, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor,

International Yoga Day

Centre for Extension and Field Outreach, DTU celebrated International Yoga Day in June 2023. Prof. J. P Saini, Vice Chancellor, DTU served as the chief patron while Prof. Madhusudan Singh, Registrar, DTU and Prof. A.K. Srivastava, Dean, OEA-DTU were the patrons of the occasion. Dr Pravin Kumar, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, DTU was the coordinator along with Prof. Nitin Puri, Associate Dean, OEA-DTU. Dr Ishwar Bhardwaj, Dean Academic Affairs, DSVV, Haridwar was the chief guest at the celebration. Everyone practised yoga under the guidance of Shri Dinesh Kumal Panchal, M.A. (Yoga) who served as the yoga trainer.

Farewell ‘23, was a 2-day heart-warming spectacle in April 2023, filled with afternoons of jubilation and nights of bittersweet rumination. Day 1 kicked off with a sparkling start, with ‘ethnic’ being the theme and all the seniors sparkling in their traditional outfits. The stage was set and the extravaganza kicked off with DTU Bhangra and Vibe giving stirring performances. Emotions ran high as Madhurima gave their riveting performances. The ‘Title Ceremony’ was a celebration of milestones achieved and a testament to the ambition of the outgoing class. The music didn’t cease as Avi Rajput eased the sorrow of saying goodbye with his soul-stirring performance. Next came Soloman, an electrifying artist, followed by Kashh Band, who set a vibrant hue to the stage with their vivacious musical performance. The evening ended with a sky full of lanterns, sparkling with bittersweet joy, marking the beginning of new journeys and reminiscing old memories.

On the second day, everyone’s wit was put to the test as they competed in the Scribble event. The pleasant night concluded with the long-awaited Gala Night, where everyone donned masks and danced to soulful music under the starry night.

Tears welled up in the eyes of the students as they bid farewell to their friends and their college, which had become their home. With great hope and happiness for their futures, we bid a fond farewell to the Class of 2023.

Photograph by Aayush Mandawat, IT, 3rd Year Designed by Aamodita Singhal, B.Des, 3rd Year

PROF. ANU SINGH LATHER

You’ve been affiliated with a number of prestigious institutes across the country. Each and every role is a testament to your leadership ability and administrative expertise. What characteristics set a leader apart?

We are transitioning from traditional systems to a technology-driven society so leadership has become far more challenging these days. However, I strongly feel that the social and emotional skills that drove leaders in the past would still drive them in the future. You need to be evolved, and for that, one would always need traditional skills and competence. Social and emotional skills are still the core traits of a leader and I strongly feel must continue to be so. Present-day leaders need to be tech-savvy and updated on the changing scenario all across.

What hallmarks of an institute in your opinion make it a distinguished and exceptional institution as compared to others?

It is the quality of the students who are admitted to these institutions that makes all the difference, due to their expectations and contributions to the system, and their awareness of the transformations taking place. What matters also is the faculty, and its quality in terms of profile. Nowadays, the profile is not about their degrees, but about how they can make the students learn the connection between reality, conflicts, and challenges. Contemporary pedagogy is going to be field based. Your training only makes a difference when your curriculum has relevance to society. Providing financial help to students as well as sharing of resources and facilities with neighbouring universities are important.

Talking about the Internationalisation of Education, how do you feel student exchange programs and academic partnerships with foreign universities can benefit us?

International exposure and student exchanges are happening across the globe. Universities approach each other for this and students are most benefited from this. These MOUs are very important in the coming times for India as a nation. We are trying to emphasise this as much as possible. ICCR is giving a big platform to economically backward nations to welcome students here almost on a freeship. Indian students also travel at a very subsidised amount across the world and that has brought about a big difference.

“It is the quality of the students who are admitted to these institutions that makes all the difference, due to their expectations and contributions to the system, and their awareness of the transformations taking place.”

In an interview with DTU Times, Prof. Anu Singh Lather, 2nd Vice Chancellor of Ambedkar University, DU sheds light upon the evolving facet of education and the hallmarks of a good institution.

While the majority of the teachers in our schools are female, the picture of higher education is strikingly opposite. What are the causes behind this situation and what should be done to improve this ratio?

When you look at the female representation in the social sciences domain, you will find that the number is very encouraging. At my university, we have about 64 percent female students and almost 50 percent female faculty. It also depends on the nature of the courses offered by an institute. In technological institutes, we will always find a dearth of girls subscribing to this program. Another concerning factor is the female dropout rate in our country which ultimately prevents more female students from pursuing higher education. This also needs to be taken care of more seriously, especially at the school level.

We’ve seen that research is still limited to research papers and journals, obscuring their potential applications in the industry. What steps should be taken to ensure that the outcomes of the research reach industries more effectively?

In our nation, the research is more theoretical in nature. This is because we introduce research much later in the life of a scholar. In DTU, we experimented with the introduction of the research project work and that made a difference in terms of their publications. Connecting to the community is very important and that was missing in the research works. We should take up the research projects coming from the industry and the industry should open up. I hope that since NEP has come with a lot of deliberation, the government needs to work on this in order to provide the opportunities available in developed countries.

You played a pivotal role in establishing DTU’s East Campus i.e. University School of Management and Entrepreneurship. How does U.S.M.E facilitate entrepreneurship?

For a long time, we wanted to start a B-School in Eastern Delhi which also received support from the government. After all, entrepreneurship is the future of our country, so it made sense to have a school that completely focussed on that. While setting up the institution and deciding upon the curriculum that was to be taught, we connected with those in the relevant industries and had marathon meetings with them regarding college’s programs. We also decided to introduce a 2-year MBA in Family Business which, at that time, was being offered only as a diploma or an elective course in other institutions. The main reason behind this was to connect people from small and middle-class industrial belts with the institution.

Prof. Madhusudan Singh, Registrar, DTU, unveils the impact of the Registrar’s Office on educational reform and shares insights from years at the University in an exclusive interview with DTU Times. Through the introduction of incubation centres and course offerings, Prof. Madhusudan seeks to sharpen the focus on entrepreneurship at the University.

PROF. MADHUSUDAN SINGH

What initiatives or programs has DTU recently launched to promote innovation and entrepreneurship among students?

The concept of entrepreneurship and startups is gaining momentum, especially in engineering institutions. In line with that, DTU has established a Technology Business Incubation Center known as TBI under the name DTU Incubation and Innovation Foundation (DTU-IIF), a Section 8 company established in 2016. This incubation centre provides mentorship and the necessary infrastructure for startups and entrepreneurs to launch their businesses. Through this centre, we not only provide wwmentorship but also offer infrastructural, secretarial and legal support to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among our students.

In your opinion, what are some of the emerging fields of study DTU should consider promoting or introducing in the institution?

Depending on the discipline, there is quite a good number of emerging areas of study in engineering. There is a provision for interdisciplinary study through minors and for the implementation of minors, the university has already introduced 45 different varieties of minor areas of study. For example, in computer science, there are minors in machine learning and data science. Similarly, in electronics, there are minors in IoT, VLSI design and other emerging areas of communication. All the disciplines have already introduced their minor areas of study and students of other disciplines can opt for them to widen their knowledge and skill base and increase their employability.

Can you describe your vision for the future of engineering education in India and how DTU is working to achieve that?

The Indian engineering education system is undergoing a transformation with the New Education Policy (NEP) implemented in 2020, emphasizing multidisciplinary education. DTU has introduced programs in various disciplines beyond engineering, including design, management, economics, and business. This aims to create a comprehensive university offering diverse courses for students. DTU implemented the provision of minors even before NEP 2020 and is working on implementing the remaining provisions through a new curriculum. The new curriculum has been designed and approved for the upcoming batch of B.Tech., focusing on multidisciplinary education and providing multiple entry and exit points with certifications and degrees.

How does the Registrar’s Office contribute to maintaining DTU’s position as one of the top technological universities in India?

We always try our best to give all kinds of help and support for the overall functioning of administrative departments as well as other administrative functions of the university. We face some challenges because the university is in expanding mode. We currently have 15000 students on the campus. This necessitates the requirement of faculty members and supporting staff. The Registrar’s Office is putting its best effort to recruit qualified faculty members and supporting staff to ensure quality education for our students

Can you share with us your journey from being a professor to holding one of the highest administrative positions in the university?

I am a professor of electrical engineering and presently looking after the task of Registrar which is a purely administrative position. I joined this University in 1999, at the time it was Delhi College of Engineering, as an assistant professor of electrical engineering. During the entire 24year span of my stay, I have gotten the opportunities to work in almost all academic and administrative positions. I was head of the department for more than 6 years. I was also Dean Academic for almost 6-7 years, I have also worked as the controller of examination and chief warden. I have always considered this university to be close to my heart. and fulfilled them with my fullest commitment.

What advice do you give to students planning to study at DTU?

I extend my congratulations to all those who have chosen to join this esteemed institution. It is indeed a wise decision, and you should take pride in becoming a part of Delhi Technological University. I encourage you to nurture a deep passion for your chosen field of study, develop a dedicated attitude towards academic pursuits, and strive to maintain an outstanding academic record. University culture is different from school, as you’ll have more freedom and responsibility. Take care of your academics, personal belongings, and health. Eat healthy, follow a healthy lifestyle, and consider participating in sports or using our college’s gymnasium. Additionally, focus on developing your career profile early on. Engineering offers various growth opportunities in technology, management, or entrepreneurship. Plan ahead and success will surely follow.

FACULTY NEWS

Awards, Honours and Conferences

Prof. S. Indu, Dean, Student Welfare

• Awardee, DTU Commendable Research Award, 2023, Delhi Technological University·

• Keynote Speaker, 2nd International Conference Women Researchers in Electronics and Computing, Dr B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab

• Attendee, Indian Heritage in Digital Space Workshop, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Prof. Pravir Kumar, Dean, International Affairs

• Presenter, ‘Repurposing of Antiviral Compounds against HDAC6 in Alzheimer’s therapeutics’, IEEE 2nd International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Sustainable Engineering Solutions, GL Bajaj Institute of Technology and Management, Noida, Uttar Pradesh

• Presenter, ‘Repurposing Breast Cancer Medications for Sleep and Neurodevelopmental Disorders’, IEEE Bangalore Humanitarian Technology Conference, Mysore, Karnataka

• Presenter, ‘A Prediction of Pecilocin as A Potential Therapeutic Regime in Countering Glioblastoma Using Computational Approach’, IEEE Bangalore Humanitarian Technology Conference, Mysore, Karnataka

• Presenter, ‘TDP-43 Inhibitors in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Application of Drug Repurposing Approach Using FDA Approved Drugs’, IEEE 2nd International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Sustainable Engineering Solutions, GL Bajaj Institute of Technology and Management, Noida, Uttar Pradesh

• Presenter, ‘Comparative Analysis of Novel Biomarkers for Neurodegenerative Disease’, 4th International Conference on Emerging Trends in Multi-Disciplinary Research, Poornima University, Jaipur, Rajasthan

• Presenter, ‘Identification of Novel Therapeutic Compounds against Diabetic Nephropathy: A Drug Repurposing Approach’, IEEE Bangalore Humanitarian Technology Conference, Mysore, Karnataka

• Presenter, ‘Targeting GSK-3β for the Modulation of Wnt Signalling Pathway in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Drug

Repurposing Approach’, IEEE Bangalore Humanitarian Technology Conference, Mysore, Karnataka

• Presenter, ‘Fate of Jeratinine E as a Potential Compound to Target NNMT Protein in Countering Parkinson’s Disease’, 2nd International Conference on Smart Technologies and Systems for Next Generation Computing, IFET College of Engineering, Villupuram, Tamil Nadu

• Presenter, ‘Analysing the Mechanism of Extracellular Vesicles and its Potential as a Biomarker for Neurodegenerative Disorders’, International Conference on Advances in Electronics, Communication, Computing and Intelligent Information Systems, Bangalore Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, Karnataka

• Presenter, ‘STILBOSTEMIN C as a Potential Candidate for Therapeutic Targeting of RAB3B Protein in Countering AD’, International Conference on Information Systems and Computer Networks, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh

• Presenter, ‘DNMT1 Inhibitors in Alzheimer’s Disease: A drug Repurposing Approach through FDA-approved Drugs’, IEEE Bangalore Humanitarian Technology Conference, Mysore, Karnataka

• Presenter, ‘Crocin: A Potent Secondary Metabolite as BACE1 Inhibitor in Alzheimer’s Disease’, 9th International Conference on Advanced Computing and Communication Systems, Sri Eshwar College of Engineering, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

• Awardee, Best Paper, ‘Drug Repurposing Approach to Identify PARK7 Inhibitors in Parkinson’s Disease’, IEEE Bangalore Humanitarian Technology Conference, Mysore, Karnataka

Prof. Jai Gopal Sharma, Dept. of Biotechnology

• Co-Chair, ‘International Conference on Advances in Algal Biotechnology and Taxonomy’, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh

• Speaker, ‘Development of Sustainable Culture Techniques of Freshwater Macrophytes and their biochemical composition’, International Conference on Advances in Algal Biotechnology and Taxonomy, Dept. of Botany, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh

Dr. Aruna Bhat, Assoc. Prof., Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering

• Awardee, DTU Commendable Research Award, 2023

• Attendee, 7th IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Computing and Control System, Vaigai College of Engineering, Madurai, Tamil Nadu

• Attendee, 4th IEEE International Conference of Emerging Technologies, Jain College of Engineering, Belgaum, Karnataka

Dr. Sumit Kale, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Electronics and Communication Engineering

• Awardee, DTU Commendable Research Award, 2023

Dr. Anukul Pandey, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Electronics And Communication Engineering

• Speaker, Expert Talk, National Institute Of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab

Dr. Anurag Goel, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering

• Awardee, DTU Commedable Research Award, 2023

• Awardee, IEEE Best Paper Award, International Conference on ‘Smart Technologies and Systems for Next Generation Computing’, IFET College of Engineering, Viluppuram, Tamil Nadu

• Coordinator, Online Course on ‘Demystifying Intellectual Property for Research Integrity and Economic Development’, Delhi Technological University

• Participant, ‘Symposium on Computational Creativity’, Infosys Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi

Dr. Deva Nand, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Electronics and Communication Engineering

• Awardee, DTU Commedable Research Award, 2023

• Organiser, Expert Talk on ‘Si Photonics for high bit rate and low power interconnects in current data centres’, Delhi Technological University

Dr. Navneeta Bharadvaja, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Biotechnology

• Presenter, ‘Computational Analysis of Potential Flavonoids Targeting NSP14 of SARS-CoV-2 : a Molecular Docking Approach’, 2nd IEEE International Conference on Electronics, Computing and Communication Technologies, IFET College of Engineering, Villupuram, Tamil Nadu

• Presenter, ‘Autoimmune Incursion in Psoriasis

Humanitarian Technology Conference, Mysore, Karnataka

• Presenter, ‘Microbes as Biofertilizers for Mitigating the Challenge of Pollution’, International Conference on Agricultural and Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

Dr. Deepti Aggrawal, Asst. Prof., Delhi School of Management

• Commendable Research Award, ‘Modelling Product Lines Diffusion: a framework involving competitive brands for sustainable innovations’, Delhi Technological University

Publications

Prof. S. Indu, Dean, Student Welfare

• ‘Denoising of Palm Leaf Manuscripts Using Gaussian Filter and Conservative Smoothing’, AIP Conference Proceedings

• ‘Image Flare Removal Using Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Networks’, 10th International Conference on Signal Processing and Integrated Networks

• ‘Ancient Indian Script Transliteration Using GANs’, 10th International Conference on Signal Processing and Integrated Networks

• ‘Word Spotting and Character Recognition of Handwritten Hindi Scripts by Integral Histogram of Oriented Displacement Descriptor’, Multimedia Tools and Applications

• ‘Lane-Line Segmentation Using YOLOv7’, 2nd International Conference on Vision Towards Emerging Trends in Communication and Networking Technologies

• ‘Empirical Review of Various Thermography-Based Computer-Aided Diagnostic Systems for Multiple Diseases’, ACM Transactions on Intelligent Systems and Technology

Prof. Pravir Kumar, Dean, International Affairs

• ‘Perspective of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Data Management: A Journey Towards Precision Medicine’, Computers in Biology and Medicine

• ‘Multiple Therapeutic Approaches of Glioblastoma Multiforme: From Terminal to Therapy’, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Reviews on Cancer

Prof. Ram Singh, Assoc. Dean, Student Welfare

• ‘Hydroxychloroquine: Chemistry and Medicinal Applications’, Heterocycles

Dr. Shilpa Pal, Assoc. Prof., Dept. of Civil Engineering

• ‘Damage identification in concrete under impact loading at varying temperatures using voltage relations technique: an experimental and numerical study’, Materials Research Express

• ‘Experimental Validation of Damage Detection in Concrete Beams Under Impact Load Using Piezo Sensors’, Recent Advances in Manufacturing and Thermal Engineering

• ‘Numerical prediction of the proximity effects on wind loads of low-rise buildings with cylindrical roofs’, Wind and Structures

• ‘Earthquake Induced Landslide Hazard Evaluation for Seismic Microzonation:- A Case Study of the Garhwal Himalayas’, Earthquake Engineering and Disaster Mitigation

Dr. Aruna Bhat, Assoc. Prof., Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering

• ‘A systematic review of the methodologies for the processing and enhancement of the underwater images’, Multimedia Tools and Applications

• ‘A robust model for improving the quality of underwater images using enhancement techniques’, Multimedia Tools and Applications

Dr. Sumit Kale, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Electronics and Communication Engineering

• ‘A Comparative Analysis of Cavity Positions in Charge Plasma based Tunnel FET for Biosensor Application’, IETE Journal of Research

• ‘A novel p-GaN HEMT with AlInN/AlN/GaN double heterostructure and InAlGaN back-barrier’, Microelectronics Reliability

Dr. Anurag Goel, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering

• ‘CNN-LSTM Based Approach for Sleep Apnea Detection’, International Conference on Information Systems and Computer Networks

• ‘Sign Language to Text Classification using One-Shot Learning’, International Conference on Sustainable Computing and Data Communication Systems

• ‘SupRes: Facial Image Upscaling Using Sparse Denoising Autoencoder’, International Conference on Computing Methodologies and Communication

• ‘Community Detection using Unsupervised Learning Approach’, International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Smart Energy

• ‘Medical Image Denoising using Convolutional

Autoencoder with Shortcut Connections’, International Conference on Smart Systems and Inventive Technology

• ‘Argument Mining using BERT and Self-Attention based Embeddings’, International Conference on Advances in Computing, Communication Control and Networking

• ‘Image Generation Using Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Networks’, Research Advances in Intelligent Computing

Dr. Raghvendra Gautam, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

• ‘Novel investigation on atomization, performance, and emission characteristics of preheated jatropha oil methyl ester and ethyl ester’, Energy

• ‘Effect of Nozzle Geometry and Fuel Modification on Atomization and Emission Characteristics in CI Engine: A Review’, Emerging Trends in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

• ‘Application of response surface approach to optimise CI engine parameters fuelled by newly developed waste cooking biodiesel infused with Al2O3 nanoparticle’, Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy

• ‘Performance characteristics optimization of CRDI engine fuelled with a blend of sesame oil methyl ester and diesel fuel using response surface methodology approach’, Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Anup Kumar Mandpura, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Electrical Engineering

• ‘Simultaneous Seismic Data Denoising and Reconstruction With Attention-Based WaveletConvolutional Neural Network’, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing

Dr. Navneeta Bharadvaja, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Biotechnology

• ‘Current Prospects and Clinical Status of Microalgae Derived Chemotherapeutics’, Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia

• ‘Aromatic Plants: a Multifaceted Asset’, Brazilian Journal of Botany

• ‘Chlorella Minutissima-assisted Silver Nanoparticles Synthesis and Evaluation of its Antibacterial Activity’, Systems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing

• ‘Role of Natural Flavonoid Products in Managing Osteoarthritis’, Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia

SOCIETY NEWS

Biosoc DTU takes an edge

Biosoc-DTU organised a series of three online competitions: From Trash to Treasure, a creative competition based on Best out of Waste; Earth’s Canvas, a photography competition and Nature’s Palette, a digital art competition.

The Ideaz paper presentation on ‘Antibiotic resistance as a threat and its solution’, held at IIT Roorkee, witnessed the remarkable participation of Biosoc-DTU. The paper was presented by Katyayani Agarwal, Prajakta Tiwari, Parth Aggarwal, Sanskar Srivastava and Aman Yadav. Showcasing their exceptional expertise, the team’s paper, titled “Engineering phages to phase out antibiotic resistance,” secured 1st place.

DelTech MUN bags a bunch

Nishit Jain received Honourable Mention at IITD MUN Arnav

Anand received Special Mention-UNGA at JMC MUN Evam

Bansal received Honourable Mention at JMC MUN Pari Jain received Special Mention International Press at JMC MUN.

Joshua Carol was awarded Best Photographer at JMC MUN. Ansh

Bhatia and Adarsh Tiwari received Honourable Mentions at IITR

MUN Aditya Jha received High Commendation at CONFERO

MUN Ansh Bhatia received Honourable Mention at CONFERO

MUN Angad Aditya received Special Mention International Press Photographer at CONFERO MUN. Nishit Jain received Honourable Mention at NSUT MUN. Aditya Jha was awarded High Commendation at KMC MUN.

DEPTH strides forward

DEPTH celebrated National Science Day in February 2023 by organising a one-day national seminar featuring Prof. IM Kapahy, Former UGC Member as the chief guest, Prof. H.C Kandpal, Former Chief Scientist and Head of Quantum Phenomenon and Applications, CSIR-NPL, Delhi and Former UGC Member, and Prof. Prathibha Jolly, Former Principal, Miranda House College, DU as the speakers. Sahil Sagar and Sankalp Tiwari bagged 3rd Position in the Case Study Competition, Scrap Squad at Cognizance 23, IIT Roorkee Chanchal Mandal, Katyani Gupta, and Aviral Srivastava got selected for IIA Summer School.

DTU-AUV soars high

DTU-AUV organised the Build for Future Hackathon in collaboration with Asset Mantle IGDTUW. The hackathon covered various guest lectures during the event featuring Mr. Rahul Menon’s talk on Intellectual Property Rights, Mrs. Garima Rajpal’s guest lecture on CV building, Mr. Kanishk Khurrana’s lecture on Kickstart DApp Development, Mr. Yajas Sardana’s session on Hacking Hackathons and Mr. Sanket Aggarwal’s guest lecture on Introduction to Smart Contracts and Attack Vectors Winners received certificates and a prize pool worth $10,000.

Enactus DTU excels further

Enactus DTU organised SOCH 3.0: The Social Ideathon in April 2023 with a participation of over 300 teams. The event spanned three rounds, culminating in an exhibition that showcased the sustainable products developed by various Enactus chapters. The competition included a mentorship round, wherein industry experts imparted invaluable guidance to the participating teams.

E-Cell DSM ignites ambition

E-Cell DSM organised their annual flagship event, E-TALKS’23, under the theme of “Leadership, Finance, Innovation & Growth’’ in March 2023. The event brought together distinguished speakers from diverse backgrounds, including Col. Rajeev Bharwan from the Indian Army’s airborne forces, Mrs. Swati Jain, Vice President at EXL India, Mr. Vivek Kapoor, Co-Founder of Dineout, and Mrs. Sanyukta Sinha, Director at Microsoft India.

IEEE sweeps awards

IEEE DTU organised the 6th edition of their flagship 24-hour hackathon, Vihaan 6.0 on the 24th and 25th of April, 2023. The event was greeted by the presence of Guest of Honour, Prof. S Indu, Prof, Chief Guest, Prof. Madhusudan Singh, and Faculty Advisors, Prof. Jeebananda Panda, Prof. Rahul Katarya, Prof. Rachana Garg and Prof. Sonam Rewari. The event saw participation of over 1000 students from universities across the nation. After three rounds of mentorship and engaging networking sessions, the final round was judged by an

esteemed panel of judges consisting of Vanshika Garg, Imagineer at Fractal, Ritika Gupta, Software Engineer at LinkedIn, Ayon Roy, Data Scientist at Neilson and Utkarsh Gupta, Software Engineer at Graviton.

In the IEEE Delhi Section Awards, Aeshita Mathur, Garvit Kansal and Nishchay were awarded the J. K. Pal Memorial Award Ansh Anurag, Chhitize Kumar, Himanshu Kumar received the Outstanding Student Volunteer Award. Harsh Kumar, Anirudh Sharma, Sankalp Gautam were honoured with the Outstanding WIE Student Volunteer Award Piyush Kumar Sahoo, Kailash Maurya, Rishi Raj Thakur, Kshitij Singh, Srishti Singh were awarded the Student Network Award

Other notable speakers included Maj. Gen. Vikram Dogra, Brig. D. Chowdhury, Maj. Gen. Vinod Bhanot , and Col. Atul Maithani. Senior Under Officer Rakshit Monga and Junior Under Officer Prince Kumar received ADG COMMENDATION for their exceptional work. CSM Dawen Padha was recommended for the competitive SSC Tech Entry program, highlighting the talent nurtured within DTU NCC

NSS USME saves lives with Rotaract Club, USME

NSS USME and Rotaract Club, USME in collaboration with the Indian Red Cross Society, organised Blood Donation Camps in April, 2023 at Unity One Mall, Rohini and Vivek Vihar. They were able to collect 81 blood units and raised awareness about blood donation.

NSS, USME further in collaboration with Save Life Foundation organised a training workshop on Basic Trauma and Life Support in April, 2023. Save Life Foundation imparted valuable knowledge about CPR and provided dummies to the students to practise these techniques.

Pratibimb exhibits excellence

Kalakriti celebrates art

Kalakriti organised Abhivyakti, a two-day socio-art extravaganza on 24th and 25th April 2023, on the theme “One Earth, One Family, and One Future”. The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from students across the country and witnessed a footfall of 35,000 over the course of 2 days.

Pratibimb, the Dramatics and Filmmaking society, won the Filmfare Fiesta organised by IIT Hyderabad Tripti secured 1st Position in Chaos’23 organised by IIM Ahmedabad and Kalamanch, IIM Shillong. The society also performed its annual stage production, ‘Chaheta’ at the Create Theatre Festival and Saitan Theatre Festival. The society performed its annual street production ‘Next Appointment Kab?’ in Bharti College and Abhivyanjana, Amity Gurugram and bagged the 2nd position. They also performed in MSIT and won the Best Music Award. The production also bagged the Best Script prize in Udaan, Shri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce.

NCC showcases potential

In April 2023, DTU NCC organised SAAMANT’23, the first edition of their annual fest, with the theme “Feel Nationalistic Zeal.” The event witnessed participation of over 2,000 cadets and 30 teams in various competitions. SAAMANT’23 also featured a Defence Talk Show with Maj. Gen. Kuldip Pathak as the keynote speaker.

Sahitya achieves the insurmountable

The Debating Wing of Sahitya secured the 2nd position at the IITD PD tournament, represented by Vandh Chadha, V. Sayiram and Angad Singh Chawla. At Ehsaas, ARSD, Vansh Chadha went

in a cross-team and secured the 1st position. Saatvik Dabral, Pratham Dixit, and Keshav Mohan secured the 2nd position in the tournament. Angad Singh secured the 1st position at Shivaji Bhosle Parliamentary Debate. The team also represented the university at Wax Eloquent, Gargi College where Angad Singh, Pranjal Singhla and Shashwat secured the 2nd position. V. Sayiram went in a cross-team and emerged as the Winner at the same tournament.

The Poetry Wing of Sahitya attended a number of Slam Poetry competitions and came back winning laurels for the university. Anshita Garg was placed 2nd at Erasure, Blackout Poetry Competition organised by Abhivyakti, Ram Lal Anand College. Aditya Singh emerged as the Winner at Wordsworld, English Slam Poetry Competition organised by Shaheed Bhagat Singh College

Amit Srivastava, Dean, Outreach & Extension Activities, Delhi Technological University. The ceremony continued with a warm welcome address by Prof. Vijay Kumar Minocha, HOD, Civil Engineering, DTU, Prof. AK Trivedi, Dean, Industrial Research and Development, DTU and Prof. AK Gupta, Department of Civil Engineering The ceremony featured captivating lectures from three expert speakers representing the esteemed Indian Geotechnical Society, Delhi section, Aarti Bhargava, Chairperson, IGS Delhi Chapter; Senior General Manager, National Head, Aimil Ltd., New Delhi, Dr. Altaf Usmani, Co-Chairman, IGS Delhi Chapter; DGM & Technical Head, EIL, New Delhi, Dr. A P Singh, Director, Explore Engineering Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Noida; Honorary Secretary, IGS Main Body, who shared invaluable perspectives on the vast array of opportunities awaiting aspiring civil engineers.

In Other News

• 60fps conducted a Photowalk to Sunder Nursery in January, 2023 and also organised a Holi Contest.

• Cognitive Minds DTU showcased their exceptional talent at various competitions. Gagandeep Singh secured the 2nd best Adjudicator Award, while a team of three members, Keshav Singhal, Tanish Arora, Samarth Bhutani achieved the 3rd position at Asian Parliamentary Debate Competition, Antaragini 2023, IIT Kanpur

• DTU BHANGRA secured 2nd place out of 8 teams inw “Navrang”, a group folk dance competition held at University Maharani College, Jaipur in February 2023.

SCEE progresses further

Society for Civil and Environmental Engineers (SCEE-DTU) organised the launch event of its annual magazine, Ignite 2.0 in April 2023, on the occasion of World Earth Day. The event was presided by Dr. AK Srivastava, Dean, Centre for Extension and Field Outreach & Chief Project Officer, Administrative Department, DTU. Dr. Vijay K. Minocha, HOD, Civil Engineering Department, DTU emphasised on the need for sustainable engineering practices, and the significance of World Earth Day in the current era

Team Defianz accelerates to victory

Team Defianz Racing, participated in the prestigious Formula Bharat competition held in Coimbatore in January 2023. Team Defianz Racing excelled in the competition, securing commendable positions in various events, including 5th in Cost and Manufacturing, 6th in Business Plans Events, 5th overall in Static Events and 9th position in the Dynamic Events.

The Indian Geotechnical Society begins in DTU

The Indian Geotechnical Society organised its inauguration ceremony in June 2023, marking a significant milestone in the field of geotechnical engineering at DTU. The event commenced with an opening address delivered by the chapter mentor, Dr.

• IMechE organised a workshop on ‘Robotics and automation: New paradigm’, which was hosted by Dr. Shubham Shukla, Center for Robotics and Mechatronics, KIET Ghaziabad

• A group of MBA students from Delhi School of Management, DTU visited the Securities and Exchange Board of India as part of an educational initiative organised by the Industrial & Academic Research Committee, DSM, DTU

• Inferno DTU participated and succeeded in securing Rank 8 among 20 finalists in the International Rover Design Challenge 2023 organised by the Space Robotics Society

• Panache bagged the 2nd position in the dress-making competition held at Kalakari, the annual fest of Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce.

• Zenith, USME participated in IIT Delhi’s Sports fest Astra in April 2023. The men’s tennis team comprising Abhik and Sanchit won the gold medal while the women’s badminton team comprising Arzoo and Nishtha bagged the silver medal

• Team Raftaar won 1st prize in Hybrid Electric Human Powered Vehicle Challenge for its vehicle ERAWAT at the American Society of Mechanical Engineering’s EFx India event at PESIT, Bengaluru in April, 2023.

FOREIGN ADMISSIONS

SHAMBHAVI RATHORE

Environmental Engineering, Class of 2023

radar. But during the pandemic, I explored sustainability and became captivated. Courses, journals, & internships followed, solidifying my newfound passion.

What is your advice to the students of your branch who feel there are limited opportunities for them because of their branch?

The current scenario prioritises sustainability & addresses ecological challenges. The market will soon respond with more projects incorporating sustainable practices with several prominent companies already introducing dedicated sustainability divisions.

Could you share some details about the application & interview processes for the programmes you were accepted into, particularly Stanford?

Accepted at Stanford University and Texas A&M University (MS in Environmental Engineering), Carnegie Mellon University, UC Berkeley & University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (MS in Civil & Environmental Engineering), University of Michigan (Master in Environment & Sustainability), University of Toronto, Wageningen University (Master of Environment Science)

Looking back on your college years, what were some of your decisions or strategies that led you to where you are now?

When I first joined DTU, pursuing a master’s degree wasn’t on my

SHUBHODEEP SHIV ADITYA

Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2023

Months of preparation are required, along with a clear understanding of one’s motivation to pursue the degree. The application process involves collecting documents like recommendation letters & certificates. A well-written Statement of Purpose is crucial, emphasizing program selection, academic journey, & contributions to the diverse environment. Personalizing the SOP through faculty research & addressing personal experiences & challenges is essential.

Can you shed some light on the program’s monetary vacuum? How difficult it is to finance or self-fund an MS degree?

Despite Stanford University’s absence of financial aid, my father’s financial expertise allowed us to strategically invest in my education. Seeking advice from seniors, I found research & teaching assistant positions that offer stipends, covering tuition & providing extra income. Additionally, many colleges worldwide offer attractive scholarship programs.

What is going to be your study field and the prospects to follow?

My course is Masters in Science and Engineering in Mechanical and Applied Mechanics. I have applied for Robotics Concentration. It is one of the newest fields in enginweering. There aren’t a lot of jobs in Robotics right after a bachelor’sv if you compare it to software development, but after a master’s degree, a lot of opportunities open up.

What are the biggest learnings in your journey so far?

My biggest learning is whatever you want to do, start early. Explore what you want to do but try to grasp one thing you like as early as possible. The earlier you start, the more time you will have to build upon it. Don’t be afraid to be different. Do what you love and love what you do. If you don’t like what you are doing, you are not in the right direction.

Accepted at University of Pennsylvania (M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics) and Johns Hopkins University, Carnegie Mellon University and Northwestern University (M.S. in Mechanical Engineering)

Most engineering students are inclined toward the software domain. What was your motivation to take the less typical path? I have always been interested in something other than computer science. I was inclined towards the mechanical side of robotics and aerospace from the beginning. I cannot sit and work on coding problems all day. Mechanical engineering was also my priority during counselling, which people usually don’t prefer nowadays. It was mainly out of interest and that’s how I think it should be. Even if I would have gone for SDE roles, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it much because it is not my thing and has never been.

ANISH KALSI

Engineering Physics, Class of 2023

Accepted at the University of Padova, Italy, for M.S. in Astrophysics and Cosmology.

What sparked your interest in astrophysics and cosmology?

People who work in this field of study often say that they’ve been interested in space science since childhood, and I am no different.

YATI SHARMA

B.Des., Class of 2023

Accepted at Royal College of Art, London, (Master of Fine Arts (MFA Communication))

Why did you choose the Royal College of Art, London to pursue an MFA? How does it distinguish itself from other institutions in India & abroad?

Right before entering this field, it was my dream to be a part of the Royal College of Art. The reason - London is a very cultured city,

Even during school library hours, you could find me either reading Champak or higher-class science textbooks, even if I didn’t understand anything. I knew I wanted to do research and for that, I tried multiple domains — physics, material sciences, plasma physics as well as astrophysics. I chose to pursue a degree in astrophysics and cosmology after my interest in these fields was piqued.

Describe your application process, including any challenges you encountered and how you overcame them.

It is always challenging to apply abroad. I got admission to a university in Italy but that wasn’t Plan A. Italy was my Plan C. So I applied here and received my acceptance letter within a week. There are several challenges to overcome, but I would consider LORs the most challenging. A letter of recommendation from your professors and supervisors is required wherever you apply. Depending on the course you are applying to and where you intend to study, you may also have to give various exams, such as the GRE or IELTS.

Talking about research, what specific interests do you wish to explore in astrophysics?

I have worked on gamma-ray bursts. Right now I am working on X-ray binaries and fast radio bursts. These are some of the mysteries of the electromagnetic spectrum. Beyond this, I want to work on satellite galaxies. They are pretty intriguing to me — how they interact and what dynamics exist between them. This is something that I want to explore, in my master’s or if I get a chance, in my Ph.D.

with a lot of museums, ideal for pursuing art. The college also has a very strong alumni network. In the past four years, I took inspiration from artists & designers who have studied the same. I was also in touch with a few professors & took mentorship under them. All of this inspired me to take this decision.

How did the faculty at the Department of Design, DTU help you study & prepare for your Master’s?

DTU, especially the Department of Design, offered me a lot of freedom, making the transition from design to art less drastic. Some professors with a background in Fine Arts supported me throughout the process since I initially had no idea about this field & provided me guidance on writing SOPs and offering portfolio suggestions. Mentorship is very important in design as there is no other material available for guidance. You don’t study from books or lectures since it’s a very subjective field. Mentorship is the only thing that keeps you on track & validates what you’re doing.

What would you advise your design juniors who are passionate about visual communication design & aspire to make a career in it?

My first advice would be to venture out, experience & capture different things in any way possible. Ensure that you are working on your portfolio constantly & not rush through it. Present your work in the form of a story, take mentorship & do a lot of freelancing to get more exposure.

FACE YOUR FEAR

Gear up, DTUites! It is time to begin your quest for success in this adventure. Trust your instincts, master your skills, and forge alliances to conquer the battles ahead. Navigate through challenges, explore new opportunities, and thrive in this immersive experience.

Unleash your potential, and let the college experience shape you into the person you’re destined to become!

PLACEMENT

DIGANT RASTOGI

Electrical Engineering, Class of 2023 Secured an offer from Google for Silicon Engineer

Tell us a bit about your placement journey. How did you come to the decision of pursuing a hardware-related role?

During my first year, it became quite clear to me that there were three ways I could go - Tech, Non-Tech and Core. While tech is popular, I was always drawn to core electrical jobs. During our second year, we studied digital electronics and analog electronics. These subjects fascinated me a lot and the topic of VLSI got me interested. College is crucial for those interested in core electronics as covering digital electronics, analog electronics, and network analysis can cover about 60% of the preparation, as these are frequently asked in interviews.

What interview advice do you have for someone who’s looking to get into a hardware related job? Take us through what your Google interview was like.

The Google interview took 3 rounds for me, with every round getting progressively harder. As I said, they’re not as focused on you knowing the answer as they are on finding out more about how you present your answers and how you approach the given problem. The most difficult part of my interview was the HR questions since there were no simple yes/no questions and each question is unique and subjective.

What unique qualities would you say sets a student apart from the rest of the field?

A well-written resume is incredibly important in my opinion - get your resumes looked at by a senior since there are mistakes that a senior might catch easily. Maintaining a good CGPA is crucial. Lastly and perhaps most importantly would be communications skills. There’s no point having a good resume and a decent GPA if you’re unable to communicate to the interviewer why you’d be perfect for the job. Give as many mock interviews as you can for further improving your communication skills.

ANSHUMAN PANDEY

Bachelor of Design, Class of 2023

Got an offer from Bosch for Industrial Designer

Can you share your internship and placement journey as an industrial designer?

Since my first year of college, I realized that industrial design had limited demand in the industry,and design studios were closely knit. Despite this, I remained dedicated to pursuing industrial design. Other than internships. I also worked on personal projects and enhanced my skills. I won several awards, including international recognition, which helped increase my visibility. I utilized LinkedIn to connect with professionals working in top companies. Joining design communities like Young Designers India, attending design events and conferences and engaging with other designers allowed me to make valuable connections.

What are the most significant lessons you have applied to your design practice?

The importance of approaching challenges with honesty, naivety, and optimism has been a valuable lesson. Each designer has their own unique ideas and ways of thinking, so finding your own approach while following a structured process is crucial. Another lesson I learned was the value of saying no to projects. While designers often feel eager to take on multiple projects simultaneously, declining projects that won’t contribute significantly allows you to focus on delivering quality work and achieving better outcomes.

Which skills have helped you succeed as a designer?

Staying updated and aware of industry happenings through social media and gaining proficiency in essential software tools for your area of specialization are essential. Mastering a few key programs is more beneficial than trying to learn numerous software applications. Sketching helps visualize and convey thoughts, playing a vital role in the design thinking process. Improving presentation skills aids in advocating for designs and effectively conveying ideas.

JOURNEYS

AADYA BANSAL

Biotechnology, Class of 2023

Secured a placement at McKinsey for the Analyst role

Can you tell us about your preparation journey of being placed at McKinsey?

In my four years of college, I have tried my hands at every field - coding, core subjects, etc. In the end, I think the perfect fit for me was analytics and consulting. I decided in my third year that I would be sitting for non-tech placements. The preparation for this was not very tedious. Your resume should be on point. It should be in the correct format and well-structured. In the recruitment process, we have three rounds. The first round is resume shortlisting and the second one is an online assessment; which involves questions pertaining to logical reasoning, data interpretation or quantitative abilities. Then we have interviews which involve guesstimates and case studies.

Would you like to share some hilarious or unforgettable moments that you have experienced in the placement journey?

In the first company that I sat for, we had two rounds of interviews. I made it to the second round, and it was scheduled for 3:30 AM which is usually nap time for people. My interviewer and I were in an online meeting. He gave me the case study that I had to solve and he said, “Take your time! I will give you 10 minutes, think of your answer.” I think he forgot to mute himself. After a few minutes, I could hear him snoring. That was really funny but it was also disappointing. But at that time, I was laughing!

What are the skills that are required to work in multinational corporations?

All in all, I think I gave ten interviews for ten different companies. The first thing I learned is that your body language and confidence plays a major role. It is the first thing that an interviewer notices. The second thing they notice is how you communicate. People do say that placements are based on luck but I think it’s your soft skills that makes a difference. You should be expressive but you should also know where to stop. Usually, people don’t have a one-minute introduction prepared. Your introduction should tell everything about you but it should not also bore the interviewer. Also, learn from your previous interviews. Analyze what went wrong, where you could have done better.

SHREY DUBEY

Computer Science and Engineering, Class of 2023

Received offers for Software Engineer at Tower Research Capital, QuadEye and Google

Can you share with us your placement journey in brief?

I remember when companies started coming in and Google was the first. I gave the test they conducted; I didn’t have many issues there. Google’s interviews were after a month. I practiced my communication skills for that, and did a few mock interviews as well, to communicate my ideas in a more structured way. They asked pretty straightforward questions. By the end of the day, the results came out and I was selected, so I was really happy. My internship was quite decent. Once my projects were done, I started working on the documentation and presentation. After that, I finally got a pre-placement offer from Google.

What advice would you give to juniors preparing for SDE roles at top product firms?

For people who are trying to crack big companies such as Google, I’d advise them to focus on problem-solving along with their core subject. You should have a decent enough CGPA and good problem-solving skills because in the coding round of interviews, the questions are a bit challenging. Once the technical round is cleared, it all comes down to your communication skills. What skills or qualities, according to you, make a candidate stand out to the employer?

It depends from company to company, but from a holistic view, you should have good problem-solving skills and decent projects on your resume. Everyone should have Python and database skills on their resume because every company requires that in some way or the other. If you put something on your resume, you should know about it. Moreover, having one resume for different companies is not always the key. When I applied for Tower Research, I tweaked my resume a little to highlight the skills that were relevant to that role. Just play to your strengths.

PC SPEAK UP s

To have a better understanding of the subtleties from the other side of the placement process, DTU Times interacted with the cohort of Placement Coordinators, Batch of 2019.

How are the PCs dealing with the current economic recession to maximise the benefit for DTU Students? What are your recommendations for students to endure this downturn?

Despite unfavourable market conditions, our placement statistics are at par with the previous records. Our word of advice is to apply off-campus as well. This placement season, we convinced firms to have additional profiles open for DTU students. For instance, Google had two profiles open while Microsoft offered over three profiles. Students must also know exactly the FTE profile they wish to pursue. The university offers ample chances to suit every interest and profile. We are trying our best to ensure all the students seeking placements get one. We still have companies coming for the previous batches.

Owing to the recent boom of technology and automation in every industry; placements in core branches and nontechnical domains have become increasingly competitive. Do you think a technical prerequisite is necessary for the preparation of non-technical domains also?

The roles for core branches are decreasing as they are slowly being transferred to Artificial Intelligence. Non-tech students should seek out opportunities that enable a tech team to do non-tech work as well. For instance, a generic HR job profile is replaced by an ‘HR Analyst’ now. So, the core branch students should specifically learn the aspects of technology that are unique to their core branch so they can present a uniquely identifiable skillset

What are the mistakes that students tend to make that endanger their chances of getting placed or getting an internship?

It is worth mentioning that students focus less on the core concepts. An interviewee’s performance greatly depends on the conceptual clarity of such subjects. Overconfidence among students for the HR rounds is another prevalent mistake. They miss out on crucial fine details about the company they are applying for and this might as well turn the tables for them. Students must be aware of the company, their policies, work culture etc. For a non-tech company, your attitude and personality matter a great deal.

Has the transition from online to offline mode influenced your approach to carrying out a PC’s responsibilities? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each mode?

It is easier to manage a large group of students in the online mode since in the offline mode we have to manage 400500 students at once, which is quite difficult. However, as we have observed, many students rely on unethical approaches in online assessments. Another huge problem students face in online mode is technical issues like broken meeting links and faulty internet connections. Additionally, there are benefits. It’s easier to conduct presentations in online mode as we can accommodate as many as 400 students in one meeting; whereas in the presentation hall, it is only possible to have about 200 students at a time. Regardless of the advantages it offered, we were glad to have everyone back on campus for offline placements.

Many students face difficulty being ‘shortlisted’ for an interview. Is there anything specific that employers look for on our CVs?

The CGPA, occasionally the percentages from the 10th and 12th boards, the projects you worked on while in college, and an AI software that analyses your CV are some metrics that companies use to shortlist resumes. Students are therefore recommended to tailor their CVs as the closest possible match to the job description of the employer.

Ms. TiwariLaghima

”In the end, even if the desired result would not have come, I would still have the satisfaction that the decision was mine and was not imposed by my family or friends.”

How has your life changed after this feat? Since it was your first attempt, are you excited or nervous about how your work life would be?

New and exciting things are on the way. Life has changed, more people are talking about me, seeking guidance from me, and interested in knowing my strategy. I’m looking forward to the exciting phase of training and working in the civil services. It was my first attempt, but I’m not nervous because the training program is the same irrespective of whether you have prior experience in another field or not. So, In those terms, it is a level playing field.

How did your college life at DTU influence your decision to prepare for CSE? Would you have preferred to pursue Humanities?

Even though some individuals may feel that the syllabus is humanities-heavy, in my opinion there is an equal playing field for all branches. Some people even gripe that engineers frequently perform well in UPSC. There are multiple mathematical questions on the CSAT, but none of the claims—or I should say assumptions—hold much ground. All the aspirants coming from different streams have to study the same material. As an engineering student from DTU, one can get a lot of advantages from the distinguished set of alumni.

A few months ago, you gave the interview of your life; please tell us more about the preparation behind that interview and your experience?

In the interview round, the questions revolve mainly around two areas: the current happenings, and your personal background. The most important aspect of the interview

preparation is knowing yourself thoroughly. You must be adequately confident about your answers because it’s a personality test, rather than an interview. Even if you don’t know the answer, what matters is your ability to admit it graciously and how open you are to learning. Overall, it’s a very fun stage. Enjoy it if you reach there, it’s a big achievement.

A lot of undergrads in DTU wish to appear for the Civil Services Examination, can you give a piece of advice to all the UPSC aspirants?

Do not focus completely on your UPSC preparation while in college. Focus on your personality development. Organise your time accordingly. Don’t lose out on your academics, they are equally important. Prepare yourself with a clear understanding of why you wish to pursue this direction. Given how far the voyage is, this is crucial. If you don’t know the answer to this, you might always feel unmotivated. Having a clear strategy will ensure that you do not get distracted and diverted. Keep some flexibility too. Practise a lot and revise frequently.

Do you feel that your preparation during JEE, an exam that unites all DTU students, at all resembled your preparation for UPSC?

JEE and UPSC CSE have very different demands. In JEE, you just have a test of your intellect in terms of mathematical aptitude. UPSC analyses your overall personality and not just your intellectual aptitude but also your moral and social aptitude. One common thing among the exams is how smart, hard-working, determined and disciplined you are. These are qualities that will definitely help you irrespective of the state of life you are in.

In an interview with DTU Times, Ms. Laghima Tiwari, AIR 19, UPSC Civil Services Examination 2022, recounted some experiences from her preparation process and college years.

DTU’s premises unfold their abiding allure, each frame a delicate interplay of light and shadow.

As the lens delves into the enigmatic landscape of academia, a profound tapestry is unfurled where shades of black and white waltz in synchrony.

Sarthak Gautam, 2nd Year, EP

Aritra Ghosh, Class of 2023, M.Des.

Amid the furore, a fleeting moment emerges, where time suspends to behold the campus walls that stand tall and timeless as ever before.

Arein Gupta, 4th Year, EP

Anant Vohra, 4th Year, ME

Anant Vohra, 4th Year, ME

Designed by Manthan Kumar, 3rd Year, COE

Aritra Ghosh, Class of 2023, M.Des.

STUDENT NEWS

RESEARCH PAPERS PUBLISHED & CONFERENCES ATTENDED

Monika Sharma, Ph.D., EE, 3rd Year

‘Air quality changes in Delhi due to open waste burning: an accidental fire in Bhalswa landfill’, International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology

Uday Sai Garavandala, M.B.A., 2nd Year

‘Investigating Academic Stress among Students in Higher Education Institutions of Delhi NCR’, Management Education and Research Colloquium, Indian Institute of Management, Kashipur

Vanshika Pruthi, M.B.A., 2nd Year

‘An empirical study on customer’s attitude and perception to use digital rupee in Delhi NCR’, National Seminar on Indian Economy, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra

Ankita Kohli, M. Sc., AM, 2nd Year

Himanshu Chaudhary, M. Sc., AM, 2nd Year

‘Cosmological test of / as function of scale factor in f(R,T) framework’, New Astronomy

Bharmjeet, M.Sc., BT, 2nd Year

‘Racial disparities in cancer care, an eyeopener for developing better global cancer management strategies’, Cancer Reports (Wiley)

‘An in-silico comparison of ginsenoside’s anticancer activity against the Son of Sevenless homolog 1’, International Conference on Information Systems and Computer Networks, GLA University, Mathura

Devansh Sharma, M.Sc., BT, 2nd Year

Manju Dahiya, M.Sc., BT, 2nd Year

‘In-Silico Targeting of ɑ-Synuclein agglomeration using Ginsenoside Rh2,’ IEEE Bangalore Humanitarian Technology Conference

Kapil Kumar Yadav, M.Tech., AI, 2nd Year

‘Comparative Study on Clickbait Detection using Machine Learning Based Methods’, International Conference on Disruptive Technologies

Sarthak Bhardwaj, B.A., Economics (Hons.), 3rd Year

‘The Informal Perishable Goods Mrkets of Delhi : Pricing, Sources, Logistics, other

Delhi : Pricing, Sources, Logistics, other Dynamics and Transformation,’ National Seminar on Indian Economy: Current Status and Future Prospects, NIT Kurukshetra

Ankit Srivastava, B.Tech., CHE, 3rd Year

‘Paddy-Straw-Derived Graphene Quantum Dots Reinforced Vertical Aligned Zinc Oxide NanosheetBased Flexible Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Self-Powered UV Sensors and Tribotronics Application’, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

Dhruv Kashyap, B.Tech., COE, 4 th Year

Dhruv Kumar, B.Tech., COE, 4 th Year

Dikshant Raj, B.Tech., COE, 4 th Year

‘A Comparative Analysis of Real-time Crash and Fall Detection Mechanisms based on SensorFusion, Aural Inputs, and Visual Recognition Techniques,’ International Conference of Emerging Technologies, Belgaum

Garvit Kansal, B.Tech., COE, 4 th Year

Harmeet Singh, B.Tech., COE, 4 th Year

Jatin Pandey, B.Tech., COE, 4 th Year

‘Lightweight and reliable deep learning model for plant disease detection’, International Conference on Secure Cyber Computing And Communications, NIT Jalandhar

Anshumani Sharma, B.Tech., ECE, 4 th Year

Ayushi Verma, B.Tech., ECE, 4 th Year

Chetan Shahra, B.Tech., ECE, 4 th Year

‘Ancient Indian Script Transliteration Using GANs’, International Conference on Signal Processing and Integrated Networks, IEEE, Noida

Digant Rastogi, B.Tech., EE, 4 th Year

Manika Jain, B.Tech., EE, 4 th Year

‘Design & Validation of ANN-based Reinforcement’, International Conference on Convergence of Technology, IEEE

‘Intelligent Control of Mobile Robots with ANN Assisted Improved Q-learning: IQ-CRL Algorithm’, IAS Global Conference on Emerging Technologies, IEEE

Manika Jain, B.Tech., EE, 4th Year

Attendee, Research Week with Google, Google, Bangalore

‘Intelligent Medical Decision Making for Sepsis Detection using Reinforcement Learning’, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania

Ridham Jain, B.Tech., SE, 4 th Year

Rishabh Bafna, B.Tech., SE, 4 th Year

‘Comparative Study of Classification Techniques and Imbalanced Data Treatment for Prediction of Software Faults’, International Conference on Recent Trends in Engineering Technology and Business Management, Amity University, Noida

Shivam Raju, B.Tech., BT, 2nd Year

Attendee, Cricket, Collaboration and Commonwealth Conference, New Delhi

Anshita Garg, B.Tech., COE, 2nd Year

Lakshay Kamra, B.Tech., MCE, 4 th Year

Lakshita Singh, B.Tech., MCE, 4 th Year

Muskaan Agarwal, B.Tech., MCE, 4 th Year

‘Growth of Cyber-crimes in society 4.0,’ International Conference on Innovative Practices in Technology and Management, Amity University, Noida

AWARDS & COMPETITIONS WON

Sushant Kumar, B.Tech., IT, 4 th Year

Abu Musaddiq Zamani, B.Tech., MCE, 4 th Year

Recipient, Seed Funding, InnovateXempowering next-gen changemakers, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

Sanyam Jain, B.Tech., BT, 3rd Year

All India Rank 8, GATE 2023

Rajdeep Singh, B.Tech., EE, 3rd Year

Runner-up, Research Paper Presentation, National Human Rights Commission, Govt. of India

Manvi Nilaya, B.Tech., ENE, 3 rd Year

Sankalp Purwar, B.Tech., ENE, 3 rd Year

Saujanya Sood, B.Tech., IT, 3 rd Year

Rishi Maheshwari, B.Tech., ME, 3 rd Year

First Runners-up, BrAINWARS 2023: BCN UG Case Study Competition, Bain Capability Network

Anirudh Sharma, B.Tech, SE, 3 rd Year Chief Minister’s Award for Shaping Students’ Lives, Desh Ke Mentor Conclave’23

Mohit Grover, B.Tech., ENE, 2nd Year

Aayush Raghav, B.Tech., ME, 2nd Year

Mrigank Gupta, B.Tech., PIE, 2nd Year

Second Runner-up, Consigliere - The Case Study Competition, Netaji Subhash University of Technology

INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS & SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED

Anshuman Pandey, B.Des., 4 th Year Industrial Design Internship, Global Design Studio, Bosch Siemens Hausgeräte, Munich, Germany

Manika Jain, B.Tech., EE, 4th Year Recepient, Nutanix Advancing Women in Technology Scholarship, Nutanix

Anish Kalsi, B.Tech., EP, 4th Year Recepient, Charpak Lab Scholarship, Universite Paris cite, France

Research Project, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Japan

Research Project, Max Planck Institute of Radio Astronomy, Germany

Sanyam Jain, B.Tech., BT, 3rd Year Research Internship, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Taiwan

Shruti Samantarai, B.Tech., CE, 3rd Year Recepient, DAAD WISE Scholarship, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany

Mohammad Yasa, B.Tech., EE, 3rd Year Research Internship, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan

Lakshay Sachdeva, B.Tech., ENE, 3 rd Year Research Internship, Taiwan Experience Education Program, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan

Omair Ahmad Khan, B.Tech., ENE, 3rd Year Research Internship, Taiwan Expereince Education Program, Climate and Marine Environmental Change, Institute of Marine and Environment Ecology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan

Mansi Kohli, B.Tech., ME, 3rd Year Research Internship, DAAD WISE Scholarship, TU Dresden, Germany

Harshit Verma, B.Tech., COE, 2nd Year Internship, Summer Of Bitcoin

Tasneem Ahmed, B.Tech., IT, 1st Year Scholarship Recepient, Fast Retailing Scholarship Program, Tokyo, Japan

Chaitanya Roy, B.Tech., MCE, 1st Year Recepient, Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship, Reliance Foundation

Recepient, LIC Golden Jubilee Scholarship

Soliloquy

Written and illustrated by Navya Singh, 2nd Year, EE

“What are you doing?”

I turn to look at my own face, slightly haggard and naïve, wearing an expression of shock on her face.

“Copying some kind soul’s assignment” I answer flatly.

She stares at the datesheet of my upcoming midsems stuck on my table and furrows her brows, “Don’t you have your exams in two weeks?”

“Yup”

“How many times have you completed your revision?”

“Well, I’ll start studying once I know what the syllabus is”

Her eyes look like they might pop out of their sockets.

“You don’t even know your syllabus yet? Do you even study anymore?”

I frown at her disapproval, “Hey, just ‘cause you’re studying all day doesn’t make you more responsible than me; guess which one of us is actually in DTU?” I ask, wiggling my brows at her.

Multiple emotions pass over her face; shock, admiration, anger and… was that a hint of happiness?

“W-we did it?”

“Yup, we did. Now shut up and let me copy this assignment”

She’s quiet for a while before she chirps up again, “What do you even do all day?”

I don’t really have an answer to that.

“You’ve got enough free time now to read all the books you wanted to read, clearly.” She says with a pointed expression towards my shameless copying of someone’s assignment, “Do you read?”

I try not to meet her eyes. The light that had lit her eyes when I told her of my college is slightly dimmed by my silence.

“What about painting? Surely you must paint. And our school friends? You guys still talk, right?”

I scramble to find words to soothe the disappointment starting to cloud her face but fail. Truth is I don’t know why I’m unable to finally be kinder to myself after those two herculean years of preparing for JEE. All that effort did get me into the college I always wished for, but it inevitably took some irreplaceable pieces of my being from me.

I can’t tell her the truth of how big of a daedalian web human emotions can spin. I can’t tell her that the things she hopes getting into DTU will help her achieve are practically unattainable. What I can do, however, is promise to be nicer to myself.

Enjoy While You Are At It

On a quest to find the perfect show to binge but only to end up scrolling through the platform’s library for hours? Well, it is rightly said that “Too much analysis can induce paralysis”. Sometimes, being presented with too many choices may land us in such a dilemma that we end up doing nothing.

Moreover, this ironic situation manifests even more dramatically in the lives of students with the newly adorned ‘college freshers’ tag. After spending a long time amidst inanimate books and rigorous coaching classes, getting bombarded with options at every step can overwhelm anyone. From day 1, freshers get confused about whether to take the easiest FEC to score in or the one chosen by most of their friends. From selecting the right clothes for Engifest, to finding the most appealing item on the canteen’s menu, the list goes on and on.

So, hardly anyone can deny that the only ubiquitous situation experienced by everyone in college is choosing one option over multiple others. Is that a problem? Maybe not! Biting more than what you can chew is an inevitable and sometimes fun part of being in college. Instead of feeling swamped by possibilities, you should go for the one that makes the most sense (without landing you in trouble, of course) and make the most out of it. After all, no matter what you choose, the mere reminiscence of those days is exactly what’s going to help you sail past the more gloomy ones.

Hence, rather than worrying about the road not taken, enjoy the one you are traversing on!

Sameeksha, 2nd Year, MCE Illustration by Nafisa Ruheen, 3rd Year, B.Des.

Share an interesting or funny story related to the topic to encourage others to share their own experiences and create a connection. For example, in a group discussion about traveling, share a funny travel mishap and add some humorous stickers/ memes/gifs to make it even more engaging.

Spot someone with similar interests or hobbies, and use it as a conversation starter. For example, if you see someone reading a book by your favorite author, approach them and say, “I love that author too! Have you read any other books by them?”

Initiate conversation by discussing shared experiences like attending an event or class. Ask for opinions or thoughts. For example, after a lecture, say, “Insightful talk, right? Speaker was unusual though.” Observe their reaction to engage further, as it can spark a conversation.

STRATEGY ONE: INDUCED CONVERSATION

Initiate conversation by genuinely complimenting something you admire about the person. For example, if you notice a unique necklace, say, “Cool sneakers man! It has such a stylish vibe, Where did you find it?” This approach can be used for clothing, hairstyle, or any item.

GAME OVER NEW GAME START STOP

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO APPROACH NEW PEOPLE IN UNIVERSITY

GAME OVER NEW GAME START STOP

STRATEGY TWO: ON CUE CONVERSATION

If you’re in a new city or town, discuss local attractions, restaurants, or landmarks. Ask for suggestions or share your own experiences.Especially if you are from outside of Delhi and exploring this new city. Approach a classmate from Delhi and say, “I’m new in town. Do you have any recommendations for the best places to eat around here? Any hidden gems?”

Engage in conversation about the current environment, like a café, park, or library. Ask for recommendations or opinions about the place. For example, if you’re at nescafé/hpmc/micmac/ canteen, ask people nearby about their favorite items on the menu or what they think the place serves best.

Comment on the surroundings or a whimsical situation nearby. Make a humorous remark to a nearby person, saying, “Can you believe what we’re seeing? Any thoughts on what’s going on there?”, create a light-hearted moment together.

If you have a mutual friend, ask them to introduce you to the person you want to approach. This can help break the ice and make the introduction more comfortable.

YOU AND ME AND STEVE:

Sara Sanwal, 3rd Year, B.Des. Design by Mahatva Anand, 2nd Year, B.Des. Illustration by Joshna, 2nd Year, B.Des.

कॉलेज परिवेश

व्क्तिगत विकञास, विशेष्य अन्षण तर्ञा सञामञाजजक अिसरो जैसे सकञारञात्मक पहलुओ को पहिञानने से उत्ञाह और प्रेरणञा की िञािनञा को बढ़ञातञा है तर्ञा अकञादत्मक

The Emotional Rollercoaster

Gurashima Kaur, 2nd Year, B.Des. Illustration by Saurabh Sharma, 4th Year, B.Des.

As I opened my eyes and saw the bright sunlight streaming through my window, it hit me like a ton of bricks: I was no longer a school student.

I peeled myself out of bed and found my mind in a state of frenzied chaos. I was darting between my thoughts of elation, apprehension, and a persistent need to check and recheck my course schedule. Will I be able to find my classes? Will I make friends or find myself languishing in a sea of socially inept students? The possibilities were endless, and not exactly comforting. These thoughts buzzed about my head like a swarm of bees, each competing for my attention and causing me to feel simultaneously giddy and overwhelmed.

As I got dressed, the true dilemma emerged: what on earth should I wear? I rummaged through my closet, trying on different combinations of clothes as if I was writing a computer code. I finally settled on a perfect ensemble. Clutching my backpack, I decided to venture out and conquer my fears.

The moment I reached my college campus, a medley of emotions danced upon my quivering lips. Anxiety, anticipation, and a hint of bewildered excitement. My heart fluttered like a trapped bird. I trudged towards the entrance gates, each step a precipice leading me further into the abyss of academia. My nerves played a frenetic symphony within me.

I had a mental picture of myself wandering around campus, muttering “left, right, no, wait, left,” like some kind of dyslexic marching band. But as I glanced around, I saw a sea of anxious faces. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie. The tumultuous swirl of emotions was drowned out by the sound ofhundreds of other freshers, all experiencing the same flurry of emotions.

I stood there for a moment to wonder about today. This instant, I embark upon a journey, a rite of passage, one that would either shape me into an erudite scholar or leave me lost amidst a labyrinth of textbooks and bad canteen food. What grand spectacle awaited me in this academic extravaganza?

Identifying Ithaca

There is more than one way to say this, but none that might convey this simple matter-of-fact thought I had the first time I visited DTU. This place was soulless. Everything felt extreme — trying to convey the monstrosity of university life by the colossal sheerness of the buildings, by their lifeless limbs gouged into boxes with iron-framed windows, by the circularity of every road which always looked clean-licked, recently tarred but at the same time barricaded, making a mockery of our walking feet. It felt like I was an isolated cotton plug bouncing off the surface of an uncleaned ashtray. I felt something was amiss, like an essential organ, that due to a strange subconscious law, it must have, yet it lacked at its very core.

But that’s when you hear that one soft, gentle thud. You look to your side to the person next to you who has just banged his head against the desk, partly from boredom and partly from being confined to sitting for too long for a long lecture. And somehow, it’s not an intrusion, but a welcoming distraction. The view alters when no amount of concrete could ever possibly make you not pet a cat on the staircase or stop a burst of laughter. The enormity becomes less scary when you walk these halls with interlocked arms, or a sense of achievement when you are able to reach your classroom without asking anyone. The coin starts to fade. It gives way.

Looking back I think I was the one who misinterpreted the solitude of DTU as something empty and soulless. It was never soulless. Instead, it was unique how you can easily disassociate yourself, set boundaries, give as much as you want, when you want, and take as little as you like. There is a line between being isolated and being individualistic. And it took me some time to realize that whatever was happening, all this exhaustion and fear, was encouraging me to be an individual, to stand on my own two feet. The emptiness around me became rather a place of my own, to build my own path, to gather my own thoughts, and to live on my own terms. And somewhere down the line, I began to like it.

A Day in the life of a Day Scholar

Siddarth Malik, 3rd Year, BT Yash Chaturvedi, 2nd Year, MCE

The daily routine of a college day scholar begins with the shock of leaving the cozy, dark comfort of one’s room to face a bustling household bathed in sunlight. This transition to the chaos of the day never feels heroic, but rather a battle against societal and educational expectations. This battle continues in the oppressive summer heat that feels like a punishment, as one heads to the metro station for a 28-station journey to Samaypur Badli.

The metro ride, although never empty, offers a moment of respite as it signifies conquering 30% of the looming day. Amidst the constant shuffle of passengers boarding and alighting, finding a seat becomes a victory against being pushed around. The journey is shared with fellow workers, students, and travellers, creating an atmosphere of familiarity and silent camaraderie.

After enduring a sweltering e-rickshaw ride from the metro station to college, four hours of classes follow. Emerging into the Delhi air, brief exchanges with acquaintances occur before the routine moves to the open-air theatre (OAT) where students gather for refreshments and casual conversation. The challenge of an hour-and-a-half commute back home lingers in the back of the mind, but is momentarily forgotten in the pleasant distraction of the lush college campus.

Despite the lure of home-cooked food and a personal bed, the charm of college life urges one to linger. As the day ends, students return to the metro, sharing stories about their day, creating a reservoir of infinite conversations. Each day, though tiring, has its unique happenings which make it interesting. Being a day scholar is challenging, but far from monotonous, painting vivid colours of adventure and growth into daily life.

Illustration by Ayan Khajuria, 2nd Year, MCE

Illustration by Ayan Khajuria, 2nd Year, MCE

If these benches could talk

As the clock tower looked down on the shimmering fountain waters, he ran across the OAT, hurriedly climbing up the steep stairs of the mega structure towards a bench to wrap things up. Having two humongous assignments to submit before 3 o’clock, and the May sun to battle with, he could have kept from this peril if not for listening to just one more song. And yet he was, still humming this absolute rocker from Survivor, which was more relevant now than ever, ‘just a man and his will to survive’. Solving the 20 questions was beyond an option, as he copied the solutions, convincing himself that he would practise them later. Taking out time for looking around was not an option but as he scribbled with all his might, he realised that there were two sounds of pens scratching the papyrus.

This girl, of the same class as him, who would win over all with her grades was right there, facing the same trouble that plagued him. “Was she also listening to ‘Eye of the Tiger’ last night?”, he jokingly thought. They exchanged solutions before finally remembering to exchange pleasantries as well. “I’m so glad that you were here next to me or I’d have surely got a B”,

he said. “It’s really mutual”, she said with a smile, “I wouldn’t have really got anything better.” He said, “Let me know how it went after you’re done; right here at this bench?” She gleefully nodded. The enduring hour went by. He walked out of the room with cold feet, his sleep-deprived eyes barely staying open, and the song still playing in his head louder than ever. After a terrible viva, the little hope he had of securing a decent grade was gone. He got himself seated on the bench, as he had promised. He questioned him sitting there as she would have fared far better.

He shook his head, gave a sigh of disappointment, and just as he was getting up, “Hey, how did it go?”, the beaming voice stopped him. He looked back, “It’d be good if I don’t talk about it.” She paused to realise what had transpired, and said, “Hmm, same here. It just could not have gone any worse”, as she lied, after having performed better than anyone could. “Perhaps blowing the steam off a coffee would help, don’t you think?”, she said with an endearing smile, as his eyes met hers...

Dheeresh Chandra, 3rd Year, MCE and Bilal Khan, 3rd Year, MCE

THE ORDERED MESS

Life is what we make of it. On one of the most defining crossroads of your life, here you stand today; having budded from what you were, into what you desire to become. Innumerable paths and checkpoints are yet to come, better with every level. The crossroads you’re at, friends, is what they call ‘the golden days of college life’.

Sprouting out energetically from the shell of childhood, you feel liberated from all control and supervision. To a very large extent nevertheless, it is not now that you’d become the master of your destiny. There’s still a long way to go through the journey called life.

You come to college to not only learn, but to satisfy your creative thirst. You’ve had been learning that all your school life, haven’t you? Now it’s time to widen your horizon. The setting is brighter when you hop on the wagon called college societies and tread the path with like-minded people. Seniors, juniors, all alike. You’ve made it to here, it’s now time to cut yourself some slack, catch a break and enjoy with your interests and academics, all balanced out. And trust me, when you join one, you’re not gonna regret it.

The canvas of life you’re recklessly doodling on, now seeks to orient itself in a definite order; more diligently carved and precariously taken care of. As you steer clear through a period of reckless childhood to enter into a more ordered adulthood, DTU welcomes you to rejoice this time of your life, that they dearly refer to as the ‘ordered mess’.

With things falling apart and some other falling right into place, you’ll learn how to put it all together. With pending assignments day in and day out and exams always around the corner, you’ll learn to get it done, with time. After all, you can trust when your seniors would say that you are gonna love the ‘ordered mess’ at DTU.

Illustration by Akshata Prasad, 3rd Year, B.Des.

Anshita Garg, 3rd Year, COE & Daksh Khandelwal, 2nd Year, ECE