A talk with the CoStAAn, Department of CCTV

Posted on March 15, 2012 by AEP

The AEP caught up with Samvit Majumdar, the coordinator of the department of CCTV, to know more about their role in APOGEE 2012.

APOGEE is nearly upon us now, but the work that went into it started quite a while ago. Apart from the obvious, APOGEE differs from Oasis and BOSM in the way that that it has a large number of online events, which are targeted at a far larger population than just BITSians. Hence it is of paramount importance that we have a fully functional interface which can be effectively used for online registration and participation much before the actual fest begins, and this is where, the department of CCTV steps in.

The APOGEE 2012 website has been designed by the Department of CCTV, and needless to say, they have certainly done a very good job with it. The website looks stunning yet professional and is very easy to use and navigate around as well. It has all the information one would need – be it details about events, workshops, registration procedure et al.  Also, the response this APOGEE seems to have been very encouraging, and we’re in for a bigger and better APOGEE, if the number of online registrations is anything to go by, feels Samvit.

CCTV along with the Department of Informalz, also organized the theme based online riddle solving event, Lacuna. It was developed into a regular Facebook app by CCTV which one could play after registering online, making it easy for everyone to participate. It consisted of three levels, where in one was supposed to maneuver a character through fires, jump over obstacles, and in this manner, move from one riddle to the next. Lacuna turned out to be a grand success, with more than 1200 people participating.

They have certainly set high standards in terms of the website and Lacuna and deserve all the praise coming their way. With that a large part of their work is complete. However we cannot refute the fact that they still remain an integral part of the fest while it lasts.

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Ob-la-di… ob-la-da…

Posted on March 14, 2012 by AEP

At the mention of ‘Mithali’, APOGEE’s cultural extravaganza,  Music Club Secretary Ayush P Vohra beams with excitement. On being prodded about the club and its activities during the technical festival, he elaborates-

AEP: The Music Club has performances year-round. What’s in store for audiences this APOGEE?
Vohra: Unlike Oasis, we do not host any competitive events during APOGEE. Our main function is performing in Mithali. The songs performed are done so with intricate detail, the result of intense practice pre-APOGEE.

AEP: Could you give us an idea of the kind of music that we will hear in Mithali?
Vohra: We are performing eight instrumentally and vocally challenging songs. We have tried to include music of various genres – including AR Rahman’s ‘Chalka Chalka Re’ from the movie Saathiya, Rush’s ‘The Spirit of the Radio’ and a song by the Indian alternative rock band, Avial.

AEP: Just over a week to go, is the preparation going as per schedule? How are the first years handling their first Mithali?
Vohra: The preparation is going well. The songs are divided instrumentally and time slots are allotted for each instrumentalist to pick up their parts. The juniors are enthusiastic. Mithali is viewed as a learning opportunity because of the elevated intensity of practice and performance. Juniors are surprised at the amount of work that goes into getting a song ready for performing on the Mithali stage.
[Joint Secretary quip: And the secretary is working his butt off.]
Vohra: The last week means increased practice, hard work and attention to detail. The two days preceding Mithali will be dedicated to run-throughs.

AEP: Are there any particular concerns you have about the performance this APOGEE?
Vohra: The music club schedule has been hectic this semester. The time for Mithali practices was shorter than in previous years. A lot of work has been done in very little time. The coming week will be all about refining the sound quality of our music.

AEP: The mime and dance clubs perform in Mithali as well. Does the Music Club view the show as a competition?
Vohra: Mime, dance and music are completely different art forms. All three clubs do a fantastic job in Mithali and we hope to make our mark.

AEP: The music club hosts and competes in events during Oasis, but not in APOGEE. As a member of the music club, do you prefer one fest over the other?
Vohra: The function of the Music Club in Oasis and Apogee take on different angles. Oasis, being a cultural fest, allows a larger competitive involvement for the club. However, the songs we perform for Mithali are as musically challenging as those we do for Oasis. As a fest, however, Oasis has more music around; it is focused on cultural elements unlike APOGEE, where Mithali is the sole show of music.

AEP: Any message for the BITSian populace?
Vohra: We hope the audience enjoys Mithali 2012. We are trying to cover as many genres of music (including fusion, progressive rock and so on) as we can in our various performances through the year; hopefully this will encourage people to expand their playlists to include all kinds of music.

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Backstage stays true to its roots..

Posted on March 14, 2012 by AEP
Hailing from a rich legacy of lieges such as Harsh ‘Kaalia’ Agarwal and our indigenous Kaustav Mohanty, the present Backstage coordinator Kunal Sharma speaks with an effortless nonchalance that is inherently “Backstage.”
As a minor APOGEE department Backstage is responsible for managing the auditorium before and during the fest, a task which includes handling everything from the chief guest to the inauguration. Responding to the call of his alma mater, Mani Shankar, an ex-BITSian film maker who has motion pictures like Mukhbir and 16 December to his credit, is the chief guest that Backstage has zeroed in on.
Backstage’s other main job, creating structures for certain high-profile Auditorium events, is also being amply dealt with. Armed with his sixteen minions (read first years) and a rather reluctant second year, this Bihar board topper hopes to set the stage ablaze with his structures for Brain of BITS (B.O.B.) and Overhead Transmission (O.H.T.). The intended grand reveal for B.O.B. has a fluorescent cross under spotlights as its first sight, followed by a coffin and personalised gravestones for each of the six participants. The stage for O.H.T. will be casino themed, with a gigantic roulette wheel, playing cards, chips and dice being the proposed structures. Apart from this, Backstage is actively involved in organising various events that occur in the auditorium throughout the festival. .
Though APOGEE has had a positive outlook so far, certain grievances do exist, with the main concern this year being a lack of funding for Backstage’s structures.. The budget is half of what it was last year, and stringent measures have been taken to ensure that it does not exceed the stipulated amount – measures like replacing iron with thermocol in some of the structures. Sadly, this has lead to a serious reduction in the overall quality. For APOGEE and the BITSian populace as a whole, this has translated into a relative fall in the quality of speakers and judges.
Signing off, Kunal becomes misty eyed as he recounts his first Oasis as a part of Backstage. Reminiscing, who would have fathomed that the same shiny –faced and doe eyed child would one day go on to lead the department.
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DoPy’s big plan to augment SU’s coffers

Posted on March 14, 2012 by AEP

The Department of Photography, better known as DoPy is one of the few departments that work for all the three fests, and one tends to think that it’s always the same routine all over again – the insane number of people moving around with their cameras pestering you to take a photo. While traditional practices shall definitely be the norm, we heard that there may be a few tweaks in what they have to offer this time around. So, we at the AEP caught up with Kavya Yarlagadda, the DoPy co-ord for APOGEE 2012, to find out their plans.

First up, Kavya let us know that the much awaited online portal would be up and running before APOGEE. Despite the multitude of road blocks that they’ve encountered in the past two semesters, Kavya explained that once up, the online portal will allow customers to download the soft copy of the photos they have ordered (in hard copy) using their Zimbra ID and password. She feels that this is a logical step forward for the department considering the social networking boom, and will obviously play a major role in re- inventing DoPy’s role on campus.

Their ultimate aim is clear – a dominant shift to the promising world of digital media, while retaining their present line of work as well, as DoPy snaps are a part of a BITSian’s legacy.

Also, Kavya seems very excited about the ‘U-Shirts’ that they plan to bring out after this APOGEE.  She explained that a U-Shirt is a fully customizable shirt, where any person can give in a design of their choice – whether it is a personal idea, or a themed t-shirt for wings and friend groups. Also, the department plans to eventually expand the functionality of the portal to engage in the promotion and sale of U-Shirts. Details regarding them will be put up shortly, she says.

DoPy seems to have a lot lined up for this APOGEE. Previous trials of new merchandise by the department have been met with tremendous success from the BITSian public. Kavya and the SU hope that this time is no different, especially considering the money crunch the past few fests have faced.

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Poetry Club

Posted on March 14, 2012 by AEP

“A poet looks at the world the way a man looks at a woman.”

– Wallace Stevens

Even those lacking the burning desire to burst into poetic song (a startling majority in our college, supposedly) whenever pensive will admit, albeit grudgingly, some truth in the claim made above. While the reason for this indifference is debatable, a group of budding poets are trying their utmost to spread their love for the sonnet this APOGEE.

The Poetry Club will be presenting three events, and coordinator Ishan Chegu has his fingers crossed for a much better response this time round.

Between the Lines is a poetry interpretation competition, wherein participants with a deep understanding of the poems given will be the strongest contenders. The poems will be penned by members of the club itself to ensure that contestants apply a little more than their googling skills in the competition. A Poetry Quiz will also be conducted, and promises to test if you know your bards and odes. But the coord assures us that it will have something for all levels of poets.

Finally, Poetic Warfare is more or less the Poetry Club’s kernel event, and is, to quote the coord,’ A lot like rap wars, but without the attitude.’ It’s basically a chain poetry writing competition, but a lot more than your rhymes will be judged. Ultimately, the most meaningful poems will walk away with the proverbial spoils.

So with a lot of ballad packed into this edition of our Techfest, here’s hoping a lot more people discover and embrace their inner Longfellow’s as well.

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Renewable Energy Club (REC) – They innovate rather than emulate.

Posted on March 14, 2012 by AEP

The Renewable Energy Club was started 3 years ago by Harsh Sinha, a higher degree student back then. Today the Renewable Energy Club with about 30 members is a growing organisation in BITS Pilani. Chirag Agarwal, the co-ordinator of the Renewable Energy Club gave us a little insight into their plans and activities for this APOGEE.

The club’s main agenda this APOGEE is the projects. Five projects through the club have been shortlisted for the finals. The projects include a couple of interesting ideas and innovations. If their objective to produce shoes which can generate electricity isn’t impressive enough, they also intend to reduce the costs involved in producing solar panels. Every traveller’s worry can be solved if they’re successful in their effort to create the Radio Frequency (RF) energy harvester, a gadget which can charge cell phones using RF radiations.

As he happily expressed his satisfaction with their efforts towards each of the projects, he was quick to add the fact that a sufficient budget helped their cause to a great extent. Though this APOGEE has been marred by a lot of doubts regarding its execution due to the construction work on campus, he believes that it will indeed be a really successful fest. While the high quality of the selected projects and the way each of them was scrutinised were a part of the reason for his optimism, the immense publicity generated through the pre-APOGEE extravaganza was also a huge factor. Signing off, he urged the general BITSian populace to participate in as many events and project presentations as possible. We wish them good luck for APOGEE 2012 and also for their future endeavours.

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Matrix – the film and literature society

Posted on March 13, 2012 by AEP



The APOGEE English Press caught up with Saranya, the coordinator of MATRIX (the club of film and literature enthusiasts), for a chat on the usual – their upcoming events and views on APOGEE 2012.

This time around, Matrix will be conducting 3 events during APOGEE:

How It Should Have Ended :

This is an online event in which the participants will be allowed to give alternative endings to famous books and movies like Harry Potter and Inception. 5 movies, 5 books and one TV series will be given for the participants to choose from. One can enjoy the feeling of being in the shoes of their favourite authors and directors.

Comic Writing :

We all spends hours on 9gag. Matrix gives us an opportunity to use all that experience by conducting a comic writing contest. To all the witty folks out there don’t let this one pass.

Mythology Quiz :

A traditional quiz among the plethora of quizzes that is conducted every APOGEE, ‘Mythology quiz’ has carved out a niche for itself over the years. Owing to its theme and the quality of questions, every year it is a crowd-puller. Matrix promises not to disappoint this time around either.

A satisfied coordinator, Saranya said that she was quite happy with the enthusiasm shown and that work was progressing as planned. She was pleased with her workforce of about 30 people (of whom 15 are first-yearites), and claimed that every one of them was contributing to make their events a grand success. She also had no complaints what so ever about the budget granted to them. In fact she was quick to point out that it was more than sufficient since they were conducting only three events.

Saranya is confident of a successful APOGEE though there are a lot of concerns regarding this year’s fest, mainly due to the construction work going on in the campus. She believes that the quality of events will either remain the same or go a notch higher this time around and it’s only the logistics one has to worry about. She signed off by urging all the BITSians to attend as many events as possible.

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Dance Club

Posted on March 13, 2012 by AEP

BITS-Pilani’s Dance Club is well-known for putting up good performances at the Inauguration of most fests that we have.

This year the coordinator of the club, Rama Kant promises no less entertainment than before. At the present dance club consists about forty members with a passion for dance, evident in every performance that the club gives. The recent addition of four new recruits has given the club an impetus to bring in more variety to their usual dances.  They seem to be putting in an immense amount of effort to ensure a flawless performance on D-Day.

The club seems to be satisfied with the budget allotted to them. The coordinator asks to expect a few this Apogee as they have included several colourful props. Also another refreshing change is that they have managed to incorporate a theme in several of their dances. They will be performing four dances this time (one more than in OASIS).  They are also going to perform during Mithali, the cultural night of Apogee. Tight-lipped as he was, the co-ord refused to disclose any more information about the themes and the dances. Sit and back wait, is the apparent mantra of the day.

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Nirmaan hopes for a successful APOGEE

Posted on March 13, 2012 by AEP

Established by a group of BITSians under the name of My India, Nirmaan has grown into a tremendous organization, providing educational and employment opportunities to the poor across India. But Pilani is where it all began.

Having more than 70 active volunteers, Nirmaan’s pre-APOGEE work consisted of a hugely successful lecture by the immensely popular Dr. HC Verma, which was a tie-in with NSS. For APOGEE, Nirmaan is organizing Dhiti, a kernel event (in collaboration with NSS again), and India Quiz. For Dhiti, the organization collected problem statements from various NGOs and put them up for display. These problem statements mainly consist of issues plaguing the country, and participants are expected to fabricate efficient solutions to these problems. The event consists of 4 phases, with 3 of those already having been conducted. The first phase consisted of abstracts being submitted by the participants. Teams were narrowed down to around 10 in the next two phases, with the help of telephonic interviews. These top teams will come to campus and present their projects in front of the judges. The top two teams will be declared winners, and Nirmaan will help them along with the NGOs to implement the ideas. The other solutions will also be passed onto the NGOs.

Nirmaan has a minimal budget for APOGEE; the only money involved is in getting the quizmasters for India Quiz and other travel fares. Their main source of funds is their one rupee a day signing, a program which ended just a week ago.

While generally being happy with their preparations this APOGEE, Venkat M was slightly disappointed that Sanskriti, another event that Nirmaan was going to conduct as value addition to the fest, was called off due to lack of funds. Also, the fact that C-Lawns basically resembles a crater these days means that Nirmaan is unlikely to have a stall set up this APOGEE.

When asked the generic question viz. Apogee or Oasis, Venkat M said that for Nirmaan, Oasis is a bigger market as it brings more stall sales. As a general message to the BITSian junta, Venkat M wants everyone to read their newsletter and get to know their organization better, and also to come for their events. The AEP wishes them the best of luck for their endeavours this APOGEE.

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Department of Publications & Correspondence, Apogee

Posted on March 13, 2012 by AEP

Undoubtedly, a lot of sweat goes into the planning of a festival as large as APOGEE, and a lot of gears need to lock together for it to run noiselessly. An integral cog in this wheel is the Department of PCr Apogee, responsible for the crucial task of getting the participation. With a jaw dropping 10k calls made and 75k on the mailing list, this department strives to ensure that each iteration is bigger than the previous one. They conduct talks in other colleges on the festival, handing out invitations as well as publicizing it through various other portals like newsletters and the internet. Every couple of years, the college list is modified to increase the participation. They also design identification cards, certificates and souvenirs to make the participants’ journey that much more memorable.

‘The online registration has greatly increased this year’, shared an upbeat coordinator Stavan Patel, ‘but you can’t be sure how many will actually turn up, so my fingers are crossed.’ He cited some 7k odd online registrations, stating that only around 800 were expected to actually make the journey down to Pilani. Expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of support from the Institute, he complained about the imposed restrictions on the accommodation which were limiting the participation this time round. Stavan also explained how his department has tried to publicize specific events to ensure each one gets its due attention, and assured that the kernel events would be bigger this time, thanks to a whole lot of registrations.

To conclude with, Stavan remarks how Apogee, though on par with other technical festivals of the country, doesn’t get its due from the Bitsian’s themselves, a lot of whom choose to take off elsewhere over the period of these 5 days.

On a positive note though, here’s hoping that this time’s Apogee finds more takers back home.

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