Indian Institute of Students

"This is one of the films that sticks around in our heads for long. Though the film is complete, a trifle sense of something left out makes us all cringe and look for answers, which are quite oblivious to us." 15th April, 2016 was an eventful day for King Khan's fans- it was a red letter day for all of his admirers and well-wishers. This is no big secret: after all, a film that he termed as "very special" and "unique" was slated to be released on that day. Shah Rukh's fan clubs all over the country moved in groups and mass-purchased tickets to the first day, first show premiere of Khan's latest flick, "Fan". Much has been said that the lead character in Fan has similar traits to Rahul Mehra (played by SRK, again) in Darr. We'd like to put those rumors to rest: Fan is an extremely delightful watch for people of all age groups. It is a thriller, but quite unconventional from the rest. Warning: Spoilers ahead! The protag...

It is pleasing to learn that despite immense odds stacked against them, the West Indian players have proved their worth, and lifted the coveted World T20 trophy. It is surprising that the team has had, at one point, to combat speculations of their participation in the tournament. The players not only put to exhibition their skill in the game, but also lampooned the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) in a series of post-match interviews. It is deplorable that the West Indian Cricket Board played a game of politics with the best talents of the Caribbean nations. The feud between the players and the board has escalated to such a level that DJ Bravo, former captain of the West Indian ODI cricket team, commented that the team received more support from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) than the WICB.      West Indies has in recent years, plunged to the very bottom of the international rankings. The West Indian Cricket Board appointed a inferior (casually re...

The recent flyover collapse in the heart of Kolkata has generated much hype among people. While the loss of lives is tragic indeed and it would be generic to say that our prayers are with the bereaved families, there is an unexplored, dormant facet that needs some serious introspection. It is an issue that has got media mentions, but (unfortunately enough) failed to garner enough attention to wipe out the plaguing problem. The syndicate business is one of the most lucrative business in Bengal for anyone with political affiliations with the ruling party. That explains how Rajat Bakshi, an aide of the local Trinamool leader Sanjay Bakshi, got his hands into the construction team for the Vivekananda flyover. The menace has been there for a long time, and looks set for an exponential boom without any stringent checks in place. For starters, 'syndicate' means an organization to promote a common interest. In the context of Bengal, it is the construction syndicates that is wide...

Unless you've been living under a rock, you must have heard of the furore about the Jawaharlal Nehru University ruckus being played out at the heart of Delhi. The upheaval over the purportedly "anti-national" comments being made at the JNU campus is to me, justified. It is really tragic that today's so-called students (really?) have resorted to eulogizing blacklisted terrorists for political purposes. As pointed out by a reputable debate show, politicians have objectified this incident as a latch for them to lambaste the ruling government; and an opportunity to join the "BJP doesn't own patriotism" bandwagon. Mind you, these are all for petty short-term gains: no one is righteous enough to call the spade a spade. The JNU Campus, Mehrauli, New Delhi It is, no doubt, disheartening to see the young guns of the nations fire up such controversial salvos every now and then. However, what is irritating is the fact that the opposition have overwhelmingly ...

Recent developments in the political scenario does not point to tranquility, it shows us the obverse. The Central Government has been accused with one of the most undignified allegation of fanning communal hatred among sections. And one of the most vehement, unrelenting critic is the Congress, which seems to be rather justified in its "protest" against the rift that the present government is trying to create. People have witnessed mud-slinging amongst the political parties, and loyalist SRK fans have been bewildered to hear their idol labelled a "Pakistani agent". There has been a lot of highs and lows, a lot of drama, and a pinch of sincere worry between this meddle. However, one burning question remains: should the people be allowed to have beef? (pun intended) I commend the  Delhi High Court's decision to quash a PIL  seeking a ban on the sale of beef and cow slaughter last week. I might just have been prosecuted for seditious propaganda, had the much-...

And the results are clear as light: the Trinamul Congress has once again swept the polls.  This picture by a photojournalist for The Telegraph sums it up all.  The move by the former State Election Commissioner, S.R. Upadhaya to defer the counting of votes for the Biddhannagar polls was appreciable. It was an indirect admission to the fact that the elections were far from free and fair. Although such practices are not new in the state where rigging has been known for decades, it was perhaps the first time that brute force was employed by a party to secure a clean sweep in the corporation polls. It was shocking to read from the reports of some newspapers, how the "foot soldiers" were paid an amount to account for the fake votes. It brings great dismay to learn that this is unfortunately the reality in ground-zero.  However, what is more appalling was the appointment of a temporary election commissioner, Alapan Bandyopadhyay. It is disturbing to learn th...

Recently, Presidency University students took to gherao the esteemed university's vice chancellor, Dr. Anuradha Lohia. As appropriately pointed out by Mr. Swapan Chakbraborty, a professor of the university, there was allegedly no valid basis for the agitation. The University Chancellor, the Honorable Governor of Bengal, Keshari Nath Tripathi was justified in his remark that students attend the university to study, and not to "stage a protest". However, this word of caution has fallen upon the deaf ears of many students who feel their demand for the resignation of Dr. Lohia must be met at the moment. If there is a constitutional right to protest, then there is also a constitutional obligation to observe it peacefully. This trend of taking hostage university officials to enforce their biased demands by students of today is downright wrong. This is detrimental to the already tensed-up educational atmosphere of the state. Do the students not realize that defacing the i...