What was your first impression of BRCA?
When I came to IITD, I was pretty clueless about the college. Most of my friends had an idea about the numerous boards and the activities they conducted but I did not have much exposure to this culture. When my hostel representatives introduced us to the plethora of clubs, I felt the need to take part and engage in them. I tried out various cultural and sports activities, and developed an interest in a few of them, like PFC.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The best piece of advice I've ever received is that you should always give your best, even if you're hesitant in trying out something new. When I was the cultural secretary of my hostel or the PFC representative, I always encouraged freshers to take part in various competitions and try out different clubs, even if they didn't have much exposure in that field. You have to dedicate some time, but eventually, this is what will help you figure out your interests and chalk your future. And more importantly, you'll never carry the regrets of not trying something out.
What encouraged you to be a part of BRCA?
I first became involved in the activities of BRCA because one of my hostel reps encouraged me to take part in an event. It was made compulsory to attend the first workshop for every club, to acquaint the freshers with the activities, hostel events and the club seniors. I gradually took part in numerous events and got a taste of all the clubs. The first workshop I attended was of the photography and films club (PFC), and we learnt about the basics of mobile photography. I enjoyed the event a lot, and thought this was a club I could be a part of.
You have been a PFC representative, the cultural secretary, the Director of PFC and also a Creative coordinator for Rendezvous. So how was your journey with BRCA, and when did you realise that you could lead the board?
My journey with BRCA has been great, and at every point of time I have learnt something new. We managed to pull off tasks that we never thought we could. For example, I was part of the creative team of Rendezvous 2022, and we had to create numerous posters and graphics. The entire team was working hard, and we finally managed to pull it off. It was a constant learning experience and I gained a lot from it. In fact, life at IIT Delhi is all about dealing with the workload, so taking part in these activities teaches us to deal with the pressures of life and how to manage time well. That's what BRCA is all about; it teaches us that everything is possible if we try hard enough. Somewhere along the lines, my leadership skills improved and I felt that I could lead the board by being the General Secretary.
What is BRCA doing on the PG representation front?
PG representation is an issue that every board has to work on. BRCA is planning to hold a PG orientation, which is a new initiative. It would be scheduled in August, and the main objective would be to increase the number of PG representatives and panel members in clubs. It would help the PG students connect more with the IITD culture and take part in more activities. We aim to organize 2-3 events specially for PG students, which would be focused on pushing forward their interaction and participation. Moreover, for involving any student into the board, it is necessary to organize some informal events and recreational activities to increase interest and enthusiasm. After this, we can go ahead with inter-hostel events and other competitions.
You mentioned in your manifesto that you plan to make Rendezvous a year-long event, with non-club activities conducted periodically. Why did you feel the need to do so, and what is your action plan regarding the same?
Currently, there is a hype about rendezvous a few months prior to the event, and it dies down after the fest. So if we conduct non-club specific activities periodically throughout the year under the banner of Rendezvous, we can keep the enthusiasm and the hype high. This project is still in the ideation stage, and we need to finalize the sponsors, type of events etc. By conducting these generic cultural events, we can also include the cultural secretaries of the hostels, who would take the lead. There are many particular points of interest in Rendezvous that can be extrapolated all year long. Moreover, this would be a great way to increase PG representation too, and familiarize them with BRCA.
Certain BRCA clubs like the literary or the music club are usually able to attract participation only from those who are already well-versed in the activity (like poets or writers for the lit club). How can we increase participation among the students and encourage them to explore these fields?
The recreational activities we plan to conduct will have a huge effect on this. For example, this year, we conducted By the Chai, which was a collaboration between the music and the lit club. These activities reveal the true potential of the clubs. The students get a chance to view brilliant performances, and the natural tendency is to take a seat and spectate. Since it's an informal event, there would not be any judging. This would encourage students to go ahead and participate, irrespective of their experience in the same. Students can just go and sing a song, even if they've never done so on stage before. Although, we do have to work more on increasing participation in these niche areas. For those who are not well versed with the activities of the club, or for those who are hesitant, we need to carefully curate events for the smooth transition of them into these clubs.
This year, IITD shifted from the online to the offline mode. What does that mean for BRCA and what new initiatives would this change bring about?
That's the best part this year, and this is how BRCA can show its true potential. Events that were conducted in the online mode so far, like the Tour of Stalls would be held offline. Moreover, the main events in BRCA night would be offline, and it would show the freshers the legacy of these clubs. Even Rendezvous would be held completely offline, and this would enable us to cross many milestones and unlock the huge potential of BRCA.
Any final message for the readers?
Again, similar to the best advice I've ever received, never be hesitant to try anything. If you need any help, reach out to your points of contact. The hostel reps, club secretaries and representatives and cultural secretaries would definitely be willing to help. You can even reach out to me if you need anything. Never be afraid to try something new, and don't let your insecurities stop you from exploring. If you never try, you'll never get to know more about various fields.
Interview by: Maathangi Anirudh
Design by: Prisha Jain, Shivam Jhanwar