YIF Yearbook 2021 | Tucked Frangipani

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YIF Yearbook

Tucked Frangipani The YIF Yearbook

Young India Fellowship Class of 2021

Introduction................................................................................. 01 Acknowledgement......................................................................... 02 Message from Chancellor................................................................ 03 Message from Vice-Chancellor......................................................... 03 Message from the Dean.................................................................. 04 Message from Founders.................................................................. 05 Meet the Admissions & Outreach Team.............................................. 10

Index

Meet the Programme Team.............................................................. 12 Meet the Faculties.......................................................................... 14 Snapshot of our Critical Writing journey............................................ 21 Meet the Fellows of the tenth cohort.................................................. 29 Meet the Committees of YIF 21......................................................... 61 Talent Corner............................................................................... 71 Gallery: Campus Edition................................................................. 102 Gallery: Zoom Edition.................................................................... 135 Support Staff................................................................................ 145 The Yearbook Team........................................................................ 148 A little space to scribble your memories.............................................. 151 YIF'21

Parting Note................................................................................. 153

YIF Co'21

YIF Co'21

1

Introduction

“The Fellowship Never Ends”

YIF'21

The Young India Fellowship Cohort of 2021 presents to you Tucked Frangipani our journey through a Yearbook that captures the essence of our community and celebrates the resilience of everybody who made the 2020-2021 YIF an incredible experience to live through and remember. This yearbook endeavours to captures memories frozen in time, events that brought people together in the strangest of ways, stories that sparked hope and humour albeit the distance, and the memories that may only be remembered again by opening the cover.

Hope you have a pleasant and beautiful time reading!

YIF Co'21

2 The idea of this yearbook is seeded in us by the visionary and pioneering Founders of the Young India Fellowship, they have constantly inspired us to proactively take up new challenges and taught us to find innovative ways to tackle problems and roadblocks to creating something that touches and inspires the lives of many. A seed needs proper nourishment to grow into a tree. Nothing substantial could have been achieved without the nurturing support and affection of the respected Dean of the Young India Fellowship, Aniha Brar, who based her trust in us. It gave us the courage to take up this project and it was her firm support that became the foundation stone of this yearbook.

We would also want to thank the YIF Admissions and Outreach Team, the Programme Team, the Career Development Office, the Office of Student Life and the Administrative staff was always there whenever we needed them. The information and resources they seamlessly provided were vital and also brought richness and lush vibrancy to this yearbook.

The magnificent and incredible flowers of the yearbook are the fellows of the Young India Fellowship 2021, the amount of co-operation and engagement we appropriated from the fellows in making this yearbook was overwhelming. They not only encouraged us at every step but their constructive feedback polished up the yearbook.

Acknowledgement

From the 'Makers of Modern India' to the 'Foundations of Leadership' we were blessed with several fruits of knowledge, each one having a unique flavour that led to an experience no less than a revelation for all of us. All the respected professors and teaching assistants have been a sustained source of enlightenment and inspiration for us. They enthusiastically assisted and collaborated with us in this project, they are truly the pillars of this yearbook.

Working on a yearbook is a daunting task and demands a lot of patience, dedication, and collaboration for the goal. As the roots lie below the ground and work constantly for the growth of the tree, we were very fortunate to have found such fellows who stuck to the cause and burnt the midnight oil whenever required. There were moments of despair but their sheer commitment towards the yearbook and their enthusiastic zeal brought this yearbook to a successful close.

We would also like to thank our dear friend Aman Jagdev for coming up with the name "Tucked Frangipani" for the a true blue Ashoka culture.

YYearbook, IF Co'21

YIF'21

Chancellor's & Vice-Chancellor's Message

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YIF'21

Rudrangshu Mukherjee

Chancellor, Ashoka University

This YIF cohort because all of you have had a very truncated Ashoka experience.

This is because of circumstances outside anyone’s control. In spite of this Ashoka has become part of your lives and will remain so. God bless all of you.

Malabika Sarkar

Vice-Chancellor, Ashoka University

To the graduating Young India Fellows of 2021, I wish you many hours of joy as you reflect on the transformative experience of the Fellowship, I congratulate you for building bonds in the midst of the Covid year, and I promise you an invitation to campus for an alumni gathering once the pandemic is truly behind us.

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Aniha Brar

Dean, Young India Fellowship

As the Young India Fellowship completes a decade, you have the distinction of being the 10th batch of the programme, so I would like to begin by congratulating you on the successful completion of this journey. And what a journey it has been! This year threw unprecedented challenges at all of us, and demanded more commitment, adaptability, and compassion from you than ever before. Many of you had to dig deep for courage and resilience, and still keep moving forward.

In a time like this, it has been gratifying to see the efforts that were made across the board - in supporting classmates, engaging with the courses and faculty, working on your projects, and adjusting to changed circumstances. So many of you were able to create value not just for yourselves, but also for the wider community that you were engaged with. So while we could not celebrate in person, I hope you will take a moment to celebrate all that you learned, all that you were able to give back, and the friendships formed over the course of the year.

Dean's Message

Dear Class of 2021

We are now at the end of our formal time together, but I am sure that we will stay connected and engaged in the years ahead.

As we say often in the programme, the "Fellowship Never Ends". You are now poised to join the community of YIF alumni and step out into the wider world. I wish you much success and happiness in all your endeavours - as always, I (and the programme team) will be cheering you on from the sidelines :).

With Warm Regards Aniha Brar

YIF'21

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Pramath Sinha

Founder's Message

Founder & Trustee, Ashoka University Founder, Harappa Education

YIF'21

Dear Class of 2021, What a year! I have always maintained that every year of the YIF is unique. Every year we have some firsts, we stop what we were doing earlier, we start something anew. In fact, since inception, it is in the DNA of the YIF that each year be fresh and vibrant. But, who would have ever imagined that in its 10th year YIF will have an entire year with no on-campus classes!

You have redefined the YIF—by showing us how this program can be experienced entirely online. Yes, you have a right to be disappointed that you did not get to spend more time on campus and meet any of your professors in person. Given that there was little you could have done about it, your resilience, conduct and attitude through this once-in-a-century pandemic has been commendable.

Congratulations on showing the way, kudos for living the YIF’s values in a tough year and all the very best for the future. Remember YIF is not only about the one year on campus, but also a Fellowship for life. The Fellowship never ends! So what if this year was not what you expected, you now have bragging rights for life!

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Vineet Gupta Founder & Trustee, Ashoka University Founder, Jamboree

Founder's Message

I am delighted and honoured to send a message to the tenth cohort of the Young India Fellowship.

You all navigated the fellowship in what has without argument been one of the toughest years for humanity. Tough times build character and resilience. I am sure this experience at the fellowship is not what you may have imagined but it may turn out to be the most pivotal experience of your life. The fellowship expands on your leadership and self-transformation and motivates you to go beyond your circumstances to make the world a better place. I hope that each of you will carry this mission of the fellowship forward. I would urge you to not only do good to yourselves but also do good for the world. The world and society offer many opportunities to do both together and as a Young India Fellow, I would not expect anything else from any of you. So go out, build great careers and change the world.

YIF'21

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Amit Chandra

Founder's Message

Founder, Ashoka University Chairperson, Bain Capital India Office Every year, since the inception of YIF, I’ve had the joy of personally meeting a part of the Young India Fellowship class. The settings have varied – classroom talks on topics of mutual interest; dinner conversations in smaller groups; workshops with Mother Theresa Fellows; and for a few years I had the privilege of even mentoring a number of Fellows. It is my loss that I wasn’t able to do that with YIF -2021, given the pandemic both prevented physical engagement and relief efforts have consumed a lot of my time. I have seen how many of those who I have interacted with are blossoming over the years, both in the social sector and corporate world, and I have no doubt that so will you over the coming decades.

As you graduate and step into the real world, I would like to share with you my observations of some of the character traits I observe in the Fellows who I particularly (silently) admire in both spheres. Firstly, they are all tenacious and persevering and this makes up for any perceived lack of brilliance in some of them as they set up the foundations of their careers. Second, they have high emotional quotients and constantly work on improving the same. Third, they are driven by a core set of values and treat life as a marathon and not as a sprint. Fourth, they are curiously optimistic – what I mean is that they are forever inquisitive but in a manner that pushes towards getting things done. Fifth, they have big hearts and modest needs. This allows them to live within their means and love beyond it.

I have gained so much from interacting with Fellows over the years and I encourage all of you to not lose touch with each other and also reach out to those who have walked this path before you, for it is an amazing network. As you step out, many of you will get very focused on life goals. However, I would like to urge you to never forget to enjoy the journey in your quest to reach the destination.

May God bless each of you with good health, happiness, and the accomplishments you seek.

YIF'21

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Sanjeev Bhikchandani Founder & Trustee, Ashoka University Founder, Info Edge

Founder's Message

I would like to congratulate the YIF Class of 2021 for going through a really challenging year and coming put on top. I am sure you have made the best out of the past year even when confronted with very difficult circumstances. It is not the strongest who survive, neither is it the most intelligent – it is the most adaptable who survive. And the class of 2021 has demonstrated a very high ability to adapt and adjust and win. It is said that fortune favours the bold and you have shown that quality in abundance. I wish you all the very best in the years and decades to come.

YIF'21

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Founder's Message

Ashish Dhawan Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ashoka University

YIF'21

Ashish Dhawan co-founded ChrysCapital, one of India's leading private equity firms, in 1999. He has served on the company's board since its founding. He left his full-time position at ChrysCapital in 2012 after twenty years in the investment management business, to found Central Square Foundation (CSF). CSF is a grant-making organization and policy think-tank focused on transforming the quality of school education in India.

Ashish's passion for education has led him to spearhead the founding of Ashoka University. Ashish also serves on the board of several education non-profits including Akanksha Foundation, 3.2.1 Education Foundation, Teach For India, Centre for Civil Society, Janaagraha, India School Leadership Institute and Bharti Foundation. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Yale and Harvard.

10 Karan Bhola

Shravan Kumar It's been wonderful having you all at the programme. With each year our Fellows get better and strive for higher goals. I have been associated with the YIF for ten years, and in this time my biggest takeaway has been you - the Fellows.

Kanupriya Pachauri The cohort consists of bright individuals who are determined to make difference in the real world by applying the concepts and principles learnt during the fellowship. I wish each one of the fellows a successful career ahead.

YIF Admissions & Outreach Team

Every step of the journey with the 10th Cohort has been special and inspiring for me - including our shared navigation of the new normal before and after enrolment! Apart from being a historic cohort and an outstanding self-organized community, they are the first that I have been partly responsible for bringing in. I particularly cherish having interviewed, worked with, and learned from so many. Take a bow, all of you, and remember.... it never ends!

Bhaswar Faisal Khan It's been a wonderful experience! Stay in touch, stay connected!

YIF'21

11 Anuja Sinha Chowdhury

YIF Admissions & Outreach Team

This cohort shall always remain special to me for their never-say-die attitude and their indomitable spirit to come out strong in such testing times.

Mohit Dhingra Y'all conquered the Fellowship in the middle of a damn apocalypse. That's pretty badass as it is tbh.

For sharing your heart with me, reminding me what the YIF is all about, kaafi shukriya!

Shahambare.T All of you have upheld the spirit of the fellowship during such unpredictable times with utmost sincerity and love. I had the privilege in knowing a few of you closely. Thank you for inspiring me to keep myself afloat by constantly showing me that turbulence can strike us but then we will weather it no matter what. It has been extremely humbling to see your growth over the year. Wishing you the best of times ahead.

Varsha Varghese YIF'21

12 Ayushi Arya Congratulations, Class of 2021! Be proud of this accomplishment as you carried it out during an unusual year of pandemic! Become the change you want to see and lift others as you climb!

"It has been a great experience and immense learning working with all of you in this challenging year.

Remember - Challenges teach us how to live our best! Keep rocking!"

Palki Bhattacharya The highlight for me has been the connections that we’ve made :) Ironically, I feel I know more about a lot of Fellows’ personal journeys, strengths and challenges this year than any other year, and I truly hope to see everyone in person some day!

YIF Programme Team

Vivek Ahuja

Kimsen Kipgen Challenging. There are always challenges but how you choose to face them reverberate throughout your life. Find your anchor, don't let the storm toss you about & if possible, minimize on pity parties.

Acknowledge how far you've come :) Blessings to each of you.

YIF'21

13 Alisha Jain

YIF Programme Team

I have thoroughly enjoyed interacting with you. You have all inspired me with your stories, journeys and spirit. Wishing you the very best for your next chapter in life!

YIF'21

Naina Lahoti The experience, in its entirety, has been wholesome. Building that connect online has had its own merits and demerits. Only wish that remains is to have met all of you this past year. Sending virtual hugs to everyone.

Tushar Sethi

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Professor Urvashi Butalia Course: Women, Society and Changing India “Every year I approach my course at the YIF with trepidation – will I be equal to the task? And with excitement at the prospect of engaging with young minds and new ideas. And every year I am reminded what a privilege it is to be teaching the YIF where every student – the sceptic, the enthusiast, the cynic, the romantic – provides that vital oxygen so necessary for a teacher. I count myself lucky to have students who challenge, who question, who are angry and who, when they want to, reward you with love.”

Srikant Sastri

"My first time as YIF Visiting Faculty for ELM, and I came away with 38 new experiences myself. Thank you for your energy & passion. Stay curious, keep learning, and realize all your dreams".

Professor Amit Kumar Course: Perceptive Communication “Dear YIF: You are bright and curious. The paths you create for yourself now will depend a lot on the questions you ask - and why you ask them.”

Meet Our Faculty

Visiting Faculty | Experential Learning Module

Professor KP Krishnan Course: An Overview of Public Policy and Regulation In India “It is a pity that we could only meet virtually. Hopefully this too will soon pass and reality will return. However challenging, reality is fun with the right attitude and spirit.”

YIF'21

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Professor Shahid Jameel

Course: Understanding Pandemics As you graduate, please accept my congratulations. Go out and give it your best shot. There will always be circumstances and people that will try to pull you down, but use your training, ethics and value system to overcome them. Individual success is not measured by money or power, but by the belief that you did your best and that you enjoyed doing it. Keep the bar high, but never be under the illusion that you are indispensable. Cemeteries everywhere are full of indispensable people

Professor A.K Shivakumar

Meet Our Faculty

Course: Economics and Public Policy: An Introduction to Applied Microeconomics “Congratulations! I have two expectations of your batch. One obviously is that all of you go on to do extremely well in life. The second is to meet you in flesh-and-blood! See you soon.”

Professor Aseem Shrivastava Course: Indian Ecosophy "It has been the hardest year of our lives. To survive this year has itself been the mightiest of challenges. We have all lost many near and dear ones. But with the blessings of the Almighty, we will continue to live and learn. As always, it has been a pleasure and a privilege to teach Ecosophy classes this year, albeit on Zoom. There has been much to learn from all of you, apart from what the pandemic has to teach.”

Professor Surinder S. Jodhka Course: Indian Society: Imaginations, Structures and Identities

YIF'21

"Speaking to the Young India Fellows is always an enriching experience. I was particularly delighted with the challenging questions which the Fellows constantly posed and their constructive engagements with the suggested readings."

16 Professor Ruppal Sharma Course: Design Thinking and Innovation “DREAM Big! Dare to try, Re-align and stay agile, Experience and Experiment, Aspire to grow, Max the happiness!”

Course: India and the World - A Strategic History Since 1945 “It was a pleasure, as usual, to spend this extraordinary time with the YIF cohort. The screen cannot replace the classroom - but the enthusiasm of a few electrified the sessions. All the best - do good and do well.”

Professor Debayan Gupta Course: New Geography of Information Age

Meet Our Faculty

Professor Rudra Chaudhuri

"Teaching is by far the best way to learn, and teaching at YIF is especially enriching: seeing things I thought I knew (well enough to teach!) reimagined through a hundred different lenses. There's always more to learn; an expanding island of knowledge only underscores an expanding perimeter with the unknown."

Professor Ritwik Agrawal Course: Philosophy and Cognitive Science "You stunned me by how you rallied from the challenges of this year. The fortitude you've shown will certainly hold you in great stead in times to come. I greatly enjoyed interacting with all of you and I look forward to many fruitful engagements in the future. I wish you the very best as you embark on life post YIF. Remember to sift reality from appearances, and also remember that the point is not merely to understand the world, but to change it!

All the very best!"

YIF'21

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Professor Purushottam Agrawal

Meet Our Faculty

Course: Kabir: The Poet of Vernacular Modernity "Like every year, this year too has been an intellectually and emotionally enriching experience for me to interact with so many bright and inquisitive young minds. Thank you all. I sincerely hope that the course Kabir: The Poet of Vernacular Modernity has inspired you to rethink given ideas of modernity and relate carefully, respectfully, and critically with India's rich vernacular intellectual traditions. I also hope that YIF as a whole, by giving you an opportunity to engage with various areas of knowledge and diverse streams of thought has helped your intellectual and moral evolution.

I wish every one of you all the very best for a meaningful life. How I wish, we could have interacted directly instead of virtually. I hope with every sensible person that better sense will prevail in official circles and society at large so that we are spared any other wave of the dreaded COVID. "

Professor Maya Saran

Course: Mathematical Thinking "I teach in the YIF programme because I love to open up both the fun and the beauty of math to those who perhaps never got a chance to see it that way. I especially enjoy doing it with a diverse group of people: you guys are a challenge, and challenge is good! Right? And it's welcome! Take care and take up challenges -- and I also love to hear from students so if you come across or think of something interesting, let me know!"

Professor Sanjay Kathuria Course: Trade, Trust and Peace in South Asia

YIF'21

"It was a privilege for me to teach some of you. As I had mentioned, it was my first shot at teaching, and the experience has inspired me to continue on this journey. I know that selection to YIF is not easy. So your capability and motivation is already a given. Most of you will become influencers; some of you may find that policy-making motivates you.

Whichever career paths you choose, I hope your approach will be fact-based, data-based, and people-based. I hope you will question and counter the simplistic narratives about India as well as our neighbouring countries in South Asia. I hope some of you could become ambassadors for peace and engagement in our region, metaphorically if not literally.

All the best, YIF Class of 2021! Go out and shape the world, combining passion with compassion, and rigour with sensitivity. "

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Professor Kenwyn K Smith Course: Leadership and Group Dynamics "Be like the bird, that pausing in her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing that she hath wings." Please keep this Victor Hugo message in your hearts.”

Professor Madhavi Menon Course: Shakespeare and the World

Professor Dilip Simeon Course: Totalitarian Century and Ideology Seminar ““Despite all teaching being conducted online, YIF’s 2021 cohort has done unusually well. I congratulate all my students for their attentiveness and sensitivity; and trust we will all meet someday. Keep faith with human decency and never fail to nourish your minds.”

Meet Our Faculty

“Solidarity with others who are not like you, who might not desire like you, who do not look like you, who do not do the same work -- this solidarity, rather than isolation, will be key to a full life. Remember that Shakespeare is a solid guide to thinking across borders, and good luck with everything!”

Professor Neela Saldhana Course: Behavioral Science in Development "The Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard once said this of life : "It is really true what philosophy tells us, that life must be understood backwards. But with this, one forgets the second proposition, that it must be lived forwards."

As you explore new worlds, keep your eyes firmly forwards where life is to be found. Never look back. Good luck!"

YIF'21

Professor Pratap Bhanu Mehta Course: What is Justice?

“You are graduating at a difficult moment for India. But it is this adversity that will be the test of your character and make you shine. Go ahead, and write your will across the sky in stars. “

Professor Clancy Martin

Meet Our Faculty

Course: Morality and the Good Life “The YIF has consistently given me my most talented and motivated graduate students, and I am especially indebted to the class of 2021, who maintained cheerfulness and enthusiasm for learning through so much worldwide and personal adversity. The YIF class of 2021 really reminded me how lucky I am to be a teacher.

Love and congratulations from your devoted, Prof Clancy”

Professor Jonathan Gil Harris Course: Shakespeare and the World "Congratulations on making it through a year in which pandemic and politics made the ideal of “fellowship” impossible — and all the more necessary. No matter how much outside forces might try to drive us into the caves of our bedrooms, the silos of our disciplines, and the bubbles of our clan, you have shown time and time again how important it is to get outside oneself and connect with others. Always connect, as Gandhi said. For the sake of creativity, for the sake of sociality, and for the sake of justice."

Professor Dwight Jaggard Course: Foundations of Leadership

YIF'21

"Using your values, strengths, passions and preferences, I know you will best make your contribution to the world! I wish you the very best as you continue your leadership journey."

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05

Professor Anunaya Chaubey Course: Art Appreciation "Dear Young India Fellows, I really enjoyed connecting with you through the course that I taught. I wish you would always continue to be curious, innovative, humble and great human beings and of course always happy. Congratulations on your graduation! "

Professor Gilles Verniers

Professor Omkar Goswami

Professor Deepak Mehta

Course: Grassroots Community Service

Course: Making Sense of Indian Elections

Course: India's Economy Past, Present and Near Future

Course: Crowds of Protest, Crowds of Occupation

Professor Stéphanie Balme

Professor Arun Kumar Singh

Professor Madhav Khosla

Professor Ranjan Banerjee

Course: STI as Power : A Case of China

Course: Deconstructing Select Indian Foreign Policy Challenges and Responses: A Practitioner’s Perspective

Course: Rule of Law

Course: Design Thinking and Innovation

Meet Our Faculty

Professor Dev Tayde

YIF'21

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Critical Writing

The Critical Writing Courses

YIF'21

“Paulo Freire states language is not just an instrument for communication but also a structure of thinking. Therefore, writing and expressing ourselves drawing from our multilingual abilities is fundamental to finding an authentic voice (both inner and collective) in whatever we do. It is our responsibility as young citizens to not let various members of our communities become mere spectators instead become critical participants in building a hopeful future. I wish you all the best for your explorations with writing and bringing the change you wish to see in the world!”

"This week we have classes in sections"

PINKER

IS MY H

OMIE

"PROBLEMATIZE!"

1 hour befo

re the deadline: "Who is yet to start their first d raft?"

s f CW wa o s s la c t The las ble, memora t s o m e h t t in to sad s r u b ll a when we f y tears o y et h app se. th e co u r g n i ll i lf fu

Moin's funny comments in the chat box always lightened up the mood!

u ral s the cult s i m ll i Iw fro m fu n facts , e g n a h ex c an d n g u ag es la t n e r e diff dy ag e b u d u g n la e th g ro u ps

oo - to th e m y k s it d o r Lera B o an d b ack!

The class debate on ion language acquisit able was really memor

CW 201 : Politics of Language and Multilingualism

Monishita Pande

n YIF'21

CW 202: Internet Culture and Memes

Anunaya Rajhans "Congratulations on making it through the fellowship. Having seen you undergo such magical transformations, I think my work here is done. Horace, in his 19 BC poem Ars Poetica says that Poetry should “both instruct and delight” and that has been the guiding light for us in this course. “Attention Economy” has taught us that our engagement is conditional upon the pleasure we get in return and it has indeed been a pleasure to work closely with you on your reading-writing-thinking practices over the last year. Critical Writing is not just a one time, one year course. It is a meme which, upon finding a home in your brain, should continue to replicate exponentially irrespective of whichever field of study/profession/sector you find yourself in. Going beyond academic and professional spaces, the critical approach is intrinsic to what we call IRL."

The compilation of memes for Anunaya was the best class.

All of us were laughing and yet super emotional.

Hello guys, whatsupp with you. You have got this guys, Turn on your videos pleasee.

How have you been doing, class? *Silence* Alright, then.

Turn it in assignments.

I ain't going anywhere. Despite all Form and Content. that has been going on with the world, My mother I haven't given up on you guys just yet. is a tree.

I'm always going to be here for all of you.

How I expected my 2020 to go

YIF'21

How my 2020 is going

Tunaktuntun song analysis Tunak Tunak Tun :D The class which delved into the layered nuance behind Tunak Tunak and Old Town Road.

That one class that can't be mentioned.

Prateek Paul “My dear PPekids, You have been my Homies throughout this past year.

If it weren't for you and CW 203, YIF wouldn't hold the special place it does in my heart. Spread your wings and do Dora, the Explorer proud, wherever you go!

Love always, Prateek”

Drizzle wants to go out of the room.

Bureaucratic semiotic technology

When Prateek surprise-visited us!

In-person classes with Prateek

Prateek playing Bollywood music all the time.

Drizzle and Tiger time The homing presentation Crying together Prateek taking us to places we are discussing over zoom

CW 203: Writing the City

Let's nip this in the bud.

Tsk tsk.

So what?

Take that thought forward.

YIF'21

CW 204: Narrating Desire, Framing the Political YIF'21

Shiv D Sharma “Never stop thinking critically, and never stop enjoying that process. Passion/ love/ friendship is but another name for critique.

Take care of yourselves-physically, intellectually, emotionally as well as spiritually."

g music Shiv playin ry class! before eve scolding Kokila Bain ss Gopi in cla

I remember being handed over two bunnies in the middle of the CW class. It was a surprise by my father.

Interesting That's not what the essay actually means but sure What's happening people!

Watching innumerable fil ms in the class together and then having the amazing and critical post-film dis cussions.

Knowledge Power

Discourse Sex More sex

Together we are

FOUCALT

Satyendra Singh

Last session in December - chit chat.

One on ones with Saty.

t Can we ge n? an extensio

Watching Fight Club together with the class in RH2 commons and screening the Zoom class on the TV! After an intense discussion on the violence of love, the whole class listened to Cherry Wine. Felt like an intimate, shared experience; even though we were all online.

Hello Madhatters!

Exercise critical thinking to understand your subjectivity and henceforth, assert your agency.

Saty's cute smile!! XOXO

Wanted to make a 'Fight Club' joke here, couldn't get the punchline right. :(

CW 205: History and Politics of Representation of Madness in Literature and Art

Did not know Literature is so LIT!

"The Mad Hatter meets Black Swans and White Swans. A shell-shocked soldier is captured and tortured by the enemy. A ballet dancer confronts the darkness inside. I don't want realism. I want magic! To look life in the face, always, to look life in the face and to know it for what it is. At last to know it, to love it for what it is, and then, to put it away. But love is never any better than the lover. Wicked people love wickedly, violent people love violently, weak people love weakly, stupid people love stupidly, but the love of a free man is never safe. There is no gift for the beloved. The lover alone possesses his gift of love. The loved one is shorn, neutralized, frozen in the glare of the lover’s inward eye. Seeds of marigold fall in a plot of black dirt. A girl with bluest eyes meets another with purple. I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it. Their love, thick and dark as alaga syrup, eased up into that cracked window.

They could smell it - taste it—sweet, musty, with an edge of wintergreen in its base—everywhere in that house. Here is the house. It is green and white. It has a red door. It is very pretty. The house has a room. The room has yellow wallpapers. The wallpaper has a pattern that is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide—plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions. We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives."

YIF'21

CW 206: Education, Literacy and Justice

Sayan Chaudhuri

YIF'21

“What is a good education? A sharpening of wits; the expansion of the heart? Joining the dots; cleaving apart? Gosh, there are too many answers, should we go back to the start? But the better answer you must seek—let that be your art.”

When Sam, Rishav, Gayathri and I played eccentric characters for a mock news debate and Sayan played the host.

Sayan talking about each It was fun to engage in banter and student in his concluding "heated arguments" that brought out remarks. Such a sweet gesture! how people generally commit fallacies in thinking and speech. Awesome time!

Sayan's nephew joining the class.

an wa n t e w n, e.

Say a io n pleas s ex ten

Scan the QR Code to view CW 206's website

When Sayan and I conducted a class on music, where I played the piano and the guitar, while he rapped.

Phrasing is not clear.

This is an abrupt transition.

This sentence does not follow intuitively from the previous.

Don't engage in polemical arguments.

Ratna Menon

Ratna, can we have a break?

Did anyone get feedback?

R atn a, can we h ave one m o re ex ten sio n?

Now see this [insert fellow's name] now making fun of [insert what preceptor did then]

CW 207: Anthropological Unsettlements

Ratna is a cat lover and a preceptor. In her Critical Writing course, she combines the disciplinary insights of anthropology with an editor’s deep respect for how language works to demonstrate the inextricable link between critical thinking and good writing and to empower her students to become proficient in both.

Luka dropping in to say hi in every other class.

Luca's grand entries, Picollo and the bird head.

Ratna and her never ending jokes.

Few classes when I was moderating and Ratna was just enjoying the show.

YIF'21

29

Meet the Fellows YIF'21

The Fellows

30

Abhishek Garg

Adarsh Reddy

Hai naseebo me safar to, mai kahi bhi kyu ruku.

The most expensive bad decision of my life.

I look better in person.

Adarsh Singh Jangpangi

Aditya Singh Roy

Afshana Bano

The Office (US), S3, EP 23, 4:44

Nothing a good egg sandwich can't fix

Never settle! Wander off in the woods.

Soak the rain of knowledge. Climb. Smell the greenish goodness of your soul. Let the wind carry you to places. Nourish the soil you grow in. Hold the dewy pearls and never give up. That is life!

Meet The Fellows

Aayushi Gupta

YIF'21

31

Meet the Fellows YIF'21

Aisha

Aishwarya Mall

Ajinkya Mujumdar

Aishallovercome.

Kuch maangna baaki nahi, jitna mila, kaafi hai.

Everything's not a scam.

Akanksha V. Reddy

Akansha Naithani

Akansha Yadav

If you can be like anyone, be like Urvashi Butalia.

Nothing is better than to live a storyless life that needs no writing for meaning.

She remembered who she was and the game changed!

32

Aksheet Sonna

Akshita Narula

Want a full refund, no questions asked.

Structures can’t emancipate you.

Nature is the OG mindfulness guru.

Everything repressed, subverts.

Sustainable change is first internal.

Strive for your inner child’s wonder.

Be weirdly, crazily, authentically, unapologetically yourself!

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right-doing, there is a field.

I'll meet you there." - Rumi

Aliya Usmani

Amal T A

Aman Aloon

“Before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.” ― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

"Did some one say South Indian food in the mess? Dear Mallus, ever tasted watery Avial and Malabar Curry? :p" National Integration the Ashokan way.

Who comes across as cold might be battling life within, while the bold one might be standing up to lives around.

Question your labels. Life is short.

Give others, and more importantly yourself, a second chance.

Meet The Fellows

Akash Chowdhury

YIF'21

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Meet the Fellows YIF'21

Aman Jagdev

Aman Shaikh

Ambika Bhura

Udte jaate panchi ne bass itna hi dekha, Der tak haath hilaati rahi voh shaakh fiza main (Cont.)

"Tomorrow may be hell, but today was a good writing day, and on the good writing days nothing else matters."

- Neil Gaiman

Never made it to campus, but the YIF felt like a (crazy) home at home!

Amina Khan

Anamitra Ghosh

Ananya Dixit

Where's my mask?

"Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference."

- Robert Frost

Two liberal arts degrees later, still confused about what I want to do in life.

34

Anjali Priyadarshini Thati

We did it!

Ankita Elizabeth Mathew The best is yet to come!

Ankita Kadam

Anmol Mehta

Anoushka Ganjoo

If there's a world outside deadlines, it's delusion.

As you read this, unclench your jaw, take a deep breath and lower your shoulders.

You're doing great.

To be in the presence of creation.

Meet The The Fellows Meet Fellows

Trust your intuition.

Ankita Doppalapudi

YIF Co'21 YIF'21

35

Meet the Fellows YIF'21

Anshu Thakur

Anupama V

Anushka Ashar

2020 was a good year because of YIF.

I imagined myself to be a YIF drop out like a Harvard drop out. But I couldn't make it! :(

I spent a huge amount of my time at YIF scanning the Dining Menu.

Anushka Satyajit

Anvesh Manchoju

Aradhya Gupta

Not just a +1 in the online scheme of things.

“Love, transcends time, space and matter, and can exist forever. It’s the most powerful feeling ever.” - Batasari

I don’t know if we each have a destiny, or if we’re all just floatin’ around accidental-like on a breeze.

But I, I think maybe it’s both.

36

Arkoprabho Hazra

Arshad Alam

"And I knew exactly what to do, but in a more real sense, I had no idea what to do."

- Michael Scott

Your life is a journey where different experiences are your medium of travelling

YIF experience has been phenomenal for my academics, personal and professional journey in my life. The courses and culture at YIF shaped me to think critically, analyze and ask questions confidently.

Arushi Lohani Did we just graduate after being on campus for only four months?

Aryaman Narayanan Ramanathan My name has more A's than my transcript.

Meet The The Fellows Meet Fellows

Arjun Abraham

Ashish Achutrao Patil They asked me for 30 words but I'm done with the assignments and word limits!

YIF Co'21 YIF'21

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the Fellows MeetThe Fellows Meet YIF Co'21 YIF'21

Ashutosh Tiwari

Asma Syed

Bala Meenakshi S

I think there should be rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives.

"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

- Albus Dumbledore

"What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create" - Buddha

Bhavya Mehta

Cindy Kimnunhoih

Debaleena Bagchi

Meh-tat sounds boring (not).

Virtually confessing the blessings.

Que sera sera, whatever will be will be...but it kinda has to also happen the way I want it to.

38

Deshna Jain

Devansh Singh Rathour

How did I end up here?

When life gets you down do you wanna know what you've gotta do? Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.

(Cont.) Alvida kehne ko, ya paas bulane ko.

Devashri Awasthi

Devesh Pratap Singh

Devyanshu

You can either crash on a speed bump or enjoy it.

Can I get an extension on this please?

Alcohol removes inhibitions - like that scared little mouse who got drunk and shook his whiskers and shouted: "Now bring on that damn cat!"

Meet The Fellows

Deeksha Aishwarya

YIF'21

39

the Fellows MeetThe Fellows Meet YIF Co'21 YIF'21

Dhayanithi Chinnamuthu

Dimple Kariya

Disha Saswati Raut

Don't knock; just enter.

Life could never understand nor explain its meaning in my existence.

"YE DIL MAANGE MORE" - Captain Vikram Batra, PVC

Elorika Tayal

G Sandeepp

Gaurav Saroha

“I submitted this before the deadline.” - I (never)

Be happy always!

The dude abides.

Y I F Co'21

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Gayathri M R

Gayatri Sarin

This is Us. Season 5, Episode 5, 36:35

“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” - Maya Angelou

Wherever you are, wherever you go; I hope there's art and music. It will find you, I hope you find it too.

Gitanjali

Glen Reuben Dsouza

Govind Nair

"The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." - Albert Camus

Whine or Wine, you choose.

I'd prefer the latter.

"Govind Nair: What does his future look like? Does he even have one? Let's find out!"

Meet The The Fellows Meet Fellows

Gayathri K

YIF Co'21 YIF'21

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Meet the Fellows YIF'21

Hanish Srinivasan

Harshitha Rayapati

Hartej Singh

Focus on having a good bowel movement. All other things shall fall into place.

Hope is soul-crushingly sinister yet gorgeously gratifying.

See you at the top!

Ibtesam Fatma

Iman Bhattacharyya

Indhumadhi S

I like to narrate in first-person because I like to become the character I'm dreaming.

When you smile at the world, the world smiles back.

"Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up."

- Batman

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Isha Kumari

Ishani Tewari

Don't quote me out of context.

और से या, खुद ही से पूँछ लगे राह यह कह , मौज म ही, ढू ढ लगे हम। बूंद से ही, तो ह वह , बाँध लगे लहर पैर तले जो भी मले, बाँध लगे हम, कनारे।।

They asked me to write something. So here it is: Something. Bye now!

Ishita Chigilli Palli

Jai Anand

Jai Nandwani

There's something about the winter sun that just makes you want to dance on the lawns.

O Corona, kabhi bhi mat aana!

In my efforts I am closer to you, in my reward I am away.

Meet The The Fellows Meet Fellows

Indranil Datta

YIF Co'21 YIF'21

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Meet the Fellows YIF'21

Janavi Kothari

Janhvi Ramesh Khoshe

Jeet Kapoor

One invaluable thing I’ve learnt this year is writing emails about non-existent traumas and writers block so well ;) We made it Fellows!! (or did we?)

We are all stars in this galaxy who do not shine because we want to be seen, but shine because we are stars.

Trust yourself and pull your weight, or be the herd and keep complaining. There's no middle ground babujaan.

Jonathan Rohit Bhavanasi

K Prahalad

Kashish Jain

I'm never going to financially recover from this.

Infraction is the tool of a regime and we are all rats tied to a board.

Let it go ;)

44

Khushi Pahuja

Kiran Suryanarayana

Don't regret things that make you happy.

1. Bad examples often teach important life lessons, YIF taught me to be authentic.

2. Lies, frauds, "We empathize with you".

3. Preach: YASSSSS, Practice: NO WAY.

We live in very remarkable times.

We find with astonishment that progress has concluded an alliance with barbarism.

Konapur Rahul

Krishna P Unny

Lamiya S

Philosophy is nothing but common sense infused with jargons.

Hi, I'm Krishna P Unnecessarily worrying about getting the yearbook quote game right.

Life is wonderful when you have right friends. Thanks all.

See you soon!

Meet The Fellows

Kasthoori N

YIF'21 Y I F Co'21

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Meet the Fellows YIF'21

Mahek Jangda

Malavika Mahesh

Malik Moin Abbas

This quote is not plagiarised.

Wish I paid as much attention to class as I did to decorating my room.

"Maybe our favourite quotations say more about us than about stories and people we're quoting."

- John Green

Manu Mehrotra

Manvi Aggarwal

Maria Siddiqui

Each subject, each person, each day at YIF has a unique story to tell. YIF is the road less taken and at the end that makes all the difference.

If it isn't gay or communist, I don't want it.

"But that's just like ..your opinion Man."

46

Mukesh Raja R

Mukul Bhatia

Here for a good time, not a long time.

Live everyday like there is no tomorrow.

Lemme out! What you see is not the same person as me. My life's a lie. I'm not who you're lookin' at. Let me out, set me free. I'm really old, this isn't me.

My real body's slowly dying in a vat.

Namita Varma

Navneet Khubber

Navya Mendiratta

Liberated from MLA 8th edition, Times New Roman, font size 12, double-spaced lines.

Short lived ecstasy.

"In it to win it."

Meet The Fellows

Meghal Bansal

YIF'21 Y I F Co'21

47

Meet the Fellows YIF'21

Nidhi Upadhyaya

Nihal Grover

Nikita Kalra

"Be careful when you cast out your demons that you don't throw away the best of yourself."- Nietzsche

We're after the same Rainbow's end.

In the midst of could have, should have and would have beens, sigh in relief the empty classrooms within the red bricked walls facing the sunbeam, thinking of how they could never bear the strength of the wounded hopes, and carry the passion of the 188 valiant dreams.

Nikita Mohta

Nikita Sengar

Pallavi Arora

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

They held us in zoom boxes, thinking we won't fly. The year tormented us with grief, thinking we won't survive. Yet here we are with pocket full of hope, still aiming for our skies.

Either this shall pass or you will.

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Pavithra S Praise me I'll bless you

I may have forced you to finish your food.... I don't regret it.

Prameshwar Lal A person with full of curiosity and flexibility who always seek to learn from his peers in all possible ways and love to explore all hidden aspects of his life.

Pranshu Poddar

Praveen Venkatachalam

Prerana N

#butter?

When is this due ?

Can I get an extension?

NA

Meet The Fellows

Poorna Meenakshi Srinivasan

YIF'21 Y I F Co'21

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01

Meet the Fellows YIF'21

Prince Kumar

Priyanka Miriam Jacob

Priyanka Tiwari

Fellowship Never Ends :-(

A year like no other, where I found friends who were willing to dance with me when there was no music playing. Just the music of our hearts playing on the same wavelength.

Just like the extension plea for assignments, the fellowship also never ends..

Pushpavalli Annmalai

Radhika Srinivasan

Rahael Cherian

Casually thriving with passion, compassion, humour and style.

"Kaun kehta hai ki aasmaan mein suraakh nahin hosakta, ek pathhar toh tabiyat se uchhaalo yaaron." Who says the sky is impenetrable, Try throwing a stone at it with conviction.

Nothing that staying up till sunrise can't fix.

50

Rishav Biswas

Rishika Deswal

Any one decision will always seem too small to be the biggest decision of your life; make the choice to jump, regardless.

A not so civil, civil engineer realised the importance of perspective, goals & time management. 11 months of liberal studies died young but taught the importance of choosing the "road less travelled"!

Take life as it comes, let it go as it goes.

Ritika Madaan

Rohan Shyam Chowdhury

Rohang Mishal

I came in confused. I am stepping out confused but, confidently.

Idk about y'all but after morality as well as cognitive science I'm calling myself a Young India Fellowsopher.

Yes my name's Rohang. Not Rohan. No, it isn’t a typo. It's just that it isn’t an unoriginal first draft; it’s much thought, redefined and revolutionised.

Meet The Fellows

Remanpreet Sandhu

YIF'21 Y I F Co'21

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01

Meet the Fellows YIF'21

Rohit Solanki

Ronnie Ninnan

Rupashi Gadihoke

Like the timeless cultures, unlike the timebound trends. What a beautiful journey it is, which never really ends.

Life is too short not to try everything out twice. Once to see if you like it, the second time to see if you were right the first time.

You don't owe anyone anything. Unless you're an academic. Then you probably owe someone a draft..

Rushali Rohira

Sagar Malik

Saheb Bardai

happiness has no price but the fellowship does.

Sky is the limit, don't hold yourself just give it a try.

"Fair to say, I couldn’t make sense of Indian Elections after all :P” F.

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Saim Qadri

Saishreya Sriram

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.

I want to be simple.

"Let me see what I wrote to know what I think" - W.H.Auden.

Sam Dennis

Samikshya Nanda

Sanchita Singh

HEADSPACE (n) [ hed-speys ] An excuse out of responsibility for any fellow, as the blown out of proportion importance to mental health can always be exploited.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.

Meet The Fellows

Sai Mukhesh Chandra Jyothula

YIF'21 Y I F Co'21

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Meet the Fellows YIF Co'21 YIF'21

Saransh Gupta

Sarath Sunilkumar Nair

Shah Faisal Mushtaq

YIF is about vulnerabilities, faith, and explorations where you get everything you ask for. I discovered that the same holds true for life. All you need to do is ask!

Can someone please say my name correctly for once.

Hai khabar aaj mar gaya Fehmi Aaj tanhaa huwi hai tanhaii.

Shaireen Shrivastava

Shambhavi Jha

Shaunak Raipurkar

Jai Mata Di, Let's Rock

“Aamo main buss do khubiya honi chahiye, ek meethe ho aur bohut saare ho.”

(Mangoes need to have two qualities, they need to be sweet and there needs to be plenty.)

"Jo kuch nahi karte hai, woh kamaal karte hai".

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Shradha Prasad

Shreshtha Lakhani

No, my name is not Shivani and I did not come in Big Boss Tamil To all my south Indian friends.

Congrats to all of us for spending 7920 hours in front of a screen for a paper and a 'virtual handshake'!

Dear future self, 'Always remember who got you where you are today.'

Shrey Gambhir

Shreya Daga

Shreya Koul

17th November 2019. 8th February 2020. 6th July 2021.

I think I am good with dates *wink* P.S. A year of fellowship worth 3 years of experience. :)

I love routine. Until I'm bored, then I love excitement. Until I'm overwhelmed, then I love routine.

"Safar khoobsoorat hai, manzil se bhi."

Meet The Fellows

Shivangi Tiwari

YIF'21

Meet the Fellows

55

YIF'21

Shubhangi Dutta

Siddharth Thakeria

Simarjit Singh Ahluwalia

Worn out but unwilling to back down.

-

Raat mein YOLO subah mein SOLO.

Simran Devgan

Simran Singh

Smriti Bhat

Don’t wait for things to happen, make things happen.

Celebrate each and every moment of this fellowship. I somehow couldn't do that which I regret but I will say it's a lifetime experience to not only learn new things but also meeting some amazing peeps. Enjoy the journey, create beautiful moments and take it with you, preserve them for lifetime.

Lived the Big Boss experience here IRL. Grateful for love, laughter, friends and THC fries.

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Sri Ram Deepak Chivukula

Sweta Parna Nayak

From Soumya to SuMaya was one memorable year with lots of learnings and a few friendships worth cherishing for life.

The world shall perish not for lack of wonders, but for lack of wonder-JBS Haldane. So, keep the curiosity alive! :)

Here's a little secret, "when no one watched, I never walked straight. I danced my way through." P.S - My mic was always off xD. See y'all someday, somewhere.

Tanay Katiyar

Tejus Vamshi K

Tenzing Palmo

I am, because You are.

I was, because You were.

"There are no dangerous thoughts; thinking itself is dangerous."

- Hannah Arendt

“Some people say, some people talk and some people do.”

Meet The Fellows

Soumya Jha

YIF'21

Meet the Fellows

57

YIF'21

Uneet Kumar Singh

Utkarsh Lal

V.A.M.Sneha

Meaning of life is not to be searched for or be discovered, it has to be created.

From THC to THC.

"Let me keep my distance, always, from those/ who think they have the answers/ Let me keep company always with those who say/ “Look!” " - Mary Oliver

Varun Kashyap

Vasudha Arabandi

Vikash Ghosalya

I don't know where I'm headed, but I'm on my way [not a fan of intrusive pigeons]

"Well that was an extreme sport."

LET IT BE.

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Nikhil Yadav

Ishan Mudgal

Be in the flow, but keep your priorities straight.

Destiny will always take you to the unknown path, but as the captain of your life, you can avert that unknown path into your own desire ones.

In Lak'ech Ala K'in.

Meet The Fellows

Vladyslava Savytska

YIF'21

Meet the Fellows

59

YIF'21

Aravind Balaji T

Harshita Goel

Kaavye Garg

Karan Trichal

Kartheek Uppalapati

Madhukar Adepu

Nehal Agarwalla

Pranshu Rathee

Pratik Khemka

Radhika Joshi

Ratna Vamsi Masireddy

Rishi Vigneshwar

Sharvam Singh

Shirley Jacob

Sree Shivani Iluri

Vipin Antil

Varun

Ano

v ya

The Word cloud has all the Phrases jumbled up, find the quote and check if you got it right scanning the QR code

Popular YIF Vocabulary

Bha

Moin

YIF'21

Committees of the Fellowship

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YIF'21

The Student Committees

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Admissions and Outreach Committee

They have also conducted the ‘YIF pathways of possibilities’, a series of interactive and informative sessions with YIF alumni who share their personal and professional journeys after the YIF and the ‘Professor with see you now’, a live and interactive webinar series where YIF faculty have a candid conversation about their journey and their course.

The committee has worked diligently and conducted live guidance webinars regarding the entire admissions and financial aid process for candidates.

Representatives

Glen

Bala

Nikita S

Vasudha

Afshana

Arushi

Nehal

Committees of the Fellowship

The first contact prospective fellows have with the fellowship is with the Admission and Outreach team. The Admissions and Outreach committee has been the guiding light for candidates during the admissions cycle. The committee conducted various sessions to familiarise candidates with the various facets of the fellowship. Normally, they host meet and greet events throughout different cities in India for the candidates but, this year due to the online medium, they conducted, “A Day at YIF”, a series of curated sessions designed to give aspirants a glimpse of a day at the Young India Fellowship.

YIF'21

Aman S

Priyanka

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Committees of the Fellowship

Placement Committee The Placement Committee works in tandem with the Career Development Office of Ashoka University to ensure that the graduating batch of the University gets full-time job offers from the companies/industries of their choice. The Placement Committee has representation from all the graduating cohorts of the University and unlike the other committee formation processes, this one is done by careful selection rather than student election. The work done by the Placement Committee is notoriously known as the "thankless job" in an institution and here they act as a bridge between the students and the recruiters, ensuring that both sides find the right match and have a smooth process. The Placement Committee works towards keeping everything updated about the candidates using the infamous "Superset" (which remains down or glitchy most of the time) and are known to organise several

official and unofficial resume review and building sessions, mock interviews, case practices, and several other awareness and knowledge gathering sessions about the myriad of job options available after an intensive year of studying liberal arts in India. These people are usually night owls and the number of calls they receive is inversely proportional to the time left for an application deadline.

Representatives

Manu

Anamitra

Mukul

YIF'21

Uneet

Ashutosh

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Peer Learning & Guest Lectures Committee Guests invited ranged from Amit Chandra (impact investing) to Harsha Bhogle (Indian cricket commentator) and the Basus from the television and film industry (Anita Kaul Basu and Siddhartha Basu).

The topics are wide-ranging from – Economics, Business/Finance/Management, Analytics, ArtFine Arts/Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Social Sciences, Media/Journalism, Literature/Language, Athletics/Sports/ Martial Arts, and more!

Representatives

This year the committee arranged peer learning sessions on Marketing, College Applications, Vipasana, Folk Dances of India, etc.

Bhavya

Anmol

Elorika

Gayathri K

Committees of the Fellowship

Peer learning, near and dear to our hearts, is one of the core components of the Fellowship. And to enrich the learning experience of the fellows, the Guest Sessions and Peer Learning Committee and the YIF Programme Team have been organizing peer learning sessions where Fellows conduct workshops or training sessions for their cohort.

Guest sessions were also extensively organised to provide industry insights to the fellows.

YIF'21

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Committees of the Fellowship

Communications Committee

YIF'21

The Communications Committee includes Fellows passionate about writing, photography and design.

To carry the story of the Fellows’ experience is their purpose.

The Committee's creative initiative of coming out with the first-ever official YIF newsletter 'Communique' started a legacy that the four members dearly wish the upcoming cohorts will cherish and take forward.

In an online year, this became even more exciting as the fellowship experience of the cohort was vastly different to that of the previous batches.

The committee in its endeavours hosted events where fellows could express their talents on Ashoka’s official social media platforms.

The cohort saw fellows participating in these events with great enthusiasm. Its surprise for the year was publishing Young India Fellowship’s first official newsletter, Communique.

Representatives

Ankita D

Arjun

Aliyah

Gayatri S

This saw the cohort and alumni contributing actively to express their love for the Fellowship that never ends!

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Academic Committee

Considering the peculiarities of the online medium of education, the committee’s responsibility was all the more significant. Over eight terms, it worked towards addressing the individual and collective challenges propelled by the changed medium and attempted to positively alleviate the pandemicinduced distress.

At present, the committee is working towards creating a repository of pedagogical material pertaining to all the courses taught during the year with the intention of making available a comprehensive academic resource accessible to every fellow.

Representatives

Varun

Shambhavi

Govind

Debaleena

Committees of the Fellowship

Throughout the duration of the programme, the committee strived towards primarily catering to the fellows’ needs and concerns pertaining to academic matters. In particular, our work involved addressing and resolving relevant grievances, ensuring that the feedback cycles are in order and serving as an efficient link between the cohort and the programme team. While at it, in addition to its core tasks, the committee was also active in voicing alternate concerns subject to refunds, campus transition and other matters that indirectly influenced the academic experience.

YIF'21

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Committees of the Fellowship

Alumni Relations Committee

YIF'21

Alumni are key to an institution's growth, that is why it is always crucial to maintain a constant connection between the individuals who are helping in establishing the brand of the university across the globe and the ones who aspire to do the same in the future. Throughout the year, the Alumni Relations Committee(ARC) have put in their best foot so that the fellows could get the expected guidance from the respective Alumnis. The committee well articulately designed a Alumni Relations Mentorship programme, so that no fellow is left behind and can receive the right guidance to reach their goals as smoothly as possible.

The committee ensured an efficient communication channel between the current fellows and over 252 different alumni, with whom the fellows can have one to one sessions. This year of utmost uncertainty saw an insanely certain level of dedication from the ARC who scaled up their role from just an interface between the Fellows and Alumni to a proper guiding light for all the fellows, looking for a diverse set of opportunities at the fellowship. From holding podcast sessions for Alumnis to share their journeys to helping fellows meet the alumnis, they did it all, that too in an online setup, without hassle. Doesn’t that sound amazing ?

Whether it’s life or liberal studies, connecting dots will make the difference, but dots can only be connected when you have the right joiner by your side. ARC has been that right joiner and have created a significant impact in the fellowship. As the fellows step onto the other side of the fellowship in the pandemic, ARC will always be remembered as the guiding facilitator who stood with a torch at the end of the tunnel!

Representatives

Aryaman

Deshna

Aradhya

Saransh

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ELD Committee This year saw a paradigm shift in the working of the offices due to a raging pandemic, in such troubled times, the ELD team very well understood and incorporated the importance of empathy in the day to day working of the ELM teams, thus making the space more inclusive for the fellows, leading to greater productivity of working even in such testing times.

Representatives

Kartheek

Jai

Simran D

Sagar

Committees of the Fellowship

The Experiential Learning Development committee acts as a bridge between the students working on their Experiential Learning Modules(ELM) and the ELM faculty and program team. This year the committee had an additional responsibility of handling the challenges associated in conducting the ELM in an online setup. From helping fellows understand the nuances of the Experiential Learning Module to voicing the fellows opinions to the program team, they did it all.

The ELM is a core component of the YIF curriculum, where the fellows work in groups to solve real life problems.

Needless to say that every group has a diverse set of people with diverse viewpoints and opinions. With things going online effective communication started to disappear among the team members. But all thanks to the committee, time and time again they have stepped up to ensure that there is a steady frictionless execution of work. The ELD team was also responsible for interacting with all the fellows closely and understanding projects (problems) from diverse backgrounds. At the same time, they happily helped with all queries/issues related to project planning and execution, client communication, etc.

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Committees of the Fellowship

Student Engagement Committee

YIF'21

The Student Engagement Committee’s mandate is to organise cultural events for the cohort and inculcate a sense of community in the fellowship. For the Committee of the YIF’21 batch, there was an additional role in hand - bridging the online gap and bringing everyone together to get to know each other virtually. Getting their creative juices flowing, the Student Engagement Committee kicked off its first event titled “Jab We Met” for the cohort on October 24th, 2020. The event officially brought the fellows together for a fun-filled evening with refreshing mixers and cohort dance. After a warm welcome and discussion on creating a vibrant student engagement life, the event proceeded with the "Fellows Group Speed Dating" mixer where the fellows got a conversation starter prompt and were randomly sent to breakout rooms to discuss the prompt with other fellows under 3 minutes. The beauty of it was that the shuffling happened randomly each time which allowed everyone to meet with someone they didn't know before. Some of the prompts given were 'What would the title of your autobiography be?', 'You’re going to sail around the world, what’s the name of your boat and why?', and 'What is the craziest thing you have done in your life’. But the night was just getting started, post the speed dating mixer, fellows were ready to tap their feet and get into Garba dance mode.

After 5 minutes of initial awkwardness, fellows fixed their zoom screens and started dancing and jigged to the tunes of popular Bollywood songs.

The night became more LIVE as it broke the ice between many fellows, and everyone enjoyed the sheer energy and fun enthusiasm of our cohort. This event became the foundation for the committee to organise few more events which included games, songs, dance, and late-night fun conversations. The SEC also organised some discussions with fellows of the program to celebrate and explore their talents and successes.

The committee managed to break the ice between the fellows of 2021 despite the absence in our physical proximities :)

Representatives

Devansh

Sweta

Navya

Kashish

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Resident Assistants

CASH

Representatives

Shreya

Hanish

Ashoka University aims at creating a safe space. CASH is one of the bodies which works towards realising this goal. The committee, besides the CASH Chair and other members in the panel, comprises student representatives which assist in having a fair hearing and ensuring that due procedure is followed. CASH Support provides the necessary help and counseling needed to students should they approach it.

Maintaining the privacy of the individuals involved in a case is mandatory. Ashoka University does not tolerate sexual harassment on it's campus in any form. The Committee has been active even on a virtual medium in the recent past.

Having served as the student representative from YIF, the tenure was a learning experience as well as a challenging one. I hope that CASH continues its good work and provide even safer campus space to students.

Representative

Gayathri

Soumya

Committees of the Fellowship

Being a Resident Assistant is, perhaps, a job like no other. It requires one to be available, empathetic, understanding, prompt and tight lipped at required places and occasions. We help in creating a safe environment for our fellow classmates and help foster an environment that embraces diversity. But unlike how it is also generally viewed, the job of being an RA is also extremely fulfilling. Throughout the process of brainstorming, planning, holding events, listening to students etc., one gets to meet a variety of people who teach us a new thing or two. This is especially true with regards to what we learn from our own residents. Lastly, being a tiny little arm of the Office of Student Affairs makes for a delightful learning experience from professionals and seniors throughout the year. Our year as Resident Assistants has been one of fulfilment, growth, learning association and in many ways, emancipation.

YIF'21

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Art Work By Akshita Narula YIF'21

The Warkari: An artwork which was inspired by a dicussion on Warkari sect during our Ecosophy class. This painting for me is a symbol of individuality and vernacular heritage of India.

Art Work By Ankita Kadam

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Be yourself

We’re here for a ridiculously short amount of time, most of which is spent in trivial pursuits. The least we can do while at it is be ourselves. Be it going against an unjust law or a societal norm or the sweet teachings of your beloved god. Do it. The realisation that death is inevitable should make life an emergency.

Art Work By Shambhavi Jha

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Unabashedly, unreservedly and with utmost honesty.

There is no life after death, no god, no heaven or hell, and no cosmic justice. Everything about our birth - the country, the society, the era, or the family we're born into was arbitrary. There's no proof of reincarnation or that the deeds of a previous birth impact the present one.

-Abhishek Garg

YIF'21

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Art Work By Debaleena Bagchi

The right person will take you from the arid forests to the dynamic galaxies filled with love and content They will always see the wonderful art that you are and You won’t find the need to wear those expensive clothes or watches to impress them…

You have some charming aspects, some flaws as well and they’ll see them all, but the reason why they’ll decide to stay is because it’ll be no one else but ‘you’ The right person will never compare you to some stranger who appears to be cool on social media, instead they’ll appreciate the beauty you’ve added to their life!

They’ll not just add wings to your plane but will also be your copilot in the journeys ahead…

For them your company will matter more than materialistic gifts, and the time spent with you will always act as the best therapy!

And when you might have a rough day at work, you’ll find them sitting right next to you, ready to give you a listening ear…

And if you ever feel you’ve lost your spark, you wouldn’t have to look anywhere else but just in their eyes, because for the right person there’ll be no star brighter than the one standing right in front of them!

-Janhvi Ramesh Khoshe

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Mother Earth

Nayan Art Work By Gitanjali

Art Work By Sagar Malik YIF'21

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YIF'21

Photographs by Anamitra Ghosh

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Vraksh

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Art Work By Bala Meenakshi Art Works By Shaireen YIF'21

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Ek Yatra

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Me tha ek adhuri kahani sa, use pura karna to yha pe sikha, Me tha ek bahti nadi sa, smundar me milna to yha pe sikha, Me tha ek kinare par betha parinda, ghonsla bnana to yha pe sikha, Me tha ek adhuri kahani sa, use pura karna to yha pe sikha, Me tha ek bejuban prinda, ELM ke pro se udna to yha pe sikha, Me tha ek nosikhiya, CW ki nav se terna to yha pe sikha, Me tha ek bhatka hua rahi, apne raste to chunna yha pe sikha, Me tha ek adhuri kahani sa, use pura karna to yha pe sikha, Me tha khud sehi anjan, ruh se rub ru hona to yha pe sikha, Bujhi huyi sma si thi ye jindgi, taro sa chamkna to yha pe sikha, Me tha ek siddha sadha snatkotar(graduate), confidently confused, never ending fellowship ka concept to yha pe sikha, Me tha ek adhri kahani sa, use pura karna to yha pe sikha.

Bloody Woman Art Work By Gayathri K

YIF'21

-Prameshwar Lal

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The pieces are named Acidic and Rastafarian Rick and Morty from left to right Art Work By Glen Reuben Dsouza

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Art Work By Akshita Narula

YIF'21

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वो अजीब सी शाम रेशमी सी इन राह म दलच सा इक मोड़ आया है, दल म तूफां उमड़ता है, शोला सा बदन ये जलता है, इक न म हवा म आकर अभी खुशबू क तरह आ बखरी है, आसमान के समंदर म इक चाँद क क ती उतरी है, बोझल सी है ये शाम अभी फूल म भरी उदासी है, कहना है कतना कुछ हमको फर भी लब पर ख़ामोशी है, सयाह भरी इस नगाह म बस दो मोती से चमकते ह , ये न म तु हारे नाम है जान, इस मोड़ पे छोड़ के चलते ह , क मत पे कसका ज़ोर चले? फ़कत ही सही गर व ल नह , मलना है तुमसे है ये यक , कैसे? कहाँ? मालूम नह ।

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Reshmi si in raāho.n mein dilchasp sa ik mod aaya hai, Dil mein toofa.n umadta hai, shola sa badan ye jalta hai, Ik nazm hawā mein aakr abhi ḳhushbu ki tarah aa bikhri hai, Aasmān ke samandar mein ik chand ki kashti utari hai, Bojhal si hai ye shaam abhi phuulo.n me bhari udaasi hai, Kehna hai kitna kuch humko phir bhi lab par ḳhāmoshi hai, Siyāh bhari is nigāh mein bass do moti se chamakte hain, Ye nazm tumhāre naam hai jaan, iss mod pe chhor ke chalte hain, Quismat pe kiska zor chale? Furqat hi sahi gar vasl nahi.n, Milna hai tumse hai ye yaqiin, kaise? Kaha? Maālūm nahi.n!

-दे वेश (Devesh)

The Girl with Wings!

Art Work By Indhumadhi

YIF'21

Vo ajeeb si shaam

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Art Works By Aryaman Narayanan Foaling Around

An (Un)holy Response to Art

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Communication Blackout Art work By Afshana Bano

Mandala Art Art work By Soumya Jha

YIF'21

Fellowship amidst a Raging Pandemic

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-Soumya Jha

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The experience for the 10th batch of YIF went through trenches and peaks, quite a larger number of trenches, I would say due to the devastating second wave of the pandemic. In a matter of days, in midApril, the environment on campus went from happy and gay to tensed and grey. Students tested positive and were isolated. Several floors in residence halls were isolated. Back home our families, friends and relatives were going through personal losses or fighting the virus. I witnessed resilience and empathy amongst fellows. Our whatsapp and Instagram stories were filled with messages to amplify requests for medicines, beds or oxygen cylinders. Concern for our fellows and their ailing kith and kin was evident. Fellows have spent sleepless nights arranging medical supplies for each other in need. In such trying times, the home we had away from our homes was comforting.

The connection we could build with a few fellows is something we can hold on to. Our batch needs to be acknowledged for thriving in an unprecedented stressful environment with things getting harder each passing day, not to mention the toll academic pressure had on us. The sudden mail on 19th April, 2021 created havoc when we were asked to vacate the campus by 26th April, 2021. How quickly we got attached to the lawns and the mess and the residence halls and the people, our fellow fellows who breathe life into all these structures is something we are still trying to decipher. One by one the fellows started leaving.

Little did we know that even after waiting for so long to be on campus and finally being there with our friends, our stay would be cut short in the blink of an eye. We bid caged goodbyes to our friends at the main gate. Unfortunately we never got to meet many. We haven’t even seen the faces of a few fellows till date. Dwindling between online and offline mode of interaction the fellowship is concluding with an online convocation on 17th July, 2021 and we will smile in our rectangular boxes, hoping for better days ahead where we will be able to meet fellows in person or visit the beautiful Ashoka campus once again or may be for the first time for some!

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Art work By Sanchita Singh

YIF'21

Benaras

Attraversiamo

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Lost sun A downpour there was on that regular day, Unable to leave, unable to play , All we did was rant and complain, The sky so dark shedding endless tears, A sight that bade nothing but sorrow, Only served to dampen our spirits.

But then you came , with a smile adorning your face, Which was not as exuberant as the sun, Or as beautiful as the moon, But with a smile, which was mysteriously ….

So like you.

“a sky devoid of gloom, a gorgeous rainbow with Its stunning shades, a majestic sun in all its glory Or maybe in a beautiful hue of orange! I say” We looked at you with a tender gaze as warmth seeped in our very being, But suddenly what grasped our attention, Was the chirping of the birds and the light of day Shining down as an answer to our complaints , Or rather, As proof of your resolute testimony.

The sight that stood before , was truly heartwarming, Something to behold , a sight that took our breaths away.

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Sneaking a glance out the window, feigning innocence , You asked “why so depressed?” why in such a gloom?” “this is fleeting” you said as you pointed towards the endless sky, “the clouds will not stay for eternity, so why not smile?” “the sight that awaits after this fleeting scene , will be so stunning .” “just you wait, just be patient.”

The Quest for Connection: An online Saga Art Work By Harshitha Rayapati

And today we stand before you, Who taught us all , Who became our light in the pits of darkness, Who became our hope in times of despair, With a solitary wish, With a solemn question, With one heartfelt prayer…

Where are you?

You, who used to laugh under the cloudy skies…

-Devashri Awasthi

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Art works By Varun Kashyap

YIF'21

The Song of Ice and Fire Art work By Deshna Jain

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ग दश इक वाब क ताबीर म पाया है मने तुझे, अ मा क उ स-ओ-इनायत म पाया है मने तुझ,े तेरे नूर क जु तजू म म भटका बहोत उस र स-ए-भटकन के सुकूं म पाया है मने तुझे, मौत म पाया है मने तुझे और ज़ दगी म भी, पाया है मने तुझे और पाया भी नह ।

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Gardish Ik ḳhwaab ki tābiir mein paaya hai maine tujhe, Ammā ki uns-o-inaayat mein paaya hai maine tujhe, Tere noor ki justaju mein main bhatka bohot Us raks-e-bhatkan ke sukuu.n mein paaya hai maine tujhe, Maut mein paaya hai maine tujhe aur zindagi mein bhi, Paaya hai maine tujhe aur paaya bhi nahi.n.

-दे वेश (Devesh)

Art Work By Akshita Narula

YIF'21

Just as I am in my last semester of undergrad, Papa calls me up to ask me the name of my college as he sits with some business acquaintance, his fourth call to this purpose.

Spotting Ma, I decided to test her and ask her the name of my course. Rummaging through her mind, she mutters “English” and I give her a pass.

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It seems like yesterday when my parents struggling to adjust to the idea of their daughter living away from home in a big guileful city, opened the doors of independence and responsibility for me. I remember my mother’s hesitance when I was to travel alone for the first time and her insistence on someone accompanying me. In my umpteenth flight now, I’m coming with a friend, I tell her and she sighs with relief.

Some things never change.

Except that I did. Delhi took me in its hearty arms, rocked me out of my pretty little bubble-like a harbinger of harsh truths, later burying me in its chest as I longed for comfort. I look back at nights of insecurities and evenings of uncertainties and times of unending laughter and moments of plain joy.

The first time I came back home, everything that I saw was cleaner, whiter, bigger. The TV screen had looked so large in front of my tiny phone screen. And the kitchen utensils are so small in comparison to the ones at my PG. On my second visit, all was normal. My brain seemed to have reasoned out the disproportionateness and thus I became part of two worlds that existed in a paradox of interaction and exclusiveness with each other.

The Shreya in Delhi uncovered the layers of patriarchy, capitalism, caste, and other social structures. She grew more and more aware and analytical. The Shreya in Raipur now had answers to things that had confused her little self. But within herself, it remains limited, this newfound weapon of slicing past popular narratives and age-old practices.

On a less cynical note, I have had some amazing experiences and lovely days. I have traveled. I passed out after a satisfying day of work. I sighed in glee when a little kid drew me a car on Teacher’s Day. I have shed tears of joy. I have danced, I have sung. I have written, I have created. Delhi, I’ll leave you with a thousand memories.

YIF'21

-Shreya Daga

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Calmness in the turmoil Art Work By Ashish Patil

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The Introvert Who Can’t Be By Herself Many years ago, I’d come across the MBTI Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ‘Introvert’- came the result.

Everything about me began to make sense I started to stop punishing myself for wanting to be alone I sat and let myself be alone Reveling in the solitude What a wonderful joy What a wonderful way of being

My solitude is a house that’s always on fire Burning and burning and for a second or two it seems like the fire is dying out, but it’s only a trick of the mind’s eye; the fire’s been raging and raging How do you make a burning house your home?

Where do you find water in a desert?

My penance brings only a few droplets to kill the flames and that’s not enough So, I found others, and I stayed with them And then came isolation – government mandated isolation The refuge I found in others was no more The screaming in my head was back (How is it that the silent screams in my head silence music, chatter and literally any deafening noise from the outside?)

Over the years the trauma set in My inner voice, which was quiet and speculative and curious Now became deafening and paranoid and cowardly Solitude became a stranger A stranger you’re scared of – A stranger you know is hiding knives in their clothes To escape the knives and the wounds I ran from the stranger in my solitude Instead, I ran to people People who spoke too much, people who spoke too less, people who said too much but didn’t really say anything at all All these people seem so blind, but I found solace in their chatter I love others – don’t get me wrong, but one can’t build a home in others, One can only build a home in themselves I tried, and still try, every now and then to wrestle with the screaming in my head and reclaim my solitude, The worst kind of screams are the silent ones

By Anonymous

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Solitude was something like my Lover Caressing me intimately I just want silence. I just want quiet.

I snuck away to be with it I just want solitude. I want my mind back. I want to hear myself talking again, Solitude was also my best friend, my encouraging mother, my fastidious father and not screaming.

And my rowdy sister – willing to throw a punch or hundred at anything that came to I just want peace. hurt me And I’m scared to go looking for it, because if I find it, it might just be the end.

Solitude became my home

YIF'21

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Ashkon ko chun ke aankhon mein boya karein ge hum Rona tamaam shehr ka roya karenge hum

‫اﺷﮑﻮں ﮐﻮ ﭼﻦ ﮐﮯ آﻧﮑﮭﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ ﺑﻮﯾﺎ ﮐﺮﯾﮟ ﮔﮯ ﮨﻢ‬ ‫روﻧﺎ ﺗﻤﺎم ﺷﮩﺮ ﮐﺎ روﯾﺎ ﮐﺮﯾﮟ ﮔﮯ ﮨﻢ‬

Khwab-e-adam se dhoond ke layenge raushni Phir zindagi mein dhoop piroya karenge hum

‫ﺧﻮاب ﻋﺪم ﺳﮯ ڈﮬﻮﻧﮉ ﮐﮯ ﻻﺋﯿﮟ ﮔﮯ روﺷﻨﯽ‬ ِ ‫ﭘﮭﺮ زﻧﺪﮔﯽ ﻣﯿﮟ دﮬﻮپ ﭘﺮوﯾﺎ ﮐﺮﯾﮟ ﮔﮯ ﮨﻢ‬

Khoon-e-jarahat-e-dil-na-karda-kar se Aaina-e-hayaat ko dhoya karenge hum

‫ﺧﻮن‬ ‫دل ﻧﺎ ﮐﺮده ﮐﺎر ﺳﮯ‬ ِ ِ ‫ﺟﺮاﺣﺖ‬ ِ ‫آﺋﯿﻨ ﺣﯿﺎت ﮐﻮ دﮬﻮﯾﺎ ﮐﺮﯾﮟ ﮔﮯ ﮨﻢ‬

Pehle tamaam shehr ko sehra banayein ge Phir wehshaton ki ret pe soya karenge hum

‫ﭘﮩﻠﮯ ﺗﻤﺎم ﺷﮩﺮ ﮐﻮ ﺻﺤﺮا ﺑﻨﺎﺋﯿﮟ ﮔﮯ‬ ‫ﭘﮭﺮ وﺣﺸﺘﻮں ﮐﯽ رﯾﺖ ﭘﮧ ﺳﻮﯾﺎ ﮐﺮﯾﮟ ﮔﮯ ﮨﻢ‬

Lafzon ko harf harf piroyenge sher mein Lafzon se inhiraaf bhi goya karenge hum

‫ﻟﻔﻈﻮں ﮐﻮ ﺣﺮف ﺣﺮف ﭘﺮوﺋﯿﮟ ﮔﮯ ﺷﻌﺮ ﻣﯿﮟ‬ ‫ﻟﻔﻈﻮں ﺳﮯ اﻧﺤﺮاف ﺑﮭﯽ ﮔﻮﯾﺎ ﮐﺮﯾﮟ ﮔﮯ ﮨﻢ‬

Koi imkaan mere bas mein nahin Khwaab ankhon ki dastaras mein nahin

‫ﮐﻮﺋﯽ اﻣﮑﺎن ﻣﯿﺮے ﺑﺲ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ‬ ‫ﺧﻮاب آﻧﮑﮭﻮں ﮐﯽ دﺳﺘﺮس ﻣﯿﮟ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ‬

Jism to maut hi ka saaya hai Zindagi jism ke qafas mein nahin

‫ﺟﺴﻢ ﺗﻮ ﻣﻮت ﮨﯽ ﮐﺎ ﺳﺎﯾﺎ ﮨﮯ‬ ‫زﻧﺪﮔﯽ ﺟﺴﻢ ﮐﮯ ﻗﻔﺲ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ‬

Ab faqat dil ki baat sunta hai Ab mera zehn pesh-o-pas mein nahin

‫اب ﻓﻘﻂ دل ﮐﯽ ﺑﺎت ﺳﻨﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ‬ ‫اب ﻣﺮا ذﮨﻦ ﭘﯿﺶ و ﭘﺲ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ‬

Jism khamoshiyon ka maara hai Koi awaaz is jaras mein nahin

‫ﺟﺴﻢ ﺧﺎﻣﻮﺷﯿﻮں ﮐﺎ ﻣﺎرا ﮨﮯ‬ ‫ﮐﻮﺋﯽ آواز اس ﺟﺮس ﻣﯿﮟ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ‬

Hijr gar hai wisaal se behtar Hijr ausaaf-e-bul-havas mein nahin

‫ﮨﺠﺮ ﮔﺮ ﮨﮯ وﺻﺎل ﺳﮯ ﺑﮩﺘﺮ‬ ‫ﮨﺠﺮ اوﺻﺎف ﺑﻮاﻟﮩﻮس ﻣﯿﮟ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ‬ -Shah Faisal Mushtaq

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Mirrors

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You loathe the mirrors for the truths they deliver They conspire in feeding your complexes 'You're unloved and nether' they whisper Nonetheless, you indulge yourself in vanity Masking the putrid of your insecurities and the foul odour of your inferiority Following a path of false pride and hatred One day I wish for you to realise the battle lies not against the world But within those mirrors.

Assay, introspect; as you stare back into the world that shall reflect the very traits you portray Grow and ripen out of your vices.

Tether thyself with poems that soothe.

And learn to love, unbeknownst the cruel lies that encompass.

-Sam Dennis

Black Illumination Art Work By Iman Bhattacharyya

YIF'21

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The Year That Was I know that we were promised, I know we were chosen, I know we belonged together, I know there were a great many things I know the sky is supposed to be blue, I know we were to be the raging crew, I know we were to see the sun rise true, I know the moon shone bright in the midnight hue I know what happened still holds true, I know we were there despite the fallen troop, I know we went through a thorn filled adieu, I know sweet child, calm down you I know you are wary, I know there was a lot more due, I know we faced it all, I know you have a heart filled to the brim too I know I wouldn't care for the blot, I know we would still chuckle together at a bon mot, I know the year that was, the year with the wicked clot, I know the year that was and I would still choose you lot -By K Prahalad

YIF'21

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Art Work By Kasthoori N Made using quilling paper & chart.

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What makes one happy?

What makes one happy?... Is it sitting in a book store aisle with a book in hand, or walking barefoot in the sand, meeting a friend after ages or the taste of tea after a long day, being at a concert surrounded by people who love the same music as you or looking down at the clouds from an aeroplane, lying on your bed in your underwear or seeing the stars during a late-night drive,

kissing someone for the first time or completing a long due assignment, having late-night conversations with a special someone or visiting a place you've always wanted to see, seeing Christmas lights down your whole street or uncontrollable laughter,

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early morning walks when the whole world isn't really awake yet or sleeping in late on a lazy Sunday,

eating your favourite candy or getting a reply from your crush, doing stupid little things on a daily basis or learning to play an instrument, waking up in the middle of the night and realizing you still have hours to sleep or receiving compliments from a stranger.

Close your eyes and ponder, and when you smile, you'll know what makes you happy.

-GLEN DSOUZA

YIF'21

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To Ashoka,

YIF'21

I don't know how to express that As a person of minority identity What are you protesting against?

As a product of minority institution Asked a friend on campus two nights ago I have been feeling for long It is important all of us have a clear idea of that, he said What you're feeling now I heard myself say 'academic freedom', say 'the freedom to dissent for all' I don't want to say I told you so - that they'll come for you too It led me to ask myself another question later that night I'm sorry instead that in some way, you now know What does this protest mean to you?

My only hope is, now that you do To me, it is a reminder that You scream, shout This campus, like other campuses, is not safe Not just for you, but for me too It tries hard, with its well-manicured lawns and elaborate dining menus Not because I can't fight on my own Provides a false sense of security I've had too much practice recently This campus, that had not 'sit-in' against anything for one full day before this But because that is the only way to go.

Where we might sing 'hum dekhenge' at some point in the next few days But it will feel out of place -AISHA Like slogans of Azadi do outside India occupied Kashmir

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I remember Bab-e-Syed Students screaming, shouting, mostly Their screams, shouts, falling on deaf ears mostly Have I started to sound condescending already?

That I might know more about protests than you do Please know that this is not arrogance This is hurt, this is anger This is more jealousy than judgement That this campus doesn't know What it feels like To sleep under the open sky on cold winter nights Having to rush a friend with asthma to emergency the day after That there are friends I can't talk to anymore, Drink tea with Discuss world dominance with Because they don't provide mobile phones in jails.

Art Work By Bhavya Mehta

94 O' mighty mountain, I have a story to tell, I am the breeze that makes the oceans swell; It entails how humanity fell, lamenting nature's voice lay quell;

I roam from shore to peak to pole, icecaps stand subdued by coal, where once I met the wise proud shoal, warming ocean reek their soul;

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Enslaving Screens allured the man, death and plunder so began, pococurante machines forged their clan, rendering my pneuma to tan;

O stupendous, I tremble in fear, our home endures from the human sear, survive to grieve and apprise the revere, only if they knew us as compeer; As foals and birds begin to weep, the human-wolf is dressed as sheep, space frontier puts morality to sleep, sins of expediency began to heap;

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The time has come to bid goodbye, gluttoned by them, the wry lakes ossify, cancerous soot won't let me fly, with me, their dreams will mortify;

Glossary Pococurante-Indifferent; Ossify-Turn into bone, die; Pneuma-Soul, Atman.

-Aradhya

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Sach kya hai?

Sach aakhir kya hai? sach ye hai ki main jeevit hun Ki main apne aaspaas aise bhaybheet kr dene wale manzar ko mehsus kr paa rha hun Ya ye ki wo log jo zinda hote huye bhi mar chuke hain jinke sath kuch aapbeeti huyi hai or woh sunn pad gye hain, shaant hogye hain.

Sach aakhir kya hai.?

Iss waqt, isko likhte waqt main Hamlet ka woh paatra hun Ki Mere hone ya mere naa hone se bhi kuch nahi badalne wala Ya ye hai ki mera hona ya na hona mayne nahi rakhta Sach aaakhir kya hai??

Ye ki mujhe apni mahtvkanshaon ko poora krna hai Ya fir ye ki jeevan mein itna kuch haasil krne ke baad bhi hath mein kuch nahi rehta Sach aakhir kya hai?

Ki kayde kaanoon jo banaye gye unke hisaab se chalun or mar jaun?

Ya apne manganat niyamon ke anusaar chalun, saari umra logon ki baatein sunun or fir ant mein fir bhi marr jaun.

Sach kya hai?

Ki yahan jitne bhi log mere hain..kya woh vastavikta mein mere hain?

Yaa mere hone ka dhong kr rhe hain?

Kya ye zindagi meri hai? Kya in logon ki zindagi unki hqi?

Yaa ye log bhi meri hi tarah kisi udhaar ki zindagi pe zinda hain Sach kya hai?

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Ye Chaaaron or bisri huyi shaanti, chuppi, sannaata Ya sabhi ke mano mein phat rhe sawaalon ke jwalamukhi Sach kya hai?

Sach ye hai ki ye shareer nashwar hai Ki ye jeevan ka sanchaar, saans lena ya chordhna mere hath mein nahi hai, ki mere paas waqt nahi hai Ya ye ki mere jeevit rehne aur mere jeevit na rehne ke beech mein ek vyakti hai jo mujhe iss paar yaa uss paar le jaa sakta hai Agar uske pass wqt hua toh

Ye ki jo main kehna chah rha hun woh shayd aap kabhi nahi samjhenge Yaa ye ki jo aap samjh rhe hain woh maine kabhi kaha hi nahi

-Shrey Gambhir

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Honest Ashoka

By Sam Dennis, Tanay Katiyar, Karan Tichal, Janvi Kothari, Ankita Mathew

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A normal day in a truck driver's life

By Shaunak Raipurkar

Viewing mother from an Archemedian standpoint by Shaunak-GCS

Codex of Aunoma The cult created by Aishwarya Mall, Namita Varma, Malavika Mahesh, Varun Kashyap, Shraddha Prasad and Prerana N for Art appreciation Scan the QR codes to view the video/audio

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Art Work By Shambhavi Jha

Hermes in Red By Sam Dennis

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Stories of Extraordinary women from everyday life, WSCI video

by Shaunak Raipurkar, Indumadhi S, Varun Kashyap, Iman Bhattacharya and Gayathri MR

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Tawaifnama The piece is a dialogue between two artists hailing from different eras of Indian history-the pre-independence era (Bano) and the current one (Anjali). While loosely unified by a reverence for their art, they inhabit worlds with differing attitudes towards said art. The emergent difference stems from the dynamic interplay of Art, Gender and Sexuality over timeespecially how the gaze around an art and an artist can change in a gender biased way. This is portrayed by drawing a contrast of these volatile gazes across the two eras- one of transition as experienced by Bano and another of abject turmoil as described by Anjali.

While the piece alludes to the specific art forms preserved and practiced by the Tawaifs of North India-- and their subsequent transformation through the years into sex work-- the exchange between the two characters is making a broader commentary about the nature of Art. One major touchpoint is that of Art and Context. As Bano skillfully observes, while Art creates the zeitgeist of a generation, the prevailing conscience of the time also maneuvers and moulds its art. The British with their Victorian morality- stern and regressive towards women- created a massive disruption (The Anti-Nautch Act) and rendered many art forms redundant or retroactively taboo- one of which was that of the Tawaifs.

The formal element of stark shadows to present the narrative is a nod to how the complexities of this art and artists have been reduced to a black and white morality, stripping what used to be a colourful life to a muted stagnancy.

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Akash Chowdhury,Bhavya Mehta, Khushi Pahuja, Maria Siddiqui, Rohan Shyam Chowdhury, Tenzing Palmo

Scan the QR code to view the video/audio

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The book of messages from fellows compiled for Aniha and the Programme Team

The community called YIF by The Toastmasters Club

Scan the QR code to view the file/video

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Campus Views 101 by Nikita Kalra Devansh Singh Rathour

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Meet the faces preserving the bubble

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Bhaskar K Mishra

Hostel Wardens P.J. Fernandes and Zarina

THC Mohit Kumar

Dhaba Team Kuldeep and his team

Fuel Zone

Tuck Shop

Sandeep

Pankaj Kumar

Meet the faces preserving the bubble

VP (Operations)

Vice President (Operations) at Ashoka University Mr Bhaskar leads the Administration, Infrastructure & Project Management and Procurement verticals at the University

Housekeeping Team (L to R): Aakash, Sumanlata, Praveen, Rustom, Amit, Kuldeep Aarti, Poonam, Sumit, Rekha, Virmati, Rajbir

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147 The team kept the system running, even during the pandemic.

They braved every hurdle and worked relentlessly to keep the campus safe and comfortable for all of us.

They truly are the ones who run the show!

Dining Team

Chai Shai

(L to R): Usha (Housekeeping), Ganesh (Utility), Manoj (Serving), Sushil Rawat (Cooking)

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(L to R): Yogesh and Md. Shajid

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The Yearbook Team

The Yearbook Team

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The Yearbook Team

Anamitra Ghosh

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Anmol Mehta

Anushka Ashar

Arkoprabho Hazra

Bala Meenakshi

Bhavya Mehta

Devansh Singh Rathour

Devesh Pratap Singh

Chief-Curator, Coordinator, Design, Liaison

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Curation, Liaison, Design

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Liaison

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Chief-Curator, Coordinator, Design, Liaison

Elorika Tayal Design

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Curation, Liaison, Design

Indhumadhi S Editorial, Design

Navya Mendiratta Liaison

Prameshwar Lal

Rishav Biswas

Samikhsya Nanda

Shreya Daga

Soumya Jha

Varun P Kashyap

Liaison, Design

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Glen Dsouza

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A little space to scribble your memories

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Parting Note

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The past year has been one of the most challenging years in the last century of human history and we all successfully leaped beyond (with a few scars and bruises, of course!) the stepping stone of a lifetime journey called the Young India Fellowship! Surely we all made the best out of this year even as most of the things were beyond our control. We made friends, fought, resolved, celebrated, cried, laughed harder, and experienced an entire spectrum of emotions! Somewhere, someday our classroom sessions are due; the group picture of the entire class on campus is due, but this Yearbook would become that time machine to this one hell of a ride when we experienced life in a bubble. This Yearbook is a YIF legacy in making and it is that magic tool that the Fellows of the tenth cohort used to bring the batch together and fortified their memories in a tangible way.

There are a lot of blood, sweat, and tears (well, maybe not blood!) that went into putting this Yearbook together with a very small team working remotely from every nook and corner of the country. Thus, we hope that years later when you flip the pages of this labour of love and passion, your face brightens up with a smile :)

Team YIF Yearbook 2021, signing off!

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YIF YEARBOOK 2021