19
20 ANNUAL REPORT Jitheshraj Scholarship for promising freshmen - NIT Trichy
IN HONOUR AND MEMORY OF
JITHESHRAJ PERIASAMY 1996 - 2015
B.Tech, CSE, Class of 2017
An Extraordinary Student & A Dear Friend.
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OUR MISSION TO NUDGE STUDENTS TOWARDS ACHIEVING CLARITY ABOUT THEIR STRENGTHS AND PASSION
OUR VALUES TO BRING TOGETHER AND NURTURE A LINEAGE OF LEADERS AND CHANGE-MAKERS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY AND SOCIETY Jitheshraj Scholarship for promising freshmen identifies and brings together students of NIT Trichy who have the curiosity to explore, the discipline to persevere and the will to make a difference. We aim to reward not the smartest of students but those who show growth mindset and a promising trajectory. 03
CONTENT & PHOTOGRAPHS
Akshaya Subramanian Darshan Maru Gudapati Nitish Harish Balakrishnan Hiloni Gandhi Himanshi Gupta Kishore V Nithin Balaaji D V Shefali Tyagi Sivaranjani Subramanian Swedha S
DESIGN
Shefali Tyagi CENTREFOLD DOODLE
Jenny Leonard with inputs from panelists and mentors 2019-20
Contributors 04
FOREWORD I am extremely happy to give this Foreword for the Jitheshraj Scholarship for promising freshmen. This has been formulated by the young
minds
at
NITT
soon
after
their
graduation in memory of their class mate. The idea is to identify and bring together students of NIT Trichy who have the curiosity to explore and create a difference. The
objectives of the scholarship is about
passion,
interests,
skill,
critical
thinking
Thus this scholarship is totally different from
awareness, exposure to world class talent
the other existing academic scholarships as it
gauging
aims to provide a platform for youngsters
and building a sense of moral
responsibility to community and society.
entering the Institution to think widely.
Although the role of teaching institutions is to
I wish the Scholarship management team all
impart knowledge in the core area, the overall
the best in the days to come as they are the
growth expected is not met. This scholarship
trend setters for other organising teams to
precisely aims in developing overall growth
come up with their own Innovations.
with commitment to society. In order to help the aspirants, mentors have been identified
Dr. Anantharaman N
among the passed out Alumni to nurture the
Professor - HAG (Retired)
aspirants and come up with a proposal to
Department of Chemical Engineering
serve humanity.
NIT Trichy
The [Jitheshraj] scholarship was a crucial factor in giving me confidence after my freshman year. The feedback from the judges enabled me to see how I was shaping up and what I could do to improve." - Sai Karthik K A Finalist 2018-2019
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CONTENTS 08 10 12 18 22 26 28 33
CONTINUING CONVERSATIONS
EVENT TIMELINE
SCHOLAR SPEAKS
GLOBAL ALUMNI MEET 2020
IDENTITY SHOWCASE
JSPF CONCLAVE
BEHIND THE SCENES CAMPUS COORDINATOR GENERAL PERKS OF BEING A PART OF THE JSPF COMMUNITY
35 38 40 43 46 48 52 56
ART, ACTIVISM & COMMUNICATIONÂ - A JSPF WORKSHOP TEAM 2019-20
CATALYSTS FOR CHANGE
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A PANELIST WITH JSPF?
FINALISTS
SCHOLAR MENTORSHIP
FINANCIAL REPORT
HOW WE CONNECT AS A COMMUNITY
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Exploration JSPF is designed to nudge students towards exploring various interests open-mindedly while they can leverage the myriad resources NIT Trichy provides. We believe that this will help steer students towards a career path that can bring together their innate abilities, acquired competencies and a sense of fulfilment- a career path they truly feel they belong at.
CONTINUING CONVERSATIONS Founder's Address 2019-2020 has been one of the most interesting and challenging years, not just for the Jitheshraj Scholarship but for any living generation. Uncertainty looms over all walks of life, forcing us to forgo the future we had planned for a chance at shaping a better one- one that includes affordable healthcare, accountable law enforcement, action on climate change and respect and dignity for all. And it is amidst this uncertainty that the value of education is being rigorously tested. How do we make the curriculum nimble enough for translatable life skills? How do we equip students with holistic problem-solving skills and a sense of civic duty so that they can rise up to the demands of the world they will inherit? How do we ensure that young people have the resources to build themselves up in this internetfirst era? How do we achieve all this without it taking a toll on our students' mental health? These are questions that every educator faces right now, questions that keep us up at night. And the Jitheshraj Scholarship for promising freshmen is hoping to be a catalyst to finding the answers. Last year, we had focused on bringing more students, especially freshmen, to be a part of our conversations. We discussed
with
them
United
Nation's
Sustainable
Development Goals and other global priorities. We debated gender disparity and student-club culture at NIT Trichy. Issues and causes that would have been brushed off as "too early to talk about" or "someone else's problem" a few years ago are now taking the spotlight on our college campus.
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But since March 2020, we have also directed our efforts to mobilising the existing community of students and alumni. We are working to uphold ourselves to global diversity and inclusion standards through practices bespoke for the NITT environment. We have helped students learn ways in which they can think, communicate and make an impact in their community through technology, design and art. Stories of our finalists becoming pioneers and breaking glass ceilings are being spoken about widely. Most importantly, with the help of our alumni, volunteers and donors, we are making sure that we are continuing these conversations until our questions are answered and the world we dream of is in sight. With their continued involvement, I am confident that in 2020-21 we will be a step closer. I thank everyone who has been a part of our journey and conversations in 2019-20. My special thanks to Dr. Anantharaman sir, for his unwavering support over the last 3 years. Finally, I am proud of and grateful to our finalists who put together much of this Annual report - it is you who give life to our conversations.
Sivaranjani Subramanian Founder and Executive Director
The Jitheshraj Scholarship was the first of many other scholarships that I'd find myself applying to in the future. It opened doors to a community of like-minded people and gave me many opportunities to move out of my comfort zone and explore, through its volunteering activities." - Akshaya C S Finalist 2018-2019 09
EVENT Identity was the first ever Student Showcase event of JSPF and a one-of-a-kind event at NIT Trichy. Guided by Architecture mentors Lakshmi S and Lakshmi K Ajayan, JSPF finalists created art installations for public display at the Cafe Coffee Day premises at NITT. Highlighting the importance of building and retaining one’s identity through communication and projection, the students transformed their thoughts on issues they care about into tangible exhibits for this showcase on campus. More information on page 14.
Lakshmi K Ajayan, Architecture, NITT-2017 (M.Des candidate at National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India) addressed students on campus at the first JSPF mentorship session for the year. She talked about design thinking as a medium of problem solving and how it can be leveraged in everyday life. Video of the mentorship session available at https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=L271G62wS4c
Identity - A Student’s Showcase
Mentorship session #1: Design as a way of life
9 Aug, 2019 8 Aug, 2019 Felicitation of Finalists and Scholar 2018-19 Launch of Scholarship 2019-20 Nithin Balaaji DV of CSE was felicitated as the JSPF Scholar for 2018-19. The details of the 3rd edition of the scholarship was presented by JSPF finalists 2017-18 - Gudapati Nitish and Himanshi Gupta, following a talk by Swedha S, JSPF scholar of 2017-18. Dr. Anantharaman and Dr. Jerome S were guests of honour. Photograph on page 5.
24 Sep, 2019
Ayushi Tiwari, Civil Engineering, NITT-2016 (Geotechnical engineer at Golder Associates, Atlanta, Georgia, USA) provided insights into her own life in this second mentorship session. She spoke about how she achieved clarity about her strengths and goals while including some special tips to tackle the Statement of Purpose essay, which is a requirement in the Jitheshraj Scholarship application.
Mentorship session #2: Know Thyself
9 Nov, 2019
29 Aug, 2019
19 Oct, 2019
First Step: A Networking Event
JSPF Conclave 2019
An informal fun session that aimed to give our prospective applicants a first-hand exposure to what the scholarship process (and possibly what the life at NIT Trichy) entails. First year students interacted with finalists from the previous years to understand their experiences. More information at page 24.
JSPF Conclave was a special event exclusively for first year undergraduate students of NITT (unlike the mentorship sessions which are open for all). With the UN SDGs as the backdrop, the Conclave saw candidates discuss their monthly reading list, engage in creative brainstorming processes and work as a team to come up with solutions for major societal issues. More information at page 18.
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TIMELINE Siddhant Chandra, Civil Engineering, NITT-2016 (Graduate of Stanford University and a UPSC aspirant), elucidated on techniques that could be used to organise one’s research and offer a cohesive argument for the 'For the society' essay. Video of the mentorship session available at https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=Cd5PhCKJG0o
An opportunity to interact with the finalists and scholars of yesteryears, resolve queries and get some last-minute guidance on the application elements.
Mentorship session #3: The power of 'why'
Application Clinic
Interview Shortlist Announced
29 Jan, 2020
16 Feb, 2020
12 April, 2020
The names of the eight shortlisted candidates were announced and a detailed feedback from our selection panel was collated and sent to the candidates who did not make it to the final interview round
16 Nov, 2019
16 Feb, 2019
18 March, 2020
18 April, 2020
Mid Year Checkpoint
Mentorship session #4: Charter your growth story
Application Deadline
Final Interview
The received pool of applications were assessed by a panel of faculty members and alumni of NIT Trichy to select the 8 candidates who proceed to the final interview.
The 8 candidates selected were interviewed on a virtual platform by our panel of alumni. The interviews that usually happen on campus at NIT Trichy were conducted online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Each interview lasted for 20-30 minutes. Following the interviews, a retrospective was held for the panelists to get their feedback on how we can improve things for next year.
The mid year checkpoint was a new initiative by the scholarship to keep the prospective applicants on track and provide guidelines wherever necessary. In this mandatory activity, students submitted their drafts for 2 out of the 4 essay type requirements, which received feedback from mentors within a stipulated period.
In this final mentorship session, Raghu Ram Sreepada Srinivas, Civil Engineering, NITT- 2014 (Product Manager -McAfee). shared valuable insights on finding a balance between academics and other interests. The session was preceded by another talk on “Plagiarism and how to avoid it”. Video of the mentorship session can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=mIB4OpobMkQ
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SCHOLAR SPEAKS Swedha S, Scholar 2017-18, talks about her experience with the Jitheshraj scholarship, life at NIT Trichy and how she has seen herself grow in the last 2 years in this conversation with Nithin Balaaji DV, Scholar 2018-19. Could you tell us a little about yourself?
How do you feel that the scholarship has helped you so far?
I am pursuing Electronics and Communication Engineering, currently in my 3rd year. I love
The scholarship provides two main benefits:
reading books, singing, drawing and cooking! I
A cash prize of 50000 INR
also write and quiz whenever it is feasible.
Mentorship
for
four
years
post
the
scholarship Being the first Jitheshraj Scholar, how has life
These
perks
make
the
scholarship
very
been post the scholarship?
beneficial. The mentorship program has been very helpful for me to make decisions or get
Just being part of the community itself
contacts in specific fields of interest. The
brought in a lot of happiness. The community
mentors also help me with other scholarship
has been very influential in my college life in
applications. They have helped me make
the sense that I learnt how a non-profit
decisions about plans after graduation and
organisation is run and the ways to keep the
other short term goals.
stakeholders interested in the cause. I am glad to be a part of the community and to be
What made you apply for this scholarship in
associated with it. As the scholar for 2017-18,
your freshman year?
I was given a chance to give a speech during the Orientation of 2019 with the freedom to
It was primarily due to the amount of effort
choose any topic. I chose to talk about the
the alumni of our college have put together to
importance of inquisitiveness and it has been a
bring about this scholarship, in honour of
major highlight post being felicitated as the
Jitheshraj Periasamy, an alumnus whom they
scholar.
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way that you explore and understand what activities spark interest in you. It can even help you understand what you may not like. This
The scholarship provides an esteemed set of mentors who have been through similar processes. The learning that you get by writing the essays along with their feedback is very helpful while applying to other applications in the near future."
significantly reduces confusion. Another important point is writing essays. It primarily focuses on how are you able to express your ideas for a given topic or prompt. First step is to introspect in order to be able to put a few words on paper. After making a rough draft, it needs to be fine tuned and then finally proofread. In most cases, we may not have the right set of people to proofread it. The scholarship provides an esteemed set of mentors who have been through similar processes. The learning that you get by writing the essays along with their feedback is very
knew very closely. He influenced a lot of
helpful while applying to other applications in
people and was compassionate. The ideals of
the near future.
the scholarship were unique and appealed to me. This was the main reason for applying for
How did the application process change your
the scholarship.
perspective towards college and life at large? For me, in terms of my passion, I was just
Why would you recommend the incoming
trying to figure it out independently before
first-years to take part in the application
applying for the scholarship. I tried my hands
process?
on competitive coding and figured out that it was not my cup of tea, did a bit of tronix and
There are many confusing options and a lot of
so on. The scholarship helped me in a different
hype about almost every activity in college. So,
manner.
when freshmen arrive, there is a general
Periasamy had a deep impact on me and made
mindset that they are finally in college and
me realise that you don't have to be financially
they can pursue their passion. Sometimes, it is
independent to support and contribute to the
easy to get misguided in this process of finding
society in terms of donation and so on. You
your passion. The scholarship provides an apt
can bring about a change even within the
timeline for you to explore things so that you
boundaries of a system as long as you have the
are neither lagging too much in the beginning
willpower to do that.
Just
learning
about
Jitheshraj
to only regret it later nor are you too focused on one aspect which does not let you explore
The scholarship gave me hope that there have
the others. The requirements are set in such a
been amazing people who have worked hard
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to make college a better place for the future
freshman Swedha, what would that be and
batch of students. Through writing the essays,
why?
I have understood that writing requires a lot of passion, whether it is a technical or a creative
I did a bit of retrospection and realised that I
piece. You need to revise and review it
was very anxious in my first year. I was
multiple times to bring out the best and it
disappointed about not being able to fit into
takes a lot of time and effort.
college much. Looking back, I feel that I shouldn't have been this anxious about my
How was your experience being part of the
college life. Over time, things get better.
JSPF Community? How has it helped shape you as a better human?
What are your plans ahead?
Being a part of the community, I realised how
The broad answer to this is that I would like to
events and scholarships are organised. It gave
pursue higher studies. But given the situation,
me hope that there are communities where
with the pandemic affecting us, I am not sure.
you can be honest and constructively pitch
Things could turn in any direction.
your ideas and criticisms. They also help us correct ourselves if we go off track. It also
Post-college, what is the one thing which you
gave me a set of friends, whose friendships I
will miss about NITT?
value. It helped me establish a good network with alumni who have guided me.
There are few specific things that I will miss when I graduate. I will miss the scenic beauty
What do you know now about the scholarship
of our college - the trees, the birds and so on. I
that you wished you had known then?
will also miss going to Octagon and Library. And yes, I will definitely miss cycling. Cycling is
I didn’t know much about how interviews were
a part of my college routine.
conducted in a professional sense. My only experience with the interviews was through
How valuable were your mentoring sessions?
the club induction processes in my first year
How have they helped you in your life?
and I found them extremely stressful. But when it came to the actual interview at JSPF, it
The
mentorship
sessions
that
my
batch
was extremely professional and it made me
received were based on very specific topics,
feel comfortable. Even if the questions posed
for example - “How do you tackle the 'For the
to you were tricky, you will be able to logically
Community' essay”. These were extremely
think through them and answer them without
valuable because I watched all of the videos
getting stressed out or being under-confident.
before I sat and wrote down my essays and while preparing for the interview. Apart from
If you were given the opportunity to go back
this, through organising other Mentorship
in time to give one piece of advice to the
Sessions for the next edition of the
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Scholarship along with Darshan and other
Secondly,
finalists, I got the opportunity to attend
understand what kind of internship I
more
mentorship
mentorship
sessions.
sessions
have
my
mentor
helped
me
All
the
should do in my third year. She did not
made
an
enforce the decision but instead asked me
impact, but the top two which impacted
a
me the most were by Ms Lakshmi
answered. In the process, the answer to
Srinivasan and Ms Ayushi Tiwari. Lakshmi
my own question of what I should do
talked about how she struggled in college
became clear at that point. It did give me a
during her initial years and how she
great sense of clarity. Also, indirectly
overcame them in the end. It was very
through her, I interacted with other alumni
inspiring. Ayushi talked about how she
and all those interactions helped me
was confused at the beginning of her
understand what research life would be
third year, whether to sit for company
(pros and cons) and it gave me the hope
internships or to pursue research-based
that things are not as scary as they are
internships. She spoke about how she
presented to us. By observing my second
decided
research-based
mentor, Ms Padmapriya Duraisamy, I have
internship and finally apply for a masters
learnt to be organised, punctual and
program. She was determined to get a
efficient. These are some of the life
scholarship for her higher education
lessons
which she eventually succeeded. Both of
mentorship
these mentorship sessions gave me a lot
mentorship program that tailored to my
of hope and belief. They also help us
need.
to
pursue
a
certain
I
set
of
learnt
questions,
through
sessions
and
which
the the
I
JSPF scholar
correct ourselves if we go astray. It’s good to think about what obstacles you might face, but the thought shouldn't let you not try for your goal at all. Adding
on
to
this,
the
mentorship
provided to me as a scholar has been extremely helpful. Each mentorship call, which happens periodically by and large over the year, has its own specific agenda and cause. My previous mentor was Ms. Rachana Ramchand (CSE, NITT- 2012). She helped me connect with other alumni when we were planning to run an initiative in college. She has become one of my friends now.
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JITHESHRAJ SCHOLARS
HIP FELICITATION 2019 Left to right: Dr. Jerome S, Darshan M, Swedha S, Sai Karthik KA, Nithin Balaaji DV, Madhav Aggarwal, Jayamathangi S, Ashutosh V, Akshaya CS, Anagha S, Himanshi G, Dr. Anantharaman, Nitish G
GLOBAL ALUMNI MEET 2020 Famous public speaker Porter Gale once
and former Indian badminton player. The
remarked, “Your network is your net worth”.
attendees then dispersed into the various halls
The section of the JSPF community that
to attend talks by alumni on topics ranging
attended GAM 2020 couldn’t agree more,
from entrepreneurship to sustainable living.
straight out of what was possibly their first
The former director of NITT, Dr. Srinivasan
networking event.
Sundarrajan was also in attendance and the finalists gathered to speak with him.
The Global Alumni Meet (GAM) 2020 was held on the 4th of January in MGM Beach Resort
What was expected to be a quick chat
to constellate alumni of NIT-Trichy from all
(considering the number of people who were
over the globe. RECAL (REC Alumni Group)
waiting to speak with him) turned out to be an
and Ms. Sivaranjani (Executive Director, JSPF)
insightful discourse as he enlightened the
saw in it an opportunity for the finalists of
group
JSPF since the community of finalists has
“Meeting the former director of NITT, Dr.
close ties with alumni. The alumni don active
Srinivasan
roles as mentors, panelists and interviewers
experience”, says Jayamathangi S, JSPF finalist
throughout the application cycle. Sure enough,
2018-19. “I also got to interact with alumni
a sizable chunk of finalists expressed their
who spoke about their career and research
enthusiasm to partake in GAM with the
opportunities
motive for the majority of them being
perspective about the demands of the industry
networking opportunities.
today and the associated research undertaken
about
the
road
Sundarrajan
available.
after was
This
graduation. a
gave
great
me
a
to aid it”, she adds. On the D-Day, attendees were in for a pleasant surprise as the resort was elegantly
Sai Karthik K A, another finalist from 2018-19
transformed into the NITT campus, complete
who has a keen interest in entrepreneurship
with a miniature clock tower at the entrance.
had quite a lot to take away from GAM. Here’s
The event kick-started with the keynote
what he has to say: “I spoke to various VCs
address by Mr. Pullela Gopichand, the Chief
and Entrepreneurs like Arpit Agarwal (Blume
National Coach of Indian Badminton Team
VC), and Harish Shankar to name a few. The
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experience was an incredible eye opener to
Artificial Intelligence to an experience sharing
some niche opportunities that lie beyond
session
college, apart from the mainstream options.
entrepreneurship.
The biggest gains were the connections I
thoughts and experiences shared in these
made, to whom I can reach out to for an
sessions had a profound impact on our finalists.
opinion on decisions I might have to take in
Himanshi Gupta, finalist 2017-18 was all praises
my professional career.”
for the kind of opportunities she got at GAM
on
sustainable The
wide
living spectrum
and of
2020. “It was overwhelming to meet such a For Ashutosh Verma and Srinivas R (finalists
diversified crowd. The humility of our dignified
2018-19, 2017-18 respectively), the event
alumni humbled me. The talks with our previous
was rewarding on a different front: they got
Director, and members of the JSPF alumni
to know their peers better. “I had the
community were extremely insightful. The
privilege to meet alumni from several areas of
breakout sessions added an extra dimension to
expertise. Apart from this, I got to know my
the event, with talks on topics like “Where are
seniors in the JSPF Community better. It was
NITTian Women CEOs?” and “Using Our
a treat to spend time with them”, says
Subconscious Mind for Success & Happiness.”,
Ashutosh. “I met Ms. Ayushi Tiwari (JSPF
says Himanshi.
mentor) and received valuable mentorship and advice from her regarding my higher
Swedha S, JSPF scholar 2017-18, found GAM
studies and future career”, Srinivas adds.
very insightful. “I got insights on higher studies from an alumnus who had finished his PhD from
The breakout sessions at GAM catered to
NUS. I also got a chance to interact with
everyone’s interest, from panel discussions on
19
Ms. Ayushi Tiwari post GAM at college and got insights about higher education. Adding on, speaking to Sundarrajan sir was an amazing experience!”
finalist 2018-19 perceived GAM: “While I did not extensively speak with alumni, GAM was a great opportunity to get to know my better.
The
break-out
sessions by the alumni gave a clearer picture on the journey that they undertook after graduation to become successful. A few of these sessions offered a fresh perspective on the way I viewed life (Sustainable Living for a Healthier Planet to name one). To summarise, GAM for me was stimulating and humbling at the same time.”
opportunitunity
for
our
finalists, the aesthetics of the MGM Beach Resort and the scrumptious meals enhanced the flavour of their visit. The event, which lasted
for
nearly
twelve
online, I was looking forward to the inperson meet as a part of GAM 2020. From November 2019, when I gave my mentorship session to the freshers as a part of the scholarship, it linked a great part of me back to college life, wanting to go back, share all the experiences to the younger ones, postNITT. Meeting the JSPF community was insightful to me, as it brought me to understand the current college scenario, its positives and negatives, the vision of new generation students, helping them achieve their goals etc. GAM 2020 brought everyone together, the old and the new, to not only
While GAM proved to be an excellent professional
I have been a part of JSPF since the spring of 2019, but since most of the gatherings were
Meanwhile, this was how Akshaya CS,
fellow-finalists
Ayushi Tiwari’s experience :
hours,
had
numerous memories and learnings attached with the fourth of January, 2020. This is how Anagha Sethuraman (Finalist 2018-19), summarised her GAM experience and we couldn't agree more: “Speaking with various alumni gave me a better understanding of what has shaped NIT-T to be the institute that it is today, and also a sense of how to progress in the years to come. Everyone was very supportive of the various initiatives taken by students, and gave us concrete advice on how to pursue our dreams.”
interact and celebrate, but to share the experiences of a 4 year journey which everybody cherishes. I truly enjoyed the 4th of January, this year for one and only reason: GAM 2020. This also brought me back to my own beautiful campus, as I travelled from Chennai to Trichy, that very night, with few of the JSPF students. I was fortunate to have more in depth discussion with few of the JSPF finalists and scholars, back on campus, to understand their concerns about the future, and to hopefully help them in their endeavors, in order to make their path of life more beautiful. It was particularly insightful to me as well, since it gave a new mission, which is not only beneficial for the campus, but personally very fulfilling, to contribute to the growth and development of the campus as an NITT Alumni.
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Awareness With the world rapidly adopting technology in all walks of life, technical literacy and the ability to critically analyse technology's impact are imperative. JSPF, through its application process, instigates a holistic dissection of technology in an attempt to make 'Responsible Engineering' the norm.
IDENTITY SHOWCASE Two
months’
worth
of
work,
multiple
Since
a
sizeable
chunk
of
exhibits
was
brainstorming sessions over call, 11 people, and
contributed by students in King’s College
6 ideas- that’s ‘Identity’ for you! The efforts
London, she started toying with the idea of
culminated in 6 creative, insightful, thought-
implementing something similar on the NITT
provoking exhibits. Identity was different, in
campus.
that the exhibits were interactive and the finalists of the 2018-19 cycle used this to their
The exhibition incorporated the scholarship’s
advantage to show a glimpse of themselves
ideals of creativity and interdisciplinary thinking
through
and the finalists left no stone unturned in
their
exhibits.
Ms.
Sivaranjani
Subramanian, Executive Director, JSPF was the
making their exhibits compelling to look at.
driving force, right from Identity’s conception to execution. She cites the Science Gallery in
To start off, Anagha Sethuraman’s exhibit
London and university-level poster presentation
depicted the various nuances of consent. It was
events
of
a flowchart of if-else statements that asked the
experimenting with multiple ways to present an
viewer to describe the situation they were in -
idea with clarity is what appealed to her.
whether the person was inebriated, had
as
her
inspiration.
The
idea
22
refused, was in a vulnerable position and sought to determine whether the consent provided was under coercion or freely given. “It was great to know that I had provided a unique take on consent that they [viewers] would remember. Taking a message to them in a memorable way was very fulfilling”, she says. Jayamathangi’s exhibit was a refreshingly interesting one, in that it was a poem that highlighted the importance of full-time homemakers! Here’s what motivated her to come up with the idea: “They sacrifice their career among other things to look after their family but are not valued enough.
My poem attempted to urge
people to recognize their greatness as they don't work, rather overwork as fulltime homemakers”. Some exhibits were based on intriguing ideas that the finalists wanted
the
viewers
to
mull
Akshaya’s perception of the
over.
Ship of
Theseus paradox was one such exhibit. It was a series of cards that rendered a
One of the posters publicised on campus for the Identity Showcase
story-like narration of the paradox and its
difficult initially for them”, he says. Nithin’s
parallels with human identity. “The Ship of
showcase idea was modelled along similar lines
Theseus paradox has captured the imagination
but was novel in that he could directly interact
of humanity for years. I thought it had the
with the audience considering his workshop-
potential to make people ruminate and give
style approach to the showcase. Here’s what
thought to their choices and habits”, she adds.
fuelled Nithin’s idea: “I did it with the intent of giving a brief idea of how one had to interact
Nithin’s and Ashutosh’s exhibits were targeted
with
a
person
to
create
the
best
first
at engaging the freshmen audience. Ashutosh’s
impression. The enthusiasm of the first-years
was called ‘The Ice-Breaker’ and it intended to
kept me going!"
do precisely that. Each envelope had a question that had to be asked to a stranger in the
The showcase proved to be an intriguing
exhibition. “The main objective of this exhibit
experience for the visitors and an extremely
was to encourage the freshers to interact with
rewarding one for the finalists and mentors
each other, to help them feel like they belong
alike.
here and make new friends, which might be
understand the kind of creative things that can
“It was quite a good experience to
23
Concept note by Anagha Sethuraman for the exhibit titled 'Yes!' presented at the Identity Showcase 2018-19
be thought up by the students and how they can
And the finalists sure succeeded in the exercise
be portrayed to a larger audience”, says Ms.
as the feedback from the viewers would suggest.
Lakshmi K Ajayan. “It was a fruitful learning
“Simple yet rare ideas in each work of all
experience since it's about learning an alternative
deserving
way of expressing oneself and engaging with
creativity”, “The exhibits represent the pinnacle
society” adds Ms. Lakshmi S. Ms. Lakshmi K
of creative instincts. The ideas and efforts
Ajayan and Ms. Lakshmi S were instrumental in
showcase the immense potential that we as
giving shape to the students' ideas through their
students possess. Kudos!” and “Never expected
suggestions and feedback. Rightly pointed out by
to see such a display for the scholarship! Wish to
Ms. Lakshmi S, through Identity, “the student is
explore more and more in my years ahead here!
exposed
Kudos!”
to
never-thought-before
ways
of
finalists,
keep
going
with
your
were some of the feedback the
expressing/educating/presenting which will help
showcase received, enriching the wholesome and
them in the future for the same. In simple words,
fulfilling experience that was Identity.
it's an exercise in communication.”
The
student
is
exposed
to
never-thought-before
ways
of
expressing/educating/presenting which will help them in the future for the same. In simple words, it's an exercise in communication.”
24
More Than A Homemaker She breathes the aroma
The child sees no day, no moment,
of her savoury dish, diligently created,
when she ignores his wants or words.
freshly made and scented with love,
Strong she stands with zeal,
for the dwellers of her little universe.
shaping her family,
Dawn till dusk, her thoughts rummage
with the gifts of health and joy.
through nuances that shower comfort and
Her place, none can take,
joy upon her heavenly home.
a unique post of selflessness.
Her company rejuvenates the old,
She nurtures the owners of the future,
that tender talk, that soothing service,
the deciders of its anxious destiny,
as she spreads out her wings of care,
with the gems of morality and culture.
there at times all, beside them, to sort their subtle needs.
Her desires are left behind, her dreams fade away,
When the young mind explores,
for she lives for her family.
toggles with emotions,
Her sacred sacrifice, is supreme,
her motherly hands reach out to
for she chooses to lose
the needful child,
her glory and fame.
her ears eager to hear him narrate
Her noble role needs more respect
his moments of cheer and pain.
than what it gets today,
She waits not to offer relief,
for acts of love, acts of kindness,
to cure his wounds, to mould his mettle.
never demand a pay.
- By Jayamathangi S. 25
JSPF CONCLAVE Conclave’19
was
about
teamwork,
What followed was a discussion on fears, and
brainstorming, and some quick learning. The
how they curtail creative confidence among
outcome was a bunch of enthusiastic freshers
other things. Though it was the first Conclave
with a clearer picture of what the scholarship
for most of them, the first-years did not show
elicits.
a shred of hesitance in discussing their fears. From the fear of crowds to the fear of being
The
event
the
judged, everything was put on the table. Since
audience into teams of 6. They were then
the notion of creativity falling prey to fears
initiated into an ice-breaker session by
both societal and personal was a relatable one,
Akshaya CS (Finalist 2018-19) on ideas
everyone chipped in with their thoughts. The
centred
discussion
on
started
the
off
by
monthly
dividing
reading
list
was
then
steered
towards
(Applicants who register interest for the
procrastination and growth and turned out to
scholarship
thought-provoking
be a wholesome one with the applicants
articles every month that are centred on
gelling well with their teammates, thanks to
growth, productivity, and self-exploration).
procrastination backfire stories!
are
sent
This was a discussion on two months’ worth of articles broadly centred on the themes of
The next leg of Conclave revolved around the
'Fixed vs. Growth Mindset' and 'Fears that
17 United Nations Sustainable Development
inhibit creativity'.
26
Goals. The goals are a part of the UN’s 2030
this year to help keep prospective applicants
Agenda for Sustainable Development, which
on track and provide guidelines where
provides a shared blueprint for peace and
necessary. The applicants were asked to
prosperity for people and the planet. The
submit any two of the essays and were
objective of the exercise was to sensitise
guided
the teams to global issues and help them
submission. To summarise Conclave ‘19 in
approach the ‘For the Community’ essay.
the words of an attendee:
The teams were allotted goals based on the
process
of
as it helped me interact with
discussing elaborately the allotted goal and effectively. The teams were prompted to
the
It was an enriching experience
draw of lots. Each team was tasked with brainstorming ideas to implement them
through
interact with people with similar as well
stress upon local relevance. The moderator,
as different mindsets and ideologies. It
Anagha
also got me thinking about ideas and
Sethuraman
(Finalist
2018-19)
guided the teams through the task and soon, the
room
was
abuzz
with
ideas
and
solutions to the problems in our society”
discussion. Towards the end, every team nominated two speakers to present the team’s ideas to the audience. All the idea presentations
were
nuanced
and
well-
thought-out. The final leg of Conclave was hosted by Sai Karthik KA (Finalist 2018-19) to brief the applicants about the Mid-Year checkpoint. The Mid-Year checkpoint was introduced
RAGHURAM S S Mentor, 2019-20 Mid Year checkpoint was a great addition to the scholarship program. Instead of just doing a one-off [mentorship] session, the midpoint check-in helped me connect with the applicants and their aspirations. It also helped me tailor my mentorship session to cater to their requirements. As the program is spread across multiple months, the mid-year checkpoint builds accountability and guides the applicants as well. I highly recommend that the [JSPF] program continues with this initiative going forward."
27
28
BEHIND THE SCENES
Campus Co-ordinator Darshan Maru, JSPF finalist, 2017-18, has served as the Campus Co-ordinator for the Jitheshraj Scholarship at NIT Trichy for the last two years. His enthusiasm and commitment to the scholarship has lasted long after his time as an applicant with the scholarship and we wanted to know how. In this interview, Darshan shares his thoughts with Shefali Tyagi, Organiser - JSPF.
What
is
the
Jitheshraj
first-year
students
and
the
scholarship about?
process starts soon after their
Jitheshraj scholarship is an
NITT
initiative of the AHEAD trust,
registrations
for the first-year students of
August through October and the
NIT Trichy. It seeks to identify
deadline for submission of the
freshmen who dare to explore,
requisites is in March followed
have an astute awareness of
by a final interview in April.
orientation. are
The process is pragmatically
JSPF
open
from
designed for an audacious exploration of
self, surrounding and have a strong will to make a positive
Why had you applied for the
difference in the society and
scholarship in your first year?
form a community of these
Because it promised rewarding
like-minded
experiences
students
and
and
unparalleled
alumni that further nurtures
opportunities. The scholarship
these qualities.
expects an all round emotional development
What
is
the
scholarship
mindset.
and
The
a
growth
process
is
timeline?
pragmatically designed for an
The rigorous requirements of
audacious exploration of oneself
the scholarship demand year
and the surrounding. It also
round efforts and dedication.
provides an opportunity to be a
The application is for the
part of a beautiful community.
oneself and the surrounding. It also provides an opportunity to be a part of a beautiful
Campus Co-ordinator
community."
What are the values of JSPF
go deeper with the intent and
according to you?
inclination towards the values
According to me, JSPF values
of the scholarship. I believe the
perseverance,
awareness,
experience counts the most
exploration originating from
when you enjoy it. It does not
empathy
end with the award, it continues
towards
the
community and society. To
even after that.
engineering that is, “creating
Having been an applicant and
solutions that help people
an organiser, what is one thing
around
that surprised you in your
better
and
improve their lives.�
journey? Upon
interacting
with
community
of the scholarship on 2017-
alumni), I was amazed by how
18 and now you are one of
humble
the organisers. What would
everyone was, even after being
be your advice for future
highly accomplished in their
candidates applying for JSPF?
respective fields.
My
advice
candidates
for would
(students
the
You were one of the finalists
and
experience counts the most when you enjoy it.
me, it is the true meaning of
live
I believe the
and
approachable
It does not end with the award, it continues even after that."
future be
to
How do you describe your
thoroughly enjoy themselves
experience with JSPF so far?
throughout the process and
Fun and rewarding.
29
GENERAL PERKS OF BEING A PART OF THE JSPF COMMUNITY While GAM 2020 and the 'Art and Activism' workshop with Jenny Leonard were two of the many opportunities that the finalists got, the community of Jitheshraj Scholarship for promising freshmen is incessantly focussed on evolving and growing together. The following is a list of opportunities that the students of the community cherish : With the addition of the 7-8 finalists and 4 mentors from each edition, the scholarship community continues to build a diversified network in terms of areas of interest and technical expertise. The opportunity to fraternize with such a community provides access to invaluable insights and guidance. Networking opportunities are not limited to the community alone. Based on one’s interest and goal, the JSPF community strives to provide a relatable role model among the dignified alumni of NIT Trichy.
33
The finalists also volunteer to organise events related to the scholarship on campus. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn the virtues of teamwork and professionalism.
Being a part of the Scholarship’s first edition of finalists, I have had the opportunity to participate and organise orientation briefings, mentorship
sessions
and
other
activities.
Volunteering to work for these events has helped me grow dynamically both personally and professionally with each task that I took up!” - Himanshi Gupta (Finalist 2017-18)
“Identity”, the JSPF Students’ Showcase held in July 2019 was a one-of-a-kind event at NIT Trichy. It was a unique opportunity for the finalists to express their thoughts on diverse topics of interest through tangible exhibits on campus. The students were guided by JSPF mentors and curators of science exhibitions from across the world. The cohort of finalists is a close-knit community, forming a strong structure of support and guidance for the juniors. “The 2017-18 scholar, Swedha, has been a great source of support and guidance. She has told me of opportunities that are available, and encouraged me to pursue, explore and find what I'm passionate about.” - Anagha Sethuraman, finalist (2018-19) Standing true to the vision of the scholarship, the finalists are nurtured to become change-makers for the betterment of society. From deliberations on the important issues in the campus, to taking initiatives for the improvement of existing conditions, the students are nudged to realize their moral responsibilities towards their society and community. Right from the beginning, the
scholarship gives a taste of other global
scholarships to the finalists. From figuring out what should go into the essays to sitting for the final interview, the exposure gives finalists an edge over other students, since they go through a similar process for the Jitheshraj Scholarship.
34
Perseverance In a world of uncertainty, there are few straightforward problems and fewer straightforward solutions. And creating true change is often a test of our will. To empower our students to grow as change-makers, JSPF rewards their perseverance - their undeterred spirit to continue to learn, grow and make a difference.
ART, ACTIVISM & COMMUNICATIONÂ - A JSPF Workshop
information
The JSPF community, along with artist Jenny
collaborated to decode the hidden messages in
Leonard conducted workshops on Art, Activism,
another set of logos and understood how
and Creative Communication for its members
companies communicate their values through
this summer. The workshops, held across 2
visual imagery.
subconsciously
stored
in
the
consumer's mind. Following this, the participants
sessions, was held online and included various thought experiments, discussions, individual and
Through examples, Jenny indicated how art
group activities.
could
be
a
powerful
tool
for
supporting
campaigns on child safety, body positivity, The session started with a discussion on how
feminism, and other concerning issues. The
brands advertise using captivating artwork and
examples included a WWF sponsored artwork of
logos. The participants were then tasked to
a
identify the brand from a small portion of their
metaphorically sought to create awareness on
logos, helping them realize the amount of visual
the human impact on climate.
melting
polar
bear
ice
sculpture
that
There are a few things that I have in mind that I feel ought to be changed around the world, and this workshop has opened a new avenue for me to act upon, and the next time I see a logo/ advertisement, I'd be sure to look for more than that meets the eye."
- Jai Kesav K R, Mechanical Engg, Finalist 2019-2020
It also included the display of a pink hand-
to a canvas but could also consist of fleeting
knitted blanket wrapped over an army tank to
material things or even humans.
emphasise the pointlessness of war through the use of juxtaposition. Other examples portrayed
The participants and the artist then shared their
how placement, orientation, and lighting could
views on the definition of the word activism.
transform grotesque individual elements into an
The group comprehended how the power of art
alluring work of art. Jenny focused on the use of
was leveraged in the past to promulgate
irony in artwork and how artists ran subvertising
campaigns such as the "Buy nothing day," when
campaigns on 'brandalism' to evoke an anti-
carpets were laid out in parking spaces in
advertising
protest,
sentiment.
The
artist
also
emphasized how artwork needn't be restricted
and
"campaigns
against
human
trafficking" when barcodes were painted on faces. It was conveyed how artists work as a community to fight against a single cause and how sometimes they need to push boundaries for recognition. The workshop also included innovative and thought-provoking activities. In the caption challenge, participants had to choose an image from a magazine or a newspaper and perform actions such as creating a clickbait phrase for the picture, repurposing the image for an
Metamorphosis by Nitish Gudapati
advertisement, using the image as an ironic tool
Created as a part of the Power Art Challenge
and, cropping out sections of the photograph to
36
convey an altered meaning. The activity also
movements such as the no-makeup challenge
helped convey how media can abstract selective
and the Ice bucket challenge to emphasize the
information for an image to feed into the
usage of social media to propagate activism. She
narrative.
also insisted on the retrospection of one's response to such online buzz and the necessity
Following this was the "Power Art Challenge"
to pause and think before taking a stance.
where participants had to create an artwork
Quoting Roman Ondak's queue, Jenny specified
using four pieces of paper. The participants
how art makes people question what surrounds
were tasked to iteratively modify the artwork to
them
suit conditions such as making one piece the
contradicting
most powerful, one part to protect the rest, one
concluded by stating how art should comfort the
piece to be the most vulnerable, and finally, one
disturbed and disturb the comfortable. With the
piece to be a leader. Participants shared their
recent social uprisings such as BlackLivesMatter,
innovative work on a Trello board and analyzed
the workshop provided a relevant insight into
the work of their peers. In the final leg of the
the impact of everyday activism.
and
enables
people
arguments.
The
to
focus
session
on was
workshop, Jenny Leonard presented viral online
As Jenny mentioned, I feel imperative that we need to be mindful of how we are acting, reacting, conforming or ignoring. We also need to think from the perception of the opposition and challenge our pre-existing beliefs. So, next time I post anything pertaining to issues on social media, I would recheck the facts and put forth an unbiased opinion"
Srinivas R, Civil Engineering, Finalist 2017-2018 37
TEAM 2019-20 FACULTY
DR. ANANTHARAMAN
DR. NISHA R
Faculty Advisor
Faculty Advisor
NIT Trichy
NIT Trichy
MENTORS
RAGHURAM SS
LAKSHMI K A
AYUSHI TIWARI
SIDDHANT C
Product Manager at
Freelance - UX
Geotechnical engineer
UPSC Aspirant
McAfee, San Francisco,
Design and Research
at Golder Associates,
MS, Stanford University
California, USA
M.Des., NID
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Architecture, 2017
Civil Engineering, 2016
Civil Engineering, 2014
Civil Engineering, 2016
38
PANELISTS ABHISHEK SHRIVASTAVA
AKSHATH DORAI
ANSHUMAN TRIPATHY
Senior Software Engineer
Senior Marketing Manager
Associate Professor
Freshbooks
IIM Bangalore
ECE, 2011
Civil, 2011
Mech, 1992
ARVIND ILAMARAN
ASHISH AGARWAL
BHARATH VENKATESH
PhD Candidate Human Development
Director
Senior Research Engineer
University of Chicago
MA Advisors
American Express
ICE, 2010
Chemical, 1999
Mech, 2010
VIGNESH NARAYANAN
VISHNU VISWANATHAN
Group Product Manager
Visiting Research Scientish
Flipkart
NASA
EEE, 2009
ECE, 2011
SIVARANJANI S
DARSHAN MARU
SHEFALI TYAGI
Founder and Executive Director
Campus Co-ordinator, JSPF - NIT Trichy
Organiser, JSPF
ORGANISERS
Special thanks to Mr. Gururaj R and Dr. Bakthavatsalam A, NIT Trichy for their continuing support
39
CATALYSTS FOR CHANGE An impact report
Drawing inspiration from our eponym, the Jitheshraj Scholarship is designed to identify and groom students who display an inherent need to contribute to the betterment of their community and the society. Validating our efforts are our finalists, as they leave their impression in social initiatives - new and old. They are socially conscious and give their all to the causes they care about. But more importantly, they give us hope - hope that change for the better is possible, no matter how difficult. Here in this spotlight are some stories of change that leaves us inspired and proud:
Sai Karthik K A Giving Climate action a chance Turning a project that is part of curriculum’s evaluation into a future start up, Sai Karthik, finalist of 2018-2019 cycle, has demonstrated that extra efforts can spark countless ideas to pursue our dreams. Teamed with four of his batchmates, they have built CemCon - "Carbon Emissions Converter", a device that can trap the carbon dioxide produced in industrial chimneys and convert it into food-grade calcium, whose market is expected to grow to over $37.75 billion by 2025 globally. They pitched their idea in UNDP Youth CoLab and finished off as one of India’s Top 8 teams and bagged the People’s Choice Award. By leveraging the contacts established through the competition, Sai Karthik emphasized the importance of networking. “We actually started off with a simplistic plan, and our final objective and product was shaped by a lot of advice from the mentors there from companies like 100x VC, DSM Food Corp etc. What was initially a simple reaction executor went way beyond that, to hopefully generate food grade calcium.”
We also built a sustainable business plan around it and launched it as a startup, in a hope to address SDG 13: climate action of the United Nations Sustainable Goals and to accomplish the goal of “making profits while saving the world”. We're planning to pilot it with 2 nearby cement factories in Trichy.”
Upon asking what gave him the idea to tackle this pressing issue, he says, “We started this off as our ENIR project, where we surveyed [our food] messes for carbon emissions, that's what made us realise this.”
40
Himanshi Gupta Change through Education “An investment in education pays the best interest” - Echoing these words of Benjamin Franklin, Himanshi Gupta has been making a change one child at a time by being an active member of U&I Teach. The organisation recruits volunteers who can devote 2.5 hours a week to teach underprivileged school-children. Himanshi teaches English, Math, General Awareness and personal hygiene at the REC Middle School. The desire to make a difference clearly runs high in Himanshi, as she was also a part of the Kerala Relief group that assembled about 500 electric distribution boards to restore power to the floodaffected areas during the 2018 floods. The activity was done by the institute in collaboration with IEEE, Kerala. Enthused with the spirit of making a difference, I currently serve the organisation as a leader of the Trichy chapter, wherein I get the opportunity to be more deeply involved in terms of planning class activities, recruiting volunteers, ensuring smooth communication with the school officials, resource management and looking after the overall welfare of all the students in the Trichy centre.”
Nithin Balaaji D V A System for the students Stepping into a leader’s shoes even before he was declared a finalist, Nithin Balaaji was a member of the Students’ Council and served as the Deputy Secretary. Being the only freshman in the council did not deter him from making an impact on the student community. He spear-headed a lot of initiatives for the First-Year students with the cooperation of the Students' Council Members. During the year of 2018-19, with the support of the Administration, Nithin and his team managed to relax curfew timings of first-year hostels and removed the restriction on messes.
Getting RO plants into the college was a huge initiative from the Admin and Students' Council. We initially had a lot of roadblocks in terms of getting the confidence of people and reducing wastage of water, but we were able to serve the student community to the best of our ability”
41
Darshan Maru , Swedha S Joy of reading The NIT-T community holds a place of great importance in the minds of the finalists and organisers alike. The scholarship’s vision aligns with giving back to this community, and it is reflected right from the application process. Staying true to the vision of the scholarship, Swedha and Darshan paired up to improve the conditions of the campus’s central library. Their primary aim was to improve the quality of books and allow students to carry their own books to the library for reference. We requested the librarian to allow students to bring textbooks. We had a couple of follow up meetings with her. Student council was working on this issue independently. By the end of April 2019, students were allowed to bring their own textbooks. They have to fill a form at the entrance of the library mentioning their details and this has been a practice since then. And when Darshan met her separately, she told him that they had received more funds to buy better- quality books. We don’t know if our requests sped up the process but we felt satisfied that we at least tried.”
Madhav Aggarwal Technology-driven empowerment One of the aspects that the Jitheshraj Scholarship Community values is students taking up projects and working on them proactively. Madhav Aggarwal, finalist of 2018-19 cycle, pursued a machine-learning based personal project to detect the sign language symbols. He hopes that it will help in communicating with people who have speaking challenges. There were two reasons why I took this specific project up. I wanted to work on image recognition technology and something for the community. I achieved a 93% accuracy on test data which is very convincing. The project is not complete yet but work is going on to build an interactive UI along with the core.”
42
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A PANELIST WITH JSPF? In every application cycle, after the first-year students of NIT Trichy submit their application, the Jitheshraj Scholarship's selection panel reviews and shortlists 8 candidates. These 8 shortlisted candidates, called the "finalists", then go through the final round with our interview panel. Our selection and interview panel comprise of highly-accomplished faculty and alumni who not only help select our scholarship winner but also serve as figures of inspiration. Read on to see what being a panelist entails and why you should consider joining us on this side of the table: How
were
you
introduced
to
the
Bhuvanaa: The scholarship had the right
scholarship?
thinking behind it, and our college is a
Akshay: Siva reached out to me through my
government institution - things take a lot of
this
time to even take off. And if the scholarship
scholarship and gave me the opportunity to
has reached the present stage then it must
participate in the process as a panelist.
have been a really uphill task and people
and
informed
me
about
must have put in a lot of effort and energy. Bhuvanaa: Sivaranjani reached out to me through Linkedin. She told me about the
What aspect of the scholarship struck a
scholarship and how they were looking for
chord with you?
alumni who could devote some time for the
Akshay: Most of the scholarships are only
scholarship and help out.
about GPA and other academic credentials. JSPF was unique. It appreciates people who
What were initial thoughts about the
have not only had a decent performance in
Jitheshraj scholarship?
academics but are also interested in their
Akshay: I felt it was a great idea to have a
personal growth. The scholarship provides a
freshman of the year scholarship. I loved
framework to explore competitions, events,
how the premise of the scholarship focussed
community service. It also provides a strong
on growth mindset and roundedness of the
mentorship program and pushes first years
individuals, especially as
until this point
to go through life experiences, and that
students have focussed on checking the box
exposure, in turn, helps them with their
in terms of test scores. The scholarship
essays.
demands you to go beyond that paradigm
scholarship, each candidate put themselves
which is great motivation.
in situations they may not have otherwise,
In
my
opinion,
thanks
to
the
43
where they are coming from. Broadly, I could observe
that
themselves
some
really
well,
candidates some
knew
took
the
opportunity to get to know themselves better, and others were perhaps beginning to scratch that surface. While judging someone’s growth mindset, that starting point can come across as a disadvantage, when in fact it is not having a framework with set parameters made my job easier, but I also had to be mindful of any such unintentional biases popping up during the judging process. Bhuvanaa: All the finalists were very good, equally good and that made it extremely
AKSHAY VIDWANS,
tough to adjudge a winner. It was perplexing
Product Marketing Manager, Schneider
and we had to be extremely attentive to small
Electric, Mechanical Engg., 2009
details in order to understand how much
learnt something by reflecting upon it, and
heart and effort the student had put in the
expressed what they learnt in a concise
process, to choose the winner.
format,
which
is
quite
a
creditable
achievement.
What
motivated
you
to
take
up
this
responsibility? Bhuvanaa: Apart from demanding an intense
Akshay: It is about paying it forward. When I
all-round effort and not just excellence in
was applying for my MBA, I had significant
academics,
a
help from my mentors and seniors, and that
platform for the young students to connect
had a positive impact on my life. I always love
with alumni and have a head-start and
to help the students and organizations from
support in their endeavours. To me, that was
our college, whenever they reach out to me.
the
scholarship
provided
incredible. Bhuvanna: As I said earlier, a lot of effort and What was the most crucial part of the
energy had been put in the scholarship, thus
scholarship as a panelist?
it seemed unfair to not support the process.
Akshay: What was challenging was stepping
This coupled with Siva’s persistence and the
into the shoes of the students to know
urge to do something for my alma-mater
44
motivated me to take up the responsibility.
first-year students are a lot more outspoken, confident
and
well-nurtured.
They
have
Key differences in the mindset of freshers
varied interests in subjects from Physics and
right now vs your time?
Chemistry to Sports and Social causes. They
Akshay: It is hard to compare freshers now vs
are a lot more versatile and well rounded than
in my batch, as I was fortunate to have many
we were in our time.
distinguished peers as well. But if I may compare the candidates to myself in my first
Any concluding statements?
year, I felt that the students were well above
Akshay:
par.
good
organized scholarship program made me even
academics and very interesting experiences
more proud of my alma mater, knowing that
but also the self-awareness to reflect on them
we continue to have a highly motivated and
and communicate them succinctly in 500
talented student community participating in
words for fairly challenging essay topics.
an extraordinary experience that is B.Tech at
The
students
not
only
had
Participating
in
this
very
well
NIT Trichy. Bhuvanna: This is a little difficult to gauge, Bhuvanaa: It was a great experience. I had a wonderful
opportunity
to
meet
some
fantastic people and interact with some brilliant students.
Bhuvanaa Shreeram, CEO, Plan2Prosper, Management Studies, 2002 since it was my post-graduation that I completed in NIT-T. However, the current
45
JSPF FINALISTS SWEDHA S
DARSHAN MARU
HIMANSHI GUPTA
ECE
MME
ECE
RECAL Scholarship, '20 MITACS Globalink Scholar, '20 Western Union Scholarship, '20 President - Balls By Picasso, English Literary Club, NIT Trichy
Head - Corporate Relations, E-Cell, Entrepreneurship Club Campus Co-ordinator, JSPF
Overall topper, '18 2nd place at Sangam, Intra college Hardware Hackathon,'19 Vice President at Nakshatra, Astronomy Club, NIT Trichy U&I - Leader for the Trichy Centre. (2019-Present) Western Union Scholarship, '20
KISHORE V
MANU AATITYA
GUDAPATI NITISH
CSE
MECH
MECH
Winner - Singapore - India Hackathon '19. Winner - Smart India Hackathon '19. Lead of Developer Student Clubs NIT-T, 2019-20. Wabco Foundation Scholarship '18 and '19
Department 1st rank holder DAAD-WISE Scholar '20 Published a research paper at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation
Summer Research Fellowship Scholar '20 Published a research paper at the iNaCoMM '19 3rd place at Sangam Hackathon, Pragyan '19
SHIWANG SINGH
SRINIVAS R
CIVIL
CIVIL
Avery Dennison Invent Scholarship '18 2nd place at Sangam - Energy and Environment, Pragyan '19
MITACS Globalink Scholar '20 Head, Content, Moments Head, Content, Omega Science and Spirituality Club
46
HALL OF FAME NITHIN BALAAJI D V
ANAGHA S
AKSHAYA C S
CSE
ECE
ICE
Deputy Secretary, Students Council, NITT '19 Finalist, Smart India Hackathon '20 High Performance Leader, Toastmasters International, USA
GirlScript Summer of Code '20. Head, Content and Digital Marketing, SPIC MACAY Secretary, Nakshatra
Summer Research Fellowship, '20 Member, Spider R&D Member, Content Team, Festember
ASHUTOSH V
JAYAMATHANGI S
MADHAV AGGARWAL
CIVIL
EEE
CSE
Runner-up, Technical Poster Presentation, Marine Technology Society (MTS), IITM Member, Civil Cricket Team,Sportsfete '19 Member, National Sports Organization
Member, Spider R&D Member, Amruthavarshini, Carnatic Music Club, NITT Member, SPIC MACAY Western Union Scholarship, '20
Manager, Festember Marketing Top 5, Siemens MakeITReal Hackathon '19 Top 3, Sastra Colosseum, Men’s Football '20
SAI KARTHIK K A EEE India Top 8 and People's Choice Award - UNDP Youth Co:Lab' 20 Finalist, Smart India Hackathon '19 Finalist, HSBC India Case Study Contest '20 Western Union Scholarship, '20
SCHOLAR MENTORSHIP By Rachana Ramchand The student crowned the 'Jitheshraj Scholar' gets personalised mentorship from the designated mentors of JSPF for 4 years. Swedha, scholar 2017-18, was mentored by Rachana Ramchand (NITT-CSE'12), Investment Executive - CDC Group UK, for a year. Here, Rachana speaks about her experience: I thoroughly enjoyed being a mentor to
being grateful to our discussion and
Swedha
our
that it gave her clarity. This was one
relationship has persisted beyond the
of my initial highlights of our mentee-
mentorship program.
mentor relationship.
While initially our sessions were quite
Secondly, I have always believed that
structured in its agenda and timing, after
mentorship is a two-way street - I
the first few sessions I encouraged
learn something from you as much as
Swedha to be less-structured about our
you learn something from me. From
conversations, for her to reach out to as
the beginning, I was inspired by the
and when she would like to chat or
number of initiatives Swedha used to
-
needless
to
say,
needed to think through some things. In some aspects, I felt a barrier was broken, and the relationship started growing organically. I remember a particular conversation, where she was confused between pursuing internships vs an academic project, and we broke down that dilemma into how she thinks about her goals, her future, where she wants to be
and
then
work
backwards
to
determine the decision that makes the most sense. I won't speak about the decision that was made, but I remember
participate
in,
right
from
her
academic projects and research to on-campus projects (example her library project), her pursuit of music and art, volunteering for the elderly, specially-abled, and minorities - one of her passions and something she used to execute on and even write about. This is something I hope she never ceases to do - to execute on and speak openly about the things she believes in.
48
Mentorship is a two-way street - I learn something from you as much as you learn something from me."
Thirdly, it was heartwarming to see Swedha's evolution over the course of the year, her confidence had clearly grown and she was also growing to be an inspiration to the junior batches. She founded Elits, the Opal Hostel's literary society to encourage the participation of women in Lit events. She brought me into the "Whatsapp group" as well, and her dedication to the cause was inspiring. When she had to present
her
"speech"
for
the
Jitheshraj
Scholarship event at the end of the year, she reached out to me to discuss what she should speak about. She was initially very nervous about presenting to a large audience, but we discussed the structure and by the end, she felt a little more confident in delivering the speech. I never got to hear
the
speech
unfortunately,
but
she
immediately wrote to me afterwards - it was a massive success, people enjoyed it, and more than anything, SHE enjoyed the experience. With her dedication and conviction, I am sure she is going to reach great heights. And I look forward to staying in touch with her for the years to come.
49
1000+
Freshman students reached in-person
3840
Maximum organic reach on Facebook as accounted for between July 1, 2019 and May 31, 2020
80+
Man-hours invested in in-house mentorship sessions
14+
Hours of in-person interaction with prospective applicants
1:1
Male to Female Mentor ratio
16
Alumni involved directly as volunteers in this edition of the scholarship
30+
Average participation of freshmen students in JSPF Initiatives and Mentorship Sessions
50
Donors contributed to our fund
FINANCIAL REPORT "Budgets are moral documents"
community and society is one of the
-- Martin Luther King Jr.
objectives of the scholarship.
Every year the Jitheshraj Scholarship for
The
scholarship
is
funded
by
college
promising freshmen (an initiative of the
alumni's, philanthropic partners and online
AHEAD trust) is awarded to one student;
fund raising platforms. As of 31st March
identifying and bringing together students
2020 pooled funds were INR 7,68,198 and
of NIT Trichy who have the curiosity to
has spent a total of INR 1,48,446 in the
explore, the discipline to persevere, the will
academic year 2019-2020.
to make a difference and a growth mindset. The Scholarship intends to nudge students towards
achieving
clarity
about
their
strengths and passion; bringing together and nurturing a lineage of leaders and change-makers for the betterment of the
Category-wise Expenses The scholarship Includes : A cash reward of INR 50,000, An opportunity to fraternize with accomplished alumni of NIT Trichy, Guidance from former scholarship winners and fellowship awardees, In-house training to prepare for and achieve world-class graduate level scholarships.
Source of our funds 2018-19
The scholarship managing committee along with student volunteers work towards
Online Fund-Raising Platforms category include the tally of donations received by the patrons who are not our philanthropic partners and alumni. College Alumni who have donated through these platforms are accounted for in the College Alumni category.
building required supporting materials for applicants, providing relatable role models
for
students,
arranging
Dr. Ruckmani Kandasamy Dr. Periasamy
help
Aifa Alam
to
Ananya Dey
discover and gain clarity about their
Bhuvanaa Shreeram
leadership applicants
programmes explore
to
opportunities
Chandramouli Janakiraman
passion.
Chaya Arunababu K In the academic year 2019-20, Design
Dhivya
as a way of life, Know thyself, The
Dr. Prashant Bhave
power of Why, Charter your growth
Dr. Suresh M
Story are some application focused held
Guru Yeshwanth Sp
average
Hamritha
participation of 30 students per session.
Haran Family
by
the
trust
with
an
Harshani N Priya The committee has been prudent in
IDBR
management of its resources this year
Karan Family
and is working on a plan to raise INR
Kaushik Raam
15,00,000 by the year 2022.
Kshama Rai Manas Nigam
You can donate at: https://milaap.org/fundraisers/jspf-nitt
Maya Balaji Meena Sakharkar Nandhitha R
We are deeply grateful to our partners and donors for their generosity and support. Thank you!
Nikita Biruli Pavithra Seshadri Rohith Ravichadran Roopesh Sai Priyanka Jarugumilli Sai Rathna M K Shanmugarathinam A Shurya Kumar Siddharth E Sivakumar Manickam Sivaroophini Gnanavel V Muthalagappan Vignesh Nallathambi Vignesh Shankar Vinita Nelson Vishnu Group Yamini And other anonymous donors.
53
We are now on Instagram!
@jrscholarshipnitt
Growth Mindset We do not reward the "smartest" of students, for we know that intelligence is not static and can be developed with effort and selfbelief. We instead look for what Dr. Carol Dweck describes as 'growth mindset'. Students with growth mindset embrace challenges, learn from criticism and find inspiration in the success of others.
HOW WE CONNECT AS A COMMUNITY? The JSPF community is a wide network of
We primarily use Facebook, Instagram,
people from around the world which gives
WhatsApp and LinkedIn to connect and stay
the scholarship its global outlook. Our
in
network consists of the NIT Trichy alumni,
community. Apart from this, periodic emails
faculty members, prospective students who
are circulated to the stakeholders of the
want to know more about the scholarship,
community, which consists of event reports,
current students, etc. To extend our reach
annual
and maintain ongoing connections we use
fundraisers, etc. Our survey analysis shows
several ways to keep our network informed
that
of our latest activities, progress, and goals.
Surveys
stay connected.
are
conducted
for
better
touch
with
updates,
the
members
information
communicating
via
of
about Email,
the
the and
is the most preferred way to
engagement and understanding.
56
57
We strive for continuous improvement and hence take feedback into account. We implement and improve our solutions each year to enhance the connectedness of the community.
The website gives detailed information about the scholarship including our Objectives, Mission, Vision, application process and the people involved. To know more about the scholarship, visit www.jrscholarship.org
Our Facebook page informs people of the past and forthcoming events and important deadlines. We have different Facebook groups: one is for prospective applicants of the specific year. If required, additional Facebook groups are created for the mentors upon demand. Follow us at https://m.facebook.com/jrscholarshipnitt
WhatsApp is used to connect Finalists, Mentors and Panelists on a more informal basis. We have different invite-only groups for the same.
We publish some of our best student essays and other interesting articles such as 'Summer reading list' on our Medium account. Follow JSPF's blog at: https://medium.com/@jrscholarshipnitt
LinkedIn is used to connect Jitheshraj Scholarship’s finalists with the Mentors and Panelists on a professional level. Connect with us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/jspf-nitt
The Instagram account is used to inform people about Jitheshraj Scholarship’s latest activities and notify them about the forthcoming events. To stay updated, follow Jitheshraj Scholarship’s Instagram account at: https://www.instagram.com/jrscholarshipnitt
We post our mentorship sessions and other major event videos on Youtube. Subscribe to Jitheshraj Scholarship’s youtube channel at: https://bit.ly/jspf-youtube
To join an invite-only group, drop a e-mail at: info@jrscholarship.org
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LAUNCHING Diversity and Inclusion committee WhatsApp group for prospective applicants Monthly 'Office Hours' with mentors Revamped on-boarding
2020-21
process for panelists
It's not about the scholarship, but the things you do to achieve it. Writing SOPs, finishing MOOCs, participating in events within and outside the college. Whoa! It was an exciting journey as a whole.
- Viekash VK Applicant 2018-2019
www.jrscholarship.org Jitheshraj Scholarship for promising freshmen - NIT Trichy An initiative by the Academy for Holistic Education Awareness and Development (AHEAD) Trust