Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. Musings from someone who sees stories everywhere.

Friday, September 01, 2006

The Lady turns fifty



Yesterday, TV news channels aired clips of the Prime Minister parrying questions from bright young college girls. The session was part of the fiftieth anniversary celebrations of my alma mater, Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi.

I remembered my own college days; dear friends, teachers who encouraged us to delve deeper and ask questions.
I'll quote from the college's website;

"Years ago, while speaking at LSR's inaugural function on31stt July 1956, our founder Sir Shri Ram urged the students and teachers to "set for themselves a standard of behaviour and start good traditions". Faithfully so, the LSR community has not only fulfilled his desire, but has taken it up as a responsibility to promote these ideas to others as well.
Our students have always successfully imbibed in them a unique spirit of community, secular ideologies, a sense of democratic and institutional responsibility and above all the celebration of diversity. LSR has indeed helped all its students maintain a balance between excellence and social responsibility. Nobel Peace Prize winner, Aung Sang Suu Kyi and many many more well known academics, civil servants, social workers, artists, film makers, authors, educationists and lawyers comprise our alumna hall of fame."

No wonder LSR is ranked among the very best colleges in India. LSR ladies, you'll find them everywhere. You'll even find one lurking right here in the blogosphere.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

You know, it's so good to read that. We were discussing last night how increasingly students don't seem to be encouraged to think or to be socially aware. They no longer seem to have empassioned causes, they all seem part of an increasingly bourgeois,acquisitive, almost roboticised society which is all about fitting in and being the same. It's a refreshing relief to know that somewhere in the world there are those being encouraged to academic excellence AND social responsibility - particularly the latter.

monideepa sahu said...

I totally agree, Atyllah. I guess I was lucky to have good teachers, both at school and in college. I think having a great peer group and general academic atmosphere really helps. We can also do our bit to build up a conducive environment at home. I often discuss things like social awareness with my grown up son. And sometimes we do end up feeling like misfits int his consumeristic world driven by material causes.

Anonymous said...

maam i completely agree with you.
I am in LSR,2nd year and a part of the union and am so glad I am a part of such a great institution.

monideepa sahu said...

Thanks for dropping by, J. a warm electronic handshake across cyberspace.