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RONIKA ANGELINA

Ankit Dabral, an alumnus of Shoolini University, says that his stay in the University when he pursued B.Com (Hons) and MBA (Finance), helped “me to understand myself more” and gave him the strength to face the world with confidence.

Describing the University as his pillar of strength, Ankit said he has fond memories of the wonderful time spent in the campus. Besides being serious about his studies, he also got a chance to represent the University in an inter-University Table Tennis competition.

Ankit, who studied at St. Luke’s Solan, got placed from Shoolini University with ‘ICICI Securities’ as an Investment Advisor in Chandigarh for 2 years. He also worked with State Bank of India, Ludhiana as an Assistant Manager for 2 years with working with YES Bank as a Relationship Manager at Solan. He is also pursuing CFP i.e., Certified Financial Planner course.

His hobbies include singing, playing indoor and outdoor games and gardening, as he is very fond of greenery and the nature around him. He recalled the contributions of various teachers during his B.Com. and MBA who shaped his academic career. These included the then dean of Business Management department was Prof Bhushan Nidda and the faculty members Dr. Kesari Singh and Prof Nitin Gupta. “The University has always been a pillar of my success”, he added.

Mr Vipin Pubby, Director, External Communications, Shoolini University, who also heads the Journalism and Mass Communication Department of the University, has a wide experience of 40 years in the field of Journalism. He is a former Resident Editor of The Indian Express. In an interview, he spoke on various aspects of the field and University’s Journalism programme to VAISHNAVI SOOD. Here are excerpts from the interview:

Please tell me something about yourself and your professional background.

I am a practising journalist with around 40 years of experience. I have covered all the major news hotspots in the country including the Northeast, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat and Punjab. Very few journalists get the opportunity to cover them all during their careers. I have worked for around 36 years with The Indian Express. For around 18 years I was Resident Editor of the newspaper in Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat and Chandigarh.

After such an illustrious career, what prompted you to get into academics?

I had a good share of experience in journalism during my career but I was keen to give back to society. Thus, post-retirement I decided to join an academic institution and began to look out for the ones that were sincere and passionate about Education.

Shoolini seemed like just the right spot for mentoring young journalists. It is not a university that is being run for earning profits and the top management is passionate about quality education. They give a free hand to professionals like me to work and allow us to undertake various initiatives. I want to give the students more practical inputs and hands-on experience rather than confining them to theoretical knowledge.

How has been your experience of working with Shoolini so far and how different was it for you to work with an academic institution?

It has been two years since I joined Shoolini University. I am thoroughly loving the experience and it is professionally satisfying when I receive appreciation for the various initiatives that I have taken.

What are some of the major things that are being done at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication?

A fortnightly Newsletter and Shoolini Campus Radio was started during the last two years to provide hands-on training to the students. Shoolini Newsletter is being run majorly by the students of Journalism and Mass Communication while others are welcome to contribute. Our major objective is that after completing their graduation, the students would be ready to join the industry as full-fledged journalists. Moreover, because of my long career in the media industry, I have personal connections across the spectrum so we shall guide and assist them in getting jobs in the medium of their own interest.

What are your future plans for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication?

We have already launched the in-house campus radio this year where the students are being taught to draft scripts and how to speak on air. Students from other departments also come in a big way to Shoolini Radio and present programmes as Radio Jockeys. We plan to later convert it into community radio. We have also planned to start with our TV studio by the end of this month.

Further, the school is also planning to start a postgraduate diploma programme from the upcoming session and graduates from all the streams will be eligible to join the programme. It will include 11 months of training in the university and a month of internship with any of the media companies. It would be a comprehensive programme where students will be taught about various tools of Journalism from print and electronic media to the latest tools of digital media.

What do you think is the scope and job prospects in the field of Journalism?

The unregulated social media has led to a lot of fake news. Thus, objectivity in news is the need of a future for which professionally trained journalists will be required who shall be better equipped to authenticate their stories. The current scenario also shows that the media houses cannot have a great shelf life if they start losing credibility as the viewers tend to get put off by their clear bias and lack of objectivity.

What are the changes and evolution of the media industry in the last few decades?

I believe the biggest advantage for the new journalists is the availability of technology at such low costs and its accessibility to all. It has also brought in a lot of opportunities and has made their work a lot easier. In our times when I began, newsgathering was one thing and its dissemination and filing stories from various regions of the country was yet another task but now the technology has immensely improved. This also entails that the competition in the media industry that they have to face is huge. Moreover, one also needs to be more responsible. I personally believe that RTI is probably the biggest tool in the hands of the journalists of today but unfortunately very few of them are utilizing it.

Why do you think Journalism aspirants from across the country should join Shoolini and what makes the course offered here different from the curriculum of similar courses in other universities?

Being mentored by a practising journalist and strong emphasis on practical journalism is something that makes the journalism programme of Shoolini University unique. Further, we also look from an industry perspective and try to guide them accordingly.

During my time as a resident editor and being in a hiring position for many years, I always felt that there is a huge disconnect between journalism schools and media houses. The journalism students that came for internships usually had a lot of theoretical knowledge but often had no clues about the practical aspects of journalism. Many of them were very poor in current affairs which are crucial for being a journalist.

Thus, at Shoolini we have tried to design the curriculum in a way that helps in the overall development of the students including current affairs.

MBA student Karan Saini, a certified Nutritionist and Body Transformation expert, who has also launched his own fitness brand talked about his journey in an interview with SHAINA CHAUHAN. Excerpts:

What has motivated you the most towards fitness?

I have two reasons for that – I was very fat and people made fun of me. I wanted to change myself. Secondly, I wanted a hobby where I get a good return from what I invest in, so I went for bodybuilding.

Some insight about your transformation?

Initially, I just started with fat loss, but once I saw the results, it became an addiction for me. I started with 1-2 hours of workouts in the gym. Now my lifestyle is 2 hours’ work out in the morning and a similar workout in the evening. The bodybuilding lifestyle is the toughest one to follow, and I love to do tough things.

Tell me something about your diet?

My diet keeps changing, it depends upon my goal. It is a Calorie-surplus diet during size gaining season and calorie deficient diet during my fat shedding season. I do prefer wholesome foods like eggs, chicken, cheese, milk, curd, veggies, fruits, potatoes, bananas, soya beans etc. The supplements I use include whey protein which is made from milk.

What kind of struggles you faced during your transformation phase?

As I hail from a rural area where people are less aware of such things, my family also supported me very little in this. Among the sacrifices, I made include investing all of my pocket money, time, energy, tears, emotions into fitness for the last 4 years. I haven’t even celebrated my birthday for the last 4 years. I faced a lot of problems but by God’s grace now things are changing.

What are your achievements so far in fitness?

I had participated in Mr Himachal bodybuilding in 2k17. My position was in the top ten, besides a few powerlifting competitions as well. Now I’m preparing for Mr Himachal 2019.

What was the basic idea behind starting your own fitness brand?

Since I’m into fitness for the past 4 years, I have become a Certified Nutritionist and Body Transformation Expert. So I decided to open my own fitness brand. Rising Alphas( Opc) Private Limited which has been launched recently. My mission is to create Himachal into a fitness hub. I want to generate more awareness about fitness among people, which lacks in Himachal Pradesh.

Any message for students?

I want to say that youth should stop the use of drugs and alcohol. My mission is to create a drug-free environment in Himachal and convert Himachal into a fitness hub. So let’s join hands together in this mission. Eat good, stay fit, stay healthy

VIKRAM KUMAR

What are the expectations of the youth from political leaders contesting the ensuing elections? We find out by talking to a cross section of students at Shoolini University on the campus:

Nitika Sharma (B.Com (Hons) Sem-2)

The major problems such as unclean environment, exploitation of farmers and threat to women are not being paid enough attention. The nation can not be uplifted till we tackle the social evils existing in our society, as an economy is made by both males and females. So, I expect the future government to look into these matters and introduce new and reformed measures for the women in the society.

Sarthak Bhardwaj (BBA Sem-2)

Discrimination on the grounds of gender, caste, creed or any other criteria should be stopped. The punishment for rape should be severe. A strict check should be kept on bribery and under table acceptances. Pollution control programmes should be enforced. Free medicines and timely health checkups for the unprivileged people should be conducted and the staff supplying drugs to people should be monitored.

Sneha Singh (BSc Microbiology Sem-2)

We want development for ourselves and our future generations so that the scope for the improvement in our lifestyle increases. Hence for a better and happy future we must vote a deserving candidate as that would actually help us in fulfilling our dreams. The politicians should only make those promises which are realistic. They should focus on making better strategies rather than better salaries.

Vanshika Sharma (MSc Biotechnology Sem-2)

We all need a better and secure future. Just look back five years from now when really needed a leader who could make our country strong. Now see the change around us – the surgical strike, the Pulwama revenge and many other things are a proof of the “ache din” in our country. So I think this time too we need to elect a strong leader and expect the leader to meet all the expectations of the people for growth in the country.

Saurabh Sharma (B.Com (Hons) Sem-2)

We have seen a lot of development in the past few years. I just wish that whosoever our next prime minister might be, he or she would focus only on the development of our country. Initiatives should be taken to develop tourism and focus should be kept on economic growth. Unemployment is a major problem which we all are facing, so our future leader should provide job opportunities to the youth.

Vaishali Sharma (B.Sc. Biotechnology Sem-6)

The first thing that I want our leaders to be concerned with is unemployment among the youth. The economy has been less successful at creating jobs, so the government needs to provide better employment opportunities. Improving standards of education should also be a priority. Besides, the leaders should work on issues like public health instead of letting down each other.

SHAINA CHAUHAN

Pretty Baglat, a student in Master Degree in Computer Science, shares her experience abroad as an exchange student. Pretty, who belongs to Shimla, said she always dreamt to study abroad.

“During my graduation itself I started looking for opportunities abroad under the student exchange programme or short term internships. I got this opportunity now and luckily I was selected to study under student exchange programme at University of Naples, Federico II, Italy”.

It is the first time that she travelled outside the country and recalls how after landing in Naples, she had mixed emotions of being excited and nervous at the same time. She said it was a total cultural shock and very overwhelming as her dream had come true.

“I was awe struck with the first experience in Naples” she said and recounted how she felt handicapped due to complete lack of knowledge about the Italian language. Her next shock, or rather surprise, was the typical Italian food i.e Pizza and Pasta and many other dishes about which she had never heard earlier. Streets have open but covered sitting places outside cafe bars, pizzerias and restaurants which is not so common in India.

Asked how that country was different from India, she said the entire atmosphere was different. “Almost all European countries, but especially Italy, have preserved their ancient ruins, architectures, museums and other historical places as they were” she says but regretted that in India neither the government nor the people make sincere efforts to preserve our ancient historical architectures. “Then, first Sunday of every month is free to visit any historical museum or other places, which I have never seen in India”.

She described Italy as extremely beautiful, with stunning scenic beauty and a rich tradition of art and culture. Talking about the Education system, Pretty said that, it was very flexible in terms of exams schedule and few hours of lectures in a week which gives enormous amount of time for self-study. “Nice, kind and very helpful people around me have made my stay wonderful”, she added.

Her faculty in-charge is Professor Ettore Napoli. On being asked about the teaching style she said most professors teach via power-point presentations and each subject has some hours in a week whereas for the rest of the week students can either go for part time job or/and self- study based on their projects and courses. Among the places she has so far visited are Royal Palace of Naples Lungomare/Mergilina, Centro storico, Bagnioli, Castel del Nuovo, Vomero and National archeological museum of Naples.

Among her new friends there are Claudia, Pratibha and others. She said that apart from academics, such cultural exchange programmes make you more independent and self-reliant. These make you learn so many new things, face new challenges in terms of new language barrier and communication.

Vice-Chancellor Prof PK Khosla spoke on a wide variety of topics including the rankings and future plans of the Shoolini University in an interview with KHYAATI SHARMA. Excerpts from the interview:

How much is Shoolini University away from achieving its target of being among the top 200 Global Universities by 2022?

The vision for Shoolini was conceived when I heard former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam saying that none of the Indian Universities is in the top 200 list of the global rankings. We have a well-thought-of plan to follow in the next three years to achieve its target. It is achievable. We will do it for sure.

What is the importance of research for the university to be in the global rankings?

Shoolini is focusing on the Times Higher Education (THE) International system of rankings in which 60 per cent marks are for research. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings are the only global performance tables that judge research-intensive universities across all their core missions: teaching, research, research influence, knowledge transfer, and international outlook.

Any university that gets at least 50 per cent marks in the field of research will get on the list of top 200 global universities. In THE ranking system, there are two units of research viz. Citation Research and general research both contribute 30 per cent each to the criteria of rankings. With a 1.89 citation index, Shoolini is already the third-best in the country. For the global ranking system, the university requires a field index of 2.2 and we are not far from that.

What do you feel are the challenges for Shoolini to operate at the global level?

I believe there are four major challenges for Shoolini in terms of global rankings. The first is reputation. Since we are still a young university, it takes time to establish the name of the institution. Secondly, the industry-academia partnership is very important and we are developing this area for the better future of the students. Also, the international students and faculty studying and working in universities matter a lot.

We already have many international students and about two dozen international teachers working on the campus but I believe, we need to focus more on international relations. We need at least 40 teachers in the next three years. Lastly, getting extramural grants for the university remains a big challenge too and it is the main focus. The university has already been granted a fund of Rs 30 crore in the last three years.

Why are other Universities not doing it?

The first reason for this, I believe, is that the University is led by persons who are determined and passionate to make it. As the VC, I spend more than half of my time thinking of making it a better place to study, grow and live! In rankings, you compete with your own self. In the Indian system of rankings, there is more focus on quantity whereas, in the international ranking system, quality is what matters the most.

Talking about the new session, are there any new courses planned for this year?

Yes, we are starting some new programmes. Besides PhD in Yoga, we are adding Master’s and doctoral programmes to the Agricultural Sciences. We recently started the Hotel Management, Yoga, English and Law and plan to start a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism.

Which courses are the most popular among new students?

Pharmacy and MBA are two very popular and sought-after courses for the students seeking admissions. Also, biotech and other research-based courses gain much attention.

What is the current scenario of the placements of 2019?

Like every year, students are placed with good companies. This year we are doing even better. Various companies are queuing up to pick up students for jobs. Even Engineering students from our University are getting good placement offers. I believe that there are five parameters that are essential for any student to get a good job i.e. physical personality (grooming), communication skills both in Hindi and English, aptitude, managerial capabilities, and expertise in the subject concerned.

RONIKA ANGELINA

A two-day theatre workshop conducted by Ankur Saxena, a Yavanikan from Yavanika Theatre Society, National School of Drama in the University campus, proved to be a fun and learning exercise. It was a comprehensive workshop that covered physical body movements, voice connection, working with objects, props and sound.

The participants got to learn how to move the upper part of body while keeping the lower part still and vice versa. They were also assigned with a task of writing a poem and recite it in front of everyone present so as to boost their confidence and to overcome anxiety. Saxena said, “Physical warm-up is very essential so as to keep focus on what you are doing and experiencing”.

On being asked about the future of theatres from the perspective of electronic and social media influence he said, “Theatre is an institution at the heart of world cultures for millennia. It now confronts unmatched challenges in a rapidly evolving society.”

He added that, electronic and digital technologies have spawned an array of media, from 3D movies to crowd sourced videos like YouTube to smartphones to compete with stage. He along with his team would be analysing theatre productions with respect to theatre genres with electronic and social media.

VAISHNAVI SOOD

To be in front of a camera, watching a busy newsroom and being in a television studio is a part of every Journalism student’s wish list. Students of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication got this opportunity when they visited the News18 Television studio in Chandigarh on April 26.

Located in the Industrial Area, Phase-2, News18 studio is one of the most advanced TV stations in the region including Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. As the Journalism students, accompanied by Ms Ranjna Thakur, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Management Sciences and Liberal Arts, arrived at the studio, Mr Sumant Kumar Issar, a Senior Executive (Admin) with the News 18 group gave us an overview and took us for a round of the Programme Control Room (PCR), studio and the newsroom.

In the PCR, we were told about the basic working of the audio console, the process of how the entire content (ticker, headlines, logos, audio-visuals, chroma or the background, etc.) is managed and how the panel coordinates with the reporters and anchors. Students were most excited to visit the TV studio where there were two different sets for the news bulletins and debates. We were told about the various technicalities including how the camera is operated, frames are set for different news programmes, lighting is adjusted, the teleprompter is managed, etc.

In the newsroom, we were briefed by Mr Ritesh Lakhi, Senior Editor, News18 Punjab as he told us about the various departments in the editorial section and their functions. The newsfloor was also divided into various departments like input and production staff, senior editors, graphics department and archives.

We were amazed to know that over 30 to 40 editors work on the desk in various departments at all times while most people often tend to ignore this aspect of the news process in the electronic media. Coincidentally, all the girl students also got an exciting opportunity to shoot a small sequence with one of the News18 anchors for the promotional video of one of their special shows ‘Mahila Rath’.

It was a bright summer day and the weather was extremely hot but getting that feeling of being in front of the camera for the first time (even if for a couple of minutes) was an exciting experience. We also got to interact with Mr Jyoti Kamal, Cluster Head and Senior Editor, CNN News18, News18 Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, Network18. He shared many important insights into electronic media and also gave useful career tips.

Responding to queries by the journalism students who aspire to be TV anchors, he said that the first step is joining a TV studio and doing all the work and assignments allocated to them. He noted that the most common problem he faces with the new joinees is that they wish to start anchoring right away but it is important to understand that they need to enhance their knowledge and skills and learn other technicalities as well before they can go on to host shows or news bulletins.

He also recommended students to do internships if possible, to utilise various opportunities provided by their institution and also to create and share their content using various digital platforms like YouTube and blogs. All of them were very generous to share their experiences, patiently listen to our queries and clear our doubts. The visit to the TV studio was definitely an exciting learning experience for all of us.

Parul Mittal, MBA final year student, placed with Hindustan Unilever Ltd.

Incredible and extraordinary are the two words that define my journey with Shoolini University. The two years of my post-graduation have been the best years of my life. The MBA programme has not only improved me academically but also helped me transform into an individual who is now ready to join the corporate world. The responsibilities of the student coordinator for the Placement Committee have been the highlight of my journey.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Dr Kuldeep Rojhe and Dr Nitin Gupta. Their unconditional support has made me grow into a more responsible and proficient person. It was their trust in me that helped me to get placed with Hindustan Unilever Limited, the biggest MNC in the FMCG Sector.

I have no words to describe how grateful I am to Shoolini University, all the faculty members and all those who supported me in my journey. It has been my immense pleasure to associate with this University and to achieve a chance of getting hired by HUL as a part of the Campus Placement Drive.

Placed with ICICI Securities

Life at Shoolini University has been a great experience and I plan to make the most out of the time that is left. My experience at Shoolini University, by far has been amazing. I have learned and experienced so many new things during the last 5 years of my graduation and post-graduation.

In July 2014, I undertook the B.Com (Hons) course, after that, I pursued my studies in MBA and am specialising in marketing and finance. Now, I have been placed in one of the leading financial sector companies, ICICI Securities. I would like to extend my huge thanks to Shoolini University, especially thanks to all the Faculty of Management Sciences for their immense support and guidance.