7^th A.K RAMANUJAN ANNUAL NATIONAL PAPER READING CONTEST -2017

                                          Organized by

                                       UGC SAP DRS II

                          Department of English, Faculty of Arts

                     The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda

                                      Vadodara -390002

                          Accredited with Grade ‘A’ by NAAC

     

 

       I have attended this paper-reading contest last year in sem-2 and now I am going to convert my experience of that into blog, the theme of the contest was Parallel Cinema in India and was scheduled during 10-11 February 2017 at V.Y Kantak Seminar Hall, Department of English.

Parallel Cinema      

       

        As opposed to the mainstream commercial Indian cinema, represented especially by popular Hindi (Bollywood) cinema, Parallel Cinema known for its serious content, experimentation in terms of technique and narration, rejection of clichéd and stereotyped  plots and characters of popular cinemas and an awareness of social and popular issues. The films were made on limited budget and aimed at a niche market rather than a mass-market audience. The movement emerged in Bangla during the same time as the French New Wave and Japanese New Wave, led by internationally acclaimed filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray, Mrina Sen, Ritwik Ghatak, among others.

       

     This contest organized every year only for Master’s Students from different universities. From our MK Bhavnagar University, Department of English two students Ami Sojitra, my senior and I have selected for participation in that. It was two days contest where every Student has presented their research paper in 15 minutes and 5 minutes for questions/answers asked by Judges or other participants.  We reached there a day before contest and we have good interaction with others at Guesthouse during morning breakfast where we have introduced ourselves with each other. MSU students and Pro, Sachin Ketkar came to take us way on the Contest venue which was decorated beautifully according to the theme.

Day-1: 10 February 207

            The contest begun with the Inaugural Session in which welcome addressed by Prof. Sudha P. Pandya, Officiating Head of Department of English and Introduction to competition and the Judges given by Pronoy Singha, and Vote of Thanks by Mr. Dhiren Parmar. Before the beginning of the each session, interview of every presenter taken by news reporter that what you want to say/ prove through your research work. On first day, three sessions were there 

       

       Our turn was in the last session 4 to 5 on first day in which Ami Sojitra has presented her paper effectively on Parallel Cinema as a Movement in India and I (Komal Shahedapuri) have presented on the Representation of LGBT in ParallelCinema. (Click here for PPT) I was quite nervous because unfortunately my pen drive was corrupted and not work properly and my PPT was in that but Plan -2 was working , I have sent this PPT to me through mail , so I was able to download it in tea break . Then, I realized that our sir Dr. Dilip Barad (head of department of English MKBU) always taught us to ready with alternative plans that work that day for me and I can present my paper successfully. Then, in evening the cultural program organized by the students. 

      At night they took us to Kathiyavadi Restaurant where all participants, Judges, Chair Persons and other Professors took dinner together. There is also good discussion on the Food that some of the Participants are from Delhi and Maharashtra,  they have believe that all Gujrati food are more sweet, so they asked us that which food is not sweet that they can eat that food. Then, a Participant from Maharashtra said in a comic way that there is a sweet food called 'Puranpoli' in Gujrati food is small and we have in Maharashtra same food but in big form. Therefore, it seems like you have stolen from us. Over all, it was good dinner together as the intercultural communication took place and all can come together and know each other and different culture. It is my personal observation that in this types of seminars and conferences, during Lunch and Dinner time meaningful discussion took place among each other like one of the professor have discussed with us about our topics and research paper and she has appreciated both of us for our good topics for paper and suggested me to go forward with same topic (LGBT) in PhD Research because it  is unique/different topic in which not much research has done.

 

Day-2: 11 February 2017

       On second day, we have other four sessions, 

The contest was end with reading of the reports and Valedictory functions where valuable feedback and suggestions for film studies/ techniques given by three judges to all the participants as appreciation and improvement that should be needed in research work.

       At last, the announcement of results and Prize distribution was there where team-12 The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda won first team prize-Rs. 2000 and a trophy with the set of books, second team prize-Rs. 1000 and a trophy with set of books won by team-1 Deshbandhu College, Delhi University. 

      



     First Prize in individual category- gold plated medal and set of books won by Madhuri Adwani from MSU and second individual prize-silver plated medal with the set of books won by Punit Pathak from MSU.

     Consolation prize has given to individual participants in which first consolation prize won by Ami Sojitra from Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University and second by Nikhil Baisane from Pratap college, North Maharashtra University. To  other participants certificate with the set of books are given. The contest ends with vote of thanks by participants in a form of their experience of two days contest.                                                                                           

                                                                               

     We were return to our guest, some of participants were check out in evening but we have check out on the next morning. That is last moment to say farewell to all fellow participants and we have last dinner together where one of our judge was also present but when we talked with them, it was like friendly discussion. We have received wonderful hospitality there. I would like to thank to Dhiren Parmar and others for support and helping in matter of accommodation and food, Department of English MSU to organize this wonderful quality based Contest for Master’s Students and Dr. Dilip Barad to give us opportunity to attend this contest. Over all was wonderful and meaningful experience for me with different people of same interest.

Thank You…..