Krea University and The South Asia IB Schools Association (SAIBSA) have stepped into a significant partnership in the field of higher education and learning. Through this partnership, both entities will work together for a series of exclusive learning and development opportunities for member schools and students. The first workshop for students of grades 9-12 was conducted, focusing on developing Academic writing and skills lead by Prof Anannya Dasgupta (Associate Professor of Literature, Literature & the Arts and Director of Centre for Writing & Pedagogy – Krea University) and Pritha Chakrabarti (Faculty Associate, Centre for Writing & Pedagogy – Krea University).
Author: Sanjana
Catalyst AIC launches Startup-School; hosts Orientation Day for first cohort of entrepreneurs
Catalyst AIC has launched a Startup School for idea-stage entrepreneurs. The rigorous 3-months program focuses on nurturing young, idea-stage entrepreneurs to help them build businesses of the future. In February, Catalyst conducted the orientation day for the first cohort of startups. The event featured a panel discussion on integrating tradition with technology in a post-COVID world, with Nand Kishore Choudhary (Founder-Chairman, Jaipur Rugs) giving the keynote address along with an address from advisory member Sharon Buteau (Executive Director, LEAD at Krea University).
Prof Srajana Kaikini’s recent papers published by noted international journals
Krea faculty Prof Srajana Kaikini — Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Humanities & Social Sciences & Literature & the Arts — has had two of her recent papers published by renowned international journals. Her most recent paper explores strategies within the arts practice, while the other paper talks about COVID-19 and its social impact.
Her paper titled, ‘The Aesthetics Of Risk in Artistic Practice: What is at Stake?’, has been published in the Kunstlicht Journal 41(4) (2020). ASSESSING RISK: ON STRATEGIES FOR HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE WITHIN ARTS PRACTICE. The journal regularly features academics, authors, editors and artists sharing their insights on art, visual culture, and architecture. Access the paper here.
Her timely piece on understanding disasters and bringing the ethical language of the collective, bearing COVID-19 in mind, was published by Voices in Bioethics, an online journal in partnership with Columbia University Library. Read the article here.
‘The 10 commandments: As You Step Into Your First Job’, with industry expert Chetan Gore
| ‘Inside Marketing 2021′ featured some illustrious marketing professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders from various industries, imparting their wisdom on some of the recent trends in the marketing world. One of the power-packed sessions scheduled exclusively for the students of Krea University was delivered by Mr Chetan Gore — Vice President and Business Head of the FMCG vertical at Reliance Retail. Titled ’10 Commandments: As You Step Into Your First Job’, the power talk included an interaction with students and their understanding of work-life in the context of completing one’s MBA degree. Finding the session insightful, the students had a range of questions for Mr Chetan, right from discussing the ways to find an ideal job, to expanding one’s network and building confidence with seniors and peers at the workplace. |
Inaugural Conference of Centre for Writing & Pedagogy draws 700 participants
‘Online and Downloadable: Writing Pedagogies in the Pandemic’, the Centre for Writing and Pedagogy’s inaugural conference concluded on 12 and 13 February 2021. Close to 700 participants logged in to participate from all over the country. There were participants from flagship universities from the metros, as well as central, state and regional universities, colleges and institutes from Leh to Trivandrum and lots of places side-ways and in-between. There were seven events over the two days to include workshops, roundtable discussions and academic paper panels on strategies of teaching for having been forced to go online in the COVID semesters.
The highlights of the conference were a workshop on sentences which had 380 participants, and the two roundtable discussions – one on creative writing pedagogies in academic spaces in India and one on tutoring online which had tutors from Krea, APU, Ashoka and JGU. Both these roundtables initiated much-needed conversations bringing together colleagues and students to do so for the first time. Another first was a meeting to bring together writing centre administrators who came together under CWP’s lead to look into forming a national association for writing teachers and spearhead collaborative projects in research and faculty training. Watch the recording of the opening note by Prof S Sivakumar – Divisional Chair, Sciences & Professor of Physics at Krea University here.
Student entrepreneurs at Krea launch hygiene kit for COVID-19 protection
Three 2nd-year UG students at the School of Interwoven Arts & Sciences (SIAS), Krea University have stepped into the world of impact entrepreneurship, launching their first product – ‘Pockit: Protect Pack’. A handy hygiene kit, the pack is described as ‘a one-stop pocket-sized solution to keep you safe at your convenience’ bearing COVID-19 in mind.
The idea of developing a pocket-sized hygiene kit that shields one from the novel Coronavirus came to Arnav Jalan, Munirmahedi Paviwala, and Sravan Sridhar back in April 2020, right in the midst of the outbreak and numerous lockdowns. Witnessing how it became increasingly difficult to carry all the essential items, the pocket-sized solution is designed in such a way that it includes a 3-ply mask, two alcohol swabs, and two sanitiser sachets all encased in a weather-resistant, light-weight pack.
Priced at INR 125 per unit, Pockit is open for delivery to over 20,000 pin codes in the country and can be purchased online. Thus far, the two students’ maiden product has already entered the market, now available in four retail stores in Mumbai with larger plans in the offing.
Krea fosters an immersive learning environment, encouraging budding student entrepreneurs to explore their ideas armed with the right tools — passion, resilience and attitude, going beyond domain knowledge and technical skills. Learn more about this ProtectPack here.
Exploring poetry, politics, religion in Muhammad Iqbal & Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s works
In an interactive session with the students and poetry lovers of Krea University, Prof Irfanullah Farooqi (Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, South Asian University – New Delhi) explored the deep connections between the poetic and the political through select compositions of two iconic poets of 20th century South Asia — Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) and Faiz Ahmad Faiz (1911-1984). The session particularly looked at how Iqbal and Faiz had been subjected to a certain kind of religion-ness as witnessed in some of their compositions.
An info-session on India’s National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Well-Being
In a highly engaging session with the students of Krea University, Ravi Chellam, who has been involved with wildlife research, education, outreach and conservation since the early 1980s, shared in great detail about rhe National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Well-Being — one of the nine national missions that have been approved by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council. From elaborating the key features of this unique 10-year programme to sharing the interdisciplinary nature of the programmes and its structures, the information session was packed with insights, giving students an overview of the biodiversity and sustainable use in India.
On recognising housework and measuring women’s unpaid labour
In an article published by The Hindustan Times, Soumya Kapoor Mehta (Head – IWWAGE) and Sona Mitra (Principal Economist – IWWAGE) write about universalising maternity entitlements and childcare as a public good in India and list out the steps needed to reduce and redistribute such work. Read the article here.
A Union Budget full of hope and a transformative opportunity for India’s women & girls
In an article published by The Financial Express, Soumya Kapoor Mehta (Head – IWWAGE), Sona Mitra (Principal Economist – IWWAGE), and Kanika Jha Kingra (Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager – IWWAGE) write about women’s expectations from the Union Budget 2021-22 and how it presents an opportunity to ensure that India’s economic growth and development is inclusive. Read the article here.