Youth forum with attitude

The latest creative movement at Bhawanipur College manifests itself in the form of a monthly journal, Xcuse Me! ? Give Attitude A Chance, now entering its fourth volume. The brainchild of a few college students, funded by the institution and available free of cost, Xcuse Me! was initially a platform to showcase literary talent and exchange ideas among the students.

But from the first volume it took up the task of bridging the gap between India and Pakistan. It was launched in the presence of the visiting principal and students of Karachi High School in November ?04, the journal, titled Sarhad Ke Par. There were interactions between the Karachi and Bhawanipur students.

A passing glance at the eight-page kaleidoscope yields news and views, trends, events and entertainment, curriculum-based Q&A, young achievers, poems and essays, one liners, anecdotes, opinion polls and even a contest.

The seven-member editorial team (picture below) toils long and hard. ?Our time in college and beyond is spent sniffing out stories, spotting talent, gathering articles and discussing themes. Then it?s back-breaking designing work at Online Graphics,? explain Sweta Sehgal and Sweta Bothra. ?Not to say that it?s all work and no play,? smile comrades Sumit Bhatt and Aziz Farooque.

Shraddha Mundhra talks of the response: ?Xcuse Me! has not only spread beyond its profile of providing information and entertainment, it has snowballed into a movement. People want to contribute and be featured. Most of the 500 copies released are snapped up on the first day. Students have bonded and have developed a sense of belonging to the institution.?

?Our dream would have remained just that without the backing of the heads of our Institution,? asserts Komal Singh. ?And without the cooperation of Ammi, principal of Karachi High School, the cross-border dialogue couldn?t have happened,? adds Tamanna Alam.

Plans include increasing the size and frequency of the youth forum, and using it to spread social awareness.

Madhumita Das

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