NCC cadets take a plunge in a swimming pool at the water sports complex at Tampara in Chhatrapur, Ganjam.

From alumni meet to social causes

Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB) conducted its Annual Alumni Chapters’ Meet, Sanidhya ‘11 in six cities — Calcutta, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai — during May. The event saw massive participation from XIMB alumni including entrepreneurs, CEOs, directors and vice-presidents from several industries and domains. Various aspects of life at the institute and progress plans were shared, followed by an open house discussion, to gather inputs from those present and build a holistic perspective in matters of importance. Prospective students, and aspirants joining XIMB this year also turned up in large numbers and interacted with their seniors, alumni and faculty members about academic and industry related queries. The final event in the series will be conducted in Bhubaneswar during July. The institute director P.T Joseph, dean (academics) Subhajyoti Ray, dean (administration) D. Thomas, faculty alumni coordinator Latha Ravindran and other faculty members were present during the event in various cities.

Naval training

(Top) NCC cadets take out a rally in Bhubaneswar on World No Tobacco Day, and students at a job fair organised by NIIT Berhampur. Telegraph pictures

An annual training camp to impart practical training to the cadets of NCC naval wing started on June 7 at Tampara in Chatrapur in Ganjam. Tampara is a large brackish water body. There is water sport complex at the spot with facilities such as water scooter, paddle boats and so on. The camp, which would conclude on June 10, is being attended by 450 cadets from schools and colleges of five divisions including Ganjam, Khurda, Puri, Gajapati and Koraput. “The Berhampur naval unit of NCC is conducting the camp to provide practical training in navigation, boat handling, sailing at sea, firing and parade training. The camp also aims at inculcating team spirit, community living and a adventurous spirit among the cadets,” said NCC officer Gopal Krushna Mahapatra.

Going green

Students of Sri Sri University, Cuttack, undertook a plantation drive on their campus on the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5. A few other students of Vidya Anusthan, an institute imparting vocational education, also participated in the camp.

MoU signed

Balasore-based Raghunath Jew School of Management Studies (RJSMS) inked an MoU with the California State University, USA, to promote academic collaboration at under graduate and post graduate levels and strengthen educational, cultural and technological relations. Both institutes would develop collaboration between their departments, administrative staff, students and faculties through exchange programmes, sabbatical leave assignments, collaborative research, publication, curriculum development, joint projects, team work, conferences with trade and industry and professional development programme.

Say no to tobacco

On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on May 31, cadets of NCC Directorate Orissa took out a rally in Bhubaneswar to create awareness among common people regarding the ill effects of tobacco. The rally, which was organised from 1 Orissa Girls Battalion to BJB College, Bhubaneswar, was flagged off by Colonel C. Pramanik, director, NCC Directorate, Orissa. About 50 students from various schools and colleges across the state participated in the rally highlighting the diseases caused by tobacco consumption. En route, a skit on this topic was presented and the cadets were later shown a detailed presentation on the topic. Earlier, various events like poster-making and slogan-writing competitions, and seminars had been organized. Meanwhile, the Community Medicine department of Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), a constituent of KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, also organised a poster competition. The theme of the competition was ‘Say No to Tobacco - It Kills’. The poster competition attracted over 50 participants from various colleges in the city. A poster made by Abhijit Kumar Sahoo of KIIT University was adjudged the best. He won a cash award of Rs 2,500. Prapti Acharya and Adyasha Nayak of SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, were placed in second and third positions and won Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,000, respectively. The website of National Oral Cancer Prevention Initiative, www.nocpi.co.in, was also launched on the occasion.

Training camp

Sambalpur University organised a training camp for the volunteers of the National Service Scheme (NSS) at the Biju Patnaik auditorium of Sambalpur University from May 22 to 30. Around 845 students from nine districts — Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Baudh, Angul, Sonepur, Sundergarh, Deogarh, Nuapara and Kalahandi — participated in the event. “The volunteers from each college were trained in phases and knowledge of social service was imparted to them for two days,” said Prayas Dansana, program coordinator of the camp and a lecturer of law at the university. Resource persons were roped in for the training programme. The volunteers did a field survey at Aamsadha Katapali, a nearby village and also organised rallies and various types of awareness programmes in the village during this camp.

Jobs galore

A job fair was organised by NIIT Berhampur at Silk City’s St. Vincent Convent School on May 26 and 27. Though a total of 1,100 students from arts, science and commerce backgrounds visited the fair, 217 candidates were shortlisted by seven companies. The 11 companies that participated are Kotak, Hinduja Global, Auro IN, Bajaj Allianz, Aditya Birla, Wipro, IBM, Amazon.com, Call Concept, HSBC and Genpact. “This is the first time that such a mega job fair is being organised in Berhampur,” coordinator Vishwanath Singh said. Another such fair would be organised in September/ October and efforts are on to make this a half-yearly event.

New director

President of India, Pratibha Patil in her capacity as the visitor to the National Institutes of Technology (NITs), approved the recommendation of the selection committee for the appointment of professor Sunil Kumar Sarangi as the director of NIT, Rourkela. Prof. Sarangi is an eminent professor and renowned cryogenic scientist of IIT, Kharagpur. He succeeded professor P.C. Panda, the seniormost professor of the institute.

SUBRAT MOHANTY, SUNIL PATNAIK AND SHILPI SAMPAD