FEEDS August Issue| Issue 1| Volume 7 by Feeds

Director Dr. Mini Shaji Thomas

Dean (Students’ Welfare) Dr. Samson Mathew

Faculty Advisors

Shruthi Srinivasan Editor

Dr.V.Sathyaraj Dr.V.Vinod Balakrishnan Content Developers: Adityan, Advait, Diptisikha, Neveditha, Kaushik, Ashwin, Nived, Sriram, Srishyam, Saif, Harshini, Anupama, Keshore, Ashwin S, Trisha, Tania, Sarath, Sai Prashant, Deeksha, Sripradha, Suriya, Snigdha, Shruthi, Adith, Anantha, Porvika, Yuvan, Nikitha, Arvindmani, Gautham, Sandeep. Cover Story: Adith, Gautham, Shruthi. Cover: Rajkumar. Creative Writers: Sarath, Ashwin Sridhar, Yuvan, Advait. Illustrators: Ayush, Maadhav, Sivaprakash, Pradeeksha. Designers: Dinesh, Rajkumar , Arun Kumar, Abhinaya, Abhijjith, Swarthika, Rahul Balaji, Revan Kumar, Pranav. Photographer: Kamala Kannan.

A few months into college, here we are at the intersection of familiar beginnings and new endings.With the initial excitement wearing off, we are simmering down to a way of life; trying to harmonise our interests with our expectations, and struggling to find our niche in life: Our lives have merely begun. Interestingly, as I write about beginnings, I am reminded that Feeds steps into its seventh year. What started in 2011 as an in-house journal informing NITT about NITT, has now progressed to a potential campus media house. From its inception, the team has always believed in nurturing ideas, voicing students’ opinions and problems, and improving the reading and writing culture on campus. Over the years, Feeds has grown with the institute and is grateful to its readers and mentors for the constant support. The team believes the journey will continue well into the future and serve an even greater purpose with time. To foster our online presence and connect to a wider audience, Feeds launched its website in May 2017. The website provides instant updates on campus news and student life. In late July, a new column, NITT101, devised to familiarise freshers with the institute and their surroundings, was released on the website.

Editor

Shruthi Srinivasan

Co-Editors

Srishyam Raghavan Ashwin Krishnan

Administrative Head Sriram Raghavan

Online Presence Head Gautham Mahadevan

Founders

Karthik Selva and Deepak Valagam ( ICE 2012)

All the same, Feeds will continue to publish its print edition which creates a physical presence in your rooms and a reading experience that cannot be replicated online. The effort and time that is absorbed into the print edition: the phases of ideation, writing, proofreading, editing, designing and printing is simply breathtaking.Every issue printed is close to the team; the belief that we can strike a chord with our readers or render new perspectives or proffer ideas, keeps the team working together. The team’s progress curve is defined by the impact we create and the feedback we receive. This first issue of Volume 7 addresses a variety of questions and thoughts that students chance upon. The cover story seeks to guide students across the terrain of internships, a curriculum requisite that often leaves students confused and worried. Probably, this story will put all doubts to rest. A new column, Faculty Corner, is being introduced to increase awareness of the research programmes run by the faculty members at NITT. This issue also presents an article by an alumnus elaborating the attributes of applying for a Masters degree. We hope you enjoy these sections and the other insights we share in this installment.

Sports

Sai Prashant M

Faculty Corner

RESEARCH ON GRAPH THEORY Dr Janaki Raman is a faculty member of the Mathematics department of our college. In this article, we focus on the research projects he pursues to enrich his research experience. He also shares with us his thoughts on research and what it entails.

While undergoing his P.G. Course in 1981-83,

he started working on the world famous conjecture, commonly stated as the Four Colour Problem. He later realised the potential of Graph theory and became immensely interested as to how it can be employed for performing complex tasks and functions in the fields of Mathematics and Computer Science. He specialises in Graph Theory, a branch of both pure and applied Mathematics. His work extends to the fields of cellular and flexible manufacturing models in the field of Production Engineering, Fault tolerant networks, Graph coding, image processing, Clustering of wireless ad hoc networks, Social and management networks, and Number theory. Till date, he has successfully completed 3 projects. His first project titled, “Weak convex dominating sets” was based on a concept in Graph Theory and is related to identifying and characterizing communication delay property. This topic is a vital aspect of numerous communication networks. He later worked on a project dealing with “Graph based classification of images” sponsored by DRDO, India (2006-2009). In this project, one part is to identify information, if any, from the weak pixels of general images and the other part involves using characteristics of static images to classify them. Later on he contributed to a project involving NDT applications to find the defects in tubular welding and image analysis of surface of metals in BHEL industry.

also involved in the process of developing efficient algorithms for subjects including graph coding, Primality Test and Factorization of a number, and he expects breakthrough results soon. With the help of his sons, he is also engaged in devising a variety of other algorithms directly dealing with the fields of graph theory, graph coding, signal and image processing and number theory. In the meantime, he provides guidance to UG and PG students and Ph.D.scholars by answering their queries with project-related matters and issuing suggestions as to what they can pursue for higher studies. As an individual who firmly believes in the philosophy of overcoming all obstacles to achieve one’s goals, Dr. TN Janaki Raman for all these years has treated the two concepts of research and teaching on an equal footing, without any amount of prejudice or bias towards the other. As is reflected from his own words: “Research and teaching are like my two eyes”. He employs his varied range of scientific temper in approaching topics related to these very two concepts and constantly insists on the active participation on the part of both the ones who teach and the ones who conduct research.

He is currently working on bringing out good approximation algorithms for implementation. He is

Yuvan, Shruthi

Club Page

SCIEnT

The Student Centre for Innovation in Engineering and Technology

The Student Centre for Innovation in Engineering and Technology, or SCIEnT, prides itself on being the first multi-disciplinary innovation centre in our campus. It was inaugurated almost two years ago, on the 24th of December, 2015. SCIEnT is an initiative by the alumni batch of 1990, who wanted to give back to their alma mater. The student head for SCIEnT, Adithyan, a 4th year mechanical engineering student says, "SCIEnT is open 24/7 for all students on campus - undergraduates, postgraduates and PhD students from all departments, including architecture." Any student can use the impressive range of equipment that are available at the lab, which is located behind the Sports Centre by the road leading to CCD. "Currently, students can register under two schemes to make use of the facilities provided at the SCIEnT lab," explains Adithyan. Scheme One involves registering with the lab for 24/7 access to all the tools and services available at SCIEnT. This would be especially advantageous to students pursuing personal projects or if they want to try out an idea they had just had. Scheme Two is for students who wish to register for a project under SCIEnT, which, in addition to giving them full time access to their equipments, will also make the students eligible for mentorship and funding from the alumni. To register for this scheme, an abstract, outlining the idea must be presented to the alumni, who will vet it and check its feasibility. If the alumni approve of the project, the student will receive adequate guidance and monetary help from the alumni. Reviews to show the progress of the project will be held every two weeks. An additional clause exists under the scheme, where a student, if s/ he wishes to market a product developed in SCIEnT, could receive initial angel funding from interested alumni. It is to be noted that for registration under both the schemes, one can visit SCIEnT's Facebook page, www.facebook.com/scientnitt, or their website, www.scient.nitt.edu. The thinking behind SCIEnT has always been that any student can experiment and test their innovations without the fear of failure.The present facilities include equipment needed for projects in both circuital and non-circuital branches, from GPS, GSM and WIFi transceiver modules, LCD displays and Raspberry Pis to bench grinders, a chop saw, jig saw and a lathe. A list of their entire inventory has been published on their website. Outside of providing a workspace and resources, the SCIEnT team also hopes that students gain knowledge through the facility. "Members of SCIEnT have received extensive training from industrial personnel on how to use the machinery and equipment in SCIEnT. Soon, such training will be extended to all students," says Adithyan. For more information, contact Adithyan at +919551870990.

Sriram

Opinion

In transit

...A TRAVELOGUE

ooking down at my slightly soiled formal black shoes ,an unjustified sense of achievement overcame me and I gloated for a while. The train to Tambaram had finally arrived and I was shuffled by the crowd into a generic looking, fairly packed compartment . My love affair with the Chennai local was probably one of the highlights of my summer internship. An old geezer,reeking of cheap tonic from the night before smiled lazily in no particular direction. The well oiled mop of hair next to me was brushed aside to reveal the face of an office goer, completely lost in the intense climax of a movie playing on his phone. A young couple whispered niceties and blushed innocently on repeat. My sense of smell was suddenly called upon, as a samosa seller slyly seduced us by thrusting a bag of crisp savoury under our noses. After their routine collection, the eunuchs cackled at how a plump clerk in front of them was squirming uncomfortably. They then got off at the next station and normalcy descended on us again. The trans community had always invoked a sense of pity and confusion in me. The trans community in India, that is. A few weeks ago I had been whisked away to Phuket, Thailand by my enthusiastic family for a holiday. Fueled by curiosity I had done my pre trip research. The first time I was genuinely taken aback though,was during a Cabaret performance that boasted of being one of the top shows in Phuket,with tourists flocking from all over. I admired the elegance of the lady performers whose song and graceful dance left the audience spellbound. After the show, out of habit I googled the setup. Eyes transfixed to my phone screen I re-read what I had just scanned through to be sure. All the performers, the slim hourglass figured lead artist, the humorous fat lady side act,everybody. All of them had not been born women. As I read on further, I came across how after multiple gender change surgeries (at times even involving removal of ribs) the performers had become as elegant as the ballerinas from ‘Swan Lake’. That was only the beginning. Thailand, which has legalized prostitution and has an established sex tourism setup, successfully empowers the Trans community to great levels. The ‘ladyboys’ are extremely commonplace be it at shows, massage parlours or even hotel receptions. I was suddenly engulfed by a feeling of comfort and positivity towards the community that I had grown up not knowing what to think about. Something inside me wished that one day even the alienated ‘hijras’ on the train to Tambaram would have such opportunities,security and an identity of their own. The community’s quality of living is highly dependant on acceptance levels of the society. One late evening, after strolling down the bustling streets of Phuket, I walked into a shop that set up programmes for tourists. The cashier who seated behind a lighter, a can of beer and a sea of brochures guided me through possibilities in perfect English. After some high quality service I was convinced into buying a ticket for a Thai boxing show. As the cashier wrote down details and contacts i sized him up. His knitted cap and ‘I love Phuket’ shirt did not draw my attention but his layer of makeup,waxed hands and manicured nails did. After being handed the ticket I thanked the cashier for all the help and left with satisfaction. I looked at the envelope that I had been handed. Next to a contact number a name was written in bold. I couldn’t help but stop and smile. It read ‘Beyonce’.

Advait Nair

Feature

Srishyam, Arvindmani, Gautham, Harshini

Feature

How to Apply for Masters Abroad?

ith all your friends getting placed and discussing packages and locations and benefits, they seem to have it all figured out while you’ve only just made your mind up that you’re going to pursue a higher education. But now that you’re here, this article is intended as a how to guide to anyone applying for an MS. In this article, I’ll break your application down into the components that matter and tell you how best handle each one according to your specific requirements and factors.

Where you Apply

This is the first step in your admission process chronologically and it’s where you have the most deciding to do. This is decided based on the University ranking, your research area, the average GPA and GRE of students admitted and the total number you can apply to. I detail how to handle each element and then combine them to get a list of universities that’s tailored to your requirements.

Test Scores

GRE and TOEFL/IELTS serve as thresholds for the application and I hope you have already written them. If not, get on with it! I discuss how to decide what a safe GRE score is and use it in building your university list.

References

This is not tricky, but usually quite out of your control. All the same, speak to your recommenders ahead of time and straighten out what you want them to put in and make sure it coalesces with your essay. Details of this and what exactly a recommender is required to fill in are available in the article.

CGPA

This is the tricky one. From what I’ve seen, it works like this. Most US universities use an average CGPA criterion which says that the average of the incoming class CGPA should be equal to the average of the outgoing class with as little deviation in the negative direction as possible. A note on CGPA conversion: Avoid converting to a 4 scale by dividing and report the CGPA on your native scale wherever possible. It’s unfair to compare the scores, but it’s the only way.

Essays

This is a tricky area because it is quite subjective and takes a long time to do effectively. The key points are to make them specific, appropriate to the application and to have them coalesce with your references. An internet search will tell you this and much more information than you could possibly absorb on writing application essays. In this article, I give you just enough information for you to actually use in your essay without being overwhelmed a few months before your deadline.

hen all this is done, it should be September/October and at this point you should start creating accounts, uploading material and following up on references. Once you’ve finished all that and submitted your application, your work should actually be over. The full text of this article is available online at https://feedsnitt. com/2017/07/23/how-to-apply-ms/ . I encourage you to take the time and read through the whole thing.. Most of my batchmates opine that this would’ve been a boon to have when they were first starting their applications. Any feedback you have after you’re done with the application is welcome. All the very best.

Aravindh Babu

Cover Story

Business

REFUGEE driven ECONOMY T

he past few years have seen the largest exodus of illegal immigrants since World War II. Fleeing from war and unrest in their homes in Northern Africa and the Middle East, these people abandon everything they have in search of a new life elsewhere. They spend every last penny to escape their own homes, no matter how expensive or dangerous the route may be. The refugee crisis has indirectly influenced various aspects of our society. It has determined the outcome of elections, created rifts between nations, and most importantly, influenced the economy. The smuggling business, like many other illegal activities, is one that has the potential to be very profitable - and the recent refugee crisis is testimonial to that. In 2013, a policy brief by the ‘Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime’ stated that smuggling networks in Northern Africa were making a maximum combined profit of 20 million dollars per year. In 2015, this figure had escalated to 323 million dollars in Libya alone. Towns that were previously impoverished have now been converted to smuggling havens, providing a hub for the illegal movement of money, drugs, weapons, and humans.

Thankfully for the humans being smuggled, the EU guarantees certain rights to all humans that land on its territory.

A vital factor determining the success of a refugee’s life in his new country is employment. A refugee can only sustain his livelihood if he has a source of income. Economic integration, as it is known, is the first step towards social and political integration. In this aspect, some countries have been more successful than others. ‘Transitions’, a UK based recruitment agency, has been helping refugees from the Middle East find work in their new country. Most recently, for example, they helped an architect from Afghanistan find a job in a London firm. They have also been helping other major UK recruiters like Cross-rail find talent in the new pool.

Even locals don’t have ample job opportunities in these areas, and it’s hard to imagine outsiders making an economic impact. For economically developed western countries though, refugee migration may be a win-win situation. A study conducted by the UNHCR in 2013 on the economics of countries that accept refugees found out that refugees have a net positive impact on a country’s development. A majority of the refugees are young and of a working age and therefore serve to bolster the labour pool as well as add to the overall economic development of the country. Further, factoring in the fact that the majority of them are well educated middle class citizens, they add to the workforce and improve the capacity for progress. For example, in present day Canada, many prominent citizens are Lebanese refugees who fled to Canada in the mid 1960’s due to conflicts in their country. These men and women were slowly integrated into mainstream Canadian society. As a result of the procedure followed, the refugees were soon able to give back to society. They ended up starting several businesses, thereby increasing employment and boosting the country’s economy. When a proper and systematic procedure is followed and refugees are inducted into the mainstream work-force, the subsequent growth and development of the country tends to be of a truly wholesome nature and brings peace and prosperity to the refugees as well as the country.

The scenario is not as rosy, however, if you consider refugees who have fled to less economically developed countries. For example, Sudanese refugees who have settled in neighbouring Chad or Ethiopia face absolutely despicable living conditions, relying solely on UN or African Union funds for their survival.

Sandeep, Sai Prashant, Mayank

Business

Sai Prashant

Feature

THE MONARCH Royalty - people born into a particular bloodline deemed to rule the “common” people. Monarchy is the oldest form of government. It existed from when man had learnt to hunt in packs, when one individual would take the initiative of looking after the rest. As packs changed to settlements, and then into cities, leadership took on a more hereditary role. Motives changed from purely benevolent ones of looking after the pack, to slightly more complex ones. Thus was born the cult of the 'chosen one’ whose right to rule came from belonging to such a bloodline, and did not stem from his worthiness to rule.

The Royal Extravaganza As self interest took over altruistic motives, monarchies started being associated with lavish lifestyles that left severe discontent and rebellion in their wake. From the Bourbons in France, to the Tsars in Russia, elaborate dresses and lavish celebrations became the norm for the aristocracy who were mostly ignorant to the lives of the public. The infamous remark “If they cannot afford bread then let them have cake”- erroneously attributed to Marie Antoinette in response to a severe famine in France, lit the spark in an already restive climate of discontent. Classified as third tier citizens - the majority of the French population in the late 1700s decided to take matters into their own hands and revolted. The then ruling dynasty - Bourbons were brutally removed from power. A similar fate befell the Tsars of Russia, with the royal family being executed by the Bolsheviks at the turn of the twentieth century. ‘The divine right to rule’ no longer held sway. Democratic ideas slowly crept in, leading to the abolishment of the monarchy system, or the reduction of their powers - leading into the current scenario, a world where monarchy has been reduced to a medieval relic.

Fitting into the 21st Century Twenty five monarchies still exist today in various stages of power - ten in Europe, eight in Asia and the Pacific, four in the Middle East and Central Asia and three in Africa. Three kinds of monarchies are broadly thought to exist. Absolute Monarchies: The monarch exercises total control over the land, state and its citizens. All the properties of the Nation belong to him/her. There is no constitution other than that decreed by the monarch. Currently, only five absolute monarchies exist in the world- Brunei, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland and Vatican City. These monarchies can hold influence the brutal way with rules to respect them, which can be enforced by the police as they will. Constitutional Monarchies: A constitutional monarchy is the form of government in which a monarch is the head of state, but unlike in an absolute monarchy, the monarch is not the only source of political power. Political power is vested to the head of the government who is elected by common citizens. All the commonwealth nations are constitutional monarchies. Many traditional monarchies reinstated themselves as constitutional monarchies, including Morocco and Bhutan.

Feature However, many monarchies also lie in the grey zone between these two distinct categories. For example, although Qatar would technically come off as an absolute monarchy, the head of state and the head of government are two different people.

Adoration of the Masses So what makes people still hold these mere human beings with more respect than their neighbour? Monarchies are seen as the indelible link to the past, a national symbol - the rallying point of a nation’s identity. Behind all its finery and traditions lie deep rooted beliefs and symbolisms that have survived the ravages of time. Many nations look up to their monarchs for guidance during troubled times. King George VI’s role in shaping England’s resistance during the World War 2, has been touched upon in the Oscar winning ‘King’s Speech’. At forty-one, the king had to face a unique situation. His brother, King Edward VIII had decided to abdicate in favour of marrying the woman he loved - a three time divorcee named Wallis Simpson, a move which brought him in direct conflict with the Church. The new king had very little time to learn the ropes of kingship, but learn he did. The King and the Queen’s willingness to share their subject’s plight during the war won them the nation’s love. It was this determination that saw the royal family tour areas affected by the bombing in London, even when the Buckingham Palace had taken nine direct hits from the German air forces. The fortitude and courage demonstrated by King George VI during a difficult time strengthened the bond between the monarchy and the British public and in a way, became the country’s backbone of support.

Monarchy in the News Monarchy as a system of governance has been challenged at various points in history. In recent times, some monarchies have experienced crisis and have managed to come out unscathed. Some monarchies, however gave in and had to be dissolved. Nepal for example, after enduring a decade of war against Maoist rebels eventually formed a sovereign, democratic republic nation with the same Maoists as the dominant partner in the new government. The government passed a new constitution and also declared that all privileges enjoyed by the royal family would come to an end. The king was given a fortnight’s time to vacate the palace. The Arab Spring of 2010, the after-effects of which have still not subsided, brought along with it the expectations about the collapse of the Middle-Eastern monarchies. Seven years later, we watch on as they manage to survive. This is partly because of the natural resources the region is gifted with. The oil and natural gas reserves ensure a stable economy. These countries enjoy the highest GDP per capita, which is more than adequate to muffle the dissenting voices. These rulers enjoy enormous religious and historical legitimacy. Most people of the region find a king more reliable and credible than a president. The British royal family is the most popular monarchical regime. However many experts predict that after the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the institution will no longer survive. The factors that decide the continuance of monarchies are specific to each region. Drawing a general conclusion about monarchies in different parts of the world is difficult.

Harshini, Sripradha, Tania

Feature

Deeksha

Creative Space

Sarath, Ashwin S

Creative Space

Advait Nair

Creative Space

Yuvan

Feature

Gautham, Diptishika

Fake News

VADA POCHE! After much deliberation and brainstorming, the Dean of Students’ Welfare (DSW) has mandated all exam invigilators to let students carry an oily masala vada and a cold cup of tea to their examination hall. This rule would be enforced from the next cycle test. This new rule was brought about after a third year student fainted in the exam hall after the invigilators were brought an oily vada and a cold cup of tea to snack on while watching over the students. “I don’t know what happened. One minute I was there, writing an exam, filling up pages, cursing myself for not having breakfast for the 468th day in a row. The next minute the invigilator is eating his oily masala vada right next to my desk, wafting the delicate flavours of fried onion and cholesterol toward me. I felt a little weak, and I think I passed out. That’s all I remember…” said the unfortunate student. However, this new announcement did not go well with the Invigilators Association of NIT-T. In a statement released yesterday, they said, “We strongly condemn this new decision taken by the administration. No one respects us these days. Sitting in the back copying answers from their phones, typing answers out in calculators and passing them around, stashing cheat sheets in the flush tank in the bathroom; students think we don’t know anything. The only weapon on our hands is to eat the oily masala vada in front of them and hear their stomachs grumble. Now that is also taken away from us.” The students were also a little unsure about the availability of masala vada in the campus. “See, thambi, the price of all essential commodities have gone up, no? This new tax is also there pa,” said the Anna who ran Staff Canteen, while trying to explain why the GST on a vada was more than the cost of a single vada. The new rule saw a mixed response from the student community. While some students called it revolutionary, others weren’t very happy with it. “Why only vada? Why only tea? Why can’t I bring nachos? Why can’t I bring Hershey’s and Laban?” asked Mari, a powerful member of the DASA community. This little bit of news created quite a bit of furore in the campus this week. Students are struggling to comprehend the ramifications of this policy change. When asked to comment on this pressing issue, “Vada Poche” was all they had to say.

-Stealth Shiva Disclaimer: Don’t beleve in fake news.If someone says fake news isn’t fake, don’t believe him either.

Psychology

Ashwin S, Sarath

The Fourth Year Itch

Cartoon