GYMKHANA DIARY
Hello, your favourite
Gym reporter is back again. This time I have got loads of news for you.
Resuming from where we
left off last time, Club Day ’99 was a success. Amazed with 1994 batch’s
projects, IRIMEE decided to send them off to IIT-Delhi for a short duration
course in hi-fi maths. ‘Short’ it was, for the time was not sufficient to get
enough of Delhi. But they kept the Jamalpur flag flying high by attending all
the classes and impressing the Profs there with a test that they took. Way to
go!
Meanwhile 1996 batch had
to do a ‘Gym-alone’ but kept themselves busy by organising a SPICMACAY
convention at Notre Dame Academy, JMP. Ms. Kala Ramnath and Ustad Akram Khan
enthralled the audience while the Gymmies enthralled them with a red carpet
treatment.
Soon after came the
Parents’ Day. Everyone was equally hard at work to make to put up a splendid
show for the parents. Close on the heels of Parents’ Day, came the GM/Eastern’s
visit. Our performance in Parents’ Day had left everyone so dazzled that we
were asked to do an encore for the GM, albeit a toned down version.
The influx of
dignitaries continued. The next one to put Jamalpur in the limelight was the
then Minister Railways, Nitish Kumar. Although, we were ready to felicitate
him, he ran short of time and could not make it here.
In the meantime, the EC
(CIE) preparations were in full swing. People could be seen issuing books from
the library and Book-Bank, and some were even found with often books in their
hand. However, there was only one batch-’96 giving this exam. The trembles of
EC were over soon as the hot, sweltering D-Day (rather night- if you have read
the last SAM) was taken in the stride and life would have settled into its’
normal (?) groove had ’94 batch not put the spanner in the works.
You see, they were
destined to pass out in the end. The loud, boisterous parties and the tearful
farewells were soon over as IRIMEE authorities decided to send ’96 wallahs home
in lieu of a Rock climbing course at Nainital.
Upon coming back ’96
received the happiest news any batch can receive- the arrival of a junior
batch. There was a lot of confusion and speculation because you see the name of
the batch senior suggested that we might have the ninth lady SCA arriving.
But they we were not the
only people arriving in Gym. IRIMEE after becoming a CTI is facing
accommodation problem for its courses. So Gym has become a prime accommodating
agency- sometimes 19 people looking after more than two and a half times their
strength. However the bright of it is that courtesy foreign trainees (Sri
Lankans) sent by RITES Gym has had a windfall. We have been gifted a new music
system, a new fridge, a new 29” CTV and a DVD player to name some of those
desirable items. So hopefully we will be able to take better care of SAMs when
they come here. These courses also serve as a platform for meeting the SAMs.
Speaking of changes, the
major change that has come about is in the curriculum. The 1998 batch has been
affiliated to BIT, Mesra (Ranchi). The MoU was signed in IRIMEE on 23rd September ’99 which was
a red-letter day in Gym history. To mark this occasion, we had hosted the
Additional Member (Mech.), the CME/Eastern, the CME/South Eastern, VC/BIT, the
Dean and other BIT faculty members. We have heard many people propounding its
pros and equally as many pointing out its cons. Only time can tell this change
will lead to a better future for SCAs.
In tune with the MoU,
the ’98 batch went to Ranchi for some lab work. There they managed to have a
jolly good time despite the indifferent treatment doled out to them. For once
they were really glad to be back in Gym.
Another visiting
dignitary to Gym was the OSD/East Central. He had lunch with us and interacted
with all of us.
Now Gym life can not
help becoming different with all these events taking place. The schedule here
has become quite hectic. The sporting tastes have altered. The presence of a
firstee batch has led to a rise in the popularity of football. However, cricket
whenever played is done in the quadrangle. The latest update is that IRIMEE
authorities are promoting hockey in a big way. Also the inter-CTI tournament to
be held here early next year has led to the start of repair of badminton court
and resurfacing of tennis & basketball courts. The billiards table is also
getting its cloth and cushions changed, thus Gym will wear an all new look for
the next Club Day. And that is when we shall meet again!!