Yatra

Ed's Note: When this blog started, our promise to you was to provide a platform for any and all information regarding FLAME. Now this was, as far as promises go, a fairly generic one. So when Pareen Lathia sent us this, we were fairly divided on it. Rahul thought that the "Yatra" poem/story published by FLAME was fairly relevant. I didn't think so, and a bunch of people I talked to agreed. Rahul's argument was this was what really distinguished FLAME from other institutions, and the fact that they were brave enough to publish this instead of talking about infrastructure the way other Institutions do was what initially convinced him to join FLAME. Mine was that this thing was an awful copy of previous poems, and holds no real information. This wasn't a journey anyone at FLAME went though, be it students, Faculty, or the Founders. It had nothing, really. So we laid that argument to rest and resolved to think on it further. Then it occurred to me that it wasn't really our opinions as individuals that mattered, but the collective opinion as a whole. So, we lay this out to the people now: What do you really think about "Yatra"?

On a side note, regardless of what we all think of the book, I think Pareen deserves to be applauded for taking time to actually scan all the pages of the 'Yatra' booklet and converting it into a Power Point presentation with some good animation work as well. So, thank you Pareen, on behalf of all the people who would want to download a copy of it and preserve it on their computers.

Without further ado, here are Pareen's thoughts on this, and the link to the show. It's about 14MB, for those of you on dial up or metered connections, it would take some time to download.

Friend: "What are you doing these days?
Pareen: I'm going to Pune for my MBA.

Friend: Ohh! Thats great. Which institute? Symbiosis?
Pareen: No. It's called FLAME.

Friend: FLAMES? ...
Pareen: FLAME

Friend: OK! FLAME. But never heard of it before.
Pareen: Yaa...it's a new institute. We'll be the first batch.

Friend: Why? You did not get admission anywhere else?
Pareen: No! Actually...

Friend: How much do they charge? Fees and all?
Pareen: Actually, its a bit high...11 lakhs

Friend: What? Does this include the donation? Man! Why don't you try abroad then?
Pareen: Ohh! No...this is a good institute...faculty and all...

Friend: Do they guarantee placements?
Pareen: Ahh yes! The people behind this institute are big shots in the market dude! They will surely get good contacts!

Friend: And you know what, our President is the ex-Dean of IIM-A. And we have 110 acres of campus. We also have cottage apartments…and soccer field, golf course, cricket ground, open-air café, and we are getting Tablet PCs and just have a look at our menu…

Friend: Now this seems to be something. But still, 11 lakhs it a bit expensive.

I have had this experience every time I meet or even talk to any of my friends, relatives or even acquaintances. These are the times when, just for the sake of saving my face, I list all the "marketable" reasons for my joining FLAME.

But, there is one reason, which I consider more important than all the above put together, which I do not usually tell. That reason is FLAME's philosophy, the concept of Liberal Education, and the spirit with which people behind FLAME are working.

I hesitate to explain this to most of the people - just because they come with a different mindset. Also because I doubt my capabilities to explain these concepts and their importance.

So I decided to tell them a story. Yes, the same story that put some "Gyan" into my head and made me realize the true spirit of FLAME. The story that, I believe, would surely provide all the answers for the questions they asked.

People know what we tell them. And by telling them that FLAME is great just because of its faculty or infrastructure will limit FLAME's identity to that. But finally I won't have to create "a wrong image" of FLAME. I would be able to portray the FLAME that I am going into. And most probably I won't ever be able to explain what FLAME really is in a manner better than what this book does.

So I made the book called "Yatra" into a PowerPoint presentation – a presentation which will not only portray FLAME as it is, but also will serve as an answer to most of the questions. And not only can I show it to all my friends who want to know "What is FLAME?", but also keep it with myself for a lifetime. "

Pareen Lathia
Flame School of Business
Foundation of Liberal and Management Education, Pune


Here's the link for downloading the above file: http://www.devshard.net/yatra.pps

Credits for 'Yatra':

Concept: Subrata Bhowmick and Parag Shah
Sketches: Architect Rajeev Kathpalia
Photography: Parag Shah
Text: Abhay Joshi
Design: Subrata Bhowmick and Payal Nanavati
Published By: Foundation for Liberal and Management Education, Pune, India
Printed At: Pragati Offset Pvt. Ltd. Hyderabad, India

The Pledge before we join Flame

We all know about the usual new-year resolutions which we make and break in no time. Some would argue that, “Resolutions are made to be broken!” There are others who want to shape a career, build a future and desire to learn about their objectives in life. People like me wish to quit smoking and also to take up painting. Others still, want to earn a Gold Medal and would not think twice before burning the mid-night lamp.

We are all about to hit the campus in two to three weeks time and emotions are running high. With a lot of things going on in the mind, some of us haven’t even thought if we need to take any resolutions before we reach the campus.

For those who do believe in introspection, this is the place for you to put in your List of Resolutions before you hit the campus.

The online world at the ‘gurukul’

Emails, maintaining of social contacts and calendars, online dating, gaming, pornography, searching for reference material, etc., all forms of a part of the world-wide-web. A free access on the campus, gives a free will to the students, to indulge in all of these and probably a lot more that one cannot even imagine of, on the internet.

While it would be interesting to see what is the modus operandi adopted by the IT team to keep the free minds of Flame from wandering or even getting lost in this virtual world once the session begins; the importance of these websites, which have become a part of our very existence, cannot be over-emphasized.

I wish to mobilize public opinion here as to whether free and un-restricted access to the internet should be provided to all the students on campus or not? At the same time it’s crucial to understand its merits as well as the outcome of its abuses and its effect on the future of the student’s career. Do send in your opinion on the same.

The best for me at FLAME

FLAME is definitely not just about Liberal and Management education. It’s a place where the young minds would be ignited and propelled into the future to take up challenges. The setting of the college as well as its creative rendition in the college brochure ‘yatra’ could not have been any better. Kudos, to all who have been working behind the scenes, as well as in-front, for this project.

I cant resist but start a discussion about what is going to be the favorite hang-out location for each one of us on the campus. For me, the best option would be to sit next to the lake and paint.
Do share with all of us where we could find you most often and what would be the reason for you being there?

Flame’s Pit Stop and Your Story

There might be many reasons to hang out at the Pit Stop. A quick filler before the class, a meeting point, a centre for group arguments (group discussion is what the saner form of mankind would be doing) or for not having anything to do at all.

What will be your reason for being at the Pit Stop and how do you think that you will make this place special for yourself? Do share with all of us.

Celebrating a week of thanks-giving

There are many people who have played a role, in us reaching where we stand today in life. I personally think of not less than ten such people who have played a big role my admission process. Their actions of going out of the way to help in the process are so special that we can never thank them enough.

Let us celebrate this week to thank all such people. Share your story about all those special people who have played a role in your life to make you reach where you are today.
Do send in your stories and comments and to read my message, just go ahead and read the post which immediately follows this one. Let us all celebrate this week with our odes for all such people who have stood for us.

Are the pre-term assignments too much to ask at this time?

It is a fact that assignments and activities will be a part and parcel of every minute of existence at FLAME. However, at this point in time, when there is a huge time constraint in the form of loan processing, admission formalities, scholarship applications, last minute preparations, etc. are the pre-term assignments becoming a burden more than anything else?

Do share your views if you agree with this idea of pre-test assignments or not?

Will the construction work complete on time?

For people who had a second campus tour on the 6th of August, 2007, it was surprising to see the amount of development which the construction work has seen in the college. The pace of work and the progress was definitely something more than just impressive. However, with less than a month left for the sessions to begin, it’s a big question whether General Mehta and his team will be able to deliver the promises which they have made on time.

Today, we seek the opinion of the readers as to whether they feel that the construction of the basic infrastructure of the college will complete before the beginning of the terms on the 9th of September?