2017-18, We Extended Our Ambit of Inclusion to Encompass Various Disabilities
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St. Xavier's College (Autonomous) Magazine 2017-2018 5, Mahapalika Marg, Mumbai - 400 001, Maharashtra Website : www.xaviers.edu Email : [email protected] Dr Hoshang Master discussing his stamp collection Dr. Aditi Sawant with cotton workers Dr. Agnelo Menezes pledging his entire body Fr. Stan on Refugees Harnidh Kaur at Ithaka Events Hindi Play at Antas Kanchan Daniel performing at Saumvedna 2018 Kavita Krishnan at Conclave EDITORIAL The Story of Inclusion The Government of India’s recent policy on education has made “inclusive education” a right for students with varying learning-challenges. Therefore, significant alterations have been incorporated in the teaching, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS learning and assessment dynamics. The voyage of Dr. Agnelo Menezes inclusion in St. Xavier’s since 1869 has evolved in stages and can figuratively be called a rhizomatic journey. Principal The terms “rhizome” and “rhizomatic” were employed by philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari to MAGAZINE COMMITTEE challenge notions of dualisms and binary oppositions Dr. Rashmi Lee George (Convenor) in the conception of knowledge. They posit a non- hierarchical and multitudinous approach to knowledge. Ms. S.P. Periyanayagi In India, where education was the prerogative of Dr. Pearl Pastakia a select few, St. Xavier’s embraced all. The Jesuit Dr. Shiney Peter philosophy of education has been to tenaciously share its wisdom with people from all walks including the Ms. Medha Taskar margins and peripheries. Dr. Bhagwati P. Upadhyay Although the spirit of inclusion is embedded in the Ms. Alpana Palkhiwale values of St. Xavier’s, an official support system called Dr. Aparna Talekar the Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC) was started for the first time in 2003. In the true Xavierian spirit, the XRCVC flourished to ADVERTISEMENTS impact government policies with regard to the visually Mrs. Emily Andrade (XDP) challenged community. It continues to be a national advocacy and support centre for the blind and low PAGE DIVIDERS vision across India. The portals of St.Xavier’s have been silent witnesses to the graduation of students with Ms. Khyati Bohra other disabilities too. In fact, in the field of Higher Knowledge Centre Education, St.Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Mumbai, has pioneered the trailblazing cause of inclusion. COVER PAGE The rhizomatic journey of inclusion in St. Xavier’s is Carmel Fernandes a panegyric to its Jesuit firmament which celebrates interconnectedness and multiplicity at local, national and BMM, 2016 international levels.In a prelude to the sesquicentennial milestone of St. Xavier’s College, this spirit of inclusion urges its stakeholders to challenge dualism and hierarchies at all junctures. The various activities as recorded in this magazine are a paean to the efforts that each department made to sustain and assimilate the ethos of inclusion. Dr. Rashmi Lee George Contents From the Principal’s Desk ........................................................................................................3 From the Office of the Vice-Principal – Academics ........................................................................................................5 “...(It) never forgot what it could do” ........................................................................................................7 March on into the world of Hard Knocks! ......................................................................................................10 College Scholarships 2016-2017 ......................................................................................................12 Extending Inclusion: A Prelude to the 150th Year ......................................................................................................19 The Jesuit Ethos ......................................................................................................21 Education “out of the box”: A Compassionate Approach ......................................................................................................22 Yours Truly ......................................................................................................25 Rebuilding Xavier’s Development Programme ......................................................................................................26 In Conversations with Globalization ............................................................................................ 28 CIP Report ......................................................................................................29 HCAP ......................................................................................................31 Notre Dame ......................................................................................................31 Ottawa ......................................................................................................32 Stuttgart ......................................................................................................33 Berkeley ......................................................................................................34 Campus Dynamism ............................................................................................ 35 Spirit Papers From Another World ......................................................................................................36 Biowaves: Developmental Disabilities and Us ......................................................................................................36 Conservation and Preservation of Material Culture ......................................................................................................37 Avoidable Apocalyse ......................................................................................................37 The Blending of Neurology and Spirituality ......................................................................................................38 Jack and Jill ......................................................................................................38 Saumvedna: 2018 ......................................................................................................39 The Deutcheडाक Experience ......................................................................................................40 Stuttgart meets Mumbai ......................................................................................................40 TIFR Beckons Physics ......................................................................................................41 ECC Report ......................................................................................................41 Social Involvement Programme ......................................................................................................44 The Social Service League ......................................................................................................45 Library Report ......................................................................................................46 Language Lab ......................................................................................................47 Malhar ......................................................................................................48 Radio Live ......................................................................................................49 Fare Forward : Retirements ............................................................................................ 50 Our Alumni ............................................................................................ 57 Lest We Forget : Obituaries ............................................................................................ 64 Reflections in English, Hindi, French, Marathi: Poems and Articles ........................................................................... 69 Chronicles ............................................................................................ 87 Research Departments .......................................................................................... 138 Associations .......................................................................................... 147 Donors .......................................................................................... 173 Advertisements .......................................................................................... 175 2 From the Principal’s Desk As we stand at the threshold of a sesquicentenary, there are reasons to feel grateful for the role of St.Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Mumbai, in the realm of Higher Education. The founding Jesuit Fathers pioneered liberal education which has not only stood the test of time but also has gathered momentum in its intense diversification. While we celebrate diversity and let cultures be, we attempted to embrace inclusion to encompass learning disabilities. St. Xavier’s has broken the glass ceiling of gender as early as 1912 when girl students entered the portals for education. In 2003 the Xavier’s Resource Centre for Visually Challenged (XRCVC) gave new impetus to making education accessible to the blind and low vision students. In 2017-18, we extended our ambit of inclusion to encompass various disabilities. Thus, this year Antarchakshu organized by the XRCVC catalogued various learning challenges to create awareness among the people at large. The Life Sciences and Biochemistry Department showcased another awareness campaign-cum-conference to give fresh