October 19th, 2020 – ORIENTATION

The activities for the year 2020-21 started with an Orientation Session for the first year students to introduce them to the various activities conducted by our Chair.

November 26th, 2020 –  PRESENTATION 

A Presentation on Casteism was conducted by students of FYBCOM. The presentation highlighted how the rigid social construct has resulted in the dismantling of various social groups and relations over the years.

November 28th, 2020 –  GUEST LECTURE 

A Guest Lecture on the theme of ‘Violence against Women: Legal Rights and Remedies’ was conducted by Adv. Kajal Solanki, a lawyer at the High Court and an alumni of St. Andrew’s college. The session provided a legal outlook on the topic which has been predominantly recognized across all states and has been prevalent across our history, culture and everyday life.

March, 2021 – SHORT STORY
A Short Story Competition was conducted on the topic, “The Role of Culture in People of Mixed Origin” which allowed the candidates to bring their creativity to the forefront and present their unique views on the topic. The winner for the contest was Wanroisaka Pala (TYB.Com).

March 1st, 2021- MOVIE ANALYSIS 

Movie Analysis on the topic, ‘Importance of Familial relationships in an Indian Background” showcased two movies namely, Swades and The Darjeeling Limited. The two being fairly different but similar films highlighted the importance of familial relationships. The event was hosted by Atharva Mulye (FYBA).

March 2nd, 2021 – RHYME ON TIME 

“Rhyme on Time” a poetry competition on the topic, “Culture can’t shine without religion” was an event that relied on speed, power of opinion and expression of poetic skills. The event was hosted by Atharva Mulye (FYBA). The winners were Annanya Jain (FYBA) and Vanessa Kasare (FYBCOM)

March 3rd, 2021 – MANDALA ART

The event highlighted the significance that art holds as an aspect of culture. “Mandala”, which in Sanskrit translates to “circle”, is a dotted art form. The event used art as a tool for therapy and means to cope with anxiety and stress. This fun-learning workshop was hosted by Esha Chemburkar (FYBA).

March 4th, 2021 – MADHUBANI ART 

Madhubani is an art which primarily depicts various objects filled in with vivid patterns. The event gave the participants free rein to their creative side while also learning about the strong ties that art has shared with Indian culture over centuries. This workshop was conducted by Ms. Deepali Nilekar.

March 5th, 2021 – PRESENTATION 

A Presentation on “Cyber Culture: The New Culture” was conducted by the department. It delved in-depth with the term “Cyber Culture” and various other issues such as cyber bullying that have come to light with the birth of this virtual environment. Jeevan Bhingarkar, an associate in the Cyber Crime branch was invited to elaborate on the measures an individual, especially a minor, can take in case one faces threats online. The event was much appreciated by the audience as it effectively addressed the issue with such an informative approach.

March 6th, 2021 – WEBINAR 

“Cultural Voyage to four corners of the world” was a webinar where the Chair invited some of our very own alumni who shared their personal experiences on the different aspects of foreign cultures. These former Andreans and members of the inter-religious committee have successfully established themselves in 4 different corners of the world. The alumni were Josephine Makuden, Priya Chacko, Shabana Shaikh and Siddhant Sinha from New Zealand, Dubai, Spain and Canada respectively. The students got a clear look at the possible future opportunities and cultural aspects of different countries.

March 7th, 2021 – MOVIE ANALYSIS  

A movie analysis based on widowhood and child marriage in the early Maharashtrian culture was showcased though the film – “Kaksparsha”. The distinct characteristic of the event was its idea to study these sociological problems of the society by qualitatively evaluating the smallest attributes showcased in this documentary. The event was hosted by Vaishnavi Chinchankar (TYBA).

March 20th, 2021 – INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM

The highlight of the year was the 12th International Symposium on the theme “Evolving Communities for Greater Solidarity”. It provides a platform to discuss the concept of an Inclusive Society and how one can work towards it . The Chair invited esteemed and diverse sets of guests from all around the globe who spoke about a multitude of topics like health, water, education, sustainable development, the coronavirus, etc. The foreign speakers included Ms. Maitre Wivine Mumba, Dr. Jean-Louis Oliver, Dr. Leonard Kinkupu Santedi, Professor Andrea Clapp Salvador, Rafael Suares Gonsalves and Dr. Galina Fomina on the other hand our Indian speakers were Mr Anil Patil, Dr Rajesh Tandon, Ms Radhika Misquitta, Dr. Fr. Gilbert De Lima, Bhante Prashil Ratna Gautam, Dr.Fr S.M Michael, Ms.Kamala Ganesh, Dr. Rosemarie D’souza and Professor Ajit Seshadri. In addition it also had a touch of pomp as it was brightened by a show of Indian classical dance and music provided by the students of St. Andrews. It truly had taken a unique approach towards holding discussions as it was a learning experience for the students.