Mastiv: how it all starts

Young, ambitious and craving to make a change-  a bunch of students sat somewhere in a group brainstorming on how to take up things further to make a change to the campus that had been a bore since we had come in. All were fed up of the inactive clubs and of the people who took least interest to make a change.

It is from 2008, the second half of the year when my life’s important decisions were taking the form of reality. Enrolled freshly in the University College in Mechanical Engineering, I was among the last of the students who got admission there. I had migrated from a Govt. college to the University expecting better exposure and environment here. Things didn’t turn out as I expected them to and adding to it, I didn’t really gave into studies in that very semester. Subjects were something whose application I couldn’t relate to anything at all. Unexpected of the University as it was, it was taking my interest away from engineering without me realizing it.

The restlessness from the lazy curriculum was irritating. Waiting for the things to happen but nothing ever happened. Not to mention, the Clubs are just a minimum requirement criteria. They hardly ever do anything useful. Neglected is the only word available for them.

I was not alone though. I had made some new friends and came to know some seniors soon. The restless bunch of ours wanted to get the curriculum alive. Forward in the times, these people are all busy in one or the other clubs, committees and more and I am so proud of us all. Back then, we were new and wanted to be different. Our motive was to be an independent club and more importantly a neutral meeting ground for all the people who wanted to socialize in the college in a professional manner. What we didn’t know was how to go about it and it really cost us with a lot of critics. Anyhow, I would my stand my ground not regarding what happens around. There were differences in the attitude of the people and we didn’t realize it should be made uniform for all. Sharing the same goal in an organization is very important. We named ourselves- Saksham (capable of doing anything). We wanted to be the change. And we wanted to enroll others with us though it didn’t happen. Many of us were talented in some or the other manner in some aspect as is everyone. What made the difference was us taking the initiative. That is what always makes the difference. I feel sorry for the people who plunge themselves in deep thinking wondering what we might be gaining from this. We never gained anything financially, we surely lost some. But no one gets that until they are a part of it.

We all shared one vision- To make a change in the curriculum and the ‘Saksham people’, as we were known brought it in the form of ‘Mastiv’. It was a long struggle before it became possible. I must say we had one of the best seniors here and I really respect them for letting us do what we wanted to do independently. And there are few people without whom these people might never have been what we are today: two geeks- Parth and Shant, our dear Sir- Mr. A and Mr. Y tipping us at times and guiding with the procedures.

Hence the change begun in 2008 and now proudly, we have given the responsibility to our juniors. “Every generation has their chances and they must do what is next for them rather than intervening in the times they don’t belong to.”- my original ;)

After the first step, many more things came along- in Post 2.