Manifesto

Kanishk Malethiya
For ​General Secretary Cultural Affairs

I, Kanishk Malethiya, if elected as the General Secretary Cultural Affairs, intend to work towards
developing the culture of IIT Roorkee and take the council towards a more open and inclusive culture. I
propose the following steps to ensure a comprehensive growth of the culture of IIT Roorkee:

Open and Inclusive Culture

● Work towards creating equal opportunities for everyone to be a part of and benefit from the
sections of cultural society.
● In addition to external teachers for every art, ​student guides will be recruited from every Bhawan
to follow up on the weekdays and assist the teachers.
● Availability of ​Cameras ​and M
​ usic Equipment ​in Every Bhawan for the common residents.
● Recruitments for all the years including the post-graduate students in the sections to give
everyone repeated opportunities.
● Specific events, workshops, and exercises to promote cultural activities in bhawans particularly
among the ​PG students with the association of the Social and Cultural Secretaries of the
Bhawans.
● Open Theoretical and Technical workshops on Drama, Music Theory, Dance, Sand Art, etc. to
better equip the junta to understand and appreciate every art.
● To tackle the problem of highly limited and exclusive participation in the cultural activities, a
ground-up approach will be taken wherein a proper structure of increasingly incentivized
competitions will be organized with various intra-Bhawan events culminating into a ​final
inter-Bhawan tournament​. These competitions will have external judges and cash prizes to
incentivize higher participation. Competitions will be panned out throughout the year and a
General Championship trophy will be awarded to the Bhawan with the most accumulated points
at the end of the year. ``
● Promotion of the culture of ​International students and organizing events to remove the social and
communication barrier between international and common student.

Counselling Revamp

Mental health​ has become an increasingly grave concern over the last few years. Hence, efforts will be
made in collaboration with the ​Wellness Centre​ to ensure that a proper support system is in place for
every student

● Social Activities to promote interaction and a sense of community.

● The hiring of more full-time external counsellors and therapists.
● Workshops, Outreach and Awareness programs to ensure that counseling and mental
health improval is not the last strand but a constant effort.
● Collaboration with SMP​ to equip students to deal with issues like stage fright via interactive
sessions and activities conducted for the students and their mentors.
● The opening of ​Fun-Corners​ in bhawans equipped with all basic raw material, which will
serve as a vent out for the students who want to express themselves through Art.

Being an ​active member of the Wellness Centre​, I am sensitized enough to know the seriousness
of the mental health issue in our campus, hence I will ensure introduction of Social Activities to
promote interaction and a sense of community.

Transparency of funds

● Availability and allocation of funds to various sections, events, and activities to be made
public to improve the credibility and accountability of the cultural council.

Cultural Development

● Formation of ​Recreational Rooms in all the Bhawan installed with proper equipment and
instruments to serve as the recreation and practice areas for various cultural activities like
music and dance.
● Creating a culture of organizing events to celebrate and commemorate specifics aspects
and events of the history of IIT Roorkee.
● Regular organization of Karaoke Nights, Open Mics, Bonfire Jam Sessions and Film
Screenings for the entertainment of the junta on every weekend and to promote cultural
intermixing and new channels of meeting fellow students from different backgrounds.
● Formation of new groups and Promotion of existing groups for non-conventional cultural
activities like Culinary Club, Photography, Fine Arts, Fashion Designing and Street Art.
Workshops and competitions to inculcate interest in the same. Also, to create a standard
protocol for the formation of a new student group.