PRAYAS 2019 for FIRST YEAR ENGINEERING STUDENTS

PRAYAS: 6 MARCH, 2019

Event Co-ordinator: Asst. Prof. Ravindra Garmode
Event Co-coordinators: Asst. Prof. Arti Bhatnagar and Ms. Deepa Panakkal

Marshall Breeding: Artificial intelligence has made only a few inroads into the library sector

Marshall Breeding is one of the celebrated American library professionals known worldwide. He is an independent consultant, speaker, author, blogger and tech-expert. He is known for his expert-articles, on technological issues related to the libraries are being published in leading international periodicals. His books and articles are widely read and he has got a strong reader base globally. He has spoken on a wide range of topics in several workshops and seminars in several countries.

 Open Interview brings you Breeding’s interview with Gopakumar V. The interview was aimed at knowing the global technological trends in the libraries.

While sharing his observations on the trends, Breeding also shares his ideas and observations on the status of acceptance of artificial intelligence and robotics; level of adoption of open source software as compared to the proprietary software in terms of market share; and technological acceptance by the libraries and disparities. Being a prolific author, he gives some valuable tips for the library and information professionals who aim to excel in academic writing.

To read the full interview, visit:

https://openinterview.org/2019/02/07/marshall-breeding-artificial-intelligence-has-made-only-a-few-inroads-into-the-library-sector/ (Accessed on February 28, 2019)

Value Education Seminar for First Year Engineering students of SFIT

Value Education Seminar for First Year Engineering students

Organised by Basic Science and Humanities Department

on Friday, 22 February 2019 (10:15 to 12:15 and 2:00 to 4:00)

Seminar Title: ‘Make Each Day your Masterpiece’ Resource person: Ms Deepa Panakkal
(Sub topics: life skills like mechanisms to cope with stress, goal setting, being assertive, handling
failure, empathy and humility.)

Some key issues and concerns observed among adolescents include those relating to forming a self-

image, managing emotions, building relationships, strengthening social skills, and dealing with or

resisting peer pressure. Students at this stage are more prone and vulnerable to high risk situations

and may easily succumb to it.

How well an adolescent deals with these issues is decided by a host of factors that include their

personality, psychosocial support from the environment (that includes parents, teachers and peers),

and the life skills that they possess. Our contribution as teachers, came in the form of the value

education seminar that was organised for our First year Students.

The value education seminar was organised for all the 8 classes of first year engineering. Given the

large no. of students, the sessions were conducted in two slots for 4 classes each. The resource

Person, Ms Deepa Panakkal, focussed majorly on helping students identify and enhance upon some

of the important life skills using real time examples that were easily relatable to students. She

emphasized on how students need to focus on their ability for adaptive and positive behaviour that

would enable them to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of life and also better equip

them to handle failure as a learning experience. ‘Positive behaviour’ implies that a person is forward

looking and even in difficult situations, can find a ray of hope and opportunities to find solutions.

This was one of the main messages extended to students.

The session also focussed on interpersonal skills that help people make informed decisions, solve

problems, think creatively, communicate effectively, empathize with others, and cope with

managing their lives in a healthy and productive manner. While all these capabilities were

discussed, the importance of being respectful and humble was also emphasized. Thus the session

focussed on helping students value skills that truly matter to make them not just competent

professionals but also individuals with a strong sense of values and character.

(Inputs by Ms. Deepa Panakkal, Asst. Prof. Basic Sciences and Humanities)

CELEBRATION OF MARATHI BHASHA DIWAS IN SFIT - Part 3 (Participant Entries)

Thank you for participating in the contest organized for the celebration of Marathi Bhasha Diwas 2019! And a Special Thanks to Shri. Tulshiram Kudale for the wonderful and poetic evening!!

We hope that the celebration was thoughtful and the contests worthy of participating. Our primary objective was to identify the "creative talents" in our Institute by way of this big day.

We do understand that you all were too busy in your routine jobs. So yes, we do appreciate the fact that a few of you (if not all) participated. Better some than none! 

You all were a wonderful group of participants and your positive spirit helped us make this celebration both productive and fun. Please feel free to share your feedback and gripes so that the same could be incorporated for the next year's celebration.

Once again, we thank you for being part of the Marathi Bhasha Diwas 2019!!

With regards,

Team - SFIT LIRC 

CELEBRATION OF MARATHI BHASHA DIWAS 2019 in SFIT - Part 2

Marathi Bhasha Diwas was celebrated on 27 February 2019 in St. Francis Institute of Technology with great enthusiasm. Many contests were organized a week before to celebrate the occasion. Students and faculty participated in the recitation of their poems at a get-together in the Assembly Hall of the Institute. 

Details of the participants for every segment of the contest is as follows:

Spin a Story Contest with 100 words:

1) प्रथमच..! by Asst. Prof. Sunil Pansare (In-Charge HOD, Mechanical Engineering)

2) निरोप..! by Asst. Prof. Sunil Pansare (In-Charge HOD, Mechanical Engineering)

3) खरा मानकरी by Asst. Prof. Sunil Pansare (In-Charge HOD, Mechanical Engineering)

4) विसाव्या शतकातील आनंदी by Tanmayee Gosavi (TE-ExTC A)

Pen a Poem:

1) एक होता पाकिस्तान by Vaibhavi Naik (TE-ExTC B)

2) मायबोली मराठी by Mr. Raheem Sayyad (Library Attendant)

3) कितीदा नव्याने तुला आठवावे by Ankush Patil (BE-ExTC B)

4) आई by Asst. Prof. Pradnya Rane-Sawant (Computer Engineering)

5) मैत्री म्हणजे......!! by Prof. Dr. Kavita Sonawane (HOD, Computer Engineering)

6) बाजार by Sumukh Maduskar (TE-CMPN B)

7) जास्त त्रास कशाचा?  by Vibha

Face-A-Book:

1) श्री. अच्युत गोडबोले यांचे मुसाफिर by Ms. Yashada Agarkar (Laboratory Asst., Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering)

Cook it up:

1) खांडवी by Ms. Sucheta Prabhudesai (Asst. Librarian)

2) ठिकरीची आमटी by Natasha Shinde (BE-ExTC B)

3) मांसवडी by Asst. Prof. Dr. Vaishali Jadhav (Information Technology)

Marathi Personalities:

1) महाराष्ट्र भूषण: डॉ नानासाहेब धर्मादिकारी by Mr. Vishal Acharekar (Laboratory Asst., Mechanical Engineering)

Alongwith the above contests, a book exhibition of Marathi books was organized in the Library.
Also, a page "Maharashtra Times: Pahile Paan (पहिले पान)" dedicated to Review of Books was created on our blog. This page contains reviews of books published in Maharashtra Times e-paper.

CELEBRATION OF MARATHI BHASHA DIWAS 2019 - Part 1

27 February is the birthday of Dnyanpeeth Award-winning author, playwright V. Shirewadkar alias Kavi Kusumagraj This day is celebrated worldwide as 'World Marathi Language Day'. Worshiping Kusumagraj, whose stylus has made a distinct impression in the literature of the country and the world!

कुसुमाग्रज वि.वा. शिरवाडकर यांचे खरे नांव गजानन रंगनाथ शिरवाडकर दत्तक गेल्यामुळे त्यांचे नांव विष्णु वामन शिरवाडकर झाले. २७ फेब्रुवारी १९१२ साली त्यांचा जन्म झाला. प्राथमिक शिक्षण पिपंळगाव येथे झाले. तर माध्यमिक शिक्षण नाशिक येथील न्यू इंग्लीश स्कुलमध्ये म्हणजे आजचे जे जु. स. रुंगठा विद्यालय आहे तेथे झाले. मॅट्रिक परिक्षा ते मुंबई विद्यापीठातून पास झाले.

१९३० साली हं. प्रा. ठाकरसी विद्यालयात ते होते तेव्हा 'रत्नाकर' मासिकातुन त्यांच्या कविता प्रसिध्द होत. अस्पृश्य समजल्या जाणार्‍या लोकांना काळाराम मंदिरात प्रवेश मिळावा म्हणून १९३२ साली जो सत्याग्रह झाला त्यात त्यांनी सहभाग घेतला होता, त्यामूळे बाल्यावस्थेतील त्यांच्या लिखाणाला प्रौढत्वाची लकाकी चढून हळूहळू त्यांच्या साहित्याने आकाशाला गवसणीच घातली. ज्यात त्यांनी फक्त कविताच नाही तर कथा, कादंबर्‍या, नाटके, ललित साहित्य याबरोबर प्रभा साप्ताहिक, प्रभात वृत्तपत्र, सारथी, धनुर्धारी व नवयुग यामध्ये पत्रकारिता पण केली. त्यांचा आवडता लेखक पी. जी. वुडहाऊस व आवडता नट चार्ली चाप्लिन होता. १९४२ साली प्रसिध्द झालेला 'विशाखा' हा काव्यसंग्रह म्हणजे मराठी वाङमयातील उच्च कोटीचे वैभव होय. जे आजही मराठी साहित्यप्रेमींना भुरळ घालते. 'मराठी माती', 'स्वागत', 'हिमरेषा' यांचबरोबर 'ययाती आणि देवयानी' व 'वीज म्हणाली धरतीला' ही नाटके १९६० ते १९६६ साली प्रसिध्द झाली. सार्‍या साहित्य कृतींना राज्य पुरस्कारांनी सन्मानित करण्यात आले आहे. १९४६ साली 'वैष्णव' ही कादंबरी व 'दूरचे दिवे' हे नाटक प्रसिध्द झाले. 'नटसम्राट' ही त्यांच्या लेखणीतून उतरलेली सर्वोत्कृष्ट कलाकृती तर होतीच पण त्याचे नाटयप्रयोगही खूप गाजले. नाटयवेडया मराठी रसिकांनी त्यांचे अभूतपूर्व स्वागत केले. अत्यंत नाजुक व भावुक विषयाला हाताळणारे हे नाटक वयोवृध्दांचा दृष्टीकोन बदलणारे ठरले कारण अनेक वृध्दांनी हे नाटक पाहिल्यावर आपले मृत्यूपत्र बदलले. तरूणांचाही वृध्दांकडे पहाण्याचा दृष्टीकोन बदलला. कुसुमाग्रज एक वेगळं व्यक्तिमत्व  त्यांच्या साहित्य प्रवासाबरोबर माणूस म्हणून त्याचं वेगळं व्यक्तिमत्व अभ्यासायचं तर अनेक पैलूनी ते पहावे लागेल. नाशिकमधील अनेक चळवळींचे ते प्रणेते होते. उदाहरणार्थ, त्यांनी लोकहितवादी मंडळ १९५० मध्ये सुरू केले. नाशिकच्या प्रसिध्द सार्वजनिक वाचनालयाचे ते १९६२ ते १९७२ पर्यंत अध्यक्ष होते. ते दशक वाचनालयाचे सुवर्णयुग म्हटले पाहीजे. सामाजिक वा वैयक्तिक अशा कुठल्याही प्रकल्पांना ते मार्गदर्शन करीत. कोणीही कुठल्याही प्रकारचे मार्गदर्शन मागण्यास आला तर क्षणात त्या व्यक्तीची क्षमता ओळखून ते मदत करीत. असं असूनही यश साजरं करतांना ते मागे राहणंच पसंत करत. साहित्यसूर्य मावळला  महाराष्ट्राच्या सांस्कृतिक जीवनात कुसुमाग्रजांच्या निधनाने जी पोकळी निर्माण झाली ती कधीच भरून निघणार नाही. नाशिककरांना तर आपल्या घरातील वडीलधारं माणूस गमावल्याचं दु:ख आहे. मानवतेचा कळवळा व मराठी भाषेवरचं प्रभुत्व यामुळेच 'नटसम्राट' व 'विशाखा' सारखे साहित्य जन्माला आले. एवढं उत्तुंग कर्तृत्व व अनेक पुरस्कारांनी सन्मानित व्यक्तिमत्व अत्यंत साधे तर होतेच पण शेवटपर्यंत अत्यंत नम्र व सत्कार्याला वाहून घेतलेले जीवन ते शेवटपर्यंत जगले. शिक्षणक्षेत्रात त्यांनी खूप मार्गदर्शन केले. आजची परीक्षा पध्दती मुलांसाठी निष्ठुर पध्दती आहे असे त्यांचे मत होते. इतरही अनेक क्षेत्रात त्यांनी लोकांना योग्य मार्ग दाखवले. त्यांचे घर म्हणजे तीर्थक्षेत्र झाले होते. त्यांच्या स्मृतिप्रित्यर्थ स्थापण्यात आलेल्या कुसुमाग्रज प्रतिष्ठानाचे समाजातील गरीब, गरजू व मागासलेल्या जनतेसाठी योगदान वाखाणण्यासारखे आहे.

Source: http://www.kusumagraj.org/kusumagraj/parichay.php (Accessed on February 28, 2019)

Digitization of Rare Books

Source: Maharashtra Times dated 24 February, 2019