Satpura - An Introduction

"There may not be a tenth planet in the solar system! but there definitely is a tenth hostel in IIT". With a deafening roar we ran on stage to claim our prize. A thousand eyes watched in silence as we marched out of the hall with our heads held high! dozens of Satpurites shouting out the name of the place that was to be their home for the next four/five years! And all that remained was a deathly silence that spoke of a stark realization that Satpura had arrived.
Barely ten days into IIT and we walked into the hostel with the freshers! trophy held high above our heads. It has been three years since that day, and even now I see the same passion, the same thirst and the same determination to be the best. Today, merely three years into existence we stand neck to neck with the others. The last one year has been particularly fruitful. We have beaten many older and more experienced hostels in the race for the RCA and have secured a finish in the top five. In sports we have lifted the badminton trophy and have secured the second position in the football tournament among other achievements.
Over these years we Satpurites have shown the guts to tread off the beaten path, and we are known for our unconventional and innovative approach. As I sit back and retrospect a lot of such incidents come to my mind. Our first English play was an adaptation of the movie, Dead Poets Society, which saw the participation of almost the entire batch of sixty. It was the first big event in Satpura and introduced us to the concept of night-outs and midnight paranthas. Satpura’s dance performances are famous for their innovativeness. Our group dance performance in January ’07 saw a dance on ‘Sutta’, a song that you wouldn’t want to be caught listening to by your parents. The same event also saw the incorporation of a storyline into a dance performance. The shadow sequence on ‘Kajra Re’ with all its “dhumkaas” has gone down into IIT folklore. The dance on the music of the popular videogame ‘Mario’ in the group dance event this year took IIT by storm, as did the stirring performance on ‘Maa’ under UV lights. Satpura holds the unique distinction of having as many as eight members in the IIT group dance team, an achievement unsurpassed by anyone. In music, we introduced IIT to hindi rock in the Rock Nite last year, with a performance of ‘Garaj Baras’. We stole the show in the Eastern Nite with a sequence that was purely Indian Classical. This year we sent our first ever entry into the Music Manoranjan, with a storyline that was praised by one and all. I still remember the cheer that rang out when the famous IIT lift music was played out.
The previous year has been a remarkable one in the life of Satpura. As the old guard walks away into the sunset, the onus is on us, the incoming team to continue from where they left off, and bring their efforts to their rightful conclusion. I being the leader of this team, realize the monumental task I have in store for me. Even as I get ready to take on this role, certain plans are already in the pipeline. An intra-hostel festival is being scheduled for the beginning next semester. This would encompass all cultural events as well as various sports events and would primarily be aimed at introducing freshers to various events as well as encouraging participation among post-graduate students. It would also involve mini-workshops conducted by senior students to showcase the culture of our hostel to the newcomers. A mess festival is being planned in the near future, in which food form various parts of the country would be served. Our very dynamic incoming Mess Secy. has already sharpened his knives and drawn his forks to ensure that the food served in the mess becomes much more than just edible. Other things like vending machine and LAN TV are also being looked into.
With a new crop of students all set to complete the Satpura family next semester, the only direction I see for Satpura is towards the top. With commendable performances in both cultural and sports activities this year, one can only expect things to get much better. Here’s to a bright future for Satpura!!
Satpura people can also join our Google SMS Channel - http://labs.google.co.in/smschannels/subscribe/Satpura_IITD to keep themselves updated with the latest updates about the hostel.