IDENTITY 2K15, at Hansraj College (D.U.)

It was a morning like any other, yet it was a different day. This day marked the annual Mathematics Fest, IDENTITY 2K15 of Delhi University's prestigious, Hansraj College. The students of Mathematics Department presented a lot of enthusiasm to align for the events of the day. It was 9:30 A.M. sharp, and the decorations were complete by the time the students of other colleges reached the Hansraj College. There were happy faces all around, just like the bright colours that had webbed the area around the L.P.! Well, L.P. is the short form of Lovers Point, where the college students sit to gossip and talk about their experiences of the day.

I reached for the desk where two girls were sitting from Mathematics Dept. and I could understand that because they were involved in some work, obviously it had to be related with their fest. I could learn their names from their badges and they were really sweet, in addressing me.

They told me about a game they had in their list of games. The first game that was named to me, was the Mathematical Tambola. I smiled in a sense of joy and excitement when I thought that I had to just cut the numbers from the list given before me on the paper. It was later when I went to play the game after nearly two hours that I found, it was simple yet there was a twist in its simplicity. Now, instead of just speaking the numbers straight to cut from the paper, the girl spoke, 'square of nine plus four'. Well, I had to multiply this time and then the addition of the number had to be done. Every next number she uttered was in a different style. Not that I was a nursery kid to be afraid of it; but I had kept distance from Mathematics; just because I didn't find it so intriguing. I heard the next number, 'half of four'. Well, I had a word for them, the organisers. It was, 'Creative'. They were creative people with beautiful ideas. I didn't participate in it because I was drawn in no time by the Hula- hoop stall next to the Tambola stall. I found it intriguing this time and I was game for it. A beautiful girl was rolling the Hula-hoop around her waist in a regular fashion and  there not only me, but everyone was impressed by her art. It was fascinating! I tried it, but I knew where I was going. One couldn't expect oneself to roll it around one's waist, even more, when one was holding it for the first time in his/her life. It was just that moment of participation that made me happy, and yes to be at IDENTITY 2K15, and giving a try to it was worth it. Next, I moved on to play Chess, and it was an experience to play with a polished player who knew the rules of the game pretty well. We shook hands before the game started and did the same after it ended.

Through all these experiences that I have explained above, the most important one is yet to come on my visit to the fest. It was when a very well accomplished professor of Mathematics, Dr. Shobha Bagai gave the inaugural speech in the morning, when the topic of her discussion was, 'Aspects of Mathematical Modelling'. After, a very warm welcome to the speaker with the lightening of the lamp and an introduction by Dr. Preeti Dharmarha, a senior teacher who talked about the accomplishments of Dr.Shobha Bagai. In Dr. Preeti's words, Dr.Shobha was 'gentle from looks and her demeanour but hard on Mathematics.' She expressed how much motivated she herself was from the speaker of the day and how she had once been Dr. Shobha's student in an event.

The speaker started her speech very soon and started the session in a very friendly manner, and in no time the audience was comfortable with the speaker and everyone was as much present in the discussions as the speaker herself. The audience consisted mostly of the first and second year Mathematics students of the college and the teachers. Dr. Bagai asked a simple question that why did we watch models on the ramp and get so much attracted to them? A student named Daevesh answered that, the models were beautiful, the reason behind the attraction force. Answers came from all around the seminar hall now. Students described how, confidence played a greater role in a model's looks. The manner they carry themselves is very praiseworthy. The speaker was glad to get such quick answers from the audience. She began, while saying that; 'Even Physics can't be without modelling.' A voice came from behind me, 'True', said a girl. So, it was clear by now that modelling had applications in all areas of life. The very concept of modelling was even discussed in junior school, as the students present rightly pointed out that even the word problems had equations. For example, 'If Sheila had 4 marbles and Nalini has 6 marbles....' Equations could be made with such statements. Likewise, in the later part of her speech, Dr. Shobha explained how important equations were in making the works of even the Biologists easier and more efficient. She shared her experiences on how she disliked Biology in her school and college like many Maths students do, because they love Maths so much. :p But, it was later in her career as a teacher that she understood how interlinked these two subjects could be; in order to make researches happen prolifically. Biology and Mathematics had a future in their own respective fields but when brought together, they had a future as well. The biologists of the day have started understanding this phenomenon.  She explained that a problem would arise when the biologists weren't able to explain their thoughts to the mathematicians. Even the Nobel Lauretes(Biologists) had good mathematical base. She emphasised how essential it was, to appreciate the subjects related to mathematics.

It was a very informative session, where she used several mathematical differential equations to explain her points. In her words, 'There is no best model, only the better model. Accept it.' It was in simplicity that many solutions appeared, not importantly in complexities. I was overwhelmed by her session, even enjoying the sight of the equations, being the only English(Honours) student in the whole seminar room. I had a smile on my face, she had got another fan in me. It was overall a beautiful event and one of the greatest college memories to me.

Gagandeep Singh Vaid
for Artist Address

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