NASA - The Millenium Convention



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Millennium Convention The NASA Millennium Convention was hosted by Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bangalore between the 28th and 31st of December 1999. NASA was started as organisation for the students of architecture all over the country. The convention was supposed to be a forum for exchanging academic interests, professional insights and ideas. It has grown as an association with three member colleges to ninety odd colleges today. Academic work and professional work were on display and debated. It is now a lot more play thanwork!

The host Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering has an architecture department which was started in 1991. The Chairman of the institute has been very encouraging and supportive of the endeavour. They also received professional help and advice from Naresh Venkatraman and Jaisim. The college had successfully hosted a ZONASA and decided to bid for the National Convention.

It was quite a tussle but they won. They did not know the magnitude of the task they had taken on. The faculty was helpful and encouraging. The marketing was exceptionally aggressive and expectations rode high. A case of David and Goliath but this time, we can't be sure who won! It was a people's convention - about the people, by them and for them. In so far that- the triumphs and tribulations were also human. The words - New Millenium in Bangalore conjures up a high-tech convention with mega-layouts and techno-razzmatazz. Not much of that was seen - it was a fairly low profile convention- where organistion and management took a back seat. However, to be fair - the numbers, no, lets call them the throngs of students were enough to daunt any plan, any scheme. With around 4500 students from 87 colleges to be fed and housed for four days, the sixty odd students from the host college had their plates more than full.

The budget of this convention was around 45 lakhs. This went towards food, transport and other facilities. The delegates were accommodated in the classrooms and hostels of the institute itself. Of course, there were teething problems, not enough toilets, food was repetitive and other minor setbacks. The campus is sprawling and put to good use in terms of hosting activities. The variety of terrains had much to offer.

These, however, were not fully enjoyed because signages were almost absent and this led to mayhem and chaos. Students never knew what was happening and where. The activities were in place but it was a question of playing peek - a - boo. Sets and props were also missing. There was an expensive stage erected for the main functions but overall the feeling of festivity was muted. The convention also had, apart from its other activities, three magazines - one in - house one from the hosts, Indian Arch published by Sir JJ and the NIDC one from the documentation center of NASA which is also set up in DSCE.

The inauguration was a formal affair with Her Excellency Governor of Karnataka Smt.PS Ramadevi doing the honours. The other dignitaries present were the Minister for Higher education Dr. G Parameshwara, the Director of technical education and the Chairman of Dayananda Sagar Institutions Dr. DH Chandra Sagar.

The Governor, in her inaugural address encouraged architects and students to work on social issues especially designing for the disabled. This was followed by a speech by the President of the Executive Council of NASA Vinod Pillai. The agenda of the General Body Meeting was three-fold. The outgoing Executing Council handed over the charge to the incoming one. Then there was the review of the convention itself and lastly, the naming of next year's hosts. The exercise is as formal as they can make it. The delegates themselves are not very enthusiastic as it seems to the Executive Council contributes - a complete monopoly. The next convention is to be hosted by GCA at Lucknow. Good luck to them!

The Valedictory function marked the official closing of the convention. The chief guest was Mr.Srinivas Vardhan. The citations were given away also by the Chairman of the host institute. This was presided by the new Executive Council of NASA. It was the last formality of the convention but the festivities went on as the New Year was welcomed.