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I am more than happy to let you know that we have decided to release a quarterly newsletter containing technical articles, reports, tips and other interesting stuffs.  We need everyone’s utmost cooperation to make this a reality. Please send in your articles(soft copies) to newsletter@cecieee.org

You can also submit your articles via your IEEE class reps.

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Rahul Ramesh

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Awareness was conducted at Musaliar College of Engineering and Technology on 18th February, 2010. The session was conducted by a team  consisting of Mr. Harisankar PS,Hub 2 Driver (CEC), Mr. Mahadev (CEC), Mr. Avinash Krishnan (CEC), Mr. Ashwin R (CEC). The team reached the college by 2 and the session was started immediately after a short introduction. The session was attended by students of 3rd and 4th year.

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HUB 2 DRIVER
IEEE LINK

Report on Event Conducted by CEC IEEE SB

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A charity programme was conducted on Saturday, 6 February 2010 at the Central Institute on Mental Retardation, Murinjapalam, Thiruvananthapuram. The visit was a real eye-opener! A group of about 100 students (participants from Kottarakkara and College of Engineering, Chengannur) reached the Institute- truly a temple of knowledge for the mentally retarded children- at 10:30 am, where we were welcomed by Father Felix, Founder, Cental Institute on Mental Retardation, and his group of Sisters. The students were assembled and then addressed by Father Felix, who stressed on one point- Having less ability makes no one less human””. And by the end of the day, he really did drive home his point.

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According to Sir, knowing 4 basic shapes will help us learn the alphabet and numbers better. These basic shapes are: circle, triangle, square and rectangle. Again, students with a less-developed brain learn better if they are t/ught with association to the five senses- see, touch, smell, hear and taste.

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To demonstrate his point, he called three of his students to present a kuchipudi item in front of us. The students performed the dance piece flawlessly, despite the fact that two of them couldn’t speak and had limited hearing capability…

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We were also taken to see the students driving a car and even horse-riding!

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Students were then divided into 6 groups, each group led by a volunteer from the Institute. The six teams then dispersed in six different directions, to see and understand the working of the school and the procedure followed to educate such students.

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The first section was- knowing shapes.A sweet female teacher was interacting with 3 small boys when group 1 made its appearence there. She explained that here, students were first made to draw and colour the 4 basic shapes mentioned above so as to get aquainted with these shapes.

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The next section was about creating shapes.  Three other older students and a patient Sir, welcomed us and explained to us  that in that section, students were made to cut-out/saw-out metal or wooden shapes so as to be able to recognise shapes.

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The third section was all about combining shapes. We entered a cycle workshop with two students and the Sir there explained how the students were taught to separate, feel and then reassemble cyles.

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The fourth section was a cookery class were three girl students were being taught how to cook. The teacher explained that here, students were made to recognise colours and the girls were helped so as to be equipped enough and help their mothers in the kitchen. This was also one section where all the five senses could be used and developed (including the sense of taste, which was absent in the previous sections).

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We then skimmed through many photos showing achievements of these students in different spheres of art- dance, music and so on. We were informed there that a set of students from the Institute participated in the Republic Day march on 26 January 2010 at Rajpath and won the second prize there!

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We were next led to the dance sections, where students were training in Manipuri, Kuchipudi, Bharatnatyam and Odissi. The enthusiasm with which the students came forward, be it to talk to the visitors or show us what they were learning, was really commendable.

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That section was followed by the singers’section(classical) and then the instruments section (guitar, veena, tabala). Next we were led to an adjacent room to consult a doctor about this issue. She told us that there were a few symptoms by which it was possible to recognise problematic mental growth in the initial stages of babyhood itself. It is then possible to give the required treatment and control the extent of the problem. She also told us that today technology was available so as determine whether the baby would have any problems, while in the mother’s womb itself.

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The session wound up with an interactive section with the students of the Institute. Students- Sachin, Anila, Mahesh and so many others- came forward to share thoughts without hesitation.

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For the next session, we were allowed to get a taste of the various lessons the students were having. In one hour, all of the visiting students tried a hand at Manipuri, Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, classical music, instruments- veena, tabala, drums, guitar and many more. The visitors were given instructions and guided by the faculty and students there. The students also played a game with the Institute students using a parachute.

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Next was a scrumptious lunch, after which the visiting students shared their experience of the day- their emotions and thoughts. Father Felix then led us to a Freedom Centre- for and by the mentally retarded, at Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram. There the students were given a tour of the place and led to an auditorium where students of the Institute performed Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dance pieces, which came out remarkable. They also played the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ on their veenas.

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We had worried about the consequences of a charity programme, afraid that we would feel very depressed, seeing forlorn and lost faces. But, thankfully, we experienced just the opposite! That day we met students enthusiastic and hopeful, who had all realised their place in the world and were working hard to achieve it. It made all our troubles seem so light, so small.

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Same time, we were happy that man had realised that different kinds of people existed in the world and he was trying very hard to treat all of them the same and bring all to the same footing from where they could lead on their own! It was upto students like us, the so-called next generation, to continue the good work already started and also generate awareness and understanding in the society. It is important that we see each other as a unique individual and not compare on the basis of physical or mental state. An unknown but pleasant peace filled our hearts and mind. We carried back with us, not parched faces or love-longing eyes, but innocent yet ambitioos faces and truthful, but hopeful eyes, etched into our hearts!After tea, we dispersed to the beach, our hearts light with less or no worry and faces beaming!

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Regards,

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Bhavna S N,

WIE Vice-Chair,

IEEE CEC SB.

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IEEE International Conference on Humanitarian Technology Challenges of 21st Century: Undoubtedly enriched us with some memorable moments.

— Arjun R Pillai, CEC 2010 EC

3 certificates from IEEE HQ, that too signed by IEEE President, John Wig and presented by Dr. Richard Gowen were presented to Mr. Arjun R Pillai of CEC 2010 EC and Mr. Ajin Baby of CEC 2011 EC, for their works and contributions to IEEE, in a function held at International Conference at Hotel Udayasamudra, Kovalam on Feb 20th and 21st, 2010.

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Congratulations!!!

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regards,

Arunanand TA,

IEEE Senate in charge.

After a fun-ride in the bus, the students came to Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). The visit here was very educative and inspiring as the students were taken through the proud moments in Indian space research and exploration. A brief but informative tour of the place, guided by one of the employees there, showed the students how such places work- the entire process of putting together a rocket and launching it.

The last event on the schedule was a trip to the Kovalam Beach. Fun and laughter filled the air, as the students ran about in water and on the sands of the beach. The students reached back college at 11:30 pm, having had a fun-filled and memorable day, which nobody is likely to forget in a hurry!

Documented by,

Bhavna.S.N

WIE Vice-Chair

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CEC IEEE SB has been awarded the following IEEE Kerala Section Awards.

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1. Best IEEE SB Award – CEC IEEE SB

2. Outstanding Student Volunteer – Mr. Arjun R Pillai

3. Outstanding WIE Student Volunteer – Ms. R Pratibha

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Congratulations, CEC IEEE SB Volunteers and Leaders!

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Regards,

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Arunanand T A,

CEC 2010 CS.