The Metamorphosis.Dont be fascinated by the title, it is just another article.

My first love is human expression. I love writing, reading and oration.

My earliest choice of a career, like say when i was 5 yrs old and was more or less not knowledeagble about the standards of education available in a third world country like India was to become an astronomer. I was fascinated by the night sky like any other kid, between I presume kids are thus.
But soon that gave way and i wanted to be an author, more because i liked the 'about the author' prefaces that most childrens' classics had, than because of true love for the language. But nobody expects a seven-year-old to know that language is a pliable medium, sculpable, shapable, easy to manipulate, embellish and package.

Cutting the crap! More about me later, now to mine.

THE HINDU DTD Saturday, 19 Aug, 2006... TVM EDITION OF METRO PLUS.

The metamorphosis

College of Engineering Trivandrum was abuzz with activity for ZONASA

DANCING AWAY TCE, Madurai, was placed first in the cultural events

The beat of drums, resonating cheers, hand-painted T-shirts and student-designed flags gave the ambience a carnival feel.

Annual event

College of Engineering, Trivandrum, was abuzz with activity and excitement last weekend as South India's architecture students gathered for a three-day zonal convention on the college premises. ZONASA or (south) Zonal convention of the National Association of Students of Architecture is an annual event hosted in rotation by 17 member colleges. This year ZONASA was christened `Metamorphosis,' in which 673 delegates and a few teachers attended.

Metamorphosis `06 had renowned architects like Sasikala Bhusan, a national award winner, David Tollas, Chitra Viswanath, Rajiv Anchal and Suresh K. Nair participating in the seminars and discussions. The festival was supported by major industrial players like GEFAB.

Seminars on various disciplines in architecture and hands-on workshops provided the delegates first hand experience.

A visit to the residence of Laurie Baker and an expo on ArcoSanti - the fusion of architecture with ecology - was organised.

A workshop on 3D modelling by Toonz animations was a crowd-puller. So was the one on murals.

Pradeep George of T.K.M College of Engineering says, "The workshops and seminars gave us the much needed exposure and interaction with the industry."

The formal competitions included quiz, structural system design, collage, graffiti, clay modelling, poster design, jewellery design and T-shirt design.

These events brought out the creativity in the visitors and the level of competition was palpable.

School of Architecture and Painting, Chennai, emerged champions in the formal section.

The informal events included face-painting, Jam, newspaper dance, coconut bowling, tug of war, eating competition, and Ad-zap. TCE, Madurai, was placed first in the cultural events while Hindustan College of Engineering, Chennai, bagged the prize for the best flag. SRM College, Kanchi, was adjudged the best cheering team.

Arun Joseph, one of the organisers, said, "Through the meet we managed to provide the delegates with a receptive clientele. "

VISHNU MENON M

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I have done many a cheap publicity stunt before. Even in earlier times when my opinions used to flood the letters' col of the Hindu and the Outlook, (omit the exaggeration), I used to devise ploys for publicity including clandestine treatys with a friend whom we all call Amby. Like take this example. Amby would rush into my class during lunch time and make a fuss about my view on adulterated milk flooding the domestic market and make pointed remarks of criticism about my latest post on the PeopleSqueak (oops PeopleSpeak) column of the Hindu often jabbing his finger many times in thin air and adding as much drama as is possible to his grandeloquent gestures.

The class would be impressed and my piece would'nt go unnoticed. Behind their back Amby and I would share my cake (the cake if you dont mind is hypothetical).

But over the months I have done a lot of bigger and better articles and my focus has shifted from writing opinions to covering lifestyle and events for the metro supplement. Instead of just making my pocket fill or my ego swell the experience has frankly given me a slice of human life, that i have carefully dissected and examined. This dish I got is just a starter. I have the main course, the side dish and dessert uphead and not to mention the beverage i will take along given my predisposition towards food.

So when Arun Joseph called me in on Zonasa, I knew it was another window of opportunity for me to meet, observe and write about a sizable section of engineers, whom we were made familiar to by one Mr.Howard Roark ( of the Fountainhead fame if you need my reminder).

It is my sense of responsibility that I as a writer has to publicize the event and the coverage it got, that led me to Xerox the page from the Hindu's loose sheet and paste it on 'pivotal' corners of the college. I confess it was not another stunt for publicity.

And I had added an 'author's note':-

"This account is limited to the journalistic standards of a 400 words column that I as a cub reporter had no choice but to follow. Zonasa was much more and every face I had met therein was diligently individual".

VISh