BSP: Board for Student’s Publications

IIT is not just a technological institute where geeks reside. It’s a very wrong perception outside IIT that students here just study 24*7. Let me tell you, IIT is much more than that. IIT, as you would experience yourself in the coming years provides you with ample opportunities to showcase your talents (Infact there are so many directions to follow that you may get confused if you don’t sort out your preferences). You name it and its there! One of the many clubs and boards prevalent here in IITD is the Board For Student’s Publications(BSP , as you’ll call it and yes almost everything here has an acronym which you’ll get used to).

I was the representative for BSP from my hostel previous year so let me throw some light on this board.

If you are enthusiastic about writing or reading or journalism or anything related to literary activities then this is the Board for you. I enjoy writing and so found myself connected to this board from the very beginning. The main aim of this board is to publish the views of the students. It provides a platform to voice your opinions and acts as a bridge between the students and the administration. It is a highly reputed and coveted Board .The BSP team is headed by a professor. Then there is a Gen. Secretary, 4 chief editors (English, Hindi, Design and Journalism) and then there are the representatives (2 from each hostel) who work together for the smooth functioning of the Board.

IITD has almost 4-5 magazines published every year, starting with The FACCHA TIMES (you’ll get your copy during your orientation very soon) followed by others like CONTACT, CORNUCOPIA etc. In addition to this there are hostel magazines and multiple Newsletters published at regular intervals which highlight various important issues. But, that’s not it, round the year, BSP organizes various literary activities, competitions and workshops for the enthusiasts. And of course there is LITERATI (one of the biggest literary fests of North India organized by BSP mostly in October). Its 2-3 days of complete magic for the literary enthusiasts with various innovative writing skills competitions and workshops being organized and you get to meet some of the famous personalities of this field. There are movie screenings, book launches and discussions, exhibitions, online events…to name a few.

Whether you are a literary fan or not but BSP will definitely touch your lives during your stay here. You’ll appreciate what I am saying more when you take the FACCHA TIMES (I still have mine..: D) with you and going through it will paint a picture of IITD in front of you. BSP is just not about writing. I adore writing but being a part of the board I learnt about so many different aspects of publishing a magazine, be it editing, designing and what not. Definitely writing provides the content but so much more effort goes after that to make a magazine look like it looks when we have the final output in our hands. And then being a part of the LITERATI organizing team, you learn so much about marketing, organizing and managing events and  most importantly, the value of team-work.

Some may look upon this board as a more serious and less glamorous board in comparison to clubs like: DND ( See another blog for details) and yes, it is but it has its own aura and the pleasure you get when you get involved into something which you like is indescribable. So, if you have that literary zest, this is truly your board. For others do give it a try, you might end up feeling differently when you take a pen and spend some time alone with your writing.

Whatever you like, pursue it here. Grab the opportunities that come your way and you’ll never look back.

Cheers!

Harshita

P.S.: You may find this article a little tilted towards BSP…:P….that’s  justified keeping in view my inclination towards the Board. Follow your heart and pursue what YOU like !