Ah... as usual, Mechanical guys have had their day...Mekchat 09 was a grand affair this year. Shamianas greeted visitors. A display of their work was on.

There was a junkyard contraption...For the first time, I came to know that a contraption is actually a mechanism that makes a complex job out of a simple one. This one, for example, showed how a balloon can be burst by setting off marbles which rolled all the way setting off mechanical and electrical fittings, to finally burst the balloon. It was quite a fascinating contraption.

There was also a water rocket, which blew right into the trees at trememndous force worked by a foot pressed pedal that increased the pressure and blew the cardboard plane away. It was easy to imagine how the principles of physics have inspired inventions.

There were a few questions for the bibliophiles...that was not me...I couldn't solve even one of those. There was a question...what two 15 letter words have a differnt first letter only. Ans: Rationalisation and nationalisation.

And, there was a graffitti board...filled with hilarious scribbles...Magnificent Mechs and a really funny one : Mechanical engineering is only for bachelors. We had a hearty laugh over it. I thought the graffitti board was a good way to get the thoughts out into a board that seemed to have a million words across it.

Classes are on in full swing...we have everything going on all at the same time...Days are becoming uncomfortably warm. I am sure all the cottons will be coming out soon...

There are so many activities going on in the college, I find it difficult to keep track of everything. ECE has been having a 'Connected Society', a paper presentation session and is preparing for 'Comnet', an annual intra departmental event. CSE has been having its 'Progen-i' and is now preparing for the conference, ' Codeclave'; Mechanical department is having a 2 day annaul conference, 'Mekchat' and is hosting a 3 day FDP on 'Robotics'; Civil department has been having a 6 day programme on ANSYS and is planning a 5 day FDP next month; Metallurgy department is hosting a Service to Community Programme, as is the CSE...Department of Chemistry is hosting a 1 day FDP on...on...can I let you all know tomorrow? And, Department of English is hosting a 3 day FDP on 'Enhancing Professional and Personal Skills for Facilitators'...whew...wasn't that a lot?

Another good news is that all HODs of Engineering departments are being sent to visit universities in different countries in order to understand how they maximise learning in the different engineering departments. It should be a welcome move, since they will all be bringing back some input which might help our students.

Salem is extremely warm...though as usual, the yellow flowers are beginning to carpet the ground. Even yesterday, I saw a young tree decimated to its main trunk near the Planetarium. I feel sad, but, that is the only thing I can do.

What a day it has turned out be! A revelation of sorts. It started off with the second day of examinations for the first year students taking their BULATS paper and the aura of awe that the exam seemed to stir in the external examiners from the engineering streams. All the running around to ensure that the PA systems were working well was by itself a tiring task for us. Once again, it must be acknowledged that TEQIP has helped the department of English the most, because otherwise, there would've been additional responsibilities like hiring, wiring and fixing audio systems from the surrounding villages or Salem and finding that they don't really work when you want them to. The wonderful PA systems in the college were cool, cool and cool.

If that experience wasn't enough for the day, there came the news about the Commissioner's visit to inspect the progress of work on the Digital library and the Language Resource Centre on the 13th.

OMG, there were systems to be brought over from the locker rooms of the ECE department , tiles to be fitted, LAN fixtures and Plasma TV to be put up, motorised projector screen to be fixed, software to be installed and the server to be loaded...

It was here that we discovered angels without wings in the department of CSE. They were ready to help us when they knew of our plight. Boys and girls piled into the ECE block, carried out 60 monitors and 60 CPUs and accessory boxes to the Admin Block.

Willing hands and shoulders moved the heavy boxes to the LRC; students fanned out to the computer platforms as some of them started checking out the device serial number with the number on the box, spread out the accessories on the platforms and started fixing the various plugs and points of the systems. As Brindha remarked, there seem to be as many cables for the CPU as neurons in a human brain. All this was accomplished in two hours.

I would only call it a miracle of genuine interest and dedication to the responsibility of the III year CSE students. It is no wonder that they do well in their professions and are acknowledged for their intelligence and enthusiasm.

What made it all the more enjoyable was the good will shown by the boys as they worked in the dusty and paper strewn, box filled room. And, when the work was over, it was as if there was nothing left to do.

A session of jolly and good natured laughing camera sessions marked the end of the day, but let me admit, there was a warm glow in my heart, though my legs and back ached with the sharp pain of labour that we are not used to.

God bless the children. God bless GCE.

Students are back with a bang...they decidedly look happy to be back.

Today, the seminar halls had to have their PA systems checked for the BULATS test to be taken up by two branches tomorrow.

So, for two days, the department is going to be on its toes.

And, today, while walking the stretch between the Admin block and the Mechanical block, I was shocked to find about 20 strong trees cut down to their main trunk by vandalists. God, I wish a fence was put up around the perimeter to stop these villagers from making a fortune out of the wealth of trees that we have. I was sad, shocked and perturbed by the mindless cutting down of trees.

College is closed indefinitely following government orders. Teachers are attending college. Examinations have been postponed.