MDI Gurgaon provides innumerable opportunities in terms of participation in several activities including live projects, competitions and cultural events. Behind the successful implementation of the several activities held at MDI Gurgaon are the committees, academic clubs, activity clubs, event clubs and Student Interest Groups (SIGs).
This is an article from the series of “Introduction to clubs at MDI Gurgaon” where we aim to talk about the myriad activities taking place all round the year, allowing the campus to be filled with life and energy all the time!
Samaritans - The Social Initiatives Club of MDI
Samaritans is the social initiatives club of MDI Gurgaon. The vision of the club is to harness the Management acumen of Mandevians in making a difference to the society. Through their initiatives, they intend to nurture a sense of Social Responsibility amongst budding managers.
Samaritans conduct various social activities and initiatives throughout the year such as: Samaritans of the month, Aarohan Week (A seven-day event comprising of targeting a social activity each day), Mandevian Miles, AIMS Week (Various activities such as Plantation Drive, Dental check-up, etc. are spread throughout 5 days), Collection Drives, and Beyond Karma (national level case study competition).
"As the secretary of Samaritans I feel very proud to carry on the legacy of kindness and benevolence forward. I feel pleased to have this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others and even if a single life is improved by the team's efforts we consider it a work done well." - Vishal Sharma, Secretary, Samaritans (2019-20)
Sanskriti
Sanskriti, the cultural club of MDI, hosts and organises most of the cultural events. Sanskriti nurtures talent and provides a stage for the performer within us. Be it keeping MDI traditions alive through Soul Kitchens or organising cultural competitions to showcase nation-wide talent, Sanskriti does it all. The club is broadly divided into four verticals: (1) the Core Team or the Jugadoos: in charge of all events and activities on campus, (2) Mukhautey: the drama team, (3) Mandolins: the music team and (4) Sole to Soul: the dance team.
Sanskriti conducts various events on campus like Independence Day celebrations, Ganesh Chaturthi, Dandiya Night, Onam, Holi etc.
The goal of the club is simple: to connect and engage all Mandevians, encourage them to express themselves through dance, music and drama, and to provide a creative break from the busy student life.
"Sanskriti is not just another club at MDI. It is rather a means to make ManDevIans feel at home, away from home. By celebrating more than 10 festivals round the year, Sanskriti brings together the MDI fraternity to celebrate, preserve and grow its culture. Being a part of Sanskriti has been an enriching journey in terms of gaining first hand experience at management while preserving and growing the culture of MDI." - Shalini Mittal, Secretary (2020-21), Sanskriti
M.A.R.T
M.A.R.T. is a student run co-operative store on campus. The purpose of M.A.R.T. is to fulfil the basic necessities of confectionaries, packed food, toiletries, stationaries and sports items. The team members continuously work towards procurement of items, inventory management and managing accounts of the shop on a regular basis despite the gruelling course schedule. This shop is opened daily from 11pm to 12 am. Apart from this, M.A.R.T. is responsible for designing and selling MDI merchandise.
M.A.R.T. is a Non-Profit Initiative of students where the profits are donated for a social cause at the end of each financial year.
M.A.R.T. also takes care of all major necessities when the new batch joins college. It conducts Martian Wars as a part of Imperium. It also puts up stalls during convocation and NAM for sale of MDI Merchandise.
"Interacting with students at M.A.R.T, not just from the PG batch but also from the NMP batch has been a great experience. Collaborating with other clubs and committees to understand their merchandising requirement, dealing with the In charge of Student Council Activities to improve the visibility of our operations, dealing and negotiating with new vendors and taking feedback from our batch mates were some of the activities that I performed as a Joint Secretary. In performing these activities, apart from gaining an experience of interacting with diverse individuals, I also learnt the art of delegating which I didn’t know earlier."- Abhishek Jain, Secretary (2020-21), M.A.R.T
MILE - MDI's Incubation Lab for Entrepreneurship
Through its events and activities, MILE has created a Start-up ecosystem, in and around MDI where ideas are brainstormed upon and students are facilitated to help them fulfil their entrepreneurial dreams. The club’s core belief is in making an environment where people learn from experiences of others and seek help, if needed, in fulfilling their dreams. Some of MILE’s common events and activities are Pitcher (The B-Plan Competition), Chai Pe Charcha, and Disruptathon, along with many events at Imperium. MILE also invites MDI Alumnus and Gurgaon based Entrepreneurs to partner with MILE in the capacity of a Mentor and guide MDI students to pursue their goal of entrepreneurship.
"As entrepreneurship is something that most management grads aspire to, it is truly a delightful experience working for M.I.L.E. It is also rewarding to help students at MDI in furthering their entrepreneurial ambitions. Creating an environment that can facilitate choosing an alternate career path over the conventional corporate career." – Prabhav Menon, Secretary (2020-21), M.I.L.E.
Write-up credits: Pratibha Goenka, PGPM 2019-21, MDI Gurgaon