Orientation 2023!
July 1, 2023
Welcome to NLSIU Orientation 2023!
We are excited to welcome another new cohort of undergraduate and postgraduate students for the Academic Year 2023-24. This year, we welcome around 500 students across the BA LLB (Hons), LLM, 3-Year LLB Hons, MPP, and PhD programmes. We also welcome our largest cohort of the BA LLB (Hons) programme so far with as many as 240 students.
Over the last three days, the campus has been abuzz with activity as our new students and their families completed their registration and onboarding process at the University. They also got the opportunity to attend interactive sessions with the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sudhir Krishnaswamy and Registrar Prof. N S Nigam. Additionally, a faculty orientation programme was also held on July 1, 2023. This involved sessions for all NLSIU faculty on: Introduction to the University and its Academic Culture, Teaching & Learning at the University, Faculty Clusters, Curriculum Development, and Evaluation.
Orientation Programme
We kickstart this academic year with our orientation programme to introduce our new students to various aspects of the NLS community. The programme begins on July 3, 2023 and will continue till July 6, 2023. A number of sessions will give our new students the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the various academic and social activities at NLSIU. The orientation schedules are attached below.
As our students make the transition from school to a university environment, we look forward to ushering them into an inclusive University space that is committed to an academically rigourous and holistic educational experience, and a culture of free inquiry.
Keynote Speakers
July 3, 2023, 5 pm – Ms. Rohini Nilekani
Rohini Nilekani is an author and philanthropist and has been a strong influence in the Indian social sector over the past three decades. Her philanthropic work spans different sectors of Indian civil society. She founded Arghyam, a foundation for sustainable water and sanitation, and co-founded Pratham Books, nonprofit enabling access to reading for millions of children. Currently, she is the Chairperson of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies and a Co-founder and Director of EkStep, a nonprofit education platform. Rohini and her husband, Nandan Nilekani, are signatories to the Giving Pledge, pledging to give away half of their wealth to philanthropy.
Rohini’s first book, Stillborn, a medical thriller, and her second, Uncommon Ground, were published by Penguin Books India. Her latest, Samaaj, Sarkaar, Bazaar – A Citizen-first Approach, is a self-published, Creative Commons-licensed book. She is also the author of 16 books for young children.
July 4, 2023, 10 am – Dr. Mani Rao
Title of talk: On Truth and Courage in a World of Dreams and Realities
Dr. Mani Rao is the author of twelve books of poetry including Echolocation, Ghostmasters and Sing to Me. Her latest poetry book Love Me in a Hurry (Atta Galatta 2022) translated into Kannada as Bega Preethsu Nanna was published by the Bangalore bookshop Atta Galatta. Her book-translations from Sanskrit include Kalidasa for the 21st Century Reader, Saundarya Lahari and Bhagavad Gita of which a new edition will be out in October this year. She has done immersive fieldwork among tantric communities in Andhra-Telangana for Living Mantra: Mantra, Deity and Visionary Experience Today published by Palgrave Macmillan USA. Mani worked in advertising and television for 20 years – and returned to academics to do an MFA in creative writing, followed by a PhD in religious studies. She is based in Bangalore.
Watch the orientation video here.
City Events
This year, the University has initiated a new series of city events for our incoming cohorts. On July 5th, students will be taken in batches to various locations across Bengaluru city. Talking about this new addition to this year’s orientation programme, NLS faculty member Dr. Atreyee Majumder said: “Since many students are coming from different parts of the country, these city events is meant to give our students a feel of the city of Bengaluru. Not only that, these sessions will also help break the ice among the new students who can bond beyond the campus atmosphere for the first time.”
The students will be taken in different batches to the following locations:
- Cubbon Park
A guided walk around the well known Cubbon park spread across 300 acres in the city with some attention to its ecology - National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA)
The students will be taken on a curated tour of the gallery - Bangalore Creative Circus
The BCC will be curating a musical event for our students focusing on Kannada folk music - Bangalore International Centre (BIC)
At BIC, students will watch a play ‘Fernando and His Grandmother’ which is inspired by the life of Fernando Pessoa – poet, writer, literary critic, translator, publisher and philosopher. - Bangalore City Walks
A guided walk from the Mahatma Gandhi statue to Vidhana Soudha (Legislative House) with a narration of the city’s history - Science Museum
A walk around the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, Bangalore
Orientation Schedule
Gallery
