2014 - Page 5 of 15 - The Fifth Estate, IIT Madras

Getting Rid of The R-Word

“I am not advocating censorship here. I do think there are certain rape jokes that can be funny (like this one). However, the next time we’re making comparisons, let’s just look at the scale of the ordeal we are trivializing, and what our flippancy implies. Let us judge whether we want to perpetuate the normalization of rape in society. We can all “put our peace” and “gen put wing fart”, but let us agree to think before we use “rape” out of context.”

Are we contributing to rape culture by using insti lingo? Akshay Rangamani, alumnus, shares his take on the matter.

Why Mental Illness is Nothing to be Ashamed of

“If you thought clinical depression was just sadness, only more extreme, you’re wrong. How do I know? Because I have been diagnosed with depression. I’m not ashamed of it. And I’ve something to tell you.”

The Music Club

T5E talks to the Music Club convenors about their plans for the coming year.

The Posters Issue: Response from the Mitr Chief Advisor

The Mitr Chief Advisor, Prof Arul, responds to the Editorial on the posters on suicide prevention that were put up recently in the Institute.

The Fault in Our Posters

An Editorial about the recent Mitr posters put up as part of Suicide Prevention Week.

What Pain Is This: On-Duty Leave

Insti has had a frustrating policy on On-Duty Leave and Padma looks into the issue in depth in this Op-Ed piece, the first of a new T5E initiative titled ‘What Pain Is This’.

The IITM Quiz Club

A look at the Quiz Club and its activities for the year 2014-15.

The YIF Experience

Smruthi Bala, a former student, talks about her experience as a Young India Fellow.

A Lifetime of Achievement

“You have to try to do something impossible. When you encounter a problem like this, don’t give up. Focus on it. One day, you will come up with a solution. This what I have been doing throughout my life and that is what my advice to youngsters would be. Never say, “But what can I do?” Go ahead and make India a better place to live.”

Tobacco-Free Insti and Stipends for Secretaries: SAC Meeting, August ’14

‘This Committee also has plans of locating “smoking hotspots” in and around the campus, and hopes to stop the sale of tobacco outside the IITM grounds anywhere at a distance of 100 metres or less from the various gates.’ The Anti-Tobacco Committee Report was one among the highlights of this month’s SAC meeting.