News & Events

XIC Media Fest 2022, Ikshana

12-November-2022

The first-ever XIC Media Fest, Ikshana, held from the 10th -12th of November 2022, became a nucleus of artistic expression and creative thought. Through Ikshana, under the theme ‘Celebrating Diversity’, undergraduate students from across the country found a rostrum to showcase their creative works and to interact with some of the most brilliant minds in the media industry.

The three-day national level festival commenced with over 90 undergraduate delegates from institutions across 22 states arriving in Mumbai and then taken to XIC’s satellite campus, St. Xavier’s Villa at Khandala. They were warmly welcomed by Sandra Rana (Dean Finance and Administration) and an ice-breaking session conducted by Dr. Shaison P. Ouseph (Associate Dean).

The ‘Diversity Discourse’ session, which was conducted by Mr. Krishna Warrier, aimed to start a dialogue with the students about developing an appreciation for life and sensitivity towards those who are differently abled. Through the course of the session, students engaged in activities aimed at broadening their perspectives and helping them understand what it means to navigate the world as a person with disabilities. The session concluded with an interaction with Mr. Ganesh Phalke, a visually impaired person who shared anecdotes from his life with the students. The students also participated in a Theatre Session, conducted by Mr. Bijoy Idicheriah, which enabled them express themselves freely, without any inhibition.

Day Two of Ikshana kickstarted with a walk-through St. Xavier’s  College campus, Mumbai conducted by the students of XIC. The delegates got a chance to explore the Indo-Gothic corridors of the college and take a guided tour of the various media resources, labs, and departments in the XIC and College campus. The inaugural function that took place in the evening was an exuberant affair, with the students of XIC showcasing a Carnival of States through dance and drama. The evening also screened the Social Awareness Projects produced by XIC students in collaboration with the Mumbai Police under the auspices of  Dr. Hari Balaji, DCP Mumbai Zone 1, who also graced the event. The Chief Guest, Mr Joy Bhattacharyya, Director, Pippip Media and Guest of Honour Agnello Dias, Chairman, Co-Founder, Taproot Dentsu, shared their insights and experiences on working in media. The highlight of the evening was the unveiling of the Ikshana logo and its 3-D presentation animated by PR student, Utkarsh Agarwal.

Day Three had in store for the delegates many interesting sessions, such as a talk by Mr. Mohan Sivanand, ex-Editor-In-Chief, Reader’s Digest, on ‘Dying Reading Habits’. This was followed by ‘The Listening Movement,’ a human library of professionals who interacted with the students and shared stories of their lives with them. The people included: Josy Paul, Manjari Jaruhar, Amrita Chowdhury, Hiroo Dingra, Suraja Kishore, Bijoy Idicheriah, Mrinil Mathur and Sonal Dabral.

The students also had the opportunity to attend round-table discussions on gripping subjects such as: ‘Journey through Time from Cinema to OTT’ by Sonal Dabral and Dilip Ghosh, hosted by Mahesh Aney, all veterans of the entertainment industry; and ‘Identity vs. Inclusivity’ by industry experts Ayaz Memon, Pooja Biraria Jaiswal, Manimala Hazarika, Jehangir Patel, moderated by Fali Singara.

Day Three culminated with the Awards Ceremony where students who won the best film in the "Short Film Making" and the best story in the "Great Storytelling Race" were awarded prize money of Rs. 50,000, while the runners-up were awarded Rs. 25,000 in the respective competitions. The awards were presented by the Chief Guest, Mr Asshu Trikha, Film Director and Producer, Bollywood and Mr. Abhijit Avasti, Co-Founder, Sideways Consulting.

The first edition of Ikshana provided a platform where the skills and creativity of students from across India were showcased and celebrated. It opened their minds to the immense diversity of the media industry which they experienced through the talks and interactions with the guest speakers, faculty, and students at XIC.

XIC’s first Media Fest ended in a grand success paving the road forward to a recurring annual celebration of expressions of the creative minds.

 Written by Gayatri Menon (JR 2022)