Silencio!

Convocation Day today at IIT Bombay. Extra security measures have been pumped in for the Minister Arjun Singh will be in attendance. I suppose the only security he needs even in these troubled times is from indignant students affected by the change in the IIT entrance examination format.

Another aspect to such convocation functions is that I expect the speeches to be all dull and dreary with "maanaaniya"s and "honourables" and "mahaamahim"s (but then we're not in UP, so make up a MaraaThii equivalent) with mementos to "respected guests on dias who spared their kiimati waqt" and so on - all stuff from canned bureaucratic templates. We hear of ceremonies in univs abroad crackling with graduation day speeches from people ranging from Conan O' Brien to Steve Jobs, and I wish speakers here would either cultivate some focus and content in their speeches or that organisers wouldn't feel the need to kow-tow to the sarkaar and get some more inspirational speakers.

Till then it's zzz tv.