Know Your VP Candidate: Aryansh Singh
Q: What is your motivation behind applying for the post of Vice President? When did you finally be sure this is something you definitely want?
Many people from my school went to study at IIT KGP and they always came back with fascinating stories about the campus. Hence, I was always intrigued by the student life at KGP. Once I reached the campus, I was motivated to take part in as many activities as possible. In the past 3 years, I have been a part of multiple organisations and interacted with people from diverse backgrounds. What I understood was that the more I talked to people about their problems, the more knowledge I gained as to how to tackle such problems. Gradually, I realised that there were multiple avenues on which I could work, for improving the welfare of the students of our campus. This is a constant motivation for me and drives me to contest for the post of Vice President.
Q: How have your involvements with Entrepreneurship Cell, Business Club and The Scholars’ Avenue helped in shaping your personality?
When I entered the campus, like all freshers, I was given the generic funda to explore as much as possible. With this motivation, I tried to be a part of as many activities as possible. I was involved with Entrepreneurship Cell, Business Club and The Scholars Avenue. First and foremost, I am extremely grateful for the mentorship I received from my talented seniors in all these organisations. They have supported me, guided me, and helped me, every step of the way. The interaction with my beloved teammates and the work I’ve done in all these organisations has shaped me into the person that I am today. All these activities have imparted me a multitude of experiences, broadening my horizons and improving my understanding of different problems.
Q: You have also had the opportunity to work as a Research Associate at Harvard. How do you think this has impacted your decision-making in general?
Given the COVID scenario, I did not get a chance to be in Boston. Nevertheless, working with my mentor was amazing. My mentor is a brilliant researcher, and throughout my internship, she guided me through various research methodologies. I was exposed to various out-of-the-box approaches to problem-solving which broadened my perspective. Working at an Ivy League university has been extremely fruitful, improving my critical thinking as well as imbibing an approach towards excellence.
Q: What do you think are the most important qualities for the position of Vice President? Do you think you possess all the qualities people expect from a VP?
I have interacted with a lot of people and one thing I realized was that people want a Vice President who can strongly communicate their needs in front of the administration. The vice president is the link between the administration and the student community. Any issue one has, be it academics, sports facilities, mess food, anything, I believe that it is the responsibility of the Vice President to bring it to the notice of the administration and work on improving the scenario.
Q: Could you outline what do you think are some of the major issues currently in KGP?
I believe we need to call the first year students back on campus as soon as possible as they are important stakeholders in the student community. We all have witnessed online semesters, and I believe every student should be able to make the fullest of their college life, as it shapes their personality. A major issue that is left to address is the smooth transition from online to offline mode of education. As for the campus, we have seen that the number of students is increasing every year but the medical and sports infrastructure also needs to increase in proportion. At the same time, I believe we need to emphasise the quality of the infrastructural development. These developments are very beneficial for the student community and require a long term vision.
Q: Why do you think you need to become the VP to solve some of the problems you previously mentioned? In other words, how much power in your opinion does the VP yield and what will be your approach in dealing with the power of the office?
The Vice President is representative of the students, elected by the students and of the student community. The VP is a representative in all committees where student interest is involved. If one gives in a lot of effort then many things can be changed. The bus service in KGP was proposed by a VP, eateries like Mio Amore were brought in by a VP, the CDC Dep Reps were introduced by a VP; hence this is the extent of change the Vice President can bring in. If any initiative can lead to the betterment of even one student of IIT KGP, my instinct would be to push for this as much as I can. I want to work for the welfare of the student community and I believe this post gives one a platform to achieve this.
Q: With the election moving online on ERP, do you think it makes the process more or less transparent? In other words, do you think students could be more influenced by others in this case?
I have utmost faith in every student at IIT Kharagpur that they will make an informed decision. I believe that if one wants to support a candidate, it shall be their personal choice. Everyone should maintain the sanctity of the democratic process and vote for the candidate, whose credentials, proposals and statements make them believe in their candidate and their vision for the institute.
Q: What differentiates you from the other candidates? Why do you think you are the #right_choice?
I believe one should look at the statement of purpose and the proposals of every candidate and make an informed decision. I can say a lot about myself, but it’s finally their choice of whom to vote for. The work I have done in the past 3 years has shaped me, imparting me a multitude of experiences and a diverse skill set to work for the welfare of the student community.
Q: The position of VP demands a lot of time. Do you think you would be able to work on your other commitments and hobbies if elected?
I like helping people in any way possible and as a Vice President, I will get to serve the entire KGP community and that would be a constant source of motivation for me. Hence, this will be my highest priority and I believe when you do something that you love, you won’t feel like you are spending a lot of time on it. Whenever I get some time I will definitely engage in activities that are close to me like quizzes and table tennis.
Q: What is your opinion on the Open House conducted on the 21st of March? What would you have done differently, if anything, to better handle the situation?
Conducting the open house was a big step and involved discussion between all the student representatives and stakeholders involved. It was the need of the hour as well as the need of the students and successfully displayed the power vested in the student community. The open house ended with the consensus of the administration and the students, therefore I believe it was a success.
Q: Anything else you would like to convey to your fellow KGPians
I would like to share one of the biggest learning of my life at KGP. All too often we let the fear of the unknown stop us. I think it is very important to get out of our comfort zone and try new things. Even if you fail you should see it positively, that it can be converted to learning. I would urge everyone to take part in as many activities as they can during their stay in KGP. Exposure to various domains, the experiences you will gain out of them are very important. All these experiences added up will make you grow as a person and shape your personality. Lastly, I just want to say that I have full faith in my fellow KGPians that they will have a fair look at the proposals and the past work of all the candidates because, at the end of the day, the Vice President will work for the entire student community and your vote counts! So make sure you vote for someone you believe in. Also, my inbox is always open, so feel free to reach out to me on any of my social media platforms or at +91–9711798406.
