The Story Telling Workshop at IIT Chennai- Report by Shweta

Our visit to the IIT Campus was something like a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity. 

We felt really important, as we stepped into the Conference Hall of the Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research in the IIT Campus. Once everyone had assembled, we were asked to introduce ourselves and to speak about our favorite books. This was followed by a brief Introductory Talk by Mr.Naresh, an IITian, an Aerospace Engineer, who gave up his job to spearhead the Book Lover’s Programme for Schools, along with Mr. Amruthash, another IITian, the founder of the  Programme. They had left their lucrative jobs in leading companies in order to pursue a career of their liking. Both are lovers of books. 

There were a total of 35 members in all, including the prize winners, escort teachers and the Organizers. The Ice-breaking Session was a novel one, where the entire group was divided into 2-the Grownups and the Students. Each group had to devise strategies to complete the sequence of numbers from 1 to 35 that were written on paper plates, which were placed on the floor, by standing on the numbers nearest to them. Though the Grownups were faster in doing the job initially, the students outshone them in the end, by leaving them behind by one second. The post lunch session was spent in the Hindu Office.

The next day morning, we gathered at the same venue. The day began with Mr. Naresh taking a class on Story Telling, after which we were taken out in the open. The next session started with the Speech Therapy and also some physical exercise to stretch our limbs. Then we played the Freeze Zone. In groups of 2, 4 and 8,we were asked to enact the given situations like a Marriage Ceremony or a Market Place and were made to freeze at a certain point of time. Something like the STATUE that we play. All of us thoroughly enjoyed the game. 

We were also taken on a tour of the IIT campus which was really amazing.

The Post Lunch Session found us brainstorming for points that distinguish a good story from story telling. It was wrapped up by Mr. Amruthesh,  who presented a slide show on the same topic. He also read out a part of the Three Men in a Boat by Jerome.K.Jerome-Uncle Podger’s episode. Then came the best part-the demonstration of story telling by Miss. Shilpa and Mr. Ajay. They did a superb job of the task given to them. The Programme wound up with a Group Photo Session.

 As a part of the Prize Offer, one of the Story Tellers of BLPS will be visiting us this month and will be spending a full day with us. We are eagerly looking forward to that day.

Shweta Sasidharan, IX B