Reading List

Since IIIT-H is your new home for the next four (or more) years, we want to give you a headstart on learning all about it – the place, the people, and the culture. To this end, we’ve curated a list of articles where we try to showcase the scope that Ping! covers. You’ll find fiction and reporting, articles about online and offline college, music and movies, courses and fests – every side of what happens at IIIT, and beyond!

1.What If Online Was The Norm

Ever wondered where tech is taking us? If you have, this article presents a partial answer – a situation where our lives revolve around virtual interaction and we are suddenly deprived of it by a pandemic (wonder what the inspiration for that was, hmm). If you like (possibly) dystopian futures, read on!

2. LGBTea – IIIT-H Students Gather to Celebrate Pride Month

Anywhere new you go, you want to be sure the community is welcoming and inclusive. Ours certainly is – whether you’re ready for everyone to know your identity or not – in fact, whether you’re sure of it or not – we always have a place for you to share your story freely and openly. This article covers an event that gave that chance to the members of IIIT’s LGBT community.

3. CND: Origin

Many of you must have wondered what the CND program is, as it doesn’t have a counterpart in most other colleges. It has been more than ten years since this program was started, and considering how distinctive it is, we talk to the people who were responsible for it in its initial stages. This article covers the history of the CND program, and some interesting stories surrounding it, including stories of IIIT itself, its labs, and its professors.

4. Faculty Interview – Dr Jayanthi Sivaswamy

If you had started this semester on campus, you would have definitely heard of Dr Jayanthi Sivaswamy by now – the Dean (Academics) until recently. Back when she used to be the HOD of the Electronics department, our team interviewed her. Here, she talks about her background and her projects; we also get to hear her thoughts on the curriculum, her students, and her courses. (It also includes a fun Rapid Fire round at the end!)

5. 10 Years of Ping!

Ping! spans half of IIIT’s existence by now, and this monumental piece commemorates one of our landmarks – the decennial of Ping!’s creation. Read through this milestone article, which exemplifies our role as the college’s archival body, to find out more about student organisations at IIIT. In the process, explore a IIIT that once was (and in many ways, still is).

6. Hotel California – Is it Really Such a ‘Lovely Place’?

Written by arguably the biggest music freak in IIIT, this piece admires the musical prowess shown in the song – from its format to its chord progression – before breaking down its lyrics.  Read this article to find out what this song is really about.

7. BOOOONEE!

Sitcom buff? Andy Samberg fan? Or just habitual binger? Whatever you identify as – this piece about the roots and uniqueness of one of the most beloved shows on Netflix is sure to appeal to you. Read on, for a quick glance into our show/movie-review side.

8. The Forgotten Century

This piece is a part Ping!’s “Eye to the Future” – a column that discusses the impact of science and technology on our society. In this particular article, we focus on information loss and its impact on history, social as well as personal. Read this article if you are intrigued by digital data, how it works or the problems associated with it.

9. Au Revoir, Shoshana

Even though you’ve already seen one example of our review buffs, this one is too insightful to miss. This article, a review of the scenes with Colonel Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds, is sure to push you to watch the movie (again, if you already have). If you want to see more than the obvious, this is the piece for you.

10. Felicity Goes Online: Challenges and Possibilities

To most IIITians, Felicity is more than just an event – it’s a time to make memories, to bond with each other, and (most importantly) to take a break from IIIT’s academics. When news of an online Summer ’21 semester surfaced, a poignant wave swept across students of IIIT-H as it meant losing Felicity to the pandemic. Written right before Felicity 2021, this article lays out the thoughts, possibilities, and expectations of having the fest in a completely online manner

Bonus: Freshers’ 2020: Reading List

If you liked these articles and want to see more, here’s the reading list we presented to the first batch to join IIIT online. Click the link to explore more campus news, reviews and interviews!

Editor: Tejasvi Chebrolu