To Techfest 2005,
Welcome to the Techfest family!
This is my first mail to you, in the series of mails that you will probably receive from me in the coming one year and ahead. But this particular mail is probably the most important of them all. And I wish that you keep a copy of it for reading and re-reading at later stages of your association with Techfest.
Coming to the point - today's handing over was meant to be 'food for thought' for all of you. To keep you thinking for the next one year. I do not know how well we achieved the aim of the handing over. But in essence, it was just 2 questions (I will come to them in a moment) that we wanted to ask you. I have myself been in your position for 2 years. And trust me, it is difficult to find instant answers to these 2 questions. And there is no 'right' answer or 'wrong' answer. Its just what your heart feels at that moment! Now moving to these 2 questions that should be your 'food for thought'.
The first question is - "Why Techfest? What is your *motivation* to do a Techfest? And why particularly Techfest?"
And the second question is - "What is Techfest? What does it mean to you? And what do you want it to mean to others? What is your *vision* of a successful Techfest?"
At any stage of the year, if you do not find a solution to any problem, just come back to the basics and ask yourselves these two questions.
There is a lot I can write about when it comes to Techfest. But I would like to have a two-way communication. I intend to speak to you all, as I feel that quite a few issues could not be covered in the handing over. Some of them being - team, ethics, discipline, vision, ideas, satisfaction, work, khopchas, friendship, old teams, cordies and organisers, image and identities, etc. Also, some narration/ sneak preview of the year that lies ahead of you will be an interesting thing to listen from this oldie. The first month of brain-storming, the conceptualisation, the planning, the Budgeting I, the Scheduling I, the Budgeting II, the deadlines, the Scheduling II, the run-throughs, the 3 days of execution ... its a long, tough and an exciting journey ahead.
Goodluck and all the best for a wonderful Techfest.
Zishaan M. Hayath
Overall Coordinator
Techfest 2004