COMMUNIQUÉ 2024

“A wise person speaks because they have something to say, but a fool speaks because they have to say something”
– Aristocles Plato

With a new batch of students treading its campus, The Bhawanipur Education Society College found it fit to bring back an inter-college event that focused solely on the voices and creativity of the participants. Communiqué, the brainchild of the Collective Vox Populi of BESC, became a reality on August 30th, 2024, after a long interval from its previous edition. “Unleash the Orator” was the theme for Communiqué 2024 which celebrated the art of speech and encouraged students to push the boundaries of persuasion and expression to showcase their ability to move, inform, and inspire. Beginning from 9:30 A.M. with the Opening Ceremony, all three venues of Jubilee, Concept and Society Halls were occupied by participants from 15 colleges from Kolkata taking part in 11 events; and an enthusiastic crowd awaiting to hear what the participants had in store.

Contravert (Debate) – As cross-questions from the audience filled the Jubilee Hall, the lively event of Debate that began at 10:30 A.M., captured the attention of the people stepping inside. Judged by Dr. Gazala, the participants from 13 Colleges were kept under strict scrutiny, which ultimately helped them better grasp the concept of a Debate. In the end, the participants from the Jadavpur University (JU) and the Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration (GCCBA) bagged the winning prizes.

Voice-Con (Mock-A-Podcaster) – Taking place in the Society Hall from 10:30 A.M. onwards, this event was a joyful enactment of everyday podcasts, with participants from 8 colleges acting as famous podcasters interviewing viral internet sensations from the fields of Sports, Politics, Hollywood as well as Bollywood Film Industries. With only a 10-minute window under their control, participants rushed to do the best they could and entertain the crowd through their performance. With careful supervision from Judge Jimmy Tangree, participants from the Shri Shikshayatan College, Heramba Chandra College and The Bhawanipur Education Society College (Main) received the winning titles as they displayed that they have what it takes to be an upcoming podcaster.

Rhyme and Chime as You Like It (Poetry) – 8 college participants poured out their hearts and minds on paper as they wrote and presented their poems in front of Judge Siddharth Singh Rajput in the Jubilee Hall starting at 3:30 P.M. With an option to choose between the language of English and Hindi, the event had a deeply emotional tone for some as participants connected to the audience through their recitation. This event had two rounds; Round 1 where participants presented their prepared write-ups and Round 2 wherein they were given 10 minutes to prepare their poems. The much deserving participants of Jadavpur University, Scottish Church College and The Bhawanipur Education Society College (Main) went away with their winning prizes at this event.

Unscripted (Improv) – An event that tested the wits and presence of mind of the 6 college participants; Improv was one event in Communiqué 2024 which gathered a large crowd due to the comic relief that it provided. Having 2 rounds in it, the event started at 3:00 P.M. in the Concept Hall and was judged by Akshay Kapoor and Naman Chandak. Round 1 had teams of 2 participants from different colleges who had to act out a scene while only using questions to take the narrative forward and if they failed to do so, then they would be at risk of losing. Round 2 comprised 3 participants from different colleges taking center stage to present punchlines to a given situation from the audience. The engaging event was a hit among many opinions as it kept the participants on their toes while entertaining the throng. The Bhawanipur Education Society College (Main), Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration (GCCBA) and The Bhawanipur Education Society College (OTSE) were the winners and runner-ups of this particular event.

Ink and Inspiration (Creative Writing English) – Just as the name suggests, the Creative writing event in Communiqué was for those participants who had a creative streak and a writing flair. With over 12 different college participants, the event began at 12:30 P.M. in the College Library which was a fitting place for the event. The topic provided to the students by Judge Sunita Sen was “A mysterious artifact, its power and purpose.” Pages and staplers were provided from the managing committee and the participants were only allowed to carry pens with them. As the entries came in, Ms. Sen was intrigued by the writings that she read. In the end, participants from Jadavpur University, NSHM, Shri Shikshayatan College, Seth Anandram Jaipuria College, Heramba Chandra College, and Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration (GCCBA) secured various titles in the event.

Instant Impact (Jam and Verteez) – Starting from noon onwards in the Society Hall, Jam And Verteez is a recurring event in BESC, judged by Mr. Gaurav Bajoria. With 6 participating teams from different colleges, the event was divided into two rounds of Jam and Verteez each. In Jam, the participants were given 60 seconds to speak until another participant finds a fault and slam the table to ‘Jam’ the speaker. In Verteez, the Judge names a category, and the participants must guess the answer by asking multiple questions until they get the answer. The spontaneity of the participants was a sight to behold. Participants from The Bhawanipur Education Society College (OTSE), The Bhawanipur Education Society College (Main), and the Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration (GCCBA) found victory in this event.

Verbal Volley (Block and Tackle) – Block and Tackle was a fast-paced game where the participants were given 1 minute in total to speak for (Tackle) and against (Block) a topic provided on the spot. With only 20 seconds to frame their speech, the participants were running against the clock to put their points across. Taking place in the Society Hall from 3:30 P.M. onwards, Judge Gautam Bajoria made it difficult for the participants to present their speech as he skillfully used Block and Tackle to perplex them. However, it was ever so pleasing for the audience to watch as they saw the participants give their best to shine through. Ending the event with closing remarks from the judge, participants from the Heritage Law College, Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration (GCCBA) College, and The Bhawanipur Education Society College (Main) were crowned victorious.

Tale Titans (Story Telling) – The most promising storytellers are the ones who mesmerize the listener through their narratives which are inspired by real-life events. Participants in the Storytelling event of Communiqué 2024 stood up to this challenge and brought their imagination to life using the correct words. The event started at 1:00 P.M. in the Jubilee Hall with Judge Siddharth Singh Rajput meticulously listening to the stories and grading the participants. Participants from The Bhawanipur Education Society College (OTSE), The Bhawanipur Education Society College (Main), and Seth Anandram Jaipuria College were declared winners of this event.

Mic Check (Stand-Up Comedy) – Held in the Concept Hall from noon onwards with 4 college participants, the Stand-Up was yet another event that attracted the likes of every student because everyone searches for some comic relief in their daily lives. As tough as it is to make people laugh, the participants made this job seem effortless to garnish some support for themselves. Their material ranged from hostel stories to pop culture references that made the acts entertaining and relatable. The judges for this event were Akshay Kapoor and Naman Chandak, both prodigies in their fields. The event concluded with a special act by one of the judges that the audience could not get enough of. In the end, participants from The Bhawanipur Education Society College (Main), Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration (GCCBA) and The Bhawanipur Education Society College (OTSE) were the winners. Everyone vacated the hall hooting and cheering for the participants and judges, making this event a grand success.

Live Wire (Live Reporting) – Filming around the campus, the Live Reporting event saw 6 college teams of 2 participants each who were given individual topics such as G20 Summit 2024, Ukraine-Russia Conflicts, Red Sea Crisis, and US-China Relations to document and report on. At 4 P.M., the teams went back to the Concept Hall where they submitted their edited reports to be displayed on the big screen and receive the final verdict of Judge Raj Mitholiya. Finally, St. Xavier’s College, Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration (GCCBA), and The Bhawanipur Education Society College (Main) received recognition as they were declared winners.

Screen Stories (Vlogging) – The Vlogging event spoke to Generation Z as vlogs are the most consumed content on the internet. Each college team that participated had 4 people in it and the biggest outlook of the vloggers was how they liked it out here in college. Most of the vlogs contained the vivid tropes of vlogging. Although the students tried their best to induce subtle organicness into their narratives; their intents and efforts were praiseworthy. Teams from The Bhawanipur Education Society College (Main), Seth Anandram Jaipuria College and Jadavpur University claimed their winning positions after the competition.

As the day ended, excitement filled the air as it was time for the prize distribution at the Closing Ceremony of Communiqué 2024. The Bhawanipur Education Society College and the Goenka College of Commerce and Business Administration (GCCBA) emerged as the overall winners of this year’s Communiqué. With the winners of each event being announced one after another, the curtains drew closer to the conclusion of this incredible inter-college event. Communiqué resumed this year and is now proudly a part of the BESC event roster, and we all look forward to its future editions!

A huge shoutout to Team Nazerya for delivering a banger performance that made our closing ceremony a night to remember! A heartfelt thanks to all our sponsors for their generous contributions and unwavering support in making this event a success!

Here’s to many more unforgettable Communiqué events ahead!

Reporters – Aniket Dasgupta, Jiya Tanna and Suchetan Bhadra
Photographers – Agrag Ghosh, Himanshu Jain, Gourav Chowdhury, Spandan Samanta