Indian Society: Social Secretaries

A lyric that has always resonated with me is Soni de Nakhre. Why? Because Soni? Me. Nakhre? is what I’ll have making sure that the 23/24 Indian society events are perfect. I’m a recently cultured BBCD- British-born Confused Desi and through this society, I’ve had the chance to meet and connect with more people in my community, which I am so grateful for, and which is why I’d like this opportunity in my final year of university to bring more browns together.

I like to describe myself as extroverted as I love speaking to people and I also love making people comfortable, I would ensure our events are fun for everyone and welcoming even to those who are unsure about joining, as I was initially too.

During my part-time job at Swingers (It’s golf) I worked as a hostess with my main responsibilities being planning and organising larger parties and being detail oriented to ensure things are run seamlessly, I believe these skills will help me thrive in this role and bring to life some new ideas for events, such as UCL’s own Indian Idol.

During the day, I’m a hardworking student who loves trying new food and enjoys being a bed bug and by night I’m a club rat who has a soft spot for chasing vodka with wine, and whose character flaw is doing the Saki Saki dance every time it comes on in the club.

2022 Indian society was the moment, the IT girl, it was what every society wants to be; I can help make 2023 Indian society untouchable, the queen B, the one no other society could ever be.

I am running for Social Secretary for the UCL India Society because I wish to give back to this society what has been offered to me. 

I believe I will make a good social secretary because I am an organised and dedicated individual. I thrive in team environments, therefore, believe I can provide a strong support system for the head of socials, whilst also being able to handle planning and delivering events. 

I have strong communication skills and would be able to liaise with the other members of the committee, such as the sales and marketing officers. I like to plan events and I am detail orientated. I would love to plan events that are inclusive to everyone and encourage more and more people to get involved. 

As your social secretary, I would implement the following events:

- Indian family socials as well as inter-family socials, such as games night or pub motives 

- Bollywood Movie Night 

- Hosting sport matches showings such as cricket 

- Sports Day 

- Inter-uni games night 

Growing up in Delhi and then moving to London for university, what I missed the most was celebrating festivals and having ongoing events - whether that be a cousin's wedding or just a tiny get-together with family or friends. I didn't think that void could be filled quickly. After attending my first Indian society event, I immediately lost the prominent feeling of being homesick. Not only did it allow me to stay connected to my roots, but it also allowed me to connect and build relationships with so many other people who were just like me and part of the same culture. Every event I've attended exceeded my expectations and has been some of the best nights in London, from Dhamaal to Jashn, which reminded me of a typical Indian sangeet. Going to these events, I have always wanted to be more involved with Indian society. The social secretary position seems the best fit due to my experience organising events. Being the yellow house captain in high school, I was a key member in organising school events, such as prom, school dances ( for Diwali, end of term and graduation), and other festive occasions such as Holi. Hence, the social secretary position is the one I want to apply for, allowing me to work on and organise both larger and smaller-scale events and continue to create opportunities for all members to connect and have a great time.

My name is Sarah, a first year medic, and I’m running for the role of social secretary as it is best suited to my personality and skill set. I have thoroughly enjoyed all the events held by the Indian society this year, especially Dhamaal and Jashn, and being involved in creating these events would be a privilege. Such a large cultural society enables me to embrace my culture and meet many amazing people. 

As the social secretaries regularly liaise with other committee members, the ability to work collaboratively is incredibly important. Volunteering as a St John Ambulance cadet for over 5 years has driven me to thrive in a teamwork environment. Planning events to such a high standard requires me to be an effective listener, communicator and decision-maker, skills which I have further enhanced in different ways by being an Oxfam volunteer and Maths Prefect.

If given the opportunity, I would attempt to make future events extraordinary by gaining input from all Indian society members as to which events they would enjoy. I believe a variation of events would enhance the UCL Indian society experience, with not just desi club nights but also relaxing events such as movie nights. In order to enrich these events and encourage inclusivity and networking, we can involve other UCL societies or other universities. 
 

This role will allow me to express my hardworking and passionate self, whilst celebrating my beautiful culture!

Hey everyone! My name is Ashwin, if we haven’t met at one of the many social events, I am first year Economics student. I enjoy playing volleyball, weightlifting, watching SRK movies. I also love biryani (please let me know where I can find good biryani here).

To an international student from a small city in India, London can be overwhelming. Discovering this feeling is shared by many, provided comfort and reinforced my decision to study 5000 miles away from home. Throughout first year, the Indian Society has acted as a medium to socialise with people who love Biryani. I primarily met such people at events like Dhamaal and Jashn as well smaller events. The social team at the Indian Society created a safe and inclusive environment at the events. Their approachable personality made making friends and having a good time effortless.

As a social secretary, I will create a welcoming environment for all. I believe I will be successful in doing so because of my approachable and social personality. These are my objectives as social secretary:

• Organize smaller social events such as movie screenings, game nights etc. to get members to cultivate friendships.
• Make Dhamaal and Jashn bigger.
• Arrange flag hoisting ceremony for republic day with jalebi and lassi.
• Collaborate with cultural societies to push Indian Society as the umbrella body.

To conclude, I look forward to being social secretary for a society that has played such an integral role in shaping my university experience so far.

I’d love to become the social secretary for Indian society next year. The first couple of years at UCL I always found myself at the events being hosted by your team. Of course, it’s a great challenge to even compare to the events taken place this year, but I would love to have the chance to build on this great social dynamic that your team already has. Despite being brought up in London, I’ve had several opportunities to help accustom me to my heritage, although I have a huge respect and admiration for your team for making that a reality for me in my university life. This would be a great chance to expose people who haven’t had the same experiences to this great opportunity. I would love to get as many people to partake in the events you have made tradition for me to attend. I chose to apply for the social secretary position as I’m well versed in organisation for event planning. After planning a few of my own events over the last couple of years, I have earned my keep as a hard-working teammate who will go to lengths to deliver the best result. I hope I have the chance to prove this to you guys' next year :). 

Attending the UCL Indian Society socials and events this year was an amazing experience. As an individual far away from his home back in India, it always kept me close to home in essence. That experience meant a lot to me and as a social secretary, I would wish to work hard to organise events which provide a similar experience to the other students who decide to be a part of the UCL Indian Society family. 
 

This would also give me an opportunity to interact with different people and network which is something I am genuinely passionate about. I am an extremely hardworking individual who makes the most out of whatever he is given and this is exactly what I intend to do with my position at the UCL Indian Society. Indian society has been doing extremely impressive work throughout the years and being a part of that legacy and working my best to uphold it is what attracted me to apply for the position. 
 

Hi everyone I'm Reesha and I’m a first year Economics student running for social secretary!

Being a member of Indian Society has elevated my whole first year experience. It has provided a platform to easily meet new people not only during Freshers but throughout the year. I have had some amazing experiences at various Indian society events such as at Jashn and at desi club nights.

During my gap year I worked in a golf club and worked firsthand with my manager to organise any events we had, including birthday parties, anniversaries, and even a wedding. I communicated effectively with vendors and clients which built up social and organisational skills. Transferring these to the role of social secretary would enable me to bring back society events at a constant if not even higher quality. 

Some of my aims as social secretary would be to:

• Organise small, frequent events such as mendhi or movie nights as well as large-scale events such as Dhamaal
• Continue the family scheme and integrate this with other universities 
• Bridge the gap between all years by hosting monthly socials to meet like-minded society members or course mates

I think I would be a great fit for this role as I'm outgoing, enthusiastic and love to make everyone feel included. I would work with the committee to ensure all members feel welcomed into the society and build unforgettable memories during their time at UCL. Vote for me if you want events as iconic as this year's have been!

Hi Everyone, 

My name is Mehak and I’m currently a first-year PPE student from Singapore. I believe Indian society has created a vibrant, lively and encouraging community for people from various backgrounds, and as social secretary, I want to help carry on this legacy

My previous experience as a director for Singapore’s 24-Hour Race has given me insights into coordinating and organising a country-wide event, while hosting mini games, and ensuring all members have an enjoyable weekend. I believe the planning and problem-solving skills I gained are integral to the role of social secretary and will benefit me to understand how to cater to the needs of the members of Indian society. 

Whether it’s at Jashn or Dhamaal, I’m excited to meet new people, and form meaningful connections. For instance, if I were given the opportunity to be your social secretary, I would introduce inter-uni sports competitions, and game nights with an emphasis on family fortunes. Lastly, I would highlight India Week with events with a greater focus on our Indian culture for students to get to know the committee better and make some unforgettable memories.

Vote for me as your social secretary to continue the Dhamaal!

Hi my name is Shreya and I believe I would be well fitted for this role due to my skillet and
personality. Over the past year, I have thoroughly looked forward to and enjoyed all the Indian Society events from the family scheme to Dhamaal and Jashn.
I loved getting involved with the Just Bollywood dance team and meeting people from similar backgrounds. My experience in the team showed that coordination, time-management, and communication are required to strengthen team dynamics. I observed and learnt how mishaps were solved between the team members and believe I can bring this skillet to the role to be able to provide rational solutions to any concerns people may have
My experience leading Indian dance club in school provided me with the skills to recruit dancers and promote the club as an inclusive environment for all. This role developed my promotional and marketing skills which were achieved through my social and out-going personality. I am confident I will bring the same qualities and mind-set to Indian Society and aspire to arrange new events inclusive for all. 

Overall, I would like to get involved in the organisational aspect of the social events and would love to be part of the Indian Soc family!
 

Hey, I'm Shayna and I am running for social secretary! Connecting with people and embracing Indian culture and traditions in Indian Society events have been the best part of my UCL experience so far. I'm excited to continue to make more amazing memories and encourage other members to make even better memories themselves. As an extroverted and friendly person, I love talking to new people and believe I will be perfect for the role of social secretary.

Being a tennis coach has enabled me to gain useful skills in communication and teamwork, boosting my ability to engage with people to create a fun and enjoyable environment. During sixth form, I hosted and played a central role in organising our school charity fashion show, where it was also my responsibility to involve other students and promote the event to a wider community. As a part-time DJ, I bring a unique skill set of being able to create a vibrant environment that encourages engagement. I believe these attributes will be useful when organising big events, such as Jashn and Dhamaal to make sure everyone has the best time. I'm willing to put time and commitment into being responsible for the best execution of these events.

As social secretary, I would organise inter-university and inter-society events which would be dedicated to creating a sense of community and belonging among members. Vote for me as your social secretary if you want more lit motives and another fun year of Indian Society!

Hi! I’m Shreya and I would like to run for a social secretary position for Indian society. 

Over the past year I have attended a lot of the Indian society events and the dance classes and have interacted with a lot of the members of the committee, and I think that the sense of community in this society is unmatched and I would love to be a part of that!

Out of all the roles, social secretary stood out the most to me, mainly because I have always been told I am very outgoing and I love meeting new people and I think welcoming all the freshers next year with kickass events like dhamaal this year would be something I would love to help out with. 

I really hope you consider my application to be a social sec this year! :)