The Hindu : New Delhi News : Management students add a new dimension to charity

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 12, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Management students add a new dimension to charity

Parul Sharma

A silent auction to collect funds to educate girl child

Social service cell “Vihaan” of FMS put exciting “items” for sale
The cell managed to collect Rs.21,000 from the auction

NEW DELHI: The potential managers have put their ingenuous minds together to give a new, interesting dimension to charity and corporate social responsibility.

The social service cell “Vihaan” at Delhi University’s Faculty of Management Studies recently conducted a “silent auction” where students offered exciting “items” for sale and engaged in intense bidding.

The auction was “silent” as the items that went under the hammer were written on a sheet of paper along with the minimum bid amount that was put up on the notice board. Interested members of the audience wrote their names and the bidding amount on it as they tried to outbid each other to grab their favourite item.

While those who decide on the different things to be auctioned were mainly from FMS, the buyers were a mix of students from other colleges. This is the second year when the college conducted a “silent auction” that witnessed “great enthusiasm” from students.

And in true FMS style many innovative items were put on auction like coffee dates, “gyaan sessions” by toppers, bike lessons, home-made food for a week, chocolate cake treat, dinner coupons and movie tickets.

Accounting sessions

“The highest money-getter was financial accounting sessions by a senior, an intensely fought bid by the first-year students. The coffee and dinner dates were very interesting as it provided an official reason for informal interaction between the students. The bike lessons also had many takers, especially girls,” said Ashish Agarwal, president of “Vihaan”.

The cell managed to collect Rs.21,000 from the auction that would now be utilised for the education of the girl child.

“We have short-listed the organisations but have not zeroed in on any particular one. But it is for sure that we will use the money for education of the girl child as illiteracy is a roadblock to our growth. The participation and enthusiasm this year was very encouraging and we might make ‘silent auction’ an annual event.”

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