A webinar on "Expectations from fine arts Professionals: A perspective from our successful alumni" was conducted by Amity University alumni Mr. Manish Hans, UX Designer, Capgemini; Mr. Shashank Somani, Art Director, South Asia, Oriflame and Ms. Tanivi Jain, Artist & research Scholar, IIT Kanpur.
Welcoming the panelists Prof. (Dr.) Pradeep Joshi, Dean & DG (Faculty of Applied Arts/ Fine Arts/ Perform Arts/ Visual Arts), Amity University shared that Covid has given us an opportunity to share experiences and knowledge through the online domain with students also gaining access to the virtual labs at the campus. These webinars are giving the present students an opportunity to gain knowledge from the alumni that are doing well.
Mr. Manish Hans, UX Designer, Capgemini shared his experience of being in the industry for the last 10 years. He averred that time management is an integral aspect and can be learnt on the job. He further added that the next integral aspect to be learnt is Design Management that requires agility. He shared Indian design students don’t write enough to express their process or design ideas as it helps to convey their ideas better. He stressed on the need to learn and unlearn as per the requirement of time and to be flexible about it as the present scenario has changed the user behavior and needs. This change requires the design makers to change their approach. He also advised students to think globally as there might be instances where projects would require to cater to the global needs. He also asked students to follow established designers and professionals in the industry and follow their work.
Mr. Shashank Somani, Art Director, South Asia, Oriflame shared his experience of why he chose a creative career. He averred that he always wanted to go beyond boundaries and create something that made him opt for graphic designing. He stated that his learning experience at Amity helped him strengthen his foundation. He advised students to develop themselves during their college years and keep on learning.
Ms. Tanivi Jain, Artist & Research Scholar, IIT Kanpur advised students to be attentive, take in maximum knowledge and learn to present their ideas for a holistic growth. Be open to the diverse knowledge being disseminated and strengthen the basic skills. She suggested students to be regular and develop their working space and spend regular time there for ideas to develop. She also asked students to be updated and subscribe to newsletters, magazines etc to know what’s going on in the field. She also advised them to look for residencies, exhibitions and also be ready to face rejections. Ms. Jain stated that students should keep trying, develop contacts & be open to new opportunities.
A webinar on ‘Rehabilitation in Dementia’ was conducted by Dr. Amar Shinde, Director & Consultant Psychiatrist, Jagruti Rehabilitation Centre, Pune organized by AIBAS, Amity University, Noida. Awareness towards the need to improve accessibility of services and opportunities for people with disabilities is growing, but people with “hidden” disabilities such as dementia are still been excluded from these developments. Conceptualizing dementia in terms of social disability highlights the way in which symptoms such as memory problems—and the secondary effects of these, such as loss of confidence or negative reactions from others—affect the possibility of engaging in activities and participating in society. Thus, a rehabilitation-focused service is the most important need for these individuals. The webinar aimed to focus on understanding the various aspects of rehabilitation and its importance in Dementia care. Dr. Shinde averred that dementia patients are growing everywhere and there is very less awareness about the disease in the country.
He shared that dementia is a syndrome associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning. It includes memory loss; mental sharpness and quickness; language; understanding; mood; movement and difficulty in carrying out daily activities. There are various kinds of dementia including Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia among others. He also added that early diagnosis of dementia has many advantages including Allowing time for preparation; Empowering the patients to make treatment decisions early on; Facilitate caregiver participation; May slow down the progression of symptoms; offer the patient potential for greater functioning and independence and ease the stress on caregivers.