ORIGIN

About 15 years ago, the admission procedure to join MIT was changed from interview to written test.  Students then 
realized the necessity that communication skills play in Engineering career.  A small group of enthusiastic students and 
staff members started PDA in 1985. Ever since then PDA has been a part of every MITian's Personality.

OBJECTIVES

At the beginning, motto of PDA was 'PASSPORT TO A BRIGHT FUTURE'. However with changing times, PDA has changed itself from a single direction view of placement to overall personality development (with varied interests). Its new motto is 'DISCOVER YOURSELF'.

PDA has been concentrating on the development of communication skills like spoken English, art of public speaking,
art of handling people right from the beginning etc.,

PDA conducts group discussions, group tasks, mock interviews, Guest lectures and workshops on personality development.  Many People have been benefited by PDA who are well placed today.

ACTIVITIES

1. WEEKLY ACTIVITIES

PDA conducts regular weekend sessions on every Saturday, which includes activities like group discussions, snap discussions, extempore, turn coats, this week that was, group tasks, vocabulary sections and some entertainment.

2. MONTHLY ACTIVITIES

Conducts aptitude tests, mock interviews, guest lectures, workshops, quiz and timely competitions in elocution, painting, 
drawing, collage, music, poetry, etc., 

3. ANNUAL ACTIVITIES

The jewel in the crown of PDA is its annual grandeur 'PERSOFEST' - an intra & inter collegiate cultural extravaganza in which competitions are conducted to judge the students'  development.

PDA runs a free lending LIBRARY (In the small room adjacent to the MIT Main Library) and maintains a NOTICE BOARD exclusively for PDA (Placed in the entrance of Production Department).
 

The half yearly report of the activities of PDA for the Academic year 1998-'99, submitted by The Chairman, PDA, to The Dean, MIT is given below.
 
 

It gives me immense pleasure in presenting the half-yearly report for the academic year 1998-'99.

The institute re-opened on 1st August, for the academic  year 1998-'99. A new team of members, energetic and bubbling 
with enthusiasm took charge as office bearers.  Thus PDA stepped into its 14th year in the GOLDEN JUBILEE YEAR OF MIT.

On 8th August, the very first Saturday of current academic year, PDA started its activities through the first weekend
session of this academic year.

As the next Saturday was INDEPENDENCE DAY we decided to join with Athenaeum (Students Body of MIT) in celebrating the Independence Day. A thought provoking panel discussion on the topic:
" ROLE MODEL FOR TODAY'S YOUTH AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF YOUTH IN BUILDING FUTURE INDIA"
was arranged on 15th August '98.  Dr. S. GANAPATHY,Dean, MIT, had presided over and coordinated the discussion.  Along with a number of student participants Dr. S. VENKATASAMY, H.O.D., Dept. of Production and Dr. S. KRISHNAMOORTHY, Prof. & In-charge for computer Center took part in the discussion.

Every year, MIT admits students from various regions and with diversified background and cultures.  On the day of arrival 
of I year students we had seen the top brains of Tamil Nadu with bright faces, filled with lot of confidence and hope in future. 

To give the freshers a good start, on 8th Sep. '98, we gave the introduction about PDA for I years with a speech by
Prof. K.V.NARAYANAN, visiting Professor, Department of Instrumentation.  Prof. K.V.N, in his speech emphasized the 
importance of PDA activities and spoke at length about the role of PDA in shaping the students of MIT.  The freshers were asked to express what they expected from PDA and their request and opinions were noted down.

In order to identify the dormant talents in the first year students and to encourage the enthused students to acquire new 
talents, PDA conducted TALENTS SEARCH '98 on 18th September '98. 200 students attended it and the youngsters proved their creativity and talents.  During Talent Search'98 PDA selected five students for SIVARANJANI, the music troop of Athenaeum.  R.MUKUND (III Aero) & C. GAYATHRI (III IT) were the panel members.

Eventhough our activities had started on the very first Saturday of this academic year we did the formal inauguration 
on 28th October at Rajam Hall.  Mr. TERENCE SHENOY, Managing Partner, Metro Consultancy Services delivered the inspiring inaugural address on the topic 'FROM RAGS TO RICHES'. Prof. K.V.Narayanan, presided over the function.  One of our alumni Mr. SR.BHASKHERAN, Chief Executive, Winners Galaxy, gave the felicitation.  The Staff In-charge of PDA Mr. S. GAJENDRAN guided us there.

WINNERS ARE NOT BORN; THEY ARE MADE, It is only those who realize and recognize their Talents and Potentials shine in life. An one day workshop on  'HOW TO USE MORE OF YOUR POTENTIAL EFFECTIVELY' was organized on 31st Oct.'98 jointly with Rotaract Club of MIT. Around 75 students attended the workshop.  Mr. M. KESHAV and Mr. SREENIVASAN from Management Training Research Associates (MANTRA) conducted the programme. The interaction of our students with them and their response was tremendous. Mr. Kesav had a special mention about it in his letters to The Dean, MIT, and Prof. K.V.Narayanan.

In order to encourage the literary interests among the students PDA conducted a poetry competition jointly with SAARAL. 
Dr. T.S.SUBBARAMAN, Prof. of Physics, Dept. of Science and Humanities, selected two prizewinners:

1. J. Sravanan                    (Final IT)  -- I
2. Hariprasad Murugesan   (Final IT)  -- II

The panel for quiz team selection comprises of T.C.Jagannathan (Final Auto), Sreekumar (Final Aero), N.G.Swaroopa (Final Elex) and Sripratha (Final Elex).

WEEKEND SESSIONS

In addition too the special sessions, regular sessions were held on every Saturday.  Each session begins with VOCABULARY SECTION. This was handled by both office bearers as well as student volunteers.  This year we introduced a PRIZE scheme for the best sentence formed in VOCUBULARY SECTION.  Every week prizes were given for the best sentence.  In the weekend sessions a variety of programes were conducted to eliminate stage fear and to develop the courage to address a gathering among the students.
 

The performance of the participants were reviewed, assessed, comments, suggestions and scope for further development were offered.  In the same time every session comprises some informal events as entertainment part.

Let us have a look at the weekend sessions of this academic year:
 

PLAN FOR THE EVEN SEMESTER

Since PDA is a strongly self motivated assocation in MIT, the office bearers of PDA are well known for their discipline 
and sincerity.  The office bearers meet frequently, evaluate the activities and have discussions about future plans and actions. Let us have a look at what the New Year has got in store for us.

MIT GOLDEN JUBILEE

PDA will gear up the internal publicity about the Golden Jubilee activities in our campus.  In every PDA session 
information about the current programmes will be passed to the students with the help of Prof. K.V.Narayanan. It will help to increase the students participation and involvement in the golden jubilee activities.

MOCK INTERVIEW

At the end of each weekend session (Saturday 12 AM to 1 PM), it is proposed to conduct mock interviews for prefinal year
students (five students per week). Final year students will be invited as interviewers.  The ultimate aim of PDA is to conduct
mock interview for al pre-final year students.  In connection with this an aptitude test of one hour duration is planned on 19th Jan '99.

SPECIAL SESSION FOR DAYSCHOLARS

As many dayscholar students are unable to utilise the benefits of weekend sessions, PDA has decided to conduct special
weekday sessions for dayscholars, once in a month. 

INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR REGULAR SESSIONS

To make the regular sessions more interesting, it is proposed to introduce group tasks and events, which will develop
inter-personal skills. To ensure that attending PDA session is a value addition for a student, PDA will identify one student per session as " MAN OF THE SESSION" and whose name will be displayed in the notice board.  Also for the regular participants their activities will be registered regularly and it will lead to a cumulative PRIZE at the end of the year.

PDA will give a rolling trophy every month to the students of a particular year (I year, II year & Prefinal year) based on 
the cumulative performance of the respective year students.

PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB & SCIENCE CLUB 

As PDA has not restricted itself only to develop the Communication skills, in addition to this, it is now concentrating
on making a student a multidimensional personality.   Towards this already PDA has constituted QUIZ CLUB.  Now PDA will institute two new clubs, PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB & SCIENCE CLUB as an integral part of PDA.  The student volunteers will run this. Before the institution of these clubs a photography competition will be conducted on 23rd Jan.'99.

YOGA CLASS & GUEST LECTURES

As that of last year YOGA classes will be arranged for boys and girls separately.  The classes will be taken by Mr. Magendran, Director, Yoga Sadanalaya and his wife.

Mr. S. Natarajan, Manager-Training, Kone Elevators Ltd.,has consented to conduct a workshop on Memory Skills by Feb. '99.

Also PDA is planning to arrange guest lectures on inter-personal development by eminent Professors like Dr. S. Renganathan & Prof. A. Nagarajan.

REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATION

PDA has decided to celebrate the Republic day, 26th Jan.'99, Jointly with Rotaract Club of MIT.  It will be a full day event. 
Various competitions like Quiz (sponsored by QUIZ CLUB of PDA), Collage & Painting, elocution, etc., will be conducted.

PERSOFEST '99

The crown of PDA activities, an annual cultural extravaganza, PERSOFEST'99 has been planned as a two full days activity on 27th & 28th Feb. '99 (Saturday & Sunday).  As that of last year this year also first day will be intra and second day will be
both intra & inter collegiate.  But this year more emphasize will be given for intra-collegiate events.  Also Mr./Miss. PERSOFEST will be held in three categories like last year.

Unlike the practice of terminating the regular activities after PERSOFEST, this year PDA has decided to continue the regular activities till valediction to be held on April '99.

So far I have given, in a nutshell, the activities carried out by PDA in the odd semester of this academic year and our
future plans and objectives. Suggestions, if any for the overall functioning of the PDA will help in streamlining the activities that will ultimately result in the benefit for the student community.

Before concluding, I would like to request you to motivate students to take part in weekly PDA activities regularly and with
zeal, eagerness and enthusiasm.  I am sure a word of encouragement from you will do wonders.

Thanking you for your kind co-operation and encouragement extended in past and looking forward to your continuous support.

Yours faithfully,
 

(P.NANDAKUMAR)
  CHAIRMAN, PDA. 
siruvan_nanda@hotmail.com