To officially welcome the batch of 2026, AIL organised its opening traditional event infamous for being anything but formal—the Formal Introduction. Organised on 7th April 2022 as the Thursday activity, the event was happening after a total of 2 years. It was only natural for it to have been better, louder and bigger this year when the students had been deprived of the AIL college experience for this long.
The first years, after lunch, went straight to their designated makeover area—the single-wing quad of their respective hostels. The second-year buddy seniors very generously helped their juniors properly get with the standard formal introduction fashion—the lipstick and kajal on the faces of the girls, the shoe polish on the guys, the heavy oil in hair mixing with sweat dripping in the uniform, the half-folded pants, the tie on the head and the mismatched shoes. This description might have made the event seem daunting to the first years before lunch, but once they actually got to being dolled up, it could not have been more thrilling for them to lose their inhibitions and become part of a community in the most fun way possible.
After being decorated by their kind seniors, the juniors queued up and then began the popular slogan-shouting competition between the two hostels on their respective ways from the hostels to the MPH. This year, yet again, it the girls hostel tagline was“AIL ka bol bala, baaki sab ka muh kala!”. The boys who are unfortunately overpowered by the girls in number chose to go with “Jab tak suraj chand rahega, boys hostel ka naam rahega”.
Slightly over 2 p.m., (because with the fervour and uproar, how can you possibly expect it to start on time?) the formal introduction began. The first years came up the stage one by one, introduced themselves to the entire college and named their seniors while sticking to their allotted tagline. And then they danced, some reluctantly, others wholeheartedly. The last twenty first-years might not have their buddy seniors but that did not put them off. The first years in their performances, and the second years in organising the event, despite having no experience, put on a great show for everyone. It wasn’t just the first years, the entire college could be seen enjoying themselves in the MPH—clapping and dancing, grooving down memory lane!
This write-up has been prepared by Khushi Singh (III Year).
