The 12th of May 2023 was a Friday, but not a usual one. This was the Friday that marked the last of three events leading up to the official goodbyes for the outgoing batch, the batch of 2023. As the midsummer scorching heat simmered the campus, the afternoon air lingered with the anticipation of what the evening held in store. The hostels were teeming with activity as the fifth years, both, the ladies and the gentlemen, were decking up to be a part of their ultimate event organized as students of AIL, and as a batch together.
As the clocks struck half past 4 in the evening, the MPH was abuzz with the gorgeous batch’s arrival. As the fifth year or the supremos of the college stepped foot onto the AIL Filmfare Awards venue, the attendees were all left awestruck. The faculty and administration joined in too, along with certain invited juniors.
The fourth year put on an excellent show with the entire evening radiating pure joy and bonhomie, albeit with an air of bittersweetness. One of the most exciting segments was the Awards which were a testimony to the specialty of each of the winners’ personalities throughout this span of half a decade. The Best Dialogue awards went to Surabhi Dwivedi ma’am and Sheikhar Panwar sir, while the best drama feature awards were bagged by Ayushi Shukla ma’am and Amit Murari sir. Ishita Singh ma’am and Gaurav Shekhawat sir have been brightening up people’s lives with their smiles and rightfully were awarded the Most Vivacious Smile award. The People’s Choice award went to Vanshika ma’am and Deepak sir. Hitika Goyal ma’am and Jai Prasad sir were endowed with the Best Entertainer award for their merry selves, while Karan Kapoor sir and Vedika Rao ma’am were declared the Fashion Icons. The Jai-Veeru award went to Mohit and Ajshal sir for their endearing friendship and Sankalp Sharma sir and Jyoti Pandey ma’am took home the Most Versatile Personality award. The Action Hero/ Heroine award went to Aradhya Jain ma’am and Sanjay Revar sir.
There was also the hilarious category of ‘Balti awards’ which saw Nikitha Kadam ma’am be awarded the Kangana Ranaut title. Sumit, Ishaan, Gaurav and Sankalp sir, along with Abhidha ma’am were announced as the Sooraj Barjatiya Parivaar winners, whereas Himanshu Pandey sir was adjudged as the Khatron Ka Khiladi. The Govinda award was rightly given to Nirmal sir and Devyang Bahri sir took home the Gyaan Chand award.
The Farewell was followed by an electrifying DJ Night, to which the college danced the night away, heedless of the stinging heat, because nothing truly beats the company of college friends now, does it?
As the evening came to a close, it was clear that the beginning of the end was drawing near. Happy faces, eyes glistening with tears and an atmosphere of poignancy and gratefulness enveloped the Basement. The outgoing batch carried the bastion of the institute to great heights and among other things, set a new record of placements. As this baton is passed onto the fourth years, there is a common sentiment echoing the halls of the college, that this batch is not only stepping forth into their new lives as brand new adults with impeccable individualities but also taking a part of this college with them. Half a decade at this place, half a decade of laughter, tears, joy, and sadness, rushed moments of presentations and leisurely times spent at the Mughal Gardens. We hope this batch never forgets this place that made them who they are and may they always remember that no matter where they are in this world, an AILian will always come through for another AILian. To the batch of 2023, may you have the best of everything wherever you go and continue to be the pioneers your juniors look up to. As juniors, friends, and fellow AILians, we shall miss you and we hope to cross paths with you someday, sooner than later.
You played your part well, batch of 2023, bona fortuna.
This has been written by Sakshi Narwal (III Year).
