<p><strong>Meerut (The Hawk): </strong>An eminent fashion technologist and educationist Dr Reema Varshney, Director, Vidya Institute of Fashion Technology, VKP, Meerut was recently interviewed by our EduReporter Mr SP Verma. The following is the essence of the interview.&nbsp;</p>
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<h4><strong>When did you start your journey as an educator and how many years have you dedicated to this industry?</strong>&nbsp;</h4>
<p>I have started my journey as an educator in 1995 as Assistant Professor in Linguistic and Phonetics in AKPPG College Hapur and since then I am teaching various subjects like English literature, Communicative English to the students of courses like, B.Tech., MBA, MCA, BAFT, etc. More than 26 years have been invested in educating the students and to guide them in improving their communicative English, Design project skills, soft skills, HR marketing, etc.&nbsp;</p>
<h4><br>What was your vision and motivation behind heading VIFT? <br><br></h4>
<p>I take VIFT as an opportunity as well as a challenge to me. As while working in Engineering college as Assistant Professor, I had developed a taste for graphic design. I have an inborn talent for creative analysis and VIFT is an opportunity to apply this ability for making students employable and skilled for design industry. Initially it was very difficult but I believe following dream passionately, that makes my journey smooth. My vision is to take VIFT at par with National Institution in terms of skills development. Higher rate of students success is the motivating factor to me. At VIFT, we are preparing the skilled fashion technologists, graphic designers, artists and journalists through the courses of BFAD,BFA, BJMC,DFD and ADFD.</p>
<h4><br>What is the scope of fashion and design related careers for the students?</h4>
<p><br>Careers in the fields related to designing, fashion technology and journalism are available in large numbers to the skilled professionals. They are highly in demand and the career scope in this area is increasing day by day. All the people are now much sensitive towards creative designs in all type of products. Products created by fashion designers and graphic designers are searched by people and organisations. The use of social media has increased the scope of journalism too. VIFT is developing skilled and creative professionals and helping them for their placements.</p>
<h4><br>Who has been your inspiration during this journey?&nbsp;</h4>
<p><br>Several people have influenced my personality but the main source of my inspiration include Sri Ratan Tata ji, Narayana Murthy ji, and Sudha Narayana Murthy, who taught me not to stop until you achieve.&nbsp;</p>
<h4><br>What are the bigger challenges you face during your journey? How did you overcome these obstacles?&nbsp;</h4>
<p><br>The greatest challenge is to deal with 18 years plus students who came with high vision and get distracted with so many antisocial activities and peer pressure. My focus remains to get them educated not only theoretically but practically with employable skills. It is difficult but now it is resolved as I have developed a lot of industry connect to bridge the gap between academics and industry. We provide all sorts of help and support and training to prepare and place our students well in the industries.</p>
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<h4>Describe one instance that led to step in the education sector. <br><br></h4>
<p>I remember when I was a child may be of 8 or 9 years of age while other cousins of mine play other games and I used to dress up as a teacher and take the class to my younger siblings and neighbourhood children (very old memories) and got appreciation for my teaching skills even in childhood, I am born to be an educator only.&nbsp;</p>
<h4><br>What are the ways in which your institute has reached out and connected with its neighbouring community?&nbsp;</h4>
<p><br>VIFT organise various outreach programmes to serve the society in a better manner. Various CSR activities are organised in neighbouring locations and villages. Publicity by mouth publicity of our past and existing students, our training and placement records and proper and effective use of website and social media have found useful in reaching out and connecting with community.&nbsp;</p>
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<div style="text-align:left;"><img src="https://thehawk.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/Exhibition.webp" alt="exhibition" style="height: 294px;width: 400px"/></div>
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<h4><br>What are your expectations from the colleagues in your Institute and how do you help them to work towards achieving the organisation’s vision? <br></h4>
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<p>I am happy to share that my team in VIFT is a well-knit team working sincerely to achieve the goals set by the management. We understand that teamwork is important to achieve organisational vision. I always explain my colleagues the meaning of team is together everybody achieve the maximum. Hence, I do SWOT analysis and allot work to each of them and give them a lot of freedom to work then analyse their work evaluate and appreciate their work. I think this is how a leadership work. We organise skill enhancement programmes for our colleagues regularly. Both our chairman Mr PK Jain and Executive Director-Mr Vishal Jain are visionary and quite supportive.</p>
<h4><br>How would you encourage developing leadership capacity in your students?&nbsp;</h4>
<p><br>I always share with my students that if they are a good learners only then they could be  good workers and then effective leaders. Until and unless you know your work you cannot lead the world. Through different activities/workshops/interactive sessions, we are developing the leadership skills, creativity, problem solving, decision making and Critical Thinking among our students.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h4><br>What are the values you wish to inculcate in your student?&nbsp;</h4>
<p><br>We at VIFT always believe in honesty which is the best policy. Through different activities, we are inculcating values of creativity, hard work, integrity, responsibility, sportsmanship, self-direction, love, truth, peace, and rightfulness.&nbsp;</p>
<h4><br>What is your opinion about the present-day educational system in our country?&nbsp;</h4>
<p><br>The present-day education system requires a lot of issues to be addressed for the development of young minds. Luckily, NEP 2020 has been launched by Govt of India in higher learning institutes which will produce skilled manpower and professionals making our country self-reliant in almost all fields. I am sure that the problems occurring in the present education system will be eliminated and we will be able to make our country proud through the education system blended with modern education system and our ancient rich culture.</p>
<h4><br>What are the changes in the behaviour of a student after post Coved pandemic? How are dealing with such situations? <br><br></h4>
<p>This is something really very relevant question in current scenario as post Covid pandemic left young brain exposed to many exposures in technologies. These are good to certain extent but made them addictive, consequently they are facing a lot of psychological, medical and behaviour issues. These issues are needed to be handled sensibly and scientifically. We at VIFT are organising counselling sessions for the learners to make them physically fit and mentally alert.&nbsp;</p>
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<p><strong>—Dr Reema Varshney</strong><br><br>Dr Reema Varshney, Professor and Director, Vidya Institute of Fashion Technology, VKP, Meerut, was born on 14 April 1971. She was awarded Ph.D. degree in 2002 by CCS University, Meerut. She is an educationist of repute having 26 years of teaching experience and possessed various post graduate degrees like M.A, M.Phil., MBA(HR), MSc (Fashion Design), and B.Ed. <br><br><br>She has more than 11 years of administrative experience of running an AICTE Approved Fashion institute. She has authored 18 research papers, out of which 8 were published in different journals while 10 were presented in national seminars and workshops. She has organised many seminars and workshops.  She is an empanelled Counsellor in IGNOU for MBA programme. She has one patent on her credit. She is convenor, Board of Studies for BAFT in AKT University.  <br><br><br></p>


An eminent fashion technologist and educationist Dr Reema Varshney, Director, Vidya Institute of Fashion Technology, VKP, Meerut

“Career Scope in Fashion and Design Industry is Expanding Day by Day’’ –Dr Reema

<p><strong>New Delhi (The Hawk): </strong> If you look at our history of thousands of years, you will find that the connection between teacher and student is for a lifetime. It is a game changer, a defining moment in the career and life of that person. You will always find that there is some teacher who has changed your life, who has given due impetus to your life. I have that in my mind.<br>When I was admitted to Sainik School, I came from a village school where English was not even taught and Sainik School medium was English. So your intellect was of no consequence because you did not know English and the kind of hand holding that I got from my teacher, I came to know within two years Britannica Encyclopaedia, Picasso and was also exposed to the small biographies of 100 people who mattered in the world over centuries.<br>This motivation which is of special energization, was by a teacher. When I took the oath of office of the Governor of the State of West Bengal, information was given to me that a call is repeatedly dropping from Kerala. Someone from Kerala is very keen to connect with me. But the call was being dropped. I knew it was my teacher from Sainik School- Ms. Nair. I connected with her. As Vice-President of India, I made a visit to Kerala and went to her home because you never forget a teacher.<br>A teacher creates human resources and human resources create the rest of the things. The most difficult task is the creation of a human resource, generating human resource, imbibing in the human resource that energy which can help the person fully unleash her energy. We are living in times where our teachers are fortunate because they are getting the support of the ecosystem. A teacher works even when the ecosystem is not good. They will care for the student. But now there is an ecosystem on account of a series of Government policies, affirmative initiatives that a young mind can fully exploit his or her potential and talent, that opportunity is now available. How good an Institute is, it is not defined by the infrastructure, by the buildings, but it is defined by the faculty. It doesn't take much time to know how good the faculty is, how committed the faculty is. The rating of a University or a college or Institute is never on the account of infrastructure. I can tell you some Universities where infrastructure is great but faculty is not there.<br>The Indian mind globally is dominating at the moment, only on account of our teachers. I am greatly enthused by coming to this place. These days, what I find is that our teachers are absolutely playing on the front foot with Straight bat. There are no constraints. I appeal to everyone that our society is suffering majorly because we are unable to give our teachers the kind of respect the teachers should have.<br>It is very difficult to mentor one’s own child. Mentoring children of others with that dedication, with that commitment, and finding out everything which the boys suffer, girls suffer and then motivating, is a tough challenge and a teacher does that.<br>Dr. Radhakrishnan, a philosopher of world repute, Vice President of India for 10 years and President of India- he is not known as President. His recognition is not because he was the Vice President or a philosopher, his recognition was on account of ‘a teacher’ and that is why 5th September is a day for all of us to celebrate. Dr. Abdul Kalam, he is known best as a teacher. He died in the North East while interacting with the students. The society must learn to repay the teacher, as we expect our students, when they take a leap in the larger world, to repay to society, to the teacher, to alma mater.<br>I would greatly appeal to everyone- I have done it in my capacity as Governor, Vice Chancellor of several Universities and Vice President, being Chairman of Rajya Sabha- I tell everyone, the precedence the society must give to the teachers is beyond the official protocol. This is a protocol emanating from the heart and mind working together.<br>I was at the University of Jammu yesterday. I was so happy and came absolutely satisfied because the faculty there was satisfied. It is the prime obligation of every Institute of repute to prioritise the facilities that are available to the teacher. It is a teacher who will think out of the box. It is a teacher who will lead you to the path of innovation. It is the teacher who will give you energy when you are depressed and you think you are sinking.<br>How good- not just an institution, or society, but humanity will be- will be determined by the teacher. I asked several people in the industry, whatever you are doing, whatever profits you are making, whatever product you are manufacturing, who created it? They will say it was created in a lab of the college or University. It is never created in a factory. They execute, they don't innovate. I am so happy to share that the present Prime Minister is extremely committed to Research and Development, and Research and Development is 100% the domain of the teacher. Research, Development and creativity go together. It is not easy for a teacher to succeed with what has occurred in his or her mind. They have worked tirelessly for years on a particular project; in the process they should get proper recognition.<br>I am sometimes pained and I will share my pain with you. There is a prestigious institution in the US where there is a faculty from every part of the world but it is Indian faculty that decries its own country, that demeans its own country, no one else does it.<br>I know, by and large, academia in our country is fired with the vision of our founding fathers. Their commitment to our nationalism is unqualified. They must not observe silence when some of us, a very small category, misguide it.<br>I have been critical of government funding of foreign universities by five million US dollars in 2009.  A big house donating 50 million US Dollars to an outside agency, another house giving foreign universities a foothold, the images will make them big- for what?<br> Our faculty is next to none, why should Indian money not come to Indian Universities, Indian colleges of excellence? Why should we not write freely about it? How can we countenance that a professor of Indian Origin is decrying our nation in the US to build his image with others?<br> We cannot allow others to calibrate us. This calibration is some kind of servitude, it is compromising our independence and nationalism. We will calibrate ourselves. We don't calibrate others, why should they calibrate us?<br> The calibration is motivated by a narrative that there is no freedom of speech in India. Tell me in which country you can speak so freely? As Vice-President and Chairman, Rajya Sabha, I can tell you that everyone has full freedom. It is a functional democracy. Can you think of a more vibrant democracy than India? Such seamless Constitutional transfer of power, there is no issue. We believe in our institutions.<br> When I was interacting with the Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom, more than 20 of them across the political spectrum conveyed to me- we need your execution. It is very vibrant, but here if I win, I salute to the Election Commission but if I lose the machine is bad. Now how can an intelligent and rational mind digest it?<br> Another culture that has come- you were under oath at one point of time as I am at the moment as Vice-President; I demit my office and I become a loose cannon, to destroy my own system and my own country!<br> Academia has to speak out and occupy a social space as you are a neutral, impactful force. What you write will get disseminated by word of mouth, which means a lot. I am surprised sometimes that people find it difficult to rejoice historic and unimaginable accomplishments of this country. We have on the ground now, what we did not think of dreaming.<br> I have known governance since 1989, when I was elected to the Parliament. I had seen the Government was struggling then for forex reserves, for billions of US dollars and the gold had to be sent out to save our credibility in the fiscal world. By the turn of the decade, we will be the third largest economy- all because of the teacher.<br> And therefore, we cannot be judgmental about the two entities- the teacher and the mother. We have no option but only to salute them. We only celebrate that we have the good fortune and occasion to be subject to tutelage by them.<br> I am sure this fraternity in particular will rise to the occasion to antidote and neutralize anti-national forces which are, mind you, directed by some in the Academia, those who held power earlier.<br> I am amazed! A man and economist came to this country, became Chief Economic Advisor, became RBI Governor and when he did not get extension, went back. Doesn't know what is happening in the country, doesn't relish that it is the most favoured destination for investment and opportunity, ignores global bodies that say we are the fastest rising economy, and at appropriate time will say India is not what it should be!<br> Answers should come from this category, not from politicians. I am not a stakeholder in politics, it doesn't matter to me who wins or loses but what matters to me is the conduct of the politician, conduct of politics. At the centre must be India.<br> I am sure it is never good to teach the teacher. It is always better to get motivation from them. Thank you for affording me this opportunity. This has generated a bond between us.<br> I have already indicated two things: one, the Indian Council of World Affairs will have an MoU where faculty and students will benefit and an IFS official will come personally to sign the MoU here. Secondly, a visit to the new building of Parliament will be coordinated for students and for the faculty.<br> I can tell you that the entire world is looking at India. How could the Modi Government accomplish it during COVID period in less than 30 months? But when you see the building you will say the world is wrong. 30 months is not for the building; what has been done inside, that normally would have taken decades. The fact that it has been done- that speaks that India is on the rise as never before. In 2047, India will undoubtedly be the world leader because this is the sentiment of the Global leaders with whom I had the occasion to interact at Qatar, London, and many of whom had called on me.  I wish you a great day. Keep on mentoring your students who will keep on meandering all over, contributing for the nation.  Thank you so much.</p>


 If you look at our history of thousands of years, you will find that the connection between teacher and student

The Hawk

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“Career Scope in Fashion and Design Industry is Expanding Day by Day’’ –Dr Reema

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The Hawk

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“Career Scope in Fashion and Design Industry is Expanding Day by Day’’ –Dr Reema

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