Sameer
Dhore is studying an MBA in International Business, and became part of the Indian Society, and later its President, after finding it challenging to adjust to life as an international student in such a different environment and becoming home sick.
I had met some other Indian students who told me about the society, and together slowly with time, plans, actions and efforts we managed to keep it going and it's still doing well.
This was in 2018 and now the society has grown to have more than forty paid members, 700+ followers on Instagram, more than 200 subscribers on YouTube with another 1,000 followers on Facebook.
Not able to meet up at their usual events, they have been holding Instagram Live sessions during lockdown to keep connected. Sameer explained how it came about:
"We have one of the key supporters of the UoG Indian Society, who came up with an idea during this quarantine to use Instagram more. Later, looking at the wider picture, and to take our alumni into consideration, we came up with the Instagram Live sessions and named them #LetsTalkAboutIt."
The society have now held three #LetsTalkAboutIt Instagram Live sessions, one of which was in partnership with the university. Each has had a guest speaker, who is a Greenwich alumni who chooses the topic for discussion:
- Akshay Paunikar - M.Sc. Film Production, topic: British Film Industry vis-a-vis Indian film industry
- Muskan Saxena - B.A. (Hon) Business Studies, topic: the importance of global exposure
- Dinesh Manivannan - M.Sc. Film Production, topic: Insights of the journey to the UK.
They are plans for more and the society are looking at other ways that they can stay connected and have fun together using social media.
Sameer has advice for any students thinking about creating their own society:
It's okay if you don't have a goal for a society, but the enthusiasm in you to join with others and start a society should never die. Networking is the key aspect and the sky's the limit.
He adds that the Indian Society would be more than happy to help any new society to get started.
Thanks Sameer, we wish you and the Indian Society many more successful #LetsTalkAboutIt Instagram Lives. You can find out more about the UoG Indian Society on the GSU website, there's also information about all of our societies, and how to set up a new group.
