The spring issue of Fundamatics is going to print in summer and by the time it reaches your hands it is probably going to be Monsoon. You can attribute it to magazine production fatigue or the fact that we have a lot in common with the students at IIT Bombay. Students and student life, which is the thematic focus of this, what was supposed to be the Foundation Day issue. As an alum and a discerning reader, I am sure you can identify with this doodle from Grumblebee which is a fairly accurate graphic representation of the creative process of magazine production. I am sure you will agree, reminiscent of the last minute panicked cram session before an exam or a BTP presentation. Thankfully we are a set of bees that get energized by deadlines, even when we are well past them. Or better still, we only get energized when we are well past them. And even though this issue of Fundamatics moved as indolently as the summer, the finished product has an excitingly different complexion with a literary, almost artistic bent. When we invited submissions from students with special announcement, we had no idea that it would turn out this way. This is an issue focused on literary conversation and the student submissions are refreshingly non technical, following their inner muse in stories that are honest, poems that are vulnerable and work that is willing to reveal the flaws and the beauty hidden in each one of us. The subjects they touch upon, Sexual Violence, Religion, Gender, Insurgency, Television and its role in IITB life, identity politics or the more personal issues of self-doubt and self-realization reflect the creative diversity amongst the student community. Coupled with it are some exceptional writing from our regular columnists Alibaba and Bankim Biswas, while the newest bee in town Tinkerbee makes a stellar entrance with her own poetry. Readers from the early years of IIT Bombay must not miss out on the exhaustively researched and historically rich account of Prof N R Kamath to celebrate the year of his birth centenary. There is also a great feature on young alumni entrepreneurship by Noseybee and some old entrepreneurial wisdom from Ron Mehta and the latest in IIT news available in the section class notes and IITB Ki Taaza khabar. So here it is then, the summer-monsoon issue of 2014 and like old friends whose conversations can resume even after a long hiatus, we are counting on the fact that by now Fundamatics has hopefully become a part of your literary furniture. And although our issues often fail to appear when promised or sometimes without the predicted content, the fact that we do try to ensure that each new issue of Fundamatics has a buzz about it will make the wait worthwhile. We may be late, but the bar was always set high and leaping over it all the more satisfying because of it.
Queenbee
