Manik Bhandari, ex-Football team captain and the APOGEE co-ordinator of DLE, was busy on the phone, finalising a few details for the APOGEE Entertainment Night when he invited the APOGEE English Press into his room. The next five minutes he spent on the phone were time enough to take in how strikingly tidy the room was kept. A few pleasantries were exchanged before proceeding to business.

“DLE’s events for this APOGEE can be broadly categorised into three. The first are the professional shows. We’re having a free professional performance on the 23rd by Aisi Taisi Democracy. Aisi Taisi Democracy is the coming together of stand-up comedian and social-satirist Sanjay Rajoura, writer and lyricist Varun Grover and bass player and vocalist of fusion band Indian Ocean, Rahul Ram. so it’s a very unique combination. It’s taking place at the rotunda and it’s a free show so hopefully, everyone will be there to enjoy it” says Manik. The other event is the Entertainment Night which happens on the 25th with stand-up comedian Zakir Khan and The Indian Jam Project performing.

The next category is the Adventure Zone comprising events like paintball and zorping. “We’re also setting up a virtual realty gaming stall with very unique and exciting games. There will also be segways and hover boards in the adventure zone” says Manik animatedly.

The third and final category comprises gaming events like Armageddon which DLE conduct in association with the Gaming Club. This year’s edition will be held at the VKB Mess along with Radioaktiv’s Gaming Lounge. “We’re looking to build a full-fledged gaming lounge in which there are some free events and some paid one’s like Armageddon” Manik explains. “We’re trying to give a different feel to the fest. We want more people to enjoy it without having to pay for a show. Hopefully, these events and the free show will help increase participation this year” he says.

Talking about his experience as co-ordinator, a visibly tired Manik says “It’s been hectic but I enjoy it and I think that it has allowed me and earlier coordinators as well to learn a lot about the fest and how all the departments work in unison to make this happen. When you’re working in a particular department, you don’t realise the magnitude at which everyone else is working and how everything comes together to make the fest successful”.

“I think the main reason a lot of people leave campus during APOGEE is the preconceived notion that APOGEE is boring. Remove that bias and I feel that APOGEE should be very enjoyable this time. I just want to ask everyone to stay on campus, enjoy the fest and experience all the activities taking place” concludes Manik.