SMVDU Katra: Expert talk and presentation by Birla White Cement Company (Aditya Birla Group) was organized by the School of Architecture and Landscape Design, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra. The talk was organized as part of the Institute-Industry interactions under Field-Studies course which aims at providing real-time experience and field exposure to the students. Approximately 75 students from B.Arch. attended the expert talk. Prof. Rajeev Garg introduced the speaker and topic of the talk to the students. Mr. Sharad Vyas, Head, Key Accounts and Projects, along with his team members Mr. Gaurav Khattar and Mr. Vikram Sharma introduced the company’s profile, organizational set up followed by the products dealt by the company with few ready samples also. The talk comprehensively covered the product manufacturing, installation and its benefits over comparable products from other makes. Presentation also covered very few prestigious projects dealt by the company in recent past with key innovations involved in the projects. Application of Glass Reinforced Concrete (GRC) was highly appreciated in view of its versatile nature and potential of use in built environment.

Expert talk also contained the details of Birla White Yuvaratna Awards-2018 announced by the company, which are awarded on the basis of design competition between the students of architecture under different themes. It was informed to the experts that students of SMVDU participate in the awards every year with full enthusiasm and this year too, students are working on their design concepts. The response of the students was well applauded by the expert. The expert talk ended with the vote of thanks by Prof. Rajeev Garg, followed by the healthy interaction between Birla White representatives and students. The talk was organized and coordinated by Prof. Garg, Ar. Anoop Sharma and Ar. Abhimanyu Sharma.