Synergy 2025: Where Management Meets Media in a Dazzling Cultural Showcase

Synergy 2025 – the annual cultural fest jointly organised by Apeejay School of Management (ASM) and Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication (AIMC) – was nothing short of electric. Held at the vibrant Apeejay Dwarka campus, the event brought together management and media students in a spirited display of talent, teamwork, professionalism, and pure enthusiasm.

From the iconic flash mob that set the tone right after the inaugural ceremony to the final beats of the DJ night, Synergy lived up to its name – becoming a confluence of creativity, competition, and collaboration across disciplines.

The Grand Opening: Warm Speeches, Colder Weather, Unmissable EnergyThe morning of Day 1 was nippy, but the campus quickly warmed up as dignitaries graced the stage for the inaugural ceremony. The fest was formally opened by Dr R. P. Hooda, Director, ASM, Prof. Ashok Ogra, Advisor, AIMC, Ms Reetu Betala, Director, Apeejay Institute of Design (AID), Prof. Sajal Mukherjee, Director, AIMC.

Addressing the audience, Prof. Ogra said, “We are starting with Synergy, the annual cultural fest of Apeejay School of Management and Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication. We have great pleasure on behalf of all my distinguished colleagues here to declare Synergy 2025 open.”

The moment the confetti poppers burst open, the campus erupted – quite literally – into dance.

Flash Mob That Turned The Campus Into a Festival: Just as the speeches ended, speakers echoed across the courtyard. A loud cheer followed as students burst into a surprise flash mob, setting the perfect tone for the next two days.

The flash mob did what it was meant to – ignite excitement and make everyone realise that this was not just an event, it was an experience.

As Vaani Bhatnagar, a 1st year PGDM student at ASM, shared later, “The flash mob was amazing. The energy just doubled after that moment.”

For many students, Synergy was not just about winning — it was about showing up with courage and embracing new experiences.

Keviosekhono Whiso, a CCEM student at AIMC, shared her spirited journey as a performer, “I am participating in the singing competition. There isn’t much to prepare except practising vocals every single day, morning and night. For my solo, I’m singing ‘City of Stars’ from La La Land and for the duet, ‘A Whole New World’ with Rahul. We’re both excited and thrilled.”

A Fest Designed Through Student Leadership

One of the most impressive aspects of Synergy 2025 was how deeply student-led the fest was – from logistics to sponsorship.

Dr. Nupur, Assistant Professor – Finance at ASM and one of the core coordinators, explained, “Coordinating such a big event is definitely a task. We are a team of three – myself, Professor Anushka and Dr. Nikita. And we have always been supported by Dr Pragya and Dr Varnika who are overseeing everything. Classroom learning becomes monotonous after a point. For that, we need cultural events. And therefore, Synergy 2025.”

Professor Anushka Goyal, Assistant Professor – Marketing at ASM, added, “The coordination was a joint effort of the admin and faculty members. But the strategy was student-driven. They handled sponsorship, outreach, social media promotion – everything. Our students generated over ₹1 lakh in cash and ₹1 lakh in kind. Both first year and second year students worked very hard.”

Blending Management and Mass Communication

Unlike typical college fests, Synergy is unique because it merges two disciplines – management and media.

Dr. Pragya Arya, Area Chair – Operations and Decision Sciences at ASM, beautifully reflected on this, “All the events in Synergy are a mix of managerial skills like team spirit and group work combined with creativity. Synergy becomes a perfect blend of management and non-management areas including mass communication and arts. Students from all backgrounds participate.”

Dr. Pranati Paheli, Professor at AIMC, highlighted how events like Synergy cultivate essential workplace competencies, “Participating in various events at Synergy teaches students the importance of team building and working collaboratively. Today, everyone is expected to generate high energy and productivity from the resources available, and this event helps them understand exactly that. All our students are actively participating across categories, and AIMC has ensured equal representation in every event.”

Dr. Preeti Suryawanshi, Head of Marketing Department at ASM, reinforced the vision, “The idea is to bring synergy in our students. They learn how to plan, manage, coordinate, work frugally and most importantly, gain confidence. It’s full of experiential learning. These Synergy memories stay with them for life.”

FEST HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 1 included activities like Outdoor games – Volleyball, basketball, arm wrestling, rangoli competition, bulls & bears trading simulation, best out of waste, ad-mad show, indoor games like table tennis and chess, singing (solo/duet), dance (solo/group), reel-making, live singer performance.

DAY 2 had faculty and staff games, tug of war, badminton, nukkad natak, face painting, LAN gaming/hackathon, fashion show (BYOT) & Mr and Ms Synergy and at last DJ Night Finale.

Inside the Cultural Club:

This year’s fest was driven by the Cultural Club, led by President Ankush Tanwar, Vice President Ishika Bansal, General Secretary Prashank Singh Dasauni and Joint President Shweta Yadav.

Each one brought their leadership to life.

Ankush said, “We are four leaders, and we distributed tasks among ourselves. I handled outreach – going to different colleges and getting registrations. I also managed event-level supervision and assigned juniors responsibilities. I’m a second year PGDM student specialising in Marketing and Business Analytics.”

Prashank added, “It’s a lot of fun. We’ve been doing Synergy for two years now. I handled outreach and some decoration work. We made teams of five-six students and sent them to colleges within a 10-15 km radius to promote registrations.”

Shweta shared, “We have been working for a month. Juniors and seniors worked very hard. We even secured a ₹25,000 sponsorship from Vartika Limited, a real estate company. The toughest part is managing student schedules, but we did it!”

Ishika said, “I handled stage performances and event participation. It was a wonderful experience organising an event of this scale and onboarding juniors into the club culture.”

A Campus Buzzing with Voices, Performances and Real Learning

The fest was not just about stages and prizes – it was about how students felt.

Gursharan Kaur, a 1st year PGDM student at ASM and volunteer, remarked, “The atmosphere is very pleasant. I’m volunteering for arm wrestling and I love the energy.”

Varisha, a 2nd year PGDM-2 student at AIMC and Fashion Show Coordinator, explained, “The Fashion Show has two rounds – Gothic Glam and Indo-Western fusion. We even have full costume change breaks. It’s challenging and exciting.”

Looking around the decorated courtyard, Sejal Arora, a CCEM student at AIMC, said, “The decor is hilarious and creative – meme clippings everywhere! It feels festive.”

For many, it was the perfect escape from routine. As Babita, a 1st year PGDM student at ASM, expressed, “Events like these help us unwind and show our talent. My favourite part is dancing!”

Sonakshi Saxena, also a 1st year PGDM student at ASM, smiled, “The ambience caught my attention first. Teachers are so cooperative. I’m just here to enjoy it all!”

Returning to an old passion, Debargho Das, a TVRJ student at AIMC, said, “Events help us talk beyond academics. I’m participating in chess – after years!”

Meanwhile, some simply loved watching the action unfold. Gaurav Singh Sikarwar, a DMOJ student at AIMC, pointed out, “I watched volleyball, Rangoli and the inauguration dance – all were impressive!”

Anushka, a 1st year PGDM student at ASM, not only participated but also helped run the event. “My favourite part is that I manage all the sports competitions like arm wrestling,” she said. “I’m volunteering — and yes, I’m also participating in badminton and tug of war.”

Lakshita Arora, an ADMC student at AIMC, said, “The food stalls are my favourite! And everybody is dressed in such fun styles.”

Still waiting for his turn under the spotlight, Rahul Pradhan, a DMOJ student at AIMC who performed A Whole New World with Keviosekhono, mentioned, “The day is just unfolding – I’m waiting for all performances to begin.”

Harshit Kumar, a 1st year PGDM student at ASM, said, “I’m in the fashion show – Gothic and Indo-Western theme. We’re using movie inspirations!”

And in perhaps the most 2025 spirit, Manya Jain, a 2nd year PGDM student at ASM, reflected on her event preparation, “I participated in Bulls & Bears. My mentor taught me, and I also took help from ChatGPT because why not? It’s AI-based learning!”

One of the biggest successes of Synergy 2025 is that it wasn’t just fun – it was deeply educational.

Every competition, whether sports or creative, required leadership, strategy, discipline, budgeting, time management – real-world skills cloaked in fest excitement.

If Day 1 set the tempo, Day 2 amplified it!

The final day witnessed the flagship events that define the cultural brilliance of Synergy every year. Morning performances by dance, theatre and music groups infused the campus with colour and rhythm.

The Fashion Show: The Ultimate Showstopper

The most awaited event — the Fashion Show — turned the courtyard into a dazzling runway. From Gothic Glam to Indo-Western Fusion, students showcased powerful themes, dynamic choreography and high-impact presentation.

After an engaging set of rounds, ASM clinched the top spot, while AIMC bagged the runner-up position — both earning thunderous applause.

Mr & Ms Synergy 2025: Celebrating Confidence and Expression

The prestigious contest tested talent, communication, presence and creativity across multiple rounds.

ASM Winners:

Ms Synergy ASM 2025: Hridya
Mr Synergy ASM 2025: Daksh

AIMC Winners:

Ms Synergy AIMC 2025: Simran Srivastav
Mr Synergy AIMC 2025: Rahul

Their reflections captured the emotion behind the achievement:

Hridya expressed, “A title earned, a journey just begun. Winning Synergy is special, but becoming worthy of it every day is the true honour.”

Daksh added “Mr. Synergy reflects not just me, but everyone who added their spark to my journey. Being Mr. Synergy isn’t just a title—it’s a reminder that true success comes when minds, efforts, and hearts come together among faculty and the students.”

Simran shared, “Winning the ‘Ms Synergy’ title felt like stepping into the strongest version of myself. It wasn’t just a victory; it was a reminder that belief, effort, and authenticity always shines through”

Rahul said, “Winning Mr. Synergy reaffirmed one thing for me—authenticity, effort, and self-belief can take you farther than you imagine.”

Post the fashion show and title contests, a cultural parade and creative showcases unfolded — from theatre acts to musical storytelling. The fest concluded with the felicitation ceremony, honouring winners, volunteers, faculty mentors and student organisers.