Let me start by wishing everyone a very happyholiandugadi.Festivalsareatime of celebration and prosperity which hold the cultural fabric of our nation. It has been a while since we came up with an edition for you people and we are sorry to keep you waiting for so long. But in this edition we do not disappoint, we have concentrated on the theme 'smart cities' . Being students from a budding smart city ‘Visakhapatnam’ we areexpectedtobeawareofafewaspects smart cities offer. This issue aims at building awareness about smart cities among the readers and also entertain them with a wide range of articles. From five worst proposals to interviews of Awesome scientists we have it all! With the world cup going on, the morale of Team India is on a high note. G-M@g team wishes luck to the Indian cricket team. We do promise coverage on the cricketworldcupinthenextedition.Until then Happy reading! Regards Srikar Kamesh Editor
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THE ROYAL CHALLENGE ~Rhea Guha
Harley Davidson and Royal Enfield. These two names are enough to make any serious biker dude go mushy-eyed like a fan-girl over her OTP. And now, they’re pitched against each other in the marketing community. Their history goes back to the 20th century when they both were used for the world wars and known for their unique style, design and features. The initially British company closed, and the Indian subsidiary of the Royal Enfield struggled to preserve the motorcycle culture in India from 1955. HD is religiously followed in the USA and many parts of the world. They are the icons of American motorcycle culture and their expansion in the international markets have been successful. Entering India in 2009, HD managed to create a hype but was met with stiff competition from the Royal Enfield. And why not? The Royal Enfield literally has formed a cult in India. It’s interesting to note that a temple in the Pali district of Jodhpur, has been dedicated to a Royal Enfield Bullet. The motorcycle is worshipped, protected and even garlanded with superstitious beliefs guarding the shrine from possible theft.
With such dedicated fans of RE, the American-based motorcycle giant, used to being unparalleled in other countries, met its rival. As per the marketing statistics of 2014, RE sales have shot up, crossing the mark set by HD. Apart from the affordability of the Royal Enfield - the cheapest Harley costs way more than the most expensive Enfield – RE has also learnt to build an emotional connect with their customers, the same way HD built customer relationships in the rest of the world. As the Royal Enfield remained unchallenged in India for decades, the company could build deeper and bigger connections, spreading their fan-base throughout the nation. The smaller HD subsidiaries will have a hard time trying to convert the RE enthusiasts. That being said, there are many people willing to give HD a try, as I found out from my roommate who dreams of owning a Harley. So, the major challenges faced by HD would be the availability of spare parts in the remote regions of India, as the bikes face seriously rough treatment on the pothole-ridden roads of India; and the price tag, which was the reason the bikes were shunned by many potential customers in India. However, Royal Enfield has even become a global competitor for Harley Davidson. Even with HD’s widespread fan-base around the world, RE sold over 3,00,000 bikes in 2014 whereas HD got stuck somewhere around 2,67,000. And we are talking about global statistics. So, it looks like the Royal Enfield is geared up to compete internationally with Harley Davidson. And who says they won’t succeed?
February is over!! - The month of love, right? Also, the month of heartbreaks. Now that we’re done with the overhyped ‘Valentine’s Day’, let’s look at the proposals that didn’t work and most probably will never work.
THE CYBER LOVE Ever got a friend request from a guy who seemed familiar and you acceptitonlytogetamessagethenextdaythatsays,“HeyBeautiful! Be my girlfriend.”? And that’s when the block option comes into use. Guys! Don’t be such creeps. Get to know someone first ? THE BOLLYWOOD INSPIRED PROPOSAL “Love me or hate me, you can never ignore me.”- Bollywood. Well, there’s no denying that and also the fact that every guy wants to be the perfect Raj or Rahul for a girl. You think standing in a crowd and shouting “Tina/Neha/Priya/whatever your name is, I love you” is romantic? It’s awkward and if the girl’s not into you, then you better run because you might just get a slap or two. Face it! You’re not Shahrukh Khan ;) THAT ‘I’M TOO SCARED TO TALK SO I’LL TEXT’ PROPOSAL Bad idea. One minute you send him/her a text expressing your feelings and the next minute you know that your screenshots are all over Whatsapp and FB trolls. That’s not only risky but also cowardly. So guys and girls, the next time you like someone, go and tell them. I’mnottellingyouthatnothingwouldgowrong,buthey!Atleastyou won’t have those haunting screenshots :P “HEY, MY BEST FRIEND LIKES YOU. WILL YOU GO OUT WITH HIM?” Do this and these questions would come to anyone’s mind. a)Is your best friend dumb? b)How is he/she going to communicate with me later? c)Is this a joke? d)Does he even exist? Having your best friend’s back is what friendship is about. At the sametime,askingyourfriendtostepupandbeboldistherightthing to do.
-Tahseen Sama Khan
-Harshith Chandra
‘Smart’ this word has now become quite synonymous with the world. Smart
phones, smart people, many objects and ideas are acquiring the tag ‘smart’. The increasing urbanization and decline in the are of rural land has resulted in need of smart cities. Now it is the time for cities to experience the proclivity of their standards. The concept of smart cities was first proposed by the IBM Company in the year 2009; it soon became a concept which spread across the globe. People have become fascinated by this alluring concept and they are eagerly waiting for this change to take place in their very own city. A smart city uses digital technologies to enhance performance and wellbeing of its citizens. It aims to reduce costs and reduce resource consumption by engaging more effectively and actively with its citizens. It is an urban region that is highly advanced in terms of overall infrastructure, sustainable real estate, communications and market viability. The Key 'smart' sectors which will be developed include transport, energy, health care, water and waste.Any smart city must be capable to respond quickly and efficiently to any climatic changes. Unlike the chaos after the devastation caused due to the ‘hudhud’ recently, a smart city must have the potential to face any extreme condition.
A ‘smart city’ as proposed by government of India is proposed to be furnished with the following amenities, Smart environment: The number of trees in these cities will be increased two fold. All the electrical cables will be laid underground. The gas cylinders which otherwise required human labor for transport them will be now replaced by underground pipelines which supply gas. The whole city is supposed to have a free public wifi network. Smart infrastructure: The buildings constructed in the future will be constructed with all latest technologies and materials of high strength such that they can resist wind speeds of even 300km\hr. Smart Transport: The latest, economical and the most convenient mode of transport, ‘The Metro Rail’ will be installed. This move will increase the usage of public transport and hence reduce the consumption of petrol on private vehicles. Smart Education: The city will be the hub of many supreme quality educational institutions like IIM and IIT. A few of the cities of India which are proposed to be made ‘smart’ include Kochi, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, Manesar, Khushkera, Krishnapatnam, Visakhapatnam, Nasik, Ponneri, and Tumkur.The target of the present government is to create 100 smart cities all over the country. Though all this may sound as a very distant possibility, it is now likely to become a reality as the ‘smart city’ movement unfolds in India. Smart cities are a benefactor to all the categories of society which include citizens, businesses, the government and the environment. All the above proposals have created a new hope in people. A hope which is making them aware of the changes the city. Many investors and entrepreneurs have shown enthusiasm in supporting this idea. It is upto the government and the people living in the city to make smarter and better cities for our future generations to live in.
So people, buckle up as our city is on its way to reach a new Smart Destination!
~Tushar Murty
Every city needs something; something to distinguish it from the others. Agra has Taj Mahal; New York has a lady left alone in the middle of the waters; Pisa has an awkwardly looking tilted tower; Vizaghas...Well,Idon’tknowwhatVizaghasbutlikeIsaid,evercity needs something different from the others.
However, some things are meant to be common and every city should have them, must have them. Here’s the list of five things, of the top off my head that I think should be there in a metropolitan city:-
1.Drive-In Restaurants
Think of how your life would be if you could drive into a parking space (above ground), sit in your car, order food and watch a movie on the big screen in front of you. And if you don’t like the movie, then there’s always your girlfriend/boyfriend sitting next you and its usually dark . . . ;-)
2.Bicycle Sharing
A growing concept on its own, bicycle sharing has become a widely spread scheme for almost half a century now. First starting in Europe in 1965, this scheme allows individuals to borrow a bike from point A and return it at point B. And due to their very cheap rates, bicycle sharing has become quite popular and is also a pollution free means for transport . . . Not to mention that is very COOL!
3.Metro
“Do we want it?” one of the major questions asked by any government before building the metro tracks. Even I would ask thousand questions if I was about to invest more than a million in something. But, hell yeah, we want it! Just think about how much time, money and energy it could save for all the people who travel a considerable distance for jobs – which is like 90% of the job doers.
4.Smart Energy
By smart energy we mean wireless energy transfer and by wireless energy transfer we mean “bye bye” conductors and cable wires! Think of all the space you could save if the transfer of energy was solely through the transmission of electromagnetic waves; directly from the power supply to the local grid to our homes!
5.Wi-Fi
Saving the best one for last, Wi-Fi has become the very purpose of our lives nowadays. I don’t need to explain the necessity of Wi-Fi or internet to you. Just keep it in your mind how our lives would change if the internet was free. How cool it would be, huh? You could even read every issue of G-Mag!
Tata crucibles is a knowledge initiated quiz conducted by the Tata group in order to promote quizzing. This competition is being held in all major cities of India. 'Tata crucibles’ provides a platform for quizzers to experience the joy of answering mind boggling questions on business. The Tata group conducts two types of quizes, one is the TCBQ (Tata crucible business quiz) which is held in cooperation with many companies and the other quiz is TCCQ (Tata crucible campus quiz) in which the students of various colleges take part. It started ten years back and now it is running successfully every year in all the major cities of the country. Tata crucible campus quiz came into visakhapatnam three years back and this year it was held in Gitam University. On 5 February 2015, 300 teams from various colleges came over to participate in the quiz. The quiz was held in three rounds out of which the Finalists were Mr. K.Bharath and Mr.Ayyappa Chaitanya .The runners up were Mr.Sushanth and Mr.Singam. Notably all the winners were from GITAM University. The top two teams from the city regional rounds will now battle it out for survival at the zonal finals held in Kolkata. This will be followed by fighting for the Tata Crucible Campus Quiz 2015 title in the national finals held in Mumbai. After the quiz Prof. G Subramanyam the Honorable Vice Chancellor of GITAM University, appreciated the TATA group for creating such a platform for students and encouraged the participants to combine the knowledge they have with discipline to be succesful. The Tata Crucible Campus quiz is managed by a company named ’Greycaps’ and the mastermind behind this quiz is Mr. Giri Balasubramaniam who is popularly known as ‘pick brain’. He holds seven records in ‘limca book of world records’ for his quizzing achievements. Tata crucible was a wholesome experience both for the participants and the spectators as they watched and participated in one of the country’s finest quizzes ever.
- Krati Abhay
Dr Murthy Remilla is an expert in International Aerospace Market Research. He was the deputy director of ANTRIX corporation ltd. (a subsidiary of the Indian Space Research Organization). Currently, he is managing projects for National Data Base for Emergency Management (NDEM). An engineer to begin with, he shares his views of success with G-M@G. Q: Initially you had been into business management and HR. Later you becamethedeputydirectorofANTRIX(ThecommercialwingofISRO)with all this experience do you think that engineers are better managers? A:In this case yes, if you take a BBA or an MBA graduate they know how to sell a product or how to market the product. But in the end they need to know about the products too. At ISRO the products, the satellite data, the technical information of the launch vehicles require technical skills. Even thoughapersonwithnotechnicalbackgroundcomesintherewillbesome difficulty he will keep facing. That’s why we at ANTRIX pick up scientists who have their minds inclined to business. Q: We have seen a shift in the mandate of this country, with the change in government do we see any major changes in ways institutes like ISRO function? A:Thisdoesn’texactlychangethewayISROfunctionsbutIcansaythis,the expectations from ISRO are different now. Earlier we were all about launching satellites. Now we are being asked in ways we can contribute to smartcitiesandmonitoringcampaingnslikeSwacchBharatortocheckthe levels of aforestation or deforestation. They are looking for more automationandcitizencentricservicestoempowerthecitizens.Enabling the citizens with E-governance to get them under the digital India program. So the government is asking each ministry to specify its requirements from ISRO and it is asking ISRO as to what it can do to each ministry.
Q: We have seen that ISRO has launched satellites like Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan successfully. With the scrapping of the American space shuttle program, do you think we are benefiting in any way from this? A: As of now we are not being benefited because we are not in the same game. But in the long run this has got both and cons. Q: We recently launched a capsule to check the re-entry system and it was a success. Where do you think the future of Indian space technology is going? A:There are many more things, we have to study asteroids. Landing on the asteroid is also a project being takenup,thoughthereisnotimeframeattachedtosucha project. So there is no end to the possibilities to that space technology has to offer. Someday, ‘ChandraVihaar’ a colony on moon might come up! So right now we are interested in technologies like in orbit docking. Q:What are the different ways to innovate space technology? A:You see, contributing to space technology doesn’t necessarily mean joining ISRO. If anyone can contribute by providing components like a hinge for the solar panel or manufacture a space qualified nut and bolt. It will be a great help to the space program of this country. So innovation in space technology doesn’t necessarily mean inventing a new rocket. It can also be inventing a light weight, low cost space grade nut and bolt.
Q:In the last budget session ISRO was allotted 6728 Crores of money, do you think government will allocate more resources to you? A:We hope and we think that more funds will be given to us but I think the jump will not be too phenomenal. Even if they give us more funding we are technically short staffed. So we want to give initiative to the industry to manufacture satellites for us and our engineers will concentrate on the R&D part of the projects. Only in an attempt to make better engineers we have put up IIST. Q:Your mantra of success? A: I see that todays youth want instant success. Just consider a software professional, he is paid a fixed salary of say 60,000 and he is able to afford a car in 5 months and a house in a couple of years. But in thispath,monetarythingstaketime.Myfeelingofsuccesswasableto be able to apply my technological training to interest in management skills. Along with this, I had an opportunity to roam around the whole world working for ISRO. I definitely feel honoured to be working for the nation.
-SJ MAITRA
PISCES
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
You know something? No you don’t. You’re stupid. You always will be.
Geminis are always seeking to gain knowledge. You seek knowledge or are always lost in your thought. Just make sure that while lost in your own head, you don’t walk into a pole.
CANCER
LEO
Your sign is two fish swimming together. One wasn’t enough? But let me tell you, it won’t be just two fishes for long… if you know what I mean.
Last month’s horoscope said you would die of cancer. If you haven’t died yet, well, better luck next time bro.
Your future is dark but it may turn a little brighter but only because people will be lighting candles for you.
Your sign is The Lion and a lion is, in fact, an overgrown cat. Like your sign, you will lie around and be lazy and you will grow a giant round beard.
-Sri Sanagavarapu
LIBRA
Yoursignisthescale.Youthinkthatmeans VIRGO you are balanced, right? No. What Your sign is The Virgin. That says a happens when you are weighing the two lot about you, doesn’t it? You will sides? First one side goes down and then take after your sign. I suggest you the other and the first one again. You will don’t come to me for expertise, as I keep fluctuating between being happy myself am a virgin… I mean Virgo! and sad. Like Arvind Kejriwal after becoming CM.
SAGITTARIUS SCORPIO
The symbol for Cancer is The Crab and the symbol for Scorpio is The Scorpion. Meaning you will die of cancer, just like all of the people born under the Cancer sign.
The next time you sing any of the Aashiqui 2 songs, Let it go, or any other song that is easy to get stuck into people’s heads, I will come and punch you in the face. Of course, that goes to all the other star signs too.
AQUARIUS CAPRICORN
Times are hard. Try not eating too much corn. If you’d come to comedy nights in The Park more, you might get to eat something other than just corn.
Aquarians after the recent millennium change that happened 15 years ago have become the leaders of the Zodiac and will be ruling till 3,000. Often, they are athletes or eccentrics. For you, I see that you will become an eccentric.