School LIVE March 2018 by School LIVE

ToTal pages: 60

Volume 03 | Issue 08 march 2018

Take The FlighT To

Your Dreams

Fly like

a girl Rise and Rise: gender sensitivity

The Fly First(s): indian Women

Undergrad College interviews!

Holi-ness: saving the skin

contributors

S C H O O L

L I V E Board Of Directors Richa Aniruddha Sanjay Dua

Harun Robert, a.k.a, Rob

An arts & crafts wizard, and an award-winning designer.

Hariharan Balagopal

Urvashi Malik

EDITOR Mansi Tikoo

Founder & Managing Director of CollegeCore with over fifteen years of experience in guiding and aiding students.

mansitikoo@gmail.com DESIGNER Ashish Kumar

For AdvertiSING M.G Ramachandran Mo. 9953593081 advertising@school-live.com For subscription editor@school-live.com

Jitin Chawla Educationist and career counsellor tells you how to pick the right course

Bina Nangia

Pioneer in the field of Special Education and Dyslexia, Associated with the NGO, Hope Ek Asha

Bharti Taneja Director, Alps Beauty Clinics and Academy; Renowned Cosmetologist & Aesthetician

C o n ta c t Kritika Negi 9810560472

School LIVE : Printed and Published by Richa Aniruddha fromPlot No. 202/2E-23, Jhandewalan Extn., New Delhi-110055 Printed at Rolleract Press Services A-83, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase 1, New Delhi-110028 Owned by FUTURE READY EDUCATION SERVICES PVT LTD. EDITED BY RICHA ANIRUDDHA

Connect with us at: www.school-live.com Twitter: @schoolLIVE_mag Facebook: School LIVE ToTal pages: 60

Volume 03 | Issue 08 march 2018

Take The FlighT To

Your Dreams

Fly like

a girl Rise and Rise: gender sensitivity

SCHOOLLIVE

The Fly First(s): indian Women

Undergrad College interviews!

Holi-ness: saving the skin

Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 3

Know for Sure Quiz

The Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) is located in which state?

• • • •

Uttarakhand Andhra Pradesh Kerala Punjab

Which of the following countries has formally joined as the new non-permanent members of United Nations Security Council (UNSC)?

• • • •

Poland Japan India Egypt

2 4 6 8 10

Which of the following was the focus country in the New Delhi World Book Fair 2018?

• • • •

European Union United States United Kingdom Egypt

Who has become the first African-American to win Golden Globe for best actor in a drama television series at the 75th Golden Globe Awards 2018?

• Sterling K Brown • Aziz Ansari • Alexander Skarsgard • Ewan McGregor

Turkey European Union Iceland Sterling K Brown A.R. Rahman

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6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

4 | Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018

• • • •

China Japan Brazil Russia

Prime Minister’s official website – www. pmindia.gov.in – is available in 13 languages. Which were the two new languages launched in January 2018?

• Assamese and Manipuri • Marathi and Manipuri • Malayali and Telugu • Gujarati and Marathi

Endangered ‘bird language’, which has entered the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage belongs to which country?

• • • •

Senegal Turkey India Uruguay

Which country has become the world’s first country to enforce equal pay for women and men?

• • • •

Finland France Iceland Sweden

Which Bollywood personality has become the official brand ambassador of Sikkim?

• • • •

Irrfan Khan Naseeruddin Shah Akshay Kumar A.R. Rahman

Answers

Jyoti Randhawa Gaganjeet Bhullar Khalin Joshi Shiv Kapur

Shiv Kapur China Uttarakhand Assamese and Manipuri Poland

• • • •

Which country has launched the world’s largest human genome research project?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

1 3 5 7 9

Which Indian golfer has won the Royal Cup tournament 2017?

ed-note

S C H O O L

L I V E

Hi All!

It’s March again. That time of the year when everyone suddenly salutes women achievers, remembers the women who created history, holds panel discussions on what must be done to make women play a stronger role in the society and many such things. That time of the year when we turn our faces away from the stark facts and data of girl child drop-outs from junior school, cases of rapes and molestations, domestic violence, acid attacks, female foeticide and many more crimes against women…and choose to celebrate what I feel is still very patchy- Women Empowerment. I strongly believe that a lot needs to be done at home, by each one of us, every family to make our society a Gender equal society, to end crimes against girls/women. Here are some of the small changes that we can bring into our daily habits/conversations. 1. Parents have to start treating their sons and daughters equally. This is MOST important. Boys, today need to be told again and again and again, by the elders, the teachers, the parents, that there are no privileges attached to being a boy. Yes, there are many responsibilities attached to being a MAN. 2. Rules at home for a son and daughter should be the same. They both need to be back home after a party at the SAME time. They both need to help in household chores, etc etc etc. 3. There should be no shame if a boy is defeated by a girl in a game. It’s OK for boys to be defeated by girls. It’s the same as a boy being defeated by another boy. We need to get this gender bias out from our games/sports. 4. No girl should ever be told that she can’t perform a task which needs physical strength and her brother can do it. She should be told that if a task can be done, she can do it as well. 5. Every opportunity to study, play, compete, grow should be given equally to boys and girls, in school as well as at home. It's easy to salute women achievers, it’s hard to see one at home. Most men, because of their upbringing, which tells them that they are the superior sex, find it difficult to handle a woman’s success. The day Indian men and women accept the actual facts of equality, only then will we see a society free from crimes against women. When every day of the year will be a woman’s day, every woman will be equal and empowered. Lovingly yours

Richa Aniruddha tweet to me @richaanirudh

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Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 5

ACROSS: 10 6. Collect into a volume (7) 7. Cause to fire (5) 8. Waterfowl with pouch15(7) 16 9. Makes 'th' of 's' (5) 18 11. Stupid person (9) 14. Board game (9) 20 17. Once more (5) 18. Properties (7) 19. Extreme suffering (5) 20. Vending (7)

11 8

9 12

10 14 11 12

19 17

ACROSS: 6. Collect into a volume LEARNING THROUGH PUZZLES! (7) A. Spaced Out OSS: 7. CauseDOWN: to fire (5) Collect into a volume 1. Fails to obtain (5) 8. Waterfowl with 7) Ruin (5) pouch2.(7) Cause to fire (5)9. Makes3.'th' Feelings of joy (9) of 's' (5) Waterfowl with11. Stupid4.person Screams (9)(7) pouch (7) 5. Forces (7) 14. Board game (9) Makes 'th' of 's' (5) 10. Does away with 17. Once more (5) tupid person (9) (9) 18. Properties (7) oard game (9) 12. Luggage (7) B. The 19. CommonExtreme Factor suffering (5) Once more (5) 13. Prominent (7) (7) roperties (7) 20. Vending 15. Buckets (5) Aurus the alien hated Space Studies. It made him nervous. So when his teacher took a pop quiz, he blanked out completely. Can you help him pass the test by guessing the names of these celestial bodies? a. This dwarf planet lies in the Kuiper Belt; it is oddly elongated because of its high-speed rotation, making it the least spherical of all the dwarf planets b. This moon of Planet Jupiter is home to over 400 volcanoes, making it the most volcanically active object in the solar system c. An asteroid that was later reclassified as a dwarf planet; it is the largest body in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter d. The only planet in the solar system that spins on its side

A guinea pig, a silkworm and a prairie dog arrived at a par ty themed ‘Let’s Celebrate What We Have in Common’. Their host, the firefly greeted them. Confused, the silkworm asked, “What could all of us possibly have in common?” What did the firefly reply?

C. The Name Game The most mundane areas of the human physique have the most intriguing medical names. Can you guess which body par ts are being referred to here? a. Philtrum b. Hallux c. Lunule d. Canthus

15/ © Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2017

16. Money resources (5) Answers: A. a. Haumea; b. Io; c. Ceres; d. Uranus B. The one thing common between the animals at the party is that none of them are what they seem from their names: a) The guinea pig is a rodent, not a pig. b) The silkworm is a caterpillar, not a worm. c) The prairie dog is a rodent, not a dog. d) The firefly is a beetle, not a fly. C. a. the groove located below the nose and above the upper lip; b. the big toe; c. the white crescentshaped area at the base of a nail; d.either corner of the eye where the upper and lower eyelids meet

xtreme suffering (5) Vending (7)

DOWN 1. Fa 2. Ru 3. Fe 4. Sc 5. Fo 10. Do (9) 12. Lu 13. Pro 15. Bu 16. Mo (5)

DOWN: 1. Fails to obtain (5) 2. Ruin (5) © Amrita Bharati, 3. Feelings of joy (9) Bharatiya Vidya 4. Screams (7) 5. Forces (7) ANSWERS: 10. Does away with (9) ACROSS: 12.6.Luggage Compile (7) 7. Shoot 8. Pelican 9. 13.14. Prominent (7) Bagatelle 17. Again 18. Estate 15.20. Buckets Selling(5) 16. Money resources (5) DOWN: 1. Loses 2. Spoil 3. Pleasures 4. Shr 10. Abolishes 12. Baggage 13. Sa 16. MeansAnswers DOWN: 1. Loses 2. Spoil 3. Pleasures 4. Shrieks 5. Compels 10. Abolishes 12. Baggage 13. Salient 15. Pails 16. Means

OSSWORD NO. 8 1

ACROSS: 6. Compile 7. Shoot 8. Pelican 9. Lisps 11. Numbskull 14. Bagatelle 17. Again 18. Estates 19. Agony 20. Selling

ANSWERS: ACROSS: 6. Compile 7. Shoot 8. Pelican 9. Lisps 11. Numbskull CROSS:6 | Volume 03 | Issue14. Bagatelle 18. Estates 19. Agony 08 | March 2018 S C H O 17. O L LAgain IVE Compile 7. Shoot 8. Pelican 20. Selling 9. Lisps 11. Numbskull . Bagatelle 17. Again 18. Estates 19. Agony ANSWERS:

S C H O O L

contents

L I V E 5 Editor’s Note 6 Crosswords + Puzzle 8 School in Spotlight

COVER

14 Exclusive: Soaring Higher than the High 22 A Novel Tale 24 Career Chat 26 Fit for Life 28 CyberSafe 32 Expert Expression 34 DIY: Glow in the Dark Chalk 37 Fun Side: Adventures of Maya 38 Teen Travels 40 Blog 42 Study Guide 44 Storytelling 45 Opinion 46 Rap Up 48 Slam Poetry 50 Watch this Space 53 The Untold

Quick Edit

ost of us don’t recognise or realise the privileges we are born into. Anyone who is able to read a magazine or simply is able to grasp the English language (yep) that is privilege. Why did I raise the point? To highlight that even as men and women (and other gendered) we enjoy certain privileges or disadvantages over the other. The important thing is to be aware. One way of doing so is to relook at historical narratives from alternate vantage points, like Guneet Kaur does in her poem. It also means to look at popular movements with critical attention, like Yatharth Vohra does in his write up on #MeToo, and Sanika Savdekar gives us a best of list to watch for pertinent female issues and leads. In addition, Pramit Kumar Das writes a short story on understanding sympathy. We have packed the issue with a coverage of various topics and hues, and hope you enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed putting it together. With every issue, we try to put in as much diverse content as we can for you in an issue, and if you feel we are missing the mark somewhere or if you want to submit your own writings, do write to us at editor@ school-live.com. We would love to hear from you.

“Happy Reading!” Mansi Tikoo

Juniors

54 DIY: Stickers 56 Storytelling 57 Slam Poetry

26 38

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Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 7

Of Novelty

& Heritage

The Shriram Millennium School, Noida was setup in 2010. The 4.75 acre school campus is ensconced in the heart of Sector 135, off the Greater Noida Expressway, snugly cocooned in the lush greenery and fast developing areas of this futuristic place. Team School Live had an opportunity to learn more about the school. The forming of the school, and the founding idealsÂ â&#x20AC;˘ The Shriram Millennium school has adapted the value system, teaching methodology and best practices of The Shri Ram School, Delhi and Gurugram. TSMS believes that every child is unique and hence strives to offer a platform that lets the children discover their own special light, at their own pace. The focus is on creating awareness in students and providing them with experiences that they could apply to real-life situations. A â&#x20AC;&#x153;Happy Schoolâ&#x20AC;? can contribute significantly in creating responsible and caring human beings. The school has created an environment that fosters a global outlook, yet retains the rich Indian cultural heritage and values. â&#x20AC;˘ A coeducational school, the school has classes from Pre Nursery to XII and offers the following academic programmes: ÂžÂž ICSE and ISC programmes/curriculum at Primary, Middle and

8 | Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018

Senior level ÂžÂž Cambridge International Programmes Lower Secondary in Grades VI to VIII Cambridge IGCSE in Grades IX and X The Shriram Millennium Schools currently have 3 campuses The Shriram Millennium School, Noida, established in 2010 The Shriram Millennium School, Faridabad, established in 2012 The Shriram Millennium School, Gurgaon, will be operational from 2018 Founding Ideals and Mission The Shriram Millennium School is committed to nurture the potential of each child by providing a diverse education in a safe, supportive environment. The school joins with parents and the community to enable students to be innovative, value-driven, leadership-oriented, lifelong learners, who will contribute responsibly as global citizens.

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The processes, systems and pedagogy of the Shriram Millennium School are in complete alignment with the vision and mission of Mrs. Manju Bharat Ram (Founder, The Shri Ram Schools). Our Values â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The students of the school are encouraged to develop sound ethical values. Sensitivity, integrity, the pursuit of excellence and pride in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heritage are the core values at TSMS that are instilled in children within a safe and nurturing environment.

S c h o o l

i n

S p o t l i g h t

SENSITIVITY • To the environment • To the community • To special education needs • To different cultures and religions INTEGRITY • Transparency and honesty in all activities, systems and processes • Dynamic systems and processes, open to regular review, feedback and change PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE • Students and teachers are encouraged to excel in any area of their ability. • Competition is encouraged, but with a difference. Every student is encouraged to compete with himself or herself to do the best that he or she can do.

The Achievements of the School: Academic and Others At TSMS, in consonance with their philosophy, the core objective is to provide for a balanced and holistic development of children through acPRIDE IN ONE’S OWN HERIademic and co-curricular initiatives TAGE within and outside the confines of the • Knowledgeable about our country Classrooms. and its achievements Activity based learning with • Respectful and observant about the child at the centre of the curtraditions and heritage riculum is the principle followed at • To be ambassadors for the country the school and is at the core of the wherever their life’s journey takes teaching-learning process and acathem. demic achievements. The curriculum is designed and lessons are planned Our Philosophy a progressive and child centred ethos weekly in specific teams of the same The Shriram Millennium School in a happy and safe environment, Form or of respective subjects. In firmly believes in the age-old adage that fosters holistic development, a weekly sharing session which is “Vidya Dadaati Vinayam” which nurtures the potential, inculcates an documented, the teachers share what means ‘from knowledge comes hu- acceptance, respect and appreciation worked and what could be improved, mility’. of individual differences and, cel- share resources and best practices to The philosophy is rooted in the ebrates the uniqueness of each child. enhance learning in class. Schools’ commitment to provide With Inclusive Education being a ‘Doing is Learning’ is the manquality education, create and uphold part of our philosophy, the Schools’ tra they strongly believe in. The processes and systems are designed school has been designed in such a and implemented to provide an im- way that there are multiple opporpetus to the children to demonstrate tunities for learning in every area. sensitivity towards the environment, Number lines in classrooms, numand people and communities that are bered stairs, the snakes and ladder different from expected norms and, tile courtyard, students’ work disto ensure that each child’s abilities, played in the corridors, classrooms however different, are honed so that and school reception are just a few they achieve their potential and grow places where lessons come alive. into discerning and progressive indiA multitude of initiatives are inviduals who contribute meaningfully troduced which help integrate learnto the global community. ing and enhances high order think-

A “Happy School” can contribute significantly in creating responsible and caring human beings. The school has created an environment that fosters a global outlook, yet retains the rich Indian cultural heritage and values.

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Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 9

S c h o o l

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S p o t l i g h t

ing skills of the children at all levels. Some of these are: ¾¾ The Writer’s Workshop conducted in Classes IV and V is a threemonth long programme which helps the students go through all stages of creating their own book, namely pre-writing, drafting, peer editing, redrafting, proofreading and finally creating their own book complete with illustrations, a foreword, an unusual copyright, an acknowledgement and a bit about the author. This creative process brings to children an unparalleled sense of achievement besides being an extremely effective way of applying grammar concepts learnt. ¾¾ Model making, spreadsheets; research based projects are a norm in our pedagogy. ¾¾ Use of mind maps, spider grams, web charts and other techniques to represent and present information and enhance cognitive abilities are used in classes. ¾¾ Activities like Math Trail, Language Trails, etc. are innovative practices that the school implements. ¾¾ Show and Tell sessions – An essential and effective medium to foster and boost self confidence, enhance communication/public speaking skills, develop interest

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in a gamut of topics and arenas and encourage peer learning. ¾¾ Discovery Period – Specific time is set aside weekly to share information gleaned through various sources and media on myriad issues and topics ranging from space and earth to languages, countries and their history, geographies, people, plant and animal world and much more as per relevance to respective age groups. These sessions enable children to explore areas of learning beyond the prescribed curriculum, inculcate curiosity and enhance ability to question and infer. ¾¾ Contemporary Studies Periods – Weekly time is set aside to research, share and discuss a wide spectrum of issues and news pertaining to events happening around the world. OTHER ACTIVITIES SPICMACAY – With Demo-workshops and performances by the maestros in various fields, it aids in providing learning about art forms that go beyond the classrooms. Franklin Covey Programme – TSMS, Noida has the distinction of being one of the first schools to associate with Franklin Covey Training and Consulting LLP in India to run the pilot of their very successful

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7 Habits of Highly Effective People for school children. This gives them the opportunity to empower the children to be effective in their personal lives and work, and don the mantle of leaders as they grow. Circle Time – Circle Time is a weekly activity across the school for all Forms. This is an opportunity for self expression, sharing of thoughts, bonding and teamwork, inculcating school’s core values of sensitivity, integrity, pride in one’s heritage and pursuit of excellence. Book Week and Literary Fest – A week long initiative sees the school turned into a mega library. Children of all classes delve into the realm of stories and books and literature, read, write, tell, enact, construct, present, watch and explore a whole new world of the written word – be it prose

S c h o o l or poetry. Story corners and reading corners are created throughout school. Authors, publishers, illustrators visit and hold workshops with children. The Drop Everything And Read (D.E.A.R.) Programme is a sacrosanct time for children and teachers in class to pick up their favourite story book and read. During this daily designated time period, the children make the most of the in-class library which is a collection of books brought by the children to be shared and read by all in the class. Shri Explorers - A week long adventure sports activities within the school for Classes Koshika (Pre Nursery to VIII) and outdoors for senior students, conducted by a team of trained and experienced professionals, is organized to encourage our children to overcome fear and apprehensions associated with adventure and sporting activities and to work in teams. The students participate in activities like rappelling, net climbing, burma bridge, ladder climbing, double jumaring, flying fox and zorbing. Shri Sahyog Initiative – This is an initiative which is aimed at instilling in children sensitivity towards all communities and fostering in them a sense of responsibility and desire to be agents of social change. Providing our children an opportunity to participate in Community Service projects and revel in the joy of giving, as part der Hearts, SETU Foundation, Old of Shri Sahyog, we work with various Age Homes, Goonj for regular Colleccommunities and NGOs such as Ten- tion Drives etc. Environment Programme - The school has a dedicated Environment Education programme and a Paryavaran Club in school that takes forward new initiatives, creates awareness and mobilizes support. As part of the environment programme, the students initiated the ‘Save R Lungs’ and banning the firecracker campaigns for which they appealed and presented a signed petition to the Honourable Prime Minister of India. The positive response from the PM was a reaffirmation of the passion

With Inclusive Education being a part of their philosophy, the Schools’ processes and systems are designed and implemented to provide an impetus to the children to demonstrate sensitivity towards the environment, and people and communities that are different from expected norms

i n

S p o t l i g h t

and commitment displayed by the children. Accessibility for the Parents TSMS has an ‘open door’ policy that encourages parents to share constructive feedback, thoughts and ideas at all times. Parental participation in various events and activities through the year is significant. ¾¾ With the parent community of the school growing, the Formal PTA body was set up this year. The PTA members meetings are held regularly and share invaluable feedback and ideas with the school management. ¾¾ Special Events like Investiture Ceremony, Founder’s Day, India Day, class assemblies, Form Mornings are attended en masse by parents. ¾¾ Grandparent’s Day is celebrated by the children of Koshika. It is a fun filled day for children and their grandparents as they carry back memories of their little ones dancing and performing on the stage for them. Besides a cultural programme, fun activities for grandchildren and grandparents are organized. ¾¾ The school’s Sports events such as Fun Races for classes Koshika to I and Sports Day for Classes II to IX,

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S c h o o l

i n

S p o t l i g h t ¾¾ We encourage parent volunteers to come forward and conduct workshops, talks with our children and also with teachers. Merging of Education and Technology The School uses new technologies in teaching learning as well as in the school’s processes and systems for convenience to parents and other stakeholders. All classrooms are IT enabled with Smart Boards which are used by the teachers and students as well for peer teaching and presentations. 2 Computer labs with a teaching capacity of 30 + has the latest software which are used by the children and teachers alike. PPTs and short films, software and programming is done by the by the children for peer teaching, projects and for assemblies.

The School has a portal - Shriconnect which is used internally by the staff for the following: ¾¾ Report card (Writing Student profiles, Entering marks, Calculating results, Generating report card) ¾¾ Maintaining Student data and generating reports. onstrate various predetermined ¾¾ Uploading daily Homework are special events that are marked scientific concepts and their ap- ¾¾ Uploading the Practice papers by the presence of the large numand other learning resources like plication in real life through exber of parents, grandparents, sibWorksheets periments, demonstrations, worklings and other family members ing models, charts, art and craft ¾¾ Uploading School Events who not only cheer their child but activities, storytelling, puppet also enthusiastically participate TSMS Facebook Page- The Faceshows etc. Furthermore, parents in special races organised specifibook Page is updated every-day and also contribute in organizing and cally for them. reflects the events and activities decorating the respective stalls, ¾¾ TSMS Parent Portal has given which happen in the school. invite corporate and media parparents easy and convenient acShriconnect Parent Portal App- for ticipation. cess to all relevant information about the child and happenings in ¾¾ Parents also are invited as guest quick access to homework and other speakers in classes as part of the resource material the school. Usage of Cloud Technology, Licurriculum. ¾¾ Teacher’s day and Children’s day are events where parents partici- ¾¾ Inviting and arranging visits by censed Office 365 is used in school. relevant personalities to give our Teachers save data on the Cloud which pate and put up performances for children widespread exposure, is can be accessed with any device (PC, the teachers and children respecalso done through parent initia- Laptop, Smart Phone, Tablet, I-pad) tively. Transport App- given to the partive. ¾¾ Mad About Science is primarily a parent driven initiative where ¾¾ Procuring saplings to be planted ents for tracking the bus Teaching resources (PPTs) created as part of Vanmahotsava has also parents work with children in by the teachers. been initiated by parents. classrooms and labs and dem-

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A Guide to

C a r e e r

L a u n c h e r

Handle Exam Stress

It is that time of the year, when students get jittery about their performance in the Board exams, which are due to start anytime now. Undoubtedly, for most, the scores in the Boards are a determinant of possible career and college choices. As a result, many students find themselves intimidated by such a daunting prospect; and feel further weighed down by peer pressure, comparisons, etc. These, in turn, lead to severe exam-related stress. Our experts at Career Launcher are here to help you.

he burden of living up to (often unbelievably high) expectations, coupled with a feeling of anxiety regarding one’s performance in the exam, often creates a sense of panic, which can be severely detrimental to the well-being of a student. Here are a few tips on how to tackle any sign of stress and manage anxiety in the coming days.

1. Develop a timetable: While

most of you would already have been following one, those who are yet to develop a timetable, this is the time to do so. Although it is important to have a timetable, it is equally, if not more, important to follow it. A timetable also helps in understanding how your learning is progressing; and monitor the progress made. A related tip: when revising concepts, write down, in the form of bullets, the important points. It will do wonders in improving the last-moment recall factor.

time left?” Remember, everyone your age faces similar issues. Tell yourself that you have done well in exams earlier; and that the Boards are no different from those exams. Spend time with those people, be it 3. Get adequate sleep: While family or your friends, who have a preparing for any exam, many stu- positive effect on you. dents tend to ignore the importance of sleeping. What they seem to for- 5. Keep distractions away: At get is that adequate and proper sleep the moment, Board exam is where helps keep the mind and body fresh all your focus should be. Stay away and active. Sleep also helps the brain from anything that might affect your 2. Take breaks regularly: Many in assimilating new knowledge. So, concentration. students believe that the nearer the it is extremely important not to alter exam, the more time they need to your sleeping cycle before the exam. Remember, it is but natural to feel a bit nervous before any exam. But if spend with their books. In reality, it is important to have short breaks 4. Positive thinking: Avoid neg- you believe in yourself and aim to do while studying, especially when you ative thoughts like “Will I be able to your best, you will surely do well not realize that your concentration level do well in the exam, with so little only in the Boards, but also in life. is waning. Go for walks, listen to soft music during these breaks. It will help your body and mind be in sync, which, in turn, will help your performance.

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E x c l u s i v e

Soaring

Higher

than the

High 14 | Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018

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E x c l u s i v e

The magnitude of a dream seems difficult to fathom if you don’t even know where to begin from. The world often warns you against such ambitions, because they talk about the pride and failure of Icarus. But today, we have a modern day reality of the “other”, of a woman, of humble backgrounds, of struggle, of perseverance in the face of uphill climb: Anny Divya. In 2017, she became the youngest woman in the world to fly Boeing 777, and this is her story.

et me begin by thanking the biggest source of inspiration in my life and the reason I stand where I do today — my parents. As a child, I dreamt of the unknown, something I didn’t even see, the unknown space, and it expanded my wings. I had few downdrafts, actually many, but it only enabled me to fly higher. I was in a place where there was no information on aviation nor any aircrafts flying around. Girls were not encouraged to pursue unknown fields. With my limited resources, I had very little exposure and the internet was not very accessible those days. All I had was my dream and my chase for it, the search for it, and people laughing when I talked about it. At school, one of my teachers had been observing me for a while and asked me, Divya, you want to be where you want to be or you want to be like a pollen grain which is swept away and placed somewhere by the direction of the wind. I said, I do want to be where I want to be but I do not know how. He said, it is not important how, it is more important to know where you want to be. He gave me the homework of listing ten things I wanted to do. On top of that list of mine was to be a pilot, and most of those ten things I have done

How would you define:

1. Success: Achieving your goal 2. Flying : My passion and profession 3. Happiness : State of mind

Tell us about your favourite:

1. Movie: Sully 2. Actor/Actress: Tom Cruise 3. Food: Indian 4. Pastime: Reading books 5. Book: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

today. Unconsciously, we all have the fear of being judged. We have to make the conscious effort of not letting that fear cloud our judgement. As an example, if we didn’t do particularly well in an exam, we would be more worried about what people are going to think about it rather than how it is actually going to affect us. If we ignored that, it was all probably a matter of giving the exam again and doing better. I know easier said than done. We have to remember that for people we are only a thought, we cannot make it our state of mind. Overcoming the fear of being judged helped me many times, it helped to dare to dream. I went

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E x c l u s i v e

ahead even when people were being sarcastic and laughed at me, I kept asking people how to become a pilot. I heard various things, but I got one right lead, and I joined flying academy at the age of 17. That was the first time I saw an aircraft and a pilot up so close. I entered the airplane for the first time to learn how to fly. One of the many things I had heard was to get 90% and above to get into a flying school. So I did very well in my 12th class but that’s actually not true as you only need 50% to be eligible for flying school. I probably wouldn’t have worked so hard had I known that fact though! But good percentage gave me good confidence to start with, till I started facing various other challenges — language barriers, cultural differences, lack of exposure and the pressure of financial burden I had placed on my parents. I had also stepped out of my comfort zone for the first time to live in a new strange place. I was young, very timid, away from the parents for the first time. I would cry at the drop of the hat, I was made fun of for most of the things I did and sometimes for things I didn’t even do. I

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could not make many friends with the challenges I was facing, I was just trying to fit in. When I told my mother about it, she said you can come back home anytime, the doors of the home are always open for you. Do not worry about the fees we paid. But remember, wherever you go in life you will have some obstacles and some challenges to face. That gave me lot of comfort and confidence. I decided that if I had to face any obstacles might as well face the ones right here, right now for achieving my dream. So I went ahead with more confidence and kept learning. One day a girl asked me, do you know the meaning of the word â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Datingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? I knew I would be made fun of for the wrong answer but I did not walk away. Not knowing what it meant, I said, maybe marking dates on the calendar. Of course, she laughed and I got made fun of. BUT I did learn what it meant. It is ok not to know, but it not ok not to learn. Being tested over and over, only expanded my wings, and with better language skills, I went to Palma de Mallorca, Spain for my Boeing 737 training. It was there that I realised that not many people speak English. In the beginning of my career, I worked with people from different

nationalities and cultures but language was not a challenge anymore. Apart from a job requirement, language is about communication and rest is about skill and hard work. I continued to live in Mumbai, away from my parents, to pursue my dream of flying larger jets on international routes, across the continent. At 19, by myself in a city so fast, living my dream I had good days and bad days at work. Good days were good, bad days were tough. We all face various challenges in life, sadly some only because one is a woman. I heard some rumours about myself, as a girl doing well in a male dominated field. I was too young to not let it affect me. I confined myself in my room, I isolated myself, I stopped socialising at all in an effort to stop those stories. I could not share these things with my parents without worrying them, and it continued for a long time. For years, all I did was, sit in my room, fly planes and come back. Till I realised that opinions will always be formed, depending on other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s level of maturity and intelligence, let me brood the injustice of it when I have nothing else to do. I left the opinion makers to their hobbies, and I drove myself to what I knew best and learn. I stepped

out of my room and started making friends, and I hung out with people I liked. Hence came the realization that I have bigger dreams to achieve and family responsibilities to take care of. Age is precious, this time will never come back and I need to live, and live it to the fullest and I did. I am responsible for all my actions, all my decisions, I take responsibility of what I do and more importantly, how I feel. There are only lessons, not regrets. Not being happy is not ok. As the happy life continued with new lessons and more confidence, I had few more hurdles, few more challenges, even before achieving my bigger dream. In spite of all the hard work I had put in, I had situations which were very difficult, challenges which were very tough, obstacles which were not expected, a lot of stress and pressure, but I chose to rise above all of them and it only made me realise my strength. Downdrafts only helped me rise higher, I had to believe in myself for the world to believe in me. Faith in your dream and little courage will take you to places. We all have success and failure stories. I had mine, but we need to focus on our destination and keep moving forward. This is what my determination means to me

(The fire which is burning under pouring water, is not worried about the wind. I have no words for people who are trying to blow it off, they are forgetting that they are flaming the fires.) Dare to dream. Believe in it. Live it. Sourced from TEDx Talks @ YouTube, with additional information from Anny Divya herself.

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Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 17

EP xa gc el u Hs ei va ed

Riding the Waves of History 1936: Sarla Thakral became the

first Indian woman to gain her aviation license at the age of 21. She flew a Gypsy Moth solo, and that too wearing a saree!

1947: Prem Mathur became the

first Indian woman commercial pilot to fly a domestic airline. After acquiring her commercial pilot license, she was turned down by eight private airlines, before being hired by Deccan Airways.

1956: Durba Banerjee became

Sarla Thakral

Durba Banerjee

the first woman pilot of Indian Airlines.

1994: Harita Kaur Deol became

the first woman to fly solo in the Indian Air Force.

2014: Padmavathy Bandopadhyay became the first woman

Air Marshal of the Indian Air Force.

Avani Chaturvedi

Prem Mathur

November, 2017: Shubhangi Swaroop became the first Indian

woman pilot for the Indian Navy. Women upto then had only held positions of air traffic controllers and ‘observers’ in aircraft, responsible for weapons and communication.

February, 2018: Air India’s Capt. Anupama Kohli dodged a mid air crash over Mumbai. She noticed a plane closing in on her, and in the nick of time, she turned her plane to steer clear of the other plane. The two planes were carrying 261 passengers on board.

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Harita Kaur Deol

Padmavathy Bandopadhyay

February 2018: Avani Chaturvedi became the first Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo. She flew a MiG-21 Bison. Earlier in the year,

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Shubhangi Swaroop

Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh became the first women ever to undergo fighter pilot training in Indian Air Force (IAF).

E x c l u s i v e

Major Aircraft

Manufacturers in the World Once something that only could be dreamed of, is only a click away for most of the population around the globe today. We put together for you the biggest names in the commercial and business jet making market from around the world. Airbus

mation and communication systems. Boeing is based in USA with its headquarters located in Chicago. The Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) spawned in 1996 from a partnership between Boeing and General Electric. Now entering its fifth decade of production, the 737 twinjet is the most successful and ubiquitous jetliner ever produced.

Bombardier Aerospace Airbus is one of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers fulfilling about half or more of the orders for airliners with more than 100 seats. Airbus is based in Europe with its headquarters in Toulouse, France. Airbus (www. airbus.com) entered the bizliner market in 1997 with the Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ). At first, ACJ sales lagged those of Boeing’s 737 airliner variant. But in recent years, ACJ sales have surpassed Boeing’s on an annual basis, thanks largely to orders from the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions. The current CEO of the company is Bombardier began as a snowmobile manufacturer Tom Enders. in 1942 and has grown into one of the world’s largest manufacturers of rail cars, business jets and regional Boeing airliners. Over the years, the company has expanded its aircraft business largely through acquisitions, buying brands such as Canadair, DeHavilland, Learjet and Shorts. Their headquarters are in Montréal, Canada.

Embraer

Embraer has become one of the main aircraft manufacturers in the world by focusing on specific market segments with high growth potential in commercial, defense, and executive aviation. Embraer is based in Boeing is one of the other main aerospace companies and São José dos Campos, Brazil. The company has been is also the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners building airplanes for more than 30 years, but made its and military aircraft combined. Boeing also designs and first splash in the American market in the 1970s with manufactures rotorcraft, electronic and defense systems, its family of commuter turboprops. In 1994, the Brazilmissiles, satellites, launch vehicles and advanced infor- ian government sold the company to private investors

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E x c l u s i v e

who began developing a regional jet, the ERJ Models 135/145. The new RJs carried the company to $3.4 billion in annual sales and $380 million in profits by 2004.

Cessna Aircraft Company

aircraft, most famously the F-14 “Tomcat” as well as the original GI turboprop. Grumman sold its Gulfstream division in 1978. After subsequently passing through three civilian owners, the company is today owned by another defense contractor, General Dynamics.

Dassault Falcon

Cessna Aircraft Company are the leading designer and manufacturer of light and midsize business jets, utility turboprops and single engine aircraft as they have sold and delivered more aircraft than anyone else. They started more than eight decades ago as a small aircraft company in Wichita, Kansas (USA). Cessna spent $35 million in the late 1960s-then half the worth of the company-developing a twinjet called the Citation. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Citation destroyed much of the market for business twin turboprops. Fairchild, Mitsubishi, Piper, Rockwell and even Cessna itself stopped Dassault’s Falcon 20 business twinjet first appeared in building them. Today, the only “vintage” twin turboprop the U.S. in 1963 and quickly developed a reputation as still in production is the venerable Beech King Air. a rock-solid, comfortable airplane. The French company was already renowned for its Mirage fighter jets, and the Gulfstream Aerospace Falcon’s military heritage translated into an aircraft that Gulfstream has been building business aircraft since in many ways was overbuilt. 1958. In 1966, it introduced the GII, the first large-cabin pure business jet. The GII was designed by Grumman, Information sourced from Business Jet Traveler (www. the same company that developed carrier-based naval bjtonline.com)

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Air Flying

T i m e l i n e

We have all been born and raised in times where life without the airplanes are unknown. But how did they come to their present form? Find out. 1783: The first successful hot air balloon flight in Paris, France

1899:

Orville and Wilbur Wright invented the huge kite. After a few unsuccessful gliders, they made a glider where the pilot could control the plane in the air.

1901: Brazilian inventor Alberto Santos-Dumont becomes an international celebrity by flying his airship around the Eiffel Tower and returning to his starting point within a time limit.

1903: The Wright Brothers become

the first people to successfully fly a plane with a person in it. The first flight lasted only 12 seconds, and the longest was 59 seconds. In the same year, they named their first powered airplane, Flyer.

1932: Amelia Earhart becomes the

first woman to fly a solo nonstop Transatlantic flight.

1939: First International passenger flight by Pan Am

1909: Louis Bleriot, French aviator, 1939: the VS-300, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first

makes first airplane crossing of Eng- practical helicopter, took flight at lish Channel. Stratford, Connecticut. Designed by Igor Sikorsky and built by the 1914: The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first scheduled Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Division of passenger air service begins in Florida the United Aircraft Corporation, the helicopter was first to incorporate a 1916: The Boeing company is estab- single main rotor and tail rotor design. lished 1939-45: By the end of World War II, 1919: The first Transatlantic flight many towns and cities had built their by John Alcock and Arthur Whitten own airports. Civil aviation experiBrown enced rapid growth during this period, as military aircraft were repurposed as 1930: Frank Whittle, British inven- airliners or personal planes. tor, invents the jet engine, a great leap for aircraft innovation 1946: Public Limited Company Air

India formed

1970: The Airbus company founded in France

1970s:

Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software enabled the creation of better aircraft designs

1976: Concorde aircrafts reduce the

fly time between Europe and America to a few hours

1995: First airline tickets are sold via the Internet

1998: Smoking is banned on all domestic flights in the US

2011: Airbus announces signing of

the largest aircraft deal in history based on aircraft ordered: 200 planes ordered by AirAsia.

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N o v e l

T a l e

Where Is Rakesh Kumar Sinha ? Continued from Part I Part II

he history paper that day was particularly lengthy, and being fond of the subject which I was to continue with in my later years, I had prepared extremely well. I knew the textbook by heart and I was confident that I would get a centum. I had not even looked up till I finished half of the paper and wrote without a flaw till then. However, before moving on to the next section, I decided to ask what the time was, and sitting in the next row wearing his wrist watch was Rakesh Kumar Sinha, whom I asked for the time. ’11.30’ he said and also indicated with his hands, and quickly got back to his writing. It was a 9.00 am’ to 12 Noon- three hours’ paper and he couldn’t obviously afford to waste time. I realized that I had only half hour to complete the rest of the paper and a major panic gripped me, so much that I must have got totally disoriented. It was in a frenzy of sorts that I remember having completed the rest of the paper, curtailing literally to half of what was required and what I had prepared so well, for all of my remaining paper. The idea was to attempt answering all the questions, and not to leave anything unanswered due to paucity of time. I remember sweating profusely throughout the remaining part of the paper. Handwriting was no more a concern for me as I wrote in rocket-speed to complete the paper. But I knew I had messed up the paper which otherwise was to be my best. I had attempted all the questions and written albeit in half length, the

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answers which were more or less objectively correct. But subjectivity of the answers mattered, and length of the answers in those days was believed to be a benchmark for knowledge as well. But then I had completed the paper, and looked up in some relief, ready to handover my paper to the invigilator. It took a few seconds to dawn on me that no one else was in a hurry to hand over the paper and most seemed to be writing at ease. A bit confused, I automatically turned to Rakesh Kumar Sinha. He was also bent into his paper writing intently. I managed to attract his attention somehow, and asked for the time again. He looked at the watch and said 10.50 ! We had another hour and 10 minutes to complete the paper! Immediately as he said it he realized the blunder that had been made! He had read the time as 11.30 when it was only 10.30, and in panic, I had finished the paper in twenty minutes shorten-

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ing my answers when I had one and a half hour to do it! He turned pale and I must have too, and in the examination hall no more could be said or exchanged! I still had adequate time to complete the paper, but the panic had taken its toll on me. I had lost the will to write and had also become completely blank, not wanting to look at the question paper again! However, I pulled myself up and struck of the last two answers and began writing all over again. It was only a lengthier version of whatever had already been written, but my fingers were aching by this time. The zest was gone but I managed to salvage a bit, but by the time I handed over the paper to the Invigilator, I was extremely drained out, yet fuming within because of the whole mess perpetrated by Rakesh Kumar Sinha! Rakesh Kumar Sinha was waiting for me outside the hall; apparently

A he had finished a few minutes before me. He immediately came up to me and apologized profusely. I must have been terribly aggressive as he recoiled in horror and shock when I held him by the collar. He blabbered something to the effect that he was extremely sorry and it was only a mistake and not intentional. I pointed out to him that he was writing comfortably when he should have also hurried through in that case, to which he said as a habit he must have looked at the watch again and obviously was not under time pressure. His mistake was in not realizing that he had told me it was 11.30 when it was only 10.30 am! I was to realize later that it was a human error, and he was as sincere in friendship as one can be, and I had lost my cool on him for something that was not his fault at all. But the damage was done. We had only one more paper to go after the said debacle, and I did not turn to him even once to ask of time during the last paper. We did not speak during the fifteen days of school before the next session and before we broke for the summer vacations. I remember having got good marks in the paper that went wrong, but never found out how much Rakesh Kumar Sinha had scored. Grade IX was when major reshuffle happened on the basis of choices of subjects. We had moved into a new class; as secondary school Grade IX was more dignified, and each one of us had grown a bit taller when the school resumed in July. With a new set of friends, new whiskers, and some new smart girls in the class, it was of no surprise that I did not even remember Rakesh Kumar Sinha, till the middle of August, when a boy named Ravi in my class mentioned that Rakesh Kumar Sinha had moved to Bihar with his family as his father had got a posting in his hometown. He also gave me a geometry box with a small piece of paper that Rakesh had left for me on which was written one word - ‘Sorry‘! I remember having felt a strong pang of guilt that time, which

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be like, to meet him again, whether he looks the same or has grown taller; taller than me, and whether he would be able to share the same bond as we had once upon a time. In reality, I have waited for him more than I have waited for anyone else in my life. With the world shrunk in the internet age and long-lost friends, and notso-great-friends connecting on social media platforms like never before, my hopes of bumping into Rakesh Kumar Sinha has been triggered again. However, the search on Facebook yields so actually was to stay forever. Grade VIII many results of the same name that final exams had by this time ceased it is extremely difficult to find a clue to be of any importance to me, and I to my friend. During one of my more had not even thought of the incident intensive searches I found 98 people much after, and I didn’t think Rakesh listed as Rakesh Kumar Sinha on Faceowed any apology for that. Even the book. More than 35 years have elapsed geometry box wasn’t as interesting as since our school days making it virit had seemed a year before. I do not tually impossible for me to recognize think I really kept it for long, and had Rakesh Kumar Sinha by pictures if any, not even seriously applied my mind to on Facebook. it or his apology. But after three years of search in In the remaining years of school, vain since Facebook happened for I confess, I did not think of Rakesh me, what bothers me most is, why has Kumar Sinha much, as new interests Rakesh Kumar Sinha not attempted developed and new friendships ensued. to connect with me again? After all he Those were not the days when every- was the one who left Delhi and I have one kept in touch with everyone, as been in the same school and same city even landline phones were a luxury all the while, and it should not be difwithin access of a precious few. Cell- ficult for him to track me! And then my phones were non-existent and as wild South Indian name is not so common, an imagination if at all, as living in and I am quite active on Facebook and Jupiter would be today. However, as my name does not throw up so many days passed, Rakesh Kumar Sinha results when searched for, as his does. became much stronger in memory Lot of questions continue to plague than he was even in those glorious me. Rather, they increasingly haunt days of friendship with me. Actually, me. Doesn’t he remember me at all? throughout my college days, when Why has he not kept in touch with I made lots of friends from Bihar, I anyone from my school at all, while I found myself hoping to meet Rakesh reconnect with my school mates only Kumar Sinha again. My search for with the hope of finding him one day? him in utter earnest had begun, but I Has he done well in life? Has anything didn’t have any lead to reach him. Of- happened to him? ten my Bihari Friends asked the same It is quite difficult for me to believe question — where exactly was he from, that he has totally forgotten me. what is his father’s name, where was But then, where is Rakesh Kuhis father working, and whether I even mar Sinha? vaguely remembered his native place. I always drew a nought as answer to Excerpted with permission from the all these questions. author from Short Stories for School I have often wondered what it would Children by Hariharan Balagopal

I have often wondered what it would be like, to meet him again, whether he looks the same or has grown taller; taller than me, and whether he would be able to share the same bond as we had once upon a time.

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C h a t

Fly High but How?

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Fly like a birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is arguably one of the most used expression of freedom and unconventionalism. But, flying also happens to be a much sought after career. Our expert, Jitin Chawla helps you know more about the profession of commercially flying the craft in India.

he job of commercial pilot is the most glamorous and exciting job in aviation. It is highly rated and is one of the most adventurous career, which requires intensive training. This profession also demands a lot of time, dedication, patience and sacrifice. A career in aviation attracts many youngsters as it provide opportunity to travel around the globe. But apart from all those attractive things the job of a commercial pilot makes them responsible for the aircraft they fly and the lives of their passengers. Pilots are highly trained professionals who fly airplanes and helicopters carrying passengers or cargo. This is a highly specialised job which requires knowledge of air navigation, interpretation of meteorological reports, operations of sophisticated electronic and mechanical controls, leading the aircraft under adverse circumstances, and being a leader to the flight crew and passengers under climatic and other emergency situations. The Directorate General Civil Aviation (DGCA) supervises the operations and lays down the standards for aviation sector. There are three kinds of flying licenses which are mandatory to pilot an aircraft.

Student Pilots License (SPL):

SPL is the security clearance that makes students eligible to start their training course in order to get a Private Pilot License (PPL) or a Commercial Pilot License (CPL). And to

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This is a highly specialised job which requires knowledge of air navigation, interpretation of meteorological reports, operations of sophisticated electronic and mechanical controls, leading the aircraft under adverse circumstances, and being a leader to the flight crew and passengers under climatic and other emergency situations.

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get a SPL, the aspirants must appear for a written examination conducted by the Chief Flying Instructor (CFI). The exam has a questionnaire comprising of aviation meteorology, air regulations, air navigation and air technical. Also, one must get a medical certificate of fitness from Institute of Aviation Medicine, Bangalore or Air Force Central Medical Establishment, New Delhi or other hospitals (check DGCA website)

Private Pilot License (PPL):

The educational qualification required is class 10th with physics and mathematics. Moreover, a medical

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Commercial Pilot Academy • • • • • • • • • • •

Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi, Rae Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh (Central Govt) Kerala Aviation Training Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Andhra Pradesh Aviation Academy, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh Government Flying Training Institute, Bhubaneswar, Orissa Government Flying Training School, Bangalore, Karnataka Haryana Institute of Civil Aviation, Karnal, Haryana Madhya Pradesh Flying Club, Indore, Madhya Pradesh Madras Flying Club, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Patiala Aviation Club, Patiala, Punjab Aviation Training Academy, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu Bombay Flying Clubs College

B.Sc. Aviation Courses a) b) c)

Banasthali Vidyapeeth-Rajasthan Osmania University Mumbai University • Chikitsak Samuhas S.S. & L.S.Patkar College of Arts & Science, V.P. Varde College of Commerce and Economics • Thakur Educational Trust’s Thakur College of Science and Commerce • Institute of Aviation and Aviation Safety • S.S.P.M.s Academy of Aviation (SVKM’s NMIMS Academy of Aviation Shirpur Airport) • Bombay Flying Clubs College of Aviation • Shri. D. D. Vispute College of Science, Commerce and Management • Hal-Pravara Aviation Institute

fitness certificate is mandatory as well and the minimum age requirement is 17 years. The minimum flight time required to obtain PPL is 40 hours of which a minimum of 20 hours should be solo flying. And one must spend 5 hours in crosscountry flying and fly with a qualified instructor for at least 15 hours. Moreover, the learner will also need to pass the written test in air navigation, aircraft engines and seamanship, air regulations and aviation meteorology.

per the standards defined by DGCA, one must be medically fit. The age bracket for acquiring this license is 18 to 30 years.

IGRUA, the government institute

has a stringent selection process which involves: a) A Written Entrance Examination at various centres all over India b) Pilot Aptitude Test & c) the interview by an interview board. One can give the entrance exam if one has 55% marks in Maths and Physics, with pass marks in English. The entrance test has Commercial Pilot License english, maths, physics and reason(CPL): The educational qualifica- ing questions. tion required to get a CPL is 10+2 With the privatization, lot of avwith mathematics and physics enues have opened for CPL holders. major subjects, from a recognized They can find employment opportuschool. Those who haven’t studied nities in both government (Air Inthese subjects can apply to National dia) as well as private domestic and Institute of Open School at first to international (Jet Airways, GoAir, meet the educational eligibility. As

C h a t

Indigo, Spice Jet, etc.) airlines. Even large corporate houses with their own aircraft require the services of pilots. The following scholarships are available at and administered through IGRUA, in Rae Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh): a) Indian Airlines scholarshipsTwo scholarships of Rs 4,00,000, each given on merit-cum-means basis per batch. b) Air India scholarships - Two scholarships of Rs 4,00,000, each given on merit-cum-means basis per batch. c) Rajiv Gandhi Foundation - For two women pilots on merit-cummeans basis to the extent of Rs 3,00,000 each per batch. d) Scholarships for SC/ST candidates • Rs 2,00,000 on training fee. • Additional Rs 2,00,000 by IGRUA to three SC/ST candidates per batch by selection on merit-cum-means basis. • Some state governments award scholarships to SC/ ST candidates for training at IGRUA. Eligible candidates may approach the respective State SC/ST Welfare Directorate for the same. e) JRD Tata Memorial scholarships For four students, of an amount not less than Rs 1,00,000 on meritcum-means basis. The JRD Tata Trust offers up to Rs 10 lakhs per year to trainees as decided by its Board of Directors. The Madras Flying Club offers a government scholarship as well. Eligibility: Class X + 10+2; you must also have a Private Pilot License from the Madras Flying Club. Check for more details: http://www. dgca.nic.in/licencing/fly-ind.htm; ww.scholarshipsinindia.com/civil. html, www. tribal.nic.in/cpladvt.pdf, www.scholarshipsindia.com

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F i t

f o r

L i f e

Be Holi, Be Safe

The excitement (and a little skin horror) that holi brings with it is almost contagious. We wish to be the grumpy old fellows, but trust us, it doesn't work! But it is almost as important to take the right precautions before one steps out to play, and the after care to keep harm and damage at bay. We had our expert, Bharti Taneja share some salient tips for a safe holi.

he festivity is here! Undoubtedly, Holi is a festival of fun and excitement, which has the children waiting for it for months and months in advance. The fact is nobody rules over Holi like the younger crowds do with gulal, pichkari and mithaai. You are the ones who enjoy the festival of colours the most. But at the same time, there is a dark side to the colors as well. The chemicals present in gulaal are a huge health hazard. Not only that, the reckless attack with eggs and wa-

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ter balloons by many is a dangerous aspect of an otherwise colorful festival. Both these factors bring pain and agony to many. So be careful of these dark forces, and let the colors fly! >> On the morning of Holi, before you are about to start your voyage of colours for the day, one precaution awaits your attention. You must massage your hair with mustard oil before you go out. Also, do the same once you are done for the day. After shampooing your hair, do not forget

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to apply mustard oil in your hair and on your scalp. Leave it on for at least an hour as it will help in removing the remaining colour and prevent damage to your hair and skin. If not mustard oil, you can apply coconut hair oil and again, it must be applied at least thirty minutes before you start playing. Our safety sometimes is really in our own hands. Though, it may seem difficult to implement but a good way to protect your hair and eyes is to wear a hat. If not a hat or

F i t a cap, any scarf or bandana will also do good to protect your hair. For ears, lips and hands you should apply generous amounts of petroleum jelly or coconut oil. Apply it on your nails, ears, and lips. If you do not wish to play with colors, be safe and apply a sunscreen. It would be smarter to use a waterproof sunscreen. Another way to prevent your nails from staining is to apply nail paint! You can apply the no-color nail paint. It may seem weird to do so at first, but trust us, once you remove the nail paint after the holi is done, your nails would be absolutely spot clean. An important note, while playing, be careful that the colour does not enter your mouth. Because of the chemicals and synthetic materials within the colours, it can cause vomiting and even lead to poisoning if ingested. >>Â What we largely get in our markets today are mostly hazardous colours, which contain oxidized metals or industrial dyes mixed with engine oil. We should not use colours that may have synthetic or chemical elements in them. Instead choose organic and natural colours which are actually easily available in the market. The organic and natural colours cause less harm to the skin and they are also easy to wash off. It is always wise to go for light colours like yellow and pink. If you wish to protect yourself further, the natural colours can even be made at home. You can use henna, neem leaves, mint, hibiscus flowers, marigold petals, turmeric powder and rose petals along with other required substances. You can dry red hibiscus flowers /Red sandalwood powder in the shade and then grind it to make a lovely red color. Use mehendi/henna powder (without amla) separately or mix with equal quantity of any flour to attain a lovely green shade. Tesu, Palash or Dhak is the source of the wonderful, tradi-

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As a precaution, do not immediately shampoo your hair after playing Holi. At least for 45 mins before you shampoo, use egg yolk or curd on the hair. This will help remove the colours and reduce the extent of the damage and it also makes the tional color for Holi. The flowers are skin softer. soaked overnight in water. You can Finally use a mild shampoo and boil them too in order to turn it into wash your hair, also use a hair cona fragrant yellowish-orange colored ditioner after the wash. Deep condiwatery liquid. (Did we hear double tion your hair once the colour fades the fun?!) away. Â As far as the pichkaris are conWe hope these tips come in handy cerned, one should use only water for you this Holi, and we will bring through them while playing the holi. more pertinent skin care tips in the >> After the celebration is over and upcoming issues. you are home, there are important things you must do to safeguard yourself. The homemade mixture of besan, curd, and turmeric or say ubtan, can be opted for the removal of the colours from the skin. This is very safe and effective method rather than the readymade products you get in the market. The coconut oil soaked cotton is very effective to wipe off the colours from the face.

Oil is your best friend when it comes to Holi!

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S t u d y

G u i d e

The Power Rangers of W-W-W!

The rate at which the digital world is expanding is something that an average person may not even be aware of. But with it lurks the dangers of unbound and dark knowledges AND predators who are constantly on the lookout for unsuspecting web surfers. The Blue Whale challenge was a prime example of this. To promote safe internet usage among teenagers, Google launched the Web Rangers competition three years ago. Read all about it, and it’s winners here!

oogle Web Rangers is a competition to promote digital literacy amongst the teenagers. The contest is open to students across the country within the age group of 10 and 17 years. Whether you have one or many great ideas, there’s a way you can participate. One can choose the category that interests them and put their creativity and skills to test. As part of its efforts to promote internet safety and digital citizenship, Google has been running programs to train student ambassadors and teachers across 5000 schools across states, covering topics like cyber-bullying, managing digital footprint, identifying fake content, dealing with online scams and more. “With the Web Rangers contest, our idea is to promote safe use of the Internet among school students and create better awareness amongst the teenagers on how to be a good digital citizen and staying safe online.” said Sunita Mohanty, Director, Trust and Safety at Google With the recently concluded third edition of the competition, here is a look at what the winners created this time around!

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# Arjun S, 17, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Kolkata, West Bengal

Juyeong took the creative route and Arjun designed an artificial intel- put together a well crafted stop moligence (AI) powered virtual as- tion video. The colorful video and sistant called “Alice Safety Bot” peppy background score act as the that answers your internet safety perfect foil to get the viewer’s attenrelated queries by simply chatting tion and to highlight 3 important with the bot on the Google Assistant platform. He also allows users to contribute towards the repository of information to help make the bot become more effective over time. He also plans to make the bot more accessible by localizing it to different Indian and international languages.

#Mrigank Pawagi, 13 years, Noida, U.P.

Mrigank Pawagi, a student of class 8th, has designed a gaming app called WebME - an Interactive Android game that teaches users the fundamentals of Cyber Security in a fun and exciting way and can also be played offline. Each level of the game has its own set of lessons and facts that users can learn and players who win, get a certificate for bragging rights.

# Juyeong Suk, 17 years,

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G u i d e

This year is also special as we have announced our collaboration with NCERT to bring lessons on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Digital Citizenshipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to classrooms in in India. Students from class I - class XII across 1.4 million schools in India will now learn how to become good and responsible digital citizens, through structured classroom modules on the social, ethical and legal aspects of Internet safety. According to reports, children are getting exposed to the Internet from the age of three and are spending twice the amount of time on the internet and on the screens than their parents think they do. Sunita Mohanty, Director, Trust and Safety, Google India safety basics that all internet users should follow. She believes that following these basic tips will significantly help users stay safe online - and we agree. Check it out on YouTube!

#4 Chaitanya Kedar Sapre, Om Patil & Ishika Kulkarni, 16 years, Pune, Maharashtra

#5 Akashdeep, 15 years, Ranchi, Jharkhand

Akashdeep from Ranchi blew us away with his creativity and skill. In their campaign, the team of 16 year In his poster, he brought together olds from Pune produced and shared technology and mythology to commultiple educative stop motion vid- municate a powerful message about eos on their YouTube channel (Web internet safety. He has addressed Rangers) and Instagram account. The the issue of phishing and crimes on team created elaborate sketches using social media but has also shown the just legos to showcase multiple sce- various ways one can stay safe onnarios on how users can be impacted line. He believes that the Web Rangif they are not careful online. Through ers community can join together as their videos, they have highlighted the a powerful force to protect the web importance of a number of issues like and fight cybercrime. Cyber Bullying, protecting passwords All information sourced from india. and cyber crime. googleblog.com

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Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 29

E x p e r t

E x p r e s s i o n

Raising Gender

Sensitive Kids

We live in times exploding with knowledge, some of which may be beyond our purview of control or approval. It is our prerogative to inculcate good values in the generation which is yet to be. So whatever the populist media or thinking maybe, raising boys and girls as equals is something that starts from the very young. Our expert, Dr Bina Nangia on raising gender sensitive children.

ender inequality is the idea and situation that women and men are not equal. Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals wholly or partly due to their gender. It arises from differences in gender roles. Gender systems are often dichotomous and hierarchical. Gender inequality stems from distinctions, whether empirically grounded or socially constructed. Women lag behind men in many domains, including education, labor market opportunities and political representation. We proud Indians of 21st century rejoice in celebrations when a boy is born, and if it is a girl, a muted or no celebrations is the norm. Love for a male child is so much so that from the times immemorial we are killing our daughters at birth or before birth, and if, fortunately, she is not killed we find various ways to discriminate against her throughout her life. Though our religious beliefs make women a goddess but we fail to recognize her as a human being first; we worship goddesses but we exploit girls. We are a society of people with double-

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Women’s exploitation is an age old cultural phenomenon of Indian society. The system of patriarchy finds its validity and sanction in our religious beliefs, whether it is Hindu, Muslim or any other religion. The unfortunate part of gender CAUSES AND TYPES OF inequality in our society is that the GENDER INEQUALITY women too, through, continued socioIN INDIA cultural conditioning, have accepted The root cause of gender inequality their subordinate position to men. And in Indian society lies in its patriarchy they are also part and parcel of same system. According to the famous soci- patriarchal system. ologists Sylvia Walby, patriarchy is “a Extreme poverty and lack of educasystem of social structure and practices tion are also some of the reasons for in which men dominate, oppress and women’s low status in society. Poverty exploit women”. and lack of education derives countless women to work in low paying domestic service, organized prostitution or as migrant laborers. Women are not only getting unequal pay for equal or more work but also they are being offered only low skill jobs for which lower wages are paid. This has become a major form of inequality on the basis of gender. Educating girl child is still seen as a bad investment because she is bound to get married and leave her paternal home standards as far as our attitude towards women is concerned; our thoughts and preaching are different than our actions. Let’s try to understand the phenomenon of gender inequality and search for some solutions.

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E x p e r t one day. Thus, without having good education women are found lacking in present day’s demanding job skills; whereas, each year’s High School and 10+2 standard results show that girls are always doing better than boys. This shows that parents are not spending much after 10+2 standard on girl child and that’s why they lack in job market. Not only in education, in case of family food habits, it is the • How roles and tasks male child who gets all the nuare shared both within tritious and choicest foods while and outside the home (i.e. the girl child gets whatever is left becooking, cleaning, child-rearing, hind after the male members have takmowing the lawn, managing en their meals or the food which is low household finances, taking kids to in both quality and nutrition. And this the park and going to work). becomes a major health issue in her • Themes and colours of clothes, toys later years. One of the main reasons for and presents given to children. the high incidences of difficult births • Interactions between family memand anaemia in women is the poor bers, for example, how decisions are quality of food which a girl always gets made within the home. either in her paternal home or in her in- • Expectations placed on different laws as also is the excessive workload family members based on gender. that they are made to bear from their For example, that it is the responearly childhood. sibility of women and girls to care for others such as remembering birthdays or that the male family Where do children learn members should take on the ‘coabout gender? median’ role. • Children may learn about accept- • Language used based on gender, such as commenting on the appearable gender roles and stereotypes ance of girls and commenting on the from television, the internet or other actions and abilities of boys. media. For example: • How parents reward or discipline • Print media (Femina, Women’s Era behaviour that adheres to accepted etc) notions of gender. For example, • Visual media (the Internet, includthrough statements such as ‘boys ing social media such as, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and video don’t cry’, or ‘boys will be boys’ to games, television and music videos). excuse inappropriate behaviour. • Audio media (song lyrics that in- • How girls and boys are supposed to clude narrow representations of look – like boys having short hair or men and women or language that being muscly is derogatory towards women). • What you can do – like women take • Parents, teachers, friends, school care of the house, but men go out rules, culture, books, family to work • How you should act – boys are aggressive while girls are softies. But children also learn about Stereotypes are ideas we have about gender roles from their people where we judge them without parents from a young age. even knowing them. We often judge

E x p r e s s i o n

people based on what they look like and how they are dressed instead of taking the time to find out who they really are. So the inequality or discrimination against women is at various levels in the society, either in home or outside home. Putting people into categories can send the message that there are ways males and females “should” behave.

HOW TO SENSITISE CHILDREN FOR GENDER SENSITIVITY: IN SCHOOLS: • Number of girls’/boys’ in class • Teachers’ attitudes towards all students, boys’/girls’ • Students’ attitudes towards each other • Level of confidence of all genders • Monitors’/class representatives • Seating arrangements • No subject wise preferences • Workshops on gender sensitization

IN HOMES: • Duties/responsibilities shared equally between genders • No comparisons • Boys can cry and girls can be strong muscled • Activities with no gender bias • No verbal discrimination • Permission equal for both genders for outings, dates etc. with caution for both. • Involving both genders in family discussions • Giving equal opportunities to both genders for growth We can challenge stereotypes... Because many times they are not true and can make you feel like someone is putting rules around who you can be and what you can do! It is like someone is trying to put you in a category or a box. Real people are more complex and interesting than stereotypes.

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D I Y

We have all at some point or the other, tried to doodle our way on the blackboard. And doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that feel like an absolute boss moment! We tried to make it even cooler by putting together a way for it to shine through the dark too!

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D I Y

You Will Need: • Plaster of paris • Water • Glow in the

dark paint • Ice cube tray

Now Follow These Steps:

it into the mould with the help of a spoon • Leave the tray aside for drying. You can leave it overnight, just for the chalk to harden properly • Charge the chalks up with the torch on your phone, or a regular bulb or torch • Switch off the lights, and viola the chalk is ready to use!

• Take the generic glow in the dark paint and take about three spoons of it in a bowl • Since the paint is pretty thick, we need to dilute it. For 3 scoops of paint, take Keep in mind: The POP hardens rather quickly, so be about 150 ml of water • Mix the paint and the water well till quick with the steps To watch video, look for “DIY Glow there are no lumps left in the bowl • Now add two small cups of plaster of In The Dark Chalk I MadStuffWithRob” on YouTube paris (POP) • Add little at a time, and keep mixing Follow Rob and share your DIYs simultaneously. It mixes well if you with him @: add little at a time Facebook.com/MadStuffWithRob • Once the paste like solution is ready, Twitter.com/MadStuffWithRob bring in the ice cube tray and pour Instagram.com//MadStuffWithRob

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Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 35

NOW NO MORE STOPS TILL WE REACH THE CAPITAL!

…MESSAGE COMING IN FROM TELEPATHY TOWER…

WE’RE FLYING OVER THE SEA, IT LOOKS BANGLE! SO DIFFERENT FROM UP HERE!

HIS BROTHER LAKSHMAN IS A MIGHTY WARRIOR TOO!

UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT AHEAD, CAPTAIN!

CAPTAIN…

THERE’S A RUMOUR IN THE CAPITAL THAT SOME MONKEYS FROM RAM’S ARMY HAVE ALREADY LANDED ON OUR SHORES…

…AIR COMMAND WANTS US TO CHECK IT …CHANGE OUT… COURSE! FLY ALONG THE COAST!

THIS WAR IS GOING TO RUIN US!

IT’S… IT’S…

HANUMAN, THE SON OF THE WIND!

WHY? DOES HE EXPECT TO CONQUER LANKA ON HIS OWN?

HE’S LEAPING OVER THE OCEAN TO LANKA!

YOU KNOW MORE THAN YOU SHOULD! NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY THE QUEEN WANTS YOU!

HE PROBABLY COULD! BUT RIGHT NOW HIS MISSION IS TO MAKE SURE THAT SITA IS SAFE, AND TO CONVEY A MESSAGE FROM RAM TO RAVANA!

RAVANA SHOULD NEVER HAVE CROSSED SWORDS WITH RAMA! HE HAS AWESOME WEAPONS!

WE MUST REPORT THE ARRIVAL OF HANUMAN AT ONCE!

BUT FIRST WE’LL DROP THIS GIRL AT THE PALACE! SHE COULD BE VERY USEFUL TO US!

THE QUEEN IS DISTRESSED BY WHAT IS HAPPENING. SHE HAS LOCKED HERSELF IN HER CHAMBER, REFUSING TO SEE ANYONE!

I’VE BROUGHT THE GIRL THE QUEEN HAD ORDERED ME TO BRING!

PERHAPS SHE MIGHT EVEN HELP US FIND OUR WAY BACK HOME!

NOW THAT HER COUNTRY IS PREPARING FOR WAR, THE QUEEN MAY NO LONGER NEED ME, BANGLE!

THEN I’LL LEAVE THE GIRL IN YOUR CHARGE! TAKE GOOD CARE OF HER…

COME!

…OR YOU COULD LOSE YOUR HEAD!

THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE SHE MIGHT LET US GO!

YOU WILL STAY HERE TILL THE QUEEN IS READY TO SEE YOU.

I WILL SEND SOME REFRESHMENTS.

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Volume 03 | Issue 06 | January 2018 | 37

T e e n

T r a v e l s My association with Spain started at dawn- quite literally. As I landed into Barcelonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s El Prat Airport, the first rays of the sun were just starting to peek shyly out of the clouds. It was chilly and windy, with temperatures dropping well below 10 degrees during the day. Weary from the nearly twenty hour journey, but too excited to take a break, we set out to our first destination- The Gothic Quarter. The Gothic Quarter, also known as Las Ramblas, is located in the heart of the city and is a bustling tourist spot. Located in close vicinity to nearly all important locations in Barcelona, it is both a historical and modern hub for activity. One can often spot plaques of hotels and buildings inaugurated by renowned men from history; and to my delight, I found a hotel inaugurated by Hans Christian Andersen! Another striking feature of this locality are the roadside stalls found serving Sangria (pink wine served with fresh fruit

When History Came to Life W

hile in school, the incessantly raised hand that stayed that way all through History class was mine. I have had an almost unbelievable passion for medieval history- the tales of yore, the brave knights and the dainty damsels, the mysterious moats around castles and the marvelous renaissance interested me to no end, and my studies painted vivid images of these places. However, the master-

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stroke was finally painted on when I had a chance to go on a beautiful ten-day trip to one of my favorite European countries- Spain. Spain, the home to one of the richest cultures in the world, has a little surprise for almost everyone who visits it. A paradise for those in love with the past and those eagerly looking for the future, Spain is the perfect blend of what was and what will be, in particular Barcelona.

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in gigantic glasses) and Tapas (starters). Also found in the vicinity is the famous fruit market, La Boqueria, where thousands of people flock to for the freshest delicatessen in town. On our way back, to my utmost joy, we found that the Game of Thrones touring exhibition was in town, and my inner Lannister couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but find out what was held behind those

T e e n

closed doors (Valar Morghulis!) The next day, we went to visit Gaudi’s architectural marvel, Parc Guell. Created for the Guell family and other rich families hoping to escape the polluted old city, Parc Guell is the perfect example of blending nature with god and modernity. Nearly every structure, right from the sidewalk linings display an amalgamation of elements from nature. An interesting fact about Gaudi: he is accredited with inventing the mosaic tile style, and this is evident in the pillars and the great balcony of the park. However, what stole my breath away that day was the famed monastery of Montserrat. Brought to the limelight by Dan Brown’s very recent book, Origin, one glance is all it takes to know that no amount of words can do it justice. With stunning colored glass paintings and a divine chapel (pun intended), Montserrat is ethereal. The cherry on the cake was the Montserrat boys’ choir, trained by affluent musicians for over 6 centuries.

T r a v e l s

their lives. The last item on our list for Barcelona was the famed Sagrada Familia. Started by Antonio Gaudi in 1882 and still being constructed, like every other Gaudi structure, Sagrada Familia is a blend of several art forms like Spanish Gothic and Art Nouveau. A very striking contrast is seen between the Nativity façade and the passion façade. The inside of the church reminds one of a forest with its towering bark- like pillars and colourful stained glass. A fun fact about the Basilica is that it’s tallest spire will represent Jesus Christ and will be exactly 1 metre shorter than the Montjuic hill as Gaudi believed that human creation should never surpass God’s creation. Ending the trip with an authentic European meal, I could nearly feel Our next stop in Barcelona was the the pages of my history book come Montjuic castle. The symbol for the to life.With a heavy heart the next day, political struggle in Barcelona, the I had to leave for home, but I knew Montjuic castell is a magnificent for- that the beautiful city was going to be tress perched on top of the Montjuic etched in my mind forever. hill. It’s 360 degree view of the city right up to the docks is an ode to the By city’s power. Closely located also is Sanika Rahul Savdekar Class XI the Montjuic museum, a tour of the Amity International School, history of Barcelona over the ages Sector-46, Gurgaon and the importance of Catalan in

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Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 39

B l o g

#METOO, WITH FILTERS Not such a long time back, the women (urban, educated because not everyone in the Indian villages can # yet) across the world took to social media to become part of a movement, highlighting that how almost every women had been a prey to sexual harassment in one way or another. But at the same time, we as rational individuals must examine the issue from every angle. Here is our teen reporter, Yatharth’s take on the issue. OVERVIEW I appreciate #MeToo because it’s mass healing through acknowledgement and public psychotherapy at its best. Traumatized individuals, especially women (literally, all of them - but of course, with different intensities), given their systematic oppression, vented their thoughts of anger, sorrow or shame on a public platform; a few people understood and stood by them... all this was just fine. Here, though, I chose to delineate on other underlying aspects that rouged my cheeks with vexation.

Purpose The purpose of the #MeToo movement was to give people “a sense of

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the magnitude of the problem,” ac- Did it happen? cording to the woman who popularized the hashtag, Alyssa Milano. Movements are spread by stories and writings. Our easiest access to these, now, is Initial Impression through the Internet. “But no abuser is going to change by Very often, my lazy hands don’t go reading these tales of woe,” was my beyond Google’s first page to research original thought. and read about any issue, ultimately But that is because the mainstream leading me to fall into the comforting is trying to wage a war against men views of any privileged group - be it and the abusers. My mind wants to the cisgenders or the heterosexuals, think on its own. And I was totally besides men and white people - talkunsure who to agree with. ing about events they’ve never expeAnd so I thought, we could instead rienced but feel entitled enough to try to fight this pre-existing, demean- comment on. ing, dehumanizing culture, not parSo on #MeToo as well, articles ticular humans. are full of white men giving their This movement was instrumental opinions on how this movement is in shoving the mere presence of this “good” and giving apparent scientific culture in the faces of the deniers. justifications for the same. Read this excerpt I found. Some activist from the Czech Republic said this: “These campaigns are good because even when they’ll go away and people will forget about them, what won’t go away are the ideas that women around the world now have. There is a time for absorbing emotions and there is a time for healing and then there is a time for fighting. Next time when there will be a call for action to defend their rights, women will be there.” This was the top result for a curious to-be activist. This is a generic amalgamation of apparently ‘enlightening’ sentiments tossed together into a paragraph to distract people from the main point and make us believe things are alright.

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Faux Claims Websites claim “men themselves have initiated campaigns of their own - #IHave, #IDidThat, and #IWill – confessing they have witnessed, condoned or engaged in sexual harassment and promising they will change their perception on the matter”, but that’s absolutely untrue. Go check on twitter if you wish. Very few people have done this, and most users of this hashtags are posing the question to men to ameliorate the scene – a classic example of over glorification of small efforts by non-victims. I read reports from sociologists - these experts say changing perception on acceptable sexual behaviour has always taken time and strong social involvement. I’m sure that’s been the case in the past - but only due a lack of a dynamic platform. Smart phones we have help us swallow and process huge amounts of information on a daily basis and act on it, so the question of delay shouldn’t arise now. Unless, of course, if this information is filtered and incorrectly represented. Think about it, who controls the mainstream media majorly? It’s men, yet again.

Dealing with my Anger I am so angry that I could go into an Amber Rose breakdown, but I must

Yes, it’s all for equality, ultimately - but the ambiguity between rights and respect confuses people who end up taking unfavourable decisions. We are not fighting for rights, we are fighting for equal treatment by law AND the society. maintain myself. That doesn’t mean I’ll let go of this pent-up anger. Neither should you. The battle is against unfairness. It is to reward individuals with feminine expression, regardless of gender, with basic human respect, more than rights - which they had been denied all through the centuries because the other half of the population found their expression and behaviour disdainful. Yes, it’s all for equality, ultimately but the ambiguity between rights and respect confuses people who end up taking unfavourable decisions. Most people have fundamental Human Rights on paper. We are not fighting for rights, we are fighting for equal treatment by law AND the society.

That simply means respecting personal opinions and preventing abuse. THAT. IS. ALL. We cannot let our anger go waste.

Solution What can we do, then? I had a vague idea, but singer Miss White’s words perfectly describe it. “I reject male opinion, male consumption, and male dominance and replace it with a woman’s infinite ability to thrive in a fatally unfit environment.” You no longer have to wince when an illogical man cries “reverse sexism!” You no longer have to clap for a man for doing the bare minimum, for example, say “I respect women” or “I will never rape”. You no longer have to read or unconsciously pick up their views on women, when they’ve never lived as such. You need to think for yourself and other women, and reject any idea anyone tries to enforce about you. For they do not know.

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By Yatharth Vohra Class XI Delhi Public School, RK Puram

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S t u d y

G u i d e

Simplifying: Undergrad College Interviews While grad school interviews are a whole other ball game, undergrad interviews are not. Our expert, Urvashi Malik explains the conundrum

f you’ve been following the conversations on any admission forum, you may have seen a version of the question “Has anyone got an interview invite from X?” with about a dozen question marks after it. Honestly, if we were to go by the urgency in online tone it would seem like the college interview can make or break one’s case for admission to highly selective colleges! In fact, if you read a bunch of articles online about the importance of the college interview, you might very well come away thinking that the interview is paramount to a student’s success in the admissions process. Well not exactly. While grad school interviews are a whole other ball game (more graduate schools have required interviews), undergrad interviews are not. Sure, if a student demonstrates that he or she has done the equivalent of zero research on the college in question, that can absolutely end their chances of admissions but to suggest that the college interview is make it or break it, is wrong. Those admissions essays, grades, test scores, activities — now those are make it or break it.

So, do interviews really help? The importance of interviews in the admission process varies from school to school. For few schools these interviews are of considerable importance, for some of moderate importance but for most they are of limited or no importance. In general, interviews with admissions staff are more important than

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the interviews with alumni, which tend to be more informative in nature rather than evaluative. Think of it as reading a second-hand review or report (from alumni) or adding value from first-person experience (admissions staff).

Perhaps you’re very impressive in person as compared to on paper. Or maybe you’ve done some awesome things since applying that weren’t in your original application. You can share these things in your interview.

sway over the admissions decision, although how much varies from school to school. So just doing the interview—regardless of how you think it went—counts for something. 2. To provide additional information. Maybe you didn’t do complete justice to representing your applicant profile in your essays. Perhaps you’re very impressive in person as compared to on paper. Or maybe you’ve done some awesome things since applying that weren’t in your original application. You can share these things in your interview. How can you set up an interview? For some colleges this process gets triggered off automatically. Georgetown sends out an interview scheduling mail as soon as a student submits Part 1 of their application, others like Yale wait for the complete application to be submitted before initiating the process. For some others like UChicago a student needs to request for an interview through their application portal.

Interviews are very helpful for someone who is on the bubble, where the decision could go either way. A fantastic interview with an alumnus could make a significant difference. Interviewing is a great way to show demonstrated interest, which some colleges track as a factor which impacts their yield. Prepping for an interview: Questions will fall in three buckSo here are two reasons to do a ets: university interview: 1. Why this major e.g. Why 1. To demonstrate interest in Mathematics? the school. Some schools track how Being a logical thinker, I’m intrigued much active interest you’ve shown: by Math because of its application to Did you apply early? Did you visit? almost all areas whether it is finance Did you interview? Did you open our or operations research or data sciemails and click on something? To- ence or economics and can be applied gether, these factors can have some to most real life scenarios.

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S t u d y

G u i d e

Being an avid Basketball player I find myself using math to improve my game. The path the basketball takes once it’s shot comes down to the angle at which it is shot, the force applied and the height of the player’s arms. When shooting from behind the free throw line, a smaller angle is necessary to get the ball through the hoop. However, when making a field throw, a larger angle is called for. When a defender is trying to block the shot, a higher shot is necessary. (Answer + Evidence) 2. Why Us? Remember that this is not about why the school is awesome. The school knows it’s awesome. Don’t talk about weather, location and other such inane things instead research specifics. It’s not about ‘Why UMichigan?” but it’s all about ‘Why YOU at UMichigan?’ Talk about why you are perfect for each other. Talk of specifics - academic courses, clubs & organizations, special offerings particular to that university. Remember this is another chance to show a few more of your skills / talents / interests / passions WITHOUT being braggy 3. What are your extracurricular Interests? It’s good to talk about your interests, showing a passion and also bringing in the values learnt through them. Maybe there are some activities you have not mentioned in your application. You might be trying to break your school record on solving the Rubik’s Cube with one hand. Do talk about this. Questions to ask an interviewer Don’t ask for information that is already on the website. Meaningful, well-thought-out questions will help you learn more about the schools at the top of your list, while demonstrating that you’re a serious student who is inquisitive and

committed to excelling in the future. Can you tell me about the ABC and XYZ programs? I’m torn between which program of study I’d like to pursue. What are some exciting internships that students have had here in the past year? How have those internships helped students academically or on their career paths? (Shows you are mature and career-focussed) What is a typical weekend or weeknight like on campus? Are there campus-sponsored events, or do most students find fun elsewhere? I read about (insert popular oncampus event or tradition). Have you participated? What’s it like? If you can ask a question based on something the interviewer has told you during the interview, it shows you have been listening. For example, if the interviewer discusses a tutoring program, you can ask the interviewer if he was involved in it, or you can ask for more details about how the program works.

Practice! Whether it’s writing out the answers or points, writing can only get you so far. Prepare for an interview by practicing for it. Say your answers out loud to a mirror or video yourself and see what you sound like. Practice with a counselor, an alum, a friend, a parent. Practise so that you are at ease. And remember, while these tips may be for college interviews, they apply to every interview henceforth. While it seems a while away, you will soon interview for internships and jobs and even on campus, you may interview for selective student groups - it’s always good to learn to present yourself thoughtfully to show them the best of who you are. Urvashi Malik and the CollegeCore team takes pride in helping students through the nose to toes of the admissions process, including the interview process. For more information, log on to www.collegecore.in

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S t o r y t e l l i n g

Sympathy

he rain never seemed to stop as I walked along the sidewalk. Pitter-patter, pitter-patter. The noise gave me some comfort as I maneuvered around the people moving along with me, trying not to accidentally catch someone by my umbrella. Little things were noticed, but not remembered, the colours of the cars passing by, the outdated neon sign outside some rundown bar, almost too bright under the grey sky. Soon, I turned down an alleyway, heading to my home, the heartbeat of the city now just a dull throb in the background. I was thinking about so many inane things, chores to do, errands to run, that I never noticed the foot jutting out from behind the dumpster. Tripping over it, my umbrella falling away from my hand, my glasses tap-dancing over the cement, I managed to utter out a surprised cry as I stopped my fall with my hands. Moaning whispered curses as I half- stood, flapping my

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arms around looking for my glasses; as I picked them up, I turned around to look at the foot, and the person attached, who caused me such pain. “Sorry ‘bout that, but you should’ve been looking where you where going, man.” A calm, deep voice said. I didn’t even respond, still trying to make sense of the person in front of me. He was about 20-ish, around my age, with auburn hair, but his most striking feature was his attire. On his head, lay a crown made out of an old pizza box, encrusted with knick-knacks. His shirt was 4 sizes too big for him, and his pants had one leg as shorts, the other all the way to the ankle. It looked like his pants had been ripped by something. He was as thin as a stick. Now realizing that I’d been standing there foolishly for too long, I responded. “Yeah, it was my fault. Sorry.” I felt cold for some reason. Something as I looked on didn’t feel right. As I walked away hesitantly, not

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until I rounded the corner did I realize what made me feel so cold. It was his eyes. They were screaming. He was just like me, but left for dead in an alley, nobody in the world knew nor cared about him. They were crying, because they’d seen too much to live anymore. He was just like me, but dealt a bitter hand in life. Grey as the sky above. Without any pause in my gait, I turned around and headed back down the alley, I didn’t even know why, what would I say to him,’Your eyes need to smile, I want to help you?’ But, by the time I reached the dumpster, he had gone. Disappeared to be found again somewhere, wearing his cardboard crown, finding no home but the open road. The sun broke through the clouds. By Pramit Kumar Das Class IX Tagore International School, East of Kailash

O p i n i o n

The Caged Tigress

In a world ready to celebrate and worship women as Goddesses or denounce them as witches, what does it mean to be an ordinary woman everyday?

he Oxford dictionary defines ‘Femininity’ as the quality of being feminine or being womanly. But what then does being feminine mean? Well, I think being free is feminine, being unstoppable is feminine, being spirited is feminine, and I don’t want to hide my femininity behind pretentious things. I want to flaunt it like a JEWEL, use it like a WEAPON and cherish it like my FIRST LOVE. Yet again, we talk about women empowerment and crime against women. Another rape, another murder, another innocent soul freed from the chains of this hypocritic world. Not me, you’ll say. Of course we do our bit – our duty, our responsibility as citizens of this country. We participate in campaigns, protest against the lousy work of the government and the courts, shout slogans, make posters, write angry essays and then post them on Facebook for the world to see how strongly we feel about the issue. But is it enough? How many of us honestly do not judge a girl by the length of her skirt or her choice of clothes? How many instinctively do not stare at a girl with short cropped hair, tattoos over her body and ripped jeans like she is an alien from another planet? In our society, eve-teasing means nothing. It’s just a common thing that every girl goes through, that she has to endure silently. We call women the ‘weaker sex’; we do not see them as independent. They always need a shoulder to cry on, whether it’s their husband, father or brother. They need reservations in buses, metros and public places, because they are ‘weaker’.

All this does not empower women; it promotes inequality at another level. We can go on and on talking about this issue, I can go on writing about it, pouring out the remorse that fills my heart, but I just want to give a message to this world where being a girl is a crime. She is a CAGED TIGRESS who has been forced to sit and obey the filthy hypocrites by the strike of the whip over the centuries. But her inherent nature has not

changed, it’s still there, deep down, struggling to emerge. She has been suppressed enough and the volcano of her fury is about to erupt. She is about to rip that cage apart and if we do not mend our ways, she will destroy everything in her wake.

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By Maria Javed Class IX Modern School, Barakhamba Road

Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 45

R A P

U P

8 MOVIES FOR

THE ALL POWERFUL XX CHROMOSOME Celebrate this Women’s day with these silver screen femme fatales and watch them destroy every barrier in their paths. ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953) DIRECTOR: William Wyler GENRE: ROM-COM

has a chance to prove herself by finding “The Citizen”, a domestic terrorist who has implemented a bomb in a beauty pageant. Sandra Bullock stuns as Gracie Hart and wins all hearts when she is finally crowned ‘miss congeniality’.

Roman Holiday, starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, is the tale of a princess who decides to take matters in her own hands and venture out of the confines of her castle. An immortal romantic comedy, it shows the naïve Hepburn experience life to the fullest in Rome without constant protection looming over her. FUN FACT: Halfway through the filming, Gregory Peck insisted on elevating Audrey Hepburn to equal billing- an almost unheard gesture in Hollywood. MISS CONGENIALITY (2000) DIRECTOR: Donald Petrie Genre: Action comedy In 1982, a young Gracie Hart steps into a playground fight to fight a bully who is threatening a boy she likes. However, the boy feels humiliated at being rescued ‘by a girl’, and rejects her, whereupon she punches him in the nose and leaves to sulk alone. Years later, Gracie is now a tough Special Agent for the FBI, who, after landing a desk job after disobeying orders,

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FUN FACT: It received nominations for several awards, including two Golden Globes. Sandra Bullock earned a nod for Best Performance by an Actress in a comedy/musical motion picture. G.I. JANE (1997) Director: Ridley Scott Genre: Action When Senator Lillian DeHaven criticizes the armed forces for not being more gender neutral, behind the scenes, an agreement is made- if women compare favorably with men in the

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test results, the military will start to include women into all programs of the navy. The senator handpicks topographical analyst Jordan O’Neill (Demi Moore) as the candidate for the tests. The movie runs through the rise and fall of O’Neill in battling out an overly misogynistic Navy and the political and social struggle that comes with it. It portrays the importance of media in creating and destroying public image. O’Neill is nicknamed ‘G.I. Jane’, and kicks every barrier in front of her goodbye. FUN FACT: O’Neill is chosen for the tests because she is more ‘feminine’ than the other candidates are. MONA LISA SMILE (2003) Director: Mike Newell Genre: Drama

Set in 1953, Mona Lisa smile is a story about Katherine Ann Watson, who at the age of 30 joins an all-girls college to teach the ‘history of arts’. Finding that all her students have memorized the books cover to cover, she strays down a completely different path and teaches her students to explore the

R A P true beauty of art, whether traditional or modern. She faces flak from several of her colleagues and students for her methods and preference to grade on merit rather than on allowances. The title is a reference to the Mona Lisa, the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, and the song of the same name. FUN FACT: Julia Roberts received a record $25 million for her performance, the highest ever earned by an actor at that time. THE IRON LADY (2011) Director: Phyllida Lloyd Genre: Bibliographical Drama

The Iron Lady, released in 2011, is an account of the life of Margaret Thatcher, a British stateswoman, politician, first female and longest serving prime minister of the United Kingdom. Thatcher is portrayed primarily by Meryl Streep. The film is shown in flashbacks, with young Margaret idolizing her father for his powerful speeches and her poor relationship with her mother due to her profession of a home-maker. It beautifully showcases Thatcher’s rise from struggling to get a seat in the male-dominated house of Commons to becoming the leader of the conservative party, and finally being elected as the Prime Minister. FUN FACT: Meryl Streep received her 17th Oscar nomination for the movie and ultimately ended up bagging the award, making it her second Oscar. BRAVE (2013) Director: Mark Andre ws and Brenda Chapman Genre: Animated Fantasy Brave, an animated movie from Pixar, has touched the hearts of many a

parent and child. The story revolves around Merida, a young princess in Medieval Scotland, who disappointed that she is to be wed to her father’s allies, contests for her own hand and wins by a huge margin. This leads her into a fight with her mother, after which she storms out of the house and ventures into a witch’s hut, who turns her mother and brothers into bears. In order to restore peace, she must mend not only a tapestry, but also to age-old traditions, and bring peace to both the past and the present. Brave is a delightful mix of folklore and moral lessons, and a must watch for all ages. FUN FACT: Chapman drew inspiration for the film’s story from her relationship with her own daughter.

U P

racism and domestic problems. The movie ends with Friendship 7 landing successfully, and the three young women looking at their futures as bright as America’s future in space ventures. FUN FACT: Hidden Figures had a record number of charity screenings for women in STEM fields in 2016. PINK (2016) Director: Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury Genre: Drama

This list, of course, is incomplete without the widely acclaimed Hindi movie Pink, starring Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, Andrea Tariang and Amitabh Bachchan. The story revolves around the group of three girls living together in South Delhi, who go to a rock conHIDDEN FIGURES (2016) cert one day and meet for drinks with Director: Theodore Melfi a group of boys, who later try to haGenre: Bibliographical Drama rass them and sexually assault them. In desperation, Minal (Pannu) slams a bottle on one of the assailant’s heads and he is rushed to the hospital. What ensues then is a battle in the courtroom, where Deepak Sehgal, a former lawyer, defends the girls. A very powerful movie, it has led to many a debate on the importance of consent and the moral rights of women in toReleased in 2016, Hidden Figures day’s world. is the story of three female African- FUN FACT: Pink won the National American mathematicians, who work Film Award for Best Film on Other Soat NASA during the Space Race. The cial Issues. The film was also specially film stars Taraji P. Henson as Kath- screened at Rashtrapati Bhavan and inerine Johnson, a mathematician who vited for a screening at the United Nacalculated flight trajectories for Proj- tions headquarters in New York City. ect Mercury and other missions, Octavia Spencer as NASA supervisor DorBy othy Vaughan and Janelle Monáe as Sanika Rahul Savdekar NASA engineer Mary Jackson. These Class XI young women have to battle not only Amity International School, Sector-46, Gurgaon misogyny but also highly prevalent

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Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 47

S l a m

P o e t r y

Draupadi’s Courage Cries of victory pervaded the air In the grand hall of a thousand pillars. ‘Jltam- we have won,’ shouted he, The kingdom was theirs So were the riches And so was queen Draupadi.

The noble Kshatriyas were compelled to wonder About the subtleties of Dharma About what is right or wrong About the fruits of their karma.

And drunk with pride thus ordered Duryodhana That Draupadi be brought into the assembly But, not fearlessly questioned she, ‘Whom did you lose first, yourself or me’ ? And so one is impelled to contemplate What Bhishma said is at all true Does a wife really ‘belong’ to her husband To act upon his orders, and then Lose her freedom, too? Or whether the mighty Yudhisthira Was at all justified to stake his wife When he had already lost himself In that ‘friendly game of dice?’ Resilient, eloquent, courageous Draupadi Even in that era, that date Set an example for women of all generations By boldly questioning her fate By asking the assembly to pay heed To the moral consequences of the Kauravas’ deed By forcing them to think About the Dharma of a king.

Is Dharma defined? By what is lawful and necessarily right? But Draupadi’s unsettling question suggests that, She did not believe in that insight So is Dharma something, Other than what is customary Something that might not adhere to the law. But is justified morally? Furthering the interest of the state Is the Dharma of the king, they say But doing so with force and dominance Is not the only way Instead the qualities of a noble king Are intelligence, determination and grit Righteousness and humanity And benevolence, sympathy and wit. And Draupadi’s thought – evoking questions Were unanswered still, Even as Dushasana attempted to disrobe her Against her own will.

By Guneet Kaur Baweja Class XII New Era Public School, Mayapuri

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Her cries heard by none, For in that illustrious court, Was there a man? No, not one!

S l a m

PR oA eP t Ur Py

Blank Canvas A new life, a new canvas, a brand new start. Give me my easel, give me my brush to make this piece of art.

She fought alone. Humiliation, insanity, disgrace As the Pandavas, silent in witness Struggled to hide face. What a fall it was for a man, Nay, For the entire humanity When not a single tear was shed And no voice rose in sympathy And not a single man held the hand Of Dushasana -‘Stop this deed!’ The great war went its way The outcome was predictable For in victory too there are no survivors But did the ordeal of Draupadi end? She still questions her mentors And still scuffles to survive and fights And still in the world of insecurity she breathes And still she struggles for her basic rights And with hope in her heart she continues to agitate For one day, voices will rise And tears will be shed And the noble king will rise in fury To help their beloved Draupadi.

Paint me a canvas of beautiful blue, Symbolising the trust and loyalty as I drew. Splash on some orange like a blazing fire Symbolising wealth, what we all desire. Paint on some yellow with one simple stroke, Describing the laughter that follows a joke. Red for passion and purple for pride White for friends who stay side by side. Crimson for the blood that runs through my veins Splashing it all over and hoping it stains. Grey for sadness and salty tears. Green for the strengths and conquering fears . Paint me a canvas with pastel pink, To symbolize innocence and a playful wink. Silver for efforts and gold for success. I am running out of colours. I confess. Life is all these colours mixed together, I am stuck with this painting now and forever. This painting is my life from back to back This painting is my life and the painting is black.

By Amber Ahmed Class X Tagore International School, East of Kailash

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Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 49

WP a tg ce h H Te ha id s

S p a c e

Birla Balika Vidyapeeth, Pilani

The All Girls NCC Band for the Win! The all girls NCC band of Birla Balika Vidyapeeth had the privilege to participate in the grand event Khelo India. The Prime Minister Sh Narender Modi declared the Khelo India School Games ‘open’ at a colourful inaugural ceremony, on 31st January 2018, at the Indira Gandhi Stadium . The exclusively girls’ Brass Band has been adding laurels to the school and state, by participating in the Republic Day Camp and Republic Day Parade for the 59th consecutive year. It also attracted national

attention for participating in the PM’s Rally. The band contingent comprises of 51 NCC cadets of Junior Wing and Senior Wing in the age group of 13 to 16 years. In 1959, the first Band Leader Miss Asha Lata Jha had received a Silver Baton from the first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Since then the band has constantly grown and has become the pride and charm of NCC. The secret behind their success lies behind their constant rigorous practice, great zeal, enthusiasm and interest

Winners of U-12 Girls Basketball

Scottish High International School, 50 | Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018

Gurugram

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At Scottish High International School, sports education is integral and important to the school curriculum. Fuelled by the fire to achieve greatness, the under-12 girls basketball team of Scottish High International School Gurugram participated in the Basketball Competition organized by Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA at Ramjas School, RK

W a t c h which help them to reach the pinnacle of perfection. In Brass Band students are taught on the following Instruments : euphonium, sousaphone, trombone, trumpet, cornet, saxophone, clarinet, bass drum, snare drum, symbols, extra percussions. The practice is part of their schools’ curricular activities. Our band is cherished and respected by the entire school and this heritage is an integral part of the value system of Birla Balika Vidyapeeth. The school’s motto , “Give the girl child – wings to fly” is truly realized in this girls’ band.

T h i s

S p a c e

A Spirit of Sportsmanship

Birla Vidya Niketan, Pushp Vihar Sports play a vital role in the holistic development of a child – making him physically as well as mentally sound. Birla Vidya Niketan buzzed with enthusiasm when it celebrated its much awaited Annual Sports Day ‘BHARAT POSITIVE’ on December 23rd, 2017. A resounding number of over 1500 students participated in this event. The recipient of the National Role Model Award 2017 and Chief of Army Staff Commendation 2005 - Mr. Navin Gulia (an author, adventurer, thinker and social worker) graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Ms. Shreyansi Singh, a renowned shooter (Silver medalist at Commonwealth, Glasgow) and Mr. Rakesh Pandey (Silver medalist at Para Badminton Championship at Korea) were the Guests of Honour. The programme began with ‘Abhinandan’ sung by the school choir to honour the Chief Guest followed by an introduction to the inspiring life of Mr. Gulia. The meet was then declared open with the chief guest lighting the Olympic flame and the torch was carried by the Sports champions of the school: Vidushi Singh (District Badminton Champion), Suyash (CBSE National Skating Champion), Nabhia (National Level Swimmer) and Hemanya Puram, Delhi. Baweja (U-16 International Level Football Player). Scottish High International The March Past led by Siddharth Kulkarni and Sanchita Maurya was a School team brought laurels to the magnificent display of discipline, coordination and impeccable synchronizaschool by winning the tournament tion of all six school houses. This was followed by the Oath taking ceremony. in Under-12 Girls category, competThe most interesting aspect, embellishing the event, was the splendid field ing against 24 schools of Delhi NCR. displays involving mass student participation- a riot of hues and vibrance The Under-12 Girls team of SHIS based on the theme “Bharat Positive’ highlighting women empowerment, claimed the Trophy trouncing their cultural variety, renaissances and fit n fabulous India. opponents National Education The much awaited field and track events started and the budding athSchool, Noida. letes of BVN ran for the finishing line. The zealous parents, gathered in large The victory has proved to be a shot in the arm for these young numbers, constantly motivated the participants. Principal Mrs. Kushwaha basketball champions who look congratulated the winners and applauded the participants for their spirit of forward to capitalize the new sportsmanship and camaraderie. The Chief Guest Mr. Gulia addressed the gathering and encouraged them found glory to win more laurels for their nation, state, school and their to continue inculcating discipline and moral values in the students who will families. have to face and overcome a lot of challenges on the road of success.

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Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 51

Udupi and the

t h e

U n t o l d

Art of Feeding We bring to you stories from Indian mythology which are little known to most readers, yet hold fascinating aspects of the epic narrative.

hen it was definite that the Mahabharata war would take place, the kings from various lands joined the Pandavas or Kauravas according to their inclinations. The Pandavas went and asked the king of Udupi, which side he would join. The king of Udupi however chose to remain neutral. He spoke to Krishna and said, “Those who fight battles have to eat. I will be the caterer for this battle”. Many of the Udupi people are caterers even today. The battle lasted 18 days, and every day, thousands of soldiers died. So the Udupi king cooked that much less food, otherwise it would go waste. The amazing thing was that every day, the food was exactly enough for all the soldiers and no food was wasted. After a few days, people were amazed, “How is he managing to cook the exact amount of food!”. No one could know how

many people had died on any given day. When someone asked the king of Udupi, “How do you manage this?” the king replied, “Every night I go to Krishna’s tent. Krishna likes to eat boiled groundnuts in the night so I peel them and keep them in a bowl. After he is done I count how many peanuts has he eaten. If it’s 10 peanuts, I know tomorrow 10,000 people will be dead. So the next day when I cook lunch, I cook for 10,000 people less.”

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Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 53

J u n i o r

D I Y

Make Your Own Stickers!

The toughest task on the planet sometimes is to look for your favourite stickers. And then the exorbitant prices for it! We have a simple do-it-yourself for making your favourite illustrations into stickers.

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J u n i o r

You Will Need:

• • • •

White paper Illustrations Sticky tape Double sided tape

• • • •

Pencil X-Acto knife Scissors Markers

Now follow these steps:

• Take a regular cartridge sheet of paper • Place a sticky tape roll on it, and take a rough marking for the size of your sticker illustration • This would be the rough indication of how big our sticker should be • With a pencil, get doodling to your favourite characters or signs. Ink it and erase all the pencil lines. Now colour the figure with

•

• • • • • •

D I Y

some bright or not so bright • Once that is done, you can use colours scissors to cut out individual Alternately, if you don’t want to illustration more cleanly draw, you can put together some • You can leave a little border of your favorite things and print around each sticker, to give the them sticker more frame To convert these to stickers, cut • Peel off the other side of the them to size tape and use when you want, just Take the sticky tape, and pull it like a sticker! out with the sticky side facing upwards To watch video, look for “DIY StickStick the cut out illustrations ers | No Sticker Paper | Mad onto the tape, facing downward Stuff With Rob” on YouTube Cut out the individual pieces Follow Rob and share your DIYs Now you see all your illustrations with him @: have nice glossy finish Take double sided tape and pull Facebook.com/MadStuffWithRob out a nice big piece, and stick all Twitter.com/MadStuffWithRob the individual illustrations on it Instagram.com//MadStuffWithRob

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S t o r y t e l l i n g

See

ll the trees were turning yellow. I still remember. A strange icy wind was blowing that day. I made my way down the metro station steps with my headphones in my ears playing preppy pop song all of us had heard before but whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name none could recall. I wrapped my thin shrug around my arms trying to protect myself from the bitter onslaught of the blowing wind withering everything it touched. I pursued my thin parched lips and kept myself from biting them to wet them with a little blood. My unattractive dull brown eyes looked around myself at my bleak surroundings. I walked to the nearest auto stand with painfully bright yellow covered autos. Three auto drivers sat next to one of the autos wrapped in mufflers, gloves and caps huddled around a fire. I stopped and asked if any one of them would take me to D-6. One man got up and I followed

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The auto driver turned around. His pupils dilated in fear. The auto had lifted up from one side and flipped over. A curious empty sensation filled my stomach and then there was nothing. All the trees are turning yellow. I make my way down the metro station steps with my headphones in my ears playing preppy pop song all of us have heard before but whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name none can recall. The icy winhim to his auto. I slid inside onto ter wind whips at my shrug which the smooth leather seat beautifully I struggle to wrap around myself. I painted with reds and oranges. The purse my thin parched lips and keep driver revved up the engine and myself from biting them to wet them drove onto the bustling road. The with a little blood. My unattractive food hawkers shouted at him indis- dull brown eye looks around myself cernibly as he almost knocked over at my bleak surroundings. I miss the one of their carts. The auto rattled feeling of having two of them. along the familiar potholed road. I gazed around at the passing traffic. By From the corner of my eye, I saw a Naayaa Mehta vehicle hurtling towards us at full Class VII speed. I whipped my head around The Shri Ram School, Moulsari and shouted out a little too late.

I struggle to wrap around myself. I purse my thin parched lips and keep myself from biting them to wet them with a little blood.

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J u n i o r

S l a m

On a Day Like Today On a day like today I won’t write an essay. I will just sit back and rest As this temple has caught my interest.

Mom is the Word for Love She begins to preheat the oven of love With her secret ingredients, all pure as a dove She mixes laughter with giggles and hugs Filling tenderness into jugs and mugs With a little sprinkle of real concern And a spoonful of sugar to stir and churn She prepares a dish with fondness To serve me with care and kindness Where do you get the energy, mom To put up with me and still be calm And now I want to say something That I love you more than anything

As I sit in this temple which is ancient I get beautiful flowers’ scent. Today I take a break from the everyday race And realize that I have fallen in love with this place. In this pleasant season, to sit here, I don’t need any reason. This scene is a treat for my eyes, And I cannot be disturbed even by the flies. As I sit in this place which is holy I finally understand what life is truly. In this place anyone would become artistic, And here we can meet many a mystic. As I sit in the cradle of nature I notice a tourist, a monk and a politician of high stature. As I watch a haven of smoke From the temple emerges a priest wearing a cloak. As I sit in this wonderful winter sun Lost in my poetic thoughts that through my mind run Some monkeys snatch people’s food As they know that people are greedy and rude. In my life’s journey I will visit many a shrine But in my memory this trip will outshine. Some scenes, some smells and some people’s faces That on my mind has left many traces.

By Angad Singh Class V Tagore International School, East of Kailash

By Prithish Mukhopadhya Class VIII Pragyan School, Greater Noida

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Volume 03 | Issue 08 | March 2018 | 57

The Fun Art Experience

V/S Serious Art Education T

he introduction of new education philosophies from Madam Montessori and Reggio Emilia, have brought some amount of playfulness and fun to early childhood education. However, in most schools, art education is still very serious and, if it can be said, boring. Art is a right brain activity and hence must be enjoyed as much as possible to master. It is not mathematics, which is not enjoyed by most students, but, by simple rote, they can memorise the formulae and pass exam after exam. Teachers feel that if they allow children to have fun in art class, on one hand, the children would not ‘learn’ and on other, the school heads would feel that the teacher is not “teaching” and it would impact their job & prospects. This is sadly, a wrong notion. FUN is the most important part of any creative process and in order to imbibe any creative knowledge, fun should be given priority. If the student starts enjoying the subject, he would ask for, or would be highly receptive to, the grammar or rules, which should follow. At preschool level or even before the child goes to a pre-school, he should be exposed to art with full freedom.

For children the process of drawing & painting is more important than the painting itself. Since, as per researchers, the process of creating an artwork only benefits the child, it is the most important fact about Child Art. The freedom, facility, encouragement, support & supplies should make sure that the kids enjoy themselves while drawing and painting. For children the process of mak-

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gaining better control and dexterity, but it also helps the child in his chosen field later in life. We must try and avoid pre-printed drawings to fill colours, or copying someone else’s drawing. It may conform to rules and drill them better in the minds of children, but it would deny the opportunity of this very important physical and mental exercise. Art is an exploration of immediate surroundings of the child. During the formative Through drawing and painting, years, a free and children try to explore their physical unaided art experience and psychological surroundings. This without any care for helps them in knowing things and rules would be of great people around them better and also help in molding young relating with them. This is not only minds to become more restricted to the real world, but the creative, innovative, and world of stories and dreams. Painting for children is an act of imaginative and with communicating their imaginahighly evolved motor tions, emotions, experiences & skills. They would also be observations. blessed with a balanced For adults, art is a creative prodevelopment of both the cess and to make it sensible, rules sides of brain ensuring are needed. But, for children, art has better ability to remain a different meaning. For them it is a calm in extreme situations mode of communication. Children and solve problems faster portray things as perceived, and not & better. Groomed thus, the way they actually look. They also the children would not use forms and colours which define only do better in art as their feelings, and that is the reason that their elephants may be pink or they are having fun at it, have three trunks. but will also be able to I am sure you will appreciate these learn the concepts of art facts and take definite steps to replace faster. the rule based art education with a FUN based art experience for all the ing a painting is an exercise. children up to the age of 10. Rules can By drawing, the child not only de- wait till later years, as, that is when velops eye brain and hand coordina- they would have a positive impact. tion, but also gets a good workout of shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers, Stay tuned for more artsy stuff in fuenhancing both, the fine and gross ture issues, and for any queries, conmotor-skills. This leads not only to tact c.ojha@camlin.com.

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DL. No.- DL(C)-14/1404/2017-2019 | Date of Publication- 01-03-2018 | Date of Posting-07th-10th | Posting Office-Srt Nagar Po. New Delhi-110055