February 2014

MARKETING VIA SOCIAL MEDIA EDUCATE + ENTERTAIN

Careers for the hashtag crazy

FEBRUARY 2014 || ` 75

www.youthincmag.com

NEW MBA DESTINATIONS Canada and Singapore

PARKOUR

The new urban sport

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contents FEBRUARY 2014

ON THE COVER

58

DEFYING GRAVITY

An insight into Parkour – one of the newest urban sports

32

MBA DESTINATIONS: A CHANGING TREND

SHERBET PHOTOGRAPHY, FLICKR

A complete round-up of two of the newest world destinations where one can pursue an MBA

26

MARKETING TO THE SOCIAL FOLK

Social media marketing has become a mainstream career in India

LIVE AND LET LOVE

A comprehensive analysis of Section 377, what it is all about and if it makes any sense at all

(Educate)

www.youthincmag.com

FOCUS FEATURE 18 EDUCATION BREAK KE

O N L I N E E XC L U S I V E S

OPEN SPACE 21 WHAT I THINK OF ANNOYING

INTERVIEW WITH MANVENDRA SINGH GOHIL The openly homosexual prince of Rajpipla talks about the difficulties caused by Section 377 in his work to increase awareness about sexually transmitted diseases

BAAD A guide on the gap year – a new trend among Indian students

PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET An opinion on varied personalities that dominate the internet today

YOUTH ISSUES 22 CATFISHING: THE NEW

ONLINE THREAT Everything you need to know about catfishing – the latest scam internet users are falling prey to

4

COVER CREDITS PHOTOGRAPHY: AMIT KHANNA MODELS: SWAPNILA GUPTA SUZANNA MUKHERJEE MAKEUP AND HAIR: ANSHU GAUTAM

WORDSMITH OF THE MONTH: MARIA SHUMUSTI The pen of a young writer gives us beautiful tales to read in poetic form CHARU SHARMA᾽S TEDx TALK A power woman and recipient of five National Awards talks about her experience on-stage the TEDx Semester at Sea

Youth Incorporated FEBRUARY 2014

4 Contents.indd 4

24-01-2014 20:43:52

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OUT OF THE BOX CAREER 24 DECODING A MAGICIAN’S CODE

Can magic be pursued as full-time career in India?

SPECIAL FEATURE 28 PRESENT MA’AM

How to dodge the college blacklist and still have fun

Four of the most popular hair colour styles

SPORTS 62 ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONS

ECO WATCH 75 ECO FRIENDLY VALENTINE’S DAY

LEAGUE A dummy’s guide to the UEFA Champions League

GIFTS DIY V-Day gift ideas for ‘him’ and ‘her’

SPORTS 64 GAMES OF WINTER

EXAM FEVER 30 THE RUES OF REVISION

A guide on getting the best out of last minute revision before your final exams

WORKPLACE HACKS 36 HOW TO TALK MONEY

An introductory guide to the upcoming Winter Olympics and India’s role in it

TRAVEL 66 THE WORLD IN YOUR BACKYARD

A look at world destinations in India

A look at the dire state of the Indian economy

PRODIGY 40 FASHION’S ‘IT’ GIRL: PERNIA

QURESHI Pernia Qureshi’s journey from being a fashion intern to one of India’s youngest fashion moguls

STAPLEdiet EDITOR’S NOTE…8 EDITORIAL CONNECT…10 AROUND THE WORLD…14 COUNSELLOR Q&A…54 WORD ZONE…56 RISING STAR…78 MODEL WATCH…79 THE G SPOT…80 IMHO…84 HANGOUT…88 GRAFFITI…90

PAGE

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2014 Some of the most bizarre celeb resolutions for 2014 76 SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION Find out what separates Rahki Sawant and Helen Miren

RELATIONSHIPS 68 10 ROMANTIC COMEDY LESSONS TO

UNLEARN Why you shouldn’t believe stereotypical romantic comedy adages

POINT OF VIEW 70 DOES TRUE LOVE EXIST?

Nisha JamVwal weighs the existence of true love today

FASHION 72 TRENDS WE LOVE

Two fashion trends we are loving this month

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70

NOTIONSCAPITAL.COM, FLICKR

AWARENESS 38 INDIA’S ECONOMIC CRISIS

CELEB QUOTIENT 76 THE DUMBEST RESOLUTIONS FOR

PAGE

36 PAGE

62

KIERAN LYNAM, FLICKR

10 steps on salary negotiation at a job interview

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(Entertain)

BEAUTY 74 REIGNING HAIR STYLES

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Editor's

note

I am finally back from my winter break to the other side of the world, having spent new year’s day on the sunny beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Amongst the tons of men, women and children thronging Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, what struck me the most was the number of gay and lesbian couples openly displaying their affection.

There were couples cozying up with families around and no one batted an eyelid. One evening at sunset the whole beach was cheering a guy who had proposed to his boyfriend with a ring. There is so much love and happiness among the Brazilians.

Compare that to our story back home: when I thought India was making great strides into the 21st century with an open mind and an attitude of largess, everyone’s expectations were shattered with the Supreme Court verdict on December 11. When the Delhi High Court had struck down Section 377 on grounds of human rights violation in 2009, it had brought freedom for millions of people and changed the way India was perceived worldwide. Finally, India had acknowledged that gays were people too and needed to be treated with dignity. Alas, when the Supreme Court overturned it, it reduced the status of LGBT people again.

It is difficult to understand how love can be a crime. It is equally difficult to understand why the events within a private bedroom between two consenting adults should be anybody’s business, especially the government’s. Since this is a gross violation of one’s right to life, it needs to be talked about extensively, which is why it is our cover story this month. Researching this issue brought many things to light; for instance, technically, homosexuality itself is not illegal, but gay sex is. Section 377 bans “unnatural acts” of sex, but what is unnatural is not defined. Broadly, it can be understood that any sexual act that is not strictly sexual intercourse is a crime. Therefore, most consenting straight adults are also probably committing these ‘crimes’, but you don’t see the police harassing them. Just because some of us have different preferences does it make us criminals? If people were not meant to be this way, Nature would have never made them this way as such creatures are even found in many species of animals.

Some stark contrasts of life show us how everyone and everything coexists in this beautiful world.

It’s Valentine’s Day soon, so we can think of no better time to get the message of love out. Love without a care, love what your heart desires, love one and all…

Nitish Shah

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Volume 3 Issue 8 February 2014

Editor-in-Chief NITISH SHAH

Editorial Team

APARNA SUNDARESAN SEAN SEQUEIRA TRISHANN HENRIQUES

Art & Design

MOULVI ABBAS HASAN GAURAV DODIYA

Ad Sales

HEENA SOPARIWALA sales.mg@youthincmag.com POOJA JAISWAL sales.hd@youthincmag.com RAHIL SHAIKH sales.ma@youthincmag.com

Marketing

DEEPA SONEJI DHWANI CHHEDA marketing@youthincmag.com

Circulation

SHANTARAM AMBERKAR NISHANT SHINDE

Administration GEETA NAIK

For advertising, subscriptions and circulation mail@youthincmag.com +91-22-2351-6622 / 6609 Printed and published by Nitish Shah on behalf of Splash Publication Pvt Ltd Published at: 9 Forjett Hill, British Express Bldg, 2nd floor, Mumbai 400036.

Editor: Nitish Shah

Admin office: F9&10, Commerce Centre, 6th Floor, 78 Tardeo Road, Mumbai 400034.

Printed at: Repro India Ltd Plot No 50/2, TTC MIDC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai 400 710. District Thane All content in print and online is owned

by Splash Publication Pvt Ltd under international copyright laws. No part of the content can be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the publishers. Publishers will not be held responsible for the content of the magazine including accuracy and effects. All disputes will be subject to the jurisdiction of competant courts in Mumbai only.

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editorial connect Write to us at mail@youthincmag.com

The winners of our Models @ Mood Indigo contest pose against a backdrop of our magazine cover. The contest was held at the cultural festival of IIT Bombay.

“Youth Inc tells you about the real world; something you don’t find in text books.”

-Rajat Patankar

BLOGGER OF THE MONTH

SOCIALLY YOURS

Deepansh Khurana http://thepolymath.in/

Deepansh Khurana is a blogger and freelance graphics designer from Dehradun. He writes about a variety of topics on his blog The Polymath. He was also featured as a Guest Writer on Penguin India’s e-Magazine Inked. He spends most of his days in the preset routine of a 17-year-old Indian guy. Other than that, he blogs, watchs crime shows, movies and anime, reading novels and playing video games.

He is also a self-professed tech freak, Eminem fan, Apple hater and Naruto follower.

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YouthIncMag

PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH

 @PRAVMAGA Praveen a.k.a Pravmaga has a sense of humour that is sure to tickle your funny bone. His one-liners and observations on daily life are as funny as they are clever.

@YouthIncMag Di*k jokes are so below the belt you guys Tiger balm basically sets fire to the pain Turns out Les Miserables isn’t french for miserable lesbians Nothing takes all the credit like a recession USE THE QR SCANNER ON YOUR MOBILE PHONE

25-01-2014 16:43:16

Contribut rs m nth SAIRAM NATARAJAN

AMIT KHANNA

Amit Khanna, our photographer du jour, is the lens behind our cover shoot. Known as one of India’s leading fashion photographers, Amit has worked with some of the biggest magazines in the country.

He is also one of the youngest feature film directors who holds credit for directing 12 short films that have been showcased across the globe.

KARAN TECKCHANDANI

Karan Teckchandani is currently pursuing a degree in business from Hr College in Mumbai. His passions include finance and writing.

RHEA KAVARANA

One of Youth Incorporated magazine’s Youth Buddies and feature contributors, Rhea Kavarana is a 21-year-old media student, a hardcore foodie and an aspiring travel and food writer.

Having prepped some of the most famous of faces in the fashion and film industry, Anshu has lent her make-up skills for our cover shoot.

Anshu believes that every woman is beautiful with and without makeup, but the professional touch of a make-up artist always adds that extra oomph and glamour.

Nisarg R. Kamdar is an engineering student who has an insatiable interest in current affairs. He spends his ancillary time indulging in debates, MUNs and articulating his opinions.

NIMI JAYCHANDRAN

Nimi is an avid reader, writer and Pottermaniac.

She was born in Chidambaram, raised in California and currently resides in Chennai.

Writing is her passion.

NATHANIEL RODRIGUES

Nathaniel, our writer for Open Space, is a mass media graduate who loves his fair share of adventure, football and the TV series Sherlock and Doctor Who.

ANSHU GAUTAM

NISARG KAMDAR

Sairam is a corporate slave who also is actively involved in socially responsible activities. He is a wannabe actor and a lousy singer. He pursues fitness methods more than fitness itself; has run a few half-marathons however. He is known to dabble with writing when he is not doing other things.

PANKHURI SHUKLA SOHAM BHAUMIK

Soham is from Kolkata and a software engineer by profession. He loves to write and play the guitar. He also hopes to be able to cover a big shot rock band and follow them to different parts of the world.

Pankhuri Shukla, a student of Hiranandani Foundation School, Mumbai is an avid reader who loves writing poetry and blogging. She began writing at the age of 10. An aspiring journalist, who got her first break at the age of 14 as a part of Youth Incorporated’s first Junior Editorial Board in 2012, she continues to contribute to the magazine.

FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 11

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Facebook Selfie Contest

has selfie we a g n rm, taki n Since me the no contest o e beco ed a selfi page. g uct ook n co d our Faceb erwhelmin , d v the o eceive From onses we ras declaredst resp arker w he highe t P !

Basit inner with es at 336 ur k i o l w l the mber of ns to al ner! nu atulatio our win r Cong pants and i c i t par

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yi

educate Jumpstart a career as a magician with more than just sleight of hand...

Page 24

PHOTO.PEBAR, FLICKR

K E E PI N S I D E 

Pg18 Pg22 Pg30 Pg32 EDUCATION BREAK KE BAAD

CATFISHING: THE NEW ONLINE THREAT

THE RUES OF REVISION

MBA DESTINATIONS: A CHANGING TREND

FIND OUT WHY A YEAR’S BREAK FROM STUDIES IS BECOMING POPULAR WITH STUDENTS

YET ANOTHER SCAM IS BORN ON THE INTERNET WITH THE INTENTION TO SWINDLE PEOPLE

WITH PRECIOUS LITTLE TIME LEFT FOR EXAMS, FIND OUT HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT

CANADA AND SINGAPORE HAVE BECOME THE NEW HOTSPOTS FOR MBA ASPIRANTS

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EDU NEWS

CET RETURNS FOR MANAGEMENT ADMISSIONS IN MAHARASHTRA Because of the low response of applicants and overall drop in admissions to management programmes, the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) has decided to reinstate the Common Entrance Test (CET) as the primary entrance examination for admission to management courses in Maharashtra.  Admission to full-time twoyear postgraduate courses in MBA, MMS, PGDBM and PGDM for the academic term beginning 2014 will now be decided on test scores of the MAH-MBA/MMS-CET 2014.  The candidate must have a bachelor degree from a recognised university with minimum 50% marks to be eligible.  The online test will be on 15 and 16 March. Hall tickets will be issued on 4 March.  Registration fee is `1000 for general candidates and `800 for SC/St and other backward classes. The last date for online registration is 16 February.  For more details and to register online, visit http:// www.dtemaharashtra.gov. in/mtcet2013/StaticPages/ frmApplyOnline.aspx 

APPLE’S iBOOK TEXTBOOKS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE IN INDIA Popular in the US and UK, iBook Textbooks are digital textbooks that cover the entire high school curriculum with interactive animations, rotating 3D diagrams, flickthrough photo galleries and tap-to-play videos.  Apple is extending this service to 51 countries including India, Brazil, Italy and Japan.  Concurrently, iTunes U, the app that offers free courses from universities around the world, is also being offered in 70 countries, including India.  iBook Textbooks are accessible via an iPad, while iTunes U is accessible via an iPhone and iPod Touch as well. 

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ENGINEERING COLLEGES NO LONGER ACCREDITED BY AICTE  Degree-awarding technical institutes will no longer be affiliated or accredited by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).  They will now fall under the authority of the University Grants Commission (UGC). State engineering colleges will be supervised by state universities.  The universities will also assess parameters such as infrastructure, faculty strength, admission process, lab and library facilities, etc of the colleges seeking approval to run technical courses.  Distance courses that award degrees are also now under the purview of UGC since the dissolution of the Distance Education Council.  Students looking to do technical degrees or distance courses must now check for UGC accreditation.

INDIAN MARITIME UNIVERSITY OPENS AT KARAIKAL The seventh Indian Maritime University opened in January at Karaikal.  50% of the seats will be reserved for students from the Union Territories.  Both short and longterm courses will be offered at the university.  Karaikal has a 20 km coastline and is an apt location for fisheries, tourism and the industrial sector. 

BRITISH COUNCIL SCOTLAND COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SUMMER SCHOOL IN EDINBURGH

The internships will be offered to three bright and enthusiastic students interested in literature and creative writing.  The internship will take place in July and August 2014, for which admissions begin from 21 March.  The British Council will be offering two twoweek literature internships and one four-week creative writing internship.  The scholarship will be inclusive of all fees including accommodation, meals, course programme and use of the Edinburgh University library. 

FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 15

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igo, d n I d o o M y IIT Bomba

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Talaash,, Mumbai llege o C d n i H i Ja

FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated

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COLLEGEDEGREES360, FLICKR

FOCUS FEATURE

Education

break ke

baad The concept of taking a ‘gap year’ – a year off studies between school and college – is gaining popularity in India.

Aparna Sundaresan discovers what this is all about

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D

o you remember a time when you were confused about what to study or which career to choose? Are you still confused?

The conventional path to clearing this confusion in India is to spend time taking aptitude tests, talking to education counsellors and reading up on careers. While this all well and good, it lacks one crucial feature – practical experience. Much like the Indian educational system, the Indian system of choosing careers too is dictated by an academic approach.

THE GAP YEAR

A gap year, popular among students in the UK, Europe and US, is a year off studies taken usually between high school and college. Before embarking on a three or four-year long degree, students take a year to travel, intern, volunteer or do pretty much anything to gain some life experience and find their passion. When they finally begin college, they study with some perspective and real-world skills already under their belt.

STUDY VS LIFE

Young people today understand that there is a fissure between classroom knowledge and the world. They are confused about what to do with their life too, but are bold enough to take time off to clear that confusion.

“I realised I was trying for a lot of colleges simply because it would be something that I could eventually make money at instead of trying to figure out what really suited my

abilities and temperament,” says Annapoorna Narayanan, an 18-yearold from Bangalore currently doing her gap year.

The belief that having a fulfilling career is far more important than a well-paying career is also gaining ground, which is driving the youth to find their ideal area of study and work.

GAP YEAR ACTIVITIES

The most common gap year activities are:  Learning or improving upon a skill through a course  Volunteering with a not-for-profit organisation or an NGO  Gaining work experience through internships  Travelling within or outside the country Noella Cresence, a Bangalorebased freelance writer, took two years off to explore a variety of options.

“Initially I was terribly confused about how I should spend my time,” she says. “Eventually I got a job in a call centre and worked there for a few months, loving the financial freedom but hating the work as each day progressed. I finally quit and decided to travel. I visited Hampi, Hospet, Udupi, Manipal and a whole bunch of other places. The second year was more focused; I interned with a PR firm.”

Ashwini Mohan, a master’s student of ecology and environmental science,

interned at Kalinga Foundation in Karnataka during her gap year. “I was able to obtain ground knowledge on ecology, environment, concept of conservation and education,” she says. “Although I started with a lot of passion and curiosity, I was not equipped with ground knowledge of the subject. This internship provided knowledge and life experiences which gave clarity to my thoughts and helped me fine tune my research interests.”

PLANNING A GAP YEAR

One year is a lot of time. If you want to have new experiences, plan well ahead. And don’t let your parents plan for you.  Decide if you’re taking a gap year at least a year before you finish school.  Look at your finances. How much money you are willing to spend may affect what you do during your time off.  Choose what you want to do.

This might be daunting, but narrow it down to these options: learning, working, travelling. You need not pick one; you can do all with careful planning.  Finally, document you time off.

“Write every day, take pictures, make sketches or even keep a video diary,” advises Annapoorna. “Documentation is of utmost importance when you want to reflect on all the things you FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 19

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FOCUS FEATURE have been doing. It helps you understand who you were, what changed about you, why it changed, or if nothing changed how circumstances around you changed.”

PARENTAL FEARS

If a gap year is so beneficial, why aren’t more parents encouraging their children to take it?

“Seeing the competition on one side and our child’s choice to pursue alternate careers instead of the most viable ones is unsettling. The pitfalls and unknowns are too many,” elaborates Rama Narayanan, Annapoorna’s mother. “Add these to the natural tendency of a parent to look out for the best for their ward and apprehension is natural.”

However, taking a leap of faith has paid off. Mrs Narayanan says, “I notice a certain groundedness in Annapoorna and a certain acceptance of people and the ways of the world that is charming in a young girl. I myself was pretty naive at her age.”

Reflecting on parental opposition, Raïsa Mirza of Mahindra United World College in Pune says, “I think many parents in India don’t understand the concept of the gap year or how it is so important that their children take the time to understand their own selves before undertaking a programme of studies. Many universities and colleges recognise that a well-planned gap year is the mark of a student that is capable of investing themselves upon their own personal development and thus are sometimes more likely to admit them.” yi

GAP YEAR VS ‘DROP’ YEAR

Taking a year’s break from formal education is not a new concept in India; students have been taking a ‘drop’ year for many years now.

However, a drop year is spent in rigorous study to prepare for various entrance exams to secure a placement in an institute of one’s choice.

people LESSONS Young who have braved gap year share FROM A asome lessons they GAP YEAR learnt “I discovered how much I love travelling. I realised that following the crowd guarantees you will, more often than not, be unhappy.

Most importantly I realised how supportive my parents were. The gap year gave me clarity I would have never otherwise had. I realised my potential, learned to love what I do and also when I eventually went to college I went back with focus and determination that was incomparable.”

- Noella Cresence, freelance writer

“The biggest lesson I’ve learnt so far is how to recover from setbacks. When I embarked upon my journey, I had a plan.

Though there wasn’t a very major departure from my plans, it was far from the ideal way that I had pictured it to be. The way things have turned out has taught me to ‘play it by ear’, as they say – to not get so stuck with my own plans that I miss the big opportunities when they come my way.”

- Annapoorna Narayanan, currently on a gap year

“I learnt that each small step towards your goal keeps you going. Even though education is believed to be the key to success, it is our knowledge and experience which keep us going. People always put pressure about one growing older and the value of one year in terms of money, but once you follow your dreams and attain success in your field of interest, it is the same people who come forward and appreciate. So, it is important to step out the box and do things your way.”

- Ashwini Mohan, postgraduate student

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18 Focus Feature.indd 20

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What I think of annoying people on the internet Nathaniel Rodrigues vents about asinine personalities plaguing the internet today

Overly deep people are a breed that I, for one, do not understand. They are usually found in cold, dry places ranting about the grave miseries of life. They are known to have a keen eye and click the most beautiful, simplistic pictures, which they ruin with nonsensical quotes about love and life’s challenges; it’s a bit depressing if you ask me.

*Rahul MUFC Shah wants to be friends on Facebook* with a picture of Robin Van Persie as his display picture. I get it; all of us do have pseudonyms, clan names, fantasy or roleplayer games, etc. But please don’t go posing as someone else unless you’re capable of actually making an impression.

Batman could be anyone, but everyone isn’t Batman.

The hashtaggers are the people you’d want to hammer when you’re high. Instagram is where they spend most of their time trying to outdo each other. Basically they’re trying to say “I eat and travel more than you do.” An average person’s caption reads, “Fun with friends at the #Beach.”

That’s it! It’s simple and sweet.

For Hashtaggers however, simplicity is too mainstream, so they go, “#holiday #fun #beach #sand #sunny #tan #friends #funtimeswithfriends #funtimeswithfriendsinthesand #nofilter #tagsforlikes, #tigers #lovethem.” OMG! Someone get them help, now!

The next species are the attention seekers. They usually are the ones who keep posting selfies taken in every mirror of every place they visit, and caption them with a trail of hashtags or totally unrelated captions like song lyrics or quotes by Marilyn Monroe (Yeah right! What a great role-model she was).

If you have an entertaining mind, we want a piece of it. Unleash your thoughts and send DECEMBER 2013 ║ Youth Incorporated 21 them to mail@youthincmag.com

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KENNYMATIC, FLICKR

YOUTH ISSUES

CATFISHING: THE NEW ONLINE THREAT

FALLING IN LOVE WITH PEOPLE ONLINE IS NOT NEW, BUT FALLING IN LOVE WITH IMAGINARY PEOPLE ONLINE IS A NEW AND NEFARIOUS SCAM. SOHAM BHAUMIK GUIDES YOU THROUGH THE CHOPPY WATERS OF CATFISHING WHO’S A CATFISH?

22 Youth Incorporated FEBRUARY 2014

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J.J., WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

A catfish is a person who creates fake personal profiles on social media websites, thereby portraying somebody else – usually somebody more outwardly appealing than his/her true self. These catfish usually intend to trick other unsuspecting social media users into getting romantically involved with them. The pictures on the profile are borrowed from elsewhere and the biographical information provided is

entirely false.

It must’ve been more than once that you’ve received emails from scam artists stating that you’ve won over a million dollars. With catfish, it’s almost the same. They’ll look to steal or affect your personal information and identity, get you romantically involved and then scam you for money.

If not obvious, pretending to be a Tony Stark with hobbies such as flying around in an iron suit is NOT cool.

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WHAT’S THE DEAL AND WHY?

Whether it is out of revenge, curiosity, boredom or loneliness, an emerging class of internet predators cite dozens of reasons for scamming their way into romantic relationships with unsuspecting victims.

In a recent study, as per Eric Qualman, the author of the popular Socialnomics, every 1 out of 5 relationships begins online.

Online identity theft is dangerous, and outcomes have been disastrous on many occasions. From Ray Holycross, the Internet Casanova who used various aliases to scam 38 women in seven states in the United States, to the Manti Teo hoax in which American footballer Manti Teo fell for an imaginary woman, to people who have been attacked or even murdered by people they’ve met online, examples are aplenty.

PROTECTING YOURSELF

The internet wasn’t meant to create liars or cheats. Let’s face it; it is entirely on you to protect yourself from online catfishing. Here are a few tips that might help you to start off on the right track with a stranger you meet on the internet.

TACKLING CATFISHING

• Google Goggles is an application you may use to uncover previous occurrences of a picture you have come across in someone’s profile.

• Alternatively, on Google Images, upload the picture. If the image search yields the same picture under various names, you know it’s not legit.

• If you think you are a victim of catfishing, you may file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov  NO PICTURES

If the person on the other side cannot provide you with his/her picture right away in this day and age, proceed with caution.

 STRANGE FACEBOOK PROFILE If a person sounds internet savvy enough, but doesn’t have a Facebook profile yet, beware! If, however, the person does pass this test, proceed to check the authenticity of the data in his/her profile. Use your logic and common sense. For example, a person about 6’2” tall is very unlikely to weigh only 50 kg. Another tip could be to check out that person’s pictures and albums. A lot of pictures in which the person appears with others, but the others are not tagged, could spell danger. Probably the pictures were lifted from an unsuspecting individual’s photo albums.

 NO WEBCAM

If a person refuses to engage in a chat via a webcam even after repeated requests, it could mean that the person does not want you to see who he/she actually might be.

 TRAUMATIC INJURIES/ ILLNESS CALI4BEACH, FLICKR

A lot of car accidents, deaths in the family, cancer, etc based scenarios have been seen in catfishing scams.

Logically enough, these are within the best excuses to avoid meeting up and derail suspicion.

 PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

Whenever you’re signing up for online services, especially those such as online dating services, use a separate email address dedicated to that website.

While filling up your profile you need not fill in extraneous details such as the link to your Facebook page, work details, etc. As an added precaution, use dating websites that are not free. The free websites attract the shadiest people.

 USE YOUR INSTINCTS

There are a lot of times when people say they’re travelling, but somehow never travel anywhere near you. Watch out.

 NO PHONE

If the person claims he/she doesn’t have a phone or won’t speak with you on the phone, or if the person does so, but seems to talk vaguely even after an extended period of interaction, you need to watch out.

 TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

When a person appears too good to be true, especially as a dashing model with another equally lucrative career on the side, proceed with caution. It is incredibly easy to access model photos online and post them as your own.

At the end of it all, you are who is left with his/her power of judgement as the most potent tool. Choose wisely, stay safe and most importantly, look before you leap. yi FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 23

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OUT OF THE BOX CAREER

Decoding a Magician’s

Code Dabbling in magic is a popular hobby, but a career in magic is steadily taking centre stage.

Trishann Henriques explores a career in prestidigitation in India

BOHMAN, FLICKR

M

agic is an art. Affinity for magic cannot be learnt; it is either something you like or do not. Over the course of time, magic as a craft has received much attention for its showmanship and elements of surprise. With the advent of technology and newer and more innovative ways of performing tricks, an increasing number of people are showing interest in this art. This, coupled with the opening of several magic schools, has led to profound growth of magic as a full-fledged career option.

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What does a The joys magician do? of being a magician A magician travels aplenty across the world for shows. The magician thus stands the chance to meet many interesting people who may help him widen his reach and his services.

And the challenges Practice is the key being a successful magician. Tolerance, patience and the energy to practice to perfection are key.

At the same time, one must constantly look for newer and better ways to perform tricks.

Reinvention is pivotal.

PHOTOATELIER, FLICKR

A magician is essentially someone who performs mysterious tricks for the purpose of crowd-pleasing. The tricks performed vary from simple card tricks to complex illusions and can differ from one event to another. When it comes to performing, a magician can either be self-employed or work full-time at a hotel or under an event management company.

While a self-employed magician has the freedom to choose the event he would like to perform, a magician who works on a fulltime basis under an employer might be expected to follow the the same routine at every show.

Moreover, the management too might have a say in the tricks staged.

CAREER FACTS

JOB PROFILE: The job of a magician is to entertain his audience by means of tricks, card games and sleight-ofhand routines at birthday parties and children’s events.

Magic also becomes a source of entertainment at much larger social events like culture fests and weddings.

Is there a need for an education in magic?

Is magic a booming career in India? INCOME: A magician who has There is no actual need for an educational qualification in magic. However, having good communication skills and the ability to converse well with an audience is important. the idea is basically to keep your audience intrigued with both your tricks and your speech. Ugesh Sarcar, one of the India’s premier street magicians states that education is secondary and that practice is the only way a magician can perfect and get better at his skills. Although a wannabe magician must learn the tricks of the trade from scratch to be successful, topping it with an educational qualification in the field helps in learning the craft in greater depth.

Magic has become a lucrative career in India over the last few years. Due to the recognition it has been receiving, an increasing number of people are looking at taking it up as a full-time career option. Previously, the profession of magic was dominated only by men while women almost always played the role of glamorous assistants. But today, both men and women are seeing it as a fulfilling career path.

In order for magic to be made into a full-time career option, there is a need to learn this art form in more detail. Achieving this is one of the ways by which magic can take further flight in India. yi

just entered the business can make around `50,000 a month.

SKILLS SET: A magician must, first of all, understand the varied tricks that he has to perform. Other than that, he must have good stage presence to keep his audience gripped through the course of his show.

STUDY: ♠ Magic Academy, Kerala & Maharashtra ♠ College of Magic, South Africa

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COVER STORY

MARKETING TO THE SOCIAL FOLK

JASON HOWIE, FLICKR

Social media marketing has joined the ranks of today’s mainstream careers and has become a lucrative field for young professionals. Nimi Jayachandran discovers the viability of working in this digital environment

W

HAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING?

Technology has led to many new inventions and the opening of new portals for business as well as leisure. Society has grown to be more dependent on the internet as the primary source of information.

In particular, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are popular among people of different age groups. This makes such sites a popular platform for marketing through the use of target audience tailored advertisements. Social media marketing is the process of gaining attention by means of various social networking sites.

HOW IS IT DOING NOW?

Social media marketing has gained a lot of popularity and has grown to be a favoured method of advertising because of its ability to reach the target audience at a faster rate. Using this marketing method, brands can present their products in an attractive manner which can immediately be shared via users’ profiles on different social media sites. The advantage of such a marketing technique is multifold.

It generates a word-of-mouth-type response which spreads extremely quickly. In addition, when the advertised product is spread through networks, people tend to build a sense of trust since the information comes

from a known person. With the use of social media sites as a platform of marketing also comes the added advantage of being able to select and market to the exact audiences required.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

Being a relatively new and upcoming field, there is no standard educational path to follow for those interested in working in social media marketing.

Many employers prefer those with a bachelor’s degree (or higher) in communications, journalism or marketing. Internationally, colleges have started to introduce degrees tailored to those interested in

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working with social media marketing specifically. In India, private educational institutes have launched certificate courses and workshops for the same.

Another option available to those looking to go through a traditional educational route is to obtain a Masters in Business Administration.

Most programs offering an MBA today extensively cover digital marketing andsocial media coursework.

WORK PROFILES

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Social media strategists  Analyse marketing campaigns and decide which digital networks will launch their product for maximum audience reach.  Regularly monitor site traffic to determine success rate of a campaign.  Develop and maintain the company’s own social media site.  Meet clients and strategise digital marketing techniques.  According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual median salary of the strategists for the year 2012 was $119,500.

For those interested in going into social media marketing, it is important to have exceptional writing skills coupled with a good knowledge of computer and communication skills.

It is also important to understand how social media marketing works.

COURSE CANVAS

• BSc Social Media Marketing (online), Southern New Hampshire University • Social Media Marketing, University of Sydney • MA New Media Journalism, Full Sail University • Social Media Certification, Digital Vidya • PGP Marketing Communications, Northpoint Centre of Learning • Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing, NIIT

Typically, the job of a social media marketer is to increase awareness of a certain product amongst consumers through the use of digital media (i.e. social networking sites, search engines, etc). Social media marketers are required to have vast knowledge of the internet and specifically social networks in order to get information to the target audience. The following are popular designations and work profiles in social media marketing:

Social media managers  Help in developing marketing plans.  Monitor writers and other team members involved in a marketing campaign.  Monitor the company’s presence on various social networking sites.  May have responsibilities similar to that of the social media strategists.  May be given work involving public relations and communications.  Their median annual income in 2012 was $54,150.

Social media sales representatives  Actively look for clients who are looking to venture into social media as a means of marketing.  It is important for these people to build contacts and create a network of potential clients.  Also meet with existing clients to create new proposals and ideas to

market each one’s product/service.  Their median annual income as of 2012 was $46,300.

THE FUTURE

It has become a huge challenge for advertisers and manufacturers to market their products to the public in intelligent and innovative ways.

Social media marketing offers the means for manufacturers to directly communicate with their target audience while tailoring their message to suit their consumers. Social media networks are also a direct platform for consumers to speak to brands when needed. Thus social media marketing is a win-win situation which will continue to grow exponentially. yi FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 27

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COVER STORY

ATTENDANCE IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF COLLEGE LIFE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS LINKED WITH EXAMS. WHAT, THEN, CAN A STUDENT DO TO BALANCE CLASSES AND FUN?

Present

ma’am!

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“W

ith great power comes great responsibility,” says Uncle Ben famously in the film Spider-man. While not a superhero, as a college student newly emancipated from your parents’ doting care, you might feel like one.

We’ll take Uncle Ben’s advice to heart. You may now have the freedom to decide which classes are worth your time and which are not, but you haven’t escaped rules entirely and neither the consequences for breaking them.

Just a number

The attendance rule of the University of Mumbai, which was changed a year and a half ago, did not find many fans when introduced. However, students were made aware that if the rule was not heeded, it could have a serious impact on their future.

Colleges in Mumbai require 75% attendance, and any record falling short is subject to scrutiny. “75 is just a number,” says FYBA student Viraj Salunkhe, not willing to reveal his college. “Colleges understand the plight of students and allow even 50% attendance.” All the authorities need to know is whether the student is sincere.

“I agree,” says the principal of a wellknown city college who prefers to remain anonymous. “We are not demons that dance on our students’ heads for trivial matters, but attendance is a serious issue. Here we allow 40% attendance, but not lower. If a student goes below that mark, she/he is issued a warning and asked to remedy their record within a week. If that is done, we let it go, but unfortunately, there are some students who can’t be bothered. It is them that most colleges want to hold back as they show complete disregard not only for the system, but also for their future.”

The thrill of bunking

Students, however, want to enjoy their freedom and the thrill of bunking classes.

Jyoti Sharma, a student from a prestigious South Mumbai college, says, “Bunking has been on my schedule ever since class 10. I know that when I am with a group of friends, the place doesn’t matter, we are going to have fun! I want to know how it feels to be watching a movie while somewhere a teacher is teaching my class!”

Kavitha Ramanathan, a senior science student, says, “Sometimes it is really frustrating to attend college, especially on days that have no lab work and only theory classes. That’s when we decide to bunk and take a walk.

Sometimes we chill out at the canteen, but if the bunking is planned, it is to watch a new movie. We skip almost five or six days of college a month, in spite of the strict rule which states that we cannot write an exam without enough attendance.”

In contrast, Rohini Palekar, another sceince student, says, “My attendance is something one would neither want to know nor talk about. I hardly attend college, but I have improved over the years with the many warnings I received.

Once my parents were called to college and yelled at. That is when I started making sure that I was just over the minimum.”

Dealing with bunking

College authorities are confounded by the problem. “We want students to enjoy college and study at the same time. We won’t police them if they behave maturely. We don’t like to call parents and yell at them. At 18, students are allowed to make important choices regarding marriage and driving, so why should parents go through the ordeal? But sometimes we have no choice,” says the vice-principal of a suburban Mumbai college.

At the end of the day...

Student Tina D’souza sums it up: “After we finish our degree, all we take with us are the few beautiful moments we shared with friends, not the time we spent in lectures.” yi

ON A LIGHTER NOTE

Anyhow Attendance Planner is a first-of-itskind bunking calculator for Android mobile phones. It helps you keep a track of exactly how many lectures need to be attended to fulfill your attendance requirements.

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CSTROM, FLICKR

EXAM FEVER

rues revision the

of

The finals are almost upon us, which is good enough cause for queasy stomachs and sleepless nights. Pankhuri Shukla has some tips on how to tackle this last leg of exam preparation to banish the anxiety

I

t’s February already! The quivers are creeping in while the prep leaves are almost over. There’s a certain amount of tautness in the air, and the uneasiness never finds its way out no matter how well prepared you are.

Everyone has their own modus operandi for studying, but when it comes to revision, one is left utterly befuddled. What is the key to making the last leg of exam preparation constructive? Namrita D. Bera, an English teacher, advices, “Revision is more about smart work than hard work, identifying your weaknesses and

strengths and going through them simultaneously – providing adequate time to both.”

HEALTH IS WEALTH

Some common tips would include getting enough sleep and commensurate food in your digestive system. Remember, you do not want to feel heavy and constipated on the day of the paper. Making a to-do revision list with sufficient number of breaks can prove to be a viable start to your day ahead. It will give you a brief idea of how to go about things and also make the process organised.

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STEAKPINBALL, FLICKR

THE MUMMY RETURNS

Simple techniques like random babbling of answers to peers and family members can help in memory retention immensely. Reading the answer and then covering it with your palm while trying to bear it in mind is one of the most vintage and helpful ‘mummy-ways’ of studying.

N0SSC, FLICKR

 Make colourful flash cards of facts you are likely to forget. Writing them down and associating those with a colour will help create an impression in your memory.  Try linking tough answers to some anecdotes or funny memories.  Start talking in technical terms one day prior to the examination; this may help you use the word easily while writing answers in the paper.

Mithila Malaviya, an A-levels psychology student speaks from experience, “Reading out answers tends to help me because I end up fumbling. And during the exam I tend to recollect the parts where I fumbled.

I had also prepared a hand dance to remember the names of my psychology patients.”

BUT REMEMBER

‘FUN’TASTIC REVISION

It is expected that you may not remember every single detail you rubbed your brain into for the past few weeks, so try a few fun ways of remembering them.  Make use of mnemonics. There is no better way than this to learn those convoluted biology terms.  Make up songs or dances whose lyrics are made up of important keywords from your lessons.  Parrot learning is handy for emergencies regarding important definitions, but remember, it should be your last resort.

1

Take a good look at your exam schedule before preparing your study timetable. You don’t want to land up studying for the wrong subjects.

GO ANTI-SOCIAL

 Switch off your gadgets for a few days before the exams. Stay away from the Facebook and Twitter drama.  Keep away from people who are always panicky right before the exam.

They may lure you into their own mess as well!  Do not solve or ask last minute doubts. They only lead to more confusion.  Do not give away books at the eleventh hour for ‘photocopying’ or ‘going through’. You can only trust a friend so much.

7

STEPS TO AN EFFICIENT STUDY TIMETABLE

The night before exams is like a ticking bomb but giving in to your fears will not get you anywhere, let alone through the night. Loosen up a little and go to sleep with serenity and hope in your heart. And don’t forget to empty your bladder before taking your seat in the exam hall! yi

“The idea is to not be a spent force right before the exam by exerting yourself too much a day before. Instead, focus on rejuvenated energy without distractions. Personally, I think nature is a very good stressbuster.”

- Kalyani Patnayak, Principal, Hiranandani Foundation School, Mumbai

2

Fix a tentative start date and an end date for your schedule so that you have a fair idea of how much time you have to cover your syllabus. Keep it flexible, but just enough.

3

Allot a cuisine of chapters from different subjects for each day in order to make it less monotonous.

4

Make sure to fix an hour for subjects like maths and science that need problemsolving every day. They are something you cannot do on the last day.

5

Keep it colourful. Use sketch pens and colour pencils.

6

Do NOT forget to include time for playing outdoors or just a walk. Health is wealth, remember?

7

Lastly, go public. Put the timetable up some place where all your family members can see. It’s always good to get some motivation every now and then and to know that you’re not alone in anything.

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FOREIGN SHORES

MBA DESTINATIONS: A CHANGING TREND So you’ve finally taken the decision to pursue an MBA but don’t know where to go? Karan Teckchandani explores two upcoming countries for postgraduate business students

O

ver the last 12 months, the Indian rupee has been on a rollercoaster ride in terms of its valuation against the US dollar and the British pound.

Many Indian students have been second-guessing the need to pursue an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a foreign country. However, the pros outweigh the cons in most cases concerning studying abroad, especially when it comes to MBA programmes. A few years ago, USA and UK were the go-to countries for any MBA student, but strict visa regulations, weakening job markets and opportunities in other parts of the world changed this trend.

Nowadays, students flock to countries like Spain, France, Australia, Canada and Singapore due to relative ease of migratory procedures, job opportunities and a globally acknowledged degree.

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SINGAPORE S

ingapore is on the way to becoming a ‘Global Powerhouse’ in education, offering a diverse and distinctive mix of education in a global, cosmopolitan and comfortable environment. Singapore is the premier education hub in Asia. Striving for excellence, Singapore offers a broad base curriculum and global perspective to equip students with the relevant qualifications and training that serves as a springboard to a brighter future. The island’s strong reputation for quality education has drawn the world’s top institutions to set up campuses in Singapore.

Reasons to consider Singapore for your MBA

HUB OF EDUCATION EXCELLENCE

Singapore offers students an international perspective and diversity of options. In an environment that is inspiring and encouraging to education, Singapore provides high quality of teaching and research.

More than 16 leading foreign universities have also set up centres of

excellence in education and research in Singapore. Quality private education organisations add further diversity to the nation's education landscape.

AFFORDABLE QUALITY EDUCATION

Tuition fees are affordable and the cost of living in Singapore is still significantly lower than of many developed countries. With Singapore’s tradition of meritocracy, talented students who need financial assistance can find the help they need in form of scholarships, bursaries and study loans, work-study arrangements, paid internships etc.

stability and open business policy. More than 7000 multinational corporations (MNC) alongside 1,00,000 small and medium enterprises (SME) have set up their base in Singapore, with many choosing Singapore as their regional hub and launch pad to dynamic markets of Asia. Singapore offers limitless career and networking possibilities to global citizens keen to apply their talents to the opportunities that can be found there.

VIBRANT AND COSMOPOLITAN LIFESTYLE

Singapore may seem like a small dot on the world map, but the island state bustles all over with attractions and ACCESSIBILITY activities. The nation’s rich multicultural Singapore is well connected via sea, air heritage is highlighted through the and telecommunications to all parts various ethnic groups (Chinese, Malays, of the world. It is fairly close to India Indians, Eurasians) living together encouraging students to visit home harmoniously. Singapore’s high standard during every academic break. Also for of living is also something that students those seeking to travel during vacations can be assured of. it is close to business powerhouses such Canada plays host to more than as Malaysia, Hong Kong and China.

180,000 international students in any given year. Increasingly, Canada GLOBAL BUSINESS HUB is becoming the country of choice for Singapore is consistently acknowledged students from all parts of the world to be a global business hub with its for their bachelor, master or doctoral developed infrastructure, political degrees.

FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 33

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FOREIGN SHORES

SINGAPORE SCHOOLS

• NUS Business School • Nanyang Business School • University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business • SP Jain School of Global Management • INSEAD, Singapore Campus

DOCUMENTS FOR VISA

• Acceptance letter from the university • Application on the SOLAR system • $30 Application fee

ENTRANCE TESTS

• GMAT/GRE (only accepted in select institutions) • TOEFL/IELTS

ELIGIBILITY

• Bachelor degree in any field • Relevant work experience

POPULAR FIELDS OF MBA IN SINGAPORE

• Finance • Logistics • Engineering management • Marketing

CANADA

Reasons to consider Canada for your MBA

QUALITY EDUCATION

Canada spends more per capita on its education system than any other country in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). A degree/ diploma from a Canadian institute is recognised worldwide.

INEXPENSIVE

Canadian institutes charge lower tuition fees for international students than their counterparts in competing countries, and at the same time, maintain excellent educational quality. However as the fees are more affordable, admissions are more competitive. Over the last three years, Canada’s inflation rate has remained one of the lowest in the industrialised world.

to public transportation during late hours.

A BILINGUAL NATION

Canada is a bilingual country with two official languages – English and French. The vast majority (75%) of Canada’s French-speaking inhabitants live in the province of Quebec, which is located in the eastern part of the country, but there are Frenchspeaking communities throughout the country. English is the main language of communication in all provinces other than Quebec.

WORK AND STUDY

Students in Canada are allowed to work part time on-campus during the first 6 months of their programme and off-campus part-time thereafter.

The duration permitted is up to 20 hours per week. Several programmes may even have a paid co-op term

PERMANENT RESIDENCY AND CANADIAN IMMIGRATION

International students can apply for their permanent residency which takes up to 15 to 18 months from within Canada. However, they need to meet the minimum eligibility criteria of 67 points.

RANKED AS THE NUMBER ONE COUNTRY

Canada has often been featured as the country with the highest standards of living in various rankings through the last decade. Canada earns particularly high marks for its access to education, high life expectancy and low crime rates.

SAFETY

Every step is taken to ensure the safety of students within Canada’s campuses. Most universities/colleges have their own campus security 24 hours a day. There are also ‘Walk Safe’ programmes to assist people in getting

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MBA JOB MARKET IN CANADA

Canada currently ranks third in the list of top MBA job markets in the world based on cost of living and purchasing power. The average compensation for an MBA graduate in Canada is estimated at 91,600 USD. The demand for MBA graduates is expected to rise by 16% because of hiring trends by big companies recovering from the dip in the economy.

where one gets hands-on experience in working in the industry. These may even be paid co-ops. Further, students on the completion of their programme of a year can work up to a year and students applying for two years programme can work for two to three years.

EASY IMMIGRATION

Canada welcomes over 2 lakh immigrants per year and has a policy for skilled professionals as well as business immigrants. Canada has maintained a strong, stable economic growth because of its active immigration policy. Canadian immigration is one of the simplest immigration systems in comparison with other countries. It allows a person to live and work anywhere in Canada, and confers upon that person a permanent resident status. It comes with certain responsibilities and may be revoked if the holder does not meet Canadian residency obligations, or is found guilty of serious criminal activity. A person who is a Canadian permanent resident may apply for Canadian citizenship after 3 years. yi

CANADA SCHOOLS

• McGill University • University of Toronto • University of Western Ontario • Carleton University • York University

DOCUMENTS FOR VISA

• Proof of acceptance • Proof of identity • Proof of financial support • Letter of explanation

ENTRANCE TESTS

• GMAT/GRE • TOEFL/IELTS

ELIGIBILITY

• Bachelor degree and relevant work experience

POPULAR FIELDS OF MBA IN CANADA

• Finance • Marketing • Accounting • IT management • Management information systems FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 35

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WORKPLACE HACKS

How to talk

money I

(1) SHED ALL INHIBITIONS

Over 15 years of studying is finally paid off with your first job. Take all emotions regarding salary negotiation like fear, apprehension, etc. and wave them goodbye. This is a business transaction, so if you don’t ask for a higher salary, you have left that money idle for someone more outspoken to take. So may as well be the outspoken one, right?

VICTOR1558, FLICKR

Negotiating a good salary is a tricky part of job interviews.

Rhea Kavarana helps you put your game face on with 10 easy steps

t’s that time of the year with graduation around the corner and all we can think about is getting a job! Having sat in college for nearly all campus placements, it’s finally game-time.

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(2) ALWAYS NEGOTIATE

Any figure presented to you by an employer is always the lowest limit, with wiggle-room intentionally left for negotiation. Just a 10% less salary difference in your first job can represent a serious lifetime loss if you include annual salary-hikes. Since your starting salary is the benchmark for all future appraisals, negotiate without exceptions.

(4) LET THE EMPLOYER INITIATE NEGOTIATION

Being too eager and initiating salary discussion yourself may come across as desperate and will seem like you are after the salary more than the job profile, which creates an awful impression. Furthermore, once the employer gives you a starting salary figure, know that it is a baseline and it can only go higher from there.

“Students should be able to take their stand as very often companies stress students out while discussing salaries, but they should be firm enough to take a stand. Never say, ‘Pay me whatever you want’. This is a deadly mistake that several students make.”

- Haseena Sayed, Placement Cell Coordinator, Jai Hind College

(6) YOUR WORTH

The foremost thing for you to do is emphasise on the value YOU as an individual will add to the productivity of the company. Discuss personal skills, past work experience, internships, academic background, etc. Bring to the attention of your employer what you have to offer that keeps you a cut above your peers, be it internships, prior jobs, duties in college, etc. This will help determine your value, which in turn will demand a higher salary.

(3) DO YOUR HOMEWORK WELL

Research the company, talk to people working in competitive companies, contact your mentors, etc. to have a clear idea on what kind of salary is offered in the market. Only then can you go into an interview well informed, enough to know if the salary being offered is legitimate.

(5) TONE AND BODY LANGUAGE Before the negotiation actually begins, be very aware that your tone is a tell-tale sign of your reaction to the salary. Keep your tone calm, sans excitement. Similarly, observe your body language and avoid widening your eyes with glee if presented with a good salary, or even slouching and rolling your eyes if the salary discussed is inadequate. Maintain a professional tone and body language at all times.

(7) BE REASONABLE AND REALISTIC

No matter how much value you add to the company, you must be reasonable while negotiating a salary. Once you’ve found out the market rate, use that as a benchmark and avoid going above that rate unless you have a very specific reason to. Being unreasonable during negotiation can really turn an employer off and even come off as too Smart Alec for a fresher.

(8) A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY

An important thing to note is that even a single digit salary hike can go a long way. Your starting salary if boosted by even 5% will automatically boost all annual hikes and bonuses, which cumulatively sums up to a healthy amount.

(9) BE FLEXIBLE

While negotiating, know the value of non-monetary recompense such as additional leave, paid leave, company-sponsored higher education, annual bonuses or stocks, a personal development course, a car park space, etc. These factors add tremendous value to the total employment package. If you couldn’t get a monetary hike of the desired amount, understand the value of perks.

(10) END ON A POSITIVE NOTE

Irrespective of whether the employer has agreed to your terms, end the interview on a respectful note by politely smiling, shaking hands and saying thank you.

Avoid bitter facial expressions or even overexcited handshakes. Also make sure the employer is willing to provide the determined terms in writing. When starting out, until written offers are made, leave all doors open. yi

“People start thinking about salary as the number one objective and talk about it first; this is one of the major mistakes made.

It is the most important to see if the job fits your skill set, strengths and talent.”

- Dipali Sheth, HR country head (India), Royal Bank of Scotland

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AWARENESS

India’s economic

crisis

The Indian economy isn’t doing as well as popular perceptions would let you believe.

Nisarg Kamdar analyses the financial health of the country to find out why

F

rom throttling ahead at surreal growth rates approaching 10% to stuttering growth rates, the Indian economy has sure come a long way. From being the pick of emerging markets for investors, the Indian economy’s fall off the global map has been accentuated by the economic gloom that encapsulates the global financial systems.

How did we end up here?

 A deadly cocktail of

mismanagement of the economy, policy paralysis, inability to push through reforms, failure of the checks and balances in our systems to secure us for the proverbial rainy day and the onslaught of Eurozone crisis which triggered global economic meltdown.  Lack of political capital with the

present Prime Minister contributed to the government’s indecisiveness and procrastination which in turn led to reform measures like unwarranted subsidies, decontrol of diesel prices, addressing supply constraints and some others remaining in a permanent state of limbo.  The rising fiscal deficit – difference between a government’s expenditure and total revenue it generates – due to falling tax receipts but enhanced expenditure arising from the government’s callous spending habits.  The ballooning current account deficit – measurement of a country’s trade in which value of goods and services it imports exceeds value of goods and services it exports – has exposed the rupee to untold misery.  India’s import bill is dominated by our energy demands. Unless we reduce our dependence on oil imports for our energy needs and develop infrastructure to tap non-renewable

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and renewable resources in India, we will be unable to cope.

The American effect

After the financial market collapse in 2008, the US Federal reserve started a programme of quantitative easing wherein they started buying bonds from its member banks. When the Fed buys from banks, the banks have more money to lend to other banks. As banks try to unload their extra reserves, they drop the interest rate. Credit is thus available at lower interest rates, spurring economic activity.

In September 2012, the Federal Reserve began pumping $40 billion per month into the economy through purchase of treasury bonds.

This excess money found its way to emerging markets such as India and fuelled our recovery after the 2008 economic collapse. This inflow aided us in achieving growth rates of 9% while most western economies were either stagnating or in recession.

Now as the American economy shows signs of recovery, the Federal Reserve has announced a ‘tapering’ of its quantitative easing policy. This has prompted the ‘Great Exit’ of money from emerging markets. Investors now no longer have access to cheap credit to invest in emerging markets, so they have been pulling money out of the Indian economy.

Collective failure

When the going was good policy formulators, regulators, the central bank, and the corporate industry failed to secure our gains and ensure that the fundamentals of the economy were on a strong footing.

As Raghuram Rajan, the present RBI governor, incisively quipped, “strong growth tests economic institutions’ capacity to cope, and India’s were found lacking.”

Effect on the ground

 The primary effect has been spiralling expenses due to high inflation but stagnating incomes.  The rising price, especially those of food commodities, has pinched the aam aadmi.  Lack of reforms has led to drying up investment which has made essentials such as housing dearer.  Financial products are no longer attractive investment options, with most Indians choosing to park their money in gold assets.  Diesel and petrol rates have shot through the roof since we import most of our fuel requirements.

Consequently, public transportation has become a much larger drain on personal resources.  The most significant impact is the lack of jobs, especially for skilled workers. Absence of appropriate jobs for graduates has become chronic and unless the economy revives we very well might surrender the gains we have made in our efforts to stifle brain drain.

Measures by the government

 The government has decontrolled petrol and is actively considering decontrolling of diesel pricing. This means doing away with the subsidy it used to provide for fuel.  The Cabinet Committee on Investments (CCI) has been set up as a mechanism for fast track clearances

Absence of appropriate jobs for graduates has become chronic and unless the economy revives we very well might surrender the gains we have made in stifling brain drain. for big ticket projects. Dubiously, the government has also sought to tackle the issue of environmental clearances by changing the environment minister rather than tackling institutional lacunae.  51% FDI in multi-brand retail has been allowed but this has failed to attract substantial investment due to political uncertainty, since majority of the political parties are publicly opposed to this policy.  The import duty on gold has been hiked. This helps reduce the import bill and thus decrease the current account deficit since majority of the gold purchase is imported. It also makes gold a less attractive investment option and thus encourages the public to invest savings in financial markets which can stimulate vigorous economic activity.

The road ahead

The Indian economy needs serious consideration and requires several reforms to return to growth rates near 10%. Though the government is aware of the steps required, the present political climate makes these steps highly unlikely since a majority of them are unpopular measures.

In spite of having raised the limit for FDI in several sectors, investment has still dried up due to the perception that this government’s days are numbered. Investors prefer biding their time till the next general elections which will be held around April-June. This ensures a government which will offer continuity and will have the required political capital for undertaking tough measures. A miraculous recovery at this point seems highly unlikely. yi FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 39

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PRODIGY

Fashion’s ‘It’ Girl: Pernia Qureshi eer as an r a c r e h g n i t From star magazine lm g n li y t s o t , intern Bollywood fi e h t d n a ls a editori ntly opening e c e r e r o m o ‘Aisha’, t e fashion n li n o d n i k a one-of-a Shop, p U p o P ’s a i store–Pern hi has come a long s Pernia Qure look into the life of a way. Here is rodig y p this fashion

W

hen and how did you realise you wanted to work in fashion?

I was always very interested in fashion.

That interest grew into a huge passion and it was then that I decided to seriously pursue a career in the field.

But if I have to give credit to anyone, it has to be my mother; she is always a huge source of inspiration, and following her footsteps I developed a keen interest in fashion.

How did your experiences working with fashion magazines and designers help with your personal career?

Working closely with designers and fashion magazines helped me 40 Youth Incorporated FEBRUARY 2014

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immensely. It helped me understand the nuances of the industry by which I grew in terms of my career. I have learnt to be more adaptable as every designer or magazine is different and the work you do for them has to be in accordance with their personal aesthetic. I’ve always learnt to walk the thin line between unique aesthetic of a designer or magazine while staying true to my own sensibilities, which has been very crucial in developing my career. And of course, styling the movie Aisha was a turning point in my life as it was during filming that I had the idea to open an online store to house Indian designers.

Having worked in USA and India, how different is the fashion industry between the two countries?

Why did you decide to start up Pernia’s Pop-up Shop?

What has the response been since its launch? Do you plan on bringing international designers into the offering?

I wanted to build a platform where Indian designers could showcase their work and reach a broader international audience–this led to the birth of Prenia’s Pop-Up Shop. The response for Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop has been phenomenal and I am very happy and satisfied about it. That being said, Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop is India’s first true fashion website, the concept is to offer Indian designers to a global clientele, hence bringing international designers on board would conflict the original idea.

Do you think fashion changes India and USA are different in their across Indian cities? How do own light. One of the main differences you address Indian fashion through your personal label is in the way fashion is approached.

Pernia Qureshi?

In India, fashion is still viewed as something that is to be indulged in occasionally, and that too when it is a special occasion. In USA, however, fashion is woven in with lifestyle. But the scene is slowly changing in India and I am very excited about it.

How has your experience styling in films been? Do you have plans to streamline further down the same career path?

Working as a stylist is an experience that I greatly treasure. Undoubtedly, it is a tough job as you have to source clothes, jewellery and shoes which is not easy. While sourcing, it is important to have a vision while also adhering to what the director wants for his characters. You may like quirky printed Atsu shirts, but you can’t have a character who is a businessman wear them.

Therefore, Aisha was a huge gamechanger in my life. I would love to style more films. In fact, I have a few projects in the pipeline that I am excited about, but we will see where it takes me.

I do feel Indian fashion varying across cities. For example, a Mumbai girl is more relaxed in her fashion choices whereas a Delhi girl is all about mixing a sense of luxury in her styling.

Mumbai is more bohemian where as Delhi is more preppy with traces of a bohemian style.

Every designer has their signature style aesthetics, and you attract audiences who feel their aesthetics align with your own. As a designer I aim to stay true to my style because I feel that is the only way to stay true to my audience.

How has your training in the traditional dance form Kuchipudi influenced your styling and design aesthetic?

My training in Kuchipudi has influenced my aesthetic sense greatly.

It has taught me grace and I constantly try my best to incorporate that into my work whether it is in styling or in designing. But more importantly, training in Kuchipudi has taught me discipline and that is something which has helped me the most.

YOUR STYLE IN THREE WORDS Minimal, chic and classy YOUR FAVORITE ACCESSORY I absolutely love earrings, whether they are delicate or bold, they always add style to an ensemble THREE DESIGNERS WHO INSPIRE YOU Atsu Sekhose, Amit Aggarwal and Christian Dior CELEBRITIES YOU WANT TO STYLE Scarlett Johansson and Rekha FASHION PREDICTIONS FOR 2014 Sartorially tailored and structured garments YOUR FASHION MUST-HAVE A basic and stylish black leather handbag is a must have for any fashionista

Do you have plans to branch out into affordable high street fashion?

My website offers a wide variety of affordable high street fashion from designers like Shivangi Sahni, Jelin George, Nishka Lulla, T-Republic, etc.

Besides, we ensure that an affordable prêt-â-porter (ready-to-wear) line from every designer is made available on Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop, hence there is an attraction for every kind of shopper out there.

Having launched your first book ‘Be Stylish with Pernia Qureshi’, do you have plans to write another? What will be the focus of that book?

I’m very happy with my first book and the response it has got. It would be too soon to think about a second book, however, if a good idea comes along I wouldn’t mind writing another. yi FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 41

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SHERBET PHOTOGRAPHY, FLICKR

COVER STORY

We break down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, throw light on the stigma attached to it, delve further into what the laws of the land state and also offer first person perspectives on being gay in a society where archaic laws are still upheld 42 Youth Incorporated FEBRUARY 2014

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I

ndia has had its fair share of trifling issues in matters of human rights. Although witness to some of the most gruesome crimes like bride burning, dowry deaths and discrimination on the basis of caste (untouchability), our country has – nonetheless – emerged victorious by overcoming these social evils.

The Constitution of India upholds an Indian citizen’s right to freedom and equality, and also comes to include the right to live and love freely. Why then is this so-called ‘developing’ country lagging far, far behind when it comes to basic LGBT rights?

We firmly believe that this law is the cruellest of its kind as it takes away from an individual the basic right to live and to love without bounds. Section 377 acts as a source of evil that brings along with it strong social stigma, ostracisation from society and resulting emotional trauma.

Rapes, murders and political scams come to the fore every other day in a country like India. Yet, a government like ours chooses to forgo these atrocities and bring to the book innocent people who only wish to love openly. If the common justification for advocating this law is that homosexuality is against the Indian constitution, then, so are politicians who rob taxpayers off their money, rapists who scar women and murderers who take innocent lives. How does the right to love overshadow hardcore criminal acts that go unpunished for decades?

We believe that Section 377 should be altered for the better and the right to ‘Live and Let Love’ be made the premise on which this nation hence stands.

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COVER STORY

Discrimination and stigma toward the

community

If being called a ‘criminal’ wasn’t enough, being gay in India also has a certain stigma attached to it. We debunk and make some sense out of the myths surrounding the LGBT community in India

LGBTs are the carriers of AIDS and STDs

What this basically means is that promiscuous straight men and women who hop from one bed to the next are saved from AIDS, but LGBTs are not. Sigh! To break it down – it’s not who you are that gives you AIDS or STDs, it is what you do that does so.

Even straight men and women are carriers of both AIDS and STDs, so generalising along these lines is as bizarre as it is uncalled for.

All effeminate men are gay

Probably one of the most wide-spread stigmas of its sort, several people believe that men with slight or overpowering female tendencies are automatically gay. Although stupid, it is one of the most popular stigmas attached to being gay in India and across the world. In truth, there are several men who display effeminate characteristics, but are in no way close to being gay. It is just a temperament that they are born with or how they choose to be.

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Being gay is unholy

Although varied branches of theology do not support being gay, Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, very poignantly said that we cannot judge homosexuals and bisexuals based on spirituality. Who are we to pass judgements then?

You can’t be bisexual and be faithful to one person

Against popular belief, bisexuals can be faithful to the person they are in a relationship with. Just because they are attracted to people of both sexes, it doesn’t mean loyalty and faithfulness cannot be expected. Often people state that bisexuals are confused and are attracted to people of both sexes for the purpose of experimentation.

This is not true as a bisexual believes in loving irrespective of gender and are very clear about who they love when in a relationship.

Homosexuality is a psychological problem

As sad as it may seem, one of the first places a homosexual person is made to visit after he has come out of the closet is a psychologist’s office. For years, homosexuality has been deemed

a problem that can be treated with the help of counselling and medications.

Homosexuality and bisexuality are sexual orientations that cannot be treated or changed with the help of medications or doctors. Sexuality is inherent in a person. Just as a straight person can’t help being straight, a gay person can’t help being gay.

Homosexuality is unnatural

Sexual acts between two consenting adults of the same sex is often described as unnatural. To bring clarity to what is natural or unnatural, the closest inference can be drawn from ancient Indian mythology; a third gender has been identified in a number of Hindu texts. The Kama Sutra too has since its existence, always referred to a third sex. Along with this several carvings and sculptures created centuries ago, like those in the Khujuraho temple, have strong homosexual depictions. The fact that there are mentions of homosexual attributes and behaviour in these sculptures and in Indian texts, terming it as being unnatural is out of bounds. Besides, there are 1500 species of animals that display homosexual behaviour. Are they unnatural too?

“All human beings have equal worth and therefore straight or homosexual, everyone has the right to live with human dignity. I am all for ‘equal human rights’ for homosexuals, and to not treat them like some inferior species or second-class citizens.

Having said that, being a medical practitioner in the field of sexual medicine for over two decades, I have seen severe medical complications arising out of consensual sodomy or anal sex; whether between two homosexuals, or even when it happens between a man and a woman. The physical and emotional trauma of these victims stirs my heart and cannot go unmentioned in the midst of this debate of ‘de-criminalising consensual sexual behaviour in private between two same-sex individuals’.

I fully agree with every scripture that separates the person from the action.

Therefore, I reiterate that while all human beings should be viewed and treated equally with the same human dignity by law and society, all sexual acts done by anyone – homosexual or straight, if causing physical or emotional trauma to another, should also be equally punished by the law of the land.”

- Dr Rajan Bhonsle, sexologist, Mumbai FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 45

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COVER STORY

Indian Penal Code unnatural sexual offence apart from The latest The Indian Penal Code (IPC) is the term ‘against the order of nature’.

Supreme the main set of laws used to govern This becomes a problem since every criminal offences in India. The IPC bench is free to interpret Court verdict is made up of many chapters which judicial this section as they see fit in spite of are in turn made up of sections. The following the letter of the law. regarding section under which homosexuality Section 377 High Court Verdict has been criminalised is Section 377.

On 2 June 2009, a bench comprising Here is an excerpt of the section from has garnered the IPC: Chief Justice of Delhi High Court A. P. Shah and Justice S. criticism SECTION 377: UNNATURAL Muralidhar ruled in a case between from all LGBT OFFENCES Naz Foundation and Government Whoever voluntarily has carnal of National Capital Territory of communities intercourse against the order of Delhi that Section 377 was ‘an nature with any man, woman or and arbitrary law’. and allies. We animal, shall be punished with unconstitutional The following is an excerpt of the dissect the imprisonment for life, or with verdict: imprisonment of either description jargon and for a term which may extend to We declare that Section 377 IPC, ten years, and shall also be liable insofar it criminalises consensual simplify the to fine. sexual acts of adults in private, is legal status of Explanation: Penetration is violative of Articles 21, 14 and 15 sufficient to constitute the carnal homosexuality intercourse necessary to the offence of the Constitution. described in this section.

The bench upheld the laws against in India non-consensual sexual intercourse The section has been vaguely defined since it only criminalises unnatural sexual offences. There is no clear definition of what constitutes an

including minors. The court did not amend the law but passed a judgement on how the law should be interpreted.

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The judiciary in India may not amend laws but only interpret them. This is the reason the Supreme Court bench made it clear in its judgement that it was up to the Parliament to amend the law if it sees fit.

This judgement was seen as a landmark in human rights for the LGBT community who are constantly persecuted in India. The High Court rightly pointed out that Section 377 is in direct violation of the fundamental rights of privacy, equality and nondiscrimination which are guaranteed by the Constitution for every citizen of India irrespective of their sexual orientation.

Supreme Court Verdict On 11 December 2013, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice Sudhansu Jyoti Mukhopadhaya adjudged in a case that Section 377 was not in contradiction to the Indian constitution and thus effectively overruled the Delhi High Court’s verdict of 2009. An excerpt of the judgement can be found below:

While parting with the case, we would like to make it clear that this Court has merely pronounced on the correctness of the view taken by the Delhi High Court on the constitutionality of Section 377 IPC and found that the said section does not suffer from any constitutional infirmity.

Notwithstanding this verdict, the competent legislature shall be free to consider the desirability and propriety of deleting Section 377 IPC from the statute book or amend the same as per the suggestion made by the Attorney General.

The Supreme Court bench ruled that the High Court judgement overstepped the bounds of judicial review and that in interpreting the section differently, it was almost amending the law itself. The Supreme Court bench ruled that the legislature

was free to amend the law as it saw fit since the Parliament stated that the law in itself was archaic. While the Supreme Court’s judgement does come across as a regressive step for a developing India, in the court’s purview, amendment of laws are only in the power of the legislature and not the judiciary.

Constitution

The Constitution of India is the framework of documents that defines the fundamental rights of the citizens of India. The following articles in the Indian Constitution provide certain fundamental rights which cannot be denied to an Indian citizen under any circumstance: Article 14: This article covers the right to equality under law which states that every Indian citizen shall be treated equally under the purview of the law.

Article 15: This article prohibits discrimination against any Indian citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex and place of birth, or all of them. Discrimination on the grounds

of sexual orientation is in violation of this article.

Article 21: This article guarantees Indian citizens the right to life and liberty.

Human Rights

In accordance with the Constitution of India, it is clear that criminalising homosexuality is in violation of the fundamental rights granted to all Indian citizens. Indian citizens have the right to life and liberty which allows them to live in dignity. They are also granted equality and cannot be discriminated against irrespective of gender and sexual orientation.

Further, human beings have certain unalienable rights allowing them to choose and live freely. These rights are granted across most countries as they are in India itself. An Indian citizen should be allowed to follow his/ her sexual orientation without persecution. Criminalisation of homosexuality and crimes against homosexuals are unconstitutional and should be eradicated.

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COVER STORY

NORTH KOREA

Although North Korea is commonly considered to be a highly repressive society, the government accepts that ‘many individuals are born with homosexuality as a genetic trait and treats them with due respect’. Legally, couples of the same sex can indulge in sexual activities in North Korea.

NEPAL

Nepal has impressively liberal laws concerning homosexuality considering it is a democracy in its infancy. In 2007, the Supreme Court of Nepal demanded that the government abolish archaic laws that discriminate against homosexuality. They are even considering legalising same-sex marriage. Maybe India, and the other South Asian countries, should take a leaf out of the legal books of their neighbouring state.

VIETNAM

By virtue of having no laws against homosexuality, sexual acts conducted in private by consenting adults of the same sex are not a crime. There are no records of any laws being written in Vietnam to criminalise homosexuality. The constitution does not recognise same-sex couples; they do not receive legal protection like opposite-sex couples.

However, the government has been engaged in an attempt to legalise same-sex marriages since July 2012.

BAHRAIN

Homosexuality was legalised in Bahrain when a new Penal Code was put into action in March 1976. The new code legalised sexual intercourse between consenting same-sex couples in private. However, the minimum age of consent for homosexuality is 21 years of age.

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I say for each his/ her own. It’s like the height of [being] confused. Imagine people supporting heterogeneity in matters of heart demanding the whole world to be homogeneous in orientation!

We ask the youth of India

RASHMI SHUKLA, 25, STUDENT

Firstly, I’m not very comfortable with the whole gay thing. Unnatural? Yes, it is. It doesn’t affect me directly though.

On the other hand I believe in choice. Every person has a choice, to love or hate something, someone, anyone.

I don’t think it’s a crime, because there are many out there who can and should find suitable partners. I won’t eat vegetables if I have an option of beef. So yeah, it’s okay. Expecting the government to do the right thing is the crime.

RAMIZ SHAIKH, 23, WRITER Each and everyone is unique and everyone has their own dignity and everyone can choose their own way, but their actions must be proper and shouldn’t disturb the process of nature. Everyone must behave as per norms and must practice socially acceptable acts.

Section 377 and what it states doesn’t matter. The matter is it is 100% opposite to nature. We all know that if we go against nature the result will be bitter, so we must ban gay and lesbian system. It can’t work in India.

RAVITEJA REDDY GL, STUDENT

No, I don’t believe homosexuality is a crime. The fact that our democratic, 600-somethingyear-old country wants to make it one after decriminalising it for five years really puzzles me. It shows internationally what kind of values as a country we stand for. You can’t tell people they are free and then tell two consenting adults that liking each other is wrong. You don’t have to be supportive of being gay if you don’t want to. But you can’t deny someone’s basic right to love.

ANOUD DESHMUKH, 20, STUDENT

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COVER STORY

We live in freedom in a democracy because our ancestors laid down their lives for this cause. Human history is bleak with inhuman behaviour, but it is also buoyant with acts of courage, decency and selflessness from time to time

DUALDFLIPFLOP, FLICKR

Power to the people

Democracy is a fairly new form of governance. The Magna Carta, a charter that limited the powers of the monarch and gave more rights to the people, was signed in 1215, at a time when kings became too powerful. Later, the French and the American Revolutions laid the foundations of modern democracy.

Freeing the slaves

Votes for women

However, power to the people did not include women or slaves.

Women were second class citizens. They had no voting rights and not much say in matters of property and social conventions.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the suffragette movement – the agitation to secure women voting rights – became a major talking point world over. New Zealand was the first country to give women voting rights in 1893.

One person could own another like a common object for centuries. Africa was the largest slave market, but whites were sold as indentured labourers (temporary slaves) as were Indians.

England outlawed the slave trade in 1772.

Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery in the US in 1863.

We are all the same

Colour indifference

Hitler believed that blonde-haired blue-eyed Germans were the ‘Master Race’. South Africa institutionalised Apartheid. The US too segregated people by colour. With the defeat of Nazi Germany, the rise of Martin Luther King, Jr. and later Nelson Mandela, racism was eventually abolished.

In 1948, the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that all people are born Okay to be gay equal and have The Stonewall certain inherent, riot of 1969, a inalienable rights. protest against Cruelty, torture, police harassment slavery, and of LGBT people discrimination in the US, is on a number considered the of grounds are first breakthrough prohibited. in gay rights.

However, many countries by then had already decriminalised homosexuality: France in 1791, Brazil in 1824, Mexico in 1872; even Bahrain, Kazakhstan and Iraq (1976, 1998 and 2003 respectively)!

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FRANZ RICHTER, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Robbie Rogers Raven-Symoné

EVA RINALDI, FLICKR

HOLLYWOOD_PR, FLICKR

LONGBOMB, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

SOPHA, FLICKR

Jim Parsons

Ricky Martin

Jodie Foster HEMANT BHAVSAR, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

BOLLYWOODHUNGAMA.COM

Celina Jaitly NANDANUPADHYAY, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Laxmi Narayan Tripathi

Ashok Row Kavi

Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil “I have always stated that gay rights cannot be won in the court room but in the hearts and the minds of the people. My fight is going to continue irrespective of whether we win or lose."

- Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 51

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COVER STORY

Born this way

TV personality Sushant Divgikar shows the world how liberating living outside the closet can be for an openly homosexual man who is sure about himself

Coming out of the closet

I was 18 when I came out to my closest set of friends. I first confessed that I am gay to my best friend Jui who is no more. She gave me the strength to confess to all my friends that I was gay.

Shortly after, I admitted to being gay when my dad asked me. He was incredibly supportive and said, “You are my son regardless of your sexual preferences. Always remember that your mom and I have been nothing but proud of you.”

Later, I became an anchor for the UTV Bindass show Atyachaar Ka Punchnama. I made sure that people had a good impression about me because I was representing the LGBT community. It was a big responsibility.

happy. I was a part of Terence Lewis’ academy of dance as a senior trainer.

I learned 4 different forms of martial arts. I was a VJ for UTV Bindass and I am a psychologist now. I have never restricted myself in any way.

My social life

The Supreme Court verdict

Becoming an LGBT icon

My professional life

I was 21 years old when I had my TV debut for the UTV Bindass show Big Switch (season 3). By this point I was openly gay and now on national television. It allowed me to show the LGBT youth that once you accept yourself, people around you will automatically accept you.

95% of all my closest people are straight, and they understand that I am as human as them and I am not abnormal. I am always transparent and don’t hide anything from them.

I have worked with wonderful people and have never faced any sort of humiliation, prejudice or ill feelings from my colleagues.

No restrictions

I never stop myself from doing what I want to do and what makes me

About Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, with due respect to the judiciary, I am appalled and hurt more than anything else. There are a lot of contradictions. The law says we are free-willed and live in a democratic nation but we are denied our rights to live as per our will. It makes no sense.

Advice for those in the closet If you need help coming out, we are there to help you come out and live a fearless life with dignity. As Lady Gaga says, “I’m on the right track baby, I was born this way.”

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The ‘L’ word

Monisha Ajgaonkar, owner of photographic company The Photo Diary, talks to Youth Inc about her life as an openly gay woman

Dealing with questions

When the opposite sex questions me if I am dating someone, I tell them I am happy and gay.

Acceptance in my family

My sister was always aware of my sexuality. And it didn’t make any difference to our relationship. My father got to know through a colleague who had figured out through one of my interviews. He accepted it. Luckily, my life never was about ugly confrontations and acceptance speeches.

My social life

In my social circles I was appreciated as a human being even more. I like to socialise, meet people. If anyone has an issue with me being gay then it’s their problem. It doesn’t stop me from being myself and interacting with people. I have learned this with time.

My professional life

Sometimes people mix my profession with my sexuality. Once, a client cancelled a shoot. They figured out about my sexual orientation. Being a photographer, I should be judged on my photography skills and not sexuality.

Logic fails here. It’s ridiculous but I move on.

Since being out of the closet…

I have never faced any problems. I come across one or two people who are yet to come to terms with the fact that gays are also human beings and that is totally fine. Take your time.

The problem with being gay

I get upset when I come across straight/ pretty girls. Haha.

The word of law

Thoughts overflow when I think about

Section 377. It’s not about sexual preference but also about emotions.

Gays do not go on having sex with each and every person they could get their hands on. We also have a choice.

We do fall in love. We do want to get married and settle down. And all of this is certainly not a crime. Culturally speaking, these lawmakers need to be on par with the Indian stream of mythology and history. Moreover, they come across as jokers on international platforms for no rhyme or reason. They need an insight.

Will court rulings affect my life?

No way. I am going to get married to a girl few years down the line.

Advice for those in the closet Move out of that closet. Smell the coffee. Be free. yi

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COUNSELLOR CONNECT

JAYANTI GHOSE

ALTERNATIVES TO ARCHITECTURE Q: I could not opt for architecture after class 12 as I was unable to cope with mathematics as a subject in plus two. Is there something else I could study which would provide me with related work opportunities?

Pranav You could consider an undergraduate programme in interior design as a related choice since interior designers plan and supervise the design and decoration of the inside of buildings.

If not, complete a bachelor’s degree in any field and aim to pursue a master’s programme in habitat management such as offered by CEPT University, Ahmedabad, for example. Such a programme would open up new avenues for employment in local governments, international development agencies, management companies, infrastructure development and project management companies, real estate and asset management consultancies.

Rita

Co-op education is a structured way of learning that combines classroom learning with periods of actual work. This working experience is called a co-op placement. It offers the opportunity to network with employers, gain valuable work experience in your chosen field, and earn academic credits that count toward your degree or diploma. Visit the website of the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education http://www.cafce.ca/cgi/page.cgi/ institutions.html for the Co-operative Education Directory, a comprehensive listing of the postsecondary co-operative education programsme of member institutions in Canada.

ANSWER ANSWER

ANSWER ANSWER

He could get a job with a reputed organisation after he graduates. During the first year or two he must aim to get a clear picture of what MBA and MS would teach him, and the future course of his career in either case. This would help him to understand which programme would be most in tune with his interests and abilities. If he wishes to apply for MBA abroad, at least 3-4 years of work experience after graduation would be advisable, but if he sure about pursuing MS, he can apply as soon as he is sure.

CO-OP EDUCATION IN CANADA Q: I have heard about co-op education in Canada. What does it really mean?

CAREERS IN HR MANAGEMENT Q: I am in first year BCom pursuing chartered accountancy. I have recently found myself interested in HR management. What are the job opportunities in this field? How can I get in?

Drishti Human resource (HR) managers are involved with recruitment, training, career development, compensation and benefits, employee relations, industrial relations, employment law, disciplinary and grievance issues, redundancies etc. A full-time MBA in HR could lead to direct placement in the field. You can plan to take up MBA once you have graduated, worked for a couple of years, actually viewed HR in action in the workplace to affirm that HR is the right specialisation for you. Right now concentrate on CA and BCom. Enhance your awareness of wider career options during your graduation so that you can make an informed decision eventually.

ANSWER ANSWER

MBA OR MS? Q: My son is in his final year of computer science engineering and wants to pursue higher studies abroad, but is confused about whether to apply for an MBA or MS. What would you suggest?

Vinod C.

ANSWER ANSWER

STUDY IN INDIA

STUDY ABROAD

Jayanti Ghose is a career and education consultant. She holds an honours degree in economics and a degree in education. Her research in career counselling and guidance spans more than 25 years. She pioneered the concept of career counselling and career writing in the print media. She is actively involved in personal and group counselling.

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BOI

PROMOTION

SERVICES

Here are the standout services provided by Bank of India for its valued customers

BOI CREDIT CARDS

• Global Acceptance for Payment • Free Credit Period • Cash Advance • 24-Hour Customer Help • Add-ons • Balance Transfer • Cash Withdrawals • Flexi-payment • Rewards Programme • Limited Lost Card Liability • Photo Card • E.M.I. • Attractive tie ups with Hotels, Shopping, etc

TYPES OF CREDIT CARDS

• VISA GOLD – Domestic card (valid in India, Nepal and Bhutan). Issued to those with an annual income exceeding `1,50,000. Fee for a primary card is `600 p.a. and for add-on card is `350 p.a.

• VISA GOLD International Card – Fee is `1,500 p.a. for primary card. Add-on card fee is `800 p.a.

• VISA Platinum Privilege Card – Valid for Domestic and International use with additional features of photo and signature of the card holder. The maximum amount of cash that can be withdrawn from ATM is `50,000 and at POS it can be used up to `1 lakh.

• TAJ Premium Card • India Card – It is a Master Card and is given to those who have an annual income up to `75,000. Free of charge. Valid only in India, Nepal and Bhutan.

• VISA Krishi Vikas Card – Exclusively issued to big farmers with cash credit facilities. No charges.

• Credit Card for Pensioners – Limit will be three times the monthly pension but no TOD is allowed.

• Navy Classic – Issued to naval staff. Direct billing. Free for lifetime.

• Navy Gold – Premium card given to naval staff. Direct billing. Free for lifetime.

BOI BTM

Interbank Mobile Payment Service (IMPS) Banking Through Mobile (BOI BTM) is a facility by Bank of India which is an emerging alternate delivery channel for fund transfer. This facility allows the customer to transfer funds through mobile phones between accounts maintained at any IMPS member bank to another IMPS member bank registered with NPCI at any time and from anywhere. This function is compatible with Android, Blackberry and iOS operating systems.

MAIN FEATURES OF BOI BTM ARE:

• Our mobile banking customers can remit funds to customers of other IMPS member banks.

• Payments can be made online instantly and on 24x7 basis.

• Convenient and simple way to make remittance using a mobile number.

• Sender and Beneficiary will be informed through SMS about successful remittance.

• Time and cost saving.

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WISE UP

1

2

R

D

O N Z 1

3

1

1

Choose the option that is closest in meaning to the main word and complete the sentence.

1. sprightly (sprahyt-lee)

For all his dislike of ragtime music, John could not resist dancing to the ____ tunes of Scott Joplin. (a) languid (b) lively (c) repulsive

2. clime (klahym )

One of the challenges of studying in another country involves adjusting to a different ____. (a) climate (b) custom (c) time

3. dight (dahyt)

The children were delighted when their teacher asked them to put way their books and ____ the Christmas tree with ornaments. (a) wrap (b) conflate (c) adorn

2

- By Niloufer Gandhi

1

E

O W

Romantic words The Romantic Era (late 18th century - mid-19th century), dominated by famous poets such as Wordsworth, Blake, Shelley and Keats, focused on love of nature, expressive language and an emphasis on true love and passion.

Here are some words that were popularly used by the Romantic poets.

4. rivulet (riv-yuh-lit)

Sitting beside the ____ , the fugitive closed his eyes and reminisced the time he had spent with his family. (a) brook (b) river (c) gulf

5. yonder (yon-der)

Answers:

1. B, 2. A, 3. C, 4. A, 5. A

The boys thought they had seen a ghost when the wind blew the fishing net hanging ____ the fence. (a) beyond (b) closer (c) adjacent

Word Pyramid

The clues will help you find the answers to complete the word pyramid. Each answer must contain the previous answer. You may arrange the words with a new letter.

Hint: Start from the top 1. A period of human life measured by years

A

G

E

2. Violent anger 3. The area between the upper and lower limit 4. Peril, hazard, risk, jeopardy 5. To make someone insane 6. A person employed to look after a garden

Answers: RAGE, RANGE, DANGER, DERANGE, GARDENER

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yi

entertain The games of winter are here with the Winter Olympics in Russia this year...

Page 64

KEVIN PEDRAJA, FLICKR

K E E PI N S I D E яГо

Pg62 Pg66 Pg68

Pg78

ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

THE WORLD IN YOUR BACKYARD

10 ROMANTIC COMEDY LESSONS TO UNLEARN

RISING STAR

AS THE UEFA IS CATCHING HEAT NOW, FIND OUT WHY EUROPEAN FOOTBALL IS SUCH A BIG DEAL

FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN SEE THE WORLD WITHOUT TRAVELLING OUT OF INDIA

PROOF THAT ROMCOMS ARE AS FAR REMOVED FROM REALITY AS MARS IS FROM PLUTO

VIOLINIST AMBI SUBRAMANIAM TALKS ABOUT HIS MUSIC LEGACY AND WORK

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GARRYKNIGHT, FLICKR

ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE

Defying A SPORT THAT IS NON-COMPETITIVE IS HARDLY APPEALING TO ANYONE, RIGHT? WRONG. SAIRAM NATARAJAN INTRODUCES YOU TO PARKOUR, A SPORT THAT IS BOTH VISUALLY APPEALING AND PHYSICALLY CHALLENGING, AND IS FAST GRABBING SOME SERIOUS EYEBALLS

R

emember James Bond in Casino Royale? Bond chases a bomb-maker on foot through an under-construction building. The irony of the scene is that Bond looks clumsy and inept in his run while the bomb-maker (who according to the script must get caught by Bond) is almost lyrical in his run as he negotiates and sometimes uses to his advantage every obstacle he runs into. THAT, for the uninitiated is Parkour 101 by one of the legends of this sport, Sébastien Foucan!

WHAT IS PARKOUR?

Parkour derives its name from the French parcours du combattant, a form of military training involving negotiating obstacles. The sport, pursued and promoted by David Belle and his father Raymond Belle, was christened Le parcours. It encompasses climbing, jumping, running, balancing; it is basically a holistic sport that pushes the traceur, the name used for parkour practitioners, to get from point A to B in the fastest, most efficient manner, using their bodies

NICK J WEBB, FLICKR

gravity and surroundings in a safe manner.

THE BIRTH OF THE SPORT

Parkour’s forerunner and French naval officer Georges Hébert, inspired by African tribesmen during WW1, used ten fundamental activities – walking, running, jumping, quadrupedal movement, climbing, balancing, throwing, lifting, self-defense and swimming – as a physical training instructor. During WW1 and WW2, Hébert’s teaching became standard in French military training and then many countries’ militaries followed suit.

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ADELINA HORN |WWW.LEIPZIG-LEBEN.DE, FLICKR SXC.HU

JONWADE, FLICKR AMAGILL, FLICKR

SOME PARKOUR TERMINOLOGY

ERHÁLD, FLICKR

Obstacle training was being pursued outside the military as well.

David Belle, his cousins and friends started training as a group after being inspired by Raymond, David’s father.

In the 90s, this group started receiving television coverage. It now has a great bit of following with a greater amount of curiosity, with people enrolling for obstacle courses to improve their endurance, and confidence courses.

PARKOUR IN INDIA

Parkour in India is gaining slow but

steady popularity. Metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore are seeing a lot of parkour groups that usually train together. Jaipur, Cochin and Ludhiana have also seen some interesting activity around this sport.

Movies, both international and Indian, are also using parkour techniques quite freely, and that is also helping the sport gain popularity.

Obstacle races such as the XWarrior Race and Devil’s Circuit are becoming very popular and competitive and more and more people are taking up

1. Traceur/Traceuse: A practitioner of parkour (male/ female) 2. Jam: A gathering of practitioners brought together to train and socialise 3. Training: Practicing parkour. A traceur doesn’t ‘do’ parkour, he/she trains it 4. Conditioning: The practice of strengthening your body for the stresses of parkour.

5. Bail: Failing a jump or move 6. Spot/Hotspot: A place to train. Good hotspots will have a lot of walls, places to jump, low obstacles to vault, railings, etc parkour to train for these races.

PARKOUR HOTSPOTS

Any place for safe training and practice without much outside interference is called a hotspot. While any park, unattended ruins, beaches and under-construction buildings could be the usual hotspots, only Parkour Mumbai has gone to the extent of actually identifying some and rating them on difficulty levels.

Kamla Raheja Park/Aeroplane Park in Santa Cruz and Hiranandani in FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 59

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ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE Powai are some of the tougher hotspots while Gulmohar Garden in Andheri is a good place for beginners. In Delhi, Parkour groups have been seen practising in metro stations, college campuses and near some forts.

PARKOUR TRAINING

Training for parkour should be as serious as the sport itself.

Parkour is not a set of moves or tricks; base techniques are used regularly and changed to suit a particular situation or environment. It is physically demanding and should be practiced only within the limits of your physical condition and ability; which can be improved with training. One should look to condition the body by training with body weight using exercises such as squats, push-ups, pull-ups and leg-lifts.

Running is also an essential part and thus one should look to run close to 12-16 km a week, with a lot of sprinting thrown in. Strengthening is also essential and thus lifting weights cannot be overlooked.

As diet is an indispensable part of any training regimen, one should look to eat healthy with lot of lean proteins and minimal carbs or fat. Processed food is a big no! Water should be consumed in abundance.

IN CONCLUSION

Parkour is an adrenalinegushing sport which will make your jaw drop if you are bystander. If you choose to take the plunge and train, make sure you condition your body well.

Always train in spots which are safe and where the chances of getting hurt are lower. It is advisable to have an expert to guide while you train. Happy training!

PARKOUR PRACTITIONERS DAVID BELLE Founder of parkour; has been in various films and documentaries Signature move: Handstand CHASE ARMITAGE A Wu-Xu expert; at 22 he is one of the most popular traceurs Signature move: Loserwall flip SÉBASTIEN FOUCAN Father of freerunning Signature move: Huge jumps DANIEL ILABACA One of the best freerunners; the monkey gainer and palm flip were his creations Signature move: Monkey gainer

SIMILAR SPORTS FREERUNING Fundamentally parkour but with more flips and jumps BUILDERING The act of climbing on the outside of buildings and other artificial structures TRICKING An aesthetic blend of flips, kicks, and twists incorporating techniques from various martial arts, gymnastics, break dancing and similar disciplines POWERBOCKING Jumping and running with elastic-like spring-loaded stilts

PARKOUR GROUPS IN INDIA Parkour in India, Mumbai and Delhi Parkour Mumbai, Mumbai ChennaiParkour, Chennai Pace, New Delhi

BASIC PARKOUR TECHNIQUES QUADRUPEDAL MOVEMENT: Moving on all four limbs with the back and shin parallel to the ground and hands shoulder-width apart. The knees should stay off the ground and the limbs should alternate while moving i.e. right leg moves with left hand.

RUNNING: For short, fast running bursts, one should run on the ball of their feet, with the heel not more than an inch off the ground.

GENERAL LANDINGS: While landing, it is essential that one lands on the ball of the feet to avoid damage to the joints. No heel, no toes and no flat feet! The knee should not be bent for more than 90 degrees unless the situation demands it.

BASIC BALANCE: Balance is purely a mental thing. If a rail is two inches off the ground most people could walk along it easily. Put that rail 10 feet in the air and suddenly it’s not so easy. One should lower the body to get better control. The closer the centre of gravity to the ground, the easier to balance.

ROLLING: Rolls can be used to absorb impact to avoid injuries to the joints and limbs. A good roll is one that allows you to roll on concrete painlessly and without damaging yourself.

CLIMBING: For going up and down obstacles. One should try to have three points of the body secure while climbing so that the fourth limb can help if any of the three slip.

PRECISION JUMP: To jump from one point to another, the feet must be together with the body weight on the balls of the feet. The arms should be behind to control direction. Lean forward, push with the legs with the whole body straight. In the middle of the leap, the knees should go inwards and then outwards to push the body ahead towards the landing point.

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M nkey Man SEASONED TRACEUR GILES D’SOUZA TELLS US ABOUT HIS TRYST WITH PARKOUR AND THE FOLLOWING OF THE SPORT IN INDIA

Why did you start practicing parkour?

I started practicing parkour because it’s fun, it makes me feel free and I feel a lot better after I train.

What are the advantages of parkour?

There are tons of advantages apart from just making you fit. People usually forget the fundamental it is based on which is overcoming obstacles. Practitioners of the art usually use the same philosophy in their day-to-day lives to see their troubles and tasks as obstacles to get over.

Why should anyone practice parkour?

It is loads of fun and something that comes naturally to everyone. Everyone jumped, climbed and ran as a child but just stopped as they were growing up. Everyone can practice parkour. It is what the human body was made for.

What are the best spots to run?

Everyone has different likes and

What has been your best achievement so far?

Managing to accomplish and improve on a 10-foot standing jump. strengths. Everyone sees their environment differently. For you, training in your building complex might be the best place. As for me, I love training in the wild.

I usually hit the caves at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (Mumbai).

Is it possible to learn parkour by yourself?

Well, that’s what I did. You can do anything you set your mind to. But meeting people and getting opinions from fellow parkour mates really fast forwards your training.

What is your favourite parkour technique?

The precision jump. It is a standing jump from one obstacle to another and landing precisely on one spot; not an inch ahead or behind.

What is the parkour community like in India?

The parkour community is awesome!

People are really helpful and whenever we meet someone we haven’t met before, we feel really connected because of what we do.

Which famous parkour personality do you look up to?

Daniel Ilabaca. The man is my idol!

Are there many contests that encourage the sport?

Parkour is supposed to be noncompetitive but contests like Red Bull Art of Motion and MTV’s Ultimate Parkour Challenge are a good way to make money and meet new people.

What are the mistakes a rookie traceur usually makes?

Progressing too fast and constantly trying to do things beyond their ability without proper training and conditioning.

They see big jumps in videos, try it out and mostly damage themselves. Every wrong jump affects your joints, especially if you haven’t conditioned well.

What is the best way to train?

The best way to train is to condition hard and do the little things that will make a difference. Repetition is very important; you have to keep doing the same move till you can do it flawlessly and then practice some more. yi FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 61

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SPORTS

ROAD TO THE

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE With the UEFA Champions League entering its most exciting phase this month, Sean Sequeira provides a dummy’s guide to understanding Europe’s elite division football competition FOOTBALL IN EUROPE

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) organises two competitions every year to determine the best football teams in Europe – the UEFA Europa Cup and the UEFA Champions League. The winners of the two competitions face off in a single match event called UEFA Super Cup. The Europa Cup and the Champions League feature European teams competing for the

crown of best in the continent, but the UEFA Champions League is far more prestigious since qualification to this competition is tougher and the best players in the world participate.

THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Known officially as the European Champion Club’s Cup before 1992, the Champions League is a long drawn competition which takes place over several months of the football

calendar. The team to secure this trophy is considered to be the best team among Europe’s elite divisions. It is a favourite among fans since most of the best players in the world play in the elite European teams which compete in this tournament. The standard of quality from this competition is always quite high. Players also enjoy the fame and salutations received on being associated and succeeding in this competition.

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TOURNAMENT FORMAT

The tournament can be broadly divided into the following stages: (a) Qualifying: This consists of 3 qualifying rounds and a play-off stage.

10 teams are selected through the qualifying stages to join 22 teams that have been previously selected through automatic qualification for being the best teams in their respective domestic league. (b) Group stage: A short table format where the 32 teams to have qualified are split up into 8 groups of 4 each.

Each group will have a winner and a runner-up to proceed into the Round of 16 stage. The third placed team in the group qualifies to play in the group stages of the UEFA Europa Cup. (c) Knockout phase: The Round of 16 is played by the qualifiers from the group stages. This is followed by the Quarter Final with 8 teams and the Semi Final contested by 4 teams. Each team plays against their opponent twice in the Knockout phase (one home leg and one away leg). (d) Final: The ultimate match which brings a close to the tournament by deciding the champion team of European football

NUMBER OF TEAMS

A total of 76 teams from 53 countries compete in the Champions League every year. However this number is inclusive of the Qualifying stages which are not always considered in record tabulation. The tournament proper is considered to begin from the group stages with 32 teams taking part.

CURRENT STAGE

The tournament is currently at the Round of 16 stage. This stage will be played in the third and fourth week of the month of February. The following teams will compete in this stage:  Atlético Madrid  A.C. Milan  Bayern Munich  Arsenal  Barcelona  Manchester City  Paris Saint-Germain

 Bayer 04 Leverkusen  Chelsea  Galatasaray  Real Madrid  Schalke 04  Borussia Dortmund  Zenit Saint Petersberg  Manchester United  Olympiacos

STELLAR

RECORDS Most number of trophies won Real Madrid (9)

UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES

The first leg of the Round of 16 matches will be held on 18, 19, 25, 26 February and the second leg will be held on 11, 12, 18, 19 March. The first leg of the Quarter Final will be held on 1, 2 April and the second leg will be held on 8, 9 April. The first leg of the Semi Final will be played on 22, 23 April and the second leg of the Semi Final will be held on 29, 30 April.

THE FINAL

Highest all-time goal scorer Raul (71)

Fastest goal ever Roy Makaay (Bayern Munich) in 10.12 seconds

The Champions League Final is one of the biggest nights in the football calendar. The final of the competition last year was the most watched sporting event in the world for the year 2013 with over 360 million television viewers tuning in. The final will be held at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon in Portugal on 24 May.

Most number of games played Ryan Giggs (147)

WATCH IN INDIA

The Champions League matches are telecast live on the television channels Ten Sports, Ten Action and Ten HD. Because of time differences between European countries and India, the matches usually start live between 23:30 and 1:30 IST. yi

Top scorer of current season Cristiano Ronaldo (9)

FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP Akin to the UEFA Champions League, each continent has its own tournament to decide the best team of the year for that continent. Other than the UEFA Champions League held in Europe, the other tournaments are the AFC Champions League (Asia), CAF Champions League (Africa), CONCACAF Champions League (North America), Copa Libertadores (South America) and OFC Champions League (Oceania). The winners of each of these tournaments, and the winner of the domestic league of the host nation, face off in the FIFA Club World Cup which is organised in December every year to crown the best football club in the world.

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JON WICK, FLICKR

SPORTS

KEVIN PEDRAJA, FLICKR

s mpicWe y l O r inte is year. the W e Th ack th ou to ayed y are broduce ill be pl ussia int that w ce in R an i ts di spor now ande the In when on s nd wher t will be session a ngen re in i a contontests the c

About the games

The Winter Olympic Games is a major international multi-sport event for winter sports. It is organised every four years in even-numbered years and alternates with the Summer Olympic Games which is also organised on a similar cycle. The first Winter Olympics were organised in France in 1924.

2014 Winter Olympics

The 2014 Winter Olympics will be held from 6 to 23 February in the Russian city of Sochi. Sochi will be the first Russian city to host an Olympic game since the breakup of the USSR. The mascots for the game will be a polar bear, a snow hare and a snowboarding leopard.

Sporting categories

The 2014 Winter Olympics will have 15 disciplines in 7 sports. The following are the sports and the disciplines which will be competed in during the course of the games:

Skating: The skating competitions in this year’s Winter Olympics will include figure skating, speed skating and short track speed skating.

Skiing: The skiing competitions in this year’s Winter Olympics will include alpine skiing, crosscountry skiing, freestyle skiing, Nordic combined, ski jumping and snowboarding.

Bobsleigh: This is a sport which involves racing down an ice track in a sled. The person or team with the quickest time is declared the winner.

The two disciplines of the sport in the Winter Olympics will be bobsleigh and skeleton.

Biathlon: A dual discipline sporting event that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.

Curling: A sport where stones are slid across a sheet of ice towards a designated target area to score points by landing the stones within concentric circles demarcated on the floor.

Ice hockey: A team sport where points are scored by passing a hard

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KEVIN PEDRAJA, FLICKR

Indian disgrace

Officially, India will not be competing in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Although three Indian athletes have qualified to participate in the games, the Indian contingent has been disqualified because the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has been suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for nonadherence of rules and corruption.

The IOC agreed to lift the suspension once the IOA held elections to appoint a new secretary-general. However, the IOA has scheduled the elections for 9 February, two days after the opening ceremony of the games. Due to this, India will not be represented by an Indian contingent at the 2014 Winter Olympics and the Indian athletes

will not be allowed to compete under the Indian flag. They will participate as Independent Olympic Athletes under the Olympic flag instead.

The Indian athletes who will be competing are Shiva Keshavan in luge, Himanshu Thakur in alpine skiing and Nadeem Iqbal in crosscountry skiing.

2014 Winter Paralympics

In accordance with the agreement between the International Paralympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee, Sochi will also play host to the 2014 Winter Paralympics. The games will be held in the city from 7 to 16 March. The sports to feature in the games will be alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, ice sledge hockey and wheelchair curling. The mascots for the games will be Ray of Light (Fire Boy) and Snowflake (Snow Girl). yi

CHASE N., FLICKR

CHASE N., FLICKR

rubber puck into the opponent’s goal maximum number of times within the stipulated game time.

Luge: An extremely high-speed sport where competitors slide downhill on an ice track and win by recording the fastest time.

FUN FACTS

• Sochi will be the warmest city ►

• ► • ► • ► • ►

• ►

to have hosted a Winter Olympic Games with an average February temperature of 8.3 degrees Centigrade.

It will be the most expensive Olympics in history with an estimated cost of 51 billion USD. The Winter Olympics have never been held in the southern hemisphere.

After the Winter Olympics, a Formula One street circuit will be built at Sochi to host the Russian Grand Prix from 2015 onwards.

The traditional Olympic torch relay for the 2014 Winter Games will be the longest in the history of the Olympics with a 40,000 mile journey over the span of 4 months.

It is also the first time the torch has ever passed the North Pole and the first time it has been in space.

The most successful country in the history of Winter Olympics is Norway with 263 medals.

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TRAVEL

THE WORLD IN YOUR B

T

aking a trip overseas means planning ahead of time, a really long and sometimes almost-impossible-to-acquire leave from college, and a of course, a good amount of money to make the trip worthwhile. While the experience of taking an international vacation is second to none, sometimes what you seek is right in your backyard. Here are four majestic international locations and their Indian variants.

PORTOFINO, ITALY

GREAT BARRIER REEF, AUSTRALIA

Indian equivalent: Lavasa, Pune

Portofino, Italy

T

he planned city of Lavasa, nestled in the Mose valley in the Western Ghats, is inspired by the Italian town of Portofino. A mere four-hour drive from Mumbai, Lavasa − with its idyllic surroundings and pleasant climate − is perfect for that short vacation away from the busy city life.

The beautiful Italian town of Portofino resonates in the architecture of the structures erected, while the Mose valley is reminiscent of Portofino’s harbour Genoa.

A perfect destination, Lavasa, the Indian sister of Portofino, presents post-card perfect views all around its periphery. Surrounded by mountain ranges, a misty blue lake and picture-perfect Goan and Mediterranean styled resorts and holiday homes, Lavasa is truly a beautiful and well-planned city.

RITIKS, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS EULINKY, FLICKR

Lavasa, Pune

ALEX LUNIN, FLICKR

NJ, FLICKR

Indian equivalent: Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

T

he Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s most naturally bestowed regions. From varied species of flora and fauna to its rich underwater coral reef, this reef is as close as it gets to paradise. While there is nothing quite like the experience of exploring underwater goodness of the Great barrier Reef in Australia, a trip to the Andaman and Nicobar islands is sweet redemption.

Marine life in the Andaman and Nicobar islands is in so many ways comparable to that of the Great Barrier Reef.

The only difference would be the scale of its coverage over the region’s geography. From dolphins who mellifluously swim through the water, to swimming elephants and its wondrous marine and coral life, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are India’s very own Great Barrier Reef.

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R BACKYARD Indian equivalent: India Gate, New Delhi

MAURITIUS

Indian equivalent: Goa

K_DAFALIAS, FLICKR

KARL FERNANDES, FLICKR

ARC DE TRIOMPHE, FRANCE

For the wanderlust, Trishann Henriques picks international destinations and their almost identical Indian counterparts

Arc de Triomphe, France

Goa SUDANSHU PRAN KAUL, FLICKR

RAVI CHAHAL, FLICKR

Mauritius India Gate, New Delhi

I

ndia Gate, New Delhi is a 42-meter high structure that bears the names of British, Indian and Afghan soldiers who lost their lives fighting in both World War I and the Afghan War of 1919. Created along the lines of one of Paris’s most famous monuments, Arc de Triomphe, India Gate is India’s answer to this great French structure.

India Gate has been strategically created at a crossroads and is surrounded by beautifully mowed and manicured lawns, much like its French counterpart. The structure and its surrounding gardens play host to the thousands of tourists and locals everyday who come to visit – some to kill time and many more to marvel at this beautiful structure that resembles another famous architectural beauty in France.

P

ristine beaches, check. Blue seas, check. Scrumptious food, check. The best beach parties, check. To sum it all up − Goa is our very own Mauritius. There is something about this coastal getaway that keeps its tourists coming back year after year. This Indian variant welcomes close to 2 million tourists, a number that only increases with the passing of each year.

Nowhere in the rest of the country will a tourist be witness to the easy-come, easy-go vibe that pulsates throughout this state. The beauty of this destination does not only reverberate in its beyond perfect surroundings, its cuisine or in its strong Portuguese influences, but also in the welcoming nature of its locals. Goa, like Mauritius, has a rich history of invaders who conquered the land because of its proximity to the sea.

This influence is redolent in its food, architecture and way of life of its people. yi FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 67

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RELATIONSHIP

10

Romantic comedy lessons to unlearn Rom-coms are certainly fun to watch, but their fairytale-themed stories are far from realistic.

Aparna Sundaresan distils 10 maxims from romantic comedies and tells you why you shouldn’t believe any of them

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Grand gestures = win!

Grand gestures of love will win you the love of your life, no matter how pissed or how not-interested he/she is in you.

Stalking, sending texts constantly, performing songs/dance routines, etc – it’s all endearing and not at all creepy.

Why it’s bullsh!t: In the real world, people who exhibit such behaviours are psychopaths. Being a stalker is not romantic. And orchestrating massive dance routines is just embarrassing.

Worst offenders: 10 Things I Hate About You, Friends With Benefits, Jannat, R... Rajkumar

Lost but always found

Your lover is miffed with you and has gone huffing away some place for some me-time? Not to worry; you ALWAYS know where to find them in a bustling city of a few million. What is true love but a GPS tracker?

Why it’s bullsh!t: You might know where your loved one likes to hang out, but if they really want some me-time, they’d go somewhere they won’t be found. That’s the point of me-time.

Worst offenders: Sleepless in Seattle, What’s Your Number, Friends With Benefits, Chalte Chalte

love over their job.

Why it’s bullsh!t: Sometimes career is just more important than relationships, especially in this day and age of economic uncertainties. And it isn’t impossible to balance the two.

Families wouldn’t exist otherwise.

Worst offenders: The Proposal, What Happens in Vegas, Aashiqui 2, Love Aaj Kal

Rich meets poor

You know this. Rich girl-poor boy.

Rich boy-poor girl. Two people from different socio-economic strata. It’s all meant to be.

Why it’s bullsh!t: True, love transcends class, but one can’t deny that two people from completely different backgrounds will have starkly contrasting personalities. Will they still work as a couple? Maybe.

Maybe not.

Worst offenders: Maid in Manhattan, The Nanny Diaries, Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, Devdas, Ishq

Children are the best counsellors

Any time you want advice on your life love, ask a kid below 12 years of age.

Bonus points for asking a kid younger than 7.

I’m in love ‘coz I just had sex Why it’s bullsh!t: Films love to Who has sex just for the sake of it? No reiterate that children are just as pure one! The easiest way to fall in love with and innocent as the love between two anyone is to sleep with them. Sex is people. We dare you to find a 12-yearmagic glue. Sex is the road to true love. old who knows all about dating. We Why it’s bullsh!t: While sex does bring dare you to find a 7-year-old who two people together and strengthen knows all about the complexities of a their bond, it is not THE only way to relationship. fall in love with someone. Love is more Worst offenders: Love Actually, No than just a physical act.

Reservations, 500 Days of Summer, Worst offenders: No Strings Attached, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Cheeni Kum This Means War, Band Baaja Baaraat, Love in a new place Anjaana Anjaani If you’re new in town and meet an attractive stranger to show you around, you’ve just met the love of Love over career, baby! your life.

So your lover is a high-profile career Why it’s bullsh!t: Too many person. Big deal. They’ll always choose assumptions at play here. Attractive

+ single + willing to spend time with you + exactly the person you want + you are exactly who they want + they want to be in a relationship. The odds of this happening are unlikely.

Worst offenders: The Holiday, New in Town, Wake Up Sid, Fanaa, Delhi 6

True love tames all

The bad boy, the shrew, the beast – they all become wonderful, loveable people by the power of love.

Why it’s bullsh!t: They say a leopard doesn’t change its spots for a reason.

A playboy one day doesn’t become a monogamist the next. Neither does an emotionally unavailable man suddenly become marriage material.

Worst offenders: The Ugly Truth, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Bachna Ae Haseeno, Tere Naam

Love transcends time

Love knows no boundaries. Not even time. Star-crossed lovers time travel and/or are reborn in different forms, different eras to fulfil their destiny.

Why it’s bullsh!t: Love is timeless and all the blah might work in a certain context (poetry; only poetry), but time-travelling or being reborn just to be with your lover is one physicsconvulsing idea we just can’t get with.

Worst offenders: 17 Again, 13 Going on 30, Karz, Love Story 2050, Om Shanti Om

Love is right next to you

Love is always in the last place you look, with the least likely person. Like your best friend.

Why it’s bullsh!t: Okay, granted, a lot of couples do start off as best friends.

But many best friends also stay just that – friends. Transitioning to ‘couple world’ just complicates things for them.

Worst offenders: Made of Honour, Just Friends, Keeping the Faith, Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai yi FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 69

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POINT OF VIEW

Does

true love exist?

In an age of cyber love and immediacy, Nisha JamVwal laments at the dilution of romance but provides hope for those in search of true love 70 Youth Incorporated FEBRUARY 2014

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New age love

iPads, chats, BBMs, virtual love, internet romances, dumping and lumping each other in the name of materialism – my question in this fast track scenario is, is there anything like true, everlasting love and ‘happily ever after’?

Justifiably, in an age of a greater bandwidth of information, an influx of media, grander demands and larger sexual appetites, we do want more out of our partner than just the basics. If the spouse falls short, the desire to look elsewhere toward another thongclad hunk or babe is more fetching an idea than the very prosaic ‘adjustment’ or working it out. But trust me when I say, that if it’s the real thing, you’ll want only your own lover – pits, flaws and imperfections intact!

How will you recognise the ‘true love of your life’? How does the real thing happen? I’ll try and illustrate it for you.

What is love?

Love can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. In today’s age of instancy, it may mean a transient sexual encounter that comes and goes; poof! Before you know it you’re in-out- disorienteddisillusioned. And to regroup you’ve jumped into another quagmire. The urge for heady stimulation is just that.

I’ve always viewed love as a timeless ethereal fragrance that lingers, warms, gives meaning to moments and stays with me forever – for a parent, a friend, a lover or even an army (for its General) – like a glow that enlivens, especially enervating in those bleak moments I’ve seen in a life of troughs and triumphs.

Love comes in various avatars.

For my neighbour whom I want to meet, despite time constraints and no common social connectivity; my friends who make me want to make them laugh with weird stories – even at my cost; my terrier puppy who makes me want to squeeze him and eat him up with violent passionate love; my parents who draw the strings of my heart to near pain; for my man

who brings that feeling of effulgence, luminosity and sunshine into my every moment.

When love is intertwined with romance and attraction, it is a heady mix that gives wings to your feet and makes you smile every time you think of your loved one. Countless movies, paintings, poems, songs have embalmed and eulogised this high note. It is indeed love that makes the world go round. Look at it objectively; without love life is a mundane machinery of ingestion, defecation, ejaculation, with empty notes

Love can mean a lot of things to a lot of people.

I’ve always viewed love as a timeless ethereal fragrance that lingers, warms, gives meaning to moments and stays with me forever – for a parent, a friend, a lover or even an army (for its General) – like a glow that enlivens, especially enervating in the bleak moments in a life of troughs and triumphs and moments that fill a careworn existence. The x-factor that takes it to another orbit of ‘high’ is the very impractical love.

Finding the ‘right’ one

My friend asked me on the brink of her supposed romance, “Nisha, how will I know if I am in love?” She tried hard to contrive the situation because she so longed to be in love with the right man, who gave her the right solitaire, lived near her parental home, who was rich and not too famous or too tall and who wore the right brands. Who just

did everything ‘right’. Pretty much like fitting the right sofa into the right corner of a house. Inanimate and lifeless but perfectly fitting and ‘looking’ so ‘right’. She did find him, near her parental home, married him, had babies, does ‘kitties’ and lunches and her high notes are the diamonds and bags she brandishes at the ‘kitties’. To that I’d say different strokes for different folks. We all get our happiness from different types of ‘loves’.

To me love is buying an impractical painting because you react to it; you cannot imagine another moment of life without it. It is unaffordable and you don’t have wall space in a city apartment, and it’s something you don’t really need nor really understand, but it hits you in your gut and you just HAVE to have it or nothing will ever be the same for you again.

When you’re most busy to engage in a romance or too ambitious, love just happens. Nature and life and the one sweep you off your feet. Impractically, untimely, un-‘scheduledly’ you fall in love. No, it’s not a Yash Chopra romance. It’s not Madhuri Dixit and Shah Rukh Khan in Dil To Pagal Hai. It is real life.

Romance in real life

I quote Yash Chopra who was a great friend and who had shared with me that he really did believe that there is some special romance for each of us.

We just have to see it when it happens.

When you least expect it, love rushes in like a tornado, swirls you within it and sweeps you away from all plans and strategy and takes you into the clichéd heady romance that Yash Chopra gave life to on celluloid.

When it happens you have to give it its meaning with your value systems and longevity and staying power. So on a happy note for 2013, I wish all our readers much love for the new year. yi Read more of Nisha’s point of view at http://nishajamvwal.blogspot.in, tweet to her @nishjamvwal and write to her at nishjamwal@gmail.com FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 71

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FASHION

Mishka `899

CASUAL

KOOVS `1,195

EVERYDAY

KOOVS `1,185

ASOS `7,655

FORMAL

PARTY

T O N I Q ’ S

N E W

R A N G E

`299 `549

`299 72 Youth Incorporated FEBRUARY 2014

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Freeclutr `699 Roadster `799

Voi Jeans `1,259 ASOS `6,636

O F

Arrow `1,259

A C C E S S O R I E S `349

`569

`549

72 Fashion.indd 73

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BEAUTY

Hair Colour Chalk

B or Claonde Unde ramel rton es

Subtle Red

SombrĂŠ Hair

Celeb Secrets Konkanaa Bakshe is a former beauty queen who won the coveted titles of Miss India East in 2009 and Miss Elegance World 2008. She is also going to be making her grand debut into Bollywood with a film in the works

72 Fashion.indd 74

What is your skin care regime?

A mix of yoga, detox, facial and antioxidant tablets.

What is your magic makeup trick?

Your key to a beautiful body and mind I swear by yoga

What do you consider a fashion faux pas?

For women, wearing colour coordinated clothes and I like curling my hair after a wash, coloured contact lenses. And for as I am not a big fan of using men, it would be old and torn regular heat for blow drying. belts and overly visible brands.

What is your favourite fragrance?

Versus by Versace

What is your advice for our readers?

Keep it neat, clean and fresh.

25-01-2014 12:25:13

ECOWATCH

Diss expensive gifts this Valentine’s Day. Instead, DIY your way into the heart of your significant other

STEP

FOR H IM

FOR HER

ALL IMAGES BY STACIE STACIE STACIE, FLICKR

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25-01-2014 12:25:37

The dumbest r o f s n o i t u l o s re CELEB QUOTIENT

2014

scrutiny, one would assume lic pub er und y ntl sta con are y traire , but since the Yes, celebrities are peopleirtoowo y for new year resolutions. Au con all eci esp e, car th wi rds they’d choose the

Sure. We believe you

“To keep my mouth shut for at least six months and to not talk badly about others.”

- Kanye West

This wo rld,isy gonna chan ge t he “My 20 ’al l!

14

c ro p t o p m i s s i o n i s t don e t h wit h jean s. I o wear a on e day at, so it has t ’ve n ever o hap pe - K h ”. n

loe Kard as hian

The new weapon mass destruction of

“My New Years resolution?

HM. To build a muscular ass. #squatssquatssquats”

Ermm… what?

“New Year Resolutio 1) Gain a super powerns: 2) G row on e foot in 3) Become invisible toheig ht Airpor t Security 4) G low in the dark 5) Stay Mad ”

- Uday C ho pra

- Nicole ‘Snooki’ Poliz zi

to Some dream oftegoveinr g space, but whay teet h

“I want to get m ink coffee whitened an d no t drfinally go t five minutes after. I this year, m y teet h bleached – I was an d it was so hard raw, an d drinkin g throug h a st I really then it was so ho t… ve the wou ld like to preser ocess fo r toot h brig htenin g pr hat’s a longer than a day. T dream of min e!”

- Julie Bowen

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Finally, someone with a sense of humour

“My resolutions are to eat more carbs, be more negative, swear more and offend more people than I did in 2013.

And I’m gonna start it a little before New Year’s, if you know what I’m saying. The clock isn’t going to be at 12 yet.”

- Kathy Griffin

1/24/2014 8:04:19 PM

Six celeb

Ala n

who was in A ‘ tonement’ with

kman c i R

Keir a

who was in ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ with

ple Tem

who was in ‘St Trinian’s 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold’ with

who was in ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ with

Kher m a

ightley n K

Crory Mc

who was in ‘Harry Potter and the HalfBlood Prince’ with

who was in ‘The Queen’ with

He le

nant n Te

An up

was in ‘Buddha Mar Gaya’ with

Hel en

Davi d

separation

ant w a iS

Jun o

Rak h

degrees OF

No more than six celebrities separate two stars. Want proof? Here it is

n

ren Mir

FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 77

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RISING STAR

Rising STAR

Ambi Subramaniam, the 22-year-old son of Dr L. Subramaniam, India’s ‘God of violin’ is as much a musical prodigy as his father. When not playing the violin, the piano or singing Carnatic music, Ambi is studying for an MBA. He has just released ‘Indian Violin’, his debut album ith Dr. L. Subramaniam W for a father, was it expected of you to follow his Music was always around me, ever since I was little. My father used to play at home and I used to try to imitate him. I started playing at age 3, and was on stage by age 6. By 13, I decided that I had to become a musician! My dad was my entire inspiration (I still try to copy him sometimes), but I was never pushed into it. I decided that life would be miserable without music, and I decided that music was what I had to do for the rest of my life.

Favourite instrument

Violin for performing and the piano for composing .

Musical idol (apart from your father)

The late classical vocalist Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and the incredible Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov.

An artist you would like to collaborate with Too many to name!

Music you listen to otherwise

Anything from pop/rock to Polish village music to Indian classical depending on my mood. There are so many places to learn from.

Biggest compliment received

According to my father, there is a big difference between a musician and somebody who plays music. After a concert in Lille, France (when I was 16), he called me a musician. He then took back the compliment the very next show, but that’s a different story!

on YouTube) and take our time to make a good final album. Hopefully it should be released by the end of this year. We are also fortunate to be working with Leslie Lewis on an EDM album. I hope we do it justice!

FOTOGRAFIE ALIE

footsteps?

Advice for aspiring musicians

Don’t do it for the money. Don’t do it for the fame. Do it because you cannot live without music, and any time spent away from music seems like an utter waste of time. yi

Dream performance

Carnegie Hall or Hollywood Bowl

Who would you like to listen to your music?

Beethoven

Your next album

I am currently working with my sister to finish our first ‘SubraMania’ album.

We decided to make a rough cut of a few songs (we released See You Again

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Model

Want to enter the glam world? Youth Inc offers you a chance to get noticed by leading production houses. Send your portfolio pictures to mail@youthincmag.com

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Disclaimer: Youth Inc is only a platform to share your pictures and will not be responsible for any decisions made by you or any sort of contract signed between you and a production house.

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Interests: Drawing, writing, acting, modelling an d managing events

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FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 79

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25-01-2014 16:47:32

G-SPOT the

Gadgets Gizmos Geeks

The best of CES 2014

The Consumer Electronics Show is an annual show held in January. It is a platform for major electronics companies to host previews of new products and unveil information on future products. Here are the best of the best in the world of consumer electronics for the year 2014

SONY PLAYSTATION NOW

Sony will be releasing a new software that will allow for cloud gaming like never before. It promises to be the future of gaming and the software named PlayStation Now will support gaming across consoles, televisions, tablets and smartphones.

SONY XPERIA Z1 COMPACT LENOVO THINKPAD 8

The tablet will have an 8.3-inch display with a 10-finger responsive full HD touchscreen of 1920x1200 resolution. The rear-facing camera will be 8 megapixels and the battery life will last an impressive 8 hours. The most impressive feature is the Intel quadcore 2.4 GHz processor and 2 GB RAM which make it an ideal tablet for businesspeople and those in a hurry.

The mini version of Sony’s flagship smarthpone will not lack in functions. It is expected to pack a 4.3-inch display with a 1280x720 resolution, 16 GB in-built storage with 2 GB RAM on a 2.2 GHz processor and 20.7 rearfacing camera.

PEBBLE STEEL

Undoubtedly the best smartwatch at the show this year was Pebble Steel. The smartwatch has a classy body of stainless steel which looks more like an actual wristwatch. It will have a Gorilla Glass screen, tricolour LED display and will be waterproof. The best feature is that it is compatible with both Android and iOS.

LG 77-INCH OLED UHD TV

Although Samsung also revealed a similar model in a bigger size, LG’s mechanism is much smoother and cooler. It bends on command with the press of a button and back again to a flat TV when required.

The sheer size and mechanism is astonishing but the price is expected to be through the roof.

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FREE APPS

of the

Must-Have Apps for a New Smartphone

MONTH

The job of a good smartphone will hardly be fulfilled without its set of essential apps. Here are five apps we recommend you must install in your new phone

BROWSER Opera Mini: Opera Mini is one of the fastest browser apps available. Easy to use, fast, unique customisations and a clean interface, this app offers the world at your fingertips.

Android and iOS

MUSIC

FASTER TYPING

Shazam: Shazam is a must-have for

a music lover. All a person has to do is touch the screen and the app will immediately recognise the song being played. Shazam also allows song downloads, options to see what your friends have ‘Shazamed’, watch YouTube videos and many more.

TouchPal Keyboard: A new phone can take time to get used to at first. A keyboard that helps you type better is therefore an essential. With TouchPal you can type with greater ease and do not have to worry about erroneous words and texts.

Android and iOS

Android and iOS

BATTERY SAVER

PHOTOGRAPHY PicsArt Photo Studio:

Battery Doctor:

Playing around with your new phone could cause your battery to run out. Installing this battery saving app will save hours of your battery life thus allowing you to use your phone for longer.

Android and iOS

You are undoubtedly going to put your new phone camera to good use by taking a lot of photographs. To edit them and make them look more appealing, you will need a good photo app. PicsArt allows you to change photos by filtering them with stunning effects, make collages and also add frames and clipart.

Android and iOS

FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 81

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25-01-2014 16:48:16

TECH ADVICE

WHAT DO I DO IF MY SMARTPHONE IS LOST OR STOLEN?

BEFORE LOSING YOUR SMARTPHONE PASSWORD PROTECT According to reports from an extensive research, only 33% of all smartphone users utilise the ability to password protect their smartphone. In the event that your smartphone is stolen, a password may render the device useless resulting in it becoming easier for you to recover your device.

INSTALL AN APP There are many applications that can help your locate your smartphone if it is lost. Android users can install the Lookout app which is available for free and allows you to locate your smartphone, lock its functions and erase data remotely. Apple users can utilise the Find My iPhone app which performs the same functions as its Android counterpart but requires another iOS device to function properly.

AFTER LOSING YOUR SMARTPHONE ERASE THE DATA The first thing to do is secure all your personal information by erasing any data that can be remotely deleted. You can schedule backups for your phone on a weekly basis to make sure all the information from your device can be found on your personal computer.

Once your phone is lost, erase the data by logging into your previously installed applications.

CALL THE SERVICE PROVIDER It will be necessary to speak to your service provider and ask them to temporarily discontinue services to your number. If the service is disbarred, there is a smaller chance of the phone being useful to a person who finds it and they may return it to you.

Unlikely, but one can hope.

CHANGE PASSWORDS Your smartphone is the key to your life. A person who finds your smartphone may be able to find important information about you through applications installed on the phone. Make sure you change the passwords to all your important networks including social media and email to keep your private details secure.

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1/24/2014 8:16:34 PM

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4 Contents.indd 107 subscribe.indd

24-01-2014 21:07:11 20:19:02 23-12-2013

M o v i e s

/

T V

/

M u s i c

/

B o o k s

COPING WITH SHERLOCK WITHDRAWALS of this show, If you haven’t heard der a rock you’ve been living un aptation ad for four years. This le’s most oy D an of Arthur Con Sherlock es se n tio ea famous cr ur y London Holmes in 21st cent as his crimen so with Dr John Wat trusty blogger. solving partner and , beautifully Its clever story lines superlative d crafted dialogues an n over fans wo ve ha s ce an rm rfo pe and critics alike.

Harvey Specter and Mike Ross make up a pair of extremely powerful lawyers in New York City. Ross, not unlike Sherlock Holmes, is brilliant and has an eidetic memory; however, he is college dropout working under the guise of being a qualified lawyer.

Specter, his boss, is aware and helps in the cover up.

Patrick Jane, a former fake psychic, starts working for the CBI after the murder of his wife and child. He is pitted with CBI agent Teresa Lisbon in the hunt for a serial killer called Red John – the murderer of Jane’s family.

Richard Castle is a bestselling mystery novelist who teams up with Kate Beckett, a police detective, in New York City to investigate strange and unusual crimes, after a murder is committed similar to a premise in one of Castle’s books.

THE MENTALIST

T V

M A T C H M A K E R T V

Similar to Sherlock, this adaptation is set in 21st century too, albeit in New York City. Sherlock Holmes is a recovering drug addict from London whose roommate is Dr Joan Watson (yes, a woman).

M A T C H M A K E R

T V

Since the end of the highly acclaimed BBC series, it’s but natural to miss the brilliant Sherlock Holmes and his blogger John Watson

T V

M A T C H M A K E R

BEST OF

M A T C H M A K E R

iMHO

84 Youth Incorporated FEBRUARY 2014

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1/24/2014 8:37:20 PM

THE LONGEST RIDE: VOYAGES INTO LOVE

GETTING TO KNOW NICHOLAS SPARKS HIS THEMES

Romance

RECOMMENDED FOR

Die-hard romantics TRIVIA

 The Longest Ride is Nicholas Sparks’ 17th romance novel  Eight of his books have been made into movies  One of his books, Message in a Bottle, was inspired by his parents’ relationship

R E C E N T

R E L E A S E S

THE OTHER SIDE

By Faraz Kazi and Vivek Banerjee Genre: Horror Plot: The Other Side is a compilation of 13 paranormal stories. Each one of the stories in the book were inspired by experiences that the authors encountered.

Promising to thrill and shock, this new horror entrant is not for the faint hearted.

Price: `150

CARNIVAL: SHORT STORIES

By various authors Genre: Multi-genre Plot: Carnival is a multi-genre anthology that carries stories of romance, sci-fi, humour, etc. Each one of the stories presented in the book is written by a different author and can be enjoyed by people belonging to any age group.

Price: `199

R E A D I N G

S H E L F

Frankly, it was quite a while since I laid my hands on a romantic novel. But, I thought, why not? It is perfectly juxtaposed for the coming season of love.

That being said, a Nicholas Sparks novel is one of the best bets when it comes to romance. And hence, The Longest Ride, Sparks’s newest book was my first preference.

The book treads the journey of two couples, Ira and Ruth and Luke and Sophia, as they go through different stages of their relationships.

While Ira and Ruth are an elderly couple, Luke and Sophia are two young lovers.

The story begins with Ira’s fateful car accident that leads to him seeing the image of his dead wife who encourages him to fight out of his ordeal.

The story then moves to Luke and Sophia who meet in the most awkward of situations.

As the story moves ahead, it takes a very surprising turn. While Luke and Sophia embark on a beautiful new journey, Ira’s life takes a drastic turn. In totality, the book is moving and will go down very well with those who enjoy romantic novels and Nicholas Sparks’ writing. −Trishann Henriques

A Walk to Remember The book tells the love story of two teens from contrasting backgrounds who fall in love with each other. The story ends with the capsizing death of one of the protagonists.

Dear John The tragic tale of two lovers – John and Savannah – who struggle to keep their relationship going by writing to each other over the course of John’s deployment to Iraq and Kuwait.

The Best of Me A novel that captures a whole different style of storytelling

by Sparks, The Best of Me delves into the lives of Dawson Cole and Amanda Collier separated by time, distance and untimely death.

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O N E - H I T WONDERS Artist: The Lumineers 5 minutes of fame: Ho Hey The scoop: One catchy folk song was all we got from these guys and we are really hoping there is more to come soon.

Artist: Anna Kendrick 5 minutes of fame: Cups The scoop: Given that Anna Kendrick is a movie star and only recorded the song for the movie Pitch Perfect, we really hope she considers a career in music so we get more quality songs.

Artist: Icona Pop 5 minutes of fame: I Love It The scoop: This synthpop song shot to fame early last year and was played everywhere, but the Swedish girl duo hasn’t given us anything interesting since.

Artist: Baauer 5 minutes of fame: Harlem Shake The scoop: The world was so lost to the Harlem Shake that it didn’t realise Baauer had nothing more to offer. Maybe that was a blessing in disguise.

Artist: Gotye 5 minutes of fame: Somebody That I Used To Know The scoop: This song was so epic it had memes and t-shirts to follow, but we really expected Gotye to give us some more decent music and hits.

Bruno Mars Just The Way You Are

Artist: Psy 5 minutes of fame: Gangnam Style The scoop: Gentleman almost made us believe in the talent of Psy but since it didn’t manage to emulate the standards set

by Gangnam Style, we are still waiting for the next big thing from the artist.

Maroon 5 She Will Be Loved

Taylor Swift Love Song

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PLACES AND EVENTS FOR THE MONTH

SUNNY’S, BANGALORE With an extensive menu, indoor and outdoors seating and delicious food, Sunny’s is perfect for a family dinner, business lunch or even a lazy Sunday brunch.

CUISINE: Japanese, Thai, Singaporean, Chinese, Italian, German, Russian FOOD AND DRINKS: Enjoy freshly baked bread with herbed butter while you wait for your food. Appetisers include cream cheese smoked salmon rolls and Vietnamese vegetarian summer rolls, accompanied by a sweet chili dipping sauce.

For mains, pick from the never-ending pasta menu.

If pasta is not your scene, try the breast of chicken saltimbocca with prosciutto and goat cheese, or the grilled German sausage with French fries. With a never-ending dessert menu, it is hard to pick one. We recommend the chocolate orange walnut torte, frozen tri chocolate mousse and Sunny’s special desert, the heavenly sticky and sweet baklava.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: Make the most of your meal at Sunny’s and bring your dog along too, as Sunny’s is pet friendly and will even make any food that your animal friend wants to eat!

34, Embassy Diamante, Vittal Mallya Road, Lavelle Road, Bangalore - Amrita Puri

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`9 n per perso

EXO, MUMBAI

`15O0

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For one of the most stunning views of Mumbai, teamed with the vivacious energy of a nightclub, Exo is the new place to be. Perched on the 37th level of what used to be the Shangri-La hotel, Exo is one of the city’s coolest places for the nocturnal crowd.

VIBE: With ceiling to floor glass windows, the view of the city from the top is insane! But the real party is on the main level, full of energy going on into the wee hours of the night. Exo offers a fully stocked premium bar, a dance floor, private tables and highstool tables for when the ladies get tired of their high-heeled shoes.

MUSIC: Thumping with beats spun by the in-house DJ. BITES N BOOZE: With slightly higher priced drinks, pamper yourself to the in-house infusions made by the talented bar tender. Ask for custom cocktails, which are tailor made to your preference, or even sip one of their several whiskey selections.

FAB OR DRAB: More than the drinks, Exo is worth a visit for the vibrant atmosphere that so many clubs in the city lack.

BEST NIGHT: Fridays Palladium Hotel, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai - Rohan Khanna

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ROYAL CHINA, DELHI

For all lovers of Asian cuisine, namely Cantonese, Royal China should be on the bucket list of restaurants you visit before you die. With a highly curated menu and fine wine list, this is one of those places that just keep you coming back.

CUISINE: Chinese FOOD AND DRINKS: Specialising in steamed goodies, Royal China offers a wide variety of dim sums and dumplings.

The most critically acclaimed of these is the chicken and shrimp siu mai – a steamed dim sum enveloped delicately in an egg-flour wrapping topped with salmon roe. Its famous crispy aromatic duck, with either a half or full portion of crisp, crackling duck, shredded to bite sized bits and served with pancakes, plum sauce and fresh vegetables is to die for. Sample mains like the fortune rice, chicken with Sha Che sauce served in a clay pot, and the lip smacking Cantonese honey roasted pork.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: From fabulously chic and modern interiors with a splash of ancient Chinese elements, you will realise the treat you are in for as you walk in. The well-trained and extremely polite staff will guide you not only to your table but will act like culinary advisors throughout the meal.

16th Floor, Eros Corporate Tower, Nehru Place, New Delhi - Rhea Kavarana

EVENTS THIS MONTH 4TH ANNUAL INDIAN COMIC CON

Spread over 50,000 square feet of space in Thyagaraja Indoor Stadium, the fourth edition of Comic Con in India is set to be the biggest comics and pop culture event the country has ever seen before. It will please fans of comic books, superheros, anime and much more.

Delhi – 7 to 9 February

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JAISALMER DESERT FESTIVAL

Prepare yourself for an exciting festival in the deserts of Rajasthan. There are many exciting events to watch and take part in starting with a parade of camels and well-dressed locals, camel races, polo matches and facial hair competitions.

Jaisalmer – 12 to 14 February

RAGASTHAN India’s biggest music festival in a desert is back for its second edition with the dunes of Jaisalmer being the location once again. The three days will be filled with desert camping and open air movie screenings under a full moon, adventure sports and over 50 musical acts on four stages.

Jaisalmer – 13 to 16 February FEBRUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated

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TRENDS OF THE MONTH GIFs IN

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S YDAY P P A H #100

A challen ge th you to be happat requires y for 10 0 days consecutive ly – the lates t fad on Fa In stagram . Ta cebook an d ke on e thin g that a picture of happy, upload makes you away. Aren’t pean d ha shtag that onlin e an ople doin g yway?

Blunder Years

3D GIFs, those looped, moving images that make the staple diet of BuzzFeed and mblr, are now being rendered wiTu th 3D eff ects, so everything happen erally in your face. That funny GIsF lit slipping and fallin yoofu someone watch all the time? Now you cangse e it in 3D.

THE VIRT UE OF

ALOK NATH

Alok Nath ha s month with a been the flavour of the ba depict his ‘sans rrage of memes that an d refined pr kaari’ – his cultured made the prot inciples . He was even video Breakingagonist of The Viral Fever Good on YouTub ew accumulated ov er 4 lakh view hich s.

Shameless pub licity

Dasha Zhuk a, editorin-chief of Rov u ss maga zine GAR ian fashion cour ted much AGE, controver sy af ter posing th a photo shoot us for interview. If thfor an racist enough, at wasn’t went live on the interview ar tin Luther King Day (talM k timing!). How about some people don’t under stan sen sitivity is ba d racial ffling.

By Lavanya Karthik

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RNI Number: MAHENG/2011/38909 Postal Regd. No: MH/MR/WEST/293/2012-2014 Posted at Mumbai Patrika Channel Sorting Office GPO, Mumbai 400001 on 2nd of every month Date of Publication: 1st of every month

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