H.L. Times
2015
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From The Editor's Desk…
H. L. Times- a magazine? Not really; it's a prestige, an endeavor, a tradition, a legacy. Since past couple of years, we've been carrying on the cult. This year, the baton was in our hands.
The very feeling of serving as an editor for this reputed magazine fills us all with sheer joy and humility.
HLCC is a bouquet of beautiful talents. The students under this roof are bubbling with ideas. The only weapon needed to polish these uncut diamonds is a medium of expression. And that's the purpose served by this piece of strife.
As editors, we've grown with this institute. And today when we're all set to launch the latest issue of this beautiful book, we would like to express our deep felt gratitude to all the helping hands behind it; be it our respected principal Dr. Mona Kelshikar, or our binding force Dr. Parag Shah, or the relentlessly supportive sponsorship and creative committees. H.L.Times is a collective effort of all these driving forces. We editors have seen these forces meet and toil together just to see one name shining: "H. L. TIMES"
With each passing year, we explore new talent. We unleash new ideas.We challenge the mainstream.
We invent new ways.
We fish for solutions.
We conceive revolutions.
So cheers from the editorial family! Be creative! Be original!
From The Principal’s Desk...
Dear Students,
“The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe.”
It gives me immense pleasure to pen down a few words as prologue to our in-house magazine H L Times exclusively meant for bringing out the latent writing talent which is extremely important for sharpening the communication skills of students as a part of their overall personality development. Our magazine, H L Times, provides a panoramic view of our enthusiastic and creative H L Times team which is better reflected in their articles, interviews and poems in forthcoming pages.
It is well said “Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn everything as you go ahead. ” This college takes pride in being a place where students and faculty can pursue knowledge without boundaries. We strive to establish a vibrant learning environment, where teachers and students are engaged in a collaborative partnership for expanding the horizons of their knowledge and skills through mutual support. H L Times vouches for this.
Dr. Mona S. Kelshikar
Principal
Professor-In-Charge Speaks...
Every higher educational institute has an important role in shaping our future society because today’s college students will be tomorrow’s doctors, engineers, business managers, teachers, faith leaders, politicians, citizens, and parents. While they need to be able to demonstrate key skills and knowledge to enact those roles effectively, they must also demonstrate personal and social responsibility in carrying them out. A focus on holistic student development may be particularly timely in addressing the current challenges the sector, and society, faces.
The belief of holistic student development encompasses not only learning academic knowledge and skills, such as problem-solving and analysis, but also other aspects of students as individuals who are growing and maturing affectively (emotionally) and morally. Extra-curricular activities at colleges help students in developing these life skills and also give an opportunity to apply it.
It is a matter of immense satisfaction to see the H L Times members grow from anxious learners to mature appliers of knowledge with the ability to convert theoretical concepts to practical application for furthering objectives and efficiency. The enriched experience and maturity in the team could well be seen in their transformation from a student to leaders in soldiering responsibilities, accepting challenges and achieving targets.
I am sure their contribution to real world will be stupendous and would like to see them at the helm of affairs in personal, social and Corporate Sector.
My Best wishes in all their endeavors.
Dr. Parag Parmar
(Prof.-In-Charge in H.L. Times)
INDEX
E-vading The Addictions - Harvi Thummar
Perfectionally Imperfect - Prof. Hiren Doshi
The Saurashtra Pacer (Interview: Jaydev Unadkat) - Shrilakshmi Nair & Iffat Shaikh
Six Secrets Of Superior Customer Service: Singapore Airlines - Mr. Mahendra A. Sharma
At The Departure - Jui Pande
Glimpse In A Diary - Hardi Nanavati
Service Learning For Youth Empowerment And Social Change - Prof. Sandip Parmar
The Gujarati Raw Star (Interview: Darshan Raval) - Devang Parmar
Foreign Direct Investment – India In World Economy - Ms. Saira Gori
Yesterday & Tomorrow - Kinjal Thakkar
The College - Yajurv Algotar & Ayaz Shamshir
Mother Nature – You Never Disappoint Me - Roshni Patel
The Friend Within - Prof. Veerendra Bhatt
The Delicacy King (Vikas Khanna) - Devang Parmar
Today's Business Need – Gladiator Leaders - Mr. Deepak Bhatt
In The Air Of Tragic Glamour; Bitcoins - Iffat Shaikh
Educational Technology & Classroom Management - Dr. N. J. Chaniyara
Someone Like Him (Interview : Durjoy Dutta) - Iffat Shaikh & Susan Pinto
Camera-Roll & Action - Anmol Shah
Impossible – I M Possible - Prof. Hervez R. Bharucha
An Exclusive Interview With Poonam Dhillon - Susan Pinto & Devang Parmar
What's The Effin' Point - Shail Mehta
The Makeout Session - Shivani Nair
Prison Year - Shraddha Savalia
Sare Jahan Se Achcha HINDUSTAN Humara - Prachi Sharma
Goodbye To All That - Neel Duttaroy
I Am Not Afraid To Die, But I Am Afraid To Lose ! - Bushra Kureshi
Shall Shale Be A Tale To Tell Forever ? - Shayada Bilakhia
Transition Was Not Easy But I Believe In Turning Adversities Into Opportunities - Bushra Kureshi And Sarvagya Thapar
Let's Football - Rushi Prajapati
Red Bull Kite Fight 2015 - Daman Mahajan
Act Of Survival - Ayush Marodia
No Strings Attached - Susan Pinto
The Fashionista ! - Devang Parmar
Open Letter To The Prime Minister Of India - Shrilakshmi Nair
The Future Is Here !! - Ninad Shastri
Memories Revived….. - Darshi Budhbhatti
Victimizing The Victim - Annie Jha
The NaMo Effect - Devarsh Trivedi
The Fabulous Feats
1. E-vading the addictions
Invantions and Innovations have became a part and parcel of our life. Harvi Thummar of SY presents another such contributry of electronic age to homosapiens.
The world seems to have reached the acme when it comes to science and technology. We are far ahead of what we used to be a decade, a century or a millennium ago. We think of ourselves as the best. But we are really overlooking one important fact. Do you know what that is? The simple fact that we weren't the best then because we are the better now, so we can possibly be better in future. A lot more is to come; when we all will be leading a life just like what we see in the sci-fi movies. I saw something like that a few days ago while reading the newspaper. Something caught me up, as it was unbelievable to me, something sounding like an article of this modern age.
Think of an E-cigarette and what comes first in your mind? In my case- “Email suna, E-cards suna, E-friends bhi suna, par ab ye qa naya leke aa gaye re bhaiya?” E-cigarette, an electronic cigarette as they say, is nothing but a substitute for all the smokers who can't control the urge to smoke but health concerns make them leave this indulgence. It is a battery-powered vaporizer, which means instead of the smoke in the traditional cigarettes, these E-cigarettes emit vapors of nicotine based liquid by electronic means which are inhaled so as to get the similar feel of tobacco smoking without an actual tobacco content being involved. Its developer was himself a smoker. Hon Lik. A 52 year old pharmacist in China gave a shape to his idea, which was further developed and promoted by many other people and organisations. A typical e-cigarette has its own 'E-liquid' which is heated and turned into odorless vapor when anyone inhales on the device.
In 2013, through subsidiary business Nicoventures, British American Tobacco became the first international tobacco company to launch an e-cigarette. The rapid growth of the E-cigarette market is leading to the decline in tobacco bonds. No serious adverse effects from e-cigarette have been reported yet. In July 2014, a report by the World Health Organization, found there was not enough evidence to determine if electronic cigarettes can help people quit smoking. The controversies still remained unsolved relating to health and regulation on E-Cigarettes. In 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration concluded that E-cigarettes have not been fully studied, so consumers currently don't know the potential risks of E-cigarettes when used as intended, how much nicotine or other potentially harmful chemicals are being inhaled during use, or whether there are any benefits associated with using these products. Additionally, it is not known whether E-cigarettes may lead young people to try other tobacco products, including conventional cigarettes, which are known to cause disease and lead to premature death.
The product has become a vogue among American teenagers that it creates temptation among nonsmokers too. The World Health Organization has red flagged the growing market for e-cigarettes in India, saying that the use of the devices is no less harmful than traditional cigarettes. In India smoking devices are easily available through online shopping websites and with little information out in the public about the ill-effects of E-cigarettes there is a misconception that it is less harmful than traditional cigarettes.
E-cigarettes may not contain real smoke, but they can still do the same effect as traditional smoking on your lungs. Of course, a chain-smoker or regular smoker would like to switch to electronic device of smoking which actually doesn't produce any smoke. It can be used anywhere and anytime which will make non-smokers try smoking. If technology is helping us to alleviate health related risks then it should be most welcomed by government. But a thing like E-cigarette, for which there are no legal reports regarding its side-effects, should be prohibited and regulated control by government. Instead, now it is freely available in the market with a various brands. Manufacturers are keeping public’s life in threat for their profit.
2. Perfectionally Imperfect
Prof. Hiren Doshi, gladly coins the word Perfectionally Imperfect and says that
it is grammatically wrong but ideally correct.
Friends, we as human beings can never be aggregately perfect. Everyone can just keep on trying to achieve the level of perfection by overcoming their mistakes. If I say, mathematically it can be represented as:
Imperfection + Correcting Mistakes = Perfection
As people say, there is nothing impossible, with them I can say that it’s not impossible to be perfect because the word imperfect itself says I M Perfect instead it is read like imperfect.
“I want to be perfect!!!”
Perhaps, the question rises, “Why I want to be so?” The silliest answer ever- “Because everybody appreciates things which are perfect.” Surprisingly I would like to ask, why we all forget that we are not THINGS.....
Have you ever thought about qualities, adjectives, adverbs etc. that relate to you specifically? Does that limit your potential? Let me illustrate it to you with a simple example, if I call someone ugly, I guess I am passing a remark on the looks, neglecting his/her other qualities i.e. honesty, intelligence, care, etc. Here I limit the actual persona of that individual simply by adding or considering only a single adjective.
So, we can say that IDEALISM is in itself an unnatural concept. We can say that in the books of nature there exists nothing ideal. Yes, there is always an exception but who are we to limit their definitions. ? There are few blessed entities that may appear to be ideal but if we go for closer inspection, we can even find turmoil and apprehension in them.
Now, I can say that, it’s natural for us to desire perfection. We all carry somewhere in our hearts to be perfect academically, spiritually, artistically, emotionally and but obvious monetarily enriched. And as all desires are variant, it’s natural that all desires cannot be achieved together.
I would ask what makes the difference ? I mean, so what if we don’t have all the qualities mentioned above ? Think, whatever you own is in itself Unique, the combination of qualities, is our potential which is always infinite. The greatest thing about you is YOU yourself. Believe me, when people say- Things are perfect, you are not. This doesn’t mean that you are good for nothing but instead think that you are a Miracle of Life. And simply SMILE away the sorrows, hurts and anger away, for you are indeed blessed.
And yes, next time whenever you hear something about yourself, read this again and let your subconscious know that you are very special. You are not perfect; in fact you are so imperfect that perfection might commit itself to exile...
The game of Snakes & Ladders was created by the
13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally
called 'Mokshapat'. The ladders in the game
represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices.
3. The Saurashtra Pacer
Jaydev Unadkat, is an Indian cricketer and plays for Delhi Daredevils. He has also played the Under 19 cricket world cup and came into spotlight when he debuted for the Kolkata knight riders in IPL 2010. Wasim Akram was the one who really inspired me. He has given me the foundation towards becoming a good bowler.
1] When did you realize that cricket is the thing for you?
I was passionate about cricket since I was 4-5 years old and started professional coaching at 11. When I was 7 years old, my father guided me towards cricket coaching and from then I started to dream about my goal in this field…
2] You were pretty good in studies- I mean you scored well in 10th& 12th. Did you ever think of becoming a Doctor or an Engineer?
Well, 10th was the time when I was already into cricket career. Naturally I was gifted with a good mind, so I was good at studies as well. I never had a goal of becoming a Doctor or an Engineer. Adventurous things always fascinated me. I have an independent kind of mindset so I never wanted to work under someone..
3] You have been bowling @ 139 km/hr. What’s your target?
For a fast blower target is always high, I would be happy if I bowl consistently at 140 Km/hr.
4] You have been trained under coaches like Wasim Akram, Ram Udethra, Rajesh Jadega. Has there been any coach who has given you some life changing inspiration?
Wasim Akram was the one who really inspired me. He has given me the foundation towards becoming a good bowler. I was 18 when I was in KKR and I was in my learning mode, so Wasim Akram came in my life at the right time and guided me. He inspired me to believe in myself.
5] Have your made close friends in Cricket?
Cheteshwar Pujara is my best friend on & off field. I have good relations with others also.
6] You have been very emotional initially When India lost against Pakistan. You were into tears ?
Yes, Initially I was emotional. But when you start growing, you realise that all this is part of game. It was a dream to play for the country. I entered cricket in a time when there was both high & lows. But now, I have become emotionally mature enough.
7] How do you handle the pressure of expectations?
I think at the end of the day, it is more about that, I should think about myself rather than what others want me to do. When playing a game obviously people will have expectation but the most important thing is to believe in oneself during the worst time as well.
8] How did you manage studying along with cricket?
It was difficult especially in 10th& 12th. I used to carry my books during practice sessions. I believe in one thing that whatever you do, you must give your 100% to it.
9] What was the happiest moment in your life?
I would say, it was when I took the first match of “India against Zimbabwe’’.
10] Rapid Fire :
Role Model - Rahul Dravid
Alternate Job - Entrepreneur
Dream Still Unfulfilled - Win World Cup
Change in yourself - Become better batsman
Change in Cricket - Code of Conduct system- to reduce no of power plan
11] Message for youth :
Whatever the situation is or whatever is the background or whichever country you are from; you can always dream big. There is no harm in dreaming big and working towards the goal. One should try to remain honest to oneself rather than anybody else.
Hard work always pays off!!!
4. Six Secrets of Superior Customer Service: Singapore Airlines
Mr. Mahendra A. Sharma, truly a friendly superior for the Director of Nichetech Computer Solutions Pvt. Ltd. – that’s how his team mates define him. Mr. Sharma graduated from the most popular university of Gujarat, “Gujarat University” in 2000 and initiated his career as a software engineer.
I almost jumped out of my seat when the food cart bashed my knee. As I grabbed my leg, I saw the flight attendant with the “hit-and-run” cart heading down the aisle. I remember the days when flying was an enjoyable experience–no longer true today.
On this trip I was heading back to Ahmedabad from Singapore on the final leg from Singapore. The knee bashing occurred on a well-known airline once admired for good service. Only hours before, I was flying on Singapore International Airlines (SIA) and enjoying the wonderful experience.
SIA is so superior that it leaves other carriers in its vapor trails. The positive experience on SIA makes the Air Passenger’s Bill of Rights completely unnecessary.
How does SIA create this experience? It places the needs of passengers first, and offers service above and beyond the ordinary. Even in economy class, the experience is unforgettable. Pillows and blankets are carefully placed on every seat. Once in the air, smiling attendants offer champagne or orange juice, and carefully avoid smashing passenger’s body parts with their carts! Passengers receive a kit containing a toothbrush, toothpaste and special socks for the trip. At the beginning and the end of each flight, passengers receive hot towels to freshen up.
One of the primary reasons Singapore Airlines provides superior service is because they only hire people that enjoy a service role, enjoy serving others. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand that more time an organization invests in finding, hiring, and training employees, the more successful the organization becomes. Because SIA has spent extra effort and energy in creating alignment between employees and the company, employees take pride in what they do.
Step 1: Clear Vision & Purpose.
SIA places a priority on quality service. All issues, all questions and decisions are made as they relate to the needs of the customer. While other airlines cut back on service to make more profits, SIA places the needs of customers as the first priority. The bottom line for SIA is not the plane, the seat, or the destination, the bottom line is delivering exceptional service, and the personification of that service.
Step 2: First Class Treatment for All Classes.
Customer service directs and guides SIA in all it does. Priorities and decisions are based on the needs of the customer, not executive perks. By placing the needs of passengers first, the whole atmosphere and the flight experience changes. Each passenger is presented with a menu with choices. The food in the back of the plane is better than other carrier’s first class flights I have taken. Down the aisle the attendants come again with liqueurs, beer or basically anything else you want–no charge.
Step 3: Staff Training and Development.
SIA’s heavy investment in staff development and training—conducted in good times and bad—enables staff members to stay focused and continuously upgrade their performance. Training and development fights complacency and keeps crew members capable of handling demanding situations. It also gives the airline a distinct advantage. First, it demonstrates that continuous learning and development help people do a better job, which in turn helps individuals improve their potential. Second, it allows SIA to stay ahead of its competition while other carriers are cutting back.
Step 4: No Fear of Change and Innovation.
SIA is known for innovation. Instead of copying other airlines, it takes the lead. Instead of charging passengers an entertainment fee, they allow everyone a headset. Instead of charging for drinks, it gives them away—along with free postcards and the postage needed to mail them. SIA benchmarks other service industries such as hotels and restaurants to make its service more comfortable, convenient, and creative.
Step 5: Consistent Communication.
With over 27,000 staff members representing 25 nationalities, communication is critical. SIA keeps staff informed of important matters through newsletters and publications, regular meetings between management and staff, and a “Staff Ideas in Action” program that helps new suggestions and ideas move forward for action and improvement.
Step 6: Recognize, Reinforce, and Reward the Right Behavior.
Excellent service is a learned behavior requiring constant reinforcement and recognition. Unless an organization develops systems and processes to reward and recognize the behavior it needs for success, it will never get it. SIA rewards excellent performance with increased pay and promotions, but reserves its most prestigious award for superior acts of customer service. “The Deputy Chairman’s Award,” given yearly to people, who have managed customer situations with exceptionally selfless acts of service, is a badge of honor coveted by all employees. Winners and their families fly to Singapore for a special dinner. Information about winners and their families is published in the monthly Outlook magazine.
-: About Author :-
Mr. Mahendra A. Sharma carries experience in programming, computer technologies and business development in the IT sector. His core competencies also go forth in establishing IT firms and start ups. He carries experience of more than 14 years in IT and other industries.
5. At the Departure...
Jui Pande of SY talks about how the thoughts of her life without her special someone has made her restless.
When a person you are habituated to see everyday is about to leave in few days, those few days when you want to cry and feel sad but you can't, instead, you have to laugh and party hard for his achievements. It is the most difficult thing in this world. Many people might have faced this situation. When I asked him, what the hell will I do, when I won't find you around after few days? He gave me the same old reply for the third time," You've got a lot of friends here with whom you can hang out! " Believe me, I seriously felt I should hit him right on his face!
Day's work and exams kept me busy but still my heart kept on thinking about the things that would change when he won't be around. I asked myself, “Who will listen to my chatters and tolerate my nonsense talks? Who will make me cross the road near the college i.e. the runway for drivers, everyday? Who will say " Just chill Dhondoo" when I'll be tensed? Most importantly who will take the risk of eating food prepared by me?” All these things will fade away from my life...
Then a thought came, “What about him? How will he be able to threaten me of throwing my phone out of the window or send idiotic messages to my contacts? Participating in college events, making fun of friends, hanging out at the plaza, the selfies and the groupies, watching dragon ball Z in the library and many more crazy things, will he miss those things........
But then i made up my mind that he is just simply going far from my sight not from my heart....All these beautiful memories will keep us connected no matter how far he is. At the end, success, happiness and a lot of wealth is not that I wish for him but I wish awakening experiences, lessons for life, and ugly truths for him. Because I'm definitely sure that out of my wishes he will get all that he hopes for.
I wish I can be with him for whole long life I live.... but i can feel that this is not the end of my life its just the end of our external reactions we gave on our meets....
6. Glimpse in a Diary
We can always confess our troubles to god ,but where can god confess his woes? Hardi Nanavati of SY managed to peep into the Almighty’s diary. Here’s a glimpse…
As quoted by George Bernard Shaw, "Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last create what you will".
Imagination has no boundaries and everything you imagine is real. And thinking about this topic of "A Glimpse of a Diary", it suddenly struck to me that what would GOD write if he had a diary. So a glimpse of God's diary would be something really fun to read and explore.
The synopsis of the diary is as under:
"Ah! What a hectic day it was ! "
Lots of pending complaints were to be heard. Lots of problems were to be solved. Many people came with their applications in the form of wishlist and offerings to ask for varities of things. Out of all, I found a kid, an 8 year old kid who was very curious to get an answer to his questions. He was very innocent with scintillating eyes and jubliant nature. He asked me something that really beguiled me. He inquired, "Dear God, are you on Facebook? Will you accept my friend request? "
I was perplexed.
He interrogated further, "If you had whatsapp then your status would always be 'Available but Busy', right ?"
I was amused and didn't knew what to reply.
Earlier children recieted prayers with devotion to communicate with me but now I think I require a Facebook account or WhatsApp to hear from them.
Grown-ups are also sort of tantamount. The thing which is contrastive is their requisition. Some common pleas or requests that turn up to me are "God, please get me passing marks in this subject.
I will definitely work hard next time-God promise".
"God, please get me a job" and people like Popatlal always asking about their marriage.
But eventually I help those, who help themselves. Some ask for wealth, fortune, estate and some ask for health and haleness. People pray to me for two reasons- Either to acquire existence or for their innate serenity. The latter one should be more preferable because a man perceives his aspirations only at right time.
From time and being, I observed many changes in man, from being a stone-age to techno-addict modern social animal. According to man, every community has a different diety, but the despairing part is man doesn't fathom that I am one only. I created man, man constituted religion and now man is segregating me among them. They are fighting for me, shedding blood in the name of religion. I never thought that my children would turn my beautifully created and nourished Earth into a Theatre of War.
7. Service Learning for Youth Empowerment and Social Change
Service learning can motivate and prepare the youth to work for a valuable social change. Prof. Sandeep Parmar talks about how service learning is a strategy that integrates meaningful community service and support variety of goals.
It is clear from legislature and trends in finding that the idea of engaging the youth in educationally framed community service is now a full fledged movement. Community service learning is increasingly recognised as a valuable way to make education and learning more relevant and meaningful to the youth and it is understood to close the gap that often exists between schools and their communities. It can provide young people an opportunity to learn about and address significant real world issues in a responsible way. It also can contribute to the development of an improved sense of community, both among the youth involved in and within the communities served.
Service learning is beneficial for students, organisations, and communities. All students, including those with disabilities (e.g. emotional and behavioral disorders, learning disability, moderate and severe intellectual disabilities, students with hearing and seeing diabilities) can be involved in, and can benefit from service learning.
Teen Traffic safety through service learning approach.
Health programme for children living in rural areas.
Helping poor kids by distributing toys.
Service provided at the time of a disaster to the needy poor.
Service experience, when set in a framework of substantial reflection can also motivate and empower young people to think critically about their world and to act on it with a growing sense of purpose, agency and optimism. In this way service learning promises constructive youth development as it contributes to a clearer sense of identity, self worth, efficiency and belongingness. It can also motivate and prepare young people to work for valuable social change. This process has the potential to serve as a strong antidote to the disconnection often associated with as adolescence in the past.
Youth Engaged for Change
Service learning is a strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instructions and self reflection to support a variety of goals. They are :
Enhancing academic learning.
Teaching civic responsibility.
Developing 21st century
Increasing global awareness
Strengthening communities
Today elementary, middle, high, and post secondary schools accross the nation participate in sevice learning with the support of federal state, district, and foundation funding. It is estimated that more than 4.2 million students participated in service learning during the year 2007-08. Approximately 20,400 schools were most likely to engage in community service or to include service learing as a part of their curriculum.
Before the year 1000, the word “she” did not exist in the English language. The singular female reference was the word “heo”, which also was the plural of all genders. The word “she” appeared only in the 12th century, about 400 years after English began to take form. “She” probably derived from the Old English feminine “seo”, the Viking word for feminine reference.
8. The Gujarati Raw Star
“I just didn’t want to be a mere YouTube star. Instead I wished for a chance to work at national and international stages. After India’s Raw Star I got support From India. It’s all because of the support that Gujarat and other states have given me. I am getting a huge response from everyone.”
Darshan Raval, the young lad from Ahmedabad became an overnight sensation after his stint at India’s Raw Star. The 19 years old Gujarati Chokro tells what has become of the journey that started 6 years ago.
1. What was going through your mind while sending your entry For India’s Raw Star?
I did not participate in India’s Raw Star to win the trophy. From the very first day my aim was to make my music reach people. Just like a good movie, the one which might not perform well commercially on the Box-office but people admire it, talk about it for weeks and it stays in their minds, the same I wanted to create such effect that people remember me for a long time even if I get eliminated from the show.
2. How does it feel to be a part of such big TV Show?
As people watch in various TV shows, they find it all so easy. But it’s the hard work of a whole week that we show in one episode. For each episode we need to do many rehearsals. Some of us compose and use our own songs. That is why we have to think differently and we have to work accordingly. Even the choreography takes a lot of hard work so that finally when people watch it on TV we are assured that we served you the best things we could.
3. Tell us about the offers you received for any album or movie?
Yes, I have got some offers. I have sung for Star Plus’s serial ‘Veera’ and apart from that I have got an offer from my mentor, Himesh Reshamiya. He has offered me a song in his next movie. Nothing is decided yet regarding the song. But I’m surely doing a song with him soon.
4. What difference do you find in yourself after India’s Raw Star?
Before India’s Raw Star I was not so much known. I have my music videos over YouTube and Facebook but all that was not enough for me. I wanted my music to reach a larger audience. I just didn’t want to be a mere YouTube star. Instead I wished for chances to work at national and international level. After India’s Raw Star I got support From India. It’s all because of the support that Gujarat and other states have given me. I am getting a huge response from everyone.
5. You had been on the first position for a long time and then suddenly you faced a fall. Have you analyzed what went wrong?
Actually it’s a kind of responsibility for a celebrity to maintain that position. When a person is at the top for a long time then his fans want to see him maintain that position. Even I lost my first position which disappointed my fans. So I had to work harder to reach the same place again.
6. Apart from romantic songs you have also tried different genre’s songs too. So how was that experience?
I have the caliber to work hard and try different genre. I am not limited to romantic songs. I tried to go beyond my limits where I found that I can experiment with a lot more. It’s like polishing me and finding new stuff to do.
9. Foreign Direct Investment – India in World Economy
Currently, Ms.Saira Gori is Assistant Professor at GNLU. She has done her Ph.D. in Law (Topic- Directive Principles of State Policy and its changing Dimensions under the Constitution of India - An analytical and critical study). She is a proficient writer. Her papers have been presented nationally and internationally.
Investment provides the base and pre-requisite for economic growth and development. Apart from a nation’s foreign exchange reserves, exports, government’s revenue, financial position, available supply of domestic savings, magnitude and quality of foreign investment are necessary for the well being of a country. Developing nations, in particular, consider FDI as the safest type of international capital flows out of all the available sources of external finance available to them. FDI provides a win – win situation to the host and the home countries. Both countries are directly interested in inviting FDI because they benefit a lot from such type of investment. There is a considerable change in the attitude of both the developing and developed countries towards FDI. They both consider FDI as the most suitable form of external finance. FDI is a predominant and vital factor in influencing the contemporary process of global economic development. The present study is limited to assess the determinants of Foreign Direct Investment flows and its impact on Indian economy. It is concluded that the Government should design the FDI policy in such a way where FDI inflows can be utilized as means of enhancing domestic production, savings and exports through the equitable distribution among states so that they can attract FDI inflows at their own level. FDI can help to raise the output, production and export at the sectorial level of the Indian economy. It is advisable to open up the export oriented sectors and higher growth of economy could be achieved through the growth of these sectors.
With the initiation of globalization, developing countries, particularly those in Asia, have been witnessing an immense surge of FDI inflows during the past two decades. Even though India has been a latecomer to the FDI scene compared to other East Asian countries, its considerable market potential and a liberalized policy regime has sustained its attraction as a favorable destination for foreign investors. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India is one of the most talked about issues in the entire world economy in recent times. Rated among the top emerging nations, India's liberalization policies are paying rich dividends to the economy as a whole. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is defined as "investment made to acquire lasting interest in enterprises operating outside of the economy of the investor." The FDI relationship consists of a parent enterprise and a foreign affiliate which together form a Trans-National Corporation (TNC). India, post liberalization, has not only opened its doors to foreign investors but also made investing easier for them by implementing the following measures:
Foreign exchange controls have been eased on the account of trade.
Companies can raise funds from overseas securities markets and now have considerable freedom to invest abroad for expanding global operations.
Foreign investors can remit earnings from Indian operations.
Foreign trade is largely free from regulations, and tariff levels have come down sharply in the last two years.
While most Foreign Investments in India (up to 51 %) are allowed in most industries, foreign equity up to 100 % is encouraged in export-oriented units, depending on the merit of the proposal. In certain specified industries reserved for the small scale sector, foreign equity up to 24 % is being permitted now.
As the industry progresses, opportunities abound in India, which has the world's largest middle class population of over 300 million, is attracting foreign investors by assuring them good returns. The scope for foreign investment in India is unlimited. India offers to foreign investors a well balanced package of fiscal incentives for exports and industrial investments that includes:Complete tax exemptions, Investment incentives are offered by both the Central Government and the Government of the State in which the unit is located and India has tax treaties with 40 countries.
Moreover, the support of the common man regarding FDI is clearly from the sharp hike in India's gross expenditure in the past few years. Thus the Indian economy is proving itself highly conducive to Foreign Investment. One of the most striking developments during the last two decades is the spectacular growth of FDI in the global economic landscape. This unprecedented growth of global FDI around the world make FDI an important and vital component of development strategy in both developed and developing nations and policies are designed in order to stimulate inward flows. Both countries are directly interested in inviting FDI, because they benefit a lot from such type of investment. The ‘home’ countries want to take the advantage of the vast markets opened by industrial growth. On the other hand the ‘host’ countries want to acquire technological and managerial skills and supplement domestic savings and foreign exchange. Moreover, the paucity of all types of resources viz. financial, capital, entrepreneurship, technological know- how, skills and practices, access to markets- abroad- in their economic development, developing nations accepted FDI as a sole visible panacea for all their scarcities.
Current Challenges and Improvement Areas
India is definitely a lucrative place for FDI, but there are certainly some challenges and areas for improvement still present. Until, these areas are honed to perfection, India will not become the number one place for FDI. India is focusing on maximizing political and social stability along with a regulatory environment. In spite of the obvious advantages of FDIs, there are quite a few challenges facing larger FDIs in India, such as:
Resource challenge: India is known to have huge amounts of resources. There is manpower and significant availability of fixed and working capital. At the same time, there are some underexploited or unexploited resources. The resources are well available in the rural as well as the urban areas. The focus is to increase infrastructure 10 years down the line, for which the requirement will be an amount of about US$ 150 billion.
Equity challenge: India is definitely developing in a much faster pace now than before but in spite of that it can be identified that developments have taken place unevenly. To get the complete picture of growth, it is essential to make sure that the rural section has more or less the same amount of development as the urbanized ones. Thus, fostering social equality and at the same time, a balanced economic growth.
Political Challenge: The support of the political structure has to be there towards the investing countries abroad. This can be worked out when foreign investors put forward their persuasion for increasing FDI capital in various sectors like banking, and insurance. So, there has to be a common ground between the Parliament and the foreign countries investing in India.
Federal Challenge: Very important among the major challenges facing larger FDI is the need to speed up the implementation of policies, rules, and regulations. The vital part is to keep the implementation of policies in all the states of India at par.
India must also focus on areas of poverty reduction, trade liberalization, and banking and insurance liberalization. Challenges facing larger FDI are not just restricted to the ones mentioned above, because trade relations with foreign investors will always bring in new challenges in investments.
Did you know that the Egyptians thought the world was in the shape of a rectangle and that the heavens were held up by four giant pillars? They also warned sailors not to go to far away or you just might row off the giant rectangle called Earth. When the Queen of England heard this she sent 4 ships south, north, east and west to search for these “pillars”. When they didn't find any (because the world is in the shape of a sphere) they questioned the Egyptians and they told her the pillars must have been farther than they predicted! Clever weren't they?
10. Yesterday and Tomorrow
Kinjal Thakkar of FY goes poetic and explains to us the importance of living in TODAY and living it fully.
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
There are two days in every week about which we should
not worry. Two days
Two days which are free from fear and appreciation.
One of the days is yesterday, with its mistakes and worries,
faults and blunders,
twinges and pain.
Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.
We cannot undo a single act we performed.
We cannot erase a single word we said.
Yesterday is gone.
The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow.
With its possible adversities,
blunders,
large promises and poor performances.
Tomorrow is also beyond our control.
Tomorrow's sun will rise ,either in splendor or behind a
mask of clouds,
but it will rise.
Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet
unborn.
This just leaves us with only one day....Today.
Today is the only day,
when you and I add the burdens of those two awful
eternities
Yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.
It is not the experience of today that drives people mad.
It is the remorse or bitterness for something which
happened yesterday
And the dread of what tomorrow may bring.
LET US THEREFORE LIVE BUT
ONE DAY AT A TIME.
11. The College
Yajurv Algoter & Ayaz Shamsir of TY filled with metaphoric highs. give a vignette of the end of a millennium
The myriad plethora of familiar voices,
Greetings, smiles, some sombre faces,
Masses all gathered till the bell tolls
Following which, if left, are traces.
Open grounds and the smell of grass,
Whisper in your ears, “This too shall pass”,
Alas! The gates close before your foot-falls
And yet again, you're late for class.
The ones who are not mockingly 'miss' you,
But attendance is not that much of an issue,
So diss you, the thought of lecture halls
Enjoy a veg. Puff, and ball up the tissue.
Have a refreshing stroll or a siesta,
Have a refreshing stroll or a siesta,
Plaza fervour, stirred fiesta,
Vista of wonders into a greater world
Birds on trees spiel celeste.
Prayers are sung, announcements made,
In dire circumstances challenges are laid,
Trade your precious favours in for lemons…??
Chill out, make lemonade.
Three years of sheer excitement and fun,
Spiced up with ripe emotional pun,
Tons of memories, bitter and sweet,
Enjoy these days before they outrun.
Our college pic as background
12. Mother Nature - You Never Disappoint me
Roshani Patel (FY) shares a memoir of her personal experience back in her school days and the reason why she has fallen for the beauty of nature.
TRAVELLING.....!!!! The word itself raises excitement within ourselves. Before we start planning, our small mind makes humongous imaginations. Hence, just the thought of traveling is an anecdote in itself...
It has been said rather truly that every sunrise brings something new for us. Our life does not always go according to us. I, like so many others, crave a chance to fly somewhere far and forget the troubles of life for a while. I have walked my fair share of beaches, dense forests, seen rushing rivers, warm waterfalls, and so much else, the list would be seemingly endless. But when it came to mountains, I was blank. They were like the untouched secrets of my life. But it was no longer going be the same.
My story commences with a trekking camp organized by our school....
One fine morning, a friend came to ask me if I would like to go for this camp. My parents agreed, and since the very next moment, I was a part of it. We were scheduled to leave on the 23rdof November, 2009 at night.
Mountains were a suspense to me, yet to be explored. I never had a chance to stand at the edge of a boulder, or in the midst of a lush green valley. I wasn’t so sure that this trip would be as cheerful as my other ones; what if all the excitement was in vain…?? And when a girl starts worrying, you don’t see the end of it. I was getting impatient by the day but was equally curious as well.
Along came the day, when we were to leave. My excitement was at peak,all my questions started answering themselves. On the next day, we reached our destination. The tents were ready and it was almost dark so we had our dinner and went to bed early. Our instructor hinted that we were going to have a long day when we woke up. Only, he forgot to mention what a sight it is when the sun rises over the snow covered mountains.
Next morning we were out of bed by 3:45 and taken onto a rock to see the first ray of light hit the mountain. For a moment every one stood there astonished, in pin drop silence, taking in the magical beauty of this incredible phenomena.
After coming back to the tents we had breakfast and then we started our climb, during which we understood the real strength of the mountain that held it upright, always. We also realized that mountain climbing is actually an adventure with discipline. At the end we had a student summit, and then we came back. All the students were grateful for this chance to know the mountains. We had a campfire after dinner where everyone shared their opinions, views and experiences.
This camp was an opportunity for us to experience life in the lap of mother-nature. We also had various activities like rock climbing, rappelling, river crossing, rafting, caving, and what not. Our guide and teachers here taught us many survival tips that would be useful to us in any corner of the world.
The camp was nearing its end and we had one more session of sharing. For me, there was a total change in my opinion. B e f o r e , I h a d fe l t s o m e negativity, but after this experience, it was all roses and lilies .I realized that mountains are an invincible specimen. They taught me many life lessons. The local residents were very kind, warm and welcoming. At the time of our departure everyone was emotional, and no one wanted to leave the slice of heaven that place was.
Even after coming back home, my mind was still there, with the fascinating mountains. I was sad to have come back, but was happy to have had such an experience in my life at an early age. Those days gave me some memories that I will cherish all my life. I wish to visit such places more often.
HOWEVER FAR A MAN GOES, HE CAN NEVER SUBJUGATE NATURE...
13. The Friend Within
“Like the body that is made up of different limbs and organs, all moral creatures must depend on each other to exist.” Prof. Veerendra Bhatt shows us a totally different view about being spiritually enlightened and to approach the ultimate friend of everyone – God.
Actually, spirituality is a wonderful thing. When we say wonderful, it is full of wonder, it is full of happiness, it is full of joy. It is unfortunate that the language makes things appear very serious, very dull- something not necessary for us. Especially in western cultures we find that when we speak of Yoga, people say, “Let me enjoy the life first, and then I will start this.”
So, Yoga is presented in a very wrong light. Very unfortunate because in my personal experience, and in the experience of lakhs of people all over the world, a life dedicated to Yoga and self-development is really a joyful life. We must be careful of Yogis who are always frowning and frightening people because they appear serious so as to impress people, as if it is something very great, something very profound, whereas a life of self-development is a life of happiness and fulfillment.
Especially in German this is a problem, more than in other languages, because it is a serious language, too many philosophers of the German culture, too much negative thought about God and things like that, whereas God is our only real friend. We all say God is love, in all cultures, in all religions, but we are still afraid of him and we are running away from him all the time. Why? It is wrong information concerning God and Divinity and what the purpose of our life is. Because friends can neither be enemies nor can a real friend give us sadness and sorrow, as by definition “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” But instead of seeking God, we seek ordinary human friends and even the best of them have limitations in helping us. So, it makes sense to look for a real friend who will give his life for us. God, being the life-giver, must be the only life-giver we can ever depend upon.
So, some of these religions have presented God as someone who punishes us, condemns us to hell. I never believed that as it hasn’t been my experience. My thirty six years in the Yogic Meditation, have been years full of joy, happiness. This is important to understand because we are looking for joy and happiness in the things outside ourselves. Unfortunately, our religions tell us that even God is outside somewhere, far away. If God is everywhere and in everything, then that teaching of religion is a lie because if he is everywhere he must be in me too.
So, spirituality does not contravene or negate religion, but says, “Please go beyond.” Like a child learns at school from the books in the beginning we learn from outside but that is like a kindergarten. Later on we learn from inside, from our experience of life. And if we depend on that divinity, which is inside us, then comes the true experience of life. We become self-dependent- the Self with a capital ‘S’- my maker inside myself, my eternal companion, my ONLY companion, as all other companions are left behind, sometime or the other.
At the human level, there is no permanent companion. Everyone whom we have loved or even hated will die sometime. There is no permanency in human relationships. That is one reason for the insecurity that we feel more and more in our existence. There may be so many other causes, but the impermanency of relationships is one of the major causes. Today, in our modern culture, we find that children are afraid. They will cling to their parents; they cannot be separated for even two minutes from the mother. Not too bad because they are after all children. But when adults cling to each other and are afraid that, “When we will get separated, we may not be re-united again. What is the world coming to? Where is love? Where is companionship? Where is permanency? Where is security? And, where is life?” Because there is no life without all these things!
So, life is in having permanent, steadfast, loving, trustworthy companion inside ourselves. Spirituality teaches us that it is right inside ourselves, shows us how to establish contact with him and by increasing contact, we need to have faith in that presence and through that faith to learn to let him take over our life rather than trying to live it by ourselves. There is nothing strange about this, as we always depend on other people. A sick man depends on a doctor, children depend on their parents, parents depend on children. The whole gamut of human relationships is dependence.
One of the greatest fantasies is to think that we are independent. No one is independent- no man, no woman, no child- except those who have got the source of all benefit and love; inside themselves.
It is a big self-delusion to think that a human being can be independent. Spirituality says; if you want to remove all these dependences, create ONE dependence instead of all the hundreds of dependences you have now. And that person on whom you depend is INSIDE you. Therefore, there is no more betrayal; no question of His not being available when we need Him, and there is no question to look for Him, because He is here. We close our eyes and we are in direct contact with our Friend.
Therefore, if God is love, and we are afraid of God, it is the result of wrong religious education. Because all religions have dual instruments: fear and temptation. Fear of hell if we do wrong things and temptation for Heaven if we do right things. But God is not in heaven; God is in our hearts. Therefore, religions have imprisoned us by giving temptation on one side, fear on the other side, like two reins of a horse or a bullock.
So, in spirituality there is no temptation, no fear. It is a path of evolution towards him who is inside us. It is not a journey to heaven somewhere, some when, but a journey within ourselves to the source of our existence. This is, in essence, what spirituality is all about. Therefore, where religion ends spirituality begins. Religions have divided human beings throughout the history of mankind. It is a wellknown historical fact that the greatest atrocities have been committed in the name of religion.
Religions are always intolerant. “My god is not your god.” But everybody says there is only one God, so how can my god and your god be different? Then why does my god divide you from your god, and you from me? The whole thing is childish. The god of the Jews, the god of the Christians, the god of the Hindus, the god of the Buddhists- must be the same god. And it is surprising that we are intelligent people, educated people, and we still believe this religious nonsense that your god is the only god; my god is a fool. The tragedy isin the middle ages, when people had no intelligence but only superstition, they could believe this nonsense, but how can we today believe this?
So, we have to examine our hearts, go to the source of truth there, and ask Him in meditation, “What are you? Who are you? Where are you?” Slowly, the answer will start coming from inside. It has to be tried, because God is not a telephone or an answering machine. Through centuries we have said, “He is inside, He is within, He is in the heart, He is antaryami….”, and this voice has become silent. We have to revive this contact, and speak to Him more and more in inner silence, because silence is the language of God.
Languages, religions and cultures divide people, but the hearts can bring them together. Because, as human beings, we all have the same existence, we have the same needs, and we have the same possibility of growth towards the destiny of humanity. Therefore, spirituality unites. No color bar, no bar of religion, no bar of sex, no bar of race, but one possibility of unifying the entire humanity into a single entity which can proceed with love, faith, and confidence towards that destiny. This is worth trying!
A palindrome is a word that is spelled the same way from both ends. For example: racecar, did, deed etc.
14. The Delicacy King
Vikas khanna is an award winning Michelin starred Indian chef, restaurateur, humanitarian and the host of the show Master Chef India season 2 and 3 and Master Chef Junior. “No one can complete my biji’s Methi Aloo. Indian cuisine has a story of love, slavery and loss” Creating recipies from a very young age, Vikas Khanna shares his views in a tete-a-tete.
1) What is your favorite dish and why?
I like Methi-aloo the most, especially the one my Biji used to prepare for me. The time when I was ill because of too much travelling and TV shows, my manager asked me if he could get me something which can help me get well soon. I told him that nobody can get me what I really want, i.e., the Methi-aloo prepared by my Biji because after her death nobody was able to recreate the same taste. When someone is ill, he gets to know his favorite dish that time. I love to eat a variety of dishes but the time I am sad, I want Methi-aloo.
2) You are always in the midst of great food and it seems that you are a true foodie. Still you look so fit and fine. What is the secret behind this?
If you have ever been to America then you might know that Americans have this misconception that Indian food is unhealthy. If a plump and pot-bellied chef says that the food he is serving is healthy nobody would believe him. That is why I decided to keep myself fit. People there in America ask me that how I maintain such body. That is when I tell them that it’s all because of Indian food. This surprises them a lot as they get to see the real side of our cuisine which they think of as unhealthy.
3) Why does Master Chef India focus more on the Indian cuisine?
Indian cuisine is the one which envelopes a culture in itself. It has a story hidden in it, the story of love, slavery and loss. Whoever came and invaded India, left the different colors of different cultures and cuisines. All this made our cuisine even more rich and lively.
4) Your show ‘Twist of taste’ on Fox Life Channel has got a good response. You have come up with a variety of fusion recipes. Which one of them is your favorite?
I have to give a twist to the dishes in every episode and all the end results are something I savor. But the one I like the most is the twist I gave to the Mangalorean Kori Rotti which is a popular spicy Coastal Karnataka dish, a combination of red-chili based chicken curry and crisp dry wafers made from boiled rice. I personally love it because I was able to replicate it easily but it took a lot of thinking to give it a twist and it was fun.
15. Today's Business Need "Gladiator" Leader
Deepak Bhatt is a nationally recognized speaker, author and business performance consultant. He has written numerous articles, management book and how leader can transform their organizations through positivity.
I always say “gladiator virtues” like bravery, honor and vision can help your company rise from mediocre to extraordinary.
Do you remember the heart-pounding, soul-stirring message of the movie Gladiator? Remember how Maximus, the Russell Crowe character, rallied his men around him and led them to victory, even in the face of almost certain defeat? Remember his “envision the goal” technique for getting through the horrors of battle? Now, consider the leadership in your own company. Any gladiators in the ranks? Are you a gladiator?
The time is right for a more heroic style of leadership. Desperate times lend themselves to the rise of gladiators. Instead of seeing today’s economy as a negative, executives should view it as an opportunity in disguise—a chance to position your organization for the inevitable economic upswing. Here are eight virtues of Gladiator Leadership.
1. Gladiators have a mission for which they feel real passion. Call it a purpose, an obsession, a calling: whatever the terminology, good leaders have a defining mission in their life. This mission, above all other traits, separates managers from leaders. In Gladiator, Maximus lived for the mission of killing the evil usurper Commodus and restoring Rome to the values that made her great.
2.Gladiators create a vision. Having and communicating a clear picture of a future goal will lead to its achievement. Dare to think great! Maximus helped his fellow gladiators see that they could overthrow their enemies and survive the horror of the battles they were forced to participate in. In business, a leader may create an “enemy”—the economy, the competition, inefficiency—to challenge the energies of his or her people and give them something to fight for.
3. Gladiators lead from the front—they don’t dictate from the back. In the movie, both when Maximus was a general and a gladiator, he fought up front where the firestorm was heaviest. So does a good business leader. Working “in the trenches” shows you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty, it helps you fully understand the issues your “soldiers” are facing, and inspires loyalty in your troops.
4. Gladiators know there is strength in teams. Where would Maximus have been if he hadn’t trusted his men to fight with him and cover his back? Likewise, where would you be without your employees? While the gladiator leader has the skills to draw people together, he doesn’t hog the spotlight. He has care and compassion for his team and wants every member to be recognized for his or her efforts. This is especially important in a time when the old style “command and control” structure is waning. Younger workers (Generations X and Y) tend to be loyal to their coworkers rather than the traditional “organization.”
5. Gladiators encourage risk-taking. In the Roman Empire, gladiators were expected to die with honor. Refusing to lie down and let one’s opponents win was bucking the status quo. (And certainly, killing the reigning emperor—however corrupt—simply was not done!) If a company does not examine its way of doing things, if it does not push out its boundaries, if it never makes mistakes, it may become road kill.
6. Gladiators keep their heads in a crisis. Maximus had to think on his feet and refuse to give into terror and panic. He faced the most formidable foes calmly and with focus. Business leaders must do the same. They must take a position and defend it when things go awry. Being graceful and brave under fire is the surest way to build credibility—a necessity for sound leadership. Gladiators don’t retreat due to the slowing economy, but look for the opportunity under their feet.
7. Gladiators prepare for battle 24 hours a day. Essentially, a Roman gladiator was a fighting machine. To stay alive, his mind had to be constantly on the upcoming battle. Business leaders, likewise, must be obsessed with training and developing their people in good times and bad. People need and want to hone their individual skills and “sharpen their swords.” Furthermore, good leaders must constantly learn what’s necessary to survive and unlearn the “old rules.” Just because a management style worked a decade ago does not mean it will work in today’s economy—good leaders evolve with the times.
8. Gladiators are teachers and mentors. Maximus taught his men the lessons they would need to survive in their new role as gladiators. In today’s rapidly changing environment, leaders must also teach and train those who may soon replace them. We are not necessarily talking about formal classroom training. We need leaders talking to people in the hallway, in the restaurant . . . everywhere. Everyone should be mentoring someone.
-: About Author :-
Deepak has been featured in ‘Vikalpa’, a premier journal of IIM Ahmedabad. He is the Founder and ‘Captain of the Ship’ of a management-consulting firm called, Global Management, located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
16. In The Air of Tragic Glamour : Bitcoins
Iffat Shaikh of SY gives a low down on everything there is to know about Bitcoins
Unless you're a major tech-geek or a regular patron of the shadowy computer underworld called the Dark Web, you've probably never heard of what is described as "virtual currency" by the US government authorities; Bitcoin. The term which sounds like a typical, transparent and respectable digital currency is a boon to the modern-day pirates who want to do things online and get away without being traced. However BTC are occasionally used for clean and esteemed online transactions too. It's purely subjective! So let me walk you through the life of a two-faced guy, a saint and a sinner, wrapped into one badass currency called Bitcoin.
Bitcoin- sounds like Monopoly money, or rather a Finance Company ( I myself, at first, thought of it as some financial consultancy service!). And what if I say the sevenletter word has the potential to change the entire face of the monetary system prevailing across the globe. Surprising, isn’t it?! I’ll explain why…
Basically, Bitcoin(BTC) is a crypto-currency, that is a form of encrypted electronic money. They are mined anonymously by a community of tech-geeks (okay! call them hackers!) and even bought anonymously and can be stored in an electronic wallet. One can easily convert physical money into BTC by merely logging on to an online exchange service like BTC Stack Exchange and then spend these magic coins anytime, anywhere very smartly without the transaction being traced. There are only $800 millions of BTC in circulation, an amount reckoning in trillions, forms a very trivial part of the world currencies, yet stands out very powerful, very robust.
I’ve walked you through the system of Bitcoins, and now comes the most exciting and astounding part- the illicit use of Bitcoins. It is human nature to invent incredible things just as it is also human nature to then find the worst possible uses for these things. Bitcoins fuel a shadow economy of vice alongside the mainstream financial system. The blockchain of BTC, if continues to grow at the same pace, will make it extensively difficult to trace transactions and is turning out to be an Amrit to those who want to buy things online without being caught.
Bitcoins has become a trade medium to dodge the gimlet eye of financial regulators. It is born orphan(unknown miner), lives a solitary life(unknown traders), loiters in a care-free manner(no regulatory body) and dies a sudden death(by merely its stock exchanges going offline). But every BTC is a legend in itself. It can be bought and utilized for respectable online purchases as well as for money laundering and drug trafficking as per one’s own discretion. The dark currency had recently hogged the limelight when it was used excessively and easily for buying heroin, cocaine, purest forms of Ecstasy and magic mushrooms on the website called “Silk Road”, an online black market(more commonly known as the “Amazon.com of drugs”).
Another astonishing discovery I made while studying this “once-boring” payment system made me smile in sarcasm and feel like applauding for the hackers for their brainy piece of malpractice. This trick makes use of the 100 millisecond sleep in the BTC peer’s message processing loop. Regular peers would wait for 100 ms to pass along messages, while the attackers could get a transaction, modify it and send it to a miner immediately in the same 100 ms! BTC has become a loyal friend of many, connecting the Dark Web with students, gamblers, drug-dealers and dictators with great ease. Rapid rises are nothing new for this fantastic currency, nor are steep falls. But BTC has become the world’s best performing currency with its value spiking 130% just this year.
In a nutshell, BTC is a bubble. Windfall increments, high flights and sudden crashes have become a matter of routine for this flamboyant bird called Bitcoin. But these fluctuations are not the end of it. I’m the opposite of a computer geek and hence can’t recommend the modifications necessary to improve the BTC currency system. But I await a legendary tech-programmer to take the challenge and make BTC a safe, risk-free currency instead of being used as a medium of cyber crimes.
17. Educational Technology And Classroom Management
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Dr. N.J. Chaniyara presents the complete package of better ways of managing the teaching - learning experience required to nurture Education.
Educational technology for most of us means gadgets like radio, T.V., tape recorders etc. But these are only aids and are called the ‘hardware’. Similarly, radio lessons, T.V. scripts, pictures in a chart, etc. form the second group, known to be ‘software’. The combination of these two provides complete aid but they are only a part of the education technology.
Education technology is the application of scientific knowledge and psychological principles of learning for improving the effectiveness of teaching and training referring to a set of techniques for designing, testing and operating the instructional process in educational systems. Programmed instructions and computer assisted instructions are such developments in the field of educational technology. In totality it means determining teaching objectives, planning learning experiences based on teaching situations, use of available materials and aids and determination of the previous knowledge of the students and after the teaching process is over, assessing the number of objectives achieved. This helps in finding out the actual external success achieved so as to enable us to map out the future course. This necessitates changes and revision of plans to improve the teaching process.
The interaction of the teaching and learning process gives rise to classroom management.
Classroom Management means managing students in a class. The classroom has an atmosphere of its own. Although, the teacher is mainly responsible for building classroom environment, the other factors also work. Some of the factors that affect classroom environment are structure of the room, equipments and teaching aid provided in the room, the amount of light, degree of ventilation, etc. The teachers can manage the class better in a suitable environment which has a positive effect on learning.
Efficient management techniques are essential for making students learn. There are various stages in a lesson. But involvement of students leads to various types of group activities which require more expertise from the teachers. It is for this reason, a large number of teachers do not give scope for active student participation in the teaching learning process. They neither ask questions to students nor give them opportunities to raise doubts.
Managing Student’s Misbehavior:
Various types of behavioral problems are found in classroom situations. Misbehavior of students refers to behavior that is not in the manner expected by the norms of the institution. For instance, smoking in the classroom may not be an act of misbehavior in U.K. Similarly, drinking alcohol publicly inside college building is related to morality. Other types of misbehavior are the one which affect the work of other students, classroom activities and normal functioning of the institutions. There may be inattentive and lazy students. Teachers need special strategies to make them attentive and active. There may be students having inadequate coping responses. The teachers have to motivate them to leave their shyness. Making students face classmates, may begin with small and easy tasks. This may develop confidence in the learner to be free from shyness and withdrawal symptoms.
Discipline:
Discipline is an important aspect of classroom management. Unless students are disciplined, the teacher cannot teach. Unless the students are disciplined, they cannot be attentive. Attention, interest and discipline go together in an effective classroom. Various techniques may be employed in maintaining discipline in the class. Some of these techniques are mentioned below:
1. Knowledge about the students and their background: Contact with family members of students helps teachers in having better contact over the class. Effective teachers know the names of students. The students are generally careful in not creating disturbances in the classes of a teacher who knows their family members well.
2. Adequate Perception and Monitoring of Student Behavior: A good teacher perceives students’ behavior properly. The more accurate the teacher perceives the students behavior, better becomes his/her class management. The teachers who do not have this capacity face problems in maintaining discipline.
3. Democratic Attitude: A teacher having a democratic attitude can handle classes effectively. Such teachers encourage students to voice their grievances and help them in solving their problems. The teachers do not impose anything on the students. This helps in pointing a spirit of freedom.
4. Establishing Rapport with the Students: An effective teacher establishes rapport with the students. There are various ways in which a new teacher establishes rapport. One way may be visiting homes of students and helping them at their homes.
5. Use of Kinesics: Kinesics refers to controlling the class through gesture/sign languages, body movements, posture and eye contact and facial expression. Effective teachers use appropriate kinesics to add meaning to their verbal expressions.
6. Appropriate Use of Reward and Punishment: An effective teacher uses reward and punishment techniques effectively. The good behavior of the students is to be encouraged. Positive reinforcements are used for encouragement of good behavior. Effective teachers take care of selective and cautious use of punishment. Whenever punishment is given, it should be done immediately with adequate warning, in a calm attitude.
7. Use of Questions: Effective teachers use questions to mange classroom disruptions. If two students are found talking, the teacher puts question to one of them. This makes the concerned students stop talking and answer the question.
Educational Technology and Classroom Interaction:
As an aid Educational Technology can help the teacher to supplement teaching. As a system it can help the learner to acquire information on his own and update his learning and as a process it can help the educationist to plan for the future. Educational Technology will acquire this dimension if the modes of communication are within the reach of the common man. It will enable the individual to communicate and interact with source, getting on the screen information he needs and clearing doubts he has about it. In such a situation, the learner will no longer be a passive receiver of information but a participant in the learning process.
The use of the Internet for the supervision of students by teachers holds many fascinating and exciting possibilities. The Internet is the panacea for student teaching supervisors. The actual observation and assessment of the student teacher’s performance by the university supervisor is still preferred. Nevertheless, the Internet can be used to enhance the student-teaching experience.
As far as classroom interaction is concerned, an effective teacher ensures interaction with students. Ineffective teachers do not bother about classroom interaction. They use lectures in their teaching. This leads to one way communication from the teacher to the student. Teacher’s behavior also plays an effective role in generating classroom interaction. Authoritarian behavior does not encourage interaction. The democratic attitude of the teacher encourages classroom interaction situations.
The computer is central to the new world order. It not only facilitates change but also helps to usher in the age of enlightenment. It has the potential to change radically the learning process in young minds and make them more creative than ever before. Used extensively in education, it has also changed the role of the teacher. Far from being a mere ‘information dumping machine’, the teacher now acts as a friend, philosopher and guide and helps students to develop sensibilities and acquire critical consciousness.
The Chinese invented kites (“paper birds” or “Aeolian harps”) about 3,000 years ago. They were used to frighten the enemies in battle, and Marco Polo (1254-1324) noted that kites were also used to predict the success of a voyage. It was i considered bad luck to purposely let a kite go.
18. Someone Like Him...
He’s the author of nine bestselling, blockbuster novels. Durjoy is the co-founder of Grapevine India Publisher Pvt. Ltd. and has to his credit two television shows – Sadda Haq and Veera, both of which have received considerable critical acclaim and commercial success. While on his visit to Ahmedabad for the promotion of his latest piece of work, When Only Love Remains, the young writer interacted with Iffat Shaikh of SY and Susan Pinto of TY in an exclusive interview with. Take a look!
1) Firstly, tell us who has been the inspiration behind all your books?
I’ve been into writing firstly because I never scored in Hindi! Secondly, being brought up in a Bengali household; English had been my second language. It was a natural progression to start writing books. And I used to be envious of every other writer who could write well. That's where the germ started from! I questioned myself "If this guy can tell a good story, why can't I?!"
2) Q: Give us one reason why we should give a shot to your new book "When Only Love Remains".
It's a beautiful story and a story which needs to be told right now; because there's this whole fan boy-fan girl culture prevalent everywhere. And I've been in both the shoes, so I thought why not write a story about it! So I spun a beautiful love story which is very gripping, but of course readers will decide. (Smiles in nervousness)
3) When did you first call yourself, without hesitation, as a "writer"?
I still don't call myself as a writer. I mean when I'm writing a book, I'm pretty happy with it. But the moment it comes out, it starts to disappoint me. So I'm still not confident about being a writer.
4) What made you confident enough to take a plunge from being an engineer and an MBA to being a writer?
I'm still not sure if I did the right thing, but I'd just had enough of being an engineer and an MBA confined to the cubicle work. So it wasn't a calculated economic move. I thought I'll take a break for a year or two to pursue writing and if I fail, I have my degree to bank on.
5) How do you think of giving such interesting titles to your books?
Titles have been something that came to me very spontaneously. People used to ask my publisher "Why does Durjoy work? He's such an average writer!" He replied, "He works probably because his titles are like that!” and now I'm so short of titles that I've just been left with single and boring titles like "When Only Love Remains".
6) What is your other occupation except that of billiards?
I have to say When Only Love Remains because a lot of you haven't bought it yet! (Chuckles) But apart from that, my favourite has been" Till The Last Breath".
7) You're currently working with the show "Sadda Haqq". Where, till what level, do you want to take this show?
I want it to run for at least two-three years and be the most remembered youth show ever. I used to like Hip Hip Hurray a lot. So I want it to attain that cult status.
8) Who's that one writer you'd love to work with?
I'd promptly say John Green! I don't know if he'll say yes to me or not, but yes I'd love to work with him.
9) Are you jealous of any writer?
No, I'm not jealous of anyone. The more the writers work, the better for me, because it'll keep opening the markets and keep getting new readers into the forum.
10) Describe your writing style in about ten words.
Ten words?! Aah! I'd say it's very relatable. I write stories of people like us. So, it's very contemporary.
11) In your eyes, are you a better author or an entrepreneur?
I'm a very bad entrepreneur! I'm a Bengali and I'm really bad at handling money. That's why I'm at Ahmedabad; to learn how to make some money!
12) How is this world a better place because of your books?
It starts conversations between people. People talk about relationships and empathy. Talking about books itself is such a good thing to happen and that's the best thing about my books.
19. Camera-Roll & Action!
‘THE END’ and the credits start rolling. To provide a two hour entertainment these people work for months on a stretch, at times even years. Of course they make good money out of it but what actually goes on behind the camera is something only few know. Anmol Shah of SY gives a vivid description of what goes on behind the camera.
We like watching ‘behind the scenes’ clips, but do we actually know what level of effort is put in? Many of us assume that there is a standard mode of film production, everything goes in a step by step procedure and it seems predictable. Yet subconsciously we tend to judge the monolithic process behind it! We underestimate-the studio culture. Unlike old times, now, there are many different genres, ways and wide audience as well. Birth of a notion; the story of the film can come from anywhere. It could be the director’s own idea or from a famous book or even from a remarkable real life incident. And then there are remakes. The formula in the time of doubt is simple, redo an earlier successful film. But too many remakes generally reflect a film industry with too much money and too few creative brains. Whereas, when someone tries to market an original screenplay, agents go around seeking a chance, the first ten pages of the script are submitted as door-openers and if the interest remains…And if the portion sparks curiosity in director, remaining script is submitted.
Pre-production is the stage where the real work begins. The crew and cast are hired, the shooting schedule is planned. The film is narrated in pictures called storyboard. While some directors have the whole movie planned before rolling the camera for the first time, others may like to accommodate and implement new ideas as the story moves further. And then, the dialogues are added. It is no news to anyone that one of the USPs of movies is the locations they are shot in. Location scouts are sent out to find suitable locations according to the director’s ideas. Pre-production is also the stage at which many of the various creative technicians begin work: costume designers, production designers, modelers, sound designer, and so on. If a set needs to be made, work starts on that and simultaneously the music director also starts to work on a score and incidental music.
After all the preparation is done, the actual filming starts. It’s a dream of all those budding actors to be able to experience this moment in life when they are actually being filmed. But ask the oldies and all they will remember is waiting, a lot! Along with the storyboard and shooting script, the breakdown script is probably the most important document the director has on hand. Generally assembled by the assistant director, it lists all the equipment, props, and other paraphernalia necessary for shooting each scene in the film. It helps the director figure out how to arrange the shooting schedule in advance and to be completely prepared as each scene comes up, so that he can stay within the shooting schedule. It’s not much known either, that when a principle scene is being shot, another unit is filming and establishing accompanying shots with the body doubles of the principle actors. The actual drama is not in front of the camera, but behind it.
It ends when the director calls “Cut it! It’s a wrap!” But to make what we see on the big screen, the tape still has to undergo two of the most important procedures. First is Editing. Now if it’s an individual film maker there is more chance of the audience being able to receive the director’s very message but it’s the studio that does the editing work, they can even bring changes as major as replacing the sad ending by a happy one! Yes, editing does not just mean cutting a few dialogues and adding visual effects to the tape. This is the reason why there has been an avalanche of "director's cut" video releases, often simply proving that the director and the studio are equally insipid and equally clueless at times. And finally the sound mix happens, where the music is composed and recorded, the post-production dubbing is finished, and the special sound effects are created. The sound mixer assembles all these tracks together so that they sound right to audience. He cleans up the various tracks, making absolutely sure there is no audible ambient noise (unless such noise is part of the plan). Like how the crowd noise decreases in volume as the romantic couple speaks to each other on a crowded street. The music swells and peaks as the space cowboys defeat the bad guys.
That’s it! The film is ready to roll. Now, if the producer has lined up a distributor in the pre-production stage there won’t be much work left but if not, the film needs to be marketed. It is the unfortunate fate for most independent films to end up on the shelf without ever having had a real shot at a large or even a small audience. Hence, only shooting, editing and sound mix do not make a film, it’s the blood and sweat of many more people than we think, who come together to create entertainment for us which we enjoy in recliners.
20. Impossible - I M Possible!
Prof Hervez R Bharucha is an Integrated Clinical Hypnotherapist & Teacher, Family & Systemic Constellation Healer, Usui & Karuna® Reiki Master & Teacher, Vastu & PyraVastu Expert, Empowerment Trainer
Yes you can achieve all that you want to in your life, it is possible. Then why is it that only 5% of the population is successful in life? Why is it that everyone is not able to reach their aspirations and achieve their dreams?
At times you feel that your environment i.e. people around you are not supporting you or that you do not have the necessary facilities that the other person is having, obviously the thought is that he will grow faster. You also feel that at times rather than supporting you, people around you have a tendency to put you down i.e. give negative strokes, add more hurdles in your path of progress to reach your goals.
During an exercise in my soft skills class, I had asked, which was that one particular negative inhibiting tendency / feeling that my students would like to remove and one quality that they would like to add, the main inhibiting blocks were: anxiety, fear, procrastination, anger, not able to face people, not able to express.
They wanted to gain confidence, self-esteem, self-worth, ability to focus, etc.
In my practice as a Clinical Hypnotherapist and teacher, over the years I have found that even adults come with behavioral issues, which arise from these childhood negative tendencies.
So, let us check as to where and how do these patterns arise within us?
Our behavior depends upon our beliefs, which in turn depends upon our thoughts. So the question is where do thoughts arise from? They mostly arise from our conditioning, past experiences and our environment. These beliefs become our reality.
The beliefs you have about yourself and the world can be traced back to what you were taught as a child. Your whole picture of the world is limited to your environment, i.e. parents, siblings, friends, teachers and relatives. You were told what is good and what is bad, what is to be desired and what is to be avoided. These thoughts obviously came from their conditioning and were added with experiences they had in their lives.
This conditioning within you may not always be very encouraging for growth in life and might make you feel limited and create stress and anxiety within you. Now at this time you are also contemplating further growth/ achievement in your life. Obviously this will also call for efforts coupled with a lot of thoughts like will I be able to do it? Will it be possible? What will people around me think? This in itself adds more stress, anxiety, fear to those already within you, at times majority of people would just give up the ideas/thoughts of progress using different defense mechanisms like “It is good to be satisfied in life” or “Everyone is not destined to earn/reach heights in their lives”, “I am not lucky enough”.
Relax all is not lost.
First of all we need to understand that each one of us has a tendency to evaluate ourselves 20% more critically than what we actually are. This means you are 20% smarter, handsome / beautiful, capable than what you think you are. This information I am sure will bring in a big relief within you, boost your self-image and probably will help in increasing your self-confidence also.
I believe that ability to communicate well is one of the major keys to becoming self confident and empowered in life, because communication is the key via which you tell people what you feel within, this helps to release your bottled up feelings, helps release stress and when people start understanding you and your abilities, capabilities – selfworth and self-image gets a boost, which helps to increase self-confidence.
Hence, the first step is to help you to become confident to talk / converse with people. Do this very simple technique:
a) Prepare a speech on any topic, b) Dress smart, c) Stand in front of a full sized mirror, d) look into the eyes of the reflection and e) speak audibly for 2 minutes. Do this daily for 40 days and then volunteer yourself for any public speech / presentation, check out how fluently you speak.
Another exercise to practice:
Evaluate your entire day before going to sleep:
a) Check all the activities done during the day. Classify all those activities, actions which created negative emotion within you, revisit each, evaluate/reason as to why this happened. Make amends with the one you feel has been hurt by you and forgive the one who has offended you. It is extremely important to forgive each and everyone, be it a friend, family member or colleague. “Because forgiveness sets the forgiver free.”
b) Check as to where you lost your time and what can you do the next day to use that time more judiciously.
So to summarize, everything starts with our thoughts, which become our firm beliefs and lead our behavior and attitude in life.
“Our ATTITUDE not our APTTITUDE determines our ALTITUDE.”
21. An exclusive Interview with POONAM DHILLON
In an exclusive interview with Devang Parmar (TY) and Susan Pinto (TY), PoonamDhillon talks about her life, her foray into theatre and what has been her passion for years.
1) What do you think is the reason behind several Bollywood stars turning to TV?
It is vastly observed that the audiences seem to connect more to the small screen. Nowadays there is TV in every other home. TV is more affordable than visiting cinema. TV audience is increasing. Moreover maintaining fan base in competition is also as important.
2) What difference do you think between the former industry and current one?
Previously the technology wasn't that advanced like today. Technology is the difference between two times. Other is the competition in the profession. Today everyone has to maintain fan following so have to work continuously to be constantly seen. People have started working tirelessly to get the best of them out which in a way is good. But sometimes it seems like the artists have turned into machines.
3) What is the difference between the relationship between parents and children a few decades ago and now?
Today families are nuclear. Everyone is busy with their own lives. They have their own world. Nowadays children do not wish for their parents to look into their personal life. Even parents are working so they do not have that much time to see what their child is doing. But in our time, families were joint family. So our parents were aware of what we were doing, I think that's the difference I find.
4) Until now, which role of yours would you consider to be the most difficult one?
By the time I did movies like “Quyamat” I was pretty well versed with my weaknesses and strengths. That was a phase since which I started enjoying acting. But in all these years, the role that I did in the movie “Teri kasam” has been the hardest for me. I was only 19 back then and I was supposed to play a negative character which was very challenging for me.
5) But over all these years, why have you never done any Punjabi movies?
Unfortunately, I never got a chance to act in one. I have a friend who makes these Punjabi movies. He once came to me and asked me to do a song for him in one of his movies which I denied because I was more interested in doing an actual role in some Punjabi movie rather than just one song.
6) Being an actor, what was the apprehension about theatre?
I never considered theatre as an option for me. I considered theatre very hard as it gives you no retakes! I always feared forgetting lines and missing the cues. It requires presence of mind to take the play along.
7) Do you feel at this point, that you should have got into theatre sooner?
I have always been a reluctant actor. Back in the time I used to have 12-14 films at a time and any kind of commitment was impossible for me. But now I am more relaxed and confident so I thought I should give a try to theatre as well.
As interviewed by - DevangParmar (TY) and Susan Pinto (TY)
22. What's the Effin' Point
What is college all about? Shail Mehta of SY brings some real sense among the readers regarding the approach one should have in college.
College is a crazy place ! and so were our schools. In fact, Since the very beginning of our Academic life, we have always been surrounded by bizarre protocols of our society that we follow knowingly or unknowingly.
Everybody has a “thing”; Some play sports, Some are good at writing while some manage to score high everyone manages to get the approval of their peer groups in their own way. This “thing”of ours , sticks to us like gum no matter where we go and pretty much becomes our identity in a way. Schools were kind of successful in maintaining harmony between all these , but when it came to college , the sh*t just got real !
Colleges have their own activities which they seem to take a little more seriously than they actually should. Now everyone has their own attitude towards this. While some choose to just enjoy their precious few three years of college creating new connections and cherishing them, some choose to make these activities their “Battleground”! As more and more heads collide, everyone fights to get a pointless victory over others , in a pointless battle of various pointless activities ! Have I mentioned the pointlessness ???
Hence my question -“ Whats The Effin' Point??''
In my opinion, College should be all about meeting new people , learning new stuff , experiencing new things and creating memories that you would carry throughout your lifetime , because that's what bollywood has taught me , and however stupid it might be when it comes to other stuff, they got this one right !
Ofcourse, It's a really awesome thing to be the reason behind something and work for a cause, to lead and be admired for your work. But unnecessary groupism, pointless politics , futile fights , loss of trust, friendships and sanity seems to be a big price to pay for this! There is seriously no point in holding grudges towards someone who didn't invite you to some club, or didn't accept your opinion on something or, maybe played some kind of “politics” on you. Eventually friendships break, groups are formed, people start acting like US and Russia in the late 80s, become annoying, querulous and start developing trust issues for absolutely no frickin reason. This obviously ain’t worth it! But hey that's just my personal opinion.
In the end, its not the photos in some college magazine that count, but the memories that we create during the time we have. There is no point in carrying designations of some random committees throughout the years if it leaves you bitter and annoyed eventually. Its just going to spoil the vibe of the college for you and everyone around you.
So, if this makes any sense, maybe talk to that guy with whom you used to hang out in FY, and stopped because of some similar stupid issue and revive your old group again , because Honestly, There is no effin point to all this meaningless fracas and pride !
23. The Makeout Session
What happens when you combine some kisses of love with a kiss of education? Shivani Nair of SY describe how the youth around the country militated to kiss away the sectarian mindset of one society.
One of the most scandalous protests to have kissed our country in recent times, “the kiss of love campaign” pits two Indias against each other. While the youth desperately tries to open the door to freedom of expression, the old and the political try to lock it and throw away the keys.
The kiss of love movement is a non-violent protest against moral policing. It started in Kerala on Nov 2, 2014 at Marine Drive, Cochin, after a series of extremist moral policing by mobs and the police. Since then the movement has rapidly spread throughout the country, but then why wouldn’t it? More than half our population is below 25 years of age, and when has anything moved the youth, more than love!
While scientific studies all over the world show that a hug or the touch of a loved one can result in the release of oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin. It results in a reduction of stress hormones. But they do fail to mention that if you’re living in India it may also result in jail time.
Section 294 (a) of Indian Penal Code states that:
“Whoever, to the annoyance of others, does any obscene act in any public place shall be punished with imprisonment for term which may extend to 3 months, or with fine or with both.”
As our law does not give any definition or guidelines as to what can be considered obscene, even married couples are frequently dragged to the station or courts by our ever vigilant, and proactive police personnel.
Screaming “Its not in our culture” at the educated and informed youth of today, who are aware of everything from the Kama sutra to the sensuously beautiful statues on the Khajuraho temples, is no longer effective.
Our questions are now too loud to be answered with “kyunki yeh Amreeka nahi he!”
Though the movements and protests have played a huge role in people finally acknowledging the problem, it cannot and should not be treated as the solution as well. In our society, where it is only acceptable to mention sex in offensive and stereotypical jokes, people stare at PDA like a starving dog at meat. We have to be realistic. You cannot expect society to change overnight. Gradual change, built on the foundation of education and understanding, leading towards tolerance is the only answer.
So let’s all work towards a day when sex education is more than a myth. And the amazing time travelling senas, from the 18th century, who pop out of their saffron coloured time machine every time someone kisses in India, will just be a tourist attraction and not a social menace.
What is called a "French kiss" in the English speaking world is known as an "English kiss" in france.
24. Prison Year
If I were in a prison for a year...wishes Shraddha Savaliya of FY A strange request no doubt, at first sight, but do read on to find out why.
As stated by the hermits, "Desires are the enemy of human beings". But in today's developed era, it is necessary to have passions and desires. If it is asked to people, where they would prefer to live for a year, the answer will differ for each of them. Some would wish to stay in paradise, the nature-lovers would want to live in the lap of nature, deep into forests, while some pacifists would want to stay at home in peace. Some money-grubbing people would want to earn abundant money in this one year.
If u ask me, what I would love to do in a year, I’ll say “steal the treasure of knowledge”. It's expensive, yet money cannot buy it! It is weird but to steal this treasure I would go to prison for a year. I’m aware it isn't a very desirable place to spend a year in, but still, I love the idea. I also know that I must commit a crime in order to get in there! But if there is any possibility of being in a prison without committing a crime, I'm always up!
Now, what do you think a person can do in a prison for a year? I will just satisfy my desire of reading, getting inspired by biographies and philosophies, enhance my personal well-being with the help of spiritual books, increase my knowledge by reading world affairs, and even entertain myself through a Sherlock Holmes or a Nancy Drew novel.
In this one year, I'll be detached from the world, but in that sheer loneliness, I will find myself. So that when I leave the prison, I'll come out as a whole new person. The one who is happier, wiser and more satisfied than ever before. At the same time I know that a prison is a very dangerous place to be in, but I like danger. I also like to be confused, even embarrassed, because all these troubles motivate me and gives a new direction to my thoughts. So, I always welcome these complications into my life for my own development. Moreover, I would not only get a lot of knowledge, but also, an endless happiness that cannot be described in words.
Though, it is illegal, immoral and almost impossible to have a nice stay at a prison, I do love the idea of it!!!
25. "Sare Jahan Se Achha HINDUSTAN Humara"
India is the greatest country in the world for every Indian. Prachi Sharma of TY will walk the readers through the aisle of her perception of this magnificent nation.
Sare Jahan se Accha Hindustan Humara- This is what Muhammad Iqbal penned down so beautifully that it became Tarānah-e-Hindī. Our Incredible India of 1.252 billion people is the land of Taj Mahal and Tirupati, Amitabh Bachchan and Rajnikanth, Mother Teresa and Kailash Satyarthi. The whole world loves our culture, our food, our very famous film industry and presently our renowned Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. 36% of the employees in NASA are Indians. So is the case with Microsoft. We are the citizens of the nation whose Mars orbiter mission has successfully reached the Martian orbit. There is so much to be proud of this nation. But this is just the pleasant side of the reality. What about the other face of the coin?
Our nation and its situations make females “Ablaa Naari”. A girl even before her birth is under the deadly knife of female feticide. If she is born, there are still homes where she is just a burden. Her every action is judged and every penny spent on her is regarded wastage. If she wears short clothes and is friends with guys, she is characterless. Just because she is a female, people think they have the right to tease her, abuse her and assault her. Still she has to keep her mouth shut as she knows that buying blades and acid bottles isn't illegal in our country for guys. She has to pass the eligibility criterion of a perfect bride, which is still stuck up to fairness, beauty and “Achhe Sanskar”. And then if she is chosen, how can we forget the great dowry system, never leaving the neck of a girl's parents? Whether it is a Ph.D. Scholar Pinky or homely sweet girl Tinky, Dahej should be ample for the groom's family like an amount taken from the bride's parents for her security, safety and happiness. And God forbid, if she gets a divorce or becomes a widow, she too knows that her life isn't a Bollywood movie where a hero would enter the scenario to accept her and give her all the happiness.
We are so modern and our thinking is too forward now. But nobody knows where this forward thinking goes when the “LGBT issue” comes up. Yes, the LGBT issue! A free and democratic country like India calls such a normal thing an issue. Being a Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is next to crime in the minds of these so-called modern citizens of India. There are around 25 lakh people who are gay in India. So are we going to keep harassing them like this forever? Similar troubles are faced by the people in Live-in relationships. The ones who were so proud of being educated and progressive suddenly are seen saying-“Unki beti to badhe sheher mein jake modern hone ke naam pe Live-In mein rehti hai. Chhi!” Had we been so tough towards the rapists and criminals roaming freely, some kind of positive change would have been visible.
We leave behind discrimination by being friends with people of other religion but get back to it by strictly prohibiting intercaste marriages. Love marriages end up near the old banyan trees in the villages in the most dramatic manner with the dead-bodies of the couple hanging on its branches. Their spirits roam around in the vicinity and capture people's soulanother stupid thought- the courtesy of the age old superstitious mentality which never leaves our beloved India, our India of Kundlis and Shagun-Apshaguns.
Going to a relative or a family friend's home where there is a child is like a free entertainment program. The child will be asked to sing or dance on the latest song or show the artwork to you like India's Got Talent Auditions. But when the same child will grow up and ask for permission to become a tattoo artist or a dancer, the age old saying will come- “Log kya kahenge?” This leads us to the “Kuchh to log kahenge” problem. We are so much interested in others' lives and that too in a negative way, the “Nazar Lagaao” way. Everyone has the crab mentality, that if we can't rise make others fall down, creating a vicious cycle where all are in the race to belittle each other. The easiest option anyone finds then is to run away from all this to any foreign country. When Sharmaji-ka-beta goes abroad every next door similar aged guy is cursed for not enlightening the family's name like him. Residing there becomes a matter of pride whether the caliber is being used accordingly or not, the income or job is low profile or not. India has about 2.2 crores overseas Indians. And here far away in India, we sit and debate- Why Brain-Drain is happening?
Ages after getting freedom, it is sad that we are still strangled in the ties of such evils which are an outcome of our own beautiful minds. We have flaws in infrastructure, Government, administration, education, but the biggest flaw is in us, in our mentality. We proudly sing the anthem of our greatness but we are not letting it be the reality. And with this kind of mentality and thought process it can't be the reality in the near future. What we really need to understand is that there is surely some LOCHA here in our nation and in our mind. We have to fix it by changing ourselves first, to curb such foolish thoughts and illogical deeds, so that we actually get to say- SARE JAHAN SE ACHA HINDUSTAN HAMARA.
26. Goodbye to all that...
“A change of heart, a twist of fate”: Neel Duttaroy of TY gives a vivid account of all the tragedies and triumphs, the hooks and crooks, and the thick and thin he has seen for the three crucial years of his college life.
Chilly weather and a feeling of numbness, and here I sit down to write one last time for this magazine. On the roads of nostalgia, the misty moments of everlasting incidents that has completely changed me as a human being in the past three years and has forced me to undergo an utter epiphany. I am undergoing a sudden sense of realization that these sets of emotions have ensured that I end this embarking journey on high notes. Three years back, I entered the gates of this accomplished institution, little did I know that this random decision of my parents will give me a chance to pave a roadmap for my future prospects.
This magazine has been a pillar behind the trivial success story I earned during the past couple of years, so when I sit down and write the beautiful memoirs, it would probably take me heaps of papers to pen done.
I had severe ups and downs, lost the best of friends and earned better ones. I learned that relations that last only during the college days are just a trailer. You learn to understand human psychology without even pursuing it as a subject. You are now ready to enter the OUTSIDE WORLD!!
Elderly People say that these days a student has so many subjects to choose from, opening the wide horizons of wisdom, never do they realise that perception of the parents have not turned the way subjects have. But my parents had different plans for me…
I don't come from those sets of engineers who end up as authors; I ended up doing worse than that. Those moments, when my parents told me to do something I wished to, it got me thinking deep down my brains. A commerce student who aspired to be a Chartered Accountant three years back was now convinced that diplomacy is more important than some hard-bound books of ledger.
Constant travelling, meeting new people, late night dinners and wild socials and celebrations are something I will cherish all my life. The conferences and Model United Nations Committees I've headed or attended have given me the soul of diplomacy, a circle of some eccentric friends and some uncountable golden memories. These experiences have built a new Neel; a Neel who is much more sensitive but even stronger, much sillier but even wiser.
The days I've spent at the college; be it the nerve-wracking lectures, the laughathons at the canteen, the culfests and the carnivals, every reminiscence painted beautifully on these soft pages of my diary.
And after a few months when I will be holding my degree, my face would wear a smile of content that I am not just graduating with some contextual books, but with some valuable lessons of life.
I learned from my seniors whose dedication to this magazine was impeccable. They nurtured their passion as an offspring of theirs and taught us the same.
I was fortunate to have some dedicated juniors; they know how to take the legacy ahead in the most fitting manner possible.
To those dedicated souls in this beautiful college who have helped me always, I extend my heartfelt gratitude and best wishes.
For one last time, signing off as a pupil of some great mentors, as an acolyte to all my juniors, as a friend and guide for all my sharp juniors and most importantly as a STUDENT of this reputed institute…
Celery has negative calories! It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with. It's the same with apples!
27. I am not afraid to Die, but I am afraid to Lose!
Sharing the experiences of her own life , Bushra Kureshi of SY talks about the things that actually matter in life and how the bad experiences in one’s life makes one a stronger person.
This article is about sharing my journey and the lessons I've learned along the way. I'm still travelling and my journey is far from complete. Like every human on this planet, I've had sharp ups & downs. So, I decide to take a dip and share the taste.
I have always wondered about what happens after death. Is there a heaven to secure? Do I have a soul? Am I simply a biological organism that will cease to exist upon death? My questions are normal, the normal questions that we all wonder about; I guess.
Who's afraid of death?! Naht me! The only ‘fear’ I have is the fear of dying too soon – before I could do certain things like say something important to certain people, visit certain places, and accomplish certain goals. My peace with my own impending death came after I found joy and purpose in my life. When I decided to start living, truly living, my fear of dying too soon began to fade. Proudly saying, if I die tomorrow I wouldn't have a single regret.
I started enjoying the real flavours of my life once I poured in the following ingredients:
One – people I love are aware that I love them.
Two – every moment spent being sad is a precious moment wasted.
Three – I do not take this blessed gift of life for granted!
With those three things in place I know that I can die tomorrow without a pint of regret. I still don’t know what will happen when my heart stops beating –but somehow it doesn’t seem to matter so much. What matters is that, I have today and I've to live that to the fullest. Yes! this is what they mean when they say, “Live in the moment.” It’s truly a beautiful state of existence.
And now for the ugly part... the mere idea of losing my loved ones sends tremors down my spine. Some things in life are unavoidable and death is one of them. After all when it comes to life, no one gets out alive. Right?
I didn’t lose a loved one until I was 15. At 15, I felt unprepared for this. I felt paralyzed and afraid when I lost my grandfather. It took me several days to accept the bitter fact. Any day, any time, my nose would wrinkle up and would my cheek turn wet till I cried myself to sleep. I did not know how to handle this bundle of bitterness.
Sometimes, I believe that’s needed. We need to be broken until we're ready to be strong again. Living a life full of joy also means accepting that there will be times in our lives that will not be joyful and that is Okay…
I convict all things happen for a reason. Yet, the very thought of losing a loved one brings me to my knees. If that makes me an overly attached person, I’m proud of being an emotional potato!
As a person who values relationships the most, I truly believe in what ‘Max Lucado’ once said;
“When you are in the final days of your life, what will you want?
Will you hug that college degree in the walnut frame? Will you ask to be carried to the garage so you can sit in your car? Will you find comfort in re-reading your financial statement?
Of course not…What will matter then will be those sitting beside you holding your hand! If relationships matter most then, shouldn’t they matter most now?”
Lastly, I would like to say;
Value each and every relation…because you never know how long they are going to stay with you!!!
Listen to that story, even if you've heard it a hundred times. 'Cause they might not be there tomorrow to tell you any!
Tell them if you're hurt. Maybe you never wake up after you sleep tonight. And apologize; because Maybe when tomorrow you'll want to hug them and say sorry, they won't be there!
Cease the moment and make it memorable. And your life will become more exciting !
28. Shall Shale be a tale to tell forever?
Shayada Bilakhia of TY talks about the recent fluctuations in oil prices the world has seen, the impact it has on Global economy and where does India stands in gaining from the effect it has.
‘The oil Glut’ is a geopolitical issue in a large perspective. However it is not as if the US Government went ‘Eureka’! After all with the advent of industrial revolution itself the mud rocks properties indicated the possibility of converting it into heavy fuels such as petroleum and gas. The testing of the extraction possibilities was already finished by 1980.But now, the US is using its strategic reserves to punish Putin and Middle-East countries. The US could sell oil reserves to depress prices. Obama administration did test this out by selling 5 million barrels of crude, and indicated that had nothing to do with Ukraine. At that time Saudi Arabia indicated that they may cooperate because they opposed Russia’s role in Syria. Many oil analysts said if US uses strategic reserves oil to punish Russia, Texas (a large petroleum producer) will be hit. China is buying Russian oil and they have agreed to finance Rosneft (Russia’s biggest oil producer) debt. China debt rating agency said Russian debt is a safer investment than the US government debt that they control. Russia and China have become strategic partners against Nato.
This also has an effect on India as well, not only from oil prices and financial market, but its reserves in Andhra Pradesh and northeast areas which are rich in Shale rocks. Otherwise why this sudden claims by China (which itself has high Shale reserves after America) over Andhra Pradesh on historical grounds? It is China’s tendency to take everything possible by hook or crook. Now that America has new technology for Shale extraction, China is all gung-ho about it. So India faces it or races it! However uneconomic it may seem but if India comes up with a plan to extract the fuel,these deposits could produce 140 million tonnes per year for 100 years, making India a net oil exporter.
The scorching crude oil price has fallen by almost 50%! This is worrying the OPEC cartel who seemed to call the calls as it had 40% of the supply. Crude oil price is determined on the basis of 1) actual supply and demand, 2) expectation. As the Asian economies were slow in recent times, the OPEC could curb its supply hence increase the oil prices.
Demand is proportional to economic activity. . Demand is low because of weak economic activity, increased efficiency, and a growing switch away from oil to other fuels. Second, turmoil in Iraq and Libya—two big oil producers with nearly 4m barrels a day combined—has not affected their output. The market is more sanguine about geopolitical risk. Thirdly, America has become the world’s largest oil producer. Though it does not export crude oil, it now imports much less, creating a lot of spare supply. Finally, the Saudis and their Gulf allies have decided not to sacrifice their own market share to restore the price. They could curb production sharply, but the main benefits would go to countries they detest such as Iran and Russia. Optimists think economic pain may make these countries more amenable t o international pressure. Pessimists fear that when cornered, they may lash out in desperation.
Saudi Arabia can tolerate lower oil prices quite easily. It has $900 billion in reserves. Its own oil costs very little (around $5-6 per barrel) to get out of the ground but the rest in the cartel can’t sustain this jolts for long. All of these have created volatile swings in recent months. Concerns about ample global oil supplies and the U.S. dollar’s gains against other currencies sent the market back into losses. Oil is traded in dollars, so a strong dollar makes oil more expensive to buyers using foreign currencies. Even the US Shale exporters say that they can function if its $50 a barrel but lower than that would create problem. The price of a barrel today is about $ 46.25. So this seems to turn sour even for the US. The Bankers are parting with the bonds and Shale companies are going deeper into debts. So the question is; shall the Shale shell out on US? Then who will be the beneficiaries? Only time will tell. Yes, but India has only to gain!
29. “Transition was not easy but I believe in turning adversities into opportunities”
Ahmedabad’s cueist Dhvaj Haria, is a youngster of 20 years of age who plays both snooker and billiards, has earned international fame in a very short span. Our students Sarvagya Thapar (TY) and Bushra Kureshi (SY) had a candid chat with him.
1] Why did you choose billiards as a game?
I chose billiards as a game because it’s an individual game and it does not require any partner. You can practice on your own.
2] Where do you see yourself in the next few years?
Next few years are the most important years for my career to take off, as I have been promoted to the senior level. I hope I do well in the national as well as the international level.
3] Tell us something about Pankaj Advani:
Pankaj Advani happens to be an incredible player. He is an idol for youth in cue sports across our country. He is the hero of the current generation; a hero who is a constant source of inspiration and support. He has always guided me in tournaments till date.
4] From snooker to billiards, was that transition easy?
Snooker is the first thing that I learned but fortunately I started playing billiards well. The transition was not easy but I believe in turning adversities into opportunities.
5] Was there a pressure on you, because you were coached by the national billiards champion & Dronacharya award winner – Subhash Agrawal?
Not at all. Subhash Agrawal is like a father-figure to me. He has been my coach since the past 6 years. He is my Guru… success without him could have been unimaginable for me.
6] How did you manage to strike a balance between your studies &your game?
The teachers and the faculty at my school & college were equally supportive and encourage. I have always maintained an equally good score both in academics & my game.
7] A message for the upcoming players:
As it is said Practise makes man perfect, a lot of practice is required in the game of billiards. I practice harder and harder with every passing day. That said I encourage the upcoming players to practise more and more to improve their game.
30. Let’s Football
Rushi Prajapati of FY, a budding footballer talks about the impact this cash rich football league has created.
12 October 2014 was the day when Indian Football was officially born. Personalities like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Hritik Roshan, Ranbir Kapoor, John Abraham, Abhishek Bachchan were all present bearing the colours of their respective teams. Every footballer in the country was excited to see this new face of Indian Football. The Cash-Rich Hero ISL had created a buzz throughout the country. For the first time ever, a sport other than cricket was majorly discussed. Football was on people's minds. As a footballer, it was like a dream come true. Hero ISL didn't only provide entertainment; it provided a platform for the raw talent to shine.
Talking about football in India, ISL isn't the first football league in India. The 'Ileague' was born years before the ISL but it had no influence on the people in the country. ISL was more popular for reasons like Celeb owners, Tie-ups with famous European clubs, famous marquee players in the form of former or current players from European Leagues, International coaches, and obviously smarter and better marketing strategies. ISL provided a chance to the Indian footballers as there was a provision to have a minimum of 14 Indian Players in the 30 man squad of each team, 5 of which should be from the local area the team is based in. When it comes to viewers, ISL had 71 times more viewers than the I-League and was the second largest viewed Sports league in India after IPL. I was delighted to see that there were more viewers of ISL in India than that of the World Cup, this shows that Indian people are taking interest in Football. I feel utterly proud knowing that ISL has recorded the fourth highest average attendance in football club competitions beating the Italian and French Leagues.
Talking about stats, a total of 61 matches were played in the ISL. Out of which 56 were played in a league format and the remaining 5 consisted 2 semi finals, each having 2 legs, and 1 Grand Finale. Atletico de Kolkata played the inaugural and the Final match of the tournament and they went on to be the First champions of the ISL. It was a nail-biting encounter between Atletico de Kolkata and Kerela Blasters in the Final. The match was goal-less for 90 minutes and I thought the game would go into extra time but Atletico de Kolkata surprised everyone in the last minute of the extra 3 minutes of injury time added to the regular 90. Rafique scored an exquisite header to break the deadlock and helped Kolkata seal the all important win in the finale. It was nice to see the shortest player on the field to score a header that won them the tournament. The tournament saw some mind-blowing goals from players like Elano, Bernard Mendy, Anelka, etc. Brazilian Elano from Chennaiyin FC was the top scorer of the tournament whereas Indian Sandesh Jhingan was felicitated with the emerging player of the tournament award. Goa FC had the most clean sheets in the tournament, seven to be exact.
The ISL wasn't only about stats, It was about the money too, yeah. The champions, Atletico de Kolkata were given a hefty amount of INR 8 crores, whereas the runners up, Kerela Blasters were given INR 4 crores and the other two semi finalists were given INR 1.5 crores each. ISL is the second most rich sports league in India after IPL.
ISL fared very well to everyone's surprise and has now provided such a great platform for footballers in India. Thank You, Nita Ambani. People in India didn't believe earlier that this tournament would be such a huge success and oh, I am so happy they have been proven wrong. Let's hope such a franchise opens doors for the talented footballers in India and let's hope Indian football makes it mark on the world. Let's give Europe some competition. *wink*
31. RED BULL KITE FIGHT 2015
As reported by - Daman Mahajan
Ahmedabad got wings this January because of the RED BULL KITE FIGHT. When it comes to kite flying, the enthusiasm of ‘Amdavadis’ is unparalleled. For this very reason, red bull decided to find the most skilled kiteflier from the city of Ahmedabad. RED BULL KITE FIGHT 2015 was organized over three days during 9th – 11th January, 2015.
“Those who last, come first.” Sounds like a lazy man’s motto for a twisted version of a relay race. Red bull kite fight follows the same motto but with a lot more ambition.
On the first day red bull team went to the old city of Ahmedabad, in the century old locality of Manek Chowk.
The second day red bull team went to HL COLLEGE OF COMMERCE, where red bull had gotten its own wings to give the students energy to remain equally zealous throughout the festivities. The energy drink brand knows how to reach out to their target audience and it is evident from the fact that the students of HLCC got a chance to watch ‘red bull mini cooper’ in their campus.
The red bull team succeeded in giving a good start to the festivity spirit in the college campus.
European stunt biking champion, Aras Gibieza was also present at the event to witness this fascinating sport.
For the last and the final day of the Red bull kite fight 2015, the campaign moved back to the old city at Manek Chowk. As the shadow grew longer, so did the length of the maanja; and closer the team got to determine who’s the best kite flier in the city. The passion, enthusiasm and the skillset of the people of Ahmedabad has truly left everyone in the awe of this art form! The Red bull kite fight 2015 came to an end with its winner but the Amdavadis were still preparing for their grand finale - Uttarayan!
Keep Flying and don’t forget the battle-cry; KAI PO CHE!!!
WHAT NOT TO DO @ HL…..!!!
Most of us have spent around three years in college, and we certainly know what we shouldn’t do here than what we should….
Here are some of them-
Never make fun of people; they will take their revenge shortly. Stay away from fights/gossips as much as you can – all though all of us love it. Always put your cell-phones on silent mode, unless you want everyone to hear your funny ringtones. Don’t ask stupid questions, but I know it’s fun. Never ever do proxy in class, unless & until you love the attention of everyone. Don’t trust anyone & everyone in college, because sometimes even your best friends can become your worst enemies. Don’t correct your Professors mistakes. Never come to college smelling like a beast. Attend classes; even if you love the fresh air at plaza ;)
Avoid bullshit, take chances and never have regrets…Nothing lasts forever, so live it up!!
By,
Bushra Kureshi & Susan Pinto
32. Act of Survival
Severe violations of human rights have turned the existing act of AFSPA controversial. Ayush Marodia of TY gives us an insight of the situation and the laws in it.
AFSPA -ARMED FORCES SPECIAL POWERS ACT.
CAME INTO EXISTENCE on 11th September 1958
It is a law with just six sections granting special powers to the Indian Armed Forces in what the act terms as "disturbed areas".
"Keeping in view the duty of the Union, under Article 355 of the Constitution, inter alia, to protect every state against internal disturbance, it is considered desirable that the Central government should also have power to declare areas as 'disturbed', to enable its armed forces to exercise the special powers". The territorial scope of Act also expanded to the five states of the North-East namely, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and to the Union Territories of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. In addition, the words, "The Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Act, 1958" were substituted by "Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958", getting the acronym of AFSPA.
AFSPA is one of the most controversial acts in the Indian constitution which invites differing views from people all around, right from political parties to international organizations and NGOs. However it cannot be denied that AFSPA played an important role in crushing the rebels in north-east and in calming the situation in Kashmir valley. The first instance of AFSPA was in Assam and Mizoram in 1958 followed by Punjab during the Khalistan movement and after that in 1990 in Jammu & Kashmir.
More often than not it is found that powers given to arm forces under this act, are misused and abused by them. The act has been criticized by Human Rights Watch as a "tool of state abuse, oppression and discrimination" which as the current situation goes, is sadly a grim reality.
A high-power commission headed by the retired Supreme Court judge, Santosh Hegde was constituted on January 2013 to probe six encounter deaths in Manipur. The judicial commission set up by the Supreme Court is trying to make the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) more humane, and the security forces more accountable. The committee has suggested fixing a time frame of three months for the central government to decide whether to prosecute any security personnel engaged in extrajudicial killings or unruly behavior in insurgency-hit regions. The Commission noted that AFSPA was an impediment to achieving peace in regions such as Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast. The commission also said the law needs to be reviewed every six months to see whether its implementation is actually necessary in states where it is being enforced.
About Section 6 of the act, which guarantees protection against prosecution to the armed forces, the report said: "It is not that no action can be taken at all. Action can be taken but with prior sanction of the central government”.
THE UNITED NATIONS
When India presented its second periodic report to the United Nations Human Rights Committee in 1991, members of the UNHRC asked numerous questions about the validity of the AFSPA. They questioned the constitutionality of the AFSPA under Indian law and asked how it could be justified in light of Article 4 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ICCPR.
On 23 March 2009, UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, asked India to repeal the AFSPA. She termed the law as "outdated and colonial-era law that breach contemporary international human rights standards."
On 31 March 2012, the UN asked India to revoke AFSPA saying it had no place in Indian democracy. Christof Heyns, UN's Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial summary or arbitrary executions said, "During my visit to Kashmir, AFSPA was described to me as 'hated' and 'draconian'. It clearly violates International Law. A number of UN treaty bodies have pronounced it to be in violation of International Law as well."
33. No Strings Attached
Susan Pinto of TY has beautifully depicted her thoughts on how we should try not to get emotionally attached with our human bonds…
We humans are tuned in such a way that we love and care for those who are close to us. We do everything possible in our capacity to keep them happy. We seldom think twice before putting their wish and happiness before ours. Somewhere in our hearts we seek happiness in their joy. And in these times, we are the most 'selfless' individuals. We give way more than we have;we do things beyond our capacity. We are ready to cross oceans and move mountains for them. And we expect the same love and care in return.
The problem starts when we expect the same things in return. We expect the opposite person to be like us and do things that we would whole heartedly do for them. And when they do not meet our set standards or expectations, we get hurt. We start to wonder about our importance in their life. We wonder if even they would be willing to cross oceans for us. We wonder if we ever meant anything to them. So to say the least, our 'love' comes with ''*'' – a terms and conditions apply tag. We often forget that every individual is different. And that is why we try to judge them with parameters that we've set for ourselves.
As kids, we were often taught in our 'moral science class' that every individual is unique. Obviously, you wouldn't be happy if someone is your exact copy in any way. We all know this, but we kind of forgot it when we left school. Some of us can express ourselves easily. But some of us just can't get ourselves to express or convey what we feel. Some of us are outgoing and friendly, but others may take time to be able to express happiness or hurt. So maybe one person may regard something as good, but at the same time someone else might not find it conducive. But this doesn't mean that those who can't get themselves to express their love and care easily don't feel anything. Of course they do, but they choose not to be so open about their feelings and choices.
We don't open up to anybody and everybody. Probably we're scared of being misunderstood, scared of being hurt and alone or maybe just scared of being rejected. Somewhere our own insecurities and doubts hold us back. Maybe we're too scared of being attached. Someone once told me: “never get attached to anyone or anything, learn to let go”. But my only argument was how do you not get attach to someone or something? Should you like stop and become anti-social? Because maybe if you do nothing you might not end up getting attached to anything or anyone. (And I know that's not possible right) Then how do you do it? It is like doing something that has the power to hurt you, but not actually giving it the power to do so. A Metaphor.
There is this universal rule: Everything that comes together falls apart. And we need to understand this. If we deserve something, it will come to you. But of course you need to make efforts to achieve it. And after a point, you need to let things unfold on its own. Ever heard of karma? She has a strange way of coming back and gives you what you deserve. So keep sending out love and happiness in the universe, and see how this comes back to you in abundance. Always believe that if it's meant for you, it will come back to you sooner or later. So keep smiling through the confusion and live life by one rule: No strings attached! Stay happy !
China invented ice cream, and Marco Polo is rumoured to have taken the recipe (along with the recipe for noodles) back with him to Europe.
34. THE FASHIONISTA!
SonamKapoor, the one who puts Bollywood- in front row of international fashion. She puts the model into role-model for fashionistas… In her recent movie, “DOLLY KI DOLI”; She is playing a titular role of a runaway bride…
As interviewed by
Devang Parmar
1) It is the dream of every Bollywood actress to work with the khans..& you've got the chance to work with the khan brothers: Salman & Arbaaz khan.. What is your feeling about that?
Ans: It feels great to work with both Salman & Arbaaz Khan. Arbaaz is the producer of my current movie, “Dolly kiDoli” and my next movie which is coming up is with Salman Khan. Both of them are very kind-hearted person to work with..
2) Are you planning to work on a biopic of someone?
Ans: Right now I cannot speak about it because it's still in planning process… & I don't know if I am going to produce or act in it..
3) Are you planning to also work in television series, like your dad?
Ans: Right now I am only focused on my upcoming movie with Salman. And I have never thought about it, so will see if I get a chance in future..
4) How was your experience working with Fawad Khan?
Ans: It was an amazing experience working with Fawad. The story line was great, so we've had an amazing time working together. He is also fun to be around.
5) Any fashion tips for my college students?
Ans: Wear what you are comfortable with. Everyone is unique & different, so don't try to imitate anyone..Wear what suits you & looks best on you!
35. Open Letter to the Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister,
The Government of India.
Respected Sir,
Hearty Congratulations on being elected as one of the most powerful and undisputed leaders of the Party in Power! I am a responsible and devoted citizen of this country and therefore I bring-forth my concerns and views here. Though you are working in the Central Government for the first time, yet what it seems from my perspective; you have put up commendable performance. I think your performance has been very effectual. You being a common man yourself have done many uncommon things and we expect you to do many more. I think your view of common citizen like me will advocate you better for future decision making.
There are certain issues wherein you have to take steps boldly, one such case is that of eliminating the system of Reservation. I know this is a big and risky step for you, especially when it comes to support of minorities. But what you must look at is the larger picture i.e. justice to all. It is true that certain sections of the society were underprivileged earlier, so they were given special importance in form of chances and reservations. This was due to they were financially and socially backward. But now many of them are not backward in any aspect, yet they enjoy such significant benefits. So do you think that it is fair that the people of present and future suffer? A famous person has said “We are products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it.”
Another serious issue is that complexity of tax structure. The implementation of GST is a hoe obviously in this case. But it is a fact that we are still following the tax structure introduced by British People, of course with a lot of amendments of our own. It has utmost complexities in it which makes development of business slothful.
The other thing is about our education system which manufactures cramming parrots. It is saddening to present to you that our education system does not test student's calibre but by hearting capacities mostly. It is grave fact that our country produces most learned person but are they sufficiently educated? It is one of my suggestions to include the basic curriculum of ITI in the high school studies. This will develop practical knowledge in students. It will be great if
the whole assessment process is reviewed and modified in a way that the talent is identified and promoted.
Make In India is a leap forward. It seems that this project itself will propel the country into another league with double digit growth. “Futurists don't consider overpopulation one of the issues of the future. They consider it the issue of the future.” Well said by well-known author Dan Brown. The quote is absolutely relevant to India. The population of India is the problem and also the solution. However, in the aging World we have t h e Wo r l d ' s l a r g e s t y o u n g population in India. European Union is seeing a long slump, its population consisting mostly of retired, increasing infertility, decreasing growth, is a major worry of the economists. China is one of the largest producers; it has been enjoying economic growth, though, it is also faced with aging population problem. This shows fair chances to India to attract what it needs the most- Investments.
Modi Ji it is commendable that you started the campaign of “Swatch Bharat” but I doubt its success. Just by appointing Ambassadors, campaigning only brings awareness which is of course necessary but that does not make citizen responsible. The defaulters should be punished and the punishment should be adhered to without any relaxation. This may ensure a clean India up to certain extent.
All system and programmes succeed depending upon the honesty of the people who lead it. The whole system will be futile if the officers remain corrupt. I hope that during your governance this aspect will be taken care of as cleanliness of mind and soul is as important.
As I am an enthusiastic and optimistic youth of India, I strive, you strive, we strive for a better India. The almighty may shower upon you all the Success and Luck and expect that under your regime our Country generate ways by converting weaknesses into strength for others to follow.
Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!
Yours faithfully,
Shrilakshmi Nair, SY
36. The Future is Here !! Digital Cross Media Design & Entertainment is the next Career buzz word amongst the young of India!!
Ninad Shastri - HLCC Alumni - Director, - Xplora Design Skool
A lot has changed in this millennium; the pace at which the confluence of art, science and technology is happening is unprecedented. And what is interesting is the rise of communication, design and digital media, not just as industries in themselves but how they are impacting this very confluence. A small example is our mobile phone, how one device today plays multiple roles in our lives and how each one of us loves the look, feel and this exchange between a human and a machine.
Cross-Media Design celebrates the multidisciplinary humans and the everyday life line of how our social eco system works to be recreated through the use of multiple platforms and design project which primarily highlight the role of Design as a problem solving tool. This means it transcends the areas of social science to cinema to animation to theatre to art to music to light to photography to performance to editing to writing and all come together with the power of digital technology for communication. The Indian content industry has doubled its revenues to nearly $1.5 billion by 2010 but is still hampered by lack of skilled manpower. At the close of 2015, the industry will have room to accommodate 3,00,000 professionals. At present only a little over 20,000 professionals are working in this techno-creative field.
This includes Digital Film, Animation, Visual Effects, Digital & 3D Graphics, Interactive Media, UI & UX, Gaming for Mobile and Console platforms, Comics, Print & TV Media, Mobile Platform for Education, Entertainment, Content & much more.
Xplora Design Skool India’s Premier specialized Digital Cross Media Design Education Company is championing this very cause by a comprehensive and in-depth research of the Indian education landscape. The research spanning over the last decade suggests. “A tremendous growth in the content development sector requires fresh and engaging content for the masses at the same time students ready to work on contemporary domains. New generation of Indian students are anticipating growth opportunities in this sector. They are equally fascinated by the various cross media disciplines. Similarly there is a great need of a program that can bring together international best practices – local industry needs – students aspirations and the culture of India.”Xplora Design Skool is an ISO 9001:2000 company present at 125+ Campuses in India & China.
Over the last 15 years 60000 + students have been trained and got their first Job for which Xplora received the prestigious “Shiksha Bharti Puraskar” 2009, and, ‘Indian Leadership award for Education Excellence’ 2010 by Indian Economic Development & Research Association for excellent curriculum and courses. Xplora offers the only International pathway program in Digital Media (Animation, Graphics, Web) in India, and, has collaborations with Red River College Canada, Chitrakatha – National Institute of Design. Xplora programs are also running in Guiyang, China.
Honey is the only food that does not spoil. Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs has been tasted by archaeologists and found edible.
37. Memories Revived.....
That endless laughter at the canteen, sending chits behind the teacher’s back and whispering, trying to copy during a class test , the wild birthday celebrations and howling songs in free classes... School reunions make us no lesser than time travellers. Darshi Budhbhatti of FY relishes this experience of reliving those golden memories.
Today was the only day when I was excited about going to school. Yes, today was something different, something awesome. Instead of wearing a uniform, I wore a party dress and instead of those oiled, double-plaits, my hair combed in a pretty manner. I looked at myself in the mirror and started reminiscing about the past. It has been two years since I completed school but it seems just like yesterday. I used to come up with stupid reasons just to avoid school but eventually, things became normal and school became my second home. Today, it was time to visit my second home again, not as a student but as an EX-student. (I cannot describe how painful it is to say EX)
The re-union was arranged by the school management and I was sent an invite two weeks prior to the function. As soon as I read the invitation I felt butterflies in my stomach and I instantly decided that I will attend this function NO MATTER WHAT. I started recollecting those heavenly days spent in school. Best Friends, never-ending chats, eating food during lectures, which actually was my favourite activity, lovely and supporting teachers and the games we played. Oh! Tears started rolling down from my eyes as I remembered all those days.
In the evening, I finally left for school all set and went through the same route as I did earlier when I was in school. As I reached my school all my memories of the place were revived, the huge school gates, the corridors we used to run and play in, the benches where we used to sit and study and the canteen, which was always crowded. All of it made me realise what I had left behind in life. I missed those days, my friends and I was so happy to see them again.I really felt happy seeing my old teachers again. The teachers we used to dread were now very special to me in a way. I don’t know how I will ever be able to thank them for everything they have taught me. During my school days, facing these teachers seemed to be a living hell and I always pictured them as scary people who tortured me. But today, I stand in front of them believing them to be the Angels, who helped me to come out of the darkness of illiteracy. Today there was a change in their behaviour too. They didn’t look at us as students anymore, but as responsible citizens. I don’t know why but I missed their scary side.
After meeting everybody, we had a group photo with the principal and teachers and then we headed for the dinner. While having dinner, we recalled all those crazy things we used to do. The secrets we used to share as best friends, all the ‘secret crushes’ we had and the ticklish feeling we got with one smile from that special person, the lectures we used to mass bunk to go to the ground. We never understood the value of those golden days when we were in school and today I could see in everyone’s eyes that they all longed to attend school again.
Time flew so swiftly that I hardly noticed that it was 10 pm already and it was time to depart. I did hate this part because I had to leave,I was not able to express myself because I knew that if I would speak a single word, I may lose control over my emotions and start crying. I greeted everyone with a formal goodbye and then left for home.
On my way back home, it was getting really difficult for me to hold back my emotions so finally I let them out. I stopped for a while, cried my heart out, and then sat there for sometime in night’s tranquillity. The day for which I was waiting desperately was now over, unfortunately. I had to come out of my dream world and go back to the reality. But the moments spent in those couple of hours would be etched in my memories forever and ever. I was happy that I went to the re-union. It made me re-live all those memories. Those memories which had been long lost in this mad rush of life.
38. Victimising The Victim
Behind all the glitz and glamour, behind all the make-up and debauchery, behind that smiling, inviting face; there’s a woman craving and screaming to live a life of a homely, socially-accepted lady. Annie Jha of SY here, has tried to give us a glimpse of the lives of these victims; the prostitutes.
“We came to India to find a better future, not to be prostitutes. No child or woman would want to be a sex slave and endure the evil that I have gone through. I am in fear of my life more than ever. I helped put these evil men in jail. Please help us, please help me. Please do not let this happen to anyone else.”- These are the words of Rabiya, a trafficking survivor. There are so many other Rabiyas we don’t know about and we never even think of.
The trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation is a high-profit, low-risk trade for those who organise it, but it is detrimental to the millions of women and children exploited in slavery-like conditions in the global sex industry. There is mounting evidence that the trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation, with its concomitant human rights abuses and health consequences, is a significant problem in India.
Sex slavery is the worst form of human rights violation and the largest organized crime committed against humanity. A ten billion dollar industry which can easily be coined as ‘Modern-day Slavery’- Rape, the most heinous crime next only to murder, as it is considered, is in fact more monstrous, for apart from causing physical wounds, it leaves the victim with severe irrevocable emotional stabs.
The status of women in India, both historically and socially has been one with respect and reverence, but the hard truth is that even today, they are struggling for their own identity, shouting for diffusion of their voices and fighting for their own esteem. Every day, they cross among the fears and fraught for individuality. A prostituted person who has been trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation, who has been defiled by hundreds of evil souls is stigmatised and victimised in our society. Why the society’s block does not accept these victims as their own and give them a chance to bring back their life on track? The society takes away the right of dignified living from these trafficked prostituted people. They are just mere statistics to us, about whom we as a society can only talk, have debates and endless, conclusion less discussions. We do not want them working at our homes or our offices. The victims of such heinous crimes need our compassion and empathy and most importantly, acceptance as a part of us.
We, the so called, society needs to stop VICTIMISING THE VICTIM, and ply our mind for that one way which can give acceptance to these victims and pull them out of the darkness of deception, fraudulence and force.
39. The NaMo Effect…
2014 was a remarkable year in its own kind, the political transition that took place once again proved that why India is termed as the World’s largest democracy. Devarsh Trivedi (SY) takes about the man who harvested the success by winning clear majority in Lok Sabha elections.
India is supposedly the largest democracy in the World. Election is an integral aspect of its personality as a democratic nation. Here, leadership is for the people, by the people. Each election leaves behind its essence in form of memory. So did the last LokSabha election. It showed a whole new facet of Indian Politics. Media played a very urbane role, covering each and every turn of event. The election also created quite a stir in international media as well. Entire sphere of media was covered with Modi. In fact, the whole nation had and has only one name on lips Modi!
So what happened on May 16 of 2014 ? In one word, Modi. According to me, 2014 summer was a glorious summer for Indian politics and her 1.2 billion people who embraced a leader, who hitherto was considered as divisive and a communal figure. The NDA led by Modi recorded a whooping win in 336 seats and its opposition Congress was left with meagre 44 seats out of 543.
The Congress and other regional parties were withered away in this tsunami of Modi wave which they constantly denied. The newbie AAP which projected itself as the sole party against corruption, managed to get only 4 out of 432 seats it contested. The prominence of concept of coalition was weakened to its core as BJP got 282 seats. This record breaking mandate for BJP meant that it was able to dictate the terms on its own and did not need to pacify the other smaller and regional parties in order to come to power. This was very important as over dependence on smaller and regional parties resulted in hindrance in implementing key policies and economic reforms as it was seen in previous governments. Moreover there was a feeling of pride and optimism in heart of every Indian that a leader who rose to the power from his own guts and skills managed to become the leader of the largest democracy in the world. Just ask for yourself, how many people ever followed the elections with such enthusiasm before ? How many people ever saw a speech made by PM during his swearing-in ceremony ? The youngsters who usually used to stay away from political happenings followed these elections with great attention and zeal. The social media was buzzed with political updates. People who were long fed up by the Congress led UPA government found new hope in this leader who promised jobs and to take India to new heights. Modi’s election as the prime minister was a manifestation of people who were yearning for change. For a country struck in pessimism, Modi symbolized optimism . The fundamentals of Indian politics changed dynamically. After coming to power, he made a major diplomatic push by reaching out to neighbouring countries including Pakistan and inviting the members of SAARC countries them to his swearing-in ceremony. It aimed at increasing India’s influence in the region. Friendly relation with neighbouring countries is important. So first he visited Bhutan and then Nepal. It was important as no Prime Minster had ever visited Nepal in last 17 years and with growing influence of China in the region, it was necessary to be in good terms with all these countries. After that there came a series of foreign visits to Japan, United States, Myanmar, Australia and Fiji.The idea behind all these visits was to generate maximum investments in country and to kick start the economy which was in shambles and also to get help from foreign countries for his dream projects like ‘Clean Ganga’, ‘Bullet Train’ and others. Even his critics won’t argue with the fact that Narendra Modi drove foreign policy like duck to water. Unlike earlier, now entire world sees india story in a hopeful way instead of depressing way. He made a major diplomatic coup by inviting US president Obama to be chief guest during Republic Day parade. Troubling Pakistan too was effectively dealt with. He made it clear that India wants peace but not at cost of her people’s lives. The ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces were dealt more aggressively and politics of just condemning the attacks were put to rest.
While he contributed more time to his foreign policies, the country’s internal politics was also undergoing massive changes. In Maharashtra and Haryana, BJP went on to form the governments in spite of no big local leader to bank on. The elections were fought with Modi at centre and were managed brilliantly by his right hand Amit Shah. It was evident that Modi phenomenon was pushing its political opponents towards political irrelevance. The real reason for the Congress failing to such low was because of their attitude. They failed to realise that the country was yearning for change. While Modi fought elections on basis of his agenda of good governance, Congress fought on criticising Modi for reasons so foolish that they lost considerably. While for the Congress there is much to introspect, the BJP can roll on to its Modi juggernaut for a while if it promises to live up to the expectations of people.
The Fabulous Feat’s
ACADEMICS
Mansi Mevada has been awarded the Shri Karamshibhai J Somaiya Medal by the Gujarat University for securing highest marks in Statistics subject at the Gujarat University TY BCom exams.
Ipsa Patel topped the Gujarat University and has bagged the Shri Hargovandas Lakshmichand Medal for securing highest aggregate marks at the Gujarat University MCom exams.
Khushboo Shah secured 15th Rank at the All India Level in Company Secretary Executive exams last year.
SPORTS
ROLLER SKATING
Anoli Shah represented India at the World Championship 2013 held at Oostende, Belgium. She was the only skater from the Gujarat State in the Indian Team.
RIFLE SHOOTING
Sheraz Vakil represented India at International Pistol Shooting Competition held at Germany during April 2014.
Kaizad Dastoor represented Gujarat at National Rifle Shooting Competition held at Delhi.
CRICKET
Raxlee Taylor was selected in the 30 members squad for U-19 World Cup Championship. He served as the captain of Gujarat State in U-19 tournaments.
Karan Patel, Chintan Gaja, Dhrushant Soni represented Gujarat in U-19 tournament.
TENNIS
Vidit Vaghela participated in ITF Junior Grade Tournament at Thailand. He also participated at the U-18 open National Tournament held at Delhi and at AITA National Tournament at Mumbai.
Vaibhavi Trivedi participated in AITA National Tournaments held at Pune, Secundarabad and Mumbai, she also represented the country at the International Tournament at Aurangabad.
BADMINTON
Adrian George participated at State Ranking Tournament at Baroda, Gandhidham, Surat, Ahmedabad & Bharuch andvwon the singles title.
Ansh Khanna participated at State Open Ranking Tournament at Ahmedabad, Surat and Gandhidham at West Zone Tournament at Raipur as well as at Senior National Tournament at Delhi.
ATHLETICS
Dhwani Trivedi represented Gujarat for West Zone Tournament.
Pinkal Chauhan she represented Gujarat for Under 18 National Championship held at Guntoor.
Ritu Prajapati, Mr. Rushi Trivedi & Mr. Parth Kapadia represented Gujarat for West Zone Competition held at Baroda.
TABLE TENNIS
Kushal Sangtani represented Gujarat for 75th Senior National & Inter-State Table Tennis Tournament held at Patna, and at West Zone National Ranking Tournament.
Hely Shah represented the State at major ranking tournaments held at Anand, Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad, Godhara, Baroda, Surat. She also participated at the West Zone at Gandhidham, East Zone at Siligudi, as well as represented the Gujarat State at 75th Senior National Tournament held at Patna.
SWIMMING
Nihal Sinh Saxena represented Gujarat State for All India Sea Swimming Competition of 36 kms, he also participated at the senior state tournament.
BASKET BALL
Fatema Masvi represented Gujarat for 63rd Senior National Basketball Championship held at New Delhi, 28th National Federation Cup tournament held at Ahmedabad, where she was captain of the team, and at Gujarat Women Festival at National Level in Basket Ball.
Paridhi Gaglani was selected for Women Festival at National tournament in Basket Ball.
Vyoma Upadhyay was selected for Junior National Basketball tournament.
ORATOR’S PODIUM
Ashima Minocha bagged the first prize at Vijay Padma Elocution Trophy and Mahatama Gandhi Elocution Trophy.
Neel Duttaroy secured third prize at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Vijay Padma Elocution Competition.
Hardi Nanavati and Siddhida Modi bagged the first and second prize respectively at India Essay Writing Event organized by Shri Ram Chandra Mission & UN Information Center for India and Bhutan.
RAINBOW PALLETE CLUB
Priyanka Chauhan bagged the first prize at Collage making organized by GLS College of Commerce.
HARMONY MUSIC CLUB
Stuti Karani bagged the first prize at National Level Singing competition held at Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, she also bagged the first prize at Raga ‘N’ Rock Solo singing held at H L College of Commerce.
Sampada Desai and Stuti Karani bagged the second prize at Raga ‘N’ Rock Duet singing competition held at H L College of Commerce.
Praveen V R, Hait Parikh, Anmol Shah, Shail Mehta and Krishna Bodiwala bagged the first prize at Raga ‘N’ Rock (Western Band) held at H L College of Commerce.
Divya Manikandan, Avi Makkad, Neel Salunke, Harnish Damor, Ashish Harsolia, Mrinalini Mishra, Anjali Ramchandani, Delsy Shah, Aneri Gohil, Yash Dave, Kushal Singhvi, Karan Rathod and Divyesh Patel bagged the first prize at Raga ‘N’ Rock Dance Competition and second prize at Razmattaz Competition held at BK Majumdar of Administration.
Akash Trivedi and Devarsh Trivedi bagged the second prize in the Quiz competition organized by KK Shah Jarodwala College.
MODEL UNITED NATIONS
Neel Duttaroy bagged the Best Delegate prize at BITS Model United Nations, Pilani 2014 held at Pilani, Rajasthan.
