Volume No.2
Issue No.1
CLICK ONLINE: themileage.org
June, 2015
Guwahati
themileage
Total Pages-24
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The Mileage June, 2015 ADVISORS Talmizur Rahman, Chandan Kr. Goswami Nurul Islam Laskar
Editorial
CONSULTING EDITOR Aniruddha Laskar
One successful year of THE MILEAGE
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CONTENTS
he Mileage, which was launched on 7th of June, 2014 by veteran journalist Sushanta Talukdar has completed an eventful one year. It had a humble beginning with limited resources and man power. The idea behind starting this publication was conceived together by few individuals who are the products of the Dept. of Mass communication of Gauhati University and Tezpur University. Due to the lack of adequate experience and financial insufficiency, continuing and sustaining this monthly news magazine which is also available on e-version format was a big challenge. But, may be due to its uniqueness and quality of the content, the intelligentsia immediately noticed it and started contributing to it. In today’s date The Mileage carries write ups sent by prolific writers from across the globe. Though, the inept handling of the marketing department has failed to pull the attention of the people at large, The Mileage certainly has carved a way and has been able to establish itself as one of the notable and important publications published from Guwahati. The salient aspect about The Mileage is that, excepting a few most of the team members are students from some leading Mass
Media Institutes of India. They work as interns and every intern has catapulted The Mileage to a different level. As the most of the contents cater to the need of the youths, The Mileage enjoys the leadership base amongst this vibrant and energetic section of the society. Considering all the necessary registration and recognition both nationally and internationally, most of the leading universities and colleges of North-Eastern states of India have subscribed this monthly publication annually. Besides, it is gradually making inroads into other states of India and abroad. On the occasion of one successful year of its continuation, a program titled Enkindle, 2015 is scheduled to be organized on 7th of June, 2015 at Guwahati District Library. It would be a daylong program and starts from 10 am onwards. All the readers of The Mileage are cordially invited to the program and are requested to be a part of it. The entire team of The Mileage extends its heartiest gratitude to the advisors, consulting editor, readers and all other people who are associated with it on the occasion of its first anniversary. Keep believing, the team behind The Mileage will continue unleashing the best.
THE year gone by... 5-8 TMN
Women and society 13 Padmaja Choudhury
CAREER
PEOPLE AND PLACES
YARDSTICKS FOR CHOOSING A CAREER 9 Banani Das Chowdhury
EDUCATION
QUEST for PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY 10 Prof Dr. (Mrs) Minati Das
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bijoy Ghimire EXECUTIVE EDITOR Deepa Kumari Basfore, Anupa Lahkar Goswami CHIEF SUB EDITOR Poulami Chakrabarty SUB EDITOR Milton Alam, Saibal Krishna Sharma, Rudhir Prakash Sarma ASST. SUB EDITOR Dhriti Haloi, Paridhi Agarwal Correspondents Delhi: Debarati Das, Mumbai: Pranami Das Kolkata : Moonmoon Chakrabarty Bangalore : Banashree C. Chakrabarty Siliguri : Subhajit Ghosh, USA: Doleswar Bhandari UK: Kamal Bharati, Australia: Tuman Dahal Nepal: Sanjay Ghimire, Shillong: Rikhiya Chakraborty CREATIVE HEAD Bishnu Saikia PRO CUM LEGAL CORRESPONDENT Swapnav (Mausam) Jyoti Baishya Saud GRAPHICS & DESIGNING Himangshu Lahkar Maqsood Ahmed FOR ADVERTISEMENTS Guwahati : Vivek Borah +91-98648-09333 email: themileage.ad@gmail.com Kolkata : Papan Chakrabarty +91-8486810143 Delhi : Lekhnath Atreya +91-7834811100 Siliguri & Gangtok : Sandipan Pandit +91-94348 03210 CIRCULATION Manoj Sarma +91-8404020042 Amit Baruah+91 8011810143 Pradeep Chetry PHOTOGRAPHY Uddipta Sankar Pathak, Akash Harizan, Sandip Ghimire Letters to the editor can be sent at editor@themileage.org or themileage.tab@gmail.com Articles and the feature write ups are invited and can be mailed at editor@themileage.org
OPINION
COVER STORY
An Incredible journey of Amar Bharati 15 Poulami Chakraborty
LIFESTYLE
DREAM DATE 17 PRASANTT GHOSH
ENVIRONMENT
Dear editor, The article ‘Literally getting raped’ by Deepsikha Chetri published on May issue in your esteemed magazine has touched upon some vital aspects of rape. It is a bold article and I applaud the writer for taking on the issue so blatantly and directly. Riya Upreti, Gangtok
OTHER REGULAR FEATURES Editorial page 3 MUSIC 18 EVENT 19 ENTERTAINMENT 20 PICTORIAL 21 CHAT ZONE 22 COUPLE of the month 23
EARTH SHAKING MOMENTS 12 ER SUMAN GHIMIRE and ER CHANDAN PANDEY
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Sir, The Music page of May issue is so engrossing and enlightening. I want to know more of such talents and artists from North East as well. Martin Pator, Shillong
Dear Sir, The pictorial page of last month’s issue is breathtaking. Being a small time photographer myself, I have become a big fan of Debraj Chakraborty and would love to work with him some day. Dipankar Sharma , Guwahati.
© All content of The Mileage, such as text, graphics, logos, button icons, images, data compilations is the property of The Mileage. Copying any portion of the content or reproducing it in any other form is not permissible in any part of the world. # The views or opinions expressed in the magazine are that of the authors and other content providers. The editor of this magazine does not necessarily subscribe to all the viewpoints presented by them. Published and Printed by D.P. Upadhyaya on behalf of M/S THE MILEAGE from H/N. 39, By lane no.1, Ananda Nagar, Near Hotel Grand Starline, Guwahati -05 Email: info@themileage.org, themileage.tab@gmail.com, Contact no: 03612349928, 8876752400
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COVER STORY
The Mileage June, 2015
The year gone by… THE RAGGING CULTURE Talmizur Rahman
Deepa K. Basfore
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ith the admission season coming in, it is obvious that Ragging would also make some headlines as it did in the past. Ragging is by no means a tradition or culture in the college as people say, but it is rather a menace which is spreading its root because of the insincerity of the college/university authority. To understand the scenario in the Indian Colleges and Universities, let us take a look at the recent data. Crime Diary, 2015
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xactly a year back in its first issue, The Mileage carried an article titled ‘Oh Guwahati! My Guwahati!’ by this writer where the floodless state of affairs in Amsterdam, a flourishing sea-side city below the sea level, was highlighted. Written during the pre-Monsoon period, the write-up was on the dot in pointing out that it was primarily the unplanned growth of the city of Guwahati, thanks to the GMDA and the GMC, accompanied by flow of hundreds of crores of rupees down the drain through all possible means, that have led to the city literally getting lapped in a vast sheet of flood water, stretching for miles, during monsoon. Over the years, the authorities seemingly relied on Sun God to control city floods despite worsening of ground reality year after year. It was only after the devastation caused by the city floods last year that the Government initiated some measures while making bombastic promises. However, old habits die hard. A recent premonsoon shower had the effect of washing away the tall pledges made by the Government. Resident of localities like Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar et al, who had to bear the curse of the city floods for years, suddenly found themselves stranded amidst a vast watery blanket after the shower. Likewise, the sub-standard quality of work undertaken came to light with the collapse of a guard wall. Yet the high ups in the bureaucracy had the temerity to say that they were ‘happy’ with the on-going work. If one pre-Monsoon shower is enough to cause flood havoc, one shudders at the thought as to how horrifying the situation may be when the Monsoon is all set to go showering with fury in the coming days. One can only visualise an unprecedented watery doom likely to strike Guwahati in the next few months. However, one thing is sure. The big wigs will continue to claim success in controlling city floods. Indeed, it is time for annual prayer to Sun God.
May 2: Second year MBBS student of medical college in Agra was beaten up by a fourth year student. May 13: Three students of a college in Kerala fell victims to ragging where one 19 years old was grievously injured. May 15: Howrah’s IIEST blacklisted five for ragging May 16: Six resident doctors booked for ragging junior in Kanpur This statistics definitely raise concern for the newly admitted students and not just the students but also the parents remain tensed because of this menace. Though in college, ragging can be checked but the hostellers definitely have tough nights during the early months of the session. Most of the hostels are not monitored by the wardens, and during late night the seniors take advantage of it. No wonder, a constant vigil during the nights in the hostel campuses and an easy access to the faculty members or the college authority can
also help the freshers in the colleges. In Assam, an initiative was taken by the National Student’s Union of India (NSUI) by providing the numbers of the police station of each district to the students through the media. Those numbers could also be used for registering ragging cases. However, a poor promotion of the numbers and the negligence of the police department did not do much to solve the ragging issue. And this incident proved that there is a need of an aggressive action towards this crime. Interestingly, Madhya Pradesh which has recorded the highest number of ragging cases in the recent years has planned to launch a mobile app to curb the menace. The mobile app will be launched with next academic session across the state. Identity of the student will not be disclosed during initial investigation. Once the charge is proved, stringent action will be taken against the perpetrators.
Educating The Sexes Aniruddha Laskar
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re we ready for sex education’ apropos a cover story that we carried with our August 2014 issue, received wide critical acclaim from our readers. Are we really ready or are we really serious enough to impart education about this grave issue for the budding adolescents, has made many rounds. In India there is a common perception that we don’t hesitate to have sex but to talk about it in the open can be considered as a
blasphemy. In India, 47% of girls are married before the age of 18, according to UNICEF, and 28.5% of women report a first birth before age 18, the United Nations Population Fund said in its report in 2013. Despite this, sex education is not a part of the school curriculum in most parts of India. Last June for which we carried this issue as our cover story, the then-health minister Harsh Vardhan came under
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COVERSTORY
The Mileage June, 2015
STANDING BY THE THIRD GENDER Poulami Chakraborty
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fire from the national media because of a statement on his website saying that socalled ‘sex education’ in schools should be ‘banned’. According to news reports, Dr. Vardhan later clarified that the statement referred to a 2007 Adolescence Education Program launched by the previous Congress-led government to provide students with better information about sexual and reproductive health. The controversy the program generated led to its intermittent implementation across Indian states, and most schools offer lessons in self-discipline — or nothing at all — as the only form of sex education. Sex education in India is now-
a-days being outsourced to non-profit or private organizations because the Indian government is relinquishing its responsibility to a great extent. Private schools that have sex education as part of its curriculum tend to call in someone else rather than leaving it to their teachers. Many privately run schools have counselors, but because it’s such a taboo topic in Indian culture, kids don’t want to talk about sex and sexuality with their teachers. Come what may, the time has come for a country having 50 percent of its population below the age of 29 to speak out and not just experience it without knowing the outcomes.
SILENT VICTIMS OF RAPE Poulami Chakraborty
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ith a new development seen on the topic of male rape, which dates back to 17th May 2015 where in Seattle a woman who was charged in 2013 with rape of a sleeping man has been found guilty by the court and thereby putting the woman behind the bars with due punishment. Research says any rape victim needs extensive counseling and support irrespective of their gender. When man rapes man, victims dare not report it, law will not recognize it and the public will not understand it and amidst these circumstances often the crime gets
buried in silence. There is a report of a male rape way back in 1992 where a 29 year old man opened the door of his flat in Don caster to a man he knew, who was 27 years old who produced a knife and ordered his victim into his bedroom. He raped the victim twice in three hours and thinking about it in every way is so absurd. Rape of man has been a brutal and heinous crime which has time and again been found to be committed mostly during the wartime or political aggression in many countries as Chile, Greece, and Croatia etc. Sexual molestation plunged on men are a matter taken for granted owing to the popular myth that men are fond of sex and they welcome it from anyone they get which is completely wrong and bizarre. Men are the worst sufferers as they cannot share their story as the society will not accept them with their share of pain. Even men are human being with a heart as the women have and so do they feel the pain and humiliation, it is the care, acceptance and love that they need to encounter the tragedy.
GBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender), a tabooed topic in India found its place in the February issue of our magazine ‘The Mileage’ comprising the facts and data related to this genre of the society. Freud throughout his research has scientifically maintained that third gender is a normal biological affair with the only difference in the number of cases. Being a third gender is at par as being a male or female, where the former is rare to hear and the latter is a natural phenomenon. This topic remained under the veil of conservativeness which has never solved the problems generating from this issue to the extent that people belonging to this group contemplates over the suicidal attempts, dives into the whirlpool of depression, reclusion and many other related tribulations. There have been many cases where the youngsters unknown of the third gender issue and related facts have either shunned themselves or have proscribed those who belong to this genre. Of recent, May 19 2015, there has been a case of an Indian mother advertising for her gay son in leading national English daily seeking a ‘groom’ for him. This went viral on most of the social media with people opining dividedly. Time is progressing and so are the thoughts of urban populace but yet the core of LGBT issue needs more time, tolerance and understanding as this is not merely a sensitizing matter but something that human being go through both physically and mentally.
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COVER STORY Aborting a fetus
Poulami Chakraborty
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ost difficult and gargantuan task for any women is to undergo abortion or to take the decision of the same. Abortion is a traumatic medical experience which often disrupts normal
The Mileage June, 2015 life of women and men associated with it. There are many factors that revolve around aborting a fetus. Many circumstances lead to such decision. Sometimes they are genuine and sometimes hypocritical. As the data says, about 36 to 53 million women go for abortions worldwide per year, about 1,50,000 women die of unsafe abortion and for India the statistics are higher where about 7 million abortions take place of which 2/3rd are conducted out of health facilities. As per the Census, 2011, abortion rates in Assam are as high as 73.9% out numbering many states in the country. India is home to the most maternal deaths in the world and that 50% of the fatalities are in 19 - 24 years. The number of women with an unmet need for family planning is projected to grow from 900 million to 962 million in
2015. Medical Terminating of Pregnancy (MTP) Act has been implemented since decades but only laws and statistical data cannot make people aware of the effects, do’s and don’ts etc; they must be taught or informed about all positive and negative medical, social and financial conditions. Dr. Anudhriti Dutta, consultant gynaecologist in one of the leading maternity hospital says, “Every woman should know when they want to conceive, she should be the major decision maker in bearing a child. If required a couple should go for counselling before family planning.” She adds, “Sex education should be made compulsory in school curriculum so that teenagers are well informed about the biological, psychological and medical implications of sex.”
unsponsored likes. Thanks to the social media which spread the word in the entire nation and invited many more protest from other parts of the country. Students from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi joined the protest and apart from the police, Bajrang Dal, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chased them. In Kolkata, Jadavpur University came forward to join the protest and gave a tough time to the moral police. The protestor from Bengaluru and Mumbai
also expressed their protest against moral policing in large numbers. Because of the restriction on the protest many places could not express it on streets but joined the battle in the social site. Various people from every nook and corner of the city also showed their support to the protest in the social media. The supporters asked reasons for not demolishing Khajuraho which has signs of love in every corner or disrespecting lord Krishna and Radha. Kissing and hugging is not a crime under Indian Penal Code and as per the judgment given by Delhi High Court and Supreme Court, no criminal proceedings can be initiated against those who publicly express their love and this law is well known by modern Indians. The arguments of the young generation cannot be rejected so, does it imply that we should accept their actions and allow them kissing and hugging on streets. Well, that is to be decided by each of us keeping in mind the last statement by the youngster which was –‘we are coming back soon for more’.
Deepa K. Basfore
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iss of Love apropos our cover story for the issue of December, 2014 was notable in myriad ways. While every issue has its own importance, this issue was the beginning of a clear conflict between the modern and old India. The modern India which protested against the moral policing by kissing each other in the public in the streets of Kerala and the old India was restricting the action by all means. Gunde Ho Ja Taiyar, Tere Samne Karenge Pyar was the slogan chanted on the streets of Kerala, where the youth gathered, while the people from different political party were shouting “Save the country from immorality”. The youths gathered there, following the request of a Face book page called ‘Kiss of love’. The popularity of the page can be determined by the fact that the page has more than 1.2 million
JUSTICE FOR JUVENILES Deepa K. Basfore
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n recent years, we the Indians, have come across many debates. Debates where sometimes the debater even sprays pepper that too in the parliament and sometimes they walk out and leave the show. Even after all these we still wait to listen to the conclusions of these debates. Apart from price hike, land swap deals, women empowerment, there is one more topic which has constantly been debated and that is Juvenile Justice Act. The term juvenile means immature or childish, and the act definitely deals with people who are childish or immature in the
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COVER STORY civil society. Now, the most important issue in this act is to determine the maturity age and deal with minors who are in conflict with law. Since 1985, the Indian Government has kept the age below 16 which means a person under 16 cannot be sent to jail if he or she has done a crime, instead such juveniles would be sent to a correction home to be reformed. However, the law was reformed in 2005, and the age was made 18 from 16.
The Mileage June, 2015 The December 16, Delhi Gang rape case has once again questioned the juvenile age as one of the rapist was just six months short to be 18. While, it was mentioned by the police that this juvenile who is in the correction home was the most aggressive out of the six, the Indian police have also shared the fact that many misuse the law after doing heinous crimes and these juveniles also become a threat to the society. There has
Changing political equations of Delhi
been 132 per cent increase in case of attack on women by juveniles and this is really a serious concern for the society. Keeping this issue in mind, the juvenile justice act has now been improvised and a new bill has a provision that allows juvenile accused aged between 16 and 18 years of heinous crimes like rape, murder, etc., to be tried under the Indian Penal Code, i.e. laws under which adult offenders are tried.
Poulami Chakraborty
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second chance given to AAP government in Delhi has been a mirror hold to the new arena of politics. It showed that apologetic approach and confession has worked for them like a magic wand for the party which registered a historic win of 67 seats out of 70 seats in the Delhi Legislative Assembly of NCR region. Perhaps, other factors too were responsible in this remarkable victory with Kiran Bedi being a weak contender and a distraction within the BJP. And amidst all these the key factor being the youth participation it became the trend to talk the
politics among the youngsters. Students mainly participated in the campaign of AAP which was mainly based on low costs and more technology oriented. It showed a new way to the advertising world where spreading the word has been innovatively utilized. As surveyed by one of the national media, 49% of the electorate supported and encouraged the government while 40% are not satisfied with their performance and rest 11% opines that they are not at all good. With some promises kept and some broken this government has more exams to pass before the final report card comes out.
BEWARE, INTROSPECT AND DECIDE... Banani Das Chowdhury
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he first step to a bright career is the right decision to it. When it comes to getting admitted in an educational institute, many go by the ‘Reputation’ factors which are of three kinds - Word of mouth, Academic history or Hype. With choices wide in choosing an institute, it’s needed to be cautious to choose over the crowd, the one best suited for one’s career goals. How to look for the right institute? Before getting admitted anywhere, a student should introspect over the factors
- understanding the course; seeking help from experts; enquire from alumni of the institute where one desires to get admitted; get aware of the placement records of the institute; prefer not to go out for study, until required; check for the infrastructures of the institute, not to believe blindly the myths; seek web help to check for affiliations and various features of the institute; locate yourself wisely to an institute in a place where job opportunities matches with your subject of study etc. It’s important to gather knowledge regarding the central; state; deemed; private universities in the country before deciding the right institute. Education is not just a local but global phenomenon. The edge to a global over local degree marks a great distinction in terms of job market. The reasons unmatched infrastructure; advanced labs and research facilities etc. It’s the age of globalisation. In recent years, Indian students, seeking global degrees are increasing in strides. Most preferred locations are US and UK, but Canada, Germany etc. too are flourishing with Indian students. Many students belonging to the Northeastern States of the country are lacking behind in awareness and encouragement compared to the metros, big cities counterparts; about the right global institutes; the courses; the visa and other formal procedures; eligibilty criteria, awareness about undertaking English proficiency test - IELTS; TOEFL etc. The need for global education consultants; Study abroad fairs and seminars; Govt, NGO initiative etc. are a welcoming step to induce awareness and widen the opportunities for NE students for global education. It’s the key time to take the right decision regarding education and career for the students. Take into considerations the various parameters before selecting the right ‘course’, ‘institute’ and the ‘place’ for your dream career.
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CAREER
The Mileage June, 2015
YARDSTICKS FOR CHOOSING A CAREER
Banani Das Chowdhury
“T
he two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”Mark Twain. Making a career choice, often confront us asking such testing questions - what I want to be; what to do in my life; what’s my passion; priorities in life etc.? On what basis to make career choices? What do we want our career to provide us? What’s our definition of “career” and its “success” - passion; prestige; creativity; freedom; values; contentment; philanthropy; economic stability; parental expectations; professional growth and achievements; family responsibilities etc. or a combination of all; some of these? It’s extremely crucial to identify one’s goal of profession and the parameters of work accomplishment. Without arriving at this, it’s difficult to make the preferred choice. Upasana, a teacher from a reputed educational institute thinks, “If a student is matured and couragious enough to take their own decisions, then follow accordingly.” Courses catering to specific interests are ample. While some are confused to choose over multiple interests; some stuck with parental/guardian pressures; some struggling to find out their purpose and for some earning bread and butter for their pursuit. Discovered your interest? The next step is to find –what’s its career route;
educational institutes to learn the skills; job market; research on the web, ask experts, known sources, the industry prospects, job profiles, salary etc. It’s also important to make sure it’s a passion and not your hobby. Hobby gives relaxation; passion keeps you going. Many parents, well wishers counsel us against the insecurities often in following one’s “unconventional” interests as opposed to security of a stable job or prestigious profession. Sometimes family’s economic status becomes the deciding factor in pursuing one’s career ambitions, agrees media professional Siddharth, “Passion can be pursued by those who have a strong support system around them, both in terms of money and emotion.” Mr. Chakraborty, an enthusiastic parent and a retired banker feels, “One should follow one’s passion whenever they get the chance for it. Age is no bar.” It’s essential for Supriti, an anxious parent and teacher, “Everyone should do their job, not sit idle;
great if it matches with passion.” One’s definition of what their career should provide them is imperative in choosing and sticking to a career. Runima, a professionally trained pilot and currently working in a public sector bank expresses, “A secured job to support family is my priority, so I had to leave my passion.” After a year of medical coaching and hard work, on facing the challenges in the form of being in ‘waiting list’ for two and half months without taking admission anywhere, testified the determination for her zeal; Soumistha, a medical student recollects, “Faith in God has helped me overcome the obstacles in my path to reach my goal, parents although not sure of my success, set me free to follow my will.” Haven’t explored what you desire to be? Don’t waste time in waiting, nor despair. Keep following your curiosity. Sometimes career aptitude tests help. Sometimes career choices happen progressively. Siddhi, a B.Tech student adds, “I haven’t identified my craving yet, now doing engineering. I believe taking gradual decisions in career, if sometimes I find my desire, can go for it or at least follow it side by side, provided I can.” Some advocates “Dont follow passion”. Some believe that the moment passion becomes one’s job, it kills their interest. Some support the “practice rule”, those state that instead of looking for passion in work, whatever job one takes, if deliberately works hard on it, becomes better skilled at it, so enjoy and develop passion about it. Some recommend that its effort not passion that sustain career graph. It’s arguable what best and worst career decision to follow is. Soumyadeep from his experience of about a decade of working in animation industry discusses, “My passion for drawing with professional training transformed my career. I had struggled a lot as its highly diverse and skilled field. With advancing technology, I have had to keep abreast.” He further adds, “Passion’s drive remains but new things get added everytime according to the market needs, I adjusted my satisfaction in my own way.” Lots of factors play role in making career selection. Career satisfaction and success connotation varies from person to person. Examine strategically all the pros and cons before taking the step. The choice is yours and so all attached is fulfilling your responsibility.
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EDUCATION
The Mileage June, 2015
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QUEST for PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY
Prof Dr. (Mrs) Minati Das
Prof Dr. (Mrs) Minati Das graduated from Cotton College, and did her M.Sc. in Geology from Gauhati University. She started her career as Reservoir Engineer in ONGC. In 1985 she started her teaching career by joining the Department of Petroleum Technology, Dibrugarh University. Since then, she has been involved in teaching and research in the field of Reservoir Engineering. She did her PhD in Petroleum Technology from Dibrugarh University.
Prospects of petroleum technology courses In this modern age, we cannot think even an hour without power. People have really become power hungry, as they are now habitually using the up to-date technological tools in their day to day life. It is an established and well known fact that energy is the fundamental need of any society. Per capita energy consumption is rising steeply. It is mostly the third world countries with developing economies and huge population where energy demand is increasing at a faster rate. That is due to the combined effect of prosperity, globalisation and adaptation to modern lifestyle. As the economy grows, demand for hydrocarbon escalates. More than 42% of the commercial energy consumption in India is met by oil & gas. India’s growth is inextricably linked to its exploration and production of oil and gas. To meet the current demand of energy we have to import nearly 80% of the crude oil consumed as on today. India’s crude oil import bill was around USD 144 billion
last fiscal. The country aims to reduce its imports by 50 per cent by 2020, 75 per cent by 2025, and eventually achieve selfsufficiency by 2030. In the last 50 years, the oil and gas sector has taken massive steps to meet the growing energy needs of the Indian economy. To reduce imports, India needs to take up aggressive exploration. According to the Petroleum Ministry, out of 205 billion barrels of estimated hydrocarbon resources, until now, only 73 billion barrels of oil and oil equivalent gas could be established through exploration. And to meet the present goals, the
industry requires quality human resources with clarity on basic principles and with vast technical exposure. The challenges on Exploration activities demand huge pool of geo-scientists. The different subjects of earth sciences like Geology, Geophysics has marked a high demand due to this mining and exploration activities. Mineralogy, Geo-chemistry, Ocean Technology, Seismic are becoming very important fields of expertise. Many universities and IITs are focusing on earth sciences and environmental sciences now a days. Petroleum Technology courses also become hot and sought-after courses in last decade. Previously ISM, MIT, Pune and Dibrugarh University was known for this petroleum industry specific courses. But, during the last decade and due to the exploration boom in India started with the NELP, multi-national companies also started operations and talent pool was on demand with lucrative offers. This made many private universities also to come up with the Petroleum Technology specific courses. Like in Dehradun, University of Petroleum and Energy studies, in Gujarat, Pandit Dindayal Petroleum Institute, In Rae-bareli, Rajiv Gandhi Petroleum Institute has been established to meet this demand for human resources. Some of these courses are of Diploma, Degree, Master Degree and also Management Degrees on Oil & Gas sector.
CAREER
The Mileage June, 2015
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can start their entrepreneurship venture. Professionals may also find lucrative jobs in private design consultancy firms, theaters, and exhibition organizing companies. The public sector has a great demand for interior designers. Public institutions, such as town planning bureaus, metropolitan and regional development departments, and public works departments have a need for the expertise of interior designers. Interior designing, as a profession, offers excellent prospects for individuals who want to work part time, aspire to be self –employed , or want to start their own business.
Remuneration
Padmaja Choudhury
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ost of the board results must have been declared by now, and of many who are reading this article might be perplexed about their future career options. Do you like decorating your room? Do you have a keen interest in transforming a simple place to a beautiful one by adding extra zing? Or do you have excellent color combination sense? If, to all the questions, the answer is ‘YES’ then this is the right section you have fixed your eyes on. Interior designing is a course that teaches to make the optimal utilization of available space in a more functional way with the taste and budget of the client. The demand of interior designing as a discipline is not confined to urban multiplexes anymore but has rapidly spread to small town and cities across the nation. Various reputed institutions all over India offer study programs in interior designing. In interior designing, one has to work extensively in a wide range of areas. One has to look into the construction and finishing of materials, lightening, paints and colors for the walls, tiles for the floors, panels for the roof, etc. Selecting and placing indoor objects of utility and decoration.
Course Details
Different colleges have different course structures, in some colleges interior design is offered as a specialization in four year Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program which
can be pursued immediately after 10 + 2. Five year professional program in interior designing is also offered in the School of Interior Design at the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT), Ahmedabad. Minimum requirement for entry into the program is 10+2 with science subjects, which is named as B.Sc in Interior Design. Apart from this, various courses like Bachelor of Interior Design, Master of Interior Design, Master Diploma in Interior Design (MDID), Postgraduate Diploma in interior Design are some major courses conducted by most institutions, which require a minimum qualification of 10+2, or even higher as per the needs of the respective course and institute. Along with the above mentioned primary courses, many private learning institutions, meanwhile, offer certificate courses, vocational programs, and computer aided programs in Interior Design, whose minimum requirement is Secondary School Leaving Certificate(SSLC). In addition to professional qualification, knowledge about Vaastu and Feng Shui can be very helpful in making a bright career in this field.
Career Prospects
Employment opportunities for interior design professionals are plentiful in india. Graduates from interior design courses can find gainful employment with independent architects or in large architectural firms, building contracts, hotels, and resorts or
Salary packages for interior design professionals differ greatly due to a number of factors. Their specialization and the size of the firm where they are employed also play a major role in determining their pay scale . Depending on these factors, fresh graduates may receive a monthly salary of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 8,000. Barnali, a graduate from Bard’s Institute of Interior Designing mentions that having a 3D max diploma is an added advantage. She says,”a fresh graduate can hope to earn upto 10,000 rupees. Starting from this base salary, they can work their way up to Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 75,000 per month when they get well established in their field.
Skills required
• Scientific aptitude Ability to deal with technical details Drawing aptitude Ability to work as part of a team Colour sense Ability to work in a given budget Good communication skills Analytical mind Knowledge of trends Visual sensitivity Knowledge of textures, materials and trends There are however many difficulties in this field. )) It is seen most people, without the degree open offices and give clients all those designs that are already available in Internet. )) Most of the architects can do the work that is done by the interior designers. Hence, many interior designers suffer a loss as they can’t legally do the work of an architect. )) It may take quite some time to get established in this field. Different from regular traditional courses, Interior Designing will definitely boost up the creativity hidden within you. It’s ultimately your passion and interest that will pull you up to your desired field.
ENVironment
The Mileage June, 2015
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EARTH SHAKING MOMENTS LET’S GO FOR A SAFE ENVIRONMENT
Thousands of people have lost their lives in the deadly earthquake of Nepal. ER SUMAN GHIMIRE and ER CHANDAN PANDEY suggest some tips on how to be safe during such disaster. PREPAREDNESS MEASURES
A) Pre-Disaster measures Awareness Campaigns Development of emergency plans Evacuation planning Warning systems Land use planning B) Emergency Phase
E
arthquake literally refers to earth shaking or ground movement. It is a phenomenon associated with ground movement resulting from sudden or abrupt release of immense amount of energy. The science of studying earthquake is referred to as earthquake engineering or seismology. The April 2015 Nepal earthquake killed more than 8000 people and injured more than 19000 (officially). It occurred at 11:56 NST on 25th April with a magnitude of 7.8. It was the worst natural disaster to strike Nepal since 1934. Thousands of people were homeless with entire villages flattened across many districts of the country. Geophysicists and other experts had warned for decades that Nepal was vulnerable to a deadly earthquake, particularly because of its geology, urbanisation, and architecture. Tremors were felt in Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh,Gujarat and New Delhi. 8.1 million Nepalese were affected by the deadly earthquake. Bureau of Indian Standards, based on the past seismic history grouped India in 4 seismic zones. Zone 5 (v) is the most seismically active region while zone 2 (II) is the least. The Modified Mercalli (MM) intensity, which measures the impact of earthquake on the surface of the earth, broadly associated with various zones, is as follows:
Zone ii(low intensity zone)
VI(OR LESS)
Zone iii(moderate intensity zone)
VII
Zone iv(severe intensity VIII zone) Zone v (very severe intensity zone)
IX(OR MORE)
ZONE-V comprises of entire Northeastern states of India, parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, parts of North Bihar and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Further, as a part of pre-disaster preparation measures, Government of India has also completed seismic microzonation of studies of some of the major cities in the country such as – Guwahati, Shillong, Jabalpur, Bangalore, J&K, Chennai and Sikkim. The main cause of large scale devastation is the improper seismic design of buildings. Points to be kept in mind while designing structures: a) Plan and elevation of the building should be as simple as possible with minimum irregularities in shape. b) Use of light weight construction materials along with adequate strength should be preferred than routine traditional construction. c) Use of ductile materials for the
Do not panic Take cover: Go under a table or other study furniture Move away from windows, mirrors, and heavy objects If you’re on bed, stay there & cover yourself with pillows and blankets Do not re-enter damaged buildings C) Post Disaster Do not spread rumours Help injured and trapped persons Be prepared for aftershocks Return home only when authorities say it is safe Keep the first aid kit construction of buildings should be preferred as they have better energy absorbing qualities. d) Special emphasis is to be given to the design of structures i.e., foundation, because failures in most of the cases can be attributed to the failure of soil on which the foundation rests. e) Poor quality of construction materials, faulty workmanship, lack of maintenance and inadequate design of structures is also responsible for damages during earthquakes. Thousands of innocent people have lost their lives in many devastating earthquakes due to ignorance, negligence & lack of technical knowledge of building contractors. Earthquakes do not kill people but it is the structures built by the people do so. Earthquakes are not predictable………. Stay safe
OPINION Padmaja Choudhury talks about ubiquitous inequality between two sexes in the Indian societies and staunchly advocates for the urgent need to empower womenfolk so as to eliminate the regressive perception that a woman’s primary job is to take care of the household chores.
The Mileage June, 2015
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Women and Society
S
ince our childhood, we have read that Indian women held a high social standing during the ancient times and that their status degraded only after the Muslims invaded India. If Indian women had such high standard, I think it won’t have been possible for us to get characters like Sita and Draupadi. The elite women in this subcontinent were always the ones who were educated and entered politics and other important matters. Taking just a few women into account cannot give us the true picture of women in general. From the evolution of society, men and women have been assigned different tasks. Sex being the easily distinguishable criteria was widely used for segregating duties, work and even emotions .Even now some people argue that this was a
very organized plan; it left no room for error and hence socially desirable. It can be counter argued by giving the example of caste based work segregation. If the sex segregation work, then so should have caste based segregation. The caste based system didn’t work and hence neither will be the sex based work system .Each one of us has a mind of our own. No one enters into the world by learning beforehand the work he/she has to do. They are taught in their life span and hence accordingly they are molded. Patriarchy is prevalent in most of the world’s societies. This social set up affects both the sexes. It teaches the girl to feel inferior less powerful and be subordinate and the boys to be dominating, strong and emotionless. During marriage, the girl goes to the groom’s place and she takes his surname, caste, religion and everything that comes along with it. There will be only handful of girls who would like to keep her maiden surname and not take his surname. Moreover, there will be less number of boys to be okay with it. It is to be noted that here, I am not in support of matriarchy. If taking someone’s identity does not hamper the self identity of the girl, then why should the male folk don’t do that. You know just for a change. Men will find this concept irksome. Though all these identities don’t make a person, it is seen that males attach too much unnecessary importance towards it. The society didn’t give priority to women’s career. If the male member misses his child’s birthday due to work issues it was totally fine but it was
unthinkable if it was done by the mother. People say mothers give birth to their babies and hence they should spend more time with their babies. It really doesn’t make much sense. Women may give birth but that is no reason to impose nearly the entire child raising activities to the mother. Nowadays, it is seen that dads are also playing an important role in the child’s early years. However, there is still a lot of work to be done in changing the people’s perception. Many people think that western dresses are the reason for growing number of cases of molestation and rapes. Rapes are only done by the ones who are mentally ill and that’s really it. Short dresses are never the reason . Lets face this, our Indian sari is far more seductive than short pants or skirts. Moreover, wearing pants is not strictly western but a modern thing. Women in the western countries had worn gowns that were heavy and really uncomfortable. Pants were taken as it gave freedom of easy movement to the wearer. In a society, there are hundreds of minds. Each mind will think differently. The important aspect here is not being adamant but to have an open mind that can harbor new ideas and thoughts. Society can’t benefit if only a segment of the population get all the privileges. A more equitable distribution of education, wealth and power will help social institutions like marriages and families become more stable and happier. The writer is a student of the Dept. of Economics, Gauhati University
opinion
The Mileage June, 2015
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BREAKING NEWS OF NEWS BREAKERS
Bikash Chetry
J
ournalistic integrity is based on the principles of truth, accuracy and factual knowledge. It varies diversely from print publishing to electronic broadcasting, newspaper, television channels to well past web and digital technology. Journalists are the people who are responsible for dissemination of information to the public about the ongoing situations in a country, a state or society for the betterment and uplift of the society. But in doing so, a journalist often faces many problems that cause threat to their life. This happens particularly in a conflict zone. While many of the journalists from various parts of the country have developed their career reporting conflicts but many of them have also sacrificed their lives. The same has happened and is still happening in the states of the Northeast region and Jammu & Kashmir. The Northeastern region of India comprising of eight states and without an iota of doubt is often considered as a conflict zone. Many of the journalists of this region have lost their lives due to lack of safety and security. The governments along with the media organization are to be held responsible for this. This is not a contemporary issue but this act of violence has been observed since 1990’s and even today it is in full swing. Many terrorist organizations, goons of politicians and businessman have killed many journalists in this region and justice for their murder is still pending since the insurgents are impossible to arrest and punish. 32 years old Tongam Rina Associate Editor in “Arunachal Times” was shot at in close range by suspected militants on July 15, 2012. Her only fault was that she wrote against the NSCM (IM) and participated against the construction of dam for which she almost lost her life. Police were unable to nab the culprits and they still roam freely in the state. 29 years old Thangjam
Nahoa Singh, a reporter of the local news channel “Prime News” was video graphing the protest that refused to simmer down near Imphal. The police opened fire at the protestors. Singh paid the price for trying to capture the police “shoot-to-kill” rampage. Trapped between protestors and police he kept shouting that he was from the press but to no avail. He went down to a hail of bullets. These are just the cases in point. Due to the lack of social security and threats of militant outfits they work under severe financial constraints and many of them don’t even have an appointment letter. Only three newspapers so far in the eight states of the region have implemented the Majitha Wage Board Pay Scale. Most of the state government has not even initiated the tripartite committee for the implementation of the wage board. Despite this, they go out in the field and have to cover activities of militants who don’t even hesitate at the slightest provocation. “The Assam Tribune” including National Dailies like “The Times of India”, “The Telegraph” gives medical coverage to those who are on their pay roles. Not even a single vernacular daily provides journalist with any sort of insurance cover. The security
situation in Manipur is grimmer. Nearly 38 militants group run a parallel government and journalist has to tread gingerly on a rope where every string has a different ethnic identity like Metei, Kuki, Thangkul, each wanting to present their own viewpoint. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has only aggravated the working conditions for journalist in Manipur. It is not surprising to hear a journalist being picked up or harassed by security forces on charges of alleged links with those militant outfits. In Assam, more than 24 journalists have been killed since 1991. Notably none of the culprits have been arrested in any of the case. The state has more than 30 vernacular dailies and half the number of English dailies but the working state of the majority of dailies is in a deplorable condition. Amazingly, Assam scores the highest in the list of journalist casualties among all states in the trouble tornregion. The trend started in 1987 with the killing of Punarmal Agarwalla, a local correspondent of the “Assam Tribune” in Nagaon by militants belonging to the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). Four years later, the militants killed a veteran freedom fighter –turned –journalist cum teacher Kamala Saikia on 9th August 1991 in Sivasagar. Prominent human rights activist and Executive Editor of widely circulated “Asomiya Pratidin” Parag Kumar Das was killed on May 17, 1996 by suspected surrendered militants of ULFA. The year 2007 witnessed the killing of Bodosa Narzary in Kokrajhar. The editor of “AJI”, Anil Majumder was shot dead in Guwahati by unidentified person in 2009. It was followed by the killing of B P Talukder in Nagaon in 2010 and Raihamul Nayum in 2012. Thus, in this way many journalists have doomed their lives in an attempt to bring reforms in the region. The deteriorated condition of the journalist in this region can be enhanced if and only safety and security is provided to their lives. We should welcome the initiative taken by the journalist of the entire NE region to form Northeast India Federation of Journalist (NIFJ) for their safety and security working in the hostile condition of NE Region. Also, the step taken by PCI of sending a team to Assam to check the safety of journalists is an encouraging step which will ensure peace of living another day albeit hardships of having a poor pay package.
PEOPLE & PLACES
The Mileage June, 2015
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An Incredible journey of Amar Bharati Poulami Chakraborty chronicles here the remarkable journey of a young entrepreneur who achieved stupendous feats at a young age and has set a benchmark to be followed by all the young entrepreneurs out there...
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August 2007, a date when a boy from Jiribasa, Karbi Anglong, Assam landed on the soils of Delhi with an unknown fate and a mere borrowed amount of Rs. 700 and went on a journey deployed with much toil and twinge. Amar Bharati may be still an unknown name for many of us but his silent hard work is now making the much deserved noise in Delhi as he became the youngest CEO. Alone he started a company where he employs almost 100 people and along with that have done BBA and MBA balancing both business and studies. Are you thinking that I will be serving at you a story full of tragedy and misery, a story with wishful thoughts unfulfilled and stuffs of similar kind? I am sorry, here I will disappoint you by presenting something that will make you have faith on yourself and will encourage you to indulge in dreaming BIG. Amar Bharati studied in the government school in his village and later moved to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) to pursue his higher secondary in science. He wanted to become an engineer and that too from not any other college than IIT. On 10th Aug, 2007 boarding the Brahmaputra Mail, the young lad reached Delhi to prepare for coaching for IIT along with job, which was not possible from his village. In Delhi, Amar started working for a Hotel as a Front office manager and after th
“North-east is much in demand as the scenic beauty and sites are still unexplored and people like adventure. We are keeping it in our future plans for Kaziranga and all parts of Assam.” doing four such jobs, he diverted the job into sales and marketing for the purpose of earning more. Working for Hotel in sales did not give him flexibility, so Amar started freelancing. It was tough enough in the markets of Delhi corporate to bring in businesses for the Hotels, but slow and steady with his amateur expertise he was doing good. His family became financially dependent on him, hence venturing into engineering was a closed option for him, instead he opted for BBA. The business slowly was flourishing.
Amar now started freelancing where with his already established contacts he was giving business to most of the hotels of Gurgaon (Delhi NCR). He was earning quite good, hence Amar started his own company named Asian House India presently known as Asian Suites Hotel in August, 2008. In a year, he turned himself into an entrepreneur. All this while, Amar was both working and studying at the age of 18. Studying has been the integral factor in pushing him towards money which is otherwise nowadays – people study to earn money but Amar earned money to continue his study. Once again, he dreamt of higher studies and wanted to go for MBA in overseas universities and thereby he continued saving money. But the thought of losing the goodwill and market that he has already built up dragged him to complete his dream in India. Meanwhile, he started his second new company in outsourcing industry in Finance and Accountancy domain catering mainly to Europe, The Netherlands market in the name of ADS Technologies. Amar Bharati’s third company Oneclikk. com is another e-commerce travel portal technology site owned by him. Amar did not look back after this and went on with his determination and not only in terms of business but academically he is a MBA today, and had been to almost all parts of India and Europe. Amar is looking forward in his life with optimism and strong determination. Just 25 and he has turned, twisted and played with his destiny molding it to bow before him. While talking to him about his plans for Assam and North-east Amar says, “North-east is much in demand as the scenic beauty and sites are still unexplored and people like adventure. We are keeping it in our future plans for Kaziranga and all parts of Assam.” He is planning for opening hotels in Assam too in the coming years. As Bharati adds on being asked to speak for the youth of this region, “We always look for opportunity that comes to our door but that seldom happens. People must know to sell themselves and look for the opportunities out. Entrepreneurship is the key to success if one is willing to take the risk. Do small but do on your own.” It is his fortitude that a boy from Karbi Anglong is AMAR BHARATI. It is a message to everyone that it is only you who can bring your luck. “Apna luck khud ban k chalo”
Ruminations
The Mileage June, 2015
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POST BOX
FATHER'S DAY MESSAGES
A river flows mighty and turbulent; it hides deep currents within. A thousand stories of betrayal ,of vengeance and of genocides tales of exploitation and of massacres ,the fate of all human races. Blood strewn across the muddy streams of a hinterland flows into Brahmaputra. A languid after noon withers away the day treads wearily to the inevitable sun set
Dearest Papa (Raghave),
Dear Baba (Dilip Chakraborty)
I have just turned 18 months old. Thank you for bringing me in this world with maama n loving me so much. I always would want to be like you. I love you loads, Happy Father's Day!
You are the person who has given me everything without asking for, you have taken pain to make me smile, and you felt the pain that I suffered. You are more than God to me because in trouble I pray to God but it is you who pull me out of it. Thank you for being my dad. Love you.
Your little birdie Shayna Shukla Thane (Maharashtra)
gloom writ large in its fading eyes seeking refuge from reality in twilight zones A dove eyed one walks in, a ray of sunlight serene and cool a presence full of hope and confidence Yet she is not what one sees She betrays the pains of her race Cleanse us oh the mighty Brahmaputra in your sinews flow our sins and our fears wash us of the hump of guilt a thousand generations bear Let our sunsets be free of fear and guilt. -Alexander Cheriana Chief Operating Officer IIBM, Mumbai.
Your princess, Ria Chakraborty Kolkata
Dear Abba (Riaz Ahmed) Many Father's day have gone by when I had wanted to come to you, give a bear hug but could not. Expect in my prayers Father's day didn't quite find a place in my life. Why now? I realised I didn’t want to lose more time in this fast moving world. What I wanted to say to you is thank you for being my father. I want you to know that you have been a great father all the way. You did not fail us. May be we did not succeed yet. Happy Father's Day! Your sweetheart, Rizuana Ahmed Sabarwal VIP Road, Guwahati
LIFESTYLE
The Mileage June, 2015
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Prasantt Ghosh
H
ey girls, finally it has come…Your first date with the dream guy you always wanted and with it comes the million dollar question, what to wear and what not to wear. Take the time to dress well, your appearance not only shows your respect for yourself but for the other person as well. A lack of preparation is like putting a bad image in public. Meeting a new date straight from work ensures you to freshen your make up either by changing of clothes or arrange to meet in a location where your work clothes won’t look out of place. You want to feel comfortable in what you are wearing and where you are meeting, so choose a location that suits your clothing or wear cloth that suits the location. You would have hated to wear your best dress for that new restaurant only to end up at his mate’s place. Wear something that you feel comfortable in, on a first date, trying too hard to get it right is simply getting it all wrong. Avoid a red face by using corrective powder to conceal any redness or rashes. This is either foundation or powder that acts to conceal any redness in your skin. Don’t cover yourself in jewellery aside from the
fact that instead of looking rich you could look cheap; you may also have your date thinking that they can’t afford you. Be true to yourself. The first impression you make will hopefully be a good one. Ensure that you present yourself in a manner that is true to you. If you do anything else it is near impossible to keep it up for too long. Find out where you are going beforehand on a first date. Find out so that you can dress appropriately. Wear clothing in medium tones. These colours are the easiest on the eyes and are also considered the friendliest. No matter how you feel your date will only notice how easy on the eyes you are. Your shoes must be clean polished and unstuffed. Being aware of the small details will show you to be a person who takes notice and get things done. Have a rubber sole added to new leather soled shoes. In this case I am referring to a toppy sole which extends the life of your shoes and keeps you from slipping on highly polished floors and smooth carpets. Make sure your feet are sandal worthy. If sandals are appropriate to wear, ensure your feet are well presented. Your toenails should be manicured and polished and your heels should be smooth. The same goes for hands, well groomed fingernails are just as important as your toenails. Once again they should be manicured, buffed or polished. Freckles on the arms will mean saying no to sleeveless outfits. The writer is a fashion designer and choreographer and can be contacted at dkreativepeople@gmail.com
his summer keep your make up on the light side, allowing your skin to breathe and your natural beauty - shine through. Use a light moisturizer with SPF ingredients to hydrate your skin and protect it from the sun’s rays. To help, here are some hints on the products you should own this summer and how to Panku Hazarika put them to use for hot Stylist weather. Before putting the makeup you should always see the skin type and the condition of the skin and then accordingly choose the foundation. There are different types of foundation available in the market, like, liquid foundation, cream foundation, medicated foundation, camouflage foundation, tinted gel foundation, tinted moisturizer foundation. When you go for summer makeup follow the CTM (Cleansing, Toning, and Moisturizing) techniques. After that, put the primer on the face for long lasting of the makeup and prevent for prospering. Put the concealer one shade lighter than the foundation but not necessary only on the blemish or pigmented part of the skin. Apply tinted moisturizer foundation all over the skin. Use a little bronzer to get a healthy glow if you haven’t had faced the sun this season. Apply where the sun naturally hits your face like, forehead, nose, cheeks and chin. If you use bronzer, skip blush, if you aren’t using bronzer,a light apricot or peach color blush is good. Powder eyeliner Eyeliner often smudges very easily in the heat and humidity. If you must line your eyes, use a powder eye shadow rather than pencil or liquid liner. With the tip of a very small slanted brush, apply dark shadow in a thin line to define your lash line. If you are going in the water, skip the liner or use a waterproof instead. Light eye shadow Eye shadows crease and melt with perspiration, heat and humidity. If you want to wear eyeshadow, make sure to apply a primer first to keep your shadow in place. Choose light eye shadow colors that are close to your skin tone. Waterproof mascara Make sure to use a waterproof formula if you want to wear mascara. Use brown-black rather jet black and only apply one coat. Use mascara only on your top lashes for a natural look this summer. So, start making up with the long season of summers ahead.
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MUSIC
The Mileage June, 2015
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Paridhi Agarwal
P
eople participate in the series of music reality show of Idols. Till date, 204 people have won the series of Idols. The series was originally created by British television executive Simon Fuller as Pop Idol, aimed to find the most outstanding independent solo singer. Each winner is given a recording contract, a monetary prize, and a title as that nation’s Idol, Super Star or Star. Winning the Idol series provides a unique opportunity for the winning artist(s) to launch or further their music careers, due to the surrounding publicity and the recording contract offerings. However, only a few of them have managed to further their international careers. The most notable winner of the series was Kelly Clarkson of the United States, whose 20 million albums were sold worldwide. Other notable winning artists who also have managed to chart internationally include Agnes Carlsson of Sweden, Alexander Klaws of Germany, Nilsen of Norway, Guy Sebastian of Australia, Carrie Underwood of the United States and Young of the United Kingdom and India’s Abhijeet Sawant is nowhere behind. Indian Idol being the Indian version of the Pop Idol format was first aired in 20042005 followed by five more seasons and one special season of Indian Idol junior where kids showcased their hidden talent.
This year again Indian Idol Junior is back with a bang. The show will be hosted by Hussain Kuwajerwala and co-hosted by Asha Negi. Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha will judge the show along with Vishal Dadlani and Salim Merchant. The show will broadcast on Sony’s entertainment channel like previous years. Being on a reality show gives a lot of perk like being famous in no time. Lots of opportunity to survive basically with name, fame and money that has become a necessity in one’s life. One gets a platform to showcase their talent. But what we see on the television, is that real? What to tell, when to cry, when to show the past not-so-happening life, judges controversies, everything happening on the set is scripted. And who can forget about the revenue
generated from the voting? Where does this revenue go? In the pocket of the officials. Just imagine a sms costs Rs. 3. If India has a population of 1.25 billion people (approx.), at least 10 crore people will be voting for their favourite contestant. A cool, Rs 30 crore will be generated for every elimination. And suppose there are 15 eliminations then 450 crore is just generated throughout the season only by sms voting. That’s a lot of money by the way! A reality show is just like spiders web. Once in it, you remain for it for ever. There is no coming out. Though scripted, people of India are crazy about it, as millions come for the auditions and billions would watch it. Reality shows have become a culture in our society that people blindly follow, or we can say literally with wide open eyes.
Photographs: Vivek Selvan
EVENT
The Mileage June, 2015
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MALESTORM-2015 -THE ULTIMATE MALE PAGEANT
Assam Talks launched
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ssam talks, a new addition to the satellite channels of Assam was launched recently in the GMC auditorium by Honourable Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Tarun Gogoi. Nirupama Borgohain, Anima Guha and Atanu Bhuyan were other dignitaries on the dais besides the Chief Minister on the occasion. The new channel has promised to deliver quality news without exaggerating and sensationalizing any news story. “We wish to see Assam Talks carry unbiased and authentic news stories in the days to come”, said Sivanath Sarma, congratulating the entire team of Assam talks. Shri Tarun Gogoi said “ It would be difficult I believe to sustain a news channel without adding some spice to its news content, but I hope and believe that Assam talks will not cross limits and will not present a distorted picture of Assam”. He further said that “ Assam talks should always endeavour to depict the real picture of Assam so that the administration can take notice of it and promptly take action towards the concerned and relevant issue”. Moreover, Nirupama Borgohain cautioned the channel which is led by Atanu Bhuyan as Editori-in-Chief to make proper usage of the words while presenting the news. She said that many a times the news presenters commit mistake and denigrate the rich Assamese language. Editor -in- Chief Atanu Bhuyan assured the audience that the people of Assam will have a different experience and off course an enriching experience viewing Assam Talks. TMN
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ecently, the auditions of the 9th Malestorm 2015 were conducted at Café Copa.The event was organized by the D Kreative people, an event management group established by Prasantt Ghosh. Malestorm is the first male pageant of its kind started in the year 1999, in the entire North East that showcases exclusive male talent in modeling. It is running for its 18th year and Malestorm 2015 was organized for the 9th time. The pageant happens every alternate year. The aim of the show is not just to bring forward a winner but also to promote the promising incumbents to the limelight and also help them to start their career in the national platform. The event has a theme every year, be it –spreading awareness on global warming, environment, donation of eyes etc and hence keeping in line this year the theme is SAVE CHILD LABOUR, which is a burning social issue in today’s world. Moreover, the winners of Malestorm from the prevailing year onwards, will also get directly shortlisted for the prestigious MR.INDIA FINALS to be held in Delhi. TMN
ENTERTAINMENT
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Minster Arun Jaitley honoured the charming actor at his Prithvi theatres on May 10, 2015. The veteran actor, producer and filmmaker, is the 46th winner of the honour, conferred by the government for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema. Fellow actors, including nephew Rishi Kapoor and megastar Amitabh Bachchan, shared their memories at the event. Mr. Rishi Kapoor said his uncle was the third in the Kapoor clan to receive the Phalke award after Prithvi Raj Kapoor and Raj Kapoor. A popular name in Bollywood during the 1960s, 1970s and until the mid1980s, Shashi was one of India’s first actors to go international. He is known internationally for starring in many British and American films, notably Merchant Ivory Productions run by Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, such as “The Householder” (1963), “Shakespeare Wallah” (1965), “Bombay Talkie” (1970) and “Heat and Dust” (1982). In 1978, Shashi set up his production house Film Valas, which produced critically acclaimed films such as “Junoon” (1978), ributes flowed for the legendary actor Shashi Kapoor as “Kalyug” (1981), “36 Chowringhee Lane” (1981), “Vijeta” (1982) and he received the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke award for “Utsav” (1984). He also produced and directed a fantasy film titled the year 2014. The Union Information and Broadcasting “Ajooba”, which had Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi in the lead role.
SHASHI GETS DADASAHEB PHALKE AWARD
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PRIYANKA IN QUANTICO
DOCUMENTARY ON DDLJ
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riyanka Chopra is all set to amaze her fans with the all new Television series, Quantico. The actress plays the role of an honest officer Agent Alex Parrish who is half Indian half Caucasian. She shared the trailer of the show on Twitter and wrote, “Here it is the trailer of #Quantico! Say whaaaa? Me so nervous!!!” PC has received a lot of praise from her Bollywood contemporaries who are gushing about her performance, as seen in the trailer. “Thank u all 4 your support. It is because u r the wind beneath my wings as I always say. Now here’s hoping to live up to the expectations. lol” The actress further tweeted.
D AT O O W BOLLY NES CAN
D
DLJ (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) Documentary is a project undertaken by the students of the London Film School who are graduating from the MA Film making course. It is directed by the young and dynamic Natashja Rathore who has to her credit over half a dozen short films in the span of her academic career. The documentary aims to take the audience on a journey starting from London to Switzerland and finally to India. Getting insights from the people who have been an integral part of the making of the film, people whose lives the film has touched and ultimately people who will help in demystifying the magic. Yash Raj Films has graciously offered access to the archives of this film for the documentary. The documentary will boast of some exclusive never seen before behind the scenes footage and never heard before stories. Some of the best students and graduates of the school are a part of this project and hope to deliver a cinematic experience which is as magical as DDLJ.
Compiled by : Saibal Krishna Sharma
PICTORIAL
The Mileage June, 2015
PHOTOGRAPHIC MARVELS Jyotirmoy Borah (uniQue)
Great opportunity for the students and amateur photographers, to send their best clicks and get a chance to be : the mileage - photographer of the month". For queries call: +91 8876752400/8486456760
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CHAT ZONE
The Mileage June, 2015
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ith w e t o n l sica u m i a l n A O Irfan
Mohd.
Swapnav ( Mausam) Jyoti Baishya Saud
C
lad in a white shirt and a black trouser the tall, dark and handsome singer talks to SWAPNAV about his experiences of being in the Northeastern region for the first time.
Swapnav: Being Mohd. Irfan, what makes the difference with the small child “Ali”? Irfan (with a smile on his face): I am still “Ali”. I will always be the same for my parents, family, friends and all my fans. Swapnav: For you Bollywood calling has been a successful affair, how do you see yourself 10 years from now? Irfan:Inshallah! The way I have moved from Allahabad as a child to this industry which itself has been a joie-de-vivre feeling for me. Moreover, when A.R.Rahman noticed me in Ra One film, it has been my biggest achievement ever. But I will keep serving my fans. Swapnav: In social media there has been comparison of your voice with Atif
Aslam and Arijit Singh. How do you look at it? Irfan: Arijit is my all-time buddy. Atif is both a good singer and a good human being. When comparison comes I am my own comparison and I compete with myself for being better. Swapnav: Do you think the reality shows are helping the budding singers in getting a platform? Irfan: (moving his hands towards himself) Look at me, it definitely helps. It gives the newcomers a big platform where they can showcase their talent before the big names in the music industry. Swapnav: How do you look at the singers from Northeast region? Irfan: Northeast is talented; most of the musicians in Mumbai are from this region. Zubeen Garg and Papon are two iconic figures who are respected for their own individualistic talents. The legendary maestros Bhupenda, Jayanta Hazarika have also taken this region to a different
Swapnav: Rapid fire for you Irfan–(Irfan with a smiling face) Favourite Food: Anything that is deliciously cooked. Favourite Singer: Mohd. Irfan Favourite hobby: Singing Favourite vacation destination: Anywhere where nature is at its best. First Love: Music Swapnav: Your message to the youths of Northeast. And how do you feel being in Guwahati? Irfan: The youths of the Northeast are talented. They must nurture it and keep pursuing their dreams. Being in Guwahati it feels good because it is the place of scenic beauty and a hub of musical talents. level. And Rock bands from Northeast are very standardized and are a challenge for the other rock bands in the country. Swapnav: How tough is it to sustain the top position in this industry? Irfan:Pehle pohuchne toh do. (First, let me reach the position). SWAPNAV: What is your daily regime towards your fitness? Irfan: Khao piyo aish karo…But you must work hard for anything that you want to achieve. Swapnav: There are critics posing sarcastic remark against today’s pattern of music composition, do you feel that music is losing its quality? Irfan: Indian music will always be at number one position. Western countries are adopting the Indian pattern of music.
The Mileage June, 2015
couple OF THE MONTH
Model: Pooja Chetia height 5.3" age : 19 Hobby : Art, Dance & Travelling
Model: Firoj Ahmed Height 5.8" Age : 25 Hobby : Dance & Playing Cricket
Photography : Jyotirmoy Borah (uniQue) -------------------------------makeup : Ratul Kalita
Those who are interested to participate in THE MILEAGE face of the month contest , July Issue can contact : +91 9707587766, 9864809333
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RNI REGD NO. ASSENG/2014/57506 ISSN: 2394-3610 GH/150/2015-2017