School LIVE by Gaurava Yadav

L O O H SC

E V I L BRINGING R SCHOOLS CLOSE

2014 vo lu me I SEPTEMBER

M O K Y MAR ON

A MATER APS M L A T A G A H B N ATE CHETA R T N E C N O C A N SCHOOL R R E D O M SHIV KHE N A H T A TA VAIDYAN A L T H IG L T O P S I APJ SHEIKH SARA

contributors

SCHOOL

SHIV KHERA

Motivational speaker, author, educator tells us how to set and achieve your goals

LIVE E D I T O R I N C H I E F Richa Anirudh info@richaanirudh.in EDITOR

Teena Baruah teenabaruah@gmail.com DIRECTOR SALES AND MARKETING

Saurabh Bhramar (North & West) sohrabhbhramar@gmail.com Gaurava Yadav (East & South) yadav.gaurava@gmail.com ART DIRECTOR

M Bee

SAURABH NIVEDITA BHRAMAR SINGH

DESIGNER

Radio and TV broadcaster Psychologist-counsellor answers pays a personal tribute to your queries about relationships, Robin Williams family, school and life

Akbar Khan Rachita Sharma E D I T O R I AL & ADV E R T I S I N G O F F I C E 510 Kasmanda Apartment, C Block, Hazratganj, Lucknow PRINTED AT Alpana Paper and Stationery, C16, Ramgarh, Near Jahangirpuri Metro Station, Delhi 110033 email schoollivemag@gmail.com

GENESIA GAURAVA ALVES YADAV Writer, blogger and mother of 3 children Quizzer dares you to on sex education guidelines for parents take our quiz

SCHOOL

LIVE BRINGING SCHOOLS CLOSER

2014 volume I SEPTEMBER

Y KOMON RY AR MA

MATER APS AN BHAGAT ALMA OL ENTRATE CHET HAN MODERN SCHO SHIV KHERA CONC LATA VAIDYANAT S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014 03

JITIN PANKAJ CHAWLA AGRAWAL IIT-graduate, sports enthusiast and

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

blogger on the Pro Kabaddi revolution S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014 03

SCHOOL

ed-note

LIVE

Hi, If only I could, I would like to measure my pride and happiness in words that I feel while I introduce the very first issue of School Live to you. The idea of School Live was born from the desire to create a unique platform for all those who are part of the education system in some way or the other - schools, teachers, educationists, parents and students themselves. Education is the foundation on which our life rests, and school is the foundation of education. So how about assimilating education with school experiences in a way that allows us to share, debate, discuss, ask, know and have fun, all through these pages of School Live? This magazine is YOURS. We want to encourage our young readers to not only read it but also write for it. It’s important that we hear from you. It’s important that you let us know what you want to read, what you want to be discussed and it’s important that YOU become a part of the team. As with schools, let’s learn and have fun with School Live as well. Our team has endeavored to create a magazine which covers every aspect of Schooling and Education. We are happy to share that we will have some renowned experts from the field of Education write their views under Expert Expressions. There will be a School in Spotlight and a message from school principals. Motivational Trainer Shiv Khera will be writing a column especially for you, and Psychologist-Counsellor Nivedita Singh will answer questions from parents and children on problems they feel they can’t share with anybody else. Just Ask Nivedita. If you have wondered how your favourite celebrity’s school life was like, we will bring them to you, where you will get a chance to go Down the School Corridor with them. The journey has only begun, and it will not be an easy one. In the era of internet, capturing the reader’s attention through a magazine is going to be a Herculean task for us. But we have decided to face it, create something that you can’t, and won’t be able to ignore. Anyway who wants to tread an easy path? Do you? Come, let’s walk the tough path together. Yours truly

ON MY PLATE

LIST ’ T I ‘ MY ON MapYpIPyObDy

H s William Pharrell ood m t an st An In ats stress lifter, it be e double th on

Modaks As ganpati arrives home, the festivities are incomplete without the sweet and sumptious modaks..

Richa Anirudh

tweet to me @richaanirudh

ON MY BOOKSHELF

Don’t Lose your Mind. Lose your Weight by Rujuta Diw ekar And when you have binged too much, this is a must-read book

S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014 05

SCHOOL

contents

LIVE

SEPTEMBER

05 Editor’s Note

Regulars

08 Eye on Education 22 Global Gyan 14 School in Spotlight: Apeejay School Sheikh Sarai 15 Scoreboard: Pro Kabaddi 16 Down the School Corridor: Chetan Bhagat on alma mater Army Public School 18 Worthy Opponents: No Detention Policy in schools 19 Teen Travelogue: World Cup Diary from Brazil 20 Brainstorm: Quiz 24 Page 99: An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield 25 Career Chat: Counsellor Jitin Chawla 26 Rap Up: Movies 54 Young Decide: Reviews 28 Ask Nivedita 09 TEACHER’S DAY SPECIAL: Educationist Lata Vaidyanathan retires after 14 years at the helm of Modern School 10 ON THE COVER Catch five-times world boxing champion MC Mary Kom essay the triumphs and travails of her extraordinary life

Open House 21 Potpourri The Timeline of Time 30 Tribute Robin Williams

View Point

13 Expert Expressions Shiv Khera on the power of concentration 23 Parent Speak: Sex education at home

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SPECIA L TEACHER’S DAY

Lata Vaidyanathan

SHORTAKE

Schools shift from books to tablets

WALK, TALK

AND CHARGE Two 15-year-old students from Delhi unveiled a wonder gadget that charges your mobile phone as you walk

Anand Gangadharan and Mohak Bhalla

nand Gangadharan and Mohak Bhalla, both students of south Delhi’s Mount Carmel school, have created ‘Walkie Mobi Charger’, a portable mobile charger that can be attached to the heel of your shoe. It generates electricity up to six volts, as against five volts released through a plug point and ensures that the phone battery is charged at a faster pace. So if a plug-in charger takes half-an-hour to charge a phone up to 25%, the walking device will charge 40% of the battery in the same time. “We have made this prototype as an attachment that can fit below a sports shoes. With more funds and better

technical support, we plan to make this an inbuilt feature inside the sole of the shoes,” said Gangadharan. This innovative design took over three months to materialise. The mould, wiring and shaping the metal sheets were all made by the two school boys. “Before the final model took shape, we had made three other models. In the first model, we had planned it to be like a proper shoe which would be attached to the belt but that seemed too bulky. We finally made something that would be convenient,” said Bhalla. The device functions on the principle of electromagnetic induction. The compression and relaxation caused by walking creates pressure on the sponge attached in the middle which produces electricity. Two LEDs, blue and red, indicate the supply of electricity and battery charging, respectively. The device is equipped to charge several models of phones. All one needs to do is connect the charger to the shoe while the phone rests in your pant pocket.

With more funds they plan to make this an inbuilt feature inside the sole of shoes

School bags are about to get lighter. Starting this academic year, MES International School, Pattambi, has completely replaced textbooks with tablets from standard VIII to XII. “We have given 552 tablets to students from classes VIII to XII and students have been asked not to carry textbooks to school. This has improved the teaching-learning process as everything can be visually explained,” said MES International School’s principal Asha Byju. To reduce possibility of misuse, the school has also developed a programme with which teachers can monitor the content students are viewing. The school plans to introduce tablets from classes IV to VII from the next academic year.

ART IN EDUCATION

Delhi-based artistes are attempting to introduce education in arts and arts in education. Theatre persona Sanjana Kapoor, who fo lity un Junoon, a platform for proded moting arts, will soon lau nch a course in theatre manageme nt. Also C Saskia Rao De Haas has lau ellist nched a music curriculum, Music 4 All, “a global music educa tion based Indian music” with her husba on nd, sitar maestro Shubhend ra Rao under the Shubhendra and Saskia Rao Foundation recently. “Musi c is a necessity rather tha n a luxury. It is the birthright of eve ry child. Our curriculum is based on Indian music and is structured to teach the universal concept s,” Haas says.

THE MATTER OF PRINCIPAL

37 years in education. 31 years as principal. School Live catches up with veteran educationist Lata Vaidyanathan as she retires after 14 years at the helm of Modern School. By Teena Baruah. Illustration Uday Shankar

Who Am I: I believe in the hands-on

implementation style. I am that sort of principal. I am quick on imagination, creative and I trust, believe and learn from my students. They have taught me how to be a good teacher. A student once came to my office for her interview. And instead of asking for her report card, I asked her if she sang, danced or played any sport? She sang so beautifully that I forgot about the long, hard day I had at work. I have evolved every year in my 31-year-long tenure as principal. And I owe it to these children and colleagues who have made me richer. New Resolutions: It is too difficult for me to just sit back and relax. My sister, who lives in Boston, wants me to take a break with her. But I do not need a break. Education is my life and I shall serve it till the end. Last weekend, a group of old students came over to my house and it felt like old times. Their admiration reassures me that I must have done something right all these years. Since I am shifting out of the campus to my new house in Gurgaon I am going to miss their company. But I have got a Facebook account to keep in touch. Shape the Future: Most important quality in a leader is a vision and every stakeholder should share it. I’ve shared my challenges with the staff, students and parents and included them in all my celebrations. The challenge of this job is immense: heavy hangs the head that wears a crown. You have to keep the trust of parents who invest a lot to give sound education to their child. I feel if each of

them turn out successful in their chosen stream, you’ve achieved your goal. Healthy Work-life Balance: Staying in the campus means you are always on the job. Also, the school/ staff becomes your extended family. But I am fortunate to have an encouraging husband and a mother who manages my home. When she got hospitalised recently, my staff and teachers took turns to be with her while I worked at school. I got a lot of support from the management too. For instance, when one of my students had an accident at school her politically strong parents left me with a terse ‘you will pay for this with your own blood’ warning. Though

I do not need a break. Education is my life and I shall serve it till the end I didn’t worry much about it, my school gave me additional bodyguards. If you take a non aggressive stand on an issue most people stand by you. Survival Skills: You ask me how a simple Tam Bram principal survived in an overcentralised political place like Delhi and an elitist school like Modern School. I am good at my subject and have excellent communication skills. L a t a Va i d y a n a t h a n w o n t h e National Award to Teachers in 2003 on Teacher’s Day S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014 09

MARY c o v e r

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MAGNIFICENT

CATCH FIVE-TIMES WORLD BOXING CHAMPION AS SHE ESSAYS THE TRIUMPHS AND TRAVAILS OF HER EXTRAORDINARY LIFE HERE. HER CRUSADE NOW ILLUMINATES THE BIG SCREEN IN SANJAY LEELA BHANSALI’S BIOPIC MARY KOM.

orn into a working-class family, as the eldest child to Mangte Tonga Kom and Mangte Akham Kom, my grandmother endearingly named me Chungneijang, which means ‘prosperous’ in the local dialect spoken by the Kom tribal community. My life’s journey from the Jhum fields of Manipur to the boxing ring of London Olympics—the story of how Chungneijang transformed into Magnificent Mary, as they call me now—is no more a secret. I feel blessed and proud to be associated with the sport of boxing. I have seen it grow from its nascent stage to where it now stands—as a prime sport for youngsters in India. All the widespread media attention sprung out of the miracle that surfaced in the form of the bronze medal at London Olympics in 2012. Even though I had bagged the world championship in boxing over five times between 2002 and 2010, it was difficult to get adequate sponsors for my sporting needs and the extensive travelling that it necessitated. Today, my family’s face has lit up in joy and the state of Manipur proudly celebrates my victory. They even have an anthem which goes Mary Kom, Champion, Queen of the

By MC Mary Kom. Photographs Vijay Dubey

Ring. And I stand humbled in front of the whole country, as I receive the prayers and encouragement of numerous people from every corner of India. Seeing the amount of happiness that my medal can bring on people’s faces, I feel extremely content. After narrating my life in my autobiography, Unbreakable, which was released in December 2013, I am now excited about the upcoming biopic, involving some of the best talents of the Indian film industry. When the filmmakers came to meet me, they were taken aback at my trim appearance. Despite being the mother of three wonderful boys—my five-year-old twins, and the young Prince who was born in 2013—I am as slender as a reed. I have chosen to take a break from sports in order to savour the bliss of motherhood in its entirety. That is the best thing that has ever happened to me—being a mother. It’s been a long journey with highs and lows in equal measure. Every moment in my life, every activity in my day, every person in my vicinity has played an important role in making me who I am today. As the elder sibling to two sisters and a brother, I used to lend a hand in household chores as well as physically

demanding work in the fields. Very frequently, I had to carry my siblings in baskets tied to my back, as we climbed through the picturesque lands and hills of Manipur. It was good that we were poor, so we learnt to work really hard to earn a living. The tough upbringing helped me gain physical stamina, even as a young girl, which eventually dialled up my interest in sports and athletics in school. My father was an amateur wrestler and encouraged me to play in the village playground, at par with the boys my age. I was not very good at studies, and when my teachers are asked about Mary Kom

World boxing champion prepares for her next bout

S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014

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On a sunny day, the most powerful magnifying glass will not set a piece of paper afire if you keep moving the glass. But if you focus the light and hold it on one spot, the paper will burn. This is the power of concentration. spite of the bad weather, she had her goal in mind and not only accomplished it but beat the men’s record by two hours.

By Off the ring; family, friends, students

today, they say, ‘She was a wild sporty child racing up and down…’ I was very keen on learning martial arts, and didn’t know much about boxing in those days. I studied till high school in Moirang, and later came to Imphal in order to take up sports in school. I started athletics in 1999, with discus throw and shot put. I didn’t even tell my family when I started boxing. In the year 2000, I was declared the best boxer at the state level sub-junior boxing championship, which was my first match. A local newspaper carried my photo, which caught my father’s attention. He got concerned about my future as a woman if I took to boxing. He was worried that it could ruin my looks and come in the way of my marriage and raising a family. But then he remembered how fast and strong I was, even as a child, and said, ‘Maybe God has given her this gift for boxing.’ That’s when I started taking the game seriously. My first boxing coach, Kosana Meitei, recently revealed on international television that he still remembered the diminutive young girl from a poor family, dressed in worn out track suits, hopping her way in and out of the boxing arena, full of grit and fired with passion for the game. Yes, it was a difficult climb, with several obstacles on the way to the medal. But I kept faith in God, which I believe came to my rescue every time my steps faltered. People, especially boys in my locality, would jeer at me and boo me, saying that boxing was meant for them, and I should not be trying my hand at it. I tried to explain to them to be mindful of their words and gestures, but never raised my hand against them even though I knew that my fist could strike a lightning blow.

I was not very good at studies, and when my teachers are asked about Mary Kom today, they say, ‘She was a wild sporty child racing up and down…’

hen I started moving out of my state, Manipur, which was tucked away in an inconspicuous corner of the country, I realised that people from other parts of the country could not quite connect with me and some even discriminated against me. When I started going abroad for boxing championships, people would ask me if I belonged to China or Thailand or Japan, and simply not believe me when I said I was an Indian. These barriers and differences have disappeared now, and when I see the whole of my country and the world bestowing stardom and respect upon me, my heart swells with pride. India has credited me with the Arjuna Award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan;

and more importantly—the wholehearted support and acceptance of this woman from the North East. My heart is full of India; and my dream is to create a second Mary Kom, and a third, and many more. To realise the larger goal of promoting boxing as a favoured sporting event for the generations to come, I started my boxing academy in Langol in the year 2004, close to my own residence, where I train thirty-seven young students in boxing. Sixteen of them are girls, and many of them stay there and look up to me not just as Madame Mary, but as their own mother. I train them in physical fitness and basic boxing moves, but the setup lacked adequate infrastructure, like a boxing ring, punching bag and boxing gear. Thanks to the award of Rs 75 lakh announced by the Ministry of Sports in India soon after my Olympic win, I can now expand my academy and contribute to my country in a more wholesome way. I hope one day I will be able to create an Olympic boxing champion from my students. I plan to enrol into a physical fitness training course to get ready for the Rio 2016 Olympics. I mostly used to participate in the 48kg category and had to gain weight without losing any of my stamina and power. The governing body of amateur boxing (AIBA) has been trying to introduce more weight categories for women in Rio in 2016, which, if it comes through, would raise my chances of winning the Gold. Extract from The Indian Woman, curated by Shobit Arya, edited by Richa Anirudh and published by Wisdom Tree

Shiv Khera

n ancient Indian sage was teaching his disciples the art of archery. He put a wooden bird as the target and asked his disciples to aim at the eye of the bird. The first disciple was asked to describe what he saw. He said, “I see the trees, the branches, the leaves, the sky, the bird and its eye.” The sage asked this disciple to wait. Then he asked the second disciple the same question and he replied, “I only see the eye of the bird.” The sage said, “Very good. Now shoot.” The arrow went straight and hit the eye of the bird. Unless we focus, we cannot achieve our goal. It is hard to focus and concentrate, but it is a skill that can be learned. Keep your eyes the goal: On July 4, 1952, Florence Chadwick was on her way to becoming the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel. She had already conquered the English Channel. The world was watching. Chadwick fought the dense fog, the bone-chilling cold and the sharks. She was striving to reach the shore but every time she looked through her goggles, all she could see was the dense fog. Unable to see the shore, she gave up. Chadwick was disappointed when she found out that she was only half a mile from the coast. She quit, not because she was a quitter but because her goal was not in sight anywhere. The elements didn’t stop her. She said, “I’m not making excuses. If only I had seen the land, I could have made it.” Two months later, she went back and swam the Catalina Channel. This time, in

Why are goals important: On the brightest sunny day, the most powerful magnifying glass will not set a piece of paper afire if you keep moving the glass. But if you focus the light and hold it on one spot, the paper will burn. This is the power of concentration. A man was travelling and stopped at an intersection. He asked an elderly man, “Where does this road take me?” The elderly person asked, “Where do you want to go?” The man replied, “I don’t know.” The elderly person said, “Then take any road. What difference does it make?” How true. As the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland told Alice, “When you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” Suppose a football team is all charged up and enthusiastically ready to play a game, when someone takes the goalposts and goal lines away. What would

Goals are dreams with deadlines, clear direction and action plans

happen to the game? There is nothing left. How do you keep score? How do you know you have arrived? Enthusiasm without direction is like wildfire and leads to frustration. Goals give a sense of direction. Would you board a train or plane without knowing where it was going? Of course not. Then why do people go through life without knowing where they are going? Dreams People confuse goals with dreams and wishes. Dreams and wishes are nothing more than desires. Desires are weak. Desires become strong when they are supported by: direction, dedication, determination, discipline and deadlines. Goals are dreams with a deadline, clear directions and an action plan. There is a big difference between a written and an unwritten goal. A written goal brings clarity and has the magnetic power to attract the goal. Goals can be worthy or unworthy. Have a definite, clear written goal. Have a written action plan to accomplish your goals. Read your goals and action plan twice a day. Goals must be balanced Our life is like a wheel with six spokes. Family: our loved ones are the reason to live and make a living. Financial: represents our career and the things that money can buy. Physical: without good health, nothing makes sense. Mental represents knowledge and wisdom. Social: every individual and organisation has social responsibility, without which, society starts dying. Spiritual: your value system represents ethics and character. If any of these spokes is out of alignment, your life goes out of balance. Take a few minutes to just consider if any one of these six spokes were missing, what would your life be like? S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014

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In Mahabharata, Kansa invited Krishna to a wrestling match at Mathura, and got killed in it

POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING Apeejay, Sheikh Sarai, is trying to move away from the much-trodden path of a prescribed, static curriculum, choosing to sculpt it in a way that it meets each child’s individual needs. By Teena Baruah

Schools are enormously influential in the lives of children. But over the years it has also become synonymous with heavy bags and exam stress. At Apeejay School, Sheikh Sarai, Principal AP Sharma strongly extols the virtues of positive reinforcements. So if you are caught bullying in school, there won’t be any reprimands or rebukes. You’ll have to stay back an extra hour preparing for a talk on value education or general knowledge to be presented the next day at school. “Students who routinely disrupt their classes are asked to teach a nursery or KG class for a period or two. After that, they certainly understand the sanctity of a teacher’s position,” adds Sharma. School Profile Apeejay School, Sheikh Sarai, was established in 1975 to cater to the educational needs of the children in South Delhi. It was founded by Sushma Berlia, daughter of Dr Stya Paul, Founder Chairman, Apeejay Education Society. He was an eminent industrialist, educationist, philanthropist and freedom fighter and provided the foundation and inspirations for the emergence of Apeejay Stya Group and Apeejay Education as trusted symbols

of quality and excellence in the country’s industrial and educational landscape. The principal is a recipient of the prestigious National CBSE Teacher’s Award for valuable and commendable services rendered to community for the cause of education as a teacher of outstanding merit. Spread across an 8 acre campus, the school is equipped with six computer labs, Science labs, Maths, Geography labs, junior and senior Library, air conditioned auditorium, Science park, swimming pool, D-lab for design think, resource room equipped with interactive boards and LCD lab catering to a strength of 3,000 students. The school motto ‘Soaring high is My Nature’ signifies the Apeejay Education Society’s objective of assisting the students to discover their talents and

Students who disrupt their class are asked to teach a nursery or KG class for a period –A P Sharma, Principal

help them pursue the highest level of excellence. This is achieved through an innovative curriculum coupled with a variety of scholastic and extracurricular activities taught in the schools. Technical Edge Not unlike most Indian schools, Apeejay School, Sheikh Sarai too is embracing newer technology to aid learning and enable knowledge share. Sharma says, “We have started collecting email IDs of all the parents. And from next month, group emails will be sent to them about upcoming programmes and notifications, as circulars given to children rarely reach their parents. We are also training our teachers/staff about Moodle (Modular Object Oriented Learning Environment) for better teacher-parent connectivity. Soon students will be able to log in from home and get information about home assignment sheets, and parents will get child specific lesson plan, assessment of child’s worksheets, and will be notified whether the learning objective has been met or not. They can also give suggestions and get feedback from the faculty. So they won’t have to go to school to have a word with teachers.”

A NEW DAWN

FOR THE 4,000-YEAR-OLD SPORT

Sports enthusiast Pankaj Agrawal demystifies the Pro Kabaddi revolution, which now draws substantial funding and regular television coverage.

t times, a seemingly inconsequential step taken by an individual triggers a series of events, which brings radical changes and simply rewrites rules of the game. In 2007, head of ZEE group, Subhash Chandra, while sulking over denial of TV rights by BCCI (Board for Cricket Control in India) for the India’s cricket matches, decided to create his own cricket empire. He brought many former and contemporary national/international players on board and launched Indian Cricket League (ICL) with much fanfare. Sensing a threat, BCCI roped in Lalit Modi to launch a counter league in 2008 named Indian Premier League (IPL). IPL instantly became a huge success story. IPL was a turning point for Indian sports as it made sports administrators realize the strong entertainment quotient of sports and IPL taught and demonstrated how to harness this power. However, arguably the most significant event in this chain

took place this year when a league for 4000-year-old Indian traditional sport kabaddi was conceived and Pro Kabaddi League was born. India has its own tradition of sports. Wrestling was mentioned in the great Indian epic Mahabharata. Kansa invited Krishna to a wrestling match at Mathura, and got killed in it. The word kabaddi is believed to have been originated from a Sanskrit word kar-badhi, meaning holding hands together. In kabaddi, a team sends a raider to opponent’s side. The raider takes a deep breath, invades opponent’s territory and tag one or more player of opposite team and returns to his turf. While on mission a raider cannot inhale and, to prove that, he needs to keep chanting ‘kabaddi, kabaddi’. The opponent, on other hand, has to capture and hold back the raider till the time he inhales again. Kabaddi is a sport which just needs a plane ground with markings and because of its simplicity, it

still remains an extremely popular game among youths, particularly in rural areas. Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is a historical landmark. For the first time, a professional league has been formed for a truly Indian sport. PKL comprises eight teams and the first edition began on 26 July, 2014. Apart from Indian players, many overseas sportsmen from South Asia, South-East Asia, Iran and even from the UK are part of various teams. After the initial stage, four top teams battled it out for the crown towards the end of August and Abhishek Bachchan’s Jaipur Pink Panthers were the proud winners of PKL 2014. PKL has already stirred a huge interest as people like Kishore Biyani (of Future Group) and Ronnie Screwvala (UTV fame) are also among the team owners. It would be pre-mature to draw parallels between PKL and all those successful leagues. PKL is just a new entrant in this club and it has a long way to go. But the start is encouraging. S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014

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DUST OFF THE MEMORIES

Chetan Bhagat

s y a d l o o h sc

India’s biggest-selling English-language novelist Chetan Bhagat reminisces about alma mater Army Public School in Delhi

T my films

my books

TO READERS OF SCHOOL LIVE

I would like to tell the students

my boys

to find a balance between working hard and having fun. Don’t depend on your parents pushing you, the call to work hard, do well and learn should come from within. For parents, I would say make the kids independent.

ell us about the young Chetan in The Army Public School. Were you academically bright? Extrovert, isolated, or self conscious? How do you think your teachers will remember you now? I was reasonably bright but not a topper. I had 76% in class X and 85% in class XII, so that is hardly a huge achievement. However, I did make it to IIT and that is when most people in my school took notice (of course, school had ended then). I think the teachers will remember me as a naughty and talkative child, who had a spark in him somewhere. When you look back, could you recall any school memories that altered your life or perspective towards it? What is the one school story that you always love telling your kids/audience? I spent thirteen years in Army Public School, and the school had a nice middle class yet disciplined and classy vibe to it. There was an emphasis on things other than studies, and that is because of the Armed Forces effect. I never was inclined to sports, but many in my school played well and I always wish I had at least made an attempt. The friends of mine who were in the school team for various sports became the inspiration for the characters in the 3 Mistakes of my life (and Kai Po Che). I also remember being told I cannot be a prefect in class XII when I wanted to be one. In fact, I was told ‘you are the reason we need prefects. You are so naughty.” I always tell this story in my talks. Did you have a special bond with any teachers? Could you truly confide in her/him and let her/him guide you? I did, though I am not sure if i would confide in them. However, I did feel quite close to them and became quite fond of them. I had a huge crush on my biology teacher.

Did your school allow you to express your opinion, your individuality freely? How different is it at boys’ school now? I think so. I don’t think I have needed anyone to ‘allow’ me to express my opinion. Though, the school would not prosecute you if you said what you wanted to say. My own kids are quite young and are in Cathedral School in Mumbai, a 150year old traditional school. I think things have become more modern now, with more awareness on what works for the child and what doesn’t. At my time, we were kind of left to organically grow I feel, right or wrong. What helped you survive your school

My friends helped me survive school. I had a deep emotional bond with my school friends days: friends, Enid Blyton, sports, quick wit? Were you involved in the school magazine and debate club? Did you have an innate sense of words and phrasing? My friends helped me survive school. I had a deep emotional bond with my school friends and I couldn’t imagine a life without them. I had a tough childhood at home and it is school where I found my peace and laughter. I remember being forced to write for the school magazine when it was launched. I was in class V and submitted a joke. I saw my name in print and was hooked. At that time, you almost never saw your name printed - not even on tickets, phones, screens or printouts. These were all

almost non-existent. The desire to see my name again and again made me a regular contributor. Did you have any special hobby like stamp collection or theatre? I collected coins. I still get fascinated by currencies of various countries and try to keep the coins when I travel places. What are the qualities that you looked in your friends? Complete trust, to the extent of being unquestioning partners in crime. We were up to no good, and we needed a trustworthy team. If you’d known at that time that you were going to make it really big, would you have lived it differently? I don’t know. Maybe I wouldn’t have worked as hard, and hence not become big. Or I would have been less humble. I am glad I didn’t know and I lived an ordinary life. today, it fuels my stories. Did you go back to your school for a talk or something? Would you like to do that? I haven’t, and that is terrible. However, I just established contact with the current principal Ms Pant and I am going to go real soon to do a big event for the entire school. Does fatherhood allow you to relieve your school days yet again? How much of schooling has altered over the years? Yes it does, especially since I have twin boys. They behave exactly like I did, except they have a little more technology now. However, I sometimes feel I am replaying my life when I see them interact with friends. As a father, do you keep comparing your times with the recent times infront of your kids? Not really. I don’t think they will get it. Our times were well, just too different. S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014

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MERIT NATION

Students weigh the pros and cons of No Detention policy at schools

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World Cup Diary

SUMMER IN SAO PAULO Ranveer Aujla walks the streets, beaches, mountains of Brazil and bumps into Ivory Coast football legends along the way

Shashank Tyagi

Class XII, Translam Academy International, Meerut

It’s a boon for students & prepares them in a safe environment When Albert Einstein was in school he failed in all the subjects except Mathematics. Sachin Tendulkar could not pass even that examination, but we still consider them to be great. So, why are we criticizing CBSE’s policy of No Detention till 8th class? Indian society considers that the only way to become successful is by getting a top grade in a school examination. In this process parents torture their children right from the first day and put their expectations on them. Do they realize that each and every person in this world has some strengths and some weaknesses. A child who is good in sports may not have that caliber in Mathematics. CBSE understands this and allows each and every student to do his basic education without any fear. Moreover, there are many cases in which a student after failing in a school examination goes into acute depression. This adversely affects his SOME PEOPLE mental, social and physical TAKE NO well being. There have DETENTION been many cases in which parents have beaten up their POLICY AS NO child after they’ve failed EXAMINATION POLICY. BUT IT IS in a certain examination without realizing that flaw NOT TRUE was theirs as they wanted him to become Newton while he had the talent of Mozart. Some people take No Detention policy as no examination policy but that is not true. The policy simply ensures that there would be no failure in the examination you attempt. It is like a trial ball that we get in street cricket, so that we can understand the nature of pitch and bowler without any fear and plan our tactics accordingly. Till class VIII, CBSE provides a student chance to plan his tactics without any fear and get a basic idea of examination he is going to face. CBSE is attempting to create a safe environment for our budding generation so that they can enjoy a stress-free childhood and live it in the best possible way.

Shambhav Tewari

Class IX, Step by Step World School, Noida

No Detention policy at schools will allow students to underperform The No Detention policy is a rule put forth by the Right to Education Act which insists that no child can be held back or expelled from school, irrespective of academic performance, till class VIII in all CBSE affiliated schools. In other words schools cannot expel a child before class VIII. I feel that this policy is detrimental to the education system, as in primary and middle school, students are supposed to develop skills like problem solving aptitude, time management and handling stress. The CBSE curriculum is designed in such a way that there is a gradual rise in level of difficulty of topics. But now, with the No Detention policy, students shall take their middle school years lightly. This will allow them to underperform or not understand topics or concepts taught in higher grades, leading to bad grades in their mark-sheets. We must realise that in such a competitive world it is essential that we keep ourselves calm and composed even in the most stressful situations. Thus, it is essential that students are exposed to a bit of stress early in life so that later when we need to perform under pressure NO DETENTION POLICY SHALL we do not succumb to it. It MAKE US TAKE is scientifically proven that SCHOOL LIFE small amounts of stresses VERY LIGHTLY. are good for the health and THERE IS NO overall development of human beings. SHORT CUT TO In every field people are HARDWORK striving for success, and only those who are tactful and most skilled shall come up on the top. There is no shortcut to hard work. If we are brought up in an easy system, we will be shielded from the reality. The biggest flaw in the No Detention policy is that you are giving a child a trial ball, but there is no guarantee that after the trial ball the student shall make a century. What makes a century is years of hard work, mental conditioning and not playing a thousand trial balls.

e started from Sao Paulo, the fastest and the most educated city of Brazil and travelled to Cuiaba to watch one of the most mesmerising soccer matches in the world, the Fifa World Cup 2014. The city, Cuiaba, was a very slow yet fun city. It had a lot of foreigners as the World Cup was on and supporters from across the world had come to support their countries. My sister and I watched the match in Cuiaba, it was the match between Nigeria vs Argentina. Lionel Messi is one of the best players in the world and seeing him play in front of me is a moment I will never forget. Next, we went to the most popular destination of Brazil, Fortaleza. It was a city with one of the best beaches I have ever seen. I even learnt to surf there. After Fortaleza, we went to Rio de Janeiro. There, I saw Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado Mountain and Copacabana, the most happening beach in Rio. There was plenty of excitement as there was a match between France and Switzerland that day. The match was equally memorable. Rio de Janeiro and Copacabana were filled with hundreds of people waiting for the final match of the Fifa World Cup 2014, Germany vs Argentina. I also got to meet the Ivory Coast team face to face. One tip before you go to Brazil, learn Spanish or Portuguese because I had the worst and yet most entertaining time making the Brazilian people understand what I was saying. It was hilarious to see them use Google Translate to understand what I was saying, but I tried to pick up a bit of Spanish along my trip. It was quite easy and everyone in Brazil really liked the way I tried to act Brazilian and talk in Spanish. One of the perks of going on this trip was that now I’ve made scores of friends from Brazil. The sun, the breeze, the ocean view and most of all the life in Brazil was the best experience of my life. It was the experience of a lifetime. S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014

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SCHOOL QUIZ LEAGUE WHAT’S IN A NAME?

THE TIMELINE OF TIME

p o t p o u r r i

Nothing is as precious as Time in this world. Let’s go back in time with some quirky details about the history of horology. By M Bee

Pocket clocks were invented in Germany around the year 1500, but no one had the idea of putting it around the wrist until much later.

KARAKORAM

KHAN ABDUL GAFFAR KHAN

NELSON MANDELA

K2, the world’s second highest peak is located in which Mountain Range?

Who are the only two foreigners to be bestowed with the Bharat Ratna? (Mother Teresa became a naturalized citizen, hence isn’t a part of the list)

HONEY BUNNY

CHICAGO In which US city did Swami Vivekanand participate in the World Parliament of Religions in 1893?

Which cartoon character has been talked about below: (Hint- The name was iconised by an Indian commercial 2 years back) A prototype version of it first appeared in 1953. The more well-known version though debuted in November 1966 and was a semi-regular fixture in the series of Looney Tunes comic books published by Gold Key throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

KANPUR In which city of Uttar Pradesh is the soon to be released film Katiyabaaz based?

SACHIN TENDULKAR & VINOD KAMBLI CHANDIGARH Which is the only Indian capital serving two states, without actually belonging to either of them?

Which two batsmen were involved in an unbroken 664-run partnership in a Lord Harris Shield game in 1988?

Winners: Send in your answers at Schoollivemag@gmail.com. Correct answers will win you a discount of 45% on each subscription you order now.

STEFFI GRAFF In 1988 who became the first tennis player to win the ‘Golden Slam’, comprising the 4 Grand Slam titles and the Olympic gold medal in a single year?

Legend has it that the inspiration to make the first wristwatch came from a woman sitting in a park with a watch tied around her wrist, freeing both her hands to take care of her baby.

The first wrist watch, then called a ‘wristlet’, was invented by Patek Philippe in the late 1800s and was considered a passing fad, only for women. Men were quoted as saying they’d “sooner wear a skirt than wear a wrist watch”. In 1851, Patek Phillipe was supplying watches to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The man’s wrist watch was invented by Louis Cartier in 1904 for Alberto Santos-Dumont, an aviation pioneer from Brazil. Dumont was working on the development of an aircraft and found the pocket watch to be inconvenient. So he asked his friend Cartier to design a watch for him – it was called the ‘Santo’. Hans Wilsdorf, a German watchmaker, started the Rolex Watch Company together with his brother in law Alfred Davis in 1905. The company was originally named Wilsdorf & Davis. The name, Rolex was not officially registered until 1908.

The legendary explorer, Roald Amundsen, the first to reach the South Pole 100 years ago, later travelled to the North Pole wearing a Zenith pocket watch.

During 1761-1762, John Harrison invented the first marine chronometer – it was the first timepiece to determine longitude at sea. Before then, many sailors perished on ships, got lost at sea and found themselves at the wrong spot.

Breguet was the first to use guilloché (a decorative engraving) on watch dials, which not only made them more attractive but also more legible. It was only in 1884 that Greenwich, England, was officially named the zero meridian and used as the globally recognised basis for time zones. The American watch brand, Ingersoll, introduced the ‘Dollar watch’ in 1892. This inexpensive model brought watches to the masses. By 1916, Ingersoll was making 16,000 watches per day. Their slogan was, “The watch that made the dollar famous.” The Swiss watchmaker, Rado, produced the world’s first scratchproof watch called the ‘Diastar 1’ in 1962, a classic still popular in some markets today. The first wristwatch with an alarm was invented by the Swiss watchmaker, Eterna, in 1914. In 1995, the American watch brand, Citizen, released a line of ‘Eco-Drive’ solar-powered watches that lasted for 500 days on full charge.

About 80 million watches are made around the world each year! Japanese watch brand Casio invented the first wrist watch with a built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) in 1999 In Japan, Omega is the most searched watch. Most searches were for Omega Seamaster, followed by the Omega Speedmaster. S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014

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MALALA’S MESSAGE TO YOU

SCIENCE

COURAGE

Hole Truth Indian-origin student Dheeraj Pasham discovers, measures one of the most elusive, mysterious objects in the Universe — a black hole

that every child has a primary school education. “So my message to you is that you raise and highlight the issues that you are facing and you are suffering,” she said. “We all have talents and we all are special, so just continue your hard work, continue your campaigns and you are going to be the leaders of this world, you are going to be the future of this world,” she said. “And if you want to see your future bright and if you want to see development in our future, and if you don’t want to see so many troubles already put for us, then we should try and start work right now.”

ENAGERS MOTHER OF TWO TE NE APP THAT HO CREATES A SMARTP D’S PHONE SHUTS DOWN A CHIL SWERED WHEN IT GOES UNAN ston. ugh mom from Hou Sharon Standirfired is a ar and climbed Mount W She has served in the Gulf enge lately was to get all ch big her ut B . o Kilimanjar a for the missed calls. The ide her urn ret to s her kid occurred e or Ignore No M $1.99 Android app called en she and her husband to

TA KE THAT CA LL

t year wh to her one day las s to let the dog and wanted the kid d an err were on an texts. With the repeated calls and out. They ignored Wheat Creative expertise at Whole help of technical g the app and pin nged into develo in Houston, she plu then. The ce sin job e a full-tim has worked on it like to lock a child’s t allows a parent result is an app tha swered. Once it’s or texts aren’t an phones when calls cts selected by nta n call only co locked, the child ca as 911. the parent as well

LET’S TALK SEX Sex is a natural urge but true consent is paramount. Author Genesia Alves lays out guidelines for parents to talk to the unique child they are helping into adulthood

Malala urges youth to believe in themselves because ‘we are all the same’ regardless of fame

akistani teenager Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliban for campaigning for girls’ education, told more than 500 young people recently at United Nations that they should start working right now to change the world. The 17-year-old said raising her voice helped bring a change for girls who were not allowed to go to school in Pakistan’s troubled Swat valley where she lived until she was shot. Malala spoke at an event to launch 500 days of action to achieve the U.N. Millennium Development Goals to fight poverty, which include ensuring

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University of Maryland astronomy student Dheeraj Pasham and two colleagues made the measurements of the rare black hole which they found hiding in the well-known galaxy M82, some 12 million light years away from Earth. Their findings were published online on August 17 in the journal Nature. The reason why this discovery and the measurement are considered so significant is that these intermediate-mass black holes are hard to measure even their existence is sometimes disputed. Little is known about how they form. Some astronomers question whether they behave like other black holes. A black hole is a region in space containing a mass so dense that not even light can escape its gravity. Black holes are invisible, but astronomers can find them by tracking their gravitational pull on other objects. Matter being pulled into a black hole gathers around it like storm debris circling a tornado’s centre. As this cosmic stuff rubs together it produces friction and light, making black holes among the universe’s brightest objects. The universe has countless black holes and just our galaxy, the Milky Way, may have up to 100 million of them. Nearly all black holes fall into one of two classes: big, and colossal. The ‘big’ ones have from about 10 times to 100 times the mass of our sun. They are the remnants of dying stars. The ‘colossal’ or supermassive black holes have more than a million times the mass of the sun. These giants inhabit the centres of most galaxies. But scattered across the universe are a few apparent black holes of the more mysterious type.

hildren are being “educated” about sex whether you think the time is right or not. Even if you block their internet, disconnect the TV, censor their books – a whisper from a friend, the lyrics of a pop song, the subtext in their history book will get to them. So when it comes to sex education, you have no choice but to get to them first. Between Sunday school lectures and a very, very liberal mother, I received a range of sex-talks from early on that roughly covered real (and imagined) science, pedantic morality, gender clichés and some drawings. By the time some of our peers were sexually active (late teens), the information filtering back was realistic: unsatisfying early encounters, awkwardness, a lot of kindness, discretion and much amusement at how true the term “bumping uglies” was. But we were in the minority. In my two years in a convent girls’ school in Bombay, celibate Catholic nuns provided sex education. As parent of a 13 year-old now, I forget why I found that hilarious. Instead I remember many girls, always from very, very

conservative families, grasping at the opportunity to ask questions in class. We were sternly warned not to laugh. I remember our classmate A, at 14, precocious, a pronounced “womanly” sway, her school-sash much too low on her hips. She, asked, “Is it true if a man doesn’t have sex for a very long time, he gets…” she paused nervously, “so desperate, he will do anything? ANYTHING?” The nun looked up worriedly and said, “No, adults are supposed to be able to maturely deal with these urges.” While we tittered, Sister Asha offered us all the chance to speak with her privately if there was anything we didn’t want to share with the whole class. Then she specifically told A she wanted to see her. Turned

Kids are vulnerable to their changing bodies, hormones and the effects of those on their emotions

out A had a 30 year-old boyfriend who was pressurizing her to have sex with him. Her parents were going to “get me married the next year anyway”. I cannot clearly say how the situation was resolved because there was a complete clampdown on gossip generated from the sex-ed class. Whatever the outcome, personally, I learned at 13, that no man had “uncontrollable” urges and that at 14, having a 30 year-old boyfriend was something adults took very seriously. I also learned that I was lucky that we had an open “ask anything” attitude at home and at school dealt with by straight-faced women who never seemed shocked or asked “Where did you learn that?” While each parent will have their own special way to talk to the unique child they are helping into adulthood, there seem to be a few general guidelines. An open, non-judgmental forum is critical. Opportunities to bring up the topic casually -couples cuddling on a bench, an on-screen kiss, a creepy passerby – should be utilized. Emphasis on sex being a natural urge but true consent being paramount is par for the course. Kids are vulnerable to their own changing bodies, hormones and the effects of those on their emotions. They should be empowered to refuse to accept or display physical affection if it makes them uncomfortable. Boys need to learn to respect women. Girls need to get the HPV vaccine. Everyone needs to talk about homosexuality. Most importantly, everyone needs to be able to come home and ‘fact-check’ about sex. My children are 13, 9 and 4. I am doing the best I can, though everyday I find myself having to run faster to keep up. But I’m determined to get there first. — First published in The Indian Express S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014 23

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Early success is a terrible teacher, says Astronaut Chris Hadfield

What’s the best way to test a novel before you read it? Open the book to page 99 and the quality of the whole will be revealed to you. School Live tries out this experiment on latest releases.

hen came the day when the first person in our class got assigned to a space flight. It was a great moment: “Wow, one of us made it!” It felt like a group affirmation, as though all of us were on our way at last. Then the second person got assigned, and it wasn’t me. I told myself, “Okay, they picked a scientist—they weren’t looking for a pilot.” Then in the middle of that night: “I’m Canadian. That’s probably why they didn’t pick me.” Then the third person got assigned, and the fourth, and I started thinking, “What’s wrong with me? I’ve always been good at stuff. Why am I not getting assigned?” This is when attitude really started to matter. I have a clear memory of giving myself a pep talk right about then that started with, “Don’t be an idiot.” I reminded myself that I wasn’t sitting around doing nothing. I was learning so much every day that I could almost hear my neurons firing. If you’ve always felt like you’ve been successful, though, it’s hard not to fret when you’re being surpassed. The astronauts who seem to have the hardest time with it are, interestingly enough, often the ones who are most naturally talented. Just as some people can pick up a golf club for the first time and play incredibly well, some astronauts are simply more gifted than the rest of us. They have great hands and feet—the first time they got in a plane, they could fly as well as or better than the instructor. Or they’re academic superstars with dazzling interpersonal skills. Whatever their particular combination of gifts, they’re standouts, and until they got to JSC, everything was easy: they won the flying competitions, aced all the tests, told the best stories—all without breaking a sweat. Early success is a terrible teacher. You’re essentially being rewarded for a lack of preparation, so when you find yourself in a situation, you can’t do it. You don’t know how.

AN ASTRONAUT’S GUIDE TO LIFE By Chris Hadfield PAN MACMILLAN (` 150)

Even the most gifted person in the world will, at some point during astronaut training, cross a threshold where it’s no longer possible to wing it. The volume of complex information and

creative call c a r e e r

skills to be mastered is simply too great to be able to figure it all out on the fly. Some get to this break point and realize they can’t continue to rely on raw talent—they need to buckle down and study. Others never quite seem to figure that out and, in true tortoise-and-hare fashion, find themselves in a place they never expected to be: the back of the pack. They don’t know how to push themselves to the point of discomfort and beyond. Typically, they also don’t recognize their own weaknesses and are therefore reluctant to accept responsibility when things don’t turn out well. They’re not people you want on your crew when you’re laboring in wicked environmental conditions with very specialized equipment and a long list of goals to accomplish in a short period of time. They go from being considered rock stars to having a reputation as people you can’t count on when things are going badly. —Extract from An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield published by Pan Macmillan.

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Your parents or teachers won’t tell you this – but now is a good time to pursue a career in Animation. Career counsellor Jitin Chawla tells you how to pick the right course

Q. I am in class X and want to study animation. Which subjects should I take in class XI and after school? Which institutions are leaders in this field? —Vipul, Delhi A. If you are good at sketching and drawing and are interested in computers, animation is apt for you. It needs long hours of continuous work with a whole lot of dedication. One should be good at visualisations, choice of colours and should be able to think creatively. Though this profession seems to be quite unglamorous, it is very exciting, but unless one has complete dedication and interest in it one should not enter this field. Though you can pursue any streams, including, Humanities, Commerce and Science, we suggest you opt for Humanities with Fine Arts, as it will be more useful for you. There are no special subjects that are needed to be studied at this level. But aptitude in sketching, drawing and deep interest in computers is always considered essential to gain entry into the animation industry. It would be very appropriate to study Fine Arts at the college level and Bachelor in Fine Arts is an ideal way to give your career in animation a big push.

THE WORLD’S FIRST ANIMATED CARTOON

The French caricature artist Émile Cohl

created what is considered to be the world’s first animated cartoon in 1908. His black-andwhite short film, Fantasmagorie, is composed of 700 drawings that Cohl illuminated on a glass plate. He photographed black lines on white paper and then reversed the negative to make it look like chalk on a blackboard. Each drawing is only slightly different than the one before it. Timing in advance was key (and laborious), but Cohl’s process allowed some spontaneity with the images — which is why Fantasmagorie has such a stream of consciousness style.

OUT OF THE BOX CAREERS

Modeller For people with strong knowledge of form, volume and anatomy. They make models for animation. Background Artist The job is to paint the background of the characters in the project. Layout Artist decides the lighting and camera angles and sketches the background design for the animation. Story Board Artist People with strong drawing skills are hired as storyboard artists and their job is to visualise a series of events from one animation frame to another. Clean-up Artist Assistant to the animator, whose work is to trace the animator’s rough drawing and to check the accuracy and consistency of a design. Scanner Operator They scan the clean up artist’s drawings. Compositor They bring all the different characters and backgrounds into a single animation frame. Character Animator They bring characters to life and generally have knowledge of traditional animation and stop-motion animation.

Q. I am interested in music and want to know about sound engineering. Suggest the best colleges in this sector and guide me about job opportunities. —Sahil, Indore A. Audio engineering deals with the basic principles of sound and voices. It is a vast and interesting field as it deals with music, movies and theatre. Audio engineering consists of equipments to record, capture, mix, and reproduce the sound and voices using mechanical devices. Audio engineering, which is also known as sound engineering, is being divided into several parts such as acoustics, electronics and designers. Students can choose their career according to their field of interest. There are many opportunities for those who are well qualified in theoretical and practical applications, software aspects and technical knowledge of sound. Films, video production, sound broadcasting and advertising are some of the fields which have immense opportunity for audio engineers to grow and build their career in. It is one of the most rewarding fields and with experience a person can make a good career out of it. After class XII (PCM), one can go in for Diploma/Gradation in Sound Engineering from Film & Television Institute of India, Pune (FTII); Film & Television Institute of Tamil Nadu, Chennai; Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute, Kolkata; and SAE in Bangalore, Mumbai and Chennai. After B.Tech in (Electrical/Electronics/ Instrumentation/IT and Computer Science Engineering) you can do M.Tech in Media & Sound Engineering from IIT-Kharagpur. One can also go in for government and private institutes, like National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad; FTII, Pune; Shristi – Bangalore; St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata; Loyola College, Chennai; Big Aims; Maya Academy of Advance Cinematics, Delhi; Apeejay Institute of Design, Delhi; Birla Institute of Technology, Noida; and MIT-Pune. S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014 25

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What a rough month for movies. But that’s what happens when tired old stories, like Hercules & Lucy, hit the big screen. By Saurabh Bhramar LUCY

DIRECTOR LUC BESSON

HERCULES DIRECTOR BRETT RATNER

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My growing up years had a lot to do with Lucy. Lucille Ball alias Lucy was an extremely popular film and TV star known for her amazing comic timing. But now we’ve got Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) who turns into an almost-superwoman by accident. The actor played a super power character, Black Widow, in Iron Man and Avengers as well. Johansson plays a student who’s kidnapped and forced to act as a drug mule, when some of it accidentally leaks into her body and she morphs into a hyper intelligent, almost robotic killing machine. The basic premise of the plot is the good old question. What can we achieve if we use 100% of our mind and brain power? It is widely believed that humans use 4-10% of their brains. Looking at the way we drive cars and behave in public, I am certain we don’t use our brain at all. We primarily use animal instincts. Without digressing from the movie, I thought the plot had a lot to offer, but as with most commercial films, it grossly sensationalised the concept. I can also assure you that drugs don’t render you super power. It only kills and alter the brain function, leaving us in a desperate vegetative state. Lucy gets a 2 out of 5 on my

He was the son of a god, the mystical Greek god Zeus. He had bulging biceps. He battled all manner of oversized, multi-headed mythological beasts. Hercules was essentially an action hero two millennia before the birth of cinema, and critics say, much of the fun of Hercules is in its commitment to swashbuckling escapism. This may not be the brainiest flick on the block, but at least it never feels like a dull classics lecture. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson stars as Herc, who, after completing his fabled labors, assembles a crew of fighters to topple a bloodthirsty megalomaniac. In Indian mythology we have a character equivalent to Hercules. Balram, the elder brother of lord Krishna, too was a man who was indefeasible. I wish our Indian filmmakers take a notice of our vast and brilliant mythology. Coming back to Hercules, it is definitely a one-time watch for its effects and action. My filmometer would give a decent 3 out of 5 to Hercules

Verdict

The application is easy to use and does not disappoint, though some features work only when there is an internet connection. The pictures may also be uploaded to peerreviewed PicsArt contests and it might win you some goodies as well

By Shivam Gopal Periwal, Gwalior

PicsArt is good fun once you’ve mastered it

Shooting selfies on phone is becoming an addiction. But sometimes, the pictures aren’t too perfect for us to upload them on social networking sites, but all they need is some editing and they can earn you many ‘likes’. There are a number of picture editing software and apps available for computers as well as mobile phones. One such application is PicsArt, a smartphone application with numerous interesting features. The app is easy to use and gives you the freedom of quick editing on your phone. The app gives you option to choose between effect, collage, draw, camera or edit. Effect features options like corrections, colour change, distort, beautify, which can help you make your snapshot more attractive. The features help you make small corrections as well as artistic modifications. Draw has a number of features, including stickers, animations and much more. The sad part is that the components of Draw are not preloaded and can be only used with an internet connection.

iPHONE 5s

By Karan Chugh, Jammu

This is Apple’s latest trump card to win over the youth of the world. It has the state-of-the-art design, which involves an aluminium body that feels premium and solid and yet manages to remain incredibly light. The dimensions of the phone make it super-duper handy and easier to make calls, text and use applications. The iPhone 5s comes in three colours. Its gold variant looks sophisticated and is sold out globally with a long waiting list. The space grey is for the bold and the silver is universally the most favourite option. The main differences between the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s are the new dual-LED flash and a lot more cool and classy new touch ID. Touch ID is a fingerprint sensor which enables us to unlock the phone by scanning our finger and even makes purchases on the appstore without any hassle of passwords. It’s powered by a brand new A-7 chip, making it the first 64-bit smartphone in the world. It’s fast, has a terrific performance and gives the perfect graphics. Which means you can play games without even realising that it’s a phone. The camera of iPhone 5s has a larger sensor, larger pixels and larger aperture, a combination of such brilliant specifications make the camera a sure shot winner.

app Fault in Our Stars By Ayesha Thatte, Noida

Hazel, 16, has been battling thyroid cancer since age 13, and only through the use of an experimental drug is she still alive. Augustus Waters, 17, enters her life through the cancersupport group she visits reluctantly. Green has smartly avoided the typical drama of most teen reads, as cancer victims don’t have the luxury of time to amble with their affections. Hazel’s life is dull and aimless, but Augustus turns it into an adventure and makes her completely forget all the sorrows. He makes Hazel realise the value of her life. Green’s novel is elegantly plotted, and sad at some points as one might expect a book about teenage cancer to be. But it’s also brimming with joy. Augustus and Hazel live for each other and their relationship blooms even as they face death. As Hazel says to Augustus, “Some infinities are bigger than other infinities. There are days, many of them, when I resent the size of my unbound set. But Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity.” S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014 27

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No Worries

Counsellor Nivedita Singh answers your queries about relationships, family, school and life You are understandably feeling shut out of an important aspect of your child’s life. It may just be that the two school friends you refer to might be completing your child’s world at school. Lap up all she shares about them. To know more about her day and her interaction with her teachers you can engage her in ‘role playing’ the school situation, with you assuming her role while making her sometimes play her teachers and at other times her friends. This way you can also model behaviours which are healthy and important for a child to learn.

Friend in Need

No Trust

Q. I am a 13 year old girl. My mother is very nice but there is one problem. Often I have noticed that she spies on my phone, my whatsapp, Facebook, email. I feel she doesn’t trust me and it hurts me. What should I do? Ayana, Noida There is a direct link between the amount of responsibility, consistency and honesty the youth show and the amount of privacy they are allowed. So the most important question you have to ask yourself here is whether you have given your mum reasons to ‘not trust’ you. In case you have, then it might take some time at her end and effort from you to win that trust back. Keep the communication channels open so that she feels she knows what your social life is about. Age 13 is a challenging age to deal with parents. They tend to lose sight of their limits when operating from their love and concern for their child. For them, you are still their little baby who had no walls and boundaries they need to respect or tread carefully around. It’s a good idea to have a good honest talk with your mum. The more you allow things to fester the more problems they create down the line. Talk to her about respecting your privacy while also reassuring her that you will do the right thing. Do not expect change overnight because your increasing age will be directly proportional to her concern for you, which then gets translated into these kinds of over-protective measures. Begin by acknowledging when you notice her backing off or when you see the frequency come down. Experiences like these are a part of the package when transitioning into adulthood. What could help you deal with it better is to remember that it must be equally stressful for your mum when she indulges in such behaviours at the cost of the bond she shares with you.

Mum’s the Word

Q. My six-year-old daughter refuses to talk about her school. Apart from her two close friends she barely mentions anyone from school and dodges all my queries about studies, extra-curricular activity or teachers. Please advise how I can bond better with her, so she feels more confident to share her world with me. Meeta, Delhi

Q. I am 15 and hang out a lot with my best friend. Four months ago he lost his mother and now he doesn’t talk to me. He mostly remains lost and has even stopped playing with me. I miss our friendship and at the same time I want to do something to help him. Rituraj, Gujarat You have pretty much hit the nail on the head when you write that your friend ‘remains lost’. Coping with bereavement is very tough. When a child loses a parent from whom he gets his emotional nourishment and a sense of safety, and security; the feeling of loss is even deeper. Different people deal with it differently. Do you notice how challenging you are finding the loss of your bond with your friend, even when you know it could well be temporary? Your friend has lost a significant relationship in his life. No matter how hard he tries he cannot turn the clock back. Give him some time to come to terms with his loss. Let him go through the process of grieving. What he needs at this hour is a supportive friend who understands, is there for him and yet let’s him be.

Q. My daughter studies in Class I and has befriended a boy in her class who refuses to let her play with anyone else in class. He suffers from mild learning difficulties and gets aggressive very easily. It breaks my heart to see my little girl coming home with little bruises every other day. Should I tell her to stop playing with her friend? But will it be fair to isolate a child who clearly has some special needs. Please advice. Tuhina, Delhi What are we really waiting for? As a parent I would definitely help my child pull back. Your focus here seems blurred. You would do well to focus on your child and what she is going through - the trauma and intensity of which she’s clearly unable to verbalise. Rope in the school and/or her class teacher if you must but please rescue your child. Apart from the here and now, the situation is also scary by implication. Firstly, you must remember that the ‘abuser’ is also a child. So there is no guarantee that the aggression might not lead to injury to vital body parts. Secondly, your child could develop a phobia and anxiety towards school and everybody associated with it. Thirdly, this could also be the begining of sowing of seeds of mistrust, submissiveness and submitting to abusive relationships. The school and the parents of the ‘other child’ are competent enough to look into his well being.

y o u r s e l f

PLAY WITH YOUR CAMERA

For most of us photography begins as a hobby, turns into a passion, and even a great career option. An amateur shutterbug shares basic tips to start photography

P Bully Buddy

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Shivam Gopal Periwal

hotography challenges us to see unique perspectives. Photographers look for ways to see ordinary things in a new light. You don’t just learn different ways of taking pictures, but also different ways of seeing the world. Getting Started Many of us think that you would need a DSLR camera, a big lens, a good tripod, a flash gun and many more things to become a photographer. Actually, only two things are required to become a photographer: a camera which you can easily operate and a distinct photographic vision. So why do professionals use DSLRs and advance equipments? A DSLR improves the quality of photographs. It has functions which helps photographers to shoot in adverse conditions and click outstanding frames. Types of Camera There are basically three types of cameras: Point and shoot and advance point and

shoot, also known as Digicams. These days, most of them have a decent range of 7-14 megapixels and a optical zoom range of 4-20X. These are the best options to understand basics of photography and to know if you really have an interest in photography or not. Superzoom - These are also a variation of DigiCams and are known as Semi-SLR. These gears have optical zoom range of 20X or greater and picture quality of 12mp or more. Some of them even have basic features of DSLR and are a good choice for those who know how to manually control cameras and want to gain control over shutter speed and aperture. DSLR is a professional camera with wide range of features. It is a choice for those who know the basics and are at amateur level of photography. These have detachable lens and give you full control over its features. How to start To start photography just take a camera and explore your garden. A garden is the best place to learn the basics. Start framing flowers and insects from different angles in auto mode. Once you feel that you are comfortable with auto mode then shift to manual settings like AF points, macro mode, exposures, etc. Keep exploring new ideas and take inspiration from pictures on Internet. Clicking pictures in auto

mode is not photography, which is about operating the manual mode and angles. SOME TECHNICAL FEATURES 1. Macro Mode - Macro mode is present in every camera (though the range is different). This mode helps you when you are doing garden photography, taking close up shots of flowers and insects. It is generally present at the selection keys. It focuses on the nearest object which it can find in its range. 2. Exposure compensation - Also known as EV is also present in every digital camera. It is represented as ‘+/-’ and can be found on the selection keys. It helps in regulating the amount of light entering the camera and thus darkens or lightens an image. 3. Colour Mode - Colour change is one of the most important factor which gives a new dimension to a picture. Black & White is one of the most common monochromatic mode. Other options can be Sepia, or selective colour (present in some advanced models). 4. White Balance - This gives the required temperature (colour) to the picture. It makes picture more soothing. Various white balance modes can be daylight, sunset, cloudy, flash etc. —Shivam Gopal Periwal, class XI, Gwalior Glory High School, Gwalior S C H O O L L I V E SEPTEMBER 2014 29

t r i b u t e

MAN CHILD At 63, actor-comedian Robin Williams passed away, leaving us with the memory of a child-like, buoyant conjurer of playful invention. Saurabh Bhramar pays a personal tribute to his glorious body of work

espite his age and melancholy, Robin Williams could always flash that wonderfully innocent, child-like smile. His eyes always sparkled. And every character he played got engraved into the hearts of millions of his fans. His death has left his fans grief stricken. It just proved that despite being a brilliant comedian and a remarkable artist, he was only human. Williams had a versatility that few comedy superstars can match. His earlier memorable part was when he guest-starred as a hillarious extraterrestrial called Mork in an episode of Happy Days, and made such a lasting impact that he was immediately given a sitcom of his own, Mork & Mindy. Not many would know, but Williams had such an outstanding talent that he would attempt a lot of stuff impromptu while portraying his characters. He had free hand from his directors because he was a walking talking treasure of goofy one-liners that would leave his audience in splits. After Mork & Mindy he became an overnight star. Being a broadcaster and a RJ, I sometimes wonder how Williams prepared for his role in one of the finest movie of all times, Good Morning Vietnam, where he played the rebellious host of an armedforces radio show. He was a natural for that job. That was the first film that captured his oratory and motormouthed chat-show persona. Williams was nominated for Academy Awards three times, first for Good Morning, Vietnam, and later for touching roles in Dead Poets Society (1989) and Terry Gilliamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Fisher King (1991). But it was his warm yet rough-edged turn as a widowed psychology professor in Good Will Hunting (1997) that finally secured him the award for Best Supporting Actor. Decades into his Hollywood career, he was still showing us new sides to his talent. The happy days are now over. But this genius has left us with a treasure trove of works to cherish.

Robin Williams

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