Pallikkutam: October 2014 by james paul

FROM EDITOR’S DESK

Celebrate your life MAGAZINE ON EDUCATION VOLUME 2 ISSUE 5 OCTOBER 2014

Managing Editor Dr. Varghese Panthalookaran CMI Editor James Paul Associate Editor Dr. Prasant Palackappilly CMI

Columns T. P. Sreenivasan K. L. Mohanavarma Dr. K. N. Raghavan Sajit Malliyoor Dr. Jos Cletus Plackal Dr. Augustine Thottakara Marketing Manager Varghese Kachappilly CMI Art Sajo Joseph

Life is a celebration and is meant to be joyful. We are constantly bombarded with eternal clichés like life’s a journey, enjoy the ride or be sure to stop and smell the roses. While cringe-worthy at times, these expressions exist to firmly remind us to take time out to celebrate our experiences and that it is important to do so. Celebrating our successes and acknowledging personal growth helps keep us on track and motivated towards our goals. Do you have a naturally sunny disposition? Does every dark cloud have a silver lining? If not, you may need to learn how to live a cheerful life. Happy living is nothing more than living a normal life free from undue pressures, problems and tensions. The Art of Happy Living is not a complicated kind of art difficult to learn rather a simple art of living well, eating well, thinking well and feeling well. Just tune up your mind to enjoy every moment of life and let the happiness follow you. Social scientists explain this happiness plateau through the “aspiration adjustment hypothesis.” As soon as we acquire a moderate amount of wealth, our expectations rise for a higher quality of life. When we don’t reach these new levels, our spirits flag, leaving us disillusioned. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants — they all find themselves on what experts call the “hedonic treadmill,” working harder and making more money but still feeling blue. Happiness is purely an internal matter. It has nothing to do with your external circumstances. Most people do the fatal mistake of looking outwards for happiness rather than looking inwards. Don’t allow external matters to take your smiles away. American philosopher Woody Allen said, “Life “is full of misery, loneliness and suffering, and it’s all over much too soon.” The feeling of happiness is within you. There is something positive within you which keeps you happy and there is something negative within you which keeps you unhappy. That “something” needs to be looked into thoroughly. If you want to live a happy life then get rid of the negative “something” which makes you unhappy. Happy living is the reward of positive thinking. If you cannot think positively, you cannot live happily. Be your own coach and adviser. Look everything with a positive angle. Find something good even in most critical moments of your life. Make positive thinking the basis of your happy living.

Contact: Rajagiri Media, Rajagiri Valley P.O, Kakkanad, Kochi-39. Phone : 0484 2973979 Mob: +91 9497711010 Mail : editor@rajagirimedia.com www.pallikkutam.com

Sometimes though if we have had several knocks or disappointments being cheerful can require a lot of effort. People who are genuinely cheerful can light up a room, they inspire others to achieve their goals and bring a feeling of happiness and well-being wherever they go. Being cheerful involves a positive perspective on life, a sense that things happen for a reason and that things will work out for the best. As C.S. Lewis said, “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” So, Be of Good Cheer!

C ONTENTS CO VER ST OR Y COVER STOR ORY

Be Cheerful ! Life is a celebration and is meant to be joyful. Celebrating our successes and acknowledging personal growth helps keep us on track and motivated towards our goals.

Buoyancy of life.................................................. T. P. Sreenivasan

This is the moment............................................... 28 K. L. Sreekrishna Das

Road to success..................................................... 31

L. Nirmala

Why I need other people to change myself......... 33

Dani Di Pirro

YOURS TEA CHERL Y 09 TEACHERL CHERLY

I never wanted to be a teacher..... The words bring nostalgic memories to me for the basic reason that I never wanted to be a teacher.

N. P. Geetha 04

EXPERT COUNSEL 14

GUEST COLUMN 61

Imran Khan’s political metamorphosis

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He chose to return to Pakistan and devote himself to working for the people.

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Dr. K.N. Raghavan

sI F¬ taml\h¿Ω Pallikkutam | October 2014

OCTOBER 2014 STORIES OF LIFE 17

Genetic imprinting and the will to live NEWS..................................................................... 06 INSIGHTS.............................................................. 22

Dr. Jos Cletus Plackal TIONS....................................................... INNOV INNO VATIONS ....................................................... 50 INFO TECH............................................................ 58 CONFESSIONS ..................................................... 66

PERSONAL 19

I am getting angry for silly reasons

Sajit Malliyoor RAINBOW 64

Science facts & Human body quiz

POLICY WATCH 41

Independence of designing and offer courses

SUBSCRIBE NOW TURN TO P AGE 45 PA

A UGC circular to ensure that Hindi was taught at the college level. This was opposed by the Tamil Nadu government, which stated that the circular would not be applicable for the state. Dr. Dhanuraj, Rahul V Kumar Pallikkutam | October 2014

NEWS

Smriti Irani plans higher education overhaul

n a bid to create uniformity among central universities, HRD ministry has decided to frame guidelines for common admission, common curriculum, student and faculty mobility as well as a national system of credit transfers. It has also been decided to evolve a national ranking system of central universities.

Motihari or even universities in northeast. A former HRD ministry official said, “Attempts to have a common admission during Kapil Sibal’s term also did not materialize. It remained confined to 14 central universities created in 2009. Old universities did not agree.” As for the proposal of single legislation to run all

These decisions were taken in the two-day retreat of HRD minister Smriti Z Irani with vice-chancellors of central universities in Chandigarh. A committee comprising VCs of central universities of Kerala, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Baba Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Tripura, Delhi and Pondicherry University has been constituted to frame the guidelines . The committee has been asked to submit its report within a month. “Imagine one university with 39 campuses with seamless mobility of students and teachers. Common curriculum and admission will be a great step forward,” an HRD ministry official. However, there could be practical problems related to implementation. For instance, it is unlikely that faculty from premier central universities like DU and JNU would move to new central universities in places like

within a month. It was also decided to operationalize Council of Industry-Higher Education Collaboration (CIHEC) to identify initiatives to promote research, mobilize resources, develop market-ready manpower and enhance employability. The Council will collaborate with placement cells of Central Universities for identification of the emerging areas as per requirement of neighbouring industries to make students employment ready. The CIHEC will also help train counsellors at all placement cells for better counselling and placements. Central universities have been asked to establish a placement cell for all disciplines. Every placement cell will have counsellors who should give in-house training for skill development and coordinate placements.

In tune with the new government’s emphasis on employment, 100 Knowledge Upgradation Centres for Skilled Human Action and Learning (KUSHAL) will be central universities, the ministry has sought established within a year. These Centres opinions of all VCs. Another committee will coordinate the entire skill development comprising VCs of English and foreign efforts of higher educational institutions. languages university, University of Delhi, UGC will frame guidelines on the scheme Central University of Gujarat and JNU within a month. was constituted for developing a framework for the national ranking system

Cambridge University to help India improve primary education

he University of Cambridge will soon partner with India to improve its primary education system, its vicechancellor said. “The work will range from improving teacher quality, learning systems and evaluation. We want to collaborate and work on the entire education system at the primary and secondary level. However, Cambridge will not set up any school in India,” Cambridge VC Sir Leszek Borysiewicz said. Sir Leszek, a 61-yearold medical researcher, is on his seventh visit to India. So far, Cambridge has collaborated only with higher educational institutions in India and partnered for research in chemical biology, therapeutics, stem cell research and nanoscience with many institutions, including the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore. “For any education system to survive, the

foundation must be strong. Unesco has been pointing out the need to strengthen this fundamental phase (primary and secondary).That’s our objective. Next week, we’ll commence talks on our primary education project with the Indian government,” he said. Reiterating that India will continue to be a major innovation partner for Cambridge, Sir Leszek said the university has 270 projects with Indian institutions. “The focus is on building partnerships with these institutions as they’re committed to quality. It’s important for universities to also invest in research in the Arts and humanities. Science alone is not enough.” He said despite the UK’s government’s tough immigration laws, there’s no drop in the number of foreign students to Cambridge. “I do not agree with the UK government on the restrictions. We must

open up to overseas students. In any case, students are not denied visas.” Asked what programmes offered by Indian institutions attract UK students, he said: “PhD students are interested in doing individual research in science and humanities in India. For example, a Cambridge student took up the Indian elections as a research project.” Sir Leszek is unperturbed about Cambridge’s rankings in the World University rankings. “I completely disagree with its methodology. We in Cambridge choose not to comment or react to our or other university rankings. It’s a silly way to assess universities. Unimaginable talent comes to Cambridge from all over the world. For 800 years, we’ve been committed to quality and excellence,” he said.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

NEWS

After Nalanda, Need a Smartphone? Ensure Bihar to revive 75% attendance in college Vikramshila T University

ihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi announced the development of Vikramshila University, an ancient seat of Buddhist learning, on the lines of the revived Nalanda University.

he Madhya Pradesh state department of higher education has mooted a plan to award students who maintain mandatory attendance. The scheme is for students who have taken admission in first year in colleges in the year 2014-15. The department will review the attendance of the students on a fixed date and subsequently award them with smart phones on the basis of coupons provided

by college principals. The coupons will have to be presented before the contract agency which will give smart phones to the students at college campus itself. The students will also have to provide the contact number to the college principal who will submit it to the department. The contact details will be used to inform students about various useful schemes.

Australia steepest for foreign studies, India cheapest A

ustralia has once again emerged as the most expensive overseas education destination for students followed by “We will try to develop and revive Singapore and India the cheapest in a Vikramshila University on the lines of study conducted by a global bank. Last Nalanda University,” Manjhi told mediapersons during his visit to Bhagalpur. year, Singapore was sixth in the list. He said: “All possible efforts would be made to revive Vikramshila University like Nalanda University.” Manjhi said that a committee of experts will be set up soon to look into it. Vikramshila was among the most important centres of Buddhist learning in ancient India but the remains of Vikramshila University located near Antichak village in the Kahalgaon subdivision of Bhagalpur district, about 150km from Patna, have been sadly neglected for years. Now, it appears that the ruins of the university would be conserved on the lines of its older counterpart Nalanda. Vikramshila University was set up by the Pala dynasty (750-1174 AD) king Dharmapala in the late 8th or early 9th century. The ancient Vikramshila University was intended to complement the existing world class universities at Nalanda and Takshila. It lasted four centuries before being destroyed during an attack by Bakhtiyar Khilji of the Delhi Sultanate.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

The survey across 15 countries says while an international student in an Australian university spends $42,093 a year on university fees and living, in India the total cost works out to just $5,642. India was included in the study only this year, which has not taken into account the cost of education at Ivy League colleges. K P Singh, an overseas studies counsellor, said, “Singapore’s dollar is growing at a faster rate and therefore education there is getting expensive. The dollar rate has grown almost three times in three years.” The survey, which spoke to over 4,500 parents across countries, also examined their attitude and behaviour towards

education. Around 62% of Indian parents said the US provides the best quality of education followed by the UK and Australia. The study, this year, also ranked the quality of education offered in these 15 nations where the US emerged as the most preferred destination in terms among parents. India, though, ranks eighth in terms of the quality of education provided, with only 5% of the respondents putting it up in their top three choices. The research was conducted by HSBC. Data was collected on the basis of the average tuition cost for international students in the top 10 largest institutions in each country. The cost of living has been calculated taking into consideration inflation. “All these nations do offer scholarships for overseas students, but they are very limited and do not exceed 1015% of the total number of international students studying there,” said Singh.

YOURS TEA CHERL Y TEACHERL CHERLY

I never wanted to be a teacher..... N. P. Geetha

How I bacame a Teacher The words bring nostalgic memories to me for the basic reason that I never wanted to be a teacher. And mine is not an exemption but a rule. You can wish, make plan, strive for it, but the ultimate choice of a profession is not in your hands. That is beyond your control. In most cases, it is guided and modified by many parameters and circumstances and I believe it is only in rare cases a person achieves the exact position, professionally, he or she longs to be.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

YOURS TEA CHERL Y TEACHERL CHERLY

I can recall hundreds of experiences which will bring joy and tears. It has been a saga of human interaction. But something stands apart. Each dawn is special and new. I am fully aware of that and involved to the maximum.

ou ask any “Padippist”- Yes, it is a beautiful word in common use- in the 12th Standard what he or she plans. They will say most probably that they plan to write the entrance exam to a professional career. They will write for the Engg. as well as Medicine – eventhough both the professions are entirely different. And most of them accept what they get depending on the parental pressure. They come out, becoming a professional. I was not different. There was a rosy picture in my mind of a doctor with a stethoscope dangling on the neck, respected by all in the community, driving my own car and making a lot of money from the profession. But that image got shattered when the results of the exam were announced. I had failed in Biology! It was my favourite subject and I was expecting very good marks. Someone had

made a mistake in evaluating the paper. My father went from pillar to post about revaluation. Ultimately the officer concerned frankly told him “Mr. Menon, I know your daughter has done very well in the exam and deserves very high marks, but I am sorry. The rules say re-tabulation and does not permit revaluation of the answer paper. I am helpless. She has failed”. That sealed my aspiration to become the doctor, but I am happy that my sister made the grade and is now a very successful doctor well appreciated by all. A chance visit to Manasagangothri gave me an idea of becoming a college lecturer. I did my post graduation in Education at that renowned institution. An immediate offer was there from the Convent School I studied. I took it as a make shift arrangement. But it so happened that I

continued to be a school teacher and never became a college lecturer as I wished. But I do not have any regrets. Since that day I have worked in half a dozen schools in Mysore, Delhi and Kerala. I have come in contact with thousands of Children – from KG to 12th during the last forty years. I can recall hundreds of experiences which will bring joy and tears. It has been a saga of human interaction. But something stands apart. Each dawn is special and new. I am fully aware of that and involved to the maximum. From the moment I step into the school compound it is a nonstop activity till I come out and sleep in the car on my way home. Yes, I am a doctor and lecturer combined. The author is Principal, Sree Sankara Vidyalaya, Vaikom.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

ASPECTS

Scholars in Search of Brahman Dr. Augustine Thottakara

They wanted to ask some questions to the guru concerning human existence, supreme Brahman, means for liberation, etc. Pippalada, the wise sage, did not need much time to judge the mental preparedness and spiritual maturity of his disciples, and his answer was quick and unambiguous.

rasna Upanisad belongs to Atharva Veda. Prasna means question. The Upanisad contains six questions and their answers. It narrates the story of six disciples, namely, Sukesa, Saibya, Sauryayani, Kausalya, Bhargava and Kabandhi. Actually these six disciples, were not ordinary students; they were eminent scholars, well-versed in the sacred scriptures and other sciences. But each of these erudite persons had unsolved problems of life and unsettled issues of philosophy. They also did not know Brahma-vidya. Therefore, they selected an old sage and saint named Pippalada as their guru. They knew that this guru

Pallikkutam | October 2014

would guide them in their spiritual pilgrimage. They approached him in the proper manner, namely, with sacrificial fuel in hand and in the spirit of selfsurrender to the will of the guru. They wanted to ask some questions to the guru concerning human existence, supreme Brahman, means for liberation, etc. Pippalada, the wise sage, did not need much time to judge the mental preparedness and spiritual maturity of his disciples, and his answer was quick and unambiguous. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Live one year here practicing austerity, celibacy and faith. Then you may ask your questions according to your desire. If I know them,

assuredly I shall tell everything to youâ&#x20AC;?, bhuya eva tapasa brahmacaryena sraddhaya samvatsaram samvatsyatha (Prasna Up.I.2). About this old venerable Guru Pippalada the Upanisad says that he was bhagavan and a rsi. One who is endowed with bhaga, meaning, splendour, glory, knowledge, detachment, valour and enthusiasm, is bhagavan.1 Evidently this title is used for God, like Bhagavan Krishna. But it is also employed to designate realized (siddha) gurus. Bhagavan Buddha is an example. Rsis are seers of the Vedic mantras (mantra-drstarah); they live and move in

ASPECTS

“Whatever exists in the three worlds, is all under the control of prana. O prana, protect us as a mother protects her sons; give us affluence and intelligence” the word of God, observe severe austerity and are absorbed in the continuous intense meditation. Kavih krantadarsih, goes the saying, meaning a poet is one who sees beyond and behind the objects of experiences, which are conditioned by space, time and material dimensions. Here the poet is on par with the sages of old, the rsis; rsis are kranta-darsis. While the sages become transcendental supra-natural seers through the sublimation of the spirit and power of Yoga, the poets become supra normal visionaries through the power of imagination and poetical intuition (pratibha) and connatural talents. We, normal mortals see objects, persons and events as they are presented to us through our senses and mind in their actual materiality, measurability and dimensionality. But sages and poets transcend and enter behind the presented objects and captures extra details, intense sentiments and new meanings of these things and experiences. Pippalada’s kranta-darsitva (ability to see beyond) and mantra-darsitva (ability to realize Vedic word) enabled him to see through the inner spiritual status of his disciples, and saw with his inner eyes that these are not yet spiritually and emotionally mature to receive the knowledge of Brahman. And he, therefore, ordered them to practice austerity (tapas), celibacy brahmacarya), and faith (sraddha) for one more year. And about the six disciples the Upanisad says that they were devoted to Brahman, steadfast in the meditation on the supreme Being and genuine seekers of the knowledge

of Brahman.2 All were eminent persons respected in the society and learned in the tradition and scriptures. But they still were not worthy vessels (sat-patra) for receiving the saving knowledge of Brahman. After one year’s spiritual efforts (sadhana), they approached the guru again, asked their questions, clarified their doubts and got enlightened by the grace of the teacher. The last sentence of this Upanisad is notable: “Worshipping

him (the teacher), they said, ‘you are our father who has taken us across the other shore beyond ignorance. Adoration to the great rsis; adoration to the great rsis’ “ (Prasna Up. VI.8). Kabandhi Katyayana asked the first question. He wanted to know: “Venerable Sir, whence are these creatures born?” Pippalada’s answer was rather long. In short he said: ‘God meditated, and created the first pair: they are matter and energy. Matter stands for food and energy stands for the vital breath’. This pair then continued the process of creation of the different objects of the world. The role of time is also mentioned. This section also speaks about the two paths souls take after death: the path of light, which leads to

liberation, and the path of darkness, which leads to rebirth. Bhargava of Vidarbha asked the second question: “Revered Sir, how many are the gods who support the creatures? How many of these gods exercise their powers for the creatures? Who is the greatest among these gods?” Pippalada enumerated that once elements and the sense organs said they are supporting the body, and keep it in existence. But the vital breath (maha prana) objected and said that it (prana) is the power that holds the body together. Others were not ready to accept it. Then prana decided to go out of the body. But then with it all the others were forced to go out. Then the elements and sense organs understood the greatness of prana, and they prayed him not to go out; if he goes all others will die. The Upanisad goes on to say that as the spokes are fixed in the nave (nabhi) of the wheel, so all the psychosomatic faculties are anchored in prana. All the sense organs and mind praise the vital breath with great appreciation and conclude saying: “Whatever exists in the three worlds, is all under the control of prana. O prana, protect us as a mother protects her sons; give us affluence and intelligence” (II.13). The third question is posed by Asvalayana Kausalya, and his query also concerns the prana: ‘How prana is born, how does it manifest itself and what are its functions’. The guru answers that prana is born of Atman. Therefore, Atman, the self, supports and sustains the prana. Prana

Pallikkutam | October 2014

ASPECTS

In sleep the body and senses become inactive; senses do not know objects; body does not do the ordinary functions. But in sleep the pranas, the vital breaths, are all active. manifests itself in different forms like the chief prana (maha-prana), which is situated in heart, and is the lifeforce. Apana air is the energy of excretion and generation. ‘Udana carries the soul at death to the virtuous world by virtuous deeds, to the sinful world by the sinful acts’ (III.7). ‘In the middle is Samana and it distributes the offered food equally to all parts’ (III.5). The Vyana air moves all over the body through the nerves. These are the manifestations of prana. Sage Gargya Sauryayanin asked the fourth question about the mystery of sleep. He wanted to know about the faculties that go to sleep and those who always keep awake. What is the secret of dreams? In sleep the body and senses become inactive; senses do not know objects; body does not do the ordinary functions. But in sleep the pranas, the vital breaths, are all active. Mind too is active in sleep; mind builds its own world; that is the world of dreams; dreams are based on previous experiences. In deep sleep mind also becomes inactive; and then the self enjoys great bliss. Satyakama, the son of Sibi, asked him the next question about Om and the results of the meditation on Om. Om can be meditated in three stages: meditating on one syllable, two syllables and on all the three syllables. When three syllables A, U, and M are properly meditated upon, the meditator would attain the goal that is ‘peaceful, undecaying, immortal, free from all fear’ (V.7). The last question was asked by the sage Sukesa Bahradvaja. The question was on the Purusa with sixteen parts. The sixteen parts are: Prana, faith, ether, air, fire, water earth, sense, mind, food, vigour, penance, the Vedas, the sacrifices, the worlds and finally the name. The are mainly the cosmological components of the universe. “in whom rest these sixteen kalas (parts) like spokes in the nave of a chariot-wheel, know him, the Purusa, worthy to be known, that death might not hurt you” (VI.6). Pippalada, the guru, concludes his instructions to the six scholars thus: “So far I know of the supreme Brahman; there is nothing higher that that” (VI.8). And about the scholars it is said: “Having worshipped him, they said, ‘Thou art our father who hast taken us across to the other shore beyond ignorance (avidya)” (VI.8). This is the story of Pippalada, the guru, and the six scholar-disciples of Prasna Upanisad.Prasna Up.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

EXPERT COUNSEL

Imran Khanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s political metamorphosis Dr. K.N. Raghavan

He chose to return to Pakistan and devote himself to working for the people there by venturing into the badlands of Pakistani politics, something that no other cricketer had ever done in that country before him.

would have no hesitation in confessing that I was an ardent fan of Imran Khan, the great fast bowler, all rounder and captain of Pakistan cricket team that won the World Cup in 1992. Incredibly handsome, amazingly talented and possessing a Midas touch that turned everything that he did on the cricket field into astounding success, he was the dream cricketer every fledgling player aspired to become. His achievements on the cricket field are too numerous to be recounted here. His versatile abilities could be understood from the fact that he could have walked into any international side during the 1980â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as a fast bowler or as an all rounder or as a captain. He had announced his retirement from international cricket after the 1987 World Cup but was forced out of his retirement by an appeal made by none other than the then President of Pakistan Gen Zia Ul Haq, who, like other cricket lovers in that country, was appalled by the poor performance of their national cricket team without him at the helm. Imran

returned from retirement, built a new side with some fresh talent that he identified and fashioned a remarkable turnaround of fortunes to lead Pakistan to victory in the 1992 World Cup. My admiration for Imran the cricketer changed to a new found respect for Imran the person soon thereafter. With his charismatic personality, handsome features, playboy life style, inherited wealth and Oxbridge education, one would have expected Imran to settle down in England and join the band of commentators and experts on television, like most of his contemporaries had done. However he chose to return to Pakistan and devote himself to working for the people there by venturing into the badlands of Pakistani politics, something that no other cricketer had ever done in that country before him. The initial days were an intense struggle as the political party that he founded, Pakistani

Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI), took time to get off the ground and lost heavily in the 1997 elections. His wife, Jemima, a London heiress left him and he found himself in the wilderness as Pakistan went through yet another spell of military rule under President Musharaf. However he bounced back after popular protests forced President Musharaf to step down and power was restored to a democratic government in Pakistan through the conduct of national elections in 2008. Imran campaigned tirelessly during the 2013 elections and his rising popularity was noted by many independent observers. He braved a serious accident and the resultant injury and worked towards the victory of his party

Pallikkutam | October 2014

EXPERT COUNSEL

It came as a shock to learn that Imran Khan had chosen to spearhead a movement seeking ouster of Nawaz Sheriff Government on grounds of rigging of 2013 elections and joined hands with a Canada based cleric, Tahir ul Qadri, to lay siege around the Parliament till his goal was attained. showing yet again the leadership skills and tenacity that had made him a successful international cricketer. The election results were not altogether disappointing; his party secured the largest number of seats in the provincial assembly of tribal province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and also won a considerable number of seats in the National Assembly. It appeared that Imran had finally arrived on the national political scene as a player in his own right and one was looking forward to seeing him consolidate the gains for future electoral battles. The 2013 elections in Pakistan would always remain as a seminal one in the history of that country for many reasons.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

This was the first time that a democratically elected government was completing its full five year term in the history of Pakistan; this also made it the first instance in that country where a government handed over power after the elections to a government headed by another party. The elections were conducted under a caretaker government headed by a retired federal judge after nominal dissolution of Parliament. Though conducted under the shadow of violence unleashed by extremist and fundamentalist organisations, elections took place on the appointed days and voter turnout was better than what it was in 2008. Thus, when Nawaz Sheriff took oath of office as Prime Minister, it appeared that, despite

the various difficulties and aberrations, democracy was taking firm roots in Pakistan and the days when military could ride roughshod over democratically elected governments were over. Hence it came as a shock to learn that Imran Khan had chosen to spearhead a movement seeking ouster of Nawaz Sheriff Government on grounds of rigging of 2013 elections and joined hands with a Canada based cleric, Tahir ul Qadri, to lay siege around the Parliament till his goal was attained. This had the effect of undermining the authority of Nawaz Sheriff, who was forced to summon military for securing the Parliament and government offices. Imran’s constant references to help from “third umpire” (suggesting military interference)

Imran has opened a dangerous gambit. As the saying goes, “For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind”; all that remains to be seen is the extent to which the ordinary Pakistanis are forced to face the whirlwind for the damage that Imran is wreaking on democracy in that country. and the allegations by his senior party colleagues (since expelled) about secret understanding between him and the army generals give the impression that he has metamorphosed into a power hungry politician who is willing to kill nascent democracy to stoke his political greed and ambitions. The company of clerics and fundamentalists show that he has moved considerable distances from his earlier position as a secular and enlightened politician who wished to work solely for improving the lot of the poor and needy of Pakistan. One of the cardinal principles of history is that those who forget history are

condemned to repeat it. As a person educated in the liberal universities of England, Imran would have known that essence of democracy consists of consensus building, creation of democratic institutions and tolerance to constructive criticism. He appears to have forgotten the historical fact that long marches and sieges have only destroyed democratic institutions and produced fascist dictatorships. Worse, he has chosen to ignore the history of his own country which has shown, on numerous occasions, that army generals have scant regard for democracy and have invariably chosen to

undermine it and seize power themselves whenever opportunities have arisen. By providing military a chance to stage a comeback into mainline Pakistani politics, Imran has opened a dangerous gambit. As the saying goes, “For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind”; all that remains to be seen is the extent to which the ordinary Pakistanis are forced to face the whirlwind for the damage that Imran is wreaking on democracy in that country.

The author is the Commissioner of Customs in Kochi, Kerala.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

STORIES OF LIFE

Genetic imprinting and the will to live Dr. Jos Cletus Plackal

Ancy came along with her mother for consultation. She was visibly shaken, upset, confused and depressed. Ancy was crying during the initial interview.

ncy (name changed) 20 years, graduate, just employed in a small firm as assistant accountant, quite slim, pretty, introverted, short-tempered, sad looking. Ancy came along with her mother for consultation. She was visibly shaken, upset, confused and depressed. Ancy was crying during the initial interview. The precipitating factor was that she was fired from the present job, which she always wanted to quit, yet felt guilty and confused. The boss shouted at her accusing her of absenteeism, lethargy, inefficiency and what not! Ancy was a confused and confounded bundle of ego! The emotional upheaval was so unbearable that she didn’t find any meaning in living any more, but was afraid to die either! Life becomes so harsh and hostile when one is caught up between the devil and the deep sea. At such loneliest of times, it’s easier to die than hang on to the edge of the cliff of life. At such times the individual is not so much concerned about the morality, the indignity or the agony of dying but thinks (dimly) and feels intensely the pangs of

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the pain of living. Thus, for a deeply depressed person escaping the incessant and inevitable suffering is ‘birth’ and not death. In other words, in an attempt to escape from life’s incessant and unbearable pains, one embraces illusion as reality and exchanges reality for illusion. One’s return journey from illusory world to real world is the longest and the most arduous one. Along with medical assistance, one needs psychological help. Understanding the source of the problem, becoming aware, accepting, and restructuring are all important steps in this return journey. This is what happens in most of the psychological counseling. Let’s see how Ancy was helped to make her Journey back to the harsh realities of life, and how she restructured her life so as to face its challenges and make life not only livable but more meaningful. A closer, detailed look at Ancy’s life showed so many ingredients for an unhappy life. Although Ancy had a normal uneventful childhood, she always felt an inner loneliness, “always wanted an older

brother”. Although she had a younger brother, she thought that he was too much for her to handle. “Daddy was very loving and affectionate when I was small, but then later on daddy didn’t show much interest in me”. And to make things worse, at her tender and critical age (13) her maternal uncle started molesting her under the pretext of showering affection! Ancy amazed her parents when she began to dislike any form of touch, even by her own parents! At about this time Ancy lost her best friend Nisha due to a sudden illness. But one thing that perplexed both the psychologist and the client was the incessant inner dislike that Ancy had for herself. She didn’t like her body features, she thought she was not good looking, she finally decided that she was destined to be a loser in life. This self-fulfilling doomsday prophesy was destructive on her psyche, it kept on draining her inner strength and emotional energy, slowly but steadily. It is this “I am not OK, you are not OK” (T.Harris)position that needed most attention and investigation.

STORIES OF LIFE

A baby being the greatest gift, parents must prepare mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually for this great miracle of life. Such miracles don’t happen accidentally, they are created by parental intentionality and loving involvement of both the spouses. A deeper psychological probe and consequent analysis brought out vital factors. Ancy’s mother(Mary) had an important and pivotal role in solving this human jigsaw puzzle. Mrs. Mary had very painful memories of her own past. She lost her dear father unexpectedly when she was 20 years old. Her father had arranged a marriage for her and before he died he expressed his desire that the marriage should go through even if he died. Mary’s family executed the father’s will but the young girl had not finished grieving the sudden loss of her dearest dad. No wonder, the forced marriage offered her excruciating pain, the pain of losing her father and having to leave her dear ones at the same time. As a consequence, Mrs. Mary was unable to fulfill her duties as a wife, a daughter-in-law etc. The worst and most painful part of it was having to make love with her husband. She kept on crying and

avoided such occasions as much as she could. The very touch of her husband created pain and panic in her. Mary was neither ready to engage in sex nor willing to carry a baby in her womb. It was at such a time that poor Ancy was conceived, and no wonder, she felt unwanted all her life. Such parental unwantedness has its genetic imprinting on the progeny for entire life, unconsciously living the unwanted feeling, sometimes ending in suicide itself – the ultimate self rejection. Therpeutic strategy involved the healing of the mother-child dyad, ab initio. So the mother had to undergo therapy to heal her unfinished grief about her own father and had to accept her helplessness at the time of her marriage. Ancy was gracious and understanding about her mother’s plight and became aware of what was happening to her from her from the inception of life. And then, it was the daughter’s turn to

accept the limitations of her mother and own up the consequences, without blaming or accusing mother, which she did. Ancy made remarkable progress from this point on and slowly but steadily came back to believe in her self. There is a great lesson for parents-to-be, that an unwanted child can become a curse to oneself, to the parents, and to the world. S/he may even end up in suicide which is the harshest statement, “If you don’t want me, I don’t want me either”. On the other hand, a baby being the greatest gift, parents must prepare mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually for this great miracle of life. Such miracles don’t happen accidentally, they are created by parental intentionality and loving involvement of both the spouses. The author is licensed clinical psychologist (HRT), Jeevas Centre Aluva.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

PERSONAL

I am tired, irritated and getting angry for silly reasons Sajit Malliyoor

Once you have ruled out the presence of a depressive disorder, then another likely explanation for your tiredness could be that you are being bogged down by the many problems that you talked about.

n one of your columns, you spoke about the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I suspect I am suffering from that condition. But unlike in your description of the condition, my tiredness improves after taking rest. I have been keenly observing the pattern and I realise that on holidays and weekends, I used to feel much better. I am a twenty nine year old engineer, working in the Information Technology sector. My major problem is that I have no energy to even talk to my wife on a working day, when I return home in the evening from the work. I would feel completely exhausted and spent out by the evening. It has even started affecting our relationship, as she feels being neglected when I come back home

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after a long day. This tiredness also affects my mood. I would feel irritated even for minor things and often it leads to getting angry with my wife for silly reasons. I am a physically healthy person, who spends an hour a day in the gymnasium on a regular basis. I also eat well and hence I believe physical reasons are not behind my tiredness. That is what prompted me to look for reasons in the psychological sphere. I used to think that I am a man of many problems. I have several problems in life, including financial commitments, family responsibilities etc. Added to that,my work environment is also highly stressful. There are unexpected problems cropping up on every day. Then, my project leader is

tough man who always keeps us on tenterhooks. Occasionally I think,stresses from facing all these problems make me this tired. Could my problem related to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? Kindly advise me on the methods to tackle it. One major limitation with the columns like this is that often the letters may lack the vital information a clinician would like to gather. For example, I would like to know the duration of your condition, your thoughts associated with it, as well as your predominant mood and affect. From your own description, you feel the problem could be related to the psychological reasons. Assuming that being the case, one major risk factor for

PERSONAL

Problems are indeed a part of your daily life. They keep presenting themselves in most of our lives and for the most part, we are able to quickly solve them without much trouble at all. chronic tiredness could be the presence of a depressive disorder. The salient feature of a depressive disorder is the presence of predominant sad feelings. However, some depressed people don’t feel sad at all- they may feel lifeless, empty, apathetic or at times angry or restless. It may interfere with your ability to work, eat, sleep and have fun. You may also look for the feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness, and a difficulty to control your negative thoughts, no matter how much you try. There are a few reliable online depression assessment services available, such that of ‘Psych Central’, or ‘depression.org’. However, these are not definitive diagnostic methods; they only point you towards the direction you could take in the management of your condition. Once you have ruled out the presence of a depressive disorder, then another likely

explanation for your tiredness could be that you are being bogged down by the many problems that you talked about. The tiredness could simply be the result of your inability to meet up with the stressors presented by the several problems, your life throws at your way.

They can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety and you may feel completely drained out by the fag end of the day. The sad truth of life is that there are no short cuts to solving the life problems. Avoiding, ignoring or procrastinating when dealing with the difficult issues in life can usually cause the problem to come back and a Problems are indeed a part of your daily small problem can become a big problem life. They keep presenting themselves in over the time! Here, we shall discuss a most of our lives and for the most part, we stepwise approach to effectively dealing are able to quickly solve them without with the general problems in life. Let us much trouble at all. We either come up begin by identifying the problems. In the with a quick solution, or use a strategy letter you say that you are a man of many that worked in the past. The problems, problems. Instead of thinking in the general however, become more difficult when there terms, try to identify each problem. Get in is no obvious solution and the strategies the habit of writing out a list of the that you have tried in the past don’t work problems in the life. It is easier to work on anymore. You may also feel overwhelmed a problem if you have written it down. We by the problems, when the sheer number often make the mistake of thinking our of them is too many and your resources to negative feelings are the problem. For deal with them are stretched to the limit.

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PERSONAL

Closely observe your interaction with your project leader and see if the level of difficulty is coming down gradually. If you notice that it is, then your solution is probably working! example, you might think “the problem is that I am always stressed out at work”. But actually it is more accurate to say that there is a problem at work (such as the difficulties with your project leader) which is making you feel stressed. Your negative emotions are your guide to identifying the problems. When you are feeling anxious, stressed or frustrated, try to find the problem that is making you feel that way. Once you have identified the problem, next step is to explicitly define it, by being as specific and concrete in figuring out the components of the problem. What aspect of your interaction with your project leader is the problem? Is it the work load, your inability to meet his expectations, or the project leader’s temperamental issues, which is causing the difficulty? Once you have defined the problem explicitly, you can start setting goals for the problem. It will help you to know ahead of time what a solved problem would look like. Be realistic here. Set the goals that are only achievable. There are many problems in the world that can’t be solved by the sufferer. You can only live with it. Reconstructing the temperamental issues of your project leader may not be an achievable goal! Next step in the hierarchy is thinking up of solutions for the problems. Do a brainstorming and come up with as many possible solutions as possible. Don’t judge it, even a silly, strange or extreme solution is good ones at this stage; you aren’t choosing a solution yet. You are more likely to come up with a good solution, if you have a lot of solutions to choose from. After thinking up all the possible solutions, evaluate each one by analysing the cost and benefit of the solution to yourself and others, right now and in the long-term. The best solution will have the most benefits, and the fewest costs possible. You may remember here that the goal is to find the best solution possible to your problem, NOT the perfect solution! Usually, the most difficult step in a problem solving exercise is the carrying out part. You may be afraid that you might have picked the wrong solution, or perhaps there is a better solution that you haven’t thought about. Remember that it is better to act than to do nothing at all! To help you carry out your solution, you can make an action plan. If you know how you are going to carry out the solution, you are more likely to do it. Your plan should include all the steps that you will need to take to carry out the solution and it should be as specific and concrete as possible. Once you have carried out the solution, you need to make sure that it is working. Sometimes the best laid plans don’t always turn out perfectly, so it is always a good idea to have markers to know whether you are on the right track. Closely observe your interaction with your project leader and see if the level of difficulty is coming down gradually. If you notice that it is, then your solution is probably working!

Send queries to malliyoor@outlook.com

Pallikkutam | October 2014

INSIGHTS

Mastering the mishaps

psetting news like failing in an exam or getting fired at workplace could generate diverse responses: Some decide to persist and others give up. These responses depend on how much control one has over what happened, suggests a new research from Rutgers UniversityNewark. The results are published in the journal Neuron. The study also suggests that the level of control one perceives may even determine which part of the brain will handle the crisis. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) used in the study showed activity in a part of the brain called the ventral striatum in the case of those who masters the situation. Ventral striatum is the region of brain which has been shown to guide goals based on prior experiences. For the slaves of the situation, fMRI revealed activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). It is a part of

Future of higher education

he very notion of classroom is shifting – classes might meet in person, or virtually, or a mix, creating a need for spaces, templates and tools for students to create their own learning opportunities; providing continuous, real-time feedback for students, and developing frameworks for dealing with new uncertainties using technology or even using drugs that can improve academic performance. Can the onslaught of online courses change the face the higher education in the future? The researchers at the University of Houston addressed this issue on the basis of what students really need in the future. The UH researchers identified three key aspects of the future development:

♦ A shift in the balance of power away from institutions, toward students.

♦ A blending between different aspects of student life – living, learning, working, playing, connecting and participating – making it difficult to address any particular aspect in isolation.

♦ Information and communication technologies creating new possibilities along with new challenges in terms of student needs. The major needs for the future, identified by the UH report includes: mentoring; credentialing, or issuing academic credit for life experiences; personalized learning, and the need for continuously upgrading skills.

Bilingual babies fare well

ix-month old infants spoken to in two languages show better learning and memory than infants exposed to a single language, according a study published online in the scientific journal, Child Development. It is found that the sixthe brain that regulates emotions in more month old bilingual infants recognized flexible ways. familiar images faster than those brought up in monolingual homes. These students People whose jobs include delivering bad news should pay attention to these results. also paid more attention to novel images compared to monolingual infants. The Their actions might influence how the findings reveal a generalized cognitive news is received, suggests the study. For example, if you deliver bad news of failure advantage that emerges early in bilingual infants, and is not specific to a particular in an exam to students attached with an language. offer to facilitate them to review their study habits may promote students to The study showed that bilingual babies got improve their performance in the future. It bored of familiar images faster than is necessary to communicate to students monolingual babies. The rate at which an their ability to control and overcome their infant becomes bored of a familiar image miserable situation. There are things in our and subsequent preference for novelty is a capacity to promote reactions to negative common predictor of better pre-school feedback in order to encourage persistence, developmental outcomes, such as advanced implies the study. performance in concept formation, non-

verbal cognition, expressive and receptive language, and IQ tests. Bilingual babies also stared for longer periods of time at the novel image than their monolingual counterparts, demonstrating “novelty preference”. A bilingual infant encounters more novel linguistic information than its monolingual peers, which requires more informationprocessing efficiency. This imparts infants with a chance to rise to this challenge by developing skills to cope with it. Singaporean children are born into bilingual environments. The bilingual input to babies is often associated with cognitive enhancement, developing potentially strong neuro-cognitive advantage for Singaporean children in processing new information and recognizing familiar objects with greater accuracy.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

INSIGHTS

Cellphone as a new generation addiction

Baylor University study reveals that excessive use of cellphone poses potential risks for academic performance. The study is published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions. As cellphone functions increase, addictions to this seemingly indispensable piece of technology become an increasingly realistic possibility, the research suggests. The findings suggest that most of the time is spent on texting, followed by sending emails, checking facebook, surfing the internet, and listening to iPods. Men send about the same number of emails but spend less time on each, suggesting that men send more utilitarian messages than

their female counterparts. Women are found to spend more time on their cellphones. The men spent more time visiting such social networking sites as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The purposes include to follow sports figures, catch up on the news or simply to ‘waste time’! Excessive use of cellphones poses a number of possible risks for students. Cellphones may wind up being an escape mechanism from the classrooms. Excessive or obsessive cellphone use also can cause conflict inside and outside the classroom: with professors, employers and families. The study noted that modern cellphone use is a paradox in that it can be “both freeing and enslaving at the same time.”

Disruption in network causes dyslexia

yslexia, the most commonly diagnosed learning disability, is a neurological reading disability that occurs when the regions of the brain that process written language don’t function normally. Researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine have recently conducted a whole-brain functional connectivity analysis of dyslexia using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). They report their findings in the current issue of Biological Psychiatry. Dyslexic readers showed decreased connectivity within the visual pathway as well as between visual and prefrontal regions, increased righthemisphere connectivity, reduced connectivity in the visual word-form area, and persistent connectivity to anterior language regions around the inferior frontal gyrus. This altered connectivity profile is consistent with dyslexia-related reading difficulties. This is one of the first studies of dyslexia to examine differences in functional connectivity across the whole brain, shedding light on the brain networks that crucially support the complex task of reading.

Tackling classroom problems better

n Indiana University study has found that social class can account for differences in how parents coach their children to manage classroom challenges. Such differences can affect a child’s education by reproducing inequalities in the classroom. Parents have different beliefs on how to deal with challenges in the classroom. Middle-class parents for example, tell their children to reach out to the teacher and ask questions. Workingclass parents see asking for help as disrespectful to teachers, so they teach their children to work out problems themselves. It is hence imperative that teachers are aware of social class differences that students are bringing with them into the classroom. They need to be more active in seeking out struggling students, because if we leave it up to the

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kids, they may not seek it themselves. In general, middle-class children get more

attention from their instructors because they actively seek it, while working-class children tend to stay silent through any of

their educational struggles so as not to be a bother. The differences in how parents teach their children to deal with problems in school stem primarily from parents’ level of involvement in their children’s schooling. The middle-class parents are more plugged into the school, so they know what teachers expect in the classroom. Working-class parents don’t think it’s their place to be involved, so they tend to be less aware of what teachers expect today, suggest the study. With the widening gaps in educational outcomes between social classes, the insights of this study could help schools become more aware of these differences and make moves to reduce the inequalities. The study awaits publication in the American Sociological Review.

Be Cheerful

♦ It

helps us feel better. When we make an effort to be more cheerful life becomes easier.

♦ It

improves the atmosphere. A miserable person can bring everyone down to their level. A cheerful person can brighten a room and make everyone feel lighter and happier.

♦ It

creates good response. It is far easier to work with someone who is cheerful. The energy levels are better and things flow much better. Ideas, work, and communications are more comfortable and fluid in a cheerful atmosphere.

♦ It

provides a respite from stress and tension. Laughter and being cheerful can reduce the symptoms of stress and provide a break from tiredness and lack of energy.

COVER STORY

Buoyancy of life T.P. Sreenivasan

Life will be difficult if we get stressed out over every issue that faces us. We should be able to anticipate crises and take preventive action. We should do our best to meet any crisis when we go through it.

ust a couple of days ago, my brother, Madhu and his wife, Jayasree came home and I took a little time to go down to greet them as I was writing something. When I finally went down and greeted them, there was much anxiety and concern in them. As it turned out, they noticed a little snake outside the door, curled up near my shoe. They shouted and called the security guard, who came and promptly killed the snake. In other words, the problem was solved! I was focused on the end of the story rather than the details of the encounter with the snake and more or less ignored the details of how the snake was found and how it was eliminated. In my mind, the crisis was over, except that we should be cautious in future to make sure that there

is no snake when we pick up the shoes again. But the way I responded to the story astonished everyone. Why are you so cool? Arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you concerned about the possible danger? All of them asked. Life will be difficult if we get stressed out over every issue that faces us. We should be able to anticipate crises and take preventive action. We should do our best to meet any crisis when we go through it. But to worry about what might happen and to worry about what could have happened are the surest way to add unnecessary stress to our lives. Caution is vital and experience gained must be the lesson for the future. But buoyancy and resilience are the secrets of a stress free life.

Buoyancy is not easy to achieve as we are constantly under emotional pressure, which has an impact on our physical condition. The deterioration of health adds to the tension and we become the victims of stress. Development of a certain detachment to success or failure is part of the prescription for a happy life. Bhagavad Gita asserts that we should do our duty without concern for the results. This is easier said than done, because all of us tend to judge ourselves by what we consider our successes and failures. To develop detachment to successes and failures, we need to have tremendous discipline and mind control. Such detachment is associated only with saints and extraordinary people. Yoga is a way of disciplining the mind, body and heart and

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COVER STORY

First of all, our basic attitude affects our belief in our potential for success. it may be helpful in developing detachment.

Every one of us may have reason to be aggrieved over denial of justice to us and it is easy to fall victim to despondency and The quest for relief from tension leads some people to intoxicants and medication. despair. But nursing grievances beyond a point will only contribute to tension. It is This is a very dangerous trend. Addiction said that every experience, whether good to drugs or liquor does not bring mental balance or physical comfort. Instead, mind or bad, will be the same after we have been through it. Attitude is the most important should be diverted to entertainment, art and hobbies. Many entertainers are able to factor in overcoming stress. If we think of the blessings we have had, the failures may divert our attention from daily cares to a not appear as grave as we imagine.All of us world of imagination. They themselves have an overall pattern of thinking that is may not be free from tension, but they either positive or negative. have the capacity to simulate joy and humour. The pattern we choose affects every aspect of our life. First of all, our basic Development of buoyancy of life is very attitude affects our belief in our potential much a part of education. Apart from for success. A negative attitude causes us imparting ethical and moral values, education should be able to give a sense of to doubt our ability to achieve, while belief in our potential makes us willing to take direction to the youth. Concentration of mind to attain a desirable objective is often the necessary action for success. an antidote to tension and stress.

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A positive attitude will also allow us to view challenges as opportunities rather than threats. People with negative attitudes think, “I can’t…” or “I doubt…” In contrast, each time we act from a positive attitude, our self-confidence is enhanced, our ability to achieve is proven, and we know we can succeed. A negative attitude destroys our ability to see opportunity. A positive attitude opens our eyes to so many opportunities and our challenge becomes opportunities. T.P. Sreenivasan is the Vice-Chairman and Executive Head of the Kerala State Higher Education Council with the rank of ViceChancellor. A former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Vienna and Governor for India of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna and Ambassador to Austria and Slovenia,

COVER STORY

This is the moment K.L.Sreekrishna Das

The military might of Alexander the Great seemed powerless against the mental might of the simple Yogi. Dandamis was a shining symbol of positive energy and could therefore face the fearsome threats of an emperor with equanimity and courage.

lexander the Great,sent one of his disciples Onesikritis to Dandamis, a great Yogi of Takshasila. Onesikritis conveyed the message of Alexander thus: “Alexander, the Sovereign Lord of all men, asks you to go to him. If you comply, he will reward you with great gifts. If you refuse, he will cut off your head.” Without batting an eyelid, Dandamis replied.:“ Let Alexander terrify with threats men who wish for wealth and who dread death. Against me, his weapons are powerless. I neither love gold nor fear death. Go then and tell Alexander. Dandamis has no need of ought that is yours and therefore, will

between communities and religions based on petty considerations, uncontrollable natural calamities etc. Finer feelings like The military might of Alexander the Great love, compassion, sympathy, co-operation seemed powerless against the mental might etc. are fast disappearing from our daily of the simple Yogi. Dandamis was a life. The common man is aghast and shining symbol of positive energy and dumbfounded against these stark realities could therefore face the fearsome threats of of life. But somehow we have to live on an emperor with equanimity and courage. and live happily. A positive attitude As John Milton has rightly pointed out “ towards life alone can save us from this The mind is its own place, and in itself can encircling gloom. The importance of make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven”. attitude is beautifully explained by a mathematical method. Select all English Life in modern times has become quite complicated and complex not only because alphabets and give them each a numerical of the amazing advancement of technology value in an ascending order. Thus “A” will have a value of 1, “B” 2, “C” 3". Like that but also because of so many other factors “Z” will have a value of 26. Then select like population explosion, widening gap three words “ambition”, “skill” and not come to you. If you want anything from Dandamis, come you to him.”.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

COVER STORY

God has gifted all human beings with enough intelligence to segregate between good and evil. He has also given us abundant natural resources to lead a fruitful life. It is for us to utilise these for leading a happy life, extending our service to the society as well. “attitude”. If you count the value of each word, the word “ambition” will have a value of 83, the word “skill” will have a value of 63 and the word “ attitude” will have a value of 100.. This proves beyond doubt that a positive attitude is the most important pre-requisite for a successful life. God has gifted all human beings with enough intelligence to segregate between good and evil. He has also given us abundant natural resources to lead a fruitful life. It is for us to utilise these for leading a happy life, extending our service to the society as well. There is no point in brooding over the past mistakes, failures and shortcomings. Also it is not desirable

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to be afraid of the imaginary bleak future. Live in the present, take a little time to find out where you are at present and where you want to be. When you get a clear picture about your target, correct strategies and plans will emerge from your mind in a natural way. If you follow those hunches and act accordingly, success will be yours. But the problem is that many people, who are aware of the right choice do not act at the appropriate time . Those who wish to be successful in life should have a vision about their future. Gradually they should transform this vision into a mission and act diligently and sincerely . Two recent excellent examples of this are our former Presidents

K.R.Narayanan and A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, who started their life from humble beginnings and scaled the heights of glory through their sincere and honest efforts. When Mahatma Gandhi led the freedom struggle for India through non-violent means many of the leaders themselves were suspicious of its success. But Gandhiji was very positive about its outcome. And now many of the Asian and African countries have accepted him as the guiding force behind their independence movements. It is absolutely incorrect to infer that positive thinking will remove all obstacles from our life with a magical touch. Positive thinking is a state of mind with

COVER STORY

It is absolutely incorrect to infer that positive thinking will remove all obstacles from our life with a magical touch. which you will be able to face life’s problems courageously. Once you face your problems with courage, you will feel that their intensity is reduced automatically. Let us stop worrying about the failures of yesterday and the anxieties of tomorrow and live in TODAY as today is the first day in the rest of your life .How to go about it.? Here are some tips to start a new life from today, from this moment:1. Wake up early in the morning and sit in silence for a few minutes. Silence is the best medicine for all ills. 2. Pray God to convert this day as a day of achievements and accomplishments and not mere activities. 3. Fill your mind with pleasant thoughts. Here is a sentence from Goethe’s Wlhelm Meister “One ought every day at least to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and if it were possible, speak a few reasonable words” 4. Analyse the problems to be faced and take a decision. Even if your decision turns out to be wrong, do not spend time regretting about it. It is better to live with mental grip than to live in mental indecision. 5. Give respect to elders and love and affection to youngsters. Give lavish praise, where it is due and avoid criticising others, as far as possible. 6. Listen to the advice of others. 7. To avoid a worrying attitude, engage yourself in some work which absorbs your interest. 8. Extend help to others, whenever possible. The more unselfishly you live, the happier you will be. 9. Develop a sense of humour. People will either irritate you or make you smile. It is better to smile. 10. Realise the world as it is and accept it as it is. Know your limitations and do not worry about it. 11. When the day is over, judge the day’s activities impartially and find out where you have gone wrong. Take a decision to correct those mistakes the next day. 12. Leave all that you cannot manage to the will and wisdom of God and you will find a joy in living which you never thought possible. So, today is the day and this is the right moment to start a new life, a life of peace and prosperity, health and happiness The author is retired from Indian Information Service as Director, Press Information Bureau in 2004. He had also served as Chief of Film Censor Board in Kerala, Joint Director of D.A.V.P and Editor of ‘Yojana’, the magazine of Planning Commission. A well-known poet, lyricist and script writer in Malayalam, he is at present engaged in directing Short films and Documentary films.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

COVER STORY

Road to success L Nirmala

I was forced to take many drastic decisions in my life, and learned that without taking risks, nobody ever achieved anything. But one should not regret on any decision that once taken.

ll are successful in their own ways. Who is not successful? The difference is the parameters that one sets. People, who pursue ethical business or unethical business, find success. Success is not measured by what you accomplished, but by hostility you have encountered, adversities you have faced and the courage with which you have sustained the struggle against overwhelming odds.

necessity for me. As you know, “necessity is the mother of invention” first decision was to “complete my graduation and then to “work”. I had to and I wanted to stand on my own feet that was my primary decision. Analysing what I had, what else should I have? One Bachelor degree in Philosophy is that enough? I started thinking differently. I listened to people and have taken my own decision and once it was taken, I was determined, committed I was forced to take many drastic decisions and my total dedication was in it. I in my life, and learned that without taking continued my studies. Joined for MA class risks, nobody ever achieved anything. But (Sociology). After graduating, even post one should not regret on any decision that graduation I was unable to get a job. In once taken. Therefore think several times, order to have some specialization, I joined discuss with many people,(two heads are a Secretarial course at the Vimalalayam, always better than one) and then zero in. simultaneously I was doing cookery and At one point in time to get a job became a

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dress making. During my course, they sent me for an interview at the Taj Malabar Hotel in the front office department for the position of Confidential Secretary and Reservations Assistant. I was lucky, my first interview and my first job! I landed up in the right place. My career started in my late twenties. When I started working I was like a duck to water. No question of looking back. I was ambitious too. Repetition of work at times was boring. Always I was and am obsessed with my job and my responsibilities. I still remember, for a few years I have never taken leave and also had many pending offs to my credit. Similarly I used work a minimum of 10 to 12 hours a day. Every day was an enormous learning.

COVER STORY

Adversities will frequent you, as an uninvited, unwelcomed, unwanted guest. How tactfully you handle will determines your future. Purposeful move, passionate endeavor, persistence steps will take to the destination and to greater heights. and leaderships skills. I was lucky to work in all the main departments in the hotels like Front office, Sales and Marketing and Food and Beverages. Therefore though I was not a catering graduate it was not difficult for me sit in the helm of a four star Hotel. My intension to reach the Top Moving forward each and every step was a level is ultimately the destination and the herculean task, a huge risk. Nothing came ambition of any industrious person. It easily to my hand. While I was working I took 18 years for me to become A General continued my studies, I did another Post Manager. Destination is not the end but Graduate Diploma in Public Relations and always a new journey to begin… an MBA in Marketing. I enjoyed meeting people, networking slowly my reservation 25 years of my career from a Reservation Assistant to Sr. General Manager, was not job tuned to Sales and Marketing. easy at all, being a lady it was all the more Memberships in many educational and difficult. Changes and twists, resigning and management forums also helped me to coming back, happened many times in my improve my net working, communication When I am committed to something I make sure, I will deliver or achieve, come what may. I always achieved much more than my target or my boss’s expectation. If I say my success in one word it is “determination”.

career life. With every move I learnt a lot. Different company’s functions, system procedures, people, massive experience. Adversities will frequent you, as an uninvited, unwelcomed, unwanted guest. How tactfully you handle will determines your future. Purposeful move, passionate endeavor, persistence steps will take to the destination and to greater heights. My ardent conviction is that if there is merit, nobody can suppress and here I am. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work...” - Colin Powel. The author is senior general manager, Wonderla Holidays, Cochin

Pallikkutam | October 2014

COVER STORY

Why I need other people to change myself Dani Di Pirro

Life is about interacting with other people, about caring for them, and, importantly, about letting them care for me.

hange can be a good thing. It can be a bad thing also. Some change just happens to us, and some, we have to do ourselves. Often the changing of ourselves is the hardest kind of change to accomplish. Over the past six months or so, I’ve done a lot of changing. I’ve changed the way I think. I’ve changed the way I do things. I’ve changed the activities I take part in. I’ve even changed the people I spend time with. None of this has been easy to deal with. Change, for me, is scary. I like consistency, but sometimes consistency isn’t good. Sometimes the only way to make things better is to change them. One

Pallikkutam | October 2014

of the most important things I’ve learned through the changes I’ve made in my life is something I never really fully appreciated until now... It’s okay to ask for help. This concept was not easy to grasp. At almost every turn, I resisted others’ help. I didn’t fully appreciate how important the assistance of others is when it comes to changing oneself. I didn’t want to believe that I needed other people to make my life better, but that’s just not true. I did need others. I still do. Life is about interacting with other people, about caring for them, and, importantly, about letting them care

for me. Little by little I’m opening up, exposing more of who I am to the people to know (and want to know) me. 10 Reasons others can help you change They provide encouragement and support. It seems obvious but this is a big one. When I think about all of the support and encouragement I’ve had over the past few months — from my family, my friends, my therapist, and my readers — I am in awe. It’s such an amazing thing to have a supportive system, a group of people who encourage you and clearly want the best for you. Not everyone is lucky enough to have this. Not everyone is smart enough to

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I’m working on changing for me, but it feels pretty great to know that other people think I’m doing good things with my life. It’s pretty great to know other people think you’re awesome. embrace and accept this. For years and years I pushed people away. The closer they got, the further I wanted to be from them. More and more I’m accepting goodness and support in my life. I’m learning every day that the people who love and support me are the people I need to have around me. No more negativity. No more wasted time on people who aren’t supportive. No more of all that. Now I accept the love and support of others and because of that I’m able to move forward in a more positive direction. They offer words of wisdom and insight. From almost everyone I know I’ve gained wisdom. Whether it’s a comment on one of my blog posts or advice that my mom has been offering me for years, everyone from the most distance acquaintance to the closest companion offers me wisdom and insight (whether they know it or not). Importantly, I’ve found that when I surround myself with the right kinds of people — those who want me to succeed and do well, those who have faced their own trials and come out stronger, and those who have learned from their own mistakes — I find the wisdom to be that much greater. They are there to catch you when you trip. We all fall down. It’s not a perfect life and we’re not perfect. I’ve done a lot in terms of changing lately and even when I’ve set my sights on something — set a goal and worked hard to achieve it — I’ve had some slip ups. Making a bad decision once did not mean that all of my hard work was for nothing. I was supported and encouraged and I realized that it was just that — one bad decision that didn’t have to derail months of hard work. I got back to where I wanted to be. They can be excellent sources of inspiration. Almost everything in the world that inspires me comes from other people. Whether it be books or music or simply words, people, their actions, and their creations continuously inspire me. I’m inspired by how others around me find happiness and see the positive in life. I’m inspired by fellow bloggers who post great insights on the world and living in it.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

COVER STORY

Almost everything in the world that inspires me comes from other people. Whether it be books or music or simply words, people, their actions, and their creations continuously inspire me.

I’m inspired by the encouragement and support of others. They push you when you need a gentle shove. More often than not, I don’t want a shove. I’m like that Saturday Night Live character, Stuart, who’s always telling his mother, “I can do it! No, let me do it!” But, let’s be serious, sometimes I won’t do it. When I’m faced with something I don’t want to do — something that seems so hard that I can’t even fathom undertaking such a challenge — I need a push. They remind you of your absolute awesomeness. Without other people around, would I think I had good qualities? Would I believe in myself? Would I know I was awesome? I don’t know... All of my life, I’ve had my parents, my sister, my friends, my teachers supporting me. Without their encouraging words, I’m not sure who I’d be. I’m not sure if I’d have the confidence that I do now. While I might not always show it (who doesn’t have their woe-is-me moments?), I do believe I have a lot going for me, and I also believe that this has a lot to do with the people in my life. When I was a kid and my parents encouraged me to write and draw and do all of the things I loved to do, I learned to think I was really good at these things. I felt awesome, knowing that others believed in me, and, to this day I still do. When I receive an email from a friend (or stranger!) telling me s/he loved my latest post, I get this rush of pride and excitement (a much better high, I’ll tell you, than any drug or drink ever gave me). It can be even the tiniest thing, but when someone else supports you and tells you that you’re doing a great job, it makes doing positive, productive things so much more fulfilling. Sure, I’m working on changing for me, but it feels pretty great to know that other people think I’m doing good things with my life. It’s pretty great to know other people think you’re awesome. They listen to all of your crazy, kooky ideas. This one goes out to my mom in particular. I’m always calling her with my latest idea. “Mom, I’m going to write a

Pallikkutam | October 2014

COVER STORY

They believe you will become who you want to be. Even when I don’t believe in myself — when I’ve felt that all hope was lost and that there was no way I could ever become a productive, happy person — other people believed. book about Bella!”, “Mom, I’m going to start a blog!”, “Mom, I’m going to start a second website!” — to name a few. Whether I follow through with the idea or not, my mom (and any of my friends that I share my ideas with) is always supportive. She listens and never says anything like, “Well, you said you were going to write a book six months ago. What happened to that?” Instead, she says, “That’s a great idea! I’m going to email Oprah!” and “You should send your blog posts to Real Simple!” and “People will love reading about that!” and “You’re just as talented — if not more so — than some of those other writers out there!” While I don’t always follow through with my brilliant ideas, it’s so great to have someone in my life that doesn’t shoot them down,

someone who thinks their great and wonderful and have potential. They believe you will become who you want to be. Even when I don’t believe in myself — when I’ve felt that all hope was lost and that there was no way I could ever become a productive, happy person — other people believed. No matter what I believe, other people believe in me. That’s pretty great, isn’t it? Other people believe in me! In me! Other people want me to succeed and do well and they believe I can (even when I’m not in that believe-it-canhappen mindset). This is one of the greatest things about having other people in your life as you’re working on making a change. They believe. It’s like no matter what I do, or even if I mess up, they still

believe I can do it. This makes me work harder, want it more, and, of course, believe in myself. I know I wouldn’t be where I am now if I didn’t have some pretty stellar people in my life who really believe in me. They reach out and ask you about your progress. I have some really great friends in my life who are always asking me, in a really honest, serious way, “How are you doing?” They want to know. They want to know how the progress in my life is going. They care. Without these inquiries, would I be motivated to keep going? It’s so great to know people care and, when other people care about you, it reminds you to care about yourself!

Pallikkutam | October 2014

COVER STORY

I know now that I do need other people. Without them, I wouldn’t be who I am and I wouldn’t be on the road to becoming who I want to be.

They point you in the right direction when you’re lost. No matter what journey you’re on in life, you’re bound to get lost from time to time (especially if you’re anything like me and have absolutely no sense of direction...yes, I can get lost even with a GPS!). Sometimes getting lost can be a good thing. It can lead us in new and exciting directions. But sometimes it can be dangerous, scary, and isolating — which is why it’s great to have others around you who can show you the way. On a small scale, sometimes I veer away from my new found positive attitude. That’s when a helpful friend or family member will say,

Pallikkutam | October 2014

“Now, it doesn’t sound like you’re being very positively present...” Yes, this is obnoxious, but it’s also a great reminder that I need to get back on the path. As someone who doesn’t like to admit that she needs anything from anyone, I was truly enlightened after writing this post. I’ll admit that I wrote the heading above before I thought of 10 things. I thought to myself, “Hey, I can come up with 10!” and, not only did I have no trouble at all thinking of 10 things, but, in doing so, I realized how much others really have helped me to grow and learn and discover

more about who I want to be. Of course I’ve done a lot of this on my own, inside, but I know I couldn’t have done it alone. I know now that I do need other people. Without them, I wouldn’t be who I am and I wouldn’t be on the road to becoming who I want to be. Dani DiPirro is an author, blogger, and designer living in a suburb of Washington, DC. In 2009, she launched the website PositivelyPresent.com with the intention of sharing her insights about living a positive and present life. Dani is the author of Stay Positive, The Positively Present Guide to Life, and a variety of e-books.

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Developing a positive attitude P.K.G. Tharakan

A positive attitude is a response mechanism programmed to absolve or to resolve. And programming is essentially when one resolutely wills in developing his skills to remove much of possible ills around for the benefit of all.

umans, the less-mortals that we are, are not so much in control of what happens to us. Nevertheless, we are in full control of how we happen to respond to whatever such happenings. This may be called an attitude statement at its best. A positive attitude is a response mechanism programmed to absolve or to resolve. And programming is essentially when one resolutely wills in developing his skills to remove much of possible ills around for the benefit of all. And how do we develop a positive attitude? It’s an uphill go. It calls for an unfailing sense of optimism, a passion prone pursuit, a lot more of practice, a

large bit of learning and understanding, a never-drying source of forgiveness, a perfect blend of trust, confidence and patience within oneself and without. Let us take a live piece of story from the West. The scene was the mighty US Senate gathered under the rotunda of the historical Capitol to swear-in Abraham Lincoln as the 16th President. Present were the congress men, proud legislators of that great nation in the year 1860, by now 250 years. To some of them Lincoln, son of a cobbler, did not fit in the presidency. As a beaming Lincoln took the rostrum to deliver the Presidential inaugural address, one of them stood up and spoke loud:

“Mr. Lincoln, you should not forget that your father used to make shoes for my family.” Obviously, the attempt was to demean the personality of Mr. Lincoln. But the 6’4" President stood above all the rest and replied soberly: “Sir I know that my father used to make shoes in your house for your family and there will be many others here in whose houses shoes my father made found its way. Because the way my father made shoes, nobody else could. He was a creator. His shoe products were not just shoes; he poured his whole soul in it. I

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Attitude is how we react. Positive attitude is being proactive. They say a smile would confuse an approaching assaulter. Love to smile. Face the light emitting Sun and we won’t see shadows. against malice. Have a look at this incident of an alms seeking Buddhist monk. Together with his two disciples the elderly monk had sought supports from a wealthy young man. Not only the youth did not give them anything but instead heaped on them sarcasm. The Guru silently turned away from him after exchanging a cool Never before in history, nor later till now, smile, much to the surprise of the had the senate turned frozen chill. The disciples. “For all those abuses, he abused is not so much damaged as the deserved a censure, not a smile”, the abuser. The villain senator here had to bury disciples grumbled. And the guru said, his face in shame. “Think no harm, he hasn’t alms to offer Positive attitude is a paradigm that has no us. And what he could offer was scoff but then I have chosen not to accept. And so it parallel. It is a fruit of all seasons, remains with him only”. wherever, whatever. want to ask you, have you any complaint? I know how to make shoes myself and so if you have any complaint I can make another pair of shoes instead. But as far as I know, nobody has ever complained about my father’s shoes. He was a genius, a great creator and I am proud of my father.”

Stay tall, stay above criticism. Fight gloom. Realize that it requires more strength to control than to burst, to accept than to react. Strong oaks and cedars stand tempests; ordinary ones get uprooted early. As we practice to stay disconnected with unfair accusation and criticism, we develop forbearance that insulates us

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positive attitude. And developing a will consciously to accept such situations if ever prompts the changeover. In practical terms, the need is to entertain positive thoughts. Good thoughts turn out to good words which eventually turn out to good conduct. That defines the character build. Lincoln in his 2nd Presidential Speech declared “Cherish charity to all, harbor malice towards none” What is required is a bit of mellowing, unseating pride and prejudice. Malice turn out to be mill weights hung around our neck hanging down our chest. It’s extra baggage in life’s journey. Staying light is staying clear of ill-feelings. The less the adversaries, the merrier goes our sojourn. Why carry filthy rags and dirty linen all our ways! Let us learn to dump such waste off our hearts. Another incident from the life of the same Buddhist guru and disciples explains it vividly. Buddhist monks renounce the world and follow strict celibacy; they are not supposed to

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Trust in the universality of goodness in every human being and sideline misgivings. As pundits say to err is human to forgive is divine. That’s the uphill towards positive attitude. be touching women by hand or body. Once, they were returning to the Zen after going around a distant village seeking offerings. They had to cross a river which by that evening had started to over flow due rains. Darkness starting to roll down, they could see a young lonely lady on the bank standing puzzled, lost. She closed up to them and said she needed help to cross the waters to reach her home where her aged father had fallen sick. She was almost in tears, helpless. The youngster monks were baffled; they earnestly looked up to their guru for his choice - whether the guru would keep the faith covenant by avoiding contact with a lady or whether he would break the vow in the pretext of charity in times of distress. Without any haste, the guru offered the lady his back and carried her over to the other bank. Getting off the guru’s back and thanking him profusely, she went

homewards. And the guru, as if nothing happened, started walking towards the far off Zen. Youngster disciples looked transfixed. All the way to their abode, they were looking at each other in total disbelief. A kind of resentment overtook them that their own guru had faltered seriously. They followed him, their hearts fanning fire of disapproval of the guru’s treacherous act. An hour later, they reached the door step of their ashram but together they wouldn’t go in with the tainted guru. In protest they told him that it was not proper and right to have physically carried a woman. A sober guru looked into their eyes intently and said “Oh I dropped that lady at the river bank one hour ago and you are still carrying her”.

can ever intimidate us without our approval. Trust in the universality of goodness in every human being and sideline misgivings. As pundits say to err is human to forgive is divine. That’s the uphill towards positive attitude. Both are vegetations - attitude and positive attitude. Former is Nature’s program by default whereas the latter is a domain specific program by choice. Nature’s program is free for all as would come up a jungle. Nature, programmed by human intellectual intervention, is like we grow our garden. Attitude is looking upwards, cloud wards Positive attitude is looking beyond, towards the rainbow.

Let us learn to dispossess ill-feelings, misunderstandings and such trivialities in The author is a practicing lawyer in life. Let us believe in ourselves that no one Ernakulam and an ardent public speaker.

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POLICY WATCH

Independence of institutions in designing and offer courses Dr. D.Dhanuraj Rahul V Kumar

A UGC circular to ensure that Hindi was taught at the college level. This was opposed by the Tamil Nadu government, which stated that the circular would not be applicable for the state. The question however remains on whether a regulatory authority can prescribe the content for teaching in higher educational institutes.

wo events in the recent past has brought the issue of the independence of higher educational institutions to design and offer courses. The firstinvolved a stand-off between University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Indian Institutes of Technologies (IITs). The UGC issued a circular to all higher educational institutions including 16 IITs that the degrees offered by them have to be in concurrence with what was prescribed by the UGC. The IITs in turn contended that they fall outside the UGC regulations and hence had no requirement to follow UGC mandates. However, if several

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clauses of the UGC Act 1956 are read and interpreted simultaneously, the contention of the IITs remain challenged. The second incident followed a UGC circular to ensure that Hindi was taught at the college level. This was opposed by the Tamil Nadu government, which stated that the circular would not be applicable for the state. The circular was withdrawn later by the UGC. The question however remains on whether a regulatory authority can prescribe the content for teaching in higher educational institutes. Why did the UGC bring out these circulars? UGC’s justification springs from

Section 22 of UGC Act 1956 that says “The right of conferring or granting degrees shall be exercised only by a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act or an institution deemed to be a University under section 3 or an institution specially empowered by an Act of Parliament to confer or grant degrees.” This clause has been used by the UGC to prevent academic independence of universities in India to design and develop courses. The UGC came up with a gazette notification on July 5, 2014 (with the approval of the central government) naming specific

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Professional courses offered at various affiliated colleges directly train the students for specific industrial requirements. However, the traditional courses in social sciences and sciences are mostly perceived with disdain. Much of these courses have fewer exposure to job openings. degrees (‘approved nomenclature’ numbering 129) which universities could grant for their higher educational courses. In this gazette publication, the UGC allows for integrated and dual degree programmes with the freedom for “additional interactive courses”. However, these freedom are subject to regulations prescribed by the UGC and various statutory authorities. Given this scenario there are two broad questions which face any stakeholder in higher education in India.

1. Does our existing courses reflect the contemporary job market requirements? If not, is a restructuring in courses required?

start producing results. There are no private universities in the state.

Does the courses offered in the state’s university system reflect requirements in the job market? For answering this question, we need to first classify the To address these questions, we can take courses. Professional courses offered at the case of higher education in Kerala. various affiliated colleges directly train the Higher education in Kerala is dominated by students for specific industrial state universities and its affiliated colleges requirements. However, the traditional (aided and unaided). There are two deemed courses in social sciences and sciences are universities in the state. Recently selected mostly perceived with disdain. Much of colleges (9) were provided autonomous these courses have fewer exposure to job status. These autonomous institutions can openings. Very few students taking these be judged only in the near-term once they courses tend to specialize or select to 2. How efficiently can we design and introduce new and innovative courses?

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POLICY WATCH

Yeshpal committee report on renovation and rejuvenation of higher education notes that “there is a need to expose students, especially at the undergraduate level, to various disciplines like humanities, social sciences, aesthetics etc., in an integrated manner.” continue research in these disciplines in universities. So while institutes providing professional education are preferred for higher education, the fact remains that much of this preference springs from possible job openings. It should be noted that traditional social sciences like history, politics or economics or sciences are not treated on par with professional courses due to this lag. This forces us to think why the situation is so? There can be two answers: One is that the extent to which existing courses and knowledge generated in these disciplines at these affiliated colleges is insufficient and inefficient; and

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second we are yet to understand the requirements of the job market for traditional disciplines in its complete sense. Both could hold true in the case of Kerala. Creating the premise to re-examine the courses and developing innovative training methods could directly impact these conditions. However, there is another problem which these disciplines have to face. The demand for professional courses have created a competitive market in education where the demand for traditional courses are fading. Hence the challenge for the latter is to rejuvenate itself. Yeshpal committee report on renovation and

rejuvenation of higher education notes that “there is a need to expose students, especially at the undergraduate level, to various disciplines like humanities, social sciences, aesthetics etc., in an integrated manner. This should be irrespective of the discipline they would like to specialize in subsequently.” Such a merger is likely to renovate the status of the traditional disciplines even as it reorganizes and strengthens professional disciplines. The second question on how efficiently we can design and introduce courses should be seen in this context. There are again some

POLICY WATCH

Accreditation and rating shall be independent of any political interference. Autonomy to higher educational institutions and its freedom to define course would effectively operate under these conditions. issues here. One is that there should be a definite career path for the students taking traditional disciplines. If not towards the job market, it should provide them with opportunities for pursuing serious academic research. The requirement thus is to free the affiliated colleges from the universities. It has certain benefits. Primarily it would redefine the role of universities as centres for generating new knowledge through research. Secondly it would allow the erstwhile affiliated colleges independence to define and create courses. The prevailing system where these colleges are tied to the universities is also unduly influenced by political

interference. For instance, although the UGC gazette provides options for providing â&#x20AC;&#x153;additional interactive coursesâ&#x20AC;? the existing system in Kerala would authorize the university syndicate to approve it, while autonomy should allow these decisions to be made at the college level. The way forward is important. What we see today is that UGC as a regulatory authority aims at times to go beyond its mandate. However, its limited outreach is seen in the manner in which most of the circulars were trivialized and discarded at the federal state level. What is required at

this juncture is efficient and proficient accreditation and not an inefficient regulatory mechanism with powers that are not properly defined. Accreditation and rating shall be independent of any political interference. Autonomy to higher educational institutions and its freedom to define course would effectively operate under these conditions.

Dr D Dhanuraj is the chairman of Centre for Public Policy Research and Rahul V Kumar is consultant research associate of Centre for Public Policy Research.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

CAREER

How to frame a perfect career?

The very basic is to know what you actually want. What kind of a company are you ready to work in? Which work culture will enable you to perform? The people you want to work with.

aving an ideal career is a dream for all. For those, who are standing on the threshold of stepping into the corporate world and the ones in it facing a constant pressure to perform. Now the catch 22 situation is where you are asked to plan a career! If it was so much under my control to sketch and build a perfect career, would I not become the next Bill Gates? But taking all the external and internal factors into account I still can do a bit of planning. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s say a bit of preparation to deal with a lot of happening days!

The very basic is to know what you actually want. What kind of a company are you ready to work in? Which work culture will enable you to perform? The people you want to work with. Do you want them to be behaving formally or you want to work in a fun place? Work profile you want. Do you wish to be a leader or a follower? The roles and responsibilities you want to take? How strong is your emotional quotient for some not so desirable work situations? What kind of benefits and compensation you want from the company? Answers to all these

questions will bring out a picture of what kind of a career you desire! Also draft a sketch of must haves you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do without! This is a category that has a big impact on your career. It is obvious that delightful factors make you perform better than in regular situations. But factors like a good machine to work on is a necessity but the same affair could get delightful if your company gave you a latest technology laptop! So make sure your must have list is not over-powered by things that delight you! Must-haves are very important. They are absolute

Pallikkutam | October 2014

CAREER

Building an ideal career is like building your home, with your own architecture that suits your requirements. But remember even when we are designing our dream home we do adjust with the requirements of our family member or say the unavoidable external factors for a perfect career! requirements. While you may give up some of your “wants,” must-haves are essential and cannot be compromised. Let us list down a few areas where we need to divide our expectations into categories ofMust Have, Don’t Want, Delightful and Entertaining. We must have guidelines to decide which company to work with. This shall also include if you are ready to move out of your city. Drive for more than 2 hours every day. Culture and people in the work place. We can’t change these factors, but can decide

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not to work in a place where it’s not comfortable.

will give you an insight to your short falls and will enable you to improve.

The kind of work you want to do. The designation or position you want to work at. This is an absolute directive of your capabilities in terms of your educational qualification and post experience.

Also mention what kind of fun you prefer in a work place. Or you just want to work and get home! Be sure as this can lead to monotony and depression.

If other benefits like health insurance, one day working from home, 9 to 6 working hours, 10 days vacation every year (with pay) are attractive to you or larger salary for endless work hours 6 days a week and work from home on Sundays?? Emotional analyses of one’s own self is a must! It

HEAL TH W ATCH HEALTH

Home remedies for hair problems The element sulphur increases the production of collagen which in turn helps the hair to grow. Onion and garlic are rich sources of sulphur and this explains why they have been used in traditional medicines for re-growth of hair.

air is our crowning glory but due to factors like stress, pollution, improper care, etc, it can be damaged easily. In order to take care of your mane in a natural way, make use of home remedies like amla, egg, onion, etc and get rid of any hair problem you have. Here are the remedies for common hair problems like hair loss, dandruff, grey hair and more. To beat hair loss Every day, you probably lose anywhere between 50 to 100 strands of hair which is perfectly normal, say dermatologists. It is when the hair loss exceeds this figure that we begin to notice thinning of hair or bald patches â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a condition known as alopecia. Most people are likely to experience hair loss in their 30s because at this time, hormonal change, stress and an unhealthy diet take their toll. Besides trying to correct factors leading to hair loss, adopting a few herbal remedies is also helpful in facilitating hair re-growth. Onion and garlic The element sulphur increases the production of collagen which in turn helps the hair to grow. Onion and garlic are rich sources of sulphur and this explains why they have been used in traditional medicines for re-growth of hair. Chop the onion into fine pieces and squeeze the juice out. Apply to the scalp and leave on for about 15 minutes; then rinse with a mild shampoo. Crush a few cloves of garlic, add in a little coconut oil and boil for a few minutes. When this mix

cools down to feel warm to the touch, apply it on the scalp with a little massaging action. Repeat this treatment two to three times a week for best results. Coconut When it comes to caring for your hair, coconut provides a host of ingredients that naturally condition and promote growth of hair. The milk of the coconut contains proteins, essential fats and minerals such as potassium and iron; using it regularly can reduce the breakage of hair. Coconut oil also carries the same rich ingredients and it helps to make the hair stronger right from the root, through the shaft to the tip. Regular use of this oil to massage the scalp has a protective action against hair loss. Grate coconut and squeeze out the milk by mixing in a little water. Apply this to the specific area where you notice thinning or balding. Allow to stay overnight and the next morning, rinse off with water. Henna Known for long as a natural hair colour and conditioner in the Asian countries, henna has a major role to play in strengthening hair. When combined with mustard oil, it works even better. Take about 250 ml of mustard oil in a tin can; add in about 60g of washed and dried henna leaves. Boil the

mixture until the leaves get totally burnt and then filter the oil using muslin cloth. Cool and store the oil in an airtight container and use it to massage hair on a regular basis. Some people also use a hair renewal pack that consists of 1 cup of the dry powder of henna leaves mixed with half a cup of curd. Apply this to the hair and allow to dry, and then wash with cool water and a mild shampoo. Hibiscus Coconut oil and hibiscus are the secrets to the thick mane of hair we observe in people living in Kerala. Hibiscus has rejuvenating properties â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it nourishes hair, prevents premature graying and also helps cure dandruff. Regular use of the flowers can help prevent hair loss too. Crush a few flowers of hibiscus and mix with sesame oil or coconut oil to make a fine paste. Apply this to the scalp and hair, leave on for a few hours and then rinse with cool water and a mild shampoo. Amla Packed with vitamin C and rich in antioxidants, amla is the perfect solution for most hair loss woes. Besides applying to the scalp, it is also helpful to consume it on a regular basis because the vitamin C is good for your body. Crush the amla fruit to extract a juice or buy the amla powder available at an herbal store. Add 2 teaspoons of the juice or the powder into an equal quantity of the juice freshly squeezed from a lime. Mix well, apply to the scalp

Pallikkutam | October 2014

HEAL TH W ATCH HEALTH

Grind ginger root and beetroot to make a paste. Every night the hair must be massaged with this paste. Rinse in the morning. It helps control dandruff effectively in about 4 to 5 nights. and leave it to dry; then rinse using warm water. Also read other benefits of amla for your hair and skin. Egg Eggs are another rich source of sulphur; they also contain a lot of protein and minerals such as selenium, iodine, phosphorus, iron and zinc. This makes it an excellent promoter of hair re-growth especially when combined with olive oil. Take the white of one egg and mix in a teaspoon of olive oil. Beat to give a pastelike consistency and apply to the entire scalp and hair. Keep it on for about 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse with cool water and a mild shampoo. You can reap in benefits of egg by making other homemade egg hair packs too.

leave it for an hour. Wash it off with a shampoo. Henna has various properties which make it an excellent hair care product.

with curd on your scalp. Rinse after 20-30 minutes to get dandruff-free hair. And if you want smooth and flawless skin, try these home-made besan packs.

Aloevera gel

Apple

It contains healing, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Applying fresh aloevera gel on the scalp is another way of keeping your dandruff at bay. Keep the gel on for 30 minutes. Wash your hair with an aloe vera based shampoo. Not just this, aloevera also benefits your skin. You can make these aloevera pastes which are beneficial to all skin types.

Apple has anti-fungal and antiinflammatory properties. Make a paste with equal quantities of apple and orange and apply it on the scalp. Wash your hair after 20-30 minutes with a shampoo.

Tulsi has been used since ages for its healing properties. Make a paste of tulsi leaves and amla powder mixed with water. Massage on the scalp. Let it remain for half an hour. Wash the hair with water.

There’s no hair condition as embarrassing as dandruff and there are several reasons which lead to dandruff. Sometimes the solution can lie in the last place you’d expect – your kitchen! Here are 10 things from your kitchen that can get rid of those pesky flakes:

Fresh lime juice

Curd

Henna Regular application of henna has been followed for centuries and has been known for decreasing dandruff. It has curative as well as conditioning properties. Mix henna, amla, tea powder, lemon juice in curd. Add a few drops of hair oil. Keep aside for 10-12hrs. Apply on your hair and

Pallikkutam | October 2014

Its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties are highly effective in controlling dandruff. Boil neem leaves in water and use this water to rinse hair. Basil leaves

To get rid of dandruff

Curd with its acidic and conditioning properties helps fight dandruff. Ferment a small amount of curd (enough to cover your scalp) for two days. Apply it and keep it for one hour. Wash it off with a mild shampoo. Do this at least twice a week. Also try these other curd packs for better hair and skin.

Neem leaves

Fenugreek Methi is a herb that is readily available in our kitchen. It has anti-fungal and scalp soothing properties. Soak fenugreek seeds overnight in water and grind to a fine paste. Apply this paste on the scalp for 30 to 45 minutes. Wash with a mild shampoo. Use this regularly to see results. Methi also helps in beating other hair and skin problems like acne, hair fall, itchy scalp, etc. Gram flour Besan is an effective cleansing agent. It removes the dirt and is handy for getting rid of dandruff. Apply gram flour mixed

Your favourite summer drink doubles up as dandruff-basher as well. The acid in lime scrubs out the dead cells and helps cure dandruff. Add a tablespoon of fresh lime juice in water in your last rinse when you wash your hair. You could also use lemons for skin problems like acne, blackheads, etc. Ginger root and beetroot Two salient features of many a classic dishes can also do wonders for your hair! Grind ginger root and beetroot to make a paste. Every night the hair must be massaged with this paste. Rinse in the morning. It helps control dandruff effectively in about 4 to 5 nights.

INNO VATIONS INNOV

X-ray snapshot of chemical reactions

new method for examining structures of materials using x-rays, without needing to crystallize them first is developed by University of Adelaide. This breakthrough invention has happened over a century after the works of the Nobel Prize-winning father and son team Sir William and Sir Lawrence Bragg, who pioneered the use of X-rays to determine crystal structure. The study is reported in the journal Nature Chemistry. The new method allows one to study chemical reactions that have just happened, or potentially even while they are still happening, which we can’t do

using normal crystallography. The researchers used a new nanomaterial – called a metal-organic framework – to bind the metal complex catalyst and its chemical reactants in place. This allowed examination of the structures of the reaction products using X-rays without having to isolate the product or grow crystals. It is like taking snap-shots of the chemistry, enabling us to study the reaction products in their native state. Such analysis provides structural evidence for the chemical transformations that are taking place.

Public trust dwindles with income inequality

rust in others and confidence in societal institutions in US is on their ebb in over three decades, analyses of national survey data reveal. The findings are forthcoming in the journal Psychological Science. Compared to Americans in the 1970s-2000s, Americans in the last few years are less likely to say they can trust others, and are less likely to believe that institutions such as government, the press, religious organizations, schools, and large corporations are ‘doing a good job, suggests the study. It found that as income inequality and poverty rose, public trust declined, indicating that socioeconomic factors may play an important role in driving this downward trend in public trust. With the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, people trust each other less. The researchers analyzed how the cultural change over the last 40 years has affected social capital the cooperative relationships that are critical for maintaining a democratic society - in which public trust plays an important role.

Catching greenhouse gases alive R

esearchers in Japan report engineering with little immediate commercial value and large treatment costs. Therefore, new lowof a membrane capable of filtering cost technologies are sorely needed to and removing harmful greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The findings, which could contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions and cleaner skies, are published in the British journal Nature Communications. Greenhouse gases, originating from industrial processes and the burning of fossil fuels, blanket the earth and are the culprits behind current global warming and climate change woes. The most abundant among them is carbon dioxide, which can linger in Earth’s atmosphere for up to thousands of years. Countries all over the world are looking to reduce their carbon dioxide footprint. However, carbon dioxide is essentially a waste product

incentivize greenhouse gas capture by industry.

Researchers at Kyoto University’s Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) championed creation of an advanced membrane, called PIM1, capable of rapidly separating gases, including carbon dioxide. PIM-1 is typically embedded with a network of reinforced channels and cavities less than 2 nm in diameter that can trap gases of interest once they enter the membrane. PIM-1 can also be used for other applications such as capturing carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels, enriching the oxygen content in air for efficient combustion engines, hydrogen gas production, and processes to generate plastic. It cuts the cost of capturing carbon dioxide by traditional methods as much as 1000 times.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

INNO V ATIONS INNOV

Caffeine in coffee Perception of time tells when has an one starts a task independent ompleting tasks and crossing them off that task is seen as part of a person’s the ubiquitous “to-do” list is a great C present. In one study, the researchers evolution feeling. But we keep putting off some assigned 100 undergraduates complete a

he newly sequenced genome of the coffee plant reveals secrets about the evolution of man’s best chemical friend: caffeine. Enzymes that help produce caffeine evolved independently in coffee, tea and chocolate, say scientists. The scientists show that caffeine in coffee evolved independently from genes with similar functions in tea and chocolate, which also make caffeine. In other words, coffee did not inherit caffeine-linked genes from a common ancestor, but instead developed the genes on its own. The findings are reported in the journal Science. The team created a high-quality draft of the genome of Coffea Canephora, which accounts for about 30 percent of the world’s coffee production. Next, the

nagging tasks. Why such difference? According to a report published in the Journal of Consumer Research, the answer may be our perception of time. The study finds that people begin a job when, from a time perspective, it appears to be part of the present. On the other hand, they are less likely to start work on assignments that seem to be part of the future. The key step in getting things done is getting started. If you never get started, you can’t possibly finish. However, the urgency to work on a task happens when

four-hour data entry assignment in five days. This assignment was made at the end of April, and those who were assigned the task on April 24th or 25th and had to finish by the 29th or 30th were more likely to begin work than those who were assigned on the 28th and told they needed to finish in the first few days of May. The change in month provided a barrier to the students that made the task seem less like it was part of the present and more like it was part of the future. The study shows how goals are perceived in time, which is clearly linked to people’s views of when and whether to start the work.

Thriving through close relationships

Compared to several other plant species including the grape and tomato, coffee harbors larger families of genes that relate to the production of alkaloid and flavonoid compounds, which contribute to qualities such as coffee aroma and the bitterness of beans. Upon taking a closer look, the researchers found that coffee’s caffeine enzymes are more closely related to other genes within the coffee plant than to caffeine enzymes in tea and chocolate.

elationships enable us to not only cope with stress or adversity, but also to learn, grow, explore, achieve goals, cultivate new talents and find purpose and meaning in life. A new study published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Review details how close relationships help individuals thrive. According to the study, supportive relationships help people thrive through adversity not only by buffering individuals from negative effects of stress, but also by enabling them to flourish either because of or in spite of their circumstances.

This finding suggests that caffeine production developed independently in coffee. If this trait had been inherited from a common ancestor, the enzymes would have been more similar between species.

Support-providers may inadvertently do more harm than good if they make the person feel weak, needy, or inadequate; induce guilt or indebtedness; make the recipient feel like a burden; minimize or

scientists looked at how coffee’s genetic make-up is distinct from other species.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

discount the recipient’s problem, goal, or accomplishment; blame the recipient for his or her misfortunes or setbacks; or restrict autonomy or self-determination. Similarly, support-recipients can cultivate effective support by reaching out to others (vs. withdrawing), expressing needs in a clear and direct manner, being receptive to others’ support efforts, regulating demands on others, expressing gratitude, engaging in healthy dependence and independence, building a dense relationship network, and providing reciprocal support. The researchers emphasize that accepting support when needed, and willingness and ability to provide support in return, should cultivate the types of mutually caring relationships that enable people to thrive.

CURRENT AFF AIRS AFFAIRS

Donate stem cells to make a difference M D Varghese

You can join the this noble life giving movement by being a willing donor of stem cells through the recognized Stem Cell Registries.

t least a few could have read that sad news about the lost battle of an ill fated Bangalore based young IT Engineer from Kerala, Nini, mother of two children, caring life partner of an equally caring young man, the one and only loving daughter of two senior citizens – her parents, who fought till her last breath hoping against hope to get a drop of mercy from her “could be savior” whose harmless act of donating a little quantity of his stem cells could have saved her from the dreaded killer disease, Leukemia. She died of blood cancer. At some point of the treatment, they realized that her life could have been saved, if they found a stem cell donor for her. Hundreds of friends, relatives, well wishers, strangers, colleagues, students of Nini, her husband, her parents bee hived

behind their dearest Nini to locate the perfect HLA type for her. They conducted series of stem cell donor drives among thousands of good hearted responsible members of civil society. But none qualified for Nini’s HLA type, though a match was found from among them, Sidhin, a young Trainee at Cochin Shipyard, for another little girl leukemia patient at Vellore. The little girl at Vellore got back her life through Sidhin, who donated life in the form of his stem cells and platelets. But, in a yet another stem cell sample collection drive for yet another ill-fated Indian-American woman, Malini Ambady of Stanford University, a perfect match was found for Nini in a young fellow. Sparks of hope were rekindled in the lives

of Nini and her dear ones because they found a savior for her life in that young man. They were at the height of expectation until the saddest news hit at their ears that the young man was unwilling to help her due to unknown reason. Nini had her first psycho death. The agony was more than what she and her dear ones could bear. Sure, this empathetic sharing of sad experience could jolt the conscience of good hearted fellow human beings. It would have created some valid and serious doubts and thirst for more information as to the possibilities of the life giving treatment called PBSCT and how responsible citizens can participate in the movement of peripheral blood stem cell donation.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

CURRENT AFF AIRS AFFAIRS

The procedure is as simple and harmless as collection of platelets with slightly more duration, three to four hours. What is PBSC Transplantation or PBSCT ? Peripheral Blood Stem Cells (PBSC) obtained from circulating blood can also be used instead of bone marrow cells. The amount of stem cells found in the peripheral blood is much smaller than the amount of stem cells found in the bone marrow. PBSC transplants have shown faster haematopoietic and immune recovery when compared to bone marrow transplants. It also reduces the potential for disease recurrence, primarily graftversus-host-disease. Matching Stem Cells are collected from patient’s own blood (Autologous) or from the peripheral blood of other HLA Type matching donors (Allogeneic). There exist cases where a recipient cannot accept bone marrow stem cell transplants, but can accept PBSC transplants

stem cells through the recognized Stem Cell Registries. There are around 30 such Registries present world . Bone Marrow

How can I be part of the stem cell donation movement ? You can join the this noble life giving movement by being a willing donor of

Pallikkutam | October 2014

d. Bharat Stem Cell Registry, also in Delhi, has 1,100. What and how do they facilitate for PBSC Transplantation? They facilitate Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) donations in the following manner: a. Collect buccal (saliva) swab from the willing donors to find out match. b. If a match is found, he gives a sample of blood for verification HLA typing.

Donor Worldwide is the worldwide enabling body in the field. In India there are following Stem Cell Registries with just

How do bone marrow/PBSC transplants help people with cancer? Chemotherapy or radiations used to treat certain cancers are high-dose treatments that can destroy or severely damage the patient’s bone marrow, thereby decreasing the number of blood cells available to transport oxygen throughout the body. A bone marrow/PBSC transplant will help patients fight against cancer. After the patient receives a high dosage of chemotherapy or radiation, the patient receives the donor marrow by intravenous (IV) injection, similar to a blood transfusion, following which the new bone marrow starts to produce new blood cells, replacing all cancerous cell.

c. Datri in Chennai has 37,000 donors on their rolls.

c. He goes through a physician counseling and a master health check up. d. Before the donation process the donor takes an injection a day for 5 days and goes through the PBSC donation process on the 5th day. This is a 4-6 hour process. How does PBSC donation procedure take place ?

55,000 plus donors registered from out of 120 crores population ?! a. Asian Indian Donor Marrow Registry in Delhi, has around 4,000-5,000 donors. b. Marrow Donor Registry India (MDRI), a non-profit organisation in Mumbai, has 15,000.

Through PBSC, stem cells are collected from the blood through a process known asapheresis.The donor’s blood is withdrawn through a sterile needle in one arm and passed through machine that removes white blood cells. The red blood cells are returned to the donor. The procedure is as simple and harmless as collection of platelets with slightly more duration, 3 to 4 hours. The stem cells so collected are stored and reached to the patient wherever he/she is planned to undergo PBSCT. How is PBSCT administered ? Once an acceptable HLA type is made available, the patient undergoes preparatory procedures like chemotherapy for removing the malignant blood cells

CURRENT AFF AIRS AFFAIRS

Here is the sublime opportunity for discharging our bounden individual social responsibility. This does not call for any fiscal or physical sacrifice from the part of the willing donor. But it is life giving boon to otherwise dying fellow human being. from the blood of the patient in order to receive fresh and healthy stem cells into his body. The fresh healthy cells are then induced into patient’s body through a relatively complicated and costly intervenous procedure. The post IV procedure period is the most critical period of the treatment. It is critical because the new cells in the body of the patient are to be accepted by the patient’s system and start proliferating themselves to the required level. There should absolutely no chance of any type of infection for the patient during this convalescence period. Even the renowned medical professionals do admit that during this stage, they leave the patient’s life to the Almighty. Why should I become a donor? In case a patient needs a transplant, there is only 25% chance of finding a match within his family. However, 75% of patients do not find a suitable donor in their family. In such cases there is a need to find an unrelated donor or a cord blood unit through the donor registries. Every donor can help save the life of a patient in need. You can be one too! What are the eligibility criteria to become a donor? Any person between the age group of 18 to 50, with no major ailments such as HIV, hepatitis B/C, cardiac illness, diabetes, auto immune disorders, chronic lung disease, obesity, etc can be a donor. On a thorough examination of physical fitness,

and the individual’s HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) typing being compatible, one can become a potential donor.

pre-donation GCSF. (stem cell boosting injection). Once registered, can I refuse to become a donor any time?

If I am found to be a potential donor, what next?

Stem Cell donation is absolutely voluntary. While legally a potential donor is free to If your genetic typing (HLA) appears to be withdraw his willingness to donate his a suitable match for someone waiting for a stem cell. transplant, you’ll be contacted What do I have to do to register myself immediately. You’ll undergo a brief as a donor? examination to find out if you can donate. Your physical fitness is examined to ensure Having satisfied the basic criteria, you just that you are medically eligible to donate. need to give oral swab samples (No blood Once you are found to be a potential needed!!). The samples are then processed and the typing are stored with the registry. Individuals and institutions may volunteer to organize Buccal Swab Sample Collection Drive supported by any of the recognized Stem Cell Registries. donor, sufficient information about the process involved is provided, and a simple and harmless procedure is performed to collect required PBSC. Does PBSC procedure have any side effect ? As per the medical experts’ opinion and research conducted on thousands of stem cell donors, no serious or lasting side effect or negative impact is reported on account of stem cell donation except that one among 600 donors had experienced mild headache or bone pain reportedly due to extra harvesting of stem cells aided by the

So, here is the sublime opportunity for discharging our bounden individual social responsibility. This does not call for any fiscal or physical sacrifice from the part of the willing donor. But it is life giving boon to otherwise dying fellow human being. Your simple but magnificent gesture makes a true Godly Gift of Life. You too can make a significant difference in the life of a struggling and suffering blood cancer patient ! The author is the GM (IR) and Head CSR of Cochin Shipyard Ltd.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

CREA TIVE LIVING CREATIVE

Season your life for all seasons Dr. Varghese Panthalookaran

The four seasons are not evident in India as in the extreme northern or southern countries. However, if we carefully look into human nature, we could easily find the seasons of the planet reflected in human conditions. Seasons of life According to the latest (2014) statistics of World Health Organization (WHO), an Indian male has a life expectancy of 64 years and an Indian female that of 67 years, constituting 143rd and 150th rank respectively among the nations. The average life expectancy of an Indian is estimated at 65 years. Almost half of this time is spent on sleeping and other activities to repair the body and mind. The effective utilization of the rest of 32.5 years of time (ca.11863 days) determines the efficacy of one’s life on earth! The four seasons are not evident in India as in the extreme northern or southern

Pallikkutam | October 2014

countries. However, if we carefully look into human nature, we could easily find the seasons of the planet reflected in human conditions. Some days are like in spring full of freshness and serenity, others are like those in summer – beaming with exhausting activities and yet others like those in autumn/fall- full of agony and pain and still others are like those in winterdeeply disconnected and lonely. So are the ages of life. The early twenties compare well with the spring; up to fifties range the summer; till seventies spread the autumn and then onwards overwhelm the winter in life. Humans may plan and prepare to live all seasons of life squarely.

To live up to the call of the seasons could be exciting too. Hours of a day also may imbibe the seasonal tidings; mornings are like spring, noon compares with summer, evenings are like autumn and the nights like winter. We all may undergo various emotional seasons on a regular basis, irrespective of our age and regardless of the climatic seasons. There are times of light and warmth…there are times of life and growth… there are times of pangs and success… there are times of darkness and cold. A creative mind masters the art of seasoning his/her life for all times and seasons. It is not sufficient to spread

CREA TIVE LIVING CREATIVE

We may forget to live and to share life! Many content with celebrating the spring of their life. They consider spring of their life as a time when they should play and enjoy life. fragrance in the spring and to carry fruits in the autumn. Both shall happen in every season. Every season in life has its own character and signatures. Every season has its own inherent contradictions. Every season has its own meaning and significance. Every season has its own laws and principles of fecundity. These are derived out of life by living life in a seasoned manner. A true challenge!

Being full of leaves or flowers is not the final intention of a tree. It needs to bear fruits for its own sustenance and propagation and for the benefits of all beings that depends on it.

Living the spring As Robert Browning (1812-1889) puts it, spring is a season when all is right with the world. “The year’s at the spring, And day’s at the morn; Morning’s at seven; The hill-side’s dew-pearled; The lark’s on the wing; The snail’s on the thorn; God’s in his Heaven— All’s right with the world!” (“The year’s at the spring”, Robert Browning) Everything is well-placed in the spring …. It awards you with a perfectly balanced life! Life is at its best in the spring. The body is in tune with the mind and viceversa. It is the time to flower! It is the time to spread the fragrance of life. We receive it as a blank cheque. We owe very much to life for the same. However, living spring also could be equally challenging. Its beauty may intoxicate us. Its enchanting sounds may mesmerize to utter forgetfulness. We may forget to live and to share life! Many content with celebrating the spring of their life. They consider spring of their life as a time when they should play and enjoy life. It is a time of festivities. Celebrations surely enhance your being, your good self. It adds colors and enjoins flavors to it. Does it improve your creativeness and effectiveness? Difficult to judge! The spring may end up in futile flowers, not able to bear fruits and carry life forward.

Living the summer William Shakespeare describes how one looks on a fine summer day in his characteristic style in the Sonnet 18: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm’d; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d; But thy eternal summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou growest:

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this and this gives life to thee.” Summer is seen here as a time of light and life, time of violent growth and development. So are the summer moments of life. Life full of life! However, one may get easily tired of life in its peak itself. The flowers begin to carry fruits. The burden of fruits you bear may burden you. The concerns of their future may bother you. These anxieties cast shadow on the richness of life in the summer. A creative mind shall imbibe the skill of managing the agonies of the summer. It shall be prepared to nurse the budding fruits and to care for the emerging initiatives. It may cost you much, but this perseverance is the cost of creativeness. Living the autumn Dante Gabriel Rossetti writes in his “Autumn Song” (1883): “Know’st thou not at the fall of the leaf How the heart feels a languid grief Laid on it for a covering, And how sleep seems a goodly thing In Autumn at the fall of the leaf? And how the swift beat of the brain Falters because it is in vain, In Autumn at the fall of the leaf Knowest thou not? and how the chief Of joys seems—not to suffer pain? Know’st thou not at the fall of the leaf How the soul feels like a dried sheaf Bound up at length for harvesting, And how death seems a comely thing In Autumn at the fall of the leaf?” Autumn of life is characterized by the dualities of overwhelming fruits and depleting life. The harvested fruits announce the richness of life. The falling leaves announce imminent extinction of life. The wealth of colors could be a feast to the eyes. But in the close analysis it

Pallikkutam | October 2014

CREA TIVE LIVING CREATIVE

Spring will open the doors of summer, summer gives way to autumn and autumn to winter and the whole cycle repeats itself. Just season your life for all seasons of life. announces a phase change, a pass over. The dual significance of the falling leaves announces the true character of autumn. To live out life in an autumn requires sufficient knowledge and mastery of self. Living the winter In the Act II, Scene 7 of “As You Like It” (1600), William Shakespeare in his characteristic style describes the features of winter in comparison to human character. He writes: “Blow, blow, thou winter wind. Thou art not so unkind As man’s ingratitude; Thy tooth is not so keen, Because thou art not seen, Although thy breath be rude. Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly: Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly: Then, heigh-ho, the holly! This life is most jolly. Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky, That dost not bite so nigh As benefits forgot: Though thou the waters warp,

Pallikkutam | October 2014

Thy sting is not so sharp As friend remember’d not. Heigh-ho! sing, &c.” In winter we could be extremely lonely. Nature retreats to its seasonal slumber. It enters a deep and regenerative meditation. Tranquility governs the world. It is a time of solitude and renewal from within. We experience it as we grieve at the death of our loved one or as we lose a competition or a bet, at our failures. It could be associated with a change of office or job. Or it may represent the barren times of your life, when you are just numb and frozen. We could transform winter moments into golden times of spiritual hibernation, spending quality time within the interior of self. It could be translated into the precious moments of encountering God, the be-all and end-all of your being. You may convert those moments into an occasion of intimate communion with nature, reconnecting yourself with everything else. Season your life

four seasons unfold in our lives is remarkable. Each of them has its own unique beauty and purpose. As Henry David Thoreau wrote: “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.” This could be a fitting response to the changing seasons of our life. To live according to the designs of the seasons, in fact, requires spiritual awakening. Every season carries unique blessings and curses along with it. It is part of a wider plan, which is often inaccessible to humans. Nature is highly skilled to tighten its strings according to the melodies of seasons. So shall the humans too. They shall not raise futile resistance against the changing seasons of life. They shall rather accommodate, bearing in mind that the seasons will pass over. Spring will open the doors of summer, summer gives way to autumn and autumn to winter and the whole cycle repeats itself. Just season your life for all seasons of life.

No season of life shall be lived in vain. The simplicity and elegance with which the

INFO TECH

15 top tech stories of the month H

ere’s a quick look at what made news in the world of technology in the month just gone by... Google launches Android One smartphones in India Google has unveiled its first set of Android One low-cost smartphones in the Indian market, partnering with Indian hardware vendors Spice, Micromax and Karbonn, priced between Rs 6,299 and Rs 6,499. The three phones will be available online on Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal and via Reliance Digital, Croma and The Mobile Store, offline. Apple rolls out iOS 8 Apple released iOS 8, the latest version of its mobile operating system, worldwide on September 18. The update brings features like interactive notifications; revamped Messages, Safari and Mail apps; Predictive text & support for third-party keyboards; Continuity; widgets in Notifications bar, iCloud Drive; and always-on Siri. HealthKit, the health and fitness data integration service that Apple announced at WWDC conference in June, was not released with iOS 8. Apple said a bug in the platform prevented its release along with other features of the software update. Apple iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus hit stores Apple’s new big-screen iPhones - iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus - finally hit the market. In the first wave, the new Apple smartphones will only be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany,

Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK. Larry Ellison steps down as Oracle CEO After serving as the CEO of Oracle for 37 years, multi-billionaire Larry Ellison stepped down from his position. He will remain executive chairman and chief technology officer of Oracle.

SAP has agreed to acquire US-based expense management software maker Concur Technologiesin an all-stock deal valued at $7.3 billion. Including debt, the deal is valued at $8.3 billion. This figure is more than what Microsoft agreed to pay for Nokia’s mobile phone business. Cognizant to buy TriZetto for $2.7 billion

Ellison will be replaced by two co-CEOs, Safra Catz and Mark Hurd, raising questions about a job-sharing arrangement that has had a fraught record elsewhere. Catz has become the highest-paid female executive in the world, in not just the technology world but across all industries.

Cognizant surprised markets on September 15 with the acquisition of TriZetto, a healthcare IT software and solutions provider, for $2.7 billion (Rs 16,400 crore) in an all-cash deal. It’s the biggest acquisition in the Indian IT space, topping iGate’s $1.2-billion buyout of Patni Computer.

YouTube videos will soon be available offline in India

Amazon’s fulfilment centre under taxman’s scanner in India Amazon’s Bangalore-based fulfilment centre has come under the I-T department’s scanner in India over what the government agency sees as violations of the country’s taxation law.

Amazon India, which is cooperating with Karnataka’s tax authorities over the matter, responded to the matter with the following statement: “ We understand this to be a case where the laws have not kept pace with the new-age online In the coming few weeks, much of YouTube is going to be available offline in business models that enable a faster, India, said Caesar Sengupta, vice president, convenient and nationwide access to product management at Google. “It will be customers for sellers, especially small and medium businesses, at significantly low available by default. Content owners can decide if they want to opt into it,” he said, costs.” adding that views of the videos and ads iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus’s NFC chip will be kept track of offline as well. restricted to Apple Pay SAP to acquire software maker Concur for $8.3 billion

Apple finally embraced NFC (Near Field Communication) technology with the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

Pallikkutam | October 2014

INFO TECH

after excluding it for nearly seven years. However, it looks like the Cupertino giant has crippled the functionality of the iPhone’s NFC chip, restricting it to just Apple Pay, Apple’s new mobile payments system. Therefore, the new iPhones will not work with NFC speakers and tags and also will not transfer files with other smartphones that have NFC chips.

Snapdeal has a 300-strong development team in NCR. Pune and Hyderabad are the other cities which the company is looking at to set up development centres in. This report comes just a day after IT and telecom products traders’ association ADCTA said that its 25,000 members across country will stop supplying goods to e-commerce portals and retailersif they

Samsung to stop selling 48 smartphones online Samsung has bowed to pressure from offline retailers and said that it will not sell 48 of its smartphones online, including the upcoming Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Alpha.

This addition of engineering talent, which seems to now form the backbone for most e-commerce companies, is happening as Snapdeal nears a run rate of $2 billion (Rs 12,000 crore) in annualized sales. Snapdeal has a registered user base of 25 million and a seller base of 50,000, which is expected to double in the next six months. The e-tailer, which has investors like Ratan Tata and Azim Premji, will hire 400 engineers in Bangalore. This will be its second development centre - the only one currently is in the National Capital Region - and will open in 45 days.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

Adidas enters Indian smartwatch market Sporting goods maker Adidas has entered the Indian smartwatch market with its miCoach Smart Run. Priced at Rs 24,999, this smartwatch allows users to monitor heart rate, play music and track their runs using GPS mapping. It will be available exclusively on Adidas’s website. Amazon launches new Kindle ereader in India

Snapdeal to hire 1,000 software engineers in 12 months India’s largest digital marketplace Snapdeal announces its plan to hire 1,000 software engineers and set up at least three new development centres in the country, as it plans to plough marquee investor funding into building proprietary disruptive technologies to make online shopping even more seamless for consumers.

Microsoft will close its Silicon Valley research and development operations as part of 2,100 layoffs it announced on September 18, as it moves toward its Nadella’s goal of cutting 18,000 staff, or about 14% of its workforce.

sell any product below the price at which they have originally purchased it. Microsoft starts cutting jobs, starts with 2,100 people

Amazon has launched the latest version of its Kindle e-reader, named Kindle Voyage, in India at Rs 5,999. The new model has a touchscreen as well as twice the storage and 20% faster processor than its predecessor. Kindle Voyage is available at amazon.in/kindle and will start shipping starting October 9, 2014. SanDisk launches SD card at Rs 51,990 SanDisk has launched a 512GB SD card in India that costs a whopping Rs 51,990. Compatible with only cameras, this SD card can write data at 90MB per second, thus making it useful for those who shoot high resolution 4K videos. Along with this, SanDisk launched a 64GB microSD card that be used in smartphones and can write data at the same 90MB per second. This microSD card is priced at Rs 9,700.

EMVEE’S ARMCHAIR DREAMS

The malayalee food Tapioca, Kappa or Cheeni as it is affectionately called has now become the staple partner for fish curry outwitting even the boiled rice.

y friend, the Oriya writer, Prasanta Kumar Mohanty insisted. We will have pure malayalee food, Kerala’s own specialties. OK? We had eateries all around Kochi serving Mugalai, Arabic, Chinese, Continental, Thai, Italian, Udupi, Bangla, Gujarati, Punjabi, Andhra, Chettinad and Kongan dishes. Biriyani in twenty five varieties and Dosa in thirty five styles and tastes. I made a quick mental search, then a slower one, but I couldn’t remember any name board proclaiming malayalee food. Then the question cropped up. It had never occurred to me in such a clear simple manner. What is a malayalee food? Thomas chettan, my 105 year old farmer friend died four years back. He, a pure vegetarian, was specific about it. Kanji and uppumanga (raw mangoes preserved in broil). Nothing else. For non-vegs, naadan fish curry made with kudampuli, a local tamarind fruit. The Namboodiris brought four curries, Kaalan, Olan, Erisseri and Payasam, along with casteism, Sanskrit and astrology to Kerala. But that was after 5th century. Ramayyan Dalava, the crafty tamil brahmin chanakya invented Avial and introduced it as an original malayalee dish and contained the revolt of his nayar troops against giving the same type of food served to the lower caste maraya troops. But that was very recent. Only 250 years old. We were

walking along the precarious concrete blocks of the narrow footpaths of the MG Road and suddenly we were blocked by half a dozen tiny stools, a four wheeler hand cart and heavy activity. It was one of the Thattukadas, the make shift urban eating houses, giving dusk to midnight fast food service to the common man. And it was there. Kappa and meen, tapioca pudding with the spiciest fish curry.

issued a proclamation. We are cultivating tapioca, a rare tuber crop imported from a foreign country. Since this is a very healthy and tasty food, we find that many people are attracted to it. This is to inform the public that any theft of tapioca stems is an offence against the state and the culprits will be caned, imprisoned and fined. The proclamation had the desired effect and the entire stock of stems vanished. The King now issued the next proclamation. We have come to know that our subjects are cultivating tapioca clandestinely. But they do not know how it is to be nurtured to get the best results. (The process was then explained in detail). The tapioca is a very tasty tuber. But it contains a little unhealthy substance. The subjects are therefore directed to double cook it in boiling water (you should remove the water after each cooking) before use. Then only it can be consumed like chena or kachil.

The tapioca was the most recent one to baptize into a malayalee. In 1880, the entire paddy crop of kuttanad and nanchinad failed. The resultant famine forced Visakham Thirunal, the king, to search for an alternative staple food. He heard about tapioca, the favorite of many African and South American countries and imported the stems in huge quantities from Brazil. He planted them in six acres of land in Sreekaryam, the suburb of Trivandrum and

Tapioca, Kappa or Cheeni as it is affectionately called has now become the staple partner for fish curry outwitting even the boiled rice. So I got the malayalee food at last. Or didn’t I? A Cheeni burger is not a remote possibility. It may be win the battle against hamburger or cheeseburger, and may become the malayalee’s contribution to global food of 2015.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

GUEST COLUMN

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GUEST COLUMN

\ΩpsS tXm¬hnIƒ°v \mw Xs∂bmWv ImcWsa∂v hnizkn®htc D∂X\nebn¬ FØnbn´p≈p. henb henb kz]v\w ImWm\pw Ahbn¬ GIm{KXtbmsS e£yw h®v Ahsb Hm¿Ωn°m\pw Ahsb km£mXv°cn°m - \p≈ hgnIƒ tXSm≥ ]Tn∏n°pIbpw sNøp∂hbmWv Cu D]tZiØns‚ hym]Icq]amb hnZymebßƒ. Bﬂm¿∞ambn Ah¿ hnizkn°p∂p-≠-mImw. ]s£ Ahsc \mw ]q¿Æambn A\pkcn°Wsa∂n√. \mw Xs∂bmWv \ap°v B D]tZiw th-≠-XmtWm F∂v Xo¿®bmt°≠--Xv. \ΩpsS tXm¬hnIƒ°v \mw Xs∂bmWv ImcWsa∂v hnizkn®htc D∂X\nebn¬ FØnbn´p≈p. henb henb kz]v\w ImWm\pw Ahbn¬ GIm{KXtbmsS e£yw h®v Ahsb Hm¿Ωn°m\pw Ahsb km£mXv°cn°m - \p≈ hgnIƒ tXSm≥ ]Tn∏n°pIbpw sNøp∂hbmWv Cu D]tZiØns‚ hym]Icq]amb hnZymebßƒ. AXpt]mse ]pkvXIßfpw Kpcp°fpw. F∂m¬ B¿°pw XßfpsS kz]v\w apgph≥ bmYm¿∞yam°m≥ PohnXImeØv ]‰n√. ]s£ sNdnb Im¬ hbv]pIƒ hbv°mw. s\K‰nhn‰n C√mXm°mw. hn⁄m\w t\Sm≥ henb B{KlamWv \ap°v. AXv A¥ ns‚bpw ta∑bpsSbpw AfhptImembpw IW°m°p∂p. ]s£ B hn⁄m\Øn¬ 99 iXam\hpw \mw Hcn°epw D]tbmKn°m≥ CShcp∂hb√. Ah \ΩpsS Ignhns\°mƒ IgnhptISpIsf {]Io¿Øn°m≥

FUn‰dmbn Ccn°p∂ Imew. ]qºm‰ F∂ IpńIfpsS hmcnIbn¬ Hcp ]pXnb Im¿´q¨ ImcIvS¿ kyjvSn°m≥ {ian°p∂ kabw. chn A∂v CSbv°v ]pXnb Im¿´q¨ hcIfpambn hcpambncp∂p. Bfv Fw F bmWv. C\n thsdmcp IY Xs‚ X¿Uv ¢mkv BbXp ImcWw \√ {]h¿ØntaJebnse Xs‚ tPmensbm∂pw Inńbn√. IgnhptISv I-≠-p]nSn®v Ah Nn{XcN\tbmSmWv Iºw. Ipsd AwKoIcn®v Ahsb ss[cyambn {ian®p. ]gbXpw ]pXnbXpw AXym[p\nIhpw B¿°pw a\ nemImØ hnZyIfpw Hs° t\m°n. Im¿´qWnepw ]b‰n. H∂nepw henb c£ Inńbn√. ]s£ hmin hnń√. ]n∂oSv ]Øp sIm√w Ign™v Rm≥ tIcf kmlnXy A°mZan bn¬ sk{I´dnbmbn Dt]£n®v PohnXhnPbw t\Snb Ccn°ptºmƒ chnsb I≠--ncp∂p. Hcp kplyØns‚ IY. Bfv Hcp tIm®nwKv sk‚dn¬ Ipd®p \mƒ apºmWv. Hcp ]Tn∏n°p∂p. Nn{Xw hcbmWv Nn{X{]Z¿i\w DZvLmS\w sNøm≥ Ct∏mgpw a\ p \ndsb. Rm≥ ct]mbXmbncp∂p. ]cn]mSn ≠-p aq∂p s]bn‚nwKpIƒ°v Xo¿∂t∏mƒ Aev]t\cw Hcp ip]m¿i sImSpØp. chntbmSp a≤yhbkv°≥ ASpØph∂v ]dbpIbpw sNbvXp. X\n°p Fs∂ t\m°n Nncn®p. BZyw ]‰nbXv ISpw h¿Æw th≠--mØ Bsf a\ nembn√. Fs∂ {]IyXnZyiyhpw Hm¿Ωbnt√ ? chn. s]s´∂v Hm¿Ω t]m¿s{Sbn‰pamWv. Xm≥ at‰√mw h∂p. chn. ]Øp ap∏Xp sIm√w hnSv. ]n°mtkmbpw chnh¿Ωbpw apºmWv. Rm≥ ss]tIm H∂pa√ Xm≥. Xm≥ chnbmWv. ]_vfnt°j≥kn¬ No^v AXp aXn. AXn\p tijw thZnsbmcp°n \ΩpsS kz]v\ßfpsS ih∏dºnse c‡km£nIfmbn amdpIbmWv ]Xnhv. Ah \ap°n√mØ IgnhpIfpsS ]n∂mse t]mIm≥ \sΩ \n¿_‘nXcm°p∂p.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

GUEST COLUMN

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RAINBOW

Science facts

Human body facts R

ead some fun human body facts for kids and find out more about bones, skeletons, eyes, blood, muscles, the brain, heart and much more. Children will love the cool information featuring weird did you know facts, crazy trivia, funny truths and other interesting information that will help them learn about the amazing human body. The brain uses over a quarter of the oxygen used by the human body. Your heart beats around 100000 times a day, 36500000 times a year and over a billion times if you live beyond 30. Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. They are created inside the bone marrow of your bones. The colour of a humans skin is determined by the level of pigment melanin that the body produces. Those with small amounts of melanin have light skin while those with large amounts have dark skin. Adult lungs have a surface area of around 70 square metres! Humans have a stage of sleep that features rapid eye movement (REM). REM sleep makes up around 25% of total sleep time and is often when you have your most vivid dreams.

Most adults have 32 teeth. The smallest bone found in the human body is located in the middle ear. The staples (or stirrup) bone is only 2.8 millimetres long. Your nose and ears continue growing throughout your entire life. Infants blink only once or twice a minute while adults average around 10. As well as having unique fingerprints, humans also have unique tongue prints. The left side of your body is controlled by the right side of your brain while the right side of your body is controlled by the left side of your brain. Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria, they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help in fighting off a virus. It takes the body around 12 hours to completely digest eaten food. Your sense of smell is around 10000 times more sensitive than your sense of taste.

Pallikkutam | October 2014

RAINBOW

Human body quiz T

est your knowledge of the human body by taking our fun human body quiz. The human body is an amazing structure which contains a wide range of complex parts and processes. Do you know about the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important organs, digestive processes and brain functions? Learn more about the anatomy of the human body as well as parts such as the heart, bones, eyes, skin, muscles, skeleton, ears and nose. Check your answers in the next issue. 1. What is the name of the biggest part of the human brain? 2. The colored part of the human eye that controls how much light passes through the pupil is called ......? 3. What is the name of the substance that gives skin and hair its pigment? 4. The muscles found in the front of your thighs are known as what? 5. True or false? The two chambers at the bottom of your heart are called ventricles. 6. What substance are nails made of? 7. What is the human bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest organ? 8. The innermost part of bones contains what? 9. True or false? An adult human body has over 500 bones. 10. How many lungs does the human body have? 11. Another name for your voice box is......? 12. The two holes in your nose are called....? 13. Your tongue is home to special structures that allow you to experience tastes such as sour, sweet, bitter and salty, what is their name? 14. The bones that make up your spine are called what? 15. The shape of DNA is known as.....? 16. The flow of blood through your heart and around your body is called.....? 17. The bones around your chest that protect organs such as the heart are called what? 18. What is the name of the long pipe that shifts food from the back of your throat down to your stomach? 19. True or false? Your ears are important when it comes to staying balanced. 20. The outside layer of skin on the human body is called .......?

Pallikkutam | October 2014

CONFESSIONS K. Radhakrishnan

The credit of success of all the critical phases of Mars Mission achieved so far, goes to each and every member of ISRO family. K. Radhakrishnan ISRO Chairman

Printed and Published by Fr.Varghese Panthalookaran CMI on behalf of Rajagiri Media, Rajagiri Valley PO, Kakkanad, Kochi-39 Ph: 0484-2428249. Printed at Five Star Offset Printers, Kochi. Editor: James Paul