School live april 2017 by School LIVE

ToTAl pAgeS: 60

100 Volume 02 | Issue 10 aprIl 2017

Struggle against

Substance Abuse Identify and Deal with the Problem We are Here to Help

Can EVMs be hacked?

with Amit Dubey

How to DIY Hand Stand?

with M.A.D Rob

The Girls behind Project Sashakt

at Positively Positive

contributors

S C H O O L

L I V E Board Of Directors Richa Aniruddha Sanjay Dua Hariharan Balagopal EDITOR Mansi Tikoo mansitikoo@gmail.com

Amit Dubey Crime Investigator and expert on ethical hacking.

Jaishree Sharad

Renowned cosmetic dermatologist with an enviable Bollywood client list

Associate Editor Tanima Kedar Business Development Stockbay Partners DESIGNER Ashish Kumar For AdvertiSING richa@school-live.com For subscription editor@school-live.com

C o n ta c t

Harun Robert, a.k.a, Rob An arts & crafts wizard, and an award-winning designer.

Urvashi Malik

Founder & Managing Director of CollegeCore with over fifteen years of experience in guiding and aiding students.

Kritika Negi 9810560472 School LIVE : Printed and Published by Richa Aniruddha fromPlot No. 202/2E-23, Jhandewalan Extn., New Delhi-110055 Printed at Rolleract Press Services A-83, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase 1, New Delhi-110028 Owned by FUTURE READY EDUCATION SERVICES PVT LTD. EDITED BY RICHA ANIRUDDHA

Connect with us at: Twitter: @schoolLIVE_mag Facebook: School LIVE ToTAl pAgeS: 60

100

Prerna Kohli

Clinical Psychologist, a Public Speaker, a Workshop Facilitator and a Holistic Practitioner; 100 women Achievers Award Winner (2016).

Kavita Devgan

Nutritionist, weight management specialist and health writer

Volume 02 | Issue 10 aprIl 2017

Struggle against

Substance Abuse Identify and Deal with the Problem We are Here to Help

Can EVMs be hacked?

with Amit Dubey

SCHOOLLIVE

How to DIY Hand Stand?

with M.A.D Rob

The Girls behind Project Sashakt

at Positively Positive

Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 3

CROSSWORD NO. 6

11 10 11

15 17

20 5

OSSWORD NO. 6 2

ACROSS: 6. Insects (7) ROSS: DOWN: 7. Canters Feeding (5) Habits Insects (7) 1. GreekA.letter (5) 8. Young actress (7) Canters (5) 2. Tale (5) 9.3. Sends out (5) Young actress (7) Give a call or ring 11. Stamp Sends out (5) up (9) collecting Stamp collecting 4. (9) Salt of bromic acid 14. Dangerous (9) (9) (7) B. For the Sake of Science 17. Dangerous (9) 5. Aromatic Regal (7) seed (5) Aromatic seed (5) 18. 10.Under Calmness best(9) Under best 12.circumstances Marked (7) (7) circumstances (7) 13. Corridor (7) 19. Cry of a horse (5) Cry of a horse (5) 15. Gangs (5) 20. Learner (7) The Blue Whale feeds almost exclusively on krill; the koala eats only leaves of the eucalyptus trees. Animals that feed almost exclusively on one type of food are called Monophagous. What plant does the caterpillar of the monarch butterfly feed exclusively on?

Kavita woke up one day to find that she was on Planet Venus! She was surrounded by aliens, one of whom spoke: “Earthling, we have chosen you for an experiment. We want to study how humans live. If you stay with us for a day, we’ll reward you Rs. 2 crore. However, if you stay with us for a year, we will give you Rs. 4 crore. We’ll take good care of you. So, what do you say?”

How long do you think Kavita should stay? Learner (7) 16. Level surface (5)

ACROSS:9 6. Insects (7) 10 7. Canters (5) 8. Young actress (7) 9. Sends out (5) 11. Stamp collecting 15 16 (9) 14.18Dangerous (9) 17. Aromatic seed (5) 18.20Under best circumstances (7) 19. Cry of a horse (5) 20. Learner (7)

DOWN: 1. Greek 2. Tale (5) 3. Give a up (9) 4. Salt of (7) 5. Regal ( 10. Calmne 12. Marked 13. Corrido 15. Gangs 16. Level s

DOWN: 1. Greek letter (5) 2. TaleCompiled (5) by : Kamala Chandrak 3. Give a call or ring © Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidy up (9) 4. Salt of bromic acid (7) 5. Regal (7) Answers: 10. Calmness (9) 12. Marked (7) ACROSS: 13. Corridor (7) 8. Starlet 9. Emits 11 6. Beetles 7. Trots 15. Breakneck Gangs (5) 17. Anise 18. Ideally 19 14. 16. Student Level surface (5) 20.

C. The Body Machine

Answers DOWN: 1. Delta 2. Story 3. Telephone 4. Brom Compiled by : Kamala 10.Chandrakant Placidity 12. Branded 13. Passage Compiled by : Kamala Chandrakant 16. Plane © Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2017 / 6Bharatiya © Amrita Bharati, Vidya Bhavan, 2017 / 6 ACROSS: 6. Beetles 7. Trots 8. Starlet 9. Emits 11. Philately 14. Breakneck 17. Anise 18. Ideally 19. Neigh 20. Student

Answers:

Answers: A. Milkweed B. Choose to stay one year and win Rs. 4 crore. Venus takes 243 Earth days to rotate on its axis, but it takes 225 Earth days to go around the sun. On Venus, a day is longer than a year! C. 1. Eyeballs increase in size.

Answers:

DOWN: 1. Delta 2. Story 3. Telephone 4. Bromate 5. Stately 10. Placidity 12. Branded 13. Passage 15. Bands 16. Plane

1. Eyeballs stay the same size from birth to death. 2. Corneas are the only tissues that don’t have blood. 3. The tongue is the only muscle in the human body that works without any support from the skeleton. 4. The smallest bones are in the ear. 5. People who undergo ear surgery may experience a change in their sense of taste.

06/ © Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2017

Only one of the following statements is false. Which one?

ROSS: ACROSS: eetles 7. Trots 8. Starlet 9. Emits 11. Philately 6. 7. Trots Breakneck 17. Anise 18.Beetles Ideally 19. Neigh8. Starlet 9. Emits 11. Philately

Compiled by : Kamala Chandrakant

ed-note

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L I V E

Hi all!

So the exams are over. You all will be entering a new academic year, a new class, meeting new batchmates, exploring new subjects… Good… Just BEWARE of a new “bad habit” a friend of yours might try to introduce into your life. It comes as a stress-reliever, a “fun” thing, it makes you feel happy, better or just lighter… But once it holds a grip over you, it makes you good for nothing. Yes I am talking about substance abuse. It’s actually the other way round. It’s the substances that abuse us and ruin our lives, our career, our families..EVERYTHING! And it all begins with that first sip or the first puff which comes as a peer pressure when your friends tell you that it’s OK and it does no harm to try a little. I agree. A little of anything does no harm. But in case of alcohol, drugs, we never actually know how much is little and how and when it starts becoming too much. This issue is a MUST read for all of you and do share with any of your friends who might be on the path of becoming an addict, that too, without being aware of it. We, at School LIVE care for you and your well being. Therefore, this issue is the closest to my heart. Don’t let that sip, that puff ruin your life. Be high on LIFE, on HAPPINESS, on RELATIONSHIPS, on PROSPERITY…..Say NO TO ALCOHOL and DRUGS…

Lovingly yours

Richa Aniruddha tweet to me @richaanirudh

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Which country has launched the world’s first Braille Atlas for visually impaired persons? A) China B) India C) Japan D) France The National Girl Child Day is celebrated on which day in India? A)January 22 B)January 23 C)January 24 D)January 25 The macaque is the most commonly found genus of which animal in India? A)Monkey B)Peacock C)Tiger D)Orangutan Guwahati January 24 Nurturing Excellence in Sports Trust (NEST) Monkey Canada

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6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

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Who has been elected the new President of Germany? A) Christian Wulff B) Joachim Gauck C) Frank-Walter Steinmeier D) Olivia Jones The first-ever Brahmaputra Literary Festival has started in which of the following cities? A)Guwahati B)Shillong C)Kolkata D)Bhubaneswar “Khelegi toh Khilegi” the pan-India initiative for girls football has been launched by which organisation? A)Nurturing Excellence in Sports Trust (NEST) B)Indian Football Association (IFA) C)All India Football Federation (AIFF) D)Football Players’ Association Of India (FPAI) On the flag of which country would you find a maple leaf? A)USA B)Canada C)Australia D)Spain

Answers

Which country’s team has won the 2017 T20 Blind World Cup? A) Nepal B) India C) Pakistan D) Sri Lanka

2 4 6 8 10

Who has won the 2017 Laureus World Sports Awards for Sportswoman of the Year? A) Serena Williams B) Kelly Holmes C) Jessica Ennis D) Simone Biles

Shah Rukh Khan Simone Biles India Frank-Walter Steinmeier India

Which Indian personality will host the Hindi version of international show “TED Talks”? A) Salman Khan B) Priyanka Chopra C) Shah Rukh Khan D) Amitabh Bachchan

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

1 3 5 7 9

Know for Sure Quiz

S C H O O L

contents

L I V E 5 6 8 11

Editor’s Note Encyclopædia Britannica School in Spotlight Slam Poetry

COVER 12 Exclusive: Battling the Drugs

18 Expert Expression: Recovering Alcoholic 19 Open Letter 20 Blog 22 Photo Booth 24 Positively Positive 26 Real Talk 27 Art Attack 28 Cyber Safe: Can EVMs be Hacked? 33 Fun Side: Adventures of Maya 34 Mole Comics 36 DIY: Hand Stand 38 Storytelling 40 Study Guide 42 Page 99 44 Rap Up 48 Watch this Space

Juniors 52 Junior DIY

Quick Edit

rowing up, friends and peers are possibly the biggest influencers in our lives. Most often, they are what can be the make or break a situation in life. Kamya Gupta writes for us one such open letter, of having witnessed a person reach the very bottom as they became an addict, because they fell in different company. While the different ways to deal with and resist the temptations of substance abuse is partly what we have set out to achieve in the issue; we also have children covering various other aspects. Yatharth Vohra interviews his grandmother on the education system that was available to them, at that point of that. A haunting tale of being the witness to your own last day is weaved by Siddhidatri Mishra. And our junior reporter, Yashika Durbha writes a beautiful poem about a troublesome ghost. For the first time we are featuring the original Mole comics by Armaan Sarna! We have witnessed more than ever an increase in submission of original artwork and we are absolutely thrilled at it. We hope you enjoy the issue with equal amounts of right caution for yourself, and delight for what we put out.

“Happy Reading!” Mansi Tikoo

54 Junior Travels 56 Junior Blog 58 Junior Slam

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Learning at the Heart

Moving from the metros to a smaller town may be one thing, but the level of education across is something to be aspired to. School Live had the opportunity to speak to the Chairperson of Mahatma Hansraj Modern School, Jhansi, Anu Misra.

hat was the idea behind the foundation of the school? The idea behind the foundation of the school was to celebrate childhood, give room to children to explore more and evolve more, education through exploration not imposition. The idea was to go beyond the existing curriculum and expand it, ensuring holistic development and endeavour, where students emerge from the portal of educational institution as independent, rational thinkers, creating thinkers who could argue logically, coupled with the desire to serve the

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society, to ensure that the rural belt does get exposure to global standards. The idea surely was to enlarge mental horizon and broaden the outlook of the students. But the idea only becomes a reality with the help of a powerful team. We thank Director, Mr. Gaurav Misra for his relentless support and a powerful vision, Chairman, Mr. Neeraj Khatri for his contribution, and Principal, Mrs. Roohi Rizvi for her commitment. Since its inception, what do you feel have been some of the major changes in the institution?

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Change for me, is evolving, and surely we have evolved as an institute to reckon with, under the able guidance of our Director, Mr. Gaurav Misra. We have made technological advancements. We now have an Orange Lab and an Indigo Lab, which is not just confined to a digital smart class, but also caters to e-learning. These high definition video lectures include a very systematic coverage of every aspect of the syllabus, these lectures are very interactive in nature which makes learning logical, sequential and effective. For the first time in the history of

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We want to teach children, that as the future of the country, they should never downgrade their dreams to fit in within the boundaries of the society, instead upgrade their conviction to match their own destiny.

Ms. Anu Misra

Chairperson Mahatma Hansraj Modern School, Jhansi

Jhansi, there is a full fledged national sports academy, the Fly High Sports Academy. It was a passionate initiative, offering guidance in sports programmes to help the budding athletes , and nurture them in the right manner. We offer children the opportunity to discover and develop their athletic and sporting talents to achieve recognition. The school has excellent outdoor sports facilities, including a full sized, five layer synthetic tennis and basketball court, volleyball, net ball court and a skating rink. We also offer state of the art indoor sports,

which include badminton, squash, table tennis, chess and gymnasium. We also have an array of specialised programmes to help students, nurture their talent. Synergy is a special programme designed to empower students, with skills to apply in competitive exams. Aryabhatt is a special programme to provide the much needed solid foundation of maths and mental aptitude. Readers Theatre and Expression club has been boosting the language fluency and the Chess club has evolved to become very popular with the kids.

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physical, mental and moral growth of the students and create in them, the zest for learning. Judiciously arouse their aesthetic sense and inculcate positive habits, assist them in enjoying their leisure time through healthy recreational activities and hobbies, as well as correct reading habits. Propagate social, ethical and patriotic values of a responsive citizenship and help them channelize their youthful energies properly through creative self actualisation. Creating leaders who are going to facilitate positive

change and encourage and uplift, and teach them that leadership is about inspiration and not domination, and that success is based on co-operation and not intimidation. We want to teach children, that as the future of the country, they should never downgrade their dreams to fit in within the boundaries of the society, instead upgrade their conviction to match their own destiny.

What would you say are some of the major achievements of the school? To list some of the achievements of What is the educational philoso- the school, I would say that the school phy of the school? has constantly generated splendid reTo create extraordinary out of the sults in IIT-JEE, Medical and SERE. ordinary, and aim at quality educa- 28 students from our school were tion in the pursuit of excellence, in admitted into IITs, all over India. all the fields and in life itself. Ensure The All India Topper of SERE was a

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student of our school, Gautam Pratap Singh. Our student Suhaib Ahmad bagged the first position and a cash prize of 2 lakh, in the Parsvnath International Chess Tournament under 16. Our students were also the runners up of the Interstate Badminton Championship, were the winners of the Limca Book of Records Quiz, and were declared overall champions at the Interdistrict Judo Championship. One of the most prized achievements of the school is the successful commemoration of the 1965 war, in the presence of the war veterans. The event, ‘Shauryanjali’, was graced by 1965 war veterans Major General, BR. Verma, Brigadier Kanwaljeet Singh, Air Vice Marshall, Jaiveer Singh, and Rachna Bisht, the author of the book “1965”. I believe that, as educationists, we are responsible for instigating the fervour of patriotism in students. It becomes our responsibility to make the students understand that though we do no appreciate war, but we surely do commemorate it.

For the first time in the history of Jhansi, there is a full fledged national sports academy, the Fly High Sports Academy. It was a passionate initiative, offering guidance in sports programmes to help the budding athletes , and nurture them in the right manner.

tures, e-classes, digital smart classes, blended classrooms, project based activities, web based projects; which incorporate technology, exploration, research, and using social media to engage students with activities. What I believe is that when technology is integrated into the curriculum in the right manner, it extends learning, towards a positive direction. Online assessments not only save How has the school integrated time, but are also fair and transpartechnology with education and ent. Technological devices also make what do you feel are the chal- storing and recording data easier, the lenges associated with it? data becomes more readily available Integrating technology with edu- to perform the tasks at hand as well cation has become the need of the as facilitates easy access to audios, rehour, at Hansraj, we practise it with search and information. Our Orange the help of e-learning via video lec- and Indigo Labs are available for

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students from 8 a.m to 8 p.m in the school campus, for the purposes of e-learning. We need to best prepare our students for this ever changing world, that we live in. It goes without saying that technology has become predominant, it also makes teaching easy. Audio visual presentations, digital lessons, projective interactions, interactive whiteboards do surely improve the level of comprehension, personalised softwares do help in tracking a student’s progress, they also add a new dimension to learning and make it more vibrant. Technology also helps in distance learning and virtual lessons. However, integration of technology does come with it’s own set of problems and negative connotations, but the positives outweigh the negatives. Access to global net can also be a source of distraction for many, where students tend to lose focus, and their interpersonal skills are affected. The students’ innate curiosity, coupled with their tech savvy aptitude makes them prone to cyber crimes and identity theft. Plagiarism has been corrupting both the students and the teachers, but looking beyond the negatives, the positives of technology shine brighter. What are some of the goals that you have set for yourself in the coming future? I want my students to be lifelong learners, to be passionate, to be ready to take risks, to be able to solve problems by thinking about the solution logically, critically and rationally, to be able to look at things in a different manner, to be able to work independently and with others, to care for others, to want to give back to the society, to persevere with integrity and self respect. I want them to have moral courage and be optimistic about the world. I want my students to read well, write well and learn well, I want them to live their life to the fullest, because I think that education is not preparation for life, but life itself.

S l a m

P o e t r y

A Damaged Life One puff, One snuff, One ring of smoke, Is enough for your life to choke. Green, blue, and pink lights You see the world from elevated heights. A zone, a place of delight, With no doubt of may, may not, might. But when you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have drugs on you, The world becomes pale, loses colour and hue, The pain, the agony: unbearable The damage: irreparable.

By Ananya Sethi Class IX K.R. Mangalam World School, G.K II

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Battling the

Drugs

Who could ever fathom how a small puff or one drink could eventually turn into a bottomless addiction? Why do we turn to certain substances? What are we trying to escape? And how do we finally escape the wretched circle of addiction? Dr Prerna Kohli breaks down the basics of abuse for us.

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Drug abuse in teenagers, is reversible, but requires active participation of the family, and the acceptance and subsequent desire of the child to realize that there is a problem and that it is very feasible that they can recover and become a successful member of society.

Reasons why a Teenager does Drugs One of the biggest fears of any parent is if their teenager falls into the trap of doing drugs. Today, unfortunately, drugs are available very easily, and children like to experiment. The easy availability of drugs is creating an opportunity for teens to experiment with drugs. A drug is any substance other than food, that when inhaled, injected, smoked, consumed, absorbed via a patch on the skin or dissolved under the tongue, causes a physiological change in the body. The list of drugs, legal or illegal, is exhaustive. It could be a challenge for friends and family to know what teenagers are doing with their time and with their other friends, but it is important to look out for signals. These are the

most significant reasons why teenagers try out drugs: • Others are doing it: Teens see their peers doing drugs and want to experiment too. It starts with milder drugs such as pot (marijuana) and quickly escalates. • Popular media: Movies, songs, rap music, and television glamorize drugs. • Escape and Boredom: When teens don’t find a creative outlet for their energy, they tend to experiment. Or, teens who can’t tolerate being alone, have trouble keeping themselves occupied, or crave excitement are prime candidates for drug abuse. • Instant Gratification: Drugs create an opportunity for immediate “happiness” and “escape.” • Lack of Confidence: Teens who are shy, not popular, or lack con-

• •

fidence, experiment with drugs to become more popular, likeable, and do things they wouldn’t do without the “backing” of drugs Rebellious: Teens do drugs to rebel against authority, whether parental, school or society Misinformation: Teens are misinformed about the addictive nature of drugs, every teenager has a friend who is an “authority” on drugs. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough accurate information shared with teens on drugs.

Signs that a Teenager is doing Drugs There are multiple reasons why a teenager may experiment and subsequently get addicted to illegal use of drugs. Certain medicines may be

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legal when prescribed and consumed under the supervision of a qualified doctor, but when these same medicines are consumed without a prescription, it is unacceptable and illegal. If a teenager begins to behave oddly without a reason, such as being withdrawn, or being repeatedly tired / depressed, or angry and having uncontrolled behavior, it is a possibility that he/she is developing a drug problem. Parents tend to ignore these signs thinking that it is a part of growing up and puberty and/or hormonal issues, but if these signs are present, then the parents needs to be more vigilant. Below are the top signs that a teen may have a drug problem: • a change in peer group and decline in academic performance • carelessness with grooming • missing classes or skipping school • loss of interest in favorite activities • trouble in school or with the police or other positions of authority, such as teachers, mall security,

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If a teenager begins to behave oddly without reason, such as being withdrawn, or being repeatedly tired / depressed, or angry and having uncontrolled behavior, it is a possibility that he/she is developing a drug problem

sequently get addicted to the illegal use of drugs. Below are the top steps to take when you realize that your teen is taking drugs: • Remain calm: numerous extremely successful people have successfully experimented with drugs in their teens, and you need to stay calm and realize that this isn’t a death sentence, if handled effectively, this will just be a passing phase • Respond with love: there is no benefit of ostracizing the teen, tutors, condominium security etc. you need to address this problem • changes in eating or sleeping with love and drug addiction is habits no different from any other dis• deteriorating relationships with ease, would you respond any family members and friends differently if your child was sufIf you fear that your child is indulgfering from cancer, or any other ing in drugs, there is a need for you illness? to take action. • Don’t blame yourself: you are not responsible for the actions of your child, your role is not to blame yourself or the child but to tackle the problem There are multiple reasons why a • Talk to your teenager: do not shut down the lines of commuteenager may experiment and sub-

Steps to take if a Teenager is doing Drugs

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Shreds of a Skin These days it is seen that half of all new drug users are under the age of 18. Reasons could be anything. But drug abuse can have adverse ill effects on the skin. Dr Jaishree Sharad talks about the dreadful effects.

kin infections in the form of boils, abscesses and cellulitis are among the most common infectious complications of injection drug abuse. Staphylococcus aureus, and streptococcal species are the common bacteria which cause these infections. This happens due to skin-popping. Skin-popping causes trauma and introduces bacteria into the skin. More serious life threatening infections such as Wound botulism and tetanus, due to the toxins of Clostridium botulinum and Clostridium tetani, respectively, have been reported in skin-poppers who use black tar heroin. Non healing ulcers and open wounds are seen due to blockage of veins. Trauma to skin also allows adulterant substances to penetrate skin and cause irritant contact dermatitis, which is seen as an itchy, oozing, red rash at the site of needle puncture.

Vascular complications:

Damage to veins from repeated needle-sticks is seen as thrombophlebitis, and deep venous thrombosis. The person is unable to walk or even stand due to excruciating pain and massive swelling of the lower limbs. Repeated infections also lead to damage to lymphatic vessels, which impairs lymphatic drainage. Intra-arterial injection of drugs especially cocaine, cause lack of blood supply to the area causing necrosis of the skin. The area becomes black in colour and is painful. Many a times in such cases, the entire limb has to be amputated.

Marijuana (Cannabis)

Common skin manifestations of Marijuana include premature aging such as dark circles, hair loss and graying of hair. Ulceration, or necrosis of fingers and toes is another serious complication of Cannabis.

Alcohol

Dermatologic disorders associated with alcohol abuse include rosacea, eczema, and seborrheic dermatitis which appears as extremely severe dandruff in the scalp, eyebrows and even on the skin around the ears and nose.

Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids

Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic androgenic steroids similar to testosterone. As their name suggests, they stimulate growth of bone and skeletal muscle. AAS stimulate the sebaceous gland units, causing them to enlarge. This results in severe acne on the face, shoulders, upper chest, and back. It could be the newonset acne vulgaris or exacerbate pre-existing acne vulgaris into severe forms that are resistant to treatment. AAS also causes rapid increases in muscle mass, which can lead to linear striae or stretch marks. Hair growth is also affected by use of AAS, resulting in balding or androgenic alopecia of the scalp and hirsutism of the face and body. Your health is all you have. Good health is the key to happiness and success. Don’t ruin it with drugs. Beware and be aware.

nication Acting out of fear and lying to others to cover the addict’s behavior: don’t hide the facts from well wishers, this is not the time to think of the reputation, “izzat” of the family or the individual • Blaming other people or situations: everyone makes choices, your teenager has made bad choices, don’t blame others for their choices • Resenting the addict: do not resent the individual, go ahead and resent the drugs, but do not resent your child If you find out that your child is indulging in drugs, there is a need for you to take appropriate action. •

The role of the Psychologist in Teen Drug De-addiction •

To work with the child and stop them from using illegal drugs • To help the child stay drug-free • To enable the child to be productive in the family, at school, and in society • The psychologist will put the child suffering from drug abuse on the following path: • detoxification • behavioral counseling • medication (in very selective addictions) • evaluation and treatment for symptoms of depression and anxiety • long-term follow-up to prevent relapse Drug abuse in teenagers, is reversible, but requires active participation of the family, and the acceptance and subsequent desire of the child to realize that there is a problem and that it is very feasible that they can recover and become a successful member of the society. If your child is suffering from a drug abuse problem, do not delay treatment, as the problem will not go away without professional assistance.

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Eat happy, Stay happy

Feel you need some help on the happiness front? You are not alone. Everyone feels stressed and short fused some time or the other. But substance abuse is not the answer. There is a far better and easier solution at hand: just plate up natural mood lifters that are yummy too. Our expert Kavita Devgan guides us. Protein

Proteins contain tryptophan, an amino acid (protein that you eat is broken down into amino acids in the body) that converts to serotonin in the brain. Plus amino acid tyrosine found in protein is essential for the brain as it increases the production of

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dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. These neurotransmitters increase the body’s energy levels and feeling of well being. Get the Power: ensure that you have 50-60gm of protein each day from fish, poultry, meat and eggs. Vegetarians needn’t fret - just make

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sure you have high quality protein foods in good amounts. Go for nuts, legumes, soya (nuggets, tofu, soya milk), and dairy.

Carbohydrates

Don’t depend just on protein, carbs are important too. In fact, tryptophan

E x c l u s i v e from protein works best when consumed with some carbohydrate. Why do you think the dieters tend to become depressed about two weeks into a diet? Because by that time, their serotonin levels drop immensely due to decreased carbohydrate intake. Also, complex carbohydrates are broken down slowly by the body, ensuring a slow and steady release of energy into the bloodstream, keeping blood sugar levels constant and your mood upbeat. Get the Power: go for complex carbohydrates like brown rice, pasta and wholegrain bread. Curd rice is a perfect comfort food.

Fats

Don’t cut them off from your diet totally. There’s new data suggesting that omega-3 fats from fish act on an area of the brain that leads to improved mood and attitude. Get the Power: the omega-3s in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna have the most potent ‘stay happy’ effects. But if you are a vegetarian get your power from plant sources, such as walnuts, sesame and flaxseed. You get more goodness out of them by grinding them first and sprinkling

on cereal, soups and salads.

pression. Low level of choline is associated with lack of concentration and poor memory. Choline is a precursor Don’t forget good old Vitamin C! It is to the brain neurotransmitter acetylvital for the production of serotonin, choline, which is linked to memory. and so is a key aid to putting us in a Get the Power: Folic acid can be good mood. found in lentils; dried beans and Get the Power: Guavas, strawber- peas; dark green vegetables such as ries, kiwi fruits and citrus fruits like broccoli, spinach, okra, citrus fruit oranges and lemon are good sources and juice. Eggs and liver are rich in of this mood-sweetener. choline.

Vitamin C

Vitamin B

B vitamins (especially folic acid and choline) are vital for our mental health. Folic acid’s deficiency causes serotonin levels in the brain to decrease and it has been linked to de-

Why do you think the dieters tend to become depressed about two weeks into a diet? Because by that time their serotonin levels drop immensely due to decreased carbohydrate intake.

Selenium

The preferential retention of selenium in the brain during its deficiency suggests it is important for brain function. Research has linked selenium deficiency to poorer mood so keep an eye out for this one. Get the Power: get your daily dose by eating Brazil nut, tuna sandwiches, sunflower seeds, and wholegrain cereals.

3 Super happy foods Bananas

The reason why banana ranks as a happy food is due to loads of tryptophan and tyrosine it contains. They’re both precursors to “happy” neurotransmitters – serotonin and dopamine! It delivers carbs of just the right kind too, which releases instant energy in the body, just when you need it.

Figs

An excellent source of potassium and fibre, figs are a good source of vitamin B6 too, which is responsible for producing mood-boosting serotonin; plus it also helps lower cholesterol and prevent water retention. Fresh figs are not so easily available in our country but dried figs are in abundance, so snack on these instead.

Tea

You sip it slowly and calm descends! No, that’s not because it is a habit that helps but because tea contains an amino acid called theanine that has mind relaxing properties.

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Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 17

E x p e r t

E x p r e s s i o n

Road to Recovery

On the first anniversary of his release from the rehab, our expert in anonymity shares with us his story, so that many reading this, can seek help and be helped through it.

didn’t have my first drink till the age of 16, I passed my ICSE exams and took admission in class XI, it was then that I started occasionally drinking beer with my friends. The first time I had a beer with my friends was because they insisted I have a glass, so that I may not complain or talk about them to anyone, but after having a glass of beer (out of peer pressure) I felt happy and joyful. I was able to talk with confidence instead of being a shy child. Gradually, I started having one or two beers every week. As I found new self-confidence, I was able to mix easily with people. For some time, everything seemed fine, I was enjoying my life. I still remember that my sister got married in 1997 which came as a big relief to me because she always kept a close watch on my activities and my friends. At that point, I was drinking almost 4-5 beers per week. One day, a friend advised me that I should try hard liquor, which will give me a better high than beer and perhaps may cost less. I never thought that at any point of time in my life, I will become an addict to this disease, Alcoholism. The biggest problem that I have faced is, accepting complete defeat over my addiction, the tyrant alcohol wielded a double-edged sword over me: first, I was smitten by an insane urge that condemned me to go on drinking, and then by an allergy of the body, that ensured that I may completely destroy myself in the process. During the last years of my alcoholism, I tried my level best to become a social drinker but failed utterly. The disease of alco-

18 | | Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017

holism and addiction is progressive and deadly. I have seen young individuals dying due to drug overdose and liver damage, but could not stop myself from drinking alcohol due to the cravings and withdrawals. I want to emphasize the fact that many people treat this addiction as a social taboo and never talk about it openly. In this case, I feel lucky and blessed to have a family who did everything possible to help me get out of my addiction. I had to eventually go to a rehab to seek treatment for my addiction, where I was taught about the disease part and also the recovery. After coming out, I got the help of a support group working with alcohol addiction. Today, I have accepted the fact that I have to keep away from alcohol in any which way. You might think it would be impossible for someone to live a sober

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life. But, I’m here to tell you that no matter what your age, a new life on the other side of alcohol and drugs is possible. Today, I live a life free of alcohol but filled with happiness and joy. I never forget that I was an alcoholic, but I don’t feel like a failure anymore. I’m back to being myself; the self I was before I started drinking. I know that it is not possible to share my whole life story, suffering and pain due to my addiction to alcohol in a few words, but believe me guys, life is beautiful and wonderful without alcohol. As I celebrate my first Recovery Birthday on 16th March 2017, I pray for you all to live a happy and joyful life. A life completely free of any kind of substance abuse. God bless you. A Recovering Alcoholic, Yash For any help, kindly feel free to contact him at 9650399943

Deadly Drugs O p e n

L e t t e r

Have you ever witnessed a person battling with drug addiction at close quarters? It can be scary and overwhelming. Our reporter, Kamya Gupta, shares with us her experience.

o whomsoever it may concern, Even though Kurt Cobain battled with drug addiction all his life, he did say, “Drugs are a waste of time. They destroy your memory and your self-respect and everything that goes along with your self-esteem.” Have you ever witnessed a person fight that battle? I have. My brother’s friend, Rahul. Rahul Bhaiya, as I called him, was the most well behaved, disciplined, and sincere boy. He was the apple of his parents’ eyes. He was every teacher’s delight- an object of general envy-so perfect was he. He scored well, received adoration and admiration from his elders and peers alike. But then tragedy struck. He met a gang of boys. Under peer pressure, he tried drugs. In an instant, he was transported to a heavenly place where he did not feel the pressure to be the ‘perfect boy’ that he was always expected to be. He felt liberated, free. This new found freedom was enticing, luring and promising because he wasn’t being judged here. He was himself. Soon, this one time experience became a regular feature and in almost no time it became a habit, which was hard to kick. His parents were devastated, teachers ashamed and friends vanished. He was left all alone. He lost himself. He was later admitted to a rehabilitation centre and was treated for several months, but he could never completely regain his lost self. The scar that had tarnished him for life.

He felt belittled in a group, could not deal with people and lost his confidence and self-respect. He couldn’t be the Rahul that he was. Life went on. He was cured completely, but the mark never left him. He had been impaired for life. This is what drugs can do to an individual. Not only is it evil and detrimental to oneself, but it also causes irreparable damage to your loved ones. Drugs-the very word resonates with the drudgery of the ‘d’ syllable, which is harsh, hard and ruthless. Drugs, is also a fancy getaway for

youngsters who do not realize that this just a temporary mirage, which when disappears, leaving only destruction and regret in its wake. Drugs promises solace and comfort from the harsh and brutal reality, but only temporarily. It never has and never will resolve any problems. I have an example to look upon. I learnt my lesson. Did you?

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By Kamya Gupta Class X K.R. Mangalam World School, G.K II

Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 19

b l o g

Old School-ed

From the time we are tiny tots, our grandparents fill out lives with fascinating stories and anecdotes. This is the conversation between one of our student reporters Yatharth Vohra, and his grandmother, Mrs. Kanta Vohra.

y daadi is a very interesting person to speak with. One evening, after a long span of dawdling, I felt like gaining some knowledge, so I went to her, hoping to get hold of details of her life in the era I love : the vintage 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. Those are the years I will always want to live in. Of course, physically I cannot go back, but listening to stories of those times surely make that era fantastical. This evening, it was education. I was fed up with our current system and went on a rant, and then, out of nowhere, it turned into an interview. Of course, with my mannerisms and type of questions. Here are a few excerpts, because it

20 | | Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017

actually is too vast a topic to describe, really! Me:M Grandmother:G

M-

Tell us something about your family, and whether they supported your decision of getting an education? G- Well, I lived in Amupur, a village in Karnal district. I had 7 siblings, (and 2 parents, obviously!) and 4 of them were brothers. My father owned no land and worked as a milkman. My mother was a simple housewife, and we were not rich. But our father wanted all of us to get educated. He didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop us girls,never,

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but he definitely did put some limits and restrictions. My mother was so fond of the the books we had, but she never understood what was written in them.

M- How educated was everyone? What did all your siblings do after their education? G - I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think my parents were educated, we never really had open conversations like this. My brothers - well, all of them finished their college and got degrees like, B.A, and three of them have their own businesses. One of my sisters who went to stay with my brother in the city, finished her college too, but the other three sisters, including me, have

b l o g only passed class 10th.

M - Oh! So you are ‘metric pass’? How many years did it take you to complete class 10? G - 7 years. I was not very regular, actually. Primary school was co-ed, and we had classes from 1 to 5 (I was enrolled when I was around 5 years old). They were referred to as ‘kachi’ and ‘pakki’ classes. Then I had to learn household work - cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, etc. Uh, around 7-8 years later, Basini Devi and Bansi Lal opened a girls’ school with a hostel - for women above 18 years of age, for widows, or women with little education who weren’t allowed to go to colleges far away. than household work, my mother There, I completed my course of taught me knitting. classes 6-10 in 2 years, under the Condensed Course. M - How did a normal school day in your primary school look like? What M - Well, seriously? Firstly, I was were the timings, uniform, anything really shocked when you said even a you remember? poor milkman didn’t have a problem G - It started at 8 a.m during the with educating their daughters. But summers, and around 9:30-10 a.m I need to ask you, one of your sis- during the winters. It lasted for ters has done her B.A, but your own around 6 hours or so, and our day daughter is just as educated as you started with the morning prayers. are. How come? Did people in the Then, we all had Physical Train80s want uneducated daughters? ing, after which, our regular classes G - No. I think my sister was lucky resumed. It was a Hindi medium enough to have moved to the city, be- school, and we learnt Hindi, Social cause there, girls were encouraged to Science, Science and Maths. There study. But my family, after marriage, was no uniform as such, and we had stayed in the same village. Villagers a long recess, in the middle of the didn’t feel comfortable with send- day. We all used to go back home ing their daughters away for college. around 11-12 for lunch. Then we had Also, we couldn’t afford the college to come back. fee. We weren’t that rich. It didn’t change with the years, it was just the M - How was the teaching like, in situation. the classrooms, at your primary school? M - Tell me about the time when G - We sat on the floor, on what we you didn’t attend school for 7-8 years. call, chatais. We used to put our bags G - Well, I was learning then too. on the side and sit with our takhtis The only difference was, it was more a wooden writing slate. We did whatpractical. I also have done a 6 month ever we had to, in class, and showed course in stitching, when a teacher what we had done on our takhtis, came from the city to our village. to our sir. Then we were awarded This was um, when I was 16, I guess. marks, after which, we would erase That did help later, because I could it. We didn’t have notebooks with restitch clothes for my family. Other cords. When we went back home, we

would wash those wooden boards. If we didn’t do our homework, we were beaten with a stick. Oh, and I remember! My future brother in laws, they were like your backbenchers, and used to tease me a lot. I was the monitor of my class!

M - Okay, now to your high school. Tell us about that.

G - Well, firstly, I got into school

at the age of 16 or 17 because my aunt was a teacher there. For the first three months, they taught us the English alphabet. Then for the next 3 months, we learnt basic word formation in English. Finally, after half a year, we started with the actual course of the classes. Those who already knew basic english, slept throughout these classes. We, the village girls were not used to sleeping, but to work hard. So all we did was study, and obviously, we turned out better than those girls who slept. Things here were already paid for, these schools were for the upliftment of us girls. Now we had notebooks. Teachers loved my handwriting. I got words of appreciation from all my teachers. Subjects here were the same, just with a few additions like Hygiene, Physiology, etc.

M - I’m surprised you didn’t have to

wear a uniform. G - Well, in high school, we had to. It comprised of a white salwar kameez, with a white dupatta and black jersey. Black shoes and white socks were to be worn, and there was a special uniform for a particular day of the week, with something pink.

M -

It was lovely talking to you. Thank you so much for being open and informative. G - Oh, you’re very welcome!

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By Yatharth Vohra Class X Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar

Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 21

P h o t o

B o o t h

Majestic Nature

y, My father being in the Armr us. And I travelling is a way of life fo se proverb totally believe in the Chineile is better â&#x20AC;&#x153;Travelling thousands of m booksâ&#x20AC;? than reading thousands ofand explore and I wish to learn, travel the forests various places especially in dia. and National reserves of In

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P h o t o

B o o t h

By Angela Ghosh Class VIII Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar

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Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 23

P ao gs ie t Hi ve ea ld y

P o s i t i v e

Project Sashakt

Two class XI students from The Shri Ram School Moulsari started an initiative to help underprivileged girls deal with menstrual hygiene, Project Sashakt. Saranya Das Sharma and Aamiya Viswanathan, in their own words. equipment leads to 1 in 5 girls dropping out of school in rural India. Being a 16 year old in Class 11, the notion of someone dropping out of school because of improper hygiene

roject Sashakt is an initiative started by my friend Aamiya Viswanathan and I, Saranya Das Sharma. It focuses on giving biodegradable sanitary napkins to underprivileged girls as well as short workshops on how to use and dispose of them as well as on menstrual hygiene in general. I came up with this idea after reading an article about how improper menstrual hygiene

24 | | Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017

equipment was shocking to me! This grabbed my interest and I began reading and researching more about menstrual hygiene in rural India. I found some more horrific statistics, about how 89% of Indian women do not have access

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P o s i t i v e l y

to menstrual hygiene equipment. I knew I had to do something about it. When researching further, I discovered that women generate a lot of hard to recycle sanitary waste. Being passionate about the environment, I decided that this had to be a part of my solution. I spoke to my friend and thus the idea of giving out biodegradable sanitary napkins was born. It was difficult for us to act on this idea, as it is still a very taboo topic all around India. However, due to wonderful support from the people

around us as well as NGOs, crowdfunding platforms, publications and organisations, we were able to form a partnership with a sanitary napkin company and have begun distributing our pads and touching the lives of girls. Until now, we have distributed pads to nearly 150 girls and are planning to greatly extend that reach by the end of this year. Moreover, we’ve had a menstrual hygiene talk with over 300 girls! We also had a special distribution to women in the slum on the occasion of Women’s Day in honour of all the great work

P o s i t i v e

women do to contribute toward our world. It’s great interacting with these girls, hearing about their problems and spreading awareness. However, it is evident how menstrual hygiene is still something that is so taboo in our society. Although that image is changing, we still have a long way to go for it to be eradicated. The best part of this whole experience has been knowing that I’m helping people. It has made me realize that no matter how young you are, you can make a change. As long as you have an idea and the motivation to carry it out, you will always look for ways to make it happen. It’s also been great seeing that so many people are interested in helping us make this change and bringing awareness about this pressing issue. It’s a lot of fun meeting new people and helping make the world a better place. You can help us support women’s hygiene in an environmentally friendly and economically sustainable way by donating, sponsoring a girl for Rs. 500 or $10 a year, sponsoring us or volunteering. With your help, we can provide better hygiene to these girls and ensure they get the comfort they deserve. Visit their Facebook page: https:// www.facebook.com/projectsashakt/

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Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 25

R e a l

T a l k

High Headed

It is easy to fall prey to the lair laid out by the various inebriating substances, that are rather easily available to the young adults of today, while it is even easier to be sucked into the bottomless pit, that is substance abuse, that leaves one with nothing, but a rotting carcass of a body. The common masses and celebrities alike, have often fallen prey to substance abuse, however whether they allow the evil to overcome them or not, depends upon their will power. Let us take a look at some of the cases where substance abuse victims emerged victorious. Robert Downey Jr.

following worldwide but also the status of a celebrity. In an attempt to conform to the Hollywood stereotype, Radcliffe threw himself into the depths of alcoholism. However, he soon realised the ill effects of his addiction upon his career and hence has been clean and sober.

Ben Affleck

Before dawning on Iron Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suit and becoming one of Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest paid A-list actors, Robert Downey Jr. was addicted to heroin, cocaine and marijuana. After losing many roles to his addiction, realisation finally dawned upon him and he gave himself to overcoming his addiction, emerging as one of the beloved actors, round the globe. The star to have donned the famous Batman avatar most recently, Ben Affleck has many great movies to his name. However, in the early 2000s he battled with drug abuse and alcoholism, soon realising the negative impact of it in his life, he reached out to a friend for help and checked himself into rehab in 2001. He has been sober ever since.

body, drug abuse and alcoholism. However, after getting treated for her addiction in 2010, Demiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career has not only rocketed, but she now also leads a more satisfied life.

Johnny Depp

Daniel Radcliffe

Our beloved Captain Jack Sparrow and Mad Hatter too has had a history of drug and alcohol abuse in his early days in Hollywood, during the 1990s. However, Depp turned his life around once he realised the After being thrown into the lime- The young Disney star turned sing- he held his future in his own hands, light at the tender age of 12, Daniel er, Demi Lovato has openly spoken and that it was his own choice to not Radcliffe not only gained a huge fan about her battle with accepting her subject his body to the abuse.

Demi Lovato

26 | | Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017

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A r t

A t t a c k

Coloured Hues

By Nitya Gupta Class XII Amity International School, Mayur Vihar

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Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 27

C y b e r S a f e

A Hacker’s take on EVM Machines With the spectacular win of BJP in recent UP elections, almost every party in opposition is playing the victim card and blaming the electronic voting machines (EVMs) for their electoral loss. Our expert, Amit Dubey gives us a brief analysis of this situation from a hacker’s point of view.

efore we discuss in detail the salient features of an EVM machine which makes it tamper proof or vulnerable for any such attempt, we should go through a little background of EVMs in India. EVMs became popular because they were easier to carry and later count the votes on. They have been a part of India’s election process for the

28 | | Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017

last 15 years. Electronic Voting Machines (“EVM”) were introduced in Indian General and State Elections partially in 1999 elections and since 2004 elections, they have been used in totality. The EVMs reduce the time in both casting a vote and declaring the results, as compared to the old paper ballot system.

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Every EVM consists of two units, control unit and balloting unit. The two units are joined by a five-meter cable which is proprietary. The control unit is kept in the possession of the presiding officer or a polling officer and the balloting Unit is kept inside a compartment where voters go and use it. Few people have been claiming

C y b e r S a f e

that EVMs are manufactured in Gujarat, which is incorrect. EVMs are manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited, Bangalore, in association with Electronics Corporation of India Limited, Hyderabad. Because several parts of India do not have regular power supply, EVMs are powered by an ordinary 6-volt alkaline battery and such inbuilt power system ensures a smooth operation of devices without any external power dependency. As per design, an EVM can record a maximum of 3840 votes and can cater to a maximum of 64 candidates. Actually, a single BU (Balloting

Interestingly, Indian EVMs are considered most safe in the world. In fact, India exports its EVM machines to other countries as well. Nepal, Bhutan, Namibia, Kenya and Fiji have purchased India-manufactured EVMs and have used them in their presidential and local elections as well.

as well. Indian EVMs are designed in such a way that any such hack or tamper can never go unnoticed At one time, only one person can vote through the machine by pressing the button. As soon as a particular button on the balloting unit is pressed, the vote is recorded for that particular candidate and the machine gets locked. Even if one presses that button further or any other button, no further vote will be recorded. This way, the EVMs ensure the principle of “one person, one vote”. Now, if someone wants to hack an electronic system, he would need some sort of connect with the sys-

unit) can handle only 16 candidates but there is a provision to connect up to a maximum of 4 units in parallel to support 64 electoral candidates. If at any location, the number of candidates exceeds 64, then as per law, the conventional ballot paper method of polling is used in that location. Interestingly, Indian EVMs are considered the most safe in the world. In fact, India exports its EVM machines to other countries as well. Nepal, Bhutan, Namibia, Kenya and Fiji have purchased India-manufactured EVMs and have used them in their presidential and local elections

tem so that he can either manipulate the microprocessor software or interrupt its operation. These EVM’s do not have any wireless connectivity mechanism so hacking an EVM remotely is almost out of question. The only possible way to hack such a machine is to get its physical access for a significant duration, at least 30min to 1hr. Hacking an EVM is difficult not only because of its hardware or software design but also due to the ways it is handled to ensure its physical security. If one opts a strategy to win an election by hacking EVMs, then he

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Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 29

C y b e r S a f e

has to arrange thousands of hackers at various locations and also ensure the physical access of the machines to all the hackers for a significant duration. One also has to arrange the connector cables (most of the connectors to EVMs are proprietary and are not available in open market) for the laptops. Because the data stored in EVMs are encrypted, so even if one has to corrupt the stored data, he would have to steal all encryption algorithms and access keys to decrypt the data which are mostly hardware dependent. Because EVMs are not networked, so they can’t be tampered from any single location. The BU unit and control units are separate and there is no way to control the Ballot unit without having the Control Units. Normally, the ballot units and control units are managed through a hierarchical way by different people, who are given the access control of it. Now, even with these features and challenges, what can a hacker do to hack it? If a hacker could simulate a Control Unit or somehow get an access of a Control Unit and create copies of such control units then he has to train thousands of people to use

30 | | Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017

Electronic Voting Machines (“EVM”) were introduced in Indian General and State Elections partially in 1999 elections and since 2004 elections, they have been used in totality. The EVMs reduce the time in both casting a vote and declaring the results compared to the old paper ballot system. those control units to do the required changes in the firmware of every ballot unit located at different places. So as a hacker, I would say, yes, an EVM can be hacked but not at the time of voting. Hack has to be planted beforehand. For voting time hack, you need to replace a single particular component of EVM, which is almost impossible as you won’t have much time to do that. Moreover, you should know the exact sequence of candidates in that location well before hand, but it’s not so easy because the entire handling process of these machines makes it almost impossible to hack. Even if I am able

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to hack an EVM machine and program it for a particular behavior, for example, transferring every second vote of one particular party to another party, and if the same is replicated across thousands of machines, then all such machines will behave in similar way and it would very easily raise doubts at the controller level as to why all such machines are behaving in a patterned way. If I want to make it look natural, then I would also need to introduce some sort of randomness in every machine which means I would have to program every machine in a different way, which again makes it quite challenging for a hacker. Here, I would also like to emphasize, if an EVM can be hacked, so can the ballots, though there is a huge difference in the process. Even with paper ballots, we observed booth capturing incidents in remote locations where entire booth gets captured by goons and so if one has muscle power and money, he can surely influence people and reach to EVMs as well, so in that case, nothing is impossible. For the time being, I would say, relax guys, I don’t think, this could be possible in such large numbers and few things can’t be changed even with the technology.

Olympics Special

100

11 2 | ISSUE VOLUME 2016 SEPTEMBER

100 12 2 | ISSUE VOLUME 2016 OCTOBER ERSARY 2ND ANNIV SPECIAL

The Man in all his

Glory

ation with Students in ConversShri, Minister I&B Olympian, Padma Singh Rathore Col. Rajyavardhan Lost Your Phone? Laser Cane

Ray of Light for

Decoding the

Mahatma The Man & His

DIY? We Love

It!

Mad Stuff with

ons

Hunger Resoluti

Rob

dhigiri Discovering Gan Story behind

Ideas

Jai

Jan and Bani Kohli

The

na Bhai Lage Raho Mun Secure your WiFi

with Amit Dubey

the Elderly

Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pride

No Worries!

CyberSafe with

Amit Dubey

Women Ruling

the Rings

Expert Expression

with Pankaj Agarwal

AAAH!

HELP DOCTOR KALA MIRI! IT’S CARRYING US AWAY!

…THE WHITE WITCH!

I THINK SHE HAS CAST A SPELL ON US, ALREADY! MY MIND IS GOING BLANK…

BANGLE, CAN YOU HEAR ME?… OH NO, HE HAS BLACKED OUT!

YELP!

WE’RE BEING KIDNAPPED AGAIN, BANGLE! I WONDER WHERE WE WILL END UP THIS TIME!

COME BACK WITH MY GUEST, WARRA WARRA! YOUR MISTRESS WILL PAY HEAVILY FOR THIS!

THIS MUST BE THE ROUGHEST JOURNEY I’VE EVER BEEN THROUGH!

I CAN’T KEEP MY EYES OPEN… I…

I WONDER IF THAT IS THE HOUSE WE’RE HEADING FOR. IT LOOKS LIKE A PLACE A WITCH WOULD LIVE IN!! WHAT DID THE DOCTOR CALL HER? OH, YES…

YES, AND THE MOST FEARFUL!

WHO ARE YOU! WHERE AM I?

BANGLE!… BANGLE… WHERE ARE YOU!

CONSIDER ME A FRIEND. I’VE BROUGHT YOU TO MY HOUSE TO PROTECT YOU FROM THAT VILLAIN, KALA MIRI!

BOTH OF YOU ARE SAFE! HAVE NO FEAR!

YUP!

21 YOU NEEDN’T HIDE ANYTHING FROM ME, MY DEAR! I’M ON YOUR SIDE. DOCTOR KALA MIRI THINKS YOU’VE COME FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY BUT I KNOW BETTER! I KNOW YOU’VE COME FROM THE FUTURE!!

HE’LL STOP AT NOTHING TO FORCE YOU TO TELL HIM THE SECRETS OF YOUR MEDICINE! NOTHING!

BUT WHY IS IT LOCKED UP IN THIS HORRID CAGE! BIRDS SHOULD BE FREE!! COME OUT, YOU LOVELY CREATURE!

OH, BANGLE, LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL BIRD!

BUT I HAVE NOTHING TO TELL!

YOU MUST TELL ME ALL ABOUT YOURSELF, AND ALL THE GREAT DISCOVERIES MADE BY YOUR DOCTORS AND WITCHES AND WIZARDS, BUT FIRST…

I’LL GET YOU SOMETHING TO EAT AND DRINK!

THANK YOU.

I’LL BE BACK IN A MINUTE!

YOU CAN TALK!

I’M SO GLAD TO SEE YOU, BANGLE!

YOU MUST TELL ME EVERYTHING!

FORTUNATELY I CAN! BEWARE OF YOUR HOSTESS!! SHE’LL GIVE YOU A DRINK THAT WILL PUT YOU TO SLEEP. THEN SHE’LL SHUT YOU UP IN A CAGE AND KEEP YOU THERE TILL YOU TELL HER WHATEVER SHE WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR WORLD! THAT’S TRUE!

OH!

WOOF! BANGLE! YOU’RE HERE TOO!

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Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 33

M o l e

C o m i c s

34 | | Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017

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M o l e

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C o m i c s

Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 35

D I Y

Hand Stand

Where is the fun in a generic bowl that holds your keys or a generic box that holds your trinkets? Here is a simple DIY to create something that is not only uniquely stylish, but will also come in handy. (Pun alert!)

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D I Y

You will require: • • • • • • •

A rubber glove or a kitchen glove A wide mouthed plastic jar Glue Brush Acrylic colours Stickers Plaster of Paris

Now follow these steps:

1. Place the rubber glove inside the plastic jar, with the fingers of the glove facing down. 2. Now stretch the upper part of the glove over the rim of the plastic jar so that your glove hangs in the jar, mid air. 3. Next, prepare your plaster of paris mixture. 4. To the powder, keep adding small quantities of water, stirring simultaneously, to avoid any lumps or air bubbles. 5. Continue adding the water until you achieve a smooth mixture. 6. Now pour the mixture inside the rubber glove. Set aside to dry, for 30 mins or more. 7. Once dry, carefully remove the glove from the plastic jar. Cut open the glove and remove it. 8. Now coat your hand stand with acrylic colours to give it a smooth finish and strength. 9. Add some stickers to it and voila! Your hand stand is ready. 10. Hang your keys, trinkets or stick messages on your hand stand. Let it jazz up your room.

Watch the DIY video here:

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ZtoIC1fXjWc

Follow Rob and share your DIYs with him @: Facebook.com/MadStuffWithRob Twitter.com/MadStuffWithRob Instagram.com//MadStuffWithRob

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Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 37

The Last Day

What would be it like to witness the very last breath and after of ourselves? Would it be exactly what we think, who would be the people who would miss us? Siddhidatri Mishra weaves a tale of a very different experience.

n a Sunday afternoon, my dead body was burnt on a pyre. Usually, on days of funerals, it seems as if the entire world mourns oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; death. The sun refuses to shine and the clouds cast a shadow of gloom. At least that is how it had felt when my grandfather died. But the day of my funeral was a cheerful one. The sun shone and the sky was clear. It was as if the earth celebrated my untimely death. The smoke from the pyre made patterns as it rose. My cousins had watched in fasci-

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nation and glee. I must not blame them. They are quite young and do not understand the meaning of death. My relatives had told them that I had gone somewhere far away. My cousins were convinced that I would return some day. Their innocence was safe for now. A service was held afterwards. It was more like a zoo, in my opinion. People came to gawk at my broken family and commend them on their strength to cope up. They had to cope up. My parents were far too proud to break down in public.

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My sister had refused to come as she thought that the service was a mockery of my memory. I personally think she was tired of being sympathized. My sister is one of those characters who leaves the past in the past and tries not to think of it. She hates crying in public and dressing up in black. Maybe that is the reason why she hated funerals so much. Anyway, this became a topic of gossip soon and everyone started imagining how terrible our relationship had been. My parents looked like they were going

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to break down any moment. Their faces seemed to have aged 20 years and their eyes looked like lifeless sockets. I felt sorry for them, I did it. It wasn’t their fault. I was no longer alive and all that remained of me were ashes in an urn. My urn was gorgeous. My parents had gone with a red one, knowing that it was my favourite color. All the best things in life are red: strawberries, apples etc. but so were the worst things. I do apologise for going off topic. My English teacher is always telling me how I go off topic while writing. Sorry, used to tell me. I am still not used to referring myself in past tense. I guess no one ever does. The service had been held in a large banquet hall, with a huge framed photograph of me, kept near the podium. On normal days, I could have pointed out innumerable faults with the photo but I let it be as it was a special occasion. The eulogies were well written and beautifully executed,

had not spent enough time with me. It is deaths and birthdays that bring relatives together without them having any arguments. The only good thing that came out of my funeral was the reconciliation between my father and his two brothers, even if it were temporary. Soon after this joyous event, everyone started preparing for their journey back. You must be wondering why I just narrated this very cheerful event. It’s because this was the last day someone truly remembered me. On other days, people did remember but only for a moment, maybe with the speaker crying at the right an hour. And I was happy to be fortime. Just the right amount too. Peo- gotten. The dead have to be forgotten. ple who had never bothered to speak Otherwise, it is we who are haunted by to me in school suddenly missed me our regrets and the passing time. and complimented my sense of humor. Girls who had made fun of me By pretended to have been my friends. Siddhidatri Mishra Relatives who had not bothered to Class XII Sanskriti School, New Delhi pay a visit or even call on any occasion lamented over the fact that they

Usually, on days of funerals, it seems as if the entire world mourns one’s’ death. The sun refuses to shine and the clouds cast a shadow of gloom. At least that is how it had felt when my grandfather died. But the day of my funeral was a cheerful one.

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SP at ug de y H Ge ua id d e

Insider’s Guide to Admission:

Dealing with Decisions

March is nerve-wracking. Late nights scanning forums waiting for decisions to come through, early mornings discussing results with your parents. You may be going through exams, preoccupied with what your friends have heard or not heard and so, this post by our expert Urvashi Malik is for you, 12th grader, on the brink of going to college, to remind you to breathe.

ike we talked of Early Action / Early Decision, you may get a variety of end results. So will your friends. And it’s ok for you to go through a roller-coaster of emotions where you are happy and sad and also overwhelmed with anxiety. When you wildly refresh the page

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and memorize your password a million times over to check your results, you might see a number of different things popup. If you are Accepted, CONGRATULATIONS! I know the letter said that already but seriously, you should be so proud. Yell, scream, cel-

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ebrate! Maybe even get your friends to post it on Facebook so that you can humblebrag through them. But don’t make decisions yet. Wait till you have everything in hand before you go out rescinding applications* *Unless you got in Early Decision, in which case you need to.

S t Pu ad gy e G Hu ei ad de **Unless you didn’t get the aid (not scholarship) you asked for. Note: We will cover how to make your decisions in the next article. If you are Rejected. It’s not the end of the world. Wait for all the results before you fall down a crazy spiral of depression. If for whatever reason you didn’t hear great news from any of your colleges, there are colleges in other countries you aren’t late for, maybe even a gap year is the right thing with a more balanced list this time? Everything will be ok in the end, and if it’s not ok, it’s not the end. And lastly, you might have gotten Waitlisted. There is a special feeling of overwhelming frustration that descends upon the students that are stuck in admissions purgatory (waitlisted), so here are a few do’s and don’ts to get yourself off the waitlist. To make things more interesting, let’s examine how you should approach the 5 Stages of Waitlist Grief.

Wait for all the results before you fall down a crazy spiral of depression. If for whatever reason you didn’t hear great news from any of your colleges, there are colleges in other countries you aren’t late for, maybe even a gap year is the right thing with a more balanced list this time?

their successes (for example College Confidential & TGID) Anger is usually prompted by seeing other, in your eyes “undeserving” candidates get into that school. This is the first experience where things aren’t always explainable. Each college is trying to build a “class-mix” – perhaps they had too many people with your profile, perhaps they had too many people for that major, perhaps, you really weren’t good enough.

Bargaining – This is when you

start drafting that begging email to the university that waitlisted you. Something along the lines of “I love you, please take me!” STOP. Do not should have got it. Maybe you ex- beg. Do not stalk. Do not send them pected to get in and not seeing an twenty emails in two days and call obvious “Congratulations” left you incessantly. Take control. staring at the computer screen in Be eager and creative, but not shock. It’s not you, admissions are scary or desperate. What do you regetting more and more competitive ally need to do? Write one, maybe each year. Again. BREATHE. Wait two well-written letters updating till you have all your results. the college about your achievements and explaining why you should still Denial – You were top of your Anger – “THIS IS SO UNFAIR!” be admitted. A letter from your class. You kicked ass in your extra- That’s usually the reaction following counsellor / principal / teacher / curriculars. Maybe the SAT / ACT the first foray into the blackhole of supervisor also may help (One letter could have been higher but you forums where people are discussing only! Not one letter from each person). Think about giving them a call or requesting for an interview to express your interest (may not work). Think about visiting (but have a plan for what the visit means). Don’t do something stupid.

Depression –

You may be miserable, you may wallow for a while and that is ok. You worked hard, and admissions kicked your butt. Be sad for a day. Indulge in the chocolate / ice-cream / sad movie binge fest for a weekend. But remember, your life ISN’T OVER!! This is not a rejection, this is a maybe. So buck up!

Acceptance – Warning, pun approaching. ACCEPT your situation and ACCEPT one school that you want to go to! Wait for the waitlist to move but realize, you got into college and that is pretty great.

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P a g e

9 9 WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO TEST A NOVEL BEFORE YOU READ IT? OPEN THE BOOK TO PAGE 99 AND THE QUALITY OF THE WHOLE WILL BE REVEALED TO YOU. SCHOOL LIVE TRIES OUT THIS EXPERIMENT ON LATEST RELEASES.

Tear ‘em down!

The ever-in-a-hurry Goofies have to renovate their house. And of course, the only one who agrees to take up the job is none but other than the slowest handyman around town, Mr Slow Motion. But he’s yet to arrive and the Goofies can’t wait to get started. Here’s from the sequel to The Goofies go on a holiday, The Goofies tear down their house by Amishi Seth Gordon Dollargun IV

The Goofies had been waiting for Jones to send a contractor for two whole days now, and they were getting impatient. Mr Goofie had rung up Jones about a hundred times, and the family tried contacting

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many builders, but none of them seemed to be available to do the Goofies’ renovation. One of them said he would have loved to work for the Goofies but that the weather around their house gave him the flu. Another one said it would be an hon-

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our to work for the Goofies, but that he had lost his tools while building a house in Backville and he couldn’t pull down the house just to look for them. A third said he was very thankful that the Goofies had selected him to do up their house but that he had

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dy, ‘So do you want to WAIT? Wait for the rest of your lives for someone to agree to work for us?’ The word ‘wait’ seemed to strike the right chord with mother and son. ‘Wait? No way!’ they squawked. ‘We’ll help you!’ And the Goofies rushed out of their house, got into their car and were just about to drive off to get supplies when Mr Goofie’s phone rang. He didn’t even look at it. ‘George! Why don’t you take the call?’ ‘Michelle, let’s just get the tools, shall we?’ ‘But Dad, it might be Jones!’ ‘Pah! I am not waiting any more for any Jones!’ And they drove off. The Goofies went to a local hardware store and got tools—axes and drills, nails and hammers, pliers and measuring tape, cans of paint and brushes, tins of polish, bags of cement, tiles and wires and all kinds of things. They got all of it loaded into a truck and sped home. Meanwhile, Slimy was mad with rage. He was prowling about his office like a hungry bear, and poor Boon was pretty certain that he would be the bear’s next meal. ‘I told you not to move from there, you moron!’ ‘B-b-but—’ ‘Quiet!’ Slimy snarled. ‘You cost me the sale! Now how will I sell my stuff to the Goofies?’ Suddenly he stopped pacing and he murmured to himself, ‘Yes! Of course! Aha!’ He banged his table triumphantly. Boon fearfully recognized the evil gleam in his boss’s eyes, a menacing look that Boon had ‘No, Dad!’ lost the memory of how to refurbish seen many a time and which had alMr Goofie hadn’t yet told his fam- ways meant trouble for him. Slimy houses, and had quickly hung up. Now the Goofies were stuck with ily what the looked at Boon like a hungry bear contractor, whom Jones had that had just spotted dinner. most of their furniture and things lying outside the house, and only the spoken to, had said about them. broken stuff inside. Mr Goofie was certain that nobody Excerpted with permission from ‘Enough is enough!’ Mr Goofie would be willing to come and work Puffin Books from The Goofies tear declared. ‘I will do the renovation for them. Hence he quickly defend- down their house by Amishi Seth ed his decision to do the renovation released in February 2017. Available myself!’ ‘No, George!’ himself by asking his wife and Fred- in all bookstores.

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Logan

Director: James Mangold Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen Logan, aka, The Wolverine, or as we millennials like to call it: Hugh jackman with some claws strapped on, is his 9th and final appearance as the titular character, Wolverine. The film is set in 2029, in a new world where mutants are on the brink of total extinction. Logan is portrayed as an aged man with some serious alcohol issues. His signature healing factor now nearly gone, the man we see in the film is less than the shadow of his former self. Supporting him we see a now crippled Charles Xavier with only a pale reflection of his former glory and reduced into a heavily sedated wisecracking old man. Both

the actors have nicely incorporated a gritty darkness in their portrayal of their respective characters, which the superhero movies till date have been missing (leaving aside the God sent Deadpool). Young Dafne Keen plays the role of the X-23, the clone/ daughter of Logan in this film. Her performance makes the film more relatable and is a true pleasure to watch. She does justice to the character despite her young age by bringing to the table a sharp contrast of pure bloodlust and childlike innocence that is needed to fully establish the character in the continuity. The opening scene alone justifies

the need of an R-rating for the movie, clearly declaring that this isn’t your everyday run of the mill type superhero movie. Throughout the course of the film it can be seen that the development of characters and the story have been given the supreme importance. Director James Mangold’s’ decision of refraining from the CGI filled world ending/saving sequences, give the film quite an intimate and personal feel. To wrap it all, the movie can be best described as melancholic with a bit of empathy and nostalgia all sewn together with a truckload of hard-hitting gruesome violence. Lastly, the villain could have been a meatier presence as it could have given the film pace since it starts to lose steam in the middle of the narrative but all and all this is a must watch for all diehard as well as casual fans alike. On a scale of five, this movie gets a four from me. Watch it, soak it and decide how true I have been in my assessment?

By Lakshay Sethi Class XII New Era Public School, Mayapuri

nd the king of pop is back with a bang giving our 2017 a great musical start, which we’ve been waiting for since 2014. Ed Sheeran recently released his new album ‘÷ ’or ‘Divide’ which has created a lot of buzz among his fans as this album is by far his most ethereal and beautiful work. From ‘Supermarket Flowers’ to ‘Shape of You’ and from ‘Perfect’ to ‘Barcelona’, it ranges from classical to pop, and there isn’t a single song in this album which will not make you fall in love with it. Sheeran has tried to get in so many emotions through

Divide, by Ed Sheeran

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Badrinath ki Dulhania

Director: Shashank Khaitan Starring: Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Gauhar Khan, Sahil Vaid

A storyline that revolves around a Badri falls in love with Vaidehi’s girl from Kota, Vaidehi Trivedi (Alia bold and beautiful outlook while atBhatt) who is not only breezy and no- tending the same wedding, and Somtorious, but is also ambitious about nath has the responsibility to find out her dreams and passions in life and all her details.. But Vaidehi is not one a guy from Jhansi, just as breezy of the girls who’ll settle down for a but uneducated, Badrinath Bansal marriage by simply keepin g her (Varun Dhawan) who wants to keep dreams aside. things going cool forever and is alThe writer and the director, Shaways accompanied by his pal, Som- shank Khaitan along with the pronath (Sahil Vaid) wherever he goes. ducer Karan Johar and the cast Vathese sixteen songs. While ‘Supermarket Flowers’ which displays his love and affection for his grandmother will leave your eyes moist each time you listen to it, the beats of ‘Shape of You’ will force you to get out of that chair where you’ve been sitting and listening to ‘Divide’ since hours and sync your moves with the music people are going crazy about. Ed Sheeran in an interview said, “I wanted the whole album to feel a bit schizophrenic.” And he has completely done justice to his thought. any burden of worries, free to fly This album will take you to some and wander, that’s the kind of peace, other world where you’ll be without tranquility, positivity and joy the

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run Dhawan and Alia Bhatt teach us great lessons. The movie makes us learn and realize that we all could get together, join hands and fight against the major social evils like dowry and abandoning the girl child. No good can ever come from keeping mum about your views and opinions in front of your elders, who you think might not be very cool about your ideals in life. They say visuals can have an impact on you in ways nothing else can. Let make use of it for a better and open-minded society, where girls don’t have to ask for permission to go and follow their dreams, where there’s no need for feminism to exist because there’s equality already existing. ‘Badrinath ki Dulhania’ is the love story which tries to make a difference in the society, with Badri and Vaidehi trying to make a difference in their own lives and the people around them. ‘Badrinath ki Dulhania’ is a package of emotions, drama and social messages, and encapsulated with a lot of comedy. I’d give 4 stars to it without thinking twice. By Amani Chowdhry Class XI Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar

music and lyrics of this album provide to your heart, mind and soul. The die-ha rd fans of Ed Sheeran were disappointed due to his hiatus from social media and not getting to listen to any of his songs for a long time, but after listening to ‘Divide’, you’ll realize that it was certainly worth the wait.

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By Ayesha Malhotra Class XI Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar

Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 45

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icola Yoon’s sophomore novel “The Sun Is Also a Star” will awaken the romantic within you (even if you happen to lack a soul). When I think about this book, my mind immediately runs to sunshine and all things bright. Even though I am not much for whirlwind romances, the innocence of this book won me over, and thirty pages into it, I realized I was reading a great work of young adult fiction. Natasha, a pragmatic girl, who looks for facts to make sense of anything and everything, is a Jamaican immigrant, who’s family is going to be deported back to her motherland in a matter of hours. As far as she is concerned, America is her home, and everything she knows is here. Jamaica is a complete stranger whom Natasha as not interest in meeting at the cost of leaving her entire life behind. She has a few hours left to try and remedy the situation. She doesn’t believe in miracles, but now she is definitely hoping for one. Daniel is a first generation American Korean, who could not be more of a patron of true love, even if he tried. He is fascinated with the world, and is brimming with sensitivity and poems. Daniel is heading for an alumni admission interview in order to go to Yale in order to become a doctor, when his path crosses with that of Natasha’s. His parents made this career choice for him, and he continues to desperately search for some courage to tell them that he thinks he wants to be a poet, and he knows that medical school is not for him. A day is all that Natasha and Daniel get to know each other, and in this span of few hours Daniel has set out on a mission to make Natasha fall in love with him. He holds

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ists in today’s society. She forces the readers to look at immigrants as human beings first. Time, heartbreak, and suicide are some of the other topics that Yoon touches in her book. The book makes you realize how one small incident or action could impact several other crucial incidents and actions. Many might question the pace at which the romance is set, declaring it as far too cliché. To this I say, isn’t this why we indulge in stories? To believe in things that seemed impossible to us. I personally adore the world Yoon creates in this book, where a boy and a girl are allowed The Sun Is Also a Star | by Nicola Yoon to create a bond, that many people spend their lifetime the belief that this isn’t the first time looking for. his soul has ran into Natasha’s soul, Even when life seems bent on that their souls knew each other proving him wrong, Daniel doesn’t long before. let go of his beliefs, proving to us The romance is so pure, that one how perception can do wonders on can’t help but root for this odd cou- our way of looking at things. ple, despite the circumstances they In a world full of people dedicated are in. At the same, both the charac- to convince me that life isn’t as easy ters are dealing with questions about or incredible as it looks (which I am their own identity. Yoon profoundly well aware of by now), it is refreshwrites about what it really means to ing and beautiful to see characters be an immigrant in a foreign land, full of naivety and optimism, whose and all the fears and problems that words and views fill me with hope come with trying to plant your roots and faith. in a country that may always look at Hope in humanity, and an asyou as an outsider. tounding faith in the world. Despite While Natasha can hardly related what anyone says, the world is full of to her Jamaican origins anymore, magic, and so are we. Daniel feels that he will never be Korean enough for his family and By American enough for his peers. Vitasta Singh She talks about the extent of the Class XII firmly embedded racism -with all its Scottish High International School, Gurgaon pre-conceived notions- that still ex-

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tussle between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. The story unfolds and characters become a darker shade of grey or a lighter shade of grey as Uruvi’s perception of some characters changes completely. Uruvi now has only hatred for Kunti and starts liking Ashwathama because of his complete loyalty to Karna. She still stays wary of Duryodhana despite his brotherlylove for Radheya since she knows that her husband’s blind allegiance to Duryodhana will be the eventual cause of his downfall. But that fact is beyond her power to change. The book has a wide array of emotions- jealousy and insecurities of being the second wife and the fact that the Queen of Indraprastha, Draupadi loves her beloved; sadness and shame that her decision to marry an outcast has insulted and hurt many; fear as the war of Kurukshetra approaches spelled doom for her husband, and last but not the least undying and passionate love for Karna, the wronged man, not the wrong man. The Mahabharata is a labyrinth with so many complex characters with a story of their own. We know and read about the main characKarna’s Wife | by Kavita Kane ters but the lesser known and important characters tend to get ighe Princess of Pukeya, darling becomes one himself. nored. Karna’s Wife is about one She wakes up with a start- dream- such completely ignored character. daughter of King Vahusha ing of an elusive man. ‘Karna,’ she And I love it for drawing our atand Queen Shubra, godchild utters softly. She is convinced that tention towards the mystical and of Kunti and loved dearly by Bhishthis was the man she had loved since beautiful Uruvi. Lyrical and inma Pitamah and Lord Krishna is the day she had first seen him. Uruvi, ventive it is a moving tale of love reduced to the status of an outcast’s a Kshatriya princess, chooses him against all odds. wife after marriage. This is Uruvi, over Arjun at her swayamvar, and the Queen of Anga. theirs is a marriage of great social Born out of wedlock to Kunti and By Surya, he is Karna, who has been contrast. Suhani Kumar abandoned by his mother at birth. Karna’s Wife, narrated from Class VIII He deserves the fate of a Prince, but Uruvi’s point-of-view, progresses Pragyan School, Greater is adopted by a lowly charioteer and against the backdrop of the epic Noida

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Junior Annual Day:`The Symphony` On Friday, 10th March, 2017, Pragyan School, celebrated its Junior Annual Day, ‘The Symphony’ for classes Pre-Nursery- II with 100% participation. Ms Richa Aniruddha, an eminent journalist and Editor-in-Chief, School Live magazine graced the occasion as the chief guest. The function was preceded by a bright and colourful exhibition wherein creative talents of the students were beautifully displayed. The exhibits were based on the theme of fairytales. Ms. Lopamudra Mukherjee, coordinator, Pre-Primary department welcomed the gathering. After the traditional lighting of the lamp, the function commenced with ‘Enchanting Notes’, where the little students showcased their talent on different instruments.

Budding vocalists presented a melodious song, ‘Fun with Seasons’. The annual report was presented by the school Headmistress, Ms Manjri Bansal. The awards for academics and co-curricular activities

were awarded to the meritorious students by the Chairperson, Dr. Kusum Chand and the Chief Guest. Simran Nandi of KG received the Nishant Chaudhary Memorial Award for overall excellence. Students of

Grandparents’ Day Grandparents are a delightful blend of laughter, caring deeds, wonderful stories and love. Grandparents are special to every child. Their knowledge is invaluable and their love unconditional. In keeping with this thought, Gyanshree School, Noida celebrated Just Dial Bachpan on 18th March, 2017. The Director Education, Ms. Rita Kapur and the Principal, Ms. Vandana Midha welcomed

the Chief Guests of the occasion - Shree Grandparents. The programme commenced with the lighting of the lamp and a welcome song followed by an array of performances and games. The tiny tots in colourful attire were all excited to perform before

Gyanshree School, Noida their grandparents. They tapped their feet to the tunes of ‘Chote Chote Tamashe’ and ‘Thank you Song’ that was lauded by everyone. The grandparents appreciated the programme. The Principal, Ms. Vandana Mid-

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ent categories which are as follows: Excellence in English, Hindi, Recitation in English and Hindi, Voracious Reader and Conspicuous improvement. The prize distribution was followed by an impressive musical presentation, ‘The Symphony’ based on the beauty of the four seasons. Students enthralled the audience with their confidence and versatility. The chief guest, Ms Richa Aniruddha, greatly appreciated the efforts of the little artists and applauded the efforts of the teachers. She further emphasized that an overall development of a child takes place when the school and the parent work hand-in-hand to polish and hone a child’s individual identity. The Principal, Ms Ruchika Pre-Primary classes received awards Hindi, General Awareness and hun- Sharma, culminated the function by extending her gratitude and appreciin various other categories, such as dred percent attendance. excellence in art and craft, dance, voStudents of classes I &II also re- ated the efforts of the students and all cal music, recitation in English and ceived excellence awards in differ- the teachers.

Pragyan School, Greater Noida

Nursery wing ‘Utsav’

Somerville School, Noida The Nursery wing of Somerville School, Noida celebrated its Annual Day ‘UTSAV’ on 4thMarch 2017. The dignitaries present were Mrs. D.A.Tressler, Chairperson and Director, Somerville Schools, LCBM in Inha firmly believes that grandparents- dia and Mrs M.N. Arul Raj, Principal the ‘Torch of the values that our Somerville School Noida. future generations imbibe, are an The event began with a welcome integral part of the family.’ address by the Headmistress Mrs. The event ended on a high note E.Varghese who stressed on the valwith the grandparents interacting ues of extra-curricular activities for the overall development of a child. and blessing the school team.

The children of Nursery-the Pride of Somerville School and our budding artists performed an English play-ROBIN HOOD and a Hindi play ‘ULAT PULAT.’ The Hindi play stressed on the Bible phrase-“Do unto others what you what others to do to you.” The vibrant dances and confident dialogue delivery enthralled the audience. The function came to an end with the vote of thanks by the Principal Mrs. M.N.Arul Raj.

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Improving Concentration

Absolute concentration has always been a tricky terrain for everyone to navigate but in case of students, it turns trickier. Our experts at Aakash Institute present their expert inputs to help you cope.

ow-a-days, students studying in schools as well as in coaching institutes, find it difficult to concentrate. We have tried to observe this particular aspect extensively and found the reasons why students fail to concentrate and are unable to balance between the performance at school as well as in their coaching classes. On delving deep, we found three predominant reasons that lead to inadequate concentration.

Lack of attention in the classroom: If students listen to

the lectures of teachers attentively in school and coaching classes, they can grasp 70% of lecture and reproduce it simultaneously. But it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen, because students are not attentive in the classroom even in the presence of teachers. Majority of students are only physically present in the classroom, mentally they are somewhere else. In such situations, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t notice what is being taught in the classroom. More often than not, students are found indulging in gossip during classes. Sometimes even SMS exchanges are seen during classes. These frivolous activities of students make the sum total of efforts of teachers turn futile and they are devoid of the knowledge they are expected to attain. This creates a crisis of time for the students because they have to put in extra efforts to recover the

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portion at home. Had the students listened to the lectures of teachers with due concentration, they would have rightly understood what was being taught by the teachers, and in that case, it would have taken only half an hour or one for a student to revise at home the bulk they have learnt in the classroom.

habit of procrastination makes the syllabus burdensome. In fact, students are unaware of this procrastination because of which they are delaying their success. Therefore, it is mandatory for students to revise subject matter taught in the school and coaching on a daily basis. This lessens the amount of work, making the task easy and comprehensive. On Irregular at studies: On daily the other hand, if they keep on postbasis, if students listen to the lectures poning their revision exercise for 2-3 carefully and revise it for 2-3 hours consecutive days, it will be accumuand recapitulate the concepts which lated in bulk and create unnecessary have been taught in the school or pressure. So, it is advisable that stucoaching, they can easily gain com- dents should not postpone their daily mand over the vast syllabus. But their study routine. Being regular at your

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studies enhances the chances of your success. Think: how dinner is essential to keep us alive, analogously, your regular studies keep your chances at success alive. Hence, it is prudent not to disrupt your study regimen, it will weaken your mental stamina like skipping dinner weakens your physical stamina.

Lack of concentration while studying: When students

set out for the study room, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t concentrate on the studying part of it but get distracted by so many things at the same point of time. They are distracted by mobile phones, music, television, computer and many more things happening inside the house. These factors cause the distraction among students that makes their concentration waver while studying, resulting in poor performance. This dwindles the tempo of study, thereby lowering the speed and efficiency, making the task bur-

centration, nothing works except self-realization. You need to fire the flame of success in you. Only that can help you out in sailing through the success you are yearning for. If you are passionate for your success, nothing will waver your concentration and you will be remain focused till you have achieved your goals. One should create genuine interest for their studies realizing that this is the only tool that will help their dream come true. Therefore, remaining attentive in the classroom, doing homework regularly without fail, and studying at home with due concentration will densome and lengthier. The work, give you an edge and help you sucwhich can be done in an hour with ceed with flying colors. You need to focused mind takes four hours and be disciplined in every activity that this creates time crisis for students you participate in whether it is atleading to pressure and frustration. tending classes or doing your homeThe human brain has tremendous work on a regular basis or being energy and if that energy is focused single-minded while studying. This is the one tool that can ensure your at one point, it can do wonders. In terms of improving your con- success optimally.

You need to fire the flame of success in you. Only that can help you out in sailing through the success you are yearning for. If you are passionate for your success, nothing will waver your concentration and you will be remain focused till you have achieved your goals.

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Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 51

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D I Y

Sticky Tape Transfer

Well what do you do on a lazy holiday afternoon? Grab some sticky tape and get creative. Follow the DIY to know how!

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D I Y

You will require: • •

•

Broad, transparent packaging tape. A laser print ( using only black ink) of your favourite picture. ( Make sure that the width of your picture is same as the width of your tape) A glass bottle or mug of your choice.

Now follow these steps:

•

• • • • •

Cover the print out with a single layer of packaging tape. Make sure that all of the ink on your print out is fully covered with tape. Now with an ice cream stick, or your fingers, rub the tape, using gentle pressure, so that the ink sticks to it and all the air bubbles escape. Now cut all the extra paper from the sides of your picture so that all you have is a picture covered fully with tape. Now chuck it in a bowl of water for 2 minutes. Take the soaked picture out, flip it, and using your fingers, start rubbing the paper off the tape. As you rub the paper off, you will see that the ink has transferred onto the tape. Once you remove all the paper, let the tape dry. Once dry, the tape regains its stickiness. Now use this tape as a sticker on anything. Stick it on a bottle, a mug, your window, candle holder....the sky’s the limit!

Keep in mind:

•

The trick works only if you have a laser print out!

Watch the DIY video here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=l3zvV5ZX1yY&t

Follow Rob and share your DIYs with him @: Facebook.com/MadStuffWithRob Twitter.com/MadStuffWithRob Instagram.com//MadStuffWithRob

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Volume 02 | Issue 10 | April 2017 | 53

J u n i o r

T r a v e l s

Gaming Vegas! Kyra recently visited the newly opened Gaming Vegas in Noida which has hours of indoor games based on popular childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movies, the following review is in her own words.

aming Vegas is just amazing! As soon as we entered the arcade, I saw so many different types of games and so many of my favourite characters. I started my adventure with the Kung Fu Panda game in which Po has to destroy all the fruits, vegetables and noodles with his punch. My next game was the Jurassic Park 3D game that was so exciting because you actually feel like you are flying over mountains. One time I even crashed into a dinosaur and I felt like I fell off! Then I played a bowling game with papa and mummy where the balls

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were coming out of a clown’s mouth. I think I need more practice in bowling because only one or two of my balls went straight. After that I discovered a sand box in the middle of everything so I made a sand castle. In Gaming Vegas there are many claw crane games also so I had many chances to try to get a prize but I missed all the times. Doesn’t matter, I did not feel very bad because there were many other kids who could not catch anything. There was one game where you have to hit a hammer on a table and make the indicator jump up as high as you can – I did really well on that one. The other games I liked there were Pacmania, Aliens and

Circus Circus. Another very exciting part of the Gaming Vegas was the Theatre Dome where we watched the film Dino Land. It was a 3D movie that was super thrilling – I felt like we were in a boat going through rivers and mountains and right into the mouth of a dinosaur. I think the last game I played was Monkey Shake Down where I had to control a cartoon stick with a joystick and make monkeys fall off from trees. This was the game where I scored the

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maximum number of points. At the beginning of the day we had planned to go to Gaming Vegas for just one hour but there were so many games to try that we spent at least three hours! At the end of the day mummy and papa bought me a stuffed toy of Po and I was ready to snuggle with him and go to sleep! Even though we spent a lot of time at Gaming Vegas I feel like going there again because there are still many games I did not try and many games I want to practice. May be I will request papa to take me and my friends there for my birthday.

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By Kyra Kanojia Class I Amity International School, Noida

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B l o g

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B l o g

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S l a m

The Troublesome Ghost Long ago in a villa in London Lived a very troublesome ghost Who broke all the China plates And burnt all the post. Then came a new family With owls, dreams catchers and more As they unpacked their suitcases There was a creaking noise at the door. The superstitious family Soon grew aware of the ghost And up in the attic They discovered burnt letters and post. Every night from then They played the loudest music you heard It could break the glass window And rotate the bowl of curd. Soon the poor ghost went deaf He could take no more So he was forced To leave the house forevermore.

By Yashika Durbha Class VI Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar

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