School live january 2017

100 Volume 3 | Issue 03 January 2017

Don’t just write LOL

Laugh Out

Loud

with Kenneth Sebastian Who are the legion?

with Amit Dubey

100 million for 100 million

with Kailash Satyarthi

Indian medieval Battles

with Pankaj Aggarwal

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.

Kavita Devgan

Nutritionist, weight management specialist and health writer

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 Kritika Negi 9810560472

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.

School LIVE : Printed and Published by Richa Aniruddha 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

100 Volume 3 | Issue 03 January 2017

Pankaj Aggarwal

An IIT graduate with passion for sports, history and politics.

Don’t just write LOL

Laugh Out

Loud

with Kenneth Sebastian Who are the legion?

with Amit Dubey

SCHOOL LIVE

100 million for 100 million

with Kailash Satyarthi

Indian medieval Battles

with Pankaj Aggarwal

Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 3

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S C H O O L

L I V E

Hi! When I was in school, we learnt a song - “When you are happy and you know it, clap your hands,/ click your fingers/ tap your feet….When you are happy and you know it and you REALLY want to show it when you are happy and you know it….clap your hands/click your fingers/tap your feet…”

Do they teach this song anymore? Because I see most of you saying LOL with a straight face, I often wonder — Why can’t they just laugh out loud instead of saying LOL. And I have told this to several of you, who I have met.

Guys, you know how important it is to LAUGH? Here’s what helpguide.org says—

More than just brightening up your day, sharing a good laugh can actually improve your health. The sound of laughter draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, strengthen your immune system, and diminish pain. As children, we used to laugh hundreds of times a day, but as adults life tends to be more serious and laughter more infrequent.

By seeking out more opportunities for humour and laughter, though, you can improve your emotional health, strengthen your relationships, find greater happiness—and even add years to your life.

My worry is that I see children laughing lesser these days. And they just want to get away by saying ‘LOL’. I seriously have a problem with words like LOL and ROFL! (Ok, not so serious!)

You all need to know that NOTHING lasts forever. No stress, no worry, no tension should be strong enough to take your laugh away. And if you feel happy, excited please feel free to express your emotions. Any emotion, whether of happiness, sadness, anger, frustration, if suppressed has negative results for us, physically, mentally and emotionally.

So, next time you hear a joke, read something funny, please LAUGH. Please DO funny things.

Don’t mature so much that you stop playing pranks on friends (safe pranks, though). Never let the fear of people’s opinion let you act serious and “well-behaved”. It’s OK to break free sometimes and just BE what you WANT to be…

Let me tell you a secret - I am 41 and I play pranks, I act funny and I dance in the car or on the road sometimes, and I SMILE at strangers. Feels good :) Wishing you a truly HAPPY life

Lovingly yours

Richa Aniruddha tweet to me @richaanirudh

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 5

the

Who is the current resident of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi? a) Manmohan Singh b) Sonia Gandhi c) Pratibha Patil d) Pranab Mukherjee Which Indian classical dance is Birju Maharaj associated with? a) Kathak b) Bharatanatyam c) Manipuri d) Odissi Who invented the first practical electric bulb? a) Thomas Alva Edison b) Charles Darwin c) Albert Einstein d) Nikola Tesla Priyanka Chopra Kathak Italy Thomas Alva Edison Myanmar

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6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

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In which country would you say ‘Bonjour’ to greet people? a) Mexico b) France c) Nepal d) Japan Who played the role of Mary Kom in the film ‘Mary Kom’? a) Katrina Kaif b) Sonam Kapoor c) Priyanka Chopra d) Sonakshi Sinha In which country will you find the Leaning Tower of Pisa? a) Britain b) Australia c) Italy d) France Which country was called Burma? a) Bhutan b) China c) Myanmar d) Japan

Answers

Which company produces iPhones and iPads? a) Microsoft b) Apple c) Google d) Samsung

2 4 6 8 10

To study which planet did ISRO send the MOM mission in 2014? a) Venus b) Saturn c) Jupiter d) Mars

Dalai Lama Mars Apple France Pranab Mukherjee

Who among these is a religious leader from Tibet? a) Dalai Lama b) Barack Obama c) Martin Luther King Jr. d) Nelson Mandela

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Know for Sure Quiz

contents

S C H O O L

L I V E 5 Editor’s Note 6 Encyclopædia Britannica 8 School in Spotlight

COVER

12 Exclusive: Get Your Laugh On! 17 Worthy Opponent 18 CyberSafe 20 Positively Positive 22 Blog 26 Fit for Life 27 Storytelling 28 Teen Travels 33 Slam Poetry 34 Fun-Side: Crosswords, Cartoons!

37 DIY: T-shirt Print with Rob 40 Study Guide: Managing Stress in Final Stretch 42 Best Of 44 Rap Up 51 LOL: Kermit the Hermit!

52 Watch this Space

H

Quick Edit

ave you ever wondered why do we seek out comic relief for any overbearing situation? Never has the term tragic relief been heard of, has it? Something about bringing laughter to our lives, that makes the action itself quite infectious! Our main story this time around features one such rising artist in India, who makes one laugh with his humor and wit, Kenneth Sebastian. But that does not mean we forget to highlight every other aspect of the emotional spectrum! We have a chilling tale of fiction from Ishani Khemka, and to mark the tragedy that is Syria, Lalantika Arvind writes Freedom, From Aleppo. We also have a teenager covering the lengths and breadth of the country on a bicycle, because that’s what made him happy. With the entire gamut of emojis to help us express ourselves, we hope you do not find yourselves limited to the digital versions of your emotions! As a very talented artist has said, Well, if you want to sing out, sing out And if you want to be free, be free ‘Cause there’s a million things to be!

“Happy Reading!”

Mansi Tikoo

Juniors

54 DIY: Bat Lamp 56 Junior Travels 57 Art Attack

Nitya Gupta, Class XII , Amity International School, Mayur Vihar.

Anoushka Chand, Class XI, Sanskriti School

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Valuing the

Unique W

hat was the idea behind the foundation of the school?

The pioneer school, Venkateshwar International School was first established in sector 10, Dwarka.

The school earned a name for itself and was applauded for its academic achievements. Thereafter, in South West Delhi, the founders saw a rise in the number of parents, willing to send their children to schools with a modern approach towards education, and thus, Sri Venkateshwar International School was established in sector 18, Dwarka. It is a matter

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As one of the most remarkable schools in Dwarka, our team recently had the opportunity of interviewing the principal of Sri Venkateshwar International School, Sector 18 Dwarka, Nita Arora. Here is the delightful conversation.

of pride for us that both the schools are doing extremely well and are a class apart among the hoard of other schools in Dwarka.

Since its establishment, the school has grown exponentially. How has the journey been for you, as a principal and as an educator?

When one puts in hard work into an institution, the growth seems exponential to the outer world, but in reality, the process is quite gradual, where we take each day as it comes.

So, the growth of our school has been

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S c h o o l a gradual one, quiet normally paced.

We could have done better, but we did not want to grow at the cost of our values, because values form the core of our institution. The motto of Sri Venkateshwara International School is “we stand for value, integrity and strength”, and so we believe in the advancement of our values, before the advancement of the school. When we decided to add the ‘Sri’ to the name of the school, we believed that it stood for conquering of the self and oneness with the cosmos, thus emphasising the cultural values that we wish to inculcate in our students. So, as Sri Krishna propounds, that one must work and not worry about the fruit that it would bear, we follow the same principle and work towards the betterment, without thinking about the results.

I also feel that growth of a school is measured in terms of the results that the students generate, but children are the same in all schools and will generate results according to their capabilities. The students at Sri Venkateshwar have been producing great results, but what helped us grow was how we treated every student as a unique individual, and moulded each one of them into a unique being.

We hold frequent parent teacher meetings, which take place in the teacher’s cubicle so that the parents can talk freely about their problems, without having the other parents overhear them.

For us, the child might be one among the other 2300, but for the parents, their child is the most dear to them, and so we try to solve any and all issue that any parent may have.

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students to dream bigger, because it is their dreams that prompt them into action. The sky’s the limit when you want to dream, and you can always achieve anything that you dream of. Thus, we tell our children that if they have a dream and a passion to make it a reality, they are already on their way to success.

How have you grown as an educator, over the course of your career?

You wouldn’t believe it, but at the age of 9, I knew that I wanted to be a principal. I had nurtured that dream What is the educational philossince I was 9, and at the age of 35, it ophy of the school? became a reality. After that, I have associated myself with many schools, but wherever I went, I always made sure that my door was always open for my students. Today when my students tell their parents that they We, at Sri Venkateshwara Interna- had a conversation with me, their tional School believe that each one parents are amazed at the fact that of us is here, on this earth, for a their child’s principal is so easily acpurpose, and what defines our pur- cessible, as opposed to their times, pose is our actions or ‘karma’. It is when one had to go through several through our ‘karma’ that we mould channels to speak to the principal. our destiny or ‘kismat’. Therefore, For me, everyone, right from the we provide our students with the students, to the parents, are VIPs. strength to direct their actions in such a way, so as to carve out a bril- How accessible is the school liant future for themselves. for the parents?

Also, we always encourage our Parents have accessibility to the

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school, not only via face-to-face communication, but via other channels as well. The parent can send a mail to the school, to the teacher, or to the headmaster. The parents can also take an appointment and meet me, if they have a pressing issue. We also hold frequent parent teacher meetings, which take place in the teacher’s cubicle so that the parents can talk freely about their problems, without having the other parents overhear them. For us, the child might be one among the other 2300, but for the parents, their child is the most dear to them, and so we try to solve any and all issue that any parent may have. Our excellent team of headmasters and headmistresses make sure that no query remains unanswered.

Whenever a child behaves in a manner that is not befitting the decorum of the school, the cause of the problem lies somewhere else.

Thus, when we come across cases of deviant behaviour, we try to get to the root of the problem.

Once the cause is spotted, it becomes easier to get the student back on track.

acting defiantly.

The parents however, are a different story. Most of the kids today, belong to nuclear families where they don’t get to spend the summer holidays with their cousins, so they don’t know how to share, they don’t get to go out and play with the other kids for safety reasons, so they don’t inculcate team spirit. More often than not, the children are overprotected by the parents and are pampered to the limit that the child never learns to hear a ‘no’. When this child, who has never been denied Thus, when we come across cases anything, comes to school and has of deviant behaviour, we try to get to share their things with other kids to the root of the problem, which and hear a no, every once in awhile, might turn out to be the parents, has troubles adjusting, and acts out. the classmates, the teachers, the Therefore, I advise parents to give grandparents or the child him- their child only what they deserve, self. Once the cause is spotted, it so that they learn the value of what How do you deal with indisci- becomes easier to get the student they have and not develop a sense of pline in the school? back on track. We also believe that entitlement.

Whenever a child behaves in a it is very important for every stumanner that is not befitting the de- dent to know the consequences of Please elaborate on some of corum of the school, the cause of their actions, once they know the the achievements of the school. the problem lies somewhere else. consequences, they refrain from To reiterate my statement, we at Sri

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S c h o o l Venkateshwar International School do not believe that board results are a measure of success or achievement, and thus, I believe that our biggest achievement is the alternative method of teaching that we apply.

To begin with, our school has an extensive library and we use it to the fullest. We run a reading programme where the students can move to higher levels as they complete each level of reading. Through this programme, we also aim at inculcating a love for reading in those students who weren’t taken by it already.

Furthermore, I take utmost pride in stating that our school adopts the method of teaching which involves conceptualising and not mere rote learning. For years, the Indian education system has been concentrating on rote learning but we employ various practical methods so that the students can learn a concept by actually practising it.

To this effect, we purchased 40 mathematics kits to help our students from classes 1 to 5 , in understanding the basic concepts of the subjects. With the help of these kits, the students realise the need to add, subtract, divide or multiply in a given situation and not merely do so because the questions asks them to. I also noticed that the students of classes 7 and 8 were not visiting the science lab enough, and thus, we assigned them an assistant teacher that now helps the theoretical teacher and assists the students while they conduct experiments, observe the results and discuss the outcomes.

We are working towards creating an understanding of concepts, where their practical implementation is made easier.

their whereabouts through whatsapp; I see four members of a family, vacationing together, each one busy on their own mobile phones. So, technology does encompass us into its own cocoon, but I think this will pass, because people are also realising the ill effects of technology.

What are some of the goals that you have for the school?

How do you think technology Oh, I have big dreams for the school. has had a negative impact on When I joined the school in 2010, I the society? asked a tarot card reader whether Technology, more often than not, our school will produce a boards hinders interpersonal communica- topper, a prime minister and an tion at home. Students tell me that Olympic medallist, and she said yes their parents would ask them about to all three!!

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But on a more serious note, I want all the students to realise their dream, have confidence in themselves and then work upon realising their dreams.

With the exams approaching, how do you want the students to cope with the exam stress?

Nowadays, I feel that more than the students, it’s the parents who get anxious about the exams and thus, transfer their anxiety onto their children. I feel that there is a need to advice the parents to not transfer their nervousness onto their kids, and the students will have a better time dealing with the exam stress.

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E x c l u s i v e

Get Your Laugh On Of all the qualities one appreciates in people, a funny bone will probably be right up the list. One of the most creative modes of entertaining people, and also one of the most evolving would be Stand up comedy. And to be so and appeal to even the younger audiences is almost rare today! Our student reporters had a chance to shoot some questions at one of the finest comic acts and changing the face of comedy in India, Kenneth Sebastian, popularly known as Kenny, and here is what transpired!

Y

ou are a singer, a writer, when I make a connection with comyou have made short films, plete strangers and laugh together. so out of all your talents, how did you choose comedy to We don’t hear much about how pursue a career in? it is to establish yourself as a From all the above fields, which I comedian. How has the comethoroughly enjoyed, Stand up comedy dy line treated you, how has this was the only thing that did not feel journey been? like work. It was super fun every time The irony of that question is that there and I couldn’t imagine how exciting it would be if that was a full time job.

Were you always the funny bone of the class/friend circle?

I like to think so. Even though when I was young, I did not have a big circle of friends, my friends found me hilarious. Once I hit puberty (grew tall and lost baby fat), suddenly I was Mr. Popular in class. It just helped being funny. I got an immense sense of pride when I single handedly made people laugh. It was like a super power. I still feel a great sense of accomplishment

Whenever I used to come home tired my mom used to make her incredible chai and it used to instantly cheer me up. Now that I have moved to mumbai, I get incredibly home sick. So chai time was a way for me to cope with missing my mom.

isn’t a clear path to establish yourself as a comedian. Just like with any mainstream performance art (Acting, Singing or Dance), there is no one way to make it. It is super difficult to trace every point in my career that caused it to get to this point. It is very clear though that you can’t make it in comedy if you don’t have the support of your peers. If it wasn’t for the comedians in Bangalore who set up platforms for young comics to perform, none of us would be here. It is a give and take relationship. When you start off, Comedians, who are already in the scene help you out and once you have established yourself, you help out younger comics.

My journey has been fantastic. I have met some amazing people and continue to do so. I feel it’s a community that treats you with love and respect if you are in it for the right reasons. If you are in comedy because

SSCCHHOOOOLLLLI IVVEE Volume Volume3 |3 Issue | Issue033 || January January 2017 | 13

E x c l u s i v e you want to be famous, you can forget support.

get an applause, it feels just as good as your first time.

What was the feeling like when you got your first proper applause and the first hit show?

There was no “first hit show”. I had a very slow and gradual climb. It is a myth that one show, one night or one event changes everything. It is a very slow and gradual process. I started off with performing for 5 people in an open mic cafe in Bangaluru, to 20 people to 50 to 100 and eventually, 8 thousand people a few days back in Pune at the NH7 weekender. Trust me, every time you write a new joke and

What has been the best experience of being an artist?

The love you get from the audience.

I have been super blessed to have a very kind, warm and loving audience gravitate towards me. Now when I do shows, I get a applause when I step on stage. That seemed like a distant dream but now it’s a reality. I still can’t believe that happens. Also, I love the fact that when people spot me in public, they don’t feel shy to come up to me and talk. I guess through my videos, I give off a very friendly vibe

and that is actually who I am.

When you’re having a dull moment, what activity do you do to get your creative juices flowing?

Oh, the dull moment is always because I am working too much, not sleeping enough, not eating the right food and not working out. The moment I get my sleep, my chai, my exercise and peace, the creative juices automatically kick in. I love riding bikes but haven’t been able to do that as much since my schedule gets very hectic at times.

You mention your parents quite

Born into a middle class family and raised across different cities in India helped 25 year old Kenneth Sebastian develop a keen sense of observation of culture, people and stereotypes, all of which have found its way into his comedy.

He did a four year degree in Painting from Chitrakala Parishath which gave him ample time to pursue other mediums of art like Theater, Music and Comedy. Kenny started making films since the age of 15 and by age 23, he had written and directed 12 short films. — knowkenny. com

a few times in your acts, how supportive are they of your career? Do they watch your shows?

My parents are super supportive of what I do and have always encouraged me to follow my passion. It is amazing how many people don’t have that and I am so glad that that was one less hurdle I had to overcome, when I was growing up figuring out what I wanted to do. My dad comes for every new show that I do. My mom finds my

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In comedy, the world is your judge, boss and critic. It is absolutely brutal emotionally when you put yourself out there and get rejected on a daily basis. The irony is, if you love comedy so much you would have already started doing it.

If you are hesitating, you already failed. jokes pretty average and would prefer watching her evening tv shows over my live stand up show.

How do you deal with hecklers?

Do you think they in a way help the show?

Hecklers never help any show. It is super disrespectful to shout out random words in the middle of a show.

The show is not about you, it’s about the 1000 people who paid their hard earned money, travelled to the venue, waited in line to watch a one hour comedy show that is being performed by an entertainer, who has practised it for months to deserve that stage time.

In that moment, shouting something stupid and making it about you is incredibly selfish.

The moment I come across a heckler, if it is very clear that his/her intention is to disrupt the show, they are immediately escorted out of the show.

The audience is more important than one disruptive person.

How do you manage to evade censorship? Do you curate content to suit your audiences from different age groups?

I am extremely aware of the audience I am performing to. my goal with comedy is very clear: it is meant for entertainment. So if a topic is making the audience uncomfortable I won’t touch it. A good performer knows

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which age group will respond to what kind of joke.

Out of your comedy sets, which one is your favourite?

The One bucket bath guide. I think it’s my strongest writing.

Students:

Khushi Singh, Class XII, Sanskriti School Vallika Varshri, Class X, Sanskriti School Shreyash Nigam, Class XI, Step by Step Noida Nupur Marwah, Class XI, New Era Public School Mayapuri Ananya Mohanty, Class X, Amity International School Noida

keep writing new content (actually incredibly hard with the time limit we have) but there are no limits to it.

What would your advice to all those youngsters be, who want to enter the comedy line but are suppressed by the pressures of How do you have your chai? society or by their own appreWhat makes chai time the best hensions of failure? time?

Well if they have pressures from I have my chai exactly how my mom society and have apprehensions of makes it. ‘Chai time is the best time’ failure, they already should stop came from my mother. Whenever I thinking about doing stand up comused to come home, tired, my mom edy as a full time job. There are a used to make her incredible chai and lot of wonderful jobs out there with it used to instantly cheer me up. Now to-day issues and create comedy quarter the stress and more finanthat I have moved to Mumbai, I get out of those. How hard or easy is cial stability. In comedy, the world incredibly home sick. So, Chai time it to evade monotony in comedy? is your judge, boss and critic. It is was a way for me to cope with missing Oh, I think it’s incredibly alarming if absolutely brutal emotionally, when my mom. It is my memory attached to you get monotonous with your com- you put yourself out there and get my mom that makes it the best time. edy. I mean the only way you can get rejected on a daily basis. The irony It just happens to be chai. monotonous is, if you treat stand up is, if you love comedy so much, you like a job. Stand up comedy is a me- would have already started doing In your new segment, “Chai time dium that is endless, just like your it. If you are hesitating, you already with Kenny”, you talk about day- imagination. It is obviously hard to failed.

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W o r t h y

O p p o n e n t

To Stand or Not to Stand?

With the recent Supreme Court ruling making playing of national anthem mandatory before every movie screening, our reporters debate the two sides to the argument.

For the Right Feeling The national anthem of a nation has the power to bring together, emotionally connect, inspire and make people believe in the greatness of their nation.

Currently, there is a lot of development going on in the country. Culturally and socially, we are questioning and reasoning, but somewhere in this process, we have lost the idea of respecting some basic nationalistic ideals, and the national anthem is at the top of that list. A lot of critics say that patriotism can’t be shown by standing for the national anthem but by standing up for the nation. But if one cannot even stand up for the national anthem, which is a symbol of respect for our nation, how can we expect one to stand up for our country? Many have also stated that this judgement is against the purpose of going to the cinema, which is leisure.

So, these people are ready to stand in the queue for fifteen minutes and even half-an-hour at times, for buying tickets or just popcorn, but cannot stand for exactly 52 seconds in respect for their motherland?

Another critical view among many is the fact that playing the anthem before movies like the “The Dirty Picture” and “Hate Story” would show disrespect to the sanctity of the anthem. I might partially agree with this, but then again, people need to understand that here the problem is with the content of the movie and that has no connection with the national anthem. The idea behind this judgement of the supreme court is simply to bring together many people and instil nationalistic feelings amongst them.

In today’s India, where everyone is demanding their “right to freedom of speech and expression”, it’s time people became aware of the fact that they deserve their rights only if they perform their duties towards this nation.

By Sanjana Kumar Class XI Scottish High International School, Gurgaon

But Why the Compulsion?

The unavailing order of the Supreme Court of India in the present context is a mockery of the ongoing judicial system. The travesty lies in compelling the citizens to show forced patriotism by standing up in a casual setting against their will.

A man and his South African friend were assaulted at a theatre in Parel, Mumbai, because she did not rise to her feet when the national anthem was piped up. Apart from the larger illegality of such an order apart, the directions themselves are frivolous and unimplementable, suggesting a lack of thought on the part of the court or concern for the law which has thus given rise to violence. In the 21st century, when the Supreme Court is not able to invest time in matters related to the innumerable crimes against women, it is instead giving greater importance to laws which have no statutory backing, neither does the absence of such a decree affect any fundamental rights of its citizens.

In the last few years, the court has been flooded with a huge backlog of cases. In accordance to the data available with the apex court, the number of pending cases with the Supreme Court was 64,919 as on December 1, 2014 and no serious step has been taken to improve this situation.

I would like to conclude by saying that there is no logical reasoning or law cited to justify this trifling law.

They have all been made on the pure say-so of a judge, with the collaboration (if not the urging) of the central government. When anyone in the government next complains about “judicial over-reach”, perhaps this order should be pointed out to them.

By Almanya Singh Class X Sanskriti School, New Delhi

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 17

C y b e r S a f e

Who are Legion?

We recently witnessed a massive trolling of some popular figures on twitter when their accounts were hacked. But to us it may have been moments of comic relief, our cyber expert, Amit Dubey, tells us of the security threat that the group could be moving towards.

A

few days back many Indian banks faced a cyber-attack and over 3.2 million debit card details were stolen by few unknown hackers, we would have never thought that it was just a beginning. State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank, Axis Bank and HDFC Bank are said to have been hit the hardest by the breach, which is believed to have taken place several weeks ago.

Though, it started with ATM and Debit cards hacking on mass scale and then with the recent attempt of twitter hackings of some celebrities and politicians, it raised questions on safety of Digital India vision.

A hacker group “Legion” took the responsibility for the recent hacks of digital accounts of prominent Indians. They also warned that the Indian banking system is “deeply flawed” and that the group does not believe in a cashless economy. It was first time that a hacker group was exposing itself and claiming the responsibility of such attacks. This started an unending debate on news channels, created lots of curiosity among people and the IT minister, Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad had to order an IT audit of all the banks.

I got calls from many people, police officers and journalists and they wanted to understand more about this group, they even enquired if I can reach to this group. I started my own investigation to reach to them by understanding their way of attack, hacking claims, political inclination, interview to media, etc.

I could drive few facts by this investigation, the way they have hacked the

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twitter accounts it is clear that they are not targeting the servers, they couldn’t hack the twitter server. In fact, they had the correct password of the targeted accounts and that’s why they could login in the system without any issue.

Now, the question is, how they got those passwords. We assume that they have first hacked the email ids of the targeted people and then they used that email id to recover/change the twitter passwords, which is a normal practice.

Coming back to email hacking, they would have used phishing techniques by sending an email to those people.

If we go with their confidence level, it seems a smart phishing attempt. Because, they have hacked more than 20 email ids of Vijay Mallya and that was possible because when we open a new email account we give one email id as the reference one and that is used to recover the lost password, so in a way all these email ids are connected.

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But there were many more questions, why are they doing so? What is their vision and who would be their next target, what could be the size of this group, do they have any Indian members too or are they politically inclined?

Yes, if India is so important to them then there is surely some Indian hackers in the group and by just hacking twitter accounts, they can’t achieve much. They could have done bigger damage by hacking the email ids. But what is the reason that they didn’t reveal any such confidential details or internal email of those people? They just posted some tweets and that’s it.

Now, this appears strange and it gives a hint that they wanted to create strategic damage and impact, their intention was just to alert, not to damage.

It’s hard to believe that they didn’t reveal much more sensitive details of the hacked emails, which they could

C y b e r S a f e

They could have done bigger damage by hacking the email ids.

But what is the reason that they didn’t reveal any such confidential details or internal email of those people? They just posted some tweets and that’s it. It’s hard to believe that they didn’t reveal much more sensitive details of the hacked emails, which they could have done easily or are they waiting? these hackers? And how should the law enforcement agencies stand in tracking such virtual attacks.

They are quite advanced and untraceable at the moment until and unless they make a mistake. They have used proxy servers of US, Sweden, Romania and Canada while making such cyber-attacks and tweets, which makes it very clear that at least they don’t belong to any of these countries.

It’s obvious that any hacker would use proxy server of that country where he does not have any physical presence, so he would always be unreachable by local law enforcement agencies. have done easily or are they waiting? The group has made public the dumps The literal meaning of legion is a diThough, the objective of this group of some of these email accounts. vision of 3,000–6,000 men, including is quite clear, they are targeting corrupt This definitely gives a hint that the a complement of cavalry so by choospeople but it seems they are threaten- group has some political inclination or ing this name they may want to give ing the Indian Government that they priorities, now as far as I know, hackers a hint that they are a large group of will hack sansad.nic.in as their next never work like this. They normally people but by going with our standard target. This is an open challenge and don’t reveal their identity and they investigation protocol, hackers always this has really given sleepless nights never show any political inclination. leave a hint contradictory to what they to many politicians.

Though, they could surely have some really are. Now by this assumption, they As we know, they have hacked till priorities but if they are really a net- are surely not a big group, they may now, the twitter and email account of work of people then they are a threat be a small group of people or even a Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, to everybody. This could be a good op- single man sitting somewhere, maybe following that up by hacking into the portunity for the government to review in an IT company as a normal software official accounts of the Indian National and audit their security policies and engineer and a completely unknown Congress, Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, networks and do a better shielding person. Who are the Legions in this journalists Barkha Dutt and Ravish against such attacks. case, we will probably know that soon, Kumar, as well as news channel NDTV. Somebody asked me if we can track I HOPE.

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 19

100 Million

You! M

y dear young friends, Did you know that on the 11th of December we launched a campaign called the ‘100 Million for 100 Million’? ‘100 million’ was flagged-off by our Hon’ble President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee from the Rashtrapati

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Nobel Peace Prize winner, Kailash Satyarthi, wants to share an important experience with every child who can read this.

Bhavan in New Delhi.

Thousands of children, like you, attended the ceremony. We even marched to the Vijay Chowk, chanting slogans, and making loud the promise of a better future. It was my proudest moment in years.

For 36 years, I have helped free

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children, some as young as 5 and many as old as 15, from people who torture and enslave them. I have led them into classrooms and shared in joy, the success of their hard work. I have seen in the eyes of their mothers and fathers, hope, just as your parents have for you. One of my

P o s i t i v e l y

favourite moments is from the Bal Ashram (home and school to boys freed from work) of us playing cricket together. Cricket is my favourite sport and young girls and boys, my most-beloved teammates.

There are many things one learns at school. At your age, I remember feeling compassion and brotherhood for my friends who were having difficulty joining the next class. Our teachers said it was because they didn’t have enough money to purchase new books and uniform. I was very sad. After all, why should money decide if our friends are going to study or not?

Therefore, my group rented a wooden cart and left to collect old books from parents whose children had passed their exam. We managed to get more than 2000 books in a few hours which was sufficient to put all my friends back in class with us. People started calling me, “Kailash book

For 36 years, I have helped free children, some as young as 5 and many as old as 15, from people who torture and enslave them. I have led them into classrooms and shared in joy, the success of their hard work. I have seen in the eyes of their mothers and fathers, hope, just as your parents have for you

P o s i t i v e

of school? Thousands more are separated from their families forcefully and sold off to strangers for prices lesser than a pizza or your favourite box of chocolates. These children are your brothers and sisters. They also deserve a happy and protected childhood.

When we bring the ‘100 million for 100 million’ campaign to your school, neighbourhood or home, I want you to participate and become the hero you are meant to be.

Boys and girls, your teachers say that you are the leaders of tomorrow.

Tell them, I said, ‘you are the leaders of today.’ You are the true beacons of power, you are our hope for a better future. You will protect and take care of your brothers and sisters because heroes fight for what is right. Because, heroes do not wait for others. Because, heroes rise above everything, for the good, the better and the best.

Young friends, it’s time to change the world. It is time we become heroes.

bank-vala”. Even today, when I return to Vidisha, my hometown, I often meet children whose parents went to school because of the book bank. My experience was very encouraging. It was the first time I had made a real difference.

Young friends, there are many things you’ll learn at school. But, the most important thing you’ll learn is that there is a hero inside you.

Did you know thousands of chil- For more information, visit 100mildren wake up to go to work instead lionfor100million.org

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 21

B l o g

The End or the New Beginning?

The truth any grown up will tell you: school forms the most remarkable period of one’s life. Usually, we talk about it after it’s over, but we have three class XII students from Sanskriti School talking about all what leaving school signifies for them.

Khushi Singh

A

t this point in the year, a kind of storm hits the mind and life of every Grade 12 student. If you are one of these troubled species, then you know what I am talking about and if you aren’t, here is something you will face in your life sooner or later.

The beginning of the month of November is dreaded amongst us because it is not like any other November

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that we have faced in our lives. This is not only the November that is the fourth month before the Board Examinations, but this is the November which marks the end of “School life”. Even typing that sent shivers down my spine. It is the whole series of ‘lasts’. Last assembly, last sports day, last first day of school after vacations, last vacations and the list goes on and on. Every insignificant event in school becomes an emotional reminder of it being the last of it. School has been the only place I’ve known since I’ve known anything. It’s where we have evolved and discovered ourselves. It is not a garment we wear on ourselves, it is the skin itself.

However, the end of school brings about different emotions within people. There are three types of people in this context, first are the ones who are really emotionally and sentimentally attached to school and are the ones who ball their eyes out on songs like ‘Yaaron Dosti’ and ‘Yaad Aaayenge Pal’. The second type are the ones who don’t care enough to even make an emotional stance on the subject and remain detached, and the third and final type are the ones who are ecstatic about the fact that school is ending and they are finally going to get the freedom they have always wanted.

No matter which type you belong to, this time of the year gets to you. No matter what reason it is for – pressure for the boards, JEE and other entrance exams or leaving friends and school. Every day is a countdown. I always pictured the last day of school to be something that will happen way later in life, and there is time. But that my friends, is the biggest lie. In the words of Buddha, “The trouble is we think we have time.”

It is the memories that trouble us. Whether it was the friends you have had from nursery, stupid fights you had in middle school, the laughs you shared when your friend said the wrong answer confidently in class, the time you almost got suspended, the time you scored

B l o g amazing marks, the time you almost failed but your friends did too so it was okay, the time you chased your best friend down the corridor, the waiting in line to get food in the canteen, the forceful controlling of laughter during class, the friend who cannot stop cracking lame jokes, the times you have been there for each other through everything in life. *Sigh* I can keep going on and on, but the truth is, school is an integral part of our lives at the moment. It’s like the end of an era but perhaps the beginning of a new one. I do not mean to move you into tears or add any emotional stress but I do stress you to enjoy whatever amount of school life you have left, because I can assure you, you are going to miss it a heck lot. Lastly I would want to end with saying that, don’t ever forget where you came from, wherever you go.

Stay connected to your roots and to the people who you love. School khatam ho raha hai, Dosti nahi.

Lalantika Arvind

S

chool is ending. Three words that every 12th grader has had etched into their brain since April. And while in April it may have seemed like a distant destination, the reality seems all too close these days.

Ask any 12th grader what they’re up to, and in the bustle of college applications and prepping for boards/ entrances each one will definitely find a way to casually

There are three types of people in this context, first are the ones who are really emotionally and sentimentally attached to school, second ones who don’t care enough to even make an emotional stance on the subject and remain detached, and the third and final type are the ones who are ecstatic about the fact that school is ending. slip in farewell or conti party.

But accompanying these is also a sudden realization about 20 times a day: School. Is. Ending.

You no longer have to wake up at the strike of dawn, drag yourself out of bed and go to a place for 6hrs a day, every single day. You no longer get to meet friends –some that you’ve known for a decade even- every single day; steal your friend’s tiffin; try and make sneaky conversations while the teacher drones on or even have those special moments where you see your teacher as a plausible friend.

Yes, it’s the end of an era. But it’s the beginning of a lifetime.

I was recently talking to a friend who has been having Devdas moments as she’s digesting the fact that the supposedly best years of her life are coming to an end.

But the reality is that she and I went to two very different schools.

While she went to a place where school was a happy and safe place, reminding her of home; for me school has been, at best a place where I get to meet a few likeminded people. I’ve always been a social outcast, never really fitting in with anyone. And don’t even get me started on the horror that was middle school! So yes, while I will miss the past 14 years of my life, I can’t wait to see where the next decades will take me.

And you should too. School has defined you, moulded you into the person that you are to become. But it’s what you do now, once you step out of the boundaries of your school, is what will come to define you.

Once you get out of school, you essentially get a doover. You get to be who you want, make decisions for yourself, contribute to society in holistic ways.

If you didn’t fit in with anyone in school, hopefully that will change in college. If you did fit in during your school lifetime, hopefully that will continue. College is such an open space that you are guaranteed to find yourself!

So in the midst of this nostalgia, I have one message

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 23

B l o g for all my fellow 12th graders: Let It Go. There’s so much ahead of all of us. And even though right now our emotions are all basically ‘college nahi hone wala, McDs hire karlega na?’ trust me, ‘kahin toh ho jayega’.

And when that happens, go with your gut feeling. Let go of what society or parents or Sharmaji thinks you should do. Do what you think you should do. Because 20years down the line, you will be the one living your life not them, so make sure you can look your future self in the eye and tell them that yes, you followed your dreams, and whatever happened, you bore it on your own two feet.

So in Elsa’s words, Let it go, turn away and slam the door!

Kunalika Gautam

T

here is a universal truth we all have to face, whether we want to or not, everything eventually ends.

As much as I’ve looked forward to this day, I’ve always disliked endings. Last day of summer, the final chapter of a great book, parting ways with a friend. But endings are inevitable, Leaves fall, you close the book, you say goodbye. Time has come for us to say goodbye to everything that was familiar, everything that was comfortable. But just because we’re leaving, and it hurts, there are some people, some things that are so much a part of us that they will be with us no matter what. They are our solid ground. Our North Star. Always.’ (Alexis Castle) You and I, we go a long way. It was with you that I learnt how to run, the lingo of life, you educated me, gave me a name, a place and all I am today, is because of you. We could be siblings (really), you, born on 12th August 1998 and I on 8th August 1999 and yet you have nurtured me like a mother. I have seen you grow, flourish and achieve unprecedented heights and though my journey under your shelter is over, you are so much a part of me that we can never let go of each other.

Even as I reach the end, I wonder how it could come so soon.

People say one doesn’t miss memories they made with you, rather the friends they met, the teachers they loved, and while I am grateful for all of that I will miss Sanskriti the most, because you are such an integral part of those memories that there is nothing without you. I will miss walking into the big gate with the waterfall by my side, the red sandstone that adorns you (our own personal fort), the ponds, and each corner that I have visited a million times. I have spent 14 years of my life within these walls – having known nothing else. More importantly wanting to know nothing else.

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Sanskriti is home. The number of games I have invented, treasures we have shared, secrets only you and I know – and yet those deludes say it’s only the people you miss – how absurd!

They know nothing of the bonds that can be made between lost 3 year olds and the warmest, sweetest Sanskriti. You protect, you empower. You bring out the best in us. It seems so unreal, 14 years flew away too fast.

Let’s turn time and start all over again.

‘You get a strange feeling when you are about to leave a place, like you will not only miss the place that you have come to love but you’ll miss the person you are now, at this time and this place, because you will never be this way ever again.’ (Azar Nafisi) You and I go a long way and the happiest part is you and I have an even longer way to go. So you be you and I will be what you taught me to be and together we will be just as we are.

Love The-three-year-old-who-grew-up-too-fast (2003-2017)

F i t

f o r

L i f e

Tame That Sugar One couldn’t stress enough the effect sugar has on you, and our expert Kavita Devgan will tell you as much.

I

have written so many times about sugar and it’s ill effects, especially around this time of the year that this time I had decided I won’t. Past sermons should work, I thought. But when I saw the amount of meetha consumption happening around me, from children to even really old people, I realized another pep talk was definitely in order. After all the (sugar) devil is pretty devious, and a fresh reminder might help, I felt.

We have all had more than fair share of sugar during the last two months thanks to Diwali, Bhaiya Dooj, Guru Purab, and then Christmas and the big daddy of all - the New Year celebrations brought our way even more meetha (dessert), of a different kind- Chocolates, cakes, tarts anyone!

We anyway need little excuse to gorge on mithais, but the festivals make it even easier to do that.

I don’t want to spoil the sugar party for you, but there are some basic facts I thought I must bring to your notice. And also make my case (again) about why we need to rethink just a bit before we pick up that next brownie or sandesh.

Excess consumption of sugar in any form spurts the aging process.

Yes, sugar ages you! Both internally as well as externally by showing up on your skin as wrinkles etc. So, when you cut it off you’ll feel as good as you look! Big bonus!

It makes you gain weight of course (that your clothes must be

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telling you loud and clear and also the weighing scale that you must have taken out in 2017 beginning when the resolutions mania reminded you of your health). Ditch the sugar and you’ll effortlessly knock off this recent weight gain in no time, even if you don’t do put in any additional efforts.

Sugar is addictive, so unless you stop willfully, every next bite you have will make you a further slave of these sinful syrupy goodies. Willfully give it up and you won’t be a slave to sugar cravings.

And stop any further damage.

Haven’t been sleeping well lately?

Well, blame that on sugar too. Blood sugar issues are a very common cause of insomnia. So prune sugar from your diet and you will get more and better quality sleep! Worth doing just for this one benefit, I tell you.

Sugar flames and triggers aller-

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gies, asthma, and in the long run even heart disease and cancer. And loads of liver damage, too.

Too much of a price for that one extra pastry and 5 minutes of sinful satisfaction and comfort.

Which if you ask me actually doesn’t comfort… just fakes the feeling for a very short time.

Sugar feeds fatigue. Yes, so when you say goodbye to sugar, you say bye to those energy highs and lows that are holding you back and making you wonder just what could be wrong with you. So, want enough energy to do really well at both studies and sports and anything else that you fancy… take a good look at the about of sugar you are consuming.

And chop the amount drastically.

You’ll love the All New far more Energetic and Efficient YOU!

S t o r y t e l l i n g

But How? S

he stood on her balcony. The moonlight fell on her tracing her figure, highlighting the drops of sweat on her face. It was 12:01 am and she couldn’t get any sleep. *** (The morning before) Come on Aspen quickly, Jack is ready see? “Yea I’m coming!” she started the car and her children hopped in and with the start of the engine, they were gone. She dropped them to school and kissed them on the head. Her eyes followed them running to school. *** (A few hours later) She was getting ready to pick them up. The phone rings. *** How? How? How? Was all she thought. How? She told them never

to get into a car with a stranger. She entered the school and was greeted by the police. “I’m sorry ma’am, we’re doing everything we can. We have found the vehicle, please sit tight.” These words meant nothing, they bounced back and echoed as they fell. She walked away and she thought: ‘I lost my husband, I have lost my children. I have lost this battle’. She walked across the ground and sat on the swing. The sun was setting and thin rays of the golden light fell through the spaces between the trees. She saw her children. They were playing. They looked so happy.

She gazed at them for a while and then took them home. She made them dinner and tucked them into bed. *** She woke up and went to their room. The beds were neatly made, pillows fluffed, and empty. The phone rang.

*** She saw their bodies lying in the trunk of the car. They looked as though they were in peace. It was like they were asleep, that they’d wake up any minute now and run into her arms. A tear escaped her eye. She said nothing. *** (Now) She was holding a picture of the four of them. She swallowed the pills and held the picture close to herself, lay down on the bed and closed her eyes. ***

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By Ishani Khemka Class VIII, Sanskriti School, New Delhi

Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 27

T e e n

T r a v e l s

g n i l c y Solo C dia n I h g u thro There is no better way to see India than on a bicycle. A teenager decides to precisely do that. Bitten by the wanderlust bug at an early age, he bicycled his way across the country to experience the hidden treasure of nature. That’s the story of Mohit Kapoor, in his own words.

H

i, I am Mohit Kapoor, a cycle enthusiast and a traveller at heart. After pestering my father enough for him to get me a bicycle, I decided to travel from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, but the only problem was, that I had no money. Nonetheless, I set off on a journey that took me from the Rohtang Pass near Manali in Himachal Pradesh, to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial at the Southernmost point of India, hitchhiking my way towards my dream.

I was inspired to leave home and do something unique at the age of 16 — a solo trip across India, that too on a bicycle. Alone, without money or a sponsor, to fund the trip, I sold my cell phone to arrange equipment for this tour, including a travel bag, tickets and a bicycle. Finding food

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and shelters at Gurudwaras and Temples during this ride, I conquered the challenge that I had set for myself and lived a dream that had I chased all alone.

Pedalling from Manali to Kanyakumari in less than a month and then sitting on the last rock on India, touching the sea green water of the Indian Ocean, I encountered the good, the bad, and the beautiful of India.

Self-Inspired, that I was, so I decided to venture on my second cycle expedition all alone, (yes again!!), to map the region of Leh-Ladakh on one saddle and two pedals. I lived this dream too, with the same fervour. After having pedalled through the length and breadth of the country, I felt I had to learn a lot from

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T e e n the roads that I had travelled on. So I decided to take a break after high school to meet people from different places.

It started with a dream to be a chef. I had grown up watching food shows on TV and had always wanted to visit the Middle East. But sadly, that was out as it meant having to cycle through Pakistan and Afghanistan. Not only was it dangerous, my parents would have scuttled my plans even before I could take off.

I then decided to plan my ride to South East Asia via the Great Himalayas. That would kill two birds with one stone - not only would the ride be great, taking me through some of the most amazing places on Earth, alongside, I would be able to immerse myself in culinary cultures, peculiarly different to a Rajasthani lad as chalk and cheese. My South East Asia expedition was to be realised in two phases. In the first phase, I would travel across the Himalayan Passes and take in the mesmerising beauty of the snow capped mountain peaks, while in the second phase, I would venture out of the country to explore the exotic South East Asia.

In the second and concluding part of his odyssey, the boy becomes a man, makes new friends and comes to know himself through his bicycle, a strong pair of legs, a will of steel, and a heart large enough to accommodate every emotion.

It was hard to explain to my parents; my decision: to take a break before I join college and ride on a bicycle for a year. It took me five months to satisfactorily answer their queries, and convince them that my journey would inherently be a learning process, essential for a young man on the cusp of adulthood.

Having planned my dream ride to the last detail, I hit my first pothole - Where would the money come from? I started to look for sponsors.

I still remember, I met many people from different companies for help. I used to hitch-hike as I did not have enough money to buy tickets. And most of the time I

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thought people would loosen their purse strings to support a noble venture - I earnestly thought so - but was politely declined; fortunately, no one told me to take a hike!

Again, I cruised back home with disappointment written all over on my face. Somehow, goodwill worked and I got sponsors for my trip, but no cash. I decided to set out anyway and see how I could manage and make my way on the road.

The next morning, I had a lovely breakfast prepared by my mom, with lots of love and blessings, for my continental adventure. After all, how many kids can be crazy enough to venture on a bicycle to unknown lands, into the world of diverse beauty and raw culinary art? There was only a vague plan to see the world and learn to cook Nom hua chuoi or the banana-flower salad in Vietnam. It helped me, when some friends decided to ride along for the whole day; their camaraderie and good wishes gave me strength to reach Delhi where I was surprised to see a big welcome planned for me. There were around a 100 pedal pushers from the cycling community, who had assembled to cheer me on with Godspeed. There, my jersey pocket became unexpectedly heavy someone had slipped in an envelope

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 29

T e e n

T r a v e l s

containing Rs 3000, with a note that simply read: ‘Happy Journey!’ and thus began my journey to the Himalayan passes.

Next day, with my heart full of emotions, I left Delhi and reached the Karnal toll by night. People would stop me and ask where I was heading. After a long conversation and delicious dinner, which one of them served, I camped there and slept.

The next day I crossed Ambala, decided to leave the highway and take the back roads. The ride was more interesting than I expected. A lady stopped me and asked me to spend sometime with her family - she was the wife of the ‘mukhiya’ of that village. I was lucky to witness a ‘gram panchayat’ meeting and taste some local delicacies she had prepared for me. Upon reaching, I stayed in a backpacker hostel of a small village called ‘Jagatshukh’, where I met people from different countries.

We all stayed up to sail through the starry nights, having fun, sharing stories of our travels. My breakfast

was not as I was used to having, back at home, but I relished some fresh apples from the tree nearby. I trekked by the waterfall and visited a village next door to learn an interesting way to cook one of the local cuisines.

Unfortunately, I met with an accident and broke my ankle, so I left for Manali, to work in a hostel, for then I would get the much needed rest and would also earn some money for my tour! Reju-

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venated, I left for Nepal, marking the beginning of the second phase of my expedition. However, having encountered some visa issues, I had to head home, in the midst of my journey.

I stayed in Nepal for a month before returning to India, just in time to celebrate Diwali with my family.

I will hop on my bicycle again, with fresh vigour to explore unexplored lands and taste dishes, unheard of. In search of the horizon yonder, I will continue to partner with my bicycle.

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

Rob

Jai

India’s Pride

No Worries!

CyberSafe with

Amit Dubey

Women Ruling

the Rings

Expert Expression

with Pankaj Agarwal

dhigiri Discovering Gan Story behind

Ideas

Hunger Resoluti

the Elderly

Jan and Bani Kohli

The

na Bhai Lage Raho Mun Secure your WiFi

with Amit Dubey

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 31

S l a m

P o e t r y

Freedom, From Aleppo Today, we bid our goodbyes To a world that never cared Enough for us, Drowning us in a sea of disdain Today, we bid our goodbyes To the struggles that kept us alive To the celebrations that Danced among our bodies Today, we bid our goodbyes To the oppression, to the hate That stifled us Took away what was ours Today, we bid our goodbyes To the massacres and genocides To the rubble and ash To the cowardice and despair Today, we bid our goodbyes To the false promises And the pretences of haven That led us to believe in a future Today, we bid our goodbyes To a world that refused to Accept we were hurting To a world that refused us Today, we bid our goodbyes To the hate, the apathy, the prejudice To the people that wrongfully took

Over our mantle and bred in the Fear and violence that you projected Today, we bid our goodbyes To the futures of our children To the futures of our hope and dreams To the satisfaction of our loss Today, we bid our goodbyes To the violence and destruction That we now considered C’est la vie But most of all, Today we bid our goodbyes To the controls on our freedom To the claws that threatened Our very existence We bid our goodbyes Knowing that we were free That till the end we didn’t Let them enslave us That we got what we had always wanted That our freedom was worth the fight We bid our goodbyes to A world that had long forgotten us Yet, against all odds, We bid our goodbyes Hoping, that you remember us.

By Lalantika Arvind Class XII Sanskriti School, New Delhi

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 33

CROSSWORD NO. 3

9

10

13

ACROSS: 8 5.

Rooster (11) 7. Ran away (4) 8. Deserter 11 (8) 9. Indecent (7) 12 11. Indoor game (5) 14 13. Hurts (5) 15 14.

Military subdivision (7) 17 16. Forked chicken bone (8) 17. Move lightly (4) 18. One who collects and studies coins (11)

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4 6

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5 2

1

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OSSWORD NO. 3

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10 11

12 14

13 15

16

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DO 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

10.

12.

15.

17.

DOWN: ACROSS: PUZZLERS -3 DOWN: 1. Group of musicians (4) SS: 5. Rooster (11) A. Whose Baby?

1. Group of musicians (4) 2. Hoarding (7) ooster (11) 7. Ran away (4) 2. Hoarding (7) an away (4) 8. Deserter 3. Small cake (5) (8) 3.

Small cake (5) © Amrita Bharati, eserter (8) 4. Non-commissioned Army Bha 9. Indecent (7) 4. Non-commissioned Army decent (7) officer (8) 11.

Indoor game officer(5) (8) door game (5) 5. Festivity (11) ANSW 13. Hurts (5) 5. Festivity (11) urts (5) C. The Print Problem 14. Military (7)(11) 6. Expert in radiology (11) 6. subdivision Expert in radiology litary subdivision (7) 10.ACROSS Invite over 10.chicken Invite overbone (4, 4) : (4, 4) 16.

Forked rked chicken bone B. Elementary 12.5.Lawyer's brief bag 12. Lawyer's brief bag Chanticleer 7. Fled 8. Re (8) (4, 3) (4) (4, Carom 3) ove lightly (4) 11.

13. Harms 14. Pl 17. Move lightly 15. Push from below 15.17.

Push below (5) ne who collects Flitfrom 18. Numismatist 18.and One who collects and(5) 17. Not succeed (4) udies coins (11) studies 17. Not succeed (4) coins (11) DOWN: 1. Band Answers 2. Storing 3. Scone 6. Radiologist 10. Come hom 17. Fail Figure out which animal these young ones belong to: a. Leveret b. Joey c. Cria d. Maggot e. Eyas f. Cygnet

DOWN: 1. Band 2. Storing 3. Scone 4. Sergeant 5. Celebration 6. Radiologist 10. Come home 12. Blue bag 15. Boost 17. Fail

C. Curl

B. Carbon; it has two famous forms (allotropes), diamond and graphite

© Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2016 / 3

ACROSS : 5. Chanticleer 7. Fled 8. Renegade 9. Obscene 11. Carom 13. Harms 14. Platoon 16. Wishbone 17. Flit 18. Numismatist

The human fingerprint is made of different patterns. These patterns help identify each individual. Can you identify which of these is not a fingerprint pattern?

03/ © Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2016

A form of me is sparkly It glitters on a ring But another form is dark Best used for writing Which element am I?

© Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2016 / 3

© Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2016 / 3

ROSS : 34 | | Volume 3Fled | Issue 3 |8.

January 2017 S C H O9.

O LObscene LIVE Chanticleer 7. ACROSS Renegade : Carom 13. Harms 14. Platoon 16. Wishbone

ANSWERS:

ANSWERS:

Answers: A. : a. Hare; b. Kangaroo; c. Lllama or Alpaca; d. Fly; e. Hawk; f. Swan

ANSWERS:

5. Chanticleer 7. Fled 8. Renegade 9. Obscene

WHAT!

BOSS, CAN’T WE JUST TORTURE HER DOG OR SOMETHING…

DOESN’T KNOW WHAT A PIZZA IS! WHAT SORT OF A COOK IS HE!

THIS GIRL WON’T TALK UNTIL SHE GETS PIZZA!

COME ON, GIRL!

YOU CAN'T TAKE MY GUEST! I'LL COMPLAIN TO KUMBAKARNA!!!

WHEN HE WAKES UP...!

IN EXACTLY 5 MONTHS, 30 DAYS AND 6 HOURS!

I’M VERY GOOD AT THAT SORT OF THING. I’LL MAKE HER TALK!

STRANGE VEHICLE! NO WHEELS!!

CRASH! QUEEN MANDODARI HAS A MAGIC MIRROR IN WHICH SHE CAN SEE ALL THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE KINGDOM!

SHE SAW THIS GIRL SUBDUING KUMBAKARNA AND ASKED ME TO FETCH HER!!!

WHY DOES THE QUEEN WANT ME?

OH, IT FLIES!

9

KING RAVANA IS UNABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHTS. HE PASSES THE TIME PLOTTING AND PLANNING ALL SORTS OF KIDNAPPINGS.

BUT I HAVE NO SUCH MEDICINE!

OOH, IT’S GETTING COLD!

10

THE QUEEN IS AFRAID THAT HE MIGHT REALLY GO OUT AND KIDNAP SOME PRINCESS ONE OF THESE DAYS!

SO WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?

WELL, YOU DID PUT HIS BROTHER KUMBAKARNA TO SLEEP!

YOU CAN USE THOSE BLANKETS IF YOU’RE FEELING COLD.

GIVE HIM A MEDICINE THAT’LL PUT HIM TO SLEEP!

THERE’S NO TELLING WHAT THE QUEEN WILL DO WHEN SHE DISCOVERS I HAVE NO MEDICINE TO PUT HER HUSBAND TO SLEEP, BANGLE! WE’VE GOT TO ESCAPE!

I’LL HOLD THE FOUR ENDS TOGETHER, AND…

COME ON, BANGLE! JUMP ONTO MY SHOULDER!

HEY!

PRISONER ESCAPING! LAND THE CRAFT!

THIS BLANKET GIVES ME AN IDEA, BANGLE! THAT SHOULD DELAY THEM A LITTLE! LET’S GET OUT OF HERE FAST!

THUD!

11

12

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 35

Your own T-shirt Print!

All the fans of Superheroes, movies and television series are familiar with the thrill of wearing custom made t-shirts of their favourite characters. So how about, instead of waiting for the merchandise to launch, you design your own T-shirt?

36 | | Volume 3 | Issue 3 | January 2017

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You will require: • • • • • •

A cotton t-shirt, preferably white A piece of Sandpaper Crayons Pencil Iron Tissue Paper

Now follow these steps:

• • •

• •

board between the two sides of the t-shirt, so that the design doesn’t transfer to the other side.

Now place the sandpaper on the t-shirt, with the side with the design, facing the fabric.

Once you are happy with the position of your design, cover the sandpaper with a tissue and iron it thoroughly.

Gently lift up the sandpaper, and your customised t-shirt is ready!!

Choose a design of your choice and draw it on the sandpaper • using a black sketch pen.

Now colour the design with crayons, making sure to fill all the edges properly.

Next, spread the t-shirt on a flat Use bright colours for your design, surface and put a piece of card- this will make your design stand out.

Keep in mind:

If you want to add text to your design, remember that you will have to draw the mirror image of the text on the sandpaper. So that when you transfer it to the t-shirt, it turns out to be proper.

While using the iron, take the help of an adult.

Watch the DIY video here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vldWS5-4gwQ Follow Rob and share your DIYs with him @: Facebook.com/MadStuffWithRob Twitter.com/MadStuffWithRob Instagram.com//MadStuffWithRob

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 37

E x p e r t

E x p r e s s i o n

Medieval

Indian Battles

In the history of every civilization there are moments and battles that proved pivotal. Our expert, Pankaj Aggarwal recounts for us these turning points in Indian Medieval history.

K

nown history of India goes back to fifth century BC. Mahavira, Buddha and king of Magadha Bimbisara were the first icons of authentic history of India. They all existed at around same time period 2500 years back. We know little about India prior to 5th century BC. We know about Indus Valley Civilization and then there were many centuries between Indus Valley Civilization and period of Bimbisara & Buddha, and we hardly know anything about that period.

Bimbisara was the first Indian monarch in the sphere of known and acceptable history of India. He established kingdom of Magadha and ruled from Rajagriha (present day Rajgir in Bihar). His son Ajatshatru built & established famous city of Patliputra (present day Patna).

Magadha, as Patliputra its capital, remained the most prominent kingdom for close to thousand years till the onset of second half of 1st millennium. Delhi came to forefront during the start of 2nd millennium only.

Famous historian John Keay made an observation about India and her history, which has also been invoked

by Meghnad Desai in his book, The Rediscovery of India. Keay said that Indian history has always been full of upheavals. Hegemony of any specific group or dynasty did not last long, particularly if we compare the same with our neighbour China

38 | | Volume 3 | Issue 3 | January 2017

or England, where a single dynasty lasted for millenniums.

What Keay stated is amply clear with chronicles of Indian history subsequent to the shift of power centre to Delhi during 2nd millennium. Prithviraj Chauhan built a fort called Qila Rai Pithora near Mehrauli. It was first of famous seven settlements in Delhi (barring Indraprastha of Mahabharat period though). Prithviraj Chauhan was thus, first prominent ruler of Delhi during early medieval period.

2nd millennium was relentlessly eventful and full of turning points.

Most impactful of these events were battles fought for the control of Del-

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hi. Each of those battles was seminal.

To explain it better, it can be stated that India would have been a different country today, had the outcome of these battles been different from what had actually had transpired.

It would be interesting to have a look at few of those famous battles, which changed the course of the history for all times to come.

Year 1192 AD was the first and major turning point in the history of India, when Prithviraj was defeated by Muhammad Ghori at the second battle of Tarain near Delhi. Prithviraj was killed. The battle changed the fabric of country forever. Unlike multiple attacks in the past by Mahmud Ghaznavi during 1000-1025 AD, this time around the Muslim king from Central/Middle-East Asia did not go back after the plunder and settled in India instead. It would be fair to say that post this battle in 1192 AD, Islam arrived in India. Ghori handed over power to his slave Qutbuddin Aibak. Prithviraj was the last Hindu ruler of India and the era of Muslim kingdoms, Delhi based Sultanate started; which continued till the time Mughal arrived in 1526, when Babur defeated last sultan of Delhi, Ibrahim Lodhi in first battle of Panipat in 1526.

Babur, though, took control of Delhi after the first battle of Panipat but the event which established Ba-

E x p e r t bur and Mughals in India was the battle of Khanwa, fought between Babur and king of Mewar Rana Sanga a year later in 1527. At Khanwa, the formidable Rajput had a much mightier force than Babur, but Mughals under the inspiring leadership of Babur pulled an unbelievable victory. Rajput retreated and Rana Sanga died soon after. This victory established the Mughals firmly and finally in India. Therefore, relatively little known battle of Khanwa, remains one of the important events of Medieval India.

After the sudden demise of second Mughal emperor Humayun, merchant-turned-warrior & master strategist Hemu, took control of Delhi. He established Hindu kingdom at Delhi and become emperor with the title of Vikramaditya, which was used by great Hindu kings of Magadha & Ujjain in past.

His hegemony was short lived as Mughals under the leadership of juvenile Akbar and his patron & guardian, Bairam Khan locked horns with Hemu in second battle of Panipat in 1556.

That was next big turning point of medieval India.

Hemu and his forces fought violently and they were about to rout Mughal army and then one arrow changed the course of the battle and that of India, as well. Hemu was struck by an arrow in his eye and fell down, unconscious. It resulted in all-around chaos in his army, and Mughals seized this chance. Hemu was captured and beheaded mercilessly by Bairam Khan. Hemu’s dream of Hindu kingdom at Delhi ended abruptly and Mughals took control of Delhi again and this time for exactly three more centuries to come.

A century later, Battle of Samugarh (a place near Agra) was fought in 1658. It is a relatively little known battle but it had a huge impact on the future course of the country. When Aurangzeb

We know little about India prior to 5th century BC. We know about Indus Valley Civilization and then there were many centuries between Indus Valley Civilization and period of Bimbisara & Buddha, and we hardly know anything about that period. and Dara Shikoh were fighting the bloody & fierce succession battle for Mughal crown, the battle of Samugarh proved to be decisive.

Aurangzeb’s army decimated the opposition and this defeat sealed the fate of Dara. Extremist, Aurangzeb became the ruler and India lost the chance of crowning the liberal and popular, Dara as its emperor. Aurangzeb ruled for close to fifty years but his reign was the beginning of the end for Mughals. Mighty Mughals were marginalized by tyranny and the bigoted rule of Aurangzeb.

By the time Aurangzeb died in 1707, Mughals had waned considerably.

E x p r e s s i o n

Their kingdom started disintegrating and ultimately Britishers took control. India’s history could have taken a different turn, had Dara defeated Aurangzeb at Samugarh.

Battle of Plassey fought in 1757 was the game changing battle for Britishers. Shrewd Robert Clive took control of Bengal after defeating Nawab of Bengal in a war which was full of sinister plots and deceitful acts. Nawab of Bengal, Siraj Ud Daula was betrayed by his own army, minister and the outcome of the battle paved a clear path for Britishers to rule the country. In 1600, Mughal emperor Jahangir gave East India company permission to enter India for trading. But unarguably it was Battle of Plassey, which opened the gate for them to rule the country.

Present and future always germinate from the past. And thus, India today along with her demography, her political condition and her problems is simply a reflection of what happened in past and those battles during medieval India played a major role in shaping the future, for good or for bad. It also tells us that where we went wrong and gives us a chance to ponder over the future course correction.

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 39

S t u d y G u i d e

Insider’s Guide to Admissions: Managing Stress in the Final Stretch Juggling applications for college, the interviews, AND school. We have our expert, Urvashi Malik on how to manage this stressful period.

I

t is the last month of the year which means, drumroll please, it’s almost submission time! For our US Applicants, Jan 1 st looms in the distance (though there are a few deadlines after) and for UK, Jan 15 th is around the corner. So, whether your deadline is coming up or with Canada and Singapore, you have some more time, we understand this is a stressful time. The year has ended, pre-boards are coming up for your ICSE and CBSE folks and IAs and EEs are taking over for the IB folks, so here are a few tips to manage stress at the very end

40 | | Volume 3 | Issue 3 | January 2017

of your application process.

Plan Things Out

“Math homework and Essays for Brown and then my work for the Debate team and then…and then…

AHHHH” Mental lists are overwhelming, always, so use a little time upfront, to plan out the rest of your days.

Whether it’s iCal or Google Calendars, To-Do lists written by hand or an app managing your life for you, it’s important to have a checklist for what needs to be done.

But don’t just plan in days, this is when every minute matters. Make

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S t u d y G u i d e a schedule of everything you would like to get accomplished during your day. You can do this on the bus to school or the night before.

Think about free periods, and how you can use the time in traffic to review essays. Plan out slots when you can work on the extracurricular sections and when you will hit the final submit buttons.

Stick to the Plan

I can’t believe this is a different point, but really, it’s important!

Stick to deadlines! Don’t wait 9 minutes and 31 seconds before the deadline to submit. Your internet might crash, the credit card not work and then you will panic, your parents will yell at you and you will feel terrible. Plus you will probably miss the New Year’s’ Eve Party then. It’s just not worth it.

Make a schedule of everything you would like to get accomplished during your day. You can do this on the bus to school or the night before.

Think about free periods, and how you can use the time in traffic to review essays.

insane world of Facebook or the forums of people procrastinating or freaking out. Misery loves company, yes, but stress builds with other people stressing. Do this for your sanity.

Take a Break

You will get tired and you will need a break. Take it. Use that time to get up, take a walk, grab a cup of whatever beverage sustains you, and talk to a human being even.

But treat it like a break in the SAT / ACT exam. Time yourself so you don’t go totally off the rails. Don’t use it to watch just one more episode on Netflix that becomes seven.

And don’t spend the entire time on your phone!

are glued to it, your body responds to each buzz of a text message like it was your heart beat. Stop. Turn it off. You will live.

In fact, while you are writing and editing, I would recommend hitting the little Wi-Fi button to We see this all the time. Don’t I know, I know, I heard the collec- airplane mode too. Cutting your- spend endless hours making tive gasp. Phones are life. It’s an ex- self off will force you to focus. You changes to things. Don’t spend tension of your arm and your eyes won’t be able to lose yourself in the your entire day contemplating how someone’s essay that you read is better than yours (it’s only one of several factors that matter!). If you’ve done the work, don’t hold it. Perfection is great but is paralyzing. Sometimes, 95% is good enough too. Hit submit. Don’t wait till the last minute.

Ask for help! Whether it’s your parents who have been there for nightmares or bad days ever since you were a kid, or a counselor who truly knows their stuff and is an experienced hand at this admissions thing, it’s ok to ask for help. They may be grouchy if you wake them up in the middle of the night, so be respectful of their time, but they are there for you, always.

Turn Off Your Phone

Don’t Overanalyze or you’ll Paralyze

And finally, BREATHE. The end is in sight.

For more information, log on to http://www.collegecore.in/

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 41

T B e s t

op5 in ech ‘16

O f

Technology is one of most rapidly evolving, visible-to-the-naked-eye phenomena around us. Our student reporter, Shreyash Nigam picks the best of these from the year that was.

OnePlus 3 —

lemma Apple were faced with when designing the new MacBook Pro. Already an industry leader, what could they change to make it even better? The answer to that is what lead to the creation of the new MacBook Pro. A sleek machine, the new MacBook has a larger touchpad and the new butterfly style chiclet keyboards, which make using the machine a pleasure. The display is now even brighter and has a wider color gamut. The storage is now 100% faster and the graphics 130%. The battery life is an astounding 10 hours. 4 USB C ports, may cause inconvenience now, but USB C is the new standard and

A phone which is just as powerful as the highest end Galaxy or iPhone, yet only half the price is something that we all dream of. But OnePlus makes that dream a reality with their 2016 flagship — OnePlus 3. This phone sports a beautiful full HD display, that makes viewing things a pleasure. Its loud and crispy speakers bring music to life. A 16 megapixel camera at the back, and an 8 megapixel camera in the front help you take that perfect shot, and a powerful Snapdragon 820 chip power this machine and provide a fluid and smooth experience.

All of this available for just Rs. 27,000 make it the perfect phone. A phone that is powerful, capable and there is no denying that in a year or 2, it will be everycheap, the OnePlus 3 is easily amongst the best phones where. And with this machine, you will have no problaunched this year. lem in that transition. But of course, the new touch bar is what changes the game. A context aware OLED strip that displays things relevant to what’s happening on the screen, allows you to use your laptop in completely new How do you make the best even better? That’s the di- and unique ways, never thought of before. All in all, the

Macbook Pro with Touch Bar -

42 | | Volume 3 | Issue 3 | January 2017

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B e s t 2016 MacBook Pro is what you happens when you take an already perfect machine and make it even better.

However, with even the base model costing an eye watering Rs. 1,55,900, the MacBook Pro is a luxury that few can afford.

Tesla Model SP100D—

O f

at an even higher frame rate and resolution allowing for smoother experiences, better visuals and overall a much better and dynamic experience. Could you build a better PC for almost the same price? Sure, you could and no one would blame you for doing so. But if you’re someone who just wants to plug in and game, without worrying about the hassles that come with building a PC, Sony has just the product for you with the PS4 pro.

Apple Watch Edition 2 —

Now onto cars. The bane of our existence. India’s pollution is bad, we all know that. A big chunk of that pollution stems from cars. So, what if there was a car, that gave zero emissions but was still powerful and luxurious? Presenting — Tesla Model SP100D. The quickest production car, the SP100D can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds. That’s Bugatti Territory! It comes with all the luxuries that you would expect in a high end car like a large 17 inch touchscreen with Maps, Radio, Rear cameras and phone controls. It also comes with autopilot, which, as the name suggests allows the car to drive on its own. Without you touching the steering wheel at all. Pretty cool right? But I’m not done yet. Not even close. One of the safest cars on the market, it has 8 airbags and an air filtration system, which gets rid of as much particulate as possible allowing for a flow of clean air inside the car. But most of all, it is electric. 0 emissions.

A powerful, luxurious, safe and clean ride, the SP100D is without a doubt, the car of the year.

Now this one will most definitely divide opinions.

Smartwatches are a utility that some deem useful while others think of it as a waste. But regardless of what you think, they are here to stay and in the current pool, there are none better than the new Apple Watch. While not the most beautiful watch, the Apple Watch is easily the most useful providing more accurate metrics and features than any other smartwatch out there. Studies and reviews have always put the Apple watch on top when it comes to accuracy of metrics, a big deciding factor when it comes to choosing your smartwatch. Features like breathe, and activity force you to undertake healthy Take an already powerful console and make it even bet- activities and be fitter. But most importantly, the interter. what do you get? The PS4 pro. A more powerful (and twining of the Apple watch with the iPhone, make it subigger) version of the standard PS4, allows for gaming per powerful. Capable of completing all your tasks, but still fitting on the top your wrist in the form of a small square. Future updates will only make this system and experience better, making it more independent and even more powerful. But even in the present, it’s a pretty good watch.

PS4 Pro —

By Shreyash Nigam Class XI Step by Step School, Noida

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 43

R A P

U P

Dear Zindagi

Director: Gauri Shinde Starring: Alia Bhatt, Shahrukh Khan, Kunal Kapoor

D

ear Zindagi is an Alia Bhatt movie, through and through. In the film, she plays the role of a young and talented cinematographer who is going through a crisis in her life. Be it personal or professional, when

the problems become too hard to handle, she turns to therapy. Enter Shah Rukh Khan as her therapist. With his wit and charm, he supports the film impeccably and makes everyone sway. Gauri Shinde has directed the film with

School is hard but being a spy-intraining is even harder. Now, combine the two and you get the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter, it is a truly unique and amazing blend of mystery , romance, adventure, and action. The series comprises of six novels I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You;Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy; Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover Only the Good Spy Young; Out of sight out of Time; and United We Spy. The series follows a young spyin-training Cammie Morgan, a.k.a chamaeleon, because of her capability

44 | | Volume 3 | Issue 3 | January 2017

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Gallagher Girls Ally Carter

utter finesse and art. She takes some stigma off the idea of seeking therapy and never loses the sight that this film is about real people.

Alia Bhatt’s work in the film is strong and a true treasure. She soars in her role. She is upset, angry, heartbroken and happy in a relatable way that only she can be.

Shah Rukh Khan is, well Shah Rukh Khan, but he does not consume the film like he usually does. His “every broken thing can be fixed” persona suits him well. The music and background score is light and matches the essence of the film. The fault is that 2 hours and 30 minutes makes the movie feel slightly stretched and too many characters dominate the film. Dear Zindagi will definitely appeal to you if you want a slice of life movie. Over all, a few nips and trimmings would have made the perfect film. However that shouldn’t stop you from witnessing one of Alia Bhatt’s best performances and Shah Rukh Khan being his delightful self.

By Ananya Mohanty Class X Amity International School, Noida

to hide. She is fluent in fourteen different languages, killing a person is a job she can do using only her chopsticks but there is a race of humans she doesn’t know how to associate with - boys (“perk” of being in an all girls school).

The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is a fairly typical all-girls school. Considering, every school teaches advanced martial arts in PE, chemistry always consists of the latest in chemical warfare, and breaking a CIA code is considered a child’s play. Also, regular people seem to think that Gallagher Acade-

R A P

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Director: David Yates Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol

J

ust when we thought the Wizarding world couldn’t get any better, JK Rowling swooped in with a blast from the past that has us envying it all over again.

‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ gives a Potterhead everything they could want from a spin off and yet is enough of an original story to ensnare a new audience.

Putting aside the screenplay, which Rowling has done a fantastic job with, the acting is brilliant. The entire cast delivers delightful performances and you can’t help but be

emotionally invested in every character by the end. The CGI is remarkably well done too, and not once do any of the beasts look out of place.

It’s not all unicorns and hippogriffs in this new world though, for as the fans have grown, so have JK Rowling’s stories, and Fantastic Beasts turns pretty dark despite not having an evil dark lord as its primary villain just yet. With a ‘dark wind’ rampaging through New York city, and the presence of no major organisations that want the wizards exposed and killed, the movie has

my is a place for spoilt rich girls who care about nothing except money.

Our protagonist along with her two best friends have many codes to break and many garbage bags to search. They get into trouble way more than any teenage delinquent we come across at our schools. This book can make you laugh and cry at the same time while dragging you further into the world of spies and high school. In these quintessential books, Cammie has to deal with boy drama, working with her mother (the head of the Gallagher

Academy), having to work with the Blackthorne Institute, mean girls, annoying rich people, going through garbage, breaking rules, the Circle of Cavan–an ancient terrorist organization, writing reports, fighting, emergency drills and a LOT of hacking. Also, sometimes spies, like our protagonist, end up having terrifying encounters in London, have to race against time and end up in alpine convents with nothing but pants and a threadbare top, without shoes and their memory. Not to forget about betrayal and death which come as a

U P

you sitting at the edge of your seat in anticipation the entire time. The balance is perfect, and plays with your heart, making you laugh and worry in the most satisfying way.

Despite the few evident plot holes, the characters alone make the movie’s admission price feel like a bargain. Jacob Kowalski, a warm hearted ‘no maj’ who gets entangled in the mess and is fascinated by all things magic, and the fun, whimsical Queenie Goldstein who can read people’s minds, come together with the headstrong and practical auror, Tina Goldstein, and the awkward yet passionate Newt Scamander, to make the perfect leading quartet.

With a compelling storyline, amiable characters, fantastic beasts and a way back into the breathtaking world that we thought we’d never see again, Fantastic beasts and where to find them is a must watch for every Potterhead. In fact, it’s a pretty great movie even for those who weren’t into the original franchise. So don’t miss out, buy that ticket while you still can.

By Charizma Gupta Class XII Scottish High International School, Gurgaon

free gift in their journey.

So if you are looking for a good book to fall in love with, grab this page- turner and enter a whole new world, the world so perfectly carved with beautiful details

by Ally Carter, and a narrative so strong that it feels like you are an actual part of the story.

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By Chhavi Pathak Class X Delhi Public School, RK Puram

Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 45

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like Zoella, Smosh, Ryan Higa, etc. weren’t in it. This might be because they weren’t free to shoot or some other reason, but that’s really surprising considering these people are the ones who made YouTube a thing in the first place.

Credit where it’s due: they had one very very cool scene, Lilly Singh aka iiSuperwomanii opens a door and water YouTube rewind this year was After that intro the classic rewind for- flows out (mimicking Beyonce in UNREAL. mula is used -- random clips of internet lemonade) AND GOD WAS Not only did it perfectly sum up trends with a very popular song or I SLAYED. 2016 but also made me say, “Hey, a remix of multiple popular songs of All in all, it wasn’t the best maybe it wasn’t that bad a year after the year playing in the background. rewind, not even close, but all” and that’s A LOT, because let’s be Various Youtubers come in vari- it’s amazing for 2016. honest, it’s 2016. ous frames, highlighting famous games *Can this year be over yet?* It starts with the rock, who started like Pokemon go and internet trends a YouTube channel this year and if it like the Mannequin challenge. THEY By starts with Dwayne Johnson you prob- EVEN GOT THE PPAP GUY. Siddhant Talwar ably think it has already reached it’s However, this rewind was sort of Class XI peak, but surprisingly, it hasn’t. He disappointing if you compare it to Sanskriti School, New Delhi says “bring it” and thus, starts rewind. the previous ones, popular Youtubers Impoverished by circumstancBut more than that, Fyodor Doses, Raskolnikov finds himself in toyevsky asks a deeper question through a situation he cannot turn back the book. Originally published in January from. After all, how is one supof 1866 in Russia, the book draws heavily posed to bring back the dead, from the country. With two themes as the especially when there are two central focus of the book, Fyodor uses his of them? plot and his characters as a platform to Not only a timeless clasexpress his views. sic but a lesson in humanity, Sonya, Raskolnikov’s friend, is as Crime and Punishment is a affected by poverty as she is by her ormasterpiece written by Fythodox Christian views. Despite being odor Dostoyevsky. It is through forced to take to the streets for her famRaskolnikov that we learn the ily’s income, Sonya never loses her faith meaning of being truly human in God. In contrast, Raskolnikov, with as we explore life through a murderer’s his Western views, commits a crime to point of view. escape debt.

Crime and Punishment Raskolnikov pulls you in, drawing the It is clear that Dostoevsky is deeply afFyodor Dostoyevsky reader into a world often unacknowlfected- saddened at the growing destitute edged by them. A daring step, the book is not and poverty in his country and angered by for the faint of the heart. It rattles your humanity. It poses the encroachment of Western philosophy into a country questions you dare not contemplate. It challenges you; that was unanimously governed by an orthodox Christian it makes you reevaluate the very epitome of your being. ideology.

Anxious, frenzied and compelling, this is not a book Crime and Punishment is a piece of art- it draws you in, which is easy to put down. It transports you into the dark it touches your heart and By confines of Raskolnikov’s mind, introducing you to your it reinforces your belief.

Vallika Varshri own demons. Tortured by his guilt and shadowed by Hard hitting, intelligent Class X his paranoia- the question which haunts Raskolnikov is and masterful, the book Sanskriti School, whether he should confess to the crime or not? is a must read.

New Delhi

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Go Set A Watchman Harper Lee

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n Jean Louise Finch’s fifth annual trip home, she discovers herself to be a complete stranger to Maycomb’s ways.

Unable to understand the racial issues that now grip her home, she struggles to face the reality to which she had remained indifferent till now. Growing up with Atticus as her father, she never really learnt to distinguish between people, for he never thought it necessary, until now. The only differences she saw between two individuals, were their personas, their characteristics and appearances; Jean Louise had been brought up to be colour blind.

The current situation asks her to refocus her sight and emerge from a 20 year old habit. Caught in a web of love, righteousness and justice, she struggles to breathe outside the protective dome she’d created, which now crumbles. The story gives us an insight to the domestic, economic and political problems faced by the colored people, and the ideals of the handful of whites who supported them. The Blacks’ lack of awareness was used for vote bank politics and the Whites who supported them had to cover themselves in front of the law. It is on one such meeting that Scout bursts

U p

in, to discover her father speaking against the Blacks. Unable to believe that her father, her idol, the one person she trusted completely, could hurt her, cheat her in such an obnoxious way, she seeks her Uncle for answers and comfort.

The rest of the story focuses on how Scout embraces the cruel facts of the day which prick her conscience like thorns of a particularly nasty bush. She recognises the defects in the nation’s administrative practices and for the first time meets her father, more importantly, meets herself.

I found the book immensely absorbing and enlightening. As always Lee explains one of the most conflicting and controversial topics in human history with immense simplicity, through the eyes of Jean Louise Finch, who is now a grown woman. Scout has been portrayed as a courageous and stubborn woman with an iron clad will and an exceptionally strong sense of justice even if she happens to be a ‘turnip sized bigot’, to put it in Uncle Jack’s words.

Scout’s character is a very inspirational one as even after suffering an emotional blow she isn’t afraid to admit that she was wrong and tries to make up for her mistakes.

Harper Lee made every single character beautiful and admirable in her own unique way; alone they are incomplete, but together in one story they create a tapestry of courage, affection, justice and humour so rich, that the reader is awed. All in all, it is a book which will continue to inspire and motivate the coming generations and never truly lose its touch or relevance.

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By Yashi Punia Class X Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar

Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 47

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Manage the Time

Our experts at Aakash Institute help you with time management tips and strategies towards effective preparation for Pre-Boards.

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any students often question the significance of Pre-Boards and the need to ace it. However, teachers and tutors would equally emphasise on the preparation for the same as it can be equated with a dress rehearsal before the final act. Besides, giving students ample time to get their revision done in time, pre-boards also help stu-

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dents review their weaknesses, analyse their study methods and work on strategies to crack the eventual test up ahead.

Instead of treating the pre-boards as another reason to pressurise yourself and accentuate stress levels, the idea behind its preparation should be to plan effectively. You can talk to teachers, peers and your seniors

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about what study plan they follow in the last days after full syllabus completion. Getting assessed on complete syllabus viz-a-viz small unit tests is a totally different ball game. A student has to choose wisely between brushing his strong areas or giving a last slog to the weak areas. All advices are good but an ultimate personal strategy is crucial to cruise through the

A k a s h coming exams.

The portion you are saddled with is huge number of doubts when it comes to each subject but also remember that if you time your preparation right and prioritise what needs more attention, you will be able to cover the syllabus without having to fret later. Realistically, take up each subject and go through all the topics and chapters in it. You can also use unconventional tricks to plan your study. One interesting way to prepare for the exams is to start in the reverse order, that is prepare for the last exam first in a way that the preparation for the first exam begins two weeks before the date. Another important aspect of preparing well for the exams is to study the textbook thoroughly. Going through the NCERT textbooks help to clear concepts and sharpen your skills on a topic. There is very little chance of questions appearing beyond the prescribed text book. Do not skip studying diagrams, tables or graphs in the textbook. Solving the past ten years questions is a very good idea to familiarise yourself with the exam patterns and the popular questions because having studied well and being exam ready are two different things. Having a ready question bank and mock tests can further help you prepare the right questions beforehand. Students should also not ignore important formulae, notes and dates which are important for almost all subjects. It is a smart idea to write down these points, formulae, theorems, and definitions on flash cards that you can carry along in your pocket or wallet for a quick revision at the last minute.

There are certain chapters in subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Biology which need special attention.

In Physics, the key topics include Optics (worth 14 marks), Electrostatics, Electromagnetics and Electronic devices. In Chemistry, the Physical Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry generally marks the bulk of the question paper. Students must

preparing for example, Biotechnology can be learnt easily and has a 10 mark contribution. Remember to go through the text as often as possible, not trying to memorise it but trying to understand the processes.

Another way of equipping yourself for good scores is for students to have target marks which require strong basics. They should get all their doubts solved from the teachers before taking up the exam. The students should be clear with topic wise weightage and should mark their strong fields and weak fields so that they can develop a proper strategy to utilise the available time maximally. Practice also plays an immake sure they are well versed with portant role in scoring good marks formulae in Physical Chemistry and and therefore students should practhe chemical reactions, processes and tice important diagrams, tables, illuspreparation of various chemical com- trations etc in Biology and problem pounds as questions are sure to be solving in Physics and Chemistry asked from this portion. In Biology, which would help them score highGenetics and Evolution contribute to er. However, before initiating any 18 marks and are hence crucial. Keep practice, mastering the subject is the achievable topics in mind while more important. During the exam,

Another way of equipping yourself for good scores is for students to have target marks which require strong basics. The students should be clear with topic wise weightage and should mark their strong fields and weak fields so that they can develop a proper strategy to utilise the available time maximally

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 49

Here is a dekko in to the analysis of the last board exams which will give students a fair advantage of knowing the exam pattern: PHYSICS: Although the paper was moderately difficult and balanced, it was lengthy which means students had to time their answers properly to be able to complete it. OPTICS and ELECTROSTATICS were the most emphasised topics. All questions were from within the syllabus limit and were mostly a combination of Current Electricity and Electrostatics, OPTICS and MAGNETISM.

CHEMISTRY: The questions were based on the syllabus itself but again the paper was found to be lengthy although easy. The paper comprised a lot of reactions and reasoning questions and was mostly concept based with some tricky ones. Organic Chemistry covered a substantial part of the paper compared to Physical or Inorganic Chemistry portions.

BIOLOGY: The questions again were found to be well within the syllabus and in fact featured several predictable ones. Most students who had revised their NCERT thoroughly were able to crack it easily. it is advised to write the descriptive answers in points and give pictorial or graphical illustrations wherever possible as it enhances visibility.

Apart from the subject wise analysis, the examinations last year followed a certain pattern based on the marks and length of the questions. The question papers mostly had around 12 short answer type questions with 4 marks each that summed up to 48. Besides this, the question papers had around 7 long

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answer-type questions each containing 6 marks that summed up to 42 which made it a 100 marks question paper.

Meanwhile, the level of difficulty could be segregated into three parts i.e. 15% of the questions were easy, 15% were average and 15% were difficult questions.

Making a timetable that covers your syllabus subject wise and identifying the testable material from it is very important for complete prepa-

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One interesting way to prepare for the exams is to start in the reverse order, that is prepare for the last exam first in a way that the preparation for the first exam begins two weeks before the date. ration. Prioritise studying the topics that are sure shot in exams year on year, and carry the most achievable marks. Do not get overwhelmed by the time required to study harder topics as this can be balanced by reserving less time for easily doable topics. Mock tests in class and your tutorials will also help you define your preparation systematically and assess yourself periodically.

Make sure you have a silent, clutter free zone and an environment with minimal distractions while studying.

Give yourself ample time to indulge in recreational activities, family and social interactions. Maintain a healthy diet, exercise and sleep well as this will do wonders towards ensuring your good health.

Adopt a positive attitude towards the impending exams and understand that the Pre-Boards are to help you build endurance and confidence in the long run. How well you score in your Pre-Boards can help you understand your future ranking in the actual exam. This probably explains why most schools debar students who do not pass the Prelims. Avoid getting intimidated by the immensity of the Boards and concentrate on doubling your efforts to sail through the PreBoards. As they say, a step in time saves nine. Your mental and physical preparedness for the Pre-Boards will be the deciding factors to how you seal the Board exams so take it sportingly and you will not regret your decision!

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Kermit the Hermit!

Of all the viral trends of the year, we picked our favorite, and clubbed together the most hilarious memes from all over!

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 51

W a t c h

T h i s

S p a c e

Annual Day “Tattva” Delhi International School Edge, Sector 18 Dwarka, hosted its 1st Annual Day, “Tattva”- Radiance of Puerility on 19th November, 2016 with great pomp and splendor. The theme of the annual day was ‘Children’s World’. The program was ushered with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by hon’ble chief guest, Ms. Ranjana Deswal, Director of Education, the group chairman Mr. Mahesh Goyal and other dignitaries. This was followed by a welcome dance, invocation dance, drama and ballet.

Meritorious winners of DIS were felicitated in the prize distribution ceremony. Head of school, Ms. Roopal Pandya presented the annual report and projection of annual album.

The cultural bonanza presented by the senior school students enthralled each and every one present in the function. The students presented

arka

Delhi International School Edge, Dw their fountain of talents during this fantastic series of presentations. The programme rose to a final crescendo with the finale of the show. Vote of thanks was proposed by Ms. Rashmi Malik, the Principal of DIS. The

Jeffrey Archer Interaction

day ended with the national anthem, lingering in everybody’s minds. The entire programme was applauded by everybody present and will always remain etched in the memory of one and all.

ted that he felt he had been given ‘a second life’ when he became a storyteller. Lord Archer described his daily routine, which consists of rising at 5:30 a.m. and working till 8 p.m. He emphasized that the key to success lies in hard work and energy.

After speaking for a few minutes, Lord Archer answered questions from the audience. He joked that his favourite childhood memory was when England beat India at cricket at Lords. He confessed that he never suffered from writer’s block and that he wrote without knowing what would happen three pages later.

Best-selling author Lord Jeffrey Ar- of The Shri Ram Schools, Aravali Lord Archer charmed the crowd cher visited The Shri Ram School – and Moulsari and seventeen other with his humour and candid conAravali on Monday, 21st November schools from the NCR area. versation. He both entertained and to launch his new book, This Was a Lord Archer spoke about his educated the eager school children, Man, and interact with the students. experiences at Oxford, as a poli- who left the hall with a signed book Lord Archer addressed students tician and as a writer. He admit- and valuable memories.

The Shri Ram School

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W a t c h

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Form Evening 2016 symbolize the play being a tragedy.

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ was brought to the audience in a new avatar — Nautanki.

After a scattering of powerful, intense monologues from various Shakespearean plays, some renowned, others relatively obscure, the ethereal grace of the dancers perfectly captured Romeo and Juliet’s undying love and passion.

Accompanied with the dulcet piano piece, this dance was so moving that it literally brought some members of the audience to tears — which is no small feat!

The night ended with “Much Ado About Nothing” being performed as a rap and hip-hop sequence. It was a The world commemorated 400 years choir sang popular numbers from mov- battle between Beatrice and Benedict of Shakespeare’s death this year. At ies adapted from his works, juxtaposed shown through dance.

Step by Step, we paid tribute to Shake- by the tuneful orchestra.

One can all undoubtedly claim that speare’s literary and philosophical geThat was followed by an abridged Shakespeare’s literature has been wheenius by performing a series of Shake- adaptation of ‘Macbeth’ — it incorpo- dling its way into English lessons for spearean monologues and plays in our rated elements of Kathakali to portray generations on end. But with this new Annual Form Evening. the idea of impending doom that is way of presenting Shakespeare, we can To elicit Shakespeare’s eminence embedded in the play’s plot and all have a new, embracing outlook on his and prominence in Bollywood, the the actors wore black costumes to endless ream of poems and plays.

Step by Step, Noida

Gati….Ek Udaan

K. R. Mangalam World School, G.K-II Udaan…a fusion of vigor, celebration and euphoria, on 2 December, 2016. The occasion was graced by the benign presence of, Mohammad Azharuddin, former Indian Cricket Captain and politician, the Chief Guest of the day; Shri Yash

Dev Gupta, Chairman, K.R. Mangalam Group of Schools; Shri Jai Dev Gupta, Vice Chairman, K.R. Mangalam Group of Schools and members of the school management committee. The spirit of harmony and togetherness engulfed

the atmosphere with the vibrating rendition of the young stars as they presented the musical encomium, ‘Udd Chale Parindey’. The stage set the right tone and atmosphere with a concoction of the popular dance forms presented by the Pre-Primary students.

Extending a warm welcome to all the distinguished guests, the Principal, Ms. Alka Awasthi, congratulated and encouraged the vivacious learners for putting up such a spectacular show. The function culminated with the much awaited prize distribution ceremony wherein the worthy Chief Guest bestowed the prizes to the most deserving athletes and meritorious students and motivated all to keep on persevering with sincere endeavors.

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 53

Bat Lamp

Fans of Batman, do you wish to turn your room into a bat cave? Here is an easy way to make a bat lamp for your room, that will make you go nana nana nana nana....Batman!

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You will require: • • • • • •

Cardboard Clear Tape Marker LED Lights Scissors String

Now follow these steps:

• •

•

• •

•

• Make a bat logo on a newspaper and cut it precisely.

Place this cut out on the cardboard and draw an outline of the bat logo.

Remove the newspaper and cut • the cardboard piece, along the lines of your outline.

On one side of the bat logo, attach LED lights.

The LED lights should run in a single line along the edge of the bat logo, with all the bulbs facing outward.

Paint the other side of your bat logo with black paint.

Now use a string to hang your bat lamp on the wall, plug in the LED lights and your bat lamp is ready.

Keep in mind:

Make sure that the edges of your cardboard cut out are smooth.

Take the help of an adult to do

• •

so.

Place the LED lights in a neat line to give an overall uniform effect.

To jazz up your bat lamp, you can also use different colour LED lights or LED lights with different settings.

Watch the DIY video here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=7lh0xEFquPk Follow Rob and share your DIYs with him @: Facebook.com/MadStuffWithRob Twitter.com/MadStuffWithRob Instagram.com//MadStuffWithRob

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Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 55

J u n i o r

T r a v e l s

Zooming at Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi

On a recent family vacation to Abu Dhabi, we spent one whole day at Ferrari World. Our daughter Kyra Kanojia, who loves reviewing fun places for her friends and social media followers, had the following to report. The article has been transcribed from her own words on the experience.

I

have always heard so much about Ferrari cars. Some of my older cousins dream of buying a Ferrari one day. Many of my friends have toy Ferraris in their collection. This is why I was so excited to get the chance to see Ferrari World and find out why everyone loves their cars. Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi is very big! It is like a city, and you can get lost in it. It is also very exciting because just like an amusement park it has many rides, shops and shows. I got to drive my very own Ferrari GT Spider in their Junior GT ride, where kids can get a driving lesson in small cars. There were helpful driving experts who taught me how to move the steering wheel, how to make a car go faster, how to make it stop and which side of the road to drive. We also went for

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J u n i o r

an Adventure with Nello, which was a 4D film that feels like you are sitting in a Ferrari with a boy named Nello who is driving the car really fast over hills and in snow. When you watch the film, the seats move and real water falls on you so you feel like you are actually a part of the adventure!

There was another show called Driving with the Champion where it feels like you are sitting with a F1 race car driver and driving on a race track. This was a little scary for me because it actually feels like you are going very fast and turning very quickly. But in the end, when the lights came back I realised I was safe! We also watched a movie at Cinema Maranello about the person

who started the company, Enzo Ferrari.

This was OK, but I think I would have watched Adventure with Nello again.

We stopped for lunch at Mamma Rosella, where we had really yummy pizzas. Every pizza slice was as a big as a pizza. I liked that very much!

Then we went to Galleria Ferrari where we saw their different old and new cars. My favourite was this yellow Ferrari that I thought looked like a superhero’s car.

Afterwards Papa decided to go on a ride called Formula Rossa which is the world’s fastest rollercoaster just like the Ferrari cars – Mom was too scared to go on it, and I am not old enough for it, so Papa was the only

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one who went. And I saw people who were coming down from it were shaking and talking about the scary speed, even Papa! Mummy and Aunty also went on one ride, which was not so fast but it was really long.

Everything in Ferrari World is very big. There are really lots of different types of rides and shows that you can enjoy and I feel that one day is not enough to see it all. Even after spending a day there we had to skip many attractions! But one thing we did not miss was buying some exciting souvenirs at the Past Present Store where there are toys, t-shirts and caps and other stuff. I chose a cap for myself just like all the drivers at Ferrari World.

I think I will go back there again when I am old enough for all the rides.

Kyra, one of India’s youngest Youtubers, does reviews of toys and places that she enjoys. To watch her reviews please visit the Kyrascope channel on Youtube or www. kyrascope.com.

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By Kyra Kanojia Class I Amity International School, Noida

Volume 3 | Issue 03 | January 2017 | 57

J u n i o r s

Art Attack

Tiny Tots from Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar show us what amazing things they can do with color!

Manya Johari.

Nandini Sharma.

Anvi Goyal.

Kaina Kaushik.

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Ishita Shrivastava.

P a g e

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H e a d

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