School live march 2017

100 Volume 3 | Issue 05 march 2017

The Digital

Boom!

How the Web Exploded and made us very happy!

How to NOT do a Review

with Sucharita Tyagi

Being Insta Famous

with Rupi Kaur

Holi-Hacks

with Jaishree Sharad

contributors

S C H O O L

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

Amit Dubey Crime Investigator and expert on ethical hacking.

Jaishree Sharad

Associate Editor Tanima Kedar Business Development

Renowned cosmetic dermatologist with an enviable Bollywood client list

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 05 march 2017

Prerna Kohli

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

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The Digital

Boom!

How the Web Exploded and made us very happy!

How to NOT do a Review

with Sucharita Tyagi

Being Insta Famous

with Rupi Kaur

Holi-Hacks

with Jaishree Sharad

Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 3

OSSWORD NO. 5 CROSSWORD NO. 5 2

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ACROSS: 7 5 6 1. Jets of liquid (6)8 5. Blame (6) 9. Interrupt to disrupt (6) 10 10. Mislead (6) 11. Thin layer (4) 13 12 12. Crushed underfoot (8) 14. Frantic (6) 17 16 16. Not dyed (6)18 19. Native of Japan (8) 21 (4) 21. Change 22. Maps (6) 23. Seniors (6) 23 24. Faculties of perception (6) 25 25. Hebrew household god (6)

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SS: ACROSS: DOWN: DOWN: Compiled by : Kamala Chand A. Sounding the Alarm! ts of liquid (6) 1. Jets of 2.

Be at the head of (7) liquid (6) 2. Be at the©head of (7) Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya V ame (6) 5. Blame 3.

(6)Untidy (7) 3. Untidy (7) errupt to disrupt (6) 4. to Pageant 9. Interrupt disrupt(9)(6) 4. Pageant (9) slead (6) Off-white (5) 10. Mislead6. (6) 6. Off-white (5) in layer (4) 11. Thin layer (4) 7. Normally (7) 7. Normally (7) ushed underfoot (8) 12. Crushed underfoot (7) (8) 8. Corrected 8. Corrected (7) Answers: 14. Frantic13.

(6) antic (6) Entertainment (9) 13. Entertainment (9) B. Gear Up! (6) in transit (7) 14. Seizes in transit (7) t dyed (6) 16. Not dyed 14. Seizes ACROSS: of Leader Japan(7) (8) 15.

Leader (7) tive of Japan19.

(8)Native15.

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Spouts 5. Accuse 9. Heckle 10. Delu 21. Change 17. Geometrical ange (4) 17. (4) Geometrical 12. instrument Trampled 14.

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(7)Elders 24. Sens niors (6) C. The Puzzling 18.

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Diagnoses 24. Faculties of perception 20. Saltpetre (5) culties of perception 20. Saltpetre (5) DOWN: (6) 2. Preside 3. Unkempt 4. Spectacle 6.

25. god Hebrew household god Answers brew household 8. Emended 13. Amusement 14. Hijac (6) 17. Divider 18. Eardrop 20. Nitre by : Kamala Chandrakant Compiled by : Kamala Compiled Chandrakant A famous engineer built the gear set-up shown in the picture alongside. She showed the arrangement to her son and told him — ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

“So,” she asked her son, “what is the speed of Gear A and Gear D with respect to each other?”

What did the engineer’s son reply?

Gear A has 70 teeth Gear B has 50 teeth Gear C has 30 teeth Gear D has 70 teeth Every minute, Gear B makes 20 complete turns.

VIT_MIN

VISION VISION

05/ © Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2017

Meena went to a new doctor for a check-up. The doctor’s diagnoses were in the form of puzzles. Can you identify what two problems Meena has, based on the doctor’s riddles?

DOWN: 2. Preside 3. Unkempt 4. Spectacle 6. Cream 7. Usually 8. Emended 13. Amusement 14. Hijacks 15. Captain 17. Divider 18. Eardrop 20. Nitre

© Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2017 / 5 © Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2017 / 5 B. Both A and D will rotate at the same speed. Gears of the same size will always rotate at constant speeds despite any smaller or larger gears in between them.

A. Parrots! Besides having a highly developed sense of hearing, parrots don’t panic and try to flee when they hear a loud sound, unlike most other animals.

Answers:

Answers: © Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2017 / 5

Compiled by : Kamala Chandrakant 25. Hebrew household god (6)

ACROSS:

Answers:

C. Vitamin A deficiency; double vision

Answers:

ACROSS: 1. Spouts 5. Accuse 9. Heckle 10. Delude 11. Film 12. Trampled 14. Hectic 16. Undyed 19. Japanese 21. Vary 22. Charts 23. Elders 24. Senses 25. Teraph

SS:

During World War 1, birds were kept atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris to warn about approaching enemy aircraft. The birds would start squawking about 20 minutes before the sound of the aircraft’s engines became audible to humans. Can you guess which birds were used for this purpose?

ed-note

S C H O O L

L I V E

Hi!

Whether my generation likes it or not, tomorrow’s world is going to be a digital age world. Lets face it.

But most people of my age are concerned about our children’s safety, conduct, bullying, peer pressure in the world of internet. Same fears that our parents had for us in the REAL world.

So what is it that we can do to ensure that all of you stay safe in the virtual world. The dangers are more because it’s a newer, and a larger world. You are connected to people from all over the globe, people you don’t know, you have never met...

We at School Live keep giving you the cyber safety and security lessons because we care for you.

In this issue read about your digital stars, take inspiration from them but at the same time, remember to stay connected to the real world, too: your family, your friends, relatives, teachers, pets...

Don’t get lost in the digital world....Be REAL. Be SAFE. Be RESPONSIBLE. Good Luck!

Lovingly yours

Richa Aniruddha tweet to me @richaanirudh

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Which show has characters named Ash, Pikachu, Brock, Dawn, Aipom and Bonsly? a) Doremon b) Pokemon c) Anpanman What is the name of the popular teenage wizard at Hogwarts created by JK Rowling? a) Harry Potter b) Frodo c) Gandalf In which movie does the lead actress come down on a magic umbrella? a) Bridget Jones’s Diary b) Marry Poppins c) Sound of Music

Kolkata Knightriders Harry Potter Sikkim Marry Poppins Spiderman

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Which movie starring Ranbir Kapoor was selected as India’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film for the Oscars? a) Wake Up Sid b) Barfi c) Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Which IPL team is owned by Shah Rukh Khan? ___ a) Chennai Superkings b) Royal Challengers Bangalore c) Kolkata Knightriders

What is the name of the Indian State with the least population? a) Goa b) Sikkim c) Nagaland Which Superhero said – “With great power, comes great responsibility!” a) X-men b) Spiderman c) Thor

Answers

Many animals deal with the harshness of winter by becoming dormant or inactive. This ‘long sleep’ is called: a) Hibernation b) Transpiration c) Aestivation

Who found the speed of light? a) Albert Einstein b) Thomas Alva Edison c) Bill Gates

Five Albert Einstein Hibernation Barfi Pokemon

2 4 6 8 10

How many rings are shown in the Olympic flag? a) Four b) Five c) Seven

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Know for Sure Quiz

S C H O O L

contents

L I V E 5 6 8 11

Editor’s Note Encyclopædia Britannica School in Spotlight Slam Poetry

COVER 12 Exclusive: Spreading the Web 20 In Counsel: Social Media De-addiction!

23 Worthy Opponent 24 Fit for Life 25 Positively Positive 26 Expert Expression: Sucharita Tyagi 28 Cyber Safe: How to Protect your Blog!

33 Fun Side: Cartoons!

34 A Conversation 36 DIY: Pebble Cactus 38 Page 99 40 Study Guide 42 Blog 43 Timeline 44 Rap Up 48 Watch this Space

T

Quick Edit

o say that the digital industry boomed in the last year would only be the most understated fact of the year. What we saw with the growth was a substantial pool of newer and more innovative ideas from different genres. The year escalated in such a way that even the big players had to hold up and take notice. And not just that. They had to start creating content exclusively for the web! Our student reporter Neelabh Keshav Sinha charts for us how the biggest player in the game, YouTube transformed into its current form. In addition, the current issue carries a very special way of understanding of our world by Ayesha Malhotra, through her blog. We also had our experts come in guide you on ways to safe keep and increase the protection on your personal blogs and websites. And most importantly, our psychologist Prerna Kohli helps you understand the addiction to the social media! We hope you take away a lot of good for the medium from this issue..

“Happy Reading!”

Mansi Tikoo

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Juniors 50 Junior DIY 52 Junior Blog 54 Junior Slam

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Nestled Education

Located in the very heart of the city, accessible from quite a few posh colonies, we had the chance to interact with the principal of Tagore International School, East of Kailash, Nandita Sahu.

W

hat was the idea behind the foundation of the school?

Tagore International School was founded by Dr. Mrs. H. Sen in 1964 with the aim of creating a free atmosphere where children develop their personality to the fullest extent. Founded on the principles of Tagore’s educational philosophy, the school believes that ‘self-realization’ is the goal of education.

Therefore, at TIS, the focus is on self–discovery through achievement, self-understanding and ap-

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Ms Nandita Sahu

Principal Tagore International East of Kailash

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preciation. The students are encouraged to strive for excellence and challenge their potential to bring out the best in them. Academic excellence is also a must-do on the priority list, while we encompass the core with a strong value system that shall sustain these youngsters in the journey of their lives. The school believes in inculcating the ethos of ‘Aham yogya asmi,’ i.e., ‘I am worthy’ to its students who have proved to be great ambassadors of the motto by their sheer perseverance and diligence.

S c h o o l Q. How would you describe the educational philosophy of the school?

We are a progressive, innovative and change oriented school and we ensure that the teachers keep themselves abreast with the changing rules, pedagogy and objectives. The teachers are encouraged to participate in various faculty development programmes and workshops to update their knowledge and learning. The role of teachers at TIS is to guide students in the areas where they need guidance as innovators.

Computers have become an essential ingredient in the recipe and technology plays a vital role. There is a transition from a heavy emphasis on teaching to a heavy emphasis on learning. Our teaching methodology is such that a student leaves this institution as a harmonious personality, not a trained specialist.

Emphasis is also laid on recognizing every individual’s special talent or interest. Structures within the school such as the house system and the tutor groups allow for much closer contact between the students and the staff, which enables recognition of both achievements and problems.

The school believes in providing a nurturing environment where students are encouraged to participate ment. in a number of sports and co-curricular activities, including Taekwondo, Q. As a teacher and then a prinAerobics and Yoga. cipal, how do you feel technology has seeped into the educaQ. How has the journey been tion system today? for you, as a principal as well Technology has permeated in evas an educator? ery aspect of education. Teachers As an educator, I have always felt needn’t impart knowledge now as connected to the children. I strongly there are more sources than simply believe that a strong bond between the book and the teacher. Hence, the the educator and the learner goes a ‘Google Generation’ has easy access long way in facilitating the teaching- to information, data, audios, vidlearning process. As a principal, I eos and e-learning. Flipped classes, feel a greater responsibility to en- use of multimedia and audio-video sure that the environment at school learning aids have made the teachis conducive to learning for the stu- ing learning process interesting and dents as well as the staff. I try my more effective. The role of a teachbest to promote compassion and er has changed from a ‘sage on the cultivate a collaborative environ- stage’ to a ‘guide on the side’. Online

There is a transition from a heavy emphasis on teaching to a heavy emphasis on learning. Our teaching methodology is such that a student leaves this institution as a harmonious personality, not a trained specialist.

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assessments are also more reliable and impartial.

As a principal, I feel that the school must create a global platform for the students, to ensure they leverage technology for innovation and for mobilizing their creative impulse.

Q. Kindly talk us through some of the achievements of the school, esp in the recent years.

The school has been awarded ‘Samvedana’, the Health Educator Award

and ‘Mahatma Gandhi Intergenerational Empowerment Award’, Instituted by Healthy Aging India in Association with Times Foundation and Community Ophthalmology Department of AIIMS, ‘Scholar’ School Award and ‘Cosmopolitan’ Award for the Best School In Student Exchange Programme & Cultural Activities. Apart from that, the school has been accredited International Felicitation for Clean and Green School Award 2015. Another feather to the cap was when the school won the Delhi Gaurav Award (DGA) in the Best international School category in 2015. The school was bestowed with the International School Award (ISA) 2014-17 by the British Council The school has a national pres-

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ence in the field of sports as the students have time and again brought laurels to the school and made a name for themselves. The girls’ football team in particular is the National U-19 national champion and Dalima Chibber, a school alumnus, even captained the National U-19 Team and represented the country in international matches. In co-curricular activities too, the students have made a name for themselves. The school is a place for budding debaters, poets, artists, musicians and dancers.

The students are encouraged to participate in Inter school competitions to inculcate in them the zeal to excel and improve.

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The school has a national presence in the field of sports as the students have time and again brought laurels to the school and made a name for themselves. The girls’ football team in particular is the National U-19 national champion and Dalima Chibber, a school alumnus, even captained the National U-19 Team and represented the country in international matches

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Q. How accessible is the school for the parents?

Once again, technology has made communication easier and faster.

The curriculum for all scholastic & co-scholastic areas, details of events/ special assemblies at school, upcoming events, achievements & awards and the day-to-day circulars are easily available on the school website. The parents can also reach out to the respective teachers/ principal through online portal. In a special initiative, all class teachers have formed Whatsapp groups with the parents of their classes to ensure easy communication on day-to-day basis. Besides regular PTMs, parents can also meet the teachers and the principal within the specified time.

Q. What are some of the goals that you have set for yourself in the coming future? My goal for the future is to expand the horizons of students by strengthening the global ties and provide better opportunities to each student to become conscientious, smart and confident citizens. I want my students to take a leap from materialism and emerge as compassionate individuals who contribute meaningfully to the society.

S l a m

P o e t r y

Riches I’m dressed in jewels, a long velvet gown And shimmering red heels, head covered with a crown I look in the mirror, and see someone Who is fake, dull and not the real one I take a look around; everybody’s busy in the preparations ‘Cause today’s the day of coronation The maids come to receive me Their happy faces somehow sting me I follow them and everything feels slow I’m dreading that moment which comes closer as I go I reach the balcony, a thousands of cheers Make me nauseous and numb my ears The ceremony takes place, but I’m in my own world The longing for a simple life inside me burns The priest chants words; the air around me grave Next, everyone bows, promising to be my slaves But someone doesn’t bow, and someone else cries As a man is beat to death before my eyes My body stiffens, screams, and craves reality My eyes fly open and I lose all my sanity Hysteria overwhelms, it’s difficult to believe That it was just a dream, I’m unable to relieve The deadliest nightmare that took my breath away Swelled my eyes and drenched me in sweat But I soon pacify and patiently await the day When this dream will be breathing, I’ll run away.

By Samruddhi Phadke Class X Shiv Nadar School, Noida

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E x c l u s i v e

The past few years we have witnessed a massive growth of digital media across different sections of the population. What has been even more fascinating is the steady rise and demand for stand up comedy, online web series and digital content.

We have witnessed the stars from these platforms rise at an exponential rate. Our team at School LIVE tried to bring together some of the big names in the game for you. And here is what they had to say.

Think of this moment right now. You’re reading this sentence. Your whole life just will be moments like these, a series of “right now’s”. There isn’t something you have to do or something that you have to buy that will bring you happiness. Success doesn’t create happiness, happiness brings in success. Work on being happy right now. Also, being kind to people.

They’ll remember.

— Kanan

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E x c l u s i v e

Amol Parashar You graduated from a celebrated college, IIT Delhi, only to quit your job and enter into a completely different arena.

How was the transition?

It was not planned to be a long-term shift. I had been doing a lot of theatre when I was in college, and kept itching to do it when I was working but couldn’t find the time. I thought I’d take a break for sometime and do theatre. I ended up meeting some people in Mumbai and joined a production here. And then one thing led to another and there was no looking back.

You have worked in films, theatre, advertisements, and Web series. What among these, do you enjoy the most?

I have enjoyed each and every medium. I think the enjoyment comes from how well the material is written and how interesting the character is, that you are playing. When you work with the right team, your writer and the director, that always means the project is going to be rewarding and fulfilling, irrespective of the medium.

You quit your passion for science and tech to pursue acting, do you ever miss those?

Well, frankly, yes. I have devoted a large part of my life to science, so it is not easy to get rid of that ‘keeda’ and I don’t want to get rid of it also.

I do read a lot of science in my free time, have subscribed to quite a few scientific journals online. That is one way, I can keep that side of my brain active.

Is the competition to be the best, as fierce as it is in other industries, such as TV or films?

The people I have worked with so far in the web world are people I have known from before and I had a profes-

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sional/personal equation with. It felt very collaborative and not very competitive. I think that’s the nature of this medium at this point, because it has just sprung up, and everybody is focusing on doing good work more than anything else. I am sure competition will rise as more and more players come into the scene. Let’s see how long it takes before it becomes as fierce.

If you could, what would be one advice you would give to your younger self?

I would tell my younger self to learn something in music. I was a good

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student, was heavily into sports, then later into dramatics, but music is one part that completely got missed. I really wish now that I knew how to sing, or to play at least one instrument. Maybe I will cover that soon.

What is the one thing you would you like to tell the young adults reading this?

I would advise them to listen to everyone but follow no-one. It’s important to listen because people have seen the world more or in a different manner than you and that gives you perspective. But it is not advisable to follow exactly in their

E x c l u s i v e makers are more experimental and How does it feel to be one of the space given to actors is far more. the forerunners of this change So I guess these two are my favou- in the world of entertainment, rites. esp. a change in the way women/girlfriends are portrayed in How were you introduced to dramas? the TVF? It feels great no doubt. I believe a few I had a couple of common friends years from now, when we look back Having worked in a Disney TV (Nidhi Bisht and Amol Parashar) at this new wave of digital content, show, films, theatre, advertise- with the TVF gang. They introduced TVF will always be seen as a pioneer ments, YouTube videos, and me to their content and to those of that movement. Hopefully, we’ll Web series, which among these involved. TVF at the time was still create more memorable content and did you enjoy the most? upcoming and these guys operated I’ll play more characters that leave They all come with their set of pros from a much smaller place. We a lasting impact on people’s minds, and cons obviously, which is why all would all hang out at their office and hearts. the media are thriving. Films are my and then one day I received a call for Talking about the change in the ultimate goal, so yes a good film with Pitchers from Nidhi Bisht, who was portrayal of ‘regular’ female characa good team and script is hugely sat- casting for the project at the time. ters, I hope other people follow suit.

I hope this change can be a permaisfying. Web is extremely refreshing nent one and we don’t regress back since to writing unidimensional characters for women. path. It’s important to find your own answers, others can only guide you, because what works for one person rarely works for another in exactly the same manner.

Maanvi Gagroo

What do you think is the major difference between the television/bollywood community and the web series community?

I think one major difference, as pointed out, is definitely the female characters. Unlike TV/Bollywood, females on web aren’t limited to playing glam dolls and/or playing the love interest of the hero. TV has template female roles - bubbly (usually the lead’s friend or sister ), Bitchy (usually the negative lead, sleeveless wearing, English speaking, weirdly accessorised vamp) and the seedhi saadhi (usually bahu/beti, wearing traditional Indian attire).

And Bollywood also loosely follows this format. Web, however, focuses on portraying reality. It’s very rooted in the current youth stratum.

Do you think your fan base is different compared to other medias, in terms of their perception of you?

A lot of the fans/followers are die hard fans of the content. And because there is such an emphasis on reality in my shows, people consider us their friends. They get very

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E x c l u s i v e excited and find us accessible to them. I’m also extremely interactive with my fans on most social media platforms so I guess that adds to it. It becomes odd at times though, when they come to me at the weirdest of times asking for a selfie but then again it’s all part and parcel of the game. I’m not complaining :) Most of you working together in the web phenomena seem quite friendly with one another, does that work as an advantage compared to mainstream television?

I’m very friendly in general, as a person. Also I feel getting bogged down by insecurities and comparisons will only serve as a temporary extrinsic motivation. Beyond a point, it has to come from within.

We at TVF are good friends. We’ve known each other since before our TVF days. We’re also fairly secure individuals so there’s mostly a sense of solidarity amongst us.

What message would you like to give to the young adults reading this?

Keep watching our shows. Please continue writing to me. I read all the comments and messages and try to reply to most of them as well and like I said, it feels lovely.

If you want to pursue a career in this field, or any for that matter, you must first gain experience as an individual. You must first understand how human beings function, how you function and stuff like that. I think taking a gap year to travel and to explore can do wonders and prepare one to take on life. And lastly, whatever you do, make sure you give it your all and have fun doing it.

film, but he was not looking for an wood, what made you take up assistant at that time, he was looking for an actor for a commercial acting?

I actually became an actor by chance. that he was about to shoot. I did an I was working as an assistant direc- introduction of myself in front of tor, and was also working on a script the camera and left, three days later of my own. What got me into acting I got a call informing me that I had was the fact that I was living with got the commercial.

Something similar happened two actors. So, every once in awhile, I would go for random auditions. when I met Arunabh Kumar, the Luckily, I got a commercial and founder of The Viral Fever. I initially some other commercials followed, had met him because I wanted to assist him on a film that he was about to and that’s how I got into acting. direct. However, that movie did not How did you enter this new happen but Arunabh and I stayed in touch. Later, when he was shooting world of web series? the first sketch for TVF Rowdies, he I got into acting by chance.

I was visYou started out as an Assistant called me up and asked me to play iting Dibakar Bannerjee in his office Director and have worked with the part of Ranvijay, I honestly did because I wanted to assist him on a some of the big names in Bolly-

Naveen Kasturia

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E x c l u s i v e not think that I looked like Ranvijay, but I did it anyway since Arunabh had confidence in me.

Were you nervous about the success of Pitchers, since Permanent Roommates was so liked by the audience?

Ummm, well no. I honestly was not nervous because I did not have anything to lose. I was not a very well known face, so there wasn’t a standard that I had to uphold, I just wanted to give the show my best.

Biswapati Sarkar, the writer of both Permanent Roommates and Pitchers was my roommate, and so in the very initial stages of writing the shows, he shared the scripts with me. I was fascinated by both Pitchers and Permanent Roommates, but then Biswapati told me that I could play the lead in only one of the two, so I chose Pitchers.

Pitchers was supposed to be the first web series by TVF and Permanent Roommates was supposed to happen later, but Permanent Roommates got a sponsor first, and so they went ahead with it.

So you could have played Mikesh?

Yes, there was a possibility.

YouTube is an open space where anyone can make anything and have their voices heard. My most successful videos have cost zero money to make, ironically the ones which cost me a bomb, didn’t do as well.

— Kanan ahead with it, and now when I think about it, I realise that Pitchers will always be a milestone in the world of web series, it will always have a special place in the heart of our viewers.

What message would you like to give to the young adults who wish to join the industry?

The one thing that I would like to say to anyone who wishes to join the industry is, come here only if you love the work. Fame and money are lucrative by products, but they come and go, what is permanent is your love for acting, storytelling or direction. This passion is what will help you persevere, because getting success in the industry, requires a lot of patience. But, if you are in love with your craft, there are always opportunities waiting for you.

Kanan Gill

Your fans are well versed with Which is the one episode, or the story of how you quit your the one scene that you had the job to join the entertainment industry, and then a couple of most fun shooting? months later, you and Biswa It’s very difficult to pick one, but came up with Pretentious movif I had to choose, I would choose ie reviews.

At what point did the scene at the end of episode 3 of you realise that you have hit Pitchers, where all four of us were gold with this idea? in the car and we sang “Woh SikanI think it was about three reviews in, der hi Doston”. That was really fun, when people started really watching because we were really having a lot them.

I don’t think we were really of fun off screen as well, which got expecting this to be big.

I know it altranslated on the screen. ways sounds insincere when people say that but it really is

How does it feel to be the forerunners of this change in the world of entertainment?

It feels great! When we had started out with the idea of making a web series, Netflix was already doing really well in the West. But we had our doubts about whether the Indian audience would be interested in watching a web series.

Despite the conjecture, we wanted to tell stories and so we went

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E x c l u s i v e true. We always thought that the really big idea was around the corner, and to some extent I still think that’s true.

From being a wildly popular stand up comedian, you went on to write a series of your own, How Insensitive! from there you went on to act in a couple of Web series and now you are working in a Bollywood movie.

Which among these did you enjoy the most?

I enjoy all of it, but I get bored doing any one thing at a time. I think if you’re interested and involved in varied interests it helps all of them, especially if you’re in the area of the artists.

I encourage everyone I know to try new things that are different to what they already know. So to try to keep life exciting for myself, I’m always looking for fun new things to do.

Unlike TV/Bollywood, females on web aren’t limited to playing glam dolls and/or playing the love interest of the hero. TV has template female roles - bubbly (usually the lead’s friend or sister ), Bitchy (usually the negative lead, sleeveless wearing, English speaking, weirdly accessorised vamp) and the seedhi saadhi (usually bahu/ beti, wearing traditional Indian attire). And Bollywood also loosely follows this format.

— Maanvi

What is the difference in being a stand up comedian and an actor. Which of the two was personally more challenging for you?

With stand up, I write everything and I know exactly how I want it to be performed. The writing is really the hard (and most fun) part.

When you’re acting, you’re stepping into someone else’s vision.

That’s really the challenging part, to try to understand what kind of role you’re given, and tapping into the mind of whoever has written it for you and what their idea of the role really is.

What do you think is the major difference between the mainstream bollywood and the Youtube community?

Bollywood is a decades old institution. There are processes in place, there is a way things happen. There are a lot of people knocking on the door and it doesn’t open very often.

Things take time, and a lot of money to make.

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me a bomb, didn’t do as well.

In both cases though, the audience is the judge.

How do you think the fandom works differently for you, or any other Youtuber, compared to mainstream Bollywood?

Well, Bollywood has ‘stars’ and celebrities, which we’ve been conditioned to think of as somewhat elevated beings. Even though that’s on the verge of change now, people think of Bollywood actors as somehow different from themselves. In contrast, YouTube fandom is an extended friendship. People aren’t afraid to come talk to you as a friend and equal. That’s the great part about it, although that too can have its downside.

What is the one thing you would want to tell your younger self, if you could? And then to the youngsters reading this today?

If you’re willing to work hard, everything you want will happen. Just be sure about what you want.

There’s a lot of really poisonous popular culture out there that pushes people to try to get expensive cars, or big houses or yachts or private jets. “World domination!?” Suppose you get everything. Then what?

Think of this moment right now.

You’re reading this sentence. Your whole life just will be moments like these, a series of “right now’s”. There isn’t something you have to do or something that you have to buy that will bring you happiness. Success doesn’t create happiness, happiness brings in success. Work on being happy right now. Also, being kind to people. They’ll remember.

Shweta Tripathi

YouTube is an open space where anyone can make anything and have their voices heard. My most success- Having worked in a Disney TV ful videos have cost zero money to show, films, theatre, advertisemake, ironically the ones which cost ments, YouTube videos, and

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E x c l u s i v e Web series, which among these did you enjoy the most?

Disney will always be close to my heart because it gave me my first break with Kya Mast Hai Life, and that’s why Disney holds a special place. However, out of all the mediums, be it TV, theatre or the web, I enjoy doing feature films the most, because the thrill of seeing yourself on the big screen compares to none, and especially when you aspire to be on the big screen since childhood, the experience becomes all the more surreal.

What is the story behind your

first appearance on television?

So I was at Prithvi Theatre with my friends and we were talking about how auditions happen, when a girl spotted me and told me that I would be perfect for the part of ‘Rags’ in a Disney show and that I should audition for it. I was a little sceptical but I went for the audition anyway, as I reached there, the executive producer, in a very filmy manner exclaimed, Zenia!

And I thought to myself, “Okaaaay”, because I didn’t really know who Zenia or Rags was. But then I auditioned for Zenia and the executive producer asked me when can I leave my job because he wanted

me to play the part of Zenia.

However, my actual first appearance on TV happened when I was 5 or 6 years old. Doordarshan used to air a talent show for kids and I had participated in it as a butterfly. Because, of course I wanted to be on TV and also because I really wanted those shoes which had lights on them. So I thought if I won the competition, my dad would get me those shoes, and I did win it and my dad got me those awesome shoes.

From Zenia (your character in Kya Mast Life Hai) to Sandhya (your character in Haramkhor), do you feel, there has been a shift, in the way women are portrayed by the media?

There is an ongoing change indeed, for instance from Seeta Geeta to the characters played

by Vidya Balan, Kalki, Richa Chadda. The characters played by these women are more with the times and accurately portray womankind in its stark reality.

Similarly, I see a huge shift in my career graph as well, from Zenia to Sandhya, my acting has become more internalised, more subtle, and I enjoy it all the more now.

What message would you like to give to the young adults reading this?

For all the people who want to enter the industry, I just have one thing to say, or maybe a couple!

Know why do you want to join the industry, it could be for the fame, or your love for acting, storytelling, direction, but be sure of your intention, because it is only your passion that will keep you going.

You have a difficult road ahead of you, even I sometimes think why am I not on the set, why am I not shooting, but in the end, if you know your intention, that will keep you going.

And most importantly, be true to yourself.

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Social Media

Intervention?

We have moved through various stages of development of technology and seem to move through various levels of addiction with it. Take the quiz with our expert psychologist, Prerna Kohli, and learn to deal with social media de-addiction.

P

arents of school going children worry that their child is addicted to social media, internet, computers and video games. Should parents be genuinely concerned or is this a shift in society that the parents are unable to accept? In our parent’s generation television entered the homes, and became a norm, just like the radio used to be in our grandparent’s gen-

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eration. If you are a parent today, we had the VCR as a technology which had started to rule and in this current generation the computer and its avatars rule. The moot question is, is an overload of social media an addiction? and if so what are the choices for the Social Media addict and the addict’s family?

Unfortunately, people don’t realize

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that the more social media we have, the more we think we’re connecting, yet we are really disconnecting from each other. In earlier generations, teenagers would connect with each other over sports, entertainment and outings, now it is via Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on the social media addiction and not other

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Question

1. You spend more than 45 minutes a day on social media, in fact you are spending multiple hours a day on social media, thereby isolating yourself away from social life.

2. You check your mobile phone every few minutes for any notification on Facebook, Twitter mentions and such.

3. You think your world is over when you have no internet access to Twitter, Facebook or any other social media platform 4. You assume other people can understand what you mean by your terms such as BRB (‘Be right back’), CMI (‘cannot make it’), LOL (‘laugh out loud’) etc 5. You have to check in at every new location to let everyone know where you are.

6. You literally announce to everyone on social media what you are doing every day, every hour. Things like watching a movie, having lunch, etc 7. You tag your friends on pictures that do not involve them, in order to make sure they see the pictures on their Facebook timeline.

8. You start to #hashtag #about #everything #under #the sun.

9. You freak out if your pictures are not uploaded onto Instagram or Facebook.

10. Words like ‘Tweet’, ‘Insta’, ‘Pinned’, ‘Updates’, ‘Hashtags’ suddenly have become part of your everyday language 11. You cannot live a day without social media; you need to travel with it, eat with it, sleep with it 12. You think someone is an alien if he or she does not have a social media account.

13. You love to stalk your friends via Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts.

14. You feel proud when a picture of yours get a hundred likes on Facebook.

15. Every food you eat does not only go into your digestive system. It will also go into your Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook accounts.

16. You feel upset when nobody comments on your updates in on Facebook.

17. You add strangers on Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter, to make up the numbers.

18. Social media has become part of your daily ritual; like sleeping and eating.

19. You would wake up in the middle of the night or the first thing upon waking is to check your social media for updates.

20. You feel uncomfortable communicating with friends without using any social media device.

Score

Interpretation

1-5

No addiction: The individual has limited interest in social media, and is currently not at risk of a social media addiction.

6-10

Healthy Social media user: The individual is active in social media, but has other interests in life

11-15

Borderline addiction: The individual is a borderline addict, and it is necessary to start engaging in other activities

16-20

High level of addiction: The individual is a social media addict and needs to take action to handle this addiction

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Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 21

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forms of addiction which are available via the computer.

So what determines if a person is a social media addict? To determine if someone is a social media addict, have them accurately answer the above given 20 questions with a yes or no.

In case of High and Borderline social media addiction, it is recommended that appropriate interventions be taken. In my opinion, where one has over 20 years of experience and has been counseling patients with various forms of addiction (such as drugs, alcohol, smoking, and social media) professional counseling may be required if a person spends excessive

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number of hours each day on social media platforms.

It takes discipline not to let social media steal your time. For a de-addiction to be successful the following steps are necessary: Acknowledge that there is an addiction.

Whenever the addict has the urge to log in to see what’s new, they should stop and think what is the purpose and reason of joining this social networking site in the first place, is it to connect with old friends or find people with common interests, and is this session going to fulfill this objective?

Think how much time would the addict need for these activities that

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they signed up for, be fair to the social media addict, make a timetable with time slots of the various activities that they would be doing while online. Say, 15 minutes for checking and replying to notifications and 10 minutes to update their profile etc.

Stick to this time slot and only use the social networking site when they know that all activities for that day have been completed. The addict should realize that it is impossible to take a “break” to do social media and then return to studying. The addict should only log on when all pending activities have been completed.

Delete extra people from the friend list, the more the people, the more vast the news feed, the more time will be spent on checking things out while. online Cull out unnecessary social media friends and retain a reasonable number of online friends who are real friends.

If an important assignment is due then temporarily deactivate all the account or install COLD TURKEY (www. getcoldturkey.com), a software which physically blocks various addicting sites.

Think about the useful things that can be done instead of wasting time on these sites. One could: Learn a new language, play an instrument, socialize physically and not virtually, get fit and exercise, learn a new recipe, take the dog out, date a decent guy/girl, do yoga, read a book or even pursue a fun hobby.

If none of the above works permanently delete your account, remember it’s for the best.

Believe in oneself, you are better than the addiction and can, beat this addiction.

Social media is not harmful, and in fact can be beneficial, as long as it does not overtake the student’s life. In general, 45 minutes of social media everyday is more than sufficient. If more time is spent on social media than it would require parental intervention, and counseling with an expert.

For more information log onto http://www.drprernakohli.in/

W o r t h y

Acting the Labor

O p p o n e n t

Children in media often get a lot of spotlight for their talent. But we asked our student reporters if their working did not amount to child labor as well.

The Right Exposure

The Working Child

cting, dancing, singing and other creative forms of expression are various mediums to express art. How can child artists performing be child labour when it’s done at their own will?

‘Child labour’ is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to their physical and mental development.

Children working in media and entertainment sector do not fall under the purview of this definition. As far as the childhood and development of a child is concerned, they do get to attend school and their education is not compromised at any stage. Gone are the days when education was just limited to books and text books, now the emphasis is on holistic development and it helps these students to grow as individuals. It helps one learn life skills like strong work ethics, adaptability, poise, responsibility and if they have the potential, then why shouldn’t they go for it. It’s a win win situation. Instead of molding children a certain way, it helps them unfold.

Talking in terms of legality, till date four laws have been enacted for the protection of children from child labor. The law also specifies in what conditions a child below 14 is allowed to work. Since, the conditions in the entertainment sector cannot be termed unsuitable, acting cannot be considered child labour.

From Master Raju To Darsheel Safary, child stars have been an incredible success in the Hindi film industry, other than these there have been other successful global icons we know like Leonardo Di Caprio, who started acting at very early age.

We have come a long way, it is acceptable globally, and children have proved their mettle walking and adapting themselves to this dynamic world.

hild labor is defined as “the employment of children in any work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful.” Working for media can definitely be considered as an interference with one’s childhood. Being all dolled up for television is not something children should be engaged in. It’s their age to learn concepts in their textbooks, not mugging up the script, which basically is taking them to maturity before their age.

How can children attend school if their contract involves ten hours of morning shooting? Children are being deprived of their right to being educated, and home schooling is not always considered proper education.

We all are familiar with shows such as “Crime Patrol” or “Savdhaan India”. Many stories of child harassment are presented by children themselves. Doesn’t this become a part of depriving children from their childhood? It might teach them to be aware of what’s happening around them, but isn’t this making them doubt their surroundings, people around them?

Small children working in daily soaps is almost evil. How is it morally acceptable that young girls are playing matchmakers for the protagonists at the age of nine or how they are being kidnapped a thousand times in one season? In my opinion, this is a big distraction from their education.

Working at the age of eight or nine is not the kind of a exposure the child needs; it does not help in anyway to retain their childhood. Earning money at such a young age is not what they should be engaged in, and having huge amount of workload on their back is almost torturous. In my opinion, working for entertainment industry or digital media is definitely qualifies partly as child labour.

A

By Simran Sachdeva Class XI New Era Public School, Mayapuri, New Delhi

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By Anjishtha Sharma Class X New Era Public School, Mayapuri, New Delhi

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Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 23

FP ia tg ef oH re aL di f e

Holi Hacks

It’s that time of the year when the toughest time decisions will be made.

But how can one miss Holi for anything. Our expert, Dr. Jaishree Sharad shares with you some tips to take care of your skin on the holi-day!

H

oli is a festival of colours and one of the most widely celebrated festivals in the country, especially in North India. Holi is also symbolic of the triumph of good over evil.

Aptly called as the festival of colours, it is that time of the year again when people come together, rejoice and apply colour on each other to share their joy. However, a lot of people use heavy metals and chemicals instead of organic colours and this may be detrimental to the skin and eyes as well.

Let us see how to take care of our skin during Holi : Skin issues due to holi colour which is not organic : • dry skin • dry hair • brittle nails • rash hives • irritant contact dermatitis • allergic contact dermatitis in case of atopics • flare up of acne, dandruff, atopic, psoriasis The black paste has lead oxide, green has copper sulphate, and red has mercury sulphate. The shimmering given to these colors is by mica and powdered glass, which are meant for industrial use, all these can cause skin irritation. There can be itching, a red rash and irritation on the area of contact.

Skin care It is advisable to use natural/skin friendly and organic colours or the ones made by reputed companies using natural products. Colours made from flowers and coloured vegetables like beetroot are the safest.

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Wear clothes that cover the maximum part of your body.

Apply a barrier cream (white soft, yellow soft, paraffin) prior to playing Holi to all exposed parts to act as a barrier against the harmful effects of colour.

Follow it up with sunscreen, preferably waterproof. For the hair, use oil or gel to counter the harmful effects of colours.

Since Holi colours cause skin dryness, vaseline should be put under nails and soles, elbows and other dry areas of the body.

Use oil on your hair, too. People with long hair can tie their hair into a bun or ponytail. This will prevent the colour from harming the roots of the hair and will also ensure that the colour from the hair washes off easily.

Apply dark color nail paint to your nails so that the nails do not get colored. Later one can remove the nail paint.

If colour is applied onto your face, rinse immediately with clean water.

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Do not rub the skin vigorously with soaps, etc. to wipe the face of gulal but instead, opt for a cleanser to clean the face. Use warm water and moisturising soap to scrub off the colours. Using a cream cleanser or baby oil, gently massage off the leftover colour. Other good colour removers are vinegar, mustard oil, curd, soap nut (reetha) extract.

Follow this up with lots of moisturiser.

Use plenty of conditioner after shampooing.

For irritated skin or minor rashes, apply a mixture of calamine lotion with a few drops of mometasone lotion (example: Elocon lotion). Apply an ice pack on the irritated skin. If the condition persists, visit a dermatologist.

If you have acne, wash your face clean with Cetaphil cleanser and apply an antibiotic gel like clindamycin.

In case of any rash or allergy, treatment would include taking a non-sedative, anti-allergic tablet, like Cetrizine.

P o s i t i v e l y

P o s i t i v e

While no one can deny the joy a dog brings into the lives of humans, the strays on the streets often get mistreated and ignored.

For her absolute love for them, Mahi Ghia decided to use her musical talents for raising awareness and funds to help the street dogs in Mumbai.

A Friend In-Deed

S

ince a very young age I have had an innate affinity towards having a pet dog. At the age of ten, Chloe, my Yorkshire Terrier, entered my life bringing with her immense love and affection. It is from this point onwards, I became more aware of the other dogs in my immediate surroundings. Seeing the stray dogs on the street that did not have a home really moved me and made me want to help them live a life that they deserved. Apart from giving the stray dogs food and water in my neighbourhood I felt like I wanted to do something more for them and wanted each and every one of them to have a loving home like Chloe did.

After about 3 years I stumbled across the Welfare of Stray Dogs and volunteered with them for a year. WSD has been helping these dogs for over thirty years- treating their wounds, sterilising them, and vaccinating them against rabies. This has been a great initiative as compared to the past - the Indian Government would kill the stray dogs to reduce their population. By sterilising them, we not only reduce their number, but we also reduce human injuries from dog bites, as sterilised dogs have less aggression. Even though all of this reduces their population, the

problem of street dogs not having a home still persists.

I decided to organise a musical fund raiser concert as I love to sing and play the piano. It occurred to me that I should probably use that to do something useful like raising money for stray dogs. I approached my friends who are musically talented to support me and they all loved the idea of supporting WSD. My brother and his friends also supported me very enthusiastically.

The next thing was to find a venue.

I hunted everywhere. Since I had planned to hold the show on January 26th , outdoors seemed ideal as the weather in Mumbai at the time is always lovely. Unfortunately, due to lots of rules and regulations about decibels etc., it became impossible. Some places turned out to be too expensive. Finally I approached my mum’s friend Tarini who is a partner at Cafe Zoe, and she was very happy to support the cause.

The support I received from the others was overwhelming as well. We had a lot of fun practicing for the concert over two months although it was hard sometimes to get everyone together. Between friends, family and well wishers they donated sound, lights, carpet, sun boards and money. My singing teacher

Stephen helped throughout to help us put the show together. Around three hundred people attended the concert.

We raised a little more than fifteen lakhs!

This money will now be used towards reducing rabies and campaigning for adoption of stray dogs, also known as pariahs.They are well adapted to our environment and are strong and healthy, perfect to keep as pets. These dogs are in desperate need of homes, so instead of importing a purebred dog, adopting a Pariah would not only help get dogs off the street, but will also open your heart up to a whole new world. Dogs are unconditionally loving and loyal, they deserve happiness and homes.

I am thankful to each person who has supported my endeavour. My school, parents, friends and family. Each one has made a difference and I hope we can continue to do so in the future.

You can also lend your support to Welfare of Stray Dogs by, visit their website here:http://www.wsdindia.org/

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By Mahi Ghia Class XI DSB International School , Mumbai

Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 25

E x p e r t

E x p r e s s i o n

How Not to

Review a Movie!

People will often tell you different ways to do things on the internet, but we finally found someone who tells how to NOT! Tanima Kedar in conversation Sucharita Tyagi, and her immensely popular YouTube video series, Not a Movie Review.

F

rom her haircut to her sense of humour, from her YouTube videos to her Radio show, from her comedy gigs to her t-shirts, Sucharita Tyagi is quirk personified.

Sucharita, who started out as a Radio Jockey at the age of 19, continuing to drive radio listeners crazy after shifting base to Mumbai, has now taken YouTube by storm with

her uniquely hilarious movie reviews, ironically titled; Not a Movie Review.

A cinema lover; not a critic, Sucharita has done it all, from voice overs, to comedy shows, to a wildly successful radio show.

“I like to try new things, that’s why I say yes to everything that comes my way. A friend came to me and said, “Hey why don’t you try comedy?” and I thought why not?”

However, the nation knows

26 | | Volume 3 | Issue 5 | March 2017

Sucharita as an RJ first, so how did she join YouTube as a movie reviewer you ask? Well there is an interesting story behind it.

Sucharita has been an integral part of Film Companion, a community of cinema lovers, spearheaded

by Anupama Chopra. The Film Companion YouTube channel uploaded movie reviews

Rapid fire (of sorts)

by Anupama, regularly, which were religiously followed by the channel’s subscribers. So when Anupama was occupied by the Mumbai Film Festival, the producers immediately thought of Sucharita, because she is hilarious (everyone knows that, duh!).

“When I mailed the first ever review to pro-

Hollywood or Bollywood? : Cinema!

Favourite movie right now: La La Land Actors you would love to interact with: Ryan Reynolds and Chris Pratt.

Favourite thing about Delhi: The greenery Favourite thing about Mumbai: The city lets me be me.

A movie reviewer, besides yourself, that you follow: Anupama Chopra, cinema is in her blood.

Is there a story behind your haircut: Naah, I just wanted to try something different.

One piece of advice: Fact check your facts.

Your mantra in life: Never stop trying.

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E x p e r t how it is. One of the most important things that a viewer takes away from her videos is that one should only judge a film by how it makes them feel, not by their friends’ opinions, not by the critic’s rating, but the sheer

duction, in the subject I wrote, ‘Not a Movie Review’, and so we decided to call it that!”

And she was an instant hit! The viewers loved her candid reviews, interspersed with witty one liners, rib tickling puns and a slight touch of sass, not to mention, the sheer simplicity of it of the content. And so even after Anupama’s return, the viewers could not have enough of Sucharita, and thus, Not a Movie Review became a permanent segment on the channel.

So what made Sucharita an instant hit with the viewers?

“I simply say what a movie makes me feel, because that is how cinema should be appreciated. It is of course necessary for one to educate themselves about the technical aspects of movie making such as the difference between a script and a screenplay, so that they could appreciate cinema on a deeper level. However, what makes films such a potent form of entertainment is it’s ability to make us feel the exact same emotion, that the characters are feeling.”

If she likes a movie, she says so, if she doesn’t like a movie, she says so, Sucharita gives it to her viewers

E x p r e s s i o n

want to be that annoying person that uses their phone during a movie.”

It is a well known phenomenon that with fans, one also earns some haters, and thus receiving some flack for her reviews of popular movies (read Salman Khan movies), was inevitable, however she has a simple mantra to deal with the haters.

“From among the many people who like my videos, I do not let a few anonymous haters get to me.”

On reviewing a movie, Sucharita points out that one must never stop learning about the various processes that lead to the formation of a feature film, because knowledge doesn’t hurt, right? Another aspect that must not be overlooked is that one must be absolutely sure of the accuracy of the facts that they are stating, thus she advises that everyone must fact check their facts!

“One must never stop trying. Good things won’t happen to you unless you start putting yourself out there.”

At the tender age of 16, Sucharita had started auditioning for radio shows, and happily claims that every decision of her life has led her to this day, where she hosts the #1 prime time show on Radio City Mumbai, uses her wit to make other people laugh, and gets to tell people about the thing that she loves the most, feature films.

Watch ‘Not a Movie Reveiw’ here: emotion that https://www.youtube.com/user/TheFIlmit evokes.

“I do make some notes while Companion/videos watching a movie. As it got diffi- Follow Sucharita at: cult to sneak in a notepad, I started Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ making notes on my phone, with SucharitaKaPage/ the brightness at minimum, I don’t Twitter: https://twitter.com/Su4ita

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Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 27

C y b e r S a f e

Protecting the Blog

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ccording to a survey, every day, on an average, 30,000 new websites are hacked. It seems, hackers find it easy to attack blogs or simple CMS websites as these are most vulnerable and bloggers pay least attention to protect themselves against any such programmed attack.

Your blog could be one of the most important things in the world to you.

It is the platform through which you share your passion and even make

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your income. So why not secure it?

Do not think that your blog is immune to such attacks. A security loophole in your websites could attract a hacker to use it as a playground, they may do anything from installing malware to redirecting your traffic to somewhere else.

In fact, there are two kinds of challenges that a blogger may face – one, the hackers attack and second, the online content theft. When unique-

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Being a blogger is one of the best methods of putting your opinion out there. For people to engage with ideas and for the writer to get a feedback on their writings. But we find an increasing number of attacks on people’s blogs and websites, as we find ourselves deeply entrenched in the world of cyber bullying. Our expert, Amit Dubey gives you the basics of securing your blogs and websites.

C y b e r S a f e ness is the hallmark of quality, content theft becomes a much more serious issue for any blogger.

When most of these CMS website and blogs are created using WordPress platform, there is a generic opinion that an open source script is vulnerable to all sorts of attacks. But that is mostly not true.

Why? Because open source platform gives the user most flexibility and it’s mostly our fault if our website gets hacked. There are some simple configurations that you need to ensure as the owner of the website. So even if you are not a technical person and website management is a headache for you, the day you face an attack, you will have to address the question: What did you do to save your site from being hacked?

If your blog is hacked, you would not only lose your contents but it may also affect your readership and your reputation. It is worth any inconvenience to make sure this doesn’t happen.

If you already write a blog or want to be a blogger, these tips are going to be very useful to you to ensure such safety of your blog and contents.

register to something unique; e.g. private_new_registeration

Use Security Plugins:

You should also install some security plugin which would block the users who would repetitively try to login through admin page even after three consecutive failed attempts. iThemes Security plugin is one of the best such plugins out there. The plugin has a lot to offer in this respect.

You can specify a certain number of failed login attempts after which the plugin bans the attacker’s IP address.

• iThemes Security : iThemes Security gives you over 30+ ways to secure and protect your WordPress site. You must install this plugin and use these features effectively to create a security layer against any such unidentified attacks.

• This plugin offers you the ways to protect, detect and recover your website. Some of these interesting features are mentioned as below.

• Two-Factor Authentication – Randomly generates a code and emailed to you to complete the authentication process.

• Malware Scan Scheduling – A regular auto scanning of your website for malware. If an issue is found, an email is sent with the details.

• Google reCAPTCHA - Protect your site against spammers.

Due to open space platform, all the • User Action Logging - Track when secure login links are also open users edit content, login or logout. in WordPress, just add /wp-login.

• Login LockDown records the IP php or /wp-admin/ at the end of your address and timestamp of every domain name and you get the admin failed login attempt. If more than login page. a certain number of attempts are Anybody can access the backend detected within a short period of of the website using these links and time from the same IP range, then that is the reason why brute force atthe login function is disabled for tack becomes easy for a hacker. Here, all requests from that range. This I would suggest to change the login helps to prevent brute force passpage URL and renaming some key acword discovery. cess locations. That’s the first thing • WP Google Authenticator: The you should do when you start securing Google Authenticator plugin for your website.

• Renaming /wp-admin/ to someWordPress gives you two-factor • Renaming wp-login.php to something unique; e.g. private_new_adauthentication using the Google thing unique; e.g. private_new_ min Authenticator app for Android/ login • Renaming /wp-login.php?action= iPhone/Blackberry

Login page Security to prevent brute force attacks:

Open source platform gives the user most flexibility and it’s mostly our fault if our website gets hacked.

There are some simple configurations that you need to ensure as the owner of the website.

So even if you are not a technical person and website management is a headache for you, the day you face an attack, you will have to address the question: What did you do to save your site from being hacked?

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Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 29

C y b e r S a f e • Wordfence: This security plugin has awesome features: it limits the login attempts, scans the themes and plugins against your WordPress repository versions for changes; scans the comments for phishing URL’s and malware, and checks out for any outdated plugins. Wordfence is a great plugin that you can get free.

Automatically backup your blog:

Whatever security measures you apply on your website but at the end of the day, keeping an off-site backup somewhere is perhaps the best antidote to any such security threats.

If you have a backup, you can always restore your WordPress website to a working state any time you want. There are some plugins that can help you in this respect - BackupBuddy, BlogVault, VaultPress.

You can set it up easily, to create backups every 45 minutes. In case of any hack or disturbance, you can easily restore the site with just one click.

Add links to guard against copy/paste:

Google launched authorship markup in 2011 as a way to connect authors with their web content. Since then, the search giant has continued to tweak the algorithm to give it more importance in search results.

Setup Your Own Google Authorship:

You cannot stop completely the copying of your content; however, you can try out few tools to ensure You can Setup your Own Google that your site is ranked up for that Authorship, Google Authorship is a content and it considers you the must for bloggers and content creoriginal author. ators. Google launched authorship You can use Tynt for this purpose. markup in 2011 as a way to connect While Tynt won’t disable the copying authors with their web content. Since of your content, it adds an attribution then, the search giant has continued URL to your blog anytime someone to tweak the algorithm to give it more copies content from your blog. importance in search results. When After copy, the user will eventually someone has authorship set up corbe pasting something like this, copied rectly, you will see their avatar and content+ read more at http://www. their name next to their content, school-live.com/ along with a content description.

Here, you may think, the smart Their name is a clickable link that thief may just delete the link and helps you find other content the aukeep the required content but there thor has written. It provides a much are chances that some of them won’t more appealing search engine entry even realize it! (great for SEO) and makes your con-

30 | | Volume 3 | Issue 5 | March 2017

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tent more visible in search results. It builds authority by linking your name to the content you write. It helps build trust among web users, and improves brand recognition. If people associate your avatar with excellent content, that’s good for business.

Change the Database Table Names: To protect against SQL Injection attacks If you have ever installed WordPress, then you are familiar with the wp- table prefix that is used by the WordPress database. I recommend you change it to something unique.

If you have already installed your WordPress website with the default prefix, then you can use a few plugins to change it. Plugins like WP-DBManager or iThemes Security can help you do the job with just a click of a button.

(Make sure you backup your site before doing anything to the database).

If you have not taken care any of the above-mentioned steps to secure your blog, you can try out some of these to at least make the way tough for any hacker. Though, blog or website security is an ongoing issue. For every attack they do, we find a solution. For every solution we find, they find a tweak. We shall share more such antidotes in my next issue to power up your blog with a stronger security layer.

Olympics Special

100

11 2 | ISSUE VOLUME 2016 SEPTEMBER

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

The Man in all his

Glory

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

Laser Cane

Ray of Light for

Decoding the

Mahatma The Man & His

DIY? We Love

It!

Mad Stuff with

ons

Hunger Resoluti

Rob

dhigiri Discovering Gan Story behind

Ideas

Jai

Jan and Bani Kohli

The

na Bhai Lage Raho Mun Secure your WiFi

with Amit Dubey

the Elderly

India’s Pride

No Worries!

CyberSafe with

Amit Dubey

Women Ruling

the Rings

Expert Expression

with Pankaj Agarwal

I THINK IT’S WORKING… I HAVE THAT STRANGE FEELING AGAIN… GO ON EATING, BANGLE.

THE QUEEN DOESN’T LIKE TO BE KEPT WAITING! SHE MUST BE IN A RAGE ALREADY!!

WE’VE REPAIRED THE VIMANA, AND WE’VE BEEN LOOKING ALL OVER FOR YOU! NOW PLEASE COME QUIETLY WITH US!

BANGLE! WE’RE BACK TO OUR ORIGINAL FORMS!

WE’RE BACK WHERE WE STARTED, BANGLE! NOW THERE’S NO ESCAPE FOR US!

WOOF!

YOU SOUND OPTIMISTIC!

WOOF! WHAT?

WOOF! WOOF!

OH!

18

17

(COUGH… COUGH).

SMOKE BOMB! WE’RE BEING ATTACKED!!

TAKE COVER!!

I WOULD GIVE MY LIFE TO PROTECT MY GUESTS!! OH-OH! WHO’S THAT COMING!

MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO SAY: ‘GUEST IS GOD!’

IT’S WARRA WARRA! THE WHITE WITCH’S PYTHON!

COME ON, GIRL!

W-WHAT A HUGE SNAKE, BANGLE!

RUN!

WOOF! WOOF!

DADA GIRI AND I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE VIMANA FOR HOURS. HE’S WAITING WITH THE CHARIOT NOT FAR AWAY!

THANK YOU FOR RESCUING US FROM THE QUEEN’S SOLDIERS, SIR.

DON’T MENTION IT! IT IS MY SACRED DUTY AS A HOST TO PROTECT MY GUESTS!

BANGLE! IT’S GOING TO SWALLOW US!!

WOOF WOOF WOOF!!

19

20

TO be Continued...

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Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 33

AA CC oo nn vv ee rr ss aa tt ii oo nn

Insta Famed

Instagram is a hugely popular social media tool for the generation today. And to see someone use it as a tool to make their work reach more and more is incredible.

Team School LIVE had the chance to speak to one such brilliant writer, Rupi Kaur.

H

ow did you start writing? And which was “the moment(s)” you realised that you were going to pursue it?

I’ve been writing as a child and I was a big reader growing up but didn’t begin writing seriously until middle school.

At first it was essays. I won an essay and speech competition in grade 7 and I see that as my first performance. Mea shy introverted, bullied 12 year old now standing in front of hundred students reading my work out loud and accepting an award. It was my first

34 | | Volume 3 | Issue 5 | March 2017

Me- a shy introverted, bullied 12 year old now standing in front of hundred students reading my work out loud and accepting an award.

It was my first step towards becoming the person I always wanted to be.

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step towards becoming the person I always wanted to be.

I always knew that writing would be a part of my life. It gives so much to me.

It allows me to live and breathe, but it wasn’t until I had written and released so much of my work, that I realized this was it. I’ve only come up with the courage to start calling myself a writer recently. I really believe in working at your craft, whatever it may be, and being in a constant state of self improvement. As I work more and more at it – whether it was going to school and studying writing or the natural commitment to constantly

A

ful and there is love. Even after all that is not love has happened, we can be powerful.

writing, I am slowly beginning to accept this reality. And it’s a wonderful feeling.

How did your book, “Milk and Honey” come together?

After writing poetry for years I knew I wanted to see my work published in literary spaces. So I began to figure out how. I took courses. I was in writing workshops- that whole deal. I asked a creative writing professor once how to get published but I was told it was too difficult, poetry basically never got published. I was better off spending my time submitting pieces to literary journals, magazines, and anthologies. When I asked about the self publishing route- I was told no: to surpass the gatekeeper would be looked down upon by my literary peers.

While I was studying at the university, I was active on Tumblr and thereafter, Instagram. As I compiled more and more poetry, the framework of a book – the text and illustration -- was naturally coming together. I was in the midst of a journey represented through milk and honey. I chronicled the process at rupikaur.com/faq where I talk about the actual logistical process.

In November 2014, I self published using amazon’s createspace platform.

It gave me full creative control. It didn’t occur to me to even reach out to publishers to submit unsolicited manuscripts because of years of being told “there was no market for my poetry”. Creative control was most important to me. I didn’t want a publisher to come in and control the art. I wanted to design the cover. I wanted to lay the book out. It was my heart on paper. I wanted to pick the size, font, and colours. Years of study in visual rhetoric and design lead me to fall in love with print and graphic art.

How has social media helped you in your journey?

Social media is a platform. It can be a wonderful way to get your work out and engage with people in such a direct way, for someone who doesn’t fit the traditional look and feel of a writer. I’m a

C o n v e r s a t i o n

When you write about abuse or racism, where do you draw inspiration from?

By the time I am born I had already survived the first battle of my life- against female feticide. I am one of the lucky ones who has been allowed to live, while millions of other girls are killed at or before birth, simply for being born girls.

Our bodies are not our property. We are told we must be conservative. A good South Asian girl is quiet, does as she is told, sex does not belong to her. It is something that happens to her on her wedding night. It is for him.

We know sexual violence intimately.

We experience alarming rates of rape.

From thousands of years of shame and oppression. From the community and from colonizer after colonizer.

I believe we have to challenge this narrative. It becomes our duty to understand and confront the ways we are living. What has happened to us? What is happening to us? Why are we doing the things that we are doing? What can we do about it? Where is our voice? How do we articulate?

What advice would you give to budding poets and writers?

Write. write. write. when you have an inkling to perform, get on stage!

brown girl, born in a Punjabi pind and raised in Toronto. I write about material that isn’t typically seen as profitable for a publishing house. Much of my work is spread through word of mouth. In this way, social media as a platform helps.

What message do you wish to convey to your audience, by means of your writings?

There is a power to us. We are power-

Would you tell the kids today that social media is a viable career?

Social media as a platform can do many things. It’s a convenient way to depict your daily life. It allows you to chronicle your lived experiences. As a mean of displaying your work, it can be wonderful, especially when its used as one of a set of tools for a creator. At the same time, it’s a technological platform and I think it takes time to understand the consequences of what we’re dealing it. It can break down gatekeepers to information and allow for direct communication and discourse, but there is much that we have to unwrap with it.

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Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 35

Pebble Cactus!

Have you always wanted a plant but too wary of taking care of it? Follow these steps to make succulents that not only look great, but also add a pop of greenery to your place!

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You will require: • • • •

Pebbles Acrylic Colours Paint Brush A Pot

Now follow these steps:

1. Collect some pebbles that resemble a cacti. Go for smooth oblong pebbles in different sizes.

2. Now choose a reference image and start painting your pebbles.

3. Use a dark shade of green to coat your pebbles. Next, mix a hint of yellow with the green to make the linear marking found on a cactus. Make sure to make the markings a little crooked, so that it looks natural.

4. Now, use white colour to make the thorns of the cactus.

5. Fill a pot with sand and arrange the pebbles in it, overlapping each other, so that they resemble a cactus plant.

Keep in mind:

1. Have fun with colours, paint different patterns on different pebbles.

2. Use thicker brushes for bold strokes and thinner ones for the markings and thorns.

Watch the DIY video here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=dWcxRmPGhJQ&t=81s

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

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Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 37

P a g e

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

Cat-ty Tales

When two wanderers, a djinn in the form of a baby camel and Prophet Muhammed’s favourite cat, find each other amidst the lurking perils of the dune, their dogged fight for survival fosters an unlikely friendship. And what better way than through stories?

M

uezza frowned again. He dragged a claw through his memory, trying to remember. A cat gathered a great deal by sitting quietly. But some memories were buried deep, deep in his head and it wasn’t always easy to pounce on the exact answer.

There was a trick to it, though. One just had to try and remember where and how they may have heard it and the memory of the words emerged just as they’d heard them. All of this Muezza did, and suddenly it came to him!

‘There are 1,24,000 prophets, of whom 313 are messengers of God. But the first among them was Adam . . . your cousin!’ Muezza smiled.

Baby Jaan nodded. It was day and she knew time was running out. Soon his Shahir would come for Muezza and they would have to go their separate ways. Every story Muezza knew, she wanted to know, too.

38 | | Volume 3 | Issue 5 | March 2017

‘Tell me the story about the whale . . . the one you said was as hungry as I am for stories!’

Muezza nodded. ‘Yes, that’s a good story. I like it, too.’

‘Muezza . . .’ Baby Jaan said, ‘what’s a whale?’

Muezza stared at Baby Jaan. The truth was, he didn’t know either.

‘Umm . . . it’s a sea creature,’ Muezza made up as he went along. ‘With an enormous mouth and a giant belly, and the rest you will understand as I tell you the story of Prophet Yunus.’

‘Can you draw me a picture?’ Baby Jaan asked suddenly. ‘Am I a cat or an artist?’ Muezza growled.

‘Who said you can’t be both?’ She batted her eyelids at him as she had seen a girl in the caravan do. Baby Jaan had seen a boy then run to do the girl’s bidding at that.

Muezza swallowed. Whenever the female ginger cat at Shahir’s home batted her eyelids at him, he wanted

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to slide up to her and start a conversation. But when Baby Jaan did it, he wanted to screech and dash up the nearest date palm.

‘What do I draw with? And where?’ he asked, trying to erase that image of Baby Jaan.

‘I’ll turn into a stick and you can draw on the sand with me,’ she said.

‘You don’t give up, do you?’ Muezza sighed.

‘My bad . . .’ Baby Jaan said, batting her eyelids again.

Muezza grabbed the stick that Baby Jaan had turned into and drew what he thought was a whale. He took great care to emphasize the gigantic mouth and enormous teeth, which were a crucial element in the story.

It still didn’t seem right so he patted the sand with his paws such that the teeth stood out like real teeth.

When it was done, he stood looking at it carefully, head cocked to one side. The stick turned into a baby

P a g e

camel but he was oblivious to the transformation.

‘Wow . . .’ a voice said, snapping him out of his thoughts. ‘Me likey!’

Muezza grinned and clutched at a stray whisker on his chin thoughtfully. He had seen poets do that. Artists, he presumed, would do the same.

‘Right,’ he said, pretending not to hear the admiration in the baby camel’s exclamation. ‘So that’s a whale.’

‘And now the story?’ she said and promptly sat on the whale composition. ‘And, yes, now the story,’ Muezza repeated and closed his eyes.

It was a trick he had learnt very recently—to narrate a story as if it were playing out before his eyes . . .

The people of a town called

9 9

Tomorrow would be better, he believed.

The next day was cool and pleasant. But again, no one seemed inclined to hear him. ‘Why don’t you leave us alone?’ they grumbled. ‘We and our forefathers have always lived like this. Our gods may not be your god but no harm has come to us. So why should we change our ways?’ The prophet was beginning to lose heart and so, after a few days, he decided to leave Nineveh for good.

‘There is no point in trying to convince any of you . . . I may as well speak to rocks. You do not heed God’s word or the message I bring to you . . .’ And then, unable to help himself, Prophet Yunus raised his staff in anger. ‘God shall come down on you like a cliff of bricks, a nest of hornets, a series of floods . . . I do not know in what way God will choose to punish you, but do what you are doing and in three days all of you will be dead!’

Prophet Yunus walked away and so great was his rage that he didn’t look where he was going. He walked and walked until he arrived at the seashore where he boarded a ship.

Meanwhile, in Nineveh the sky began to change colour and turned hot as fire and red as blood. The people of Nineveh remembered that a prophet named Nuh had warned Nineveh in the Mosul province were a the people thus and none had lisdissolute lot. They did as they pleased tened to him till the Great Flood had and since the town had been free of happened. So they looked at each wars and natural calamities, they other and agreed as one to offer presumed their ways were all right. their prayers to God. They climbed However, God decided it was time a mountaintop and begged for his that they were told a few truths. So forgiveness and mercy.

He guided Prophet Yunus bin Matta And so God spared them from punto the town of Nineveh. ishment. The sky turned blue again Yunus arrived on a hot, dry day and the people of Nineveh returned and called to the people to come to their homes. They beseeched God hear the message he’d brought—the to send Prophet Yunus back to them word of God. Hopeful, Yunus waited to teach them God’s word. But where at the townsquare. He was eager to on earth was Prophet Yunus? tell them all that he knew. But no one Excerpted with permission from Pufcame. And those who did, went away fin Books from Muezza and Baby saying they had things to do.

Jaan: Stories from the Quran by The prophet went to bed disheart- Anita Nair. Available in all bookened. But he put it down to the heat. stores.

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Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 39

S t u d y

G u i d e

Insider’s Guide to Admissions:

Summer Schools Edition

While winter is barely over, and Grade 12 students are in the midst of exams and preparation, it’s time to think of Summer Schools for students in Grade 9, 10 and 11! Our expert, Urvashi Malik to the rescue.

Y

ou may think college applications are long off but unfortunately, time goes by faster than you think. Every year we get lots of people reaching out to discuss summer schools in May, but the time to apply is NOW. January and February are the best times to start planning for summer schools abroad.

But wait, even though, the trend of attending a summer program by high school students is really catching on in India and the BIG question

40 | | Volume 3 | Issue 5 | March 2017

is that is it really worth all the effort, time and money spent?

Is it becoming just about keeping up with that one kid in your class or is there a link between that an admissions? There is a lot to unpack in this article.

Well first thing to know is…

Q. What is a Summer School or a Summer Program?

Summer school is known to be a great way for students to pursue new interests, enhance existing talents,

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and build new contacts.

Q. Do they ACTUALLY act as a catalyst in gaining admission to a college of your choice?

In a simple way, we have parents each year asking, “If my child goes to Harvard Summer School, does that mean he will get into Harvard?”

Here is the truth.

Attending a summer program no doubt indicates to colleges that you’re dedicated to studying and gaining knowledge. However, when

S t u d y

G u i d e

you talk to admission officers they are of the opinion that these summer programs rarely give student that much of advantage when the time comes for them to apply to college. Yes, they do add great value to your resume/CV but understand that this is not your ticket to your desired college.

WAIT! Before you stop reading though…

Q. Why should you consider pursuing a summer school/ program?

Summer program is the best way for students to fulfill their aspiration for global exploration and at the same time be committed to making the most of campus life. It’s a chance to figure out if they are ready.

Explore new areas of interest, strengthen interest in a particular major and illustrate their readiness for the education system to admissions officers.

Chance to experience what classes will be like and the level of work you will need to put in to succeed.

Get hands on experience with international companies in form of internships which is inbuilt in some programs Consider the possibility of incorporating your summer school experience in your essays Q. What should I look for in a program?

Is it the right time to dedicate to a summer program? AP exams are in the summer and sometimes Summer School overlaps with regular term for students. In some schools that means missing class and even exams.

Is the school/program selective or does it take anyone who applies? If a selective program like Yale (YYGS), Boston Univ (PROMYS), Stanford (SuMAC), Princeton Journalism or UPenn LBW accepts you it is an indicator that you are stronger than some of your peers

Don’t waste your money on a non-selective program that won’t add too much value.

Colleges are coming to us! Whether it’s Ashoka’s High School Program, UChicago Summer School, Columbia University programs or MIT, the schools are coming to us and you should make the most of these opportunities.

High School Program, UChicago Summer School, Columbia University programs or MIT, the schools are coming to us and you should make the most of these opportunities.

Q. Should I go this year or next year?

Well, this is rather subjective and really depends from student to student.

As per our experience we believe that you should join a summer program in the summer of your grade 10 and/or grade 11. The reason being that this time you are relatively free and have more time in hand as compared to when you are in grade 12 trying hard to balance your school You are ready for a rigorous col- life and college application work. lege curriculum However, other programs that Q. So going back to the big you can pay for and get in are less question, should I apply? valuable in terms of being “an indiYES! Summer School is worth it if cator” because even the admissions Your timing is right officers know they are not selective.

You can afford it.

If the program adds value to your Q. Do I have to go abroad? application process either as a selecNo! Going to summer school abroad tive program that is an indicator or can cost as much as $10,000 for two an exploratory program that allows weeks. Don’t waste your money on you to show interest in a major a non-selective program that won’t add too much value. Colleges are For more information, log on to coming to us! Whether it’s Ashoka’s http://www.collegecore.in/

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Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 41

B l o g

sual &

There are a lot of different ways people make sense of the world around them, our young reporter, Ayesha Malhotra tells you one such way.

W

e are all humans, the most complicated and people say the best creation of God. We have many things in common. We have two eyes, two ears, one nose, one mouth, one heart and one brain. And the functioning of all the organs I listed are same for all the individuals.

But there are two organs which do not work in the same way in all the humans. These two areyour heart and brain. Every brain does not think alike and not every heart has same feelings about a particular thing.

This is how we are made, Different and Unique. We can not have same feelings.

Okay, so I am a girl and I like a guy. That’s perfectly fine to the society. There’s a guy who likes a girl, we’re fine with that too. Because we consider this *Normal*. No, Normal is not the right word. The right word is *Usual*. This is usual and hence the society doesn’t get judgemental about it. But when a guy likes a guy or a girl likes a girl, the society questions their feelings. They use

42 | | Volume 3 | Issue 5 | March 2017

the word *Abnormal*. No, it isn’t that. It’s just a bit *Unusual*, not a problem or an abnormality. The society begins to boycott them or do anything else to make them feel rejected and avoided.

But how dare the society question

an individual’s feelings?! Everyone has a heart. A heart which feels differently and that’s how we are made. We categorize people as normal and abnormal, transgender and what not but it’s not like that, it can only be categorized as Usual and Unusual. Unusual isn’t something wrong, it’s just different and should be accepted by the society. We have no right to stand against someone’s feelings. After all,

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there is love between them, why is it important to be between a man and a woman only?

They are normal beings, they have feelings which society needs to understand and if they can’t do that, at least they should not go against them . We have a set mentality which really requires a change.

We need to Respect and help all the people who are categorized as LGBT to get their rights.

And if you’re going against them, only one thing for you- ‘Love Conquers All’.

And they will go through the judgments and comments of the society and some day make them realize that loving a person of same sex isn’t a mistake, it’s pretty natural. And if you say your religion doesn’t support this, let me remind you it’s your very own Lord who created us and our hearts and the feelings inside it.

By Ayesha Malhotra Class XI Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar

T i m e l i n e

Charting the YouTube!

An explosion in ways to capture video, but no good way to share it. This was what was going through the minds of the now founders of YouTube, then PayPal employees, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. Maybe they predicted the media explosion that would happen with the release of the platform, maybe they didn’t. But what can surely be said is that YouTube has grown into a widespread cultural media phenomenon. With over 46000 years’ worth of annual content as of October 2016, (Source: ExpandedRamblings) YouTube has made its mark on the world as the ‘go-to’ hub for digital video content.

Release (2005)

The domain name, “youtube.com” was activated on February 4, 2005. The video upload options were integrated on 23rd April 2005, with the first ever YouTube video, uploaded by co-founder Jawed Karim, titled “Me at the zoo” was uploaded on the same day.

YouTube, like most technological organisations which would go on to achieve greatness, started from a makeshift garage, with an initial $3.5 million investment followed by an additional $8 million.

Rise to Fame (2006-2007)

YouTube was one of the fastest growing webpages in the summer of 2006, which proved that nothing was hindering its growth towards becoming one of the biggest internet platforms.

In 2006, YouTube was purchased by Google, and its content creators cited as ‘People of the Year’ in TIME Magazine.

On 8th October 2006, Google announced that it would purchase YouTube for $1.65 billion in stock.

YouTube, however, kept operating independently throughout the deal with its co-founders and 67 employees under Google. The deal of Google acquiring YouTube was completed on 13th November, 2006.

Continuing Glory (2007-Present) YouTube had become a cultural

In 2009, the domain “youtubenocookie.com” was introduced for videos coded with US government content.

YouTube and Google+ became buddies (2011)

phenomenon worldwide, and a very large one at that. In 2007, it was rumoured that YouTube consumed almost as much bandwidth as the entire During November 2011, the Google+ Internet. social networking site was integrated directly with YouTube and the Chrome web browser, allowing YouYouTube also started its own award Tube videos to be viewed from within series, the YouTube Awards, annual the Google+ interface. The rage it awards given out in recognition of the induced amongst the YouTube user best YouTube videos of the preceding base is a totally different matter. year as voted by the YouTube comYouTube launched over 100 “premunity. mium” YouTube channels in during YouTube also made its mark with- the course of late 2011 and early 2012, in the political world, as, in July and reporting a $100 million initiative November 2007, YouTube partnered cost. Those “premium” channels later with CNN to produce televised presi- became 404 ERROR pages.

YouTube relaunched the main dedential debates, in which YouTube was used as a medium to ask ques- sign scheme of the YouTube webpage tions to the presidential candidates. to match with that of the mobile and tablet apps.

“Gangnam Style” became the first YouTube video to surpass one billion views.

NO. I WILL NOT MENTION YouTube dived into the TV show field “PPAP”. from 2008-2011 partnering with giants like MGM Entertainment to stream accessible online TV shows in By order to create competition with sites Neelabh Keshav Sinha Class X like Hulu. It also introduced a film Delhi Public School, Gautam rental service for users in the US and Buddha Nagar.

Canada in 2010.

YouTube Awards (2007)

YouTube joined hands with TV (2008)

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Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 43

R A P

U P

Y

es, I am a monster!’ screeched Meenakshi, her eyes flashing, baring her claws at her mother. ‘See them? If anyone hurts me, I shall hurt them with these!! I am Surpanakha!’ Was she really the perpetrator of the war?

Or was she the victim? Was she the cause of destruction?

Or was she as the title suggests, Lanka’s Princess?

Surpanakha never strikes you as a princess. She is always the ugly, untamed, monstrous sister of Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. But come to think of it we have never heard or read something else apropos of her.

The plot develops as the character grows from a small,

CarryMinati

T

he most trending youtuber in India just after Bhuvan Bam is none other than Ajey Nagar, famously know for his YouTube channel ‘CarryMinati.’ He has been a YouTuber since 2014.

When he was just 15 years of age, Ajey Nagar started his gaming channel on YouTube, ‘STeaLThFeArzZ’ which wasn’t so successful and was later deleted. After a while, he started other channel named as ‘Carry Deol’ which was his first ‘rant’ channel, and the channel was later renamed as ‘CarryMinati’.

Ajey Nagar lives with his parents and his brother in Faridabad, Delhi NCR. The YouTuber is a student of humanities at Delhi Public School, Faridabad.

At the age of 17, knowingly or unknowingly, he has achieved a lot. Mr. Funnybone has been showered with love and blessings, mostly by the people of his

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Lanka’s Princess

by Kavita Kane

beautiful Meenakshi with fish-shaped eyes into a Surpanakha charting out a path of misery and revenge, becoming a woman ‘as hard as nails’. I love how the traditional antagonist who plays the protagonist here has been painted a perfect shade of grey. The author has presented before the readers an incredible array of powerfully portrayed emotions.

Surpanakha had since the very beginning been the disregarded one, the one no one cared for.

She was neither the apple of age. Being one of India’s fastest growing YouTuber, the witty CarryMinati has around 110 videos, more than 600,000 subscribers and over 75 crore views on his channel. His previous videos consisted of game plays and the clips of viral videos which he made fun of, whereas in some recent videos he has been showing his face to his audience via facecam. Some of his famous videos are: ‘Making Money with BB Ki Vines’, ‘Girl With Sweg’, ‘Roasting BB Ki Vines’, and ‘The Perfect Partner’.

He starts off his videos with a simple gesture: “Toh kese hain aap log?” , which still makes all of us laugh our hearts out. As said by him in one of his videos, his mantra to get people to like his work is by simply being himself. He believes that nobody could ever achieve something by being someone they’re not, and that’s what keeps him

R a p her mother’s eyes like Ravan or Kumbhkaran nor her father’s darling like Vibhishan. She had always been the Surpanakha all were wary of. She was always the one to be ignored. And she would be still be if it wasn’t for a book like this.

The book is amazingly crafted.

It attracts us to the demoness who everyone has till now deemed to be nothing but ugly and unattractive.

It has captured and influenced my mind and I think it is a must read for all. I would give it four stars out of five and a thumbs up!

By Suhani Kumar Class VIII Pragyan School, Greater Noida

going. ‘CarryisLive’ is a new channel made by Ajey where he does Live stream while playing video games, and it has more than 1,00,000 subscribers with 15,00,000+ views already.

He once found himself in a lot of controversy when there were 3 strikes at his channel. YouTube had the right to delete his channel entirely within a week, but because of all the support from people his channel is still alive and progressing. He has truly achieved a lot at a very young age, and there’s still a long way to go for Ajey Nagar. He appreciates the love and care of each and every person who has supported him. He can be clearly seen as an inspiration for all the young, and budding YouTubers out there who actually want to achieve heights in comedy, and can use YouTube as a platform to showcase their talent and try their luck.

By Amani Chowdhry Class XI Ahlcon international School, Mayur Vihar

U p

Homegoing | by Yaa Gyasi

Y

aa Gyasi’s Homegoing is a daedal yet efficacious tale of alterations through generations occurring over two centuries, rummaging through the motifs of slavery, colonialism, racial discrimination, and redemption in a veracious approach.

The tale commences in the 1770s in an Asante village of Ghana when a puerile girl - Effia - is sold to become the bride of a British slave-trader in Cape Coast Castle. The slaves are kept cooped up in the dungeons underneath the castle, anticipating conveyance to the British colonies through the Middle Passage. One of them is Effia’s 15-year-old half-sister - Esi. Abducted amidst a foray on her village, Esi was taken to the castle by the locals working for the British shipping cargo. The tale unfurls into consecutively wreathed narratives, some as legends, rest as nightmares, which stir among the lineages of Ghana and USA, as the unique protagonists become fragments of a perturbed ancestry.

Homegoing emerges more as an accumulation of threaded tales than an orthodox novel as Gyasi attempts to incorporate continuity by the perpetual reference of an ancestral stone pendant. As each lineage unravels, each becomes impotent in the face of their ancestry. It starts from Esi’s appalling experience in

the castle dungeons, Effia’s son - Quey, facing forfeiture of wealth, family, and identity, to Esi’s daughter - Ness, facing brutal scourge for her attempts at escape.

As readers delve into the book of diverse narrations, they may find the book slightly overbearing with the immense display of a number of lives and their emotional interiors. Gyasi uses the very tone to her own advantage, making the readers acknowledge how brutal, depraved, foul, and horrendous slavery was. It is towards the end the book Gyasi diminishes its urgency with Marjorie and Marcus - the closing characters of the book, in order to show the advancement in the black community.

Gyasi’s prose inflicts artfully, harmoniously melding with the time periods and their settings. The chapters of the 1700s reverberate with the notes of fables, and chapters of the contemporary era glint with a perspicuous realism.

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By Malvika Nair Class XII Shikshantar School, Gurgaon

Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 45

R A P

U P

K.C. Undercover

S

et in Washington DC, K.C. undercover is an action packed, dramatic, spy-comedy Disney sitcom created by Corinne Marshall.

Currently on its second season, KC undercover has been able to capture the hearts of many viewers. It follows the journey a sixteen-year-old, math-wiz tomboy KC Cooper, now a spy in training.

Katrina Charlotte Coretta Scott King “K.C.” Cooper has always been at the top of Hamilton High School’s honor roll and is a Karate black belt.

In the very first episode, K.C.’s parents agree that it’s time for K.C. to take a test to see if she is qualified enough to become a spy or not. K.C. is trapped in the middle of a large room and to pass she needs to escape from there. K.C. escapes the trap and that’s when Craig and Kira cooper (her parents) and some members of the organization decide that she has passed the test with flying colours.

They tell K.C. all about them being spies and how they want to recruit her. She agrees and starts going on all kinds of missions.

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tion, K.C has to erase her memory with the memory spray, at least fake doing so and Marisa is now Her brother, Ernie, the outsider updated about K.C.’s double life.

Our protagonist, her famand a geek, who is NOT known for any sense of style or fashion and is ily, and best friend have a lot labelled the ‘loser’ of their school is of dangerous people to find, unaware of this and tries really hard fight and eliminate, while still to fit in with the family. K.C. tries to posing as a normal American get the organization and her parents family. There is comedy, drama, to get Ernie on board but somehow romance and amazing technology manages the organization to give her along with a lot of really cool gada new sister, “ten-year-old” robot gets. The coopers have a lot going child named Judy (Junior Under- on with unwanted family, biker cover Digital Youth). However, after gangs, spies from the other side, many failed attempts she is able to high school drama and regshow the organization and her par- ular family conflicts. So, if ents Ernie’s skills of hacking firewalls, you are looking for a perfect cracking codes and being the perfect collection of small screen guy to “bake the biscuits”. He proves stories that can make you to be a great help to the cooper family giggle and give you chills all in almost all their missions. at once then go ahead and But being a spy is not really a give this multi-award winpiece of cake, with all her sudden ning series a shot, you would disappearances and always being not regret it. “too busy” K.C. starts neglecting her blonde haired, blue eyed, unique and outgoing best friend Marisa Clark.

By Marisa, however, is able to find out Chhavi Pathak K.C’s secret after watching her take Class X Delhi Public School, down two enemy spies at a sushi bar, RK Puram but due to the rules of The Organiza-

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Technology

Enabled Education

It is a matter of constant debate what role technology plays in the life of students today, our experts at Aakash Institute present their valuable inputs on the matter.

R

apid acceleration in technological advancements has substantially transformed the way we learn by bridging the gap and making the world smaller and more accessible. Any and every type of information is now available at just a click of a button. It is interesting to note how the world and people have changed profoundly and changed fast which has brought a tremendous breakthrough in the way we connect, thrive and share ideas.

We now live in a digitally connected world of social media that has wrought radical transformation where one can share ideas with various technologies at one’s disposal.

Momentous shifts in technology enabled education in the last few years have infused the classrooms with various digital learning tools, thereby increasing student engagement, and motivation, thus, accelerating the learning process. The Internet has opened up troves of knowledge and information that has significantly helped students to gather information. The Cloud-based Learning puts the study material or resources in a virtual environment and enables the students to retrieve information, anywhere, anytime, with an access to the internet. As technology sweeps through the realms of education use of various technological tools such as the Smart Board, LCD Projector, Tablets, etc. has become a norm, rather than exception for conventional Classroom Courses.

With a view to keep pace with the changing times, our live teaching module, Aakash live, disseminates teaching via virtual classrooms that offer affordable solutions and quality teaching, wherein students can also clarify their doubts live while sitting miles away. Technology has, thus, transformed learning and advanced education.

In addition, self-learning has also gathered popularity in the last few years and most of the learning is taking place outside the conventional environment. Our self learning module, Aakash iTutor helps in actively engaging the students and fosters greater accessibility. It makes their lessons interesting, reduces their workload and helps in better understanding of the subject as

students can learn at their own pace and convenience. Further, there is an explosion of free quality education across the world. People are achieving their goals in their own way through social networking, social learning, and contacts that they make outside the formal education process. This aside, proliferation of apps has buoyed the young generation to an extent that it is indeed fascinating to see how teenagers today are developing apps. Technology, thus, ushers in self-learning that has found tremendous traction among technology-savvy generation.

Technology enabled education provides an interactive learning atmosphere to the students and offers a wide range of learning modes and opportunities to track progress and measure outcomes as a seamless part of learning. It standardises technical education and supplements classroom teaching, by promoting greater comprehension and retention, particularly for complex concepts. In other words, technology based education has become a rapidly evolving phenomenon which serves to enrich the teachinglearning process, thereby marking a shift in the way we learn. It offers a wide array of learning modes and technological tools and services that enhance their learning productivity.

Technology enabled education, thus, acts as a catalyst for today’s digital natives that have grown up in an immersive computing environment.

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Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 47

W a t c h

T h i s

S p a c e

Zariya A fest with the perfect combination of dance, music, fashion, and glamor as well as the driving force of an important social cause comes by rarely.

This March, students of Step By Step school along with students from other schools around Delhi NCR, bring to you Zariya, an event celebrating performing and visual arts. Rajavi Mishra, Hanssa Jain, and Sharanya Khemka, three girls from Step By Step School, started Zariya to encourage vocational training amongst underprivileged students since every individual is not designed to be intellectually smart. Joined by the NGO ‘Samarpan Foundation’, the team at Zariya worked for months to promote the performing and visual arts amongst

SANSKAR- The Annual Fiesta The students of class VI of K.R. Mangalam World School, G.K.II joyfully celebrated their Annual Fiesta,‘SANSKAR-Our Inheritance to Righteousness’ on 26 November 2016. The occasion was graced by the benign presence of the Chief Guest, Shri S.L Bansal, Retd. IAS officer, Academic advisors, KRM Group and other esteemed dignitaries.

The presentation began on an auspicious note with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp followed by the school prayer. The spirit of harmony and togetherness engulfed the atmosphere as the talented singers presented a soulful rendition titled ‘Badle Yug ki Dhara’.

The Principal, Ms. Alka Awasthi accorded a warm welcome to the distinguished guests and exhorted the children to stand for the right values and ethics. She also brought to the fore the school’s consistent

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K.R. Mangalam World School, G.K.II efforts at broadening the students’ horizons and moulding them as students of a global world.

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An aura of mirth and festivity filled the amphitheatre as the young and enthusiastic cast of as-

W a t c h

T h i s

S p a c e

So join us at Select CityWalk for an evening which will see high school students perform to support a higher quality of holistic education amongst underprivileged children, enjoy the fashion shows, festive stalls, and the scintillating performances. The Fashion show is being judged by the well-known designer Dolly J. Zariya presents to you Spectrum- the concert where you will witness a music of all genres by our young artists.

Enlighten the show with your presence and contribute to the cause!

20th March, Select CityWalk, Saket 4pm onwards children, and now, on 20th March, who come from unfortunate condiSave the date! they are ready to show the result. Sa- tions, and the expansion of such a Follow us on Instagram – Zariya. marpan has formed a community of community is what Zariya seeks to official or scan the given QR code on love and happiness amongst those achieve. snapchat for more details!

Step By Step school, Noida

Bheem Award Winner piring performers presented the ensemble, ‘Sanskar-Our Inheritance to Righteousness’.

The riveting performance, a confluence of colour, enthusiasm and artistic splendour won an unceasing applause from the audience.

The Chief Guest, Sh. S.L Bansal was highly appreciative of the event and commended the plethora of talent that he witnessed on one platform. He was extremely effusive about the originality, confidence and creativity on display.

The programme culminated with the Vote of Thanks proposed by the Middle School Coordinator, Ms. Bharti Mathur.

Scottish High International School, Making headway and the headlines, Ranveer Singh Saini has been conferred with the highest Sports award of Haryana, ‘Bheem Award’ by the honourable Governor of Haryana Professor Kaptan Singh Solanki at the Haryana Raj Bhawan, Chandigarh on 19th February, 2017 with other outstanding players and Olympians of Haryana.

This prestigious award has been given to him for his extraordinary

Gurgaon

performance in the field of sports and bringing laurels to the Country.

Ranveer Singh Saini is a 16 year old intellectually disabled child who won the first gold medal for India in Golf at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

The star of Haryana, Ranveer has won 3 Gold Medals in Asia Pacific Games, three times Limca Book of Records holder and Sports Illustrated ‘Sportsman of the Year’ 2016.

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Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 49

J u n i o r

D I Y

Ice Cream Stick Wall Decor

What do you do when you have a bunch of ice creams sticks lying around, some free time, and a will to reduce your carbon footprint? You recycle the ice cream sticks and make a chic wall decor for your room!

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J u n i o r

D I Y

You will require: • • • • •

Ice cream sticks Glue Paint Brush Wood Polish Stencil

All of us have made a pen stand with ice cream sticks for our childhood projects, but it’s time to upgrade the good old pen stand!

1. On the stencil, make a hexagon.

The length of each side of the hexagon should be the same as your ice cream sticks.

2. Place three ice cream sticks on alternate sides of the hexagon to make the first layer of your structure.

3. Next, place three ice cream sticks in the gaps, overlapping the first layer, glue them in place.

4. Repeat till you achieve the desired height for your structure.

Let the glue dry.

5. Dilute the wood polish and lightly brush it over your wall decor, and it is ready!.

Hang it in your room and use it as a shelf, or perch it on a table to uplift the look of your room instantly.

Keep in mind:

1. You can choose any symmetrical shape for your wall decor.

2. You can choose different colours to colour your wall decor.

Watch the DIY video here: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=BJ0YAOxkYY&t=265s

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

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J u n i o r

B l o g

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B l o g

Volume 3 | Issue 05 | March 2017 | 53

J u n i o r

S l a m

Grief It was beautiful But she didn’t feel that The site of blue for miles Would overcome everyone with sense of awe But she was overcome with sense of anger Anger at the world Anger at God Anger at herself And then sadness A piece of her heart had broken away that day And was now sitting at the bottom of the sea some place A sense of profound grief filled her As she sat in front of the deep blue water Where her brother had swum to heaven

By Naayaa Mehta Class VI The Shri Ram School, Moulsari

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