School live november 2017

TOTAL PAgeS: 60

Volume 03 | Issue 04 noVember 2017

Khelo India

Step Out & PLAY! The Arching Trio

with Dhayal Siblings

Running through Hell

with Kartik Joshi

Why Playing is Critical

with Bina Nangia

contributors

S C H O O L

L I V E Board Of Directors Richa Aniruddha Sanjay Dua

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.

Hariharan Balagopal EDITOR Mansi Tikoo mansitikoo@gmail.com DESIGNER Ashish Kumar

For AdvertiSING M.G Ramachandran Mo. 9953593081 advertising@school-live.com For subscription editor@school-live.com

C o n ta c t

Veturi Srivatsa

Former Sports Editor, The Times of India. Expert commentator on television and radio.

Amit Dubey

Crime Investigator and expert on ethical hacking.

Bina Nangia Pioneer in the field of Special Education and Dyslexia, Associated with the NGO, Hope Ek Asha

Kritika Negi 9810560472

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

Connect with us at: www.school-live.com Twitter: @schoolLIVE_mag Facebook: School LIVE TOTAL PAgeS: 60

Kavita Devgan

Volume 03 | Issue 04 noVember 2017

Nutritionist, weight management specialist and health writer

Khelo India

Step Out & PLAY! The Arching Trio

with Dhayal Siblings

SCHOOLLIVE

Running through Hell

with Kartik Joshi

Why Playing is Critical

with Bina Nangia

Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 3

Know for Sure Quiz

2 4 6 8 10

Where is the headquarters of the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS)?

• United States • France • Germany • Switzerland

India’s first transgender school “Sahaj International” has started in which state?

• Tamil Nadu • Kerala • Karnataka • Andhra Pradesh

The book “The Secret Chord” has been authored by whom?

• Alice Hoffman • Geraldine Brooks • T D Ramakrishnan • Tishani Doshi

Dinanath Bhargava, who sketched national emblem ‘Lion Capital of Ashoka’, belonged to which state of India?

• Uttar Pradesh • Himachal Pradesh • Odisha • Madhya Pradesh 6.

7.

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China Anil Baijal Meghalaya Madhya Pradesh Shahrukh Khan

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Which of the following states will host the 2022 National Games?

• Uttarakhand • Andhra Pradesh • Meghalaya • Chhattisgarh Which bollywood personality has been conferred honorary doctorate by the Maulana Azad National Urdu University?

• Aamir Khan • Nawazuddin Siddiqui • Shahrukh Khan • Salman Khan

Answers

Who has been appointed as the new Lt Governor of Delhi?

• Vishnu Sahay • Pradeep Sinha • K M Chandrasekhar • Anil Baijal

“Beipanjiang Bridge” the world’s highest bridge is in which country?

• China • France • Japan • Germany

Sorin Grindeanu Switzerland Kerala Geraldine Brooks Haryana

India’s first centre for digital investigation and training has been set up by which state police?

• Kerala • Haryana • Karnataka • Tamil Nadu

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Who has been named as the new Prime Minister of Romania?

• Victor Ponta • Sevil Shhaideh • Klaus Iohannis • Sorin Grindeanu

ed-note

S C H O O L

L I V E

Hi All One of the things I really really missed during my childhood— I wasn’t too keen or involved in sports. I did occasionally play Badminton and was in my school’s Basketball team for a very brief period. But unlike my other friends I didn’t spend much time in regular sports.

But now I realise how playing any sport or simply burning calories through a physical activity is very important for our mental health. Not only for our mental health but overall development too, sports can be a great teacher.

Some important life lessons that Sports teach us1. Its OK to lose, but one should always play hard. The good thing that we see in most sportsmen is that they give their 100% to their game but when they lose, they accept their defeat with grace.

In life too, wish we could all learn that its OK to fail sometimes but not ok to never play the same again :) 2. To be able to appreciate the opponent. You will hardly see any sportspersons criticising their opponent. It doesn’t matter whether they won or they lost. But normally, both, the winner and the loser are generous towards each other with compliments. If, in our daily lives, we start appreciating people around us so generously, the world would certainly be a happier place!

3. Team spirit…for all the team games, have we ever seen one player being blamed for a team loss by other team members? No. Never. They take the responsibility of every win and every defeat as a team. This again is a quality, if imbibed in our professional life or in any team that we work in, would make work a lot easier.

4. Staying FIT..the most important life lesson taught to anyone who loves sports.

So guys, even if you haven’t worn your sports shoes for long, haven’t touched that racquet or hit that ball in ages… DO THAT NOW! And as our Olympic Medalist, Sports Minister Colonel Rajyavardhan Rathore says- KHELO INDIA! Lets together make a fitter India Wishing you a playful life Lovingly yours

Richa Aniruddha tweet to me @richaanirudh

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 5

CROSSWORD NO. 12

CROSSWORD NO. 11

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Down: 1. Forceful pr 2. Cut short ( 3. Narrow pa water (6) 4. Proposed 5. Manager (1 9. Copy (3) 11. Recede (3 15. Speak non (4, 2) 16. Trainees (6 18. Orders (4)

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ACROSS: 23 6. Backwards (10) 7. Cage (4) A. That Fuzzy Feeling 8. Withdrawn (8) 9. Insect (3) 10. Colour (3) DOWN: ACROSS: 12. Halt (4) 1. Small lump (6) 13. Lowly2.(4)Put on (3) 3. Elevate (4) 6. Extremities (4) 14. Consume (3) B. The Mixer 16. Taxi (3) 4. Aye (3) 7. Pleasure (3) 17. Having a thick spire (8) 5. Not even (3) 8. Angry scene (4) 18. Urchin (4) 7. Blossom (6) 11. Is in debt to (4) 19. Opposed (10) A deer or elk’s antlers, during the stage that they are covered with soft fuzz, are harvested to make a substance which is being researched for its ability to heal tissue and act as a growth hormone for humans. What is this substance called?

Ayaan took his car to the garage. The mechanic did some poking and prodding and declared that there was some problem with the internal combustion engine. Ayaan asked him which part of the engine was causing trouble. The poor mechanic had a bad memory. So, he couldn’t recollect the exact name. What he did remember was the function of the part: It blends air and fuel in the engine. Can you help the mechanic with the name?

Down: 1. Forceful protest (13) 2. Cut short (4) 3. Narrow passage of water©(6)Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bha 4. Proposed (6) 5. Manager (13) ANSWERS: 9. Copy (3) 11. Recede (3) ACROSS: 15. Speak non-stop 1. Retrograde 7. Coop 8. Autistic 9. Ant 10. Dy (4, 2) 12.

13. Base 16.Stop Trainees (6) 14. Eat 16. Cab 17. Steepl 19.

18.Confronted Orders (4)

ACROSS: 1. Retrograde 7. Coop 8. Autistic 9. Ant 10. Dye 12. Stop 13. Base 14. Eat 16. Cab 17. Steepled 18. Brat 19. Confronted

In 499BC, Histaeus, ruler of Miletus sent a message to his friend Aristagorus through his trusted and loyal slave who was deaf and mute. Histaeus’ enemies, the Persians, came to know that he was trying to get a message across to his friend. They knew it had to be a written message with his seal impressed on it. They waylaid and searched the slave from top to toe but they found no message on him and let him go.

The slave delivered the message and Aristagorus read and acted on it.

Can you guess where the message was written, and how?

12/ © Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2017

9. Group (3) 10. Kept for futureDOWN: use (6) 1. Remonstration 2. Crop 3. Strait 4. Mooted 12. Mass of salt water (3) 5. Administrator 9. Ape 11. Ebb 15. Talk on Answers 13. Prosecute (3) 16. Cadets 18. Bids 14. Regret (3) © Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2017 / 12 16.

Shorten (3) 18. Portent (4) ANSWERS: 19. A snare (3) 20. A bribe (3) ACROSS: 21. A7.vehicle (3) 1. Retrograde Coop 8. Autistic 9. Ant 10. Dye

Narrow road (6) Wipe out (6) C. Hidden Message Always (4) Stalk (4) Unopened flower (3) Reject (4) New (6)

DOWN: 1. Remonstration 2. Crop 3. Strait 4. Mooted 5. Administrator 9. Ape 11. Ebb 15. Talk on 16. Cadets 18. Bids

C. Histarus shaved the head of the slave and tattoed his message and seal on it. He sent the slave on his way when his hair had grown again. When the slave indicated that his head had to be shaved, Aristagorus did so and read the message.

B. Carburettor Answers: A. Velvet

ANSWERS:

12. Stop 13. Base 14. Eat 16. Cab 17. Steepled 18. Brat 19. Confronted 6 | Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 S C H O O L L I V E

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16 Halt (4) 13. Lowly (4) 14. Consume (3) 18 16. Taxi (3) 17. Having a thick spire (8) 18. Urchin (4) 19. Opposed (10)

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S C H O O L

contents

L I V E 5 6 8 13

Editor’s Note Indiannica Learning School in Spotlight Slam Poetry

COVER

Quick Edit

14 Exclusive: Setting the Goal High 20 Positively Positive 22 Teen Travels 24 Expert Expression 27 In the News 28 CyberSafe 32 DIY 34 Blog 37 Fun Side: Adventures of Maya 38 Storytelling 40 Fit for Life 42 Study Guide 44 Timeline 46 Rap Up 50 Photo Talk 52 Watch this Space

While I was a kid, we really couldn’t wait to get out and play. Well to be fair, there were not many things to do inside the house: barely any tv, or gadgets. But then, we had the chance to try out our hand at every sort of sport! And you made some really good friends, too, in the process. Not to criticise the times of today, because well, I’m not the one growing up through those; I can only highlight the positives of where I came from. Some of it is captured in the spirit of our contributors in this issue too. From Kartik Joshi running the toughest marathons in India, to the Dhayal siblings putting in so much for archery, it is heartening to see young adults so invested in their sporting passions. Sheer perseverance can go a long way in life, one such story is of Nitish Sahni working through various platforms for the underprivileged.

On a slightly different note and with what’s hot property right now, Nandika Goyal tells us how did Halloween come to be! With every issue, we try to put in as much diverse content as we can for you in an issue, and if you feel we are missing the mark somewhere or if you want to submit your own writings, do remember to write to us at editor@school-live.com. We would love to hear from you.

“Happy Reading!”

Mansi Tikoo

34

Juniors

54 DIY: Dino Fossil 56 Junior Travels 57 Rap Up 58 Slam Poetry

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S c h o o l

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Bringing the Spring As one of the oldest premier institutions in the country, Springdales Pusa Road needs no introduction. Team School Live had the wonderful opportunity of interacting with the principal of the school, Mrs. Ameeta Mulla Wattal, and learning about what the school has been up to and what the school has in the pipeline for the coming times.

How did the school come to life, and what was the idea behind its inception?

The school was established in 1955 with its commitment to national revival and internationalism. Its motto ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, the world is a family, encapsulates the vision that has guided the school over the years.

It was based on a strong commitment to Nehruvian ideals of social justice, democracy and world peace.

How would you describe the educational philosophy of the school?

The educational philosophy of Springdales derives from its motto ‘Vasud- diversity; and a commitment towards haiva Kutumbakam’. It is rooted in a creating a better world.

At Springdales, education is deep sense of respect for all people and the environment; a celebration of looked upon as holistic learning ex-

8 | Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017

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perience to help children to develop qualities of head, hand and heart which will make them self-reliant individuals and fine human beings,

S c h o o l

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back to School

S p o t l i g h t

a more socially just and equitable society.

We endeavor to sow the seeds of acceptance, collaboration and empathy that will help students to deal with the challenges they face as adults.

The essence of our efforts at Springdales is that every child has a chance and equal opportunity to be unique and receive quality education.

My effort has been to take forward the legacy of this great institution forward and also to develop new partnerships and associations with the Government, NGOs and civil society.

I believe that school education is a very vibrant and challenging space today. Learning takes place in a variety of ways- in the community, through peers, information technology, media, literacy, life skills and well being initiatives.

I have sought to open up our learning spaces in innovative ways that seamlessly link the school with the world outside. This will help to connect the global with localized communities enabling a vision that will be based on collective good and shared interests. Affirmative action holds the power of equity, empowerment and opportunity.

I believe that even as we equip our young learners with 21st century skills of communication, collaboration and creativity, we must also ensure that we nurture values in every aspect of school life which will sow the seeds of their future sensibilities.

My concerns over growing reports of violence, rage, alienation, unhealthy competition and extremely assessment driven systems has led us to believe that there cannot be an interdependent learning society unless we weave in deep engagement with values.

Similarly our innovations across value education focuses on heritage and culture as a part of socialization of students for a greater interest towards learning.

An inclusive environment at school socially aware, compassionate and How do you feel the school has is a process involving changes in the kind, having pride in their coun- evolved over the years you, as way schools are organized in their curtry. People who are ready to work the principal, have been associ- riculum and teaching strategies, to acas agencies of change for building ated with it? commodate a varied range of needs

Even as we equip our young learners with 21st century skills of communication, collaboration and creativity, we must also ensure that we nurture values in every aspect of school life which will sow the seeds of their future sensibilities.

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Mrs. Ameeta Mulla Wattal, Principal, Springdales School, Pusa Road

About the Principal • •

• • •

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Recipient of the National Teachers’ Award 2005 from the President of India Appointed as Endeavour Award Ambassador, 2017 by the Australian High Commissioner to India Recipient of The National Population Education Award, 2017 Master Trainer for CBSE, NCERT and SCERT Developed the ‘Values Education Kit’ under the aegis of Ministry of Human Resource Development and Central Board of Secondary Education With Global Education Leaders Program (G.E.L.P), 63 countries are a part of the collaboration sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation, the Asian Education Foundation, ACER and CISCO. National Principals and Teachers Trainer for the State and Central Government schools and for societies of private schools across the country.

10 | Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017

and abilities of students.

At another, these tools also represent a competitive, unmanageable force.

The critical learning conversations for As an educator, how do you feel many students now don’t take place technology has seeped into the in class, or even at recess; they now education system today?

The emerging electronic informa- take place online, at eight or ten at tion and environment puts school in night, with others who live thousands a daunting double bind. On one level, of miles away. schools are a natural home for information and communication technolo- What do you feel sets Springdagies; we can’t ignore the opportunities les apart from other schools? for students to access the world line. Springdales has been a pioneer insti-

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S c h o o l

tution in many ways.

Right from the early days of its existence the school became known internationally for its role as a pacesetter and germinator of good educational practices. The school has many ‘firsts’ to its credit, including the establishment of a Teacher Resource center, a holiday home for students and members of the faculty, a work experience farm where students learn the dignity of labour , and giving over the reins of the school to the student body on teachers day. The school has made pioneering efforts in encouraging community service among students, and thereby helps eradicate illiteracy. It took a number of pioneering steps in the early days of its growth to establish innovative teaching and learning experiences, such as abolishing examinations up to class VIII as well as grades for assessments instead of marks.

Many of its initiatives have become Government policies today. This is especially with respect to its belief in inclusion, community initiatives, respect for diversity; and outside the nation, practices that foster the spirit of global citizenship and aim at the

Right from the early days of its existence the school became known internationally for its role as a pacesetter and germinator of good educational practices.

The school has many ‘firsts’ to its credit. holistic development of the children.

As many as 30 % of the students of our school are from the Economically Weaker Section for over three decades.

We have a vibrant special needs department, Hath Mein Hath – Hand in Hand where a variety of conditions are looked after i.e. students with Autism, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Attention Deficit Disorder, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and physically disabilities.

Our community initiatives include working in urban slums of Dasgarah, Todapur and Ashok Basti, sponsored walks for various causes - blood donation camps, fundraising

i n

S p o t l i g h t

for natural calamities, social awareness programmes involving literacy campaigns, hospital visits, scribes for examinations of the visually impaired, teacher’s aides in primary classes and a plethora of other activities awareness against drug abuse, alcohol and tobacco intake.

The ultimate aim of inclusive education is to bring out the potential of each child. It helps those children who are unable to cope with heightened academic pressure by providing them with a platform to nurture their talents, work creatively, establish meaningful relationships and live with selfconfidence.

Our school is a community where education and health programmes create a joyful learning environment where issues related to adolescence, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying, substance abuse, aggression, insecurity, acceptance, identity and peer pressure are dealt with. The schools mental health programme is strategically designed in a manner to assist in issues that deal with mental and emotional wellbeing.

While many other institutions share the events and programmes that

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S p o t l i g h t Messages are a viable option of communication of information.

The school’s website is an interactive platform where by providing the current updates to the parents.

As a Principal, I have made my email id available to the parents so that they can communicate directly with me and I can take necessary action.

We have found the parents helpful and forthcoming in our endeavours be it providing relief supplies during natural calamities, organizing blood donation or health camps or the school carnival.

They are a pillar of support in the holistic development of their children whom they entrust to our care.

What are some of the goals that you have set for school in the coming future?

To personalize education by being more involved in what we do.

To remain steadfast in the conviction towards peace, democracy and justice even as we debate and redefine them.

• Received the Certificate of Appreciation by the Australian Government and To make a sincere appeal for peace Department of Education and Training for their long standing association with in the most trying circumstances Australia. through discussion and dialogue.

• The Principal was selected by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, To overcome our own mindsets and Government of India for the working group to prepare an advisory for preventuse every opportunity to erase prejuing Crime and Violence by Children. dices and stereotypes from the mind • Certified as an Associate Showcase School by Microsoft. of students.

• Has been consistently ranked among the best educational institutions in the To make a conscious effort to uncountry for several years in continuation now. They have been placed first in the derstand the perspective of others, areas of Leadership and Community Service and ranked highly in other parameven though they may be divergent in eters of excellence as well. respect of culture, belief and practice.

• Accredited with the British Council International School Award 2017-2020 To express oneself clearly and • Received the National Population Education Award 2017 by the International without fear and listen to others in Association of Educators for World Peace. the same spirit. To combine logic and • Certified as the TOP Schools in India by the Digital Learning, ELETS online. feeling in urging the students towards compassion and tolerance.

To inspire others towards a comare there in Springdalian calendar – the parent community. mitment by example.

We believe that as the students the Africa week, the U.N. Day, their To put into practice the above in join the institution in Nursery, we our interaction and communications uniqueness of Springdales lies in it being interwoven into its curriculum enter into a 14 year dialogue with with students, colleagues and others. parents. in a meaningful manner.

To understand the dynamics of We hold regular interactions with the inextricable connection between How accessible is the school for the parents through the orientation human rights and conflict for the the parents? programmes (beginning of each ses- welfare of the larger good in keeping Springdales nurtures a deep associa- sion) and open-days (interaction after with our school motto Vasudhaiva tion and meaningful relationship with term examination).

Kutumbakam.

Achievements of the

School in Recent Times

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S l a m

On My Way She untied the knots that held her back Untangled the strings Opened her wings wide And leapt as if reaching for the skies.

Her jete wasn’t perfect And her pointe could’ve been better.

She knew all her flaws.

Decided to give it all she’s got.

She looked at herself in the mirror And saw perfection’s epitome “That’s not who I am today, But that’s who I will be.”

The cuts on her toes Or the societal woes Left her undaunted.

Soon her grotesque arabesque And her unsteady releve Were on point’e’...

“I’m ready for the world, Now the world’s got to prepare.

As for the ones who can’t appreciate, I’m strong enough to handle their glare.”

She gave her first solo performance.

Enchanting it was.

Breathtaking.

Her pirouettes, her splits Left the audience in awe.

A mistake here And another one there.

No one noticed, But she knew.

P o e t r y

Apathy: A Habit Everyday the headlines scream Instances of mutiny Of murder, of bloodshed, civil war Everyday they glare out at me.

They wave their words about and I simply scan over their silent cries Dismiss it as a daily scenery While those helpless headlines scream at me But the noon sky can hear their cries And it reflects their endless misery And paints itself a bloody hue For those silent words cry out to me The silence is a worthy friend It is their unclaimed Antony It reflects it mourns and grips me tight And gives tongues to wounds I cannot see Yet I can feel the mirrors around my heart It captures, then it lets them free Those bloody headlines inked in black Embedded in colors of purity The bloody headlines scream out at me.

Later she went to her room Looked in the mirror and said “I’m not there yet, But I’m on my way.

I will give it all it takes.

I’ll get there someday!!”

By Diya Popli Class XII Lotus Valley International School, Noida

By Ameya Batla Sharma Class XI Springdales School, Pusa Road

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E x c l u s i v e

Setting the

Goal High 14 | Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017

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E x c l u s i v e

The recently concluded FIFA Under-17 World Cup saw a lot of highs, the first time for India U-17 at an International event in the country, the largest attendance for the games, and the most number of goals scored!

Sports expert, Veturi Srivatsa gives his useful insight into the players, the sports and the future for them in India.

W

hat has the Under-17 World Cup done for football in India? When the championship was allotted to the country the most uncharitable reaction was that this is the only way the country will play in the World Cup! Has the opinion changed at the end of it all? Not many may have had a change of heart, though they may not be as harsh as they were when the event came to India.

The most damning comment came from top former European international players who were here as part of a FIFA Study Group. One of them went to the extent of saying that India was 50 to 100 years behind world’s elite football nations.

That assessment can be disheartening, but then we need not worry too much about what others think of us, we should see it as a reality check and be positive about the future. We should focus on improving standards with the available resources and in the prevailing conditions. Hosts of any major global event will always have some benefits coming their way and India, too, can claim some.

Organisationally, nothing was found seriously amiss. The packed stadium set a record for age-group World Cups.

The 17th edition of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup was the most attended. What explains the turn out? Good football attracts good crowds. Amazingly, it was the schoolchildren who dragged their parents to accompany them to the matches.

After his predecessor Sepp Blatter called India a sleeping football giant, FIFA president carried it forward saying “India is a football country now,” Both are off the mark by a long chalk.

At best these remarks are encouraging and both know even if India is nowhere near the class of some of the smaller African and Latin American countries, their market potential is enormous for international sport.

This was the 17th edition of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup and it was the most attended and to add to it a record number of goals were also scored, the highest ever. It is to the credit of the soccer-crazy fans -- for a change it has overshadowed cricket

– the crowd response has been far better than the most attendance record of the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia where 1,309,929 went through the turnstiles.

Even when India were not playing, 66,684 spectators were there at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium to watch the exciting England-Spain final, taking the total attendance at the six venues across the country to 1,347,143 -- 116,167 more than the 1,230,976 turn-out in the inaugural edition in China in 1985.

Yes, these figures will surely gladden the hearts of the organisers, but the organizational ability of the country was never in doubt with the government of the day going out of the way to make it a big success.

What explains the turn out? Good football attracts good crowds. Amazingly, it was the schoolchildren who dragged their parents to accompany them to the matches.

England went on to win the cup for the first time and they avenged their defeat by Spain in the European Under-17 championship final by winning 5-2. More importantly, the English lads were down 0-2 and then knocked in five.

There was nothing fluky about England victory. All their goals were

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 15

E x c l u s i v e well struck and a couple of them would have done credit to even senior internationals.

It has to be remembered that the English and Spanish youngsters are the products of the training schools almost all the leading European clubs run. Some of them have already been short-listed for bigger things in a year or two.

As is the case with these major events, a lot of scouts from various clubs were around penciling down the promising names for recruitment.

These scouts would have been very happy seeing some of the best talent available in the world today.

The scouts would have found enough promising players who can be stars tomorrow, playing for top clubs in Europe, Latin America and Africa.

As for India, they should try and make a mark in the region first before entertaining hopes of a global reach.

Where do the talented youngsters go from here? That’s the question uppermost in everyone’s mind. First of all, the 21-member squad should be nursed and cared for keeping an eye on the immediate future.

India doubtless has a glorious past, of playing in the Olympics and doing well. But that was over 60 years ago. There are states and cities that boasted of a handful of Olympians and the folklore how an unassuming

16 | Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017

In the euphoria of the Under-17 World Cup, people may not have noticed that the Under-16 has done well to qualify for the 2018 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-16 Championship, coming on top from a group that had Iraq, Palestine and Nepal.

Syed Abdul Rahim from Hyderabad produced some wonderful footballers and that India even won the Asian Games gold in 1962.

That’s all history and romanticizing about India’s football and the players of 50s-60s is of no relevance to the modern footballer. Today the footballers are turning professionals and money attracts them to be good players.

Most Indian coaches, with merit certificates, cite Rahim’s work for over a decade and decry hiring of overseas coaches, spending big dollars, without the results showing any marked improvement.

Most Indian schoolboys can reel off the names with positions of players in English clubs and the two Spanish

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clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona and, perhaps, Bayern Munich. Ask them about Indian players they might be able to mumble Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri.

After the World Cup, the youngsters are able to name the entire Indian team and that should please the officials of the All-India Football Federation (AIFF). If the enthusiasm of these youngsters can take them to the football fields in their schools or some of the academies springing up here and there the purpose of organizing the event will have served.

AIFF chief Praful Patel says the Under-17 players will join the best Under-19 players to form an I-League team without tensions of relegation of promotion. They will be taken care of by AIFF. India has a good bunch of teenagers and three age group teams --Under-16, Under-17 and Under-19.

In the euphoria of the Under-17 World Cup, people may not have no-

E x c l u s i v e donesia next year.

Big-hearted goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, deep defenders Sanjeev Stalin and Boris Singh, linkmen Amarjit Singh, Suresh Singh and the only goal-scorer for India in the World Cup, Jeakson Singh, are part of the squad.

For the record India lost to the US 0-3, did well against Colombia before losing 1-2 and they were mauled by Ghana 4-0.

England’s Rhian Brewster, who scored back-to-back hat-tricks against the US and Brazil, is certain to be heard of and so will be their captain Phil Foden. Former England and Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard thinks highly of the former. Abel Ruiz of Spain and Alan of Brazil are in that big league list. A big chunk of players from England, Spain and Brazil have caught the eye of the scouts and the future of most of them is bright.

Here is a great example to emulate. Most players are products of the training programmes the countries carry out whereas the AIFF could not force even major clubs to have developmental programmes and grassroots recruitment of promising youngsters.

The mushrooming football academies in the countries are turning out to be business propositions instead of concentrating on the area. What sense does it make if an academy in Punjab goes scouting for boys in the North-East when they should be looking at the talent in their own and the neighbouring states?

The glitches have to be removed before the sport is handed over to corporate houses, as AIFF is doing, ticed that the Under-16 has done well countries as part of their preparation to launch lucrative leagues. Yes, the to qualify for the 2018 Asian Foot- for the big event, spending a small country should have one major league ball Confederation (AFC) Under-16 fortune. like in all countries, but that the clubs Thirteen of the Under-17 squad are should be made to stand on their feet Championship, coming on top from a group that had Iraq, Palestine and in the Under-19 squad, which is go- by the same corporate promoters, say Nepal. ing to play in the 2018 AFC Under-19 like the Indian Premier League (IPL).

That the AIFF cares for Indian qualifiers in Saudi Arabia with Yemen Once that happens, at least the football can be seen from the fact and Turkmenistan as the other teams club football will have better days that the Under-17 boys literally had in the pool. They will be striving hard and with it the country will also global exposure visiting a number of to make it to the championship in In- prosper.

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I n

C o u n s e l

Arching Their Way Three teenagers, three siblings, three of the finest young archers in the country today. We had a chance to speak to these three dynamic, young athletes, Khushbu, Divya and Digvijay Dhayal, and this is how the conversation went down!

H

ow did your journey with What are the challenges you face today for your sport in India?

Archery begin?

Every summer vacation we Khushbu: Archery is less popular used to try many sports – swimming, than some other sports basketball, karate, tennis, badminton, Divya: Managing studies with sports golf, athletics. Three years ago we all is a big challenge. felt like trying a new sport - Khushbu Digvijay: Compound archery is not suddenly expressed the desire to start given as much importance as recurve archery. My mother opposed it as it archery an expensive sport. But our dad was very supportive and so we bought our How does a regular day look like for you guys? first bow.

We start our day with running. Then Does coaching with your father go to school, come back rest for a while, make the process tougher or then go for practice, come back and study. Then depending on our school easier?

Khushbu: It definitely makes the routine or championships routine we process easier as the comfort level either practice once a day or twice a day. The routine has to be flexible as and understanding is much more.

Divya: It makes it easier with our fa- per the requirement – whether it’s for ther as the coach as I am very open the trials or championships. with him and I can share my difficulties / problems more openly.

Does a regime of studying and Digvijay: Very easy training, take away from being

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a regular teenager?

Khushbu: Teenage is not about partying and being with friends all the time. It is the time to build your life. So I think studying and training doesn’t take away from teenage. It builds it.

Divya: Studying and sports doesn’t take away from teenage life as I would definitely have been playing some other sport if not archery.

Digvijay: Not exactly but yes we are not so free to just go and party How has the experience of competing with players from rest of the world been like?

Khushbu: It is a very wonderful experience, I have learnt a lot from people with whom I compete. It is a very friendly and healthy competition.

Divya: My experience of playing with players from different parts of the world has been wonderful as it has given me insight into the training

E x c l u s i v e

Brief Summary of their Accolades: Khushbu

• Bronze medal at Asia Cup Bangkok 2016 • Silver medal at Asia Cup Taiwan 2016 • Youth World Championship 2017, Rosario Argentina • Gold, 1 Bronze medal at Junior National Championship 2017, Jamshedpur

Divya

• Gold, 1 Bronze medal at Asia Cup Taiwan, 2017 • Bronze medal at World Cup Turkey 2017 • Youth World Championship 2017, Rosario Argentina • Gold medals at Senior National Championship 2017, Faridabad

Digvijay

• Gold, 1 Silver medal at Asia Cup Taiwan 2016 • Gold medal at Junior National Championship, Satara • Gold, 2 Silver medals at Junior National Championship 2016, Jamshedpur • Gold, 1 Bronze, 1 Silver medal at Sub Junior National Championship 2016, Goa

So which sport do you guys like to play apart from Archery?

(All three together) Basketball

Who has been your biggest motivation for the sport?

Our dad is a national level archer and he is the motivation. We want to make our mom & dad & our family proud.

If you had a magic wand, what would each one of you alter?

Khushbu: If I had a magic wand I would like to go back and change my performance in all those events in the past where I had hit a low score.

Divya: The constant process of struggling and improving your sport is what makes a sportsman and I love my game the way it is, so if I had a magic wand I would not like to change anything.

Digvijay: I would not change anything

You guys have won a lot of accolades, which remains your favorite win till date?

Khushbu: My best has been in world youth archery championship in Rosario, Argentina. And meeting our sports minister Mr. Rajyavardhan Rathore Divya: My win at Asia Cup, Taiwan.

I won my first individual gold medal in that competition.

Digvijay: My victory at Asia Cup Taiwan where I won my first international medal – gold and silver.

and mindset of other players.

Ok, some non sport related questions, tell us your favourite: Subject Khushbu: History Divya: English Digvijay: Commerce Passtime Khushbu: Basketball Divya: Listening to Music Digvijay: Listening to Music Sportsperson Khushbu: Serena Williams Divya: Cristiano Ronaldo Digvijay: Usain Bolt Food Khushbu: Rajma & Rice Divya: Chocolates Digvijay: Ice Cream

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 19

P o s i t i v e l y

P o s i t i v e

Diwali is always a busy time in an average Indian household. We have to clean, buy new things, and what not. But to take out a moment in these times for people who may not be able to celebrate a festival properly is something we could all aspire to do. Here is one such story in the words of Nitish Sahni, and the work he has started through his platform rvHuman.com.

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Gifting Humanity this Diwali 20 | Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017

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eing 16 years of age, I am privileged to be the founder of a platform, ‘rvHuman.com’, a web-platform that connects NGOs to volunteers and corporates. The portal is slowly and steadily becoming an online community for NGOs and young volunteers with common interests to find each other. NGOs can post their campaigns and events on rvhuman.com, which become visible to the registered volunteers with similar interests by way of email notifications. The community of young volunteers can also share their volunteering or social initiatives experiences with each other online, thereby encouraging each other with ideas and motivation to do more. My goal is that these initiatives should reach a critical mass, so that in addition to brands, luxury holiday etc, the young can grow up to also make “kindness a lifestyle”.

P o s i t i v e l y

P o s i t i v e

Comments shared by NGOs have been very encouraging. This is what NGO Koshish had to say.

“It brings a million dollar smile on their (people with disabilities) faces by getting there and start planning how this money will be spent during the festive season and how more money can be earned for future.

It is such an experience which can’t be expressed in words. We are in need of such people and organisations who can help these adults to earn their livelihood with respect and dignity. The support given to them by rvHuman Foundation is so intense which has provided the opportunity to look above the horizon.”

In the pre-Diwali period this year, I had reached out to 4 NGOs registered with rvHuman.com (Koshish NGO, Angels at Work, Vishwas School and Nayi Disha) and offered assistance to raise funds by way of setting up stalls at Corporates to sell diyas, candles, planters, torans, wax candles, hand paintings, dupattas made by differently abled / special needs children or the underprivileged. During this festive season, I was able to get support from four corporates (Apollo Munich Health Insurance, Fareportal, Intelenet

Global Services and The DLF Park Place condominium), where stalls were set up for the employees as part of the festive celebrations.

Through this initiative, rvHuman. com helped raise INR 90,000 for these NGOs within 1 week before Diwali and supported their talents/ skills and inclusion in the mainstream. The stalls received a lot of appreciation from corporates and employees and they are keen to continue to support such initiatives with rvHuman.com. Other registered volunteers are now beginning

to come forward and expand the reach of such initiatives. rvHuman now has ~ 30 registered NGOs and ~200 young volunteers.

I am now working towards improving the quality of services on rvHuman.com so that NGOs and young volunteers can get what they need online.

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By Nitish Sahni Class XI The Shri Ram School Moulsari

Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 21

T e e n

T r a v e l s

Kolkata Yatra I

embarked on a trip to Kolkata with my parents for the summers. I felt pretty excited because we had not gone on a tourist visit for some time. Within no time the day came when we boarded our train from Allahabad to “The Howrah City�.

Situated on the banks of river Hooghly, it is one of the most amazing places I have seen. Even though June is not the best time to visit this place (it rains quite a bit), I enjoyed my trip to the core.

We arrived at the Howrah junction in the morning. There was the usual rush common to all the Indian stations. I saw lots of red uniforms.

The coolies were at work. Announcements were being made in Bengali and I didn’t understand a word. We struggled out of the station and, my father and myself were dutifully doing our jobs. He was booking a cab and

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T e e n I took to clicking photographs, of course. My mother preferred to be the audience.

The city was quite crowded and busy. A lot of school going children were on streets.

There was a slight drizzle and I loved it. Of all the things I saw in Kolkata, the one that left me awestruck was ‘the traffic’. There was so much traffic that a 40 minutes road trip took us more than 2 hours. I think people in Kolkata have loads and loads of patience when they travel on roads. It was an adventure in itself!

We visited the adorable Victoria Memorial, a marble palace dedicated to queen Victoria. It is now a beautiful museum. Being a history student myself, I moved around, reading about all the antiques and the city too.

When we left, sun was fully out, and

so was the unbearable heat.

During our trip, I also saw the Great Banyan Tree at the Botanical Gardens. We walked and walked, got lost and finally made it after 2 hours.

But it was worth it. The tree is more than 1200 years old and is still growing bigger!

Our visit to Belur Math was indeed heavenly. Built near the Hooghly river bank, it was really quiet, cool and soulful, unlike the buzzing city. I saw lot of people meditating there. I must say it was my favourite among all other places we visited.

Next, we visited the Dakshineshwar temple. We had to stand in queue for some time before we could see the goddess. We also visited the St. John’s church, surprisingly very quiet

T r a v e l s

in the middle of the busy city.

Apart from all other things, I also loved the local(Bengali) food. I do not remember all the names of the dishes we ate, but surely, I remember Aum Kashundi Bhindi, Chholar Dal and Loochi from 6, Ballygunge place.

Indeed, it was a great trip and no doubt Kolkata is a wonderful city.

Now whenever I hear the city’s name, I relive all those wonderful moments I spent there. I picture myself, in a yellow taxi, on the scenic Howrah bridge!

By Manasa Narayanan Class XII Delhi Public School, Allahabad

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E x p e r t

E x p r e s s i o n

Play: For the Health of the

Body and the Mind

We have all heard of the maxim, All Work and no Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy. But how true is this statement? Our expert, Bina Nangia sheds light on the importance of play!

P

hysical exercise is good for mind, body and spirit. A healthy body gives a healthy mind. A combination becomes effective in leading meaningful, productive and healthy lives. Team sports are good for leadership, dedication, learning accountability, and many other traits. Putting it all together by playing a sport is a winning combi-

nation.

Studies have shown that exercise increases blood flow to the brain and helps the body build more connections between nerves, leading to increased concentration, enhanced memory, stimulated creativity, and better-developed problem solving skills. In short, playing sports helps your brain grow and makes it work better. Contrary to this shows obesity, lethargy, no motivation and lack of specific goals in children.

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Allowing children to participate in outdoor extracurricular activities, such as sports, helps them explore and develop skills which are considered beneficial throughout their lives. By participating in sports, children are exposed to various mental, social, emotional, physical and educational benefits. Some of these benefits are:

Social Skills

Playing a sport helps children develop social skills which would benefit them even when they grow older. Many social sub skills such as body language, patience are learnt on playgrounds.

Playing sports teaches them about teamwork and cooperating with others. They learn to interact with people from different ages. Also, joining a sports team helps give children a sense of belonging and gives them an opportunity to make friends. With more friendship circles it would help improve their communication skills, which will help them in their future careers and relationships.

Developing Self-Esteem

Several studies have suggested that taking part in a sport can help in the development of your child’s selfesteem and confidence. This also helps them learn to trust their own abilities and push themselves in their pursuits. Gestures such as a highfive from a teammate, a pat on the back, or a handshake, when a match is over, helps build confidence. Also,

words of praise or of encouragement from the coach or players help build self-esteem. Constructive criticism can be a major factor be in helping children learn about accepting their weaknesses and working on them to improve themselves. However, one thing that should be remembered is that their self-esteem should not be distinguished based on winning or losing. To do this you could encourage your child to play sports, and always ask them whether they enjoyed it or not, rather than whether they won or lost.

Accept Defeat at Times

Life is about winning and losing. There is no win-win situation. Through sport your child can learn sportsmanship.

They can learn how to accept and cope with losses rather than feeling completely defeated. You cannot win them all, and through sports, your child can understand that sometimes it’s okay if you lose. The important part is to get back up and try again. Children learn to face the many challenges as

Playing need not always restrict to visits to sophisticated gyms as the latest trend shows.

Just running around in neighbourhood parks, badminton with friends, or swimming builds stamina and children can use their renewed energies for better learning. they grow from exposure to winninglosing in sports. When they are not exposed to sports every gain or loss is taken personally leading to unhappiness. Thus mental health is closely related to sports.

There’s no harm in being competitive, but if you lose you should show good sportsmanship and accept defeat.

No one likes to be around a sore loser

who doesn’t respect the rules, and this brings us to the next point.

Maintain Discipline

Any sport requires the athletes to maintain discipline. This discipline could be mental, physical, or tactical. To become better at any sport you require discipline. Without selfrestraint it would be hard to succeed in any sport. Discipline helps the player achieve their goals and also reach their fullest potential.

In sports your child would need to follow a set of rules, take orders and accept decisions made by the coach. Good discipline is appreciated in sports, as there are penalizations for bad discipline. By listening to the coach and peers, your child would learn an important life skill which would help him throughout their career and life.

Teamwork is a necessary skill to learn from an early age. A team cannot succeed unless they work together. Sports provide children with the important lesson of learning how to work in a team. Everyone has to

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 25

E x p e r t

E x p r e s s i o n

come together to achieve the goal.

By working together they will learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses and will be better able to decide and strategize the best plan for the team. This will without a doubt help them in their future lives and careers as well.

Team sports help teach adolescents accountability, dedication, leadership and other skills. They are able to expend their energies and channelize them, rather than directing those to meaningless pursuits. This is seen beneficial with children experiencing ADHD. Children need physical activity to greatly improve their motor skills. Aside from reducing inactivity, sports yields many additional health benefits such as the following: 1.) Reduced Risk of Obesity Involvement in strenuous physical activity results in better overall fitness in kids. When children are involved in sports, they spend less time being sedentary.

2.) Increased Cardiovascular Fitness The exercise brought about by doing sports is beneficial for the cognitive growth of children. Increases blood and oxygen flow to the brain and increase endorphin levels, the feel good hormone.

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Team sports help teach adolescents accountability, dedication, leadership and other skills. They are able to expend their energies and channelize them, rather than directing those to meaningless pursuits.

3.) Healthier Bone Density The movement of muscles, ligaments, and tendons helps in the healthy growth of bones. Weight-bearing exercises also contribute to maintaining the body’s bone density.

4.) Improved Coordination and Balance Participation in sports involves the coordination of our senses, especially the hands and eyes. Sports training can help improve balance and coordination.

5.) Improved Sleep Studies show how exercises and sports enhance good sleep patterns.

6.) Understand the Value of Exercise Children who are active in sports burn calories and are more likely to eat healthier food. Through sports,

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they learn how important exercise is for the body.

7.) Increased Academic Orientation Studies show that there is a strong link between physical activity and academic success. Children who are more physically active are more likely to achieve improved academic performance.

8.) Improved Immune System Any type of exercise can help improve the body’s immune system because it helps the immune system fight off bacterial and viral infections and decreases your chances of developing osteoporosis, heart ailments, and some types of cancer.

9.) Learn How to Compete Sports participations teach children how to participate in the real world.

You can help your child become active in sports in several ways: • You could be physically active in sports yourself. This would help them as you are leading by example.

• Support your child’s efforts in sports. Try to be there for every match that your child plays, for encouragement.

• Try to limit the time spent on sedentary activities such as watching television or playing computer games.

• Play a sport along with your child.

• Playing need not always restrict to visits to sophisticated gyms as the latest trend shows. Just running around in neighbourhood parks, badminton with friends, or swimming builds stamina and children can use their renewed energies for better learning.

• At the cost of academic priority, everyday playing is seen less and less these days. It’s a vicious cycle. No play, less interest in studies, less academic excellence. This cycle needs to be stopped and parents need to allow children to play for more interest in studies, better academic and overall performance.

• Understanding the importance of sports and exercise is ultimately a win-win.

I n

t h e

N e w s

Relaunching Khelo India

In an interview to School Live, while he was the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore had said of his conversation with Pullela Gopichand, “If you coach, you will do a brilliant job but you would be limited to those 10-12 people. But as an administrator, I would ensure that the entire process would be efficient.” Having recently been appointed as the Minister for Sports, the revamping of Khelo India scheme has been the first welcome change under his purview.

I

n a novel move on part of the State, the Union Cabinet under Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi approved the revamping of the Khelo India programme. Up until now, other schemes have focussed on honoring the meritorious players and for developing the infrastructure for sport, but this scheme finally brings back the focus on honing and developing the game, as well as young and talented players. A budget of Rs1,756 crore has been allocated for the programme between 2017-18 and 2019-20. Here are the salient features from the programme.

• A pan India sports scholarship scheme, which would cover 1,000 most talented young athletes each year across select sports disciplines.

• Each athlete selected under the scheme shall receive an annual scholarship worth Rs. 5.00 lakh for 8 consecutive years.

• • The Programme aims to promote 20 universities across the

country as hubs of sporting excellence, which would enable talented sports persons to pursue the dual pathway of education and competitive sports.

The Programme would cover about 200 million children in the age group of 10-18 under a

massive national physical fitness drive.

The programme hopes to create healthy competition amongst the players, at both the school as well as college levels. The scheme also hopes to makes healthy lifestyle a staple for everyone.

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 27

C y b e r S a f e

KRACK-ing the Wi-Fi

Are you connected to the WiFi right now? Then this news is for you. Accessing internet over WiFi at home or workplace is so common that we hardly bother about its security. Asking for WiFi network at a friend’s place or sharing data over WiFi tethering device is equally common. Imagine if somebody can see all your mobile phone activities or can steal your login password just because every WiFi network has a vulnerability which can be easily exploited by hackers. Our expert, Amit Dubey on the latest threat in the cyberworld.

T

his month, we found a very sensitive vulnerability of WiFi systems, that could allow hackers to intercept data being shared between a Wi-Fi access point mobile device, even if that data is encrypted.

We call it a KRACK attack. KRACK is a nickname for “Key Reinstallation AttaCK,” which is an attack on all wireless networks. The attacker repeats the same key over and over in order to control one of the variables used during the encryption process, with the intent of reverseengineering the data encryption process of that particular network affects WPA2, a security protocol widely used in most modern Wi-Fi devices.

This attack can be used to steal secret information such as credit card numbers, passwords, chat messages, emails, photos, and so on. It is also possible to manipulate data to transfer ransomware or other malware into your network.

Though, any such device which has WiFi modems are impacted in-

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cluding IOT devices and sensors.

However, it’s found that the Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and Linux are the easy victims.

Once the encryption method is decoded, the attacker can become a part of your WiFi network and can manipulate your network traffic.

However, KRACK attack is possible only when the hacker is within physical distance of your wireless signal, which we call a “man in the middle” attack.

KRACK is not about unauthorized access to a wireless network, but rather a hacker’s ability to crack your network’s encryption and then access any data being transmitted through that network. (Note: both wireless access points and devices that connect to wireless networks (like smartphones and laptops) can be compromised.)

As per security provisions, most of the Wi-Fi networks are configured with WPA2 encryption protocols, which stands for “Wi-Fi Protected Access, Version 2.” WPA2 networks

C y b e r S a f e

Defense or Action Required: At home, we recommend that you:

1

Use a wired connection and disable Wi-Fi until the issue gets fixed.

If you require a wireless network, continue using WPA2. Even though WPA2 networks are susceptible to this attack, they are still the most secure Wi-Fi network option and there are no reports so far that this vulnerability is being actively exploited.

source version of “wpa_supplicant” are extremely vulnerable, as it can be used to install an All-Zero encryption key.

Android users are currently recommended to disable Wi-Fi and to use your carrier signals (LTE, 3G, etc.) until a vendor patch is released for your phone.

4

Use a VPN to encrypt the data traffic from your system to your Internet destination. Even if an atPrefer HTTPS over HTTP. Websites which do not tacker were to sit in the middle of your wireless condisplay a padlock icon in the address bar, indicat- nection, all your traffic is encrypted. ing their support for HTTPS should be considered public and insecure until the vulnerability is fixed. Don’t Use SSH whenever and wherever possible. Telshare sensitive information over sites that are not pronet, FTP, and other legacy clear text protocols will tected by TLS (Transport Layer Security) – protected leave your data exposed. sites will show the green “Secure” padlock badge in Mobile Phone OS should be immediately updated the address bar, and the web address will begin with and in the intermediate time don’t use public Wi“https://” Fi networks unless it’s necessary.

Update all your devices and operating systems to Please keep a continuous track of the updates coming the latest versions: from respective vendors till the vulnerability is fixed.

(See vendor notes HERE) Till then, have a safe cyber experience with little cauLinux, Android, and OpenBSD systems using the open tions.

2

3

use a randomly generated key to encrypt your traffic and keep you protected from eavesdroppers.

You can also check your Wi-Fi network configuration. Even if the router is configured to provide services to a fix set of devices those are locked with their physical addresses, KRACK can still steal your details.

In a KRACK attack, the adversary tricks a victim into installing an already-in-use key. This is achieved by manipulating and replaying cryptographic handshake messages.

When the targeted person, reinstalls the key, configuration parameters such as the incremental transmit packet number (i.e. nonce) and receive packet number (i.e. replay counter) are reset to their initial value. Essentially, to guarantee security, a key should only be installed and used once. Unfortunately, we found this is not guaranteed by the WPA2 protocol and that’s why it’s a serious

5 6

KRACK is not about unauthorized access to a wireless network, but rather a hacker’s ability to crack your network’s encryption and then access any data being transmitted through that network.

vulnerability. By manipulating cryptographic handshakes, anybody can abuse this weakness in practice and if you still think that the 801.1x Certificates or MAC Whitelisting can protect you from a KRACK attack then read this.

1. 802.1x certificates are for authentication and are irrelevant to data encryption. Session negotiation is still vulnerable to a manin-the-middle attack when using Enterprise or PSK methods to authenticate your WPA2 network.

2. Whitelisting MAC addresses are for allowing devices to connect to your network; this does nothing to protect the data transmitted through your wireless connection.

3. Changing your system or application passwords will not protect the data being transmitted to your wireless connection as these passwords are for authentication purposes.

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 29

D I Y

DIY Pen Roll Up

Staring at beautiful stationary and then actually owning them are some of greatest pleasures of this cruel world! We thought why not combine our love for art and stationery and make something cool and handy.

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D I Y

You will require: • • • • • •

Faux Leather • Hammer Pencil • Ruler Scissors • One Hole Punch

Permanent Marker Rubber Adhesive Rivet and Punch

Now Follow these Steps

• You can get a piece of faux leather at any furnishing or upholstery shop • The size we have chosen is 18 inches by 14 inches • We divide the sheet into three equal parts of 6” each, horizontally.

• Use a pencil to further divide the sheet vertically into three 1” pockets, one 2” pocket, a bigger pocket of 4” , and then again 2”, and three 1”pockets. (Refer to Picture) • You can design the grid or the pattern according to your liking.

• Use a rubber adhesive on the vertical lines on both sides very carefully. Once we fold and stick it into place, it will form the individual pockets.

• Give it a few minutes to dry a little • To make the strap, take a small long piece of faux leather. The length of the strap should be the double of our original faux leather piece.

• Apply rubber solution to it, and stick it into half as shown in the picture. Our strap is ready.

• Now, carefully align the lines of the faux leather piece and gently

press down at the marked lines to set it in place • Repeat the same for all the pockets • To one side of this sheet, add the strap using a little adhesive at the corners.

• Roll the top flap into half, and mark the edges into a small triangle using ruler and a pencil, and following that line cut out the piece with a scissor To add some details to piece.

• First make a hole at one top end of the flap • Take a rivet and pass it through the hole • Keep it on the floor, and using the special punch, hammer the rivet in.

• Repeat for the other side, and for the bottom part of the roll up as well.

• Add a pocket to the centre of the roll up for smaller stationery: take a small piece of faux leather, fold it in half, cut a curve at the top, and stick in the centre of the biggest pocket with the help of adhesive.

• To add more authentic fun to the roll up, take a marker and ruler, and draw dotted lines on the partition of the pockets!

• You can further decorate the piece as you like!

• To watch video, look for “DIY Pen Roll Up | MadStuffWithRob” on YouTube Follow Rob and share your DIYs with him @: Facebook.com/MadStuffWithRob Twitter.com/MadStuffWithRob Instagram.com//MadStuffWithRob

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B l o g

Running through

Hell and Beyond

He is just 14, and he has run some of the toughest marathons in the country.

Emerging from real humble background, the story of Kartik Joshi from Indore Madhya Pradesh is indeed heartening and heartwarming.

K

artik Joshi has completed several 10k, 21k, 42k, 60k, 80k marathons. And this is just the beginning.

This keen runner, Kartik’s father runs a tea shop, with very modest earnings, all 5 members of the family live in the same tea stall, as they cannot afford a separate room to live in. Kartik could never really enjoy his childhood because of poverty and the responsibilities he had to share being the elder sibling. He also had to give up his studies due to financial constraints. Apart from his running, Kartik is trying to assist his father at his tea shop as well.

Running came to Kartik by

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chance and now he has started living it. Kartik has already participated in Indore, Pune, Delhi, Satpura, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ludhiana & Mumbai marathons. He covered 60 km distance between Indore and Ujjain in 5hr 37 mins and 80 km hilly distance between Indore and Omkareshwar in 10hrs 19 mins.

Kartik’s father Om Joshi recently had to borrow Rs 20000 to send Karthik to participate in ‘The Hell Race’ organized in Solang Valley, Manali and he also accompanied his son. Kartik’s father ran pillar to post contacting local MLAs for funding but could fetch only Rs 5000. Some unknown friends through social me-

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dia and Facebook like Mr Gurdeep Singh Tuli immediately helped with Rs 5000 more and he could participate in the race.

He undertook a tough challenge of running 21kms everyday between 5th Sept and 5th Oct to spread awareness on Cleanliness, ’Swachh bharat’ covering a total distance of 651 kms in a month.

He is ready to participate in his next marathon of 111km run at Rann of Kutch.

Kartik dreams to participate in Comrade Marathon in South Africa one day and he is hopeful of completing this difficult run if he gets financial aid from the Govt.

O p i n i o n

Class X Boards: A Welcome Change or Added Pressure?

We have heard a lot of uproar for and against the restoration of the Class X board exams.

Our experts from Career Launcher have a more holistic approach to the matter.

I

n 2010, the-then UPA government erred grievously in making the Class X Board exam optional for CBSE students. The students could—and still—choose either of the two: the school-based exams or the Board-based ones. The removal of a Board exam at the Class X level was a step taken to ease the pressure and lessen the burden on young students.

In fact, the decision was taken after incidents of suicides by students, who were unable to bear the strain arising out of their underperformance in the Board exams.

The result was a sense of indifference—a lackadaisical attitude that has had a detrimental effect on students, when they faced the critically important Class XII Board exams, a couple of years later. Thus, making the Class X Board exam optional was a huge blow to a student’s future, because it adversely affected a stage when they need to be at their competitive best, to excel in their chosen field later in life.

From the academic session 2017– 18, the Class X Board exams are set to come back in all CBSE-affiliated schools. CBSE students—along with those from ICSE and other State Boards—will now also be sitting for the Board exams because the current government has taken an initiative to raise the academic standards in the country. Class X Board evaluation is an aid—a standardized yardstick—for evaluating students in schools across the country. It is, in fact, the first step in their career journey. Besides acting as a benchmark to assess the level of a student’s knowledge and learning, the exam also helps in deciding a suitable

stream of education.

The advantages of a Class X Board exam can’t be overlooked. It is an excellent litmus test that clearly indicates where you stand. It is like a trial run for the Class XII exam, giving you a taste of what to expect from it and the hype surrounding it. Moreover, stepping out of your comfort zone, being in an unfamiliar situation, and taking the exams at a different center along with lakhs of students across the country, help you assess yourself better and give you the required selfconfidence.

Despite so many advantages, some are still against the restoration of the Class X Board exams. Many private schools are of the opinion that doing away with the dual examination scheme will end up bringing back the pressure on, and panic in, students to perform well in the exam. Certain teachers believe that although the CCE has had issues in terms of its implementation, but it is a wonderful

system, as it provides holistic education to students. However, the fact is that, under CCE the focus was not on learning. Till Class VII, anyway, a student was always promoted to the next grade. Thereafter, they had CCE, implying a lot of students, without really having studied and been tested, entered Class XI from government schools. Schools that are currently following the CCE system express that it gives students a chance for activitybased learning. In reality, not many were able to follow it properly due to lack of training.

The government has legitimately described education, skills, and job creation as one of the nine pillars that will revolutionize the country.

The decision to reintroduce Class X Board examinations in CBSE schools will help rekindle the spirit of competitiveness, and bring in the muchneeded rigor, while helping students to gear up psychologically for bigger challenges later in life.

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 35

SHE WANTS ME TO STAY BUT SHE COULDN’T! LET’S GO, BANGLE!

DRAT THIS RAIN!

I THINK ITS GOING TO RAIN! THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO SPEND THE NIGHT!

AS MAYA SLEEPS, THE WHITE WITCH’S SNAKE COMES LOOKING FOR HER! BUT AS HE NEARS THE SHELTERHEY, THIS IS GREAT! THE ROCKS HAVE FORMED A COSY ROOM HERE!

SURPRISINGLY, I’M NOT HUNGRY OR THIRSTY, BANGLE… AND I DON’T THINK YOU ARE, EITHER. BUT BOY! AM I SLEEPY!

AHHA! THEY’RE SURELY HIDING IN THERE!

(YAWN)…

WAKE ME UP, TOMORROW.

WOOF!

THE SKY IS FALLING! MUST GET AWAY FROM HERE!!!

45

THAT 46 MAD IT’S DOCTOR WHO

BANGLE! IT’S MORNING!

OOH!

A VERY WET MORNING!

HAS BEEN FOLLOWING US!

COME ON, BANGLE! LET’S FIND A PLACE TO WASH UP!

WOOF! WOOF!

STOP? ARE YOU MAD?!

DRIVE LIKE THE WIND!

I THOUGHT I SAW THE QUEEN’S SOLDIERS UP THERE! THEY MUST HAVE CRASHED.

SHALL I STOP?

NOT FAR AWAY, IN THE HILLS-

THE VIMANA IS REPAIRED, SIR! THE MECHANIC AND PILOT WORKED ON IT THE WHOLE NIGHT!

GOOD!

TELL THE PILOT WE’LL LEAVE IMMEDIATELY!

IF THE VIMANA IS HERE THE GIRL CAN’T BE TOO FAR AWAY!

IS THERE ANY VILLAGE NEARBY?

47

THERE IS A VILLAGE SOMEWHERE HERE, BUT…

BUT WHAT?

48

TO be Continued...

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 37

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

They tell me their problems. They confide in me their deepest darkest secrets.

Like a therapist I sit day in and day out listening to their stories of hurt, desire, failure and depression. But I am tired of listening, tired of being constantly subdued by those around me. Like a thin layer of ice I move, for now I have no control over when I am about to crack.

I

walk down the corridors. I increase my pace for I do not want anyone to talk to me. I see a boy; his eyes are red and puffy. He has been crying. “Don’t do anything, shut up and walk away.” Says one of the voices in my head, but obviously I do not listen.

“What’s wrong? Everything all right?” I ask. He shakes his head and bursts into tears. An hour later I find myself listening to every single detail of his problem. But he is smiling now. You could say it was a success.

“Thank you.” He whispers and walks away. I am left alone in the canteen, with a splitting headache and a strong urge to scream, but then again what will people think?

They’d judge me for my misbehavior, and I have no intention of tarnishing my reputation. So I walk away, quietly. “This is what you get. You got yourself into this.” The voice in my head has awoken and so I nod, accepting defeat.

I am at home now. I sit in a corner of my room; the drapes are drawn in such manners that not even a spec of

38 | Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017

The Stray light dares to enter. I continue with the assigned homework, dreading the fact that I have tons more to go, when my phone rings. It is my friend.

She seems to be in trouble, again the voice in my head is about to speak.

Too late, I have already answered the call.

After a substantial amount of time I express the need to end the call. She claimed that she is worth-

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less, that she cannot do anything, and that she is ugly. For the entire time I had to go on and on: “You’re beautiful, you are brave and smart and funny. I swear it.”

It’s ironic. No one ever says these things to me. Not even when I beg.

Not that I have, but I was about to once, before I decided not to look so desperate.

It’s one week later and I am hav-

S t o r y t e l l i n g vert is a bit of an understatement.

I see that boy again, the one I helped. He seems like the sort of person who will listen. So I tell him that there is something wrong. I do not tell him everything as I want to see if he understands. See if he is willing to swap places with me, and tell me that I am beautiful and smart. I am not yearning for love if that is what it seems like. However I am yearning for a little bit of much deserved affection, from someone of my age whom I am not related to. There, your specifics on a silver platter.

He completely misses the point, and quite terribly (attempting to be nonchalant) changes the topic.

He doesn’t understand. So I smile and continue on the path of his chosen topic.

I end up expressing all my grievances to myself because I figure, that since no one else is willing to listen and no one else can give the answer

But I cannot show them that I am crying. I cannot show them that they get to me; I cannot show them that I am vulnerable. ing a small breakdown in the girls washroom. The people are acting like monsters, and they are calling me names not even worth mentioning. But I cannot show them that I am crying. I cannot show them that they get to me; I cannot show them that I am vulnerable.

“But it hurts,” says yet another voice, “I helped these people, why are they doing this to me, why aren’t they happy?”

There’s no time to answer these questions. Wipe your tears and walk away.

I have begun running through the corridors now. Saying I am an intro-

or the advice I want better than I can, it is my saving grace.

Anyway, one month has gone by and today was pretty much the worst day ever. Why you ask?

I made a huge mistake. Or did I? My friend and I were at the mall.

Another group of friends was there too and I desperately wanted to go and say hi. “Later” she said. I agreed.

She entered this store which constituted mainly branded western clothing a.k.a not my style. She asked me to help her shop. I agreed. It started with a few tops and jeans. Each time she entered the dressing room what felt like an hour passed by. After a

few hours actually had passed by, I couldn’t take it anymore, the ice had begun to crack. She began to leave when I said that I wanted to spend time with the others and that I would find my own way home.

Mistake number one.

She looked so disappointed. I felt so embarrassed; I had actually spoken of what I wanted to do.

“Fine, go.”

The response was cold, but I was just happy that I could go and be a little social. However when I reached two people screamed, “I can’t believe you ditched us for her.

Why are you here now? Go back.”

But I stayed.

Mistake number two.

I stayed as they entered a dozen more shops. I repeated the last two hours of my life, kept complimenting them in order to win back their confidence. More shops, more trial rooms. Triple the urge to scream.

But the ice was still intact.

And then I came home and wept, with only my mother to dry my tears.

Everything about this day was terrible. I have never been more thankful for such a day.

That’s it. The ice has seemed to crack. I need to be happy and I need to stop caring about what people think. At the end of the day I should be able to focus on my problems first before attending to those of the others. Is that a little selfish? Of course.

Am I sorry for wanting to do so?

Absolutely not. They should figure out their own problems for the time being while I learn how to deal with my own. While I heal myself, from the pain that they and I both have caused.

And if they think that I am being rude, terribly selfish or even narcissistic well then, to hell with it.

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By Ishani Khemka Class IX Sanskriti School, New Delhi

Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 39

F i t

f o r

L i f e

Meals to Run With

Whether you are a budding cricketer or gymnast, or play a sport just because it makes you happy, your body needs and deserves a careful balance of nutrition (yes more than your less active friends in school) for optimal performance. Kavita Devgan on the food rules a child athlete must follow diligently.

F

irst things first: Never diet.

Sporting activities and dieting simply don’t mix. Also never skip breakfast; your body needs fuel to function, especially if you’re asking it to run, jump, swim and really workout. In fact eating before exercise, as opposed to exercising in the fasted state, has been shown to improve sporting performance.

Get the carbs in. A healthy diet that incorporates all food groups carbohydrates, proteins and fresh fruits and veggies (for vitamins and minerals) is the thumb rule to follow. But a young athlete needs more.

Eat enough carbohydrates every day for energy: regular or wholegrain bread, rice, pasta and cereals.

Carbohydrates are the best fuel for working muscles as they get partially converted to glycogen, which is stored in your muscles to power your workout. They also help build up strength and stamina and are very important for growth and fueling your activity.

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Supplement carbs with a solid dose of protein; protein will help build your muscles and repair injuries. Eat a healthy dose of fish, lean red meat, chicken, dairy products, nuts, soya products and peanut butter; try to eat one good source in every meal, and try to snack on protein foods too. Protein supplements are a big no, as they won’t help, instead will load your liver and may damage it in the long run.

Vitamins and minerals are essential as well. Follow the rainbow rule and try to eat plenty of different colour foods. Carrots, lettuce, spinach, capsicum, brinjals… eat them all, the more variety, the better. Calcium and iron are especially important. Make sure that cheese, milk, plain yoghurt are regularly on the menu. For iron, fill up on eggs, dried figs, legumes (chick peas) green vegetables, red meat, chicken (liver), roasted channa, and whole grains.

Also get in enough vitamin C and

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zinc for regular healing. Vitamin C is needed to make a protein called collagen and is needed for repairing tendons, ligaments and healing wounds. So load up on citrus fruits and other sources like strawberries, kiwifruit, broccoli and bell peppers.

Zinc is a mineral found mostly in animal foods — meat, fish, poultry and dairy foods — but it is also present in whole-grain breads and cereals, dried beans and peas and nuts.

Lack of fluid brought on by strenuous activity is a common pitfall for athletes. So in addition to regular 8 glasses of water a day, also drink an extra cup of fluid for every 20-30 minutes of sporting activity. Water, fresh fruit juice or a fresh lime drink are perfect. Sports drinks and energisers, however, are a big no-no at this age.

Finally remember unless you eat right and prepare your body right, no amount of practice will help you succeed in your chosen sport. So be careful with what you plate.

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L i f e

Recover Quickly with

Sports Physiotherapy

Our expert, Dr Shipra Jain on how the young sportspersons can recover quickly from injuries than ever before.

S

ports Physiotherapy and sports sciences, as believed, do not only deal with sports injuries. What makes them a vital part of sports today is the issues it covers during the training part in a healthy individual. A good programme under a specialised Sports Physiotherapist, helps to cover Endurance, Reaction Time, Muscle Strength, Posture Management , to name a few.

In the competitions the children face today, this training helps them to give in their best. It will guide them to work on specific issues they face in their game and perform better.

To give a better insight, a 12 year old, with excellent shots, who is quick on his feet and has the best of moves, might be losing many games as he has less stamina. After a twenty minute tennis game, he starts to lose focus because he is tired. In this case, general practice will take more time to get him to do better. Specific endurance training will do wonders in a shorter time span.

Most parents believe in group coaching and a competitive play. But, with the development of science and a better understanding of the ingredients of a good player, it is advisable to look at various aspects and give an extra attention on the desired issue, especially for beginners.

But this does not mean that if a child is not the best in one aspect to start with, say stamina, he cannot be a sports person. The chosen sport

can be altered. He could be the best of sprinters. The choice available is very vast and the opportunities are amazing.

With changing times, an approach to injuries has also altered. ACL tear in the knee joint meant a loss of a good player years back. With latest technology and treatments, it is not a big problem now. Also, the age

old tradition of treating acute injuries with warm compressions is not favoured anymore. Ice packs have taken the place.

So, if the parents and children feel that the child is having a problem area in the game, it does not mean that he lacks the making of the best.

A specialised consultation and training may be all he requires.

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 41

S t u d y

G u i d e

How to Write a Supplemental Essay

N

o wonder there has been a rise in “writers” in the country resulting in students getting rejected or even having applications rescinded since the highly trained admissions officers can recognize when the essays are not in the student’s own words.

So we are here to offer advice on how to approach these essays so that you can set yourself up for success! Before we get onto the “how”

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of writing a supplemental essay, it’s important to understand “what” is a supplemental essay.

Most people are familiar with the CommonApp essay – a 250-650 word essay that goes to all the colleges you apply to via the Common Application. However, many colleges have additional “supplements” you have to fill out which have essays in addition to the one appearing in the Common Application. These

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are the “supplement essays.”

These essays break down into two main types of essays 1) the Why essays and 2) Let’s Get to Know You More essays.

The Why essays: Also called the ‘Why THIS University’ and ‘Why XYZ Major’ essays.

An incredibly common question in many university supplements, this can be a straightforward ques-

S t u d y tion like: “Why is this college a good choice for you?” Or “Why are you interested in the major/school you are applying to?” Or they can sneak up on you with something like “How will the school support your academic or professional goals?”

This is perhaps the most important essay as far as the admissions committee is concerned. The essay requires you to research on what the college offers and then show how you will be able to benefit from the same. Showing them how well you ‘Fit’ will enable them to evaluate whether you are the right person to be a part of their community and also how keen you are to be accepted.

Some pointers on how to write the essays:

Research: The essay cannot be written without researching – go on their website and read about the course you are interested in – the faculty, the research programs, the classes and then link them to your interests. And for those of you lucky enough to visit the schools to which you are applying in advance of writing your essays – take full advantage!

If there is one thing that makes nearly every student we work with shake in their boots, it’s the essays. Whether it’s the 1 additional essay for NYU or the 11 essays for Stanford, essays are the one thing, year on year that students worry about the most in the application process. Our expert, Urvashi Malik on how best to tackle this situation.

college offerings. This is for you to link it to YOU! So resist the urge to list out everything, choose the points where you can connect it to yourself as a person, your stories and past experiences!

It is one thing to say you want to Be Specific: Please don’t just write join their art history program and a generic essay, which can simply appreciate the link they have to the be tweaked for each college. Talk MoMA in New York but its more about the faculty for your depart- convincing if you mention the time ment, mention any books or papers you spent working with a museum written by them that you found docent in Delhi over the summer interesting. But go beyond say- or about your summer program at ing “Economics” is interesting and Brown on Islamic Art through the talk about “Oeconomica” group at Ages. Remember to build the link to UChicago. And just because Brown’s you. Don’t make the admissions ofdepartment is called History of Art ficer have to do the work. and Architecture doesn’t mean that Colombia’s is named the exact same Let’s Get to Know You More esway! That’s how the admissions of- says: These are focused on getting ficers catch lazy students and reject to know how you think, hear your them for the laziness. stories, get to know YOU beyond the essays so far.

Connect it to YOU: This is the A few examples of such essay biggest mistake students make with prompts are: this essay. The point of this essay is List the titles of the books you not to just show that you know how read for pleasure that you enjoyed to research and make a list of their most in the past year. (150 words or

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less) – Columbia University In your opinion, what is an important challenge facing your generation in the next 50 years? – Emory University What matters to you, and why?

(250 word limit) – Stanford University Some pointers on how to write these essays:

Choose Wisely: Many a times, you

would be given a choice between essay prompts. Be wise and select the prompt that interests you the most, the topic you feel connected to the most. You should feel like it’s a great representative of you.

Tell them something new: Take

it as an opportunity to show admission officers aspects of your personality and highlight additional activities or skills you have not described elsewhere in your application. Don’t repeat the story you’ve told in your CommonApp essay!

Just be You: This is not a creative

writing competition. Show them who you are. You don’t need to try to be witty, unique or overshare. Some of the best essays we’ve read were by people who leaned in to what made them unique – whether it was a love for cycling or a personality quirk. Be honest, enthusiastic and reflective – and you’ll be fine.

The main idea behind the supplemental essays is to dig deeper into who you are. It’s just another way for the college to get to know you better. Through the supplemental questions, the admissions team is trying to learn more about you and determine if you are the right fit at their college.

So, when you come across the supplemental essays, don’t fret, but be focused. Take this as the op- portunity it is and get to writing!

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

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 43

T i m e l i n e

Halloween

Through The Ages

What started off as a superstitious, wary practice to ward off wandering spirits has turned into an excuse to throw massive parties and trash our bodies with all kinds of festive junk food. So, what brought about this dramatic change? Keep on reading to find out more.

T

he origins of Halloween can be traced back nearly two millennia ago to the Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts, who lived in the area that now comprises of Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, held their New Year’s on the first of November. For them, November 1 meant the end of summer and the harvest season, and the beginning of the long, cold, dark winter months. On this night, they would celebrate Samhain to ward off any ghosts that had returned to Earth to cause trouble. Druids, or Celtic priests, lit massive bonfires where the mass gathered to make ritual sacrifices to their deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore animal heads and skins as costumes.

When the Romans took over the Celtic territory, their festivals merged with the traditional Celtic festival of Samhain. One such Roman festival, Feralia, honoured the passing of the deceased, and the other was a day to honour Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. As Pomona’s sacred symbol was an apple, the incorporation of this ancient tradition into Samhain probably gave rise to the present day tradition of bobbing for apples on Halloween.

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III termed November 1st as All Saints’ Day to honour all saints and

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martyrs. All Saints’ Day had several names, including All-hallows and hallowmas. Interestingly, the night before it, that is, October 31st was called All-hallows eve, and eventually began to be called Halloween.

The church also termed November 2nd as All Souls’ Day to honour the dead. All Souls’ Day was celebrated similarly to Samhain, complete with massive bonfires, parades and costumes.

A distinct American version of Halloween didn’t come into being until the traditional European practices meshed with the native American ones. One of the earliest of such traditions included public events called “play parties” in celebration of the harvest. People told scary stories, as well as each other’s fortunes, at these events. They sang, danced and even played pranks on each other.

By the second half of the nineteenth century, as the land began to flood with immigrants, Halloween evolved to incorporate some Irish and English traditions as well. People began dressing in costumes and going from house to house asking for money and food, a practice quite similar to what we now call “trick-or-treating”.

As we moved closer to the twentieth century, we saw a change in the way Halloween was perceived.

It became more about community

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get togethers than ghosts, mischief and witchcraft. People started having parties to celebrate the day. The frightening and grotesque aspects of Halloween were switched out for games, costumes and festive food.

Evidently, Halloween had started losing most of its superstition and religious undertones over time.

By the twenties and thirties, the holiday had turned even more secular and community based. Parades and town-wide parties took centre stage. The fifties’ baby boom shifted the base of celebration from the town centre to homes and classrooms, which made it easier to accommodate the celebration.

The practice of trick-or-treating can actually be dated back to the celebration of All Souls’ Day, when the poor would beg for food and families would give them “soul cakes” so long as they promised to pray for the dead relatives of the family. Later, children took up a practice called “goinga-souling” and went from house to house, receiving money, food and ale.

Costume-wearing has Celtic roots.

The Celts believed that on the night before their New Year, ghosts returned to land of the living, and that if they left their homes, they would run into these ghosts. So, when they went out after dark, the Celts would wear masks so that they would seem like

fellow ghosts and the spirits wouldn’t bother them. The Celts would even leave food out on the roadsides outside of their homes to appease the spirits so that they wouldn’t cause any trouble.

The Irish also practiced a tradition of carving the faces of their dead onto turnips and lighting candles inside of them to make them glow. This practice eventually evolved to form the present-day practice of pumpkin-carving when farmers in Illinois swapped out turnips for pumpkins to make the very first jack-o-lanterns.

Furthermore, the belief that black cats bring bad luck if you cross paths with them on Halloween is a myth with roots in the Middle Ages. During these dark times, people believed that witches disguised themselves as black cats to avoid detection.

Not to mention, quite a few Halloween traditions have also gotten lost over the centuries. For example, there were many rituals that helped

Celebrate Halloween your way. Design your own silly costume and let your creative side shine. Go around your neighbourhood, handing candy out to children.

Not only will the silly costume and free candy make the child smile, but the child’s positive reaction to your kindness will make you smile as well. It’s a win-win for everyone.

of their soulmates. Others peered at egg yolks floating in water to tell their fortunes.

No matter the reason, whether it was to perform a sacred pagan ritual or just to kick back and have some fun with family and friends, Halloween has been around for a long, long time. In fact, its celebration has only gotten wilder. What started out as a small sacrificial ritual to keep the spirits and ghouls away has only grown. It has spread across to the farthest reaches of the globe, and continues to do so even to this day.

It is a time for family and friends to young women find their future hus- get together and have a bit of fun, bands. In Scotland, women would and in today’s rigid, work-centred name hazelnuts, one for each of her world, we all need a little fun to help suitors, and throw them into the fire- us loosen up. place. The hazelnut that burned to ashes instead of exploding held the By identity of her future husband. Some Nandika Goyal Class X women tossed apple peels over their Delhi Public School, shoulders, hoping the peels would Sushant Lok somehow land to form the initials

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 45

R A P

U P

Secret Superstar

Director: Advait Chandan Starring: Zaira Wasim, Aamir Khan, Meher Vij, Raj Arjun

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he story revolves around the life of a 15 year old Muslim girl Insia Malik (Zaira Wasim). She is extremely talented and aspires to become a singer. She lives in Baroda with a very overpowering and abusive father (Raj Arjun) and submissive yet extremely supportive mother (Meher Vij). Insia feels like in a cage in her father’s presence but with her ‘cute and cool’ Ammi, Insia feels free to dream and to fly.

Under the veil of anonymity, she begins her YouTube channel and soon becomes a singing sensation- Secret Superstar. Insia’s world revolves just

around her Ammi, younger brother, her friend Chintan and her most valuable possession, her guitar.

Later another person, one who has faith in her and supports her finds a place in her world, music director Shakti Kumar (Aamir Khan) who discovered the Secret Superstar and becomes her mentor.

Insia is an exquisitely talented young girl stuck in a patriarchal society. Her father is less a father and more a beast for having no respect either for his wife or his daughter.

Any girl living in such a scenario would have two choices. One, to lis-

India’s Most Fearless aims to narrate the story of India’s dauntless guardians, the tales of whose bravery are often not echoed beyond the icy mountains of the Himalayas or the thick forests of the North East.

Never has a collection of stories enticed one’s attention more than this book. These 14 jaw dropping, awe inspiring stories are enough to motivate even the most reluctant of people to enlist in the armed forces instantly. The examples of bravery and sacrifice elucidated in this book are beyond the imagination of even the most audacious fiction writers.

And to think that they are true!

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ten to her father and do as he says sacrificing all her dreams and let him be as disrespectful as he could with your mother. Two, gather some courage, dare to dream, and fight with your mother for the respect she deserves. Insia dares. She dares to fulfill her dream of being a singer and even visits a lawyer to help her mother get a divorce.

The mother- daughter duo very beautifully portrayed how the two are there for each other through every thick and thin, how a mother is ready to fight anybody and everybody when it’s for her children, how a submissive woman becomes audacious when it’s about her children’s rights and dreams. Insia’s mother had fought with her in-laws to give birth to her, and so does Insia to save her mother from her father, very rightly put, “Like mother, like daughter”.

Insia’s last monologue for her Ammi will leave you speechless and with moist eyes. Secret Superstar celebrates mothers & motherhood, dreams & the journey to fulfill them.

It rightly deserves a 4.5/5.

By Ayesha Malhotra Class XII Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar

It also reminds us that bravery is not always in the line of fire. The situation a pilot faces when the engines of his aircraft fail is no different from the situation faced by a soldier in battle. This book is a triumphant celebration of the heroic exploits of these unsung heroes in the face of grave adversity.

This is the first book that provides a second by second, bullet by bullet account of the two surgical strikes carried out by the army viz Myanmar 2015 & POK 2016. The stunning exploits of the soldiers on this daring mission behind enemy lines elucidated in these two stories are what makes them exemplary. The most astonishing thing is the way the soldiers describe them as just another day on the job, nothing more, nothing

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India’s most fearless

By Shiv Aroor & Rahul singh

R A P

Laakhon Mein Ek

E

ven after watching ‘Biswa Mast Aadmi’, if you still doubt who’s the wittiest Indian comedian, ‘Laakhon Mein Ek’ is the show for you!

Biswa Kalyan Rath’s ‘Laakhon Mein Ek’ is a web series that unfolds the dark reality of a teenager, who’s suppressed by his parents’ ambitions and of course, by our Indian education system. It’s a story of a young mimic named Akash (Ritvik Sahore) from Raipur who has neither the interest nor the aptitude for science, but is forced to make his way to-

less! Theses two narratives definitely take the cake.

The book beautifully illustrates how soldiers, who display truly superhuman characteristics when faced with adversity, are just human beings like the rest of us. Festivities and societal obligations remain ignored as the safety of their fellow countrymen remains a priority.

It is difficult to conceive any criticism for a book so perfect that it goes straight to the heart. Any criticism gets drowned out in the patriotic fervour that the book unleashes. That said, the placing of the stories could

wards IIT. For the sake of IIT, Akash lands up at Genius Institute, which turns out to be a dark and shady place for him. On one hand Section A students are scholars and bookworms, and on the other hand Section D students pass all their exams by cheating. Even after being in Section D, this 15 year old does not give up. He tries to comprehend the concepts everyday, but fails miserably. After scoring 55% in 10th and failing in the exams at this institute, Akash too starts to take the steps towards cheating. Throughout the series, he sub-

have been organised better. With the present arrangement, the book begins with a bang (quite literally!) but loses steam midway.

I would recommend this book to all people, whether Indians or not, for the simple reason that each story, besides being exhilarating, is an experience and a valuable life lesson. It teaches us the significance of keeping calm, facing tribulations with fearlessness and courage and living a life for a noble purpose over and above your own. It truly inspires us to live a life less ordinary. The book is a thriller of the highest order and

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consciously realizes that it isn’t what he really wishes to do, and towards the end of the season, he finally takes a stand for himself.

Biswa portrays the role of a composed and unruffled teacher of Section A. Even though he doesn’t share the screen as much as we wanted him to, watching him was a delight to the eyes. By creating this series, he has shown us the artist and the writer that resides in him.

This 6-episode Amazon original series is relatable and it’s simplicity is the most appealing part of the show.

Ritvik portrays his role with a lot of conviction, despite having to show a barrage of emotions. He’s raw and natural, and has done an incredible job. ‘Laakhon Mein Ek’ also unearths the scam called ‘coaching classes.’

Where some of them don’t care about a student’s performance, others are only focused on making money. Even if the show seems a bit stretched and monotonous in the middle, it is a must watch. It impressively throws light on how much we are surrounded by the scores, and what all can confusion and pressure lead to.

By Amani Chowdhry Class XII Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar

I guarantee that the adrenaline filled action, nail biting sequence of events and a subtle philosophical side will keep your eyes glued to it.

It reminds us that the common citizens of India must pay their respects to the soldiers who sacrifice for us 24x7. India’s Most Fearless is a fitting tribute to the sentinels of the Republic of India.

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By Tavashya Kumar Class XI Delhi Public School Hyderabad

Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 47

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Mughal E Azam

Director: Feroz Abbas Khan

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es. It’s the play everyone’s been talking about, the infamous Mughal-E-Azam. The first thing that shocked me while I was seated in the auditorium was how punctual it was. Everyone (majoritarily) was seated by 3 which was when the show was supposed to begin. There was an announcement at 3:02 and it began at exactly 3:05.

It’s the little things that matter, am I right?

Before the play itself started, a recorded message of Lata Mangeshkar was played in the hall. One can only imagine how nostalgic that was. The show opened with an orange desert sky on an LED screen and entered Emperor Akbar. The audience however could only see his silhouette. It

was magical, and that alone captivated the audience members.

The narrator enunciated each word with such ease and clarity it seemed as though he had been speaking the Urdu language for years, even the other actors in fact were completely at ease with the language, and like a moth to a flame we held on to every

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word. The acting was brilliantly executed and not a single line was forgotten, the English subtitles were also able to keep to the pace. The script was beautifully crafted and although they had subtitles, English was no comparison to the poetic Urdu words.

There’s something about the language or perhaps about the way it was

die now have to demolish Red pyraick Riordan, dubbed “Storytellmid built by Set and amalgamate er of the Gods” and known for the House of life with gods to fight the immensely popular Percy against their common enemy ApoJackson series has immortalized himphis, the serpent of chaos. This book self with the “The Kane Chronicles” has pushed the boundaries of imagitrilogy. nation and it’s impending books are Since their mother’s death, Carter going to shape the future of fiction and Sadie are strangers to each others novels. as they have been raised on two opI sat dumbstruck while reading posite sides of the globe – Sadie with this book, it kept me completely enher grandparents and Carter with his father gaged. This book apprises us that imagination has no boundaries and who is an Archeologist. that anything is possible. I loved this Not knowing their true book. It was unlikely for a person not ancestry, Carter and Sato be hooked immediately. die think of themselves The book is appropriately scripted as ordinary children but Kane Chronicles: for the lovers of Action Adventure as chaos increases, they The Red Pyramid genre and Egyptian mythology. I realize that they are descendants of Pharaoh and hence the most couldn’t resist myself from getting my hands on this powerful children born in the Kane family book as soon as I read about it.

The Red Pyramid is set in a magical world with its own in 3000 years! They later realize that they have the ability to summon gods into their rules and history, and the body!! numerous mentions of By The story features the duo trying to de- Egyptian Gods running Isha Saxena feat Set (God of Chaos) who was released loose had me running to Class X along with others when Rosetta Stone was reference guides and makDelhi Public School shattered by their father. Carter and Sa- ing lists to keep up!!

Sonipat

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R A P written but when people say words like “Fanaah’ and “Zehnaseeb” one can’t help but listen.

This version of the story was one most of us have heard of at least once in our life. In short, Prince Salim falls in love with a courtier and his father, Emperor Akbar is against the relationship.

They in order to save their relationship have to overcome every possible obstacle and in the end (spoiler alert) they admit defeat to the powerful Em-peror and go their separate ways. But it is not so much the story but the way they have taken a story and presented it with such finesse and splendor.

While the scenes where changing there were no intervals and it took a maximum of 15 seconds per switch, so the concentration never wavered.

One of the most captivating things of the entire play was the costumes. The colors were enchanting and vibrant, the red, the greens, the yellows and the small mirrors on the dresses that reflected light falling on them, all of it was breathtaking and ingeniously thought out. Now coming to the best part: The dances. I have never seen such beautiful dances anywhere in my entire life, I kid you not. Not a single hand was out of place, everything was coordinated, not a step was forgotten. In fact there was this particular scene wherein they were singing (that too live) and they started doing the “thathkar”, which is a basic foot movement in kathak, at one point they raised the volume of ghungroos, and decreased it, raised it and so on.

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Not a single person moved, it seemed as though even taking a breath would be rude while they performed. I honestly had goosebumps. Each dancer was extremely graceful and perfectly poised. Need one ask for more?

And lastly, the songs. When the infamous “Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya” soundtrack came on, I have a feeling everyone paused. And thought the following “Will they manage it?

Will they do an all-time classic movie proud?” Of course they did, soon enough everyone was swaying to the beat. This was truly the experience of a lifetime, and although I had a ton of homework leftover for the next day, it was totally worth it.

By Ishani Khemka Class IX Sanskriti School, New Delhi

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assembled the piece. enghis Khan is regarded as a bruIf you are a reader who goes by tal and savage ruler by all historithe number of pages then ans. The fact that he decapitated this book is not for you. But every man in his way and laid waste to if you are the one who flips city upon city is enough testimony of his through the pages and relates to nature. the text and create an imaginaThus, it is quite apparent that readers tive setting, you can surely give it would surely be expecting a book which a read. The illustrations by Tapas will entail along with it a horrific history Guha are apt and the book cover of a cruel, despotic ruler whose aim was

by Devangana Dash looks gory to terrorise the masses into submission by destruction of lives and decimation enough to get the readers very curious. The closing notes, of cities. But when I flipped through the alongside the map and the first few pages, I got a completely diffamily tree, will entice you ferent perspective all together, that of a to look up on more such brutish ruler who was personified as a books. young, timid Temujin who could do no The Gory Story Of Genghis Khan Genghis Khan is perharm. On the contrary, it may be said

by Nayanika Mahtani haps one of the most misunderstood, that he suffered great harm. I would say that it was like flip history where actual facts were all about misrepresented and infamously famous ruler in history. humour and gratification. Thus this book is highly recom- He is regarded as a brute by those who suffered because mend for the younger generation of teenagers looking for of him and regarded as a heroic figure by those who prosa fun way to learn history. At the same time, it may seem pered under him. rather absurd and muddled up if the reader is even reRegardless of what he By motely aware of history. It is not a historical masterpiece was or what people take Almanya Singh but the author has tried her level best to represent this him to be, it is a guarantee Class XI murky past in simple words, we surely need to adulate the that this book will be a very Sanskriti School work of Nayanika Mahtani and the way she has creatively engaging read.

New Delhi

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 49

P h o t o

T a l k

Through My Lens

Seasonal Poetry

Hocus Focus

Beauty of the Harvest 50 | Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017

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P h o t o

T a l k

Light Dark

Light Up

By Sarvika Sharma Class XII Step by Step School, Noida

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 51

W a t c h

T h i s

S p a c e

Make Learning Fun In their endeavour to spread more and more smiles as Children’s Day approaches nearer, the Chief Marketing Officer for Kokuyo Camlin, Mr. Saumitra Prasad has an important message for each one of us.

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ike millions of us, I too grew up in a school environment where studying was serious business. To get admission into a nursery class, not only did I have to prepare and take a written entrance exam, but also clear the interview with the school Principal. After joining school, it was grueling hours of studies and equally exhausting homework, with weekly tests and exams to test out if you were any good.

And since I was never amongst the top three students, I was no good.

With every passing class, I was told that the next standard was going to be tougher and whatever I had done earlier was not serious enough.

Somehow, the exam pressure never eased. After passing out from school,

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it was preparation for professional colleges and so on. Like many others, I always wondered whether I had ever enjoyed my education. For that matter, did the students who were toppers enjoy theirs?

Perhaps in our growing-up years, we connected extremely well with songs like ‘Another brick in the wall’ and movies like ‘3 Idiots’, and really believed in the maxim that if you can enjoy your studies, you will find it more productive. But I guess there were hardly any supporters for it, at least not amongst the teachers, Principal or parents.

After post-graduating from NMIMS, I became a marketing professional and was in the world of capturing consumer insights. One

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insight was always fundamental, and that was “When you enjoy doing something, you do it well”. Apply it to your job, sports or studies, it always works. I started applying this insight to work and always found that it worked, and I would feel very productive.

After 16 years of experience in consumer marketing, I took charge as Chief Marketing Officer of Kokuyo Camlin. Camlin always reminded me of childhood memories and days in school. Of course, the world of schools today is dominated by many brands, some of them global, and there are many business challenges. But the big challenge is clearly defining the purpose of the brand, which is a part of a child’s life

W a t c h in all the schooling years. Even today, the one consumer insight which is always top of mind is: “When you enjoy doing something, you do it well”. Even when we did a research, it came out as the winning concept for the brand and the brand stood for “Making learning fun”.

The children connected so strongly with the idea of making learning and education fun, that it was executed in the brand identity, packaging, communication and in every expression of the brand. The brand became well connected with the consumers and a rage with children.

What’s more important is that it tells us that deep inside, our thoughts and insights are similar and we need to read them well. One of them is that “Passion really makes things work”.

The vision of marketing in Kokuyo Camlin is to build Camlin and Camel brands on a powerful philosophy of “making learning fun for everyone”. We believe that when education is made fun, the children are more receptive towards it. We want the children of our country to have overall development rather than become bookworms. In this light the

emphasis on art in many activities was not just to make children artists, but because of the fact that art helps in the overall development of the child. We also want the children to be aware of the social issues right at the beginning so that they become responsible citizens of the country, and this is reflected in the activities on environment.

While we make efforts to develop world class products which provides the consumers unmatched experience, we also aim to touch the lives of millions of children to make their education exciting. Despite being a commercial organization driven by

We believe that when education is made fun, the children are more receptive towards it. We want the children of our country to have overall development rather than become bookworms.

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growth and profit targets, marketing investments not only goes in generating demand for products but also working towards the society and especially the underprivileged section.

Almost all our activities have a social cause and there is a space for less privileged children.

Keeping with its philosophy Kokuyo Camlin Limited showcased its nine month old project “Camlin Kids Power”– a project designed to empower children from all social classes to work toward the important social issues facing the country e.g. Clean India, Recycle & Use, Environment Day, Anti-Bullying, National Integration, and Girl Child etc.

Renowned Film and Television personalities like Pooja Bedi have graced the program and congratulated Kokuyo Camlin on the initiative.

A special workshop titled “Children are Citizens Too” was organized in association with ‘Teach for India’ at KidZania. Underprivileged children participate in workshops organised on the project. The kids have a lot of fun activities through art and music that had been specially designed for imparting knowledge through fun filled activities through art and music.

The ‘Camlin Kids Power’ workshops has used progressive learning techniques to educate the children on the important social issues. These workshops have been communicated across the country with the help of social media and witnessed massive response towards the same.

We at Kokuyo Camlin have always celebrated children day in a big way. In this complex world this age old property was getting neglected and Kokuyo Camlin ensures that every child celebrates it, including the underprivileged ones. Every year we bring children of an NGO to our office or to the Camlin outlet at Kidzania in Mumbai and celebrate with them!

From Kokuyo Camlin, we wish a very Happy Children’s Day.

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 53

J u n i o r

D I Y

DIY Dino Fossil Rocks and fossil hold so much history in them, and learning about them are some of the coolest lessons in school. We thought why not bring some of that coolness to our homes! Here is an easy DIY

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J u n i o r

D I Y

You will require: • • • •

•

Clay Acrylic Color Sponge Dinosaur Toy Glass

• • • •

Plaster of Paris Water Stick Brush

Now follow these steps:

• Take some regular modelling clay, and make a nice red ball out of it. This will act as the base for our fossil • Take the dinosaur toy, and press it down on the clay to get the shape. Make sure the toy leaves a good imprint on the clay. The more the texture and the detail, more detailed the impression • Take some more clay, and make a wall of it around our impression so that we can pour POP in this • In a glass, take some plaster of paris, and add water to it. Stir it, and make sure the solution is dilute so that you get all the details in the fossil.

• Now pour this on the clay impression • P-O-P dries really fast • Once completely dry, gently first take off the clay wall • Flip it, and peel rest of the clay off • To make it more impressive, we will paint on it • Using acrylic colors, create a rock like texture. Take a piece of sponge and gently dab the color onto the fossil • Paint the whole piece so that it looks like an actual rock To watch video, look for “How To Make A Dino Fossil | DIY Craft | Mad Stuff With Rob” on YouTube

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

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Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 55

J u n i o r

A

T r a v e l s

d n a l y e n s i D Trip to

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t was my dream to visit Hong Kong Disneyland.

My parents had planned a location in the winter break to celebrate New Year Eve in Hong Kong. We stayed at the Disneyland, which was magnificent, beautiful and a kid’s paradise!

The breakfast at the Disneyland hotel was a delight. It used to be served in the enchanted garden, where all the Disney characters would join us and have fun.

I also dressed up as Snow White in the bibbidi bobbidi boutique. It was such fun dressing up as a princess! In the hotel, there was also a garden where there was a maze of bushes. It was very exciting to find the way out of the maze. In the Disneyland Park, I loved watching the parade of all the Disney characters and princesses. We used to take our seats on the sidewalks for the Parade. I was overjoyed to see the prin-

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cess carriage moving ahead.

At night, there used to be glittering fireworks near the huge sleeping beauty castle too!

We shopped a lot. I bought a set of Princess Sofia and my brother got a Star Wars sword and a bag full of

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toys. I enjoyed my vacation a lot. I wish I could go there again. It was an unforgettable experience and a thrilling holiday!

By Aishwarya Sharma Class IV Springdales School, Pusa Road

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ave you ever heard or seen a swan fly with a bag full of money, a lifesaving medal, a chalk, a slate and a trumpet around its neck? Have you ever heard about a ‘TRUMPETER’ swan who cannot trumpet? If not, let me introduce you to Louis, the swan. Well, E. B. White’s ‘Trumpet of the Swan’ is truly a gem of a book. It is a treat for the heart. When you start reading it, you will not be able to stop! You’ll read it twice, you’ll read it thrice, but each time you read it, you read it with the same interest!

Louis, the trumpeter swan is born without a voice. When his father, the cob (a male swan is called a cob) gets to know about it, he promises Louis that he would do anything and everything to help him. Although he is the brightest of all his brothers and sisters, this doesn’t solve the problem of his speech defect. So with the help of his good friend, Sam Beaver, he learns to read and write instead!

The Trumpet of the Swan

by E.B. White

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communicate with human beings, as they know how to read and write.

The real trouble began when spring approached the following year. Louis fell in love with Serena, but knowing how to read or write did not help him express his feelings.

When his father got to know about it, he had an amazing idea – something that led Louis to exciting adventures, fame and fortune.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I am sure you will do too!

By Zara Javed Class IV Raghubir Singh Junior Modern School

But he realizes that since none of his family ever went to school, he would not be able to communicate with them now as well; he could, however,

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hat if the princess didn’t want to take the throne, but became a pirate? Or if the mother wasn’t really biased when it came to her daughters and pushed them to achieve their dreams?

Vibrantly illustrated and truly inspirational, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls tells the stories of 100 heroic women from Elizabeth I to Serena Williams in a fairy tale format.

From supermodels and activists to scientists and F1 drivers, there are women from ancient times right up to women who are still up and about and present with us today.

It includes not just

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known yet equally interesting women such as the Chinese astronomer Wang Zhenyi, the Colombian spy Policarpa Salavarrieta and the 17th century Jamaican queen, Queen Nanny.

The writing style is simple and easy to understand. While children below the age of 8 may not be able to read it on their own, they can sure be read to and this book should make the nightstand of every child no matter boy or girl. The authors also have to their credit the unique distinction of having started the first iPad magazine for children in the world, Timbuktu Magazine.

Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls

by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo

well-known figures like Jane Austen, Maya Angelou, Michelle Obama and Serena Williams but also lesser

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By Naayaa Mehta Class VII The Shri Ram School, Moulsari

Volume 03 | Issue 04 | November 2017 | 57

J u n i o r

S l a m

A Dog Walker We have heard of a maid and a gardener, Who make our lives less harder.

I will not talk about them, As this helper helps my dog who is my precious gem.

Trees like Heaven I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast A tree that looks at god all day And lifts her leafy arms to pray A tree that may in summer Where a nest of robins in her hair Upon whose bosom snow has lane Who intimately lives with rain Trees write these letters When our world turns cold When hope seems lost When they long to hold Memories of autumn Glittering gold.

By Krrishika Kukreja Class VI Tagore International School East of Kailash

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Walking dogs is his job, For him the best friends are dogs.

He has a unique job in its own way, At least that is what everyone would say.

Not many people know about it, He also teaches dogs how to stand and sit Though he does not have his own pet He has them at the job, I bet.

He is a help which is very rare, He teaches us how to treat dogs fair and with care.

When it strikes sharp five, My dog would know he is about to arrive.

Not wearing the watch my dog would know, That at five he will not be low Be it rain or be it morning dark, He would always come to light, a happy spark.

But when he is not there, My dog would think that this is not fair.

There is a relation which we don’t understand, One person whose love for dogs would always expand.

By Gauri Kapoor Class VI Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar

DL. No.- DL(C)-14/1404/2017-2019 | Date of Publication- 02-11-2017 | Date of Posting-04th-07th | Posting Office-Srt Nagar Po. New Delhi-110055