Olympics Special
100 Volume 2 | Issue 11 september 2016
The Man in all his
Glory
students in Conversation with olympian, padma shri, minister I&b Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore Laser Cane
Ray of Light for the Elderly
Lost Your Phone? No Worries!
CyberSafe with Amit Dubey
India’s Pride
Women Ruling the Rings
Expert Expression with Pankaj Agarwal
contributors
S C H O O L
L I V E EDITOR in chief
Richa Aniruddha richa@school-live.com
Amit Dubey
Crime Investigator and expert on ethical hacking.
Nivedita Singh
Psychologist-counsellor answers your queries about relationships, family, school and life
EDITOR Mansi Tikoo mansitikoo@gmail.com Associate Editor Tanima Kedar Student Editor Kunalika Gautam Business Development Stockbay Partners DESIGNER Ashish Kumar Mimansa Grafix For AdvertiSING richa@school-live.com
Kavita Devgan
Nutritionist, Weight Management Specialist and Health Writer.
Jitin Chawla Educationist and career counsellor tells you how to pick the right course.
Urvashi Malik
Founder & Managing Director of CollegeCore with over fifteen years of experience in guiding and aiding students.
For subscription editor@school-live.com
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Pankaj Agarwal
Olympics Special
100 Volume 2 | Issue 11 september 2016
An IIT graduate with passion for sports, history and politics. The Man in all his
Glory
students in Conversation with olympian, padma shri, minister I&b Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore Laser Cane
Ray of Light for the Elderly
Lost Your Phone? No Worries!
CyberSafe with Amit Dubey
India’s Pride
Women Ruling the Rings
Expert Expression with Pankaj Agarwal
Cover Photo courtesy: Glactin Graces, Nitin Yadav & Shiv Sharma
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S C H O O L L I V E Volume 1| Issue 11| August 2015 | 39
ed-note
S C H O O L
L I V E
Hi !!!
Olympics are OVER! From 6 medals in 2012 London Olympics to 2 medals in Rio…Wow! We have travelled far…. only problem being that we are travelling backwards in terms of medal tally and forward in terms of the size of our contingent. In London Olympics, a total of 83 Indian athletes, 60 men and 23 women, competed in 13 sports. And we won 6 medals- 4 bronze, 2 Silver. In Rio Olympics, our contingent was of 117 athletes and we won 2 medals- 1 Bronze, 1 Silver. Isn’t it time to take a deep, hard look at what’s going wrong with our sports? Is it the attitude of schools where sports training is limited to a P.E. period, which is also easily traded for “serious” mainstream subjects and their “extra” classes ? Also, schools leave the headache of developing a child into a sportsperson entirely on the parents. If a few parents, like Saina’s or Sindhu’s feel that their child has the potential to excel at a sport, they can send them to an academy. Schools, often, do not wish to get into any such extra trainings. Is it the overall corruption (moral and financial) of our Federations, Associations, Organisations whose office bearers are the most useless lot of all? They might not have even walked a few miles, leave alone playing a sport and they get to choose and decide the fate of our Indian athletes, many of whom come from very poor backgrounds. These athletes put their heart, soul, sweat and blood into reaching where they have “managed” to reach somehow. Many hopes of medals just die down because of the apathy of such officials. Is it the ridiculing of the event by the people sitting at important positions? Imagine, to have a Radiologist as the Chief Medical Officer at Rio Olympics, to have sons of powerful politicians partying till wee hours in Rio, while our athletes sweat it out, to have our sports minister spell names of athletes wrong in his tweets and to get “selfies” clicked with tired athletes…. I think..ALL of the above… Maybe Shobha De was right, but she targeted the wrong people. Its not our athletes that did poorly, it’s the officials. Our athletes performed DESPITE all the above factors… So what needs to be done before 2020 Tokyo Olympics? A question ALL of us need to find an answer for…. Wishing you all a sports filled life! Lovingly yours
Richa Aniruddha tweet to me @richaanirudh
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Which of these Telugu films revolves around a boy, who gets a National Award for his inventions, and some corporate and mafia gangs try to stop him? a) Chandamama Kathalu b) Eega c) Aditya Damascus is the capital of which country? a) Jordan b) Syria c) Morocco Which of these is the currency of China? a) Yuan b) Dong c) Kyat
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Uranus Syria Kulcha Yuan Peter Pan
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American educator Sal Khan started which website “to provide a free world-class education for anyone, anywhere”? a) Academic Earth b) Khan Academy c) Wikipedia Due to its methane-laced atmosphere, which planet in our solar system is known as the Green Planet? a) Uranus b) Jupiter c) Neptune What foodstuff, fed to him by a holy man, did Asaf Jah adopt for the flag of the Nizams? a) Kulcha b) Sheermal c) Naan ‘All children, except one, grow up’ is the opening line of which book? a) Peter Pan b) The Adventures of Tom Sawyer c) Heidi
Answers
Pathankot is a district in which Indian state? a) Rajasthan b) Jammu and Kashmir c) Punjab
2 4 6 8 10
How many hearts does an Octopus have? a) One b) Two c) Three
Ramoji Rao Three Punjab Khan Academy Aditya
Who established the world’s largest film studio complex in Hyderabad? a) Daggubati Ramanaidu b) Ramoji Rao c) Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
1 3 5 7 9
Know for Sure Quiz
S C H O O L
contents
L I V E 5 6 8
Editor’s Note Encyclopædia Britannica School in Spotlight
COVER Exclusive: Shooting for the Stars:
12 18 19 20 22 24 28 31 32 34 37 40 42 44 46 50 52 54 56 57
Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore Fit for Life Timeline Positively Positive: Anandini Chawla Blog: The Modern Young Adult Teen Travels Expert Expression Idea(n)ation: Laser Cane Parenting: Raising Difficult Kids Teacher Talk In Conversation: Mark Tully Shorts Career Chat CyberSafe Rap Up Storytelling Slam Poetry Watch this Space Study Guide: IB vs the Indian Education Boards Juniors
I
Quick Edit
f we have witnessed one thing in the past month, it is a cricket obsessed country held glued to their television sets by a dynamic young girl, PV Sindhu. For the girls have not only outperformed their male counterparts in the Indian contingent, they have also given a new kind of hope for the women in the country, to push the limits set on them. This would be an apt moment to take stock and read our expert, Pankaj Agarwal’s enriching article on the women achievers from the history of Olympic sports. While Yuvvraj Singh gives us the highlights of this year’s games, Anahita Garg charts for us the course of the modern Olympics. In between, all the big events, we have Anandini Chawla helping underprivileged kids play basketball, engaging them and making the world around, slightly better, slightly happier.
“Happy Reading!” Mansi Tikoo
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At the Cusp of
Tradition & Modernity
As one of the oldest convent schools in Noida, Somerville has come a long way. School Live had the opportunity to converse with the Principal of the school and recipient of the National Award for Best teacher, 2011, Ms. M.N. Arul Raj on the beginnings and the journey of the school.
W
hat was the idea behind the foundation of the school? Initially, the Lott Carey Baptist Mission in India, set up a school, known as the Abner Memorial School, in Daryaganj. It was a primary school, which began with a very scarce number of students, however, soon, the
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numbers started to grow. Therefore, another Abner Memorial was set at Ferozshah Road. The primary section of this branch was christened Somerville. Then in 1987, when the Baptist Mission came across land in Noida, Somerville school was set up. Since then, Somerville Noida has become
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the flagship school for all the other Somervilles. Twenty nine years on, how has the journey been for the school and for you, as a principal? We celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Somerville school in 2012, it was then that we realised how far we
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have come and how great the journey has been. I wouldn’t say that Somerville has grown from small school to a big one, but it has grown in terms of academic excellence, in both the teachers and the students. Each member of the institution contributes something to the school, and this is what has helped the school grow over the years. Noida is an educational hub, and has many schools, but the credit for the success of our school goes to our faculty When a parent talks of the excellence of the school, the foremost thing that they mention is the excellence of the
teachers. For me, the journey has been overwhelming. It warms my heart, to see the students excel, holistically. The school shares a strong bond with its students and their parents, just this morning, a parent had come to me to withdraw her kids from the school as they were moving to the US, but she had tears in her eyes. She told me that she would never be able to forget Somerville and the values that the school instilled in her kids. When I come across such incidents, I feel blessed to have been associated with Somerville school opens its arms for Somerville. all the students, the school is run by a Baptist Mission, but is a secuWhat is the educational philoso- lar institution. We do not believe in phy of the school? admitting only the elite students, but
Our students collect gifts and goodies voluntarily for Diwali and Christmas and go out in the school bus, and distribute it to the children living under the flyovers, and to Rickshaw pullers
in admitting even the most ordinary students, and developing them into extraordinary adults. The motto of the school is “Love one Another�, and this is the cornerstone around which, the character of each student is moulded. Furthermore, Somerville aims to be an institution which provides the students with a nurturing environment, thereby instilling in them ethical and moral values, intelligence, wisdom, leadership and service to mankind. The school encourages the students to grow, not only academically, but also emotionally, thereby facilitating their holistic development. Kindly walk us through some of
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the achievements of the school. We take immense pride in the fact that, academically, we are deemed one of the top schools in Delhi NCR. Along with academics, the school also lays equal stress on curricular and extracurricular activities. We also consider ourselves extremely fortunate, as two of our principals have won the National Award for Best Teacher, from the President of India. Apart from the above accolades, Somerville School Noida was placed at the 3rd position, among the schools of Noida, by the Times of India School Survey of 2014. The September 2014 issue of the Education World, ranked the school as the 58th Best Co-ed school in India, 34th in U.P, and 4th in Noida. The school has won the 7th All India Rank in Academic Reputation, 10th All India Rank in Value for Money and 8th All India Rank in Teacher Welfare Development. What are some of the challenges, that you feel, we face today in education sector, as a principal and as an educator? When you take up the responsibility of being an educator, you are bound to be faced with challenges. Some of the challenges that we face are disruption to the flow of teaching. Too many activities, holidays or events, disrupt the flow teaching. Also, it becomes quite difficult to manage a large class, and pay individual attention to each student, but my teachers continuously strive to do so. How has the school integrated technology? And what are some of the challenges associated with this integration. All our classrooms, right from Kindergarten to the higher classes, have smart boards. The teachers make use of visual aids, to make learning fun and interactive. Also, we have an SMS system, whereby the parents are periodically updated about their child’s progress and are informed about im-
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larly, respecting their elders, and the children are aware of these rules and follow them diligently.
We celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Somerville school in 2012, it was then that we realised that one wouldn’t say that Somerville has grown from small school to a big one, but it has grown in terms of academic excellence, in both the teachers and the students. portant dates and events. The use of CCTV cameras have helped us to keep a check on any mischievous activity and implement disciplinary guidelines. However, with the integration of technology, it also becomes our responsibility to supervise the student’s time on the internet. The internet is a vast ocean of information, both useful and corrupting, and thus supervision is essential to streamline the students into exploring only the useful aspects of the internet. What is the school’s policy for dealing with indiscipline? We do not rusticate the children, we do not throw them out of the class, but we try to inculcate good values and discipline in them. There are some ground rules that all the students have to follow, like sporting a proper uniform, tying their hair properly, trimming their nails regu-
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How accessible is the school for the parents? I would say, a 100%. The Headmistress and I are always available to meet with the parents, with prior appointments. The parents can meet the teachers, whenever they want, given that they fix a time for the meeting beforehand, otherwise it disrupts the studies. What are some of the clubs, committees and activities that the students are a part of? The school largely promotes extracurricular activities, and thus we have an array of clubs and committees namely Quiz Club, dramatics Club, Computer Club, Book Club, Debate Club, Eco Club and many more. Our Eco Club is a very prominent club and takes part in many activities around the year. The members of the Eco Club plant trees every year, during the Van Mohatsav, and thereafter look after the trees, all round the year. The Eco Club also educates the students about conservation of the environment, by means of plays, charts, presentations etc. Our Book Club is another important club. The members of the Book Club meet up to review books. We also organise the Book Week, every year, where students get together to exchange books and promote reading. Our students also take part in many social welfare activities. The school supports many of the Missions’ projects, namely the free school in Meerut, the school for village children in Mehrauli, we provide them with books. Our students visit them every year with gifts. Our students collect gifts and goodies voluntarily for Diwali and Christmas and go out in the school bus, and distribute it to the children living under the flyovers; gifts are given to the Rickshaw pullers also.
DAL MAKHANI
Recipe BY rekha badal
Ingredients:
Urad Dal (whole) 500gms Rajma 50gms 2 Onions (medium) Diced 2 Tomatoes (medium) Diced Goldiee Dal Makhani Masala 4 tbsps Fresh Cream 2 tbsps Ghee 6 tbsps Salt to taste Coriander leaves for garnishing
Please send us your recipe at editor@school-live.com. The best entry will win a Goldiee gift hamper.
Procedure: Soak Urad Dal and Rajma overnight. To a pressure cooker, add the dal, rajma, 2 tbsps ghee, salt and a cup of water. After one whistle on high flame, cook on a low flame for 15 minutes. To a pan, add 4 tbsps of ghee, now add the onions and sautĂŠ until they turn golden brown. Now add the tomatoes and cook them on a medium flame, until they cook. Now add 4 tbsps of Goldiee Dal Makhani Masala to the pan, and fry till the masala cooks. Add the boiled dal and rajma, and 2 tbsps of fresh cream. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, on a low flame, stirring occasionally. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot, with rice or naan.
EP xa gc el u Hs ei va ed
Shooting for the
An internationally acclaimed shooter, ex-armyman, and the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has worn as many hats as we can only begin to imagine. The first Indian athlete to win an individual silver medal at Olympics in 2004 (after 1900), he is the recipient of the Padma Shri, the Arjuna Award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, and the AVSM for his exceptional service in the military. School Live student reporters had the unique opportunity of meeting the dynamic man.
B
eing an army kid, was it never pushed me to get into the a lot from it. I realised that it was not decided that you would armed forces but there was always a easy to get a coach, so I picked up join the army or were you sense of pride in the uniform, and at a book by someone who was really given the freedom to venture that tender age, I could not look past knowledgeable and I tried to learn into other fields as well? the Army. I could not think beyond from that, and thus, I started reading Frankly, nowadays, I feel the expo- the army because of the environment The Art of Fast Bowling by Dennis sure is phenomenal. The times have I had grown up in. In terms of career, Lillee. He became my inspiration and changed, and because of the media we didn’t know much. It was more for icon, and I wanted to be exactly like now, the opportunities have in- the happiness of my parents as they author of the book I had even copied creased in number. These opportu- wanted to see me settled. his bowling style. He had mentioned nities did not exist when I was young, in his book that he used to go for a and so, our outlook was very limited. What about cricket? You have run during his lunch break and so, I My family always shown a too started carrying my shoes in my keen interest in bag and started going for a run during the sport. lunch. My shoes occupied more space Studies were always in my bag than my books, but it was my Waterloo, espe- good fun. After that, when I was in cially maths. So, I al- class 11, I started playing for a club ways looked forward and thus got the chance to interact to playing and I was with other clubs. The funny part was, reasonably good that because I was playing cricket in at games. Cricket school and was playing at the level has always been of the college guys, the college guys popular and was would come and ask to see me. I a popular sport at would then, walk out of the school, that time as well, as full of confidence. Everyone was a result, there was scared of the college guys and there a very competitive I was, talking to them as if they were environment, and my best friends. In the Army, cricket it was evident in in- is not too popular, so I got into other ter school and inter games. class matches. The competitive envi- You said you didn’t give your ronment gave me a 12th board examinations. How sense of thrill, and was that feeling? so I started playing It was an amazing feeling. I had alAthens, 2004 cricket and I learnt ready cleared my NDA examinations
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Stars
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Army life and thus, I did not necessarily have to pass my boards. So, taking advantage of this privilege, I used to walk into the exam hall, half an hour late. It was not that I was busy doing anything, I would just sit outside the hall for that time, but it felt cool to walk in late. I remember, I had attempted just one question on the English paper, which had asked us to describe the person sitting to our left or right. Sir, were you always good with creative expression while at school? A lot depends on your environment. So, when I came to NDA, I met all these people who were great at writing, acting, etc. That was the only time I was exposed to all this. But, in school, we never participated in such activities. In fact, people who would debate were not very popular amongst us. However, my mom used to be after my life to take part in these events. My extracurriculars were sports and I used to
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E x c l u s i v e hang out with my friends. So, the an- more, a paycheque or respect? swer to your question is, no, I wasn’t good with creative expression while Sir, how does a regular day in at school. It is ironic that I am now office look like to you and do you in politics. find time to pursue your passion for shooting? Sir, what do you think, has the Shooting from the gun is over now, interest of the youth going into it is now shooting from the mouth. the armed forces increased or My son is participating in shooting decreased, because as we see, events, so I am still connected to the youth is more attracted to- shooting in a way, but there is no wards careers that garner more regular day in office. The amount money. of work one has to do in politics is Just a few years ago, the salaries of tremendous. I am now reconciling to the government officials used to sur- the fact that 4 hours of sleep is ideal pass those of the private sector employees. Then the economic boom Interview By happened, and the private sector became a more lucrative option, for Aadit Sharma, Step by Step everyone wanted a life where they are School Noida; Gaurav Kathuria, safe and secure in their homes. Thus, Ryan International Vasant Kunj; we know why the interest of the youth Khushi Jain, New Era Public had decreased in the army. However, School Mayapuri; Khushi Singh, Sanskriti School; Siddhidatri there is no dearth of people who want Mishra, Sanskriti School; Pankhuri to join the army and serve their counPrasad,The Shri Ram School try. What most people don’t know is Moulsari; Shivang Singh, Scottish that, the army has a very clean enviHigh International School; Soumya ronment and the quality of life of an Singh, Tagore International Vasant army official is very high. I can almost Vihar; Unmuktman Singh, Amity guarantee that no private sector can International School Mayur Vihar; match up to the kind of opportuniRahul Ahlawat, Pragyan School; ties that the army provides one with. Kaanchi Chopra, DPS Rohini; At the end of the day, one has to ask Pankaj Singh, JPM Senior themselves, what is it that they value Secondary School for the Blind
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for one’s life. I have to read a lot. As an I&B Minister, I have to know all the headlines of the newspapers. I also have to monitor the news channels and keep a track of the latest news. We even have to connect with social media, which has increased the workload by 10 times. I also have to learn the ability to understand humans. So, when a person walks in, I have to know, within seconds, the reason for him to talk to me. As a politician, I need to know how I can work with the person in a manner that is beneficial to both of us. I also have to think of events that I can organise in my constituency to connect people. I need to know civil laws as well. This will help me maximise the help provided to my constituency. Now, I worry about the farmers as well. It is a competition and only the fittest survive. I have a few key words for myself. In shooting, what happens is that the targets are flying at about 90 kmph, and one has to shoot in half a second. It might seem complicated but to a good shooter, it is as natural as breathing. By the final day, you have a keyword for yourself, mine was, trigger. If you say the word to yourself, everything sets into motion and helps you focus on the target. My keyword, when I was
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training for my first event was, I see it, I break it. Now, my keywords are alertness, grace and communication. Grace means handling yourself well under pressure. Alertness is absorbing anything that is happening in the environment. Communication happens with expression and body language. I can know by someone’s body language whether they are trustworthy or not. So, to sum it up, my regular day is a hectic one, not a moment of rest. Sir, why did your interest remain only in shooting? My interest was in leaving the house and playing. It started with cricket and boxing and then I played many more games like water polo etc. When I passed out from NDA, I got the best sportsman award. My interest was not only restricted to shooting. Sir, could you tell us a few agendas under your tenure? If we take a look around us, we see that in Europe, the number of youth is decreasing, China has stabilised, but India currently, has the most number of young natives. The youth of a country needs skill and employment, and the same is with our country. Therefore, the government policies now, aim at skilling the youth and employing them. Under one of
the policies, we encourage factory owners to skill the youth and then employ them. The government pays for the cost of skilling to the factory owner, however 25% of the cost is paid at the start of the training period, while the other 75% is paid at the time of the employment of the youth. Thus, this ensures not only the skilling but also the employment of the youth. Also, we realised, that any company that wants to set up their factory in India, would require a good infrastructure, and thus we have planned on improving the quality of roads in the country. Once a factory sets up, an economic ecosystem develops around it, which employs an array of people, in different fields. Therefore, we encourage companies to set up their factories and employ the youth of the nation. The government, now aims at the people who come from the lower strata of the society and had devised plans to aid them. As a result, now the people can avail a loan, even when they can’t produce a long list of documents, all that they need is an identification card. It is only when we work at the grass root level, will we be able to improve the overall structure of the nation. However, with a country as big as ours, doing so will require time and patience.
When did you start preparing for the 2004 Olympics and what was the people’s reaction toward your ambitious desire? That is literally the story of my life. Before 2004, people would feel very awkward if you told them that you are a sportsman. I had stopped introducing myself as an army guy because I wanted to expose myself to the harsh reality of the sporting world. I felt every time, I was pushed down, I became more determined to do something. I was pretty sure I was going to perform well at the Olympics. I would read about my competitors. So, if I did not have a coach at that time, I at least knew what they were doing. Then, I would imbibe their training skills into my own training. That was a great lesson for me. Also, I realised that government policies can help you if you can explain to the government officials, what it is that you want. So, I explained to the Sports Ministry why I needed their support, and I received help. It was necessary to keep targets for yourself. It was important to be focussed and not lose sight of the goal. Gradually, I became more confident in my abilities. We might not have had the resources that the other teams had, but we had our skill and talent. I remember an incident in Finland. I did not have a coach at that time. I had not won any medals but I was very confident in my abilities. At that time, I was training under my friend’s coach. He (the friend) had been one of the top shooters. He was practising in the range next to me. Everyone else had left, but the two of us continued to practise; I was dependent on this friend for a ride back. The reason my friend hadn’t gone back yet was because his coach felt that he wasn’t doing justice to his potential. His coach wouldn’t allow him to go back till he reached a particular target. I would imagine his coach telling me the same thing. My friend was ready to give up, but I didn’t give up. After a couple of days, at the World Championships, I reached my target. I had
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EP xa gc el u Hs ei va ed never reached it before! I discovered the mental block had been completely psychological. However, in the second round, I became very nervous of everyone watching me and failed to do well. So, these are lessons that I still remember. I lost the competition by a few points. From there, I flew to the Commonwealth Games. The lessons I learnt at the World Championships, helped me win a medal.
2006 Commonwealth Games? Thankfully, due to merit, I assume. It was a great honour and a privilege, and a responsibility as well. The moment you wear your country’s colours, you feel the weight of expectations on you. When you walk into a stadium, with the spotlight on India and carrying the flag, it just feels tremendous.
Sir, why the inclination towards double trap shooting? The primary idea was to get into the
(This interview was conducted before the commence-
Sir, what are your expectations from this year’s Olympics? ment of Rio Olympics)
I hope the entire contingent wins
put this shloka into practice. We also have a competitive environment. When someone achieves success in one field, it affects the minds of everyone. For that reason, I believe, India should do well.
School days Indian team. I loved the flying targets. There are three events in shooting. There is trap, double trap and skeet. So, the first time we competed, we didn’t even know the rules. We were travelling in a train to Chennai. It was in the train, that we first read the rules of the games, and then a couple of times more. That was a qualifying event. I won a medal in all three events but I qualified only for double trap. Which is why I chose double trap. Sir, why do you think you were chosen as the flag bearer in the
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Sir, do you plan on training the youth of the country in Shooting? I had this discussion with Gopichand more medals than the last time. Right in 2008, before he started coachnow, India is a country everyone is ing. He told me he wanted me to looking up to. What happens when start coaching, and I told him that I you win is that, it isn’t only for that wanted to join the administration. He particular sport, it is for your country. asked me why, I told him that if you A psychological barrier breaks for ev- coach, you will do a brilliant job, but eryone. When I started shooting, peo- you would be limited to those 10-12 ple would say that Indians can’t win people. However, as an administrator, in Olympics. All that changes, when I would ensure that the entire process you have a high level of confidence. would be efficient. I think I am more Even if we don’t have the resources, suited for administration. we have our family strength and culture with us. I used to carry the Gita Sir, would you call yourself a with me. There was a shloka which strictly routine person or do you said, “Just do your work and don’t take things at a relaxed pace? worry about the results.” and I would Having fought in Kashmir, I can nev-
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er fall into a regular pace. The mindset is that you have to be unpredictable, and I have adopted it. I believe I am excited about doing new things. I would call myself unpredictable but with a high pace of work. I have high standards for whatever I do. Sir, what is your family life like? I think now that my son is a teenager, he thinks of me as his best friend. His mother is stricter, so he finds me pretty cool now. I think family life is very important, because it is your core strength. Your family needs to understand you and believe in what you are doing. I give credit of my success to my family. They have stood by me through it all. Many a times, I wouldn’t even know what was happening in the lives of my children, I was that focussed on my sport, but my wife and my mom stood by me, through it all. How did your parents react to your joining politics? They realised that they didn’t have much of a choice. Even when I had decided to become a sports person, I faced some opposition. The army has a shortage of officers so it does not look kindly upon anyone leaving
In shooting, what happens is that targets are flying at about 90 kmph and one has to shoot in half a second. It might seem complicated but to a good shooter it is as natural as breathing. their core service. I had to show them a certificate three times, ensuring that I was ready to serve in an area under adverse conditions. I was leaving a life of stability, but with my wife as a doctor, our lives were easier, and the financial crunch was not that much. My parents had realised, by that time, that if I set my heart on something, I would achieve it. It is the journey that counts, not the destination.
which other countries have as well. It certifies the age appropriate certification to films. We don’t have absolute freedom of speech in our country. The Constitution says that under certain circumstances the freedom of speech can be barred. We are applying the same principle to cinema as well. The certification board is supposed to act as an adjudicator. Usually, the director wants a U certificate. This would mean a larger audience base for him. The certification board says that to obtain a U certificate, the director would have to censor the inappropriate parts of the film and that is where the problem arises. Sometimes, the decision might be wrong. So, what may be decent for me won’t be decent for someone else. The people at the Certificate Board make the decision on behalf of the people. However, if the director is not happy with the verdict, he/she is welcome to challenge it. Sir how has the journey from an army officer to a minister been? Do you consider yourself successful? Considering yourself successful is restricted to your individual perception. I have had the experience of the armed forces which you cannot pay to get. So, that has moulded me in a certain way. I have also had the experience of playing sports for the country and making it proud. I believe, I am here because of merit. So, God has given me good exposure. Every time there is a challenge, big or small, I keep at it and do not give up. What message would you give to the youth of our country? This time will never come back. You need to use this time to live your life to the fullest. Have time for fun, it is necessary. Let me simply say that have belief in your dreams. You must have a dream and a belief in yourself. Once you do that, everything will fall into line.
Sir, how does the I&B Ministry exercise control over the film industry? The films have got nothing to do with the state. They belong to the Centre. Typically, we don’t exercise control as Transcribed by Siddhidatri Mishra, such. We have a certification board, Sanskriti School, New Delhi.
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Volume 2 | Issue 11 | September 2016 | 17
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 whole-grain 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), (add comma) green vegetables, red meat, chicken (liver), roasted channa, and whole grains. Also get in enough vitamin C and zinc for regular healing. Vitamin C is
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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, kiwi fruit, 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 put on your plate.
Rings of Glory
T i m e l i n e
The Olympic Games are undoubtedly the grandest, most prestigious and the foremost international sporting event featuring more than 40 sports, 300 events and 200 participating countries. Founded by French Educator Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the creation was inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, held in Olympia, Greece, from 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Here’s how it all began. Athens, 1896 - The First Modern
Berlin, 1936 – The Games mark
marred by the Munich massacre, where the debut of the torch relay. In what 11 Israeli athletes are killed. may be the most famous incident in Olympic history, Jesse Owens wins four Moscow, 1980 – The US boycotts gold medals, thereby shaming the Ger- the games in protest against USSR’s man claims of Aryan superiority. invasion in Afghanistan. Many other countries follow suit. 1940 – 1944 – The Games are cancelled due to World War II. Los Angeles, 1984 – In retaliaParis, 1900 - Women take part in tion to the US boycott, USSR boycotts the games, for the first time in the histhe games, followed by other Eastern tory of modern Olympics, 11 women are bloc countries. allowed to play lawn tennis and golf. Barcelona, 1992 - For the first St. Louis, 1904 - The first modtime in decades, every single nation ern Olympic Games, where gold, silver with an Olympic Committee shows and bronze medals are awarded for first, up, including Cuba, North Korea, and second and third prize, respectively. London, 1948 – The first games South Africa. A record 172 nations parto be shown on home television. Ger- ticipate, represented by 10,563 athletes. London, 1908 – For the first time, many and Japan are not invited, and athletes march into the stadium behind return only in 1952. Sydney, 2000 - The ‘Games of the their respective national flags. New Millennium’ generate much interTokyo, 1964 – Japan’s worldwide est worldwide and the host city Sydney Stockholm, 1912 – For the image is given a boost, with more than also wins the ‘Pierre de Coubertin Trofirst time, competitors come from all $3 billion being spent to celebrate the phy.’ five continents. Women are allowed to Olympics. South Africa is banned from participate in swimming events. the Olympics because of apartheid, and Athens, 2004 – After 108 years, not allowed in the games till the system the Games return to their birthplace, Berlin, 1916 – The Games are can- is abolished in 1992. Greece. celled due to the World War I. Mexico, 1968 - For the first time, Rio, 2016 - The 2016 Summer Antwerp, 1920 – For the first drug and alcohol testing takes place. In Olympics, commonly known as Rio time the Olympic oath is uttered, the a historic moment, Americans Tommie 2016, takes place in Rio de Janeiro, Olympic flag hoisted and doves released Smith and John Carlos raise their fists in Brazil, from August 5 to August 21, to symbolize peace. a Black Power salute on the winning po- 2016. dium after the 200m race; the two are Amsterdam, 1928 - These games immediately suspended from the Games By are the first to bear the name Summer and deported from the country. Anahita Garg Olympic Games and the Olympic torch Class XI Step by Step School, Noida is also lit for the first time. Munich, 1972 - The Games are Olympic Games are held at the place of the birth of the Olympics, with 14 participating countries and 43 events. No women competed in the games, as de Coubertin felt that their inclusion would be “impractical, uninteresting and incorrect.”
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Volume 2 | Issue 11 | September 2016 | 19
P o s i t i v e l y
P o s i t i v e
Jumpstarting
Change
From being passionate about a sport to actually using your talent for sewa in the society, can be a tough ask for a teenager. But Anandini Chawla does at her age, which would make a lot of people question their commitment towards society and change. She chose a medium, Basketball, and taught underprivileged children to play and learn at the same time. An interview with the heart and mind behind Jumpshot.
H
ow did the idea of Jumpshot originate? Till class 11, I used to spend my entire summer vacation in training to be a national level Tennis player. When I decided to quit in class 11, I suddenly had no plans for the summer. That’s when I decided to volunteer at a local NGO nearby. You see, I have been brought up in a Sikh family where there is an emphasis on one of the founding principles of the religion -‘sewa’. That’s when my mother said, “Why volunteer? Do your own thing!” She’d read about Yuwa, an NGO in rural Jharkhand which uses football and education to combat child marriage and girl trafficking. And, so she came up with the idea of starting something similar with a sport I knew. I narrowed it down to basketball.
Talk us through how Jumpshot works. Jumpshot is a small initiative which I started with my basketball teammate from school in my neighborhood. At Jumpshot, we teach basketball and tutor less privileged children in Maths,
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Computers, and English. We have basketball classes in the morning and tuitions in the evening.
school’s basketball court withdrew permission in 2014. “Security reasons!” the principal explained. Emails and meetings with other schools followed. Nothing worked. We even built a makeshift court in the neighborhood park but the monsoon rains washed it away. In early 2015, I met the Member of the Legislative Assembly of my constituency, Saurabh Bhardwaj. I presented Jumpshot’s case to him at the open house for citizens. Believe it or not, a few requests from him to the same school, and Jumpshot was back in action on May 1. Secondly, we didn’t get a good response from girls as we did from boys. So, we decided to make a rule - every boy who joined must bring a girl along. We also made morning sessions compulsory, to attend free tuition in the evening. Financial constraints forced parents to send their girls to play.
How did you parents and friends react to your initiative? What have some of the challeng- Since it was my mother’s idea, my pares been in the process. ents were glad I took the initiative and Well, firstly, it was a tough job finding started it. My friends were happy too, a basketball court. The neighborhood and helped me a lot in spreading the
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P o s i t i v e l y How do you think, sports helps in the development of children? How do you feel sports can bring a positive change in society, esp for kids? Sports is perhaps the only area where you experience defeat at a very young age. And coping with failure makes you mentally strong. That toughness is important, especially for kids who come from very vulnerable environments. At that age, when you’re telling yourself, “It’s alright! I’ll work harder and get him/her in the next tournament,” you’re teaching yourself to accept and move on. You’re teaching yourself sportsmanship and creating a positive mindset. Moreover, the entire routine that comes along with being into competi-
word on social media. In fact, Jump- tive sports - waking up for practice at shot’s logo has been designed by a 5 am, keeping track of the time you close friend of mine. spend on social media and hanging out with your friends - instills a cerHow did you convince your par- tain kind of discipline in you. ents to let you take a gap year? In class 11 and 12, I went through a Share with us some of your messy and emotional phase, which most memorable moments or affected my academics and health. moments that made you proud Together we - my parents and I - de- from the past few years of workcided that I needed a gap year to sort ing with kids. things out and get back on track. Dur- Seeing the little kids ready on the ing this year off, I devoted majority of court at 6am has been a proud momy time to Jumpshot, which helped ment for me. I doubt I would have me immensely. For as the Dalai Lama been able to do that at their age. quotes - “If you want to be happy, Sometimes when I’m busy in the practice compassion.” mornings or out of town the kids take
P o s i t i v e
the initiative to go practice themselves. That has been another proud moment for me. One of my most memorable moments was when all of us hand painted our classroom wall as a pre-Diwali celebration. What are some of the future goals/plans of Jumpshot? My friend, the other co-founder of Jumpshot, went off to college last year and I will be headed to college this year. With the both of us not around, our first priority is to find some good basketball coaches to carry forward the initiative. We hope to start playing tournaments next year. We’re also looking for some funding to get this new staff on board. How do you feel about the success of Jumpshot? I feel Jumpshot still has a long way to go. We’re a year old sports-based initiative. And learning a sport takes many, many years. As for now, I think we’ve done a decent job introducing a sport like basketball to kids from humble backgrounds. I’ve seen a change in the boys’ behavior with regard to their sisters. They now help them with household work from time to time. And the cleanliness drives we organize has instilled some sense of not littering public spaces. How can more people become part of your initiative? At Jumpshot, we’re looking for passionate people who can add value to the initiative. If you have good basketball skills or are interested in teaching an academic subject, email us at contactjumsphot@gmail.com. For all the basketball players out there, you’ve got to wake up at 5 am to volunteer here because practice starts at 6 sharp. You can also organize fundraising events. We’ve listed a bunch of ideas on our website - www.jumpshot.org.in
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Volume 2 | Issue 11 | September 2016 | 21
B l o g
The Modern
Young Adult
Mirroring the pace in his write up to the life that he talks about, Raunaq Behl talks about what the life of an average, modern adult looks now.
“D
amn, I’m again late for work!”exclaimed the slumberous adult who set consecutive alarms for 6:55 a.m., 7:00 a.m., 7:05 a.m., 7:10 a.m and 7:15 a.m. Well obviously, binge-watching Game of Thrones at 2 in the morning wasn’t really worth it. The definition of a modern adult today really is quite peculiar. The modern adult who earns 50K a month, and spends half of it on Starbucks’ Coffee and quality booze. The modern adult, who rots in a cubicle for 5 days, and gets wasted in a top notch nightclub for the next 2. As the bank balance crashes past zero by the 21st of the month, they reckon salary increments, promotions or Dad sending a little bit extra a month. In an era of judgemental pricks, hypercritical feminists, snazzy and dapper looking rich people, the modern adult really confuses life with what looks like life. “We won’t walk for our fitness in the park.”,”Ew dude,who walks for 2km straight up.” But,”OMG There is a rare Pokemon 3 km away, let’s catch it!” works. Isn’t this the epitome of hypocrisy? Hobbies of the modern adult include procrastinating, switching between thinking about delicious food and contemplating deeply about life, and undoubtedly, relationship suffering. He forces pennies out of his pockets for his brand new date, which lasts for a
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Hobbies of the modern adult include procrastinating, switching between thinking about delicious food and contemplating deeply about life, and undoubtedly, relationship suffering. week, The date I mean, not the money. Therefore, he embarks on a journey, broke,and with a broken heart. The final destination of the journey is the thought of opening a startup and wait for the money to roll in. But it doesn’t. BAM! Reality hits. Must’ve missed that on the way. We, the millennials, buy super expensive sandwiches from 5 star hotels just to Instagram it for our 1K followers. We, the millennials, recklessly
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spend thousands on suits and dresses, just to satiate a faded facade imprinted within our minds and we, the millennials, want iPhones in our pockets and Cartier on our wrists. Tattoos on our arms,and piercings on our brows. Mohawks on our heads, and Aldo on our feet. But Humility in our hearts, and Benevolence in our deeds? “Be right back bud, getting a dictionary.” How do we expect the modern adult to save the crashing world,when he cannot even save his crashing life? Well, I leave the contemplation to you, Mr./Ms. Modern Adult. By Raunaq Behl Class XII Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar
T e e n
T r a v e l s
Sporting
Young India
Jessica Ennis Hill has famously said, “The Pain You Feel Today, Will Be The Strength You Feel Tomorrow.” Inspired by these words, Vanshika Sejwal takes us through her journey at the World School Games, representing India.
T
here will be many people in your life saying you can’t, many people will try to demean you, you don’t need to answer them back, work hard and let your success speak for you. Once there was a time when people used to say no she can’t, she is not made for athletics, but the two words which held me strong were: motivation and determination. I worked hard; failed many a times, but never lost hope. I always had my family’s support because they were the only people who had faith in me. Success comes late but it does come: 20 June, 2016 was that life changing moment for me, the day I truly felt that hard work always pay. I was selected for my first international competition, ‘WORLD SCHOOL GAMES’, in which I got a chance to represent INDIA. It all started when I was
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called for the selection trials of World School Games in Kozhikode Kerala, almost two months back. So, I went there with my dad and grandfather, we all were really excited and I gave
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my trials with all my might, in order to get selected. As soon as I finished my trial, I was pretty happy with my performance and even crossed the qualifying mark, but the results were
T e e n
to be declared later. When we reached to Delhi, I started my practice with my high jump coach. One fine evening, my dad got a call from the selection committee….when I asked him about it, he spoke to me with a smile on his face, “Beta you got selected for World School Games.’’ At that time, I had no words to express my feelings, I was at the top of the world. This was my first
T r a v e l s
step to success, there are many more international tours yet to come. I was excited as well as nervous, as I thought about what kind of people will I meet there, how tough the competition will be, how will the place be and other such things. Two days before boarding our flights, we were given that precious thing which most of us wait for: ‘our Indian kit’. It is very special to wear that Indian track suit. We all boarded the flight at around 4:00am and reached Trabzon, Turkey at 11:00pm. The next day when we woke up, my window had a jaw-dropping view. It was very beautiful: the never end-
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Volume 2 | Issue 11 | September 2016 | 25
T e e n
T r a v e l s
ing dead sea. The upcoming days brought more excitement and thrill to my journey, at the opening ceremony, unknowingly, I was made the flag bearer of the Indian contingent; which would be special for any athlete. Then, from the second day, we were taken to the track, looking at it, I was overcome with a different feeling altogether: the track was blue in color. The track on which I have usually seen star players perform, that day, I stood on the same track; the feeling cannot be expressed in words. It was
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the second day when I had my finals of high jump, there I couldn’t perform well due to some unavoidable circumstances. But the experience I got there was immense, I saw what kind of an attitude do the foreign athletes have and their different warming up methods. On the fourth day, we were taken to various famous places in Trabzon -- we went to a garden, then to a church where we witnessed a Christian wedding (I had never seen one before), after that we were taken to a local market called ‘Maidan’ and at last to the mall (forum Trabzon), there we were
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shown their cultural event which involved dancing and singing, moreover, we danced along with the Turkish people, learning few steps from them and making them learn few of our “desi” steps. This was the best part of my trip. On the last day, we had a closing ceremony along with a dj night where all the people of various countries came together and danced to their fullest. That day was the wrap up, we were a bit upset at the thought of leaving that heavenly place, but on the other hand, excited to go back home. The trip was an amalgam of new experiences: making new friends, having Turkish food, roaming around wherever we wanted to. Most importantly, I learnt how to live an independent life and make my own decisions. It was so silent and peaceful there that one would not want to ever leave the place. I feel that everyone should experience this once in their lifetime, as it is a great opportunity for exploration. By Vanshika Sejwal Class XII Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar
a s k
N i v e d i t a
Making
a New Friend
Counsellor Nivedita Singh answers your queries about relationships, family, school and life
A
fter my father’s transfer I have taken admission into a new school in this city. However, since I am an introvert I have not been able to mingle with the students. I feel lonely and isolated from all activities of the school. I also miss my friends from my previous school. What should I do? Admittedly, it is difficult for any child when he/she enters a new school where the other students have formed bonds and associations over a number of years. When a child is innately shy or an introvert by temperament, the challenges can be even greater. The good news is that despite being an introvert you are aware of feeling lonely and are missing your earlier friends. That’s because humans are social creatures who thrive and flourish in company. We’re not meant to live in isolation. Having said that, it’s important to highlight the fact that close friendships don’t just happen. Many people struggle with shyness and social anxiety and are unsure of how to connect with others. Making new friends means putting yourself out there and that’s not always easy. It can be scary. Hence, it’s quite possible that some of your schoolmates might be hesitating to come forward because of reasons similar to yours. So, where do you begin? It’s simply a matter of overcoming one’s inhibitions and adopting a different outlook. Don’t be scared to try. Remind yourself that you have nothing to lose. Begin with a small goal of befriending merely one or two; fo-
cusing on those who either sit next to you or live close by. Slowly as you gain more confidence you can widen the net. Sometimes some people have a social skill deficit and might fail in the initial attempts but eventually through observation one learns. Some things that you must keep in mind are: Be yourself Show interest in others Join a sport or a club (debating, elocution, theater) Be genuine and compassionate. Being approachable is a good way of showing friend potential. Smile Choose wisely. Ensure that their values align with yours. Be open to sharing your interests, values, and struggles, goals, you don’t have to reveal your deep personal secrets.
Ask yourself: Do I feel better after spending time with this person? Am I myself around this person, or do I have to watch what I say and do? Am I treated with respect? Is this a person I can trust? As far as missing your earlier friend goes, in recent years, technology has revised the definition of friendship. You can make a new connection or stay connected with old friends at the click of a button. Although, it’s important to remember that having hundreds of online friends is not the same as having a close friend you can be with in person. Happy befriending …! Write to Nivedita Singh at niveditasingh2005@yahoo.com
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Olympics E x p e r t
E x p r e s s i o n
Gir Power
Being one of the most magnanimous sporting spectacles of the world, Olympics has captured the imagination of the young and old alike. But what makes Olympics more interesting is the platform it gives to not only men, but women from even the most conservative countries to put forth their talents. Our expert Pankaj Agarwal on the marvellous women achievers from Olympic history.
Nadia Comaneci
I
t was July 18, 1976; just a day after summer Olympic of 1976 was inaugurated in Montreal, Canada. 14 year old Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci was all set to perform on uneven bars at the ladies Gymnastic event. Nadia started her performance. It was mesmerising and absolutely impeccable. Everyone present in the stands and the arena was not able to believe the
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perfect show put by the teenager. By the time Nadia finished, spectators were convinced that they have just witnessed the most outstanding performance ever in a Gymnastic arena. Everybody was staring at the scoreboard with curiosity as to how much Nadia would score on the scale of 0-10. When the score was displayed, it shocked everybody. It was just 1.00 and crowd was stunned. How-
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ever, followed the announcement that the score actually was a perfect 10 and since, digital display was only meant to display a score up to 9.99, the score of 10 had been displayed as 1.00. It was the first perfect 10 in the history of the sports. Even the organizers at Olympics had never envisaged before the start of the game that someone would score a perfect 10. It was just inconceivable at that point in time. Nadia went on and scored six more perfect 10s in the 1976 edition of Olympic and won three gold medals. She won another two gold medals in 1980 Moscow Olympics and catapulted herself in the league of the greatest sportswomen of all times. Olympic is undoubtedly the most prestigious and magnanimous global event, that mankind has created. It is the true epitome of the famous quote “one world, one family�. It is an event where athletes from each nationality and all the races come together at a common platform. It
E x p e r t was given the nickname “The Flying Housewife� by the media, which was in complete awe of her. Many believe that till date it has been one of the most miraculous performances of all times, among all sports. Even after 68 years, Fanny remained the
larisa latynina is also a true rendering of gender equality and it is not only Nadia, but there have been numerous female athletes, who have adorned Olympics all these decades. So when Olympic mania is on across the world, let’s recall and revere some of those charismatic women. Dutch athlete Fanny Blankers Koen was also one such miraculous female Olympian. Olympic of 1948 was hosted by London, the city which was severely damaged in the Second World War and was in the process of rebuilding. It was after 12 years that Olympics was taking place, as in 1940 and 1944 the world witnessed World War II. That was the time when not only London, but the whole world was struggling with the aftermath of huge devastation inflicted during the war. Fanny Koen, mother of seven year old son and at the age of 30, represented Holland in track & field at London. At a time where a female athlete is usually considered to be well past her best years, Fanny took the whole world by surprise by winning an astonishing four gold medals. She won massive fan following and
Olympic is undoubtedly the most prestigious and magnanimous global event, that mankind has created. It is also a true rendering of gender equality and there have been numerous female athletes, who have adorned Olympics all these decades.
E x p r e s s i o n
nast, ruled the Gymnastic arena in the decade of fifties and sixties. She won nine gold medals and total eighteen medals at the three Olympics, and till date she has been the most successful female Olympian ever (overall second behind US swimmer Michael Phelps). The cold war was at its peak at the time, USSR and USA were competing with each other in every field, from sports to space; and Larisa set the ball rolling for the Soviets in Gymnastics. Soviet gymnasts ruled the roost for many decades at international level and it is Larisa who deserves the credit. Female swimmers are not far behind female athletes and gymnasts. Australian swimmer, Dawn Frazer achieved something, which took fifty years for any male athlete to achieve. Frazer won three con-
Fanny Blankers Koen only female athlete who grabbed four gold medals in track & field event in a single Olympic. And just to re-iterate, she was 30 years old, when she achieved all this. Nadia and Fanny left indelible marks of their legacy. Their performances were so impactful that 1976 and 1948 Olympics are broadly recognized by their names, respectively. Larisa Latynina, a soviet gym-
secutive gold medals, in the same event at three Olympics in 195664. She did this in 100m freestyle event. Half a century later, Michael Phelps became the first man to win three straight gold medals in a single swimming event. Kristin Otto, of erstwhile East Germany, deserves a special mention as she bagged six gold medals in swimming in a single Olympic at
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E x p e r t
E x p r e s s i o n
and the hugely talented PV Sindhu; have all bagged medals at the Olympics. Sindhu’s silver medal at Rio 2016 is arguably India’s greatest ever Olympic movement. I would rate it even a notch above Bindra’s gold at Beijing. Sindhu’s voyage at Rio is a defining moment for Indian sports, which would inspire the entire nation in days to come for certain. Sakshi Malik on other hand displayed unprecedented resilience in bronze medal wrestling match. She came back from a deficit of 0-5 and outclassed her opponent. In a country which is still mired with gender inequality, these wonderful ladies coming from mediocre and struggling backgrounds, set an example that there can be limitations but no limits if you have a rock solid determination Can’t close this without mentioning the name of legendary Indian athlete PT Usha and electrifying Dipa Karmakar. Usha missed an Dawn Frazer Olympic medal in 1984 Los Angles by 100th part of a second in 400m Seoul, 1988. It is something compahurdles, whereas Dipa has just rable to seven gold medals by Mark missed a medal at Rio in GymnasSpitz in 1972 and eight gold medals tic. At both occasions, whole nation by Michael Phelps in 2008. mourned but saluted and bowed This discussion won’t be comdown in reverence. plete without mentioning two outThe value of colossal efforts made standing track & field athletes from by them can be judged by the fact USA: Jackie Joyner-Kersee and that in the history of 120 years of Florence Griffith Joyner (popuOlympic, India has never won a sinlarly known as Flo-Jo.) gle medal in Gymnastic and Track & These ladies were related to one Field. The splendour of show put up another, as Flo-Jo married Jackie’s by these two extra-ordinary ladies is brother. Both of them are inarguably comparable to what Milkha Singh in the league of greatest ever female did in 1960 Rome Olympic, who also athlete. Jackie Joyner participated missed a coveted medal by a whisker. in astonishing four Olympics during So while the fraternity can eulo1984-96 and won at least one medal gize male Olympians like Michael in each of her four appearances. She an athlete, at least, 30 years ahead Phelps, Carl Lewis or Paavo Nurmi; participated in heptathlon and long her of times. She set the world re- the glorious and magnificent story jump. Overall she bagged six medals, cords for 100m and 200m way back of Olympics would remain incomincluding three gold. in 1988, which still stand firm after plete without the mention of these Her sister-in-law, Flo-Jo has 28 years. 200m world record was set extraordinary ladies and you can’t been the greatest female sprinter of by her during 1988 Olympic. deny the cult of them. all times, without an iota of scope Last but not the least, our own suof any argument. Flo-Jo won three perstars K. Malleswari, Saina Ne- The author can be reached on twitgold medals at Seoul 1988. She was hwal, Mary Kom, Sakshi Malik ter at @pankajag1973
At a time where a female athlete is usually considered to be well past her best years, Fanny Koen took the whole world by surprise by winning an astonishing four gold medals. She won massive fan following and was given the nickname “The Flying Housewife” by the media.
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I d e a ( n ) a t i o n
In a one of a kind concerted effort, Parth Bansal from Class IX B, Apeejay School, Noida, recently invented a laser cane for his grandmother, who suffers from the Parkinson’s disease.
Lighting the
Way
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arth’s sincere efforts have proved to be a boon not only for her as she is able to walk without anyone’s support, but may soon help many others afflicted with the disease. The School has proposed to forward Parth’s name for the prestigious ‘Ignite’ Award. Alongside, the student will also initiate the process to patent his invention as it is the first of its kind in the market. Parth’s grandmother has been suffering from Parkinson’s disease, a chronic and progressive movement disorder, since the last three years. As the Parkinson’s disease
progresses, the amount of dopamine - a chemical that sends messages to the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination - produced in the brain decreases, leaving a person unable to control movement normally. The primary signs of the Parkinson’s disease include tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw & face, slowness & freezing of movement and rigidity or stiffness of the limbs & trunk. The doctor suggested that things like light ray on surface or any illusion which create a hurdle in front of foot could help her in walking. Parth’s father searched for some-
thing relevant in the market but couldn’t find anything. Meanwhile, Parth researched extensively about Parkinson’s disease, in his quest to make life easier for someone suffering from this disease. Parth got an idea to fit a LED plate in the stick that his grandmother was already using, which made a ray of light on the surface. He later added laser light, instead of LED, a switch and cells. He further added more features like a torch & charging facility and his invention is now ready to serve other Parkinson’s patients as well. It is first of its kind in India and abroad.
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P a r e n t i n g
Raising Difficult Kids
Being a parent can be a tough ask, and sometimes all you wish is to stop. With his brilliant work of scholarship, Stuart Passmore guides us through his book Raising Difficult Kids for the day-to-day challenges that parents face.
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raise is a wonderful teaching tool when it is specific and descriptive and genuine. It is also most impacting when praise is related to the child’s efforts, not just the successes.– Dr Cheryl Rode Children of all ages need praise, encouragement and recognition. Our children are exposed to so much negativity every day at school and in mainstream and social media that they really don’t need to hear it coming from you too. This chapter is about changing the negativity that can develop in the parent–child relationship by recognizing and encouraging your child’s efforts and compliant behaviour. This chapter also covers the topic of using basic manners with your child. For instance, parents ought to be mindful to use simple words such as ‘thank you’ and ‘please’ with their child. A simple thank you for completing a task or complying with a demand recognizes the effort your child has made and takes an opportunity to encourage your child. Praise is especially important for a child – for anyone really. It is particularly important for you to be prepared to praise, encourage and recognize your child and their behaviour during the time when the discipline program (see Chapter 9) is being established in your home. For example, if your child is attempting to control their behaviour – even if they are not completely successful – it is important for you to recognize the effort your child has made in attempting to control their undesirable behaviour. This serves a num-
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ber of purposes. First, your child may feel encouraged in their efforts to control their behaviour and will more likely continue to repeat this positive approach to behavioural
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control. Second, rather than focusing on your child’s negative behaviour, you are beginning to instruct your child on acceptable and appropriate behaviour. Finally, rather than being overwhelmed by the often negative exchanges between you and your child, praise can change the dynamics between the parent and child and serve to strengthen the parent–child relationship. Everyone likes some form of recognition for their efforts, both in their professional and private lives; adults are not exempt from this general rule. For example, imagine you were asked by a friend to help them move house on a Saturday. You had a fun-filled family day planned, but because your friend was begging for your help, you postponed your family day and agreed to help your friend. You arrive at your friend’s place early Saturday morning and begin packing boxes, loading heavy furniture in to the removalist truck
P a r e n t i n g and unloading that same truck at their new home. Finally, after a long day of packing and lifting heavy boxes and furniture you decide it’s time to go home. You approach your friend and tell them how tired you are and that you are going home. But the only thing your friend says to you is, ‘Oh, okay, bye.’ No ‘thank you’ for your help, no recognition at all for the effort you put in, just ‘bye’. How would you feel? A little put out perhaps, a little offended that your efforts were not recognized? What if this same friend came back to you a week later and asked for your help again, this time to collect more furniture from a storage facility they had used to store their excess furniture. Would you be as willing to rearrange your weekend again to help your friend a second time? The principle of praise and recognition is no different for children. Why should they try so hard to do the right thing all the time without any recognition? One five-year-old child captured this notion at bedtime as he knelt beside his bed for his nightly prayers, saying, ‘Dear God, what’s the point of being good if nobody knows!’ However, it is just as important not to praise your child for their efforts or successes alone. This can send the message to your child that they are only worthy of your attention, your love and admiration, or only acceptable to you, when they do as they are told or continue to achieve. Children can be deeply encouraged by realistic and timely support from their parents. Praise and encouragement can be delivered when your child has not come first in a race or has not achieved the highest results on an exam or might have fallen short of the desired behaviour. You can take the opportunity to comment on your child’s efforts and to confirm unconditional love and acceptance. Praise and encouragement are another way of telling your child ‘I love you and I care about you. I want to share in your
praise runs the risk of becoming meaningless. Equally, missing the opportunity to praise or encourage your child means you could be missing an opportunity to support them when they face difficult times. Again, walk in your child’s shoes. Imagine that you were feeling down about a personal project you undertook because the end results were less than satisfactory. After you’d told your spouse how disappointed you felt, you received the response, ‘Oh don’t be silly, you’re really great at that, successes and your failures. In fact, you did a fantastic job, you should it’s you I care about most, not your be proud of yourself.’ No doubt you successes or your failures.’ would see right through this and While praise and encouragement the praise would be meaningless to are an integral part of parenting and you. You might even become somean important part of the child’s life, what frustrated by this meaningless it must be delivered at an appropri- praise. The same principle applies to ate time as children know when they children. have not succeeded or completed a task as well as they could have or as Excerpted with permission from well as other children. Unwarranted Pan Macmillan India
Rather than being overwhelmed by the often negative exchanges between you and your child, praise can change the dynamics between the parent and child and serve to strengthen the parent–child relationship.
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T e a c h e r
T a l k
Being A Teacher:
Connect and Sync
From the other side of the screen, we have Mukta Sharma, teacher at Ahlcon International, Mayur Vihar, sharing with us a student experience that she holds dear to her heart.
H
arvard professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter suggests that the happiest among us are those who are solving the toughest problems and making a difference in people’s lives. So by definition, I feel blessed on being a teacher, a love affair that has lasted two decades. When I look back to the initial years, a diffident teacher entering a class full of curious children, a teacher and a learner, nostalgia grips my heart as I recall all those eureka moments. The experience of being a teacher, a mentor, a guide, a philosopher and a friend (sounds clichéd doesn’t it) is a remarkable experience in its own way. At times we do berate the education system, as it appears to be dysfunctional one when we come across those children who have decided to hoodwink one and all, whom we cajole, threaten, that is; use all the tricks in the book to bring them to reason and sense. Every year, we come, connect and sync with our students, with new stories of sweat and tears, of humour and fun, of being a confidante, of counselling the parents. All this and much more is the story of being a teacher. The year is 2012, a chubby girl of 14 years stands in front of me, she is just in class IX and wants to participate in the Inter-House Recitation Competition for classes’ IX and X. She has had very strong recommendations from the House Master, who says she is simply wonderful and another fact that she was the head girl of Middle section. At
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that moment, I was surrounded by 12thies and listened to her, not entirely convinced that she would be right for the part. The poem that she had selected was quite an average one. And so I tell her to go to the library to check up on a book titled Golden Speeches and asked her to select something inspiring. The next day she is again there, this time we have selected Martin Luther’s speech ‘I have a dream…’ and the rest as they say is history. For the next four years, whenever we would team up together, right from class IX to class XII, be it an Inter House event or be it an Inter School competition, she would always come back for a critical analysis, she would always come back with laurels yet always be down-to-earth. Yes, I am dedicating this to Mehak Rajput, my lucky mascot, who would never cease to amaze me. She would always send me her write-ups whenever she would need an advice; be it an essay, speech or a debate. She
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became the President of the Student Council Body for the session 201516 (her own hard work and sincerity) and here is what she mailed after leaving the school. She has left the school but our association has grown all the stronger. It’s like potato- po-tah-to relationship one and the same thing, teacher? Friend? Whatever this is, I hope it grows with time. It’s like one of those pictures that you see, ‘talk to a friend after three years and it’ll still be the same’ that reminds me of her. I might sound a bit clingy or poetic or whatever that is… I’d just like to say that she is not a student to me, she is a friend and I’m glad my inner Monica found her Phoebe. By Mukta Sharma HoD (Sr. English Department) QSF( Coordinator)
I n
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I n
C o n v e r s a t i o n
Rethinking the Revolt
On a warm and bright Monday, I along with my two friends, launched into the herculean task of interacting with the veteran BBC correspondent and author, Sir William Mark Tully. His impressive credentials made us extremely nervous as we made our journey to his house in Nizamuddin, armed with all we knew about the ‘Revolt of 1857’, the topic we wanted to be discuss with him.
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ir Mark Tully was born in British India in 1935 (Tollygunge, Calcutta) and stayed in India till the age of nine, thereafter, he moved to England in 1945, returning only in 1965 as a BBC correspondent. Since then there had been no looking back, Mark is well settled in the ‘jugaad’ way of life (as he terms it) and does not intend on leaving India anytime soon. In 1985, Tully was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, he also received the BAFTA award for lifelong achievement in journalism, the same year. He was awarded the Padma Shree in 1992, was knighted in 2002, in 2005 he received the Padma Bhushan. The door was opened by Sir Mark himself, dressed in a plain red kurta and white choodidar, followed by his rather excited Labrador, Soni. Once we settle into his carefully decorated living room, and took permission to record the conversation, I took out a phone and started the recording. Almost immediately his curiosity was aroused. Mark: So it’s a telephone, and it records as well? Kunalika: Yes. Mark: My goodness! Kunalika: Do you not have a phone? Mark: I have a phone, but it is a very old one. It doesn’t do anything like this! All laugh, beginning with the interview. Lavanya: Sir, what is your take
on 1857, in general? Mark: It was a major turning point in history and a reflection of social changes taking place in British India. It put a shadow over British relations with India. Jallianwala bagh, in 1919 happened because the British feared another mutiny. From the British point of view, the thing started as a mutiny but then it became an uprising, which is a different thing, because a mutiny is something within the armed forces, uprising is more widespread. First war of independence, in a way it was – previously there had been minor mutinies, but certainly it was the first major one British faced. It remained a major movement till the nationalist movement. People remember the cartridges but there were many other factors behind it, the main
ones were the annexation of Oudh, unrest, land surveys, impeaches in land revenue, Royalties were upset as their sovereignty was challenged (e.g.: Rani of Jhansi), then there was the problem of the arrival of the missionaries-- they preached moral nationalism and loyalty to Christianity and wanted the British to maintain their distance from these sinful people. They disturbed order and created hostile environment in the entire of India. So the unrest was actually present in the minds of Indians throughout, and was gradually simmering away when the mutiny, in Meerut in particular was a sort of spark which blew the whole thing, their small victories in Delhi and Meerut gave them the courage to continue, because it showed them that the British was not invincible.
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However, 1857 was not pan-India. British don’t always admit to the brutalities that occurred in India post the restoration of British order after the mutiny. However, it was these post war hostilities that left a big mark on India. Lavanya: Why were there such vast regional differences in the intensity of the revolt? Mark: The north was more involved in the revolt because if you see, the revolt was fueled majorly by the Indian sepoys within the British army and most of the sepoys in the British army were recruited from the region of Bengal, so obviously the region would be more active in the mutiny, also major annexations of kingdoms was here. Moreover, India in those days wasn’t one country at all and so the south didn’t see any connection with the mutiny in the north, at all. Siddhi: How important do you think women were in the movement? Mark: To be honest, except for individual cases, I don’t think that they were important. It was an uprising of the men, women in those days in India, or even Britain for that matter
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I think it is one of the greatest attributes of India, it has the capability to forgive and stand for what it knows is morally the right thing to do, and I think that’s what happened after both the wars of independence. weren’t very important figures in the public or even the domestic sphere. However, there were great impacts on the lives of women and children. What happened to women and children in Cawnpore for instance became a great source of anger for the British and fueled their fight against the sepoys. Siddhi: Which do you think are good sources to read about 1857? Mark: Well you could read Dalrymple’s ‘White Mughals’ or ‘The Last Mughal’, Rudrangshu Mukherjee’s ‘Oudh in Revolt’ and ‘The Nightrunners of Bengal’ by John Masters. I also feel that if you read
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a novel or two it is better than laboring through pages of raw facts, it gives new perspective and it’s much more fun (laughs). Lavanya: Who do you think was the most influential personality in 1857? Mark: It has to be Dalhousie. It was because of his annexing policies that there was such unrest. He would be the most important and influential. Mangal Pandey, would be a lesser one but very important, and Rani of Jhansi, Nana sahib, etc. Another man who played a very significant role was Nicholson, who people often described as a tough and brutal guy, and William Dalrymple, I think, has described him as a “homosexual bully” (laughs, again). He commanded great loyalty among the people of Punjab and the people of the North-western provinces. He actually brought these people to Delhi when the mutiny was on and these were the people who recaptured Delhi, while John Nicholson was killed in the assault on Delhi. Siddhi: How did the revolt impact the later nationalist movements? Mark: It was considered as the first war of independence but the nationalist movement was so entirely different from the 1857 revolt that I don’t think it had a huge impact. 1857 was a violent uprising and the nationalist movement was a non-violent uprising. Gandhi did not approve of violent uprisings and even though there is no evidence of what he felt of 1857, I am assuming that he wouldn’t have approved of it. This highlights an incredible quality of India, quality of recovery where it emerges from terrible events untouched, its spirit unbroken, if you consider 1857, lots of people died, were murdered and yet the British managed to survive the next approx. 100 years in the country without any major violent attack on them, to be dismissed via a nonviolent movement. If you look at the partition it was a terrible event, one
I n would assume India to then be very anti – Muslim but it isn’t, it adopted a democratic, secular constitution. When the mosque was pulled down in Ayodhya, I was writing for BBC and a lot of people would ask me in interviews, ‘Is this the end of secularism in India?’ and I would say ‘No, I don’t think it is the end of secularism because in my experience of India, things go up very quickly, things explode very quickly, but they come down very quickly as well.’ And I think it is one of the greatest attributes of India, it has the capability to forgive and stand for what it knows it the morally right thing to do, and I think that’s what happened after the both the wars of independence. Lavanya: Was there any change in the way the British perceived Indians or the Indians perceived the British after 1857? Mark: Yes, I think that the British became more distanced from the Indians, they became conscious of not interfering with people’s religions, and missionaries were not encouraged after that, they did not try to impose the Victorian morality. As long as the Indians accepted British supremacy and authority the British just let them be. For example, my parents had grown up through the repercussions of 1857 and, therefore, ensured that their children maintained the distance from Indians. Even though we lived in Calcutta, we never played with the Indian children or interacted with them, we rarely moved out of the south Calcutta, we were firmly told that we were Christians, we were not allowed to learn Indian languages. In fact, my father hired a British nanny and her only job was to ensure that we did not mingle with the Indians who came to our house, including the servants, and so there was a deep change that went into generations much after 1857. And a very derogatory term was used for those British men who had become too involved with Indians, they were referred as
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as we were, we forgot about India. I did my schooling, national service in the army and then it was by chance that I was offered a job by BBC in India, and I was extremely bored of my life in Britain and so I took the job. On my first day in India, I landed up in Claridges’ hotel in Delhi. I went and stood in the verandah of my room and wondered what on earth I had done coming here, and that’s when I saw malis cooking their food over choolahs and the smell of that food just bought my past to my mind, and it went through my mind as an express train and from that moment onwards I thought India had some special meaning for me. From then there has been no looking back. I believe in karma, and in fate and believe in what happens to us is also about what we do, and obviously I have been very happy here, otherwise why would I be sitting here. I have enjoyed myself here, been fascinated by India, loved the people who had gone “native”. it, made friends here, and intend on What was surprising though was the completing my life here. fact that despite all of this, there was Siddhi: What about history intergreat deal of ongoing research on ests you? Indian history and artefacts, but in Mark: I love stories, and I think Calcutta we were really a separate history is like a story, I did my desociety. gree in History from Cambridge. I Kunalika: Why did you decide love modern history, but unfortuto stay on in India? nately I did my degree in ancient Mark: My family has been in and medieval history. And I think British India since times of the mu- one can learn a lot about ourselves tiny. In fact on my mother’s side, from history. my great – great grandmother had Lavanya: Do you think India is in fact written a diary on what had becoming too modern for your likhappened to her during times of ing? the mutiny. I left India when I was Mark: Yes, I do think so. I think it 10 years old in 1945, and we, the is becoming far too consumerist and children hated it in London, the that is contrary to India’s traditions. war was not yet over, everything I think it’s also going the Ameriwas rationed, there were no ser- can way, the rich are getting richer vants, there was no Indian sun, no and the poor are remaining poor. It music, no color, London was hor- needs to start believing in its tradirible really, but eventually, young tions again. By Kunalika Gautam, Siddhidatri Mishra and Lavanya Singh Class XII Sanskriti School, New Delhi
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Mania
Our School Live reporter Yuvvraj Singh brings for you the highlights, esp of India’s performance, from this year’s games held at Rio, Brazil from 5 August to 21 August 2016.
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he Olympic events took place at eighteen existing venues (eight of which required some redevelopment), nine new venues constructed for the Summer Games, and seven temporary venues which will be removed following the games. The official mascots of the 2016 Summer Olympics was Vinicius, and represents Brazilian wildlife and carries design traits of cats, monkeys, and birds. For the first time, due to the European migrant crisis and other reasons, the International Olympic Committee allowed athletes to compete as Independent Olympians under the Olympic Flag. More than 11,000 athletes from 207 National Olympic Committees participated. With 306 sets of medals, the games featured 28 Olympic sports. Day (-1) and (-2) – The 2 days before the official opening of the Olympic Games included qualifying matches for Women and Men’s Football, including 12 matches in total. Day 0 – The Olympic Games were declared open by Brazilian President, Michel Temer, after the opening ceremony took place in the Maracanã Stadium on 5 August 2016. The ceremony highlighted aspects of Brazilian history and culture. The only sport taking place on this day was the ranking/qualifying round of Archery. India – Indian men and women archers easily qualified this round.
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Day 1 – The games begun in a fullfledged way from this day. Most sports took place including Archery, Basketball, Boxing, Fencing, Hockey, Weightlifting, Rowing etc. India – Indian athletes Dattu Bhokanal (Rowing), Apurvi Chandela and Jitu Rai (Shooting), Leander Paes and Sania Mirza (Tennis) and Saikhom Chanu (Weightlifting) participated. Jitu Rai reached the Finals of 10m Air Pistol and ranked 8th while all others failed to reach the next round. Day 2 – Almost the similar sports took place on the second day as well with Diving being added to the list. India – Heena Sidhu and MS Sandhu (Shooting) failed to qualify for the finals of their respective events. Dipa Karmakar ranked 8th and qualified for Women’s Vault Finals (Gymnastics). Indian Women Hockey Team drew with Japan 2-2 while Indian women Archery team lost to Russia in the Quarterfinals. Day 3 India – Abhinav Bindra (Shooting) finished 4th in the Finals and missed a bronze by a whisker. Indian Men’s Hockey team lost to Germany 2-1 while the women’s team lost to Great Britain 3-0. Day 4 India –
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Atanu Das (Archery) reached the Round of 16. Indian Men’s Hockey team beat Argentina 2-1. Vikas Krishan (Boxing) entered the Round of 16. Day 5 – Except the inclusion of Road cycling, all the sports were repeated. India – Sathish Sivalingam (Weightlifting) ranked 4th in the finals of the 77kg event and missed the Bronze Medal. Indian women’s Hockey team lost to Australia 6-1, Bombayla Devi and Deepika Kumari reached the Round of 16. Day 6 – Men’s and Women’s Badminton as well as Golf matches were held. This was the first instance where Gold was played in an Olympic Games. India – Pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa (Badminton) lost to their Japanese counterparts. Deepika Kumari and Bombayla Devi got eliminated in their Round of 16 matches. Men’s and Women’s Hockey team lost in their respective matches. PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal and Srikanth Kidambi (Badminton) won their first round matches. Day 7 – Events of Trampolining (Gymnastics) and the much awaited Athletics started on the 7th day of the competition. It also marked the end of Judo, Slalom Canoeing and Road
S h o r t s
Cycling. India – Gagan Narang (Shooting), Vikas Gowda (Discus Throw) failed to qualify for the finals of their events. Atanu Das (Archery) lost his round of 16 match. Men’s Hockey team drew with Canada 2-2 while the pair of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna (Tennis) won their quarter final match against Britain, which included the stalwart Andy Murray. Day 8 – Events like Archery and Judo ended while all others remained in the competition. Michael Phelps created history by becoming the most decorated athlete of all time as he won his 28th medal, out of which 23 are Golds. India – Shiv Chawrasia (Golf) qualified for Round 4 of the event. Women’s hockey team lost to Argentina 5-0. Lalita Babar (Athletics) qualified for the finals of the 3000 metre Steeplechase. India was eliminated in the Men’s and Women’s doubles (Badminton) while Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna (Tennis) lost their Semi Final Match to USA. Day 9 – The ninth day marked the end of Rowing, Tennis, Fencing and Trampolining and the start of Wrestling, while others remained to be played. Usain Bolt claimed the first position in 100 metres sprint for the third consecutive time and became the first man to do so. India – PV Sindhu and Srikanth Kidambi (Badminton) won their respective matches to qualify for the next round while in a shocking match, Saina Nehwal was eliminated from the competition. Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna lost their Bronze Medal Match to Czech Republic. Men’s Hockey team lost to Belgium 3-1 in the Quarterfinals. Dipa Karmakar (Gymnastics) came 4th in the Women’s Vault and scripted history as the first woman gymnast from India. Day 10 – Rounds of Sprint Canoeing started for the first time while
the tenth day saw the ending of Shooting and Tennis. Andy Murray (Tennis) emerged as the Gold Medal Winner after beating Del Potro of Argentina. India – Vikas Krishan (Boxing) lost his Quarterfinal bout against Uzbekistan. Lalita Babar (Athletics) claimed 10th position in the finals of 3000 metre Steeplechase. PV Sindhu and Srikanth Kidambi (Badminton) qualified to the Quarterfinal Round. Day 11 – The 11th day marked the end of Swimming and Track Cycling. India – PV Sindhu beat World No.2, Wang Yihan to reach the Semi Finals of Badminton Singles. Hardeep Singh (Wrestling) failed to qualify for the Quarterfinals in the 98kg category. Day 12 – It marked the beginning of BMX cycling and the end of Weightlifting and Artistic Gymnastics. India – Sakshi Malik (Wrestling) won 3 straight matches and eventually her Bronze Medal Match against Kyrgyzstan, bringing home India’s first medal at Rio 2016. Aditi Ashok (Golf) qualified for the second round of her competition. Srikanth Kidambi (Badminton) lost to Lin Dan of China in the Quarterfinals of men’s singles. Day 13 – Usain Bolt won his second medal of the Games as he came first in the men’s 200 metres. Triathlon and Modern Pentathlon begun while Sailing came to an end. India – PV Sindhu (Badminton) beat Japan in the Semi-finals and ensured a medal in her next match. Aditi Ashok (Golf) reached the third stage of her competition. Babita Kumari (Wrestling) lost her Quarterfinal
match against Greece. Day 14 – Usain Bolt completed his Olympic campaign as he won his Third Gold medal in the 1*100 metre Relay. It also marked the end of BMX cycling and Equestrian and Synchronised swimming. Rhythmic Gymnastics started off on the
same day. India – PV Sindhu (Badminton) lost her Final match to Spain’s Carolina Marin and wrote history by becoming the country’s first woman to get a Silver Medal at the Olympics. Aditi Ashok was knocked out of her respective competition. Narsingh Yadav (Wrestling) was banned from competing due to failed dope tests. Day 15 – This was technically the last competitive day and most of the competitions met their fate except for a few like Athletics, wrestling, Basketball etc. India – Aditi Ashok came 52nd in the last round of Women’s golf competition. Day 16 – This day marked the end of the Olympics 2016 with the Closing Ceremony taking place in the Maracana Stadium. India – Medal hope Yogeshwar Dutt (Wrestling) failed to qualify for the finals of the 65kg category. The Olympics 2016 was marked with 15 days of breathtaking action, full of World records as well as heartbreaks. The number of sports and the enthusiasm of even the best of the best show how big a success these games were.
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By Yuvvraj Singh Class XII Sanskriti School, New Delhi
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C a r e e r
C h a t
Sporting the
Journalist
The future of the Indian sports industry seems very bright. Along with the existing league expanding, sports brands industry India will be hosting some of the biggest Sports Tournaments in world–FIFA U17 Football World Cup in 2017, Hockey World Cup in 2018 etc., thus, making the best opportunities available to the Sports Managers of the Country. Our career expert Jitin Chawla on sports journalism.
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he success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has spawned numerous similar league competitions across many sports such as Football, Hockey, Kabaddi, Golf, Badminton, Tennis, mixed Martial Arts, Cycling, Wrestling and so on. These leagues have presented new investors, more spectators, and higher revenues. This, in turn, has unlocked career opportunities with specialized skills and knowledge in sports, which are at par with other industries. If you have strong writing skills and equal fervor for sports, then you can become a journalist for the sports. Responsibility of handling sports desk is challenging, contrary to what the name suggests there is a lot of traveling involved in this job. Along with traveling, come strict deadlines and it may require working during weekends, as well. Sports journalists inform and entertain people about all the happenings in the realm of sports. This can be done by writing for newspapers, magazines, and websites. Additionally, they may present sports related news on a TV channel. This may often involve a great deal of research and keeping up with current events. A sports writer not only has to attend sporting events to keep current with what is going on, but they must also meet with clients or team members as well. But still a lot needs to be done in this
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Role of Sports Journalists • Analyze and interpret information to increase their audiences’ understanding of the news. • Write articles for newspapers, blogs, and magazines and write scripts to be read on television or radio. • Research topics and stories that an editor or news director has assigned to them. • Skills of Sports Journalists • Communication skills: Journalists require excellent communication skills to be able to report the news both verbally and in writing. • Impartiality: Journalists need to report the facts of the news impartially and without inserting their opinion or bias into the story. • People skills: Sports Journalists also need to work well with other journalists, editors, and news directors besides they develop contacts and conduct interviews, reporters thus need good people skills. • Persistence: Journalists need to be persistent in their pursuit of the story. • Stamina: The work of journalists is often fast paced, and the hours can be long and exhausting. Reporters need to be able to keep up with the long hours. • One might be having any background in XI & XII but humanities/arts is a preferred subject area and the entrance tests include questions from media based G.K/GK, English and reasoning. Some Universities have a creative test also, where one needs to design advertisements, write radio script etc., followed by GD & Interview.
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what/where to study UG/PG in Journalism & Mass Communication: Indian Institute of Mass Communication; Banaras Hindu University; Jamia Millia Islamia; Delhi University –South Campus; IP University – Delhi; Foreign Language University; Central University; Makhanlal Chaturvedi University; Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya – Indore; St. Xaviers – Bombay; Symbiosis –Pune; Pune University – Pune; FTIIPune; School of Broadcasting – Mumbai; Indira School Of Mass CommunicationPune; Asian School of journalism – Chennai. If you don’t get into the above college than go for Courses run by Media Institutes NDTV Media Institute, India Today Media Institute, Express Institute Of Media Studies, Times schools of Journalism, Manorama School of Journalism–Kerala. Sport Journalism is offered by universities like Indiana University, Purdue University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Texas at Austin, Arizona State University & Michigan State University, among others. field. It is disappointing to note that there are not enough good sports magazines in Indian languages. A couple of English sports magazines (Sportstar, Diamond Cricket Today) are available in the market, which cater to the need of limited sports fans; many sports loving people who are not comfortable with the English language don’t enjoy this privilege. Today, it is a rewarding vocation, which requires talented and skilled sports media professionals. To be a sport journalist you need to know inside out of your subject and have a passion to make a mark in this vocation. It also demands lot of hard work and onus. However, rewards are lucrative, a sport journalist gets box seats at the games, meets internationals sports star, gets lot of exposure while travelling from one country to another, getting to know the people who train Olympic/ International athletes, and fame & ap-
preciations from the readers and fans. Today, Internet has become an important part of sports journalism. Almost all journalists have to start from ground zero. So, if you are an aspiring journalist, you can start with your own blogs on your favourite team or particular sport. This helps you to build up your portfolio of self-published clips and if any sports organisation finds your blog interesting then you could also get a chance to work with them. Today, sports journalism has turned into long form writing, it also produces popular books on sports which include biographies, history and investigations. Many Western countries have their own national association of sports journalists. In India, there has been recent growth in sports journalism. The sports column in various leading newspapers are widely popular among readers. Indians today not just appreciate cricket but they have also understood
the importance of other sports also like football, hockey, wrestling, boxing etc. You can go for a degree in sports journalism which could enhance your writing and reporting skills and also trains you efficiently in the areas of sports. You would learn to write technical details about a sport in a simple manner. One could also opt for journalism and match reporting course which deals with going to sport games, sporting events, and venues, meeting with players then reporting all this to sports crazy audience. The career opportunities in sports journalism are – match reporter, freelance sports journalist and sports writer. You would get to work in newspaper, radio, TV, magazines and online journalism. Harsh Bhogle and Ravi Shastri are precedents of the communications aspect in the field of Sports making it one of the key and popular occupations of the business. The emergence of League competitions such as IPL, ISL and the Indian Badminton League (IBL), among others, has created abundant career opportunities. Those endowed with communication skills can gainfully find avenues to practice the art as commentators, journalists, anchors, etc. Rapid growth of platforms in medium of newspapers and magazines has created interest in sports journalism, evolving it as a highly paid profession.
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Volume 2 | Issue 11 | September 2016 | 43
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Track your
Stolen Phone!
Ever been in that horrible, gut-wrenching situation when you suddenly realize that you do not have your phone on you, and it has been stolen. Our cyber expert Amit Dubey on how to deal with such a scenario.
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am frequently asked by my friends as to how can they locate their stolen or missing phones. There are thousands of people who lose their mobile phone every day and few thousands more whose mobile phones are stolen every day. Sometimes my friends even request me that if the phone cannot be traced, at least they should be able to erase their data from the phone remotely because their phone contains lots of private information and pictures. There are a handful of phone recovery or anti-theft apps on the Google Play Store which can be a lifesaver in case you lose your phone or, even worse, it gets stolen. But many people might only realize that there are such apps after it has been lost or stolen. Then, it usually is too late and you have to face the ugly truth that the phone is gone for good. But don’t burst out in tears just yet. There’s still hope for your phone to find its way back to you! There are a few ways to remote control and track your phone even if you haven’t installed a recovery app before it vanished. Here, I will focus on Android devices first due to large market cover-
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age and usage of Android Phones. However, we will learn about Apple iOS devices in the following articles. There are normally two ways to find your lost Android phone. The first method is to locate your phone with the help of tracking app and second method is to find your android phone without tracking app. I am going to show you both ways as to how can you do it for yourself. When you setup your device for the first time, it asks for Google ac-
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count id and password. In case you skipped it and never signed back manually then it’s going to be harder to get your Android phone back but if you have a google (gmail) account and you have configured your gmail on your phone that itself gives you enough ways to track your phone. Google’s Android Device Manager is the official tool from Google to track your android phones and tablets by signing in to Android Device Manager website. Once you log in
C y b e r S a f e using your Google account Id which you used to setup your device, you will be able to track and locate it. You need to choose among the devices on the website if there are many. Once you choose it, then it will show you the location on the map and you can perform some other functions as well. However, the lost/stolen Android mobile must be connected to the Google Account and it should have internet access. You can go to Android Device Manager. (You can simply search Android Device Manager on Google link too) https://www.google.com/ android/devicemanager Once logged in, you will be directly able to see all your active devices. Click on your lost android phone and you will be able to see its location however Google also says location given on map is close to the accurate location. The device must be nearby somewhere. You can perform 3 actions from this website: Ring and lock your phone remotely and erase its data. (Lock and erase must be allowed for Android Device Manager via Google app settings. It’s turned off by default.). Once found and if your device is stolen then you can contact concerned authorities to retrieve it back. If you lost it somewhere in your house, office then you can see the location in the map and you will be able to figure it out or simply ring it. ADM offers less features as compared to iPhone tracking website iCloud. In iPhone, you can get step by step direction to reach your iPhone. You can track the Android tablet the same way. Simply Login and you will be able to do all the above listed things. Here, I recommend some tracking apps which you can use proactively to ensure safety of your phone. These apps will enable you to do many more things remotely and it will surely be fun to try some of these interesting features. Lookout is one of the oldest anti-
theft app available on the app store. While many features are free but you have to pay fee for some advanced features. Here are some important functions being performed by the application. You will receive email when phone is turned off or when SIM is changed. It can take pics from camera remotely and email you. Bitdefender Anti-Theft Mobile anti-theft app is one of the high rated apps available in the market. It functions just like Android Device manager app but does few more things. Whenever SIM card is changed, you will be notified about it on your another given number. You can force phone to call you via SMS feature or
AirDroid offers some interesting features through which you can upload your important documents and images on the web from your AirDroid account before you wipe your phone. The thief will never know that something is going on. You can click real time pics from camera. You can initiate both front and rear camera to see where it is and who’s using it. You can click pictures and can save it in your PC. Screenshot functionality is present in AirDroid so that you can try to catch thief by writing something which can help you in identifying him. There are number of other software and apps which help you find your android phone using phone’s
force your phone to pick up your next call. You can lock and erase all phone data with a single click. Cerberus is a cool anti-theft app which gives you many interesting features beyond location tracking like, you can retrieve list of calls made from the phone, Microphone can be turned on to hear the voice of another person and you can also hide the apps icon so that thief will never realize that it’s installed. Sometimes, you realize that there are lots of documents and pictures on your stolen phone and you don’t have a backup. You may lose important documents and pics. In that case,
GPS on a computer. However, not every one of them is reliable and that’s why I have not listed them here. If you are not unable to find your location or see messages like “Location Unavailable” then probably internet is not available or it has been turned off by the thief. In such cases, you will have to wait till the internet is turned on by the person having your phone. Your misplaced cell can only be tracked if internet is available in it. There is no way without it. We also suggest you to notify authorities in case your phone is stolen and if you found it using any one of the methods above.
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Suicide Squad
Director: David Ayer Starring: Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie
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ne of the most anticipated ligence operative, Amanda Waller, in releases of the year, a movie the wake of Superman’s death. The US whose trailer and teasers had Government in exchange for reduce d everyone hooked, Suicide Squad was sentences assigns a highly sensiti ve good, but sadly, not good enough to mission to this band of misfits . A lot live up to the legacy of DC universe. could go wrong when you are forced For those who prefer the bad ways to put your faith in non-conventio nal of the super villains, this seemed like antagonists. the perfect concept. An entire movie Unfortunately for us, the movie dedicated to the treacherous ways could not execute all that it set out to of the fascinating world of villains do. The story line had immen se posounded refreshing. A dream team tential but was delivered in a muddle d of highly dangerous, fabulously bad, form, containing a lot of unreso lved and fiercely lethal criminals termed as loopholes, the editing was not as ex“Suicide Squad” is assembled by intel- ceptional as one would expect for a
Budhia Singh: Born to Run
Director: Soumendra Padhi Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Mayur Patole
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film based on the true story of Odisha’s Budhia Singh (played by Mayur Mahendra Patole), world’s youngest marathon runner and his coach and mentor Biranchi Das (played by Manoj Bajpayee) who faces various challenges for his Olympic ambitions for the five year old wonder boy. This film manages to rise way beyond the
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movie of this scale, and the story failed to connect with the audience; some might even call it detached. If you are looking for a reason to watch it, go for the acting. The actors’ left no stone unturned to step into the shoes of their characters, they have done what every actor dreams of doing- they became their characters. This team of antiheroes with their bizarre ideologies, and freaky tricks does complete justice in showing us why the superheroes don’t have it all. Their ways are so wicked, they start to look good. For all the Heath Ledger fans, Jared Leto’s performance will be a sweet surprise. The two cannot be compared- having their own style- but Leto’s performance, as the Joker does not disappoint. The Thirty Seconds to Mars front man had gigantic shoes to fill, and he has done this with a shocking intensity, not afraid of adding a touch of his own charisma to it. The storyline wasn’t the best, but Suicide Squad will still be a decent treat with its own golden moments for the diehard DC Comics fans.
typical sports film and engages every viewer’s emotion in a much deeper way than movies of the genre can. The film is one of the most honest and raw depictions of the truths and conditions of rural India and the poverty stricken class and thus, in my opinion is a very important one for younger viewers, especially as it exposes us to an India that is far away from the reality quite a lot of us grow in and manages to be accurate without over-glorification of the reality for entertainment purposes. A young poverty stricken boy, Budhia Singh, is ready to run at the prospect of that fetching him a bicycle. Biranchi Das, a judo coach who runs other local businesses
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By Vitasta Singh Class XII Scottish High International School, Gurgaon
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Rustom
Director: Tinu Suresh Starring: Akshay Kumar, Ileana D’Cruz and Esha Gupta
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et in the late 1950s, the film is takes a twist when Rustom finds out primarily based on the life of about his wife’s infidelity with Vikram a Naval Officer named Rustom Makhija. He is absolutely shatter ed, Pavri( Akshay Kumar). The film begins seeks revenge by murdering Vikram on a happy note where we see Rustom Makhija. From here, the plot takes an marry Cynthia (Ileana D’cruz). Rustom enthralling turn, turning into a typical is completely devoted to the nation, crime thriller. Rustom is tried by the earnest and sincere towards his job court and he pleads not guilty of the and has the capability to do some- crime. What happens next? thing for the country. He lives with his Akshay’s acting in the movie is great, charming wife and is a good husband. as the assertive and intellig ent naval Everything seems to be working well officer. He is so involved in the role between the loving couple. But the plot that one cannot turn away from his to make ends meet, takes him under his wing after discovering his talent on the account of a punishment given by him to the boy, and plans to train and ready him for the Olympics. His ambition may at times even seem rapacious, but is balanced out by the little acts of kindness and care such as him buying Budhia new shoes and silently crying upon being separated from the boy. This ambition, however, is met with a lot of opposition on ethical grounds, for the intensive practice and vigorous training being enforced on a five year old. The circus created by government inquiry, me-
dia scrutiny and public involvement in general, shows the truths of rural politics, corruption, greed, ambition, desire and their effect on an innocent child born with tremendous talent. The entire controversy culminates in a very tragic and emotional end which could leave many with tears in their eyes. Budhia Singh: Born to Run is a touching and thought provoking feature that raises many important questions of ethics and values, but does so in a very unbiased and balanced manner. It highlights the grey areas that exist in all and every important situation in life and, is thus relatable
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dignified presence on screen. Ileana plays the part of his wife perfectly, her manner and style surpasses splendours of other actors. Esha on the other hand her tries to spruce up the film as much as she can by playing the beautiful, strong woman who fights for her brother and antagonizes Rustom. Even the dialogues of the film are apt and the direction pleasant. Do watch, to know what happens! By Aniket Parihar Class XI The Scindia School, Gwalior
for everyone regardless of how different the setting of the movie may be to the viewers’ lives. For this reason and many more, I feel this is a fantastic film that speaks to all of its viewers in a very emotional and deep sense and is a must watch for absolutely everyone!
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By Malhar Mishra Class XII Sanskriti School, New Delhi
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so and are more self-aware in the process, while the society on the other hand, are more acceptable to this as compared to earlier times. Simon and Blue are fascinating characters. This is one of those unique books where all the characters, even the secondary ones, are exceptionally well-written and stand out as original and remarkable. Simon’s family is a mundane family written with the same originality as seen in their weekly discussions of ‘The Bachelorette’. They are entertaining and affectionate and play a big role in Simon’s life in realistic ways. The most enthralling aspect of the book is that none of the characters are as simple as they seem, even Martin, the blackmailer. They’re complex and dynamic. To its credit, Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda consists of no forced or unjust drama. When Simon meets a gay university student, the man rapidly gets to know about his age and puts his flirtation to an end before it could head in any specific direction. An act of anti-gay bullying is chastised instantly and doubtlessly; the school is accepting and well educated on such matters. When the almostSimon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda an-antagonist does do something unWilliam C. Morris forgivable, he regrets it immediately and apologizes for his acts. There’s imon vs. the Homo Sapiens that he can be himself when he talks an acknowledgement of persevering Agenda hurls us into the rather to Blue… and eventually, Simon real- anti-gay sentiment, but the actual mundane life of Simon Spier. izes that he is falling for him. It is at drama is more in manoeuvring the Simon—like any other teen of this this juncture that Simon realizes that high school politics of coming out. generation—adores Oreos, Elliott Blue is a person whose face he had Dividing them out, each feature of Smith, Tegan and Sara, and makes never seen even though he was in the the book is impressive, but doing so references to Harry Potter. He is six- same school as him. does an injustice to the book, which is teen years old and gay, and the only This is about as bungling as it will much more than the sum of its parts. person who knows is Blue, who Simon get for the ordinary kid coming out The basis of the story might be a bit has been talking to via email. “Blue” is in this age. While prejudice and ho- unusual, but the novel feels certainly the alias of a boy – a smart grammar mophobia still have a strong hold accurate. nerd – from school. Simon constantly on our community, the budding By contemplates whether Blue knows support for LGBT+ rights—notaMalvika Nair about this aspect of Simon’s person- bly amongst younger generations— Class XII ality or not. Though, they haven’t met means that people coming out are Shikshantar School, Gurgaon virtually or physically, he tends to feel now more comfortable while doing
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he story I’m going to tell is true. It happened to me. It is a tale of Gunpowder town’ Fly Away Home is a story taking place during the Second World War. Like Anne Frank’s Diary, it tells us about the world during those hard and dark times through the brightly lit eyes of a child, Christel Goth, an eight year old with a mind that ventured far beyond the dark damp cellars that her family was forced in for shelter. When her home in Vienna is bombed and is turned into a pile of rubble and dust, a chance offered to her family saves them. A chance to move into the safety of a wealthy suburb and living in a villa belonging to someone else. With the horrors of the Russians finding them at the peak while the war is ending, the story gives out a feeling of happiness, sadness, excitement and guilt rushing in one after another. And when the Russians do
come all that they can do as the worst is drink and fire guns, but Christel’s curiosity leads danger to not only her but to her loved ones as well. A story based on the experiences of her own childhood portrayed through the simple words spoken by a child, Christine Nöstlinger has done a rather magnificent job in indulging it’s reader further and into the world of war, humanity and fear covered with small sparks of happiness and laughter that are yet to find out how dangerous the world can be. By Shubhangi Vardhan Class X Delhi Public School, RK Puram
Fly away home Christine Nöstlinger
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ercy Jackson was living a normal life like 12-year-old, well, if you call being dyslexic and ADHD stricken normal. Being bullied and having trouble with the authorities were just the usual things for him. But something that was not normal was having a satyr for a best friend and being chased by a minotaur while chilling on a beach on the very first day of your summer vacations. That’s when Percy came to know that he was the son of a Greek god. He found a place for kids exactly like him, a camp for demigods. Percy was just getting used to the new surroundings when he was sent on a quest to retrieve Zeus’s lightning bolt, a master bolt that created lighting, which others assumed was stolen by him. Was Percy actually the thief of the lightning bolt? If not would he be able to find the real thief and also that invaluable object? The best thing about this book is the originality of the storyline. I love the way how Rick Riordan created a
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Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief Rick Riordan
I never expected a mythological novel to be so amazing. There are a lot of plot twists that got my attention and kept me engaged. This story definitely kept me consumed and it is full of humor. The only thing I didn’t like about this novel was the frustrating cliff hangers. That made me want to read the next part then and there which, alas, was not always possible. This is an extremely humorous and interesting story and is highly recommended for those who think that Harry Potter series is the best. Percy Jackson is definitely a must-read.
masterpiece out of Greek mythology as well as the problems faced by the category of people known as “teenagers”.
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By Anjishtha Sharma Class X New Era Public School, Mayapuri
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A Second Chance T
he two men sat in separate cells, leaning against the hard walls, their hands and legs chained; both suffering from excruciating pain with their scars from the lashes. They sat in silence unaware of the fact that on the other side of the wall sat another prisoner living the same miserable, meaningless life. Javed let out a sigh and coughed a dry cough. He tried taking in long breaths, forcing his lungs to work hard, but to no avail. In that place, hope was in short supply, but in his case, there was none. He sensed his end creeping closer with every breath. He was about to be executed in a few hours. He tried to think of all the happy times in his life, of all the times when everything had been alright. When he wasn’t almost brought to the very brink of insanity. When people who loved him were around. On the other side of the wall sat Lewis, a man who suffered the same fate. He tried his last chance at yanking his hands out of the shackles and let out an exasperated sigh. He had managed to break out every single time he had been captured, but his luck had finally run out, and here he sat in the last few hours of his life, finally digesting the fact that he was going to die after all. But, the feeling wasn’t new for him. “Well, there are worse ways to go,” he said to himself. The prisoners had never known each other, had never known that they were leading the same pain filled lives. It was in the last few hours of their lives that they finally decided to acknowledge each other. The prison guard shoved in plates filled with food. Well, that’s what they called it, at least.
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“Your last meal,” he said in a nonchalant tone. Both the ill-fated prisoners had longed for food – good, fresh food since their incarceration in prison. They never got it, but hunger can make a man eat almost anything. Their hunger died almost immediately as the feeling of death took over their minds. Dark thoughts filled them. They were scared. They tried to fight the feeling, but there was no avoiding them. The end was inevitable. Javed coughed again and sniffled, a sob emerged from his throat. “Oh please spare me from those,” Lewis said in an annoyed tone. “Are you talking to me?” Javed asked quite surprised. “Oh, no. The walls, they are quite entertaining and contribute to a great conversation.” Lewis replied with quite an edge to his voice. The ticking time was getting on his
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nerves. “Oh,” Javed said in a shaky voice. He sounded like he was about to cry. But he held back the tears, and remembered his family and friends, much to his comfort. He took in a deep breath, and said, “Tell me, Mr...?” “Lewis.” “Yes. Tell me something, Mr. Lewis. Do you fear death?” “Appropriate timing for the question, let me tell you,” he said, as he let out a chuckle. But, this was nothing funny for Javed. The sense of humour he used to have was long gone. He still let out a forced chuckle, for the sake of it. “But you haven’t answered, sir. Do you fear death?” “Oh, stop being so formal, I sure as hell don’t deserve that respect. And as for the “do I fear death”, I don’t know, I haven’t thought of it. I do
S t o r y t e l l i n g wish I could escape from the hands of death as I had a few other times. What about you eh? Gotten lucky before?” “I don’t comprehend you sir,” Javed replied. “Huh?” Lewis sounded amused. “First timer, eh? That must suck, not being able to pull off an act. What was the crime though? Mass murder?” “Mass murder!!?? Oh dear Lord. NO!” “Then what is it? What has led you here? Surely you must not be a saint to end up here.” “Oh I am no saint. I have done terrible things,” he said shaking his head and choking on his voice. “Terrible things.” “Now now...How can I comfort you when my own death awaits me?” Lewis said sarcastically. “Do you believe in second chances, Lewis?” “Second chances? No! I believe in luck not second chances. Why? Do you feel you need another chance to redeem yourself?” “Please,” Lewis laughed and said, “This certainly is not the time.” “Don’t you have a family? Someone who’ll mourn when you’re gone? Don’t you feel you need to get back to them?” “Let me tell you a story, young man. A story where you’ll pity the character but you shouldn’t because he doesn’t deserve it.” Lewis said. Once there lived a young boy far away from the city, far away from this artificial and cruel world. His family lived in the woods. He was a happy young boy, innocent and sweet in his own way. He had doting parents, a younger sister to look out for, and a lamb which was his pet and which he adored. One day the young boy was walking down the hill when he saw wisps of smoke rising from his town. He walked closer and heard screams after screams. The boy was only seven and he looked around helplessly trying to under-
boy was found in the busy streets of the city picking pockets, smuggling drugs, dealing with leaders of different gangs. He had become very popular amongst the gangs. Everyone wanted him to do their dirty jobs and he did it without a question. Three years later you could find his name in every “WANTED LIST”. The sweet young boy who once walked around with his lamb stand the situation. He ran to where now walked around with a gun, killonce was a beautiful village, now all ing people ruthlessly without any that remained were ashes, rocks and qualms or any sort of remorse. Evscreams of helpless children and eryone hated him now but he didn’t woman. His young eyes searched in care. He tried thinking back to his the destruction for his parents, his old fine days but all that he could reyounger sister, and his lamb. But member were faded memories. He none was found. A mob of fanatics killed a whole family once when they was the reason behind this. They refused to give him what he wanted. were avenging the death of one of He had become a monster. their leaders. Lewis sighed deeply, his eyes The young boy, fell down, tears were filled with tears and he tried rolled down his face. He couldn’t un- wiping them but was restrained by (to be contd.) derstand how and why his home was the chains. now a shattered pile of bricks. He couldn’t understand why his mom By hadn’t come, picked him up and Gayathri Nambiar soothed him saying “It was just a Class X bad dream son.” Tagore International School, Ten years later the same young Vasant Vihar
He tried taking in long breaths, forcing his lungs to work hard, but to no avail. In that place, hope was in short supply, but in his case, there was none.
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Land in Ruins Let me see those scars and the broken bones, of the kid on the street holding a stone. He spoke in words that I can't quote, felt like a razor in my throat. "I have the body of a kid and a heart of a rebel, for the land I love is turning into rubble" said the boy with no fear in his eyes, "my struggle will never die" I picked a stone and took a vow, to make his pain my own somehow. Walked into the mist and heard the cries, so vicious, I can't justify. I took the aim and threw the stone, screamed in rage and I did groan. I don't run, I don't hide, I am not shy and I've never lied. "My house was burned, my parents were killed", heard those words and I was thrilled. "They raped my sister then pulled the trigger, in that place a cry still lingers. I came from school and saw the mess, fell to my knees in distress. Ran to where my father sits, found a shoe and polished it. Ran to where my mother cooks, to see one last time how she looks. I then ran to my sister's study, found a body left for me to bury" The world is at war, a silent war, we're in the middle of an ocean, looking for the shore. The world is at war, a silent war and I am a rebel, yes, I did swore!
By Mujadid Gilani Class XI Apeejay School, Sheikh Sarai
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W a t c h
T h i s
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Book Release A galaxy of luminaries from various walks of life, Members of Delhi Public School Society, Principals of Delhi Public Schools, family and friends gathered at Hotel Lalit, Barakhamba Road in the afternoon of 16th August to launch the third novel of Shri Pramod Grover, Treasurer and Senior member DPS Society, in the presence of Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Honourable Union Minister of State, Tourism and Culture. Published by Rising Sun Publishing Company, Pitambar
Group, the book Far Fetched Love is an engaging story of love and longing which has at its core, the fascinating possibilities of the IVF procedure. A Chartered Accountant by profession Shri Pramod Grover has displayed a keen literary mind through his earlier two books The Wedding Gift published in 2002 and Gunshots in Lodhi Garden published in 2004, engaging novels that deal with real life experiences in a fictional world.
Inter School Sports Meet
Fortune World School, Noida Supremely talented Fortunites Anushka Ravindra Lande of Grade 2, Anushree Ravindra Lande of Grade 7 and Kanishk Singh Rana of Grade 9 of Fortune World School, Noida, have once again proved their mettle by bagging Gold Medals in the Taekwondo Championship of “Delhi/NCR Inter School Khel Protsahan” ,organized by Kridha Sports Foundation, Delhi, in which various
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renowned schools of Delhi/NCR participated. In the Athletics meets, Fortunite Eeshna Sinha of Nursery, Mukul Awana of Grade 2 and Arman Bhati of Grade 5 bagged Gold Medals. Next in the queue are Sunakshi Gupta of Grade 3 and Vaibhav Tomar of Grade 5, who bagged Silver Medals. Last but not the least, Manvi Chauhan of Grade 2 and Shivansh of
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Grade 5 bagged Bronze Medals. The purpose of the event was to encourage the students and to build in them the qualities of leadership, sharing, team spirit and tolerance, which are learnt from sports. The Principal and teachers congratulated the budding talents of Fortune World School for their outstanding performance and also conveyed their best wishes for the student’s bright future.
W a t c h
T h i s
S p a c e
A lively, interactive session between the author and the audience marked the event. A Saraswati Vandana and a Kathak dance recital by students from DPS Noida made the occasion more hallowed. While launching Shri Pramod Grover’s newest offering Far Fetched Love, Dr. Mahesh Sharma spoke about the role of literature as a mirror to society. He emphasized that books give us keen insights into the world of others and see a perspective which we would otherwise never experience. The newly launched book Far Fetched Love by Shri Pramod Grover has already garnered rave reviews and promises to be another jewel in his literary journey.
Delhi Public School Society
Halla Bol / Freedofest – August 2016 This 15th August, Gyanshree School celebrated the spirit of India’s freedom with Freedofest 2016. Shreeyans stormed the stage with Halla Bol 2016, a Gyanshree tradition, in which the students take up the voice of right and against might giving voice to the multitudinous stumbling blocks that plague the
Gyanshree School, Noida
society at large. The issues of equality in education were addressed and a war cry raised against all forms of personal gains that prevent us from achieving the same. The eminent Director Education, Ms. Rita Kapur urged each Shreeyan in her message to become a nation builder, to become the architect of a posi-
tive future for India. The honourable Principal Ms. Vandana Midha encouraged the students in their noble endeavour to spread awareness, the first step in any war waged against the evils that infest society and called upon them to become mentally and emotionally strong. The occasion was also graced by Dr. V.S. Ravindran – Director General of Institute of Counsellor Training Research and Consultancy who encouraged each Student to become a leader that paves the way to the paths of unceasing progress and Ms. Richa Aniruddh, the anchor of “Zindagi Live” on IBN7, who motivated the young ones to commit themselves to performing their duties before counting their rights! It was an exhilarating celebration that upheld Gyanshree’s commitment to building a brighter tomorrow for a better India!
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S t u d y
G u i d e
Insider’s Guide to Admissions: IB vs the Indian Education Boards
“We want to send our child to the US, so we put him in IB.” Now is that logic really sound? And really, in the debate of “Which board to take you Abroad” who emerges the victor? Is IB the ticket to the Ivy League? Urvashi Malik on the difference between IB and other options available in India.
I
n the last few weeks in particular, we've been meeting a number of students who have just completed grade 10. At this cusp in their High School journey, they are debating subjects, AND boards. Over the years we have noticed that there is a sudden demand of IB schools and curriculum. Many applying to universities overseas have an impression that IB curriculum is preferred over ISC/CBSE board and studying IB curriculum will get them easy access to those universities. Considering the fact that we have been guiding students successfully to overseas opportunities for over 15 years now, we can assure you with complete confidence that students definitely went to the best of colleges without IB as well! Now that we have refuted “IB for Ivy” Myth, let’s figure out why the Big Board Debate is a non-issue. The US education system broadly looks at 5 criteria before they offer you a place in their university • School grades (and subjects): Some dependency on Board of Education • SAT/ACT scores: No dependency on Board • Resume: No dependency on Board • Essays: No dependency on Board • Letters of Recommendation: No dependency on Board Result: 1 of 5 factors has SOME dependency on IB vs. The Indian boards See how little Board of Education matters in the grand scheme of things?
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So if you’re an IB student with average grades and low SAT/ACT scores you will not get accepted into a great college anyway. Whereas, if you are a CBSE or ISC student with great school grades and SAT/ACT scores you do stand a decent chance to gain admission into a good university. Moreover, when considering switching board in Grade 11, keep this in mind: The IB curriculum is very different from CBSE/ISC system in terms of its approach, teaching & learning style, therefore many Indian students find the board extremely challenging and demanding and not able to score high marks. But we’ve been focusing on the U.S. What about those bound to the U.K.? It’s important to note that colleges abroad very well recognize ISC/CBSE curriculum, except a handful of them who are still somewhat reluctant in admitting these students-may be due to their limited understanding of ISC/CBSE board, such as Cambridge University and London School of Economics. However, those are two colleges
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out of thousands. Over the last few years, we have students from ISC and CBSE board get into the top colleges – - Stanford University (USA) - Harvard University (USA) - Princeton University (USA) - Columbia University (USA) - University of Oxford (UK) - Imperial College (UK) - Singapore Management University (Singapore) - University of Hong Kong & Hong Kong University of Science and Technology …and many, many more. In a nutshell, no doubt that IB curriculum is fantastic but attempt it only if you can nail it or else stick to our Indian boards, score brilliantly and secure admission to the best colleges abroad. So next time if someone advises you to consider IB curriculum only because you are going to study overseas you exactly know what to tell them! For further questions and queries, reach out to CollegeCore Education at www.collegecore.in
J u n i o r s
Cycling at
India Gate
“You will never know your limit unless you push yourself to them.” Riding a bicycle has become very popular these days. My father is a pro rider. He always motivates me for riding and summer vacations were the best time to test my limits. I was super excited about my first ride to INDIA GATE. I had butterflies in my stomach thinking about the distance (25 Kms) which was really limit testing for me. But as it is said “Where there is a will there is a way”. With all the apprehensions going on in my mind my father and I started the ride from Preet Vihar metro station. His support filled me with confidence and the pleasant weather gave the needed start . It was an awesome experience, though challenging. Though it seemed at a point that it is really tough but I did it. The feeling is everlasting and it was exhilarating. With my ride it has not ended, it has just begun with stronger relationship and hope . By Simran Oberoi Class V Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar
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J u n i o r s
Head full of
Neha Yadav Class 5 bbps manesar
Ayush Yadav Class 5 bbps manesar
Jeevika Class 3 bbps manesar 58 | | Volume 2 | Issue 11 | September 2016
Vaani Sharma class 4 bbps manesar
Nirupama Rao Class 4 bbps manesar
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Kanishka Yadav Class 5 bbps manesar
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