The Observer
An IIJNM publication
Transport workers stage protest at Freedom Park, ask for a 30 per cent increase in wages | P 2
Vol. 21, Issue 25
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
WA note urges Modi, BSY to protect family
By Saumyangi Yadav and Shristi Achar
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Online courses build skill and knowledge
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any students have opted for online courses to enhance their knowledge and understanding of new things and concepts, reports Anwesha Singh They are confident about pursuing these courses as they believe that it will help boost their career in the near future.. Also, during the lockdown, the number of students going for the online certificate courses has increased as compared to prepandemic levels. A report by Internshala Trainings called ‘E-learning Trends Report’ highlighted that online training enrolment increased by 17 times between 2015-2021 and it also predicted that one million more students would enrol themselves in the next four years. While talking to the students about their experiences of pursuing these courses, they said that the courses have helped them to gather more knowledge about their field and stream which will ultimately add to their skills and help them in getting jobs. ► Details on page 2
calls to the lodge after an alleged suicide note started to circulate on social media. Pramod Kumar, Police Inspector, District Crime Intelligence Bureau, informed The Observer: Santosh Patil arrived at the lodge in the evening with his friends. “His friends took one room and he took the other. In the morning, when he wasn’t opening the door, he was discovered dead. It
is suspected that he consumed poison at night and committed suicide. We are waiting for his brother. We will be registering the case then. The investigation is still on,” Pramod Kumar said. Patil had sent the note to his friends via WhatsApp at 11.37 p.m. on Monday. In the note, posted by former CM Siddaramaiah’s official Twitter handle, Patil blamed Esh-
warappa for his death and urged that he be punished. He also asked PM Narendra Modi and former CM B.S. Yediyurappa to protect his wife and child. “I am going on a journey of no return. I have taken this decision after suppressing all my wants and desires. I have brought some friends with me, after lying to them that we are going on a picnic. But they are not responsible for my death,’’ the note read. A couple of weeks ago, Santosh Patil had accused Eshwarappa of demanding a 40% commission in sanctioned public works. CM said an investigation is being conducted into Patil’s alleged suicide as per The Hindu. saumyangi.y@iijnm.org shristi.a@iijnm.org ►Cong attacks CM, Read full report on Page 3
Many govt schools in B’luru don’t have functional libraries By Swarali Bodas
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any primary schools in Bengaluru still do not have functional libraries despite it being compulsory in the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. Rohit Venugopal, 10, does not know what a library is because his school doesn’t have one. “We have our textbooks and notebooks. I don’t think we have a library in our school since we never went there,” Rahul informed The Observer. Meenakshi Kumar, Rohit’s teacher, said limited staff in the school is one of the reasons why it does not have a library. “If there is a library, there should be a librarian. The school does not have enough teachers, let alone… a librarian….” The same is the case with a Government Primary School in Ashok Nagar. Suresh Prabhu Sarkar, a teacher at the school, spoke about how they have limited space in the school. “Whatever rooms we have, we
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“Almost 95 per cent of Mekedatu’s benefit will be for Tamil Nadu, only 5% for Bengaluru” | P 3
BJP man who said Eshwarappa takes kickbacks kills himself antosh Patil, a Belagavibased BJP worker and contractor, allegedly died by suicide on Tuesday, a Deccan Herald report said. Patil had been in the public eye after he accused panchayat raj and rural development minister K.S. Eshwarappa of corruption. Patil reportedly took his life at Shambhavi Lodging near the KSRTC bus stand in Udupi. He had went missing on Monday, and the police tracked his phone
https://facebook.com/ iijnmbangalore
NEP emphasises on libraries in schools |Credit: Swarali Bodas use those for classrooms. Talking about a library, we do provide books to our children, but we don’t have an independent library as such,” he shared. Shraddha Kasva, a class IV student, said she loves reading and has books at her home. “No, we don’t have a separate room as a library. But I do like reading books, so my parents arrange books for me from a public library which is near my house.” Arthi Kasva, her mother, said: “In my opinion, the habit of reading books should be encouraged in every child. It is very important for her (child’ s) growth.” About her daughter’s school
not having a library, she said: “ “Yes, it is unfortunate. I like to read and have seen the habit of reading books in my child. Since her school does nothave a library, I or my husband go to public libraries or book stores and get her books.” When The Observer why Shraddha’s school does not have a library, she replied: “Because it is a government school. Most of them do not have a separate library room, activity hall or even a playground.” An education department official who did not want to named said: “ We are thinking of merging two-three government schools to create space. We will do that very soon.” The National Policy for Education, 1986, laid emphasis on having libraries in schools and access to books. It spoke about setting up libraries in primary schools so that children are exposed to more information. swarali.b@iijnm.org ►Read the full report on www.theweeklyobserver.in
News Briefs
Sri Lanka defaults on foreign debt Sri Lanka has defaulted on its $51-billion foreign debt as the island nation grapples with its worst economic crisis amidst widespread protests demanding the government’s resignation. Sri Lanka’s finance ministry said the country was defaulting on all external obligations, including loans from foreign governments, ahead of an IMF bailout. “The government is taking the emergency measure only as a last resort in order to prevent further deterioration of the republic’s financial position,” a statement from the ministry said
Stampede-like situation in Tirupati shrine
Three people were injured in a stampede-like situation at the ticket counters at the Tirumala shrine in Tirupati, TTD PRO Ravi Kumar said. According to ANI, more than 10,000 pilgrims gathered at the ticket counters to obtain Sarvadarshan tickets, leading to a stampede-like situation. “There was a huge rush at three token counters in Tirupati. However, looking at the rush, the TTD decided to allow pilgrims directly into the compartments of Tirumala for darshan. The situation is normal now,” PRO Ravi Kumar said.
BJP sweeps UP council elections
The BJP headed for a massive win in biennial elections to the UP legislative council, weeks after its victory in state assembly elections, but had to settle for a loss in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency. The legislative council has 100 seats. The BJP was ahead in 30 of the 36 seats. It had already won nine seats unopposed.
Anti-tank missile tested successfully
India on Tuesday carried out yet another successful test of the indigenously developed helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ in high altitude conditions in Ladakh. “The missile was tested yesterday also in the same area where it successfully hit a simulated tank target,” DRDO officials told ANI. The flight trials were conducted from an Advanced Light Helicopter. The missile was fired successfully.
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The Observer Tuesday, April 12, 2022
CITY
Online courses help enhance students’ skills & knowledge Pupils feel these courses help in career growth
By Anwesha Singh
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or Ananya Govind, 23, the online courses she is pursuing make her feel confident about her upcoming career. She feels that these courses will be a boon for her career. Govind, a graduate believes pursuing online courses will boost her career. “I am doing the courses on MS Excel and JavaScript on Udemy. I have also done digital marketing courses during my graduation. Since I belong to a commerce background, I feel these courses would help me in the long run,” Govind informed The Observer. The courses are helping her to learn about financial setup; later, they will help her in the accounting and financial fields. Asked how she manages time to complete the courses, she said: “I give two hours daily to my courses. These courses are for your lifetime once you purchase them. So I can complete these courses at my own pace without any pressure of completion.” Anil Govind, 50, father of Ananya, expressed satisfaction about his daughter doing online certificate courses. He feels these courses are increasing his
Across the City
Canadian Universities and Colleges Admissions Workshop, Taj MG Road, Bengaluru, April 19, 2022 World Blockchain Conclave, Bengaluru, April 21, 2022 April 22, 2022 International Conference on Innovative Mechanisms for Industry Applications, Reva Institute of Technology and Management, Bengaluru, April 21, 2022 - April 22, 2022
Quiz
1. Who was the first President of BCCI 2. Who was the first recipient of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award? 3. Who won the gold medal in 2010 Common wealth games in 55kg woman wrestling? 4. First sportsperson nominated for Rajya Sabha membership? 5.Who is the only and first Indian player to compete six olympic games 6. Who is the first Indian player to win a grand slam tournament 7. Who was the man of the series in 1983 cricket world cup? 8. Who is the youngest grandmaster in India? ►Answers on page 3
Several platforms in India provide online certificate courses like Coursera, UpGrad, Udemy, Simplilearn and Educart. These courses enable students to increase their skills. I Credit: Anwesha Singh daughter’s knowledge about various subjects which will help her career take a leap. “I have seen many students learning online which proves to be beneficial for them. Learning has no boundaries and if you are getting good learning, you should have it,” he said. Just like Ananya, Ishika Makkar, a student at Delhi University, opted for an online certificate course to enhance her knowledge and understanding of new things. “I did an online course on Web Designing and Python. It was a completely different experience for me.... And... you can do them as per your schedule.
Later, while applying for jobs, I can mention these skills in my CV, which may help me.” There are several platforms in India which provide online certificate courses. Some of them are Coursera, UpGrad, Udemy, Simplilearn and Edukart. An article in The Economic Times said enrolment for online training is increasing. Internshala Trainings, the elearning arm of Internshala (a technology company to equip students with skills and practical exposure), came up with an ‘E-learning Trends Report’ which highlighted that enrolment in online training increased by 17
times between 2015 and 2021, and 1 million more students will register for online training by 2025. There is a continuous rise. As per the report, online training in Python witnessed 26 per cent enrolment, Digital Marketing 23 percent, and Web Development 22 percent. Other popular courses in which students enrolled were Ethical Hacking and machine learning. Shikha Shipra, who completed her BTech in Civil Engineering, did a certificate course in Revit Architecture from ICT Academy, IIT Kanpur. “As I’m from a civil engineering background and am interested in civil software, I decided to do this from a prestigious institution. It helped me to draw building designs with all the interior details.... Doing this course was good for my career and added more to my knowledge and skills.” Since the classes were online, it was relatively easy for her to manage her college studies and online course. Her father, Binod Kumar, a civil engineer, said he likes the concept of online courses and training which help students to learn more about the things important in their fields. “In our times, we had no provision for taking online courses. We only depended on the curriculum of our college. But now it’s good to see students learning and getting to know more about the things related to their courses and fields.” anwesha.s@iijnm.org
Citizen’s Voice
Growth in communal discord causes worry
We believe in unity in diversity and communal harmony. Today people throw stones on religious procession. Others oppose the food priorities of a particular religious group. Politicians are pouring oil into the fire and aggravating the situation. We have to stand united and fight the same. Communal harmony should be the priority. Amit Vohra
Being a parent is an art of sorts
Raising a happy and healthy child is one of the most challenging jobs a parent can have. It’s also one of the most rewarding experience. Yet many of us don’t approach parenting with the same focus we would apply in a job. We may use the same parenting techniques that our own parents used, whether or not these were effective. Being an involved parent takes time, and is hard work. Eugene Freese
Working from home raises productivity
People these days are more inclined to working from home than office.Most employees don’t want to go back to physical attendance. The main reason for this is that working from home saves travelling time and money. According to a study conducted by a US university, 33 per cent of people like to work from home. I totally agree with that. It increases a person’s productivity, and is more comfortable. Riya Jain
Transport staff stage protest for a wage hike By Tina Freese
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embers of the Akhila Karnataka Rajya Raste Sarige Nowkarara Mahamandali protested on Tuesday at Freedom Park, Bengaluru, demanding a hike in the wages of state transport workers. B. Jayadev Rajarasa, secretary general of the Mahamandali, informed The Observer: “We want the government to revise the wages. It has not been done since 2020. They claim that there’s a lack of revenue due to which salary hikes are delayed, but we want the hike now. Give us medical facilities and reimburse the private medical bills. Our key demand is simple: Give us wages that are at par with other government employees.” The union also demanded that the compensation to drivers, not raised since 2008, be trebled. Nearly 30,000 employees will benefit if the government increases their wages, it said. The union has held simultaneous protests in Hubballi and Kalaburagi demanding the same. Rajanna S.N., the leader of the drivers’ association, said: “We
KEY DEMANDS ►A 30 percent wage increase. ►Trebling of drivers’ compensation ►Revision of conductors’ salaries ►Medical facilities and reimbursement of private medical bills
Members of the transport workers union protest for an increase in wages at Freedom Park on tuesday | Credit: Tina Freese have called all our union leaders and we will protest for our rights. If our demands are not met, we will fight and protest again. We have not asked for holidays and we are doing our duty. This is just for the government to know what our demand are and fulfill them as soon as possible.” Whether the KSRTC or the BMTC is responsible for address-
ing the demands is unclear. Officials of both corporations refused to comment on the issue. According to a report in The New Indian Express, 100 BMTC employees who were suspended for protesting were reinstated. But the Union said more than 600 BMTC drivers have not been reinstated. Those who were taken back had to accept unreason-
able conditions. “The government might have reinstated them, but with so many conditions. It is unlawful. We want them to take back these conditions and employ the workers without any conditions,”’ Jayadev Rajarasa said. According to a Hindu report, the reinstated employees have to follow some conditions. They will not get any promotions and will have to forgo all increments and benefits. The Bangalore Mirror reported that the BMTC and KSRTC have no money to pay the salaries of employees due to the pandemic. There has been no hike in wages since then. tina.f@iijnm.org
CITY
The Observer Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Almost 95% of Mekedatu gain will be for Tamil Nadu: Expert
‘But the project will also help Bengaluru a lot’ By Swarali Bodas
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ince most of the water is stored downstream, 95 per cent of the benefit of the Mekedatu project will benefit Tamil Nadu, said M. Lakshmana, Chairman of Institution of Engineers, India, on Tuesday. Participating in a discussion in Bengaluru, he said: “The main reason to build a dam is to generate power. Other than that, the Karnataka government has asked permission to have drinking water facilities,” Talking about the existing dams on the Cauvery, he said: “There are already four dams on the river. But the biggest dam is the proposed Mekedatu dam.” The Mekedatu project, though, will be useful for Bengaluru’s sustainability. “Their storage will remain the same, but the pressure on the existing four dams will come down.” About maintenance of other dams in the country, he said: “Maharashtra has got 1,786
Karnataka had submitted a report to the Center informing them about the plan to construct a reservoir at Mekedatu | Credit: Swarali Bodas dams. All over India, we have 5,386 dams. They don’t have any issues regarding the construction of dams. Why here?” Enti Ranga Reddy, Honorary Secretary of the Institution of Engineers, said: “The whole point of this discussion is to give technological suggestions and to educate the general public.”
Dayanand K, a citizen and former employee at the National Aeronautics Laboratory, said Tamil Nadu should contribute to the cost of the Mekedatu dam. “Since Tamil Nadu is also a beneficiary, they should contribute half of the expenses.” Lawyer Anil of the Karnataka High Court said: “I am in favor
of the project. It will solve Bengaluru’s drinking problem and water wastage problem.” Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) said it could have a huge ecological cost. The first analysis of the economic worth of forest resources had stated that the project could submerge at least 52 sq km of forest area and destroy forests worth Rs 8,160 crore. In 2019, the Government of Karnataka had submitted a report to the Center informing them about the plan to construct a reservoir at Mekedatu. The project aims to ensure adequate drinking water supply to city. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have been at odds over the Cauvery water sharing issue. Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin has argued that there have been protests against the project across his state. The protesters have approached the Supreme Court against an order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). They have said NGT did not take the environmental damage into consideration. The total allocation of water to Karnataka in a year is 284 tmcft. Out of this, 177 tmcft is released to TN in phases. swarali.b@iijnm.org
Cong: CM refuses to AAP attacks state govt act against ministers over housing scheme By Anwesha Singh
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ICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala on Tuesday attacked Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai over the claim that ministers and officials take bribes. In late March, the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association wrote to CM Basavaraj Bommai saying that government officials, Karnataka BJP MLAs and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa had demand a 40 per cent commission from contractors for every project. Speaking to reporters at the KPCC office, Surjewala said the CM doesn’t answer allegations of corruption against his government. “Fifty thousand contractors of Karnataka are protesting against the demand for a 40 per cent commission.” Without naming the BJP minister who was accused of taking a 40 per cent commission, he termed Bommai “weak and complicit” for not taking action against his colleague. A BJP worker who had lev-
elled allegations against a minister had to write a suicide note, the AICC general secretary said. He was being threatened for accusing the minister. That a BJP worker was threatened shows the chief minister is condoning corruption. “Does this not prove that Mr Bommai is… compliciting (sic) this corruption?” Surjewala asked. The state government cannot distract the public by its misgovernance by attacking the minorities. “This 40 per cent commission government has to go,” Surjewala further said. Asked whether he will ask for the resignation of the minister, he said they want the minister sacked. All other ministers who were in“If they are not sacked, then Mr Bommai must resign,” The Contractors’ Association had also sent letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot regarding the issue. The letters were unanswered, and the BJP denied the allegations. The Congress leader Saleem Ahmed said: “They only want to divert the attention of the people from their failures to control price rise of petrol, diesel, gas and also the 40 per cent commission government. A lot of corruption is going on in the state.” anwesha.s@iijnm.org
By Anwesha Singh
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ome Minister V Somanna is playing with the lives of poor middle-class people and people who are homeless, said Jagdish V Sadam, AAP state media spokesman. He said, during an AAP press conference on Tuesday, that during the tenure of Siddaramaiah, 48,614 people were selected as beneficiaries after he announced plans to construct one lakh houses in multi-storeyed buildings in Bengaluru with an annual income of less than Rs 87,000. However, in May 2021, the BJP government canceled the beneficiaries and raised the income limit to Rs 3 lakh. Also, the government demanded Rs 1 lakh for the application. The move resulted in 39,000 people applying for the scheme but only 5000 people paid for the application. He further stated that during the tenure as CM, HD Kumaraswamy announced to extend the Lakshadweep Housing Scheme in Bengaluru district but even after the BJP came to power, it could not increase the number of scheme’s beneficiaries. ‘People are more open to support AAP in Bengaluru’ Mohan Dasari, President, AAP, Bengaluru when asked about
This Day, That Year
On this day in 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to travel into space. Gagarin’s flight came at a time when the US and the Soviet Union were competing for technological supremacy in space. The Vostok-1 spacecraft was launched at 9:07 AM Moscow time on April 12, 1961, orbited Earth once in 1 hour 29 minutes and landed at 10:55 AM in the Soviet Union. Gagarin was given the titles of Hero of the Soviet Union and Pilot Cosmonaut of the Soviet Union.
Weather
Max. temperature: 32°C Min. temperature: 22°C Humidity: 39% UV Index: Low Wind: 3 km/hr Precipitation: Nil
Quote
The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men. —Plato
Quiz Answers
1. R E Govan 2. Vishwanathan Anand 3. Geeta Phogat 4. Sachin Tendulkar 5. Leander Paes 6. Mahesh Bhupati 7. Mohinder Amarnath 8. Praggnanandhaa
AICC Gen. Secy demands sacking corrupt ministers
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Twiteratti Talk
The no. of beneficiaries has been reduced after BJP raised the income limit | Credit: Anwesha S. their future plans and upcoming elections said that they have been working towards BBMP elections for the past two years and presently, the party is almost in all assemblies. “We have our own 150 representatives and they are working towards making the party ready for BBMP elections,” said Dasari. Taking a toll on the ruling government, he said that the state is facing problems like unemployment and accidents every other day. He said: “They want to divide the people on religion and caste. They want to create that communal divide and make this election happen.” anwesha.s@iijnm.org
@harishupadhya Muslim push cart vendors targeted outside Hanuman Temple in Dharwad. Sri Ram Sene members vandalize and destroy watermelon and other fruits. Ram Sene says #Muslim vendors shouldn’t do business outside temples. Cops present at the location did nothing to stop the vandalism. #Karnataka
Team Observer
Editor: Chhavi Vohra Reporters: Anwesha Singh, Tina Freese, Swarali Bodas, Saumyangi Yadav, Shristi Achar A. Copy-editors: Swarali Bodas, Tina Freese, Anwesha Singh, Saumyangi Yadav Page Layout: Chhavi Vohra, Saumyangi Yadav, Ayndrila Banerjee, Anwesha Singh Supplement: Shristi Achar A, Jinit Parmar
Lifestyle The Curious Case of the Female Kind
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The Observer Tuesday, April 12, 2022
SUPPLEMENT
‘Has feminism become another thing women have to feel inadequate about’, wonders Shristi Achar
he ‘#MeToo’ movement gained global traction a couple years ago, with scores of women coming forward to share their experiences of sexual harassment. Entrapped within the tangles of the ‘cancel’ culture, lack of defense measures, and not provable allegations, a wide range of comments against the very notion of feminism also ensued. Amidst this, there was one tweet that caught widespread attention which said: “amazing how people are more angry at imperfect feminism than they are at systemic misogyny.” While a simple statement in its structure, it reflects the world of misapprehension that is drawn and the questions raised against the very existence of the women’s rights movement. While, today there is space for, at the very least, discussing women’s issues, increased compartmentalization has feminists backing into a corner, with immense pressure to be perennially politically correct. Comedian Deborah Frances-White, on her podcast The Guilty Feminist said that, “for some women, feminism has become another thing to feel inadequate about.” It is natural to want an easy way out, to give into certain normative principles for some time, despite its core ideals being a stark contrast to the ones you carry. There has been a moment where most of us, if not all, have thrown that wrapper on the street despite preaching not to. However, an occasional ignorant act alone does not become the yardstick of our entire sense of civility. Writer, professor, and editor Roxane Gay makes a similar argument on her collection
The criticism that women, in general, get for their mistakes are much harsher than what men perhaps receive | A screengrab from the film ‘Lipstick Under my Burkha’ of essays titled Bad Feminist. In her very first essay, she embraces the label of being a bad feminist because she is “human and messy.” She further opines, “I am not trying to say I have all the answers. I am just trying — trying to support what I believe in, trying to make some noise with my writing while also being myself: a woman who sometimes plays dumb with repairmen because it’s just easier to let them feel macho than it is to stand on the moral high ground.” In a situation such as this, it is rather imperative to not just identify but also normalise women who aren’t perfect. Marie Shear, an acclaimed writer and activist, once remarked that ‘feminism is the radical notion that women are people.’ Perhaps
this is the most wholesome, and maybe the only definition of feminism one could adhere to. It is essential to showcase the entangled mess that people, including women, are, while being a champion of their rights. The movie ‘The Favourite’ is perhaps a prominent example of the flawed female. All three of its focal characters, Queen Anne, her advisor Sarah Churchill and the maid-turned-Lady of the Bedchamber Abigail Masham, embody different facets of societal expectations for women. While Queen Anne deals with her growing sense of insecurity, Sarah Churchill struggles to strive as a woman in a man’s court, with countless of the members vying to get her down from her position of influence with the
queen. Abigail, first encumbered with the weight of a fallen standing in society also has to come to terms with her impoverished life and find employment. However, alongside their struggles, all three are embroiled in a power struggle with each other. Sarah and Abigail are vying for the Queen’s attention at the same time when the Queen is indulging in vanity, given she is mostly deprived of it otherwise. This triangle culminates into a strife that occurs at the expense of the well-being of the country and its political stability in war time. Every bit of their fight with each other is unnecessary and bears no real fruit, akin to flogging a dead horse. Pettiness is at its peak, with the three subscribing to the fabled stereotype of
women ‘catfighting’ amongst themselves. All the women are fiercely feminist, an only yearn to have the freedom to not be sidelined for living their truths. That is reflective of the primary insecurity that women seemingly have been forced to internalize - the failure of a woman in one task is a failure of the entire gender. An article in the Time magazine refers to several studies that mention this phenomena. Nurtured by the prevailing stereotypes of women’s incapability, a small setback or failure is often misconstrued as an inherent lack of ability by women rather than just a mistake that needs to be rectified. Another movie character that adequately portrays the flawed female narrative is that of Leela in the much talked drama ‘Lipstick Under My Burkha’. Although her efforts in fulfilling her world-travel plans are reasonable, Leela uses her relationships as tools to achieve the ends of her goals. Invoking jealousy in one of her partners and using them to get her way is as sordid as it is human. As an audience, where the takeaway should have been of her desperation and her individual shortcomings, it would be dismissive to paint it as a failure of feminist movement or worse, the ‘excess’ of feminism. The criticism that women in general get for their mistakes are much harsher than what men perhaps receive. The likeability of a person is not inherently different for the different genders. It is more likely that the mass acceptance of women as humans, as is the case for anybody else, has been often hard to accept. shristi.a@iijnm.org
My experiments with music and life F
Even though music means the world to me, I couldn’t stick to it because of one thing... adulthood, expresses Jinit Parmar
or as long as I can remember, music has been my rebellion, solace and meditation. I have always felt a strong connection with music. When I was in college, people around me started learning new musical instruments. You could see a senior playing guitar for his friends every day on the stairway or your classmate trying to play the drums in the college fest. I, too, wanted to join that bandwagon. But the thing with hopping on a trend is that not everyone around is supportive. Sometimes instead of encouraging words, you hear things like, “why is he trying to be such a wannabe? playing the guitar is such a cliché, man!” I began to question why you have to be different to be considered cool. Why is there a need to do things that not many people are
chase. Responsibilities of adulthood became more significant than my passion for music, and it felt like an abrupt ending. Time passed, and I realized that even though music means the world to me, I couldn’t stick to it. I tried playing drums and harmonica but didn’t continue. Because of one thing, adulthood. Or maybe its just an excuse. Maybe in this society, we are A screengrab from concert of thrash metal band Megadeth doing? I wanted to learn how to play a guitar because everyone around me was doing that. I chose not to be different. I chose a popular culture. I thought I should give this bunch of strings a try while watching Sting and John Lennon play acoustic guitar and Dave Mustaine and Joe
Satriani rocking heavy metal and rock tunes. For some time, I even tried self-learning through online video tutorials. But then life happened; learning guitar became something I no longer wanted to invest my time in. I had assignments to do, new friends to make and dreams to
conditioned to think that playing a musical instrument can just be a mere hobby and not something that you make your career in. you can always be a doctor or a lawyer or anything that is more socially acceptable. I have dreaded this thought for years. I keep on thinking that how I could have learned so much, but then I did not. jinit.p@iijnm.org