Dear Reader,
It is my utmost honor and pleasure to present you the Trojan Voice's second ever edition, our October one, that aims to showcase the diverse student body of TISB.
We have included articles ranging from college advice to artistic critique, in what we hope will be an enlightening and entertaining edition. Social issues like cancel culture and women's rights are also discussed. Most importantly, we also aimed to showcase the academic interests of the TISB community, such as MUN and the history club. In addition, we have also sought out literary and sports related interests, such as tennis and poetry.
We sincerely hope you enjoy this issue and appreciate the hard-work our members put into the edition.
Warm regards.
Anandita Agarwal, Editor-in-ChiefDear students, faculty, and all those who encounter this edition,
Welcome back to another edition put together solely by TISB students, where they have been given the freedom to talk about what matters to them, guided by the feedback and help they have received from the Newspaper Club.
I have always considered the creation of articles to be an uphill journey, towards a summit of efficient and powerful writing. Most of the writers this edition are from the Club itself, and this newspaper serves as a record not just for the happenings, thoughts, and ideas that mark themselves as an important part of TISB, but for the growth of our writers.
As 'The Trojan Voice' grows louder, and our editions in number, I hope that we all can see mastery come by in the words of TISB's own journalists and writers.
Warmly.
Snigdha Dhameja, Editor-in-ChiefDrafting resolutions while begging the chairs for more time, screaming at the top of our lungs in unmoderated caucuses, and even more screaming in the socials! All this, and more, transpired when a group of our very own students had the privilege to attend the HMUN India conference in Hyderabad.
All of our students performed exceptionally in their respective committees, and I had the privilege of being an Assistant Director along with the responsibility of chairing the conference. HMUN, being prestigious in nature, hosted more than 1,400 delegates from around the world. This made the committees all the more interesting.
I was a part of the Executive Board for the Disarmament & International Security Committee (DISEC). Being the largest committee, I had the opportunity of interacting with a wide variety of delegates. The committee followed dynamic discussions starting from the South China Sea and evolving all the way to the geopolitical situation surrounding Subway (yes the food chain… don't ask). Tense political climates are the nature of MUN, but maneuvering through several in the same committee is where DISEC shined. From the Russia Ukraine conflict to the middle-east. From the situation in China all the way to military bases in South America. The committee saw it all.
Especially, informal sessions (unmoderated caucuses) with over hundred and fifty people in the same room trying to convince each other to join their blocs. I call it a perfect harmony of absolute chaos and diplomacy. The last day saw the fieriest of debates and some of the best motions for entertainment I had ever seen. Starting with our chair dancing on the stage to some very interesting confessions. Each of the four days was a unique experience. I think I speak for all of the TISB that attended, the experience was not one to forget!
My sister despises history. She thinks it’s a subject prone to rote memorization, filled with wars long gone and people long dead. When she could finally drop history, she was elated. Unfortunately, this is a view many classmates of mine share. The lack of support for historians in a country like India is also noticeable. Many of our parents shun the humanities, saying it has no scope or is something people who failed at other things pursue. When I see my friends who want to be doctors or engineers, I can’t help but feel envy. As an avid historian, there are few to no activities I can pursue outside of the classroom. Every day, my inbox is filled with emails about Physics magazines and Biology lectures but there is a disappointing lack of the humanities mentioned. Even summer programs offer a wide variety of STEM based courses, but all the humanities are either regulated to only one course or not offered at all.
One of the few activities and clubs where historians can come together is the History club at our school, run by Hari Choudary of Grade 12, and headed by Mr. Vijaykumar. I recently sat down with Mr. Vijaykumar to not only understand the aims and goals of the club but also understand why history, as a subject at large, is so important.
To understand the importance of history, Mr. Vijaykumar divulged to me the history of history itself first. History was often perceived to be an ‘objective’ subject, like the sciences, where one has cold, hard facts that cannot be changed or perceived to be different. It was the philosophy of Russian historian Leopold Von Ranke that marked a shift of history from objective to subjective which is what it is now. He argued that history was something that changed based on which side you perceived it from what kind of historiography you read, what sources you examined. This gave birth to modern history as we know it, and popularized source examinations and studies of historiography. Indeed, this can be reflected in the way GCSE and IB History are taught. The papers are essay-based, as many of us know, where we argue for both sides, and in the case of IB history, also reference and analyze historiography in detail.
This is important because firstly, it shows history to be more than rote memorization of dates and events and people. It reveals the subject to be something that requires elevated critical thinking skills and as a result, when we study history, it cultivates those skills in us. This, in turn, enables one to see the same thing from all the different perspectives and reach a fair solution to any problem.
Mr. Vijakumar also further argues that history is a nuanced and complicated subject, with no ‘correct’ side truly, and understanding that broadens the way we perceive the world. These requirements inculcate persuasive writing skills that are integral to the journey of any student. An example can be this article itselfafter all, is this not an argumentative piece of writing?
Our English teachers also teach us those same skills history might not look like something special. But Mr. Vijaykumar further states that history is something that shows us our mistakes so that we are not bound to repeat them. He gives me a real-life example to illustrate his point: Hitler’s infamous Operation Barbossa against Russia failed because Hitler had not studied history. If he had, he would’ve known that Napolean tried the same thing he did and failed due to the same mistakes. In other words, when we do not study history, it is bound to repeat itself.
Mr. Vijaykumar also draws a very clear connection between history and current events today. He states that everything that is happening on the news right now, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, can all be seen as an accumulation of the past, and easily understood if one studies it. History, in Mr. Vijaykumar’s words, is like a guide to show the path of the future. We map the present, draw conclusions, and can then easily understand our futures.
Many times, history also coincides with our own cultures and identities. As Mr. Vijaykumar puts it, history is the ‘mother’ of all humanities. Understanding a civilization, including its people, value system, and way of life, amongst other things, automatically gives way to philosophical, psychological, and economical research and advancements as well. It is something deeply personal at times, and understanding one’s country helps one understand who you are. I was drawn to history because I wanted to understand and learn more about my country. Oftentimes, history plays out in my head like a movie as I read my textbook, imagining the wars and events that happened long ago, and how they shaped the world today. To me, history is like the world’s greatest bedtime story, and the best part is that it was all real.
That is a much more elementary reason to like history, but my reason nonetheless. As Mr. Vijaykumar and I discussed this, we came to the History club and its goals. Focused on students between Grade 6 to 12, the club’s goal is to expand on things not already taught in the pre-determined school syllabus. We learn a lot of modern European and American history, but the history of ancient civilizations, empires, and countries in Asia is largely neglected.
The club was started to focus on those areas and soon grew to include debates on current events. The future plans of the club include holding more of these interactive debate sessions, as well as creating a website and weekly magazine to share ideas and discuss initiatives centered around historysomething that is sorely lacking.
Mr. Vijaykumar concluded by saying that history does, in fact, have a lot of scope. Despite not being favorable in India, US colleges encourage at least two years of high school history. Many of the world’s greatest diplomats, leaders, and politicians were all once historians. History teaches us to be honest in our fact-finding, to be fair and just in how we view things, and convincing in how we present them. It helps teaches us communication and strategy devising skills that are integral in any field we decide to pursue in the future.
Women all over the world have had to face an umpteen number of obstacles, this is happening right now, it was happening a hundred years ago and it will probably happen a hundred years from today.
It is sad to think about the number of things women account do a century ago, there were so many restrictions put on them, it is hard for me to imagine what life was like for them. Up until 1922, women in the United Kingdom were not allowed to hold property on the same terms as men. The Law of Property Act 1922 changed that and allowed a husband and wife to inherit each other’s property.
A hundred years ago there was a revolution in the lives of women all over the world, this was a step forward towards equality.
The United States had appointed their first female Senate. Rebecca Felton was asked to fill in a vacancy on the 3rd of October 1922. Although this was only a two day job it laid a path for future female political figures. This inspired many more female politicians to express their views with the public and not hide their true selves. The public also opened up to having a female leader as they knew that a female can be trusted as well.
Another marvelous woman rose in October of 1922. Alaska Davidson became the first female special agent in the FBI on the 11th of October 1922. Her first task as special investigator was look over illegal activities which transported women over state lines for immoral reasons, her first task was sensational, she would be looking after other women- her peers. This also inspired the Bureau to hire two more women. The FBI also realized the importance and the value the women can bring to any job.
In October 1920 Oxford had their first female graduates, although women were allowed to study in the university, they weren’t allowed to receive degrees. 52 women received their degrees. One of these women was Ivy Williams who received three degrees and was the first women in Britain to qualify as a barrister. This was a big for the women of the United Kingdom, they had hope of a future with a possibility of a proper career.
We have come a long way since then, a woman’s basic rights to work, vote and many more barriers have been lifted, we have come to have the first female Vice President but that does not mean that we have reached our goal. There are several women who still not allowed to work or study, women do not have the right to make decisions for their bodies and are still afraid of walking home alone at night. Maybe these stories can help us reflect on how far we have come and make us think about places to improve in.
Social media has been one of the most defining movements of modern times. For the first time in the history of mankind, 4.7 billion people are connected with each other, where they can freely exchange information, ideas and thoughts with each other. Vitality has been a natural outcome of this connected world, everything that is said or done, gets quickly amplified and reaches billions of people.
Cancel culture is one of the most significant outcomes of this widely connected world of social media. Simply put, cancel culture means canceling or boycotting individuals or organizations, mainly celebrities, who act or speak in a manner that is unacceptable to modern society. While some may perceive it negatively, the culture is becoming increasingly popular because it has given billions of people a way to hold popular people who have a higher status accountable to the same standards that apply to a common man.
One of the primary outcomes of cancel culture has been that it has made everyone more aware of the need to be respectful to others and not to harm others through their public actions or words. It is making our society more inclusive and more importantly putting the onus back on popular people to care for the sentiments of the people who follow them on social media.
It’s usually celebrities who are canceled. For time immemorial, celebrities have had an exalted status when compared to a regular citizen of this world. There have been many instances when this power and reach has been used by celebrities to further their own interests, many times at the cost of others. Sometimes things have been brushed aside under the garb of humor or when people know that they can get away with poor behavior. For the first time, cancel culture has put the power back into the hands of the followers of these celebrities where they can hold them accountable for their unacceptable behavior. This is not all punitive in nature, cancel culture has also given celebrities and other prominent personalities an opportunity to learn from their mistakes, course correct and grow in the process.
Like all good things, balance is necessary. The process of cancellation cannot and must not be used to further narrow mob views to punish celebrities because they don’t agree with their point of view. Thankfully, social media has built in mechanisms to prevent some of these things. Given the large number of followers and social media users, it has almost become impossible for a large section to target celebrities unfairly. In an unfair situation, you can always find more promoters than detractors and thus a balance is maintained. Therefore, any apprehensions around the cancel culture are largely misplaced.
With great power comes great responsibility. Celebrities have to be aware of it and so does every single person who is a follower or a detractor. Cancel culture is an immensely democratic form of expression for 4.7 billion people to present their point of view in a simple and unapologetic manner. This democratic form that creates a more respectful world is the very foundation of our modern times.
The Swiss Maestro. Mr PeRFect, Beterer, Fedex, Darth Federer, King Roger and arguably ‘The Goat’. Roger Federer goes my many names, born out of his skill and legacy as a tennis player a legacy that has no doubt impacted me as an aspiring tennis player myself. One of the greatest players to ever pick up the sport of tennis, to pick up the racket, this Swiss tennis player has recently retired from his ‘art,’ much to the sadness of his fans, including me.
Roger Federer was a 20-time Grand Slam champion, and is now leaving at the age of 41, with the Laver Cup being his last competitive match. This was a team competition, in which he played an instrumental role during last month’s match. Let us take a look at this remarkable last match by a truly remarkable player.
This competition was created to honour tennis legend ‘Rocket’ Rod Laver and took place on Friday 23rd September 2022. Federer, the former No.1 player in tennis poetically ended his illustrious career after playing his final match there, in a doubles to conclude day 1 of the event with his long time friend and historic rival Rafael Nadal, against Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe. This was his 1750th match on the tour. The announcement was not a very big surprise to fans like me who had followed him for a long time but nonetheless, struck a chord in us. Many of us had previously expected him to say farewell in Wimbledon this year, a Grand Slam tournament he has won a record 8 times, for old time’s sake. But he didn’t.
Then, we thought it was going to be at the U.S. Open. However, he was unable to play due to recovering from an injury in ime and thus, we thought he would say goodbye at the Swiss Open, where he was ball boy in his younger years. Many people thought he would put off his retirement until next Wimbeldon, where Serena Williams, the greates female tennis player had announced her own retirement. But then came the announcement of his participation in the Laver Cup, and with it, his retirement announcement. On 15th September, fans mourned as he posted his letter to the sport of tennis, stating he was going to retire.
The letter was heartbreaking, ending with the sentence: “To the game of tennis: I love you and will never leave you. - Love, Roger.”
his change led to his first title in the 01 Milan Indoor tournament. In at same year, he cemented his pact on tennis after he beat the rmer No.1 player, Pete Sampras, ho himself was a 14-time slam ampion the highest Slams back en in 5 incredible sets of tennis. ederer’s Golden Era came after 03, when he won his First Grand Slam at Wimbledon and only came to an end in the 2007 season after he won his 12th Grand Slam. 2004 was his first season imposing dominance where he won 3 Grand Slams, including the Australian Open, after which he became No.1 for the first time. That year, he took part in his second Wimbledon, first US Open and amassed three masters and one thousand series titles. He also took place in his second year-end championship and first Swiss Open.
In 2005, he consolidated this dominance in grass and hard courts in the second half of the season after losing to Rafael Nadal who won his first Slam the French Open of the same year. This began the pair’s legendary and impactful rivalry.
Throughout the following years of his career, he and Nadal clashed several times, both in Wimbeldon and out. During his Golden Age, the Swiss Maestro was thought to be untouchable but in 2004, it was shown otherwise when 17 year old Nadal beat the No.1 Federer in the third round of the Miami Open, becoming the first of their 40 meetings on court. In the early years, what many noticed was that both had very competitive matches on hard courts but both would never lose to each other on their favourite surfaces, Federer’s being grass and Nadal’s being clay. This led to the Battle of the Surfaces, a match on a court made of half clay and half grass, which was won by Nadal. However, it inspired Roger to beat him in the 2007 Hamburg Masters, ending Rafael’s 81 match winning streak on clay. The rivalry also showcases what many consider the greatest tennis match of
all time: the 2008 Wimbledon final. This year, Federer was hampered by mononucleosis in the first half of the year, losing to Nadal in the French Open in a 6-0 score in the final set but Nadal also had knee issues and never won against Federer in Wimbledon. This led to the most anticipated match in tennis history. The match started with Rafael winning the first two sets but then the match was stopped by rain. When the match continued, Federer showed a more regrouped version of himself and won the next two sets, out of which the second one is considered as the greatest tiebreaker ever played as Federer hit what BBC commentator Andrew Castle called “the best passing shots of the tournament, without doubt.” This also reminded fans of the 1980 match between Bjorn Borng and John McEnroe, which was a previous rivalry similar to this one, that also had a similar tiebreak in the fourth set. However, the match finally ended with Nadal winning. The two continued to break records and push each other. However, in 2019, Federer realised his time in professional tennis might finally be up due to his knee problems and announced that he is considering retirement. He claimed he enjoyed every moment he had on court and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. He also thanked fans saying “I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart, to everyone around the world who has helped make the dreams of a young Swiss ball kid come true.” He also said that he couldn’t play singles but wanted to play one last doubles with Nadal. This moved Nadal to fly to London despite having personal issues for Roger’s last match. The rivals, in a poetic end, became teammates for a last time but lost the match. I remember waking up just to capture the last few points after which Roger, who was afraid to retire, could be seen crying with Nadal on his side. He could then be seen celebrating with the crowd and teammates and opponents alike before ending the last dance.
Federer ended his illustrious career with the third-most Grand Slamstwenty, a gold medal in doubles and two silvers at the Olympics, 310 weeks at No. 1, the second most number of weeks of all time, the most year end championships- six and 18 favourite awards, which is a record and second most-titles at 103. He is described by Jimmy Connors as “in an era of specialists, you're either a clay court specialist...
a grass court specialist, or a hard court specialisor or you're Roger Federer.” An elite athlete, Federer was an all-court, all-around player known for his speed, fluid style of play, and exceptional shot making. Federer was also noted for his cool demeanour and emotional control on the court. In contrast to his early career, most of his professional game had been characterised by lack of outbursts or emotional frustration at errors, which gave him an advantage over less controlled opponents.
As someone who is a Federer fan, I would like to say:
Dear Roger Federer,
Thank you. Thank you for always giving your best on the court, thank you for every time you fell short but came back stronger, thank you for every magical shot, thank you for every memorable match you gave us, thank you for being an example on how to behave on and off the court, thank you for all the inspiration. It truly is the end of an era.
Four cities, seven schools, ten years. It seems like a lot, doesn’t it? It is. But one does get used to it… Eventually. And yet the first day is always a whirlwind. Who likes you? Who doesn’t like you? Who do you think you want to be friends with? What about the classes? When you get thrust into a new environment, getting used to it takes a while. It feels a little strange sometimes, when you look around and see everyone has already found their friends. When there are already small gangs and inside jokes that you do not understand. When you’re standing amongst a group of people you know and yet you say nothing because you don’t know them as well as you would like to.
You realise exactly how much of a stranger you are. And then, maybe, you remember how you used to be like one of those people, a mere few months ago. You had your friends and favourite teachers, and the familiarity is comforting. Until it isn’t. You wonder if what led you to make this life changing decision is merely a bit of boredom. A wish to escape the tedious routine of your mundane life. What if, after years of absence of change, you yearn for it? Well, then you get placed in my position.
After five years of settlement in Bangalore, I found myself craving something new. And so, here I am. Trying to fit in, here, in this whole new school, has been a wild experience. I eventually found friends, people who deign to explain their inside jokes, who invite me to eat lunch with them, and people with whom I can see myself graduating. And TISB itself seems like everything I have dreamt of and more. The diversity, the extracurriculars, like the recent Drama Workshop and Music Recital, the new experiences and not to mention the gigantic library; I could stare at all the fiction books all day, with my eyes wide open. I am slightly embarrassed to say I have, in fact, dreamt of the day. Already filled with pleasant surprises, I truly cannot wait to see what else TISB has in store for me.
The clear night draped in silk robes gave very little light to the chariot flying across the sky. It delivers the gods from Lanka to Ayodhya in a shadowed dark path. The town below lit their houses up with bright glowing diyas for the arrival of their rulers, creating the festival Diwali. A festival that celebrates the arrival of hope for a new year; a festival celebrating the glow of hope.
his painting by Swlaram Haldnakar commemorates Diwali by showing a young woman in a simple and traditional Indian saree. She holds a lamp in one hand while the other covers the light from the front. The room in
he painting is darkened, which highlights the subtlety of the glowing brass lamp. The light in the painting reveals remarkable shades of pink and lavender in the woman's sari, emphasising the shadow of the woman in the back.
Haldankar wanted to capture the moment of adoration of his daughter, the inspiration behind the painting, when she saw the gleam of all the lamps that were lit around their house.That single second of awe touched the heart of many.
What’s fascinating about this masterpiece was that it was accomplished in both the mediums – watercolour and oil. He chose the watercolour perhaps in order to showcase his excellence. Watercolour as a medium doesn’t allow such liberties as correcting mistakes by overlaying colours the same way as oil paint. Maybe that is why Haldankar was one of the finest water-colour artists in the world. Painted in 1945-46, it was a time when Indian artists tried to create realistic scenes and portraits, in a style that had come to be known as British Academic Style. Haldankar’s work, for its beauty and elegance was put up in the Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery at the Jaganmohan Palace in Mysore, India
Little did the subject of this masterpiece know then, that in being her father’s inspiration, she would be immortalised, going on to become an iconic work of art. Let the warmth radiating from this painting, encapsulating a single, perfect second of hope, be a reminder to help us find joy and admiration in everything and to celebrate the present, past and the future durin
I dream of the day when I have the wings to fly, Travel freely around the world on my own, See the mighty beauty of this lovely world, And meet people from cultures far and near.
When I can afford a plane ticket on my own, I’ll love to travel to New York to see the lady with the torch, I’ll visit the land of the Pharaohs and see the great pyramids, And satiate my love for art with a visit to the Louvre.
When I can travel on my own, I’ll travel to Europe, I’ll go to London and take a walk on the banks of the Thames, Spend days in Rome immersing myself in the lessons of history, And take a tranquil riverboat ride in the city of Venice. When I can travel on my own, I’ll love to experience nature, I’ll go diving in the great barrier reef to see the kingdom of the seas, Go to Niagara Falls to see the water in its majestic beauty, And take my love for trekking to the heights of the great Everest. I dream of the day when I have the wings to fly, Travel the world on my own and see the beauty of this blue planet, From the forests of the Amazon to the beaches of Sydney, To make memories and experience cultures far and near!
On the flight back to India after finishing my first year of college at Yale University, I was entertaining myself by looking through the pictures on my phone. It was like watching a film reel scroll through all the memories I garnered over the semesters. Lively photographs of me and my friends laughing at each other as we gossip over dinner were quickly followed by an endless barrage of scribbled notes. Random snapshots appreciating the beauty of campus and its architecture. An occasional smoothie or ice cream I treated myself to on a rough day. After a few minutes, I reached the very first picture I took when I moved in. Although I clearly remembered the anticipation, nervousness and unadulterated joy I felt at that moment, I realized that I no longer was the same girl captured in the picture. I had grown into a completely new and different person. A year in college is all it took. These are my top three realizations I had during my first year. Some may make sense to you; others may not. I simply hope you take the ones that resonate with you to heart so that you can make the most out of the journeys you choose to embark on in the future.
You are capable of more than you realize1.
=After procrastinating way too close to the deadline more than a few times too many, I have been able to churn out 10-page papers in less and less hours. I would have never thought I would be capable of this power.
On a more serious note, college has shown me that I can truly achieve a lot more than I realized I could. While I do value the additional bullet points I can add to my resume, I cherish and take pride in the way I allowed aspects of my personality I had not necessarily acknowledged before to flourish. I pursued opportunities that I had not ever considered. I made decisions that taught me lessons and decisions that gave great reward. You can truly do whatever and everything you aspire to do. Your impact is larger than you think sometimes.
Independence takes on a whole new meaning when you enter college. It becomes much more real. Despite the innumerable ways a college may have to support or advise you, at the end of the day, the only thing actually moving you forward are your choices. You truly are charting your own path of learning and growth, and daily decisions continuously impact the direction of said path. Therefore, if you hope to actually achieve the goals and wishes you may have for your time in college, the motivation to take the right steps must be self-sufficient.
There's definitely no doubt that there is a romanticized version of college, one that we so eagerly look forward to the moment we graduate high schoolthe freedom, the people, the fun, the euphoria of diving headfirst into trying completely new experiences. I won’t lie. I truly adored my first year and a lot of it did meet my high expectations that were pieced together from social media, movies, and stories.
I think it played out as such only because I was lucky to have found my niche of people who understood me- how my future goals and past background shaped the way I worked, socialized and rested. It is important to understand that everyone’s college experience is going to be different.
=And it should be. You should not have to bend to the pressure of making your college life look or feel a certain way. Simply do what feels good and right for you.
Editors:
Snigdha Dhameja (EIC)
Anandita Agarwal (EIC)
Arnav Pandey
Writers:
Anandita Agarwal
Evaan Luthra
Aashvi Dalmia
Ishita Rao Vedika Sengupta
Aashi Gupta
Arnav Pandey
Design:
Snigdha Dhameja
Ananth Pullur
Anandita Agarwal
Special thanks to:
Ms. Bridget
The History Department