August 2014

EDUCATE + ENTERTAIN

AUGUST 2014 || ` 75

www.youthincmag.com

The hasslefree guide to getting into IIT

THE SECRET MBA

Go for the lesser known management majors Pooja Dhingra reveals her sweet tooth August Cover.indd 8

Don’t call it a cartoon It’s anime!

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THE QUICK AND EASY GUIDE TO IIT ADMISSIONS

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SUGAR HIGH

IT’S NOT A CARTOON. IT’S ANIME.

Baker Pooja Dhingra spills the beans on baking, macrons and Le 15 Patisserie

Your one-stop guide to getting to an IIT

A glimpse into the magical world of Japanese animation

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER

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THE SECRET WORLD OF THE MBA This month we break away from traditional MBA majors to throw light on its lesserknown sisters

Educate

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OPINION POLL

23 GIVEN A CHOICE WOULD

30 FROM INTERN TO EMPLOYEE Convert a temporary internship into a permanent job

FOREIGN SHORES

YOU GO BACK TO IIT? If not an engineer, what would be their choice of career? We ask IIT students and alumni

32 THE CULTURE COMPOUND Tackle culture shock while abroad

CAREER WATCH

34 GOOD BOSS BAD BOSS Read between the lines; see the good in a bad boss

HOW-TO GUIDE

24 LIVING IN THE CIVIL LANE A job in the Indian Civil Services is one of the most coveted. Here’s what you should know about it

SPECIAL FEATURE

36 EDUCATION AND THE

DIGITAL AGE How and why old-school textbooks are being replaced by new-age iPads

OUT OF THE BOX CAREER 26 INTO THE WILD

An insight into the career of wildlife photography

OPEN SPACE

AWARNESS 28 BITCOINS AND ALL THAT JAZZ Find out why bitcoins are the talk of the town

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WORKPLACE HACKS

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54 WHAT I THINK ABOUT

COMPULSORY SOCIAL WORK One of our JEB members talks about the good and the bad of compulsory social work

Youth Incorporated AUGUST 2014

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Entertain RELATIONSHIPS

TRAVEL

CAMPUS We compile a list of 10 couples you are bound to find on any college campus

RENDEZVOUS Take a break; make a trip to historically rich Myanmar

COUNTDOWN

POINT OF VIEW

OF NOVELS We pick 10 of the best book-tomovie adaptations

Nisha JamVwal reminisces of her high school days and reveals why old friends are worth hanging on to

62 10 COUPLES YOU’LL FIND ON

64 10 BEST FILM ADAPTATIONS

66 A BURMESE

68 THE JOY OF OLD FRIENDSHIPS

BEAUTY

69 MAKE-UP TOOL MUST-HAVES Stock up on these make-up tools for better precision 70 FOR THE LOVE OF SHOES Get to know Payal Kothari of Veruschka Shoes 71 SHOE TRANSFORMATION

An exclusive DIY on how to modify an old pair of shoes

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WWW.YOUTHINCMAG.COM O N L I N E E XC L U S I V E S WORDSMITH OF THE MONTH: KOMAL CHANDWANI A student unleashes the writer in her GETTING TO KNOW PAYAL KOTHARI The owner of Veruschka Shoes gives us a sneak peek into her glamour-filled world of shoes BOOK-TO-MOVIE ADAPTATIONS: AN EXTENSION Which was better, the book or the movie?

8

STAPLE DIET EDITOR’S NOTE…10

EDITORIAL CONNECT…12

AROUND THE WORLD…16 COUNSELLOR Q&A…55 WORD ZONE…56 THE G SPOT…72 IMHO…76

HANGOUT…80 GRAFFITI…82

Youth Incorporated AUGUST 2014

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Editor's

note

The secret to winning is constant, consistent management So much has been said and asked about the coveted MBA degree over the years. Is it worth the time and money? Is a student actually handed the job of his dreams on its completion? While we had touched upon these aspects in previous issues of our magazine, we hadn’t covered another aspect of the MBA – its specialisations.

When I say specialisations, I don’t mean the conventional marketing, finance or human resources; I mean rural management, economics, operations, information technology and international business. This month we attempt to throw light on the lesser-known MBA degrees and their relevance in comparison to the traditional majors.

Along with the MBA, an engineering degree also holds a place of prestige in India. And a degree from IIT is considered to ‘sort’ your life, so to speak. If you are an IIT aspirant, be sure to read our quick and easy guide on getting into the hallowed engineering institute.

But it’s not all serious this month in our issue. Of the many trends that have caught our fancy this month, anime is one that has piqued our interest the most. These Japanese-style animations are exploding in India. If you have wondered about what makes anime so special, or have considered giving it a shot but are too daunted by its sheer size and scope, you are in luck. Our anime story will tell you all you need to know about this rage, from its distinct art style and its varied genres to its fan clubs in India as well as what you should watch as a beginner.

At Youth Inc we love our fair share of books and movies. And with an increase in the number of books being made into movies, it is about time we talk about the best and the worst book-tomovie adaptations. We hope you enjoy reading this compilation as much as we did putting it all together.

This year also marks our 67th year as a free country. Have yourselves a patriotic month and year ahead!

Nitish Shah

Volume 4 Issue 2 August 2014

Editor-in-Chief NITISH SHAH nitish@youthincmag.com

Editorial Team

APARNA SUNDARESAN TRISHANN HENRIQUES

Editorial Interns NIRVA VIRA DEVIKA SONI

Art & Design

MOULVI ABBAS HASAN GAURAV DODIYA

Ad Sales

CAROLINE SAMSON coo@youthincmag.com HEENA SOPARIWALA sales.mg@youthincmag.com NANDINI BARJATIYA sales.hd@youthincmag.com

Marketing

DHWANI CHHEDA marketing@youthincmag.com PRATHAMESH DESHPANDE marketing.hd@youthincmag.com MANIL DODANI digital@youthincmag.com

Circulation

SHANTARAM AMBERKAR NISHANT SHINDE

Administration GEETA NAIK

For advertising, subscriptions and circulation mail@youthincmag.com +91-22-2351-6622 / 6609 Printed and published by Nitish Shah on behalf of Splash Publication Pvt Ltd Published at: 9 Forjett Hill, British Express Bldg, 2nd floor, Mumbai 400036.

Editor: Nitish Shah

Admin office: F9&10, Commerce Centre, 6th Floor, 78 Tardeo Road, Mumbai 400034.

Printed at: Repro India Ltd Plot No 50/2, TTC MIDC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai 400 710, District Thane All content in print and online is owned by Splash Publication Pvt Ltd under international copyright laws. No part of the content can be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the publishers. Publishers will not be held responsible for the content of the magazine including accuracy and effects. All disputes will be subject to the jurisdiction of competant courts in Mumbai only.

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Facebook.com/spykarlifestyles Twitter.com/spykarlifestyle www.spykar.com

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Write to us at mail@youthincmag.com

SOCIALLY YOURS

YouthIncMag

@YouthIncMag

YOUTH INC ON FACEBOOK Like us on Facebook and join our vibrant online community!

What’s more, get first access to our awesome contests and win equally awesome prizes.

 DOWNLOAD THE OCUTAG SNAP

BLOGGER OF THE MONTH Imaan Sheikh http://imaansheikh.wordpress.com/

PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH

 @ASKTHEPANKAZZZZ This guy with this unique Twitter handle tweets about everyday difficulties that are quite hilarious, including money issues, friends who are rich and how to deal with people.

Every few tweets you will find yourself laughing, clutching your

Imaan Sheikh is an internet celebrity for her notoriously funny movie reviews. Imaan uses hilarious pictorial depictions of Bollywood movies to get her point across – Bollywood produces some of the crappiest movies ever.

This “woman with a gender neutral name” (as she describes herself) has also found her way to Buzzfeed. We can’t stop the LOLs.

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stomach.

People on the TL do check-ins at 5 star hotels every now & then, while I'm generally busy saying “aalu zyada bharo” to the golgappe wala.

People on TL telling their 6 digit annual expenses on smokes/alcohol & I’m thinking “kurkure leta hu, 10 Rs. wale lays mei hawa hi hoti hai” When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Or the getting goes tough. Or nobody goes & it gets tough.

Idk man. Proverbs are stupid!

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Contribut rs m nth KARAN TECKCHANDANI Karan is currently pursuing a degree in business from HR College in Mumbai. His passions include finance and writing.

NIMI JAYCHANDRAN Nimi is an avid reader, writer and Pottermaniac.

She was born in Chidambaram, raised in California and currently resides in Chennai.

Writing is her passion.

VIGNESH SUNDARARAMAN Vignesh is a budding chartered accountant and CMA (US) based out of Chennai. He is also a freelance model. Writing is a passion for the 6’1” young lad, and he loves reading corporate fictions and informative self-help books.

SHREEJA MAHAMBRE Shreeja is a media student who dreams of becoming a journalist some day.

She loves reading and will read almost anything.

Photography and travelling are among her other hobbies.

RIYAZ KHAN Riyaz is currently pursuing a degree in mass media in Mumbai. He is a proud Otaku.

His aim in life is to be a published novelist.

SAASHA JETHWANI Saasha spends most of her time thinking and penning down her thoughts. In her idle time she loves to read and wishes to one day write a book.

VARSHA MENON Varsha, a student of D.Y. Patil International School loves her fair share of books and music and can never be found without her crazy dance moves and sarcasm.

POOJA SHETTY Pooja has completed two years of craziness infused with periodic bursts of learning at XLRI and is currently roaming the streets of Bangalore as part of her sales job.

RIDDHI JAIN A mass media student and an event manager, Riddhi Jain has been an intern at Youth Incorporated previously. When it comes to writing as a hobby, she believes that stagnation is repugnant – as in, let the ideas flow constantly!

AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 13

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Daddy Cool Contest

As a way of celebrating Fathers’ Day, we asked our readers to send pictures of themselves with their fathers along with the best advice their dads have given them.

ANIKET DESHPANDE was adjudged the winner. A big thank you to all participants for sending their lovely pictures and their fathers’ pearls of wisdom!

Aniket said, “The best advice given by my dad was to never hide anything from him. If I tell everything to him he might be able to help me get out of any difficult situation, if he was aware of it in the first place.”

14 Youth Incorporated AUGUST 2014

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educate JEKRUGER, FLICKR

yi

If you are a shutterbug and you love the outdoors, there is much you can do as a wildlife photographer...

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K E E PI N S I D E 

Pg24 Pg28 Pg32 Pg38 LIFE IN THE CIVIL LANE

BITCOINS AND ALL THAT JAZZ

THE CULTURE COMPOUND

SUGAR HIGH

IF YOU DREAM OF CHANGING THE SYSTEM, A CIVIL SERVICE CAREER IS THE ONE TO PURSUE

FIND OUT WHAT BITCOINS ARE AND WHY EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT THEM

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL ABROAD FOR STUDIES ARM YOURSELF AGAINST CULTURE SHOCK

POOJA DHINGRA, INDIA’S MACARON QUEEN, IS JUST 27 AND ALREADY ON A ROLL

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EDU NEWS

ADMISSIONS OPEN FOR ITM GROUP’S ONLINE UNIVERSITY  The Online University was launched on 21 July and will begin classes in the month of September. Their flagship MBA programme is on the offering at the online university.  The Online MBA University will allow students a multichannel experience with access to e-books, video streaming, online collaborative tools and unprecedented access to other facilities.  The MBA programme includes a rigorous curriculum that has been designed by ITM’s highly experienced faculty.  The programme is different from that of other distance learning programmes as it involves a live virtual classroom experience.  The programme covers a wide range of business concepts and involves a large number of courses.  Mr. Nitin Putcha, Executive Vice President of ITM says, “The appetite for e-learning is growing on a global scale. By 2015, Asia will account for the second highest expenditures after North America. The e-learning market in India is expected to grow at 20% with increased internet penetration; hence we at ITM are looking forward to building an e-learning platform that can be considered a benchmark of academic quality, and learning experience in India”.

RUTGERS BUSINESS SCHOOL FORGES COLLABORATION WITH MUMBAI’S H.R. COLLEGE  Rutgers Business School will now deliver an E-MBA programme in collaboration with Mumbai’s H.R. College.  The programme is set to begin in October this year and is to have 18 modules in total, out of which two modules shall be taught in the business school’s campus in New Jersey.  The E-MBA aims on focusing on subjects like international trade, business strategy, international business, aggregate economic analysis, law and legal reasoning, business statistics, analytical techniques for decision making and brand management.  The MBA programme will be able to accommodate 40 executives, and admissions will be done on basis of personal interviews.  Students who wish to participate have to submit two letters of recommendation, a personal statement and a letter of financial responsibility.  The tuition fee of the programme is US$25,000.  Farrokh Langdana, global director of the EMBA programme, says, “With 50% of India's population under the age of 30, there are tremendous opportunities for niche education and skills training for young graduates. There is currently a huge demand for high-potential executives, trained to operate in different cultures, ready innovate and operate in various sectors from finance and marketing to economics and business analytics. Thus, we decided to bring the programme to India.”

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FOUR INDIAN INSTITUTES TO GET NATIONAL TAG  National Institute of Design (NID), Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) and Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) have finally been awarded the status of ‘Institute of national importance’.  This new acknowledgement by the Government of India will give these institutes the power to award degrees, forge better and more international collaborations, seek funding for research and improve infrastructure.  These institutes are world renowned but were only given the power to award diplomas to students, this deterred a lot of students from applying to these institutes, but now with degrees being awarded and a national status, many more students shall apply.  Also, students’ and parents’ outlook towards media and arts will dramatically improve with the mere mention of degrees being awarded.

GAUHATI UNIVERSITY SCRAPS AGE LIMIT FOR LAW COURSES  Following the footsteps of Allahabad University, Gauhati University too has scrapped the age limit for their threeyear and five-year courses.  The decision was taken following a directive of the Bar Council of India.  Students with a bachelor’s degree may apply for the three-year course while students who have passed class 12 may apply for the five-year course.  This move will benefit all those who had surpassed their age of applying for the course and couldn’t pursue law.

NOW AN E-MBA PROGRAMME BY WUSTL AND IIT BOMBAY  An MBA programme is being offered by the Washington University in St. Louis and the Indian Institute of Technology for international executives.  Olin Business School, a part of WUSTL, is renowned for its MBA programme and is collaborating with tech giant IIT Bombay in an attempt give executives the best of both worlds.  The classes shall be taught by Olin Business School and IIT Bombay’s Shailesh J Mehta School of Management.

The programme is aimed at providing executives with tools to put into practice management laws and concepts.  Spread over a duration of 18 months, with four sessions every month and a two-week special session at the Washington University, this programme will welcome its first batch of students early next year.

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AIESEC Global Vil lage, Mumbai

AIESEC delegates from 30 different countries stop at Narimal Point for a picture

Starting point of the south Mumbai tour at Salvation Army, Colaba

Global Village attendees with Italian AIESEC delegates

International AIESEC delegates clicking pictures at Kanheri caves

AIESEC members with AIESEC international delegates on a tour of Mumbai

22 Youth Incorporated FEBRUARY 2014

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SIDBIJ, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

FOCUS FEATURE

Have you set your heart on India’s premier tech school? Nimi Jayachandran provides a comprehensive guide to making it to the prestigious IITs

The quick and easy guide to

IIT admissions

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E

very year, hoards of students begin the journey to acquire admission into one of the fifteen coveted Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campuses. Last year, it was decided that a single Joint Entrance Test (JEE) would replace the then existing IITJEE and AIEEE examinations.

At the time these were two of the most established engineering examinations for gaining entry into undergraduate engineering courses.

Candidates will now have to appear for a Main and Advanced test. The Main is for all engineering institutes funded by the government and doubles up as the eligibility test for Advanced as well. The top scorers of Main may take Advanced for a chance to get into IIT. However, it is not all about the tests; it is equally important to have top marks in Class XII exams.

Exam format

Physics, chemistry and mathematics are the subjects that are tested in the JEE. Both Main and Advanced exams have two papers – Paper 1 for BE and BTech aspirants, and Paper 2 for BArch and BPlanning candidates – but students may write both if they wish to.

Each paper must be answered in three hours. Negative marking is in effect for every wrong answer.

Questions are in multiple choice format and an answer sheet is provided for the student to mark their choice.

Exam preparation

Most students dedicate anywhere from one to two years to study for the exams. Some prefer studying on their own, while others opt to attend coaching centres. “The first step is to be confident approaching preparation itself,” advises S. Srinath, an IIT Chennai alumnus of 2009. “Many people approach preparation with a fearful mindset, and that in itself is a hindrance.”  Equal importance should be given

to all subjects. Set a daily schedule and stick to it, take practice tests and revise regularly.  If you are studying independently, use resources which work for your personal style of learning. Do not swing back and forth between various textbooks and study material.  “Approach the process of learning the material conceptually. Do not just read a question without understanding the foundation of the material being asked,” says Srinath. There are plenty of books and resources out there. It is vital to sift through them all and keep up to date with material.  Make handwritten notes as you study for a quick revision at a later time.  Be familiar with the latest syllabus as minor changes may have taken effect from the previous years.

Practise, practise, practise

Vivek Gupta, IIT Bombay alumnus and co-founder of Plancess EduSolutions, stresses the importance of taking practice exams. “Giving tests after your preparation is the most important parameter that decides your success at JEE,” he says.  Attempt a difficult question at least five times before looking at the solution key.  Build a strong foundation of the basic concepts.  Go through question banks and previous years’ questions diligently.  Have your queries cleared as they come up instead of leaving them for a later time.

Stress is normal, but it is important to remain confident in your preparation and continue to work diligently towards your goal.

The coaching dilemma

For those opting to attend a coaching centre or institution, look for one suited to your style of learning. When selecting a coaching academy, it is important to keep in mind questions such as:

 What is the track record of the centre?  Who are the faculty members and what are their qualifications?  What is the fee structure like? Is there any refund system?  How are the classrooms and seating arrangements?  Do they provide quality study material and resources?  How are the students’ performances assessed?

Just before the JEE

“In the last few days leading up to the day of the exam, it is important to not cram anything in and focus mainly on revising. Do not start any new topics now,” advises Raghu Srinivasan, a chemical engineering major from IIT Chennai. Look through notes

India Today’s Top 10 IIT Coaching Centres 1. Vibrant Academy 2. Resonance 3. Bansal Classes 4. FIITJEE, Delhi 5. Narayana 6. Allen Career Institute 7. Vidya Mandir Classes 8. Aakash Institute 9. IITians PACE 10. Super 30 and past years’ question papers to familiarise yourself with the recent content of exams.

Writing the exam

Make sure to get enough rest the night before and to have a light, healthy breakfast on the morning of the exam.

The night before put together all the things you will need to take to the exam: your JEE Main admit card, ID, writing utensils, a calculator, etc.

Arrive at the testing centre at least 30 minutes prior to the exam. Find AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 21

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BISWARUP GANGULY, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

FOCUS FEATURE

a quiet area to relax your mind and stay focused on doing your best. As soon as the exam begins, make sure you read each question carefully. Solve questions you are absolutely sure of first. Next approach the questions which are worth more marks.

Remember there is no partial marking.

Manage your time efficiently! Allot time limits to more difficult questions and do not spend more time than you have set. Do not spend too much time on any one question. Move on and come back to it later. Leave yourself time to quickly check your paper and correct mistakes at the end.

Check that all personal details are filled in correctly and then tie/staple the answer sheets and submit your papers.

Securing your place

It is absolutely essential to have top notch marks in Class XII examinations, as these hold almost 50 percentile weightage in determining who is admitted. After the entrance test, a merit list based on the test results is published. Following that,

it is a very straightforward and simple five-step process: (1) Register at the JEE Advanced website: http://jeeadv.iitd.ac.in/ (2) Pay counselling fees (3) Submit photocopies of these documents to zonal IITs: • Filled application form • Medical examination report • Photocopy of mark sheet and certificate of passing the qualifying examination • Foreign nationals are required to send a passport photocopy (4) Fill in preferred IIT choice • Done on the basis of your All India Rank • Course choices filled online are final and cannot be changed later (5) Counselling and allotment • Register at the JEE Advanced Counselling Online Portal • Once registered, you will know what course you have been

allotted, if any

• If a course has been allotted,

pay a registration fee within the given time period to confirm acceptance, or risk l osing the seat • Provisional admission is given at the end of registration • Two rounds of counselling take place. The first is provisional selection. If vacancies for a choice higher up on your preference list is available at the start of the second round, there is a chance you will be given your second choice

In conclusion

Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” This is applicable to anyone seeking a place in IIT. While the whole process of getting in is quite a tedious journey, for those who persevere it is definitely a fruitful one. Start with a positive goal in mind and relentlessly pursue the steps to reach your goal, and soon enough, you may be setting foot into an IIT campus. Good luck! yi

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GIVEN A CHOICE WOULD YOU GO BACK TO IIT? “I could not have asked for a better place and opportunity in India. The only place which could have been considered as a better option is IISC Bangalore. But looking back at the three years and the kind of exposure I got, I would not have chosen any other college or stream. Having said that IITs are still way behind the top universities in the world in terms of the research conducted. I would conclude by saying I am very much content with my education at IITB.” - Shreyas Shyamsunder, alumnus (2014), IIT Bombay “I would join IIT again. It is an extremely challenging environment full with opportunities to become an all-round individual.

One can be sure of surrounding himself/herself with people smarter than them (in some respect or the other) at most times. From a soft skills perspective too, interacting with, managing and working under peers has done me a world of good. I am glad that the networking opportunities IIT provided with people (who invariably become friends for life) who are probably going to be wildly successful, is going to ensure that life ahead is going to constantly be a learning and a motivational process.

From a strictly academic point of view, though, it is not the best in the world.

Some of the universities abroad provide excellent research opportunities alongside an all-round experience. If one is willing to shell out the tuition fees that such universities demand, I would gladly recommend them to students as well.”

- Sankalp Kelshikar, alumnus (2014), IIT Bombay

OPINION POLL Say you were given a chance to hop into a time machine and go back in time. Would you return to IIT, choose another college, or ditch engineering altogether? We asked current IIT students and alumni “While my choices of college and field of study were heavily guided by those around me and my exam ranks, civil engineering ended up being a subject that played to my strengths and interests. I would pick it again, although, this time round, I would consider studying abroad, as I understand that the way of teaching abroad is quite practical – application and experiment-based, which I feel sticks.

Within India, I would pick IIT Bombay again, as I felt the college was very well connected in terms of internship and job opportunities within both the engineering and non-engineering spaces, and therefore a good catapult for the future.”

- Nupur Joshi, alumna (2011), IIT Bombay “I was initially a bit apprehensive about the kind of facilities [at IIT], considering it’s a central government institute, but was pleasantly surprised.

The amenities are good enough. Obviously not what one would be used to at home, but still fairly good. Another misconception was about my to-be batchmates – that they would all be the ‘all work and no play’ kind, but was again surprised to find out that most students are fairly easygoing and real fun to hang out with. Hostel life is epic fun, and is a unique experience.

So that’s why I chose what I chose, and would still stand by my choice.”

- Karthik Jaychandran, student, IIT Madras AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 23

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CAREER WATCH

LIFE IN THE

CIVIL LANE

THE WANDERING ANGEL, FLICKR

The Civil Services of India continue to be a prestigious avenue for all those dreaming of ‘making it’. Vignesh Sundararaman tells you of the various opportunities in store

F

or long enough our country has been obsessed with conventional professions like engineers, doctors, IAS officers and so on. “Mere bete ko bada hokar ek jaana maana collector banna hai” (My son should grow up to be a well-known collector) says even an untaught Ramji, the father of a state rank holder, from a remote village in Maharashtra.

Ministers come and go with each election, but Civil Service officers remain to deal with the nitty-gritties of daily administration. The country’s best brains vie for entry into these services. “A comfortable salary package with lucrative perks and frequent promotions in a ten-to-six table job is in no way comparable to the reverent and deferential Indian

Civil Service rank,” says Nisha Sriram, an IFS aspirant.

Most applicants vie for the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) and Indian Police Services (IPS), so much so that only 0.002% and 0.007% of the applicants are chosen for IAS and IPS respectively because of the minimal number of vacancies for these positions. Kannan Gopal, an IAS officer himself, has been counselling students towards choosing the right career stream for three decades now, and he feels it is high time students understood the diverse range of civil services offered by the government.

He says, “An awareness of the many sectors in the civil services will enable a candidate to choose one that fits his interest, and this clarity is very essential in executing duty.”

THE MANY FACETS OF THE CIVIL SERVICES

There are numerous departments and services, but the most popular ones are:  Indian Administrative Service (IAS) IAS officers are responsible for the management of the various administrative departments of the government and their respective functions.  Indian Police Service (IPS) The Indian Police Service is directly responsible for maintaining law and order in India.  Indian Revenue Service (IRS) The officers of the Indian Revenue Service are responsible for ensuring compliance in the Indian taxation system.

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for framing and regulating the foreign policies.  Indian Forest Service Takes care of the vast forest resources of the country, helping to conserve it and protect it from illegal poachers.  IC & ES (Indian Customs and Excise Services) Deals with the customs and excise departments.  Indian Postal Services Looks after the workings of the country’s postal network.  IAAS (Indian Audit and Accounts Services) Maintains the accounts of all the states of India.  Indian Railway Service In charge of the huge network of railways in India.  Indian Information Service Deals with the transmissions of government media apparatuses like Doordarshan.

“Indian Civil Services is no longer only about IAS and IPS. There is an increased recognition and awareness for other courses such as IRS, IFS, etc which is good for the field as a whole and also for the economic development of the country,” says Shreyas Viswanathan, an IAS candidate.

TOP COACHING INSTITUTES IN INDIA  Rau’s IAS Study Circle, New Delhi  Achievers IAS Classes, Bangalore  Sankalp IAS Forum, Mumbai  Vajiram & Ravi Institute for Civil Services, New Delhi  Shankar IAS Academy, Chennai

 Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Concerns the country’s External and Foreign Affairs Ministry, responsible

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Minimum qualification: Graduate in any discipline Age: 21-30 years Attempts: A maximum of 4 attempts is permitted to every candidate and 7 to those belonging to Other Backward Classes.

EXAMINATION

The Civil Services Examination is conducted by and under the supervision of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in three phases. The exam is for all candidates, irrespective of the service they choose: 1) Preliminary Examinations – Objective (CSAT or Civil Services Aptitude Test) This two-hour examination serves as a

screening test. It consists of two papers of 200 marks each. Paper 1 covers topics like Indian history, geography, political system, economy, etc and Paper 2 covers soft skills, logical reasoning, decision making skills, etc.

2) Main Examinations – Subjective These three-hour papers are of descriptive type and consist of two qualifying papers (any modern Indian language and English; 300 marks each), essay (200 marks), four general studies papers (300 marks each) and two optional subjects (may be related to the service the candidate is interested in; 300 marks each) 3) Interview and personality test The interview tests personality, confidence, decision making ability and moral values of the applicant. It is based on the candidate’s bio-data already submitted.

The final selection is done on the basis of the combination of the marks of Main Exams and the results of the interview.

RECRUITMENT

Candidates are recruited to various services based on the ranks they secure. Promotions are time bound and pay increases on an automatic basis. The best perk is the job security.

There are also additional perks like subsidised accommodation, medical benefits, leave travel concession, etc.

On an average, officers earn between `50,000 and 200,000 depending on their work experience and qualification. This is merely an indicative figure; different branches of the service have different scales of pay.

Narayanan Pillai, a top ranked candidate says, “It’s all about the fervour and commitment with which you prepare that counts.

The job security, an opportunity to positively impact peoples’ lives and the social reverence that the position demands definitely outweigh the not-so-rewarding salary, tedious examinations and rigorous training sessions.” yi AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 25

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JAN-BORGSTEDE, FLICKR

OUT OF THE BOX CAREER

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ATHA RAMAN

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NIK CYC

NEVIL ZAVERI, FLICKR

E, WIKIPED ND STEV HILLEBRA COMMONS

IA

FLIC

KR

You love the camera and you love the outdoors. Why not combine them both and stalk fourlegged furry creatures for a career in wildlife photography? Shreeja Mahambre shows the way

29-07-2014 13:11:01

CAREER FACTS WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY JOB PROFILE: The job of a wildlife photographer is to obtain pictures of animals in their natural habitat. In this quest she/he travels to various places known for their flora and fauna. These pictures might be published in books or magazines.

INCOME: Varies as most wildlife photographers are freelancers. Some charge as little as `1,000 a picture, and some as much as `15,000.

SKILLS: Knowledge of the camera, interest and knowledge of the natural world and animal habitats, the ability to survive in any environment STUDY:  Delhi School of Photography, New Delhi  Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida  Osmania University, Hyderabad  New York Institute of Photography, USA  University of the Arts London, UK

I

t’s one thing to take pictures of people, quite another to take pictures of animals.

If you think taking people portraits is hard, reconsider you stance. People might complain and whine about their pictures; animals don’t, but they’re far more reclusive about stepping out of their homes for a shot in the first place.

Wildlife photography is one of the more challenging branches of photography. In the wild there is very little that is under your control.

You are subject to extreme weather, poor shelter, scarce food, and most of all, exposure to the wild and all its creatures. Some find this daunting and unnecessarily hassling. Some others thrive in this environment, fuelled by a rush of adrenaline and curiosity.

Entering the profession

A globetrotting endeavour

Perks

A wildlife photographer needs to travel to that part of the world where they can find their appropriate subjects. For example, a photographer shooting lions will head to their home turf in Africa. A photographer in search of snow leopards might camp out in the Himalayas.

The job requires the photographer to be comfortable living outdoors for long periods of time. They should be skilled enough at trekking, hiking and other outdoor activities. At the same time the photographer needs also be familiar with the habits and behaviours of animals.

“A wildlife photographer must have minimum knowledge of identifying birds and animals, how to spot and track them, identifying calls, etc. Being a naturalist helps a lot, that is, good field knowledge of the subjects like mammals, birds, their habitat and behaviour pattern, etc,” says Rathika Ramasamy, a Delhi-based wildlife photographer. “Patience and perseverance is a must. Unlike other genres of photography you won’t get instant results, for the perfect shot you may have to wait for days or even weeks. One should prepare to spend more time on the field to get good results.”

Studying photography is essential as it provides the requisite training. This may be undertaken either through a degree or a diploma course.

There are plenty of workshops as well, arranged by professional photographers to teach amateurs the art. Wildlife photography especially requires training as precision, a good eye and perfect timing are necessary to get perfect images. These develop with regular practice.

Most wildlife photographers freelance. Their photographs are bought and published in books and magazines. They may also work for NGOs for their preservation and awareness campaigns. Wildlife photography may also be taken up as a part-time profession.

It’s everyone’s dream to travel the world and see all the natural beauty it has to offer. A wildlife photographer gets to do just that and gets paid for it too. This profession does not require sitting in an office from morning to evening, plodding away at a 9-to-5 job. Without a pay master, the photographer is free to determine his fees and charges.

Challenges

The very aspects that are alluring about the job also double up as challenges. Wildlife photographers spend long durations outdoors, visiting various forests or sanctuaries. The freelance nature of the job does not guarantee job security either. “Initial equipment investment and travelling is high, you can’t expect any instant return,” adds Ramasamy.

Photography equipment for shooting outdoors is expensive and requires continual maintenance.

Scope in India Our country is rich in its flora and fauna and natural diversity. There is no shortage of subjects to photograph. Wildlife photography, therefore, is already the choice of profession for many people, but there is always room for more as the career transitions from a niche to a more mainstream one. yi

• Know your equipment. Not any and every camera is suitable for wildlife photography.

An interchangeable lens camera is recommended so that you can juggle between long and short lenses for shooting at long and short distances from animals.

• Understand the weather. Sunny skies may seem perfect for shooting, but too much light makes for harsh images that have stark shadows. A cloudy sky may filter light but might result in duller images. Watch the weather forecast to know if you need to carry your flash and/or other lighting equipment.

• Take either wide shots or go really up close. There is no mid-point. A wide shot creates more context – the location, the environmental conditions, etc. A rather close shot makes for a more abstract and aesthetic picture.

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BTCKEYCHAIN, FLICKR

AWARENESS

z z a j t a h t l l and a

oins What are Bitc they and why have ing become a talk line point both on anil S and offline ? Mdes the Dodani deco mystery

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W

hat is this newage space tech you call Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is the world’s first decentralised currency bereft of regulation from central banks which allows anonymous transactions between consumers, firms and even the black market. Bitcoins can be spent anywhere, any time via computers or smartphones. No financial institution on the planet wields control over the Bitcoin.

Bitcoins are generated by the Bitcoin community which anyone can join.

The Bitcoin first appeared in 2009 and was created by someone using the alias Satoshi Nakamoto. No one really knows the true identity behind this alias. Multiple conspiracy theories exist – some suggest he worked for the government (although why the government is interested in creating an anonymous currency with no trackbacks is beyond my understanding), while others point that he might be a student of cryptography, coding genius or simply someone supernatural at mathematics.

Who mints these coins?

Bitcoins exist only in cyberspace and hence aren’t minted like conventional coins. They are created by ‘mining’.

Bitcoin mining is a global rat race run by millions of computers who solve brutal maths puzzles in order to earn Bitcoins. The finish line extends every 10 minutes i.e. every 10 minutes the puzzle morphs and a reward of 25 Bitcoins becomes available.

Bitcoin miners run and secure the Bitcoin network. They use powerful computers and massive amounts of networking power to verify the authenticity of Bitcoin transactions and add them to the general ledger, which is simply a record of past transactions. As a reward for contributing computing power and keeping the network running, Bitcoins are rewarded to miners, hence creating a steady supply of Bitcoins.

Miners work together to keep the network synchronised and constantly

verify transactions, much like a bank’s data centre that processes credit and debit card payments.

The exchange of Bitcoins is further facilitated by Bitcoin exchanges.

These exchanges allow individuals to buy and sell Bitcoins in exchange for currencies including but not limited to US Dollars and the Japanese Yen. The largest Bitcoin exchange is BitStamp.

Why so shady?

Bitcoins in India have no official regulation or recognition from the RBI and hence their growth rate have been terribly stunted. With the RBI issuing warnings and multiple investor notices, the faith in this currency just

WHER E DO I SPEN D MY BITCOINS?

Bitcoins may display 50 shades of grey, but that hasn’t deterred a number of businesses and services from accepting them as legal payment. However, no Indian companies currently accept Bitcoins.  University of Nicosia, Cyprus  Overstock.com  BitcoinStore.com  Memorydealers.com  A HolidayInn branch in Brooklyn, New York accepts Bitcoin payments cannot be reinforced. Additionally, any profits earned from the trading of this currency are technically untraceable which makes Bitcoins a very popular choice with hustlers and the black market.

Silk Road 1.0 was an online marketplace where individuals could buy guns, drugs, biotic materials, narcotics materials, scheduled grade chemicals, etc anonymously with Bitcoins. Bitcoins since then have been regarded as an avant garde underground currency that could be used maliciously, leading to worldwide violations of trade laws and almost free trade of narcotics and other banned substances. FBI shut down Silk Road

1.0 and arrested its administrator.

However, Silk Road 2.0 is now live and operational.

What damaged Bitcoin’s image further was the fall of Mt. Gox. Mt. Gox was one of the world’s largest Bitcoin exchanges, handling Bitcoin transactions running into millions of dollars. In early 2014, Mt. Gox filed for bankruptcy proceedings and is in asset liquidation procedure (at the time of going to print). It was hacked by people who used a ‘transaction malleability’ attack – the original transaction data was modified and Bitcoins were stolen. According to reports, the last known value of the missing Bitcoins was $450 million.

Anything digital is never foolproof.

The metaphorical ray of hope

Bitcoins are still in an informal Beta phase and will continue to be in the recent future. However, as the life cycle of this technology advances, Bitcoins will have their values hedged against a larger number of currencies.

This advancement would mean more users across hemispheres being able to buy and sell Bitcoins. With the USA officially recognising the Bitcoin, the hope for a nascent future is already in the making. All that remains to still be mined is India’s approval of the newest currency in town, currently an unwelcome atithi – the humble, dual faceted Bitcoin. yi

OTHER CRYPTOCURRENCIES Bitcoins are not the only digital currency that exist in cyberspace. Here are more: • LiteCoin • PeerCoin • PrimeCoin • NameCoin • Ripple Even with the availability of said currencies, their usage and implementation are limited as the number of merchants accepting cryptocurrencies are few and highly localised.

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MODELODECURRICULO, FLICKR

WORKPLACE HACKS

from

intern to

employee Have you fallen in love with the company you intern at? Do you want to take the relationship to the next level? Riddhi Jain has some advice on how to step over the threshold to a full-time employment

S

tudents like us take up a temporary job either for work experience, to make an extra buck or to fulfil a degree requirement. Sometimes because of all three factors. And then comes a time when a mere internship won’t do. It’s that time when one needs to grow up and step off the plank of carefree inern to get on the ship of steady employment. If that time is just around the corner for you, here are a few things you should keep in mind.

BE OPEN TO CRITICISM

Your immediate overlords are the company employees. They know their job and the industry better than you do. Be receptive to their work assignments and suggestions.

Remember, while criticism is a byproduct of every assignment given to you, appreciation may/may not accompany it. Taken in the right spirit, it will help you develop your work skills. Nitanta, a recruiter believes, “Qualification is not just

what matters alone. Passion goes handin-hand to get a complete package.”

LEARN WHILE YOU CONTRIBUTE

Keep in mind that while you’re an intern your purpose of working at a company is to learn the ropes. And this learning must be wholesome.

Learn from your surroundings. Pay attention to intricate details of the company’s workings that happen in your presence. Step outside your cabin.

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as many people as you can.”

Your acceptance of any and every assignment given to you shows more inclination and initiative on your part.

Take everything that comes your way and do it with complete zest. This will make you memorable in the office and win you some brownie points in the process.

ALWAYS BE AT YOUR PROFESSIONAL BEST

“Treat your internship itself like a fulltime job. With utmost professionalism and seriousness towards work as an intern, you’ll be able to make a difference and thus get noticed!” advises Rishika Raka, a former intern (now employee) at JLL. The work etiquettes you follow define you as a person in the office and become your identifier. Set your personal goals parallel to the company’s goals and make sure that they benefit from each other.

SOCIALISE LIKE A BOSS (FIGURATIVELY)

Behold! Ask questions but be sure not to go overboard. Try grasping the learning part of the job more than the tempting politics-and-gossips aspect of the role.

Shrimai Moye, an intern who is now graduating to employee status at Goldman Sachs, advises, “Be punctual to work and complete all assignments on time. Show that you’re enthusiastic about doing more work. Interact with

VOLUNTEER YOURSELF

What impresses your boss the most is when you volunteer to work. Yes, you’re there to work and yes, your employers know it, but why wait for them to call you and then assign the task if you can go ahead and volunteer for it yourself? Ask for work and then wait back till you’re assigned one. This creates a favourable impression of you.

Observe the working style of your employees and draw inspiration from them. Pick assignments so you can work with as many employees as you can, across departments. Familiarise yourself with their working styles and incorporate their best practices in your own.

IN THE WORDS OF GIRL GUIDES, BE PREPARED!

Always be prepared. A notepad and a pen should never be far away from your hands – you never know what you might have to jot down. Always stay updated with the projects the office is involved in. Never miss out on showing how keen you are for the goings-on in the office. Show them you’re enthusiastic to work with them.

If this internship means more to you than just a vehicle for earning money or passing the time during a lazy vacation or fulfilling a college degree requirement, then you are ready to take your relationship with the organisation to the next level. Take a leap of faith. Good luck! yi

WISDOMWORKSHOP.NET

BE ACCOMMODATIVE

Socialising with your colleagues will give you an insight into the ethics the organisation follows. Do not forget, though, that your fellow employees are your colleagues, not your friends! It is advisable to know your limits. Don’t get too personal with them. While it is reasonable enough to ask them of their previous internships and future ventures, asking them about their girl or boyfriends is akin to committing career suicide. Do share your opinions and suggestions, but only when asked or at places welcomed. Don’t get too

emotionally attached to anyone at the office; your colleagues might just not approve of it.

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FOREIGN SHORES

Culture The

Compound

JAY KIM, FLICKR

The move to a foreign country is frightening, uncomfortable and exciting all at the same time.

Karan Teckchandani talks about the expected culture clash while embarking on this new journey

Y

our bags are packed and you’ve bid goodbye to your friends and family.

Now all that’s left to do is get on that plane.

But have you prepared well for this new country, its people, and most importantly, its culture? You might want to re-check on that; it’s a detail most students tend to overlook. A culture prep before you step foot into a

foreign country will make your initial days away from home easier, fun and more exciting.

WHAT IS CULTURE SHOCK?

Culture shock can be defined as the sense of panic and uneasiness faced by an individual when put into a new environment, out of his comfort zone.

Everything ranging from the clothes

people wear, the food they eat to their attitude is different in comparison to what an individual has been accustomed to in his own city or country.

STAGES OF CULTURE SHOCK The honeymoon stage

“Everything is so exciting here! I

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could never get enough of this place.

The people, the food, the weather – everything is so great! I’m so glad that I took the decision to come here.”

The frustration stage

“Why is everything so different?

Can’t people understand that they’re supposed to eat rice with a spoon and not a fork? Why aren’t there any songs in movies? Why is it so cold? Why did I ever decide to come here?”

The adjustment stage

“It’s not so bad out here. There are similarities between here and my home country. In fact, some things are an improvement. The people are helpful and the food is great! I can definitely see myself being happy in the years to come.”

The acceptance stage

“Instead of being a person desperately clinging to one culture, I’ve become an individual with two. There are similarities between the two and more importantly, the differences are what give me a better perspective on life.”

DEALING WITH CULTURE SHOCK Read, read and read more

Try to read up everything you can on the country you’re going to be spending the next few years of your life. The country’s history will give you a better perspective of its present.

New home, new upgrades

Note down things that you don’t like about your own country. When you feel overwhelmed, just have a look at them and you’ll see that your new home comes with certain upgrades.

Use social media

Before leaving, connect with people from that country through Facebook or other social media. It will give you an idea of what it’s going to be like once you are there. Be prepared so that you’re not caught completely off guard.

Club it up

You aren’t alone. Most universities have ethnic clubs. Try to meet and interact with students from your country. They’re journeying in the

CULTURE SHOCKERS “Everyone’s always drinking” You don’t have to do the same to fit it. Remember to stay put to your values and do as would if you were still at home.

“The teachers are so chill” Yes, and that is a good thing. It’s possible to have a two-way conversation with them. You have opinions and you can voice them openly.

“The food here is so different” The food in a foreign country will often only add to your culture shock.

Make sure you leave well-equipped – masalas, pickles and snacks in tow.

“I can barely understand the language and accent” Instead of a ‘what’ tirade, introduce yourself, tell them you just moved there and are finding it hard to understand conversation.

same boat as you. Tanmay Ingle, an incoming graduate student at Northeastern University this fall says, “I leave for my graduate degree this September. I have already contacted Indians travelling to my university and also taken up an appointment with my university’s counsellor to help me cope with possible culture shock.”

Can you help me?

Most universities have a counsellor’s office that helps students cope with various issues. Approaching them and seeking professional help will help you cope faster and in a better fashion.

Open your mind, broaden your horizons There is nothing that will help you cope with culture shock faster than keeping an open mind. Accept that you are in a different country and people are bound to do some things differently. It will make the adjustment process so much easier.

Be inquisitive

Ask the friends you make about their customs and culture. Talk. You two might just have similar upbringings and cultures. It’s easier to adjust when you know you are not the only one in the midst of a culture upheaval.

Keep busier than a bee

Take up a hobby or join a club to keep busy. You’ll find people with similar interests who will help you feel comfortable. Tarun Pramod, a student at New York University’s Stern School of Business says, “I went to an international high school, so I felt prepared and didn’t anticipate a culture shock. But when I got to New York, I was hit in the face with reality. Everything was different out there. It took me some time getting used to it. Joining student organisations to keep my mind off home helped.”

Do not forget to think twice

Culture shock will not help your brain make sound decisions. Think twice before you take a rash step; lest you regret it later. yi AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 33

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HOW TO GUIDE

d o Go s s o B

Bad Boss

Don’t grieve over a boss from hell; learn to see the good in them. Nirva Vira shows you how

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A

bad boss is someone we all have encountered in the past, are dealing with now or are yet to encounter. There is no use avoiding them as you will eventually cross paths with them; if not once like chicken pox, intermittently and repeatedly like the flu. However, as frustrating as it may seem, a bad boss is often a curse in disguise. One just has to realise it and use it positively. Here’s helping you do so.

They pile on loads of work on a Saturday!

They interfere with unfinished business and then rain criticism like it’s the month of July

This is one of the most common complaints employees have against their bosses. Although this practice, on the part of bosses, is wrong at so many levels, it does teach you a very important life lesson. With the hurt of watching someone else applaud away what is rightfully ours, you learn to stand up for ourselves and claim your achievements. A person’s social skills is sharpened and they eventually learn to take responsibility for actions, good or bad.

They have the most irrational demands

This is something secretaries are most likely to complain about. Outside of a workplace, booking family tickets for a new movie or finding a good tutor for their kids are perfectly rational, but in the four walls of an office, not so much. Yet, you need your job and so you need to fulfill these (irrational) demands. Don’t think of them as tasking and useless, view them as learning opportunities. Fulfilling these demands not only helps you sharpen your communication skills but also trains you to manage crisis situations effectively.

They take credit that is rightly yours

They never compliment, only complain Everyone who has worked at some point will agree to this. It is rare that a boss will whole-heartedly praise you for your work and effort. However, instead of feeling dejected learn to see ungrateful bosses as brilliant motivators. Even when not imparting inspirational speeches, they are motivating you to become better each day. The want of praise and a positive response might just motivate you to put your best foot forward.

They’re impossible to please

One of the most important skills you need to hone in order to find success

They’re not as efficient as they should be

Some bosses do not know their work as well as their position demands them to know, and if such a boss commits a blunder, it is okay for the employee to correct him/her. So a bad boss can actually teach you that it is okay to question people in authority and correct them if they are wrong. Quite difficult to practice otherwise, but a bad boss makes it way easier.

DAVESTONE,FLICKR

An interfering senior can be a real pain especially when they decide to suddenly look at your still-in-progress reports or presentations. While most choose to turn a deaf ear to their unnecessary tirades, you must listen to what they have to say – let go of the superfluous stuff and retain the rest. Even though these tips might have been conveyed to you in the most frustrating of fashion, they will help you better your present and future work.

Hardly uncommon, most bosses are known to burden their juniors with work that requires them to clock extra hours at work. Managing so much work and spending time on it will force you to manage your time at work better and will make you a more efficient and competent employee.

and happiness in your career is to not take things personally. And who better to teach you that than a boss who constantly picks on you. You might find yourself running to the restroom to calm yourself down the first few times, but over time, you are bound to get used to it. Eventually you will develop a thick skin and learn not to pay heed to unproductive comments and criticism.

They seem blind to personal progress

Crappy bosses are too lazy to take any notice of your progress and will not offer you a promotion or an incentive unless you ask for it. If that isn’t enough, after you have lowered yourself and asked for a raise or a promotion, they will demand you justify your need for it. This again is a life lesson and will help better market yourself while also climbing the corporate ladder.

Although they are not something you would wish upon yourself, if looked at from a different angle, bad bosses can be quite advantageous to your career. At the end of the day, all that matters is how you adjust to changing work scenarios. yi AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 35

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EDUCATION AND THE DIGITAL AGE

NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, FLICKR

SPECIAL FEATURE

SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES ARE SWAPPING OLDSCHOOL TEXTBOOKS FOR NEW-AGE iPADS. TRISHANN HENRIQUES EXPLORES THE PHENOMENON OF DIGITAL CLASSROOMS

E

ducation is unlike it used to be. Not only are syllabi the centre of constant change, but so are teaching styles and methods. From rudimentary to modern, classrooms are growing in the way knowledge is imparted.

Wikipedia has come to replace library research, pens and pencils have been replaced with styluses and notebooks and textbooks are being done away with to make way for iPads and ebooks.

Then and now

Technological advancement has hardly ever posed as a bane. It makes life of its users easy and hassle-free while also saving time. In most areas of business, manual documentation has been scrapped for virtual systems that have made business processes easy and swift.

A teacher writing notes on a black board while students agonisingly strive to pen each word before he or she erased it all only to fill it with more is far from rampant today. It’s

been swapped with virtual systems that include slideshows, presentations and notes that students can access via intranet. Maths, science and other subjects are taught using apps, thus making learning entertaining.

With the premise of imparting knowledge in a manner that is interactive, easily understandable and interesting, education in schools and colleges across the globe is being digitised. Gone are the days when the beginning of a school year was associated with new notebooks and text books. Ebooks and iPads are taking permanent residence in kids’ school backpacks.

SCHOOLS IN INDIA THAT USE iPADS PODAR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, MUMBAI SPRINGDALES SCHOOL, NEW DELHI PATHWAYS WORLD, GURGAON AMERICAN SCHOOL OF BOMBAY, MUMBAI THE UNIVERSAL SCHOOL, MUMBAI

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BRAD FLICKINGER, FLICKR

The good

 Students love gadgets. Give a kid

an iPad or a tablet and you won’t need to worry about boredom. These technological marvels are favourites among young kids. They love the different ways they can exploit it.

Hence learning on these devices is hardly much of a problem.  Applications galore. History, English, maths, science, geography and many more, there is an application for most subjects. Most app interfaces are colourful and very entertaining; they encourage kids to learn the fun way.  Bye-bye heavy schools bags. With these gadgets in use there is hardly a need to carry stacks of textbooks and notebooks. This considerably reduces bag weight that is known to cause shoulder and back problems over a period of time.  Information, information, information. The best part about working on computers and the internet is the seemingly infinite amount of information a person has access to. All this with just the click of a button. On the internet one click leads to another, which means more information and ultimately more knowledge.

The bad

 Costly! iPads/tablets don’t come

cheap. With prices ranging from `3,000 to `40,000, not everyone can afford one.  Not durable. A typical tablet’s battery lives 2-3 years. It then begins misbehaving and slowing down. This takes away from the ease of technology making it more of an inconvenience.  Discourages extensive research.

The information available on the internet is superficial. Internet research does render desired results, but in a very limited manner. On the other hand, research by reading books in libraries encourages extensive research that has to be done by indepth reading.  Technological dependence.

Probably one of biggest repercussions

of introducing high technology in schools is encouraging a child’s dependence on technology. Access to the internet at an early age also means exposure to social networking sites and even pornography which often means more harm than good.

The environment

Limited use of paper means less felling of trees. If educational institutes across the world reduced usage of textbooks, that would be good news for the environment. Fewer trees would be cut, ecosystems won’t be destroyed and there would be a lesser amount of carbon dioxide in the environment.

But this doesn’t only mean good. Individual devices leads to more energy consumption by way of charging. This in turn causes continued emission of greenhouse gases into the environment.

The Indian angle

In an effort to link 25,000 schools and 400 colleges to an education programme and network, the Government of India has initiated the use of Aakash tablets across

several educational institutes in India. The tablet was launched with an introductory price of `2,250.

While the Government of India wishes to make Aakash, the world’s cheapest tablet, available to all schools and colleges across the country, the endeavour comes with its fair share of challenges. Price, age group and in what capacity they would replace traditional teaching are some areas that still need attention. yi

YOUTH INC’S VIEW

The introduction of tablets and iPads in the Indian market is undoubtedly a move towards better teaching methods. But in a country like India, where large chunks of the population are poor, purchasing these high-tech gadgets is farfetched a thought. Teaching-wise, the government needs to map put areas of education that it wishes to modify by using tablets or iPads. As it stands right now, there is no mention of how the change is going to come about; most of what has been said is vague.

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PRODIGY

Just 27 and a business growth of 200%. It is no surprise why Le 15 Patisserie’s Pooja Dhingra is known as India’s very own Macaron Queen. Saasha Jethwani annotates her culinary journey 38 Youth Incorporated AUGUST 2014

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E

nter Le 15 Patisserie and you are immediately transported to a Parisian café. Run by Pooja Dhingra, a CordonBleu trained chef, the patisserie serves cakes, pastries, tarts and its archetypal macarons. Popularly known as the Queen of Macarons, at just 27 and four years of treating people, Pooja has developed a fan following that will make baking old-timers cringe.

The Beginning

Since the beginning, Pooja was always passionate about baking. So, when she stepped foot into a law college to pursue a higher degree, she was clearly on uncharted waters. After a hopeless attempt at studying law, Pooja decided that hospitality was clearly where her heart was. After successfully convincing her dad, Pooja enrolled at the Cesar-Ritz Hospitality Management School in Switzerland.

From there she moved onto to study baking at Cordon-Bleu in Paris.

Inspiration

Pooja’s first week at Cordon Bleu, Paris is what gave her the vision she needed to start off on her own. “I tried my first macaron in Paris and it was love at first bite. I knew then that I would move back to India and try to recreate them.” Says Dhingra of the start of her journey. However, her tryst with her very first macaron was not her only source of inspiration for starting up Le 15. Staying and working in Switzerland and Paris, she got the opportunity to meet some people

who inspired her. It changed the way she thought, and made her a different person. From serving people at a local Swiss eatery to an intern responsible for making beds, soon, Pooja was delegating with French big-wigs at the five start she was interning at.

Le 15 Story

Immediately after Pooja returned from Paris, she began experimenting with macarons. The macarons she learnt to make in Paris had to be tweaked and altered to find ground with Indian taste buds. It was no easy feat, but after several failed attempts, Pooja emerged victorious; she mastered a macaron that would work here in India. Criticism from her friends and family and several trial and error sessions later, Pooja had around 4-6 types of macarons that she was ready to serve.

Today, Le 15 is not only known for its macarons, but also for its unique fusion of flavours. When we probed about how she diversifies the Le 15 menu, she said, “I get inspired by daily flavours. Travels inspire me. Based on these inspirations I plan new menus.”

Macaron Lady

Pooja’s macarons and Red Velvet cupcakes have garnered a huge following since Le 15’s launch in 2010.

Over the years, the numbers of her loyal fans have only increased. Her prominent presence of social media and a fan base that includes stars like Salman Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and the Ambani

family among others, Pooja Dhingra is undoubtedly India’s very own macaron darling.

Expansion

With three outlets in Mumbai, Pooja states that she does plan to take her brand places. While she wants to expand her business, she does wish to keep her focus on widening the Indian taste. Along with a plan to bring desserts from across the world to India, she also plans on opening up an outlet in Delhi by the end of this year.

Future of the Baking Industry The Indian culinary industry has been seeing a boost over the last few years and Pooja couldn’t be happier about it.

Her gourmet pastry shop was a one-ofits-kind endeavour, but today there are so many people trying to walk in her footsteps. Of the boom in the baking industry Pooja says, “I think the Indian taste is ready to experiment with world cuisine and is finally accepting new flavours.”

From Pooja, to us

A prodigy in the true sense, Pooja dared to follow her dreams. Ever since she knew that baking was her calling, began to work towards it. Undoubtedly one of the young engineers who propelled the boom of the culinary arts industry in India, ask her for a message for our readers and she says, “Have goals and work towards them. Don't let anyone tell you what you can or cannot achieve.

Be focused and I'm sure you will be successful.” yi AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 39

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BENJAMINASMITH, FLICKR

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COVER STORY

THE SECRET WORLD OF THE MBA

The MBA is a much coveted degree that is believed to have almost magical properties. It is believed to open all sorts of doors and deliver fat paycheques to the bearer. This magical MBA is usually only associated with finance, marketing and HR, but the degree is so much more than that. Youth Inc explores some lesser known specialisations that offer an equally exciting study experience

A master’s degree in business administration is a one-way ticket to success. Or so it is believed all over the world.

In India alone there are 4,500 business schools that collectively have the capability to churn out 3,60,000 managers annually.

The MBA began existing as a legitimate degree in 1908.

In a century’s time, it has gone from being an obscure field of study to one of the most sought-after ones. The promise that an MBA can secure one a job just about anywhere is unique; no other degree or qualification can guarantee an education with similar universal appeal or application.

No wonder then, that in a country like India where money is scarce and jobs out of reach the MBA finds so much favour.

However, with the increased interest in the MBA, there is also much ignorance and confusion about the degree.

The three specialisations that nearly every student hankers after are finance, marketing

and human resources (HR). But the science of management exists beyond these three fields. It is possible to do an MBA in a subject as academic as economics, as industry-specific as IT and rural management, and as versatile as international business, operations and infrastructure.

It is not only the curriculum that is wide; the modes of study have broadened too, beyond full-time classroom learning. The MBA can now be studied from the comfort of your home, during your free time, during weekends and even from the other side of the planet. The online MBA, part-time (executive) MBA, customised MBA and the oneyear intensive MBA have all been developed to cater to the schedules and budgets of all kinds of people who might be interested in the degree.

The world of business is vast, exciting and continually evolving. Is it any surprise then that the MBA too is matching step?

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COVER STORY

THE SCIENCE OF DEMAND AND SUPPLY An MBA in economics encompasses within its reach the analysis and the study of production, distribution and the consumption of goods and services in a nation or an organisation

The degree

An MBA in economics is focuses on the study, the analysis and the forecasting of market trends that define nations and organisations. A crucial part of every business, it is no surprise why economics has become one of the most sought after career options in the periphery of an MBA degree.

The purpose of economics is to study losses so as to completely banish or minimise them, so an economist will study and predict market trends under sectors of law, crime, commodities, services, health care, finance and even governments, keeping the broader outlook of its demand and its supply in mind.

An MBA in economics touches upon a number of different subjects like micro and macro economics, international economics, etc, thus giving a student the prerogative to fully understand and gauge national and global markets. Due to its broad reach, a student of economics has a

number of job outlets. From playing an active role in studying the economy of a country, an economics major can also hold important positions in corporate organizations.

Skills from this MBA An MBA in economics quips a student with a certain skill set. They are:  Conscious: A student learns to always be aware of market happenings  Enhanced analytical skill:

Course canvas  S.P Jain Institute, Mumbai  Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad  Christ College Institute, Bangalore

Constant market research and analysis helps understand economic situations better.

Higher education

An MBA in economics is an extensive study area, due to which a number of students go on to pursue PhDs. Some PhDs include business economics, agricultural economics, labour economics, financial economics, industrial economics and many more. While most MBA degrees in economics have generic outlines, a PhD helps an individual pick an area of study in economics that he can master.

Careers

 Market analyst  Economist  Financial advisor  Finance law consultant  Market forecaster  Public policy making  Loan Officers  Lawyers

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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MAVERICK As the world is losing its borders, so is the

MBA. A degree in international management and business is essential for an entrepreneur with a global vision Everything is today global, from fashion and music to politics and economies. No longer does a country function in solitude or isolation; every economy creates a ripple effect, which is felt globally.

The degree

An MBA in international business/ management aims to equip students in these fields:  Export and import management.

Exports and imports are one of the first points of contact with the outside world.  International marketing, which is essential for selling global brands or for expanding one’s business at a global level.  Foreign exchange management.

Course canvas  Symbiosis Institute of International Business, Pune  Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi and Kolkata  Delhi School of Economics, New Delhi  GITAM Institute of Foreign Trade, Vishakpatnam  Annamalai University, Chennai

International businesspeople always keep an eye on international currencies and how they behave in order to manage and maximise their profits.  International finance, which is a focused look at international markets and raising capital in those markets.  International logistics, which concerns itself with creating and maintaining an international distribution network for the company’s goods.

While the first year of this two-year programme deals with the general aspects of the subject, the second year is the year of specialisation. Students are expected to choose between marketing, finance, supply chain management and HR, which they will study with an international perspective.

Skills from this MBA  Multi-cultural business skills  Global finance skills  International legal skills  Foreign language skills

Higher education

It is possible to do a PhD in international business after the MBA, but at this level the coursework shifts focus to research and academic specialisation. PhD graduates typically go on to become teachers/professors in the subject. PhD programmes in international business are typically found abroad. In India, one can opt to do the more general PhD in management.

Careers

An MBA in international business is best suited to a role in an MNC. As per the specialisation, a graduate may work in the marketing, accounts, logistics or HR department of an international corporation. Financial giants, as well as IT heavyweights are regular recruiters of international business graduates, as are automobile companies, import and export divisions of FMCGs and other products, international shipping companies, tourism companies, and even courier companies.

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NICK SALTMARSH, FLICKR

COVER STORY

THE SKILL OF MANAGING A BUSINESS Operations involves processes that begin from the making to the distribution of products.

Here’s why operations is one of the most favoured MBA options

The degree

An MBA in operations is an umbrella term used to denote a host of different management responsibilities in the corporate sphere. In simple terms an MBA in operations would include operational management from the making of a product or a service to its final delivery and distribution.

In the initial stages of their career, an operations manager will deal with the day-to-day happenings of certain sectors in company factories, but from there on their role will only go on to get bigger and better commanding the handling of an entire factory and its happenings. Ensuring products are manufactured with the least possible wastage and damage and in an ecofriendly manner is also a role that an operations manager has to cater to.

An area of MBA that is being pursued by many, operations managers are today of great importance in every business area. From consultancies, hotels, airlines and manufacturing companies, the role of an operations

manager is crucial.

Skills from this MBA  Market oriented: Two years of studying the different areas of businesses keeps a person abreast with trends thus encouraging constant thinking towards betterment and profits.

Course canvas  St Xavier’s College of Management Research, Mumbai  Symbiosis Institute of Operations Management, Pune  Delhi Business School, Delhi  IES Management College and Research Centre, Mumbai  Institute for Financial Managment and Research, Chennai

 Analytical skills: Studying markets helps in better analysing the operations of organisations, thus helping in solving problems and increasing business growth.

Higher education

For those who wish to enhance their skills in the area of operations a specialisation in a brand of operations will be helpful. Specialisations in the form of diplomas, degrees and PhDs in operations include supply chain mangement, logistics and e-business and e-commerce.

Careers

 Forecasting  Managing imports exports  Quality management  Warehouse management  Manufacturing  Retailing  Supply chain management  Transportation management  Cutomer service manager  Facilities coordinator

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TECH MANAGERSST FOR THE 21 CENTURY In a world where everything is computerised, IT managers are important people. Learn how an MBA in this subject can open up a plethora of careers

Technology drives almost all our activities today. The world is digital, and spearheading this revolution are those with tech know-how.

Technology is constantly upgrading itself, and the need of the hour is engineers and managers who can keep pace with the changes.

The degree

A combination of information technology and business management is a winning combination in the 21st century. An MBA in IT management couples knowledge of the latest technology with financial and analytical skills. It is the gateway to a number of careers in e-businesses, digital commerce and telecommunications. Some topics that are touched upon are:  IT in the context of globalisation  E-business strategies  How to identify and manage emerging technologies  Core competencies in running a high-tech firm

Skills from this MBA Higher education  Insight into the nexus between business and corporate level technology  Data management skills  Project management skills  Network management skills  Systems management skills

Course canvas  Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore  Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad  ACN College of Engineering and Management Studies, Aligarh  Institute of Foreign Trade and Management, Moradabad  IILM Business School, Bangalore and Chennai  School of Management Studies, Kochi

PhDs in technology and operations management is available for those who wish to study further, but outside India.

Prominent universities that offer this mode of study are NYU Polytechnic School, UCLA Anderson School of Management, Bridgeport University, INSEAD and Georgia Tech, to name a few.

Careers

There are a number of careers for a graduate who straddles both tech and business skills. Corporates require project, network and systems managers who overlook the digital faculties of the organisation. At a higher level, MBAs may also take on the roles of IT Director, Chief Technology Officer, Information Systems Manager and Vice President of Information Technology.

For the more enthusiastic, there is also scope to branch out and become an IT entrepreneur. E-commerce ventures are booming in the present clime, and an IT entrepreneur would feel at home in this space.

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COVER STORY

Course canvas

LOGANATHAN.R., WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

 Institute of Rural Management, Anand, Gujarat  Indian Institute of Rural Management (IIRM), Jaipur  Amity School of Rural Management, Noida

THE AGRICULTURAL CONNECT Contradictory to popular belief, an MBA is rural management doesn’t merely involve administering day to day activities at farms.

From planning, organising and managing agribusiness and related fields, an MBA in rural management is the need of the hour

The degree

Rural management includes the application of management knowledge in a rural context. In an agricultural country where 70% of the population is rural, there are many avenues that are untapped, misused or are not being

utilised optimally. The job of a rural manager is to identify these resources and help to put them to their best use. As a rural manager one has to put to practice all that he has learnt or is still learning. Basically, they need to provide guidance and supervision that will help rural folk develop and get

better at their trade.

An MBA in rural management is important not only because of India’s dependence on agriculture, but also because of innumerable opportunities that yet have to be monetised positively.

Skills from this MBA

 Far sight: Policy assessing and studies of agriculture and agribusinesses helps greatly in improving the industry.  Social satisfaction: A rural manager helps the country’s rural folk grow and move forward indirectly helping the country prosper.

Higher education

Study PhD programmes at:  Amity School of Rural Management  Institute of Rural Management Anand  Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Careers

With the development of technologies, discovery of rural resources and hopes to discover more, the demand for rural managers is only going to swell. The Government of India, non-governmental organisations, multi-national companies and small scale industry units all require rural managers, and that too for a plethora of activities. If an individual has a background of finance along with an MBA in rural development a job in banks and other financial institutions is also possible.

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BUILD THE FUTURE An MBA in infrastructure can propel you to the forefront of infrastructure development in the country

Infrastructure in India is growing as we speak. For the next few decades, the need for able professionals who can plan and guide the development of infrastructure will only grow.

Infrastructure managers are professionals who see to the proper utilisation of resources and help in the execution and completion of the project.

If you are someone who wants to contribute to the new, developed India with world-class infrastructure and facilities, an MBA in infrastructure management is what you should be looking it. It involves everything, from building dams, roads and buildings to developing electricity, water, oil and telecommunications.

If you cultivate a love for building and creating and think you have the ability to manage both large and detailed operations, this is right up your alley.

The degree

While you will be expected to study the usual modules of marketing, management, economics, accounting, business communications, etc, you will also be expected to take up modules relating to:  Sustainability  Infrastructure policies and law  Operation and management of power systems  Supply chain management  Urban infrastructure management

Course canvas Skills from this MBA

A MBA in infrastructure management sure limits you to only the field of infrastructure, but with India pumping in lakhs of crores of rupees into this field and private companies vying for more and more projects, it is a world worth getting lost in. It sharpens your capability to plan projects as infrastructure development in India is quite challenging. Above all, you get to be a part of something that propels the nation ahead and helps raise the standard of living of people.

Higher education

If you already have a degree in civil engineering, an MBA in infrastructure management will give you leverage over colleagues and will also make you eligible for senior job roles in organisations. After the MBA you may choose to do a postgraduate diploma in the subject

 University of Petroleum and Engineering Studies (UPES), Dehradun  MIT School of Telecom Management, Pune  TERI University, New Delhi or go on to a PhD. IIT Delhi and IIT Bhubaneshwar offer research-based PhDs in infrastructure management.

Careers

The opportunities are vast. Since the infrastructure sector deals with a number of large and growing industries that demand and employ lakhs, the job opportunities are exhaustive for at least the next few decades. Both the public and private sector are developing and hence are employing infrastructure MBA degree holders on a large scale.

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COVER STORY

THE ONLINE MBA EDGE

Online MBAs are creating waves in India and overseas. How are they different from full-time MBAs and do they hold the same value? We try to decode these pertinent questions 48 Youth Incorporated AUGUST 2014

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What is an online MBA?

An online MBA is one that can be pursued virtually with the help of online lectures, ready-made study material and one-on-one chats with teachers. Online MBAs have become popular mainly because of their easy accessibility, time-saving characteristics and the fact that a student can shuffle between managing a job while still studying. It has dual advantage, giving a student the opportunity to study as well as gain work experience.

Online degree VS full-time degree

The online versus full-time MBA debate has been raging for years.

While some say online courses are not valued, many others have contradicting points to make.

Without a doubt, a full-time MBA is advantageous in terms of employment, knowledge and faceto-face interaction. Online MBAs don’t lag far behind. An online MBA’s dual nature is what steals the show more often than not. While a fulltime MBA student can promise to work hard, a student of online MBA already is. An online MBA is usually a fraction of the cost of a full-time degree and online MBA graduates are often more savvy in terms of market trends and happenings as opposed to a fresh-out-of-school MBA graduate.

The positives A lot has been said about online MBAs – they are not as good as full-time MBAs, they are not taken seriously and an online MBA is as good as no MBA at all. In spite of the criticism that online MBA has garnered, its demand is still growing.

An online MBA is useless if the person studying it has no interest in it or if he is clueless about what he wishes to do with it. Career status, educational needs, money, time the programme chosen depends on its success.

 The fees for an online programme

are much less compared to a full-time programme.  Less time-consuming; no travelling to make it for daily lectures.  An online MBA can be used to sharpen a person’s skills while also improving employment opportunities.  The admission procedure is less strict in comparison to full-time MBA courses.

The negatives

 Online MBAs do not always facilitate interaction between

Course canvas MIT School of Distance Education Welingkar Management Institute Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning classmates and teachers

 They are sometimes not as

valued as a full-time MBA mainly because the effort put into each varies considerably although the course material is almost the same.  Online MBA programmes require a student to put in a certain amount of hours each week.

This might pose a problem for individuals who have demanding jobs and careers.  Less preferred employmentwise when compared to a full-time MBA.

Why an online MBA?

An MBA – full-time, part-time or online – has the power to boost your career. What matters is not what kind of MBA a person chooses, but in what capacity it is optimised. Online MBAs work best for those who wish to keep their jobs while also building on their academic skills. Hypothetically, a person with a marketing job can add to his know-how and keep his job by pursuing an online MBA in marketing.

Although an online MBA acts career boost, what matters the most the accreditation of the institute it is pursued from. The programme chosen has to authentic, affiliated to a university or a regulatory body and recognised.

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COVER STORY

THE EXECUTIVE MBA If you want an MBA qualification but are wary of interrupting your career to obtain it, there is an MBA for you. The part-time MBA, aka the executive MBA, is a popular choice among professionals

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Let’s clear the air first; there are a number of different MBA and PGPs (postgraduate programmes) available in India. The most common kind is the full-time, two-year MBA. However, there are also full-time, one-year programmes, but these are not executive MBAs. Several institutes and programmes advertise their courses as programmes for executives, but these are not executive MBAs either. The executive MBA (EMBA), irrespective of how long it runs (usually it is two years), is a purely part-time management programme.

Owing to the nature of the course, it is popular among working professionals who are eager for the academic top-up but hesitant of interrupting their career in the process.

Who is it for?

You might be forgiven for assuming the EMBA is pursued only by midcareer professionals. In India, it is more common for professionals with a few years’ experience to go back to school and upgrade their skills. This, coupled with the requisite of at least a couple years work experience for the regular MBA, has made the EMBA a qualification for middle-aged people.

However, this is just a misconception.

The EMBA is open to both the young and old. If you have a job and want to study part-time, the EMBA is the way to go.

How do I study it?

The EMBA is usually conducted through evening and/or weekend classes. Additionally, some modules may be conducted online or through a distance-learning facility. The idea is to create study time around a professional’s otherwise busy schedule.

What are the specialisations?

Like the regular MBA, most EMBAs offer specialisations in:  Marketing  Finance  Human resources

However, there are EMBAs that offer these majors too:  Operations  Business economics  Strategic management  Business laws

How do I apply?

Most institutes are straightforward with the EMBA applications. What they need from you are:  Your bachelor’s degree certificate/ marksheet/transcripts  Employment history  Recommendation letters/references  A statement of purpose/motivation  Completed application form  Application fee Additionally, institutes may ask for GMAT scores. Many of them conduct their own written tests and interviews for applicants. All ask for work experience, ranging from two, three, five, and some even ten years.

What do I gain?

People might tell you an EMBA does not match up to the traditional MBA; this is untrue. Not only does the EMBA have the same market value as an MBA, but it also has some additional benefits:  Several companies sponsor their employees to study for an EMBA. Full-time MBA students have no such luxury.  The acceptance rates into EMBA programmes are higher than the traditional MBA. One has more chance of being accepted into an EMBA course than a full-time MBA.  An EMBA is flexible to fit around a working professional’s schedule. It does not require full-time attention, unlike the regular MBA.  One’s peers in an EMBA class would range from newbies to experienced managers and professionals, thus creating a classroom atmosphere that is diverse and educational.  You might graduate before a fulltime MBA student.

What do I lose?

 Your free time, as your days are either taken up by work or study.

 A considerable chunk of your bank balance – EMBAs are far from cheap.

Prepare to shell out at least a lakh to lakh-and-a-half for the qualification.  A larger choice of subject specialisations. While the traditional MBA has many more majors, the EMBA has far fewer options. In many institutes, specialisations are also dropped if there are insufficient students.  If you are unsure about what path your career should take, the EMBA is a poor choice since it will only complement the skills and knowledge of someone already on the right track of their career. A traditional, full-time MBA would be more suited to you.

PICKING THE RIGHT INSTITUTE It’s important to pick the right institute for an EMBA because not all of them have equal standing with employers.  Check EMBA rankings and institute ratings.

Reliable rankings always come out of established publications and organisations, including QS and Access MBA.  Check the market value of EMBA courses.

How many graduates of a certain institute have found employment or gained promotions after the programme?  Talk to alumni to get a sense of balancing work and study, and the teaching methodology in a certain institute.  Talk to your employer on which institutes they recognise and/or highly recommend.

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THE DIVERSITY STORY

In spite of an increasing number of women opting to study management, the MBA is still very much a boys’ club. MBA graduate Pooja Shetty reports from the trenches 52 Youth Incorporated AUGUST 2014

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The age of the woman?

Over the years corporates have realised the importance of having a more balanced workforce. Study after study has reflected the benefit of having more women on board.

But how do we get more women on board? More importantly, how do we ensure that women remain in the workforce? With women like Sheryl Sandberg and Marissa Myers taking up important roles and a significant amount of media space, one would almost be convinced that the age of the woman has finally arrived. But what has arrived instead is a book for working women followed by another unnecessary one to ride on the success of its predecessor.

Unintentional sexism

To solve the issue of an imbalanced workplace and to get more women in jobs, most business schools have come up with a so-called brilliant solution. They have decided to make it easier for women to get into MBA programme; so now you get a few additional marks and therefore a higher probability of making it to the interview rounds if you are a female candidate. However, this is far from being an equalising practice.

We have in fact stooped to a new form of gender discrimination. If you are a woman doing an MBA, you might see men raising a hue and cry about this gross injustice. But we women should be the ones offended.

After all, colleges seem to believe that we aren’t as smart as men and that we cannot compete on the same platform.

The big picture to focus on is that the number of women applying to business schools is considerably lower than the men. Yes, it is crucial that we encourage more women to apply. But is lowering performance standards the way to do it? All it does is probably make the entry easier for those

women whose primary purpose of getting a degree is to get a better marriage proposal. There goes one seat which could have gone to a guy who would have put it to better use.

Getting recruited

There is also a sea-change of difference in how women are perceived in business schools. It is a common belief among male students that placement is not something to be worried about if you have a pretty face or are of the right gender. While I have never been able to figure out the rationalisation behind this, I wonder why any company would recruit someone who is expected to be an asset based on their gender?

Perhaps the men would be kind enough to let me know someday.

All things considered equal, it is true a company may prefer a woman to a man. Then again, because the proportion of women in the workforce is currently so small, it should really not be something to raise hell about. If you look at the positive side, it won’t matter in the long run; the attrition rate among women is much higher than men. Instead of complaining, why don’t men appreciate the women who will quit and keep a nice ripe senior position ready for them soon enough?

The ambitious women

Sure, there are the resilient, ambitious women who want to work their way up. Their only roadblock is networking. In an age where your growth is directly proportional to the strength of your networking skills, women are at a disadvantage. A lot of networking happens over chai-sutta (cigarette) breaks and beer parties, which play host to more men than women.

If you, a woman, does join in, it creates a dissonance in the minds of your colleagues who have certain

expectations of how a woman must behave. If you don’t, you lose out on a lot of networking opportunities.

It’s the classic case of ‘Damned if you do, damned if you don’t’.

Even if you get over the networking barrier, how do you get over the location sensitivity?

How many men move to a new city because their wife has an exciting new job offer? The proverbial glass ceiling may be self-imposed rather than by the organisation. After taking into consideration all the complications work throws at you, the discomfort you feel from gaining a few extra marks is innocuously quietened. So yeah, we may get into a business school easily but I truly hope we reach a point where we don’t get out of our careers easily.

When women turn on other women

Often your aunts, mother-in-law, and even your mother don’t consider your career to be as important as that of a man’s. I remember receiving an arranged marriage proposal from a man who had completed his master’s degree in the US. My mother said to me, “Why don’t you do a master’s?” despite her knowing that I was feverishly preparing for an MBA. When I was asked to change my career choice for a marriage prospect, it broke my heart.

We have a long way to go with relatives too. Even asking for a well-educated partner sends them into frenzy. A woman demanding things is novel to them. I have heard comments like “She can’t have everything! She has to adjust.” And here I thought I had already adjusted by reducing the eligible pool to just men from my caste.

The more we compromise, the more the society demands. To bring about change, we have to change.

We must not ask for equality but demand it. Note to women: Make no compromises. Trade-offs, yes, compromises no. yi AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 53

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What I think about compulsory social work Varsha Menon talks about her experience with compulsory social work in her curriculum

I’M NOT A BAD PERSON I get it. I shouldn’t deny society of its right to be helped by able bodied individuals such as myself. But doing social work interfered with my plans to hibernate during my free time. I just could not accept that. It was almost a 150 hours of action, service and creativity hours. I then decided to change my name and migrate to Iceland. For whatever reason, this did not bode very well with my parents who preferred to live amongst other human beings.

OKAY, FINE. IT’S NOT THAT BAD As the year progressed, we were handed more social work and with time it became less of a mandatory aspect and more of a voluntary action. I started looking forward to such trips. I eagerly anticipated spending time in old age homes or helping farmers with their daily chores. Each trip was a new experience. I made friends in unlikely places and heard stories that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I saw goats and hens and unnaturally huge buffaloes. I even tried to strike conversation with one stray cow I met. She wasn’t too responsive though.

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IN HINDSIGHT It was amazing. I never expected to enjoy it as much, but I did. I also wouldn’t trade my experiences for the world. For all those out there who are not forced to do social work, they should definitely volunteer for such tasks.

No matter how exerting or tiring they sound.

Social work should be advertised as a 100% guaranteed satisfactory experience.

WAIT A MINUTE…

My school organised a day of volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity which included painting newly built houses in a village. At the very thought of the menial work that it would involve, complaints and incessant whining ensued all around me. Everyone’s backs began to hurt even more the work began. However, once my classmates and I started our tasks, we realised that the amount of fun and satisfaction that we experienced that day was unparalleled. The joy on the faces of the villagers, the interaction with them and the happiness of seeing completed work were some of the highlights of the day. We left feeling like better human beings.

If you have an entertaining mind, we want a piece of it.

Unleash your thoughts and send them to mail@youthincmag.com

29-07-2014 13:43:48

JAYANTI GHOSE

GRE SUBJECT TESTS Q: Please tell me about the GRE Subject Tests.

What are the subjects they cover, and when and where they are conducted?

Harshal The GRE Subject Tests are achievement tests that measure your knowledge of a particular field of study. Subject tests provide a common measure for comparing candidates’ qualifications and supplement their undergraduate records, recommendation letters and other qualifications for graduate-level study. They are offered in the seven disciplines of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology; Biology; Chemistry; Literature in English; Mathematics; Physics and Psychology They are given at paper-delivered test centers worldwide three times a year in September, October and April.

The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (www. icmai.in) and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) offer specialized BCom and MCom Programmes for cost accountancy students.

You can simultaneously pursue this BCom with a major in financial and cost accounting with the Foundation/Intermediate Course and MCom in Management Accounting & Financial Strategies (MA &FS) with Final Course. You may also enrol for BCom at a local college and pursue the Foundation Course and Intermediate course alongside your graduation, or you can take up the Intermediate course directly after graduation. You have to decide whether you would be able to handle the demands of the Cost Accountancy course alongside BCom and do well in both, or would be better off completing your graduation first.

ANSWER ANSWER

ANSWER ANSWER

Statisticians find employment in health and medicine (including clinical trials, pharmacology, biology, public health, genetics), industry (agriculture, insurance, finance, marketing, economics, etc), psychology, sports, and in government. You could get an idea of the direct employment options after postgraduation based on a review of on-campus hiring in recent years from the university / college/ institution where you are studying or plan to study. Success in the Indian Statistical Service examination leads to selection for posts in the NSSO, Central Statistical Organisation, the ministries of agriculture, commerce, finance, company affairs, health and family welfare, defence, water resources, labour, etc in the government.

Indicative examples.

COST ACCOUNTANCY Q: What would be the best approach for pursuing the cost accountancy course? Should it be during or after graduation?

Tanuj

SPORTS STUDY IN THE UK Q: What would be the under graduate and post graduate study options in the field of sports in the UK? I am not interested in a career as a sportsperson.

Yash Sports related courses in the UK include Bachelor of Science (BSc) or Master of Science (MSc) degrees in the areas of sport health, nutrition and exercise science, sports coaching, or sports management. These courses don’t teach you to play sport, but help you to understand it- from the physiological, psychological or biomechanical or management perspectives. You must aim to combine the degree with practical skills and applied experience for easier entry into the job market.

Training to become a physiotherapist, occupational therapist or psychologist can also lead to a career in sports.

ANSWER ANSWER

CAREERS IN STATISTICS Q: I am in final year of graduation with statistics honours planning to follow up with a master’s degree in the subject. What are the expected career opportunities after postgraduation?

Anya

ANSWER ANSWER

STUDY ABROAD

STUDY IN INDIA

Jayanti Ghose is a career and education consultant. She holds an honours degree in economics and a degree in education. Her research in career counselling and guidance spans more than 25 years. She pioneered the concept of career counselling and career writing in the print media. She is actively involved in personal and group counselling.

AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 55

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WISE UP

1

2

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D

3

1

O N Z 1

1

2

- By Niloufer Gandhi

1

E

O W

Choose the option that is closest in meaning to the main word and complete the sentence.

1. Pulchritudinous (puhl-kri-tood-n-uhs)

The organisers of the beauty pageant were flummoxed to see the serpentine line of _____ aspirants. (a) physiologically deformed (b) physically beautiful (c) psychologically unstable

2. Prestidigitation (pres-ti-dij-i-tey-shuhn)

The Great Houdini was renowned for his sensational feats of _____ . (a) sleight of hand (b) abstinence (c) infidelity

Lengthily yours

The English language has a collection of unusually long words which you can use either for your own enjoyment or to annoy your friends.

3. Plenipotentiary (plen-uh-puh-ten-shee-er-ee)

The confident and intelligent _____ signed the treaty on behalf of the neighbouring country. (a) diplomat (b) programmer (c) director

4. Tintinnabulation (tin-ti-nab-yuh-ley-shuhn)

Walking towards the church, the tourists experienced a spiritual awakening as they heard the _____. (a) sound of animals (b) sound of bells (c) sound of birds

5. Gedanken experiment (guh-dahng-kuhn ik-sper-uh-muh-nt)

*The fear of long words

Answers:

1. B, 2. A, 3. A, 4. B, 5. A

Erwin Schrodinger, one of the key figures in quantum physics was famous for his _____, ‘Schrodinger’s Cat’ (a) experiment in thought (b) experiment in behaviour (c) experiment in selfreliance

Word Pyramid

The clues will help you find the answers to complete the word pyramid. Each answer must contain the previous answer. You may arrange the words with a new letter.

Hint: Start from the top 1. Symbol on a compass for East

E

2. Emergency Room or a popular TV show 3. Intense anger 4. Dreadful, terrible, frightful 5. Exhausted, Fatigued 6. To walk with long steps 7. Dry wood or papers used to light a fire 8. Living in a place on a long-term basis 10. Organic compounds in folic acid 11. Finding something good by chance

Answers:

ER, IRE, DIRE, TIRED, STRIDE, TINDERS, RESIDENT, PRESIDENT, PTERIDINES, SERENDIPITY

9. Barrack Obama for Americans

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yi

entertain

Books are the number one source for Hollywood films, but not all books translate well on-screen. We curate the 10 best film adaptations of novels...

Page 68

K E E PI N S I D E 

Pg58 Pg62 Pg66

Pg70

IT’S NOT A CARTOON. IT’S ANIME

THE 10 COUPLES YOU’LL FIND ON CAMPUS

A BURMESE RENDEZVOUS

FOR THE LOVE OF SHOES

JAPANESE ANIMATION HAS EXPLODED IN INDIA. FIND OUT ALL ABOUT THIS NEW PHENOMENON

THEY’RE YOUNG AND THEY’RE DATING. THERE ARE AT LEAST 10 KINDS OF COUPLES IN COLLEGE

FANCY A HOLIDAY IN MYANMAR? WE HAVE THE SCOOP ON THIS HOLIDAYERS’ PARADISE

WE CATCH UP WITH SHOE DESIGNER PAYAL KOTHARI AND HER LABEL VERUSCHKA

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ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE

It’s not a

anime.

CORINGAO, DEBIANART.ORG

What’s a Naruto?

Or an Otaku? You hear these words from those weird Japanese animations that everyone is into. Anime superfan Riyaz Khan gives you a guided tour of his object of adoration

It’s

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What is anime?

MALYSZKZ, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

M

Watch list for the beginner ● Code Geass ● Bleach ● Death Note ● Tengen Toppa Gurren Laggan ● Air Gear ● Steins;Gate ● Cowboy Bebop ● Fullmetal Alchemist & Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood ● Inu Yasha ● Akira (film) ● Summer Wars (film)

Anime vs Manga

The terms anime and manga are used interchangeably quite often, but one is not always the synonym of the other.

While in Japan manga refers to all cartooning (in comics and anime) outside Japan manga strictly means only comics from Japan. While anime and manga art work are identical most times, there are manga with different styles. Most anime available today is based on a popular manga series. Manga is available in weekly or monthly magazines such as Weekly Shounen Jump, Shoujo Friend and Shounen Ace.

Anime genres

ADVENTURE: Characters in adventure anime travel several lands.

REIXJUNE, DEVIANTART.COM

y sister faces a difficult decision, one that her six years of experience have not prepared her for. She turns to me with pleading eyes. “Shin-chan or Doraemon? What should I watch?”

I decide that this is a wonderful opportunity to educate her a bit. “Did you know that the ‘chan’ added to Shin-chan’s is actually just a suffix used in Japanese?” She looks right through me and changes the channel.

“Hattori!” she exclaims as the TV provides her with a third option. “Do you know what’s similar between all three?” I ask. “That they are all cartoons?” she says, taking the bait.

“That’s where you’re wrong. All three of them are actually anime!” “How do you tell the difference?” she asks with a puzzled expression. “Well, anime is what Japanese animation is called,” I say. “But how do you tell whether the animation is Japanese or not?” she rebuts. “That is a very good question.

You see…well... You just can!” She smirks as she realises that I have failed to accomplish my goal of teaching her something new.

Her question was one I wondered about for many days. One day I decided to find the answer myself.

I decided to learn the difference between cartoons and anime so that I would never again be at a loss of words.

In Japan, all animation is known as anime. However, in other countries anime is generally used to denote only Japanese animation. One of the first and the biggest differences between anime and cartoons is their respective audiences. “People end up watching anime without even realising that what they are watching is anime and it is somehow different from other cartoons,” says Zain Ebrahim, an avid anime fan and media student.

“Cartoons are generally made to appeal to little kids. Anime, however, is not.” While there is anime that appeals to children, that is not it’s only

audience. The wide variety of genres that anime covers make it a medium that is appealing to people of all ages, sexes and races. You just have to find the right anime for you, which isn’t very difficult considering the large body of work that already exists.

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ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE

Fans of this genre prefer storylines which have the hero travelling from place to place either completing their goals or searching for them.

Examples: Fullmetal Alchemist, Pokemon

aged 18 to 40. Issues like infidelity and rape are not uncommon here. The genre also deals with problems that women face on a daily basis.

Examples: Nana, Paradise Kiss, Nodame Cantabile

FANTASY: Set in magical worlds populated with beings with supernatural powers, the fantasy genre is a genre for anime geeks everywhere.

Examples: Fairy Tail, Attack on Titan, Berserk

SLICE OF LIFE: Normal, everyday life problems. It usually has a moral at the end.

Examples: K-On!, School Days, Bakuman

ECCHI: This genre includes elements of sexual innuendo and nudity while still remaining lighthearted and PG-rated fun. It is generally used as fan service in harem anime (the protagonist is surrounded by many love interestes, much like in a harem).

Examples: To Love-ru, Hayate the Combat Butler, Air Gear

MECHA: Also known as robot anime, these feature robots in fights.

The giant robots contain cockpits and are piloted by humans. Mecha anime is generally set against war.

Examples: Code Geass, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Mobile Suit Gundam YAOI: A genre of anime that deals

SHOUNEN: Meaning young boy in Japanese, Shounen anime is aimed at boys aged from 7 to 18. The stories are generally about fighting and the importance of friendship. It is the most popular anime genre outside Japan.

Examples: Naruto, Bleach, Dragon Ball Z SHOUJO: Shoujo means young girl in Japanese and is aimed at girls aged between 7 and 18. It usually has a strong focus on romance.

Examples: Cardcaptor Sakura, Kaichou wa Maid-sama, Ginban Kaleidoscope

JOSEI: Josei is aimed at adult women

Otaku: Anime fans outside of Japan label themselves Otakus. An Otaku is a person who is a fan of Japanese things like anime, manga, video games, etc.

Hayao Miyazaki: Filmmaker whose movies have brought Japanese animation recognition all over the world. His 2001 film ‘Spirited Away’ was the first anime to win an Academy Award.

Akihabara: Shopping district in Japan considered Otaku central owing to the numerous anime, manga and video game goods available there. Akihabara tries to create an atmosphere resembling the game and anime worlds the customers are used to.

The streets of Akihabara are covered with anime and manga icons. The maid cafes in the district are a major attraction. with homosexual love. It is targeted at the female audience as fan service.

Examples: 07-Ghost, Angel Sanctuary

HUSKY88, ANIMEXX.DE

SEININ: Seinin anime is generally aimed at adult males between the ages of 18 and 40. It deals with more mature topics, including but not restricted to sex, violence, gore and satire. There is more emphasis on plot and less on action.

Examples: Akumetsu, Hellsing, Monster

A STARTER GUIDE TO ANIME SPEAK

YURI: Deals with lesbian love. Yaoi and Yuri anime do not shy away from graphic scenes and are frequent in Hentai.

Examples: Aoi Hana, Strawberry Panic HENTAI: Contrary to popular belief, Hentai does not represent any single genre of animation. It is internationally used as a defining

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term for all Japanese art porn – not just anime but pictures and comics of Japanese origin as well. Hentai has genres of its own, like Netorare, Ahegao and Chikan.

Display of Japanese cultures and traditions

Where should I start?

There are a few things you can do to get your own journey to the Otakudom (see our glossary) rolling.  MyAnimeList.net and Animenewsnetwork.com are two websites that will provide you with any and all information regarding anime. Use them to search for the genre you want to watch. Watch anime with high user ratings. They have good ratings for a reason.  Crunchyroll.com and AnimeGet. com allow you to stream anime and watch online.  Mangafox.me and Mangareader. net are good websites to start reading Manga. Mangafox has an advanced search option that can be very useful to new readers.  ZincView.com and 4chan.com are good forums to discuss the latest anime and manga trends with other fans.  Watching anime music videos (amvs) on YouTube is something every anime fan goes through. These short clips can either pump you up or reduce you to tears.

Exaggerated emotional expressions

SHIZUNNEMIKU, DEVIANTART.COM

While watching anime one of the first things that you would notice is that its characters behave differently, and things in general – such as buses, trains, buildings, food, etc – are all different from what we are used to.

Anime is an art form. Just as any art form should do, it tells you about itself. It tells you about its country of origin, the people who live there and their religious and cultural beliefs.

Anime is a brilliant guide to Japanese culture and also helps us understand it from the perspective of a Japanese person.

The anime art style

Brightly coloured hair

 Some anime take a little time to pick up, so give it a chance before dropping it. However, if you dislike the first three episodes you will likely dislike the rest of the series.

Continuing the obsession

One of the biggest advantages of watching any television series is being able to call up your friends afterwards and discuss the latest plot twist and criticise the writer’s stupidity at not giving favourite characters enough screen time. Anime has a small yet devoted fan base, and like other fandoms the anime fandom takes its title very seriously. Fans indulge in many activities to bring their obsession to the real world.

Cosplay: Short for costume play, cosplay is about dressing up like your favourite anime character. Such clothes are not readily available in the market, so cosplayers design and create their costumes. There are cosplay conventions all over the world with

Huge eyes Wellendowed females

* There are of course exceptions to the rule but those are few and far in between. prizes for the best dressed.

Anime Con: Anime conventions are the Mecca of anime lovers everywhere.

Cosplayers and Otakus come in droves to watch and experience the attractions. There is an Anime Con held in New Delhi every year.

Anime Clubs: The Mumbai Anime Club (MAC) brings fans together to talk about all things anime. It has recently started a magazine called Over 9000. Look up anime clubs in your city. You are sure to find one.

For anime lovers in India, their affair has only just begun. “The anime movement in India is only going to grow in the near future,” says Niharika Patil, one of the first cosplayers in India and a founding member of the MAC. Brinda Nair, an MAC member, says, “The Indian Otaku scene is definitely emerging and is getting stronger. There are anime and manga clubs in major cities in India and I hope more clubs will emerge in other parts of India. We still have a long way to go but we’re getting there!” yi AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 61

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a girl and a guy can hold hands (and maybe the girl holds a rose too) and sit together in a college campus in a number of Bollywood movies, what makes you think real life would be far behind? Art influences life and life influences art, so you wouldn’t be hard-pressed to find several types of couples, regular and weird, in real campuses.

The selfie couple

They stay together because they’re two people with the same interest: pictures of themselves. Sharing a meal – selfie! Returning home – selfie! Submitting assignments – SELFIE! And if that is not enough, they have these pictures all over your Facebook and Instagram newsfeeds. With lovey-dovey hashtags. I guess they mistook social media to be a love-sharing platform. Sigh.

The joined-at-thehip duo This is the couple that is always glued together. Their hobbies 62 Youth Incorporated AUGUST 2014

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include plenty of public displays of affection and calling each other retchinducing names like babu and jaanu.

They’re so much into each other that they forget the world around them.

Don’t ever interrupt them; you’ll regret it.

THE MOST WTF COUPLES ONSCREEN

Love knows no boundaries, especially in cinema. Movie couples range from funny to bizarre to downright disturbing.

• Benjamin and Mrs Robinson (The Graduate): Benjamin is a fresh college graduate. Mrs Robinson is a 50-something-old woman with a daughter about the same age as Benjamin.

What was Benji smoking?

• Belle and the Beast (Beauty and the Beast): Pretty girl falls in love with a monster who is also her kidnapper. Exhibit A of Stockholm Syndrome.

• Edward and Bella (Twilight): A 107-year-old vampire has the hots for a high school teenager. Eww on so many levels.

• Donkey and Dragon (Shrek series): A donkey and a dragon. Who make babies. Excuse us while Mother Nature barfs in the corner.

• King Kong and all his blonde girlfriends (King Kong): Almost 100-foottall gorilla is always besotted with a humansized blonde woman.

And we thought it was gentlemen who prefer blondes.

The matching couple

You know moms and their infants when they step out for vacations? This couple is exactly like that – dressed alike and cooing all over each other.

Yes, for some reason this duo loves to shove it in people’s faces that they are a couple and love being with each other by wearing clothes of the same colour. Coincidence? Please. They assign colours to each day of the week.

Hardly a coincidence.

are the current hot topic, as much as Brad and Angelina. Two popular people in college getting together make breaking news for very many days. Even their petty fights and tiniest of gestures are some serious headline-material fodder for the campus daily newspapers and gossip mongers.

The newlyweds

This couple prefers to keep their relationship a secret, quite often from themselves too! Either this couple doesn’t like flaunting or talking or even telling people that they are dating for whatever reason, or they have been BFFs so long they don’t realise they have already crossed over into Couple Zone. The rest of the college knows while these two remain oblivious.

Bells-a ringing for the newest couple on campus! Every couple has a honeymoon period, even the non-married ones. They behave like newlyweds in the first few weeks – sometimes even months. They are overtly caring, weirdly surprising and unusually funny with one another.

They are shy around people but extracomfortable around each other, if you know what I’m saying. As the months pass, the surprises and the fun are replaced with arguments. Ah, to be young and in love. Not.

The perennially tiffing couple

The over-possessive couple

The ‘ just friends’ couple

Seems like they took the term ‘lovers’ quarrel’ a bit too seriously. Everyone around them hasn’t the foggiest why these two are still together when they can’t stand each other at all. All they are found doing is fighting. They argue over the smallest of things, and when you ask them why they are together, they tell you the sweetest things about each other. Looks are deceptive?

Definitely!

Dog-on-a-leash couple

Go! Fetch! Not literally, but this is how this particular breed of couple is seen loitering around college campuses. One is always seen bossing over the other one. Unflattering comparisons to a master-pet duo would not be out of place. The pet is so loyal to his master that he/she will still stick around, no matter what.

The oh-so-famous couple

Everyone is talking about them. They

The bond they share extends to their phones, Facebook passwords, email account details and everything else in between. Beware if you are talking to either of them; it is likely that there is not one but two people at the receiving end. They keep an eye on each others’ Whatsapp conversations and Facebook activities, as well as the people they talk to in real life. NSA would be proud. Edward Snowden not so much.

The meant-to-be couple

Finally. The kind of couple whose necks you don’t want to wring. The kind of couple so perfect that you adore them being together. They are fun and crazy but mature and realistic at the same time. They’re fun to be around and they don’t make you feel like a third wheel or create awkward situations. Happy together but happy apart as well. These guys need to take classes for all the other couples on campus. yi AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 63

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best film ada p About a Boy

Nick Hornby’s wickedly funny coming-of-age novel transitioned to the screen as an equally funny but sanitised film.

36-year-old Will Freeman is a bachelor with the devil-may-care attitude of a teenager, while 12-yearold Marcus Brewer is an old soul who doesn’t know how to be young. Will and Marcus teach each other how to grow up and be themselves.

What bibliophiles love: Hugh Grant cast as Will. So perfect.

What bibliophiles hate: The feel-good, romcom revamp of the story. And the ending which pales in comparison to the book’s ending.

Jurassic Park

Tyrannosaurus, velociraptors and pterodactyls, oh my. A dinosaur extravaganza that captivated the imagination of a generation of kids was adapted from Michael Crichton’s science fiction novel that was a cautionary tale against genetic manipulation.

What bibliophiles love: The exceptionally real dinosaurs in the film. The spectacular visual effects bring the book to life.

What bibliophiles hate: The change in park creator John Hammond’s character; he is actually an unapologetic megalomaniac who learns nothing from his mistakes. Admit it, this is a far more interesting character.

Book lovers despise the films and film lovers can’t understand the fuss around the books.

But once Trainspotting in a while Irvine Welsh’s cult novel of unhinged heroin addicts in Edinburgh became a film helmed by Danny Boyle. Despite its grim subject, Welsh wrote a a brilliant remarkably funny story narrated through multiple characters. movie What bibliophiles love: The punk-y, bizarre and hallucination-addled adaptation ambience of the film which perfectly captures the spirit of the book.

What bibliophiles hate: The loss of the anachronistic narration which while of a book streamlines the plot also takes away the other issues the book deals with – satisfies abortion, HIV/AIDS, nationalism and the dole. both the Bridget To Kill a bibliophiles Jones’s Mockingbird and Harper Lee’s Diary Helen Fielding’s extraordinary novel cinephiles. new-age heroine for all on a white lawyer Aparna urban women in the defending a black man Sundaresan form of Bridget Jones wrongly accused of was revelatory. There rape during the 1930s digs up was finally a woman was Pulitzer-winning 10 such who wasn’t Elizabeth material. And the movie modern Bennet or Mata Hari, but a woman like wasn’t far behind; Lee all of us – struggling with body issues, bad was so pleased with the adaptation that she gems

10 9 7 6

habits and complicated love lives.

What bibliophiles love: American Renée Zellweger absolutely nailing the personality of the very British Bridget Jones.

What bibliophiles hate: So many zany scenes in the book overlooked because the film has a time constraint. Boo!

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called it “a work of art”.

What bibliophiles love: Gregory Peck as the hero Atticus Finch who played an unplayable role to magnificence.

What bibliophiles hate: The absence of Aunt Alexandra in the film, who is an important character in the book.

29-07-2014 13:59:14

COUNTDOWN

a ptations of novels Life of Pi

The funny, inspirational and thought-provoking saga of Pi Patel as the lone survivor of a shipwreck with a tiger for company became a Hollywood blockbuster. Yann Martel’s epic is a deep exploration of religion, spirituality and what it means to be human.

What bibliophiles love: An honest-to-book adaptation with stunning visuals.

What bibliophiles hate: The omission of Pi going blind during the course of his journey and meeting another shipwreck survivor – a tragic yet touching episode in the book.

Schindler’s List

Atonement

A young girl consumed by jealousy, self-pity and a touch of bitterness wrongly convicts a close family friend of a heinous crime, and then spends a lifetime atoning for that grave mistake. Ian McEwan’s literary masterpiece takes readers through the complex and nuanced spaces of people’s minds.

What bibliophiles love: The sense of tension, urgency and pregnant emotion in the film that the book lacks owing to its wordiness.

What bibliophiles hate: The loss of depth. The book is presented through multiple perspectives to show how little the characters understand of each other. The film is superficial in comparison.

5

3

Thomas Keneally’s Schindler’s Ark became Schindler’s List at the hands of Steven Spielberg and an award winning piece of cinema at that. Remarkable, considering Keneally had trouble condensing his story for screen and the task went to two other writers.

What bibliophiles love: The appropriately grim treatment of a Holocaust story.

What bibliophiles hate: The movie pretending to be a documentary when it is in fact based on a work of fiction and has numerous factual inaccuracies.

The Godfather

Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Mario Puzo’s novel is often cited as one of the greatest films ever made. We concur.

What bibliophiles love: Absolutely everything.

The perfect cast. The perfect cinematography.

The perfect score. Every frame is a work of art. A fitting adaptation.

What bibliophiles hate: The neglect of Johnny Fontaine, just one of the many characters that are overlooked in the film but are significant in the book.

Fight Club

The tale of a man suffering from insomnia who forms a fighting club to beat up others and to be beaten up himself gave birth to a whole new cult. Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club is edgy, dark but sublimely funny, both in its book and film versions.

It also gave the world the deliciously evil Tyler Durden.

What bibliophiles love: The inclusion of multiple themes from the book. Consumerism, identity, mental wellbeing, personal empowerment, family – all packed into two hours of cinema comfortably.

What bibliophiles hate: The changed ending. The book ends on a much more dubious and sinister note, while the film ends quite happily. What an anti-climax!

2

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MARC VERAART, FLICKR

TRAVEL

A Burmese

Rendezvous A

way from the urban clutter and concrete jungles lies Myanmar untouched and still at the brink of greatness. One of Southeast Asia’s jewels, Myanmar is frequented by tourists who revel in the freedom of unplanned travel and exploration. One of the major factors that draw tourists from far and wide is its undoubted beauty. In Myanmar, guides, tour packages and luxurious commute are anything but readily available. But in spite of this unconventional form of travel a visitor won’t be disappointed.

It is in fact the unpredictability that translates to one hell of a vacation.

An amalgam of cultural diversity, religious sanctity and natural beauty awaits the wanderlust set to take on this Burmese journey.

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CHRISTOPHER MICHEL, FLICKR

Home to 135 ethnic groups, a solitary abode for monks, and a region whose colonial facades are still apparent, Myanmar is a sheer treat for the wanderlust.

Trishann Henriques explores its cultural melange

View from above of Bagan’s Ancient Kingdom in Mandalay

29-07-2014 14:01:03

Know Myanmar

TRAVEL Myanmar is accessible by road and by flight. Although air travel is a lot faster, the journey by road will be a new experience altogether. Much longer in duration, the travel by road comes with its share of idyllic sceneries, stopovers at new locations and a lot of time for contemplation.

ACCOMMODATION Myanmar has a number of options for accommodations. From budget lodges and guesthouses to mid-priced and expensive hotels, there’s a place to stay for people with every kind of budget. However, irrespective of where a person stays, they will be required to pay a 10% mandatory service tax.

CUISINE An authentic Burmese meal will have you well covered, appetite-wise. While its cuisine is concoction of Chinese, Indian and Mon delicacies, the food is not void of its own uniqueness.

Closer to bucolic locations, a tourist can indulge in authentic Burmese preparations like leq-p’eq, its unofficial national dish moún-hìn-gà and several other noodle preparations.

Where to Go

BAGAN’S ANCIENT KINGDOM, MANDALAY A time traveller’s dream come true, the ancient city of Bagan is symbolic of not only the rich culture and heritage of Myanmar but also of grand

SHWEDAGON PAYA, YANGON Visible from every part of Yangon, the Shwedgon Paya is a cultural delight.

Adorned with 27 metric tons of gold leaf and clusters of diamonds and other gems, the paya is unlike any other the world over. The grandiose with which it’s been built is proof of the diligence and respect that the Burmese people have toward Buddha, in whose memory the stupa stands.

TRAVEL

GUIDE • Don’t miss 4-day long New Year celebrations in April • Best time to visit November through February • Must-visit place Golden Rock Pagoda • Must-visit beach Silver beach (Ngwe Saung) • Must-have dish Mohinga (moún-hìngà) • The climate Tropical monsoon climate, including considerable amount of sun and humidity, and a good amount of rainfall The Shwedagon Paya in Yangon

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What to Do

SIGHT-SEE BY BOAT Misty blue waters, beautiful floating gardens and fishermen waiting for a profitable catch are sights a tourist will witness at the Inle Lake. While most travellers choose to explore the lake using a motorised canoe, the actual treat is using one of the traditional boats used by the locals to get around the lake.

HOT AIR BALLOON OVER THE IRRAWADDY RIVER Running from the north to the south of Myanmar, the Irrawaddy River is the exemplary force behind the trade and commerce in Myanmar. Playing a poignant role in the economy of the country, the river is also one of the most popular tourist attractions.

A cruise about its calm waters is mediocre an adventure in comparison to a hot air balloon ride over it. Bird’s eye views of pagodas, beauteous sceneries on its banks and a hundred or more tributaries diverging from it comprise picturesque hot air balloon journeys. yi JOSE JAVIER MARTIN ESPARTOSA, FLICKR

CURRENCY The kyat, the currency of Myanmar, translates to 0.062 Indian rupees.

Although a very low Indian exchange rate, once the cheapest Southeast Asian country, today the prices in Myanmar have escalated because of the sudden growth in tourism. An Indian tourist can get away with allocating an average of `3,5004,000 per day obviously depending on a number of different factors like location, accommodation, local travel, etc.

architecture created centuries ago.

A tourist can get around by bicycle exploring the wonders of this ancient city that has remained untouched and uninhabited ever since its creators fled. For a person endeared by history and ancient civilisations, the city is pure heaven. One can spend an entire day and even a good week visiting the temples and the archaic relics housed by them in all their wondrous glory.

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29-07-2014 14:01:18

POINT OF VIEW

POINT OF VIEW

The joy of

old friendships Nisha JamVwal

shares her thoughts on friendships these days and explains why one must prize their childhood friends

S

ashaying down to my champagne cocktail, I was trepidatious. I was meeting school and college friends after sometime. I was surrounded by friends who looked the same, and yet I felt so different. I was introverted and brooding once, so different to the exuberant person that people see today. The girls from school – lovely, attractive and assured – acted like a meter to my change. Through them I realised how much has happened and how many lives I’ve lived through the journeys that mark my life.

A successful singer said, “My real guru is life; the realisation that you are alone in this world came very early to me.” I’m momentarily stumped by the cynicism, but on second thoughts, I am hearing

enough of the same in different expressions to have second thoughts on friends, family, neighbours, et al. Neighbours? They’re not even a nodding acquaintance. Relatives?

The best you can fathom is mutual tolerance and wariness about being drawn into the quagmire of their problems.

Is there some big social change transpiring? Is the day around the corner when every ‘friend’ will be weighed in the scales of ‘use’, or worse, profit and loss? Even as I shuddered at the thought and thanked God for the friends I had, I told myself to think positive and I remembered some warm and wonderful friends that made life special.

I thought the cocktail might turn out to be an afternoon of social ‘mwah mwah’ dos that are so hankered after by many.

Something has gone askew in our priorities and perspectives that, if not addressed, would threaten the very wellbeing and joy that we seek in our pursuit of meaning in life.

But what transpired that week has a lingering memory of being special. We were meeting after some years of nearly no communication and we’d moved into varying occupations. Some had gone up in life, some were homemakers. We’d changed somewhat in appearance. But none of these criteria robbed any of the old bonhomie.

We laughed and ragged each other as we held forth through a rambunctious lunch that prolonged into tea and an afternoon as carefree as I’d had in a long time. We lent support to unhappy tales, felt proud of achievements and wanted the tiniest of details of our lives.

For all of you in school and college, savour the bonds you make now and cherish them, because these mostly lack agenda and reason.

They exist for the sake of companionship, the real reason that friendships should actually exist for. In times when friendships are made with one eye on the watch you’re wearing, the car you drive and the designation on your card, a friendship made in a classroom for no underlying reason has a purity and beauty which may not be apparent to you just yet, but as life progresses you shall see how invaluable it is. yi

Read more of Nisha’s point of view at www.nishajamvwal.blogspot.in, tweet to her @nishjamvwal and write to her at nishjamwal@gmail.com

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BEAUTY

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29-07-2014 14:09:41

G-SPOT the

Gadgets Gizmos Geeks

The best of new smartphone brands

Here is a low-down on some new players in the smartphone market AMAZON FIRE PHONE `38,990 FEATURES 2.2 GHz processor, Quad-core Snapdragon 800 4.7 inch display, 720x1280p resolution 32GB storage with 2GB RAM Fire OS 3.5.0 2400 mAH battery life 13 megapixel primary camera, 2.1 megapixel secondary camera

GIONEE ELIFE E7 `26,999 FEATURES 2.2 GHz processor, Quad-core Snapdragon 800 Android 4.4.2 operating system (Kitkat) 5.5 inch display with a resolution of 1080x1920 2GB RAM and 16GB storage capacity 2500 mAH battery life 16 megapixel primary camera, 8 megapixel secondary camera PROS  Extremely good display backed by a smart design  Excellent camera, more than what most phones offer in this price range  Dependable battery life, over 9 hours of constant usage  Has most top end features that are trending currently CONS  2GB RAM for a 16GB phone is insufficient  Does not have a very complying android skin.

PROS  Strong and able configuration  Exclusive features and applications  Free cloud storage and a year of Amazon membership CONS  Non-expandable storage  All search terms recorded and sent to Amazon’s main server

OBI OCTOPUS S520 `11,990 FEATURES 5 inch HD display with 720x1280p resolution Android 4.4.2 operating system (Kitkat) 1.7 GHz processor 8 megapixel primary camera, 2 megapixel secondary camera 1GB RAM with 8GB storage with expandable memory up to 32GB 1800 mAH battery life PROS  A very reasonable octa-core processor powered phone  Impressive, sleek body CONS  Insufficient RAM for these specs  Low battery capacity

FINAL VERDICT: Users should give the Amazon Fire Phone a little more time in the market to

improve upon its shortcomings in the privacy area. Although Obi Octopus S520 looks promising and rather pocket friendly, we recommend Gionee Elife E7 as it has a fabulous operating system, a good quality display and great front and back cameras.

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PS FREE AP

of the

Learn how to cook

MONTH

Here is an initiation into the world of cooking

WTFSIMFD Platforms: Android Description: Okay, so you’re probably

confused about the name, but it echoes the emotions of every individual who is given charge of a kitchen – what the f**k should I make for dinner?! In addition to the ease with which it switches between recipes and brings you your most suited dish, it also gives you really funny responses, which again, are exactly what you’ve been thinking.

***

BIG OVEN

ALLTHECOOKS

Platforms: Android, iOS Description: An application that not only

Platforms: Android, iOS Description: AllTheCooks helps you

gives you access to 250,000+ recipes but also allows you to upload your own and view those of your friends. Another really striking feature is that you can type in any three left over ingredients you may have lying in your refrigerator and the app will come up with a number of recipes in which they can be used.

*** ***

find recipes, share yours and even share images of your preparations. Its online live forums solve little problems that one faces while cooking from a recipe. For social networking enthusiasts, this is the perfect recipe app as it allows you to share everything from your grocery list to your final dish on your social media accounts.

INDIAN RECIPES

EATTR

Platform: Android Description: For

one’s an emergency exit. When the cake’s all burnt and there’s too much salt in the curry and you have to give up and order in, Eattr is your last resort. Eattr helps you find restaurants in your locality, lets you know their popular dishes and also provides you with generous discounts and meal offers.

all those who have to impress that neighbourhood auntyji who has a tractor for a mouth and thinks no culinary skill is fit for morals, this app would come to your rescue. It provides one with detailed recipes of lip-smacking Indian dishes from all over the country that seem to belong only in mums’ areas of expertise.

Platform: Android Description: This

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How do I save my dying Android phone? I don’t want to buy a new phone yet If you’ve had an Android phone for a while, you might have started noticing some performance issues.

Nothing is immune from wear and tear, not even a smartphone, as you install more apps and increase the usage of your phone to do multiple tasks. You can try and salvage it, but if it has already crossed over to the other side, you’re better off sending it to smartphone heaven ASAP.

IMPROVE EFFICIENCY

EXTEND BATTERY LIFE

One of the first symptoms of death your phone displays is a drop in battery life. Before you junk your battery altogether and buy a new one, try these measures:  Put your phone on power saver mode.  Disable automatic brightness and lower the brightness to a little below the half mark.  Charge your phone in airplane mode.  Turn off location services for apps that don’t need it.  Switch on data/wifi connections only when you need the internet.

STOP APPS CRASHING

 Check if the app has an update.

Outdated apps are more likely to crash.  Force close the app and restart it.  Uninstall and reinstall the app.  Check your phone’s memory.

Insufficient RAM causes apps to crash.

Your phone slows down because a lot of data and clutter gather from apps.  Uninstall apps you don’t use any more.  Use apps like All-in-One Toolbox, App Cache Cleaner and App Master to get rid of the junk your other apps leave behind.

GET YOUR PHONE TO RESPOND

Screen freezing far too often?  Restart. Switch off your phone, wait a couple of minutes, then switch it back on.  Open up your phone, take out your battery, reassemble and then power on.  If your phone is physically damaged, a simple restart will not work. Get it repaired.

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T V

/

M u s i c

/

B o o k s

FUN AT THE WORKPLACE

Who said jobs can’t be fun? Or offices cannot be madhouses? Here are five television shows that reveal the lighter side of professions HOUSE OF LIES

This unapologetic comedy-drama on the life of management consultant Marty Kaan is based on the book House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time, written by real-life management consultant Martin Kihn. Kaan is the deceitful and immoral proprietor of Kaan & Associates.

He claims to have a hand in every little decision you make. His business practices are rather questionable, but make for very entertaining television.

OUTSOURCED

NURSE JACKIE

American Todd Dempsy is sent to India to manage a call centre after his company outsources its operations overnight. What follows is a clash of cultures. Dempsy must explain American culture to his employees while he picks up some typical Indian traits. There is humour in everything, from the way they communicate with each other to how they compete with their rival company, all the while adapting to the other’s essence. Sadly, the series was cancelled after just one season.

Set in the fictional 99th precinct of the New York Police Department in Brooklyn, this show follows the adventures of a team of seemingly stupid but very efficient detectives and their newly appointed captain Raymond Holt. The hilarious capers of the police department are headed by detective Jake Peralta, played by the very talented Andy Samberg.

BAD TEACHER

Gold-digger Meredith Davis takes up a job as a teacher in a middle school to find her next husband. With nothing left behind from her ex, Davis has to move in with her friend and her daughter Lily. Davis uses her feminine charm and fake résumé to get hired. Thereafter, it’s a fun ride, seeing her deal with a job that she has no experience or education in. Based on a Cameron Diaz film, this show has been cancelled, tragically, after the first season.

T V

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

Three-time Emmy Award winner Edie Falco stars as Jackie Peyton in this dark and satirical comedy set in the fictitious All Saints Hospital, New York. Nurse Jackie constantly tries to find a balance between her hectic job and a range of personal dramas.

The show explores the thin line between being a saint and a sinner in the medical profession.

M A T C H M A K E R

/

T V

M o v i e s

T V

M A T C H M A K E R

T V

M A T C H M A K E R

BEST OF

M A T C H M A K E R

iMHO

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JANA GANA MANA

BY A.R. RAHMAN A.R. Rahman in collaboration with over 35 musical maestros of the country was a match made in heaven. Their take of our national anthem is glorious, to say the least.

Best way to listen: Privately, through your earphones. This is some tear-jerking stuff.

MAA TUJHE SALAAM BY UNDERGROUND AUTHORITY

Kolkata-based alternative rock band rocked the stage at India’s Got Talent with their cover of Rahman’s epic song.

Best way to listen: With the volume all the way up through the biggest speakers in your house.

VANDE MATARAM FROM GANDHI TO HITLER

Bensen Baby, Aman P and Vasundhara give the national song a rock twist for Gen Y. Best way to listen: While cruising in your car.

HUM HONGE KAAMYAAB BY INDIAN ROCKERS

This band came together on India’s 62nd Independence Day with a distinctive rendition of the classic pick-me-up song.

Best way to listen: Blasting it in your bedroom while playing the air guitar to the song.

SAARE JAHAN SE ACCHA FROM ROCK ON HINDUSTAN

This song, sung by Madhushree for the album Rock on Hindustan, is a melodious fusion of rock and classical music.

Best way to listen: When you feel like you’ve lost faith in humanity. This will restore your faith straightaway.

SATYAMEV JAYATE BY EUPHORIA

Delhi-based band Euphoria gives our age old belief ‘truth alone triumphs’ its unique folk rock-inspired treatment.

Best way to listen: In the morning with your coffee. This is a great song to wake up to.

N E W AGE PAT RIOTIS M N E W AGE PAT RIOTIS M

N E W AGE PAT RIOTIS M N E W AGE PAT RIOTIS M

NEW AGE PATRIOTISM

Celebrate India’s Independence in a way our freedom fighters would be proud of – by being loud!

Rock out to the tunes of musicians who have combined modern rock sensibilities with themes of freedom and empowerment

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If you’re looking for thrills and chills, you’re in for a treat. It’s raining action movies this month TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

Stars: Johnny Knoxville, Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard, Alan Ritchson Plot: Our favourite teenage turtles rise to save their city from the evil Shredder and his Foot Clan who have established control over everything from the police to the politicians.

Release date: 8 August

B O L L Y W O O D

ACTION PACKED AUGUST

REVOLVER RANI

Politician Alka Singh (Kangana Ranuat) goes all guns-ablazing to save Rohan Mehra (Vir Das), a rising Bollywood star.

THE EXPENDABLES 3

Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel Plot: Guardians of the Galaxy is an alliance of misfits formed by Peter Quill. Quill is an American pilot/outlaw who has been thrown into an intergalactic prison after stealing a mysterious orb. In order to secure his freedom he joins hands with alien bandits Drax, Gamora, Rocket and Groot.

They must now save the universe from Ronon who is hunting the orb.

Release date: 8 August

SINGHAM RETURNS

Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan Plot: The sequel to the blockbuster that was Singham is coming to screens this month. Expect more action, more explosions and more physics-defying stunts.

Release date: 15 August

A S S - K I C K I N G

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

W O M E N

I N

Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Terry Crews, Arnold Schwarzenegger Plot: In this clash of classic old-school action with high-tech expertise, we see Barney and his team come faceto-face with Conrad Stonebanks.

Stonebacks, who years ago co-founded The Expendables with Barney, has now become a ruthless arms trader with one mission – to end The Expendables.

Release date: 22 August

KAHAANI

Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan) comes to Kolkata in search of her missing husband. Is he really lost? And is she who she claims to be?

MARY KOM

The journey of pugilist Mary Kom (played by Priyanka Chopra) from small-town girl to international athlete.

MARDAANI

Shivani Shivaji Roy (Rani Mukherji) hunts for a girl close to her who has been kidnapped by a human trafficking kingpin.

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THE SILKWORM: UNRAVELLING FROM A COCOON It’s innings two for J.K. Rowling’s twin creations – Robert Galbraith (the pseudonym she writes under) and Cormoran Strike (the detective she writes about as Galbraith), and it’s a delicious follow-up to her relatively drab debut The Cuckoo’s Calling.

The Silkworm is as much a story of Strike and his assistant Robin as it is about the mystery, not unlike its predecessor. Strike is hired to trace missing writer Owen Quine, whose disappearance becomes murkier when Strike discovers Quine had written a malicious book that viciously portrays the people he knows, from his agent and publisher to his wife and mistress. Things take a sinister turn when Quine is found murdered exactly in the fashion the protagonist of his novel is killed. There is no dearth of suspects, given how unpopular Quine was with a tremendous number of people, but there is no evidence either to help Strike figure out who did it.

In Galbraith’s (and Rowling’s) typical fashion, the story unravels slowly and picks up pace after 100-odd pages. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Rowling’s true strength as a writer lies in her ability to create vivid and realistic characters. Strike and Robin see much character development in this book, and the new players – Quine’s wife, mistress, agent, editor, rival and publisher – are distinct and well sketched.

The book becomes most engaging past 300-odd pages, when the mystery seems to be unsolvable. Much like The Cuckoo’s Calling, Strike deduces who the murderer is much before the reader, but only shares his deductions right at the end. This can be frustrating for readers who have tolerated him this far and are still not let into the secret. But for those who relish edge-of-the-seat suspense, the wait is rewarding. A most unexpected twist in the end makes the investment into this 455-page tome worth it.

- Aparna Sundaresan

N E W

R E L E A S E S

N E W

R E L E A S E S

The Wrath Of Angels

The King’s Deception

By John Connolly Genre: Thriller Plot: Ruins of a plane have been discovered in the Maine Woods, but it hasn’t been reported missing. As men descend the depths of the forests searching for it, someone or something is waiting for them.

By Steve Berry Genre: Thriller Plot: Cotton Malone is racing against time to find his son Gary.

This search takes him from the Middle Temple to sewers beneath the Hampton Court.

Now he must rid himself of a lethal trap from the Tudors’ time and his own past.

Price: `350

Price: `350

Face Off

Mr Mercedes

Price: `499

Price: `699

Edited by David Baldacci Genre: Crime/Thriller Plot: 23 of the world’s favourite crime writers give you short stories starring their favourite characters.

It features Ian Rankin’s Rebus vs.

Peter James’ Roy Grace; Patrick Kenzie vs. Harry Bosch; Jack Reacher and Nick Heller among others

By Stephen King Genre: Suspense/Thriller Plot: Brady Hartsfield loves the feel of death under his car.

He runs over innocents in a stolen Mercedes, killing eight.

Bill Hodges, a cop must stop Hartsfield after he receives a letter revealing Brady’s plan to kill thousands.

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_AFTER DARK

hangout  

PLACES AND EVENTS FOR THE MONTH

EXOTICA, HYDERABAD One of the first roof top restaurants in the city, Exotica is the perfect blend of good ambience and great food.

CUISINE: Mughlai, North Indian FOOD AND DRINK: While the restaurant primarily served Mughlai and North Indian food, it also offers Chinese food on the menu. The Dal Zaffran, Moong Dal Halwa and Butter Chicken are some of their must-try dishes. Exotica is also rather popular for its lavish buffets. The lunch hour buffet includes varieties of soups, starters, main course and dessert items. However, don’t be surpirsed to find more variety in the vegetarian section than the nonvegetarian section.

OVERALL: The ambience of the place is to die for.

Lush greenery, roof-top set up, inviting decor and the food are reasons why this place is a must-visit for those looking for a good meal in a unique place.

Everything tastes better in the evening, so book a table here for your dinner dates.

5th Floor, 12th Square Building, Road 12, Opposite Audi Showroom, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad –Fardeen Khan

650

` n per perso

THE AQUARIUM LOUNGE, DELHI

500

`1 n per perso

The Aquarium Lounge is a treat for water babies.

With aquariums all around, this new entrant is unique in its decor as well as its food.

VIBE: Spread across three floors, the place is filled with aquariums and artifacts which go with the theme. The idea is to make you feel like you are sitting in a big aquarium.

MUSIC: From live gigs to karaoke nights, the music really gets its patrons in the mood.

BITES AND BOOZE: Their signature shots are served to guests in little buckets. There are a variety of cuisines to choose from right, from Indian to American, Lebanese, Italian, Thai and Mexican, if you wish to sample their food.

FAB OR DRAB: They take their aquarium theme quite seriously; apart from live aquariums all around there is also an aquarium dance floor.

The food is tasty and the choice of drinks are endless. Definitely fab!

BEST NIGHTS: Wednesdays and Saturdays.

M 79, Greater Kailash (GK) 2, New Delhi –Rashi Singh

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WOODSIDE – ALL DAY BAR AND EATERY, MUMBAI A place where you can find everything from breakfast to dinner items, coupled with ambient music and a wide of range of beers.

CUISINE: American, European FOOD: Woodside is known for its scrumptuous burgers. The Beef Burger and the Grilled Chicken are some of the best dishes on the menu. They also offer a wide choice in seafood and probably serve some of the best Calamari in the suburbs. If you thought their cuisine is limited to nonvegetarian items, you are in for a real surpirse.

From pastas, risottos and burgers, the vegetarian food is equally good and diverse.

A speciality of the restaurant is that it gives its diners the chance to create their own dishes from the existing menu.

OVERALL: The décor is homely and inviting. The place is apt for after-work drinks and get-togethers with friends. Woodside’s prices are slightly expensive but the place is definitely worth the money.

New Link Plaza, Next to Oshiwara Police Station, Oshiwara, Andheri West, Mumbai –Shreeja Mahambre

EVENTS THIS MONTH MADBETH



Inspired by Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Rupesh Tillu presents Madbeth. ‘Beth’ and Banquo meet three witches who convince Beth to fulfil their prophecies.

This interactive comedy bridges the gap between the performer and the audience.

It will leave you laughing with its slapstick jokes, acrobatics, mimes, songs and improvisations.

Mumbai – 2 August Gurgaon – 30 August

THE WORLD HERITAGE SUNDERBAN JUNGLE TOUR

`1800

n per perso

THE FREEDOM MARATHON 2014 As the nation celebrates 67 years of freedom, the people of Pune get together to celebrate it by participating in Pune’s grandest Marathon. Choose between two categories, 6 km and 12 km.

This Independence Day don’t forget to get together to rejuvenate your love and dedication for your nation.

Pune – 15 August

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Explore the beauty and mysticism of Sunderbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest. This three-day tour will take you across various destinations both, scenic and historic, ranging from the Rabindranath Tagore bungalow to the Birds Jungle.

Kolkata – 2 to 4 August, 8 to 10 August, 15 to 17 August AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 81

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TRENDS OF THE MONTH

_GRAFFITI

The opposite of a joke

BLU N DER Y E A R S

It’s the joke so dry and unfunny it’s funny. Antijokes are the star of the internet at the moment.

‘Roses are red, Violets are blue. I have a gun.

Get in the van.’ ‘What ’s green and has wheels?

Grass, I lied about the wheels.’ Are you laughing?

TheRahulSleeping Beauty Gandhi was caught

catnapping in the parliament one fine day. That fine day they decided to debate the price rise which caused a war of words between the Congress and BJP. So much for taking a little nap! Was it that boring, we wonder?

When superhero es g Raj Kamal, aoDedesi

consultant declhi-based art some Indian tadided to add famous superhe ka to some Wolverine looks roes and villains. some bad job, S like he is stuck in some ‘Mughal e uper Woman has Yoda looks likempress swagger’, kid and the Joka sassy street question for yo er poses a big u to ponder ove r.

The boys’ club

Thor, the ultra masculine god-like hero, is dropping his testosterone to embrace his inner woman. Well, not exactly. Marvel announced the new Thor will be a woman. Also, blondehaired, blue-eyed Captain America will be black when Falcon takes over the persona. The boys’ club of comics is finally starting to be a little less douchey.

By Lavanya Karthik

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RNI Number: MAHENG/2011/38909 Postal Regd. No: MCW/293/2012 -14 Posted at Mumbai Patrika Channel Sorting Office GPO, Mumbai 400001 on 4th & 5th of every month Date of Publication: 1st of every month

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