Jan 2014

EDUCATE + ENTERTAIN

JANUARY 2014 || ` 75

www.youthincmag.com

GET A

PhD IN INDIA Shop & Earn

GOING GEEK

CROWDFUNDING BY

Kunal Kapoor + 6 other quirky businesses

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contents JANUARY 2014

ON THE COVER

24

ANONYMOUS SHOPAHOLICS

A brief look at the career option of mystery shopping

26

A GUIDE TO THE INDIAN PhD

An introduction to the Indian PhD, its features and its standing compared to an international one

PAGE

40

58

GOING GEEK

THE BUSINESS OF QUIRKY

Kunal Kapoor and six other businessmen narrate the story of their out-of-the-box business models from inception to current stature

(Educate) YOUTH ISSUES 16 SAVE FOR THE FUTURE OR

SPEND FOR THE PRESENT? A look at the way the youth of today spend and save their money

OPINION POLL 18 HOW ARE YOU SPENDING

YOUR POCKET MONEY? Four youth give us the lowdown on how they spend their pocket money

OUT OF THE BOX CAREER 20 KEEPERS OF YOUR

CROWNING GLORY What makes trichology a booming career in India?

4

Tips and tricks on how to become part of a gang of geeks

www.youthincmag.com O N L I N E E XC L U S I V E S INTERVIEW WITH ARJUN SHEKHAR The author of End of Story? talks to us in an exclusive interview about his book and his thought process when writing it WORDSMITH OF THE MONTH: AISHWARYA MAHURKAR An enthusiastic young reader pens down her thoughts, and is our first Wordsmith of the Month for the new year KEEPING NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS We find out the biggest obstacles youngsters face in making and keeping their New Year resolutions

Youth Incorporated JANUARY 2014

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(Entertain)

CAREER WATCH 22 DESIGNING THE WEB

A comprehensive manual on making it big in the space of web designing

TRAVEL 61 ABODE OF THE GODS

Known for its natural beauty and culture, Nepal dominates our travel plans for 2014

COUNTDOWN 30 MIND YOUR LANGUAGE

The path to learning a foreign language through 10 easy and fun steps

FITNESS 64 THE CROSSFIT EXPERIENCE

An insight into CrossFit, a new workout entrant in the world of fitness and health

WORKPLACE HACKS 32 THE CORPORATE TEAM SHEET

What are you like in an office? Take this quiz to find out

RELATIONSHIPS 66 10 PEOPLE YOU SHOULD DATE

We introduce you to the 10 kinds of people every person should date

FOREIGN SHORES 34 WORK VISAS MADE SIMPLE

A look at what goes into attaining a work visa after completing a degree course in different countries

POINT OF VIEW 68 A WINNER DESPITE THE ODDS

Nisha JamVwal tells us why boxer, Mary Kom should be a source of inspirtion in the new year

HOW TO GUIDE 36 HOW TO BUILD YOUR CV AS A

STUDENT It is not impossible to create an impressive CV while still studying

FASHION 70 2014 FASHION FORECAST

AWARENESS 38 INDIA’S PONZIS

71 WINTER CARE

STAPLEdiet EDITOR’S NOTE…8 EDITORIAL CONNECT…10 AROUND THE WORLD…14 COUNSELLOR Q&A…54 WORD ZONE…56 THE G SPOT…72 RISING STAR…75 IMHO…76 HANGOUT…80 GRAFFITI…82 PAGE

22

A look at fashion trends that will dominate the year 2014

Analysing the Ponzi schemes prevalent in India and how they swindle people

Make-up artist Ishika Taneja picks out a list of beauty essentials for winter

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Editor's

note

I attended an international youth conference recently where I had the pleasure to learn about crowdfunding from Kunal Kapoor. He spoke passionately about his new venture Ketto (Key To Tomorrow) and how this business actually makes a difference in people’s lives. That was the seed of our cover story this month about quirky businesses; we could think of no better way to start 2014 than by throwing light on how businesses are being done differently.

Meeting up with Kunal later for the story was a great experience too.

He is a cool and calm guy who shows no hint of any star tantrums that have become the defining characteristic of so many famous people. He has set out on this great journey to raise funds for a myriad of causes. Beyond the actor and the star, there lies a humble person with a fire in his belly to bring about change in India using the power of technology. Ketto’s first victory was the fund raiser for Shweta Katti, the daughter of a sex worker who was given a scholarship by an American university but lacked the funds to get there and stay for her course duration. They are now raising funds to help Shiva Keshavan buy a new sled for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Russia.

Today we are at the ripe age where new ideas are welcomed with open arms, change is the word and startups are creating a revolution in every aspect of life. What does it take to be a quirky businessperson?

Determination, hard work, grit, passion, creative ideas and so much more. All the achievers we have featured personify these traits. We are truly inspired by them and hope you are too.

On the other end of these honest and inspiring businesses are those that are set up merely to operate scams and fool the people who put their trust in them. Ponzi schemes – businesses that promise you many fantastic things, but leave you hanging high and dry and siphon all your money – are much too common in this day and age. We provide some tips on how to identify them and safeguard your savings.

Speaking of savings, everyone seems to be on a spending spree more than ever. It’s nice to buy new things, but it’s horrific to be broke. We get to the thick of the things we spend the most on and provide some tips on how to save.

The other trend popular with Gen Y is all things geeky. Television shows, films, books, clothes, games, activities and even colloquial language reveal just how much fantasy, science fiction and other genres of specific interests have trickled into the mainstream. We analyse what being a geek entails and tell you how to ‘geekify’ yourself.

Wish you all much health & happiness this new year!

Nitish Shah

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Volume 3 Issue 7 January 2014

Editor-in-Chief NITISH SHAH

Editorial Team

APARNA SUNDARESAN SEAN SEQUEIRA TRISHANN HENRIQUES

Contributors

RUCHA SOLGAMA KARAN TECKCHANDANI

Art & Design

MOULVI ABBAS HASAN GAURAV DODIYA

Ad Sales

HEENA SOPARIWALA sales.mg@youthincmag.com POOJA JAISWAL sales.hd@youthincmag.com NITIN AHIRE sales.sr@youthincmag.com RAHIL SHAIKH sales.ma@youthincmag.com

Marketing

DEEPA SONEJI DHWANI CHHEDA marketing@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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editorial connect Write to us at mail@youthincmag.com

Shane Filan, former lead singer of international boy band Westlife, was seen with a copy of Youth Incorporated magazine during his trip to India

“Youth Incorporated is one of the most informative youth magazines and is very student friendly.”

- Rutu Mehta

BLOGGER OF THE MONTH

Anshu Anand http://newonmyplaylist.com/ Blogger of New on My Playlist, Anshu Anand, PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH believes in bringing to the fore a myriad  @14_YEAR_OLD_ collection of music that, he believes, should be ETARD more popular. While unapologetically leaning toward all forms of rock music, the blog also Etard is quite the hit on Twitter has pop, electronic and punk influences. With with his quick witted humour, everything from monthly mixtapes, to new music sarcastic jabs at our country and releases, vintage hits and Anshu’s occasional pop ability to poke fun of almost music likes, the blog is ideal for someone with an everything under the sun eclectic taste in music, much like Anshu himself.

Only three things are certain in life: Death, taxes and a man having no clue why his woman is mad at him.

SOCIALLY YOURS YouthIncMag

@YouthIncMag

The easiest way to sound cool while speaking in English is to pronounce “because” as “becuz” India is so advanced, it has sent an unmanned spacecraft to Mars, but India is so backward, it has placed a ban on homosexuality!

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USE THE QR SCANNER ON YOUR MOBILE PHONE

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yi

educate IAM MACKENZIE, FOTOPEDIA PAUL DAVIDSON, FLICKR

Work visas made simple for Indian students who have completed their education in a foreign country with plans to work there Page 34 ERWIN SOO, FLICKR

Pg20 Pg30 Pg36 Pg38 THE KEEPERS OF YOUR CROWNING GLORY

MIND YOUR LANGUAGE

HOW TO BUILD YOUR CV AS A STUDENT

INDIA’S PONZIS

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LUCRATIVE CAREER OF TRICHOLOGY

10 EASY WAYS TO LEARN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE WITHOUT SPENDING MUCH MONEY

TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE AN IMPRESSIVE RESUMÉ BEFORE GRADUATING

ILLEGAL SCHEMES THAT WILL DRAIN YOUR MONEY IN THE NAME OF A QUICK BUCK

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EDU NEWS

INTERNSHIP SITE LAUNCHED BY IIT-BHU STUDENTS  An online web portal called Internlelo was launched through the collective efforts of 20 students from Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi in November 2013. Since its launch, the website has become a huge success with students from various institutes using the service for their benefit.  The concept of an online platform to provide students across the country with all the information that may be required regarding internships and other events was conceived by two undergraduate students of IIT-BHU and one computer science graduate.  The site provides internship opportunities in engineering, MBA, international internships, NGO and government organisations. The website contains all the details regarding the duration of the internship, stipend, eligibility and other necessary information.  The website also has information on workshops, conferences, campus ambassador programmes and technical and management events organised in college campuses or companies across the world.  To sign up for an internship, visit http://www.internlelo.com

ADMISSIONS OPEN TO MPHIL AND PHD PROGRAMMES AT IGNOU

 Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has invited applications for admission to Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes for the academic year beginning July 2014.  Applications for PhD programmes can be sought in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, history, economics, sociology, library and information science, anthropology, political science, performing and visual arts with specialisation in fine arts, theatre arts and music, translation studies, distance education, tourism, law, rural development, and nutritional science.  MPhil specialisations include: translation studies, distance education, economics, sociology, political science, and theatre arts.  The application form can be downloaded from the official website of the university. The form must be submitted before 20 January with the required certificates and a fee of `1000 to: The Director, Research Unit, Block-6, Room -18, IGNOU, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi 110068.  An entrance exam is scheduled for 23 February across the country.  To download the application form and for more details, visit http://www.ignou.ac.in

SCHOLARSHIPS TO UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE  Doctoral students who will begin term in St John’s College, University of Cambridge in 2014 may apply for the Dr Manmohan Singh scholarship.  The scholarship will cover academic fees, international airfare, UK visa charges and a monthly stipend for living expenses. Applications to be sent to British Council, New Delhi by 15 January.  Eligibility requires the applicant to be an Indian national with a valid Indian passport, less than 35 years of age without prior exposure to UK education or be in line for any funding from the UK government. They must also possess a master’s degree with first class in their subject from a reputed Indian institute or university and they should be fluent in English.  Candidates are requested to submit applications to British Council and not approach St John’s College directly.

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LSAT 2014 DATES ANNOUNCED  The dates for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) for 2014 have been finalised. The test is for candidates of the five-year integrated LLB, threeyear LLB or two-year LLM programmes in law schools in India.  LSAT is an aptitude test on reading and verbal reasoning abilities. The exam will be held on 18 May in 16 cities across the country.  The exam paper is made up of four sections – Analytical, 1st Logical Reasoning, 2nd Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. Each section has 24 questions and has an allotted time limit of 35 minutes to complete the section.  The last date for registration at the physical address is 28 April while online registrations are open until 30 April.  The registration fee for the test is `3800 that may be paid online via credit card or physically via banker’s cheque/ demand draft or pay order drawn in favour of NCS Pearson India Private Limited. The registration form with the fee should be mailed via post or courier to: Pearson VUE C/o Greenclouds, 6708, DLF Phase – IV, Gurgaon, Haryana 122002.  The admit cards to the candidates will be issued between 8 and 18 May. The results for the exam will be declared on 14 June.

• To register online, visit https://lsat. formistry.com

LAST DATES FOR REGISTRATION FOR MBBS/BDS ENTRANCE EXAM  Registration for the All India Pre-Medical/ Pre-Dental Entrance Test (AIPMT) 2014 officially closed on 31 December 2013, however, late registration with a late fee of `1000 may be done until 31 January.  The exam is held for candidates seeking admission to undergraduate medical courses of MBBS and BDS. The exam is scheduled for 4 May.  The format of the entrance exam consists of one paper of 180 objective type questions with four answer options provided for each question.  In order to be eligible, one should have completed 10+2 with the core subjects of physics, chemistry, biology/bio-technology and English with a minimum of 50% marks in the general category and a minimum of 40% marks in the SC/ST category. The candidate should also have completed 17 years of age at the time of admission.

• Registration for the entrance exam may be done online using a debit/credit card or with CBSE’s bank account with Canara Bank or Syndicate Bank via e-post office. To download the challan form and for additional details, visit http://aipmt.nic.in/aipmt/Welcome.aspx

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Save for future or spend for present?

QUENTINUK, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

TODAY’S YOUTH IS FOCUSED MORE ON SPENDING RATHER THAN SAVING. KANIKA NAYAR DIVES INTO THE ISSUE, PROVIDING INSIGHTS AND THE WAY FORWARD

HOW HAVE WE CHANGED? Our previous generations believed in saving more to ensure a better future for the coming generations. They built up assets to ensure that we have a more comfortable lifestyle. However, the youth of today do not have the same mindset.

Today’s youth are spending more time on increasing the size of their wallets.

The pay packages are much higher than those of our previous generations. Young Indians are travelling all over the world to secure elite postgraduate degrees to build up their resumes and secure higher pay packages. This increase can be further reflected in the increase of per capita income which increased by 11.7% from the previous year. Indians are learning the art of spending, however are we judiciously saving and prudently investing as well? Are we saving before spending or spending before saving?

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YOUTH ISSUES

WHAT ARE THE SPENDING TRENDS? Consumer spending has exploded in India. Are we spending on necessities or luxuries? As times change, the definition of necessities and luxuries are also evolving and changing. As an example, consumer items like vehicles and mobile phones which were luxuries till a few years ago are now available in many households.  Food contributes the highest to consumer spend.  Housing and consumer durable spend is powered by the young consumer who is purchasing newer homes and new appliances and equipment along with them. Every individual wants to own a property that he can call his own, whether it is possible within his means or not.  There is a revolution of telecommunications in India with smart phones, tablets, portable music devices and televisions constantly being purchased. The market is flooded with these devices and young consumers are lining up to procure them. The new generation consumers are influenced by these new technologies to a large extent and are willing to spend half of their pay package to buy a new device.

WHERE DOES MY MONEY GO? SPENDING IN 2010 SPENDING IN 2012 INCREASE (figures in USD billions) (figures in USD billions) Food and beverages 328 895 2.7 times Housing and consumer durables 186 752 4.0 times Transport and communication 168 664 3.9 times Education and leisure 71 296 4.2 times Clothes and footwear 59 225 3.8 times Health 49 183 3.8 times Other 129 570 4.4 times Total 991 3584 3.6 times

SECTOR

SPENDING ON LUXURY GOODS

 Save a certain percentage of our Despite the downturn of the economy, salary/earnings every month India’s ultra-rich continue to spend on  Invest in the right and correct apparels, luxury watches, electronics places to ensure increasing returns and overseas travel holidays. Increase in  Do not take impulsive purchase the disposable income of these ultradecisions rich households has caused the luxury  Reduce spending on luxury spending to stay in fashion. For most, products yi this lifestyle of luxury spending is a status symbol, to signify belonging to an elite club in society. Apparel and accessories dominated the luxury goods spend at more than 50%. Are we causing our savings to dwindle by spending on these luxury items which will become obsolete GOOD, SAFE INVESTin the near future? The concept of these MENT AREAS THAT THE luxury brands was not in play during our previous generations as they were YOUTH CAN CONSIDER IF more focused on building a future for THEY WANT TO ENSURE us. However, many of us opt to purchase A STABLE RETURN AND luxury items frequently in lieu of saving for the future.

DO NOT WANT TO TAKE A

WHERE SHOULD I INVEST?

ARE WE SAVING? Domestic savings are decreasing due to the fall of financial savings in households.

High inflation, excessive spending, low level of investments in productive instruments are some of the main causes for this fall. It is not foreign capital that will come to the economy’s rescue; that role has to be performed by domestic investment. Indians are putting their money in short term instruments and not in investments that are long term and will be able to hedge inflation. More than 40% of Indians consider jewellery as a good mode of savings and investments.

TAX CREDITS, FLICKR

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WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

RISK:  MUTUAL FUNDS  FIXED DEPOSITS – TAX SAVING OPTIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE  GOVERNMENT BONDS  GOLD BONDS  PUBLIC PROVIDENT FUND  NATIONAL SAVING CERTIFICATES

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OPINION POLL

How are you

spending your

pocket money?

As a student, a perpetual state of being broke is considered normal. Hence, we ask four students to decode their spending and saving habits

I firmly believe in using my pocket money wisely. To begin, I commute using buses instead of taxis or auto-rickshaws. As much as I love eating out, I try my best to avoid it. I’m also a movie fanatic and love watching movies first day, first show.

However, lately, I have figured that movie tickets on the first day are overpriced. Hence, I choose to watch movies either a week after its release date on weekends, or on a weekday; I save a lot of my pocket money this way.

AYESHA HENRIQUES BMS Like most girls, I love shopping.

I think it is one of my biggest weaknesses and the place where I spend most of my pocket money.

But, lately, instead of going all out and buying clothes upon impulse, I wait till I have saved enough money and then go ahead and make a purchase. I am also trying to keep a written account of my purchase so that at the end of the month, I am not confused about where, how and what I spent my money on.

TRISHA DUTTA MA

Well, I do a lot of different things to save money. Since I love reading books and I'm studying English literature, I buy novels at book sales and second hand stores instead of purchasing brand new copies.

Also, when it comes to my fashion or clothing purchases, I steer clear of branded outlets and instead, choose to shop at Colaba Causeway and Linking Road in Mumbai.

KAVITA MODI BA

RYLAN RODRIGUES HOTEL MANAGEMENT

I believe in both spending and saving. While I like to indulge in canteen food and hang out with my friends, I also think saving is important. Music is my passion; so, whatever money I save, I use on buying instruments and other items for them. Of course, the money I spend on them comes from saving for months on end.

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OUT OF THE BOX

the of your

crowning Maintaining a whole head of good hair and a healthy scalp is a challenge that many people struggle with. This is where a trichologist steps in and banishes the woes away. Darshana Krishnamony tells you more about this career avenue 20 Youth Incorporated JANUARY 2014

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P

eople value their tresses more than anything. This gave birth to an independent branch of science, in London in 1902, that deals with the scientific study of the hair and the scalp. Trichology, which is at its infancy in India, has diverse career opportunities to offer.

What does a trichologist do?

As a trichologist, one deals with problems like hair loss, greasy hair and scalp, frizzy hair, male/female pattern baldness, dandruff, itching scalp, greying of hair and more on a

daily basis. Trichologists may also act as consultants to salons and cosmetic companies and help in their product design for shampoos and conditioners.

Is this profession flourishing in India?

Trichology is a growing science and is considered one of the crème de la crème professions within the medical industry.

“Good hair and scalp condition is a barometer to the person’s general well being Dr Akshay Batra, Trichologist

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hair loss has become a decade younger with hair problems no more confined to middle aged men above 35, but are increasingly a concern amongst the youth aged 20-30, and women as well.”

The need for a qualified trichologist is therefore increasing, as awareness regarding hair care and importance of healthy hair increases.

What do trichologists study?

DERMATOLOGY VS TRICHOLOGY Although trichology is today marketed as an individual subject, it is in fact a component of dermatology.

Dermatology is the study of skin and all skin appendages which include hair and nails. Therefore, all dermatologists are trichologists, but not all trichologists are dermatologists.

Dermatologists and trichologists often work together in several cases.

and helps identify underlined health disorder if any,” notes Dr Akshay Batra, a well known trichologist and MD of Dr Batra’s Positive Health Clinic. Many people today suffer from hair and scalp related issues. Dr Batra adds, “A recent study showed that

Typically, aspiring trichologists needed to have a background in science. Of late, those who have a degree in medicine have become stronger contenders. While both diploma and degree courses are available, it is likely that in the years to come only those with a medical degree would be eligible for them. Diploma in trichology is a three-month long course and is currently open to paramedics, pharma graduates, clinical researchers, nurses, R&D professionals, science graduates, beauticians and hair stylists. A sixmonth programme leading to an international degree certification in trichology may be taken by medical practitioners only.

What perks do trichologists enjoy?

No erratic work schedules as there are no medical emergencies.

What about challenges?

Marilyn Sherlock, a qualified trichologist and the Chairman at the

COMMON TREATMENT METHODS TRICHOLOGISTS OFFER Subject to the patient’s complaint and their requirement, a trichologist may provide: ◊ Laser treatments ◊ Medicines ◊ Wigs ◊ Hair transplant treatments ◊ Mesotherapy (treatment for baldness, patchy hair loss and hair thinning)

CAREER FACTS: TRICHOLOGIST JOB PROFILE:

A trichologist deals with all matters of the hair and scalp.

They may be nutritional trichologists (treat hair problems with dietary solutions), counselling trichologists (advice patients on which shampoos, oils, etc to use), chemistry trichologists (work with shampoo companies to create shampoos and conditioners) or forensic trichologists (work with investigation bodies on evidential hair ± hair from crime scenes).

INCOME: If you start at a hospital, expect `10,000 a month. If at an MNC, salaries can be upto `30,000 a month.

If you establish your own clinic, your salary is in your hands.

SKILLS SET: A basic

understanding of science, ability to communicate, and a scientific and methodical approach

STUDY:

◊ MET-Richfeel Institute of Trichology, India

◊ International Association of Trichologists (IAT), Australia

◊ The Institute of Trichologists (TIT), UK

Institute of Trichology (UK), in an interview with the Videojug says, “I would say that the hardest part of my job is when I’m faced with a situation I know can’t be rectified. If I’ve got, for example, a scarring or a scalp disorder and the person who’s sitting there is hoping that I’m going to be able come up with some miracle cure, I know I can’t and I also know I’ve got to be honest and say so.”

Also, trichology is not as popular in India as it is elsewhere. Hence it is battling the odds to gain its space in this country. yi JANUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 21

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DESIGNING

MKHMARKETING, FLICKR

WEB the

For those who have the much sought after combo of technical soundness with oodles of creativity, Palak Kapadia finds out the nitty-gritties of a career in web designing

REQUISITE QUALIFICATION

Web designing courses generally exist in the form of specialised diplomas and can be pursued after a 10+2 along with a bachelor’s degree or postgraduation qualification. A degree in a related field like BSc in information technology or visual communications sure does help. Several private institutions also offer certificate courses in web design.

JCASABONA, FLICKR

I

n the age of information explosion, putting your content across to your potential clientele on the web and making sure your website stands out from among millions of others has become the need of the hour.

Enter web designers, those creative individuals behind the design and layouts of websites and web pages.

THE PATH TO A WEBSITE

Designing a website or even a single web page is not accomplished overnight. Here is how web designers work:  Meet with clients to discuss the objective of the website  Prepare a design plan and create a site structure  Decide the fonts, colours, graphics and backgrounds for the website  Create page layouts and position buttons, links, etc  Test and improve the design of the site until everything works as planned  Upload the site to a server for publication online

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CAREER FACTS: WEB DESIGNER JOB PROFILE Often confused with web developing, web designing is actually a completely separate discipline. While web developers are concerned with the functionality aspect of a website, web designing is to do with its appearance and aesthetic value.

INCOME The starting salary for freshers is about `12,000 per month. With some experience, it can go up to anywhere between `30,000 and `35,000 per month.

SKILLS REQUIRED Technical know-how; artistic talent; ability to conceptualise new ideas; good design sense; computer proficiency; familiarity with programming languages such as HTML, CSS, etc; knowledge of emerging web technologies; aptitude for graphic designing; interpersonal communication skills; creative visualisation; ability to adapt design for different mediums: PCs, tablets, mobile phones, etc STUDY  Asian Academy of Film and Television, New Delhi  Arena Animation, Mumbai  Raffles Design Institute, Mumbai  TGC Animation and Multimedia, New Delhi

THE SCOPE OF THE PROFESSION

“No matter what type of business, online presence has become a must today.

Businesses depend on web designers to create eye-pleasing and informative web pages that send across messages, entertain and help in selling products and services. In such a scenario, web designing courses are becoming more and more popular and get a large number of applications every year.” says Ayush Shah, an aspiring Web designer who is currently in his first year of BSc in IT at UPG College, Vile Parle.

REMUNERATION

Web designing is a pretty lucrative career option. With some knowledge and a good number of years of experience up your sleeve, you can start with your own web designing firm. Your income then depends upon the number of clients you cater to and the kind of websites you create.

for following their passion. Every day they get to sit at the computer and do what they love doing. Given the current scenario, every business needs a website that attracts new clients. As a web designer, you will hardly ever have to hunt for work. Web designing also offers the option to go freelance which means freedom to set your schedule and flexibility of work hours.

With several new tricks to learn and new designs to explore, this is one profession in which you probably will never get bored.

“The digital spaces created by web designers can be as simple as a resume or as complex as interactive educational website, online magazines and e-newspapers.”

- DHARMESH KOTHARI, GRAY MATRIX SOLUTIONS, MUMBAI

THE PERKS OF THE PROFESSION

Web designers are the few fortunate people who actually get paid decently

BEST OF THE WEB

Mastering the art of web design leads to a memorable website.

These websites reflect good design practices:  Change.org: Simple and accommodative, which puts in focus the various social issues this website intends to highlight  Harvard.edu: Subtle, tasteful and well-organised; works well with the Harvard University brand  Starbucks.com: Clean and informative for the Starbucks fan  Time.com: Appropriately minimalistic and readable

ON THE DOWNSIDE

With advances being made in technology in the blink of an eye, programmes and software become obsolete at a rapid pace. With web designing, there is a constant need to update yourself and you just cannot rely on past knowledge. If you choose to become a freelancer, you need to know a lot more than web designing; marketing, interpersonal relationships, communication, and bookkeeping are just some of the duties you’ll have to juggle. yi JANUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 23

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HOBBY CAREER

Anonymous Shopaholics If given the choice, most people would jump at the opportunity to be paid to go shopping. Sean Sequeira evaluates the requirements to make money through mystery shopping

IS MYSTERY WHAT SHOPPING?

Mystery shopping is about reviewing a customer experience of a particular brand’s outlet or service in order to help the brand keep up and improve their customer service standards.

Mystery shoppers visit the outlet and pretend to be normal customers while making a note of their experience in detail and submitting a report to the mystery shopping company.

WHAT DOES A MYSTERY SHOPPER DO?

Mystery shoppers will be required to make notes of minor details that help improve or ruin the customer experience while at an outlet. Upon entering the store, the mystery shopper will make a note of how long it takes for them to be greeted by the staff, the cleanliness and ambience of the location, the speed and quality of service provided, whether the products

are stacked in order, the speed with which the staff responds, whether the employees are following the company’s dress code policy, etc. The particulars of each task change according to the requirements of the client.

HOW DO I BECOME A MYSTERY SHOPPER?

A simple online registration with a reviewing company is good enough to get you started. The online registration

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The future of mystery shopping: "The trend of gathering retail intelligence through mystery shopping has been consistently growing.

Given the huge impact it could have on the retail industry, which has just started booming, the mystery shopping industry is set to become much bigger."

- Pankaj Guglani CEO, RedQuanta

will require you to provide a few details about yourself for the company records. Once registered, you can begin applying for assignments as and when they appear on the company website and start off as a mystery shopper.

PROCEDURE

 Register with a mystery shopping company  Apply for an assignment  Wait for approval from company  Read the assignment brief carefully  Visit the store  Evaluate based on the requirements of the brief  Write and submit a report  Send purchase receipts or images if required  Receive payment

SKILLS

A mystery shopper needs to have rudimentary skills such as attention to detail, a good memory, communication and language skills and objective evaluation skills. They will need to be street smart and be able to act on their feet since they may be required to photograph products without alerting the staff or may need to create conflicts to observe how the employees deal with the situation.

ELIGIBILITY

BEST MYSTERY SHOPPING COMPANIES IN INDIA  Bare Associates International  DQS India  Trans MR Consulting  RedQuanta

Mystery shopping companies will usually assign tasks based on the demographics of the client’s target audience. If you are the ideal customer for a certain client, it is likely that you will be assigned the task. Your experience as a mystery shopper and time spent working with the company will also factor into the assignments.

Those who prove themselves to be reliable are given elaborate tasks while those just starting out will be given simpler ones.

MONEY

The monetary returns vary according to the policies of the mystery shopping company. Some policies offer only a small stipend for the time and

effort which ranging from `100 to `1000. Other policies refund the complete purchase amount with or without an additional stipend.

Longer assignments may offer a bigger payment. For example, a weekend visit to evaluate a hotel may earn you `50,000 or more.

Payment to the mystery shopper is usually done through a direct bank transfer. The shopper will be asked for their bank account details and the money is transferred to their bank account 30-90 days after successfully completing the assignment.

FRAUDS

Be sure to check with previous experiences to know if a company pays on time or refuses to pay. Be aware of fraudulent mystery shopping companies. Companies requiring a registration fee or a donation might be involved in fraudulent activities as may be the case with companies that promise huge returns for simple tasks. Most legitimate companies are registered with the internationally recognised Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA). yi

TIPS TO SUCCEED ✓ Be willing to take up any project offered to you in the beginning.

Once the company begins to trust you, your monetary returns and quality of assignments will improve. ✓ Don’t take up assignments you are not likely to complete by the deadline. Missing the deadline frequently can result in the company blacklisting you from its list of mystery shoppers. ✓ Read the assignment brief given to you carefully. If you fall short of the expectations of the company or client, you may not get the full payment you expect or any payment at all. ✓ Keep checking for assignment updates. The brand you like may be assigned to someone else if you don’t apply soon enough.

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FOCUS FEATURE

A GUIDE TO THE I The PhD is one qualification students prefer to study outside India, but with rising costs, more students are looking to study within the country. Aparna Sundaresan introduces you to the Indian PhD

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E INDIAN PhD PhD? What’s that?

 A Doctor of Philosophy is an intense, research-based qualification undertaken after a master’s degree  It is highly academic and focused  A PhD student identifies gaps in knowledge in a field and attempts to fill the gap with research and study  The PhD culminates in a written thesis of substantial length

Types of PhD

A student may do a PhD in broadly two ways in India:  Full-time: the student dedicates all their time to research and might reside at the university; average completion time is 5 years  Part-time: the student dedicates a part of their time to research and may be employed professionally; average completion time is 6-7 years

Should you do a PhD?

A PhD requires iron-clad commitment, so ruminate on these points first:  Your motivation: This is the most important factor. Are you doing a PhD for the love of the subject? Or for a bump in your career or pay package?

Or merely because you cannot get a job? The stronger the motivation, the more you will be committed to research.  Your finances: Do you have the money to pay for your PhD or do you need funding? Does your subject attract funding in India? If not, can you afford to pay for it yourself?  Your thought process: A doctorate requires original and critical thought.

You will need to analyse your area of interest critically and creatively to find the niche no one has addressed before.

You must be analytical and thoughtful when reviewing research that has already been done in your subject.

There is no copy-paste in PhD.  Your style of studying: A PhD is for candidates who are self-driven and not afraid to sit for hours with books or in labs or with research papers, several times working by themselves. A professor will guide you, but ultimately, the PhD rests on the shoulders of you, the student.

Eligibility

 A master’s degree (attained via the 10+2+3+2 route) with a passing score of minimum 55%or equivalent grade in the relevant field from any recognised Indian or foreign university  Some institutes also accept just a bachelor’s degree, but usually require the degree to be of 5 years or an integrated one or for the student to have an exemplary academic record  If you intend to pursue a career in teaching, having a NET (National Eligibility Test) or SLET (State Level Eligibility Test) qualification is mandatory  Engineering PhD applicants may need to write GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering).

Additionally, for funding from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the CSIR-UGC NET test must be taken. This could also qualify a candidate for lectureship  For a PhD in biomedical or social science with funding from the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research), taking the JRF (Junior Research Fellowship) exam is mandatory  An MPhil is not compulsory, but serves as a foundation to PhD

Admission procedure

 Fill out the institute’s admission form and attach requisite documents: mark sheets, certificates, etc

POPULAR RESEARCH AREAS

The more popular subjects of research in India are within:

 Science and

technology  Engineering  Management  Biological and medical sciences  Write up a research proposal outlining the topic and aims of your research  Pay the admission fee (varies from institute to institute)  Write an entrance exam for each institute applied to. Candidates with NET, SLET, GATE, JRF NET, CSIR NET or MPhil qualifications can be exempt  Appear for a personal interview where thrust will be on your research interest  Admission is granted directly into a PhD programme or through an MPhil programm

Course work

 A PhD student is assigned a supervisor from the institute. If the institute cannot provide a supervisor, the student must find a guide at the time of application  Course work of one semester (or six months) on research methodology, quantitative methods and computer applications is compulsory; may also involve reviewing of published research JANUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 27

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FOCUS FEATURE

SPOT THE FAKE PhD

Awarding of fake PhDs is rampant in India, so here is how you check if the institute of your choice is awarding genuine doctorates:

The mind of an average PhD student

 A fake PhD would involve no classes, no projects and no thesis submission and the duration of study quoted by the institute would be suspiciously short (6 months, 1 year, etc)

Sleep Institute

Future

 The institute is recognised by the UGC Family to award doctorates and its NAAC grade is not below B  The institute does not ask for exorbitant amounts of money at the time of application and/or registration.

Asking for a few lakhs could mean the institute is merely selling the degree

Job

Paper

Money

Research

Social Life

Facts and figures

Friends Food

Get published

COURSE CANVAS

 Indian Institute of Technology, pan India  Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore  Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai  Institutes under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, pan India  Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai  The English and Foreign Language University, Hyderabad  Research work is then undertaken and a draft thesis is presented in the time set by the institute  Before the final thesis is submitted, the student makes a presentation of their research to their department  The student also publishes at least one research paper in a refereed journal  After submitting their thesis, the student appears for a viva voce exam

 A PhD prepares you for mental rigours and hones your critical thinking and analytical abilities  If you have an academic bent of mind, a PhD will give you immense intellectual satisfaction  Doing a PhD in India costs less

 The supervisor to student ratio should be 1:10 i.e. 10 students per supervisor. The supervisors must all The cons have doctorates. Check  There is always the risk of whether the investment will actually pay off how many supervisors The pros  Since funding in India is limited, are in the faculty and  A PhD qualifies you as an expert, one will have to finish PhD with fewer how many PhD students which opens a plethora of career options resources have enrolled  PhDs may be overqualified for a job; not available to a mere graduate 28 Youth Incorporated JANUARY 2014

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they may not find a regular 9-to-5 job intellectually stimulating enough  The sheer length of time spent in completing a PhD can be a deterrent

Life after PhD

A doctorate is the route to an academic career. Within academia, the options include:  Teacher/professor/lecturer  College principal  Research assistant  PhD guide/supervisor  Post-doctoral fellow Non-academic careers include:  Jobs in the relevant industry  Consulting  Entrepreneurship  Financial analysis  Government positions  Positions in think tanks

Student speak

“I would like make it clear that resources available for research in India are not as limited as they appear. Government organisations like CSIR, DST, etc are coming up with new initiatives to enhance the current research level.There are examples of ground breaking research being carried out at the IITs. But there is definitely room for improvement.

With an increase in the number of PhD candidates and growing faculty strength, the quality of research is definitely going to improve.”

- Vineet Gokhale, PhD student, IIT Bombay

Indian PhD vs foreign PhD

 While it differs from subject to subject, generally, there is more exposure for a PhD student abroad.  The import of research outweighs job prospects abroad, while in India there is lesser focus on research and more concern for one’s career.  There is more funding available abroad.  The PhD guide dictates much of what goes into the research here; an amicable supervisor means half the job is done. Abroad, the supervisor does not spoon-feed any student.  There is the shady business of PhDs being sold as commodities in India.

Such instances, though not nonexistent abroad, are much less frequent. yi

Professor speak

“The area of research interest of the student and the [PhD] guide should be aligned. Further, academic and intellectual compatibility is necessary for turning out a purposeful research work.In India, PhD mainly helps those in the field of higher education for career progressions and hike in pay scales.

Some industries like pharmaceutical, chemicals, etc need PhDs for their research and development departments.”

- Dr Lata Swaminathan, Associate Professor and HOD Commerce, NES Ratnam College, Mumbai

WAYS TO FUND A PhD

A PhD can be selffinanced or paid for through a grant by the UGC or a private recognised body.

A grant is always preferable owing to the long duration of a PhD and the expensive nature of individualised study and research.

` Prime Minister’s Fellowship Scheme for Doctoral Research, awarded by DST (Department of Science and Technology) and CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) ` Education and travel grant, awarded by Ratan Tata Trust and Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust ` Better Opportunities for Young Scientists in Chosen Areas of Science and Technology (BOYSCAST), awarded

by DST ` Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Fellowship and CSIR Research Fellowship, awarded by CSIR ` ICMR Fellowship, awarded by ICMR ` Junior Research Fellowship awarded by DBT (Department of Biotechnology), ICMR and UGC JANUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 29

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R U O Y D MIN COUNTDOWN

E G A U LA NG CHOOSE A LANGUAGE

10

First things first, pick a language that you have an inclination towards. It can either be one that you have been looking to learn, a country that you have an affinity for or one depending on the country that you might be visiting in the near future. In short, having a connect with the language is important as, at the end of the day, you have to enjoy learning it.

ONLINE TUTORIALS

9

There are one too many online tutorials and courses that are of great help when learning the nittygritty details of a language. With everything from pronunciations to voice tutorials, vocabulary information and weekly courses, these tutorials are complete packages.

Online courses on BBC Languages and Word2Word Language Resources are ideal to test your new-found knowledge in the language that you have just picked up.

JOOMLATOOLS, FLICKR

DOWNLOAD LANGUAGE APPS

With the world of apps just a click away, it is only fair to take rightful advantage of it. Today, apps have become one of the many ways to learn a foreign language. By simply downloading free or paid applications, available on both Android and Apple, a person can learn a language on the go. Language Coach and the A+ ITestYou: Foreign Languages application available on Google’s Play Store are very useful to strengthen your grounding in the language you are learning.

8

USE ONLINE TRANSLATORS

Probably the quickest and the easiest way to figure what a certain something means in the new language you are learning, translation software like Google Translate and Free Translation Online are deemed to be very useful for transliteration. Simply feed in text and choose the language you want it to be translated to and your work will be done instantaneously.

FAARA786, FLICKR

7

HASLOO, FLICKR

to learn , ever yone is looking ng an m er G to n lia uage Ita d la an ish the finding of a or s al ri From French to Span to tu e iv a ns pe ex h the ensive list on learning eh pr m co a new language. Ditcnn a rs fe of s ue Henriq e easy way tuition class, as Trisha nguage – by yourself, th la n foreig

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6

EAT THE FOOD

WATCH MOVIES

One of the ways to learn how a language sounds in all its fluency is to hear people talk in it. If you do not live in the country whose language you are learning, the closest you can get to hearing it is through the medium of film. Rent a movie, download one or visit a public library to get your hands on a couple of foreign flicks.

4

The advantages of this step are dual. First, you will learn more about the food, the names of the dishes and how they are pronounced. And second, you get to devour the food prepared.

Who wouldn’t enjoy that?

LISTEN TO MUSIC

5

A dictionary — like for all languages — helps in the learning of new words. So, ideally, a dictionary will answer all your vocabulary needs. The good thing with dictionaries are that they are available in user-friendly formats, elaborating on words — first in English and then in the desired language.

PRACTICE!

UBC LIBRARY, FLICKR

3

BUY A DICTIONARY

2

BOGTRYKKEREN, FLICKR

How often have you played your favourite song on loop only to have its lyrics memorised after a day of repeated hearing? Very often, we are sure. Apply the same logic when aiming at learning a new language.

Chances are, you will rote learn a good amount of words. Simply select a genre of music that you like, list artists or bands in the category, and go on the internet to listen to them using services like YouTube.

JOIN A LANGUAGE COMMUNITY

1

JEZZA101, FLICKR

ERIN.HORIZON, FLICKR

If a trip overseas is not on the cards, joining an online community is a temporary yet favourable option.

In a language community, you can join forces with people who speak the language fluently. Along with learning the language, you might also end up making new friends that might extend to occasional meet-ups to discuss learning methods, the culture of the region and also a good amount of information on its diverse and unique culture.

Put your newly learnt language to use by indulging in a sweet sojourn in the country it is proficiently spoken in. Nothing feels better than communicating with the locals in their language. In fact, a crucial step when learning an alien language is conversing in it. yi

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the

CORPORATE Team Sheet

The office space is filled with multiple personalities working in tandem. To figure out your personality and who you are most likely to succeed alongside, Susanne Rodrigues helps you out with this quiz

W

HAT MOST RESEMBLES YOUR OFFICE PERSONALITY?

(E) Build on the ideas others provide

You are…

(A) Enthusiastic to work on new projects (B) Disciplined and follow rules diligently (C) Controlled, tolerant and empathetic (D) Goal oriented and dynamic (E) Most likely to pick a team over an individual project

When there is a team assignment, you…

(A) Pitch in a different angle to every idea presented (B) Work to maximise group potential (C) Accept and do the tasks assigned to you (D) Assume the responsibility of leading the group (E) Make sure everyone gets an equal representation in tasks and ideas

Your ideal cubicle neighbour would be…

(A) Someone who is efficient at their work (B) Someone who has great ideas and is creative (C) Someone engrossed in their own work (D) The boss himself (E) Someone who loves to talk as much as you do

If you have a conflict with a person at work, you are most likely to…

(A) Bring it up at another time (B) Remain calm but address the person if it persists (C) Ignore the person completely (D) Speak up immediately (E) Sort it out as soon as possible, politely

At meetings, are you more likely to...

(A) Speak up (maybe out of turn) to present your ideas (B) Dissect all the ideas and analyse them (C) Patiently wait for your turn to pitch an idea (D) Be more pessimistic towards the ideas of the others and pitch your own

When invited for a work party, you would probably…

(A) Socialise and meet new people (B) Catch up with friends from other departments (C) Not go because you prefer avoiding social shindigs (D) Talk to the managers and discuss business strategies (E) Entertain everyone because you are the life of the party

YOUR WORKPLACE PERSONALITY Mostly As: The Creative Robin • You crave learning, mentorship and new opportunities at work • Your natural thought process is a contradiction for others • You are an opportunist and can direct the team to a breakthrough • In a team, you are the innovator • You aren’t well organised and cannot stand bureaucracy • You work best individually Mostly Bs: The Peacemaking Dove • You seek harmony and cooperation at the workplace • You are loyal and follow rules • You focus on details, meeting deadlines and are task oriented • You think risk taking is unnecessary and are sceptical of new ideas • Using logical analysis, you can help resolve conflicts in a team • In a team, you are the advisor Mostly Cs: The Silent Eagle • You are clear minded, motivational and intuitive • Your focus is on delivering quality • You are dedicated and hard working • You are highly efficient in research work • You rarely speak but listen attentively and are reliable • You have good inquiry skills and are good at formulating strategies Mostly Ds: The Bureaucratic Raven • You have good organisational skills • You are ambitious and have effective communication skills • You are proactive in taking up new tasks and always offer help • You are committed to team tasks but are most efficient in solo tasks • You are a highly skilled negotiator • You assume the role of the team leader

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WORKPLACE HACKS

The Peacemaking Dove The Peacemaking Dove prefers working with The Silent Eagle and detests working alongside The Creative Robin because of the Robin’s many quirks.

They are hostile towards The Bureaucratic Raven but cooperative nonetheless. They also work well with the Office Butterfly for they support their ideologies of maintaining harmony.

DILIFF, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The Silent Eagle The Silent Eagle follows the orders of The Bureaucratic Raven and is most efficient when in the company of The Creative Robin as their approach gives them more opportunities to grow than that of The Peacemaking Dove.

PETER WALLACK, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

TONY HISGETT, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The Creative Robin The Creative Robin works best with the Office Butterfly and is most innovative around The Silent Eagle.

Working alongside The Bureaucratic Raven tends to be a challenge and The Peacemaking Dove is almost always needed to solve differences.

HOW TO MAKE IT WORK? ANDREAS TREPTE, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Mostly Es: The Office Butterfly • You are outgoing and work best in a team • You tend to be indecisive and easily distracted from tasks • You dislike technical discussions and routine work • You work diligently on tasks assigned to you but hate monotony • You thrive on group discussions and help maintain the social balance in a team • You do not care to be a leader but prefer building a rapport with team members

The Bureaucratic Raven The Bureaucratic Ravens prefer working with The Silent Eagle and detests The Creative Robin as they usually contradict their ideas. They are hostile towards The Peacemaking Dove and The Office Butterfly but they work with them as they are the most cooperative.

KENNETH DWAIN HARRELSON, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The Office Butterfly The Office Butterfly supports The Silent Eagle but works best with The Creative Robin. They are also very supportive of the ideologies of The Peacemaking Dove and are tolerant towards The Bureaucratic Raven. yi DECEMBER 2013 Youth Incorporated 33

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FOREIGN SHORES

VISAS WORK

MADE SIMPLE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Application

The student does not have to apply to the Department of Immigration. The employer has to complete the application on behalf of the employee.

ELCOBBOLA, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Duration

 Your F-1 Student Visa gives you one year post your degree course to find work in your field of study.  Once your year is over, you have to find an employer willing to sponsor you for your work visa. The employer will then have to apply for the H1-B work visa for you.  The duration of the visa is per your contract. You are given an additional 6 months to leave the country if jobless.

Eligibility

 The employer has to prove there is no American citizen who can do the same job.  You should ideally hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

Recruiting industries

 Computer science and related engineering fields  Accounting

NICOLAS LANNUZEL, FLICKR

Karan Teckchandani uncovers the many requisites of attaining a work visa after completing a degree programme in some of the top countries of the world UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Application

The application consists of a Bataka form, medical tests and application fees ranging from AED 100 to AED 1000.

Duration

 Visa must be renewed every year.  The employee is given one month to leave the country on expiration of the visa. On failing to leave the country, he/she will be fined AED 600, incarcerated and deported.

Eligibility

 You must have a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification from a public or private university.  You shouldn’t hold an Israeli passport or have ever visited Israel to be eligible.

Recruiting industries  Real estate  Oil and gas  Financial services  Tourism

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 You may apply for an 18-month search visa post your graduation to look for a job in your field.  Once you find a job, you may either apply for a German Residency Permit or EU Blue Card.

Duration

The visa is valid for the period of your employment and does not require renewal periodically.

THE NETHERLANDS Application

 You may apply for the Search Year after formal graduation but it can take 2-3 months before the permission is issued.  Different courses of study and different fields of employment have various requirements. Check with your university’s career cell to find the exact requirements and procedure.  You may apply yourself for a Search Year (‘zoekjaar’) which will grant you permission to work in the Netherlands for 1 year without any salary criterion.  After the search year is over, you have to find a job with a minimum salary requirement (approximately $25,000 a year).

Eligibility

 You are eligible if you have graduated from a Dutch educational institution with a BA/BSc or higher.  You are also eligible if you have graduated with a MA/MSc or PhD from a top 150 university worldwide within the last 3 years. The top 150 is derived from one of 2 lists: QS World University Rankings or the ARWU of Jiao Tong Shanghai University Rankings.

Recruiting industries  Food processing  Oil and gas  Financial services  Communications

Elibigility

 You are eligible if you have graduated from a German institution.  You will need to show a bank statement proving you have enough funds to support your stay.  You need to supply proof that you have health insurance.

Recruiting industries  Automobile engineering  IT and related fields THOMAS WOLF, WIKIMEDIA

Duration

MATTHEW FIELD, WIKIMEDIA

CUMULUSNL, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

GERMANY Application

AUSTRALIA Application

 The Australian work permit is issued on the basis of a point system.  You can get a visa only if you have a certain number of points.  Points are awarded for prior work experience, qualifications and language proficiency.

Duration

The visa is issued for the term of the employment with 1 month grace period to stay in the country after expiration.

Eligibility

 You should have a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification from an Australian university.  You should be under 45 years of age.

Recruiting industries

 Management and consulting  IT and related fields  Tourism

SINGAPORE Application

 The application fees are $220.  The application requires the student transcripts, Training Employment Pass Application Form and details of the employer.

Duration

The visa is valid for 3 months, non-renewable. After this period the employer has to apply for a Work Pass on behalf of the employee.

Eligibility

You have to be a graduate from an institution in Singapore with a BA/BSc or higher qualification.

Recruiting Industries

 Management and financial services  IT and related Fields yi JANUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 35

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HOW TO GUIDE

d l i u b o t w o H your

CV

t n e d u t s as a

ne y provide s s h s r a V a it h s Ape k ork toward w o t w o h n o some t ips ive re sumé s s e r p im n a c re at ing t ill studying s e r a u o y e il wh

The perfect way to kick-start your professional life is by interning at a place you would want to work in the future.

“Somewhere between all the petty labour you will be asked to do, you will realise what you think about the job,” says Naveen Nair, a PR executive. For example, if you are a media student – try interning at a number of places like a publication, PR firm or an ad agency. The best part about internships are that they give you the

leverage to try various arenas without having to sign a life-long contract. Having a number of internships on your CV shows that you are not only an active individual but also that you have that extra amount of work experience compared to others. “The internship experience can be a negotiating factor and one can definitely be in a position to demand higher salary compared to a fresher,” says Upasana Makati, founder of White Print, a lifestyle magazine for the visually impaired.

PATRICKNEIL, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

W

hat do you think goes a long way in impressing your interviewer? Your appearance, communication skills, or intelligence? No, it is a piece of paper tucked under your arm – your Curriculum Vitae that can make or break your future.

In your absence, your CV does the talking. It defines who you are, your potentials and what a valuable person you can be for an organisation.

Before you leave your alma mater behind, before the tag of jock, queen bee or a nodding nobody is etched on you forever, make sure you make most of the opportunities you can enjoy as a student. Building yourself and your CV with these activities will ensure that you shine.

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H ow to ge t an inte rnship

 Look through int ernship we bsi tes like Twent y19. com and Le tsinte rn.c om

 The re are several groups on Fac ebook whe re professionals post ads for part-t ime job ope nings and int ern require me nts  Check out company we bsi tes to send your CVs to the HR desk WE ARE SOCIAL, FLICKR

Online gimmicks

Websites like Coursera and Udacity offer a myriad of online courses that can be very beneficial for your professional development. Several employees are asked to update their knowledge through the courses offered by these websites in their work hours, so there is no denying its importance.

Apart from online courses, you can do a variety of things on the web.

Make a portfolio on a website like DeviantArt.com, write a blog, become a social media influencer – these will help you grab virtual jobs that rely on the reputation of your online work. It’s all a click away.

Several college festivals organise workshops in association with professionals. “Being a part of these workshops shows that you have the technical expertise in that subject,” says Shrey Singh, overall co-ordinator of Techfest, IIT Bombay. Look out for workshops pertaining to your areas of interests also held during movie, art, literature and cultural festivals.

RAMSHANKARYADAV, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

 Be in touch wit h your college placement team as it knows about companies looking for int erns

Certificate workshops

Non-profit work

Volunteering with several non-profit organisations will give you much exposure. One such organisation is AIESEC, the world’s largest student run organisation. It mainly provides global internships and leadership building opportunities. For your spiritual upliftment, you could join the Art of Living (AOL) which concentrates on social transformation, child education, women and youth empowerment. “Universities like Stanford and XLRI give extra credit points for having done the Art of Living course,” says Lavita Singhania, a volunteer with the organisation.

Spend a summer in school

“Nothing beats the summer school experience,” says Sakshie Rastogi, who received a scholarship to attend King’s College summer school in London.

“My summer school certificate and experience definitely made me stand out as compared to other freshers during my interview.”

Lend a hand

“NGOs don’t just need volunteers; they need people to inclusively work for them. NGOs therefore hire several students from top technical fields,” says Prajakta Rao who was recruited by an NGO after her graduation. If you aspire to work for top NGOs like Teach for India or Gandhi Fellowship in the future, your efforts need to begin today. Teach slum kids with Make a Difference, work for women empowerment with Akshara or simply help organise a cleanliness drive in your area. yi

Make a CV, no t a bhel puri cone

1. Customise it. A select or can easily differe ntiate a generic CV from a CV spe cially edi ted for a job. No one wants to read irre levant things, howeve r signific ant.

2. Your CV should be a realist ic reflect ion of your achievement s. The re is a differe nce bet wee n a litt le exagge rat ion and ove r the top marke ting.

3. Your career obje ctive needs to be practic al. When the inte rvie wer asks you whe re you see yourse lf in 5 years, “In your chair” is not the most poli te answer.

4. Put rec ent information first and your achievement s from whe n you were 14 last.

Avoid gra mmatical errors and never copy-past e from the inte rne t.

5. An honest, to the point, simply crafted CV always stands out compared to a flashy, aggressive one.

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AWARENESS

INDIA’S

PONZIS

Everyone wants to make a quick buck, but few look at what that entails. Nisarg Kamdar analyses some Ponzi schemes in India and reveals how greed for wealth has led to more loss than profit

W

ith the economic liberalisation in the 90s, India’s financial sector grew with a wide variety of investment opportunities for the Indian citizen. However, the prevailing regulatory framework was abominable and allowed all sorts of dubious investment vehicles. Ponzi, pyramid and multi-level marketing schemes mushroomed with the primary objective of duping gullible and unenlightened investors.

SHAKE666PRODUCTIONS, DEVIANTART.COM

THE BIRTH OF FRAUD Charles Ponzi, a fraudulent businessman, lends his name to the term Ponzi scheme.

Ponzi intended to purchase an international reply coupon in Spain for one cent, exchange it for American stamps and subsequently sell the stamp in America where it was worth six cents – a 500% profit.

To get started, he invited people to invest, and raised close to fifteen million. In what would become the trait of every similar scheme, he promised to double their money in 90 days. The scheme failed to account for the avalanche of red tape and word soon got out about its dubious viability. Ponzi was condemned to a life of lawsuits and prison terms.

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PUNISHING THE PONZIS

The dishonourable Charles Ponzi

WHAT IS A PONZI SCHEME?

A venture where handsome gains are awarded to the initial investors using the money brought in by subsequent investors and not by the profit made by the enterprise. High returns on investment is promised, which requires an ever-increasing supply of money from new investors.

IDENTIFYING FRAUD

Unusually high and fixed rates of returns as compared to other investment options is the first sign of something being amiss. An investor must know that there is no easy money to be made in the stock market. It is the rapacity of investors that makes them susceptible to deception.

Many Ponzi schemes invest time and money in brand building exercises to gain trust. MMM, a Russian Ponzi scheme had Sachin Tendulkar, Hrithik Roshan and Shahrukh Khan as brand ambassadors. These celebrities distanced themselves from the firm once it went down, leaving investors high and dry. Speak Asia, another Ponzi scheme, channelled funds into an extensive print campaign designed to subtly gain trust of the investor. Other Ponzi schemes have organised getaways to exotic islands for ‘premium investors.’

The wisdom here is that there is no substitute for due diligence before trusting someone with your money.

Rather than being swayed by celebrity mania, it’s much more astute to understand the source of the promised high returns.

In the last couple of months there have been punitive actions against pernicious Ponzi and MLM schemes, notably: » The Supreme Court of India restricted the personal freedom of Sahara Group founder Subrata Roy in view of Sahara’s violation of the SC’s judgment wherein real estate investors were to be repaid the invested amount along with accruing interest » The arrest of Kunal Ghosh, a suspended member of parliament, for conspiring with Sudipta Sen in the Shardha chit fund scam which drowned thousands of crores of investment of people from the lower income strata » The Economic Offences Wings apprehended Ram Niwas Pal, the alleged kingpin of the Speak Asia racket

COMBATING FRAUD

The government has twice promulgated an ordinance which amends the SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) Act. It is meant to empower the agency with a slew of investigating powers as well as regulatory powers over any fund that raises more than a hundred crore from investors. It also allows SEBI to facilitate a faster refund of investors’ money.

The tragedy, though, lies in the fact that the ordinance has still not been converted into a law. The government is likely to promulgate an ordinance again – an ordinance expires every six months unless passed by the parliament in which case it becomes an act. But when the government is unable to promulgate an ordinance and the parliament refuses to enact legislation, SEBI will be rendered effete against these fraudulent schemes.

IN CONCLUSION

Time and again investors have been fooled into investing in Ponzi schemes which keep appearing in morphed forms. At one level it shows the failure of the formal banking system. As the Economic Times pointed out, “India is notoriously under banked.” For a population of 1.26 billion, India has 65 banks, while America at less than a third of India’s population has upwards of 6000 banks.

If a first time investor isn’t aware of the prevailing interest rates and rate of returns in the market, how is he expected to identify the anomalies in what the Ponzi scheme is promising him? Investor education drives by SEBI and non-profit NGOs like Moneylife Foundation have certainly impacted and while this has reduced the number of Ponzi schemes, the schemes themselves are not totally extinguished. What might make them extinct is the fear of swift prosecution. yi

THE POTENTIALLY FRAUDULENT  Amway was accused of being a pyramid scheme where people are merely recruited to sell the brand.

No recruitment means no return on investment. Although a ruling declared them not such a scheme, suspicions are still rife.  QNet is another business sued for being a pyramid scheme.

Supposedly sells nutrition, energy and weight management related products.  Bitcoin is a digital currency that has divided opinions. While mainstream media tends to treat it with more contempt and calls it a Ponzi scheme for the lack of regulatory oversight, folks of the internet seem to be grateful for a currency free from the clutches of the Federal Reserve.

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COVER STORY

THE

S S E N I BUS OF Y K R I QU 40

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SINESS HAS THE TREND OF BU S INNOVATION PIVOTED TOWARD HICH IS AND THE NICHE WBE BOOMING TURNING OUT TO UTH INC AND LUCRATIVE. YO RNEY OF SEVEN FOLLOWS THE JOUNESSMEN PIONEERING BUSICEPTION, THROUGH THE IN DEVELOPMENT FORMATION AND ENTERPRISES OF THEIR QUIRKY up of state that the starting e t would be foolish to th om Fr t. fea sy is an ea any kind of business an of a to the formation d germination of an ide ng the right people an iti ru but g organisation to rec in yth an is rs to these fac uld finally building on all ocess wo eam business, the pr simple. For a mainstr and one that w, ne g in eth t for som ges do not be relatively easy, bu all attempted, the ch en has never before been two. e or stop at being just on h Inc are new year, we at Yout a of With the start that are els od m s es sin ried bu exploring new and va well-known, dy some, that are alrea m with coming to the fore – tu en om are gaining m and many others that Crowdfunding – a year-old y. the passing of each da in every way creative, quirky is il so n dia In that very concept on e. It is also a concept ur nt ve a e tiv va just a year and inno in th wi t quainted with. Bu ac re we ns dia In few r cover star d by Kunal Kapoor, ou of it being popularise creating waves of Ketto, it is already and the co-founder s undertaken ha es for the causes it and making headlin participating of m shavan’s drea Ke iva Sh e let ath lfil to fu And, more s for the fourth time. in the Winter Olympic the sponsorship of Shweta led famously, it has enab athipura in a sex worker at Kam of er ht ug da e th Katti – holarship.

Mumbai – via a US sc Ketto, l business, much like na tio An unconven ble name. d become a recognisa ess takes time to grow an sin bu s been set and the . Nano But once the pace ha th wi n ko es a force to rec of the dire t takes flight, it becom ou rn bo s wa example. It Ganesh is one such family was der Santosh Ostwal’s circumstances foun obile device m day a revolutionary plagued with. It is to considered w no is says that he al tw Os d an , ers m far for meone that this technology — so a leader in the field of look up to. rdinates and laymen narrating both his equals, subo en wh HackerRankX, Vivek Ravisankar, of siness bu ive pt ru at every dis th d ne tio en m ry, sto his through l at first, but as it goes looks unconventiona nds on d tribulations, and sta its own set of trials an an obvious idea that would es its own feet, it becom e seven yway. Every one of th an e ap sh en tak ve ha d its fair ha s ha ry sto r our cove emerged quirky businesses in d, s and, has in the en share of ups and down use it was an obvious idea, but ca ssionate victorious; not just be ated by driven and pa cre s wa it e us ca be o als founders.

I

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COVER STORY

Crowdfunding for a social cause

Varun Seth (left) and Kunal Kapoor

Bollywood actor Kunal Kapoor, and Varun Seth talk about founding the celebrity-driven crowdfunding company Ketto which helps raise funds for social causes EUREKA MOMENT

Kunal: Ketto was something I was thinking about for a long time. I wanted to use technology to create a bridge between people who wanted to give and people that needed to receive.

Somebody said there were two young guys who were thinking of something similar. I caught up with them and got talking. We were supposed to meet for 15-20 minutes but we ended up talking for 4 hours. That was my eureka moment.

Varun: I had a very boring job; I was working as an interest rate swap

dealer. As a youngster, I was very interested in fund-raising and doing something for a social cause. In 2010, I attended a tech conference where a lot of people were talking about the social sector and the lack of funding. It made me wonder, why can’t technology be used as a platform to make people aware about social challenges?

CELEBRITY-TURNEDPHILANTHROPIST Kunal: I have always believed that if an actor can sell colas, shirts and

cars, they can sell a good cause and create awareness. If you are in a place where people look up to you, you can get people to follow you or you can create awareness. Change begins with awareness. As a well-known face, I try and get the cause more mileage.

Varun: Our core team consists of Zaheer Adenwala, our highly experienced Chief Technology Officer who handles the technology operations. I run the business side of it. And Kunal helps with marketing, promotions and public relations because he is the face of the brand.

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THE BUSINESS MODEL Kunal: We wanted a model that would be fun. We wanted a system similar to Facebook where people can follow and share with others.

It becomes more like a community of people. That is our dream – an interactive and communicative platform where people can contribute to help others and also come together to meet like-minded people.

FUNDS

KUNAL: WE STARTED OFF BY PUTTING IN OUR OWN MONEY. VARUN AND I FELT WE HAD TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS IF WE STRONGLY BELIEVED IN THIS. THAT WAS WHAT WE HAD TO DO BEFORE CONTACTING INVESTORS, TELLING THEM WHAT WE ARE DOING AND ASKING FOR FUNDS. VARUN: WE ARE THE FIRST CROWDFUNDING VENTURE IN ASIA TO BE FUNDED BY INVESTORS. IT WAS GOOD AS WE WERE FACING CHALLENGES WHILE SCALING UP. HURDLES OVERCOME

Kunal: In our country people are not sure about crowdfunding because it is still in its initial stage. But over the last year, I have seen attitudes change.

People have become more accepting.

We reached out to a lot of NGOs, but they were slow to respond. We wanted NGOs that were certified and had their papers in place, so it took time.

When it came to reaching out to the public, we started by talking to

friends, asking them to check out the website and donate if they found something interesting. We got a good response. Then we reached out to more people through social media. We had many people come forward and help.

Varun: I think crowdfunding is really growing in India. One of the most successful examples is the Aam Admi Party. They raised `20 cores in 9 months with 80,000 donors from all across the world.

VIABILITY OF THE QUIRKY

Kunal: When you try something unconventional, there may be some resistance in the beginning. But once it takes off, a lot of people get more interested in it. In today’s world, out-of-the-box and quirky will always work in your favour. People are looking to be part of an interesting idea.

POSITIVES OF BEING NICHE

Being the front-runner in establishing something is always a plus.

Attempting to do something no one has tried requires you to believe in yourself first. If you believe in it, you can convince other people about it and it will ultimately be a success.

EXPANSION PLANS

Kunal: We are planning on expanding the team. We want to get more young and creative people on board; people with passion.

Varun: We want Ketto to be like the supermarket of crowdfunding. We do not want to stop at social causes; we want to include funding for movies, music, publishing etc.

CELEBRITY STATUS

Varun: Having someone credible like Kunal is a plus point. But I wouldn’t say it isn’t possible for anyone to do what we are doing without having a popular face for support. You only need the right idea and the right vision to go about it.

SMALL TALK WITH KUNAL EDUCATION After I graduated, I did a course in export management. Then I began working in the stock exchange and also assisted my dad in his construction business.

OTHER INTERESTS I trained to be a pilot. I also enjoy racing and writing scripts.

BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY Reaching out to young people and involving them. And changing the mindset of charity.

It doesn’t have to be grey and serious, it can also be fun.

COMING UP WITH BUSINESS IDEAS Find something you are passionate about and interests you.

It starts with your passion and then things fall into place.

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS Don’t chase the money, chase the dream.

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COVER STORY

The No Nasties team: (L to R) Felix Litzkow, Anushka Gupta, Apurva Kothari and Shweta Deliwala

Making a wacky Statement

Apurva Kothari, co-founder of the organic t-shirt brand No Nasties that supports the farmers in Vidarbha by buying and using their cotton, narrates what it’s like to run a business with a social angle

THE BIRTH OF NO NASTIES

I’m actually an engineer. I worked for about 12 years mainly in the US and Australia. Just a happy-go-lucky guy with a technology job abroad, earning enough money to live a decent life. There was a point where it wasn’t enough to just get a salary. I didn’t dream of becoming an entrepreneur. It just reached a point where I wasn’t happy doing what I was doing.

I read an article about famer suicides.

And with that I knew I wanted to start a t-shirt brand. It came to a point where I was moving back to India to take a deep dive into this… I stayed with this idea for almost 5 years until I took action.

FUNDING NO NASTIES IT’S MOSTLY SELFFUNDED. WE’VE HAD SOME FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM UNLTD INDIA. WE HAVEN’T GONE OUT AND SOUGHT FUNDING YET. WE GOT `2.89 LAKHS FROM UNLTD INDIA, BUT THE REST OF IT HAS BEEN FROM MY SIDE.

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HURDLES ON THE WAY money to create a marketing buzz.

Setting up a business in India is always a challenge. There’s paperwork that needs to get done. And it took a while to find the right team – production, supply chain, factories, farmers that we’d like to work with, professionals – something which is a hurdle even today although it’s been three years since the company began. Professional levels are missing, so that’s an ongoing battle for us. Funding is as well because we don’t want to rely on external funding. We want to grow steady within the scope of our means.

THE AIM OF NO NASTIES

It’s not just about doing good but being good as well. We wanted to create a consumer movement in India for people to become conscious of the impact of their purchases. If you become very preachy about it, it doesn’t work. We realised that if we make it attractive enough, make it quirky, make it fun, then more people would be willing to take it. If I give you a very NGO-approach – “Oh, look at the farmer suicides, all this happening, all that happening,” you don’t want to be part of; it’s not cool enough.

BETTER OFF QUIRKY

With more time and space we realised it was better to be unconventional.

You stand out from the crowd. We’re doing it with the right principle, right foundation. We’ve got an amazing press coverage. We’re really kicking it off. We just been written about in Outlook Business to Wall Street Journal magazine because we’re unconventional. You want to feel good about what you’re doing, about your purchase.

BEING A NICHE BUSINESS

I think for companies like ours which is very small and self-funded, competing in an open market is not an option any more. In an open market like India’s we don’t have enough

We didn’t think of being niche. Our vision and values made us niche.

STAYING CREATIVE

We are a very design-centric company – in our website, communication, marketing. All of our meetings are open sessions. We do internal crowdsourcing of designs for our new collection, for packaging ideas, for communications, for projects. There’s a very different vibe in the company.

We’re a people-focused company; we’re not a company that does it for profit. The creative process is one of the pillars of the company.

EXPANDING THE ENTERPRISE WE WANT TO GO INTO MORE PRODUCTS BEYOND T-SHIRTS. WE STARTED OUT AS A COMPANY FOCUSED ON THE INDIAN CONSUMER, BUT WE HAVE A GLOBAL AUDIENCE ALREADY IN EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD. WE’VE GOTTEN QUERIES FROM ARGENTINA TO CANADA TO AUSTRALIA. THEY HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT US AND REACHING OUT TO US. ADVICE FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS

If I were to talk to someone who was to start something fresh, I would say, make it in line with your values.

Make it a model to happiness.

Whatever makes you happy. Don’t go and think, “Oh, I have to make a million dollars at the end of it” or “I have to be on a journey to make a million dollars.”

SMALL TALK WITH APURVA ROLE MODEL I have mentors I look up to. My life philosophy is around what the Dalai Lama says: The purpose of life is to be happy.

OTHER INTERESTS Play Ultimate Frisbee (I actually coach the Bombay Ultimate Frisbee effort), scuba diving NO NASTIES’ NET WORTH At this point, probably a crore.

NEXT NICHE BUSINESS TO GO MAINSTREAM Handmade products NEXT GAP TO BE CLOSED BY A NICHE BUSINESS Social media commerce BUSINESSES I LOVE Patagonia in the US, Nudie Jeans, Divine Chocolate in the UK, Starbucks in India BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY Follow the steps of passion, purpose, people, products, profit.

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COVER STORY

The photocopy magnates Photocopy Inc. provides students with photocopying services at 90% subsidised rates by selling ads on one side of the paper. Cofounder and managing partner Sandeep T.M. tells us about this unique venture

Sandeep T.M. (left) and Anand Kumar

BITTEN BY THE BUSINESS BUG

Anand Kumar (co-founder and managing partner) and I were close friends since our school days. We understand and complement each other very well. We always wanted to be entrepreneurs and most of our discussions used to revolve around relevant and contemporary ideas that had the potential to make it big in the modern world. Three years of working in a professional environment gave us enough confidence to start our venture in 2011.

so the idea excited us. The design had to suit students of our country and During our several had to be adapted so brainstorming it would be a winsessions, we spoke win scenario for all about a Japanese parties involved. concept that provided subsidised Through market research we came photocopies to students. We realised up with a solution that India has a huge that would keep everyone happy. student population

OUR EUREKA MOMENT

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CAPITAL FUNDS

Our model of operations keeps our capital expenditures at a minimum.

We invested our personal savings in the beginning and have been able to maintain a positive cash flow so far. Our future expansion plans may require some external funding which we are ready to explore.

QUIRKY VS MONEY It depends on the idea.

If the idea is good and the product or service is priced correctly, people will go for it. It’s only the initial phase HURDLES ON THE WAY that ventures like these might lack commercial Our challenge was to bring in a viability. But that will completely different perspective to an get nullified in the established photocopying industry.

Some people were not convinced long run. about advertisements on photocopies because the concept was new to them.

The student community on the other hand was quite open to this concept.

Eventually this helped us in a big way to convince the corporates, which got the ball rolling.

THE BIG BREAKTHROUGH Initially it was difficult to keep the cash register flowing as the corporates were apprehensive about trying out a new medium of advertising.

A breakthrough was made when the first client tried our medium.

After that everyone started seeing value in the model.

The corporates realised the importance of branding among youngsters. They understand that our business model provides an innovative medium to bridge the gap between corporates and youngsters.

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS

Targeting the young generation and establishing ourselves among them was the key to our success. If we did not place ourselves in the right market, our whole model would have failed.

STAYING CREATIVE

We love reading up on new ideas and our brainstorming sessions still continue to this day. We try not to take anything for granted and we are constantly looking to improve.

EXPANDING THE ENTERPRISE

We have our presence in Chennai and Bangalore. We plan to expand city-wise and target major cities like Hyderabad, Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai. Once we have covered the major cities we plan to expand to tier 2 cities as well.

EASY ROUTE TO A BUSINESS IDEA

There can never be an easy way.

It’s an attitude or state of mind.

We think about, discuss or come across so many things in our lives. A business idea is one of those things once we believe it be turned into a commercial venture.

QUICK PRINTS EDUCATION Sandeep T.M. – BCom Anand Kumar – MCom ROLE MODELS Sandeep T.M. – Steve Jobs for his vision Anand Kumar – Richard Branson for his ability to execute ideas PHOTOCOPY INC.’S NET WORTH About `1,50,00,000 NEXT NICHE BUSINESS TO GO MAINSTREAM Consulting firms for early stage ventures BUSINESSES WE LOVE We have always liked the food and beverages business. Innovations and new concepts in this industry are quite fascinating.

BUSINESS MANTRA We firmly believe in ‘Under Promise and Over Deliver’. We always try to give our clients more than what we promise. Apart from that, it is usually what works at that point in time and when it stops working we come up with something else to make things work.

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS The power of patience and perseverance is often underestimated.

Keep trying and one day you will achieve what you set out for.

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COVER STORY

Hiring programmers the smart way - HackerRankX Hiring processes in companies are timeconsuming and costly. Vivek Ravisankar, the co-founder of HackerRankX, throws light on a process of efficient hiring that he helped co-formulate

THE FOUNDERS

Harishankaran K. (co-founder) and I never really wanted to start a company. All through college we were involved in a series of projects. In fact, HackerRankX – that was previously known as Interviewstreet – was one of them.

Once HackerRankX was underway, working on it got all too addictive.

We were loving every moment of it and was something that we both had always wanted to do. It was at that juncture that we decided to quit our boring and redundant jobs and began pursuing the project we started full-time. As time passed and one thing led to another, we had formed HackerRankX.

WHAT DOES HACKERRANKX DO?

HackerRankX provides recruiters a platform that tests the aptitudes and the capabilities of a prospective employee before they are hired. We believe that a lot of programmers in IT are not tested appropriately while being hired. To optimally test the performance of a person before being handed over a highly technical job, we create a series of quizzes and tests that permit a wholesome evaluation before they are selected.

THE BEGINNINGS

We tried out quite a few different ideas before settling onto this one.

Our first three ideas, which transpired

over the course of 1.5 years, failed.

As part of research during that time frame, we spoke to a lot of programmers, professors, recruiters and companies, and one of the things we found was that irrespective of the size of the company, there were huge inefficiencies in the hiring process.

Keeping that in mind, we built technical interviewing tools under the brand Interviewstreet, that is today used by thousands of top technology companies including Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, Citrix, Bloomberg and many more. Then we also launched HackerRank to build an engaged community of programmers across all domains of computer science, thus building a platform that

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plays a part in the entire lifecycle of a programmer.

It was only recently that we embarked on the idea of making Interview Street and HackerRank one, thus calling it HackerRankX.

CONVINCING INVESTORS

Our technical recruiting tools solve a range of problems that we experienced first-hand at the beginning our journey with HackerRank. Hours of otherwise productive developer time are spent interviewing unqualified candidates whose gaps in proficiency could have been detected at the beginning of the hiring process with the help of a programming challenge.

We have optimised our HackerRankX platform for customisation so that our customers can write their own challenges and keep them fresh, personalised and exciting, and is how we differ from our competition and from the typical perception of programming challenges. The time savings and resulting cost and productivity savings are useful to companies of all sizes; our investors saw this potential while evaluating us and thought it to be the right platform to bring to the market.

But when it starts to make a lot of money and gains popularity, it becomes a commercial hit. A lot of people then begin to think of it as being an obvious idea. Most popular companies and social networks like Facebook, Google, Twitter and several others have also gone through the same phases of growth and development and have emerged victorious, thus delving futher into the thought of an unconventional or a quirky business being profitmaking or commercially viable.

THE NICHE MARKET – A SECRET TO SUCCESS If the entire market of technology is a niche, our answer is yes. The opportunities in this sector are massive and we are going to be in this area of business for the foreseeable HURDLES ON THE WAY future.

We’ve had plenty of challenges, what with our first business models not being viable. After pivoting to the current business model, we’ve placed our emphasis solely on the programming community by developing the HackerRank platform.

But we have leveraged our past experience and our background in the programming industry to build our technical recruiting tools to make it easier and faster for companies to hire candidates for technical aspects required for a programming job.

UNCONVENTIONALITY VS COMMERCIAL VIABILITY Every venture that is troublesome looks unconventional at the start.

EXPANSION PLANS

HackerRank is a programmer’s home for competition and community, but our goal is to grow until the CodeSprints – a programming competition hosted on HackerRank – becomes the ‘Olympics of programming’. It is a competition where candidates from all over the world hone their skills, win prizes and become recognised for their HackerRank participation.

Our goal is to develop that aspect until HackerRank is recognised as the leading platform on which a person can compete in the computer programming space.

HACKERRANKX: THEN AND NOW

We’re consistently optimising our HackerRank platform by adding new features, inserting ways for users in the community to connect, and by hosting bigger and better challenges. On the business front, building tools to support the technical hiring process all the way up until the final in-person cultural fit interview is where our roadmap points.

QUICK HACKS WITH VIVEK EDUCATION I work hard ROLE MODELS Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Kamal Hassan STAYING CREATIVE Long walks and short naps and of course, coffee.

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS Work hard and never give up.

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COVER STORY

Building homes away from home Oravel is an online social marketplace for booking bread & breakfast (B&B) rooms all over the world, be it in villas or homely bedrooms.

Ritesh Agarwal, the 19-yearold founder, talks about his enterprise

BEING BITTEN BY THE BUSINESS BUG

be searching for hotels to stay those nights, random 3-star non-standard hotels would sell for 150 dollars a night when Westin sells for 80 dollars at San Francisco. I felt something is wrong, which is when I realised there are over 700,000 small B&Bs where people could stay with the right price and comfort if made available.

THE BIRTH OF ORAVEL

CONVINCING INVESTORS FOR FUNDING

I never had the bug of business; however had a very strong bug of doing something and building something which becomes extremely important and valuable for a lot of people. This actually began when I turned a teen, ie 13.

Oravel was a passion product to start with. I used to get locked out of my apartment all the time because I did not carry my keys, and when I would

It was interesting. We really like our backers since they could see the

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potential of the business and felt we are strong ‘execution and passion’ people. The best reason I can think of is because of our die-hard nature and we are highly focussed towards user experience activity.

HURDLES ON THE WAY

Some of the major hurdles were credibility as a no one, very little connections or money, no understanding of scaling and hiring.

However, as they say, learning the hard way is always great and that’s how I have learnt and have done reasonably well, probably.

MAKING MONEY FROM A QUIRKY BUSINESS For me the top reason to run Oravel is to build amazing experiences and not make money, but money is essential to deliver those experiences.

So for us, we don’t make experiences awesome to make money; we make money so that we can keep delivering something amazing.

NO COMPROMISE ON COMMERCIAL VIABILITY

We are growing at a triple digit rate for a while now and set to go even higher. The reason is we are delivering exceptional value and people like the idea. It goes from business to politics.

BEING IN THE NICHE MARKET IS THE SECRET TO SUCCESS

To rephrase, FOCUS. We are what we are today is because we said no to hotels in Oravel. We said, only nonhotels and the users could connect and know the difference between us and any other agency.

STAYING CREATIVE

By setting ambitious targets and finding random ways of achieving them. It’s a view that when you set random goals which are generally not possible, you find great ways to get them.

EXPANDING THE ENTERPRISE

We ought to scale and scale fast, but with conscious product growth and understanding. We aim to do this, but by building our product further for scale, attracting high quality talent and, of course, with further rounds of raise.

RITESH’S MUSINGS EDUCATION I am a drop out but a part of Thiel Fellowship by billionaire Peter Thiel who is a board member of Facebook and is more competitive than Harvard and MIT. ROLE MODEL Many. To name one, Bill Gates.

ORAVEL’S NET WORTH Sorry, can’t comment. We are definitely in revenues of crores.

NEXT NICHE BUSINESS TO GO MAINSTREAM Boutique experiences in food, stays and travel.

NEXT GAP TO BE CLOSED BY A NICHE BUSINESS Everything that is non-standardised and opaque. For example, the conference and event booking industry.

COMING UP WITH A BUSINESS IDEA Feel the pain and say how you are going to solve it.

BUSINESSES I LOVE Cooking and delivering great taste experiences and creative handmade fashion.

BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY If you build with love, you will sell it.

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS Follow your heart and the day you can’t stop thinking under the shower about your idea, start it.

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COVER STORY

A nano step towards change Nano Ganesh, the brain child of Santosh Ostwal, was formed out of the need to bid farewell to redundant agricultural practices.

We take a closer look at this revolution THE BIRTH OF NANO GANESH

Out of a sheer need to revolutionise agriculture as I knew it, I set out on a mission to transform the way it was being carried out. Farming in my village was not easy. It was, in fact, very difficult a task, as I witnessed my handicapped grandfather tread for miles in the dead of the night just to turn on and off the water pumps located in our fields. The picture of him walking through harsh terrain with just a stick and an oil lamp as guide was one that got etched into my memory and was the sole reason why Nano Ganesh came to be.

HOW NANO GANESH WORKS

Nano Ganesh is a GSM device that famers can use to turn pumps located in their fields on and off; it is also used to check the availability of water at different times during the course of the day. Also, there are certain Nano Ganesh models that notify a farmer in the event of thefts of irrigation pumps.

NAMING THE DEVICE NANO GANESH

I am a firm believer in Lord Ganesh and felt the thought of using a mobile phone instead of a typical remote control was bestowed upon me through him via a dream. As soon as I woke up that day, I purchased Motorola’s T810 model and began to play around with the electric modules

I had previously created. After playing around for a while, the circuit was finally working all because of the dream I had. This is the story of how the mobile came to be called Ganesh.

While my idea was transformed into something tangible, it didn’t meet the farmer’s expectations because it was bulky, costly and tumultuous to install. After improvising on Ganesh for four whole years, I was finally successful in creating something that was ‘small’ in every way possible.

After work on the device was done and dusted, four years after remote controls were replaced by mobiles, I decided to call it Nano Ganesh for obvious reasons.

FUNDING THE ENTERPRISE

Initially, getting funds from banks was very difficult as there was no concrete product. In the initial stages of development, it was only my friends and relatives who supported my endeavour. After Nano Ganesh received international acclaim, there were few Indian conglomerates who wanted to get into partnerships, but none of them were fulfilling.

NANO GANESH – THEN AND NOW

Since its inception in 2008, Nano Ganesh has grown from being a national success story to one that has also received widespread international acclaim.

The device and its corresponding technology have been improved to facilitate a farmer’s need for both capsule technology and affordable price.

Today, the device is priced between `560 and `22,500 and is use for both agricultural and industrial processes.

Along with this, talks are also on for the usage of the device in Tanzania,

Egypt and Zambia.

EXPANSION

My company has partnered with different national and international institutions and even Multi National Companies across the world. Quite a few Indian states are also showing positive reciprocation and are making Nano Ganesh popular under the mobile governance or m-governance programme.

NANO BYTES ROLE MODEL Sunil Mittal of Airtel INTERESTS Playing musical instruments and cooking with my wife on Sundays AN EMPOWERING NICHE BUSINESS Agritourism and ruralurban family exchange ADVICE FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS Before you seek to empower the world, empower yourself

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The gift of greenery Rajiv Rawal, co-founder of online gift-a-plant service Passion Green, talks about starting the venture with his wife Alka Bajoria

SHORT MUSINGS OUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND I passed from the National Defence Academy with a BSc degree. Alka is postgraduate from Delhi School of Economics.

ROLE MODEL Jason Bourne, if he was real

THE BIRTH OF PASSION GREEN

Alka and I always had a lovely collection of plants in our house.

Friends would always want us to do their houses. A very close friend who runs a high-end furniture store suggested we put a few plants at her store. We got an amazing response and thus started the ‘gift a plant’theme of Passion Green.

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS

I guess it depends on the product; we have designed our products to cater to both the niche and the regular shopper. Both of them are equally important. Niche market products can help keep your head above water in bad economic conditions; mass market products can get you to walk on water.

STAYING CREATIVE HURDLES ON THE WAY Alka is the creative person amongst us, The biggest hurdle, especially in Mumbai, is that of real estate. Cost of hiring a place in this city can make any business look unviable.The other hurdle, which is an ongoing battle, is to convince people that plants make great gifts.

QUIRKY VS CONVENTIONAL

Quirky business always come with a clause; if they don’t click then making money is almost impossible.

The effort to market the concept and make it acceptable is a real challenge.

It requires both patience and financial backing.

and a lot of mundane and dirty work (not literally) is therefore shouldered by me so that she continues to be creative. yi

EXPANDING THE ENTERPRISE We are hoping to work on a franchisee model at some point to create a chain of stores which can cater to this concept as it gathers recognition.

COMING UP WITH A BUSINESS IDEA When an idea haunts you, don’t let it go. I think it is a little intuitive and not just an excel sheet calculation.

OUR BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY Educate people on the benefits of plants, make them aesthetically compelling so that they find a place in their homes.

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS If you think you have a great idea, give it a shot.

It is difficult to give up a regular job and start something on your own; the comfort zone of a job unknowingly can shackle you quite a bit. Doing otherwise may not be so much of a challenge.

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COUNSELLOR CONNECT

JAYANTI GHOSE

BEING A FOOD SAFETY OFFICER Q: What are the qualifications to become a food safety officer?

Shyamal ANSWER ANSWER

STUDY IN INDIA

ANSWER ANSWER

Sure, you can. Whereas an MBA programme provides functional knowledge within multiple areas in business, an MS in finance or accounting would help you to focus and deepen your knowledge in the specific subject area of your interest. Studying the profile of placements of the MS programmes at the various universities you are considering in the US would help you to shortlist the most suitable choices for your purpose. Note that instead of appearing for the GMAT for admission to MBA, you will need to appear for the GRE for admission to MS programmes.

Recruitment to the post of Food Safety Officer is made by the respective state governments. A degree in food technology, dairy technology, biotechnology, oil technology or agricultural science or veterinary science or biochemistry or microbiology or a master’s degree in chemistry or MBBS or equivalent are the qualifications usually required for those who wish to become food safety officers. The upper age limit for entry level appointments in the government is normally 30 years for general category candidates. Recruitment of officers will involve a selection process that includes a written examination and/or a personal interview to shortlist suitably qualified candidates.

MS OR PHD IN IT? Q: I completed MSc Physics and I now wish to pursue further studies abroad with the goal of having a career in IT. Should I try for an MS or PhD? What is time frame for planning for studies abroad?

Ishwar A career in IT is a broad goal. While applying for further studies, you must be clear about the field in which you need to specialise. You have to research the available programmes to determine whether you are eligible to opt directly for a PhD or must apply for MS. You have to appear for GRE General Test anyway, but your research would reveal whether you also need to appear for a GRE Subject Test. Since application deadlines are usually nine months prior to the academic session commencement, it would be advisable to start your research at least 15-18 months in advance.

ANSWER ANSWER

MS IN FINANCE Q: I am a Chartered Accountant interested in further studies in the USA. Instead of waiting for four years or more of work experience to pursue MBA, can I consider applying for MS? If so, what would be my options?

Deepshree

SOFT SKILL CAREERS Q: I am an engineering graduate (IT). In the course of my job, I have realised my interest in, and aptitude for English language communication, public speaking and imparting training in soft skills. What careers would help me to utilise these?

Farhad Your aptitude and interests can be put to use in various ways. As a technical professional it would be useful in supervisory, training, marketing and project management roles or you could take up MBA with specialisation in marketing, communications, HR, or allied fields. Public relations, or counselling and training jobs in the field of human resources management and development would place your interests and aptitude centre-stage. Find out about these areas of work or allied to it, and the resultant career path, before charting your career.

ANSWER ANSWER

STUDY ABROAD

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.

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WISE UP

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- By Niloufer Gandhi

1

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

1. Preamble (pree-am-buhl)

The ____to the Constitution is a short statement about the basic purposes and guiding principles. (a) prologue (b) epilogue (c) interlude

2. Sovereign (sov-er-in)

In 1954, Germany was declared a ___ state when the United States, Britain and France ended their military operation. (a) qualified (b)independent (c) dependent

3. Egalitarian (ih-gal-i-tair-ee-uhn)

Even though most of its citizens are still subject to racial, gender and economic discrimination, America is considered an _____ society. (a) indifferent (b) equitable (c)anarchic

CONSTITUTIONAL WORDS The Constitution of India is the world’s lengthiest written constitution consisting of 395 articles and 8 schedules. It was drafted in August 1947 by the Constitution Drafting Committee. It has been amended 94 times since it came into force on 26 January 1950

4. Secular (sek-yuh-ler)

The migration of people from different cultural backgrounds has been instrumental in converting many once religious states to ____ ones. (a) spiritual (b) frantic (c) non-religious

5. Impeached (im-peech-ed)

Answers:

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

The disgraced governor was ____ after he was found guilty of misappropriating public funds. (a) commended (b)elated(c) indicted

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.To stop to live

D

I

E

2.To limit the amount of food to reduce weight 3.The rise and fall of ocean waters 4. To stop from action or proceeding 5. To disagree with or differ in opinion

7. A person who disagrees or challenges

Answers: DIE, TIDES, DESIST,DISSENT, DISTENDS, DISSIDENT

6. Expands, stretches or bloats

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yi

entertain With the surge in their popularity, we tell you the best way to become one if you are planning on...

Going Geek Page 58

LUCHOEDU, FLICKR

Pg61 Pg64 Pg66

Pg68

ABODE OF THE GODS

THE CROSSFIT EXPERIENCE

10 PEOPLE YOU SHOULD DATE

A WINNER DESPITE THE ODDS

NEPAL IS A RICH COUNTRY IN TERMS OF CULTURE AND NATURAL BEAUTY. LEARN ABOUT THE PLACES TO VISIT

THE FITNESS FORM CALLED CROSSFIT TOOK THE WORLD

BY STORM AND HAS NOW LAND ON INDIAN SHORES

10 DIVERSE PERSONALITIES WHO WILL HELP MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON AFTER DATING THEM

NISHA JAMVWAL EXPRESSES THE LESSONS TO TAKE AWAY FROM HER MEETING WITH MARY KOM

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ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE

B

eing a geek is no longer something to be ashamed of.

People wear their offbeat preferences proudly on their sleeves. If you’re wondering how to be one of the gang, this should help you get started.

DANIEL ZEDDA, FLICKR

Geek has gone mainstream!

If you feel like you’re falling behind the times, Aparna Sundaresan provides a handy guide on catching up with this breed of people

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BECOMING A GEEK WHILE IT IS NOT AN OVERNIGHT PROCESS AND REQUIRES DEVELOPING GENUINE INTEREST, IT IS NOT UNACHIEVABLE.  Read

JD HANCOCK, FLICKR

The immediately noticeable trait of a geek is that he/she knows a lot, and that comes only from voracious reading – not necessarily general fiction as geeks like to escape reality.

Fantasy: Harry Potter series, The Lord of the Rings series, A Song of Ice and Fire series (The Game of Thrones series), Wheel of Time, Battle Royale, The Hunger Games series Science fiction: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Isaac Asimov’s Robot series, Ender’s Game, The Great Dune Trilogy Comic books/graphic novels: Watchmen, Frank Miller’s Batman series, anything and everything from Marvel and DC

 Play By now you would have realised that geeks are big fans of stories, especially those of fantastic proportions. But they don’t just passively consume stories; they participate in it too by playing games of all kinds.

Mediums: Xbox, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo 3DS, PC, board games, your imagination Digital games: Minecraft, Starcraft, Android: Netrunner, Skyrim, DotA, Battlefield 3, Mario Kart, Call of Duty, Tomb Raider, BioShock Infinite, Halo, Grand Theft Auto series Board games: Dungeons and Dragons, Libertalia, Race for the Galaxy, Age of Augustus, Mage Knight Live action games: (Yes, geeks do get physical exercise as well!) Paintball, Laser Tag, LARPs and Cosplay

CHESARE, DEVIANTART.COM

ANNIEANNIEPANCAKE, FLICKR

 Watch Films and TV shows should serve as companions to your reading, so if there’s a large or small screen adaptation of the above books, watch it. Here are some stand-alone gems that did not originate from books: Fantasy: Pan’s Labyrinth, Spirited Away, The Dark Crystal, Willow Science fiction: Doctor Who, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, BattlestarGalactica, Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly, Fringe, ET, Babylon 5 Superhero: Tim Burton’s Batman films, Blade, Kick-Ass, Superman: The Movie, X-Men, The Incredibles, The Avengers (Note: The Big Bang Theory is not the choice of TV show for a true geek.

It makes fun of geeks and reinforces stereotypes. The IT Crowd is more realistic.)

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ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE

GREYLOCH, FLICKR

It’s not all fun and games in the world of a geek. They actually do some tasks in both the virtual and real worlds.

With time and practice, though, they become pleasurable activities.

Computer coding: Making websites, hacking into websites, creating patches/fixes for games, jailbreaking phones, and many more similar tasks are performed by those geeks who see the potential of technology as infinite.

But be aware of what you’re doing; you don’t want to get into trouble for crossing legal limits.

Correcting people on the internet: Don’t scoff; geeks know the internet is populated by all sorts, even the really stupid. So when someone says something absurdly unintelligent online, they jump to rectify them because (A) they’re passionate about the subject in discussion, and (B) they know ignorance is contagious, so they stop it before it spreads!

Attending conferences: Comic cons, game releases, gaming conferences, technology conferences… these make the social calendar for geeks. Here they meet like-minded individuals and update themselves on the newer facets of the geekdom. Many come dressed up as their favourite characters.

Hollywood now promotes its new releases at these conferences with its actors, and screens exclusive clips way before the release of the films.

Creating fan fiction: Writing stories or drawing scenes set in the universe of their favourite books and shows, usually starring themselves.

Reading trivia tirelessly: For fun.

Also, to have something to talk about in social situations. Knowing something new never hurt anyone. yi

Geeks and their clothes

Geeks don’t care about high fashion; you’re unlikely to find one who reads glossy fashion magazines and keeps up with the trends. Geeks use their clothes as another medium to express their passions. Thick-rimmed glasses: This used to be the mark of the geek (and nerd) for many years until it was usurped by high fashion.

Now it’s everywhere. Even those who don’t need glasses are wearing them. Sorry, wearing them alone does NOT make you a geek.  ‘Geeky’ clothes and accessories: The t-shirts with quotes from Doctor Who or Star Trek, or with obscure symbols from the Artemis Fowl series, or those Batman pyjamas or Spiderman flip-flops.Clothing is a geek’s personal canvas.

Collectibles, ranging from action figures to coffee mugs, are also prized possessions. Character costumes: All those conferences a geek goes to? They go in costume. As their favourite fictitious character.

Live-action role playing (LARPs) and Costume Play (Cosplay), where people actually act out as the characters they dress up, is common in comic cons and gaming conferences.

Don’t panic; it’s fun to be someone else for a while.

YAT86, FLICKR

 Do

Geek vs Nerd

Who is a geek and who is a nerd?

Are they one and the same? Are they just fancy terms for boring people?

Are they creatures from outer space?

Nerds are:  Academically skewed, especially towards the sciences  Mensa-worthy with sky-high IQs  Socially inept and awkward  Dress a little strangely  Have academic interests Geeks are:  Smart; some even Mensa-worthy smart  More sociable and not necessarily awkward  Have interests that range from books to television shows, films, games, gadgets, the internet and so on  Passionate to the point of obsessive with their interests  Live vicariously through their interests

Geek talk

A handful of geeks talk about what makes them different.

“When one of my favourite characters died in Harry Potter, I cried for a whole month. My friends who also read the series found my reaction hilarious but to me this character was as real as anything else.”

- Aishwarya Subramanian, 25, journalist “I went [to Comic Con] as Darth Vader. It’s so nice to see everyone in costumes. People pay so much attention to details.

It’s like a fancy dress competition for nerds on drugs.”

- Sahil Shah, 23, comedian “When I was in 11th grade I was a huge anime fan; I had no idea how to get in touch with like-minded geeks. Orkut was a huge help, but it was difficult to share resources. Now we have Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, which are better platforms.”

- Tara Kulkarni, 25, psychologist

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of the

GETTING THERE

Air: Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu is the only international airport in the country.

Road: Sunauli (Belhiya) is the most popular border crossing. The Nepali town of Bhairahawa is at a distance of 4 kilometres from the border crossing. Bhairahawa connects travellers to Kathmandu and Lumbini.

Rail: Gorakpur is the nearest major railway station while Nautanwa is the nearest station to the Sunauli border crossing. Trains are infrequent between Gorakpur and Nautanwa so it’s best to make the 2-hour bus commute.

NEILJS, FLICKR

Gods

Abode

TRAVEL

VISA

Indian citizens do not require a visa. Photo identification is required for proof of Indian citizenship. Valid identification documents are passport, driving license, ration card with photo, election commission card or any photo identity card issued by a government body.

CURRENCY

Indian rupees are accepted for all monetary transactions. Indian rupee notes of `500 and `1,000 are considered illegal and not accepted.

Remember to check exchange rates between the Indian and Nepali rupee before your journey.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The best months to visit are after the monsoon between October and December since the air is clean. The summer months of April to June are also a good time since the flora will be in bloom.

TRAVEL

There are many domestic airports. The roadways are well connected between major cities but travel to remote locations can be inconvenient.

The best transport options are buses, micro buses and motorcycles. The international driving license is accepted in Nepal.

ACCOMMODATION

The major cities of Kathmandu and Pokhara have four star hotels. Home stays are the best option in the remote towns and villages to experience the local culture and cuisine.

NEPAL IS A MAGNIFICENT COUNTRY FOR NATURAL BEAUTY AND CULTURE. SEAN SEQUEIRA PENS DOWN A GUIDE TO VISITING THE COUNTRY THAT IS CALLED THE 'ROOF OF THE WORLD'

CUISINE

Home stays give you the best experience of the traditional food. Any cuisine can be found in the major cities including fast food like burgers and fries from international franchises.

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NEILJS, FLICKR

TRAVEL

KATHMANDU

JEAN-MARIE HULLOT, FLICKR

JEAN-MARIE HULLOT, FLICKR

Kathmandu is the largest city in Nepal and the cultural hub of the country. It has become a melting pot for cultures and a starting point for international tourists looking to explore the country.

Kathmandu Durbar Square: One of the three ancient cities in Kathmandu valley, this square is famous for the Hanuman Dhoka Royal Palace, Taleju Temple and the residence of the Living Goddess called Kumari Ghar.

Patan Durbar Square: It is the second of the three ancient cities of Kathmandu valley which is famous for the Krishna temple. The temple, made entirely of stone, dates back to the 16th century and is the first Shikara-style architecture in Nepal.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square: The third ancient city in Kathmandu valley,

World Peace Pagoda: Also known as Shanti Stupa, the pagoda is on a hilltop overlooking Phewa Lake and can be reached by taking a boat ride across the lake followed by an uphill trek.

Sarangkot: It is a perfect trek from Pokhara city which requires a fair amount of strenuous work.

But the views from the top of the village are excellent since it overlooks the city and lake.

Kaskikot: It is a village located 1,788 metres above sea level and has a panoramic view of the Himalayas around it.

(Top) Pokhara city and Phewa Lake; (Bottom) View of Annapurna mountain range from Sarangkot

PETER AKKERMANS, FLICKR

POKHARA

This is the third largest city of Nepal but is fast gaining popularity since it is a picturesque lake-side city in the Pokhara valley with the Annapurna mountain range surrounding it in the distance.

Phewa Lake: It is a freshwater lake on the edges of the city of Pokhara city. Water sports and boating are major attractions on the lake since there are splendid views of the neighbouring mountains from different parts of the lake.

DMITRY A. MOTTL, WIKIMEDIA

(Top) Bhaktapur Durbar Square; (Bottom left) Boudhanath stupa; (Bottom right) Priest at Pashupatinath

Bhaktapur is famous for the palace of 55 windows which is a magnificent work of woodcarving. Facing the palace is a large stone pillar atop which sits a statue of King Bhupatindra Malla.

Pashupatinath: This is a 5th century temple built on the Bagmati River. It is one of the most important temples for Hindus around the world which is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Swayambhunath: Sitting on top of a hill, this is one of the most important Buddhist stupas in Nepal. One of the best ways to reach the summit is to walk up the 365 steps along the hill that end at the gates of the shrine.

Bodhanath: One of the most important structures of Tibetan Buddhism, this large stupa is thronged to by countless devotees throughout the year.

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PETER AKKERMANS, FLICKR IRINA GELBUKH, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

untain

BANDIPUR

Bandipur is a remote hill station at a distance of 143 kilometre west from Kathmandu and 80 kilometre east from Pokhara. The small town has quickly become a tourist attraction for those who enjoy seclusion and good weather at a high altitude. A downhill trek from the town for roughly two hours will lead you to Siddha Cave, the largest cave in Nepal. A little further on the same trail is Patale Dwar; a natural chamber-like formation which is nicknamed Gateway to the Underworld.

WONKER, FLICKR

LUMBINI

Lumbini is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, the man who would grow up to become Gautama Buddha and one of the most important figures of Buddhism. The actual spot of his birth is marked with a stone in the Mayadevi temple. The temple is located inside a large park which also has ruins of ancient monasteries, a sacred Bodhi tree, an ancient bathing pool and an Ashoka pillar.

PAVEL NOVAK, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

EVEREST BASE CAMP

The tallest mountain in the world, Everest has been a daunting challenge for many mountaineers. It may not be possible for everyone to scale the mountain but trekking to the base camp is manageable for most. It is advisable to get assistance from a Sherpa. It is also important to acclimatise oneself by taking a break before starting a trek to a high altitude and trekking up slowly to avoid Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). The Himalayan Rescue Association assists those affected by AMS with a centre at Everest Base Camp and at Manang (for those trekking up the Annapurna mountain range).

KOPAN MONASTERY

Located on a hill on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Kopan Monastery is a popular destination for local tourists. It is usually off-limits to visitors during the week and only allows visits on weekends; it is best to confirm with the monastery authorities before attempting a visit. They organise courses for those interested in meditation and learning about Buddhism. The courses require prior registration and are priced at approximately `5,500 for 7 days and `7,500 for 10 days. The fees include accommodation in dormitories, food and course material.

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GREG WESTFALL, FLICKR

GREG WESTFALL, FLICKR

The

CrossFit

Experience Rigorous and effective, CrossFit is the new buzz word about town. Trishann Henriques takes a closer look at this new fitness form The international CrossFit franchise exists in India under the name CrossFitOM and has two boxes located in Mumbai at Juhu and Colaba

Shivoham, founder of CrossFitOM in Mumbai “CrossFit includes movements that are borrowed from three different sports i.e. gymnastics, weight lifting and cardio.”

T

he effort to look good doesn’t just stop at being impeccably dressed and prepped; it also includes a disciplined fitness regimen. After all, it is the amalgam of both these factors that lead to a sound body and mind. In the wake of this, undertaking a form of exercise to keep healthy has almost become mandatory. One among the slew of exercises that exist today is CrossFit. Popularised in India by Shivoham, CrossFit is probably one of the most strenuous and fruit-bearing exercises that exist.

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23-12-2013 19:56:10

FITNESS LULULEMON ATHLETICA, FLICKR

WHAT IS CROSSFIT?

Pioneered by Coach Greg Glassman in the 1900s in the United States of America, CrossFit includes a series of exercises that rely heavily on the building of strength, power, speed, stamina, coordination, agility, flexibility, balance and accuracy. CrossFit, more importantly, is used by the military, the police and other defence forces in foreign countries due to its hardcore dynamic. The stringent nature of this exercise is the reason why it has gained momentum across the world and even in India.

CrossFit aims at building on a person’s physical strength through extensive calibre exercises that are like no other fitness form. The workout regiment varies from one day to the next in terms of intensity and the amount of repetitions performed. However, what makes all the difference is the amount of time each one of these exercises are performed for, or how fast the repetitions are done in a stipulated time period.

THE CROSSFIT DIFFERENCE

There is a reason why we believe CrossFit is like no other form of exercise. While most exercises harbour on the fact that they are tailored as per the needs of a particular person, CrossFit is completely different. At a CrossFit gym, ‘one’ workout session is created for everyone from grandmothers to marines and even 5-year-old kids. So, irrespective of a person’s age, the same workout will have to be followed. The sole change is with regards to the number of repetitions to be carried out.

At a CrossFit gym, there is also a greater sense of community and belongingness. Since each session is performed in a group, every individual is well acquainted with the other. Words of encouragement – and sometimes criticisms – are thrown around all the time, making workout sessions more rewarding.

The principle behind CrossFit is to prepare a person’s body for, literally, anything. This is one of the reasons why it is so vigorously brutal. At a CrossFit gym, be ready to sweat it out to high-energy exercises as the more the physical stress a body is put under, the stronger it gets with time.

THE ADVANTAGES

For starters, CrossFit prepares your body for the worse. Meaning, once your body has habituated itself to this hardcore exercise, performing them on a regular basis becomes a cakewalk. So, after a period of time, the physical strain becomes second nature permitting concentration on body building. One of the biggest benefits of CrossFit is that you can get the maximum benefit in the shortest possible time.

With no bar on age, CrossFit can be performed by everyone with equal vigour. In fact, the earlier a person is inducted, the better the results.

Since the exercises or the Work Out of the Day (WOD) change on an everyday basis, there is a perpetual sense of excitement toward learning and experiencing something new each day.

“Fitness is what CrossFit focuses on, but its benefits include weight loss, muscle gain and an amazing healthy lifestyle”, says Shivoham the founder of CrossFitOM in India. yi

NAME The Barbara The Murph The Angie

EXERCISES A set of 20 pull-ups, 30 push-ups, 40 sit-ups, and 50 body weight-only squats 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 body weight squats 100 pull-ups, 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 bodyweight-only squats JANUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 65

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23-12-2013 19:56:46

10

CHRISTOPHER.MICHEL, FLICKR

RELATIONSHIPS

Dating is taxing but it is one of those things that help build your character. Some people give you happy memories and some are just bad ideas to begin with. Pooja Salvi reveals which dates help make you a better person THE SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICT

THE OPPOSITE KIND

JHAYMESISVIPHOTOGRAPHY, FLICKR

Who? We all have that one friend who tweets every event of their life, Instagrams every meal they have, constantly updates their relationship status and makes sure the internet knows everything about them.

Why should I date them? You might feel uncomfortable about the 987654321 billion internet users who are privy to your life; unless you like that kind of attention.

Who? No, we are not propagating the ‘opposites attract’ theory. If you are a shy person, go out with an extrovert.

And if you are an extrovert try dating an introvert.

Why should I date them? You’ll know to be around people with a completely different personality type.

And don’t think it’ll be boring or difficult. Just go with the flow.

THE CHEESILY ROMANTIC

Who? They get mushy whenever they see you. They want everything to be ‘lovey-dovey’. They want to live in a fantasy land, and not to forget, they quote dialogues from Bollywood movies.

Why should I date them?

Experience the clichéd romance of the Mills & Boons books or your favourite Yash Raj film. Who knows? Maybe this kind is your type.

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12/24/2013 2:49:05 PM

THE FOOD LOVER

Who? They know every new restaurant that has opened in town and every new type of tea brewed by that café downtown.

Why should I date them? Dating a foodie is very advantageous. You will learn a lot about food and fall in love with cuisines you’ve never heard of.

M31., FLICKR

THE TRAVEL ENTHUSIAST

Who? This person is all about the beauty of places and meeting new people. They are brimming with experiences and excitement of visiting uncharted territories.

Why should I date them? They’re very cheerful people who believe in making the most of the moment.

Trust us, they are worth a shot.

Who? Firstly, feminists don’t hate men nor do they think all men are rapists. They simply believe in gender equality. Also, a feminist is a gender neutral noun. Anyone can be a feminist, male or female.

Why should I date them? Dating a feminist is never a bad idea. Date them to learn how to treat people for who they are and what they make of themselves instead of their sex.

THE BROKE

Who? The people who are always on a budget. No, we are not financially discriminating against these folks.

You might think that being on a budget is a bad thing, but these people are very smart.

Why should I date them? They know how to make every rupee count.

They’ll teach you the hacks of having fun on a budget. But make sure you know if your date is actually clever or just being a miser. yi

HE PEOPLE YOU SHOULD NEVER

CEA., FLICKR

FDECOMITE, FLICKR

Who? The beasts of the night – no, not vampires. They are always looking for new ways to party. They love socialising which is why you’ll always find them partying with a totally different group of people.

Why should I date them? Even though their idea of fun and yours could be different, you’ll still come across a different world of thumping music, dance moves and new people.

Who? Their brains are huge. They read almost anything and everything they can get their hands on. They have great knowledge of many things.

Why should I date them? Dating a reader will involve hour-long conversations about literature, politics, history, controversies, food and what not. Don’t think of them as boring already; they’re quality people.

ALEXANDRE DULAUNOY, FLICKR

THE PARTY ANIMAL

TETRA PAK, FLICKR

Who? Hipsters are people who think out-of-thebox and have absolutely no interest in being on the same page as you and me. They have an itch to save Mother Nature (that’s a good thing). And they will never have coffee; 100% organic tea is their preference.

Why should I date them? You’ll be introduced to an alternate lifestyle; you’ll soon realise they get a bad reputation for no reason.

THE FEMINIST

THE READER

RAWKBLOG4, FLICKR

THE HIPSTER

DAT

 The gold digger bank balance is more satisfying. Don’t blow that Remember – a stable up for this kind.

bic  The commitmentonapho lity. They’re only full of words and are This is a confused pers . probably just playing around with you

you like sh*t  The one who treats . Unless you have some major selfone this Don’t even think about esteem issues.

 The workaholic e who treat you like sh*t. Again, don’t.

No different from thos more-smarter-than-you-are  The I-am-so-muching you do you down and underestimate everyth They will constantly put things correctly. Let this one go. because they believe only they can do

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23-12-2013 19:57:40

POINT OF VIEW

A winner despite the odds

NishaJamVwal meets Mary Kom and narrates why we must look to the pugilist for inspiration and guidance in the new year 68 Youth Incorporated JANUARY 2014

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23-12-2013 20:00:58

UKININDIA, FLICKR

I

n an age where affluent parents pamper their kids, Mary Kom’s poverty, struggle, austere life and subsequent success stand out in stark contrast. We need to look at our excesses in perspective. With the onset of the new year, perhaps our resolutions must be shaped by Mary Kom’s story.

I had tears in my eyes through the fight that got Mary Kom the bronze at the London Olympics. And today when I meet her, it feels like it was yesterday that every Indian was rooting for her. Why is she special?

Mary Kom, from a tribal community of Manipur, epitomises a woman who became triumphant despite all the odds. Until the very end, she fought opponents who were heavier and taller than she was. She works very hard for every single win. So does her family.

The stronger and more successful you are, the greater is the support and love you’ve had from a family behind you. In her case,a silent, strong, supportive and understated family.

However much Onler Kom may deny it, he and the rest of Mary Kom’s family are the wind beneath her wings that gives her the impetus to fight and humbly promise India that she will win gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Her journey has been an arduous one. Inspired by the famous Manipuri boxer Dingko Singh, an Asian Games gold medallist, Mary Kom gave up books for boxing gloves. But, had to hide her interests from her family.

However, all that changed after her victory in Manipur’s state women’s boxing championship in 2000.

“Boxing is not easy,” Mary says.

“When I started, my male friends would say it is not a woman’s sport.

But I say if men can do it, why not women? When I had two children, even my father did not believe in me, let alone others. However, my family’s love and support helped me reach my dream. It has been a tough journey. I carried on with the support of family and friends.”

She married Onler Kom and had twin sons, Rechungvar and

Khupneivar. Her husband played a crucial role in her growth, and time and again Mary Kom gives him credit.

Marriage and motherhood were a challenge but they turned out to be her strength. Onler stayed at home and catered to their twin sons while Mary Kom travelled the world, trying to bring laurels. After a two-year sabbatical, Mary Kom came back to win the World Championship twice.

The silent and supportive Onler pushed her to achieve her dreams.

“Everyone thinks she made it because of my support,” he says,“but I am just doing my homework. Because of my love for Mary, I can cook and wash and do everything. She says, ‘If men can do it why not women?’”

In Mary’s own words…

“In my early days, my parents let me get into boxing. After marriage too, which was a crucial turning point, I received the same love and permission from my in-laws and husband to move on with my career.

“My lovely and naughty kids came into my life with greater responsibilities, but my husband sees tends to them and never lets me feel, even for a moment, that my absence has done harm to our family.”

“The hardest part of my training is being away from my kids, but there is

not much I should be tensed about in managing my life as a mother and a wife as Onler is always there to follow up.”

“Competition has become so tough in every field. No matter what your career is, what matters is success.

Even in boxing, come to Manipur and you will see how many boxers are embracing this sport as their career, but few go through. We’ve got to be really good to excel at it.

“Always be sincere towards your goal, work hard and never give up.

Remember: God works in disguise.”

Onler says…

“It is all about understanding, respecting each other’s feelings and being there in time of need, which might need not your presence but concern.My message is: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes. Always.” 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 JANUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 69

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FASHION

Like the saying goes, ‘In with the new and out with the old’, we predict which new fashion trends you should bank on for the coming months

Yell `2199 `

Lifestyle `1799

Lifestyle `1899

Lifestyle `1099 1099

Kazo `2490

Zara `3990

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BEAUTY

Ishika Taneja

FACE For radiant skin, using a good face-only product is important. A face wash opens up clogged pores allowing skin to breathe and leaving it fresh and glowing.

LIPS

FEET Clean and Clear `95

A little known fact about lips is that the skin cover around them is much less compared to the face and the rest of the body, so imagine the considerable damage to it during the cold. For luscious lips, use a good lip balm

BODY

Celeb Secrets

Most notably seen in recent Hindi films ‘Fukrey’ and ‘Bajatey Raho’, Vishakaha Singh stars in the soonto-release horror film ‘The Maya Tape’ alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Skin care regime Cleansing, toning and moisturising. I also apply vitamin E on the area around the eye.

Magic make-up trick Lipstick and kajal instantly transform a person.

Favourite fragrance It changes with my mood. Currently, it’s Versace Woman.

Your feet need as much care as the rest of your body. Eliminate susceptibility to cracks by using these recommended foot creams

Favourite makeup brand MAC 5 beauty must-haves Lipstick, compact, kajal, lip balm and make-up cleansing wipes A beauty faux pas Wearing the same colour of eye shadow, blusher and lipstick!

Fashion advice for young women Keep it simple. Highlight only one feature.

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G-SPOT the

Gadgets Gizmos Geeks

Which is the best smartphone?

Smartphones have become so revolutionised, they can be used to do just about anything from changing television channels to updating lists on your computer. With that in mind and the recent releases of new high-end smartphones, we compare the top players in the smartphone market to decide which really provides the best value for money.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S5

GOOGLE NEXUS 5

`45,000 (EXPECTED)

FEATURES Display: 5-inch, 2560x1440 resolution at 560 ppi Operating system: Android 4.4 (KitKat) RAM: 3 GB Storage: 32 GB and 64 GB variants with micro SD slot Processor: 64-bit Samsung Exynos chipset or Exynos 5420 Octacore processor Camera: 16 megapixel rear facing main camera. 2.1 megapixel front facing secondary camera Battery: 16 to 18 hours

`29,000

FEATURES Display: 4.95-inch, 1920Ă—1080 resolution at 445 ppi Operating system: Android 4.4 (KitKat) RAM: 2 GB Storage: 16 GB and 32 GB Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, 2.3GHz Camera: 8 megapixel rear facing main camera and 1.3 megapixel front facing secondary camera Battery: 14 to 16 hours Dimensions: 5.43 x 2.64 x 0.34 inches Weight: 130 grams

APPLE iPHONE 5S `53,000

FEATURES Display: 4-inch 1136 x 640 resolution at 326 ppi Operating system: iOS 7 RAM: 1 GB Storage: 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB Processor: Apple A7 (64bit), M7 Motion Coprocessor Camera: 8 megapixel rear facing main camera and 1.2 megapixel front facing secondary camera Battery: 16 to 18 hours Dimension: 4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 inches Weight: 112 grams

FINAL VERDICT: The rumoured Galaxy S5 seems to beat its competition hands down. But since there is no official confirmation on the specifications, we are inclined to give the title to the Nexus 5 which has a good performance level across apps, games and network usage 72 Youth Incorporated JANUARY 2014

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NEW GADGETS

Hone your English skills

FREE APPS

Improve your vocabulary, grammar and speech

of the

MONTH

ENGLISH IDIOMS FREE Platform: Android Description: Consisting

Sony playstation 4 `39,990

After 7 years, Sony has finally launched an update to its flagship gaming console design which is much desired by most.

FEATURES Gaming performance is excellent DualShock 4 controller is much improved from previous version Visibly positive graphical improvements compared to predecessor Limited video sharing options from gameplay Simple interface which is moderately inconvenient to use

FINAL VERDICT: The PlayStation 4 is the best gaming console designed by Sony till date. The console puts together an excellent gaming experience and is probably the best gaming device available in the market

google nexus 7 `27,999

The Nexus 7 is the latest addition to Google's range of tablets. It has a sturdy body and unique design.

FEATURES 7.02 inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 Internal storage of 32 GB; 2 GB RAM Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor works quite fast Android 4.4 (KitKat) operating system 5 megapixel main rear camera and 1.2 megapixel secondary front camera Bluetooth 4.0 enabled and 3G LTE enabled

FINAL VERDICT: At the price it is selling for, the new Nexus 7 is not worth the money. A better option would be to pick up the older model with 3G.

OXFORD A-Z OF GRAMMAR & PUNCTUATION

of about 3500 idioms, the English Idioms Free app is perfect to transform your speech and writing into something more colourful and interesting. The app provides a list of idioms and phrases and also covers its meaning, usage and derivation.

Platform: Android, iOS Description: One of the

VOCAB PICTIONARY GRE Platform: Android

Description: It is believed that an image lasts in a person’s mind for a considerable amount of time. Dwelling on that thought, Vocab Pictionary Gre is an app that uses pictures to describe words.

It caters to vocabulary needs of anyone looking to learn new words, and also those that are in the preparatory phases of competitive exams like GRE, MBA and CAT etc.

most reliable and easy to use grammar and punctuation apps, you can never go wrong with an Oxford. Covering everything under the sun about grammar and punctuation, this app includes descriptions, usage and examples in grammar and puncuations.

WORD SEARCH PUZZLES Platform: Android, iOS Description: The Word Search Puzzle app is a fun

and very addictive way of acquainting yourself with new and existing words in the form of puzzles and crosswords. Ditch books and newspapers for your fix of puzzles and crosswords by downloading this fun app.

MERRIAM WEBSTER Platform: Android, iOS Description: Dubbed as being the Holy Grail in

the world of English, a dictionary is the best and most important reference point when aiming at perfecting this language. Keeping one handy, even if it is on your phone, is always a good idea.

JANUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 73

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PROMOTION

Fighting

Global

Leadership Deficit

AIESEC stresses the need for effective leadership in our country and the steps they are taking to groom leaders through their initiative

W

hen we look at all the problems enveloping our planet, the ultimate solution one might arrive at would be leadership.

Nations are outgrowing their old spots and constantly striving towards securing new positions, politically and economically.

In a nation like ours, for the claims of power to be legitimate, the powers

need to be fastened in place. In his article in the Deccan Herald around the same issue, Harish Pant rightly points out, “There is not only an absence of big ideas backed by political conviction, but there is also an intellectual vacuity.”

Today we are faced with crises in the field of healthcare, climate change and economic disparities. Combating these issues requires fresh leadership more than ever since the current leaders are mediocre, both in political as well as business scenarios. For example, India launched its first nuclear submarine and dissolved millions of money and is home to a major portion of the world’s poorest children. In fact, there is an overall lack of leaders that are capable of handling social and business enterprises, which can enable a future of good international relations.

Therefore, there is a need for these frontrunners to be endowed with skills but also be global in the truest of sense.

Realising the gravity of the situation, the Indian network of AIESEC, the

world’s largest youth run organisation has decided to host its trademark event Youth to Business Forum themed around the same topic in the month of January in 2014. The event will see the coming together of thousands of young leaders, to witness several valuable sessions that will both question and answer the existence of leadership and its many upshots.

Youth to Business Forum 2014 will be held in Hyderabad and will consist of an exquisite agenda, covering some of the most sound issues cobwebbing the idea of internationalism and leadership. This event will open several young minds to unexplored arenas that will get them questioning their own potentials and passions. It will bridge the gap between youngsters and the challenging world of business.

In the past, Youth to Business has focused on essentials like entrepreneurship, corporate responsibility and innovation. This year too, the AIESEC India network is hoping to set new standards and move toward greater heights. For more details, visit www.y2b.aiesec.in yi

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23-12-2013 20:11:38

Rising STAR

Sujit Meher is an alumnus of National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bangalore, having dropped out from an engineering college previously. At the age of 22, he started his own fashion label called Tilottama and wants to bring back the culture of Indian handlooms by infusing it with modern fashion trends Why leave engineering for design?

I was always interested in fashion but my parents enrolled me in engineering. Two years into engineering college, I was given an opportunity to stage a fashion show. I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to know more about the fashion world and started researching. I applied to NIFT without informing my parents and passed the entrance exam. I am grateful that they supported me after that.

Your dream come true would be

The day Tilottama reaches every corner of the globe

Your favourite personal design I haven’t reached my own satisfaction level yet.

Advice for young designers

Your personal inspiration

Don’t let anything kill your dream. Don’t let anything take away your individuality. If you want something done, get it done at any cost. Make the projects and designs that you really want to.

Three designers you look up to

A celebrity you would like to design for

Your greatest achievement

A fashion faux pas young people should avoid

Your goal as a designer

To popularise Indian art and design all over the globe My grandfather

I believe designers shouldn't follow others.

I believe in making my own footprints.

Some people in my hometown read a report in the newspaper about me and asked my father, “Do you know this guy, Sujit Meher? He is from our town.” My father proudly replied, “He is my son.”

That was my greatest achievement.

Your brand Tilottama is about...

Design for cause. The brand aims to reintroduce real Indian art and design to the current generation in order to salvage our forgotten culture.

Culture for you is…

My identity and my pride

None really. I would rather design for the common man.

The changing attitude of inferiority towards our Indian handloom attire disappoints me. I understand the typical Indian handloom cloth has a lot of limitations but the same fabric can be used to make trendy modern clothes. That’s what I am aiming to achieve.

Your fashion prediction for 2014

Minimal fashion with natural fabric clothing yi JANUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated 75

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B O O K M ATC H M A K E R B O O K M ATC H M A K E R

BEST OF

M o v i e s

/

T V

/

M u s i c

/

B o o k s

END OF STORY? BY ARJUN SHEKHAR

Arjun Shekhar’s second novel is an exploration of the corruption that exists in the media-big business nexus. Through the lead Shukrat Ali, an anchor at Khulasa channel, Shekhar looks at the power advertising has over media content and how a loss of that influence topples businesses. It’s a competent enough plot for a thriller but the writing bogs down the reading experience.

Clunky dialogue that isn’t in line with character personalities is the biggest drawback. However, the humour keeps you fairly interested.

MEDIA MANIPULATION

Lies, deceit, control, manipulation and all the other dark faces of the mass media 1984

by George Orwell

Fahrenheit 451

by Ray Bradbury

Trust Me, I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator

by Ryan Holiday

JOURNALISM: Insights into the life of a journalist at different times, in different situations, reveal the dangers of the job

In Cold Blood

by Truman Capote

New Grub Street

by George Gissing

Miss Lonelyhearts

by Nathanael West

CORPORATE CORRUPTION

When the powers-that-be seek more power and control, it is the common man that suffers Saving Faith

by David Baldacci

Skinny Dip

by Carl Hiaasen

The Darlings

by Cristina Alger

B O O K M ATC H M A K E R B O O K M ATC H M A K E R

iMHO

76 Youth Incorporated JANUARY 2014

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23-12-2013 21:23:09

COUPLE DUETS WE LOVE

Justin Bieber recently announced that he was going to retire but later revealed it to be a joke. Here are the musicians we think should retire for good

Musical couple John Mayer and Katy Perry recently released the music video for a duet they performed together. Here is a look at the best duets musical couples have produced in the last few years

Who: Jason Derulo and Jordin Sparks Song: It Girl (Remix) is about a man confessing to the woman he loves that she is the perfect woman for him and he is glad to have finally found her because he doesn’t need to worry about the rest of his life anymore.

What we love: The harmonies by the couple over the RnB tune make it seem like they really believe in what they are singing and that they are truly made for each other.

Who: Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton Song: Over You was written by the couple about the death of Blake’s brother. It was originally recorded by Miranda alone but has been performed by the couple several times.

What we love: Although not a love song, this country ballad reaffirms us that love makes us stronger and helps us through difficult times.

A L R E A D Y !

R E T I R E

Who: Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles Song: Crazy in Love is about the extremes that someone can go to when they fall head over heels in love with someone else.

What we love: This was the beginning of the formation of a powerhouse in the music industry.

The upbeat rhythm brings out the best of both the musicians.

J U S T

Who: John Mayer and Katy Perry Song: Who You Love is about relationships and how they are like riding a bull – you got to buckle up and hold on through all sorts of storms together.

What we love: The raw, acoustic tune which resembles the actual feeling of falling in love with innocence and no inhibitions attached.

JUSTIN BIEBER

Jokes aside, he really should call it quits simply based on the music he makes

REBECCA BLACK

Enough with the days of the week; we know Saturday comes after Friday

NICKELBACK

All their songs sound the same and no listens to them anymore. Why do they try?

THE ROLLING STONES

Mick is going to have a heart attack someday. We just don’t want to see it happen on stage

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24-12-2013 15:08:05

FILM FILM BATTLE BATTLE 2013’S BEST BEST BIOPICS 2013’S BIOPICS With the release of Scorsese’s magnum opus, The Wolf of Wall Street, this month, we put it against some of the best biopics that made headlines in the year that was

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET About: Jordan Belfort Director: Martin

v/s

Scorsese

Stars: Leonardo

DiCaprio, Jonah Hill Synopsis: The Wolf of Wall Street is about New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort (played by DiCaprio) whose nouveau riche lifestyle and frivolous attitude trap him in a large securities fraud case that creates widespread corruption on Wall Street and in its corresponding business sectors.

JOBS About: Steve Jobs Director: Joshua

Michael Stern Stars: Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney Synopsis: Jobs revolves around the life of Steve Jobs, the cofounder, chairman and CEO of Apple Inc. With Kutcher as Jobs, the story treads his professional and personal journey: from inventing some of the most iconic gadgets the world has seen, to his life with his wife and their two kids.

SAVING MR. BANKS

v/s

About: P.L. Travers Director: John Lee

Hancock Stars: Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson Synopsis: Saving Mr. Banks starring Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks tells the untold story of the making of the classic film Mary Poppins by Walt Disney. It follows Walt’s journey as he strives to convince Travers to allow for her iconic book to be adapted into a movie, the struggles that he faces along the way and his success.

v/s

DIANA About: Diana, Princess of Wales Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel Stars: Naomi Watts, Naveen Andrews Synopsis: Diana is based on Princess Diana’s secret love affair with Dr Hasrat Khan, a Pakistani heart surgeon, and Dodi Fayad, during the final two years of her life following her divorce from Prince Charles. The screenplay of the movie is based on the 2001 book Diana: Her Last Love.

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PLACES AND EVENTS FOR THE MONTH

CAPERBERRY, BANGALORE One of the finest restaurants in Bangalore, Caperberry is known to give its customers a truly memorable experience when it comes to mouthwatering food.

CUISINE: Spanish, Mediterranean, lounge FOOD AND DRINKS: The almost MasterChef Australia level of a la carte is classy and sincere. The Assorted Spherification, New age Salad Caprese, Interpretation of Meen Moilee, Roger Langbour Duck and the Cryo-Espuma dessert are the musthaves at this eatery. The chefs are creative and constantly experimenting with molecular gastronomy.

The expensive wine list features the best of over 80 wines to pick from.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: The food is exquisite and the staff is courteous and polite. The large windows filter natural light during the day and an excellent ambience at night. The lounge music adds to the delightful atmosphere.

The Estate Building, 48/1, Ground Floor, 121 Dickenson Road, Bangalore 560042 - Ashok Shetty

400

`1 n per perso

ALL AMERICAN DINER, NEW DELHI

`450

n per perso

Do you happen to be a great fan of American lifestyle? Then suit yourself with All American Diner, a typical Americanised eatery which plays music from classic musicians of the 60s and 70s like The Beatles, Elvis and Chuck Berry, and has the clichéd cherry-red booths and bar stools.

CUISINE: American, fast food FOOD AND DRINKS: The menu consists of authentic varieties of American, Italian and Mexican food which makes it a one-of-a-kind restaurant in Delhi. The hit items on the menu are the fresh waffles and pancakes, eggs, burgers, malts and milkshakes. The Sunrise Skillet, 1001 Dalmatians and Classic Surf & Turf are everyone’s favourites, followed by the Chocolate Chip Pancakes for dessert. The meals are offered in generous amounts, certainly adequate for everyone’s appetite.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: The 60s style New York City decor is stunning. Anyone who enjoys delicious food and a vibrant atmosphere can hop in with their friends.

Lobby Level, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110003 - Rucha Solgama

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TART, MUMBAI

Starting off as just a pickup dessert parlour, Tart has recently opened up a sit-down café that merges dessert parlour with deli-style café food.

CUISINE: Deli, bakery and desserts FOOD AND DRINKS: The savoury items on the menu can serve as a quick snack or a light meal. The basil chicken dim sum is a tasty dish served with a delicious honey-lemon dip. The Khao Suey is a mini meal which can be opted for in vegetarian or chicken and has a fun do-it-yourself requirement. The pastries are delicious as expected. The Millionaire Shortbread is rich with chocolate and caramel and has a nice base of biscuit. The custard-filled Cronut is very sweet with a powdered sugar-coating, chocolate glaze and cinnamon flavour. The best drink to enjoy is undoubtedly the hot chocolate while the Café Mocha is also a good choice.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: The outdoor seating ambience is excellent for a quiet conversation. The food tastes great and the pricing is fairly reasonable. It is a gem-of-a-café to enjoy a friendly gettogether.

Solace Building, Shop 2, 33rd Road, Near Mini Punjab, Bandra West, Mumbai 400050 - Sean Sequeira

EVENTS THIS MONTH

`200

n per perso

UPVAN ARTS FESTIVAL

LUSOFONIA GAMES 2014

To be held around the largest lake in Thane city, the eponymous Upvan Arts Festival will be an excellent platform for visual and performing artists to display their talents and for audience members to enjoy a wide variety of culture and art at a scenic location.

Thane – 10 to 12 January

Modelled along the lines of the Commonwealth Games, the Lusofonia Games 2014 is a multinational sporting competition that will bring together countries and cultures that share a common thread in their appreciation for the Portuguese language.

Goa – 18 to 29 January

INDIA BIKE WEEK 2014 The festival dedicated to bikes, bikers and music will be held at Goa this year. The Woodstock of biking festivals is expected to be larger and louder than ever with over 10,000 people this time. It is the only festival in India that is all about bikes, bikers and music.

Goa – 17 and 18 January JANUARY 2014 Youth Incorporated

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_GRAFFITI

TRENDING THIS MONTH CELL PHONE CR ASHIN G

ur n alist, ourite joaccused v fa ’s n io s t wa T he n ab oswami,es . He went on Ar n a G rib b g in to a lonegd t p of acceg the accuser in in spir te’ h to dra argument whic ‘tribu a e t drawn is fan s to creaargument one of gh ba sed on the son

A'S OBAM SELFIE R AL FUNE

At Nelson Man ceremony, Baradela's funeral posed with the ck Obama British prime Danish an d a diplomatic seminister s in the world talk lfie that got awkward politin g about ics .

Blunder Years

Isn't it always annoying when people talk loudly on the phone when out in public? A random dude decided to teach them a lesso n by pranking them at an airport while board their plane The vidwaiting to eo is quite hilarious because.we love pranks.

PLE A TO BOLLYW

O OD

Comedy trou plan s to releas pe All In dia Bakchod had e but were denieda ‘Dhoom 3’ trailer spoof Film s. In stead, permission by Ya sh Raj they released message to a funny Bollywood in athe production houses of video titled ‘AIB ’s H Plea to Bollyw ood (Dhoom 3) umble ’

Gay for a Day

The Supreme C ourt verdict to uphold Sec ti on 377 and criminalise h was met withomosexuality opposition on stif f Not just folk s social media. but LGBT suppin India from all over thor ters e world par ticipated the Gay for a Day campaiin photos of th gn by posting selves online in suggestiveem p os es with a per son of the same sex.

By Lavanya Karthik

82 Youth Incorporated JANUARY 2014

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