Ever Heard of National Sports Day?

August 29, 2013

National Sports Day - Indian women's hockey team — Indian women’s hockey team

Are you surprised that we do have a day dedicated for sports?! Various sporting events are being organised across the country as part of the National Sports Day celebration to commemorate the birth anniversary of Indian hockey legend Dhyan Chand. This is a welcome change as compared to our favourite blame game that we begin every time India fares sadly in a major sporting event – government is not doing its job, sports officials are corrupt, athletes don’t have killer instincts, parents don’t care about sports in schools, etc, etc. However, we forget to ask the key question behind all these problems: Do we have a sporting culture?

Devangini M, well known art & luxury consultant and an army wife says, “In a cricket crazy country, I was born to a Ranji Trophy cricketer who also toured across Europe for the Kuwaiti Cricket Team and retired as the Secretary of the Veteran’s Cricket Association of Orissa. My father, Dev Mahapatra, remained high on sports, which ensured that my family was well exposed to sports early on. In fact, growing up, I found it strange that many of my classmates in school had absolutely no interest in sports! Sports, while an integral part of a school curriculum, has failed to show up in actual interest among children.”

That brings up the question: Why does our country lack such a sporting culture?

Sunny Bond from the Sports Coaching Foundation aptly put it this way, “The problem is deep rooted in the Indian psyche. Education and Sports are usually seen as two different entities working at cross purposes than as a part of growing up. It is preposterous to think all kids who play will turn out to be Olympians. Almost everything that is wrong with Independent India is blamed as a legacy of the British, but would it be wrong to suggest along with them we got rid of their sports culture? India, is said to be a melting pot of cultures and we have a rich tradition of accepting all that is best. Why can’t we, for a change accept recreational sport for our children as a part of their growing up?”

Sunny asks another crucial question “Why the government agencies entrusted with managing sports in our country, the Sports Authority of India, Indian Olympic Association are all run by politicians and bureaucrats, and not by technocrats or sportspersons? The technocrats serving under the stifling dominance of politicians cannot work up to their full potential, and at times become party to the corrupt ways. Vast funds are swindled regularly. The recent 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi is a classic example of the rot that has set in.”

C S Thapa, a retired brigadier feels the recent International Olympic Committee’s decision to ban Indian Olympic Association for untoward practices is a step in the right direction, but this is not the only issue that ails Indian sports. There are a host of problems that can be summarised in one short word: lack of sporting culture. India favours rote learning which is repeated memorisation of written text where sports has no value. Although rote learning has made India into a knowledge hub, it has cut down our critical thinking and value for sports.

Thankfully, things are changing both on the institutional front as well as performance front. The Marks for Sports Campaign by NDTV India is playing a great role in ensuring sports becomes a part of school curriculum. The splendid feat achieved by our athletes at 2012 London Olympics seems to have turned the tide. Similarly, a series of outstanding performances have aroused public interest in sports other than cricket.

2011 FIBA Asia Championship – Indian women’s basketball team led by Geethu Anna Jose earn their best result, finishing at the 6th position
2012 Olympic Games – most successful Olympics with a total medal tally of 6 medals
2013 Junior Women Hockey World Cup – Indian women’s team wins first ever bronze medal powered by Rani Rampal’s splendid goals
2013 World Badminton Championships – Rising shuttler PV Sindhu becomes the first Indian woman singles player to win a bronze medal, while Parupalli Kashyap reach the quarterfinals and rises to No.7 on the BWF men’s singles ranking
2013 Archery World Cup – Indian team wins back-to-back World Cup titles in the women’s recurve team event

National Sports Day - New Badminton star - P V Sindhu — New Badminton star – P V Sindhu

Numerous sports marketing companies are entering the Indian market to nurture talent and promote sports. However, despite these achievements, the immense focus on cricket overshadows all other sports. The overwhelming attention cricket gets among sports marketing companies makes it even tougher for emerging talents of non-cricket sports to grab eyeballs.

Suhrid Barua, a respected sports columnist says “The year 2013 is expected to be the turning point for sports marketing in other sports. The Hockey India League was a smashing hit with two-wheeler giant Hero Motors Corp solidly backing the league. The sight of hockey players having sponsorship logos embossed on their shirts and shorts was a never-before-seen kind of thing for hockey buffs in the country. Clearly, the sporting heroes of non-cricket sports have a lot to look forward to. The Badminton Association of India has already launched the inaugural Indian Badminton League, while the Wrestling Federation of India will be holding the Indian Wrestling League later this year.”

Hopefully, we will see sports marketing in India scale a new high in the coming years, given the phenomenal performances of athletes from various sports.

Factfile –

http://www.thehindu.com
http://www.firstpost.com
http://www.millenniumpost.in
http://kammelasitasunilnaidu.blogspot.in/
http://newschoupal.com
http://www.topnews.in

Let children celebrate Kitchen Garden Day

Levine Lawrence

August 25, 2013

Flowering plants and vegetables

For any idea to get implemented in our mind, we need to start young. I have observed many of my friends who are extremely concerned about environmental degradation, but they do nothing about it. They claim to be helpless individuals who can’t set the entire system right. However, have they at least educated their children about environment?

Children do not have any patience to listen to our bhashan (preaching) on environmental problems. They would rather watch TV, play games or do some activity. Talking about activity, there is one activity that children will be interested – kitchen garden!

Why kitchen garden for kids?

Tweego and Fangchu plant a sapling

Kids have a natural affinity to flowers and butterflies. Having a tiny kitchen garden can ensure that they get to see flowers and butterflies occasionally. Another fun element for children is playing with water and mud. However, parents have to be careful otherwise things can get really messy! The biggest advantage of growing vegetables in your kitchen garden is that you get organic food free of any pesticides and rich in nutrients. How exciting would it be if you ask your daughter to go pluck some fresh tomatoes from your own garden!

Organic farming can greatly reduce the harm caused by large-scale agriculture to insects and birds. Although organic farming at home does not help alter the equation in a big way, we can at least get clean chemical-free homegrown vegetables at home. With the prices of vegetables skyrocketing, we could save a few rupees spent on curry leaves, chillies, tomatoes, mint, etc.

Ek Titli, a Pune-based environmental awareness organisation has created a cute cartoon character named ‘Tweego’. Vaibhav Dugar, co-founder of Ek Titli says “it is our earnest effort to create awareness amongst children of today to care for the environment by providing information through entertainment.

Space and time constraint?

Not having enough space in your apartment can be a constraining factor, but you can somehow squeeze in a few pots on window ledges and balconies. Urban Leaves, a group of concerned individuals in Mumbai came together in 2009 to create a community-based farming group to grow vegetables on terraces. If a bunch of Mumbaikars can become best practitioners in kitchen gardening, people in rest of India can’t have a reason to complain about space, right?

Are you too busy with work and struggling to maintain a work-life balance? Don’t worry, all you need is a day’s work during a weekend and just a few minutes of watering and weeding every alternate day. Did you know, the White House has a kitchen garden of its own? The First Lady Michelle Obama herself tends the plants!

Meanwhile, Kitchen Gardeners International, a global voluntary organization coordinates with other NGOs to celebrate the World Kitchen Garden Day. Celebrated every year on the 4th Sunday of August, this is an opportunity for people around the world to gather in their gardens with friends, family, and members of their local community to enjoy the benefits of home-grown organic food. So, let’s go outside in the sun today and play with soil, water, and plants!

Factfile –

www.kgi.org
www.ektitli.org
www.urbanleaves.org
www.pinterest.com

Bangalore By-two Coffee!

Priyanka Rele

August 22, 2013

There is no one way to explain the city of Bangalore, now referred to as Bengaluru; right from the time it was christened, it has been a multi-cultured, multi-ethnic and migrant city. Beginning from those Arab horse traders and barefoot citizens in a chariot procession during the British Raj to the present millions landing to find an IT/BPO job, this city has been an amalgamation of cultures and geographic diversities. This diversity has invariably left Bangaloreans in a constant state of evolution; if you look hard enough it is easy to find a typical Bangalorean; all you need is a little skill and lots of humour.

India Infographics - About Bangalore — Bird’s eye view of Bangalore – Prakash Shelke

Bangaloreans are proud people; they love talking about the awesome weather of their city and the horrific tales about the traffic jams. That would be your first clue. If your neighbour’s chest inflates and become breasts while talking about the weather, then, you can be 100% sure that you have found “THE ONE”. Once you’ve spotted them and know that you have to interact with them then, remember that a Bangalorean doesn’t find ‘Bommasandra’, ‘Dickenson Road’, ‘Lingarajpuram’ and ‘Cox Town’ funny! These are real places in the city, which you will visit them quite often.

“Uuuuuuuu” is their favorite suffix; Bangalore has just become Bengaluru and almost every word in every language find itself followed by the famous uuuuu… for example: busu, caru, trainu, orderu, etc. Try asking someone for directions, the reply would be something like: “strrraaaighhttt hogi, aamale lefftttuuuuuu matthe rightuuu”. The length of the uuuuuuuuu should help you determine how far ahead you need to travel.

A typical conversation with your ever friendly Bangalore neighbour would like this:

You: Hi Aunty
Aunty: Hello, how are you? Where are you from? What do you do?

You: I am fine aunty; I am from ‘blah blah’ and am a software engineer in ABC.
Aunty: Aaaaaa, software engineeraaa? My son is also a software engineeru; he is working in a MNC company.

You: Oh is it? What does he work on?
Aunty: That and all I don’t know ma… Something he works and comes home verrrrryyyyy late at night… It is a big company you know…

You: where is his company?
Aunty: How do I know… he keeps jumping jobs every six months!

I can guarantee that out of your 5 neighbours, at least 3 would have the same questions and same replies.

Bangalore is probably one of those few places in India where you’d find the bar crowded at 7:30 pm and empty at 11:30pm. Yes, Bangaloreans got tired of everyone cribbing about the dreaded 11:30pm deadline for pubs, so they just decided to drag everyone along and hit the pub at 7:00pm instead.

If you’ve been in Bangalore for a while, then you would have given up on predicting the auto rikshaw fares or the weather. Auto Rajas have unanimously decided to surprise us with their fares; it’s almost like playing housie, you can never guess which magic number they will come up with. But never try to act smart by insisting on paying by the meter; Auto Raja will take you for a ride across the town and you will empty your wallet to pay the meter bill! But you can act smart and take the BMTC Volvo AC bus instead.
And yes, it is official, the weather gods in Bangalore are ever scheming; they love playing mind games with you, so always carry an umbrella, some warm clothes and a sun tan lotion in your bag. If you are really lucky, you will use all three the same day.
Just because you weren’t born in this city doesn’t mean you are not a Bangalorean. Samosapedia finds that most Bangaloreans dont seem to come from Karnataka at all! These days, anyone who isn’t from Bangalore is actually a Bangalorean, and as long as you can coolly say “Kannada Gotilla” (I do not know Kannada), “Swalpa adjust maadi” (please don’t mind), you classify to be in this category. It’s almost a style statement in the city, although the locals will just use this to rip you off, the ‘high-society’ thinks “you’re in, maccha”.
How can we talk about Bangalore and not talk about the IT revolution in the city? Every other person in the city is an IT professional. It’s easy to find them, they do not know how to drive, they not know where they are, and they stare at a menu card for 15 minutes before they figure out what’s on it. Of course not all of them are Bangaloreans but if you do find a Bangalorean in this ever increasing population of techies then just ask them how many languages they can program in and how many they can converse in. On an average the answer would be 4 in each category.

Can't miss the idlis, vadas, dosas & coffees — Can’t miss the idlis, vadas, dosas & coffees

You will find people from almost every place on earth in Bangalore, most of them constantly complain, but the rest are more optimistic. However it’s interesting to note that all those people who complain about this city would never leave it. They’d brave the Auto Rajas, gulp down those hot idlis, sip by-two coffees, and add to the traffic woes instead of packing their bags and going home. Maybe that’s because even they know that as long as you are a Bangalorean, you’re part of the coolest crowd and everybody else on this earth is super jealous of you.

Factfile –
http://speebee.blogspot.in
http://vadakkus.com
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com

Postings: The Ailment of Every Army Wife

Devangini

August 12, 2013

How would we describe an army wife’s life… Rather than tragical, I would say being an army wife is magical. What exactly makes it magical? One small word: postings. All the sweat and tears come and go as per this small word.

The armed forces, the Indian army in particular, take you through the length and breadth of the country. And sometimes, if you are lucky, abroad as well! Life changes for an army wife every two and a half years – sometimes, even less. I have heard countless “horror” stories where the officer would have just reached a station and his wife would have proudly unpacked her last box, when news of a sudden border posting would come through. The house gets packed once again in a span of five days and they set sail: hopes high, and the inconvenience completely forgotten. Well, then we have the various kinds of postings. Life has taken me from one hamlet to a smallish town and finally to the big bad city of Delhi. In between, I have seen Indore and one or two others places intermittently. Wellington was the high point all thanks to the gaggle of friends and the constantly bussing weekends that would start on Wednesday nights only to finish in the wee hours of the following Tuesday morning. If the army wives were missing something vital in terms of convenience and opportunity, they were too busy to notice.

Notice you do when you are in tiny speck on the highway. Mirthal was one such place. Just like Jaisalmer. Just like Lalgarh Jatta. Just like the North East. Nothing visible for miles around except cattle, villagers, paddy fields or sand. So what do a group of six ladies (and their children), do there? Kept our inverters well charged so that we could face the eight hour long power outs with at least two fans and the TV (always the TV!), made ice cream at home because, ahem, the villagers had not heard of it (not until 2010 at least), and make do with badminton for entertainment in the evenings.

Yet, the quality of life was thriving. We were doing what a real army wife does: welfare. The jawans and their families flourished under our one-on-one care. We were given a free hand to decide on how we would help and educate ladies and kids from other ranks. The experience was always more than just satisfying; it created a bond, a sense of being meaningful to so many people. And for that, I only have the Indian Army to thank. And now there is Delhi. Where do I start? Delhi was, more than anything else, an eye opener. To begin with, it demonstrated just how hard life can be in a big city where everything is spread out. A trip to the grocers, for example, is never just a trip to the grocers. You drive through traffic, fight with the auto rickshaw driver about the fare, get there only to realise that they do not stock the milk you are used to. Then you finish shopping, sifting through the rubble of commercialization, and head to another place. Just for milk. That’s not all. There are no friends in sight. You might be used to the close bonding you enjoyed in Wellington, Mirthal, Jaisalmer, or even Pune cantonment: but now all that is over. As you shift accommodation every three months until you are allotted permanent accommodation, you realise it is already time for the next posting. But the brain of an army wife or an army brat takes to anything new in no time at all. And that is precisely what I am trying to do. I know there is the fear of getting too used to this; to the point of not being able to adjust to a smaller station! However, I am yet to come across an army wife who looks me in the eye and admits as much. Anyone who has been in Delhi before meeting you in that small station will always have a special light in her eye when she speaks of Delhi – even when speaking of the negative aspects. Yet, the memories are merely that, memories. Meant to be cherished rather than pulling you down when you reach that small station two years later. I think I’ll let Delhi wash over my Army wife soul before I move on to the next scene.

Some Great Books About Indian Armed Forces

We Recommend…

Army Wives: The Unwritten Code of Military Marriage

We Recommend…

Soldier & Spice: An Army Wife’s Life: 1

We Recommend…

Guns, Guts and Glory: Stories from the Battlefield

Factfile –
http://www.thehindu.com
http://sainiksamachar.nic.in
http://www.awwa.in

The Great Luxury Trains of India

Caleidoscope

August 8, 2013

Three brothers who reunite to travel across India on a luxury train named the Darjeeling Limited is the setting and plot to Wes Anderson’s 2007 film “The Darjeeling Limited”. Although the luxury railway in the movie is fictional, the concept is very real across India. For those who want to explore the country but avoid the crowded and unkempt roads, there’s a much better way.

Luxury Trains of India - The Maharajas' Express — Photo by Simon Pielow via Flickr

Luxury train is not a new concept in India, but one that’s growing in popularity. India is a beautiful country to explore, but congested airports and poor road conditions make the journey difficult. Recently, safety concerns about the country’s transport infrastructure have created a push for more to travel by luxury train, reports Forbes.

However, it’s not just convenience and safety that make these trains so popular. What a passenger gets to experience between destinations could be just as rewarding as the cities and tourist spots they travel to see. Here are some reasons for choosing a luxury train for travelling in India:

1. A Specific Itinerary

Similarly, the “Golden Chariot” train down south offers a glimpse of the historic glory of bygone times in South India. The Golden Chariot takes passengers along the historic sites in Karnataka state that were ruled by Hoysala, Chalukya and Vijayanagara dynasties. The “Pride of the South” route runs across Karnataka, while the “Southern Splendour” is an expanded route covering Tamil Nadu and Kerala states.

2. ‘First Class’ Travel

Luxury Trains India — Photo by Simon Pielow via Flickr

Similar to first class travel in the air, Indian luxury trains feature adequate space that doesn’t skimp in amenities. Cabins are well-furnished, comfortable and offer a variety of food and beverages. Since the passengers are typically diverse, the food served is both Indian and international. These trains even offer Wi-Fi, though it’s not the most reliable!

3. Safety First

Unfortunately, the news about passenger safety in India hasn’t been pleasant. Crimes against both Indian citizens and foreign travellers have caused a drastic decrease in tourism, especially female travellers (Forbes). Travelling by luxury train adds an extra level of security and peace of mind. Taking on the airports and bus stations in India, depending on the region, could leave tourists vulnerable. Moving from city to city by the same train takes that risk out of the equation.

4. When In Rome…

Riding a luxury train in India is like driving the Autobahn in Germany. Like in the movie “The Darjeeling Limited”, luxury trains of India are now part of the country’s culture and one of the best ways to see the region. If some rough roads are all that’s keeping you away from this great country, it’s time to go ahead and start making new plans!

The Magical Era of Doordarshan Serials – Part 2

Rashmi Raj

August 5, 2013

Before starting the article if you have missed the Part I please read it first. The Magical Era of Doordarshan Serials – Part 1

The TV serials telecast on Doordarshan during the 1980s had such a universal appeal
that we are still nostalgic about them. Here is a list of TV shows from the golden era of DD National channel:

1. Fauji

Doordarshan Serials - Fauji — Image Via India-forums.com

In 1989, a soldier entered our lives and kept us hooked to our TV sets. This was the story of Abhimanyu Rai and his transformation from an irresponsible truant youngster to a responsible army officer. Fauji, which got aired on Doordarshan for just 13 episodes, was extremely popular for its in-depth showcasing of the training of the Indian Army commando regiment. This was a fresh storyline and a completely new concept. Fauji also gave us the first Indian TV superstar! The now world-renowned Shah Rukh Khan, also fondly known as the Badshah of Bollywood, made his television debut with this serial, was trying his best and unknowingly taking huge leaps towards stardom. Directed by Colonel Raj Kapoor, the serial was acclaimed for its authentic portrayal of the tough life of an army commando, though lightened by the irresponsible behaviour of Abhimanyu Rai!

2. Udaan

Doordarshan Serials - Udaan — Image Via Reliancehvg.co.in

We can never thank Doordarshan enough for telecasting Udaan; probably the first Indian TV show on women empowerment, which instilled in us the confidence to take the “sabse oonchi udaan”. Udaan was the story of an average girl from a middleclass family and her determination to become an IPS Officer (Indian Police Service). And she doesn’t stop at that. Once inside the system, she makes every attempt to make it more accessible to people. The appeal of this inspiring story lay in its ‘real’ness, which was written and directed Kavita Choudhary. Many people, who faced similar problems, saw their own feelings of inadequacy and angst mirrored in the protagonist, who one fine day decides that enough is enough. When the series of 32 episodes was aired on Doordarshan in 1989, it was rare to find women pursue the dreams to join the top government services in India such as the IAS and IPS. Things are much different today, but Udaan was a very inspiring story that helped change many a mindset.

3. Karamchand

Doordarshan Serials - Karamchand — Image Via Cbwap.in

Who has been able to escape the lure of a thrilling mystery……from Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie, there have always been those who fixed our craving for a good detective story. In the ‘80s, Doordarshan gave us Karamchand, one of India’s original detectives. The lead character, Karamchand, played by Pankaj Kapur, is depicted as a detective who helps the local police in solving murders in his unique style using unmatched intelligence. Unlike other serious detectives, Karamchand a sunglass-wearing eccentric detective who is shown eating a carrot at all times and tagged along by a funny assistant, Kitty, who keeps asking silly questions. When Karamchand answers her silly questions and ‘enlightens’ her, Kitty says, “Sir, you are a genius!” These dialogues got a cult following and are remembered even today. Director Pankuj Parashar tried to revive the old magic on Sony later in 2007, but he could not bring back that spark.

4. Turning Point

Turning Point was a well packaged science magazine programme aired on Doordarshan in 1991 and fetched several international awards for Doordarshan. The presenter of this show was renowned Kannada actor & playwright, Girish Karnad. Prof. Yash Pal, the well-known Indian scientist and educator, also made regular appearances on this show and together they unveiled and explained the great discoveries of science. The appeal of this most amazing science show lay in the fact that these really great scientists introduced us to the wonders of science and explained scientific concepts in an easy language that even a layman could understand. Every serial ended with a reminder to a god fearing nation, “Develop scientific temper”. This was in an era when there was no Discovery Kids or National Geographic channel to expand our horizon. It is heartening to note that this year Prof. Yash Pal has got the second highest civilian award, Padma Vibhusan for his efforts to inculcate scientific temper among the youth.

Factfile –
http://indiatoday.intoday.in
http://www.rediff.com
http://koausa.org
http://sidroy.wordpress.com
http://doordarshan-serials.blogspot.in

Birds Of The Same Feather… Celebrating Friendship

Devangini

August 1, 2013

Once you enter the life of a vagabond, there really is no looking back. Any Indian Army Wife will tell you that. It is not about the new places; rather, it is all about the excitement of the new faces. With these hopes in my heart, I had joined my husband on a posting in the hills. I was prepared for long months of boredom, even though I had heard of fun times happening. Where was all the fun, I wondered, as I pushed the stroller carrying my daughter (a little over a year old at that time), walking down the meandering paths, reflecting at the silent, isolated beauty of the hills.

As I walked, an awesome thing happened. Like many walkers would report, I felt a sense of happiness and elation: the inevitable happy hormones were released. I went back home and cooked a batch of stew. The next thing I know, a lady from the apartment upstairs rang my bell and asked me what the amazing fragrance was. I laughed and asked her to come on inside to try a bowlful. Soon, over daily cups of green tea, we gradually included other ladies from the two adjoining blocks. And before we knew it, friendly chats turned into gregarious potlucks. Home sickness and memories from previous cantonments were shared and soon forgotten, as we unknowingly made new ones for the future.

Art clubs, cooking classes, weekends spent driving around the hills and picnicking: there was little we did not do. When our husbands left on tour, we rounded up the kids, got together, played blaring music, danced and then played dumb charades until the wee hours of the morning. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to get those times back. Those songs, dances, and play dates with all the kids from the block; those all night chats and those late night phone calls, while the husband would haplessly await his turn to gain our attention!

There were times when we would come to each other’s rescue; for instance, when preparations for a dinner party would come to an abrupt halt due to some missing ingredients in one’s house; the neighbour would supply the said ingredient. When a lady had to stay up all night working on a presentation, there were at least two others supplying her with courage and coffee. Another one left her purse at an ATM only to realise that late in the night, but a helpful neighbour took charge, drove her there and did not rest until it was found.

Is this friendship? It had to be. Because it did not merely cling onto good times; it held steadfast and proved itself worthy even in the not so good times. When this particular posting came to an end, there were tears and broken hearts. Some of those hearts are yet to heal; some still cry for the separation they had to endure; and all of them vow to keep in touch.

Today, my friends from that cantonment are not just friends; they are my soul mates. They have seen me through my crazy projects, egging me on and giving up a good night’s sleep to stand by me. They have seen me through my tears and hormones, asking me to hold still and let the torrid time pass, assuring me all along that I am not alone. They had asked me for courage when they had fallen prey to a particularly hard time, and they have left me with a non-stop stream of cherished memories.

We all came from different parts of the country: Jaipur, Ludhiana, Shimla, Kolkata, Mumbai, Dehradun, Agartala… an endless list. But somehow, we managed to overcome any instincts regional. We had only one instinct: and that was called fun. Each one of had decided to bring fun to the table, and the rest as they, was history.

This Friendship Day, I would like offer a toast, not to any one individual, but to the gaggle of women, who will always remain girls at hearts, irrespective of the magnanimity of the rank their husbands happen to pick up (God willing)! I would like to offer a toast to the spirit of those times; to the coming of age of friendship; to the fact that we all hold something more precious than those school or college-time stories. We have seen it all; and we have seen it all together!

I will cherish and celebrate friendship with those girls who will always be in my heart; to my soul sisters… Have an immensely Happy Friendship Day! We may not necessarily have been birds of the same feather; but what makes us special is that, in our own individual way, we all flocked together!

Getting Your Photos Printed Fast!

Kumar Lakshay

August 1, 2013

Digital photography has revolutionized how we document and communicate human memories. Although they have overcome in many ways, with the worldwide web playing a big role, but can digital photos replace paper ones? This is like the age old debate between kindle and traditional paper books. But even the most devout kindle supporters agree that despite all its merits, it can’t mimic the feel and experience of a real book. That is how it is with physical photographs and if getting your favourite photos ever seemed to be too much of a hassle; you might be tempted to try on of the photo printing apps that are available in India. The Photojaanic app is definitely one to try.

The app, which is only available for android devices, is well laid out with four sections. The “create section” is where you build your print order. Starting from there, I was surprised how little time it took for me to open the app, get the print job ready, and place the order. You can get all this done in less than five minutes, Or if you believe The Photojaanic marketing folks, in less than a minute.

You can obviously choose pictures from your smartphone’s gallery, but what makes the app more useful, and probably more appealing for the shutter happy generation, is the option to import pictures from your Instagram or Facebook gallery. Personally, I find the option for Google Photos import more useful as the higher quality images there will ensure that the prints have a good amount of detail.

In the create section, you get the options to choose the kind of print you want. This is pretty easy and straightforward. You can get square prints, polaroids, and framed wall prints. If you want a photobook, you can get one with a personalised cover, or if you prefer a professional design, you can choose the “designer cover’ option. The photobooks start at 399 rupees for 30 pages, which is pretty hefty a size for the price.

The worst part of the experience is probably the wait, it takes around four days for the prints to reach you. But we’ve all become somewhat accustomed to that thanks to the e-commerce boom. But the wait is kind of reimbursed when you feel the crisp polaroids of your memories in your hands.

The prints I ordered were pretty sharp and the colours vivid. It was also because I used high quality images, which I knew were good for printing. Mobile phone screens make it hard to decide what is high quality and what is not. So, I suggest you look at the pictures on a larger display, like a tablet, television, or a computer monitor, before ordering the prints.

The printing however doesn’t have to be limited to photographs. If you’re an artist working digitally, you may like to see or distribute your work in print. In other cases, you may want to get prints for a particular poster for your wall. The uses can be many.

Why not the website

The Photojaanic website offers much more options in every category. You can get your photos printed in Kodak Photobooks, on stationery, calendars, and pretty much every gift item. The website also gives you access to a Pro plan, which gives you the option to use custom album designs, using different paper finishes, among other things. This is useful if you’re a professional photographer. It is easy to get lost in the horde of options that the website provides, especially, if you don’t have a clear image of what you want.

If you know what you want, dimensions and all, and prefer using a computer, you should use the website. For all others like me, who want to get good prints, easy and fast, the Photojaanic app serves them right on purpose.

The Magical Era of Doordarshan Serials – Part 1

Rashmi Raj

July 29, 2013

The 1980s are considered to be the golden era of Doordarshan in India. For those who are ignorant, Doordarshan is the mother of all television channels in India, which still clings onto its legacy role as a public broadcaster. Particularly, DD National was the only channel available to the masses before the advent of cable TV in India in 1991. This was the time when most of today’s generation was young and impressionable. When I look back, I have to agree that nothing we see on TV today seems matches up to it! What gave the TV shows of that era their universal appeal? How did those shows manage to mesmerize an entire generation that they are still nostalgic about it? Was it merely the newness of having a TV set in your house or was it something beyond that? Here’s an attempt to find out.

1. Humlog

Doordarshan Serials, Hum log serial — Hum log serial – Courtesy: Wikinewforum

Humlog was Doordarshan’s longest running television serial, having aired over 150 weekly episodes! This serial was quite popular when it was telecast in 1984 and many characters from this serial had a fan following which rivalled even film stars at the time. Even today they have a fan page on Facebook and my mother refers many of Humlog’s actors by their character names! Humlog was a story of a middle class family with each member of the family having a unique quirk and different aspirations. 52 episodes of this serial were originally written and telecast and then the story was stretched as per the audiences’ response. Bollywood doyen Ashok Kumar as the ‘Sutradhaar’ used to sum up each episode in a unique interaction with the audience. The show received audience response letters in huge numbers. There was a time when people thought that one of the characters was really a social worker and Ashok Kumar had to subsequently clarify that she was just an actor and not a real social worker! The appeal of this serial lies in the fact that many Indians during the ’80s could relate to the characters and the issues it dealt with.

2. Nukkad

Doordarshan Serials, Nukkad serial — Nukkad serial | Courtesy: Flipkart

Nukkad was another popular TV serial telecast on Doordarshan during late 1980s. This was a show about the activities of a lower income suburban locality and the hardships they faced. Matching with an India that was urbanising, this show saw a lot of people identifying with the different colourful characters and could relate to their problems. Each episode was based on an everyday issue that often revolved around one or two specific characters at Nukkad. At the end of their day, members of the group met at Kaderbhai’s tea shop and talk about their day. Some of the characters from this show, like ‘Guru – the leader’, ‘Khopdi – the chronic drunkard’, ‘and ‘Gupta Seth – shop keeper’ became memorable. The first run aired for 40 episodes and each of them dealt with different everyday issues and concentrated on one or two of the main characters. Every episode ended either on a happy note or on a sad note, but what made each episode endearing was that it was true. People could see the reflection of their life, their issues in there. Subsequently there were attempts to revive the show, but nothing could match the magic of the original.

3. Malgudi Days

If there was one show that fascinated both the young and the old alike, that was Malgudi Days! It was based on the short stories and novels of renowned author R. K. Narayan such as “Swami and Friends” and “The Vendor of Sweets”. Directed by the late Kannada director, Shankar Nag, the series was shot near Agumbe in Karnataka. The main story, “Swami and Friends” revolved around the life of a ten-year old boy Swaminathan (Chamy), living in a fictitious town of Malgudi. Swami hates school and prefers to roam around the town with his two best friends, Mani and Rajam. The story also included the day-to-day travails of the people in the town in general. The serial’s titles were showcased with beautiful sketches by Narayan’s brother and acclaimed cartoonist, R. K. Laxman along with the immensely hummable tune, “Taa naa na, tana nana naa…” Doordarshan aired 39 episodes of Malgudi Days in its first season. The show is running even today on Doordarshan and is aired every Saturday morning at 10am. The appeal of this series lay in its simple and realistic look; and the children, of course, couldn’t wait to see what mischief Swami got into next!

Ramayan

This was the first mythological epic TV series that gained incredible popularity in 1987-88 when 78 episodes were aired on Doordarshan. The series directed by Ramanand Sagar, was a TV adaptation of the great Hindu religious epic and was based on “Ramcharitmanas” written by Tulsidas. The Limca Book of World Records claims it to be “the world’s most viewed mythological serial”. Being a country of God fearing people brought up on mythological stories, Ramayan was bound to attract immense appeal by bringing these mythological characters to life. Incidentally, Doordarshan officials were initially sceptical about the response for such a serial and wondered if it would breed an atmosphere of communalism. But they were in for a surprise when Ramayan achieved such a popularity level due to which daily life used to come to a standstill on a Sunday morning when hordes of people gathered around the closest available TV set. Arun Govil and Deepika Chikhalia who played the roles of Ram and Sita were revered as demigods where ever they went!

Factfile –

http://en.wikipedia.org
http://akshaygn.blogspot.in
http://movies.rediff.com
http://www.flipkart.com/
http://www.malgudidays.net

Myths About School Drop Outs

Priyanka Rele

July 22, 2013

Everyone says that childhood days are the best days of our life and that we should enjoy it while it lasts. Schools, playgrounds, chocolates and lots of laughter; life seems so perfect and carefree. But what do we find when we zoom into those schools and playgrounds? Headmasters, teachers, punishments, bullies, homework and dreaded exams seem to make life miserable. Zoom in a bit more and we’ll find exam results, peer pressure, comparisons and lots of confusion. Doesn’t it seem like this “best part of life” also has other aspects to it that we tend to overlook? Just the way we overlook the real stories about those kids who drop out of school!

We live in a society that expects us to excel; they do not judge us on what we excel in, only the fact that end of the day we are the best at what we do. However, this opinion is voiced only after we excel in our chosen field. When we were kids and were about to give our first exam, our parents expected us to excel in exams even if we had other interests. You would hardly find parents asking their kids to take their exams lightly just because they were more interested in dramatics or sports. Curricular activities are viewed as the first major milestone in life that you have to excel in.

There are so many myths around school dropouts; one of the most common myths is that such kids are not very smart. When smart kids who don’t score a distinction are often questioned, what chances do the other kids have who don’t clear their exams! With such a strict narrow mindset in place, it’s only natural that school dropouts are viewed as a lost cause. Our education system does try to identify what every kid is good at, but in the end they always rate all kids based on their scholastic scores. Some kids may not be great at cracking those exams, but they could be brilliant at other skills that are not evaluated in schools. The massive turnout at reality dance and music competitions indicates that children are desperate for an outlet to their extracurricular talents.

School-education — Excellence beyond studies

Another myth about school dropouts is that these kids belong to underprivileged families. Kids belonging to middle class or upper class families are believed to have almost everything going for them, and so the necessity to drop out never comes up. A perfect example to bust this myth would be that of K. Kamaraj, one of the well known chief ministers of Tamil Nadu. This man did attend school briefly and his family was able to afford school. However tragedy struck soon and Kamaraj had to quit school immediately to work in his uncle’s cloth shop as a salesboy. Later, he got into politics and achieved great success. Kamaraj belonged to a family of traders, and he wasn’t exactly from a poor family, yet he got out of school. So, let’s not get judgemental when a kid drops out of school and assume that it is because of his/her financial status.

Indian families are closely knit; most of us live with our parents almost all our lives. In such a society, we get judged based on how our parents brought us up. If a kid fails in his/her exams or decides to quit school, parents get labelled as – being too easy on their kids, not teaching them responsibility, not making them understand the value of education, etc. However, we need to realise that parents can only guide their kids; forcing these little adults to do something they do not like will not to do any good for the kid or the parent.

Famous School Dropouts	Career Details
Dhirubhai Ambani	Ambani started his career at the age of 17 by working with an oil firm in Yemen in the 1950s and moved to Mumbai in 1958 to start his own business in spices.
Gautam Adani	Choosing not to join his father’s textile unit in Ahmedabad, Gautam set up his own diamond brokerage business in Mumbai, at the age of 20 during the 1980s.
K. Kamaraj	In 1914, at the age of 11, Kamaraj dropped out of school to support his family by working in his uncle’s clothshop as a salesboy.
Micky Jagtiani	Born in 1952, Jagtiani joined a London accounting school from which he dropped out. He drove a taxi in London for a while before taking over his family’s shop in Bahrain.
P N C Menon	At the age of 10, Menon lost his father and he had to drop out of college to do interior decoration business. Later at the age of 26, he met an Arab businessman who invited him to do business in Oman.
Sachin Tendulkar	Not a classic case of school dropout, Tendulkar scored a world record partnership during his school days in Shardashram Vidyamandir at a tender age of 15. He could not continue his education afterwards due to his international cricket career.
Shahid Balwa	Born in 1974, Balwa dropped out of college and joined his family’s hotel business. Today, he is the youngest Indian billionaire to be featured on the Forbes List.
Subhash Chandra	Born in 1950 in a small north Indian town, Chandra dropped out after Class 12 and entered his family’s rice export business at the age of 19.
Vasantdada Patil	Born in 1917 in Maharashtra, Patil could only study up to the secondary school. While working on his father’s farm, he took interest in politics and joined the Indian freedom struggle in 1942.

Gautam Adani is a billionaire commodity trader; he had his dad’s flourishing business to take care of. He was admitted into a good school but soon he dropped out. Gautam could have easily taken over his family business and settled quite comfortably. Instead he moved out of his dad’s shadow, and started his own trade to become one of the richest men in the world. Gautam broke another myth that kids who drop out of school have their ancestral wealth to fall back on.

The famous saying – “Don’t judge a fish by its ability to fly”, is quite fitting. School dropouts are much more than these myths; each one has their own stories and destinies to work towards. Not all of them achieve great success and not all of them waste their life either. Schooling is only as important as we make it to be. In the end, we are only remembered for what we have achieved and not our degrees.

Factfile –

http://www.boostup.org/en/facts/reasons
mythdebunked1
http://www.myjourneytobillionaireclub.com
http://indiapulse.sulekha.com
http://www.nytimes.com

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