Latest
DU Beat – Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper
Archive

January 24, 2015

Browsing
Top Picks

Obama’s wish-itinerary: Places that Mr. President should visit in Delhi

By

Barack Hussein Obama, current President of the United States is all set to pack his bags and visit India on our 66th Republic Day as a Chief Guest invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Though his itinerary would be managed by his close and trusted but we take the liberty of making a wish-itinerary of places we wish Obama visits.

Hanuman Mandir

No we are not into religious fanaticism but it has been said and heard that Obama carries a mini idol of Lord Hanuman wherever he goes as a lucky charm. In that case we strongly believe that he should visit the majestic looking Hanuman Temple at Jhandewalan and if possible for the special aarti on Tuesday evening.

Delhi War Cemetery

The Delhi War Cemetery sounds like the peaceful place where Obama will earn millions in respect if he pays homage to heroes who lived to die. The cemetery also contains graves of soldiers from the First and the Second World War, the history and war stories of which might just interest him.

Rajiv Chowk Metro and Connaught Place

While we want Obama to visit all the historical and spiritual places we also want him to go to the more upbeat places like C.P. Ignoring the Starbucks and Burger King, he can have a drink from Keventors or a nice dinner at Parikrama – the revolving restaurant. While he is at it though, we wouldn’t mind him travelling or at least taking a sneak peek of Rajiv Chowk metro station during its peak timings.

Old Delhi

No matter how overrated it might be these days, Old Delhi is a must visit when travelling to Delhi. Right from paranthe wali gali to Red Fort, it’s worth a look.

India Gate

Though he would be visiting India Gate for the Republic Day parade we would like Obama to have a nice relaxing picnic at India Gate followed by a late evening ice cream or ‘chuski’. It’s no less than Central Park, after all.

Sarojini Nagar Market

Just because he is the President of the United States with a stylish outlook and personality, this does not mean he can’t use some thrift shopping once in a while. I bet Michelle Obama would love it. This can be followed by lunch at Dilli Haat, probably.

Delhi University Campus

Why not? A little heart to heart with the youth of the country will be appreciated by Obama. So would be the chai and cream rolls.

Isheeta Sharma
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
QWERTY

Now use WhatsApp from Chrome: A WhatsApp Web Review

By

With over 700 million activated accounts, WhatsApp is undoubtedly the king of mobile social messengers. Not only is it extremely popular, but this Facebook owned application is one of the best when it comes to efficiency and ease of use. Though pretty much perfect, I bet we have all been jonesing  to use it on our computers!, Iit’s quite understandable – a much bigger screen, a physical keyboard, multi-tasking abilities; it’s  dreamlike. And guess what? With it’s latest update WhatsApp actually did it! With WhatsApp Web you can access all your chats, media & contacts at the comfort of your browser. What? Where? How? – we’ll tell ya!

Cover2

Now the concept of using WhatsApp on a computer is not novel. There are tons of softwares, browser extensions and app-emulators which allow you to do the same. But WhatsApp Web is simply more convenient and efficient. A point to remember though – it’s NOT a WhatsApp alternative,  you must have WhatsApp installed on your phone! Basically, WhatsApp Web is an extension of your existing WhatsApp messenger. It allows you to send messages (text & voice) and media (images & videos) just like the mobile app.

 

There’s no setup or installation. Simply open WhatsApp (latest version) on your phone, tap the menu button (top right) and select WhatsApp Web, a QR code scanner will appear, post an instructional pop-up message. Next, head to web.whatsapp.com on your computer (using Chrome browser) and scan the QR code on the left. Done! Your browser will now mirror your phone’s WhatsApp application allowing you to use all the functionality with much ease!

WW1

 

The feature however, comes with it’s own limitations. Firstly, it can only be used with Google Chrome, which shouldn’t pinch, considering almost everyone has it installed (right?). Secondly, though it can be used from Chrome on  most operating systems – Windows, Android, Mac (OS X); it can’t be accessed on iOS. But the biggest limitation is its dependability on your phone’s WhatsApp.   Since it’s a mirror interface, the messages are basically sent & received by your phone therefore, both your phone and your computer must to be connected to the internet. Also, for esential features like changing status & display picture, creating & leaving groups and blocking contacts, you will have to use the mobile application.

WW2

Despite its shortcomings, WhatsApp Web completely changes the way we use WhatsApp – trust me, typing on a full-fledged keyboard feels divine!   Moreover it is an excellent way to share media with your peers. Say you want to share pictures from your camera among your friends on WhatsApp. Instead of transferring them to your computer and then on your phone, you can simply send them from the PC itself!

WhatsApp Web is a revolutionary enhancement which every WhatsApp user is sure to like. Though far from perfect, it’s definitely a  great first step towards its integration with our different devices.

Keep Reading
By
DUB Speak

National Girl Child Day: No girl, no world

By

Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi in his speech implored the public at large to end gender discrimination, and lauded the girl child’s role in nation-building as paramount. Today is just another day. Yet, it’s not with 24th January being observed as National Girl Child day.

Nothing would describe the joy that a girl child brings better than how actor Amitabh Bachchan did a few months back. “Daughters are special.. very special. They become the soul of the home and become the reason for the warmth that embraces us all. They conduct, command, secure, analyse, dictate, rule, govern and spread that tender thread which binds an entire family together. They are reason. They are consult. They are opinion. They are guidance.”

He certainly has everyone in agreement, because no matter how much we deny it, the truth remains that daughters share an inexplicable and heartfelt bond with their parents. Our parents have had a ball raising us. They play with them, run around the house, and fill the home with their shrieks of laughter. And while daughters may outgrow their parents’ laps, they can never outgrow their hearts. As they grow up and become mature, they become a pillar of strength themselves. Fathers and mothers wish for her to choose her battles carefully, and that she faces the difficulties head-on.

“A daughter is one of the most beautiful gifts this world has to give.”

With those words, here’s hoping that this day isn’t just many of the symbolic days, but rather a heartfelt expression of gratitude to the cheer that a girl child brings with her.

Kritika Narula
[email protected]

Feature Image Credits: www.unp.in

Keep Reading
By
DUB Speak

A winter internship experience

By

Many times in my life I have received advises from people about my career and one common advice offered to me is to definitely do an internship while I am in college. An internship is one of the most different experiences in my life as a college student. In a year and a half of college I’ve done two internships, the first one was at a law firm. It made me realize that interest in your work was a lie we taught ourselves. On a serious note, it also taught me how to work hard, fast and pay attention to detail.

My second internship, which happened this past month, was at one of India’s best ad agencies Ogilvy and Mather. Ogilvy makes ads for the BJP, BMW, Seagram’s and a variety of other companies. The creative challenge of advertising, its pleasant work environment and the intense stories of my seniors drew me to this line of work. The work environment was very relaxed, creative and ‘chill’; quite in contrast to the law firm (which is also true for the work). The law firm had a very strict dress code, however here I could wear anything (as long as I wore something). The work there was pretty intense, but there were also moments when everyone in the office would sit and chat with each other. The best part about an ad agency is the spending the day looking at videos on Youtube is considered legitimate as it is ‘research’ and ‘creative liberty’.

The idea of doing an internship appeals to me on a certain level, it gives you a glimpse of the world outside of college, it prepares you mentally for ‘the big bad world’ and it gives you a sense of independence not found in much places. I really think everyone should try and intern at some place at least once, even if you don’t know what you want to do in the future. I honestly don’t know if I’ll be a lawyer, an ad man or something else; but the experiences I got will stay with me forever. For even if this knowledge I gained has no purpose, it is still, in all senses of the word, knowledge.

Ashish Matthews
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
DU Dhaba

Food Review: Wow Vada Pav

By

Wow is a small shop that opened near Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Karampura in the last few months of 2014. One might not notice the shop at first glance, but once you try out the items on their menu, you’ll be tempted to visit it very often! The chain will be opening a shop at Adarsh Nagar near North Campus by the end of January 2015.

Wow is best known for its wide variety of Vada Pavs from Standard to Cheese and Schezwan to Hot Masala– and a combination of those too! For those who love spice, the Hot Masala and Schezwan are tasty options while those who enjoy milder flavours can go for Aaloo Tikki and Makkai Palak. You can go for these options as they are, or ask for the cheese or mayonnaise version of each of these. All variations combined, they have 48 Vada Pavs on their menu! The price ranges from Rs. 20 (Standard) to Rs. 85 (Masala Paneer Cheese flavour).

If Vada Pavs aren’t your cup of tea, Wow also has Nuggets (Corn Cheese Nuggets with different sauces), Cheese sticks, Chatpata Fries and Magic Butter Pav Bhaji (fancy name, yes). All these items are priced between Rs. 30 and Rs. 65. They’ve also recently added Vegetarian Biryani and Aloo Wrap and Paneer Wrap. If you’d like a beverage to go with your meal, they stock juices and cold drinks with tea and coffee available too.

Go for the individual items if you’re there for a quick bite, and try out the various combo offers for a slightly more hearty meal. For those who’ve tried out Vada Pavs before, you won’t be disappointed with Wow. For those who haven’t tried them yet, Wow is good place to have your first Vada Pav. The menu might confuse you at first, so ask the helpful shop owner for suggestions. Or better yet, order multiple items and flavours. It’s quite likely that you’ll enjoy whatever your order and it won’t even pinch your pocket!

Keep Reading
By
Offbeat

Offbeat careers: Private Detective

By

Problem-solving, digging deep into mysteries, investigation, meticulous attention to details and courage – if all this comes naturally to you, coupled with the belief of treading the less-travelled path, private investigation might be your calling. Add to it a strong sense of integrity and a taste for adventure and risk-taking, and you know for sure what you are meant to do.

If you have always loved the adventures and cases of Sherlock Holmes, Byomkesh Bakshi, Hercule Poirot, Feluda and the likes, it is an added bonus and it means you have your theory right. All that needs to be done now is the application of your knowledge into situations which demand speedy inferences and investigations.

Job profile

No wonder Hercule Poirot, Inspector Dalgleish, Inspector Clouseau, Cordelia Gray, our beloved Sherlock Holmes and his Indian counterpart Feluda have brought glory and glamour to the profession of investigation, we need to get to the nitty-gritties. This is a job similar to and different from that of a policeman.

As a detective, you are supposed to investigate spurious events (mostly of a criminal nature), and other such suspicious activities. The work encompasses digging facts by putting your communication skills to the best use: making enquiries using various techniques, without the knowledge of the person being pursued, or in other words, undercover investigations. The job may take the form of an independent detective solving a case on his own, or assisting lawyers, businesses, insurance companies, investors and the public.

Projects include surveillance, fraud investigation, tracing missing persons, investigating commercial piracy, private matrimonial/business alliances’ preliminary investigation, among several others.

Qualifications and Institutes

Apart from working knowledge of the law, computer skills etc, a graduate degree is taken as basic qualification. The following combinations of courses provide the requisite skills:

  1. Dr B R Ambedkar University, Agra — MSc Forensic Science (www.dbrau.ac.in)
  1. University of Mysore — MA in Criminology and Forensics (www.uni-mysore.ac.in)
  1. National Institute of Criminology — Master’s in Criminology (www.nicfs.nic.in)
  1. The Indore Christian College, Indore (www.indorechristiancollege.com)
  1. The National Institute of Private Investigation, New Delhi
  2. Lancers Network Limited, New Delhi
Detective Agency | Source: www.cheyennepd.org
Detective Agency | Source: www.cheyennepd.org

Remuneration

In a private investigation agency starting salary would be somewhere between Rs. 6,000 to Rs.15,000 per month or between Rs. 1,25,000 to Rs. 2,50,000 per annum. An experienced private detective with repute may earn higher and have unlimited perks. Corporate Investigations can fetch Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh per annum.

Acquiring a leadership managerial position or setting up one’s own agency becomes viable after a few years only, once you have established an array of clients and contacts. That said, this profession did feature in Forbes’ list of “surprisingly low-paid jobs”.

Why is it offbeat?

This is one profession that never loses its charm, whatever the era be. The element of uncertainty and adventure only enhances its challenges as sophisticated technology enters the picture and makes it even more complex.

Another factor that makes this profession unusual is that there are no defined contours to which the job profile is confined. A private detective handles many cases of burglary, extortion, theft, suicide, kidnapping, fraud, murder, rape, forgery, molestation, eve teasing, family cases, undercover operations, copyright infringement cases, cyber-crime, so on and so forth.

Scope

As pointed out earlier, setting up one’s own agency becomes viable after a few years only, once you have established an array of clients and contacts. So, for starting out by working for some agency, a list of potential employers can be found on the websites of the Association of Private Detectives and Investigators, Council of International Investigators and World Association of Detectives.

Featured Image Credits: www.telegraph.co.uk

Kritika Narula
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Top Picks

Celebrities who should visit fests this year: Wishlist for Delhi University

By

Each year Delhi University fest season comes in as a carnival, abuzz with delightful events and competitions and attracts thousands from the University. The most awaited of all these events are the star performances and celebrity visits. We bring to you a wishlist of certain celebrities who should visit Delhi University this fest season.

Kapil Sharma- the King of Comedy

He is the most loved comedian and TV host. His knack for humour, wit and sarcasm makes him the best ingredient to spice up the star night at any DU fest.

The dialogues of his show like “Babaji ka thullu” and “Ittu sa” have already made their way into the dictionary of DU students. We sincerely hope he does not give a “thullu” to our fests.

Kapil Sharma | Source: GoogleUserContent Celebrities
Kapil Sharma | Source: GoogleUserContent

Shahrukh Khan –the Badshaah of Bollywood

The name ‘SRK’ makes every heart sing “Dil Toh Pagal hai” and “Tujhe Dekha toh Yeh Jaana Sanam” with open arms for him. This famous alumnus of Hans Raj College has surprisingly not visited Delhi University yet. He has a humungous female following while boys admire him for his charisma. People love him with passionate insanity in the campus.

Whenever we talk about Hans Raj’s Lovers’ Point, the first thing that comes to our mind is that it is the very same point where Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan (LSR alumnus) nurtured their love. It is almost every DUite’s dream to see him back in the campus. With his upcoming movie ‘Fan’, there are chances of him visiting us for promotions.

Shah Rukh Khan admission for at Hans Raj College | Source: india.com Celebrities
Shah Rukh Khan admission for at Hans Raj College | Source: india.com

Virat Kohli- the bad boy of Indian cricket

A heartthrob of many Delhi University girls, Virat Kohli at 26 has done way more than most of us would do in our entire lifetime. His I-don’t-care attitude is the most attractive thing about him which boys envy and girls adore.

One glimpse of his million-dollar smile & six-packs can make girls of Gargi, LSR, KNC and Miranda House swoon over him. His impeccable fashion sense and amazing moves (even off the pitch) are something that makes him a youth icon.

(Don’t you guys worry, Anushkha Sharma comes complementary too!)

Virat Kohli | Source: GoogleUserContent Celebrities
Virat Kohli | Source: GoogleUserContent

Yo Yo Honey Singh

This celebrity on our wishlist has been to DU before at Ramjas College in 2012. The fact remains that Yo Yo Honey Singh is still in demand at Delhi University. Students here are all ready for the ‘Love Dose‘ by this ‘Desi Kalakaar’.

The ‘Blue Eyes’ star has been a controversial performer since his last performance here, but his fans here wait eagerly for his next arrival.

Honey Singh at Ramjas College - Photo by Hail Ramjas Celebrities
Honey Singh at Ramjas College – Photo by Hail Ramjas

Friends – The Team

Even after 11 years of its closure, F.R.I.E.N.D.S the american television sitcom still is the most beloved show of all times. Major population at Delhi University has had re-runs of all the ten seasons of this show on their laptops. Students who variedly relate to different characters of the show, will surely be excited to see the cast of ‘Friends’ in Delhi University.

Friends' Poster | Source: Kaedejun
Friends’ Poster | Source: Kaedejun

I will be there for you, runs in heads of many thousands even today.

“So no one told you life was gonna be this way
Your job’s a joke, you’re a broke, your love life’s D.O.A
It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear
When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month or even your year, but
I will be there for you.”

Panav Jain
[email protected]

Iresh Gupta
[email protected]

(With inputs from Ishani Rajkhowa)

Keep Reading
By
Arts & Culture

Most awaited music albums of 2015

By

The music lovers this season, are basking in the bliss of a caressing melodies or dancing to the beats of EDM. There’s plenty of symphony to look forward to in the next 12 months. While fans are all hoping for Rihanna, Drake, One Direction and DemiLovato to come out with an album, it is all a conjecture.

There are those that we know for sure, and here we go with the most anticipated of them all:

Adele: 25

The Skyfall singer kept her fans anticipating a new album in 2014. When that didn’t happen, fans were consoled citing a 2015 release. Now that 2015 is here in its full glory, here’s hoping that we soon get to hear more from the woman whose last album 21 shattered sales records, topping the Billboard 200 in the U.S. for 19 weeks and also being the best worldwide selling album in both 2012 and 2013. Until we know for sure, let’s keep playing the game of “Will she, wont she?”

Hardwell: United We Are

The album has been in news for two years now. Hardwell has been voted the number one DJ in the world two times in a row now, which justifies the excitement that his announcement of releasing the album this January has set into motion. The album will have 14 tracks and will feature artists like Jason Derulo, Tiësto, Mr. Probz and W&W.

Hardwell's United We Are - Album Cover
Hardwell’s United We Are – Album Cover

Sleater-Kinney: No Cities to Love

Their new, unexpected album comes across as brimming with palpable excitement, passion and bloodlust. This all-female rock band is back with a bang, no exaggeration. The beloved trio is expected to come back in the first month of the year.

Madonna: Rebel Heart

Having already released six finished songs, including the single “Live for Love,” she announced that the whole album would arrive in just three months. No wonder, though it is ridden with controversies.

Imagine Dragons: Smoke and Mirrors

February 17th is when we anticipate to relive the magic of Night Visions, or atleast we hope to. Reynoldssaid in an interview quoted, “We embraced a lot of hip-hop influences with Night Visions, but I think the next record will be more rock-driven. It’s too early to say, but there is some weird stuff going on in these songs.”
Here’s hoping that it is a good-weird.

Madeon: Adventure

The you-tube superstar thinks that the name will make a lot more sense once we listen to it. So, we are all waiting for the album. His singles are a testimony to his production finesse, no wonder we are waiting to listen how it has gone in his debut album.

Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams

As much as it breaks our hearts to think that this might be their last album, it also increases the delirium with which we await its arrival. We will also make sure that we make the best of it, just in case, they cease to perform live too!

Bob Dylan: Shadows in the night

Columbia Records announced that Bob Dylan’s next studio album comes out on February 3rd. The chairman at Columbia Records says that Bob has managed to find a way to infuse these songs with new life and contemporary relevance. Dylan himself admits it was a privilege to make the album. It would equally be a privilege to hear it out.

The Decemberists: What a terrible world, What a beautiful world

Yet another one coming out which has a track list that includes The Singer Addresses His Audience, Make You Better, Lake Song, Till the Water is All Long Gone, Easy Come, Easy Go etc.

Papa Roach: F.E.A.R

Set to release on 27th this month, singles from this album are already out. Name of the album and its songs has us all in feverish excitement over its full release.

 Marilyn Manson: The Pale emperor and Joey Bada$$: B4.Da.$$

Two more additions to the January releases are TPE’s alleged ‘cinematic sound’ which does little to help us contain our excitement and B4.Da.$$ which is pronounced as Before the Money.

Image Credits: billboard.com

KritikaNarula
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By