Aries: Your patriotic fervour is at an all time high this week. But please refrain from singing “Sandese Aate Hein” in Suniel Shetty’s voice as the national anthem.
Taurus: I know that you have over-heard the cute doctor mention your “Cologne” but I don’t think she was referring to your “Hugo Boss” and “Chanel” collection. What are your thoughts on Ileostomy, child?
Gemini: There are probably three superheroes crushing on you right now. Yea, really, I kid you not! But unfortunately, they cannot reveal their secret identity so that’s a bummer.
Cancer: This week the moon is perfectly aligned with your constellation stars to form what is known as the justaloadofcrap triangle. This phenomenon occurs only once every thousand years and grants the people born under this star sign – absolutely nothing. Hence the name.
Leo: Good to hear that you have almost completely left eating chocolates except in the evenings when you visit the mall and pass by Dunkin Doughnuts. Because you know you deserve a little break from the “strict diet” every “now-and-then”.
Virgo: Scratch this area to win a fantastic prize ->#########
Libra: We have received several concerned mails asking if the ‘Humuroscope’ section of the newsletter is “real”. Let me assure you that we hire only the best clairvoyants who could have spend their “future-scrying powers” in ripping off millions out of the stock market instead of working in a non-profit weekly student newsletter.
Sagittarius: Get rid of all your loose change before trying to stealthily tip toe around your lady friends. This week is the “Belated raksha bandhaan week”.
Capricorn: You will have a hard time convincing that the smudges on your touch screen is from trying to beat your “Flappy Bird” score and not because you were texting your Ex the entire night.
Aquarius: Feeling nostalgic with a bit of vertigo? That’s the feeling of indigestion.
Pisces: I often run out of jokes by the time I reach you guys. Today is no different.
Are you tired of seeing bricks instead of books in hands of little children? Want to bring a positive change in the society? Or love teaching and managing events? Or just want to have an impressive resume? If answer to any of these questions comes out to be a ‘Yes’ then you must read on! Here’s a list of five top NGOs working for children betterment and education, health, employ-ability of of under privileged children:
1. MAD- Make a Difference.
Make a Difference is an NGO which works towards enabling children living in orphanages and street shelters to explore their potentials and encourages them to do what they are best at. A volunteer at MAD can choose to teach students subjects like Maths and English, think of creative ideas to create awareness about different careers among students or be part of the event-managing team. MAD has its branches in 23 cities across India and impacts lives of over 5000 children. So, gear up to make a difference!
2. Swechha: We for change
Swechha is a non-profit organisation which bridges the gap between under privileged children and their dreams of a better life through its learning program named ‘Pagdandi‘.Started back in 2009,this program focuses on children and adolescents of Jagdamba Camp, a slum based in South Delhi. With the vision of improving their education and employ-ability, a large group of volunteers works passionately under the guidance of experts. The basic aim of this program is to socially empower this group of people by enhancing their abilities and skills.
Image Credits: www.youthkiawaaz.com
3. The YP Foundation
People at YP foundation work to create awareness about human rights among young people. They aim to achieve a world where young people are enabled to influence policies in the areas of gender, sexuality, health, education, the arts & governance. The organisation expects its volunteers to dedicate their time, skill and interest in any branch of their own choice. This feminist youth-led and -run organization which was founded back in 2002 has set up 200 projects of its own. People can also opt to work as an intern at the organisation.
Image Credits: www.theypfoundation.org
4.Naz Foundation
Started back in 1994,the Naz Foundation mainly focuses on people affected by HIV/AIDS but at the same time also works on projects related to the lives of under privileged children. The foundation looks for volunteers who are willing to participate in children’s lives by teaching short art classes, music classes, or just spending time with the kids. The organisation welcomes passionate people with any amount of potential who can help children to grow in each and every aspect of their lives.
Image Credits: www.nazindia.wordpress.com
5. Deepalaya
Deepalaya operates several schools which benefits more than 1,00,000 children. Its aim is the all-round development of the children and does not concentrate just on the academic sector. One can join Deepalaya as a volunteer or as an intern. A volunteer can choose to be a part of any field of his/her own choice. One is expected to teach children, bring out their talents and enhance them, assist in campaigning on various issues and do much more. Besides the regular stuff one can also join the technical staff and help with jobs like designing of documents, computer classes. software products, training and process documentation.
Image Credits: www.deepalaya.org
If you want to utilize your time in doing something really productive then joining some NGO is probably the best option for you! Not only does that give you something to write on for your resume, but it also shapes you to be a better human being and gives a sense of satisfaction and happiness that nothing else but helping the needy can provide you with.
When Senior Inspector Shivani Shivaji Roy, Unit Three Crime Branch, walks into the scene, you can pretty much predict that the bad boys are going to have their share of thrashings. Yes, she’s the no-nonsense modern day Durga, who knows how to set all the ”churans”, her interpretation of the”C” word; on track. In the very first scene of Mardaani, you can see her as an epitome of boldness and fearlessness and is a tad straight-forward. Why? Well, just because she can.
She has a twelve year old niece and a husband who apparently is a doctor and runs a clinic in Mumbai. In her quest of fighting against atrocities, she comes across Pyaari, a poor bubbly orphan. Pyaari turns out to be one of the major characters of the movie as all the action and drama follows her abduction by a group of elite and overly-calculative sex traffickers. Trying to fit the puzzles into the bamboozle all by herself, Shivani Roy puts the traffickers on surveillance who return the favour to her. The over-confident boss of traffickers engages in telephonic conversations with her and gets a pen name from her too- “Under 19 team ka 12th man”.
Rani Mukherjee as Inspector Shivani Shivaji Roy in one of the scenes from the ‘Mardaani’
She manages to track down an auto dealer who has dirtied his hands with the “Under 19 team” player and interrogates him in the best possible way- feeding him with ‘Jalebies’. Apparently, lots of jalebies and no water is a masterstroke of interrogation! Meanwhile, her husband is accused of molesting a patient and is traumatized after his clinic was turned into rubble and his face was turned into coal.
She then tracks the trafficker down (who actually is called Vakeel, no one knows his real name!), comes to Delhi, uses a couple of Nigerians to reach him and voila!, there he is. It actually doesn’t end there. There’s an insensitive lady, an over-obsessed drug lord and an MLA or MP (how can we keep politics out of this?) to play their parts too. Yes, it gets better with time!
Lots of drama and action later, the actual lord is being slapped and kicked and punched by Shivani first and then all the abducted girls (with Durga music in the background). In a nutshell, the movie has a great theme and typical hindi movie like storyline. It would’ve been great though if there weren’t some slightly unnatural scenes, but hey, this is a bollywood movie we’re talking about! Though kudos to YRF to emphasize on Women Power. In Senior Inspector Shivani’s words, “Sab kucch ho jaane ke baad haath mein candle lena” won’t help…your ‘Mardaani’ will!
Apart from suspense, thrill, action and amazing performance by Rani Mukherjee, the movie has also given out a ‘Mardaani Anthem’ with powerful lyrics that go like – “Jis dunia mein maa-behnein rishte nahi, gaali hai, uss dunia se maryada ke mai rishte saare todungi, jaan ko chahe challi kardo, aan ko na choone dungi” Strongly, recommended to be listened to!
On 22 August 2014, 42 year old civil rights activist Irom Chanu Sharmila was re-arrested on fresh charges of attempt to commit suicide under section 309 of the Indian Penal Code. The charges have been slapped on her by the Manipur state government as she has been on hunger strike since 2 November 2000 for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) from Manipur when Assam Rifles killed 10 people at Malom area in an alleged encounter with insurgents. Ever since, Sharmila has been detained at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences(JNIMS) from which she has been released and re-arrested again and again from time to time under provisions of the Indian Penal Code. Force feeding through nose is what has kept her alive for more than a decade now.
The last time when she was released was on Tuesday when Sharmila’s counsel Khadamani filed a revision petition after which the court agreed that there was no evidence to confirm that Sharmila is indeed trying to commit suicide and that the prosecution has failed to establish Section 309. However, since she refused to take food and water again after her release and even resisted medical check-up despite her deteriorating health, she was taken back forcibly to the hospital on Friday to be nose-fed like earlier.
Irom Sharmila’s family, expressing condemn at her re-arrest after being released by an earlier court, says they will consult their lawyer and plead before the court for her release again. Several civil rights groups and activists have called it “illegal” including Binalakshmi Nepram, the founder of Manipuri Women Gun Survivors Network, who says the former journalist-cum-social worker is only following the Gandhian way of peaceful protest.
The English Premier League kicked off this weekend. The 2014/15 season began as Manchester United and Swansea City went head-to-head in the first game.
With all the top sides improving their squads over the transfer season, the new season can be tipped as the most competitive since 1991, the year of inception of the Premier League.
With a shuffle in teams, many big-name players have joined the most viewed league in the world. Chelsea has rebuffed their squad by splashing millions in the transfer market. Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas have arrived from the La Liga. The club has also re-signed the club legend, Didier Drogba. Manchester City, on the other hand, has signed the French defender, Mangala. Also, Spanish midfielder, David Silva signing a new 5-year deal can be a huge boost for the team. Liverpool has lost their biggest asset/liability, Luis Suarez, who moved to Barcelona right after the World Cup. The club’s replacements have been Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren, all from Southampton FC. Manchester United has again been quite silent on the transfer front with only two signings, Luke Shaw and Anders Herrera bringing harsh criticism towards the CEO Ed Woodwards. The club has been linked with numerous players, like Angel Di Maria, Arturo Vidal and Cuadrado. However, deals are yet to materialise. The club’s manager still stands by his claim of buying when he feels it’s right.
Arsenal come from a early trophy-haul after winning the FA Community Shield against Man City last weekend while Manchester United come from winning the Guinness International Champions Cup held in the USA and winning all of their matches while doing so. Getting Louis Van Gaal has seen a very positive response from all stakeholders of the club, be it the player, fans or the management. The tactics-master is sure to bring an extra edge to United’s gameplay, as shown in the pre-season. Chelsea has also performed well, with both Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas netting goals. A match between Chelsea and Man United will be closely watched this season (if it wasn’t already) since Louis Van Gaal has previously trained Jose Mourinho and it will be interesting to see the apprentice go against his master.
However, the teams come from big pre-seasons and the World Cup which ended in July. Fatigue can be a major concern for many players as well as coaches in the early stages of the season. Regardless, the season is expected to be extremely competitive.
After recognition of transgenders as a third gender by the Supreme Court in April 2014, Delhi University’s application form from this year gives space to the third gender. University has finally allowed transgender applicants to enroll in post graduate courses in the ongoing session. Due to the FYUP debate this year, this proposed change couldn’t be implemented for the undergraduate courses but the same will be done next year for the session of 2015-16.
This step by the University is surely ensuring equal education rights for the transgender community but controversies have already started gaining attention. For the post graduate admissions these students have been enrolled under a special category under the OBC quota. This hasn’t been welcomed by many.
“Years of activism by our community and by LGBT student committee of DU has finally paid off. Apart from change within the University, this move has established the precedent for other universities bound by the SC judgment now to follow. It is a step towards a progressive and liberal academic establishment. The community feels that equality and justice have now found their way and that University is moving closer to values and principles.”
– Mayank Vashistha, a DU alumnus who is an LGBT activist.
Activists suggest a totally different quota to be introduced as these students are not necessarily from an OBC background. Nothing is yet clear on the reservations as University Grants Commission (UGC) hasn’t issued any notification for that.
Piya who comes from the transgender community says. “We have no category. Hum na general hai, na SC, na ST aur na hi OBC. Hmare liye ek alag se hijra category honi chahiye.”
This inclusion holds more value as the teacher recruitment forms also have the third gender category. Such a step now ensures more equality in the University. LGBT community also celebrates as the University administration was finally convinced to move beyond the gender binary albeit on the premise of a Supreme Court judgment.
Neelesh Sharma, the advocate of Pehchaan, an NGO which works for the transgenders feels that the decision has allowed the transgender community to project themselves in a better manner infront of everyone else but he also feels that efforts have to be made to make the ‘normal’ people aware about this community and their rights.
“There is a lot of discrimination in our country for our community. We are treated different from everyone which is why we can’t pursue higher studies which further leads to unemployment for most of us. I have just completed my class XII. Now that the laws support us, we are going to make full use of it. University has opened an opportunity for us to go and study. All we expect is that the mentality of other people changes soon and this too has an expiry date.”
– Kiran, a transgender student (DU aspirant)
“After the transgender students are part of the University there has to be a proper system to protect the interests of these students. Orientation programmes and seminars have to be conducted in the colleges for increasing the awareness among the other students”, he says.
The University students are having mixed reactions to this move. “On one hand this step by the University gives recognition to this community and on the other it secludes them from the other people”, says Abhinav Modi, a student. It however has to be ensured that these students are treated well after they are admitted to the University and sensitization of students has to be worked upon. Shunning of these students also needs to be prevented.
The administration now waits for the orders from UGC to further look into this matter.
After inspirational speeches by Nirmal Dave, Jodi Underhill, Kartik Satyanaraya, Ajay Chaturvedi and Dhruv Viswanath, the afternoon session at SRCC Youth Conference 2014 Day 1 had some comedy and drama with little tadka of inspiration planned for its audience.
#iaskyoutoask – Papa CJ
Visiting SRCC for the second time, Papa CJ was welcomed at YC in a style. When audience was expecting some comedy act by the international stand-up comedian, CJ chose to have an interactive session with the students keeping in mind the motive of his visit of inspiring them and of course making everyone laugh. Declaring theme of his talk as #iaskyoutoask, Papa CJ not even once in his one-hour act allowed silence to make space in the college auditorium. Students were awestruck by his subtle comic timing even while answering extreme serious questions asked.
When asked by a girl-fan, Papa explained why he chose to be referred as a ‘father’ and refused to disclose what CJ stands for.
“When I started stand up in UK, the people there had a problem of looking down upon Indians. Prefixing Papa to the name was my way of telling then that ‘tumhara bhi koi baap hai’. Wherever I perform abroad, I try and project India in a positive light. I am proud to be an Indian.” – Papa CJ
He then went on to talk about his childhood, his dreams, the support from his family and his immense love for his country. In answers to the questions asked, he took everyone through the happiest and most embarrassing moment of his life and how he never lets a bad day or some personal problem overshadow his performance.
“For me my audience is everything. If they don’t laugh, I am not doing my job”, Papa says.
In another funny account he took the case of Sarthak Aggarwal, all India CBSE topper who associated ‘stand-up’ with something vulgar related to the male body. CJ mocked by telling him that not all knowledge is available in the books and gave him a lollipop for the only 0.4% marks he could not score in the board exams. The stand up artist who surprisingly knew a lot about the college continuously talked and joked about P.C Jain, the college principal and asked out a member of faculty for a coffee.
Maamu’ who was dyslexic when he was a kid narrated his life story at the Youth Conference with lot of passion, emotions and of course, drama, as his profession demands. Bringing the much-needed Bollywood flavour to the conference, Boman Irani’s presence got no hands stopping to applaud the inspiring tale of the actor’s life.
All praises for the SRCC organizing committee, Boman appreciated the hard work put up by the prestigious institution. The Parsi man talked about his struggle first at school and then in the outside world. Boman narrated how being a waiter at Taj Mahal hotel he discovered his interests for photography and went on to be the official photographer of the World Boxing Championship.
“If you are willing to take forward your dreams, say good-bye to laziness and do your work honestly, you will get back 10 times of what you expected” – Boman Irani
His definitions of success and failure and his theories inspired students a lot. Boman explained the theory of ‘zero bulb moment’, which is that one moment of failure in everyone’s life that leads to a push, which then invites success.
Anandita Munjal, a fresher who attended Boman’s session says, “Boman really impressed me with his determination and story of life. The way the ‘zero bulb moment’ changed his attitude towards life was too inspiring. I now look up to him as a man who got paid for his hard work.”
“Who says you can’t debut at 44? I did. It is all about how you work and grow. Even after the release of Munna Bhai MBBS, I did not own a formal suit. I got it made a night before Star Screen Awards where I won my first award. Those were the days. Today, I am proudly standing here and delivering a speech for you all. As I say it is all about how you work.” – Maamu
He also explained his journey in the field of acting where he just started as playing Gandhi in the play Mahatma v/s Gandhi, doing short films and then finally striking the right chord with Munna Bhai MBBS. Talking about the importance of relationships in one’s professional life, Irani mentioned about his dear friends. His session ended with a question answer round with the students where he talked about the future of Indian cinema and what gave him courage to debut at an age of 44.
Q. Dear Amma, I am a one-man woman and believe in keeping myself pure for my future husband. I have a very understanding and loving boyfriend who doesn’t incessantly force me to have sex, but I am very sexually attracted to him and at times find it very difficult to restrain myself. I love him loads, but I keep fearing what if we don’t end up together and lose my virginity to him. What should I do?
A. Uff my troubled little macchi! Amma fails to understand the sanctity people associate with one’s virginity. It is not THAT big a deal, honestly. Don’t you want a taste of different waters, possibly something from saat samundar paar, before you lock yourself up in an aquarium for the rest of your life? And even if you don’t end up with your current boyfriend, what guarantee do you have that your future husband would be a fresh-from-the-tree-coconut, like yourself?
Virginity is over-rated, my dear little idli. But if you REALLY want to stay this way AND get some pleasure, just do the things that won’t harm your sacred hymen. Ask your man to go down on you; that will keep you sated for days. Other stuff you must know, kissing, cuddling and cute things.
It’s time to bid adieu to Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath as her term as the Principal of LSR ends after almost 26 years as the Principal of the college and many before that as a student. As she retires this month, it’s time for an era to end.
Dr. Gopinath symbolizes the glue which has held Lady Shri Ram College for Women to its current stature. Popularly known as MG, she is a person who exhibits aura and elegance. A lady with a mind like a pensive, she has been the pioneer of success.
She’s conceived LSR as we know of it today and has continuously worked in various fields of development, be it academically or in areas like gender and peace building.
The college is all set up to give its support system and backbone a farewell. A ceremony has been scheduled for August 28th, 2014 in the college auditorium. A compact and well-organized farewell is expected with performances by various societies and teachers. There is news that the Head of Departments (HODs) will have a small gathering with her.
Even though her shoes are tough to fill in, the search for a new guiding light is on. A popular choice would be someone from the college faculty only because of the intrinsic working ideas and values of college. However, a fair and unbiased system has been adopted with LSR inviting applicants for the required post.
LSR beats with the work and advice of MG. Now, as MG retires it’ll be tough to carry on the legacy. However, as it’s said the show must go on and hopefully, her empowered vision will continue to be with LSR always, because she carries with her the magic of LSR.
We wish Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath, the outgoing principal of Lady Shri Ram College for Women, all the very best for her future!
At a time when toothpaste selling ladies appear on the TV and judge you for not having enough salt in your toothpaste and companies drop every semblance of logic to convince you that their brand of deo will make you a female-magnet, it becomes easy to forget just how much influence advertising has on our lives.
From forming an ever-changing collective image of physical perfection to keeping on perpetuating that image, it nourishes not-always-so-sunny social constructs around body image like a mama hen. And one of the places where it out-does itself is when it plays with the your-skin-can-never-be-light-enough complex that south Asians harbour.
India’s obsession with fair skin has given fodder to a million social scientists’ research papers and has pumped in billions into the bank accounts of cosmetic companies. The cosmetic industry in India, currently sizing up to $950 million a year, is estimated to grow to $2.68 billion by 2020, a growth lead by the skin lighting creams hoarding up the market. From Virat Kohli vending creams meant to make the Indian male’s skin lighter to ‘intimate washes’ to make the female nether zone ‘fairer and tighter’, the companies have successfully cashed on the Indian’s insecurity about skin tones. When people see Priyanka Chopra winning her one true love back by daily layering of her face with the skin-whitening magic lotion, ad-makers only hope that mortals will squirm in their seats and finish one jar of cream after another.
At a time like this when the whole advertising industry seems to be conspiring to keep the country forever in their post-colonial hangover, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has come up with guidelines to ensure that the absurdity surrounding the obsession with fairer skin in India can be contained a little. The guidelines come as commandments for both the cosmetics and the advertising industries to make clear what should have been duh-ah obvious to them all this while; Thou shalt not make it seem that having a darker skin is a bad thing.
This means that Shah Rukh Khan can no longer tell you that the distance between you and Bollywood stardom is the length of a tube of fairness cream. Which is a good thing, because 44% of the fairness creams in India contain mercury, which is illegal and can cause your liver and kidney to blow up out of proportion. While this is one step forward towards the destruction of impossible beauty standards, it should also be simultaneously embarrassing that there should be any need for such guidelines. They come as a nod of acknowledgement from ASCI that the situation is not rosy, that things can’t go on as they are. This is in keeping with the signs of gradual, subtle change in Indian advertising that are becoming more and more visible in the last few years.
Be it subtle support for Queer people or showing a single (not to mention dark) mother getting married for the first or second time, depending on one’s interpretation. The Indian ad-world is slowly, almost too slowly, growing up and hopefully with these guidelines in place, the ad-makers will now finally sell things without making the buyers feel bad about themselves.
