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The ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ and what it’s all about!

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The use of social media in times of today is no longer restricted to the traditional activities of posting photos, sharing statuses, watching videos and chatting with friends. The now trending ‘Ice Bucket Challenge‘ is certainly an example that social media is being utilized for a completely different and noble cause of mustering support and raising awareness among masses.

Why Ice Bucket Challenge?

The social media has recently been stormed by the wave of videos of numerous known personalities and celebrities performing the Ice Bucket Challenge which is the initiative of the ALS Association, a group working for the welfare of patients suffering from the neurological disorder Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as the ‘Lou Gehrig’s Disease’.

What is the ‘Lou Gehrig’s Disease‘?

ALS is not a very common disease affecting 1 in every 50000 (that’s 0.002%) people of the global population, adversely affecting the neurons of human brain and spinal cord. The life expectancy of the patients varies,however, a large number of patients die without the diagnosis.

How did it all begin?

The Ice Bucket Challenge was initiated in 2012 by Pete Fates, a former Boston College baseball player who was diagnosed with ALS back then. Fates is now facing difficulties in talking, is paralysed and eats through a feeding tube.

Working of the Ice Bucket Challenge.

With the view of spreading awareness among people about the existence, symptoms and possible treatments of the disease, the ALS Association has come up with the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’. According to the rules, the participants are supposed to dump a bucket of ice cold water on their heads, film it as it happens, and post it on web. Also, once the task is done, the participants are supposed to nominate three more people to perform the challenge within 24 hours.

If however, someone decides to not complete the challenge, he can forfeit his name by donating $100 to the credit of the ALS Association.

Numerous celebrities, corporate faces and other famous personalities have been performing the challenge and posting the videos online. Here’s a brief list featuring numerous personalities who have performed the task.

The video uploaded by Bill Gates, shows him designing, constructing and painting an apparatus for automatic downpour of water on him. Bill Gates was challenged to perform the task by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Microsoft employees are seen inverting the cold water bucket on the head of their CEO Satya Nadella, as he also joined the club of ALS challenge performers.

Numerous other famous figures like singer Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga  and Justin Bieber have also performed the challenge.Rory McIlory and Tiger Woods were also seen emptying water buckets on each other. Cristiano Ronaldo performed the ice bucket challenge and nominated singer Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and rapper Lil Wayne.

The entire star cast of the famous ABC television show Grey’s Anatomy has also performed the Ice Bucket Challenge and nominated the star cast of ‘Scandal’ and ‘How to get away with a murder.’

Even Indians aren’t lagging behind in supporting the noble cause, Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi has performed the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and has nominated actors Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra to do the same within 24 hours.

Interestingly, It isn’t only the human beings who’ve been performing the challenge, but people have also done the task with their pets.

 

Not only video performances and challenges are doing rounds on the web but numerous memes are also being made out of the rather funny stunt wherein people are openly dumping cold water on themselves.

Post by 9GAG.

However, the challenge has witnessed around 1 million video uploads in the summer of 2014 itself and talking about the funds, already $23 million have been credited to the ALS Association account. (According to the official ALS website)

 A noble cause indeed, if not anything else, it is certain that this drill will leave a lasting impact on minds of people, something that’ll always remind them of what the cause of this act was, which in fact, does solve the purpose.

 

Featured Image Credits: www.elitedaily.com
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DUB News

SRCC set to organize Youth Conference 2014

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The third edition of the SRCC Youth Conference is beginning on the 22nd of August 2014. Organised by the Sri Ram College of Commerce, it is one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the year. The previous two editions of the Youth Conference were successful in raising awareness about socially relevant issues like women’s safety, mistakes in policing and corruption. The Panel Discussion was also very popular with eminent personalities like B.S. Bassi (Delhi Police Commissioner) and Dr. Kiran Bedi interacting with the students. This year the event is expected to be much larger with about 6,000 students from numerous colleges all across the Delhi-NCR attending this two-day event.

According to the Organising Committee, “The SRCC Youth Conference is about ideas and experiences. It is an opportunity to peek into the minds of those who are at the pinnacle of success in the fields of business, media, entertainment, politics, and journalism, as well as those who are taking their first steps towards achieving this. The tale of how people have survived the jungle out there is the theme of this year’s edition.”

The youth are a very important part of modern India, and the conference wants to tap this talent and channelize it in a way that is beneficial for both the students and the country. The process of dialogue is very important in this regard as it not only gives the youth a learning experience, but also ensures that they have a platform to engage with such personalities. In keeping with the traditions of the Youth Conference, the speakers at this event are going to be some of the most eminent personalities of India including Mr. Arun Jaitley, Ms. Smriti Irani, Mr. Boman Irani, Mr. Rajdeep Sardesai among others.

One of the most interesting aspects of this conference is that it is organised entirely by students, and so it is this perspective that makes this event unique and different. Interested students can register on a link found at their website www.srccyouthconference.in from the 18th of August 2014.

Ashish Mathew

[email protected]

Image Credits: SRCC Youth Conference’s FB page

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DUB News

JMC introduces new media add-on course

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Jesus and Mary College, in collaboration with RK Films and Media Academy (RKFMA) has introduced an add-on course in media studies from this academic year 2014.

This will be a six month course, and students who have cleared their 10+2 are eligible. All interested students from any university, college and institute are welcome to join the course. Male candidates will also be considered and selected after a screening by the college. Classes for the course will be held after regular college hours.

The course will include lessons in print and web media, radio jockeying, T.V news presentation, event anchoring, film-making fundamentals, basic photography and internet marketing theory. Elizabeth Mathews, a B.Com (Hons.) student at Jesus and Mary College says, “FYUP students are not very excited about the course since they already have too much on their plate.”

 

Admissions to the course are open till Friday, 22nd August, 2014 and the tuition fee for the course is Rs. 15,000/-. Interested students can contact the accounts office of the college between the hours of 9am and 4pm. These numbers can also be contacted for registration and more information on the course: 09312231374, 09312237583, 011- 26110041, 011- 26875400. You can also drop an e-mail at [email protected] and [email protected] for any further query.

 

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Small Screen

5 New Fall T.V Shows to Look Out For This Season

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For many of us, watching our desi television is an archaic idea and we find our comfort in watching American & English TV series. Most of us get to know about a good TV series which we download and get on our laptops through friends only after their 2-3 seasons have elapsed. But here is a solution for all of us to be get in tune with some new shows due to be telecasted this fall.

So before you get to know about these promising shows from your friends a year later on how good they are, here is a list for all shows  to catch up with these shows before they are on screen.

1- State of Affairs:

With Katherine Heigl returning to television after a long break from her well known series ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, State of Affairs is a departure for Katherine from her Barbie image by directly landing her into a role of a C.I.A analyst. Heigl plays the role of top security advisor to the American President in this high octane thriller which is definitely an untried field for Heigl.

Premiere Date: November 17

 

2-Gotham:

This new T.V series based on characters of D.C Comics and Batman series is a thing to look out for by fans of superhero series. The show will depict the early days of Gordon on the Gotham Police Force and the situations that will culminate in eventually making him the Dark Knight.

Premiere Date: September 22

 

3-How to Get Away With Murder:

Another T.V series conceptualised by Shonda Rhimes of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ & ‘Scandal’, ‘How to get away with murder’ is a legal drama with Viola Davis as the lead who plays a law professor at Philadelphia University. The story is about a murder plot which entangles the lives of the professor and a few ambitious students in this mysterious and thriller drama.

Premiere Date: September 25

 

4- Marry Me:

This upcoming sitcom is a story of a long time couple Annie and Jake who experience a series of proposals gone amiss only to realise that it is harder than what it looks like. Created by the producer of ‘Happy Endings’ this show seems to be an amusing romantic narrative to be premiered on NBC this fall season.

Premiere Date: October 14

 

5- Scorpion:

Having nuances of geeky humour from what it appears from the trailer clips, ‘Scorpion’ is a show about a team of eccentric geniuses coming together to solve some high-tech crimes for the government. It’s a dramatised version of real life IT genius Walter O’Brien and who had his network of nerdy prodigies to tackle national issues of cyber crime.

Premiere Date: September 22

 

 

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Top Picks

Top ten favorite TV shows of the kids of 1990s

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Do you remember those awesome shows that were a part of your childhood? Mostly, aired on the few channels that existed then: Star Plus, Disney, Nickelodeon, and Pogo! Don’t you agree how awesome they were? Something new, exciting, intriguing and how our body clocks were set according to their air time! Taking that afternoon nap and waking exactly at 5 to watch Small Wonder; do you recall?

In honor of those wonderful times, let us take a trip down the memory lane, shall we?

1. Small Wonder

It is maybe the first regular TV sitcom for most of us. Aired every weekday at 5:00 PM on Star Plus, it was about V.I.C.I., a humanoid robot who gets adopted by her engineer creator and his family. Her robotic truth was always to be kept hidden. The show focused on VICI adapting to a human environment and at the same time, being a daughter as well as an all-round machine. If you still cannot recall, try singing this, ‘she’s a smaaaaaalllll wonder!‘ and hence, the name.

small
The humanoid robot in ‘Small Wonder’ performing one of her unusual stunts on the show.

And just as a mention, Indian adaptation of the same was ‘Karishma ka Karishma’ (Friendship karna meri programming mein nahi hai, remember?)

2. Legends of the Hidden Temple

Many of you may not recall what this show was by just its name. Clues go as: It was aired on Nickelodeon. Consisted of six teams of two, they were named after a color and an animal. A single child was expected to travel through a maze of exciting hurdles, guarded by masked men, ready to catch them.

legends2

The contestants had to go through four stages collecting and finally assembling a monkey’s body parts before being caught, and hitting a hooter. Yes, my friends, it was the coolest adventure show of our time. (‘Of our time’, oh my god, makes me feel old)

legends
The animated mask face ‘Olmec’ from the ‘Legends of the Hidden Temple’ (Scary no?)

3. Shaka Laka Boom Boom

Oh c’mon, you have to remember this! “Hi, main Sanju, mera secret hai Magic Pencil” rings any bells yet? Star Plus was the best TV channel during the early years of this century. There is this Magic Pencil, Sanju uses on whatever surface, drawing absolutely hideous figurines, and lo! That object would appear all new and shiny in front of him. Like a wand, a creative wand, which Sanju and his gang use in their everyday escapades.

shaka
A still from the show featuring Sanju (played by Kinshuk Vaidya) and the magic pencil.

What followed was a market of t shirts, geometry boxes, lunch cases, water bottles, stationary and what not with the face of that cute magic pencil. God! I’ve always wanted that pencil like others. Yes, we’ve all been real dumb in our childhood, no?

4. M.A.D. (Music, Art and Dance)

Pogo’s most beloved and highly viewed show, M.A.D. featured Rob, the French-bearded pony-tailed artist. He was quite talented, honestly. He would introduce very different and simple and amazing creative art techniques. Making scenic and beautiful, aesthetic, creative pieces. I remember learning how to make a pop-up card!

mad
Rob, the multi talented artist and host of the show.

Then there would be a musical (instrumental, usually) performance and a fun Dance routine, all of it ending on him displaying his viewers’ art-pieces and the breathtaking The Big Picture! Sunday mornings, man!

5. Son Pari

‘Dekho aai aai aai, Sona son pari aai, Ittu Bittu Jhim Patuta’

This motherless girl, Fruity (oh, the name was a hit then!) who livedwith her widowed father, receives a crystal gem somehow, which whenever rubbed summoned Son Pari (aka Sona Aunty) and her sidekick Altu. They help her get rid of Ruby, who wants to marry her dad, Kali Pari (Shaitaano me janmi, andhero mein pali, remember?) and god knows, what else!

The show went on for years, and was loved throughout, be it the childish domestic scenes or when Fruity travels through stories like ‘Snow White and Seven Dwarfs’ and ‘Red riding Hood’. Quite juvenile, yet amazing, no?

6. Takeshi’s Castle

Javed Jaffrey as the funny commentator comes to mind instantly (oh for those who did not know this, yes the punches were all his)! This large group of people, in this Japanese show, bang through walls, doors, slip over huge balls, into water or mud, get beaten up, thrown down, and get attacked by palace guards by laser beams.

takeshiss

 

 

And, behind all those funny moments, when people are literally getting their behinds kicked, is Javed Jaffrey making it even more hilarious by calling them names and continuously insulting them(in a comical tone).

Oh by the way, this was Pogo channel, the one that used to frequently air ‘Harry Potter movies’ (Dubbed in Hindi, yeah that’s how we know what Dum Pishaach and Naagshakti mean.)

7. Hannah Montana

Disney found the Miley Cyrus for this show. She maybe a troubled lady now, but in the show, she dealt with two lives, one of a rock star and the other of a simple girl. To keep hidden her true identity from the paparazzi, she had to deal with several challenges. But, she had Lily, her best friend, her dad, Robbie Ray, brother, Jackson and sometimes, aunt Dolly Parton. Fame yet no name were her life’s motto, which she battled all her life. This show was about living ‘the best of both worlds….na na na na na na na na naaaaa’

hannah
Miley Cyrus from the show ‘Hannah Montana’

8. That’s so Raven

This was the time when Disney channel literally took over all children’s shows. Raven, a psychic adolescent, went through these interesting, yet stupid adventures with her friends and family. I remember the Christmas episode when she pre-dated opens her present and instead, breaks it. And, then with her psychic powers she goes to the mall to buy another one so that her family doesn’t realize.

ravem

Her fashion skills helped her disguise out of situations a lot of times.But, for moral correctness, she would usually confess at the end, or get caught and confess. But, it was enjoyable for the teenagers, and children, all dubbed in Hindi.

9. Shararat

Remember the magic spell – ‘shring bhring sarvaling, bhoot bhavishya vartmaan badling…’ from Shararat: Thoda Jaadu, Thodi Nazakat, the Indian spin-off of Bewitched.(again a Star Plus show!) Nani, Radha (the mom), Jiah(the grand daughter) were all fairies. Nani had this particular hobby of irritating her son-in-law Suraj and the flirtatious neighbor Shanti.

shararat
One of the most amazing magic comedies Indian television has witnessed: Shararat.

Anyways, the show was a hit comedy where Radha and Nani try to accustom Jiah with her newly-acquired powers, though her spells always misfired. Farida Jalal in Nani’s character has been so amazing, the show is still a favorite.

 

10. The Suite Life of Zack and Cody

You have to remember them! The two, cute, clever, fun-loving and entertaining twins who lived in the hotel where there mom worked. Also starring Ashley Tisdale, this was the only show which showed a smart blonde and a dumb Asian! Well, Zack and Cody loved Ashley, the candy girl. But, also because they were kids, they could not help staying out of trouble, often causing the Manager to put a curfew on them (in vain) or threaten their mom. But, they just could not help it! And, also because they loved it! Well, that is how Disney gave us a sweet life of Zack and Cody (a lot of times, their mischief happened in the hotel suites!).

zack and cody

 

Well, that sums up the handpicked, most creative TV shows of early 2000s, atleast before a decade ended. I wish we had these again, because frankly, today’s generation does not know what they are missing on!

 

Happy Reading!

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Bazinga

Bazinga: KRK to host guest lecture on usage of social media in DU

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Disclaimer: Bazinga is DU Beat’s weekly column of almost believable fake news.

The buzz is back in the campus as it is now certain that come Wednesday, Kamaal R Khan, aka KRK, will host a guest lecture at Conference Center, North Campus  on how to use social media to one’s advantage.

The lecture will be titled, “Overcoming #2rsppl”.

“I will speak about my personal experience( since I have a lot of it.) I review movies, and women. I like to keep my followers updated with what’s happening in my life( though nobody cares much), so I constantly tell them about the phones I buy, friends’ wives I like, visitors I have, ‘real’ celebrities I meet, places I go to and Twitter wars I get into. I quite enjoy it. My FB posts get an average of 1300 likes each(wow!). People like me, I am a celebrity after all.” Kamaal said.

“Then I will warn about 2 Rs. People who cannot see someone climb the ladders of success. I have a full-time assistant whose job is to block these 2 Rs. People from my Facebook and Twitter handles.(My My!)”

Students are quite excited by the news of KRK coming to campus. “I was bored and tired of telling him what I think of him in Facebook comments, ab mooh pe bolenge,” yelled a student.

KRK will also place a ‘2nd chance for 2 Rs. People’ box in the campus in which he’ll invite people who’ve been blocked to put apology letters and get unblocked. Let’s see who gets lucky.

Disclaimer: Bazinga is DU Beat’s weekly column of almost believable fake news. If, and when, KRK decides to hold a session and you plan to attend, DU Beat is not responsible at all.

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Events

Pretentious Nights with Kanan and Biswa

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15th August , 2014 marked not only India’s 68th Independence Day but it was also the day when the two very popular and much loved comedians , Kanan Gill and Biswa Kalyan Rath performed 3 back-to-back shows , titled  ” Pretentious Nights” at Epicentre , Gurgaon. Biswa and Kanan are known for their pretentious movie reviews series on youtube which is basically a sarcastically critical analysis of everything that is wrong with random, and some popular, bollywood movies.

Pretentious nights was a commentary on typical bollywood movies addressing issues like what makes a hero, heroine, villain and comedian. The duo was able to take certain very cliched bollywood themes and turn them into their own.   Biswa’s classic mimicry of Johnny Lever and Kanan’s comical timing and charm made the show a laugh riot. The act was concluded by what they do best-A Pretentious Movie Review. The movie reviewed was Desi Spiderman.  The movie in itself goes beyond anyone’s imagination, and the only ingredient required to make someone burst out with uncontrollable laughter was their wit.

The hour long show was carried forward by a series of diagrams and graphs, which according to Biswa were hard to be comprehended by the audience of an Arts background. The comedy act was coupled by interactions with the audience. The cheers and laughs never stopped.

The popularity of the duo was evident by the raid of the stage, at the end of the show, for selfies.While Biswa chose to run back stage, Kanan stayed awhile to get clicked.

This show marked the first of its kind-Pretentious Nights.While the whole of India has been dying for this show to happen in their city, Gurgaon was lucky to host them first. However, in view of the exciting show and insane fan following of the two, we know that Pretentious Nights and Pretentious Movie Reviews has a long way to go!

Mehr Gill

[email protected]

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DUB News

University Gigs comes out with their first production- ‘Perfect Wedding’

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University Gigs with the tagline ‘Gig unto eternity’ is a theatre group based out of students from various colleges across Delhi who wish to perform arts on stages.

Akhil and Pallav met in January 2014 for a stage play to be held in February. They were given subsidiary roles for that play, were unsatisfied and realized they could do a lot better if they come along and that is how this idea came into being. Akhil Vishnu Nair, Pallav Kumar and Arpan Molri formed a group, bringing together nine Rookie Thespians from colleges across Delhi including College of Vocational Studies, Gargi College and Shri Venkateswara College. This group started off their journey on the 20th of March 2014.

They intent to blur the existing demarcation of college, bring the aspirants under one umbrella and give them the exposure to outcast their talent. ‘University’ in the name is representative of Delhi University, the common connect for the members and ‘Gigs’is reflective of their attitude towards artists and their renditions, combining the two, they came out with their identity as University Gigs.

When asked about where they got inspiration from, Pallav, one of the Co-founders said, “I was really bored while I was doing my masters and out of boredom, I decided to do something creative. We starting working on the script, started looking for members and sponsors (which are hard to find, when you are a start-up). For the first play to come we have invested our own money because honestly, making profit is not our motive, it’s all out of our love for theatre.”

With their first production- Perfect Wedding (An indianised adaptation of Robin Hawdon’s Perfect Wedding) directed by Pallav and Akhil, coming out on Saturday, 9th of August, they wish to bring out many more art forms like dance, film making, stand up acts and street plays in future.

We wish them good luck in all their future endeavors!

 Image Credits: www.getyourlogo.in

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DUB Speak

Juvenile Justice Act: Should the age actually matter?

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“So now a 16 year old can also be called a criminal when otherwise he was just a juvenile committing crime under someone’s influence.” Juvenile Justice Act, 2000 which is undergoing a few amendments is now proposed to reduce the age of criminal to be tried at the adult court from 18 to 16. The criminal can though only be sentenced to jail term and not with death or life imprisonment.

While for maximum in the country this is a fair deal, I wonder how do the numbers matter? Yesterday it was 18, today it is 16 and tomorrow it can be made 14 years. The question is that if someone is adult enough to rape or murder at any age then isn’t that person adult enough to be tried at the adult court? And if the juveniles do such heinous crimes under the influence of adults then how will reducing the age make a difference? Even a 14 year old kid can also be influenced and so can a 12 year old be. According to the laws then is someone of the age of 15 years, 11 months and 29 days not guilty enough?

Another term of the new proposal says that the Juvenile Justice Board has to decide whether the criminal has to be tried at the court or referred to a correction centre. There is no training for members of Juvenile Justice Boards. They will just send everybody to jail. Laws are so faulty that within one month JJBs will have to determine the circumstances of the offence and decide on whether to transfer the case.

Why have we chosen the model of lowering the age? What are the evidences available with the government to say this is the only method available to deal with children? You cannot be responding to laws by emotions. A major myth is being propagated by media and the government that by giving severe punishment, crime will come down.

We increased punishment for rapes to maximum 10 years in 1983. We made it death penalty in 2013. Did the crime rate drop? So, by transferring minors to adult system, you are not going to make the crime rate come down nor are we making victims feel secure by sending juveniles into jails. We are actually going to do more harm. The remedy is worse than the malady.

I personally feel that a crime is only committed when the criminal is not afraid of the punishment. One has to understand that it is not the quantum of punishment that matters but certainty. We have to look at those conditions why these youngsters are committing a crime rather than responding to the situation. We need to find out why they are doing so. One has to understand every child who commits a barbaric offence has to have a background of barbaric abuse to him to start with. We did not do anything to address that.

The focus now has to shift to prison reforms, on ensuring that the minors send to jail are segregated, they are given vocational training and keep a track on them. All that has to be focused. But there should be a debate on alternatives also, for example, a suspended sentence. The sentence should be suspended for three years and then experts should be allowed to work with the offender for three years to see whether he can be reformed. If he manages, he should be given a chance.

 

With inputs from Dr. Ved Kumari, Law Professor at Faculty of Law.

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DUB Speak

Have We Taken Freedom for Granted?

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Every Independence Day, a million speeches are delivered; some inspirational, some reflective, some patriotic, some hopeful. Independence Day is about fluttering Tricolor, melting sweetmeats, traditional attires and patriotic songs. And in some families, the Partition is lamented on this day. In others, the government is blamed for not ensuring equality and justice. In newspaper editorials, the editors ask question of ‘are we really independent after all these years’ is asked.

Clearly, the day is marked in many different ways across the country. But when we speak of freedom on Independence Day, and when we take pride in being Indians and sing the national anthem with all due respect, are we merely marking the occasion or are we actually celebrating our freedom?

Do we take pride in being Indian every day; do we do things that merit such pride every day? Every 15th of August, we go back to Nehru’s Tryst with Destiny, but how often do we stop to reflect on whether we have come to redeem our pledge or not? And to redeem this pledge, dressing up in traditional attires on August 15th is not enough. We have most of our principles in place; it is in their practice that we fall behind.

For the nation to progress, we have to make a collective effort to value our freedom and that of those around us. To be worthy of this freedom, we have to celebrate the spirit of freedom through daily thoughts and deeds and not just through the hoisting of the flag on two specific days. And to uphold the ideals of independence, one does not need to wear traditional clothes and sing patriotic songs.

If it is the government’s job to ensure freedom, it is also the individual’s job to not take that freedom for granted. We hurt the sentiments of the nation’s founders not when we accidentally step on the national flag but when we give a bribe, one does not offend the philosophy of the Constitution when one wears a short skirt but when one cannot tolerate that.

This Independence Day, let us wave the Tricolor and in keeping with its true spirit, pledge to celebrate freedom and plurality all through the year.

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