In a recent incident, parents murdered their 21-year old daughter for secretly marrying a man from other caste. Bhawna Yadav, a final year Sanskrit student at Sri Venkateswara College (Delhi University) was strangled and beaten three days after her marriage on 15th November 2014. Jagmohan Yadav (property dealer) and Savitri Yadav (housewife), Bhawna’s parents have now confessed to the murder and have been arrested.
The girl married Abhishek Seth, a 24-year old contractual assistant programmer at Rashtrapati Bhawan who is a Punjabi. The couple had met two years ago at a party and married each other on November 12 at Arya Samaj Mandir, Connaught Place. According to the police, after the murder, victim was taken to her home town, Alwar in Rajasthan by her parents where she was cremated.
[caption id="attachment_27607" align="aligncenter" width="800"]Bhawna and Abhishek after their marriage | Image Source: Hindustan Times[/caption]
According to the report by Hindustan Times, parents told the neighbours that Bhawna had been bitten by a snake and they were taking her away for treatment. On reaching the village, they told the relatives, that Bhawna died on the way. However, after long hours of questioning, Jagmohan and Savitri confessed to the murder.
Abhishek Seth, in his statement to the police said, “After being informed about the marraige, Bhawna’s father took her away promising that he will organize a grand wedding. I agreed keeping in mind the prestige of both the families but we heard nothing back from them. Infact, Bhawna’s maternal uncle called me and asked me to stay away from her.” The uncle had also threatened Abhishek to kill him and now has been arrested for being involved in the murder.
How would it feel like, if you could build your own phone? For which you could decide what you want & what you wanna skip? You’ll no longer need to choose between a Samsung and a Motorola; instead, you will be able to create your own device. Sounds unreal, right?
This may soon be a reality – Google’s Project Ara might come to India early next year.
The actual belief behind the whole concept was to reduce e-waste. Why throw a phone when it becomes outdated, when it could be updated? This was the philosophy behind the original idea of ‘Phonebloks’ – a phone whose hardware blocks can be replaced. Then came in Google, which seeked to create a new device category of modular smartphones and rebranded the whole experiment as Project Ara. Showcased in June early this year at Google I/O, Project Ara was still in it’s rudimentary stages – the phone didn’t go past the boot screen! However, the latest buzz is that on 14th January 2015, a fully functional Project Ara prototype will be officially displayed at a media event.
How it works
Project Ara phone’s are a collection of Lego-like blocks. These blocks contain hardware pieces – cameras, processors, battery, RAM, display, etc. There are three sizes – mini, medium and large – which can be achieved through a combination of magnetic blocks of different sizes. The blocks are removable & replaceable as well.
Now what seems to be the height of customisation is that you can choose your own specifications and design for your phone! And since they are replaceable, you can simply buy a new component instead of buying a whole new device! For example, you may build a phone with a 5MP camera and may require a 13MP shooter after a year. Instead of buying a new phone with the required specification, you could simply buy a 13MP ‘camera block’ and swap it with the current one. If reports are to believed, this swapping would be in realtime, i.e. no need to reboot your phone! You can even carry spare blocks with you & change them on the go!
Shortcomings
Though it’s an amazing concept, it has its own set of drawbacks.
Firstly, you will have to compromise on your phone’s aesthetics in lieu of the customisations. Since the phones are made of colourful, magnetic blocks, the phone might look like toy! Also, the phone is thicker & heavier, as all hardware is on the exterior.
Secondly, though Google plans to make Ara affordable for all, building a high-end device might be more expensive than buying one from the market. The reason being, smartphone makers produce their devices in bulk, which reduces the per-unit pricing of each component significantly. Hence, building a single device may increase the price. (Though Google says, it starts at $50!)
Conclusion
This seems to be the next big thing in the world of technology. Creating your own phone seems dreamlike! Also the hardware being offered is very versatile, like the resolution range from average to full HD. We will have to wait for January to get the exact details on hardware, software, availability, etc. However, if trends are to be believed, Google may launch the product by the next Google I/O. By early 2015, you shall be able to create your own devices online, order them and use them. Start planning your devices!
As a commerce student, it is only fair for me to be inclined towards reading a book that tells a story of corporate India. There’s no gainsaying that reading a debut author is a risk, but the blurb of the book, with a description of the criminal activities, vicious manipulations and corruption, manages to intrigue a prospective reader. And so, it happened with me.
I am sure about the fact that it will keep you glued till the end. To say that it has mind-blowing twists and turns in the plots, seems an understatement. One murder after another, one attack after another, and the writer has craftily kept us guessing till the end who the culprit is.
The author’s experience in the corporate world comes in handy. When I started reading it, I had initially thought that the book will at best, be predictable. As luck would have it, it was everything but. The plot twists outdo themselves every time.
The characters are meticulously etched. One of the senior characters remarks, somewhere before the murders take place in the novel, “Where there is money, there is deceit. With lots of money, there is lots of deceit. Be careful of whom you trust”. Consider this a summary of the plot. From one character to another, as a reader, we have multiple reasons to look at them with suspicion, sympathy, pity, fear. But one thing is crystal-clear: you can love them or hate them, but you cannot ignore them. None of them.
The setting in time is contemporary, which makes it all the more resourceful for us. There are loopholes in IT security, there are unscrupulous practices in auditing, there are investigations which lead to little evidence, or so we think.
I was a little flummoxed in the way the culprit was finally revealed, it somehow lacked the dramatic flair that was otherwise remarkable throughout the novel. Without spoilers, all I can tell is that the culprit is a person you least expect, and someone not even instrumental to the plot. The end is, in no way, disappointing, but it just does not match the grandeur of the rest of the novel.
Here’s a shout out to the fans of Jeffery Archer, Robert Ludlum, John Grisham: you may add Fraudster to your to-read list – it is worth it.
Jesus and Mary College is a women’s only institute situated in one of Delhi’s most well kept areas, Chanakyapuri. Only a kilometer and a half away from the hustle and bustle of other south campus colleges like Sri Venkateswara, ARSD etc, Jesus and Mary College enjoys the privilege of being an on campus college, yet has a quaint atmosphere with all the embassies around.
There are quite a few things that set Jesus and Mary College apart from most Delhi University colleges. The college was founded in 1968 by a Roman Catholic congregation, and is one of the only two Christian minority college in Delhi University, the other being St. Stephen’s College. The college is also one of the few in the University that is not affiliated with Delhi University Students Union, but has a strong and independent students’ body of its own. Unlike many other DU colleges, Jesus and Mary College has very strict attendance and discipline policies.
Spread over 15 lush acres, the college undoubtedly has one of the best infrastructures in all of DU. The ongoing construction of new classrooms has certainly hampered the current beauty of the campus, but the newly renovated library makes up for some of it. Jesus and Mary College’s library, which was already very expansive, is now state of the art, multi-storied, and almost fully digital. The huge multi-purpose hall, which was inaugurated in 2006, is something every Jesus and Mary College student is extremely proud of. The canteen, which has undergone several management changes in the past few years, is doing extremely well. Apart from the regular samosas, chhole bhature, chilly potatoes etc, the Coke Station stocks food items ranging from sour punk to Starbucks coffee and Häagen-Dazs ice cream. There is absolutely no dearth of hang out points for JMC girls. Apart from the well stocked canteen and famous Bhel Puri, Satya Niketan and Yashwant Singh Place are just a short auto ride away. There’s also Taj CCD, which is like a second home for lots of JMC-ites and their friends. Since the college is in quite a prime South Delhi location, Khan Market, Hauz Khas, Saket, Dilli Haat, Sarojini Nagar are all on our ‘hangout spots’ map.
Another thing JMC girls take extreme pride in is their performance in sports and other extracurricular activities like western dance, drama and Indian music, to name a few. The college has consistently been winning sports accolades like the Vice Chancellor’s trophy for many years, with the most recent feathers in their cap being the DU Inter College Tennis Tournament, Apurvi Chandela, a final year student winning the gold medal in the women’s 10m air rifle event and Manika Batra, securing the 4th place in the women`s singles table tennis, both at the 2014 CWG, Glasgow.
A very important aspect for any college is the crowd it houses. The college is renowned for having the right combination of beauty and brains. The college celebrates individuality, and successfully breaks many stereotypical beliefs every day: no, we girls don’t dress up for guys, we do it for ourselves; yes, we’re equally likely to show up in our track pants when we feel like it.
First position: Delhi Public School Noida
Second position: St Columba’s School
Third position: Delhi Public School Noida
Acumen: La Martiniere College, Lucknow
Bullseye: Delhi Public School Vasant Kunj]]>
IndiaCollegeSearch.com is one of India’s most successful online educational portals providing aggregated information about colleges and applications, so that students can evaluate both quantitatively and qualitatively and choose the best option for themselves. Already a million-strong community, it is still expanding. Our correspondent recently interviewed the Founder and CEO of IndiaCollegeSearch.com, Mr. Anirudh Motwani.
Anirudh Motwani, CEO, IndiaCollegeSearch
www.indiacollegesearch.com
Ayesha: How did the idea of IndiaCollegeSearch.com come to you? Anirudh: When we were looking for colleges, we faced the same problem of inadequate levels of information. It is very common among Indian students that they don’t have many choices as to which colleges to go to. We started with a Classifieds model in 2008, but we did not find it fit for education sector, rather it worked for jobs better, because students need a lot more than just the contact details of the college, like teaching faculty, placements etc. Through our existing model, we are trying to do so.
Ayesha: How does IndiaCollegeSearch.com garner the high quality information for and from both colleges and students? Anirudh: Initially, in 2010, we did a lot of research, looking up into college websites and field work, but now we have almost 5000 colleges that are updating their own profiles. Our job is mainly now to keep a tab as to which profiles are out-dated, and keep updating them.
Ayesha: Did you face any problems while incorporating in your website such a large plethora of career options and institutions, more so with the advent of new off-beat career choices? Anirudh: IndiaCollegeSearch.com was started mainly for Engineering and Management courses, which are quite similar in their professional structure. In every course, there are a lot of factors that matter, like for Medical, it is not the college really, but the attached hospital that is important, and also for Vocational courses, the campus ceases to matter, but the infrastructure. So, we do try to provide a standard level of information, but it is difficult.
Ayesha: Just like IndiaCollegeSearch.com, do you feel that there lies any potential in the growing online education sector? Anirudh: Of course. Our specific arena is mainly admissions, but we also have a backhand software which about 1000 colleges use to manage their applications in one place, including some DU colleges. Infact, we processed around 2 lakh applications from our website last year. So yes, all this is definitely going online, and it does have a bright future, with more and more procedures switching to online.
Ayesha: Any further development you are looking forward to in IndiaCollegeSearch.com? Anirudh: Yes, what we are looking to do in the upcoming months is social selection of colleges, like where are people from your city have applied in the past, which colleges or courses, where your friends have applied, which possible colleges have received most number of applications, what are your chances of getting in, what is that college’s acceptance rate or average response rate. This will make the whole application procedure much simpler.
Ayesha: What is the significance of your website’s Review Section? Anirudh: Whatever general data is available, cannot tell you how life is like in the college. What the canteen is like, how are the lecturers, how far it is; that is the softer aspects of a college that you can only get to know from an alumni or a current student.
Ayesha: What, in your opinion, makes IndiaCollegeSearch.com stand out? Anirudh: We have always focused on the students, to give them basic information and not try to give publicity to any college or course. We prefer to keep the power of information in the user’s hands.
Ayesha: Especially for our readers, do you offer any placements or internships for students? Anirudh: We have hired DU alumni, though not on-campus. And, we are also planning to start internships and appoint Campus Ambassadors for ICS, because after all its they who are in the system and our best information source.
One of their major programmes that have been successfully running is the Know Your Body, Know Your Rights Programme. It works with adolescents from 12 to 18 years of age to talk to them about sexuality education and everything that comes under it,
including gender and violence, sex and pleasure, puberty and body image. The KYBKYR programme focuses on the needs of those whom it wishes to serve – what they want to learn, what they want to know. It aims to impart information to the youth in an unreserved manner and empower them to be become more sensitive to their own sexual and health-related needs and rights. The main focus is on these young people’s relationship with their rights.
Volunteering for KYBKYR isn’t just about becoming a peer educator to some of the sweetest kids you will ever meet, but it is also about growing and expanding your own selves. It is an experience that makes one feel happy not despite but because of the tiredness that comes from a full day’s work.
Volunteers learn as much from the kids they talk to as from the trainings they undergo before they become part of the organisation.
Becoming a part of TYPF is also like joining a crazy, dysfunctional family that will guide you through your mistakes as much as it celebrates your successes.
In a recent application filed by the students to the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, the students of Delhi University have proposed a change in the percentage of attendance required. At present the required attendance is 65-67 percent in most colleges. This overburdens the students and many of them have stated that they cannot maintain such a percentage and study at the same time, especially during exam fever.
An outstation student recently spoke to one of our correspondents and said that too many classes are taken as some of the teachers suddenly decide to postpone and the rearrange the classes one after another. By the end of the day they are dog tired and adherence to regular studies goes for a toss. On being asked if the proposed change is for the good, a DU student said, “Definitely, the pressure on students will be less and academic performance will improve. The will to study decreases if you are forced.” No arguments there.
On being asked for views, one DU teacher said, “It is not only the students who feel overburdened. We have duties too. Tests and taking assignments for internals take up a lot of time. Classes have to be shifted when students cannot make it. A relaxation will be relief for both sides.” But this appears to be an isolated opinion. On being asked the same question, most of the teachers, barring the few amazing exceptions of course, stated that this is an escape from studies. “If students do not even attend lectures it is foolish to think that they will remember too study. Moreover, how are they planning to finish their courses in time? I tell you, nothing good is going to come out this’’ they said.
With such a firm and logical stance against the proposal, one would feel sorry for the students’ brave effort. But students have already come up with an answer to that question. One of the students who went to submit the proposal spoke to one of our writers. She said that the courses will be completed through online lectures uploaded on the University website. The syllabus will first be divided into parts and only some selected lectures (which will be decided by the students) will be uploaded. For the rest of the syllabus, student will attend lectures. However well thought out this radical new proposal may be, the University’s decision will forever seal the fate of the students. Now whether their fate is inside the classroom or outside remains to be seen.
Disclaimer: Bazinga is DU Beat’s weekly column of almost believable fake news! Featured image credit: www.cvsdu.com
November is halfway through and is being accompanied by a sharp drop in the temperature. Now opinions may differ from person to person about the famous ‘Dilli ki sardi’, but one cannot possibly escape the fun that the short span of winters bring in the otherwise scorching hot weather of Delhi.
Here are a few things which come along the cold:
1. Morning Classes Blues
Yes I know. Half of our population simply dreads the idea of letting go of the heavenly warm morning bed and that too to attend the early morning classes. A bit over sensitive to the cold, the attendance of morning lectures of these people drop faster than the temperature outside.
2. The DU winter break
If you have friends in other universities, you will certainly know how lucky you are to have an extended, nearly a month long break during winters, which most of them don’t get. So while other people are still preparing for exams, we are spending mornings in our beds, lethargically waiting for Christmas and New Year parties.
3. The Wardrobe Woes
One thing that we certainly don’t like is the piling up of fabric when it just gets too cold to handle. The worst feeling is that when you put on your battle shields to fight the weather outside and there always remains some place from where the cold manages to seep inside mocking you right in your face, almost saying, ‘You can’t escape’ with an evil smile.
4. Nescafe jams for coffee
After almost every class, you will find hoards of students jamming the college Nescafe for coffees. Holding the hot elixir in paper cups in your hands is just the best feeling you can get on a chilling foggy day.
5. Daytime outings
Has it not happened a lot of times already, that you want to go out with your friends on an outdoor trip but refrained from doing so because it’s just too hot all the time? Well! Now is coming the best time to explore the monuments, popular gardens and you will not even have to worry about the uncomfortable heat.
Go plan a trip and compile an exclusive winter playlist for it.
6. The evening college dreams
All of a sudden, the life of kids in the evening colleges starts appearing like a paradise. Every time you wake up to that alarm of 6 in the morning, you dream if you were one of those lucky ones too who have the liberty to sleep as long as they wish for.
The Mikaelson Family is back. And they’re vengeful.
Remember watching Season 2 of The Vampire Diaries (TVD)? That was the first time the world was introduced to an Original Vampire, Niklaus Mikaelson. Then in Season 3, we saw a full house: the one and only Original Vampire Family made their full-fledged appearance.
A little background: The Mikaelson Family is the line of the first vampires in existence. All vampires have descended from them. They are the most powerful vampires in the world. Esther, wife of Mikael, was a dark magic witch who turned her five children, namely Niklaus, Elijah, Rebekah, Finn and Kol into vampires (The Originals).
In season 3 of The Vampire Diaries, The Originals were cleverly brought in to fit the larger scheme of things on the show and take the storyline forward. This introduction had overwhelming results. It did wonders for the show’s TRP. Fans went gaga over Elijah’s noble ways, Klaus’ evil manipulations and Rebekah’s endearing naivety.
The popularity of The Original Family knew no bounds. So much so, that what started off as a gimmick to lure more fans into the TVD network, has today become a self-sufficient sitcom. Premiered on the 14th November 2014 at 10 pm on Zee Café is the much awaited show, ‘The Originals’.
Here is a quick list of what you can expect from this television series:
1. A lot of Hybrid Curse linked story-telling
The trailer of the show depicts Hailey( a hybrid werewolf) telling Klaus(original vampire) that she is carrying his child. Which of course, seems rather unfathomable, considering that both are supernatural creatures. So to validate the possibility, you can expect lot of witch lore coming your way.
2. Tons of good vs evil action
Let’s face it. Even within The Original Family, you have the ever notorious Klaus trying to badger his self-righteous brother Elijah. So one can naturally expect many ‘Klaus- pursuing-evil-path’ and ‘Elijah-thwarting-his-efforts’ scenes.
3. Novel characters, new tales
The plot is distinct from the known storyline of The Vampire Diaries. The first season is supposed to be about The Family returning to New Orleans, a city they built(but had to flee) and recovering it from Marcel. A parallel story that runs alongside is the story of Hailey carrying Klaus’ illegitimate child.
4. More Elijah and Rebekah
In TVD, Klaus was pre-dominantly visible, while Elijah and Rebekah had to make do with lesser limelight. However, because The Originals specifically deals with The Original Family, and there is no fluff( read Damon, Elena and Stefan) for distraction, one can definitely expect more stories based on Elijah and Rebekah’s characters.
5. Exciting Collaborations
Folks, let’s not forget that The Originals is a prequel to The Vampire Diaries. It is not an entirely independent sitcom. As of now, its storyline seems a little limited. So it is but natural for one to expect cameos by The Salvatore Brothers or Elena Gilbert and her group of friends. Furtherance of the turbulent Caroline-Klaus romance shall also remain a wild possibility.
Vampire Lovers, get ready to witness this one hell of a cinematic experience. Here come The Originals to service you with an extra dose of good old Vampire entertainment!
Bhawna and Abhishek after their marriage | Image Source: Hindustan Times[/caption]
