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‘Becoming Assiya’ by Simran Keshwani

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Assiya

Becoming Assiya is a book by Simran Keshwani, a third year literature student at Lady Shri Ram College for Women. The book is about a misplaced Syrian refugee who deals with her violent past and her journey for survival and finding herself.

The Syrian Civil War which has spelled confusion and chaos for the people living in Syria has caused one of the largest refugee movements in the history of the world. The death toll has been enormous. People lost their homes, their families, and for many, the will to live. Becoming Assiya tells the story of one such refugee and the journey she takes, dealing with fear, pain and anguish.

The book promises to be a reflection of the struggles of war-time Syria and ponders on the complexities and subtleties of human emotions. When asked about her inspiration for the book, she replied, ‘‘the reality of our times.’’ “It breaks my heart to say that there could be so many girls like Assiya out there, stuck in War torn Syria or Kurdistan, while we sleep in our ivory towers and comfortable blankets. Their struggles and their tryst with pain, loss and blood can never be compensated for. I wanted to capture the tragedy and in doing so, I realized it is not only theirs. It’s ours’’, she said.

For a first time author, touching upon an issue of such complexity and churning a book out of it, is certainly a brave attempt. She cites her inspiration as humans and human life. “That is what defines us as a race I think – our drive to overcome hate and hurdles and march on. We need to keep remembering we are all human, past the divisiveness and hate. That is what Becoming Assiya is a small endeavour towards.”

A brief introduction of the book: “Becoming Assiya is the story of a misplaced Syrian refugee and her trial with a past of Blood, wounds, War, Doubt and Hatred and the troublesome Hope of a better tomorrow. The woman’s journey encompasses through the landscape of Wartime Syria, through her mother’s journal and the rebuilding of a Post War identity for a land washed with blood, and what it meant to be alive, stuck in the middle with No Identity. Identity and Struggle, two complex concepts intermingle in this book and intersect at a common point, that of finding yourself.”

About the author: Simrann Keshwanii, 20, is a Final Year literature student at the Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi and the Founder of a start-up, Born Of a Million Thoughts, that deals in on-ground Social Activism. She plans on changing the world, one word at a time, for words are mirrors and swords.

The book is scheduled to be launched on the 27th of February, 2017.

Arindam Goswami

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Arts & Culture

5 Award Show Speeches to Give You the Inspiration You Need

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caprio

Between words of gratitude and being overwhelmed by emotions, words of immense wisdom are often woven into speeches given by award recipients.

From witnessing the gleaming glamour to deducing the winner at the end of the night, award shows bend towards a more realistic form of entertainment in a field which thrives on stories and creativity. An unanticipated takeaway from these starry nights are the bits and pieces of wisdom actors and actresses often impart our way. They might radiate of an unspoken truth or of an experience which shall have rippling effects in hearts. While there is a plethora of shows and a motley of winning speeches to choose from, here’s presenting five speeches which moved us to the brim of inspiration!

Meryl Streep Voices the Need for Respect

The afternoon of January 9th flooded our news feeds with the list of award recipients and the bests and worsts at the Golden Globes 2017. The world shared a common sentiment (except Donald Trump, perhaps) in appreciating the endearing speech by Meryl Streep on accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award. The actress did not shy away from bordering to the political sphere; commenting on the importance of foreigners as they construct the best of Hollywood and the golden rule of disrespect inviting disrespect. Let violence not be resonated in the times to come, and let reverence for people sway the world with kindness!

Quotable Quote: “Take your broken heart. Make it into art.”

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxyGmyEby40

Leonardo DiCaprio Relays the Realities of Climate Change

As the world collectively broke into applause as Leonardo DiCaprio was declared the Best Actor at the Academy Awards 2016, his words of gratitude brought to light a message of greater importance. DiCaprio talked about the realism and threat of Global Warming which faces the world today. Supplementing his tremendous perseverance which is palpable in his work, his speech moved us to ponder over a global issue acting as a major hindrance in this age. Let us not fail in this endeavour of protecting and delivering the planet to the generations to come in the same manner in which it was handed over to us.

Quotable Quote: “Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted.”

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpyrefzvTpI

Matthew McConaughey’s Aspirations of Being His ‘Hero’

The recipient of the Academy Award for Best Performance in 2014 delivered a speech which was a dreamer’s delight. The idea of ‘looking up to, looking forward to, and chasing something’ everyday left an indelible mark in many hearts, which McConaughey continued with the stirring story of aiming to be your hero every ten years. It is on the verge of impossibility to become who you truly aspire to be; but that’s what dreams are for, to be the impregnable destination which we shall always chase and extract inspiration from!

Quotable Quote: “To any of us, whatever those things are, whatever it is we look up to, whatever it is we look forward to, and whoever it is we’re chasing, to that I say, ‘Amen.’”

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD2cVhC-63I

Graham Moore Gives Optimism to Kids Suffering from Depression

It takes unfathomable courage to speak about one’s personal struggles on a platform like the Academy Awards, especially about an issue which most fail to recognise and is enveloped in taboos. Winning the Award for the Best Screenplay for The Imitation Game, Graham Moore told his struggle with depression, an account not too unfamiliar to the youth of today, and relayed a message which was important to be conveyed. It is okay not to fit along the lines of the society because we’re all made for greatness in one way or the other!

Quotable Quote: “For that kid out there who feels like she’s weird or she’s different, or she doesn’t fit in anywhere. Yes, you do. Stay weird, stay different.”

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbNJq90t0Wk

Deepika Padukone’s Stimulating Letter from Her Father

Every dream in this world and its subsequent achievement involves some primal figures who have had a monumental impact on us. Deepika Padukone emerged as the winner for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards 2016 for her performance in Piku, and it was only befitting to oblige the efforts of her father and simultaneously all parents out there who are a source of inextinguishable inspiration. The values and learnings of life are infinitely greater than the achievements and failures that come our way, and to rise above them is where our life’s motive lies!

Quotable Quote: “There is no substitute for perseverance, hard work, determination, and passion for what you do. If you love what you do, nothing else matters.”

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAI2nQU6ZGE

 

Feature Image: Quora

 

 

Saumya Kalia

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Interviews

Consistent preparation and analysis of weaknesses key to CAT top scorer’s success

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Archit Gurg from Cluster Innovation Centre, University of Delhi, was one of the 20 100 percentile scorers in the Common Admission Test 2017. We offer him our congratulations and and get insights about his study schedule, thoughts on the importance of a coaching institute and engineers bagging the top percentiles, amongst other interesting things!

Q.1 We’re sure everyone wants to know the magnitude of hard work that goes into securing a 100 percentile. Can you elaborate upon your own study regime?

CAT is mostly aptitude, and most of us would be able to solve all the questions, given sufficient time. It’s just the time aspect that has to be mastered, and the best way to achieve this is through practice. Since the beginning of my preparation, I focused on this. It included reading passages & newspapers, and practicing quantitative section questions regularly. A couple of hours each day was sufficient till the very end.

Q.2 Most 2017 CAT aspirants have already begun preparing. Can you map out an effective course of study for them based on your own experience?

In my opinion, consistent preparation is absolutely essential. I began preparing around this time itself, and focused on identifying my weaknesses first. This helped me prioritise among the subjects and topics I had to study. I regularly analysed these weaknesses to observe my progress, and modified my preparation accordingly. It is useful because it keeps fresh in our memories the mistakes we make & the areas we falter in, and helps us keep track of the progress we are making. This, along with regular practice, helped me overcome my weaknesses.

Q.3 The dreaded Quantitative Ability section is feared by many. What are your tips for achieving maximum accuracy in this section?

I think what gave me an edge in QA was the fact that I began focusing on it quite early in my preparation. By April/May, I had figured out the topics I needed to specifically focus on in the section.  Secondly, I tried to do a couple of questions of each chapter, every day, so as to not lose familiarity with any topic at any point of time. This helped me retain my learning throughout the preparation period.

Other than that, maintaining a record of the questions you’ve gotten wrong, the concepts you’ve faltered upon, and the tricks you’ve found in tests, is definitely useful. This would ensure that the first few months of your preparation are not a waste, and the learning is kept intact till the end of the preparation.

Q.4 As for the Verbal Ability section, many students are deterred right in the beginning believing themselves to have inferior vocabulary. What do recommend to such students?

Well, I believe I can identify with the question. I always used to be concerned about my vocabulary, or the lack of it. But VA is not really about vocabulary. It’s more logic based. For instance, it might not be essential to understand a reading comprehension passage in its entirety, as long as we can decipher the intent of it, and the questions that follow. This understanding can be achieved through practice.

The best way to improve one’s score in VA, in my opinion, is reading. While this might sound like a clichéd solution to the age-old question, it is the ultimate solution. It is also the hardest to pursue. While in QA, if you practice a particular topic extensively, you may be able to observe a boost in your score. In case of reading, the same won’t be visible that easily. It takes time to actually achieve significant improvement. However, the key is to keep at it.

Q.5 How did you train yourself to accurately attempt maximum number of questions in each section within the allotted time period?

According to me, in order to make optimal use of time, one needs to have a strategy for attempting each section. This can be achieved by knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses. In Verbal Ability, I always found consecutively reading through all the reading comprehensions tedious. Hence, I preferred attempting two comprehension passages, followed by non-comprehension questions such as para-completion, and later coming back to the remaining comprehension passages. This helped me not lose interest in the paper.

Similar strategies can be employed for the quantitative section. Initially, for chapters like geometry, I used to take a lot of time to solve the questions. Hence, I used to keep those questions for the end. As I progressed with my preparation, I modified these strategies according to my strengths.

One thing I always used to keep in mind was: while it might not be necessary to attempt all questions, it is absolutely essential to, at least once, read through all of them.

Q.6 Did you opt for a coaching institute or prepare on your own? How important is each of them?

I did opt for a coaching institute. At first, it used to seem that coaching is an essential part of preparation. However, as I moved on with it, I realised that it was completely dependent on one’s self devotion and preparation.

CAT is a paper based on aptitude. A self-motivated person, who can manage to remain motivated throughout the preparation period, is equally likely to crack the exam without any coaching. The only benefit I reaped from my coaching was the material that they provided, and the test series which helped me analyse my performance at each step. If one has access to these things, coaching might not make that great a difference.

Q.7 How did you utilise your study time in the last few days leading up to the exams?

In the final few days, I focused on reading through my analysis of all the mock tests I had given. This helped me recall and learn about the mistakes I often made. Other than that, I maintained a regular schedule of going through a couple of passages, doing a set of quantitative questions from each chapter, and a bunch of logical reasoning and data interpretation questions as well.

A concern that most of us might face is that our semester examinations usually occur around the same period as CAT. So I targeted completing my preparation before the same. Also, even during the examinations, I regularly devoted an hour or two to CAT preparation each day.

Q.8 Twenty 100 percentilers this time and all engineers! Being an engineer yourself, according to you, what leverage do engineers have over other students?

Nothing at all! This, according to me, is a complete myth. If anything, more engineers are switching to this field, making their presence noticeable here. All of us have been through the same level of mathematics till class 10, and that is essentially what is needed for CAT.

Q.9 Lastly, did you have to compromise on your extra-curricular activities while preparing for CAT? How do you strike the balance between work and play?

Consistent preparation was what helped me in this aspect. I never had to intensify my preparation at any time. Throughout the year, I devoted a couple of hours each day for it, and worked through the same schedule till the end. Of course it got hectic, as I had to add an altogether new activity in my schedule, but consistent devotion helped me avoid such scenarios and maintain a balance between the preparation and other activities.

Interview by Swareena Gurung for DU Beat

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Your Beat

What you need to know about the Not-All-Men hashtag

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The incident that took place in Bengaluru on New Year’s Eve popularised a phrase that has been in use as a defense against feminism for a couple of years now, not-all-men. Arguments against rape, misogyny and patriarchy can all be countered with, “but not all men…”. Artist Matt Lubchansky’s 2014 comic ‘Save Me’ is a typical example of the ‘Not All Men’ argument. The comic (in picture below) sees a superhero, Not-All-Man, playing devil’s advocate, when he thinks he suspects misandry.

Matt Lubchansky's 'Save Me'
Matt Lubchansky’s ‘Save Me‘

I had very indignantly begun ranting about the entirely irrelevant #NotAllMen to a friend when, before I could say “What is this rubbish?” I was countered with, “But not all women are raped. So what is your point?” It took me a while to recover from the initial shock of the question.

In my mind, the use of the statement “Not all men are rapists” trivialises the word “rape.” Rape, when placed in such a context, is not about the non consensual sexual act of violation, but about the individual. “Since I am not complicit in this crime, the crime does not concern me.” Here the ‘me’ take centre stage, giving the ‘crime’ a mere supporting role. By this logic, since all men are not rapists, rape is not very significant.

An act of violence, or any act that is non-consensual, whether it has been experienced by one person or many, is just as horrendous. Merely saying that not all men are rapists or patriarchal does not reduce the intensity of damage that a few people who may be either can cause. A road accident is not insignificant simply because you have not caused it.

Besides, the psychological impact of an incident, like the one that took place in Bengaluru, must also be taken into consideration. Whether or not all men are rapists, the thought that some men may be is ample cause for women to feel threatened and unsafe, even in situations that are seemingly tame. You’re constantly on guard. What if the man walking behind you, on your way back from the metro station,  decided to accost or grope? The road is deserted and nobody’s likely to come to your aid.

Several analogies have been made on the Internet to drive home the point: not all people are thieves but thieves are still a menace, or not all people are bad drivers, but bad drivers still cause accidents. The examples are countless. The problem remains just as significant.

image-2

Here’s an interesting article by Jeff Zimmerman for TIME on the Not All Men argument: http://time.com/79357/not-all-men-a-brief-history-of-every-dudes-favorite-argument/

Featured image credits: Odyssey 

Abhinaya Harigovind

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Admissions 2017

Admission process at Delhi University likely to start early this year

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In continuation with its commitment to thunder bolts from the blue, Admission Committee, Delhi University recently came up with the proposal that will likely make admission process for the next academic season start by March instead of May/June this year. This news comes in succession to the plans of the university to introduce entrance tests for admissions to various Bachelors courses.

Although the decision has not been officially confirmed as yet and no dates have been released, but if sources are to be believed, the registration process shall start by the end of March, and the marks shall have to be updated as and when the results come out.

A professor from the South Campus of Delhi University shared his views with DU Beat about the same. He said, “In the light of recent announcements, this can be seen as one of those better after-plans. These two and a half months time would be crucial and sufficient for the preparations”

This amendment can be a response to the unnecessary conundrum in the admission process last year. The early registration process will give about two and a half months to students instead of the three weeks time which was given earlier. Though the entire online registration process shall most certainly remain the same as previous year, the extended period of registration will likely curb lawlessness and confusion to a significant extent.

Being still in the amorphous stage, It is still some time before this reform is implemented. “It will have to be approved by the academic council and executive council to be implemented,” Hindustan Times yesterday quoted an official as saying.  “If the policy gets the sustainable nods, this might prove a notable leap towards increasing the ease and efficiency of the admission process” according to an administrative staff member of a Delhi University college.

For more latest informations about the Delhi University admissions, stay tuned with DU Beat!

Photo Credits- Du Beat

Nikhil Kumar

 

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DUB News

University to Extend it’s Placement Drive

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The University of Delhi has planned to expand its placement process and launch a bigger placement drive this month for the academic year 2016-17 with an aim of providing greater opportunities to the students than last year.

The placement drive, starting from the 17th of January, will continue till the 20th of the month. “The companies will be arriving with salary package offers ranging between Rs 15,000 and Rs 5.86 lakh,” a university official said.

To participate in the placement drive, the students are required to register themselves under the Central Placement Cell (CPC). The registration process that started in October 2016, can be done on the University Portal.The students will be a part of the placement session once they get their CPC Id-Card verified by the principal.

The two major companies that will be coming to the campus on the first day of the drive are BT Global Business Services Pvt. Ltd and Forex Pvt Ltd. While BT Global will select BA final year and postgraduate students from any stream, Forex will select final year students pursuing BMS and B.Com. According to the official, Forex will offer a stipend of Rs 15,000 while BT Global will offer an annual package of Rs 1.80 lakh. “However, the company made it clear that it will pay salary as per the 6th  pay commission at present and as per the seventh pay commission at a later stage,” the official said.

Photo Credits: rajgovt.com

 

Aditya Narang

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Uncategorized

The Tale of the Society, the Academics and the Fest Season

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The New Year is always a special time for Delhi University as it brings with it the most awaited fest season! For the first three months of the year, colleges across Delhi University host their grand annual fests with pomp and celebration. A regular student of DU would tell you that fest season is all about attending competitions, star nights, partying at DJ Nights and eating to their heart’s content. However, for many amongst the DU student community, fest season is a time for competitions and hard work. Yes, these students are the ones who are members of their college dance, music and theatre societies, and for them, Fest Season is the most hectic time of the year.

It is understood by everyone that the ‘even semester’ is the most important academic semester, due to which students are forced to create a balance between their academic commitments and fest season celebration. However, for the ones involved in rigorous performance societies, they are bound to create a balance between academics, performances and practices. Fest Season brings with it a variety of inter-college competitions and these societies work relentlessly towards victory. So for all you society members struggling to manage your time, here are 5 tips which could be of some help! :

  1. Attend as many classes you can: With back to back fests and practices in your daily schedule, if there is any space wherein you can accommodate attending that one lecture, then go for it! Since this semester is going to be hard on your attendance records, try to get in as much attendance as you can so that getting your admit card becomes an easier task.

 

  1. Get some rest to avoid a breakdown! : Burdening yourself with work from all ends will lead to an inevitable break down. Try  to get some rest, especially in the form of sleep. Your body needs to relax in order to give you its best results.

 

  1. Stay full and stay hydrated: The importance of food and water in busy times cannot be emphasized enough. So remember to stay fuelled up with enough food and water for a great performance.

 

  1. Stay in touch with those friends of yours who attend classes regularly: Considering you are not able to attend classes frequently, stay in touch with those friends of yours who are regularly in class and can help you gather notes and a knowledge base for times after the end of fest season and approach of exams.

 

  1. Don’t compromise on your study ethic: This one is a tough act but one should always try to keep their study ethic. Even though you may not be able to attend classes, but try to get your assignments in place from time to time so that your work-life balance in maintained.

 

Last but not the least, have fun to the fullest in the fest season! This is a time which you will never get back and will be cherished in your memories forever. Best of luck to all of you and may the odds be ever in your favour!

– Joyee Bhattacharya

([email protected])

Picture Credits- Bayside Journal

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Campus Central

Why online news portals pack a good punch

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Today’s tech-savvy world has allowed everything to go digital –right from food to sports to music and even the radio. It is only fitting that we find an alternative to the newspaper our father enjoys every morning with his cup of tea. We present to you a list of digital news apps for the courageous and honourable folks who admit they don’t read the average newspaper afterall!

Inshorts: We’ve all heard of this very popular news app that delivers news in short (quite literally). With crisp and accurate data accompanied by pointers explaining certain terms (yes, they do love us students), this funky app in signature red is a must read.

 

Google News: Yes and they publish news too (remember that old Tata Steel ad-after a wide range of activities, it read “we make steel too”). Let’s face it, nothing Google does is ever average and this is no exception. With a personalized newsfeed covering all possible areas of your interest, this app is perfect for those sloppy Joes.

 

Way2News : This app provides an exceptional reader experience , allowing you to skip the fluff and access the data. Let’s not forget, it operates in 9 Indian languages and has the most adorable monkey as its mascot. Yes, this is definitely worth your phone space.

We sincerely hope that all those who garner secret hatred for that badly formatted, black and white, advertisement ruled TOI will find solace in this article!

Featured image credits: inshorts

Anahita Sahu

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DUB Speak

Peeking out of the closet

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What does Karan Johar’s subtle coming out mean for us?

Karan Johar’s newly released “An Unsuitable Boy” has sparked a conversation about sexuality and privacy in India. Our correspondent tells you how the celebrated director’s autobiography has already impacted the LGBTQ, and otherwise mainstream, Indian society.

The widely publicised release of “An Unsuitable Boy”, Karan Johar’s autobiography, has been accompanied by all sections of society weighing in on Johar’s sexuality and his expression of it. In his own words, Johar states, “Everybody knows what my sexual orientation is. I don’t need to scream it out. If I need to spell it out, I won’t only because I live in a country where I could possibly be jailed for saying this. Which is why I Karan Johar will not say the three words that possibly everybody knows about me.”

Here’s what this means – Karan Johar is gay. Karan Johar will not explicitly state that he is gay. The chances are that many of us who have grown up watching Johar in the public light are not surprised by this ‘admission’. However, while we may be appreciative of his candor, many of us are still disappointed by his lack of explicitness. We place an extraordinary amount of responsibility on Johar to use his platform to raise awareness about LGBTQ issues in as oppressive a society as India. His status as a Bollywood veteran even provides some level of protection and support that many of us fail to identify in our daily lives. As such, surely he owes it to his most ardent followers, and perhaps more importantly, to the thousands of closeted citizens of India, to come out more eloquently and remove the stigma around sexual minorities.

The problem with this assumption and expectation lies in the simple fact that despite his fame and prosperity, Johar is only human. Sure, he may have a voice and the ability to give confidence to people in India who are still struggling to come to terms with their sexualities. And while it is understandable, and even acceptable to some extent, to expect him to “say the three words”, he deserves the same level of privacy that we would expect in our daily lives, away from the limelight. At the end of the day, his sexuality and his expression of it are both his choice alone. Pressurising him to be overtly gay is no better than heteronormative society pressuring him to be straight. Perhaps one day he’ll feel safe enough to declare his sexuality without the fear of law. Until then, we can only appreciate what he has chosen to share with us now.

So if you catch yourself judging him while reading his latest, take a step back to think about the courage he mustered to reveal his sexual orientation at all, and then cut him some slack for only being human.

Feature Image Credits: Blog to Bollywood

Vineeta Rana
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DUB Speak

David Guetta in India

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The ‘Titanium’ and ‘Dangerous’ hit star DJ David Guetta is on his Unity Tour and is going live in India from 12th Jan to 15th Jan 2017.

“The Grandfather of EDM” David Guetta is on his Unity Tour 2017, which includes a four city tour in India, performing live at Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Noida from 12th Jan to 15th Jan 2017. Robin Schulz will be a special guest in the tour. The team is all set to put the Sunburn arena on fire this New Year!

David Guetta, a French dance-pop DJ and producer who has sold over 15 million singles worldwide, has learned and perfected his craft in Paris nightclubs throughout the 1980s and 1990s. DJing professionally from the age of 18, and after spending years on the French club scene wowing crowds and winning fans, he formed Gum Productions in 2001 in partnership with DJ and producer Joachim Garraud. One of the biggest names in dance music has collaborated with a huge string of stars of the past decade to create some momentous world-wide hits. Now the French DJ has collated these into one massive live show where he drops in some of his personal favourite dance/pop records from a variety of eras. People feel David’s charisma when playing to a live crowd, as they describe him visibly enjoying what he does as the more energy the crowd give the more animated he becomes within his DJ box. People abroad have described, “As he drops the likes of ‘Shot Me Down’ and ‘Titanium’ he hypes the crowd further by dancing along with the masses. His sets often feature numerous tracks from a variety of genres. It is fair to say there is something for almost everyone during Guetta’s set and you assured to dance along to at least one piece of music.” So, yes we are expecting an excited and loud crowd in all his concerts in India!

David Guetta has toured all over the world – both on solo stints and alongside Rihanna in 2013. He has literally travelled over a million miles to bring his dance anthems to all four corners of the globe, and is known for releasing the party animal in his fans. With two Grammys already under his belt and a strong legion of fans from across the globe, David Guetta’s fame and success will continue to balloon.

 

Image credits: www.partyowl.in

Radhika Boruah
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