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How the Lads in Blue Claimed the Cricketing Top Spot

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The country was wrapped in euphoria and the reason was cricket again! Déjà vu it was in the form of another Cricket World Cup Trophy- the Under 19 World Cup Trophy. The victory was made special as the Indian squad defeated Australia on an Australian pitch, and this is a never before feat for a World Cup Final. It was a hat trick U- 19 World Cup victory in itself and India now holds top spot in both the age categories of the sport.

The Australian side sent out to bat first, set the bar at 225 runs for India. Initially the lads in blue came across strong but stumbled at 97 runs at the loss of 4 wickets, then captain Unmukt Chand stepped up to the job, and replicated what the Indian skipper M S Dhoni did in the previous World Cup. Chand picked up the mantle and with a personal score of 111 not out, helped India bring the cup home. A notable contribution was made by wicketkeeper Smit Patel who chipped in with 62 runs and stood strong alongside skipper Chand.

Equally- if not more- exciting was the lead up to the final match. The quarter- finals saw India up against Pakistan and boy wasn’t that a nail bitter! The semi- finals against New Zealand also proved to be a tough one. Except the trio of Prashant Chopra, Baba Aparajith and Unmukt Chand the rest of the line up faltered and the Indian scoreboard froze at 209 runs. The spinners and seamers worked their magic as New Zealand fell for 200/ 9 only 10 runs short of the target. These two victories paved way to the final clash against Australia and the crescendo was the final victory in Townsville.

The team was congratulated and received a warm welcome back home. PM Manmohan Singh, M S Dhoni and Virat Kohli congratulated the squad. The cricketers not only made us proud on an international stage but helped India forget Coalgate or SMS ban for a moment as India united to celebrate this victory.

Anugrah Gopinath
[email protected] 

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Arts & Culture

Chetan Bhagat’s What Young India Wants

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While my friends were making plans to see Salman Khan’s latest blockbuster, I was all set with my coffee mug to step into Chetan Bhagat’s world. “What Young India Wants”, Bhagat’s first non-fiction novel, caught my attention every time I passed the Vishvidyalaya metro station book shop. The catchy title and the flashy cover suggested that the book was sure to unlock the secrets of our hopes, desires, dreams and ambitions. So I bought it and promptly sat down to read it.

It started with his life journey, detailing his experiences as an engineer and an investment banker. It was all quite boring as I was already well aware of his achievements he keeps boasting about. He then talks about society at large. He also talks about the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, the German bakery blast, the Airline crisis, various scams like CWG, 2G, IPL, terrorism and other national issues. He tries to give solutions. Some are sensible while others are best read and forgotten. He says things like “Our laws need to be amended for corporate disasters” and that “politician-industrialist socialising should not be encouraged”. He is right, of course, but the how is conveniently missing. We all know that these problems exist and Chetan makes next to no effort to challenge or enhance existing social consensus.

I continued reading it in the hope, that he will give a solution to the problems but none came. The writer expresses his views about today’s youth, their outlook, aspirations and their needs. He is of the opinion that the youth dream only about a good job and a good partner.  “Spark” is quite a motivational chapter. He lays emphasis on the importance of English language (though his own English shows little signs of improving). Most of the book consisted of extracts from newspapers.

Though the back cover of the book made a lot of promises about answering questions, the book itself failed to live up to my expectations. However the book can be appreciated for it’s optimism and positivity.

 

Sakshi Gupta
[email protected]

 

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Arts & Culture

Dirty Laundry by The Yellow Brick Project

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Writer’s rating: 3.5/5

Dirty Laundry, the fourth annual production of the Yellow Brick Project opened amid much fanfare at Kamani Auditorium on the 16th of August. After enthralling young audiences in the city with Razzle Dazzle and Dear Delhi, the bar was raised last year with Romeo Must Die, an attempt at synthesizing dance, music and theatre into the format of a musical. This year’s installment follows suit, albeit with a more compact cast, dance troupe, band and choir.

Dirty Laundry is a humorous take on the issue of infidelity, and how it stirs up a storm in the Sharma household when the protagonists’ secrets are revealed. A middle-aged Economics Professor desperate for an adrenaline rush, gives in to temptation, and beds an overtly flirtatious student less than half his age, thereby unwittingly prompting a series of events that test relationships, incite altercations and yield in comedic situations, ultimately concluding in a boisterous, and slightly confused manner.

The plot is effortlessly backed by a commendable original score and repertoire of musicians and singers, and the scenes brought to life by a hybrid and highly talented crew of dancers who not only complement but also add another dimension to them. The choreography is satisfactory, with some out-of-the-box pieces, quite literally. The ‘Pandora’s Box’ inspired routine that serves as a metaphor for the secrets tumbling out, deserves special mention in this regard.

The musical is raw and unabashed in its portrayal of sexuality and desire, and the direction meticulous and thoughtful, with some indispensably hilarious scenes, like the reality television imported face-off between the quarrelling Sharmas. It is also laudable for having age-appropriate actors essaying the roles of the main characters. Yet, the narrative does appear a little staccato and disjointed in parts, lacking cohesion and hence adhesion between the scenes.  The chaotic stage management in terms of blocking and positioning and faulty spotting and lighting are the blatant blemishes, and seem to have been the obvious hiccups of a premiere show.

All in all, a pulsating watch, particularly for a few good laughs and for fans of dance and music.

 

Tanya Dua
[email protected]

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DUB Speak

India at London Olympics 2012

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A few days before the start of London Olympics 2012, a report by Goldman Sachs predicted that India would get 5 medals at the Olympics, three golds, a silver and a bronze. Our athletes did better on the overall tally, but fell short at converting into the shinier metals.

However, a lot has been gained from the Olympics this time around. And though this statement might sound repetitive, something we are told every 4 years, the results and the potential are highly tangible this time around.

Winning 6 medals (2 silvers and 4 bronze) might sound like a bit of a joke, especially since it means that India ranks 55th (at time of writing) in the medal tally! The correct perspective out here would however be to compare India against its own past – 1 medal on 13 occasions, 2 medals in 1900* and 1952, 3 medals in 2008. And now 6 medals is a record high.

First, we run through our shining stars! It all started off with Gagan Narang who won the bronze medal in the 10m Air-Rifle event. A bit disappointing from the qualification world record holder, especially since his qualification score is what cost him dear in the final round. Next, Subedar Vijay Kumar brought home an unexpected silver on the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol. He held no world championships or records as did most of the Indian shooting contingent, but he made light work of the nerves in the space where it mattered the most! Saina Nehwal, India’s blue-eyed wonder-woman became India’s next bronze medallist, ensuring that singles Badminton did not become an all-Chinese affair. She was seeded 5th for the event and did extremely well to beat some higher ranked players too! Mary Kom, the poster girl for the world’s women’s boxing association (literally!) showed a lot of grit. Mother of two, known for 2 world championships after coming out of retirement, punched her way through before she met a formidable, younger, local opponent in the semi-finals! An incredible effort indeed.

The first three medals were followed by a long hiatus, and then suddenly there were two! Less than 24 hours apart. Best buddies Yogeshwar Dutt and Sushil Kumar, wrestling together since childhood picked up a bronze and a silver in the 60kg and 66kg Freestyle events respectively. Sushil was always a medal hope, coming back from an Olympics bronze in 2008 and World Championship Gold in 2010. His apparent dehydration in the final cost him his gold medal, but nerves get to even the best of us. The real surprise however was the underdog Yogeshwar who fought three rounds in less than an hour and pulled off six amazing technical points in the bronze-medal round.

Other than the six, quite a few Indians left their mark in the Olympics, especially in the track and field events. Krishna Poonia (5th) and Vikas Gowda (8th) made the nation proud by qualifying for the finals in the women’s and men’s discus throw. No Indian has ever won a medal in field events and handfuls have even qualified! Tintu Luka, P.T.Usha’s protégé, made it to the semi-final of the 800m sprint where she ran her season’s best effort to finish 6th.

Fans back home were, however, left very disappointed by India’s performance in certain fields; not a single medal in Men’s Boxing (World Champion and Olympics bronze medallist Vijender), Hockey (an abysmal last place finish) or Archery (world no. 1, Deepika Kumari didn’t even qualify for the quarters!).

All in all, a fine performance by the Indian contingent. The increasing number of medals at the highest arena, shows the fruits of the labour put in by our athletes, the government and several private sector initiatives (think Sahara, Mittals). This shall, hopefully, encourage more Indians to take up sports, other than cricket, professionally. That is the only way to bring the best talent out in the open and aim for more medals in the future.

 

Arnav Das
[email protected]

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Sex Amma

Sex Amma

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Dear Amma, I really like one of my seniors and I think he knows about it too. But the problem is that he graduated from college this year. I wanted to spend some more time with him but that does not seem possible now. What do you recommend? Do I confess my feelings for him and let him take a call on this even though I think he is aware of my feelings for him through our mutual friends?


A. You machchis take so much tension these days that it gives Amma sympathy heart attacks. First of all, you should be glad you have some ogle-worthy senior in college. So, congratulations, because those are really hard to come by.

Now, coming to your dilemma, it seems like a fairly simple one. It seems that you’re fairly sure that you like him and that is extremely important because you don’t want to ruin your friendship. Now all you need to do, my honey dipped idli, is to muster some courage and go tell him exactly how you fell. And the fact that he might already know how you feel will only make it easier. If he says yes, good for you. If he doesn’t, well, at least you know you tried.

As far as spending time together is concerned, you need to keep in mind that graduation is a natural process (unless he’s dumb as a log). If he accepts your proposal, you’d just have to figure out how you can see more of each other. Honestly, Amma knows for a fact that college is usually not the most exciting place to hang out with your boyfriend.

You can mail Amma your queries at [email protected]

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Campus Central

First Step Towards a Meta College

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Delhi University has recently introduced the Meta College concept in the form of a B.Tech. Humanities Course, which is open for application to any student enrolled in any course at any college/SOL/Non-Collegiate Programme of the University of Delhi. The concept basically works on the idea of designing your own degree.

The Cluster Innovation Centre, or CIC, has designed a course which while allowing a student to gain competencies in core areas required in any corporate role today, also give the freedom to study and explore areas in various fields of study. Students will be given the choice to choose courses to specialize in a particular stream such as Journalism, Education, Historical Tourism, Counseling and Art and Design and will also have the liberty to choose appropriate professions for themselves. The course plans to emphasize learning through hands-on projects, virtual learning and group based activities rather than relying exclusively on class room learning.

The first and the last semester of this four-year course will be compulsory for all students regardless of their stream choices, with the first semester consisting of papers such as The Art of Communication and Mathematical Awareness. The last semester, on the other hand will focus on papers like Legal Literacy and Social Enquiry. The University also organized Open Days on 7th August at S. P. Jain Auditorium, South Campus and on 8th August at the Conference Hall, North Campus for any queries on the same.

The introduction of this course is a bold move and hopefully, the first amongst many which are needed to bridge the gap between interests and opportunities. Applications for the course are open on the Delhi University website till 17th August. The admission procedure involves an one hour written test with multiple choice questions, followed by an interview of the shortlisted students.

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Bazinga

Bazinga

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Picture source: hostels247

The students of a boarding school in North Delhi were in for a surprise this Monday when a group of monkeys decided to settle down on the third floor of the boys’ hostel. The students residing in the same building claim that the monkeys had driven out the earlier occupants living on that floor. Incidentally, the floor was occupied by a group of students who caused a lot of inconvenience to their neighbours by partying with loud music at ungodly hours in the night and driving around the campus at high speeds, despite strict rules against the possession of personal vehicles.

When the displaced students were asked to comment, the only response they had to offer was a furious scratching of their heads, while one of them went to the extent of stuffing 5 bananas into his mouth in one go. According to the one of resident teachers, who also happens to be a part-time veterinarian, the monkeys are descendants from a certain clan called ‘Magica Lemuria’ that belongs to the lost enchanted forests of Enid. He claimed that this could be predicted by the length of their fingernails, the peace sign tattooed on their thigh and the way they lick the fur on their head into a particular shape, consisting of a sideways parting. As for the rest of the student community, the relief in the air is palpable as they now enjoy an undisturbed sleep, occasionally broken by the sound of branches breaking and clothes falling from a height.

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Juxtapose

Should Cricket be Included in the Olympics?

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Graphic Credits :- Sahil Jain
Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world. Here in India though, it is more than just a sport. Mass murders might bring us to India Gate with candles, but nothing can quite imitate the call to arms that a poor performance by the Indian cricket team generates.

Its popularity notwithstanding, cricket has always got a royal snub from the Olympics. With the game increasing in scope and revenue, is it finally time that the IOC accepted cricket as an Olympic sport? Or is the notion just an overoptimistic fantasy of a cricket obsessed nation?

This weeks topic for juxtapose questions whether cricket ticks all the right boxes as far as an Olympian sport is concerned. Should cricket be added to the Olympics?
Scroll down to leave your argument!
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Arts & Culture

Burger Girl: The New South Campus Adda

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As you climb up the steps of Burger Girl, located in the Satya Niketan Market, you are greeted by their interesting logo- a shadow figure of a girl holding up a burger on a platter- safe to assume that she is the Burger Girl! Once you walk in, the place seems like your usual fast food joint, with the counter up front, a few seats and a winding staircase that leads to the basement which has a larger seating area (but gets rather stuffy).

Their hand- out says that the chain was founded in “the great state of Texas”; and also claims that they have recently branched out in India, with one outlet in Chandigarh and the other one in Satya Niketan that opened about 4 months back.

A few DU students still recall that the Satya Niketan outlet had a shaky start, as the staff would replace entire meals if the tiniest of flaw was pointed out by an exacting customer. This however is not that case today as service is prompt, quality standards are high and it is tough to hoodwink the staff!

Let us get down to brass tacks now. The menu is well rounded with 5 burgers in both the vegetarian and non- vegetarian sections respectively. The burgers range from standard Aloo Tikki ones to signatures such as the Hangover Burger and the Texas Meal. To increase the range of your selection they have included oven baked Pizzas, various desserts, wraps etc. Their classic signature, the Woozookie – a freshly baked, hot cookie, topped with a choice of flavour ice cream, and different syrups – is an all time favourite.

One inadvertently makes the comparison between an established brand such as Mc Donald’s and a new entrant Burger Girl, so did we. “The French fries at Burger Girl seemed a little bland as we are so used to the Mc Donald’s fries.” said Shreyaa Manhas, a student of Sri Venkateswara College. We also happened to meet- Aseem, Apoorva and Binish, three students from Motilal Nehru College pursuing Maths Honors who told us that the burgers tasted better, were fresher and all this while being affordable for the student’s pocket! “Mc Donald’s lost three customers today!” Aseem said.

Can the shadow figure of the Burger Girl, defeat the red headed giant Ronald? The jury of DU students is out on that question. As far as meeting the high standards of being an adda, Burger Girl gets all the tick marks in our list!

 

Anugrah Gopinath
[email protected]

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