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    Drishtikon 2009

    Uploaded by

    Balaji Himakar

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    r $$ _ INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY dRiShtikKoN 2009 RiShtiKoN LIST will be completing two years shortly and | am happy to inform thatthe activities of IST have grown manifold and I can humbly submit that the Institute is no more in its infancy but has earned itself a reputable recognition amongst the community of educational insti tutions ofthe country. This would not have been possible to achieve, without the hard work and valuable contributions from the students faculty and administration and in fact, each and every member of IST. Dering the past one year, we witnessed a stream of curricular and co-curricular activities, in which the entire ST community enthusiastically took part. This ‘not only gave an impetus to our fresh batch of students, but also projected an ideal scenario of student life. Apart from the scientific and technological activites, the compe- titions which were held in Conscientia and Aparimit, the cultural and the literary activities Dhanak were arguably comparable to those of any other reputed and well-established institution. ‘The second edition of Drisht kon" by students and faculty is once again very informative and elegant Itisindeed the result of the dedication and commitment of our students, | ‘ould like to mention with due appreciation that he production and management of such activites at such an early stage is really a good sign forthe welh-being ofthe institute in future. The inculcated interest ofthe students in such creative fields willnot only hone their rnorvacademic sil, but also shape them up into multifaceted personalities, which is very much essential for any person to succeed in this world of immense competition. It gives me immense pleasure to convey my warm greetings tall who have made contributions in bringing this magazine in such a magnificent manner. also convey my best wishes forall your future endeavors to take the literary activities of the Insitute to much greater heights. BN Suresh Director dRiShtikoN inside |OUT Drishtikon is: ‘Ahandful of people, laptops, and late-night arguments about which font to use. A couple of cluelessdesigners, tons of design software, and an IP address conflict. “Abunch of sleepy procrastinators, and deadlines morphing from “absolutely by tornorrow morning’ to“the next weekend” ‘A whole lot of articles, a couple of helpless editors, and a claim of poetic license ‘A semester of never-ending student activities, an explosion of talent, and hala dozen stunned reporters. Classes spent daydreaming about ideas, and doodling pictures in the last bench, Evenings spent asking around for contributions and chasing after reluctant artists. Nights spent typing, dreaming about sleep and endlessly jabbing at the backspace key. All the sleepless nights in a 100 pages, and smiles all around. Perspective, from our litle world the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology. Happy reading! ENGLISH EDITORS MAGAZINE PEER GROUP COMMITTEE Abhinav Goel Gaurav Upadhyay Marsha P Shams ‘Megha Garg Srikar Pavan Ritwick Sahil Pradeep Rane Sudha Bendapudi HINDI EDITORS Tanveer Ali Dinesh Ohankhar Tejaswita Sharma ‘Ankur Verma English Section 06 07 09 10 12 3 14 15 16 7 18 20 21 Where Am! AHMED RYAN ANight that Wasn't MEGHA GARG Why Should It Be TEJASWITA SHARMA Tapping Solar Energy AMIR IQBAL King of the Roads SHISHIR KUMAR CHANDRA Media Frenzy ABHINAV GOEL RITWICK RANE ItWould Not Be Called Success If ItWere Easily Achieved PRITESH KUMAR SINHA The Denial UMANG KUMAR RATHI In Search of Myself PRATEEP BASU A Resignation Letter AAITH RKANALE Aaj Socho Sahi Kya Hai, Kal Ho Jayegi Party KKIRAN SAGAR Chalk Fight Chronicles SATTWIK SUMAN DAS, ABHISHEK KISLAY An Inconvenient Truth UMANG KUMAR RATHI More and More I RACHANA REDDY The Quest AHMED RYAN ents 23 Exploring an F1 Car SATTWIK SUMAN DAS The Rosebush MARSHA SHAMS Wildflowers Falling MRACHANA REDCY With Wings | Fly M RACHANA REDDY Travelling Soldier MOHAMMAD BASHEER Nano Mania TANVEER ALI For the Love of the Game RITWICK RANE The Graveyard Song MARSHA SHAMS Indispensable Role of Media KUSHAGR GUPTA Ode on my Death SRIKAR PAAVAN Trek Track SURHIBAGHOTIA Does Slumdog Millionaire Really Deserve the Oscars? TANVEER ALI 24 25 26 27 28 33 34 35 36 Faculty Section 38 Mother Kite BINDU KRISHNAN For You Dear Salma Thakrey GIGY J ALEX Lessons From The Current Global Financial Crisis SHAUUMON CS, 39 40 46. From Fictional Bog lands to Castles: A Short Trip to Arhus BABITHA MARINA JUSTIN Sal WIS — Tedd 52 We... fete, ofa 53 Oiler wo 54 fradeafggs we wae Vga as 55 we oe 56 MTT Set Or oad 57 years feat eho ormarat 58 SaIRRT wa 59 48 dre life a BT oo Afra a ahr cathe Perera 61 Ser we 66 wfafard aie TeETg o7 fet a fre 68 fro oo wae 7 Ze. rn Bora & Rao eee 74 Ge Pret a afrarst afer SOTA 75 ste A Sn are Montage 78 IST Campus 79 Photography Winners 81 Fests at IST 84 Cartoons, Sketches & Paintings Where Am |? The crying blue heart bleeds Wondering, I reflect on my deeds! Sleep from the dried and vacant eyes is lost ‘And from the dreadful devilish dreams! Startled and frightful l wake up ‘And listen to the echoes of my own screams! In the dreams Iroam all around Tired, fearful, exhausted and thirsty! And perhaps | have been roaming there forever Or for long years, thirty fifty, may be sixty! Running for my life from some unseen forces I searched every corner, ifonly I could find shelter! Never getting camouflaged, | am always found Now [realise there is some mystic power! Jam always caught, no matter how hard Itry No one cares, shedding tears, my heart again cries! Someone please help me, from all this | want to get out Curse the day, on this earth by Satan when Iwas brought! I can't bear more, Ican't face it any more ‘And there is no other solution that Ican find! Please, please come and reward me with a calm death That's the only way may lie in peace, my heart and my mind! ‘AHIVAD RYAN 1st YEAR, AE dRiShtikoN A Night That Wasn’t Megha Garg, 2nd Year, AV Mlustration: Ajith R Kanale “There he satoting down details of something so ominous and obscure that he himself was not sur ofits existence and realty Being an amateur at handling such topics he could not outscore the advice of veterans who would dery accepting hs tory nor could he deviate from the obvious facts. ‘The climate outside was hazy, the atmosphere filed with sadness. It was a winter afternoon but it seemed that right ha already fallen. The sky filled with clouds, no trace of any heavenly body, tees covered with snow, the wind as stil as dead asf frazen by cold. An unseen fear seemed to be emanating from the surrounding asf favourng his work to begin. Inthe surroundings of tranqulity all voice that could be heard was the titer tatter ‘of his typing machine too old to bear the writers speed (he was making sure that i sill worked) Mr. Mallk was ajourralist more ofa writer though his stores never got published, Ealierhe used to writefora section ina newspaper, desperately needing a story that could boost up his sagging morale. Iwasa longtime since he sat with apen in hishand, He was not sure how to start. He kept scribbling just to empty hisnetepad into the waste bin The clock struck twelve announcing midnight witha shriling scream which seemed to echo in the room. To anyone it may just seem the tick tock ofan ordinary pendulum clock but fora person with such a disturbed mind as his was, everything seemed mysterious and perfidious The warden Mr. Bhatia came announcing sleeping time fo all the patients but he was in nomood to sleep. He hada cha with him for some time. Bhatia was always surprised a to why Mr. Malik was here. He seemed absolutely normal but a person staying ina mental hospital cannot be normal because people outside have to fallin that category isnt that so? The biggest tragedy of his life stood upon this very fact. Hs image in the institution was that ofa light hearted, good humoured person but no one knew that behind his smile was ‘agonyhe simply refused to share with anybody. He was a story teller, always amusing people with his funny talk, None here knew that he used to write ealer.The phone ang and Bhatia went to attend tothe ring, Even at this latehourall stroling through Malik mind were old memories and no sleep Til date he had. never thought of writing his personal fe but today he wanted his ‘emotions to flow with the ink of his pen and fillthe paper with the biggest tragedy that had foregone which changed his life forever. He {decided to jot down the incident as was embezzed ins mind, It was five years from now, yet he remembered every deal as minutely asf it Were just the previous night. He started: ‘twas my bes friend’ birthday party and was leaving the office late. twas aleeady half past nine. of course could nat np it, nothing can bbe done when boss says that t's yet not time, the boss i always right. My friend was lawyer and current involved in private practice. We hhad met just two years ago when we worked on acase together. Gl Sirs ARG | felt a queer sensation in my abdominal region lke a pulse of pain travelling upwards to my mind which seemed to block all my reasoning power, my body craved forrest but | had to hury. | decided to take the shortcut; the road was deserted and dusty with rocks and bushes ining up the sides. It was a {ull moon night and the moon seemed to peep from behind the coconut tree, stil and silent asf caught inthe leaves. thought of climbing ard free its hold a foolish but seemingly amusing thought. seemed to be enjoying the surroundings, when l remembered that had to hurry to reach the party on time. twas a champagne party and| did not want to miss the cake-cutting specially knowing the fact that his fiends were such foodies that it wouid be devoured the moment tis cu, At some distance | noticed a man waking swift at last a company on this deserted street | thought, But he was in such a hry that had to run to catch up wth him. t last | managed but | was completely out of breath by ‘now. When | reached by his ide | was totaly taken by surprise, he was my very friend Rajesh Even ithe was late his office was on the completely opposite direction, His presence at this time at this place took me by awe. tried asking him why he was there but all that came out from my mouth were broken words, some mumbling sound: needed some airto breathe asked my fiend to stop, we could ‘both go together but he did not seem to care. All he said was"Remember no.47"Now he started running instead of walking, In what kind of hurry was he? Why he gave me such a cold treatment and about the number, | could not understand anything. Everything Was so strange. too decided to hurry: 1 had lst all rack of time and felt that | must be getting late. t was aS min walkleft now. When | entered my friend's house everyone seemed to bein mourning rather than in the mood of revelry. Already | was taken aback by my fiends behaviour and now this. hough Rajesh was not much liked by bis fellow mates but tis did not mean that his birthday celebration had to be so morose. Everyone stared at me as | proceeded and said "nappy birthday’, normally eople say so on birthdays, wast so abnormal? Then I noticed that Rajest was nowhere tobe seen there. With that carne the shock ‘fy life: he had expired in a car accident at :he highway when returning from work and they had received the news just half an hour before. But how could ths be possible, | met him just 10 min ago, ‘Maybe this was atrck played on me and once they get the desired reaction they wil start shouting "Baka mnb@kra Was Not going ofall in their trap and told them about my encounter with him lately, No one paid any attention to it. The mood remained the same, ood acting had to confess. But ‘tcontinued the same and the nextday there was the news of his death in the newspaper, now | had to believe the news as twas the same newspaper | worked for. ‘Now the question that kept troubling me day in and day out was who was the person? Or maybe its Incorrect to say so, maybe it was some supernatural power or ghost and what did itwant to convey by ‘that number? I told several of his friends abou te number But no one believed me. Gradually became s0 engrossed In that single incident that | could not think about anything else. Everyone thought that | \was suffering from hallucination; everything saw was a disturbed mental state unable to bear my failure a a writer, had come to cooking up sores in my personal ie. Then Iset to find the answers to "my questions and work on the single cue | had, the number. Was ita bank locker no? Lottery ticket 1902? Swiss bank account no. but he was not that rch. was totally confused, Already n a dull mode my career seemed to lose its track and in a yea | was expelled from the job, a A Night That Wasn’t dRiShtiKol ‘One day while going through Rajesh files found “HIGH COURT, Drawer no. 47" written in a scribbled handwriting atthe end. then reached the high court and broke the drawer. What Ifound inside, | could not believe my eyes, inside were al the proofs in favour of his ally inthe recent murder case he was work ing or, he must have not got the chance to share his knowledge with anybody befere his death. The case was ast by the new advocate who had taken it just 3 days before. was about to colect all the proofs ‘when noticed mysef surrounded by police in charge, and taken into custody for breaking ina personal section But the worst was yet to come, instead of taken me to the police-station | was taken tothe mental asylun. | triedlike mad to explain them the whole situation, and | was proved the same. No one cared to believe ‘me instead everyone certihed that my behaviour indicated that | had lost my mind end was used to hallucinating things. | was not even glvena chance to express myself. Thus landed nthe asylum; the biggest regret that remains in my mind sthat | could not do anything for my elend even withthe proofs in my hands (Just because of the circumstances which controlled the whole situation). The biggest rag: tedy remains the same at the end word isnot realy \o believe in poracones anc ithas to go on withthe accepted facts, or the person who tries to make them believe s believed tobe a psycho. Itwasabout tobe the time of dawn. As Mr. Bhatia was having his regular rounds he toticed, Mr. Malik had -dozedoff withthe type writer in his lap, and pages with fresh ink on its end, It as range, he was used ‘to narating and not writing stories; Mr. Bhatia took the pages and began reading. Gradually the sun was rising nto anew morning, Why Should It B Life was o perfect with everything in place, It was more like adream, flowing a a calm pace. But it would shatter into pieces it never occurred to me, ‘The future never seemed uncertaln, and why should tbe? Each time I was cushed, the feeling to rise always grew. But why did hope for things that knew will never come true, Sometimes lf so cruel, why did't see, Itdoesnt give youa second chance, but why should it be? “The roadis unending, and hopes have all gone, Sill walking, flom dusk til dawn, ‘Theres no onetocare, but only me, tmhurt and fm pained, but why should it be? No one to listen tut everyone to scream, ‘They are least bothered about my goals and dream. Chaos and confusion sll that surrounds me, have been tormented enough, but why should It be? | don't want to hear the shouts, not even the echoes, ust want to be with me, wherever my heart goes. Now fel ikea bed, soaring high and free, sal about following your heart and thats the way it should bel Tejaswita Sharma 2nd year, AS 4st Prize Winn of ner house Poetry Competiton o eles laHl col] Tapping Solar Energy Everyone has been harping about all conventional sources of energy running out inthe near future and that we have to learn to rely on non-conventional sources of energy. We also knows thatthe most promis ing non-conventional source of energy is solar energy. ‘But, do we know how we can make use of solar energy in dally fe? Or how it wl fll our dally needs? ‘What ae the difuties ints use? Let’ find out ‘The solar energy reaching the upper layer ofthe atmosphere is nearly 1368 Wim2. That meansin one hour more sunlight falls on the earth than what is sed by the entire population in one year! Due to the earths atmosphere, the solar energy gets somewhat depleted. But the energy that reaches the earths surface still more than enough to fulfill our needs. “The main difculty arses when we attempt the conversion ofthis energy. We make use of solar cells to convert soar energy to electrical energy, but the faction of solar energy that is converted to electrical tenergy is limited ky the conversion efficiency ofthe solar cells. For commonly available solr cells single layered, amorphous or crystalline slic cell) the production cost of electricity is much higher than that of thermal elecricty. So, even though it’ all vironment friendly, no one prefers using solar energy. Die sensitized cells are, however, economical. The production cos of electricity using these comes is sinilarto that using thermal energy But its conversion efficiency is very less (around 5-9), Thisin turn reduces its specific power (power-to-weight ratio). Hence itis generally not chosen over thermal energy So, we have to think of techniques that can increase the thermal effcienty and specie power as well a reduce the production cost of electricity. Two such techniques ae: 1, MULTLJUNCTIONTECHNIQUES Although solar radiation peaks at nearly 0.48 mm wavelenath butt has a continuous spectrum, which is «the main reason forthe low efficiency of solar cells, because each junction can efficiently utiiseonly particular band ofthe solar spectrum, Photons with energy less than the band gap of the junction simply ‘90 waste while photons with much higher energles may involve in phonon vibration, which produces heat and reduces the efciency of the cel, {Asis clear from the name, inthis technique the Junctions of the semiconductor material are aranged in ‘such away that s We go from top to bottom, the band gap of the junction goes on decreasing, This technique partitions the spectrum and each junction utilises a particular band ofthe spectrumefcienty Hence this technique can increase the conversion efficiency of the cll to 2-4 times that of asingle- junction cell of sicon. GaN (Gallium Nitride), InN (indium Nitride) an a system of alloys incorporating {GaN and In ae currently the most promising material for construction of mult-unction solar cel, because these materials cover the spectrum from Far Ultra Violet to Near Infra Red, which covers the ‘major portion of sun spectrum, 2. MULTIPLE BAND GAP SINGLE LAYER TECHNIQUES Thisis avery new concept based on a recent invention Its shown that a single material may have different band gaps, 50 junction of such a material can be used to subdivide the solar spectrum. And ifthe band gap is tising a particular portion of spectrum efficiently and it possesses nearly all the property possessed by ‘multijunction solar cells, one ofthe materials that can be used fr such junctions i ine manganese tollaride incorporated with oxygen impurities witten as [ZnMnOTel Positives: 1. Very high conversion efficiency (40-70%), 2. ilies solar spectrum from FUV to NIR 5 Very high specific power (3 times that of commonly available Si els) 4 If we use suitable materials forthe junction t can make solar electricity as economical as thermal electricity 5.Can be used in terrestrial applications and is capable of replacing all conventional sources of electricity, thereby decreasing pollution to some extent 6.Due tots high speci power and long life itcan be very useful in space applications and can increase the life ofa satelite '8y adopting new techniques and using suitable materials tis possible to bring about a revolution inthe area AMIR IQBAL, Ist Year, AS Yeats since learned to walk, Years since learned to talk, The roads and the crowd along, ‘That's what my eyes have shown, Pebbles, noise and confusion strong, Darkness under every head and arm, My eyes are stuck upon this long road, [And my body bent by some unknown load. Didrit realize what am? ‘Rcow,a beast or aram; | flocked along this infinitely long Meet, ‘And never found the sign of momentous deplete. I never knew that had become a part ofthis race, My foot tied along with others ina total disgrace Foryears| didnt feel what lam for Foryears | walked keeping my head down Forthe fist time was jumbled, {And elt |am being crumbled: For the first time | puta question before myself, ‘And fr the first time 1 was my own rival For the frst time, to think stood. Nevertheless couldnt stand ‘As the chain pushed and pulled ‘heard the song of a morning bird, My eyes stil stuck on the moving dead ground KING OF THE ROADS Shishir Kumar Chandra ‘st Year, AV Hooked above to find the source [And for the frst time fel the mighty sun's force. For the frst time in many years Hel the cool winds ‘And was absorbed fora minute, But then Ifelt the handcuff and the nuts ‘The emotions won and | tied to pull me out, |ealized that should be fee or live not elt my muscles fine and strong elt the urge to hear the birds song. So the attention of saves was cavaht They thought that Iwas the cause of rit I tried to explain that we all were free, But to my astonishment the slaves didnot agree, fought for humanity and light which was my own, ‘The seed has borne the fruits which the bird had sown, could feel the fists and came to know that they were weak, Slaves of the system and slavery they need fought the lonely battle and my passion was thrashed, ‘Yet my dying eyes could see the impression on the young they let, My eyes closed and my freedom arose, And I became the king of roads. 2 dRiShtikKoN Winn DIA FRENZY at ame Big B complains of stomach ache, fans praying Police Commissioner lose: pet dog, New drama on Dancing Queen ‘amir says ‘Getting a 6-pack not easy. These are all snippets from Breaking News Nashing on TV news channels inthe ecent past m quite sure hat these should make national headlines when the country is drenched in poverty, corruption, terrorism, literacy and social backwardness. And ofcourse, the Mika Rakhi Sawant episode has made so much ‘more difference tomy lfethan India satelite launches, ‘Whats this? Let’ just take a minute and think about what we're seeing heating and taking in with every breath through each mode of communication media around us ‘My day starts with picking up a newspaper that tells me Prince Willam is ne longer with his girfrend, rather than nes that concerns my everyday life. News about progress, development, innovation is replaced with reports on high-profile parties and the wos who that attended i. News about crime, Its Prevention, my security iscompromised with for unwarranted accounts offimstars and thelr weddings When Iturn on the television for some relaxation, end up convinced that Indian women are bor either to save their marriages or ruin others and that tis forgivable fora man to have atleast three extr-matal affairs The thinking minds of millions of other women, and men are being eaten Up by endless sob stories everyday. When | tum tonews channels, | see overxcited journalists teally creaming, stnsationalsing every sound that escapes their mouths. Mast channels do not show anything but mindless garbage made out of ‘gossip, superstition or pegping into the private lives of celebrities. Reports without sufficient verification, shameless intrusion into private lives inthe name of sting operations, instances of miraculous appearances of gods and goddesses in unexpected places, insensitive coverage ofthe most heinous crimes with even rape victims made to undergo the ordeal of narrating thelr stories on nationalTV areal the order ofthe ny. Pointless debates discussions and opinions overshadow facts and are only capable of generating rational ‘mass hysteria, Even situations of crises ae made into an opportunity for earning money by inviting opi. lonated SMSes at inflated rates. Yet, all ofthis is shrouded very shaddily with the pretence of keeping the ‘masses informed. ‘On the other hand, Inoticea large section of the youth gaining sadistic and voyeuristic pleasure from what {s termed Reality TV where entertainments defined by watching others insulted or crying. Cartoons meant for young children cary a high dosage of sexual innuendo and consequentiy, we see more children ‘getting into relationships, dating etc prematurely ‘can we now call the media responsible? Taking cover under the statement thatthe media shows what ‘people want isan act of cowardice, of shirking responsibilty. The responsibility of the media is most ins pensable ata time when the receiving end stands corrupted. The media with is reach has the power to influence, both positively and negatively, millions of people. Newspapers have been instrumental in mobil ising India's freedom fighters. When the media can get’Get Well Soor’ greetings forthe Big BS upset stom. ach when itcan gamer support for contestants of song and dance competitions, can it not devote its {energies to publicise laws that strengthen the democratic system, scrutinise the work of the government, pressurise sleeping bureaucracy to work, dssipate rationality and a work-culture embodying efficiency? Can itt bring from across the world, the great ideas that have taken entire nations to the path of prog: ress? Can it not highlight the immense potential and the good work being carried out even in the remote villages ofthe country? Thisisnow, for you to decide Pritesh Kumar Sinha Ist Year, AV ‘What does take to be successful? The answers quite simple. Itneeds focus, commitment, determina ‘tion and the grit to overcome any kind challenge that comesig the way, tobeefoaused on the solution: _and to be committed to doing whatever it takes to get whatfou want and wo achieve what atthe outset may seem unattairable You definitly cannot buy success igitalso does nOt materialize free of charge. thas to be worked for, challenges have to be overcome, sShodbe discayered that in spe of all ‘the hurdles and setbacks, there a way out. LeaMpgto, {the goa wll lp develop the commit- iment and determination which eventually leadisto su different path. Jumping off your path tastay wit path andi you do not getback on to Your path, you will ind yourseWes living inal Kimanner by the unsathied destiny ‘which remained unaccomplsheddueto the, feand step out again into your path Lea jyourfuture.A strong determined person is Generally most people ave up and afew tough 9h supported by the path behind them which theyset out tozchieve. ‘going learn from the faults a ‘ones fiter out They cont helped them move forward \Where doyou belong? Ask ‘committed that even Ifyou fl that therewillbe setbacks and be calledsuccessifit were s0 es Bick 0 Your goals look fr solutions and be so yyourcourage and commitment and accept uldibe undeterred by? Tell yourse¥,itwould not dRiShtikoN The Denial “Among hundreds of voices, {find one that binds me: Hundreds of faces around, Butone, ll never forget. Thefirst time saw you. ' understood why love cant see. Ideny to myself Negate the feelings, But youbreak my defenses, With justa smile dontwantto seek you In Search of Myself But love you; Never will you be ming, Bur strangely, Nove you From dazzling civilized crowd, here culture wasin short supply, | moved away to the distant land for peace. Under the shadow of protective mountain, Itriedtofery across the mighty river But my boat upturned and drowned me with my desires, Itresurfaced onthe other side, centuries later with new weak- Even inthe lines try todety, But my heart tres to dery, To eign in my heart ‘May your smile be my strength, Todeny't, nesses eee Inthe midst ofsandy desert | surged ahead, Burned my feet and scalded my skin; ‘Umang Rathi da as % Face pinned to the ground in disgrace. 2nd Year, AE ‘Acamel imped, and terror laughed. Buried under the heaps of sand, ‘Avoice reassured my crying soul and led me toa new panorama ‘Acooland moonlit night Where innocent laughter of tiny stars awoke me toa new dawn. Here sun was bright, but cool, human frame weak, but divine, Inthe dazaling crowd of cilization, culture was trying to bud, and | was no more compelled to wander todistant lands in search of myself. Prateep Basu. 2nd Year, AE A RESIGNATION LETTER Ajith Kanale, Ist Year, AV | Kary Kumar, CEO ofPhoend« Industries Limited resigned recently. And the letters flows avira Kumar, Chief Execution Officer, Phoenix Industries Limited, [New Horizon industrial Area, Bangalore-560013, 26th March 2008 To, The Chairman, Phoenix Industies Limited, ‘New Horizon industrial Area, Bangalore-560013, sir ‘Owing to my personal condition, ‘Along with many a complication, ‘Which has landed me in the present condition, [Inereby submit my resignation From the CEO's designation Which ted in this organization, For this thirty-five year duration, "have enjoyed the cooperatior, Of the staff and the administration, {am proud of my association ‘With this institution And its tradition Of indiscrimination With respect toany recognition Except positon "have always enjoyed the competition y some negotiation and ‘Subsequent monetary annexation, lam under the Impeession ‘That have made a lite contribution Inthe propagation Of the evolution For making an acquisition OF any val corporation (Of modernization {nd innovation Which is brought to Fuition ‘The dreams laid at the company’s foundation, ‘Thus | presentyou ths information That after ao: of argumentation And consideration Of every possble solution For resolving my suation Thave taken the decision To submit my resignation. My best wishes to tat person ‘That worthy selection |Who would fil my position In the journey of tals and tribulation May he bring you joyand jubilation! (Please do not delay my last remuneration) ‘Thanking you, Yours faithfully, avira Kumar Ithas been more than sixty years since we achieved independence. But what we have done so far towards technological development inthe country? The recently launched Chandrayaan def iitely san achievement which shows the countrys potential n aerospace engineering. ut are we equally good at other areas of science and technology? Are we leaders in other areas? The answers staring at us in big bot letters: NO. Let us explore what the reason i. Inthe 3d century BC, Alexander reached the Indus rver,A powerful emperor named Porus was the ur of that region, Porus had many princes under Fim who were not happy with him and extended support to Alexander. Eventually Porus lost the battle and the empire was inthe hands (of Alexander. The British, too, helpedindian kingdoms against each other and successfully captured the country. {And history repeats tel: indian industialists, to survive the fierce competition against each ‘other, collaborate with western firms for technical aid ard adopt the desired technology within a ‘hort porid of time as compared to indigenauic development of the came And the conse {quences ~ multinationals goon developing their engineering skilsand remain ahead of us and also make money from us One ofthe best examplesis of Heo motors. Hefo collaborated with Henda motors to rll out | wo-wheelers and Hero Honda emerged asthe largest selling two wheeler company. Honda, on realizing the vast potential in India, opened its own manufacturing uns inthe country and is ‘now competing with Hero Honda to become the leader of the industry, In contrast to Hero, look at this Tata group wanted to step int the wrist watch market and break ‘the monopoly of HMT watches. Hence was founded Titan. It competedwith HMT not by collabo- rating, but developing its own technology and mastering the use of quartzin wrist watches. And today ithas come out with the world’ slimmest watch Titan Edge, ust 3.5 mm thick. Today, stands independent in the wrist watch market, with pride. ‘This ia rablem which we are facing within the county: let us take 2 look atthe international level. The European continent consists of dozens of countries that once used to fight against each other, but have now come together to create one of the largest organizations in the world - the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the European Space Agency (ESA). These organizations have emerged as world leaders in thelr respective areas, They have established the largest cyclotron atthe Franco-Swiss border near Geneva ‘And what have we got atthe border? Soldiers arms and ammunition. thats all. The whole indian sub continent ~ Indi, Pakistan, China, Se Lanka and Bangladesh buy arms from either USA or Russia. And we use these arms against each other. We lose lives, spend money and of course, doa favour to both US and Russia. They develop technology by investing huge amounts of money to retain their superiority and cleverly regain a good fraction oft by sellin arms tous. They create cold war hysteria and make others fight India-Pakistan wars and lrae-Paestine wa's have taken place, but never have USA and Russia come down to the battleground ‘We must unite as subcontinent and together defend each other against other super powers, so ‘that we may not succumb to pressure fom them. Last but not the least, we, as citizens, must make sure that our work contrburtes t the wel being ‘of indians. ts our moral responsibility to serve the countty fr life, Do, do, & do, Dolt for India, Jal Hind! K Kiran Sagar Ist Your, AE dRiShtiKol BH iiikaang 1akof oF] poy ‘ny VY 1yng oys0g fo chalk fight CHRONICLES | ‘Sattwik Suman Das, 1st Year, AE | Abhishek Kislay, 1st Year, AV | ‘Acdassroom is supposed to bea sacred and avery crucial place for leaning. And from an institution's point of view itis the place where young, novice brains transform into prospective torch bearers ofthe nation. Ths the sanctity ofthese places, where knowledge is being imparted, must be preserved, Mustrit i? Nah. Just think about the activities that ACTUALLY take placein a classroom, Now, do you realy agree with the sermons in the frst paragraph? We often find real pleasure and involvement in various classroom adventures which have no relation whatsoever with what is called’academ- lest Of these, one ofthe most ubiquitous is calk ight. Veterans of the spor offer lot inorder to convince you, how laudable a chalk ght canbe and how it salt better than dozing off in thecass. Experts als factorize chalk fight as 2 skilful art blended with patience, courage and timing ‘They say,"To wat forthe right chance (when the professor turns his back) and to utilize It with Jmmense accuracy isthe distinction ofa good player” Objective: The Cranium The main aims to it the opponent above the shoulder eliciting a CS.inspred war cry of HEADSHOT! The ears are often favored targets Targets: Generally the fighters divide into two teams and target any one ofthe apposite teams But ‘occasionally, oe (anachy souls clsen@s the sole target, and pelted with chalks to accom panying cheers of Maro Sometimes this sole targets from another batch, andif he's percep tive enough to understand hes waking into a trap, he wisely keeps a handful of ammo wth im to throw from behind the doar and run Sine the battlefield is imited to within the dass- room, those crossing the Line of Control can escape. But for people ofthe same batch, ths move is loked down unan a eawrtice When the going gets rough, the rough take cover: Ducking doesn't always help you escape the onslaught of chalks. Notebooks are usedas =hields, and sometimes people az well There war 9 tendency to hide bchind girlz 20a: #9 not ‘get hit, but since the chalk fight mani has spread without gender discrimination, this move is no longer useful Method: Chalk fight in classrooms is no longer a childs play;i’s considered a grim sport which requires practice, technique and concentration, which ae ironically the most needed prerequisites to Succeed in any walko ite It requires a goodknowledge of optics and quick reflexes, Generally, the missiles aimed above the tayget’ head so as to hit the forehead, but depending on which way the target dives for cover, the direction and angle of throw must be changed immediately. The path ofthe projectle is kept to.2 minimum to reduce aerodynamic drag, Theres an easier method depending solely on probability. Called"Spray rein elite circles, this technique simply equires you to throw a handful of chalk at once. Unfortunately this reduces the {ammunition rather rapidly, increasing the chances of leaving you a sitting duck tothe opposite team. Ammo: ‘Ammo is plan chalk... pcked up from the floor. The experts sometimes snatch missiles out of their paths, too. The initial ammo comes when a professor asks for chalk. The obedient student returns with a handful chalk forthe prof, and a pocket ul stashed forthe next bal, (Ofcourse, this So-called sportis often citiclzed asa misdemeanor on part othe students, hich isa disturbance and wastage of time and resources. But from the students point of view, itis @ ‘great amusement-cum-elief from the lectures, ome of which can even cause serious migraine. A student also fels enthralled at doing something which can be characterized as aly, incognito sport. On deeper analyss, you can also consider improving one’s ‘stealth and diagnosis tech niques" Anyway, theres nothing wrong in hitting the bulls eye when the lecture is completely ‘out of your radar Just try to evaluate the kenefits ofa chalk ight. Isnt it worth some punishments...?Itcertainly is. Evenif you pay attention tothe lecture, you can always manage two or thre shots as refresh- ‘ments. hese may become those moments that you will alvay recall and cherish, later in your Me, EE Bac) AN INCONVENIENT MORE AND MORE ‘TRUTH “Whenaiis thickabove you, In the midst of the enchanting musi of silence And tshard to breathe, ‘My heart loses its balance “Then you realize the truth, You give me asmile warm How deep And the silly itoses lis calm How dark ‘Nl through the winter night dark “The holes, which you dug for youre Itsings lke a ar 1 Not of the beautiful dew Inther, youre alone, But of handsome you Friends may come and have alook, ‘You make my smile brighter ‘Buc no hands ae going to reach you. ‘And me feel lighter Theremay be day out there, You il me with pleasure But nothing beaches the darkness here: So much that can't measure ‘Your comforting presence ‘Therels not even any sound, Just you and your fimsy dreams. ‘They bring to you the best shows, ‘Adds to my life an essence ‘With you fy my best ‘The best aroma and besttaste, [And scale the Everest Justin realty ts all waste When you smile, shine ‘And get drunk with wine youwant get out, Not of youth ‘Toflytothe sky, But of sooth ‘To see the real sun, When a song you whistle Yowhave along way in there. ‘My skinfeelsa drizzle When a game you play Scaling up the hoe, ‘My heart goes gay Requires your very soul When ajog you take Thebest of you is at stake, ‘Nlaround the lake [Andthe bests what you wll yt. Iwatch with pride Your elegant stride Ifyou remain tue to yourself, ‘When my name you utter YYouwil see the light ‘My hear feels a flutter Andif tues your wl, ‘When you speak to me ‘Maybe then, Itdances with glee Hihymeet you, on ahi, (Oh my prince charming Isntall this alarming That filled wth this mad amour mang Rath mang at a ceeeece eines MRachana Reddy rave 8 leis INELe IN| cea Colas iairl e)N) Now with gravitation asthe only force lef, physicists began the quest for unifying it with the other eae eee eee ee tae ee aa ee eee eh nee eda ce Ce ete ce caer eek ee erate Teeth pe eter RE ain te neat Cee other forces was futile. The physists were, to say the least, depressed, Does this mean tha there le Pree eae ree ee eer te ta eer ee ee ee ere art erent ere ee Sete era oe eee theory which shows the promise of marrying Quantum Mechanics with the General Theory of Relativ See eer eon ee ene nn ee ee ee ee Be et ne eee ete nee eee seer nal force, according to the Supersting Theory is caused by the lowest vibratory mode of een oo eae ee eee re eee ee eee eer eee tn ae ea et rein sc) i a een ay eee ome ecco aes erty onan arene ee eee eet ery oxploring an FA car SSATTWIK SUMAN DAS, 1st Year, AE Formula One can be factored into speed, technology and a sport which nites man and machinery pushing them tothe limit every single time. A century motor acing has metamorphosed the Grand Prixracing from gladiatoral battles oad supremacy to an exciting test ground forthe latest and ukimate automobile hnology. ‘An 1 cars the ukimate evolution of the horseless mechanical carriage. An FI car today has the best brakes, suspension systems, tyres, engines and aerodynamics you would find onthe planet, Iteven has ‘advanced computers and electronics which assist the drivers while running a tech-packed carat 300 kmph. Their catbon fered bodies make FI cars the safest racing ars protecting the drivers life in high ‘peed crashes. The brakes of F cars are made up of carbon composites which are light weight and can withstand high temperatures. There are different actuators for front and rear tyes (dual-circuit type) t0 help the driversto apply different breaking force to front and rear wheels to suit their driving syle Superior braking systems can provide an edge during late braking n corners and out-braking maneu- vers, which ae key aspects ofthe cut and thrust ofthe wheel in whee! racing, Tyres used in F1 cars are the most evolved form of automobile tyres built from compounds and compos- ites developed ty an extensive research Current rules allow each divert use fourteen sets of dry weather tyes, four sets of intermediates and three sets of extreme wet tyes. The tyres are maintained in ‘optimum temperatures to give maximum performance. The suspension system that bridges the gap bbetwween powerand grip plays a crucial role particularly while comeing. Suspensions ae made out of ‘carbon fibets.TheF1 cars use multi-link dual wishbone setup with unequal length of upper and lower arms. The springs and dampers are mounted remotely and are actuated by complex bell rank mecha- ism and pushrod mechanism providing scope for engineers to give minute adjustments to suit track type, weather conditions and driving style. Formula One cars have wings. But unlike those in airplanes hich produce lft, wings in FI cars provide downward force to increase the ca’ grip. There's atradeotf between downward force and drag to give optimum straight line speed and come"ing bility Fortis, the wings have tobe set appropriate angles, and knowledge of which demands extensive wind tunnel ‘esting, Engines in F1 cars are an absolute pinnacle of technology. Most cars use VB engines with a Power output of700bhps. The gsarbox mounted behind the engine transmits the drive tothe two rear ‘heels through differential There are generally seven gears which are shifted using paddles behind the stering wheel, An engine and gearbox be reliable considering the stress on them and the penalties incurred ina fall, “The electronic control unit includes a central computer system which determines everything from the vay engine delvers power tothe gearbox which in turn transmits power. With the touch ofa button, the driver can monitorand manipulate different operations in the car. In spite of such an elaborate sage ofthe cutting edge technology, what governs racing even today isthe human brain, Proper team strategy isthe key for winning. Planning of pit stops, tyre usage, fuel composition and on-track maneu- vers and thelr proper implementation can make a huge difference for even an underdog team (aback ‘marker a5 called in F1).A ban on traction control shows the emphasis given on drivers skils and team strategy by FIA (the governing body for motorsport). The 2st century Formula One race isa mixture of technology, excitement and trill and glamour which interests enthusiasts and auclence allover the world. Experience the thrlll yourselves when FT comes to India within a couple of years! 5 The Rosebush The rosebush stands forgotten in the yard so forlorn petals of itslfeblood crumbling into the scorched soil Its soul turning to ashes, nothing left but rings of dark thorn, ‘Their melancholy smile no summer heat can fol At the foot ofthe bleeding rosebush, with a heavy heart Iwatch a butterfly’ glittering wings unfold Her wheelchair's rusting in the atic falling apart Her violin mourns, its strings broken and its bow cold I close my eyes thinking of all ‘The things that lost her souls when she left I wait in vain to hear her call To bring back spring to this orchard so bereft Soft fingersbrush my tear-stained cheek But | hear no breathing except mine It may have been that butterfly ‘ra tendrilfrom the climbing vine But Im convinced it was her, I know. Dancing inzhe rolling mist Hersmile stl sparkling, giving a glow To the blackened petals in my fist She seems to be watching, her eyes bright Waving from among the mist-hidden trees Sunlight filters through, infusing tears with light ‘Sweetening sorrow that will never cease The butterfy returns to the thorny pile There's one blossom that didn't fall U breathe its scent and finally smile Maybe she was here, afterall. Marsha Shams Ist Year, AS Colas ineide)N) Wildflowers UTA Us falling J a) ET tene 1st Year, AV Travelling Soldier ‘Smiling behind the silvery clouds Casting theshadows of hazy white Inthe eerie silence of the night Except the ercaking of an occasional toad ‘As he walks along the road Solitarily, he makes his way in silence ‘With afirm step and determination ‘Almost running His blue eyes looking sharply in the dark He gives an aura of perfection up to the ast mark Like someone who has found purposeand happiness Suddenly as he comes to the edge of the creek He pauses to takea break With the perfect timing lke an opera or Like moments in history which make you stand in awe ‘As he bends to take a drink The moon bursts forth in an instant of brightness ‘Anda single crack lke the breaking of a twig Ashe falls over you see his face Peace‘ul yeta drop of tear Worth much more than life itself And yet he was ust a travelling soldier Losin tis battle of humanity So history forgot him, as ust a speckiin this universe But history repeats itself Mohammed Basheer 1st Year, AS laitsialrlne 2003 Tanveer Ali M4 reat nano mania (On 23rd March 2009, the most awaited car inthe histor ofthe history ofthe Indian car market or leven the global car market was launched with the tagline ow you cart By now you must be bored With all the media frenzy about the nano and the numerous reviews written in Greek and Latin, thus Printed everywhere. But after being ordered by higher authortes inthe magazine Board Iwas forced ‘to take aif tothe Tata motors showroom (whichis incidentally only ten-minute walk from my hostel. On the way | decided to write an unconventional review. After reaching there and introducing ‘myself asked the Nano sales rep about the car (could not help naticing the smile on his face). He ‘came back some time later witha xerox copy ofthe original brochure and apologized asthe original ‘brochures had finished long ago. Ths itself speaks about the enthusiastic response recelved by this car ina country ofover billion people. Lets get downto the technical detals of the ca. At present, the Nanos available in three variants, ‘Nano, Nano CXand Nano | X.The Nano being the basic one, CX with an AC and the LX with AC and power windows. The engine displaces 624cc between 2 cylinders. This 35 PS engine's a gutsy Performer giving the car a maximum speed of 105 kmph under test conditions. All the brakes are ‘abroad and play? na couple of years you willbe too old tobe a player and you yoursestae that you thinkit wll tke at least five years before India can produce a team which i competitive onthe international eve ‘What do we see this as?On the on® hand you claim to fove the game more than ifeltsef ye! you lt go ofany ‘opportunity o play? What sitreason?" ‘The question took him by surprise. He had no planned and practiced answer to this question. He closed his eyes and one word seemed to echo Inside his head. “Love si He saldto the utter bewniderment ofthe other members present. “Please expin*a man asked. “Sit love this game love tin the purest and mast archaic of ways. don love i because ofwhat can gain from it but galn from it because ove it. All my fe have shared a sacred relationship witht. Iegave me strength when [was low, gave me oy when was sad and mast ofallit gave me hope when thought had lestital You may say howcan love. game for love supposed’ to be something you felonly for another ‘human being, but askyou sirhow Is my love forthe game different to that you feefor you wife, orlove that you feel for your cikiren? My heartaches when lam away from just ike yours does. felincomplete ‘without it ust ike you do, always putt ahead of my own sel, ust ike you do. cry when Isee it abused and Indlsmay, jus like you do, I want todo everything Ican to make sure it gets beter, just ike you would. | want to stay with it forthe rest of my fe, just ike you do and wil nt desert it and go looking for reener pastures, iShtiKoN just ike you would not. Basketballs the love of my life and oving the game means loving allthose who Tove it. Everyday I meet people who say they can never feel normal without having sports in thei if, That ‘they will always fel inferior or et out unt they fel they can compete You cannot understand what a ‘competitor feels ike when he cannot compete. Apart of you with which you attach all you seesteem nd self espect just dies, or worse, it slowly withers away’crying for hep while you lose yourselnalifle of ‘monotony. ask you what beter reason? You sy that am giving up the opportunity to pay, but say! ‘am grabbing the opportunity to affect many more lives by acting as coach and scout fer the Indian ‘national wheelchair basketball ecm. know what the players fee and what they need. have been there ‘and done that. If can give hope to others ike me and stop them rom destroying tel ives sel pity and ‘wallowing, and! ean take the game of basketball be itina wheelchai, to new heightsin this county then can tell you! wl fee | have achieved my purpose in fe" He now had tears in his eyes His throat was choked and it was taking all of his energy to stop himself rom breaking down, All five men rose in unison. They were all speechless. One of them finally spoke. Mr. Mehtaithas ‘been an honour and a privilege meeting you today. We officially sanction your grant and hope thatyou ull inspire others to pursue thelr dreams with the same determination, passion and zealas you have. We hope that your love afar withthe game continues for eternity and grows stranger with each passing His Just as most ofthe men had left aman who had not spoken much the entire meeting came up to ‘Vv, "Tama great fan of yours, Viv - the fying man. Only you could have made this possible” He opened his eyes. He saw in font of him ten spirited young men all sharing the same love and passion which he felt forthe game. Ithad taken five long years but he had finally done it. He had tears in his eyes. Just then a voice boomed into the dressing room. “And naw ladies and gentlemen for the opening match ofthe 2009 Paralympics wheelchair basketball tournament, lt us welcome the two teams Australia... coached by...” ‘The rest was drowned out by the cheer ofthe audience. can't be anything else thsi what Godmade ‘me forand this what lar, Thsis the love of my fe. His words rang again in his head and he felt wave af aticfetion and gratitude sweep over him, nd next, plea welcame Team India... coached by Vir~the fying man ~ Mena He smiled. “Lets go boy's go out there and have un, Remember itsall ‘bout the foveofthe game: He smiled and rolled his wheelchair out into the court. The graveyard song ‘When you take the shortcut through the graveyard You dontt know the things Ido 0 remember what I say, be on your guard Corpses have feelings too When youtrample the daisies | grow so fresh ‘Or pick them to give to your fiends It feels like you'e ripping out bits of my flesh Leaving me the pain that neverends When you tap-dance over the grassy mound Think of me lying just below Iyoutisten closely, you'll hear the sound (Of me screaming - You stepped on my toe! When you dig holes to bury your treasure Dont you care where that shovel goes ‘The noise you make gives me no pleasure Inside the casket, it echoes! Now 've told you, respect our graveyard Ifyou don't, things will happen to you When you come down here il make it hard We corpses have feelings too! Marsha Shams ‘Ist Year, AS eels) dRiShtikoN INDISPENSABLE ROLE OF MEDIA ‘After the debate held on 26th Janvary 2009, my eyes opened tothe important need to pen down my thoughts about the role of media Today, in the madern era of globalization and commercialization everyone has to be swift yet steady to win the rat race. Medi, asthe fourth pilar ofthe country anda ‘powerful mass communication medium, can be categorized into electronic and written forms. Taking the particular case of television media, | want to emphasize the fact that it must present the social and bizarre events happening around the globe, but atthe same time must put forward the harsh realities that existin the world, which need reforms So that everyone progresses towards a state of peace, serenity and tranquility ne} If today 8 news channel avoids showing news involving Bollywood scandels,sportstars or paitlans, ‘then it must be ready to shut shop the very nextday. The TRP of the diferent programmes on the chan- nel would drop drastically, leadingto huge debts and losses. ut, but, but... atthe same time, It must ‘consider the fact that the Constitution of India has given powerful rights tothe media, which, fel, it must not disrespect at any point oftime. It must be persistent in showing the public the real world ‘outside ther coop t must presenta good amount of knowledge and facts which help in developing the nation and the world as a whole. The media must put forwards views on pure factual knowledge and ‘evidence and should refain from making guesses or showing their predictions, someone's prophecies ‘and stuff like that ‘The fundamental question that arses i, Who does the media work for ~the audience or the money?In such a dlemmatic situation | wantto sy that the media must work for both, keeping its primary aim to resent useful knowledge and day-to-day affairs ofthe state to the common man, along with making ‘money by asking for Mes on many important issues thereby, stilInducing a sense of realization i all, ‘or by selling news including Bollywood, horoscopes, and coverage ofthe stars of the nation ~ whether it ’be Vishwanathan Anand, Abhinav Bindra, MS Dhoni, Lalu Prasad Yadav or other eminent personales. ‘Anews channel has atypical slot of teen to eighteen hours dally to present the afaits ofthe state and, the world, and thus, it must utilize the time judiciously, allotting time for important news events and a ‘mall amount of time to programmes tnat would boost IKPs of the channel thereby avovding the sk of @ shutdown, ‘Along with the day-to-day happenings, the media has also a responsibilty to unite and educate Indian every possible form ast isthe onl form that reaches right from a farmer to a worker, a plumber, a cobbler to an ants an actor ascends, an industrialist, ora millonaire who enjoys the luxury of Liquid Crystal Display on a comfortable sofain his big cosy house. believe the media today isthe sole instru- ‘ment that can be used to metamorphose the country intoa state of truthful integrity. And there have been movements ike Lead india, Tach india or India United agains Terror which present the constant urge ofthe media to fight injustice and work with an attitude towards uniting the public. And, therefore, |thinkit isthe aur responsibilty ardthat of every other individual o join these movements and help in building a wise and strong nation -a nation where no one i iliterate, unemployed, or below poverty, line - a country which is independent in the true sense. | want to conclude by pleading to both our society and the media to join hands and work towards ‘making ndia a better place to liven, so that our future generations have moments to celebrate and not ‘tolament forthe rest oftheir lives. KUSHAGR GUPTA, Ist Year, AV o Ode on my death SRIKAR PAAVAN, 3ND YEAR, AS He was the heir ofa great wealth ‘And always had an air of pomp and pride, He had no flare of any postive stride Just used to blare at everyone who passed by his sie. ‘Never used to care tohelp Even ifsomeone did yelp. Never fareda thing better Yet people had to bear him, and tried not to batter Ast didnot seriously matter But what only mattered is his booty, Which would easily make their bread and butter ‘Then there was something bitter, He was stabbed and the culprits fled with the loot. ‘Then, Iwas somebody, ‘Who wasso poor that he had to endure all cruelty, ‘And stayed asa servant with loyalty. Hisjob was menial and his salary meager But his ust for wealth affected his mental health, Thus, gotintoa state of stealth. ‘Tucked ina handsome sum and fled ‘The servant hoping to becomea rch merchant ‘And yes, he succeeded by being nonchalant ‘ut suddenly death embraced him asifithad a penchant. ‘Then, Iwas somebody Whose tranquil ll, which you cannot kil Lived the way ke an enlightened priest ‘Arr got satisfied only when his hear file. Never trod a pseudo-path, but was content With a mere potato broth. Truthful washe, even through his wl ‘That hell could not levy any bil Yet theres some other place for me to fill ‘Apart from this guy, who died on a window sill ‘Yes, lam the soul now standing solely stil ‘And then felt chil, though this is my regular dil ‘As Lam under the strong feeling ‘That | was seeking asense of sublime, Inthe person whom just lft. ‘And yet they say let the soul restn peacet ‘But pray to let me stay at ease, And please, Stop yeling thatthe if that once started must cease, THe TRACK Wiliam Wordsworth said, Come forth nwo the igh of things. et nature be our teacher We gota taste of thatas the Nature Club took of ons fist tek onthe fifth day of October las year, tothe Neyyar Forest, also called Agasthyavanam. A two-hour long bus journey, bull up the excitement as we reached the Neyyarforat. The ist attraction was the Neyyar Dam whose waters ate shared (so we were told) between te states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Hee, forest officials showed us presentation on the highlightsof the forest, including its diverse loa and fauna. We were fold thatthe forest holds the status of abiodiversity hotspot’ due to some ofthe endemic plant species found there. It definitely uit pristine and it promotes eco-tourism immensely successfully. The best thing about the forests the involvement ofocal people who are the“best interpreters of indigenous knowledge’ ‘We were vided into three groups following paths of different lengths (km, 7 km and 12 km) to reach ‘the Meennutt Falls. The itinerary packed a punch with 9km of boating and then a7 km long guided ‘ek amid dense forests, As we walked through the thick tropial evergreen forest (sopping occasionally ‘tomake funny poses for photographs), we came across a spectacular array of flora and fauna including the'arogyepacha’ a medicinal plant with anti fatigue properties, and the signature spider. Small crea- tures like leeches, milipedes and butterflies form a major part ofthe Neyyar Ecosyslem. I people say thatin a forest, Mights Right, it surely did not seem so here. The trekseemed worth the walk when we arived a the Meenmutty Falls. The magrificent sight rejuve- nated uc al afte the trecome tek We slached in the water for almost an haut, when someonss Cellphone got to playful and jumped into the water too! It wasn't long after the phane was pulled out that It wastime to stat the journey back home. On the way back. stunning rainbows complemenned the abundance of natural beauty and set us into a diferent mood altogether. Albina, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary is 2 must-vst for wildlife and natute lovers and the tek proved to be ‘a great start tolS's Nature Club! ‘with input from Surbhi Baghotia, 1st Year, AE [Note from the editors: Ve wore cxtrmaly tompted tote thie arte StarTrek, se tibute tothe future STARS of Indias Space Program (ol, but we decided against it because we already 1ave so much'spacein our lives that Abhinav was beginning to think his children wil be called Cryo and Semeryo, fhe were tohave {any ofcourse!) o Does Slumdog Milltonatre deserve the Oscar? Tanveer Ali Ist Year, AE Let's get down straight othe point. am sure most of you must have seen Slumdog millionaire and thave your own thoughts and views about the film. 'am writing this article on my point of view and if you havelked the movie you may find this hard to swallow. This movie was a hitin the western ‘counties and the Oscat and BAFTA committees were baffled by the story because they areal reeling under a global cession. Ahortbly crafted fary tale about an orphaned Kid in a socalled ‘third world country is bound to make them jump with joy. India is not Siera Leone of Somalia. We ate 2 nuclear power and have an excellent foothold on alobal space research, Slumdog millionaires nothing but big fantasy created by western direc- ‘tor forthe western audience. I they say that this film has portrayed the slums and the ugly side of India, they are haribly rong beyond comprehension. Other Indian movies hike Nayak andBlack Friday’ have portrayed sums in India much more realistically. On the global front if you want to watcha movie that really portrays slums its advisable to go for"The city of God” Slumdog milion- ae is heavily loaded with caricatures and the characters lack substance. For example, doesnt ‘Amitabh Bachchan's chopper have any other place fo land than the tollets ofthe Juhu slums?0ne ‘moment Anil Kapoor is downright rude to Jamal he calls him a garam chai lanewalla) andthe next ‘moment he i all smiles and enormously joyous to sign his check, Jamal ets electrocuted whole night in a police comm ssioner' office which looks like a shack and the next day e sesh and busy answering questions nce when are the policetn india electrocuting people ust because they are accused of cheating n a game show. Rented ars of forelgners ae not stripped of tes lft unat tended for afew minutes and real Americans dont give out 100 dollarsbil by saying “Nell this is the real Amertca son These anomalies could be prevented and a bad novie could be stopped from ‘becoming worse, Ihave to agree that AR Rehman’ music is good but just try Kstening to casscs ike ‘Roja’ and you can only decide whether ‘Jai Ho" deserved a Oscar or not. Thetitl of the movie Rsetf {san insult to the country. Where does the “dog"ir Slumdog come from? Actually tis us Indians ‘who are to be blamed. We object when a move scaled Blu Barber" but we can get up at 6am in the morning to watch « movie called Slumdog milionaire getting the Oscar. The whole movie's, nothing but an absolute and Intentional exploitation of India by the director. For really understanding the I= in Mumbai’ slum | suggest that you read "Sacred games" ay Vikram ‘Chanda which describes Mumbai’ street lif in words par excellence. | would have felt much better if movies ike“Swades" or Tatre Zameen Par got the international recognition that slumdog milion aire has received. Well enjoy watching Tom cruise movies wit sizling pyrotechnics and unfortu- nately it seems that the western audience too seem to love movies portraying Indian poverty and ‘those wretched scenesmake them fel good. tried to find one thing in the movie that portrayed Inia in good light but vain. t's nothing but Orientalism fora global market. Surely those of you familiar wth Mumbai will agree. dRiShtiKoN SECTION WF (OF Mother kite A delicate thread of milk Between me and my baby Sure, lam free Can dance with any wind Can chase any sun But Alittle pullin the thread ‘Two little tear drops Atiny searching mouth Enough! Erupts an avalanche An all-sweeping flow From milky mountains And I shiver in fever Drenched in white rain Wrapping my sari arcund Tilll reach home And baby drinks and drinks Tosleep and float in milk-sea This delicate milk thread Between me and my baby The anchoring rope Between me and thislife No, May be lam not so fre May be I don't want to be free Bindu Krishnan Dept of Physics Colette de)N) For you dear Salma Thakrey Gigy J Alex, Department of Humanities (English) Bombay, city of dreams and chances The money mine for some, Foryou itis the abode which sheltered you once, ‘When you started your exodus ‘When you ran away from your step mother You met yourman and then what happened? He gifted you two kids and the daily kisses with his lathy ‘Now you are the post modern Hagar, This time at the mercy of Sunil Your lat partner What happened to your dreams? When the leaders annexed the terrains When the captains formulated policies, Did and undid the policies and politics Multipurpose flags ~ multicolored cererients Discrepancy between the losers and the winners “Atlast when the tiny bullet crashed his face and his back The scar embedded in your heart ‘When the attackers and the attacked ones are no more Who are the victims? They maimed your heart and where are your kids? ‘Are they searching a new slum and a master? (Salma is oneamong the surviving victims ofthe Bombay attic. Her husband aban-

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