1. August 2013 | Issue #5
The Wordsmith
Because
YOU
Care
Forging Tomorrow
Price 2
Meghana Gaopande
B.E. EnTC
As an
electronics
student I am
familiar with
the ‘less and
more’
paradox.
From
concepts in VLSI like Moore’s law, the game revolves around this
paradox. So, when I recently came across a very interesting TED
video that has Dr. R.A. Mashelkar talking about breakthrough
designs for ultra-low-cost products and ‘Gandhian engineering’,
I decided to dig further into the origins and development of this
concept.
A number of scientists, innovators and futurists have
addressed the issue of ‘doing more with less’. Less resources, low
costs and better performance is the ruling theme in technology
today that goes way back.
In the Henry Ford and assembly line era, R. Buckminster
Fuller coined the term ‘Ephemeralization’ , which he defined as ,
the ability of technological advancement to do "more and more
with less and less until eventually you can do everything with
nothing". He envisioned a culture where the basic standard of
living ofa society can keep up with its increasing population.
The twenty first century saw the emergence of ‘frugal
engineering’ or ‘frugal innovation’. Its origin is attributed to
Carlos Ghosn, the chairman and C.E.O of Renault, which is a
giant European automaker. The theme revolves around durable
products, with non essential features cut out ofthem so as to sell
them in the ‘high growth’ markets ofdeveloping countries. Razor
thin profit margins and production in large volumes for
profitability seems to be the strategy. Do ‘more’ with less.
An extension to this ideology came up, when the New
York Times used the term ‘Gandhian engineering’ to describe the
Tata Nano, the ultralow-cost car. It has been widely used and
developed by the likes ofR.A. Mashelkar.
What does this phrase signify? There is more to it than a
mere attempt to attach nationalist sentiments to Indian
innovation. ‘Do more with less’ is frugal. ’Do more with less for
more’ is Gandhian. It combines passion and innovation with
compassion. It isn’t about achieving more with less resources and
lower costs. It is about doing it ‘for more’ and more people,
keeping in mind the need of the lower economic classes of our
society.
Dr. Mashelkar gives the example ofthe Tata Nano, which
was looked at as an impossible attempt. But this ‘affordable car’
dream was eventually accomplished by Ratan Tata and his team
of young engineers of an average age of twenty seven years. He
talks about the $28 Indian prosthetic ‘Jaipur’ foot that created a
robust and affordable alternative to prosthetics that cost upto
$20,000, and many more such breakthroughs.
He further adds a dimension to the notion, saying that it
isn’t just the ‘more with less for more’ but also ‘by more and more
people’. It isn’t just for the poor; it is for everyone since we live in
a world of depleting resources and increasing constraints. It is as
important to the top ofthe pyramid as it is to the bottom.
As we celebrate 66 years of freedom, we the younger lot
in technology must think about how our generation will fit into
this emerging need oftechnological and social transformation, of
being part of this ideology that Dr. Mashelkar calls ‘India’s gift to
the twenty first century’, of looking at the stars with our feet on
the ground.
Gandhian engineering
Getin touch with usat
newsletter.cummins@gmail.com
An Indian Iron Man
The plummeting rupee is not just
ruining your education prospects but its harming the Indian
psyche in a place where it hurts. We cannot have our very own
Iron Man! Now you know.
Forget the gold-suited Tony Stark prancing around the
living room shining like a forgotten sun; with gold imports
stopped to rein in the trade deficit, Stark might have to paint his
suit by hand and Tarun Bharat has to involve
himselfwith deifying Apple tablets.
Don’t be disheartened, dear reader.
There is still hope, all those who wander are
not lost. But all those who work for the RBI
surely are. Reigning in gold imports was a
bright idea and bans on iron-ore mining was
another. India was ranked fourth on the
global market as an iron-ore supplier,
pellets, fines and all. The market value for
iron ore has been climbing courtesy China’s
need for steel while the Indian export duty
on iron-ore is 30%. Ironic, isn’t it? They are
building an ARMY OF IRON MEN! Does
Chindambaram not see it! Why do you think
they’re camping out in Arunachal Pradesh?
It’s market research.
Lakshmi ‘Man of Steel’ Mittal,
seems to have lost faith in his recent iron-
ore mine acquisition in Odisha too. This has
dented hopes and sparked invectives. After
sitting on a disgustingly big pile of iron down in Goa and
Karnataka, we are set to import iron-ore at a rate of 67% in this
financial year. Crossing the 65-rupee mark was just the trailer. Om
Shanti Om abhi baaki hain.
I dare you to say ‘Aluminium’ out loud. A holy place, the
Niyamgiri Hills of Orissa have long been the abode of a pantheon
of gods and diverse flora. Environmentalists and villagers alike
have voluminously vetoed Vedanta, the UK-based metals and
mining industry led by one of our own Anil Agrawal, out of the
state. The aluminium imported has an import duty of7.5% levied ,
but we’re used to duties by now. Mildly surprising though, is the
fact that coal imports have spiked by 32% since April 2013 so even
ifwe import the Al from Thailand, it costs more to smelt it. Eh, all
in a day’s work.
Just A Rather Very Intelligent System a.k.a. Stark’s right-
hand man, JARVIS has needs of his own. An integrated platform
featuring a parallel processing unit with a few
terahertz of clockspeed is what I imagine
JARVIS looks like. Plus, JARVIS is able to
manufacture bitingly appropriate sarcasm at
the right second. Apart from a great
dramatics teacher, this hardware-software
marriage requires some serious gain. Fear
not, reader, with a 15% hike on all tech
brought to India, your very own personal
JARVIS now costs you a little bit more hair.
But if you’re going for the bald look, try
thinking about RAW (Reseach and Analysis
Wing), the elitist national research lab which
imports fighter jets, copters and missiles.
The biggest problem of all is yet to be
addressed. Do we have Tony Stark’s
engineering anywhere in India? A direct
threat to our dream of having our very own
suit is the absence of intelligent Mech
presence. And you need to know about
embedded design, decentralized processing
and cybernetics for a start. Dismally solitarist, graduate education
is a far-cry from inter-disciplinary. Apart from mastering
thermonuclear astrophysics in a night, the Indian engineer’s claim
to Stark Status may be imagined.
This analysis was assuming you already have a cold fusion
reactor (palm-sized) and one standard pair ofjet boots.
This just came in, reader, export duty on iron down by 10%. That
might take care ofthe sliding rupee. There might be hope after all.
Pune : Brutal
assassination of Dr.
Narendra Dabholkar,
founder of the Society
against Superstitions
and Blind Faith on the
20th of August, 201 3.
Champion of rationalists,
he had been pushing for
the anti-superstitions bill
for 1 8 years. His cause
is what allegedly led to
his demise. The angry
protests sparked by
Dabholkar's killing
prompted the
Maharashtra government
to clear an ordinance to
enforce the anti-
superstition Bill.
Stats : New statistics
from National Crime
Records say that
Nagaland is the safest
among all Indian
states, for women and
its neighbouring Assam
the most unsafe.
Nuclear Power :
Kundakkulam Nuclear
Power Plant to start
generating 1 000MW
by October.
Anand in Gujarat has
turned into one of the
largest surrogacy hub in
India ,with recent data
showing that clinics
deliver 30 surrogate
babies on an average
every month.
Microsoft CEO Steve
Ballmer to retire within
the next 1 2 months.
Gas attack in Syria
claimed several lives.
The source of the attack
remains unknown as the
Civil War continues in
the country.
Kalyani Gadgil
T.E. E&TC
2. 2
With the objective of shaping the creative minds of our
country, Google organized its first ever AdCamp. Held from
23rd June to 26th June,2013. Here is a short account of the four
incredibly awesome days we spent at one of their superb
headquarters – Hyderabad.
Day 1 : 23rd June
Finally the most awaited day of the semester dawned. We were
welcomed at the grand Hotel Avasa, which would be our place of
stay throughout. By evening we started getting acquainted with
other ‘Adcampers’. We were a diverse group of 34 students
coming from various corners of India. The high point of the
evening was when we interacted with the Googlers – The brains
behind the Giant.
(P.S. For us both hostlites the high point of the evening was also
the excellent dinner!)
Day 2 : 24th June
You would expect that we had breakfast in bed , but alas! it was
clubbed with an interactive session by Leads from particular
technology. On the brighter side we felt like executives and set
off to the google office. The informal and free atmosphere was
something we had never before experienced. We were taken to
the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ – our basecamp. Ice breakers followed
by interactive sessions on various forms of advertising used by
Google got us busy and soon it was lunchtime. There were cafes
and ‘breakout area’ on every floor having more than 18 cuisines
and they were all free!!! (paradise yumm…). We also had an
informal discussion with a panel of Senior Executives regarding
their careers and their career path. At the end of the day we
knew about GDN, AdWords, YouTube etc that help people
advertise and felt wiser.
Day 3 : 25th June
We were again on a learning curve and this time it was on
advertising sales and marketing. Sales foundation session
introduced us to the basics of effective sales and sales pitch.
Then they showed us some brilliant ad campaigns( how can
they be so creative!).All the sprinting around the office made us
hungry. Coincidentally the Google adcamp team surprised us by
taking us to Hussain Sagar Lake to dine at the waterfront. With
our appetites thoroughly satisfied (pun intended), we retired to
rest before the big day.
Day 4 : 26th June
After learning there is always a test. Teams were made and live
projects assigned, wherein we had to present a sales pitch for
Google in front ofa panel ofsenior executives. Everyone gave in
their creative best and each one had something , to offer , worth
learning. All in all it was an experience of a lifetime which we
were lucky to get .Learning a lot of things , thinking out of the
box and making friends from across the globe – it is a memory
which will always be cherished.
Going Google!
Radhika Saswade
Neha Naladkar
Under National Entrepreneurship Network, Cummins YUKTA, the Entrepreneurship cell in 2012-2013 conducted the
popular E-Week 2013. This featured activities like Innovating for India, BizzQuiz (twice) and Session on Google
Finance, html5 session, Virtual Stock Market along with Ideablaze, Poster making in Picasa, Think Out side the box.
Following E-Leaders were awarded Certificate of Leadership 2012-13 for contribution in initiating an ecosystem of
entrepreneurship on campus
Radhika Saswade, Corporate Relations Head Padmaja Kulkarni, Web Marketing Head
Shweta Mulay, Events Head Sugandha Sharma, Finance Head
Priyanka Sinha, Co-Ordinator.
The Tech For Seva was established this year with
the sole objective of applying selfless service towards
mankind at a large with the stepping stones oftechnology.
It aims in blending together the essence of the corporate, science and social
service to reach out to the downtrodden sections ofsociety and making them aware ofthe
current technologies to enable them to upgrade their lifestyle in terms of education,
shelter and food-some ofman’s basic needs for survival.
TFS aims in realizing the 2020 India dream as soon as we can make it. The TFS
conference 2013 stresses on the coming together of the corporate,NGO’s and innovative
minds to bring about this change. It has notable patrons like Mr. F.C.Kohli , Dr.Anil
Kakodkar, Dr.Vijay Bhatkar and Dr.Raghunath Mashelkar to name a few.
TFS 2013 will be held in Cummins College Of Engineering for Women,Pune on
28th and 29th September,2013 with an aim of providing an interface between the S & T
Institutions(for scientific solutions),Corporates(CSR) (the Resource Providers) and the
NGO’s. A Expo of the new technologies and ideas will also be held in the campus during
the conference.
For details ofthe conference log on to www.techseva.org
PANEL WORKINGS
What's the Buzz!
Kickstarting a new year with a brand new panel is always a
great feeling. The fresh ideas poured like the rain outside
and the coarse enthusiasm of the elected burned like coals.
A few of the ideas thrown around were implemented this
month.
#1. The Panel decided to conduct a spree of extra lectures for juniors. This is
aimed to serve a dual purpose with which the seniors brush up on their basics
and the juniors are introduced to the subject in terms of both exam-oriented
and skill development.
#2. They also decided to disband any club if they remain inactive for more than
2 months.
#3. A Political Chat Club was proposed to make voters aware of the current
election scenario, seeing as almost all of us are of legal voting age. Satirists are
welcome.
Show your support or share your displeasure
If you have suggestions for the panel and its deliberations, contact the
Wordsmith, your very own media liaison to the student administration.
People you should know :
University Representative - Achala (B.E. Comp)
General Secretary - Priyanka Chandna (B.E. Mech)
Cultural Secretary - Aarshi Mohini (B.E. Instru)
3. 3
Being in Third Year most ofus have already started thinking- what
next? Should we pursue Masters in engineering, join the corporate world
or maybe take a course in a field we are
passionate about.
When it comes to Masters in engineering,
there is again confusion- India or overseas? Well
most of us know the answer to this. Yes, we do
prefer to get a degree overseas even though it
costs above 40 lakh rupees (wonder how much
this value will change with rupee being so
unstable!)Giving this a serious thought, one
realizes it’s not the craze for the western world
neither are we being pessimistic about India. Let’s
not deny it, we’re talking about the quality of
education offered. Our education system needs to
be revamped if we do not want to lose all the
brilliant minds.
One loophole in our system is the marks-
based evaluation and not over-all evaluation.
How can we say a student with 90% marks is
more deserving than a student with 88%, who has
also been involved in activities such as debates,
social service, music etc.? Our evaluation should
be based on the entire persona, not just marks.
Agreed, marks are important but it’s not the most
important thing.
Another clichéd topic is reservation in our
education system. We need to create
opportunities for all sects of the societies. But can the honorable
politicians explain to me how a student from a well off family coming to
college by car is to benefit from this scheme? Another major issue
regarding this is after the first year many students drop out and their seats
go waste in top colleges like the IITs. Instead we could give scholarships
to the students who fit these criteria and not alter it for them.
Speaking of higher education in western countries, we could
imbibe a lot of things from them. Firstly, we could have a flexible course
system which could combine subjects
from different streams. Someone really
passionate about social services and
engineering could take up a course in
both. So once they graduate, they can
apply their technical knowledge to solve
social issues having in-depth knowledge
ofboth.
Second is encouraging research in
students. In the top colleges in the U.S.
each faculty member must publish at
least 4 papers a year to continue
teaching. To help them in this, they pick
students to assist them known as
‘fellowship’. If we try and introduce this
in India, it will encourage more and
more students to pursue research. So we
need to give more scholarships and
funding for research. We could also try
to adopt the credits system. Some
universities are following this, not all.
This will help reduce the stress levels of
students.
Today our system is in a dismal
state. Our universities no longer feature
as the best in the world. So we can’t
blame students if they move out for further education. If we do work on
these aspects we could have the best education system in the world and
surely all of us would love to study in our native land. We could adopt
these few changes in our system and become a harbinger of change! It’s
always been said-charity begins at home, right?
You, Me and India.ed
Purva Joshi
T.E. Mech
The sole of my feet
were shocked by the
coolness of the marble
floor after having
conquered two hundred
steps. I scanned the rest
of the room. There were
the solemn-faced women
in crumpled saris, the
fused fragrance of
jasmine oil and talcum
powder and men in worn
leather sandals, their shoulders hunched as though in permanent humility.
The particulars of temple architecture have never before appealed to my
senses. The tasteful gold trimmings that border the ceiling, the proud allusion
ofmythical gods that envelope the walls, countless pillars, steps and towering
shikaras.
As I was lost in my own thoughts, I tried to reason everything - we
engineers call it ’scientific reasoning’. While investigating further I stumbled
upon an interesting article describing the lesser known facts about ancient
temples.
Ancient temples are located strategically at a place where positive
energy is abundantly available from magnetic and electric wave distributions
of the north/south pole thrust. The main idol is placed in the core center of
the temple, known as ‘Garbhagriha’ or ‘Moolasthanam’, where the earth’s
magnetic waves are found to be maximum. In fact, the temple structure is
built after the idol has been placed. We know that there are some copper
plates, inscribed with Vedic scripts, buried beneath the Main Idol. What are
they? No, they are not priests’ flash cards when they forget ‘shlokas’. The
copper plates absorb earth’s magnetic waves and radiate it to the
surroundings. Thus a person regularly visiting a temple and walking
clockwise around the main idol receives the beamed magnetic waves and his
body absorbs it.
The Sanctum is closed on three sides. The lit lamp radiates heat
energy and also provides light inside the sanctum to the priests performing
the pooja. The ringing of bells and chanting of prayers takes a worshipper
into trance, not letting his mind waver. The fragrance from the flowers and
burning of camphor give out chemical energy further aiding in a good aura.
This entire effect is supplemented by the positive energy from the idol,
copper plates and utensils in the ‘Moolasthanam‘. ‘Theertham’, the holy water
used during the pooja to wash the idol is not just plain water. It is a mixture
ofcardamom ,’Karpura’ (Benzoin), saffron, tulsi, etc. Washing the idol charges
the water with the magnetic radiations, increasing its medicinal values. Some
of this holy water is distributed to devotees. The clove protects against tooth
decay, the saffron and tulsi is protective against common cold, cardamom
and ‘Karpura’, act as mouth fresheners. It is proved that ‘Theertham’ is a very
good blood purifier. This is why elders used to tell us to pray at temples to be
cured ofailments.
Another article written by Cheryl C.Lant, the president of a
renowned Christian organisation, though hailing from a different race and
culture answered my question“So many steps. why?” in her article “the steps
to the temple”. “In the early days, broad stone steps led up to the temple; to
me they represented the journey we must all follow to get to the temple.”, she
said.
This is the view the best of youth start off in life. It makes them feel
that great achievements are within them. Great things lie ahead. Whatever
the future, at the dawn oftheir lives, men seek a noble vision ofnature and of
life’s potential. Conveniently anonymous!
Steps to the Temple
Eshita Deoskar
S.E. Comp
4. 4
Mugdha Khedkar
F.E. Comp
With the advent ofthe month ofAugust, all of
us are filled with zeal and enthusiasm to express the
feeling of unity and secularism as we participate in
the celebration of our Independence. While Delhi celebrated independence,
Kishtwar had a different story to tell.
Kishtwar, Kashmir was in the headlines for all wrong reasons recently.
What began as Eid celebrations ended in bloodshed. After offering Eid prayers
a group of Muslims raised Anti-India slogans and Pakistani flags which led to
violent clashes and later resulted in the death ofthree men.
While the Kashmiri Muslims were condemned for their duplicity
towards India, the reasons behind their actions were never understood. Of
course it is neither accepted nor justified to speak ill of one’s own country but
were the actions natural or stimulated? Kashmiri Muslims are majorly peaceful
people, people who want a life with dignity. But somewhere deep down what
we realise is they do not get the dignity they deserve. We the ‘Proud Indians’
are partially to blame for such a state ofKashmir. Kashmir is an integral part of
India and indifference must not be tolerated under any circumstances.
The Kashmir conflict has shaped the unconscious psychology of
the entire Indian administrated Kashmiri population. It poses
an important question of how the current political
situation in the valley has and is affecting
the youth. Sadly, it’s the Kashmiri youth that is affected most as they are
unable to make peace between the violent past and unstable future. It has
created a violent context to which people respond with mostly supressed
emotions, aggressions and frustration. Since all peaceful options are blocked,
the Kashmir conflict defies all solution causing hopelessness and despair.
We have to shun the separate approach towards Jammu &Kashmir; we
have to shun the practice of treating it differently. When we debate on
Kishtwar on social platforms and show minimal concern regarding similar
issues elsewhere in the country, when we instantly form an opinion of
unwarranted bloodshed when we hear of news from the special state, when
the media vociferously creates hype about such unfortunate incidences and
political groups treat them as a platform for their selfish gain the Kashmiris
think they are different from the rest ofthe country.
Kashmir is more than India occupied Kashmir, its
paradise on earth. Rather than being occupied by
India, Kashmir should feel as a part of it, be
pro ud to be called an ‘Indian’
because as the end of the
day it is the Nation that
defines us, be it a Hindu
or a Muslim we are one
we are
‘INDIANS’.
Indian and... Proud?
Vidushi Kumari
S.E. E&TC
A tired, thirsty pilgrim walked along,
On the curvy path, with a belief so strong.
When he is in deep trouble, his God will know,
His God will shelter him when he has nowhere to go.
He walked with others, chanting his God's name
Not knowing that life will never be the same.
It rained, and rained like never before,
All were washed away, as the skies tore.
The waves hit the temple, and the temple drowned.
He stood in water, on an invisible ground.
He walked with others, chanting his God's name,
While nature played its cruel game.
The clouds roared, the skies cried.
Chanting God's name, thousands died.
Thunder struck, as if the skies did applaud.
He drowned with others, betrayed by his God.
Betrayed by God
On 15th of august 2013, as India
celebrated its 67th year of independence, a
series of events roused the nation from its
holiday-induced haze.
In the evening telecast, two
politicians were shown coming to blows in
full view ofthe public eye. Citizens attending
the flag hoisting ceremony in Mussoorie
were left dumbfounded as they witnessed a
show of open hostility between an MLA and
Municipal Chairman fighting over hoisting
of the national flag! Ultimately, the crowd
took matters into their own hands
subsequently granting a little boy the honor
ofunfurling the tricolor.
Two hundred-odd kilometers to the
south, our Prime Minister, who was
addressing the nation live from the Red Fort,
was heard refuting claims of his political
party’s "dark decade of malgovernance",
slamming in the same breath, one of the
forefront runners vying for his post.
Consequently, the very same leader in
question hit right back with a scathing reply.
After such a deliberate show of
solidarity by our leaders, it has been
apparently brought to our collective
attention that “election” is the primary aim
of political life and is not superseded by
trivial matters such as patriotism. For such a
momentous occasion to be taken so lightly
by our elected representatives is shameful.
Not to mention the precedent we are setting
to our future generations on one of the most
important days in our history.
Independence Day is an occasion
meant to celebrate and to be grateful for the
century long struggle our freedom fighters
fought. It is day where we, as descendants,
honor the innumerable lives that were lost in
the greatest struggle our country has known
in order to build the world’s largest
democracy. It is most definitely a day for all
our elected representatives to show a united
front to the world, ready to take on new
challenges.
Unfortunately, no such unity could
be
seen
in the live
national address by our
honorabl e prime minister, even
though it stands to reason that live addresses
must not be marred by publicity ofparties in
a bid to expand their voter base. The
Independence Day speech isn't the time for
political propaganda but the time to address
the issues of a nation that is dealing with
inflation and economic crises not to forget
the social issues that have been here since
the birth ofour nation.
Should we have not, in all these
years of independence have dealt and
conquered with basic issues such as that of
food, water, shelter? Given the size of our
ever-growing population, shouldn’t basic
amenities such as schools have been
provided at the most fundamental level of
governance? For a country so rich in
heritage and culture, shouldn’t public
awareness cover the most basic tenets - “No
littering”, “Do not write on the walls”? As
regards to this, admittedly, the attitudes of
people are perhaps also to blame.
Their actions, whatsoever their
intentions may have been, only serve to
highlight the moral ineptitude ofour present
day politicians and brings into question
where the country is headed with civil
servants setting such an example as the
country prepares for the 2014 elections.
Most importantly, it raises pertinent
concerns over how the next generation
politicians are being groomed under the able
tutelage oftheir scandalous seniors.
As the Prime Minister so aptly
concluded in his live address (albeit in a
different context altogether) -"There can be
no place for narrow and sectarian ideologies
in a modern, progressive and secular
country." So, now as citizens of The
Democratic Republic Of India, we must ask
our elected representatives a single question
- just one - is it worth it?
15 August :
Commemoration
or Propaganda?
Niranjana Deshpande
F.E. Comp
5. 5
Discovering the Real Phunsukh Wangdu!
Noopur Maheshwari
T.E. Comp A
The National Food
Security Bill (NFSB)
is the brainchild of Sonia Gandhi who says that
after this, India will be able to feed its people.
The utility of such a bill is indisputable, but
not without some major amendments. Firstly
many in the country are worried about its
impact on farm prices, the growth rate and
questions are being asked whether there would
be a sharp rise in the inflation rate once the
NFSB is implemented. There has been no data
accumulation for categorization and it is
unclear how the analysts reached
their conclusion. It has been 220
weeks since the last general
elections and it is only now that
NFSB is proposed (vote securing
bill, is it?). In terms of actuarial
data, India needs 1.25 lakh crores
for this comprehensive coverage
and 61.23 million tonnes of food
grains for implementation, which it lacks.
According to activists for Right to food, India's
food storage capacity is at present woefully
short and hence will lead to more wastage of
food grains, while the government’s concern is
that India can’t produce enough food to meet
demand.
However in favour of the bill, there is a
clause which focuses on vulnerable sections
like pregnant and lactating mothers, infants,
children and the homeless.
Secondly, Chapter 1, point number 6 in the bill
says "food grains mean rice, wheat or coarse
grains or any combination thereof conforming
to such quality norms, as may be determined,
by order, by the Central government from time
to time". But to tackle malnutrition of the
majority of the Indian populace, we need
pulses, oil, water, sanitation, access to health
care, to be a part of the bill too. Besides, in the
past such schemes have fuelled widespread
corruption .Our Public Distribution System is
leaky and can result in pilferage of grains. The
only people who will benefit will not be the
people! Thirdly, government will have to offer
higher minimum support prices to mop up
more food grain, creating a cycle of food
inflation. Grain procurement for such an
exercise would mean higher food procurement.
Lawmakers carved out two
groups from each population
based on poverty rates.
Around 46% of rural and 28%
of urban India fall into the
priority” group and can buy 7
kilograms of cheap grains at
highly subsidized prices.
The rest fall into the
“general” group and can buy only 3 kilograms
at half of market rates. The problem is that the
bill does not mention how the government will
identify people in each group. Since lawmakers
have passed the task of identifying the poor to
individual states without saying what methods
to use, officials will likely continue to conduct
poverty surveys in an erratic, unsystematic
way. Critics say this would leave many people
out of the public food system. The current bill
is like expecting Santa Clause’s presents in
socks whilst none knows who will hang the
socks in the first place. To prevent it to become
a ‘just-another-populist-scheme’ introspection
into the actual purpose of the bill and
subsequent changes is the need ofthe hour.
Food Security Bill - Fatally Flawed
Noopur Maheshwari
T.E. Comp A
"Will there be a
sharp rise in the
inflation rate
once the NFSB is
implemented?
Sonam Shah
B.E. E&TC B
6. 6
The latest Nexus 7, slick and easy to grip
(swear at the word strict designer), is the
gadget creating a considerable uproar
among the tech savvy folk but with the Restricted profile of Android 4.3,
children aren’t throwing tantrums in stores.
Amazon.com Inc.'s $199 Kindle Fire HD is cheaper, but it does
not give you full access to the growing library ofAndroid apps for playing
games, checking the weather, tracking flights or reading the news on the
go. Till you instruct not to; the apps you use on Nexus 7 will
automatically appear so you can switch from device to device with ease.
When you are signed in, bookmarks and your favourite places on Google
Maps will also transfer over Google's Chrome Web browser.
The Screen : Identical to the older version, the new Nexus 7 has
a higher pixel density, at 323 pixels per inch compared with 216 on the
old model. It’s much sharper than that on the iPad Mini, which has the
non-HD display technology of the iPad 2 (2011) – an ancient of the
gadget world. But the iPad Mini comes with a larger screen, measuring
7.9 inches diagonally compared with 7 inches ofthe Nexus.
Sound : Although they are technically back facing, the speakers
are placed along a curved edge in such a way that sound projects outward
but not away from the listener.
Camera: The new Nexus comes with a camera app to enable
videoconferencing. But with the new rear, 5-MP camera, you can take
photos and videos ofwhat's in front ofyou!
Battery : Longer battery life - up to 10 hours for Web surfing and
nine hours for video streaming, 2 better than its predecessor. If you do
get the Nexus 7, it supports wireless charging. The device comes only
with a standard microUSB charger to plug in, so you will have to buy a
Qi-compatible wireless charger yourself.
Apps : Numerically, the two OS support a comparable number of
apps. But many app developers have made versions only for the iPhone
and the iPad. Android apps are designed for smaller screens but they
automatically to the tablet's larger screen. On the iPad, such apps that are
not optimized are squeezed into a smaller window of the size of an
iPhone. Zooming only distorts it further. This is noticeable on the iPad.
The iPad Mini has ‘Siri’, a voice assistant which the Nexus lacks.
When will Apple realize, its monopoly has ended. Get price
competitive! The new Nexus has been released with a $30 price increase
over last year's model. At $229 (for the basic model), it is still a bargain
being 30% cheaper than Apple's $329 iPad Mini. The $229 base model
comes with 16 gigabytes of storage. At $269, you get twice the storage.
A 32-gigabyte model with 4G cellular capability will cost $349. By
contrast, the iPad Mini starts at $329. A 32-gigabyte version with 4G
costs $559.
If you want any more convincing, the Nexus 7 is lighter. Happy
splurging!
Have a
Headache?
Try this Tablet!
“Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the
beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph.” – Matt
Hardy.
To have the luxury of encompassing the enormous richness
ofthe simplicity, which surrounds us, one must, ofcourse be blessed
with the correct eye, the pin-pointed passion and the composure to
evaluate things with equal simplicity- the ethos, which I define as
photography.
There are tools, and there is the man, both quite inseparable
and inevitable parts of each other. As tools for photography, the
camera is what we know as the primary one. In today’s age of
communication and globalization, almost everyone has access to a
plethora of means to photograph. Be it our everyday smart-phones,
point and shoot compacts or semi- pro digital cameras, we are
never short of resources, ideas or moments. So, there you go,
indulge yourselfa little, and you sometimes get the best and craziest
of results! We all here, to some extent have become photographers
or rather ‘photography passionates’ as we like to call ourselves. Then
we come across this rant ‘DSLRs’, many are talking about.
Something which is heavier, more loaded, used by professionals,
something which definitely might be more complicated and
expensive, but all the while, confusing.
Well technically, a ‘single lens reflex’ or ‘slr’ mechanism
camera works on the simple principles of direct reflection of light,
multiply transferred, like in a periscope. The light image transferred
to the film makes a negative. To explain in brief, it gives a more real
reading of light and vision, just as our eye sees images in receding
depths. The result of course is a more realistic reproduction of the
exact scene, both in terms of light quality and feel of speed, which
can be an exciting, motion driven adrenaline touch or a laid back
feel of calm and recluse- the parameters, almost unending.
Nowadays films have been replaced by digital sensors, which
processes and stores the image digitally, so we can see the image
immediately after it is shot. Hence they are called Digital ‘slr’s.
Most of us would want to know how a compact camera
differs from an ‘slr’ or rather which would be a better choice. A
point and shoot camera is of course easy to use and carry and can
give fast satisfactory results for our regular snapping, casual
documenting or ‘spur of the moment’ get-together times. But for
aspirants of a more in-depth photo quality and seriousness of
enjoying the same, an ‘slr’ creates a lot of difference. Apart from the
large range of depth of field, which separates the foreground from
the background, these cameras enable one to shoot at practically
any speed. So almost every kind of situation and motion can be
captured, giving the precise feel of the moment. The grain quality
and color reproduction is also richer and most importantly, can be
calibrated against any light condition. Shooting varied landscapes,
long shot wildlife, and extreme weather conditions can be
impossible otherwise sometimes.Nothing I believe, can match the
human eye, in what we can see - all the uniqueness and breathtaking
splendors of the earth and the heartening nuances of our everyday
lives. Still, the closer any tool can take us to that reality, the better it
is.
But beyond all technicalities, all tools, it is what our heart
sees, that we frame, which is why the memory of the moment is
maybe more precious than the frozen moment itself. As for me,
behind every photograph is a story, ofa unique experience, teaching
me the fundamentals of life, very close to my heart, which is why
every time I load my camera, it fills me with a tremendous sense of
excitement, which is what all ofthis is all about.
Renowned photographer Jay Maisel said something similar,
“If you are out there shooting, things will happen for you. If you’re
not out there, you’ll only hear about it.”
(The author is an avid traveler and an architect & designer of
‘SUBTLE NOTIONS DESIGN’a firm based in Surat, Gujarat.)
AN SLR
AFFAIR
Ketaki Joshi
T.E. COMP
Keyboard
Shortcutsfor
Dummies
- Shotaborto Nandy
7. 7
THE
DAMSEL
DOSSIER
Sophia Mujawar
TE Comp B
Editors:Priyanka Chandna| Kalyani Gadgil| Shreeja Nandy| Ketaki Joshi| Purva Joshi| Sophia Mujawar| Apoorva Ranade| Malavika Panicker| Mugdha Khedkar| Niranjana Deshpande| Pallavi
Shrikanth| Vidushi Kumari| Artists:Anupama Khangar| Indrani Ghosh| Shivani Bhoite
“Don’t put the lights off,” whined
my 7 year old sister. I raised an eyebrow
reflexively and spat “Why?!” Then came the
wretched answer, “Because, I stop looking
fair!” My shock was inevitable because she
was just 7 years old and well, she was
already fair. Why did she have to come
down to such an amazing conclusion? Why
did she want to be fairer?
Then I assayed all the facts and
myths and to find the answer. Sadly we
Indians have this weird attraction to ‘Gora
rang’. What is fair is beautiful. I don’t have
the statistics. You might sue me for an
alleged claim. But its incontrovertible and
I’d want to you prove me wrong.
Lets talk about T.V. advertisements
and especially the fairness creams flashed
every 50 seconds, the ones with SRK and
Yami Gautam saying “Fair and Handsome”
and “Fair and Lovely”. I cringe everytime.
Why not “Dark and Handsome” and “Dark
and Lovely”. Are ‘lovely’ and ‘fair’ supposed
to be one and the same? Are we so
pathetically blinkered that we don’t
comprehend the stratagems these
companies are using to create a market by
taking advantage of a misbegotten
mindset? Have you ever seen anyone going
straight white from dusky? You haven’t. Yet
every time the ‘Fair and Lovely’ tube gets
over mom buys one while she’s out
shopping.
All of this irrevocably boils down to
one universal truth. Lack of acceptance. We
don’t accept ourselves so we can barely
expect others to accept us. An assortment
of countless fairness creams have been
launched around the globe and I must tell
you the side-splitting part. On an average
an African country spends $1-$2.5million
per annum on fairness creams and fairness
treatments. I’m not out of my mind neither
am I joking. But you must know wherever
there’s low self-esteem there is to be a
demonic revenue campaign ready to
swallow the profits.
I fear that in a few decades we’ll assertively
have diapers with pores oozing fairness
lotions so that your baby can have a fair
butt. I mean why not start making your
babies fair right from their cradles? Fair
enough?
So next time you see an ‘already
fair’ celebrity endorsing a fairness cream
laugh it out and enjoy the sarcasm. Be bold
and be beautiful. Defy the odds. Sport your
tan. Flaunt the good skin and colour you
have. You don’t need fairness creams to
look beautiful. And don’t let your 7 year old
brat say, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, tell me
who’s the fairest of all?”
Take it from a hardcore manga fan, we really do not like it
when you call manga a cartoon; its like calling a Lamborghini just a car. For the novice, anime and
manga are very different from each other. Manga are black-and-white graphic novels and anime are
animated tv shows based on the stories of manga. Anime’s current form was introduced in 1960s by
Osamu Tezuka. It originated in Kyoto, Japan. ‘Spirited Away’ released by Ghibri Studios in the ‘90s was
the first anime popular outside ofJapan.
Mangas can make you forget plans, assignments and even the presence of other people in your
vicinity. I think the addictive nature of mangas reflects the escapism it provides. Fanfictions are written
on popular mangas because being in a series takes you to a virtual reality, entangling you into an
alternate reality. Mangas provide a detailed character sketch and different facets to personalities. Their
expressions of joy, embarrassment, anger and every other emotion are what attracted me to mangas in
the first place. Can you escape the addiction of the manga? Mangaget.com, Mangafox.me, and
mangahere.com provide free English 'scanlations' of mangas. Ironically, these sites are illegal in Japan.
Also, remember, mangas are read from right to left (for anyone reading for the first time). Ifyou want a
good headstart, Hana Kimi is a personal favourite. But you must start with Full Metal Alchemist.
There are multiple movies with a storylines based on mangas like Avatar: The Last Airbender
and the series ofNaruto. There have also been quite a few television drama series (non-animated) based
on mangas. The list includes ‘To the Beautiful You’ based on Hana Kimi, ‘Skip beat’ and ‘Naruto’ on
mangas having the same name. The anime ‘Cardcaptor Sakura’ is also based on a manga. One of the
sensations is Hana Yori Dango which has been converted into three television series. These are
Japanese in the same name, Taiwanese called Meteor Garden and South Korean series Boys Over
Flowers, starring Lee Min Ho, Kyu Hye-Sun and Kim Hyun Joong (as most hostelites know).
Anime and manga was originally started with the aim to promote values and morals. The ones
famous in Japan aren’t that popular in the rest of the world and vice versa; the only exception being
Naruto. In Japan, the manga culture is taken very seriously, with Pponbashi Street Festival held in
Osaka being a parade in which people dress up as their characters. AnimeCon is held all over Japan and
there are theme-based cafes where the servers dress as characters and serve food shown in the cartoons.
(Neha interacted with Japanese exchange students just last week and it was anime and manga that
brought them closer and the cultural exchange was fluent.)
The Japanese Ekta Kapoor
Apoorva Ranade (T.E. COMP)
with Neha Belapurkar
It's all about the approach; whether you're learning something new or going back to working on a
daily activity. My mind wheels back to a few years ago when Calculus seemed so ghastly. Never being an
academic, my negative outlook towards the subjects dented my final mark sheets. Surprisingly, the "not so
smart" lab partner I had did much better. Yes it was me with the smart-alecky answers and the witty
comebacks. She may not have had the "ze little grey cells" but she did have the smarts.
While all of us would wail in agony before physics practical, she would smile and say- "Hope there's
something fun today. "Or when the teacher finished proving a theorem she would stare in amazement at the
board. Most ofus postpone dreams to a later stage; we wait for the ‘right’ time in life. It wasn't her intelligence
(there wasn't much) nor was it her sincerity that attached her to what we were studying .It was her attitude
and that made a difference.
She relied on paradigm shifts to survive the crazy college schedules and syllabi. It was like she put on
clean, brand-new and young glasses when she approached her life's challenges. No judgements based on
previous experiences, not even one. The rest of us donned our adulterated and prejudiced muddy lenses
(uncleaned for 17 years) and expected to view studies in a more interesting frame (pun unintended). On the
day ofthe result, I called her-prepared to tell her that everything was going to be okay and that she would still
get a good college. I called....she picked up. We spoke...I almost fell out the window on my right. She'd scored
points on a whole new level of"AWESOME" and had the highest score in our class!
At first my primitive instincts took over and I convinced myself that it was just a rare examiner's
mistake and that she was a very ‘lucky’ girl. But a few weeks I made up my mind to clean my dirty 17-year old
perspective ofthis world.
Through rigorous self-control and lots of reading on a wide array of topics ranging from ancient
cultures to interior design-I flushed my old self out. Not completely, but just enough to retain my skills and
flavour because our personalities are mostly made up ofour perspectives. It’s not wrong to have perspectives.
But it’s wrong when we let our perspectives condemn other people or studies without asking ourselves. So I
chose to clean my glasses and decided to determine what was right or wrong myself. It has made a difference,
ladies. Try it for yourself.
- Celesta Silverstring
