Author: News Updates

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POVERTY & PANDEMIC

Pandemics are large-scale outbreaks of infectious disease that can greatly increase morbidity and mortality over a wide geographic area and cause significant economic and social issues.

A pandemics’ economic fallout has had a devastating and disproportionate impact on the rights of low income people , who were already struggling. Country’s strict lockdown may save many lives but it also snatches many livelihoods. Millions do not get paid in lockdown. Price of foods increase during pandemic. Number of extremely poor people increase day by day.

When outbreaks begin, the poor are also more likely to have already been suffering from malnutrition and immunosuppressive conditions, which can increase susceptibility to infectious diseases.

Pandemics can cause enormous economic damage as workers fall sick, people avoid markets and public places , and quarantines and disease control measures reduce travel. It carries particular risks for poor households, whose livelihoods are already precarious.

Proper actions that bring growth, remove inefficiencies and empower people reinforce strategies to reduce poverty from pandemics.

Cyclone Tauktae

The Tropical Cyclone Tauktae has crossed Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Mumbai. The cyclone made it way north towards Gujarat on Monday evening.


There were heavy rains along the regions covering the coastline of the Arabian Sea. The winds blew stronger and the rains were heavier today in Maharashtra. Even though many cities are still in lockdown and everyone is safely in their homes sheltered the cyclone has caused a few damages and also cost lives. The state of Maharashtra has also experienced heavy rainfall rains in Konkan, Mumbai, Palghar, Raigad and Thane regions on 17th of May that is Monday.


The Indian Meteorological Department or IMD had informed that Mumbai is not under the direct threat of the cyclone Tauktae. However, it was predicted to pass through the sea cost of Mumbai. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India. It is mainly responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting and studying the changes in the tectonic plates and prediction of earthquakes and other natural disasters.
The news channels showed pictures of the sea, the high tides, water getting accumulated on the roads causing the vehicles to get stuck, potholes getting filled with rain water and trees falling on the road. The power lines have been cut off in some areas for a certain period of time and issues in the internet connectivity is seen due to the cyclone.


15 fishermen who went to sea are found missing in Kozhikode. Kozhikode is also know as Calicut, a city in Kerala. The water level in many dams across Kerala increased immensely after heavy rains were seen. The Cyclone Warning Division of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that the wind speed is expected to increase to 150-160 km per hour. Around 1.5 lakh people are being shifted from low lying coastal areas in Gujarat and 54 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in Gujarat beforehand.
It is very important that we keep ourselves updated with the latest incoming news regarding the cyclone in order to keep ourselves braced and prepared for emergency situations like this.


Precautions to take when informed about a cyclone beforehand are given below:
Keep the mobile phones fully charged for emergency.
Keep in handy the emergency numbers of Disaster Management National / District / Region or Maharashtra Control Room contact information.
Do not keep the mobile phone on charging and use it simultaneously.
Make sure that torches or other emergency lights are in working condition.
It is important to keep food, especially medicines and other essential things stored in the house to avoid stepping outdoors unnecessarily.
Keep the important documents handy and keep them all together in a safe place.
The gas pipeline should be switched off when not needed.
Stay away from broken buildings and structures since they are more prone to damage.
Vehicles should be safely parked in the areas where there is less possibility of water getting accumulated.

The Flaws In Our Education System

Historically, the concept of education involved the sharing of knowledge and values between people. This form of education ensured that valuable knowledge was promulgated within a society, from one society to another, and from generation to generation. It focused on the importance of culture and taught skills needed to positively contribute to society through hands-on learning and observation. Children were given the freedom to explore on their own because this supported their natural ways of learning. Moreover, it bolstered unity as the teachers were always members of the same community that they were teaching. We would not be aware of countless facets of history, such as the Egyptian civilization, the Mesopotamian civilization, and the Hunter-gatherer culture if this form of education did not exist.   

So how did it all go wrong? 

The popularization of the standardized education system as we know it today, in which children are corralled into classes based on their age and study in institutions known as schools, can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution. Nowadays, it is suitably referred to as the “one shoe fits all approach to education” and the “factory model of education”. However, if we consider the prevailing socio-economic conditions of that time, creating a standardized education system was ineluctable and economically beneficial. 

Schools were tasked with transforming their attendees from students to efficient workers who would eventually increase the quantity and quality of the labour force. The need to encourage unique skills and individuality did not exist as students would grow up to do monotonous and regulated work. As Alvin Toffler put it “the whole idea of assembling masses of students (raw material) to be processed by teachers (workers) in a centrally located school (factory) was a stroke of industrial genius”. At the time, it was thought that the best way to produce efficient workers was through the teaching of certain subjects that curricula makers deemed “crucial” using the same method and pace for all students. Students were compelled to utilize rote learning and take graded exams that decided their “intelligence” and potential in life.   

The egregious problem arises when we notice that schools continue to espouse this myopic view on education even after over a hundred years. A hundred years ago, things like the radio, jet engines, helicopters, credit cards, car seat belts, personal computers, smartphones, and the internet did not exist. In a world that undergoes major transformations constantly, how can we be satisfied with this archaic and pernicious education system in the 21st century? 

In today’s world of modernity, complexity, fastidiousness, globalization, and innovation, the flaws of our education system are more conspicuous than ever. No two students are the same. This monolithic and iniquitous system neglects the fact that students have different skill-sets, they learn at different paces, they come from different backgrounds, and wish to pursue different careers in their lives. Undoubtedly, there are numerous instances in which students benefit from and even thrive in the current education system. There are also countless children that long to go to school but don’t have the opportunities or resources to do so. However, there are too many instances in which students, despite arduous effort, struggle in and are lobotomized by this sclerotic education system. They are made to feel inadequate. They are made to believe that they are “slow” and will always flounder.    

Students acquiescently regurgitate vast amounts of information on exams with minimal innovation. These exams, more often than not, test the memorization skills of students, rather than serve as a platform on which they can showcase their understanding of a concept. Students who do well in these exams have the hubristic belief that they are “winners” because society says so and those who don’t do well are humiliated and considered “losers” by society. While it is understood that learning requires the amassing and retention of information, any information that is not understood becomes an undigested burden. The misconception that good grades are the only path to success causes unnecessary pressure on students. 

The strictures imposed by this education system curtails creativity and originality. Concurrently, it encourages conformity, rigidity, and conventionality. It assiduously ignores essential modern-day lessons, such as financial literacy, life skills, mental health, critical thinking, empathy, compassion, collaboration, and countless others. This results in students feeling disconcerted when they face the precarious reality of after-school life. It provides students with a series of conclusions, rather than a way of thinking. 

To truly change this standardized educational system, we have to abandon the ostensible idea that it is still a product of logical necessity or scientific insight. The hunter-gatherers adapted their education system to their needs. The education system was modified to cater to the needs of the industrial revolution. Likewise, our education system must change too so that students can truly be prepared for the future. This will certainly alleviate any antipathy held by students towards education and will make education and learning synonymous again.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

Albert Einstein

Role of Community Radio for Development

Community radio plays a important role for the development of the rural life. Community radio helps to avail utilities and amenities for various development aspects of our society like education, health, water and sanitation, protection from natural disasters, address social issues at the community level and connect rural population with the government. Community radio can facilitate the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of the country by raising their voice, focusing their problems, expressing their modern updated ideas and thinking for the development of the whole nation. It can play a significant role for the rural development.

The main objective of this analysis is to explore the importance and effectiveness of community radio in especially remote rural areas. There can be no improvement of the country unless the villages or rural areas improved first. Unfortunately, the state of things there is as bad as possible. The people are extremely poor, living in wretched conditions. There are no proper arrangements for medical help, sanitary living and good education. There is no cultural atmosphere and nothing bright to inspire the people. So they drag on a miserable existence, more dead than alive. Community radio is a medium of helping the people of rural areas. It aims to enrich the livelihood of the local people, through the content that is created by the people and for the people of the community. As community radio prepares and broadcasts programmes for the rural particular community, so it can also be specified to a target population. The historical philosophy of community radio is to make use of this means as the voice of the disadvantaged group, the representative of exploited people and generally as a tool for progress and improvement.

Through community radio try to give proper education and facilities, improvement of agriculture and sanitary conditions and various other welfare activities.it will make life easy. Community radio is a non-profit radio station and its main aim is the wellbeing of the local level community people. It produces program for the people of any certain geographical area and also represent their culture and views, thoughts and ideas etc. The involvement of community members in many different ways that reflects the interest of the community it serves.

Community radio has been established mainly for local level rural population. Main target group of community radio are the general villagers who are the listeners of radio. Community radio will create awareness among the villagers. It has significant effect on the societal condition. People have to remember that community radio is for their permanent benefit.  In community radio the public are voluntarily participating and producing programmes for themselves for their own benefit. community radio is an instrument of power in changing the lives of women. The need of the hour is to educate the masses, create awareness and cater to the needs of the people at the grass-roots level. Community radios can help to empower and give a voice to the people.

Horrors of War

It is said that man is a fighting animal. This is why there have been so frequent fights between man and man from the earliest times—fights between individuals, tribes, races and nations. In fact, the political history of mankind consists mostly of these conflicts and wars.

At first wars were fought with bows and arrows, swords and spears and horses. Then came guns and cannons and motor vehicles to carry them and the soldiers. Now nations have aeroplanes to drop bombs for quick results. It will be seen that changes in method have made wars more and more horrible. When armies fought with bows and arrows, and swords and spears, there was a spirit of chivalry in them. But victory in modern wars depends on the cowardly act of striking the enemy unaware and unprepared. Development of nuclear weapons threatens to wipe out civilisation altogether.

The horrors of a modern warfare continue even after peace has been concluded. Bombs infect the survivors with poisons of various incurable diseases. Japan is still suffering it after the atom bombs were dropped there. The economic life also of the countries concerned is shattered by destruction, and the miseries of the people know no bound. Indeed, the situation in Europe was so critical after the last war that the U.S.A had to come forward with generous helps for the reconstruction of even enemy countries.

Another dangerous feature of a modern war is that it doesn’t remain confined to a few countries. Almost every country is compelled by the force of circumstances to take sides, so that the war soon turns into a global war.

Unless, therefore, wars are banned, human civilisation is doomed to utter ruin. The United Nations Organisation has been formed with this object in view. And it is duty of every country to strengthen it and help it in setting all international disputes in a peaceful way.

    Effective speech 101

    The first step is to overcome the fear of public speaking. Effective speaking is not an inbuilt talent. You can develop it through correct practices just as we learn other things in life.

    You can do this through:

    1. Deep breathing: Before and after your speech
    2. Shifting your focus from how you look and feel to the message you want to share with your audience. Do not imitate others, just be yourself.
    3. Visualizing: Take 10-15 minutes a day to relax, close your eyes and visualize the room you are speaking in, the audience and yourself confidently delivering your speech, smiling and moving across the stage.
    4. Focus on facts, not fears: Instead of focusing on your irrational fears- mind going blank or audience getting bored- focus on the thoughts like ‘I have the sketch, I know the bullet points or I am knowledgeable on this topic.’ Rehearse it with your friends or family.
    5. Focus on speech clarity: Organize the speech around two or more important points rather than including all the information from everywhere.
    6. Never memorize it word to word. Just remember the facts and major points and you will come around. Make brief notes of interesting things or which you don’t want to miss.
    7. Be excited about your subject, include experiences and provide examples. They do wonders!

    After overcoming the fear of speaking, begin with all the important points for effective speaking.

    1. Story telling

    Audience can forget data and statistics, but they will never forget a delightful story. Use stories from real-life events, something funny to share from your past incidences or challenges, struggle and success stories, etc.

    Your stories should be:

    • Relevant to the subject
    • Short and simple
    • At proper intervals
    • Relatable

            You should:

    • Express emotions through body language.
    • Use adjectives and verbs to make the stories more interesting.

    You should not:

    • Use more than two stories on the same topic.
    • Fill it with too many minute details or characters which distract the audience from the primary concern.
    • Not use uncommon jargons.

    2. Body language: It is our way of communicating through our body movements and gestures to express our emotions, expressions, and actions. We should also read the body language of our audience.

    For a positive body language:

    • Posture: Feel comfortable and stay upright. No slouching shoulders or bent posture. Do not lean or grip the lectern. If you are sitting, do not lean, bent or move your legs very much.
    • Body placement: Move as you speak. Use the space, be with the audience and not behind the lectern or just positioned in one place. This cannot apply if you are sitting in a studio where you need to be seated.
    • Arms: Do not use hand gestures which reveal anxiety. Example: Clutching your hands, fiddling with your clothing, cracking fingers, etc.
    • Facial expressions: Smile at your listeners as you talk. It is very effective when you gain their admiration.

    3. Tone of voice: The study related to the vocal part of the non- verbal communication is called paralinguistic. And paralanguage refers to the non- verbal elements of communication. These are:

    Speech Pace: It is the speed at which we speak. Practice for 150 words per minute. It is the ideal limit. Steady your breathing, focus on enunciation, reflect about punctuation in your speech.

    Speech Pitch: It is the placement of your voice on a musical scale from high to low. Usually men have lower pitch than woman. Varying your voice pitch differentiates different emotions and points. It is the easiest way to avoid monotony, add excitement, make certain words and ideas stand out, appear relaxed and confident to the listeners. Identify the exact words and phrases that you want to emphasize. Example: Use higher pitch for excitement and lower pitch for seriousness or to add weight to the message.

    Speech Volume: It is the loudness of your voice. It depends on the space of speaking and the size of the audience. It should not look as if you are shouting when you are not. There should not be a difficulty in listening to you. Reach everyone in the distance too. You can change your loudness for creating dramatic effects or expressing powerful emotions.

    4. Pauses: Pauses are much needed. There is no need to fill silence with umm, ahm, like, you know or and. There are 3 types of to use in different ways:

    • Brief pause: Last for half a second to 2 seconds. Use it for separating a thought, emphasizing last words, or building anticipation for what is coming.
    • Long pause: Can last anywhere from 3 seconds to a couple of minutes. Used for creating tension.
    • Spontaneity pause: Speakers are to use it when they are searching for the right word or pretending to reflect on something.You can also plan and plot these pauses. They ultimately make your the speech look more real, polished and less rehearsed.

    5. Visual aids: These include flip charts, projectors, slide shows, handouts, and certain props.

    • Adding a visual dimension can make a speech look more vivid, graphic, and professional looking.
    • Multiplies understanding
    • Helps to maintain attention
    • Adds humour or creates excitement
    • Organizes complex information

    Encourages gesture and movement to connect more with your audience. With good practice and knowledge of your subject, you can easily become an effective speaker.

    What is happening in Palestine?

    In the beginning of holy month of Ramadan on 13th of April the Israeli security forces installed metal barriers outside the Damascus Gate not allowing access of Palestinians in the area. Ramadan is the holiest month for Muslims where they fast, pray, donate and go to pilgrimages.


    The conflict kept rising between them starting from May 7th to May 10th. Clashes took place in the Eastern Jerusalem region. The Israeli forces stormed Al Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem. Al Aqsa Mosque is the third most holiest pilgrim place for Muslims around the world. The Israeli security forces used tear gas while people were in the middle of their prayer. There was a video that went viral on the internet that showed that the Israeli forces were dropping tear gas on them in the middle of their prayer. They used stun grenades and rubber tipped bullets on the worshippers. More than 900 hundred Gazans have being injured 31 of them being children since the day of attack. This took place during the final week of Ramadan. Since the evening of May 10th around 250 rockets were launched from Gaza which a city in Palestine into the Israel territories.


    Social media platforms are deleting certain posts showing the footage of the violence taking place in Palestine. Freedom of Speech and Right to Information and Mass Media is a fundamental right of every citizen and that is being taken away too. People are scared for their lives. “We felt like we were in a horror movie,” said a local resident Salwa Al-Attar, who escaped the bombardment with her family. “The planes were above us, and the tanks and navy were bombing – and we could not move. The children, women and men were screaming.” This statement is from a BBC news article.
    On Friday, May 14th which is yesterday seven Palestinians were killed after Israel launched an airstrike on a house in Gaza City. On Saturday May 15th, Israeli airstrike destroyed a high rise building Al Jalzeera and The Associated Press and other media offices in the Gaza Strip. The airstrike happened an hour after the Israeli military ordered people to evacuate the building. The building had The Associated Press, Al Jazeera and a number of offices. Israeli air strike in Gaza city today killed at least 10 Palestinians majority being women and children.

    As each moment passes by the Palestinians are scared and living in terror. They are living with the fear of losing their loved ones. We should post about it, tweet and share it on our stories to spread the awareness and amplify to stand in support of the suppressed. It is the least we can do in the middle of this pandemic that has already cost so many lives.


    We can see the unity amongst different countries as they unite and stand together. 100,000s of people were seen in London marching for peace between the two. There are over 70 protests in support of Palestinians across UK, USA, Japan and Jordan. You don’t have to be a Muslim or belong to Palestine to be in support of them it is merely for the sake of humanity.

    FACTS ABOUT DRONES

    In the tech world, we call a drone as ‘Unmanned Aerial Vehicle’. Started as a military invention in the US, drones and their scope of use is growing day by day. At present, civilians and police departments around the world are also enjoying the benefits of the drone technology at an increasing rate. Photography, videography, food-delivery, farming, environmental and crime surveillance, etc. are the activities for which we are using the features of drones. We can buy drones for personal of professional use from any local or online tech or gadget store starting from a range of USD 50 or INR 45,000 to 50,000.

    Scope of drones

    Drone is another rapidly growing and adaptive gadget which the humans can manipulate for humanitarian causes and as well as causing harm to life and property. From delivering food packets for flood-relief to deadly gunshots on people, drone industry is much diverse and is rising soon creating a boom into the ecommerce delivery system and agricultural industry in the coming years.

    But before that, let’s have a look at some important facts about drones which you probably don’t know.

    • Drones are not always remote controlled.

    It will surprise you that there are three types of drones according to their piloting methods:

    1. Remotely Piloted Drone–Piloted from a remote station where the drone is not directly visible.
    2. Model Remotely Piloted Drone-Piloted for educational, recreational or experimental usage only within a visible area of sight.
    3. Autonomous Drone–Does not require a pilot. We feed the flight and working instructions into its system before taking off, just like any targeted missile.
    • Drones can legally invade your privacy.

    To your shock, there is no national framework or statutory body to govern the use of drones by the police. Police don’t even require a warrant or permission to survey using drone. The drones flown by the police or military drones have ungoverned access to all parts of the United States to gather data except government properties and lands. Many other countries act similarly for regulating drones by government authorities.

    • Can you fly a drone easily in your country?

    The drone rules of each country are different and very complex. It takes days or months for common people to get certain licenses and permissions to fly drones in a particular country.

    Examples:

    1. A foreigner or a foreign company cannot fly drone in India. To use drone for commercial activities, a foreigner is bound to lease their drone to an Indian company who will get Unique Identification Number (UIN) and drone permit called UAOP (Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit) from DGCA (The Directorate General of Civil Aviation) for the foreigner.
    2. A non-US citizen is bound to take permission and licenses 15 days prior to using drone in the US.
    • Drones have killed lakhs of children

    The military, police, and terrorists use attack drones or weaponized drones at the time of warfare. Drones work as small weapons, which is very hard to notice for a common citizen. This reckless use of drone technology by military, police and criminals over the years is taking many lives. Most of the victims are civilians and children.

    • Resolving worst farming and food problems by using drones.

    Thermal cameras installed on drones can identify water leakages and identify which crops are getting enough water. A drone can zoom down to even an individual plant. Farmers in Canada and other countries are using drone data for years to calculate the health of the plants.

    6 easiest weight loss tips you can practice now!

    Are you the one who wants to lose weight while eating junk food? Well, today is your lucky day, because this is possible! As I was thinking about losing weight, I worried about food constraints, workout strength, and scheduling. I kept on researching for easier and adaptable methods and I learned some amazing and unique weight loss tips.

    Weight loss does not always associate with body image. It is also a means of being healthy for some and a professional requirement for others. All we need is motivation to act. Remember why you want to do this and DO NOT BE AFRAID to start now. Baby steps are fine and the results will amaze you!

    If you are working from home like me, you must have plenty of time and resources. If not, all the more reason for you to read my tips. Imagine yourself after achieving your desired weight! I am losing at least 3KGs per month since then!

    1. First dose: Start your day with a glass of lukewarm water mixed with 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 medium-sized lemon. This tonic not only helps in weight loss but also helps in the proper digestion of your subsequent meal or breakfast.
    2. The 5-minute breaks: If you don’t have time or interest for 40-60 minutes of continuous exercise daily, 5-minute breaks are very important for you. This way, you don’t have to plan or do every exercise in one go. Whenever you are sitting or standing for long hours, take a 5-MINUTE GAP EVERY HOUR to practice some easy weight loss ‘Yogasanas’ and do some stretching. You can also play a song and enjoy aerobic dance for 5 minutes. Maintain the intensity. Remember, unless you sweat, you have done little. If you take at least 8 breaks a day, you are giving 40 minutes to it daily, which is ideal. If you have time, you can escalate the duration of the break. If you are in an office and you can’t do it there, do it in the lounge, bathroom, parking basement, or terrace. You know you can find a place. *winks*.
    3. Walk: If you are not in quarantine, wear a mask, and instead of driving, walk to the nearby stores for buying grocery or stuff which is available nearby, instead of driving. (You are also helping in environmental protection.) If you do phone calls, walk every time you are on a call. Stop just sitting or standing while you talk on call.
    4. 3-hour meal plan: You need to do your homework and maybe need some help with it. Search and note the healthiest recipes which are also tasty. Choose one for each meal and stick the plan on your kitchen wall. The food needs to be tasty, otherwise unwanted cravings! Your meal plan goes like this: Eat small portions of food every 3rd hour. Yes, that’s just it!
    5. Tiffin: Keep a tiffin filled with fruits, and have them in between the meals whenever you feel hungry. Eat them, make juice or shake. But do not add sugar. You can also freeze it and eat it like ice cream. Vegetable juices are also a very healthy option. I suggest, eat the fruits and drink the vegies. The sweet taste of fruits compensates for the sour taste of vegetable juice.
    6. Eat junk food: Yes, you can, but in calculated proportions. If you are okay with not eating junk at all, it’s best. Otherwise, plan your junk diet as well. Out of your favorites, make a list and ideally have one meal of junk in every two weeks. If it’s difficult, make it once a week. Remember, only one meal of junk. Don’t overeat. Don’t force yourself into not eating junk for months. Because if you do, there is a 70% chance of you snapping and eating junk every day due to long-standing cravings.
    7. Celebration: Sunday is not an exception. Celebrate your Sunday by relaxing, dancing, and a bit of exercising. Work your body out for a minimum of 40 minutes. Sunday is not an excuse for unplanned junk. Keep track of your parties, so that you can plan your junk meal accordingly.

    As the World Health Organization states, “Health is a state of complete mental, social and physical well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” And Gautam Buddha knew “To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep the mind strong and clear.”

    Unemployment in India

    Unemployment means the state of being without any opportunity of earning one’s livelihood. The industrial civilisation has greatly increased the wants of man and opened up many new opportunities for employment. The rapid increase of population has worsened the situation. This is why the problem of unemployment has been getting more and more acute every year.

    The evil effect of unemployment is not confined to the economic field only. It destroys the sense of moral values and leads to undesirable activities from a feeling of despair and anger. A society so infected can never prosper in the world. This is why every civilized government looks upon removal of unemployment as one of its primary duties.

    The Government of India have already taken in hand various development projects and started many big industries in the public sector. They are also helping Industries in private sector and encouraging cottage and Small-scale industries. All these have given employment, direct and indirect, to a good number of people; still the number of men yet unemployment is alarmingly large and the rapid increase of population has been adding to the difficulty to the situation. This increase has to be checked by family planning; but the general body of our people are yet too ignorant to take advantage of this.

    The dynamism of labor in India is very low. Because of family loyalty, people usually avoid moving to remote areas of work. Elements such as the diversity of languages, religions, and customs also contribute to less mobility. Low mobility leads to greater unemployment.Lack of infrastructure like roads, electricity, telecommunication, highways, irrigation facilities in agriculture. Inadequate availability of infrastructure is a major hurdle in creating productive employment opportuniti

    The government imposed a lockdown to get relief from the epidemic but it affected economic and commercial activities and resulted in job losses and later the migration of migrant workers started which shook the whole country.

    The quality of Indian education needs to be improved. The government should select a committee to oversee schools and universities. The syllabus taught has not been of any use to the industry so the teachings should be in line with the current requirements of the industry. Practical knowledge should be given before finishing studies.

    Development of the rural areas will stop the migration of the rural people to the urban cities and this will not put more pressure on the urban city jobs.Government should allow more foreign companies to open their unit in India, so that more employment opportunities will be available.

    BASICS OF DIGITAL MARKETING

    What is Digital Marketing?

    Computers and the internet have made it easy for us to do many things simultaneously. It has revolutionized our thought process. With the Covid-19 pandemic the entire world has adapted to the situation by working from home. The use of the term ‘Digital Marketing’ has increased during this time frame. It is used to promote small businesses as well as large scale businesses. We make use of it from the time we use our phones to surf social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, etc to making deals and strategies for our company or brand. Digital devices, platforms, media, data generated and technology are the foundations of digital marketing.

    Milllenials are considered as ‘digital pioneers’ of technology and social media. It is the generation to be born into a world which is at its peak technological innovation. It has seen the rise of many Influencers and social media pioneers who make content and earn through brand collaborations. For a brand, an online presence has never been as important as today. Online brands like Amazon, Google, Zomato, Myntra they’re all based on keeping their online audiences engaged.  As Albert Einstein said “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity” there is an opportunity for us to seize even in a pandemic. Marketing yourself is the best strategy to follow in this digital era.

    Types of Digital Marketing –

    With digital marketing platform, you can gain a better understanding of what type of content resonates with the customers. This allows marketers to understand the demand of the consumers. It is entirely dependent on the engagement rate of the audience.

    Digital Marketing can be branched into Search Engine Optimization or SEO Marketing, Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing or SMM, Influencer and Affiliate Marketing, Pay- per-click or PPC Marketing. When the customer is looking for something to buy they will probably click on one of the first results that show up on Google. Hence SEO Marketing comes into the picture. It consists of learning strategies on how to rank your own website on Google using appropriate keywords. It is more credible form of marketing. Email marketing allows organizations to stay connected with customers and clients via newsletters and connecting employees within a company to interact formally. Social Media Marketing involves Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter for promoting brands, businesses or their skills using visual effects. It depends upon the impressions, comments, conversions, clicks, etc. Influencer Marketing requires you to choose up a specialty and create a platform and gain followers. The followers trust the influencers, which makes them likely to buy a product recommended by them. Affiliate Marketing is to promote other brands and earn a certain percentage through it. Pay-per-click or also known as PPC is one of the most common types of digital marketing. It charges you for the number of clicks that you get on your advertisement. PPC comes under search engine marketing and content or social media marketing.

    Digital Marketing is cheap, measureable and has high returns. Various resources online provide insight into what digital marketing is. There are many students studying in universities who decide to take up Digital Marketing as their major and make a career in this field. The knowledge and skills are just as important as it is to keep ourselves updated with the ever changing technology.

    Bioenzymes : Feed Your Soil

    Bioenzymes are organic soil growth supplements which has natural and essential nutrients to replenish the soil. Also known as “Jeevamrit“, does exactly what the name says!
    It contains growth stimulants like potassium humate, amino acids, vitamin B complex, probiotics as well as blends of various enzymes like proteases, lipases, amylase, etc. Proteases breaks down bigger proteins into smaller amio acid units. Lipases acts on fats molecules and Amylase breaks down carbohydrates like starch.

    Benefits of using bioenzymes:
    Talking about the benefits, it works miracles. The enzymatic activity increases the concentration of good bacteria thereby, increasing the overall biological activity of the soil. It also increases the NPK levels, boosting plant growth and the difference is quite visible. Plants appear greener and fresher. Flowers are more fluffy n bright. Fruits, bigger and better resulting in good yield. Its a good natural herbicide, insecticide and pesticide which repels pests, enriching the soil of your home garden and orchards, helping plants to grow well in full potential.

    Bioenzyme : works miracles

    Bioenzymes : DIY
    Making bioenzymes at home is extremely easy and simple. All you need is water, fruit peels and jaggery in 10 : 3 : 1 ratio. The peels could be dried or fresh, whatever is available. Even rotten fruits could be put to use. Do not replace jaggery with sugar. Chop the fruit peels into small pieces and mix them all together in an air tight container. Smaller the fragments, better the results. And that’s all! To speed up the process, a pinch of yeast is added. It would be ready to use in a month. If you don’t want to add yeast, have patience and wait for 3 months. Make sure that you don’t fill the container completely. Leave some space, about 1/4th, for the gases to evolve during fermentation. Don’t forget to open the container and stir once in a day or two for at least a few weeks. This is because the gases evolved should be released time to time or the container may explode.

    Strain the liquid in a separate bottle for convenience. The fruit peels could be used to make next batch or it could be decomposed to add to the fertility of soil. As long as you maintain the proper ratio, results would be the best!

    Vegetable peels can also be utilized but fruit peels, preferably citrus peels are used as they are full of antioxidants and the final product has a very pleasant fruity smell. Even flowers like dahalia are used to make bioenzymes. They have a mild fragrance which gives an aesthetic touch to your house and garden.

    How to use bioenzymes?
    Bioenzymes could be used in multiple ways. It acts as an excellent cleaner and could be replaced with floor and bathroom chemical cleaners which are extremely polluting & lead to fat bergs in the sewer system. They are also used in rest rooms as surface cleanerns, odour eliminators and even more!
    Bioenzymes can be added to the plant roots as liquid fertilizer, mixed with water in the ratio 1:50. Its good to always start with a more diluted solution.
    Or it can be applied as foliar spray. Just add a teaspoon of it to 1 litre of water and there you go! Spray it all over the plants. It could be added once or twice a week depending on the vegetation.

    Happy Gardening!

    Empathy vs Covid-19

    The Covid-19 pandemic has affected everyone disproportionately and unfairly. Health care workers face the harsh realities of the virus head-on. Teachers have had to adapt their years of experience gained from conventional teaching to suit online classes. Millions face the harsh reality of poverty and hunger everyday. Millions have lost their hard-earned jobs. Businesses have been forced to shut down. Hate crimes against groups of society that are baselessly and cruelly accused of spreading the virus have drastically increased. Mental health issues have risen and fueled by isolation, anxiety, uncertainty, and fear. More than 150 million people have gone and continue to battle with this invincible enemy. More than 3 million people have lost their lives because of this virus. Families have lost their loved ones and the world has lost countless dreamers. This virus cossets no one.  

    Early notions such as the pandemic would be ephemeral and infections were punitive for those who flouted the necessary precautions and rules have diminished during the ongoing second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. In my opinion, this is due to a rise in empathy amongst the people of India. Simply put, empathy is the ability of a living being to understand and share the feelings of another living being. Colloquially, it is referred to as “putting oneself in someone else’s shoes” 

    The Government of India has had no shortage of opportunities to show empathy and alleviate the suffering of Indians. The Government has neglected its duty to serve the country and as Arundhati Roy put it, has committed a crime against humanity. The government has failed on many fronts. I would like to highlight a few that showcase an egregious lack of empathy. 

    Firstly, the poorly planned nationwide lockdown, which was imposed with a mere 4 hours of notice, left thousands of migrant workers helpless, stranded, and vulnerable. With no help from the government, these migrant workers bravely decided to walk back to their villages. This lockdown was stained by police brutality and hate crimes against people that just wanted to survive. The lack of condemnation and apology by the government showcases a lack of empathy. 

    Secondly, in an attempt to alleviate the suffering of Indians, the government launched the risibly named PM CARES (Citizens Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) fund and its primary objective was “to deal with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide relief to the affected”. The fact that a government that has never shied away from repeatedly putting their plans such as “Make in India”, “Swachh Bharat”, “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao”, etc on the highest possible pedestal has created such an opaque and inaccessible fund shows a lack of empathy. 

    Thirdly, the government’s actions before the second wave hit can be described as complacent, incompetent, and overconfident. On the 21st of February 2021, a resolution was passed in the BJP National Office Bearers meeting that “unequivocally hails its leadership for introducing India to the world as a proud and victorious nation in the fight against Covid”. Additionally, the government decided to export vaccines to other countries without ensuring adequate supply was available for Indian citizens. This not only leaves Indian citizens in danger but also betrays all the countries that depended on “the pharmacy of the world” as vaccine exports were abruptly stopped. None of this would’ve happened if the government showed empathy towards the people of India and established appropriate contingent plans.

    Fourthly, while the second wave virulently spread and claimed thousands of lives, the government showed no empathy. While a strong case can be made to prohibit sitting union ministers from campaigning in elections that they are not contesting during a crisis, a complete stop to the democratic process would have been detrimental. The occurrence of huge rallies during a pandemic is untenable and all politicians are guilty of this. The myopic and unsympathetic nature of the government is accentuated by the needless comments that they have made throughout the pandemic.  

    Finally, the iniquitous lack of co-operation between the centre and states to fight this pandemic showcases a pathetic lack of empathy. The failure to come up with a comprehensive and transparent plan for the distribution and supply of oxygen and vaccines has caused unimaginable suffering to the people of India. Any attempt by the government to set aside pride and partisanship, as leaders have done before when facing a crisis, and listen to good advice and imploration would be a sign of empathy. No such attempt has been made. Their lack of action and belated action have had fatal effects, but the government has not shown a sign of remorse or empathy.    

    But all is not lost. There have been instances in which the government has shown empathy. Most states have decided to offer a Covid-19 vaccine for free for different age groups. The central government also has plans to allow final-year MBBS students to join Covid duty before completing the NEET exam. This will drastically reduce the strain faced by health care workers taking care of Covid patients. The government of Karnataka also announced that it would form a team of 15,000 civil defence volunteers in Bengaluru for tracking and tracing Covid-19 patients. This is a significantly more empathetic and humane approach to managing the crisis than the sadistic and vicious approach used last year that made victims of Covid-19 feel like criminals.

    However, none of these actions are as consequential and empathetic as the profound empathy amongst the ordinary people of India. Early displays of empathy were seen when people started taking care of stray animals during the lockdown. Furthermore, countless rations and donations were given to the stranded migrant workers to help them cope with the dire situation they faced. From providing meals, oxygen, assistance to the elderly and handling cremations, Gurudwaras around the country have been the perfect embodiment of empathy. Conspicuously, the empathy and equanimity shown by the youth of India has truly been remarkable. With the help of social media, the relentless youth are constantly doing their part by helping those in need. 

    Empathy also provides a strong basis for our everyday fight against Covid-19. Precautions like wearing a mask, staying indoors as much as possible, social distancing when outside, and getting vaccinated as soon as possible would not be flouted if people were more empathetic. For those of us who have not been directly affected by the virus yet, empathy goes a long way in helping and caring about those who have. 

    Perhaps, the most optimistic and quixotic change that we can hope for during this precarious and seemingly inexorable situation is the crippling of traditional barriers that have separated us before. If we, as ordinary citizens of India, continue to disregard gender, caste, religion, wealth, age, ethnicity, language, political ideology, and other barriers when helping those affected by this pandemic, we could truly be united in this fight against the invisible enemy. Together, we shall overcome.  

    How India is lacking in Healthcare

    Health is man’s most precious possession. One who enjoys good health can enjoy life in the real sense. The healthcare system of India has been poor for a long time and the ongoing covid pandemic has revealed it.


    In the absence of modern quality healthcare in the public sector , people prefer the private sector for better treatment but it is not affordable for them. Healthcare sector is not ready for the unprecedented rise in coronavirus cases which could turn worse. It has highlighted the lack of medical funding to build better healthcare infrastructure.

    The covid pandemic creates a special challenge due to the paucity of testing services, weak surveillance system and above all poor medical care. The impacts of this pandemic, and especially the lockdown strategy, are multi-dimensional.


    Due to lack of vaccines, many people are getting infected with corona. Not all patients are receiving treatment due to lack of hospital beds. The problem has become more serious as there are not enough doctors. People are dying from oxygen after being infected.

    Many states are already at risk of pandemic due to the lack of health infrastructure and equipment ranging from oxygen to ventilators. Most of the people in India have no medical insurance, so they cannot cope financially and mentally against pandemic or any other disease. Who are the decision maker of the society, most of them live in cities and towns. So they cannot reach to the people who live in rural areas. Now people’s lives are at stake.

    The solution is to increase healthcare spending and strengthen the healthcare system.The epidemic highlighted the inadequacy of private health care and the importance of spending and strengthening public health care. Longevity; The government needs to re-evaluate and make rapid improvements in public health, infrastructure funding. India need more doctors and nurses for better healthcare system. More government hospitals are needed to treat most people. India need to prioritize healthcare and be better prepared for the future.

    Little Strategies to get Ahead in Life

    Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

    The year 2021 is almost here. The new year will be a chance to start over after a tumultuous 2020 and reach new heights. Starting the year on the right foot will set the tone for your personal growth and great achievements and getting ahead in life.

    The most successful people you know didn’t get where they are by doing things like everyone else. One thing they likely have in common: Consistently doing the right things day in and out. 

    1. Organize Your Efforts

    The first step to great achievement is organizing your efforts. Every high achiever has their methods to concentrate their efforts, lay out goals, and execute plans. Poor organization, on the other hand, won’t get you nearly as far.

    Getting organized in the first place is typically the most challenging part. Here are a couple of organizational methods you can try to help you get started:

    Time Boxing

    Organizing your time is incredibly important in your quest for success. By laying out your daily schedule, you ensure that you’re dedicating enough time to tasks and responsibilities that keep your life in order and help you reach your goals.

    To implement time boxing, you need a calendar or planner. Digital options are quicker to update and adjust, but using paper will also work if that’s what you prefer. For each day, lay out the tasks and assignments you have. Dedicate a box of time for each one.

    Pomodoro Technique

    This time management technique puts a spin on time boxing. It focuses more on how you expend your energy while still being effective. It was developed by a man named Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s and is still used frequently today.

    The Pomodoro technique works similarly to time boxing, but the time slots are smaller. You take a task that needs to be completed, like a term paper for your college English course. Set a time for 25 minutes (this is the recommended time, but you can change it how you’d like). Once the timer goes off, take a five-minute break, and then start again. After four cycles or Pomodoros, take a longer (10 minutes) break.

    2. Know When to Give Up

    You can’t win them all, and you shouldn’t expect to. You can learn a lot from missing the mark, but the important skill here is knowing when to throw in the towel. You can exert a lot of time and energy that would be better spent doing something else.

    An example can be found in the form of musicians. Songwriters go through dozens of song ideas trying to find the perfect tune. Not all of them will make the cut. If they focus for too long on a project that’s going nowhere, their productivity will hit a wall and they won’t be able to release any new music.

    By knowing when to give up, you open yourself to new opportunities to move forward. You prevent yourself from falling into a rut that stops you from becoming a high achiever.

    3. Focus on Strengths

    Even the most successful people aren’t good at everything. Each individual has their own strengths and weaknesses to take into account. Maximizing your strengths while overcoming your weaknesses is a balancing act required for high achievers.[1]

    Too many people get hung up on their weaknesses that they fail to capitalize on their strengths. Stick with what you’re good at and allow those skills and talents to lift you and help you get ahead.

    4. Ask for Help

    You don’t have to do it all alone. You can still be labeled a high achiever even when you ask for help from others. This isn’t a sign of weakness. Asking for help is simply you recognizing that you can do more and go further with the help of others than you could on your own.

    You can ask for help in a variety of ways from a myriad of people. You can network with business professionals who can give you career advice or ask your family and friends to support you with a new business.[2] Getting ahead by yourself is unnecessarily difficult when there are people who can help you.

    5. Learn the Importance of Hard Work

    You can’t reach world fame simply by having a great idea or possessing incredible raw talent. Behind every genius, top-charting musician, and professional athlete is a person who spends hours each day perfecting their craft and putting in the work to succeed.

    Unfortunately, you won’t wake up one day as a high achiever. Behind every success story, you’ll find countless hours of blood, sweat, and tears that led high achievers to where they stand today. To reach their level, you must be willing to put in that same effort.

    6. Take Care of Your Body

    Another key to getting ahead in life is taking care of your body. You might look at high achievers and notice their net worth, brilliant minds, or trophy cases. What you might not notice immediately is that most, if not all of them, also take the time to care for their bodies.

    As important as it is to pursue education, master skills, and attempt new things, none of that will matter as much if your body is falling apart. Proper diet, exercise, and sleep are all crucial for a well-maintained body.

    These were some of the strategies to get head in life. Pretty basic but effective.

    I hope these tips help you to get ahead in life.

    Thank you.