5 Amazing Indian female directors

A film can surely our change your life ,or change your perspective towards it. Although everyone has their own personal favourites, one thing is common among all of them; the passionate creators of those movies. Every director, producer puts in equal effort as the actors, and helps put their ideas on the screen.

Fatima Begum , is credited to be the first female director in India. She opened doors for other aspiring female directors who wished to also make their mark in the cinema.

Aparna Sen –

Director, screen writer and an actress, what can this woman not do ?! Has films like Mr and Mrs. Iyer , Arshinagar and Ghawre Bairey Aaj. She has won 2 National Awards for her movies- 36 Chowringhee Lane( 1981 ) and for Mr. and Mrs. Iyer ( 2002).

Aparna Sen on Ghawre Bairey Aaj - Telegraph India

She has critically targeted the complex issues of fundamentalism through her work and has redefined the Indian cinema with a fresh perspective.

2. Deepa Mehta-

This Indian director, is best known for her critically acclaimed Elements trilogy film – Fire, Earth and Water. Through these films , she challenged the daily societal norms and started discussions on topics which were considered taboo.

A Conversation With Deepa Mehta (FUNNY BOY) - Hammer to Nail

She is considered the pioneer of courageous and path breaking films.

3. Mira Nair –

She is definitely one of the best directors that we have. Harvard graduate , she has directed movies like Monsoon Wedding, Vanity Affair, The Namesake, Queen of Katwe, A Suitable Boy.

Mira Nair: Queen of Social Realism – Point of View Magazine

She had also gotten the offer for directing the one of the movies in the famous Harry Potter series- Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. It was her commitment to tell stories of marginalized characters , the ones who needed someone to help them voice their opinions. She has also directed Salaam Bombay , which was nominated for the Best Foreign Film category in Oscars.

4 .Meghna Gulzar –

Daughter of the famous poet,Gulzar, she made her directorial debut in 2002 with her film , Filhaal. The film was based on surrogacy, and was way ahead of it’s time. A topic not many people were ready to be perceive on screens.

She later went on to direct projects like – Talvaar, Raazi and Chapaak. Her projects have always challenged the societal and the orthodox norms.

5. Zoya Akhtar –

Having films like – Luck by Chance, Zindagi na Milegi Dobara, Dil dhadakne do and Gully boy in her kitty, she has made her mark in the industry as a very powerful creator.

Want to represent what India stands for: Zoya Akhtar | Deccan Herald

Although most of her films are commercially centered yet she never misses to send her proclaimed messages in her projects. Gully Boy was India’s official entry for Oscars, which further proves the caliber of the director.

Also having created projects like Made In Heaven, that questioned the patriarchal nature of the society,and the horrid reality behind the happy faces and the lavish wedding sets , she has proven her worth and contribution to cinema.

Fighting Corona with Humanity.

I still remember reading our history textbooks and pondering over the fact that how the people in those times had faced the draconian affects of epidemics. Having no vaccine or any scientific knowledge, made them quite helpless. Today in the 21st century, with all the technology in the world, when we are faced with yet another epidemic, it has become a little difficult for us to cope up with it too , but for all different reasons. I , for instance never expected rather never believed that history would repeat it’s one of the worst realities again.
“Just because things are the way they are , they’ll not remain the way they are.”
– Bertolt Brecht
UN chief advisers have termed COVID19 as the worst thing to happen since World War II.

Corona virus or to be more specific COVID19 originated in Wuhan , a city in China. And before even the rest of the world could understand what was happening, the unwanted guest was already at their doors. Past these months, thousands of people have succumbed to it, and lakhs lay in the hope to recover. The situation in US had completely shattered the dogma that a superpower can conquer it all. And the eeriness in the’ Bel Pease’ (beautiful country) , Italy, has put the world in a shock. The world is suffering in all possible ways. But few positive outcomes of all this tragedy is the audible sound of birds chirping, the visible blue sky (which was not so visible, and not so blue before), the damaged ozone layer healing itself, and obviously the Earth finally getting a chance to breathe again. Sometimes I wonder how karma pays back and how maybe this situation is what we humans sort of had it coming.
The soldiers in this war, the doctors, police , cleaners and all those people who have been working these past months non stop have shown us that how humanity is the priority.

Novavax and J&J join the Covid-19 vaccine push | Evaluate

After many lives lost in the ongoing 2nd wave and the country preparing itself for the 3rd wave, we should all remember that to get vaccinated , wearing masks and following the social distancing guidelines is surely the key.

How can other people help in fighting the corona war you ask ?
Be Kind. This is a difficult time. Not a time to play the blame game but to play SAFE. Couple of days back I read that a girl from northeast was spat on by a person and called out as CORONA. This is so derogatory and discriminating. This difficult time is not only testing your patience but also testing to what level can you maintain your humane level.
A little help to the helpless please. Do whatever it is in your hands to help the needy. Donate food , money so that they can also get a fair chance at staying alive.
Who let the dogs out?! Well technically the lockdown has left them all alone. So please do take care of the animals out on the street. Don’t lock them out of your hearts.
Meditate the stress away I understand how this lockdown can be so stressful, so in order to keep calm , keep meditating.
Laugh it all out Stay happy and also try to keep your friends cheerful by calling them up. There might be plenty of your loved ones in different parts of the World, who must be waiting for a shoulder to lean on, so go ahead and give them a virtual shoulder to lean on to.
Being Munna bhai MBBS?! I agree that jaadu ki jhappi is all we need, but social distancing ,you know. Also don’t spread rumours and let the real doctors do the real work.
People all over the world are helping the needy with all their heart. Plenty of NGOs , business men, members of film fraternity, and many more have come forward to fight this war the humane way. Love,compassion, awareness and a sprinkle of humanity can help us to get through this war.

John F Kennedy rightly said ,
Ask not what your country can do for you , but what you can do for your country, and right now all you can do ,is Stay Inside.

Welcome to your Space Opera

“May the force be with you”. This statement alone is enough to tell you how popular and impactful space operas are. Whether it’s Star Trek or Star Wars ( yes they’re both different) or Battlestar Galactica franchise and Robert A. Heinlein’s 1959 novel Starship Troopers, sci fi has always fascinated people.

Space operas, considered as sub genre of science fiction emphasizes fictional space warfare driven by technology and science fictional devices.

Art of Ayan - Grand Space Opera: Light Age - Keyframe Design

What’s even more fascinating , is that these fictional tales are no longer just part of the books or movies but have started to interlink with the present and probably the future.

Ronald Reagan proposed the a plan of strategic defense initiative – a system of lasers and missiles and the critics and newspapers named it as Stars Wars. This gained further resonance when Reagan described the Soviet Union as an “evil empire”.

Star trek , was etched with liberal themes that were dominating American society in the 1960’s like racism, the nuclear arms race, the struggle between democracy and totalitarianism -all part of Star Trek.

This all mirrored the post Second world war scenario in the world.

.Kingpins , in these sci fi , in quest of more power, battle for higher political ground , which is a reflection of the current conflicts in the world.

Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood, is set in a dystopian future, wherein women are forced to live as concubine under a fundamentalist and theocratic dictatorship. Wherein the women , are not even called out by their own names, but are named after their ” masters”. Women being forced to be subservient to men …Sounds familiar right ? This book is not exactly a space opera, but for sure classifies as sci fi and a thriller with jarring similarities to the past, present and a possible future.

Whether it’s shows like Black Mirror, West World, or movies like The Walking Dead, World War Z- they all hold testament to the horrifying yet reality we all are living in.

Increasing political distress in the world, racial stratification and on top of that the armed powerful countries; this sounds like a plot of a space opera , sadly , we are all living it today .Launch of Space force by the Donald Trump; China and Russia also preparing to enter the competition; Business moguls having the access to space , this all is the beginning of something, – maybe of a new space opera- but this time it’s for real.

How Content Writing helps grow your business .

Haven’t you always been fascinated by those catchy caricatures and witty slogans by companies like Amul and Zomato? Everyday when I pick up the newspaper, the first thing that I make sure to read is the Amul advertisement. I’m not going to lie but I have always admired how they make those with subtle touch of wittiness , the recent trends and also the love of their brand.

Whether it’s a small caricature or a slogan or short articles ; a company’s strategy towards it’s content writing has always worked. How you ask ? Well for starters , I always buy the Amul products , not only because they have this unmatchable quality, but also the way they use their content to market their products and also keep their customers up to date with their accomplishments.

Scoopwhoop, The Quint ; are very popular names right now. I agree that the basic agenda of these companies is content creation, but the way they have build up a blended marketing strategy; has really helped their business evolve. And most importantly , because of their trusted content, many popular brands and organisations join hands with them to get the right exposure in the market . And believe it or not , it really helps!

Creative Content Writing Service - Creative Copywriting Service IT / Technology Services from New Delhi

Let’s talk about why should a company really invest in its content writing program.

1.Helps put your company on the radar – With regular update regarding the company’s status and also a bit of attention paid to the other relevant issues , people are sure to be talking about it. And this helps put your company on the map.

2.Helps increase the consumer base- When you can very effectively tell the audience about your products and solve all their queries, the customer base is sure to expand. Clearly and effectively mentioning the details about the products and any other related things worth noting, really helps build a relationship of trust between the company and the customer.

3.Words can surely make or break the game– It really boosts the marketing strategy of the company. Many companies approach content writers to pen down their achievements and aspirations that can be imprinted into readers’ minds.

4.Boosts search engine rankings. – Also when your content grabs the public eye, people can’t help but know more about the business and their story. And this will surely shoot those search engine rankings right through the roof.

5.Helps the company become more socially inclusive-It’s the 21st century and it’s more than important to have a voice that to for the right cause.Companies and organisations that keep themselves updated with the recent issues and actively put forth their stand , surely earn the respect of their customers. They can constantly update their websites , social media handles with short but powerful articles to tell people that their customers and their rights matter to them the most . This really helps in building a very healthy relationship between the two.

Netflix and Amazon also evolved with their growing consumer base with help of brilliant content marketing through those catchy slogans or sweet anecdotes. Words really matter, especially when you’re using them to pitch for your brand.

Brown history recently became number 1 Instagram handle for South Asian stories. Now this page further helps the brands connected with it to grow effectively.

Many content writing companies in India have understood the importance of words and are making sure that they put them into use wisely. Companies have to understand that their blogs, posts really impact people. Hence they need to be careful with the kind of information they want to be endorsing.

Having a great rapport with the customers through words – sounds like a very beautiful and effective plan.

The Abled Wings

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination”
–Jimmy Dean
Whenever we hear the word disability, we automatically think of an image of a person , of a human being , but who lacks certain “ abilities” of a human being Which is the reason why they are not even treated with the same dignity and respect as fellow human beings. Anybody who has faced such indignation or knows someone who has, can resonate with the pain. “The look” they get is enough to convey that you feel nothing but pity or sympathy for them; which is something they most certainly don’t need.

According to WHO :

Disability is part of being human. Almost everyone will temporarily or permanently experience disability at some point in their life. Over one billion people – about 15% of the global population- live with some form of disability and this number is increasing.
Disability results from the interaction between individuals with a health condition such as cerebral palsy, down syndrome and depression as well as personal and environmental factors including negative attitudes , inaccessible transportation and public buildings and limited social support.
As per census 2011, in India , out of total population of 121 crore, about 2.68 cr persons are disabled.

The most important aspect of being a human being is the quality of being able to understand other’s pain and to do one’s best to help them out. SDG goal no. 10 mentions about the reduction in inequality within and among countries by empowering and promoting the social, economic and political inclusion of all, including persons with disabilities.
People suffering from certain disability face a lot of discrimination and also fail to achieve equitable representation in normal walks of life. Be it in any professional field, or because of lack of facilities in many colleges and schools fail to provide a pleasant and comfortable environment to them. As simple as constructing a ramp sounds , still very difficult for many public and private places to implement.
Negative attitudes held by the families of the disabled, and often the disabled themselves , hinder them from taking an active part in the family. Even though many disabled adults are capable of productive work, disabled adults have far Lower employment rates than the general population. Inclusion of children with mild to moderate disabilities in regular schools has remained a major challenge.

Disability is diversity, not detriment: – The Ranger

The health sector especially in rural India has failed to react proactively to disability . Further there are lack of affordable access to proper health care, aids and appliances. Healthcare facilities and poorly trained health workers in rehabilitation centers is another concern.
Some steps taken by government to provide a better living environment for the disabled:

1.Accessible India Campaign : creation of accessible environment for PwDs
2.Deendayal disabled rehabilitation scheme
3.Assistance to disabled persons for purchase of aids and appliances
4.National fellowship for students with disabilities

Many NGOs and schools have came forward to help provide people with disabilities a fair chance at life , which is all they need. I remember my school, has special arrangements for children facing disabilities, having qualified teachers and staff and a very friendly environment for them to grow. We often used to play together during our PT periods feeling no difference between us ,for there was indeed no difference between us.The experience and the lessons those years taught us in school helped me to have a different and more humane perspective towards life and all the people in it.

Let no disability hinder or stop your dreams. Your dreams need wings, and thankfully every human is born with them.

The closeted souls

Meet Jay , a 19 year college student. Jay came out to their parents last year as queer. You must be wondering why did I use ” their ” for a single person, well the simple answer is- because they want to be called in that way. Because they recognise themselves in a way that might seem weird to you , but is completely normal and real.

How difficult is it to finally understand who you actually are , it takes a lot amount of courage to recognise oneself as someone ,who people don’t relate to. Sec 377 has been legally abrogated. And people have to understand that being themselves is neither wrong nor something to be embarrassed of.

Inclusive health care for the LGBTQ community | Norton Healthcare Louisville, Ky.

LGBTQ community has been facing a lot of difficulties , from their families , and society as a whole. They are discriminated against, not given equal amount of opportunities, and have to face the brunt of the narrow mindedness of the society everyday. The number of hate crimes against the community are increasing day by day. Despite being a part of the society,they are made to feel as outsiders. Do you realise how difficult it is to understand oneself ,and even more difficult to explain it to others.

The worst part is when they have to look for validation, acceptance for who they are from their loved ones, and they don’t get that . It’s strange for someone to not look at you with the same feelings of love and respect anymore. Fighting for one’s rights has always been a tough battle. It also affects their mental health because the amount of stress and negativity they have to deal with.

Many people have not been able to come out of the closet, not able to accept themselves as who they are. It’s very suffocating for them to not be able to live their life as they want to. For some , it has been a beautiful journey with supportive family and friends, and for some , the journey is just not coming to an end.

Platforms like Gaysi and Gaylaxy, and publishers like Queer Ink have helped carve out spaces for LGBT people to interact, share and collaborate. These platforms have helped people to share their experiences and help them to encourage others to accept who they are.

I just want to put it out their, that who you are, is something only you can know. Nobody has the right to decide that for you. And don’t ever give that right to anybody else. Loving yourself the way you are is the best thing you can do for you. It doesn’t matter if people don’t accept you , what matters the most if for you to accept yourself and be happy.

How to lose your hair in 10 days.

No, No, this is not a click bait. And no this is not sponsored by Kesh King.

Have you noticed that you have been losing a lot of hair recently. Well some can say it’s due to the changing weather, but don’t you think we are also forgetting a very generous contributor to this problem.

Yes I’m talking about stress. I know, such a cliched topic right. Stress. Sounds so normal. You guys would be like , ‘everyone has stress, nothing new about it’. But man, what a sad statement this is. The fact that everyone is going through some tough situation , is actually worrisome , don’t you think . Whether due to the pandemic, or some personal issues, or work stress . And the worst of them all is stressing over nothing, you know when everything is going well, and you begin to wonder, well , this ain’t right. I stress about stress before there’s even stress to stress about. What sort of sorcery is that!

The poor is stressing over money , so are the rich. Student is worried about her grades and the graduate is worried about getting a job. Many of us are stressed due to some financial difficulties and some due to personal or family issues. Many of us are losing sleep, and some of us are losing their hair ( yup, sacrificed a whole lot ). The worst thing about stress is that it’s involuntary. You often can’t help but fall into this trap. Having no control over things is both a boon and a bane. When you have the control , you can’t help but stress over how to solve an issue. When you don’t , you consider yourself completely helpless, and often worthless.

This is where the self destruction begins. Stressing over things makes you question your abilities, insecurities, and often leads you on to this dark path, one would never dare to walk on. How to come out of this ? How to tell yourself that stress , to a certain extent is okay, but when exceeds a certain limit, is lethal.

Please, please make yourself a priority. I cannot stress this enough , that YOU matter the most. That’s it.
Take a sheet of paper, and write down the things that are stressing you out. Think about the possible solutions you can come up for them. Cannot come up with a solution? Then buddy, try and move on. Let’s leave some things in the hands of time.
Some things take time, don’t rush it.
Trust your journey. You’ve reached till here, thank yourself and appreciate yourself.
Dance it out . Yes this works. Don’t tell me that dancing to the tunes of Ishq tera tadpave ( what an irony ! ) or any other banger doesn’t make you happy. P.S. if you haven’t heard the song, just give it a shot.
Start breathing. I mean I know everybody breathes, but this time feel it. And be thankful for it.
Please talk to someone . A friend, therapist anyone. It might not help you get a solution, but at least will assure you that you’re not alone.

So where does this end ? The same place it began, in that beautiful mind of yours.

Turns out, it was some what of a click bait right . But hey, it worked 🙂

The Marie Effect

Maria Salomea Sktodowska was born on 7 November 1867 in Warsaw , Poland. She was the 5th child born to father Vladislav and Mother Bronislava sklodowska , who were both teachers. Because of bad investments, the family lost its savings and had to move to a private school where her mother taught.

Maria started her schooling in 1874, and she was the youngest and the smartest in her class. During that time, Warsaw was under Russian rule which banned polish dictums. Russian government forbade any polish women to attend university of Warsaw. So Marie and her older sister Bronya ,would pool their finances so that first her older sister ( Bronya ) could complete her education, and then Marie could attend University of Paris. Manya ( as Maria was also called) spent 6 years as governess and taught peasant children how to read and write.

She also attended secret meetings of “Floating University ” where they read scientific studies. By 1891,she had collected enough money to continue her studies in Paris. She moved there and lived with her sister and her husband and changed her name to Marie. She attended the Sorbonne University and then later moved to the student area , a tiny attic sized housing. In 1893,she earned her master’s degree in Physics, and then studied Mathematics on a scholarship.During this, she also got a job to study magnetism properties of various types of steel for French company.

She later met Pierre Curie and they got married in 1895 , and gave birth to daughter Irene the following year.

Later she decided to make French physicist Henri Becquerel and his discovery of mysterious Uranium rays in 1896 as her topic of physics doctorate. She began studying Uranium type rays radiated from other elements and found that Thorium also gave out such rays. Most of Uranium type rays given off by rocks called pitchblende- gave more radiation than she expected.

She announced in July,1898 that she found a new element and named it POLONIUM , after Poland and also invented the word ‘ radioactive ‘ , and later she also founded Radium.

To prove that she had indeed found those new elements, she had to produce pure radium. And finally on 21 july 1902 she reported the weight of 1 radium atom. In 1903, she became the first woman in Europe to receive doctorate in science. Radium began to be used for treating cancer cells, and the new treatment began to be called ‘ Curie treatment’. Marie and Pierre were awarded the Humphry Davy medal ; England’s highest award in chemistry.

The same year , she and her husband ,along with Henri Becquerel , were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics .In 1906, Pierre died by falling off horse drawn wagon.

In 1911, Marie won Nobel Prize in chemistry for her work in radioactivity.

She died in 1934 of aplastic anaemia due to prolonged exposure to radiation .

Later, in 1935,Irene and her husband Fredrick, were awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry .

The Semiconductor shortage

Semiconductors are defined as crystalline or amorphous solids that have electrical conductivity opposite at temperatures to those of metal, higher electrical resistance than typical resistant materials, but still of much lower resistance than insulators. Semiconductors can be pure elements, such as silicon or germanium, or compounds such as gallium arsenide or cadmium selenide.

Some facts about Semiconductors :

1. Conducts electric current less than a conductor and higher than insulator.

2. Has high resistance and negative temperature coefficient.

3. Formed due to covalent bonds

4. A semiconductor chip is an electric circuit with many components such as transistors and wiring formed on a semiconductor wafer. An electronic device comprising numerous of these components is called Integrated Circuit (IC), and can be found in electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, appliances, gaming hardware and medical equipment.

Taiwan is the world’s leading producer of semiconductors and other electronic components.The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has more than 55 per cent of the global market share in the production of high-end custom-made chips.Of the two rival companies that have survived, US-based Intel is in trouble and Korea’s Samsung has challenges of its own.

Due to the pandemic and the series of lockdowns being imposed, the world has been facing a shortage of semiconductors which has been affecting the industries dependent on them.The increase in chip consumption over the last decade is also partly attributable to the rising contribution of electronic components in a car’s bill of materials.Especially the car manufacturers and consumer electronics manufactures, have not been receiving enough of this crucial input to continue production.

This shortage has caused delayed vehicle deliveries, as carmakers in order to make just in time car deliveries , typically kept low inventory holdings and relied on an electronics industry supply chain to feed production lines as per demand. This has not only affected the international markets , but also affected the India based vehicle manufactures to curtail the production.

Also due to geopolitical tensions in Taiwan , prominently from China, this has opened an opportunity for India to realize it’s capacity and make positive changes in it.It should make extra efforts to solidify strategic-economic cooperation between Delhi and Taipei and make them more stronger.

Trade has increased from about $1 billion in 2001 to about $7 billion in 2018 . India has made a special effort to woo Taiwanese companies that are moving some of their production away from China.

India should continue to make it’s presence in Indo- Pacific stronger, and also come to terms with Taiwan’s critical role in shaping the strategic future of Asia’s waters.

When the caged birds sing.

How important is it to have a voice ? And how important is it for that voice to be heard ?

A few months back ,Loujain al-Hathloul, one of the most prominent women’s rights activists from Saudi Arabia was released after spending more than 1000 days in prison. Her release came about a week after the US called on Saudi Arabia to improve its human rights record, including releasing all political prisoners and women’s rights activists.In December 2020, she was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison by a Saudi Specialised Criminal Court. The Saudi Arabian authorities charged her under the state’s broad counter-terrorism laws for undermining national security and trying to change the political system of the country.

The Saudi women's rights activists who remain behind bars | Human Rights News | Al Jazeera

Being branded as a terrorist, she must have done something which could have endangered her country and the people. So what exactly did she do?

She had played a fundamental role in the movement to lift the driving ban on women and the “Wilayah” male guardianship system. It was only last year in August that Saudi Arabian women were allowed to travel abroad without obtaining permission from a male guardian, apply for passports and register their marriages and divorces. So trying to abolish ages old patriarchal dictum which had chained women for years, yes you can say that’s somewhat fulfills the definition of terrorism.

In 2014, al-Hathloul, who had a driving license issued in the UAE, was detained for 73 days for attempting to drive into Saudi Arabia from the UAE. Following this, weeks before the Saudi Arabian authorities lifted the ban on women drivers in 2018 (the last such ban in the world) she was arrested along with several other women’s rights activists. Before the ban was lifted, any women caught driving, could be sentenced to flogging (a beating administered with a whip or rod)

In 2015, she made an unprecedented move ,when she stood for elections , which was also the first time women were allowed to vote and stand for elections. But according to Amnesty International , her name was not even added to the ballots.

She was detained in 2018 on grounds of national security.For over 10 months after she was detained, she was not charged and there was no trial. According to Amnesty International, she was waterboarded, given electric shocks, was sexually harassed and was threatened with rape and murder during this time. Finally she was able to see the light of the day , after spending days locked up, for having a voice.

Princess Latifa is the daughter of Dubai’s billionaire ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum and his second ” official” wife Her Royal Highness Princess Haya bint Al Hussein. A video of her had surfaced a couple of months back in which she claimed she was being kept hostage by her father in a villa converted into a jail in Dubai. Talk about actually being caged, that to in your own house, that to for years, by your own father.

Amnesty accuses India of violating rights, capturing runaway Dubai princess - India News

As per the ‘Free Latifa’ campaign, the princess tried to escape from the family residence in Dubai in 2002. She was 16 at the time. She was, however, easily tracked and brought back to the palace where she was allegedly detained by her father for over three years, the campaign says.

Latifa made a second attempt to escape in February 2018, when she met up with her friend at a coffee shop in Dubai. After which they drove out of town and managed to cross the border into Oman. From there, she got on a boat and sailed into international waters. However, she was held just off the coast of Goa in India by a “significant Indian and UAE military force”, and taken back to Dubai again.

Since they were published, the videos have led to a call for an investigation into the matter by the United Nations (UN), which has responded to these demands affirmatively saying it will raise the matter with the UAE.

As per recent pictures uploaded on social media, she was seen at various places with her friends . And the update regarding her actual whereabouts is under process.

Let’s get back to the where we began, How important is it to have a voice ? and how important is to be heard ?

Who let the dogs out ?!

Often walking along the road, you see those cute eyes, furry beautiful souls, and you just can’t help but fall in love with them.You snuggle with them , give all your hugs and kisses to them, but often forget that they also need some food along with your love.

A recent judgment by Delhi High Court has been in the news for various reasons. For starters , the judgment has come as a relief for the animal lovers, who do their bit in taking care of the street dogs. Secondly , it has reminded us of our responsibilities as a human beings.

This pandemic has been tough not only for us but also for the animals. The only difference being, they cannot voice their pain.Many people can resonate with their pain and take out time to make sure that the street dogs in their locality don’t sleep on empty stomach.

Playing With Cute Stray Dog Puppies On The Streets Of Mumbai India 2016 [HD 1080p] - YouTube

Delhi High court in its landmark judgment emphasized on RIGHT TO FOOD of the street dogs. Yes you heard right, just like human beings, animals too need food to survive. And the court through it’s judgment has made sure that the people living in the societies take up their responsibility to feed the dogs and take care of them.

After a long standing dispute between a Delhi resident ,who was also the plaintiff and the animal lovers who had been feeding the dogs in the colony near the former’s home, the court gave a judgment in favour of the dogs.Keeping in mind the concerns of the plaintiff too, the court also reiterated that proper care and caution should be taken while feeding the dogs ,as no harm or nuisance should be caused to other individuals in the locality. While ensuing one’s rights, make sure that it does not impinge upon others’ rights.

The court emphasised that ” Animals have a right under law to be treated with compassion ,respect and dignity.Their protection is moral responsibility of every citizen, government and non government organisations. The court has made the RWAs ( Registerd welfare associations ) to take up the responsibility to make sure that the street dogs in their respective territorial areas are fed and taken care of. They have to establish ” feeding areas” where the dogs need to be fed and tended and such areas should be such that are less or not frequented by people so as causing no nuisance to the people living in or near the locality.

Always keep a small pot filled with water right outside your house so that those adorable friends of yours never go thirsty.You can also chalk out a timetable with your friends, to feed the dogs turn by turn.

These dogs are on duty 24 X 7, guarding your house and the locality from suspicious strangers.In return they don’t ask for much. Keep showering them with your love and also some food everyday so that they know they are being cared for as they do for you.

The pandemic had surely made it much difficult for the dogs in the beginning to get food due to less movement of people due to the lockdown , but now with opening up of the places, don’t forget about the dogs ; they for sure have been locked out of the houses but don’t lock them out of your hearts.

(IN)HUMAN RIGHTS

It’s a weekend and you’re wondering how you should spend your time. Maybe go out with friends , or maybe just stay in and read something, or maybe just be locked up in a prison cell. What’s wrong? The last one sounds odd ? Is it not how many people are spending their weekends or maybe everyday of their lives ?

Stan Swamy , 84 year old Jesuit priest, Tribal rights activist based in Jharkhand ,suffering from Parkinson’s disease , died a few days back after being on ventilator for 2 days. He had been lodged in Tihar jail since a year under the stringent charges of UAPA [ Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act ]. Since he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease , it became difficult for him to carry on his normal day to day activities. It took NIA 50 days to render his request for a sipper and a straw. Yes 50 days. For a straw and a sipper.

Stan Swamy , had worked for Adivasi community and their land and labour rights for decades. He had also questioned the non implementation of 5th schedule of constitution which had led to setting up of Tribes Advisory Coucil with members solely of adivasi communities. He had also raised his voice against indiscriminate arrests of thousands of young adivasis and labelling them as “Naxals”.

Stan Swamy was arrested last year in relation to the Bhima Koregaon case along with many other activists.A brief context to the case – on January 1, 2018 , thousands of Dalits had gathered in Pune to commemorate 200 years of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon — which was won by the British Army (comprising many Dalit soldiers) against Peshwas in 1818.The quiet gathering soon turned violent with many activists being blamed for having instigated and having Maoist links with CPI( M ).

Cartoon 173: Hunger Strike in Iran – Center for Human Rights in Iran

After contracting the corona virus, which further added to his derailing health , he was admitted in the hospital but lost the battle of life before even trying to win the battle of justice.

Human Rights lately sound like a hoax. Despite the fact , that India has Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act ,2016 which protects disabled convicts of torture and discriminatory behaviour in prisons , Stan Swamy was not provided the very basic facilities . India is also signatory to UNCRPD – UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which imposes positive obligation on authorities,including prison staff to ensure that the disabled prisoners are treated equally.

Sudha Bhardwaj, prominent activist , lawyer from Chhattisgarh , also is logded in jail since 2018 in relation to the Bhima Koregaon case and has been refused bail multiple times.

Umar Khalid , activist and former JNU student is also locked up in jail in relation with Delhi riots case under stringent UAPA .

Recently , Pinjra Tod activists, Natasha Narawal and Devangana Kalita were finally released on bail after spending a year in jail. What is most worrisome regarding these cases and many others , is that people have been deprived of their basic fundamental rights. Supreme Court in many of its past judgments has reiterated the right of the accuse of BEING HEARD. Every accused in considered innocent unless proven guilty. And for that purpose BAIL is a very integral part of the process. Bail is the norm , Jail is exception.

How beautiful the sky is , how melodious is the chirping of the birds, how fun it is to catch up with friends at that chai ki dukaan , and how peaceful freedom is. Sadly for some, it’s just a dream.

Overthinking (The Beauty and the Beast)

Mannat Sandhu

“Rule number one is, don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule number two is, it’s all small stuff.”
– Robert Eliot

Now imagine this , after a tiring day at work , you’re finally getting to sleep on that oh so soft mattress of yours. But wait , the moment you’re ready to surrender yourself to 6 hours of sleep ( if you’re lucky ! ) , you suddenly remember, “Did I turn off the gas stove ?” ” What if the entire house just explodes and there I am dreaming about how I am going to answer the questions at Koffee with Karan ( yes I also have a struggle to talk about ! ), and many such more fake,over the top scenarios are being flashed in front of your eyes.

Over-thinking Cartoons and Comics - funny pictures from CartoonStock

THE BEAST

This constant feeling of your head being constantly overburdened with unwanted thoughts, the ones you’re being involuntarily surrendered to , is my friend ,the beast.Often you put yourself under a lot of pressure , and you consider yourself responsible for every little thing happening around you. You overthink about a situation to such an extreme extent , that you’re no longer able to differentiate between reality and delusion.You want to stay in the reality but at the same time have one foot dangling in the realm of delusion.

Its that constant battle in your head between trying to stay the same and trying to stay sane.

THE BEAUTY

Sometimes thinking about any particular situation, whether in the past or future, helps you give a different perspective towards it and life as a whole.I mean the fact that Newton really over thought about a fallen apple, was pretty useful.But the key is to know when to stop.

I often think about a saying by Sylvia Plath

If i didn’t think, I’d be much happier.

and most of the times I resonate with it so much.This beautiful brain of yours which holds this massive power of creativity and imagination often turns into this beast you never could’ve expected.

THE PANACEA

1.Meditation

If I tell you that meditation is going to help you, I’d be only 50% correct. Just because you sit down, cross your legs and close your eyes , does not mean that you’re meditating; because your mind is still at loggerheads with your thoughts.So to begin with, whenever you feel like you need to calm down , take a deep breath and try to clear your mind. Then slowly try to give your mind enough space to breathe ( Yes it needs to! ). I know its easier said than done , but hey you got to begin somewhere.

2. Binge watch something

Well, well well..if it isn’t the solution to all our problems. I’m not even going to lie how many times I’ve resorted to this option ! And i just love it. Even if it temporarily helps you to distract your mind, then go for it.

3. Walk it out

Whether on your terrace, in your verandah or outside in a park, there’s nothing a quiet peaceful walk cannot solve .

4. Sleep it off

Sometimes i just feel ,I use this option as an excuse to get out of everything.

Feeling stressed ; Go to sleeep

Don’t feel like doing anything ; Go to sleep

There’s a fire ; Go to sl….NO WAIT..Buddy you got to run!

Maybe you’ll be at the same stage after you wake up , but hey at least you got a few hours of peaceful sleep, and boy that’s rare.

5. Call a friend

Sometimes talking to a friend really helps you either find a solution or help you take your mind off it.And if you don’y feel comfortable , you can seek professional help or contact at the official helplines.

Overthinking does not sound like a disorder , but don’t wait for it to become one.

6. Let go off things you cannot control

The most difficult one on the list yet the most effective. Take a minute and ask yourself, will I be able to do something to solve the situation,

If yes ; then work on a solution.

If no ; then remind yourself,

It is not your job to be everything to everyone.

– Paulo Coelho ( The Pilgrimage )

A penny for your thought ? If only it was a penny for every time I over thought, I’d be a millionaire, no wait a billionaire, no wait…you know what let me just go think about it.

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