Category: social issues

Social Media : A Social Dilemma

Recently a Netflix documentary has stirred up a lot of controversies on the usage of social media. I believe that some certain parts of our childhood went as an experiment into the growing of the technology. There was this certain period of time when all our answers were found in the libraries and not in the e- resource lab. Our minds have changed in alternative way, changing the way we think and respond.  And most importantly Concentration gap has considerably decreased for most of the teenagers due to their constant usage of phone. It has all turned us time some creature who no longer uses their brain, but just their fingertips.

Media, especially social media has turned around the way our minds work, we are no longer owners of our brain but we are its prisoners. Our minds have turned against ourselves. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations we cannot explain or relate too. It has passively affected the way our minds work. It got into our system and rewired our brain. Quitting can come up as an easy solution but for long will you quit, give up on something that connects you to everyone.

One of the major problems of using internet is that we forget to rely on ourselves sometimes. Assignments, projects are now all googled up and copy pasted and submitted, the student no longer reads a book. Even if someone attempts too, their concentration span has gone down so low that they wont be able to focus for more than 20 minutes.  Are we on the path to self-destruction? That was a constantly asked question around the world. The technology that we build is now turning against us.  The worst part of this is that we do not even realize how much of it has affected us and our mind.

A major impact social media has on teenagers is that it has wired our brains to believe that our potential lies in getting likes or comments from certain posts. Our brain functions in a way where it becomes happy with the mere likes we get on social media and it can turn into depression and a feeling of inferiority when we do not get likes. Social media creates a segregation between the rich and poor. It has become a platform where people show off what they have, this inflicts a sense of disappointment for the ones who do not own a luxury.

What makes human beings so much more different from other creatures on earth is the fact that they have a very capable and efficient brain.  Across these years from the time of humanity, human beings have grown in lot of possible different ways. Human beings had made life smooth with various inventions, it has become so easy that we sometimes simply not use our brains anymore. Life had become so easy with the push of a button that we forget the entire process that had existed once before.

A major reason why we don’t get sleep is because of the tiny screens. We spend so much time using that we no longer become aware of the time. It can cause sleeping disorders as well as eye problems too.

Usage of phones have so much impact on our lives that we sometimes cannot give it up. We can simply never quit from this technological advancement, all we can do is adjust ourselves in a way that it doesn’t become an addiction.  

Vaccination and COVID-19

How long has it been since we went to school met our friends or had a family dinner at some restaurant? Since March 2020, we have all been advised to stay home and sanitise ourselves in order to stay safe. Sanitizers and masks have been added to our daily use products, all because of one tiny yet dangerous virus Covid-19!

The world is now waiting anxiously for a vaccine against this dreaded virus. Researchers around the world are working round the clock to develop vaccines to combat the pandemic. Currently, more than 165 vaccines against the corona virus are under process and 27 vaccines are undergoing human trials. Vaccines typically require years of research and testing before reaching the clinic. Today, scientists all over the world are racing to produce a safe and effective vaccine by next year.

• When did the efforts start

Efforts to make a successful Covid-19 vaccine began in January 2020 with the deciphering of the SARS-CoV -2 genome. The first vaccine safety trials in humans started in March but the road ahead remains uncertain. Some trials will fail and others may end without a clear result. But a few may succeed in stimulating the immune system to produce effective antibodies against the virus.

• India and vaccine against Covid-19

Like many other countries, India too is immersed in the efforts to develop successful vaccines to counter Covid-19. Thirty different Indian companies are trying to produce a vaccine to fight the infection. 7 out of these have received approval from the World Health Organization. These vaccines are in different stages of testing and clinical trials now.

COVAXIN

COVAXIN is developed by Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech International Limited in collaboration with ICMR and NIV, Pune. This is the first vaccine from India to get regulatory approval. The vaccine makes us an inactive version of a virus to spike up production of antibodies in the host body. It recently initiated Phase I and Phase II of clinical testing.

ZyCoV-D

ZyCoV-D is being developed by Zydus Cadila based in Ahmedabad. The Phase I trials of the vaccine have already begun. Extensive research was done regarding the same in collaboration with medical labs in Europe and US.

• Russia and vaccine against Covid-19

Russia is one of the countries worst affected by Covid-19. The country has been pushing extensively for a Covid-19 vaccine for quite some time now; Russia too is a part of the race to produce the world’s first Covid vaccine. It is possible that Russia would be ready with its first domestic corona virus vaccine soon. The clinical trials were conducted by the Gamaleya National Research centre of Epidemiology and microbiology. There seem to be no reports of side effects on the volunteers. All the participants showed immunity and the country is planning for the serial production of the vaccine by September. By the beginning of next year, Russia hopes to manufacture several million doses of corona virus vaccines per month.

• Oxford University’s efforts to develop a vaccine

The university of Oxford has partnered with AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish pharmaceutical company to develop an adenovirus vector vaccine to combat Covid-19. The vaccine prototype is currently in Phase III of testing. Trials of the vaccine developed by Oxford University show it can trigger an immune response. The vaccine which has so far been found to be safe and effective is expected to be made available for the masses by the end of 2020. This vaccine would also be the first such vaccine to have a large scale testing in India. The observatory data for this vaccine is expected to be available by November this year. The company has tied up with Pune based serum institute of India to mass produce the vaccine once the company gets required approvals and licensing from medical boards.

• Some methods used to make vaccines for Covid-19

Different scientists across the world try different techniques and formulas to develop vaccines. The Oxford researchers have put small sections of the corona virus genetic code into a harmless virus that infects chimpanzees. They appear to have developed a safe virus that looks enough like the corona virus to produce an immune system. Some other scientists have used pieces of raw genetic code, either DNA or RNA. When these are injected into the body it would start producing bits of viral proteins which the immune system can learn to fight. There is also work on corona virus vaccines called ‘plug and play’ vaccines. This method is new and less tested.

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!🌼

How Bollywood still not progressed on Racism and colour discrimination

Despite being such big industry and following, Bollywood in 2020 has still not progressed from its dated, racist and regressive ideology. Commercial Bollywood has still the same problem which has been born since the beginning of the Cinema. Same mentality has been perpetuated through all its films throughout the century. The cliché part is that it is not just about the glorifying of fair complexion but also to dark skin to be thought and followed as inferior. There have been shots that showed the not acceptability of dark skin tone in the life. There is much of lifestyle that depicts that they don’t believe and follow ancient rules like Gender discrimination, Hypocrisy and Racism but It is mere tragedy that still follows the Bollywood in the work upfront. And we know that how much we may scream about our ideology it will create impact only when it will come from our work and industry has quite a mile distant to achieving this.

Even though that was earlier in 20th century, the show of this century is still not so great in that terms. There have been times where this has been portrayed that fair ones belonged to richer and known families while other complexion must belong to lower and poor families. Also, it was determined that fair complexion would grow in professional and educative manner whereas other would become a wage illiterate worker or would be doing some low downsizing jobs.

There is still scenario where such characters are showed as craving to get attention and affection from a fair one while that fair one is the most corrupt and full of toxicity. Old times still can be ignored due to the regulations that were followed but time has changed for sure and now a sector of public has raced ahead of such discriminative cinema scripts in our country. It was showed like living around not so fair skin peoples gives you the license to do anything for yourself and anything to them despite it is legal or not. Everything is still being justified like extra affair and other activities just because they haven’t got their choice of skin in particular.

Quite a few of songs has been made like recent one in past decades that left us with nothing except the cringe worthy essence and false impact on young ones who seek their ideology from such movies and their stars. ‘Hum gore nahi, kale hi sahi’ and ‘Hum kale hai toh kya hua dilwale hain’ forces one another to realise that we maybe dark in skin, but we are also human and have heart like you all do. How caricaturist it makes human to such extent that they had to tell them of being human too. Few people may argue over it to not take literal but as they said meaning is still same you are just molding it. There is proper type ‘where we say in funny manner but we actually mean the right hidden truth‘, that is called sarcasm but that’s not looks like case here. Also, there is scenes that shows our thinking that peoples from other planet or too distant places will be black only and that too with no potential perception of them being human. Songs like “saat samundar” actually showcases that.

You can’t stop criticizing such mentality when you simply pass through. It is still same as fair complexion is restricted to good and justifying roles while mostly the funny and side roles. This has been stereotyped in such manner that most of the audience are addicted to it and they simply don’t understand the flaw and point in such things. Let’s take a moment from now on to tell our surrounding that how we all are being actually lied in terms of real modernisation and where we are bursting all the stereotypes. And this one is not different from anything. Its not that black colour peoples are also desirable but instead this that colour must not be criteria for anything cause it really does not matters. 

Controversy arises on a song from khali-peeli, over “Racism” allegations

Some days back a song from Ishan khattar-Ananya Pandey starrer got released. Song was quoted with name “Beyonce Sharma jayegi”. Looking at name will not make any difference as there is nothing inappropriate, but catch is on its lyrics. The more we feel nothing bad about the song, but after listening to its lyrics you will equally feel disgusting about it.

Kumar and Raj Shankar for the lyrics, Vishal-Shekhar for their composition, and Ananya and Ishaan for accepting the song and dancing on the same, is seeing a lot of hatred, disapprovals and disappointments.

Controversy

The film Khaali Peeli, released, it has snowballed into controversy. Lyrics goes like ‘Ho tujhe dekh ke goriya, Beyonce sharma jaayegi’. With the trending hashtag of #BlackLivesMatter, here is what Bollywood learns from it and produces songs like this one. The 412K dislikes have surpassed the extremely low, 52K likes on the official video posted by Zee Music Company.

Ananya Panday’s Instagram post promoting Beyonce Sharma Jayegi was also met with backlash, as fans pointed out the racist undertones of the song. it is the lyrics — Chamkeeli lachkeeli tu jo kamar yeh hilayegi, tujhe dekh ke goriya Beyonce sharma jayegi  (which translates to “after looking at you fair woman, Beyonce will feel shy”) that triggered an outrage among netizens, with many calling out the song for its racist implications.

“The term ‘goriya‘ has been so often and traditionally used in Indian songs to address a girl, that it didn’t occur to any of us to interpret it in the literal manner,” said the director. During an interaction with Hindustan Times, the filmmaker apologised and said, “First, without any hesitation or excuses we want to apologise to anyone offended. We assure you that the lyric in question was never intended racially.” Defending his stance on the choice of the word, Mr Khan added, “In fact, the term ‘goriya‘ has been so often and traditionally used in Indian songs to address a girl, that it didn’t occur to any of us to interpret it in the literal manner.”

Speaking of the comparison with Beyonce facet, Maqbool Khan said the song wasn’t meant to disrespect the icon. “The comparison with Beyonce is simply meant to be a street-smart guy flattering a girl who is trying to impress that her dancing/performance is worth comparing to even Beyonce who we all see as the final word, the epitome of talent, beauty, performance, style and attitude.

According to a report in Mid-day, Beyonce has trademarked her name to avoid commercial use. The report also stated that the makers are likely to rework on the lyrics of the song to avoid a legal battle. “In a pre-emptive move, the makers are now planning to rewrite the song to avoid legal repercussions. A final call will be taken this week. With the dance number being called out for racism, it will be an unwise move to take on an international star like Beyoncé, especially at a time when the Black Lives Matter movement has set the stage for equality,” a source was quoted saying by the publication.

Mutual understanding key to sustaining a marriage

The key to sustaining a marriage is mutual understanding, cooperation and adjustment. For a marriage to succeed, both the husband and wife must be committed to its success. It will not develop on its own accord, but through the concerted effort of the couple.As husband and wife, we should learn to compromise and share, make sacrifices for each other, and always show concern for each other’s needs. We should also hold on to noble values like patience and forbearance. If all these happen, then you could say marriage is like a heaven.

Many relationships have broken up and many marriages have been torn apart, not because they don’t love each other, but because they don’t understand each other.Understanding means being more aware, sensitive and intuitive with the people we love. But understanding isn’t knowledge alone. Knowledge doesn’t always lead to understanding and without understanding, you won’t be able to love someone indefinitely.Understanding is knowing and being able to relate — it’s being able to comprehend the logic behind someone’s actions. It’s more than “getting” someone though.

A marriage based on love and respect doesn’t just happen. Both spouses have to do their part.Talking with your spouse is one of the best ways to keep your marriage healthy and successful. Be honest about what you’re feeling, but be kind and respectful when you communicate. Part of good communication is being a good listener and taking the time to understand what it is your spouse wants and needs from you. Keep the lines of communication open by talking often, and not just about things like bills and the kids. Share your thoughts and feelings.Appreciate each other, your relationship, your family, and your lives together. Show gratitude when your partner cooks dinner, helps the kids with their homework, or does the grocery shopping. It may help to take a few minutes each evening to tell each other at least one thing you appreciated that day.With work and family responsibilities, it can be easy to lose the romance factor. Plan special dates, either to go out or just stay at home. If you have children, send them on a play date while you relax, talk, and enjoy each other’s company.Alone time is just as important as couple time. Everyone needs time to recharge, think, and enjoy personal interests. That time is often lost when you’re married, especially if you have kids. Go out with friends, take a class, or do volunteer work, whatever you find enriching. When you’re back together with your spouse, you’ll appreciate each other even more.Everyone makes mistakes. Your spouse may hurt your feelings or do something that upsets you, and that may make you angry, even furious. But it’s important to deal with your feelings, let them go, and move on. don’t keep bringing up the past.

Remember to remain committed to your spouse, your family, and the life that you have built together. Support each other emotionally and in everyday ways. You, your spouse, and your relationship may grow and change with time, but these ideas can help your marriage stay successful over the years.

The painful reality is love is just not enough. I work ever day at better understanding the people whom I love. The willingness to understand is very important. It is not always easy, but healthy love is strengthened by the willingness to understand. “Love without understanding will wilt like flowers without water”.

So,please live a happy marriage life ,understand your partner problems ,issues and worries .Because without doing this you don’t have a successful marriage .

THANK U

Power and Violence

The relationship between violence and politics has always been very problematic and complex. As it is often said- world history is the history of violence. The number of wars that have been fought, the level of violence that has been perpetrated is unthinkable and often the greatest wars that have ever been fought were for political power. However, it cannot be denied that the relationship between violence and power must be re-evaluated in the post-industrial, post ideological and a highly integrated world.

So, what is it about today’s times that violence and politics have almost become impossible to separate? To begin with ultimate hope of the liberals that democracy will reduce violence hasn’t been realised. The paradox here is very hard to overlook as in an era of unprecedented democratization and economic growth, we have also witnessed an unprecedented increase in violence. But why this paradox? It was expected that democracy will give people a safe outlet to voice their opinions. As more and more people get involved in politics, there will be lesser need for them to express their grievances through unconstitutional means. To answer this question, thinkers like Jack Snyder pointed out that as more people took part in politics, ethnic conflict within the country became even more probable. This argument is in line with the fact that although the number of interstate wars have reduced since the second world war, the number of civil wars and ethnic conflicts have increased manifold. While talking about intrastate conflicts, violence during the time of regime transition needs a special mention. In many countries’ violence becomes an integral part of regime transition. While the formal symbols of democracy remain, most countries are threatened by corruption, political pacts etc.

Violence persists in well-established and economically advanced democracies as well. Such violence highlights general trends of internal violence as well as particular national histories. We have seen in many third world nations where severity of violence has diverted a transition away from democracy towards a new form of authoritarianism.

There is also violence in other political arenas which may not be directly related to the state. There is an obvious relationship between economics and violence. Violence has become embedded in the class and market relations among social groups and in the societal effects on global economic trends. In many countries economic polices also trigger violence among classes. Not only economics and states, violence has also become an intrinsic characteristic of inter-societal relations. Such violence maybe caused by state power and policy or as a reaction to it but often takes on its own momentum. Social groups often use violence in their interaction with the state.

Even though governments may often act as major perpetrators of violence, living in a state we are all dependent upon the government to make laws and thus, it is also important for the government to find solution to the problem of increasing violence. It must try to achieve the wider aim of disassociating violence from politics as much as possible no matter how Utopian the idea might seem.

Safety of the Senior Citizens: Are We Failing?

Statistically Speaking…

Individuals of and above 60 years of age are considered to be the senior citizen, as per the law in India. The 2011 population census states that there are approximately 104 million people who are of the age 60 years or more; 53 million are females and  51 million are males. That was about 8.6% of the 2011 population. And, unsurprisingly, this amount is to increase by 2020.

This population chunk also happens to be a vulnerable group in the crime spectrum. That includes the physical and mental harassment that they face at the hands of those whom they consider to be their ‘family’. Also, they are technically more vulnerable when it comes to technological and cyber crimes. Be it by self exploration or by mistake, sometimes these experiences cost them a lot, and not just in monetary terms. Also, terminally ill people tend to have it worse. Some children do not even hesitate to brutally torture their parents. Cutting of social contact or sometimes, even the basic necessities is another common method of harassment. 

Now, hypothetically, someone might say why don’t the senior citizens live where they lived all their lives? That might maintain a comfortable sphere for them. Sounds a better option, right? But in reality, it is not so. Because, firstly, senior citizens, especially with a medical history, have a high probability of having a medical emergency. And due to various circumstances, they might not be in contact or ask anyone for help. And the next biggest reason is that they are soft targets for the fraudelants and robbery. 

The statistics regarding these crimes was provided in 2018  by the National Crime Records Bureau, a department under the Ministry of Home Affairs, for a study period of 2016-2018. According to these reports,in 2016, the number of registered crimes against senior citizens was 21410, in 2017 it was 22727 and in 2018 it was raised to 24349. This study was done considering an approximate population of 103.85 million. The rate of crime against senior citizens is recorded  to be 23.4%. In 2020, the rate has increased toa whooping  25%.These statistics are very alarming and show the ugly reflection of many truths of our society. 

On an international level, seven types of elder abuse are recognized: physical abuse, psychological or emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment, financial abuse and self neglect. A rather large contribution to this increase is pointed towards material/ financial crimes in India . Relatives or children often try to obtain the property deeds from the senior citizens.The increasing value of the real estate sector provides a secure way of financial growth. Hence, younger generations try and invest their parents’ properties for monetary gains or even for loaning purposes. The senior citizens may face harassment and/ or neglect during or after the process of transferring the property. Also, financial cheating is also a rampant criteria under the crime category. 

Laws and Legalities

In accordance with ‘The Maintenance and Welfare  of Parents and Senior Citizens (amendment) Bill, 2019’ (which has filled up several loopholes that were present in the 2007 bill), the children might be directed to pay an amount to the parents per month as maintenance amount. The amount is fixed on the basis of standards of living and  earning of the senior citizen and the earning of the children. Abandonment of elders will lead to a 3-6 months imprisonment, or auto  fine of rs, 10,000 or both. Abuse charges also have the punishment. Under this bill, special provisions and criterias are created to standardize the care homes, home care services, healthcare and police protection. 

On the social front, various NGOs are coming up to actively tackle these problems. Toll free helpline numbers and forums give a good source to reach out for help. Public empathy and awareness is also increasing, which provides a very strong base to curb the crimes. For senior citizens living alone, it is advisable to keep up with the latest security products available in the market, and upgrade them from time to time. Also, some self defense equipments should be strategically kept spread throughout the house, which are also easily accessible for someone who knows where they are. Keeping too many valuable items might not be safe. Also,three four persons should be kept on speed dial and as much as it sounds unappealing/uncomfortable, especially for the older generation,it might be a good idea to try and keep the phone within reach. If possible, something should be installed on the front doors so that it is easy to check the person on the other side without fully exposing oneself and also not giving direct entry to the home.  Before employing or giving admission to any service provider, identity cards or valid personal documents should be checked.

As a society and as an individual, we have this responsibility to do whatever can be done. That includes looking out for the signs of neglect and abuse, enquiring the elders if any doubts arise and helping them to reach out to the proper authority, if the need arises. This problem can only be tackled through systematic dismantling of the notions that senior citizens are vulnerable.  

Dignity (Foundation) Helpline in 6 Cities :

  • Mumbai Dignity Helpline +91 22 6138 1111
  • Chennai Dignity Helpline +91 44 2621 0363
  • Kolkata Dignity Helpline +91 92323 82936 / +91 91635 09818
  • Bengaluru Dignity Helpline +91 96322 44568 / +91 97405 52261
  • Pune Dignity Helpline +91 88304 49043
  • Delhi Dignity Helpline +91 84483 17316

Helpage Toll-Free Elder Helpline Number: 1800-180-1253

Website References:

https://ncrb.gov.in/en/search/node/Senior%20Citizen?page=1

https://vikaspedia.in/social-welfare/senior-citizens-welfare/senior-citizens-status-in-india

https://www.prsindia.org/billtrack/maintenance-and-welfare-parents-and-senior-citizens-amendment-bill-2019

Staying single forever by choice

A relatively large number of people in Western societies are single; that is, they are not involved in any romantic relationship. That actually couldn’t be further from the truth, however. There’s so much value in being single that people often overlook, when we should be embracing and appreciating it instead. When you’re not legally bound to another person, you have the freedom to learn, grow, and explore, without any of the guilt associated with taking time for selfcare. And the payoff there is that if you do decide you’d like to pair off with someone, you know exactly who you are and what you want.

More specifically, men were more likely than women to indicate that they were single in order to be free to flirt around, and because they were not into family making; while women were more likely to indicate that they were single in order to avoid getting hurt, and because they have considered themselves not to be desirable as mates. Older people were more likely to indicate that they were single in order to be free to do what they have wanted. 

I think it is the right of the individual whether men or women to be in a relationship or to do marriage.The society do not have a right on this take .Everyone makes their own opinions that now a days women gets freedom and misuse this by making these types of decisions .But why everyone women do according to this society want them to do,it’s her choice .As it is famously said that “ALL FINGERS ARE NOT SAME”,so why we think every girl wants to marry in future ,it’s her choice and priority what to do in future.The society thinks its not safe for a women to live single in the society as anyone can take advantage of this status of her.

Maybe, counterintuitively, women are the ones who are especially likely to want to live alone. In our cultural imaginations, men are supposed to be the rugged individualists, the solo explorers, and the swaggering cowboys. But maybe, in fact, they are the ones pining for a live-in partner.

In a heartwarming essay from the upcoming book, Single by Choice, sports journalist Sharda Ugra recounts a scene from more than 10 years ago. A male friend, upon walking into her Delhi apartment (where she lived alone), asked astonished, “Who did all this?”“What provoked this question perhaps, was its sheer normalcy,” Ugra writes. And possibly the assumption that unmarried women lead dark, forlorn, depressing lives. But the writer goes on to remind us that singlehood is, in fact, a normal experience.

Contribution of NGOs towards the society

Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) play an important role in the economic development of developing countries. They provide services to society through welfare works for community development, assistance in national disasters, sustainable system development, and popular movements. They take numerable for actions developing our society. NGOs take up and execute projects to promote welfare of the community they work with. They work to address various concerns and issues prevailing within the society. NGOs are not-for-profit bodies which means they do not have any commercial interest. NGOs are run on donations made by individuals, corporate and institutions. They engage in fundraising activities to raise money for carrying out the work they do. Ever since independence, NGOs have played a crucial role in helping the needy in India, providing aid to the distressed and elevating the socio-economic status of millions in the country.

NGOs which have revolutionised Healthcare in India:

1.CRY: Child Rights and You

CRY works towards several causes for children, one of them being malnutrition. It introduced kitchen gardens in anganwadis in Chhattisgarh to provide fresh and healthy food to children. This not only came as a boon to the underprivileged children but also accelerated the anganwadi workers in the same direction. This noble initiative of CRY has helped to see a decrease in the number of malnourished children by about 9-10%.

2.Smile Foundation

Inspired by the philosophy of Peter Senge, the founder of ‘Society for Organisational Learning’, a group of young corporate professionals founded this in 2002. They began working from scratch to bring about a difference in the lives of underprivileged families and communities. Since urban slum dwellers lack the education to be aware of diseases and healthcare, they do not approach hospitals for checkups out of risking a day’s wages. Smile has a two-fold approach to tackle this problem. They first bring quality healthcare services within easy access of the needy. The second step is to promote healthcare awareness and encourage the poor to seek help.

3. Goonj

Goonj has several campaigns, one of them being ‘Share a Bite to your Heart’s Delight.’ It is a venture to encourage people to contribute daily essentials like rice, pulses and so on to the less fortunate. This is an innovative step towards solving the problem of food shortage and thus nutrition among the poor. Goonj has also taken considerable effort towards detaching the stigma associated with menstruation. It has helped college girls speak more boldly and openly about the issue and also involved many Rajasthani women in their menstrual hygiene initiative.

4. HelpAge India

A leading charity working for the disadvantaged elderly of India, has been active for over four decades. It has one of the largest mobile healthcare programs across India, providing free healthcare services to destitute elders. HelpAge India also works towards providing palliative care to end-stage cancer patients. Pairing with several credible and competent hospitals, the organisation helps the poor elderly who cannot afford expensive medication for cancer. HelpAge India has received several awards for his commendable contribution to society. It holds the Chairman’s Challenge Award, Times Social Impact Award and NGO Leadership & Excellence Award among several others.

Bizzare Indian Superstitions

https://www.pexels.com/

 As the world has entered the era of drone delivery & Chandrayaan launches, yet it fails to get rid of age-old beliefs that have no scientific or logical reasoning behind it. The Cambridge dictionary defines superstition as “a belief that is not based on human reason or scientific knowledge but is connected with old ideas about magic & etc. “
  This blind belief upon superstitions turns one into a mentally-weak, peevish & ridiculous person. This directly or indirectly causes retardation in the progress of the country.
  Although this blind trust upon superstitions is not the same as faith. Exemplary support to describe faith can be the existence of God. It’s not a superstition to believe in his existence. Faith is necessary for a man’s existence. This theism instills the quality of being religious & god-fearing thus ennobling one morally & spiritually.  
There are still many people in the country who believe and follow many of such beliefs and superstitions. While superstitions are usually attributed to lack of education, well-educated Indians also follow these superstitions quite blindly. Although you can’t make out the reason behind them. But they are still being followed within some Indian societies with utmost sincerity. So here is a collection of 10 super-weird & fun superstitions curated just for you :
1] A black cat crossing your way hints one to delay or postpone the work. To tackle the situation, people usually tend to change their way or direction, avoiding to take that particular path that the cat crossed.
2] The hooting of an owl & moaning of dogs are considered to be a bad omen.
3] This has to the most prominent Indian superstition by far. Having a spoonful of sweetened curd before heading out, to begin with, something important is considered auspicious.
4] If a crow is calling by your place, implies you are having guests. On the contrary, a crow’s shit is also implied to bring good luck.
5] Getting hiccups hints that someone is probably thinking of you.
6] Adding a rupee to the cash meant to be given, is considered auspicious.
7] One can easily spot some chilies & a lemon hanging by a string in front of shops in India. This is believed to avert the evil power from your place.
8] There’s a right time & period to cut hair & nails. One shouldn’t cut his nails or hair on Thursdays & Saturdays. Plus also not in the night time.
9] No. 3 or 13 is said to bring bad luck. So one must avoid these numbers.
10] Wearing rings of different stones & metals is said to bring good luck. 

Terrorism In India : An Overview

The unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to indimate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.

India has already been ranked among the top ten terrorism affected countries including states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Tripura, Assam, Nagaland and Manipur. • There are other states also which have been victims of Naxalite terrorism.

 CAUSES OF TERRORISM IN INDIA

 • In India ,terrorism can be classified in 3 distinct parts: . Cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. . Terrorism in the hinterland. . Extreme violence and terrorism as an integral part of the ongoing insurgencies.

 • In a richly diverse society, politics of communalism and criminalisation, fanatic religious movements and irresponsible statements by political leaders, marginalised minority communities, high levels of youth unemployment, poverty, illiteracy etc. Provide an ideal fertile ground for terrorism to take root and thrive in India. India also remains highly vulnerable to terrorism by foreign terrorists, due to porous borders with all its neighbours and a long coast line.

 • As a result, the terrorists and insurgents continue to receive material support and funds from a number of sources.

 • India has experienced all kinds of terrorist attacks like hijacking and blowing up of aircrafts, the assassination of 2 of its prime ministers etc.

• Political cause: primary source of terrorism in India. For example, this ia primarily seen in Tripura and Assam. The political factors that resulted in terrorism included the failure of the government to control and manage large scale immigrants from Bangladesh.

 • Economic cause: Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh are prime examples. The economic factors include rural unemployment, exploitation of landless labourers by those who own land. These economic perceptions and grievances of gross social injustice have led to the rise of ideological groups of terrorists.

 • Religious causes: these are also primary sources of terrorism. In Punjab, some elements of Sikh belonging to different organisations shifted to terrorism to the development of an independent state known as Khalistan for Sikhs.

• State-sponsored terrorism: which consists of terrorist acts on a state or government by a state or a government.

 • Dissent-terrorism: which are terrorist groups that dissent against their government.

• Terrorists and the left and the right: which are the groups rooted in political ideologies.

 • Religious terrorism: terrorists groups that are extremely religiously motivated.

• Criminal terrorism: terrorists acts used to aid in crime and criminal profit.

Terrorism can undermine political moderation in a democracy, paving the way for more extreme elements to gain footholds. The death toll of a terrorist attack ,often inflicted in a spectacular way that draws media attention and leads to political criticism, can undermine faith in government.  The secular, pluralistic, ethnically diverse, and vibrant democracy that India has nurtured ever since its independence on 1947 has become the envy of many radical and extremist ideologies.

IMPACT OF TERRORISM

Firstly, it creates a state of panic amongst the citizens. The bomb blasts or firing impacts the mental health of the people.  Terrorist attacks create a sense of doubt in the foreign investors of India. This causes a huge blow to the business of India depending upon them. Thus, it damages the economy. As terrorist attacks cause loss of life and property, the replenishment takes up a lot of capital. There are political effects of terrorism in India. The killing of ex prime ministers of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi and Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, by terrorists ,effected Indian politics and economy at large. Due to 26/11 Mumbai attack , Home minister Mr. Shivraj Patil, chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had to resign. This unstabilized the Indian industry.  The financial markets have been directly and indirectly the victims of terrorist attacks. In the aftermath of attacks, the financial markets were not only confronted with major activity disruptions caused by the massive damage to property and communication systems, but also with rising levels of uncertainty and market volatility.

STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY INDIAN AGENCIES FIGHTING TERROR.

NIA : A central government investigative agency to probe terror attacks in the country ,created by an act of the parliament of India on December 31,2008, following the Mumbai terror attack of November 2008. Full form is National Investigation Agency.

 • Intelligence agencies: There are a set of agencies responsible for fighting terrorism in India. A major agency utilized for gathering cross border information is the Research and Analysis wing(RAW)- the external intelligence agency. The Intelligence Bureau(IB), a division of the home affairs ministry is responsible for collecting intelligence information inside India

. • NATGRID: National Intelligence Grid is an intelligence grid interconnecting certain agencies of the government of India to collect and share intelligence that could be used by the intelligence agencies of various departments.

 • CAPF: Centre Armed Police Forces are used extensively in Maoist areas , Kashmir and North-east.

Terrorism in India poses a significant threat to the people of India. Ideologies and brain drain are among one of the important thing to keep in mind as causes of this crime. Terrorist attacks leave deterrent effects on society, political instability for the government and loss to the economy, in form of national and international business. Terrorism is very dangerous as it not only kills the human life but also the infrastructure, industry, ultimately damages its overall growth

Assassination of Indira Gandhi

I do not like carving the world into many segments; We are one world

Indira Gandhi, India

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi Nehru; 19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was an Indian politician and a central figure of the Indian National Congress. She was the first and, to date, only female Prime Minister of India. Indira Gandhi was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India. She served as prime minister from January 1966 to March 1977 and again from January 1980 until her assassination in October 1984, making her the second longest-serving Indian prime minister after her father.

As prime minister, Gandhi was known for her political intransigency and unprecedented centralisation of power. She went to war with Pakistan in support of the independence movement and war of independence in East Pakistan, which resulted in an Indian victory and the creation of Bangladesh, as well as increasing India’s influence to the point where it became the sole regional power of South Asia. Citing separatist tendencies, and in response to a call for revolution, Gandhi instituted a state of emergency from 1975 to 1977 where basic civil liberties were suspended and the press was censored. Widespread atrocities were carried out during the emergency. In 1980, she returned to power after free and fair elections. After Gandhi ordered military action in the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star, her own bodyguards and Sikh nationalists assassinated her on 31 October 1984.

In 1999, Indira Gandhi was named “Woman of the Millennium” in an online poll organised by the BBC. In 2020 Gandhi was named by the Time magazine among world’s 100 powerful women who defined the last century.

Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated at 9:29 a.m. on 31 October 1984 at her residence in Safdarjung Road, New Delhi. She was killed by her Sikh bodyguardsSatwant Singh and Beant Singh in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star. Operation Blue Star was an Indian military action carried out between 1 and 8 June 1984, ordered by Indira Gandhi to remove the Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the buildings of the Harmandir Sahib complex in Amritsar, Punjab. The collateral damage included the death of many pilgrims, as well as damage to the Akal Takht. The military action on the sacred temple was criticized by Sikhs both inside and outside India.

At about 9:20 a.m. Indian Standard Time, on 31 October 1984, Gandhi was on her way to be interviewed by British actor Peter Ustinov who was filming a documentary for Irish television. She was wearing a saffron saree with a black border, and accompanied by constable Narayan Singh, personal security officer Rameshwar Dayal and personal secretary, R. K. Dhawan. She was walking through the garden of the Prime Minister’s Residence at No. 1 Safdarjung Road in New Delhi towards the neighboring 1 Akbar Road office.

Gandhi passed a wicket gate guarded by Satwant and Beant Singh, and the two men opened fire. Beant fired three rounds into her abdomen from his .38 revolver, then Satwant fired 30 rounds from his Sten submachine gun after she had fallen to the ground. Both men then threw down their weapons and Beant said, “I have done what I had to do. You do what you want to do.” In the next six minutes, Border Police officers Tarsem Singh Jamwal and Ram Saran captured and killed Beant, while Satwant was arrested by Gandhi’s other bodyguards, along with an accomplice trying to escape; he was seriously wounded Satwant Singh was hanged in 1989 with accomplice Kehar Singh.

Friendship Is The Most Wonderful Relationship In Our Life

Friendship is the most wonderful relationship that anyone can have. Ideally a friend is a person who offers love and respect and will never leave or betray us. Friends can tell harsh truths when they must be told. There are four different types of friends: True friends, Convenient friends, Special interest friends, and historical friends. To have friendship is to have comfort. In times of crisis and depression, a friend is there to calm us and to help lift up our spirits. There are many illustrations that show why a friend can be a great comforter. For example, if a student is going through a hard time at school, a friend can offer guidance, encouragement and support.

A true friend is also someone who loves and respects us. A boyfriend and a girlfriend desire to be with each other. They love each other so much that they just want to be with each other as much as possible. This bond is also present in a good friendship because it has genuine love. Also, as friends they respect each other. They try to avoid causing conflicts. They don’t make fun of each other, but treat each other with respect. As friends, we all make sacrifices for each other. Some friends risk their lives for a friend.

A person is acquainted with many persons in their life. However, the closest ones become our friends. You may have a large friend circle in school or college, but you know you can only count on one or two people with whom you share true friendship.There are essentially two types of friends, one is good friends the other are true friends or best friends. They’re the ones with whom we have a special bond of love and affection. In other words, having a true friend makes our lives easier and full of happiness.

Most importantly, true friendship stands for a relationship free of any judgments. In a true friendship, a person can be themselves completely without the fear of being judged. It makes you feel loved and accepted. This kind of freedom is what every human strives to have in their lives.In short, true friendship is what gives us reason to stay strong in life. Having a loving family and all is okay but you also need true friendship to be completely happy. Some people don’t even have families but they have friends who’re like their family only. Thus, we see having true friends means a lot to everyone.

Being in a relationship and having a boyfriend and girlfriend they key word in that is “friend” the key to a relationship is to be good friends first before rushing into anything. that also means you have genuine love for each other and you even respect each other more. One of the most important thing about having a friend is to never betray them. A friend is loyal through thick and thin, broke or rich, house or no house, smart or dumb. A lot of friendships now a days are not real friendships. People are friends with each other for even a certain period of time to get something out of them. A lot of people do not keep promises in a friendship anymore and it is sad. Loyalty and love makes a friendship a lot stronger.

Therefore, there is no doubt that best friends help us in our difficulties and bad times of life. They always try to save us in our dangers as well as offer timely advice. True friends are like the best assets of our life because they share our sorrow, sooth our pain and make us feel happy.

Online classes results in Eyesight and Ear problems

Most of the students are now undertaking online classes due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. This is indeed a cause of worry for many parents because children spend extra hours on mobile phones and laptops. Experts also speak of the hazardous effects that digital classes can have on eyes of young children. Parents must take precautions and measures to ensure safety of the child’s eyes.

Needless to say, excessive usage of mobile phones, laptops or any other gadgets can affect children in many ways. This can be mental and physical. Eye strain is one amongst the most common problems. Some of its symptoms include excessive blinking, tearing, frequent rubbing of the eyes, dry eyes, headaches from eye strain and even tiredness. Parents must be extremely watchful and careful on how the child spends time online.Most of the classes, especially for children above class 8, goes on for long hours. Parents must cut short their time spent on video games, TV and other gadgets. Only a strict no works with most children!

During the last two weeks, a few school children in the age group of 8-10 came to my clinic with complaints of dryness in their eyes and frequent blinking of eyes. Prolonged reading on the mobile screen and watching it from close range may result in this type of problems,” says G. Hanumantha Rao, an ophthalmologist, who runs his clinic on MVP Double Road. He suggests that a laptop or a desktop with a large screen should be preferred. It also ensures that proper viewing distance is maintained, at least to some extent.

“Prolonged use of earphones can result in noise-induced deafness. It can also cause tinnitus and the child may experience ringing sounds in the ear. Severe exposure may cause inability to hear certain frequencies. The problems depend on the duration and intensity of the sound,” says B. Ramachandra Rao, an ENT surgeon at the Government ENT Hospital in the city.

POVERTY LEADS TO INEQUALITY.

Even though money won’t buy happiness in today’s era most people are willing to sacrifice their happiness for money and we cannot blame them because everyone judges you based on how much money you earn and spend. If you earn a lot then you hold a special place in society.Inequality has been surging sharply since the last three decades. The wealthiest have cornered an enormous portion of the assets built through cohort capitalism and legacy. They are becoming richer at a very faster speed while the underprivileged are still trying to earn a minimum wage and access standard education and healthcare services, which continue to suffer. People in poverty are those who are considerably worse-off than the majority of society. Their level of need means they are powerless to obtain gains and aids that most people hold necessary to an adequate measure of existing.The best example is inequality in healthcare facilities which has taken a serious.


Inequality, by distinction, is always a comparative term that relates to the disparity within levels of living standards, wages, etc. across the entire financial division. Poverty and inequality oftentimes up rise and befall collectively though this need not surely be the fact. Inequality can be high in a society without great levels of poverty due to a huge distinction within the top and the middle of the revenue spectrum. An important part of inequality is apparent because of the high numbers of labor organizations work in sectors with low productivity for example agriculture. To overcome inequality, low- productivity workers should be incentive to shift to more fecund sectors. Concurrently, structural improvements require to be fulfilled to improve the fecundity of these divisions.


Technology should not be made a substitute or deemed a rival. It should be seen as a means to address inadequacy and inequality. Enhanced technology can create more prominent demands. These next can enable more inclusive hiring of the low and the medium-skilled. Technology can enhance the potency of the agrarian sector. It can further promote versatility to sectors with tremendous productivity, as is apparent from the vast numbers of people foregoing farming for jobs in the help sector.


Education is the foundation for a fulfilling and leading a satisfactory life. For a nation to be packed with the understanding it has to adopt education as it is the solitary guarantee for a stable economy and a secure domain. Education shapes people into efficient and hardworking individuals. The importance of such an accomplished and knowledgeable society would help nurture a community that is operating as one for the economic advancement of the entire nation. The proficient workforce would be formed by education. Also of vital importance is the contribution of education towards the development of best economic policies. The government should break the cruel progress of poverty which makes inequality, which does not only negatively harms sustainable financial growth but also creates various socio-economic problems. The government should create job opportunities and employment that will be the key strategy to eradicate poverty and inequality.