Unless you take risks. Nothing. Nelson Mandela said: “ There is no passion to be found playing small, in settling for a life that’s less than the one you’re capable of living. I am sure in your experiences in school in applying to college. In picking your major, in deciding what you want to do with life, people have told you to make sure you have something to “fall back on”. Make sure you got something to fall back on, honey. But I never understood that concept have something to fall back on. If I’m going to fall, I don’t want to fall back on anything except my faith. I want to fall forward. I figure at least this way I’ll see what I’m going to hit. Full forward, this is what I mean. Reggie Jackson struck out 2600 times in his career the most in the history of baseball. But you don’t hear about the strikeouts. People remember the home runs. Fall forward. Thomas Edison conducted 1000 failed experiments. Did you know that, I didn’t either because 1001 was the light bulb. Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success. It’s good for you to go take your place in the world, have some ambition; have a vision; have a goal; have a strategy. Try to be a good person and not because it’s your duty precisely because that’s the proper way to live. We’re in danger of undermining all of that. And it’s not good for people. One of the things that I’ve really learned, for example, recently, is that learned to articulate better is that there’s a very tight relationship between aspiration and responsibility. So let’s say, well, the first question might be do you need to aspire to something? An answer is, well, yes, because you have to do something. If you just sit there, you’ll die. You can’t just sit there. You have to go act out in the world. Ok, so act towards what? Well, that’s whatever your aspiration is. You have to have an aim. Ok, well, what should the aim be? Well, it should be something worth doing, let’s say. Why do something that you don’t feel is worth doing? What do you think’s worth doing? Well, if you watch other people and you judge when they’re doing something worthwhile, usually judge them positively, if you see that they’re taking responsibility at least for themselves. What do you want to be completely useless so other people have to take care of you? That’s pretty pathetic and may be you could get your act together. So you’re taking care of yourself and your family and maybe you could even do better than that and your family and your community. I know I’ve gone on stage infront of 10000 people and I thought I should have more PowerPoint. I should have more reminders, and I just remember walking out and saying, I’m here to help rise these people up, to give them capabilities to change their life. It’s my vision, it’s my goal. It’s my obligation to use my unique ability to just help these people and live for my heart. All I think is changing these people’s lives. And when I got out there, I wasn’t perfect on stage. I wasn’t robotic and say the right things, and I didn’t have the crisp, clear PowerPoint. But when I spoke from the heart, it overcame all of that and I get to be one of the best presenters wherever I go because I speak from the heart. Now you might say that, Deen that’s your unique ability and may be that is. But I know for you in life there are circumstances where you have to prepare. You have to do a PowerPoint, you have to do presentation and I want to tell you passion and from the heart. Always wins over over prepared and thinking from the head. Well, let me just ask you something right now in the crazy presidential race, the GOP race. You know, Ben Carson is probably the smartest guy when it comes to Booksmart out of the whole group. And I don’t watch the news a lot, but I just read a lot. And somebody said this the other day and it just hit me. Someone said, Man, Ben Carson is probably the smartest guy in that GOP race that’s going on. Whatever I’m going to share my opinion. But you know that, the guy said when he was done, he’s like, We all know the smartest guy never wins. And I was like, Wow, we all know that the smartest guy never wins. And what does that mean. And it’s kind of what I’m sharing today. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be smart. I’m sure, so many of you were probably way smarter than I am. But what I want to tell you is enthusiasm and passion and living from your heart. To me, one hundred percent of this time. Outweighs being over-prepared and robotic and trying to think what to say. I hope I’m getting the right message across today. I’ve had this question from so many people. How are you so easy to talk on camera on stage? And I never have a good answer, and I really fought through it. And that’s the answer. I am here right now doing this video for you because each week I want to delivery you a nugget that you can just place into your life and make a tiny shift towards a better life. So I don’t need a teleprompter. I don’t need a script. I come here and just want to deliver, and it’s coming from your heart. Now I have practise. I’ve been on video for 15 years. I’ve been doing these for 7-8 years, and maybe that’s not what you do, but you’re still going to have these circumstances where you have to talk to your children, talk to your owner, talk to your employees and talk to your employer. And if you get stuck in your head, that’s when you get worried. That’s when you try to remember what to say and you leave and go, Oh, why did I say that? Or why didn’t I say more? Well, if you can go in and say, Why am I going in and live with passion and have it come from your heart, then that’s truly you, and you’re giving the answers you’re supposed to do from the real you, not the facade that sometimes life makes us where. One of the challenges I think many people have is really the discernment of information. It’s really difficult to know what’s the truth anymore just because information is so accessible. And I used to say that in an age of information, ignorance is a choice. And now we have to confront a whole another level and that is the information that we’re getting. It is actually supporting us or is it something that really is an incentive to to cause us to make choices? So for me, I think the biggest challenge has been ust really an awakening to what kind of information I want to expose myself to. And I think it’s now more than ever a challenge for a lot of people in the world. You don’t have to be perfect to inspire others. You can inspire people by how you deal with your imperfections. Don’t feel that you have to have it all. Know it all to make an impact? You don’t. You just need a soul full of desire and compassion, right? It was Martin Luther King who said, “ You don’t need a college degree to serve. You don’t need to know how to fill a sentence to serve. All of you need is a heart full of soul, right? And a half and have compassion. That’s all that’s needed. That’s what we need to focus on. Let’s not be limited by feeling. We need other resources apart from love and compassion to make an impact. Because we don’t right? You actually don’t need them. We are going to create a baseline for ourselves that’s based on intention. This is around 1989, when I’d read Gary Zuka book called The Seat of the Soul, and that book was life changing for me because in it, he talked about the power of intention and that cause and effect. What goes out comes back is determined by your intention. The energy of your intention is what determines your life. Most people don’t think about their intention, they just think about what they want to do. Most people don’t think about why they want to do it, but what’s going to come back to you? The energy that’s going to come back to you is the real why of why you did it. And so I then said to my producers, we’re not going to do any shows that are intentional. So don’t bring me an idea. Unless you have an intention for the show that you want the outcome to be, and we’re going to strive to see if we can live up to our intentions. And so around the late 80’s, we started a pre-show to talk about what the intention was. And then it polls show, after every single show to say, Did we fulfill that intention? And that’s about the time I realize this is bigger than me.
National Education Day!
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Education is highly sought after around the world. It often acts as the key to knowledge and wisdom in different areas of our lives. From four year old kids to adults, everyone is indulged in learning something at schools, colleges or even homes. Whether you like it or not, the sense of achievement one experiences as they clear an examination and witness their qualification add value to their name (Ashish Edwin LLB for example) is priceless.
Today is regarded as National Education day in India on account of the birth anniversary of India’s first education minister named Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad. He served as the first education minister for an independent India. The National Education day has been observed every year on November 11th since 2008.
Who was Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad?
Abdul Kalam Azad was an independence activist, writer and a senior member of the Indian national congress. After India became independent, he went on to become the first education minister of an independent India. He was fondly referred to as Maulana, a hororrary term meaning ‘Our master’. He took up Azad (free) as his pen name for his writings.
His contribution to the educational foundation of India is remembered by celebrating National Education Day on his birth anniversary across India.
A journalist
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At an early age, he began his career as a journalist by contributing to Urdu newspapers and magazines. He further went on to purchase a monthly journal, until its closure due to lack of resources. He also became an editor for a newspaper from Amritsar.
A freedom fighter
Azad heavily criticised the British and Muslim politicians of his time. He opposed the British for discriminating and failing to provide for the needs of Indian civilians, and opposed the Muslim leaders as they focused on communal issues over common interests of the nation. Azad, alongside two others are accredited to the establishment of Jamia Millia Islamia Institution of higher education in Delhi. It was being run solely by Indians without any British involvement.
His post independence career
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Azad initiated the construction of schools and colleges, and encouraged children and adults for enrollment to popularise formal education. Being India’s first minister of education, he encouraged educational privileges to be extended to the rural population and girls. He also laid emphasis on free and compulsory education for children till the age of 14. Azad addressed the All India Education conference on 16th January 1948 stating that,
“ We must not for a moment forget, it is a birthright of every individual to receive at least the basic education without which he cannot fully discharge his duties as a citizen.” By Abdul Kalam Azad.
The first Indian Institute of Education (IIT) was established by the ministry of education in 1951 under his leadership. He also encouraged the development of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, alongside the faculty of technology in Delhi university.
How is the National Education Day celebrated?
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Educational institutions across India celebrate this day by conducting seminars and workshops, holding essay writing and elocution competitions, and initiating rallies with banners and slogans that emphasises the importance of education, in remembrance of the honorable Abdul Kalam Azad’s emphasis on importance of education during his tenure as the education minister of India.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
Though it is considered as one of the superficial components of one’s personality, yet it is one of the major components. The impression one has when one looks at others makes a long-lasting impression. For the people try to look at us and through us. Each person is supposed to appear according to his position and status in society.
There is a particular code of measure even for dressing depending on the place, occasion, position, and status. Some people try to show off more than what they are or what they should be. People don’t consider them possessors of a good personality, instead, they criticize them.
A principal of a school and the peon working in the same institution have different kinds of clothes appropriate for their place and status. But even then both can possess a good personality in their own way, style, and standard of life. Personality does not progress in becoming like others or limiting others, but it grows n trying to be what we are and to project the best in whatever position we are.
Why do people like to select a particular type of outfit for interviews, marriages, parties, etc.? It is only because these are the prime extrinsic factors that judge our personality. You should be how you’re supposed to be, neither more than required nor less than it. It is necessary to carry ourselves nicely. It is not only about looks but appearance includes the whole of personality.
Child Marriages in India – Two Steps Backward!
It is in common knowledge that the legal age of marriage for girls is 18 years and 21 years for boys. However, social factors and circumstances, age-old prejudices cloud the judgement – leading to child marriage as a solution to one thing or other. Child marriages are not confined to a single country but happens across the world – barring the girls from being empowered and at times, the boys too. Keeping this in mind, the Sustainable Development Goal 5, which focuses on ‘Gender Equality’ has set a target to stop child marriages entirely by 2030.
According to UNICEF report, about one in three of the world’s child brides live in India and about 102 million were married before turning 15 and were pregnant even before reaching adolescents. Among the states in India, 36 billion child brides have been reported to be in Uttar Pradesh. Other states with large population of child brides are Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Among the Southern states, Andhra Pradesh with 13 million tops the list followed by Tamil Nadu with 11 million. It has also been reported that about 60 % of the child brides who were married before turning 15 went through pregnancy before completing the adolescent period. Whereas those married after the age of 15 but before age 18, about 20% of them went through pregnancy before completing adolescent period. Those married before turning 15 tend to contribute to larger families. During the trying COVID-19 times when the entire focus of the world was on healthcare system, the child marriages saw a spike. United Nations Population Fund has estimated that COVID-19 will result in 13 million additional child marriages globally. Women Development and Child Welfare, India has reported that child marriages saw a rise of 27%. While rural areas are the hub of reports against child marriages, interestingly, “more than 25 percentage of child marriages in 2011 happened in urban districts. In other words, one out of five girls aged between 10-17 was married in urban districts in the ear 2011”, IANS reports (yourstory, 2017).
Even with the coming of Child Marriage Prevention Act, 2006, one of the reasons for its so not grand success can be the poor implementation and also the fact that people always find ways to try and tamper with the acts and laws. What actually force them to do so? What actually compels them to do – send off their buds away, forcing them to marriage? One of the reasons is being orphaned. COVID-19 has taken lives of many people, parents of many rendering the children orphan (Jejeebhoy, 2021). The lack of parents or unwilling relatives to take care of the orphaned, thus marriage. Financial constraints are another compelling factor. Families tend to marry all the girls together (if there is more than one girl and the family is drowning in poverty) in a single place to save money. It is sort of passing off the so-called burden.
It is important to bring back the focus of the world to the atrocities happening. While there are cases where girls have escaped, seeking help and prevention of child marriage, there are still alarming cases of ‘being stuck’ in the unlawful marriage. At this point of time, youth volunteers can be a powerful force. Bringing in more volunteers to spread awareness as well as for on ground action to prevent marriages from happening can be a helpful approach. The schemes of the government seem to fail to trickle down, more maybe because of the lack of effort in the lower vertical ladder. Bringing in the community in action can help to keep in check the local government and vice-versa.
Image Credit: Google
5 enemies to lovers (trope) books. ( adult fantasy editions)
A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova.
The elves have two goals: to fight and to find spouses. They are seeking death in both cases.Humans were chased by great species using wild magic three thousand years ago, until the pact was made. The elves have been choosing a young lady from Luella’s hamlet as their Human Queen for ages.The villagers consider being picked to be a sign of death. Luella feels fortunate to have fled as a girl at the age of nineteen. Instead, she’s devoted her life to learning about herbs and becoming the town’s lone healer.That is, until the Elf King appears out of nowhere… just for her.Everything Luella believed she knew about herself and her life turned out to be a falsehood. Luella is forced to become the new queen of a frigid but scorchingly attractive Elf King after being transported to a world filled with untamed magic. She discovers a dying world that only she can save once she arrives.The mystical country of Midscape tugs at one corner of her heart, while her home and people tug at another… yet it is a desire she never wanted that will finally shatter her.
For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten.
The first daughter will be the heir to the throne.
The Wolf gets the second daughter.A grim fantasy storey about a young lady who must be sacrificed to the fabled Wolf of the Wood to rescue her country, for fans of Uprooted and The Bear and the Nightingale. But tales aren’t always accurate, and the Wolf isn’t the only threat in the Wilderwood.Red, as the world’s lone Second Daughter, has just one goal: to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hopes that he would return the world’s kidnapped gods.Red is almost relieved to be able to go. She’s plagued by a deadly power she can’t control, but at least she knows she can’t damage people she cares about in the Wilderwood. Again.The legends, however, are false. The Wolf is not a monster, but a man. Her power is a gift, not a curse for her. And if she doesn’t learn how to utilise it, the gods’ monsters will consume the Wilderwood—and her entire world—as a whole.
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon.
It is the year 2059. Paige Mahoney, 19, is employed by a guy named Jaxon Hall in the criminal underworld of Scion London, which is centred in Seven Dials. Her mission was to scout for information by infiltrating people’s heads. Paige is a dreamwalker and clairvoyant, and in Scion’s universe, even breathing is enough to commit treason.It’s pouring on the day her life is forever changed. Paige is abducted, drugged, and transferred to Oxford, a city hidden for two centuries and ruled by a strong, otherworldly species. Paige is paired with Warden, a Rephaite with enigmatic motivations. He is her lord. Her personal coach. Her natural adversary.Paige, on the other hand, must allow herself to be nourished in this cage where she is destined to die if she is to reclaim her freedom.The Bone Season features an intriguing heroine as well as an amazing young writer with a burgeoning imagination and a lot of ambition. In her gripping debut, Samantha Shannon has built a brave new reality.
The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid.
Évike is the lone woman without power in her forest-veiled pagan town, making her an outcast plainly abandoned by the gods. The locals blame her tainted bloodline—her father was a Yehuli man, one of the fanatical king’s most despised slaves. Évike is betrayed by her fellow villagers and surrendered when warriors from the Holy Order of Woodsmen approach to claim a heathen girl for the king’s blood sacrifice.However, when monsters attack the Woodsmen and their hostage en route, killing everyone save Évike and the icy, one-eyed commander, they have no option but to rely on one another.But he’s no average Woodsman—Gáspár he’s Bárány, a disgraced prince whose father relies on pagan magic to secure his control. Gáspár is worried that his terribly zealous brother is plotting to capture the kingdom and usher in a bloody reign that would condemn both pagans and Yehuli. Gáspár understands what it’s like to be an outcast as the son of a despised foreign queen, and he and Évike form a shaky partnership to stop his brother. Their mutual hatred gradually transforms to fondness as their quest progresses. However, when Évike reconnects with her estranged father and uncovers her own secret magic, she and Gáspár must determine whose side they’re on and what they’re willing to risk.
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mothar.
An operative of the Commandant discovers a note among the ashes of a dying planet. The message reads, “Burn before reading.” Thus starts an unexpected connection between two hostile agents determined to ensure the best possible future for their warring groups. What started as a taunt, a battlefield brag, has evolved into something more. Something massive. Something a little more romantic. Something that has the potential to alter both the past and the future.Except that finding out about their connection would be death for both of them. After all, there is still a battle going on. That conflict needs to be won by someone.
Murder mysteries recommendations, you cannot put down.
This is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore.
In Gardiners Bay, everyone has a secret. The population of Gardiners Bay is disturbed when Jenna Dallas and Adam Cole discover Colleen O’Dell’s death drifting off the coastline of their seaside village. The fact that her drowning was not an accident is even more surprising.Jenna begins her own investigation as her closest friend becomes a crucial suspect. She knows she needs Adam on her side when she discovers scandals at Preston Prep School that link back to Rookwood reform school.Adam is used to receiving critical stares as a student at Rookwood, but now his pals are being probed by the police. Even if it means trusting Jenna, Adam will do whatever he can to keep them safe.The truth begins to distort as the falsehoods unfold. Only one thing is certain: someone will have to pay the price.
Sadie by Courtney Summers.
A search for a missing girl leads to a quest of vengeance. A podcast that follows the clues she’s left behind, similar to Serial. And a cliffhanger that you won’t be able to forget.Sadie’s life hasn’t been easy. She’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated tiny town since she was a child, doing her best to create a decent life for them and keep their heads above water.When Mattie is found dead, however, Sadie’s entire life falls apart. After a bungled police investigation, Sadie is desperate to discover her sister’s killer and sets out on the road with only a few hints to guide her.When West McCray overhears Sadie’s tale at a local gas station while working on a feature about little, forgotten villages in America, he becomes obsessed with recovering the missing child. He launches his own podcast while he follows Sadie’s trail, attempting to figure out what occurred and finding her before it’s too late.Courtney Summers has authored her career-defining book. Sadie is a fast-paced, suspenseful novel that will have you engrossed until the very last page.
The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas.
In Sunnybrook, there are no longer any cheerleaders.Then there was the automobile tragedy, in which two girls died after colliding with a tree on a wet night. The killings occurred not long after. The man next door murdered those two young ladies. Because he was shot by the cops, no one will ever know why he did it. The final cheerleader to die was Monica’s sister. Sunnybrook High School dissolved the cheer squad after she committed herself. Nobody wanted to think about the females they’d lost.It had been five years since then. Sunnybrook High’s professors and students now wish to honour the fallen cheerleaders. Monica, on the other hand, finds it difficult. She only want to forget. Monica’s world, meanwhile, is beginning to fall apart. There are the letters in her stepfather’s desk, an unearthed, years-old mobile phone, and a weird new classmate. It doesn’t matter what occurred five years ago. Some locals know more than they’re letting on. Monica is somehow in the core of it all.Sunnybrook may no longer have cheerleaders, but it doesn’t mean no one else is in danger.
City of Saints and Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson.
A girl who doesn’t exist dwells in the shadows of Sangui City. Tina and her mother arrived in Kenya as refugees hoping for a new life and a place to call home after leaving the Congo. Her mother swiftly got employment as a maid for a wealthy household, including Roland Greyhill, one of the city’s most powerful businessmen. Tina quickly discovers, however, that the Greyhill fortune was built on a life of corruption and criminality. So when her mother is found shot to death in Mr. Greyhill’s study, she knows who’s to blame.Tina spends the next four years alone on the streets, working as a master thief for the Goondas, Sangui City’s local gang, with vengeance on her mind. Tina returns to the Greyhill estate thanks to a work for the Goondas, giving her the opportunity for retribution she’s been waiting for. But the sorrow of previous scars and the draw of old connections overcome Tina as soon as she enters the magnificent mansion, putting in motion a hazardous chain of events that might cost Tina her life at any moment. But in this fast-paced, nail-biting thriller, she holds on because she ultimately discovers the horrific truth about who killed her mother—and why.
They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman.
A murder mystery set in the setting of a prestigious Long Island prep school. Everything on Gold Coast, Long Island, appears flawless, from the posh downtown stores to the perfectly groomed beaches to Jill Newman’s and her friends’ polished uniforms. Nothing is as it appears, as Jill discovered three years ago.Jill’s closest friend from freshman year, the smart and dazzling Shaila Arnold, was murdered by her lover. Graham confessed, the matter was closed, and Jill tried to move on after that awful night on the beach.Now that Jill is in her senior year, she is determined to make it the finest one yet. She is, after all, a senior and a Player, a member of Gold Coast Prep’s exclusive, not-so-secret society. Senior Players have the nicest parties, the finest grades, and the entire school’s adulation. Jill is going to have a great year. She is certain of it.When Jill begins to receive messages professing Graham’s innocence, her plans for a flawless senior year begin to fall apart. Who killed Shaila if it wasn’t Graham? Jill swears to find out, but doing so might jeopardise her friendships as well as her future.
How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao.
Nancy Luo is taken aback when her former closest friend, Jamie Ruan, a top-ranked junior at Sinclair Prep, vanishes and is later discovered dead. Nancy is even more taken aback when word gets out that she and her friends—Krystal, Akil, and Alexander—are potential suspects, courtesy to “The Proctor,” a student who anonymously incriminated them using the school’s social networking app.Jamie used to be friends with all of them, and she knew all of their deepest, darkest secrets. Now The Proctor is aware of them as well. The four must find the genuine killer before The Proctor exposes them to too much and costs them too much, such as Nancy’s entire scholarship.Nancy begins to think that her pals are holding secrets from her as well. When their ex-best buddy comes up dead, students at an elite prep school are compelled to confront their secrets.
Liars Inc. by Paula Stokes.
Max Cantrell has never been a big believer in telling the truth, so when the chance to sell fake permission slips and cover stories to his classmates emerges, it seems like a decent way to make some money and spice up a dull senior year. Max creates Liars, Inc. with the aid of his buddies Preston and Parvati. Suddenly, everyone requires something, and money begins to flow in. Who’d have guessed that lying could be so lucrative?When Preston requests his own cover storey to visit a girl he met online, Max is more than happy to oblige. Until Preston does not return home. Then the evidence piles up, horrifying hints leading the detectives to Preston’s body. Numerous hints that lead to Max as the culprit. Will Max be able to track out the true killer before going to prison for a crime he didn’t commit?
A book for every romance trope. (part 2)
Soulmates.
Crave by Tracy Wolff.
When Grace walked inside the academy, her entire life altered. Nothing about this facility or the other students there is right. Among gods…or monsters, she is a simple mortal. She’s still undecided about which of the warring sides she belongs to, if she even does.
There’s also Jaxon Vega. A dangerous vampire who hasn’t felt anything in a hundred years. But there’s something about him that appeals to me, something damaged in him that matches what’s broken in her in some way.Because Jaxon built a barrier around himself for a purpose. And now someone wants to awaken a sleeping monster, and she’s starting to wonder if she was deliberately sent here as bait.
Arranged marriage.
The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen.
Lara, a warrior princess who was raised in seclusion, is guided by two certainties. The first is that the Bridge Kingdom’s King Aren is her foe. The second is that she will be the one to force him to kneel.The Bridge Kingdom enriches itself while depriving its rivals, including Lara’s hometown, by being the sole passage through a storm-ravaged planet. So when she’s sent as a bride under the pretence of peace, Lara is ready to go to any length to pierce its impenetrable fortifications. As well as its king’s defences.However, when she infiltrates her new home and learns more about the battle over the bridge, Lara begins to doubt if she is the hero or the villain.And when Lara’s feelings for Aren shift from icy animosity to ferocious love, she must decide whose country she will preserve… and which kingdom she will annihilate.
Childhood friends to lovers.
Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare.
It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire pushed the Shadowhunters close to extinction. Emma Carstairs is no longer a grieving girl, but a young lady hell-bent on figuring out who killed her parents and exacting vengeance.Emma must learn to trust her mind and her love as she explores a diabolical scheme that runs from the Sunset Strip to the magical waves that pound the beaches of Santa Monica with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn. If only her heart didn’t led her down the wrong path.Julian’s brother Mark, who was kidnapped by the faeries five years ago, has been returned as a negotiating chip, further complicating matters. The faeries are frantic to figure out who is killing their kind, and they need the Shadowhunters’ aid. In faerie, however, time moves at a different pace, thus Mark has hardly matured and doesn’t recognise his family. Is he ever going to come back to them? Will the faeries actually let it happen?
Love Square.
Renegades by Marissa Meyer.
The Renegades are a group of prodigies — people with exceptional powers — who rose from the wreckage of a crumbling society to bring peace and order to a place where chaos ruled. Except for the criminals they once toppled, they remain a symbol of hope and courage as advocates of justice.Nova has a grudge against the Renegades, and she’s out for vengeance. She meets Adrian, a Renegade youngster who believes in justice — and in Nova — as she comes closer to her target. Nova’s devotion, on the other hand, is to a villain who has the power to destroy them both.
The guy falls first.
The Selection by Kiera Cass.
The Selection is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for thirty-five females. The chance to break out from the life that has been carved out for them since birth. To be immersed in a world of gilded dresses and expensive gems. To live in a palace and fight for Prince Maxon’s affections.Being Selected, on the other hand, is a nightmare for America Singer. It means abandoning her hidden love for Aspen, a member of a lower caste. Leaving her home to compete for a crown she doesn’t desire in a heated competition. Living in a palace where deadly rebel attacks are a continuous concern.Then there’s America’s meeting with Prince Maxon. Gradually, she begins to doubt all of her expectations for herself, realising that the life she’s always envisaged may pale in comparison to a future she’s never imagined.
Friends to lovers.
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a terrific job, a supportive best friend, and a growing crush. That’s why she’s not happy to be sent to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Clair, that is. Étienne is smart, charming, and gorgeous, and he also has a serious relationship. However, in the City of Light, desires do come true. Will their long-awaited French kiss put a stop to a year of romantic near-misses?
A book for every romance trope. (part 1)
Love triangle.
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.
Avery Grambs has a plan for a brighter future: go through high school, obtain a scholarship, and leave. When millionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and gives Avery almost his entire wealth, her fortunes shift in an instant. What’s the catch? Avery doesn’t know why, or who Tobias Hawthorne is. Avery must move into the huge, hidden passage-filled Hawthorne House to accept her inheritance, where every room bears the old man’s touch—and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes.Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also home to the family that Tobias Hawthorne has recently evicted. The four Hawthorne grandchildren are among them: dangerous, charismatic, smart guys who grew up with the expectation of inheriting billions one day. Grayson Hawthorne, the heir apparent, is convinced that Avery is a scam artist and is determined to bring her down. Jameson, their grandfather’s final hurrah, sees her as a twisted conundrum, a puzzle to be solved. Avery will have to play the game herself to survive in a world of money and power, with danger lurking around every corner.
Grumpy and sunshine.
Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.
So starts the newest whirlwind romance from the bestselling writers of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has placed a red notebook full of dares on the shelf of a favourite bookshop, waiting for the right person to come along and accept them. Is Dash, however, the ideal person for the job? Or are Dash and Lily doomed to swap dares, aspirations, and wishes in a notebook they pass back and forth at various spots across New York? Could their real-life selves relate as well as their virtual ones? Or will they be a hilarious mismatch of epic proportions? Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have crafted a love storey that will have readers hunting for love on bookshop shelves.
Star-crossed lovers.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.
Ketterdam is a busy crossroads of international trade where anything can be gotten for the right price—a fact that criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker is well aware of. Kaz is offered the opportunity to take part in a dangerous robbery that may make him wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. But he won’t be able to do it alone…
A convicted criminal with a hunger for vengeance
A sniper who can’t afford to lose a bet
A fugitive from justice with a privileged past
The Wraith is a sassy spy.
A Heartrender uses her abilities to keep herself alive amid the slums.
A criminal with a knack for improbable escapes
If they don’t murder each other first, Kaz’s crew may be the only thing standing between the Earth and disaster.
Fake dating.
The Deal by Elle Kennedy.
Hannah Wells has finally met someone who makes her want to turn on. However, while she may be self-assured in other areas of her life, she carries a lot of baggage. She’ll have to push herself out of her comfort zone if she wants to capture her crush’s attention… even if it means teaching the obnoxious, juvenile, conceited captain of the hockey team in return for a fake date.Garrett Graham’s only ambition after graduation has always been to play professional hockey, but his slipping GPA is jeopardising everything he’s fought so hard for. He’s all for helping a caustic brunette make another guy envious if it means keeping his spot on the squad. Garrett quickly realises that pretending isn’t going to cut it as one unexpected kiss. Now all he needs to do is persuade Hannah that the man she desires resembles him.
I’m here to kill you.
The Wrath and The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh.
Each morning brings misery to a new family in a kingdom controlled by a bloodthirsty boy-king. Khalid, Khorasan’s eighteen-year-old Caliph, is a monster. He takes a new wife every night, only to have a silk chain tied around her throat the next morning. When Shahrzad’s sixteen-year-old best friend is murdered by Khalid, he swears revenge and offers to be his next wife. Shahrzad is determined not just to survive, but also to put a stop to the caliph’s reign of terror.Shahrzad seduces Khalid night after night, telling him enthralling stories and securing her survival, despite the fact that she knows each morning may be her last. But then something unexpected happens: Khalid turns out to be nothing like she had imagined him to be. This monster is a young boy who has a broken heart. Surprisingly, Shahrzad finds herself in love. What gives that this is possible? It’s a heinous act of treachery. Even nevertheless, Shahrzad has come to realise that not everything in this marble and stone mansion is as it appears. She vows to find whatever secrets are hidden and, despite her love for him, to kill Khalid in retaliation for the numerous lives he has stolen. Will their love be able to endure in this world of secrets and stories?
Enemies to lovers.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black.
When ude’s parents were slain, she and her two sisters were kidnapped and taken to the perilous High Court of Faerie. Jude, despite her mortality, wants nothing more than to belong there ten years later. However, many fey loathe humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the High King’s youngest and most vicious son.She must resist him–and bear the consequences–in order to get a seat on the Court.Jude finds her own propensity for deception and slaughter as she becomes further immersed in palace intrigues and deceptions. But, when treason threatens to drown the Faerie Courts in bloodshed, Jude will have to put her life on the line in a hazardous partnership to preserve her sisters and Faeri.
The Prince and the Commonner.
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard.
This is a universe where blood is separated into two types: red and silver. The Reds are commoners who are dominated by a Silver elite who wield godlike abilities. And it appears that nothing will ever change for Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the impoverished Stilts. That is, until she is offered a job at the Silver Palace. Mare realises that, despite her crimson blood, she wields a lethal power of her own here, surrounded by the individuals she despises the most. One that poses a challenge to the power equilibrium. Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers declare her a long-lost Silver princess who is now betrothed to a Silver prince and conceal her in plain sight.Mare works quietly to aid the Red Guard, a militant opposition group, in overthrowing the Silver dictatorship, despite the fact that one error would result in her execution. Mare has engaged a hazardous dance—Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart—in this realm of treachery and deception.
RAJESHWARI KUWAR_OOPJ_CA3
ENCAPSULATION IN JAVA WITH EXAMPLES
BY- RAJESHWARI KUWAR
The process of binding data and corresponding methods (behavior) together into a single unit is called encapsulation in Java.
In other words, encapsulation is a programming technique that binds the class members (variables and methods) together and prevents them from being accessed by other classes.
Thereby, we can keep variables and methods safes from outside interference and misuse.
Every Java class is an example of encapsulation because we write everything within the class only that binds variables and methods together and hides their complexity from other classes.
Another example of encapsulation is a capsule. Basically, the capsule encapsulates several combinations of medicine.
If combinations of medicine are variables and methods then the capsule will act as a class and the whole process is called Encapsulation as shown in the below figure.
In the encapsulation technique, we declare fields as private in the class to prevent other classes from accessing them directly. The required encapsulated data can be accessed by using the public Java getter and setter method.
If the field is declared private in the class, then it cannot be accessed by anyone from outside the class and hides the field within the class. Therefore, it is also called data hiding.
Let’s understand Encapsulation in java better by taking real-time examples.
Realtime Example of Encapsulation in Java
Example 1:
Schoolbag is one of the most real examples of Encapsulation. Schoolbags can keep our books, pens, etc.
Example 2:
When you log into your email accounts such as Gmail, Yahoo Mail, or Rediff mail, there is a lot of internal processes taking place in the backend and you have no control over it.
When you enter the password for logging, they are retrieved in an encrypted form and verified, and then you are given access to your account.
You do not have control over it that how the password has been verified. Thus, it keeps our account safe from being misused.
Example 3:
Suppose you have an account in the bank. If your balance variable is declared as a public variable in the bank software, your account balance will be known as public, in this case, anyone can know your account balance. So, would you like it? Obviously, No.
So, they declare the balance variable as private for making your account safe, so that anyone cannot see your account balance.
The person who has to see his account balance, will have to access only private members through methods defined inside that class and this method will ask your account holder name or user Id, and password for authentication.
Thus, we can achieve security by utilizing the concept of data hiding. This is called Encapsulation in Java.
How to achieve or implement Encapsulation in Java
There are two important points whereby we can achieve or implement encapsulation in the Java program.
1. Declaring the instance variable of the class as private. so that it cannot be accessed directly by anyone from outside the class.
2. Provide the public setter and getter methods in the class to set/modify the values of the variable/fields.
Advantages
There are the following advantages of encapsulation in Java. They are as follows:
1. The encapsulated code is more flexible and easier to change with new requirements.
2. It prevents the other classes to access the private fields.
3. Encapsulation allows modifying implemented code without breaking other code that has implemented the code.
4. It keeps the data and codes safe from external inheritance. Thus, Encapsulation helps to achieve security.
5. It improves the maintainability of the application.
6. If you don’t define the setter method in the class then the fields can be made read-only.
7. If you don’t define the getter method in the class then the fields can be made write-only.
A disadvantage of Encapsulation in Java
The main disadvantage of encapsulation in Java is it increases the length of the code and slows shutdown execution.
Things to do after BA in English Literature
BA in English Literature is an undergraduate course that is opted for following the completion of the 10+2 formal schooling. Do you have a knack for analysing poetry or writing one? Are you keen about learning the history and evolution of different forms of arts and literature? Then a BA in English Literature was an ideal choice for your graduation. Many great inventions today across different fields such as astronomy, engineering and medicine are influenced by ancient literature and several art forms.
For example, Nicolaus Copernicus’ book “The revolutions of the celestial spheres” popularised the heliocentric theory that proposed the sun as the centre of the universe. With the majority of students opting for medical, engineering or legal degrees, Bachelor of Arts as a degree course is often undermined. There are a lot of common misconceptions and stigmas surrounding this graduation course.
- Students studying BA in English Literature are assumed to lackluster in studies.
- It is a course often idealised as suitable for women.
- Students opting for BA in English LIterature can only become a teacher or professor.
Many students graduate in English Literature as they are passionate about what the course has to offer. Although women are the majority among English Literature graduates, Men also specialise in this field and go on to pursue post graduation alongside women.
As we have debunked some of the misconceptions and stigmas surrounding BA in English Literature, let us look at the doors of opportunities this course leads us to.
Courses to take up after BA In English Literature
BA in English Literature is a three year graduation course that familiarises you with the evolution of English language and its literature through plays, different forms of poems, novels and theatre. Its curriculum consists of literary analysis, literary criticism and communication skills. Graduating in English Literature qualifies you for several job opportunities and higher studies.
For further specialisation or better job opportunities, doing a Masters course following BA in English Literature might be an ideal choice.
Here are the following courses you can consider following your graduation in English Literature.
Master of Arts in Communication
MA in Communication is a postgraduate program for the duration of 2 years which equips students with information regarding transmitting messages and principles of communication.
This masters course prepares its candidates for professions such as film directors, producers, screenwriters, journalists, public relations officers, and other professional careers.
Eligibility
- Minimum requirement for admission to MA in Communication is a Bachelor’s degree in any stream from a recognized university.
- Students must have secured 50% in their bachelor’s degree course.
- Candidates may be required to pass entrance exams conducted by specific colleges or universities.
Employment Opportunities
Choosing MA in Communication following BA in English Literature can set you up for the following employment roles.
- Television or Film Director
- Content Writer
- Event Management
- Digital Marketing Expert
- Journalist
- Public Relations Professionals
Master of Arts in Sociology
MA in Sociology is a postgraduate program like MA in Communication. Students keen about social studies, politics and economics can pursue this masters course following BA in English Literature. The MA Sociology curriculum consists of the study of religion and society, political society, Indian society, economy and society, social development, and research in sociology.
Eligibility
- Interested candidates must be graduated in any stream of education from a reputed university.
- Candidates must have scored a minimum of 50% in the undergraduate level.
- Some colleges expect students to be a graduate in psychology while the others accept candidates across different streams.
- Colleges conduct entrance exams that need to be cleared by the admission seeking candidates.
Employment Opportunities
MA in Sociology opens doors to an expansive range of career opportunities after your graduation in English Literature. Following are some of the job profiles that might get you interested.
- Counselors
- PR Executives
- Administrators
- Educators
- Sociologist
- Researcher
Master of Arts in English Literature
Nothing seems more appropriate than studying for MA in English Literature post your graduation from BA in English Literature. This post graduation course in English Literature is the study of ancient and modern English literature, consisting of poetry, drama and fiction. Literature in the English language is not only written by English authors from England but also writers from across the world.
Post graduation in English Literature sets you up for job profiles such as a teacher or a journalist. Candidates interested in writing and translating for agencies can also benefit from this masters course.
Eligibility
- Already being a graduate in English Literature, one needs to make sure that he or she has earned upto 50% marks to be qualified for admission.
- Your graduation course should be from a recognized university.
- Admissions can be provided on both merit basis as well as clearance of entrance exams.
Employment Opportunities
Upon completion of your post graduation course, you will be qualified for the following job profiles.
- English Language Specialist
- Translator / Interpreter
- English Teacher
- English Editor
- Junior Parliamentary Reporter
Bachelor of Law (LLB)
Bachelor of Law is a popular choice for higher studies among graduates of English Literature. A degree in LLB familiarises students with environmental law, consumer protection act, arbitration, and insurance law including others. Following the completion of Bachelor in Law, candidates can opt to study LLM (Masters of Law) for further specialisation, practice law after registering with certain agencies or take up careers as legal professionals in public or private sectors.
Eligibility
- Students aspiring to study Bachelor of Law must have graduated from a recognized university with an aggregate of 45% in any stream.
- Selection for the course is based on the results from entrance exams such as SLAT, CUET, and CLAT.
Employment Opportunities
Careers after a Bachelor of Law are not confined to courtroom duties involving defending clients. Law graduates today have scope for job profiles in corporate firms, legal agencies, IT firms, and administrative services. Following are some of the job profiles mentioned below.
- HR Manager
- Legal Advisor
- Lawyer
- Attorney
- Legal Manager
Bachelor of Education
Graduates who want to begin a career in the field of teaching can further study Bachelor of Education. This post graduation course acquaints the candidates with different learning methods and Pedagogy of a school subject. The course lasts for a duration of 3 to 4 years.
After the completion of B.Ed, clearing aptitude tests such as TET and CTET will qualify you for teaching in primary and secondary schools.
Eligibility
- A bachelor’s degree from a recognized university with 50% aggregate marks.
- A master’s degree from a recognized university with 50% aggregate marks.
- Aspirants for B.Ed must be at least 21 years old, irrespective of their graduation or post graduation.
Job Profiles
Job profiles for B.Ed graduates are usually related to the field of teaching. One can become a teacher with specialisation in a particular subject or head teacher in a primary or secondary school.
Happy Learning!
References
Vinayak Kashyap, mycourseguru.in/courses after ba english/
Team Careers360 | Updated on Sep 29, 2021 – 3:32 p.m. IST career360.com/10 best career options to progress with after llb degree/
5 Scientific benefits of dark chocolate consumption
To all the chocolate lovers out there, did you know that consumption of chocolate can be beneficial for your health too? Well, Dark chocolate i.e chocolate containing cocoa solids and cocoa butter sans the milk and butter generally found in milk chocolate has been scientifically proven to provide potential health benefits to humans.
Listed below are 5 benefits of dark Chocolates:
1) Good for skin
The cocoa in dark chocolate contains flavonoids which helps our body to function more effectively. It fights off toxins and stressers and acts as a natural source of anti oxidant that helps in slowing down the ageing process in humans!
2)It is good for heart
Some of the compounds in dark chocolate especially flavanols helps in fighting off high blood pressure and high cholestrol which are the two major risk factors in heart disease. Henceforth, regukar consumption if dark chocolate may lessen the likelihood of a person developing heart diseases.
3) Improves brain function
According to researchers, dark chocolate may improve brain functions and prevent neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. According to a small study held in 2018, reasearchers suggested that the flavanols present in dark chocolate may improve neuroplasticity which is the brain’s ability to reorganise itself in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli.
4) Improves blood sugar levels
Regular consumption of dark chocolate has been found to be helpful in metabolisation of glucose. A study in 2017 in the journal Appetite showed that participants who rarely consumed dark chocolate had higher risks of developing diabetes five years down the road when compared to participants who consume dark chocolate at least once per week.
5) May help with weight loss
Researchers suggest that dark chocolate may play a role in controlling appetite which in turn could help with weight loss. In the books Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight written by neuroscientist Will Clower suggests how eating a bit of dark chocolate before or after meals triggers hormones that signal to the brain you are full. However, proper diet chart and regular exercising should be done to help in successful weight loss.
India and Quality Education – SDG 4
Education is an integral part for the mental development of a human being. Not just education on paper but ‘Quality Education’ which in turn allows the beings to add to the well-being of themselves as well as others without comprising anyone’s needs. Given the importance of quality education in ensuring sustainable growth of the world, one of the sustainable development goals is “Ensure Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Promote Lifelong Learning Opportunities for All” (SDG 4).
Around 11 indicators have been decided by UNDP to ensure Quality Education across countries, which are:
- Free Primary and Secondary Education
- Equal Access to Quality Pre-Primary Education
- Equal Access to Affordable Technical, Vocational and Higher Education
- Increase the number of people with relevant skills for financial success
- Eliminate all discrimination in education
- Universal literacy and numeracy
- Education for sustainable development and global citizenship
- Build and upgrade inclusive and safe schools – in terms of electricity, toilets (including gender neutral toilets), apt infrastructure for disables, gender inclusive.
- Expand higher education scholarships for developing countries – by ensuring the sufficient volume of ‘Official Development Assistance’ flows for scholarships.
- Increase the supply of qualified teachers in developing schools
- Custodian agencies such as UNDP
The article attempts to throw light on the performance of India in the sphere of Education based on NSSO Education data. It is with no doubt that India has made great strides in this particular aspect but the challenges are always present – which will be taken up in the later section of the article.
As per the data, in 2014, total urban literacy rate stood at 86% (male: 91%; female: 81%) while total rural literacy rate was 71% (male: 80%; female: 61%). The difference between rural and urban male and female literacy rate is quite large. The reasons among many can be lack of initiatives; income-deficit; ingrained favoritism; lack of safe and inclusive schooling etc.
To better understand the Gender-gap/parity, data on Gender-Parity Index (GPI) based on Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER). It has been defined as “the ratio of GER of female students enrolled at Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Levels of education to the corresponding ratio of male students at that level” (ESAG, 2018). During 2015-16, the gender parity stood at 1.03 (Primary); 1.05 (Elementary); 1.01 (Senior-Secondary) to 0.92 (Higher Education). While up to +2 level, gender parity favors females but when it comes to higher education, it favors males. Interestingly, if we focus on the annual dropout rate in school education, 2014-15, it will come to notice that boys dropout percentage is higher in secondary (17.21%) than girls (16.88%).
To get a better grasp of gender equation, the article looks into the teaching section. The data for percentage of teachers who are females, 2014 speaks that the percentage is less than 50 at all levels – with dropping percentage as we move from Primary (49.49%), Secondary (43.21%) to Tertiary (39.03%).
Evaluation of reasons for dropout among both males and females as per NSSO brings out – for males, engagement in economic activities has been vetoed as the major reason while for females, reasons such as engagement in domestic activities followed by marriage stand out. The distance between home and school has also been one of the reasons of dropout among females.
Another set of data released by UNESCO as part of the realization of SDG 4 – ‘State of the Education Report: No Teacher, No Class’ for India, 2021 can be used as reference to right the wrongs, fill in the holes in the education scenario of the country. The report points out that there is shortage of 11.6 lakh teachers and about 1.2 lakh are single-teacher school, with 89% being in rural areas. However, in the private sector, the pupil teacher ratio increased from 21% in 2013-14 to 35% in 2018-19. With variation among states, the national average for percentage of females employed stands at 50.
The pandemic has only thrown obstacles testing the efficiency of the country in this sphere. As the world and its works shifted online, this country and sector did too. The shifting to online classes has led to many dropouts, leading to a break in the education of many pupils. When it comes to teaching, the country has faced certain inadequacy in the percentage of trained government school teacher – to use and teach using electronical devises. The Hindu (2021) reports that only 15% of government school teachers were trained and about 31% in private school.
However, when the world was still in offline mode and so the sector – various government schemes had benefitted the children. In this era of everything being online – government need to come up with new schemes focusing towards digital India, co-operating with various grassroot levels can be quite helpful in percolating the benefits to lower levels.
Image Credit: Google
The Awe-Inspiring Journey of Captain Lakshmi
The era of Indian Independence Struggle is one of the most painful and shattering phases in the country’s history. But it was also a period which saw the emergence of some of the finest leaders of the country.
Captain Lakshmi Sehgal is one such leader who ardently fought for the freedom of India. At a time when most Indian women rarely stepped outside of their society approved roles, here was a woman who not only broke all the social conventions but also aced her roles as a firebrand revolutionary and a medical practitioner.
Early Life
Born to a progressive family in Madras, to S.Swaminathan, a criminal lawyer at Madras High Court and A.V Ammukutty, a renowned social worker and activist, Lakshmi Sehgal aka Captain Lakshmi was an iron lady who dedicated her entire life to public service in various capacities. She wore many hats: she was the commander of Rani of Jhansi regiment – the all-women regiment of the Indian National Army, a doctor, social activist and a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Right from her childhood, she never missed a chance to voice her opinions or rebel against the social evils. She came from a family of active Gandhi supporters who had strong nationalist leanings, so it was only natural that she was drawn into the ongoing freedom struggle.
Lakshmi Swaminathan to Captain Lakshmi – The Journey
In 1940, she left for Singapore, where she set up a clinic with a focus on making medical treatment and facilities available for people from all walks of life. Meanwhile, she also joined the Indian Independence League, formed by Rashbehari Bose. It was around this time, in 1942, that an army for Indian independence was formed by Captain Mohan Singh and a few other Indian war prisoners in Singapore. The army was slowly losing its initial momentum due to the lack of a firm commitment from the Japanese side regarding their participation in the war. It was the arrival of Subhash Chandra Bose which proved to be a real game changer for the Indian independence movement in Singapore.
Captain Lakshmi was one among the many who had gathered to listen to Bose while he addressed the crowd in 1943 at Singapore. He was keen on forming an army not only composed of Indian war prisoners but also of civilian Indians settled in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. He also wanted to create an all-women regiment.
Rani of Jhansi Regiment
The turning point in Lakshmi Sehgal’s life came when she was asked by Netaji to form and lead the all-women regiment. Whether it was healing wounds or holding firearms, she always put her heart and soul into whatever she did. This young woman took charge and managed to mobilise around 25-30 women for the regiment. These were mostly second or third generation Indian women who had grown up in South East Asia, who were fighting for the freedom of their motherland that they hadn’t even seen. Her ability to galvanize such a group of civilians, train them and form a regiment speaks volumes about her determination and charisma.That was the beginning of the Rani of Jhansi regiment and her life as Captain Lakshmi.
The INA marched to Burma in 1944, but before they could enter Imphal they had to beat a retreat and she, along with others, was captured by the British army. She was placed under house arrest in Burma and was later sent to India in 1946.
She was a woman of mettle and nothing could ever dampen her spirits. She continued to fight for the freedom of the country once she was back in India and actively campaigned for the release and rehabilitation of the imprisoned INA personnel. Her fight for freedom continued even after the release of the war prisoners, including Col.Prem Kumar Sehgal, in March 1947. Later she got married to Col.Prem Kumar Sehgal and moved to Kanpur.
Later Life
For a person as enthusiastic and passionate as her, every day was a new opportunity to serve her country and its people. She continued her medical practice in Kanpur and was actively involved in providing aid for the refugees pouring into the country following the partition.
In the early 1970s, through her daughter Subhashini who had joined CPI(M), it was brought to her attention the need for doctors and medical supplies for the refugees from Bangladesh. She didn’t have to think twice before packing up enough supplies, clothes and medicines and leaving for Calcutta to provide her service in the Bangladesh refugee camps along the border areas.Her ideologies were inherently communist, and hence, she joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in 1971 and represented the party in Rajya Sabha.
She never shied away from going out onto the streets of Kanpur during the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, to confront the anti-Sikh mobs and to ensure the safety of the Sikhs and Sikh establishments near her clinic. She participated actively in the restoration of peace during the riots.
She was rightly called Captain Lakshmi for she was a born leader. Be it leading the campaigns and activities of the All India Democratic Women’s Association or the medical camps in Bhopal following the Gas Tragedy, she conducted it all with ardent passion and dedication.
Her charisma, dedication and undying spirit to fight for what she believes in were a few of the many reasons why she was selected jointly by all four leftist parties as the sole opponent of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in the 2002 Presidential elections. In spite of knowing that her chances of winning are slim, she took that as a golden opportunity to scrutinise a political system that allowed the weeds of poverty and injustice to grow by feeding divisive and irrational thoughts to the society.
At an age when most people retired to the comforts of their homes, she regularly treated patients at her clinic. Service to humanity was the motto of her life and she never let her age get in the way of service.
She was honoured with Padma Vibhushan in 1998 and was also bestowed with an honorary doctorate by Calicut University.
Captain Lakshmi was one such person who was hard to box in by the conventions of the society. During the course of her entire life, which was only a couple of years short of a century, she had seen it all – the colonial rule, India’s struggle for independence and the post-independence nation building and transformation of the country. And through it all, she had been an active contributor to the society, who always positioned herself firmly on the side of the oppressed and needy.
Captain Lakshmi passed away on 23rd July 2012 following a cardiac arrest, but not before leaving behind her a legacy of sheer will, compassion and valour, which continues to inspire thousands of people across the country.
ACCIDENTAL INVENTIONS
The history is full of stories about the great
inventions of man-kind. These are the inventions that now make our life easier as
well as convenient. But some of these came into existence accidentally. Despite
that they made a huge change in fields of science and also our life-style. Below
is six- great inventions that were accidentally invented.
Saccharin-Artificial sweetener
Constantin Fahlberg,
a Russian chemist, was working in his lab right after which he went to have sandwiches
without washing his hands. He realized that the usual sandwich is sweeter. Upon
realizing that he discovered that his hand was covered with the compound,
benzoic sulfinide, formed after reaction of o-sulfobenzoic acid with phosphorus
chloride and ammonia is the one he tasted. Under different circumstances this
could have been a health hazard, but luckily he invented something edible.
Pace maker
Wilson Greatbatch, a professor of engineering at the
University of Buffalo, in the year of 1956 accidentally invented the pacemaker.
He was working on building a device that would record the heart beats and ended
up finding the device is giving off electric pulses, similar to that of a heartbeat.
Later Greatbatch then introduced his invention to a surgeon, William Chardack, with
whom he was to successfully abled control a dog’s heartbeat. And after few
years, in 1960, it was able to work on humans too.
Penicillin
One of the man-kinds best invention, Penicillin was invented
on accident. In the year of 1928, DR. Alexander Fleming left out his culture
Staphylococcus aureus in his lab two week. He was about to throw it away before
finding that its growth had being prevented by the mold called Penicillium
notatum. From there he isolated the mold and ran tests to determine that penicillin
has antibacterial effect on staphylococci and other gram-positive pathogens.
Champagne
The monks of the champagne, having the best access to
grapes, decided to make white wine. Since it was cold it hindered the fermentation
process and when the spring came, wine containers were filled with carbon
dioxide. The excess of carbon dioxide caused carbonation in the drink. To fix
this, French monk named Dom Pierre Perigon came over to champagne handle it. But
later people decide that the carbonation made the drink fizzy and hence tastier.
Popsicles
When Frank Epperson was 11-years old, he mixed some
soda power with water and left it in the freezer overnight completely by
accident. The next day he decided to lick the frozen soda solution and was delighted
by its taste. The young boy originally named it as ‘epsicle’, combining icicles
and his name, but later he changed it into what we know it as popsicles.
Superglue
Harry Coover, in the year of 1942, was searching for a
material that he could use to build clear plastic gun sights for the war, but
ended up with a chemical substance that would stick to everything it made
contact with. Despite that, his invention was rejected since the researcher
didn’t find any use of the sticky substance. Later in the 1951, the formulation
was innovated by Cooper and Fred Joyner as ‘alcohol-catalyzed Cyanoacrylate
Adhesive compositions’ or as we know superglue. And from the on the superglue
was embraced as one of the most useful invention.
SELF-IMAGE AND PERSONALITY
Self-image and personality are two inseparable parts. Actually self is about the impression that we pose on others about ourselves. It is the central dominating and influencing component of one’s personality. Self-image is the concrete conscious awareness of our own self concerning all phases of one’s life, i.e., personal, social, intellectual, mental, and spiritual phases.
Our personality directly or indirectly depends on our acceptance of our image. If we accept and love ourselves, then we will possess a warm and pleasing personality, resulting in adjusting and being able to survive in society. Bernard Shaw once observes, “keep yourself clean and bright for you are the window through which you see the world.”
Society, the people around us, the people with us all impose their identity, feelings, emotions, and mentality into our individuality which may prove beneficial or fatal for our personality. A well-balanced self-image is one of the essentials of a well-balanced personality.
We all are different, we all are unique and that uniqueness of ours makes us beautiful and perfect incorporated with imperfections. We need to accept ourselves more than we focus on others’ validation.
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