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.”

Because Self-acceptance is IMPORTANT

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.

Social Evils that prevail in India

Photo by Nothing Ahead on Pexels.com

India is a country which is known for its diverse heritage and mesmerizing culture. However, it also has some unavoidable rigid belief systems or evils which, if not reformed, can be really harmful for the Indian society. Such social evils can also be harmful for the growth and progress of the society.

Social evils can be defined as the toxic beliefs due to which the societal progress is hindered. Such evils can be born out of sheer ignorance or blind faith in religion or culture or both. These evils are not only harmful for the believers themselves but for the society as a whole.

There have been several personalities who, in order to bring reforms in the society, tackled and attempted to remove the practices of some rigid belief systems which, in turn, brought reforms in the society.

Here are some evils that either prevailed or still prevail in India due to the stiff nature of the society:

The Caste system:

The caste system has its roots in the ancient Indian society where the common folks were divided into four categories on the basis of their skills and abilities. Those categories consisted of Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra.

But as the time passed, this system became so rigid that the people belonging to the higher castes were seen as superior to those of the lower castes. Brahmins were known to be next to God and were respected by almost everybody. On the other hand, the Shudras were discriminated and were considered as ‘Untouchables’. Although the Indian Constitution has outlawed the practice of Untouchability, it still exists in some parts of the Indian Society.

The Dowry system:

The word ‘dowry’ means payment (of property or money) from the bride’s parents to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. This stems from the belief that a daughter is a liability for her parents and for her bright future she has to be married off to a decent groom. In order to get a good marriage prospect, the bride’s family starts saving money as soon as the daughter is born. This puts an unimaginable of amount of burden on the bride’s family.

This system has also made many Indian women victims of the atrocious crimes by the groom and his family. There have been many cases where crimes against women were committed by their husbands or their in-laws. In such cases, women had to go through unimaginable physical and emotional abuse.

Although we have laws in the constitution against the practice of the Dowry System, it is still practised in some of India. The government is taking measures to eradicate this system by bringing in policies to educate and the girls and parents of the country. They have also started schemes to aware the parents about the negative outcomes of the Dowry system.

Female Infanticide:

Female infanticide is the intentional and deliberate killing of a baby girl once she is born due to the preference for a baby boy. Even though this is an illegal practice, people in some parts of India still practice it. According to a census in 2001, there are only 933 females to every 1000 men. Another census in the year 2011 showed a decline in the Child Sex Ratio (CSR) where there were only 918 females to every 1000 men.

Female infanticide is more prevalent than male infanticide in south Asian countries like India and China due to cultural reasons. In the Indian Society, some families kill their new born daughters to avoid the burden of paying Dowry to the groom or his family. For families with several daughters, it can be a huge financial burden and hence, killing the baby girl seems like an easier option to them.

The Indian government has tried to take several initiatives to tackle and eradicate this issue. In several Indian states, the government took the responsibility of educating the girl child which, in turn, freed the parents from their financial burden.

These are some of the dreadful evils in the Indian society which need to be tackled and solved so that a better and more reformed society can be created. However, there are more such evils like Poverty, superstitions and corruption. These issues have become pretty common in the Indian Society.

With the years passing by, these issues have risen instead of coming to an end. Therefore, proper action must be taken by the government and the society to change the mindset of the existing society.

Google honors Dr. Kamal Ranadive with a Google doodle on her birthday

IMAGE: GOOGLE

On the occasion of the 104th birth anniversary of Dr Kamal Ranadive, an Indian biomedical researcher, Google dedicated a Google doodle to her where she can be seen holding a microscope. She is well-known for her revolutionary cancer research and her commitment towards promoting social justice through education and science.

Dr. Kamal Ranadive was born in Pune on November 8, 1917. Her father, who was a biologist, encouraged her to study medicine but she had different aspirations. She decided to study botany and zoology as her main subjects and got her Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in the same field from Fergusson College in Pune. She then moved to the Agriculture College in Pune for her post-graduation.

She successfully won a doctorate in Cytology (also known as cell studies) in the same year as working as a researcher at the Indian Cancer Research Center (ICRC), and thereafter, was qualified to gain a fellowship at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA. She thereafter returned to India and established the first tissue culture laboratory in the country in Mumbai.

She closely examined the links between cancer and different viruses, and also the link between breast cancer and heredity. She also studied Mycobacterium leprae (a type of bacterium that causes leprosy) and gave her contribution in the development of a leprosy vaccine.

Dr. Kamal Ranadive and a few of her workmates initiated the establishment of the Indian Women Scientists’ Association (IWSA) in the year 1973 to promote women in the scientific field. The organization as of now has 11 branches across the country. It provides scholarships and childcare to women in working or researching in the scientific area.

Ranadive received the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award, in 1982 for her contributions to medicine. In 1964, the Medical Council of India presented her with the first Silver Jubilee Research Award. This award comprised of a gold medal and an amount of Rs. 15000. Another award that she received was the G. J. Watumal Foundation Prize in 1964 for her work in leprosy.

Dr Kamal Ranadive was loved and admired by many of her students and colleagues. They fondly called her ‘bai’. She always encouraged her colleagues and students to work and do various scientific researches in their own country. She also worked in rural Maharashtra after her retirement, training women as healthcare professionals and teaching them about health and nutrition.

Dr. Kamal Ranadive passed away in the year 2001 but she still continues to inspire the youth especially the women of this country to work hard and be an inspiration for many.

A man called Ove: Review

A book beyond the principles of judgment and society, barring the barriers of age, this masterpiece will remold your soul towards the kvetches in your life. A man called Ove, Created and written miraculously by Fredrick Backman, is a thin but infinitely everlasting book that will always stay with you once you turn the last page. As described on the cover page, it is a story about a man called Ove, and the short but satisfactory chronicles of his life. Being a cranky curmudgeon, he has a big habit of floccinaucinihillipilliphication. Big word, isn’t it? Google it (secretly gushing). He basically thinks every new technological thing that he cannot understand is paltry. His neighbors, His friends, everyone thinks he is an old trout. Well, when you are always seen with disgust and disappointment searing in your eyes, you wouldn’t expect much. But if you get to know the man who is called ‘the sorehead’, there is something irresistibly beautiful about Ove.

The story starts with a pouty old man who is seen buying an IPad or at least trying to buy an IPad, with a ‘you just broke my most precious possession and now I am going to kill you’ look. At that moment, the bewitching chronicle takes its first step into a beautiful tale about love, lived and lost.

Ove is a man who believes in practicality. Inaccuracy. In reality. Having a mighty adoration for tools, he was a straightforward man with no tolerance for nonsense, contrasting opinions, or even a happy sunshiny personality. Even after all this, there were so many things about Ove that were magnificent and adorable. That man’s life was simply great, he was arrogant, but down to earth. A man with a heart too big.

You’ll only feel the inklings of dismay and somewhat a sigh as the right side of the gem grows thinner page by page. The words start to reach the deepest core of our hearts, the dark noir on the crisp paper seems like the only world to exist. This little infinite tale will make you laugh out loud, and cry till you can’t breathe. My heart goes out to the author who has created such a magical fable, such an everlasting magnet of love and appreciation. Thank you. Fredrick Backman. Well done. Overall, I recommend this book to you, and I will do it again and again. Believe me.

it is worth it.

Lessons we learn from watching Squid Game

Image by <a href="Image by Chetraruc from Pixabay“>Pixabay

Around 400 people sign-up to participate in games that they might have played during their childhood. Winners are promised cash prizes worth billions! Sounds too good to be true right? However, here’s the catch. Failing to succeed in these games may cause you to lose not only the money, but also your life! If that wasn’t shocking enough, with each eliminated player, more money gets added on to the intended cash prize. The events that follow post this realization forms the rest of the story in this series. 

This Netflix series went on to earn critical acclaim upon its release. Millions of viewers across 94 countries tuned in to watch this thriller series. Its gripping plotline will surely keep you at the edge of your seats! But with the statistics and its popularity aside, let us look at some of the lessons this South Korean survival-drama taught us viewers. 

If you haven’t watched the series yet. Be warned, there are serious spoilers ahead!

  1. Kindness can come from the strangest of places.

Image by <a href="Image by 🌞 Myriam 🌞 Dreamer from Pixabay“>Pixabay

The very first game in the series stands as a witness to this claim. Amidst all the chaos and panic that erupted due to the massacre in the game ‘Red light, Green light’. A character named Ali had the heart to lend a helping hand to Gi-hun, one of the pivotal characters in the series. He risked his life to save a complete stranger during a life or death situation. 

This certainly gives the viewers a hope that help will surely come during the different walks of life. It also encourages us to lend a helping hand like Ali, irrespective of familiarity with the person or the kind of situation. 

  1. As you sow, so you reap.

 

In the Squid Game series, Gi-hun’s generosity towards Il-nam was truly heartwarming. When nobody expected Il-nam to stand a chance in the games. Gi-hun stood by his side, encouraged him and supported him when necessary. However, little did he know that the person he was helping was much more than a frail old man with brain tumor. His kindness earned him the favor of a multi-billionaire well wisher who turned his life around for the better. Well….financially at least. 

  1. Being strong is good, but thinking smart can take you a long way. 

Image by Burst Shopify

Take the game of ‘Tug of war’ from the Squid Game series for example. The opponent team appeared strong indeed. But we were rooting for the team that consisted of a relatively less muscular batch of players. With the addition of a frail old man in the team, their chances of winning were very less. But Il-nam the old man was full of surprises! 

The techniques of winning the game that he shared with the team gave them a temporary upper hand over their opponents.  When they seemed to be losing in front of their opponents’ sheer strength. Sang Woo’s idea of the element of surprise brought them a life-saving victory over their adversaries. Moral of the story: Be strong, think smart. 

  1. Money is important, try not to run out of it.

The billionaires who created the squid games, played with the desperation of almost 400 money deprived people. Many of the participants were in huge debts and needed the cash prize to survive in the real world. Although one can do more than just survive with the cash prize on the line, greed and need forced the common and subtle people to go up to extreme lengths. 

Hence, it is better to be educated, find a stable job, have insurance for your future, and make investments and expenditures wisely. Sang Woo from the Squid Game series is often criticised for the deceit he carried on against his friends and trustees. But it isn’t hard to understand why he did what he did. After drowning upto his neck with financial difficulties and his lonely mother waiting for him. Anyone would have done the same thing if they were in his shoes.

  1. Sure, Money is important. But money isn’t happiness

Image by Burst Shopify

 Winning the intended cash prize along with the 455 others’ share of money. Gi-hun indeed won big in life. But what was left of him by the end of the Squid Game was a traumatized soul after witnessing the death of his friends and the dead body of his mother. 

Il-nam, who is revealed to be the billionaire master-mind behind the squid game, couldn’t buy joy and happiness with all the money he had. As he participated in the games alongside the other participants, he experienced happiness as he re-lived his childhood memories and found a good friend in Gi-hun. But his idea of Squid Game was inhumane and barbaric. 

The series ends with Il-nam dying, having made a questionable decision about starting the Squid Game and being the reason for the deaths of almost 400 people. Gi-hun is shown moving to the US after a significant makeover with his appearance, only to discover the Squid Game’s establishers seeking the next batch of participants for their game. 

Reflecting on a quote

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

If we turn the pages of history it will be vivid that the root of every revolution – be it French Revolution or India’s struggle for freedom – lies in the vision that was bestowed on the leaders through education. Raja Rammohan Roy, known as the Father of Modern India was one of the pioneers of socio-religious movements in 19th Century. Having been educated in modern sciences, literature, he chose the path of modernization and not the westernisation of natives. B.R Ambedkar was not just bluffing or rambling around when he wanted people belonging to the so-called, “lower castes” to be educated which would lead to their ultimate emancipation. Mahatma Gandhi who led many mass movements is the best manifestation of how powerful this weapon is!

Now, let’s not confuse between a literate and an educated one, doing so will make you look so not educated and so literate! Back then in the 19th Century, many elite and middle class were literate but only educated visionaries took a stand for what they thought would lead to the ultimate well-being of the people – be it Dayanand Saraswati’s “Back to Vedas” or Narayan Guru’s effort towards the upliftment of the lower sections of society or even Greta Thunberg’s “Friday for Future.”

The youth anywhere have that caged, powerful energy within them and the lack of proper channelization of energy is the sole reason for high crime rates, for escalating crisis in the world. If only it was imparted education on how to put to use that powerful flow of energy we wouldn’t have to read about heinous crimes, about devastating effect of environmental degradation, about all those taboos prevailing in the society taking its toll on people’s lives every day.

The reason that we are in the midst of such a grave crisis, which seems like every good thing is retreating from our life, from our world is because the ones who are literate did not actually turn out to be educated. They have actually let everything slide away, being so keen on getting a degree, a job in this ever-competitive world and meeting their aspirations; but these aspirations might turn out to be futile in the long run if the knowledge we possess has never been used to bring a change in ourselves nor in others while the world still continues to wait for someone to come to its rescue. It’s time that we become that “someone”.

It’s high time that we use education, the weapon that we possess to fight against the evils and to change the mind-set of people. It is not a work that would be done overnight like an assignment but it will be a long one which might go on for years. However, the important concern is that it needs to be started with oneself, bringing changes at micro level, moving towards the greater goal. After all, it’s those “little drops of water that makes the mighty ocean.”

It is equally necessary that people in every corner are aware about things happening around them. Governments need to focus on seriously implementing all those policies meant for imparting quality education to all girls and boys alike – channelizing their potential energy and enabling them to be a part of the process of emancipation of the world in crisis for it is not a hidden truth anymore that political freedom will be rendered redundant and futile if people are devoid of social freedom.

Education is the basic and a natural right that every individual should have as it is the only way for the world to escape the devastation that awaits – or why not say the devastation which has already started.

Image Credit: Google

About the author: L.M. Montgomery

the creator of thoughtful grins on little souls, the molder of a legend, the light of an eye-blinding ray of literature, Lucy Maud Montgomery, or better known as L.M Montgomery is one of THE most phenomenal and unparalleled authors I have ever known. the beauty of her writing is miraculous, the plot of her stories is out of this world. She is honestly my crush and will be lifelong. Bloomed into this world on the 30th of November, 1874 in the chilly town of Clifton to Clara Woolner Macneill Montgomery and  Hugh John Montgomery. Hardly had she reached her 2nd year in the world, when her mother, Clara, passed away suffering from Tuberculosis. Since then, she was lonesome and quiet. A blessed child, the seven-year-old lucy, moved to Prince Albert to lead her childhood with her grandparents, when she found her imaginary friends holding her hand, later, that time of her existence was credited as a development and expansion of her creativity. In 1887, the witty and bright lucy of 13, wrote in her diary that she had, quoting, “early dreams of future fame”, she didn’t know that fate took her ‘early dreams’ very seriously.

the year 1883 was spent with her attending the Prince of Wales college to get a teacher’s license, and slowly, her love for Prince Edward Island grew as she strolled solitarily through the tranquil and starry paths down the countryside. Remarkably extraordinary as she was, Lucy completed her two-year teaching program in one year, clearly a prodigy. After, she explored the fields of literature at Dalhousie University, Halifax, nova scotia.

A part of her life was spent teaching in various schools located in Prince Edward Island after she left dalhousie university. Though Not a fan of teaching, it lent her the time to write, a hobby she loved more than herself. The spree of resplendent writing began in the year 1887 when she started publishing her short creations in several newspapers and magazines. And look how it turned out, over a hundred stories were published and hence started her journey to endless fame and love.

A gorgeous beauty, she was known to own her ‘good looks’. Those good looks resulted in many love interests in Lucy’s life. At the blooming age of fourteen, a boy named Nate Lockhart gained her affection, In response, she got the same too. Their liking turned into a relationship, for lucy, the relationship meant merely a humourous and witty friendship. Unfortunately, the love between the two birds ended abruptly when she refused his proposal.

The year 1908 can be called THE BIG BREAK for Montgomery. It is the divine and holy year ANNE OF THE GREEN GABLES was published. No surprise an immediate success, by November 1909, It had accomplished more than 6 printings. Still alive in the shelves of bibliophiles and the history of literature, We can still feel each emotion throbbing through every page we turn in the book. Every sentence is magical, some parts of the story representing real circumstances in Montgomery’s life, it is partly fictional, The plot of it almost real. This light, funny, and beautiful story is the epitome of a relax read with fun and philosophical expressions. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll have a new perspective of seeing things. The readers can feel the author’s soul which is put into it.

So many years have passed, so many revolutions the earth has taken, and still, here I am, writing about this miraculous phenomenon whom we know as our beloved L.M Montgomery.

Remembering Savitri Khanolkar, The Designer of Param Vir Chakra

Param Vir Chakra is India’s highest gallantry award.From Major Somnath Sharma to Captain Vikram Batra, 21 brave hearts of the Indian Armed Forces have so far received the prestigious Param Vir Chakra award. When Major Somnath Sharma, the first recipient of this award, laid down his life while defending his motherland, this award actually did not exist. It was later, when India became a republic in 1950, that the award was introduced, but with effect from 15th August 1947.

I’m sure most of you might have heard about this award, but what many are unaware of is that India’s highest military decoration was designed by a Swiss-born woman Eve Yvonne Maday de Maros aka Savitri Bhai Khanolkar. 

Image source: dnaindia.com

Life as Eve Yvonne Maday de Maros

Eve was born in Neuchatel, Switzerland, to a Hungarian father Andre de Maday and a Russian mother Marthe Hentzelt, on the 20th of July 1913. She was raised by her father, after her mother’s death. She spent her early childhood in Geneva. As a child, she loved nature and liked being outdoors. 

A turning point in her life was when in the winter of 1929, on a skiing holiday, she met Vikram Ramji Khanolkar, a young Indian Army cadet. Vikram, at that time was undergoing training at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and was holidaying in  Switzerland during a team break. The meeting was just the beginning of what later blossomed into a cross country love story. Neither Vikram’s age nor her father’s disapproval stopped her from pursuing her love. She moved to India a few years later and got married to the love of her life in 1932. She converted to Hinduism and adopted the name Savitri Bhai Khanolkar after moving to India.

Life as Savitri Khanolkar

Savitri Khanolkar was a European lady with an Indian soul. She loved everything about India and its culture, which made her cross-cultural transition rather smooth and comfortable. She picked up Hindi, Marathi and Sanskrit within a couple of years and could converse fluently in all the three. She was keenly interested in India’s history and culture and devoted herself to learning more about the country’s mythology, traditions and religious scriptures. She was a talented artist and made a series of paintings depicting the various ideals and principles of Vedanta and Hindu philosophy. She also wrote two books – ‘Sanskrit Dictionary of Names’ and ‘Saints of Maharashtra.’ Those who knew her personally described her as a warm and compassionate person with a great passion for the Hindu philosophy.

Maj General Vikram Khanolkar and Savitri Khanolkar | Image Source: indiatimes.com

Designer of Param Vir Chakra

After India became independent in 1947, especially in the light of the Indo-Pak war that had broken out, there was a pressing need to create new military honours and awards for independent India. Adjutant General Major General Hira Lal Atal had been assigned this responsibility. Major Atal hardly needed to think twice before choosing Savitri Bhai for the task. Her passion for Indian culture and Vedanta philosophy, talent as an artist  and her in-depth knowledge of the country’s ancient history and traditions made her an ideal candidate for the job. Her military association as an army wife was an added bonus. She was asked to design the Indian equivalent of the British Victoria Cross – the Param Vir Chakra.

Param Vir Chakra : Design Inspiration

Savitri Bhai took inspiration from India’s ancient puranic literature and legends to design the Param Vir Chakra medal.She selected Indra’s weapon, the Vajra, which was made from the bones of Maharshi Dadhichi for the design. Maharshi Dadhichi was known for the ultimate sacrifice that he had made by giving up his body and thereby enabling the Gods to fashion the deadly weapon Vajra from his bones. The presence of Vajra in the medal is symbolic of the power and the selfless sacrifices of our legendary war heroes. 

The final design consisted of the National emblem embossed in the centre, surrounded by four replicas of the double Vajra imprinted on the medal face and the rear side had the words ‘Param Vir Chakra’ inscribed both in English and Hindi, separated by Lotus flowers.The medal was cast in bronze and held by a purple ribbon.

Apart from the Param Vir Chakra, she also designed other gallantry medals including Ashok Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Vir Chakra and Shaurya Chakra.

Coincidentally, the first PVC recipient turned out to be Savitri Bhai’s future son-in-law’s brother, Major Somnath Sharma.

Image Source : twitter

Later life 

During the course of her life, Savitri Bhai always found time to engage in social work. She was a follower of Sri Ramakrishna and she immersed herself in numerous social activities through Ramakrishna Mission. She also worked for the welfare of Jawans and their families and refugees who had been displaced during partition. She lost her husband to a heart attack in 1952, after which she found solace in spirituality and retired to Ramakrishna Math.

The life of Savitri Bhai Khanolkar was truly a remarkable one. Be it joining the North India Flying Club or learning Indian classical dance and music or attending Patna university, she enjoyed every bit of her life as an Indian woman. She passed away on 26th November 1990, after leading a full life.

Things to know before taking up Mass Media and Communication courses.

Photo by Caleb Oquendo on Pexels.com

Let’s begin by knowing what Mass Media or Mass Communication is. Mass media refers to the media technologies such as movies, songs, news, podcasts, advertisements and photos, that are utilized to carry information to the masses. 

Importance of Mass Media

This blog you are reading is helping you gain knowledge about Mass Media and communication. Hence this blog becomes a media technology and educating you in the field of Mass Media defines its importance. From applying for a job to reaching out to a friend on your phone, everything becomes a portion of Mass Media as they help users pass on information from one place to another or one person to another. 

Here are some advantages of Mass Media to highlight its importance. 

  • It becomes a voice for the voiceless: Mass Media provides every individual with an opportunity to practice their freedom of speech and spread their ideas among the world. YouTube is a great example of Mass Media. As a platform in this 21st century it helps both small and large creators publish their videos for everybody to watch. 
  • Enables widespread communication: Today, the world is often referred to as a global village. This is made possible due to several types of mass media technologies such as social media, internet, and other digital content. It helps governments, businesses and organizations to communicate with each other and stay connected. 
  • Diversifying culture: Mass Media helps in diversifying languages and cultures beyond its place of origin. A good internet connection and a mobile phone or a computer is all you need to learn a new language or gain knowledge about a new culture. You can even take a peek around the world without leaving your home. 

The Evolution of Mass Media

Mass Media can be traced back to the 800 AD which consisted of prehistoric arts, writings and some basic printing technology. The introduction of Gutenberg’s printing press in the 1450s helped art and literature gain a wider reach among the people.The year 1605 witnessed the publishing of the first weekly newspaper in Antwerp, known as ‘Relation’. This was followed by the inventions of radio and television in 1895 and 1925 respectively. Finally in 1990, the world wide web was introduced by Tim Berners Lee. 

The number of people benefiting from these media technologies witnessed a steady growth from a handful, to thousands, and millions with the introduction of newspapers, radios and televisions. Today, due to the internet, these numbers are reaching billions. In 2018, the number of  World Wide Web’s users was estimated to be 4 billion. 

The 21st century has introduced the ability for even individuals to broadcast a customised message for thousands across the globe. You no longer need to be a part of some huge networking channel to do so. A good internet connection and a hand held device can do the job. 

The functions of Mass Media

Mass Media, in the form of writing, podcasting, and publishing, has a significant effect on the masses. Commercials on television, billboards and social media influence the audience into buying a product or availing a service. Hence companies across the world look for suitable mediums such as social media, blogs, forums, or video streaming platforms to convey their messages based on their businesses. Once they find the right mass media technology, they conduct campaigns to communicate their ideas. 

Majority of the companies today create and maintain their social media pages, maintain blog posts on their websites, and run advertisements on video streaming platforms to educate viewers about their products or to entertain them. These define the functionality of Mass Media. 

Courses in the field of Mass Media and communication

Photo by Redrecords u00a9ufe0f on Pexels.com

After addressing the ‘Wh’ questions of Mass Media, let us dive into the courses one can opt for in the field of Mass Media and communication. There are three kinds of courses available for aspiring students in the field of Mass Media and communication. Courses at undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma levels.

Both the course levels familiarise students both practically and theoretically in the field of Mass Media and Communication. 

Eligibility for courses in Mass Media and communication (UG PG) 

A student aspiring to seek admission in a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication course, he or she must fulfil some eligibility criterias. 

  • The applicant should have completed senior secondary schooling (10+2) from a recognized university. 
  • The applicant must have scored a minimum of 50% from the aggregate in their senior secondary schooling. 

Similarly, students aspiring for seeking admission in the Master of Arts in Mass Communication course must fulfil the following eligibility criterias. 

  • The applicant must have a Bachelor’s degree in any stream from a recognized university. 
  • The applicant must have scored a minimum of 50% from the aggregates in their Bachelor’s degree. 

Institutes may also require you to give an entrance exam to fulfil the admission process.

Here’s what you will learn from Mass Media and Communication courses

Courses in Mass Media helps you get acquainted with subjects such as Public Relations, Design and Graphics, Digital Media, Reporting and Editing for Print Media, Data Journalism, Photojournalism, Event Management, and Media Law and Ethics. The courses are inclusive of Computer based learning, Guest Lectures, Seminars, Workshops, Massive Open Online Courses, Individual and Group projects, and community based projects. 

Scope for Mass Media courses under employment prospect.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

With an increase in media technologies following new inventions and establishments such as Television Channels, Radio Stations, Advertising Agencies, PR Agencies, etc. Scope in this field is also parallely increasing. Here are some of the job profiles candidates can look out for upon completion of the course. 

  • Journalism
  • Public Relations
  • Advertising
  • Media Planner
  • Broadcasting and Production
  • Event Manager

Conclusion

Mass Media and Communication as a field in academics has a great scope in India and overseas. Freshers with expertise in specific areas and sufficient experience will be hired by prominent media companies for different job profiles. Individuals with good communication skills, writing proficiency, and passion for learning can pursue an undergraduate or a postgraduate course in Mass Media and Communication. 

References

Ritika Shrivastava, May 17, 2021 09:36 IST, shiksha.com

Akanksha Sirohi, July 15 2020, collegedekho.com

https://www.careers360.com/courses/mass-communication-course

THIS RACE CALLED LIFE

Once upon a time, there was a young athletic boy hungry for success for whom winning was everything and success was measured just by winning. One day, the boy was preparing himself for a running competition in his small village, himself and two other young boys to compete. A large crowd had gathered to witness the sporting spectacle and a wise old man, upon hearing of the little boy, had travelled far to bear witness also. The race commenced, looking like a level heat at the finishing line, but sure enough the boy dug deep and called on his determination, strength and power. He took the winning line and was first. The crowd was ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man remained still and calm expressing no sentiment. The little boy, however felt proud and important. A second race was called, and two new young fit, challenges came forward, to run with the little boy. The race was started and sure enough the little boy came through and finished first once again. The crowd was ecstatic again and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man remained still and calm again expressing no sentiment. The little boy, however felt proud and important. “Another race, another race!” pleaded the little boy. The wise old man stepped forward and presented the little boy with two new challenges an elderly frail lady and a blind man. “What is this?”, quizzed the little boy. “This is no race” he exclaimed. “Race!”, said the wise man. The race was started and the boy was the only finisher, the other two challengers left standing at the starting line. The little boy was ecstatic, he raised his arms in delight. The crowd however were silent, showing no sentiment toward the little boy. “What has happened? Why not do the people join in my success?” he asked the wise old man. “Race again”, replied the wise man, “ this time, finish together, all three of you, finish together” continued the wise man. The little boy thought a little stood in the middle of the blind man and the frail old lady, and then look the two challengers by the hand. The race began and the little boy walked slowly, ever so slowly, to the finishing line and crossed it. The crowd were ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man smiled, gently nodding his head. The little boy felt proud and important. “old man, I understand not! Who are the crowd cheering for? Which one of us three?” asked the little boy. The wise old man looked into the little boy’s eyes, placing his hands on the boy’s shoulders, and replied softly.

DISCOVERY OF PI

 Have you ever wondered how pi was calculated before Newton
discovered it. Up until the 250BC, mathematicians knew for a fact that the
value of pi is between 3 and 4. And you may ask that how did they know that,
the answer to that would be that they did that with the help of a hexagon and
square.

A unit circle (area = π)
was inscribed with a regular hexagon of unit sides. And the circle was inscribed in a
square. The hexagon was then further divided into 6 equilateral triangles with
unit sides. Then the perimeter of hexagon was found to be 6 units. Since the
hexagon was inside the circle the circumference of the circle must be a little more than
that of hexagon.

Circumference > perimeter

2 π > 6

π >3

On the other hand, the perimeter of square > circumference of the
circle.

2 π<8

π <4

Hence, it was concluded to be between 3 and 4, i.e, 3< π<4.

Later in the 250BC, Archimedes improved this calculation. He bisected
the hexagon into a dodecagon (12 sides) and inscribed one into the circle and inscribed
the circle in another 12-sided polygon. After calculation, it was found that π
lies between 6.212 and 6.431. This process repeated for centuries until they
reached the 96-sided polygon and found a range of 3.1408< π<3.1429.

In the late 16th century, Francois Viète
doubled a dozen times than Archimedes and computed the perimeters of polygon of
393,216 sides. And by the early 17th century, Ludolph van Caulen surpassed
him by calculating perimeter of polygon of 2^62 sides. He spent 25 years of his
life calculating
π upto 35 correct decimal places.

People were used this method of computing pi until Sir Newton came along.
The first step to his discovery of π was building Binomial theorem from the
Pascals triangle. Sooner after he also delt with the theorem being subjected to
incompetency when power of (1+x) was -1, since it would give an infinite
series. But he proved its accuracy by multiplying both sides by (1+x). The left
hand side gave 1 straightaway and when (1+x) was multiplied on the right hand
side, every term got cancelled leaving only one.

Afterward he went for (1+x) with power of ½ to solve for the area of a
unit circle by equation of the circle, which was given by x^2+y^2=1. Hence, the value y=(1-x^2)^1/2 can be calculated by substituting the value of x by -x^2.

Right after this, he also invented calculus. And the integration from 0 to 1
was used to find the area under y=(1-x^2)^1/2 which is the area of the quarter of
circle in the first quadrant. We also know that the area of quarter of circle
is (πr^2)/4. In this case it will be π/4 (since r=1). Upon equating them and calculating we get
the value of π. To make things easier and accurate he decided to integrate from
0 to ½. It gives the area of the circle from the left of y axis to the straight line of
x=1/2. That area can be calculated as area of a sector of 30 degrees, which
will be π/12, and a right triangle of sides 1 and ½ ( we can calculate the
third by Pythagoras).

And upon equating we once again can find the value of π. Not only that
but when you solve up to 5 places of the integration, you get results π for up to 5 decimal places. And it
will take calculation of integration up to 35 terms to get what
Ludolph
van Caulen got after 25 years. This is how years of calculation was simplified
by Sir Isaac in a way it took only a few days to learn the value of pi.


SOURCE- Veritasium on youtube

Braille

The most important medium used in education today is the printed word. Knowledge is preserved in books and the first step in education is learning to read. But a blind man cannot read a book. is he then to be denied opportunities to educate himself? No, not necessarily so. The blind can get themselves educated, not only in the sense of being able to read and write but even in the sense of training themselves for the profession. Teachers of the blind have devised methods by which the blind can ‘read’ books without the aid of the eyes. The most famous of these methods is, undoubtedly, Braille.

Braille script

Braille ( named after its inventor ) is a system of representation of printed symbols by raised dots on a flat surface. Six dots in various combinations are used to represent letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and some common words. The blind person ‘reads’ the boo by passing his fingers over the dots. Thousands of blind people all over the world have used Braille to educate themselves. A book in Braille is not so compact or handy as compared to any other book. The size makes it difficult for people to use Braille as easily as printed books.

To overcome the difficulties, a new method has been introduced in recent times. The American Association for the Blind made ‘Talking books’ or long-playing discs with recordings of books. The popularity of talking books and tape recording is steadily increasing, and governments and private agencies have come forward to support the effort to produce them and make them available to people who need them.

What is Customized Report Writing Service

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Self-Help Groups – a factor in women empowerment!?

The article takes up the subject of Self-Help Groups which is considered to be one of the major factors in women empowerment. It tries to understand the question ‘why’ and reflects on if the prevalent casteism in the society affects its functioning in any way. Let’s have a quick recap of women empowerment and why do women need to be empowered!

Women Empowerment is an umbrella term which brings in the ways to help and enable women to grasp the freedom they are entitled to as all human beings are. The freedom to make choices; the freedom to spread their wings; the freedom to be just human beings. We need women empowerment because of the very perspective that women are so-called ‘weaker sex’. Years of being told this, it has penetrated into every hook and corner – and we need an uplift from this. We need empowerment to break free from the chains of “being allowed”. The actual fact that I am attempting to write an article on ‘women empowerment’ proves the very point of why we need to it.

Self-help groups has been one of the many ways adopted by different parties to empower women. How? In very simple words, it enables women to take financial decisions and help each other in doing so. Pretty simple, right! There are NGOs and banks which helps them take this process a long way or to even help them start. There are various ways this group can help women build up themselves. A group of women coming together can be quite an upliftment – other than providing a platform for financial decisions, it gives them an opportunity to discuss problems at personal level, bring out the issues of domestic violence; come out collectively with a solution; tackle issues of alcoholism and other such problems which are likely to pose threat to financial, emotional and social decisions of women.

However, even if SHGs provides the way to move forward to women, escaping the casteism issues is another thing. An article published in The Hindu brought out the point that caste play a dominant role in Self-help groups. The groups employ different categories, etiquettes r requirements of inclusion – a preference to caste could be seen, the study brought out (The Hindu, 2013). The caste issues have been ignored and been confirmed. A resistance to change in leadership, the position going to same caste has been detected. The strive to bring in diversity is lost. Rural areas – where community are more closely knitted also showcases casteism in not-so-subtle ways.

Nonetheless, it cannot be ignored that SHGs have been an empowering factor. During the Covid-19 times, may SHGs suffered a backlog due to lack of funding affecting the lives of many. With no financial means, savings became out of question. However, there were many SHGs which also helped in battling Covid-19 by the production of masks – helping to meet the demand of the same. The point is to diversify the means of finance in the groups; to clear the inherent obstacle of caste; to collaborate across districts; to train them for the worst scenarios; to educate them. SHGs has enabled women to take financial decisions and come a long way but its diversification of ways is necessary to combat the worst times. It is important to identify the loopholes and come up with the collective solutions and move above the issues of castes.

Image Credit: Google