December 2014

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YEAR END
SPECIAL
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PRINCIPAL’S PE JA,
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SHARMILA RAH FOR
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UTTAM SCHOO AD
GIRLS, GHAZIAB
SCHOOL IN
SPOTLIGHT:
GYANSHREE
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SCHOOL, NOID
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I
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EDMUinisC
ter Smriti Irani
HRD
contributors
LIVE
E D I T O R I N C H I E F
Richa Anirudh
[email protected]
EDITOR
GAURAVA
YADAV
SAURABH
BHRAMAR
Quizzer dares you to
take our quiz
Radio and TV
broadcaster
Teena Baruah
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EDITORIAL TEAM
Garima Srivastava
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DIRECTOR
SALES AND MARKETING
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Educationist and career
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50
2014
volume 4 DECEMBER
YEAR END
SPECIAL
PRINCIPAL’S PEN: ,
SHARMILA RAHEJA
L FOR
UTTAM SCHOO
GIRLS, GHAZIABAD
SCHOOL IN
SPOTLIGHT:
GYANSHREE
SCHOOL, NOIDA
DASTANGO
VALENTINA
TRIVEDI
ANU
SINGH
CHOUDHARY
Documentary filmmaker,
storyteller, leads
education workshops for
children and teachers
Communications
consultant, documentary
filmmaker, writer, editor
and translator
RETHINKING
ION
UCAT
EDMin
ister Smriti Irani
HRD
DECEMBER 2014 01
ed-note
LIVE
Hi,
So! after trying for almost 2 months, I finally got the appointment for an Interview of
HRD minister Smriti Irani by our young contributors.
And what an experience it was. Eight super excited kids in my car, making as much
noise as they could, brimming with nervous anxiety. We reached Shastri Bhavan well in
time as I had kept some time for security checks etc.
To my relief, everything was well-planned. The security at the gate was informed
about our visit. There was no hassle at any point. A member of the Minister’s team
received us at the gate of HRD ministry. He escorted all of us into a big room and asked
us to wait. I HAVE to confess, I was nervous and apprehensive that this young team, out
of their excitement might do something silly to upset the office. I kept telling them to
lower their volumes, but all in vain.
Smriti Irani came, and how beautifully, she broke the ice. She cracked jokes, did some
serious talking and the children almost forgot that they were interviewing her. There
were moments of fun, laughter, silly talks and of course Qs & As.
Smriti Irani, for sure knows how to present herself in an interview. She smoothly
began it and brought it to a conclusion. She left the room and the snack boxes came in.
What I learnt that day, that the impact of good hospitality lasts long. Not only Smriti,
but her charming assistant Noopur, P.S. Vinita ji, OSD Sanjay ji and the rest of the
team, were all very warm, hospitable, polite. Nowhere did the children have to face the
arrogance of a ministerial set-up.
I am sure, all the contributors of School Live will cherish that evening forever.
And I am sure, you will enjoy reading our cover story as well :)
Happy reading!
Lovingly yours
Richa Anirudh
tweet to me @richaanir udh
LIST
’
T
I
‘
MY
ON eMtoY IPstOaDrt
Tim
to
listening
some
as
Christm
carols
ON MY PLATE
My favourite
winter breakfast
boiled eggs
ON MY BOOKSHELF
Princess
by Jean Sass
on
DECEMBER 2014 03
contents
LIVE
03 Editor’s Note
Regulars
14
17
19
22
23
24
25
26
16
21
06
28
School in Spotlight:
Gyanshree School, Noida
Scoreboard:
Racquet Girls
Brainstorm:
Quiz
Worthy Opponents:
Who Wants a Wi-Fi Enabled Smart City?
Teen Travelogue:
Top five Indian destinations of 2014
Page 99:
What I know For Sure, by Oprah Winfrey
Career Chat:
Counsellor Jitin Chawla
Rap Up:
Reviews
Ask Nivedita
Watch This Space
Principal’s Pen:
Sharmila Raheja,
Principal of Uttam School For Girls,
Ghaziabad
Potpourri:
Timeline of Happy New Year
Exclusive
08 Rethinking Education:
HRD Minister Smriti Irani
View Point
12 Positively Positive:
Dastangoi for children
18 Student Blog:
Testing the claims of Midbrain Activation
QUICK EDIT
One of life’s greatest pleasures has to be the act of discovering.
In Timeline of Happy New Year, discover who hosted the first
new year’s ‘party’ 4,000 years ago: Emperor Julius Caesar.
Anahita Garg takes us on an extraordinary journey across
Incredible India in Teen Travel, reminding me of my longpending Christmas holiday at home amidst the tea gardens of
Assam. Oprah Winfrey’s What I Know For Sure, in Page 99,
takes us on a fascinating path of self discovery: “Whenever
I’m faced with a difficult decision, she writes, I ask myself,
what would I do if I weren’t afraid of making a mistake,
feeling rejected, looking foolish, or being alone?” Priceless!
HAPPY READING!
Teena Baruah
DECEMBER
08
21
P R I N C I P A L ’ s
P E N
Sharmila Raheja
‘My students use
YouTube, Videos and
Blogs for their daily
lessons’
Principal of Uttam School For Girls,
Ghaziabad, speaks on running a Microsoft
Showcase school.
Q: How has your perception of a
principal changed from the time you
were a student, through the time you
were a teacher and now, when you
are in charge of that coveted
position?
School as a founder teacher in 1995
and soon moved on to be the
Headmistress, Vice Principal and then
Principal of this school.
Q: Have you ever tried to bring in
c h a n g e i n t h e c o n ve n t i o n a l
My school principal was an extremely educational system? How? What
charismatic personality who I put on were the challenges and how did you
an exalted pedestal, however, I also override these?
remember him as extremely
approachable. During my tenure as a Uttam School is a Microsoft Showcase
teacher, I have learnt a lot from my
principals and mentors. Today I am of
the strong belief that a leader also has
to be a learner. I hope to be sensitive in
all my dealings with students. I am
aware that each day I can make a
difference in a child’s life, every deed
and word of mine goes far ahead.
Q: Please give us a quick summery
of your journey as a principal, to
understand your unique approach to
education and schooling.
After a short teaching span of two years
as a senior English teacher in DAV
School, Sahibabad, I took a break when
my children were born. I joined Uttam
school with technology interspersed
with all processes, both in and outside
the classroom. However the transition
hasn’t been a very smooth one with
initial opposition from the parent
community against the extensive use.
Q: Do you use social media and
other technical aids to reach out to
students and the community outside
these walls? Why is it relevant? And
which are the social mediums you’d
like to optimize and why?
The students here, use YouTube,
videos and blogs for their day to day
lessons both in school and at home,
with guided instructions from
teachers and take the classroom lessons
far beyond the expectations. Flipped
classroom, personalized learning plans
which I strongly believe in are still
taking shape.
Youtube videos have to be optimized
for the benefit of our students and I
also see its immense scope for those
deprived of quality education in the
community, a fact I tested in my own
school by organizing computer classes
for village girls
Q: How would you like to shape up
the destiny of girls in your school?
How are they unique than say girls
you grew up with in Convent school.
How are you nurturing them
differently?
It is my mission to work towards a
learning environment which nurtures
the intellectual and emotional growth
of students. All the activities in school
uphold human values which will
develop a strong character in each of
our student. I think I am determined
to involve everyone in the learning
process. The school tries to give
opportunities to everyone to realize
their potential and in this lies our
uniqueness.
Q: What are the lessons you have
struggled with and finally come to
know for sure?
I have often struggled with various
ideas people have about ‘girls’ school. I
would want the girls to retain their
grace, dignity, take pride in
themselves but also to have deep
respect for all human beings. I dislike
comparisons with coeducational
schools since each school is unique in
its ethos and must be true to its
vision.
DECEMBER 2014 07
‘
E x c l u s i v e
‘
I never got a JOB because
of my EDUCATION
In a freewheeling dialogue, School LIVE student reporters engage feisty, young and
incredibly sporty HRD Minister Smriti Irani on issues ranging from school dropouts,
education policy and being naughty in school
ANAHITA GARG: From Miss India
contest, television, politics, to finally
being a minister at 38. Tell us about
this incredible journey.
SI: Why do you say finally? This is not
the final chapter of my life. I have
always had supreme confidence that
whatever career path I choose I will
succeed in it. Even at 15, I was like
this. My confidence came from
reading a lot of books. Not school
books. Books opened up my mind to
possibilities. It taught me to grab
every opportunity that I get. Don’t
think time will be merciful to give you
another chance. Also, choose your path
with responsibility.
ANAMIT CHANDA: Were you
naughty in school?
SI: No, I was extremely boring. If I
look back I would not sit with myself
during lunch hour. I was too engrossed
in books. If five girls got together to
discuss who the rock star of that year
was, I would be clueless. So it seemed
like I was not in tandem with whatever
was the rage of my time and age.
And that’s why I stood out and
stuck out as a very boring
individual. And in high school,
I used to beat up boys.
SHREYASH NIGAM: Should
we be scared?
SI: All I have to do now is
sit on you. Pun
withstanding, I had a
great aversion to children
with special needs being
heckled or girls being
troubled by bullies. I
would not engage with
such people in a dialogue. I
would just go and thrash
them. Once I got hit back
by a boy and then I hit him
more and when I got back
home my mom beat me
more, so it was not a good
deal.
SURBHI SACHDEVA: Not
many people get an opportunity
to serve the country at such a young
age in a position of such power. Is it
overwhelming sometime? How do
you make the most of this
opportunity?
SI: I think I just got lucky. I
know there are many people
out there who are smarter
and more hardworking
than I am, but possibly
they don’t have the same
luck factor. Also, when
you talk about service
to the nation, you
don’t have to be in
the army or a
minister to serve
the nation. You get
to serve as an
ordinary citizen
too. Doing good is
like paying
forward. Somebody
was good to me so I
am being good to
others. And now that I
am in this office, I use
the same philosophy. When I make a
policy, I think from the perspective of
a parent whose child will get affected
by that policy. That makes governance
more humane. And if education can’t
teach you humanity, nothing can.
ANAMIT CHANDA: What are the
challenges of your role as a minister?
SI: When I get caught in conflicting
emotions while taking a decision, I
only think of two things. One, if I was
at the receiving end of it, how would I
react? Two, whatever decision I take I
bear the consequence of its reaction.
SURBHI SACHDEVA: You agreed
for this interview in the middle of the
Parliament session. How important is
it for you to be accessible?
SI: I get a lot of requests from kids to
meet me and I always personally
respond to them, even if I have to say
no to them. The reason is when my
kids invite celebrities to school they
usually get rude answers. So before I
walked into this room I thought to
myself, do I want to engage with them
and have fun, or give out boring
answers? If you get boring answers
from me today, one of you might go
back and say this is not worth it and
quit dreaming about being a
journalist.
KAUSTUBH AGGARWAL: What
are your strengths and weaknesses?
SI: I don’t think you can measure a
human being in such strict
parameters. Your ability to absorb
nonsense can be a strength or a
weakness. Your assertiveness can be a
strength or a weakness. It depends on
the situation. I don’t judge my
weaknesses, because I don’t claim to be
Miss Know It All. I would rather let
others judge me.
SHAMBHAV TEWARI: Today,
education is something we necessarily
go through to be able to get a job.
Would you like to make the
fundamental change of making
education more relevant to our lives?
DECEMBER 2014 09
E x c l u s i v e
will have a smarter generation of kids
only if I give them something better
than what I got to study.
SI: I never got a job because of my
education. Education need not be your
passport to freedom. Honestly. It
should not be used to judge your
possibilities. It should not be the only
key to possibly unlock your dreams.
We need to separate people who want
knowledge and those who want
education.
Today, we have technology that gives
us that interface. I want to Indianise it.
Even countries like the UK are curious
to know what India will do different
from the rest of the world. I am doing a
review of all schools all over the
country, to understand where the gaps
are. As a parent, I want my kids to have
access to a curriculum that is latest,
and prepares them for the future. So we
have researchers and scientists to
highlight education goals and we will
draw up a curriculum accordingly. I
RANVEER AUJLA: Most of us are
aspiring IITians…
SI: Then go to a portal called
knowyourcollege-gov.in. I have put up
20,000 hours of video lectures there
for you to choose and study, for free.
When students want to register in a
college, you can check infrastructure,
faculty available in it. If you do not
find these facilities when you visit the
college, you can complain here too.
Every institute which is registered
with UGC and AICTE is on this
portal.
SHREYASH NIGAM: You are trying
to formulate a new national education
policy “reflecting the aspirations of
India now and opportunities in the
next decade.” What will be its
priorities?
SI: Everything is a priority. From the
next academic year we have got a
system of choice based credit transfer
system and it applies to all the
educational institutes of this country.
How did my education get disrupted?
I started my first year in Delhi and
moved to Mumbai for my job. And by
the time I would have taken a
migration certificate and applied in a
Mumbai college I would have lost a
year. But now you can seamlessly move
across the country without a migration
certificate and carry your credits from
one university to another.
ANAHITA GARG: You have entered
an area which was dominated by
people with expertise and are trying to
completely transform it with original
thought, with original ideas. How has
your experience been as the minister so
far?
SI: My job is not to implement my
ideas. My job is to facilitate with a
platform so that the best minds can
give us a solution and I will
implement that solution.
ADHIP TANWAR: PM is trying to
be accessible to common people and
students, what about you?
SI: My email ID is available in the
ministry website and I look at all my
mails personally, not the PMO or my
ministry.
TANVI JHUNJHUNWALA: How
can we make the current education
system more skill oriented?
SI: We have set up first sector skills
counsel. There are a lot of kids who
drop out of school after Class VIII.
They pick up some skill and do not
come back to school because of the
gap. We, for the first time, have given
a credit framework, to students from
Class IX to post graduation. So, if you
drop out after Class VIII, your skill
and the number of hours you give to it
gets counted as a credit. And you can
get back into the system and study
again. It’s implemented from
November 11. We are engaging with
all states so that they also apply it. It is
vetted out through the UGC and
AICTE and applicable throughout the
country.
AYESHA THATTE: Should students
take up politics as their career?
SI: Why not? There is a
misrepresentation of politics as being
dirty so that normal people are averse
to it. This is a scare that is deliberately
created so that good people stay out of
it.
ADHIP TANWAR: Your message to
School LIVE readers?
SI: I wish everybody has an
opportunity to serve their parents
back. Whatever you do make sure it
brings a smile on the face of your
parents. And don’t forget to pay back
to the society.
DECEMBER 2014 11
P o s i t i v e l Y
P o s i t i v e
LIFTING THE
MAGIC VEIL
DastangoValentinaTrivedi lifts the magic curtain and conjures up the
fantasy world of Dastangoi for children
“
D
o you see the two people behind me?” says Mahmood
Farooqui addressing the eager-eyed audience of
children, their parents and adults, who have kept alive
the child in them. “No!” they all scream excitedly. Mahmood feigns
surprise and then says, “That’s because the magic curtain hasn’t been
lifted.” With a dramatic hand gesture, he lifts the veil and ‘dastangoi for
children’ is ready to roll. Dastnagoi, that mystical word which holds the
tantalising promise of a journey to magical worlds, is an art form
revived by Mahmood in 2005.
DASTANGOI
The word dastangoi is a compound
of two Persian words, dastan and goi.
Dastans were epics with themes of
adventure, magic, romance, trickery
and warfare and goi means to tell a
dastan. Among the earlier stories, the
exploits of Amir Hamza stood out
with its tales of magical encounters
and confrontations between tricksters
and magicians, encountering many
adventures, beings, species and realms
inhabited by fairies, djinns and
prophecies.
A dastangoi performance required
an exceptional command over
r h e t o r i c , d e l i v e r y, m i m i c r y,
ventriloquism and spontaneous
composition. City squares and other
public areas being their natural site of
performance, the skill of the dastangos
lay in commanding the audience
attention at all times, an audience
likely to fritter away at the slightest
drop of intensity. This demanded
acting and performing skills that
range from drama to dance to mime to
performance art. Yet rather than
occupying a central place in our
artistic heritage, the popularity of
dastangoi was clearly waning by the
mid 12th century. With the death of
Dastango Mir Baqar Ali in 1928,
dastangoi passed into oblivion. A few
years later with the emergence of
Indian film industry, dastangoi as a
performing art receded into the pages
of history.
DASTANGOI TODAY
Historian, writer and translator
Mahmood Farooqui’s tryst with
In Dastan Alice
ki, Alice meets a
host of interesting
characters as she
traverses the
chess board to
finally become a
queen
dastangoi started in 2000, when he
read his uncle Shamsur Rahman
Faruqi’s study on dastangoi and
became interested in it. The first show
happened around 2005. He was joined
a year later by Danish Husain.
Together, Mahmood and Danish have
conducted workshops in Delhi and
Mumbai and new dastangos have
emerged from these, taking the count
to about 20 dastangos in India. Apart
from tales from Dastan-e-Amir
Hamza, Mahmood and his group of
dastangos have also devised their own
stories. Dastan-e-Taqseem-Hind, for
instance, is on the Partition of India.
Dastan-e-Sedition, on the
incarceration of Dr Binayak Sen, and
Dastan-e-Chouboli a folk tale from
Rajasthan.
DASTANGOI FOR CHILDREN
In 2014, a new chapter opened in
dastangoi with the first few dastans
specially created and performed for
children. Dastan Alice ki recounts the
adventures of Alice in Alice in
Wonderland and Through the
Looking Glass. Ably performed by
Ankit Chadha and Poonam Girdhani,
it takes the listeners through a magical
land where things are topsy turvy,
Alice’s height changes several times,
and she meets a host of interesting
characters as she traverses the chess
board to finally become a queen.
The second dastan created for
children, Dastan Goopy Bagha ki, is
based on Satyajit Ray’s popular
children’s film Goopy Gyne Bagha
Byne. It is the story of Goopi, the
singer and Bagha, the drummer. Their
antics and their transformation from
being simple village bumpkins, who
are chased out of their respective
villages, to musicians who hold their
audience spellbound, forms the crux of
the story. Warring kings, beautiful,
coy princesses and the ghost king who
grants them the life changing boons
are some of the other interesting
characters. This is also the first dastan
from Mahmood’s dastangoi team that
incorporates songs which have been
translated from the film, keeping the
original music composed by Ray
intact. This is just the beginning and
there are more dastans for children in
the pipeline to look out for.
December 2014 13
S C H O O L
I N
S P O T L I G H T
SMART
SCHOOL
Equipped with the latest pedagogies and best practices in
the domain of education, Gyanshree School, Noida
aims to usher in a social transformation. Saurabh
Bhramar talks to Principal Vandana Midha
Q: What was the idea behind this
school?
Gyanshree School is the first
educational venture of Haldiram’s
group. It was conceived as the
c o m p a n y ’s C o r p o r a t e S o c i a l
Responsibility Project, as we believe
that education is the only route to any
social transformation. Gyanshree
follows the CBSE curriculum and in
future, will offer CBSE-I as well to its
students. The school was planned
along the four pillars- Infrastructure,
Teacher, R & D Centre and
Curriculum.
Q: Do you have a tech-edge over
other schools in Noida?
Advanced language and Math labs,
robotics, equipped R & D Centre,
online & collaborative projects with
schools abroad, interactive classrooms,
wi-fi enabled campus, School ERP,
Gyanshree FM through which online
interactions are broadcast via the PA
system are the newer technologies
embraced by Gyanshree School. We
offer an array of indoor and outdoor
sports to children, including,
Aerobics, Aquatics (Swimming Pool
& Splash Pool), Badminton,
Basketball, Billiards, Chess, Cricket,
We want to start a
counselling cell,
student exchange
programmes and
career mapping
for children.
Caroms, Football, Skating, Squash,
Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball and
Yoga.
Q: Why has education become so
expensive?
A well trained, quality faculty with
relevant experience comes at a price.
Integration of technology into the
classroom has added to the cost of
education. Due to the emergence of
new age schools for the 21st century
learners where there are a lower
teacher-student ratio, with students
receiving individualised attention and
practical exposure through regular
educational trips and excursions and
material based activities, the expense
of quality education has increased
multifold.
Q: In the next 5 years which are the
major milestones Gyanshree would
like to achieve?
A fully functional sports facility, a
Counselling cell and a SEN cell, active
R & D Centre, student exchange
programmes and successful career
mapping for children.
Q: Where do you think our
education lacks and needs to
improve?
The greatest challenge of education is
to ensure that the students possess the
correct beliefs, attitudes and
behaviours. Schools need to equally
emphasise on value education and
building life skills.
Q: What is the admission process
here?
Admission in Gyanshree is on the basis
of SLA (Student Level Assessment)
instead of an admission test and
interactions with parents. The SLA
ascertains the cognition level of the
students based on which the grade is
recommended. Interaction with
parents helps understand whether the
parents have the right mindset for
education of the child and ascertain
their readiness to partner with school
in the process.
Q: Your thoughts on School LIVE?
School LIVE is a magazine for
everyone, regardless of age and varied
preferences. Even though I make it a
point to read every section of the
magazine, Back to School and Expert
Expressions are usually the first pages I
flip over to read. I strongly endorse
School LIVE to all students, parents,
teachers and heads of the school.
DECEMBER 2014 15
A S K
N I V E D I T A
No Worries
Counsellor Nivedita Singh answers your queries about
relationships, family, school and life
Aspiration Check
Q2. I am 13 year-old girl and an 8th grader. My parents
pressurise me to get the best grades every single time
and I work really hard towards it, but somehow my
grades don’t always meet their expectations. This
effort to be on the top has made me quite competitive
and my friends (which are very few) have labeled me as
a ‘nerd’.
Plain Jane
Q 1. I’m a 15 year-old girl, studying in Class X. I feel
that I’m not as good-looking as my other friends. At
times they make me feel conscious unknowingly,
especially the boys. They casually say something rude
about my appearance, not thinking how hurtful it can
be for me. I spend too much time thinking about it and
it makes me upset. How do I handle these insults?
We all know that at fifteen, body image and peer
appreciation matter immensely. The good news is that
you’re not the only one going through this. Most
adolescents and many adults suffer from similar feelings of
inadequacy. What can however make it ugly and self
defeating is the amount of time one invests in brooding over
it, at the cost of activities which can contribute to making
us appealing and attractive. Believe me, nobody till date has
been successful in thinking their way to being desirable to
others. The potential to exude grace, charm and a positive
personality lies within all of us. What is important is to
love, trust, respect and believe in oneself; and focus on
investing in areas where the gains are permanent and
exponential.
Don’t permit your daily
experiences and reality to be
controlled and shaped by
definitions scripted by others
All parents want the best for their child. So do your
teachers, your relatives and maybe friends. In the process of
desiring so, they don’t realise that they come across as a mini
but formidable army. Most children at any age would find
this a stressful situation to be in, but you seem to be
contributing generously by adding more than your fair
share to it. Sure, challenge yourself to give your best. Try
and excel at what you commit yourself to. All that is
wonderful and the way it should be. However,
competitiveness, perfectionism, unrealistic expectations
from the self, inability to deal with setbacks, lack of friends
are all self sabotaging behaviors and bigger threats to your
achieving ‘success’ and to your sense of wellbeing.
To begin with, stop taking things so seriously and just
loosen up. You’re only 13! Build a communication channel
with your parents and bridge the gap you seem to have with
your peers. Help your parents understand that you feel
pressured by their expectations. Seek help in getting an
insight into where you are going wrong in the way you
prepare for or respond during your exams. Participating in
some sport or any form of extra curricular activity also acts
as a great stress buster.
S C O R E B O A R D
RAC UET Girls
N
o Indian woman could strike a
chord in racket games until
the later part of the last
decade, when Sania Mirza and Saina
Nehwal proved their mettle in tennis
and badminton respectively. Born to a
middle class family in Haryana, Saina’s
success is truly exemplary. She
attained a world ranking of 2 in 2010,
which is the second highest ranking of
any Indian in any individual sport
after Prakash Padukone’s top ranking
in early 80s. Saina went on to win
bronze medal in 2012 Olympics,
which is the only Olympic Badminton
medal of India till date.
However, she is not the only woman
Saina Nehwal
player who did India proud in the
badminton court. The first major
success by Indian shuttlers in a truly
international tournament came in the
2011 World Championship, when
gutsy Jwala Gutta teamed up with
Ashwini Ponnappa to win a bronze
medal and became the first Indian
ladies to do so. Hyderabadi southpaw
Jwala is a doubles specialist and a
fierce competitor. Success to Jwala did
not come on a platter as she honed her
skills after years of hard work in the
international arena. Her quick net
play and reflexes make her an
extremely formidable opponent.
Six years younger than Jwala, Ashwini
was born in Bangalore, but later
shifted base to Hyderabad and teamed
up with Jwala. Ashwini has a lean
Pankaj Agrawal traces the rise of India’s new
league of feisty racquet champions
Sania Mirza
PV Sindhu
body which makes her
movements quick on the turf.
She partnered Jwala yet again
during their triumph in 2010
C o m m o n w e a l t h
Gameswhere Jwala’s
quick reflexes
complemented
A s w i n i ’s
agility
perfec
tly.
P V
Sindh
u too is a
formidable
young entrant in
the sport. She
c r e a t e d
sensation
Jwala Gutta
when she won the bronze medal in
2013 World Championship, a feat,
even Saina couldn’t achieve. The last
i n d i v i d u a l m e d a l i n Wo r l d
Badminton Championship was won
by Prakash Padukone, 30 years ago, in
1983. Sindhu again won a medal in
World Championship recently which
made her the only Indian shuttler to
win back-to-back medals in World
Badminton Championship.
Currently, Saina Nehwal is at 4th and
PV Sindhu is at 11th position in
world ranking. Saina has recently
won the prestigious China
Open and Sindhu has
successfully defended her
Macau Open title, this certainly
is an hour of glory for India’s
new racquet queens.
DECEMBER 2014 17
S T U D E N T
B L O G
The BEAUTIFUL
MIND
Testing the claims of
Midbrain Activation of a
stronger memory and better
concentration among
children aged 5-15 years at
IBN 7 studio, Noida
By
Shambhav Tewari
Class IX,
Step by Step School, Noida
O
n November 8, I was
invited to the IBN 7 studio
where two extraordinary
children, Samayak and Shloka, showed
the world the true potential of the
mind. Blindfolded, they read complex
text, recognised colours, copied iconic
poses and recognised famous people in
images all by just smelling and feeling
various items ranging from wristwatches to white-board
markers.
However the main
question that was
bugging me was,
“How is it
possible to
compensate
for the lack
of sight by
smelling and
touching
objects?” The
answer was
hidden quite
literally in the middle of the brain.
Our brain is composed of several parts.
The midbrain is a part of the central
nervous system associated with vision,
hearing, motor control, sleep and
wake. If this midbrain is stimulated or
used to its full capacity, it can do
wonders. Thus there is a three day
course known as midbrain activation
which stimulates the brain by certain
sound waves. This mid-brain however
can only be activated in the
developmental stages of the brain that
is from the ages 5 to 15. After one
crosses the age of 15, the mind stops
developing and hence it is not possible
to activate the midbrain. Apart from
being able to read blind folded, midbrain activation improves
concentration, memory and helps
develop talents like arts, singing,
speaking etc.
Throughout the two hours I spent in
the studio not one moment passed
when we weren’t awestruck by the
supernatural powers of these children.
One of the most memorable moments
was when blindfolded Samayak
recognised a picture of Shah Rukh
Khan and even ‘spotted’ a small spot of
blue that was on one edge of the
picture. Shloka, blindfolded, read the
time on a digital watch and read the
fine-print at the back of an ordinary
whiteboard marker.
It is not possible to summarise the
amazing feats that these two talented
kids. All I can say is that after that day
I cannot question the true potential of
our brain.
B R A I N S T O R M
SCHOOL QUIZ LEAGUE
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
1
2
With which great warrior would you
associate the Battle of Haldighati?
If you are in the Capital City of
Sophia, which country will you be in?
Which Indian sporting champion’s
autobiography is titled Unbreakable? She
also has a Bollywood movie on her life.
Which Indian Bollywood star from yesteryears
was the Founder and Chairman of Internet
Users Community of India (IUCI)?
7
Mi6 is the Intelligence agency of
which country?
Which popular author uses the pen
name of Robert Gailbraith for her
major works?
5
4
6
3
8
Which cricket playing nation has
scored maximum number of 400+
scores in an ODI match?
9
Ramnath Goenka founded which
Indian media group?
Which country will host the next
Commonwealth Games?
10
Prius was credited to be the World’s
first …….. car?
For answers see page 21
DECEMBER 2014 17
P a r e n t i n g
TWO
TANGO
to
How to raise multiples with confidence? Anu Singh
Choudhary shares her wisdom and experience
I
wasn’t an easy person to live it. I
was hyperactive, and I just
couldn’t stay still. I needed a lot of
excitement and challenges in my life.
Therefore, the Universe had a bigger
plan for me – a challenge that would
supersede everything I had known and
experienced so far.
Someone who couldn’t sit still was
told to be in bed rest for several
months because she was to have twins.
Someone who loved to read, and talk,
and watch films was forced to be on the
bed flat on her back for several months
because the twin pregnancy got
complicated. When you are physically
incapacitated, the only desire you have
in your life is to be back on your feet.
Come to think of it, twin (and
multiple pregnancy) is nothing short
of a science fiction. So, I couldn’t take a
chance. I had to go through this
complete personality metamorphosis
because I wanted my twins to be
healthy, and safe, inside my womb.
That was the first sign of a BIG change
that was to follow!
We came home with twins, and
without a clue of what I was getting
into, I was completely sucked into the
rigmarole of staying awake through
the nights (and days) feeding,
changing diapers, giving medicines,
bathing, changing, feeding, changing
diapers, giving medicines… It seemed
never-ending, and fact of the matter is,
however much support you gather
from family and domestic help, raising
twins exhausts the mother to no end.
While raising twins, I gathered
some pretty valuable ‘gyaan’ about life
in general which I would like to share
with you.
Trust: Identify your support system,
and trust them. Like everything
challenging in life, raising twins is
somewhat like a teamwork. You will
have to learn to delegate, and you will
have to learn to trust that the team will
eventually deliver. Like a good leader,
it also teaches you to be the most
reliable troubleshooter.
Be self-loving: You need that wink
of sleep. You also need that extra cup of
milk. And yes, you definitely need
some time off. In the process of selfless
giving, be a little selfish and take out
time to do something you would love
to do. Just find that goddamned hour.
Whichever way you can. That’s the
only way to save yourself from
crumbling.
Resist comparison: You are raising
twins, yes, but they are two
individuals. Like everywhere else in
general, there are no stereotypes in
twins, and you can’t definitely
generalise.
Prioritise: You can’t do it all. You
can’t be everywhere. And you
definitely can’t have it all. So, choose
what you want – for your kids, and for
yourself.
W a t c h
t h i s
s p a c e
BATTLE OF THE BRAINS Talking Book Library
Grand Finale School Quiz League
Kothari International School, Noida
I
oet-politician Kumar Vishwas and renowned
playback singer Mohit Chauhan unveiled the first
Talking-Book Library to facilitate book-reading
amongst visually challenged students at Kothari
International School, Noida on November 26.
t was a epic battle of wit, knowledge and talent as the
teams from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh
competed in Grand Finale of School Quiz League Pratibha Ki Khoj, at India’s fastest growing State Centric
Quiz program in its 2nd edition hosted by ace
commentator and host Charu Sharma on November 22 at
Gyanshree School, Noida. In a nail biting finish, the team
of Akshat Karulkar and Madhav Pandya from Emerald
Heights, Indore, won the junior category, whereas the team
of Anushree Jain and Shambhavi Srivastav from Carmel
Convent, won the hearts and winner’s trophy in the senior
category.
P
“Don't limit your challenges,
challenge your limits”
G.D Goenka Public School, Kanpur
MUSIC BY CHILDREN,
FOR CHILDREN
O
T
he Shubhendra and Saskia Rao Foundation
organised a very unique programme, Music By
Children, For Children to celebrate Children’s Day
on November 14 at Select Citywalk mall, New Delhi. The
evening started with a performance by the toddlers of
Music for Hope project in Nizamuddin Basti. The
highlight of the show was Ishaan Rao’s piano show with
Zargam Khan on tabla and Ayesha Thatte on vocals,
accompanied by Leo Hayashi on tabla and live painting by
Jason Ranjit.
lympian MC Mary Kom was in GD Goenka Public
School, Kanpur, to felicitate the winners of
Expression 2014, an event that comprised various
activities like clay modeling, transport fabrication, poster
designing, collage making, jewelry making, music, sports,
cultural events etc. Tennis sensation Sania Mirza also
conducted a special workshop for the aspiring tennis
players in the school.
SCHOOL QUIZ LEAGUE ANSWERS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Maharana Pratap
Bulgaria
JK Rowling
Mary Kom
Shammi Kapoor
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
British
India(4 times)
Gold Coast, Australia
Indian Express Group
Hybrid
DECEMBER 2014 17
W O R T H Y
O P P O N E N T
WHO WANTS A WI-FI
ENABLED SMART CITY?
Net users are expected to touch 302 million by end of this year in India, overtaking US as
the second-largest Internet market in the world. Buoyed by this strong growth in Internet
consumption, would you like to live in a Wi-Fi enabled Smart city?
Shambhav Tewari
Firdaus Mohandas
Class IX, Step by Step School,
Noida
Class IX, Step by Step School,
Noida
A Model City
A Divided City
I feel that a Wi-Fi enabled city would take us a step closer
to being a true digital India. Contrary to the popular belief,
setting up a smart city is not a very difficult task and
neither is it a very expensive proposition. If long
range Wi-Fi extenders and industrial grade
Internet plans are used then the entire
proposition for a city like Delhi comes
out to be around Rs 130
crore only, which is
approximately 40%
of the entire money
the MLAs of Delhi
get for development.
Furthermore not
only will this be a
positive step
forward, but it shall
also boost India’s
international image
as a potential
superpower in
the future.
There are several advantages of having a Wi-Fi enabled
city. There will be a vast amount of data on the Internet
available to everyone, government can plan out egovernance schemes, e-banking can be actively promoted
and people can be better connected by social-networking
websites. Apart from Wi-Fi, a smart city can exponentially
decrease the number of crimes in our country as everyone
will be simultaneously connected to the Internet.
Thus after much deliberation we can easily conclude that
a Wi-Fi enabled Smart city has the potential of becoming a
model city that the world can emulate.
A Wi-Fi enabled Smart city, as perfect as it sounds for a
bourgeois audience, is simply divisive, and serves only to
improve the already lavish lifestyle of the urban elite,
which constitutes maybe 4-5% of the nation’s
population.
Presently, in our country, there are nearly over
15,000 partially successful cyber-attacks on the
government portal every year. Last year,
in the US the hacker group
Anonymous successfully
managed to take down the CIA
website. Millions of American
citizens first had their
information collected
through illegal, invasive
secret surveillance by the
government. Next, several
cyber-criminal groups used
malicious software to access
this, and sold the
information to terrorist
groups.
Let us also consider the possible cost of building these
Wi-Fi enabled smart cities. India is 3,287,590 km². Even if
we were to develop 1% of the country’s area as Smart cities,
it could cost about Rs 288 crore. Since most areas of our
country still lack access to water, housing and electricity,
how selfish and urban-centric do we have to be to even
consider this possibility anytime in the near future?
So, to sum up, Smart cities are a serious invasion of our
privacy, they pose a major security threat, they are elitist
and could widen the gap between the rich and the poor, and
are financially, not just impractical, but crippling.
Our next topic for Worthy Opponent is: Do you think new year resolutions are still relevant?
T E E N
T R A V E L
Incredible India!
Explore the top five Indian destinations of 2014 with Anahita Garg
MUNNAR, KERALA
In India, Munnar is the most
breathtakingly beautiful place I have
ever seen. Known for its tea gardens, it
also has numerous spice plantations
and tea estates. We even saw a massive
waterfall. Sitting in a jeep with my
parents, I journeyed to India’s oldest
tea factory, drank the finest brews,
trekked to waterfalls, stuffed our
suitcases with spices of all kinds, saw
wild elephants and had a lot of fun.
GOA
I have been to Goa for more than
once, and every time I discover
something new. It is the Goan culture
that attracts me the most. The beaches
are magnificent, and people tend to
stay constantly in a good mood. I love
Goa also because of the cuisine and the
huge variety of fish available in cool
shacks right on the beach. And of
course, who can miss the elegant
churches and bustling markets in the
town. Walk along the shoreline,
wriggle your toes in the sand, soak in
the gorgeous sunset, sounds like
paradise, right?
Goa
Rajasthan
Lonavala
Amritsar
JAIPUR, RAJASTHAN
The diverse culture, people, food
and colours are what attract you to this
beautiful city. The Pink City is known
for its forts and palaces - the greatest
being Amber fort, or Amer Ka Qila. It
is also a shopper’s paradise, because of
its huge variety of sarees, lac bangles,
jooties and other handicrafts. The
Rajasthani food was finger-licking
good! Jaipur beckons you to
experience the royal spirit of
Rajasthan.
purest form of divinity and eating in
langar and doing kar-seva is immensely
satisfying. The Jallianwallah Bagh is a
heart-touching memorial for all. The
Wagah Border gives a truly patriotic
sentiment. It is a foodie’s paradise,
with dhabas selling authentic Punjabi
cuisine and roadside stalls with fried
fish, tandoori chicken and of course,
creamy lassi. I enjoyed sitting in open
rickshaws, riding down a street, to
find something new each time, be it
Punjabi suits or just paranthas.
AMRITSAR, PUNJAB
The holy city of Amritsar is a
popular pilgrimage and tourist
destination. The Golden Temple is the
LONAVLA-KHANDALA
HILLSTATION, MAHARASHTRA
Popularised by a famous Aamir
Khan song, Lonavla and Khandala
Munnar
have been my childhood favourite.
Being only a three-hour drive from
Mumbai, this is where Mumbaikars
like to go for picnics. The best time to
be there is monsoons, when there are
waterfalls on every turn – big and
small. The roadside stalls sell
steaming tea, pakoras and Maggie.
Hope it will tempt you to experience
the truly Incredible India!
Anahita Garg
Class IX,
Step By Step School,
Noida
DECEMBER 2014 17
P A G E
9 9
HOME
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO TEST A
NOVEL BEFORE YOU READ IT? OPEN
THE BOOK TO PAGE 99 AND THE
QUALITY OF THE WHOLE WILL BE
REVEALED TO YOU. SCHOOL LIVE
TRIES OUT THIS EXPERIMENT ON
LATEST RELEASES.
TRUTHS
In What I know For Sure, Oprah Winfrey lists all the lessons she has struggled with,
cried over, run from, circled back to, made peace with, laughed about, and finally come
to know for sure.
E
very morning when I open my curtains for that first
look at the day, no matter what the day looks
like—raining, foggy, overcast, sunny—my heart
swells with gratitude. I get another chance. In the best of
times and worst of times, I know for sure, this life is a gift.
And I believe that no matter where we live or how we look
or what we do for a living, when it comes to what really
matters—what makes us laugh and cry, grieve and yearn,
delight and rejoice—we share the same heart space. We just
fill it with different things.
HERE ARE
15 OF MY FAVORITES:
1. Planting vegetables in my garden.
2. Making blueberry-lemon pancakes on Sunday morning
for Stedman. Never fails to delight him— like he’s 7 every
time.
3. An off-leash romp on the front lawn with all my dogs.
4. A rainy day, a chill in the air, a blazing fire in the fireplace.
5. Picking vegetables from my garden.
6. A great book.
7. Reading in my favorite place on earth: under my oak trees.
8. Cooking vegetables from my garden.
9. Sleeping till my body wants to wake up.
10. Waking up to the real twitter: birds.
11. A workout so strong, my whole body breathes.
12. Eating vegetables from my garden.
13. Being still.
14. Embracing silence.
15. The daily spiritual practice of gratitude. Every day I bless
my life by counting my blessings.
—Extract from What I Know for Sure
by Oprah Winfrey
WHAT I KNOW
FOR SURE
by Oprah Winfrey
Pan Macmillan India ( `599)
C A R E E R
C H A T
MATHS Anxiety
Age-old career stereotypes have helped perpetuate the
myth that great careers begin with studying Maths and
Science subjects, says Career Counselor Jitin Chawla
Q. I am studying in Class X and I am not really good at
Maths. My parents insist that Maths is essential in
Class XI and XII. Please tell me if it is true. Would I
have good options if I don’t take Maths?
Navi Alam
Ans. Without Maths, there is a choice of more than 30 good
career options. Each subject adds some value to you as an
individual.
So if you have thought of doing Law; Mass Communication;
Design – fashion, graphic, interior, product, furniture; Fine
Arts; Advertising, Hotel Management, Psychology,
Teaching, Social Work, you don’t need Maths in Class XI
and XII. People have a misconception that Maths is useful
in competitions. The Maths that you encounter in MBA
entrance test is of Class VIII-X level, and is more reasoning
oriented. CA also does not require Maths of Class XI and
XII. Accounts doesn’t need Integration, Differentiation,
3D and Vectors. Similarly if you pursue Sciences, if you are
really focused on Biology and are not good at Maths or don’t
like it, you can leave it. You can then look at doing Biotech
(BSc and Msc), Microbiology, Biochemistry, Botany,
Zoology, MBBS, Veterinary Science, Environmental
sciences, or Agricultural Sciences. It ultimately depends on
how clear you are on your career goals. If you want to do
Forest Management (check IIFM, Bhopal), you can skip
Maths.
Many competitions happen after graduation, like Bank PO,
Asst. Grade, LIC Officers exam, ITBP, Law entrance and
CDS. The entrance test comprises English, Reasoning,
Maths, GK and Legal aptitude questions (for Law). The
Maths you need is of Class VIII-X level.
Q. I am student of class XII with Science. I want to
join NASA as an astronaut. After B.Tech, what should
I do, please suggest?
Khagesh Raj
Ans. NASA selects astronauts after a rigorous selection
process. Ability to pass a NASA space physical test, which
is similar to a military or civilian flight physical test and
includes the following specific standards, Distance visual
acuity: 20/200 or better uncorrected, correctable to 20/20,
each eye, Blood pressure: 140/90 measured in a sitting
position, height between 58.5 and 76 inches. After Class
XII, do B.Tech in Aeronautical Engineering, Avionics or 5
year Integrated MS from Indian Institute of Science
Education Research, National Institute of Science
Education & Research- Bhubaneswar, DAE Centre for
Excellence in Basic Science-Mumbai, IITs, BITS & 4 Yr BS
from IISc-Banglore are available. Also one can opt for BSc
Physics and thereafter MSc research fellowships are
available at ISRO, DRDO, funded bodies like Indian
Institute of Science-Bangalore, Vikram Sarabhai Space
Centre–Trivandrum, IIT’s, Institute of Physics Bhubaneswar, Indian Institute of Astrophysics-Bangalore,
Physical Research Laboratory-Ahmedabad, Institute of
Plasma Research - Gandhinagar, Tata Institute of
Fundamental Research - Mumbai, Raman Research
Institute, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics - Pune, and National Centre for Radio
Astrophysics - Pune.
DECEMBER 2014 17
movies
R A P
U P
2014 was a milestone year for Bollywood queens. Saurabh Bhramar lists 5
reasons to prove it
T
his year has been amazing for the girls in Bollywood because some of them have really outshone the male talent with
great roles that were offered to them. So here’s my applause and appreciation for production houses, directors &
scriptwriters for moving away and risking it all to make some meaningful cinema. I have five reasons for saying that
2014 was a transformational year for the ladies in Bollywood.
REASON 1:
Queen: A small town actress from Himachal made a name for herself in Bollywood. It isn’t a small
achievement. Though her talent was considered only good for kissing and pumping male egos, this
year Kangana Ranaut has shed that image by doing a hilarious movie, which was completely devoid
of any glamour/bold scenes. Queen would be a trendsetter not only for the movie makers but for
aspiring actresses. Kangana has shown that talent cannot be compromised and compensated and
eventually would never be ignored.
REASON 2:
Mardaani: Bollywood has for long believed that wrinkles, wisdom, experience & intelligence,
especially in leading ladies, has no place on the silver screen. Rani Mukherjee, for instance, for years
was trying to compete with the newer and fitter breed of Katrinas & Kareenas. However, she
ignored the fact that she is much more than a glam doll. After a string of disappointments, finally
she has got it right, as she effortlessly portrayed a cop in "Mardaani". This movie is a reminder for
Bollywood that experience enhances the talent and not diminishes it. Kudos to Rani.
REASON 3 & 4:
From “Student Of The Year” to "Highway" & "2 States". Alia Bhatt is the most unpredictable &
unassuming talent we have in this industry. She is pretty, intense and has a wonderful comic timing.
"Highway" proves that she has a great understanding of even the most complicated character & "2
States" puts her as a lady who has no qualms about what she wants out of her life. Alia is going to be
one of the most sought after artists in the coming years.
REASON 5:
This is not a movie but a girl who everyone expected to follow her dad’s footsteps. She has made
her share of mistakes. Every time she has fallen, she stood up and has performed even better.
Deepika Padukone is one actress who has done it all. From Kingfisher Calendars to dating
cricketers, mini non performing assets of an industrialist to a Bollywood star. Her strength has been
her courage to accept her mistakes and move on. Her strength has been her gradual
improvements.
Hope that the trend continues in 2015 and years to come, after all this trend is not only needed in the film world but our
society as a whole. Cheers & a very happy new year to all my review lovers and haters as well.
By Tanya Dutta
Class XI, DPS,
Mathura Road
The year 2014 has been another tumultuous roller coaster
ride for all of us. It has brought us many bittersweet
memories and a few heartbreaks too, like the demise of
literary gems Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Maya
Angelou. We saw some brilliant new novels too. Here’s
my top five bestseller list:
books
The ICING
on the CAKE
Revival
The Paying
Guests
Redeployment
By Stephen King
By Sarah Waters
By Phil Klay
Stephen King whips out yet another
masterpiece with this book. A deeply
dark novel, it spans five decades,
delving deep into the relationship
between Jamie Morton, a rock and roll
enthusiast, who soothes his familial
wounds with heroin, and ex-Reverend
Charles Jacobs, who bonded once over
a terrible obsession. An unsettling
read with a horrifying conclusion, it
truly is a modern horror marvel.
Set in an industrial era London, this
story revolves around widow, Mrs
Wray, and her daughter Frances, who
after feeling the after effects of the
recession; open up their genteel villa
to lodgers. The new guests, the
Barbers, a modern young couple, rattle
things up in the Wray household. But
only time will tell the full impact
they’re going to have on the lives of the
Wrays…
Gray
Mountain
One More
Thing
By John Grisham
By B.J. Novak
True to the acclaimed storyteller’s
masterful style, the story revolves
around a determined career woman
whose life takes a sudden turn for the
worse. She gets relocated to a remote
town in the midst of the Appalachia,
after losing her job. But is the town as
simple as it is small? Read to find out!
This book promises glass-shattering
realism to the reader, playing along
with deep emotional undertones.
Incorporating Phil Kay’s wonderful
promising writing with raw themes
like survival and helplessness, and
faith and desperation, this is one book
which stays with you long after you’ve
turned the last page.
Spanning various themes such as love,
family, fear and ambition, this comic
gem from actor, director and writer of
the hit TV comedy The Office, B.J.
Novak, is a collection of stories that
boasts of fresh narrative tones,
bursting with an electric sense of
humour.
DECEMBER 2014 17
P o t p o u r r i
Timeline of
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Julius Caesar celebrated the first New Year’s Eve 4,000 years ago. Saurabh
Bhramar and Garima Srivastava chronicle this much loved tradition
T
he first New Year’s celebration dates back to
4,000 years ago. Julius Caesar, the emperor of
Rome, was the first to declare January 1 as a
national holiday. He named the
month after Janus, the Roman
god of doors and gates who
had two faces, one looking
forward and one looking
back.
Ring in the New Year
with family and friends because
the first people you see will either
give you good luck or bad luck.
Forty-five percent of Americans
make New Year’s resolutions. The
top resolutions are: to lose weight,
get organised, to spend less and
save more, to stay fit and
healthy and to quit smoking.
About 25 percent of them
give up on their
resolutions by the second
week of January.
Be sure to eat leafy
greens on New Year’s.
Tradition says that
the more leafy greens
a person eats, the
more prosperity he
or she will
experience (what
an incentive for
s t a y i n g
healthy!).
GERMANY
Berlin is home to one of the largest New Year’s Eve
celebrations in Europe – over a million people normally
show up! The festival is called Silvester, and usually
involves lots of parties, fireworks, and a glass of Sekt
(German sparkling wine) or champagne.
---------------------------------------------------
ITALY
In Italy people enjoy celebrating a few ancient
traditions, like wearing red underwear. Revellers enjoy a
dinner usually made with pig trotters and lentils, and a
spoonful is eaten with every chime of the bell at
midnight.
---------------------------------------------------
RUSSIA
New Year’s Eve in Russia became a very big celebration
in the 20th century, because religious holidays like
Christmas were banned under the Soviet Union.
Because of this, everyone put all of their party energy
into New Year’s Eve, and it’s become a much loved
tradition.
---------------------------------------------------
SCOTLAND
In Scotland, New Year’s Eve is called Hogmanay and is
usually celebrated by visiting friends and family with
gifts of whisky or a lump of coal (which was traditionally
used as fuel).
---------------------------------------------------
BRAZIL
New Year’s Eve is one of Brazil’s main holidays, and
officially starts the summer holidays, which last until
Carnival.
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