Their Lives, Their Struggle

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A Queer, Straight Opinion
Jargon Breaking
COVER STORY
Their Lives,
Their Struggle
Lives of three individuals whose struggles
have made them what they are today
Confessions of a
StumbleUpon Addict
Maadhyam
The Undergrad |
1
If
Editor’s Desk
WELCOME
TO THE
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!
Arpan Chaturvedi
Nupur Sonar
Sumedh Natu
Editor-in-chief
Editor-in-chief
Managing Editor
I
t gives us immense pleasure to present the first edition of
“The Undergrad”. The magazine is a student run initiative
of Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication
(UG).
We dedicate our first issue to every undergraduate out there
with a dream. Our cover story is based on the theme - struggle
before accomplishment. We have attempted to uncover the
impact of struggle based on the lives of three individuals
who we believe have made a difference, who we believe have
made it.
In the rest of the issue we have attempted to strike a balance
between predominant influences in the life of an Undergad.
We have also included features which we hope will be
informative as well as entertaining.
We aim to view the working class heroes of our society
through the eyes of the students on the brink of a professional
BIG
ISSUE
career. The opinions expressed by our writers in this issue might
not run parallel to popular social belief yet we believe them to
be important.
Masses dominate opinions but argument is essential to shade an
argument with all three colours of life - black, white and grey.
No person in this world is ever wrong, with good argument
anyone can be right. The only difference between aesthetic
nudity and pornography is lighting.
We wish to thank our director Mr. Anupam Siddhartha for
granting us this opportunity.
“To a good present and a better future.”
Sincerely,
Arpan Chaturvedi
Nupur Sonar
Sumedh Natu
- Rudyard Kipling
2
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The Undergrad |
3
Contents
SEPTEMBER, 2011
to combine physical agility with mental grit. Theft, in the
Vedic Period was awarded with death penalty. Satya Harish
Chandra had to kill his own wife when she was accused of
theft. So, petty robbery or not, this was one art where there
was no room for getting things wrong.
ISSUE I
War tactics were more of a mental than a physical art form.
How exactly do you plan war and how do you deduce
your enemy’s mind-set? It all boiled down to game theory.
Chanakya- arguably the best Indian war tactician of all time
set battle strategies and counter strategies, the sheer brilliance
of which people admire even today.
The Artistic Criminal...................5
Legally Blonde...........................5
Venture 99............................. 6
Saving up at the end
Jargon Breaking..........................13
of the month...........................7
Drumroll.....................................17
A Queer, straight opinion...........8
Punya Nagari:
The Skype way to School.......... 9
Running on blades....................10
Wayanad in turmoil....................12
Finding Home............................18
Maushi.......................................19
Switchshot..................................23
COVER STORY.....14-16
Found under carnal
knowledge................................ 26
Food:
Open Lobby........................ 21
Maadhyam Contests........... 22
| The Undergrad |
T
he origins of Indian art come from the word Kala, which consists
of 64 different forms of fine arts and crafts. These 64 Kalas are
a part of the Vedas. They were considered an essential part of
education and apart from the commonly known dance, music, drama,
painting and sculpture, the 64 Kalas also include war tactics, juggling,
sleight of hands, theft, gambling, seduction, grooming and many other
‘not-so-healthy’ hobbies.
No wonder they were called, ‘the good old days’
Thinking from their point of view, Hastalaghav (sleight of hands) could
have very well been considered an art form because it tests your ease
with the hands. Magic tricks were also a part of Hastalaghav. Dance
portrays your ability to express using your body, just as music does
with your voice. Theft was arguably the most dangerous of the arts; Not
only did it test how keen the performer’s mind was but also his ability
1
You’re a twit when...........28
Confessions of a
Stumbleupon addict........28
LEGALLY
BLONDE?
The Undergrad Editorial Team shares a few laws that everyone should be aware of.
Quick fix........................25
Clikthrough......................29
4
Every gentleman of the Vedic Period was required to have an
in-depth knowledge of these fascinating arts to be considered
a part of cultured society. Incredible as this sounds, they were
never misused.
Grub mismatch..............24
Golf #101..................................27
Madness for Maadhyam...... 20
Lasya Nadimpally elaborates on ancient arts like gambling,
stealing and seduction.
Mathematics, General Science, Social Sciences and extra-curricular
activities are all a routine part of our syllabus. But wait, are we taught
juggling and theft?
Their Lives, Their
Struggles
The Issue talks about three individuals whose
struggles we think deserve a special mention.
The Artistic Criminal
Gambling as we know was a favourite pass time of kings.
Betting entire kingdoms to chance would have given
monarchs a high of a completely different kind but gambling
too, had its own share of cheats.
Women and safety:
2
Mobile Phones and Road safety:
A woman cannot be arrested from sunset to sunrise (1800 hrs
to 0600 hrs) without the presence of a female officer/ constable
and the permission of a class one judicial magistrate.
According to all state traffic regulations if a driver is driving a
four-wheeler or riding two-wheeler alone, then he or she must
switch their cellular phone off.
This means that if any woman is ordered to report to the police
after 1800 hrs, she can refuse unless accompanied by a female
constable. This law was enforced after an incident in Pune
(2005) where a couple was arrested by the police. The woman
held was raped by a policeman.
While, people are aware that telephonic conversations while
riding or driving are forbidden, they are unaware that the rule
extends to complete usage of a mobile-phone device. A person
isn’t even allowed to play music on his phone while driving/
riding. In contrast to popular belief, hands-free device or a phone
loudspeaker being used as well. A driver is not allowed to park his
car and use the phone too. (If your phone is switched off, how can
you receive a call?)
This law comes under The Criminal Procedure (Amendment)
Act of 2005 (Subsection 4 and Section 46 of CrPC 1973.)
The Undergrad |
5
Venture
99
SAVING UP AT THE
END OF THE MONTH
Undergrad Editorial Team
Aditi Dharmadhikari explores innovative profit making initiatives by students.
“A
t its very crux, the idea is simple.
Take something small, put in some
effort, give time and make a profit.
The Symbiosis Centre for Management
Studies ( SCMS -UG), Pune established an
Entrepreneurship Cell committee (E-Cell) in
2010 - a club for honing the skills of budding
entrepreneurs. This was a group of people
that recognized the importance of blending
creativity and marketing to make profits with
minimal street capital. Instead of believing
in this theory fervently by rote (as most of
us tend to do academically), they plucked it
from their textbooks and made it materialize
into an event that is now the flagship event
of the E-cell.
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The 99 rupee venture is a classic business
simulation.
Each team starts off with Rs. 99 and five
hours in their hands. They are then made
to bid on the areas they would like to
market their eventual product in. Once
the areas are allocated to the respective
teams, the frenzy begins.
Spontaneity is a quality that is
indispensable to any vocation, and this
competition is all about thinking on
your feet. This was demonstrated by
one team who decided to slip into their
dancing shoes, and instead of the stage
took to the roads with their moves.
Other teams offered to wash glass
windows of showrooms, made durable
paper bags from newspapers bought
from raddiwallahs and went door to
door in Viman Nagar offering services
such as gardening and cleaning houses.
Services appear to require a smaller
overall investment so, another team
invested their street capital in just
coloured markers. They let the ink do the
talking for them with elaborate tattoos
on the arms of fascinated customers. A
team which was lucky enough to have a
gymnast amongst their members decided
to take the performance oriented route.
Performing gymnastics routines right
on the road, they managed to
attract a considerable amount
of attention, admiration and
consequently, funds. This
team eventually went on
to win the event, making a
whopping Rs. 7,000 from a
mere investment of Rs. 99.
From the seemingly paltry
investment of Rs. 1,600,
the students managed to
amass a mammoth sum of
Rs. 40,000 at the end
of
the
event,
making
it a runaway success.
On
a
broader
level,
concepts like these are
being
implemented
by
national and international
organizations like National
Entrepreneurship
Network
and TEDx. They provide
budding
entrepreneurs
with the resources to pool
in ideas and content to
create their business models
backed by products worth
marketing. Emphasis
on
dialogue between innovators
and
investors
ensures
that the quality of the
product remains tip-top.
1
Go on a fast. Frankly, it is the latest fad these days!
2
Bet your kid brother his monthly pocket money
that you’d beat him in chess left handed.
3
Get into a fight and get knocked out. You won’t
need to spend when you’re in a coma.
4
Cry out loud in the middle of a boring class, ‘Oh
my God!’ My papa just lost all his shares in the
stock market crash. What will I do now?’ None of
us have tried this trick. But we can vouch for its
authenticity.
5
Open a ‘Profile Picture Studio’. After all, great
profile pictures have become the supreme prerequisite for social acceptance.
6
Take your entire clan to a mall during a Sony PS3
promotion. Take control of one console and
refuse to surrender it.
7
Go to your richest best friends place to watch a
new movie. Volunteer to get the CD (Appa
Balvant Chowk) and sigh in piece as his imported
chef, Bose music system and Plasma 70 inch TV
take over the rest.
8
Bet your mom a ridiculous scoreline (8-2 should
do the trick) over a re-run of a Manchester
United-Arsenal match.
9
Keep no more than 5 notes in your pocket. No
500 and 1000 buck notes. They seduce you to
spend. Stick to the good old 100’s and 50’s.
10
Watch Murder 2. You’ll spend your entire week
trying to figure out the meaning of life.
The Undergrad |
7
A QUEER,
STRAIGHT
OPINION
Having been actively involved in the activities of the LGBT Community in Pune, Esha Vaish speaks on their
behalf.
L
iving in a city which refused to
accept the existence of our growing
Lesbain Gay Bisexual Transgender
Community (LGBT), queer social networking
sites became our only medium for interaction
and expression. The anonymity that the
internet offered us has brought to Pune its
queer lifestyle.
In fact, the IT revolution not only changed
the city’s skyline, but also ushered in a
cosmopolitan character conducive to new
ideas. This has been one of the key factors
that facilitated the growth of our community.
A fellow member of our community and the
founder of Prayatna, an organisation set up to
tackle and educate the local population about
the issues faced by the queer community,
Omky, has always believed that the IT
crowd that came in with the IT revolution,
brought in new ideas and thoughts that were
instrumental in opening up the city. He also
feels that with the increased acceptance level,
the city might be on the brink of a major
revolution. Prayatna today holds support
meetings out in the open without the stigma
and fear that prevailed in earlier years.
The Pune Queer Fest 2010 was the first of its
kind to be held in the city. There were debates
and discussions on issues concerning our
community followed by movie screenings.
In a city undergoing a slow, gruelling
transformation, the event was not just well
attended but also well received by citizens
and members alike. Ameya, an active
member of our community and a Pune-based
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| The Undergrad |
entrepreneur feels that the success of the
Q-Fest (2010) is a clear indication of the fact
that Pune’s gay community is both visible and
vibrant. “I am confident that very soon Pune
will have its own Pride March, given the level
of enthusiasm that is now seen in the city”,
said he.
Exploring the flip side of the situation, Bindhu
Madhav Khire, a member of the Sampathik
Gay Support Group points out that the
representation of the transgender community
in the city is close to negligible. This is one the
major hurdles that we as a community need
to address.
ORGANISATIONS:
Organised Lesbian Alliance for
Visibility and Acceptance (OLAVA):
Address: P.O. Box No. 2108, Model
Colony Post Office. Pune 411016.
Email: [email protected]
Samapathik Gay Support Group:
Contact person: Bindu Madhava
Phone : 020 427 2806
Email: [email protected]
Open Space:
‘Queering Saturdays’ : Screenings and
discussions of queer movies
Contact Number: 02025457371
Address: B - 301, 2nd Floor,
Kanchanjunga Bldg,
Kanchan Lane, Off Law College Road,
Near Krishna Dining Hall, Pune 411 004
Website: www.openspaceindia.org
Birds of a feather:
Niki Ray : 9764005739
PUBLICATIONS:
The path of queer acceptance is a meandering,
sensitive one and we have just started walking
on it. Before we can truly embrace freedom,
the continued discrimination within
the community and by straight-jacketed
Punekars who believe we have no place
in civilized society needs to be addressed. Still,
we continue to walk this path believing that
in the end we will find a ‘Queer-Friendly City
hoping that one day we’re treated just like any
other citizen and not as a labelled community.
Magazine: Jiah
E- magazine: The Queer Chronicle (TQC)
Samapathik Trust:
www.genocites.com/samapathik_pune
Address: 1004, Budhwar Peth,
T9 Third floor, Rameshwar Market,
Near Vijay Maruti Chowk,
Pune 411002, Maharathra India
Helpline number: 020-24465362
(Monday only 7-8pm)
Contact number: 020 24465362
(11am to 6pm Monday to Sturdays)
[email protected]
[email protected]
Queer books available for sale
The Skype way to School
Sanchita Dash takes you through the inspiring journey of Chaitanya Gurukul Foundation, a school which teaches children via Skype
M
ost great inventions have,
more often than not, grown
out of a dire need, an
environment of absolute deprivation.
Founded in March 2011, Chandrakant
Singh’s initiative, Chaitanya Gurukul
began as an effort to ensure that no child
in the village of Chamanpura, Bihar,
suffered a bereft childhood.
In a village that barely had any
electricity, Chandrakant Singh managed
to revolutionize not just the concept but
also the means of education. Having all
the amenities that a metropolitan school
boasts of, Chaitanya Gurukul’s vision
is to “Educate, Enlighten, Empower
and Emit.” Children here are taught by
faculty from across the country through
Skype.
In the process, he faced several problems
ranging from acquiring land permissions
to errant power supply. Eventually having
won over the villagers, he convinced them
to give their land for the construction
of the school. However the biggest
challenge was to persuade experienced
teachers to move to a remote village like
Chamanpura. It was out of this dilemma
that the idea of Skype School was born.
The novelty of the concept attracted
public attention and helped to raise funds
for the project.
The tuition fee for the school is slated
at Rs. 300 per month with an increase
of Rs. 100 for every academic year.
The students are provided with food
and other necessities. A biometric
finger-scanner is used to record their
daily attendance. The school also has
a residential facility which is home to
around 200 students.
What’s more? They use renewable
resources of energy like biomass and
solar energy to ensure a continuous
supply of electricity.
Having enrolled over 500 students
within 6 months of its inauguration, the
Chaitanya Gurukul Trust continues to
instil hope in hundreds of villagers and
inspire them to innovate and explore
new avenues.
The Undergrad |
9
Running on
blades
Pistorius is currently the
100 metres –
record holder for the
10.91 seconds
three sprint races in the
200 metres –
disabled category.
21.58 seconds
Here is a look at his
400 metres –
records:
47.49 seconds
However, Pistorius did not sit still. He appealed to the Court of
Arbitration for Sports. The Court considered his plea, accepting
that the tests did not calculate the disadvantage that he had at
the start of the blocks and while sprinting on the turns during
the 200 and the 400 metres events.
He continued to take part in able-bodied competitions and
aimed at qualifying for the London Olympics, 2012. In Lignano,
he stole the spotlight as he managed to beat the “A” standard
qualification time of 45.25 seconds, clocking 45.07 seconds.
After an exciting month of athletics in Daegeu, Prannoy Jagati takes you through Oscar Pistorius’s journey so far.
A
“
dversity causes some men to break, others to break
records.” Oscar “Blade Runner” Pistorius - commonly
known as the fastest man with no legs, is quite simply
an athletic marvel. The idea of seeing a man with blades for legs
challenge and outsprint able-bodied athletes continues to baffle
people all over the world today.
The South African runner had his legs amputated knee-below
when he was 11 months old as a result of being born without the
Fibula bones necessary for movement. His physical condition
however did not deter him from taking part in school sports
where he was a part of both, the rugby and water polo teams. He
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| The Undergrad
also played tennis and wrestled in middle school. After a serious
rugby accident he was introduced to the sport that became his key
to fame at the international level ever since.
Pistorius broke into the international athletics circuit in the 2004
“Summer Paralympics” as a sprinter, using the “Cheetah flex foot
carbon fibre transtibial” artificial limbs. His blades are J-shaped
with spikes at the toe ends for grip. Clocking in at 21.97 seconds,
he created a new world record in the 200 metres event in the
disabled category. Since then, he always had a burning desire to
take part in competitions for able-bodied athletes. He continued
to participate in events for the disabled and broke his own 200
metres record thrice.
In 2007, Pistorius debuted in his first able-bodied international
event at the Golden Gala, Rome. His dream to participate in ablebodied events came to a crashing halt when it was considered
by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF)
that he had a fair advantage over able-bodied runners because
of his blades. A controversial study concluded that the amount
of energy that was required to run with his blades was lesser than
the energy required by the able-bodied. Lance Armstrong faced a
similar scenario when his ‘cancer drugs’ were blamed for boosting
his performance during the Tour de France.
Pistorius, however failed to qualify for the individual 400
metres race in the Daegu World Championships last month but
was selected for the 400 metres relay, even running the heats
for it. Although, the team qualified for the finals, he had to
face disappointment as he was dropped out of the team for the
final event. The South African team finished second, but failed
to register better timings as compared to the heats. Although
Pistorius did not run the finals, he was awarded the silver medal
for running in the heats, thus making him the only disabled
man to win a medal in an able-bodied athletics event
Pistorius was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga in Bronze by the
President of South Africa in 2006. He was featured in the Time
Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2008 and was declared
the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2009.
The Undergrad | 11
JARGON BREAKING
Wayanad in turmoil
Dhruv Satija simplifies political jargon through anecdotes
Amrita Paul explores the darker side of god’s own country.
It’s monsoon again. I look out of the window. It has been
over ten years now. But it feels just like yesterday when I was
13, studying in the seventh standard when you came to our
hut asking for a glass of water.
“Where’s your backpack, Sunil?” I asked the wide-eyed eighthgrader as we stood side by side in the lift.
“What bhaiya! backpacks are so out of fashion.
It was pouring heavily and I asked you to step in, recognizing
you as my brother’s friend. Your visits became more frequent
as the days passed by. You told me that you had developed
a ‘sudden’ liking for me and wanted to marry me. I knew I
liked you too. That afternoon when my parents were out you
came hurriedly and pleaded me to make love to you.
Most of these young women have been deployed to farms to
earn a living. Adolescent girls are exploited in the work place
environment and over 200 of the tribal mothers are juveniles.
Some of them go missing while the others who manage to
survive, are often too scared to approach the police for
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Yet another morning, I was jolted out of sleep by the clattering
of vessels from my neighbour, Mrs. Gaikwad’s kitchen. Nearly
choking on the fumes of her tadka-ridden cooking, I dragged
myself to her doorstep to slip in a subtle word about the daily
nuisance she caused me for over a year now.
“Err… so what do you know about socialism?” I asked in disbelief.
“Socialism is an economic system which believes in taking from the
people according to their capacity and giving them back depending
on the quality and quantity of the effort put in. Socialism allows for
ownership of private property meant for personal use”, he replied
instantaneously.
I remember everything from that day. Everything, but your
face. It’s monsoon and I know things will never be the same
again…
The first case of unwed mothers was reported in Wayanad in
the year 1952. Since then, the number has steadily increased.
One of the major problems of the tribal unwed mothers in
this area is poverty. The non-tribals take advantage of their
condition and once the women are pregnant, they are left in a
lurch. Some of these women are even forced into prostitution
for survival resulting in severe health issues such as AIDS
and other STDs. Isolation, rejection and neglect by family
members has further increased their psychological trauma.
“We don’t use books anymore bhaiya. We learn through films
and presentations. Like today we learnt about socialism and
communism through Disney.” said the exasperated kid.
“Yeah, Disney’s ‘Bug’s Life’ has an underlying message of socialism,
you didn’t know that?’’ widening his eyes further.
Two hours later, I looked out of the window as you walked
away. That was the last time I ever saw or heard from you.
Today I am twenty three, mother of a nine year old. Your
child. Our child.
H
6:30 am. Still four hours for my alarm to go off.
“Through Disney?” I had to ask.
I resisted. You gave your word. I gave in.
ome to 2000 unwed mothers, Wayanad District in
Kerala is situated on the southern tip of the Deccan
Plateau. There have been several cases of sexually
abused and abandoned women in tribal settlements all over
the state but with 36% share of the state adivasi (tribal)
population residing in Wayanad, it has the greatest number.
I shot him a quizzical look.
“And Disney taught you all this?” I heard myself ask.
help. In addition, most of the women are illiterate or school
dropouts due to language barriers. The tribal language does
not have any script, is purely oral and is very different from
Malayalam, the locally taught language.
The new government under Chief Minister Oommen Chandy
has recently announced a relief package for unwed mothers
which comprises of a one acre plot, a house and a Rs.1000
monthly pension. However, only those who can produce the
required documents will be entitled to these benefits. The
irony here is that most of these women do not even have a
ration card, let alone all the other prerequisites.
It is necessary for the government to take measures to build
proper schools in the area so that these women get a chance
to earn a livelihood and educate their children. The State
Women’s Commission along with NGOs working in the area
needs to implement this as education alone can help improve
the plight of these tribal women.
“Duh”, said the irritated punk. Flashing his iPod in my face, he said,
“In a socialist setup I’d still be able to own this without owning the
factory manufacturing it. But in communist China, I wouldn’t be
able to own either of the two.”
“So, did you also learn about communism?”I asked, zapped by the
kid’s understanding of the concept and clarity of thought.
She opened the door and I knew she was in a mood to gossip.
“You know that new tenant who’s moved in to the house next
to yours works with prostitutes? Beta us se tum thoda bachke hi
rehna, haan?’’ she said in a scandalous tone.
“Toh kya hua? She is working for their welfare”, I retorted.
“Arre beta… Lekin woh bhi kahi aisi-waisi nikli toh? Tum thoda
bachke hi rehna usse.’’
“Prostitution has been legalized aunty.”
A blank look on her face and I knew she didn’t understand
what ‘legalization’ meant. I went on to explain that legalization
is the removal of legal prohibition against an act deemed illegal
previously. Brought under complete government control,
legalization ensures that the act in question can be regulated.”
“So, this is just like that ‘gay ruling’ na beta?” she questioned.
“No, that was decriminalisation aunty.” I said
“Communism is a system that believes in a stateless and classless
society where the means of production and distribution are owned
by the government and the consumers happen to be the workers
producing the goods. The communist gives back only according
to the need. So, you definitely won’t be able to own an iPod in a
communist set up since it is certainly not a need.”
Wow. He couldn’t have done better even with a dictionary in his
hand.
“Decriminalisation?!” another puzzled look and I dove head
first into giving her a second explanation, “Decriminalisation
is the abolition of criminal penalties associated with certain
acts. Such a decision is taken when the judiciary along with the
civil society decides that the particular act is not a matter to be
addressed by the criminal justice system, just like in the case of
same gender consensual sex.”
The lift reached the ground floor, I watched the kid as he hopped
out of the lift.
She nodded, a streak of comprehension lighting up her face.
I walked back feeling triumphant. Finally I had put those hours
of classroom attendance to some use.
I clearly needed to start watching more Disney!
The Undergrad | 13
Their Lives, Their Struggle
The Undergrad Editorial Team
“To me the great hope is that now with
these 8mm video recorders, people
who normally would not have made
movies, would start making them.
Suddenly some day one fat little girl
in Ohio will turn out to be the next
Mozart, and make a beautiful film with
her father’s camera. For once this whole
professionalism about movies will be
destroyed forever. It will truly be an art
form.” -Francis Ford Coppola.
With every day that passes by, we lose from amidst a number of individuals few,
whose lives remain unsung. We shall never know how they impacted the world we
live in, however miniscule their contribution. Through this story we shed light on three
handpicked individuals we think have set an example to everyone around them who
dare to dream.
Yogesh Pardeshi
Anurag Kashyap
Former World Carrom Champion
Film-maker
D
ark...black...noir...Kashyap.It’s
uncanny how smoothly they fit
together. In an era dominated by
loud dramas and unrealistic representations
of Indian society, Anurag Kashyap’s films
have had the pungent kick Indian cinema
needed. Every human being has a primal
side to them. Arguably, Kashyap’s films have
repeatedly explored the depth of human
irrationality in a way no director in India
has. How complex would the mind of such
an artist be? How would he have grown up?
What would have lead a man into fearlessly
exhibiting what he wants to exhibit, not
caring about whether anyone else would
appreciate his work?
We had a chance to meet the man
himself during the premier of his
latest film, “That Girl in Yellow Boots.”
We had heard rumours about his outspoken
nature, and we weren’t disappointed. His
style was quite unique, an entertaining
montage of sentences cramped between the
choicest Hindi ‘swear-slang’. On being asked
about his struggle, he smiled and said that
14
| The Undergrad
he had never had more fun. One of the most
publicised parts of his life revolves around
the time he spent sleeping and practically
living in lofts, water-tanks and beaches.
During this time, he spent over eight months
on the streets of Mumbai, exploring different
parts of the city where, as we understand he
gained a lot of insight about life in general.
He worked for five years with the theatre
group Jana Natya Manch, where he acted in
and wrote a number of street plays. Almost
nostalgically, he looked back at the “5-star
hotel mein toilet karna” and the “chori karke
khana khana” days, he gave us that “couldn’tcare-less smile” and said, “It’s the main time.
Pata nahin why people dread it.Woh asli din
the.”
changes in a film just because of foul language
or violence.”
The conversation then took a turn towards
the technical aspects of film making.
However, Kashyap took us completely
by surprise, admitting that if one thinks
too much about the technicality involved
in making a film, its true essence is lost.
For him, shooting a film was all about the
relationship between the cast and the crew.
Unable to contain ourselves any longer, we
blurted out a question that had been biting
us for quite some time. We asked, at the end
of the day films do require revenue, so how
much thought does he put into his audience
while making his films? “Zero!” came his
curt reply, “Just tell your story, make your
film.” Perhaps this is what makes him… him.
Finally,
we
had
to
ask,
what
goes into making a good film?
He smiled, his eyes twinkled…
Later, he went on to work as an independent
script writer for a few months. Paanch,
his first film as a director was banned by
the censorboard but broke piracy records
nation-wide. Kashyap’s hatred towards “Bas! Pyaar Kar!” Love what you do . Do
censorship was evident, “You can’t cut or what you love.
edit a film. Keeping an age limit is ok. The
censorboard should not be allowed to make
I
n a cricket crazy nation like India,
pursuing a sport like carrom as a
profession guarantees a struggle which
in the case of Yogesh Pardeshi, lasted for
over 20 long years.
At the age of fourteen, Yogesh Pardeshi
decided to turn his childhood passion
into a career. But he soon realized that
sponsorship and government funding
for professional carrom players is a huge
problem. His humble background coupled
with family responsibilities acted as further
deterrents.
“Though I played my first international
tournament in 1991, I did not receive any
sponsorship till 2001. The government rated
the sport in the ‘Class C’ category and never
bothered to monitor its progress. I was a
World Champion and was ignored by the
government”, said a disappointed Pardeshi.
It was only after he bagged the Lyon World
Championship in 2008, did the Maharashtra
government recognize his efforts with a
meager cash prize of Rs. 5 Lakh.
Recalling his days of struggle, when he’d had
to sell carrom boards and carrom strikers,
take loans or sell old scrap from his house
to sustain himself, the World Champion
now feels that apart from his strong family
values, these experiences actually helped
him remain focused and grounded. Even
today, he practices for 6-8 hours every
day, for 14 days a month before any major
tournament.
He believes that the turning point in his
career came when he joined Indian Oil
Corporation. The company provides funds
for all the tourna ments he participates in,
irrespective where they are held.
hardships, he said, “My mother and
wife were major pillars of support. I had
a lot of passion and love for the sport,
and thought carrom was like God. Like
people pray, I decided to devote all my
time and energy to it. I did not worry
about anything else, only concentrated
on the game and played it religiously.
I am happy now, for God has finally
rewarded me for all my hard work.”
As of now, all his immediate attention
and concentration is on the European
Tour which is set to begin at the end of
this year. He will be playing multiple
matches in five different countries
across Europe. His main focus,
however is on preparing for the World
Championship which are scheduled to
be held next year, where he will defend
his title as the World Champion.
When asked about what kept him motivated
even when he was faced with extreme
The Undergrad | 15
DRUMROLL
Aditi Dharmadhikari tells us about the lesser known approach
to therapy- through the use of music.
T
“
“
Faith Gonsalves
In the contemporary setup when you are trying
to change something, struggle is inevitable.”
T
wenty-four year old Faith Gonsalves is the founder of Music Basti, an organisation
that visits shelter homes to teach music to underprivileged children. Being a
musician herself, she believes that music taught her some of the most implicit
lessons of life. In the same way, Music Basti empowers children through music, providing
them a medium for expression. They believe that music helps build life skills that are
crucial to individual growth. This is facilitated through an interaction with a diverse range
of musicians.
By will or force, most of us have been a part of the school choir at one point or another,
nerves jangled by never ending verses, vocal chords forced to work overtime but Faith
chose to look beyond. “Singing in school and college gave me so many opportunities to
learn, cooperate with a group or choir, understand the art of performance and slowly ease
away all the nerves!” recounts Faith. This gave birth to the idea of Music Basti.
Founder, Music Basti
Faith’s resolution to help these children voice their emotions made her persist even when
her initial efforts to break the ice were thwarted. She says,“In the contemporary setup
when you are trying to change something, struggle is inevitable. I sometimes wonder how
much of a lasting impact we’re really making. But then again, there are moments with
these children that put everything into perspective.” One such incident was when one of
her students, sang an original song at an event organised by Music Basti.
Assalam alaikum maula
(Greetings, may peace be upon you.)
Kaun hoon main ye bata do, Kahaan se aaya ye bata na
Kaun hoon main ye bata do, Kahan se aaya ye bata na
(Tell me who I am, And where I come from)
Jindagi ye kya hai maulah, Bebasi ye kya hai maulah
Har jagah gam hi gam, Pyaar itna kam hai maulah
(What is the course that this life takes O my protector?
Why the helplessness?There is sorrow everywhere
And not enough love)
Assalam alaikum maulah
(Greetings, may peace be upon you.)
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| The Undergrad
This song written by Akshay, eloquently describes his inner conflicts
as he questions the purpose of life. “I will never fully understand the
challenges that children who are alone face”, she confesses even as she
persists with her efforts.
On a more personal note, Faith shares, “Music Basti, for me, was a
point of connection bringing together different things that particularly
interested me or that I was involved with, namely, music and arts, artist
communities and at-risk children in an informal education format.”
Looking at the bigger picture she goes on to add, “I don’t believe in
pivotal points in time.” She also feels that accepting struggle as a
part of any endeavour is crucial to keep oneself motivated. Hers is a
thankless job.
Faith was a speaker at the Guwahati TEDx conference and a nominee
for the CNN-Real Heroes Award
ime and again, one finds that India has left behind
something very fundamental in the multi-layered
waves of its past, like a legacy lost to the Arabian
Sea. This, if resurrected, could revolutionize those who are
underprivileged in our country.
Art Based Therapy (ABT) happens to be one of them. It
incorporates creative activities like dance, drama,
storytelling, singing and drumming, channelising them
into a positive therapeutic form. This includes dealing with
medical conditions ranging from stress, hypertension, body
stiffness to withdrawal symptoms during rehabilitation of
drug and alcohol addicts. Today, in the West it is possible
for practitioners to acquire a credible degree in Art Based
Therapy. Unfortunately, there is hardly any such facility
available in India.
Amalgamation of creative expression, healing and
education is a concoction that was initiated in India in the
world during the Vedic Era. The concept of chanting ‘Om’the idea that the positive energy of the universe can be
harnessed with merely one word was neglected in the era
following the Vedas. ‘Shaman’ drumming and sound
vibrations are all ancient secrets of our soil, lost over time,
only to be popularized by the West in their socio-cultural
contexts later on.
institute which is involved in conducting drum circles. They
also act as a rhythm ensemble. The brainchild of Varun
Venkit, Taal Inc. conducts regular workshops mainly across
Pune, Mumbai and Delhi. Using the principles of the Neuro
Linguistic Programming (NLP), they hold sessions for a
versatile target group.
“This kind of alternative therapy is very much required in
India,” shares Varun Venkit. “We aim to equalise drumming
circles as a form of therapy in the medical fraternity, and
popularise its therapeutic benefits.”
The Bhojwani Drum Circle is another institute in Pune that
conducts drum circles on a weekly basis. Every Saturday, a
batch gathers to share a spontaneous percussion experiment
with only a small pep talk at the beginning and a set of
djembes, African percussion instruments.
Sahil Shroff, one of the regulars, shares, “It’s a fantastic way
to spend a Saturday evening and it’s definitely something to
look forward to every week. It’s almost like a trance, once we
start playing. It’s like we forget worldly things and connect
on a different level altogether. People come to the circle for
various reasons, but personally, I love participating because I
enjoy it so thoroughly.”
In addition, these therapies are inherently culture-based,
and need to have a very well-defined basis in one’s own
cultural identity. For instance, an elderly person in the West
will be asked to sing a Stevie Wonder song (as a part of
Improvisational Music Therapy – IMT) while someone in
India would be asked to sing a Ghazal or maybe an old
Bollywood classic.
There are plenty of dance instructors or drama teachers in
our country but using these creative means of expression
for the purpose of education is very different from a
stereotypical workshop .The creativity needs to be
channeled with a tangible goal.
World Centre for Creative Learning Foundation (WCCLF) is
a Pune-based NGO which is a pioneer in this field. It
carries out its own models and research on IMT and DT
(Drama Therapy), and trains practitioners who would go
on to conduct sessions.
Drum Circles are a part of IMT which explore how rhythm
and percussion combine to heal an ailment. Taal Inc. is an
The Undergrad | 17
Punya Nagri
MAUSHI
W
hipping up batches of crispy kaanda-bhajjis and
vada pavs, punctuated with the ubiquitous little
glasses of chai, one has often found a visit to the
quintessential Maushi’s tapri the silver lining to their rainy day.
Maushi is the mildly interested but unfailingly friendly face that
creeps into your day’s routine and makes itself a content little
space in your heart. She, in turn, develops a soft spot for her
regular student customers and is more than ready to dish out
free chai and a kasa kay? to her favourites with a smile that
crinkles her eyes. Found at the corners of roads lined up with
institutes and bang opposite college gates, Maushi’s humble tapri
almost becomes a second home to these students. Simply put,
she is often a lifesaver to most sleep-deprived and overworked
youngsters in dire need of a respite that sometimes can only be
found in hot crunchy feel-good ‘home’ food. Maushi’s top 10 Marathi
phrases for the month:
1. Kay challay bhau? – What’s up, bro?
2. Agdi majet- Spectacular mate!
3. Agdi sundar chah zhala- Fantastic cuppa’ tea.
4. Aho please, phakta paach minta- Come on,
man! Just five minutes!
Finding home
T
he flight was preparing to land. Switching my iPod off,
I stared out of the window. The glimmering lights in
contrast with the dark night brought an instant smile to
my tired face. Yes, I was home again.
I realised my love for Pune when I was away from the city for my
internship. Even though I was receiving much appreciation for
my work and having the time of my life trekking through India’s
tropical jungle, a sense of longing to be back to Pune perpetually
pinched me.
It had only been a year after all, since I came to Pune. Yet, I felt
much closer to the city than I ever have been to my ‘hometown’
(Shillong). I remember being instantly attracted to this new
world a year back. The new streets, the different ambience, the
alien people, notorious thug like autowallahs, the controlled
chaos - I took to it all immediately.
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| The Undergrad
5. Me bindook nahi ahe! Shistit bhav sanga-I’m
not stupid, you know. Tell me the right price
Anurag Banerjee
Back in my hometown, I remember telling my parents very
animatedly about the city. Of how college is a small part of
life in Pune, of how delicious vada pav and chaha (tea) at the
road side tapri is, of how beautiful the old city is, of how there
is always so much happening and of how I could not wait to
be back.
“You talk of your home in Pune, what about your home here?
Have you forgotten us?” my father once asked me. I could
not answer his question. Maybe to me, his question was
more of a statement. Maybe I have forgotten the charm of my
silent, serene little hometown. Maybe I have embraced the
hustle-bustle of Pune. But maybe that is because Pune gave
me direction, made me realize my passion for photography.
Maybe I am too lost in the innumerable beautiful frames Pune
has to conjure and the life buzzing in them. And maybe that is
why Pune for me is and will remain, home.
6. Veda ahes ka? –Are you mental?
7. Aaj ratri. Mazhya ghari? - Tonight. My place?
8. Mala bhook lagliye!- I’m hungry
9. Jorachi lagliye! - Bladder burst!
10.Udya nakki karin, ai shappat! - I’ll definitely
do it tomorrow. “Mother die promise”
Maushi’s monthly Marathi abuse:
Doka ahe ka khoka? - Do you have a head or an empty box?
The Undergrad | 19
Madness for a
’
m
a
y
h
d
a
‘Ma
wdown on
a Gupta give us a lo
ar
nt
ya
Na
d
an
r
Iye
Sanyukta
edia-festival.
SIMC-UG’s annual m
A
y
b
b
o
L
Open
Sanyukta Iyer
I
The endless saga of your misfortune is just the icing on your mundane,
monotonous and needy life.
We have the annoyingly talented, moody workforce and the
constant in and out, yes and no over decisions and well, in this
case – not so much participants as much as funds.
What you need is a revolution.
We also have the walkie-talkie, the band-bajaa and media barsaat.
ndia’s Image Guru, Dilip Cherian is a top end lobbyist and
Consulting Partner at Perfect Relations. His insights into the
Indian political system are indispensable and when asked
what would be his solution to improve the ‘image’ of Congress
today, he blames the government’s ‘slow paced’ approach towards
eradicating corruption being the huge problem. “The silly thing
is that the government has painted itself into a corner. It needs
an internal champion who can be the leader. The moment the
Congress can do that, it will win back some of its lost ground,”
says Cherian.
Maadhyam is a lot like American Idol.
We have change in power and glory for the all talk– sounds good
personnel. We have the underdog and the bill keeper, the door
keeper and the fund raiser. What we have, at our little- experienced
hands is the unstoppable energy and fast-paced, grounding of a
widespread media college festival.
Interestingly, PR in India is essentially a form of advocacy and
lobbying is an intrinsic part of public affairs. In a democratic
system, information has been sought by Governments to craft
major policy decisions. After liberalization, the practice of
mainstream advocacy has become an accepted alternative.
clouded blue sky looms above your frizzy head; you’re having
a bad hair day. After your cold shower, coffee-less morning
when you stop to grab a bite on the way, you’re faced with
the dilemma of Maushi running out of Vada Pav. To top it all, the
Kiranawala has been banned from selling cigarettes, what a start!
We have our stage, we have our judges– some sweet, some acerbic.
We have our own share of crashable equipment and parading college
students, pumped up with the running around of production and
enthralled about the fact that all the work is the responsibility of the
under-represented, varied student community.
We have our own dean-ish, Bollywood-Ishtyle version of Simon
Cowell, the popular American TV producer cum star, and we have
nasty takers for guest appearances too. Okay- so we don’t have an
Adam Lambert, but well we have our special ‘mirch masala’ and
anyway, that’s India for you.
Oh! And did I mention we are original?
3 days – October 13, 14 and 15, 2011
Celebrities, speakers, visionaries and gatekeepers will stroll through
the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (UG), Viman
Nagar (hear the planes fly while you take a quick siesta in class)
campus, preaching and feasting about the world of mass-media
through seminars and contests.
Maadhyam, this time around is an extravaganza of wit, creativity
and tongue in cheek madness in the form of short films, debates and
20
| The Undergrad
workshops, theatre, speakers and sundowners are sure to bring
out the competitive spirit in even the most sober soul on campus.
Maadhyam is also a lot like Indian Idol.
Life as a student (and being one, our opinion doesn’t really count)
passes as quickly as the monsoon. You choose to wear white and
end up with muddy stains all over your pants. You have a stomach
upset and fail to locate your morning paper. You do not bathe
and brush in a hurry. You forget to drench yourself in deo and
fail to locate black shoes to go with the uniform. You are caught
for chewing gum in class- secretly trying to hide your morning
breath. Your sleepy eyes find themselves shut, heads down on the
desk only to be picked up by a conservative oldie.
“Coalition politics with its continuous push and pull results
in shifting policies. Therefore, influencing the government is
foreseeable especially in the future of Indian politics,” says Mr.
Cherian, proving how public relations and lobbying are not as
dissociative as they appear to be.
In his personal life Cherian switched from hard core journalism
to PR and believes that it was an effort to try and be part of the
actual process rather than being part of the commentary. He says,
“Working with the government showed me that not all of the
government is about shady deals. Understanding the philosophy
behind the policy changes and the methodology of influencing
them in a practical and open manner is what lobbying has given
me.”
The endless saga of your misfortune is just the icing on your
mundane, monotonous and needy life.
What you need is a revolution.
Maadhyam welcomes you to the madness.
Dilip Cherian
Find Mr. Dilip Cherian, policy maker, columnist and former
business editor, on day 1 of Maadhyam talking about the media
revolution and growth of lobbying in India.
The Undergrad | 21
CONTEST WINNERS
SWITCH SHOT
Prannoy Jagati, Sahil Ahuja and Faizan Shaikh explore the journey cricket has seen over the past few decades.
The Reverse Sweep which was popularised by the likes of Mike
Gatting and Andy Flower has become very common in today’s
game. Kevin Pietersen went on to modify the reverse sweep and
converted it to a switch shot (Where the batsman shifts from a
right-handed batting stance to a left-handed one right before the
delivery). The game saw an increase in the use of brute muscle,
in shot making. Players like M.S Dhoni, Chris Gayle and Pollard
are a testimony to this fact. Dhoni, in particular invented the
Helicopter Shot, which is now a part of the Oxford dictionary.
Riddhima Chawda
SIMC, Batch 2014
Sin- Sloth
Title- Absence
Topic –
Write a 700 word piece using 7 out of the 50 given words
with the underlying theme being ‘Revolution’.
Constant, Death, Dot, Breakfast, Witness, War, Miracle, Fragnance, Cage,
Facebook, Feet, Horizon, Utopia, Bridge, Space, One, Formicate, Time,
Pulp, Theft, Light, Resurrect, Phobia, Art, Blind, Crawl, Heart,
Apocalypse, Pink, Numb, Precious, Dove, Placate, Nerd, Silk, Uranium,
Predict, Abuse, Stanley Kubrick, Clarity, Mustard, Snatch, Dude, Crab,
Snow ball, Reign, Sodomy, Confuse, Abyss, Void.
S
tanley Kubrick once said- “The greatest nations
have all acted like gangsters and the smallest like
prostitutes.” The pimp of the plot though no
longer remains the government but the media
sodomizing the public with its utopian ideals spiralling
in an abyss of theft and confusion. But times are
changing and with it are people; the constancy of war
can’t outlive the fragrance of revolutions spreading
swiftly across countries. Horizons are expanding and
opening cages of freedom filling the void created by
blind phobias perpetuated by a maniacal media.
emerged dabbing its feet into the reigning madness of
mediums snowballing into an era where human distances
have been bridged forever. But the question as to whether
this is a miracle or a bane lingers. In its attempt to placate
its own users, a steady stream of abuse has trickled down
the web and resulted in the dumbing down of numbed
masses. Yet, the ardent revolutionary here too is making
inroads by crying out against abuse. The light here
emanating from the delicate folds of jasmines spread across
North Africa and the Middle-East uniting people to fight
as one forgetting class and crass distinctions.
Kubrick viewed the screen as a magic medium where
celluloid space becomes an odyssey of art, resurrecting
even the most precocious of hearts. Yet, today the same
medium is witnessing a gruesome death at the hands of
commercial perpetrators. Breakfast isn’t at Tiffany’s
anymore and fiction is restricted strictly to pulp.
Apocalypse is coming now with signatures on the
dotted line where fornication takes centre stage as
actors drop their silky fold of pink draperies, wrapping
themselves instead in darker shades of fame and money.
Still, there is a light at the end of the tunnel with people
snatching opportunities, crawling on the untrodden
roads of the digital revolution emerging in film-making.
Kubrick said “It's a mistake to confuse pity with love.” We
say it’s stupidity to confuse an eagle with a dove. Why?
Because no one can predict the future and peaceful revolts
can turn violent in a jiffy. An eye for an eye will make the
world blind but so will uranium. What’s required is clarity
in a murky system of mustard bitterness. For us, it’s a
common call to the dudes and the nerds, to the perpetrators
of discrimination and to the uprisings of the masses to
break the crab like structure of power and status quo that
grips our steadily Westernizing world and to spark a
revolution across countries, across religions, across
languages and most importantly across mediums that
brings about that change we desire. Because change is the
power of this medium. Our medium. Maadhyam.
With Facebook gaining in prominence, a new tool has
22
MAYANK SUSNGI, SIMC, BATCH 2012
| The Undergrad
C
ricket has witnessed change in its format, just like any
other sport. It has evolved from the classic Five Day Test
matches to the limited over, One Day Internationals. With
the introduction of the T20 format there was a desperate need to
create innovative batting and bowling styles that would fetch runs
and take wickets at a quick rate. In the past two decades, primarily
in the past five years, a plethora of innovations have found their
way into the cricketing dictionary.
The old school batting style was mostly confined to defensive
play and stroke making in front of the wicket. There was rarely
a player who would reverse sweep a ball. Strokes then, were very
elegant and relied more on timing than brute power. The talent of
a batsman back then would be judged on his technique.
With the change in game styles, batsmen were forced to invent new,
unorthodox strokes, prioritising the need to hit the ball over the
boundary. The element of risk taking and pace of the game led to
batsman making changes in their technique. For example dashing
Sri Lankan Opener T.M. Dilshan single-handedly engineered
the Dil-scoop during the first edition of the IPL (Indian Premier
League). The ball is met in front of the stumps and scooped behind
the keeper to an area where the fielder is generally absent.
The art of bowling also had its share of changes and innovations
with time. Pace often injured the players due to the short pitched
deliveries, aimed at the heads of the batsmen. A high arm
bowling action meant that the bowlers pitched the ball at a good
length and did not bring much variation in their style. A good
length ball was the ideal ball to be bowled. As trends changed,
bowlers were restricted to one bouncer per over. The era of 70’s
and early 80’s which was primarily known for the West Indian
pace attack slowly subsided to give way to the Pakistanis. The
discovery of the art of the Reverse Swing by Pakistani legend
Sarfaraz Navaz was later mastered by the likes of Akram and
Waqar and subsequently bowlers all over the world. To keep
up with the innovations, the bowlers added more tricks to their
armour. Slow bouncers and slower deliveries were bowled to
confuse the batsmen. Brett Lee mastered the Toe Crusher and
other fast bowlers like Shaun Tait, Shoaib Akhtar and Lasith
Malinga soon followed. They did not follow the high arm action
to generate pace. Their strength came from the shoulders. Hence,
they have a slinging action.
Similar changes in spin bowling were seen with regard to the grip
of the ball. Spinners used their wrist as well their fingers to spin
the ball. Ajantha Mendis created the carom ball, a technique
which is extremely difficult to execute. The likes of Anil Kumble
who were less dependent on spinning the ball, used a wide mix
of deliveries like the Flipper and Googly to torment the batsmen.
Entertainment versus Tradition, the age old argument continues.
The addition of tournaments like Hong-Kong super sixes and
KFC Big Bash will ensure further change in the game. No
matter how future innovations decide to shape the game, cricket
will truly remain a winner if it retains its aura of being “The
Gentleman’s Game”
The Undergrad | 23
Quickfix
Grubmismatch
Akida Wahi swears by the phrase “food for thought” but she also likes to think outside the tiffin box.
A complete foodie and a maniacal hygiene freak, you’ll often find her hosting gourmet langar for her
broke friends. She can sniff out a lie from miles away and uses her spare time solving Sudoku.
T
here are two schools of thought.
One set of people (much like my
grandfather) believe one can eat
anything any time, it’s all going to end in
the same place either way. The other set
of people are so particular about their
food habits they’d rather just not eat. However, it is extremely important
that we eat everything in the right
proportions and combinations to avoid
ending up with a stomach ache. One
should definitely eat all types of food but,
if you believe that you can bombard your
stomach with anything that is remotely
edible and yet get away with it, be warned.
I’d suggest, you avoid washing down
your lavish bacon and eggs breakfast
with a glass of milk. In the same way,
avoid combining two concentrated
proteins at the same time. This includes
combinations like nuts and meat, or
eggs and meat, cheese and nuts, cheese
and eggs, meat and milk, or eggs and
milk. Milk, if it is to be consumed at all,
Madhur Khinvansara is rumoured to have learnt how to cook on a deserted rainforest near Tuvalu. For security reasons we cannot reveal how she managed to cross Indian borders. When she’s not
cooking, you’ll find her bouncing off walls with excitement or carrying out a loud animated
conversation about the best eateries in the gallis and khopchas of Pune. She never says no to a
photograph, and is a genius when it comes to stretching a buck.
Chocolate Covered Cornflakes
is best consumed on its own. The reason
for avoiding combinations is that each
protein requires a specific character and
strength of digestive juice to be secreted.
Eggs require different timing in stomach
secretions as compared to milk or meat.
Combining our favourite drink like tea,
coffee, alcohol and soft drink with solid food
is a big mistake. These beverages hinder
digestion by restricting hydrochloric
acid secretion in the stomach hindered.
Speaking of acidic substances, curd
rice is not exactly light on the stomach.
Curd is best mixed in salads and
vegetables. Eating curd with milk or
solid food, hampers food digestionas
it blocks secretion of gastric juices.
If you thought you were eating it all right
and didn’t know the cause of that stomach
ache you had last evening, think again.
What you need to remember is that the
human body is like a chemical laboratory.
It is important that we don’t treat it
like a dump. Eat healthy to remain fit.
Bon Apetit!
It is as simple as the name! An easy ice cream topping, midnight
snack or something to munch on with your coffee.
1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave.
2. After the texture becomes really smooth, stir it
around with a spoon to reduce the temperature of
the chocolate. Do this for around 3-4 minutes.
3. Add cornflakes to it and mix it well.
Ingredients:
1 bowl of cornflakes
1 bar of cooking chocolate
4. On a plate place some butter paper or baking
sheets. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the
paper.
5. Place it in the fridge for 5-10mins.
6. After they turn hard, store it in a cool or dry place.
7. Serve with ice-cream, coffee or just eat it plain!
Baked Beans Roll
1. Chop the onion finely and the lettuce lengthwise.
2. Heat the chapatti and the baked beans.
3. Spread a layer of mayonnaise on the chapatti.
In the centre of the chapatti, spread some baked
beans. Top it off with lettuce and onions.
4. Season it with salt, pepper, oregano and chili flakes
as per taste.
5. Repeat it with the second chapatti.
Ingredients:
2 left over chapattis
Tin of baked beans
Mayonnaise
1 Onion
24
| The Undergrad
Salt, pepper, oregano,
chilli flakes(to taste)
Lettuce leaves
(chopped)
The Undergrad | 25
Esha Vaish explores the
history of four controversial
words from the
English slang family and
reveals the skeletons
responsible for their
current status-change.
O
“
h! F***ing hell”, yelled
Maaya, again as she swung
a book in my general direction. With a party breathing down her
neck, no dress seemed good enough.
Amused by her reaction I said, “You
do know that f***ing hell technically
doesn’t mean anything, right?”
Maaya, turned around, two different
hangers in her hands and her curious
button eyes pinned on me. Dramatically placing her hand on her hip she
snorted, “And what’s that supposed to
mean?”
“Oh! Nothing,” I said choosing my
words carefully, just to annoy her.
“You’re no soldier and you’re definitely no F.U.C.K.” By now I had her
full attention. She raised her eyebrow
as if expecting me to continue and I
obliged. “If a soldier of the British
Imperial Army was found to have a
venereal disease, “Found Under Carnal Knowledge” or F.U.C.K would be
stamped on his papers.”
“Really?” she retorted, “I thought the
King of England needed you to hang
a sign on your door saying, ‘Forni-
FOUND UNDER
CARNAL KNOWLEDGE
cation Under Consent of King’ and
that’s where the four letter came from.”
“Wrong etymology”, I said, savouring
the sweet feeling of proving Maaya
wrong, as she generally never gets her
facts wrong. She was considerably
‘‘cheesed off ’’ and ignored of my last
snub, pretending to be busy, trying on
a green tube dress.
“What do you think?” she asked turning around, “too slutty?” Unable to resist annoying her further, “No, rather
clean,” I replied. “God! You’re driving
me crazy, ” came her exasperated reply. “Slut was an idle, dirty, untidy or
slovenly woman in old English society,
” I proudly said. Maaya was quick to
retaliate, “We don’t live in old English
society, do we?” The girl had a point,
so I held my tongue, more information still racing through my brain. A
geek was a lifestyle rather than a tag,
and having lived in that category it
was an old habit to process information.
“Why don’t you go as a dude?” I asked.
I must have peeved her off too much
for she turned around and sarcastically said, “Please educate me as to what
that is supposed to mean, will you?”
“Dude was the street term in Britain
for a person who dressed in ‘duds’ or
rags, “ I replied in a single breath.
“Why have you been collecting
all this knowledge?” she asked. I
shrugged, “I stumbled upon it.”
She smiled, her Maaya smile, and
I knew I had won her over. The
shrew was mean, but she was my
best friend and loved me to bits.
“Amusing! Which other words
have you been researching?” she
asked. “A street in London going
by the name Gropecunte lane was
the inspiration behind the slang
‘cunt.’ The street was notorious for
prostitution and till today can be
found on Google Maps.” “Wow”,
she exclaimed, removing her smart
phone and before I could ask, her
fingers raced across buttons searching for it. “Found it!” she squealed.
“Say, we should go shopping to
London”, she said. The conversation
took a diversion and landed on the
familiar route of shopping! I smiled
to myself, nodding here and there
as Maaya fantasised about a shopping trip that was never going to
materialise.
Golf #101
A few common terms in
golf compiled By Prannoy
Jagati
Tee:
The place from where the first shot towards a hole is played.
Divot:
The portion of turf that is ripped out of the ground after a
golfer plays his shot (due to the digging of the club into the
ground).
Par:
When a golfer holes the ball in the number of shots that
have been stipulated for a particular hole.
Birdie:
When a golfer holes the ball in one shot less than the
number of shots that have been stipulated for a particular
hole.
Eagle:
When a golfer holes the ball in two shots less than the
number of shots that have been stipulated for a particular
hole.
Double Eagle, Albatross:
When a golfer holes the ball in three shots less than the
number of shots that have been stipulated for a particular
hole.
Bogey, Double Bogey:
When a golfer holes a ball in one and two shots more than
the number of shots that have been stipulated for a
particular hole.
Handicap:
The average difference between a player’s score and a set
standard as calculated by specified procedures.
26
| The Undergrad
The Undergrad | 27
You’re a twit when...
Clikthrough
Abhinandan Sridhar (A.S), unofficially second in line to Jack Dorsey
(Shhh, it’s a secret) attempts to educate the common masses on Twitter etiquette.
Twitter is quite a rage in our country now. More people are jumping on to the tweet
bandwagon every day. We thought we’d mention some ‘Don’ts’ that will make your
Twitter time more popular. You’re a twit when...
You are a twit when …
You don’t tweet: This will result in your follower count
showing a value tantalizingly close to zero.
You Retweet your own tweets: This action is analogous to
liking your own posts on Facebook or worse, putting up
your own photo as your desktop wallpaper.
You are looking for a Newsfeed instead of a Timeline: We
know it is painful but, no, Twitter is NOT Facebook.
You are Kamaal R Khan’s ghost tweeter: No. Even if you are
promised a very prominent role in Deshdrohi -2 we suggest
you turn the post down.
Dhruv Satija tells us about an interactive video website where buying merchandise seen on screen is just a click away.
You use ridiculous hashtags like
#LetsMakeThisHashtagTrendForever and
#SayYouLOVEMeGoddamnit: Oops! Then
#YouWillNeverFigureHashtagsOut!
You keep pinging celebs like they’re your best-buds: Forget
celebs, you need to start worrying whether your existing
friends still want to talk to you.
We’ll wrap up with these pointers. If you have committed
all of the aforementioned atrocities, we propose you turn
to Orkut, for reasons best left unspoken. On the other
hand, if you haven’t done any of the above, then we can
proudly commend you for enjoying life in 140 characters!
You operate spam-bot accounts that woo users with a busty
blonde’s display picture: Well, we have nothing to say to
you.
CONFESSIONS OF A STUMBLEUPON ADDICT
Surabhi Mokashi
Stumble this world and then the next
Posting comments in green text
That’s the fun we StumbleUpon From funny hats to old dead stars
Finding alien games and leotards
Biggest boulders up on Mars That’s what we StumbleUpon!
Stumble, stumble, on we go Finding sites that we didn’t know
In the evening’s afterglow
All we do is stumble.
28
| The Undergrad
When I first started stumbling, I had no idea
what I was getting myself into. All I had been
looking for was a more exciting way to spend
my time on the internet and now they tell me
I have a problem? This is preposterous!
The magic of that initial Stumble was
inexplicable. Diving head first into
the unknown; I was seeing, hearing,
reading, and listening to new things.
It gets you quite obsessed. The eclectic
collection they’ve found is irresistible. Every step brought me pictures, information,
music and sites I never expected to find!
From big movie stars to little beer
bars, StumbleUpon, had everything.
I’d say, “You’re not surfing right
unless you’re doing it with Stumble.”
Stumbling has given me a reason to
explore the internet and now my sole
purpose is to find those obscure little sites
in their sheer brilliance. The best part, I
never know what I’m going to discover
with the next click. Or the next… it’s been
3 hours… but just one more! So, if you
don’t have it, get it. It’s going to be hours
and hours of fun and education. Have you ever wondered where
did Pit Bull get that amazing
watch from? Or where Taylor
Swift got that beautiful white
dress from? Well, here’s a site
that brings you one step closer
to being able to acquire all that
you see in your favourite videos. Clikthrough.com is a video
website that gives you all the information you need about a location, garment, accessory, furniture, car or bike featured in a
music video.
All you need to do is simply
scroll over the product that
catches your eye and they’ll tell
you its name. To get more information about the products, click
on the icons below the video.
The website also enables you to
access all the information you
need to have about the artist,
including news, shows and albums. You can also turn off this
feature on the video player and
enjoy your video uninterrupted.
You can turn the feature on and
get all the information you need,
the second time round.
Another interesting feature
available on the website is that if
a product that you like or something similar to it is featured
in other music videos, you can
view those videos and chose the
best for yourself.
They also have tie ups with various artists and studios such as
Ne-Yo, Natasha Bedingfield,
Pitbull, Eminem, Taylor Swift,
Lady Gaga, Paramount Pictures
Boomerang. They have tied up
with leading luxury brands like
Louis Vitton, Gucci and ELLE
Magazine. The website is trying to strike a deal with television studios to incorporate TV
shows in their gallery as well. So
we’re not too far away from the
day when you can know where
Joey and Chandler got that large
white dog with wheels from!
The only disappointment is that
they don’t have Indian music
videos on their site. On asking
Abe McCullum, the man behind
clikthrough.com about such a
possibility in the future her said,
“We would like that of possible.
Unfortunately we don’t have any
connections in India to sell our
solution.”
The Undergrad | 29
Editorial
Marketing
Faizan Shaikh
(Editor in Chief)
(Marketing Director) (Creative Head)
Nupur Sonar
Abhinandan S.
(Editor in Chief)
(Copy Head)
Madhur K.
Sumedh Natu
(Managing Editor)
Divesh L.
Neethika B.
(Advertising Head) (Sponsorship Head)
Sounak Roy
Abhishek Bardia
Saumya Gupta
Esha Vaish (Copy Editor)
Nikhil Burby
Aditi D.
Anshika K.
Prannoy Jagati
Iknoor Kaur
Sanchita Dash
Sahana Sriram
Anonna Dutt
Gautami S.
Hitisha Jain
Rishabh Kumar
Aishwarya Kar
Alina G.
Akida Wahi
Arnav Abbey
Zainab V.
Kunal Pandey
Ankita Rajan
Sakshi H.
Ahmar Zaman
Ayeisha D.
Vishishta N.
(Budget Head)
Chitra S.
Jeel Shah
Laksh Fomra
Vashita M.
Surabhi M.
Mansi C.
Nayantara G.
Sahil Ahuja
Shalaka Desai
Sonali Devan
Acknowledgements
Sagar Kamath
Milinda Natu
| The Undergrad
Amitabh Dasgupta
Mohan Sinha
Sahil Khan
Malvika Asher
Layout & Magazine Design : Mayank Susngi & Priya Gupta
We’ve attempted to credit every
image we’ve used in the design.
However, in places where
the artist’s name couldn’t be
established, we’ve added links to
the page.
Artistic Criminal- http://good-wallpapers.com/fantasy/4251
Running on Blades- http://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/leave-ourblade-runner-alone.htm
Anurag Kashyap- http://www.indianfilmfestival.org/publicity.php
Drum circlescom/?photo=280
http://deography.
Drumroll- http://www.myspace.com/
drumsinnumpty
Maushi/Editor’s Pictures- Sounak Roy
The Undergrad
The Undergrad
30
Rohan Kapoor
Dhruv Satija
Amrita Paul
Lasya N.
Anaheeta D.
Pranjal Gupta
Charulata B.
Lemuela Patel
Akruti Patel
Bushra Shaikh
Siddharth Rajan
Hardeepa M.
Creative Commons, Wikimedia
Commons, Google images,
Blogs
(Sales Head)
(P.R. Head)
(Photography Head)
Images Courtesy
Priya Gupta
Arpan Chaturvedi
Yogesh Pardeshi- http://www.livemint.com/2010/02/12205645/Strikerwho-got-his-goal.html
Music Basti-http://www.musicbasti.
org/the-process/music-teachingprograms/music-education-workshops-content-development/
A Queer, Straight Opinion (Bars)http://www.niu.edu/lgbt/resourcecenter/audience/faculty_staff.shtml
Queer Mask- http://newshopper.
sulekha.com/india-gay-pride_photo_1905412.htm
Skype
(logo)http://gigaom.
com/2010/12/23/the-incredible-importance-of-skype/
(guru)- http://www.adaringadventure.
com/life-coaching/hes-not-a-guru-hesa-very-naughty-boy/
Legally Blonde- http://www.rtonmainstreet.com/
Venture
99
(Coins)http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Assorted_
United_States_coins.jpg
Wayanad in Turmoil- http://deshlai.
wordpress.com/tag/rajarhat/
Maadhyam Logo/Scan- Maadhyam
Creative Team
Dilip Cherian- Courtesy Dilip Cherian’s Office
Switchshot- http://www.cricturf.com/
events/ausvssl.html
Grub Mismatch: (Milk & eggs)- http://
farmersandartisans.com/2011/milkegg-shares-q2
(Rice & Curd)- http://rajendermanju.blogspot.com/2010/05/thayirsaadham.html
(Smiling eggs)- http://www.hdphotos.org/dreamstime/bacon-andeggs-with-tomato.htm
Jargon
Breakinghttp://www.
theatlanticright.com/2009/09/29/
breaking-senate-finance-committeerejects-public-option-amendment/
(Broken Link)- http://antenamisionera.wordpress.com/category/jesus/
Golfhttp://laurahier.livejournal.
com/16147.html
Stumbleuponhttp://elitemom.
net/2011/08/stumbleupon-wtf-is-thedeal/
You’re a twit when- http://mobloggy.
wordpress.com/tag/minturn/
Quickfix- Madhur Khinvansara
Clikthrough- http://thepixelreport.
org/2010/10/10/clikthrough/
http://r3r.com/blog/2009/in-streamvideo-marketing-clikthrough/
Paper Texture- http://www.vectoreps.com/index.php/2010/04/highquality-paper-textures/
The Undergrad | 31
Symbiosis Institute Of Media & Communication (UG)
Survey No.231, Viman Nagar, Pune – 411014
Contact: +91-20-26634511/12/13/14.
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.simcug.edu.in