Speak Ur Wish...

‘Speak ur Wish’ is an initiative to appreciate every little effort of the children in urban slums by granting them numerous wishes.-

https://www.facebook.com/speakurwish?ref=ts

Join in Guys.!!!

Some random thoughts I penned years ago..

My eyes say something,

Smiles speak the rest,

Roses in the vision,

Candles all around…

Sharing feelings, thoughts,

And talks that never end.

Moments some unforgettable,

Words which mean a lot,

In your glorious sheen,

I am forever caught…

Life is the word for what I feel for you,

Serenity you bring to my mind,

Beats of joy you give my heart,

All this and much more, that makes me your part,

To know me, to woo me,

To bring that sparkle in my eyes,

You know that art…

Charm on my face, the twinkle in my eye,

Bloom in the season, without any reason,

A chapter in my life, emotions on the ultimate high,

Something that never happened before,

Life, I know, will never be the same…

You, your persona, your smile,

Something so special, something that stands out,

Makes me feel so close to you,

Sorrows and lows, I don’t mind,

Till the time you are with me,

A part of you, if forever I could be…

To forget you, I will never do,

To forget me, I leave it to you,

My love for you will never die,

Till the time life bids me goodbye…
I will always be there whenever you need me,

The dream of your life, if you let me be…

Smile till I login again :-)

Discover Yourself...

"I was 12, an only child of my parents, dreams in my eyes, thoughts rushing through my mind, not many friends to share, when a pen and a paper became my closest mates and I started to write poems, stories, articles and I went on & on & on. This is how I discovered my love for an unconventional interest that gave me nothing but immense pleasure. 7 years after I jotted down my first poem, my first article got published in one of India's popular woman's magazine, Woman's Era. The feeling was ecstatic to get recognition for my talent and actually hold my first pay cheque of 500 bucks while I was still in college pursuing my B.tech. Sounds a little strange I know, what does a software engineer has to do with literature and poetry? But, fortunately this became the journey of my self discovery that made me realize that my job is to earn a living and "writing" was a passion that I was born with. I call it "fortunate" because even though I am not a full time writer but yet the hobby acts as a healing therapy for me, whenever I get bugged up with my monotonous day to day routine."

 There are lakhs of young minds brimming with ideas, questions, dreams, undiscovered & unexplored. Most of them are aged between 12-16 and each one of them is striving hard to know themselves and to know what they really want to do in life. Unfortunately, most of them, when not able to find clear answers to their questions, end up jumping blindly into the mad rat race of fields and areas which are just not meant to be their cup of tea. So inspired by my own journey and a few years older than you, let me just help you find answers to those unanswered questions and guide you to the path of self discovery.

# Look inside to find what really interests you: Every now and then we hear that talent is something you are born with. Conceded BUT "interests" are something that all of us have. And in today's competitive time, it has almost become mandatory for every young child to polish that interest and convert it into a hobby. An all round development is something you can't do away with. Interests could vary from music, dance, painting, writing, sports, photography, social work, cooking, quizzing, public speaking and trekking, just to name a few. Interests when pursued regularly become hobbies and hobbies when polished and glorified become a passion, and there are numerous examples where successful people have pursued their passions as careers. It is for you to look inside and clearly know what is it that interests you, is it GK, Literature, sports, organizing events, techno-gadgets. Prepare a questionnaire and ask yourself, given an opportunity, what you would prefer, preparing for a mathematics quiz or writing a summary. Such questions will definitely help you to be aware of yourself, about what you enjoy doing. And eventually it will help you take up fields that you would enjoy working in. The kind of time you have when you are in your teens still in school or may be in college, is something you would never get in your life. It is the time when you can take the liberty of pursuing your passions along with studies. It is the time when you don’t really have the worldly responsibilities to cater to. There is exactly what you call "ample" time. It might sound way too idealistic but utilizing this time in a well planned manner will definitely help you groom as a better individual, professionally as well personally. It’s your overall persona that will matter in the end, and not just good grades. As the world is changing, there is globalization, there is a need for a global citizen who knows more than what is mentioned in books. And this self discovery will take you a step closer to becoming an aware global citizen. So what are you waiting for just put on your thinking caps and explore inside your mind and heart to know what gives you happiness and what makes you work endlessly without feeling a hint of boredom or tiredness.

#Weigh the feasibility of your newly discovered passion: Though, if a passion is followed regularly and polished through professional trainers and courses while one's growing years, it can earn you a living as well. But, it isn't really feasible to transform every passion into a full time career. You need to weigh its pros and cons. Nevertheless, any extracurricular achievement adds value to your personality and your resume to be. Not to neglect the pleasure and peace you get after an hour of your dance or music lesson. It can actually work as a stress buster after hectic study hours or years later in between the high profile board meetings that you would become part of.

#Guide your siblings/offspring: A child as young as 12-13 would definitely need guidance from someone who is more experience. Expose your younger brother/sister/friends or your child to various opportunities available. Unfortunately, there are times adolescents and teens do not understand the crucial role of extracurricular activities and their impact on personality development and they end up living in the illusion that only getting 'A' grades in academics will secure a bright future for them. Academics are imperative in shaping a successful career but it is in no way the be all and end all f life. Thus, it is the responsibility of every educated parent and an elder sibling to give their young ones required exposure and introduce them to the world of arts, culture, sports, society. Take them to watch plays, enroll them for PDP classes, encourage them to use social networking for a cause, take them for swimming tennis classes, inspire them to read, jot down their thoughts. And finally when they know, if they truly enjoy any of these, encourage them to be a regular follower.

# Present generation is lucky to have been born in the age of the cool concept called "freelancing": While the present generation of women in their late 20’s was growing up there were fewer sources and medias to support unconventional interests. Luckily, now days teenagers have access to a great platform called freelancing, where in they can do a lot of hit and trial without putting anything at state. If you love to write, then there are plenty of sites where you can showcase your talent, if you love photography, then there are numerous workshops and contests happening online as well offline, if you enjoy quizzing you have contests in schools, colleges, at state level, national level, if you enjoy dance, go attend a dance workshop this vacation, or you could even form your own band in school. And once you have polished your talent, just freelance your way to glory to pursue things that might not be feasible to pursue as a career initially. You never know that after a while it starts fetching you enough moolah and you could make freelancing your profession. How great it would be, if you can work on your own terms, in your own pace and place away from the hassles of corporate rules, and most importantly without a boss. Freelancing can give you all this and much more.


#Are you in the "right" age when you can experiment: I say this by my own experience, that when you are in school or undergraduate college, you have "ample" amount of time, options and also platforms to experiment. And it can lead to some amazing self discoveries and reveal hidden aspects f your personality. Fr instance, I have friends who while organizing cultural events in schools and colleges discovered their unconventional skill sets and walked away with the glory of becoming extremely successful event managers.

Have a curiosity to question, question your mind, your random ideas, your thoughts, and your day to day activities. The answer to these unending questions lies within you. Just know that these years of your youth especially between 13-21 are extremely crucial in deciding the path you will tread your entire life. And these are the years to find answers to all your queries about yourself, about life. Once you will become a part of the mad crowd, you will land in your routine 9-5 job and other responsibilities will overburden you. So before, life becomes that hectic, start your journey to self discovery. Take help from peers, siblings, parents and teachers but explore yourself now because it will either be now or never.

Search your soul and stay smiling till I login again:-)

The “How hot I am” syndrome ...

A young pop-star dressed as a school girl with her shirt unbuttoned licking a lollypop, such visuals are being beamed across the eyes and minds of young girls 24x7, nurturing a generation for whom all that matters is “how hot they look”?

The portrayal of women by media in a form that is unachievable for most of us is having a derogatory effect on the mental and physical health of millions of young women. Most magazines, TV shows and advertisements trick you by forcing you to think that there is some form of imperfection in your body. And this is where the vicious circle begins that leads you from starving and sweating it hard to get that perfect hour-glass figure, to scouting for ultra-sexy but uncomfortable and unrealistic clothing and finally putting you through mental depression when you don’t achieve what you aimed at.

The “Thin is in” Funda:
There was a time when voluptuous was considered desirable but as the fashion industry took a turn towards clothing like low waisted jeans & few inches long skirts and tops put together merely by a couple of strings, it gave birth to an era of skinny models. And soon they became role models for women from all social and economic classes.

With the increasing number of beauty pageants and model hunts, the wrong notion that a woman’s value is restricted to her sex appeal is being ingrained in the minds of girls aged between 16 to 24. No doubt it’s important to be fit, but fitness is not about starving yourself to death or sweating your body to dehydration.
The present generation is being fed on audio-visuals that emphasize only on a woman being attractive irrespective of the role she plays. All forms of media lay emphasis on ways to look good and objectify a female. In turn women and girls ruin their mental and physical health in hope of fulfilling their fantasies.

The Body Image:
The successful marketing and upward curve of the fashion industry has resulted in the creation of a thin and glamorous ideal. And when lakhs of women trying to achieve this ideal don’t get desired results, it leads to mental stress. This affects one’s entire personality which further leads to lack of confidence, low self-esteem, and a detrimental change in your attitude towards one’s own self. The dieting industry is clever enough to first instill self-doubt about ones own body and then offer solution for the same. This is the trick that all you women out there need to protect yourself from. Don’t let the advertisements fool you into thinking and doing what they want you to.

Love thyself:
Women need to understand that it’s the complete image that should be perfect and not only the body. And the image is more about your attitude, your thoughts, your goals and perceptions. It is more important to be smart than to be sexy. It is important to send across a positive message that lay emphasis on a woman’s innate worth and value her existence in totality.

All magazines, newspapers, television and the internet bear a social responsibility to send across visuals that teach girls to value themselves for who they are and not how they look. Everyone wants to look good and there is nothing wrong with it, but don’t get obsessed by the “how good you look” mantra. To look good it’s important to feel good and have a healthy mind and body. To look as stunning as Priyanka Chopra isn’t the only ways to woo your man. Neither is modeling or the fashion industry only way to be rich and famous.

Don’t be obese but don’t be a dead stick either. Value yourself and value your body. Don’t be harsh on yourself just because the model in the advertisement or the magazine wants you to. Value the fact that you are a woman, because every woman is beautiful in her own way. After all she is god’s most special creation!!

Value yourself and smile till I login again:-)

AGE: Why do women fear growing up???

Hey friends, I am back, though after a long gap. But this time in box is something that women have always feared, the phobia of growing old. Go ahead with the read and I hope you would enjoy it.

An 11-year old is all eager and excited to get into teens and a 16-year old girl can’t wait to turn 18. Then, why is, that just a day before your 20th birthday you tell your age precisely to be nineteen. What is the big deal about crossing the thirty or the forty barrier? Why most women fear growing up? Why a sense of insecurity compels you to hide your age?

Age has always been an issue in our society especially with the fairer sex. It is sort of paradoxical that when we are young, we are too eager to grow up and after a stage the very act of asking a girl’s age is considered rude in a civilized society. But, why do we run from the reality? One needs to realize that age is a natural phenomenon and it is not limited to a mesh of numbers. It is about your thoughts, about how you perceive life and react to various situations. In simple words, age lies in the state of mind and beats of the heart.

We are living in an era where women have started coming out of the closets and they are becoming more open about issues that were earlier considered taboo. And, amongst all these, even age is becoming a casual attribute. Gone are the days, when age was the yardstick by which the world judged you. The new mantra is that “Don’t ask a woman’s salary!” contrary to the earlier saying which said, “Don’t ask a woman’s age!” Age discrimination has been a long existed concept. But today, there are also women who gracefully accept their age, no matter they are 35 or 45or even 60. Infact, the prime reason for many older women gaining lot of popularity in their workplace or society is that they are quite comfortable with disclosing their age. For some one who likes to learn about all the new gizmos and gadgets and pick a few words from the youthful lingo, age is not at all an issue.

You can easily match your steps with the younger generation provided you are truthful about your age as it helps you to be a more confident and smart. The elegance itself embraces your persona and eventually makes the younger lot look at you with a lot of respect and admiration. Also people who come across you like to emulate and learn from your experiences. It is actually sad to see people who are coy about their age. Learn to take pride in growing a year older. Life is an absolutely precious book and one must live its each chapter with equal enthusiasm and happiness. Don’t be ashamed or bothered just because you are on the verge of the 50 Th chapter of this book and your hair have started turning grey. No doubt, everyone is possessive about their looks, the flawless skin, the long and satin-silky hair, all of which are bound to lose their lusture as you turn old. But the trick is simple, if you are happy and proud about all those years you have lived through, your face and persona will glow with an undefinable vibrance and sheen. Even the wrinkles and lines of aging will add beauty to your appearance.

Hiding your age is a self-defeating concept. It reflects signs of weakness and a tarnished aura. It is all about how you choose to accept growing older that makes hell lot of a difference. In today’s times age is too short a word to describe someone as an individual or judge his/her capabilities and caliber.

You can be 50 and still be going around. You can be a mother of two and still be clad in that sexy black dress that you wore when you were eighteen.
You just need to remember that you define yourself by how you feel, what you do, how open minded you are towards changes in the society and not by how old you are. After all, you have worked hard enough to reach where you are. So just love and live proudly every minute of every year of your life. Despite hiding or lying about your age sing it out loud and clear and see how easily you can shut the gobs of those narrow minded people just by the confidence and dignity you hold in that number called age.

Flaunt your age till I login again:-)

Media - Growing beyond limits...

There has been a phenomenal progress of India into the age of modernization and liberal thinking. Advent of new technologies, foreign investments, or global partnerships in the field of IT and computers, every change has come with a big bang. And, amongst all this, there is one sector, which correlates all these developments on the world platform. It is the very influencing “Media”. The face of print as well electronic media has transformed into a form that appeals to every section of the society. With all these developments, the debate of print media versus electronic media is also stirring up. But, the fact is that newspapers have always had a mind of their own. Role of press in freedom struggle or the worst days of emergency cannot be forgotten at any cost. Print media was the voice of the nation when satellite TV and 24 hours news channels did not existed. Moreover, in practical terms, reach of newspapers and magazines is far beyond the TV.

We are living in an era, which is completely driven by media and advertising. There has been a drastic change in the news reporting techniques and “yellow” journalism has become the trick of the business. Media, in its new form has the power to “brain wash” people and put words into their mouths. One word or one statement can make or break the society. Media has to aim at larger social good. On its way to expansion, it has made some noticeable impacts on society.

# Media has played a constructive role in spreading awareness about various social issues. Women empowerment, social advertisements on AIDS awareness, family planning, educating the girl child, had it not been the boom in the television and advertising industry, we would not have moved a little above the base line.

# Media has become central to public life and politics. Media shapes public opinion, reports and interprets various political events.

# Media has successfully put India on the international map of popular nations. Today, India is looked upon as a country with extreme potential in almost all fields. It is also responsible for the economic growth of the nation, increase in international trade and development in financial institutions. Media itself is an industry with lot of potential.

# Credit of popularity of Indian fashion industry also goes to advertising and communication. It has helped a lot in attracting international buyers to invest in India. What more, today we have specialized studies in fashion journalism.

# Co-existence of so many brands of one product is possible due to the magic of advertisements, which is yet another indispensable part of media.

Unfortunately, in some cases it has also spread the wrong message of “End justifies the means”. Some of the negative impacts on the society are:

# India is a huge country with a population over 100 million. So there are enough news stories from a comrade of news channels that are being delivered right in our living rooms. But the reality is that in order to raise TRPs news channels are either reporting information more than required or the much important issues are being neglected. Gossips have become a trading trick and they are packaged in a way that undermines the reality and main stories.

# Only a fool would deny that hundreds of hours of exposure to visual and verbal images of human depravity will have negative effects on young developing minds. TV and movies are a prime source of inspiration when it comes to youth expressing themselves by acts of violence. There are many TV shows that depict family breakdown, single parent household, high divorce rates and unwedded mothers. Very little is being done to stop the vulgarity and sexual immorality in TV shows which can’t even be segregated with A or U certificates as in the case of movies.

# Advertising too has an impact on society, especially on values and lifestyle. It plays a major role in influencing social values and has become a kind of a social guide. It encourages extravagant expectations.

# Last but not the least, media influences our lifestyle too. The clothes we wear, the accessories we sport and the shoes we buy, every thing is influenced by the trends set by the media and fashion industry. Even when we go out to buy furniture to redecorate our interiors, e emulate what we see on television, or in fashion or lifestyle magazines. Every teenager wants to be with whatever is “in”, in order to be popular. The youth today wears “right” clothes, listen the “right” music, watches the “right” TV shows and movies and be at the “right” place to hang out. In doing all these “right & in” things individuality and innovation of our young minds is being lost. It is even increasing the gap between the rich and poor.

What is needed in the present scenario is media literacy. It involves correctly comprehending, interpreting and analyzing both print and electronic media. Wrong interpretations can create chaos in the society. Print and electronic media must work hand in hand to for the benefit of the society.

Happy surfing till I login again :-)

Is 13 the new 18???

“A consumerist, urban animal living in a cocooned society that is busy eating McDonald’s burgers, freaking out with pals and chasing the original American dream of making it big.” I read this somewhere, and it made me think about a very predominant social change that is encompassing India, especially the metros. It is the way a child is being groomed and nurtured. It is the sheer loss of innocence in a child, at a much early age than it used to be say a decade ago.

This is what mirrors the modern youth. The young one’s today are like a rudderless ship without direction. They might have fastened their seat belts but they have nowhere to go. But the question here is that what is it that has changed the psychology of this new age teenager to this extent?

Over the past decade the country has gone through social, economical, technological and cultural changes. Some of them being favorable & some refutable. Change: you can love it or you can hate it, but you certainly can’t ignore it. And as they say, “Change is the only constant”. Change is a cause that has to be succeeded by an effect: good or bad. A culmination of various factors has been responsible for the change in the scenario of Indian society and shaping up of the new millennium 13- year old.

It is very much evident that there is a combination of factors that influence the average Indian teenager. And the influence has been profound on the psychological development of a child. Influence of the west and impact of the media have made such deep inroads in our society that they have shaken the very roots of our culture. Broadly there are 5 prominent reasons for the birth of all-new adolescents with a broader & bigger vision of life but at the same time a very materialistic and unhealthy generation of youth.

# Media in all its forms: TV, Internet, Lifestyle Magazines, Much hyped Page3 journalism, Advertising, Video games has been largely responsible. The Internet is the most essential component of new literacy with its endless library of resources. But the dangers inherent in this relatively uncontrolled ‘wired’ world are many and varied. A wise parent should aim at protecting children while allowing them to reap the rich benefits in a safe environment. TV has become one of the most popular medium of entertainment in every home. But certain programs may encourage irresponsible sexual behaviour. Instead TV should act as a powerful teacher imparting lessons on various issues. If a program talks about pre-marital sex it must talk about STDs and harms of teenage pregnancies. Furthermore the popularity of child reality shows distracts them from academics by luring them to instant fame.

# Improved Economic status of families: Since most families in metros have means, they over pamper their children financially and emotionally, making them fearless enough to do wrongs with courage.

# Peer pressure: This factor has always existed but in the recent times the competition has taken an ugly face where winning and to be “in” with the crowd is what all matters. Alcohol, drugs and sex, teens do it all under the influence of friends.

# Cultural and social changes: Indian society as a whole has gone through a renaissance of sorts. We are more candid about issues that were earlier considered taboo. Although it has made us more progressive but the mind of a 13- year old is not mature enough to take certain things in their stride. Influence of the west might have made us more contemporary and practical but it should be ensured that young children don’t get taken away by the ills of the west.

# Technological advancements: Increased crime, the craze to show off latest gizmos have all been the result of new scientific technology. We must ensure that technology should be used for betterment and not as a yardstick to measure who has the “coolest gadget” amongst adolescents.

The new generation has no role models to look up to. And the new age parent has no time to foster certain values in their children and they assuage the guilt by material gifts. Every one is too busy chasing a dream that will take them nowhere. Compassion and commitment have no meaning in today’s India.The new millennium teens have all that it takes to be a successful and  globalized Indian but what they lack is the direction in which their energies should be diverted in order to have a constructive and fruitful end for the individual as well the nation. But for this to happen the media will have to be socially responsible, parents need to spend time and nurture their children with love and proper guidance. Technology should land in the hands of who can make the best of it and peers should work together for the good of all. Youth is the most important resource of a nation and its overwhelming to see that our youth has high spirits, but parents, teachers and media needs to make sure that their spirits yield a beautiful and bright tomorrow for the country.