B E N N E T T, C O L E M A N & C O. LT D. | E S TA B LI S H E D 183 8 | T I M E S O F I N D I A . C O M | N E W D E L H I

Newspaper inEducation

STUDENT EDITION

MONDAY, JULY 27, 2020

WEB EDITION

MANN KI BAAT

PM RECALLSTHE VALOUR OF OURSOLDIERS INTHE KARGILWAR

Recalling the valour of the Armed Forcesduring the Kargil War,Prime MinisterNarendra Modi onSunday said thatIndia's brave soldiershad defeated theenemy perched on themountain heights.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

1 In his monthly, 'Mann kiBaat' radio address, the PMalso said that the threat of

coronavirus is not over yet, andwe need to remain vigilant againstthe deadly virus.

2 He said the focus on wear-ing masks and maintainingsocial distancing has

to continue.

3 Modi also applauded theefforts of groups in variousstates, including Bihar,

Jharkhand and northeast to promote local products during the Covid-19 pandemic.

4 He said this year'sIndependence Day will becelebrated amid the pan-

demic, and urged youth to resolveto make India self- reliant and freeof the pandemic.

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women army officers

Centre grants permanent commission to

The ministry of defence has finally issuedthe formal order to grant Permanent Com-mission(PC) to women officers in the In-dian Army, paving way for empowering

women officers to shoulder larger roles in the 13-lakh-strong force.

The order specifies grant of permanent commis-sion to Short Service Commissioned (SSC) womenofficers in all the 10 streams — army, air defence,signals, engineers, army aviation, electronics andmechanical engineers, army service corps, armyordnance corps and intelligence corps, in additionto the existing streams of judge and advocategeneral and army educational corps

FAIR PLAY

What's your take on this landmarkdecision? Let's know your views.Please share your thoughts attoinie175@gmail.com/times-mail175@gmail.com

➤ In the Armed Forces, while male SSC officers could optfor permanent commission at the end of 10 years of service,this option was not available to women officers, who com-prise just 4% of the total strength of the commissioned offi-cers in the Army

➤ They were, thus, kept out of any command appointment,and could not qualify for the government pension, whichstarts only after 20 years of service, as an officer

➤ Last November, the apex court had directed the Army to takea decision on the permanent commission to eight women armyofficers, who had approached the apex court in 2010, against thebar on their absorption in the Armed Forces. The case was firstfiled in the Delhi high court by the women officers in 2003, andhad received a favourable order in 2010. But the order was neverimplemented, and was challenged in the SC by the government

➤ In a landmark verdict in February this year, the SC had direct-ed that women army officers be granted permanent commis-

sion and command postings, rejecting the Centre's stand oftheir physiological limitations as being based on "sexstereotypes" and "gender discrimination against women"

THE STORY, SO FAR

TIM

ES V

IEW

CLICKHERE FORMOREBRIEFNEWS

IN CHELSEA’S NEW BOOK 'SHEPERSISTED' SERIES HON-OURS WOMEN IN SPORTS MASSIVE STUDY SHOWS SHARKS ARE

'FUNCTIONALLY EXTINCT'

SERIES ON HILLARY CLINTONIN DEVELOPMENT AT HULU

P olitician Hillary Clinton's life is the sub-ject of a new series, 'Rodham', whichtracks her story, when she was not mar-

ried to the former US president Bill Clinton.Hulu has optioned the rights to Curtis Sitten-feld's alternative history book, 'Rodham' for aseries that will tell the story

of an ambitious youngwoman, developing herextraordinary mind inthe latter part of the20th century, movingfrom idealism to cyn-icism, and all the wayback again. SarahTreem is allset to writeand pro-duce theproject.

TAYLOR SWIFT’S 'FOLKLORE' EXCEEDS 1.3MN COPIES SOLD IN 24HRS

Pop icon Taylor Swift delighted herfans by releasing a surprise newalbum recently. 'Folklore', her

eighth studio album, comprises 16 songs.According to The Hollywood Reporter,on Spotify, it was streamed 80.6 milliontimes, breaking the record for the first-day album streams by a female artiste. Itwas also the most-streamed pop albumon Apple Music on its first day of release,with 35.47 million streams.

I n a global study of the world's reefs, scientistshave found that the ocean's top predator sharksare 'functionally extinct' on nearly one in five of

the reefs surveyed. The research team, who surveyed371 reefs in 58 countries, found that the sharks wererarely seen on close to 20 per cent of those reefs."Thisdoesn't mean that there are no sharks on these reefs,but what it does mean is that they are 'functional-ly extinct' — they are not playing their normalrole in the ecosystem," said the researchers.

The findings showed that almost no sharks were detect-ed on any of the 69 reefs of six nations: the DominicanRepublic, the French West Indies, Kenya, Vietnam, theWindward Dutch Antilles and Qatar. According to theresearch team, it's clear that the primary problem is theintersection between high human population densities,

destructive fishing practices andpoor governance

➤ The new book titled, 'ShePersisted in Sports: AmericanOlympians Who Changed the Game,will include sections about someprominent women in sports, includ-ing Venus and Serena Williams,Wilma Rudolph, among others. The32-pages book is illustrated byAlexandra Boiger➤ The book is expected to bereleased in September 2020

BOOKS

ALERT

ENTERTAINMENT

MUSIC

Dessner co-wrote / produced 11 of the songson 'Folklore', Swift said.The megastar's lastalbum, 'Lover', wasreleased in August 2019

WHAT: Delhi, along with several other states, have started sero

surveillance mapping to flatten the Covid-19curve. Sero surveillance is a globally-usedand trusted standard that measures the lev-els of antibodies against a certain infection,and decodes the percentage of the population,which has been previously exposed to thevirus. The tool is also used as a measure forthe officials to check on mass inoculation andsee the level of immunity people have.

WHY:While a vaccine or a definitetreatment plan is not available to

us, experts believe that the only way to pre-vent further spikes in the infections or findout the actual data about our exposure lev-els is to test the presence of antibodies amongthe people.

HOW IS IT DONE: Sero surveys derivethe results from the presence of

antibodies and proteins meant to fight off theinfections, which are part of the body's im-munology make-up. For a sero survey, sampleblood tests are done, and if the antibody lev-els in the blood are detected, it can mean thata person has considerable immunity againstthe said infection. Sero surveys done routine-ly could also show how long do the antibodieslast in the body and provide immunity againstthe disease, which is a pressing concern.

WHEN HAS IT BEEN USEDBEFORE? In the past,sero surveillance has

been used to map the spread of diseases andinfections, like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, diph-theria, tetanus, polio and mumps.

SEROSURVEY

X-PLAINED

Sero surveillance will help in observ-ing if a vaccine can actually provide

immunity. Given that we have a vaccineready for the masses by the end of 2020or early 2021, a sero survey could showif the Covid-19 vaccine being deployed tothe masses is actually working. Sero sur-veys could also identify any infectioncases (asymptomatic, mild ones, or oneswhich may have gone away on its own),that may have been missed

Earth's atmospheremore sensitive toCO2 emissions thanthought: Study

The hope that the rise in average global tempera-tures by 2100 might be capped below 2.5°C will re-main a distant dream, if the greenhouse gas emis-sions continue at the current rate, a new research

reassessing the atmosphere's sensitivity to CO2 suggests.

➥ The study, under the Geneva-based World ClimateResearch Programme, offers the first clear progressin decades, towards narrowing the range of tempera-ture rise caused by doubling of carbon dioxide levels,since the pre-industrial times

➥ Its findings show that doubling would trigger 2.6 to4.1°C in average warming above pre-industrial levels,putting the lowest rise more than one degree abovethe scientists' previous estimated range of 1.5-4.5°C

➥ Known as the climate sensitivity parameter, a doubling of CO2 concentrations has been a main-stay of models for the future global temperature,since the late 1970s

ENVIRONMENT

F ormer US president Bill Clintonand former secretary of state,Hillary Rodham Clinton's daugh-

ter, Chelsea Clinton's new children's book,which is a part of the ‘She Persisted’ se-ries, will be released later this year.Chelsea wrote the first book, 'She Per-sisted', way back in 2017. It featured thestories of inspiring girls and women whomade a name for themselves with theirgrit and determination.

It seems chocolate is goodfor the heart, as re-searchers have said thatconsuming chocolate at

least once a week is linked witha reduced risk of heart disease.The study suggests that choco-late helps in keeping the heart'sblood vessels healthy. In thepast, studies have shown thatchocolate is beneficial forboth— blood pressure and thelining of blood vessels. For thelatest study, the analysis in-cluded six studies with a totalof 336,289 participants, who re-ported their chocolate con-sumption. During a follow-up,14,043 participants developedcoronary artery disease. Com-

EAT CHOCOLATE ONCE A WEEK TOKEEP YOUR HEART HEALTHY

pared with consuming chocolate less than once aweek, the findings showed that eating chocolatemore than once a week was associated with an8% decreased risk of coronary artery disease.

➤Chocolate contains heart-healthy nutrients, such as flavonoids, methylxan-thines, polyphenols and stearic acid, which may reduce inflammation andincrease good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol)

➤Chocolate appears promising for the prevention of coro-nary artery disease, but more research is needed to pin-point how much, and what kind of chocolate could berecommended, the study authors wrote

➤Moderate amounts of chocolate mayprotect the coronary arteries, but it's likely thatlarge quantities do not, they said

What it costs to guardour LACWhile the GalwanValley clash is firmlyin India’s rear viewmirror, there’s noreason to drop ourguard. Therefore, theIndian Army hasdecided to deployadditional troops atthe Line of ActualControl (LAC). Here’swhat it entails for anaverage soldier...

1 Apart from the high probability of conflict,soldiers will also have to brave the extreme

cold weather, as temperatures drop to minus 20degrees. Ladakh, being a high altitude region,breathing also becomes harder.

2To station soldiers in such a clime duringthe winter requires resources — from match-

boxes and fuel, to flasks and food — amountingto ̀ 10 lakh per soldier; just to keep them there,other costs notwithstanding.

3All these supplies and the soldiers have tobe transported to the location, an easy task

in the summer, when roads are operable, butonce the snow falls, supplies will have to beflown in to the Army’s bases. An hour-long flightto the LAC costs the Army at least ` 24 lakh.

4To avoid any unnecessary expenditure, theArmy stocks up supplies during the summer

using trucks, which costs ̀ one lakh for a Srina-gar-Leh trip. Helicopters are used sparingly.

The long wait is finally over. The glass ceilinghas been shattered. Every modern and pro-gressive nation-state takes pride in providingequal opportunities to women in all the fields.In the army, this is a significant step in theattainment of that goal

The country observed the21st anniversary of the vic-tory in the Kargil War onSunday.The Indian Armed Forces haddefeated Pakistan on July26, 1999, by recapturing themountain heights that wereoccupied by the Pak Army.

It’s not just a place where you get to learn Einstein’s Theoryof Relativity. It’s also a place where you can think beyond theclassroom. Hence we say, SCHOOL IS COOL!02

Nelson Mandela Interna-tional Day was cele-brated in TNR Excel-

lencia Academy to rememberthe work of the civil rightsleader. The celebration aimedat making a difference in ourcommunities and inspiringchange. Everyone has theability and the responsibili-ty to change the world for thebetter.

Nelson Mandela devoted his

life to the service of human-ity - as a human rights lawyer,an international peacemak-er and the first democrati-cally elected president of afree South Africa. This day isa global call for people torecognise their ability and

have a positive effect on oth-ers around them.

The real message behindMandela Day was to 'MakeEvery Day a Mandela Day'.Students were encouraged tospend time with the elderly,value relationships, treateveryone equally and expresstheir gratitude to peoplearound them.

The event was organised byRinaki Bar, CCA coordinator.

In Memory of Mandela

Recognising colours andidentifying their names isan important step in achild's cognitive develop-

ment. Early identification of colourshelps to create the cognitive link be-tween visual clues and words. Thestudents from pre-primary wing at

Ganges Valley celebratedGreen Colour Day. With aconcept of 'learn-through-doing approach' during theVanamahotsav week, stu-dents planted seeds andsaplings. They mixed yel-low and blue to createthe colour green andmade interesting art-works with it.

Pallavi Group ofSchools in associa-tion with Telangana

State Women Safety Wingconducted a cyber safetyworkshop online for par-ents.

Awareness alwayshelps in tiding over diffi-culties. When time is tough,it is imperative for all of usto get tougher and face thechallenges. The Telanganapolice in collaboration withthe Legal Aid Centre, Sym-biosis Law School, are try-ing to bring in an aware-ness among the public, es-pecially children andwomen, by conducting var-ious programmes on cybersafety. They are holdingquizzes, releasing aware-ness posters, brochures andconducting webinars on thesubject. Welcoming DIG BSumathi and Indraveni,Joint Director, CDAC, to thewebinar, Pallavi Group ofSchools chairman M Ko-maraiah applauded the ef-

forts of the police person-nel in reaching out to allthe people.

Speaking on the occa-sion, Sumathi entreatedpeople to be more vigilantand extend supportto such a cause. Sheinformed thatmany children in ru-ral areas are de-prived of these digi-tal learning processesand requested the par-ents to monitor the chil-dren scrupulously and helpthem exercise control overtheir usage. She added thatas the use of online medi-um has gone up, so are thenumber of cybercrimes.The only way to protectoneself from falling prey isto be aware. She appreci-ated the efforts of thePallavi group of Institu-tions management for tak-ing the initiative immedi-ately to conduct the webi-nar and make the studentssocially responsible.

Giving insights into theways to bridge the digitalgeneration gap, Indraveni

gave a number of tips likepassword protection, usingsocial networking websitescautiously, downloadingsafe games, not getting ad-

dicted to games and beingcautious of cyber-bullying and on-line friendships.She requested theparents to keep

tabs on the activi-ties of children on a

regular basis so thatthey don't misuse the medi-um. She proposed to themto prepare a digital re-source utilisation at homeagreement and administera pledge to the children toadhere to the pledge.

The webinar whichthrew light on the differenttypes of cybercrime andthe measures to be taken toprotect oneself was defi-nitely the need of the hour.

The response from theparents was overwhelmingand they expressed theirgratitude to the manage-ment and to the TelanganaPolice for taking up such athoughtful drive.

Grandparents always en-joy the company oftheir grandchildren

while the latter cherish theircompany as they are the beststorytellers. To make childrenrelive the experience virtual-ly, Pallavi Model School,Boduppal conducted a DadaDadi story corner for theyoung children. This was anattempt to relive and revivethe traditional value 'Katha',the way grandmothers usedto narrate stories to their chil-dren.

This storytelling sessionconducted class-wise hadgrandparents narrate storieswith puppets and teachingaids. Children enjoyed listen-

ing to the stories. It was defi-nitely an amazing experiencefor both children and theirgrandparents. It was a greatway to imbibe the values ofrespect, love and emotions in

children. The parents were de-lighted to be a part of such anengaging activity. They ex-pressed their appreciation tothe teachers and the schoolmanagement.

BRINGING STORIES ALIVE ONLINE

A TIGER'S TALE"I wonder what I'll have for lunch today"The tiger wanders out in search of prey.

Leaving his footprints on the mossy jungle floorHe spots a rather plump wild boar.

"Time to attack my next snack!"Suddenly, a Thwack!, Right on his back.He wonders what happenedAs his vision fades to black.

Cut over here

Our tiger wakes, At a foreign place.His thoughts are a mess; He is stuck in a maze.

Has it been months, weeks or days?He doesn't know, for he is still in a daze.

A man sharpens his knifeWith an evil grin on his face"With your meat and teeth and stripes,I'll be rich for days"

He utters his last prayers.Boom!, He sheds a silent tear.

Cut over here

But what's this?, "I haven't died?"A familiar face approaches."Seize the animals"Says it, The tiger faints.

Scared to open his eyesFor a safe haven he longs.There is soft moss underneath him,He feels quite strong.He thanks those GodsFor returning him to where he belongs.

V Krishna Sai Gayatri, class XI A, BharatiyaVidya Bhavan's Public School (Vidyashram),Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad

PARENTS

Avirtual Pi (?) day cel-ebration was organ-ized by Pallavi Inter-

national School, Keesara,which was witnessed bythe students and parentsonline. The celebration in-cluded teachers' talk on thesignificance of Pi day fol-lowed by students' speech-es, charts, slogans andsongs of Pi day. Subhashof class VII demonstrateda wonderful activity onhow to find the value of Pi.

Pi day is an annual cel-ebration of mathematicalconstant Pi (?). People in

the countries write theirdate in Date/Month formatand celebrate Pi approxi-mation day or casual Piday on July 22. On the oth-er hand, those who writetheir date in Month/Dateformat celebrate Pi day onMarch 14, as the first threedigits of date correspondto the first three digits ofthe PI. PI=3.14.

Headmistress ofPallavi InternationalSchool Grecilda Rose con-gratulated the attendeesthat included studentsalong with their parentsfor their support and ap-preciated the students fortheir active participationin making the day a grandsuccess.

When you are filled with sad feelings, And let go a flood of tears;Their voice will comfort you.They will wipe your tearsWith all your fears, They are parents

Parents, a beautiful couple of people;Who are there with you, for you and in you, Even if they are no more.Because their love to you is IMMORTAL.

Anushka, class IX A, Vista School, Gopanapally,Hyderabad

POEMS

Aglobal pandemic has engulfedthe world and we are all in atemporary state of lockdown.In times like these, it is im-

portant to understand the crucial bondbetween humans and the flora and fau-na around us. Vanamahotsav has givenus one such occasion to create an aware-ness amongst the children on the beau-ty and importance of nature.

Jubilee Hills Public School cele-brated Vanamahotsav virtually. The sci-ence department of the school hostedthe programme. Saanvi Garg of class

IV A spoke about the positive im-pact of planting more trees andmaking the environment safe

for mankind. This was followed bya devotional dance performance

by Apoorva of class V G. Short-ly after that, Ananya from class

III D shared her views on Vanama-hotsav by portraying a dance per-

formance on significance of plants inour lives. Finally, Anshuman Dobal

from class V G recited a poem in Hindititled, 'Vriksh' on the selfless nature oftrees.

The event concluded with aslideshow of slogans by the heads andteachers from the Science departmentas an attempt to raise awareness aboutthe importance of trees. Despite the lackof physical interaction, the endless zealof students and teachers made the eventsuccessful.

Ganges Valley School

Jubilee Hills Public School

Hyderabad

TOWARDS A GREENER WORLDTOWARDS A GREENER WORLDTOWARDS A GREENER WORLDTOWARDS A GREENER WORLDTOWARDS A GREENER WORLDTOWARDS A GREENER WORLD

STAY VIGILANT, STAYSAFE IN CYBER SPACESTAY VIGILANT, STAYSAFE IN CYBER SPACE

Pallavi Model School

Boduppal

TNR Excellencia Academy

Jeedimetla

Pallavi InternationalSchoolKeesara

“Lead fromthe back –

and let othersbelieve theyare in front.”

-NELSONMANDELA

Pallavi Group of Schools

Learning thesignificance of Pi

Hasnika Reddy Cheemakurthy, class VIII B, Scholars Academy,

Hyderabad

M Ananya, class VI C, Kalpa School, Hyderabad

TamannaKapoor,

class VII A, Delhi Public

School,Mahendra

Hills,Hyderabad

Snigdha, class IX,Gitanjali

Devshala,Hyderabad

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