UNIVERSITYISSUECONTENTS AUG 2015

P: 07 Absolute Khushwant: In the world of Journalism, Kushwant Singh will be remem-bered as one of the most notable journalists to have worked as a writer, editor and columnist. His writings have been appreciated by many authors around the world for his witty thoughts and the mention of rich poetry. Absolute Kush-want was narrated by Kushwant

PG: 16 Gar-licked!: Garlic isa herb which is prevalent in Indian cuisine since ancient times. It does more than adding taste and warding off vampires! A food custom we inherit from years of Ayurvedic practice. Garlic is a phenomenal herb which along with great taste has many health bene-fits. Ignoring its foul smell, garlic can be considered the elixir of life.It’s high time we understand why certain herbs are added to our food and what it does to our body.

PG:12 Risks and Reality- Ever heard of laughing till you cry? Well, the Improv makes you do just that. The youth in Bangalore have over a time now become very familiar with this bunch of amaz-ing artists who cannot and should not be mistaken to

PG: 25 Fused to be confused: Music is the light to a lot of life candles, the lyrics are a smile to a lot of souls. Music is what feelings sound like, and when it’s accompanied with a melodious voice, you just cannot happen to miss it! Universityissue met and interacted with a bunch of amazing people, who have taken to redefining music. ‘Faridkot’ is a band based out of DelhI

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UNIVERSITYISSUECONTENTS AUG 2015

P:18 International Antarctica expedi-tion 2015.- 2041 was founded by Robert Swan, Order of the British Empire (OBE), and the first person in history to walk to both the North and South Poles. As a polar explorer,

P:15 WHEN YOU GO ‘INSIDE OUT’ PINK FLOYDPink Floyd is a household name for music lovers. Their epic live shows, light effects, heavy lyrical pieces and unorthodox drops have always made them stand a string apart in the musical world. In ‘Inside out’, the entire story of the band unfolds straight from how the members met to the famous Live 8 Reunion where they featured together for the last

PG: 22 7 Things you need to know about Digital India Campagin: It has been over a year, but the Modi wave is still swaying its charm over the country. You nev-er know the popular ‘Abki bar Modi Sarkaar’ chant might just rephrase into ‘Modi Sarkaar, har bar’. Our prime minister, although has been criticized for plenty of his achievements as well as downfalls but...

P: 09 Teenager’s Den: Designing an adolescent’s room can be a challenging task, because of their change in behaviour and identity. A teenager’s room is their getaway to study, think, dream, relax,

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Letter from the editor-in-chief

To make the read-up a bit more informational, take a look at the review side on Khushwant Singh and Pink Floyd, But it doesn’t end there. The magazine has always been about showcasing different talents, just to add a little punch to the content; we have few suggestions to our audience.

I hope you enjoy this edition.

Until Next Issue Karthik Prasad,Editor-in-chief

Dont miss our Sept issue,on Sept 15th 2015

Every month the editorial team takes an inno-vative approach towards the

upcoming edition of the magazine. And every month we try to present a viewpoint that is different from our previous edition. Sometimes we fail. But, that’s just part of the learning process. This issue features an exclusive interview to liven up the lazy crowd in Bangalore. Adding to that, we got to experience a band group striving to redefine music.

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Editor and Designer: Karthik PrasadManaging Director: Vima ParthanManaging Editor: Chandni L HemdevFeatures Editor: Sharang S Karkal Executive Editor: Pooja Sudhir Creative Director: Balaji

Our writers Chaitra Galgali, Akhil Balagopal, Vima Parthan, Sonia Singha, Rahul Sharma, Geethanjali, Aishwarya Kon-

nur, Smrthi M HaritsEmail us: contact@universityissue.com

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EDITOR’S PICK ABSOLUTE KHUSHWANT BOOK REVIEW

AUG 20157

In the world of Journalism, Kushwant Singh will be remembered as one of the most notable journalists to have worked as a writ-er, editor and columnist. His writings have been appreciated by many authors around the world for his witty thoughts and the mention of rich poetry. Absolute Kushwant

was narrated by Kushwant Singh at 95 to Humra Quraishi, a book that comes close to being men-tioned as his autobiography. 189 pages of happiness, love, sex, regrets, death etc. was a journey that took me not more than a week to reach the finish line. But in the end, it was worth it. Although, the book may not hold many surprises to readers familiar with Kushwant Singh’s writing, it is still an interesting write-up which shows us his standpoint on Indian politics and gives us the opportunity to understand the congress and BJP’s motives in pre and post parti-tion.The book takes the reader on small journeys in every

chapter that explains his first experience in a brothel centre at kamathipura, his failed love marriage, love affairs, political hypocrisy, his weaknesses and Inse-curities etc. From page 10 to 31 it’s more or less sex and romance. “If you ask me what’s more important, sex or romance, it’s sex. Romance is just a gloss, some sort of sheen that wears off, and it loses its lustre very soon. I’ve never really had the time or the inclination for romance. Romantic interludes take up a lot of time and are a sheer waste of energy, for the end re-sult isn’t very much. Sex is definitely more important, though sex with the same person can get boring after a while..... When it comes to sex, I don’t think looks matter much.”Kushwant Singh also puts forth his opinion on the partition of India, that terribly hurt him. He believed the partition was inevitable, but, also pointed out Jawaharlal Nehru’s keenness on becoming indepen-dent India’s prime minister. Kushwant Singh also narrates his relationships with Sanjay,

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Image Courtesy: livemint.com

Manmohan Singh (who he believes is India’s best PM) and Mother Teresa.Moreover, as a writer, the book gives out advises that we already know, but are too clouded to agree. “I have often been asked how one becomes a good writer. I’d say that one has to slog and be totally hon-est and fearless. Always speak out. One might face problems, but one mustn’t give in. Along with hard work, read whatev-er you can-whether it’s classic or fairytales or even nonsense verse. Reading-reading as much as you can-will make you capable of distinguishing between bad and good writ-ing. Also, one should never be pretentious or have pretence; be honest and not show off using difficult words. That comes in the way of com-municating with the reader. Always do your homework. A writer’s responsibility – whether you’re an essayist or a novelist- is to inform your reader while you provoke or entertain him. The

challenge is to tell your reader something he doesn’t know. Don’t talk down to the reader; level with him. Above all, don’t be afraid to be yourself ”.

In short, the book may come out as a repetition in a few chapters. But, will encourage a few readers to take a look at his other write-ups and poetry. I rate the book 3/5.

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TEENAGER’S DENAUG 20159

Designing an ado-lescent’s room can be a challenging task, because of their change in be-haviour and identi-

ty. A teenager’s room is their getaway to study, think, dream, relax, spend time with their friends, and just be themselves; therefore, its interiors must be selected by the teen himself/herself.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT

Selecting the right wall covering, flooring, and ceil-ing colour is extremely important, as these make up the 4 walls of any room. The range of wall coverings available today is unimaginable, yet necessary for the choosy teens. Wallpapers, paints, fabric, murals and soft metal are some of the many choices in the mar-ket today. Every teenager’s room must have a theme, be it contemporary, classic, rustic, country, floral, music, or even the recently seen food-theme. Do not leave an opportunity to experiment with colours too.The flooring, on the other hand, must be warm, comfortable, durable and relaxing and this can be achieved by using high pile and tightly looped car-pets, or shaggy carpets, or hard flooring like vinyl/wood, preferably the carpet must be wall to wall leaving a 6” border all around. In a rare scenario, if the 4 walls of the room are sub-

tle, the designer has the luck of experimenting with the ceiling, with either a skylight which would make the room look perfectly aesthetic, or a loud colour/wallpaper ceiling. FURNITURE AND FURNISHINGS-

The furniture selected must be--MULTIFUNCTIONAL. -In tune with the theme of the room.-Modular instead of built-in to provide flexibility of movement.-Furniture with storage. -Large and well-divided wardrobes.-Constructed with good and durable quality wood, DuPont, metal or plastic.

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Words by Priyal Sood

-The bed in a teenager’s room is usually preferred to be lower in height than usual; its height ranges from 10’-1’3”. Space often becomes a nerve-wrecking issue in a teenager’s bedroom, when the endless comments about the lack of storage for books, stationary, col-lections and shoes do not stop. Modular multifunc-tional furniture like beds with storage below, a study table with a hidden shoe rack or a bucket chair with bookshelves can solve the problem of space and still look classy.

ILLUMINATION-

Lighting in a teenager’s room must be in the form of;-Natural lighting through windows, skylights.-Task lighting is used for activities which require detailed attention; this can be in the form of table lamps, floor lamps, and focus lights.- Ambient lighting is for basic illumination through wall sconces, recessed lights, and, pendant lights.-Accent lighting is used to highlight favourite spots in the room, like an armchair for reading, or a mural on a wall.LED lights are usually preferred today, although CFL are common too.

FOCAL POINT-

Every teenager’s room must have a focal point, or space which is very dear to them. This not only gives a sense of belonging but also gives an impression of a complete look. This focal point could be a guitar on the wall, a mural of a favourite sportsperson, a full height, wide mirror, a shoe wall for the shoe-lov-er, or even a full height bookshelf. This focal point describes the teenager’s personality and should be of his desire.Therefore, the next time you’re designing your teen-ager’s room or your own room, keep these pointers in mind.

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WHAT’S LIFE WITHOUT A LITTLE LAUGHTER AND A TINGE OF SEXUAL PUNS?

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Ever heard of laughing till you cry? Well, the Improv makes you do just that. The youth in Bangalore have over a time now become very familiar with this bunch of amazing artists who cannot and should not be mis-taken to be stand up comedi-ans. They are a bunch of amaz-

ing people who spread love, happiness and laughter through their skill and art. Five artists, one host, au-dience based situations is how the Improv works. All you need is an open mind, and a free evening to let them have you laugh away. Universityissue, recently had a chat with the artists of the Improv right before they turned 3, and they had some amazing insights for us.

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Risks are reality

Interview by Chandni Hemdev

1.The present day stand- up comedy has seen a huge boom, what makes the Improv a show that is special and not among the rest in the kin?The Improv is mainly different because of its audi-ence. Because of how people look at it and cater to it. There have been people who never miss shows unless they’re travelling. And people don’t just watch the show, but the constants ensure they give a valuable feedback so the artists can grow. The way the audi-ence has taken the Improv is what makes it stand out of the mundane.

2.The Improv has been intend-ed to spread happiness using the other finger, has the team as a whole been able to make the Indian audience evolve or change perceptions about the taboo on sex jokes?Sex is because of why we’re here, and it’s the truth. Generally at corporate shows we are told to stay out of such topics, but most of our shows, maybe even for 10 minutes will have some sexual innuendos. Sex derives humor because if you come to a show, you compartmentalize what you would laugh at, then you aren’t coming for a comedy show. So we have evolved to make our audience comfortable with it. We have a lot of other issues coming in too. In this world, there are more perverts than decent people

3.What is the one thing you artists have set as a goal for yourselves through the Improv?My goals keep changing every day, inspired by Saad, it just keeps changing, so it’s hard to express just one. So to put it as short as I can, it’s not where the Im-prov is going to take me five years from now because it’s more of a skill. Instead to improve where I am and what I am. There is no end to learning, so the goal is

to keep it going and keep people happy, alongside learning. We are only evolving. After every show, it’s about how unhappy we are, because the smallest of things is something we like to work on. The audience can be sent happy, but there is this non-stop learning of how to get better.

4.In November, you had hosted the Improv on a large scale in a huge place, the marketing of the show had reached new extremes, how did that work to boost the morale of your artists?

The artists just had a different thrill during that show. We were really nervous, yet excited sitting in the green room. Because the show was houseful, there was absolutely no place, people agreed to stand and watch, they even went back without a ticket. Every-body from the production to the artists, there’s just awareness, take it forward and give a better show.

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5.Each of you artist have come from varied back-grounds, has it been an easy journey to match your wit and humour quotient?Takes a lot of work to do, because obviously each one is from their own creative backgrounds and have very larger than life personalities as well. Each one had a different ideology and understanding of humor, so to collate that, even after 3 years, its still going to take us 10 years to be there, and still not be there. It takes a lot of work, on our journey to come to one ideology. We have one format which we cannot digress on, we cannot be depended on the audience. Because after a point, we will not take everything other than sex. Come to one even space, its work in progress.

6.Have you ever had problems managing awkward situations shot at you while on stage?The lights went off, only Saad’s voice was heard, but they decided to continue the scene. To pretend like they were in an elevator, and in a few seconds the lights came back on, and they pretended as though the elevator worked again. The crowd gave them a standing round of applause. The actors are instructed to never stop, don’t think, just react. The awkward situations always turn into something funny.

7.Having gone international, has anything changed among the team, and in the format in which the show runs?The format hasn’t changed. Not going international so much, but because we’ve done so many shows, we’ve evolved. The actors have grown and that’s what helps us. The actors style of performance has im-proved. We did cater to an international audience. So we were exposed to a new ideology. Like in Dubai, we were told not to talk anything derogatory about

the ‘Sheik’s’, because you will not know when the lights go off, and you be asked to leave. But Danish and Sid, are the two people, who do just what they are told not to. They got a situation about the Sheik, and Danish began imitating one, the rest of the crew was prepared to leave, while to their surprise the au-dience loved that situation the best, and no one took any offence back home.

8.You’re celebrating the 3rd Anniversary of the Improv and have definitely raised a hype about the show. What should the audience expect out of this show?Sex apart, it’s left for the audience to come with an open mind, and be surprised. Alliance is where we started, so we want the audience to come and just enjoy, rather than expect something. Although we promise a lot of excitement, before, after and during the show. It will be larger than life.

Improv Team:1.Saad Khan- Conceptualizer and Host2.Maaz Khan’- Producer3.Pooja Sampath- Executive producer4.Danish Sait5.Sumukhi Suresh6.SiddharthSundar- Co conceptualizer7.Richa Kapoor’8.Darius Sunawala9.Praveen Raj10.Abel Mathews- Debut on the 3rd anniversa-ry show.11.Sal Yusuf

Pink Floyd is a household name for music lovers. Their epic live shows, light ef-fects, heavy lyrical pieces and un-

orthodox drops have always made them stand a string apart in the musical world. In ‘Inside out’, the entire story of the band unfolds straight from how the members met to the famous Live 8 Reunion where they featured together for the last time. Like the cherry on the cake, the readers can be happy that it’s not an outsider who is tell-ing the story of the band but the only member who has been part of Pink Floyd from day one to the last- Nick Mason.The drummer takes the readers on a ride through the ups and downs of the band, their struggles, their love lives and how ‘The Dark Side’ made their life a whole lot bright-er. The witty man known also for his love of race cars apart from the drum kit unfolds the never before heard story of the band including the rise and fall of Syd Barret, one of the founding members of the band describing how their paths

started and united to be the first ever sound of acid consciousness and the darlings of the London Underground.Regent Street Polytechnic was the start of the endless river of music; it was during the Poly day that the band was formed constituting of Nick Mason, Richard Wright, Roger Walters and Syd Barret. Straight from the first chapter the book tells us how these youngsters came together to make The Pink Floyd Sound (as the band was called then). Spanning over more than 50 years from the 1950s to the early 2000s Nick Mason gives a detailed and witty outlook into the hurdles they faced, the first recording they did and the efforts they took to make The Atom Heart Mother (the first Pink Floyd album) a reality. The downfall of Syd Barret was always a huge question in the minds of Floyd fans around the world and Mason has given the true facts behind the sidelining of him and the arrival of the man who came to be known as the guitar and voice of Pink Floyd-David Gilmour. The book also dwells into the time when they were compos-

ing songs for their most famous album yet- The Dark Side of the Moon which went on to be one of the most successful albums worldwide. Like they say there are two sides to a coin, the drummer tells the readers about the ego clashes and tensions between the members which soon followed after the epic success of The Dark Side in a very straight forward way and how it lead to the splitting up of the band after which David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Rich-ard Wright still continued to be Pink Floyd while Roger Walters went away to start a troop of his own. The book ends with the live 8 reunions and how things helped to make the reunion a reality with all the members playing together (apart from Syd Barret).The book is a must read for all the Pink Floyd fans as it dwells into everything about and around the band including the extended Pink Floyd family and the people who worked behind the stage and helped in creating stadium filling sights and sounds that are Pink Floyd today.

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WHEN YOU GO ‘INSIDE OUT’ PINK FLOYD BOOK REVIEW Words by Akhil Balagopal

GAR-LICKED!AUG 201516

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Garlic is a herb which is prevalent in Indian cuisine since ancient times. It does more than adding taste and warding off vampires! A food custom we inherit from years of Ayurvedic practice. Gar-lic is a phenomenal herb which,

along with great taste has many health benefits. Ignoring its foul smell, garlic can be considered the elixir of life. It’s high time we understand why cer-tain herbs are added to our food and what it does to our bodies. ‘You are what you eat’, so let’s delve into understanding our body with the food we consume and get ‘gar-licked’

The sciency stuff:It has a variety of potent sulphur-containing com-pounds which are the primary reason for its charac-teristic pungent odour. Allicin, the vital compound in the pod, is known to have great antibacterial, an-tiviral, anti-fungal and antioxidant properties. That is why garlic is best had when it’s finely chopped, minced or pureed and let sit for some time.

Innumerable diseases can be prevented and cured by regulating intake of natural and organic products such as garlic. Listed below are a few properties of this wonder herb that benefit our health:

1. Treats AcneThis herb may not be found in acne products’ list of ingredients, but it can serve as a natural topical treatment to get rid of blemishes. By reducing free radicals, it is an effective key to clear skin.

2. Treats Hair LossA head full of hair that smells like garlic could help in the treatment of hair loss. The herb’s extremely high sulphur content contains keratin, the protein hair is made of. This stimulates fortification and growth.

3. Fights Common ColdGarlic’s allicin can serve as a health aid during times of illness. Rene Ficek, a registered dietician and a lead nutrition expert at Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eat-ing in Illinois told Medical Daily in an email: “Garlic cloves contain a healthy dose of allicin, but you may still need a few cloves per day to feel the effects.” However, garlic supplementation can also be used to

Words by Sharang Karkal

Image Courtesy: http://www.cancats.net/

ward off viruses.

4. Lowers Blood PressureA garlic supplement a day may help keep your blood pressure at bay. Its active compounds can significant-ly reduce blood pressure compared to the effects of prescribed drugs. This leads to smooth muscle relax-ation and vasodilation (widening of blood vessels), following the relaxation of the smooth muscle in the vessel wall. Garlic supplements can achieve these effects efficiently without the bad breath compared to raw garlic.

5. Lowers Heart Disease RiskGarlic can help lower the risk of heart disease by lowering total cholesterol level. Vandana Sheth, registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics told Medical Daily in an email that this is achieved by “dimin-ishing the activity of main cholesterol-producing enzyme in the liver.” Garlic supplements can enhance the body’s ability to dissolve blood clots that would otherwise increase the risk of heart attacks by closing the arteries.

6. Enhances Physical Perfor-manceGarlic can help increase exercise capacity and reduce

exercise-induced fatigue. Garlic has a long history of being used in ancient cultures to reduce fatigue and enhance the work capacity of labourers. Garlic oil has been shown to improve the exercise capacity of people with heart disease. A 2005 study published in the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology found participants with heart disease who took garlic oil for six weeks saw a reduction in peak heart rate by 12 percent. This was accompanied by an improve-ment in their physical endurance during a treadmill exercise.

7. Improves Bone HealthThe alkalizing vegetable is filled with bone-healthy nutrients such as zinc, manganese, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. In other words, garlic contains nutrients that act as building blocks for healthy, strong bones.So relish this simple key to good health by adding garlic to your diet. Keep it natural!

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Sources: medicaldaily.com, readers digest, thehealthsite.com, webmd.com, medicalnewstoday.com, au-thoritynutrition.com & googleweblight.com.

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1.) To begin with, give us an overview of the Inter-national Antarctica expedition 2015.

2041 was founded by Robert Swan, Order of the British Empire (OBE), and the first person in history to walk to both the North and South Poles. As a po-lar explorer, environmental leader and public speak-er, Swan has dedicated his life to the preservation of Antarctica through the promotion of renewable energy and sustainability projects.Human activities in Antarctica are governed by an international agreement known as the ‘Antarctic Treaty System’. Established in 1959, this Treaty en-sures that Antarctica is used for peaceful and scien-tific purposes. Under the treaty, drilling and mining are banned by the ‘Environmental Protocol’, in es-tablished in 1991 and ratified in 1998. This protocol, however, can be reviewed beginning in 2041. As that year quickly approaches, Robert Swan is committed is to ensuring that today’s youth will be in a position to make informed and sustainable decisions in the future, thus protecting this last great wilderness.

This expedition to Antarctica (held every year) aims to bring together a team of present and future leaders, who want to take responsibility to build resilient communities and seek change for sustain-ability through their program called ‘Leadership on

the Edge Program’. The program helps participants visit the continent and understand its fragile ecosys-tem, and observe the impact of climate change on its unique wildlife and magnificent landscape. The Antarctica Treaty expires in 2041 and the idea is to spread awareness on the issue so that the continent and its ecosystem can be preserved and protected.My Journey began in New Delhi. After 56 hours and 3 layovers across different continents, I reached Ush-uaia in Argentina and met my fellow participants. While the Day 1 and 2 were essentially prepping exercises and safety sessions, Day 3 was when we set sail to meet the icy wilderness of Antarctica. Braving the rough waters of the Drake Passage over a period of 2 days and maneuvering through massive icebergs, we finally arrived at the Antarctic Peninsula, 6 days after I left my house in Gurgaon.A typical day during the expedition was filled with life lessons on leadership, team building, and person-al unique wildlife experiences, all while building life-long relationships with teammates. We were up by 6 am each morning and disembarked on various rafts to go to the Antarctic shores. Greeted by plenty of penguins and variety of seals, each day promised an adventure of a lifetime. Two visits lasting 2-3 hours each occupied most part of our day.When not confronting temperatures of -5 to -10 de-grees and winds as strong as 100Kmph an hour on

Anjali Birla Antarctica expedition 2015

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building sustainable businesses and taking steps to combat climate change, the consequences of which are most visible in Antarctica. In this regard, I am privileged to have been chosen by Sir Robert Swan as an ambassador for the South Pole Energy Chal-lenge, with a focus on developing creative solutions to meet people’s energy needs and at the same time preserving the health of the planet.I believe that this experience has reinvented me completely. As a true environmentalist, I have taken a pledge to make a difference. At my level, I am going to spread awareness about this issue and reach out to more and more people in schools, colleges and workplaces and drive the message of sustainability as far as possible.

4.) Subsequently, how is this whole trip going to help in the growth of the environment?The objective of this expedition was to bring peo-ple who are passionate about the environment and climate change to a surrounding where they can observe the damages that humans march to progress is causing. These surroundings are away from all the political, social and other noise that emanates from the press and other mediums. When you witness the degenerating continental shelves, massive icebergs and the harmful impact

that these changes have on native fauna, it just leaves you shaken. I strongly believe that this expedition has made me a facilitator of community involve-ment in taking responsibility for the environment. This expedition has provided me with a platform for integrated and holistic thinking on the interconnect-edness of nature’s systems. I have made a pledge to make a difference.At my level, I am going to spread awareness about this issue and reach out to more and more people in schools, colleges and workplaces and drive the mes-sage of sustainability as far as possible.

5.) Were you always an environmentalist or it sud-denly struck you?Ever since I was a child I have found the calling of nature irresistible. The passion started in school and college where I would be part of various social drives like aforestation, clean city campaign etc. As part of TAS, I worked with Aajeevika Bureau in 2012, stay-ing within the tribal village in South Rajasthan for 3 months and working on creating sustainable liveli-hoods for migrant laborers. As part of my current deputation, I worked very closely with some of the finest civil society organiza-tions in the country like SEWA, PRADAN, Swades, etc. in close proximity with international develop-mental agencies like the World Bank, UNDP on

on the continent that is considered to be the highest, driest, coldest and windiest on earth, we saw interest-ing documentaries on sustainability and Antarctic’s history on the ship. There were thought-provoking talks and discussions with various leaders in the group every day. On one of the nights, we even dug trenches to spend the night in sleeping bags at the magnificent Antarctic.The life changing adventure finally came to an end on day 13 when the team returned to the mainland in Argentina. While the adventure may be over, the memories and the learnings will remain etched for-ever in our minds.

2.) How did you manage to get all the way through and be a part of the 90 member team?I was selected through a structured application process which required me to outline my inclination towards the initiative, my past experiences and how I would like to contribute in making a difference. I then underwent a telephonic interview conducted by Robert Swan himself before being shortlisted for the expedition.I believe that organisers were looking for people who were passionate about the cause and were not in it to get Facebook Likes for their pictures or Re-tweets for their comments. The environment and climate change are subjects which do not occupy mindshare of today’s youth and an individual who is committed

to these causes can be spotted from a mile away.Antarctica is a harsh and remote place, with no mod-ern infrastructure that we are very used to, so one must also be physically fit, and mentally prepared.

3.) Tell us more about your experience in Antarcti-ca, what was the most captivating element there?Antarctica is like being on another planet altogether. It is so pristine and beautiful that it is difficult to put it in words. Moreover, watching the wildlife in their most natural behaviour right in front of my eyes was an experience of a lifetime. Given such a magnificent and inspiring experience, I have come back with an invigorated passion to spark a positive change in society. I feel a much larger sense of responsibility now that I am among the 0.0001% population in this world to ever have set foot in Ant-arctica. Prior to being part of this expedition, climate change was something intangible and theoretical. Now, having confronted it face to face, I want to ensure that I pass on the first-hand information that I have gathered to as many people as I can.I was witnessed to massive disintegrating ice shelves and icebergs, testimony to recent research findings that reveal that there is a 70% increase in ice shrink-age in Antarctica over the previous decade. To make the message of 2041 relevant in India, the focus is on

unearthing simple systems of effective participa-tive planning for sustainable development.

I am also a volunteer at various local NGOs (like ZeroWaste, Mission Clean Gurgaon, etc.), and I work regularly as a volunteer in the Tata Volun-teering Week. I believe we must do whatever it takes to achieve your passion. Sustainability and environment have been close to my heart and since beginning I have undertaken steps to contribute in whatever way I can. Also, the encouragement from friends and family, and especially my TTL family was a big motivator.

6.) How do you think the present generation can be a part to support sustainability?There is a saying by noted conservationist Wendell Berry “A true conservationist is the one who knows that the World he lives in is not inherited from his forefathers, but borrowed from his children.” The present generation is a product of consumption but slowly and steadily, the awareness about the environment is increasing amongst them. Ini-tiatives like Earth Day, Climate concerts are doing what the textbooks have not been able to do till now.

The need of the hour is to make them stakeholders in the dialogue and in the decision-making pro-cess. They may not have the best ideas all the times, but there will definitely be one spark with the potential to ignite the flame of awareness.On the other hand, my generation is extremely tech-savvy and we use it almost intuitively to help us make more efficient decisions – which are ac-tually more sustainable. Like ordering everything from vegetables to furniture online, to checking the map to see which route is least congested to get home. While we use it for the sake of conve-nience and saving time, our generation would also like to see how these decisions are more environ-ment-friendly.

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7 THINGS YOU ‘NEED’ TO KNOW ABOUT THE DIGITAL INDIA CAMPAIGN

It has been over a year, but the Modi wave is still swaying its charm over the country. You never know the popular ‘Abki bar Modi Sarkaar’ chant might just rephrase into ‘Modi Sarkaar, har bar’. Our prime minister, although has been criticized for plenty of his achievements as well as downfalls but one thing is undeniable,

he is the literally the ‘King’ of the digital world and

social media. From selfie with the daughter cam-paign (which FYI sparked a lot of controversies) to his new digital India campaign, Modi ji has indeed come a long way expanding his new age reign across the globe.So my dear esteemed fellow netizens, here are some few things you ought to know about the Digital In-dia-Power to Empower campaign:

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Photo Courtesy: Sources around the net

1. Broadband for all

When I say ‘all’, it means ALL. The Modi Govt has proposed that by 2016 there would be high-speed broadband across both the rural and urban area, cov-ering more than 2.5 lakh villages and all major cities. So the next time you visit your Nani in your home-town, you can certainly groove to the latest song of

HoneySingh (or probably not, if you don’t want your Nani to beat the hell out of you.)

Words by Sonia Singha

Now you wouldn’t have to walk miles and get stuck in the traffic or worse wait in the long queue with sweaty people around you just to sign a document.

This advantage will allow the users to digitally sign a document online using Aadhaar authentication. So much more convenient, you get us Modi ji!

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2. E-Sign Structure

3.Universal Mobile connectivity

Around 60,000 villages are yet to attain mobile con-nectivity including a major chunk in the North-East Region. Hence, the government has promised net-

work for all as a major development step. McLuhan rightly said that the world is a global village, every-thing is just a call away. Tring Tring!

4. DigiLocker

This one is a major feature of the campaign, it will enable users to digitally store their important doc-uments like PAN card, passport, mark sheets and degree certificates. And fret not, all you need is your

aadhaar card to access all your important documents. No more hassle carrying a truckload of paper docu-ments here and there, everything inside the e-cloud.

5. Interactive Interface

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Would you actually believe me if I said that the offi-cial website of this campaign has features like blogs, forums, quiz and CONTEST! Yes, you heard me

right. The website allows users to share their opinions and ideas and the promise that each query would be read and acted upon.

6. e-Kranti

Under this initiative, ALL schools will get FREE Wi-Fi and in the healthcare sector you can order your medicines online, pay bills and also access medical records and consultations. Now ‘that’ indeed is some-

thing worth applauding. And hold on there’s much more to the list when everything is going online how can possibly be justice behind. From e-courts to e-jails,e-kranti has it all.

7.Swachh Bharat Mission mobile app

Lastly, the widely well known Swachh Bharat Mission has been officially launched as an app which will allow users to attain information about the cleanliness drive and progress of the mission till date. Let us sweep the corruptions and dirt off the country mates!All in all, our tech savvy Prime Minister has laid a pretty impressive foundation towards the technological

development of the nation, but only time will tell us if these claims will come true or merely be a slap on the face of the citizens.

Fused to be confused

Music is the light to a lot of life candles, the lyrics are a smile to a lot of souls. Music is what feelings sound like, and when it’s accom-panied with a melodious voice,

you just cannot happen to miss it! Universityissue met and interacted with a bunch of amazing people, who have taken to redefining music. ‘Faridkot’ is a band based out of Delhi and has a talented bunch of people from various backgrounds, working together to make a unique genre of music which they title ‘confused pop’.

1.Tell us the story behind the name of the band, and how the band came into being? Not every band has a very magical and intense story of how they brainstorm and form the name of the band. Instead, like our genre of music, Faridkot has a unique story behind how the name came about. I.P Singh, the lead singer was taking a stroll with Rajar-shi Sanyal, the guitarist, through the streets of Delhi. I.P happened to spot a T-shirt that read ‘Faridkot’ which he thought to be an amusing name, and also realized there was a place named after that too. Raj’s favorite band being ‘Pink Floyd’ was definitely up for

keeping a name that sounds different in all means. The band has had a line-up of changes since its inception. An experiment was favoured with luck. Having wanted to just write music, Raj happened to contact I.P and luck bloomed, Faridkot took shape.

2.How or what influenced you to go out of the mundane and create music with a new genre?To us the idea of getting bound by any particular genre is illogical. Music has expression and makes sense in any manner you create for it. Sticking to a particular genre is a restriction and a label to us. And there were people who labelled us as a ‘fusion band’ we thought it’s better to be a band that is ‘confused’ rather than fused.

3.Have you performed abroad? Yes of all the places to go international, we’ve been to Afghanistan! We played there at the Alliance Fran-chise – French Institute. We found it exciting, for we fought those taboos of an apparent fear of the place. Our parents feared it too. But when we went there, it was like a whole new realm of understanding. It felt like going anywhere else in the world. They have a lot of civil unrest, which is common in most places.

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Behind the ‘oh so professional’ culture of a band, is a bunch of enthu-cutlets who show-case their love for music. Interviewed by Chandni Hemdev

4.As artists what are the goals you want to achieve through the band? You have certain goals, but they’re mostly tempo-rary. It’s like looking at it like a pyramid, when you look at reaching the top, or 80% of the top, your goals keep changing or rather growing. Our only permanent aim is to keep the music going, make it exciting, challenge ourselves, and make each of it different from the other. Even from the first album to the third, we wanted something new for each album, so we have something unique to offer which becomes more interesting for the audience. Besides, you grow as a musician.

5.You’ve been to Bangalore before, played for the youth, how has the experience with the Banga-lore audience been?According to the audience we were apparently awe-some, that’s our brownie. Apart from that, we love the city, the weather, the greenery. Delhi is like a sauna, where 45 degree or 46 degree Celsius is nor-mal at 11am, so this is like heaven for us. In Ban-galore the relative Hindi speaking audience is less, so someone who comes to listen to you here, they literally come to you for your music. Anywhere down south for that matter, everybody is listening to everything, all the hard-work pays off. Also here, there’s a lot of young crowd, engineering and man-agement students who have sensed of going to gigs and appreciating it.

6.Out of all the places you’ve been to, which has catered the best audience? Kolkata, given us interesting people, they take their music seriously. They ensure to tell you if you go off, they’re a musically educated ‘Janta’. Banga-lore and Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh has been the most interesting experience, where we started playing after 40 minutes of a delay, it drizzled, and we got off stage. But it soon stopped, or we thought it did, and we got back on, but in a very short span of time, we were running all over because it began to rain heavily. But the place, the journey and experience were worth it all.

7.We read on your page that you would be releas-ing your third album soon. Have you come up with a name, and when will it be out?Our first album had a lot of love and flowery pop,

the second album was all of intense music, so for our third we have a plan of electronic elements and a mix of the flowery pop and the intense music. But after two albums, we have come up with a plan of releasing singles, rather than a whole album at a same time. Because in today’s day and age, people have a lot of information following in for them. So if you give them 10 songs at a shot, the value and potential of a few songs is lost. We want to try pushing one song at a time, make a proper video. Also, perhaps works out cheaper. We have a pro-duction standard we maintain and work harder on that. So putting up a whole album as to a single is more intense logistically and financially.

8.Any special track prepared for the latest show in Bangalore? Yes. We have two unreleased tracks that we would be showcasing. One is ‘Savari’ and the other is ‘Bar-saat’. These are the two tracks where we are exper-imenting with fusing the flowery pop with some intense electronic music.

9.The band has people from varied backgrounds, so how has the experience been to knit all of it together and perform as one unit?We just sit together, fight once a week, maybe even beat each other up. We take it out there and post that be professionals. Raj and IP take care of the music making and the vision of the band. Anil Chawla on the keys, Hemant Chona on the base and Abhijit Sood on the drums. Raj and IP do the base of the iceberg and the background dirt. It makes it easier like this because we believe in each- others sense of music. Encourage ideas, and try in-corporating things, we enjoy different perspectives. 10.A funny incident that the band has been put into? A couple of weeks back, when we were playing at this small café in Delhi, which is packed, a drunk guy comes up to us, and asks us ‘do you mind if I throw money at you?’ IP saw a whole bunch of 500-rupee notes, and he was like yeah, sure…. Go ahead. On stage, we just pretend to keep it secre-tive, we have mastered the art of bluffing, so it’s left to the audience to figure out if we did have a blun-der.

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Anil Chawla (Keys) Abhijit Sood (Drums)Hemant Chona (Base)Rajarshi Sanyal (Guitar) Inderpreet Singh (Vocals)