EDITORIAL

Dear reader,

Greetings from the editorial team of Crucibles…!

We take in the immense pleasure to introduce you to the 32nd edition of E-zine.The month of August

brought in many festivities. Firstly, we would like to wish all the siblings, a very Happy Raksha Bandhan. As

every brother is tied with the silken thread of virtuous love by their sisters, may God shower and bestow his

benedictions on this beautiful relation. On the auspicious moment of Ganesh Chaturthi, We adjure that May

Lord Ganesha remove the obstacles of our lives and bless us with intellect and wisdom.

Talking about the beacons of light in our lives, teachers, who laid the foundation for creating enlightened

citizens of our nation. Here we are wishing all the pioneers, a very happy teacher’s day. As rightly said by Irina

Bokova, UNESCO ,Director General “literacy is much more than educational priority-it is the ultimate

investment in the future and the first step towards all the new forms of literacy required in the 21st century.”

Literacy is a right and a foundation for lifelong learning. As we also observed international literacy day on 8th

September, 2014, we focused on NGOs who provide a helping hand and who contribute towards the

transformation of dreams into reality, thereby making the cover story. For 40 years now, UNESCO has been

celebrating international literacy day, reminding everyone that literacy is a human right and foundation of all

learning. We are happy to let you know that we have a few new external contributors writing for us. They are:

P Srikanth, C.L.P. Officer, Assembly

Nauman Shareef, Volunteer, Aikarthya

Tejas Mishra , Seller Support Associate, Amazon

Pavan Sharma, PGP/SS/14-16, Ex-President, HYA

Divya Ghanathe, Volunteer, Teach for Change

Edulla Lahari, PR Head, The Green Nest

Syed Haris Andrabi, M.A., Islamic University

I would take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support. Hope this association is there in future as

well. Thank you all for the contribution made towards this edition. A special mention, the cover page is

designed by Mr. Mukhpreet Khurana, I would like to thank him for his efforts and also Miss. Zoya Naaz for all

her support in publishing the Magazine.

I would like to end on a note, ““The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each

member is the team.” ― Phil Jackson

Happy reading!!!

TEHMINA AHMEDI

PGP/SS/14-16

TABLE OF CONTENT

S.No. Topic Page Number

01. Leaders – Then and Now 02

02. Caricature’istic 03

03. Breweries Industry – Story behind Do’s and Don’ts 05 – 06

04. Discreet Diaries 06

05. Educating Children – Cradling Futures 09 – 14

06. Exploring the Unknown – The undying spirit of Kashmir 16 – 18

07. Frozen Frames 18

08. Spikes over Smokes 20

09. Pro-Kabaddi League – A Sport; Lost and Found 21

10. Get specified – A new definition to being a Bookworm 23

11. A star in the Galaxy of Comedy 24

12. Grapevine 25

1

“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to

those attending too small a degree of it.”

― Thomas Jefferson

POLITICS

“LEADERS – Then and Now”

Our country India has got vast history of politics. Indian politics has

begun before Christ. For example we can refer to the ancient regimes

viz., the rule of the great emperor Ashoka, Sri Krishna Devarayalu,

importantly the great emperor’s period that is during Chandra Gupta’s

period where in Chanakya was an Indian teacher, philosopher, and

royal advisor. Originally a professor of economics and political science

at the ancient Takshashila University, Chanakya managed the first

Maurya emperor Chandragupta's rise to power at a young age. From

then several countries have adopted the chanakya’s political theories.

After Independence, the Indian political situation was in good position. The leader’s were having ethics and

morals. For example, Sri Lal Bahadur Sastry, Late Prime Minister, has resigned for his post on moral grounds

just because a rail accident occurred and some passengers have lost their lives, where he felt he was

responsible for the accident, this shows their commitment towards the country. But unfortunately, in present

scenario, the Indian politics have polluted due to various reasons like corruption and criminal activities. In the

current situation of our country, the persons entering into politics with money and muscle power, without

having any knowledge of politics nor having any educational qualifications. They are literally threatening the

people or managing the voters in several manners and getting elected to the highest houses of our country

like Rajya Saba, Lok Sabha in the Centre and to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly at the State

level. Their motive is only to make money and they are not concentrating on the development of the

country. In the past several years our country’s great leaders have been facing several allegations such as

corruption and money laundering etc. For example Coal Scam, Boffors Scam, Fodder Scam, 2G Scam, misuse

of funds in various issues where in the Minister’s are involved. None of them are holding responsible for

these scams.

In the present scenario, the leaders are feeling that if they are involved in any scam and are sent to jail, they

have achieved a great goal. Every National and Regional Party, states that the youth must actively participate

in the politics and lead the country. But, when it comes to accordance of party tickets, the preference is given

to the seniors as such depriving the youth.

Finally our suggestion is that the youth must come forward and actively participate in the politics in the

interest of the country. Similarly the seniors must encourage youth in providing an opportunity in politics and

guide them in the development of the country. The youth role is to make India the most developed country

rather than still being a developing country.

P. SRIKANTH

C.L.P. OFFICER

ASSEMBLY

3

“CARICATURE’ISTIC”

What Sparked This Violence?

Tensions were ignited in June when three Israeli teenagers, one with American citizenship and all seminary

students, were kidnapped while hitchhiking in the West Bank and killed. They were kidnapped on June 12 and

their bodies were discovered June 30. Israel accused Hamas of kidnapping the three teens, which the militant

group denied. Within days, Israel arrested more than 300 Palestinians, many of them members of Hamas. At

least 10 Palestinians were killed and more than 1,000 private homes were raided.

Website courtesy: twitter.com

Picture Courtesy: @TheObamaDiary

4

“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a

thunderbolt.”

― Sun Tzu

BUSINESS

“Breweries Industry - Story behind all the Do’s and Don’ts”

In a country, like India, consumption of alcohol is considered as a taboo. We all grew up picking up the

benefits and detriments one would face due to alcohol use. Despite, all the dos and don’ts, the breweries

market continue to grow with an impressive rate of 8.1% leading to 3.7 billion litres by 2014. This industry

generated a revenue of $13.1 billion in 2009 with a CAGR of 12.5% to a decelerated pace of CAGR of 9.9%

during 2009-2014 and is expected to grow up to $22.3 by the end of 2014.

Rising acceptability of social drinking is a major contributor to the

industry’s development. The alcohol market can be classified into four

categories: IMFL, CL, Beer and Imported Liquor. The revenue

generated from IMFL and CL segments are higher when compared to

the Beer segment. Although Indian Alcohol Industry has been

overshadowed by stronger spirits (IMFL), but over the years’ beer has

cleared a chump in the industry and has been able to establish its

presence felt.

The Indian beer market is dominated by United Breweries with a market share of 50%, followed by SABMiller

with around 25% and Carlsberg with around 10%. Talking about brands in particular, Kingfisher is the market

leader followed by Haywards 5000, Knock Out and Tuborg. The players are leaving no stone unturned, be it

coming up with new flavours to spice infusions or be it, opting for fancy names, they are practicing it all. This

scenario changed drastically with the launch of different microbreweries in 2008, with many cities

experiencing their presence. It is calculated that about 75 – 100 new breweries are getting up in the metros

and tier II cities across India.

The rising awareness has also acted as an important function to aid the development. It delivers more health

benefits as it has less alcohol content and hence, consumed with wine or spirits in moderate amounts. Such

growth rates and relaxation on rules on FDI has attracted many foreign brands like Corona, Budweiser,

Fosters, Carlsberg, Heineken and Carling to invest in this sector. These days, Craft beer, has been creating a

buzz in this industry. This is crafted and brewed freshly by a brew master and is counted among one of the

best quality beers, thereby gaining popularity in the Indian market. Apart from all these, Banning on direct

advertising of alcoholic beverages in India has paved way for innovative concepts to position their products.

This has changed their approach to engage the consumers and hence, made the innovative advertisements to

align with sports. This is clearly evident in case of Kingfisher Premium, has associated itself with five teams of

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IPL. Another trend catching up is the advent of offering liquor online on websites like www.letsbuydrink.com

and www.boozzr.com.

The Indian alcohol distribution structure is complex and varies from

state to state. Since, the liquor industry is subjected to very strict

distribution control; it has three types of market. States like Assam,

West Bengal and Pondicherry deal with open markets, States like

Tamil Nadu and Kerala fall under government regulation whereas

States like Haryana, Chandigarh and Punjab fall under the auction

market structure.

Like every other industry, it too has its own strong points and failings. Where growing population, which helps

as a ready available market and favourable distribution conditions, serves as strengths of the industry, we

also have high taxes, ban on direct advertising, high pricing of the products and derisory state of market

infrastructure serving us challenges. This industry does not face shortages of raw materials, i.e., Barley as it

occurs just after rice and wheat production which is grown in sufficient amounts by the body politic.

Talking about opportunities’, India consumes 1.64 litres beer, which is very little when compared to different

states like China, US which consumes 37 litres and 78 litres per person rep. The per capita use has risen at a

pace of 9%, sparking off a rise in beer consumption up to 256 million cases in 2012 from 170 million cases in

2008. Beer exported rose from INR 383.1 million in 2008 to INR 1777.8 million in 2013, showcasing a rise of

36%. Imports of beer have shown a rise of 19% over the same period and generated revenue of INR 281.6

million in 2013. Different demographics along with increasing focus on product range and climb in societal

acceptance are assumed to be one of the reasons for rise in demand in the upcoming age. It is observed to

originate on a conservative estimate rate of 12% year after year and achieve 452 million cases by 2017.

“DISCREET DIARIES”

1. “YAHOO” is an acronym for “Yet another Hierarchical Officious Oracle”.

2. Cereal is the second-largest advertiser on television today, behind automobiles.

3. The new car smell is composed of over 50 volatile organic compounds.

4. 64%of consumers have made a purchase decision based on social media content.

5. Victoria`s secret is the most-selling product of all time. The iPhone is second.

6. Steve Jobs is credited as an executive producer on Toy story.

7. Twitter CEO Dick Costolo used to work as an improve comedian.

8. Tom`s of Maine is owned by Colgate Palmolive.

ZOYA NAAZ

PGP/SS/13 – 15

Sr. Public Relations Executive; CRUCIBLES

7

“EDUCATION is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or

your self-confidence.”

― Robert Frost

EDUCATION

“EDUCATING CHILDREN – Cradling Futures”

In today’s paced up and highly competitive world, one of the most important aspects that contribute towards

the growth of any and every individual is education. Education forms the deep rooted grassroots of one’s

development which happens over time. Be it the developing or the developed nations, strong emphasis is laid

on education. Education, a dream every individual experiences from childhood, is not far away. With different

initiatives been taken up in the country and a lot of support, cooperation and contribution from these

initiatives have made it possible for the country to come a few steps ahead to transform this dream into

reality.

We received a few NGOs who contributed to our companionship in society to bring about a change among us.

Let’s determine how and when it all began!!

1. AIKARTHYA – Your Helping Hands

Aikarthya was started in the year 2010 as a non-profit and a non-partisan youth led social service

organization. The organization was setup to promote education to the under-privileged individuals, empower

youth, improve the condition of women, promote awareness on thalassemia and to fight against social

discrimination. Aikarthya works to bridge the gaps in the society by uniting youth from diverse backgrounds,

equipping them with leadership, problem solving and teamwork skills and finally engaging them in

community service.

At Aikarthya, our vision is to create a poverty-free community driven by the next generation of home-grown

leaders. Aikarthya’s programmes are focused at providing supplementary education to children, and avenues

for our volunteers to develop themselves through the following programs:

a. Educate a child programme involves funding educational expenses for children studying in low income

private schools and to provide mentorship to these children.

b. Be someone's super hero is an endeavour from our side to donate blood to poor children suffering from

Thalassemia to improve the life-expectancy of Thalassaemic children (currently Thalassaemic children from

poor financial background who cannot afford the expensive blood transfusion and medication, die in their

20’s). We assign volunteers who join under this project to a thalassaemic child to help get constant and safe

blood throughout .We work in association with Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society, Hyderabad.

c. MY World post 2015: Aikarthya is an Official Partner of the United Nations MY World Campaign – a Global

Survey for a Better World. It is crucial that the next development framework comes from a truly open and

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NAUMAN SHAREEF;

AIKARTHYA

inclusive process that engages people from all parts of the world and all sections of society. Our volunteers

understand the need of this goal and seek votes from other citizens on issues that concern them the most.

d. Learning centres: The network of government schools in the country is more than a million. These schools

address the educational needs of the poor in India. In India, over 96% of all children in the age group 6 to 14

years are enrolled in schools. However, the public school system in India lacks on many fronts and the ills of

the educational system are felt most acutely by the poor, especially in rural areas, where the vast majority

still attend government-run public schools. The ASER 2012 report states that “More than half of all children

in Std. V are at least three grade levels behind where they should be”. It is obvious that the country is facing a

learning deficit and there is an urgent need to address this.

Secondly, schools in India start from Class 1. Children do not have exposure to a literacy environment or

development of their cognitive skills till the age of 6. According to a recent study by the World Bank, by the

time poorer children in many countries reach school age, they are at a significant disadvantage in cognitive

and social ability. Pre-school education is taken for granted by a vast majority of people in Urban India but

this service is available to only the rich in rural India who send their children to nearby private schools.

Aikarthya has come up with a solution to this issue. We want to increase access to services and programs that

improve the learning of children in rural India at economically affordable cost. To achieve a solution to this

problem, we will establish education centres - Two education programs will be offered at these centres: a

Toddlers program for children aged 3-6 and an after-school program for children in Classes 1-5.

If you are interested in changing lives and serving unmet community

needs, register as a volunteer at www.aikarthya.org.in or at

hi5@aikarthya.org.in

2. YUVATHA – Awakening the Generation

It all started with a desire of one individual who wanted to bring out some change and also give something

back to the society. Yuvatha was founded by Saketh Kothamasu in June 2010 while he was studying B.E. in

Vignan University, Guntur. It initially started off with activities and event in Guntur and then a chapter of

Yuvatha was unleashed in Hyderabad in July 2010.

Basically, Yuvatha operates with two verticals, Eco Hub and Helping

Hands. Eco hub, as the name suggests deals with all the environmental

aspects of the society. Our first event, under this vertical was to make

people aware of the effects of the use of plastic. We all set out in a

group and personally, made people understand what takes to use

plastic and the cons of it. We had visited each and every shop in the

stretch of areas like Chikkadpally, Himayatngar, Secunderabad.

Another vertical of Yuvatha is Helping hands. This vertical of the organization visits orphanages, old age

homes and helps the needy. Three years down the lane, Yuvatha has been able to pull off numerous events

which included visiting orphanages, old age homes, blood donation camps for children at MNJ cancer

10

hospital, blankets distribution during winters, educating youth and people the importance of voting during

elections by conducting street plays across the stretch of Necklace road, distribution of clay idols during

Ganesh Chaturthi.

Yuvatha recently celebrated its 3rd year anniversary on June 29, 2014 by conducting a day long fun fair

“Aamantran” for children hailing from four different orphanages. The children from these orphanages were

brought together under one roof and celebrated this day. The day included several events for the children

including games, magic show, dance and singing competition.

On this day, Yuvatha launched its third vertical, “Gifting future”. This vertical of Yuvatha focuses on providing

education to children who cannot afford. As a team, we adopted children and sponsored their education. On

a broader perspective, this vertical also concentrates on identifying children with talent and coaches them

accordingly. I would conclude on a note, “It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” –

Mother Teresa.

3. TEACH FOR CHANGE

I. What made you to join this NGO?

Teach for Change is an initiative launched by Passionate Foundation, Hyderabad, India to create a pool of

dedicated and committed volunteers who have a passion to teach at Government schools. As a part of the

Teach for Change Initiative, selected volunteers would teach Leadership and English Program in Government

schools. Passionate advocates for education believe that quality education with a focus on leadership is

crucial in our Government Schools.

Although India is amongst the ten fastest growing economies in the

world, it still has a third of the world’s illiterates. The condition of

government schools in India is pathetic. The children in these schools

come from the poorest of families those who cannot afford to send

away their young to private schools elsewhere, as do most Indian

families who have the means. Even though many children attend

schools, they remain ill-equipped.

There is a need for urgency. Education levels need to be improved. India with the second largest population in

the world cannot develop with such a bad indicator. Illiteracy leads to other problems such as poverty and

unemployment.

II. Motto for the NGO - High quality primary education for all, Regardless of their family’s

III. What it is all about? How it is contributing to the society?

Teach for change is a non –governmental organization, which help government students, by providing them

better training through its volunteer network. Passing over 10 schools in the first stage was an initiative of

passionate foundation. The first phase of TFC covered the government schools at Bowenpally , Kukatpally ,

Jntu , Jubilee hills , Ameerpet , D.K. road , Yousufguda, Hitech city , Banjara hills, Sec-bad and Madhapur. We

11

would choose three students from the each school and send them to residential schools in Tirupathi. 70% of

the students in the country study in government school. TFC’s aim is to help in teaching and methodology.

Anyone with a passion to teach at government schools can apply at TFC.

IV. What all impact you’re made so far?

Teach for change experience is so powerful that it changes you as a person, it helps to mould yourself as a

person to become a person to look up to.

V. Any initiatives that you took for a rise in literacy rate?

We all are proud of our country, but we do lack in so many things, and the only way to change is to increase

the literacy rate. There is a wide gender disparity in the literacy rate, when compare to men and women. The

low female literacy rate has had a dramatically negative impact on India. Studies have indicated that female

literacy is a strong predictor of empowerment of the society.

I believe in the power of girl education, as it changes the society. According to me; it empowers them, and I

take initiatives from teach for change for a change.

VI. Conclusion - Now, it is just my time to give back.

4. STREET CAUSE Hyderabad – We Care

Street Cause Hyderabad is a student run NGO, with 30 divisions. With

every division working on Education, social impact, environment, old

age homes and orphanages, working towards creating a social impact.

The education dept. in every division starts off with a survey. They go

to different villages, visit different government schools, orphanages,

slums and see the literacy level in that area. The president of every

division then analyzes these statistics and decides who needs the most

attention.

The villages have many people wanting to study but not able to do so, the women especially. Volunteers are

sent down to these villages to teach basic Math and English. Once this is done then self help groups are

formed to make sure they can help out as many people as possible.

In slums, there are many kids who really want to become something in the future. Classes are taken for them

also; if possible they are made to join schools for education. Most of the orphanages lack stationary items, so

we end up providing them with books, pens etc. also tuitions are set up for them.

Government schools are places where we put in a little more effort as the strength is huge. We have ended

up providing computers, then teaching them how to use them, science labs, and libraries. We end up doing

science exhibitions, hold counselling sessions and so on to make sure the kids have a brighter future

The biggest problem we face in slums and villages is the parents are not willing to let their kids go to schools;

they prefer their kids to work and earn money. Now some of the parents do th is because they can’t afford a

12

government school, to these parents we end trying to provide financial aid or else there are many people

who are willing to pay for kid’s education so we end introducing to them. Now this was the easy part, the

other type of parents don’t want their kids to study at all, they feel it’s a waste of investment, so to tackle this

problem we end up providing them counselling sessions to try and make them understand the importance of

education.

In today’s world, every individual is expected to be well educated and how capable one is to take on life and

its challenges as they come. Education plays a vital role in the development of any individual; it builds the

foundation of life from the very basics to the skills one adopts as time passes by.

5. THE GREEN NEST – Work, Serve, Enlighten

(A) ABOUT US

The Green Nest is a youth based NGO currently operating from

four different cities of Hyderabad, Chennai, Vellore and Delhi

successfully.

Our mission is to provide underprivileged children with the

basics of the English language and in turn instil a sense of

knowledge, power and responsibility towards a greener and

cleaner environment.

And our vision is to see an educated and greener India by

becoming one of the top social service entities of the nation,

and provide the youth with a platform to encourage and uplift

the underprivileged.

(B) OUR PROJECTS:

BOOK WINGS

GO GREEN

(C) PROJECT BOOK WINGS:

All our children are like clay. We at TGN believe that with patience, love and meticulous care children

can be moulded into beautiful statues. When these children grow up to be the torch bearers of India’s

future, they need to be given the candour to think big. They must have the strength to pursue their

dreams.

We teach underprivileged children at various centres begetting 416 children in three cities - Chennai,

Hyderabad and Vellore.

We aim at the overall development of the children which would help them discover and achieve their

dreams.

Our teacher-children volunteer is 1:2 providing utmost care and attention to every child.

Our sessions of 3 hours are divided into three subparts: 30 minutes - Zeroth Hour; 90 minutes - Activity

based teaching; 30 minutes - Kids Innovative and Development Session (KIDS).

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(D) PROJECT GO GREEN:

The greatest use of a human is to be useful. Not to consume, not to watch, but to do something for

someone else that improved their life, even for a few minutes and that’s what we exactly do in our Go

Green events. We clean, we spread awareness, we plant saplings, and eventually we strive to protect

our environment.

(E) OUR JOURNEY SO FAR:

Visit to Blue Cross - Animals' World: Our Volunteers visited The Blue Cross Chennai and spent some

wonderful time with all the animals.

Litter Free City - The Beginning: Our members have managed to clean the litter in Thiruvanmayur and

make the place a beauty from a dumpster.

A Day at the Orphanage: The day spent with the whiz kids of the Bala Gurukulam orphanage was

astounding. These kids aged between 2 and 15 were very adorable.

Beach Clean Up - For a Better City: Beaches are the Pride of Chennai! Hence, we decided to clean up

the city's famous Marina Beach! We managed to collect 12 bags of dumped waste and segregated it!

Plant Your Future: The Green Nest successfully completed 'Hyderabad Ecstatic' campaign with a

plantation drive at a government school. We planted saplings along with the kids, had environmental

education classes and painted the blackboards at the school.

Heal the poor: The Green Nest conducted a medical camp for the poor people at the slum in

Hyderabad. We also demonstrated first aid lessons to the children.

Help & Educate the Slum: The Green Nest conducted an event at a slum in Hyderabad where we gave

clothes to most of the slum people and the children in the schools in the slums.

Helping The Poor: We provided food for all those poor people on the streets of Hyderabad. We also

gave footwear.

Dreams Unlimited: We have begun our campaign, Hyderabad Ecstatic with a splendid event with the

underprivileged children by teaching them new activities and taking the passion of a child to the next

level.

CONTACT (TGN):

EMAIL: info@thegreennest.in; PHONE: +91 9700666644, +91 9176578861

YUVATHA –

TEJAS MISHRA

Seller Support

associate; Amazon

STREET CAUSE Hyd–

PAVAN SHARMA

Ex-president

14

TEACH FOR CHANGE –

DIVYA GHANATHE

Volunteer

THE GREEN NEST –

EDULLA LAHARI

PR Head & Book Wings

Head

“Excessive interest in pathological behaviour was itself pathological”

― Arthur C. Clarke

SOCIAL

“EXPLORING THE UNKNOWN – The Undying Spirit of

Kashmir”

Kashmir’s development has been appropriately conceptualized as a process which improves the quality of

life. But its socio-cultural development is jigged up in the history of complexities mainly through a historical

perspective. Many developmental programmes are being undertaken in India, in a planned way with the main

objective of enhancing the quality of life of general masses by providing them basic necessities as well as

improvement of their socio-economic well-being & gutting a bust to make Kashmiris forget what they have

been demanding throughout the independent years of India.

Youth of the Kashmir think it’s a sweet swap which equivocally means you give something & get something in

return to it. But there is no visible indication that these ‘developmental’ achievements have been able to

reduce substantially the turmoil which partly gives a sense that development might mean little here. Socio-

cultural development, by definition, is not a predetermined state but it is a continuous process of

improvement of level of living. So this development here becomes a multi-dimensional process and its impact

cannot be fully captured by any single indicator, easily these indicators don’t provide a comprehensible

picture of reality. With respect to socio-economic development, Kashmir is found to be better developed in

comparison to other states of India despite, it’s long standing conflict. Kashmir has the abundance of natural

resources but suitable action is needed to be undertaken to utilize them & meet the potential target. The

conflict in Kashmir has been going on for over 60 years. Clearly, there is no simple solution to the problems

that exist, and because the conflict is not just territorial, a military solution is out of the question. Youth of

Kashmir face the toughest of time here because of many factors like unemployment, army occupation,

unpredictability of being attacked by any group anytime. The large deployment of troops’ further impacts

economic activities as it restricts crucial movement between fields and the market.

The talent and intellect of the Kashmiris, which were once at their zenith and possessed by majority, are now

at the verge of extinction if things go on as they are now. Kashmir, once a sovereign princely state, is now a

point of contention for three nuclear nations, India (Indian administrated Kashmir – Kashmir), Pakistan (Azad

Kashmir), and China (Aksai Chin). From its partition in 1947, it has remained one of the hottest war zones and

most contested land masses of South Asia. The cataclysmic events are destroying the peace not only of

Kashmir but also of South Asia. The conflict in Kashmir has become a piercing thorn for academia there. Its

problems must be addressed to bring peace to South Asia. Education, which can enlighten, must be rescued

and strengthened to help bring peace and survival. Intellectuals, who form the foundation of society, have

16

also suffered from the present problems in Kashmir and are a neglected organizational dimension. This calls

for immediate efforts so that they can become elements of organizational and societal excellence.

The intellectual sector of Kashmir is suffering because access to

information is closed due to political turmoil and other causes. Strikes,

curfews, protests, and other actions have hindered education.

Corruption remains unchecked. The money that could have been

spent on research and development and towards the betterment of

education has gone to corrupt government officials. Kashmiris have

been denied an accountable government, which has affected the

educational arena greatly. Increased funding to the military has

deprived the educational sector. Managing the intellectual resources

of Kashmir is an urgent need because of the uncertain future.

Witnessing rapes or sexual mutilations, killings, threats to life and

dignity, loss of family members, custodial killings, disappearances, and

all sorts of human rights violations have become routine in Kashmir

and the people are caught in a cycle of unending violence. Conflicts in

the valley have resulted in the destruction of educational

infrastructure, deterrence of students from attending classes, and a

lower priority on allocation of funds for educational organizations.

The people of Kashmir are in the hope of enticing and wish they could have their Kashmir back the way used

to be when they were small children--a place where truth dominated and a land like the one found in William

Wordsworth's golden vale of daffodils. Once a beautiful place with happy people, Kashmir has now become a

wailing state ruined by violence. Kashmir was once a beautiful hoard of saints, philosophers, writers, poets,

intellectuals. Berneir, the first European visitor, rightly said, "in truth, the kingdom surpasses in beauty all that

my warmest imaginations had anticipated" (Young husband, 1996). Kashmir has always attracted attention,

and knowledge-seekers have visited to seek education. Eminent personalities from around the world have

visited Kashmir, because of its beauty and the serene environment that have made it a seat of Buddhist

learning, with the Sarvastivadan school dominating.

Having talked about the achievements in the life of a Kashmiri man in a conflict driven zone one needs a

numerous platforms to decide it. Kashmir as one of the most conflicted oriented states in India has crumbled

the large developmental process in a larger perspective. Insurgency is a factor which results in the adverse

effects in Kashmiri society to which youth are the most vulnerable. In many a ways it has given rise to many

ills like psychological trauma they face, made to abject poverty, lack of facilities etc.

Notwithstanding this the people of Kashmir who are being fried up in the bigger political tension perform well

economically, educationally, & socially. They struggle & work harder to let their own & children’s dreams

been given a shape. As have marvelously been shown by some people, like Dr. Shah Faesal who despite many

odds fought the miseries and qualified the much coveted Indian Administrative Exam (IAS) and that too on

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the first rank in India. Another typical example of a successful story is

of a middle class boy Parvez Rasool, who worked by leaps & bounds &

got his place in the A-class Indian Cricket team. There are many more

magnificent stories of success to tell which go on an endless list like

Kashmiri doctors, engineers, writers, journalists, businessmen etc.

working abroad. They have really placed themselves very well.

In the dark curfew nights of Kashmir, people worked as hard as like a blindfolded person playing a game of

trying to build a great tower of cubes. The tower symbolizes the achievement of a man’s life in Kashmiri

society.

“When you catch a glimpse of your potential that is when the passion is born (Zigzagler)”

SYED HARIS ANDRABI

M.A. (literature)

Islamic University, Kashmir

“FROZEN FRAMES”

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was

joy.”

― Rabindranath Tagore

Equipment: Nikon D3100 + Tamron 70-

300mm(f/4-5.6)

Aperture: f/4

Shutter Speed: 1/500

ISO: 200

White Balance: Auto

Post Processing: iPhoto

Location: Commercial Street, Bengaluru

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“Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game”

― Babe Ruth

SPORTS

“SPIKES OVER SMOKES”

Sports are the most followed religion worldwide. It is a wonderful feeling to always be the show what millions

of people love to follow throughout the calendar. Being a sportsman is a special feeling. It is a refined

combination of physical & mental strength channelized in a controlled process. Participation has united many

nations bounded by the best talent which has been carried forward through encouragement. Since ages,

there are no retakes in sports that is what makes a sportsman a real hero. Other than an army man only a

sportsman would know how it feels to represent the nation on behalf of millions and that special & proud

moment when their respective national anthem are played, before the game begins.

They are the best examples for being passionate, committed, consistent and fit. I was taught the value of a

fraction of a second in an exclusive way by my 9th standard mathematics teacher. He asked me, to go and ask

my dad what all could happen in a fraction of a second. My dad being an athlete explained it to me in such a

beautiful manner. It was dramatic to witness that in the end a gold medal winner was decided in a fraction of

a second. Failure in sports means not trying harder. Human abilities are best showcased in sports. Let’s not

regret the opportunities not taken and start experiencing the overwhelming feeling of being a winner. Sports

teach an individual discipline. He becomes organised because a sportsman’s routine reflects on his game.

It is a perfect narration of training, adaption, overcoming and achieving. There is a sportsman in each one of

us who doesn't accept defeat easily, who trains himself harder on regular basis to be the best, who

overcomes obstacles in order to reach his destination. Sportsman believes in persistence that makes him

super human on field. All these qualities are applicable in a day to day life for efficient functioning. Let us all

set free the sportsman inside us. There is no defined age limit for being a sportsman. All that matters is how

passionate are you towards your super power.

To all the great people who have been inspiring us all this time. I salute and applaud them from bottom of my

heart. I would conclude on a note, "PLAY HARD; MAKE WINNING AN HABIT".

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AKSHAY KARAN

PGP/SS/14-16

Sr. Public Relations Executive; CRUCIBLES

“PRO-KABADDI LEAGUE: A Sport; Lost and Found”

With viewer numbers crossing the 500 million mark, the Pro-Kabaddi League has indeed left its mark in the

hearts of every individual, hereby embarking a landmark comeback of the long lost sport. From children who

can barely pronounce the word Kabaddi to the aged senior citizens, the sport has come back to life with this

amazing league concept. Mashal Sports took the initiative of implying the Indian Premier League concept to

Kabaddi and Anand Mahindra, co-promoter of Mashal Sports, the organisers of the league, was surprised by

the response himself. "We have genuinely been overwhelmed by the support Kabaddi has received from all

quarters, be it the media, film fraternity, sportspersons or the government. The viewership data further

reinforces the fact that Pro-Kabaddi is India's new sports revolution," said Anand Mahindra.

The entire concept in a nutshell is eight teams competing by playing against each other, earning points in

order to keep their hopes and positions intact on the points table. Director Charu Sharma quoted "It was a

visual spectacle which caught the fancy of the people. I think our success lies in not only retaining rural fans,

but making it appealing for the urban audience at the same time. I think it did the trick”. With state of the art

technical equipment that bagged 14 cameras - ultra-slow motion cameras magnifying the smallest details on

the field, crane cameras for overhead shots contributed in delivering the game on a silver platter and a treat

to the viewers.

Not only were the organizers into deep surprises with respect to the response the league achieved, but

veteran players witnessed a proud moment, a similar one being by veteran Kabaddi enthusiast Ranjit Dalvi in

his words "The fact that Kabaddi was never considered a prime time sport for the urban audience was the

reason for its grand success”. The League also welcomed support and initiatives from celebrities and activists,

a few of them being Priyanka Chopra, the Bachchans, veteran singer Usha Uthup, ace actor Shatrughan Sinha

and the list goes on.

The sport that was once played to celebrate politicians' birthdays or to mark the silver or diamond jubilees of

Clubs is now en route to becoming a sport recognized across the globe. The Pro-Kabaddi League served as the

stepping stone for the sport to establish itself as a world class game. With expertise from the training staff to

the skill adopted and marvellously displayed by the players, the once national sport of the country is back on

track grabbing eyeballs, with a lot of recognition and support waiting for it in the coming days.

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MUKHPREET KHURANA

PGP/SS/14-16

Sr. Creative Event Planners; CRUCIBLES

“People are like animals. Some are happiest penned in, some need to roam free.

You go to recognize what's in her nature and accept it.”

― Jeannette Walls

LIFESTYLE

“GET SPECIFIED - A new definition to being a Bookworm”

If you are already addicted to social media, then knowing about the

book bucket challenge is something common. The real insight to this

challenge is that it’s an initiative taken up by One Library per Village,

an NGO based in Kerala. This challenge is not only about nominating

your friends for listing '10 books that have made an impact on them or

their lives'. Instead, it is to make a list of the books an individual is

willing to donate to libraries or needy people.

The best book bucket challenge any MBA student could take up or give is by grabbing a few of the most

trending books that fill shelves even today.

1. Freakonomics: Freakonomics, written by Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, applies economic

principles to situations that are generally away from economics by miles. The subtitle is, "A rogue

economist explores the hidden side of everything." The book triggers unconventional thinking along

economic foundations. One reason to read this book is that an individual will be able to relate economics

and business.

2. Stay Hungry Stay Foolish: Penned by Rashmi Bansal, the book is a collection of 25 stories. Every story

gives insights on how jobs are dumped to hop into entrepreneurship. It is a perfect mixture of valuable

guidance and inspiration. With MBA, entrepreneurship as a career can be opted without any ambiguity. A

simple reason for grabbing this book is to relate to the experiences and insights given and to see how well

they mould you for the good.

3. The Intelligent Investor: Written by Benjamin Graham and complemented by commentary by Jason

Zweig, the book is a guide for careers in finance. The main objectives of the book are to encourage

rational investing and to protect the investor from errors of any and every sorts.

4. The Winning Way: This book talks on the relationship between sports and business. The book explores

why some teams continue to do well while others face a decline over time. The main objective is to

understand what makes a winning team in sports and business. Anita and Harsha Bhogle are the

renowned authors of the book.

5. Connect the Dots: Written by Rashmi Bansal, the book describes 20 entrepreneurs who have succeeded

in business without MBA degrees. The book argues that the distinction between those business students

who succeed and those who merely work is creative and original thinking. The best way to use this book

to an advantage is by taking the insights and implementing them efficiently to expand creativity and using

knowledge in the best way possible.

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“A star in the Galaxy of Comedy”

Remembering Robin Williams

The moment when the world stood still to bid adieu to a man who changed and influenced many individuals,

groups and a large audience, a man who always brought a smile on people’s faces every time they saw him,

either on screen or off screen, a man known for his generosity and humanity, a man who was always glued to

the earth and kept ambition at bay, the world united in prayer as comedian, actor and film maker Rob in

Williams breathed his last on August 11, 2014. Setting his foundation by a stand up comedian in San Francisco

and Los Angeles, Robin Williams entered the limelight with the show Mork & Mindy (1978 - 1982). Feathers

were added to his cap as he grabbed The Academy Award, two Emmy awards, four Golden Globe Awards,

two Screen Actor Guild Awards and five Grammy Awards. The best award he ever got was the love and

respect people possess for him even today. He made us laugh every time he came on screen or made a public

appearance. Every time he visited a place he just spread laughter. People loved him unconditionally and he

showed his gratitude by making them smile and laugh. His brilliance was astounding and his relentless energy

was thrilling to see. He acted with ease and never gave up experimenting with his roles. His acts had

unexpected turns which gave the audience something new every time he came on stage and he always

delighted them with his high energy comedy. He was not only a good performer but also a brilliant dramatic

actor. From Popeye to Happy Feet, Robin Williams has indeed succeeded in grabbing the attention,

appreciation, love and respect of every individual. Though he has left this mighty world, his presence in the

form of his work and contribution to the society is acknowledged even today.

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Event:

IPSUMIZED

A Management

fiesta brought to

us by Team

CRUCIBLES

through B-Quiz

and biz. Plans.

Event: ECO-FRIENDLY GANESHA

CHAVITHI

An effect that brought all the opinions

together to join hands to pull in the

idols of Ganesha of the merry moment

of GANESH CHATURTHI.

Event: ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE

A moment of splash with ice cubes all

over. All the students of IIPM were

found rejoicing over the challenges and

a few ending up donating bills. An

initiative, by club PHOENIX.

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