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Sunil Chhetri, a name synonymous with the growth and progress of the Indian footballing sector over the past decade. India\u2019s most prolific goal scorer and the most capped player in history, started his remarkable journey back in 2001, representing India in the Asian School Championship. But let\u2019s start from the beginning, Sunil Chhetri was born to Nepalese origin parents, who themselves were from a footballing background, on August 3rd, 1984, in Secunderabad, Telangana (Andhra Pradesh then). He wouldn\u2019t waste much time in impressing the big clubs from cities like Kolkata. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1501738677799","data":"5982b7115a777"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1501738685202","data":"
In 2002, a first professional contract came his way from club giants, Mohun Bagan, based in Kolkata. He showed his skill and potential almost immediately scoring on a regular basis for the club. <\/p>
2004 saw him put on the historic blue shirt of the Indian National team at the South Asian Games. On the club level, Mohun Bagan finished 8th in the division, hanging by the thinnest of straws and surviving to stay in the National Football League on goal difference. \u200b<\/p>
Year 2005 saw him make a move to JCT (Jagatjit Cotton & Textile Football Club, based in Hoshiarpur, Punjab). Following an average first season, Chhetri grew into the role during the 2006-2007 season, finding the net 11 times, which saw JCT finish 2nd in the league. On the international stage however, 2005 saw him find his first goal in Indian colors against bitter rivals Pakistan. <\/p>
2007 proved to be a very fruitful year for Chhetri. Complementing his successful club outings, he was named Player of The Year and Best Forward by the National Football League. 6 goals in 7 appearances also saw him bag the AIFF Player of The Year for commendable performances at the national and international level. He was the top scorer for India in the 2007 Nehru Cup and helped the team win the tournament with 4 goals <\/p>
It would be in 2008 that he helped India win the AFC Challenge cup, also being awarded the Most Valuable Player in the same tourney, scoring 8 goals in 13 games during that year. He also scored 2 goals at the 2008 SAFF Championship. This brought in a lot of foreign interest in the starlet, clubs from England such as Leeds and Coventry including clubs from Portugal. A move was allegedly in place but it never materialized. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1501738814110","data":"5982b83556e94"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1501738975360","data":"
Following this, he signed for East Bengal in the I-League, scoring on his debut. In a tense semi-final at the Confederations Cup, against former club and arch rival Mohun Bagan Sunil would miss a decisive penalty leading to East Bengal\u2019s elimination from the tournament. The international interest however now brought in suitors from the USA aswell. Chhetri would go out on a trial at Coventry city in 2009, although a permanent move would not land. He was awarded the Best Player and Best Striker by the Football Players\u2019 Association of India, all while agreeing a move to Queens Park Rangers in England but failed to get a work permit, citing India\u2019s low International Ranking. He was released by East Bengal and signed up by Dempo on a two year deal. <\/p>
2010 would prove to be a big year for Chhetri. He was named captain on the Indian National team and finalized a move to Kansas City Wizards following a trial, becoming only the 3rd player to play outside South Asia and the 1st Indian to play in the MLS. His stay at the American outfit would be marred with much controversy leading to an eventual departure in 2011. <\/p>
However, in 2011, he helped India win the SAFF Championship, being the top scorer at the tournament and was named player of the tournament. These contributions saw him bag another AIFF Player of the Year. Years 2012 and 2013 saw him move to Portugal, where he played for the reserve team of Sporting Club de Portugal (Sporting Lisbon), parallel to this, India shot up from 167 to 143 in the International Rankings. 2012 was also the first time he lead the Indian team as captain. He continued his love affair of being the best player in the country by being names the AIFF Player of the Year in 2014 as well, his third award for him in four years and fourth overall. In 2014, the Indian Super League began drawing huge crowds to the stadiums every matchday, as Sunil signed for the Mumbai based franchise (Mumbai City FC). He became the first ever Indian player to score a hat-trick in the ISL. <\/p>
Chhetri played a major role in helping I-League outfit win the league title twice in 3 seasons going on loan from Mumbai City FC. <\/p>
As of 2017, he holds a record of scoring 54 goals in 94 games for the Indian National Team. Putting him on the list alonsgside names such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney and Clint Dempsey for being among the most prolific goalscorers for their countries in the 21st century. He is truly one of India\u2019s greatest of all time. Medals, International accolades, trophies and thousands of fans across the country are to show for the massive impact he\u2019s had in propelling the sport into the limelight. He\u2019s made headline for all sorts of reasons, mostly good, and he\u2019s helped India reach it\u2019s lowest ever International FIFA ranking in recent memory (94). Technically sharp, incredibly rapid, tactically adept and passion that shows very evidently, rightly the captain of India and probably the best player this country has right now. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1501739208960","data":"5982b925127fb"}]
Hello, fellow literature enthusiasts! Most of us by now have probably had the opportunity to share our stories with everyone. However, we now have a special interview for all you Stanlians. Today we are in conversation with the Principal of Stanley College of Engineering and Technology for Women,Dr.Satya Prasad Lanka. He has graciously take the time to share his views on the rampant drug issue in schools and colleges alike. Let us take a closer look at a few excerpts from his interview. <\/p>
Q:Good morning, Sir. It has been all over the news of the spread of drugs in schools around Hyderabad.\nWhat do you feel is your take on drugs from the perspective of an educational institution?\nA: Drugs have been available in society for quite some time now. Recently, it has come into the lime light among the youth and the film industry in a big way. Drugs must be eradicated. My personal motto for drugs is \u201cSAY NO THE FIRST TIME, SAY NO EVERYTIME\u201d. That\u2019s the treatment. Drugs are like killers for our personality and then for the human body. Its effect in terms of personality or the abilities of the person are diminished significantly and then the body is affected and destroyed. I advice everyone to keep away from drugs.\n<\/p>
<\/p>
Q: Have you ever encountered or had a personal experience related to drugs or a student who has undergone through such issues?\nA: Not here, not in Stanley. But yes, I have counseled students who have been abusers of drugs and they have been affected. They were wonderful students and suddenly their performances have fallen and when we enquired about the reason, we found that they had got introduced to these drugs. They had to undergo therapy and many times therapy involves teachers as well. Teachers who are taking students home to keep them away from the abusial habitat and keep them away from sources of drugs and we have worked a lot in this area. We are very thankful that kind of introvention is not needed here.\n<\/p>
Although short, we hope you received insight on the plight shared by teachers and sudents alike in combating the terrible effects of the use of narcotics. Stay tuned for part two of the interview where we delve deeper into the mindset of drug abusers and how you can help your affected family, friends and loved ones.<\/p>"}]
<\/b><\/i><\/p> JEWEL - (dedicated to my bestie)
<\/b><\/i><\/p>
The dazzling stone, precious it was<\/b><\/i><\/p>
Divulged, when the land tore apart <\/b><\/i><\/p>
Splendid sparkle, it did hold <\/b><\/i><\/p>
Heedless, of the shade of dark<\/b><\/i><\/p>
Dense, with integrity <\/b><\/i><\/p>
And the lustrous radiance <\/b><\/i><\/p>
Incorporated, in a single case <\/b><\/i><\/p>
Yet it stands, eternally segregated<\/b><\/i><\/p>
Lifelessly, it breathes in <\/b><\/i><\/p>
The glistering sunlight <\/b><\/i><\/p>
Annihilating the murkiness <\/b><\/i><\/p>
Without a single stroke <\/b><\/i><\/p>
Of a quintessential life<\/b><\/i><\/p>
_Afshan Sultana<\/b><\/i><\/p>
<\/i><\/p>"}]
Writing is a tough job. Creative writing, to be precise, where you're the one crafting the ideas yourself. You can't frame the facts, you aren't into reports. You can't take the sides, you aren't spreading any propaganda. What's in your hands is to captivate the audience within your imagination to make them read you time and again. But as I mentioned before, it isn't as simple as it seems. <\/p>
There are such instances where you're stuck, with a pen in your hand and a blank screen in front of you. Here are the questions whose answers can fill that screen. <\/p>
What new should I write this time? <\/p>
Keep a track of what all you've written by far to know exactly how much of your fantasy you've explored. It's interesting, and also tedious at the same time, to dive into the ocean of thoughts and seek for the pearl that would be your next masterpiece. What it takes is a vivid observation of your surroundings with a touch of imagination. You've been doing good till now, keep getting better. <\/p>
What new is my audience looking forward to? <\/p>
Being in this field, you must be aware of what is expected of you from the ones who are anticipating your work. Need not be a crowd of hundreds or more. It can be your one dear friend who'd appreciated you for your precious work. 'Cause what matters is how well you live up to the standards you've set for yourself. You've made an impression since then, you got to get it bolder. <\/p>
What is it that would connect to the majority of the crowd? <\/p>
Get yourself clear with the purpose of your writing. Once you're done with that, recognize how, as a reader, you'd want to connect with it. It gives you an idea about how you should shape and design your content in order to not break the flow of the readers. Experiment with it, you never what taste you may build in your audience to get them ask for more. <\/p>
To what depth I should go to strike the perfect balance between the interest and the importance? <\/p>
\"The more the dots, the tougher to connect.\" Seeing from the perspective of a writer, you'd like to deliver the most in the least of words. But this need not be the case with the readers. What they are looking for is crisp and connect of the details you present. As long as they see themselves getting indulged with every passing line, you have the liberty to dive deeper into your world. <\/p>
How should I conclude to leave the mark on the readers? <\/p>
It doesn't matter from where and how you've begun; What stays in the minds is the way you made the last stride. It is pointless for a writer to write something if the readers can't even retain the essence of it. Make sure you make them realize why they need to understand the idea of yours and how fruitful it'd be for them.\n <\/p>
The aforementioned questions would give you a general idea of what your next piece of art should be. Don't hold yourself back. The world needs more writers like you.<\/p>PS: If I've missed out any such questions, do let me know in the comment section below. Cheers! "}]
There are a few memorable days in our lives that we cherish throughout our life on this blessed planet, memories that we pass on to our children so they can pass it on to their children and so on. Memories, it is said, is a powerful tool in ensuring you are remembered, and that you remember the journey to becoming who you are, the journey to becoming who you are going to be. One such memory, of course, is the moment we leave our parent's hand and walk into the school for the very first time. Time flies, and 12 years later you find yourselves at the very same gate that once hosted you in front of its wrought iron frame as you reluctantly let go of your parent's hand, only this time you have tears in your eyes for very different reasons: the memories of your time in school, and the fact that you will probably never walk through those gates again except on special occasions, never share the same comfort you did with your friends in school. <\/p>
But life moves on, and soon you find yourself at the gates of a very different chapter of your life, one that you know you will cherish just as much as you did your school life. There are plenty of thoughts in your head as you walk into your college for the first time, your career, your personal life, friends, and more. It would seem like just yesterday you were a kid in school with nary a care in the world, and now you're on the cusp of your professional life, starting your degree that will shape who you will become in the future, in your professional life. <\/p>
It is natural to feel a bit apprehensive as you step into your college, not knowing whom to speak to, not knowing where to turn. After all, you had the comfort zone of your friends, friends that you made 12 years ago, with you back in school. Here, it's a whole new world. How, you ask yourself, are you supposed to make connections and meet new people in a place where everyone else looks just as lost and terrified as you do? <\/p>
This is where Orientation Day plays a crucial role. Acting as an excellent ice-breaker between the freshers and an introduction to the faculty, you are acquainted with new people, interesting, amazing, warm, gentle, people who you would love to make friends with. The orientation day event acts like an excellent boost to our confidence, making us feel like we're home. After all, to an adolescent girl just putting on her big girl shoes, what more could be important than an event that makes you feel comfortable with who you are with the others who are going through the same. <\/p>
So on July 27th, a host of fidgeting, uncomfortable young women sat in the crowd, unsure of what to expect as the Orientation Day began. As soon as Mrs. Vanitha Datla took to the stage to motivate us youngsters, we knew it was going to be alright, that we were going to be at home in this college we would call our temple of learning and our second homes by the time we left it. We were also graced with speeches from the group Director Professor A. Vinay, our principal Dr. Satya Prasad Lanka, Director Dr. V. Anuradha, President Dr. K. Lakshmi Narayana and our guest of honour, Professor Sameen Fatima, the first woman to become the Principal of Osmania University College of Engineering. <\/p>
As the day went on and we were put at ease, with smiling faces appearing on every row of the event, the freshers were regaled with speeches by their seniors, and some even went on to receive appreciation for excellence in academics. The anti-ragging squad also reminded all of us that they were omnipresent and ever vigilant to root out any instances of ragging from the college at all costs, ensuring a ragging free atmosphere at Stanley.<\/p>
As the event came to a resounding end, it was clear judging by the excited faces of the young students around me that they were all set to take on the challenges of Engineering and go on to make something of themselves, what that may be will be a sum of their choices and the consequences that follow it, whether positive or negative, I cannot know. One thing was certain, however, the freshers who walked into the college today left with a renewed sense of purpose and a determination to do better than ever before, and that right there is the moment when an experience becomes a cherished memory, one that you pass down generations. <\/p>
Below is a glimpse of the events that transpired on the Orientation Day at Stanley College of Engineering and Technology for Women. Take a peek! <\/p>\n"},{"type":"youtube","id":"vid-url-1501603743093","data":"wVV5TtHGeKw"}]
I feel like I am drifting, <\/b><\/p>
Always below the clouds, <\/b><\/p>
Always above the ground,<\/b><\/p>
Never sure where I should be.<\/b>\n<\/p>
Dear Dad, I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions<\/i>. I know I\u2019m Pretty good at Bad decisions. I do dream a lot, aim high and work to reach the goals I\u2019ve set for myself. And I also agree it isn\u2019t possible for all of my dreams to turn into reality. What the world says is something that doesn\u2019t bother me, but your encouragement and valuable inputs are what I expect to help me achieve my goals. <\/p>
But you don\u2019t bother to know what my heart is filled with. You don\u2019t bother knowing what my aims are. You don\u2019t bother to understand my passion for certain things. All you care about is what the world is coming up too, what it wants, where your daughter stands amidst the crowds. <\/p>
Why do you always do it? Pushing my dreams away and enforcing me to get into doing what the World wants from me? And you still expect me to excel in whatever field I am in? Living in the 21st century, why do you still treat me as a GIRL? Who has to stay indoors? Who has to bear alone all the responsibilities of a house? Hang On Dad! Our country has just experienced a few remarkable achievements accomplished by WOMEN! And they could accomplish their dreams ONLY with the support of their Kings<\/i>. \u2018Coz their fathers believed in them. \u2018Coz their fathers supported them. \u2018Coz their fathers stood BY them. <\/b><\/p>
Why do you even think I am not capable of making you proud? How do you even expect that I can even make big without proper training and experience? Why don\u2019t you consider me equal as your SON? Why do I have to take permission from you to do anything and everything? I understand it\u2019s a matter of concern that you have for me. But until when? When will you allow me to grow? To nourish and nurture? To mature? To understand and be ready to face life?<\/p>
And once I complete study, you feel it\u2019s the right age for me to get married. What about my dreams? Who is going to look after my goals if not you? Am I so easy to let go? So worthless that my dreams don\u2019t matter to anybody? Not even you? Why can\u2019t I get into doing my dream job? Why can\u2019t I work in environments that I haven\u2019t been to yet? Why ain\u2019t I allowed to gain experience on my own?<\/p>
I so badly wish you could trust your belief in me and do not get scared with the madness of the world and the pace at which it is progressing. I do really wish you trust your instincts and STOP biasing between your children. Women aren\u2019t JUST about cooking and doing household chores. They are just as capable as you men to become independent and become trendsetters.<\/p>
\u2018Coz if a women wills, she could conquer WORLDS!<\/p>
To the world, I am known to be as calm as the Pacific Ocean. Perhaps nobody ever saw me battling the tides inside my heart. I carry an ocean of unsaid words with me. I hope it doesn\u2019t follow me to the grave. For too much of my life, I\u2019ve apologized when I wasn\u2019t wrong, just to make the situations better. I am not going to be that person anymore. I don\u2019t mean to be stubborn. I just wish you could hear my inner voice. <\/i><\/p>
<\/i><\/p>
Dear parents, this is high time you trust your daughter\u2019s abilities to do wonders in this world. And with your support, SHE is bound to emerge as victorious, flashing that million dollar smile that has come as an outcome of your untiring efforts to help her achieve her dreams. <\/p>
\u2018Coz it isn\u2019t a matter of disrespect to believe in YOUR daughter. <\/i><\/p>
STAND BY HER! SHE\u2019LL NEVER LET YOU DOWN. <\/b><\/p>
\u2018Coz she deserves it. <\/i><\/i><\/p>"}]
Football is a sport that hardly ever fails to amuse, be it at the local, amateur, national or international level. This huge country of Republic of India that we live in, has been on many occasions, called the sleeping giant in terms of untapped talent and skill. Many clubs all across the world have players of Indian descent or heritage playing in their ranks, but very few who\u2019ve broken the glass ceiling of fame in this industry. Its growth largely comes down to the environment surrounding the sport, or the lack of it. India is, and will for the foreseeable future, remain a cricket-first nation. Cricket is a religion in this nation, but in many parts of this vast nation, Football is a way of life. Places like Malappuram and Kochi in Kerela, Kolkata in West Bengal and Goa have long held admirable standards of coaching and hype for decades. <\/p>
European club football has been a stalwart and poster representation of the game for many years now. Almost every major country in geographical Europe has a stable and respected first tier of football, often called the Premiership or the 1st Division. 1st divisions in almost all of these countries have clubs with history dating back to the First World War and some from even before the turn of the 20th century. For these football clubs, based out of cities from Prague to London, India has become a major selling point as well as a potential next-big-thing. Several clubs from England regularly involve themselves during the festive season with specials featuring their players in traditional wear or even taking part in a couple of the customary deeds like lighting diyas or setting up rangoli etc. But all of that is marketing strategy and making the most out of a growing market. A lot of tactical and technical expertise goes into targeting resources to a crowd almost 5,000 miles away from HQ. \u200b<\/p>
But what makes India or Indians rather so obsessed with European club football? <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1501658347861","data":"59817d9d6c8c1"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1501658350060","data":"
Speaking from personal experience, a lot of the attraction comes from just word of mouth references to how good a certain player\/manager\/team is. Or it is just a matter of stumbling upon a game on the telly one evening and just liking all of it. A lot of factors pour into this equation of picking a football club to support. Some have an external 3rd person who forms their opinion (parents or siblings), but for first generation football fans like the majority of the Indian demographic is today, subtle coincidences like convenient broadcast timings, regular coverage or for that matter just appealing kit colours can all factor into finding the right team. Everyone has a different story, a different reason to connect with a city so far away from home. <\/p>
For me it was just that, an act of complete chance, when I mistakenly watched a game of football between clubs from two cities that I never knew existed. (Well, Chelsea isn\u2019t a city and I was not aware of that fact at 12 years of age). From there it\u2019s just a repetitive process which gravitates one towards those 90 minutes of action every weekend. It grows slowly, peaking interests with game schematics on and off the field. Transfers, discussions, debates and banter, all play a vital role in orienting the club\u2019s importance into our daily lives. All this time I\u2019ve been trying to avoid this very real and effective factor in helping popularize football, because some consider it a sort of a lesser experience or reason to begin watching football. The videogames. \u200bYes, threes no hiding titles like FIFA and PES have largely contributed to familiarizing many first timers to the rules and players. They have become a chief component of the football ecosystem and a very good source of information, on all fronts. <\/p>"}]
Think about a single, fragmented, closed mind trying to restrict, or as it is officially called, teaching sixty swift minds physically closed in a cube but mentally open to the world. Most people would refer to such an act as studying but as for me, it\u2019s no better than the already existent ethical issues we face. The focus of education is to showcase individual talents and knowledge. However, how is one to do that when all they are expected to do is compete for the highest score by staring into a book all day.<\/p>
For much of my life, I have grown up in a society dedicated to focus on improving creativity and critical thinking. So moving to one merely based on rote learning was one too drastic of an experience. The educational system in India lacks multiple attributes that should be provided to students to prepare them for their future endeavors. For one, the constant push to memorize every single detail for the sake of scoring a good percentage. Knowledge is determined by marks and marks are the holy grail for social praise, or at least that\u2019s what our teachers tell us. Nonetheless, it is unfortunate that many educators believe scoring in the top five percentile makes you exemplary but wanting to do something more creative gets you labeled as a dissatisfaction. True knowledge depends on your ability to grasp, not score. <\/p>
Another drawback is that students are often-restricted all sorts of interaction between opposite genders by faculty and high authority. Colleges not providing proper guidance to students while they are still students will most certainly backfire once they get into the job field, where male and female interaction is a key necessity. <\/p>
Furthermore, the need to pay for a seat. Now I don\u2019t mean to degrade the Indian educational system, a system which by the way believes it\u2019s fair to give the highest bidder in line a place in an educational institution. However, I do want to point out that in doing so many tend to overlook the fact that even the poorest of the poor in India crave the advantages of education as well. Simply handing off the admission to someone more privileged than the person before calls for all kinds of judgement to arise. Rather than polluting the academic atmosphere, teachers and professors must begin to teach students about the real world, a world where true knowledge lies in your ability to approach a problem with a resolution instead of recitation.<\/span><\/p>"}]
\"Being a feminist, all you're doing is chasing men away from you.\"\"Men don't like bossy women\" \"It's nothing but elitism\" Since my early teenage, I had my take on feminism clear and since then I've been listening to these phrases on a regular basis from a lot of people. The worst thing about being a feminist is being expected to be mean to men or a downright \"man hater\". Feminism, as one might know, began as a movement in the west focused on women suffrage (the right to vote) followed by the second wave feminism emphasizing on women's rights in the family and workplace. But being a third-wave-feminist, the only word I can think of to describe modern day feminism is \"Misunderstood\". Feminism is looked at as women elitism and a movement solely for and by women while it is the only movement that when in its true self cares about men as much as women. Feminism, The new voldemort. You know, the word that used to be hushed into small whispers and passed under the tables. But unlike voldemort, It's not evil and no, It does not wanna hunt a 13 year old kid. It's because of the stigmatisation of the word that makes it sound like a villain but it's your friend. Yes, Even men who wanna bring in those hammers and fix things because why not? But also the men who are shamed for wearing \"Feminine colors\" and talking\/walking \"like a girl\" because why the hell not?<\/p>
I decided to collaborate with my S.O. (Because I am really intrigued by what men have to say about today's feminism and also to emphasize that you need not be a female to be a feminist) for this article as we decided go through couple of \"anti-feminist\" blogs and give our take on the various misconceptions held against modern day feminism. (Internet usually doesn't surprise me but I literally ended up an a website called women-against-feminism and I couldn't be sadder) Following are some \"popular thoughts\" on modern feminism we came across on the internet and everything we feel and think about it.<\/p>
\u2022 Feminists refuse to acknowledge that men and women are different.Unless they\u2019re talking about what evil rapists and murderers men are.<\/p>
-Men and women are biologically different and every human, let alone feminists will agree to it. But what feminism believes them to be same at is that both men and women are human and deserve to be treated humanely. It's patriarchy that expects men to be exerting their physical superiority and pushing them as far as restoring to violence. It is feminism that believes that men can be raped too but on the other hand patriarchy sees it as unmanly for a man to open up about rape\/sexual abuse and expect them to rather have enjoyed the physical pleasure out of it. It is patriarchy that is truly hurting men and not feminism. <\/p>
\u2022Feminists refuse to acknowledge that the gender pay gap is the result of women\u2019s choices, not sexism.What they\u2019re not telling you is that these wage gaps are not the result of gender discrimination, but the result of women\u2019s choices.Women are less likely to take dangerous, high-paying jobs and less likely to work in high-paying computer and engineering fields. <\/p>
- There's one single explanation to women not being able to dedicate themselves fully to these \"high paying dangerous\" jobs because they piled on with numerous other domestic responsibilities which men are not. Men are widely encouraged to prioritise their career but women on the other hand are expected to look at their careers as secondary. Feminism not only aims at bridging the wage gap but also at changing this widespread way of thought that looks down upon career oriented women as over ambitious and unwomanly. As for the wage gap, it exists because of the male domination in almost every sector of work and this has built up over decades of women being confined to domestic duties and no or menial education.<\/p>
\u2022Feminists get offended too easily and make women look crazy. Feminists make everyone walk on eggshells and are constantly awaiting the opportunity to show everyone how educated they are about the evil patriarchy and feminism in general. Anything negative said about women will be promptly used as a feminist\u2019s platform to tell everyone how misogynistic and brainwashed they are.<\/p>
- This is the generalised idea about feminism\/feminists. Like members of every organisation, some feminists do turn to radicalism but accusing the entire idea and organisation of feminism is almost as if one is trying to defend the \"evil patriarchy\" and is playing on the stereotype where they just assume a feminist is a woman screaming hurtful things about men through a loudspeaker.<\/p>
\u2022 They trivialize rape by broadening it\u2019s definition into the grounds of consensual sex. Feminists claim drunk women can\u2019t consent to sex, and if a woman has sex while while intoxicated and regrets her decision afterwards, she might as well consider herself raped.<\/p>
-Rape is way broader an issue than just drunk sex. A lot of women\/men have drunk sex and a lot of women\/men are intentionally intoxicated to the point where they aren't in the physical or mental state to deny. Also, it's funny how none of the articles we came across talk about male rape and anyone not fitting into the cis-gender binary which shows the manifestation of patriarchy in the basic thought process of people. <\/p>
As stated earlier, modern day feminism is highly misunderstood and wrongly comprehended. There will be people claiming to be feminists who are sexist, racist, homophobic or otherwise against the main pillars of feminism. Do not let these people define the movement. These are the outliers and not not represent the equality that feminist movements have been striving for. Feminism in its true sense has always been a movement for equality and creation of a healthy living atmosphere for women, men and also everyone who doesn't comply with the gender binary and this is how it should be looked and perceived as a struggle for equality rather then dominance over any gender.<\/p>
-Article by Shimona Sharma in collaboration with Shikhar Chaudhary.<\/p>
(There's so much to be talked about when it comes to feminism, I'd be more than happy to answer any questions\/ discuss any aspect of this article or feminism in general. I can be reached through e-mail on my id shimonasharma268@gmail.com)<\/p>"}]
I stared at the screen for a long time before I started writing this. Writing a letter to your younger self is not exactly a new concept and I had wondered if I had something to say that hasn't already been said. But hey, I had to try, right? <\/p>
So here it is, a letter to my 17-year old self, or to call it what it really is, a bit of advice. <\/p>
Dear old friend,<\/p>
I know you're at this very important crossroads of your life where you don't know which way to go. All you can hear from everywhere around you is to pursue engineering, but my first question to you would be, do you really want to? <\/p>
I know, deep down, what you really want to do is to study Journalism and do your bit for the country, a dream that I thought had long since died, but I'm working towards it now. You, on the other hand, don't have to compromise your interests for your parents, relatives or peers. Stick to your guns, my old friend, don't lose sight of the ultimate goal. You will be miserable in engineering, or really, in any other field that is not your choice.<\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1543488106379","data":"5980241623e51"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1543488106380","data":"
I know you're dating a very pretty girl, but understand the value of self-respect and don't let yourself be taken for granted. It is not her fault, of course, power corrupts people. Give someone a little semblance of power over someone and they are more likely to abuse it rather than use it wisely. You, of course, do not know this, and this is why I'm writing to you, my old friend, to tell you about how you must, at all costs, develop a sense of self-respect and self-worth right away. You are worth more than you let yourself believe, you are loved, and will always be loved. Be proud of who you are, and in the words of Tyrion Lannister, whom you do not know exists just yet because Game of Thrones is not out yet, 'Wear it like armour, and it can never be used to hurt you.'<\/p>
I also want to tell you that taking care of your health is of paramount importance. I'm not here to tell you the same old cliched statements about quitting smoking and being fit, but before you decide to pick up that first cigarette, please remember that we had to struggle for years to get rid of that addiction. I want you to know and remember that picking up an addiction is incredibly easy, as easy as dropping a hat to the ground, but getting rid of it takes sheer willpower and determination to improve your life, a determination that you need, my old friend, you absolutely need. <\/p>"},{"type":"img","id":"img-uid-1543488106381","data":"5980243bd407e"},{"type":"txt","id":"rich_1543488106382","data":"
There's so much more that I want to tell you, my old friend, but I'm not a writer of the caliber that can put into words the eloquence that some of our peers today manage to do. I'm quite jealous of them and it makes me continuously improve and get better with what I'm writing, just so I can get better than I was yesterday. <\/p>
But that yesterday is your tomorrow, my old friend, it is a day that will eventually happen to you as the days pass by. Imagine the possibilities if you decide to chase your dreams early on, if you decide to take care of yourself and if you decide to be excellent to the people around you? Messing with the timeline might create a rupture in space and time, but it would change you and by extension, change the person I am today too. Whether I become a good man or a bad one is entirely a matter of the events you experience. <\/p>
Don't sell yourself short, even after what we've been through, I still believe in you. <\/p>
Much love, <\/p>
Yours Truly. <\/p>"}]
Way back when I was young and innocent, when I was just starting college, my mother was very insistent on warning me of the dangers of the iconoclastic college-going folk who were going to offer me drugs, booze and cigarettes and tempt me into joining them in their debaucherous pursuits. I'm now a senior in my final year at college and I can honestly tell my mother than not once has anyone ever offered me so much as a too-oily dosa to tempt me.<\/p>
I don't mean to say that these things don't happen; they do. However, the fact remains that the most common sort of peer pressure is subtle and insidious and is often not addressed, hidden in the haze of the aforementioned debauchery. It takes the form of seemingly harmless things like a new food trend, a new hangout stop, disliking a particular professor, bunking a class or conforming to a particular personality type- being bubbly and anxious to please, for instance. No one ever warns us about these little things that worm their way into our subconsciousness and have us utterly convinced that there is a certain way we have to be to be popular.<\/p>
There seems to be a common view that peer pressure involves the creation of mindless, bumbling airheads who all look, talk, walk and act the same (refer Mean Girls). This is pass\u00e9; peer pressure is not that straightforward anymore. I've learned from personal experience that to be likeable in colleges around here, one needs to be generally jovial, not be intensely passionate about anything and not hold any strong opinions on anything including- but not limited to- politics, socio-economic conditions, culture and literacy, among many others.<\/p>
Another different, but equally harmful way it can sneak into our lives is the pressure to be 'different'. It encourages students to adopt outlandish ways to stand out. That doesn't imply that being different from other and standing out is bad, but doing so as a deliberate attempt at attention, when it is out of character is pretty sad. Nothing should make us change who we are just to be liked.<\/p>
Peer pressure is a vast concept with no one form or clear indication. It can only be tackled by being sure of who you are and what you're comfortable with and not letting any other factor influence either of those.<\/p>"}]
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