pallikkutam: may 2014

MAGAZINE ON EDUCATIONVOLUME 1 ISSUE 12 MAY 2014

Managing EditorDr. Varghese Panthalookaran CMI

EditorJames Paul

Associate EditorDr. Prasanth Palackappilly CMI

ColumnsK L MohanavarmaDr. K.N. RaghavanSajit MalliyoorDr. Jos Cletus PlackalDr. Augustine Thottakara

Marketing ManagerVarghese Kachappilly CMI

ArtSajo Joseph

Contact:Rajagiri Media, Rajagiri Valley P.O,Kakkanad, Kochi-39.Phone : 0484 2428249, 39 Extn : 232Mob: +91 9497711010Mail : [email protected]

Follow your passion and success will follow

When we think about what is needed to be successful in life andin our work, we usually think about characteristics like value,talent, ambition, intellect, discipline, persistence and luck. Whatmany of us often fail to include in this recipe for success ispassion. The passion we have, or don’t have, for our work shouldnot be underestimated. Sometimes this ingredient could makethe biggest difference of all.

Passion is the powerful feeling of enthusiasm we all have insideof us. We are all enthusiastic and passionate about something,whether its finance, food or a favorite sport. That enthusiasm isvery powerful. When we can combine it with our work, we aresetting ourselves up well for achieving true success.

When you feel passionate about what you are doing, you radiateenergy and enthusiasm. Others pick up on this, consciously ornot, and are attracted to it. Passion is magnetic. Passion makesyou set goals high. It gives confidence; it gives energy. Passionbegets quality–if you are passionate, you don’t want to stophalfway.

When you are passionate, you seek out what you want. If youdon’t know what you want, it’s impossible to be passionate, and ifyou do know what you want–and are completely open withyourself–the urge to seek it will be irresistable. Indecision anduncertainty kill passion.

Good things come much more readily to those who arepassionate. Passionate people seek out what they want–but, in away, they don’t even have to. If you are passionate, you radiate anenergy that brings your desires to you.

Passionate people excite others; they tend to make great firstimpressions. Others are often more than happy to help out thepassionate: they may pull strings; they may collaborate; they maysimply give their enthusiastic support. But they will do something.Wanting something passionately produces circumstances thatlead to getting it.

A ‘whole’ life is one whose parts fit together. Such a life is devoidof contradictions; its elements do not compete. Wholenessmakes a person complete: it gives a person an identity and self-certainty that cannot be obtained otherwise. Though a passionateperson may not lead a whole life, passion makes wholenesspossible.

George Bernard Shaw insists that there are passions far moreexciting than the physical ones...’intellectual passion,mathematical passion, passion for discovery and exploration: themightiest of all passions’.

To live a whole life, you must know what you want and seek it inall areas of your life. Wholeness allows the elements of life towork together, to aid one another. Wholeness brings a new levelof meaning and purpose to life beyond what passion can bring byitself.

FROM EDITOR’S DESKFROM EDITOR’S DESKFROM EDITOR’S DESKFROM EDITOR’S DESKFROM EDITOR’S DESK

ONTENTS30COCOCOCOCOVER STVER STVER STVER STVER STORORORORORYYYYY

Follow your passionPassion is the powerful feeling of enthusiasm we all have insideof us. We are all enthusiastic and passionate about something.When we can combine it with our work, we are settingourselves up well for achieving true success.

Five steps to finding your passion..........................

Your true passion..................................................

Pallikkutam | May 2014

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Learning fromsuccess andfailuresHis qualities as a match winner inlimited overs’ cricket has won forYuvraj a place in the hearts ofcricket lovers of the country.

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Dr. Susan Biali, M.D

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Discovering and claiming something you love to do has an amazing effect on your entire life.It’s like a tiny perfect raindrop landing on a previously smooth, unremarkable expanse ofwater.

“What qualities do you most love in yourself?” and “What would you do with your life ifmoney was not an issue?” Cheryl advocates clearing out clutter and taking care of basicresponsibilities as a first step to following our passion.

Dr. K.N. Raghavan

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Jennifer Claerr

Passionately yours...............................................Like Shakespeare’s Macbeth, my passion tale ended up a plain tragedy. Worse still, mypassion which was just beginning to take on life had its last breathe the same hour its twinbrother, my first love letter, was signed and executed.P K G Tharakan

05Pallikkutam | May 2014

MAY 2014STORIES OF LIFE 26

Techniques toimprove will power

God is so cruel tome, so I hate him!

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Lower knowledgeand higherknowledge

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CONFESSIONS CONFESSIONS CONFESSIONS CONFESSIONS CONFESSIONS ..................................................... 66..................................................... 66..................................................... 66..................................................... 66..................................................... 66

Dr. Jos Cletus Plackal

Sajit Malliyoor

PERSONAL 28PERSONAL 28PERSONAL 28PERSONAL 28PERSONAL 28

Gabriel García Márquez

Dr. Augustine Thottakara

Competition andquality educationDr D.Dhanuraj

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NEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWS

Startup Village CEOinvited to take part in the IVLP

Sijo Kuruvilla George, chief executiveofficer of Startup Village, has been

invited to take part in the InternationalVisitor Leadership Program (IVLP), aprestigious professional exchangeprogramme being conducted by the US

Department of State to foster professionalties and mutual understanding with othercountries. Sijo is the only Indian amongthe eight participants, all of whom havebeen identified as potential leaders, at theIVLP on ‘Influential Voices’. They willtravel to the US this week to meet theirprofessional counterparts and visit USpublic and private sector organisationsrelated to the project theme coveringdigital citizenship, social activism, public-private partnership and good governance.

The three-week programme begins onMay 3. “I see IVLP as a fantasticopportunity to observe the best practicesin US governance and decision making, to

meet experts and build professional andpersonal networks that I hope will help meserve the community better,” said Sijo. Theproject has a distinct focus on informationtechnology as a tool for effectiveadministration and socioeconomic growth,

a subject close to my heart, he said.Launched in 1940, IVLP connects currentand emerging leaders around the world withtheir American counterparts. According tothe US government, more than 2,00,000international visitors have engaged withAmericans through the IVLP, includingmore than 330 current or former chiefs ofstate or heads of government. Notableformer participants from Kerala includeUnion Minister Shashi Tharoor and StatePlanning Board Member and Technoparkfounder-CEO G Vijayaraghavan.

After the IVLP concludes on May 24, Sijowill travel to Silicon Valley to meetparticipants of the Rajeev Circle

Fellowship programme initiated by venturecapitalist Asha Jadeja Motwani in memoryof her husband Rajeev Motwani, who wasa professor at Stanford and one the world’smost highly respected computer scientists.Now in its second edition, the Rajeev

Circle Fellowship identifies selectentrepreneurs from India and flies them tothe Silicon Valley for an intense two-weekmentorship and networking programme. AtSilicon Valley, Sijo will hold discussionwith a few people regarding the setting upof the ‘landing pad’ for the Startup Village’sSV Squared programme. Earlier this week,the Kerala government had announced thatit would set up a permanent centre in theUS to facilitate the visit of studententrepreneurs to that country under SVSquared. “I hope the discussions will helpbuild a much stronger entrepreneurshipcorridor between Silicon Valley and Indiantech startup ecosystems,” Sijo added.


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NEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWS

IIT-Guwahati amongtop 100 young varsities

IIT-Guwahati has made it to the top 100list of the world’s dynamic young

universities - the only Indian entry.

The Times Higher Education 100 under 50university rankings to beannounced on Thursday -evaluation of the world’stop 100 universities under50 years - puts India’s loneentry IIT-Guwahati at87th.

The ranking looks to thefuture by examining a newbreed of global universitiesthat have managed to jointhe world elite in a matter ofdecades rather thancenturies and those with thepotential to become the nextgeneration’s Harvard orOxford.

Recently released Times Higher Educationrankings had embarrassed India which wasthe only BRIC nation which did not have asingle university in the world top 100table. While mainland China had two, both

in the top 50, Russia and Brazil had oneeach.

India has joined the top 100 Under 50 forthe first time. Phil Baty, editor of Times

Higher Education Rankings said, “Therehas been a great deal of soul searching inIndia over the fact that none of itsuniversities make the World UniversityRankings’ top 200 - a serious concern

given the country’s great intellectualhistory and growing social and economicinfluence. But this new analysis whichexamines the next generation of globaluniversity stars should be encouraging. Of

the ‘BRICS’ nations, Russia,mainland China and SouthAfrica do not make the gradeso it is cause for optimismthat the Indian Institute ofTechnology, Guwahati, breaksinto the top 100.”

East Asian institutions leadthe 100 Under 50, withuniversities from South Korea,Hong Kong and Singaporeclaiming top-five positions.

For the third year in a row, theranking is headed by SouthKorea’s Pohang University ofScience and Technology whileits national rival the Korea

Advanced Institute of Science andTechnology holds on to the third spot itgained last year.

School dropout rate among tribals remains high

The fate of tribal students who haveto stop their formal education

midway still remains the same,even after repeated claims by theauthorities that several projectshave been envisaged to address theissue.

A recent finding by the KeralaMahila Samakhya Society(KMSS),the resource centre that particularlyfocuses on the empowerment ofwomen in the rural areas, during avisit to tribal hamlets revealed thatthe dropout rate among tribalstudents is a perennial issue thatneeds urgent intervention. “Theissue is grave among the tribalgroups in Wayanad, Kasargod,Attappady and Nilambur. The reasonsfor this still remain to be addressed,”

said Kerala Mahila Samakhya Societyproject director P E Usha. According tothe survey conducted by the Kerala

Institute of Local Administration inassociation with local bodies and theScheduled Tribe Welfare Department, the

only comprehensive study on the tribalsso far, which is yet to be published in aconsolidated form, the average rate of

dropout of the tribal children inthe state is 36.73 per cent.

The age group which was underthe purview of the survey was 6-25. At primary level, the dropoutnumber was 15,364 (46.02 percent). It was 12, 874 (38.56 percent) at secondary level and 1,475(4.42 per cent) at high schoollevel. The dropout level amonggraduates, during the periodwhich the survey covered, was492 (1.47 per cent). It was 194(0.58 per cent) at postgraduatelevel and 2,021 (6.05 per cent)

among those who joined CertificateDiploma courses, survey found.


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VOICESVOICESVOICESVOICESVOICES

I have tried to serve this country with utmost dedication, Ihave not used my office to reward my friends or relatives.Manmohan Singh

We need a smart phone type of education — open andconnected.Rahul Gandhi

Let us take each student as a celebrity and focus on himor her. That way we can change things.Narendra Modi

I am Rajiv Gandhi’s daughter.He died for this country. Hecannot be compared in my heart and mind to anyone.

Priyanka

In any case of sexual harassment, the culprits must getthe strictest punishment within three-six months.

Aravind Kejerival

An economy growing at 7 % a year, can and must find theresources to improve the lives of its millions of poor.

Sonia Gandhi


The magicianThe magicianThe magicianThe magicianThe magician in his labyrinth in his labyrinth in his labyrinth in his labyrinth in his labyrinth

Latin America’s literary colossus, died on April 17th, aged 87

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Few writers have produced novels thatare acknowledged as masterpieces not

only in their own countries but all aroundthe world. Fewer still can be said to havewritten books that have changed the wholecourse of literature in their language. Butthe Colombian writer Gabriel GarcíaMárquez, who has died at the age of 87after suffering from Alzheimer’s diseaseachieved just that, especially thanks to hisnovel One Hundred Years of Solitude.

Since its publication in 1967, more than25m copies of the book have been sold inSpanish and other languages. For at least ageneration the book firmly stamped LatinAmerican literature as the domain of“magical realism”.

Born in the small town of Aracataca, closeto the Caribbean coast of Colombia, GarcíaMárquez (or “Gabo” as he was oftenaffectionately nicknamed) alwaysidentified himself with the cultural mix ofSpanish, black and indigenous traditionsthat continue to flourish there. Althoughlater in life he lived in Paris, Mexico andelsewhere, his books returned constantlyto this torrid coastal region, where thepower of nature and myth stillpredominate over the restraints of coldreason.

This sense of identification with theCaribbean coast was strengthened by thefact that the young García Márquez wasforced to leave it when he was eight, somarking out the period of his early

childhood as the source of not only hismost heartfelt memories, but as thewellspring for his literature. GarcíaMárquez has often recalled how, with hisfather absent as a telegraph operator, hewas brought up by a grandfather who toldhim tales of his heroic deeds in Colombia’scivil wars of the 19th century, and agrandmother whose every move was ruledby superstition. This combination of theordinary and the extraordinary was theworld that later resurfaced to such tellingeffect in One Hundred Years of Solitudeand many other novels.

García Márquez’s subsequent educationtook place in the capital, Bogotá, in theother, Andean part of Colombia. Healways spoke of these years as of a cold,lonely exile. Forced to study law, hesought consolation in literature. At first,like many Colombians, he imagined himselfa poet, until one day he discovered FranzKafka and suddenly saw that everythingwas possible for the modern imaginativewriter. Spurred on in this way, at the age of20 he abandoned his law studies and fromthen on devoted himself to writing.

In the early 1950s he worked during thedaytime as a newspaper reporter, firstback on the coast and later in Bogotá onthe newspaper El Espectador. His accountof what had happened during theshipwreck of a Colombian naval vesselbrought him renown as a journalist, butalso got him into trouble with theauthorities. This led to the start of a

peripatetic and often wretchedly poorexistence that lasted almost a decade. Allthe while, though, he was using the nightsand any spare time to write fiction as well,and his first short novel, Leafstorm, waspublished in 1955.

Journalism was to remain a passionthroughout his life: time and again hisfictional stories have their basis in tales heheard as a young journalist, as he explainsfor example in the introduction to the 1994novel Of Love and Other Demons. At thesame time, whatever fantastic elements areto be found in his novels and short stories,García Márquez learned from journalismthe craft of story-telling, showing himselfto be an astounding judge of pace, surprise,and structure. He was also immenselyinterested in the cinema. In Rome in the1950s he studied at the Experimental FilmSchool, and while living in Mexico in the1960s wrote several film scripts. He alsodabbled in television soap operas, arguingthat this was the way to reach the broadestpossible audience and satisfy their need fornarrative. In the early 1980s he helpedfound an International Film School near theCuban capital of Havana. In 1994, he usedsome of the huge royalties his works hadbrought him to set up a school ofjournalism back on the ColombianCaribbean coast, at Cartagena de Indias.

But it is as a writer of fiction, enjoyed byeveryone from untutored readers toacademics in universities around the world,that García Márquez will be remembered.

Since its publication in 1967, more than 25m copies of hisnovel One Hundred Years of Solitude have been sold in Spanish andother languages. For at least a generation the book firmly stamped

Latin American literature as the domain of “magical realism”.It tells the story of succeeding generations of the archetypal

Buendía family and the amazing events that befall the isolated townof Macondo, in which fantasy and fact constantly intertwine to

produce their own brand of magical logic.

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By the mid-1960s, he had published threenovels that enjoyed reasonable criticalacclaim in Latin America, but neither hugecommercial nor international success. Hisfourth novel, One Hundred Years ofSolitude, first published not in Colombiabut in Argentina, was to change all that.

It tells the story of succeeding generationsof the archetypal Buendía family and theamazing events that befall the isolatedtown of Macondo, in which fantasy andfact constantly intertwine to produce theirown brand of magical logic. The novel hasnot only proved immediately accessible toreaders everywhere, but has influencedwriters of many nationalities, from IsabelAllende to Salman Rushdie. Although thenovel was not the first example of magicalrealism produced in Latin America, it

helped launch what became known as theboom in Latin American literature, whichhelped many young and talented writersfind a new international audience for theiroften startlingly original work.

As with many other descriptions ofliterary schools, magical realism eventuallycame to seem almost as much a curse as ablessing. García Márquez professedhimself amazed at the success OneHundred Years of Solitude enjoyed, anddeclared that he considered his masterlystudy of Latin American tyranny inAutumn of the Patriarch (1975) to be amore complete work of art. Almost aspowerful were the classical simplicity ofChronicle of a Death Foretold (1981), thetender exploration of the impossibilities oflove in Love in the Time of Cholera

(1985), or the study of the collapse ofutopian dreams in The General in HisLabyrinth (1994).

Those dreams were prominent in GarcíaMárquez’s speech when he was awardedthe Nobel prize for literature in 1982. In it,he made a passionate appeal for Europeanunderstanding of the tribulations of hisown continent, concluding that “tellers oftales who, like me, are capable of believinganything, feel entitled to believe that it isnot yet too late to undertake the creationof a minor utopia: a new and limitlessutopia wherein no one can decide forothers how they are to die, where love canreally be true and happiness possible,where the lineal generations of one hundredyears of solitude will have at last andforever a second chance on earth”.

As with many other descriptions of literary schools, magical realismeventually came to seem almost as much a curse as a blessing.García Márquez professed himself amazed at the success One

Hundred Years of Solitude enjoyed, and declared that he consideredhis masterly study of Latin American tyranny in Autumn of the

Patriarch (1975) to be a more complete work of art.

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Autonomy makeskids passionate

Children and young adults are more likely to pursue sports, music or

other pastimes when given anopportunity to nurture their ownpassion. The study suggests that parentalcontrol can predict whether a childdevelops a harmonious or obsessivepassion for a hobby. The results arepublished in Journal of Personality.

“We found that controlling adults canfoster obsessive passion in their childrenby teaching them that social approval canonly be obtained through excellence,”says Dr. Mageau. “An activity thenbecomes highly important for self-protective reasons that don’t necessarilycorrespond with a child’s true desires.”

As part of the study, the research teamevaluated 588 musicians and athletes fromswimmers to skiers. Participants werebetween six and 38 years old andpracticed hobbies at different levels:beginner, intermediate and expert. Kidswere recruited from high school orspecialized summer camps, while adultswere recruited at training camps andcompetitions. The scientific team used aLikert-type scale to measure how parentssupported child autonomy and toevaluate child well-being regardinghobbies.

While parents do well to support theirchildren to pursue an activity, suchencouragement can graduate tounwelcome pressure. “Children andteenagers who are allowed to beautonomous are more likely to activelyengage in their activity over time,” saysDr. Mageau. “Being passionate shouldnot be viewed as a personality trait – it isa special relationship one develops withan activity.”

Exposure to water-borne arsenicleads to lower IQ

A study by researchers at ColumbiaUniversity reported online in the

journal, Environmental Health suggeststhat exposed to arsenic in drinking waterexperienceddeclines in childintelligence. Theresearch team wasled by JosephGraziano, PhD,professor ofEnvironmentalHealth Sciences atColumbiaUniversity’sMailman Schoolof Public Health.

Using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale forChildren (WISC-IV), the most often usedassessment tool for measuring intelligencein children ages 6 to 16, the researchersfound that arsenic in household water wasassociated with decreased scores on mostWISC-IV indices. After adjusting for

maternal IQ and education, characteristicsof the home environment, school district,and number of siblings, the children whowere exposed to greater than 5 parts

arsenic perbillion ofhousehold wellwater (WAs e”5 ìg/L) showedreductions inFull Scale,WorkingMemory,PerceptualReasoning andVerbalComprehension

scores.

“The strength of associations found in thisstudy is comparable to the modestincreases that have been found in bloodlead, an established risk factor fordiminished IQ,” said Dr. Graziano, the leadauthor.

Alcohol-brand referencesin music is too inviting

Teenagers and young adults are foundto like, own and correctly identify

music that references alcohol by brandname and get introduced to bingedrinking, according to a study by theUniversity of Pittsburgh and NorrisCotton Cancer Centre.

The results publishedonline in the journalAlcoholism: Clinical &Experimental Research,recommends policy andeducationalinterventions to limitthe alcohol-brandreferences in popularmusic to reduce alcoholconsumption in teensand young adults.Alcohol is consideredthe third-leading, lifestyle-related causeof death, according to the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention. In thesurvey, which could be completed either

online or on paper, participants weregiven the titles of popular songs thatinclude alcohol mentions and asked ifthey liked or owned the song. They alsowere tested to determine if they couldspontaneously recall what brand ofalcohol was mentioned in the lyrics. “A

surprising result of ouranalysis was that theassociation betweenrecalling alcohol brandsin popular music andalcohol drinking inadolescents was asstrong as the influenceof parental and peerdrinking and anadolescent’s tendencytoward sensation-seeking,” said Dr.

Primack, who lead the research. “Thismay illustrate the value that this agegroup places on the perceived opinionsand actions of music stars.”


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iPad app to gauge Sciencelearning in preschoolers

Researchers are blending technologywith nature, as they present details

on an iPad application to examine howyoung children are learning science skillsin nature-themedoutdoorplaysettings.The app,developedinpartnershipwithUniversityofCincinnatiand KineticVision in Evendale, Ohio, is part of aNational Science Foundation-supportedproject to examine preschool-agechildren’s learning and interest in sciencethrough their play and interactions innatural settings, such as PlayScapes. Thestudy locations are the intentionallydesigned PlayScapes nature environments

set on UC’s campus and at theCincinnati Nature Centre. The iPadapplication is being used to streamline aresearch technique known as behavior

mapping.Instead of thepen-and-papermethod that hasbeen used overthe decades, theiPad app allowsresearchers torecord a numberof interactionsin thePlayScapes thatindicated thechildren were

gaining skills in science, socializationand physical movement. The app alsoallowed researchers to upload and e-mail their data onto a shared serverlocation, eliminating the risk ofpotential loss of data. A backup systembuilt into the application saves all datain the iPad’s memory.

Remedial coursesare not always useful

Taking remedial courses at the four-year college level may hold students

back from earning their bachelor’sdegrees, but at the community collegelevel remedial education can help earn anassociate’s degree, according toresearchers from Boston College’s LynchSchool of Education.

The role of remedial education has beenunder scrutiny for years, viewed as anessential tool in efforts to raise rates ofdegree completion. At the same time,critics question whether the courses areappropriate for institutions of highereducation.The answer may not be sosimple, according to Lynch Schoolresearcher Katherine A. Shields andAssociate Professor of Education LauraM. O’Dwyer.

When the researchers looked at therelationship of taking remedial courses tothe chances of two-year college studentsultimately earning a bachelor’s degree,the potential benefits of the coursesdisappeared.

Twitter helps describing real-time migraine agonySomeone’s drilling an icicle into your

temple, you’re throwing up, and lightand sound are unbearable.

Yes, it’s another migraine attack. Butnow in 140 characters on Twitter, youcan share your agony with othersufferers. It indicates a trend toward thecathartic sharing of physical pain, aswell as emotional pain on social media.“As technology and language evolve, sodoes the way we share our suffering,”said principal investigator AlexandreDaSilva, assistant professor and directorof the Headache and Orofacial PainEffort at University of Michigan Schoolof Dentistry. “It’s the first known studyto show the instant and broad impact ofmigraine attacks on modern patients’lives by decoding manually each one oftheir individual attack-related tweets.”“We sought to evaluate the instantexpression of actual self-reportedmigraine attacks in social media,”DaSilva said. Results generated uniqueinformation about who suffers from

migraines and what, how, where andwhen they use social media to describetheir pain. The findings overlappedsignificantly with other traditionalepidemiologic migraine studies, DaSilvaand colleagues said. Among other things,they examined the most commondescriptors for migraines, includingprofanities, tweet times and locations,and impact on productivity and mood.Only 65 percent of the migraine tweetswere from actual sufferers of migrainesposting in real-time. Other tweets wereadvertising, general discussion, retweets,etc., indicating that not everything insocial media is meaningful to the patient,DaSilva said. Among the interestingfindings:

Females accounted for about 74percent of migraine tweets; malesaccounted for 17 percent.

The higher global peak of migrainetweets occurred Mondays at 14:00 GMT,or 10 a.m Eastern Daylight Saving Time.

The U.S. accounted for 58 percentof migraine tweets, followed by Europeat 20 percent.

In the U.S., migraine tweets peakedat 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays. Themorning tweets peaked later onweekends.

Roughly 44 percent of tweetsreported that migraine attacksimmediately impacted mood.

The most common migrainedescriptors were “worst” at nearly 15percent and “massive” at 8 percent.

Migraines pose a huge public healthproblem, harming mood, productivityand overall quality of life.

An estimated 12 percent of the Westernworld population suffer migraineattacks, and of those, 75 percent seereduced functionality and 30 percentrequire bed rest.


14 Pallikkutam | April 2014

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B ]pS-hbpw hnf°pw shdp-samcp]pS-hbpw hnf-°p-a-√, Hcm-bncwIp™p-ß-fpsS lrZ-b-Øn¬\nd™p Ihn™ kvt\l-Øns‚shfn-®-am-W-h.

IY apgp-h≥ ]d-bmw.

adn-bmΩ So®¿ Xncp-h-\-¥-]pcw hgp-X-°mSv inip-hn-lm¿ bp.-]n.kvIqfnse slUvan-kv{S v Bbn-cp-∂p. \m´p-ºp-dsØ aÆp Xd-bpw, Hme-ta¬°q-cbpw HSn™p hogm-dmbs_©p-Ifpw ap-∂nse D∏n-enÍmcbv° hn¬°p∂ AΩqΩ-bpwHs° \nd™ F¬.-]n. kvIqƒ]T\w ]q¿Øn-bm°n Rm≥ FØn-t®¿∂Xv So®¿ "AΩ' bmbn hmgp∂inip-hn-lm-dn-em-Wv. \K-c-lr-Z-b-

Ønse kvIqƒ, AXp-hsc I≠-dn™ \m´p-ºp-d-Øp-Im-cmb Ipń-I-fn¬ \n∂v Hcp-]mSv am‰ap≈Ipń-Iƒ, hSnbpw A®-S-°-hp-ambn t]Sn-∏n®v ]Tn-∏n-®n-cp∂]gb kvIqƒ coXn-bn¬ \n∂vXnI®pw hy-X-ykvXw ˛ sNdp-∏-°m-cn-I-fm-b, Nncn-°p∂, kvt\ln-°p∂ So®¿am¿. Ipń-Iƒ°vkzbw Hc-¥ v tXm∂n-t∏m-Ip∂kvIqƒ A¥-co-£w. Ip∂p-Iƒ,Ib-‰-ßƒ, Cd-°-ßƒ (in-ip-hn-

lm¿ kvIqƒ C∂pw Aßs\Xs∂), Rß-fpsS {]nb-s∏Íp¥n-cn°m ac-ßƒ (A-h-bn-te-sdbpw C∂n-√, kvIqfns‚]pXnb sIń-S-ßƒ°v th≠nAh Hgn™p sImSp-°p-I-bm-bn-cp-∂p), b£n-∏m-e-Iƒ, ]ns∂as‰-s¥m-s°tbm ac-ßƒ ˛Ip∂n≥ apI-fnse sIm®p ]≈n-°q-S-Øn¬ Hcp-]mSv Iq´p-Im-cn-I-fp-am-bn, Ifn-Nn-cn-I-fp-ambnIgn™ Imew. Hcp ZnhkwkvIqfnse klmbn a√nI tN®n¢m n¬ h∂p ]d-™p.""_o\sb adn-bmΩ So®¿ hnfn-°p-∂p.''

t]Sn®v t]mbn. Ipkr-Xn-Iƒ°v

]n.-F-®v.Un FSpØp sIm≠n-cn-°p∂ Rß-fpsS Iq´p-sI-´v,AXnse GXv kw`-h-Øn\v in£n-°m-\mhpw So®¿ hnfn-°p-∂-Xv?

slUvan-kv{S- ns‚ apdn-bn¬ td®¬So®-dp-ap≠v (ssZ-h-ta, Fs¥mcp`wKn-bm-bn-cp∂p Cu So®¿am¿s°m-s°, Xe-apSn ""]p´∏v'' sNbvXv, Cfw\ndw kmcn-I-sfm-s° DSpØvA¥ v \nd™ Nncn-bpw, `mh-hpw.adn-bmΩ So®-dm-sW-¶n¬ shfpØv

XSn®v Nph∂v XpSp-Øv), Rm≥ t]Sn-®n-cn-°p-I-bm-sW∂vI≠v So®¿am¿ Nncn-®p. ]ns∂, Bi-z-kn-∏n®p sIm≠v adn-bmΩ So®¿ ]d-™p:

""ASpØ BgvNhm¿jnI Iem-a-’-c-ß-fm-Wv, _o\{]kw-K-Øn-\pw, D]-\-ym-k-Øn\pw IY-sb-gp-Øn\pw tNc-Ww.''

F\n°v t]Sn-bm-bn.CsXms° Fs∂-s°m-≠m-hp-tam?So®-dn-t\mSv adpØp ]d-bm\pw aSn.F∂n´v Rm\m a’-c-ß-fn¬]s¶Sp-Øp, H∂mw kΩm-\-ßfpwInń. Fs‚ BZ-ysØ a’-c-hpw,a’-c-hn-P-bhpw Bbn-cp∂p AXv.]n∂oSv Hcp-]mSv a’-c-th-Zn-IfpwkΩm-\-ßfpw F\n°v kz-¥-am-sb-¶nepw B a’-c-Øns‚ Zo]vX-ambHm¿Ω-Iƒ, Ah-bv°p≈ kuμ-cywAXv ]d-™-dn-bn-°m≥ Bhm-ØXvXs∂-bm-Wv.

A∂v adn-bmΩ So®¿ B a’-c-ßƒ°v tNcm≥ Fs∂ \n¿∫-‘n-®Xv F¥p sIm≠mbn-cp∂p Fs∂-\n°v Adn-bn-√, A∂v So®¿ cmPn-sbbpw (]n¬°m-eØv \¿Ø-In-

Hcp Ipń°v A≤-ym-]-I≥, A≤-ym-]nI Hcp henb ]mT-]p-kvX-I-am-Wv. AØcw

Nne ]mT-]p-kvX-I-ßƒ `K-h-XvKoX t]mse, ss__nƒ t]mse, Jpdm≥ t]mse

Ahsc ]cn-ip-≤o-I-cn-°pw. adn-bmΩ So®¿ AØ-c-samcp ]mT-]p-kvX-I-am-sW∂v

]d-bmØ Hcp inj-yt\m inj-ytbm So®¿°p-≠mhpw F∂v tXm∂p-∂n-√.


17

Kpcp-Z£nW

bmbn {]i-kvX-bmb cmPo tKm]m-e-Ir-jvW≥), _nμp ({]-ikvX sSen-hn-j≥ Ah-Xm-cI _nμp {]Zo-]v)-hn-s\bpw, amen\n (Xn-cp-h-\-¥-]pcwPh-l¿ _me-`-h≥ {]n≥kn-∏¬)\rØ-Øn-\pw -sI.-hn. tcWpI (kw-Ko-X-Øn¬ tUmIvS-td‰v FSpØkpa (sI.-hn. tcWpI) tPym-Xn-t£{Xw F∂ kvIqƒ \S-Øp-∂p)sb ]mń\pw tN¿ØXv F¥psIm≠m-sW∂pw Rßƒ°-dn-bn-√,]t£ H∂-dn-bmw, So®-dn\vkvIqfnse Hmtcm Ipń-sbbpw Adn-bm-am-bn-cp-∂p, Rßsf GXp-h-gn°v \bn-°-W-sa-∂-dn-bm-am-bn-cp-∂p. Hcp So®sd So®-dm-°p∂G‰hpw henb LS-I-am-WXv F∂vRm\n∂v a\- n-em-°p-∂p. _‘-ßƒ ]e¿°pw sImSpw-I-bv]p-IƒkΩm-\n-°p-∂Xp ImWp-tºmƒAº-c∂v Rm≥ Hm¿Øp t]mIm-dp-≠v, F\n°v an°-t∏mgpw a[pcanTm-bn-I-fm-Wt√m Inń-bn-´p-≈-sX-∂v. ]e anTm-bn-Ifpw temIØvas‰m-cmƒ°pw Inń-bn-ń-√m-Ø-Xp-am-Wv. adn-bmΩ So®¿ Fs‚ Pohn-X-Ønse AXn-a-[p-c-amb Hc-\p-`hwXs∂-bm-Wv.

Fß-s\-sbm-s°-bmWv Hcmƒ°vas‰m-cm-fpsS Pohn-XsØ kzm-[o-\n-°m-\m-hp-I? G‰hpw Ffp∏wkz¥w PohnXw DZm-l-c-W-am-°n-s°m≠v Xs∂-bm-Wv. BtLm-jn-°m-\pw, B\-μn-°m-\pw, kvt\ln-°m-\pw, hnP-b-ßsf ]p¬Im-\pw,]c-kv]cw _lp-am-\n-°m-\pw, kaq-l-Øn\v th≠n Nn¥n-°m-\pw,{]h¿Øn-°m-\pw. So®¿ CsXms°Rßsf ]Tn-∏n-®Xv kzbw Ah-sbms° Bbn-s°m-≠m-Wv. AXpI≠v Adn™v hf¿∂ RßƒC∂pw H∂pw ad-°p-∂n-√.

kvIqƒ, dh-\-yq, D]-Pn-√m, Pn√m-XeItem-’-h-ß-fn¬ A°m-eØvNmº-y≥jn∏v inip-hn-lm-dn\v am{XwAh-Im-i-s∏-´-Xm-bn-cp-∂p. hnhn[`mj-I-fn-ep≈ ssIsø-gpØv a’-c-

ßƒ°phsc Rßƒ a‰m¿°pwkΩm-\-ßƒ hn´psImSp-Øn-√. adn-bmΩ So®dpw a‰p So®¿amcpw klm-bn-Ifpw Rßƒ°v th≠nFs¥√mw `£-W-km-[-\-ß-fmWvD≠m-°n-s°m≠v hcp-am-bn-cp-∂-Xv?A¿≤-cm-{Xn-tbmfw \ofp∂ a’-c-ßƒ°n-S-bn¬ F{Xh´-am-bn-cp∂pSo®-dpsS aSn-bn¬ InS∂v Dd-ßn-t∏m-bn-´p-≈-Xv! Xe-ap-Sn-bn-g-Iƒ°n-S-bn-eqsS Hgp-In-sb-Øn-bn-cp∂ So®-

dpsS hm’-e-yw, GXp kvt\l-_-‘-Øn¬ \n∂pw Rm\Xptamln®p t]mhp-∂p, C∂pw. So®¿Rß-sfbpw sIm≠v bm{X-Iƒ \S-Øn, Fd-Wm-Ip-fØv t]mbFkvI¿j≥ Hm¿Ω-fn¬ Dd-ßmsXInS∂v h¿Ø-am\w ]d™ cm{Xn-bpsS N¥w ad-°m-\m-hp-∂n-√,hg°p ]d™v Dd-t°-≠n-bn-cp∂adn-bmΩ So®dpw IqSn ]mSm-\pw,Nncn-°m-\pw, kwkmcn-°m-\pw.A°m-eØv Km‘n-P-b¥n tkh-\-hm-c-am-bn-´mWv BtLm-jn-®n-cp-∂-Xv.HcmgvN kvIqfn¬ ]Tn-Ø-an-√.

kvIqƒ hrØn-bm-°p-I, ]pXnbsNSn-Iƒ \Sp-I, kvIqfns\ kpμ-cn-bm-°pI XpS-ßn-b-h-bmWv ]Wn.Rßƒ B BgvNbv°v th≠n Hcph¿jw X]- n-cn-°pw. HIvtSm-_¿c≠n\v ssIt°m-´p-Iƒ, t]\m-°-Øn-Iƒ, Nqep-Iƒ Hs° FSpØvBÀmZ-tØmsS kvIqfns‚ ap°p-Iƒ, aqe-Iƒ hsc hrØn-bm-°pw.So®¿am¿ ASp-°-f-Øn-c-°n¬.Fs¥-√m-amWv hn`-h-ßƒ.tXßbpw i¿°-cbpw AIØvsh®p-≠m-°p∂ tKmXºv tZmi,km[m-cW tKmXºv tZmi, ]b¿]pgpßn tXßm-∏oc C´-Xv, I™n.H∏w Rß-fpsS hoSp-I-fn¬ \n∂v`£-W-km-[-\-ßƒ FØn-bn-cp-∂p.I¿jI IpSpw-_-amb Fs‚hoń¬ \n∂v AΩq-Ωbpw AΩbpwI∏-bpw, a[p-c-°n-g-ßp-sams°]pgpßn henb Ie-Øn-em°nsImSp-Ø-b-bv°pw. ]mhw Fs‚{ioam-a≥ ssk°n-fn¬ AXvkvIqfn¬ sIm≠v h∂v Xcpw.kpa-bpsS AΩ D≠m-°n-Ø-∂n-cp∂ Ah¬ s\øn¬ hnf-bn-®XvCt∏mgpw Ign-°-W-sa∂v tXm∂m-dp≈ Hcp hn`-h-am-Wv. F¥n-\mWv"tkh\hmc'ßƒ \n¿Øn-bXv F-∂dn-bn-√, GXp tPmenbpw Fhn-sSbpw sNøm≥ aSn-°m-Ø-h-cm°nRßsf am‰n-sb-SpØ B Znh-k-ßƒ Cu Xe-ap-dbv°v BcmWv\ntj-[n-®-Xv?

kvIqƒ hm¿jn-I-ß-fn¬ kzm-KXw]d-bp-I, Um≥kv Ifn-°p-I,\mSIw Ifn-°pI XpSßn Hcp-]mSvImc-y-ßƒ D≠m-hpw. kvIqƒeoU¿ IqSn-bm-hp-tºmƒ a‰v DØ-c-hm-Zn-Ø-z-ß-fpw. Ggmw ¢m nsekvIqƒ tU \S-°p-∂p. a‰v ]cn-]m-Sn-I-fn-sems° ]s¶-SpØpsIm-≠n-cp∂ Fs∂ sXm´-SpØ C\-amb\mS-I-Øn\v XnSp-°-Øn¬ Hcp-°p-I-bmWv So®¿am¿. B¨th-j-am-b-Xn-\m¬ "hnKv' hbv°-Ww. IW-°n-√msX ImSv t]mse CS-Xq¿∂vhf¿∂v InS-°p∂ Fs‚ apSn-bn¬

adn-bmΩ So®¿ B a’-c-ßƒ°v tNcm≥ Fs∂ \n¿∫-‘n-®Xv F¥p

sIm≠mbn-cp∂p Fs∂-\n°v Adn-bn-√, ]t£ H∂-dn-bmw, So®-dn\v

kvIqfnse Hmtcm Ipń-sbbpw Adn-bm-am-bn-cp-∂p, Rßsf GXp-h-gn°v

\bn-°-W-sa-∂-dn-bm-am-bn-cp-∂p. Hcp So®sd So®-dm-°p∂ G‰hpw henb

LS-I-am-WXv F∂v Rm\n∂v a\- n-em-°p-∂p.


\

18

Kpcp-Z£nW

HcpXc-Ønepw hnKv icn-bm-hp-∂n-√.ka-b-°p-dhv ImcWw F√m-h-cnepwsS≥j≥. ta°-∏vam≥ ]d™p:""\ap°o Ipń-bpsS Ipsd apSnCSbv°v \n∂v apdn®p If-bmw.''

Rm≥ Ae-dn-°-c-bm≥ XpS-ßn. adn-bmΩ So®¿ h∂p. apSn apdn-°p-I-b-√msX a‰v hgn-I-sfm-∂p-an-s√∂v So®-dn\pw a\- n-em-bn. ""_ot\, apSn ap-dn-®m¬ hf-cp∂ sNdnb Hcp Imc-y-at√. \mSIw DSs\ \S-°m-Xn-cp-∂m-tem?''

Rm≥ H∂pw an≠m-Xn-cp∂v apSn apdn-°m≥ kΩ-Xn®p (ho-ń¬ AΩbpwa‰v kv{XoP-\-ßfpwapSn apdn-®p≈ CØcwIem-]-cn-]m-Sn-Iƒ C\nth≠ F∂v {]J-ym-]n-®p-sh-∂Xpw adn-bmΩSo®-dns\ hsc sXdn]d-™p-sh-∂Xpw ]d-tb-≠n-bn-cn-°p-∂p).\mSIw sIt¶-a-ambnXs∂ \S-∂p. t]mbapSn ]ns∂bpw kar-≤-ambn hf¿∂v]n≥h¿j-ß-fnepw ta°-∏p-Im¿°vsh√p-hn-fn-bp-b¿Øn.

Ggmw ¢m v hsc am{Xta inip-hn-lm¿ kvIqfn¬ ¢m p-≈q.Rms\m-Øncn hmin ]nSn-®p, Hcph¿jw IqSn Ggmw ¢m n¬ ]Tn-°mw, kvIqƒ hn´p t]mIm≥ hsø-∂v. adn-bmΩ So®¿ s\‰n-bn¬ DΩX∂v ]d-™p:

""hf-ct≠ _o\-bv°v? hf¿∂phf¿∂v henb Bfm-I-Ww. So®-dn-\Xv ImW-Ww. So®¿ ChnsS Xs∂ImWpw. F∂p thW-sa-¶nepw_o\bv°v hcmw.''

AsX, So®-dXv ]men-®p. Rm≥ HmSn-sb-Øn-b-t∏m-sgms° So®¿ s\©v\ndsb kvt\l-hp-ambn Fs∂tN¿Øp ]nSn-®p. ]e-h´w ]d-™p:

""_o\bv°v apºv FØp-∂Xv _o\-

bpsS Nncn-bm-Wv.''

Hcp Xnc°pw So®-dn¬ \n∂pwFs∂ AI‰n \n¿Øn-bn-√, So®-dns‚ aIƒ dmWn tN®nbpw aI≥sIm®p tPmbvbp-sams° Rßsfkt¥m-jtØmSp IqSn Xs∂F∂pw kzo-I-cn-®p. So®-dns‚ "saΩ-dokv' t]mse Hcp hoSv hbv°WwF∂v F\n°v henb B{K-l-am-bn-cp-∂p. hoSns‚ πm≥ X∂v So®¿]d-™p: ""Hm¿Ω-I-fpsS hoSv D≠m-°m≥ CXv ASn-ÿm-\-am-°n-s°m-≈q.''

kvIqƒ Ipń-bn¬ \n∂v Rm≥

DtZ-ym-K-ÿ-bm-bn, `mc-y-bm-bn, AΩ-bm-bn. Fs‚ aI≥ A∏p Ggmw¢m p-Im-c-\m-bn. A°m-eØv Rß-fpsS kz¥w hoSmb t]cq¿°-S-bn-ep≈ "A∏p-k≥km¿' hmS-Ibv°vsImSpØv hgp-X-°m-t´bv°vXmakw amdWw Fs∂-\n°v Ie-i-emb B{K-lw. Rm≥ ]Tn® inip-hn-lm¿, tIm´¨ln¬ kvIqƒ,hna≥kv tImtf-Pv, BZyw tPmensNbvX Un.-F.-hn.-]n. Hmô-kv,Hs° B `mK-Øm-bn-cp-∂p. BIm-i-hmWn Xncp-h-\-¥-]pcw \ne-b-Øn¬ \yqkv FUn-‰¿ Bbn tPmensNøp∂ ImeØv "hgp-X-°mSv' Hcpta\nb t]mse Fs∂ Bth-in-®p.Rm≥ Xma-kn-t°-≠Xv A-hn-sS-bmWv F∂v Btcm ]d-bp-∂Xpt]mse. Rm≥ hoSv Xnc-°n-Øp-S-ßn. Ihn hnjvWp-\m-cm-b-W≥\ºq-Xn-cn-bpsS ""A]-cm-PnX'' (em-dn-

t_-°¿ h® hoSv) Hgn-™p InS-°p-∂p-sh∂pw hmS-Ibv°v In´p-sa∂pwAdn-™-t∏mƒ as‰m∂pw Nn¥n-®n-√,hoSns‚ DS-a-ÿ¿ A]¿Æbpw,{ioIp-amdpw (F≥.-F≥. I°m-Sns‚aI≥) kt¥m-j-tØmsS Xmt°m¬X∂p. hoSv amdnb Znhkw Rm≥a\ v \nd™v Nncn-®p. \me©vhoSn-\-∏p-dØv AXm ImWp-∂p,""saΩ-dokv'', Fs‚ adn-bmΩ So®-dns‚ hoSv. km[\w am‰n-s°m-≠n-cn-°p-tºmƒ Xs∂ adn-bmΩ So®¿FØn, `£Ww FØn®p X∂p.Rßƒ So®dpw Ipń-bp-sa∂ ]c-º-cm-KX tdmfp-Iƒ Dt]-£n®v Iq´p-

Im-cn-I-fm-bn.

Hcp-]mSv IY-Iƒ ]d-™v, Hcp-an®v `£-W-ap-≠m-°n, kmbm-”-k-hm-cn-Iƒ sNbvXvBtLm-jn-s®mcpImew. kvIqƒ PohnXImeØv So®-dns\H‰bv°v In´p-∂XvA]q¿Δ-am-bn-cp-∂p,a‰p Ipń-I-fpsS km∂n-≤-yw, Xnc-°p-Iƒ.

CXm Ct∏mƒ So®¿ F\n°p am{Xwkz-¥w.

""inip-hn-lm¿ kvIqfn\v Hcp ]q¿ΔhnZ-ym¿∞n kwL-S\ D≠m-°-Ww.''So®-dns‚ B{Klw km[n-°m≥Rmt\mSn \S-∂p. 1950-˛-I-fpsS XpS-°-Øn¬ D≠m-°nb kvIqfm-Wv.A∂v apX-ep≈ hnZ-ym¿∞n-IsfkwL-Sn-∏n-°-Ww. kvIqƒ slUvan-kv{S v im¥ So®-dn\pw Bth-iw.Aßs\ ]q¿Δ-hn-Z-ym¿∞n kwL-S-\-Ifpw ""¢mkvta‰vkv'' kn\n-a-bp-sam∂pw Hmf-ßƒ D≠m-°n-bn-ń-√m-sØmcp ImeØv Rßƒ HØpIqSn. ]gb Ipń-Iƒ kvIqfns\tXSn-sbØn ho≠pw Ipń-I-fmbIY tXSn ]{X-ßƒ FØn. ""Hcpbp.-]n. kvIqfn¬ ]q¿Δ hnZ-ym¿∞nkwL-S-\-tbm?'' ]ecpw tNmZn-®p.Rßƒ kvIqfnse apgp-h≥ Ipń-I-

kvIqƒ ap‰Øv Ac-tß-dnb ""Kpcp-h-μ\w'' ˛ kvt\lw sIm≠v, BZ-chv

sIm≠v, IrX-⁄X sIm≠v B k‘y ho¿∏p apń, kvIqƒ tImcn-Ø-cn-®p.

s]m∂m-S-Iƒ AWn-bn-®v, \ne-hn-f-°p-Iƒ \¬In Rßƒ So®¿am-cpsS Imep-

Iƒ sXm´p hμn-®p. A\p-{K-l-t∏-am-cn-bn¬ Hmtcm-cp-Øcpw hnd-]q≠p \n∂p.


19

]{X-{]-h¿Ø-Ibpw Fgp-Øp-Im-cn-bp-amWv

sI.F _o\.

Kpcp-Z£nW

sfbpw saUn-°¬ sN°-∏n\v hnt[-b-cm-°n. NnIn-’-Iƒ, acp-∂p-Iƒ\¬In (H-cp-]mSv tUmIvS¿am-cp-≠m-bn-cp∂p ]q¿Δ hnZ-ym¿∞n kwL-S-\-bn¬), tSmbve-‰p-≠m-°n, Ifn-ÿ-e-ap-≠m-°n. Ipń-I-tfmSv kwkm-cn®pw Ah-tcm-sSmØv CS-]-g-InbpwRßfpw Ipń-I-fmbn. kvIqƒ"s^b¿sh¬'˛¬ Rßƒ Bi-z-kn-∏n-®p. ""\ap°v ]q¿Δ hnZ-ym¿∞n kwL-S\bns√, Zm Rß-sfms° Chn-sS-bn-t√, Ic-b-≠,\nßfpw IqSn-t°m-fq.''

]q¿Δ hnZ-ym¿∞n kwL-S\kvIqfnse Ipń-Iƒ°v th≠nkl-hmk Iym-ºp-Iƒ kwL-Sn-∏n-®p. {_“-\m-bIw F∂ ]q¿ΔhnZ-ym¿∞n (k-∂≤{]h¿Ø-\-Øn\v cmjv{S-]-Xn-bpsS saU¬ t\Sn-bn-´p≠v {_“-\m-b-Iw)Ipń-Iƒ°v th≠nZnh-k-ß-tfmfw\o≠ Iym-ºp-Iƒ\SØn Ah-tcmSv ]d-™p:

""a°-tf, kvt\ln-°m≥ ]Tn-°q, kl-Po-hn-tbmSv IcpWIm´q, tPmen-bpsSal-Xzw a\- n-em-°q.''

kl-hmk Iym-ºns‚k‘-y-I-fn¬ ]q¿Δ hn-Z-ym¿∞n-Ifpw kvIqfnse Ipń-Ifpw A≤-ym-]-Icpw tN¿∂vkvIqfns‚ ap°nepw aqe-bnepwhnf-°p-Iƒ IØn®p h®p. Bhnf-°p-Iƒ Pz-en-∏n® {]Imiw a\- p-I-fn¬ sXfn-™p. Hs° I≠vadn-bmΩ So®-dpsS IÆp-IƒXr]vXn sIm≠v Xnf-ßn. Rß-fn¬]ecpw IÆocv XqIn, B\μwsIm≠v. Iymºv ^b-dp-Iƒ°vNp‰pw Rßƒ ]m´p-Iƒ ]mSn.\rØw sNbvXp.

F∂n´pw "t]mcm' F∂v tXm∂n,kvIqƒ Rßƒ°v X∂-Xn-s\m∂pw]Icw \¬Im-\m-bn-ń-√. Aßs\B henb kz]v\w km£m-Xv°-cn®p ˛ ""Kpcp-h-μ\w''. 1950-˛-I-fn¬kvIqƒ Bcw-`n® Imew apX-ep≈A≤-ym-]n-I-amsc Rßƒ Xnc™p]nSn-®p. Ah¿ tIc-f-Øns‚ ]e

`mKØpw Bbn-cp-∂p. F√m-hcpwtN¿∂v at\m-l-c-amb B k‘-y-bn¬ kvIqƒ ap‰Øv Ac-tß-dnb""Kpcp-h-μ\w'' ˛ kvt\lw sIm≠v,BZ-chv sIm≠v, IrX-⁄XsIm≠v B k‘y ho¿∏p apń,kvIqƒ tImcn-Ø-cn-®p. s]m∂m-S-Iƒ AWn-bn-®v, \ne-hn-f-°p-Iƒ\¬In Rßƒ So®¿am-cpsS Imep-Iƒ sXm´p hμn-®p. A\p-{K-l-t∏-am-cn-bn¬ Hmtcm-cp-Øcpw hnd-]q≠p\n∂p. adn-bmΩ So®¿ ]d-™p:""C\n Cu `qan hn´p t]mIm≥ k¶-S-an-√, CXn-tesd C\n F¥mWv In´m-\p-≈-Xv?''

AsX So®¿ t]mIm-\p-d-bv°p-I-bm-bn-cp∂p. A¿_pZw IS-s∂-Øn-bn-cp-∂p. NnIn-’-Iƒ, Ak-z-ÿ-X-Iƒ, So®-dns‚ sXm´-SpØv Xma-kn-°m-s\-Øn-b-Xn¬ Rm\m-i-z-kn-®p.Ah-km\ \mfp-I-fn¬ So®-dn-s\m-∏-am-bn-cn-°m≥ {]]©w Hcp-°nbHcp Ah-k-cw. shPn-‰-_nƒ kq∏p-≠m-°n-bpw, a[p-c-an-√mØ Pyq-kp-Iƒ \¬Inbpw So®sd Btcm-K-y-h-Xn-bm-°m≥ Rm≥ ]c-am-h[n {ian-®p. So®¿ CS-bv°nsS ]d-bpw:"_ot\, C\n F\n-s°mcp P∑-an-√,Im≥k¿ hcp-∂Xv _m°n D≠m-bn-cp∂ I¿Ω-ßƒ Xo¿Øv ]cn-ip-≤-am-°m-\m-sW∂v CubnsS Rm≥hmbn-®p. thZ-ß-fnepw D]-\n-j-Øp-I-fnepw Aßs\ ]d-bm-dp-s≠-

∂v.'' {io imc-Zm-tZhn kwLw \S-Øp∂ inip-hn-lm¿ kvIqfn¬{InkvX-ym-\n-bmb adn-bmΩ So®¿aXm-Xo-X-ambn Nn¥n-®v, aXm-Xo-X-ambn Nn¥n-°p∂ Xe-ap-d-Isfhf¿Øn-sb-Sp-Øp. a\p-j-y-\m-Im≥ aXw Bh-i-y-ta-bn√ F∂vRßƒ°v Ipń-°m-etØ Dd∏v\¬In. AXpsIm≠v Xs∂ So®-dpsS A¥-y-\m-fp-I-fn¬ BB{Klw ]d-™-t∏mƒ B¿°pwFXn¿∏p-≠m-bn-√.

""Rm≥ acn-°p-tºmƒ Fs‚ Ipń-Iƒ ""Kpcp-h-μ\''Øns‚ A∂vF\n°v X∂ t\c-yXv ]pX-∏n-°-Ww,Ah¿ X∂ \ne-hn-f°v IØn-°-Ww.''

adn-bmΩ So®-dns‚ ap∂n¬ Ah-km-\-ambn \n¬°p-tºmƒ Fs‚

a\ v im¥-am-bn-cp-∂p. CXn-tesd F¥mWv Hcp So®-dn\vsNbvXp sImSp-°m-\m-hp-I?C\n CXp-t]mse Hcp So®dpwIpń-bp-ambn GsX-¶nepwP∑w F\n°v kz-¥-am-hp-tam?

Fs¥m-s°-bmWv So®¿\¬In t]mb-Xv? kl-Po-

hnsb kz¥w t]mse ImWm-t\m, kvt\l-amWv F√m-

Øn\pw tase-sb∂v Adn-bm-t\m,ITn-\m-≤-zm-\-Øn-eq-sStb hnP-b-ap-

≠mhq Ft∂m¿°-W-sa-t∂m?]cm-Xn-I-fn-√m-bn-cp∂p So®-dn-\v.Pohn-X-sØ, a\p-j-ysc, kml-N-c-y-ßsf hcp-∂Xp t]mse kzo-I-cn-°m-\p≈ A]m-c-amb Ign-hv, \n¿Ω-a-X. AXn-\n-S-bnepw Hmtcm \nan-j-sØ-bpw BÀm-Z-{]-Z-am-°m-\p≈k∂-≤-X.

Hcp Ipń°v A≤-ym-]-I≥, A≤-ym-]nI Hcp henb ]mT-]p-kvX-I-am-Wv. AØcw Nne ]mT-]p-kvX-I-ßƒ `K-h-XvKoX t]mse,ss__nƒ t]mse, Jpdm≥ t]mseAhsc ]cn-ip-≤o-I-cn-°pw. adn-bmΩ So®¿ AØ-c-samcp ]mT-]p-kvX-I-am-sW∂v ]d-bmØ Hcpinj-yt\m inj-ytbm So®¿°p-≠mhpw F∂v tXm∂p-∂n-√.


Fß-s\-sbm-s°-

bmWv Hcmƒ°v as‰m-cm-fpsS

Pohn-XsØ kzm-[o-\n-°m-\m-hpI?

G‰hpw Ffp∏w kz¥w PohnXw DZm-

l-c-W-am-°n-s°m≠v Xs∂-bm-Wv.

BtLm-jn-°m-\pw, B\-μn-°m-\pw,

kvt\ln-°m-\pw, hnP-b-ßsf ]p¬Im-\pw,

]c-kv]cw _lp-am-\n-°m-\pw, kaq-l-

Øn\v th≠n Nn¥n-°m-\pw, {]h¿Øn-

°m-\pw. So®¿ CsXms° Rßsf

]Tn-∏n-®Xv kzbw Ah-sbms°

Bbn-s°m-≠m-Wv.

Dr. K.N. Raghavan

20

Learning fromLearning fromLearning fromLearning fromLearning from

EXPERT COUNSELEXPERT COUNSELEXPERT COUNSELEXPERT COUNSELEXPERT COUNSEL

Yuvraj Singh made his debut for India in2000 as part of the side that took part

in the ICC Champions Trophychampionship. Indian cricket was goingthrough a crisis at that time rocked byallegations of match fixing involving formernational captains, but the side performedadmirably well defeating Australia to reachthe finals. Yuvraj and Zaheer Khan werethe “finds” of that tournament for thecountry and they have served the nationscause ever since successfully. Ever since,the performance of national squad in allinternational championships till 2011 hadhinged on the form of Yuvraj. He was thecricketer who took India to victory inNatwest Trophy finals in 2002, guided the

side to the finals of ICC World Up in 2003,powered the side to a win in the inauguralT20 World Cup in 2007 and was crownedas the man of the tournament for ICCWorld Cup in 2011 that India won. He alsohad to battle cancer immediately followingthe 2011 World Cup championship but hemanaged to fight and overcome the maladyand returned to active national duty by end2012.

His qualities as a match winner in limitedovers’ cricket has won for Yuvraj a place inthe hearts of cricket lovers of the country.His good looks, lazy elegance and naturalathleticism have won him millions of fansand admirers who treat him as a national

icon. It can be said without doubt that heis amongst the most popular cricketers ofhis generation. So the angry response ofcricket fans to his poor show with the batduring the ICC T20 championship finalsmust have come as a shock to allconcerned.

It should be said to his credit that Yuvrajwas battling bad form and advancing ageduring the tournament. However heshowed flashes of his old brilliance duringthe match against Australia that he wonalmost singlehandedly with an explosiveperformance with the bat. But in the finalshe could not get going despite his bestefforts and even worse he could not rotate

His qualities as a match winner in limited overs’ cricket has wonfor Yuvraj a place in the hearts of cricket lovers of the country.His good looks, lazy elegance and natural athleticism have wonhim millions of fans and admirers who treat him as a national

icon. It can be said without doubt that he is amongst the mostpopular cricketers of his generation.

successsuccesssuccesssuccesssuccess and failures and failures and failures and failures and failures


21


the strike to give his partner Virat Kohli achance to push the run rate faster. His 11off 21 balls was one the factors thatresulted in India ending up with a low totalwhich proved to be easy meat for SriLankans.

But does one poor performance in onematch deserve such a savage response fromfollowers of the game in this country? Hasall his past performances which resulted inso much joy and pride to the entirecountry been forgotten on account of onebad day? Is this a fair and just way oftreating a professional sportsman? Thesewere questions that came rushing to one’smind when the news of angry responses

by cricket fans against Yuvraj startedflooding in.

It might give some solace for Yuvraj tolearn that he is not the first cricketer tohave been at the butt of the anger of cricketfans in this country. Ajit Wadekar led Indiato our first ever series victories in WestIndies and England in 1971. He and histeam members were hailed as heroes and aVictory Bat was unveiled in Indore withmuch pomp and fanfare. However whenthe team lost during the series in Englandin 1974, the residence of Wadekar wasstoned and the Victory Bat was defaced.Wadekar was so shocked by the turn ofevents that he announced his retirement

from the game soon after even though hehad some more years of cricket at thehighest level still left in him. SimilarlyKapil Dev led to India to the first evenWorld Cup win in 1983 defeating themighty West Indies led by Clive Lloyd.The team was hailed as heroes, showeredwith praises and dined and feted throughthe length and breadth of the country. WestIndies toured India less than six monthslater and came determined to avenge theirloss in World Cup finals. They won thetest series 3-0 and the One dayInternationals 5-0, thus announcing to thecricketing world that their loss at Lords’ inJune 1983 was an aberration. When India

Does one poor performance in one match deserve such a savageresponse from followers of the game in this country? Has all his

past performances which resulted in so much joy and pride to theentire country been forgotten on account of one bad day? Is this a

fair and just way of treating a professional sportsman?


The author is the Commissioner of Customs in Kochi.

lost the fifth test at Kolkata by an innings and more, angryfans, disappointed by the poor performance of their heroes,hurled stones at the bus in which the team was travelling.Gavaskar has gone on record that Kapil was the only personin the team bus sitting ramrod erect without any protectionwhile all the others ducked for cover or started wearinghelmets. Fortunately nothing happened to the “HaryanaHurricane” who came back to win the love and respect ofcricket lovers by his subsequent performances on the field.

India is not the only country in the world that comes downheavily on their sporting heroes if they fail to deliver. TheBrazilian football team for 1978 World Cup had to facethreats and the effigy of their coach Claudio Coutinho wasburnt following uninspiring performances in thechampionship. Worse was the lot of Andres Escobar, amember of the Colombian football side for 1994 World Cup,who had scored a self goal in the match against USA. He wasshot and killed by an irate fan upset over the poor show byEscobar and the national squad.

It would be worth considering why such instances happen.A win by the national side in an international championshipis an occasion for much rejoicing and celebration. In nationslike ours where such victories used to happen only rarelyone could understand the tendency for jubilation to gooverboard. And along with that there exists a propensity toraise the players to the status of demigods. When theperformance of the side does not match the elevatedexpectations in future, the disappointment tends to be takenout on the players forgetting the fact that they are alsohuman beings, capable of erring and making mistakesoccasionally. It is not remembered that the player/s involvedwould be more dejected and disappointed than the fans andthe tantrums and shows of anger can in no way help eitherthe player involved or the squad.

This brings one to the basic issue of the need for a balance inour emotions and actions. Victory and defeat are two sidesof the same coin and these two imposters deserve to betreated with equanimity. One should not gloat too much oversuccess nor let it go into one’s head; similarly failures shouldnot disappoint too deeply and they should be used asopportunities for rectification of mistakes and improvement.Our national cricket side has won more matches than it haslost in the past decade and with so many trophies in thecupboard of BCCI, it is high time the cricket loving publicstarted displaying more maturity and balance in reacting toboth success and failures. India is past the stage wherevictory is a rare phenomenon and fans should also startbehaving in a manner befitting supporters of a championside.

Victory and defeat are twosides of the same coin and

these two imposters deserve tobe treated with equanimity.



Dr. Varghese Panthalookaran CMI

23

Reconnect life and workReconnect life and workReconnect life and workReconnect life and workReconnect life and workwithwithwithwithwith creative passioncreative passioncreative passioncreative passioncreative passion

NONONONONOTES ON CREATES ON CREATES ON CREATES ON CREATES ON CREATIVITYTIVITYTIVITYTIVITYTIVITY

Paradigm shift in workspace

In the Industrial Era the link between lifeand work was broken and became almostredundant. People were supposed to workon the assembly lines just like any othermachine. They were not needed to think,or use their brain, not to say their creativepowers. They did a repetitive,monotonous and thoroughly boring job.Everything was programmed, andaccording to a total plan. Workers wereexpected to be an active part of this totalfabrication process. Charley Chaplain hasportrayed such inhuman assembly linesthrough his famous comical caricatures. Itwas the time of “alienation ordehumanization of work”, which triggered

series of revolutions world over. Theproletariat waged protests to get theircreative freedom back. The times havechanged today. It is an Information Era.Redundant human work is outsourced tointelligent machines. Robots are positionedon the assembly lines to attend torepetitive jobs, progressively displacinghuman work. Networks of intelligentmachine components are made to“collaborate” with each other in order tocontrol the entire manufacturing process.Dexterity is not the only skill required ofworkers anymore. They need to becreative. They need to be trouble shooters.They need to be problem solvers. Theyneed to be specialists. The skills solicitedfrom the new generation workers are

radically different from that required oftheir predecessors. Every worker isexpected to be creative and critical. Oldanswers cease to be right. The newgeneration workers are to be equipped sothat they ask fresh questions rather thanbeing custodians of old answers.

Chasm between Education andIndustry-demand

Even though transition from industrial ageto information age is a reality, thecorresponding paradigm shift has not takenplace in the education and formation ofnew generation workers, the newgeneration students. Students are nottrained enough as specialists; rather theyare trained as jacks of every trade, but

The skills solicited from the new generation workers are radicallydifferent from that required of their predecessors. Every worker isexpected to be creative and critical. Old answers cease to be right.The new generation workers are to be equipped so that they ask

fresh questions rather than being custodians of old answers.


24


masters of none. They are trained formulti-tasking, not for focussed work,specialization or research.

Students of the day are not rough andtough. They behave like “touch-me-nots”.They are fragile, not possessing enoughmoral courage to withstand adversities.They do not rebound after a fall. They donot resurrect after a crucifixion.

Students of the day are not sufficientlyfocussed. Given a large number of choices,they very often shift their interests. Theyare like monkeys jumping around from one

tree to another one.Students of the day arenot enough curious. Their unfocussedminds tend to wander instead of wonder.They do not have “ah ha” experience. AsEinstein remarked, “It is a miracle thatcuriosity survives formal education.”Students of the day appear not to bemotivated, triggered or passionate. Theyremain un-stimulated, uninterested, anduninspiring.

In short, there is a radical chasm betweenthe demand on the new generation workforce and the formation they receive. Thereare no more jobs for memorizers; however,

students are taught to learn things rote.Internet has replaced all-kind of memory-related jobs. However, the students aretrained how to stuff the subject matter intotheir crowded memory, rather thanactivating their CPU (central processingunit or critical thinking mind).

There are rarely any jobs that demandscorporal efforts; those jobs beingsystematically replaced by machines.Creative intelligence is more in demand.However, students are not trained ascreative minds but rather as answeringmachines. However, students are not

The word passion is derived from the Latin root “pati”, whichmeans “to suffer, or to endure.” Passion is what moves someoneto persevere at something despite fear, failure or pain attached toit. It is the determination and motivation to push through suffering

for the sake of an end goal.


25


The word “passion” has a totally different meaning today. It means“firm commitment”, “unwavering determination” and “perpetual

love”. It is defined based on the larger goals in life. It is associatedwith “doing what one loves to do”. It motivates, triggers, and ignites

individuals and makes them glued to their work.

introduced to the art of creative problemsolving. Students are just not industry-ready. Education does not equip them tooccupy modern workspaces. Radicalmismatch exists between the skills they aretrained in and those required by theindustry. The industryanalyzes this scenario andsummarizes the keyproblem associated withmodern education: thecritical lack of passion inthe students. Newgeneration studentscritically lack in passionquotient. In another words,the ability of newgeneration students topursue a goal with totalcommitment,determination, endurance,love and single-mindedattention is on the wane.

What is Passion?

The word passion isderived from the Latin root“pati”, which means “tosuffer, or to endure.”Passion is what movessomeone to persevere atsomething despite fear,failure or pain attached toit. It is the determinationand motivation to pushthrough suffering for the sake of an endgoal. “Suffering” and “endurance” are buttwo sides of the same coin. Passion marksstrong liking for something, enthusiasm towork for it, and a preferential option for it,enlisting spontaneous life-commitment toit. It incorporates boundless enthusiasmand ardent love for the work.

Modern renderings of Passion

However, the word “passion” has a totallydifferent meaning today. It means “firmcommitment”, “unwavering determination”

and “perpetual love”. It is defined based onthe larger goals in life. It is associated with“doing what one loves to do”. Itmotivates, triggers, and ignites individualsand makes them glued to their work.

Methods to fill your work with creativepassion

The first step towards developing creativepassion in your work is to know exactlyyou love to do. To recapture what youreally love to do, you may do the followingexercise. Rediscover your natural affinitywith a revisit to your childhood. What didyou really love to do as children? Whatkind of plays you used to engage in? Whatkinds of role plays you made? Childhoodplays give deep insights into what your

natural affinity is and will highlight whatyou really love to do. If, unfortunatelyyou have landed in a job, which is notyour dream job, you may follow thefollowing guidelines to recapture passionat work:

1. Never complain aboutthe work environment,rather try to adapt inline with your life goals.Try to streamline yourcreative focus accordingto what you love to do.

2. Make sure that youare not overly stressedby the work you do.This will kill yourcreative powers whichredeem you fromboredom.

3. Assess hiddenopportunities in thecurrent job. Askyourselves if it ispossible to fit thecurrent work into thelarger goal of your life.

4. Dialogue with like-minded people. Takeprofessional support tounleash passion at yourright choice of work atright time.

5. Volunteer for smart opportunities evenif they appear insignificant. Embrace newideas in your workspace, so that you mayat last find a vent to your right choice.

6. Start doing what you love, as a hobby.Keep parallel interest in what you love todo, in such a way that they both merge atsome point of time in future.

If nothing works out, don’t stick aroundand be miserable, just quit the present jobfor your dream job.


26

STORIES OF LIFESTORIES OF LIFESTORIES OF LIFESTORIES OF LIFESTORIES OF LIFE

Dr. Jos Cletus Plackal

God is so cruel to me,so I hate him!

Joe (not the real name) lives in a big city; fourteen years old, very smart and

active; good in studies, has loving parents,an younger brother who is very loving too.Tragedy struck Joe and his family fouryears ago when his mom was discoveredwith cancer. Joe was devastated by thenews of his mother having cancer andstarted praying intensely to God to curemom from cancer. Days and nights Joewould brood over the painful prospect ofcancer and the long, agonizing struggle thathis mother had to undergo, day after day.Since mom’s death, Joe had to strugglevery hard to go to school; dad was verysupportive and loving. And dad took overthe role of mom in taking care of thefamily. After a long and adverse painful

struggle, mother gave in to the deadlydisease and passed away. Ever since hersad demise, Joe was totally lost and felt lonely. He had grudge against God for notlistening to his prayers and not saving hismom. But dad was positive in his outlookand started taking the boys under hiswings. He would go extra miles with hisboys to please them and make them happyand comfortable. Things went on for sometime but memories of mother haunted himall the time. No wonder Joe always lookedsad and teary eyed. Then, all on a sudden,things went bad to worse. Joe’s father toowas detected with cancer! Needless to saythat this shocking news completelydestroyed the spirit of the boys, especiallythe elder one. So he was desperately

praying to God to save his dad since dadwas the only thing he could hang on to.And his aunt told him if he did prayfervently to Jesus, He would heal dad, andJoe believed it deeply and started prayingfeverishly to Jesus and started looking forresults. However, dad was getting worseand worse, had to be taken from hospitalto hospital, and life was in disarray for theboys. Relatives kept on telling the boysthat if they pray sincerely and seriously,Jesus would heal. The children continuedpraying relentlessly for dad’s cure.Finally, after a long and painful struggle,dad too succumbed to death. Joe and hisbrother became orphans again, lost allhopes, depressed and sad.

Relatives kept on telling the boys that if they pray sincerely andseriously, Jesus would heal. The children continued praying

relentlessly for dad’s cure. Finally, after a long and painful struggle,dad too succumbed to death. Joe and his brother became orphans

again, lost all hopes, depressed and sad.


STORIES OF LIFESTORIES OF LIFESTORIES OF LIFESTORIES OF LIFESTORIES OF LIFE

Joe was reluctant to go to church then on,he refused to join in family prayer, he didnot want to attend Sunday Mass. He wassad and mad at a God who was callous andcruel to his mom and dad! All the promisesmade by his relatives that God would heal,turned out to be futile. Around this time hisclose friends noticed some strange drawingsin his note book. They appeared weird andominous to his peers. So they brought thisto the attention of the class teacher who inturn alerted the family. It was the familywho brought Joe to counseling. InitiallyJoe was reluctant and unwilling to undergoany counseling. He was indifferent tocounseling inputs from the therapist.Gradually, as Joe recounted the story ofthe love that he received from his parentsand their painful, untimely loss, the utterloneliness and the depth of his grief wasbrought to light. This intense and massive separation loss was beyond the capacity

of the teenager. He was suffering fromdepression, and all the attendant negativeconsequences along with it. He wasvengeful to God, for not helping him at atime of grave need. Joe’s simple faith wasshattered beyond repair. In his deepdespair he was searching to vent his anger,it was at this time that he chanced upon asite on the web that displayed satanic cult.Needless to say that he was easilyattracted to this occult cult, because hewanted to do vengeance to God!

In-depth psychological investigation led totherapeutic intervention that dealt withhis unfinished grief, loneliness and despair.Slowly and steadily Joe was led tocreative catharsis. Gradually he began torealize and accept the depth of his loss,and the need to reconstruct his life. ManyBrain Wave therapies were administered inorder to defuse the most intense memories

of parental loss. The therapist enhanced restructuring of extended family’s relationships with Joe who wascompletely isolated and insulated.Therapist also used support therapy toretrieve his lost affect. The teachers werebrought in to bolster his support system inschool. After the follow-up sessions, Joewas relieved of his symptoms ofdepressions and anger; started focusing onhis studies, began to improve hisrelationship with peers and family. Hestarted joining family prayer and evenstarted going to church. He does not eventhink of any occult club anymore. Theextended family took some extra care thatenabled Joe to fight back his terrible twindisasters and the consequent colossal loss.

Intense and massive separation loss was beyond the capacity ofthe teenager. He was suffering from depression, and all the

attendant negative consequences along with it. He was vengefulto God, for not helping him at a time of grave need. Joe’s simple

faith was shattered beyond repair.

The author is licensed clinical psychologist(HRT), Jeevas Centre Aluva.

Pallikkutam | May 2014 27

Sajit Malliyoor

Techniques to

PERSONALPERSONALPERSONALPERSONALPERSONAL

Your column that appeared in theJanuary 2014 issue of the magazine

Pallikkutam, made an interesting reading.You say that learning is hard! Those whosucceed are the ones who resist thetemptations, who resist the urge to go outfor a movie and sit home and studyinstead. I can very easily relate with thatstatement. I am 19 years old, into mysecond year of a professional course. Thediscipline I chose is very demanding bynature. We are expected to chip in with aminimum of 5hours of home assignmentsevery day. I stay in a hostel. As I am asocial animal, almost on every day basis, Ifind friends going out for a movie in the

improve will power

evenings or, another group throwing aparty on some pretext or the other. I find itvery difficult to resist. When I come to thinkof it, this internal control has always beena problem to me. I have difficulty indisciplining my eating habits and as aresult I am slightly overweight. Resistingthe temptation to eat and diet is a totalfailure to me so far. Have you got anytechniques or strategies to improve my willpower?

Many of you who read the letter abovemightthink, hey, you got company there!You should be really lucky if you didn’tthink so, for I, for one, did actually thinkso! The issue the letter raisesis not entirely

related to the problem dealt with in theprevious column, which were characterstrengths. There is another area ofpsychological research which was receivingmuch attention lately, Self- regulation,which is more pertinent to the problemhere. Self –regulation failure is central tomany of the personal and social problemsthat currently plague citizen of modernworld. These problems include drugaddiction and abuse, alcoholism, smoking,crime and violence, under achievement inschools, anger and hostility, failure toexercise regularly and over eating. The listread like the entirety of our social issuesand now you know why the psychologists

Most acts of self-regulation involve stopping the self from having aresponse,such as when a dieter refrains from eating a tempting butfattening food. Two primary areas in which self-regulatory effortsare directed are to obtain or maintain control over thoughts and

emotions.


PERSONALPERSONALPERSONALPERSONALPERSONAL

are interested in self- regulation! Self-regulation refers to how a person exertscontrol over his or her own responses tothe external world so as to pursue goalsand live up to standards. It is essentiallyabout making oneself do things that onedoes not want to do, or resisting oneselffrom doing things that he actually want todo. Living organisms, especially complexones such as human beings, are constantlyresponding to both internal and externalstimuli, but to act on all these responseswould not be optimal oradaptive. Hence, peopleoften override or altertheir initial response.Most acts of self-regulation involvestopping the self fromhaving a response,suchas when a dieter refrainsfrom eating a temptingbut fattening food.There are, however,some instances of self-regulation that entailinitiating a response,such as when a sleepyman drags out of bed ona cold morning. Twoprimary areas in whichself-regulatory effortsare directed are toobtain or maintain control over thoughtsand emotions.

Popular literature is abundant withstrategies and techniques to improve yourself-regulation; however, much of it lacksscientific evidence or support. In reality,very little is known about how self -control is acquired or strengthened. Thereis some evidence that the trait is acquiredin the early ages of the life. It appears toshow substantial consistency acrossdevelopment, as indicated by the findingthat effective self-control at age 4 predictspositive outcomes in adult life. Someresearchers conceive self-regulation asstrength, akin to the muscular strength,

which can be improved with exercises.There is considerable evidence to supportthe hypothesis that if you continuouslyexercise your self-control, you mayactually improve your controlling skills. Ifyou successfully resist your urge to go outfor the movie with friends and sit homeand study instead, your chances ofsucceeding next time is brighter. In order toacquire better self-control, keep exercisingit continuously.

For individuals who wish to achieve betterself-control in some specific domain, suchas diet, the most effective short-term gainsare likely to come from improvedmonitoring. It seems well established thatpeople cannot control behaviours that theydo not monitor. Moreover, breakdown inself-regulation are often associated withceasing to monitor one’s own behaviour,such as in eating or alcohol binges.Monitoring can be improved in the shortrun by keeping written records or securingthe cooperation of friends or other peopleto actively remind you of your goals. Thestrength-energy model of self-regulationalso predicts that self-control involves a

limited resource, like strength or energy,and when this resource is depleted, the selfis less able to exert control. A dieter, afterhaving exerted self-control in the presenceof a chocolate, will have less resource tocontrol his behaviour in another situationdemanding regulation, like sitting andstudying. Psychologists call this as egodepletion. It is important to recognise thatthe same, limited resource is used for broadvariety psychological functions, and anyof these can deplete the resource, thereby

impairing all the otherfunctions. If you makemultiple New Yearresolutions, chances arethat these all fail together.

One promising route toincreasing self-regulatoryabilities involves cognitivestrategies and behaviouralintentions.Implementation IntentionTheory advice people tostate the intentionsconditionally, such aswhen certain conditionsare present, specificbehaviours will beenacted. An example of animplementation intentionis when a dieter thinks,“When I am at a

restaurant for dinner, I will order only asalad.” It renders the response to beenacted more automatic and, thus, engagingin the response requires less effort andenergy. If the actions do become moreautomatic, then you will be less likely toexperience self-regulation failure underdemanding situations. Among all thestrategies discussed here, developing theskills of self-monitoring ranks atop, as thisis the primary step in any self-regulationsregime. So do develop the monitoringskills.

For individuals who wish to achieve better self-control in somespecific domain, such as diet, the most effective short-termgains are likely to come from improved monitoring. It seemswell established that people cannot control behaviours that

they do not monitor.

Please send your queries [email protected]


Why it’s so imporWhy it’s so imporWhy it’s so imporWhy it’s so imporWhy it’s so importanttanttanttanttantWhy it’s so imporWhy it’s so imporWhy it’s so imporWhy it’s so imporWhy it’s so importanttanttanttanttantWhat does pursuing your passion mean to you?

No matter what you do in this life, one of the most happy-making things you can do is follow your passion.Following your passion for work or for hobby helps us all tap into our gifts and talents. The act of following ourpassion allows us to gain skills in areas we are already strong in and pushes us to become better, which can thenbe shared with the world. In this way, we begin to create a body of work that will grow and develop over ourlifetimes.

Feeling happiness and fulfillment:

When you take the time to value your talents, giving your time and resources to your passion, you will find someof the greatest bliss you could hope for.

Be an expert:

You are essentially doing is developing your skills and gifts—this leads to expertise. It’s an area you are alreadyinterested in naturally. As you develop your skills, more and more people will seek you out to advise them onyour area of expertise, which could lead to countless new opportunities.

Opportunities:

It’s hard to know what is possible when you begin to follow your passion. With passion comes energy,excitement and motivation which can lead to synchronicity that you cannot imagine until you get there. In otherwords, if you become an expert from following your passion, the world opens up for you with people and newopportunities. Maybe even career opportunities.

A body of work, when the body no longer works:

As we get older we have more time to reflect on what we could have done. If you have tested and tapped intoyour passion you don’t have to look back with regret when you may no longer be able to do the things you hadwished when you were younger. You can look back at the legacy you have created and feel good about. An addedbonus is that in many cases the passion and expertise you have exerted will help others and will bring joy to theworld. You can live with the satisfaction of a life well lived.

So how about you? What is your passion? Are you following it?

to pursue your passionto pursue your passionto pursue your passionto pursue your passionto pursue your passionto pursue your passionto pursue your passionto pursue your passionto pursue your passionto pursue your passion“Nothing great in the world has ever

been accomplished without passion.”Georg Hegel

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COVER STORYCOVER STORYCOVER STORYCOVER STORYCOVER STORY


Five steps tofinding your passion

Dr. Susan Biali, M.D

Almost three decades of my life hadpassed before I discovered the power

of passions. If I hadn’t become severelydepressed as an Emergency Medicineresident, desperate to find some other wayof earning income, who knows how muchlonger it would have taken. Luckily I wasforced to figure out this piece of life. Ican’t imagine myself, my life (and even myincome) without the delicious pursuits thatmy search uncovered.

Discovering and claiming something youlove to do has an amazing effect on yourentire life. It’s like a tiny perfect raindroplanding on a previously smooth,unremarkable expanse of water. Theinstant the drop arrives, beautiful waves of

ever-enlarging rings flow across the entiresurface, spreading out virtually to infinity.

Here is how you can start your search:

Inventory your talents

What are you good at or have a naturalaptitude for? Forget about what you aregood at but don’t really like doing much. Iam talking about the things you have aknack for that delight or happily occupyyou.

Are there things you like to do that youdon’t think you are that good at, that otherpeople have complimented you on?Perhaps you even dismissed or rejectedtheir enthusiasm.

After much digging and questioning (I am apassion hound) I recently discovered thatone of my coaching clients loves takingpictures. She rarely picks up her camera,as she didn’t think she was any good.

I asked her to email me some favorite shotsand they were fantastic. She was skepticalat first, but when I convinced her that Iknew what I was talking about (I haveearned income from my own photography)she could hardly contain her excitement.She finally had “permission” to fullyembrace this pastime that she loves somuch. Yet when I had asked about herpassions in our first session, she had comeup empty.

Discovering and claiming something you love to do has anamazing effect on your entire life. It’s like a tiny perfect raindroplanding on a previously smooth, unremarkable expanse of water.

The instant the drop arrives, beautiful waves of ever-enlarging ringsflow across the entire surface, spreading out virtually to infinity.

33



Identifying things you love that you aregood at is a great way to unearth potentialpassions. Don’t be concerned if what youlove isn’t practical or common (I get veryexcited about the uncommon). Please notethough that you don’t have to be good atsomething for it to quality as a passion.You don’t have to ever earn a penny ofincome from it either. Talent cansimply be a clue. When it comes toyour passions, the only thing thatmatters is that you enjoy them.

Pay attention to who makes youannoyed or jealous

Are there people doing things that are“frivolous” who annoy you? Take acloser look at that annoyance. Is thetruth behind your annoyance that youreally wish you could live so freely,that you didn’t have so many seriousresponsibilities and could be as“immature” as they are? After alifetime of being an overachieving do-what-everyone-expects-of-me student,when I embarked on my Mexicanadventure at 33 I wanted to givemyself a break and find time to pursuemy freshly discovered passions forwriting and dancing. Most peoplethought I was nuts, but my father got theangriest. He told me I was wasting my lifeand should let him help me set up myown clinic instead.

He pounded the kitchen table with hisfist, shouting “Life isn’t supposed to befun! When are you going to grow up likethe rest of us?” Thankfully I ignored him,as I did everyone else who tried todiscourage me. A few years later, when itwas clear that living, writing and dancingin Mexico was one of the best decisions(and career moves) I ever made, my dadsold his business. And moved to Hawaii.To write his first novel. I’m convinced hewas largely so upset because he wanted todo what I was doing. At the time, I’mquite sure he didn’t know that. Buteventually he figured it out!

Think of what you loved to do as a child

This is probably the simplest way tounearth what pursuits hold the potential tolight up your days. Before the grown-upsget to us with their ideas, most of us knowexactly who we are and what would makeus happiest.

Were you obsessed with horses? Maybeyou should head to a dude ranch for yournext vacation. Loved finger painting ordrawing? Sign up for an art class. Sang atthe top of your lungs until people beggedyou to stop? Think about joining a localchoir (or starting your own garage band!)

Notice when you lose track of time, orwhat you hate to stop doing

When I work at the clinic seeing a longline-up of sore throats and knees, I watchthe clock all day until I am finally done.Yet when I have a patient in front of mewho is depressed or anxious or newlydiagnosed with a condition that wouldbenefit from lifestyle change, I often losemy usual urgency and spend a big chunk oftime with them. Not surprisingly, my truepassion is life and health coaching, where Ihave the luxury of time with clients and

love spending great swaths of timeteaching and encouraging.

I dance flamenco until my legs or bodyforce me to stop. I also love working onmy “Health and Happiness Expert”business so much that I have to forcemyself to stop writing and reading

to sleep and eat and play. It’s reverseclock-watching – I get annoyed astime goes by! What a different world.What would you love to spend hoursdoing, that you never get enough timeto do? That’s a passion, and youprobably need to do it more than youare.

See your passion hunt as a fun,joyful adventure

In my coaching and speaking work Isee people putting pressure onthemselves to find their passion. I dobelieve it’s critically important todiscover and engage in things thatlight you up, but it’s just asimportant to cultivate an un-seriouschild-like attitude of play, wonderand adventure.

When you deliberately open yourselfto noticing things you might enjoy

doing, don’t be afraid of getting it wrong.It’s all an adventure, you’re learning andgrowing as you go. Happiness researchshows that trying new thingsincreases dopamine levels in the brain,contributing to sustained levels ofcontentment. So try away!

Notice what you love. Notice what makesyou feel like a kid. Notice what you longto have more time for. Make time for thesethings, whatever you can manage, andwatch your life start to change. It’s reallymagical.

When you deliberately open yourself to noticing things you mightenjoy doing, don’t be afraid of getting it wrong. It’s all an adventure,you are learning and growing as you go. Happiness research shows

that trying new things increases dopamine levels in the brain,contributing to sustained levels of contentment. So try away!

The author is a medical doctor, mediahealth and wellness expert, life and health

coach, professional speaker, flamenco

dancer, and the author of Live a Life YouLove: 7 Steps to a Healthier, Happier,More Passionate You.

34



How to findyour true passion

Your true passion what makes you feelreally alive. It’s what fills you with

enthusiasm and joy. Some people feel thatthey don’t know what their true passionis. However, it may be something youalready do on a daily basis. Or perhapsyou are passionate about many so thingsthat you can’t decide which passion topursue.

The surprising truth is that the variousthings which fill us with enthusiasm areoften linked to one another. Many timesthey are mutually supportive.

It is possible to find your passion, even ifyou don’t have much free time. There are

Jennifer Claerr

many different tools available to help youfind out what really makes you trulyhappy. I recommend books most of all,since they help to clarify our thoughtprocesses and to outline our specific goalsin life.

Take the passion path of development

A frequent guest on Oprah, life CoachCheryl Richardson has a practical, step-by-step approach to passion. In her book,Find Your Passion, she provides simpleexercises that will help you to figure outwhat lights your inner fire. She asksquestions such as, “What qualities do you

most love in yourself?” and “What wouldyou do with your life if money was not anissue?” Cheryl advocates clearing outclutter and taking care of basicresponsibilities as a first step to followingour passion.

Find your passion quotient

Author Thomas Friedman believes thatpassion and curiosity are essential intoday’s information age. In his book, TheWorld Is Flat, he states that our curiosityquotient plus our passion quotient aregreater than our intelligence quotient. Thatis to say that those who have great passion

“What qualities do you most love in yourself?” and“What would you do with your life if money was not an

issue?” Cheryl advocates clearing out clutter and takingcare of basic responsibilities as a first step to following

our passion.

35



and great curiosity will learn moreeffectively than people who are merelysmart. These qualities can help us tocompete in the 21st century world ofglobal commerce, in which the playing fieldtends to be more level than in any othertime in history.

Take the passion test

Janet Attwood agrees that we live in a flatworld. She believes that passion is nolonger a luxury; it’s a necessity. Her book,The Passion Test, describes the importance

of clarifying what you love to do. If youdon’t enjoy what you are doing with yourlife, you are missing out on your purpose.An understanding of what you arepassionate about, and alignment with thatpassion, is crucial to success in life.Furthermore, whatever you concentrate onwill manifest in your life. Thereforefocusing on what you don’t want willcause undesirable events to happen. ThePassion Test will help you to find themost important goals which you have foryour life. This is just a tiny fraction of the

resources which are available to help youfind your true passion. Getting a life coachor attending classes or seminars can getyou a step closer to your goals. There arealso many websites which offer free testsand guides which you can take. If you justkeep trying, you will eventually find outwhat you really love to do.

The author is a professional online writer.She has been published on presigiouswebsites such as Intel.com, Mapquest.comand Texas.com.

An understanding of what you are passionate about, andalignment with that passion, is crucial to success in life.

Furthermore, whatever you concentrate on will manifest in yourlife. Therefore focusing on what you don’t want will cause

undesirable events to happen. The Passion Test will help you tofind the most important goals which you have for your life.



People who follow theirpassion and became successful

Steve Jobs

One of the most successful companies in the world today is Apple. When wethink of Apple we also think of Apple’s ex-CEO, the late Steve Jobs. CarmineGallo wrote an article called, “The Seven Success Principles Of Steve Jobs,”which outlines seven key factors that are responsible for Jobs’ success. Thearticle is based on multiple interviews with Apple employees and Steve Jobshimself. Believe it or not, the No. 1 principle in this article is, “do what youlove.” Steve Jobs believed in the power of passion, and once said, “peoplewith passion can change the world for the better.” Jobs claimed that thepassion he had for his work made all the difference.

Chris Gardner

Chris Gardner, the once homeless man turned multi-millionaire stockbrokerthat Will Smith plays in the movie, “The Pursuit of Happyness,” onceexpressed what he believes is the secret to success. He stated that he believesthe secret is to “find something you love to do so much, you can’t wait forthe sun to rise to do it all over again.” He explains that the most inspiringleaders are those who don’t work at a job, but pursue a calling.

Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett, known as “the Oracle of Omaha” and probably one of thegreatest investors of all time, usually talks about his secrets to successfulinvesting, but even Buffett knows there is more to success than money. InParade’s article, “10 Ways To Get Rich: Warren Buffett’s Secret That CanWork For You,” Buffet ends off his list of advice with, “know what successreally means.” He explains the importance of finding what it is that bringstrue meaning to our lives, what makes each day important and to make thisour focus.

Mark Zuckerberg

These days we cannot talk about success without mentioning Facebook andFacebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. The 27-year old billionaire has changedthe world we live in. In David Kirkpatrick’s book, “The Facebook Effect: TheInside Story of The Company That is Connecting The World,” Kirkpatricklists what he believes are Zuckerberg’s ingredients for success. One of theseingredients is, you guessed it, follow your passion - not money. Zuckerbergsuggests to “follow your happiness,” and explains that even if you don’t endup making a fortune, you’ll at least be doing what you love.

The Bottom Line: True success is much more than having a lot of wealth and fame. Enjoying the work you do is, insome ways, more important than having a large bank account. Plus, if you enjoy the work you do, there is a greaterchance you will do great work and get paid accordingly. If you’re thinking about starting your own business, or juststruggling with this in your own personal career, you may need to think about what you are passionate about. It may notbe easy, but chances are it will be worth the effort.

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37



Is education killingcreativity in the new economy?

There is never been a perfect formulafor success, but a generation or two

ago, things were arguably morestraightforward. If you worked hard inhigh school, got good grades, graduated,and went on to college or a vocationalprogram, you would find yourself well onyour way to a solid career. You couldsafely rely on an education as a way toimprove your life.

Our economy has changed. Just as theworld’s agrarian society gave way tomanufacturing in the 19th century, so theindustrial age has now given way to theinformation age. At the same time, ourability to stay ahead of this change hasdiminished. Thomas Friedman calls it the“Great Inflection”—this“hyperconnected” era in which “the skillrequired for every decent job is rising as isthe necessity of lifelong learning.” Andnot only do workers today need moreskills, they need vastly different skillsthan they did a few decades ago—skillsthat for the most part are not beingemphasized in primary, secondary, orhigher education. Friedman argues that

success in this new age requires more“individual initiative;” he cites theimportance of “P.Q. (passion quotient) andC.Q. (curiosity quotient)” in addition toplain old I.Q. This is undoubtedly true—but passion and curiosity won’t materializeout of thin air. We have to give people theroom and ability to flourish. Morespecifically, we need to ensure everystudent and young person has thefoundational knowledge and skills he or sheneeds to play a role in this new economy.And not only play a role, but revolutionize.We need people who can help solve the bigproblems of our time—food shortages,access to education, climate change, incomeinequality, the global water crisis and so on.

How do we cultivate such people?Continuing to increase the emphasis onSTEM, as well as reading, writing, andcritical thinking skills, is key. Without aproper foundation in these areas, studentswill inevitably struggle as they movethrough secondary and higher education andinto the workforce. Phil Regier, Dean ofArizona State University Online, calls thisthe “Swiss cheese effect.” Students can’t fill

in gaps of knowledge at the same time theybuild upon them—and so instead ofcontinuing to grow into more sophisticatedthinkers, learners, and doers, they spendall their time just trying to keep their headsabove water. Outstanding teaching,education content, and instructional design,in combination with personalized learningtools, will address this issue. Teachers cando even more of what they do best:motivate, provide individualizedinstruction, provoke discussion, andencourage critical thinking. Meanwhile,personalized learning tools facilitated byinnovations in technology can ensure thathigh-quality and highly relevant content isdelivered to each student in the mosteffective way, allowing every learner tomaster fundamental skills more efficientlyand freeing up time for deeper learning,creative thinking, and tinkering (thinkabout how Apple and Facebook werefounded). Those that are struggling with agiven subject can quickly get back on trackand gain confidence; meanwhile, those thatare already excelling can extend themselvesto new heights.

Our economy has changed. Just as the world’s agrarian societygave way to manufacturing in the 19th century, so the industrialage has now given way to the information age. At the same time,

our ability to stay ahead of this change has diminished.

38



Passionately yours....

That was how I chose to close my firstlove letter, the very first (and the last

too), ever. Beneath I signed twice, oneordinarily and the other prettypassionately.

Misfortune had followed me those days ofmy life as if my own shadow, no exceptionthis time too. After carefully signing andfolding my literature piece, I thought I hadsafe-kept the letter inside my pillowcovers before going to the toilet butby the time I returned it haddisappeared. “Oh my loving God, Idon’t care if the letter lands inanyone’s hands except my fearsomemom’s” I prayed ardently, heartily.But it hadn’t reached anyone elsethan her.

“My mother is an angel”, AbrahamLincoln had muttered several times.Maybe Lincoln had never entertainedthe idea of sending a love letter to hisdream girl as it was not a need therein the US then. Looking at mymom’s cruelly silent eyes in thefollowing days, I truly thought thatmy passion, together with her cousinemotions within my tender mind layquietly buried albeit brutally murdered.Like Shakespeare’s Macbeth, my passiontale ended up a plain tragedy. Worse still,my passion which was just beginning totake on life had its last breathe the samehour its twin brother, my first love letter,was signed and executed. In utterdisappointment, my groaning mind starteddrafting an epitaph to be etched on thetomb of my passion after Thomas Grey’sElegy written in a country churchyard.

“Full many a song of purest passion deadThe dark unfathomed caves in my mind

bearsFull many a bond is crushed

and trampled downAnd waste its sweetness due an angel

mother’s wrath”Years passed by. Many cell phonerevisions made sudden appearances andfaster disappearances, likewise. And thencame the day of my marriage. I knew itwas time for me to restore my passionbonds. I had learnt distinctly that neitherpre-marital love nor post marital life would

survive without true passion for each other.I started dreaming about the phoenix birdconstantly. Luckily by the time, mom haddeveloped softer considerations due agingand maturing. Apparently her sleuth spiritshad waned, evaporated.

Removing the heavy tomb stone, mypassion resurrected, resurfaced,reappeared. I had little doubt in my mindthat Passion is omnipotent although notomnipresent.

At the altar of wedding, I turned around tolook into my mother’s eyes as if to assureher that human passion, like truth itself,lives on and that I would take good care of

the woman she had selected for me. Sheseemed having grasped the meaning of mylook and the angel in her responded with asmile along the corner of her lips. I feltsettled down.

Closing our bed room door behind her, mylady walked to my bed side later the day,sat against me and passed some papersinto my hands. A thousand flash bulbs hitmy eyes turning me blind. Along with my

resurfaced passion, the same oldletter too had made a come-back.Surprise and anguish rolled over melike the Jap tsunami.

“Mummy had passed me the letterthe very next day you wrote it” shescreamed and fell backward laughingloud. And I whispered to her“Passionately Yours forever”.

“Vice versa too” she muttered,shaking her head mildly. After a spellof silence she added. “But for yourmom, I am not sure if I would havemarried you”.

“You mean if I had passed you myfirst and only love letter you would

have discarded me?” I asked her indisbelief.

“Maybe” she said and pointed the closingsalutation of my letter. There were someadditions, alterations from how I hadclosed it. And it read “Passionately Yours,mother-in-law too” in mom’s hand.

My thoughts wandered away as I collectedher close onto me; yes passion is epidemic.

The author is a practicing lawyer inErnakulam and an ardent public speaker.He has represented Toastmaster’s Club inDistrict level contests in Sri Lanka.

P K G Tharakan

Like Shakespeare’s Macbeth, my passion tale ended up a plaintragedy. Worse still, my passion which was just beginning to

take on life had its last breathe the same hour its twin brother,my first love letter, was signed and executed.

39

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Zy-sams° F¥p-sN-bvXmepwIp™v Np≠v Xpd-°n-√m-bn-cp-∂p.- hn-c-ep-Iƒ sIm≠v So®¿Np≠n¬ Xń-X-ń-bmWv Xpd-∏n®-Xv. Fcq¿ `h≥kv kv°qfnseA≤ym-]n-I-bmWv `mcysKmtcmń. -A-ßs\ \memw hb- n¬ tkm^n-bsb `h≥kn¬amt\-Pvsa‚ns‚ {]tXyIklm-b-tØmsS a‰v Ipń-Iƒs°m∏w ]Tn-°m≥tN¿Øp. -Ahƒ a‰v Ipń-I-sf-t∏mse F√m-°m-cy-ßfpwthKw ]Tn-®p. -kvt]m¿Svknepw\∂mbn Xnf-ßn. -`-h≥knseA≤ym-]-I-cmWv Ahsfkvt]m¿Svkn-te°v Xncn-®p-hn-´-Xv.-Ggmw ¢m v hsc F√m hnj-b-Øn\pw F π v Ic-ÿ-am°nØs∂ ]T\w apt∂-dn.-ssl-Pw-]nepw _mkv°‰vt_mfnepw, lm≥Uv t_mfnepwtjm´v ]pń-epw, -Un-kvI vt{Xmbnepw Ahƒ Ignhv sXfn-bn-®p.- `-h≥knse a¬k-c-ß-fn-se√mw AhƒX-s∂-bm-bn-cp∂pH∂mw ÿm\-°m-cn.- CsX√mw

]n∂o-Sp-ff Rß-fpsS Pohn-X-Øn¬ BlfmZw \nd-®p.

F√m-Ønepw H∂m-a-Xmbn

Ggmw ¢m n\p tijw tImX-aw-K-esØ kvt]m¿Svkv kv°qfn¬tN¿sØ-¶nepw tlmÃ-ense _p≤n-ap-´p-Iƒ ImcWw ]T\w XpS-cm≥Ign-™n-√.- ]Øpw ]Xn-s\m∂pw

i_vZ-ß-fpsS temIw Rß-fpsS a°ƒ°v Xncn-®-dn-bm-\m-In-s√∂

bmYm¿∞yw BZy-sam-∂pw Aw-Ko-I-cn-°m-\m-bn√. A-ßs\ hnNm-cn-°m≥

t]mepw Ign-bp-am-bn-cp-∂n-√.- ]t£ Zp:Jß-fn¬ Xf¿∂n-cp-∂n´v Imcy-an-s√∂v

a\- p-]-d-™p. -D-W¿s∂-gp-t∂‰v {]h¿Ønt® Xocq. -]n-∂o-Sp-ff PohnXw

a°ƒ°v th≠n am{X-am-bn. -A-h¿°p th≠n-bm-bn-cp∂p k¿Δ-kz-hpw.- A-

h¿X-s∂-bmWv Rß-fpsS kºm-Zyhpw.


41

AXn-Po-h\w

]{¥≠pw ¢m p-Iƒ \mj-W¬C≥kn-Ãyq´v Hm^v kvt]m¿Svkvkv°qfn-emWv ]Tn-®-Xv.- \√ sadn-t‰msS F√m ¢m p-I-fnepw ]m m-bn.- C-Xn-\n-S-bn¬ _[n-c-˛-aqIhnZym¿∞n-Iƒ°p-ff kvt]m¿Svkvao‰n¬ tjm´v ]pńepw,Un-kvIkvt{Xmbnepw F´v XhW kwÿm-\Øpw aq∂v XhW tZio-b-X-e-Ønepw tkm^nb Nmºy-\m-bn.-

^mj≥ tamU-enwKv cwK-tØ°v

\√ Db-chpw kuμ-cyhpw tkm^n-bbv°v Df-f-Xp-sIm-≠mWv AhsftamU-enw-Kn-te°v hn´-Xv.-- ]Xn-\mdmwhb- n¬ dmw]n-eq-sS-bmWv tamU-enwKv cwKØv kPo-h-am-Ip-∂-Xv.-Ign™ h¿jsØ ankv kuØvC¥y a’-c-Øn¬ ankv I¨Po-\n-bm-en‰n BbXpw tkm^n-b-bm-Wv.2011 ¬ _nKv_km-dns‚{_m≥UvA_m-kn-U-dp-am-Wv. -ankvsIm®n a¬k-c-Øn¬ ankvt]gve-Wm-en-‰n-bp-am-bn. I-gn™ amkw\S∂ anÃ¿B‚ v an vt_mUn-s]¿ÎvSva¬k-c-Øn¬tkm^n ankvsF‰n-t°-‰mbn sXc-s™-Sp-Øp.37˛maXvt_mUns]¿ÎvSva¬k-c-Øn¬aq∂mw ÿm\hpw e`n-®p. Iyq≥Hm^v C¥y,- ankv kuØv C¥yXpS-ßnb kuμ-cy-a-’-c-ß-fn-se√mw ]Xnhv ]¶m-fnbpw a¬k-c-hn-P-bn-bp-am-Wv. ku-μcy a¬k-c-

ß-fnse Iym‰v hm°n¬ tkm^nanI® {]I-S\w ImgvN-sh-°m-dp-s≠-¶nepw kwkm-c-ti-jn-bn-√m-Ø-Xp-sIm≠v tNmtZym-Øc thf-bn¬]X-dn-t∏m-Ipw.-

Iw]yq-´¿ ]T-\hpw tkm^nbanI® coXn-bn¬ Xs∂ ]q¿Øn-bm-°n.- I-c-Iu-ie D¬∏-∂-ßƒ\n¿Ωn-°p-∂-Xnepw Ahƒ anSp-°n-bm-Wv.- ^vf-h¿ ta°nMv, I¿´≥ta°nMv,- s]-bv‚nMv XpS-ßnbcwKØv tkm^nb kPo-h-am-bp-≠v.sNdp∏w apXte hml-\-ß-tfm-Sn-°m≥ tkm^nb Xmev]cyw ImWn-®n-cp-∂p. -A-ßs\ ss{UhnwKpw]Tn-®p-. -]-Xn-s\´v hb v Ign-™m-ep-S≥ dn®m¿Un\pw ss{UhnwKvssek≥kv FSp-°pw. -Ah≥ Fd-Wm-Ip-fsØ kzImcy kv°qfn¬

]Ømw ¢m n-em-Wv. ]Tn-°m≥Ah\pw Gsd anSp-°-\m-Wv.- tN-®n-sb-t∏mse tamU-enw-Kn-t\mSpwdn®m¿Un\v CjvS-am-Wv. -dn-®m¿UvF√m hml-\-ßfpw HmSn°pw. tN-

®nsb kv°q´¿ HmSn-°m≥ ]Tn-∏n-®Xv Ah-\m-Wv. Zo¿L-Zqcw Imtdm-Sn-°p-∂-XmWv tkm^n-bbv°v GsdCjvSw.- B-eph sk‚ v tkthygvkvtImtf-Pn¬ _n.F Cw•ojv en‰-td-®-dn\p ]Tn-°p∂ tkm^nb Znh-khpw Xr∏q-Wn-Øp-d-bn¬\n∂vBeph hsc kv°q´¿ HmSn-®mWvt]mIp-∂-Xv.

a°ƒ ssZh-Øns‚ kΩm\w

Pohn-XsØ £a-tbmsS t\cn-SWsa∂mWv RßfpsS A\p-`hw.X-f¿∂p-t]m-bm¬ \ap-s°m-cn-°epwDb¿sØ-gp-t∂¬°m≥ Ign-bn-√.-AXp-sIm-≠p-Xs∂ Pohn-XsØ{]Xo-£-tbmsS ImW-Ww. Ipń-°mew apXte tkm^n-b-sbbpwdn®m¿Un-s\bpw hf¿Øn-sb-Sp-°m≥ Rßƒ Gsd _p≤n-ap-ń. -A-

s∂√mwkm¥z-\hpwklm-b-hp-ambn \n∂XvCuiz-c≥am{X-am-bn-cp-∂p.

Be-∏pgXptºm-fn-bnse I√p-]p-c-bv°¬IpSpw-_mw-K-amWv Rm≥.-]-Xn-t\gmwhb- n¬]´m-f-Øn¬tN¿∂p. 84¬ ]´m-f-ØnsetPmen Ah-km-\n-∏n®p. -Ct∏mƒ

lnμp-ÿm≥ s]t{Sm-fnbw Iº-\n-bpsS Iogn¬ s\Sp-ºm-t»cn hnam-\-Øm-h-f-Øn¬ {Ku≠v Ãm^mbntPmen-sN-øp∂p.- Ip-º-fßn IÆ-t¶cn Xd-hm-ńse AwKamWv `mcysKmtcm- n.

Pohn-XsØ £a-tbmsS t\cn-SWsa∂mWv RßfpsS A\p- hw.

X-f¿∂p-t]m-bm¬ \ap-s°m-cn-°epw Db¿sØ-gp-t∂¬°m≥ Ign-bn-√.-

AXp-sIm-≠p-Xs∂ Pohn-XsØ {]Xo-£-tbmsS ImW-Ww.


42

One Hundred Years of SolitudeBOOK SHELFBOOK SHELFBOOK SHELFBOOK SHELFBOOK SHELF

One Hundred Years of Solitude (Spanish:Cien años de soledad) is a 1967 novel by

Colombian author Gabriel García Márquezthat tells the multi-generational story of the

Buendía family, whose patriarch, JoséArcadio Buendía, founds the town ofMacondo, the metaphoric Colombia.

The family chronicle centers on five generations ofdescendants of José Arcadio Buendía and his wife

Ursula, who sometime early in the 19th centuryfounded the village of Macondo on a river of clearwater somewhere in South America. The uncertaintiesabout time and place, like other factual puzzles in thebook, are not fashionable evasions on the part of theauthor but genuine reflections of the minds of thepeople about whom he is writing. From the beginningwe are told that Buendía knew nothing about thegeography of the region. He comes to love maps andcompasses, but his sense of where he is remains verymuch his own. He plays with an astrolabe and sextant,but, with characteristic excess, almost contractssunstroke “from trying to establish an exact method toascertain noon.”

The book is a history, not of governments or of formalinstitutions of the sort which keeps public records, butof a people who, like the earliest descendants ofAbraham, are best understood in terms of theirrelationship to a single family. In a sense, José andUrsula are the only two characters in the story, and alltheir children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren arevariations on their strengths and weaknesses. José,forever fascinated by the unknown, takes up projectafter project, invention after invention, in order amongother things, to make gold, discover the ocean andphotograph God. He eventually goes mad, smashesthings, refuses to speak except in Latin and is tied to agiant chestnut tree in the middle of the family garden.

Story

One Hundred Years of Solitude is the story of sevengenerations of the Buendía Family in the townof Macondo. The founding patriarch of Macondo, JoséArcadio Buendía, and Úrsula Iguarán, his wife (and


43

BOOK SHELFBOOK SHELFBOOK SHELFBOOK SHELFBOOK SHELF

first cousin), leave Riohacha, Colombia, tofind a better life and a new home. Onenight of their emigration journey, whilecamping on a riverbank, José ArcadioBuendía dreams of “Macondo”, a city ofmirrors that reflected the world in andabout it. Upon awakening, he decides tofound Macondo at the river side; afterdays of wandering the jungle, José ArcadioBuendía’s founding of Macondo is utopic.

Founding patriarch José Arcadio Buendíabelieves Macondo to be surrounded bywater, and from that island, he invents theworld according to his perceptions. Soonafter its foundation, Macondo becomesa town frequented by unusual andextraordinary events that involve thegenerations of the Buendía family,who are unable or unwilling toescape their periodic (mostlyself-inflicted) misfortunes.Ultimately, a hurricanedestroys Macondo, the city ofmirrors; just the cyclicalturmoil inherent to Macondo.At the end of the story, aBuendía man deciphers anencryption that generationsof Buendía family men hadfailed to decode. The secretmessage informed the recipientof every fortune andmisfortune lived by theBuendía Family generations.

Symbolism and metaphors

A dominant theme in One HundredYears of Solitude is the inevitableand inescapable repetition of historyin Macondo. The protagonists arecontrolled by their pasts and thecomplexity of time. Throughout the novelthe characters are visited by ghosts. “Theghosts are symbols of the past and thehaunting nature it has over Macondo. Theghosts and the displaced repetition thatthey evoke are, in fact, firmly grounded inthe particular development of LatinAmerican history”. “Ideologicaltransfiguration ensured that Macondo and

the Buendías always were ghosts to someextent, alienated and estranged from theirown history, not only victims of the harshreality of dependence andunderdevelopment but also of theideological illusions that haunt andreinforce such social conditions.”

The fate of Macondo is both doomed andpredetermined from its very existence.“Fatalism is a metaphor for the particular

part that ideology has played inmaintaining historical dependence, bylocking the interpretation of LatinAmerican history into certain patterns thatdeny alternative possibilities.The narrativeseemingly confirms fatalism in order to

illustrate the feeling of entrapment thatideology can performatively create.

García Márquez uses colours as symbols.Yellow and gold are the most frequentlyused colors and they are symbols ofimperialism and the Spanish Siglo de Oro.Gold signifies a search for economicwealth, whereas yellow represents death,change, and destruction.

The glass city is an image that comes toJosé Arcadio Buendía in a dream. It is thereason for the location of the founding ofMacondo, but it is also a symbol of the ill

fate of Macondo. Higgins writes that,“By the final page, however, the city

of mirrors has become a city ofmirages. Macondo thus represents

the dream of a brave new worldthat America seemed to promise

and that was cruelly provedillusory by the subsequentcourse of history” Imagessuch as the glass city andthe ice factory representhow Latin America alreadyhas its history outlined andis, therefore, fated fordestruction.

Overall, there is anunderlying pattern of Latin

American history in OneHundred Years of Solitude. It

could be said that the novel isone of a number of texts that

“Latin American culture hascreated to understand itself”. In

this sense, the novel can beconceived as a linear archive. This

archive narrates the story of a LatinAmerica discovered by European

explorers, which had its historical entitydeveloped by the printing press. TheArchive is a symbol of the literature that isthe foundation of Latin American historyand also a decoding instrument.Melquíades, the keeper of the historicalarchive in the novel, represents both thewhimsical and the literary. Finally, “theworld of One Hundred Years of Solitude is

García Márquez uses colours as symbols. Yellow and gold are themost frequently used colors and they are symbols of imperialism

and the Spanish Siglo de Oro. Gold signifies a search for economicwealth, whereas yellow represents death, change, and destruction.


IIT-Delhi has been ranked 13th of the best universities.

44

BOOK SHELFBOOK SHELFBOOK SHELFBOOK SHELFBOOK SHELF

a place where beliefs and metaphorsbecome forms of fact, and where moreordinary facts become uncertain”

Technically, use of particular historicalevents and characters narratively rendersOne Hundred Years of Solitude anexemplary work of magical realism,wherein the novel compresses centuries ofcause and effect whilst telling aninteresting story.

The subjectivity of reality and magicrealism

Critics often cite certain works by GarcíaMárquez, such as A Very Old Man withEnormous Wings and One Hundred Yearsof Solitude, as exemplary of magicrealism, a style of writing in which thesupernatural is presented as mundane, andthe mundane as supernatural orextraordinary. The term was coined byGerman art critic Franz Roh in 1925.

The novel presents a fictional story in afictional setting. The extraordinary eventsand characters are fabricated. However themessage that García Márquez intends todeliver explains a true history. GarcíaMárquez uses his fantastic story as anexpression of reality. “In One HundredYears of Solitude myth and historyoverlap. The myth acts as a vehicle totransmit history to the reader. GarcíaMárquez’s novel can furthermore bereferred to as anthropology, where truth isfound in language and myth. What is realand what is fiction are indistinguishable.There are three main mythical elements ofthe novel: classical stories alluding tofoundations and origins, charactersresembling mythical heroes, andsupernatural elements” Magic realism isinherent in the novel - achieved by theconstant intertwining of the ordinary withthe extraordinary. This magic realismstrikes at one’s traditional sense ofnaturalistic fiction. There is somethingclearly magical about the world ofMacondo. It is a state of mind as much as,or more than, a geographical place. Forexample, one learns very little about itsactual physical layout. Furthermore, once

in it, the reader must be prepared to meetwhatever the imagination of the authorpresents to him or her.

García Márquez blends the real with themagical through the use of tone andnarration. By maintaining the same tonethroughout the novel, García Márquezmakes the extraordinary blend with theordinary. His condensation of andlackadaisical manner in describing eventscauses the extraordinary to seem lessremarkable than it actually is, therebyperfectly blending the real with themagical. Reinforcing this effect is the

unastonished tone in which the book iswritten. This tone restricts the ability ofthe reader to question the events of thenovel. However, it also causes the readerto call into question the limits of reality.Furthermore, maintaining the same narratorthroughout the novel familiarizes thereader with his voice and causes him or herto become accustomed to the extraordinaryevents in the novel.

The fluidity of time

One Hundred Years of Solitude containsseveral ideas concerning time. Although thestory can be read as a linear progression ofevents, both when considering individual

lives and Macondo’s history, GarcíaMárquez allows room for several otherinterpretations of time:

He reiterates the metaphor of history as acircular phenomenon through therepetition of names and characteristicsbelonging to the Buendía family. Over sixgenerations, all the José Arcadios possessinquisitive and rational dispositions as wellas enormous physical strength. TheAurelianos, meanwhile, lean towardsinsularity and quietude. This repetition oftraits reproduces the history of theindividual characters and, ultimately, a

history of the town as a succession of thesame mistakes ad infinitum due to someendogenous hubris in our nature.

The novel explores the issue oftimelessness or eternity even within theframework of mortal existence. A majortrope with which it accomplishes thistask is the alchemist’s laboratory in theBuendía family home. The laboratorywas first designed by Melquíades nearthe start of the story and remainsessentially unchanged throughout itscourse. It is a place where the maleBuendía characters can indulge their willto solitude, whether through attempts todeconstruct the world with reason as inthe case of José Arcadio Buendía, or bythe endless creation and destruction ofgolden fish as in the case of his sonColonel Aureliano Buendía. Furthermore,

a sense of inevitability prevails throughoutthe text. This is a feeling that regardless ofwhat way one looks at time, itsencompassing nature is the one truthfuladmission.

On the other hand, it is important to keepin mind that One Hundred Years ofSolitude, while basically chronological and“linear” enough in its broad outlines, alsoshows abundant zigzags in time, bothflashbacks of matters past and long leapstowards future events. One example of thisis the youthful amour between Meme andMauricio Babilonia, which is already in fullswing before we are informed about theorigins of the affair.

One Hundred Years of Solitude, while basically chronologicaland “linear” enough in its broad outlines, also shows abundantzigzags in time, both flashbacks of matters past and long leaps

towards future events.


INNOINNOINNOINNOINNOVVVVVAAAAATIONTIONTIONTIONTION

World of self-healing plasticsIs it not wonderful, if the scratches in a

car finish or cracks in polymer materialheal itself? Scientists of the KarlsruheInstitute of Technology (Germany) andEvonik Industries have developed achemical cross-linking reaction thatensures good short-term healingproperties of the material under mildheating. The research results have nowbeen published in the Advanced Materialsjournal.

The self-healing materials repairthemselves by restoring their initialmolecular structure after the damage.

The advantage is that the self-healingmechanism can be initiated any time byheat, light or by the addition of a chemicalsubstance. “Our method does not needany catalyst, no additive is required,”says Professor Barner-Kowollik, theleader of the research team.

At comparably low temperatures from50°C to 120°C, the network exhibitsexcellent healing properties within a fewminutes. Reducing the time needed forhealing and optimizing the externalconditions, under which the healingprocess takes place, are the major

challenges of research relating to self-healing materials.

The self-healing properties can betransferred to a large range of plasticsknown. Apart from self-healing, thematerial is given another advantageousproperty: As flow-ability is enhanced athigher temperatures, the material can bemoulded well.

A potential field of application lies in theproduction of fibre-reinforced plasticscomponents for automotive and aircraftindustries.

Electricity from body heatWearable smart devices have been

hailed as the next generation ofmobile electronic gadgets, from smartwatches to smart glasses to smartpacemakers. For electronics to be worn bya user, they must be light, flexible, andequipped with a power source, whichcould be a portable, long-lasting battery orno battery at all buta generator. How tosupply power in astable and reliablemanner is one ofthe most criticalissues tocommercializewearable devices.

A team ofresearchers fromKorea AdvancedInstitute of Scienceand Technology (KAIST), South Koreaheaded by Byung Jin Cho, a professor ofelectrical engineering, proposed a solutionto this problem by developing a glassfabric-based thermoelectric (TE) generatorthat is extremely light and flexible andproduces electricity from the heat of thehuman body.

Professor Cho came up with a newconcept and design technique to build a

flexible TE generator that minimizesthermal energy loss but maximizes poweroutput. His team synthesized liquid-likepastes of n-type (Bi

2Te

3) and p-type

(Sb2Te

3) TE materials and printed them

onto a glass fabric by applying a screenprinting technique.

The pastespermeated throughthe meshes of thefabric and formedfilms of TEmaterials in a rangeof thickness ofseveral hundreds ofmicrons. As aresult, hundreds ofTE material dots (incombination of nand p types) wereprinted and well

arranged on a specific area of the glassfabric.

Professor Cho explained that his TEgenerator has a self-sustaining structure,eliminating thick external substrates(usually made of ceramic or alumina) thathold inorganic TE materials. Thesesubstrates have taken away a great portionof thermal energy, a serious setback whichcauses low output power.

Construction of satellitetowns poses threat to poor

Satellite city projects across thedeveloping world are putting an

increasing number of poor people at risk tonatural hazards and climate change,according to a new study from theUniversity of Colorado Denver.Throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America‘new towns’ are rapidly being built on theoutskirts of major cities with the goal ofrelieving population pressures, accordingto study author Andrew Rumbach, PhD,assistant professor of planning and designat CU Denver’s College of Architectureand Planning. The towns often sit in highflood risk zones but designers haveminimized the dangers through landelevation, new building codes and qualityconstruction. The problem, Rumbach says,are the informal settlements that invariablycrop up beside these new cities and

supply their labor force. When cyclones ormonsoons occur, they suffer flooding alongwith diseases like cholera, hepatitis anddysentery. The study is to be published inthe journal Habitat International. Manynations are aggressively creating newtowns. In India, the government has set anambitious plan to build 100 of them with amillion people each by 2020. Rumbachfocused his research on Salt Lake, a fullymature new town on the outskirts ofKolkata (formerly Calcutta). With apopulation of 300,000, Salt Lake is anaffluent city, home to many of Kolkata’selite. It sits in an area of frequent floodingbut drainage systems, underground sewersand elevated pumping stations mean itrarely suffers from natural disasters, saidRumbach who lived in Salt Lake during hisstudy.


46

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Porous silicon produceshydrogen using sunlight

Porous silicon can be used to generatehydrogen from water, according to a

team of Penn State mechanical engineers.The invention has applications in batteries,biosensors and optical electronics. Theresults are in Nature Communications.

Wang’s team uses achemically basedmethod that buildsup the siliconmaterial rather thanetching it out. Theresearchers startwith silicontetrachloride, a veryinexpensive sourceof silicon. Theythen treat thematerial with asodium potassium alloy.

“The bonds between silicon and chlorine insilicon tetrachloride are very strong andrequire a highly reducing agent,” said Wang.“Sodium potassium alloy is such anagent.”

Once the bonds break, the chlorine bindswith the sodium, potassium and silicon,potassium chloride and sodium chloride —table salt — become solid, forming amaterial composed of crystals of saltembedded in silicon. The material is thenheat-treated and washed in water to

dissolve the salt, leaving pores that rangefrom 5 to 15 nanometers.

Because sodium potassium alloy is highlyreactive, the entire procedure must be doneaway from the oxygen in the air, so the

researchers carryout their reaction inan argonatmosphere.

Because thesesilicon particleshave lots of pores,they have a largesurface area and actas an effectivecatalyst whensunlight shines onthis porous siliconand water. The

energy in sunlight can excite an electronthat then reduces water, generatinghydrogen gas. This process is aided by thematerial’s larger-than-normal band gap,which comes from the nanoscale size ofthe silicon crystallites.

“This porous silicon can generate a goodamount of hydrogen just from sunlight,”said Wang.

The researchers are also looking into usingthis porous silicon as the anode in alithium ion battery.

Synthetic collagen promotes natural clottingSynthetic collagen invented at Rice

University may help wounds heal bydirecting the natural clotting of blood. Thematerial, known as KOD, mimics naturalcollagen, a fibrous protein that binds cellstogether into organs and tissues. It couldimprove upon commercial sponges ortherapies based on naturally derivedporcine or bovine-derived collagen nowused to aid healing during or after surgery.

The lab of Jeffrey Hartgerink, a chemistand bioengineer based at Rice’s BioScienceResearch Collaborative, developedsynthetic collagen several years ago. Thelab’s analysis of KOD for use as ahemostat, or clotting agent, appears thismonth in the American Chemical Societyjournal Biomacromolecules.

Hartgerink and lead author Vivek Kumar, apostdoctoral researcher at Rice, viewed

clotting as a good avenue of investigationfor practical application of KOD, asynthetic protein made of 36 amino acidsthat self-assemble into triple-helix

nanofibers and hydrogels. Lab testsshowed KOD hydrogel traps red bloodcells to stop bleeding and, unlikecommercial barriers, binds and activatesplatelets that form clots to promotehealing. The tests also determined KODdoes not promote inflammation.

While validation is needed for KOD to beused in operating rooms, the researchersare already considering applications forwound healing and graft support. “Wehave the flexibility to incorporate higherlevels of complexity within our peptidematrix,” Kumar said. “We can incorporatecell adhesion or degradation sites to recruitcells or draw in different components fromnative tissue.”

Bringingprehistoric and

extinct plants to lifeThe centennial issue of the American

Journal of Botany brings out a reportfrom Jeff Benca, a graduate student in theDepartment of Integrative Biology andMuseum of Paleontology at UC Berkeley,describing a new species of long-extinctlycopod. Benca described this 400-million-year-old fossil lycopod, Leclercqiascolopendra, and created a life-likecomputer rendering. Benca’s realistic, full-color image could be a life portrait, exceptfor the fact that it was drawn from a plantthat lay flattened and compressed intorock for more than 375 million years.

Called Leclercqia scolopendra, orcentipede clubmoss, the plant lived duringthe “age of fishes,” the Devonian Period.At that time, lycopods – the groupLeclercqia belonged to – were one of fewplant lineages with leaves. Leclercqiashoots were about a quarter-inch indiameter and probably formed prickly,scrambling, ground-covering mats. Today,lycopods are represented by a group ofinconspicuous plants called club mosses,quillworts and spikemosses. Both livingand extinct lycopods have fascinatedBenca since high school. When he came toUC Berkeley last year from the Universityof Washington, he brought a truckload ofsome 70 different species, now part ofcollections at the UC Botanical Garden.


47

ASPECTSASPECTSASPECTSASPECTSASPECTS

Dr. Augustine Thottakara

Lower knowledgeand higher knowledge

The Mundaka Up. begins with a short story. Sage Angiras was an eminent

knower of Brahman. He received thissacred wisdom from his saintly ancestors.There lived at that time in his place afamous householder named Saunaka, whowas a true seeker of the knowledge ofBrahman (brahma-jijnasu). Once heapproached Angiras in the proper mannerprescribed in the scriptures, namely, withsacrificial fuel as a gift to the reveredteacher, and asked him: “Revered Sir,what is that, knowing which everything elsein the world becomes known to us?”(I.1.3).

To him Angiras replied: There are twokinds of knowledge to be acquired, as

indeed the knowers of Brahman of oldhave said, namely, the lower knowledgeand higher knowledge. Of these the lowerknowledge consists of the wisdom ofªgveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda,science of phonetics, laws of rituals,grammar, etymology, poetical metrics andastronomy. And the higher knowledge isthat by which the Imperishable is realized.

What is invisible, ungraspable,unoriginated and attributeless; what hasneither eyes, nor ears, nor hands, nor feet;what is eternal, all-pervading,immeasurable, subtle and limitless inmanifestation, - that imperishable Reality iswhat the wise men perceive as the sourceof all these created things (I.1.4-6).

The Upanisad continues to say that thehigher knowledge can be obtained onlywith the help of competent guru. Thefollowing Upanisadic sentences depictsuccinctly but clearly the nature and role ofa guru, and the characteristics and dutiesof a disciple.

After having carefully examined theworlds gained by deeds, an intelligentseeker should become indifferent to them,because deeds, which are transient, cannotwin the supreme Being, who isunoriginated. Therefore, to know thatBeing, let him, with sacrificial fuel in hand,approach a guru, who is well-versed in thescriptures and already established inBrahman. To such a disciple, whose mind

What is invisible, ungraspable, unoriginated and attributeless;what has neither eyes, nor ears, nor hands, nor feet; what iseternal, all-pervading, immeasurable, subtle and limitless in

manifestation, - that imperishable Reality is what the wise menperceive as the source of all these created things.


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ASPECTSASPECTSASPECTSASPECTSASPECTS

is tranquil and senses are controlled, andwho approaches the guru in the propermanner, let the wise teacher impart thescience of Brahman in its very essence –the science by which one knows the true,imperishable Being (I.2.12-13).

This text in a way eminently enunciatesthe Upanisadic vision of a real guru and agenuine disciple. A guru should be a wiseman with the great power of discernment(vidvan); he shouldbe a knower of thesacred texts(srotriya), whichembody the eternaltruths about God,soul and matter; andhe should live inconstant union withGod, that is, shouldbe already establishedin Brahman (brahma-nista). The text alsoindirectly declaresthat a guru should beaccessible andapproachable to agenuine seeker. Basedon this text,Sankaracarya in hisfamous work Viveka-cudamaòi (“TheCrest-Jewel ofDiscrimination”)elaborates the specificcharacteristics of areal guru: “He is aman well-versed inthe sacred scriptures and isstraightforward, who is not tormented bydesires, who is the best among theknowers of Brahman, who has takenrefuge in Brahman only, who is calm, andis like the fire which has consumed all itsfuel, who is an ocean of unconditionalmercy, and who is like a close relative tothose who take refuge in him” (verse 33).

In the same text Sankara declares thatthere are three noble and rare things thatcan happen to a migrating self, namely,

‘birth as a human being, the genuine desirefor liberation in that birth, and thepossibility of taking refuge in the care of aperfected person (guru) (mahapurusa-samsrayah)’ (v.3).

The discussion here is evidently on thetwo types of knowledge. According to thephilosophical tradition of India, the basicmeans for right knowledge are three,namely, perception (pratyaksa), inference

(anumana) and verbal testimony (sabda).The Upanisad here very emphaticallydeclares that all the knowledge andinformation we acquire through all theseright means for right knowledge actuallybelongs to the lower form of knowledge(apara vidya). Even the divine and sacredknowledge enshrined in the revealed holytexts about supra-mundane andsupernatural realities, even the wisdom wegather from the mouth of the reveredteacher – all these knowledge data belong

to the lower level of knowledge. TheUpanisad specifically mentions the fourVedas, the most sacred, the mostauthoritative and normative and mostimportant body of the sacred scriptures ofHinduism, and boldly states that thesehallowed texts too impart only lowerknowledge. The orthodox Hindus believethat the Vedic (Sruti) texts are eternal,authorless, uncreated, self-evident andinfallible. The Upanisad categorize this

sacred body ofscriptures as containingonly lower type ofknowledge.

What is then the higherknowledge or thesupreme wisdom (paravidya)? The Upanisaddefines it as ‘theknowledge by whichthe Imperishable isrealized’. Theimmediate and suremeans for God-realization is thissupreme knowledge.This is an innerexperience (anubhava)and is in the form ofintuitive, immediate,direct, mysticalknowledge of theDivine. The spiritualseeker reaches thisstate of innerexperience at the end ofhis spiritual pilgrimage,

and there is no return from this ultimatepoint of his material existence. This is thegoal of all his spiritual endeavours(sadhanas). His/her body will break downand he/she will merge into the Divine, or beunited to God, the object of his love anddevotion.

A guru has to be a srotriya, that is, well-versed in the sacred scriptures and otherallied subjects. This holy erudition maybelong to the lower level of knowledge asthe Upanisad sees it. But this knowledge

The basic means for right knowledge are three, namely, perception(pratyaksa), inference (anumana) and verbal testimony (sabda). Allthe knowledge and information we acquire through all these rightmeans for right knowledge actually belongs to the lower form of

knowledge (apara vidya).


49

and enlightenment are the immediatemeans for the supreme knowledge (paravidya), which in turn is the immediate anddefinite means to reach the goal. Throughthe lower types of knowledge we gaincorrect spiritual perspective and selectright options for life, which would in turnpurify our mind and make us receptive ofthe higher form of experiential mysticalknowledge. Needless to say that the guruis steeped in the spirit of the sacredscriptures.

It is evident that the lower knowledge(apara vidya) is the remote means and thesupreme knowledge (para vidya) is theimmediate and definite means to reach thegoal. Through the lower types ofknowledge we gain correct spiritualperspective and select right options forlife, which would in turn purify our mindand make us receptive of the higher formof experiential mystical knowledge. The

Yoga of Patanjali declares that the highestgoal of the spiritual journey of a yoginthrough the eight-membered yogic psycho-somatic discipline is samadhi, and that toothe supra-conscious samadhi(asamprajnata-samadhi). It is a kind ofblissful trance and total absorption into theobject of meditation where the spiritualaspirant is not even conscious of himself/herself. It is a form of transcendentalecstasy from where there is no return tothe world of matter and realm of senseexperiences. Likewise, the fourth nobletruth advocated by the Buddha consists ofthe eight-fold path. The ultimate stage ofthe journey through this path is the rightconcentration (samyag samadhi). In thesame way Advaita philosophy speaksabout the final and decisive advaiticexperience. It is the blissful enlightenmentand awakening that descends on the seekerabout his/her total identity with Brahman,the realization of aham brahma-asmi-

consciousness. All these supra-normalstates of human existence, namely, thesupra-conscious samadhi of Yoga, thesamyag samadhi of Buddhism and theadvaitic anubhava of Vedanta, are in fact,other expressions of the para vidya,explained in the Upanisad underconsideration. These deliberations havepractical implications in our life. All thephilosophical and theological wisdom weacquire through reading, personal study,discussions, debates, lectures, group study,seminars, meditative reflections, etc. isactually only the lower form of knowledge.This type of knowledge is not an end initself. This knowledge should eventuallylead us to the higher knowledge. Wecannot and should not stop short at thelower level of wisdom. Final and totalenlightenment is our aim. For that we needthis pilgrimage through the lower realm ofknowing and consequent acting.

The higher knowledge or the supreme wisdom is ‘the knowledgeby which the Imperishable is realized’. The immediate and sure

means for God-realization is this supreme knowledge. This is aninner experience and is in the form of intuitive, immediate, direct,

mystical knowledge of the Divine.


50

RESEARCHRESEARCHRESEARCHRESEARCHRESEARCH

Shortage of skilled manpowerin infrastructure sector: Study

India’s infrastructure industry is facing asignificant 20 per cent dearth of project

managers leading to project delays and costoverruns, apex industry bodyASSOCHAM said today.

“India is currently facing an annual paucityof over 10 lakh project managementprofessionals, moreover employability isalso a key factor in this regard as most ofthe already employed workers ininfrastructure construction space have notreceived any vocational training,” accordingto a study titled ‘Road Sector Role inFuturistic Development of India,’conducted by The Associated Chambers of

Commerce and Industry of India(ASSOCHAM).

“Infrastructure sector is basically a‘projectised industry,’ as such projectmanagement is of very high importance inthis sector where the product is tangible,the cost high and mobilization of resourcesfrom related industries central,” said MrD.S. Rawat, secretary general ofASSOCHAM while releasing the study.

“As the projects in infrastructure sectorare becoming increasingly complex andwith wider scope, the sector is sufferingfrom skilled manpower shortage,” said MrRawat. “Many of the large size infra

projects like mega highways and othersinvolving greater interdependence andincreased regulatory compliancerequirements are in limbo as they requirecoordinating with multiple vendors andoptimizing allocation of resources whichrequire professionals possessing projectmanagement skills.”

Project management requires and involvesan interplay between organizations,government agencies, non-governmentalorganizations (NGOs) and otherdepartments, tremendous manpowermanagement, vendor management andstrict budgeting.

ASSOCHAM has suggested that India should enhancethe quality of vocational education and training as per the demandsof infrastructure sector. Besides, there is also a need to improve the

efficiency of the departments, divisions & training centres andespecially the quality of training services in order to the meet

industry standards.


51

RESEARCHRESEARCHRESEARCHRESEARCHRESEARCH

With dozens of contractors and sub-contractors, hundreds of vendors andthousands of workers spread across milesof project site, they present a unique set ofchallenges that more often than not lead tosevere delays and serious cost overruns,said the ASSOCHAM study.

Most of the project managers ininfrastructure sector lack requisitemanagerial skills, while the highly qualifiedones are shifting to sectors like informationtechnology (IT), finance and others.

According to the government sources,over 550 infrastructure projects acrossIndia are facing huge escalation in overallproject costs to the tune of about Rs twolakh crore due to a series of factors likeland acquisition, environmental rules andregulatory approvals and shortage of well-trained, skilled, certified, and competentspecialists in infrastructure sector likeengineers and other such professionals.

In its study, the ASSOCHAM hassuggested that India should enhance the

quality of vocational education and trainingas per the demands of infrastructure sector.Besides, there is also a need to improve theefficiency of the departments, divisions &training centres and especially the qualityof training services in order to the meetindustry standards.

Need for skilled workforce has become allthe more important owing to prevalance ofan overall difficult economic situation,asserted the ASSOCHAM study.

Most of the project managers in infrastructure sectorlack requisite managerial skills, while the highly qualified ones are

shifting to sectors like information technology (IT), financeand others.


52

Dr D.Dhanuraj

POLICY POLICY POLICY POLICY POLICY WWWWWAAAAATTTTTCHCHCHCHCH


Why market competitionhasn’t delivered quality education?

The fact that achievements of Keralastate in education and health sectors

are comparable with the developedcountries is widely known. Therecognition for the value and the role ofeducation in social development came asearly as in 1817 in the form of a royaldeclaration in the princely state ofTravancore, which stated “universaleducation, paid for by the state, was anobjective of state policy”. The role playedby religious organizations and progressivemovements in the late 19th and early 20th

centuries supported by the rulers of thattime to establish schools set a new era in

education sector of Kerala by the timeIndia attained independence in 1947 unlikeother parts of the country. Education billof 1957 was another milestone in thehistory to universalize education in Keralaat the school level. Schools owned byprivate management were given incentivesin the form of Aid and Recognition whicheventually lead to the proliferation ofschools in the Aided Sector by 70’s and80’s. Gender discrimination in schooleducation was unheard of in this part ofthe world by 80’s and the respect andprofessionalism in the sector (guaranteedby 1957 Education Act) attracted the

toppers in the university education to theteaching job. With the onset ofliberalization, job opportunitiesmushroomed in other sectors (even thoughit was not in Kerala as such). There weretwo immediate impacts on educationsector due to this development; first,talented and able graduates started lookingfor other professions than teaching unlikein 80’s. and second, quality of schooleducation deteriorated and resulted insubsequent deterioration of the quality ofthe higher education in the increasednumber of professional colleges whichdepended on the feed from the schools.

In the past ten years, private school managements and schoolteachers had to push their maneuverings in the art of sales by

offering freebies such as free bus services to attract the kids totheir schools. Naturally, this would have raised the competitionamong the schools and raised the quality of the standards of

education in Kerala.

53



With the job market revolving aroundsprucing up of overall talent and softskills, realignment of thought processamong the parents did take place duringthis time. They started believing thatEnglish medium education will do tricksfor their wards in their careers later on.Many started questioning the quality ofthe education in many Government andAided schools which led to the revision ofsyllabus and introduction of new tools andtechniques inpedagogy. Withthe lack oftransparency andinability of thepolicy makers tocommunicateeffectively withthe affectedparties (parentsand kids), parentsstarted opting forCBSE schools inturn. Increaseddemand for privateeducation (thiswas natural sinceprivate becamebuzz word of90’s) and liberalstand taken by theState Government of that times,augmented the setting up of more and moreprivately managed recognized (by CBSE)schools in Kerala. Along with this, thechange in the demographic level (with thelow fertility rates)increased thecompetition among the schools in Kerala,(as the number of children starteddeclining).

In the past ten years, private schoolmanagements and school teachers had topush their maneuverings in the art of salesby offering freebies such as free busservices to attract the kids to their schools.Naturally, this would have raised thecompetition among the schools and raised

the quality of the standards of education inKerala. But the evaluation of the sectorposes many doubts about how this marketprinciple has been practiced in Kerala andraises many questions that remainunanswered.

. The evolved practice of the Ministry ofEducation becoming the regulator and soleauthority for issuing licenses in theeducation sector(remember, party in the

power holds the key which does not haveany independent outlook), it has become apolitical tool for any party in the power toboast their prowess by declaring the SSLCresults by the Education Minister himself.One is forced to wonder, why is theMinister required to declare results whilethe examination is conducted by Board ofSecondary Education, which retainsindependency and accountability. Thetrend has become obviously churlish in thelast couple of years with everyGovernment started influencing thevaluation settings by making it more andmore liberal. This has led to quantumjumps in examination results of Kerala in

the last decade. This year, the pass percentage is 95.47 per cent which is thehighest in the history. It means ‘it isdifficult to fail in SSLC exams inKerala’. Going by the political overtures,it is very difficult for any Government (aslong as Education Minister declares theresults, at least) to give attention to themerit and quality while evaluating theanswer papers. Some may argue that thequality of the education has improved over

the years andthis is beingreflected inthe SSLCresults. Butone canevaluate thesestudentsperformancein the highereducationlevel and theirstanding in thejob marketyears later. Asof now, it isnot so rosy aswe expectbased on thehigher resultsin SSLC.

Percentage of pass in higher education hasnot raised or reflected quid pro quo toSSLC. Since the limited number of seats inHigher education would have brought thecream out of the best in this scenario but itnever happened. Interaction with thecollege teachers and management points tothe situation that many students are notable to communicate effectively even aftergraduation level. Companies have optedout of Kerala market for recruitment bystating that majority of them is notsuitable for their work place for lack ofunderstanding of concepts and soft skills.Many of the professional educationinstitutions are stressed out as a result of

The decision of the state government to give weightage to themarks scored in the higher secondary examination in the entrance

examinations for professional courses has changed the preferencesof the parents again. With the increase in pass percentage and the

higher marks given to those students passing the SSLCexamination, most of the parents are bringing their kids back to

Kerala syllabus.

54 Pallikkutam | May 2014

poor quality feed which in a sensecontradicts the quality based at the SSLClevel. The decision of the stategovernment to give weightage to the marksscored in the higher secondary examinationin the entrance examinations forprofessional courses has changed thepreferences of the parents again. With theincrease in pass percentage and the highermarks given to those students passing theSSLC examination, most of the parents arebringing their kids back to Kerala syllabus.In a way, this saves many Government andAided schools from being closed downotherwise. This would have also helpedthe uneconomic schools and protectedteachers over all. Pressure is also on CBSEschools to be more liberal in theirevaluation process. Government has alsotaken a position not to issue NoC to anymore private schools. The debate in thisarticle is not whether the quality is better


in CBSE or State schools but the choicesand options given to the parents and kids.If there is a demand in the market, itreflects the state of affairs in the sector. Ifthe investment is of the private parties,they would have done due diligence in thiseffect. It should not be the sole decision ofthe Government of the day to finalize thematters in the education sector in theirfavor. It distorts a competitive marketwhich in effect would have improved thequality of the education in Kerala. Theparticipatory nature of the institutions inKerala has the in-built mechanisms tocorrect and set the level playing field if thesystem had flawed in the due course.

What we require is ranking system forschools in a more efficient and transparentmanner similar to what Pratham does withAISER every year. With the high density ofschools in Kerala, the market offersopportunities for the survey for ranking of

schools. Though it may sound verydifficult in the school education field unlikethe ones among in higher education,surveys are very much possible in Kerala.Not only the pass percentage andenrollment, but the indicators like location,infrastructure including the condition ofthe school building, toilets, drinking waterfacility, play grounds, qualification of theteachers, pupil-teacher ratio etc could beincorporated in the survey for ranking ofschools. In addition, number of studentsenrolled for higher education and their passpercentage etc could be tracked in thelonger period. This information available inthe open domain could be a more balancedapproach to improve the quality of theschool education and not by mere passpercentage.

The author is Chairman, Centre for PublicPolicy Research

The participatory nature of the institutions in Kerala hasthe in-built mechanisms to correct and set the level

playing field if the system had flawed in the due course.

Android Silver:All you need to know

Rumours of a new Android programme,Android Silver, have been swirling for

some time — but it seems that Google’slatest big idea is much more than thesupport service we’d initially heard about.

Multiple sources say that Silver is going tobe a very big deal indeed — and that couldbe good news for phone fans and a bigblow to Samsung.

What is Android Silver?

Silver is a bit like a more advanced Nexusprogramme, but instead ofworking with onemanufacturer on one device,Google will work withmultiple firms on multipledevices.

Google supposedly wants tohelp manufacturers to delivera premium Androidexperience, so participatingfirms will get help fromGoogle with theirdevelopment and marketingcosts, and their devices willget preferential treatmentwhen it comes to softwareupdates.

There will be Android Silverkiosks in shops and anAmazon-style video supportservice for Silver users, butthe existing Nexus programmewill be stopped.

Why is that good for me?

It should mean a wider choiceof high-end Android devices atreasonable prices, and those devices will befree from the bloatware, unwanted appsand over-the-top customisation that plaguesome firms’ handsets. That’s becauseparticipating firms will have to agree not tomess around with stock Android in muchthe same way Microsoft’s Signatureprogramme banished bloatware fromparticipating PCs.

The devices must “closely adhere toGoogle specifications” and will “sharplylimit the number of non-Google apps thatcan be pre-installed on devices” or ensure

that phone owners will be able to uninstallthem. It also means that you’ll be able tobuy handsets without wondering if you’regetting the most up to date version ofAndroid or whether the firm will bothersupplying Android updates after a fewmonths.

What’s in it for the manufacturers?

Money — as much as $1 billion of it.Silver should help the smaller playerscompete with the 500lb gorilla of Android:

Samsung. Companies that don’t haveSamsung’s massive R&D and marketingbudgets will be able to benefit fromGoogle’s deep pockets.

The downside, however, is that bybecoming part of the Silver programme themanufacturers may find it harder todifferentiate their products from oneanother: If the rumours are correct andGoogle is specifying the hardware as wellas the software (as it does with its ownNexus devices) there won’t be much themanufacturers can do to make their devicesdifferent from their rivals’.

Who is taking part?

LG and Motorola have been named as themost likely candidates for initial devices.Others are expected to follow.

When is it going to happen?

We don’t know. The leaks are basedaround documents from the tail end of lastyear and the rumours of a new Nexus 10tablet at this summer’s Google I/O suggestthat if the Nexus programme is beingreplaced, it isn’t happening imminently.

Google is already crackingdown on the way Android ispresented, though: Both theHTC One (M8) andSamsung Galaxy S5 bootscreens feature the words“powered by Android”.

Why is Google doing this?

Control. By limiting whatmanufacturers do withAndroid, Google can ensureconsistency and qualityacross devices — somethingthat isn’t always the case atthe moment. By workingmore closely withmanufacturers, Google canensure that Silver customersget the best possibleAndroid experience. Thatsounds sensible enough, butthere’s another theory doingthe rounds: Silver is anti-Samsung insurance.

Google gives away Androidbecause it wants users’ data

and Samsung’s dominance is a threat tothat: Samsung’s plans to eventually dropAndroid are well documented, and if itforks or drops Android that will leave anenormous hole in Google’s data gathering.

By putting the Android brand at the centreof multiple firms’ marketing and helpingthose firms better compete with Samsung,Silver could be an attempt to minimise thedamage Samsung could do. If Silver issuccessful, it might just persuade Samsungto stick with Android for longer.

INFO TECHINFO TECHINFO TECHINFO TECHINFO TECH


Two new iPhone casesthat think different

With the barrage of smartphonesreleasing every month, the phone

case manufacturing industry is thriving andconstantly innovating. Manufacturers aretrying different things to attract usersranging from battery packs on the case to

solar-powered charging cases. There is nodearth of options.

Two manufacturers recently announcedinnovative cases that dare to thinkdifferent. One of them is an establishedplayer in the accessories segment and theother is a fairly newentrant.

Logitech Case+

Modularsmartphones maybecome a reality inthe near future(read: Project Ara),but Logitech onThursdayintroduced to theworld a uniquemodular iPhone case- Case+. Logitech’sCase+ essentiallyacts as the system’sbase and has anexposed back metalplate which worksas a magneticmounting point foraccessory add-ons.There are four ‘+’add-ons that arecurrently available. The +Tilt add-on forthe Logitech Case+ resembles an iPad

Smart Cover and is offered in twodifferent cover materials. It features amagnetic mounting system that attaches aconnected iPhone to any metal surface. Itcan also be converted into a kickstand forviewing videos and headphones can bewrapped around the phone and locked inplace in one of the tri-panel. The +Energyis an external battery pack that can beattached to the iPhone for charging it. The+Drive is a standalone product whichfeatures a twist-to-lock suction cup basethat can latch onto a windshield ordashboard. A universal adapter is alsoincluded for use with any other device.Finally, and as the name suggests, the+Wallet lets users carry credit cards, keysand cash on the back of their phone. Theaccessory manufacturer states that a‘Magnashield’ technology will block theCase+ from demagnetizing cards withmagnetic strips.

The Logitech Case+ iPhone case isexpected to go on sale in the U.S. later thismonth for a hefty price tag of $200(approximately Rs. 12,042) and will

include all the ‘+’ accessories. We have noword on whether users will be able to

purchase individual attachments separatelylater.

Lunecase

Lunecase is a kickstarter project ofConcepter based out of Ukraine. Thisinteresting iPhone cover uses LEDs to

display notifications on the cover using theelectromagnetic energy emitted by thephone.

The developers explain how theelectromagnetic energy conversion works.‘Electronic devices emit very small

amounts ofelectromagneticenergy. The energysurrounds mosttechnological productsin our daily life.People haveendeavoured toharness this energyand make it usable.We decided totransform the unusedenergy from theiPhone into anotification system onthe back of the phone.Thus, we started touse the unused.’

The Lunecase doesnot have any internalbattery and just needsto be snapped on forit to work. Also, itonly works on GSM

networks. The notifications do not identifythe caller when someone calls or displayany line of the text message.



Cognizant acquires US-baseddigital video solutions firm itaas

Cognizant will acquire digital videosolutions firm itaas for an undisclosed

amount, a move that will help the ITservices major to expand its serviceofferings for multiplatform video formats.

The deal, which sourcessuggest is a multi-million dollar tuck-inacquisition, willstrengthen New Jersey-based Cognizant’s mediaand entertainmentservices business.Cognizant reports mediaand entertainment,commmunications andhi-tech revenue in the‘others’ category thatrepresented 11.2 percent of the totalrevenues in 2013.

Founded in 1999, itaas is headquartered inAtlanta, US, and employs about 200people across the US, Canada and India. Itenables broadcasters and televisionproviders deliver live streaming and videoservices on digital platforms. It hasdevelopment centres in Noida and Chennaiin India. itaas has worked with ARRIS,Cisco, Comcast, Cox Communications,

Charter and Time Warner Cable amongothers. “The acquisition will enableCognizant to capitalise on the growingdemand for greater interactivity, higherpersonalisation and innovative contentdelivery in the multi- screen and video

market,” Cognizant said in a statement.The end-to-end digital video engineeringand multiplatform capabilities of itaas willextend Cognizant’s existing capabilitiesserving the communications, media, and hi-tech industries. Commenting on the deal,Cognizant IT services CEO Rajeev Mehtasaid the company’s strategy is to “acquirefor capability and not capacity”. “We

continue to focus on organic growth andmake strategic tuck-under acquisitions tohelp expand our geographic footprint,enhance our solutions spectrum, andstrengthen our domain and consultingcapability. “While our definition of tuck-under is up to USD 200 million in target

company revenue, thesweet spot is between $20million and $80 million,” headded. Cognizant has madeacquisitions like Equinox inFrance and six companies ofthe C1 Group in Germany,MediCall and PIPC in thepast. The expandedcapabilities will also helpCognizant support otherindustries like banking,retail, and healthcare, whichare rolling out advanced

customer and business platforms centeredon video. “Cognizant’s global reach,experience and entrepreneurial culture willallow us to offer our current and futurecustomers greater scale, a broader range ofservices, comprehensive solutions, andworld-leading consulting and deliveryexpertise,” itaas President and CEO VibhaRustagi said.

Motorola website ‘discloses’Moto X successor’s name

It seems the rumours that Motorola isusing the same naming scheme as

Dungeons and Dragons are true. Thesuccessor to last year's popular Moto Xwill be called the Moto X+1, according toa report that popped up in April, andsome hard evidence to support the namejust appeared on Motorola's ownwebsite.

This has since been corrected, but for atime if you changed the URL forMotorola's Moto Maker website (fromFLEXR1 to FLEXR2), you got aplaceholder site with the name "MotoX+1" on it, according to the German sitemobiFlip. Unless the people buildingMotorola's websites are getting their infofrom the same place we are, that's a

pretty good indication that Moto X+1 isthe phone's real name.

All will be revealed

Besides the moniker, little is known aboutthe next Moto X, though what could be its

specs appeared on a benchmarking sitelast week. The site pegged a phone calledthe XT912A with a 5.2-inch 1080p HDscreen, a Snapdragon 800 processor,1.7GB of memory (probably more like2GB), 24GB of internal storage andAndroid 4.4.3 KitKat. There's goodindication that the XT912A refers to theMoto X+1 — including the fact that theMoto X used the same model number —but it might also be a Droid Razrsuccessor, so there remains some doubt.In fact, all the rumours about the MotoX+1 so far come with a pinch of doubt,but given the original Moto X wasannounced in summer 2013 it's probablysafe to bet that a reveal is coming soon.



The art ofcareer planning

Yulin Peng

Career planning is an exercise that iswell worth the time invested in it

because it sets you going on the path thatleads to where you would like to go. Thisexercise provides you with a lot of clarityregarding your career objectives as well andit best done before you embark on your jobsearch.

Often most people get stuck at the verybeginning of the planning process itself.There seem to be too many choices that arethrowing themselves at you with all kindsof material gains, fame and wealth, comfortand luxury, glamour and beauty. Fromacting to singing, writing to banking,software programming to business, choicesconfuse you. Naturally feelings of self-doubt might creep in at this stage. Am I

good enough for that, you may ask, orhow do I become successful at this. Aftersome time of pondering over many careerpaths you may end up thinking thatmaybe you are no good for any of thesethings after all.

Here is where a bit of career planninghelps. There are two ways of starting off.One is to find out what you really likedoing and do it irrespective of the gainsand growth patterns and the second is tofind out what really motivates you, findout which among the careers gives youwhat you want and build up competenciesfor it. Either way you will get what youwant - in the first method the journeyitself is your reward (though many willdiscourage you on this path, but don’t

worry, many have tread this path andquite successfully at that too) and in thesecond you are carefully working yourway to your reward which could be clearlyspelt out to be a consequence of yourwork or occupation.

Whichever path you choose, it is mostimportant to know your individualstrengths and weaknesses. Sit down andassess yourself honestly. Think of all youraccomplishments, of all the complimentsyou got, of all the work that reallyinspired you, of the times when youworked with passion at and jot them alldown. You will find that as you note downyour victories, your achievements etc apattern will emerge. You can find that youare good at organizing, at making people

List out things that motivate you, that you aspire for, your dreams -things you would want more than anything else in the world. Findyour fit between the person you are and the dream you wish toachieve. As this picture gets clearer you become more aware,

confident and purposeful.


CAREERCAREERCAREERCAREERCAREER

comfortable, at leading, at solving puzzles,at physical activity, at playing music orgames. Each of these represents a careeroption by itself or throws up somecharacteristic in you - qualities that couldbe good assets in your future careeroptions.

Now list out things that motivate you, thatyou aspire for, your dreams - things youwould want more than anything else in theworld. Find your fit between the personyou are and the dream you wish toachieve. As this picture gets clearer youbecome more aware, confident andpurposeful. Attributes that serve you wellalong the way. You have now formed asharp picture of yourself with specificsaleable qualities. Based on your aspirationlevel and your aptitude, you can alsoidentify the careers that offer the kind oflifestyle or returns that you wish. If youwish to frequently travel and be incommand of a dynamic business you canzero down to careers in marketing with a

goal to set up your own firm or to head alarge company (the same may not bepossible if you inherently like to paint forlong hours). It is best to be honest withyourself at this stage because most peopletake decisions based on glamorousmisconceptions about certain careers andlater change them. For example if you wishto be an airhostess, check out the sourcesavailable to the kind of work that isassociated with being an airhostess. Onlyif you really enjoy doing that kind of workand the rewards that come with it mustyou opt for it. Else look further for whatreally fits you. Growth, rewards,recognition and most importantly jobsatisfaction and a good quality of life comefrom one thing -loving your job. Havingdecided on a particular direction, buildcompetencies. Specific careers needspecific education and training. Whicheverarea you choose to be in, you will fare wellif you strive to be the best in it. Leaveyour individual brand on it. Learn the

ropes by acquiring information, by takingup courses, by taking up internships andsummer jobs, by learning the economics ofthe job, by adding special skills that helpin handling the job with greaterproficiency. All careers without exceptionwould certainly require a good writing andverbal communicating ability so pleasework on that, a pleasing and well-mannered personality, a professional workethic and good inter-personal skills. Workon these important soft skills along with asyou plan your career.

A final word! If you have a goal then beclear about it and start walking towards it.You will learn along the way. You willacquire skills and competencies that helpyou along. The important thing is to startthe journey.

All careers without exception would certainly require agood writing and verbal communicating ability so please work on

that, a pleasing and well-mannered personality, a professional workethic and good inter-personal skills.

The author is a recruiting researcher andthe owner of http://www.job-employment-guide.com.

CAREERCAREERCAREERCAREERCAREER


Improving your concentration

Here are a few tips to help youImprove your concentration

1. To enhance your concentration andpowers of focus, count your steps whenyou walk. This is a particularly strongtechnique. Take six steps while taking along inhale, hold your breath for anothersix steps, and then exhale for six steps. Ifsix steps is too long for the breaths, dowhatever you feel comfortable with. Youwill feel very alert, refreshed, internallyquiet and centered after this exercise. Somany people allow their minds to be filledwith mental chatter. All peak performersappreciate the power of a quiet, clear mindwhich will concentrate steadily on allimportant tasks.

2. Enhance your will-power; it is likelyone of the best training programs you caninvest in. Here are some ideas tostrengthen your will and become a strongerperson:

a) Do not let your mind float like a pieceof paper in the wind. Work hard to keep itfocused at all times. When doing a task,think of nothing else. When walking towork, count the steps that it takes to getall the way to the office. This is not easybut your mind will soon understand thatyou hold its reins and not vice versa. Yourmind must eventually become as still as acandle flame in a corner where there is nodraft.

b) Your will is like a muscle. You must firstexercise it and then push before it getsstronger. This necessarily involves shortterm pain but be assured that theimprovements will come and will touchyour character in a most positive way.When you are hungry, wait another hourbefore your meal. When you are laboringover a difficult task and your mind isprompting you to pick up the latestmagazine for a break or to get up and gotalk to a friend, curb the impulse. Soonyou will be able to sit for hours in aprecisely concentrated state. Sir IssacNewton, one of the greatest classicalphysicists the world has produced, oncesaid: “if I have done the public any service,

Become a highly disciplined time manager. There are roughly 168hours in a week. This surely allows plenty of time for achievementof the many goals we desire to accomplish. Be ruthless with your

time. Set aside a few minutes each morning to plan your day.


HEALHEALHEALHEALHEALTH TH TH TH TH WWWWWAAAAATTTTTCHCHCHCHCH

60 Pallikkutam | April 2014

it is due to patient thought.” Newton had aremarkable ability to sit quietly and thinkwithout interruption for very long periodsof time. If he can develop this so can you.

c) You can also build your will-power byrestraint in your conduct with others.Speak less (use the 60/40 Rule = listen60% of the time and speak a mere 40%, ifthat). This will not only make you morepopular but you will learn much wisdomas everyone we meet, every day hassomething to teach us. Also restrain theurge to gossip or to condemn someonewho you feel has made a mistake. Stopcomplaining and develop a cheerful, vitaland strong personality. You will greatlyinfluence others.

3. Become a highly disciplined timemanager. There are roughly 168 hours in aweek. This surely allows plenty of timefor achievement of the many goals we

desire to accomplish. Be ruthless withyour time. Set aside a few minutes eachmorning to plan your day. Plan aroundyour priorities and focus on not only thosetasks which are immediate but notimportant (i.e., many telephone calls) butespecially on those which are importantbut not urgent, for these allow for thegreatest personal and professionaldevelopment. Important but not immediateactivities are those which produce long-term, sustainable benefits and includeexercise, strategic planning, thedevelopment of relationships andprofessional education. Never let thethings which matter most be placed in thebackseat as compared to those that matterleast.

4.The Two Minute Mind is an excellentexercise for developing concentration.Simply stare at the second hand on your

wristwatch for two minutes and thinkabout nothing else for that time. At firstyour mind will wander but after 21 days ofpractice, your attention will not waverduring the routine. One of the greatestqualities a person can develop to ensurehis success is the ability to focus forextended periods of time. Learn to build upyour concentration muscles and no taskwill be too difficult for you.

5. To enhance your concentration, read apassage in a book you have never explored.Then try to recite it verbatim. Practice thisfor only 5 minutes a day and enjoy theresults which follow after a few months ofeffort.

6. 83% of our sensory input comes fromour eyes. To truly concentrate onsomething, shut your eyes and you willremove much distraction.

To enhance your concentration, read a passage in abook you have never explored. Then try to recite it verbatim.

Practice this for only 5 minutes a day and enjoy the results whichfollow after a few months of effort.


HEALHEALHEALHEALHEALTH TH TH TH TH WWWWWAAAAATTTTTCHCHCHCHCH

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62

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Printed and Published by Fr.Varghese Panthalookaran CMI on behalf of Rajagiri Media, Rajagiri Valley PO, Kakkanad, Kochi-39Ph: 0484-2428249. Printed at Five Star Offset Printers, Kochi. Editor: James Paul

CONFESSIONSCONFESSIONSCONFESSIONSCONFESSIONSCONFESSIONS

I have nothing against anyone as the outlook of peoplediffer. The outlook of the national jury was different, so is

the outlook of the jury in Kerala.

SURAJ VENJARAMOODUSURAJ VENJARAMOODUSURAJ VENJARAMOODUSURAJ VENJARAMOODUSURAJ VENJARAMOODU

pallikkutam: may 2014

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