A Cool Shirt on a hot summer day! Credits : Ankit Madaan

So, summers are here! It’s the time of the year when lemonade replaces most of the water bottles! Now, when the season changes, there’s one question that comes up in our mind, “What should I wear now?” Well, read on to find the answer!

On the turn of a new season, most of us don’t approve of what our wardrobe has. Everywhere you see filmstars and models, wearing beautiful things which are usually not worth the price tag they come with. You look into your closet and everything looks like you’ve worn it a dozen times. What do you do? Revamp! Summer means bright, sunny, tanning, and of course, being cool when it’s all hot around you. It’s that time of the year when you get out of your thick leather and fur jackets and get into those short, easy and cooler clothes. This summer has a lot to offer in terms of fashion, be it for men, women, or teenagers!

Get funky with flip-flops! Credits : Blending Words

Ladies, heading out to party on a summer night? Get your hands on a toga dress; long or short, the choice is yours. Pair it up with a pair of flats, stilettos or even wedges, and you be will a complete head turner without putting in much effort, the dress does all the talking. Going pink and cute is ‘in’ this season so don’t be afraid to get that pink frock with some bow or even hearts on it, flaunt a little love and go girly! Put away dark, depressing shades and bring in the bright in the fruity ones. Lemon, raspberry, papaya; all these soft shades are ‘in’ so make sure you get some of these! One of the trends that haven’t faded with the winters is animal prints. They’re still popular, so get bold, get those funky prints! Semi-formal is the way to go this party season.

If you’ve got it, flaunt it! Short skirts, shorts, capris, they’re all in! Prints are in, so don’t be afraid to combine and experiment with them, and create a new and confident look. When it comes to accessories, go bold! Every girl has an accessory in her wardrobe which has a bold, not-to-be-missed look to it. Don’t be afraid to wear it this season, whether it’s a chunky necklace, a bright bag, or funky heels. Another unavoidable accessory are sunglasses! One cannot do without them. They are available in different colours, styles, and shapes. With variety available, you can create different looks depending upon the occassion.

Ashruti Shah, a Fashion Designing student at NIFT, says, “Asymmetrical short haircuts, aviators, shorts in funky colours, loose and sheer shirts, flip flops, cotton frocks etc. are all the right choice this summer! These days even harems with short tops are new and popular.”

Crocs! Credits : Ankit Madaan

Zainab Malik, from St. Francis College says, “Well, the word ’summer’ sounds so cool and easy to pronounce, but its effects are not so cool and easy! While its summer, the most important thing is to keep the colours in mind. Bright, sober and light colours work well during the season. Go with green, yellow, orange, pink and white. I basically avoid dark colours.”

Afshan Ahmed, a student at Hamstech Institute of Fashion Designing, says, “More of the prints, floral skirts teamed up with tank tops will rock and then you have linen finely stitched pants. Jeans are a big no for me this summer.”
Deepika Phakke, Placement Ambassador at BMS III, St Francis College says, “White is THE colour of the season, for it brings not just mental peace in this scorching sun, but is also simple, comfortable and hip. Could be as simple as wearing white tee shirts or white cropped pants, accessorised appropriately so as to not miss out on the fashion factor. Summer collections at Splash, Wardrobe, Globus etc. have never disappointed me! So you don’t really have to watch out what you wear this summer because ‘keeping it simple’ is the mantra this season!”

Kurti and Jeans, one of the most comfortable and popular trends. Credits : Blending Words

Kainath Saima, a homemaker, says, “Simplicity is a sign of elegance, but by nature every woman wants to keep in step with fashion. Since summer is the season of flowers, floral prints will add some cheer to the wearer. One can wear bright colours in ganji and pair it with shorts and flip flops for casual wear and short skirts are best for parties. People who don’t wear western clothes should go with soft cotton or linen suits.”

Now, coming to guys, bright shades, checks, and the evergreen t-shirts are in. Different types of caps are available, so pick them depending upon what suits your style. Dull colours, millitary shades, browns are all out. Experiment with colours, but make sure you don’t overdo it and end up looking funny. For college students, shoes can take a backseat for a while and slippers can come in. Many brands have introduces new kind of footwear exclusively for men.

Ankit Madaan, a Journalism student from TIAS, Indraprastha University, New Delhi, says, “Well, I’m planning to wear some light shades of pink shirts or sky blue tees because pink is in, and blue makes me feel cool! As it is, the world cup fever is on as well, so ‘bleeding blue’ will be my mantra for kicking the starting stone for summers! It’s a good idea to equip your closet with a few casual t-shirts, as well as a few formal shirts. Ensure that the items are made out of light, breathable materials-such as cotton or linen. Also, wear shirts that flatter your skin tone. Crocs are my all time favourite summer slippers! Try clubbing your clothes with different colours of crocs! Team up suitably, and there you are, all set for a summer splash!”

Musharaf Hussain, graduating from St. Mary’s and Business Development Manager-e2labs, says, “When it comes to summer I only prefer light colours in clothing like white, cream, light blue, dusty brown in cotton or linen which also give you a elegant and royal look and shades are always on when I’m out. When it comes to a haircut, I would suggest it to be short and spikey rather than long hair. Footwear in leather would be irritating and uncomfortable, so it is better to go with converse, or anything which protects your feet from the heat and is comfortable at the same time.”

Go Casual. Credits : Akram Hussain

Many colleges have restrictions when it comes to clothing. So here are opinions of some college students as to what they plan to wear this summer.

Safa Faheem, a student of Shadan College, says, “Summer reminds me that I desperately need to shop! Come summers, white is the way to go! Layered stuff, colours, scarves, stoles, shoes, canvases, tight clothes and leather items, all need to be ditched this season! I’m going to go for colours that are soothing and cooling, like yellow and light blue. Flip flops are in and very comfortable. Accessories should be limited, but goggles are highly important, can’t do without them in summer! Metallic shades and smokey make up is a total no. Shorts, capris, sleeveless and even micro sleeved tops are good but make sure what you’re wearing is loose and airy. Button down shirts are my personal favourite.”

White is the way to go, soft and cool! Credits : Blending Words

Harsha Khandelwal, a student of St. Francis College for Women, says, “Personally I like the colours white and orange, and they’re in too. A plain tee or a light coloured one on jeans teamed up with a traditional dupatta is very casual, yet cool.”
Mehreen Saman, a student of Sultan Ul Uloom College of Pharmacy, says, “I’ll go for casuals, wearing cool soothing colours like white, blue, and other light colours. If something Indian, I’ll go for cotton or linen.”

Gyandeep Kaur, pursuing BBA from Avalon Aviation says, “According to me, fashion not only makes a woman look trendy, but also improves her self confidence. I check out almost everywhere to get for the kind of stuff. Places like malls, exhibitions and of course at markets like Charminar, Sultanbazaar and Sindhi colony too because I don’t want to miss all the funky things out there!”

Nasra Fatima, a student of Sultan Ul Uloom College of Pharmacy, says, “Well at least at the college I go to, most girls dress casual. I would just think simple and casual with a touch of classy, maybe a cute white flowy top and some sandals or maybe some cute flats.”

With so many new trends, and a little bit of creativity, one can make a style statement for sure this summer. So, open your wardrobe, or go shopping if you need to! Remember, some of the most stylish people around, are wearing some version of the same thing all the time. True style has nothing to do with clothes and everything to do with how you wear them.

Filling the application forms. Credits : La Fing

After a stressful school year, there is no doubt that as a high school student you need a break. However, riding the waves during the day and hanging out with your friends at night may seem like the perfect way to spend your vacation, but not when you may have to answer the following question on a college application: “Describe what you did this past summer and the summer before that.”

After completing school, there is always the anticipation of joining college and enjoying life with greater freedom. However admissions to colleges can be quite exasperating as one decides which colleges are right, the best courses to choose, as well as meeting the cut off percentage for different colleges. There are also many colleges in India that conduct admission tests, based on which students are short listed. Students from different streams have to prepare well in advance for getting admissions to the right colleges.

“It was as if all of us were waiting for that ultimate moment to formalize our admission. When our class 12 results were declared, thanks to technology, the marks were immediately made available on the internet, and we all started applying,” says, Akshat Runwal, a student from Bangalore.

Anxious moment - students checking their entrance results. Credits : La Fing

From finding time for test preparations to writing the college essay, from conjuring up a college list to crunching those big tuition figures, the admission process is fraught with big questions and anxiety for students and their parents. A student’s feelings throughout this crazy milestone have changed entirely so many times that it’s difficult to keep track of them all. Everything from stress, sadness, and frustration to excitement, joy, and, ultimately, acceptance is experienced by the student community.

Simran Jeet Kaur a student says, “In many colleges students are required to sit for an entrance test, particular for admissions to the honors degree courses. Shortlisted candidates are then called for a personal interview. While on the other hand, some colleges in India do not conduct any entrance test and select students on the basis of their class 12 marks, giving better chances to a few.” She further adds, “Different institutes have their own selection procedure for admissions to various courses. Students should collect the admission forms along with the prospectus of various colleges and submit them on time. There are special admission quotas available for Christian students in various catholic institutions. Colleges also reserve seats for students under the SC/ST category.”

As the trickle of decisions slowly becomes a flood over the next few weeks, it will become apparent that students who took the time to research colleges and determine which represented the best possible “fit” will realize the best results.
“The admission procedures that most colleges follow are on the basis of ‘first-come-first-served’. If a student meets the cut-off mark decided by the college for a particular subject, he is given provisional admission across the table. If he falls short, he is told to wait for a couple of days to check whether he can be accommodated after the quota seats are filled,” says Yash Jain, a student from Delhi Public School.

Prospectus. Credits : La Fing

Waiting in line is crucial to your college admission experience. It can teach you essential skills you need to survive college and beyond. The key is using your time productively while waiting in line. But in reality, college students could find more enjoyable ways of mastering endurance and patience than standing in long lines with their entire prospectus in hand. In addition to the wait itself, is the excruciating anticipation felt as you approach the front of the line submitting your application form.

“One of the things that surprise me is the randomness of student’s decisions about which college to attend. Students are influenced by parents, college choices of friends, national ranking, campus visits and finally their own perspectives,” says Mr. Raju, a counselor in Hyderabad.

Counseling. Credits : La Fing

As the college application process has become increasingly available through the Web, many companies are offering search engines that help students put together a list of colleges to consider.

In this age of social networking, a time where Myspace and Facebook are just as much a part of a person’s social sphere as their friends at school and around the neighborhood. Social networks provide a way for people to contact friends, family, classmates, post videos and photos, exchange news and ideas, blog, meet people and more. With regards to education, this provides a new way for students to familiarize themselves with colleges in more details. College requirements and recruitment information is posted on the internet at college sites and others as well. A number of colleges and universities now offer and require that applications and test scores be submitted online to simplify the application process.

Line Waiting. Credits : La Fing

Sambhav Munoth, a student applying for summer schools says, “Students reap the rewards of social networking by building relationships and networks. Students are able to share dreams and ideas with people who have similar expertise and pursuits and then develop and improve themselves. Different groups, organizations, and clubs exist within social network groups that bring together students from across the globe. Prospective students are able to make inquires and give tips to students facing college admissions.”

Yes, getting into your first pick college is important, but let’s keep it in perspective. Being accepted by your first choice college is certainly something to celebrate, but it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t work out exactly as you’d hoped.
“As my daughter finds colleges that she is interested in, I am doing my own research in order to learn about the college myself. With college admissions more competitive than ever before, it is my job to help her navigate through the process with a minimum of stress and find a college that is right for her,” says Saroj jain, parent of class 12 student.

After all the crazy time spend, running about, deciding which college to chose from the never ending list, selecting the course of your choice from the wide variety of courses that are available today, the worst is yet to come, now comes the time to prepare for your entrance exams. It’s the time of the year when every student is on a run, to get the best for his future and his life ahead.

It's time to concentrate - Exam Time. Credits : La Fing

It’s that time of the year when every student wants to get done with the burden, attend college and make sure that their name is not there in the shortage list. They wish to get their hall tickets and start preparing for their exams. People say, “Exams are a necessary evil”. They are ‘necessary’ since until now no other alternative method has been adopted universally and ‘Evil’ because most people shiver by the name.

Vidhi Jain, a second year student from Picasa College says, “Exams cannot reflect a person’s true knowledge or intellect but it will definitely make us confident about our own knowledge and help us retain concepts longer. They are meant to test not just a student’s calibre regarding a subject, but also his or her discipline interest and attention towards studies through the curriculum.” She further says, “Last moment studies can never reflect in cent percent results. Preparation beforehand would include listening to valuable lectures which are of great practical knowledge and attainment of useful information from other sources. Whereas last minute preparation will make the student mug up and hence the knowledge volatile.”

The long corridors buzzing with anxiety, students turning around pages to get a last glimpse of what they have missed studying. It’s the time when everyone wishes for the paper to be simple and to remember what they have read.

Simran Kaur, a second year student from St. Bedes College, Shimla says, “Even without a text book to do last-minute mugging from, the familiar exam-hall scene doesn’t disappoint. There are scores of people reading through some printouts and notes, trying desperately to grasp on to the subject – to get hold of something that sounds familiar, but often it’s of no use.”

Having to sit in a crowded room for two hours, surrounded by people who smell like they haven’t taken a shower since the semester started, and answering questions that you’ll forget the answers to as soon as you walk out the door (if you even knew them in the first place) is the worst. It’s not like in high school where you might have a test every week. Here in the big leagues, there are only about three tests a semester and your grade desperate depends on your performance, no pressure.

Group Studies - Do they work? Credits : La Fing

“We enter the exam hall. The Question Paper is sitting right in front of me. Everyone in the room is tensed, even more so because you don’t know anything. “You may begin” the TA announces, and I cautiously open the exam booklet. ‘Please let me understand the first question. Please let me at least know what the question means’ – I utter my silent prayer to myself,” says Bharat Jain, a second year student from Bhavans Vivekananda College.

Rounak Gupta, a final year student from St. Francis College for Women says, “Since I don’t want to leave the exam paper blank, I go to the extent of writing the questions back– I had to write SOMETHING – to help penetrate the marks. After the exam is over we all sit and discuss the paper. No one knows what’s going to come of it, but at the end of the day, it was fun.”

Students just can’t seem to keep their hands off of their cell phones. Of course, text messaging is the main culprit. After all, it’s hard to imagine that study material is more interesting than what friends have to say. It’s 3am, a rather important exam is alarming in less than seven hours, there is still half the syllabus to be read and yet for some reason, you find yourself clicking robotically through pictures of a classmate you have not spoken to since junior high. Yes, you have found yourself on the website that needs no introduction. You check your Facebook account. Does the reading even have a chance? After all, you could be tagging yourself in pictures from last week’s party, or taking a quiz, or checking up on that kid you had a crush in your eighth grade. So with so many fun ways to avoid your work, how can a student be expected to pay attention?

Facebook Addiction - A Distraction. Credits : La Fing

“I think students should be prepared for exams well in advance. When they try to cram too much information at the last minute it doesn’t work. Naturally, they will then seek distractions as their brains are being overloaded with information. The only solution is to plan ahead and have healthy breaks built in,” says Urmila Mahajan, Teacher, International School of Hyderabad.

Waiting-to-the-last-minute syndrome is the biggest problem that most college students have. Despite all the websites that dominate your internet history and meetings and parties that demand your attendance, it is of the utmost importance to spread your studying out. If you wait until the last minute to cram, you will severely stress yourself out, lose sleep, and be completely fed-up.

“In true sense an exam is just a revision of all that has been taught in six months or a year. But frankly speaking exams are the times when 90% of people actually open their books for the first time. Our education system is more theory than practical and therefore no matter how hard we mug up the study material for days all that prevails in mind while undertaking an exam is the material from intense study sessions done on a day before or previous night,” says Aditi Jain, a final year Architecture student from CSIIT. She further says, “Even then I feel exams are important as it is the only force which makes us sit down and study.”

The problem is that most of us have is that of procrastination. You start to put off studying so much that it’s the night before the big day and you pull an all-nighter to learn an entire month and a half’s worth of information.

Piling up of the books. Credits : La Fing

“For me exam time is just like a monkey. I hate them both. Both increase my blood pressure and anxiety. I am scared of both and I always wish I don’t encounter them but then…. firstly it’s India where you can’t get rid of monkeys and secondly I am a student so I can’t avoid the exam time,” says Vamika Darhel, a second year student from St. Bedes College, Shimla.

Exam Schedule
10:00 pm Denial
11:00 pm Freak out about your unwritten paper
12:00 am First paragraph finished, checking Facebook
1:00 am 10 minute power nap and then productivity
2:00 am Red Bull break
3:00 am Ask friends in the class how far along they are and then complain to one another
4:00 am Productivity
5:00 am Read old aim chat
6:00 am Save paper five times in a row
7:00 am Printer doesn’t work! Panic as the sunrises.

“The most hectic time in the life of any student is undoubtedly the time just before an exam. I like most of the students, in order to revise, get up early on the exam day itself. And before entering the exam hall there is a lot of rushing around and last-minute clearing of doubts. When the exam is finally over and done with however, everyone is relieved and relaxed,” says Nandita Mahajan, a final year student from St. Francis College for Women.

It can be tough to balance study time during this crazy month, but somehow we get through it. Whether it’s by spending hours at the library, forming study groups, or getting tutors, we all have our own ways of surviving this stressful month.

The Official MAD T-shirt. Pic credits: MAD

How many of us have seen kids put up their hands against our car windows or have experienced street kids touching our feet at signals, begging us to give them some money? Have you ever wondered if that kid would have been in your place and you in his/her place? We are fortunate to be reveling in the lives we are currently living.  At the same time, we should also realize our responsibility as members of this society and make a conscious effort to ‘Make A Difference’. “There are many youngsters out there who want to make a change in the lives of under-privileged kids but don’t know where to start. If we know where to start, then there is no motivation. If there is motivation, there is still a lack of right ideas and tools. ‘Make A Difference’ has not only provided us an opportunity to do the above but also to become a part of a social movement which unites us in our common goal towards a better future for the children of our country,” exclaims Divya Nawale, a MAD volunteer for almost 2 years now.

With a vision “to bridge the inequality in society through education”, a few college going students launched the first chapter of MAKE A DIFFERENCE, or more commonly known as MAD in the wonderful city of Cochin in 2006. “MAD is a youth organization that believes in educating children to bridge the gap in the way the poor and the rich learn. By educating children, we make them self-dependent, so that there is no need for them to depend on hand-downs or charity, “says Amogh Panje, a MADster (as the volunteers like to call themselves). MAD is currently operational in 10 cities across India – Cochin, Trivandrum, Chennai, Bangalore, Mangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur, Delhi. It has been 5 years and the organization has grown immensely. It has 17 chapters, 800-odd volunteers and is helping around 3000 children across the country. Their elementary objectives include providing the children with quality teachers, imparting skills that guarantee employability, introducing them to role models and organizing a very informal and comfortable interaction with them and lastly, holistic career awareness.

The volunteers having a session before the event at Lamakaan. Pic credits: MAD

With English being considered a global language and a fluency in both writing and speaking it being the criteria for most jobs in the market, it is mandatory to know English. Fatema, an English teacher volunteer speaks about the English Project, “We have a 2 hour class every week, where we teach the children English in the most innovative of ways. The classrooms are very unlike regular classrooms where a lot of personal interaction happens and special attention is paid to the psychology of the students.” Sai Madhurika, the English Project Head initially joined as a volunteer and has been with MAD for 3 years now. “We follow a curriculum set and approved by Cambridge University. It is a 5 year course and is internationally certified. We ensure that the quality of the classrooms is good and it is made sure that things are taught correctly and are also being perceived correctly.” Apart from the English Project, MAD has also launched a Placements Project and a Library Project. As part of the Placements Project, the children get a chance to meet professionals who are doing well in their fields and a personal interaction happens at the MAD camps. Children with extraordinary potential are paid special attention to and are assisted in getting in touch with the right people and procuring scholarships. Rupesh Jhasak, a Library Project volunteer has very recently joined MAD. “The Library Project involves setting up of a library for the kids in the orphanages and building in them the habit of reading, as the English Project doesn’t really undertake that part of language training,” he says.Another volunteer who recently joined MAD is Vyshali Sagar. She is just completed her 12^th and is a volunteer for both the HR and PR teams. “I was recruited in February. The best thing about MAD according to me is the help and support that is offered to children who have no parents and hence, nobody to guide them in the right direction in life. I feel really good to be a part of MAD,” she proclaimed.

Nikitha heard about MAD through a friend and felt that the organization would motivate her in the right way. Being a part of the HR team made her realize that a lot goes behind the proper functioning of all the projects that MAD has initiated, apart from the just the ground work.“The HR team is mainly responsible for the recruitments of new volunteers and it also deals with maintaining pleasant bonds among the volunteers. The volunteers form the basis of MAD and if they work hard and with enthusiasm, it is the kids who will benefit in the end, which is our motive. My main agenda this year would be to motivate the volunteers so that they stay with us for longer durations and strengthen the rapport their share with the kids,” Nikitha summarized about the HR team’s responsibilities.

The presenter at the awareness campaign. Pic credits : MAD

During the presentation. Pic credits : MAD

Even non – MADsters are huge fans of the work this organization does. Shweta Manohar, an IIPM student attended a few MAD events with her friends and she says that all the kids are just absolutely brilliant. She, particularly, recalls this one event where the girls from one of the orphanages MAD is associated with had given a dance performance. “The girls were so enthusiastic and keen that they picked up the entire routine is less than 45 minutes and performed with full vigor and smiling faces. The power went out 3-4 times during their performance, but they never lost their cool and danced zealously.” The volunteers put in a lot of effort and time into the entire process. “A few of the volunteers are my good friends and I see them working so hard to get everything done on time. I have seen them working all night long on projects. Their dedication towards the organization and the kids is really inspiring,” proudly exclaims Suhasini John, a graduate from St.Francis College, Begumpet.

Michelle Obama’s favorite Indian NGO is having recruitments on Sunday, May 8^th 2011 at Manthan International School,Madhapur. They recently had an awareness campaign at Lamakaan, Banjara Hills where they briefed the audience about the organization and inspired a lot of them to sign up for the recruitments. If you too are interested to be a part of this wonderful organization, please register yourself on their website www.makeadiff.in and you will be contacted by them soon.

Funky Fun with Friends. Credits : La Fing

Remember your first day in college? Your first day in college was a long awaited one since you were a child you wanted to be there. But it was difficult to adjust in college for a few days, new place, and new faces. You were not aware of anything that was going on there, a new environment wherein you had to adjust.

Poonam Jain, a final year student from St. Francis College for Women, says, “Every day was a new day, a new learning. This place has transformed me and helped me grow as an individual. It just doesn’t seem like an end, seems like it had just started. By the time we learnt the way of living here, we realize, it’s time, it came to an end!”

College has finally come to an end, and we’ve accumulate quite a bit over the past three years. While we can take some of it along with us, much of it no longer serves a purpose, but will still remain in our memories forever.

The place we always wanted to be - Cafeteria. Credits : La Fing

“College days were the best days. When we used to think with school days getting over, fun also came to an end, but it wasn’t like that. These were the days where I enjoyed, studied, did a lot of masti and got a little serious towards life. Already was missing my school days. It’s been a year since I completed my graduation and I miss my college days in all the ways,” says Sambhav Munoth a graduate from Bhavans Vivekanada College who’s currently working.

Deepshika Joshi, a graduate from Bhavans Vivekananda College and is currently working, adds, “Coming to college was supposed to endless freedom, hardly any studies, and loads of friends but after joining college I realized it also meant the number of bunks, making sure that our parents did not receive the shortage of attendance letters, and so on. Now, that we have started working, it’s not surprising that we miss the college days when the most difficult thing was to come up with innovative illness ideas and meeting the attendance cut offs.”

There are a few things that we all should do and most of us must have done before we leave college. After all the midterm madness, the long classroom hours, those never ending lectures it’s time for some fun.

“For me, college days will be amongst the most memorable moments of my life, the times when I bunked classes, went out with friends, gave proxy attendance for friends, troubled people and above all enjoyed to the fullest,” says Samia Zahoor, a first year student from Sultan Ul-Uloom College of Pharmacy.

Memories to be treasured. Credits : Poonam Jain

College is a place where everybody has their share of experiences – some are serious, some are fun and then those others. College is the perfect place to meet new friends and learn new skills. A place to build a strong network making networks more valuable than degrees.

“College was the place where people from around the city who were once unknown to me became my great friends,” says Ankith kothari from MNM Jain Engineering College, Chennai. He further says, “Then one fine day all of this came to an end, I had mixed feelings, happy that I had successfully completed my four years of engineering and sad that most of us will be scattered away with no certainty whether we will meet up again. The last day in college started off great with all of us as usual mocking at each other, clicking pictures, howling and whistling. It was when our class advisor came and spoke about her journey mentoring us. That is when all of us got emotional. We thanked our advisor and our fellow mates who were with us for the last four years. I just feel it is not the end but the beginning of a new journey, a new era, for which we have been trained right from our kindergarten till the end of our college. ”

From giving people nicknames, to running to catch the last benches to avoid the lecture, from those never-ending project reviews and submissions to the long awaited campus interviews. From bunking every chance you get to getting notes photocopied in the end, from sitting in the parking area with friends, to going on long drives. From not missing a single chance to visit the canteen, to stay away from the subject departments, from bunking all the boring classes to giving proxies. From cultural rehearsals to classroom practices, short term crushes to classroom blushes. A place where we had it all.

Bidding Adieu. Credits : Anusha

“It was a different morning, on the last working day of my college, because the thought of getting up for college brought a smile on my face. The bike ride to college was simply special, because it was probably my last bike ride with my best friend Ankit as a student. Seeing my friends getting emotional and cry as it was our last working day, made me laugh but down in my heart, even I felt the pain. I had an extra smile and watery eyes when we took pictures. Good byes, hugs with all my close ones felt like receiving salvation.” Says Anuj Bardia, from MNM Jain Engineering College, Chennai. He adds, “I am sure texting would never be so entertaining during work, the way it was during classes, bunking office could never make me as happy as when I bunked college, jumping the college wall. Yes, I’m happy that I am an engineer now but sad that I am not a student anymore. I will miss my college, my friends, and my college life. In future, the engineer I have become might not rock, but the making of the engineer will truly rock. Cheers guys!”

Before you leave to make it big in the real world, don’t forget those who helped you reach this point. Take the time to thank those professors who found the time to make a difference in your college career. Visit that department one last time or write a thank-you note to the teacher, and let them know that you appreciated it. Show them that you care; it will go a long way.

Sonia Chimnani, a final year student from Bhavans Vivekananda College says, “When we were in first year, we wanted to be in final year. Now in final year, we all want to be in the same first year again. Life is strange! Finally it’s time to say goodbye. It couldn’t have ended any better. Still I wish it never had to end. I’m really gona miss these days. I’m going to miss my college days!”

Thank You Teachers. Credits : Poonam Jain

As you bid adieu to your Alma matter, you leave with moist eyes and a heavy heart that does not want to part! Memories of the past three years spent in shall hold close to your hearts till you breathe your last!

Priyanka Rathore a final year student from St. Francis College for Women says, “Finally the day which I had feared the most had arrived – last day of my college life. The biggest fear in my mind was that my life was about to change and I was not sure whether I will be able to cope with it. I was apprehensive that will my friends and will I be the same again as we were in college. Will we ‘gup-shup’ the same again in future. We all will lead different paths and I wonder whether our paths will cross again at some point in future. Even if our paths cross, will we be able to do the same masti as we did in college. I have to accept that there will only be memories.”

A message to fellow youngsters:-

Youth is the time for limitless challenges;
Nevertheless, it’s the time to discover your innate potential;
Dive into your struggle headlong;
And emerge victorious in each endeavor;
Embracing the don of endurance;
Become the suns of your families, workplace and the society!

A Sweet Smile for his fans. Credits : Illuminous Scorp

Anybody would be intimidated in the presence of the MTV Roadies’ founder Raghu Ram and his twin brother Rajiv. Anybody, except Rannvijay Singh. “I was never intimidated by them. Not even in the first season, when I was just a Roadie,” he says. He is a commerce graduate from Hansraj College, University of Delhi, and a pakka Punjabi. Confident, adventurous, good sense of humor and good looks, what more can a girl ask for. Illuminous Scorp caught up with him on his latest visit to Hyderabad and got him to answer a few questions, to which, all of us are eager to know the answers.

Coming from an army background, how did you decide to go for something like Roadies?

Since I was young, I wanted to go to the army. The plan was to complete my graduation from Hansraj and then, join the army. I had two months of free time during which the first Roadies was happening. So, I thought that once I go to the army, I’ll have a bike as I had already assumed that I’m going to win. I wouldn’t have to spend money on buying a bike and I could be a cool bachelor. That is why I went for Roadies and I saw life outside the army for the first time. It was a pretty good experience because I got a chance to do what I wanted to do in my life, like all the outdoor activities and the adventurous stuff. I decided to give it a shot. When I went back home after Roadies 1, I had 7 days to join the army. Discussions went on for the entire week with my parents and I decided not to join the Academy. I was going to give myself a year and if nothing happened, I would join the Academy.

From all the seasons of Roadies, who is your favorite?

I don’t have a favorite Roadie, especially in the current season. I am not biased or partial towards anybody. I don’t really care who wins but I just hope that the most deserving person wins. According to me, Suchit, Mohit and Anamika from the present season have the right attitude towards doing the tasks. In Season 3, there was a guy called Vinod Rawat. He is my favorite Roadie ever. Ayushmaan, Bani and Rishabh have done a good job too.

You have transitioned from being a Roadie to VJing to acting. Which of these is the toughest and which one do you see yourself doing for the longest in your life?

On MTV, when I host the show, I am pretty much myself but that is just one side of me. Behind the scenes, I am different. I am funny and a very normal person. In front of the camera, I have to be more authoritative and to the point, but that is still me. I don’t play the role of VJ Rannvijay, whereas in movies, I act. VJing could be termed as a short-term career. Acting is something that I can do forever. Even if I would be in the army, I would still watch a lot of movies. I am a movie buff. I am lucky to have gotten the opportunity to work in movies. The transition from VJing to acting was the best thing to do then.

Rannvijay interacting with his fans. Credits : Illuminous Scorp

We know that you do not smoke. You are very keen about that. What if your role in a movie requires you to smoke?

Then I will. I am very true to what I do. In my movie ‘Ekant’, the team had a very difficult time because my character in the movie has to smoke. When you see the movie, you’ll say “Bechaara!! He doesn’t know how to smoke.”

Suppose you get an opportunity to work in a Steven Spielberg movie and the shooting schedule clashes with that of Roadies. Which one will you choose?

Roadies will move for me. They cannot make Roadies without me. If MTV knows that I am in a Steven Spielberg movie, they will move Roadies by 3, 4, 5 months.

Why have you only done negative roles in movies up until now?

I was getting a lot of biker, stud-type, adventure-lover type of roles. I took up the negative role in ‘London Dreams’ because I had a plan. I know I am not such a good actor so I thought why not concentrate on the other aspect involved in working in a movie. I had planned to be on time every day of the shoot and be an easy and comfortable person to work with. I had planned to impress the director and the production house through my behavior. And, my plan worked. Vipul asked me to be a part of ‘Action Replayy’.

What do you have in store for us in the near future?

There’s another 3-4 months of Roadies 8. I am hosting StuntMania and I will also be doing stunts in each episode. I have a movie with Tandav Films and then there is also ‘Ekant’ with Mahesh Manjrekar. I have also done a Punjabi movie called ‘Dharti’, which is going to release on the 22nd April.

Signing Autographs. Credits : Illuminous Scorp

Moving on from the Roadie Rannvijay and VJ Rannvijay to just Rannvijay. Were you scared of your dad as a kid?

Yes, obviously. He is in the army yaar.

What about now?

Naah..!! I am not scared of him now. I am not scared of anything actually.

Your passion for bikes is immense. How did it start?

I don’t remember how it started. I just remember that when I was really young, I wanted to join the army as the guy who takes the files from one place to another on a bike. We call him the ‘DR Bhaiya’. I told my dad, “that is what I want to do.” So, that was my love for bikes and because of that I became a Roadie.

Have you ever been in love?

Yes, and out of it too.

Who would your dream date be with?

Jessica Alba.

And why?

Because she is beautiful. Though she is married, but that is not going to stop me. She seems to have got the perfect balance of somebody with whom you can have a great time on a date and somebody you can take home.

A few quickies to end this wonderful interview….

Favorite holiday destination – In India, it’ll be Leh.

Favorite food – It depends on where I am. If I am in south India, then its South Indian food. In Italy, its pizzas and pastas. If given a choice, I would like to be at home and eat whatever my mom cooks like Rajma, Chawal and Dahi.

Pierced tongue or chin – Pierced tongue.

Stubble or Clean shaven – 100% stubble for me. Clean shaven, nobody takes you seriously.

Brazilian wax or Butt-smacking – Brazilian anything.

Raghu or Rajiv – Wow! Is there a difference? How would you know? (laughs) Raghu.

An achiever by all means, Rannvijay Singh is a youth icon. Aarti Attal, a final year B.Sc Biotechnology student at St. Francis College for Women, says, “He is an inspiration to the youth because of his chilled out attitude towards life.” Her classmate Sneha Deshpande has a different opinion. “Rannvijay’s first job was as a construction worker in the States. The hard work which he put in to get till here makes him a youth icon.”

Aamer Siddiqui, a young entrepreneur and the founder of RedMalin, an event organizing company, has had the opportunity of meeting RV. “From what I have observed after meeting him, he knows what he is worth and youngsters admire him. Success didn’t come easily to him. He has put in a lot of effort to get to where he is now. He is an extremely down-to-earth person and people love him more because of that,” he says. Ravleen Khera, a C.A. student has gauged RV’s personality and come to a similar conclusion. She says, “He is super talented, well-aware, smart and most importantly humble. I think his charm sets him apart from the rest. He began his journey as a contestant on a reality show and now is an integral part of the channel itself. This speaks volumes about his caliber. Plus, I don’t think he has ever been in the news for any wrong reason. He, definitely, comes across as someone who is as real as anybody can possibly get and his realness makes him a youth icon.”

During the interview. Credits : Illuminous Scorp

There are youngsters who don’t consider him a youth icon too, but nevertheless appreciate some of his qualities. “I do not consider him a youth icon, but i really admire his spontaneity,” says Saher Taj, a final year MBBS student at Deccan College of Medical Sciences. Snigdha Bawa, final year B.Tech student at JNTU doesn’t consider Rannvijay a youth icon too. She says, “I find him really, really good looking, but that’s about it.”

Aashish Jain, a second year B.com student at Sri Chaitanya Degree College considers RV a youth icon because of, “ the success he has earned, and for guys like me, his passion for bikes  makes him an inspiration.” Apart from his bike-passion, guys also find him to be really good-natured. “The way he interacts with the crowd and his down-to-earth nature makes him a youth icon. I also like his attitude towards life and his sense of humor,” says Mohd.Sohail Ghori, a production engineering student at Muffakam Jah College of Engineering and Technology. His best friend Muhammed Adil, a B.Tech student from Nizam Institute of Engineering and Technology, agrees with Sohail, “I love his sense of humour too. He comes from an army background and isn’t scared of anybody. I admire that about him.” Their friend Syed Anwar, an MBA student at Amjad Ali Khan College thinks otherwise. “He is not my icon. I just like his style of dressing,” he says.

All in all, everybody is entitled to their own opinion but nobody dislikes our favourite VJ. There is atleast one quality in him that people appreciate or admire.

World Cup Mania. Credits : La Fing

Time will come to a still. Everyone’s looking anxious, excited and a little nervous praying for a win. It’s March 30th and the time 2.30 p.m. The stadium is full with thousands screaming, screens turned on buzzing with commercials, radios tuned in not to miss a single second of the event. Everything is ready, everyone has taken their positions and places to witness what has always been not only a game, because when it’s India and Pakistan playing on the field it’s more than just a game.

“In 1992 a young man named Sachin Tendulkar produced a good all round performance to help India beat Pakistan, he was just a man then. In 1996 Ajay Jadeja smashed Waqar Younis all over the park and Venkatesh Prasad bowled Aamir Sohail with an absolute beauty after he hit for a boundary and taunted the bowler. 1999 was clouded by the darkness of match fixing but India beat a very strong Pakistan team led by Wasim Akram. In 2003 Sachin ceased to be mortal and was rightly defied and became God, what an innings! The 96 and 03 World Cups provided me with the happiest moments of my entire life,” says Mr. Pranay Rupani, Lectured, St. Francis College for Women. “And yes, India and Pakistan in a World Cup game is always the biggest game ever. Though it is just a game but it is larger than life,” he adds.

Zainab Rangoonwala, a final year student from St. Francis College for Women says, “India – Pakistan cricket matches are always exciting to watch due to immense pressure on both sides. The nations’ anticipation and energy levels reach their peak heights. This match is going to be even more special since both the teams had performed miserably in the last World Cup and now have the chance to redeem them by entering the final. I am going to be tuned into the match right from the toss to the last ball so as to enjoy every moment.”

World Cup 2011 - The Cup That Counts. Credits : La Fing

It’s Men in Blue vs the Green Army both geared up with their helmets and faces smeared, pads put on and their shoelaces tied and now it’s Showtime. “India vs Pakistan World Cup Semi Finals at home soil, it can’t get better than this. It’s an absolute feast for Indian cricket fans. This semi final match is the ‘mother of all matches’. It doesn’t matter to me if India wins the world cup or not but beating Pakistan is a must and we’ve got to be the best and to be the best, we got to beat the rest. One down two to go. Can’t wait for this epic encounter. Come on India, let’s smoke up the Pakistanis,” says an excited Bharat Jain, a second year student from Bhavans Vivekenda College.

What better way to raise the curtains for this mega event than bring two of the cricketing world’s greatest enemies to play the semi finals. On this Day of the world cup, two of the most talented teams in Cricket will unleash their rivalry in the Cricket World. It’s time for the big one now. Simran Jeet Kaur, a second year student from St. Bedes College, Shimla says, “This semi final is just not about any other match, it’s about two deadily egos clashing with each other. It’s a war in skin of bat and ball. For both countries it’s a do or die situation, it’s about craziness, it’s about beating, it’s about sitting on the edge and praying. The final doesn’t matter as much as it matters to India to beat Pakistan.”

“The two strong sub continental teams battling each other down and it cannot get better than this. It’s all about sweat chase and catches, victory in a battlefield called the cricket stadium,” says Punnet Singh, a student of St. Edwards, Shimla.

The Biggest Battle in Cricket will take place on March 30, 2011 as India will meet Pakistan at Mohali. Both countries will play against each other. People from both countries were waiting for this moment since a long time. India beat World Cup holders Australia by five wickets in Ahmedabad to set up a semi-final against Pakistan. “Though India vs Australia was the most crucial and important one but this is going to be the most exciting and interesting match. Pressure towards both the teams is equal from all around,” says Rounak Gupta, a final year student from St. Francis College for Women.

Pakistan annihilated West Indies by 10 wickets in the first knock-out match at Mirpur to secure a World Cup semi-final against India. This is the big match as the two heavyweights of world cricket, India and Pakistan will collide in the semi finals of World Cup 2011 on March 30.

It's time to gear up - Practice Session. Credits : La Fing

Everyone's waiting for the Presentation Ceremony. Credits : La Fing

Everyone's waiting for the fireworks! Credits : La Fing

“It is going to be one of the best matches ever and we will repeat the history again. It is time to check what exactly our Indian Team is capable of doing. We are all set to take down the biggest rivals. And if we do so then this will be our dream world cup. By removing Aussies and then Pakistanis we will be all ready to take the cup in our hands,” says Akshat Runwal, who has recently completed his Class 12 from D.P.S. Bangalore.

In this prevailing context, cricket assumes a much larger significance than it should. A loss at the hands of the other will be considered nothing less than national failure. “Cricket matches are followed very religiously in India. And when the match is an ICC World Cup semi final between India and Pakistan, words fall short to define the frenzy. India has to win the match. Period,” says Shruti Singhal, a final year student from St. Francis College for Women.

A successful team and successful players could expect to be given hero status for months after the victory. Thus both the teams are under tremendous pressure to perform well and win. With both teams trying their level best, the match often became very exciting. “We are lucky that the match is in Punjab, the border is near, after the victory we will bid the Pakistanis the Farwell in rickshaw, they’ll reach home without any hassles,” teases Bhavneet Kaur, a graduate from Chandigarh and currently working.

“The match should set a friendly impact on both the neighboring countries. The spirit of the game wins in the end and I hope that the match provides a bridge for friendship between both the nations. We all pray for peace,” observes Siddanti Bodhu, a second year student from St. Francis College for Women.

Go India! Credits : La Fing

Match after match, India and Pakistan are getting prepared and gearing up for this big stage performance. Dhiren Haria, a final year student from St. Joseph Degree College says, “The most awaited match is here. We all are excited and looking forward to the match. No doubt it will be a thrilling match and everyone has a reason to pray. We owe this cup to Sachin. GO INDIA!”

They have fueled the fires with talent and practice, and now, only the explosion remains. If you follow cricket even a little bit, then do not dare miss this match as the rivalry between two of the biggest foes in cricket at the shall be renewed.

Sultan Ul-Uloom College for Pharmacy. Credits : Blending Words

“Hey, which college are you from?” Now, isn’t this one of the questions asked when you meet someone?

Well, as it is pretty obvious, your college is very important. For some people, it even becomes a matter of prestige! But college days are perhaps the most vital days in a student’s life; a phase that helps in shaping a student’s personality and career. College is definitely a big step for any person. It’s surprising how we get accustomed to it. Waiting becomes a habit.. in lines, at the library, at the canteen… But something you don’t really hate. Making new friends is no longer a difficulty, as long as mutual respect exists. Two of the most important things that occur to one’s mind when we talk about college life are ragging and bunking, classes obviously being last!

Though ragging is now thankfully a punishable offence, a little bit of interaction with seniors, or ‘breaking the ice‘ is not harmful. In fact, it turns out to be very helpful in the long run. Seniors first appear as devils with horns and pointed tails, but once you get along, they can be amongst the most friendly people around. Checking out people around us, making new friends is just the beginning. Then starts the real fun! From attending classes to eating in the college canteen, there’s always something stupid yet memorable that happens, which you realise years after college days are over. Priya Kothari, a first year student of Microbiology from St. Francis College for Women, says, “These are the days we can get our childish nature back, and when we recollect these days in our old age, they are amongst the most cherishable moments.”

There are so many things happening, even in just a day, that you get the thought of making a scrap book of memories!

The very famous greenery at SUCP as mentioned by Masroor Nishath. Credits : Blending Words

Masroor Nishath, a final year student at Sultan Ul-Uloom College of Pharmacy, says, “SUCP is quite popular for its peaceful surroundings. Especially, during the mornings, students of the college say that the soothing view of the abundant trees and the chilly breeze makes them feel enthusiastic and this is the driving force behind them going to college everyday. As the saying goes, ‘All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy’, one has to also consider the fact that, though studies lay a foundation to one’s future, having fun also is very essential in a student’s life. And when the college you belong to is SUCP, the first thing that comes into mind is the amazing canteen located just a few steps away from the entrance of the college. The canteens are not only the perfect hide-out for the students but also a place where one can find delicious food items like the famous ‘veg-manchuria’, ‘chicken 65′, ‘chicken burger’ and so on. The ‘college lawn’ has been an all time favourite place for students to chill out after the regular lectures. Bunking has always been on my schedule ever since I was a junior and when you are in a group, the place doesn’t matter at all, we anyway have fun. Bunking the college doesn’t only mean having fun with friends, one can also spend time with seniors. All the latest gossips, trends and everything else that makes a student’s life interesting play an important role in boosting up one’s confidence level and eventually helps in developing a positive attitude towards college life.”

Once you join college, you’ll be as busy as you’ve ever been. But on the other hand, you get equally spare time. There’s always a lot to be done; from practicals to lab records, from journals to projects, and from taking notes to sitting in the library and studying from those big fat textbooks! Everything seems like a huge load on your back but you get adjusted within a semester.

Ubaid Ahmed Khan, a student at the University of Nottingham, Malaysia, says, “Life in college is way tougher than high school to be honest. I believe one’s actual character is seen in this life-testing phase. It will just show how determined you can stand on your objectives and how easily you can deviate away from it. You have to manage your budget, take care and guide yourself (both physically and mentally), motivate yourself and lastly excel academically. I’m not trying to scare my juniors but only advicing them to be prepared for a tough life where every decision is your own and the outcome will show your success or failure in this stage of life.”

Even social life undergoes changes once you get into college. Friends, hanging out, partying, group studying, there’s something different about it. No matter which college you go to, there’s always a heap of activities to do. The oppurtinities at college are tremendous; no matter how big or small, but there’s something or the other good about each of them. Be it a fest, or a sports week, there’s enjoyment at some point of time in the academic year, whether you are a medical, engineering, or even a graduation student.

Too much to study?! Welcome to college! Credits : Blending Words

Classrooms: Learning, Fun, Boring, Interesting. Credits : Blending Words

Pharmacy freshers learning how to check blood pressure. This is just the beginning. Credits : Blending Words

College fests are always fun. This is where one’s leadership and management skills are tested. Apart from that, fests also mean innovation, interaction, and a lot of socialising! These fests also provide platforms for students who want to get their talent recognised..be it singing, dancing, acting, painting; just about anything! There are sports weeks too. Football, basketball, cricket, throwball, volleyball, badminton, tennis, chess, carroms, table tennis..there’s a long list of outdoor and indoor games played by both boys and girls. All the excitement, cheering is worth all the effort put in. To participate, you don’t even have to be a pro at it, because having fun matters more than winning.

Syed Jaffer Ali, a third year student of Sultan Ul-Uloom College of Pharmacy, says “Sports week at SUCP is the best time of the year when the actual essence of college life is established. It is a source of interaction between the seniors and juniors away from the exalted definition of ragging in present day colleges. An equal platform for both the valedictorians and the average students is established to perform and excel. The concept of ‘fun’ too gets a better meaning and appreciation. I feel every college should have a similar annual event.”

Mohammed Adeemul Khader, a third year Computer Science Engineering student from Muffakham Jah College of Engineering and Technology, says, “College life teaches a person about friendship, about respect, and least but not least, about being yourself. A person realizes his power of responsibility in a society, his innumerable talents which help him grow and strive for the best in life.”

Players practicing for a cricket match at UCSI. Credits : Mubassir Shah

Mubassir Shah, an Electrical Engineering student from UCSI University, Malaysia, says, “College is like a fountain of knowledge, and the students are there to drink! The first two years of college are vocabulary lessons. The next two years are spent learning who to ask and where to look it up.”

Truly, college days are memorable for everyone. Once this phases passes by, you’ll miss the freedom you had and the oppurtunities that came to you. Those friends, being with them all day long, having fun, getting into trouble, facing challenges, overcoming hurdles, celebrating, and moreover that feeling of satisfaction at the end of it is truly amazing. Leaving college isn’t the end of the episode, the experience gained goes a long way in paving way for a successful life. Remember, after one chapter in your book of life, the best is yet to come!

Lays Flavour World Cup....one of the many gimmicks for the Men's World Cup. Credits: Ivory Tower

Every March 8th the world celebrates International Women’s Day. One calendar day set aside exclusively to celebrate the women in our life. On this day the nagging mother, the moody girlfriend, the bossy older sister and the whiny younger one are all recognized for the goddesses they truly are. Also during this time of year is the Cricket World Cup, held every four years; about two months of testosterone-high extravaganza for sports-buffs and marketers alike. India’s enthusiastic (some maniacally so) fans paint themselves, build temples and do poojas all in the name of their “Men in Blue.” The marketers, meanwhile, find themselves with easy prey. They pander to their customers’ sudden love for Mother India with slogans like “One billion hearts, one wish” and find their bank accounts going greener and greener.

International Woman’s Day and World Cricket Cup. You might be wondering about the relation between the two. Well, put them together and you get the “Women in Blue”! For those who are still confused ask yourself this question: “While the male cricketers of India enjoy demi-god status what about their female counterparts?”

An untapped market…
Indian cricket fans can’t get enough of cricket. It shows, too. The Indian cricket team may not be the best in the world but its captain is the highest paid cricketer in the world. The new T-20 format and the IPL Tournament, all seem like gimmicks to attract more and more viewers. Day by day cricket seems to be dictated by the audience than by the essence of the game itself. Considering all this, the woman’s cricket seems like a large untapped market with huge potential. After all if India is earning crores from the IPL tournament with its Bollywood glamour and firangi cheerleaders, why not the same with the women? Wouldn’t two tournaments of similar magnitude mean double the profits? Yet the whole country seems largely indifferent to the women’s cricket team. In fact the male cricket team gets more media coverage for a loss than the women do for a big win. Why?

Are women meant to be only an audience? Credits: Ivory Tower

Not good enough??
Shiva Tadishetty, second year student of Tirumala Engineering. College (TEC) puts it simply: “Because the Indian women’s team isn’t good enough.”

Not really. In fact the women’s team is pretty good. Granted that they aren’t exactly the world champions right now but they’ve had their share of achievements. They’ve won the Asian Cup five times so far, every single time it’s ever been held! Their performance at the World Cup has been, if nothing else, consistent and in 2005 they finished as the runner-up in the tournament. If it’s not bad performances that’s keeping the women in near-obscurity, then what is it?

In Search of an Adrenaline Rush
“What’s there to see? It’s not exciting,” says Nerella Sunil, a second year TEC student) when asked if he’s ever seen a women’s cricket match. “I remember watching a match between the Indian women and Australia. Had it been the men’s match I could have watched it all night but the women’s match was just so boring. I think India won that match but I didn’t really care,” he says. He isn’t completely wrong.

Prizes and world ranks not withstanding, the women’s cricket often comes across as amateur when compare to men’s. The highest ODI innings total by India (men) is 414 runs (against Sri Lanka on 15th December 2009) whereas the women haven’t so far managed to even cross the 300 landmark yet (their highest total being 298 against West Indies in 2005).

“The runs aren’t piled up as fast, the shots don’t go that far and the fielding doesn’t measure up to the standards of the men,” says Sunil. This leads to another question. Is biology the reason behind the women’s cricket lack of popularity? Are women just not made for cricket? However if that was true then what about other sports like tennis, badminton? All of these sports require high fitness and endurance levels and yet women receive their share of limelight. Where are the “Serena Williams” or “Saina Nehwals” of cricket? The reason behind this could be funds. The female cricket team doesn’t have access to many resources. It seems like what the team needs is some “Chak de! style Shah Rukh Khan.”

Training and Funds
Before we talk corruption and stereotypical issues, both of which might apply, let’s explore other reasons as to why the government would be unwilling to invest in a women’s cricket team. “There aren’t any big stars to invest in or hire as brand ambassadors in women’s cricket team,” says M. Prithvi of Tirumala Engineering College, “…besides no really cares about women’s cricket.” True. Not even the girls.

Pramodhini, a fourth year student of Sree Nidhi Institute of Technology and Sciences (SNIST) is a self- confessed cricket buff who can’t bear to miss a match India is playing without at least regular score updates. However, she admits to not being as interested in the women’s team. “I rarely watch women’s matches, almost never. I think I’ve just watched one match so far. A long time ago…don’t really remember it.” Being such a die-hard cricket fan doesn’t she ever feel like playing the game herself? ”Well, my family never really let me,” she says a little sheepishly. Bingo.

At a coaching camp in Marredpally. How many camps offer classes for girls? Credits: Ivory Tower

Truly a gentleman’s game
M. Sirisha of SNIST shares the same sentiment as Pramodhini. Despite a huge interest in cricket she’s almost never played it herself. “I’ve played some other sports before though. When I was in America I played basketball, swam regularly and even played a little tennis,” she says. Why did athletics take a backseat when she returned to India? “Well over there you’re expected to be active in sports. Athletics is another class just like Math and Science and almost equally important. Here, girls are expected not to take part in sports. Even in sports periods we just sit inside. The boys don’t really give us a chance to play cricket. They are always hogging the equipment themselves,” she smiles, “but,” she admits, “even if we got a chance to play it would feel weird.”

After a hard day's practice. Credits: Ivory Tower

At a time when the girls compete with the boys equally on almost all domains like academics and jobs why not sports? Although it’s not uncommon to see boys lugging huge kits to cricket coaching grounds early in the morning and even less uncommon to see a game of gully cricket in full flow after school hours, you don’t very often see a girl wielding a bat. The issue really boils to the question: are girls just the spectators of this “gentleman’s game”? That’s a question that the girls have to answer themselves.

“Girls need to self-motivate themselves and the parents too should encourage them,” says Sayee Bhargavi, a recently passed-out student of Osmania University, who would have enjoyed pursuing a game like football when she was younger.

Society’s perception plays a big role in influencing most girls’ decision to take up a sport like cricket. It’s up to the woman to stand up and decide to play. Who knows? They might just be a female Tendulkar or Gavaskar hidden in India’s girls. All it takes is a little “flower power” to uncover them. Doubtful? Very. Impossible? Nope.

Adding Colours to Life. Credits: La Fing

With the commencing of spring comes the festival of colors. It’s time to paint the country again, with ‘gulal’ and ‘aabir’. A festival that brings about abundance of love and life, music and dance, play and fun all mixed together in the beautiful bright colors. A fun filled boisterous festival that brings everyone together and creates a reason to celebrate.

A spring festival of fertility and harvest, it glorifies good harvest and fertility of land. The new crop refills the stores in every household and perhaps such abundance accounts for the riotous cheerfulness during ‘Holi’. This also explains the other names of this celebration – ‘Vasant Mahotsava’ and ‘Kama Mahotsava’.

Like all Indian and Hindu festivals, ‘Holi’ is inextricably linked to mythical tales. There are at least three legends that are directly associated with the festival of colors: the Holika-Hiranyakashipu-Prahlad episode, Lord Shiva’s killing of Kamadeva, and the story of the ogress Dhundhi.

Sonia Chimnani a final year student from Bhavans Vivekenda College says, “It is probably the least religious of Hindu festivals. During ‘Holi’, Hindus attend a public bonfire, spray friends and family with colored powders and water, and generally go a bit wild in the streets.”

During the evening of the full moon, bonfires are lit in the streets. These bonfires not only purify the air of evil spirits, but mark the story of Holika and Prahalad. The next day, people of all ages go into the streets for jollifications and paint-throwing. Everyone seems to be excited to have fun with their friends and loved ones. As ‘Holi’ usually comes around the same time as high school and college final exams, it is surprising to see that even examinations don’t seem to dampen the spirit of ‘Holi’ among the youth.

Holi Hai! Credits: La Fing

“We gathered at our friend’s house, and we had the usual color fight, and such. A few years before, we did a non-traditional celebration, and used water balloons, water guns, tomatoes and eggs along with mud. The whole group then savored on homemade sweets. Kya Maza Tha!” says Hitesh R. Raju a graduate from Christ University, Bangalore.

Draped in white, people throng the streets in large numbers and smear each other with bright hued powders and squirt colored water on one another through ‘pichkaris’, screaming gleefully. Buckets and barrels of strongly colored water and water balloons are filled to greet friends and neighbors. There is exchange of greetings; a lot of people spend the day alternating between getting drenched and colored, and consuming ‘thandai’. Singing and dancing and all join in the frenzied dance to the rhythm of the drums.

“The normally forbidden consumption of alcohol and ‘bhang’ is tolerated and used widely to help shed inhibitions and fuel the rowdy atmosphere. This celebration of life is bizarre and chaotic. While some love celebrating it, I abhor it for the dirt that is often slung in the name of colors of joy.” Says Priya Singh, a second year engineering student, from, MLR Institute of Technology.

Bura na Mano Holi Hai Credits: La Fing

“A day where we can leisurely take our bath:-P. It’s the day where I forget my daily routine and tensions. I love the colors and you have to be a little crazy when it comes to playing with colors. You can’t enjoy if you act sophisticated,” says Payal Chhabria a final year student from St. Francis College for Women.

During ‘Holi’, practices, which at other times could be offensive, are allowed. Squirting colored water on passers-by, dunking friends in mud pool amidst teasing and laughter, getting intoxicated on ‘bhaang’ and reveling with companions is perfectly acceptable. In fact, on the days of ‘Holi’, you can get away with almost anything by saying, “Bura na mano, Holi hai”.

Rang barse t-shirt wali. Credits: La Fing

“I love to play ‘Holi’ with my gang of friends. This year while getting high on ‘Bhaang’, I just kept laughing non-stop for four hours. I had it along with my friends and I was aware that after consuming ‘bhaang’ one does a thing repeatedly in the inebriated state. We all cracked jokes and laughed non-stop. Later there were no jokes but I kept laughing. I always knew that something silly is sure going to happen as I was always aware of its aftermath. But it was fun,” says Rahul Agarwal a second year student from St. Mary’s College.

“It was during my final year of college when I played ‘Holi’ with all my friends in the girls’ hostel. We were not permitted to play ‘Holi’ but we decided to break the rules. We girls at around 1:00 am started playing ‘Holi’ with water and colors. We also played some loud music. Next day the boys from the neighboring hostel complained about the loud music to our warden. We were made to clean up the whole mess,” says Neha Dugar a graduate from Delhi.

Scrubbing Time. Credits: La Fing

‘Holi’ is the Hindu festival that welcomes the spring and celebrates the new life and energy of the season. Although ‘Holi’ has religious roots, not much religious activity is involved in its celebration. It is the most energetic Indian festival, filled with fun and good humor; even the strict rules of separation between castes are abandoned.

And as the day comes to an end, the evenings are not as exciting. A good part of what’s left of the day is spent in that special room of the house – the bathroom. Scrubbing and scrubbing, and then scrubbing some more. It is an exercise that is repeated for days as it’s a normal sight to see people with patches of pink skin, green hair, purple hands and silver nails, for days and even weeks after ‘Holi’. Even the street dogs and cows get their share of colorful patches.