The Plus May'20
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THE PLUS ISSUE NO. 06 | MAY 2020 #RootedAndFree www.igenplus.com 2 hello. Dear Readers, Aloha! The world is changing too much. Uncertainty is at its peak. And it’s easy to let anxiety and panic get the better side of you. But we need to hold ourselves together, prepare ourselves with better tools, bring our more compassionate nature to the forefront, and let the crisis pass. May the Force be with you! We are eager to welcome you onboard to yet another edition of ‘The Plus’. Through this edgy magazine, we hope to appeal to our Gen Z readers. The topics we cover include pretty much everything under the sun: ranging from real-life emotional stories to some binge-watching recommendations and heartfelt conversations with eminent personalities. This magazine is meant to be a fun and engaging read for our readers. In the previous edition, we looked at one of our foundational verticals, the exponential plus. If you did have the opportunity to go through it, we hope you enjoyed it! We are open to feedback of all kinds. In this edition, we are exclusively focusing on something close to our heart, the umbrella of family. With a wide range of quirky articles to suit various fancies, this topic has been approached through zillion ways. From learning the stories of different families, the youth of Kobe Bryant, the importance of Mother's Day, and engaging in a heartfelt conversation with a mother to triplets, this is a lovely read for one and all. The magazine is an effort by IGenPlus to reach out to teenagers as their comfort food and go-to. We are within your arm’s reach and we want to be more than your friends. In the pages that follow, you will also discover the kind of programs we offer, a review of the work we do, etc. so that you could know us better too. We also invite contributions to our magazine from students (13-19 years) from all over the globe on practically anything that they are willing to share. It could range from your opinion on Coronavirus pandemic, nation lockdown, or even your opinion on how social media influences your life. There are no restrictions on the topics you could cover or formats either. It could be a poem, diary entry, or simply a rant on any topic that is close to your heart. We also encourage readers to send in any suggestions or topics/ events or interviews they would like us to cover. We are here for you and we are listening. Introduction From the Pages of History the IGP family 5 this day, that year 41 from the CEO 6 letters from past 43 Umbrella of Family Be the Plus Kid in convo with 9 what’s next? 45 the other side 11 previous editions 46 India’s timeless teenspiration 47 support system 15 Contributors: From the Reader’s Pen Creative Editor: youngest world Pankhuri Mittal map memoriser 17 [email protected] Creative Designer: Munmun Aggarwal [email protected] The Pursuit of Knowledge Content: Ayushee Chaudhary, quaran-team 19 Mehak Gupta, Vikas Srivastava career insights 25 Guest Contributors buddha’s view 29 Madhav Bhargav, Ph.D. Candidate, Dublin CONTENTS the short listed 33 Ashik Mohammad, Student, Class XII, KV No.1 Madurai family stories 35 Ananya Ganesh, Student, Pune THE IGP FAMILY from the CEO 6 Namaste, From the virus spreading around the entire world to the wildfires ravaging the Australian outback, earthquakes in Turkey and the Caribbean, the worst locust swarm East Africa has experienced in decades, losing Kobe Bryant, Irrfan Khan, and Rishi Kapoor, the year 2020 has not had a such a gleeful welcome. SOUMYA AGGARWAL HARI KIRAN VALDMANI While we are stuck at home, wondering when and how will the lockdown end, let us also cherish these days to witness how the environment is coming back to its original form. These are the days when we have spare time to cook something new, to watch an interesting series, to work at a convenient place in comfortable clothes and to spend some irreplaceable time with the family. For most of us when this lockdown is irritating, the family has come out as the biggest supporting system. From household chores to teaching parents using computers, giving life AYUSHEE CHAUDHARY DILLISHA MENON DIVYA VERMA lessons to siblings, and becoming the Ludo champion. When we are having our own share of fun, let us also utilise this time to sit together and share our concerns with other members. It is natural to have issues with the ones who are closest to you. So fix a time, sit with each other, and share your worries, anger, and concerns with others. Make sure you listen with open ears, without any defense, guilt, and victimhood. MEHAK GUPTA MUNMUN AGGARWAL NISHTHA NARANG PANKHURI MITTAL This edition of the magazine is an effort to share the role of a family in the growth of the individual. In the short span of life, all of us want to live their life, in their own terms and way - the articles and insights from experts will give you a reflection on how the family helps in growing one's individuality, personality, and giving a sense of belongingness. During this lockdown, acknowledge members of your family who have nurtured and given everything to be who you are today. Love, VIKAS SRIVASTAVA POOJA MANI SUMIT SINGH Soumya SHEFALI VAIDYA News Columnist, Writer, 7 Media Personality You are a mum to triple teenagers. Wow! own games and try innovative things to How do you channelize their energies, engage ourselves. I realized early on that mood swings, diverse interests, etc. of being bored is sometimes good, because all three together? it forces you to think outside the box. That IN CONVO WITH This is a great question, especially in is one lesson I have tried to teach my these times, when the kids are stuck at children. home because of the lockdown! It is not easy to parent teenagers, and definitely Soon, your kids will be embarking on not easy to parent three teenagers who different journeys in their lives. What do have their own point of view on you think as a parent will help in keeping everything. Luckily, the kids have been your kids #RootedAndFree at the same kind to me by spacing their mood swings! time? They have made a deal with me, that at You said it. The hashtag is the key. any one time, only one of them can act #RootedButFree. But then, only those real teenager-ey! trees that have the deepest roots grow tall and high. I firmly believe that till the Jokes apart, my children have always had age of ten, you can do a lot to keep your diverse interests and personalities distinct children connected to their roots, be it from each other. Even as babies, they telling them stories from Indian epics like were interested in different things. The Ramayana and Mahabharata, introducing trend continues. Luckily, all of them are Indian classical music and dance in their avid readers, and that has helped me to lives, celebrating festivals, taking them anchor their individual interests. traveling in India, connecting with the larger family, etc. Every teenager rebels, I am paranoid about screen use and can my children are no exception. But if the be quite a grouchy mom if I see my kids roots and the initial samskaras are strong, glued to screens for too long. Apart from eventually, the children will come back to that, I think the kids and I have managed them as young adults. My children know to work out this phase of their life that Dharma is very important to us as a reasonably well. family. They do ask me questions, sometimes, even uncomfortable, hard What are the most important life questions. But I have always encouraged lessons that you learned in your child- that. I have always believed in the parenting hood, and made sure that you inculcated mantra that children do as you do, not in your kids too? what you say. So I have tried to lead my Like most people of my generation, I grew life in a way I would like them to lead their up in an age without electronic gadgets. I life. But teenage is a time to learn the also grew up in a small village in Goa, most important parenting mantra of them where access to book stores, toy stores, all, ‘to let go’. And that is the hardest etc was limited, so we had to devise our lesson to learn. I am still trying. An Indian woman is mostly expected to their own merits and make sacrifice her career and devote her time Parenting a teenager is considered quite tough. There's a generation up their own minds. When and efforts to house and family. As a gap in the way things are learned, the use of technology, freedom to we lived in Dubai, the working mother and wife, how do you choose clothes, friends, and career, and the concern of parents to biggest thing my children manage time for yourself and your stay updated with all of it. What do you think of it? missed was the comfort of a growth, amid the expectations and Parenting in itself is tough, more so now, when parents are so loving, extended family. responsibilities? emotionally invested in every decision that their children take. The They are very close to both My parenting journey was a little different generation gap is not a new thing.