Be Who You Are Gerstwhile Father Pt Ravi Shankar Turned Their Backs on Rock Music, Instead Enthralling “I Was Expected to Live Upto My Fa- Genre of Music
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THE GL BAL TIMES AIS Saket MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017 www.theglobaltimes.in This special edition has been brought to you by AIS Saket as a part of the Letter on our sleeve GT Making A Newspaper Contest. The inter-Amity newspaper making aira Wasim, the young face of Dangal, muddled in fect example is the piece penned by Taylor making us all witness to long winded, competition entails each Swift to Kanye West, concerning yet an- emotional rants made public for some un- branch of Amity across politics she never asked to be a part of, wrote to the other spat for whose benefit we can’t quite fathomable reason. And yet, even though Delhi/NCR churning out nation, explaining her predicament. And so did many fathom. Far from the humble sanctity of these letters are frivolous to sometimes Z the open letter, these pieces violate not make us cringe, they retain some allure, its own ‘Contest Edition’. others. For the open letter was always there, ready to lend The eight special editions only personal boundaries but appear to be voicing everyday concerns, fostering a are pitted against one itself to whoever may come calling. Devyani Goel, XI E & barely a step above chits written in a rage. unique kinship. another at the end of the Anushka Barthwal, XII F, AIS Saket, take us through the year, which decides the different shades of letters, after they ‘opened’ up a little. The ones making us ask why The ones we’ve had enough of winner at GT Awards. “It’s me, your daughter. I love you both, “For the three odd films that I have di- The ones that inspired the open letter from turning frivolous in and that’s something I can never hide. rected in the last 21 years, the audience “My dream wasn’t like that of an average the hands of those intent on abusing I’m glad to be your daughter. I must have has indulged me and given me great suc- INSIDE kid, my dream was to be the best tennis its power. Petty and pointless, these been blessed to have parents like you.” - cess. I want to say I’m ‘befikar’ in keeping player in the world. Not the best “female” letters forced personal feuds into Yet another citizen of the internet. with the spirit of my film, but honestly, Schoolyard safari, P5 tennis player in the world. I the public forum. A per- The writers of open letters aren’t just I’m very scared.” - Aditya Chopra learned not to be afraid. I celebrities but also average people Bollywood has never given up an oppor- What’s in a coke, P 7 learned how important it is to like ‘yours truly’. There are those tunity to publicise its films. It didn’t take fight for a dream and, most im- intent on finding their long for the industry to get its flashy hands portantly, to dream big.” way through this con- on the open letter. One doesn’t have to -Serena Williams fusing world with look very far to find a poorly veiled PR at- Do you agree with UGC’s Some of history’s most revolu- the magical powers tempt disguised as an open letter. And even decision to allow medical tionary changes have been of the open letter. though some like that by Amitabh Bacchan candidates to attepmt the brought about by the power How do they do so, are moving, the fact that they coincide NEET only thrice till the age of words. And in this era of you may ask? with big movie releases cannot be ignored. of 25? the world wide web, these Simple- by As open letters continue to dominate our a) Yes words can be projected onto mil- Facebook feeds and page three of the pop- b) No lions instantly, sparking revolu- ular dailies, perhaps we should take a mo- c) Can’t say tion. Eloquent and deeply ment to ponder just when a letter went from To vote, log on to committed to their cause, open being sealed to be read only by the autho- www.theglobaltimes.in letters are but an extension of the rised, to an open piece, welcomed by all power of language, inspiring us to with an internet connection. G T POLL RESULT dream and to act, and to do it now. For GT Edition January 23, 2017 They are honest, influential and Illustrations: Asmita Chakraborty, XI D & often bring about real change. Sona Vritika Sehrawat, XI E, AIS Saket Do you think Virat Kohli will Mohapatra used one to slam IIT be able to match up to Dhoni Bombay on their sexism, revealing as a captain? to the world a hidden evil. Serena Williams encouraged us to dream big, NO 90% and it was through these that the 72% Yes Bush sisters at once comforted the 54% Obama kids and us. Can’t say 36% 84% 18% 14% 0% 2% The ones that annoyed “Dear Mr Salman Khan, this is the last Results as on January 28, 2017 way I thought I would speak to you. I have been trying to text you call you to Coming Next tell you are mistaken about the fact that AIS Vas 1 contest edition I insulted you.” -Arijit Singh And yet, all of its virtues could not protect rammy award winning sitar player Anoushka Shankar along with her Be who you are Gerstwhile father Pt Ravi Shankar turned their backs on rock music, instead enthralling “I was expected to live upto my fa- genre of music. What is important is that parents play all audiences worldwide with Indian classical music. ther’s legacy.” kinds of music at home. So, even if the kids don’t develop lik- Regularly performing the world over, she shares In pursuing my music career, my ing for a certain kind of music, they are at least exposed to some experiences on her musical journey with biggest obstacle and my biggest various genres of music. So exposure to any form of classical gift happened to be the same. My fa- music, either in school or home, is important. Asmita Chakraborty, AIS Saket, XI D. ther was the best teacher I could get. But being both a daughter and a student “Education is the solution to gender related evils” to him, I was subject to immense pressure Gender laws and their implementation have undergone a and judgements. I had to metamorphosis, and that is a commendable feat. Also, I don’t prove myself and yet, I could- think any of us can expect the situation n’t play music to please anyone. n Anoushka Shankar authored the biography of to change vis-a-vis social evils like So I went ahead with music as a her father, ‘Bapi The Love of My Life’ in 2002. dowry, foeticide within three-four years. passion and not a parameter. I decided n She became the youngest and the first fe- Our society has long lived with these to be myself, to play ‘my music’ and it male recipient of a British House of Com- evils and it will take a while before we eventually paid off. Today, I feel that my mons Shield. can finally see change, and that change work speaks for itself. n She became one of the five female composers can only come about with education. to make it to the UK A-level music syllabus. “I screamed in joy when I was n Anoushka was the first Indian artist to per- “Making a viable living out of nominated for the Grammy” form at Grammy Awards. music is hard” Well consider me modest, but honestly, It’s easier to picture an artistic life when winning a Grammy feels like a small feat you are in a family of musicians. I could now. That said, a first is a first. I was in Brazil on a holiday picture being a musician because of my father (Pt Ravi and was waiting for the nomination news because I was ex- Shankar). But sometimes it can be really hard making a vi- pecting my sister (Norah Jones) to get the nominations. It able career out of music. Indian parents usually insist that came as a major shock, when I heard the news that I was also their kids get a business or law degree, instead of simply pur- nominated ( in a different category). I remember screaming suing music. I underwent the same dilemma when I finished around the garden with joy. I haven’t done that since then. school, as to whether to go to university or straight into music. I felt that university was always going to be there and I could “People follow classical music in their own time” go back to studies if things didn’t work. Whereas, in music you never know when there’s the opportunity. I don’t generally feel worried about the future of classical music as peo- “Message for Amitians” ple come to it in their I hate messages…(laughs). Be who you are. Do what you own time. It is a niche want but work hard… be different and think different. Contest Edition “We deliver as much as Lays doesn’t!” THE GLOBAL TIMES | MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017 Nivedita Singhal & Khushi Ko, AIS Saket 2 XI E, Page Editors Ground Reporting Human milk bank Banking on motherhood Banks have the role of providing financial security for living a life with a bright future. But here is a bank that fulfills the role of providing the new borns with life itself, so that they can live a future Pics: Deepak Sharma, GT Network Ground Reporting Khushi Ko & Nivedita Singhal AIS Saket, XI E omewhere, in an ICU are a pair of newborn twins, barely hanging Son, slowly losing grip on the lives that they haven’t even lived yet, their parents watching helplessly.