Food for thought "India has two million Gods, and worships them all. In religion, all other countries are TVol.2 IssHue 3 AugusEt 2008 GL BAL TIMAN AMEITY INITSIATIVE paupers; India is the only millionaire." -Mark Twain INSIDE PAsr Inodia ucelebdrate st 61o yea rbs of einde pIenndendce, Ainaushkna Sibal of AIS Saket, discovers the spirit of Indianness ome August, and one finds national- istic fervour catching on every- Attitude Pill, pg 2 Cwhere; across cinema theatres, traffic-lights, in ring tones, e-mails and TV channels. The spirit of India lights up, spilling Indianness and blends with the myr- iad hues around it. What is so unique and special about this spirit of Indianness that In a candid tete-e-tete with makes us feel proud? Is ‘being Indian’ un- critically applauding our nuclear muscles? Kathak maestro Pandit Or is it metamorphosing from wearing mini- Birju Maharaj, Managing Smart Cards, pg 3 skirts to saris and banning Valentine's Day? Editor-Vira Sharma, Or does it secretly imply that we must write unfolds the enigma that about earthquakes in Bhuj and pot-bellied children on pavements? Or is it manifested surrounds his simplicity in our unshakeable ability to use skills as en- and love for the dance form gines and spirituality as fuel? In the rapidly evolving India, while our a Thai’. Have you ever looked at clothes have changed, the body is more ro- “Tthese words closely. ‘Ta’ is Uniform norms, pg 5 bust and competitive; the soul of Indianness straight, ‘Thai’ has a curve. One is male, is still alive. A 42 year old vendor who sells the other female. And when they join to vegetables, making a few hundreds each make ‘Tat’, they create the world in month, is a proud Indian. “Mere liye bhar- which we live our entire life,” said Pan- tiyata ka matlab hai sabhyata. Aur woh dit Birju Maharaj in an exclusive inter- mujhe bahut sakoon deti hai,” he says. For view with The Global Times. His Vandana Misra, school counselor, Indian- discriminators of Indiannesss in a leading Darsheel Safary, Child Actor thought provoking conversation brought ness is a way of life. “It doesn’t mean wear- national daily, which include Doodhwalas I love everything about forth the passion, simplicity, humility of ing a particular attire or having a certain kind (salient features of India); Election symbols India. There are so a legendry Guru, whose name is syn- Nuke lowdown, pg 7 of food. It is a way of thinking and has now (lend both colour and clarity to our political onymous with ‘Kathak’. become my lifestyle. I have grown with it landscape) and dance (has a curiously many beautiful places to Man is so caught in his day to day life, and will die with it too”. “Indianness is my schizoid status in India. The revival of clas- visit. I’m proud that India is that he loses touch with reality. To dis- culture and karma”, believes Mr Sumedh, a sical dance since Independence has helped about unity in diversity. cover life, one needs to snatch away the teacher. For Amogh Sharma, a student, Indi- Indians rediscover a precious heritage of blinkers from one’s eyes and experience anness is a feeling he has been trained on. great beauty and skill) 5000 years of wisdom that we have humbly the truth. Pandit Birju Maharj truly sums “Life will suddenly seem widowed without Our diversity is as much a source of India’s given to the world without any ego and up the essence of life when he says, “We this,” he quips. The pride and aspirations greatness – and of Indians’ pride in their na- conceit. I feel at home in India. I’m com- all keep looking for something in life. Beijing bells toll, pg 8 rooted in an Indian for centuries is what tion as her antiquity. This is as true in Goa fortable here – comfortable with the stink For 20-25 years I did the same. When I binds them together. as it is in Gujarat, in Jammu & Kashmir as and the squalor and the innumerous para- emerged out of the well of my ‘Ch- On the lighter side, Shashi Tharoor, career much as in Kerala, in Manipur as much as doxes that India is all about.” “Indianness is hand’, I found the universe dancing. POLL strategist at the UN, pointed out the strong in Madhya Pradesh, weaving a thread of a sense of belonging, that makes me feel With an honest effort, I have tried to The Independence Day Amole Gupte, Script Writer unity and harmony, a way of life throughout comfortable and gives me solace,” says give this dance form to others the way I poll conducted among India since time immemorial. “India”, says Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj. see it - pure, unadulterated and free.” Amity school students What makes me proud as Amole Gupte, writer TZP, “is a land of To quote Guru Rabindranath, “The tie has From dancing in the courts of Nawabs reiterated the patriotic an Indian is the 5000 years great people. As a humanist, I think India been as loose as possible, yet as close as to the international ‘arena stage’, Birju fervour and sprung up of wisdom that we has given to the world people like Gandhiji, circumstances permitted. This has pro- Maharaj’s journey into the world of some interesting results. have humbly given to Baba Amte, Gautam Buddha and Mahavir. duced something like a United States of a Kathak, left its trail, inspiring and evolv- What is the one thing you the world without any When I see these bastions from past history, social federation, whose common name is ing, capturing the hearts of all.� would like to do to give ego and conceit. what makes me proud as an Indian is the Bhartiyata.”� More on page 6 the day a patriotic feel? Use patriotic Sing/hear ring tones patriotic songs % 9 37% 54% Wear Tricolour A7 The Global Voice of If there were to be only one national holiday, which one would it be? Gandhi Jayanti % 2 Photo Courtesy: AIS Noida 1 GExit Ge8. Surronunded w ithZ controversy, it failed to connect with the masses. Enter A7, the new voice of India, representing the youth, on 19% 69% concerns that impinge on today’s generation. GT presents a range of issues that the Amity schools would like to raise, through this platform Child Labour system and rote learning method, has drawn have created too much of tension for young- vations and the ‘creamy layer’ being bla- a lot of criticism from all quarters. “Doing sters and even adults. There is someone tantly abused by generations when the in- t is an irony that even after 50 years away with the marks system shall definitely competing with you for every little thing. tended objective of reservations has been Diwali Independence Day of independence, childhood in India reduce the depression level amongst chil- But emphasizing the problems of the teens, accomplished by one generation of a fam- If Gandhiji is ‘Father of “I the Nation’, the mother of is in the shackles of shameless labour. Chil- dren especially when they see all the ‘par- academic and peer pressure is something ily,” laments, Kritik Soman (IX A) of AIS, the nation would be- dren still work in beedi manufacturing rots’ getting full marks, even though they that is ruining the lives of many,” says Shiv- East Delhi. Others Mother Teresa units, in road-side dhabas, small factories haven’t understood a bit of it. Instead, angi Kakkar (IX-A) of AIS Pushp Vihar. and even electroplating units. This is really knowledge should be based upon concep- Substance Abuse a deplorable and heart wrenching scene. It tual understanding,” says Aarushi Jain Reservation ubstantial substance abuse among is heartening to note that the government (VIII D) of AIS East Delhi. nable to understand the government Steenagers is a global concern. Warns 22% has taken note of the matter and imple- Uobjectives and reservation quota fig- Shivangi Kakkar: “Several dangerous mented some legislative measures; we still 3Ps: Performance, Peers & Parents ures for SC/ST/OBC, they definitely prick drugs having adverse effects cause one to 45% have to go a long way,” says Pulkit Dua the raw nerve of today’s youth. “It is absurd get addicted and ruin their future. Young- 33% (IX), AIS Vasundhara. “The present generation is burdened with to imagine how merit can be compromised sters need to learn to be assertive, and the 3P’s (Performance, Peer and Parent for caste while considering one’s eligibility strongly refuse any such offers made by Education Pressure). The rapid overpopulation of our for admission in any educational institution. anyone, be it their trusted ones or strangers, he current education system that con- country clubbed with the uncountable It is equally amusing why the government’s and immediately consult an adult, no matter Indira Gandhi Ttinues to emphasize on the marking opportunities available in the current world education policy is so dependent on reser- how childish it may sound.”� 2 World Mirror News with Views The Global Times Vol.2, Issue 3, August 2008 Blasts Rock IT City INTERNATIONAL Rajasthan gives quota to Gujjars Mallika Khera & Shriya Sitaram NEWS he Rajasthan government signed an AIS Noida Tagreement with the Gujjars on June 18, 2008 promising 5% reservation in erial blasts in Bangalore striked ter- The big race the state to a new separate category in- Sror on July 26 blasts. Eight blasts in cluding Gujjars and recommendation to 35 minutes fragmented the lives of com- Obama Vs the Centre for Gujjars to be included in mon man raising the question of safety the Social Tribes list for reservation in once again.