The Nonchalant Quietude

Cadet Sub NCO. Krishna Kant
Class-12th, RIMC
Voices seem dark of the battered joy, The double edged falchion, in this world of toys. Here, beneath the silence, the unforgiven word, Bullets and blood, does seem so absurd?

Never believed in the words of wisdom, Free yet chained on the path of freedom.
Untold story of the silence of the bullet, Never-ending charm in the lyre of its ballet. Before the noise subsides, Insignia incinerated, in infatuation, does rise.
On the steps of altar. The soldier’s world, Merely provoked, in the name of faith; curled. In those eyes of fear, courage vehemently speaks, The golden grains of desert, where sun never sleeps. Pain and cries, hallucinations and views.
A battle in the land of toys, drenched in blood, bloody eyes eye. Like dry leaves, blown to be crunched. Under the heavy, feet of unconcerned. Beneath air, the noisy silence, To cross the boundary of heaven’s fence. Minds preoccupied in the enigma of desires. They shed blood. For worldly pleasures, you desire?
Cemented together with the bricks of wounds, Papered in mysteries, the evil boon. Foreseen myths, the labyrinth of wise. Conquered freedom, cremated won’t rise. The gun still battles, many a lives still to reclaim. With eyes wide shut, the nonchalant quietude to blame.

Call of duty

By Animesh Gupta,(XI)
The Doon School
It is extremely tough to live at such a place where one is constantly aware of the dangers to life due to frequent bombing and pelting of bullets and grenades. This is the main reason why many parents despise their son’s or even daughter’s decision to join the army. But those who persist in joining this institution insist that the feeling is what they call "a call of duty". This is when they feel that they need to protect and fight for their beloved country. However people who join the defense forces have mixed emotions, mixed sentiments, and various reasons.
The most important purpose of having defense forces is to protect one's country from foreign invasion whose main objective is to suppress one's economy and treat the natives of the enslaved country like bondsmen as British did many years ago. Joining any of the three wings of Defense forces doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to be 24/7 on the battle field. Not all duties involve front line and close combat. Working in Defense forces no longer poses risk to one's life than taking a more mundane job in the civilian world. Young men today join Forces as it seems an exciting and rewarding career option with lots of opportunities for advancement and expanding horizons. Added to this, many young people like the idea of a fairly structured military lifestyle and for others it may feel more purposeful and fulfilling than a dull minimum wage manual job back home. I don’t think "fight and die for no reason" enters into anyone’s thoughts. People join Forces to get great benefits like free or extremely discounted health care, a solid and a dependable income, free "RAtions" etc. Many people are actually enticed to join the army because they want to stay away form their parents and family responsibilities some people also stated that their parents are very strict and demanding. Another reason why people join Forces is to defend one's country from the clutches of enemies. Jawans do not fight for glory alone. Any soldier who has fought in any war, no longer holds on to the romantic image of battle that Bollywood seems to glorify on the silver screen. They know what is real. It is all about the people around them, the team, their families, and friends and coming home safely to see them again. It’s a big thing for them. What they fight for, as our forefathers fought for, is the freedom of our country and to uphold the constitutional rights for all of our citizens. They join to protect their and our families, friends, and they hope for future generations to be free from slavery. If you consider dying for the freedom and safety of others to be senseless, you have just disgraced the memory of all the "SHAHEEDS". I "SALUTE" the army "jai hind" . Hamare desh ko aap par garv hain.

our magnificent military....!

By Vimal Kapoor
One spectacle that has remained etched in my memory is the flag lowering ceremony I saw at Wagah border last year near Amritsar. This is where India and Pakistan borders are separated by huge iron gates, every evening the military personnel from both sides try to outdo each other while the crowds sitting in open air stands cheer their sides. It’s spectacular as well as stirring. The body language and demeanor of six foot plus army men as they thumped their feet down with crashing sound amidst cheering of ‘Bharat mata ki jai"was simply mesmerizing! Later after the ceremony I had a short conversation with army men Virender Singh. The six foot four inches Virender with chest as wide as a barn door (for once I didn’t feel bad at being dwarfed), told me that though he has participated in this drill number of times, still when he locks eyes with his Pakistani counterparts, he feels adrenaline flowing freely, and it’s a feeling he cannot put in words, with misty eyes he told me that felt swollen with pride to be an Indian soldier. I told him how proud we are of each and every defence personnel of our country, shook his huge vice like hand and posed with him for posterity. We at Dehra Dun are proud to have a world class institution "The Indian Military Academy" (IMA)’ it transforms young men into courageous, dynamic and knowledgeable young officers of honor, who are to bear the brunt of battle, or hardship whilst guarding the Nation's frontiers, or take part in peace keeping missions abroad. The training here imparts moral values, leadership qualities co-dependent upon honor and duty, mental and physical prowess, a spirit of adventure and the will to win. The objectives are achieved by training in character building, discipline, military and academic subjects, physical exercise, drill, sports and adventure activities. I am extremely lucky to have a few cadet friends at IMA who tell me that the underlying theme of activity is camaraderie and team spirit and a commitment to excellence. Duty, honour, integrity and self esteem are stressed upon during each stage of training, because these are the very qualities that will hone their skills to guard us against enemies as well as terrorism that is so rampant during these times. Few months back while the heroic National Security Guards (NSG) commandos were overpowering the terrorists holed up inside Taj and Trident-Oberoi hotels, and Nariman House in Mumbai, all of us kept our fingers crossed. Our very own Gajender Singh laid down his life in combat. Ferocious, frightening sound of explosions, and sharp bullets directed at NSG commandos failed to deter their willpower, resolve, and strength. The ‘men in black’ moved on without shying away from giving up their lives for the nation. They spearheaded the 59-hour-long operation to end the siege of iconic landmarks of not just Mumbai, but entire India. , all eyes were on these brave heroes, who were determined to gun down terrorists and save maximum innocent lives. And when the commandos finally set their foot in Mumbai, almost 10 hours had passed since the first attack was reported. However, despite all the odds, nothing could shake their determination. The elite force was ready to undertake an operation that was unusual for India. Donning their trademark dark fatigues, the commandos were also joined by heavily-armed Army para commandos and Navy’s marine commando force. In fact, the terrorists were equipped with sound and better technologies than the NSG. The terrorists had access to significant information apropos NSG operation through the Internet on their mobile phones, hence keeping the forces at bay for hours. Despite all the ambiguities, the commandos managed to flush out the terrorists and win the battle. Hats off to them and we will always remain indebted to them. Whether natural calamities like floods, accidents or internal strife, these are people who are ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country and country men. We salute our defence forces!!

Cadet Siddhartha Prateek, (XI) RIMC

Deep in the night, when every ray of light is suppressed by the sheer presence of darkness. I look out of my window with my head resting upon my pillow and, I think, I think about every thing, I think about the latest gadgets in the market, I think about my latest crush, I think about my parents, I think about my peers, I think about my next date but then, I think about my achievements. I think about my abilities and then again I look out of my window searching for the horizon. At the first glance of it I think, "Is that my limit?" Is it that what I am made for, to reach till a certain height and come back thinking, that there is no world beyond it. But then I realize that no, if at any moment I have to stop, then that shall be the day when my soul will be ready to leave my transient entity, till then I shall go on, I shall keep moving and when, I will be standing next to the horizon with no way of crossing it then I shall turn inhuman, in order to cross it, because I am inquisitive to know about the world beyond it and more over the odyssey of my life is limitless. Near the horizon there are two equipoised possibilities either I shall cross it or I shall not. Well, if I cross it then I will be happy but if I don’t then I shall be euphoric. I shall be euphoric because I know that at least I was ebullient enough to give it a shot. The interminable journey of my life shall go to eternity and don’t you think that past eternity, there is no point of Insurmounting ?

Cdt. Anshul Roy, (XI) RIMC

This is a grand tale, A tale beyond judgment.
A story, a legacy, That refuses to fade.
They came in hordes, With daggers, light and fast.
Of guns and swords, That worked till the very last,
Then there was blood, And pain, And more blood. The daggers stained in red. The guns shot, and swords swished.
Working till the very last. They cried for mercy, But the other ‘they’ moved on.
Suffering death- The harbinger of loss. The child aged all but four Innocence dripping, stood Somewhere on the road Blood dripping, headless he later lay The swords swished, and the guns shot, A fire On the thatched roofs All a pyre, a flamy pyre. They found me, All alone-Somewhere in the house. Death, then looked me in the eye. Death, then stabbed me, And shot me And moved on.
Death had finally won. I lay there, Lifeless as a corpse. Rather, I lay there-a corpse. Amidst hundreds more, The stench of drying blood, The rotten wounds, The pang of death. And in this world, Full of life, and death. There was nothing but a quite uproar

By Prabeer Sikdar

SHORT STORY
The Eccentric Masterji

It was end for Sonu’s classes but masterji included a new chapter in his daily schedule as he began practicing his favourite singer’s numbers everyday during nights. Sometimes, when sleep caught with him, he had tea and resumed his singing till the wee hours of the day to keep the threat of Dakuram at bay as the latter would never dare strike when someone was awake. Unfortunately, masterji’s neighbours did not like being disturbed. However, the stray dogs of the area soon grew fond of masterji’s night songs and started assembling near his home at the appointed hour. They found that Masterji’s song easily lulled their young ones to sleep. Meanwhile, Dakuram was planning another heist. He had set his eye on the village goldsmith, whose house was not far from masterji’s house. But as luck would have it, young puppies started barking as soon as they saw a dark figure moving near masterji’s home. The stray dogs, surprised to see their young ones getting distracted from the soothing songs, got angry and went after Dakuram. Startled by the unusually loud noise outside, masterji hurried to see what’s going on. What he later saw had astounded him. A man lay unconscious just opposite the road outside his house. As he stared closely, he felt a terrible fear looking at Dakuram, whose photographs were pasted all over the place. Next morning, when villagers woke up in the morning, they found Dakuram at masterji’s home. His hands and legs were tied with a rope. Last night, unknown to the villagers, Dakuram was bitten many times over by the strays, and fell down unconscious. Soon, the word spread like wild fire. A huffing Nirbhay Singh reached the spot and immediately took him into custody. For Singh, it was the prize catch of the year. At the police station, a Veterinary doctor was summoned, who administered anti-rabies vaccines to Dakuram, whose body bore dozen of cut marks all over his body. A shaken Dakuram, later spilled the beans and disclosed his hideout, which was inside a rocky cave outside the village. The police soon recovered all the looted goods, which were returned to their owners. In the meanwhile, masterji explained police how he had foiled a robbery attempt leading to the capture of notorious Dakuram while downplaying the role of stray dogs of the area. As promised by the police, masterji got his reward of Rs 50 from the Police Commission at a function organized at Super Kids School. Bholpur villagers as well as masterji’s neighbors all attended the function. The children were also happy at masterji’s feat but their admiration for their former teacher was short-lived after he expressed his desire to donate the money to the Head Master of Super Kids School for carrying out repairs to the leaking school roof.

(Concluded from last week)

The journey of apollo

Apollo 11 was launched on 16th July, 1969 at 13:32 universal time (UT) from Kennedy Space Centre. The Lunar Landing Site was Tranquillitatis (sea of tranquility) Neil Armstrong (commander), Michael Collins (command module pilot) and Edwin Aldrin (lunar module pilot) were the members of this spacecraft. The first step on moon was kept by Neil Armstrong July 21ST, 1969 at (UT). For space scientists around the world "Neil Armstrong’s giant leap" for mankind was defining event this 21st, July whole world celebrated the 40th anniversary of the moon landing. The spacecraft took off from the moon on 21st, July, 1969 at 17:54 (UT) and returned to Earth on 24th July,1969 at 16:50.

My Dream-the defence forces

By Uday Singh, (V)

THE ARMY

By Uday Singh, (V)
I want to become an army man because it does a good job of protecting us. The army soldiers are alert and ready to battle at a short notice. I too want to fight with our enemies and keep the people of my country safe. The army now has commandos who are very disciplined.
We saw the commandos in action against the terrorists at the Taj Hotel, Mumbai. Their efficient, quick action brought peace back to Mumbai. I would like to train as an army commando.

By Akash Joshi, (V)

DEFENCE SERVICES

Our Defence Services are very important for our country because they protect us from our enemies. They make life safe for the civilian population of our country. The army, navy and the air force all fight for us, at times even giving up their lives so that we may live. Many young men of Uttarakhand died during the Kargil War. We should respect our soldiers, pilots and sailors who make our country safe.

By Rishab, (V)

THE DEFENCE FORCES

There are three branches of the Defence Services – the army, navy and the air force. I want to join the army when I grow up. My paternal uncle’s son is also in the army. I want to protect my country. All the branches of the Defence Services are well equipped and strong. They are also very active. When I grow up and become a soldier, I will serve my country well and win medals.

By Rahul Das,(V)

MY DREAM: THE INDIAN AIR FORCE

If I could join the Defence Services, I would like to join the Indian Air Force. I would like to touch the sky, fly with the birds and most important of all – to guard my motherland. I like tosee pilots getting ready to deal with emergencies or for sorties. The other thing that attracts me to the Indian Air Force is the life of a pilot. A pilot’s life is incredible and full of adventures. One day he flies over the snow-capped Himalayas, another over the green Valleys of Arunachal. I like to explore new places. I also enjoy the Air Force display every 26th January. My first pledge will be to set my country free from all enemies, including terrorists.

By Pratiksha Thapli, (V)

THE DEFENCE FORCES

are also getting trained as soldiers and pilots and becoming officers in the army. I want to be a pilot because I want to fly the fighter airplanes and helicopters, fight with the enemy and serve my country. If I learn how to fly, I could drop food parcels for the people during droughts or lift them to safety when there are floods. As a helicopter pilot I could fly the Prime Minister or the President of our country.

By Nitesh Kotal, (V)

THE ARMY

The Army is the most important for our country as it keeps its people safe. A soldier’s duty is very tough as all 24 hours he is on duty, either at the China border, or the high mountains of Kargil and Siachen, or in the hot climate of Rajasthan. He is surrounded by danger, but he is not scared to give up his life for his country. A soldier is very strong and can be depended on. He is ‘The Iron Man’. Army training is very tough. The men are made to climb rocks, mountains, cross rivers with the help of ropes or planks, learn to live in jungles, crawl on the ground for long distances and carry heavy loads. The Indian Army is the world’s best army and the second largest in the world.

I WANT TO JOIN THE NAVY

By Jyoti Dangwal,(V)
I want to join the Navy because I want to help my country. The Navy helps by blasting enemy ships. The naval soldiers go in submarines and blow up the enemy ships so quietly, that they do not even come to know. They keep our waters safe for fishermen and tourists sailing on our seas. During storms the navy helps these people and pulls them to safety. I love the water and enjoy sailing. I hope by the time I grow up girls are allowed to join the navy.

IAF’s requirement for a Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft

What’s being offered? Old US Technology and outdated fighters by Boeing and Lockheed Martin

By Kartikeya Semwal
Indian Air Force’s immediate requirement for a medium multi role combat aircraft is being exploited by the US who are offering India F-16 Super Viper and F/A-18 Super Hornet produced by Lockheed Martin and Boeing. But the US never told that both were out dated technology based and both were being used by the US Air Force since 1990. They never told that those were the 2 fighters that are going to be replaced by F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Raptor, both 5th generation fighters based on air superiority, better warhead carrying capacity and most superior aerodynamics. Yes, that’s the truth. The US wants to dump their old fleet of F-16 and F/A-18 fighters and what better market can they find than India? The US is offering trash to India that India does not want at a price of 10.6 billion dollars. And India’s demand to make F-35 joint strike fighter available for sale is not being entertained by the US. Why? Because they want to maintain their technological superiority over Asian countries like India and China. What people don’t know is that US themselves are suffering the blues to produce 5th generation aircrafts Raptor and F-35 which are the costliest at this time of recession. While they are ready to sell the same F-35 to their western counterparts like Hungary, Italy, Israel and UK since these countries are their NATO (Northern Alliance Treaty Organization) allies in exchange for billions of dollars. But have completely denied to give India the same fighter. India does not want almost 2 decade old fighter planes and technologies. India’s requirement regarding threat from Pakistan and China is for the latest technology and latest air superiority fighters not outdated ones which are useless in front of China’s J-10 and J-11 B which appear in top 10 best and latest aircrafts of the modern world. China’s J-11 B is fourth placed in the world with a speed of Mach 2.35 (2500 km/hr.) with a range of 3720kms. Its armament is 1x30 mm cannon and 10 stations (capable of carrying 10 air to air or 10 air to surface or a combination of both missiles and ability to carry nuclear warhead). China’s J-11 B is a direct threat for Indian Air Force. China’s J-10 is 9TH placed in the world with a Mach of 2.2 (2200 km/hr.) and a range of 3000+kms. It has an armament of 1x23 mm cannon and 11 stations (capable of carrying 11 air to air or air to surface or a combination of both and ability to carry nuclear warhead). India’s problem doubles as Pakistan have brought 26 J-10 fighters from China and have placed an order to buy 40 more such fighters by 2012.
Besides China too carries a fleet of Sukhoi30 fighters in comparison to India’s Sukhoi30 MKI fighters built with Russian collaboration. India’s problems are increasing as its fleet of fighter planes is aging and would soon be out of service. Indian Airforce has decided to phase out the Mig series fighters (comprising of Mig21, Mig23, Mig25) and the Jaguar fighters by 2012. India just has 3 and a half years to replace these fighters knowing that China is carrying out a massive militarization of its airforce by building 30 J-10 fighters and 10 J-12 B fighters every year.
What India needs is a combination of fighter aircrafts that are not available with either China’s airforce or with Pakistan’s airforce. Those fighters include Russian made Mig35, US made F-15K Slam Eagle and Eurofighter Typhoon made by European Consortium.
Mig35 has a speed of Mach 2.4 (2556km/hr.) with a range of 2000+ km and an armament of 1X30mm Cannon and 8 stations.
F-15K Slam Eagle known as the ‘fastest fighter of the world’ has a speed of Mach 2.5 (2660km/hr.) with a range of 3900km and an armament of 1X20mm Cannon and 15 stations.
Eurofighter Typhoon has a speed of Mach 2+ (2120km/hr.) with a range of 3790km and an armament of 1X27 mm Cannon and 13 stations. Stations mean number of missiles that can be carried. The above mentioned 3 fighters are the ones that will match the air superiority of China’s J-10 and J-12B fighters as China has become a bigger threat for India than Pakistan. If India buys a combination of the above mentioned 3 fighters then it would get the technology, know how and other details like avionics and materials to be used from three different countries. This would in future help India to develop its own advanced fighter planes. What’s more? India is already developing a 5th generation fighter in collaboration with Russia that would be cheaper than the F-22 Raptor but would be an equal to it in comparison to its avionics, weapon system, maximum speed, range and armament. India has already built the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) named Tejas and intends to use it for Indian Navy and would be parked at INS Viraat and INS Vikramaditya (Admiral Gorshkov presently with Russia). Both are aircraft carriers. Besides India has already acquired the AWACS system that has been installed on Russian made IL-76 transport aircraft. Presently India has just 1 AWACS) but is in the process of acquiring 6 more such planes by 2015 that would give it an edge over China which has none right now. India should also ask companies like TATA, Reliance, Wipro, Mahindra and Mahindra and Larsen and Tubro to form a group and jointly develop fighter aircrafts for Indian Air Force in collaboration with foreign companies. TATA is already in talks with Swedish firm SAAB Aerospace to jointly built Saab Gripen single seater, single engine medium multirole combat aircraft. The other companies should follow suit. It is only then possible for India to develop a 5th generation advanced fighter on its own.

By Rishabh, (V) John Martyn Memorial School

By Apurva kaushik,(XI) CJM

When I think of the sunrise You come into my mind.
When I think of the rain drop Falling at night remember
You said, it was a singing night You come into my mind I cry call the time wish you would Have been with me for a longer time.
Shout my name, call me back to you.
I can’t live here a day more without you.
When a knock on the door or a call on the phone You come into my mind.

Vimla Baseda, Class 12 Rani Laxmi Bai Bal Panchayat Askot, Pithoragarh

The children of our village Bal Panchayat participated in a workshop on the Right to Information Act sponsored by the Mountain Children’s Foundation and Asha SV. In this workshop, we discussed the problems of our villages and how the RTI could be used to solve those problems. For two months, the lights in our village were very dim due to the extremely low electricity voltage. The children of our village decided to ask the electricity department about this, so we wrote an RTI request. Our application had a great impact on the officers in the electricity department and they immediately improved the voltage to our village. In this way, our village electricity problem was solved. And respect for our Bal Panchayat among the villagers greatly increased. Our village also has a severe water problem. We have submitted an RTI request for this as well and are hoping to hear back soon. I want to ask all my Parvatiya Bal Manch (PABAM) colleagues to make better use of the RTI so that you can all be part of the development of your village.

Defence By Shommi,(IX-A)

According to Oxford dictionary ‘Defence’ means to protect. It is the duty of all Indians to protect or defence the country. Our Indian army force has improved very much from last few years. Indian soldiers are always protecting India from the terrorist, without thinking of themselves and their families. They don’t even know that when a bullet comes and shoots on their heads and they die. Many of our soldiers have been sacrificed while protecting the country. Now thinking of all soldiers those have been sacrificed, we all have to promise that even we are simple people we have to defence our country. Jai Hind.

“THIS WORLD RESTS ON THE ARMS OF HEROES LIKE A SON ON THOSE OF HIS SIRE”

Being an army officer’s child…

Elmore Daris once very correctly said "this nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of brave. Patriotism, heroism, discipline, honor, courage are the words that best describe our India army. Known for their valor and strength, the brave hearts of the army men have attracted me since childhood. Their striking personality has always impressed me. The fine – looking youths after joining the army inherit a glorious heritage E.g. time – honored tradition. Now, I would start sharing my experience of viewing the army life. My father COL. V.BUBBER has been serving the Indian army for the past 28 years. That’s indeed a long time. When I was born on 9th March 1994, my father was posted in Jenga valley (I’m sure you haven’t heard the name of this before. It is situated in Arunachal Pradesh. A place in extreme east where the population is very less. There are no shops, no cinemas, just nothing at all. But for army men, they can find their way and survive almost on anything in this world. One thing I still feel bad about is that my first birthday was not celebrated; the reason was that now my father was posted to Ambala. For my mother it is a headache to pack everything and more from one place to another. Sometimes I feel sad, now we have become used to getting transferred. My elder sister who is now happily married and is now finally settled at one place changed 8 schools. Till she finally passed out. I started my schooling in Ambala. Though we feel sad to leave one place, schools, friends, surroundings but all this has its own charm. Its really very difficult to move from one place to a completely new place and adjust there. At least for me, as a student it is very difficult to leave my school, friends, and teachers, Discipline, manners, sophistication, moral values run through my veins. From Ambala, my father was posted to Sagar Cantt in Madhya Pradesh. Again a new school, new place, new friends and we had to adjust ourselves any how. By the time we started liking the place and became close to people, it was time to move again. Our next stop was at Delhi, my favorite. We where there for 5 long years. I love Delhi for everything. I started my teens in Delhi. And had lots of fun. I was completely depressed to leave Delhi and my friends were also very sad. But we had to leave Delhi. My sister finished her schooling, completed her college, and started her job when we were in Delhi. The worst part was that we had to leave such a lively place and my sister had to continue her job. From Delhi we landed up in Dehradun. Now, my father is posted at the Military Dental Centre, Indian Military Academy. The day I reached Dehradun I cried like anything. Initially I did not like this place at all because it was completely different from Delhi. But, now I like this place, the school "SCHOLARS HOME", the friends I made, the experiences that I had, the teachers and the most dignified lady I met- our principal- Mrs. Chhaya Khanna. My father is a dentist, you may say he is two in one. But for me is all in one. Army life is the best, there’s nothing better than army life. My parents have completed 25 years of their marriage this year, but they have stayed away from each other for 8-10 years. Only because my father was somewhere, serving the nation while risking his life.
Benjamin Frankalin described the spirit on the Indian Army "where liberty dwells, there is my country." My first love is Army. I will never forget the days when, while crossing with my papa in the car, used to watch the Army men exercising and doing the perfect parades. There sights never failed to fascinate me. My love has still not faded; in fact it has grown over the years. God knows where our next and final stop is. We would just hope for the best. In the end, I would like to conclude with these lines – "be an army man, be a winner for life" these words have a special meaning and inspiration in them for me. Only a person imbedded with passion, discipline and confidence can achieve his strength and dignity and earn the respect and admiration of his colleagues "THIS WORLD RESTS ON THE ARMS OF HEROES LIKE A SON ON THOSE OF HIS SIRE"
I am very proud of the Indian Army and to be the daughter of an army officer. It’s the best experience of my life.

By Devrat Varma Bal Panchayat Horrawala

With the support of the Mountain Children’s Foundation, I took part in a workshop on the Right to Information Act that was organised by the Horrawala Bal Panchayat. In this workshop, we learned a great deal of important information about the RTI. We learned what types of information we could request from the government and how we should write our RTI requests, and that each government department was required to have an information officer, to whom we could address our inquiries, and what that officer’s responsibilities were.
This workshop generated greater awareness about government works that were being carried out in our area and inspired us to use the RTI to address our community’s needs.
A few months ago, several huge cement pipes were delivered to my village. They were to be used to divert water from a canal along the road and move it underground. These cement pipes were placed haphazardly on both sides of the main road. This was causing a great deal of trouble for anyone using the road and greatly increased the risk of accidents and injuries. I filed an RTI request about this problem at the irrigation department and asked when these pipes would be removed from the road. Within a few days of my request, the pipes were removed from the road. I am very pleased with my success and when I told my family about this, my mother and father didn’t believe me! They only believed me when a Junior Engineer from the irrigation department came looking for me at my house. He told my mother, "Your son wrote to my department asking about the pipes and it was only because of him that they were removed. I hope that now no one will be inconvenienced because of the pipes." A few days later, I also received an official response to my original RTI request. For me, this is a completely new experience. I used to think that government work could only be influenced by big people. If we ever had a problem with the government we could only get it addressed by going through a politician or government official. But this experience has shown me that with a little attentiveness and awareness, and the proper use of the government’s RTI law, we can solve many of our own problems.

By Aishwarya Sharma Convent of Jesus & Mary

God will give me hope
I sat in the obscure darkness, stupefied at the way things were working out;
While searching for the reassuring light of stars, there was no word coming out of my mouth.
I was glum, I was forlorn, and I didn’t know what to do;
All my days seemed so terribly blue.
The mountains seemed impossible for me to cross;
I had achieved nothing but loss, loss, and loss!
In front of me, there was an expanse of desert, inexplicably wide;
In these days of melancholy and mayhem, I couldn’t find a guide.
The love I once received had turned into animosity;
I’ve started having doubt over my own virtuosity.
I want to be successful, and fly high;
Reaching the stars and touching the sky!
I want to cross mighty seas, and face tumultuous tempests;
Defying the odds and outshining the rest.I don’t just want all the glory for myself, I want others to achieve too;
Empowering everyone around me, giving them wisdom pure and true.
Just then, God held my hand, kissed my cheek, and said to me:
'Arise, awake! For your treasured and cherished dreams;
Remember, that path that you’ll follow to get what you want is not just cake and cream.
Nothing can be done now, to you sometimes it might seem;
People will not be nice to you, but they’ll be cruel and mean.
No matter what happens, keep all hope alive within you;
It will be then that you can turn happy, all the days that were blue.
Take my cup of hope, drink it, and fill yourself with it evermore;
Then you’ll be tough, resilient and determined, well, that’s for sure!Remember- make hope enter your heart and let it there make a nest,
The one who walks alone and lonely walks the farthest.
Let the whole world do what they do;
I know you’ll do something extraordinary; all my expectations are from you!
Go back to you planet, and do what is told;
‘Tis only then you can turn all your rusty days into treasured silver and gold.'
I was filled with positivism, and got ready to conquer the world;
I was more confident by God’s word, and now I couldn’t be unnerved.
Even if the whole world’s against me,
Even if I’m not free,
Even if I’m broke;
God loves me immensely, and He will give me HOPE!!!!

By Sagar,(XII) Doon Cambridge School

I still feel when I see a new bud opening I still feel when I see the moon alone glowing In every corner of this world, I’m still searching for you girl Thought you are, far but hopes in my heart aren’t null You know you were my angel, my life, my soul You were the only girl, my heart who stole Living with you was my dreams come true The only thing I knew was the fact that I love you!
But you went off!! You didn’t care I kept on shouting but you didn’t hear
You left me alone, you betrayed me Breaking my heart, you broke me
If you loved me as much as you said You would have never left me as u had
The fault wasn’t mine, I wanted to tell to show you the truth at every step I fell
but you didn’t listen! You didn’t care!

All my pledges, never you did hear!
I shouted, I cried …tears filled my eyes But still as per you …all these were lies
You pushed me away, as you never knew me How could you break the promises that you made to me I think you forgot the relation that we shared But I still remember, on valentines what you did wear!
You were my princess, always in my heart And now I cant believe that our love has gone apart I did what I could to bring you back But you were happy in a world where I lack Now I may not be a single thought in your brain Thinking about all this my heart really feels strange I guess all that you said to me was a lie As you are now in love with another guy Forgetting me so soon, you rook a new man Thrashing all my hopes, how easily you ran Now when I think of you with another heart Even the thought of it, shatters my soul, completely tears me apart. I still remember by heart, those golden days When whole day long, in your eyes I use to gaze Standing close, feeling the warmth of your love. The fragrance of your hairs went down to my nerves The words in your talks, the love in your eyes Made my useless life, once living worthwhile Lying in the shade, holding my hand You casted spells with your smile like a magic wound
Loving that place, I still roam there…
Watching the tree where our names are written together Where you promised many promises which broke so soon The love that we planted, alone you have ruined Were all your words, just like a rain Which comes and seeps down, disappearing again Just making me wet from heart to soul You forgot my love but my life you stole The love…that once belonged only to me The eyes in which my heaven I used to see The lips that used to read my heart Was all this fake or I was in the dark?

But now it puts me insane, please take away the pain I’m standing in the sun; I want all your rain Going through your heart I still know you care for me I don’t want to hear that there is no place for me Do you still remember the place where we first met That was the best moment in my life I still bet You were the most precious gift I ever did get Those beautiful conversations my soul can never forget But you forgot all! Never did recall!
Leaving me on the edge you left me to fall And never looked back if I were alive or dead While I took out my heart painted in red Who on watching his love go…kept on crying Struck by her betrayal, lifeless it was lying But hopes aren’t null, my love isn’t dull Someday I know you’ll come back to me girl And for that day I tire, I tried and I’m trying But inside my heart I feel like I’m dying!!

By Shreya, (IV) John Martyn Memorial School

Music-Elevating Oneself!

There are certain channels on television, like MTV and Channel V, which are supposed to be music channels, but you can spend half the day watching these without hearing a single song. Reality Television shows, spoofs, style checks – you name it, they’ve got it, unless that ‘it’ is music – in that case you’ll have to go look somewhere else. As far as television is concerned, real music freaks don’t have many options left these days. And when these channels are not busy showing girl fights, or teen divas, the quality of the music that we do get to hear is well below par.
God protect us from those sappy boy bands, in which the members are more concerned with behaving like models, rather than singing their songs. I mean, if you are not a thirteen year old girl, you’ll find these hard to like. Then there are the female pop stars, dancing half naked to the songs someone else wrote for them. I, like thousands of others, have no problem with the ‘dancing half naked’ part, but there is very little that is genuine about their whole act. The songs that they sing did not emanate from the depths of their souls, but were synthesised by others to fit the demands of a pre-programmed audience.
You don’t hear many Rock songs on MTV. Maybe because these are honest - which doesn’t fit too well with their agenda. Rock music is about originality of thought and the freedom to express oneself. If young people develop these qualities, they wouldn’t be too interested in watching programs about grown up twins trying to show everybody how alike they are (I always thought it should be the other way round). I am sorry, Raghu and Rajiv, I am sure you looked extremely cute when your mother made you wear matching outfits as kids, but when you do so as grown men, it’s quite pathetic. Rock music is an acquired taste, but once you are hooked, it can open doors you never knew existed. You just have to sit back and let that guitar solo carry you to a place where you have never been before. A place where you are special in your own uniqueness – where you don’t have to try and be like someone else to feel cool or hip. Listening to The Beatles, CCR, The Eagles, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Dire Straits, Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple actually makes you a better person. It’s almost like a crash course in manhood.
Rock can even be a stepping stone to understanding classical music. I never really got Indian classical music, until I became a fan of rock. In those long jamming sessions, in which the musician elevates himself to a higher level of consciousness and takes you along with him, does it really matter whether it is a sitar or a guitar that he is playing?
Sufi music is one of the most honest and heartfelt forms of music. While half the Hindi music directors are busy plagiarising, Kailasa comes and rescues the day for Indian music.
One of the much misunderstood forms of music is heavy metal. If you think that it is nothing but mere noise, you obviously haven’t heard the right bands. If you listen to Zakk Wylde play one of his blistering solos while he is performing live with Ozzy, you will get a rush that you have never experienced before. In the end, it really doesn’t matter what kind of music you like, as long as it originates from genuine emotions. Whether it is rock, classical, Hindi film music, heavy metal, disco, pop, R&B, or hip hop, great musicians are found in all genres. Unless it is Trance – I can understand why people have to get high to enjoy that kind of music.