Game of Sholarships....

Being an Engineering student, I know that today education is a commercial business. Some people having big contacts manage to get some seats in their hands. Then they sell them at their own prices by the name called "donation". What more, seats sell like hot cakes and again the rich has advantage over the poor. A rich person's child need not worry about his merits and extra-curricular activities certificates. The family background is financially strong enough to get him entry pass of anything from amusement parks to schools, colleges and foreign studies. It is the poor who has to suffer. He works hard to get goods marks in academics, takes part in extra-curricular activities to earn some certificates so that he can put it in his resume and increase its weightage. In addition to this, he will run to the organizations for scholarships to provide him financial aid.

One such organization came to my college D.J Sangvi. Let it be called SO(not real name to avoid controversy). Now SO had its own eligibility criteria. Student must have more than 75% aggregate and its income from all sources must be less than 50,000 per month. Today, students are more than satisfied if they can avoid ATKT lest about 75% which is like getting 90% in 10th standard. However as some students cross 90 in 10th, similarly some very bright students do manage to cross 75% in Engineering. Fortunately I was one of them. They had asked to give the attested copies of all the mark sheets, certificates, certificates of event participation and file return of income. It made my life very hectic for 2 -3 days. Collecting everything and doing attestation, we tried our level best to put as many certificates as possible to improve our chances of getting selected. The worst part is, all these was done so that we can get short listed for their interview. After interview if they found us eligible, then only we receive scholarship.

I along with my friends applied for the scholarship and am hoping to get response from them.

Environmental Awareness.

I was attending a lecture when our professor informed us that some environmentalist Bill McKibben from U.S has come to give a seminar on Global Warming. I was so irritated to hear this. Who wants a lecture on EVS, damn? Its going to be so boring. When I reached there the whole conference room was filled with annoyed students like me. We sat and Bill began his presentation and I was captivated by his speech.

He told us that carbon content in atmosphere has reached 390ppm(parts per million) while the number estimated by scientist and geologists for healthy environment is 350ppm. This increase in carbon has resulted in so many hazards all over the world. It has raised the temperature of earth by 1 degree Celsius. All glaciers are melting due to which the sea level has raised. Also the climate has become uncertain. Mumbaikars witnessed tides 5.5m high, the highest tide of the century. Also the rainy season came very late this year in the end of June. Now 2 days back torrential rain and floods claimed 227 deaths in India, out of which 200 died in Andra and Tamil Nadu. All these are known to be the effects of global warming.

He also told us that America which has 4% of world population itself produces 25% of world pollution. All of us were bewildered. This is because of their surplus use of resources like petrol, coal, natural gas, electricity etc. India is getting affected because it is estimated that India must have 33% of land under forestation, however today there is only 12% forest land. Thus we not only need to protect the existing forests but also bring more land under forestation.

The good news: This year the world’s leaders will meet in Copenhagen in December to reach agreement on a new climate treaty, we need them to go farther than they’ve planned to go: we need to make sure they’ll pay attention to the latest science and put forward a plan that gets us back to safety.

So here’s the plan. On October 24, we need you to organize an action in the place where you live, something that will make that most important number visible to everyone. People in more than 1000 communities around the globe have already announced plans—they’ll be school children planting 350 trees in Bangladesh, scientists hanging banners saying 350 on the statues on Easter Island, 350 scuba divers diving underwater at the Great Barrier Reef, and a thousand more creative actions like these. At each event, people will gather for a big group photo that somehow depicts 350--and upload that photo to the web 350.org. As actions take place around the world, we'll link all the pictures together electronically via the web--by the end of the day, we'll have a powerful visual petition linking together the entire planet that we can deliver to the media and world leaders.

If you want to contribute and help us in safety of our earth and human beings then join us on http://www.350.org. We will help you to initiate and spread the message in your area.

Thank you.

Eid Mubarak....

Hurrah! it is Eid today.

After fasting for the whole month, Muslims celebrate their happiness as an auspicious festival called "Eid". People are so excited and joyous on this day. They get up early in the morning, with the first ray of sun, have bath and get ready for Namaz. Muslims wear their traditional clothes kurta-pyjama, put itr(liquid for good smell, but not scent), eat something sweet, usually 3,5 or 7 dates dipped in milk and go to Eid-gah(the place where Eid Namaz is performed) for Namaz. It is surprising to see such a large crowd that gathers for Namaz. Mats are even put up on streets for people. then Namaz is performed with full discipline. After Namaz people cuddle each other greeting them"Eid Mubarak". Even strangers are wished with the same enthusiasm and affection. And then the tradition of meeting people begins...

On this day, Muslims visit their relatives houses, wish them affectionately and eat shewaain. Even people who haven't seen each other for years meet each other. Such gatherings rejuvenates people's love for each other and bring them closer. Children also enjoy themselves a lot. They receive Eidi(a small sum of money) from elders.They use this money to buy toys, sit on different types of rides that come in the area, chocolates etc.

Eid is a festival celebrated in peace without any noise. It has a very special importance in every Muslims life. It is a sign of unity among them which shows that even if they don't meet regularly they are still together and remember each other.

The sign of Eid's Arrival...

Finally the crescent has appeared.

People kept their eyes on the sky continuously, eagerly waiting for a glimpse of the crescent. The moon after enjoying the curiosity of people decided to fulfill their wishes and showed its presence for a while. One glance was enough to make the whole country rejoice and start their preparations for the auspicious festival to be celebrated the next day. A feeling of felicity waived over the entire nation and people set their foot ready to run for the preparations.

It is such a happy feeling to see people enthusiastically running to buy the commodities, clothes, decorative articles etc. Children running all over the area shouting out of delight the slogan"chand dikh gaya(moon has appeared)". People start buying shewaain, the traditional sweet prepared at every Muslim's house on Eid. Some busy bargaining with the shopkeepers to cut costs of the clothes. Attractive well designed kurta-pyjamas, pathani suits, shalwar jhampals to be seen everywhere. A man with his four children making hastes in buying his childrens clothes, shoes, topi's and various other accessories. At the same time controlling his children from splitting up in so much of crowd. All these scenery add up the excitement and impatience for the coming day.

Also you can see long queues in the saloons and beauty parlors. Everybody doing a complete make over from their face to toes just for one day. Women making mehendi designs on their palms and feet, doing facial bleachings, buying all sorts of ornaments to match their clothes. Simultaneously preparing Masala's required for shewaain and other dishes.

People hardly sleep on this night. Nobody can wait anymore for the dawn to arrive. They all are busy with the house cleaning, decorations, making more space for the visitors etc. One crescent changes the whole scenario, fills everyone's heart with joy, enthusiasm and impatience. Such happiness is never seen on any other day or festival. I love this night called "chand raat".

Secret of Success....

We always come across some people who excel in any field they choose. They always make us ask one question,"What is it in him that makes him so successful?". But we never receive a convincing answer or any trick or procedure that we can apply in our life to become successful. However have we ever wondered how much these people struggle to achieve success? Success is not a one night work or trick. They work tirelessly and persistently to gain success.

Everybody knows Socrates, one of the greatest philosophers ever. He was asked the same question by an ordinary man like us. Socrates politely asked that man to meet him near the river close to the village next day. Next day when the man reached the bank, he saw that Socrates was standing in the river half dipped in water. Socrates called him to join in. Man, full of confusion and curiosity entered the river to join Socrates. Socrates griped the man and pushed him into the river not allowing him to come out. Man tried hard with all his strength and energy to come out and breathe and take oxygen. But Socrates was stronger than him and had held him firmly. When the man was totally exhausted and began suffocating for want of oxygen, Socrates released him. Man came out and started gasping. Socrates asked him,"In water, what was the thing you wanted the most?"."Oxygen", replied man. Then Socrates said,"You will achieve success only if you want it as desperately as oxygen in water. Then you will apply all your strength and energy and will indeed be successful."

So readers if you want success make sure that you are diving your 100%. There must be total dedication, persistence and most importantly desire for success. Only then success will touch your feet.

There are some very good books in the market that I will recommend to everyone. "You Can Win" and "Think and Grow rich" are some of them.

Swine Flu Attack

All are familiar with the recent epidemic that broke through globally. Swine Flu. I still remember the time when it first hit America few months back and became headline of so many leading newspapers. It spread like fire and soon news poured from all over the world of people dying because of this disease.

The disease arose fear in people's heart. People began fearing to come into direct contact with others. Commuters began taking precautions by wearing masks and avoiding too crowded places. It created a havoc and government declared that all colleges and institutions in Mumbai to remain closed for a week to control the spreading of disease. Even after a month of that mini vacation that students received, some schools are still cautious which is evident from the fact that they canceled picnics of students.

The reason for such an enlarged outbreak of this disease is that it is contagious(transmits from person to person) within a range of 3 feet and can survive a little longer than usual in the environment which results in contamination of air. This air when inhaled by an healthy individual brings the virus H1N1 in his body resulting in swine flu.

However it is nice to see that gradually the spread has ceased down and now people are back to their normal life with same enthusiasm and pace. Doctors worked day and night in all hospitals to curb it and they have almost controlled the situation. Researchers are also working on the vaccine for Swine flu and government has claimed that it will be ready by 2-3 months and then we can live a swine-flu-fear free life.

T.E Begins....

Hey guys,

My third year of Engineering begun recently. It is different from the past two years. Now, I feel I am doing some kind of a professional course. Since the first day, we have been asked to make mini projects and presentations in various subjects. I am glad that my college is assigning projects right from T.E. All these things help in our personality development and they also add up to our resumes. Thus, we can have a upper hand compared to the students interested in Academics only.

I have even planned to go beyond my syllabus to make some worth noticing. If you guys have any idea how and where I must start, then please give your valuable pieces of advice. They will be gratefully accepted and I take this opportunity to thank you in advance...
Waiting for your response.