Dwrites

Raga Ensemble mesmerises fashion lovers

2009-06-11T05:56:00.000-07:00

Raga Ensemble mesmerises fashion lovers

Models walk the ramp as malkauns and basant bahar herald designer collection.

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The cultural capital of Gujarat had a unique musical concert recently. Raga Ensemble turned out to be a fascinating and unique way of expressions where the classical ragas were rendered in visual forms through designer outfits, and not in the usual form of recitals. Chandrakant Golani, a city-based designer, converted the rendering of two classical ragas into visual forms through his outfit creations at the city based Abhivyakti Art gallery. The designer used ragas malkauns and basant bahar for interpretation of his designer collections.

Raga Ensamble, a creation inspired from the classical ragas, was an event of exploration of the Indian classical ragas through a live visual interpretation in the form of elegant embodiments. Models presented the designer collections on the ramp to the rendering of malkauns and basant bahar.Raag malkauns, primarily considered to be the raga of the worship of Lord Shiva, was presented through colours like black, blue and golden. The accessories like Rudraksh, damru and tattoos were used to make the effect of the raga alive. Basant bahar, the patron raga of the spring, was presented through bright colours like red, orange and turmeric. “This is a rare form of art where ragas are used in a visual form to present the designer outfits. Here the designs are not a form of glamour but it is a form of presenting the classical music. The creations have been based on the ragas malkauns and basant bahar. The collection includes shades colours and accessories representing the ragas,” said Golani.

In a specialty creation, an outfit created by Golani doesnt have a single stitch. Talking about the idea of the ragas being used for his creations, Golani said: “Being deeply interested in classical music and designs, I was keen to exploit the depth of the ragas by applying it for interpretation of my creations, hence this creation of designer collections.”Hundreds of fashion and music lovers were thrilled at the novel form of expression involving classical music and fashion at Abhivyakti art gallery.

Sharmishta Chawda, the organiser of the event, said: “This is for the first time in the state that the designer collections have been presented through classical ragas. The ragas are presented considering the colours, accessories, designs and time, typical to the ragas.”

This Barodian can make worlds smallest paintings

2009-06-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

This Barodian can make worlds smallest paintings
Prajesh Shahs painting of 10 mm size has got him a place in Limca book of records
Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Monday, December 29, 2008

Worlds smallest painting enclosed in just 10 mm has got 29-year-old Prajesh Shah a place in the Limca book of records. Micro paintings, micro calligraphy, rangoli on nails, chalk carving are some of other creative skills that this Barodian artist possesses.

Shah, a visiting faculty of interior designing at MSU and an art teacher in a school of Vadodara, has not taken any formal training of art. But his interest in designing and keenness to create something different took him to the world of micro paintings.

“When I used to see big size paintings in exhibitions and on internet, I felt why not to make micro paintings. I started making micro size paintings of 100 mm, 75 mm and gradually narrowed down to the latest 10 mm which has been selected for Limca book of records as worlds smallest painting,” said Shah. Sometimes, it just takes 20 minutes to make a micro painting while sometimes it takes 20 hours of stressful eyes and back pain to create a piece of micro art. “Micro art demands a lot of concentration and patience. Many times it happens that a single small mistake could scrap a whole piece of art. After making more than 5,000 pieces of art finally I have collected 111 best pieces of micro paintings,” added Shah.

Interestingly, his brushes for the micro paintings are made of his own hair and eyelashes. Shahs micro world is not limited only to the micro paintings but he also does calligraphy on sesame and poppy seeds (khas khas). He can write about seven characters on sesame and on khas khas which is just too microscopic but done without the use of any magnifying glass. Shahs other creation includes an album which includes 10 micro paintings of 15 mm size. He has also made a calligraphic portrait of Narendra Modi by inscribing “Shri Narendra Modi” 12,000 times, which he has sent to the CM. In addition, he does rangoli on his own nails. Carving on chalks is another piece of art by this multitasking artist.

Recently, Shah has been invited to the Kankaria Carnival by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation along with other artists to paint on a 2,000 ft long canvas. In all, 150 artists and 200 fine art students will paint the 2,000 ft long wall at Kankaria as a part of the carnival on Monday within the time duration of nine hours. Each artist will be given canvas of 4x5 ft size to make painting on given themes. He will be painting on Beti Bachao theme.Other than this, Shah knows various different art forms - Varli painting, Madhubani painting, Rajasthani painting, cartoons, modern art, mural, sculpture, rangoli and other 25 different types

Girl students outshine boys at MSU convocation ceremony

2009-06-11T05:47:00.000-07:00

Girl students outshine boys at MSU convocation ceremony

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Sunday, December 28, 2008
In a stunning event 288 gold medals were awarded to the meritorious graduating students at the 57th annual convocation of the MS University for the year 2008, which was organised at the university convocation ground on Saturday. Attended by a large number of dignitaries, including members of the Universitys Senate and Syndicate, besides the students, the event was graced by Dr RK Pachauri, director general, Energy Research Institute (TERI), New Delhi and chairman, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as the chief guest.

Emphasising on the importance of research and knowledge-based education, Dr Pachauri urged students to “dirty their hands in research and bring out the best”. “We need to make our education system more research oriented. It can be the best way to learn and get something out. Knowledge cannot be preserved by selected authorities. It should rotate in flow. Quality education is required from the beginning to make the career stronger,” he said.

This years convocation was totally dominated by the girl students who won 149 gold medals out of 288 gold medals distributed among students of different departments. The girl students not only achieved the gold medals in non-technical streams like commerce and arts, but also marked their presence in technology and engineering fields with gold medal in Mechanical, electrical and other technical subjects. Shobhit Mathur, a medical student was the event stunner with a haul of six gold medals followed closely by three girl students who received five gold medals each.

Addressing the gathering, chancellor Mrunalinidevi Puar, said: “Getting a degree from MSU is definitely a moment of pride for all the students. I urge the students to actively contribute to the society and to the nation through their education and also to utilise the education in a best way and to keep themselves updated to match steps with the world.”

Pre-marriage sex counselling comes of age

2009-06-11T05:44:00.000-07:00

Pre-marriage sex counselling comes of age
Young men and women are keen to get rid of misconceptions about sex before getting married

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Friday, December 26, 2008

Even in the 21st century, sex is a term that is best kept under wraps in our society. Though we claim to have become modern, talking about it openly, is still a taboo. The preset medieval thinking that we still nurture has led to many a problem in families as a result of which, dreams of happily living ever after is turning out more of nightmares than before for the conjugal life. However, now, young educated couples have started opting for pre-marriage counselling to clear misconceived notions and fears about sex, than live a discordant marital life later on.
With the three-letter word dominating almost every sphere of visual medium, from television to the Internet, sex often becomes more of a misconceived notion borne out of suppressed curiosity. “The knowledge of sex is very limited, thanks to the rigid societal norms,” said Dr Surekha Vinod, a Vadodara-based gynaecologist, while talking to DNA. Therefore, couples intending to marry should avail sexual counselling to remove these false notions, she said.
When these couple come for the counselling, doctors give them separate or joint session depending on their flexibility. “Generally girls are shyer than boys, but boys have wrong perceptions about private body parts. The counselling is not only about understanding physical aspects but also improving their mental level,” said Dr Meeta Saija, a gynaecologist at Waghodia.Rahul and Avani a betrothed couple from Vadodara found the pre-marriage sexual counselling very helpful. “Being a science student, I thought that I don't need to undergo any sex counselling but acting on the advice of my US-based friend, my fiancé and I consulted a sexologist who counselled both of us separately and the sittings were very informative. We have become familiar with many things and notions which we did not know earlier,” said Rahul, who is an IT professional in a city-based MNC.
With the wedding season in top gear, brides and grooms to be are busy with their wedding preparations, which now also include the counselling sessions. “Though the number of young boys and girls coming for the sex education before marriage has increased by 10%, it is still not a significant increase. Only well educated and modern youngsters come for it and that too in small numbers. Surprisingly, despite high education, their knowledge of sex relationship is shallow. They have some vague idea about sex and family planning, these are often mired in notions, which may prove dangerous. Counselling gives proper guidance but our society is still open to the concept unlike in foreign countries,” lamented Vadodara-based sexologist, Dr Vinit Shah.

Israel plans to start dairy farm in Gujarat

2009-06-11T05:41:00.000-07:00

Israel plans to start dairy farm in Gujarat

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Tuesday, December 23, 2008
“Israel plans to start a dairy farm in Gujarat, which will be equipped with modern technology, but certain details need to be finalised before this can happen,” said Orna Sagiv, Israels Mumbai-based Consul General, who visited Vadodara on Monday for the start of a five-day film festival which began on Monday.

Walk on Water, Campfire and Passover Fire and Troop will feature in the first-of-its-kind Israeli film festival in the city. The event has been organised by the Friends of Israel society — which works for cultural exchange between India and Israel —to familiarise Israeli culture in the city. “We hope to make the event both entertaining and informative. I have been to Israel and think its culture is as rich as Indias. The idea behind the film festival was to help people here share that culture,” said Friends of Israels Siddhartha Dave.Sagiv added, “India and Israel both have a rich culture. Such cultural exchange programmes are important since they help one country learn about another, and movies make the exchange light and easy,” she said.

On the Mumbai terror attack, she said she felt the world needs to unite against terrorism.She also commented on the effects of the slowdown on her country. “The global recession has affected Israel, but not as badly as other countries.”

Mild winter brings down quality of ponk

2009-06-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

Mild winter brings down quality of ponk

Ponk loses its characteristic softness under unsuitable weather conditions

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Monday, December 22, 2008

Ponk lovers in the city are facing a dearth of their winter staple. Experts say extreme cold weather lends ponk (sorghum) its characteristic softness and milky sweetness. This years off-season rainfall and mild winter, they explain, have affected the crop.

Sarfaraz Vora, who cultivates juvar and runs a ponk centre in the city, said: “This year insufficient cold has adversely affected the juvar crop and, subsequently, the quality of ponk. At our farm, we grow juvar step by step to get fresh ponk, but it requires temperatures to go much lower than they have this year. Most ponk eaters have realised this, and have stopped returning to stalls after one visit.”

Anuj Shaha loves ponk and even hosts an annual ponk party. “Since our juvar crop has not been as soft as usual, the ponk would not taste as good. So, we have decided to give up our annual party this year.”

While ponk centres in the city continue to serve the item in various forms such as ponk Manchurian, ponk noodles and ponk soup, food joints that specialise in ponk admit business has fallen this year.

The owner of one such ponk centre, Girish Patel, said, “Usually, December is the height of ponk season, but this year, it is difficult to believe that winter has even started. Ponk prices are usually around Rs300 per kg when the season begins, and fall to Rs250 per kg as the season end. This year, there have been no major variation in prices, but the quality has fallen due to unsuitable climatic conditions.”

Agriculturists blame the weather for the slide in ponk quality. According to agriculturist Ramesh Pandey, “In addition to the usually mild weather, off-season rainfall has affected a number of crops, including juvar. Global warming disturbed the environmental cycle, which has affected crop development. With ponk, it is important that the crop is handled carefully, since it loses its taste if the weather is not very cold.”

Farmer Mathurbhai explains the method of growing juvar. “Juvar is a high-maintenance crop, especially if one is to make ponk. It needs to be grown in stages and it is important to select only the soft juvar get good ponk, which only happens if the weather is very cold.”

Controversy halts film on Ruby case from hitting floor

2008-12-21T05:24:00.000-08:00

Alleging they were not informed about it, the victims family wants to review the script before shooting begins

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Sunday, December 21, 2008

The Ruby case involving three deaths that had taken place in February 2007 has once again become the subject of controversy, not out of any twists, but because of a film based on it. The shooting for the film was scheduled to begin on Saturday, but was halted as the family of Darshan and Mihir Thakore, who were killed in the case, demanded a review of the script.Talking to DNA, Mitesh Thakore, the brother of Darshan and Mihir said, “The producer of the film, Amit Vyas, had not informed us about it. The case is related to our life and family. So, the producer should have at least asked us before planning the film, more importantly when the case is still on board.” “As we were apprehensive about the script and treatment of the film, we asked the producer to show us the script. We do not want anything to be projected wrongly in the film. We are not against the film, but our main concern is that it should not affect the case adversely,” added Mitesh.On the other hand, Vyas, a Gujarati and Hindi film producer, said, “Being one of the police helpers in the case, I have observed it from close. The star cast and the legalities are all set. It will be made in Hindi, while I am also planning to dub it in Bhojpuri. I was all set with the shooting schedule.”“Now, the Thakore family has demanded that the script be reviews, thus delaying the shooting of the film,” he added.Speaking about the cast of the film, Vyas said, “I have cast Shweta Tiwari, a well-known television actress, as Jyoti, and well-known Gujarati actor Kiran Kumar as PI Sheikh. Chirag Gadhvi will be playing Balkrishna and Dinesh Lamba will play the role of Jayanti Pateliya.”

Artist brings 3D illusions to 2D canvas

2008-12-19T20:16:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Akash Choyal, who claims to be Indias first artist to use triographics in contemporary art, is showcasing his work at MSUs faculty of fine arts, in an exhibition titled My Arena. Triographics are paintings which give the illusion of being 3D images. “The idea came from my fondness for 3D art,” said the artist who works in multiple media such as 3-D illusionistic paintings, black and white drawings, fibreglass murals and video installations. The exhibition offers images of snakes, fishes, aero planes, boats, elephants, ladders, man and human hands. “My art narrates unending stories of my childhood memories,” Choyal explains.The exhibition began on December 17, and will continue till December 21.“The 3D illusions were delightful to look at, since they were so unusual,” said Reena Sahu, an art lover and student.

Love, set, match in the internet age

2008-12-19T20:08:00.000-08:00

Move over, marriage portals; more aspiring brides and grooms are choosing virtual swaymvars instead

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Thursday, December 18, 2008

In some of the best known swayamvars in Indian legends, Sita had to wait for Ram to come along and break a massive bow, and Karna was disqualified on caste grounds, despite shooting the eye of a revolving bird while looking at its reflection in a pool of water.Juggling fast-paced lifestyles, todays aspirants face equally challenging tasks, if not as dramatic. Some online portals have recognised this market and offer virtual swayamvars, which is gaining popularity among the Gujarati communtity. The traditional marriage portal involves browsing through dozens, if not hundreds of profiles, contacting interesting-looking candidates, and waiting for days in the hope of a favourable response. The virtual swayamvar however, enables candidates (with similar preferences) from across the world to log on at a pre-decided time, and interact with a larger group of probables."More prospective Gujarati brides and grooms searching for marital partners online. So virtual swayamvar was conceptualised to help members of a particular caste or community connect with their prospective life partners beyond geographical boundaries. Members across the globe can log in and meet up with potential partners,” an official at a major matrimony services portal said.“A number of participants prefer this concept, since interaction is real-time, making it replies and decisions faster and more efficient.” Aarti Shah and Rishab Shah, who were recently engaged in Vadodara, met through such a swayamvar. Rishab, a city-based software engineer sais, “My parents constantly tried to get me to attend matrimonial meets, but I was not comfortable in such a setting, and found the concept of virtual swayamvar more interesting,” he says, adding, “I registered myself on a site, and since we were particular about caste and community, I participated in virtual swayamvars meant only for Jains. I interacted with many candidates and things clicked with Aarti.”Parents too, are moving toward this concept. Seema and Piyus Patel, who stay in Ahmedabad, have registered their daughter on such a site, hoping to find her a suitable husband. “Traditionally, even the online route is a long-drawn process of finding a candidate. In a virtual swayamvar, one can directly chat with the candidate. We think the virtual swayamvar would be a good place to find a match for our daughter,” they saidStill, in some cases, the search continues. Surat-based banker, Milind Makhija said: “As a busy professional, I dont have the time to go through profiles, intimate my interest, and wait for replies. That way, virtual swayamvars are much better. I have attended some virtual swayamvars and will attend some more, till I find a suitable partner.”

Not many migratory birds flocking to central Gujarat

2008-12-14T22:14:00.000-08:00

The number of migratory birds at Kaneval, Pariaj and Vadhvana has dropped from 1.4 lakh a decade ago to 40,000 now

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Monday, December 15, 2008

Central Gujarat, formerly a major destination for bird watchers, is losing its charm. While Kaneval, Pariaj, Varasda near Anand, and Vadhavana near Vadodara previously played host to a large variety of migratory birds each winter, the number of these visitors has fallen in the past few years. Ornithologists say as many as 1,40,000 birds visited Kaneval, Pariaj and Vadhvana a decade ago. Now, this figure has shrunk to 40,000. At Varasda, this figure has gone from 28,000 a few years ago, to around 6,000. Experts say decreasing water levels in lakes and fields, coupled with bird hunting and poaching have led to the decrease. Dr. Hiren Soni, an ornithologist who has studied the wetlands of Vadodara and Anand, expresses his worry. “Fewer birds have been visiting Kaneval, Pariaj, Varasda and Vadhavana in the past few years. A decade ago, around 1,40,000 migratory birds came here. That figure has fallen to 80,000 in the past three years. According to the Asian waterfowl census in 1989, there were around 25,000 birds in Varasda. In 2002, there were only around 18,000. This year, only 7,000 birds seem to have visited Varasda,” said Soni.Each year, more than 35 types of migratory birds arrive at Kaneval, Pariaj, Varasda and Vadhavana around the end of October and stay till February or April. Flamingos, Moorhens, Storks, Spoonbills, Northern pintails, and Shovelers come from the colder areas in the north, to breed here. For the past few years, the water level in these lakes has been decreasing, since more water has flowed into the Bay of Khambhat and nearby canals, which are used to irrigate fields. This has resulted in the birds shifting to other places. Another reason behind the shift is overgrazing by local cattle, which creates a shortfall in plants that fish feed on. This, in turn, creates a shortage of the fish, on which the birds feed. This eventually leads to a food scarcity and, consequently, a decline in the population of migratory birds. Dhaval Patel, a wildlife lover who heads the Vidyanagar Nature Club, said, “The government should take steps to maintain the water levels in fields. The decreasing level of water in these fields is the main reason behind the fall in the number of migratory birds visiting the area. The water level in the region's lakes has also declined rapidly, making the place unsuitable for birds.” The fall in the number of migratory has also led to waning interest of tourists, who previously visited the area both from India and abroad.

At MSU hostels, anything goes

2008-12-14T22:12:00.000-08:00

Neither students nor officials seem to care about rules, regulations

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Monday, December 15, 2008

Like most others, the hostel halls under Vadodara's MS University have a list of rules. However, negligence, on the part of authorities and students alike, has led to a situation where anything goes. For instance, although an ID card system is supposed to be in place, many students don't have the requisite cards. Sources say some outsiders also stay at the hostel without permission. Under university rules, hostel residents are required to get permission, and pay a fee, to have overnight guests - another rule that is often ignored. Students also bypass the curfew timing, using proxies to mark attendance. Sociology student Mallika Singh, a resident of SD hall, says, “Our hall does not have a warden, making it easy for students to break the rules. Also, the management is not strict about taking action against offenders, so we have formed committees to fine students who do not follow the rules.” When DNA asked Dr DP Bharambe, chief warden of the MSU hostel, about loopholes in hostel management, he said, “The hostel halls have rules and regulations, which student residents are expected to follow. Strict action is taken when we get complaints that rules are being broken.” Sources say MSU's frequent plans for new rules rarely get implemented. This time, the university plans to introduce a punch-card system for hostel residents, to ensure that they return to the hostel on time. “We plan to introduce the punch-card system in hostel halls. As far as security and management of hostel halls is concerned, we are trying to implement the rules strictly. Students also need to understand the rules and regulations, and cooperate,” said vice chancellor Ramesh Goyal.

Wine keeps your heart healthy

2008-12-12T01:02:00.000-08:00

Research shows drinking small amounts of wine everyday is beneficial

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Friday, December 12, 2008
Consuming small amounts of red and white wine everyday can benefit one's health. According to research conducted by a US-based doctor, the daily consumption of red and white wine with food can prevent obesity, cardiac arrest, hypertension and ageing.Dr Nilanjana Maulik, of the department of surgery at the University of Connecticut's school of medicine in Farmington, was in Vadodara on Thursday to participate in a symposium on translational research in cardiovascular medicine. Dr Maulik, who has authored 140 papers on different subjects, has been studying the effects of wine for the past 10 years. Research conducted by her suggests that white and red wine ward off cardiovascular diseases. “White wine contains tyrosol, which is acts as a cardioprotective, while red wine contains only 6% of alcohol and is made from good quality grapes. So, a combination of white and red wine gives good results. It also controls glucose, and is thus helpful for those with diabetes.” As an anti-oxidant, Tyrosol can protect cells against injury due to oxidation. Its presence in white wine could be responsible for the protective effect, said Dr Maulik, whose team led the research at the University of Connecticut's Health Center in Farmington.She also commented on Gujarat's status as a dry state. “Limited consumption of alcohol can help fight many diseases, and so the state should have a liberal policy regarding wine. Good quality wines cost more and so are less available in India, compared to some countries, such as France,” she said.

Layoff victims take to blogs for help

2008-12-12T00:59:00.000-08:00

Having lost their jobs, professionals log on to the net for advice on how to overcome trauma

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Tuesday, December 08,2008

In current global recession, process of cost cutting has axed jobs of thousands of employees, especially in the US. Many of these jobless people are getting on with blogs to find the ways to survive post-layoff. Blog posts on different blog sites are flooding with the tips on how to survive a layoff and how to restart a work life again.Through personal, professional and group blogs, many employees who have recently lost their jobs, share their experiences of layoff and also discuss on the ways to overcome the situation by interacting with the co-sufferers and experts. Ritesh Shah, a US-based IT professional from Vadodara, has recently lost his job. Now he has turned to his personal blog to come out of the troubled waters. He says, "Getting information on current situation from the blogs of the financial experts and counsellors gives moral support to survive. After loosing the job, I have no work on hand to do; so I started getting on with my personal blog and shared my nightmarish experience there. Many people responded and shared the similar experience. In such a state, when you have lost the job, knowing views of the people who are also facing the similar situation, gives a feeling that you are not all alone. Besides, the tips given by experts give strength to restart."Shraddha Jha, an IT professional, returned to her hometown Vadodara, after her layoff from a job in a Bangalore based MNC. Like Ritesh, she is also now trying to overcome the situation and for that she has turned to blogs. "I find useful tips that help me survive a layoff and overcome this troubling situation; financially as well as mentally. Reading such blogs and discussing about the situation gives satisfaction of sharing. There are also chances of getting job through the interactions. Loosing the job makes a person down economically as well as socially. For me sharing my layoff situation on blog is a way to find solace and get on again with my professional life," Shraddha told DNA.'Our department is closing down shortly'; 'the jobs are moving to Asia', 'how can I get a local job?' 'my company is opting for cost cutting and I might loose my job what to do to save my job?' 'how to survive a layoff'?'; these are some of the questions which people ask on different blogs which also show ways to survive lay off situation. So, don't be scared and panic while facing a layoff, because now you are not all alone, and of course, blogs are always there to your rescue! Blogs written by bloggers who are career experts, psychologists, professionals and others offer tips on how to face layoff or a near future layoff. These blogs give advice to face the layoff financially, mentally and socially, help search new jobs and also offer tips on cost cutting in personal expenses and financial management. So, don't let the layoff panic affect you, spare some time for yourself and look for some of the useful tips available on blogs to survive a layoff.

Government should be empathetic in its approach towards us

2008-12-12T00:39:00.000-08:00

Victims of muscular dystrophy out on wheelchairs to create awareness

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Monday, December 08, 2008

Sanjana and Atul Goel, the sister and brother duo, have been suffering from muscular dystrophy - a genetic disease characterised by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles which control movement. Though the illness has made the two physically unfit, their spirits are still touching the skies. Nothing could prevent their nationwide mission that they have undertaken on wheelchairs for spreading awareness about muscular dystrophy.As part of their nationwide tour, undertaken at the behest of Indian Association of Muscular Dystrophy, Sanjana and Atul were in Vadodara recently. As a part of their awareness campaign, the wheelchair travellers visited Disha, a city based NGO that runs a school for such patients and Autism Centre.Muscular dystrophy is a critical illness that occurs generally among children. With the passage of time, the victims of the disease lose various functions. First, walking is affected, later they find difficulty in rising from sitting posture. Soon they are forced to take to wheelchairs. Though their brain functions normally, the muscles slowly keep deteriorating, and soon their independent existence turns into a nightmare. “There are about four lakh patients of this disability. Unfortunately, most of them do not confess and undergo treatment because of the fear of not getting a suitable match. In fact, with DNA tests and pre-natal tests, muscular dystrophy can be detected and treated. I know a quite a few disabled mothers who have given births to normal children,” Sanjna told DNA.There are various types of dystrophies and the inheritance pattern varies with each type. “The genetically inherent disease of muscular dystrophy affects children, and women are carriers of the disease. All the voluntary muscles of the body are more or less affected in the dystrophic process. The muscles involved in chewing food are the least affected while respiratory muscles are involved late in the disease. Tow to three cases of this disease come to me every month. The experiments on stem cell and other researches are still in test tube,” says Dr Bhavin Upadhyay, a city-based neuron physician.These two enthusiasts have been travelling on their wheelchairs all over the country to create awareness about the silent killer. “If the developed countries make life so easy for people on wheelchairs, why cant the Indian government do the same?” Atul asked. The duo appealed the government and the citizens to be empathetic; and not sympathetic, towards the people suffering from the disease.

MSU to put CCTV cameras in place

2008-12-12T00:27:00.000-08:00

About 15 cameras will be set up at the main office in phase I

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

The terror attacks in Mumbai have made MSU authorities wake up to the potential security threat that the university may receive. The authorities have now planned to set up CCTV cameras to keep an eye on the activities taking place on the campus.MSU's security has become a matter of concern since its name appeared in the threat mail received soon after the Ahmedabad serial blasts. Checking of ID card and restricted entries were some of the measures the university had taken after the blasts. However, with passage of time, all these steps went into relaxed mode.According to the latest plan, the whole MSU campus will be monitored through CCTV cameras installed on the campus. Cameras will be set up in different phases. In the first phase, 10 to 15 cameras will be set up in the main office within 15 days. The security of MSU campus has always been a question as the security guards at various gates of the campus rarely check the I-cards of people entering the campus. University vice chancellor Ramesh Goyal finds installation of CCTV camera as a useful measure for adequate security on the campus. "To protect the university from any kind of violence, the authorities have decided to set up CCTV cameras at different places on the campus. Gradually, the whole campus will be covered with the cameras. We were planning to install camera for long but the work got delayed due to certain reasons."On their part, the students are supporting the MSU decision of setting up cameras on the campus. They say it is a good measure to keep an eye on the activities happening in the university. Kaushal Shah, a TY BCom student, said: "CCTV cameras will strengthen the security in the university and keep a check on the activities on the campus. Now with the terrorist attacks, safety has become an important issue and university like MSU needs to take action."Harikiron Rao, general secretary of MSU, said: "Installing CCTV cameras will be helpful for the internal security of the university. The cameras will help officials keep a watch on the activities happening on campus. This would also maintain discipline in the university."

Relaunched MSU website needs another launch

2008-11-25T19:31:00.000-08:00

The poorly maintained website has old information
Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Wednesday, November 26, 2008

It may be the Internet age, but some officials at Vadodaras MS University are blissfully unaware that the varsitys website is outdated and ill-maintained. The sorry state of the site makes it difficult to even get basic updates about the universitys functioning. According to the homepage, nearly 35,000 students are enrolled at the university, which is one of the best known in Gujarat. Most of these students, especially the large base of foreign ones, prefer to gain access to academic and extracurricular information via the internet. However, a number of hyperlinks lead to dead or inaccessible pages, and of the ones that do open, many have incomplete information. Foreign student advisor at MSU, Sharad Bansal accedes that, “If the website is not functioning properly, it would be difficult for students to access information.” However, he is quick to shrug off the blame. “The technical department is responsible for the website. I am not aware about its working,” he says. MSUs website, www.msubaroda.ac.in, had been re-launched last year, with new features, but is not being updated regularly. The site still shows results of the last academic year and exam dates have not been updated, either. This is despite internal exams currently being conducted in a number of departments, with others scheduled to hold their exams in the coming months.In addition, the site does not offer any academic information, and only minimal details regarding the courses offered.Ramesh Goyal, at the start of his term as university vice chancellor, had assured the proper functioning of the website. But the situation remains largely unchanged in the roughly eight months since then. When asked about it, he said, “I admit the website is functioning at a less than optimal level. I have talked to the universitys technical department, who are working on the universitys website. We plan to re-launch it soon, with the latest updates.”To make matters worse, the contacts page of the site also has very limited information. Neither does it mention whom to contact in case of complaints or queries.

Nano gets a thumbs up from designer Chhabaria

2008-11-20T09:59:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA Money
Thursday, November 20, 2008

"The indigenous design of Nano has proved that Indians are equally competent in smart automobile design aspects," Dilip Chhabaria, the renowned sports car designer, told DNA Money during his Vadodara visit on Wednesday.

"Accommodating all features into a tiny automobile needs smart thinking, and Nano is a well designed car. We have proved that Indian can design fine cars," said Chhabaria, in an interactive session about the design of Tata's mini car.

He himself has recently designed a sports car targeting youth as the niche market. The sharp features of the car, which is to cost nearly Rs30 lakhs, are aerodynamic and have an original flair. Up till now, European countries were ahead of India in design, but this status has been challenged, with Nano-the finest example of Indian creativity. Designing a small and economic car like Nano is a feat, and needs many aspects to be taken under consideration, along with design feasibility.

Chhabaria appreciated the economic price of the car too. He enthused, "Nano is not only the cheapest car but its design is up to the mark. We have heard so much about the car, but it remains to be seen how it will perform on the roads."

Women's police station meted shabby treatment

2008-11-20T00:54:00.000-08:00

Inaugurated few days back, the station does not even have enough chairs and tables to sit and work

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Thursday, November 20, 2008

Ideally citizens go to a police station to resolve their problems but where do the police go to resolve theirs? The question has been spurred by the dismal state of the womens police station at Vadodara, where lady police officials are working in a sorry plight without adequate infrastructure.

Only a few days back, the citys first womens police station had been inaugurated in a grand ceremony. It was aimed to make women comfortable with their complainants and the police station more approachable by having lady police officials.But the place is ailing with pitiful infrastructure, with no water facility in the toilet. The station does not have enough chairs and tables even to sit and work. Women police officials sit on the floor and take down complaints. The officials have to use the SSG hospital toilet, across the road.

A lady police constable on the condition of anonymity told DNA, “When people come for registering complainants, we cannot even offer them a seat, as we do not have adequate chairs to accommodate our own staff. We sit on the floor to work. For women, water is a necessity in the toilet. So we use the SSG hospital toilet.” When this police station was set up, all other police stations of the city had been ordered to provide chairs to them. But another police official revealed that anyway most of the chairs were broken and therefore useless.

When questioned about the affair, police commissioner Rakesh Asthana said, “The police station was set up in haste. And the plan to provide facilities is underway, but will take time. Even a new building is in the offing, but the time has not been scheduled yet. Water facilities in the toilet will soon be taken care of.” He indirectly tried to point out the limitations of the bureaucracy in reference to the above mentioned. But there seems hope yet, that the citys only womens police station will be given the importance it rightfully deserves.

V'dara witnesses grand wedding procession

2008-11-19T23:43:00.000-08:00

Devotees join Narsinhji no varghodo and Tulsi vivah

Devanshi Joshi & Pratik Shah/ DNA.Vadodara
13th November,2008

The Sanskari nagri of Gujarat was all booming on city's landmark event of the wedding procession of Lord Narsinhji

on Dev Diwali. To Vadodara Narsinhji no Varghodo is what the Rathyatra is to Ahmedabad.

Amid tight security, the event marked ceremonial wedding procession of Lord Narsinhji who went to marry Tulsiji. Thousands of devotees from city and outside participated the marvellous procession.

Narsinhji no varghodo has become an identity Vadodara is the only city in Gujarat where Lord Narsinhji's procession has been taken out for over 125 years. the idol of Lord Narsinhji was taken out from Narsinhji ni pole at Mandvi and ceremoniously and taken to tulsivadi. Hundreds of devotee joined the residents of the Narsinhji ni pole in the procession as the relatives of the groom.

Devotees clad and rich traditional attire and kids in the fancy dresses fire crackers, music bands and devotional songs all were some of major attraction of annual fete. The varghodo started at 5:30 PM from Narsinhji ni pole reached Tulsivadi around 9:30 PM.

As the tradition goes, Lord Narsinhji, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu weds Tulsiji on Kartiki purnima, which is celebrated as Dev Diwali. The Lord's wedding ceremony was performed with traditional rituals which continued till the early hours of next day. After the wedding Tulsiji comes at Narsinhji ni pole along with Lord Narsinhji.

The police took all pain for the smooth passage of the procession. Before the procession began, the dog and bomb squads had undertaken security checks at every nook and corner of the procession route.

Narsinhji no Varghodo attracts NRGs and foreigners alike

2008-11-19T23:31:00.000-08:00

The event has been a grand celebration for people of Vadodara

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Narsinhji no Varghodo at Vadodara has its own identity as it is the only procession where Lord Narsinhji goes to marry Tulsiji on the day of Dev Diwali.

'Narsinhji no varghodo' in Vadodara has been a grand celebration for Barodians for more than 125 years but NRIs and foreigners also make it a point to come to Vadodara on the day of Dev Diwali to see the auspicious Narsinhji's customary procession.On Thursday, many non-resident Gujaratis participated as barati in Narsinhji no Varghodo.

Ajay Mehta, an NRG from Britain has been to the city especially for Narsinhji no Varghodo. Ajay said, "Every year I come to India and make it a point to come during Diwali time, so that I can celebrate the diwali as well as attend 'Narsinhji no varghodo'. Being Barodian, I have very good attachment and memories with 'Narsinhji no varghodo' as I have been participating in the procession since my childhood. Now the time has changed and I don't live in the city but 'Narsinhji no varghodo' is the celebration, which makes my visit to India definite every year."

Suketu Shah a student and an NRG from US visited 'Narsinji no varghodo' for the first time. Suketu said, "Being born and brought up in US, I have not seen Indian rituals much. This time fortunately my visit to India during the time of 'Narsinhji no varghodo' gave me an opportunity to become a part of Lord's auspicious wedding moments. I had been told by my grandfather to see the 'Narsinhji no varghodo' who also told me the religious importance of procession."

Not only NRIs but foreigners also visited 'Narsinhji no varghodo' with great surprise of seeing God's grand wedding followed by rituals ceremony. Michelle Clinston, a foreign visitor said, “India is a land of cultural values and its versatility always attracts any foreigners. I and my friends are enjoying our trip to India especially the colours of Indian culture and variety. My friend from Vadodara told me about the Narsinhji procession and we planned to visit Vadodara to see the procession. It is surprising to know that in India God's wedding is being celebrated with grand procession and the wedding season starts after Narsinhji's wedding.”

For couples, web wedding is latest fad

2008-11-15T09:53:00.000-08:00

Brides and grooms post profiles on the Net to keep relatives posted about marriage

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Thursday, November 13, 2008

With the days of grand and glamorous wedding season at doors, interestingly, it is not just the show of affluence. Rather the novel concept of 'Web wedding' has caught the fancy of would-be couples who want to make their weddings memorable in a special way.

So, today, more and more 'net savvy' marriage aspirants in the city are attracted to the trend of making personalised wedding websites for 'Web wedding'. Aspirant brides and grooms in the city and NRGs are opting for personalised wedding like www.firstphera.com, www.bestweddingsites.com and www.wedstudio.com which not only make the weddings live virtually but also connect the near and dear ones in their wedding journey virtually.These websites have different formats, starting from memories of first meeting to the journey of wedding through photographs, videos, blogs and tips for honeymoon places, too. Interestingly, the websites offer the tools of making personalised wedding websites free of charge to the users.The homepage includes various wedding articles. The website includes wedding schedule, guest book, celebration mode, blogs, picture, videos, notes and also profile of bride and groom. Brides and grooms can design their own wedding websites by decorating them with different themes, including wedding ceremony pictures, videos, blogs and invitations too.Sandip and Divya, a 'would be' couple in the city, have created their personalised wedding website. "A personal wedding website is a unique form of memorising wedding moments. The journey leading to our wedding is similar to a film story. I have been sharing pictures and videos of our engagement ceremony and courtship with close friends through the website. I have already uploaded our wedding invitation card on the site. This way, one can have a nice collection of wedding memories and that too live on internet," Sandip Kanojia, a software engineer, told DNA.Not only the marriage aspirants but many couples are also creating personalised wedding websites and create the wonderful memory tool after several years of their weddings. US-based Nikita Parikh, an NRG and education professional from Vadodara, is now creating her personalised wedding website after two years of her marriage with Vishal. When she got married, she had no chance to make her wedding live virtually; that is why, she is now making a personalised website. "I found this concept really exciting. Being married for two years, I had no chance to celebrate my wedding virtually, so I planned 'the post marriage' personalised wedding website that would feature our profiles, details of the journey from our first meeting to wedding. My husband doesn't know about it and I am going to gift this website to him on our third wedding anniversary in January," said an enthusiast Nikita.

Royal art lessons for children

2008-11-15T09:52:00.000-08:00

Ranjitsingh Gaekwad teaches different aspects of art to children

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
“Contemporary art forms should not be compared with old art forms as both are unique and distinct,” said Maharaja Ranjitsingh Gaekwad during a workshop held at Fatehsingh museum in Vadodara on Tuesday. On the last day of 'start with art', a four-day workshop on art for children, Gaekwad interacted with children and taught them different dimensions of art.Gaekwad talked to children about different forms of paintings and designing. It was an overwhelming experience for the children to listen to Gaekwad of Vadodara's royal family and to participate in art activities with him. It was very rare instance when Gaekwad interacted with children and shared words with them.He advised children to remain focussed and use imagination to make their piece of art distinct and creative. “Children are best learners. They are so innocent and receptive that anything can be taught to them easily. Though art demands creativity, with correct direction one can cultivate it. Today, when I am working with children in this workshop, I can sense the talent and learning instinct in this future generation. They are very talented but efforts and initiatives should be taken by someone to nurture their talents.”Gaekwad also shared the art of using traditional tools in drawings and paintings with children. He showed a 500-year-old painting drawn with brick and charcoal. “Art has no boundary. When colours were not there, artists used charcoal and brick to make drawings and paintings. But now with the invention of modern technology, art has got a modernised touch. Use of modern techniques in traditional art can reform the artistic value of the art piece.”It was a great experience for the children in Vadodara who participated in the art workshop. Children followed their imagination and also the directions by Gaekwad and made different drawings.

This wedding season, get an e-invite

2008-11-15T09:50:00.000-08:00

For would-be couples, e-kankotri becomes a preferred way to solicit presence of guests

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

It seems that gone are the days of a postman delivering a kankotri at your doorsteps. In the era of internet when everything is getting an e prefix, how wedding invitation cards can be an exception to the e of online strings? Now as the concept of e-kankotri is getting popular among modern marriage aspirants in Vadodara, dont be surprised if you get a wedding invitation card online this marriage season. The e-kankotri is a soft copy version of a traditional kankotri with the multimedia effects. The e-kankotri opens up with music and sound effects along with flashes and special effects and pop ups. Of course there wont be any postman or courier to deliver the e-kankotri, as it will be sent through email. The e-kankotri is just like an e-greeting cards available on different websites but it is different because it has a live and personalised effect.Many websites offer the readymade e-wedding invitation cards, just like other greeting and wishing cards. What one needs is just to enter the names in the relevant boxes and the names of invitees. Darshak Jha, a city-based web designer, says: “I have been designing one wedding invitation card for the NRG couple. Many NRIs ask for the e kankotri as it is faster and now everyone opts for the emails rather postal mails. The e-kankotri can be created with the help of different sound, flash and pop-up effects. The soft copy of card looks same as the hard copy, but its more live.” Sandip and Divya who are going to get married are opting for e-kankotri. Sandip himself is designing his wedding invitation card in form of e-kankotri. Sandip who is flying from Canada to get married to Divya of Vadodara in December, finds the concept of e-kankotri an easy way to send the wedding cards. “Most of the relatives live abroad and it is very expensive and time consuming to send the wedding cards by courier or post. Being a software engineer, I myself have designed our wedding invitation card. Unlike the hard copy, it is live with sound and flash effects.”There are also people who send the scanned copy of invitation cards to friends and relatives. Madhu Shukla, an aspirant bride, said: “Most of my friends have settled at different corners of the country and abroad. I keep in touch with them through emails; I dont know their postal address so I have opted for email for sending my wedding invitation cards.”

Foodies on a high despite recession

2008-11-15T09:49:00.000-08:00

Popular restaurants and food joints in Vadodara are doing their best to woo customers
Devanshi Joshi.Vadodara/DNA

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

When it is festival time, nothing can stop the food-loving Gujaratis from enjoying eating out. Not even global recession. Popular restaurants and food joints in Vadodara are doing their best to woo the customers too. Restaurants have special Diwali menus, themes and decorations and are offering special discount to attract foodies.City-based popular Gujarati restaurants have specially prepared Diwali menu, which include varieties of Gujarati farsan and sweets. Restaurants have found innovative ways to and some have even made changes in the interiors to provide a different ambience. A restaurant in Subhanpura area of the city has come up with food items such as 'kaka-bhatrija khichdi, derani-jethani dhokala, mama-bhanej mithai in their menu this season. “During Diwali people usually opt to go out for dinner or lunch to celebrate the festival with their family. This year we have introduced food items with new names,” said Bharat Patel, a restaurant owner. Restaurants in the city have added mehandi, tattoo and photograph counters for customers to make their visits memorable. Discount on take away and high bill amount are also being offered at various restaurants in the city. Restaurants, food outlets and food joints in mall have lit up with different Diwali themes and decorations. Restaurants on the highway and at remote areas are also becoming popular places to eat out. “Downturn in the market would not affect the restaurant and food business. If people cannot buy this season at least they can spend time with their loved once at restaurants and food joints. We have prepared a special menu for these five days of Diwali which includes varieties of dishes,” said Manoj Sharma a restaurant manager at Fatehgunj.As said by Hiral vyas a homemaker at Gotri, “Gujaratis are known for their love for food and when it is time of festivity, food tops the list for every Gujarati. Every year, during Diwali we try out different restaurants. The selection of the place depends on the food taste and the ambience.”

Kirti Mandir hosting riot of colours

2008-11-15T09:47:00.000-08:00

Vadodaras most popular rangoli exhibition is back

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Saturday, October 25, 2008

At first glance, it is unclear whether the image at Vadodaras Kirti Mandir is a picture or a rangoli. No wonder then that about 50,000 people throng the annual exhibition. This year, the exhibition will feature internationally renowned artists of Swastik Rangoli Kalakar group and will run from October 25 to October 31.While the rangolis are usually as varied as portraits, still life, land- and seascapes and wildlife, this year the groups 15 rangolis celebrate children as part of the Bal nirogi varsha. The rangolis, which are roughly 6ft x 4ft are made on hardwood boards and are the results of as many as 80 hours of labour. To aid better viewing, the organisers are setting up a continuous platform about 5ft high, in addition to ensuring proper lighting for all the pictures. Most artists here have been involved with rangolis for a number of years, but have had no formal training in the art. “Rangoli takes practice and passion,” says Abhay Gadkari, who has been practicing the art for 35 years. He has also been invited twice - in 2002 and 2003 - to participate in the Diwali Festival of Lights organized by Asia New Zealand Foundation, run by the government of New Zealand. “Our group was established in 1985, when the traditional art form was on the verge of being forgotten in the concrete jungles. There were no signs that the younger generation wanted to keep the art alive, so six artists decided to work collectively and launched the Swastik Rangoli Kalakar Group, Baroda,” adds.The art demands practice, says Rajendra Dindorkar, secretary of the group. “I like to innovate in rangoli forms. This year, I have made a hanging rangoli using an acrylic sheet. The rangoli is a mirror image, and the actual image is visible in the sheet above it,” he says.“Tremendous concentration is required to make a rangoli picture. There is no scope for correction, because once the colour is filled in, there is no way of removing it. We take care not to whistle while we work!” said, Raju Chauhan, whose rangoli depicts a girl child welcoming Diwali.“The most unfortunate aspect of this art is that it is so temporary. There is no way to preserve it. Once the rangoli exhibition is over, the hard boards are removed and all the rangoli powder falls to floor in a multicoloured mound. A picture that takes hours to create is lost in seconds,” the artist said.

Pricier crackers promise low-key Diwali

2008-11-15T09:45:00.000-08:00

Rise in prices by 35-40% may make crackers unaffordable for ordinary people

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Thursday, October 23, 2008

Firecrackers wont just set the skies ablaze this Diwali. The 35-40% rise in cracker prices seems to burn a hole in the pockets of many who want to celebrate the festival of lights. Families which spent Rs1,000 on crackers last Diwali will now have to spend around Rs1,500 for the same. Fireworks manufacturers and dealers cite rising raw material costs and a shortage of labour as the reasons behind the hike. The industry is also facing problems in purchasing raw materials and transporting finished products. Increase in the prices of raw materials and chemicals such as potassium nitrate, sulphur and aluminium, which are used in fireworks manufacture, has directly affected prices. Phosphorous prices have risen to Rs440 a kg from Rs180 a kg. Similarly, aluminium has shot up to Rs225 a kg from Rs140 a kg last year. Naim Kapadwala, a fireworks manufacturer, told DNA: “The fireworks market across India has hit a rough patch due to the recession. Prices of raw materials imported from China and other parts of country have seen a tremendous rise. In addition, increased transportation and labour charges, and the burden of tax have also had an effect on the market. Prices of some crackers, like the roll, have doubled. All we can do is hope for good sales. Jayesh Shah, a crackers dealer, said: “The price rise has made the market very dull and dry this year. Customers are keeping themselves away from heavy purchases of crackers. Diwali is just a few days away and we have not seen as much sales as is usual.” Even customers who come to buy firecrackers are turned off by the high prices. Piyush Patel, who enjoys lighting fireworks, said, “Though my budget was around Rs1,000-Rs1,500 for crackers, I ended up spending Rs2,500 since I couldnt get even 50% of what I wanted on my budget. I bore this extra expenditure for the sake of my kids, but this has disturbed my Diwali budget, and I will need to cut on some other expenses.” Anuja Shah, a customer said, “Prices of fireworks increase each year but, this time, it is too high and has made a big hole in our pockets. It has become difficult to put aside hundreds of rupees for crackers, since all prices go beyond the thousands. Prices of commodities and other things are already disturbing our Diwali budget, and now the added prices of crackers have made Diwali a costly affair.”

Diwali celebrations just a click away

2008-11-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

Diwali-oriented websites are offering a range of festivities online

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Be it information, fun or festivity, the .com era has made the most impossible of the things possible through the ever so proliferating cyber community. So much so that even Diwali can be celebrated by simply going online and logging on to websites that offer surprisingly innovative ways to enjoy festivals.There is a virtual online world where websites focus on providing viewers with a real festival experience by way of catering news, views, interaction forum and shopping opportunities. So, while one is engaged in enjoying real-life celebrations, he can do the same by going online. Websites like Indiaoz.com, indiagiftportal.com and welcometoindia.com are some of the popular Diwali-oriented sites offering a range of festivities online.For instance, one can go online for e-Ganesha, e-Lakshmi and a host of other Diwali pujas that give users a very realistic experience of the way in which they are done. Real-life rituals are made simpler online. Click on 'online aarti' and the computer screen shows a bell and an aarti room where users can click to drag the diyas and shower flowers on their deities. Bharat Patel, an NRG in New York believes that online aartis are a good option for those living in a foreign country. "Here, it is not possible to celebrate Diwali in the way it is done in India. We don't even get an off during 'Dhanteras and 'Sharda Pujan'; besides, it is difficult to get hold of a 'pandit' to perform the rituals during Diwali. It is here that, websites like these come handy in offering satisfaction of fulfilling the customs the Indian way. In fact, one can also avoid spending a lot on buying firecrackers by surfing through these websites. One can light 'phooljhadis' and see other spectacular fireworks with both sound and light effect. Needless to mention, e-cards are also becoming a popular way of exchanging Diwali greetings.Tech-savvy youngsters in Vadodara are finding online celebrations a great fun, especially when it comes to sharing Diwali greetings with friends and relatives living abroad. Ronak Soni, a computer engineering student said, "I used online websites for greeting as well as for bursting crackers. Though the level of excitement involved in bursting online crackers is nowhere close to the real ones, it is fun, especially for NRIs."A sparkling collection of online Diwali gifts are also a click away. Bhavesh Mehta, a customer care professional of online portal said, "Virtual celebrations have become a hit. Greeting cards, gifts and pujas on websites are attracting users, especially those who are not aware of actual rituals."Forum Chhaya contributed to this report

Lab to make learning mathematics fun

2008-11-15T07:46:00.000-08:00

Vadodara school introduces Math lab to enable students to learn mathematical and geometrical concepts in a practical way

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Mathematics has generally been considered a difficult subject for students. While most of the students hate the subject, there are of course a few who love it.For the students of Zenith school in Vadodara, however, maths is now no more a tedious subject of calculations only; it has become an enjoyable activity these days, thanks to 'Maths lab' launched in the school. The project aims at making the vital subject of mathematics simpler, easier and fun to for the students. NIIT installed the 'NIIT e Guru Math Lab' at Zenith school in Vadodara on Friday, first of its kind in the city. “NIIT eGuru Math lab' is a lab which provides Math lessons with the help of objects and software. After Ankleshwar, Vadodara is only the second city in the state where this kind of lab for mathematics has been established. The lab provides practical learning of different Mathematical topics. You find geometric shapes, charts and pictures on wall along with specially made software and mathematical objects.The Math lab enables school students to learn and explore mathematical concepts and verify mathematical facts and theorems using tools such as the Geometer's sketchpad which is a dynamic construction and exploration tool that spans mathematical curricula from class 1 to 12. The lab offers multiple teaching and learning aids comprising of technology applications, videos, measuring instruments, tables and charts.Talking to DNA Vikas Prakash, a sales counselor, NIIT, said based on three pillars of 'imagination, investigation and interaction', the lab provides opportunity to students to understand, initialize, discover and verify basic mathematical and geometrical concepts through concrete objects and situations, thus building interest and confident of the students.Launching the lab, MS University professor Dr SK Kothari said, “Children need all the tools at their disposal to rise to the challenges of a progressive nation. This kind of lab will help make their mathematics strong.” Margi Shah and Megha Patel class 10 students had no bounds to their joys at the launch of the lab. “The lab has made maths a totally practical oriented subject and we are very much exited to explore this world of math in our lab through innovative ways.” they told DNA. “We are confident that through this lab students will not only be able to comprehend Math but will also excel in their grades,” SP Nandi, principal of the school said.

Changa engg student develops security device

2008-11-15T07:44:00.000-08:00

This device triggers security alarm during robbery, fire, LPG leakage & also maintains temperature

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Sunday, October 12, 2008

Harshang Shah, a student of electronics and communication engineering in Charotar institute of technology, Changa, has developed a multi sensor device (MSD) that provides security alarms on robbery, fire and LPG leakage and can also be used for temperature maintenance of air conditioners at predetermined levels.The security system has various sensors that can detect the opening of doors, windows and drawers. So when an unknown person opens the window or door of your home, thin wire installed in the door or window breaks, leading to an open circuit that sends a signal to the sensor and it starts buzzing. Various sensors like sound sensor, bump sensor, interruption sensor and temperature sensor have been designed by Shah. Sound sensors when kept in the cupboard just adjacent to the lock, acts in the same way. These devices are sensitive to even the small sound produced by as key when inserted. This sound sensor can also be placed on the floor to catch the sounds of burglar's footsteps. Bump sensors are very sensitive to even the slightest touches when placed below a doormat Harshang says, "When you are away, you just have to switch on the sensors and they start working."The interruption sensors installed in a doorway or a passage can detect any person passing through them. They work on modulated Infra Red (IR) rays that are invisible to the human eye. The proximity sensors detect the presence of a person and can be used to guard the displayed objects in an exhibition. The temperature sensor can be used in an air conditioner. It increases or decreases the room temperature according to the climate. The light sensor detects the smoke and in case of fire, the alarm on it shows the signals. The MSD developed by Harshang has also won a prize during inter college event. He said "The MSD is designed in such way that it even functions on battery during electricity failures. If a burglar attempts to cut any wire of the sensor, or tries to tamper with it, it can be detected immediately. Hence it is a fool proof system. The security status of all the sensors is displayed on the LCD. Surveillance cameras can also be connected, so the cameras can display images/ videos on a close circuit TV."The system is easy to operate. To make the technique more advanced, Harshang is planning to add more features by connecting the sensor system to internet. "If the experiment goes successful, security status of all the sensors could be accessible from anywhere in the world. I am also working to connect it to a cell phone network by placing a GSM terminal in it, so that on can get text message when a burglar is detected. It is my dream to make MSD perfectly user friendly,” Harshang told DNA.

Viral infection sweeps Vadodara

2008-11-15T07:42:00.000-08:00

Drop in temperature at night, dust-laden garba grounds and pollution to blame

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Vadodara is now in the grip of common cold, thanks to the prevailing weather conditions in the city for the past few weeks. And with Diwali just round the corner, city doctors also warn people of more of such infections during the festival period. Sore throats, viral fever, cough and common cold are common complaints that doctors are receiving from people.“The drop in the temperature at nights, dust-laden garba grounds and pollution due to traffic jams are all conditions that can cause common cold and throat infections. Those susceptible to allergic reactions should take special care to avoid such conditions,” say doctors.For the past 10 days, general practitioners and pediatricians in the city are reporting a rise in the number of patients coming in with symptoms of cough and cold. City chemists too have reported an increase in the number of people seeking medication for common cold and sore throats. The erratic weather condition of last week, when rains led to increase in humidity coupled with heat, might have led to the increase in the infection, say doctors. Common cold can result either due to viral infection or due to allergic reaction to the humid weather. Says Dr Nitin Shah, a general practitioners: “Many of these infections continue for seven days. However, antibiotics are not required in most cases. Sometimes such infections can lead to bacterial infections due to lowered resistance power. But such secondary infections are rare and take place only when immunity levels become too weak.” “Children are more prone to infections. In the past 15 days, the city has witnessed cloudy skies alternating with bright sunlight. The contrasting weather condition is the main reason for infection,” says city-based pediatrician Dr Rajiv Kodnani. “If a patient shows a particular trend and regularity in infections during certain weather conditions, then it can be assumed that his problem is caused due to allergy,” he added.ENT specialists in the city also warn of ear infections due to common cold. “Sometimes congestion can choke the ear tract and lead to infections. In case of intense pain in the ear, an ENT specialist should be consulted,” said Dr Viral Rathore, an ENT specialist.

She helps them stand on their feet

2008-11-15T07:03:00.000-08:00

Rohini Khare imparts stitching skills to differently-abled people

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/ DNA
Saturday, October 11, 2008

A visit to this workshop will make visitors wonder about the novelty of the products produced there. The reason: all the items — starting from designer handbags, ties, wine bottle covers, napkins, bread baskets, cozy tea sets, baby gift sets, tissue box covers to other tailoring-designing products — on display are made not by normal human beings, but by differently abled.The workshop at Vasna road here is run by 65-year-old Rohini Khare, who provides vocational training to the differently abled to make them self-dependent. “For me, stitching was just a hobby initially, and I always like to experiment on stitching many things. Later, I started training the differently abled just to help them stand on their own feet and provide them with an opportunity to earn.” Rohini, who has done a certificate course in tailoring, loves using her talent in helping the differently-abled. “I used to work for different institutes providing training to the physically challenged people. But just giving them training is not sufficient, they should also be given an opportunity to earn and thats how the whole concept of a workshop started.” Here all the workers are paid respective amount on a daily basis for their work. “I make it a point that they finish their work on time and are efficient with their work as I treat them as normal people. You will be surprised but they are equally capable of doing their work on time,” she said.After seeing the hand-bags and other products, it is difficult to say that they have been made by physically challenged people. Rohini teaches them how to stitch through sign language.All present, four deaf and mute people and two physically challenged people are involved in making the hand bags and tailoring-designing stuff at Khares workshop. Because of this workshop, these differently abled workers are able to support their families financially.A woman worker at Khares workshop said: “Being physically challenged, it is difficult for a person like me to get normal jobs. I learned stitching work here and now I am happy that I am capable enough to give monetary support to my family.” On why mainly hand bags are made at the workshop, Rohini said, “I dont have that much money to invest in big items. Making hand bags dont cost much and it is also easy for the differently abled people to make them.”Khare works under the name of Rays which organises exhibitions at different places to sell the products made by the differently abled at her workshop. “I want to involve more and more differently-abled people in the workshop as they have the talent to prove themselves. All they need is inspiration,” Rohini said.

Here, Spiderman plays dandiya with Mahatma Gandhi

2008-11-15T07:01:00.000-08:00

Every year, at a garba venue in Karelibaug, a fancy dress competition brings out the myriad colours of the nine-day festival

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Spiderman playing garba with Mahatma Gandhi can be seen here. Every year at a garba venue at Karelibaug in Vadodara, a fancy dress competition is organised on the eight day of Navratri, where all the performers come dressed up in different fancy dresses. Many Barodians enjoy garba in the getup of famous characters and personalities. Garba revellers can be seen dressed as Shivaji, Saibaba, Bharatmata, Narendra Modi, also as characters of movie 'Singh is King'. Nirad Pandya, an organizer, said: “Every year people at our garba wait for the eighth day of Navratri to participate in fancy dress competition as well as dance in unique attire. Ours is the only garba in the city which organises the fancy dress competition and it gets great response from garba enthusisasts.”This year, garba revellers at Karelibaug's garba danced in getup of cricketers, prince and princess while one couple wearing school uniform became centre of attraction. Garba revellers enjoyed the garba with attractive get up and got appreciation from viewers as well as other performers.The craze of participating with fancy dress was confined not only to youngsters but middle-age couples were also there who enjoyed the garba in getup of king-queen and students. Devang and Kumud Trivedi, a garba-loving couple, said: “We love to dance in Navratri with funky getup. Earlier, we used to feel shy in performing garba with fancy get up but after getting good response from viewers now we try different get ups every year. This year we have danced dressed in school uniforms. Our children also danced with us and we enjoyed the fest to the fullest.”

Gastronomic delight: After garba, Barodians prefer roadside eateries

2008-11-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

People love eating at the popular roadside places to savour Gujarati dishes

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Wednesday, October 08, 2008

On a normal day, one will find Barodians going out for continental, Chinese and other multi cuisine dishes at restaurants and food joints, but come Navratri and road side vendors get busy serving typical Gujarati specialties like papdi no loat and sev usal to hoards of hungry Barodians after garba.These food items are a rage among the food-lovers during this festival season and the famous road side food junctions in Vadodara have become the must-visit place for the revellers, especially after the garba. After utilising their energies dancing to their favourite garba tunes, the road side food joints are the last stop for the gastronomes in the city.The stalls of papdi no loat can be seen at every half kilo meters near garba venues in the city. Starting from Rs5 to Rs10 one small bowl of papdi no loat, garnished with oil and spices, is the must food item to have in Navratri. The vendors selling this item get good profit as the cost of preparing the loat doesnt cost much but the selling price gives good margin at the same time, people also find the price pocket friendly. Ramesh Patel, a papdi no loat stall owner near a garba venue at old Padra road in Vadodara, said, “Profit margin is very high in selling papdi no loat. We Patels are famous for making this item. My wife cooks the loat, which is made from boiling rice flour after adding and salt and spices in it. It is then served after garnishing it with vegetable oil and red chilli powder.”Talking to DNA, a group of garba lovers, including Arpan, Aditi, Nimit and others, said, “Navratri in Vadodara is not complete without papdi no loat. Every night, after dancing for hours at the garba venues, we try different papdi no loat stalls in the city. It is not only pocket friendly but after playing the garba spicy loat with extra oil gives us some energy. Nothing can beat the taste of Barodian road side food.”Next popular item is sev usal but is available only at selected places in the city like Rajmahal road, Station road and Chokhandi. The scene at these roadside food junctions at mid night is worth experiencing with every stall being jam-packed with people in colourful traditional dresses and savouring sev usal. This apart, stalls of khaman, dhokala, ragda petis, vada pav and chaats are other items which are popular among Barodians during Navratri. Economic prices and eating with friends in the open on the road side brings the city to life throughout the night.

Kids garba is gaining popularity

2008-11-15T06:57:00.000-08:00

Exclusive garba venues for kids has nearly doubled this year

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Sunday, October 05, 2008

Increasing number of exclusive garba venues for kids and the grandeur with which these are organized in city certainly reflect the enthusiasm of the Barodian children. Garba venues meant only for kids are gaining popularity in the city. In fact, it has nearly doubled this year.More than ten venues in the city are organising kids' garba this year. In most of the venues, children only up to 15 year are allowed in the ground. Interestingly at kids' garba, playback singing and instrument playing is also done by the kids. Group of kids make the garba enthusiasts dance on their beats.What attract kids' attention towards the garbas are gifts. Each participant is given gifts everyday. Anal Patel, an 11-year-old enthusiast, said, “From last three years, I am playing at kids' garba venue near my home. I like it here as it gives me enough space to dance in comparison to common garba venues, where we kids don't get any attention. Along with that, a new gift everyday adds excitement to our garba fervor.”Parents find kids' garba perfect for their children due to exclusive entry only for kids. Smita Shah, mother of 12-year-old twins, Rahul and Ruhali, said, “I prefer these garba venues for my kids as they provide an environment essentially of their kind also granting safety. At general garba venues it is difficult for children to dance. Here I can also see them dance.”Avani Patel, an organizer of kids' garba in Vadodara, said, “We have been organising kids' garba at Karelibag for last seven years. The increased number of young enthusiasts has made this place equivalent to other garba venues.” Young garba enthusiasts with their unique dressing style are also making the festival alive.

Glitter is back in jewellery this Navratri

2008-11-15T06:55:00.000-08:00

Heavy traditional & ethnic looks have replaced oxidised & black metal ornaments

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Tired of wearing the same type of oxidised jewellery every Navratri? Dont worry, jewellery trends this Navratri have have now become more colourful with beads, kundan and other embellishments from the black metal that we were used to seeing till recent times. Jewellery in trend this season will consist heavy sets bedecked with multi-colour stones, mirror work on abstract designs and also a variety of cloth-based jewellery. The Rajwadi and Kutchi-work jewellery designs, which were popularised by the latest Bollywood movie, Jodha Akbar, are in vogue this fest.Raju Kapdi, a jewellery store owner at Navabazar in Vadodara, said, “We have imported jewellery from Mumbai and Surat this year. Oxidised jewellery is not much in demand as coloured metal is in rage. Kada, tikka, baju bandh, necklace with diamond and kundan work are in fashion. We have imported ethnic jewellery from Kutch.”In Vadodara this time trend of heavy work on chania choli is lavishing the garba lovers and in matching with that mirror work and multi colour jewellery are going well in combination.“Fashion in jewellery has undergone drastic changes this Navratri,” said Rami Soni a jewellery seller in Vadodara. He said that its the heavy-look jewellery which currently rules the fashionistas world. “Mix and match jewellery is attracting the girls this festival. Rajwadi style of jewellery is in high demand,” Soni said.Ornaments based on cloth and embellished with tikki and kodi work is also in trend not only for its rich work, but also for its anti-allergic property. Krutika Jaha, a garba enthusiast, said, “I have purchased heavily embellished chania cholis with multi color and mirror work ornaments which is currently in fashion. This can be mixed and matched for different looks all the nine nights.”

Dabhoi to bedeveloped asa tourist spot

2008-11-15T06:54:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Monday, September 29, 2008

In an effort to promote tourism in Gujarat, the state tourism department has asked all districts to come up with their tourism development plans.The plan will see development of five areas, Dabhoi, Tentalav, Chanod, Karnali and Vadhvana in Vadodara district as a tourist circuit to attract more visitors. In the programme, Dabhoi will be the main centre in the tourist circuit development. Hirabhagole, a tourist attraction for its artistic statue and fort at Dabhoi, will be facilitated with the lighting around the fort. Tentalav, a lake near by Dabhoi will also be cleaned up and renovated to attract more tourists. Visitors will also have options of boating at religious places like Chanod and Karnali.Residential deputy collector Rajendra Sarvaiya said, “The purpose of the project is to develop the district. The proposal has been given to the state government and on the basis of the sanctioned grant, further developments will be done.”

Barodians make a beeline for garba CDs

2008-11-15T06:53:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Saturday, September 27, 2008

With Navratri just a few days away, revellers in the city are already into the festive mood by thronging music shops for cassettes and CDs of garba songs. Traditional folk songs, Gujarati movie songs and Hindi dandiya mix are in huge demand. And, with the increasing demand for these songs, the market for garba CDs in Vadodara is experiencing a boom time this Navratri.Different types of new albums have arrived this year with names like non-stop garba-2008, remix garba, dandia ni ramjhat and many more are becoming instant hits. Music-shop owners in city are witnessing an increase in demand of garba CDs due to these new arrivals.However, traditional Gujarati garba songs have always been close to the hearts of people of this city. Anup Vasvani, a music-shop owner at Rajmahel road, said: “The demand for garba CDs had in fact started a month before the Navratri festival as people need them for practice.” Said Sushil Soni, another music-shop owner at Fatehgunj: “Demand of garba CDs has left Hindi movie songs behind. Customers demand for garba songs these days. We have a variety of garba albums launched by music companies. This year almost 50 garba albums are ruling the market.” This year, a fusion of garba songs with different western music is becoming a rage among young Barodians.“Though the demand for fusion and remix songs is increasing, when it comes to playing garba, Vadodara is still famous for its traditional style of garbas during Navratri. Folk songs like Sanedo and Timali have always attracted huge crowd,” said Manoj Patel, a music shop-owner at Karelibaug.Not only audio albums, even video albums of popular garba singers shot at famous garba spots are also in high demand.

Garba ringtones add zest to Barodians festive fervour

2008-11-15T06:51:00.000-08:00

Youngsters are opting for tunes, wallpapers & batwas for their mobile phones

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Friday, September 26, 2008

This Navratri, revellers in the cultural capital of Gujarat will have great savoir-faire. In a way that is tech-enabled. Though the festival is yet to begin, famous garba songs like Tara Vina Shyam…, Chhela Ji Re…, Halaji Tara…, Tara Nam Ni Chundadi..., are already in lavish use as mobile ringtones. And to add to the fervour, wallpapers and caller tunes of your favorite garba pose or song are just a click away. Youngsters in Vadodara feel that garba has its own charm and it gives a traditional feeling when one hears them on mobile phones. In fact, during Navratri, some youngsters also keep changing their garba tunes every day. Kaushal Joshi, a commerce student, said, “I am a big fan of movie songs but during Navratri, no movie song can be as interesting as garbas. The garba songs on my mobile give me a festive feeling. Therefore, I make a point to get latest song as ringtones when the fest is just a few weeks away. This time, my friends will hear Dholi taro dhol vage as my caller tune when they will call me.”Gujarati folk songs Sanedo and Timali are also a rage among youngsters because of its typical Gujarati rust. At the MS University campus, students are be seen exchanging garba ring tones and wall papers. Bhargav Jani, a management student at MSU, said, “The demand for Navratri ring tones and garba wallpapers and screen savers are in full demand this year. Youngster are busy exchanging ring tones with friends when the meet up.” Traditional garba are also ringing as caller tunes. A customer care executive of a mobile service provider company, said, “As the Navratri is approaching, demand for Gujarati garba as ring tones and caller tunes are increasing. Everyday we get numbers of calls asking for popular garba songs and procedure to set it as caller tunes. Our service provides special collection of Gujarati garba as ring tones and caller tones, especially during the festival.”Funky mobile covers called batwa with mirror, bandhani and traditional woolen work which come in attractive style of bangles and work are in huge demand among city girls.Garba reveler Poonam Patel, a collegian, said, “I have bought bandhani mobile covers to go with my chania-cholis.”

Cautious parents take detective route for their wards safety

2008-11-15T06:49:00.000-08:00

Detective agencies claim that they are the only solution to parental concern during the festival

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Friday, September 26, 2008

Navratri is fun time for youngsters. But for many parents, it also means worries, as incidents of crime keep take an upward drive during the season. So this time, parents have thought of a way out: hiring detectives to keep a watch on their wards.The idea is to protect the youngsters from getting into any trouble, and at the same time, not jeopardise their festive fervour. “It may sound strange to say that I have hired the detective agents to keep a watch on my daughters when they are out to enjoy during Navaratri, but I feel it is necessary to make sure that they are safe as I am not able to be with them all the nights,” said Amita Mehta, a 42-year-old professional, who has opted for detective agency to keep a vigil on her daughters, aged 16 and 20. “Sometime, children dont know what they are doing. They get influenced very quickly by their surroundings. Drugs, unprotected sex and bad company gives me sleepless nights, especially during Navratri. My young children love going to garba with their friends and I cant help keeping an eye on them myself. So I have decided to hire a scout this year, just to ensure they are safe,” said Rajul Kriplani, a resident of Alkapuri, who has a 22-year-old daughter and a son of age 23.The detective agencies claim that they are the only solution to the parental concern during this festival. “We simply follow these children to the dance venue and keep reporting their parents about their whereabouts. If we find something unusual we make sure that their parents are aware of,” said Sanjiv Dwivedi, a detective agent at Fatehgunj. Parents provide photographs of their children and even details about their friends to the detectives who charge somewhere between Rs3,000 to Rs5,000 per night for the service.And since after the recent blasts, the demand for detectives have increased. Detective agencies say that the anxiety of the parents has led the business to boom during the festive season and most parents are forced to hire freelance detectives to cater to their needs. “Every year, I get cases of unmarried girls seeking abortions after the festival is over. In that case it is but obvious that parents are worried for their children as they cannot stop their children from going out with their friends for garba, but they can always can keep a check on them,” says Meena Bhatt, a gynecologist in Karelibaug. (Names of parents changed)

Barodians go glam all the way

2008-11-14T03:23:00.001-08:00

Barodian girls head for beauty treatments ahead of Navratri

Devanshi Joshi.Vadodara/DNA
Monday, September 22, 2008

An occasion as big as a wedding ceremony most certainly calls for a bridal package for grabbing attention on the D-day. But would you go that far to get a ravishing look for Navratri? Well! Ask Barodian girls - go glam all the way - is the answer theyll have to dish out.Most of them have already started taking beauty treatments for the upcoming festive days. As such, beauty salons in the city are offering an array of hair and skin therapies under their special navratri grooming packages. From highlighting and back polishing to regular beauty treatments like facial, clean-up and heena, the navratri grooming package offers all it takes to acquire that absolutely outstanding look.The package starts with Rs800 and can go as high as Rs5,000 depending on the type of treatment availed and the cosmetics used. “Were already booked with navratri grooming packages since its recommended to start at least two weeks in advance for these sessions. Customers are provided with packages that best suits their skin and hair type and prices also varies accordingly. Apart from the regular beauty treatments, back polishing are also a lot in demand for doing justice to the backless cholis in vogue this navratri”, says Kalpana Jhadav, a beautician at Krelibag.There are special packages that promise to preserve the fresh look throughout navratri. Girls visiting parlors can opt for having a different hair-do, make-up and eye catching tattoos for all the nine nights.Neha Shah, a 22 year old classical dancer and financial management student is one of those enthusiastic Barodians to have started taking beauty sessions at a salon in Alkapuri. She asserts, “Navratri is not just about playing garba but also about having a distinctive style that adds glamour to the festive season. Since a scheduled life makes it impossible to take care of skin and hair at home, I prefer going to the parlor regularly. But this time I came across this special navratri packages which provides full grooming beauty treatments before as well as during the gay nights. With only a few days to go for Navratri, I have already started with these special navratri packages.”Surprisingly, young girls are not the only ones to be heading for these special grooming packages, middle-aged women are also making the most of the offer, says Namita Sharma a beauty salon owner at Alkapuri. Niharika Mehta a 40 year old professional says, “I have been playing garba since my teens and the craze is undying even at 40. One needs to be more conscious after a certain age and if these grooming sessions can help bring the lost charm, why not go for them. It was my daughter who suggested me to give it a try and here we are, making a head-start for navratri”.

Temporary tattoos are in vogue

2008-11-14T03:23:00.000-08:00

Tuli Banerjee & Devanshi Joshi.Ahmedabad/Vadodara.DNA

Monday, September 22, 2008

Navratri is a festival when revellers are often laden with jewelleries and other accessories. In the last few years, however, many young people can be seen having temporary tattoos during these nine nights. “My business doubles up during Navratri. These days, I do more that 20 tattoos every day,” says Sonal Patel, a tattooist who is in the business for last 10 years. It is mostly people in the age group of 18-24 who go for tattoos. “In fact, men prefer tattoos over other accessories,” says Sonal who charges Rs250 per tattoo, be it a big or a small tattoo. “Temporary tattoos are also preferred by working women and school-going kids as they are easily removable and save time,” says Raja Solanki, a tattooist at Law Garden. Temporary tattoos are made of fabric paints mixed with a lot of fevicol. At times, glitters are also added to make them look sparkling. “They are easily washable and thus I can have a new tattoo every night that matches the colour of my chaniya choli,” says Reema Shah. In Vadodara, enthusiasts this year are going for coloured shimmer along with tattoos. The girls are also in a mood to experiment with the placing of tattoos on the deep lower part of the back.Sharma, a tattoo artist at Sayajigunj, said, “Tattoos in the lower back project sexuality. A tattoo at the bottom of the spine, just above the buttocks, can look stunning.”Archana Verma, a Navratri lover, says “I like to have a tattoo on the back designed as a flower, a freehand motif or sun. Everyone notice it.” Verma said she either paints them or gets stickers of tattoos now available in plenty at most outlets.”“The charm of the temporary tattoos is that you dont have to worry about needles and other devices. Besides, they are temporary and washable,” said Darshana Shah a tattoo artists at Karelibag.

Acting calls but Chetan Bhagat refuses to say Hello

2008-11-14T03:20:00.000-08:00

The author declined an invitation to act in a Salman-Katrina starrer based on one of his novels

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Monday, September 22, 2008
The novelist, Chetan Bhagat, seems married to the printed word for he let go of an opportunity to interpret one of his characters on the silver screen. The author said on Saturday that he was offered a role in the film, Hello, which is based on his book, One Night at the Call Centre. He, however, declined the offer. Bhagat made this disclosure during an interaction with students at Paramarsh-2008, the ongoing three-day festival of MSUs faculty of engineering and technology. Hello is scheduled for release on October 10. “I was invited to play the role of Ganesh in Hello but I declined the offer,” said Bhagat. “I dont think I would have been any good as an actor.” He is, nevertheless, very excited about the movie which is directed by Atul Agnihotri, and has Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, and some other well-known actors in the significant roles of the film. “I saw the unedited version of Hello a few days back and was delighted by what I saw,” Bhagat said. He, however, added that, while he liked movies, he found the written word a more rewarding medium because reading stimulates the imagination. “When you read a book, the mind is forced to imagine the situations, characters and incidents portrayed in it. This does not happen with a movie,” he said. Bhagat lamented the fact that reading had become less popular among youth, and said that authors must do more to reach out and connect with the young generation. “Todays youth are not particularly keen on reading. They read only those books with which they can relate immediately. It is, therefore, important for writers now to have something in their books that resonates with the experience of the young generation,” said Bhagat. “Thick literary tomes are unlikely to click with young readers today. For them, books must have a bearing on their lifestyle.” Bhagat is currently working on a new book, a romantic comedy. Both his earlier books — Five Point Someone and One Night at the Call Centre — have already been translated and published in Hindi, while their Gujarati versions are in the pipeline. When asked which of his books was his favourite, he said, “I have a soft corner for Five Point Someone.” Talking about One Night at the Call Centre, he said he had been criticised for making God a caller in the book. “But for that bit of negative criticism, the book has been praised by readers and critics alike. I am happy with the reception given the book.”

Art of cartooning will never die out

2008-11-14T03:14:00.000-08:00

Sudhir Tailang, well-known cartoonist, talks about his career spanning over 25 yrs

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Not everyone can become a cartoonist. Only those who have a blend of creativity, a personal opinion of the world and can present this vision with humor can succeed. One need the combined skills of humor, drawing, journalistic sense and craziness to become a cartoonist,” said prominent caricaturist Sudhir Tailang who was in Vadodara on Saturday. He will be launching a book of his more than 150 cartoons next month.Tailang has been a cartoonist for more than 25 years and has drawn more than 15,000 cartoons during this span. He first made a mark with his daily Here and Now pocket cartoons in the Hindustan Times in the 1980s. Drawing his first cartoon at the age of 10, he began his career with the Illustrated Weekly of India and now draws a daily caricature for the edit page of the Asian Age - under the Here and Now label.According to Tailang, “Cartoons will always get exclusive space in a newspaper. Proof of this can be found in the fact that almost every leading and even middle-level newspaper carries at least a pocket cartoon on its front page every day. India, USA, France and UK are the countries where political cartoons have their own charm but now, the importance of political cartoons in the newspaper is decreasing due to more emphasis on cinema and other masala news.”“Earlier I used to find Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi a difficult faces to make cartoon but now I feel it easy as I started observing them closely,” said Tailang.Like every cartoonist, Tailang has his share of favorite politicians and in his case, it is former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. “Raos entire personality was made to order for a cartoonist. His nostrils and pout gave him an edge over his counterparts. I think he was invented for cartoonists,” Tailang contended.Despite the lack of youngsters in the profession, Tailang was confident that the art of cartooning would never die out. “Students rarely take up cartooning as a career option because they dont know how to become a cartoonist. There are no professional institutes available which can nurture this talent,” he said.

Hacking misused to plan terror attacks

2008-11-14T02:59:00.000-08:00

Expert shares his knowledge about ethical hacking with MSU students

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Saturday, September 20, 2008

Well-known ethical hacker Ankit Fadia was in the city on Friday for Paramarsh 2008, a three-day festival at Faculty of Engineering and Technology of MS University here.Fadia shared his knowledge about ethical hacking with students of the university. He also showed students how hacking can be misused especially by terrorists who might have used it as a tool to carry out terrorist attacks in the country. “Terrorists hacked different computer IPs and sent threatening mails before bomb blasts. It is perfect example of how hacking is misused to spread terror. Unfortunately, the police force and intelligence bureaus are not equipped to break into the system. Government needs to form a team which is well informed of the new advancements to fight cyber crime.” said Fadia.Fadia further expressed concerns over how Wi-Fi and Wimax which will be the next advancement in technology can be misused for crimes.He said, “After Wi-Fi, Wimax network will be the next advancement and security agencies in the country need to take measures against misuse of Wimax.

Carrom contest for Team India selection

2008-11-12T22:12:00.000-08:00

4 boys, 4 girls will be chosen to represent India

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Saturday, September 13, 2008

A national carrom tournament will be held at the citys Urmi school on September 13 and 14 to select players for the Indian carrom contingent for 12th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) carrom championship and 3rd International Carrom Federation (ICF) cup, 2008 to be held at Colombo, Sri Lanka. Eight players, including four girls and four boys, will be chosen to represent India.National and world champions from across the country will participate in the final round of selection for the team that will play the two international level tournaments in October. The final team will be declared on September 14. Along with national champions, world carrom champions Yogesh Pardesi from Maharashtra, I Ilavazhakhi, M Nataraj, and Radhakrishnan from Tamil Nadu, Rashmi Kumari from Bihar and national champion P Nirmala from Hyderabad and other leading players will participate in the selection rounds.Currently, Maria Irudium of Chennai is considered to be the best carrom player, and the Indian government has even honoured him with Arjun Award. Yogesh Pardesi of petroleum sports board of Maharashtra and I Ilavazhakhi of Tamil Nadu are world cup winners and incidentally, they are also reigning national champions. P Nirmala of LIC from Hyderabad is a six-time national champion and Sandip Deorukhkar of Mumbai is the current Asian champion.

Celebrities to add colour to Paramarsh

2008-11-12T22:10:00.000-08:00

Over 7,000 students from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra & MP are expected to turn up at the extravaganza

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Friday, September 12, 2008

Over 7,000 students from more than 30 elite colleges across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra will turn up to attend Paramarsh 2008, an annual fest organised by students of the faculty of technology and engineering, MSU. The three-day fest will be held from September 19 to 21. Paramarsh, a non-technical event, started in 2001, when a group of students from the mechanical engineering department realized the need of such a function at the intra-college level.It is for the first time that celebrities will grace the event with their presence. On September 19, budding engineers will have the opportunity to meet popular author Chetan Bhagat, interact with noted danseuse Mallika Sarabhai and sway to the songs of F4, a band formed by an Indian Idol finalist.The excitement does not stop here. Information technology security experts Ankit Fadia and Sunny Vaghela will share ethical hacking tips with participants. Cricketers Irfan and Yusuf Pathan will mingle with youngsters on the inaugural day.“In todays competitive world, technological event are not sufficient. The students have to be equally good at public speaking and communication skills to succeed,” said an event coordinator.He further added, “Paramarsh was initiated with the aim to hone interpersonal skills, creativity and spontaneity of students that will help them face campus recruitment confidently and in group discussions and personal interviews.” Paramarsh kicked off as an inter-college event in 2002. It assumed more significance when in 2005, it became a state-level event. Finally, in 2007, Paramarsh covered the entire west zone and became a popular extravaganza.

Artists put Ganesha on canvas

2008-11-12T07:56:00.000-08:00

Tantrik paintings were put on at Kirti art gallery

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
In Vadodara, Ganapatis presence is not limited to Ganesha pandals and music concerts alone. It seems to be all-pervading. At Kriti art gallery, four city artists enlivened the Ganeshotsav passion by displaying paintings and sculptures of Lord Ganesha. The works were of Jalendu Dave, Dashrath Prajapati, Pradip Chauhan and Ruma Sharma.The exhibition, which ended a day back, reflected the mythological tales weaved around Lord Ganesha. Tantrik paintings, an implausible art which include paintings with shlokas, names, yantra and other legends of Lord Ganesha, were displayed at the art gallery.Jalendu Dave, an artist who is well-known for his Tantrik paintings of Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva and other deities, said his paintings were a combination of art and intuition. “This art has Indian origin and due to very accurate and minor work, it needs thorough knowledge of mythology and art. Tantrik painting is a very rare form of art and has its own uniqueness,” said Dave.The exhibition also showcased different paintings portraying Lord Ganesha playing different musical instruments. The sculptures displayed at the show were made of ceramic, copper and clay. Varieties of stones and bronze were carved beautifully.The exhibition drew many visitors. Ananya Adya, an art lover, said, “I have seen many exhibitions but this was the first time that I came across such inimitable paintings of Lord Ganesha. The Tantrik paintings are a wonderful piece of art. The way the artist brushed mythological shlokas, symbols and yantras in paintings mesmerized me.”

Big Bang experiment makes Barodians panicky

2008-11-12T07:55:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Wednesday, September 10, 2008

The news given by the citys planetarium about the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiment on Tuesday sparked apprehension among Barodians who were worried over its ramifications. Conceived by European nuclear research centre, CERN, the impending experiment is poised to potentially eliminate the question mark surrounding the existence and origin of the universe, which has long persisted in the annals of human history.People were involved in discussing the results of the experiment, with many depicting a doomsday scenario, implying the end of the world. DD Purohit, additional assistant engineer of Sardar Patel planetarium, Vadodara, said, “We have been getting several queries from anxious people about the news of the LHC experiment. I would like to emphasise that no big consequence will arise from it, as the experiment is being conducted under a very controlled and safe environment with higher safety levels.”“Black holes, which have the potential to destroy the earth, will not occur from this experiment, as it will be of very low intensity and would not have that sort of heat and gravity power,” added Purohit.Mukesh Pathak, chief education officer of Gujarat Nature Conservation Society, said, “Whats for sure is that a brave new world of physics will emerge from this new accelerator, as knowledge in particle physics goes on to describe the workings of the universe.” For decades, the standard model of particle physics has served physicists well, but it does not tell the whole story. Only experimental data using the higher energies can push knowledge forward, challenging those who dare to dream beyond the paradigm.To understand the Big Bang theory, the giant machine (particle accelerator) has been created by 8,000 scientists from 85 countries to solve the inscrutability of the evolution of the universe. The length of the machine is 27 km, spanning the border between Switzerland and France about 100 m underground.

Striking A Special Bond with children

2008-11-12T07:53:00.000-08:00

A play based on stories of Ruskin Bond opens to packed house and rave reviews

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
A play based on the stories of Ruskin Bond was performed by Akvarious Productions at CC Mehta Auditorium on Thursday. Called A Special Bond and directed by Akarsh Khurana, the play opened to a packed house, fantastic feedback and rave reviews.The play revolves around Ranji who is sent to visit his grandfather in Mussoorie against his wishes. The first thing he does is make an attempt to escape and come straight back to his video games in Mumbai. But a chance encounter in the forest makes him change his mind. In the vacation that follows, Ranji has many unforgettable adventures with the local children, a former wrestler, two crazy aunts, a mischievous monkey, and among others, a romantic ghost!As proprietor, producer and a director of Akvarious Productions, Khurana is, by profession, a script writer and has been involved with theatre from a very young age. He began directing his own plays in college for inter college festivals and Thespo (an annual youth theatre festival), where he had won the Best Director Award twice. The hugely successful A Special Bond is his most recent childrens play. His feature film writing credits include Krrish (on which he was also an assistant director) and Ajay Devgans directorial debut U, Me aur Hum. He is also working on screenplays for Anurag Basu and Rohan Sippy.“This play is based on the stories of Ruskin Bond. We have interlinked the three plays based on Bonds stories. We have tried to add all flavours of humour,” says Akarsh. The cast of A Special Bond includes Hiddayat Sami, Trishala Patel and Shivani Tanksale.

MSU dons Modi mask for poll

2008-11-12T07:52:00.001-08:00

Aggressive campaigning marks the day

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Saturday, August 30, 2008

On the last day for campaigning before Saturdays MS University student union elections, ABVP candidates went full-throttle on Friday with their final promotional strategies, which included donning a Modi Mask even as tight security arrangements have been made for the elections today.The campus was infused with pre-election fever yesterday. SMSes, social networking websites, door-to-door campaigning and all other methods were implemented by the contenders on the final day of election campaigning. As per the universitys code of conduct, campaigning was supposed to end at 11 am, however supporters continued past the specified time limit outside the campus as well.The candidates urged students to vote, especially female students, as the percentage of female voters in the university had been less in the past years. In last years elections, only 10,000 out of 35,000 students voted, which was under 29%. This year, candidates will provide commuting facilities to attract the maximum number of students, who will be picked up and dropped off as well. As per sources, gifts and other perks were also distributed. To strengthen security, police personnel and 120 guards will be present at the university.Vice Chancellor Ramesh Goyal said, “To conduct the elections peacefully, tight security arrangements have been made. Members of the election committee and vigilance committee will be present at different faculties round the clock to carry out the election properly. Security guards will be available at each faculty and over the entire campus. Students without ID cards and outsiders will not be allowed in the campus.”In all, 85 voting booths will be there with 250 voting boxes at different faculties of the university and its Padra unit. The commerce faculty have got 26 voting centres, the highest. Arts faculty has 9 centres, technology faculty has 11, science faculty has 10, while one booth each has been allotted to home science, journalism & communication, social work, sanskrit Maha Vidyalaya, medicine and performing arts faculties. Five booths will be placed at Faculty of Law and 3 at Padra unit.

MSUSUElection expenses run into lakhs

2008-11-12T07:47:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Saturday, August 30, 2008

As campaigning for the MSU student union polls ended on Friday, expenses involved in it were put in lakhs. Money spent on banners, cards, posters, vehicles, petrol, volunteers, services of free SMSes and pre-paid connections and perks to supporters was huge.Though cards, hoardings, posters are not allowed according to university rules, leaders openly used the tools by saying that these were essentials for election campaigning. As per sources, the contestants for FGS (faculty general secretary) spent around Rs15,000 to Rs25,000, which meant that the expenses of those contesting for UGS (university general secretary) and VP (vice president) posts would be in the vicinity of Rs5 lakh.NSUI candidate Kunal Patel, contesting for the post of VP, said, "Promotions are necessary to make students aware about the candidate. The university's restrictions on the usage of the banners, publicity cards and posters, for which there are expenses, will make it impossible to campaign." As per sources, 10,000 SMSes were given free to the party supporters over and above the fancily designed visiting and publicity cards which cost between Rs15,000 to Rs20,000. Pre-paid connections in bulk have also been provided by the candidates which cost heavily. Expenses were also made on providing petrol, rental cars for campaign rallies, snacks and other perks for the supporters. Narendra Tewari, an ex-university leader, says: "The election campaigning scene has completely changed over the years. When I won the election years back, I did not undertake big expenses for publicity. I used to meet people personally to get their trust."Amid all this, a question that arose was: was it possible for the leaders to bear the burden of all these expenses? Sources said it was not possible for student leaders to spend so huge amounts without the support of mainstream political parties.

They fancy rakhis with a dash of astro

2008-11-12T07:44:00.000-08:00

Rakhis with astrological gem stones, photos and names engraved are in vogue

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Thursday, August 14, 2008

Rakhis tinged with astrology and having a personalised ring around them are in vogue in Vadodara, this year. Women in this city are going for rakhis embedded with real pearls, rudraksha beads attached to gold and silver having astrological significance.Gold or silver-based rakhis are not new but with the changing trend, these are being chosen essentially keeping in mind their planetary worth. This Raksha Bandhan, 'pendant rakhis' with pearls and gem stones fixed on gold or silver are becoming popular. Rakhis with real rudraksh beads are also in demand for its healing effect. Bharat Dave, an astrologer in Vadodara, said, "Usually, we suggest gem stones in ring and chain for astrological effects but rakhis can also have such impact as they are tied on the wrist. Stones fixed on rakhi with proper guidance of astrologer can definitely have influence on the wearer. More and more women are seeking astrological advice for the gem stone which is given on the basis of her brother's astrological details."Smita Rai, a working woman residing at Gotri in Vadodara, has ordered an astrological rakhi for her brother. She said, "Every year, I tie a gold rakhi on my brother's wrist. I came to know about astrological effect of gem stone on a rakhi from one astrologer friend. So I have ordered a rakhi with a ruby stone fixed on gold. I have taken astrologer's guidance for choosing the gem for my brother's success."The cost of 'astrological rakhis' depends on the selection of gem stone and the base of gold and silver. Apart from this, rakhis are also getting a personalized touch with photographs and names engraved on them. Rakhi shops in Vadodara are offering personalized rakhis made on special orders. These rakhis have individual picture of a brother or some picture which showcases the brother-sister bond. Collage of pictures is also becoming popular for photo-rakhis. Online websites are also offering specialized photo-rakhis. Most of the websites and rakhi shop owners have stopped taking new orders for Rakhsha Bandhan to finish the previous orders. Ritesh Jain, a rakhi shop owner at Ghadiali pol in Vadodara, said, "Now we have stopped taking new orders for photo-rakhis as we are already flooded with orders. The cost of photo-rakhi generally starts with Rs300. We get the soft copy of the photograph and put it on

Now, dogs get cyberspace for networking

2008-11-12T07:42:00.000-08:00

Sites empower dog owners to form groups, create relationships with like-minded people

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Monday, August 11, 2008

Now social networking is meant not only for humans but also for entertainment of dogs. Dogbook, Doggyspace, Dogster are the online social networking sites for dog lovers and owners. These sites feature photos, videos and other facilities alike regular networking sites empowering dog owners to connect, form groups, and create relationships with like-minded people around the globe. Dog networking sites also allows dog lovers to create personal profiles for their pets, set up friend networks and exchange messages. Vrushang Arya, a schoolgoer in Vadodara, says, "I learnt about social networking sites for dogs during my visit to the USA last year. My cousin in the USA has his dog's profile on one dog social networking site. I also have my dog's profile on Dogster. Here one can form groups and post favorite photos and videos to other friends across the globe." Praharsh Modi, a 20-year-old student living in the USA, created a profile on one of the networking sites, of her five-year-old great den named Deccoo, who has more than 100 friends on the site. "I have uploaded Deccoo's photos and videos. With other members, I discuss dog habit, problems, grooming style and also exchange tips to train them. My dog sits with me near the computer while I do the work for him," Praharsh said in an e-mail.Urvin Shah, a dog lover and a cyber expert, said: "People are signing up pet-specific sites to get help and support on specific issues. However, the concept of social networking for dogs is not in trend in India but is very popular in the USA and the UK."An interesting thing about dog social networking is that members greet each other like dogs by saying 'woof woof', 'vooooo' and all other dog-like acts. Information on dog breeding, health, grooming, food advice, etc are also available on these sites. Apart from this, different competitions for dogs are also held on basis of different games and looks. They also indulge in matchmaking for dogs and also help in tracking the lost dogs.

Exhibition pays tribute to father of library science

2008-11-12T07:39:00.001-08:00

Central library of Vadodara organises display of books to pay tribute to Shiyali Rammitra Ranganathan

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Sunday, August 10, 2008

To mark the 161st birth anniversary of Shiyali Rammitra Ranganathan, considered the father of library science, Central Library, Vadodara exhibited more than 200 books to draw the avid readers. More than 500 visitors visited the exhibition at central library on Saturday. The library has a collection of 2,19,999 books and journals. Ranganathan has a connection with Vadodara as he had come to the city in 1930 for the conference of All India Teachers Association. It was then that he floated the Library Act. His efforts paid dividend in late 2000, when the Library Act came into existence. Padmashri Ranganathan was the pioneer and national research professor in library science in the country. A librarian, teacher, writer, national research professor, philosopher and a versatile personality, he contributed greatly to the world of library. Ranganathan wrote over 60 books and 1,500 papers touching almost every aspect of library science. The Five Laws of Library Science was one of his greatest contributions to the library science, which was first published in 1931. In 1992, Unesco, while celebrating International Book Year, chose the motto: Books for all, the first law of Ranganathan.The more recent and concrete proof of the global acclaim of Ranganathan's five laws of library science is provided by Digital Library of Information Science & Technology (DLIST), an open access archieve for the information science, service of the Information Resources & Library Science & learning Technologies Centre, University of Arizona.Vinod Tikamani, a library official said, “The central library of Vadodara has made an attempt to pay tribute to Ranganathan. We displayed more than 200 books of different authors in Gujarati, Hindi and English covering biographies, peace, education, health and other novels etc. This was an attempt to pay homage to a great man and also to evoke peoples interest in books.” A visitor, HV Jani, a retired professional, said, “I have heard about Rangnathan and his contribution in library science. I found some very interesting books. Today, young generation is losing out with books and library. This exhibition is a good effort to remember the great soul and awaking people towards reading books."

400 primary teachers trained in self-evaluation

2008-11-12T07:37:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Saturday, August 09, 2008
Advancement of Educational Performance through Teacher Support (ADEPTS), a three-day programme organised by the Gujarat government for primary teachers, concluded on Thursday. In the programme, 400 teachers form 36 schools in Vadodara were taught lessons in self-evaluation and how to impart quality education based on the student's aptitude level and need.The teachers were trained by education system officials to see education through students' point of view and to make the education system student friendly. Every child is different and some need more attention. "To teach effectively, teachers need to be trained on it," said programme co-coordinator Kiran Sadhu.

Prerna 2008 tomorrow, 451 students to join

2008-11-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara
Saturday, August 09, 2008
The faculty of technology and engineering at MS University will be holding 'Prerna '08', a competition for differently-abled persons, on Sunday. Apart from physically handicapped, visually impaired, hearing impaired, and mentally challenged people will take part in the event.In all, 451 differently-abled students from different institutes of Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Surat and other parts of the state will compete in six different events. A blood donation camp, signature campaign and exhibition cum sale of products have also been planned. "The faculty has been organising the event for the last two years. Earlier, it used to be held at the district level, but starting this year, it will be a state-level meet," said Parth Patel, a member of the managing committee and an engineering student.

Works of Haren Das on display

2008-11-12T07:26:00.000-08:00

Delhi Art Gallery opens show at MSU to showcase artists work on printmaking in woodcuts

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Delhi Art Gallery inaugurated 'Haren Das The End of Toil -Prints (1945-1970)' exhibition at Faculty of Fine Arts of MS University on Tuesday to pay tribute to Haren Das and his singular pursuit of printmaking in woodcuts and wood engravings embedded with rural texture. The exhibition will continue till August 10. The exhibition tries to position Haren Das vis-à-vis his contemporaries Chittaprosad and Somnath Hore. He chose to tread alone without trying to align with the contemporary stream. Well known artists of Vadodara like Jyotsana Bhatt and Gulam Mohommad appreciated his efforts. MSU students and art lovers have also joined in to appreciate the exhibition. Riyad Sharma, a student, says: "The exhibition has been carried very well. I am trying to understand the art work as it is difficult to understand the depth of the work of such a great artist and person. The printmaking in woodcuts and engraving is amazing. It's an opportunity of a lifetime to get a chance to see such work." Anchal Shinde, a representative of Delhi Art Gallery, said: "The purpose of the exhibition is to make the students understand the work of Haren Das. The exhibition is not just a show of his works, but his various achievements, correspondences, original documents and accumulated certificates that have not been given their due. Haren Das participated internationally in exhibitions and biennials and won laurels for his work globally." Das was one of the few who witnessed India fight for its independence. He supposedly kept away from any political alignment or propaganda, making no tall claims or artistic declarations. A simple man at heart, he preferred being a dedicated teacher to younger generations of artists. His works show glimpse of Nandalal Bose, influence of his teacher Ramendranath Chakravorty and affinity with contemporary Shaffiudin Ahmed. While nostalgia and sentimentality tend to surface in the works that restore the longing for an idyllic pastoral life in the distance, the sight of the smoking chimneys, factories and the changing fabric of the villages of Bengal cannot be missed. India in the early post-independence era was in transition, and the first signs of urbanity were awkwardly visible in the transformed landscape. Das was a witness to that change and his works move from vast unadulterated landscapes to incorporating semi-urban forms of construction and activities, sensing erasure of the rural in throes of urban life.

School boy pitches for national flags respect

2008-11-12T07:22:00.000-08:00

Gives letter to collector requesting him to issue orders to citizens

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Zubin Bhatt, a class VI student of Delhi Public School here, presented a memorandum to the collector and district magistrate requesting him to issue orders to citizens to stop insulting the national flag by throwing the national flag on the road or in dustbins.Every year, after Independence Day and Republic Day, lakhs of flags are found abandoned on the roads or in the garbage."It is a shame for any Indian who salutes the flag in the morning on August 15 and January 26 and then discards it later,'' says Zubin. Zubin presented the memorandum to the collector and requested him to issue strict orders to this effect and to take action against all those found insulting the country and national flag. Zubin has decided that he and his friends will go around in different areas of the city on August 15 to create awareness about the same. "I hope my effort brings about some change in citizens and start giving the national flag the respect it deserves. We will also collect the flags lying on roads and other places and submit them to the collector," says Zubin.

Thrashed by teacher, class XII student bleeds

2008-11-12T07:20:00.000-08:00

Boy was beaten up for not having school ID card pinned to shirt

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Tuesday, August 05, 2008

A teacher of Zenith English school in Vadodara beat up a student of class XII causing scar marks on his face over a small matter. Murli Mohan, an assistant teacher of English at Zenith high school of Pratapnagar, beat Anish Gheewala, a student of class XII commerce, ferociously for not tying the school identity card on his shirt.Anish said, "I was so badly beaten up by the teacher that my nose started bleeding. I had the identity card but it was in the bag." He said that he could not tie the card as he had gone to help his younger brother who had fractured his leg."My son has not committed any crime. The teacher should have understood the situation,' said Anish's mother. The students' parents said they are not filing any complaint as the teacher has written a sorry note and principal has assured that this kind of thing will not happen in future. Sources said the teacher has been in news in the past also for beating up students. The school principal and the teacher refused to comment on the matter.

Ban on vehicles on MSU campus

2008-11-12T04:25:00.000-08:00

Vehicles not to be parked within 15 meters of faculty buildings

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

As part of additional security measures, the authorities at the MS University have asked students not to park vehicles in front of faculties. According to an announcement, students and visitors to the university will not be allowed to park vehicles within 15 meters of faculty buildings.The authorities have also decided that students would only be allowed inside the varsity from selected gates manned by security guards and students will not be allowed to ride vehicles inside the university. Ramesh Goyal, vice chancellor of the university said, "The traffic flow inside the university will be controlled and students will need to park their vehicles only in the specified parking zone." Kaushal Joshi, a B com student said, "Earlier we used to park our vehicles in front of our faculty building or anywhere in the university but now after the new announcement it has become difficult for us to commute within the university."

Chinks in MSU security plan

2008-11-12T04:24:00.000-08:00

Effectiveness of the new measures is under question

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara
Saturday, August 02, 2008

A plan of action to ensure security in the MS University (MSU) was announced on Tuesday. However, it sounded more like a paper tiger. Fraught with loopholes, the effectiveness of the new security measures is under question.Security guards are present at various entrances but their inefficiency can be gauged from the fact that they let many visitors inside the premises without checking their identity. This scribe sneaked in by just saying that she was from Press.MSU has strength of more than 40,000 students, 18 faculties and 16 hostel rooms. The terrorists can make their way into the campus without any difficulty. The varsity has deputed just 78 security guards, who are unarmed. University authorities have decided to increase security on the premises but security outside is still lax. Even though the administration has assured to deploy adequate number of guards and police officers on the premises, the security can't be foolproof in commerce faculty, which is surrounded by walls anybody can easily scale and escape. Besides no proper fencing, there is no security along the walls from the commerce faculty right up to the science faculty.Moreover, the university lacks adequate metal detectors to check the influx of people, coming and going out. The MSU just has five metal detectors. The university has set up a vigilance committee in each faculty. Vice chancellor Ramesh Goyal said, "We have planned to take long-term security steps on the university premises. The deans of each faculty have been given responsibility to take measures for the security of their faculties as it is not possible to make university fully secured overnight."In wake of the security threats, the academic work in MSU has been affected. The varsity was closed on Tuesday. Faculty of commerce will start functioning from August 4 while Faculty of Arts, performing arts and fine arts will start from August 1.

Newcomers condemn Abad

2008-11-12T04:22:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi.Vadodara/DNA
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
On the opening day of the first year's academics at faculty of commerce of M S University on Monday, the newcomers were welcomed with black strips instead of the customary roses. This was done to pay tribute to the victims of Ahmedabad bomb blasts. More than 2,000 newcomers were welcomed with black strips while they came for the first day of college on Monday. Senior students, student leaders and others welcomed newcomers with black strips on their hand instead of flowers, tilak and chocolates. The serial blasts in Ahmedabad has shaken M S University students as well. Students kept themselves away from any kind of welcoming ceremony for newcomers and tied black strips on newcomers hand.Kunal Patel, a student leader, said: "For last three years, we had been welcoming newcomers with flowers and chocolates to wish them new beginning of college life but this year just before the one day of the beginning of first year's academic session, the Ahmedabad blasts have shattered all of us. Hence we are not doing any celebration.''

Wi-Fi facility in MSU soon

2008-11-12T04:19:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara
Monday, July 21, 2008

Wi-Fi and WiMax technology will soon be used by MSU students in Vadodara. The university is planning to utilise UGC grant to bring about technical advancement through these wireless network technologies.With the network, all computers, laptops and cell phones on the university campus will get access to internet.Currently, Hansa Mehta Library of the university has the facility of wireless network technology. Now, with the plan to connect the entire university through Wi-Fi and WiMax, internet would reach every student. MSU vice-chancellor Ramesh Goyel said, "We expect to get a grant of around Rs15 crore from UGC. A large chunk of this grant will be used to provide accessibility of Wi-Fi and WiMax network on the university campus."The MSU also plans to use Rs1 crore UGC grant to set up a women's hostel. Besides, a rainwater harvesting system will also be developed in the faculty of social work, management and home science.

Urban slum women still in the dark about periods

2008-11-12T04:18:00.001-08:00

Survey reveals lack of awareness about menstruation and hygiene

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The Population Research Center at MS University recently conducted a study on women from urban slums in Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara, about the level of awareness about menstruation as well as hygiene. The results came as a shocker. It revealed some appalling statistics about the level of awareness about the monthly cycle. The study which was done on 600 un-married women in the age group of 15 to 24 found that 69% of them was unaware of menstruation and the practices till they had their first monthly periods. What was more shocking was that 90% of the women use cloth or home-made pad during the monthly cycles. When it came to health matters, about 88% reported that they experience weakness or get tired easily. Out of this, 31% have been experiencing the problem for less than a year, while 26% have been suffering from it from two years since the start of menstruation cycle. However, as many as 43%, has been suffering from the problem for more than two years.Urvi Shah, a research investigator of at the center said, "Women in the slums feel awkward to speak about menstruation and other sexual issues due to social stigma. I feel a mother should talk about menstruation issues openly with her daughter(s) even before they attain puberty to make the girl prepared for it. Schools too should teach students about such issues as well as its biological implications."Among the various other problems reported, about three fourths of the case studies have experienced painful periods followed by 15 % who reported delayed periods, 11% experience excessive bleeding, while 6% have very less bleeding and only 5% have prolonged bleeding. While surveyed for health problems, particularly reproductive health related problems among these young women, the tacit acceptance of these menstruation-related problems makes it evident that majority of the women 72% have not sought any advice or treatment.The survey found that knowledge regarding physiological changes due to the onset of menarche is also not complete. Dr Binal Shah, a gynaecologist at Karelibaug in Vadodara said, "Our society is steeped in religious believes connected to menarche and menstruation. Due to the increasing level of education, people are becoming more open about sex education but the socially backward classes still feel uncomfortable talking about physical problems. Unawareness about menstruation practice brings unhygienic issues which can turn in to problems related to the reproductive organs."

Uniform mandatory in many Vadodara schools

2008-11-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Monday, July 14, 2008

Students were free to wear dresses of their liking in schools once a week but that is going to change soon. Many schools in Vadodara have scrapped the practice of 'uniform off day' and more are planning to follow suit.Students coming to schools in fashionable and flashy outfits on such days was turning out to a major headache for authorities. To prevent nuisance, many schools have now implemented compulsory dress code for students. Radhika Nair, managing director of Urmi School at Karelibag, says, "Earlier we used to give Wednesday an off day from uniform but the loud and indecent dresses of students forced us to make uniform mandatory for all days.""To stop girls wearing shorts, sleeveless and tight clothes, we asked them to wear salwar suits on uniform-free days. But as suits have also been robbed of their decency and taken trendy forms, we finally stopped that practice too and made uniform compulsory on all days."Principal of Bright School too feels that uniform should be made mandatory. He said, "We are gradually putting an end to uniform off days. After higher secondary and secondary section, now we are going to make uniform mandatory for primary section, too. 'Free dress' was creating a sense of inequality among students and also causing distractions from studies."University experimental school at Sayajigunj is going to stop weekly 'uniform off' soon. Madhuri Barot, an administrator of the school, finds uniform a must to maintain uniformity among students. She said, "We are going to make uniform compulsory for all days to maintain equality on school campus. Parents are also supporting mandatory uniform system as a child's demand for costly and trendy dresses like their peers becomes difficult to fulfil."Smita Patel, a resident of Fatehgunj, says school is a temple of learning and the sanctity of it should be maintained. Uniform creates equality among all students.

Some hail the decision, others decry

Most say uniform should not be imposed on students, while a few second the move

The decision of many Vadodara schools to make uniform mandatory has evoked a mixed response among students and parents. Vrinda Patel, a Class 10 student of Bright School, Karelibag said, "I don't think uniform compulsion will make any changes. Students should have freedom to wear dresses of their choice once a week. I like wearing trendy clothes, footwears and accessories on off days but now school's rule will force us to wear uniform. Uniform should not be imposed on us."Vipul Shah, father of a Class 8 girl student, feels making uniform compulsory won't help much. He says, "My daughter Aditi loves wearing fashionable dresses. I don't find anything wrong in that. Students should get the freedom to wear dress of their liking once a week. Discipline can't come with uniform alone. Everybody likes change and wearing trendy clothes is part of today's lifestyle."Mansi Ahuja, a mother of two kids, says, "Today, children are becoming fashion conscious. They love copying dressing style of their favourite actors and actresses. I don't find anything wrong if children wear trendy clothes in school once a week. My kids love fashionable outfits. Schools should not have made uniform mandatory for all just because a few dress inappropriately. They should take action if a child is not dressed properly but doing away with 'uniform off day' is not acceptable."Khushi Sharma, a Class 9 student, says compulsion of uniform is wrong. She said, "Schools puts so many restrictions on us and by making uniform mandatory, they are killing the little freedom we had. How one dresses is a private affair. If my parents don't have any issue with my dressing then school does not have any right to make us wear uniform on all days."Rishita Vyas, a Class 11 student, asks, "If there is no uniform in colleges, why should we have uniform in schools? Taking uniform off day back is not a wise decision. Everybody likes change. Getting an off from uniform once a week is a welcome change."There are a few who feel uniform rule will go a long way in solving a plethora of problems. Piyush Mehta, father of a Class 6 girl student, says, "My daughter Richa demands costly outfits, like her classmates, as she wants to look stylish. She demands different dresses on all uniform off days. It's not possible for me to afford expensive clothes frequently. I appreciate the decision of mandatory uniform in schools as it will ensure oneness and equality among students." Richa says, "My school mates wear variety of dresses on all 'uniform off' days and I have to wear repeated dresses. If uniform is made mandatory for all days, I will not have to think what to wear on uniform off day."Tanmay Patel, a Class 5 student, says, "We are free to wear whatever we want after school hours. In school, I think, uniform is a must and it puts everybody on an equal footing." A parent of a high school girl points out uniform gives an identity to a student. It helps to inculcate discipline in children, which is lacking in today's youth.

Providing a platformto emerging talents

2008-11-12T03:57:00.000-08:00

Workshop proves to be a learning experiencefor participants

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Explore your talent through interactive and performance-oriented activities. This was the message sent across at 'Satvikam', a three-day workshop, held recently at the auditorium of home science faculty of MSU. It was conducted by Saumya Joshi, an eminent writer, director and dramatist and organised by Insync.The workshop offered a platform to budding creative professionals to share their views on acting, direction and writing. The participants belonged to different age groups and backgrounds. It was a good learning experience for them. Parth Saika, a copywriter in an AD agency, participated in the workshop to nurture his copy writing skills. Parth said, "The workshop was helpful in nurturing inter-personal skills. Through the workshop, I got a chance to know the nuances of writing. The best thing about the workshop was practical evaluation of one's performance."Nita Merhotra, who is aspiring a career in theater, said, "I came to know about the different aspects of theatre at the workshop. Practical demonstration on theatrics added value tothe workshop."

Net radio belts out old numbers

2008-11-12T03:49:00.000-08:00

Eprasaran, founded by 4 Indians in the US, is a radio portal that offers live music to listeners

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Old numbers like Ajaho na aaye balma sawan beeta jay and Pavan diwani may be difficult to find at any CD rack of a music lover, but not on Eprasaran, an internet radio founded by four Indians settled in the United States.What started as a hobby two years back for the Gokhales and Vaidya couples has now evolved into an internet radio station in the form of Eprasaran providing music lovers with a wide range of old classics to latest arrivals in Bollywood. In a candid chat with DNA, Madhura Gokhale, one of the founders, said, "We started the music portal for the love of music, but then we started receiving appreciation emails not only from India but from far off countries such as Germany and Japan and requesting music to be played of their choice on the radio. We never expected it to become so popular" At present, an estimated ten thousand listeners tune in to the radio station. "Indian listeners from different corners of the globe send us copies of musical programmes and their collection requesting it to be aired on Eprasaran. We get frequent requests from listeners in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and other parts of Gujarat too," she added.Eprasaran not only caters to a wide range of musical programmes but also airs talk shows, drama, religious discourses and interviews. "Initially we started with Marathi broadcasts, but following demand of Hindi listeners, we started providing more of Hindi music," said Madhura. "With a hectic work schedule, it is difficult to create and manage radio programs, but appreciation and requests from listeners give us the inspiration to be on our toes," she added.With programmes relayed 24x7, live music is just a click away.

Sex workers want Bill to be repealed

2008-11-12T03:27:00.000-08:00

Stage demonstration to voice their grouse

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Social activists, sex workers, gays and lesbians staged a demonstration at Mahatma Gandhinagar Gruh in Vadodara on Tuesday asking the government to repeal the Immoral Traffic Prevention Amendment Bill, 2008. More than 300 people across Gujarat protested in the city.A sex worker in Vadodara, Bhavna Kansara (name changed), said “I have been working as a sex worker for 17 years. I am doing it for survival of my family and feel that nothing is wrong about it. The government should not implement the Act, which would lead to arrest of anybody visiting sex workers. And in that case, my familys survival would be at stake.”Varsha Chawda (name changed), another sex worker from Ahmedabad, said, “Under this Act, the police can arrest sex workers without issuing warrant. This will be misused against sex workers like us who have are in this profession to survive.”Maya Sharma, project manager of an NGO Parama, “If sex work is going on against the consent of someone then it should be objected to strongly by the rule. Instead of this, the Act is against those sex workers who have been in the profession by their own consent.”“If sex work is being done against someone's will or secretly then steps should be taken to prevent it. But due to ITPA Act, there are chances that sex workers would be compelled to work clandestinely and that would lead to spread of AIDS ,” said Indira Pathak, of Vikalp.

Is your computer harming your eyes?

2008-11-12T03:25:00.000-08:00

Working for long hours in front of the PC may lead to computer vision syndrome

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

After working for long hours in front of a computer if you feel that your eyes are strained, your vision is blurred and you cannot focus on any subject, you must be suffering from computer vision syndrome, which is a temporary vision problem.Improperly placed computers, reflection of light, too dim or bright images and often blinking visuals are the main reasons for this syndrome. As the number of people working on computers has gone up, the number of people with temporary vision problem has increased too. Nimita Makhija works in a private firm at Alkapuri. She said, "My work demands me to sit in front of computer for eight to ten hours. I often feel that my eyes are dry and vision in not good for sometime. When I couldn't find any solution for my problem, I went to a doctor and he diagnosed it as computer vision syndrome. Now, I am following doctor's instructions and taking proper care of my eyes."Like Nimita, Aditya Shah, an IT professional, too suffers from the same symptoms. He said, "My work demands sitting in front of computer for long duration. I need to take care of my eyes more but work routine keeps me engaged for longer hours and as a result I feel dryness in eyes, irritation and blurred vision." Dr Chaitanya Buch, a medical practitioner and vice-chairman of computer society of India said, "When you look at a distance, your eyes are relatively relaxed. But while working on computers, muscles in your eyes have to work harder to keep a clear vision. Continuous work in front of computer creates temporary vision problems."Staring at computer screens may aggravate the problem leading to burning sensation, dry eyes and irritation. "As you sit for longer hours in front of computers, the blink rate drops by 50%, so instead of 15 blinks a minute your eyes blink only 7.5 times in a minute," he said. Dr Bipin Shah, an eye specialist, said, "Dry eyes can also occur because we tend to blink less as we concentrate on our computer screen and keep our eyes wide open when working on a computer." Is there any solution? Experts suggest some steps we should follow to tackle computer vision syndrome and keep our eyes strain-free. Keep your computer screen in such a position that the centre of the screen is 4-8 inches below your eye level. Keep a viewing distance of 20-28 inches. Take frequent break in between the work as ten minutes break after 30 to 45 minutes of continuous work reduces strain in eyes. Avoid sitting in a draught or near an air vent, direct draught makes eyes dry. Use glare filters over your computer screen to minimize radiation effect.

Urban Gujarat battles with obesity

2008-11-12T03:23:00.000-08:00

Food habits and lifestyle in urban areas are making Gujaratis overweight and prone to diabetes, blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart attacks

Devanshi Joshi. Ahmedabad/DNA

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Obesity has become one of the most serious public health problems in India. More than one third of Indians are overweight and about 1.15 billion people in developing countries suffer from severe obesity.Gujarat is also facing a problem of obesity. As per 2005-2006 National family Health Survey (NFHS), males in Gujarat are on the 10th rank in India for being obese while females in Gujarat are on the 7th ran. In urban areas, obesity is higher than in rural areas. Obesity is prevalent more in women than in men. According to the NFHS, 20.3% of women in Gujarat are overweight or obese. The occurrence of obesity in urban women is 20.5% higher than that in women living in rural areas. The survey says 15.5% men in Gujarat are overweight and obesity in urban males in the state is 15% higher than men in rural. Dr Sanjiv Haribhakti, says, "Genetic heritance is not the only cause of obesity but food habits and life styles also play an equal role in occurrence of obesity."As compared to people in western countries, people in India are shorter and they have less muscle mass which in turn puts in our population to a very high risk of developing diseases like diabetes, blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart attacks," he says. Most people are not aware of their BMI (Body Mass Index) which gives an idea of the ideal weight of an individual in proportion to his or her height. Ideal BMI should be 19-24.9. The higher BMI often becomes the cause of obesity. BMI greater than 40 shows high risk. As BMI increases, the chances of early death also increase. More than fifty percent of the adults in India suffer from obesity. About 55% adults have BMI more than 25.The higher rate of BMI requires treatment. Dr Harshad Soni says, "Obesity is a disease and it needs to be cured. A reasonable goal to reduce weight might be to make changes in lifestyle, increasing physical activity and limiting intake of calories. The initial goal for reducing weight should be to improve health rather than achieving ideal weight."

Every unsafe abortion risks 2 lives

2008-11-12T03:21:00.000-08:00

About 80,000 women die every year because of unsafe methods adopted to terminate unwelcome pregnancy

Devanshi Joshi.Ahmedabad/DNA

Friday, June 27, 2008

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that, worldwide, one in every 10 pregnancy ends in an unsafe abortion. The death of nearly 80,000 expectant women (which is around 13% of all such deaths) is caused by unsafe abortions. In Gujarat, too, unsafe abortions are on the rise with a growing number of women seeking the services of quacks and untrained midwives to terminate unwanted pregnancies without publicity. Dr Namita Shah, a gynecologist in the Satellite area of the city, said that the number of unwed girls becoming pregnant has been increasing in the state. "When girls get pregnant before marriage, they generally opt for abortion. However, instead of consulting a gynecologist who can ensure a safe abortion, they turn to quacks who prescribe unsafe medications," said Dr Shah. "Abortions performed by quacks frequently end up in dangerous complications which sometimes prove fatal for the girl." Some girls try self-medication which is no less dangerous. Desperate to terminate an unwanted pregnancy in absolute secrecy, they try strange methods out of ignorance. Not only are these methods ineffective, they are extremely dangerous as well. These procedures include inserting a sharp object into the uterus, swallowing large doses of oral contraceptives, and drinking or flushing the vagina with caustic liquids such as bleach. In other cases, pregnant girls jump from high places, take to vigorous dancing, or have sustained and vigorous sexual intercourse in the hope that one of these will terminate the unwelcome pregnancy. Dr Ruby Mehta, a gynecologist in Ambavadi, said that even the least damaging of unsafe abortions can cause infection of uterine tissues with attendant symptoms of fever, chills, foul-smelling vaginal discharges and uterine tenderness. "Unsafe abortions frequently cause death of the pregnant girl," said Mehta. Heavy bleeding results when an untrained person dilates the cervix with a sharp object to scrape out the contents of the uterus. This bleeding must be stopped if the pregnant woman is to survive. Such unsafe procedures can cause irreparable damage to other organs such as ovaries, bowel, bladder, and the rectum. Abortions performed by quacks are usually 'incomplete' in that some tissue gets left behind in the uterus even after the abortion. Symptoms of incomplete abortions include abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding; and an enlarged uterus.Girls should be warned against unsafe abortions because they can cause infertility or complications even during future pregnancies.

Malls popular hangout for couples

2008-11-12T03:19:00.002-08:00

Privacy and pleasant ambience make them ideal meeting place

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Thursday, June 26, 2008

Young couples cozying up and engaged in sweet nothings is a common sight in most shopping malls in Vadodara. Visit a swanky mall and you will encounter couples in every corner -- either chatting or just freaking out. They are mostly there during noon hours on weekdays. Many of them could be found sitting in cafeterias of these malls.City gardens, university campus and road corners as spots of rendezvous are passé. The new trysting place is the mall. Malls are 'cool' with young couples since they offer privacy and a chance to 'be your own self'. These are preferred over other meeting places as couples can move around comfortably inside without inviting the nasty glare of passers-by. Afternoon hours on weekdays are the best time for them as there are very few visitors during this time. The relaxed ambience --- air-conditioner and availability of refreshments -- have added popularity and charm to malls.Vikram Wagle, a person managing a mall in Fatehgunj, said, "Mall witness heavy rush during weekends and evening hours but you will not find much people coming during the noon for shopping. So, those who come during these hours are young couples as they can enjoy moments of togetherness when there are less people around."Ritesh Shah, a commerce student in MSU, finds mall the ideal place to spend time with his girlfriend. "I like to hangout with my girlfriend in a mall as it has a pleasant ambience and is disturbance-free. Apart from that, it provides other entertainment too. Sitting in a mall costs less than an AC restaurant or café," he said.Hiral Dave, a management student of the law faculty, echoes Ritesh's sentiments. He said, "I and my girlfriend prefer to go to malls as we are not disturbed by security staff and people don't stare at us. We prefer to go there in the noon hours of weekdays when less visitors drop in and more couples like us are there."Anup Ram, a helper at a food outlet in a mall at Manjalpur, said, "Maximum number of young couples come in during noon hours. The outlet bursts at the seams with young couples sitting around the cafeteria. They order food and beverages and while away time. There are times when they cozy up too much and we then have to remind them that they are in a public place."

Malls need better planning

2008-11-12T03:10:00.000-08:00

We blindly follow Western architecture, says Karan Grover

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

“Style and design suiting locals is essential in construction of shopping malls and buildings rather that blindly following western architecture,” said Karan Grover, a renowned architect who was in the city for the inauguration of a retail chain. Grover studied architecture from MS University, Baroda, and is now settled in Mumbai. His work reflects his concern for the heritage of the country. Winner of several architectural awards, Grover feels the rapid growth of mall culture has led to improper planning and designing put in to the construction of these malls. “The malls in India are adopting western designs blindly not keeping in mind the direction of air and light which may bring in positive energy. The western designs are suited for western people and their habits,” said Grover. Grover feels structures should be constructed in such a way to make maximum use of daylight. “Malls consume higher energy through electricity. Electricity consumption is the highest expenditure for any mall owner. But it can be taken care of at the time of construction”. He also stressed on the use of sensor in malls. He added, “Sensors automatically manage the electricity consumption as per the requirements which would bring down energy expenses.”

Anganwadi workers seeksalary hike

2008-11-12T03:08:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The Anganwadi workers across the State staged protests to raise their demands regarding the payment of the arrears since 2002. As a part of the protest, about 500 Anganwadi workers at Vadodara demonstrated at collectorate on Monday. They presented a memorandum to the district collector, demanding salary increment of Rs500 and Rs250 to be implemented since 2002. The Anganwadi workers are also protesting against privatisation of Anganvadi. Their other demand includes pension after retirement, position as government employee, placement and other benefits. Kalpana Patel, Gujarat state Anganvadi president, said, "Anganvadi workers should get benefits from the government. Our memorandum includes our demand of salary implement and other benefits. We have also asked Central government to look into our genuine demands." "We are waiting for the government to take required action in the regard and increase our salary and pay the arrears since 2002, " she addd.

But is anybody listening?

2008-11-12T03:05:00.000-08:00

Devanshi Joshi.Ahmedabad/DNA
Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The government has drafted guidelines asking manufacturers and service providers to avoid advertisements showing children and pregnant women using cell phones. The step is intended to prevent people falling prey to health hazards of cell phone radiations but the response to the official initiative remains uncertain as several school goers and their parents find a mobile phone an essential gadget. "I have been using mobile phone since I was in class VII. I use it to be in touch with my friends," says Sarthak Patel, a class IX student. He says his parents gave the mobile phone to him so that they can contact him whenever he is out. "I have not considered government guidelines seriously as I can't imagine my life without a mobile phone." Khushbu Upadhyaya, a 13-year-old student residing at Paldi, recently got a new mobile phone as a birthday gift from her parents. "Most of my friends use mobile phones. It is not just for communication but it also functions as a radio, a walkman, and a reminder.""Khushbu has to move around- school, coaching class, dance class, and sometimes friends place for study. In case there is any problem, because of mobile phone she can get immediate help," says Hema Upadhyaya, Khushbu's mother. "I have read about health hazards caused by the use of mobile phone but it will not stop us from giving our daughter a mobile phone. She needs it to be connected," says Hema.Use of mobile phones in the premises of schools has been banned but students don't take the diktat seriously. Many students carry mobiles with them in schools. "Use of cell phones in our school is strictly banned as it creates social imbalance among students. But tomorrow if I check, I will find 5% to 6% of the students in each class carrying a mobile phone," says Fr. Fernand Durai, principal of St.Xavier's Loyola school.He says, "The government has taken a good step but parents need to understand the adverse affects of the instrument and stop giving it to children." ENT specialist Dr Mihir Mehta says, "Over a long period, mobile radiation can affect anybody but it affects children more. Later, it can result in temporary loss of memory and headache. Children should avoid using cell phone to protect themselves from radiation effects. "Children like to keep mobile phones with them because of their multiple uses. Mobile phone is no more just a communication tool for them. With advancement in technology, a mobile phone has become music library, play station, camera and Internet surf land. Children are finding mobile phone games a hot thing to spend time with. Blue tooth and GPRS have made their exchange of games, music, themes, and wallpaper easy. Kaushal Ajmera, a class 8 student, spends 2 to 3 hours a day on playing mobile phone games. He says, "I have downloaded more than 50 games in my cell phone memory card. I keep exchanging games with my friends. I don't use my mobile phone much for communication. I keep it for games and other downloads like wallpapers and songs."Children don't seem to be taking government guidelines about use of mobile phone very seriously because of the multiple uses of the gadget.

Youngsters fake identity online to get easy access to girls

2008-11-12T03:02:00.000-08:00

Internet-savvy youths are increasingly creating fake identity profiles to come close to people from the opposite sex

Devanshi Joshi

Monday, June 23, 2008

The anonymity Net affords to users has for long been in debate for its convenience and misuse. Critics found its faceless interactive attributes too shady and potentially risky. As if faceless was not bad enough, now it's come down to down right cheating and misrepresentation. Users are projecting opposite genders. Chirag Prajapati (24), an employee in private firm, has two accounts in a social networking community, one with his real identity and another with a fake one. In the fake profile, Chirag is a girl working in a call centre. She is a fan of Shah Rukh Khan, loves cooking and hates flirting.He says, "I have made friends with more than 100 girls with my fake identity. I have adopted the name 'Aditi'. I created this profile seven months ago just to be friends with girls. Girls will easily trust you if you are a girl yourself rather an anonymous boy. Sometimes I approach other boys of my group too with my female profile, just to play pranks with them.""I have joined groups like 'I Love Lipstick', 'Mascara', 'Long Hair' and other girls' interest groups to give my profile a realistic touch," says Ashish Sharma, a college student who created a fake female profile to come close to his classmates. "One classmate, whom I am virtually dating online, doesn't know that I am a boy. We chat online for hours. She doesn't talk to me in class, but she is a good friend of my fake female identity. I may be cheating her, but have never crossed my limits. I am doing it for friendship with her."Another college student Hemal Patel adopted girls' profiles from networking sites to create a female identity of his own. "Most girls will easily accept you as a friend if you are a girl. You can keep yourself anonymous in the virtual world. It's fun talking to girls by assuming girl names. I have a big list of friends in my profile, some of whom are known people while some are 'net friends' who know me as a girl," says Hemal.Talking of the amusing experience he is going through, Rishi Shah (23), an IT firm employee, says, that sometime ago, he created a profile named 'Suhasini' and pasted an attractive girl's picture as his. “A lot of people would call up my cell phone number asking for Suhasini, and I would have to fake the conversation saying 'she was away and would call back later, or things like 'she was away at Ooty with her boyfriend, call her when she breaks up'. A lot of friends too are using such fake profiles posing as girls."Psychologist Dr Vishwamohan Thakur says, "Boys create fake female profiles with the intention to come closer to a girl. In online world, they are able to hide their identity. But it can be dangerous, for one doesn't know when a person is up to serious mischief. Everybody needs to be cautious about whom they are interacting online and know how far to go."(Names have been changed on request)

Dev should keep pace with climate change'

2008-11-12T03:00:00.000-08:00

Innovative practices in agriculture can minimise losses to human health, says US scientist

Devanshi Joshi

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Climate is a dynamic phenomenon and natural variables and human inducement lead to climate change. But human beings should adapt to climate change and look for development in a way that should help in minimising losses due to climate change.This was opined by Dr Shiv Someshwar, a research scientist and director of institutions and policy research, Asia-Pacific region, Columbia University. "Climate is not static but a completely dynamic phenomenon. Natural variables and human inducement lead to climate change but we should adapt to climate change and look for development in a way that should help in adjusting to climate-change losses," said Someshwar who was in the city on Wednesday.According to him, changes in average climate conditions affect different sectors of economy - water resources, agriculture, and human health. Many of the problems associated with future climate change are already characterised by problems faced by human beings.Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) has given the outline on agriculture, water resources and human health by adapting those climate-change losses, he said. "Water resources should be used at optimum level. Enhance conservation of freshwater supply as an option for extreme water-stress conditions. Flood protection system should be developed to manage the rivers.'' Appropriate measures for protection against soil erosion should be used. "Conserve groundwater supply, and make efficient water recourse system. Flood and drought control measures require improvement with the enhancement of flood warning and forecasting system,'' the scientist said.For agriculture sector, practices such as heat-resistant crops, water efficient cultivation with resistance to pests and diseases, soil conservation should be adopted. "Adjust cropping calendar and crop rotation. Develop and promote use of high-yielding varieties and sustainable technological applications.''Adaptation of suitable crops and cultivators and optimum use of fertilisers and adaptation of agro technologies would be helpful. "Shift from conventional crops to intensive greenhouse agriculture/aquaculture and protection against soil degradation should be helpful in productivity,'' the scientist said."Improved sanitation facilities and increase in infrastructure for waste disposal can decrease the adverse effect,'' the researcher said.

In donating, Amdavadis show it runs in their blood

2008-11-12T02:57:00.000-08:00

Kuldeep Tiwari & Devanshi Joshi.Ahmedabad/DNA

Sunday, June 15, 2008

On the occasion of 'World Blood Donor Day' on Saturday, Amdavadis came forward in large numbers to participate in blood donation camps. Prathma Blood Centre set up camps at three malls in the city - Himalaya, Dev Arc, and 10 Acre.The coordinator of the event, Matthew Daniel from Prathma, said: "We also organised one camp at Vatva Industries Association. On an average we collected around 700 units (bottles) of blood by the end of the day.''Prathma Blood Centre collects around 3,500 units of blood in a month. On Saturday, they collected around 45% of a month's target. "Normally, the blood requirement in the city in a month is about 6,000 units but we are not able to meet the requirement as we don't get enough donors. Therefore, places like malls can really prove a successful idea to educate the youth, besides others,'' said Daniel. Students of B J Medical College also organised a blood donation camp, where 45 students donated blood. At the camp, about 60 units of blood were collected."Shortage of blood is a big issue and being a medical student we should put our legs forward. We organised the event and also donated blood. The response has encouraged us to organise such a camp next year too," said Pravin Pandey, an MBBS student.Jyoti Gupta, another young donor, said: "Nothing can be greater than the feeling of contributing for someone's life."

Where donation is a family principle

2008-11-12T02:55:00.000-08:00

On occasion of World Blood Donor Day on June 14, DNA profiles a few souls who have saved many lives

Devanshi Joshi. Ahmedabad

Saturday, June 14, 2008

The Malvankar family has a special feature: all 30 members are blood donors. The family has a custom to celebrate each member's 18th birthday by donating blood. Whoever in the family reaches 18, starts donating blood from that day.Shakuntala Malvankar, 68, residing at Mithakhali is the oldest member in the family. She has donated blood for 35 times and still wants to continue but the age limit for blood donation is the constraint. However, her sons, daughters, daughters-in-law and grandsons are the pride donors, who have saved several lives.Shakuntala Malvankar says, "My husband late Dr VG Malvankar made efforts to start first voluntary blood bank at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. He inspired all of us and we all started donating blood. Every year, in October, which is the month of both birth and death anniversaries of my husband, we arrange blood donation camp." Siddhartha Malvankar is a centurion blood donor of this family who has donated blood for 127 times. "Our family does not contribute in blood donation only but we also organise blood donation camps to make people aware and let them know how their small efforts can save one's life," he said.Dr Hemant Saraiya, a surgeon from Paldi, is a centurion blood donor. He has donated blood for 110 times. Dr Saraiya started donating blood against the wish of his parents in his teens but his efforts made his family aware about the cause. And soon his parents, wife and brother joined him and started donating blood. Dr Saraiya first donated blood which happened accidentally. "I just had learnt identifying blood groups during my MBBS study days. At that time, some emergency occurred for suitable blood match and my blood group matched with the patient's. First time I donated blood which saved one's life. Till that day I have been donating blood regularly at the interval of three months," he says."My wife Jagruti is also a donor. My brother Hitendra in the US also donates blood there. Earlier my parents did not support as they were not aware of how their donation can save someone's life but after knowing the value of their donation, they too started donating blood." Surendra Patel, 73, residing at Gulbai Tekra has donated blood 100 times. His wife Urvashi Patel also donated blood many times. Now, their two sons and daughters-in-law are continuing their legacy."I don't remember when I started donating blood. Blood donation is a mahadan. Nothing can be greater than this,'' he says."When my blood saves someone's life, it gives deep satisfaction," says Urvashi.Suresh Patel living in Ambawadi has donated blood 107 times and his wife Dharmishtha has donated 60 times. Their two children are also frequent donors."If you want people to know about something, then you should start doing it yourself first. I myself started donating blood and later my family and others joined me,'' he said.

Science or arts? Go by aptitude

2008-11-12T02:51:00.000-08:00

Successful students of class X board exams are set to make the crucial choice of stream that will shape their careers
Devanshi Joshi.Ahmedabad/DNA

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Successful students of the class 10 board examinations whose results were declared recently have to take an important decision soon. They must decide, in a week or two, which stream - commerce, science or arts - they want to pursue in class 12. In an ideal situation, the best course of action for these students would have been to go for the stream they had an aptitude for. But circumstances being anything but ideal, most students are under tremendous pressure from different quarters to choose a stream they do not like at all. Khushbu Upadhyay from Maninagar has passed the Class 10 board exam with 81% marks. She wants to join the arts stream in Class 12 for she loves languages and always scored the highest marks in language papers all through school. Her mother, however, wants Khushbu to opt for science because "good students study science". On the other hand, Khushbu says she does not want to enter the science stream because she is not good in science subjects or maths. Aman Shah, another class 10 graduate, says he does not know which stream is best suited for him. "I scored an aggregate of 63% in my class 10 exam. I don't know which stream is best suited for me. My parents are of the view that I should not opt for the science because, overall, I am an average student."The dilemma in which these students find themselves throws up questions of general concern. Can a student decide which stream is best suited for him? Radhika Iyer, principal, Udagam School, says students should be guided solely by their aptitude in making this crucial choice. "Unfortunately, some students do what their friends are doing while some others do what their parents ask them to do. Forcing a student to opt for a particular stream without taking his aptitude into consideration can have negative consequences," said Iyer.

Plants emit positive vibes too

2008-11-12T02:45:00.000-08:00

Choice of trees and the way they are planted have a bearing on good health

Devanshi Joshi.Ahmedabad/DNA

Monday, June 09, 2008

Plants and pots add to the charm of a house and enhance the ambience. If done the vaastu way, they can also contribute to the residents' wellbeing. Monsoon is on its way and its time to grow some greenery around you. Experts say plantation in gardens or indoors can be done in keeping with the vastushashtra method, which brings mental peace, positive energy, health, and monetary benefits.Vaastu experts in Ahmedabad suggest planting Ashoka tree, Christmas tree and neem in homes can bring good health and peace of mind, while indoor plants like bamboo can provide positive energy. Interestingly, a money plant near the living room or kitchen window can actually bring monetary prosperity.Vaastu analyst Sunil Prajapati says, "We Indians worship the banyan tree, pipal, tulsi etc. There is scientific proof that these have brought health and environmental benefits. However, with scarce space in urban areas, it is difficult to plant such big trees around homes. But indoor plants like bamboo, orchid and money plant also give mental peace." Planting of trees also needs to be done on vaastu parameters for the desired benefits. Viral Thakkar, another vastushashtra expert, says, "Vastushashtra suggests growing fruit plants like orange and apple around the kitchen or near the dining hall for health benefits." According to vastushashtra, the direction and situation of plants has a direct impact on its effects; like banyan tree planted in the eastern direction of the house can help fulfil desires, pipal and Ashoka in the west bring happiness and peace, while gulmohor and neem in the south are good for health and flower plants like rose, juhi and tulip near bedroom give mental peace. Vastushashtra also suggests one should avoid plants that ooze 'milk' like dhanturo and thorny plants like cactus, bijoru and khakhra.Nilam Sharma, a homemaker in Satellite, says, "I love plants, especially the good-looking ones. When I came to know about the benefit of vastushashtra through plants, I changed the situation of some indoor plants in my home."

Kanchi Shankaracharya to visit Guj after 5 years

2008-11-12T02:43:00.000-08:00

To preside over Maha Kumbhabhisheka Mahotsav at Shri Kamakshi temple

Devanshi Joshi. Ahmedabad/DNA

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Shri Kanchi Kamkoti Peethadhipati Jagadguru Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati is visiting Gujarat after five years for the inauguration of the Maha Kumbhabhisheka Mahotsav to be held at Shri Kamakshi temple, Ambaji.Jagadguru will perform the ceremonies of Maha Kumbhaabhishek at the Kamakshi Temple of Koteshwar junction, Ambaji on Sunday June 8. The ceremony will occur at 11.45 am. According to R Viswam, founder member Shri Kanchi Kamkothi Pitham, “The Kamakshi temple is important, as it houses the only idol of Kamakshi devi in Gujarat. Shri Jagadguru will perform the Maha Kumbha Abhishek ceremony of deitys temple.”Jagadguru will visit Ahmedabad on June 9 and 10 where he will inaugurate the Shri Kanchi Shankara public school near Gota chokadi. He will also visit Somnath on June 6, where he will inaugurate the Smritibhavan and will visit the Vedpathshala. His programme also includes a visit to the Akshardham temple and the inauguration of an eye hospital in Anand being started to help poor people.

IT professionals from the state returning to roots

2008-11-12T02:38:00.001-08:00

Increasing career opportunities, investment in IT make state attractive destination
Devanshi Joshi.Ahmedabad/DNA
Wednesday, June 04, 2008

A large number of IT professionals from Gujarat have started returning, as they believe that the career growth opportunities in the state are improving significantly. Many of Gujarati technocrats who for years worked in cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Mumbai have started shifting their base back to their home state.Hiten Barot, the executive director of Creative Infocity Ltd, said, "Opportunities are not opening up for only a crunch of experienced techies but also for freshers who can cater to the needs of IT companies in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Vadodara. About 1500-2000 IT professionals have already shifted their base from other IT hubs of India to Gujarat as the state is offering growth opportunities." Increasing work opportunities, higher growth of IT investments in addition to economic cost of living and better society are the reasons that are attracting IT professionals to return to their home state.After working for six months in Delhi, Keyur Shah, shifted to the state and works as a project engineer with an IT firm of Gandhinagar. "I moved to Gujarat as my family lives here. The package I get here is 15-20% less than the package I was getting in Delhi but I am fine with that as the cost of living is also cheaper here. Besides, I derive the satisfaction of working in my home state." Dhaval Kapadia, a prospect analyst of Vadodara-based MNC shifted recently from Bangalore. Dhaval said, "MNCs are coming up in Gujarat. Moreover, I have been offered the same package I was getting earlier." Hardik joshi, a system engineer left Pune after working for five years there with an MNC. "When I started my career, opportunities were not enough in the state but Gujarat has made a rapid growth in the past two years. Homely environment coupled with a low cost of living are the major reasons of my return to the state."Rajan vasa, president of Gujarat Electronics & Software Industries Association (GESIA), said, " Many people went out of the state few years back because of the lack of opportunities here. However, now they are coming back as they are getting similar pay packages and good quality life compared to what other metros offer."

Single in Abad? Shun meat if you want marriage

2008-11-12T02:35:00.000-08:00

A survey shows that caste, colour no longer matter to eligible Amdavadis
Devanshi Joshi. Ahmedabad/DNA

Sunday, June 01, 2008
Caste no bar, colour no bar, but we certainly want vegetarians and working professionals. A recent partner preference survey carried out by a popular online marriage portal of around 2,000 Amdavadi boys and girls has revealed a surprising trend that city youngsters are not very concerned about marrying in their own caste and even the popular perception of fair complexion does not matter, but they insist that the prospective spouse should be a vegetarian!In the trend of cosmopolitan culture, 50% boys and 67% girls said they were open to inter-caste marriage as the chemistry with the partner matters more than caste. However, 50% of Amdavadi boys and 67% girls said they necessarily want a vegetarian partner. Gujarati boys apparently defy the popular Indian myth of having a fair bride as a trophy wife. A whopping 66.7% of the boys said having a fair complexioned spouse doesnt matter and 55.6% of girls expressed indifference to skin colour. The survey conducted by Shaadi.com has brought out another heartening trend of marriage candidates preferring a working professional for a wife vis-à-vis a full-time homemaker. As many as 42% boys preferred a working life partner and 55.6% of girls said they would like to continue working after marriage. Significantly, not a single girl refused a career, the rest said they were not sure, indicating willingness to accept in-laws wishes.Amdavadi girls were, however, divided on their choice of settling abroad. The blinding desire of young girls to settle in the US has been replaced by reluctance of abandoning the comforts of hometown. 22.2% of the girls said they did not want to settle abroad, while 44.4% said they were not sure and 33.3% answered in affirmative. Sociologist Gaurang Jani says the survey brings out the conservative yet modernist face of the city youths mindset. “Gujarati society has two faces - one contemporary at the same time another conservative. Definitely, education and cosmopolitan culture have impacted youths thinking, but parents and family might have a different opinion than that of the respondents. But its good that the new generation is attempting to change the traditional mind set of society.”Dharmishta Nanawati, an owner of Swayamvar Marriage bureau in Ambawadi, said “These days boys and girls look for a smart life partner, having good educational background and social status. Things like caste and physical appearance dont matter much as they believe in chemistry more than other criteria. Youngsters are becoming more open up about their partner preferences at the same parents are also playing a supportive role.”Said Vibhas Mehta, business head of Shaadi.com, “Our survey busts a lot of myths. For example, we have heard that marriage with the same caste candidate is of prime importance while arranging a match, however, most of the youngsters today believe that compatibility is more important for making a happy marriage than caste.”

An animated approach to careers

2008-11-12T02:32:00.000-08:00

With increasing demand for animators, many city students are taking the plunge into animation industry

Devanshi Joshi. Ahmedabad/DNA

Saturday, May 31, 2008
With changing times and prevalent cut-throat competition in the conventional career options, students are increasingly getting adventurous in their quest to find their niche. With their interest span getting wide, the options are getting wider. Though fields like management, engineering and medicine are still their favourite options, many students are rapidly shifting their attention towards the booming field of animation.Sahdev Dave, a Fine Arts student wants to pursue his career in animation. He feels that learning the subject could add value to his academic profile. "I have fine arts background, and I believe that the education in animation can help me in my career as it involves both technology and arts." There has been a rapid increase in demand for freelance animators, which is also encouraging youngsters to opt it as a career. Bhavesh Mehta, 23, is working as a freelance animator for Mumbai-based companies. "I learnt animation just out of curiosity. A couple of companies saw my work and now I am working as a freelance animator for different entertainment companies, earning handsome remunerations." Youngsters are also getting attracted towards entrepreneurship and are starting their ventures in animation. High growth in animation of outsourcing projects through online sites is also attracting the youngsters to make their career in animation. Shital Dave, 21, said, "I would be interested in pursuing career in animation as I've always been fascinated with the internet. Animation outsourcing has given me the opportunity to earn from home." In a seminar on career opportunities in animation, Shyam Ramanna, a digital animator and filmmaker, said, "Globally, animation is a billion dollar industry. It's a combination of art and technology, which is making students interested for a career in animation." "Globally the industry is going to reach $85 billion mark by 2009. Currently, it's a Rs500 crore industry in India, but it's expected to reach Rs4,000 crore within a year," adds Rajiv Dwivedi, an animator.

Bloggers log out of their private worlds

2008-11-12T02:30:00.000-08:00

Set up group blogs which deal with issues of public interest, and not just with private neuroses

Devanshi Joshi. Ahmedabad/DNA

May 31,2008

Most blogs are little more than private diaries which the online public is invited to read and comment on. Of late, however, a new kind of blog has appeared in cyberspace and is fast gaining in popularity. These blogs are written and edited by groups whose members are known to each other, if only through the internet. They are similar to a wiki in that others can comment on the views expressed on group blogs. 'Group blogs' differ from each other in various ways. While some are records of chat sessions between friends with others chipping in with the occasional comment, others are repositories of reports and articles. Then there are those that serve as a platform for views on larger questions about life living. Nisarg Joshi and Robin Jani started one such blog with some friends at wordpress.com, and named it lifemantras (lifemantras.wordpress.com). The blog, which consists of posts about one-line statements - some would call them 'banal truisms' - about various aspects of life, has been remarkably successful as it hyas already attracted the attention of more than 1,000 persons. These unseen collaborators regularly post views and pictures to the 'group blog' centred on one-liners that deal with subjects as varied as philosophy, revolution, people, psychology, emotions, motivation and love, among others. Robin says that the lifemantra blog "is a platform for others, too, to share their views on life and love". "We wanted to reach out to people, especially youth like us, in the hope that they would respond interactively," Robin said. "We borrow the one-liners from statements of famous people, and sometimes we formulate them ourselves, but we also ask others to send in their lifemantras. Nisarg and I are the blog editors, or moderators, if you wish." Nisarg said the idea behind lifemantras was to come up with one-liners that gave visitors to the site a different take on life. "It is very satisfying to get email from so many people everyday," he said. Darshak Parmar has also started a 'group blog' . (qwertytalk.blogspot.com) with four friends. They actually publish chat histories on this blog. "Since all posts here are a record of chat conversations, they show several minds trying to come to grips with issues of common concern," Parmar said. Aman Vashishtha and his friends have created a site - they say it is a 'group blog' - with an entirely different purpose in mind. They upload reports and write-ups by their journalist friends, as well as interesting articles that have appeared in Indian and foreign newspapers, to their site (www.indiaved.com). "The purpose of the blog is to share interesting reports and articles. We are thrilled by the enthusiastic response indiaved has received within its very first month of existence," Vashishtha said.

Exams make parents flunk sanity test

2008-11-12T02:25:00.000-08:00

Exams make parents flunk sanity test
Psychiatrists say unforgiving demands that parents place on their children debilitate whole family
Devanshi Joshi. Ahmedabad/DNA

May 30,2008

Parents of Devansh Shah were a worried lot after the HSC general stream results. Their son had scored just 50% in his boards. They rushed a nervous Devansh to a psychiatrists clinic to prevent any untoward event, but instead of the student, the psychiatrist put the parents on the couch.Failure in exams, low scores, difficulty in getting admission to desired colleges — psychiatrists are anticipating several cases of students suffering a nervous breakdown and suicidal thoughts. However, mental health professionals feel it is not the student but parents who need to be counselled about their behaviour, which often becomes extremely critical.“In 80% of the cases, we counsel the parents rather than the child. When parents forcefully talk of their childrens failure in fulfilling their wishes, sensitive kids may feel extremely guilty, driving them to take steps that are not in their interest,” said Dharmesh Patel, a psychiatrist. According to Patel, parents tend to compare a childs performance with that of their siblings and friends. This erodes a childs self confidence and pulls them into depressionRohan Kusumgar, another psychiatrist from Satellite said parents often feel that their child has some defect. “But after counselling what emerges in most cases is that the child carries the burden of his parents expectations,” said Kusumgar.A couple from Paldi underwent counselling before the boards so as not to put pressure on their child. “We were constantly comparing Ritesh with his peers, pushing him to work harder. Following the counselling we realised that he needs his space and our pressure tactics were having an adverse effect on him,” said Hitesh and Manali Shah.The couple then stopped pushing their child, who scored 85% in his boards. "Instead of criticising the child for his performance, we advice parents to play the role of a supporter," said another psychiatrist Pradeep Vaghasiya. (Names have been changed to protect identity)

2008-11-12T02:21:00.000-08:00

Students see virtue in virtual information

Students prefer online communities for guidance on career issues as they are easily accessible

Devanshi Joshi. Ahmedabad/DNA

Students are increasingly turning to online communities for reliable information about different institutes and courses, and even for dependable advice on various careers. Ruchika Sarda, 21, a resident of Thaltej wanted to study design at National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad. He was plagued by doubts about her choice of career and also by many questions such as how to enroll at the institute, how to make a portfolio, and how to prepare for the studio test. All her doubts were cleared online and questions answered when she began interacting with a virtual community of NID students. She followed community members' advice in her preparations for the NID and had no trouble getting admission to the prestigious institute. "I came to know some senior NID students through the community who gave me valuable advice on many aspects of the course and also told me how to prepare for admission to the institute," Ruchika said. "Their counselling made me well informed and gave me the confidence I desperately needed." Given the large number of career options available before students today, particularly Class XII graduates, it is important that they get correct information and correct advice on various courses and institutes. Online communities prove extremely useful because information and advice offered by a community member almost always gets cross-checked by views of other members. Incorrect or inadequate information gets corrected or updated. Sunny Waghela, a resident of Paldi who has just graduated in engineering from Nirma University (NU), is seeking out and collecting information on the US universities which offer advanced programmes in his subject of specialisation. "It is important to have correct information about courses and universities in the US because a mistake may prove costly later. Many NU graduates are currently studying at different US universities. Some are studying at universities where I, too, want to go for higher studies," said Waghela. "I don't know these students personally but I have received valuable information from them, too, as they are members of different online campus communities of various US universities. Using these virtual communities and student forums, I have reliable information on the fee structure, accommodation, admission procedure and other details about various universities." Students turn to online communities because they are not satisfied with the information provided by official websites. This information, they say, is 'one-sided'. Online counselling, on the other hand, provides 'two-way communication'. Since advice and information available on online communities come from diverse sources, students say the communities are more dependable as career counsellors. Prof DV Dewani, an educational counsellor, said, "Students prefer the views of alumni and students of the institutes they want to join. Online communities can offer reliable information as they enable prospective students to establish direct contact with campus communities."

Janmashtami pushes flower demand 3-fold

2008-08-29T01:29:00.000-07:00

Sunday, August 24, 2008
Janmashtami pushes flower demand 3-fold
Prices of all types of flowers rise at Vadodara flower market
Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Thanks to the Janmanshtami festival, the Vadodara flower market is in full bloom. Demand and prices of almost all types of flowers in the wholesale flower market in Vadodara have seen a sharp rise. In spite of the market being flooded with fresh stock on Saturday, burgeoning demand has catapulted flower prices in the citys flower market. However, vendors are very happy with the high volume of business surging prices, which have almost increased to three times.Prices of most of the flowers which is normally used for puja has increase from 20% to 150%. While rose saw an increase of 150%, Jalbara rose by 75% and prices of other varieties like orchids, Jasmine and Rajanigandha, too, have increased. Jalbara prices also fluctuated sharply when it went up to Rs80 a kg from the Rs50 last week. However, local flowers like paras and desi rose have been left untouched by the rise.“Already, demand for flowers was good owing to the ongoing Shravan month. But Janmashthami festival shoot up the prices to its peak,” said Ajay Yadav, a flower vendor.Hajariya, another flower vendor said, “Different temples in Vadodara has purchased flowers in bulk. Not only in temples, Janmashthami is also being celebrated in societies now which has also pushed up the demand and prices.”

MSU elections: Last-ditch efforts to woo voters

2008-08-29T01:25:00.000-07:00

MSU elections: Last-ditch efforts to woo voters
Today being the last day for campaigning, candidates will go all out with their promotional strategies in an attempt to tap the student vote-bank
Devanshi Joshi & Maulik Buch. Vadodara/DNA

With the MS University student union elections just one day away, student leaders will use every trick in the book to spread their messages to a maximum number of students in the final round of election campaigning on Friday.Supporters of ABVP and NSUI and independent candidates will engage in a final flurry of promotions. Various departments, hostel halls, canteens, library and each and every corner of the university campus have been smothered by propaganda cards. Rallies, door-to-door publicity, SMSes, phone calls and social networking sites are being used to win voters' favour.However, after having delivered speeches at the different faculties, departments and hostel halls, the strategy is now going to shift towards a more hands-on and personal approach, and to that effect, supporters have started going to the homes of students, requesting for their vote in person.In order to facilitate a final, convincing campaign, the parties have let no stone unturned, making various provisions for supporters helping them in the election promotions. As per sources, "About 10,000 SMSes have been given free to supporters of candidates. Pre-paid connections have also been provided in bulk by the candidates. From petrol to vehicles and food - everything has been provided to make the supporters happy."Candidates and supporters are also reaching out to students through social networking websites, where university communities and student-group forums are being flooded with messages requesting support and highlighting negative aspects of the other contestants. Videos on websites like Youtube have also been uploaded besides sending SMSes and making personal phone calls. Bhavik Shah, a BCom Student and NSUI supporter, says, "We have posted messages on websites like Orkut to get the votes of the students. We are also meeting the students personally by going to their homes and by sending SMSes to increase their awareness about the party; to build a rapport. We have also posted a video on Youtube."An ABVP candidate for the post of VP (vice president), Amita Mistry, says: "As the countdown for the election has now begun, we are going for one-on-one contact to get the trust of students. Using technology such as social networking websites and SMSes has proved helpful in reaching the masses.''

Double whammy hits NSUI ahead of MSU elections

2008-08-29T01:24:00.000-07:00

Friday, August 22, 2008
Double whammy hits NSUI ahead of MSU elections
Thrashing of one of the unions members queers the pitch
Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
The rejection of application forms of NSUI (National Students Union of India) candidates for the soon-to-be-held MS University students union election has sparked off furore. What has added to the chaos is the assault on Jigar Shah, a leading member of NSUI, allegedly by ABVP supporters on Thursday. Protesting against the incident, NSUI has demanded the V-C to postpone the polls. University authorities have refused to reveal reasons for rejecting application forms of NSUI candidates today. The candidates had applied for the posts of class representative (CR), faculty general secretary (FGS) and department representative (DR). On getting the news, NSUI student leaders Rutvij Joshi, Rupesh Prajapati, Kunal Patel, Senate member Narendra Rawat and other supporters rushed to the polytechnic faculty to protest against the administrations decision. They alleged that “those involved with election work had a nexus with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and they have done it on purpose".“The forms have been rejected deliberately. ABVP fears losing the election and that's why they are doing this. More than 50 ABVP members, including Vikas Dubey, attacked Jigar Shah and injured him badly. We want V-C to postpone the elections. We also met the commissioner today to urge him to take action against ABVP,” said Kunal Patel.Shah, a student of the department of Sanskrit Mahavidyalay was beaten up by a mob of ABVP members, during peak hours of the college on Thursday. Shah said, “While I was giving a speech in the faculty of science, I was beaten up by a mob of around 15 to 20 ABVP members. When I went to the commerce faculty on the third floor to give another speech, I was kicked and thrashed with pipes and chairs. Even as I ran to the deans office for cover, the mob followed me and assaulted me.”Sayajigunj police arrived at the place and took the situation under control. Shah has lodged a complaint against ABVP members in the Sayajigunj police station.

Girls hostel baffled over disappearing undergarments

2008-08-29T01:20:00.001-07:00

Friday, August 29, 2008
Girls hostel baffled over disappearing undergarments
Experts say the tendency to steal undergarments is a kind of deviant sexual behaviour
Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara
It is not unusual to hear of hostel residents stealing the money, books and stationary of fellow students staying at the hostel but it is rare indeed to come across instances of the thief showing a fondness for the undergarments. MS University of Vadodara has some students staying at its girls hostel who steal not only money, food, watch and jewellery of fellow residents but also their undergarments. Sometime back, a girl student staying at the university hostel was found in possession of missing money and undergarments belonging to other students. Mallika Singh, a sociology student who stays in the girls hostel, said, “All residents of the hostel can enter each others room because each room is usually shared by three-four girls. So it is difficult to keep watch for potential thieves.” Pooja Ranawat, a commerce student staying in the same hostel, said, “Ever since undergarments started disappearing from the rooms, we have been keeping an eye for responsible students. We have also started keeping our belongings locked in cupboards. Girls are now even locking up their rooms with a separate key for each room-mate.” Indrani Chatterji is a psychology student who stays in the same hostel as Mallika and Pooja. She has tried to assess the psychological reasons behind girls stealing the undergarments of fellow hostel inmates. “Girls who steal even undergarments are addicted to the act of stealing. The urge to steal may have deep roots in the psychology of the individual. They do feel guilty when caught but they are unable to give up the habit of stealing,” she said. Some victims of the thieves, however, say the girls, when caught, say they are kleptomaniacs simply to gain sympathy and be let off without punishment. Psychoanalysts, however, insist that there are deeper reasons for the pathological behaviour of some girls. “It is a kind of deviant sexual behaviour. People exhibiting this behaviour derive strange satisfaction from wearing other peoples undergarments. It is much more common among men. Men exhibiting such behaviour tend to steal the undergarments of women,” a Vadodara-based expert explained. Dr Rashmi Vyas is a psychiatrist who was a resident of the hostel during her days as a medical student. “One of the reasons for girls stealing the undergarments of other girls could be poverty. It is possible that the thief has a craving for expensive undergarments which she is unable to buy herself. She, therefore, steals what she cannot buy,” Vyas said. On the other hand, Dr Anjuli Verma, head of the department of psychology, MS University, said girls sometimes get addicted to the act of stealing but, in many cases, “it is the symptom of a psychological disorder that has sexual underpinnings”.

Lord Ganesha idols get a taste of inflation

2008-08-29T01:16:00.000-07:00

Sunday, August 24, 2008
Lord Ganesha idols get a taste of inflation
Idol-makers to place heftier price tags on the statues
Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
The compelling increase in raw material, labour and transport costs stemming from a bulging inflation rate is forcing idol-makers in the city to raise prices of Ganpati idols by 20-25% compared to last year. This year, Vadodara targets to make more than 20,000 Ganpati idols between five and 25 feet each, besides thousands of smaller ones, and the artists are bound to pass on their cost burden to buyers by increasing the idols rates.Prices of ingredients like POP (Plaster of Paris), colours, iron scrap, plastic, jute and other raw material have been affected by around 50%. The price of 23 kg of POP has increased by 44% to Rs65 compared to last years Rs45. The price of colours used in painting the idol has been increased to Rs160 per litre from Rs110 per litre. Prices of Katho, one of the basic materials for idol making, and iron scrap has gone up by 20% and 60% respectively as compared to last year. Prices of labour and raw wood have also increased by 50% as compared to last year.Bharat Ajmeri, an idol maker and artist at Navabazar in Vadodara whose forefathers were also in the same business, finds the current year the most expensive period for idol-making due to inflation. Ajmeri says, “Inflation has badly affected the business this year. Price of raw material has almost doubled as compared to last year. This year we will send the idols at 25% higher prices, to cushion the impact of the cost. However, we would have to haggle for our profit margins as the buyers are bound to bargain.”Sunil Swami, an idol maker at Dandiabazar, says, “The bookings for Ganpati idols generally start three months before Ganesh Chaturthi. This year, we are making around 50 large-sized idols and a number of small ones. Price rise in labour and raw material has increased the cost of the idols. We have increased the price of big Ganpati idols from Rs1,500 to Rs2,000 to deal with expenses.”To avoid unnecessary investment, the idol makers in Vadodara are not stockpiling Ganpati idols this year. Businessman Hemal Bhatt has booked a 16-feet idol for Ganpati pandaal this year. He says, “Every year we bring Ganpati in our pol but this year, the price of Ganpati idols is 10% to 15% more than last year. The option we have is to collect more funds

2008-08-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Six Sigma concept mooted for growth
This business strategy is used in different sectors of industry, including IT, ITeS and government services
Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
“Improvement in the internal and external processes in an organisation, with the involvement of the people in bringing changes, would encourage originality, creativity, improve standards and allow space for individual growth,” said Goutam Dutta of IIM Ahmedabad, in an orientation programme on 'Quality and Six Sigma' held at the department of statistics at Vadodara's Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU).Six Sigma is a business management strategy, which uses a set of quality management methods, including statistical methods, and creates a special infrastructure of experts in these methods within the organisation. Each Six Sigma project follows a defined sequence of steps and has quantified financial targets.Dutta, along with P Vijayaraghavan, president of Reliance Industries, Vadodara, and K Muralidharan of the department of statistics, MSU, conducted the Six Sigma session for students, research scholars, industrialists and faculty from various universities, colleges, and research institutions.“To achieve satisfactory quality, we need to define parameters as they decide the specifications and conformance to quality. Six Sigma is driven by a close understanding of customer needs, disciplined use of facts, data and statistical analysis and diligent management, improving and reinventing business processes,” said Muralidharan.According to Vijayaraghavan, “The Six Sigma approach helps the management achieve a high level of quality. It is an important business process for achieving customer satisfaction. It helps to reduce defects significantly, and raises the level of performance.”

Shop for free & get paid for effort!

2008-08-01T00:43:00.000-07:00

Shop for free & get paid for effort!

Devanshi Joshi. Ahmedabad/DNA
Sunday, June 08, 2008

Want to shop without spending any money, and then get paid for the effort? The baffling deal is too good to be true, you say? It is, unless you are a mystery shopper — someone who is contracted by such facilities as retail stores, movie theatres, and restaurants to secretly evaluate services and products in the guise of an ordinary shopper. Trained researchers who operate with carefully defined assessment parameters engage in mystery shopping. Raj Sharma, the co-founder & president of Majestic Market Research Support Services, said, “The most common places where mystery shopping is carried out are retail stores, movie theatres, restaurants and fast-food chains.” He added that banks, gas stations, car dealerships, apartments and health clubs, and healthcare facilities also used mystery shoppers.“Mystery shopping originated in developed economies but now it has become popular in India too,” Sharma said. “We have 800 to 900 mystery shoppers in Gujarat, out of whom 45% to 50% are based in Ahmedabad.”Companies invest anything between Rs30 lakh and Rs40 lakh per year in mystery shopping. Such huge investments have been drawing an ever-growing number of people to mystery shopping assignments. It is easy to see why: the task offers extra income for easy work, and mystery shoppers enjoy free products and services. A mystery shoppers income depends on the assignment and on his or her profile. At the entry-level, the earning is Rs300 per assignment but experienced mystery shoppers who have carried out splurging expeditions for large corporations can earn up to Rs5,000 per outing. Mystery shoppers contend that they are an important part of consumer research initiatives because their feedback helps companies retool services, attract new customers, and reward valuable employees.

(ICAI) plans to start a course for accounting technicians.

2008-08-01T00:38:00.000-07:00

(ICAI) plans to start a course for accounting technicians.

Devanshi Joshi/DNA

The Western India Regional Conference organised the 23rd WIRC regional conference at C.C. Mehta Auditorium of M.S. University of Baroda on Friday. More than 750 chartered accountants participated.

To fulfill the demand for trained accounting professionals and to support chartered accountants (CAs), the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) plans to start a course for accounting technicians.Uttam Prakash Agarwal, vice-president, ICAI said: "This course is aimed at supporting CAs and to meet the demand for accountants in the industry." Accounting technicians work in areas of accounting and finance, supporting CAs and associate CAs. Prakash said the institute plans to produce one lakh accounting technicians in the first phase. "The industry needs qualified accountants, and CAs require qualified support. The accounting technician course will bridge both needs at the same time," he said."Careers in finance and accounting have become popular, and chartered accountancy is the most prestigious option in the field. With the increase in job opportunities in finance and accounting, the demand for finance course is also rising," said B.M. Agarwal, chairman of the Western India regional council of ICAI.Enrolment to the one-year accounting technicians' course will be carried out through a centralised system. Anyone who has passed class XII can apply for the course, which will cover accountancy and finance.The ICAI president said campus interviews conducted by ICAI would give students fair placement opportunities within a year completing the course. With the increasing demand for accountants, accounting technicians could get job opportunities not only in financial firms, but also in other industries such as IT, Banking and BPO/KPO outfits.

Inflation throws education budget out of gear

2008-08-01T00:32:00.000-07:00

Inflation throws education budget out of gear

Devanshi Joshi/ DNA MONEY Thursday, 12 June

The re-opening of schools has not been good news for many middle-class parents. For, they see a daunting task ahead to bear the additional expenses for their wards in the face of rising costs of everything.
Be it school fees, books and notebooks, uniforms or conveyance - the costs have gone up by an average 12% this year. Parents say this rise is over what the costs were during the last academic session.

This year, the price of digest has risen by 12 to 13% compared to last year's, while in case of notebooks the rise is more than 10%. In school uniforms, the rise has been anywhere between Rs 50 and Rs 100. To add to the woes of the parents, the rise in coaching class fees has been very frequent.
The hike in petrol prices has affected the costs of conveyance, too. Autorickshaw drivers are charging Rs 100 to Rs 150 more than what they charged last year.
Milan Patel, a shop-owner in Usmanpura, had to break his year-long savings to bear the educational expenses of his two daughters. "Bearing the educational expenses of my daughters, Simoli (class 7th) and Trisha (class 5th), has become a daunting task for me and my wife. The school has already taken an undertaking from us to the effect that we don't have any objection with increase in fees. Due to hike in prices of study material, uniform and school fees, I am finding myself helpless in setting a normal household budget," he said.
Avani Bhatt, a homemaker living at CG Road, says it is very difficult to meet the rising expenses. "My son Ayush is studying in class 8th and with the re-opening of his school, the tuition fee has increased by Rs 2,000 a year. Earlier, I used to pay Rs 12,000 a year as tuition fee but now I will have to pay Rs 14,000. The school also charges extra fees on different heads like computer, activity and project. It is really difficult to meet the expenses," she said.
In addition to these expenses, there is also another hurdle. Coaching classes have become sort of compulsory. And the fees in case of coaching classes have also gone up.

According to Kaushik Patel, a businessman living in Vadodara, education these days has become a business. "The fees of my children Varun (class10th) and Dhruti (class 8th) include coaching class fees Rs 26,000 a year and school fees Rs 12,000 a year. Apart from fees, one has to bear the costs of books, digests, uniforms, conveyance, etc," he said.

Another thing that troubles many parents is that the earnings are not increasing in proportion to the rising expenses. Ravji Chauhan, an employee in a private firm in Rajkot, said: "I don't have that much earning which can bear my children's educational expenses and that is why my son works part-time to support his educational expenses. This year due to rise in prices of study material and coaching fees, we are finding it difficult to cope up with educational expenses of our children."