AUGUST EDITION
Independence Day
Patriotism is a deep-rooted attachment to one’s nation, a sense of admiration, love, and devotion to the country we are born and raised in. This sense of pride exists and manifests in every Indian, especially on occasions like Republic Day and Independence Day.
National Holidays are truly out of the box to the student community. A nostalgic feeling when school children are busy making colourful decorations, practising patriotic songs and dances, or gearing up to enact plays that showcase the country’s past. There is without doubt a change in air, of purpose and unity. The live telecast of the Parade on Janpath and flag hoisting at Red Fort brings families together and hook on to television, marvelling at the grand march, the culture expressed through displays, and the might of military power.
The spirit of patriotism is not just limited to schools and colleges and stretches beyond to society. Across the country, individuals engage in service and community development activities. Local groups and individuals take part in clean-up exercises, tree planting, and blood donation activities, among others, with the sole purpose of giving back to the country. The same nationalistic zeal finds its way into the workplace, where workers often mark these days with special activities, discussions, and flag-raising ceremonies.
From large parades and acts of community service down to small, simple gestures, patriotism is everywhere, wonderfully showcasing the firm love for the country. It is a statement of collective strength and unity that characterizes India, the great nation it is. With such acts, Indians are showing respect for their roots and freedom, and pledging themselves to society and a better tomorrow.
From Independence to Injustice: A Doctor’s Tragic End
Dear Society,
What have we, as a society, given a young 32-year-old doctor who has worked tirelessly, day and night, to become a doctor in a highly competitive environment? What was her fault? She was working a 36-hour long shift, saving lives, and what happened to her is one of the most gruesome and unimaginable things a human can go through. And the worst part? The rapist was a volunteer of the police force.
The young doctor, who was serving patients and came to rest in a seminar hall due to the lack of facilities, was sexually assaulted and killed by a police volunteer who was supposed to be protecting her. The usual victim-blaming questions, such as “What was she wearing?”, “What was the time?”, and “Why was she out so late?” it is high time to stop victim shaming. We, as a society, have failed this young doctor, and countless other women, by not guaranteeing them their basic right to safety.
Whenever a man’s mother or sister steps out, he feels apprehensive or worried. Imagine what goes through a woman’s mind. It’s 78 years since our independence, yet it’s a shame that crimes like these still exist in our society. From Nirbhaya to Dr. Priyanka, from Unnao to Hathras—the names and locations change, but the heartbreaking reality remains the same. It’s also shameful how some selectively outrage over these crimes, giving them a political colour.
This particular case shows multiple failures: a lack of background checks on police volunteers, lack of facilities for doctors on duty, and negligence by the authorities in power. There are also reports suggesting that there are attempts to whitewash this heinous crime—those involved must also be held accountable.
Each one of us must pledge to stand up against such crimes and make our society a safe place for everyone. I hope the harshest punishment is given to the perpetrators of this crime to set a precedent for the future. We need to educate people, spread awareness about these crimes, and stress their consequences. We worship our motherland as Bharat Mata; it’s high time we truly introspect and start respecting women.
If society is to be considered a vehicle moving towards progress, women and men are the two wheels sharing the load. If there is an imbalance, the vehicle, our society, will collapse. Since we are speaking about this in August, with Independence Day around the corner, let’s not forget that our freedom struggle had women leaders like Sarojini Naidu, Annie Besant, and Rajkumari Amrit Kaur. In our 78th year of independence, it is imperative for us to reflect and make sure that such crimes do not continue.
Thank you,
Jai Hind.
The 4 year journey from starry-eyed freshers to seasoned graduates
The world doesn’t seem to get tired of praising engineers. They are often said the “Backbone of Society”. They are complimented as intellectually superior. But in a country like India, the count of engineers outnumbers the population of many countries in the world. And in a city like Bangalore, a stone throw might hit a stray dog or an engineer. The stray might secure an absolute win. So, after slogging through school, one ends up in one of those places that manufacture this lot that we are talking about, an engineering college.
Is this some kind of cult? (No, I don’t think so. Or is it?)
Undoubtedly, engineering is one hell of a journey, and definitely, not for the faint-hearted. Everyone, with a reason, embarks on this journey of 4 years. But, I don’t think any 17-18 year old would even know what engineering truly means to make this kind of a decision. But what we as seniors can vouch for is that college life isn’t just going to be a phase. It is a truckload of phases packaged into 4 years and thrown off into the ocean. Just kidding!!!
PHASE 1 – Discovery
With this in mind, engineering students enter as freshers. Starry-eyed, curious kids with lots of enthusiasm to pull off everything they had missed out on during school days. With zero money management skills and tons of vivacity, they become perfect scapegoats for seniors to count on for participation during all the college events. (Hey! We were perfect scapegoats, too). And then the real deal starts hitting you – new dreams and aspirations that you begin to have for yourself. To become something worthy of making yourself and everyone around you proud. And some people you don’t like a jealous cause a little pettiness is not a crime.
PHASE 2 – Realization
At some point, we try and break through all those walls of laziness to push ourselves to work on all those dreams and of course, delusions why should there be a limit to aspirations, right? This is where all the “registering for every hackathon being conducted across the globe” and “I want to lead this co/extra-curricular club to heights unbeknownst to this college” thing hits. You start scrambling and slogging your way through semesters only to enter that phase everyone dreads- Maybe I’m just not good enough. At this point, everything seems to be falling apart. Your grades, friend groups, your startup idea slowly becoming that of owning a printout shop near college, and chances of getting a job to the point where getting an unpaid internship in a No-name startup also seems like a far-fledged dream.
PHASE 3 – Redemption Arc
The pressure cooker whistle blows! This is where the “Just like in movies” part of college hits you, but not in the way you think it will. I am talking “written and directed by Quentin Tarantino” style. Dramatic? I don’t think so. This is where you push yourself off to the finish line. The most amount of blood, sweat, and tears are shed here. At the end of it all, the success gained is subjective. For some, it is a job offer. For some, it is the realization of new dreams. But for all, it’s the memories that you make and the people you made it all with. Because in the end, it doesn’t even matter 🙂
