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Burning Ravana Amitav Ghosh, writer, shares his experience on how ragging was not the usual kind of bullying, bellowing seniors at St Stephens College in 1973. This is not all. Numerous known and unknown names have expressed strong opinion against ragging, debating as to why the guilty should not be pardoned. Post-Aman Kachroo's death, after being brutally ragged by his seniors at a medical college in Himachal Pradesh, just about everyone has left a post on the blogs. This is despicable, if someone ragged any mother's daughter, they would get lynched. I thought it was educated scholars at colleges, think of the people who did this and thought it cool. Their parents will be in utter shock, disgraced and no doubt confused as to how their little angels behave at school. What about the teachers where were they when this occurred. Awe that poor wee lassie will never get over the pain, ragged, tagged and dragged down by people who should know better. Uurghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Posted by: Abhishek Srivastav — 19th Mar 2009 So much so, even Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and director Anurag Kashyap have expressed their opinion on the same. Reams of newsprint have been devoted to the incident, and there is a still lot to say still. Says Nidhi Katoch, who received a reply from 26 people, 10 minutes after she vented her anger against the untoward incident of Aman Kachroo's death on thoughts.com, "Ex-students of various varsities, school students, parents who strongly feel that ragging should be banned and written back to me." Another student Gurpreet Saran checked various blogs and found how badly everyone wants the culprits to be punished. "The public wants the government to take strict action against the students behind ragging incidents across the country," he says. "I was surprised to read a comment by a Class X student Akriti, from Delhi, who is dead scared to join any college for the fear of ragging. She writes 'I'd rather hire a private tutor. If this doesn't work at least I can hire a bouncer who would protect me from the seniors.' And, it is not only a few hard-hitting comments that figure on the blogs. Doctors, counselors and psychologist have posted essays on the blogs, like 'Trauma of ragging', 'Changing mental landscape of a fresher through the course of year' to name a few. "I read an interesting piece titled 'Ravana and Ragging', where the writer compares ragging to Ravana," provides Aditi Sharma, a bank employee from Sector-8. "These are not just comments, but an expression of a popular opinion. It shows that the public will not stand injustice, and they are definitely itching for a change."
jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Melody maker "It was, in fact, Aneesh (her partner in life and music) who conceptualised the project of Baaja Gaaja and I joined hands to translate it into reality," says Shubha. "The project envisages seminars on music. The efforts range from involving corporate houses for promotional activities of good music, big music companies to produce albums on classical music to arranging insurance cover for old musicians and performers. Considering the total artistic fraternity including those craftsman who make music instruments, as a family the Baaja Gaaja is all set to care for them so that they in turn care to make good music," she added. Though yet to blossom fully the very inaugural three day celebration of Baaja Gaaja at Pune turned out to be a mega event. "Such was the response from all sections of performing artistes, companies associated with music and of course the audience, real promoters of art, that it really encouraged us. We now wish to bring the annual Baaja Gaaja to Chandigarh and Punjab region that has produced the great gems of music," she shares. In response to her rendering the playback for some films or fusion albums, Shubha asserts that she had never approached any company for singing in films or pop songs. But if somebody comes with an offer I decide on the merits. Any way all musical swaras are pious for me whether rendered for a bhajan or pop but the classical genres like Khyal, Thumri and Dadra are my first love, she maintained. Commenting on the youngsters for their fascination of lighter music, she claims that the young prodigies have a great aesthetic potential and prowess to imbibe complex musical patterns referring to a reality show on a Martahi TV channel. But she lamented that the most deserving talent looses to the unethical SMS attack. If at all winning has to be decided by SMS voting where lies the sanctity of appointing music experts as judges, she asks. Referring on the soubriquet City Beautiful for Chandigarh Shubha she says that the Beautiful in fact signifies the Beautiful audience here. I derive great pleasure from performing in the city, she adds. She will again perform in Chandigarh Heritage Fest on March 27. |
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The first impression that this plus six-footer gives is that of an uncanny familiarity. A feeling that you’ve seen him somewhere, even though it’s a first meeting. Then it hits you. Ah, it’s that ponytail look that bears a ‘tell-tail’ resemblance to another famous ponytail, from showbiz — Arjun Rampal’s. And it’s this ponytail that is Fashion TV business development director Sanjiv Narang’s lucky charm. “I refused a role in Ghajini as it required me to crop my hair. I can’t for the world of me trim my ponytail,” claims this city-trained fashion designer-turned-model-turned-business person. Having just returned from the International Bridal Show (IBW) in Los Angeles, he brings a whiff of the Indian fashion scene in the USA, what with recession and all that. “Indian labels are doing well at bridal shows there. At the IBW, most of the collections go from Delhi and Mumbai and it’s the fittings that are done in the USA. Pakistani and Bangladeshi labels too abound at this bridal show. And is the recession leading to a trimming of the frills at wedding exhibitions too? “Certainly, the impact is there. There is cost cutting in apparel, there’s hardly any money for sponsors, and quality of collections is being affected,” says Narang, who earlier enacted negative roles in the TV series, India’s Most Wanted, and featured in ad campaigns for Vimal and Diwan Sahib. On the splintering of fashion weeks on Indian soil, he says, “It may be difficult for designers to manage so many shows, but then competition also helps.” Spelling out his future plans, he says, “I would like to have a separate channel for Indian fashion, since much of Western fashion on the tube is vulgar for Indian audiences.” — TNS
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Sanjana’s sapna “We are so proud of her and totally supportive of a career in television,” says the beaming mother, Vandana Bamrada. “She has given auditions for various dance shows and also a few serials, we are hoping that something clicks,” she adds. Sanjana, who has been learning classical and Western dance for the past two years, is a student of St Annes-32. “We are thankful to the school authorities for cooperation. Without their support, it would have been impossible for Sanjana to participate and win,” shares proud father Pardeep Bamrada. While Sanjana plans to dance more, act in serials and try her hands at comedy next, her dream remains to be ‘Miss Universe’. |
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Sun and safety Skin care is almost a quintessential topic that we talk about every summer. But then, it is something that bothers us all and makes us rush to spa centres and beauty parlours to retain some skin quality that sun takes away from us. To make it a little better for you, here we talk to city-based dermatologists who let us know the easiest way outs to have a flawless skin. As Dr. K.M.Kapoor, HOD of cosmetic surgery department, Fortis says, “At times simple measures work too. Just a little care would save the skin from sun.” His list of very important precautions for tan and acne free skin includes, “Try avoiding sun during noon and if you cannot, then apply a 30 SPF sunscreen. Also make sure that you apply it half an hour before stepping out. People generally use it immediately before going out, which does not help as suncreen takes a minimum of half an hour to render its effect.” He suggests one should change clothes at least twice a day to avoid fungal infection caused by sweat, “It’s a preferable to get botox injections to reduce sweating in certain body areas.” And the very old mantra to protect skin—wear full sleeve cotton clothes still works the best. Dr. S.D. Mehta consultant in dermatology skin dept. GMSH 16 suggests it here once again, “During March and April, sun emits maximum UV rays which one can avoid by wearing full sleeve cotton clothes and applying coats of sunscreens every three hours.” Don’t forget to wash your face very frequently with a carefully chosen face wash as per your skin type. “ Prefer salicylic acid, which is very gentle on skin and is apt for deep cleansing. One should use moisturiser with very less oil contents to avoid acne.” Be organic is what Ashima Goel, dermatologist at Parisa skin cosmetic and laser center, Sector 15 strongly recommends. “Drink lots of water as it nourishes the skin. Also make it a routine to have two glasses of lemon water daily to keep skin healthy. One should have a fruits rich in vitamin C and water content like Water melon and papaya.” It is for women, she has some special tips to flaunt flawlessly glowing face, “Use oil free mineral make up from the house of Mac or Seymour as it has zero chemical contents. Made of minerals, these don’t cause any kind of skin allergy.” |
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Raaz revealed “I believe that being generally fit is more important than just achieving weight loss target, because being fit helps you live life to the fullest. It is important to be realistic in your expectations though and maintain a disciplined fitness routine even after achieving your weight loss goals,” he says. Currently, I’m trying to reduce my weight to 74 kgs. For this, I am taking typical training of five cardio sessions. These are combined with five weight training sessions with focuses merely on one body part twice a week,” he adds. And about diet, he says, “I follow a healthy diet that’s high protein and low carb and now I have switched to brown rice. In my all three main meals, there is little or no oil. I like two snacks with a protein shake or fruit and I stay away from junk food.” |
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Eye specialists tend to wait to prescribe contact lenses until children are in their early teens. But near-sighted children often are diagnosed with myopia and receive their first corrective lenses around eight years of age. The study was designed to examine the effects of contact lenses vis-a-vie eyeglasses on kids’ perceptions about themselves, especially what is called their global self-worth, or how valuable they think they are to society. The research indicated that children’s global self-worth was not significantly affected by whether they wore contact lenses or eyeglasses. Similarly, the type of vision correction had no effect on how they felt they performed in school or how they perceived their own behavior. “The effects really seem to be in areas that we would think made sense - how they feel about their appearance, athletic abilities and what their friends think of them,” said Jeffrey Walline, assistant professor of optometry at Ohio State University (OSU) and lead author of the study. The study was conducted at five clinical centres that enrolled a total of 484 near-sighted children between the ages of eight and 11, said an OSU release. — IANS
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A good night’s sleep not only makes one alert and energetic throughout the day but also keeps away some lifestyle diseases like hypertension, arthritis and heartburn, a study has claimed. According to the study, lack of sleep is the biggest cause for lifestyle dieases. Almost two-thirds of those surveyed in the study reported the presence of at least one medical condition, most of which are commonly managed in the primary care setting. Some of the diseases caused due to the lack of sleep found by the study were hypertension (29 per cent), arthritis (28 per cent) and heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (19 per cent). Conditions like depression (18 per cent), anxiety disorder (12 per cent), diabetes (11 per cent), heart disease (10 per cent) and lung disease (five per cent) also turned out to be the main side effects of lack of sleep. “As sleep is vital to our health and well being, we must not cut ourselves short from the amount of sleep that we get or suffer from sleep problems,” Ramnathan Iyer, a counsellor for sleep disorders, said commenting on the rising lifestyle diseases. According to him, people should take control of their sleep problems before it takes control of them. — PTI
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Aching issues Vitamin D deficiency might worsen the condition of people suffering from chronic pain, according to a new study. The research from Mayo Clinic has found a link between inadequate vitamin D levels and the amount of narcotic medication taken by patients who have chronic pain. The researchers found that patients who required narcotic pain medication, and who also had inadequate levels of vitamin D, were taking much higher doses of pain medication - nearly twice as much - as those who had adequate levels. The patients also reported worse physical functioning and worse overall health perception. “This is an important finding as we continue to investigate the causes of chronic pain,” said Dr Michael Turner, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Mayo Clinic and lead author of the study. “Vitamin D is known to promote both bone and muscle strength. Conversely, deficiency is an under-recognised source of diffuse pain and impaired neuromuscular functioning. By recognising it, physicians can significantly improve their patients’ pain, function and quality of life,” he added. During the study, the researchers looked at 267 chronic pain patients Vitamin D levels at the time of admission were compared to other parameters such as the amount and duration of narcotic pain medication usage; self-reported levels of pain, emotional distress, physical functioning and health perception. “Though preliminary, these results suggest that patients who suffer from chronic, diffuse pain and are on narcotics should consider getting their vitamin D levels checked. Inadequate levels may play a role in creating or sustaining their pain,” said. Dr. Turner. The researchers suggest that those who have chronic pain may need to assess vitamin D status. — ANI
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BODY WISE Heat wave
Exercising in hot weather puts extra stress on your cardiovascular system. Both the exercise itself and the air temperature increase your body temperature. To dissipate heat, more blood circulates through your skin. This leaves less blood for your muscles, which increases your heart rate. If the humidity is high, your body faces added stress because sweat doesn’t readily evaporate from your skin — which only pushes your body temperature higher. Under normal conditions, your skin, blood vessels and perspiration level adjust to the heat. But these natural cooling systems may fail if you’re exposed to high temperatures and humidity for too long. The result may be a heat-related illness, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heatstroke. To avoid heat-related illnesses, keep some basic precautions in mind. Take it slow- It is important to acclimate your body gradually to higher temperatures. If you’re used to exercising indoors or in cooler weather, take it easy at first. As your body adapts to the heat, gradually increase the length and intensity of your workouts. Try to exercise in the shade as much as possible by choosing shady tree lined streets for walking and jogging. If you have a chronic medical condition or take medication, ask your doctor if you need to take additional precautions. Drink plenty of fluids- Your body’s ability to sweat and cool down depends on adequate rehydration. In hot weather, it is a good idea to drink plenty of water (two eight ounce cups) an hour or two before starting to exercise. Follow this with another cup every 20 minutes during exercise and an additional cup or two within a half hour after exercising. And if you’re planning to exercise intensely or for longer than one hour, consider sports drinks instead. These drinks can replace the sodium, chloride and potassium you lose through sweating. Avoid drinks that contain caffeine or alcohol, which actually promote fluid loss. Dress appropriately- Lightweight, loose fitting clothing promotes sweat evaporation and cooling by letting more air pass over your body. Avoid dark colors, which can absorb the heat. Clothing made of cotton or sweat wicking fabrics are best. Avoid open-mesh jerseys and tank tops, since they will cause overexposure to the sun. Time of day counts- Do not exercise when the temperature and humidity are both high, since this increases the risk of hyperthermia. Exercise before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m., when it’s likely to be cooler outdoors. If possible, exercise in the shade or in a pool. Wear sunscreen- Even if you exercise early in the morning or late in the evening, if the sun can reach you then you can get burned. Not only is sunburn bad on the skin and potentially dangerous, it also hinders your bodies ability to stay cool. Know when to stop- It is important to know the signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. These can occur when your body can no longer cool itself and your internal body temperature begins to rise. Listen to your body carefully when exercising in warmer weather. This is not the time to push on if the following symptoms occur: weakness, dizziness, tiredness, nausea, headache, chills, muscle cramps or body temperature goes up. If you become nauseated or dizzy, rest immediately in the shade and drink plenty of fluids until you begin to feel better. Avoid extreme changes in temperature- Don’t hop from being extremely hot and sweating excessively, right into an ice cold, air-conditioned environment. Also, do not take a hot bath or shower right after exercising, or go into a sauna, since the risk of fainting and heart attack increase. If you are very underweight, overweight, pregnant, or an older adult consult with your doctor on his recommendations. You should not go above a moderate intensity level when exercising in the heat.
kalrasachin@hotmail.com |
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A forgotten 1982 comedy, which starred Angelina Jolie in her first movie role, is set for release 17 years after it was made. Director Hal Ashby had made the film Lookin' To Get Out when Jolie was just a four years old kid. The actress appeared alongside her Oscar-winner father Jon Voight in the film. However, her part was cut and the film only had a limited release. According to reports, Ashby edited the film again before his death in 1988. His family and Voight are said to have worked tirelessly to get the new film a release. "We had all sorts of drama in the making of it and in the final stages, Hal was not able to finish the film, so there was some damage done to the film and it came out in a crippled form. Unfortunately, nobody saw the film in a proper state," a website quoted Voight, who also co-wrote the film, as saying. Voight did not know that the film had been re-edited, and handed the finished product to film archivists at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). It was only when he was approached by Ashby's biographer Nick Dawson two years ago that he realised the existence of the director's cut. Dawson introduced Voight to Ashby's daughter Lee Ashby McManus, whom the director never met. Lee told the actor that Lookin' To Get Out was her favourite film, as she felt sure that Jolie's role at the end of the movie was based on her. — ANI
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Moss was attending the 'Mummy Rocks' fundraiser for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital when she announced her decision and was cheered on by other celebrity guests at the event including Sadie Frost, Orlando Bloom and Trinny Woodall. "Kate was in cracking form and desperate to raise as much money as possible. Other celebs had donated prizes so Kate wanted to really raise the bar. She agreed to become a kissogram for a day and to visit whoever bid the most in his office and give him a kiss," a publication quoted a source, as saying. The source added: "Someone asked if it'd be a full blown snog or a chaste peck and, with a quick sideways glance at Jamie, she made clear there would be no tongues involved. Another guest suggested she went as a gorilla-gram to which Kate cackled. So who knows? "Kate told organisers she'd visit the winner in his City offices and kiss him in front of his colleagues. The chap was overjoyed. He was bragging he'd be the talk of his workplace for weeks." — ANI
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But still, having lost the lead role in Tim Burton's adaptation of Alice in Wonderland to acting newcomer Mia Wasikowska, Lohan is worried about her career prospects. She, however, doesn't hold any grudges against the newcomer. "That didn't work out. It is what it is. You're not right for the part, and that's it. I can take it, I'm a big girl," a newspaper quoted Lohan as saying. With not any flicks in her kitty, Lohan is bothered about how the ongoing economic slump might affect her. "It's scary when you realise, 'Oh my God, I'm not working. And (I) have a house to pay for now'," she told a magazine. — ANI
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Gwyneth, a full time mother, has also revealed that it becomes very difficult for her when she has to spend long hours working, leaving her children behind. "I barely ever do films; I'm with them almost all the time. But in a way it makes the transition harder. I feel like if I worked all the time, then they would be used to it. But when I'm always there and always doing the school runs and I'm always around and then I just disappear for 14 hours a day to film, it's hard," she said. — ANI
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Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson are set to take to the roads for a tour starting in July. The revelation came after folk singer Joan Baez asked Mellencamp if the tour reports were true at a recent show in Bloomington, Indiana. Baez asked Mellencamp if he was "really going to go on tour with that guy?" to which the Grammy-winning rocker announced plans for "a special tour" on his website. "(It's) slated to start in early July and run through the end of August. It will play at minor league baseball fields," a website quoted his post as saying. Mellencamp further added the tour would feature "two other major artists." And according to Dylan fansite, Nelson will share the stage with Mellencamp and Dylan. — ANI
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Beyonce spent a hefty amount. She reportedly bought eveningwear for herself, including a diamond-studded bra, reports a newspaper. The newspaper says that Beyonce spent a whopping 11,000 dollars with in 20 minutes in the boutique. Meanwhile, Beyonce was also in news for revealing that she was thinking about creating her own version of a Guitar Hero video game. — ANI
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Paris Hilton desperately wants to start a family, it has emerged. The 28-year-old stunner, who is currently dating US TV hunk Doug Reinhardt, is reportedly keeping her best dresses for daughters. What's more, she has picked a room to be a nursery in her Los Angeles pad, reports a newspaper. She has previously given up drinking and partying in an attempt to have a baby. — ANI
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Sujit Saraf, a filmmaker and playwright who lives in California, writes on a blog StopRagging.org on how he was ragged at IIT Delhi, and why it was no joke (1987). He was associated with IIT-Delhi as a student and associate professor in the Department of Engineering. 
In those days, ragging was a serious business: there were nights when we slept in drainpipes around Pandara Park rather than go back to College to face our seniors. It was an atmosphere in which legends battened and grew.
I entered the hostel, was given my room, and transferred my luggage into it. I was on my knees ten minutes later with a leash around my neck, announcing my name at the top of my voice and reciting the hostel pledge, which granted every senior the right to fuck me in the arse, then bust it into eight thousand pieces, mash some pieces into a bharta, and feed the rest to the dogs of the hostel warden.
Singing queen Shubha Mudgal is known for taking two different genres, classical and pop, in her stride and regaling the audience. In the city to perform at the Pracheen Kala Kendra's Sangeet Sammelan at Tagore Theatre she exchanged a few quick notes about her passion - music, reality shows and her latest endeavour Baaja Gaaja, an initiative aimed at propagation of music. 
Chandigarh seems to be enjoying unprecedented limelight when it comes to reality TV. Be it Roadies, Splitsville, laughter or dance shows, Chandigarhians are making their presence felt. One of this league making waves at small screen is eight-year-old, Sanjana Bamrada, who recently won the second place in Videocon Boogie Woogie. Elated at her win, the little girl has her eyes set on the tinsel town: “I loved my time in Mumbai, it’s there I want to live.” 
Adhyayan Suman is star of the box office hit Raaz The Mystery Continues. But most of all he exemplifies discipline and determination that is required for both showbiz and a fitness regime. After losing nearly 60 kgs for lead roles, this time Adhyayan is determined to maintain a regular fitness regime consisting of a disciplined diet with combination of cardio and weight training. Adhyayan shares his training secrets with us. And, he emphasises on the need of being a member of a club or gym as that inspires you to follow a regular and disciplined fitness schedule. 
Children wearing contact lenses feel better about their looks, their athletic abilities and acceptance by friends, than counterparts wearing glasses, researchers have
said. The results of a study suggest that even eight-year-old near-sighted children reap social benefits from wearing contact lenses instead of glasses.
Summer offers extras hours of daylight and with it the opportunity to spend even more time to enjoy outdoor activities. For many, this means more time for doing outdoor physical activities and playing outdoor sports. So, it’s important to remember the potential dangers that also come with exercising in hot conditions. As long as you know the dos and don’ts of working out in the heat, then you can fully take advantage of all the fun of summer.
When it comes to charity, Kate Moss certainly knows no bounds. The supermodel has auctioned off a kiss, raising 5,000 pounds from a lucky banker. However, the babe told her rocker boyfriend Jamie Hince not to worry, as there will be "no tongues" or tonsil tennis.
Hollywood actress Lindsay Lohan is living with the fear of unemployment these days, as she barely has any flicks in hand. The Mean Girls actress, who just has one forthcoming flick titled Labor Pains, is due to begin filming Dare To Love Me in the coming months.
Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow has revealed that her conscience pricks her and makes her feel guilty, as she has to reluctantly drag her daughter Apple, 4, and son Moss, 1, from their native London to New York, where she is filming Iron Man 2. "I'm feeling 'mother guilt' because my daughter is looking forward to going but my son says, 'I don't wanna leave my London house!' So I always feel pretty guilty about that. I try to say, 'We're gonna swim and it's going to be sunny!' I try to point out the positives," she was quoted as telling a television show.