My India

With more than 56 crore internet users in India, rumours and misinformation spread across the nation like a wildfire. This misleading information in the form of fake videos, images , memes,  advertisements and messages is spread through various digital forms of communication and then through the word of mouth. Even popular news channels become the victim and source of these fake news (Credit:Youtube) A popular rumour that spread across the social media app Whatsapp back in 2016 was, that the new Rs.2000 note had a GPS tracker in it. Well it sounded kind of a joke to us, but many people believed that it was true. Also similar rumour that appeared was that the Rs 10 coins circulated in the market are fake, making auto-drivers and vegetable vendors to discontinue the exchange of currency. Fake News Virus spreading faster than the Corona-Virus When the whole world is fighting with the recent COVID-19 corona virus pandemic, there is another fight that governments ...

The first monsoon trip! They say that no trips can be completed without some flakers who bail out the trip at the last moment, and so was this one. But there is no stopping those who seek for adventure, who are willing to give up their sleep and who always thrive for more fun. Sinhagad Fort is a perfect place to witness history, landscape and to spend some quality time with friends and family during the Monsoon Season. It was one of the most important military forts of Shivaji Mahraj in Poona which was recaptured from the Mughals by Tanaji Malusare, whose strength and courage gave him the title of “The Lion” and hence the name Sinhaghad (The Lion’s Fort). Ride to Sinhagad Fort One Saturday morning in the midst of modest rain, we headed off from Pune at 7 am and reached the gateway of Sinhagad at around 8.30, while capturing some scenic beauties along our way. The drive had a few stops where we clicked some group photographs and had tea and Maggi along our way. A...

HOW MANY MORE TO DIE? Journalism is considered as one of the toughest jobs of the modern era, not because it tests physical strength, but because of what it takes mentally to live each day as a journalist. Working late till night, some sleepless nights and working at home, surviving on 2-3 hours of sleep, these are usually what journalists deal with daily. No two days of the life of a journalist is same. They are now a threat to some people because journalist risks their life in exposing corruption, crime, unfolding the truth to the people, solving mysteries. Many journalists/reporters have lost their lives for writing the truth, the actions were so loud and clear that the corrupt had to shut their voice. In the year 2017 only India lost its 12 journalists either assassinated or killed in suspicious situations. Following are some cases, where some brilliant minds lost their lives unfolding the truth. Gauri Lankesh (Bengaluru) She was a journalist turned activist from Be...

Since this year's World Environment Day theme was Beat the Plastic, I hope some people out there seems to now have sensed how bigger the problem is and others might be thinking how can we substitute/eliminate the usage of plastic. The truth is that even small changes of habit, accumulated over time, add up to a big difference. Well to help you out with it , we have some tips for you on how to live with less plastic around you: Carry your on carry bag Remember those days when our grandmother use to carry an old jute bag while going to the market to buy food and stuff. Whether you can say it vintage or old-fashioned, but that's the best practice to reduce your plastic consumption.Rather than taking a carry bag from a shop-keeper, put your things in it. Slowly and gradually this practice will become a habit.  Say "NO" to plastic bags. Avoid using plastic straws/spoons Plastic straws and spoons at a dine in place are usually the things ...

When we were school going children, we often wrote article about "The India of my Dreams" , but that India we dreamed of was never the one, who is one of the world's most polluted countries.I felt ashamed to hear that India was criticized by United Nations Environment Head for being unable to tackle their(India) own pollution problem. India was the global host of this year's WED on June 5 having 'Beat Plastic Pollution' as its central theme.  Animals like dogs, cattle and fishes mostly end up consuming plastic waste India is estimated to create 62 million of solid waste out of which only 12 million is treated. Plastics are lightweight, versatile and durable but in spite of their abundant presence and critical role in many of our technological advancement – from automobiles and computers to medical usage – they are now seen as a threat to environment, animals, marine life and future generations of humans. Cheap and easy availability of pla...

When it comes to making wonders, these ladies have it all. In this male dominated society, these ladies stood up tall. They started from scratch and now are known for their hard work and success. Let's begin our list of "Top 5 Wonder-women of India" whose achievements have made our nation proud. Dr. Seema Rao (Commando Trainer/Special Forces) WonderWoman There is nothing better to start off our list with Dr. Seema Rao, the original Indian Wonder Woman. She is India's first woman commando trainer. She has been a pioneer in close quarter battle and has been in the Special Forces for more than 15 years. She is a certified doctor in medicines and has patented a new close range shooting style called as " The Rao System of Reflex Fire".  2. Chanda Kochhar (CEO and MD, ICICI Bank) Ranked 32 in Forbes Most Powerful Women Who says women can't manage things properly? Well think twice before speaking to Chanda Kochhar who is taking care of...

This 15 Jan, India observed its 70th Armed Forces Day (Army Day). The Indian Army is the third biggest military contingent in the world. It was formed in 1776 and since then it was brought laurels to the nation. Army Day is celebrated annually to mark the take over of General K M Cariappa as Commander of Chief of India on 15 Jan, 1949. Since then India has won many wars but there is still one fire, one war that started but never ended, a conflict between two world's most powerful nations, the nations that were once one - India and Pakistan. There have been regular violations and cease fires from Pakistan in India over the past 2 years which have tested our patience. Sundar Pattnaik's art depicts Stop Bullets, Be Friends  The question arises is that are we doing enough to stop or prevent these cross border terrorism or not ? It is estimated that there were about 770 cross border violations and militant attacks around the Line of Control (LOC), to which Indian Arm...

On Aug 5, 2017, a young Indian girl Varnika Kundu, a resident of Chandigarh was stalked and  followed by two men when she was on her way from work to home at late night. She shared her  horrifying bullying incident on her Facebook post and seeked justice. Soon her Facebook post  became viral and her voice was soon heard by the court. Here social media really helped her a lot in raising her voice and many people around the country supported her. This is one of many examples where  people switched to social media to get Justice. The question that arises here is Why seeking justice through social media is effective? Let's find out. Easy to Share Digital and Social Media has been a powerful tool to spread message since the beginning of the Social Media Age. With a single click your post or event can be shared to your friends, family and even to millions of people connected to internet. Number of Social Media Users in India (in millions) Wide Outreach ...

S hopping has now become a hassle-free process. One doesn't need to struggle in the markets for getting the best price for best quality products. One can now simply buy products on a single click in his/her smart-phone. This E-commerce sector has been on a rise because it has various unique products, good prices, better availability and with various modes of payment. But following things should be kept in mind while you are ordering a product from online shopping platforms: Use Trusted Websites Always use a trusted online shopping website like Amazon, Flipkart, Ebay, Snapdeal etc. Watch out for any misleading ads or websites that look similar to other popular websites. They might be risky. Copyright Holder Be Secure Since these websites deal with payment gateway, it is necessary for us to confirm that whether these sites are secure or not. All such websites are usually secured for payment gateways. One way to check that whether you are secured or not is that all secur...

It was hard to imagine when the rumors about a game/challenge that started claiming many lives in Europe and Russia began to spread. How come a game claim so many lives? What can be so addicting or challenging about a game that one didn't stop playing it until it get's finished? While reading this you will be surprised to know that India ranks no. 1 for highest Blue Whale related searches worldwide according to Google Data. The name Blue Whale first came into light when the police came to know that there were some things common about all the recent suicide of teens. Following are the things that were quite common in all the victims and parents must look out for in the children: They all started behaving odd for the past few days. They preferred to stay alone. The used to woke up at rather unusual times , because some of the tasks involved doing them late night. They were depressed, aggressive and felt fear and anxiety for most of the time. They pulled themselves ...

Gurmeet Ram Rahim was the former head of the organization Dera Saccha Sauda. He was sentenced an imprisonment of 20 years on 28 August 2017 after being proven guilty post CBI special verdict 2 days on 25th August for a rape case of 2002. The allegations were made to the then Prime Minister of India by two of his disciples. Below are the highlights of the this case : An anonymous letter is received by PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee stating that two Dera Sadhvi were raped by Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2002. CBI registers a case of rape and exploitation against the then Dera Head. Many statements were taken by the CBI of the victims and all other people involved in the case. More than 50 thousand dera followers started gathering in Panchkula 2 days before his special CBI verdict. All vehicle movement was restricted in Panchkula and mobile internet services are shutdown for 5 days in Haryana and Punjab. A special CBI verdict on 25th August 2017 pronounced Ram Rahim as guilty in Panchkula ...