Beyond Time and Mind: The Lasting Legacy of Virginia Woolf

“I am certain I’m going mad again".

These striking phrases are the last written words of 59 year old Virginia Woolf that echo throughout literary history as a reflection of her profound psychological pain and provide a window into the wrecked and often misunderstood nature of the human psyche. Virginia Woolf was a feminist pioneer within this field, dramatically changing the way that literature will be experienced well into the future. Her true genius is her range; her ability to connect to both academic researchers and typical average everyday readers. She did not write simply to prove her superior understanding over a few elite people, she found a huge range of ways in her writing to help all people experience something new about their own mind through ‘quiet madness’.

Virginia Woolf dealt with serious mental distress throughout her entire life and rather than staying away from the feelings, she incorporated the honest experience to an almost uncomfortable level in her writing. She used methods such as stream of consciousness and different views of a single event, as well as a non-linear view of time, to challenge the very framework of how traditional stories unfold. 

In producing her work, she disproved the assumption that world literature is only available in institutional academic spaces and instead demonstrated that it can exist within everyday thought processes, in people's homes and family lives. These beliefs were not restricted to her writings, as in 1917, she and her husband, Leonard Woolf, created the Hogarth Press, allowing her to gain access to independent publishing and to support the works of authors whose writings are typically excluded from mainstream publishers. Thus, Woolf's struggles were not solitary; her anxieties regarding the impact of World War II on her mental well being added to her psychological distress, and in 1941, fearing her mental breakdown would once again begone to occur, she committed suicide, leaving behind a legacy that is just as substantial and multilayered as her life.

Woolf’s writing lingers with many because of the presentation of her thoughts and how each thought is felt, not read. Reading Woolf feels less like reading a book and more like jumping into a person's mind and seeing how disordered, disjointed and chaotic thoughts really are. Furthermore, you are forced to face the fact that there is nothing rational about the human mind, that it does not always possess the capability of being stable, and which is the hardest of all to admit; our minds exhibit far less control than we typically would like to accept. Woolf’s work is dramatic and provides insight into those who are constantly told, ‘Just keep it all together,’ and ‘You have to act tough.’ In contrast, the experience Woolf provides through her use of structure, tension, and framework create space for chaos, exposure, and incoherence; therefore creating the ability for her work to possess such a profound sense of authenticity.

As an audience, we often get struck by how easily we overlook other peoples’ internal battles just because they are not visible. We often empathize with physical pain, yet for some reason, we either simplify or ignore mental anguish; Woolf depicts this missing link with unflinching honesty. It’s extremely unsettling when you see parts of your own mental processes reflected in her work, yet there’s something strangely reassuring about it too, it reassures you that your experiences are not your own, that they existed well before you did, and that people have felt them just as deeply. 

Even now, in the 21st century Virginia Woolf continues to hold relevance, not for what she provides, but for the questions she asks about reality, time, identity and the human mind. She changed the world of literature forever, and in doing so, changed how we understand our own thinking. Perhaps the most powerful part of her legacy is how she didn’t just create more complexity in the world of literature, but rather induced a level of honesty that was never before experienced.

-Isha Barve and Vedashree Agnihotri 

प्रदीर्घ युद्धे : संघर्ष निवारणापासून ते अगतिकतेपर्यंत

दरवेळी युद्ध सुरू होतं तेव्हा एकच भाषा ऐकू येते, “ही शेवटची लढाई आहे.” सुरक्षेसाठी. सन्मानासाठी. सीमांसाठी. अस्तित्वासाठी. पण मग वर्षे जातात, पिढ्या बदलतात आणि युद्ध संपत नाही... आज जगभरात आपण पाहतो, रशिया–युक्रेन संघर्ष तिसऱ्या वर्षात, गाझामध्ये पुन्हा-पुन्हा भडकणारी हिंसा, मध्यपूर्वेतील अस्थिरता, आफ्रिकेतील सशस्त्र संघर्ष आणि आपल्या उपखंडातही सतत तणावाची छाया... प्रश्न असा आहे, ही सर्व युद्धे अजूनही 'उद्दिष्टां'साठी लढली जात आहेत, की ती आता फक्त सवय झाली आहेत? सर्वात जास्त अस्वस्थ करणारी गोष्ट म्हणजे हिंसा सामान्य होणं.

जेव्हा एखादं मूल सायरनच्या आवाजात मोठं होतं, जेव्हा बॉम्बस्फोट ही ब्रेकिंग न्यूज नसून रोजचं वास्तव असतं, जेव्हा सीमा भागात तणाव ही 'नैसर्गिक अवस्था' मानली जाते– तेव्हा समाज हळूहळू संघर्षाशी जुळवून घेतो; आणि ही जुळवणूकच धोकादायक आहे. 

युद्धाची अधिकृत कारणे नेहमीच भक्कम असतात– राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा, दहशतवादाचा प्रतिकार, आक्रमणाला उत्तर, परंतु दीर्घकालीन युद्धात एक वेगळीच राजकीय गती काम करत असते. बाह्य शत्रू असला की अंतर्गत प्रश्न कमी विचारले जातात. राष्ट्रवादाची लाट निर्माण झाली की मतभेद 'देशद्रोह' ठरतात. आपत्कालीन परिस्थिती जाहीर झाली की उत्तरदायित्व पुढे ढकलले जाते. इतिहासात आणि वर्तमानात आपण हे अनेकदा पाहिलं आहे. युद्ध कधी कधी सुरक्षेचं साधन असतं; पण ते सत्तेच्या टिकावाचं साधनही बनू शकतं. हा केवळ राजकीय नाही, तर नैतिक प्रश्न आहे– 

जर शांततेमुळे सत्ता कमकुवत होत असेल, तर काही जणांना शांतता नकोशी वाटू शकते का? आज युद्ध फक्त रणांगणावर लढलं जात नाही; ते अर्थव्यवस्थेतही लढलं जातं. संरक्षण-उद्योग, शस्त्रास्त्र करार, पुनर्बांधणी प्रकल्प, संसाधनांवरील नियंत्रण– युद्ध संपलं तर अनेकांचे आर्थिक गणित बिघडू शकते. म्हणून कधी कधी असं वाटतं – आपण शांततेपेक्षा अस्थिरतेत जास्त गुंतवणूक करत आहोत का? शांतता चर्चा होतात, करार होतात, पण ते वारंवार मोडतात. जागतिक संस्थांमध्ये राजकीय मतभेद, व्हेटो राजकारण, निवडक हस्तक्षेप – यामुळे न्याय सर्वांसाठी समान राहत नाही. जेव्हा लोकांना वाटू लागतं की आंतरराष्ट्रीय व्यवस्थादेखील राजकारणाने नियंत्रित आहे, तेव्हा शांततेवरील विश्वास कमी होतो.

मानसशास्त्रात एक संकल्पना आहे, 'Learned Helplessness.' वारंवार अपयश आलं, आणि परिस्थितीवर नियंत्रण नाही असं वाटलं, की माणूस प्रयत्न करणं सोडतो. दीर्घकालीन युद्धात समाज याच अवस्थेत जातो. गाझामध्ये जन्मलेली मुलं युद्धाला नियती मानू लागतात. अफगाणिस्तानात दशकानुदशके संघर्षानंतर राजकीय उदासीनता वाढते. काश्मीरमध्ये संवाद प्रक्रियेवरचा विश्वास अनेकदा डळमळीत होताना दिसायला लागतो. लोक बदल घडवणारे नागरिक राहात नाहीत, ते फक्त जगणारे बनतात. युद्धाचा सर्वात मोठा पराभव इथेच होतो, जेव्हा माणूस स्वतःच्या आवाजावरचा विश्वास गमावतो... मग खरंच युद्धाची गरज आहे का? हा प्रश्न टाळता येत नाही. हो, काही वेळा संरक्षणासाठी प्रतिकार आवश्यक असू शकतो. पण दीर्घकालीन युद्ध? पिढ्यान् पिढ्या चालणारा संघर्ष? सतत भीतीवर उभा असलेला समाज? ह्यांचं काय? खरे पाहता, युद्ध हे कोणाच्याही विजयाचं प्रतीक नसून मानवी विकासाचं सामूहिक अपयश आहे. ते न्यायाच्या संकल्पनेला शांततेची शिकवण देत स्वतः मात्र हिंसेचा मार्ग स्वीकारणाऱ्या दुटप्पीपणालाही उघड करतं.

जर आपण शस्त्रास्त्रांवर अब्जावधी खर्च करू शकतो, तर आपण संवाद, शिक्षण, आणि समावेशक विकासावर तितकाच खर्च का करू शकत नाही? युद्ध जिंकता येतं, सीमा बदलता येतात, सत्ता टिकवता येते; पण हरवलेली आशा परत आणणं सर्वात कठीण असतं. खरी लढाई सीमांवर नाही ती मानवी मनात आहे. आपण भीतीवर उभं असलेलं जग स्वीकारणार आहोत का? की संवादावर उभं असलेलं जग निर्माण करणार आहोत? युद्ध अपरिहार्य असू शकतं, पण दीर्घकालीन युद्ध अपरिहार्य आहे का? हा प्रश्न कदाचित, आपण सगळ्यांनी विचारायला हवा...

-उत्कर्षा निगड़े 

To Always Be; An Ode To Shakespeare

My friend complains about this summer day. Too hot, too still. She says, “I don’t know how I’m supposed to like any of this.” I tell her, “Then don’t. But let me be here while you hate it.” We sit on the steps, and I recite, half-laughing, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate.” The line lingers. Shakespeare’s summer was eternal; this one rather insufferable. But something shifts as we begin to talk about him—the ghost of a man who still lives in books and classrooms. 

A professor once said that Shakespeare  took the roots of all we feel, like envy, fear, and love beyond happiness and that is why he still feels relevant. He crossed the bridge of time and knew us deeply the way he understood the anatomy of emotions and bending words to fit this musing right. Musings that even if in his world took place in fantasy spaces, splurge and spill out of today’s small bits of life too, so much so that when I- tell my sister love is not for the faint-hearted or later say, “Good riddance,” after her heartbreak, I’m quoting him without realizing it. Shakespeare gave us the words for joy, grief, and all that lies between which is why his plays weren’t meant to be read; they were meant to be felt by being spoken about. Every word, every silence, every goosebump.

It’s been 461 years since his birth on April 23, 1564. Still, he endures, because he wrote what we couldn’t say. He asked, “To be or not to be,” and left us an answer in his legacy which is to say, to in a way, always be.

-Urvi Patil

डॉ. आनंदीबाई जोशी: भारताच्या पहिल्या महिला डॉक्टरांचा प्रेरणादायी प्रवास

डॉ. आनंदीबाई गोपाळराव जोशी या केवळ भारतातील पहिल्या महिला डॉक्टर नव्हत्या, तर त्या शिक्षण, धैर्य आणि समाजसुधारणेच्या दिशेने घडलेल्या महत्त्वाच्या प्रवासाचे प्रतीक होत्या. 31 मार्च 1865 रोजी पुण्यात जन्मलेल्या आनंदीबाईंच्या जीवनप्रवासाने अनेक महिलांसाठी प्रेरणादायी उदाहरण निर्माण केले. त्या यमुना या नावाने जन्मल्या, मात्र विवाहानंतर त्यांचे नाव आनंदीबाई झाले. केवळ स्वतःसाठी नव्हे, तर संपूर्ण भारतीय स्त्री समाजाच्या उज्ज्वल भविष्यासाठी त्यांनी मार्ग निर्माण केला.

त्यांच्या जीवनाची सुरुवात एका पारंपरिक कुटुंबात झाली, जिथे स्त्रियांनी शिक्षण घेणे दुर्मिळ होते. नऊव्या वर्षीच त्यांचा विवाह गोपाळराव जोशी यांच्याशी झाला, जे स्वतः एक प्रगतिशील विचारांचे होते. त्यांनी आनंदीबाईंना शिक्षण घेण्यासाठी प्रोत्साहन दिले. चौदाव्या वर्षी मातृत्वसुख लाभले, मात्र मुलाच्या आजारपणात योग्य वैद्यकीय उपचार न मिळाल्यामुळे त्याचा मृत्यू झाला. हा धक्का त्यांच्या आयुष्याला कलाटणी देणारा ठरला. त्यांनी ठरवले की अशा परिस्थितीत अन्य कोणत्याही आईला जावे लागू नये, आणि त्यामुळेच त्यांनी डॉक्टर होण्याचा निर्धार केला. त्या काळात स्त्रियांनी शिक्षण घेणेच कठीण होते, आणि डॉक्टर होणे तर कल्पनेपलीकडचे होते. मात्र, गोपाळरावांनी आनंदीबाईंना शिकण्यासाठी पूर्ण पाठिंबा दिला. त्यांनी अमेरिकेतील पेनसिल्व्हानिया विद्यापीठात वैद्यकीय शिक्षण घेण्याचा निर्णय घेतला. त्याकाळच्या मानसिकतेनुसार एका हिंदू स्त्रीने परदेशात जाऊन शिकणे हे समाजाला अजिबात मान्य नव्हते. लोकांनी टीका केली, विरोध केला, पण आनंदीबाईंनी निश्चय सोडला नाही. समाजाच्या विरोधाला न जुमानता त्या बोटीने एकट्याच अमेरिकेला रवाना झाल्या आणि सात समुद्र पार करत आपले शिक्षण पूर्ण केले. त्या भारताच्या पहिल्या महिला डॉक्टर झाल्या आणि त्यांनी देशातील महिलांसाठी शिक्षण व आरोग्याच्या नव्या संधी निर्माण केल्या.

शिक्षणाच्या प्रवासात त्यांना अनेक अडथळे आले. अमेरिकेतील हवामानामुळे त्यांचे आरोग्य खालावत गेले. त्यांना क्षय झाला, पण तरीही त्या थांबल्या नाहीत. शिक्षण पूर्ण करून त्या भारतात परतल्या आणि आपल्या देशातील स्त्रियांसाठी वैद्यकीय सेवा देण्याचे स्वप्न पाहू लागल्या. दुर्दैवाने, त्यांच्या शरीराने साथ दिली नाही आणि अवघ्या 22व्या वर्षीच त्यांचे निधन झाले. मात्र, त्यांनी उभारलेला मार्ग पुढील पिढ्यांसाठी दीपस्तंभ ठरला. त्यांचे जीवन आपल्याला शिकवते की, स्वप्नं पाहणं सोपं असतं, पण ती पूर्ण करण्यासाठी संघर्ष करावा लागतो. त्यांनी सामाजिक बंधनांना झुगारले, शिक्षणासाठी कठीण परिस्थितीतही प्रयत्न सुरू ठेवले आणि अपयश आलं तरी मागे हटल्या नाहीत. त्यांची कथा हे दर्शवते की शिक्षण हीच खरी शक्ती आहे आणि कोणत्याही परिस्थितीत आपल्याला आपले ध्येय गाठण्यासाठी झगडावे लागते.

आज, त्यांच्या जयंती निमित्त आपण त्यांच्या कार्याची आठवण ठेवून त्यांच्या धैर्याचा, मेहनतीचा आणि चिकाटीचा आदर्श घ्यायला हवा. त्यांनी निर्माण केलेला मार्ग आपण पुढे चालत राहिलो, तर भारतात आणखी असंख्य आनंदीबाई घडतील. त्यांच्या स्मृतींना विनम्र अभिवादन!

-मृण्मयी पाटस्कर

Verses of Eternity: Cherishing the Soul of Poetry

“That you are here, that life exists and identity; That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse”   -Walt Whitman 

Whitman expresses in the aforementioned lines his appreciation of mere existence and the idiosyncrasy of an individual. With a heart set to inspire future generations, he urges each individual to have complete freedom in selecting their "verse" and carve their name upon the echoes of eternity. March 21st is celebrated as World Poetry Day to honor the diversity in poetry from multiple angles, be it in preserving linguistic diversity and cultural heritage or how it acts as an artist’s voice in dynamic social changes, like Sylvia Plath who used poetry as a medium to challenge patriarchy and oppression. In order to harmonize the spirit’s rhythm, UNESCO declared World Poetry Day in 1999. Through dawns and dusks, the world has beheld those who spun words into eternity’s tapestry. Specifically William Shakespeare, Rumi, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath, Pablo Neruda, Homer, Rabindranath Tagore and countless voices that are immortal in the ink of history. 

“Where the mind is led forward by thee 

 Into ever-widening thought and action 

 Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake” 

-Rabindranath Tagore 

The cited text is the closing lines of Tagore’s poem “Where the Mind is Without Fear”. The poet sketches echoes of a society where the young minds are progressive, with a flame that hungers for the oil of understanding. He prays to God to cultivate a nation where the seeds of freedom grow with the zeal of a rising sun. Now allow me to ask you this, when was the last time you read a poem? Not for school, not for a quick Instagram post, but to truly feel its essence, its depth, its soul? Let me guess, probably in the distant yesterdays. Poetry, an art that was once the lifeline of human expression, is being reduced to mere captions and hashtags in an era of short attention spans and viral content. Have we lost sight of its depth? Poetry serves as a gentle reminder to slow down, feel, and connect in a world that often walks over feelings, because every poem is like a lantern in the dark, guiding us back to ourselves. On this World Poetry Day let's celebrate the ability of words to inspire, heal, and remind us that poetry can speak even when all else is silent. 

 "We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion." -Prof. John Keating from The Dead Poets Society

-Arushi Yadav

रंगभान

मला मोहित करतात रंग, त्यांच्या छटा, त्यांचं दिसणं, त्यांचं असणं, सारंकाही. जगातले आणि आयुष्यातले रंग सारखेच असं वाटलं तेव्हा कळलं की एकेका आयुष्यानेच जग रंगीत होत राहातं, कधी प्रेमाने लाल, दुःखाने काळं किंवा स्थैऱ्याने पांढरंही. कोणताच रंग नसलेला 'ना'रंगी रंग जसा पाण्याला असतो तसा तुम्हां-आम्हालाही तो निसर्गदत्त असतो. जिथे जन्मावं, ज्या स्थितीत राहावं, वाढावं तिथला रंग पांघरत राहतो आपण. तो रंग नक्की ल्यावा मात्र ल्यावा तो विवेकाच्या गाळण्यातून गाळून. असा विचार केला तर किती सहज वितळून जातो पदराखाली जपलेला खोटा अभिमान, माणसातली आणि खरंतर मनातली दरी लीलया भरून काढतात हे रंग... मात्र पूर्वसुरींच्या अनुभवातून एक गोष्ट नक्की कळते की ह्या रंगांचं प्रयोजन फार व्यापक आहे, बघावा तसा पर्वत दिसावा तसेच हे रंगदेखील आहेत. सृष्टीच्या व्यापकतेचं वैभव हे रंगच तर दाखवतात. समुद्र आणि वाळवंटाचा रंग एक नाही म्हणूनच दोघांना त्यांचं-त्यांचं महत्त्व आहे, माहात्म्य आहे. ह्या रंगांकडे जेव्हा भौतिकदृष्ट्या बघतो तेव्हा खरंच अवाक् होऊन जातो. शरीरातल्या विशिष्ट पेशी दृष्याच्या रंगभानासाठी कारणीभूत ठरतात असं शास्त्र सांगतं. माणसा-माणसात त्यातले पुसटसे भेद आणि त्याचे आजारही सांगतं, ते खरं देखील आहे पण यावरून काही अंशांनी तरी माणसांची दृष्टी वेगळी असते हेच स्पष्ट होतं. हे कळल्यावर दृष्टी वेगळी असल्याने माणसांचा दृष्टिकोन वेगळा असणारच हे मनाला इतकं पटतं की मतभेदाची कित्येक कारणं समूळ मावळून जातात.

कोट्यावधी लोकांचं जीवन युगांपासून व्यापून राहिलेले धर्म म्हणे एका रंगाने दर्शविता येतात, हे रंगांचं केवढी माहात्म्य म्हणावं ! इथे आठवतो तो शाळेतला प्रयोग, प्रिझम मधून गेलेले सगळे रंग शेवटी पांढर्या रंगामधे परिणत होतात, तेचा वाटतं की शेवटी शुद्ध श्रद्धेच्या चौकटीतून गेलेले सगळेच रंग एकाच चैतन्यात मिसळणार आहेत. तेव्हा माझ्या रंगाचा मला अभिमान असला तरी दुसऱ्याच्या द्वेषाचं कारणच उरत नाही. म्हणून महत्व द्यायचं ते प्रत्येकाच्या स्वतंत्र असण्याला, दिसणं हे काळाच्या ओघात बदलत राहणारच असतं. शेवटी सगळे सारखाच श्वास घेतात, कुणाचा श्वास भगवा नसतो किंवा हिरवाही... जसा शब्दांसाठी अर्थ तसा रंगांसाठी भाव असतो. जे शब्दांतून सांगता येत नाही, अभिनयातून दाखवता येत नाही ते रंग दर्शवतात. कलाकाराच्या भावावस्थेपर्यंत नेणारी शिडी म्हणजे रंग. भान हरपून टाकणारे तसं भानावर आणणारेही रंगच. प्रत्येकाला आपलं आयुष्य बसवता येतं एखाद्या रंगामध्ये किंवा दोन-चार रंग मिसळून साकारलेल्या एखाद्या रंगामध्ये, मात्र त्याला धाडस हवं हे नक्की. नाही म्हटलं तरी आजच्या काळात प्रत्येकाच्या विचारांना एखादा रंग लागलेलाच असतो. अशा रंगांच्या छटा फार बोलक्या असतात. माणसाला अगदी सुरुवातीला चित्र काढता येत होतं पण तो तिथे थांबला नाही, पाना-फुलांच्या रसाने तो त्यामधे रंग भरू लागला, स्वतःचे क्षितिज स्वतः विस्तारू लागला. आजची परिस्थिती तशी फार वेगळी, पण हृदयाची तहान अगदी तिच. आयुष्यात रंग भरण्याची, आयुष्य रंगीत करण्याची. प्रत्येकाच्या मनातल्या रंगांना कर्माची जोड मिळतेच असं नाही, पण रंगांची ओढ मात्र कायम राहते, जशी मनात तशी इतिहासाच्या पानांवरही. कधी हातात नसलेले अनपेक्षित रंग उधळले जातात आणि नव्हत्याचं होतंदेखील होतं.

रस्त्याच्या कडेला फुलं विकून पोट भरण्याची ईच्छा उरात बाळगणाऱ्या मुलाच्या निरागस डोळ्यांत मला हेच रंग दिसतात किंवा त्याच्यासमोरून गाडीच्या खिडकीतून हात दाखवत जाणाऱ्या एखाद्या सोनूच्या डोळ्यातही अगदी तेचं रंग असतात. ए.सी.मधे बसलेल्या आणि रस्त्यावर झोपलेल्या माणसांच्या स्वप्नातही हेच रंग जाणवतात, खरंच माणसाचं अंतरंग इतकं रंगीत असतं का ? 

 -अनीश जोशी

भारतीया वैज्ञानिकाः।

          लीलावती भास्कराचार्यं पृच्छति, यदि कमपि वस्तु वयम् उत्क्षिपामः, तर्हि तद् वस्तु पुनः अधः पतति। एतस्याः क्रियायाः कारणं पृथ्व्याः आकृष्टिशक्तिः अस्ति। पृथ्वी शेषनागे, कूर्मे, तथा च मेरुपर्वते अवलम्बिता नास्ति, एतदपि भवानेव अवदत्। तर्हि गुरुत्वम् इति कारणात् पृथ्व्याः तथा च अन्यानां खगोलपिण्डानाम् अधःपतनं किमर्थं न भवेत्? भास्कराचार्यः ताम् उत्तरं ददति, 

          आकृष्टिशक्तिश्च मही तया यत्, खस्तं गुरुः स्वाभिमुखं स्वशक्त्या ।

          आकृष्यते तत्पततीव भाति, समेसमन्तात् क्व पतत्वियं खे ।।

वयं वदामः, न्यूटनमहोदयेन गुरुत्वाकर्षणसिद्धान्तः कथितः। परन्तु तस्य शून्यपञ्चपञ्चशतकात् पूर्वं सम्पूर्णब्रह्माण्डस्य गुरुत्वाकर्षणविषये भास्कराचार्यमहोदयः उक्तवान्।ये मनुष्याः प्राचीनकाले फलानि खादित्वा, एतद् फलं मधुरम् उत्तमं च अस्ति, परन्तु तद् फलं विषयुक्तं अस्ति, एतद् ज्ञातवन्तः, ते अपि वैज्ञानिकाः आसन्, एतद् वक्तुं शक्नुमः। कोऽपि विषयुक्तं फलं खादित्वा मृत्युम् अपि प्राप्तवान्, कोऽपि अश्मान् घर्षयित्वा अग्निम् अपि निर्मितवान्। एताः सर्वे वैज्ञानिकाः एव आसन्। तत् कारणात्, ये ये कानपि वैज्ञानिकप्रयोगां कृत्वा तस्मात् किमपि  नूतनं ज्ञानं प्राप्नुवन्तः, ते ते वैज्ञानिकाः एव सन्ति, एतद् अहम् मन्ये।

विज्ञानं नाम विशेष-ज्ञानम्। अतः यैः यैः किञ्चिदपि विशेषं ज्ञानं प्राप्तं, ते ते सर्वे वैज्ञानिकाः एव सन्ति, इति अहं मन्ये। तस्मात्, येन पाणिनिमहोदयेन, संस्कृतम् इति समृद्धायाः भाषायाः सूक्ष्मनिरीक्षणेन, प्रत्येक-शब्दस्य कृते चिन्तनं कृत्वा विस्तृतं व्याकरणं लिखितं, सः पाणिनिमहोदयः अपि वैज्ञानिकः अस्ति, इति अहं मन्ये। अद्य सङ्गणकशास्त्रस्य यत्समानम् कठिनतमं व्याकरणमावश्यकं, तत्समानम् व्याकरणं सः कैककालात् पूर्वम् एव रचितवान्। न केवलं पूर्वकाले, अपि तु अद्यसमये अपि विज्ञाने एव संपूर्णाः मग्नाः वैज्ञानिकाः सन्ति। यदि वयं पश्यामः, पोखरण इत्यत्र भारतस्य परमाणुस्फोटप्रदर्शनं जातम्। तत्र काकोडकर अनिलमहोदयस्य बहु महत्वपूर्णम् उत्तरदायित्वम् आसीत्। परन्तु यत्र एव सः तस्य तातस्य मृत्युवार्तां प्राप्तवान्। सः सत्वरं गृहं गत्वा, तातस्य अन्तिमदर्शनं गृहीत्वा, पुनः सत्वरं पोखरण इत्यत्र आगतवान्। कौटुम्बिक उत्तरदायित्वाद् अपि देशकार्यं परम् अस्ति, इति तस्य निष्ठा। देशस्य कृते यद् उत्तरदायित्वम् अस्ति, तस्य प्रथमतः विचारः करणीयः, इति महती भावना तस्य हृदये अस्ति।

माशेलकरमहोदयेन भारतस्य पुरातनग्रन्थां पठित्वा, तत्र ये ये सिद्धान्ताः दत्ताः सन्ति, तेषां सर्वेषां 'पेटण्ट' इत्युक्ते स्वाम्यं तेन भारतस्य कृते प्राप्तम्। हल्दी तथा बासुमती तण्डुलस्य स्वाम्ये अमेरिका देशः प्राप्तुम् इच्छितवान्। परन्तु महा-प्रयासेन माशेलकरमहोदयेन ते स्वाम्ये भारतस्य कृते प्राप्ते। अहम् एकं साक्षात्कारम् अपश्यम्। तत्र साक्षात्कारकर्तारः वैज्ञानिकाय पृष्टवान्, यत् "वैज्ञानिकक्षेत्रे भारतस्य किं योगदानम् अस्ति?" सः वैज्ञानिकः अकथयत्, "विज्ञानक्षेत्रे भारतस्य योगदानं शून्यम् अस्ति।" यदि वयं एतस्य उत्तरस्य विषये चिन्तयामः, तर्हि एकः निष्कर्षः जातः, यत् "शून्यः" एषः सर्वेषां वैज्ञानिकसिद्धन्तानां मूलम् अस्ति। अतः सर्वसिद्धन्तानां मूलम् एव अस्माकं भारतदेशेन विज्ञानक्षेत्राय दत्तम् अस्ति। तस्मात्, अद्य ये ये देशाः अवकाशे उड्डयनं कुर्वन्ति, ते ते सर्वे भारतस्य आर्यभट्टः नाम वैज्ञानिकस्य ऋण्यः सन्ति। 

शून्येन विना काचिद् अपि सङ्ख्यायाः मूल्यं न वर्धते। तत् समानं, वैज्ञानिकैः विना वैज्ञानिकक्षेत्रस्य वर्धनम् अपि न भविष्यति, एतद् वयं सदैव संस्मराम इति अहं मन्ये।

- मुक्ताई देसाई

स्नेहेन सर्वे वशाः।

मध्यायुगीनकाले मुघलः तथा हिन्दुराष्ट्राणाम्मध्ये  किञ्चिदपि स्नेहसम्बन्धाः नासन् । आक्रमणं युद्धं च एतासां सर्वासां परिस्थितौ  सामान्यजनानां जीवनम् अत्यधिकं कठिनं जातम्। कर्णावती सङ्ग्रामस्य मृत्योः पश्चात् राज्यपदे नियुक्ता। स्वराज्यं सङ्कटे दृष्ट्वा सहाय्यस्य अपेक्षया सा हुमायवे रक्षासूत्रं प्रेषितवती। अतः अन्ते रक्षासूत्रस्य कारणात् हुमायुः तस्यै सहाय्यं कृतवान्। द्वाभ्यां मुघलसम्राटाभ्यां सह युद्धं जातम्। तत्कारणात् हिन्दु -  मुघलसम्बन्धः दृढः जातः। अतः 'स्नेहेन सर्वे वशाः' एतदेव सत्यम्। ' स्नेह ' शब्दः नाम न केवलं प्रेम , आकर्षणम् अपि तु आत्मीयता, संवेदनशीलता तथा च बन्धुभावः। अग्रे ' सर्वे वशाः ' अत्र सूचितस्य सम्बन्धस्य अर्थः न केवलम् आकर्षणम् अपि तु उन्मुखता, वात्सल्यम्, आत्मीयतायाः सम्बन्धाः। सिन्धूताई- सपकाल-महोदया एव तस्य  समर्पकम् उदाहरणम् । रक्षणार्थं नैके बालकाः आक्रन्दन्ति, ते शिक्षणात् वञ्चिताः आसन्। एतेषां कृते सा मातृसमम् उत्तरदायित्वं निर्वहति। तान् आकाशे विहारार्थं प्रेरिता । तेषां बालकानां वशीकरणम् अपि सा स्नेहेन कृतवती। 

यस्याः कारणेन समाजस्य निम्नघटकाः आकाशे उड्डयनं कर्तुं शक्नुवन्ति तथा च साने गुरुजी नाम्ना ख्यातः महोदयः उक्तवान्,  स:एक एव सत्यधर्मः, विश्वाय स्नेहाभावः अर्पणीयः। तत्समानं व्यक्तिमत्वम् अस्ति आमटे - प्रकाशमहोदयस्य । समाजात् बहिष्कृतानाम् आदिवासिबान्धवानां कृते सः दीपस्तम्भः अभवत्। आदिवासिबान्धवानां कृते तस्य कार्यं अतुलनीयम्। तेषां कृते सः करनिर्मुक्तं शिक्षणम्, आरोग्यसुविधाः , व्यापारज्ञानम्, कृषिकार्यं, व्यवहारज्ञानं च स्नेहेन एव आरभत्। आदिवासी प्रभागतः आगता द्रौपदी मुर्मू यदा राष्ट्रपतिपदे नियुक्ता भवति, तदा आमटे -महोदयस्य कार्यपूर्तिः अभवत्, इति अहं मन्ये। तत् कारणात् भारतीयाः तथा आदिवासिबान्धवाः च वशाः।

यदा वयं ' सर्वे ' इति वदामः, तदा तस्य अर्थः मनुष्याः इति एव नास्ति, अपि तु पशवः, प्रकृतिः अपि अस्ति। एतान् सर्वान् अपि स्नेहेन वशीकर्तुं शक्यते। पशवः स्पन्दनं, स्पर्शं च अनुभवितुं समर्थाः। स्नेहपूर्णवर्तनस्य कारणात् ते अपि एकानिष्ठाः अभवन्। तेषां भूतदयां दर्शयित्वा ,  पालनपोषणेन आमटे महोदयः तान् आप्तान् कृतवान्। न केवलं आमटे महोदयः अपि तु महाडतः मेस्त्री  प्रेमसागर- महोदयः। तेषां गरुडसंवर्धनस्य कार्येण न केवलं गरुडान् अपि तु पयर्यावरणस्नेहिनः सः वशं कृतवान् ।

कम् अपि भारतीयं पश्यतु। सः ' वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् ' इति धारणां मन्यते।  अतो भारतः रशियातः तैलं स्वीकरोति। चीनदेशः, यः रशियादेशस्य शत्रुपक्षः। तेन सह सामञ्जस्य विधेयकं करोति सःभारतः । रशिया - यूक्रेन युद्धे मध्यस्थः भवति। एतद् कारणात् भारतेन सम्पूर्णविश्वं वशीकृत्य सः शान्तिदूतस्य भूमिकां निर्वहति। अतः अहं मन्ये, स्नेहेन सर्वे वशाः। परन्तु  अहं विषयस्य द्वितीयं पक्षम् अपि वक्तुम् इच्छामि। यदि 'स्नेहेन सर्वे वशाः ' इति शक्यं तर्हि कुरुक्षेत्रे युद्धं न जातम् स्यात्। रावणवधस्य कर्तव्यम् एव पुरा न भूतं , कस्या अपि स्त्रीणां शोषणं न जातं स्यात्। न्यायालयं गत्वा  न्यायभिक्षायाः आवश्यकता न समुद्भूता। कौटिल्यः अपि उक्तवान् 'शत्रोः मित्रम्, शत्रुः एव ज्ञातव्यम्, तस्य नाशः करणीयः' । अतः एव अपि सत्यं स्नेहेन सर्वे वशाः?

          यथा संस्कृतसुभाषिते उक्तम् , 

बन्धनानि किल सन्ति बहूनि प्रेमरज्जुमयबन्धनमाहुः । दारुभेदनिपुणोऽपि षडङ्घ्रिः निष्क्रियो भवति पङ्कजकोशे ।।

एतस्य सुभाषितस्याधारेण चिन्त्यते, तर्हि  'स्नेहेन सर्वे वाशाः ' एतद् सत्यमेव।

-तन्वी चितळे

Stories, Statistics and People

Indubitably, data is the most valuable thing in the world. It can establish or demolish economies, flourish or cause catastrophes, as it's ubiquitous around us, from testing vaccines to funding political campaigns. Undeniably, information accompanies misinformation, and with insights comes distortions. Each data point is a part of statistics, which is just a mere number. Statistics are just raw facts, which are uninteresting until storytelling and visualization bring life into those raw statistical facts. This enhances the message that the statistics try to convey. If the context and crux of the matter are provided pellucidly to society and are received very well by the common people, it proves to be a game changer for society. 

I wonder, if stories, statistics, and society are interconnected.Stories are the things we listen to and visualize; statistics is the collection, analysis, and interpretation of factual data; and society is the community of the people around us. These three things are pivotal when we see changes that have taken place from the previous period to the current era. All we need to do is think and wonder why and what these things actually are and how they influence the overall structure of our outlook towards various things around us. 

Today, data and society are like a double-edged sword. We have seen multiple times that a certain advertisement of a particular brand claims that its product is preferable so much so that 90% of people prefer their brand to that of others. Some toothpaste brands state that 8/10 people prefer their brand. But how many of us have asked what the sample of the people was—was it 100 or 10,000? When we consider these numbers, the story changes significantly. Same goes for political campaigns where cherry-picked statistics are shown with some pedantic data to deceive people and obscure the reality. It's then we realize that we're in jeopardy because of the lack of transparency in those campaigns, which will affect our daily lives from buying groceries to commute expenses. Therefore, it's high time to recognize the importance of data literacy. In his TED talk, Hans Rosling explains how the data is just raw facts, but when statistics, content, context, and appropriate data visualization are applied, it tells a story and gives clarity about the society. When data enters, it's not just numbers; it's also about correct explanation with appropriate interpretation, keeping in mind the full picture. We are human beings, social creatures, and throughout history we have found mediums to convey our thoughts and express ourselves. Stories are one of those mediums. We tend to remember the stories more than the statistics because it's entertaining, but what about facts? When we talk about data and reliability, we trust the statistics and not the stories because statistics are factual and stories are not. Surveys provide facts, but they are a result of societal input, and it's the people who share their opinions and views, which then leads to the realistic crux of the matter and conclusion. 

Stories and statistics are in a symbiotic relationship; both are interdependent for mutual benefit. There are misleading statistics used by the media, like a poverty line may look like there has been a significant decline in poverty, but there are many factors to keep in mind like inflation, recession, bank crisis, etc. Certain media companies only show selective data, which is misleading. So, to detect those misleading graphs, we must see the full picture, look at the labels, scale, and context. It's essential to be data literate, as it affects everything around us, from our personal choices to government policies. If we understand data and can correctly understand its message, only then will we be a data-literate society.

-Yajurved Patil

"नीट" चा निकाल नीटनेटका ?

तारीख ४ जून,२०२४ - भारताचं पुढील ५ वर्षाच्या भविष्याचे चित्र उभं राहील, जेव्हा लोकसभेच्या निवडणूकीचा निकाल लागला. पण त्याच दिवशी लाखो विद्यार्थ्यांचं भविष्य अंधारात हरवलं, जेव्हा त्यांचा एक अनपेक्षित NEET UG परिक्षेचा निकाल लागला. हा. निकाल अनपेक्षितच होता. म्हणजे ज्या परीक्षेला कधीतरी पैकीच्या पैकी मार्क मिळवणारी मुलं असायची, तिथे ह्या वर्षी चक्क एक-दोन नव्हे, तर 67 मुलांना पैकीच्या पैकीच गुण मिळाले. एकाच परिक्षा केंद्रांत 6 विद्यार्थ्यांना पैकीच्या पैकी गुण, काही मुल उशिरा पोहोचली म्हणून त्यांना ग्रेस मार्क्स देणं, बिहार पेपर चोरीची घटना घडणं, सगळंच अगदी अनपेक्षित, आश्चर्यकारक !!

त्यानंतर काही विद्यार्थी सुप्रीम कोर्टात गेले, २५ हुन अधिक लोकांना पकडण्यात आलं, आपल्या राष्ट्रपतींनी त्यांच्या भाषणात ह्या घोटाळ्याचा उल्लेख केला, पण काही फरक पडलेला दिसत नाही.  दोन आठवड्यांपूर्वी प्राध्यापक पदासाठी घेण्या घेण्यात येणारी NET परीक्षा पेपर झाल्या नंतर त्याच्यात सुद्धा अनियमितता आढळून आली म्हणून रद्द करण्यात आली. त्यानंतर घेण्यात येणारी NEET PG परिक्षा सुद्धा रद्द केली, ती पण परिक्षेला २४ तास पण राहिले नसताना. ह्या सगळ्या परीक्षा होतात  National Testing Agency (NTA) या सरकारी संस्थेच्या देखरेखी खाली. हा प्रकार काही पहिल्यांदा घडत नाहीये. मागच्या ७ वर्षात पेपरफुटीची ७० प्रकरणं झाली आहेत, ज्या मध्ये १.७  कोटीहून जास्ती युवकांचं भविष्य असंच अंधारात हरवलं आहे. 

ह्या सगळ्याचा त्रास होतोय तो त्या मेहनती आणि योग्य विद्यार्थ्यांना, जे आपले कित्येक महिने, वर्ष घालवतात, त्यांची स्वप्ने पूर्ण करायला,  पण पदरी येते, ती निराशाच. चूक त्यांची नाहिये, मेहनत घेण्यात ते कुठेही कमी पडले नाहिये, चूक आहे ती ह्या व्यवस्थेची, जी पैसे खाऊन बसली आहे. ह्या सगळ्या व्यवस्थेचा जर सगळ्यात जास्ती कोणाला फायदा होतो, तर ते परिक्षांसाठीचं कोचिंग क्लासेसचे व्यावसायिक,  जे ह्याच मुलांच्या पालकांकडून अमाप पैसे घेतात. हे अक्षरशः एक मार्केट झालं आहे जिथे यशाचं आमिष दाखवून मुलांना आणि त्यांच्या पालकांना आकर्षित केलं जातं, स्वतःच्या 'कंपनी' कडे.  हे पालक आणि मुलं या क्लासेस कडे आकर्षित होतात, ते वाढलेल्या स्पर्धेमुळे. मुलांना शाळेत असल्या पासूनच अमूक कोचिंग तमुक क्लास लावले जातात, बऱ्याच वेळेला त्या मुलांची इच्छा नसताना सुद्धा त्या मुलांना बऱ्याच वेळेला माहीत सुद्धा नसतं, की त्यांना काय करायचय, काय बनायचय, पण ह्या वाढलेल्या स्पर्धमुळे त्यांना बळजबरीने ह्या परीक्षांच्या फेऱ्यात ढकललं जातं. आणि मग ह्याचा फायदा उचलतात हे कोचिंग क्लासेस, जे ह्या परिक्षांचा, आणि पर्यायाने शिक्षणाचा बाजार मांडतात. दरवर्षी लाखो विद्यार्थी ह्या परिक्षा देतात,पण सीट, काही हजारच असतात. मग प्रवेश मिळण्याच्या भीती पोटी हे पालक आणि मुलं फसतात ह्या कोचिंग क्लासेस च्या 'गॅरंटिड सक्सेस' च्या आमिषा मध्ये. कोटा सारखी शहरं फॅक्टरी बनले आहेत, जिथे विद्यार्थ्यांमधील गुण न हेरता, त्यांचं एखाद्या असेंब्ली लाइन वर मास प्रोडक्शन चालू आहे,  त्यांना डॉक्टर आणि इंजिनियर बनवण्यासाठी.

मग ह्या स्पर्धेच्या जगात जर एखाधा परिक्षेत अपयश आलं; तर त्या अपयशाच्या भीतीने आत्महत्या करणाऱ्यांचं प्रमाण वाढत आहे. आता तर ह्या वाढलेल्या स्पर्धेचा ताण अगदी शाळकरी मुलांवर दिसायला लागलाय. म्हणूनच की काय आपल्या सरकारने शालेय विद्यार्थ्यांचं ओझ कमी करण्यासाठी सगळे विषय एकाच पुस्तकात समाविष्ट केले आहेत, ज्याने करून त्यांची दप्तरं हलकी होतील. पण त्याने त्यांच्या मनावरचा ताण आणि भीती कमी होणार आहे का? ते आपल्याला मोजता यायचं नाही, कारण, जसं थ्री इंडियटस् मधला रँचो म्हणतो तसं, दुदैवाने मेंदुवरचं प्रेशर मोजण्याचं यंत्र आपल्याला बनवता आलेलं नाही. बालपण, हे निरागसतेचं प्रतिक असतं, आणि बालपणाचा सर्वात महत्वाचा घटक म्हणजे शाळा. पण आता मात्र याच निरागस मुलांची शाळा ही शिक्षणातल्या गैरप्रकारांची बाराखडी गिरवते आहे. मुलांच विकास करण्याऐवजी ह्या शाळा, ज्यांना राजकारण्यांनी, व्यवसायिकांनी फक्त त्यांच्या उत्पन्नाचं स्त्रोत बनवून ठेवलय, शाळेच नाव मोठं करण्यावर लक्ष देतात, आणि त्यासाठी ते चुकीच्या पद्धतींचा वापर करत आहेत. पैसे घेऊन मुलांना पास करणं, पबलिसिठी साठी बोर्डाच्या परिक्ष मध्ये गैरप्रकार असतील, आणि अजून किती तरी, ज्याची आपल्याला कल्पना सुध्दा नसेल. दुसऱ्या बाजूला, काही शाळा मुलांकडे बिलकुल लक्ष देत नाहीत त्यांना अक्षरशः वाऱ्यावर सोडून देतात.  मुलांना काय करावं, कसं करावं काहीच समजत नाही. आणि ह्या अश्या दोन्ही वातावरणांमध्ये वाढलेली मुलं बऱ्याच वेळा पुढे जाऊन ह्या घोटाळ्यांमध्ये, गैरप्रकारां मध्ये सामील होतात किंवा त्याला बळी पडतात.

विद्यार्थ्यांसाठी प्रतिकूल अश्या ह्या वातावरणामध्ये जेव्हा हे असे घोटाळे घडतील, तेव्हा ह्या सगळ्यांतून वाट काढणाऱ्या त्या मेहनती मुलांनी काय करायचं? आणि NEET सारख्या परिक्षा, ज्या ह्या देशाचे डॉक्टर घडवतात, त्यात जर असे घोटाळे झाले, तर हे देशाची आरोग्यव्यवस्था पोकळ नाही का करणार? येणाऱ्या काळात अश्या परिक्षांमध्ये पेपरफुटी, घोटाळे ह्यांचं प्रमाण कमी करण्यासाठी कडक कायदे व त्यांची काटेकोर अंमलबजावणी केली पाहिजे. असं नाही झालं, तर ह्या येणाऱ्या अपयशामुळे वाढणाऱ्या नैराश्याला आणि आत्महत्यांना जबाबदार कोण? ही व्यव्यवस्था, हे कोचिंग क्लासेस की ही स्पर्धा?

-Ashmit Gupte 

How do Psychological and Economic Factors Influence Consumption and Affect Saving Habits?

Keynes's psychological law of consumption states that "the income increase into the economy definitely increases consumption, which is why consumption is a function of income, but the law also says that as income increases, consumption increases, but at a slower rate than income", It means our consumption is influenced by our income, but do you know that other things also influence our consumption?

As we know,  For driving economic growth,consumption is a fundamental aspect of human life. Consumption refers to the use or expenditure of goods and services by households, individuals, and organizations to satisfy their economic, social, and psychological needs and wants. But have you ever wondered why we consume the things we do? Consumption is based on need or is influenced by other factors like psychology, marketing, policy, etc.? Can consumption affect saving habits?

Let's explore the answers to such questions.

The most important factor behind consumption is psychological factors . Consumer's psychology prominently influences their consumption. Psychological factors such as addiction, habit, social norms, peer pressure, mood, emotions, social environment and self-esteem etc. For incidence, diamonds are not essential for life but to enhance self-image or to maintain social identity or status, consumers may purchase the product.  When we see a shopping mall, we do some shopping  it means our physical and social surroundings influence consumption. Social media is influencing our consumption patterns nowadays. Also positive or negative feelings towards the product or service. Framing effects means presentation of economic information (e.g., prices, discounts) can influence consumer perceptions. The economic aspect is a key factor in consumption. Limitation of resources or products can increase desire and perceived value. The price of a product affects the consumption of consumers; price changes affect consumer behavior, including substitution and demand elasticity; switching to an alternative due to a price change. Tactics is market strategy which significantly influences consumption is, Advertising- shapes perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs about products. Branding- creates emotional connections and loyalty. Visual marketing- uses images and videos to evoke emotions and attention. Customer reviews- leveraging social proof and credibility. Free Trial: offering a free trial or sample.

Companies are leveraging this psychology to increase consumption, using various tactics to encourage consumption such as scarcity tactics: create a sense of urgency by offering limited-time offers, exclusive deals, and countdown timers. Creates artificial needs and desires. Companies giving convenience to consumers by offering easy payment options, subscription services, and one-click purchases lead to an increase in consumption. An increase in consumption is significantly affecting saving habits. Reduction in savings rates, less money being saved due to impulse purchases and overspending. Unnecessary consumption focuses on immediate gratification and neglects the  long-term savings goals. Inadequate savings lead to reduced retirement funds and financial insecurity. Overspending and debt leads to financial stress, making it harder to save.

Combination of psychological and economic factors, consumption behavior is influenced  and  unnecessary consumption which affects saving habits. Prioritizing expenditure and avoiding unnecessary consumption leads to an increase in savings habits. Individuals, businesses, and society as a whole can make informed decisions by knowing the psychological and economic tactics behind consumption.

-Shruti Shinde

Juggling between Practicality and Imagination

Steve Jobs says, “With your imagination, you can change the world.” Psychology divides the mind into two areas: the conscious and subconscious mind. The conscious mind is responsible for analyzing, thinking, making plans, and short-term memory. Whereas the subconscious mind goes beyond learning new skills, It involves processing information and affects our every thought. We make decisions based on our learning from past experiences. Our opinions are influenced by biases, emotions, reasons, and memories. We measure the benefits and costs of our choices and cope with the consequences. Thus, decision-making involves a mix of intuition and rational thinking.

We humans keep juggling between the worlds of practicality and imagination. Our imaginative abilities underpin our creative ideas. Rarely, does the world within us align with the outer world. Whenever struck with a problem, we tend to analyze it at our level. Practicality is largely in the domain of decisions and behavior. In contrast, imagination is in the domain of thought and speculation. When we think of creativity, we seek ideas that are outside the box, but at times it is beneficial to have practical solutions that can be efficiently implemented. Doesn’t it limit the range within which we function? 

Must we think that an artist has to rely only on imagination? Can it be said that when you look at an investor, all she needs are theories and data? These two things will not take them anywhere. Consequently, artists should perceive their work practically, just as investors may act on hunches at times. Hence, these two forces are not necessarily at odds. When balanced correctly, they can complement each other.

Creativity is to find unique solutions to our problems and break the conventional outlook. Today’s fast-paced world needs creative minds to run it. As it drives innovation and progress. But without practicality, these creative ideas would remain mere concepts. We need practical approaches to execute them at ground level. The struggle lies in finding the perfect balance between the two, with them being the two sides of the same coin. The challenge comes in trying to combine these two, which are synonymous terms. Entirely focusing on creativity can lead to unrealistic and unattainable goals, subsequently wasting resources and time. Conversely, an overemphasis on practicality can limit potential breakthroughs that drive progress.

Consider, for example, the process of scientific discovery. Practicality guides researchers to carefully design experiments, collect data, and draw conclusions based on empirical evidence. Yet, it is imagination that sparks the initial hypothesis, that dares to question the status quo, and that leads scientists down uncharted paths of exploration. In this way, practicality and imagination work hand in hand, each lending its strengths to the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.

Rather than trying to make a business idea fit the market, it should leave room for innovation by considering the needs of the market. Profitability can be achieved while ensuring that the industry is influenced in a sustainable manner. So, let your imagination run wild, anchored within realism. Practicality and imagination are connected by a fine line. One boosts the progress of another or halts the growth entirely. A person should recognize that reality is the foremost truth and that it is essential to live actively in today's world. It helps you make planned decisions and saves you from regretful decisions. However, a touch of imagination in making your decision a success is important.

The dynamic balance between practicality and imagination is a key part of being human. It helps us navigate life's challenges, chase our dreams, and influence the world. Embracing both practicality and imagination allows us to overcome obstacles, tap into our creativity, and move towards a better tomorrow.

- Dipti Rathod

From A Seed To A Dandelion : How a student's personality is shaped by staying away from home!

Students' lives are like the seeds of a dandelion, released from the flower head and carried away by the wind, where they leave their comfort zone and, by fighting various difficulties, create their colony in an unknown area. Unfortunately, everyone praises the beauty, but no one points out the struggle the seeds have faced to be pretty. Likewise, the success of the students is seen, but not their struggle during their studies. The students adapt to various changes in the new place; they also adopt different habits during their whole journey as students, which ultimately influence their personalities. Students leave their homes for new, well-educational opportunities. Here the phase arises where either the Dandelion seeds turn out into a beautiful plant or fail to germinate. 

As students shift to new places, they learn to break their comfort zone and to balance their budget with the allocated money. They learn how to maintain cleanliness and how to cook. Thus, the development of the trait of conscientiousness takes place. They learn how to deal with this huge crowd. Leading to an increase in the traits called openness to experience, agreeableness, and extraversion. Here, not only girls but boys too learn the things that they have never done in their home, like cleaning, cooking, etc. The development of these traits enhances the personalities of students. Which further helps them have a better future. To get well-adjusted in the crowd, the students develop adaptability and resilience. Further, they study hard by creating a favorable atmosphere to study in, like by joining a reading room, studying in fresh air in gardens, group study, etc. Thus, the dandelion seeds are successfully converted into dandelion plants.

Due to various problems like predation, herbivory, and human activities, the dandelion plant fails to germinate. Likewise, there are different problems faced by students as they shift to new places. Mostly, the problem of inferiority is seen because now they have to stay around those students who have obtained more achievements; some of them have achievements at state, national, and international levels. They have to face native students who have proper exposure to this big city crowd. Another major problem is nutrition. Such as weight loss, poor dietary choices, food insecurity, obesity, overweight, etc. Problems like lack of emotional support, homesickness, the burden of financial problems, loneliness, and feeling the pressure of a career are very prominent. Additionally, students living abroad for studies face problems like discrimination and racism. It has been seen that students who experience discrimination exhibit system justification theory. For example, here he or she rationalizes the reason for discrimination, like the student will believe that he or she faces racism because of the ugly black tone. Housing and living arrangements abroad, social integration, financial planning, academic pressure, language barriers, cultural adjustment, etc. are some other problems. Some students tackle this problem in different ways, and ideas, on the other hand, fail to germinate.

A survey conducted between February and April 2021, published by NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information), to investigate the challenges faced by university students studying away from their hometowns ( It was conducted in Saudi Arabia and Ethically approved by Majmaah University’s ethics committee.) shows different aspects affecting students living outside their hometowns, especially those involving financial, nutritional, social, and psychological aspects. Financially, it showed that 124 (57.9%) of participants were negatively affected. In the case of nutrition, it was found that 85 (39.7%) increased in weight and 70 (32.7%) decreased, whereas 59 (27.6%) did not notice any change. The effect of financial concerns was found to be prominent among students living in single apartments alone (73, 70.9%) and along with friends (30, 69.8%), but not as much among those living with their family. However, there was no prominent difference between weight and academic performance. The majority of those who lived alone or with friends noticed a decrease in weight. (42.7% and 48.8%, respectively). Those who lived further away from college significantly experienced a decrease in weight as compared to those who lived closer to college. 58.7% of those living more than 300 km experienced a decrease in weight.

Students living alone or further away are experiencing higher levels of homesickness. However, there was no significant relationship between homesickness and academic performance. The survey highlights the intensity of various problems and the need to find ways to fix them. There are different ways to tackle such problems, and one of them is self-care. Here, self-care activities are prioritized, such as getting adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and practicing relaxation techniques, which can build resilience and help cope with stressors. Relaxation techniques include deep breathing, which involves techniques like diaphragmatic breathing. Another relaxation technique is progressive muscle relaxation, which involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups in the body, moving from one group to another. Guided imagery, yoga and Tai Chi, and mindfulness meditation are some effective techniques. Another effective way is acceptance. It allows individuals to stop being useless and try to control or avoid the stressor. Cognitive reframing is also a way to gain resilience. This involves challenging negative thinking or focusing on personal strengths and resources. Distraction is when engaging in activities or one's hobbies diverts attention away from the stressor. This may help individuals temporarily reduce their distress. 

Problem-solving, seeking social support, exercising, going to the gym, etc. are some other ways. These contribute to resilience, gaining confidence, and improving adaptability. Engagement in such different techniques contributes to the reduction of stress, enhancing various positive traits while reducing the negative ones. It is not necessary that the students living away from home only follow these practices; one can simply perform them to have good physical and mental health. Thus, staying away from home can influence the personality both positively and negatively. We just have to work through various practices to tackle these negative impacts and convert ourselves from a seed to a dandelion.

- Shravani Surve 

Lights, Camera; Emotion!

The slightly cool breeze of the air conditioning passes over your feet. You fold your hands and you find yourself in the most comfortable state. It is so dark that you can only see the eyes of the person sitting beside you. It's time, and you hear the soft music in the background. Slowly and steadily the surroundings start consuming you. You are right in the middle of the theatre and you realize that the film has already begun. 

Films are an evident part of a human's life. They not only impact that one person sitting in the audience but also play a role in shaping the mindset of society as a whole. While talking about the impact of films the National Library for Medicine states that – “The studies reveal the influence of films on people’s beliefs and opinions, stereotypes and attitudes. Movies can have a significant impact on gender and ethnic stereotypes change attitudes towards certain groups of people and cause newly formed opinions on various issues.” While in the opinion of some, a film has to have the sole purpose of entertainment, it must be considered that the impact a film has on human thinking patterns and behavior is also exceptional. 

In India, the film ‘Sholay’ was released in 1975. Even today there revolves an idea of explicit interest for the film around the country. Well, what makes the film so special? The cast, the music, or the ear-catching dialogues? The film added thrill to the living of the common man assuring the win of good over bad even while crossing the rules of the society. Sholay makes a huge difference giving instrumental value and thus a subconscious acceptance towards male friendships. While Sholay acquires a special place in the hearts of the viewer, the effect of the film can not only affect how the viewer thinks but also how he interprets, perceives, and understands the surrounding world.

The ’90s saw a shift in movies considering themes that introduced women as the center of society. Films like Arth, Damini, Astitva, and the line of films that go till today – Pink, Thappad, English Vinglish, and Queen display the light of freedom women choose over the certain unwritten rules of patriarchy. The need for these films and the shift of attitudes of the audience towards the roles of women can be traced through the films. While it's evident that individual preferences shape media consumption, the relationship between these preferences and the psychological makeup of audiences has remained largely unexplored. Even if we consider the rise of usage of the word ‘patriarchy’ in society and the sudden movement of questioning the traditional meaning of the term we find the influence of the media as a viewer consumes. 

In a common understanding, it is often said that ‘Films are a mirror of Society’ but here we, unfortunately, fail to recognize the reciprocating nature of the relationship between films and society. A mirror does not own the capacity to think as it lacks the ability of a mind. However, when we try to consider a film as a painting, wherein the painter uses the strokes of a brush to present an opinion of his own there remains a space for the viewer to interpret the needful. We as an audience are given a chance to like or dislike the painting and thus also the painter is given the liberty to paint. Thus when we consider this perspective, the necessity of questioning films like ‘Adipurush’ and ‘Animal’ for the impact that they form as a whole feels right in place.

Even though films can be very little part of the overall experience of a man’s life, it can seen how much of a huge impact it can have on the viewer. Just give a thought to the feeling you have while walking out of the theatre. The rise and demise of emotions one feels in a specific situation can be an indirect influence of a movie a viewer is exposed to. Art is overwhelming to consume for an ordinary mind, where we regrettably underestimate the impact of films on our daily lives. We unconsciously get affected by the content we consume, wherein we need to consider how films play a crucial role.

- Maahi Gadgil