Yashoda - Girl Power! 👧

It is unfortunate that Yashoda was not released in theaters of my town. Yet the OTT release happened so quick! 😎

 

This is yet another movie on medical spam but with a female lead 💖! Evidently, it is on 'SURROGACY'. Of course, the subject of pregnancy, infertility and surrogacy cannot be told without a strong female character. Apparently, this concept has become popular across Tamil Nadu - Thanks to the star couple, Nayanthara & Vignesh Shivn. The release of the teaser and trailer of 'Yashoda' rightly coincided with this. 'Mimi' was one another (hit) movie on this idea. 

It is difficult to deal with this idea on-screen without being poignant. 'Mimi' rightly struck the chord and it moved audience emotionally. On contrary, 'Yashoda' is a thriller revolving around a strange concept attached to exploitation of surrogates. The movie does remind us of scenes from some past hero-centric movies, yet one cannot help but highly commend this making with Samantha in a heroic role.

It felt glad that someone could bring back the memories of 'Vijayashanthi' who was the only known action-heroine of those days! 😃 As the movie progressed, it felt good to show my daughter how brave a woman could be! 😍😘 Funny to admit, but yes, some scenes naturally made us say, 'come on gal', 'yes, hit him' kind of stuff while watching! 😅

P.S.: Come on, let's not get into logic side of the story which we do not care about when mass scenes are performed by male counterparts! 🙌

A reasonable dream of a social scient student!

It is not surprising to find most vice-chancellors of Tamil Nadu belonging to Science streams. Very rarely we find it otherwise. The reason is quite straight - Their profiles are truly richer than their social science counterparts for no fault of the latter.

 

Some main reasons include; 

Science faculty publications: 

• More number of articles are being published by science stream faculty because number of journals available is more when compared to their social science streams 
• Journals prefer publishing empirical research than opinionated, analytical, descriptive, content-oriented and articulated ones as being carried out by social scientists.
• The impact factor and h-index and similar credits are therefore easily scored by the faculty of science. 
• Science being "only factual", the takers and readers are readily and uniformly available across the world - not the case for social science. 
• The association between scholars are easier for the above reasons and therefore the network is far more visible and wider.

Funds and Projects:

    As the number of publications is more for science professors, it is quite natural that they are more likely to receive funds and get approved of their projects with good flow of funds. 

Number of research scholars:

    With a good number of projects and continuous flow of funds in the hands of a guide, there is likely to be a continuous inward and outward movement of scholars thereby enriching the guide's resume with more number of scholars awarded Ph.D.  

Patents: 

How is this ever possible for a social scientist!!!!! 

 

Above these, there is always a stereotypical perspective that science departments, faculty members and students are superior. Unfortunately the fact is that the labs of science faculty are confined to walls and are kept in control by them by all means; whereas the whole society turns out to be the lab for social scientists. The latter is responsible for running governments across. Nothing can exist without an economist and a political scientist, to say the least.

In order to have better respect in the society, it has to start from higher educational institutions. A visionary from social science department in the top post could bring this change that would bring respect along. Not only respect, but also a hope to expand research, to apply theories real-time and to prove that they are in no way inferior to the "science" stream faculties. This change is much needed. Though this pattern is common in other parts of India and the world, it seems to be far fetched dream here.

Broker & Brokerage - Undesired Terms

As a student, one gets familiarized with the term "Broker" & "Brokerage" with the help of Mathematics teacher. Not many would like the subject as it involves a lot of understanding of the questions - most of them tend to be tricky - and quite a number of calculation. It is surprising to know that those terms become an inevitable part of our lives as we move to adulthood. Yet, Just like any other mathematical subject, very few teach the real life application of Broker & Brokerage. This leaves us blind while handing them for real.

The role of brokers gets different shape year after year and their role-strength increases proportionately. Brokers were predominantly seen in financial transaction in older days such as stock markets - due to lesser knowledge in the field, purchase of property and renting out a house. Nowadays, their roles have expanded - but not limited - to fixing marriages, admission in educational institutions and/or guaranteeing jobs - primarily in government and booking of tickets. 

As this get diversified, their presence is everywhere leaving oneself with no choice but to deal with them on routine basis. The everyday association with brokers is largely affecting the respect this job is supposed to hold as the true colors become obvious.

According to Oxford dictionary, definition of 'broker' is 'a person who buys and sells things for other people' and 'brokerage' is defined as 'an amount of money charged by a broker for a work that she/he does.' Sticking to this definition, one can easily make out that a broker is a person who has to make the job easier for both the seller and buyer and she/he is expected to play the role of a mediator. Similarly, brokerage is paid for the broker by both parties that are benefited out of this process. 

Who/What fixes this pay? Depending on the type of transaction, it could be a flat amount, a percentage of the transaction, or a combination of both. This get fixed at the time of process initiation - independently by the buyer and seller - in case of purchase or sale or the mediator in case of matters such as mutual funds and stock markets.

All these sound fair. So what goes wrong in this whole thing? Except for the professional brokers who are licensed by various bodies and stick to transparent financial transaction, the rest are off the track with no professional commitment. Invariably this is the case from the one that transacts the least to the one that does huge with political and economic background. If you happen to be a layperson, any single encounter with a broker in the neighbourhood is likely to drag you to a state of frustration and depression. The reasons include lack of transparency, manipulative talks and unfair promises. Unless sharp enough to understand the brokers' minds and read between their lines, you are trapped. And eventually lose your peace of mind. These might sound a little overboard for some. I insist you to get into a real conversation with a broker and realize it for yourself why the term 'broker' is not used in good sense in many places! 

Brokerage is not just another area of study but one with huge practical application. As we have lesser time to explore for oneself, lesser knowledge on where or what we are likely to plunge into and any hasty desire end up in trusting a broker who may or may not be reliant and trustworthy. 

The study of brokers and brokerage is a life lesson to be taught to everyone.

P.S.: if you are wondering if this post is a result of personal experience, of course, yes! Does not matter. Take it as a warning and stay alert!! 😊

Rain Play

Rain, tea and music are known to be the right combination for anyone to spend a good "me" time. And most of us love describing how nice it would be to play while it rains - thanks to romantic movies! "Us amidst pouring"" is something all of us would have imagined in some point in time. Yet very few would have really lived the moment.

 

This being the rainy season, it makes me think who really enjoys rain the most: May be Kids. Not sure, though.

There are many beautiful things attached to rain for all of us.

Pouring of water from nowhere💧

The amazing sound it brings out 😎

The earthy smell 😇

likely chances to get a day off from school 😄

The chance to remain cuddled in closed doors 💞 

power cut allowing to remain off our routing works 😉

Above these, every child (and the child in us) loves to play in rain. Ask them today, she or he would say a loud "Yes".

But are children really allowed to do so? Except for some unique species of parents, most of us give a firm "NO". The reason is common. The child might fall sick. This reason goes on till they finish their schooling because we are frightened primarily about our child's health. For parents of children in higher classes, its eventual impact on their performance in school.

Once we become adults, the desire to enjoy rain in literal sense slowly fades down as we tend to see it as an irresponsible act given our everyday duties and responsibilities. An adult is not allowed to fall sick or avail a sick leave by 'acting kiddish'. Come on, as kids we weren't allowed!!!

As we grow older, rain becomes a "undesired event" as it hinders household chores like drying clothes, shopping and reaching out to workplaces. Rain plays little role in our grandma and grandpa's lives.

There is only one phase in our whole life where we leave our inhibitions a little behind to enjoy rain - one's college days. Either with our friends or our partners. Yet, the society (including some friends & partners themselves) looks at it as "something odd" or goes to condemning sometimes.

Rain holds a very minimal romantic or fun or happy space in our real lives unlike movie portrayals and "rain play" always is an uncanny subject to our society!😕

காக்கா ஸ்கூல்

பள்ளிப் படிப்பை தாண்டாதவர்கள் என்பதாலும், 90களின் தனியார்மையமாக்கல் கொள்கையினை எதிர்கொண்ட முதல் தலைமுறை என்பதாலும், தன் பிள்ளைகள் ஆங்கிலம் சரளமாக பேச வேண்டும் என்ற பேரா(ஆ)சையினாலும், சுற்றத்தாரின் அழுத்ததினாலும் (இது குறைவே), எனது பெற்றோர்கள் எங்களை தனியார் ஆங்கில (கிருத்துவ) பள்ளி ஒன்றில் சேர்த்தனர். பள்ளிக்கு மிதிவண்டியிலும், பள்ளி பேருந்திலும் சென்று வந்தோம். ஆனால் இப்பதிவு என் பள்ளி பற்றியதல்ல. நான் பள்ளி சென்ற வழியில் வேறு ஒரு பள்ளி இருந்தது. அதன் பெயர்  "காக்கா ஸ்கூல்."

 

சிறியவர்கள் முதல் பெரியவர்கள் வரை அப்பள்ளியை அவ்வாறே அழைத்தனர். அவ்வளவு ஏன், அப்பள்ளியில் பயிலுபவர்களிடம் "எங்க படிக்கற" என்று கேட்டால், "காக்கா ஸ்கூல்ல" என்றே சொல்வார்கள். இருபாலர் பயின்ற பள்ளி. பெரிய மைதானம் உண்டு. பெரிய பெரிய மரங்கள் சூழ்ந்த நிழல் பரந்த வளாகம். மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் அலுவலத்திற்கு அருகாமையில் இருந்தது. நியாய விலைக்கடைக்கு எதிரே. வீட்டு வசதி வாரிய குடியிருப்புகளின் மத்தியில். வாக்கு செலுத்தும் மையமாகவும், வாக்கு எண்ணும் மையமாகவும் செயல்படும். தடுப்பூசி செலுத்தப்படும். இவ்வாறு முக்கியமான இடத்தில் அமைந்து, பல ரகங்களில் பணிகளால் சூழப்பட்டு எப்போதும் துடிப்புடனே இருப்பது சாலையில் புதிதாக செல்பவர்களுக்குக்கூட விளங்கும். மரங்கள் நிறைய இருந்ததால் நிறைய காகங்களும் இருக்கும். ஆனால் அப்பள்ளி "காக்கா ஸ்கூல்" என்று அழைக்கப்பட்டதற்கு காரணம் வேறு.

நூற்றுக்கணக்கான குழந்தைகள், மாணவர்கள் பயின்று வந்த அப்பள்ளியில் எந்த நேரமும் அவர்களின் சத்தம் - பாடங்களை கூட்டாக படிக்கும் பழக்கம் மற்றும் சுதந்திரமாக விளையாடுவது - இருந்து கொண்டே இருக்கும். அதை விட அதிகமாக  மாலையில் பள்ளிவிடும் வேளையில் அத்தனை பிள்ளைகளும் 'ஓ' என்ற பெருஞ்சத்தத்துடன் கலைந்து செல்வார்கள். இவ்விரு காரணங்களே அப்பள்ளி 'காக்கா ஸ்கூல்' என்று அழைக்கப்பட்டதற்கு காரணம் என சொல்லிக் கேட்டதுண்டு. 

 

 

நானும் அப்பள்ளியை அவ்வாறே அழைப்பேன். அப்பள்ளியின் பெயர் தெரியாது, தெரிந்து கொள்ள முயற்சிக்கவும் இல்லை. யாரும் என்னை திருத்தவும் இல்லை. அப்பள்ளியை தாண்டும் போது ஒவ்வொரு முறையும் ஒரு கர்வம் தோன்றியதுண்டு. நான் உயர்ந்த இடத்தில் படிப்பதாகவும், "காக்கா ஸ்கூல்" தாழ்ந்தது என்றும், அங்கு படிப்பவர்களை விட எனக்கு அதிகம் தெரியும் என்றும். இந்த எண்ணம் என்னுடன் படித்தவர்களுக்கு இருந்ததையும் நினைவுக்கூற முடிகிறது. 

குறிப்பிட்ட வயதினை தாண்டிய பிறகே அப்பள்ளியின் பெயர் "பஞ்சாயத்து யூனியன் பள்ளி" என தெரிந்து கொண்டேன். அதனை தொடர்ந்து அதிர்ஷ்ட்டவசமாக வயதுடன் சேர்ந்து கிடைக்கப்பெற்ற முதிர்ச்சியில் - புத்தகங்கள், தொடர்புகள், பயணங்கள் வழியாக - (அப்)பள்ளி தொடர்பான அறியாமையிலிருந்து கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சமாக விடுப்பட்டு வருகிறேன். எனினும் அன்று அறியாமையிலிருந்ததை இப்போது நினைவுக்கூறும் போது அவமானமாக உள்ளது. நிச்சயம் அப்பள்ளியில் பயின்ற நிறைய பேர் நல்ல பணியில் இருப்பார்கள். சமுதாயத்திற்கு ஒன்றுக்கு மேற்பட்ட வழியில் தங்களால் இயன்றதை செய்து கொண்டிருப்பார்கள். என்னைக் காட்டிலும் பல மடங்கு பயனுள்ள வாழ்க்கையை இந்தியாவின் அல்லது உலகின் ஏதோ ஒரு மூலையில் வாழ்ந்துக்கொண்டிருப்பார்கள்.

இந்த நினைவுகள் இப்போது தோன்ற காரணம், இந்த கல்வியாண்டில் எனது மகள் வீட்டின் அருகாமையில் உள்ள ஒரு "பஞ்சாயத்து யூனியன் தொடக்க பள்ளி"யில் முதலாம் வகுப்பில் சேர்ந்து பயின்று வருகிறாள். யாருக்கோ இது ஒரு "காக்கா ஸ்கூல்" என தோன்றலாம். பாவம், அவர்களுக்கும் என்னை போல பல வருடத்திற்கு பிறகு அந்த மாயை மறையலாம்.

 

PC: Google Images

Rocketry: My thoughts & takeaways!

A Biopic is not common in Tamil Cinema. So is a science film. And a FAMILY movie is equally  uncommon. As "Rocketry, The Nambi Effect" fits into all these categories, it has to be received well by the audience, no matter what. I would say, as a token of appreciation to the makers behind, do watch it with family. 

 

Our young kids might not understand a bit of it; adolescents may find it boring here and there; and adults will have to tune away from their regular mode to watch this genre. Yet, this movie will kindle thoughts in every age group in different forms. A kid might develop an interest in Science, an adolescent might choose a career in this path and an adult will have an altogether different takeaways (from family bonding to societal pressures to blind followers).

 And mine are here!!!

(Spoilers ahead. But since this movie is a biopic, these spoilers will not affect your watching experience in any way)

(1) The lead character 'Nambi Narayanan' persuades a senior, reputed Professor @ Princeton University to guide him through his Thesis. The persuasion technique is my point of discussion. In the movie, the student convinces the guide that he would take care of all his household chores and help with taking care of his ailing wife and in turn he insists that the guide shares his KNOWLEDGE and helps him complete his thesis. Now, what will happen if our contemporary research scholars and guides understand it superficially and justify their unethical (disgusting) patterns we see!!!! The whole scenario in the movie is distinct from our scholars doing chores to get their research done. There is no way one could compare these two. I hope/wish nobody does so!!!

(2) Except the terms 'solids' & 'liquids' I do not remember understanding any other technical terms used in the movie. That shows my standard of 'Physics' and the standard of my teachers. When one could learn Physics even while making an egg omlette, whose fault is that I never developed any curiosity to learn or question or doubt!!!! 

(3) Scholars across the world had this habit of writing to great achievers, authors and scientists to share their experience of reading their works, raising concerns and also to criticize. In turn, they did receive (humble) responses. This habit seems to be eroding away from our society and at least a handful of movie watchers might revive this.

 (4) Patriotism, sedition, anti-Indian, traitor and so on and on and on.... These words seem to be overrated to me. I have a serious doubt of what patriotism is and who a traitor is!!!! Overdose in usage of these words is putting many lives on line and is also ending up making many of us less tolerant, less rational and less empathetic. The intrusion of both old and new media is effortlessly provoking the already confused state of minds of people. This movie is an example of it, though the new media's role was absent then. That takes me to the next point that humans are/have always been easily prone to broadcasting negative messages with whatever mode of communication available. 

(5) I happened to watch this movie with hundreds of school children. Young among the lot revealed that they did not understand or it felt boring. Yet towards the climax the whole bunch applauded when good was victorious over the evil and it has to be celebrated! It was heartwarming. Yet, we forget to tell them that the we are collectively responsible for those 'evil' too!!!   

Time to grab tickets!  🍟

Changing face of Zoo

Most of us would have fond memories of visiting zoo with friends & family in our childhood days. It used to be a fun-filled day to go around the huge space, to get a glance of wild & ferocious animals in  close vicinity and we would carry back a ton of memories to ponder over in following days.

 

To keep pace with changing needs & times, the Aringar Anna Zoological Park, popularly known as Vandalur Zoo, takes several innovative steps. To start with, their website is updated and gives you all information you need. From booking tickets to avoid crowded counters to booking a ride inside, it makes our job easier and the website is thoroughly user-friendly.

Secondly, the live telecast 24*7 is really cool and we could make our children visit the application/website and see what their favorite animal does at the moment. Though it is not as thrilling as it would be to spot the animal in person, this is definitely engaging for children. This is called as Live Virtual Zoo! Do take a look if you haven't seen before!

Thirdly, the Zoo has several programmes to involve public and children. Some of those are Zoo School, Certificate programmes, Zoo club, in-house training and orientation. Yet, I find "Zoo Ambassador" programme to be the most attractive. Children get enrolled either in summer or winter camps and get hands-on experience of animals, ecosystem and exposure to expert knowledge. The same programme is free for government school children for one day. Importantly, there are many incentives & gifts given to the children who become ambassadors of Zoo. Parents may consider this programme during the next spell. 

 Lastly, the Zoo gives us an opportunity to contribute to the welfare of those Zoo animals by means of adoption! One can adopt any animal for any number of days based on our interest, liking and financial status. The need to look after these animals has grown post-Covid and by making a contribution to our ability could be our way of thanking those animals for entertaining us, to say the least! We could encourage our children to independently save in their piggy-bank every year and could make the contribution from their own hands. It might thrill them to learn the fact that they had fed an elephant or lion one day from their own pocket money!! 

 

There are other contests and events conducted regularly and visiting their website would give us those notifications. The role of Zoo has become more interactive and it's our turn to plunge in with our kids!