Rahul Dravid Sketch

Whenever I draw a sketch, I go defensive I say stuff like it is just my summer time pass time, I am not an expert or have enough experience. I take satisfaction in the fact that it looks similar to the subject I draw or at least looks like a human. (I draw just faces and upper body.)

But it is a time to move ahead. I did better on the cleanliness front. Some of my earlier sketches have lines visible. I drew this on a normal A4 sheet just like my earlier sketches. I would get myself proper drawing sheets soon. It is the first time i did my sign in s sketch.

Rahul Dravid is my favourite cricketer and I wanted to do this one well. I spent more than three hours on it. The face is stretched in the sides and I did the mistake of introducing 8B pencil too early in the process. It didn't have a proper form when I went for shading with 8B. J could have improved upon it if not for this mistake.

Okay, open for feedback.

IPL 2016 All Star XI

IPL 2016 All star team

Now that we are done with the 56 matches and have the four teams, Gujurat Lions, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the play offs, it is a good time to discuss who were the big performers in the 9th edition of IPL.

I have made my all star playing XI for this purpose. I restricted myself to only 4 foreign players as is the rule for any IPL team. I considered the players who were regular in the team, consistent with their performances and had an impact in their team's performance. This is my team:

1. Virat Kohli (RCB)
2.  David Warner (captain) (SRH)
3. AB De Villers (RCB)
4. KL Rahul (wk) (RCB)
5. Yusuf Pathan (KKR)
6. Krunal Pandiya (MI)
7. Andre Russel (KKR)
8. Chris Morrs (DD)
9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar(SRH)
10. Y Chahal (RCB)
11. Zaheer Khan (DD)

1. Virat Kohli

This was his tournament. His batting was mesmerizing. To score over 900 runs and 4 centuries in just 14 innings is outstanding, unheard of. He did this in T20 format which many regard as a lottery. You cannot expect to come every day and score, but this guy did just that innings after innings he came out and consistently got big runs. His fitness has been outstanding as well and has taken some great catches in the tournament.

2. David Warner

He has been a very consistent performer in IPL cricket and this was yet another great year. He is a match winner and got over 600 runs at a fantastic strike rate. He had an impact on Sunrisers' success in this season by his brilliant leadership as well. His work in the field is outstanding as well. He jumps like a rabbit in the field to take good catches and save runs.

3. AB de Villers

Not as consistent as the two mentioned before, but in the games he did do well, he had a huge impact. And when RCB needed to regain his form, he hit that brilliant 129*  an innings that gave momentum to his team. He is always a great fielder and has taken many safe and difficult catches this season as well.

4. KL Rahul

I like typing the name of a young Indian in the All star team. He deserves it completely. He has added a new dimension to his game; the power game,  fast scoring ability, the six-hitting ability. It was great to see him score consistently despite his batting position being dropped from opening to no4 whelooking  Gayle played. He played some outstanding shots and did a reasonable job with the gloves as well.

5. and 6. Yusuf Pathan and Krunal Pandiya 

Yusuf Pathan after having some below par seasons for KKR, finally had a good one, something KKR management would have been hoping. It was not just one or two innings this season but he was exceptional in the second half of the season when Uthappa and Gambhir lost some form.
Krunal Pandiya reminds you of young Yusuf Pathan. Similar story, his younger brother, a seam bowling all-rounder came to the limelight before him. And it was IPL that helped him gain attention. And K Pandiya has been the find of this IPL. His hitting is fearless and bowling has some control. He is perhaps the all-rounder India has been looking for.

7. and 8. Andre Russel and Chris Morris

Russel is my favourite all rounder from the West Indies. He has got quality. He bowls at 140+ km/hr and can hit really clean sixes. It was unfortunate that he got injured. But still he did enough to occupy the key no7 position in my team.
Chris Morris had a great season. He was the star for Delhi. His bowling has been outstanding. He has bowled with pace, great lengths, bowled the best yorkers in the tournament and the six hitting ability he showed in the 17 ball 50 he hit was just amazing. He did well in the field as well.

9.  Bhuvneshwar Kumar

I like his attitude and determination. He knew that he needed some pace to be successful at the big stage and he has made a constant effort to improve in this regard and has been successful this season. He often got a wicket in his first over and bowled some very consistent opening spells. He did quite well coming late into the innings and has bowled decent yorkers. I hope he gets back to all formats for India because he really has got some great ability with both ball and bat.

10. Y Chahal

Not a great season for spinners, but a few leg spinners including Amit Mishra and Zampa did well. Y Chahal bowled well right through and got into a great wicket taking form at the end of the season. He can spin the bowl, he does give it a little bit of air and has got variations. I would like to see him in the Indian team soon.

11. Zaheer Khan (DD) 

He had a good season after a bad start to it. I saw even Kohli misjudge the slower ball angling away from him. He was good, used his skills and experience. He did well captaining a young team, a job he has not been assigned much
...

Special mentions from oversea players 

Q de Kock (DD)
He missed a couple of games, had a few single digit scores, had bad luck with unoiring decisions, but scored runs and looked good at other times. He is so talented and sorted at 23. He is going to be a great cricketer.

Muztafizur Rahman (SRH)
He is going to be a great bowler. He has been unplayable at times. He is a thinking bowler. 

Adam Zampa (RPS)
His 6 wicket haul was outstanding. He is a real find for Australia as far as soon bowling talent us concerned. He bowling action reminds you of Shane Warne and that is a good start.

Special mentions from India

Karun Nair (DD)
I loved watching his shots and after Kohli, he was perhaps the most good looking batsman to the eye. Just missed the line-up. 

Amit Mishra (DD)
Just missed the team again. He bowled well consistently. The great thing about him that he is always attacking the batsman, bowls a perfect googly, bows it wide when the batsman is going after him.

Ajinkya Rahane (RPS)
He is always good to watch and played some very good looking innings for his team. But RPS didn't have the batting talent to support him. Too bad Kevin Pieterson and Steve Smith did not play all games.

Sandeep Sharma (KXIP)
Sandeep who has been regular and consistent just missed it to Zaheer Khan.  Line and length bowler, who bowls well with the new ball and coming in the death overs.

Murali Vijay (KXIP)

Talk about captains doing well. Since the time he was given the captaincy, he scored consistent runs for his team.
..

Can you beat my All Star 11?

Kohli and Warner as openers.
Abd and Kl Rahul, solid in the middle.
Yusuf and K Pandiya as hitters. Can bowl off soon and slow left arm orthodox.
Russel and Morris, more hitting. And bowls 140 km/hr with the ball. 
B, Kumar and Zack, right arm medium and left arm medium as opening bowlers.
Y Chahal as the leggie.

Event review- Poetry and the past

Event name: Poetry and the past
Organised by: Youth for heritage foundation
Venue: Gulmohar Hall, India habitat centre
Speaker: Saumya Kulusheshtra
Date: 21 May 2016

India habitat centre is a place to be for activities related to art and culture. The atmosphere is very promising to discuss creative thoughts that need stimulus to come into form. Youth for heritage foundation, a unique, unassuming and dedicated group of people, held another successful talk that provided rich knowledge of culture and heritage. The lecture was titled 'Poetry and the past' and having attended a lecture last year on 'the historic poets of Delhi' by young and talented poet Yaseen Anwar, I knew this one would be just as great.

Vikramjeet Singh Rooprai clarified the key difference between history and heritage at the very beginning. History is what has happened and heritage is what is left of it. We need to focus on the latter because that has more utility and hence it is the more sensible thing to do

Saumya Kulusheshtra began her lecture on the same lines, emphasising the purpose of this talk in the need to know two important things: what poetry is and from where has poetry come from. Of course the two questions are inter related. She touched on different myths that were associated with the origin of poetry. She believes in digging the roots of something to understand the whole and complete meaning. She illustrated how poetry existed before writing evolved as this was the medium that helped to convey 'more in less' . When printing had not evolved and people could not record as much, they used poetry. Also poetry has greater retention as it is in rhythm and meter; something which nobody in the audience could deny. She discussed how poetry evolved through centuries and how it responded to the changes in the society.

She discussed the need to understand the author and the time in which he wrote the poem to understand the poem. I completely believe in this ideology as well. The author is more important than his work. The author at his best is an extension of himself.  The teachers while teaching poetry must keep this aspect in their mind so as to make poetry more purposeful and meaningful to students.

Saumya also emphasised how poetry was taking a full circle and how we are focussing once again on performing poetry rather than just writing it. It is due to digital modernisation, where she also made a point that blogs are the literature for generations to come, something which I do not completely buy. In her words,  online medium is s democratic world without censorships, which it is, but I doubt it's credibility to ever be considered something more organised and authentic as literature is.

This was the second time that I acquitted Saumya. The first time was at Poets Collective group session last December where I got a chance to recite my poem and listen to almost two dozen fantastic poets. Saumya is a real social butterfly and she used her easy going and lively personality while delivering the lecture. She displayed her brilliant sense of humour and was candid in her interactions with the audience, something that made almost a two hour session very entertaining and thought provoking at the same time.

Tauseef Ahmed concluded the session with his few but precise words. I have heard some of the incidents and stories he shared, but just the way he presents them, they sound as good as the first time. He by the way gave the best advice to young and emerging poets: don't tell your parents about your ambition to become a poet.

Types of teachers

I respect teaching profession and all my teachers. This one is just for entertainment purpose. Let's shoot.

1. Domestic tale-tellers

These are generally the female teachers who just don't know how to differentiate home and work. They can relate any home affair with their teaching.

'You know particles in a solid stick to each other like a family. Every family should have a strong bond, and one should always be very cautious about the activities of your sister in law who can influence your mother in law to her side.'

' In case of substitute goods, if the price of one rises, the demand for the substitute increase. Like tea and coffee. Like my elder son used to like tea very much. He did not drink coffee at all. And then he saw Deepika in Nescafe ad shaking coffee in a tumbler, and he left tea and started drinking coffee.'

2. I don't give a damn types

They don't care. They just won't listen to you no matter what you are saying.

'Madam, I do not understand this point. Can you explain it again?'
'Okay, I will explain it. Now go back and sit on your seat.'

'Sir, Ram and Leela are making out in the last bench'
'What? Okay, I will see to it. You now go back and sit on your seat.'

Neil Armstrong, 'Madam, one day I will become the first man to step on the Moon.'
'That's good Neil. Now go back and sit on your seat.'

Issac Newton, 'Sir, this apple fell on my head. Do you think there could be a scientific reason to explain that?'
' Don't try to act smart Neil. Go back and sit on your seat and hand over that apple to me.'

3. Accidental teachers

They do not belong here. Unlike the 'I don't give a damn types',  they teach and teach. But when they try to explain a thing, you know that they do not belong here. They generally ask rhetorical questions after every teaching point. 'Got it?', 'clear?', 'understood?', and you end up thinking in your mind. 'Okay, leave us, did you get it?' Jokes apart, you do feel sorry about these teachers because they do try very hard but are just not meant to be teachers.

4. The conventionalists 

Generally the history or political science teachers. They are the heritage of the school or college. Their are the preservators of culture and tradition. Everything about them is old and wrinkled , their looks, their teaching style, their examples which are as ancient as them They probably do not know internet. They probably talk on a landline or use a pager, or worse, a blackberry.

5. Split personality type

On the first day, they have such an impression on you that you think they are the sweetest, the loveliest specimen of human beings.  When you discuss the new set of teachers with your friends, you tell them. 'This teacher is sweet. I am not worried about her.'  And the next day she punishes you for sneezing.

And this goes on during the course of your course that you do not understand their personality. They switch from being Amrish Puri to Alok Nath, and back again, in no time.

6. The duty bounds

They are good people. No matter what happens, they would be focused on coming to the class, and giving a lesson.

They also have this unique quality of converting every situation into a learning experience.

'Madam, it is raining outsides. Please don't teach today.'
'Alright. (Students about to scream with joy) but write a 200 word essay on why you enjoy rains.'

Someone comes from outside and informs
'Mam, emergency. There is fire in the school building '
'Don't worry. The fire brigade will take care of it. (Facing her class) Now who will  tell me what number do you dial to call fire brigade?'

7. The favourites

Everybody likes them. They teach well, they are sweet, they give you time to do your stuff, they make you laugh, they protect you from other teachers. But just in case, you do not like them like the rest of others, you become an outcaste. You are made to feel like a North East guy in North India or a Punjabi in South India, or worse a gentleman in Uttar Pradesh.

8. The English teachers

I think they are a special specimen. All the English teachers I have seen has some unique characteristics which are so particular to them. They have a wide smile, showing all their teeth.  They have a subtle humour and they follow it with a wide smile showing all their teeth. They are very polite. They would always greet you with a wide smile showing all their teeth. They are good listeners. They do not interfere when you are talking. And when you finish they give a wide smile showing all their teeth. Gosh, won't they make great models for tooth paste advertisements?

9. The motherly types

Your mother is your first teacher and your teacher is your second mother. These teachers take this concept just a little too seriously. They will always be giving you an advice regarding your ways of doing things.
'Do not drink cold water after sports
'Meditate for at least 10 minutes every day.'
'Please use some protection, Ram.'

And you are wondering in your mind that ' Babes, if I wanted to spend 24 hours with my mother, I won't have taken admission into a school.'

10. The lazy bums

Generally the Hindi or social studies teachers at primary level. They enter your classroom, sit on their chair. And they stay there till the bell rings. They would give you some work like copying from the book and would not bother with your lives thereafter. It suddenly becomes a recreational class. You can socialise with people, you can sketch your favourite cartoon character, Issac Newton can devise the theory of gravity and Ram and Leela figure out on how to get an abortion.

...

I hope you enjoyed this post. Do share in the comments section which type of teachers you acquitted the nost and the types I missed.

How to write exams in B Ed

The golden rule to remember while writing an answer in B ed is that you are not writing an answer,  you are selling a product.  Your knowledge about the subject matter need not be perfect,  but the way you  present it is is the KEY.

So here are few suggestions that can help you score good marks.

1. Beginning, middle and conclusion

No matter what is asked in the question, write an introduction explaining each word in the question, even if you end up explaining the various parts of speech used to form the question, so be it. Nobody is reading.
In the middle, you are supposed to answer the specific thing asked like the merits of that thing, but if you don't know that, don't worry and write its  nature,  characteristics, demerits, implications, related theories, unrelated theories, just write it under the heading 'Merits'
At the end do write the 'conclusion' : Here you repeat all the shit that you wrote above, but in a nutshell.

2. Calligraphy and designs:

It is how beautiful the dot in you 'i' looks like that would determine your scores. Seriously it is like a candle, as bright it glows as does your future. So don't stop at hearts and bindis, make that 'I' and all the alphabet look beautiful. It is all that matters.

3. Write everything in points:

I decided to write this blog in an essay form, but I follow what I preach.  It is the number of points that effect marks. It is the ability to break one point into two or three that can get you afar. Just like in cricket a batsman is advised to convert ones into twos, twos into threes. Make as many points as you can. At one point you can repeat the points from the top and nobody will notice. Remember nobody is reading.
Suggestion for more points:  Look at everything from all aspects:  physical, emotional  psychological . sexual, social, economic, political, cultural, and even in combinations like , socio-cultural, physio-emotional, politico-sexual and shit like that.

4. Use the golden words in B Ed

There are some key words that fit into almost every answer. There is no odd and even rule in their usage. So if you are answering a question that you have no damn clue about, use following glossary words in simple sentences:

A: all round development of the child,
B: behaviour
C: child centred education, creativity, counselling
D: democracy, development, discipline
E: education for all, emotions
F: flexibility in curriculum
G: generalisation, growth, guidance
H: health, heuristic method.
I: inclusive education, information, intelligence, individual difference
J: Jean Piaget (this dude is like Mahesh Butt of education, has something to say about everything)
K: knowledge
L: learning by doing
M: motivation, maturity
N: national feeling
O:operations
P: perception, personality
Q: questioning
R: role of teacher
S: stimulus, self discipline
T: thinking, time consuming (used as demerit for many stuff)
U: understanding the child
V: vocational education
W:
X:
Y:
Z:

Okay ,  remaining letters are in next semester.

5. Conclusion:

In B Ed, presentation is the key. You write beginning, middle and conclusion in good hand writing, point wise using the golden words (that's how you conclude), but if that is not enough,

Use crayons, water, fabric, acrylic colours to write answers 
Make bold margins and draw flowers and leaves
Submit your answer sheet in a wooden box, wrapped in shiny wrapping paper.
Tie it with a ribbon.
Put some scent on it.
Attach a card saying, 'Fuck you Indian education system

And this is just how we started

''When we meet someone, we do not just meet that person, but also their culture.""

This is a brief account of my AMD Raghav's  first meeting with our Trinadad friend, Fazeela Mollick. 

...
When we look at something we look from eyes, that is perspectives, we have formulated or accumulated from our experiences over time. But we are still just a minute unit of the whole creation and it is not feasible for us to have the wholesome and appropriate knowledge of all the elements or the perspectives through which they can be understood. So, when Raghav and I met Fazeela for breakfast in Khan market, the three of us were to begin a journey of learning about perspectives with which we looked at our culture and other cultures. Fazeela, being the more mature member and a little more travelled, bestowed upon us the knowledge about the oddly shaped buttery French dish, which Raghav and I were totally clueless about, when served. "What do I do with this?" Is what Fazeela suggested our faces read like. We laughed at this. And we laughed again when I asked with utmost sincerity, "No, seriously, what are we to do with this?" As if it was not difficult enough to comprehend what the dish was, its name "croissant" needed a heavy workout for our tongues to pronounce. Fazeela suggested that the French cook at L'opera had prepared the dish the way it should be prepared,  Raghav's taste buds wondered why didn't he rather experiment. I didn't mind trying something new. Fazeela sang a couple of lines in French for us in her melodious voice. She then requested a cheerful gentleman to click our photograph as she was not a great fan of selfies. A photograph of two Indians and a Trini having a breakfast in a French restaurant in India. And that is just how we started.

The idea of a perfect happy birthday

I don't know how to react on my birthday.

I am not a fancy person.  I never planned anything extravagant on my birthday, had a grand party or bought an expensive gift.  Mostly because I could not afford it.  And I never liked to rob my father's money for my pleasure.  I have been a good kid.

I believe that all days are alike and we should try to make every one of them special.  So why put extra emphasis on birthdays?  But much before the day comes,  I have an expectation in my heart that something special should happen on the day.  Someone must take initiative to make it special.  I expect phone calls and long messages wishing me well.  And recently on my 23rd birthday,  I realised that how more people come to know me every year but lesser people wish me on time anyway.  It is different that you wish someone via a phone call or even a message at 12 sharp and you post a half hearted 'hbd''  on their Facebook wall when Zuckerberg instructs you to do so.

I have to digest the fact that my friends are moving along in their lives  and are involved in activities,  work,  career,  family life and such  things.  It is possible to forget that the new date that has just come once held some significance in their life.

The thing is about expectations.  My parents would never forget my birthday.  My sister would want to try her best  to make it special.  A few friends would always wish me,  even if they do it later,  it would be from their hearts.  But I would not be grateful for that.

I would not accept the fact that people do not call anymore on birthdays.  WhatsApp has changed the tradition.  It is the emozies that are the perfect substitutes to express our heartfelt feelings for somebody.

I would not accept  the fact that I can never have as happy a birthday as I used to have till the number of candles on the cake were in single digits. Maybe birthdays are for children.. Because it is only children that can be contented on birthdays. They would not want everyone on their contact list to wish them to start with. They would enjoy the little toys they receive.  They would enjoy plying with balloons,  eating cake and chocolates.  They would enjoy running,  playing,  dancing, anything,  everything,

My idea for a perfect birthday would be pleasant weather and no mosquitoes..  But that is not in one 's hand.  On my 23rd birthday,  my internal examinations began.  I had to attend college. Again something not in my hands.  My idea of a perfect birthday would be to spend the day hanging out with people I feel comfortable with (termed as 'friends'  in common usage) ,  doing random stuff,  chatting,  maybe singing and dancing,  or anything fun that comes naturally to anyone. I would like to have one meal of the day with my family as I know they are the ones who would unconditionally stand there for me when i am in need.  And maybe when I sleep at the night,  I should have a smile of contentment,  feeling gratitude for the company I had.  That would be the last piece.

Do you have happy birthdays?  What is your idea of a perfect  happy birthday?