Youth Zone

India, rethink thoseBig Fat Weddings!

In India, weddings are not just ceremonies they are social spectacles. Families spend years planning them, communities gather around them, and industries thrive because of them. From designer outfits to luxury venues, destination celebrations to ext..

Demolishing the fear of death

I Have always been afraid of the word ‘death’, avoiding even the thought of it. But as I have grown up and witnessed life’s realities, I have come to understand that death is nothing but the ultimate universal truth that un..

The Multiverse

In the garden of time stands a tree,With leaves like wide palms, reaching out to the sea.It acts like high-definition screen,Playing every life and every could-have-been.Look up at the figs, hanging green,The brightest of choices yet to be see..

Embarrassment An Underexplored Emotion

In a recent episode of ‘Subway Takes’, a viral new-age internet show, the actor, Austin Butler, says, “Embarrassment is an underexplored emotion. So go out there and make a fool of yourself.” Ever since I heard it, it has stayed with me. Even though I do not think one should act stupid, but oftentimes, I feel people forget to have fun in life because they are too busy thinking about others’ perceptions. We are too scared of being embarrassed and laughed at. But, if you think about it, its so much ..

Writing a poem

How to write a poem You wonder How to write a poem You ponder. I say, it's no big deal Put your thoughts on a paper..

Scrolling away life....

One day, in our college, the professor entered the classroom and looked around in silence. After some time she smiled and asked, ‘Don’t you all talk to each other anymore? Everyone is busy using their phones.” The classroom remained silent. Noone had an answer. That incident stayed in my mind for a long time because it reflected the reality of today’s generation. Even when surrounded by people we are constantly connected to our screens instead of each other. Phones have slowly become our permanent ..

Passing Thought

The world is full of beauty, but the voices in our mind often keep us from realising this. They become too overpowering and keep us engaged in such a way that we fail to understand what actual life is. Life is to feel, to dance, to sing, to explore...

Youth as the Change-Makers

The world has never been younger. With nearly 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24 years, today’s youth represent the single largest generation in human history. Yet, youth is not merely a demographic fact, it is a force, an..

Dream Trek

I Had been quietly nurturing a dream for some time- to reach the Mount Everest Base Camp. It was a promise I had made to myself. For six months I worked dedicatedly towards that one goal: Standing at the base of the world’s highest mountain. A..

Antonym of Metaphor

Does the Moon curse itself for the scars?Does it resent the Sun for baring them,Having yearned to do away with themAnd shine like a star?Or does it crave a light of its own,For its silver is a borrowed spar?Perhaps there are more scars than meet the..

AI in Banking: Revolution or Evolution?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how the world works and the banking sector is no exception. AI is transforming traditional banking practices through automated customer service, smart fraud detection, and data-driven decision making..

What is Life Without Its Problems?

Sometimes, life and its happenings make me think am not doing enough for myself. And yet there are occasions when I am also proud of my resilience to sail through. The bad days leave me feeling awful about myself, but what matters is how I cope with..

All Alone

I was hoping for a shoulder But am drinking my tears all aloneMy thoughts kept me in vainMy trust was all it held.With a few leaving me, I won’t be stranded, I feltBut, alas! Here I am, all alone.The long conversation no moreWords have died in..

Bon voyage_ _ _ _

A song with deep meaningIs like deep oceans, with depths immeasurableWaves are the notes that beat in each heart,Covering all the trembles beneath.Notes try to levitate to the Moon and back, Fall back, deep down. Rise again.My life flows like a hip..

Journey to success

No! I cannot do it anymore. Have you said this to yourself and later regretted it? If you have, then you must read about my journey. It had been 6 months since my school was shut down because of COVID. One night, I told my father, I wanted to make a career as a cricketer. The next day, he went to the best academy in Nagpur and got me registered. On the first day, my coach did not allow me to touch the bat. I thought that maybe that is how everyone starts their training. The second day, no bat again. ..

Let me be

The fire in me is goneIn the world full of demandsI feel so utterly lostRandomly running errands.I am quietFeels like also aimlessAs if there was no energyTo fight wars endless.Not from me, not for myselfThe fire is lost.So I stop chasing and fighti..

The Silent Struggle

It was a regular morning. A young woman driving down to her college on a moped, thinking about how her day would play out. And suddenly, she notices a four-wheeler in front of her, packed with men, each one of them staring at her in the most nasty..

Youth, caught between tradition & global identity

The youth in India of today often find themselves caught between centuries-old traditions and the powerful influence of a globalised, digital world. India’s youth, over 600 million strong, carry a unique responsibility: Preserving a rich cultural heritage while contributing to the making of a modern superpower. However, this dual role creates tensions. Western influence, career expectations and evolving social norms often reshape identities, sometimes leading to confusion and self-doubt. The rise ..

Why this generation is both Hopeful & Hopeless

Our generation is full of contradictions. We dream of better systems, kinder workplaces, healthier lives but at the same time, we are tired. We are hopeful and hopeless, often within the same day. We grew up with access to too much information. We..

Oh Mother...

Manasi Chafekar’s creative ode to The Mother with artwork A MOTHER is someone who gives every moment of her life to her children. She sacrifices her own happiness just to see her children smile. She teaches us how to walk, how to talk and..

The Art of Finding Yourself

I N OUR fast-paced, demanding lives, it is easy to lose ourselves to the grind. We spend so much time meeting expectations, caring about what others would think, adjusting to their preferences and chasing approval that we forget to check in wi..

Ode to Mother Nature

A soft light in the sky seized my eyes I saw a beautiful sunset waving a colourful goodbyes It filled the sky with divine light in a saffron palette Casting shadows over shrubs and structures, forming quiet silhouettes...

The Kintsugi Way Of Life

IN JAPAN, when any crockery item or vase breaks, it is not discarded, rather the Japanese reconstruct it. And thus, they create another beautiful item from something that was broken and seemed useless. Something that was considered trash before now..

Moonlight & Midnight Bloom

Indian cinema began in 1913, but despite its rich 100-year legacy, India has lost nearly 9,000 to 13,000 films due to neglect, poor preservation and delayed digitisation. Films like Alam Ara and much of early regional cinema have disappeared. While some restoration efforts are underway, preserving films is essential to protect India’s identity for the coming generations. Film production in India started around 1913 with the release of Dadasaheb Phalke’s film Raja Harishchandra. This makes it a heritage ..

Early footprints of Indian Cinema lost to time

India’s first feature film ‘Raja Harishchandra’ had premiered on May 3 in 1913. Indian cinema began in 1913, but despite its rich 100-year legacy, India has lost nearly 9,000 to 13,000 films due to neglect, poor preservation..

‘Court’ing a new me

Most people find ‘their people’ in school/college or at work, somewhere along the ordinary roads of life. I found mine sweating through shuttle drills in early the mornings-- on the badminton court. My coach witnessed my entire weight loss journey, every plateau, every breakthrough, every moment I wanted to quit. His fitness drills left me gasping and sore. Yet, I dragged myself to the gym again the next morning. That’s the quiet magic of the sport, any sport...it pushes you beyond what you thought ..

Living In The Present

Many people have the habit of thinking too much, either about what has happened or about what lies in the future. They keep regretting the lost opportunities or make it a routine to keep planning the future. Meanwhile, tomorrow has its own plans. In the midst of the perpetual battle between yesterday and tomorrow, we lose out on the most precious thing, our present. The past is a very powerful teacher. The future is a blank sheet on which our dreams, plans and personal growth will be inscribed. However, ..

No one told me this about growing up

No one told me Growing up would feel this quiet,That it wouldn’t arrive with confidence But questions I would carry everywhere. No one told me You can do everything right And still feel lost. No one told me Missing people doesn’t always..

Soul of the State

Lord Ganesha and Lord Vitthal are among the most revered deities of Maharashtra. While the Vighnaharta represents new beginnings and wisdom, Lord Pandurang is the symbol of patience and love for devotees. Together, they embody the spiritual essence..

When staying strong becomes a Burden

From an early age, we introduce our children to a world of invincible heroes. Superman flies through fire without flinching; Batman the protector, Spider-Man the saviour...they continuously fight, they rarely take a pause. And yes, they almost never weep. Somewhere between the capes and the reality, children absorb a silent lesson: Strength is survival and vulnerability is failure. Over time, resilience transforms from a virtue into a burden and childhood, meant to be a season of growth, becomes a ..

The Power of Podium:Why every young person needs to debate

The Power of Podium: Why every young person needs to debate In a world that often feels like it’s shouting, the art of structured, thoughtful debate is more than just an extracurricular activity it is a training ground for the leaders of..

Someday, Somehow...

When I die...When, I have courage to betray my mind And throw thieving thoughts away Then, I would free myself from the chains of intellect And accept in your heart, The place I always sought No pretences, No longer negative thoughts. By Om Kale CSM..

What lies behind that SMILE

Smile- briefly a way of expression which shows something is to be conveyed where words aren’t enough. But what actually does it express? Is it grief or joy?..

Romanticising Life a Survival Skill

Romanticising your life is often dismissed as delusion or avoidance. As if finding beauty in small things means you are refusing to face reality. But for many of us, it’s not escapism. It’s how we cope. Some days are heavy without an ob..

MY VILLAGE

Settled on the banks of a river Like a queen is my beautiful village Dressed up in green.Lying in the shade of treesI feel alive every morning in the shining river, I dive.Watching the rising sun calms my soulThe sunset makes me feel whole.Wha..

The Trace of Existence

It is fascinating how life gives us many chances which shape our mindset, but more importantly, our history. People who have walked this Earth may have never realised the robust changes they would inspire. Maybe even we don’t understand truly..

Caught in a Quandary

Growing up a girl is at times a little confusing sometimes. Not because life is always hard, but because people keep sending different messages. One moment they say girls can achieve anything and the moment they start confining you in the R..

Sip Your Own Tea

The ‘singles’ want relationships, the married want to be single again! The unemployed want jobs and employed yearn for freedom from work. The rural India aspires for urban life and those living in the cities want to be closer to the mountains. Basically, the grass is always greener on the other side. The advent of social media always makes us chase the other side. Open an app and we are bombarded with imagery of perfect lives. Today’s generation wants results and ignores the shadows that follow. How ..

OTTs & glorification of crime

The entertainment industry often glamourises stuff that better be seen in the real light, at it murkiest best. The many OTT channels and the battery of crime series and movies on them have changed work on true crime from serious reporting to a polished, high-definition spectacle. What used to be gritty, moralistic stories are now mass-produced content for binge-watching. This raises a major ethical question: When does our desire for awareness become just a voyeuristic consumption of real-life trauma? ..

Home away from home

There is a reason we call it our ‘home’Where people smile on getting a glimpse of you Their faces light up all bright To have you around, their happiness is true. But I had to leave it all for pursuits of life Should I fear that I am lo..

Passion a starting point, not the roadmap

Love for something may not always bring success. Hard work, patience and continuous improvement are important Follow your passion” is one of the most repeated pieces of advice given to young people. It appears inspiring, hopeful and si..

Love thyself

To all children who sacrificed their love, Career, passions, dreams and even self, To care for their parents, to keep them happy To keep them comfortable, fulfill responsibilities. But while doing in this..never forget and Abandon the things you love..

Traditions The bridge between past & future

Ia world that is always in a hurry with change happening with every passing moment, it is tradition that we can always depend on as a constant. It is tradition that brings with it the whispers of the past, with age-old rituals, family traditions, and celebrations. Traditions have a way of grounding us, whether we are all huddled together with family to celebrate a holiday, cooking traditional recipes or sitting with older people to hear their stories about their younger years...

Counting Minutes

The miracle isn’t the finish line; It’s the dust upon your shoes. And honestly, I’m a hypocrite Because I’m guilty of this too..

War Excuse Economy How global tensions fuel local profiteering

The ongoing conflict in West Asia has given the local businessman an opportunity to mint money Visit the market near you and you’ll get more than just vegetables-- a short briefing on war and international relations and how those falli..

The idol of ‘Ramlalla’ Kamal Chandewar made a sketch of the idol.

the idol of ‘Ramlalla’ unveiled at the Ayodhya Temple had caught the fancy of the entire nation. Kamal Chandewar made a sketch of the idol...

Ram Lalla

In his divine sanctum,Ayodhya breathes stories of His Kingdom.His dharma inspires devotees beyond borders,An inspiring saga of past, present and future.His devotees soulfully chant the name,While He waits with a smile to see them.His lotus face catc..

Of strange similes and metaphors

VERY Ezra Poundish, so to say ! Rebellious in its own way as it militates against the 5-7-5 haiku norm ! Nevertheless, there is enough depth to interpret in these 14 words ! Faces in the crowd have often been the subject of artistic consideration -- of poets, of painters, of photographers, of fiction-writers. Many faces. Many images. Many personae. Many masks -- that conceal more than they reveal. Each crowd -- each gathering of people -- thus has so much to offer, to reflect upon, to think deeply ..

Weight of the veil

A girl and her father- the priceless bond, A love so pure, and hearts so fond. Their care and concern, endless, true Innocent like the morning dew. His vision shapes her world Constantly guiding her through..

Beautiful Blooms

Beautiful blooms are joy forever. They not only please the eyes but also appease the heart. Priyanka Shrivas from Dr Ambedkar College captured the beauty peeping over a pond...