Pratidhwani Inaugural Issue
Editorial
"Pratidhwani" means echo. The primary objective behind this wall magazine is to provide a platform, where one can post his comments and views on the happenings inside or outside IITK. Basic idea is to give freedom to the writers, not to restrain them to a certain arena. The preference will be given to the original articles by the hall residents; however articles written by other than hall-4 residents will also be a part of wall magazine. Length of the article is another issue and we prefer the article to be concise (about 250-300 words), but the limit will be relaxed for articles if situation demands. Articles can be based on politics, sports, social issues, science, fictions etc. Initially we plan to update the wall magazine weekly, but if the material is available in plenty, we will make it twice a week. There will be some regular sections like quote of the week, cartoon of the week, puzzle of the week, movie review, facts file etc. There will be a comments section, where you can give your ideas about the wall magazines. All the comments should be mailed to the editor. We are also giving some basic guidelines for publishing the articles, which will evolve with time. We are taking an initiative, which with the support of hall family can lead to a great success. I appeal all of you to contribute in it by some or other means and make it a big success.
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Guidelines for publishing article here
o There will be an editorial board, which will be responsible for the selection of articles for Wall Magazine (to be declared later).
o You can publish articles in any language. However English and Hindi will be the preferred languages and the articles in any other language should be accompanied with its English or Hindi translation.
o All articles will be peer reviewed (reviewers to be declared later).
o If the author wants to retain the anonymity of the article, we will respect that and the article should be directly submitted to the Chairman, Reading Room Committee.
o There is no restriction on the theme or content of your topic as long as it doesn’t hurt the feelings of any individual or community and follows Indian social etiquettes.
o We highly encourage the participation of the hall residents and depending upon the resources and articles, we will publish a hall magazine.
o If you find an article or blog on the web, which, you think, is of public interest, you can post it by giving proper reference to the author.
o These are few basic guidelines but we always appreciate and welcome the suggestions and inputs of the hall-family.
o You can publish articles in any language. However English and Hindi will be the preferred languages and the articles in any other language should be accompanied with its English or Hindi translation.
o All articles will be peer reviewed (reviewers to be declared later).
o If the author wants to retain the anonymity of the article, we will respect that and the article should be directly submitted to the Chairman, Reading Room Committee.
o There is no restriction on the theme or content of your topic as long as it doesn’t hurt the feelings of any individual or community and follows Indian social etiquettes.
o We highly encourage the participation of the hall residents and depending upon the resources and articles, we will publish a hall magazine.
o If you find an article or blog on the web, which, you think, is of public interest, you can post it by giving proper reference to the author.
o These are few basic guidelines but we always appreciate and welcome the suggestions and inputs of the hall-family.
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Short Story
Fortune Tellers are Always Correct
-Karthikeya IVB (ikarthik@)
Once upon a time there lived a greedy merchant called Ramlal. His lust for money turned him into a cruel person and his greed has become a bane to the poor people in the village. In spite of abundant wealth he is never a satisfied man. One day he met the fortune teller of the village and asked him about his chances of earning more money. The fortune teller silently reached the house of Ramlal and said “You will get ten times of whatever you donated today”. Ramlal was in favor of everything but donation. He halfheartedly donated a rupee to a beggar and next day he found ten rupees on his way to the temple. After a fortnight the fortune teller again came to Ramlal and said “All the stars are in your way today so you will get hundred times of what you donate today”. Ramlal discussed with his wife and donated hundred rupees to a nearby charity. Next day he got an amount of ten thousand rupees which he considered a bad debt. Ramlal felt very glad and adulated the fortune teller for his expertise. After a fortnight the fortune teller again went to Ramlal’s house and this time Ramlal is out for work, so he said to Ramlal’s wife “All the luck in this universe is with you so you get thousand times of what you donate today”. Knowing the matter from his wife Ramlal was very happy. He arranged a great feast for all the poor people in the village which worth thousand rupees. Ramlal and his wife were very happy that they were going to get ten lakhs. Next all of a sudden Ramlal fell dead and his wife got all his property worth ten lakhs. So the moral of the story is “Fortune tellers are always correct”.
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Puzzle of the Week
Circle Puzzle
-Anupam Gupta (anupamg@)
You have to place N points on the periphery of a circle, what is the probability that they lie within the semicircle.
Extend this to the case of sphere, i.e. what is the probability that N points lie on the surface of hemisphere.
(See answer in the next update)
Extend this to the case of sphere, i.e. what is the probability that N points lie on the surface of hemisphere.
(See answer in the next update)
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Quote of the Week
Find purpose, the means will follow.
- Mahatma Gandhi
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Humor Section
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Do you know?
______________________________________________Do you know?
In the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress at midnight of December 31, 1929 - January 1, 1930 the Tri-Color Flag was unfurled by the nationalists and a pledge taken that every year on January 26, the "Independence Day" would be celebrated and that the people would unceasingly strive for the establishment of a Sovereign Democratic Republic of India. The professed pledge was successfully redeemed on 26 January, 1950 when the Constitution of India framed by the Constituent Assembly of India came into force, although the Independence from the British rule was achieved on August 15, 1947. It is because of this that August 15 is celebrated as Independence Day, while January 26 as Republic Day.
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Our Democratic Heritage
Dr. Rajendra Prasad,
January 26, 1950.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad,
January 26, 1950.
It is a great day for our country. India has had a long and chequered history; parts of it were cloudy and parts bright and sunlit. At no period, even during the most glorious eras of which we have record, was this whole country brought under one Constitution and one rule. We have mention of many Republics in our books and our historians have been able to make out a more or less connected and coordinated piece out of the incidents and the places which are mentioned in these records. But these Republics were small and tiny and their shape and size was perhaps the same as that of the Greek Republics of that period. We have mention of Kings and Princes, some of whom are described as 'Chakravarty', that is, a monarch whose suzerainty was acknowledged by other Princes. During the British period, while acknowledging the suzerainty of Britain, the Indian Princes continued to carry on the administration of their territories in their own way. It is for the first time today that we have inaugurated a Constitution which extends to the whole of this country and we see the birth of a federal republic having States which have no sovereignty of their own and which are really members and parts of one federation and one administration.
... Our ancestors carried the message of our teachers far and wide and established cultural ties which have withstood the ravages of time and still subsist while Empires have crumbled and fallen to pieces. Our ties subsist because they were not of iron and steel or even of gold but of the silken cords of the human spirit, India has had to face, on many occasions, assaults and invasions by foreigners and she has very often succumbed. But, there is not a single instance of a military invasion or aggressive war by this country against any other. It is therefore in the fitness of things and a culmination of our own cultural traditions that we have been able to win our freedom without bloodshed and in a very peaceful manner. The Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was not a freak of nature but the physical embodiment and consummation of the progress of that spirit of non-violence which has been our great heritage. We have been able under his matchless leadership, not only to regain our lost freedom but also to establish and strengthen the bonds of friendship with those - and our thanks are due to them for it - against whose policy we have fought and won.
Our Constitution is a democratic instrument seeking to ensure to the individual citizens the freedoms which are so invaluable. India has never prescribed or prosecuted opinion and faith and our philosophy has room as much for a devotee of a personal god, as for an agnostic or an atheist. We shall, therefore, be only implementing in practice under our Constitution what we have inherited from our traditions, namely, freedom of opinion and expression. Under the new set-up, which we are inaugurating today, we hope to live up to the teachings of our Master and help in our own humble way in the establishment of peace in the world. Our attitude towards all countries is one of utmost friendliness. We have no designs against any one, no ambition to dominate others. Our hope is that others also will have no designs against us. We have had bitter experience of aggression by other countries in the past and can only express the hope that it may not be necessary for us to take any measures even in self-defense.
I know the world today is passing through a most uncertain and anxious period. Two world wars within one generation, with all their devastation and aftermath of suffering and sorrow, have not been able to convince it that a war can never bring about the end of wars. It is, therefore, necessary to seek the end of wars in positive acts of goodness towards all and the world must learn to utilize all its resources for productive and beneficial purposes and not for destruction. We do venture to think that this country may have a past to play in establishing this goodwill and atmosphere of confidence and co-operation. We have inherited no old enmities. Our republic enters the world stage, therefore, free from pride and prejudice, humbly believing and striving that in international as well as internal affairs our statesmen may be guided by the teachings of the Father of our Nation - tolerance, understanding non-violence and resistance to aggression.
It is in such a country and at such a time that it has pleased the representatives of our people to call me to this high office. You can easily understand my nervousness which arises not only form the tremendousness of the task with which our newly won freedom is confronted but also from a consciousness that I succeed in this sphere of activity, though not in office, one who has played such a conspicuous part not only during the period of strife and struggle but also during the period of constructive activity and active administration. You know Sri Chakravarty Rajagopalachari and have experience of his incisive intellect, great learning, practical wisdom and sweetness of manners. It has been my privilege to have been associated with him for more than 30 years and although we might have had occasional differences of opinion on some vital matters but never have our personal relations suffered by setback and I feel sure that I shall continue to enjoy the benefit of his protective advice in whatever crises I may have to face. My nervousness and anxiety are to no small extent countered by a consciousness that I shall be the recipient of fullest confidence from our Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, the Members of the Cabinet and the Legislature and from the people at large. I shall endeavor my best to earn and deserve that confidence. Let me also hope that this country will be able to win the confidence of other nations and secure such assistance as it may require in times of need. I have great pleasure in responding to the toast which has been proposed.
... Our ancestors carried the message of our teachers far and wide and established cultural ties which have withstood the ravages of time and still subsist while Empires have crumbled and fallen to pieces. Our ties subsist because they were not of iron and steel or even of gold but of the silken cords of the human spirit, India has had to face, on many occasions, assaults and invasions by foreigners and she has very often succumbed. But, there is not a single instance of a military invasion or aggressive war by this country against any other. It is therefore in the fitness of things and a culmination of our own cultural traditions that we have been able to win our freedom without bloodshed and in a very peaceful manner. The Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was not a freak of nature but the physical embodiment and consummation of the progress of that spirit of non-violence which has been our great heritage. We have been able under his matchless leadership, not only to regain our lost freedom but also to establish and strengthen the bonds of friendship with those - and our thanks are due to them for it - against whose policy we have fought and won.
Our Constitution is a democratic instrument seeking to ensure to the individual citizens the freedoms which are so invaluable. India has never prescribed or prosecuted opinion and faith and our philosophy has room as much for a devotee of a personal god, as for an agnostic or an atheist. We shall, therefore, be only implementing in practice under our Constitution what we have inherited from our traditions, namely, freedom of opinion and expression. Under the new set-up, which we are inaugurating today, we hope to live up to the teachings of our Master and help in our own humble way in the establishment of peace in the world. Our attitude towards all countries is one of utmost friendliness. We have no designs against any one, no ambition to dominate others. Our hope is that others also will have no designs against us. We have had bitter experience of aggression by other countries in the past and can only express the hope that it may not be necessary for us to take any measures even in self-defense.
I know the world today is passing through a most uncertain and anxious period. Two world wars within one generation, with all their devastation and aftermath of suffering and sorrow, have not been able to convince it that a war can never bring about the end of wars. It is, therefore, necessary to seek the end of wars in positive acts of goodness towards all and the world must learn to utilize all its resources for productive and beneficial purposes and not for destruction. We do venture to think that this country may have a past to play in establishing this goodwill and atmosphere of confidence and co-operation. We have inherited no old enmities. Our republic enters the world stage, therefore, free from pride and prejudice, humbly believing and striving that in international as well as internal affairs our statesmen may be guided by the teachings of the Father of our Nation - tolerance, understanding non-violence and resistance to aggression.
It is in such a country and at such a time that it has pleased the representatives of our people to call me to this high office. You can easily understand my nervousness which arises not only form the tremendousness of the task with which our newly won freedom is confronted but also from a consciousness that I succeed in this sphere of activity, though not in office, one who has played such a conspicuous part not only during the period of strife and struggle but also during the period of constructive activity and active administration. You know Sri Chakravarty Rajagopalachari and have experience of his incisive intellect, great learning, practical wisdom and sweetness of manners. It has been my privilege to have been associated with him for more than 30 years and although we might have had occasional differences of opinion on some vital matters but never have our personal relations suffered by setback and I feel sure that I shall continue to enjoy the benefit of his protective advice in whatever crises I may have to face. My nervousness and anxiety are to no small extent countered by a consciousness that I shall be the recipient of fullest confidence from our Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, the Members of the Cabinet and the Legislature and from the people at large. I shall endeavor my best to earn and deserve that confidence. Let me also hope that this country will be able to win the confidence of other nations and secure such assistance as it may require in times of need. I have great pleasure in responding to the toast which has been proposed.
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