The importance of staying hydrated - one glass of water at a time; taking it up!

 

The basic practice in our daily life of having adequate glasses of water helps us stay hydrated thereby adding to productivity at the physical and mental level. I have come across several significant websites that promote the habit of drinking water amid our busy every day. It has to be important.

I am aware that the body needs to be our strength to stay hydrated with enough water so as to fight toxins and beyond. If we have the habit of drinking at least a couple of liters of water every day, it is observed that we remain energized throughout.

The government also prioritizes health in a proactive manner. There have been several steps undertaken in recent times to ensure public health safety and guidelines have been released in accordance to it.The sector of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) is gaining prominence. Government schemes have come up in an encouraging manner to ensure the greater cause for the public.

The importance of staying hydrated was also realised during the COVID-19 pandemic when the nation was fighting an unknown virus that originated in Wuhan, China. The factor of boosting our immunity was also advised by doctors and nurses.

Meanwhile, yoga may play a significant role in the psycho-social care and rehabilitation of COVID-19 patients in quarantine and isolation. According to the AYUSH ministry, it serves particularly useful in allaying fears and anxiety of a lot of suffering patients.

I inculcated the habit of drinking adequate water following the awareness by several independent influences and organizations on social media. Often when I use social media platforms such as Koo, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc., advertisements come up.

Advertisements on staying hydrated instill a sense of responsibility among us. It does not take us much to drink another glass of water if we realize the depth of the same. Also the benefits may encourage practice.

It may be mentioned that, Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report 2022 for India underlines that the total annual ground water recharge for the entire country is 437.60 billion cubic meters (BCM) and annual ground water extraction for the entire country is 239.16 BCM.  The report was released on 9th November 2022.

Observing the need of access to clean and pure drinking water, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) often takes to social media to spare awareness on the greater importance of staying hydrated.

One glass of water at a time, and following it up with the next, would ensure that we stay hydrated, thereby adding to physical and mental well-being of ourselves. I have realized the importance of it; you too may join the queue in the broader aspect of it.

Mriduljyoti Nath, Ist Semester

Of ragging and Bullying: Table number 21

The entire state of Assam is outraged with the recent ragging incident that occurred in Dibrugarh University. While ragging as a social problem has been identified, yet people fail to recognise how harmful bullying can be.  Relating to the situation right now, I would like to talk about a very underrated movie which deals with bullying and psychological harrasment at another level, Table no. 21. We do not get to see such great thrillers very often in Bollywood . Although the movie was made in 2013, I feel like people shouldn't stop watching the movie. More and more people should watch this masterpiece as it delivers a great message, that is, how much ragging effects people's mental health, how much of a crime it actually is and how many deaths or mental disability it caused  knowingly or unknowingly. 

The movie starts with a couple enjoying their vacation and then suddenly they get a offer to play a real life game and win a certain amount. Only to realise later that the game has no exit, It takes on its pace quickly but when the climax hits you, you are gonna be blown off as u would understand why this whole game was basically being played for. The movie carries on with a lot of  suspense and thrill. Then after a lot of torture, Mr Khan, the character whom paresh rawal very finely played, who is the mastermind of the game , took the couple to an empty room with a mentally challenged man, Akram, Mr. Khan's son. Apparently, the man in the room was the couple's junior in college and he was a victim of ragging, that ultimately led him to this state. He then leaves the couple with a gun, to kill his son, for according to him, they already put him in a situation similar to dying. The protagonist then points the gun at himself and shots, to realise later that the was not loaded.

                  

Mr. Khan left Siya and Vivaan to live was perhaps that even without knowing that the pistol/gun was empty, he pulled the trigger on himself rather than Akram because Vivaan himself was disgusted by the fact that they had done enough damage to the poor boy. Maybe that was the only reason Mr. Khan decided to spare them and also remind them that no matter where life takes us, we always go round and round to the same place. People call it karma these days. 

The movie holds you till the end and the best is that a very strong and great presentation is delivered in minimum time.  One of the best revenge thrillers I've watched. I feel like more movies should be made on sensitive topics like these, because no matter how many banners we hangs "RAGGING IS A CRIME", it doesn't ever stop. As a cinema lover, i know that visual representation gives more understanding to the brain and maybe if, more movies or documentries are being made, we can reduce this crime a little bit. 

Ragging should not be a thing, some people think it's fun until they're being put on the victim's shoes. It's high time we reform as a society and stop ragging.

 

Nayan Nirban Das, Ist Semester

Book Review: The Free Voice by Ravish Kumar: Revisting ideas on Democracy, Culture and the Nation

 While Ravish Kumar has been in news lately from having resigned from NDTV post the takeover by the Adani group, his book on media neutrality has grabbed my attention and being an ardent follower I felt that this needs to be reviewed.

 Recognized as one of India's best journalists, his book- The Free Voice a n incisive analysis of the current situation of events in India has been offered by Ravish Kumar. Kumar is renowned for his daring reporting and astute political analysis. He was once the Senior Executive Editor of NDTV India, one of the country's prominent Hindi news networks. He has been under attack from numerous trolls over time simply for telling the truth. 

He describes these particular instances of humiliation in this collection of nine pieces while also placing them in a larger framework of the current threats to democracy in India. In the first essay, Kumar shares a personal story about the cost of speaking out. Despite the hatred and threats to his life that he deals with every day, he continues to carry out his duty by telling the truth. He provides numerous examples throughout the book of how the politics of fear work to undermine democratic institutions and democracy itself. It appears that the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) government has made creating fear in the minds of the populace a national project ever since it came to power in 2014.

Although the personal attacks make Kumar uncomfortable, he emphasises the need of challenging power as a necessary component of democracy. Further, Kumar elaborates on the relationship between politics, corporations, and the media as well as how the media is used to manipulate people and spread propaganda. He describes attempts to polarise society and create a "robo-public" as taking place through the use of fake news, sensational cover stories, and arguments. False information is continuously spread about this through social media, WhatsApp, and traditional news outlets. People no longer think and behave rationally as a result of this robotization. Inciting mobs to commit acts of violence against the "Other" by portraying them as a threat to a religion, culture, community, or country has become more common. A WhatsApp forward is all it takes to incite a group to lynch someone.
Kumar warns us that the national project to instil fear is almost finished. In the largest democracy in the world, places for discussion and constructive criticism have been eliminated by the demonization of dissenters, their labelling as anti-national, and online abuse directed at them. Attacks on journalists have dramatically increased, notably those on Basit Malik and Gauri Lankesh in 2017. In the guise of religion or nationalism, many Muslims and Dalits (members of the lowest caste) have been lynched. In his final essay, Kumar revisits important problems including moral policing, "love jihad," honour killings, and hate speech. He emphasises the value of love, peace, and acceptance in a diverse nation like India, where democracy can be maintained via concerted public action and ongoing communication between policymakers and stakeholders. We now come to the fundamental right to privacy, which states that government decisions regarding matters of love and marriage must not be governed. This right gives citizens more power since it protects their democratic commitments while simultaneously enhancing their freedom of choice. Additionally, it restores citizens' faith in the Constitution and due process. This book functions as both a siren and a mirror. On one side, it accurately portrays the complicated social realities that exist in the nation today without using any hyperbole. On the other hand, it alerts people to the terrible repercussions of elevating political figures and the continued deterioration of democratic and constitutional ideals. Rintu Talukdar, 1st Semester

GAUHATI UNIVERSITY, ENTRANCE AND ME

As soon as you complete your under graduation program, a big question arises as to ,"What's next?" Not only the people around you ask this question but the mind also requires clarity for this. Especially, if you have to choose one out of so many uncertainties. I completed my graduation in the year 2021 in English Major but then by the end of this course, I realised that it's wasn’t my cup of tea. The 2 years of the pandemic shattered my confidence and I decided to take another course of action in the last semester. The classes were conducted on an online basis and as my hometown had very poor internet connectivity, one can imagine how tough it was for me to tackling all the semesters. Although I scored enough marks in all the papers but according to me it was not enough. Finally after many do's and don’ts , I made a list of what I liked and what I didn't, understood what qualities I had and what I didn't. Finally the internet helped me zero down on, "Mass Communication" Yes the turning point of my life. Searching for a good institution from where I can pursue the course .I listed so many universities and then I filled up the entrance forms of two Universities , yes of course Gauhati University was my first preference. I had no idea about the course and then when the exam came tunately I was not selected. I wanted to join the department of Communication and Journalism in Gauhati University, after a year finally Gauhati University announced its upcoming entrance exams notification that to be held . I filled up the form in only Gauhati University because it appeared as the most viable and practical option. And then I appeared for the second time, this time it was very tough for me different thing was hitting in my mind . I sat for the exam. And then on 2nd August 2022 a mail popped up from the HOD of Communication and Journalism Dr.Ankuran Dutta Sir inviting me to appear for the second stage of the entrance that was our viva session. I was so happy getting the mail , I can't explain my happiness at that moment I felt that I got the seat . Then I finally appear the viva session and it went well,waited for almost 5-6 days for the final result to come ,the final cut off and The seat holders. On 9th August 2022 around 9 pm I got my results and finally this girl secured the 11th rank among all the 300 aspirants who appeared for the entrance in the subject of Communication and Journalism in Gauhati University. Finally I was able to grab the seat after a wait of 1 year and now as a 1st semester students of the department here I shared my whole experience of entering to the department . Yes it was a beautiful and tough journey. It made me realise that nothing is easy, to get something you really have to work hard for sure. 

 Jini Disha Kapil,1st semester, Communication and Journalism

How Do You Start a Career as a YouTuber

YouTube is a global platform for those who love to create content. YouTubers share their passion and knowledge with the world, whether it be through gaming, vlogging or any other field of interest. There are many ways to become a YouTuber: start with your channel or try out some other methods of getting people interested in your content. If you're looking for a career on YouTube, there are a lot of things that one needs to take into account. While it may appear challenging but there are easier and smarter ways to increase viewership or get noticed. Some of them are: ●Choosing an apt the Genre and Motive for your Channel The first step in creating your channel is deciding what kind of content you want to create. Is it going to be funny? Serious? Will it be informative or entertaining? Once you've decided on a genre, the next step is figuring out why you want to make videos and what message or point of view you want to express. ● Determine Your Style and Voice Next, decide how much personality or individuality you want in your channel. Do you want it to feel like every other channel out there or do you want something unique and different? And how do you think people will react when they see your content? Are they going to love it or hate it? ● Develop and Polish Your Content Once you've decided what kind of content makes sense for your channel, the next step is developing it — both visually (using footage from other sources) and verbally ("talking" in front of the camera). This is called "polishing". ● Be frequent and regular Your followers would want regular content and any break in the momentum of upload will make them lose interest in you channel and move to another. Consistency is the way ahead Starting out as an online brand can be overwhelming, but don’t let that stop you from giving it a try! ●Engaging with the audience It’s important to remember that being a YouTuber requires constant work from both sides of the equation. As a creator, you must create content that will keep viewers coming back for more and encourage them to subscribe to your channel so they don’t miss any new uploads. As a content creator, listen to your audience share any positive feedback. ●Avoid being offensive As an audience member, you need to understand that you have to be sensitive and cannot afford to be offensive to anyone’s sentiment. This may create a negative impact. YouTubers are a relatively new phenomenon, but their popularity is growing rapidly. With the rise of online video, it’s easier than ever for anyone to get started with their own channel. It’s not as hard as you might think to build up a following and make money as a YouTube personality. If you have an interest in video production, then there is no better time than now to start your own YouTube channel 

 Prachujya Protim Borah, Ist Semester

Zubeen Garg: The Rockstar

He calls himself the moon in the sky as there are millions of stars in the sky but only one moon, which makes it unique in every way, so he is, the king of this northeastern region, who sang over 30,000 songs till date, yes, Zubeen Garg, whose voice resonates in everyone’s heart. The legend has turned 50 now having thirty years long musical career. When the Assamese music was evolving slowly into soft Rock genre, Zubeen Garg came into force and gave a new dimension to the Assamese music culture. Previously Arun Das, Jitul Sonowal was ruling the modern Assamese Music industry giving it a modern sound and musicality, but vocally they were not doing anything that could be recognized as something crazy like rock. While analyzing the songs of Zubeen Garg from his very first album to his last released songs, we can find that he could not hide the influence of rock style singing in his songs. So, he’s a true rockstar. Zubeen Garg’s voice attracted every ear immediately after releasing his first album “Anamika”, because, it had the unique elements of western style of vocal projection. Zubeen Garg’s best advantage was his voice, which is of tenor type yet having a little bit depth like a baritone type. And that’s, what made him use his voice to such an extent where others couldn’t even reach. While listening to songs like ‘DukharXagor’, ‘Jolila’ ‘AmanikhaSareAsu’, it is seen that he knows how to command the vocal cords to run the riffs, use vibrato, give rasp and distort at certain places. He did even growling which is so terrible and risky at the same time. And he also sings ‘Ya Ali’, ‘BedardiDuniya’, songs having Arabic music intonation, folks of different communities across the state of Assamand most importantly Borgeet. But still everywhere the tinge of rock could be felt listening to these numbers as well. So, ZubeenGarg undoubtedly is a real Rockstar. Arup Jyoti Das 1st semester Department of Communication and Journalism

Green Book : A friendship beyond color

America has witnessed another bloodbath induced by Gun violence and stories of such mindless violence continue to bring out larger issues of mental health, gun regulation and racists discrimination. Though racism is not always primary the resentment towards people of color is evident even now and though the Film , the Green Book was released in the year 2018, yet its is in resonance to the current happenings. All movie lovers would be familiar with this movie as it caught the attention due to the controversies surrounding it. But against all odds, this movie proved to be beautiful yet simple and most importantly taught us the meaning of true friendship. The titular name “ Green Book” not only refers to the guidebook for African- American travelers in the mid 20th century but acts as medium to connect the two protagonists . This movie is about two completely opposite people; an African American Jazz and classical pianist Don Shirley who prefers living his life with a straight face and no personal emotions to share, on the other hand there is Tony Lip; an Italian American bouncer who is a no nonsense person and prefers his fists over words. Their story starts when a jobless Tony is offered a job by Don, a job to be his driver and bodyguard for his two months concert tour through the Midwest and Deep South. Due to different personalities and ideologies, they always ended up in an uncomfortable and difficult situations. Since the beginning of the movie we realize that Tony personally had no affection towards colored people and had some prejudice against them which also included Don. But over the course of time, Tony realized that there are so many people like him who look down on people just because he/she is colored. As he was getting to know Don more, the more he was realizing how hard it is for the colored people to survive in the world. No matter how you are as a person, they would never consider them as same. As we proceed with the story, we see the two characters bonding over a chicken, an exchange of letters between Tony with his wife and as Don would say ‘ eyes on the road’ to Tony whenever he turns around to talk to him. They both started to realize that what they think is right for their life, is not necessarily always correct. They learned that each and every person teaches us something as they enter our life. Tony learned how to express himself with words while Don started opening up to people more. This is based on a real life story and actor Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen who portrayed the role of Don and Tony respectively pulled it off in the most realistic way possible. Also both Don and Tony remained life long friends in real life. Although there were many people who criticized the movie for many reasons, but this movie was totally worth the time. It had a lot of humor in it and the jokes were actually quite funny. The scenery of the places were beautiful and acting was on point. People who haven’t watch it yet, should give it a try and write more about it. Udeeta Pegu, Ist Semester

Drishyam 2: A review

The sequel to Drishyam, which is adapted from a Malayalam thriller of the same name, begins where the 2015 film had left off Vijay Salgaonkar emerging from a police station carrying a shovel. Seven years ago, the almost perfect crime had a witness, and that's what gives the police impetus and ammo to revisit the Sameer Deshmukh missing-case investigation so many years later. Vijay is now a theatre owner who dreams of making a film based on a story he has written. His elder daughter Anju is still reeling from the shock of the traumatic events, while his younger daughter Anu is in her teens. Every member of the family including his wife Nandini is moving on with life as usual but always on guard. And with a haunting sense of fear which never leaves them. A series of unexpected events turn the Salgaonkars lives upside down when a truth threatens to change everything. Vijay Salgaonkar and his family are still haunted by the fear and trauma of what happened seven years ago with the police employing new ways and tracks to uncover the case. Even the support Vijay received from his community seven years ago, begins to dwindle as the plot unfolds and they begin to question if he actually committed the crime. The film gathers up steam when the police investigation led by Inspector General of Police Tarun Ahlawat and Sameer’s mother, former IG Meera swings into action. This time they follow the leads without underestimating the protagonist. Ajay Devgn shines as a protective father who loves his family unconditionally. He is a simple man with a razor-sharp mind. Tabu is simply outstanding as Meera, a mother seeking justice for her son. Rajat Kapoor shines as her husband who eagerly wants everything to be settled soon. Kamlesh Sawant reprises his role as Gaitonde who is still ruthless and bloodthirsty for revenge. Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta and Mrunal Jadhav who play other Salgaonkars have almost similar roles as they had in the previous part. Saurabh Shukla as writer Murad Ali plays his part well to resolve the mystery. Jeethu Joseph’s original story is skilfully adapted by Aamil Keeyan Khan and Abhishek Pathak. They deftly weave in multiple threads leading to a stellar climax packed with numerous twists that are as good as the first film. While the first one undoubtedly had a certain novelty to it, the sequel stands strong too, it intrigues and entertains. The story here remains unpredictable for the most part. However, some of the setups seem contrived and some situations too far-fetched. Having said that making a sequel to a very successful first part wherein most of the characters are the same is quite a challenge. Overall, Drishyam 2 dishes out plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked throughout just like its predecessor. And the story of the Salgaokars will continue to remain in public memory. Pooja Maibangsa Department of Communication & Journalism, Gauhati University

PEACE AND WELLNESS:THE REHAB CENTERS

3 months ago,Assam Social Justice and Empowerment minister Piyush Hazarika paid a sudden visit to a private Rehabilitation centre in Guwahati and noticed anomalies at the centre. The Rehabilitation centres were in utter chaos and was the hub of many anti social activities. The current crackdown of the Assam Government on the drug mafias and drug overhaul has generated awareness among the people about the ill effects of Drugs. Many youths are apprehended over the possible possession of drugs however very little is found in media on rehabilitation centres and the aftermath of leaving drugs. Rehabilitation is the process to help an individual improve or recover from an event, illness, injury, and addiction that has caused practical limitations. Rehabilitation centers are the places that offer this assistance to the individuals. Many different kind of rehab centers have opened to offer many benefits to the individuals who seek its help.But what happens in these centres? According to many reports these kind of Rehab centers run drug rackets inside their centres. Drug and alcohol rehab programs are beneficial for the addicts in many ways through which individuals can not only become complete again but can live their lives to its fullest without any support from drugs or alcohol. Is it possible without any health services to conduct a health check-up of the inmates at the earliest? If so many people are kept in an unhealthy environment,the physical and mental condition of drug addicts will only get worse.Government should frame a policy to run the Rehabilitation centres in the state so that they would not be allowed to function only for commercial purposes. Each centre should have proper infrastructure, health facilities and necessary facilities for counselling while delivering their services for the victims of drug addiction. In such programs, group therapy and counselling are administrated for individuals because they are mentally well and can handle rational decisions better as compared to drug addicts. In addition, rehab centers can help in making certain changes in an individual’s lifestyles in terms of eating and drinking habits as well as help in overcoming any emotional, physical or mental strain causing that individual to depend upon alcohol. The programs of both drug rehab and alcohol rehabs are designed in such a way that it is made sure that no individual relapses to their former condition. Given the benefits, the success rate of the rehab centers for treating drug addiction and alcoholism is high now-a-days as the consumption of both is increasing. Anisha Baruah Ist Semester

Indian Hip - Hop Revolution

Hip - Hop is a culture. A culture , a unique culture , an art movement . The Hip - Hop scene emerged in the mid 1970's , that was created by African Americans , Latino Americans and Caribbean Amricans in the Bronx , New York City . Hip - Hop is characterized four main ket elements , that's are ‘Deejaying’ , ‘Rapping’ , ‘Graffiti’ , and ‘B – boying’ . In India , Hip - Hop was introduced by a Punjabi rapper named Harjeet Singh Sehgal , he is better known as Baba Sehgal . The true birth of Indian Hip - Hop happened in early 2000's . This is amazing to know that , a non - Indian man provided Indian Hip - Hop with the spark it so badly needed . Bohemia , a Pakistani - American rapper , living in California , released his debut album ‘Vich Pardesan De’. After that, his rap album ‘Pesa Nasha Pyar’ , became a sensational hit in India . After that , Hip - Hop began to grow in India . Some rappers named , Yo Yo Honey Singh , Divine , Naezy , Emiway , Raftaar and many more have contributed a lot in the revolution of Indian Hip - Hop . In 2018 , Indian Hip - Hop got a large number of attention primarily due to the fact that an artist gets to tell his thoughts directly in his tracks , that particular track is known as Diss track . In 2018 , a very big battle , Diss took place between Emiway Bantai and Raftar . Both were good Artist , Raftaar is from mainstream Hip - Hop and Emiway representing the underground Hip - Hop Scene . So , Raftaar had spoken in a interview, “Emiway is not earning as much right now , he'll earn when he'll get a push " . After listening to that Emiway relatiliated in his own style and released a Diss track for Raftaar named "Samajh Mein Aya Kya ? " , and suddenly his Diss track crossed 50 + million views on YouTube , and after that Raftaar also released a Diss track for Emiway which recieved 100+ million views on YouTube both within few days. Indian Hip - Hop got a push . Right after that , Zoya Akhter has released first Indian Hip - Hop based film named ‘Gully Boy’ and the film ‘Gully Boy’ became a box office super hit . After that Indian Hip - Hip got a push like never before. Right now , India has its own genre of Hip - Hop , better known as Desi Hip - Hop . Indian Hip -Hop is now going to next level . India has many Graffiti Artists also . Some of them are Zake , Krtikey Sharma and many more , representing this culture very well . Nuclea and many artists have their contribution in representing Deejaying globally for India . B - boying is also going well and artists doing great work . Indian Hip - Hop is going global with it's Rap genre , Deejaying , Graffiti and B - boying . People should know about the great culture named " Hip - Hop " . In short if people ask " What is Hip -Hop ?" , answer will be .. " A culture , a great culture , a unique culture , for somebody Hip - Hop is passion , for somebody Hip - Hop is life , for somebody Hip - Hop is feeling . " Arif Hussain Mir Ist Semester

The most awaited Hostel life

A number of iconic films have been based out of the experiences of hostel life, starting from Three Idiots, to Chitchore. Most of these films have a slice of life and tries to deliver an honest update on this. For me, Hostel life is the best part of life. I always wanted to experience hostel life as I have grown up hearing a lot many stories about it. It is often said that when you learn to live in a hostel,you learn how to face half of the struggles in life. Kanaklata Baruah RCC 7 Girls'Hall is the name of my University Hostel. Ours is 1st floor - "Junaki Kareng". For the first time in my life I experienced living together with a senior who made me feel welcomed and treated me like a sister. Suddenly from being a messy girl piling up a stack of cloths upon a chair to being very particular and disciplined with time and arranging things was one of the first lessons that I learned living in the hostel. It is here that I learned how to become sincere. Waking up at the morning, having quick breakfast, going for classes from 10 Am to 4 Pm, coming back to the hostel, waiting for the pray bell's sound at 6pm to have tea, followed by study hours and dinner brought in the much needed discipline. In between, there are a lot many suprising cultural events which brings everyone together and breaks the monotomy. The continuous extracurricular activities interests me to perform passionately and sometimes as a human being I feel I need rest too. ‘GM’, the word which instils the hostellers with the sense of fear means ‘General Meeting’. This happens usually at the late hours and continues upto early morning leads to rebuking of juniors by the seniors. But this also leads to a number of important decisions. In the race of all competitions, I don’t know how I ended up being one of the finalist on the Best freshers of Gauhati University. Before stepping onto the stage, the nervousness was too overwhelming, my heartbeat was loud but the moment I saw my hostellers standing infront of me, cheering my name loudly gave me the strength and confidence to perform. I felt a bit emotional by seeing the happy faces of my hostellers. Here I witnessed the bonding of hostel life which I often heard off. I received the crown of "Best Fresher's of Gauhati University 2022" (inter hostel). As a boarder, I have experienced only four months of hostel life which can't be enough to describe how you feel and what you learnt by living in a hostel. But it surely develops a sense of courage within us to fight for our people and our family that is our ‘Hostel’. Spaini Barman, Ist Semester