Old World Charm Meets Contemporary Fashion

CityInfo, Mumbai Cover Story

Old World Charm Meets Contemporary Fashion
Fabindia. The Jeero building which houses the store, is more than a 100 years old.

If you ask the locals where to buy some trendy cotton or silk clothing, they would answer you in unison, Fabindia at Kala Ghoda. If you ask them where you can see a bit of old world Mumbai, they will say Jeero building. Jeero building houses Fabindia.
Fabindia, Mumbai has built itself a twin reputation. Not only has the shop been associated with fabric that will make your stay comfortable in Mumbai, but also with being one of the few stores to take antiquity into modernity so seamlessly.
The Jeero building is more than 100 years old. Situated in Kala Ghoda, the store is located in that part of Mumbai which is full of history. The building which now houses the store was a horse stable many years ago, which was subsequently turned into a restaurant called Albela by the actor Raj Kapoor. Years later, Bank of India came to be housed in the building. The bank occupied the building for 40 years. The beauty of Jeero building deteriorated over time and it became a forgotten structure like many others in the city. Until Fabindia came along and recognized the building for what it is – a beautiful structure. Jeero building was given a makeover.
With generous assistance from noted heritage restorer Abhama Lamba, the unfeigned beauty of this architectural structure came to light. Meanwhile, Shimul Khatri, who groomed the interiors, made sure the sanctity and old world charm of the place remained untouched. “The ceilings are 19 feet high! We have stripped off the POP which was concealing the edifice underneath. It had the original wooden ceilings well-preserved beneath,” said Poonam, store manager. Some repairs to plug the leaking roof, the teak rafters were scraped down and re-polished till they shone, cement tiles were laid and walls were disrobed of their plaster; and suddenly the building and its interiors began to shine, like it did all those years ago.
Fabindia is a hotbed of hand-woven and hand block-printed furnishings and made ups. Your house as also your family can be “furnished” at the shop. Ethnic kurtas, kurtis, shirts, skirts, parallels, salwar kameez and dupattas meet here. Dhurries, linen, upholstery, ready-made curtains and towels complete the store. The fabric used is mostly cotton, though there is a bit of silk too (kurtas and dupattas).
Fabindia is always promoting the season and the local artists. From UP to Andhra to Madhya Pradesh, interior Tamil Nadu and even across the shores from Vietnam. In keeping with the season, Fabindia has culled together a new prêt line – their silk and celebration collection. The collection features a whole new range of furniture for bedroom and living rooms. Said Poonam,”Until now we had bed linens, dhurries, pillow cases, curtains; but they were not a complete selection. Our new collection has everything matching, so Fabindia is just a one-stop-shop for all home furnishings.”

Fabindia
Jeero Building
137 MG Road
Ph – 2262-6539/40

Relive 468 Years Within 4 Hours

CityInfo, Bangalore Cover Story

Relive 468 Years Within 4 Hours
Experience Victorian Bangalore with Bangalore Walks: The City’s Latest Tourism Stop

A chilly Bangalore morning, unsure of the walk I was about to undertake, I tugged myself lazily out of bed. Quite sure that no one would turn up this early, I was astonished to see an enthusiastic bunch of people geared up to learn more about the Bangalore they have all known.
Bangalore is now what we call India’s Silicon Valley and the country’s pub capital. But very few actually know much about the history of this pleasant and beautiful city. Legend has it that in the 11th century, an old woman shared her meal of boiled beans with a king who was lost. He later named the place ‘Benda Kalooru’ or town of boiled beans. The name changed as time went on and what we are presently left with is a corrupted version of the original, Bangalore.
The Bangalore Walk however, is far from a guided tour of the city. The walk covers MG Road – yes, I stop short there. Just MG Road. Every person who has ever stepped into Bangalore recognises this buzzing road, which is just over 2 kms, as the main artery of this business city.
The roads of Bangalore come alive earlier than I had ever known. While Arun Pai, who is the brain behind Bangalore Walks, asks you to close your and go back in time where troops are marching into Bangalore. It’s not hard to imagine MG Road bereft of the traffic. Led by Lord Cornwallis, the army trooped down to the city market where they captured Tipu’s Fort. This was the foothold of the East India Company, which helped them gain control of South India.
From then on the city has grown in magnitude, emerging into what you see it and know it. The city has slowly found a place in the country’s history and on the world map too.
There is an eclectic mix of people – right from inquisitive school kids to well travelled tourists and housewives. Even veteran Bangaloreans who have lived here all their lives were surprised at the facts which were brought to light by Arun during the walk.
This is the best bet for someone who is new to Bangalore and wants to learn about the rich culture and historical significance. As had been the British policy, Bangalore was clearly divided into Old City and the Cantonment area. Bangalore grew from a mere military station to a flourishing administrative center, which set it apart from other cantonments. It was separated from the Old City, which had the fort as it nucleus. For over a 100 years Bangalore has been a tale of two cities existing side by side!
Part of the charm of the walk is that much of what happens is kept as a surprise. Do take a look at www.bangalorewalks.com for more info and testimonials.

Do you know?
- What is Tom Hanks’ connection with Bangalore?
He used the Bangalorean Torpedo in Saving Private Ryan
- Which country does Bangalore export wine to?
Bangalore wine is exported to France!
Mayo House is named after…? Lord Mayo, who was the only Viceroy to be assassinated in office
- What was MG Road formerly known as?
South Parade Road

Life After Dark

Café Beat – for Café Coffee Day

Life After Dark
Midnight drives, all-night parties, gate crashing, call centre execs will do anything for fun as long as there’s no sun.

‘Nightlife’ has acquired to a whole new meaning in the last five years. And no, we are not talking only about clubbing zones. We mean life begins at night for Gen X. Not too long ago, graduates fresh out of college would scrimp to be able to afford chai and buttered buns. Partying was out of the question for many, with pubs, bars and clubs seeming like exorbitant, inaccessible spaces. At the most, one could make a trip to one of these watering holes and restaurants at the beginning of each month when the pay cheque had been cashed.
Not anymore. Youngsters today earn as much as their parents did after slogging away for ten years or more. The BPO boom has created a new breed of young adults who are re-defining the concept of consumerism. Loaded with cash and confidence, equipped with the latest gizmos, wearing designer clothes; these liberal spenders believe in having a good time. Listen up to what they have to say.

What’s the story, morning glory?
Snehal, 22 works with Hutchison 3G, where her shift ends at 3.30am. Instead of waiting for her pick-up car that goes through many a detour-ridden street before dropping her off, her boyfriend picks her up. He works at e-Serve located in the same campus, Mindspace in Malad.
“We go for a long drive on empty roads on the early morning. Its great fun…the only other people on the roads are the milk-vans and newspaper vendors. We even get to catch up with our friends. So its just like college – attend classes and then bogey till sunrise.” Parents have had to do their share of adjusting. Snehal’s parents don’t object to her lifestyle “because they know my friends from college days and it’s the same lot,” she says.
Sleep is a luxury but these problem-solvers have learnt to deal with that, too. Snehal says that lack of sleep is easily manageable. “I barely used to sleep for five hours while I was studying during the final year of college. So I can handle it. Moreover, on days of comp-offs, I sleep all day and make up for that sleep-deprivation.

And now over to the boyfriend…
Rahul is 24 and has a back-end job, which means his hours are not too crazy. “It’s not really the graveyard shift. I finish work at 10.30 and then go our partying with my friends,” he says.
He doesn’t like hanging out with his colleagues. “They are big-time junkies. Once out of work, all they want to do is smoke up while guzzling down beers…that too in the office compound! Earlier, I found it exciting, but then found it was too risky. If we had got caught, all that hard work I put into climbing up the corporate ladder would have gone down the drain.”
He prefers to crash out at the closest beach resort or land up at a friend’s farmhouse. “We drive off on Friday night, and come home on Sunday morning. That’s the only day I actually meet my parents.”
His parents have got used to his way of life. “Before I started working at e-Serve, I used to party till the wee hours of the morning. So it’s nothing new for them,” Rahul says.

Cool? Uncool?
“Sometimes when I finish early (10 pm), we go to Slice of Lime to drink or Pop Tates. Otherwise nothing else except Café Coffee Day is open till that late. There is a table-tennis table and a music zone at 3G. So we mostly hang around the cafeteria, waiting for the pick-up car,” says Gautam, another Hutchison 3G employee.
He doesn’t find the time to go meet his friends because of his busy schedule and the Mumbai distances. Weekends are when he catches up with his buddies. On weekdays, he prefers to go home and sleep. “I know its kinda uncool to say this, but when you are working, its mighty tiring.” He speaks of the adverse effects of working at call-centres, “You need to be prompt in solutions and the mind needs to be alert for that. It’s not all that hunky-dory as most people think.”
Sometimes, he lets himself go, but with a pinch of regret. “There are days when I get tempted and go out partying on work days. It’s sheer hell, man! Endless cups of coffee and smoking are the only way to survive the nasty hangover and sleepiness. So, I generally avoid that.”

Changing Lanes
Fiona used to work with Jet Airways till she joined IBM in November last year. This 23-year old has shift changes very often which means every few weeks she has different hours and a new bunch of workmates. But that still hasn’t deterred her from partying. “In fact, I have made many more friends. We go to restaurants or coffee shops after work. On weekends too I prefer catching on movies and hanging out with this bunch of new friends from work.”

The Commuters
Then there are those who deal with long commutes, making their hours even longer. Like Sanjay, who works at HSBC and handles the lost-card complaints in the UK – a very routine and somewhat dull operational job. He must be doing something exciting after work to maintain the balance, right? But he says, “Far from it! I stay one hour away from office. If I don’t get the pick-up car, all hell breaks lose.” So he goes home and watches TV until he falls asleep. He doesn’t hang out that much with his colleagues, except “for the regular doses of coffee in the cafeteria.” He waits for the weekend to arrive to catch up with his friends.

Party Poop
Atul works with Transworks and doesn’t do much merry-making either. “My girl-friend doesn’t let me party.” Poor chap! “I finish work at 1 am but my girlfriend (who doesn’t work in a call-centre) doesn’t like my colleagues. They go out drinking every night.” Recently, one of his workmates got thrown out of the office. “He would come to work with a groggy hangover every morning. And as a trainer, that wasn’t making a very good impression.”
So does that mean he spends all his free time with his girlfriend? “No,” he is quick to retort. “I still go out with my colleagues. We have sleepover parties over the weekend. Our team leader/ manager regularly takes us out to resorts where my girlfriend can’t join us (phew!), so we guzzle all we want.”

Now isn’t it good to know that the 'work hard, party hard' motif isn’t confined to New Yorkers? Welcome to the global nightlife village.

Reporter's Diary

City Reporter

Reporter's Diary
My First Week In Bangalore

I am not going back home. It's barely been a week and I already love Bangalore. I didn't expect to.
Growing up in the economic hub of the country, I had always found life outside Mumbai slow. I first experienced the blues of sluggish life in Delhi, where I spent a long winter in a college internship. Things moved at a snail's pace; no hurry to go anywhere, neither any to arrive.
And Bangalore felt no different. It seemed dull; I saw no one rushing about in a hurry. Not even that first day when my train swept into the station, and as a welcome gift, the city thrust upon me its un-co-operative auto drivers. Dragging my bags alongside, one soul felt some pity and offered to help me out - for a little over the double fare!
My mind raced, while my eyes hunted for a landmark to locate my new nest. On my quest for home hunting, the auto rickshaw provided me the sights and sounds of the city. Everything was written in Kannada. Signboards appeared like a computer code, a string of 0s (guess that’s the Silicon Valley effect).
Now, I’m a week-old. And the first question that arises is: What’s with these one way roads? Driving 15 minutes to get across the street! Better than a stinky massage in the train every morning, I suppose.
As my week draws to a close, its dawned on me – Bangalore is far from laid-back. Things move swiftly and quietly, and hence efficiently. There is no jostling and pushing, but no one is working at a snail’s pace either.
They might speak a different tongue here, but unlike Mumbai, the people are not hostile. Witnessing a clueless traveller, some have even offered to walk me till my doorstep.
Each morning the RJ declares cloudy weather and showers. I stroll out of home each day looking expectantly at the sky. As I was getting out of office in the evening today, it began to pour. Leaves glistened. Water streamed down the roofed tiles. There was a sweet smell of moist soil. I stood still for a minute soaking it all in. It was a radically different experience from the mucky puddles and sticky windcheaters of Mumbai.
Acchhoo! I should have heed that advise about not getting caught in a shower. But I think its all worth it.

Marine Drive

Ariel acrobats. The Naval Parade. Mumbai Marathon. The Marine Drive has enchanted Mumbaikars and tourists alike. Proudly flaunted as the Queens Necklace, innumerable people head towards it after a back-breaking day at work to enjoy the steaming sun sizzle off into the depths of the Arabian Sea.

The panoramic view of the Marine Drive has fascinated me as long as I can remember. Awaking each morning, rushing to college was worth every bit for the sheer pleasure of a blissful drive across the Drive. But my fascination ran me into trouble one morning. As I gazed into the depths of the sea and rolling clouds above it, I failed to pay heed to the signal turning amber in time.

Brakes screeched. Rubber burnt. Managed to get a dent on the bumper and a swollen ankle. The driver right ahead of me had found a vent for his morning blues. I received a sound socking from him, though only verbal. Once he paused for a breath, I deftly pointed out that his vehicle hadn't received any blemishes. Speechless, he turned and drove away as I turned once again to soak in the sweet murmur of the rising tide.

Numerous memories have been etched at the Marine Drive. But this one never fails to amuse me.

Journalistic Disposition

These are some of my views on current media

Best aspect of being a journalist

A journalist holds the privilege of receiving information as a first-hand account, without any tint of judgment. He shoulders the responsibility of interpreting and analysing this information before dispensing the relevant news to the reading-audience. A journalist also possesses the authority to probe and question power-players, who are stakeholders of the society.

He secernates and reports about how their lives are being influenced each day through their surroundings. He thus has the power to shape their opinions basis his own interpretation; and grasp the undisputed faith of the reader.

Something interesting that happened recently

One afternoon, I was walking down Linking Road engrossed in typing a SMS to a friend. I saw a girl in a flowing skirt walking towards me, she too noticed me. We both gave a knowing smile and greeted each other as we reached earshot distance. A silent moment passed; neither of us could place each other, although both admitted that the other was a very familiar face.

She mumbled, "I'm sorry, I thought I knew you from school." "Oh! I thought we'd worked together in Crosswords," I replied sheepishly.

A quick apology was exchanged, after which we began to walk away. Just then something struck me! I ran back to her, "This is more than a mere coincidence! How can both us think we know each other?"

Her reaction was hesitation. I began to regret my hasty action. She held her hand forward and grinned, "Hi! I'm Shruti." Astonished, I grabbed her hand and introduced myself, and parted after exchanging mobile numbers.

I've been in touch with Shruti, mostly on chat. We are still trying to figure where we could have possibly met each other before. But can't locate that link...

Favourite publication

Mid-day is my favourite publication. I used to religiously pick it every afternoon while returning home from college; and have been hooked onto it ever since. The simple language, minus any jargon of this tabloid appeals to me which makes it reader-friendly.

Their journalists take up innovative assignments, such as spend the day in the shoes of people from different walks of life; eye-openers where officers are caught on camera taking bribe or lazing on duty. This captures the nuances which make the fabric of our city and captures its pulse in an innovative fashion.

These ground-breaking stories make the reader feel more involved.

A recent TV commercial that you thought was really effective.

The Pepsi bubbly ad is catchy and has worked effectively with the masses.

When the ad was first aired, it did not seem very appealing. But the jingle stuck in the head. And the ad has slowly grown on the public's mind.

Just as 'Thanda' became synonymous with Coke, Pepsi has now become synonymous with Bubbly. And this catch-line is not just targeting the rural-market.

Colleagues at work are overheard calling into the canteen to order a Bubbly, unlike the Thanda, which none of us would be caught dead asking for.

Need For Career Related Content

Need For Career Related Content

Till now, there hasn't been a tested, scientific way of helping students make a choice. So we have all fallen back on the traditional method - choosing 'hot' or 'popular' careers.
We have all seen these trends. Once upon a time every kid seemed to be headed for engineering - or medicine. Then came the era of MBA's. Then everybody suddenly wanted to go after a career in Information Technology and learn programming languages. Biotech and bio-informatics seemed the next big thing. But we have all also seen the backlash of this 'trendiness'.
Given this confusion and uncertainty, what is a student to do next? More important, how can parents, teachers and school principals help students prepare for the complex, competitive world out there?
YoungBuzz conducts internationally accredited psychometric tests which helps students discover the careers better suited for each one. But we don't just stop there! Our counsellor’s help individuals reach their full potentials and gain a better understanding of their strengths, motivations, and temperament and then co-relate these to determine what career paths would suit the student best, giving him a low-down on the latest, recent and upcoming careers as well.

Career Focus - The Road To Success

Education Times, Press Release

Career Focus - The Road To Success

In today’s fast paced world, people are looking for success at a young age.
Is it possible? “Yes!” say the specialists, but one of the major criteria is Career Focus. People who are focused in their careers are likely to climb the ladder of success early in life.
Schools and Colleges play a crucial role in developing students with career focus. In keeping with this need, YoungBuzz -DAV Centre is holding a free seminar called Career Focus - The Road To Success. The seminar is for School and College Principals and Teachers.
The Programme commences with insightful talks by a panel of reputed educationists and industrialists.

The Speakers:
Dr HL Kaila, ‘Need for Career Focus to Achieve Success and Head - Psychology Dept, and How Schools Play a Pivotal Role.’SNDT Women’s University

Mrs. Bharti Naik, ‘Role of Educational Institutes in Career Guidance.’ Principal, M.D. Shah Mahila College

Mr. Dinesh Parekh, ‘Participation of Industry in Developing Youth and Chairman, Advantages of Self Aware Employees at Work.’ Indian Merchant’s Chambers, Thane- Belapur.

The Seminar will be followed by a workshop on Stress Management.
Date: 2nd August, 2003, Saturday.
Timing: 10 am to 12:30 pm.
Venue: DAV- YoungBuzz Centre, DAV Public School, Plot No 267-368, Sector 10, New Panvel, Navi Mumbai.
For more details call 24904111

Formula For Success

Education Times, Lead Story

Formula For Success
Ever wondered about the studying techniques that set the toppers apart? We spoke to a few toppers and got them to share their formula for success.

Another academic year has started off at full throttle- out come the crisp textbooks and notebooks. Everyone is charged up to face new challenges in school and each one has promised themselves to perform better than the year before. But as extra-curricular activities slowly trickle in, studying or revising daily lessons seems boring and is swept under the carpet until the examinations come storming in.
University toppers of ‘Generation Y ‘ however have a new mantra for success. “Try and make sure that you understand the subject you are studying,” they all profess. It makes studying enjoyable rather than a tedious mugging-up session each time.
Zubin Kuvadia, who topped the HSC boards in the Science faculty maintains that you must understand the subject before getting down to studying it. He dedicated long hours solving and practising problems in Chemistry and Physics rather than merely mugging up the formulas. “Solving papers of the previous 2-3 years was of immense help as it gave me a fair idea of the paper pattern followed in the Boards.”
ICSE top ranker of Mumbai, Ruchita Mucchala on the other hand attributes her success to effective time management, “I had charted out a schedule with my mom’s help and followed it diligently. That is how I made sure that I covered my entire portion way before the exams.”
Recently announced SSC topper Mallika Gharpure accedes with Ruchita. “If your study habits are not scheduled evenly throughout the year, you will perform badly in the exams.”
As exams edge in, the pressure to achieve a good score is of prime concern and students begin to lose their cool. Zubin handled the mounting pressure of scoring well in PCM by regularly talking to himself. “I kept reassuring myself which enhanced my self confidence and helped me maintain my cool throughout the exams.”
Do you find yourself saying the following things? Do not worry –you are not alone!!
But here are some pointers to working it all out.

Get this right!
“This stuff is so boring, I can hardly keep awake!”
You will remember more readily material that is interesting to you, so work on creating an interest in the subject. The material is easier to remember if it is meaningful to you. Try to see how your lessons are relevant to everyday life and can be put to use.

“There’s way too much to remember…”
You cannot hope to remember every piece of information that you encounter. Select the most important ideas and information and learn those. Don't overload your mind with details.

“It’s on the tip of my tongue, but…!”
When you are determined to remember, your attention will be better concentrated and you will tend to remember more effectively. Be confident that you can remember it.

“I just don’t know where to begin”
Material that is organized in a way meaningful to you will be easier to remember. Prioritise the information from most important to least important. Outlining or summarising is one way to do this. Also divide material into manageable chunks which can be learnt one at a time.

“I spend hours studying but it gets all boggled up”
Study smart, not hard. Associate the information with something else. Associate new material with related facts you already know.

“I’m gonna stay up all night ‘til I get this”
Study throughout the term, not just before each test. Keep studying as you go along. Review each subject at least once a week. Begin with an hour or two a day about one month before the exam, and then increase study time as the exam approaches. Recall increases as study time gets spread out over time.

“I’m confident about what I’ve studied. Then do I need to do mock tests?”
Take practice tests as you study. Test yourself, or ask a friend to test you. This will help you get used to being tested and should desensitise you somewhat to the actual thing.

“I’m really tensed. Got butterflies in my tummy. Is that a sign of not being confident?”
When you enter the classroom, remind yourself that you feel confident and relaxed. However, a little amount of tension is good, as it keeps you more focussed. Avoid last-minute studying and shut out the conversations of others who are doing this.

“Is there a way of tackling the exam paper?”
Be calm when you receive the question paper. Read the instructions and questions carefully. Do the easy questions first; an "easy" point counts as much as a "hard" point and generally takes less time. Review your answers carefully. You may remember a fact or idea, correct a wrong statement, find a mis-marked answer, or discover you have been caught by a trick question.

“I know I cannot handle this anxiety myself. But how can I tell this to anyone?”
Talk about it. Share your feelings of anxiety with someone skilled at helping others: a counsellor, a tutor. Exploring the problem with someone can help you understand why you are fearful can provide support, and can help you work towards a solution that works out perfectly for you.

(YoungBuzz is India’s premier career guidance company. For more information call on 24904111 or log on to www.youngbuzz.com)

Education Times, Press Release

Career Focus - The Road To Success

In today’s fast paced world, people are looking for success at a young age.
Is it possible? “Yes!” say the specialists, but one of the major criteria is Career Focus. People who are focused in their careers are likely to climb the ladder of success early in life.
Schools and Colleges play a crucial role in developing students with career focus. In keeping with this need, YoungBuzz -DAV Centre is holding a free seminar called Career Focus - The Road To Success. The seminar is for School and College Principals and Teachers.
The Programme commences with insightful talks by a panel of reputed educationists and industrialists.

The Speakers:
Dr HL Kaila, ‘Need for Career Focus to Achieve Success and Head - Psychology Dept, and How Schools Play a Pivotal Role.’SNDT Women’s University

Mrs. Bharti Naik, ‘Role of Educational Institutes in Career Guidance.’ Principal, M.D. Shah Mahila College

Mr. Dinesh Parekh, ‘Participation of Industry in Developing Youth and Chairman, Advantages of Self Aware Employees at Work.’ Indian Merchant’s Chambers, Thane- Belapur.

The Seminar will be followed by a workshop on Stress Management.
Date: 2nd August, 2003, Saturday.
Timing: 10 am to 12:30 pm.
Venue: DAV- YoungBuzz Centre, DAV Public School, Plot No 267-368, Sector 10, New Panvel, Navi Mumbai.
For more details call 24904111

Education Times, Lead Story

Formula For Success

Ever wondered about the studying techniques that set the toppers apart? We spoke to a few toppers and got them to share their formula for success.

Another academic year has started off at full throttle- out come the crisp textbooks and notebooks. Everyone is charged up to face new challenges in school and each one has promised themselves to perform better than the year before. But as extra-curricular activities slowly trickle in, studying or revising daily lessons seems boring and is swept under the carpet until the examinations come storming in.
University toppers of ‘Generation Y ‘ however have a new mantra for success. “Try and make sure that you understand the subject you are studying,” they all profess. It makes studying enjoyable rather than a tedious mugging-up session each time.
Zubin Kuvadia, who topped the HSC boards in the Science faculty maintains that you must understand the subject before getting down to studying it. He dedicated long hours solving and practising problems in Chemistry and Physics rather than merely mugging up the formulas. “Solving papers of the previous 2-3 years was of immense help as it gave me a fair idea of the paper pattern followed in the Boards.”
ICSE top ranker of Mumbai, Ruchita Mucchala on the other hand attributes her success to effective time management, “I had charted out a schedule with my mom’s help and followed it diligently. That is how I made sure that I covered my entire portion way before the exams.”
Recently announced SSC topper Mallika Gharpure accedes with Ruchita. “If your study habits are not scheduled evenly throughout the year, you will perform badly in the exams.”
As exams edge in, the pressure to achieve a good score is of prime concern and students begin to lose their cool. Zubin handled the mounting pressure of scoring well in PCM by regularly talking to himself. “I kept reassuring myself which enhanced my self confidence and helped me maintain my cool throughout the exams.”
Do you find yourself saying the following things? Do not worry –you are not alone!!
But here are some pointers to working it all out.

Get this right!
“This stuff is so boring, I can hardly keep awake!”
You will remember more readily material that is interesting to you, so work on creating an interest in the subject. The material is easier to remember if it is meaningful to you. Try to see how your lessons are relevant to everyday life and can be put to use.

“There’s way too much to remember…”
You cannot hope to remember every piece of information that you encounter. Select the most important ideas and information and learn those. Don't overload your mind with details.

“It’s on the tip of my tongue, but…!”
When you are determined to remember, your attention will be better concentrated and you will tend to remember more effectively. Be confident that you can remember it.

“I just don’t know where to begin”
Material that is organized in a way meaningful to you will be easier to remember. Prioritise the information from most important to least important. Outlining or summarising is one way to do this. Also divide material into manageable chunks which can be learnt one at a time.

“I spend hours studying but it gets all boggled up”
Study smart, not hard. Associate the information with something else. Associate new material with related facts you already know.

“I’m gonna stay up all night ‘til I get this”
Study throughout the term, not just before each test. Keep studying as you go along. Review each subject at least once a week. Begin with an hour or two a day about one month before the exam, and then increase study time as the exam approaches. Recall increases as study time gets spread out over time.

“I’m confident about what I’ve studied. Then do I need to do mock tests?”
Take practice tests as you study. Test yourself, or ask a friend to test you. This will help you get used to being tested and should desensitise you somewhat to the actual thing.

“I’m really tensed. Got butterflies in my tummy. Is that a sign of not being confident?”
When you enter the classroom, remind yourself that you feel confident and relaxed. However, a little amount of tension is good, as it keeps you more focussed. Avoid last-minute studying and shut out the conversations of others who are doing this.

“Is there a way of tackling the exam paper?”
Be calm when you receive the question paper. Read the instructions and questions carefully. Do the easy questions first; an "easy" point counts as much as a "hard" point and generally takes less time. Review your answers carefully. You may remember a fact or idea, correct a wrong statement, find a mis-marked answer, or discover you have been caught by a trick question.

“I know I cannot handle this anxiety myself. But how can I tell this to anyone?”
Talk about it. Share your feelings of anxiety with someone skilled at helping others: a counsellor, a tutor. Exploring the problem with someone can help you understand why you are fearful can provide support, and can help you work towards a solution that works out perfectly for you.

(YoungBuzz is India’s premier career guidance company. For more information call on 24904111 or log on to www.youngbuzz.com)

Mid-Day, Launch Pad

Launch Your Career

LaunchPad is a Management Finishing School organized by Mid-Day in association with YoungBuzz. LaunchPad equips young professionals with a set of tools that gives them the edge towards climbing the corporate ladder. The LaunchPad programme has been divided into various workshop modules focusing on sharpening their Presentation Skills, Leadership & Team Effectiveness, Communication Skills, People Skills and Stress Management.
The session on Inter-Personal Skills demonstrates how different people react in different ways under pressure at work. The participants are posed with real-life situations where they learn life skills such as persuasiveness, selling skills and negotiation. Asmita, an engineering student at RAIT, Nerul remarked, “The workshop has helped me in gaining vital Communication Skills which were lacking. It has also taught me effective time management and how to organize myself more effectively.”
The module on Team Leadership is based on the finer points of planning, delegation and organization, which are of utmost importance for the team to work effectively. Nouman Qureshi, who is currently working as an Assistant Manager with a magazine commented, “The psychological tests conducted during the workshop helped me introspect about myself and learn many aspects I was unware of. The team building workshop helped me directly analyse why many of my earlier plans as a leader failed – simply because we didn’t work well as a team.”
The session on Interviews, Group Discussions and development of Presentation Skills has demonstrations on techniques for improving presentation skills through mock interviews and presentation sessions. One of the participants Sebastian Joseph, who has been working in the financial sector, remarked, “I have picked up vital Presentation and PR Skills at the workshop. I have become much more confident at interviews, because now I know how to be more presentable and interviewer-friendly.”
The module on Communication Skills deals with effective communication – verbal and non verbal; helping them to become better communicators and understand the audience whom they are addressing.
In Business Etiquette the participants are taught about the importance of grooming at the workplace such as telephone etiquette, dining manners, formal dressing, etc. There is a complete module on Stress and crisis management, which will help the de novo to deal with the various factors of stress at work.
The longer duration of the programme will help them practice their newly acquired skills, share their experiences with co-participants and make it a habit before they finish the programme.
The first four modules have been successfully completed. The next module is due to be held on Saturday. Fresh batches will start soon. For more information call YoungBuzz on 24904111.

Add Years To Your Life

Times of India >> Dombivli Kalyan Plus >> Health
Water is an integral part of our life. But so far, the criterion for identifying the ‘proper’ type of water for consumption is limited to its taste, purity and water purification system. Little is known about the fact that water can be re-structured and new properties can be derived from it. i.e. water can be made alkaline without adding anything to it.
It has become evident that the water cluster size, the pH of water, its mineral content, the permeability and hydrating ability of water and its ability to transport necessary nutrients to the cellular level are important factors of water.
Studies reveal that there are five places on the world-map where the life-span of inhabitants is well over 100 years, with exceptionally good health. One such race is Hunza. Hunza is situated about 100 km North of Gligit in Pakistan. Many people in Hunza claim to be 150-years old, and many others are documented centenarians. The population of Hunza and the other four places viz. Vilcamba in Ecuador, Georgia in Russia, another place in Mongolia and one in Peru have completely different diets and climate conditions, but they all live longer and healthier lives.
The only common factor found in these places was that the water there contain negative ions, which has a different boiling point, freezing point, viscosity and surface tension and can enter the body cells three times faster. Structured hexagonal, it is filled with mineral solutes, and tests highly alkaline.
Alkaline water is found beneficial as it neutralises harmful acids and disposes them safely without leaching out valuable minerals such as potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium from the body. This process makes our body less susceptible to diseases.
Research shows that our food is the main cause of aging. Almost 99 per cent of the components of food are composed of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen and only one per cent is minerals. These minerals play an important role of controlling each organ’s function. Alkaline minerals in food turn into alkaline waste after digesting, while acidic minerals turn into acidic waste. Some amount of acidic waste is excreted from the body in the form of urine or sweat. But acidic waste that has not been excreted circulates along with blood vessels within the body. This acidic waste gradually accumulates in our capillary blood vessels and eventually blocks them. Moreover, the organ accumulating acidic waste begins to slowly deteriorate, causing serious illnesses. Alkaline water helps to neutralise these acidic wastes, making them more soluble in the blood vessels.
There are three types of illnesses caused mainly by acidic waste:
Osteoporosis – caused by solidified acidic waste in the body
Solidified acidic waste that affects joints and organs in result of the raising cholesterol, kidney ailments, arthritis and gout.
The capillary blood vessels gradually block up with solidified acidic waste causing essential organs to be deprived of sufficient quantities of blood and nutrients. This can cause diabetes, kidney ailments, hypertension, cancer and other diseases.
Alkaline water contains structurally smaller molecules, which helps the body assimilate more water and hydrate quickly. By drinking alkaline water, we increase the intake of oxygen as compared with drinking plain water.
Alkaline water can be prepared at home from our regular tap water through user-friendly water ionisers. These ionisers generate ionised alkaline drinking water through a process called electrolysis, which can raise the pH level of the water from anywhere between 7.1 pH to 10.0 pH.
In the past the ability to alkalise our body was dependent mostly on eating an alkaline diet (satvik food) such as fruits and vegetables and avoiding acidic foods like meat and dairy. However, new technology has made the process to alkalise our body much more easier with water ionisers.
Alkaline-ion water is healthy to consume because it increases the anti-oxidants in the water and acts as a solvent of acidic waste stored in the body.
Ionisation cuts the size of the water molecular cluster in half enabling the smaller cluster to penetrate the cellular membranes of the body easily. This in turn speeds up new tissue building and waste removal.
Ionisation splits the water molecule into H+ and OH- ions, thus by drinking oxygen rich alkaline water with oh- ions, more oxygen is available to enrich blood. The ionised oh- molecules have extra electrons that neutralise destructive free radicals circulating throughout the body and thus allow the natural healing processes of the body to predominate and promote health.

Computer Literacy High On Cards

Times of India >> Dombivli-Kalyan Plus >> Digital Divide
The digital divide has become the most serious divide in history. It is the need of the time that the effort to bridge this divide be taken up as a challenge by the government, NGOs and industry organisations.
Experts suggest that computer training should be made mandatory and included in the right to education from the high school level. In today’s age of information technology, the scope of the word ‘literate’ should be expanded to computer literate than limiting it to ‘capable of reading and writing one language.’
Anagha, a computer assistant in BH Madhavi English school informs, “The students are introduced to computer education from a tender age of eight. They are taught Logo to build their logical abilities. From class 5-10 they are taught Windows 95 and basic internet usage such as surfing the net and sending e-mails. Senior students of class 11 and 12 are given education or making power-point presentations and basic scripting of HTML, which helps them decide if they are interested in making a career in computer scripting, which has become very popular among students.
Gurunath Patil, superintendent, Pragati College says, “Basic computer education has been made compulsory in both junior and senior college. However, advanced courses of specialised certificate courses are optionally available on the campus.” When asked how the college has managed to provide such updated courses, he discloses, “Due to lack of qualified faculty, the college has tied up with Datapro, which provides faculties to the college. Computer labs have been an initiative of the government and therefore students can avail the facilities at a discounted rate.” Most of the courses range between Rs 500-1,000. moreover even people who are not students of the college are permitted to use the knowledge of these professional faculty members.
On the other hand, an official from K V Pendharkar College stated that they had kept computer as an optional subject at degree levels for both commerce and science. “But most students asked for computer education. So over the years the college has made computer education compulsory.”
Many companies like Artintel, from Navi Mumbai have not given up hope. They provide the infrastructural assistance to the schools and provide them the computers on rental basis and believe that basic computer knowledge should be made compulsory.
However, a faculty from a popular computer institute in Dombivli east is disillusioned about the fact that most of the college principals from the suburbs are very un-cooperative when approached for conducting awareness campaigns.
“They presume that we are here only to sell the courses to their students, while our intention is merely organising these workshops to educate students about the various career options which computer education can open up for them.”
However, the fact remains that many of the schools and colleges cannot afford to provide computer education facility to students due to lack of funds to develop the required infrastructure. “Setting up a computer laboratory is very expensive. We cannot expect all the students to pay for these courses. Though basic computer knowledge is imparted in all schools and colleges today, it is still an option subject in most educational institutions of the suburbs,” complains a senior educationist from Dombivli.
Over the years, the educational board has realised that computer education is
now an integral part of our country’s social fabric. For this global village to become a reality, the common man needs to be empowered with the strength of computer literacy. How this dream can be realised best need to be seen!

Red-Ribbon Day

Times of India >>Dombivli-Kalyan Plus
World AIDS Day has a special place in the history of the AIDS pandemic. Since 1988 December 1has been a day for bringing messages of compassion, hop, solidarity and understanding about AIDS to every country in the world.
Every year, World AIDS Day draws world attention to the prevention and care of HIV/AIDS patients. ‘Stigma and Discrimination’ is the theme for the World AIDS campaign 2002-2003. Under the slogan ‘Live and let live’, the campaign argues that ignorance, denial, fear and intolerance surrounding HIV/AIDS must be tackled in order to reverse pandemic.
Stigma and discrimination continue to fuel the HIV/AIDS epidemic hampering prevention and care efforts. People living with HIV/AIDS and their families have to deal with a traumatic health crisis and negative responses in daily life. “My colleagues didn’t openly say anything about me, but the environment was no longer the same. They avoided me. If I entered the room they would leave abruptly. Then they asked me to keep a separate glass for water. I decided to quit the job,” says a 25-year old discreet factory worker infected with HIV.
Since the first case was reported in Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, HIV has spread rapidly from urban to rural areas and from high-risk groups to the general population. At the end of 1999, an estimated 3.7 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in the country. Currently, the infection rate is estimated to be 0.7 per cent in adult population (between 15 and 49 years of age). In fact, the epidemic has become the most serious public health problem faced by the country since independence.
In Maharashtra, HIV has reached 60 per cent of Mumbai’s sex workers, 14-16 per cent of sentinel STD clinics and over 2 per cent among women attending antenatal clinics (ANCs). The epidemic is slowly moving beyond its initial focus among sex workers. Sub-epidemics are evolving with potentially explosive spread among groups of injecting drug users (IDUs) and among Men having Sex with Men (MSM). The epidemic continues to shift towards women and young people with about 25 per cent of all HIV infections occurring in women. This also adds to the Mother To Child Transmission (MTCT) and paediatric HIV. Mumbai has recorded 20-40 per cent bed occupancy by HIV positive persons in certain referral hospitals.
Microsoft Corp chairman Bill Gates, the richest man in the world and whose company dominated the computer software market, gave a US $100 million grant to fight HIV/AIDS in India which is the second worst affected country in the world by the epidemic. The drive is targeting truck drivers and migrant labourers who are seen as vulnerable to HIV infection. Gates is concerned about India’s health. “India is at a very early stage in the AIDS epidemic, so if the right things are done now, we can prevent it become widespread.” In an interview with the Times of India, Gates suggested that India was a test case for the world in HIV/AIDS epidemic because it held both the problems and the solutions/ the Gates Foundation has committed more than $5 billion worldwide since it was established in 1997. It now grants roughly $1.2 billion a year, mostly to the health-care sector.
From the moment scientists identified HIV and AIDS, social responses of fear, denial, stigma and discrimination have accompanied the epidemic. Discrimination has spread rapidly, fuelling anxiety and prejudice against the groups most affected, as well as those living with HIV or AIDS. Activists say Indians living with HIV/AIDS have been thrown out of their jobs or homes and even refused treatment by doctors.

Factors which contribute to HIV/AIDS-related stigma:
- It is a life-threatening disease
- People are scared of contracting HIV
- People living with HIV/AIDS are often thought of as being responsible for becoming infected

Religious or moral beliefs lead some people to believe that having HIV/AIDS is the result of moral fault (such as promiscuity or ‘deviant sex’) that deserves to be punished.
There is an urgent need to bring about an exchange of knowledge and experience in HIV prevention among people and their practical applicability to today’s scenario. Hope 2002, the second international conference on substance abuse and HIV being held in Mumbai at Hotel Taj Intercontinental from December 1-3, 2002 aims to highlight the latest discoveries in the solution of addiction related problems, including HIV and analyse the effectiveness of current strategies and suggest improvements. They plan to promote the enhancement of joint ventures, skills, and versatility of demand, education/HIV prevention programmes.
Ignoring the existence of HIV and AIDS, neglecting to respond to the needs of those living with HIV infection, and failing to recognise growing epidemics in the belief that HIV/AIDS ‘can never happen to us’ are some of the most common forms of denial. These denials fuel AIDS stigmas by making those individuals who are infected appear abnormal and exceptional. “When the patient comes to our ward, its written on the file ‘HIV’ in big letters. Its kept next to the patient. Anybody can see it,” said a private hospital worker in Mumbai.
A more enabling environment needs to be created to increase the visibility of people with HIV/AIDS as a ‘normal’ part of any society. The two-year campaign (2002-2003) will focus on eliminating stigma and discrimination. UNAIDS says, “Help us fight fear, shame, ignorance and injustice worldwide.”
By the end of 2001 an estimated 40 million people were living with HIV. A further 5 million new infections are predicted by the end of this year. Figures like these make it seem like AIDS is winning. But all over the world, people like you are making a difference. So wear the Red Ribbon. Volunteer your time or make a donation, however small, however large, to your local HIV/AIDS organisation. Because lives depend on it.

I’m Pregnant! So What!?

Times On Wheels, Lead Story

Actresses are no longer cagey about announcing their pregnancies. Career and motherhood go hand-in-hand for them

There was a great deal of suspicion that Madhuri Dixit-Nene was expecting a child. But we now give you the official and final word on the subject. The stork is indeed visiting the Nene household. The actress who ruled the Mumbai film marquee in the 1990s is two-month’s pregnant with their first child.
The Mumbai skyline is suddenly filled with several storks, busy delivering babies in celebrity homes. Some time ago, actress Twinkle Khanna gave birth to a baby boy at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital. The baby boy has been named Araav, which means peace. Twinkle however, hopes to continue her career after she becomes a mother.
Malaika Arora-Khan too has become a mother of a baby boy. The model will be seen on December 6 in the much-anticipated ‘Kaante’ doing several dances. After Twinkle Khanna-Kumar, Malaika Arora-Khan, actress-anchor Renuka Shahane has turned to be in the ‘family way.’ Renuka, who was all geared up to make her debut as a director this year, has now shelved her plans after giving birth to her bundle of joy earlier this month.
With so many celeb-moms around, Madhuri has not really shaken the filmi-industry with her pregnancy. But her filmi career is on pause mode for a while. Madhuri said she will be giving birth to a child sometime in April next year. She will, however, not be staying back in India for delivery of the baby. “I do wish to stay here. But, apart from the fact that I would want my child to be a citizen of the US, its more important to be with my husband at a precious time like this. I would want him to be around all the time.”
Then what happens to her filmi career? There is not much more left to achieve as far as attaining popularity is concerned. It is time to take it easy, and choose the right roles. She informs that Neena Gupta and Rituparno Ghosh have offered her with very tempting roles. But all those offers are put on hold. “If they (producers) can wait, its fine by me. I cant this of doing films for two years at least.”
“I myself had a wonderful childhood,” recalls Madhuri, when questioned on child-care. “We didn’t grow up too fast. The simple pleasure of going down to play is fast disappearing. Children have almost no physical activity.” So, she knows what to do when her kids are born. Send them to play!

Jago Zara

Times of India >> Dombivli Kalyan Plus >> People Tree
The students of Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) of K V Pendharkar College, Dombivli had been organising various seminars and meetings aimed at creating awareness about various social evils in society. This time they felt, as responsible citizens, they ought to bring to light the skills of physically and mentally challenged persons. Marginalized by the society and labelled as worthless and a burden, the students realised that challenged persons from many organisations in and around Dombivli were engaged in productive work and contributing their but to the society.
The class decided to organise a meet to draw attention to the plight of challenged persons to make an impact in the society. That is when the idea of Jagruti, meaning ‘awakening’ took ground. Jagruti was a recent two-day exhibition cum sale held by students of BMS of K V Pendharkar College, Dombivli in their college campus. The event was inaugurated by Manish Karlekar, employment officer in National Association for Blind (NAB). It showcased products made by physically and mentally challenged students from various institutes such as Sadichcha, Rotary School for Deaf and Astitva.
Deepali Bhosale, a member of the organising committee said, “These children enjoy interacting with other normal people.”
Sadichcha is a rehabilitation center for mentally challenged people, which teaches these students specialised skills that help them gain financial independence. They are trained to embroider napkins, make gift items, greeting cards and candles under supervision of the teachers. The Rotary School for Deaf follows the 3A’s: Awareness, Acceptance and Achievement to educate and rehabilitate deaf children. “They can easily lip-read if you talk clearly. Some of them can even speak a few sentences after many sessions of practise,” explained a supervisor from the school.
Besides the products which were displayed for sale, the students had also made posters which showed how hearing impaired children should be treated – as a part of society. The theme showcased was ‘We need love, not pity.’ Astitva, another institution dedicated to the upliftment of the handicapped, trains mentally disabled children. The students learn to make paper bags, liquid soaps, candles, dusters and food items.
Lauding their efforts V N Kulkarni, principal of the college said, “Our college has always encouraged students to organise events which contribute to society. It is our duty to encourage physically and mentally challenged persons.”
The exhibition generated overwhelming response and people donated generously towards various causes.

Advertising Filtering Into Schools

Have you lately noticed a trend of steady increase in tantrum-throwing sessions by children bawling in supermarkets or stores? NO! Well… nor have I. However, I have noticed another detail added to regular tantrums – cribbing; not because their parents refuse to buy them a pack of chocolates, but instead a pack of specific ‘Cadbury’s Éclairs’.
As almost all parents would admit, advertisements have become the bane in their lives, especially with children vulnerable to their influence. Many have become victims of the ‘consumerist demands’ of their off springs following the barrage of advertisements. Given the similarity between educating and advertising, how different is it for children to distinguish between the two and how susceptible are they, therefore to commercial appeals?
Study has shown that advertising does not directly influence its audience. It may, nonetheless, play an important role in children’s consumer socialisation, teaching them consumer values and ways of expressing them. The impact is deep and long-lasting, as was realised in a survey conducted on youth between the age group of 20-25 years who had complete recollection of products which were marketed to them 8-10 years ago in school. Most of them listed out names of toothpaste samples such as Pepsodent, Close-up and Aquafresh, which distributed free samples of their toothpastes along with attractive game-boards and mouth-hygiene charts.
Free samples of felt-pens alongwith colouring books were also used to lure children into making purchases of those products. Some of them responded that, a particular drawing competition required specific brand colours such as Camel or Fevicryl to be used. Students not possessing these paints were made to make immediate purchase or disqualified from the competition.
A similar incident, but at a larger scale was uncovered in an article published in Mid-Day by Shailesh Bhatia on August 13, 2002 – Mira Road school ‘milking’ students featured the milk distribution programme the school started in June, under the Ryan School Milk Nutrition Programme. Students of St. Xavier’s High School, Shanti Park, Mira Road, don’t only have to study hard to score well, they also have to drink a particular brand of milk supplied by the school, according to the parents.
The brand in question Mimo, produced by the Vijaya company, comes in 200 ml packs on which it is stated that it is meant for school children and not for sale. Parents allege that their children have told them that the school gives primary students an additional 25 marks and secondary students 45 marks (that is, 5 marks extra per subject) for drinking the milk. Parents said the school charges students Rs 110 for plain milk and Rs 120 for flavoured milk per month. A parent said, “The money is collected in cash by the respective class teachers. The school does not issue a receipt for the same.” Another parent remarked, “It is absurd that the school can go to such an extent to promote a brand of milk. School authorities even the differentiate between students by addressing those students who drink the milk as Mimo kids.”
Many parents and critics fear that children are particularly susceptible to commercial appeals because young viewers lack the necessary cognitive skills to defend themselves against what are often highly attractive and skilfully worded persuasive messages. Advertising may also influence a child to buy a particular attractive or highly valued attribute rather than other brands of the same type.
It seems that the better children are able to retain and understand factual and emotional appeals made about products by advertisements, the more they distinguish advertisements. Children exposed to commercials are likely to be socialised into over-materialistic ways.
Other undesirable consequences are that they lead youngsters to pressure parents into purchasing products unnecessarily. The extent to which children ask their parents to buy them things they have seen advertised can vary across items. Researchers agree that children are more likely to make requests for products which are frequently consumed by them, such as breakfast cereals, snacks or sweets, or for products that are of particular interest to them, such as toys or those with special offers.
In the post-liberalisation era, new social values are replacing the age-old traditional ones. The change in the youth behaviour is not only the part of westernisation. The increased economic affluence in urban centres also plays a very prominent role. As purchasing power goes up, families offer more money to their offsprings. “This is a trend of consumerism,” remarks psychologist Dr Regmi. Modern youth lifestyle is expensive and confined to the rich urban youth. The ingress of new trends in urban centres are the result if emerging affluent urban population who can afford modern means of living.
We live in violent times as more and large numbers of cases of extortion continue to rise in the city areas. As their aspirations fail to match opportunities, youngsters in urban areas are taking to crime as a short cut to fulfil their wishes. Unlike older generation, today’s youngsters – those born in late 80s – grew up in different social condition. The materialism dominates their lifestyle and idealism is replaced by money.
A PhD study titled ‘A study of the perceptions of adolescents regarding the influence of advertisements on selected aspects of their lives’ was formed on the basis of data collected from 1248 English-medium school children from Vadodara. The study took into account the responses of 100 school children in classes eight, nine and eleven. It was conducted by Ritu Bhatia, who revealed how the impact of advertisements on lifestyles, habits, behaviour, emotions and thinking patterns of the adolescents was enormous. The in-depth study took into account four areas of influence – the social, cultural, educational and emotional life.
While the study concedes that most advertisements have pushed children towards a consumer culture, exposed them to violence and influences that are harmful to the interests of the society, it also portrays the positive role that advertisements play in educating children. “Advertisements have also had a high impact on the educational aspects of the adolescent’s life. Those who criticise advertisements would also concede that some commercials and ads for social causes are informative, resourceful and absorbing, and they should be endorsed by keeping society’s and adolescents best interests foremost in mind,” says Bhatia in one of her remarks.
Parental intervention plays a prime role. The position of parents and society is illustrated by the fact that a product which is unacceptable to the parent will actually be vetoed there are many examples of products [e.g. new sweets] which failed to establish a market among children despite being heavily advertised. Parents should raise their voice against the exaggeration of ads, and the exposure to vulgarity, aggression and limitless cravings, but they should also take the initiative to shape the child’s attitude towards advertisement and its content. Research has further revealed that in families where the advertisements are questioned and criticised for their stereotypes, manoeuvres and therefore be geared to help the child think, evaluate and question the media messages. Parents should help the adolescent children to resist advertisement by explaining the purpose of commercials to them and explain that they are made to make people want things they may not need.
Even if advertising can persuade children to try out a new product on one occasion, the product itself will have to provided the necessary reasons for the child to buy it again. If the product fails to meet the child’s expectations, it will not be bought the second time, regardless of the total amount of advertising devoted to it.