iuemag july 2013 edition

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2013. All Rights Reserved | If you have articles to contribute mail them to us at [email protected]|July 2013 Edition | Page 1

Index| Page1

I N S P I R A T I O N U N L I M I T E D

Founders note

Interview with Mr. Chenraj Jain

Interview with Mr. Abhijit Bhaduri

Interview with Mr. Pratap Simha

Interview with Mr. G Mitchell Baker

Interview with Mr. Michael Dane Lewis

The Indian road and the ride

Twist it

The reward is always towards the end

The choices you make

The Kumbh experience: The mighty mela

The power of laughter

Loss of the parent

Poetry section
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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d

Hello Readers,

Its the middle of the year 2013. All of us are headed into the future

and IUeMag is adding that inspirational touch into more and more lives

with every passing month. We are glad to share the joy of launch of our

baby -iuemag.orgwhich commits to become the platform for

all aspiring writers to mentor them on writing!

We are glad to have our editorial team commit to support the

budding writers by editing their work and guiding them to

get better. The world truly needs inspired people who can

share their knowledge and talent with others for growth

of the world.

We saw the ICON of the MONTH give platform for excellent

growth for those looking for getting their work into limelight.

While the world is producing billionaires every second weekand inspiring success stories every single day, we know we

have huge scope to cover a lot. The best part is we are willing

to. We invite you to share stories or connections of anyone

doing inspiring work in your circle and we shall cover

their story.

Amidst all the challenges of life and adversities that you

might be going through, we wish to be your strength to

combat and tackle them all by giving you the strength

and courage besides inspiration that you might need.

Thank you.

Sujit LalwaniFounder & Editor-in-chiefIU e-Magazine

2013. All Rights Reserved | If you have articles to contribute mail them to us at [email protected] |July 2013 Edition | Page 2


Founders note | Page2

Founder and Chief editor:

Sujit Lalwani

Lead journalist, Creative &

design head, Editor :

Preethi Kashyap

Editor:

Sandhya Nagaraj

Supporting editor:

Mohan BN

Chief Web-designer:

Shruti Balasa

Online Presence Manager:

Sireesha MK

Lead Marketing Head:Bharath GC

Marketing Executive:

Kunal N Taswala

Marketing Head, Nepal:

SurendraAyer

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Disclaimer: All authors who have written for this issue have a verified background to the best of our notice. The factual information,

here posted, is verified, understood and is by no means writer created. The articles here mentioned intend to offend none. In case of

any errors, misinterpretation or misrepresentation of any piece of information contact us immediately: [email protected]. All

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Did you always want to be an entrepreneur?

Yes, I was very clear and always wanted to be a businessman. I didnt study. I wantedto work. My interest was to become an entrepreneur. I always had the craving for busi-ness.

Whatwas your motivation behind starting Jain Group of Institutions?

Swami Vivekanandas books inspired me and I believe in his philosophy, Knowledgemakes character. Motivation was mycountry. People werent getting education properlyand my own community wasnt educated. My country was rich and I wondered why itbecame poor. This thought changed me. Our literacy rates were less. So I decided toeducate people. If Gandhi ji could fight for freedom of the country, why shouldnt we a l-so fight to educate people? This idea changed me. Education leads to jobs. People be-come self-sufficient. They get empowered. I was interested in my country becoming aneconomic power. The whole idea was to bring out more entrepreneurs who could pro-vide jobs and empower people.

Was the journey difficult and how did you keep walking?

Everything is difficult but you should never give up. You will fall down a million times andget up once. Keep doing it. It takes 20-30 years of efforts. Things do not happen over-night. Entrepreneurship is efforts, risk and uncertainty. So, live in uncertainty and that iswhat I did.

Chenraj Jain| Page3

How does one be constantly motivated and energized?

Whenever you are depressed or feeling low, become positive. Keep yourselfmotivated. When you become positive others will also become positive. So, becontagious. Energy is Gods given gift, a divine gift. So dont flitter that. Dontwaste it. Smile and make others smile. When you spread energy, people be-come vibrant. It should spread like a disease. So spread vibrancy.

How do we treat discouragements and criticisms?

Dont underestimate yourself. Each person is uniquely gifted. Believe in your-self. Remove the unwanted layers in you. Take criticism positively. If you dontget discouraged or criticized, you dont learn anything. Stop blaming the world.The world is good. You should be good. If you get angry, it doesnt benefit an-ybody. Develop good relationship. Always respect your parents, elders, teach-ers and the country. They may not be up to the mark but take the good inthem. Theres nothing right or wrong, its all in perceptions. Be clear and be-lieve in yourself. Then people will believe you and automatically self-imagehappens.


Introduction:

Dr. Chenraj Roychand Jain is an excellent entrepreneur and the founder and Chairman of Jain Group of Institutions. He is a man of great conviction and

exuberant vision. The journey of his life has inspired many. His effort to build quality education has been a motivation for many. From a humble begin-

ning to building one of the finest institutions, he has gone through a transition that remains an example to many souls. Here is an exclusive interview of

the man of many works.

Story covered by Spoorthi and Aditi


Dr. Chenraj Jain


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What is your comment on success?

It takes 30 years of journey to realize success. Some may succeed early andsome late. The more the foundation is strong the more is the visibility and more isthe stability of the building. Success is similar to this. Success is not money, suc-cess is you as personality. Succeed for permanency and not for temporary grati-fication.

What do you have to say to young entrepreneurs?

Take risk in life. Dream big but start small. Fifteen years of hard work and thenyou grow big. So if you are prepared for this journey, then become an entrepre-neur. Take one step at a time. The journey of a thousand miles starts with onestep, remember this! Make things happen than see it happen. Be observantabout what is happening around you. Master whatever you are good at.

Your opinion on todays youth?

They are capable, intelligent, strong, creative, very informative and highly ener-getic but have no patience. They want results fast. Law of nature does not givefast results. You have to sow the seed and wait. It is a process. It they developone word called patience, they are any day better than yesteryears.

What do you think about Indian universities in comparison to foreign uni-versities?

Foreign universities are 300-400 years old and India is just 65 years old. Another200 years and India will also have ten Harvards. The average life of Indian uni-versities has not even crossed 30-40 years. So it takes time and the youth will doit. Education improves, quality builds and change happens.

A lot of skill based education is coming up. What is the need of vocationalcourses in India?

India requires vocational courses. Only 2% are vocationally equipped. Good job-oriented courses are required. Specialization brings skills, responsibility and ex-pertise. Skill-based education is important as youth will be able to perform betterand thus motivate better.

What is your opinion on women entrepreneurs?

Women are now taking the centre stage. There are lots of business schools en-couraging them. The participation should be equal to that of men as in developedcountries. Women do better in jobs as they can manage better. They should en-ter services sector. They are already ahead academically. Women have future inbusiness. Its the right time, right scenario and right place, so capitalize on it.

What is your message to students?

Keep life simple, dont complicate. Have proper and clear goals. Work hard andwork smartly. Do not give up. Remain focused. Wait for success, it will eventuallyhappen.

Chenraj Jain| Page4




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7/26 2013. All Rights Reserved | If you have articles to contribute mail them to us at [email protected] |July 2013 Edition | Page 6


Abhijit Bhaduri | Page6

Introduction:Abhijit Bhaduri is an Indian author, columnist

and management consultant. Bhaduri is Chief

Learning Officer of the Wipro Group. Bhaduri

is the author of three best-selling books- two

novels of the 'MBA' Series- Mediocre But Ar-

rogant, Married but Available and the man-

agement 'guide-book' Don't hire the best.

Bhaduri's writings have appeared in journals

and magazines including The Wall Street

Journal, The Hindu Business Line, Operations

Research & Management Sciences Today. He

is among the top ten HR influencers on Social

Media according to SHRM, India. He writes

regularly for The Economic Times, People

Matters and blogs for the Times of India.

Source: Wikipedia

Writing a sequel is really tough. With the 1st book; you haven't been publishedyet, there is no benchmark, you can say what you have to, it is way easier. Butwhen you do the 2nd one, I think it becomes tougher because you need to writefor 2 categories of audience. One, who have read the book and don't want tosee repetitive things in the 2nd one and two, fresh minds with absolutely no ideaof what I had written in my previous book. So, I needed to cater to both their ex-pectations which was a very tough challenge.

On my websiteabhijitbhaduri.com, I post at least an article a week. The whole

process makes you get more comfortable with the craft of writing. As a result of

that, you actually start writing better. Whether it has that potential or not that is

up to the readers to say. I know that not everyone can comment on one's work.People can never be accurate in judging how good or bad the work is.

You are working in the corporate field for a long time now. Never did you

feel like writing about that?

The 2nd book actually has a little bit of corporate put into it. "Marriage but availa-ble" is about the f irst 10 years of the protagonist in the corporate world. The timethat I chose to write was when corporate India was actually getting transformed.What liberalization did! It brought in a very different sect of workers into the or-ganisation. A lot of companies which never experienced competition felt the heatof it big time. In both the books, "Mediocre but arrogant" as well as "Married butavailable", story moves in two strands - one is, what is happening to him at apersonal level in terms of his love life and challenges at home and the secondstrand is about the ups and downs that he experiences in his professional life.The story is actually about weaving these two strands and creating charactersaround that.

Is it your personal experience that influences your writing or yourimagination?

How will business grow in the future.. How will the customers change.. How willmarkets change.. Understand these. Then look at what skills we need to possessin the organisation if we have to succeed in a world like this? To understand tech-nology and know what makes people learn that particular skill, learning instruc-tions and manuals is important, says the CLO of WIPRO, Mr. Abhijit Bhaduri. Had you planned to reach this position of CLO? No! I didn't. The term didn't exist at the time when I finished my MBA. I was inHuman Resources. I was into hiring and compensation and then had a short stintin managing an IT project implementation. I think it was the diversity of differentsectors that I worked in which actually helped me to understand what's happening

in the world around. I have worked in advertising, IT and other sectors. I waslucky to be given those options.What made you author books?

I wrote short stories during my school and college days. I enjoyed writing lettersand travelling as well. Initially, I got a lot of opportunities to travel a lot. I wouldoften write a lot of stories about that and share them with friends. I would compilethose letters in a file. Some people advised me to write a full-fledged story insteadof compiling them in a file.

When I was leaving for Mumbai, one of my friends gifted me a blank hard-boundbook, and said that I should maintain a diary. One day, I wrote the first paragraphin the first page of that book. The story was very vague in my mind because thiscollege experience in India is very unique. That is where this whole book started. Iwanted to write about the experiences in a B-School because many people writeMBA exams. The idea was to write something which is universal and yet specificto what I had seen. I wrote the story and then tried to get it published but it was

hard to find a publisher. Somebody suggested about a website which was lookingfor unpublished authors and I was lucky to get selected. That encouraged me towrite the sequel. Later, I jumped into non-fiction. My 3rd book, "Don't hire the bestone" is a piece of non-fiction.

Abhijit Bhaduri
http://abhijitbhaduri.com/http://abhijitbhaduri.com/http://abhijitbhaduri.com/http://abhijitbhaduri.com/


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Abhijit Bhaduri| Page7

They always say that the first book has some element of you in it. In my book,the protagonist is very confused about what to do in life and completely lost.That confusion, I think, I experienced very much. So, is it my story then? No!Like I said earlier, no one person's story is ever that interesting. My story wouldbe interesting to my friends but it's pretty unlikely that the world at large wouldfind that interesting. Hence you create composite characters and fictitious char-

acters also.

Haven't you ever felt that you should start a venture on your own? I think you should do something that you inherently enjoy doing. There are lotsof people who inherently enjoy being an entrepreneur. According to me, thereare 2 kinds of entrepreneurs. One, who can actually be an entrepreneur with anidea, and start something on his/her own and two, those who are entrepreneurialin whatever they do. What do entrepreneurs do? They take an idea and scale itup. It is just that working in an organisation lets me do all of that, without havingto worry about where to buy the office, where to buy this and that. That's not thepart of entrepreneurship I would invariably enjoy. This position gives me a greatopportunity of acting in both the roles. I can be entrepreneurial with my ideas. Itnever stopped me from what I wanted to do, whether it's my writing or travel-ling. I am really enjoying my job. I really love being here doing leadership devel-opment. This provides me a huge campus to work with 140,000 people. I don'tknow whether I would have done that as an entrepreneur with the kind of work Iwanted to do, but here, this gives me a better platform to execute all my ideas.

You have seen new people coming in very often. Are you seeing anychanges in the behaviour or work culture in the new generation, comparedto the older ones?Today, people are exposed to media, more brand force, television etc. More theinfluences you are exposed to, more will be the changes in the way you look atthe world. Definitely, today's generation has grown up with technology. But whenpeople come to work space they are no different. They are all same irrespectiveof the age they belong to. One notable thing about the new generation is theirinquisitiveness towards everything. When you see and study generations assuch, these days they are radically different and their motivation levels are dif-ferent. If you ask me to say a difference; earlier, it was a hard bound book butthese days it is an e-book.Can you look back and say that "I am what I am because of that incident"?

I think we are the product of everyday that we live through. I think I was lucky

enough that I could travel a lot. While traveling I met many interesting people.Experiencing life on the front yard makes me what I am today. As you travel, youactually realise that there isn't one right way of doing anything. Something that isright to someone might not sound right to someone else.





Pratap Simha| Page8

How did you enter the field of journalism?I never had an intention to enter journalism but I did my masters in journalismitself. It was a coincidence that I came to Bangalore and completed my intern-ship. I thought of preparing for IAS (Indian Administrative Services), but due tofinancial problem I had to join a job. I was 22 then. When I joined there a col-umnist had left the newspaper just then, because of which there was a columnavailable. I asked with apprehension for that space and luckily they didn't re-fuse to give it to me. I started writing that column.I was never exposed to traditional journalism. As I belonged to the youngergeneration, I started writing black as black and white as white according to myconviction. I wrote the truth. I never cared if that hurt someone. I was writing oninternational affairs. There were attacks on Afghanistan in 2001 and on Iraq in2003. When Iraq was attacked, few reporters in India protested against Ameri-ca. I wrote an article asking, "Why should we support Iraq?" There were veryfew people who were interested in international affairs but as I had localisedthe news, I received a lot of feedback. I also started writing about national is-sues. That's how my journey in the field of journalism began. Haven't you got any threatening calls as you started playing in the bigleagues?Lots of them! To start with, in the year 2007 I had written an article about PFI(Popular Front of India), a confederation of Muslim organizations which hasone of its wings in Karnataka called KFD. This confederation held dubious rec-ords and had announced that they would take Hindu backward communitypeople with them and call for a huge protest. They had put pamphlets andposters everywhere about the same. Then I wrote an article asking, "How arePFI's related to Hindu backward community?" They were people who alwayssaid that - those who don't believe in Islam are fit to be killed. How can peoplewith such mindset help Hindus was my question. So, I wrote an article criticis-ing their support. That was when PFI people came to my office to ransack myaccounts with CA. That was the first time an incident like that happened. Afterthat, many such incidents have happened and I have got many threateningcalls.

In 2008, I was the first one to write an official biography on Mr. Narendra Modi.

He personally got it translated to Gujarati (regional language in India). On 29

th

of August 2012, I was attacked by the terrorists because I was pretty close toMr. Modi who is the most hated person in India by the Muslims. I was the firstjournalist to get targeted by the terrorists. 15 people were suspected and werecaught recently.

Do you see any change in today's journalism? Don't you think the filed isgetting more corrupt day by day? Definitely yes! A gray-area is a part of any field. Until 1990, corruption never ex-isted in the field of journalism. Even if it did, it was negligible. The top most jour-nalist in India f rom 1947 to 1990 according to me was Arun Shourie. Why could-n't people grow as much as Arun Shourie could? You can't say much about it.Journalism is not just for the people who have taken a degree in it. All who hold apen can't be called as journalists. Internet has enabled a new form of journalism.This new media is independent of any business media houses. Everyone has theright to voice out their views. Journalists are compelled to talk things that arebacked up by appropriate evidences, thus making the field more transparent.Because of the commenting option today, people can question any piece of newsand media is answerable to that. Nobody can escape from public scrutiny, be-cause of which journalists have become much more cautious. 65% of the population in India is less than 35 years of age. This kind of popula-tion is more effective and is unbiased. They are educated and not driven bycaste. They earn their own bread and butter. So, money also doesn't drive them.Earlier, people werent exposed to good education but there has been a drastic

change in the last 50 years. In the top position you can see people from all com-munities. People look for good culture and education than caste and creed. Peo-ple don't care as to who has taken the position of the Chief Minister. What theycare is, how much are they benefited.

What was the first lesson in journalism that Pratap Simha learnt? The first thing is that, one should have the courage to communicate. One shouldhave faith in his/her work. One should never compromise. Instead of compromis-ing, s/he can better stop writing. If a journalist compromises, generations get mis-led by his/her work. He/she shoulders a huge responsibility as his/her article in-fluences many readers. One should be able to understand and differentiate be-tween right and wrong. Being dishonest, unfaithful, untruthful, disloyal or anti-social is never good.How do you manage to learn so many things and have a track of everythingin spite of being so busy?

Introduction:Pratap Simha CK. Deva is a well-known columnist. Now working with "Kannada Prabha" and writing hisweekly column on every Saturday under "Bettale Prapancha".(meaning: Naked world) He is one of the mostyoung, aggressive and dynamic journalists from India.

Pratap Simha


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Pratap Simha| Page9


I choose to read all the time. They say that some books are to be tasted, someare to be chewed while some are to be chewed and swallowed. I keep skimmingthrough many books. There's no point learning when you don't implement it.Few books, few articles always make me think deeper and that provokes theresearcher in me. I don't read for writing purpose. I read to know and learn. Ithelps me enrich my knowledge. When my knowledge gets enriched, it comes inhandy for me when I sit to write. Whenever I see an issue, I look into all dimen-sions related to it and write about the strongest dimension. How do you feel when you see people respecting and endorsing yourwrite-ups?When I see people recognising and appreciating my work, I feel definitely happy.But more than that, I feel more responsible. I shouldn't let down my readers. Which are the awards that you have received so far? Initially, I never used to collect any award. Once my editor advised me and Icouldn't take his words off. I received the Young Journalist award. In 2011, only50 people were honoured with Rajyotsava award in Karnataka and I was theyoungest one among them. All others either had an experience of 50 plus yearsor they were 50 years of age.


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Lovely. How important it is to have a mentor? Do you have one?

I'd have to say I do not have a 'mentor' per se. In fact, I participate in writinggroups and socialize with other writers who are starting out, not published etc. Ioften try offering myself up in the role of a 'mentor' to encourage- given my expe-rience, perhaps unique- in some respects. However, where I may be somewhatestablished in the publishing world, I don't look at it like a responsibility, but I real-ly enjoy sharing insight. For example, last night I met two writers, one of whomwas 'stuck' and depressed, while the other continues to struggle with a difficultchapter. After a couple of beers and a wonderful conversation, I was glad to seethem enjoying the idea of writing again- thinking of things in new ways, movingforward in their desire to write and, willing to take on the craft and move ontocompletion and perhaps better writing as well. For me that is a big source of myenthusiasm for writing. Getting out of the (writer's) cave once-in-a-while and shar-ing, interviewing other authors and friends (for my Blog) and interacting. All boatsrise with a strong tide. If I can be part of a strong tide in the writing community I,and hopefully others, can be better for it. I guess to answer your question, I be-lieve in mentorship, that it is important, and for all to recognize the importance of

the role in the writing community indeed allows for a strong writing community toevolve and maintain.

Splendid.. You have interviewed so many authors so far. What is that onequality that you found common in all the authors?

I know this is a generalization, and there will definitely be exceptions to this, butwhen I compare my experience of working in the legal profession to that of work-ing with those in the profession of writing and publishing, I find the latter of themto be more relaxed and with mutual respect to the others in writing/publishingcommunity, that I believed had long since been lost, given my experience in thelegal profession. I guess the attractive quality I found in most authors is a willing-ness to be judged by anyone on the merit of their stories shared with the Public-An incredibly courageous act in this day and age when anyone and everyone cansay whatever they please, regardless of courtesy/ respect. A courage to producetheir stories, and a courage to let those stories stand before the public is a qualityI have found common in the authors I have interviewed, which I really admire.

How many books have you authored so far?

Hi there! Books I have authored and published include five novels, with twonow under contract and either placed on to-be-published lists or are nowscheduled for release. The five novels represent published works in the genreof contemporary fiction, paranormal mystery, young adult and science fiction.

Brilliant. What made you choose "writing" as your profession?

In the midst of practicing law, I had an urge to follow my father's steps. Hewanted to write, but didn't have the opportunity to fulfill his dream. I started writ-ing to produce a novel in his memory when on sabbatical, loved it and neverstopped. I wrote for about fifteen years in private, mornings, evenings... and itwasn't until a few years ago I decided to explore the public domain and theprospects of publishing the works developed over the years. I guess writingcame to me as a gift, and my passion for creating and storytelling has onlygrown and flourished. Now that I no longer practice, I am really enjoying thepleasure of writing and the demands of working with publishers and their teamsto bring my work to the public, for the enjoyment of the public.

Inspiring indeed! What are the problems a professional writer faces?

Participating in the life of "writing" is like life itself ... naturally. There are greatexperiences and there are 'problems' as one would experience in any station ofliving life to its fullest. I am fortunate in that I seem to have a great resource forcreating original and interesting ideas, concepts and stories. I am also fortu-nate to have wonderful, accomplished and very professional teams to workwith and who are encouraging as well. However, this was not always the case.As a professional writer I now know about, and appreciate how incredibly im-portant it is to work with good people and how good things come from that. Ifthere is a 'problem' it usually emanates from either myself, or someone aroundme on a project who is not committed to the best results possible...which iswhy I appreciate the super people I work with, and the incredible context forproducing novels... I also have to add that I am so fortunate to be a peer forothers, and to have peers who are the most outstanding friends and profes-sional cohorts. I am truly fortunate and the problems seem to fade away whenall this comes together and continues in positive directions.


G Mitchell Baker| Page10

2013. All Rights Reserved | If you have articles to contribute mail them to us at [email protected] |July 2013 Edition | Page10

Introduction:G Mitchell Baker is an author from Chicago. He lovessupporting other authors and he is always encouraging.One of the most energetic and humble authors ever.

G Mitchell Baker


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Which was the most difficult decision of your life? The toughest call thatyou had to take?

Being honest, being ethical consistently, regardless of the circumstances pre-

sented without consideration for convenience; Always giving it the best shotknowing that it is not a perfect world in which we live. Walking away from cor-ruption at great personal sacrifice- fortunately, and in a lot of ways it may beconsidered unfortunate, this was an easy question to answer for me. I mightadd, I believe this is a question I will thank you for asking. I don't believe I'vebeen asked this question in interview before.

This question is on behalf of the aspiring authors. What are the things orpractices that need to be adopted by a budding writer, in order to en-hance the efficiency of his/her writing?

Another great question Preethi. Thank you for asking! When I work with bud-ding writers in groups, or while having coffee with them, this question alwaysseems to sneak into the conversation more often than not. Indirectly, because Ibelieve aspiring writers are most timid, when there is a prospect of actually re-ceiving answers. The first practice I mention to a writer that he must learn toanticipate the amount of work they will have. That is whether on their own writ-ing, working with publishing teams, or outright promoting/marketing of their

work. I've seen a lot of writers make critical choices at this level. That is, whenthey hear how much work is involved, there are those who will not see a cost-benefit that makes sense to them. And, in a lot of ways they are correct. How-ever, this is also the difference between writing because you love it, having apassion for sharing stories, or simply wanting to take a chance to be the next'Big Thing'.

A second mention I tend to make in response is to consider the publishing in-dustry as a "people business". It is not always neat and tidy and there are oftentimes when things make a lot of sense, or, when they simply do not. A writer isa creator, and then there is the business side of things. It all must come to-gether if there is to be a successful book/publishing project. I believe aspiringwriters need to be prepared to be more flexible than not, to navigate success-fully in the publishing world. I've seen a lot of talent not find their way throughthe publishing world because they chose to be arbitrary, not negotiate and hes-itate to find balance, a middle-ground along with others. There may be talent,but publishers can fill their lists with anyone given their accessibility to globalpools of talent.

Finally, budding writers must have 'courage', and confidence, but there is little,if any, tolerance for arrogance. A writer new to the business, as creative asthey are enough to be recognized with potential, must know and understandthat if they are indeed confident, this does not mean they have a license to bearrogant and unyielding. I guess in short, don't become a part of, or responsi-ble for the creative tension in your own life-story. There is always enough 'ten-sion' when things are running along smooth. It can be a tense, demandingenough profession as it is. A new writer need not make things more difficult foreveryone when indeed there is enough challenge competing successfully intoday's incredibly competitive publishing markets. In sum, the work, the flexibil-ity, the denial of arrogance is actually being prepared to make choices that leadto less distraction away from your writing. And, when you decide to find ways toreduce or eliminate distraction from your writing (because you are a hard-worker, flexible and not arbitrary) one's writing can remain efficient, or certainlyhas a better opportunity to become more efficient. One's choices regarding ap-proach to balancing the creative with the business, one's consistent, positiveattitude, really does have a direct effect on the state of one's writing. The

sooner an aspiring writer makes these connections, the more likely they will be,and continue to be successful writers who publish and who publishers want tocontinue working with as long as there is viable, marketable content written andwaiting to be produced.


G Mitchell Bake | Page11

This is brilliant.. Define "Inspiration" in your words.

'Inspiration' in my perspective 'inspiration' is the culmination of experience,being in a certain 'place' to receive and process a lot of information, and,

while knowing the information being constantly filtered, processed and con-sidered. I guess for me its a lot of having confidence knowing that seeminglyunrelated notions, research, experience tends to meld into something originaland interesting.

I tend to feel inspired, or having the experience of 'inspiration' after this ratherpredictable/unpredictable process manifests and produces unique ideas that Imay continue to work with and, that in and of themselves may lead to furtherinterest and hence 'inspiration'. It sounds circular, but I believe there can be amomentum: a good-begets-good aspect to 'inspiration', if one does not suc-cumb to pressure, is prepared to be still at times, and to let it happen onceyou have prepared yourself with knowledge and experience and researchthat your creative mind can play around with a little bit here and there. I be-lieve it would be rare for me to experience 'inspiration' out-of-the-blue, but Ido admit there are gifts of 'inspiration' that I cannot explain and remain trulygrateful for . 'Inspiration' can be the subject of my rationalization, or is simplya gift that can only be described from well outside the bounds of any rational-ization I may offer up. For a writer it is one of the truly rare abilities, the truegifts to be experienced and always recognized as such. Perhaps anothersuggestion for aspiring writers: Tend not to take inspiration for granted, it canmean the difference between being creative, or merely a writer struggling tobe creative. Allow for inspiration to flow freely through your life and there willbe stories to tell!

Message:"Well there is an Irish aphorism, a bit of advice I've considered through the years... 'See things for what they are...' I always thought it as kind of a guide to being pleasantly

literal. When I was not a writer of fiction, seeing things for what they are was a pretty straightforward approach to taking in life's scenery and what life had to offer... Most literal, perhapsa convenient way of looking at what life has to offer.

Eventually, now a writer of fiction, I find there is no longer much to seeing things as they are ... Rather, I am now busy pondering that observed, and being more interested in all the pos-sibilities of what can be both original and interesting. And, as all writers should hope, some of the possibilities may be ca ptured on the page ... and perhaps eventually entertain othersover time, with interpretations of what was first seen...

I set this stage ... to propose in the form of this message, the following for your [IU] readers to consider. That is, I believe I am at once describing that which is literal,and that which has the potential to become literary. I believe a good starting point for any writer in fiction, is to consider, as they work, play, do little about theirworld, whether they are indeed preparing to change it all with their words. If so, with it comes responsibility ... and perhaps as much is something worthconsidering ... Indeed, when one chooses to write, should they understand there will be change, absolute, regardless of how t hey thoughtthey initially saw things for what they were?



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Michael Dane Lewis| Page12


Tell us about your current whereabouts.I am living in central Jamaica, the home of the fastest man on earth; Usain Bolt.My country is well known for its unique culture. Jamaica has a culture which formsa kaleidoscope of ancestors which consequently enabled our cultural diversity.Hence, our motto: Out of Many One People, which describes the diversity of ourpeople and culture in a nut shell. Where I am located, people are culturally andhistorically daring, creative and competitive and have a spirit so beautiful that ismatched only by the physical beauty of the most magical little famous island in theworld. No matter to what nation an individual belongs, they will fit perfectly intoJamaicas arranged societal puzzle.

Brief us about your background and qualification Being born and raised in the pitiable community of Glenmuir Housing Scheme;Clarendon, has equipped me with the physical and moral capacity to aid and helpother youth who are experiencing problems. I grew up in a single parent family; Iam the only child for my father. I never allow that to affect me. I don't think of my-

self as a poor deprived youth who is making good. I think of myself as someonewho from an early age knew that I had to make the best of my opportunities. I be-lieve that the greatest discovery of all time is that one can change his/her future byjust changing his/her attitude and the biggest adventure one can take up is to livethe life of his/her dreams. I am a true epitome of a substantially successful youngJamaican and am able not only to make a difference in my life, but in other peo-ple's lives as well.As it pertains to qualifications, I am a 19 year old who only has an Associate De-gree in the field of Arts. I love performing! I love being on stage, speaking, doingdrama, acting, singing (in the shower!) and also dancing. Going out for a dinner orto a music gig or festival is something I really enjoy. I also enjoy meeting newpeople, learning about others and what interesting things or stories they have totell me. I plan to attend university to study Media and Communications to meticu-lously help in composing parts of Jamaicas and the Worlds history by beinga watchdog for society as my grandmother would coin it. Simply put, I want tobecome one of the best journalists and embrace a change by contributing inmeaningful ways to social, economic, spiritual, business, environmental and politi-

cal growth and development.

Give us an insight about your achievements.Well, I enjoy arts and have participated in many competitions for which I obtainedmany awards and media highlights. I was awarded the Prime Ministers YouthAward in the category of Arts and Culture. This award is the highest honour be-stowed on Jamaicans between 15 and 24 years of age, who have achieved emi-nent national and international distinction. In 2011, I also obtained the first andfourth highest score for CSEC Theatre Arts in Jamaica and the Caribbean respec-tively out of a vast number of students. In the recent ICON OF THE MONTHCompetition held by IU eMagazine I was placed 3rd in the Month of June. Just theother day, I was overwhelmed when I was awarded by my high school the ti-tle student schools ambassador at their prize giving ceremony. Because of theYOUR BIG YEAR Competition, I am an ambassador of World Merit, a global plat-form of emerging millennial visionaries and leaders and I am humble to be placedin the Top 120 from thousands of competitors around the world.

How does it feel to have achieved the title of Mr. Teen Caribbean United Na-tions 2013?Winning the title as Mr. Caribbean United Nations was in truth and in fact, a bit ofa surprise for me. All the contestants were talented and intelligent and our minds

were directed towards having fun in the competition since we were constantly re-minded by the pageant director; Mr L. Williams that we shouldnt believe in failurebecause it isnt failure if weve enjoyed the process, which I certainly did. Howev-er, it is a surreal feeling that fills me with humility and honour. It is a dream cometrue to be a part of another international competition and represent not only thedifferent Caribbean countries, but myself and have the opportunity to be a worldambassador.Who is your inspiration?At f irst, I would have said Oprah Winfrey because she is is a global leader andphilanthropist and through the power of media she has created an unparalleledconnection with people around the world including myself. She creates an atmos-phere of openness, deals with difficult issues in a straightforward manner, listenswell and shares information completely. She demonstrates the ability to motivateand she is persistent in commitments to charity. She has natural leadership skillsand I want to emulate those skills. However, I met a man. He is a man of sub-stance, a man with a strong and complete personality! He is confident, strong

minded, influential, positive and an awesome individual who can hold a firm con-versation. He is independent, soulful and an elite role model who has strong val-ues and a moral while at the same time is humorous and understanding. Thisman is my inspiration he is Mr. Chris Arnold.

How do you want to inspire the youth of today? In my eyes I visualize that some individuals in Jamaica and around the world lackconfidence and motivation. Hence, my inspirational platform is cantered on self-motivation and confidence which I believe are the two internal driving forces toachieve something worthwhile. I want to be an amazing ambassador for theworld. To be able to make a difference on such a large scale inspires me and mydream is to be able to do this full time. I want to work with and for the world tocreate positive change by taking action. I want to make happen a positive changeand be able to embrace many countries, peoples ways of life and find a way ofbringing all of these together as one.What are the responsibilities of the youth today towards the development of

the society according to you?I truly believe that if youth understands their responsibilities in todays society, alarge number of crimes can reduce as each day goes by. I believe that eachyouth should be serious about becoming educated or obtaining a skill becauseyouth is solely responsible to build the nation both literally and figuratively, makethe society noble and improve the different communities and cultures of society.We all know and realize that, the youth is our future. What do you do when you are too confused?I am thoroughly organized. Hence I am constantly creating lists and action plansto ensure I dont get confused daily. However, if I do get confused, I will remainpositive and relaxed and in comparison to a computer I would simply hibernateuntil my mind is refreshed and ready to continue.What is the message that you want to give to our readers? In addressing all the existing and potential readers of theIU e-Magazine, I am imploring all to be true to who youare and for what you stand. Be an inspiration andstay inspired.

Michael Dane Lewis


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15/26


16/26

About the authorSujit Lalwani is an inspirational speaker invited by the

plenipotentiary of president of Russia to talk atInternational Tourism Forum. Has addressed more

than 1 Million people through his speeches. Founder

of IU (Inspiration Unlimited), charity organization

36meals.com & many other profound NGOs/Projects,

OYW ambassador, Finalist representative at Your Big

Year 2012 Competition from India, Featured in Press &

TV frequently & much more at just 25 years of age.

About the bookThe frustration, stress, emotional imbalance, confusion, career challenge, pressure compe-

tition & relational strain that bother this generation today are enormous & this is quitedepressing. With Do what your heart says!, Follow your heart!, being the most used

phases today, its a daunting task for people to lead themselves to glory & leave behind a

story that could be iconic.

In such a scenario Sujit Lalwani, the most sought after youth icon in India & Nepal, brings a

simple, unique, easy to read & comprehend piece of quality work, which is a treat even for

the non-readers. It promises to simplify life & help make life fulfilling! Perfect for age

group 14-28 as it addresses their most binding issues!

Testimonialink this book could be extremely useful for many people making their way in life and I

ratulate Sujit on having written it

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Sireesha MK | Page16

I love long drives but I love going around in a two wheeler more. Notas a rider but just the person sitting back. Here I am yet again withten lessons that I learnt not as a rider but as an observer, sitting

back on a two wheeler, in a ride out on the Indian road.

Can you please wear your Helmet?Yes, it is a busy world. Time is ticking and there are a thousandthings to do on your to-do list. (Thats called exaggeration). But mydear friend it wouldnt take you more than 30 seconds to wear yourhelmet. Not everyone gets a replacement like Lord Ganesha. Simi-larly, you might not like to do certain things in life but you just needto do them because its for your good. You carry your licenses,right?

Signal!Boss, than having a bad feeling, take a neck exercise immediatelyand look to your right and left . And take the road not taken. Youcan always apply Pythagoras theorem. Time to remember highschool mathematics. When life shows you such signals, do notpause, take a diversion. Move on!

I am stuck Really?Just because there is a bus in front of you doesnt mean there is asignal. Look ahead, cruse-in between and move on. Many a timewhat we assume to be a boulder is actually not one. A pause is nota full stop but a comma. You are allowed to write your life the way

you want it to be.

Carnival Yes it is!Take a minute to look around. Cars, Posters, People, Stores, Hospi-tals, Colors, Conversations their funny expressions (I am sure youwould have done this, trying to observe someone), LIFE! If the onlything you want to do is focus on the traffic in front, that is all you willsee. Even in Life, you will always find all that you want to see.

Hello, you there?Silence is the greatest agony when you are travelling with someoneand when he/she doesnt talk. Trust me, it is. You have x feet, y kgsperson who is travelling with you, who has a different experience,

different taste, different tongue and is all the way different from you.Be a little selfish and get to know more. Next time push the stop but-ton when you start thinking about what happened and start record-ing the present.

You May go, Please.Life is a race but not on the roads. There is no point exhibiting your

racing skills on the road. At times, when you are stuck in a trafficjam, to move back doesnt actually mean you are giving up. Not alltimes taking lead is important sometimes giving up a little is leading.

Which way to go?I find it very funny when people say I dont know the route, I cantgo. My question to all those, when you dont explore, how would youknow? No one is ever born with a route Map of the World perma-nently stored in the cells of brain. Ask and it shall be given TheSecret read. Ask and it will be told - I said. (That was a PJ). Similar-ly, no one ever actually knows what he/she wants to become, its theexploration of the self that reveals the identity.

ServicingI need to give my bike for service. I need to give my bike for service.I need to give my bike for service. If you wonder why have I writtenin thrice, because no matter what the time, situation or place is, Ihave heard the same sentence without it getting re-framed. Pleaseconvert the need to action and get it done. Likewise, if you keepthinking about the Need to-be-done list, when will you actually doit?

Kick Start/Choke StartGetting used to choke start can definitely reduce your time but neverkick starting your vehicle is like sending an official invitation to trou-ble and giving him the permit to peek in anytime he wants. Thingswill go wrong as they sometimes will but why call them purposely fora coffee? Preparing on the last day of exam can also get you dis-tinction but what if you meet with an accident the same day

Speed is good! Not always.The Wind gushing, the speedometer needle hitting the max and aperson sitting back, shouting at the top of his/her voice. Wait! Thisisnt the scene of a Bollywood Movie, it does happen in reallife. Thrilling, Nerve tingling, Madness may lead you to Bed number45, Victoria Hospital, Bangalore.What I am trying to say is, remember you have a responsibility, afamily and people who look up to you. You neednt always do some-

thing just because something excites you. There is a whole lot of aworld which is looking upto you.

After a long ride.Having a cup of tea, a little music and a com-forting Sofa is such a perfect combi. Agree? These were mine, do

share yours in the comments column. Would love to read those

:).

Sireesha MK is a true pro-

fessional who has made a

niche for herself in the

social media business. She

is the online presence

manager & operations

head at Simus - The Social

Media Experts, with a

deep understanding of

social media and it's vari-

ous strengths and loop-

holes. A lady who was

placed in L&T has left hermain-stream job to follow

her heart. She is behind a

lot of FB pages doing big

on the internet. A true

Online Presence Manager

with tremendous skills of

networking online!

India


18/26

a tiny fairy popping down from heaven who teaches the wifehow to dance the cha-cha. What? You can't have a sillytwist that will end up spoiling the story.

Dont get too outrageous. Something too oddball will havethe reader putting the book down. No pink unicorns in themiddle of a modern mystery. You want your twist to fit rightin, not throw the reader off. If the twist is too strange, it's ba-sically a story killer.

Dont be boring. The point of a twist is that it must be surpris-ing and it must enter the story at the right time. Any type ofstory can benefit from a twist. If a man is trying to win awomans love and he sends her flowers, thats nice but pred-icable. A good twist here would be if he sent her a puppy notknowing shes allergic to dogs.

Don't spring something on your readers out of the blue.Leave small clues, and slight descriptions that could eventu-ally lead the reader to the right answer if they paid attention.Nothing is worse than reading a good murder mystery only tofind out the killer is some character that is introduced in the

last chapter. Makes me want to kill the author.

Write the most predictable scene imaginable. Write threeways that the reader would expect the story could go. Thenthrow those ideas away. Heres your scene: a man and awoman are stranded on an uninhabited island in the Baha-mas because of a boat fire. They swim to shore and watchthe boat burn and sink. Nighttime is near. What happensnext? 1) They make a fire. 2) They find shelter. 3) They try tofind water. Nope. What happens next? They hear odd growl-ing noises coming from the interior of the island. There areno wild animals in the Bahamas, but something quite large isdefinitely making its way towards them. Now do you want toread on? Sure, you do.


Jody Lebel | Page17

Jody Lebel: Following

sixteen years as a travel

agent (more travel than

money) Jody Lebel

switched gears, re-

turned to school and

became a court reporter

(more money than trav-

el). She swapped jetting

off to fun and exotic

locations for reporting

the cases of murderers,

rapists, and thieves who

are, by the way, almostnever in a good mood.

Being assigned to the

chief judge in Broward

County exposed her to a

wide spectrum of cases.

Positive that in a past

life she was a writer (or

possibly a dancehall girl)

Jody has always incorpo-

rated writing in her life.

She created murder

mystery nights for her

travel agency and wrote

travel articles for local

magazines.

South Florida


What is a twist? A plot twist is a change in the expected direction oroutcome of the plot of a novel or other work of narrative. It is used tokeep the interest of an audience, usually surprising them

A perfect example of a good twist can be found in the movie TheSixth Sense, a 1999 film starring Bruce Willis. In it a boy who com-municates with ghosts that don't know they're dead seeks the helpof a disheartened child psychologist. Throughout the film the psy-chologist has problems of his own with his marriage. The twist? Thereason the boy can communicate with the psychologist is becausethe doctor is also dead but doesnt know it. This twist comes at theend. In order for the twist to work, you have to deliberately misleadyour audience, but the build-up once revealed has to also be true tothe twist. All of the scenes in the Sixth Sense make sense.

In other words, they all worked whether the man was dead or not.For example in a teary restaurant scene where the doctor and hiswife were seated opposite one another at a table, it appeared thathis wife was talking to him when she was really talking to her deadhusband, telling him she was angry that he wasnt there for her. Thedoctor, not knowing hes dead, thought she was angry because he

had forgotten their anniversary and had arrived at the restaurantlate. He was trying to tell her he was sorry, but she appeared to betalking right over him. It was an excellent scene that gave you anaha moment once you knew the twist.

The twist should always be pertinent to the story. Dont make themistake of dropping something odd in that has no bearing on thestoryline whatsoever. Plot twists have to be logical, make sense tothe reader, and they must be connected to the story.

Here are 5 rules to twist your story. Make it believable. Even in a paranormal you have to make it

somewhat believable. For example a fireman dies in a fireand his family is devastated. A good twist here might be thatinstead of burying her husband, the wife goes to a Voo Doolady who claims she can bring the dead back to life. And shedoes, but it goes terribly wrong. A bad twist? You have


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Mohan BN | Page18

Mohan BNis a very pas-

sionate Inspirational

speaker. His key quality

is that he is a

multilingual person.

He has worked as soft-

ware professional and

has experience in sales

and marketing, business

and training. He is an

ardent daily blogger andinvolved in the field of

health & fitness and

bodybuilding. He is a

hardcore networker and

a multifaceted

individual.

It was a race of 10 kilometers and all the ten contestants beganto run at the sound of the gunshot. All ten had practiced a lot for

this race of their life. It was a tough contest between these tenferocious runners. During the initial phase, it seemed as if theentire chunk of 10 human-cheetahs represented one team but astime and distance passed, few moved ahead of others and finallyat the end of the race, there was only one winner who receivedthe reward.

All of us are pretty much aware that no plant grows without aseed or stem or fruit or leaf of it being planted. Even the employ-ees don't get their salaries until the month end. There is no effectwithout a cause. This is the law of the universe. Rewards are al-ways towards the end of our work. Only those who toil through-out the journey and reach the end within the prescribed bounda-ries and constraints reap the benefits of their work. No one whojust intervenes in between or joins hands in the start of the workis eligible for the final reward, though s/he can be considered foracknowledgement. Everyone can start something but not every-one works towards completing that something that they start to-

gether. It requires great commitment and passion towards

achieving completion. More than the work, the commitment getsrewarded, but only towards the end.

It's strange that people expect 100% reward for 1% input some-times. Just because someone contributes towards some part ofthe work at the beginning, s/he cannot be entitled for the reward.If the rest hadn't taken the project to completion then there wouldbe no value for that some part contribution. Everyone has ideasbut an idea which is not executed is equivalent to a shadow-nothingness. Hence the executors of the idea who take the ideafrom its conception to its inception are eligible to reap the rewardsand not those who join hands initially but leave hands later.Hence, focus on completing whatever you take up, else don't de-sire for the reward which you don't deserve, because the rewardis always towards the end.

Think about it, when do trees bear fruits? After the tree has beennurtured well. When do students receive annual awards? Afterthe year is completed, after the work is done. So go, finish yourTo-Do day after day, week after week, year after year.. Your re-

ward is waiting!

India



20/26

What Heraclitus wrote over 3,000 years ago still applies today,

the only constant is change.

Assess what got you into the situation that youve found yourself.

Decide where you want to go and what you want to do. Keepthat image always in mind. Whatever it is that you create as yourgoal, you can achieve.

Take small measurable steps towards that goal. If you want toclimb to the top of a mountain, you get there one step at a time.

Because of doing these things everything did change for the bet-ter. We were able to eventually own the home that we're living innow, and by following these, you can live in your dream housetoo!

In 2005, because of the poor choices we had made, my wife

and I became homeless. For a short time we ended up havingto live in Toyota car instead of the house we were buying.Needless to say, it wasnt a very pleasant experience for ei-ther of us. I felt so bad because I had helped to create the sit-uation that we had found ourselves in. For a time, I did a goodjob of beating myself up.

Because of what had happened, I took some time and as-sessed everything. I didnt want to make the same mistakesagain. There were a few very valuable things that I learnedand Ive put into practice in my own life. Here is my advice tothe reader just in case you run into the same kind of situation.

First of all, dont let the situation get you down. It will not last.


Brian Bigelow| Page19


Brian Bigelow currently

lives in Colorado, USA

with his wife, a cat, and a

very protective Chihua-

hua that risks life and

limb to save his "family"

from running leaves, fire

hydrants and the like. He

works in a retail estab-

lishment for his day job.

Brian also writes for Per-

seid Press on a number of

writing projects, the first

of which that will be re-

leased is, Terror by Gas-

light. He also has a

number of his own books

and short stories out, the

most recent would be,

An Ill Wind Cometh,

which is a horror novel.

USA


21/26


Srikirishna Chaitanya | Page20

The Mela can be all what you want it to be. For the spiritualist,it is a place to feel the Lord's presence with greater ease. For

the photographers, it's a one stop shop to show all what they'vegot. For the traveler, it's meeting like-minded people and forpeople from Harvard, it was a research project about urban-religious interfaces and survival semantics of ephemeral cities(these Harvard titles I tell you!). Harvard had its own camp, alot of blonde students and a whole website dedicated to posttheir findings. They believed that the Kumbh mela town is anexample of consummate urban planning.

One wonders why the Indian government shows its muscle on-ly when offered easy purification of sins!

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/02/mapping-a-megacitys-metabolism/Their project ended with the following conclusion." The Es-sence of Indian urban planning is not about grand design. It'sabout grand adjustment". I wondered. Did it take fifty Harvardresearchers thirty whole days to figure that out? No offense in-

tended, but heck, I knew that when I was six. That's what theymean when they say "Ask the locals!"

We are very credulous in our assumptions about differencesbetween people across cultures. However, soak yourself up inmeaningful conversations and you will realize that deep be-neath the superficial vestures of skin color, language and na-tionality, we are all the same. Such experiences reiterate theuniversality in human desires and bolster your confidence inthe ideology of 'Vasudaiva Kutumbakam' (The world is onefamily). More than purification of sins, what it will surely bring isa purification of your persona.

Nothing like coupling this with a visit to the temple town of Va-ranasi. I have never been to a place before (hampi maybe anexception) which has such an ancient feel to it. There's some-thing very unique about the ghats at the ganges. At the Da-shashwamedh ghat, one offers prayers for prosperity and big

success. Walk down a couple of kilometres and you are theManikarnika ghat- where 300 dead bodies turn into ash everysingle day. This walk (listed by a popular website as 100 mustdo things in India) is so symbolic of the journey of life. We pray,we celebrate, we 'walk'...only to be reduced to ashes in 5minutes, one fine day.

The Kumbh Mela presents a strange paradox . It is the placewhere the 'ocean' of peace merges with the 'river' of life, creat-ing that grand highway to heaven.

I went to the Kumbh. Are you going or not?

Jai Ganga! (Victory to the Ganges)

Pink skies, pristine waters.. A divine presence and people from allover the world. There are a plethora of reasons why the Kumbh

becomes the cynosure of all eyes. It is a showcase of diversity,religion, spiritual heritage, human magnanimity and many morethings.

"A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see afine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares maynot obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implantedin the human soul." -Goethe

Though this is one of those 'near perfect' quotes I've been accost-ed by, one would wonder how Goethe left out "see new places" inhis definition of a beautiful life.

There are some qualities , that when cultivated, can take life to awhole new level. One such human trait, is 'a sense of occasion'.Being at the right place at the right time, most often makes all thedifference between love and loss, happiness and sorrow, successand failure and as I have just realized: between a beautiful life and

an ordinary one.

People who generally concern themselves with t rivial formalisms,consider the Kumbh Mela to be merely a religious congregation.But in reality the connotations of the Kumbh far outstretch that la-bel. It is a culmination of human virtues, a perfect stage to re-assert and find the goodness in yourself and in others.

Legend has it that when the Devas and Asuras (demons) wereperforming the Ksheer sagar Mathan, ambrosia emerged. Garuda(the celestial eagle) flew away with the Kumbh(pot) containing thenectar, so as to keep immortality at bay for the demons. The storygoes that drops of nectar fell at the Triveni sangam, Ujjain, Nasikand Haridwar (all places fall in India). The muhurtham (auspicioustime) occurs once in twelve years when the Sun God moves intothe Makara rashi-which is celebrated as the Kumbh Mela fromMakara Sankranthi to Maha shivaratri.

The Maha Kumbh mela (which happened in 2013) however oc-curs once every twelve Kumbh Melas and the waters are knownto be especially purifying at this time."I have been longing to come to the Kumbh since I was 18. I havefinally managed at 42. I feel blessed" says Stephen, an Ethnobiol-ogist and a part time DJ from San Diego. His connection with theMela is a very intimate one. There is something about me and mylove for conversation. What ensued hence was a delightful yet in-sightful discussion on plants, the evanescence of American mar-riages and some 'Kumbh Mela' like festivals that happen surrep-tiously in the Nevada deserts.

The evenings were serene yet filled with religiously suave and afestive ambience. It was so easy to merge into the devotion andmeditativeness of the melodious chants during the ganga aarti.


Srikrishna Chaitanya is

from Bangalore India.

Aged 23, completed his

engineering at RV College

of engineering, Bangalore.

Presently he works for GE

Healthcare. He is an avid

traveler and trekker. His

penchant for writing be-

gan after he was moved

by travel experiences. He

loves the joy that litera-

ture and science bring to

life. He has trekked to alti-

tudes of over 16000 feet in

Sikkim and in Uttarak-

hand. Recently declared a

'TATA Scholar' by the JN

Tata trust in Mumbai. He

will be moving to Germany

soon for Graduate educa-

tion.

India
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/02/mapping-a-megacitys-metabolism/http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/02/mapping-a-megacitys-metabolism/http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/02/mapping-a-megacitys-metabolism/http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/02/mapping-a-megacitys-metabolism/


22/26

the extra time to just absorb every minute and soak up thelaughter was rejuvenating!! When was the last time you

laughed so hard your whole face hurt? I love to laugh! Ourfamily is big on laughing great big belly laughs, snortinglaughs, squeaky laughs any kind of laughing as long as you doit. Grandma Rose , now 88 yrs. old, says you have a choiceevery day to either laugh or cry. Which way do you want tospend your day? I like that and I made the choice to laugh.

Guess what? It worked! Look :-D LOL, Im back and so is mybig smile! I missed all my online friends and connections, but itwouldnt have been fair to them to stay online. I wasnt able toshare the real me. Spending time with the people who en-couraged me to follow my passions in the first place inspiredme to renew my determination and strengthen my resolve.Part of my passion has always been to spread my smile andget others to let their inner child out to play. Well, watch outworld because my inner child is in full play mode! Happy, hap-py and ready to dance!

Some of you may have noticed my absence from last monthsissue.

Now you will find out why. Ive been pushing myself extremelyhard for three years since the publication of Antiserum, my novel.Theres not a single thing wrong with pushing yourself; its a goodthing. Ive found that after three solid years of school, writing,marketing, social media, sales, homework, and holding down aday job or two. I was running out of gas. When you run at fullspeed sometimes you crash. Even when you take small re-charge breaks like I always did, it can still happen. I have to tellyou, I ALMOST lost my smile! Can you believe that? Me? Whatwas the world coming to? I cant spread smiles if I dont have oneof my own! I had to do something about that and fast. So, I pulledthe plug!!! Thats right, you heard me I took a time out from thesocial media and marketing so I could find Inspiration in personalconnections with friends and family and community.

Do you enjoy spending time with the people around you? Taking


Patricia Carrigan | Page21


San Francisco

Patricia Carrigan is a very

enthusiastic young writer.

Her novel Antiserum was

published while she was

16 years old and a Junior

in High School. Currently

Patricia is a college stu-

dent, while writing Antise-

rum Part II, she is also il-

lustrating, The Rising and

a childrens book of

rhyme.! She is also work-

ing as a fashion consultantand marketing her book

on her own. As a Student

Ambassador for People to

People, she was able to

reach out to new cultures

and could make new

friends across the globe.

Some of Patricias many

passions include nature,

animals (especially bears),

art and photography.

Shes known for spreading

hugs and smiles through-

out her social media, sup-

porting her friends and

colleagues along the way.

There is no stopping her

once she sets a goal, until

she achieves it.


23/26


Jason P Stadtlander | Page22

and perhaps a chance for the memories of their lives to be sharedwith others. Even if we ourselves do not have children, there is stillsomething that we leave behind in the name of our parents. Life

achievements and accomplishments that we perform and create inour name but indirectly would never have been possible were it notfor the choice our parents made to have a child.

Paris Jackson, Michael Jacksons daughter has been struggling forthe past few years with the death of her famous father, a death of aman that was troubled and died far too young. People put Michaelon this pedestal that they just love to push him off of with his fameand fortune. What the world too easily forgets is that he was hu-man, a person just like you and I. He loved his children and did eve-rything he could to protect them and cared for them just as youwould care for your children. Although he did accomplish manygreat feats with his wealth and truly did want to change the world,his greatest triumph was not his singing, his star studded fame oreven his benevolent generosity to all of the various charities. It washis three children, Paris, Michael and Prince. Four hundred yearsfrom now, people will remember his music but he will continue tolive on in the DNA of his decedents and perhaps even through sto-

ries that are passed down through his family.

The loss of a parent, though sad is not a tragedy, especially ifthey have lived a long life as my f riends father did. It is not a trage-dy as long as we do the best we can with the life we are given, toalways try to carry on the name of those we love most and havecared for.

Death is the inevitable conclusion to all of our lives and its also theunknown that haunts us. I know what youre thinking, What kind ofan inspirational message could you possibly be starting with a

statement like that?

Well, bear with me. My dear friend Chris recently came to me withthe distressing news of the loss of his father. All his life he hadbeen extremely close to his father and it was also his last remainingparent. I was neither qualified nor capable of taking his pain away,though I badly wanted to. Trying to wrap my head around how Iwould feel if I lost my father, I talked to Chris, but words would notheal. I didnt know his father well, but I did know him and knew himto be a kind and loving man with a rich love of his children andgrandchildren. Childhood is a strange thing that lasts your whole lifeuntil your parents die. Yes, I know that you are perhaps no longer areal child after the age of twenty or so, but to your parents you arestill their child. Even my great grandmother who died at the age of104 and I was blessed to be able to interview at the age of 100,talked of her son who was in his 80s as her little boy. It neverchanges at least not until that fateful day when you wake up andthey are no longer there. Then you are in charge of everything, the

direction your family will go, where you will go without having themas a sounding board, and having those familiar holidays with thatempty seat across the table.

The key to all of this parent child connection, is the reality thatalthough our parents have us to not only enrich their lives and givethem a purpose, but also to go on beyond them. To provide theman existence, a heritage that is passed on long after they are gone,

2013. All Rights Reserved | If you have articles to contribute mail them to us at [email protected] |July 2013 Edition | Page22

Northern Massachusetts

Jason P Stadtlanderis a

native of Ohio who cur-

rently lives in northern

Massachusetts with his

family. He has been writ-

ing since he was in sixth

grade when he wrote

"Loss of Innocence, a

short story about a teddybear that is alive but

slowly deteriorates as his

owner and lifelong com-

panion grows up and los-

es his imagination. It was

at this point in his life

that Jason knew he

wanted to write. He en-

joyed the magic of being

able to create a unique

world full of new realities

in his mindone that

nobody had ever seen

before. Since then, Jason

has written over 150

short stories and is cur-

rently working on two

novels.


24/26

Other Servicesof

Inspiration

Unlimitedwww.iuindia.com

m.iuemag.com

Catch us on your
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25/26


Poetry Section | Page24

Thee says they are my best friend,But why they dont act like the oneThey persuade me to do wrong thingsAnd just move back when I get caught

They bring me presents on my big days

They come to celebrate all special daysBut whenever I weep in the dark roomThey never ever for me, pray

But in the dark room of my heart, I still havesomeone specialI've never seen him, but his presence makesme feel better

He is light for me and he is rain for me

To lighten my dark ways, and to shower on meHe is with me without any hasteThis is I call the Gods grace.

God's Grace

Enjoy each and every moment,The hustle- bustle,The trickering drops,Those noisy silencesAnd water droplets covering your face...

Enjoy the hot summers,Enjoy humid nights,Enjoy piercing words,For every moment has some life,The tick-tock of clock,

Enjoy each and every moment....

Enjoy the burns,Enjoy the chill,Enjoy the harshness,Enjoy the soft pills,Take note of every sound,Enjoy each and every moment....

Enjoy the happiness in serene hours,Enjoy every momentWith soft heart,For this is what that life calls for...Enjoy each and every moment...

Enjoy each and every moment

Nikita Aggarwal is a

young passionate writer

from India. She is pursu-

ing her Bachelors degree

in commerce from Delhi

University. She is also an

ardent daily blogger. She

writes regularly for IU e-

Magazine for both Hindi

and English languages.

She is also known for her

spectacular Hindi arti-

cles.

India

Zoha Khalid, also known

as ZOHA Zee Kay; a girl

from Pakistan, just com-

pleted with her bache-

lors in Zoology and

Botany. Besides that she

is an entrepreneur by

profession, a Blogger as

hobbyist , poetess by

passion, an aspiring

journalist and photogra-

pher. Also has worked in

many international pro-

jects. M.D. at her very

own lifestyle blog

http://eviexclusive.com/.

Pakistan

2013. All Rights Reserved | If you have articles to contribute mail them to us at [email protected]| July 2013 Edition | Page 24


26/26

Poetry Section | Page25


I could see the black clouds marchinglike soldiersWith thunder and lightning as its ammunitionAnd rain as a weaponTo destroy all my hopes and optimismI knew that with the malicious drops of rainMy sanguinity will perishMingling and mixing with the mean waterAnd I would be left forlorn and bereavedOf my brightness, positivity and vibrancy

This had kept happening years after yearsAs far as I could rememberAnd I was sure that it would occur

This year too

However, this seasonThe rain came unannouncedWith no trumpetsGently and subtly

As I gazed out from the windowI wondered why I was so apprehensiveof the drizzle?I walked out of my narrow wallsAnd mingled with the shower

The drops fell on meMystically and magicallyEnveloping me with its positivityA mist gathered around my eyesAnd I let myself free in the mist

I no longer see the black cloudsAs symbol of depression and gloomThey are for me icons of blissfulnessThey come and bless meWith the lightning, the thunder and the raindropsTaking away all my murkinessAbsorbing all my despairAnd leave me rejuvenated and revitalized

The Black Clouds

Dreams, the driving force of mind,Heart and brain together they bind;Appropriately act as a beacon of light,Amazingly solves all the self-fights.

Live your dreams with enough trust,Pour in, and let your energy burst;

Dont give up or else the iron will rust,Just think, I can! I will! And I must!

The Inner YouDreams, follow them up with action,Make them your lifes ambition;Let following your heart be your vision,I am sure, there wont be any more confusion.

Dream, and bring out your inner self,The whiz, the genius hidden on a shelf,

And you will see God will help you himself,Whether your wish is to be a wizard, human or Elf!

India

India

Khushboo Betalais a

commerce graduate anduniversity topper from

Chennai, currently pur-

suing C.A. She is pas-

sionate about writing

Poetry. It is more than a

hobby. She also enjoys

reading poems. It gives

her strength and inspi-

ration to write poems.

Neelam Saxena Chandra

works as an engineer in

Indian Railways as Direc-

tor(IT). She is an award

winning poet with multi-

ple awards in her kitty

alongside being a state-

of-the-art novelist. She

has more than 10 books

under publication. Her

vision is solve social prob-

lems through literature by

inspiring readers and cre-

ate interesting literature

for children to inspire

reading.

iuemag july 2013 edition

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