India in Space Age

Points: History of space flight — Indian advances in space technology — Achievement of mankind.

             ‘Twinkle twinkle little star/How I wonder what you are’. The nursery rhyme says that the stars and planets have been to us perpetual wonder and mystery. When Uri Gagarin’s ‘Vostok’  first shot out to move around the earth’s orbit in April 1961, the world gasped with wonder. Only in a month’s dine after that, Commander Shepherd of U.S.A. went into the orbit with his space-ship. In June 1963 a Russian lady Tereskova sailed through the outer space and exchanged talks with cosmonaut Bikovosky already in orbit. About the same time, Gordon Cooper circled the earth 22 times. Then man landed on the Moon. Since then attempts to probe Mars, Venus and other planets are continuing. 
             India is now making rapid advances in space technology. Our Haricota space centre is well equipped and is doing researches on satellites and space morning. In collaboration with Russia India is launching her own space-ships. A time will soon come when India will be self-sufficient in space science and use her own launching pad to put her space-ship into the orbit from Indian soil. Rakesh Sharma has already become the first Indian spaceman; we are proud of him.
             This great achievement belongs not to any particular nation but to mankind as a whole. H. G. Wells while writing his history, had a vision. With the earth as his foot-stool, he dreamt, man would one day reach out his hand among the stars. Space flight is indeed mankind’s flight into the future.

Student-life

Points: Preparation for life — A student’s debt to society — Years of idealism.

             There is a saying in Sanskrit that a student should concentrate wholly on studies. But in the modern age the old principle no longer holds good and a hook-worm is not regarded as an ideal student. A student-life is, after all, an apprenticeship of life itself. Books alone cannot give us the knowledge we need for future life.
             Harmonious development of body, mind and spirit—that is true education, and this should be the aim of every student. He should show interest for sports and athletics, arts and music, social service and charity. In our country where a large number of people are poor and illiterate, every student has to do something for others. A student may join N.C.C. or N.S.S. just as he may join Boy Scouts or Bratachari. He should work for the betterment of the community. Every student should bear in mind that he owes a debt to his or her society.
             Students should read the country’s history and visit places of historical interest. They will thus acquire a sense of patriotism. A student ought to be imbued with idealism. Idealism alone can help him rise above all pettiness. A student will, of course, think of his career. But he should not be self-centered.

The Wonders of Electricity

Points: We owe heavily to electricity — Its gifts to urban life — Its gifts to rural life.

             Electricity is the miracle that has modernized our life. It serves us at all hours. It gives us light cooks our food, cools our room in the summer and keeps it warm in the winter. In fact, modern civilization is mainly a gift of electricity. One needs only to switch it on or off; the rest is done by electricity, in the twinkling of an eye. Electricity is like Aladdin’s lamp. A hundred years ago people had to depend for light, heat or cower on candle, wood, coal and beasts of burden. Benjamin Franklin, we are sure, never dreamt that his kite-flying in a storm would lead to such a revolution one day.
             No industrial development is possible without electricity. Electric razors, carpet cleaners, toasters, driers, grinders washing machines, refrigerators, elevators, escalators, electric typewriters, calculating machines, and hundreds of tools and gadgets are coming into daily use. The traffic signals, radio, television, telephone, everything owes its existence to electricity. And so also do the electric trains and tramcars.
             When we talk of modernization of villages we call it ‘rural electrification’. Pump-sets in fields are now being operated by electricity. As a result, peasants are getting the benefit of irrigation. Formerly, crops would be harvested only once or at best twice a year. Now crops are being raised thrice. Electricity is giving ‘shock treatment’ to our sick villages and bringing them up. Electricity is, in fact, the soul of our civilization.

Choice of Companions

Points: Influence of companions — Choice not always possible — Common bonds.

             A man is known by the company he keeps. We should be cautious, therefore, in choosing our friends. We cannot escape their influence for good or for evil, when they are most of the time around us. Upon the minds of young men, such influence is bound to be very strong.
             We cannot, however, always choose our company. At school or college or elsewhere in life, we are likely to come across people whom we may not like. We have to get on with such people as best as we can. Our best defence in any company is our own innate decency and dignity of character. Besides, we are likely to find in most places a few good souls who are refined and companionable.  We can form our own circle with such people. Those who are extremely selfish or self-centred cannot be good companions. Man is by nature social. That is why he hankers after friendship and company. But the company he chooses may determine his own character and Life-style.
             “Birds of a feather,” it is said, “flock together.” No doubt when people are of like taste and temperament, they naturally come close together. A hobby or common pursuit may serve as a common bond for a life-long friendship. But it is not necessary that friends should always share each other’s views or tastes or even the way of life. Rabindranath, for example, was a poet and Jagadish Chand a scientist — each the greatest of his kind— and both remained life-long friends.

Newspaper Reading

Points: Part of our daily routine — Our window to the world — Various services of the newspapers.

             There was a time — only a few centuries ago — when there was no newspaper in the world. But today, like our morning tea-cup the newspaper is a must. We are, in fact, very much news-hungry.
             A reader gets much more out of his daily paper than merely sensational stories. The newspaper brings the world to our door. We come to know of what is happening in Israel, in Iran, in South America and so on. The events of sports and games, the Test Matches and the Olympics — we read in newspapers. It is in the columns of newspaper that we can learn how our own country is faring. Important official announcements are also made public through the newspaper.
             Newspapers are also views papers. The editorials voice the feelings of the common people. The ‘Letters to the Editor’ column is a kind of public forum. Here all kinds of queries, comments and protests are made by the readers themselves. The ‘Wanted’ columns guide the reader to the job market. Even marriages are settled through the ‘Matrimonial’ columns. The newspaper is nothing but a printed mirror of the contemporary world. It is our every day’s historian.

Kolkata's Metro Rail

Points: The metro makes its start — The section already under operation — Future hope.

             Kolkata’s Metro is now the talk of the town. It is the first of its kind in India. It has made its start and has already become a focal point of attraction.
             The Metro railway is being constructed in several sectors. The work of the sector from Dum-Dum to  Tollygunge  is completed. The work in the Tollygunge sector has at last been completed and regular operations have started between  Dum-Dum  and Tollygunge. The stations on this route are Dumdum, Belgachia, Shyama Bazar, Shova Bazar, Girish Park, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Central, Chandni Chowk, Esplanade, Park Street, Maidan, Rabindra Sadan, Netaji Bhawan, Jatin Das Park, Kalighat, Rabindra Sarovar, Tollygunge. 
             Later on further constructions started from Tollygunge Metro station and extended to Kavi Subhas.
The stations between this route are Netaji, Masterda Surya Sen, Gitanjali, Kavi Nazrul, Shahid Khudhiram, and Kavi Subhas. Nowadays, construction is going on to extend  the Northern end beyond Dum-Dum to Noapara.
             The underground stations are very neat and clean and the platforms are well lighted. The arrangements in the compartments are also excellent. When we get down to a Metro station we feel like being in a western country. Kolkata’s Metro compares well with the Metros of London, Paris, New York, Tokyo and even Moscow and Kiev.
             The most challenging sector of the Metro, however, is the Shyambazar-Esplanade sector. The work here was very slow but has gained speed in recent month. For the success of the Metro Railway it is essential that the total work is complete within a reasonable time. Of course, even after the completion, there will remain the problem of maintenance. The habits of the citizens need adjustment to the new traffic systems.
             There are, and will be, sceptics and critics. But we hope that Kolkata’s Metro, will he Kolkata’s pride and best show-piece.

Value of Sports

Points: The virtues of a sportsman — Importance in Individual and collective — Significance in the civilized work.

             A nation is often known by her sports. For example, the Englishmen are great lovers of sports. Some of the common English expressions show the English attitude towards sports. “To play the game” means for English “to act honourably.” “That’s not cricket” means “that is not fair.” When we say of a man, “He is a sports man, all that we mean is, he is “frank, generous and free from petty spite.” These are sportsman like qualities.

             Sports, which include both games and athletics, have a tremendous importance in our individual as well as collective life. It is through games and athletics that the individual attains the highest standards in body-building. Besides, he acquires stamina and skill. His morale reaches a high standard and he discovers the value of discipline and team work. A genuine sportsman is bold, frank, generous and outspoken.

             Sports and games are joyful activities. When a goal-keeper saves a goal or when a tennis player smashes a ball or a batsman scores a boundary, he feels elated. Sports may, in fact, be an effective substitute for war. There is something essentially combative in human nature. Sports and games are a civilized outlet of those instincts. The Olympic Games, in which sportsmen of all lands participate, stand thus for human unity and brotherhood.