This August issue has a blend of everything...how newcomers have adapted to Udgam, the dual role of parents (a must read for all), our new Cabinet Ministers, Book and Movie Reviews, recollections of an alumni and the right way to read to your child, besides amazing write ups and paintings by our teachers and students.
Read and enjoy another issue of Udgam Matters, our school magazine and write to us at matters@udgamschool.com
2. 2 UDGAM MATTERSAugust 2016
Science And Technology Page 13
General Knowledge Page 14
Book & Movie Review Page 15
Tell Me About Page 16
Life Story Page 17
An Analumni Recalls Page 18
Preprimary In Action` Page 19
Radiant Reflections Page 4
Primary Section Page 6
Middle Section Page 7
Secondary Section Page 8
Sr. Secondary Section Page 9
The Dual Role Of Parents Page 3
Exposed!!! Plight Of Newcomers
In Udgam School Page 10-11
Page 12
WHAT’S INSIDE
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
“New I am but new I shall not be
I will do my best to be a part of thee…”
All of us have been newcomers somewhere…sometime,
whetherin a new school, a new college, a new apartment
society or a new job. We know and understand the
travails that a newcomer faces. And yes, being new in
a set up that’s not new, is not easy. One has to begin
afresh. While the upside is that you have a new blank
page to write on and past mistakes can be erased to
begin anew, the flipside is you have to begin again from
scratch.
Many students join Udgam every year and settle down
so amazingly well that after a few weeks it is difficult
to tell them apart from the existing students. While the
students have to be praised for good adjustment skills,
due credit goes to the school too. Being a parent and
student friendly school, Udgam takes every newcomer
into her fold.Our teachers take extra care to see that the
students are comfortable and students are assigned to
help the newcomers settle down.
We asked some newcomers who joined this year for their
views and issues they faced in this school and we have
shared their responses with you (page 10,11).
Since this is the month of ‘Freedom’, we have covered a
veryspecialpersoninLifeStory(page17)whosestoryyou
will enjoy reading. Also we thought it apt to cover a few
facts less known about our own country in page 16. Read
and enjoy each and every page of our school magazine
and do drop in a line to matters@udgamschool.com.
Mrs. Sagarika Sahana, Content Manager
3. 3 UDGAM MATTERSUDGAM MATTERS
THE DUAL ROLE OF PARENTS:
PROVIDING NURTURE AND STRUCTURE
“Am I being loving and attentive
enough?” “AmIbeingtoogiving”?
“Are my children becoming
spoiled?” “ Am I too strict?” “Am
I too lenient?” “ What is a good
balance”?
T
hese questions point to the
two broad categories into
which the role of parents
can be divided: the “nurture” role
and the “structure” role. All the
responsibilities of parenting fall
under one of these two headings.
The Nurture Role
In the nurture role, parent’s take
care of children’s basic needs,
such as food, medical care, shelter,
clothing, etc., as well as give
love, attention, understanding,
acceptance, time, and support.
They listen to their children, are
patient, and have fun with them.
They make time for their kids,
show an interest in them and their
activities, and encourage them to
pursue their passions.Through the
parent’s words and actions, the
children know that they are loved
and accepted. Typically, when the
parent is in the nurturing role, they
enjoy and accept children as they
are and do not expect any change
in behaviour.
When the parent is nurturing the
children, the children-
• feel good about themselves.
• feel lovable and worthy of
being cared for.
• feel listened to – learn their
ideas, feelings, and needs are
important – and feel that they
are understood.
• become trusting because they
knowthattheirneedswillbemet.
• learn that they can tackle
difficult situations and face
challenges because they do
not have to face them alone
When parents give too much
nurture, they may be overly
protective, too responsive
to the children’s needs, and
too involved in their lives.
Under these conditions,
children don’t learn skills to
care for themselves and they
don’t learn to consider other
people’s needs. Conversely,
when there isn’t enough
nurturing , parents are too
emotionally distant and not
adequately involved in the
children’s lives. As a result,
children don’t feel loved or
supported.
TheStructure Role
The other part of a parent’s job
is to provide “structure” for the
children. In this role, parents
give direction, impose rules, use
discipline, set limits, establish and
followthroughwithconsequences,
hold the children accountable for
their behaviour, and teach values.
They provide the guidance that
helps the children to change,
grow, and mature. Responsible
behaviour, in line with the
children’s maturity levels, is taught
and expected. It is in the structure
rolethattheparentsexpectchange
inbehaviourandincreasedgrowth,
maturity, and ability.
Whenparentsprovidethiskindof
structure, children:
• feel a sense of safety that rules
will be in place when they can’t
control their own impulses.
• learn to tolerate a reasonable
amount of frustration and
disappointment when they
don’talwaysgettheirownway.
• discover that the world
does not revolve totally
around them.
• learn responsible behaviour
and that they are capable of
doing things.
• learn from their mistakes, gain
experience making decisions.
• become more self-sufficient
and capable as they learn the
skills to become independent.
It is vitally important to the
children’s development that
parents discipline them, teach
them, guide them, provide rules
and follow through on the rules,
and set reasonable expectations
for their behaviour.When parents
provide too much structure,
they may be rigid and use harsh
discipline; children don’t learn to
think for themselves, and they
may either become passive or they
mightrebel.Whenparentsgivetoo
little structure, the expectations
and rules may be unclear and
inconsistent. Children may feel
confused; they don’t feel that they
will be protected; and they don’t
learn to be responsible because
they are not held accountable
for their behaviours. In order for
children to thrive and develop in a
healthy way, parents need to carry
out both of these roles.
• If parents only provide the
nurture piece without any
structure or limits or without
holding children accountable,
the children can become
spoiled, unappreciative, self-
centered, and not learn how to
do things for themselves.
• If parents only provide the
structure piece without
building a strong relationship
of trust, the children may feel
resentful,unloved,abandoned,
and may be less likely to
cooperate willingly with the
rules. Fearing punishment,
children may try to hide their
vulnerabilities.
There are not any hard and fast
rulesaboutwhenparentsshouldbe
nurturing or when they should use
structure. It is the overall balance
that is important and that impacts
the children’s development.
Mrs. Meetika Sharma,
vice Principal – Primary Section
August 2016
6. 6 UDGAM MATTERSAugust 2016
FOR MY SIBLING
Hello Sibling, welcome to earth, No matter what, I’ll care for him/her.
You will be my bundle of joy,Whether it is a girl or a boy.
I’ll be with you when you walk or run,You’ll be my sprightly little companion.
Brother/Sister and Sister, only us two,Trust me, because I love you.
SAUMYA SHAH - II B
PRIMARY SECTION
My Sister
my Hero
‘Rakshabandhan’ means brother,
sweets and gifts today,
For me, it’s a sister, hugs and tricks
for the day !!
My sister is such a delight, Not a
day goes without fun and fight.
She swings me in the air and I come
crashing down,
Then she wraps me in an embrace
and grins like a clown.
Like a Koala cub I am always glued
to her back, Poking and Joking,
together we run down the tracks.
We love Pasta, Percussion and Play,
It is sharing, caring and tug of wars
all day.
She teaches me Maths,
she teaches me Magic,
She combs my hair tells me stories
of Novak Djokovic
When I am sad and low
I go and hug my sister, my hero.
Harrshi Parekh – III B
KHUSHI SHAH -V B
PRACHIVARSANI -V C
DIYA SHAH - III C
VANSH LALWANI - II BAANYA PATEL - II C
DHYANATEJAS - II C
7. 7 UDGAM MATTERSAugust 2016
L i m e r i c k s -
Limericks!
Ants an anteater liked to eat,
He used to eat them like a treat,
He used to relish the tiny ants,
Until he got them in his pants!
A honey bee in a dance
competition,
Did such an energetic stunt.
But he died that day, so sad,
As the judge was aVenus Flytrap!
Zebar the zebra had
too many stripes,
But he wanted his body to be
clean and white,
So he snuck into
a lady’s room so frilly,
And smeared his body with
Fair and Lovely.
What do giraffes use
their necks for?
It doesn’t involve leaves I am sure,
I think they use their
neck so steep
In others exam papers to peep.
Once a lion went to the stylist,
There he checked the
hairstyles list,
And on a puff he became sure,
But at the end our deer(dear)
stylist was no more!
ARJA KAKKAD –VI E
A Million
Years Ago
Sometimes I sit and wonder
About stuff I don’t know
Like how was the Earth
A million years ago.
Did caveman ride on dinosaurs
Did flowers even grow?
Well we could guess but that was
back A million years ago.
I wish they built a time machine
And they picked me to go,
To check what the scene was
A million years ago.
Did giant spiders rule the Earth?
Were deserts filled with snow?
I wonder what the story was
A million years ago.
DHANUSH NARAYAN –VI H
OUTSIDE MY
WINDOW
From the seventh floor,
From high up in the sky,
Outside the window of my home,
I can see many things and I will not lie.
I can see some houses, And some
green trees, I can see the cars,
And the birds which are free.
I can see some schools, And some tall
flats, I can see many people, And one
of them is wearing a hat.
I can see the dark clouds, In the
beautiful Indian sky, It is a rainy
season, And a happy atmosphere in
which no one dares to cry.
The world is very beautiful,
But don’t just look at your knee,
The world has changed into heaven,
So go out and see.
KRISHA RAKESH SHASTRI –VI F
MIDDLE SECTION
Guru
Purnima
Oneimportantteacher
of mine up till now is
LIFE. Life has taught
me many important things such as
strength,courage,friendships etc.
Life has on many
occasions has taken
many things from
me such as friends,
hope etc. But in
return it has taught
me how to remain
strong and have
courage during those hardships. Like
once, during my dance performance,
I made a mistake, but then I realised
that making mistakes is okay. We
make mistakes but we have to
correct them the next time.Life
has also taught me that when I’m
angry or sad, I should just forget
all that anger and sadness and just
think positively.It has also taught
to be grateful for whatever I have
because not many people have the
same opportunities I or
we all have.It has taught
me to be kind and caring
to those have been kind
and caring to me, because
then and only then will our
objective, which life has
given us, to live life to its
fullest will be complete.These are
the main reasons why life is one of
my most important teachers.
ANAINAH DALAL -VII B
8. UDGAM MATTERS
India
Of My
Dreams
India of my dreams
is not a utopia…
It may not be the
most virtuous
place in the world nor the replica of heaven,
but India of my dreams would definitely
be the land of peace, prosperity and
opportunity for every Indian citizen. I dream
of an India where everyone will have all the
basic necessities like proper food, clothes
and houses. Everyone will have adequate
education, jobs and a peaceful happy life.
Everyone will be safe and secure, and
women will be treated with utmost dignity
and respect. India where exploitation of
women and children would not only be a
criminal offence but also a social taboo.
Poverty, diseases, ignorance, bribery,
corruption, indiscipline, divisions and
disunity - India of my dreams will be free
from all these evils India of my dreams will
be a place where there is an IIT for every
Harvard, a Narayan Murthy for every Bill
Gates, a Sachin Tendulkar for every Brain
Lara, and a Vishwanathan Anand for every
Gary Casparove of the world. India where
youngsters would not hop aboard a plane
to US for either study or their dream job but
rather would stay back and work towards
the welfare and progress of their homeland
- there will even be ‘reverse brain-drain’.
India would be a country with the highest
economic drive, GDP and highest human
development index. There would be rapid
developments in science and technology
as well as medical research. Roads and
Infrastructural development would keep
pacewiththeoveralleconomicgrowth.India
will be a military superpower along with
spiritual superpower.
India, where roads, streets and public places
would be neat and clean. Hygiene of the
highest standards would be maintained.
There would be no littering, no garbage
spills on roads and no wandering cows,
buffaloes, dogs and even beggars on roads.
Development of architecture, music, dance,
painting, sculpture and arts would bring the
rich cultural heritage back, like the good
old times. India, where those not related by
blood would be united by belief and love for
countrymen. They would not be separated
by their faith, colour, cast or creed. India,
where wedding out of community would
not be considered a crime involving ‘honour
killings’. India, which is not divided by any
religious divisions or any divisions between
the rich and the poor or urban and rural.
Micro-finances will drive the growth of the
country right from smallest villages, while
rich will be empathetic to the poor.
India, where politicians would be men of
honour and principles with no corruption
of politics and there would be honest,
responsibleandefficientbureaucratsputting
together transparent administration with
public accountability. My dream India would
be a compassionate, vibrant, prosperous,
healthy, corruption free, value based,
equitable, homogenous and a fairer society.
It would be based on RabindranathTagore
inGeetanjali :
“Where the mind is without fear and the
head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up
into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from
the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms
towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not
lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father,
let my country awake.”
With the young and dynamic brigade of
citizens, I hope that my dream of a ‘numero
uno superpower’named India will definitely
come true in no distant future
MRIDANG SHETH - X C
SOUL
SISTER
Walking through the
darkness,
I saw a beam of light.
It was a bundle of
happiness In disguise
Much to my surprise it was you
With me in every step of life
We fought together pain,
As strong as a flower in the rain
Then came the heavy storm,
But could not blow,
The fire which was comforting and warm.
Then came the raging winds
With the rough autumn
Removed all joy as the dry leaves
Then came the spring
Which grew beautiful flowers
ofTRUST and BELIEF
Those parties,lingers and hangouts.
Reminds me of a trout
Jumping freely in water in and out
Walking through the darkness
I saw a beam of light
It was you, just you
MY BEST FRIEND
Shrina Iyer - IX H
SECONDARY SECTION
8 August 2016
CHARMIL JAIN X F
MARGI GONDALIYA X G
9. 9 UDGAM MATTERSAugust 2016
SR. SECONDARY SECTION
Brexit
The United
Kingdom.The
place, whose
very name
sounds ironic
after recent
e v e n t s .
For those who didn’t get the
reference, yes, this article
is about Brexit. I know that
Brexit sounds like the name of
a horrible little candy that you
buy at the airport, but actually,
it’s even scarier, and leaves an
even worse taste in your mouth.
Coming to the other party
involved in Brexit, the EU, or
the European Union. Since its
inception, it has evolved into an
economic union of 28 countries,
and serves as a common
platform for the member
countries to trade and negotiate
international agreements.
Britain however, is like the
person who shows up at a party,
but always stands at the door.
For instance, it doesn’t even
use the Euro. So the question
arises, why exactly does Britain
want to leave the EU? Well, to
be honest, NO ONE KNOWS.
The justifications provided by
pro-Brexit euro officials, have
more loopholes than a villain
in one of the Dabangg movies.
For example, former London
mayor, Boris Johnson said,
that Britain sends close to 350
million pounds a week to the
EU. That’s money that they
can’t control. In fact, as a heavy
PR campaign, he even had that
printed on a bus, and had that
bus drive around the city. That,
is more false, than a 100 year old
woman’s plastic dentures. The
truth, is that Britain sends close
to 190 million pounds a week to
the EU, considering the rebates
received from the EU. Also, if
Britain does leave the EU, it will
have to spend somewhere close
to the amount, just to access the
common trade market. There
have been exceptions though.
People like president Obama
and even countries like China,
India, Japan among others, are
against Brexit. At this point,
you must be wondering that
if Brexit is so universally seen
as a bad idea, who on earth is
in favor of it? Enter, UKIP. Also
known as the UK Independence
Party. A party so racist, one of
its members called a Member of
ParliamentnotBritishenoughto
be a member.What UKIP says, is
that if they secede from the EU,
theBritishcanstopimmigration,
citing immigrants as one of the
biggest problems. The funny
part however, is that even if they
do cut away from the EU, they
WILL have to allow free mobility
of labor and of citizens from one
place to another, just to join the
common trade market. So, to
wrap up, what I would like to say,
is that leaving the EU, will NOT
change anything for the better.
It will just plunge the world into
global economic crisis, which
will be unrecoverable. With
that, I sign off.
ADITYA SHAH – XI B
An
In’sight’
into Life
Kindness is the
language which
the deaf can hear
and the blind
can see.Beautiful words penned by Mark
Twain. This summer I interned at SENSE
INTERNATIONAL, an NGO that aims on
catering to the inexpressible needs of the
deaf blind children in India. SENSE believes
in empathizing and nurturing the deaf blinds
to a level where they can live independent
and happy lives. 20 Days of volunteering,
slogging and hard work, yet it turned out
to be a beautiful experience. Clueless about
what lay ahead, I started with the interning.
From writing articles and case studies,
doing project translations and excel work to
photography and teaching, I did it all. I felt
as if this summer was less of procrastinating
and more of productivity. Running errands,
managing events, dealing with people made
me feel like a grown up.
The experience was significant and so were
the memories. I still reminisce; it was 3rd
June, a Wednesday afternoon. We were in
the vocational unit, photographing the deaf
blinds. felt so overwhelmed capturing those
frivolous and happy faces; they talking to
me, in their muffled distorted voices made
me realize how granted we take life for. And
that’s when I realized what Helen Keller
meant to say “The best things in life cannot
be seen or touched; they can only be felt by
heart” I did my part for the society I owe to,
when are you doing your bit?
VIJAY BHATIA – XII F
BY -VIJAY BHATIA XII F,
ADITYA SHAH XI B,
PRIYAVRAT RATHORE XI B
10. L
ike most schools, every year
we have newcomers joining
Udgam School in various
classes. Of course in Playgroup
and Kindergarten most kids
are newcomers and
special care is taken
to acclimatize them
to school. But the
picture is different
in the higher
classes of Thaltej
Campus. Here only
few children join a
particular class every
year and hence they have
to gel with entirely new set up.
Team UM asked the newcomers
about their experience in Udgam
and the responses have been very
amazing. We are sharing some of
themhere.Tomaintainanonymity,
we have not used names.
The students we spoke to were
unanimous about their teachers
and teaching methodology
being the best part about
the school right from
junior to senior
classes. They said
that their teachers
helped them to
settle down and paid
personal attention
to them in the first
few days of joining.
Their teachers also
ensured that the others
in the class cooperated
with them and the
newcomers did not
feel left out.
S t u d e n t s
spoke highly
about the
new washrooms
which actually are
very state-of-art.
Boys found the
waterless urinals to be
a surprise at first and the
girls were thrilled with the
15-second hand drying technology.
M o s t
newcomers
are using
t h e
s c h o o l
transport
and found
the new
comfortable
buses to be
way better than
what they had in their
previous schools.
They appreciated
AC buses and said
they reached school
fresh.
While the newcomers
appreciated the school
library and its stock of
books, a few of them
said that AC in the
library would be very
welcome.
They are quite happy
with the classrooms
and the smartboards
although they would like
better positioning of the fans,
and if possible ACs. A few felt that
the benches were quite hard and
uncomfortable.
The school
a u d i t o r i u m
impressed the
newcomers
as it is very
s l e e k l y
d e s i g n e d
w i t h
e x c e l l e n t
acoustics. One
new girl opined
that while assembly activities are
there they can be increased so that
more children can participate.
Canteen has
been a big hit
with most
newcomers
and they
have been
frequenting
the canteen
10 UDGAM MATTERSAugust 2016
EXPOS
PLIGHT OF NEWCOMER
11. UDGAM MATTERS 11August 2016
area often. They are very
happy with the open air seating
arrangement. A few feel that more
variety can be added to the menu.
Some have opted for Whattameal
and Dabbawala and parents
are very happy about the food
arrangement.
The Before and
After School
Activities
have also
been a hit
with the
newcomers
and many
have enrolled.
They love the
variety of activities and the faculty.
Children of working parents are
really happy that they can be in
school the entire time of their
parents working hours.
A student of Class IX appreciated
the career counselling
sessions that are
held from time
to time and felt
they would like
more of the
same.
While most
n e w c o m e r s
were happy with
the playground, a few felt that
they should have more play
periods and the volley
ball nets need
replacement.
Parents are
very happy
with Udgam
Connection,
theschoolmobile
app, the frequent
parent teacher meetings and the
orientation meetings. Of
course their main relief
is that their child has
settled down well in
the new set up and
they are all praises
for the school,
teachers and
infrastructure.
CHANGING SCHOOLS IS NOT EASY. NEWCOMERS SOMETIMES
FIND IT QUITE DIFFICULT TO ADJUST TO NEW SITUATIONS AND
THIS MAY RESULT IN BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS TOO. EXPERTS
SHARE A FEWTIPS FOR ADJUSTINGTO A NEW SCHOOL BETTER-
1. Make it a team work:The entire family needs to be involved in the
process of settling down along with the school. Encouraging the
child and preparing her for the new set up will help her in adapting
better.
2. Visit the school and know the teachers: Before the first day of
school it would be a good idea to familiarize the child with the new
environment.
3. Be in touch with the teacher: Communicate with the child’s
teachers more often in the starting days to know of any issue that
needs to be dealt with.
4. Get the timings right: If your child is joining a new school after a
vacation, then let him transition to the school year routine a week
in advance.
5. Ask questions: Parents should be very sensitive to the child’s
emotions in the first few days of joining a new place. Try to know
about his teachers, friends, activities in school so that the child
does not feel alone. If the child is unusually quiet then do not
ignore.
SED!!!
RS IN UDGAM SCHOOL
12. From the Counsellors…
ADOLESCENT LIFE
12 UDGAM MATTERSAugust 2016
Through a clouded pair of spectacles
You begin to seek life.
Before you know what’s out there.
Before you know your minds eye.
You live in the now
and forget what’s ahead.
You make impulse decisions,
and your common sense you shed.
No responsibilities for anything at all.
Family and money mean very little
of which you see no more.
Just living on your instinct
to do what you see fit..
Knowing whatever you come across
will not bother you not one bit.
You float like a feather.
through your teenage life.
You swim only in the deep end
forever rolling the dice.
You regard nothing as your own,
including your many mistakes.
You give me your words and promises
of which I know you that you will break.
Your world spins at a 100 miles per hour,
yet you do not get travel sick.
My only wish for you my love
is that something finally clicks.
That you find what it is you are looking for,
So you can settle down.
I hope you get your train on track
and learn to swim before you drown..
The life I always dreamt for you,
The one where it’s destination was clear.
The life in which you will pick for yourself
I hope not one that I will fear.
I don’t want to
be fair and i don’t
care about being
handsome.
-TN (14 yrs)
No one really has
everything figured out.
Some of us just pretend
better. It helps if you
have some friends you
can talk to about your
insecurities openly
-RD (14 yrs)
Sense of Belonging
(Social system
and group-specific
inclusion felt during
adolescence)
Sense of Relatedness
(Dyadic security in
relationships with
others in childhood
and adolescence
AdolescentConnectedness
(Activity in places and caring
for people in the adolescent’s
social ecology)
SocialSupports
(Empathy, prase, and
attention experienced
in school and in the
community from peer
groups, friends, adults,
and the media)
Attachment
(Parental empathy,
praise, and attention
experienced within
safe relationships in
childhood)
High School is onlyone chapter of yourlife, There are still somany things out therefor you to discover/ learn / explore /experience
13. 13 UDGAM MATTERSAugust 2016
SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY
Hole in the ozone layer is
finally ‘healing’
The ozone hole over Antarctica is finally
“healing” almost 30 years after the world
banned the chemicals responsible for its
creation, researchers say.
According to the latest measurements,
the ozone hole above the Antarctic is now
smaller than it was around the year 2000,
by about 4 million square kilometres.
(Source: ABC Science)
Juno’s knocking on Jupiter’s door
Soon spacecraft Juno will be probing through the haze of the monstrous
planet!
With more than twice the mass of all the other planets combined,Jupiter
also reigns supreme. It’s the most influential member of our planetary
family. Jupiter might have hurled the asteroids that delivered water to earth. It may have robbed Mars of planet-
buildingmaterial.AnditcouldhavenudgedUranusandNeptunetotheoutskirtsofoursolarsystem.Jupiterisalsoa
massive time capsule.This ball of gas records what conditions were like when the planets formed more than 4 billion
years ago.
PeoplehavebeenscrutinizingJupiterformorethanfourcenturies.eightspacecrafthavevisitedtheplanet.Butthick
clouds conceal what goes on deep inside. So many of the planet’s most basic mysteries remain.
The Juno spacecraft is about to break through the haze.The spacecraft Juno left earth 5 years ago.Soon it will arrive
at Jupiter and begin its up close investigations of the planet.
(Source:ABC Science)
This mammal
has the world’s
slowest metabolism
Three-toed sloths
compensate by moving
little and using the
environment for heat
There are degrees of slothfulness, even when it
comes to sloths. And three-toed sloths may be
the most slothful of all, new data show.
Researchers studied two species of sloth in
Costa Rica. They measured the rate at which
these animals’ bodies operate, converting food
to fuel and growth. And this metabolic rate in
one species of three-toed sloth was the lowest
ever recorded — not just for a sloth, but for any
mammal.
(Source: Science News)
1.
3.
2.
14. UDGAM MATTERS14 August 2016
GENERAL
KNOWLEDGE
List of Cabinet Ministers with their Portfolio and Constituency – Updated on July 2016
Prime Minister Narendra Modi – Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy,
Department of Space, All important policy issues and All other portfolios not allocated to any Minister.
S.No Cabinet Ministers Portfolio Constituency
1 Shri Raj Nath Singh Home Affairs Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
2 Smt. Sushma Swaraj External Affairs Vidisha , Madhya Pradesh
3 Shri ArunJaitley Finance, Corporate Affairs Gujarat Rajaya Sabha
4 Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu
Urban Development, Housing and Urban
Poverty Alleviation
Information & Broadcasting
Rajasthan Rajya Sabha
5 Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari Road Transport and Highways, Shipping Nagpur, Maharashtra
6 Shri Manohar Parrikar Defence
Uttar Pradesh, Rajya
Sabha
7 Shri Suresh Prabhu Railways
Andhra Pradesh, Rajya
Sabha
8
Shri D. V. Sadananda
Gowda
Statistics &Programme Implementation
Bangalore North,
Karnataka
9 Sushri Uma Bharati
Water Resources, River Development and
Ganga Rejuvenation
Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh
11 Shri RamvilasPaswan
Consumer Affairs, Food and Public
Distribution
Hajipuri, Bihar
12 Shri Kalraj Mishra Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Deoria, Uttar Pradesh
13
Smt. Maneka Sanjay
Gandhi
Women and Child Development Pilibhit , Uttar Pradesh
14 Shri Ananthkumar
Chemicals and Fertilizers, Parliamentary
Affairs
Bangalore South,
Karnataka
15 Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad
Law & Justice, Electronics & Information
Technology
Bihar – Rajya Sabha
16 Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda Health and Family Welfare
Himachal Pradesh, Rajya
Sabha
17
Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju
Pusapati
Civil Aviation
Vizianagaram , Andhra
Pradesh
18 Shri AnantGeete Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Raigad , Maharashtra
19 Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal Food Processing Industries Bathinda , Punjab
20 Shri Narendra Singh Tomar
Rural Development, Panchayati Raj,
Drinking Water and Sanitation
Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh
21
Shri Chaudhary Birender
Singh
Steel Haryana, Rajya Sabha
22 Shri JualOram Tribal Affairs Sundargarh, Odisha
23 Shri Radha Mohan Singh Agriculture & Farmers Welfare PurviChamparan , Bihar
24 Shri Thawar Chand Gehlot Social Justice and Empowerment
Madhya Pradesh, Rajya
Sabha
25 Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani Textiles Gujarat, Rajya Sabha
26 Dr. Harsh Vardhan Science and Technology, Earth Sciences Chandni Chowk, Delhi
27 Shri Prakash Javadekar Human Resource Development
Madhya Pradesh, Rajya
Sabha
15. BOOK& MOVIE REVIEW
UDGAM MATTERS15 August 2016
Lives changed by the healing power of beauty.
Little Mary Lennox is brought up in India,
a spoilt, sullen brat, whom her wealthy
parents are more than happy to leave
entirely in the care of their nanny.
But when a cholera epidemic claims
the lives of her mother and father,
Mary is sent to live in her uncle’s
mysterious old house on the
ramblingYorkshire moors. Left
to her own devices, talking only
the the chambermaid Martha,
she swiftly becomes even more
disagreeable. But then Martha
tells her a story about a secret
garden hidden in the grounds,
locked for ten years, ever since
Mary’s aunt passed away. Her
grieving uncle hid the key and forbade
anyone to enter, ever again. But he
hadn’t reckoned on the curiosity of the
lonely little girl. mary finds a key, and tries
it in the lock of the ivy-covered door, which
swings open onto a new, secret world. And
though she doesn’t know it yet, Mary’s
discovery will change her life for good…
The Secret Garden was first
published in 1909. Its author,
Frances Hodgson Burnett, was
a believer in Christian Science,
which provided her with great
spiritual comfort after the death
of her son Lionel.These beliefs
colourThe Secret Garden, in
particular the understanding that
the imagination, together with
positive thinking, have a real and
tangible power to transform lives.
Since publicationThe Secret Garden
has become a favourite children’s
classic, and influenced
numerous modern writers.
The Pursuit of Happyness is a
biographical film which was
madein2006inSanFrancisco,
california. This film tells
about Chris Gardner’s life. He
is a salesman who becomes a
rich stockbroker. It has been
directed byGabriele Muccino.
It is the story of one man’s
determination and his single-
handedly taking care of his
son against all odds. This
entails plenty of struggle,
right from sleeping out in
the open to lining up at soup
kitchens for meals. In the
process the father picks up
deep lessons from the son.
Their relationship is heart
wrenching as are several
scenes in the movie.
Will Smith who plays the
role of Chris Gardner delivers
his best acting spell (was
nominated for Oscar award)
and is supported by his real
life son Jaden Smith who
beautifully portrays the
emotions of a small son who
is wise for his age and tries
to look after his anguished
father.
don’t even let somebody tell you, you can’t do something. Not even me, you got a dream,
you gotta protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you
that you can’t do it to.You want something, go get it.
Period
The Secret Garden-Frances Hodgson Burnett
the PURSUIT of HAPPYNESS
BOOK
MOVIE
16. 10 FACTS ABOUT INDIA
16 UDGAM MATTERSAugust 2016
Fact 1:
Largest population of vegetarians in the world.
Fact 6:
India is the world’s second-largest english
speaking country.
India is second only to the USA when it comes
to speaking english with around 125 million
people speaking the language, which is only
10% of our population. This is expected to
grow by quite a margin in the coming years. Fact 9:
TheWorld’s largest school, City
Montessori School in Lucknow
has 45,000 students.
Fact 5:
The first rocket in India was transported on a cycle.
The first rocket was so light and small that it was transported on a
bicycle to the Thumba Launching Station in Thiruvananthapuram,
Kerala.
Fact 3:
Bandra Worli Sealink has
steel wires equal to the
earth’s circumference.
It took a total of 2,57,00,000
man hours for completion
and also weighs as much as
50,000 African elephants.
A true engineering and
architectural marvel.
Fact 2:
Largest postal network in the world.
with over 1, 55,015 post offices:
A single post office on an average
serves a population of 7,175 people.
Fact 7:
The world’s largest producer of milk.
India recently overtook the european
Union with production reaching over
132.4m tonnes in 2014.
Fact 10:
World’s largest film industry. more than 1,100 movies are
produced, on average, each year - that’s slightly ahead of
Nigeria, twice as many as the American film industry and
ten times as many as Britain produces.
Fact 8:
The Kumbh Mela is the
world’s largest gathering
of humans in which 100
million gather every year.
In fact this gathering is
also visible from space.
Fact 4:
Shampoo was invented in India, not
the commercial liquid ones but the
method by use of herbs. The word
‘shampoo’ itself has been derived
from the Sanskrit word champu,
which means to massage.
Fact 1:
bicycle to the Thumba Launching Station in Thiruvananthapuram,
Fact 2:
bicycle to the Thumba Launching Station in Thiruvananthapuram,
Fact 7:
Montessori School in Lucknow
Union with production reaching over
17. LIFE STORY
what an inspiration!
From Vadnagar to Gandhingar and Beyond…
(Source: narendramodi.in)
This is the story of a small boy who
used to sell tea and who aspired
to join the Indian Army but could
not…
Hisjourneybeganintheby-lanesof
Vadnagar, a small and nondescript
town in North Gujarat’s Mehsana
district on 17th September 1950,
3 years after India attained
freedom. Vadnagar is a town that
is steeped in history.Archeological
excavations suggest this was a
vibrant centre of learning and
spirituality.
His early years were far from
what a fairy tale upbringing is
like. The family belonged to the
marginalized sections of society
and had to struggle to make ends
meet. The entire family lived
in a small single storey house
(approximately 40 feet by 12
feet). His father sold tea at the tea
stall he set up in the local railway
station. In his early years, the boy
too lent a hand to his father at the
tea stall.
These formative years left a
strong imprint on him. As a child
he balanced his studies, non-
academic life and his contribution
at the family tea stall. His
schoolmates recall him as a
diligent student with a penchant
for debating and reading. He
would spend hours and hours
reading in the school library. He
had a wide range of friends from
all the communities. As a child he
often celebrated both Hindu and
Muslim festivals considering the
large number of Muslim friends he
had in the neighbourhood.
Yet, his thoughts, and dreams
went way beyond a conventional
life that began in the classroom
and ended in the environs
of an office. He
wanted to
go out
there
a n d
make a
difference
to society…
to wipe tears
and suffering
among people. At a
young age he developed an
inclination towards renunciation
andasceticism.Hegaveupeating
salt, chilies, oil and jaggery.
Reading the works of Swami
Vivekananda cover to cover took
him to a journey of spiritualism
and laid the foundation for his
own mission to fulfill Swami
Vivekananda’s dream of a Jagad
Guru Bharat.
If there is one word that
characterized his childhood and
stayed with him for the rest of
his life, it is service.When floods
wrecked havoc in theTapi River, 9
yearoldheandhisfriendsstarted
a food stall and donated the
proceeds for relief work. When
the war with Pakistan was at its
peak he set out on the railway
station and served tea to the
Jawans who were going and
coming from the border. This
was a small step but it displayed
his firm resolve to answer the
call of Mother India, even at a
remarkably young age.
He had one dream- to serve
in the Indian Army. For many
youngsters of his time, the Army
wasseenastheultimatemeansof
serving Mother India. He wanted
to enroll in the SainikSchool at
Jamnagar but as luck would have
it, when the time came to pay
the fees, there was no money
at home. But, fate had different
plans for this young boy who was
disappointed on not being able
to wear the uniform of a Jawan.
Over the years he embarked on a
unique path that took him across
India in pursuit of the larger
mission to serve humanity.
Today we know him as
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
17 UDGAM MATTERSAugust 2016
18. PROACTIVITY CLUB UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS
Crossword- Bookstore
Ramdev food products- Manufacturer of Indian spices
TGB Foods Pvt Ltd- Makers of delicious Pastries, Cake, Cookies, Chocolates
Farm journey – Enjoy activities like milking and feeding a cow,
organic cooking, tractor ride and plantation
For inquiries or further information, please call Hitiksha Soni- Pro Activity Club Coordinator
M. 8238002012 or email hitiksha@udgamschool.com
Because Education doesn’t stop after school hours
Activity Club
A
L
U
M
N
IRECALLS
AN
T
he path of a school going
kid’s life has quite a few
milestones and transitions.
Changing a school midway is
seemingly one of the difficult
transitions he has to face. I took
admission in Udgam in 5th Standard
in the year 1989 and was the only
student to get through the entrance
exams, amidst students applying
for different grades. To be very
frank, I hadn’t known much about
the school and was quite anxious
about the new environs. The first
thing that really impressed me
was that the principal of the school
Late Mrs.Sarojben Carvalho, who
knew every student by name. It was
almost as if the school was like a
large joint family staying together
in this cosy building. That eased my
nerves a lot and made the transition
comfortable. If I had put my finger
on one particular thing that changed
significantly in my approach to life,
it was competitiveness. I developed
a desire to excel in whatever I did,
and gave it my best shot, be it
studies, sports or extra-curricular
activities. I had many classmates
around me, some of whom excelled
in studies while some won laurels
in sports at the state and national
level. That instilled this go-getter
desire in me that if you want to
achieve something in life, you have
to work hard towards your goal; no
half-hearted efforts. Today I am an
architect-urban planner and have
myownconsultancyandkeeptaking
part in lot of design competition
projects. I can safely say that this
competitive instinct that I have
developed is deeply ingrained in
the school atmosphere that I got in
Udgam.The teachers we had during
those times were more like guides
andadvisorswhobelievedinclearing
concepts,nomatterhowmanytimes
we would reach out to them. The
encouragement that I received from
the teachers drove me to do my best
inwhateverassignmentswegot.The
other very significant aspect that I
truly admired was the importance
given to spoken English. It was
compulsory to speak in English, be
it in class or even while chatting with
friends. There were negative marks
given if you were caught speaking in
any other language. This I feel was
quiteafantasticthing,asmanyother
English medium schools that existed
during those times, had students
whocouldnotconverseinEnglishfor
the reason that not much emphasis
was laid on English. I strongly feel
that if a student has strong base in
spokenandwrittenEnglishduringhis
formative years in school, it makes a
huge difference in the later years. I
have seen quite a few people around
me who find it difficult to write or
converse in English even after doing
post graduation from very premier
institutes.The other thing that was a
game changer was the ability of the
school to spot and nurture specific
talents in the students giving them
the right exposure to allow them
to hone those skills. I remember
being sent to quite a few drawing
competitions, quiz contests and
word power contests to represent
Udgam, art, general knowledge and
literaturebeingmyfavouritesubjects
back then. The pride associated
with representing your school and
competing with other schools was a
huge confidence booster.
“I realize today the value of the
nurturing I received during my
formative years with Udgam, when
during conversations with people,
I mention that I am an Udgam
product, people take notice”.
ARJUNJOSHI (CLASSOF 1996) Architect
18 UDGAM MATTERSAugust 2016
20. THE RIGHT
WAY TO READ
WITH YOUR CHILD
A quick guide for parents
Select the right book: This seals the deal as children like to read
books they love. It could be because of the cover and pictures inside
or because they can also read most of the words in the book.
Track what you read: For smaller children use a ruler, a pen, or your
finger to track the words and the lines as you read aloud or read along.
Use a variety of reading material: Do not opt for fiction everyday. Use
factual as well as informative material along with the works of fiction.
Show interest: Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
aloud use expressions and if possible props.
Read the synopsis first: Discuss the synopsis, the blurb at the back,
that will attract your child to read the book.
Look up the difficult words: While reading make a note of the
difficult words and look them up along with your young reader.
Review them again when you begin reading the next time.
Set a routine: Make reading a part of your daily routine.
It could be after dinner or at bedtime.
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
Do not opt for fiction everyday. Use
factual as well as informative material along with the works of fiction.
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
factual as well as informative material along with the works of fiction.
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
factual as well as informative material along with the works of fiction.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you readTake sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
factual as well as informative material along with the works of fiction.
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
factual as well as informative material along with the works of fiction.factual as well as informative material along with the works of fiction.factual as well as informative material along with the works of fiction.
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
Do not read just out of sheer habit or to get a job done.
Take sufficient interest so that the child does the same. When you read
Opp. Sardar Patel Institute, Thaltej Tekra, Ahmedabad - 380 054 Gujarat INDIA.
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