Columns

I was at my friend’s place working on a project with him on the computer one day. While we were working, my friend’s sister came into the room. She had some school work to do, so she asked to use the computer. “Come back tomorrow,” my friend replied. “But my practical is tomorrow,” she said. “So what were you doing ...

Many a times we come across the word “Honor Killing” but very few of us are actually aware of what the term really means. Honor killing is said to be done when family members murder another family member who has brought “shame” and “disgrace” to the family name. Usually in India it takes place over an “inappropriate” relationship or because ...

This year too, Valentine’s Day (henceforth, V-day) was celebrated on-campus on Feb. 14. But this V-day was more holistic than usual. Everyone who celebrated it seemed more spiritualistic and holiness (both terms here meant in the modern sense of the word, and not in the medieval or ancient sense). Every movement of those who celebrated V-day had a holy touch. ...

The President of the United States of America, Mr. Barack Obama on military intervention in Libya said, “Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries but United States of America is different. Wherever people want to be free they will find a friend in the United States.” I wonder what happened to the ...

[Following is a press release by the Forum for Student Democracy.] Jamia Millia Islamia today organized a session on ‘Democracy, dissent and movement for change’. Eminent social activist Aruna Roy, Nikhil Day, editor of Open Magazine Manu Joseph and JMI vice chancellor Najeeb Jung spoke all good words about democracy and Right to information. Ironically the programme was organized in ...

Time flies. Down the memory lane, it seems only yesterday that I and my friends used to serenade through the charming Jamia campus. The bright faces that lit the soulful campus then, continue to glow in my mind even today. Although I have spent only two meaningful years at Jamia, they were worth a decade spent in any other institution. ...

Years ago when I saw “Spider Man 3” for the first time, the tag team of Peter Parker and his best friend-turned-foe-turned-friend again, Harry, in the climax, against the evil Eddie and the Sand Man, excited me the most. The other day when I saw the movie again, the climax with the tag team action was definitely the one I ...

In recent months a passionate debate has been raging about the worthiness or unworthiness of student involvement in politics in Jamia and other universities. More specifically, people have either aligned themselves in favor of or against the reinstatement of the Students Union in Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI). I am in favor of the reinstatement of the political process among students ...

Dream, it’s an amazing word which takes us back in our fantasies, the things that we have not been able to realize in the physical world. Our thoughts, our emotions, our intuitions everything of high intensity, we realize in our dreams. Do we know what dreams actually are? I think no one can completely answer this question. But I will ...

After being bombarded by praise and tea-time discussions about the daily soap operas on television, I decided to spend few evenings with the Tulsis, Parvatis and Anandis of the great world of Indian daily soaps. The study I did with so much of trouble was after all, successful. (Though I had to support myself with two bottles of cold soft ...