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Month October 2020

Indian Air Force (IAF) It’s not just about flying!

“The coming of October 8, each year, brings back memories of the twenty-eight years and four months of service with the Indian Air Force; a life-changing experience. I had all my education in English medium and had played several games at the University level before joining the Indian Air Force but little did I know that the Air Force years were destined to keep me away from my past and add absolutely new experiences.

Any new person to whom I am ever introduced has a primary question to ask: which aircraft did I fly? It is, perhaps, disappointing for them when I tell them that I was an Air Traffic Controller and not a flier. Quite rightly, the IAF is always related to flying but there is so much more to it than flying. In fact, the flying crew forms only a small fraction of the total strength not only of the IAF but also in any other Air Force around the world. Flying an aircraft requires a large support service in terms of technical as well as administrative support

Apart from the primary duties that any individual has to perform in the IAF, there are several different types of secondary duties that one has to handle in one’s career that adds to an individual’s learning and helps in the all-round development of one’s personality. While man-management is a primary learning for every officer, the secondary duties would be quite unthinkable for any outsider.

It is not only the Accountant Officers who have to handle cash and gain proficiency in maintaining ledgers and books of accounts but it becomes a necessity for those handling any secondary duty. One of the first things that I learnt while conducting distribution of pay and allowances was to count currency notes like bank cashiers. When one had to distribute lakhs of rupees, slipping one note on another like an amateur would never end the distribution in a single day.

Taking care of the Station Dairy or the Station Cinema Hall opened the doors for a learning that one can rarely ever think in civil walks of life. Running of Messes gave the same learning as the running of hotels without any degree in Hotel Management. Recording Courts of Inquiry is another experience that exposes one to learning the art of inquiring to arrive at relevant issues while the role of a Prosecuting Officer or Defending Officer in a Court Martial introduces one to procedures of a Court.

Running the Unit Run Canteen was one of the best experiences of how to run a business profitably with a slim profit margin by initiating discreet demands and keeping the dead stock at a minimal margin.

Contrary to what is the general idea of wielding of authority in the Armed Forces, the IAF is a very democratic set up and even the junior-most person is free to discuss matters with the senior-most rank with no love lost despite a serious argument. Seniors always take adequate care of their juniors and try to groom them in the best possible way.

I never played the same games for the IAF as I did at the University level but went on to learn mountaineering, rafting, water skiing, rowing and kayaking. In fact, I was part of a White Water Kayaking Expedition of the IAF down the River Beas and a Trekking Expedition in the hills of Gharwal. A PRO tenure was good enough to learn the intricacies of journalism and it culminated in being a Hindi commentator for both the Akashvani and Doordarshan for several events.

These are possibly some and definitely not all of the learning experiences of my IAF tenure. However, the greatest learning has been that of a never-ending sense of brotherhood, definitely not limited to the Air Force or even to the Armed Forces of India but one that extends beyond the boundaries of the country. Such was the experience when I was a part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka and part of a Security Delegation team to the U.S.

I should end with a small incident of my first meeting with one of the Counsellor Generals of the Republic of Netherlands at his office. After an initial introduction, he went back to his cabin, saluted me and handed me his visiting card with a remark, “Sir, just a Lieutenant.” There can be no better example of the global fraternity of the Armed Forces.

 

Credit : Gp Capt Achchyut Kumar (The Teenager Today)

Picture Credit : Google

Definitely not the last for Dhoni!

When the inaugural T20 World Championship was to be played, no one gave India even a slender chance of winning the Championship. Some of the better-known names were, missing from the Indian squad and Mahendra Singh Pansingh Dhoni was made the scapegoat captain to lead a team that would not lose face even if it returned without a single victory. What happened finally is history but above all it brought into limelight a new potential captain for the Indian cricket team.

Dhoni was no Samson with all his strength in his long hair but a captain who remained cool as a cucumber even under the most stressful situation. It was only a matter of time before M.S. Dhoni would be handed the reins of India cricket to be in the safest of hands. Dhoni appeared at the international arena in December 2004 when he made his One Day International debut against Bangladesh.

Perhaps the month of December had a special significance in Dhoni’s career; he made his test debut against Sri Lanka in December 2005 and the following December, his T20 debut against South Africa.

Dhoni draws his ancestry from the District of Almora in Uttarakhand but was born in Ranchi, then in the State of Bihar and now in Jharkhand, the district to which his father moved for employment. Since the Bihar youth teams of various age groups were not all that strong, Dhoni had to put outstanding individual performances to remain in the limelight. However, once in the Indian team, he remained an invaluable asset for the team in all the three forms of the game and once the leader, his achievements remained unparalleled.

In 90 Tests, Dhoni known lovingly as Mahi scored nearly 5,000 runs at an average of a fraction over 38 but it was his efficiency behind the stumps that accounted for the 256 catches 38 stumpings. However, Mahi’s achievements in the shorter version of the game remain enviable. In 350 ODIs,  he scored 10,773 runs at an average of 50.53 with a highest score of 183 not out and a record number of victims behind the stumps; 321 catches and the number of stumpings  with the integers reversed standing at 123; a total of 444 victims. In 98 T20 Internationals, Dhoni scored 1,617 runs at an average of 37.60 and accounted for 91 victims behind the stumps in the form of 54 catches and 37 stumpings.

However, what puts Dhoni in a class of his own are his achievements as a captain. He remains the only captain who led his team in winning all the three limited overs ICC trophies; the ICC World T20 in 2007, the ICC World Cup in 2011 and the ICC Champions Trophy, in 2013. In addition, he led the Indian team to victory in the Asia Cup in 2010 and again in 2016. Under his captaincy, India also achieved the distinction of achieving the top test ranking. There can be no greater recognition of Dhoni’s leadership than fact that the record eight times he was included in the ICC’s ODI XI, he was named as the captain on five occasions.

Dhoni has been considered as one of the greatest finishers in limited overs cricket and his 82 unbeaten innings are a testimony to his rare talent, however, when the time has demanded he was always ready to lead from the front and the most outstanding instance was when he decided to open the innings in the final of the 2011 ICC World Cup. One rare unique behaviour that Dhoni introduced was to hand over the won trophy to the junior-most member of the team once he was back with the team after receiving the trophy. Nothing can be more motivating for any youngster in a team where Dhoni was the skipper.

As a leader of the Chennai Super Kings team in the IPL, Dhoni’s achievement is another example of his great leadership. Of the ten times that CSK has participated in the 12 IPL tournaments so far, Dhoni has led his team into seven finals, winning the title on three occasions.

M.S. has been a recipient of several awards, some of the more prestigious being the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. The Territorial Army conferred the honourary rank of Lieutenant Colonel and he justified the honour by undertaking a two-week training stint with his unit.

Dhoni’s retirement and abdications have come in stages but the respect that he wielded among his teammates was always evident when the man behind the stumps took the liberty of resetting the field and it was never contested even when someone else was at the helm of affairs. I hope that the Government of India will hold a similar view when it comes to awards and honours for achievements that hitherto have never been reached by any other captain in bringing glory to the Indian cricket team.

Dhoni’s retirement from international cricket may be a disappointment for many of his fans but we all have definitely not seen the last of M.S. Dhoni. The number 7 in yellow jersey will still be seen playing the helicopter shot for the CSK in the IPL and the team’s opponent batsmen will still not dare to venture out of their batting crease as long as the man behind the stumps is the one who has the world’s maximum number of stumpings in limited overs cricket.

 

Credit : Gp Capt Achchyut Kumar (Teenager Today)

Picture Credit : Google

A Career as a Stockbroker

Do you have excellent communication, negotiation and analytical skills?

Do you like working in a fast-paced and challenging financial environment?

Advising and counseling clients on appropriate investments and working as a stockbroker may be the career for you.

What’s this career about?

Stockbrokers deal with a variety of investments, including stocks, bonds and mutual funds. They invest in the stock market for individuals or corporations. Only members of the stock exchange can conduct transactions, so whenever individuals or corporations want to buy or sell stocks they must go through a brokerage house.

Brokers explain the workings of the stock exchange to their clients and gather information from them about their needs and financial ability, and then determine the best investments for them. The broker then sends the order out the floor of the securities exchange by computer or by phone. When the transaction has been made, the broker supplies the client with the price. The buyer pays for the stocks and the broker transfers the title of the stock to the client and performs clearing and settlement procedures.

In order to provide the best advice to their customers, stockbrokers continuously research publicly traded companies, their products and finances. They also stay abreast of market trends and know which stocks offer good long-term and short-term investments.

Apart from work, stockbrokers always remain in touch with their clients in order to understand their needs. They constantly update them about the fluctuations in the market and advice them when to buy and sell and at what rates. At the same time, stockbrokers also ensure that their stock trading company also makes maximum profit in the long run. Initially, brokers spend many hours on the phone building up a client base.

Stockbrokers may specialize in either private client or institutional client work; in dealing or in advising; or in certain types of securities. The work is, mainly, sales-oriented and is conducted on the telephone. Since the industry is performance-driven, one has to be on their toes all the time to keep pace with the market movement.

All the operations today are computerized, with highly –trained and qualified specialists keeping a close watch on the market. One can survive in the stock broking career only if they have a knack of thinking on their feet and be adaptable in an ever-changing environment.

How do I get there?

Minimum requirement is graduation in any discipline preferably Commerce. Since stockbrokers must be well-informed about economic conditions and trends, courses in business administration, Finance & Control and Economics are helpful especially in the larger securities firms.

Some big broking firms prefer MBAs with specialization in Finance or Charted Accountants. PG programmes in capital market studies, and in stocks and securities are also available in selected universities and institutes.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the authorized Body which regulates the operations of stock exchanges, banks and other financial institutions. All stockbrokers need to be registered under SEBI and are governed under the rules, laws and regulations of this authority.

Besides registering with the SEBI, stockbrokers must become members of one or more stock exchanges such as the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). To attain membership of the stock exchange, one has to go through training under a broking firm for a period of minimum 6 months. The training aims to impart knowledge of subjects like accountancy, law-related subjects, capital markets, securities and portfolio analysis, etc. most employers provide on-the-job training to help stockbrokers meet the requirements for membership.

Their application forms are closely evaluated by the exchanges before granting membership. Most major exchanges require stockbrokers to pay a security deposit and a membership fee, which usually involves a considerable expense.

NSE India has created the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) to educate stock brokers, sub-brokers and investors about the stock market. In some cases, having the certification of the NISM is mandatory by some broking firms.

What key skills do I need?

  • Assertive, quick and decisive regarding other people’s money.
  • An aptitude for numbers.
  • Able to work in a stressful and competitive working environment.
  • Excellent sales skills.
  • Energetic and willing to work hard.
  • IT competence.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Institutes

  • National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM), Mumbai (nism.ac.in)
  • National Stock exchange, Mumbai (nsindia.com)
  • Mumbai Stock Exchange Training Institute, Mumbai (bseindia.com)
  • Institute of Charted Financial Analysts of India, Hyderabad (icfai.org)
  • Institute of Company Secretaries of India, New Delhi (icsi.edu)
  • Indian Institute of Capital Markets, Navi Mumbai (utiicm.com)
  • The Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai (nmims.edu)
  • BSE Institute Limited at various places (bsebti.com)

Pay package

Stock broking is a lucrative job. Most brokering firms pay performance based commissions along with a salary. Earnings from commission vary and are likely to be high when there is much buying and selling and low when there is a slump in market activity. They can start with 5-8 lakh rupees per annum; those with MBAs and post-graduates with a qualification in stock broking earn more. Some receive a bonus, if they meet certain established goals.

Employment profile

Stock broking work in the stock exchanges, business houses, financial institutions, or investments banks. They can also start their own consultancies.

The easing of regulation of the banking industry, and the many new stock options made available are rapidly creating new employment opportunities. Though the use of the internet for online trading can hamper the growth, still many investors rely on stockbrokers to assist them in selecting the proper stocks, mutual funds, and other financial products.

The demand for securities sales representatives fluctuates, as the economy expands and contracts.

 

Credit : Dr. Vibha Gupta (Teenager Today)

Picture Credit : Google

Where does the foetus begin to grow?

Once a sperm cell and an egg cell join, the fertilized egg begins to grow inside the woman’s uterus. During pregnancy the female body becomes a complete support system for the unborn baby.

It takes almost nine months for the fertilized egg to become a fully formed baby. Throughout this time, the uterus provides protection and warmth. As the baby develops, the uterus stretches until it is larger than any other organ in the body. The growing foetus shows in the pregnant woman’s “bump” at the front of her abdomen.

Your baby will change a lot throughout a typical pregnancy. This time is divided into three stages, called trimesters. Each trimester is a set of about three months. Your healthcare provider will probably talk to you about your baby’s development in terms of weeks. So, if you are three months pregnancy, you are about 12 weeks.

 

Picture Credit : Google

How to become a travel agent?

Be a Travel Agent

Part of a travel agent’s job is to create an itinerary which is a route for your journey. Imagine that you are a travel agent planning a trip for yourself and a friend to an exciting place.

You Will Need:

  • white paper a stapler
  • newspapers and magazines that an adult has given you permission to cut up
  • scissors
  • crayons or felt-tipped pens

What To Do:

1. Decide how many days you and your friend would like to travel Then staple several sheets of paper together to make a short booklet. Allow two pages for each day of your trip,

2. Look through newspapers and magazines or print out photos from the Internet. Cut out pictures of interesting places, such as museums, monuments, amusement parks, zoos, and nature parks, that you would like to visit. Remember, you’re not really travelling, so anything goes! Also cut out pictures of hotels, motels, camping grounds, and restaurants where you would enjoy staying and eating.

3. Now arrange your pictures so that you have two or three places to visit, one place to stay, and two or three restaurants for each day of your holiday.

4. Glue the pictures into your booklet. You might want to put numbers by each picture to show what you would do first second, and so on. You also could put the words breakfast, lunch, and dinner next to the restaurants to show where you would eat each meal.

Now you are ready to present the “itinerary” to your friend. “Bon Voyage!” This is French for “have a good trip!”

 

Picture Credit : Google

Are you a terrific traveller?

Terrific travellers are clever and ready for new sights, new sounds, new tastes, and new experiences. They respect other people’s languages, customs, and foods, even though they might seem strange at first. Terrific travellers expect surprises, and they know that each journey is a chance to learn something new.

Take this quiz to find out if you are a terrific traveller. You can pick more than one letter for each number. Then count the number of a’s, b’s, c’s, and d’s you score.

1. You are taking a stroll down a wooded path. You spot a flower you’ve never seen before. You:

a. pick the flower so no one else will find it.

b. ignore the flower. Woods are boring!

c. look up the flower in your nature guide and make a sketch of it in your notebook.

d. have a contest to see how many unusual flowers you can find.

2. It is late afternoon in a Spanish village. All the shops and restaurants are closed for siesta. You:

a. bang on the windows and tell everyone to wake up because you are hungry

b. pout in your hotel room.

c. use the time to read about local customs.

d. have a picnic in the park with the snacks

you packed in your backpack.

3. It is your only day to go to the beach. Suddenly, it starts to rain. You:

a. tell everyone that your trip is ruined and you want to go home.

b. sit in your room all day and watch it rain.

c. use the time to write postcards to your friends.

d. go to a museum you hadn’t planned to visit.

4. You are in a restaurant and the waiter brings you an odd-looking dish you’ve never had before. You:

a. pinch your nose and yell “Ugh!”

b. push the plate away from you when no one is looking.

c. ask the waiter to tell you the name of the dish and how to pronounce it.

d. try the dish even though you don’t know whether you will like it.

5. Your parents tell you that you are going to an art museum instead of the amusement park. You:

a. plan to bring your in-line skates so you can play tag with your sister.

b. sigh loudly and dawdle behind your parents once you get there.

c. take the museum tour and learn about the paintings.

d. go on an art museum treasure hunt.

What Your Score Means:

Mostly A’s:

Tourist, go home! You won’t enjoy your trip, and you may keep other people from enjoying theirs.

Mostly B’s:

B is for boring. You need to put more effort into your travels if you want to have fun!

Mostly C’s:

Your willingness to learn about the places you visit makes you a terrific traveller.

Mostly D’s:

You’re terrific, too. Your adventurous spirit guarantees that you will have fun wherever you go.

 

Picture Credit : Google

How do draw a map to scale?

Draw a Map to Scale

You don’t need rulers or tape measures to draw a map to scale. Make different maps of your own room-using just your feet!

You Will Need:

  • graph paper
  • crayons or felt-tipped pens
  • a ruler

What To Do:

1. Select two things in your room, such as your dresser and bed, or the door and the window.

2. Estimate, or guess, the distance between the two objects you have chosen.

3. Now use steps to measure the distance. Walk in a straight line, placing your feet from heel to toe. Count how many steps it takes to get from one object to the other. Write down that measurement.

4. Decide on a scale, such as the length of one square of graph paper equals one step Draw a map of your room using the measurements (in steps) you just took. Use your scale to show the distance between the two things you chose. At the top or bottom of the map, mark the map scale.

5. Now draw more maps to different scales. For example, one step equals two squares.

6. Give each of your maps a title, such as “first map”. “second map”, and “third map”.

Now you are ready to compare your maps. How are they alike? How are they different?

 

Picture Credit : Google

How to make your neighbourhood map?

One way to help your friend find your house quickly and easily is to draw a map. It’s easy to make a map of your neighbourhood, and its fun too

You Will Need:

  • plain white paper
  • pencils
  • a ruler
  • crayons or felt-tipped pens
  • tracing paper

What to Do:

1. First, walk around your neighbourhood and make a list of the things you want to show on your map. You may want to ask an adult to help you. You might want to show your house, a friend’s house, the park, or your school. Think about where places are, how far apart they are, and what shape they are. As you walk, write down the names of the streets in the order in which you get to them. Which buildings and streets would help someone find your house?

2. Next, draw your map. Draw the streets in pencil and show where they cross. Print the name of each street on your map.

Then add shapes that stand for your friend’s house, a postbox, or a shop. You might also need to add streets that aren’t on the map. Label each street. Then add labels for important places such as your home and school.

3. Now colour your map. Use different colours for such areas as houses, streets, and parks. At the bottom of the map, list what each colour stands for.

To find out whether your map works, let a friend use it to try to find your house or another place on your map.

 

Picture Credit : Google

How to design your own house?

What House Will You Build?

Here is your chance to design your own house.

Where You Live

1. An area close to a swamp. Floods occur quite often.

2.A very rainy place.

3.A dry rural place with few trees.

4.A crowded big city with buildings that are homes for many people.

5.A place close to a river, lake, sea, or ocean.

Materials for a House

A. mud for making bricks

B. wooden poles on which to build your house

C. waterproof tiles for your roof

D. concrete bricks and steel beams

E. wood, fibreglass, or aluminium for making a house that floats

 

Picture Credit : Google

How to make your own friendship bracelet?

Weave Your Own Friendship Bracelet

In many countries, people make rugs, baskets, and blankets. They make them by weaving, Weavers use a machine called a loom to cross threads over and under one another. The threads are made of cotton, silk, or even grass. Sometimes the threads are coloured with dyes made from plants. You can make a simple hand loom out of straws and use it to weave a bracelet for your friend.

You Will Need:

  • 1 metre thin cotton thread
  • 2 plastic drinking straws, each cut in half
  • different-coloured yarn

What To Do:

1. Cut the thread into four equal pieces and pass each piece through a straw. Tie the four ends above the straws into a knot.

2. Knot the other end of each piece of thread.

3.Tie a piece of yarn to the thread just below the top knot.

4.Weave the yarn under and over the straws from side to side. Use your fingers to push up each row of yarn onto the thread and slide the straws down. To change colours, tie a new piece of yarn to the end of the first one and weave in the loose ends.

5. Make your bracelet long enough to tie around your friend’s wrist. When your bracelet is the length you want, remove the straws. To fasten the last row, tie the end of the yarn to the piece of the thread. Then tie a knot with the two pieces of thread on the left. Repeat with the pair on the right. Finally, tie together the four thread pieces with another knot.

Now you are ready to give your bracelet to a friend!

 

Picture Credit : Google